Helicopters take part in night flight training China Military Online) 09:28, August 15, 2024 Soldiers assigned to an air assault brigade under the PLA 75th Group Army fast rope from a helicopter during a night flight training exercise on July 4, 2024. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Tan Yanglin) Helicopters attached to an air assault brigade under the PLA 75th Group Army take part in a night flight training exercise on July 4, 2024. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Tan Yanglin) Helicopters attached to an air assault brigade under the PLA 75th Group Army take part in a night flight training exercise on July 4, 2024. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Tan Yanglin) (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) The Bexar County Courthouse is the center of a growing feud over state District Judge Christine Hortick's plans to leave the Presiding Court scheduling system as of Monday. Billy Calzada/San Antonio Express-News State District Judge Christine Hortick is planning to leave the Presiding Court system on Monday, something other judges say she can't do. Judge Jackie Herr Valdes, local administrative judge, said in an Aug. 2 letter that she didn't see anything in local court rules that allow state District Judge Christine Hortick to leave the Presiding Court system. Kin Man Hui/Staff photographer Judge Sid Harle said while he understands Judge Christine Hortick may want to run her own docket, judges are bound to follow Bexar County District Court local rules. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News A Bexar County judge has provoked a furor on the civil court bench by vowing to pull out of a 62-year-old system in which pretrial hearings are assigned to different judges rather than staying with the same jurist all the way through the case. State District Judge Christine Hortick says the Presiding Court system is inefficient and costs litigants time and money because its possible for a case to come before a different judge each time a pretrial issue arises. The attorneys have to kind of rehash the basics every time they go to court assuming its a different judge, she said. That risks retraumatizing the parties, especially when children are compelled to relive the details of disputes, the judge added. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Hortick announced on her Facebook page that starting Monday, hearings in cases assigned to her 225th Civil District Court should be scheduled directly with her court rather than with Presiding Court, which is the usual procedure. In essence, she intends to run her own docket. The move is opposed by Bexar Countys 13 other civil district court justices and the local administrative law judge. There has been an overwhelming lack of willingness to have meaningful discussion or compromise on this issue among the civil judiciary as a whole, Hortick said by email. Under the Presiding Court system, when a civil case is filed in state district court, it is randomly assigned to one of the 14 judges. Pretrial hearings, however, are scheduled on a central docket run by a Presiding Court judge, who typically assigns the hearings to other jurists. Advertisement Article continues below this ad This system has been place in Bexar County since 1962. In most other Texas counties, a case usually remains with the judge to whom it was assigned at the time it was filed. Horticks challenge to the Presiding Court system has been months in the making. She submitted a formal request to her fellow judges in an April letter and then informed them in May that her last day assisting Presiding Court would be this Friday. The whole purpose of this is to make things better for attorneys and for litigants, she said in a meeting with the San Antonio Express-News Editorial Board in June. I dont think anybodys going to get upset with me trying to do a more efficient system where I can work more than I do now. Hows anybody going to get mad at me for that? The other 13 judges recently responded by signing a resolution committing to comply with the local civil court rules and preserve the Presiding Court system. The judges said their efficient management of the caseload is directly attributable to the Presiding Court system that is not limited by any one judges schedule. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Apparently in response to Horticks Facebook post, the judges informed the San Antonio Bar Association that they had been alerted that 'inaccurate information' is circulating on social media regarding attorneys setting matters for hearing outside of the Presiding Court system. A court notice said local rules require all civil cases be docketed and assigned through the Presiding Court system. 'Withdrawing my consent' Judge Jacqueline Jackie Herr Valdes, the local administrative judge, advised Hortick in an Aug. 2 letter that she did not see any provision in the existing Bexar County District Court Local Rules that would allow for setting and hearing cases in civil district court in any other manner than as provided for in those rules. The rules state, in part, that Presiding Court hears all nonjury matters, including pretrial matters in cases set for jury trial, with some exceptions. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Herr Valdes, who also is the judge in the 386th Juvenile District Court, said she would not authorize any change that would give an individual judge a means to circumvent the local rules. In an interview, Senior District Judge Sid Harle, who presides over the multicounty 4th Administrative Judicial Region in South Texas, said that although he understands why Hortick would want her own docket, it would require a change in the local rules. When you run and youre elected to a civil district court, then youre in essence bound by the local rules until they change, Harle said. You can always work behind the scenes to try to get them changed. Any modification of the rules requires a majority vote of the 14 judges. My position is that a local rule that is unconstitutional is not enforceable regardless of how many judges agree to the rule, Hortick responded. She said that under the Presiding Court system, she must give up jurisdiction over cases assigned to her when, in her view, the state constitution requires her consent when she is asked to essentially trade cases. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Effective Aug. 19, I am withdrawing my consent, the judge said. On Wednesday, Harle and Herr Valdes raised the ante by signing an order that essentially instructs Hortick to get with the program. It requires her to work within the centralized docket system and to serve as Presiding Court judge for the month of September. Hortick "is to fully comply with the procedures for managing the centralized docket of the Bexar County Civil District Courts as established by the Bexar County Civil District Court Local Rules," the order says. It further states that Hortick "shall not take any action to set hearings in conflict with the procedures established by the Local Rules or to encourage or require any attorneys or litigants to do so." The judges also have created a task force to examine the Presiding Court system. Judges Nadine Nieto and Angelica Jimenez are co-chairs, while Hortick and about 15 lawyers serve as members. This Task Force is formed to hear both positive and negative opinions of the current presiding court system and make recommendations on how to improve the system, said attorney Steve Chiscano, who is the San Antonio Bars immediate past president and a task force member. 'Forum shopping' Hortick was elected to the 225th in fall 2022 to fill the seat left open by Peter Sakai, who stepped down to run successfully for Bexar County judge. Civil district court judges are elected to four-year terms. Hortick, a graduate of the University of Massachusetts-Boston and St. Marys University School of Law, previously had been in private practice. In Presiding Court, the way a case can bounce from judge to judge during the pretrial phase creates the potential for inefficiencies and inconsistent rulings, Hortick said. Among other drawbacks, the system encourages forum shopping by lawyers when they get a ruling they dont like, she said. You might have attorneys that will file a motion that gets denied, and then they file one thats very similar, but just different enough to kind of get into court, Hortick said. A spokesperson for the union that represents city employees on Wednesday said that the five employees fired from Richmonds Department of Finance this week were denied union representation. On Tuesday a department director spread misinformation within the department and led union members to believe that they were without representation; a fact that is easily disproven upon examination of the contract, the spokesperson said. We are extremely disappointed with the City of Richmond and their union-busting tactics. Asked whether the employees had been refused a union representative when they were terminated, Deputy Communications Director Margaret Ekam said the city is not able to comment on the specifics ... because its a personnel matter. The City values unions and the collective bargaining process, and it has fully complied with the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, Ekam said. Mayor Levar Stoney was asked about the firings during a news conference at City Hall on Wednesday. He confirmed that they had taken place, but said he was not sure of when they had occurred or exactly how many employees were let go. He said any employee who does not meet the citys standard of excellence will no longer be employed. WTVR reported that several of the fired employees told reporter Tyler Layne they were subjected to chaotic working conditions and antiquated systems. But at the Wednesday news conference, Stoney denied that there is a leadership issue in the finance department and said its director, Sheila White, is the best the city has had in a decade plus. Shes willing to run into the fire for the fix, Stoney said of White. There are not a lot of people who are willing to do that, and it means sometimes people are going to get mad at you. The firings came a week after officials conducted desk searches in the finance department. It is not clear what officials were looking for. From the Archives: Richmond's Old City Hall TEPJF validates Sheinbaum as next President of Mexico Mexico City, Mexico The Electoral Tribunal of the Judicial Branch of the Federation (TEPJF) officially declared Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo as the next President of Mexico. The live announcement was made across the nation Wednesday after confirming her victory in the June presidential elections with a total of 35,924,519 votes, representing 59.7 percent of the total. The Superior Chamber of the Tribunal Electoral del Poder Judicial de la Federacion (TEPJF) validated the presidential election, confirming Sheinbaum meets all the legal requirements to assume the presidency of the United Mexican States. The TEPJF stated that the election was free and authentic, complying with the principles of certainty, legality, independence, impartiality, maximum publicity and integrity. The resolution underlined the legality of all stages of the electoral process in which 99.9 percent of the 170,181 polling stations were set up with votes being cancelled in only 27. Citizen participation was totaled at 60,115,184 voters. The Electoral Tribunal judges unanimously recognized the victory of Claudia Sheinbaum, candidate of the coalition Lets Keep Making History made up of Morena, PT and PVEM, describing her victory as resounding. Presiding Judge Monica Soto called the recent vote the largest, most inclusive and equal electoral process in the history of Mexico. On August 15, the Superior Court will officially certify Claudia Sheinbaum as President-Elect of Mexico, making her the first female president of Mexico. Deputies escort David Engwiller, father to Domenic Patrick Aguilar, out of the courtroom after an emotional outburst during the sentencing of Daniel Garcia on Wednesday. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News In a video filmed by his grandmother Serli Aguilar, Domenic Patrick Aguilar is shown in court during the sentencing of Daniel Garcia on Wednesday. Garcia, convicted in May of beating to death Domenic Patrick Aguilar, the son of his former girlfriend, was sentenced to life in prison. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Daniel Garcia watches as deputies escort David Engwiller, father to Domenic Patrick Aguilar, out of the courtroom during Garcias sentencing on Wednesday, convicted in May of beating to death Domenic Patrick Aguilar, the son of his former girlfriend, was sentenced to life in prison. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Daniel Garcia listens to testimony during his sentencing on Wednesday. Garcia, convicted in May of beating to death Domenic Patrick Aguilar, the son of his former girlfriend, was sentenced to life in prison. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Serline Acevedo becomes emotional while talking about her grandson Domenic Patrick Aguilar on Wednesday. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News A man who killed his girlfriend's 5-year-old San Antonio son has been sentenced to life in prison. Hours later, the slain boy's biological father was removed from the courtroom after an angry outburst during the punishment phase. Authorities believe Daniel Garcia killed Domenic Patrick Aguilar-Acevedo in San Antonio on July 24, 2021. The boy's badly decomposed body was discovered in a Colorado ravine. David Engwiller was visibly angry as he listened to witnesses during the Wednesday sentencing hearing for Garcia, who was convicted of murder in May, in the beating death of Nickolle Cristina Aguilar's son. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Deputies escort David Engwiller, father to Domenic Patrick Aguilar, out of the courtroom after an emotional outburst during the sentencing of Daniel Garcia on Wednesday. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Aguilar, and Samantha Perez, Garcia's ex-girlfriend and the mother of his children, spoke about the abuse he inflicted on them and their children. They testified that Garcia would punch them, place them in chokeholds, and take their phones from them in an attempt to isolate them from their families. Leaping out of his seat, Engwiller yelled at Garcia and threw a water bottle at the row in front of him. "I should kill your (expletive) ass right here!" Engwiller, Domenic's father, yelled. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The hearing lasted almost four hours. Engwiller did not have the chance to see state District Judge Velia J. Meza impose her sentence life in prison for Garcia, 29. Ten Bexar County Sheriff's deputies physically removed Engwiller and did not allow him back in the courtroom. Serline Acevedo, grandmother of Domenic Patrick Aguilar, wears a shirt commemorating her grandson while giving a victim impact statement on Wednesday. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Aguilar, charged with injury to a child causing serious bodily injury by omission, was sentenced to 15 years in prison last week. She took a plea in exchange for her testimony against Garcia and for a maximum of 15 years. Had she gone to trial, she would have faced up to life in prison. Testimony at Garcia's trial established that Garcia and Aguilar were moving to Texas from Florida and had been staying in extended-stay hotels in San Antonio for a few weeks before the child's death. Surveillance videos taken in the last few days of Domenic's life showed a child who at first could walk on his own, began to move slowly and toward the end had to be carried up and down the stairs. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In a last scene, Garcia is seen carrying a limp Domenic up the stairs, then later down the stairs. The child was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a face mask and never moved. Nickolle Cristina Aguilar, mother of Domenic Patrick Aguilar, testifies in the sentencing of Daniel Garcia on Wednesday. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News The couple took Domenic's body and placed it in the car seat next to his younger sister, then 4. They drove near Frasier, Colo., and threw his body over a cliff. Then, they drove from Colorado to Mexico and then Costa Rica, where relatives there wondered about Domenic's whereabouts. Aguilar's mother, Serile Acevedo, called authorities in Florida and in Costa Rica to report that something had happened to her grandson. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A hunt for the child ensued. About a month after his death, Aguilar led San Antonio Police Department and FBI agents to the site where she said Garcia threw her son's body over a ravine. Defense attorneys Michael Gross and Brigitte Garza asked Meza to sentence Garcia no more than what Aguilar got 15 years. Samantha Perez, former partner of Daniel Garcia, wipes away tears as she outlines the abuse she experienced while with Garcia on Wednesday. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News "She's not a mother, she's a monster," Garza told the court. Garza read from sworn affidavits that she said led to a hard life for Garcia he was born in Cuba, moved to the United States with his parents who divorced, had a language barrier and missed his family and friends. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Prosecutors Oscar Salinas and Nathan Moyer argued Garcia should get nothing less than a life sentence for beating the child to death. "Domenic is dead because of him and Nickolle," Salinas said in his closing argument. "He did the beating and Nickolle didn't do anything." District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte defends his actions on the night of April 26 before the citys Ethics Review Board during a hearing at the Cliff Morton Development and Business Services Center on Wednesday. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer District 10 Council Member Marc Whyte violated three sections of the citys ethics code when he phoned Police Chief William McManus last spring to relay his wifes friends concern that her child was being abused, the Ethics Review Board declared late Wednesday. The boards 6-1 decision came almost three months after attorney Martin Phipps filed an ethics complaint alleging that the first-term council member abused his office when he called and texted McManus the night of April 26 over concerns that Phipps was physically abusing one of his two children during a court-ordered visit. District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte, right, testifies beside District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez during an Ethics Review Board hearing on attorney Martin Phipps ethics complaint against Whyte at the Cliff Morton Development and Business Services Center on Wednesday. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer Attorney Martin Phipps testifies during an Ethics Review Board hearing on his ethics complaint against District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte at the Cliff Morton Development and Business Services Center on Wednesday. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer Ross Fischer, outside counsel for the city, speaks during a hearing by the citys Ethics Review Board on attorney Martin Phipps ethics complaint against District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte at the Cliff Morton Development and Business Services Center on Wednesday. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer District 10 City Councilman Marc Whyte defends his actions on the night of April 26 during an Ethics Review Board hearing on attorney Martin Phipps ethics complaint against Whyte at the Cliff Morton Development and Business Services Center on Wednesday. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez, left, testifies in support of District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte, right, during an Ethics Review Board hearing at the Cliff Morton Development and Business Services Center on Wednesday. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer Attorney Martin Phipps gives an impassioned appeal to the board during an Ethics Review Board hearing at the Cliff Morton Development and Business Services Center on Wednesday. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte presents evidence during an Ethics Review Board hearing at the Cliff Morton Development and Business Services Center on Wednesday. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer District 10 City Councilman Marc Whyte testifies before the Ethics Review Board during a hearing at the Cliff Morton Development and Business Services Center on Wednesday. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer Attorney Martin Phipps gives closing remarks during an Ethics Review Board hearing on his ethics complaint against District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte at the Cliff Morton Development and Business Services Center on Wednesday. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte talks to reporters at the conclusion of an Ethics Review Board hearing at the Cliff Morton Development and Business Services Center on Wednesday. The board determined that Whyte knowingly acted in a manner that violated three sections of the citys ethics code and will issue him a letter of reprimand. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer Whyte became aware of the alleged abuse when his wife, Lorien, sent him a screenshot of a text exchange between the child and Phipps ex-wife. The child indicated that they were not safe and that Phipps was grabbing me and screaming, according to messages Marc Whyte submitted in response to the complaint. Advertisement Article continues below this ad When Marc Whyte couldnt reach the police chief on the phone, he texted him the screenshot, along with Loriens accompanying message: You have to impart on him how serious this is. Marc Whyte at the time was at a Fiesta party, which District 8 Council Member Manny Pelaez was also attending. Marc Whyte, on the advice of Pelaez, shared his wifes message with Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar, who was at the same private Fiesta event. Salazar then sent a deputy working security at the event to check on Phipps home, even though the deputy knew police had been dispatched. Police officers at the scene turned the deputy away. The officers did not observe any injuries on the child, according to a police report, and they did not file charges against Phipps. Advertisement Article continues below this ad After a 3.5-hour hearing Wednesday, the Ethics Review Board found that Marc Whyte violated sections of the ethics code regarding unfair advancement of private interests; asserting the prestige of a council position to advance private interests; and using, requesting or allowing the use of city employees or time for private purposes not available to the public. The City Council-appointed board also voted 6-1 to issue Marc Whyte a letter of reprimand and require him to complete ethics training. A letter of reprimand is a finding that someone has intentionally or knowingly violated the code of ethics, and is the most severe of the three letters the board can issue. It does not impose fines or sanctions, or result in criminal prosecution. Dr. Fred Campbell, who was nominated to the board by then-District 1 Council Member Mario Bravo, voted against both the finding that Marc Whyte violated the ethics code and the letter of a reprimand. Four of the 11 board members were not present for Wednesdays hearing. Efrain Sosa and Roxana Vargas were absent, and Jim Reidy and Ron Van Kirk recused themselves because the case involved the council members who nominated them to the board. Marc Whyte, an attorney who served on the ethics board from 2015 to 2017, said he may appeal the decision with a state district court judge. He could also ask the board for a new hearing. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I would act again just as I did, he told reporters. Get police chief involved Board members questioned Marc Whyte about why he contacted the police chief even though he knew from his wifes text messages that police had already arrived at Phipps house, and whether he lacked confidence in the responding officers. Phipps ex-wife, Jessica Joyner, called 911 at 8:19 p.m., according to a timeline presented to the board by attorney Ross Fischer, whom the city hired to investigate the facts of the case. The first San Antonio police officer arrived at Phipps house at 8:27 p.m. Joyner contacted Lorien Whyte via text message around 8:30 p.m., indicating that she had called 911. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We may need to get police chief involved, Lorien texted Marc Whyte around 8:50 p.m. Martin has gates and everything locked and cops cant get in. Kids are hiding in back house. Police are saying its not exigency. Call me now please. Marc Whyte dialed McManus at 8:53 p.m. He then texted him. I wasnt trying to get the children removed (from Phipps home)," Whyte told the board. "I was simply trying to ensure the child was OK and get the information as quickly as I could. READ MORE: Councilman Marc Whyte seeks swift dismissal of ethics complaint Board members Philip Ryan Garza and Patrick Lang pushed back against Marc Whytes assertion that McManus cellphone number is widely available to the public. The Northeast Side council member has repeated that argument several times since Phipps filed the ethics complaint. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Ive broken bread with (McManus), sat with him, been at many events hes never given it to me, said Lang, who chairs the board. A nominee of council District 2, Lang has served on the board since 2018. How many members of the public are actually going to feel comfortable, if they have his number, reaching out to him at that time of night? Garza said. Pelaez, who is running for mayor in the May 2025 election, also contacted the police chief that night. At 9:26 p.m., Pelaez texted McManus and Deputy City Manager Maria Villagomez, who oversees the San Antonio Police Department, to alert them to the situation. Whyte and I have a problem. Please call Whyte. ASAP. URGET (sic). Family violence case happening in King Williams, Pelaez wrote. Mom of victim called us. Moms name is Jessica Joyner. Im told assailant is Martin Phipps! At that same time, Marc Whyte called and then texted Deputy Chief Jesse Salame, according to Fischers timeline. McManus responded to Marc Whyte at 10:09 p.m., informing him via text message that police cleared the scene at Phipps home at 9:46 p.m. To that, Marc Whyte replied: Chief I really hope something doesnt happen. I cant believe your guys left. Tried you back. Im here. The board voted 7-0 to find that Marc Whyte did not, as Phipps alleged, violate a section of the ethics code regarding conflicts of interest. Specifically, the board found that Marc Whyte did not take any official action that he knew was likely to financially benefit himself or his wife. Lorien Whyte represented Joyner in her appeal of the couples child custody case. Lorien Whyte said in an affidavit that she has been friends with Joyner for numerous years. Personal bias Phipps was Marc Whyte and Pelaezs mock trial professor while they were students at St. Marys University School of Law. Marc Whyte worked for Phipps then-law firm, Phipps Cavazos PLLC, from late 2014 to 2016. Pelaez also worked for Phipps. The council members said their history with Phipps, paired with their state-mandated duty to report suspected child abuse to law enforcement, informed their actions on April 26. Based on things I know about Mr. Phipps, I was very alarmed, developed a reasonable suspicion that something was really going on over there, and thats when I said, Look, theres the closest law enforcement officer lets go show him (the texts), Pelaez told the board about his actions that night. Phipps represented Bexar County in its successful 2018 lawsuit against opioid manufacturers, winning the county a $14.5 million settlement. Since then, he has faced accusations from former employees of abuse and retaliation and, in 2021, was arrested on suspicion of telephone harassment against another ex-wife. A judge later dismissed that misdemeanor charge against him for insufficient evidence. Phipps accused Pelaez and Marc Whyte of having a personal bias against him. He comes in here and says, This is the standard were supposed to have: when councilmen have a reasonable suspicion because they dont like you, they can get the sheriff to send somebody over to your house, Phipps said of Marc Whyte. Marc Whyte told the board that Phipps filed the ethics complaint for revenge and to hurt me. He cited a line in the complaint that speculates that Marc Whyte was drunk on April 26 when he contacted the police chief and sheriff a claim Marc Whyte denies. You all, Im sure, are aware about my situation what happened at the end of last year, with my driving incident, Marc Whyte said, referring to his Dec. 29 arrest on a drunken driving charge. The District Attorneys Office charged Marc Whyte with driving while intoxicated, a misdemeanor, in July. The arresting officer testified in March that Marc Whyte asked to speak with McManus as they were driving to the magistrates office. Marc Whyte has said he doesnt remember making such a request. LOS ANGELES When Nicole Eggert goes to the market, shell invariably prompt someone to say, What happened to her? Because Baywatch is still visible on TV screens, fans have this image of her at 19 in a red swimsuit. Ive definitely had a love-hate relationship with the show over the years, she says, but its been an evolution and I definitely love it and appreciate it and am proud of it. Like others who starred on the 90s beach show, Eggert felt it was the object of derision and wanted to set the record straight. With filmmaker Matthew Felker, she crafted After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun, a docuseries that looks back at the dramas heyday, its effect on its cast and its impact now, some 30 years later. Canceled after one season on NBC, the hour-long drama about lifeguards, had 10 more years through syndication and became the most-watched show worldwide. It prompted a spinoff, Baywatch Nights and a feature film. It also gave career boosts to David Hasselhoff, Pamela Anderson, Parker Stevenson and Yasmine Bleeth. Overseas, no one tried to distance themselves or be embarrassed about watching the show, says Alexandra Paul, one of the stars. There was unabashed enthusiasm and just joy about being able to watch this series. When actor David Chokachi was vacationing last July, he met a woman who grew up in Siberia and she was thrilled she was sitting next to Baywatchs Cody Madison. She grew up watching Baywatch in this really remote town, he says, and she loved it. The reason: Baywatch was escapism. Dealing with backlash We got a lot of backlash as actors that we couldnt act, Chokachi says, and I fought against that quite hard because I always said we werent up there saying were doing Shakespeare. Were doing Baywatch. Decades later, the former NBC series is in the Guinness Book of World Records with that startling accomplishment: more than one billion weekly viewers. Since then, Baywatch alums have starred in all sorts of projects and, yes, the identification still sticks. A sense of pride, however, accompanies it, particularly when they realize how helpful some lifesaving segments were and how effective Baywatch was at selling a dream. Felker, in fact, moved to California largely because the series was so good at providing escapism. Thats why it translated in Europe so well, he says. Its this caricature of what America is. Sex, lies and videotape To craft their docuseries, Eggert and Felker tried to contact as many former actors and producers as they could. Some were eager to talk; others didnt want to be contacted. Michael Bergin, a former star of the series, wouldnt return Felkers calls. Now a real estate agent, Bergin was hosting an open house and Felker showed up. I had to buy a house from Michael Bergin to get him on, he says with a laugh. Greg Allen Williams, another member of the cast, hadnt done a Baywatch interview in 30 years. Before he said yes, he asked Felker to write an essay. Eggert, meanwhile, started calling friends to get their buy-in. In the process, she discovered many of the actors had home videos from their time away from the camera. That gave Felker a new wrinkle and a chance to show just how big Baywatch was. The result a hybrid of interviews, show footage and videotapes offers a new perspective on a phenomenon. To swim or not to swim Among the tidbits gleaned: Carmen Electra hated going in the water and didnt realize she didnt really have to make out with Chokachi in romantic scenes. I was so green, she says. I just went in. Chokachi, meanwhile, was the real deal a swimming expert who grew up teaching sailing and making school swim teams. Paul and Billy Warlock were good swimmers as well. But Erika Eleniak admits she was terrible in the water. They needed to see how much they were going to need to stunt double me, she admits. I was not very confident in the water and completely shark phobic. I remember one year I had it in my contract I was only going to go in up to my knees. Jeremy Jackson, who played the youngest member of the cast, had extensive skills surfing, boogie boarding and body surfing. They threw me in the pool after they thought they liked me and asked if I could swim. And I said, What do you want? Backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle? To get a sense of the lessons Baywatch taught, Felker watched every episode while working out on an exercise bike. By the time interviews began, he was prepped and ready. We sort of had an idea of what its going to be and then you start hearing people talk, he says. You realize these people have been asked the same questions over and over again. The pandemic happened and he was able to spend time with some 35 members of the cast and crew. It was like a friendship. I view all these people as a slightly dysfunctional family and were all back together and Im like the stepchild. After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun begins streaming August 28 on Hulu. Boobs are back. Also, they never went away. This is part of Boobs Weekread the whole thing here. If Barbie were real, she would topple over. She also would have a hard time finding a button-up shirt. Greta Gerwigs portrayal of the doll might have grappled with the perma-flexed feet and the impossible beauty standard, but it left aside the fact that big boobs and a small frame often just dont really fit into clothes sold in stores. People think Sydney Sweeneys boobs are super bigthey are notin part because women with bigger boobs are, some portion of the time, sizing up to fit their chests, obscuring their bodies and frames altogether. Or else were smushing into minimizer bras, which can make clothes more wearable. Sometimes, of course, breasts are just out there. Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan, a self-described member of the perfect-breasts community, appeared in a Skims campaign in a lime-green spaghetti-strap dress that demonstrated the other mode available to those with large chests: just go skintight. Fun! But tough for a day involving anything where you dont want to wear something skintight. Whether they are straight size or extended, clothes are typically made to fit women with chests that maintain a specific proportion to the rest of their bodies. A garment is designed using a fit model, meant to represent the average customer, with the pattern scaled up or down so a brand can offer a range of sizes. But that doesnt account for varying proportions. The typical piece of clothing in America is designed for a B cup, according to Kristen Allen, a fashion entrepreneur. Advertisement Allen, herself a 32H, realized early that she was going to have a hard time shopping for clothes. In high school, her favorite store was Guess. I remember going there and trying on the shirts, and it was a mess, and I was just like, Oh my God, why cant they just make this for larger-chested women? she told me. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Left adrift by most (though not all) major clothing retailers, some women, like Allen, are taking matters into their own hands. A decade ago, as an adult, Allen started her own brand, Exclusively Kristen. Using herself as a fit model, she created a pattern for a button-up shirt that would neither pop open at the top nor leave extra fabric hanging around her midsection: a shirt that would just fit. The design achieves this with princess seams, which trace the body in a curve from the armpit, over the breast, and down to the hemline. This, Allen said, accentuates the figure, without being inappropriate for work. Advertisement She took her shirts to bra shops that catered to larger busts, where shed also get feedback on how the garments fit other people so she could tweak the pattern. Those conversations revealed a clear mismatch between what we tend to think of as a normal breast size and what many bodies are actually like. I would ask women who owned the bra shops, who would sell cup sizes up to M and N, What is the bestselling size? and it was always, like, a 34H or a 34G, she said. Even if you are a pro at shopping, finding clothes for an ample rack can be impossible. Alice Kim, another fashion entrepreneur, spent years employed as a buyer for major brands like Victorias Secret and Prada, working her way up to be a vice president of merchandising at Diane von Furstenberg. And I still cant find clothes that fit my body off the rack that I dont have to tailor, she said, recalling her frustration. In 2020 she founded PerfectDD, pronounced perfected. (Kim said that she is a 28Ibut that she often refers to her own cup size as DD because thats what people understand.) PerfectDDs offerings, which include button-downs, scoop-neck tees, a lace corset top, and a jumpsuit, are designed for the titular DDs to M cups. The first time she tried on a sample of PerfectDD clothing, she literally cried, Kim said. Not having to size up into something baggy just so the clothes fit her breasts was a huge relief. I was like, I look my size. This is the actual size of my body. Advertisement Advertisement Earlier in her life, unable to find clothes that fit, tired of being known as the girl with big boobs, Kim had wanted a breast reduction. Now Im like, I wish I were even bigger, she said. To say that wearing clothes that fit your shape inspires confidence is kind of trite. Its almost too lofty a way to put it. To have clothes that neither expose nor swallow you is something of a basic need, but it can be weirdly difficult to fulfill even in our era of clothing abundance. No matter what shape you are, chances are that youre familiar with the struggle of clothes because some facet of your body, if not the entire thing, doesnt fit the cookie-cutter shapes found in stores. The most variation we are typically offered is longer or shorter hemlines in tall or petite. (An exception: curvy jeans. Bless.) For all the options of what to buythey are so very dizzyingand for all the rapid cycles of trends, it can be somewhere between tricky and exceedingly hard to find clothing that simply fits you. Advertisement Back to the subject of large breasts specifically: Leah, the author of a long-running fashion column, Off the Rack, has often gotten around the problem of ill-fitting clothes by sewing her own, or making alterations. (Leah uses just her first name for her boob writing to keep it separate from her professional life.) She has a key clothes shopping tip for the rest of us: You definitely want to look for darts, she said. Multiple darts, not just, like, one little one on the side. Button-up shirts, she said, will often have one little dart on each side, which doesnt do all that much. Ill look for shirts that have darts both by the armpit and also at the waist, and also at the waist in the back. All those darts mean that theres extra fabric in the chest thats been nipped and tucked elsewhere in the garment. And those darts can be deepened with a sewing machine to accommodate a larger differential between waist and chest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What about for a more complicated garment, like a suit jacket? After all, politicians can have big breasts too. (Nancy Pelosi, for example, famously keeps hers professionally under wraps.) Yes: more darts. Dartslots of them, said Caroline Andrew, a bespoke tailor in London, in an email. She explained uses princess darts (another name for princess seams), and adds chest darts under the lapel. A bespoke blazer, in which a custom pattern is created, will run you nearly $4,000, and Andrew doesnt do made-to-measure for women, a simpler and less expensive process that involves modifying a pattern to fit a particular body. If that sounds a little extreme (bespoke or nothing!), her reason is highly understandable: I would rather start from scratch with bespoke because all ladies figures are so different, she said. Advertisement A figure doesnt even stay the same over one womans lifetime, as Leah experienced when she became pregnant last year. To her surprise, she found that maternity brands didnt seem to account for the fact that as a pregnant persons belly swells, so does their bust. The full-bust maternity clothing landscape STINKS, she titled an entry in her column. I basically gave up on dedicated maternity brands, she writes, lamenting the prevalence of shapeless sack dresses. She did manage to make things work with faux wrap dressesregular wrap dresses can let your boobs spill outand other high-waisted dresses from nonmaternity brands. For what its worth, even in fantasyland, busty maternity options are lacking. There is a pregnant Barbie doll, and her clothes arent as cute either. Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris may have been a barrier-breaking prosecutor, a U.S. senator, and the first female vice president. But, although shes a beloved stepmom, she does not have biological kids of her own, a fact her opponents have raised to cast doubt on her presidential fitness. This is a bizarre inverting of the longtime hand-wringing over whether female politicians with children could adequately do the jobbut then again, were in the middle of a strange election where the politics of fertility are all but taking over. Elsewhere in the news cycle, Republican vice-presidential candidate J.D. Vance has repeatedly railed against childless cat ladies and said parents should have more votes than people without children; he has also supported extreme abortion bans, including those that criminalize the procedure for rape victims and pregnant children. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has been very open about how his own two children were brought into being with the help of fertility medicine, and his interest in improving paid family and medical leave. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has five children (with three different women), and has made clear he did little to none of the actual child-rearing. The divide is stark: Democrats (and feminists) continue to push for the kind of pro-family policies that are standard among our economic peer nations (paid parental leave, affordable child care) while Republicans (and conservatives) across the country work to ban abortion. They talk about how much they love babies, and then undercut Democratic efforts to actually support mothers and infants. That partisan split might be a decades-old one, but it is seeing a new, grimly ironic manifestation in the broader culture. For example, some self-styled trad wives (and some who live the lifestyle but dont adopt the moniker) enjoy lucrative careers of pretending not to work for paybut they do work for pay, by putting that precise supposedly traditional lifestyle and their many children on social media. Conservative male influencers emphasize the necessity of male dominance and feminine submission, including women who will submit to having as many babies as a man desires and arent abortion-having feminist careerists. Meanwhile, those supposedly concerned for the nations future and the familial prospects of millennials and now zoomers are (at best) still asking Why arent you people having kids?? and (at worst) sharing their own half-baked theories about generational selfishness. The childless millennials and Gen Zers in question defer to a series of answers that, while accurate diagnoses of policy failures, are now such ubiquitous explanations for complex life decisions that they have morphed into generational tropes more than accurate explanations: the world is burning, everything is terrible, we have six-figure student loan debt, child care is unaffordable, the rent is too damn high. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is true that birth rates have declined significantly in the U.S.although ours remain higher than those in many other Western and wealthy nations. But the reasons why fewer Americans are having children, and the ways in which we should think about it, are complex and myriad. Instead of grappling with these diverse and interconnected incentives, childbearing decisions have been flattened down into partisan talking points. From the right: that women have become too selfish, too career-obsessed, and too unconcerned with the future of the nation to have as many babies as they should, which is fueling family breakdown, a masculinity crisis, and demographic decline (that birth rates are lower among white women than Black, brown, and immigrant women generally goes unsaid but is nevertheless a particular point of consternation). The message from the left is more materialist: families dont have enough support; young people are too broke; the direness of our collective climate future has made millennials hesitant to bring new life into a dying world; if potential parents had the scaffolding of paid leave, affordable child care, affordable housing, and great health care, theyd be making different choices. Advertisement In other words, for the right, its culture and the inevitable doom brought on by feminism. For the left, its money and policy. Advertisement Both sides are on to something. But neither gets it totally right. The decision to have children is partly material, yes. But it is more existential than anything else. For all of human history, people have chosen to have childrendesired children and borne them intentionallyeven in appalling conditions, even knowing that significant numbers of those children would not survive, even knowing that many of those children may be consigned to miserable and difficult lives. Children, as journalist Christine Emba wrote recently in the Atlantic, are often had (especially in larger numbers) because the people having them derive meaning from the very act of bringing children into the world. Advertisement Advertisement Just as childbearing is meaning-making, so is the inverse: Not having children, or having fewer, can be an expression of womens unprecedented abilities to find meaning and purpose outside of motherhood. Liberals are right that social and economic conditions impact birth ratesexcept that any fair reading of the data suggests that the countries with the highest birth rates tend to be poor: The poorest nations have three times the birth rate of the richest ones; in the U.S. specifically, women whose incomes put them below the poverty line have birth rates more than 1.5 times higher than women who live well above it. Dipping fertility rates go hand in hand with industrialization, better health and health care, longer lifespans, and greater personal freedoms, a pattern that has borne out for centuries. As women in the U.S. have seen a rapid expansion of educational and economic opportunities, birth rates have fallenit seems relevant here to point out that the most significant drop in American birth rates in the past several decades has come because far fewer tweens and teens are getting pregnant accidentally. Globally and domestically, continued high birth rates have stayed tied to religiosity, poverty, higher infant mortality rates, shorter life expectancies, lack of economic opportunity, and low rates of education and basic rights for women. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is not a coincidence. Women have historically not been able to lead rich intellectual, professional, and social lives without being born wealthy or tied to a man. For most women, for most of history, there have been few paths to social respect, life purpose, and adulthood outside of motherhood, and few paths to financial stability outside of a male partner. In many places, thats still true. Years ago I reported a story from Niger, the country with the worlds highest birth rate, on why so many women chose to have sizable families. Lack of contraception access was a real barrier. But overwhelmingly, the women and girls I talked to (and many were girls who were also wives and mothers) said that they wanted large numbers of children because of religious obligation, and because each child represented an opportunity to escape povertyone might be a doctor or a truck driver, and if you have 10 kids instead of three, thats 10 chances that one kid succeeds. And also: Fertility was highly socially valued; more children meant more community respect, a higher chance that a husband remained faithful, and more status in a family with plural marriage; and children offered young mothers a chance to break from the drudgery and intense physical labor of everyday life and engage in play and acts of love and caregiving. In that context, I probably would have also made the rational choice to have lots of babies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For American women whose lives are defined by the kind of low-income work that pays the bills but doesnt promise much in the way of greater meaning or pleasure, children are less a potential disruptionwhat, exactly, is being disrupted if your future feels stagnant?and more a source of much-needed joy and potential. Sure, it comes with a slog of housework, but caring for children can also offer spaces for creativity, authority, curiosity, novelty, social connection, esteem, and the all-important sense that one is engaged in a project bigger than oneself that will live beyond oneselfwhat men have historically thought of as legacy. For American women whose jobs are more meaning-based, or who by virtue of education and income can choose to live in places where they are surrounded by likeminded peers with unending opportunities to socialize and play, the meaning-hole (or, lets be honest, boredom-hole) that has so often been filled by children may open up later in lifeor not at all. Conservatives like J.D. Vance have cast this as an empty way of living. But Vance has unapologetically sought recognition, influence, and legacy outside of child-rearing himself, from writing a bestselling memoir to running for office. More women than ever now live as many men long have: Working in jobs that feel important and offer them a sense of authority and impact; pursuing creative projects; testing out a variety of potential romantic partners; folding into a social web in which connections are made by virtue of shared interests rather than physical proximity and life stage; exploring the world and engaging in novel experiences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These new paths, and the extended young adulthoods they open up, also contribute to women being choosier about male partners (financial independence doesnt hurt either). For these growing numbers of fortunate women, having several children may sound nice in theory, but there is probably a reason that so many dont follow through in practice. By surveying American women in their teens and 20s about their reproductive goals, researchers have concluded that women want more kids than they actually go on to have. But thats hardly the best way to measure the kind of desires that are imagined and acted upon (or not) over the course of several decades. In practicein a life in which women have to actually repeatedly make the yes-or-no choice to have children rather than opining about some far-away imagined futurea lot of women seem to look around at their lives and say something more complicated than I cant afford this. Many dont seem to want itor at least dont want families the size their grandparents had. Advertisement Advertisement Money is of course a factor, and no doubt there are plenty of families whose lack of an additional child is tied to a lack of resources to comfortably support that child. But many of these same families could do what generations of people have always done, which is make it work, even if it means struggling and sometimes suffering. That more parents refuse this sufferingrefuse to give up the things about their lives that they love, refuse to make their children sufferis, in my view, a sign of great progress and responsibility, not to mention feminist awakening. After all, making it work has historically depended on tremendous female sacrifice, and women today seem to have less of an appetite that. Indeed, growing political divides between young men and young women also seem to reflect profoundly different views on family and gender roles. Women are increasingly reticent to pair up or reproduce with men who dont see them as equals and will saddle them with more of the work of child-rearing. Despite how it is framed on the internet, this is less a problem with picky women than undesirable men. Advertisement Advertisement That doesnt mean that policymakers should give up on supporting families. When it comes to increasing the number of children women have, better family policies really do seem to make a difference around the edges, helping to sustain birth rates or tick them up a few fractions of a point. But what these policies actually seem better suited for is increasing gender equality, giving women more opportunities, easing strain on workers, increasing economic output, and narrowing various inequalities between wealthier families and poorer ones. These are all important goalsmore important, in my view, than raising birth rates. Democrats should talk about them in those terms: Not as tools to make more babies, but as highly effective ways to make life better for all of us. Advertisement Advertisement Related From Slate J.D. Vances Views on Stepparents Are Straight Out of Project 2025 Read More Republicans should be more honest about their aims as well. There are some family policies that have shown incredible success in rapidly increasing birth ratesand they have mostly been found in harshly misogynistic authoritarian nations. Perhaps most notable is dictator Nicolae Ceausescus overtly pronatalist Romania, which banned abortion and contraception, mandated gynecological exams to enforce this, jailed abortion providers and women who terminated pregnancies, and cultivated networks of snitches and spies to rat out anyone not following the rules. Birth rates under Ceausescu did initially shoot up, at least until women inevitably figured out how to get around the system. But maternal mortality also skyrocketed to the highest in Europe and thousands of children wound up in Dickensian orphanages, where endemic abuse and neglect left many dead and many more suffering from serious physical and mental problems. This is not a cost most sane or decent people want to pay for more babies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When it comes to raising birth rates, the hard truth may be that there just isnt a set of policy solutions that will make most American women go from having one or two children in their 20s and 30s to having three or four or more beginning in their teen yearsor at least, there isnt a set of policy solutions that arent terrifyingly cruel, invasive, and deadly. Democrats also shouldnt accept the right-wing narrative that children are the only path to a worthwhile or meaningful life. They should instead tell Americans that the progressive vision for a pro-family nation means giving every person the greatest freedom possible to pursue the family they want to have. For a large majority of American women, that means being able to prevent unwanted pregnancies, welcome wanted ones, and raise healthy children while working, without feeling stretched beyond the brink. What Democrats are really selling are more opportunities for adults to build the families they wantand as a result, healthier, happier, and more stable families. This is a much more resonant message than defining pro-family politics as banning abortion and disparaging single women. It also has the benefit of being what most Americans actually want. An accused San Antonio dog shooter turns a gun on himself after SAPD located him at a North Side apartment complex. mbbirdy/Getty Images A man accused of shooting and killing two dogs on the North Side last weekend turned the gun on himself after officers attempted to serve a search warrant on Wednesday, San Antonio police said. San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said investigators located the 44-year-old man at the Flats on Wakefield Apartment on the North Side, near Loop 410. Two dogs were shot and killed in a North Side neighborhood on Saturday. Police said they believe the same vehicle dark colored SUV was involved in both shootings. San Antonio Police Department As detectives attempted to enter the apartment, a shot was fired from inside and they retreated, McManus said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad SWAT was called and a drone was sent into the apartment. The man was found on the ground with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. McManus initially reported that the man was dead, but San Antonio police later reported that the man was taken to the hospital in critical condition. McManus said he doesnt know why the man killed those dogs. Advertisement Article continues below this ad For much of the 2024 presidential campaign, Donald Trump has attempted to maintain strategic ambiguity and plausible deniability about what he would do with abortion policy during a second term. In a rambling and incoherent press conference that touched on the topic last week, Trump stayed true to form in one critical sense: No one knew exactly what he was talking about. While some understood the former president to be saying he was open to using executive power to limit access to mifepristone, a drug used in more than half of all abortions, others thought that Trump seemed not to grasp what mifepristone was. Whichever of these interpretations is correct, the upshot seems to be the same: Trump would likely outsource abortion policy to those opposed to it, as he did in his first term, a move that would lead to unprecedented losses for reproductive rights. Throughout the 2024 campaign, Trumps position on abortion has been to obfuscate. He has refused to answer questions about key issues, like whether he agrees with his vice presidential pick, J.D. Vance, that the Comstock Act, a 19th-century obscenity law, is actually an abortion ban. He has run on a platform that favors fetal personhood and endorses in vitro fertilization. Trump has claimed (implausibly) that he knows nothing about Project 2025, even though he flew on a private jet with its director, and even though the architects of Project 2025 are a veritable whos who of Trump administration veterans. Advertisement Trump once sounded unwilling to touch mifepristone access. When the Supreme Court rejected an effort to block access to mifepristone mounted by a group of anti-abortion physicians (the court unanimously held that the doctors did not have standing to sue), Trump said he agreed with the decision. But when a reporter at last weeks press conference asked Trump about revoking access to mifepristone, he sounded open to the idea. He signaled interest in humane federal moves that would supplement state bans but then reiterated, You have to be able to have a vote. I admit to having no idea what any of this means. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Washington Post and Newsweek observed that Trump seemed open to federal limits on the drug. New York magazine and the prominent commentator Jessica Valenti suggested instead that Trump did not know what mifepristone is. I am unsure which of these positions is right, but Im inclined to think that it wont matter. Advertisement In imagining what a second Trump administration would look like, it makes sense to look at his first. Trump outsourced much of abortion policy to prominent anti-abortion activists. He selected Roger Severino, one of the authors of Project 2025 and a prominent abortion opponent at the Heritage Foundation, to lead a new conscience and religious freedom division at the Department of Health and Human Services. Before Roe had even been overturned, Severino worked to expand the power of health care providers to refuse patients based on religious or moral objections to who those patients were or what they were doing. With Roe now gone, you dont need to imagine what Severinoor someone just like himmight be able to do in a second Trump term. Advertisement When Trump had the good fortune to select three justices for the Supreme Court, he turned to Leonard Leo, the Federalist Society chairman and major funder of the anti-abortion movement, to identify candidates and shepherd them through Congress. Organizations linked to Leo, who has shaped a network of nonprofits and a major conservative for-profit consultancy, have provided tens of millions of dollars to leading anti-abortion groups, including the Alliance Defending Freedom, the group that litigated Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, and Students for Life, a group for which Leo long served on the board of directors. Even Trumps communications team had clear ties to the anti-abortion movement. He tapped Charmaine Yoest, then the head of Americans United for Life, one of the nations most prominent anti-abortion groups, to a senior communications position in the HHS. Advertisement Advertisement Related From Slate Donald Trump Looks Ready to Absolutely Decimate Truth Social Investors Read More It is true that in the aftermath of Dobbs, Republicans have tended to pay a much higher price for staking out absolutist positions on abortion. Trump himself has acknowledged this, beseeching voters and colleagues to tailor what they need to say to win. But all the signs point to the fact that Trump doesnt personally care much about reproductive issuesand never has. In 2016 he infuriated anti-abortion leaders by telling Chris Matthews that women who chose abortion deserved some kind of punishment, contradicting carefully framed movement talking points. This election cycle, Trump made a similar move in a sit-down interview with Time, suggesting that states could monitor womens menstrual periods. All of this shows that Trump hasnt paid attention to what the anti-abortion movement says or demands. Thats because he doesnt have to. He assumescorrectly, it seemsthat voters opposed to abortion will pull the lever for him no matter what. And he understands that if he has a second term, he will not need to understand the ins and outs of abortion policy because he can just give that job to those who do. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some credulous observers might genuinely believe that Trump will abandon anti-abortion voters once he can no longer run for reelection. Freed from the need to please the base, the theory goes, Trump would act on his supposedly genuine (and presumably more moderate) beliefs. Trumps past has been littered with sexist tropes, crass comments, and sexual assault accusationsnotably, a jury found him liable in the E. Jean Carroll casebut he hasnt conveyed the impression that he has any principled position about reproductive issues at all. When he has no election to win, he seems far more likely to do what he always does: play to his base and to the voters who have helped him cling to power, or fund his postpresidential future. Attempting to sort out Trumps word salad at his press conference when answering questions about mifepristone is a fools errand. But if past is prologue, we already have a good idea of what is coming if he is back in the White House. Born of Slovak heritage in what is now Serbia, Harminc built over 171 structures in Slovakia alone. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Share The church in Klacany, pictured, was completed in 1932 by architect Milan Michal Harminc, the 76th church of his design. This number alone is indicative of an extraordinarily productive architect. He was active for 65 years (1886 1951), in that time building 300 structures in Europe, 171 of them in Slovakia. Harminc was born in October 7, 1869 in Kulpin, in what is now Serbia. Kulpin is one of the villages of the Vojvodina region, which is known for having a high number residents with Slovak heritage who have kept alive even the Slovak language. He completed his schooling at a German school studying business. He learned to draw plans not at school but while working as an assistant for his father. From Serbia he went to Budapest, from where he became involved in Slovak culture as well. As a talented architect, he began receiving high profile orders early on in his career. During the 1896 Hungarian millennium celebrations he collaborated with prominent architect Albert Schikedanz on an important project. He also co-created the monument in Budapests Heroes Square as well as the Mucsarnok pavilion. In 1904 he married Anna Holcova from Zilina, and in 1914 moved to Liptovsky Mikulas. Here, he designed factories, administrative buildings and banks, among others. He became famous for his design and construction of the Slovak National Museums in Martin and Bratislava, and also for sanatoriums in the High Tatras. The last building made according to his blueprints was the military tuberculosis sanatorium in Nova Polianka. In 1922 he moved to Bratislava, where among other works he designed the Carlton Hotel. He was set with the task of redesigning the hotel "At the Green Tree" with several residential buildings into one cohesive unit. In 1953, he was named the first honorary member of the Union of Slovak Architects. He died at the age of 94 on August 5, 1964 in Bratislava. This postcard, showing the church in Klacany, probably dates back to the period shortly after it was finished in 1932. https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d211726.73805132648!2d17.723230469734535!3d48.38626863678408!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x476b449457ff038b%3A0x400f7d1c696fcb0!2zOTIwIDY0IEvEvmHEjWFueQ!5e1!3m2!1sen!2ssk!4v1723712164811!5m2!1sen!2ssk This article was originally published by The Slovak Spectator on May 5, 2014. It has been updated to be relevant today. A trip from the quaint coastal Irish village of Ballyheigue to Bratislava. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Share Sometimes, if you make yourself suffer, you might just learn a thing or two. So I decided to travel overland from my hometown in the southwest of IrelandBallyheigue, County Kerryto my home in Bratislava. As the crow flies, thats roughly 2,000 kilometres. I would favour hitch-hiking, but in general I wouldn't shy away from other means of transit. My friends called me crazy and asked if I needed money for a plane ticket. Money wasn't the issue. Simply spending eight years going back and forth between Ballyheigue and Bratislava the exact same route had grown boring: bus/plane/bus. Why not car/train/boat/car/car/train/bus? Day one started slow. I stood outside the capital of County Kerry, Tralee, nestled underneath the Sliabh Mish mountains, for about an hour before someone stopped for mea lovely middle-aged man who went out of his way for me and who had, in fact, been to Bratislava before. Another two hours in Farranfore, home of Kerry Airport, which is is so small it makes Bratislava Airport look like Heathrow. Still, as I waited two hours holding a sign saying Bratislava, it was tantalising to think of dropping the whole escapade there and hopping on a flight to Dublin or Frankfurt. Luckily, a building site surveyor stopped for me. Guys like this were the whole reason I went hitching. As he drove me the hundred kilometres to Cork, he went deeper and deeper into his layers of conspiracy about what was really going on. The royal families of the world still controlled everything. Cars were going to be made illegal. Once They replace cash with cryptocurrency, hes moving to the mountains to grow his own food. It was like my own personal Joe Rogan podcast. This man said of my plan to travel overland to Slovakia reminded him of Forrest Gump: Mamma always said life was like a box of chocolates. A Czech man named Blondik from Usti nad Labem, Czechia, drove me from Midleton to Dungarvan. This ride pushed my command of the Slovak language to its absolute limits, but I managed to communicate with him pretty effectively without speaking English for over an hour. He did not seem impressed or weirded out that a random Irish guy he picked up on the side of the road was able to speak Slovak. Maybe its more common than I think. We barreled past the rolling green hills and gentle coastline of Southeast Ireland, listening to Czech hardcore punk while comparing notes on the punk scene in Ireland, Czechia, and Slovakia. Dungarvan, Ireland. (Source: Pixabay) I made it across Ireland in six drives and eight hours350 kilometers down. I enjoyed a pint of Guinness and a Spice Bag in Wexford town before getting a train to the ferry in Rosslare Harbour. A Spice Bag, in case you dont know, is a creation of Irish Chinese restaurantsa bag of fries, spicy fried chicken, and vegetables. Its both disgusting and delicious. At 90 for a 600-kilometre journey, the ferry was pretty good value. You arent getting a cabin for that money, though, oh no. Youre sleeping in the restaurant, and the staff are going to vacuum around you. Youre going to sleep wearing sunglasses because theres no way theyre turning the lights off. One guy I saw looked like a professional ferry traveler. He had set up camp underneath a set of stairs and was wrapped up like a mummy for over 12 hours. This is a form of time travel. You can tell the economies of Ireland and France are different by comparing Rosslare and Cherbourg. Cherbourg has a massive decommissioned nuclear submarine in a permanent dry dock, seemingly just for fun. Rosslare does not have this. I did not have time to explore this submarine, though, as I had again cheated on hitching by booking a BlaBlaCar to Paris. BlaBlaCar is a purified form of Uberliteral ride-sharing, not just a taxi company by another name. I have used it a handful of times to go to Prague and back from Bratislava, but it is nowhere as popular in Central Europe as it is in France. Every major city has multiple drives offered at regular intervals at pretty good prices. I had told myself the day before that I would not go to Paris. I woke up that morning and decided I would go to Paris. When would I next be near the Olympics? In fact, the city was not that busy. I only saw a few Olympic heads in the thin sliver of Paris I experienced. A friend recommended a bar to me, but it was too stuffy, so I went to the nearest Irish bar I could find, to make up for all the Guinness I didnt drink in Ireland. I made some friends there, with a group of Californians and a Chicagoan. The Chicagoan initially seemed like a boring guy, working in the obscure world of Credit Default Swaps (the financial instruments that caused the 2007 banking crisis). Then, this bald white guy in glasses told me he was not only Eskimo brothers (meaning they shared a common romantic partner) with Kanye West, but also that due to his upbringing in South Chicago, he was more Black than any of the African people living in Paris. I have no idea what he meant by this, and I didnt ask. I prefer the mystery. https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1rpDvWNrY_wj3UsGF0xN2ZO43kiflVpA&ehbc=2E312F&noprof=1 The next day, hungover, I went to my first hitchhiking spot. The website Hitchwikiwhich is a repository of hitchhiking information, tips, and tricksadvised that I could hitch within Paris itself from one particular spot leading to the A4 motorway. After spending an hour in the direct sunlight on a very busy road leading to the main Olympic stadium, breathing in petrol fumes and slightly concerned I might get hit by a bus, I decided I had to leave Paris proper. A train journey later, I was out near Disneyland, standing on a roundabout leading to the A4, with bemused pedestrians asking where I was going. In short order, I had a lift from a Frenchman who took me the two kilometres I desired to the nearest petrol station on the motorway. This guy did not speak a lick of English, and I passed my final French exam in school with 46 percent. I have been so comfortable being able to communicate with basically everyone Ive met for the last few years that I forgot what the language barrier felt like. In the petrol station, I saw something very, very interesting: a truck with a Slovak license plate. The driver was sitting in the cab, window open. As I walked over to the truck with a friendly, Kamo, nejdes do Bratislavy? (Man, arent you heading back to Bratislava?), he drew the curtain around him and did not answer. Kamo was not going to Bratislava. Maybe he was Hungarian. A friendly but Francophone couple picked me up not long after this, but because of the language barrier, I didnt catch where they were actually going until it was too late. They were only going to Meaux, a short distance outside Paris. They offered to leave me on the motorway or take me into the town. I value not being flattened by an articulated lorry, so I took the ride into town. At this stage, it was 17:00, and I had made it only 30 kilometres outside of Paris. My goal was to be in Metz by nightfall so the next day I could begin crossing Germany. I got weather alerts for thunderstorms on my phone. I had gotten my fill of thunderstorms at Slovakias Pohoda festival a few weeks previously. I searched my heart for how I wanted to proceed. Go back to Paris? Stay another night? How exactly would I get back to Bratislava, and how long would it take me? I wanted to be in my own bed. I wanted to be in my bar. Fly to Vienna for 300, fly to Budapest for 500? Spend three days trying to get through Germany? In the end, I got the train back to Paris, to Gare de lEst. This was approximately 400 metres from my hostel, where I had begun my journey that day. Talk about demoralising. Whatever, I thought, Im taking the bullet train. Frankfurt was sold out, so I opted for Strasbourg. East, east, east. Five hundred kilometres blew by in just two hours, as I watched lightning bolts from the window. Better in than out. I spent an idyllic four hours walking around the home of the European Parliament. And at this stage, I was thoroughly done with my holiday, so I settled in to cross the final barrier: a 12-hour FlixBus ride to Vienna. This was purgatory, plain and simplemy punishment for living an unjust life, but not quite bad enough that Id be sent to hell. Twelve hours, half asleep, half awake, the reek of piss from the bathroom fondling my non-consenting nose. Gare de lEst station in Paris. (Source: Flickr/Alexandre Prevot) Crossing back into Slovakia felt like putting on a warm pair of socks on a winter morning. Emerging from the train station in Petrzalka, one of Bratislavas boroughs, was a very different experience from Strasbourg or Paris, but the towers of the aspirationally named Vienna Gate, a brown glass business centre and apartment building, were still a welcome sight. This trip was a real eye-opener for me. I saw in real terms just how long 2,000 kilometres is. Its long. If I were to do this again, Id probably focus on speed. Id have avoided Paris completely and gone directly to the nearest motorway on-ramp from the ferry, trying to push through Belgium into Germanya sort of reverse 1940 maneuver. I would have been more discerning about who I actually caught a ride with, too. And I definitely need to figure out the logistics of hitching on the motorway. I think it is a special achievement to spend 24 hours in Paris and not see a single tourist attraction, especially on a trip that was ostensibly touristic. But would I do it again? Should you do it? Hitching through Ireland was a lot of fun. I would recommend that to anyone. Its a great way to meet people. For shorter journeys, its definitely the best. I could see myself going around Slovakia in this way. But my advice is, if you want to travel from Ireland to Slovakia, take the aeroplane. Robert Jindra had been the chief conductor in Kosice for the past three years. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Share Robert Jindra, the chief conductor of the Kosice State Philharmonic, has resigned from his position just several days after publicly criticising Culture Minister Martina Simkovicova. The Czech artist voiced his concerns over the ministers recent controversial dismissals of two directors. Last week, the minister dismissed the director of the National Gallery and the National Museum without naming significant managerial failures for their removal. Former director Alexandra Kusa from the National Gallery and Matej Drlicka, the former head of the National Theatre, are among those who have criticised the ministers actions regarding public media and culture, which many believe to be autocratic attempts to control the cultural landscape in Slovakia. Earlier this week, the minister faced a two-day protest in Bratislava, attended by nearly 30,000 people. Lets stop this incompetent person who is ruining Slovak culture, Jindra wrote on social media last week. Slovakia, my dear friends, I'm with you. He also signed a petition calling for the ministers dismissal, which has garnered over 180,000 signatures. Vulgar term in Facebook post In another post on his private Facebook profile, Jindra referred to Simkovicova with a derogatory term, according to a screenshot shared by the minister on Telegram. Jindra later removed the post from Facebook. This post led to expectations that Jindra might lose his position. The use of such language by an employee of a state cultural institution is shocking and unacceptable, stated the ministry in a press release. As of Wednesday afternoon, August 14, Jindra was no longer employed by the Kosice Philharmonic. He had held the position of chief conductor since 2021. It is currently unclear who will conduct the concerts that were planned with him. Robert Jindra. (Source: Facebook/Kosice State Philharmonic/Jakub Simonak) Jindra emphasised that his private opinions do not represent the stance of the institutions with which he is affiliated. My purely private statements on entirely different matters, even those made over a month ago and taken out of context, have been deliberately and purposefully pieced together. He explained that his derogatory remark was a reaction to the ministers homophobic comments from early July, in which she attacked LGBT+ people and spoke about the supposed extinction of the white race in Europe due to LGBT+ people. Her words essentially amounted to categorising people as either necessary or less necessary to society. My post [with the derogatory term] may have offended Mrs. Simkovicova, but her statements have offended many, Jindra told the Moja Kultura website. Jindra noted that he had not written the entire derogatory term but had used asterisks, and that the comment was made under the pressure of strong emotions. Directors contract to end soon The Kosice Philharmonic has thus lost its collaboration with this prominent Czech artist who also works in Prague and guest conducts in German-speaking countries. The Philharmonics director, Lucia Potokarova, met with the culture minister on August 12 and informed her that Jindra had offered his resignation on August 8. It is unclear whether Simkovicova had requested Jindras resignation. However, the artistic board of the Kosice State Philharmonic, which is an advisory body to the institutions director, also discussed the situation and recommended that Potokarova accept the resignation. Potokarovas contract as director ends in three weeks. It is unclear whether the ministry will extend her contract. Potokarova had signed a statement from the Association of Slovak Theatres and Orchestras, of which she is a member, criticising the minister for dismissing directors of national institutions without dialogue with the directors themselves. Potokarova described Jindra as a talented conductor and thanked him for the memorable concerts, noting that his work brought French classical music to Kosice. Besides undeniable artistic qualities, one of the criteria for selecting a chief conductor is their personal qualities and chemistry with the orchestra. The current situation is all the more regrettable, she concluded. So deep is Portlands coffee legacy, so closely aligned is Portlands coffee identity, that its almost impossible to visit the citys impressive bumper crop of historic cafes while also paying tribute to the exciting new players on the scene. The correct visit to Portland requires you to do both: enormously important third wave bars and exciting brand new locations, one right after the other, a living history of coffee in the 21st century with an eye to the future. One brand new cafe in Portland is called Matta, owned by a family from Colombia with a background in coffee cultivation. Add this to your ever-growing list. The 2024 Build-Outs of Coffee is presented by Ceado and Dona. The 2024 Build-outs of Coffee is sponsored by Pacific Barista Series, La Marzocco, Acaia, and Ghirardelli. As told to Sprudge by Aura Matta. For those who arent familiar, will you tell us about your company? Matta Cafe is a special place that showcases the incredible coffee that my father Manuel and I produce on our farm in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia. We take great pride in growing and selling microlots of honey and washed coffees that are full of flavors like caramel, chocolate, and nuts. Our farm spans 59 acres, and every step of the coffee production process is done with utmost care and attention. Along with selling our coffee internationally, we also run coffee shops in Santa Marta, Colombia. And now, I am thrilled to share that we are expanding to Portland, Oregon! We are eager to bring a piece of our familys legacy to the vibrant coffee scene in Portland and create a welcoming space that reflects our passion for coffee. Our goal is to establish a headquarters for Matta Cafe in this new location and continue sharing our love as farmers for specialty coffee with the world. Can you tell us a bit about the new space? Our cafe was meticulously designed to evoke the essence of my roots in the coffee plantations of the Sierra Nevada and the vibrant spirit of Santa Marta. Our goal was to create a sensory experience that combined the Caribbean lifestyle with the rich history of coffee farming. In collaboration with Colombian architect Julian Gomez, we selected materials such as wood and natural tones to create a warm and authentic atmosphere that reflected our heritage. The space is adorned with handmade lamps and green foliage, including banana leaves and palm trees, symbolizing our connection to nature and coffee farming. The predominant green color throughout the cafe pays homage to the Colombian jungle and our pastoral roots. We have also brought a thriving coffee plant from our farms to adorn the entrance, emphasizing our ties to the land. This living coffee plant is our way of teaching our customers about the coffee process from cultivation to cup. Our menu features traditional Colombian dishes that evoke a sense of home, including Pan de Bono, arepas with various fillings, empanadas, and plantain chips. We also offer a selection of espresso cocktails that highlight the unique flavors of our coffee. Our signature drink, the cold brew coconut coffee, is a favorite among our customers and transports me back to hot afternoons in Santa Marta. Each dish and drink on our menu holds a piece of my heart and aims to offer a taste of Colombia that will make you feel connected and alive. Having officially opened on May 26, 2024, we are excited to spread the word about our coffee shop. We are preparing for the next harvest and plan to introduce a special honey from our microlots. Whats your approach to coffee? We are a Colombian coffee farmers family with more than 20 years of experience in the cultivation of high quality coffee beans. We have great recognition as producers in Colombia and as international distributors/roasters. Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up? We work with a Linea Classic from La Marzocco. How is your project considering sustainability? Sustainability lies at the core of our project. We have taken significant steps to ensure that our business operations are environmentally friendly and supportive of our community. We utilize multi-crop soils to cultivate our coffee, not only yielding high-quality beans but also replenishing soil nutrients. Our water conservation initiatives involve the use of plants that facilitate water management and safeguard the water from the pristine springs of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta that originate on our farm. As both producers and direct sellers of our coffee, we reduce the carbon footprint linked to intermediaries and bolster the local development of our community by providing fair wages to our workers and emphasizing the use of honey coffee, an environmentally friendly method that results in exceptional flavor. As coffee growers, we prioritize sustainable practices in our technological processes, employing precision technology to reduce waste and mitigate our environmental impact. Through these endeavors, our aim is to educate and foster a culture that celebrates the land from the viewpoint of dynamic coffee producers. We have established a sustainable business model driven by the desire to take action and enhance our community, while, as stewards of the land, we tend to our crops diligently. Thank you! Thank you so much! As specialty coffee farmers, this moment is beyond exciting and absolutely emotional for us. Taking this monumental step into the exciting world of entering the international coffeeshop scene is a dream come true! https://sputnikglobe.com/20240815/calling-all-the-shots-us-escalates-ukraine-conflict-via-kiev-client-state-1119776200.html 'Calling All the Shots': US Escalates Ukraine Conflict via Kiev Client State 'Calling All the Shots': US Escalates Ukraine Conflict via Kiev Client State Sputnik International American imperialism looms large as the Western-backed proxy war on Russia continues. 2024-08-15T06:18+0000 2024-08-15T06:18+0000 2024-08-15T06:18+0000 analysis us nord stream nord stream 2 nord stream pipeline sabotage explosion russia ukraine nato https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/08/0f/1119776473_0:31:2001:1156_1920x0_80_0_0_b18a19b89aab50c9b4ce95d3575bed66.jpg 2022s Nord Stream pipeline sabotage reemerged in Western headlines Wednesday when the German government announced it was seeking the arrest of a new suspect in the case.A Ukrainian diving instructor identified as Volodymyr Zhuravlev is claimed to have worked with a team of co-conspirators to install the explosives that caused the destruction of the pipeline almost two years ago. The charge has been met with widespread skepticism, with observers saying only highly trained experts wouldve been able to reach the deep sea pipeline, but Western media outlets like The New York Times have nonetheless faithfully parroted the claim as allied NATO leaders seek to shift the blame away from the United States for the catastrophic environmental disaster.Blowing up the Nord Stream pipeline was such a complicated procedure that it absolutely has to have taken a state, the state being the United States of America possibly working with Sweden and who knows who else, said the commentator. This was such a complicated maneuver and task that no one individual could do this I can't believe that this is even a cover-up or even a distraction.The story has brought attention to the likely US role in the incident as the country maintains economic pressure against Russia. Germanys economy has cratered in the wake of Western sanctions against Russian gas, with analysts earlier this year forecasting a GDP increase of only .2%, but German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has nonetheless remained an enthusiastic participant in US-backed attempts to isolate Russia diplomatically and economically.Meanwhile, Ukraine has launched a provocative incursion into Russias Kursk region, injuring dozens of civilians and killing at least 12. The Biden White House has denied any role in planning Kievs attack. But reporting earlier this year identified the 10-year role of the US Central Intelligence Agency in Ukraine, during which the countrys intelligence agencies and increasingly the Ukrainian government itself has become a wholly owned subsidiary of the United States.So when I read that I just said, B.S. The United States is the one that's calling all the shots in Ukraine, he continued. And one of the reasons for that is [that] Ukraine basically doesn't have much left. Ukraine basically is just, it's like they're swaying in the wind left and right, there's no sense to what they're trying to do.Deputy Chairman of Russias Security Council Dmitry Medvedev responded angrily to the assault, saying the Russian military would be forced to move onward to Kiev and Odessa in response, but Tremblay noted President Putins carefulness and restraint in prosecuting the military operation so far. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240815/patriotic-russians-volunteer-in-droves-as-us-tries-to-divert-blame-for-nord-stream-sabotage-1119773991.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240810/kievs-kursk-gas-hub-gambit-brainchild-of-same-people-who-blew-up-nord-stream---slovak-politician-1119707732.html russia ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 John Miles https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/01/19/1116388787_0:0:1316:1316_100x100_80_0_0_77e70d36afd983012b1c5d38ddb84156.jpg John Miles https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/01/19/1116388787_0:0:1316:1316_100x100_80_0_0_77e70d36afd983012b1c5d38ddb84156.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 John Miles https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/01/19/1116388787_0:0:1316:1316_100x100_80_0_0_77e70d36afd983012b1c5d38ddb84156.jpg russia military recruitment, germany nord stream explosion suspect, volodymyr z nord stream, volodymyr zhuravlev nord stream, kursk region, nord stream 2, us blew up nord stream, us responsible for the genocide, arms sales, weapons sales, nord stream sabotage, terrorist attack on nord stream, nord stream pipelines, nord stream explosion, culprits of nord stream sabotage, us behind nord stream sabotage, uk behind nord stream sabotage https://sputnikglobe.com/20240815/complete-hypocrisy-us-continues-to-serve-israel-as-fear-of-middle-east-conflict-grows-1119773066.html 'Complete Hypocrisy': US Continues to Serve Israel as Fear of Middle East Conflict Grows 'Complete Hypocrisy': US Continues to Serve Israel as Fear of Middle East Conflict Grows Sputnik International Hamas has reportedly expressed that they no longer see the US as being able to bring about a deal that would solidify a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. And following the assassination of one of their leaders, the US has continued to support Israel indefinitely. 2024-08-15T01:32+0000 2024-08-15T01:32+0000 2024-08-15T01:32+0000 analysis israel iran hamas ismail haniyeh palestinians middle east joe biden us hegemony arms trade https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/08/0f/1119774903_0:319:3074:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_059d12146e3a96dfb114e385f1d91624.jpg Tensions in the Middle East are growing as Israel anticipates a retaliatory attack from Iran in response to the assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh. The US has expressed their full support of Israel, and approved an $18.82 billion sale of 50 F-15IA multirole fighter jets and other related equipment to the Israeli government, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said on Tuesday.On Wednesday, Robert Fantina, an author, journalist, and activist joined Sputniks The Backstory to discuss the growing tensions in the Middle East, as well as the prevalent hypocrisy of the US in its interference of the region.The people of Palestine in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and Jerusalem and so on have been oppressed by the Israelis for decades and they are angry. They want their basic human rights that are guaranteed to them under international law. So, Israel can kill as many Palestinians, unless it kills the entire population, Hamas - the resistance anyway - is going to continue to exist and grow in one form or another.Osama Hamdan, a Hamas Political Bureau member, said in an interview that the US is no longer being seen as a reliable negotiator who is capable of bringing about a ceasefire in Gaza, Sputnik reported on Wednesday. The bureau member added that Hamas no longer sees Israel as negotiating in good faith and that they believe the Biden administration can no longer influence Israel to make a deal.Ahmed Abdel Hadi, a Hamas representative in Lebanon, also told Sputnik that Hamas will not participate in ceasefire talks that were scheduled for August 14-15. This follows the Israeli assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, who was attacked while in the Iranian capital of Tehran on July 31.And Hamas leaders have said that the agreement that US President Joe Biden introduced back in May was acceptable to them - Biden at the time said it had been accepted by Israel. As soon as Hamas said that they would accept it, Israel began moving the goalposts, wanting more conditions, putting things, putting in conditions that Hamas simply wasn't going to allow and agree to, said Fantina.But the facts are, as you stated, Hamas has made concessions, has compromised as people do when they're trying to make an agreement of any kind - each side has to give a little to get what it wants. Hamas has done that. It's Israel that keeps saying no. That once the agreement is basically in place, Israel decides on some other conditions that it wants. So a ceasefire is not in Benjamin Netanyahus best interest for himself.Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has vowed to retaliate for the assassination of Hamas negotiator Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran whom he referred to as a dear guest in our home, though speculation about how or when Iran will strike continues.Meanwhile, the US has continued its military support of Israel by stockpiling the country with shipments as ordered by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin Iranian acting Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri has suggested that retaliation from Iran will help stabilize the region rather than disrupt it, Sputnik reported on Tuesday.The office of the Palestinian Authoritys president is reportedly holding the US government accountable after approximately 100 people, including at least 11 children and six women, were killed this weekend from a bombing attack in which US-provided missiles were used. At least 6,000 displaced Palestinians were being housed at the al-Tabaeen (or Al-Tabin) school when bombs struck the school at about 4:30 AM on August 10, said Mahmoud Bassal, the Gaza civil defense spokesman.Nabih Abu Rudeineh, the spokesperson for the Palestinian presidency, condemned the attack and said the Palestinian Authority held the Biden administration responsible for the massacre due to its financial, military, and political support for Israel, cited a report from Common Dreams. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240813/iran-says-retaliation-on-israel-will-guarantee-regional-stability-as-media-talks-potential-targets-1119754989.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240812/palestine-blames-us-for-latest-slaughter-of-innocent-civilians---report-1119742431.html israel iran Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Mary Manley https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/01/0b/1092187887_0:0:2048:2049_100x100_80_0_0_0c2cc4c84f89aff034cc55bb01fb6697.jpg Mary Manley https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/01/0b/1092187887_0:0:2048:2049_100x100_80_0_0_0c2cc4c84f89aff034cc55bb01fb6697.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Mary Manley https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/01/0b/1092187887_0:0:2048:2049_100x100_80_0_0_0c2cc4c84f89aff034cc55bb01fb6697.jpg us-israel alliance, iran-israel war, iran attacks israel, israel attacks iran, israel-iran war, iran-israel conflict, genocide, ethnic cleansing, humanitarian disaster, humanitarian catastrophe, humanitarian ceasefire, israel-hamas conflict, gaza strip crisis, shelling of gaza, gaza devastation, israel-palestine conflict, palestine-israel conflict, israeli-palestinian conflict, palestinian-israeli, zionist regime, zionists, hamas attack, israeli strikes, israeli forces, hostages, israeli military, hamas fighters, hamas soldiers, hamas military, killings of civilians, civilian infrastructure, civilians dead, civilians die, israel kills civilians, civilian casualties, civilian deaths, indiscriminate shelling, indiscriminate killing, war crimes https://sputnikglobe.com/20240815/death-toll-from-israeli-strikes-on-gaza-strip-exceeds-40000---gaza-health-ministry-1119778667.html Death Toll From Israeli Strikes on Gaza Strip Exceeds 40,000 - Gaza Health Ministry Death Toll From Israeli Strikes on Gaza Strip Exceeds 40,000 - Gaza Health Ministry Sputnik International The death toll from Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip has exceeded 40,000, the Gazan Ministry of Health said on Thursday. 2024-08-15T11:23+0000 2024-08-15T11:23+0000 2024-08-15T11:23+0000 world middle east gaza strip israel hamas israel defense forces (idf) gaza violence palestine-israel conflict https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/06/18/1119087129_0:261:3072:1989_1920x0_80_0_0_d24e8e727da9b9b371e08b86ca548402.jpg "The death toll from Israeli strikes has increased to 40,005 since October 7 last year, other 92,401 were injured," the ministry said in a statement. Over the past day, 40 dead and 107 injured have been admitted to Gaza hospitals, the statement added.On October 7, 2023, Israel was subjected to an unprecedented missile attack from the Gaza Strip. In addition, Hamas fighters infiltrated the border areas, opened fire on the military and civilians, and took hostages. Israeli authorities say that about 1,200 people were killed during the raid. The Israel Defense Forces launched the Swords of Iron operation in the Gaza Strip and announced a complete blockade of the enclave. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240815/us-officials-believe-israel-will-never-destroy-hamas--report---1119777822.html gaza strip israel Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International gaza genocide, is israel committing genocide, whats happening with gaza, israeli genocide against palestinians, will israel be charged with genocide, whos backing israel, un hearing on gaza, current developments in gaza, whats happening to palestinians, us military aid to israel, us arms supplies to israel, us violating international law, what weapons is israel getting from us, israeli strikes, israel strikes gaza, israel kills civilians, operation in rafah, incursion into rafah, palestinian statehood, palestine independence, israeli hostages, jewish hostages, how many people did hamas abduct, how much money does us give israel, military aid to israel, financial aid to israel, hamas leader killed, haniyeh assassination, israel lebanon, whos in charge of hamas, hamas leader https://sputnikglobe.com/20240815/israeli-delegation-arrives-in-qatar-to-hold-ceasefire-talks---netanyahus-adviser-1119780742.html Israeli Delegation Arrives in Qatar to Hold Ceasefire Talks - Netanyahu's Adviser Israeli Delegation Arrives in Qatar to Hold Ceasefire Talks - Netanyahu's Adviser Sputnik International The Israeli delegation sent to hold negotiations on a ceasefire and hostage release in the Gaza Strip has arrived in Doha, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's adviser Dmitri Gendelman told Sputnik on Thursday. 2024-08-15T15:05+0000 2024-08-15T15:05+0000 2024-08-15T15:05+0000 world middle east benjamin netanyahu nitzan alon israel qatar doha hamas mossad palestine-israel conflict https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/08/0f/1119780928_0:72:3385:1976_1920x0_80_0_0_ffce24b51c523a8fa5ec22d473ee2aef.jpg "The Israeli delegation has landed in Doha. The negotiations will start at 5 p.m. [14:00 GMT]. The talks are expected to take one day, but can continue for another day or two, if necessary," Gendelman said. On Wednesday, Gendelman said that the delegation includes Mossad head David Barnea, Israeli Security Agency head Ronen Bar, hostage exchange coordinator, retired Maj. Gen. Nitzan Alon, and Foreign Policy Adviser Ophir Falk. Last week, Egypt, Qatar and the United States called on Israel and Palestinian movement Hamas to resume talks on the terms of a ceasefire on August 14-15. The three countries' leaders said they were ready to present a final proposal to reach a deal. Hamas representative in Lebanon Ahmed Abdel Hadi told Sputnik on Tuesday that the Palestinian movement would not participate in the negotiations. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240815/us-officials-believe-israel-will-never-destroy-hamas--report---1119777822.html israel qatar doha Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International gaza genocide, is israel committing genocide, whats happening with gaza, israeli genocide against palestinians, will israel be charged with genocide, whos backing israel, un hearing on gaza, current developments in gaza, whats happening to palestinians, us military aid to israel, us arms supplies to israel, us violating international law, what weapons is israel getting from us, israeli strikes, israel strikes gaza, israel kills civilians, operation in rafah, incursion into rafah, palestinian statehood, palestine independence, israeli hostages, jewish hostages, how many people did hamas abduct, how much money does us give israel, military aid to israel, financial aid to israel, hamas leader killed, haniyeh assassination, gaza peace talks, gaza ceasefire talks https://sputnikglobe.com/20240815/moldovagaz-says-suspended-natural-gas-purchases-due-to-spike-in-gas-prices-in-europe-1119781861.html Moldovagaz Says Suspended Natural Gas Purchases Due to Spike in Gas Prices in Europe Moldovagaz Says Suspended Natural Gas Purchases Due to Spike in Gas Prices in Europe Sputnik International Moldova's energy company Moldovagaz has suspended its purchases of natural gas due to a sharp spike in prices in the European gas market, its head Vadim Ceban said on Thursday. 2024-08-15T15:19+0000 2024-08-15T15:19+0000 2024-08-15T15:19+0000 economy moldova moldovagaz europe transnistria gazprom https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/08/02/1119603650_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_82f5349bdbf845656dad2989ddf1f83a.jpg "We made purchases last week and then took a break. We will see how things will go on, and perhaps next week we will resume purchases for September," Ceban told reporters. The Moldovagaz head also expressed his hope that gas prices would stabilize soon. In early August, the gas prices on the European market hit $457 per 1,000 cubic meters, which is highest since last December. In late July, Moldovan Energy Minister Victor Parlicov said that the country needed to pump 150 million cubic meters of gas to its gas storage by November 1, which is about 15% of the average annual gas consumption in Moldova. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240814/gas-price-surge-in-europe-what-drives-it-and-who-could-profit-from-it-1119772252.html moldova transnistria Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International gas prices in europe, gas prices in eu, spike in gas prices, why is gas expensive The Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office has identified Jose Ignacio Rayas Jr., 36, as the man shot and killed during a road rage incident on Aug. 8. mbbirdy/Getty Images A man who was fatally shot during a road rage incident after approaching a driver with a hammer has been identified. Jose Ignacio Rayas Jr., 36, died after being shot on Aug. 8 in the 3800 block of U.S. 281 North. The Bexar County Medical Examiners Office said Rayas cause of death was from a gunshot. His manner of death was listed as a homicide. Advertisement Article continues below this ad San Antonio police said Rayas and a 25-year-old driver had gotten into an altercation near Hildebrand Avenue. The unidentified driver said he noticed Rayas get out of his vehicle with a hammer. According to the police preliminary report, Rayas approached the mans vehicle and began hitting the rear window. He then walked toward the drivers side when the man got out with a handgun and shot Rayas. Police said multiple shell casings were found at the scene. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The 36-year-old was taken to a hospital, where he died. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240815/patriotic-russians-volunteer-in-droves-as-us-tries-to-divert-blame-for-nord-stream-sabotage-1119773991.html Patriotic Russians Volunteer in Droves as US Tries to Divert Blame for Nord Stream Sabotage Patriotic Russians Volunteer in Droves as US Tries to Divert Blame for Nord Stream Sabotage Sputnik International International relations and security analyst Mark Sleboda joined Sputniks The Final Countdown program Wednesday to discuss the latest developments in the Western proxy war on Russia as well as the curious case of the Nord Stream pipeline explosion as the German government claims to have found a suspect for the crime. 2024-08-15T02:21+0000 2024-08-15T02:21+0000 2024-08-16T04:22+0000 mark sleboda russia ukraine baltic sea nato nord stream kursk analysis nord stream nord stream pipeline https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/09/1d/1101347177_0:1:1280:721_1920x0_80_0_0_d6575740c7355c9b8e18cc822f345d89.jpg Two decades from the outset of the United States war in Iraq a 2023 opinion survey found 61% of Americans disagree with the decision to launch the ill-fated invasion.The finding is the culmination of years of soul searching on the part of the American public, which has grown increasingly wary of US military intervention in recent years. A large majority of Russian citizens, on the other hand, have indicated they approve of the countrys special military operation against Ukraine with healthy military recruitment figures serving as the latest evidence the citizenry is united behind President and Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Putin.International relations and security analyst Mark Sleboda joined Sputniks The Final Countdown program Wednesday to discuss the latest developments in the Western proxy war on Russia as well as the curious case of the Nord Stream pipeline explosion as the German government claims to have found a suspect for the crime.The German news that broke is pretty interesting, said Sleboda, referring to the German governments release of the name of a supposed suspect behind the presumed sabotage of the Russo-German Nord Stream Pipeline in 2022. This Volodymyr Z according to German privacy laws, the full name is not released this is the absolutely complete bull feces, cockamamie cover-up story that the United States and Germany have centered on.In a case of reality sometimes proving to be stranger than fiction, the German government has claimed an amateur Ukrainian scuba diver by the name of Volodymyr Z is responsible for the explosion that blew up the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that formerly transported cheap natural gas from Russia to Europe.But critics claim the discovery of the alleged culprit, whose last name is purportedly Zhuravlev, is itself another fiction of Western intelligence agencies, which insist on offering an alternative explanation for the environmental disaster which is widely presumed to be the work of the United States.It [was] a methane release, Sleboda noted. And methane is a greenhouse gas some 28 times more potent than carbon. So, yes, it is also the largest man-made release of carbon environmental catastrophe [of] that scale. But these things go by the wayside when geopolitics is concerned.To believe that a group of rando Ukrainians on a rent-a-day little pleasure dinghy out of Poland managed to lay serious military explosives at the bottom of the Baltic Sea, a NATO lake just off an island in Denmark that NATO routinely does military exercises [in] in fact amazingly enough, just a week earlier, there [were] US ships involved in military exercises, military ships that may very well have actually been involved in leaving some explosives on the bottom of the Baltic Sea I mean, this story is so ridiculous and, conveniently enough, their mysterious Volodymyr Z just disappeared. Western governments refusal to implicate the United States in the incident and reluctance to investigate the matter has further damaged support for the Ukraine proxy war as European leaders fear former President Donald Trump would end US support for the conflict if reelected in November.Meanwhile, Russian citizens remain united behind Moscows war effort, with Ukraines attempt to mount an incursion onto the Kursk region of Russia only heightening Russians patriotic fervor.The statements in the press make it quite clear that the US and Europe were at some level completely behind this. So that increases Russian society's anger and desire for getting some payback. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240810/kievs-kursk-gas-hub-gambit-brainchild-of-same-people-who-blew-up-nord-stream---slovak-politician-1119707732.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240207/hersh-wests-hesitance-to-conclude-nord-stream-probe-implicates-culprits-1116642115.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240811/strategy--tactics-of-ukraines-incursion-into-russias-kursk-developed-with-nato---expert-1119724203.html russia ukraine baltic sea Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 John Miles https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/01/19/1116388787_0:0:1316:1316_100x100_80_0_0_77e70d36afd983012b1c5d38ddb84156.jpg John Miles https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/01/19/1116388787_0:0:1316:1316_100x100_80_0_0_77e70d36afd983012b1c5d38ddb84156.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 John Miles https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/01/19/1116388787_0:0:1316:1316_100x100_80_0_0_77e70d36afd983012b1c5d38ddb84156.jpg russia military recruitment, germany nord stream explosion suspect, volodymyr z nord stream, volodymyr zhuravlev nord stream, kursk region, nord stream 2, us blew up nord stream, nord stream sabotage, terrorist attack on nord stream, nord stream pipelines, nord stream explosion, culprits of nord stream sabotage, us behind nord stream sabotage, uk behind nord stream sabotage https://sputnikglobe.com/20240815/russia-opposes-militarization-of-eastern-mediterranean---foreign-ministry-1119779581.html Russia Opposes Militarization of Eastern Mediterranean - Foreign Ministry Russia Opposes Militarization of Eastern Mediterranean - Foreign Ministry Sputnik International Moscow believes that Turkey's readiness to establish a military base in Northern Cyprus could increase regional conflict risks, and opposes the militarization of the Eastern Mediterranean, Yuri Pilipson, the director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Fourth European Department, told Sputnik. 2024-08-15T12:05+0000 2024-08-15T12:05+0000 2024-08-15T12:05+0000 world recep tayyip erdogan russia moscow cyprus un security council (unsc) north cyprus ankara naval base https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/08/0f/1119779665_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_a1c5886e044d75f4e2543f7193e031a8.jpg "We are closely monitoring the developments in the Eastern Mediterranean this is an important region, especially in terms of ensuring security. We oppose its militarization and any actions that could lead to increased conflict potential," Pilipson said. Russia seeks to assist in finding balanced solutions to the Cyprus problem, the diplomat said. Moscow proceeds from the "necessity of a comprehensive, viable and fair solution to the Cyprus problem within the agreed international legal frameworks established by UN Security Council resolutions, with the mandatory consideration of the legitimate interests and concerns of both communities," Pilipson said. In July, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Ankara might build naval bases and other military facilities in Northern Cyprus. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240723/syprus-as-a-hub-for-military-bases--1119470888.html russia moscow cyprus north cyprus ankara Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International militarization of eastern mediterranean, cyprus issue, cyprus status, un security council resolutions on cyprus https://sputnikglobe.com/20240815/trump-discusses-gaza-ceasefire-deal-with-israeli-prime-minister-1119776697.html Trump Discusses Gaza Ceasefire Deal With Israeli Prime Minister Trump Discusses Gaza Ceasefire Deal With Israeli Prime Minister Sputnik International Former US President Donald Trump held a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during which the politicians discussed the Gaza ceasefire deal, the Axios news portal reported on Thursday, citing sources. 2024-08-15T06:37+0000 2024-08-15T06:37+0000 2024-08-15T06:37+0000 world middle east donald trump benjamin netanyahu israel gaza strip egypt hamas palestine-israel conflict https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/02/0a/1092923338_0:0:3073:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_83d824ddc348dd95f41bdcbebda4d6ad.jpg Trump wanted to push the Israeli prime minister to conclude a deal, the report said, without providing any further details of the conversation, the Axios news portal reported on Thursday, citing sources. Last week, Egypt, Qatar and the United States called on Israel and Hamas to resume talks on the terms of a ceasefire on August 14-15. The three countries' leaders said they were ready to present a final proposal to reach a deal.On October 7, 2023, Israel was subjected to an unprecedented rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. In addition, Hamas fighters infiltrated the border areas, opened fire on the military and civilians and took hostages. Israeli authorities say that about 1,200 people were killed during the raid. The Israel Defense Forces launched Operation Iron Swords in the Gaza Strip and announced a complete blockade of the enclave. The enclave's health ministry says that the death toll from Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip since October 7 has exceeded 39,900. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240814/gaza-ceasefire-showdown-truce-elusive-as-all-sides-place-their-bets-1119769193.html israel gaza strip egypt Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International former us president donald trump held a telephone conversation with israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu, during which the politicians discussed the gaza ceasefire deal, the axios news portal reported on thursday, citing sources. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240815/trump-will-have-bulletproof-glass-shield-around-podium-for-outdoor-rallies---reports-1119783630.html Trump Will Have Bulletproof Glass Shield Around Podium for Outdoor Rallies - Reports Trump Will Have Bulletproof Glass Shield Around Podium for Outdoor Rallies - Reports Sputnik International The US Secret Service will install a bulletproof glass shield around former president Donald Trump's podium for outdoor campaign rallies, ABC News reported on Thursday, citing multiple sources. 2024-08-15T18:04+0000 2024-08-15T18:04+0000 2024-08-15T18:04+0000 americas donald trump us us secret service donald trump assassination attempt 2024 us presidential election presidential election presidential campaign presidential race https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/05/1f/1118719731_0:0:3348:1884_1920x0_80_0_0_28466c86e11bb0f045fb06087b30ac2c.jpg This measure is usually reserved for US presidents serving in office but US Secret Service is making an exception in light of the attempted assassination on Trump's life during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, the report said. The Secret Service declined to comment on this matter. Earlier this week, Trump said he will return to Butler in October to hold another campaign rally but provided no date for the event. Since the assassination attempt in July, Trump has only held campaign rallies in indoor venues across the United States. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240813/us-congressman-introduces-bill-to-bolster-secret-service-security-perimeters---reports-1119754830.html americas Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International trump-2024, is trump running for president, why is trump banned from election, who's banning trump from election, why is trump banned from election, who's against trump in presidential election, was trump behind january 6, who organized january 6, why is trump banned from election, trumps court case, why is trump investigated, republicans vs democrats at the elections, who will win in 2024 elections, trump vs biden, trump biden debate, presidential debate, biden drops out, joe biden dropped out of presidential race, kamala harris replaces biden, biden quits, harris new democratic candidate https://sputnikglobe.com/20240815/ukraine-lacks-capacity-munitions-to-overcome-russias-advantages---pentagon-watchdog-1119781353.html Ukraine Lacks Capacity, Munitions to Overcome Russias Advantages - Pentagon Watchdog Ukraine Lacks Capacity, Munitions to Overcome Russias Advantages - Pentagon Watchdog Sputnik International Ukraine lacks the capacity and munitions to overcome Russias air and ground advantages and is suffering heavy casualties, the Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General (OIG) said in a new quarterly report published on Thursday. 2024-08-15T15:11+0000 2024-08-15T15:11+0000 2024-08-15T15:11+0000 military russia ukraine oig military aid us military aid foreign military aid sergey lavrov kiev ukraine crisis https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/02/18/1116957421_0:104:2000:1229_1920x0_80_0_0_ea2baa0a0a9be62651ea82956412b331.jpg "The UAF [Ukrainian Armed Forces] continued to suffer heavy attrition rates and lack sufficient capabilities and munitionsparticularly artillery, air defense, and long-range strike capabilitiesto overcome Russias air and ground advantages," the report said. Despite US supplies of munition that began arriving in June, Ukraine will not be able to overcome Russia's daily fire rate of 10,000 artillery rounds or conduct a large-scale offensive operation for at least six months, the report added.The Kremlin has consistently warned against continued arms deliveries to Kiev since the start of Russia's military operation in Ukraine in February 2022, saying it would lead to further escalation of the conflict.In April 2022, Russia sent a diplomatic note to all NATO countries on the issue of arms supplies to Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned that any cargo containing weapons for Ukraine will become a legitimate target for Russian strikes. russia ukraine kiev Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International military aid for ukraine, is us giving more money to ukraine, why is us giving more money to kiev, whats happening to money given to kiev, will us give more money to kiev, how much money does ukraine get, how much money us gives to ukraine, how much money eu gives to ukraine, how much money europe gives to ukraine, what weapons does ukraine receive, does us give ukraine new weapons, f-16 sent to ukraine, f-16 aided to kiev https://sputnikglobe.com/20240815/ukraine-loses-up-to-650-soldiers-in-fights-with-russias-battlegroup-yug---mod-1119778291.html Ukraine Loses Up to 650 Soldiers in Fights With Russia's Battlegroup Yug - MoD Ukraine Loses Up to 650 Soldiers in Fights With Russia's Battlegroup Yug - MoD Sputnik International Ukraine lost up to 650 personnel in the area of operations of Russia's Battlegroup Yug in the past 24 hours, the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) said on Thursday. 2024-08-15T11:15+0000 2024-08-15T11:15+0000 2024-08-15T11:15+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine russia ukraine kiev russian troops russian army russian armed forces donetsk people's republic dpr ukraine crisis https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/06/1d/1119179168_0:76:3150:1847_1920x0_80_0_0_b5a32f3e6ce6bd5f0ccc64dbd79b939a.jpg "The enemy lost up to 650 soldiers, two armored combat vehicles, five vehicles, a 152-mm D-20 cannon, three 152-mm Msta-B howitzers, two US-made 105-mm M119 guns," the ministry said. Kiev lost up to 470 soldiers in battles with Battlegroup Zapad and 470 fighters in battles with Russias Battlegroup Tsentr, the ministry added. Russian troops also liberated the Ivanovka settlement in the Donetsk Peoples Republic (DPR), the ministry said. Russia's Battlegroup Vostok repelled two Ukrainian attacks, and Kiev lost up to 105 soldiers, the MoD concluded. russia ukraine kiev Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russias special military op in ukraine, special military operation, special military operational zone, special op zone, russian troops in special op zone, ukraine casualties in conflict, total ukrainian losses, how many people did ukraine loose, how many people did kiev loose, new russian weapons in ukraine, advanced russian weapons, russian defense ministry statements, latest russian military statements, what did shoigu say about ukraine, donetsk peoples republic, nato in ukraine, is nato in ukraine, russian drones, drone warfare, new military drones, uavs in ukraine, ukraine crisis, ukraine conflict, battlegroup sever, battlegroup yug, battlegroup zapad, battlegroup vostok, battlegroup tsentr, battlegroup dnepr, russia ukraine peace talks, russia ukraine peace settlement, russia ukraine negotiations, russian air defenses, mercenaries in ukraine, foreign merc in ukraine https://sputnikglobe.com/20240815/us-officials-believe-israel-will-never-destroy-hamas--report---1119777822.html US Officials Believe Israel Will Never Destroy Hamas Report US Officials Believe Israel Will Never Destroy Hamas Report Sputnik International The Israeli military has been striking Hamas fighters since October 2023, when the Palestinian armed group staged a surprise attack on the Jewish state. 2024-08-15T10:05+0000 2024-08-15T10:05+0000 2024-08-15T10:05+0000 world us israel qatar egypt hamas deal ceasefire https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/08/0f/1119777305_0:0:3071:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_40a2c6c2dd541a336c7f738768a44f50.jpg A growing number of US national security officials reportedly insist that although Hamas was badly damaged by the Israeli militarys attacks, Tel Aviv "would never be able to completely eliminate the group."The Israel Defense Forces' ongoing bombings are only increasing risks to Gaza civilians while the possibility of further weakening Hamas has diminished, the sources also argue, as reported.The claims followed Hamas announcing that it will not partake in the indirect talks on a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal that are due to resume in Doha, Qatar on August 15.The US, Qatar and Egypt earlier urged Israel and Hamas to resume urgent discussions so as "to close all remaining gaps" and start implementing a ceasefire agreement in Gaza without "further delay." The call came amid months of failed attempts to clinch the truce deal on Gaza, where Israel's continued bombardment has already killed around 40,000 Palestinians, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240813/netanyahu-gallant-rift-exposes-different-approaches-to-resolving-gaza-war---analyst-1119752298.html israel qatar egypt Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Oleg Burunov https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg Oleg Burunov https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Oleg Burunov https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e4/09/0b/1080424846_0:0:2048:2048_100x100_80_0_0_3d7b461f8a98586fa3fe739930816aea.jpg the israel defense forces, the palestinian militant group hamas, the indirect talks on a gaza ceasefire deal, the israeli militarys attacks on hamas https://sputnikglobe.com/20240815/why-western-media-suddenly-found-ukrainian-connection-in-nord-stream-bombing-1119782128.html Why Western Media Suddenly Found Ukrainian Connection in Nord Stream Bombing Why Western Media Suddenly Found Ukrainian Connection in Nord Stream Bombing Sputnik International Despite Western media efforts to implicate Ukraine, the United States still looks like the main beneficiary and customer of the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipeline, says German political analyst and independent journalist Dr. Gregor Spitzen. 2024-08-15T15:55+0000 2024-08-15T15:55+0000 2024-08-15T15:55+0000 analysis philip giraldi valery zaluzhny ukraine nord stream sabotage https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/09/1c/1101300397_0:94:1800:1107_1920x0_80_0_0_c57b09b7699abd78e61ecd94a183ef53.jpg Despite Western media efforts to implicate Ukraine, the United States still looks like the main beneficiary and customer of the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipeline, says German political analyst and independent journalist Dr. Gregor Spitzen.This has been clear from the very beginning, both in terms of the basic Roman law principle of 'Cui bono?' [who benefits?] and the statements by President Joe Biden and Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland that the US would not allow the pipeline to go into operation, he tells Sputnik.Efforts by German politicians and media to draw the attention away from the US by throwing new and implausible versions into the information field, while understandable if the US is found guilty of an act of state terrorism on the object of German property, the whole architecture of European security will collapse are still no less outrageous, Dr. Spitzen remarks. This would be the best solution to the Nord Stream sabotage case. The pipeline is destroyed, US guilt is not proven, German politicians' reputations are saved, Ukrainian political leaders are exonerated, and the specific perpetrators, who acted on their own initiative, are dead or missing, he adds.Former CIA operations officer Philip Giraldi also branded media efforts to pin the blame on Ukraine as a cover story, arguing that Kiev simply lacked the resources to carry out the Nord Stream bombing. The US did and had even stated its intention in advance to destroy the pipeline if Russia were to invade Ukraine. And there is also the involvement of Norway which is not plausible if it were a Ukrainian operation, he said.Both Spitzen and Giraldi suggested that the fact that the story about Ukraines alleged role in the Nord Stream bombing surfaced simultaneously in the US and German media hints at the likelihood of a coordinated effort to craft an acceptable narrative regarding what took place, as Giraldi put it."It suggests to me that they are coordinating some new approach in dealing with Ukraine and Zelensky though I am not sure what that might be," Giraldi added. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240810/kievs-kursk-gas-hub-gambit-brainchild-of-same-people-who-blew-up-nord-stream---slovak-politician-1119707732.html ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Andrei Dergalin Andrei Dergalin News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Andrei Dergalin nord stream sabotage, who blew up nord stream, nord stream bombing investigation, nord stream ukraine The Last Martini served up the first career loss to Cowgirl Hanover after she led gate to wire in the lone $140,411 division of the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) for two-year-old pacing fillies on Wednesday evening, Aug. 14 at Batavia Downs. Sent off as the prohibitive 1-9 betting favourite, Cowgirl Hanover (Doug McNair) got away third as stablemate The Last Martini (Jason Bartlett) grabbed the lead and got to the quarter in :29. With the short field following in single file, Bartlett throttled down the half even more to a :59.1 saunter and still didnt get any opposition from behind until well into the second circuit. Halfway up the backstretch, McNair pulled Cowgirl Hanover, who quickly made her way to second in a now up tempo :28 flat third panel. As the Jared Bako trainees made their way around the last turn, Cowgirl Hanover got to within a half length of The Last Martini, but that would be as close as she would get. The Last Martini paced furiously down the lane and refused to give up any ground at all to Cowgirl Hanover and won by half a length in a 1:54.4 mile that featured a :27.3 final quarter. The win was the second straight in NYSS action this month for The Last Martini and the lion's share of the purse pushed her earnings to $151,995 through four career starts for owner Glenview Livestock of Ingersoll, Ont. The daughter of Huntsville out of Martinique was bred by Crawford Farms. She reutrned $19.80 for the upset win. There were also four $27,397 Excelsior stakes on the card swept by more Huntsville offspring. Huntsville sired 10 of the 15 horses who hit the board in all five NYSS and Excelsior races. Huntingfortreasure (Huntsville-Worldly Treasure) won in 1:57.4 for driver Mark MacDonald, trainer Ray Schnittker and owner/breeder Steve Jones. Fashion Terror (Huntsville-High Fashion Model) was a 1:58.1 winner for driver Jason Bartlett, trainer Mark Ford and owner/breeder All Star Racing. Beantown Deuce (Huntsville-Dont Think Twice A) scored in 1:58.2 for driver Brett Beckwith, trainer George Ducharme and owner Michael Goldberg, who bred the filly with Andrew Harris. Fansville (Huntsville-Caviart Elena) won in 1:55 with Bartlett driving for trainer Joe Bongiorno and owner Chain Lightning Stables. Eric Tadeo bred the winner. Bartlett added one overnight victory and ended his night with a grand slam in the bike. Live harness racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Saturday, Aug. 17 at 6 p.m. (With files from Batavia Downs) Legendary Hanover is not historys fastest three-year-old pacer, not yet at least, but he has put his name in the record book when it comes to speed. With his 1:46.3 win in the Meadowlands Pace and 1:46.2 score in the Cane Pace, the colt became the first-ever sophomore with multiple sub-1:47 victories in a season. And he did it in consecutive starts, falling just shy of Confederates 1:46.1 world record for a three-year-old pacer. I still wake up every morning and pinch myself to make sure this is reality, Legendary Hanovers trainer, Anthony Beaton, said with a laugh. I thought this is kind of the caliber of horse he was. But is he going to go that fast? You never know. But the way they drive them now, theyre just like race cars. The fact he can come right back and do it again, hes an amazing animal. Hes just special. Legendary Hanovers next start comes on Saturday in the $300,000 USD Max C. Hempt Memorial for three-year-old pacers at Mohegan Pennsylvanias Pocono Downs. The colt is the 2-1 morning line favourite and will leave from post seven in a field of eight with regular driver James MacDonald. The Hempt is part of a Sun Stakes Saturday card at the northeast Pennsylvania five-eighths-mile oval that also features the $300,000 USD Earl Beal Jr. Memorial for three-year-old trotters, $250,000 USD James M. Lynch Memorial for three-year-old female pacers and $250,000 USD Delmonica Hanover for three-year-old female trotters. Legendary Hanover was Canadas OBrien Award winner for best two-year-old male pacer in 2023, when he finished worse than second only once in nine starts, winning six. So far this season, hes been worse than second only once in eight races, winning five. He brings a three-race victory streak to the Hempt, which includes his Meadowlands Pace triumph on July 13 and Cane Pace win on Aug. 3, both at The Meadowlands. The son of Huntsville-Lillian Hanover is a half-brother to Linedrive Hanover, who Beaton has also trained. Linedrive Hanover holds the Canadian record for pacing on a half-mile track, 1:49, and has a lifetime mark of 1:47. I knew how good 'Linedrive' was and how he could carry his speed, but the first time I sat behind [Legendary Hanover], it was like, wow, this is a powerful animal for a two-year-old, said Beaton. He was a powerful individual from day one. And as hes developed, hes gotten more powerful and stronger. Hes got a huge set of lungs on him and just doesnt get tired. This fella just had something about him that I knew he was going to be a great horse. Hes just such a professional. Legendary Hanover, with his 11 wins and four seconds in 17 career races, has earned $1,163,014 for owners Eric Good, West Wins Stable and Mark Dumain. The colts start at Pocono will be his first on a track other than a mile or seven-eighths. I dont see that being an issue; hes a very good-gaited horse, said Beaton. He seems to handle whatever we throw at him. Captains Quarters, who finished third in the Cane Pace, is the 7-2 second choice in the Hempt. He will leave from post two with Scott Zeron driving for trainer Herbert Holland. Captain Albano, who won the Adios in his most recent start, is the 9-2 third choice. He will leave from post five with Todd McCarthy in the sulky for trainer Noel Daley. The world record for a three-year-old pacer on a five-eighths is 1:47.1, set by Papi Rob Hanover in 2020 at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows. Of course, Legendary Hanover is not the only stakes-winning three-year-old colt in Beatons stable. Nijinsky, who in June won the North America Cup, has won seven of eight races this season with his lone setback being a second-place finish to Legendary Hanover in the Meadowlands Pace. Nijinsky will make his next start Friday in the fourth round of the Ontario Sires Stakes Gold at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Were trying our best to split them up, Beaton said about Legendary Hanover and Nijinsky. With the way [Nijinskys] schedule worked out, we wanted to focus on the Golds with him. Hes been super. Beaton, who trains Nijinsky for owners West Wins Stable, John Fielding and Dumain, has seen his stable earn $2.7 million in purses this year, already surpassing his career-best $2.26 million in 2023. Its just been a crazy year with the races were winning and the way the horses have been racing, said Beaton. Its been amazing. Racing begins at 2:30 p.m. (EDT) on Saturday at Pocono Downs. For a free program from the Pennsylvania Harness Horsemens Association website, click here. (USTA) Bill Atkinson, a fourth-grade teacher, said he's "not the only teacher who's living paycheck to paycheck... it's part of a systematic thing," he said on a TikTok dispatch he titled, "Week 6 of Car Living." Trace Thomas/For the Texas Tribune Bill Atkinson, a fourth-grade teacher at an Austin charter school, is homeless. Courtesy/Bill Atkinson A homeless teacher who lives in Austin has been chronicling his journey on TikTok for weeks. He's now speaking to news reporters and collecting thousands in donations on GoFundMe. Bill Atkinson, a fourth-grade teacher, said he's "not the only teacher who's living paycheck to paycheck... it's part of a systematic thing," he said on a TikTok dispatch he titled, "Week 6 of Car Living." Atkinson is saddled with student loan debt and other bills. He's been sleeping in his car for over a month. His GoFundMe, which he said is in support of his "journey to stability," had raised just over $14,800 as of Thursday afternoon. Advertisement Article continues below this ad His original fundraising goal of $13,600 goal would help him clear his debt and afford a home, he wrote. Atkinson, who said he's a fourth year educator, and currently teaches at Not Your Ordinary School, a charter school in Austin. He parks his car at the school where he works, in a position where I don't get a lot of parents parking around my car, Atkinson told Austin TV station KVUE this week. He keeps his belongings in his vehicle, where he also sleeps without air conditioning. "This is as far as I can go, and I just kick my feet on the side of the pedals," Atkinson said, showing the news station how he reclines the drivers seat to sleep. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A community on social media has been rallying behind him with encouraging words and advice. Someone said they were a retired teacher and wished him luck. "Your story made it to Florida," one person commented on one of his videos. A few said he can get a membership at Planet Fitness and use their bathroom and shower facilities. Some are getting political. One person using the handle, "the_right_mom" wrote: "Your bio tells me everything about what is wrong with this situation. The left..They dont give a (expletive) about you and you know who the left encompasses? Teachers unions" Advertisement Article continues below this ad Atkinson replied, "Ma'am I'm in Texas I don't pay union dues, but nor can I collective bargain for better wages and benefits," he said, adding that Texas hasn't increased spending on education in years. Atkinson said while his teaching position pays about $53,000 annually, it's not enough. He's seeking donations to help him afford a place to live. In addition to teaching, he also works odd jobs such as house sitting and soon, maybe working a gig at a haunted house. The median rent in Austin is about $1,400 according to Realtor.com. Advertisement Article continues below this ad His financial struggles aren't new. With apartment complexes now checking credit to get approved, I can't even get approved at places I can afford, Atkinson told KVUE. Atkinson, who acknowledges mistakes and bad luck led to his unfortunate living conditions, wants to continue teaching. He says being an educator is his calling. The participating drivers have been announced for the 44th Annual Charity Driver's Challenge to close out Clinton Raceway's 15-week, 2024 harness racing season. On Sunday, Sept. 1, race fans will say farewell to another season of harness racing at the Huron County oval with the annual driver's challenge. This year will once again feature the top six dash-winning drivers in Canada plus the top two from Clinton. James MacDonald, Travis Henry, Garrett Rooney, Samuel Fillion, Travis Cullen and defending Charity Driver's Challenge champion Tyler Borth will join J Harris and Todd Ratchford as the eight drivers competing in this year's challenge during the day's 10-race card. All drivers will be donating their fees from the day to three local Royal Canadian Legion branches. The Clinton, Seaforth and Exeter branches will be on hand raising funds. In addition to the 50/50 draw and silent auction happening trackside, the day will also have the final chicken BBQ under the current grandstand. With a new facility slated to open for racing in 2025, this dinner will close out a 47-year history of race day dinners. Tickets for the Pineridge half chicken dinner are $25 (with $10 from each ticket being donated to the branches) and can be reserved by contacting Jessica Carnochan at Clinton Raceway at [email protected]. Ontario Sires Stakes two-year-old filly pacers will be featured on track and Clinton Raceway will honour all caretakers as part of Standardbred Canada's National Caretaker Appreciation Day. Arrive early to take part in the Driver's Challenge Challenge for the chance to win up to $500 and stick around following the day's card to take in the RCMP Musical Ride, hosted by REACH and the Bayfield Agricultural Society. (With files from Clinton Raceway; photo of 2023 Charity Driver's Challenge champion Tyler Borth [left] being congratulated by Paul MacKenzie and other 2023 participants) The last time Ake Svanstedt sat behind Warrawee Michelle, he became the first trainer/driver to win the Hambletonian Oaks in 35 years. On Saturday, Aug. 17, the two will go to work together again in the $250,000 USD Delmonica Hanover at Mohegan Pennsylvanias Pocono Downs, where Svanstedt will aim for a second straight victory in the event for three-year-old female trotters. The Delmonica Hanover is part of a Sun Stakes Saturday card at the northeast Pennsylvania five-eighths-mile oval that also features the $300,000 USD Earl Beal Jr. Memorial for three-year-old trotters, $300,000 USD Max C. Hempt Memorial for three-year-old pacers and $250,000 USD James M. Lynch Memorial for three-year-old female pacers. Warrawee Michelle is the 3-1 second choice on the morning line and will leave from post eight in the eight-filly field. Elista Hanover, who saw a 10-race win streak snapped by her seventh-placed-sixth finish in the Hambletonian Oaks, is the 5-2 favourite. She will leave from post two with David Miller driving for trainer Annie Stoebe. Warrawee Michelle will not be Svanstedts only Hambletonian Day star competing Saturday at Pocono Downs. Jiggy Jog S, who in her most recent race won the John Cashman Memorial in a stakes and track record 1:49.2 to join Manchego and Moni Maker as the only mares to beat the boys in the history of the event, meets male rivals again in the $100,000 USD Sebastian K Invitational at Pocono. Jiggy Jog S, who will have Dexter Dunn in the sulky, is the 5-2 favourite and will leave from post seven in the field of eight. Warrawee Michelles win in the Hambletonian Oaks at The Meadowlands was her first victory since the 2023 Breeders Crown final last October at Harrahs Hoosier Park. She opened this season with sixth and eighth-place finishes before having a procedure done to correct a throat issue. The filly was third in her Hambletonian Oaks elimination but came home with a :26.1 last quarter to advance to the $729,167 final on Aug. 3. In the final, she made a first-over move from fourth just past the half-mile point on her way to victory by a half-length over Buy A Round in 1:51.2 on a sloppy track. She was herself again in the last two races, said Svanstedt, a two-time winner of the Hambletonian who got his first Oaks trophy with Warrawee Michelle and became the first trainer/driver to capture the race since Bruce Nickells did it with Park Avenue Kathy in 1989. We didnt have time to train so much [following her throat procedure], but in her elimination, she was back again. I drove on the inside, but she came home very fast. So, I knew she was back, and in the final, I was more aggressive. Warrawee Michelles starting spot for the Delmonica Hanover is the least advantageous at Pocono Downs, producing winners at 7.4 per cent clip. She has a bad post, so of course, you need some luck, said Svanstedt, who won last years Delmonica Hanover with Bond. Warrawee Michelle, a daughter of Walner-Sound Check, has won five of 13 career races and earned $852,753 for owners Ake Svanstedt Inc., Santandrea Inc., and Young Guns. In addition to Warrawee Michelle, Svanstedt will send out French Champagne in the Delmonica Hanover. She will leave from post three with Dunn in the sulky and is 9-2 on the morning line. She finished eighth in the Hambletonian Oaks after making a break in the stretch. She didnt have any luck, Svanstedt said about the daughter of Muscle Hill-French Cafe who has hit the board in 14 of 16 lifetime starts, winning eight and earning more than $475,000. She was a little interfered with in the stretch, so she made a break. But she came out of the race good and she trained good. Maybe she is the horse to beat on Saturday. She can do everything and she always fights to the end. Jiggy Jog S heads to the Sebastian K off a 1:49.2 mile that tied her with Hannelore Hanover for the fourth quickest in history by a trotting mare. Only Manchego (1:49) and Atlanta (1:49 and 1:49.1) have gone faster. Jiggy Jog S, a daughter of Walner-Hot Mess Hanover, has won seven consecutive races and 21 of 38 in her career, hitting the board a total of 33 times. She has earned $2.65 million. Her competition in the Sebastian K named after the former Svanstedt star who trotted the then-world record 1:49 at Pocono in 2014 includes Lexus Kody (3-1 on the morning line), Hillexotic (4-1) and Periculum (9-2). Lexus Kody, driven by Yannick Gingras and trained by Ron Burke, enters the race off a 1:49.4 victory in the Vincennes on Hambletonian Day. This race looks tough, but if she gets a trip, she has the speed, said Svanstedt. Hopefully, Dexter finds a good position. Svanstedt will send two horses, Amazing Catch and Situationship, into the $300,000 USD Earl Beal Jr. Memorial for three-year-old trotters. Svanstedt has won the Beal three of the past four years, including in 2023 with Up Your Deo. T C I is the 5-2 morning-line favourite in the Beal, leaving from post four for driver David Miller and trainer Burke. Amazing Catch, from post two with Dunn, is 4-1 while Situationship, from post six with Svanstedt, is 9-2. Situationship has three wins and a second in five races this season, with his only off-the-board finish coming in his elimination of the Hambletonian. The son of Chapter Seven-Meegan Hall started from post 10 with Svanstedt and went to the front, reaching the opening quarter in :26.3. He led into the stretch but finished sixth and missed the final. It wasnt his fault, it was the drivers fault, said Svanstedt. He trained back good and feels good. I think hes in good form. I expect a good performance. Racing begins at 2:30 p.m. (EDT) on Saturday at Pocono Downs. For a free program from, the Pennsylvania Harness Horsemens Association, click here. (USTA) Guidance and information service Looking for statistical data? We help you find the statistical figures you need and interpret the statistics. We also provide guidance on how to use statistical databases. tel. +358 29 551 2220 info@stat.fi Our telephone advisory service is open on weekdays from 9 am to 4 pm. We will respond to your questions within two working days. Tips for searching for information Statistics Finland's databases are a good source for searching for statistical figures, tables and data. From the list of frequently asked questions you can find, for example, the population by municipality, the most common names and how to calculate rent increases. Brief guidance is free of charge Guidance and individual statistical data are free of charge. If it takes more than 15 minutes to find the data, the work is chargeable. We agree on the price of chargeable work and the data delivery schedule in advance. Extensive data requests If the answer cannot be found in ready-made data, we can compile data on order. Such special compilations may include more extensive tables than the available ones or other selections from statistical data. If your request concerns enterprise data, you can contact the Business Register experts directly. Prudential plc (Prudential) and Google Cloud announced an expanded strategic partnership to build innovative AI-powered products and applications that will help enhance customer, agent and employee experiences. Google Cloud will support Prudentials new AI Lab the first partnership of its kind for the insurance industry in Asia and Africa which will focus on solving business and customer challenges. Launching later this year, the AI Lab is designed to accelerate Prudentials adoption of machine learning, AI and generative AI (gen AI), while also driving progress towards Prudentials strategic priorities of: Delivering a better customer experience; Driving technology-powered distribution; and Improving access to affordable, quality healthcare The Lab will provide Prudentials 15,000 employees with a new sandbox environment and step-by-step process for turning their ideas into scalable AI products and applications. This includes access to leading large language models, advanced and secure gen AI and data analytics solutions, and end-to-end Cloud provision. The partnership presents an opportunity to shape the future of AI in life and health insurance. Supported by Google Clouds deep expertise in health-focused AI, the Lab will initially prioritise ways of using AI to provide improved access to quality healthcare, while supporting agents ability to deliver a seamless and personalised customer experience. The Lab will also focus on using AI to improve operating processes with the goal of delivering a better experience for customers, agents and employees alike, and driving new, bottom-line efficiencies. Anil Wadhwani, Chief Executive Officer, Prudential plc, said: Prudential is committed to leveraging technological innovation to create value for all our stakeholders. We are actively using data, advanced analytics and AI to create an exceptional customer and agent experience while helping us work smarter and faster. Our expanded partnership with Google Cloud will unlock the innovation and creativity of our 15,000 employees and increase our speed to market, particularly in health insurance, where we see tremendous growth opportunities. By deepening our collaboration, we will build the future of insurance for our customers. Thomas Kurian, CEO, Google Cloud, said: Generative AI represents a significant opportunity to drive innovation in the insurance industry. Our collaboration with Prudential and the launch of its AI Lab will help to reimagine customer experiences, optimise operations, and unlock new growth possibilities. Google Cloud is committed to providing the AI and data analytics capabilities, as well as the expertise needed to support Prudentials vision for the future of insurance. Acer launched its latest Chromebook plus models, the Acer Chromebook Plus 14 and 15 laptops. These advanced laptops are specifically designed to cater to the demands of the Enterprise and education sector. The all-new Chromebook Plus with the latest built-in Google Gemini AI features offering robust performance, enhanced productivity features, and a sleek, professional design. Acer Chromebook Plus 14 & 15 starting price at Rs. 35990. The laptop will be available in Acer exclusive stores, Acer online store, Amazon, Croma, Flipkart, Vijay Sales, and other multi-brand outlets. The Chromebook Plus 14 offers a 14-inch Full HD IPS display with options for high-brightness Acer ComfyView LED-backlit TFT LCD or an integrated multi-touch version. The Acer Chromebook Plus 15 features a 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display with Acer ComfyView technology, available in standard and high-brightness touch variants. Acer Chromebook Plus offers built-in Google apps and powerful AI capabilities. It also offers Google Photos Magic Eraser, File Sync, Wallpaper generation, AI-created video backgrounds, and Adobe Photoshop on the web to help consumers boost their productivity, inspire their creativity, and make everyday tasks intuitive. Its a laptop experience that optimizes hardware performance with software apps and tools. Powered by a range of Powerful Intel & AMD processor variants, these Chromebooks ensure robust performance for multitasking and running demanding applications. The Chromebook Plus 14 has two variants. One with Intel Core i3-N305 processor and another with AMD Ryzen 7000 Series Processor, while the Chromebook Plus 15 offers Up to Intel 13th Gen Core i7-1355U processor. All the models support Upto 16GB LPDDR5X SDRAM and Storage up to 512 GB PCIe NVMe SSD, ensuring fast data access and ample space for important files and applications. Google AI-powered writing assistance and generative, custom wallpapers and AI backgrounds for video calls make the Chromebook Plus the most preferred device for the professional. All Chromebook plus models feature Dual DTS Speakers, optimized bass, and treble response. It is also equipped with two built-in microphones and a high-definition Full HD webcam with features such as Temporal Noise Reduction, High Dynamic Range (HDR), and support for 1080p video at 60 fps, ensuring clear video conferencing and online interactions. All Acer Chromebook Plus models support the Latest Wireless Wi-Fi 6E, providing fast and stable wireless connectivity, and Bluetooth 5.3 for seamless pairing with peripherals and accessories. All models are equipped with a discrete H1 Trusted Platform Module (TPM) solution, camera shutters for privacy, and Kensington lock slots for physical security. Designed for durability and reliability, these Chromebooks have undergone rigorous military-grade reliability tests, including mechanical shock, transit drop, vibration, and resistance to sand, dust, humidity, and extreme temperatures. The robust construction ensures that the laptops can withstand the rigors of daily use in various environments. All models feature a 53 Wh 3-cell Li-ion battery that supports fast charging technology. The Chromebook Plus 14 can last up to 11 hours on a single charge, while the Chromebook Plus 15 offers up to 10 hours of battery life, making them perfect for all-day use without frequent recharging. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Human mobility data are produced from raw mobile phone location data through a series of complex pre-processing steps, and are used for interdisciplinary downstream research tasks. Credit: Nature Computational Science (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s43588-024-00650-3 Despite the vast amounts of human mobility data generated by smartphones, a lack of standardized formats, protocols, and privacy-protected open-source datasets hampers innovation across various sectors, including city planning, transportation design, public health, emergency response, and economic research. The absence of established benchmarks further complicates efforts to evaluate progress and share best practices. Takahiro Yabe, assistant professor at the Center for Urban Science + Progress (CUSP) and Department of Technology Management and Innovation at NYU Tandon, recently collaborated with a team of researchersMassimiliano Luca (Fondazione Bruno Kessler), Kota Tsubouchi (LY Corporation), Bruno Lepri (Fondazione Bruno Kessler), Marta C. Gonzalez (University of California, Berkeley), and Esteban Moro (Northeastern University)to advocate for the necessity of open and standardized human mobility data. Their opinion piece, published in Nature Computational Science, builds upon the recent release of the open-source, anonymized, large-scale human mobility dataset YJMob100K developed by several authors of the paper. "The creation of the YJMob100K dataset and associated HuMob Challenge 2024 was motivated by our concern that similar human mobility datasets are exclusive to select researchers and industry organizations," said Yabe. Unpacking the complexities of human mobility data pre-processing Tracking a journey from origin to destination using mobile phone data is not straightforward. Data can vary significantly depending on the application employed, and datasets may not capture all transit modes. Inconsistencies in definitions, classifications, and data tags can introduce biases. For example, defining what constitutes a "stop"whether it's a pause of 5 minutes, 30 minutes, or an hourcan be somewhat subjective. "To detect a stop within a mobility trajectory, data scientists need to define arbitrary hyperparameters such as the minimum number of minutes spent at the stop and the maximum movement distance allowed from the stop centroid," noted the authors. "With several hyperparameters needed for each pre-processing step, a slight change in the selection of these parameters could result in a very different processed human mobility dataset." Pre-processing human mobility data is critical for protecting individual privacy. However, the methods used in this process are often kept confidential, creating a "black box" problem that raises concerns about data validity and accuracy. To address these issues, companies evaluate datasets by comparing them with external sources such as census data. However, researchers aiming to introduce and evaluate new methods for predicting human mobility continue to face a significant hurdle: there is currently no standard open benchmark dataset. Advancing human mobility research with the YJMob100K dataset The authors propose two strategies for approaching this challenge: creating synthetic, privacy-preserving human mobility datasets using machine learning models, or anonymizing a large-scale mobility dataset through collaboration with a private company. The latter strategy was employed for YJMob100K, which was developed through a collaboration involving Takahiro Yabe from NYU Tandon, Yoshihide Sekimoto and Kaoru Sezaki from the University of Tokyo, Esteban Moro and Alex Pentland from MIT, along with Kota Tsubouchi and Toru Shimizu from the private Japanese internet company LY Corporation. The YJMob100K dataset was anonymized by converting location pings into 500x500 meter grid cells and aggregating timestamps into 30-minute intervals while masking the actual dates. Individuals who contributed data signed a consent form outlining the frequency and accuracy of location data collection as well as its intended use. All data processing and analysis were conducted on servers managed by the company. To promote the dataset, the authors initiated the Human Mobility Prediction Challenge (HuMob Challenge) in 2023, which is currently underway for its second year. Selected entries will be showcased at the ACM SIGSPATIAL conference, taking place in Atlanta from October 29 to November 1, 2024. "Inspired by advancements in natural language processing models like transformers, many submissions in the 2023 edition used AI and machine learning approaches," said Yabe. "Eight of the top 10 submissions used deep learning techniques. With over 85 teams and 200 participants from 22 countries, the overwhelming response motivated us to continue into 2024. This year's challenge is more advanced, targeting predictions for cities that lack data." The authors have identified several key challenges they aim to address in their future work. First, they aim to establish criteria for creating "fit-for-purpose" benchmarking datasets to achieve consensus within the research community. This involves defining clear metrics for data specification and establishing industry standards for pre-processing. Second, recognizing that different tasks require different types of data, they propose creating a collection of "fit-for-purpose" datasets, each tailored to specific research domains, communities, and socio-spatial-temporal contexts. This necessitates a bottom-up approach led by relevant research communities to ensure the datasets are well-aligned with their intended uses. More information: Takahiro Yabe et al, Enhancing human mobility research with open and standardized datasets, Nature Computational Science (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s43588-024-00650-3 Journal information: Nature Computational Science Jacob Beltran covers crime, breaking news and general assignments for the Express-News. He can be reached at jbeltran@express-news.net. A San Antonio native, Jacob began his journalism career in 2010. He's worked for the student-run newspaper for San Antonio College, The Ranger, and for Texas A&M University-San Antonio, The Mesquite. He enjoys video games, photography and exploring during his free time. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Conceptual illustration of The AI Scientist, an end-to-end LLM-driven scientific discovery process. Credit: arXiv (2024). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2408.06292 A team of AI researchers at Sakana AI, in Japan, working with colleagues from the University of Oxford and the University of British Columbia, has developed an AI system that can conduct scientific research autonomously. The group has posted a paper to the arXiv preprint server describing their system, which they call "The AI Scientist". They have also posted an overview of their system on Sakana's corporate website. Scientific research is generally a long and involved process. It tends to start with a simple idea, such as, "Is there a way to stop the buildup of plaque on human teeth?" Scientists then research other studies to determine what research has been done on the topic. After that, they draw up a plan of action, followed by a needs assessment and a cost analysis. If all goes well, a project is initiated and people and material needs are assigned. That is followed by the actual research and the subsequent writing of a research paper to detail the process used and findings. After that, if merited, the paper is published and use is made of the reported discoveries. This general process can be long, difficult and often expensive, mostly because of manpower costs. In this new effort, the research team eliminated the manpower costs by automating the whole process, from the generation of ideas to delivery of the written paper. The AI system uses LLMs to mimic the scientific research process and has already been tested by prompting it to carry out tasks related to AI research, which means it is already conducting research with the goal of finding ways to improve its own abilities. The researchers claim their system is currently conducting real science, and as part of such efforts, it is producing acceptance-level papers. If these claims are validated, this development is likely to have a major impact on the research community. If AI systems begin conducting the kind of research now done by people, millions of jobs could be lost, universities could see enrollments drop and research funding could be dramatically reduced. On the other hand, such research could lead to major breakthroughs in areas like cancer research, drug development, climate mitigation strategies or perhaps finding a true understanding of such mysteries as gravity, dark matter or why life exists on Earth and seemingly nowhere else. More information: Chris Lu et al, The AI Scientist: Towards Fully Automated Open-Ended Scientific Discovery, arXiv (2024). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2408.06292 Github: github.com/SakanaAI/AI-Scientist Sakana.ai: sakana.ai/ai-scientist/ Journal information: arXiv 2024 Science X Network This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Ai_r measures air pollution. Credit: SACAQM Air quality has become one of the most important public health issues in Africa. Poor air quality kills more people globally every year than HIV, TB and malaria combined. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Air pollution makes people less productive because they get headaches and feel tired. India, for example, has poor air quality. The impact of India's poor air quality on its gross domestic product is about US$100 billion every year. The health risks of poor air quality are known. But it's always been costly to set up monitoring stations to measure it regularly. I am a particle physicist, and the director of the Institute for Collider Particle Physics at the University of the Witwatersrand and the iThemba Laboratories for Accelerator Based Sciences, a unit of South Africa's National Research Foundation. As part of our technology transfer activities, we launched the South African Consortium of Air Quality Monitoring, a multidisciplinary team of scientists with strong connections with policy makers and who are interested in improving air quality in South Africa. We decided to create, for the first time in South Africa, a cost-effective air quality monitoring system based on sensors, Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence. We have named this system Ai_r. Our team of 25 people includes more than 20 years of experience as particle physicists in working with sensors, communications and artificial intelligence. In particle physics, we create complex systems with different technologies and different disciplines. Particle physics includes electrical and information engineering, data science and artificial intelligence, among others. There are only 130 big air quality measuring stations in South Africa. They only measure the air quality in the vicinity of the station. This is why we need cost-effective, dense networks made up of Ai_r systems set up all around these stations, to measure air quality in a much wider area. Our vision is to place tens of thousands of these devices all over South Africa. Using artificial intelligence Ai_r is made up of a collection of small boxes that cost about US$100 to make. The boxes can be mounted on a window sill of any building, where they take air samples and feed this data back to a cloud in real time. Modeling and forecasts are made with artificial intelligence coupled to the cloud. Artificial intelligence does not do magic. It is a bunch of mathematical tools that scientists control to perform a task. It integrates sets of data, learns from the data and creates automatic models. That saves a tremendous amount of resources. In air quality monitoring, artificial intelligence will learn from the vast wealth of data that these sensors will produce and then make predictions. For example, Ai_r will be able to tell us the impact of weather changes on air quality so that we know which areas will have more polluted air. Without artificial intelligence, it would be very difficult to come up with a cost-effective system that could monitor air quality and give us predictions. Sowetos air quality on 2 August 2024. Credit: Courtesy SACQM Measuring air quality in Johannesburg When measuring air quality, the goal is to identify the hotspots (where air quality is worst), not just the average air quality in the city. A hotspot of very polluted air can be situated quite close to a cold spot where the air quality is better. For public health reasons, we need to know and be able to forecast where the air quality will be bad on any given day. This is the only way we will be able to convince the authorities to set up ways to curb air pollution in badly affected areas. We have already rolled out about 20 of the new devices in Soweto and Braamfontein in Johannesburg, and 120 more are coming in the next months. Both parts of the city have tens of thousands of vehicles driving through every day, putting them at high risk of air pollution. We have also placed air quality sensors at the University of the Witwatersrand and iThemba LABS. We have an agreement with the Gauteng Department of Education to deploy these at schools in the Soweto area. Hospitals in the private Netcare group have also agreed to host the air quality devices. There is a public dashboard on our website where you can see all the data we gather. The project was launched in June 2024. The government has reacted very positively to this and we are now integrating the system into the official South African system of air quality scores, SAAQIS. We also have encountered strong support by the City of Johannesburg to deploy further. The Ai_r system measures particulate matter 2.5. These are extremely tiny particles of polluting matter such as dust, dirt, soot, or smoke. The problem with these particulates is that people inhale them. They get into people's bloodstreams and can cause heart attacks, cancer and other diseases. This is why the amount of particulate matter 2.5 is typically used as a benchmark for air quality globally. How it works The air quality device is housed in a box. It has a small laser that shoots light into the air. Depending on how that light scatters and reflects, you can measure the concentration of particulates. Then the measurements are sent to the tiny computer inside the box which communicates through an antenna every five minutes, through Internet of Things technologies, to a cloud-based system where the data is stored. So nobody has to be there collecting air quality samples anymore. We have also optimized the devices so that they use very little electricity. In cases of electricity power cuts, the devices have cost-effective batteries that last for days. They are very easy to maintain. They are affordable to roll out across South Africa. The existing network will keep growing to become, towards the end of 2024, the largest cost-effective, automated air quality measurement system in Africa. We really need to measure pollution and find out just how bad it is so that mitigating strategies can be designed that target problem areas very efficiently. The goal is to improve air quality for people who are most affected by air pollution. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: cottonbro studio from Pexels On August 14, Apple Inc. announced it will begin letting third parties use the iPhone's payment chip to handle transactions, a move that allows banks and other services to compete with the Apple Pay platform. The move follows years of pressure from regulators, including those in the European Union. Apple said it will allow developers to use the component starting in iOS 18.1, an upcoming software update for the iPhone. The payment chip relies on a technology called NFC, or near-field communication, to share information when the phone is near another device. The change will allow outside providers to use the NFC chip for in-store payments, transit system fares, work badges, home and hotel keys, and reward cards. Support for government identification cards will come later, the company said. Users will also be able to set a third-party payment app as their default system, replacing Apple Pay. Apple had been reluctant to open up the chip to developers, citing security concerns. The change also threatens the revenue it generates from Apple Pay transactions. The company takes a cut of all payments made via the iPhone. Under the new approach, though, Apple will still require developers to pay "associated fees" to use the NFC chip and enter into a "commercial agreement," according to the statement. That ensures that only "authorized developers who meet certain industry and regulatory requirements and commit to Apple's ongoing security and privacy standards" can access the system, Apple said. The Cupertino, California-based company plans to roll out the program in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the U.S. and U.K. It didn't mention the European Union, the region that has pushed for such a feature the most in recent months. 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Google says a hacker group linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard is using 'phishing' tactics to trick targets into revealing passwords to accounts they want to loot. Google on Tuesday confirmed that hackers backed by Iran are targeting the campaigns of US presidential rivals Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. A hacker group known as "APT42" linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps went after high-profile individuals and organizations in Israel and the United States, including government officials and political campaigns, according to a threat report released by Google. Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris's campaign said Tuesday it had been targeted by foreign hackers, days after rival Donald Trump's campaign suggested that it had been hacked by Iran. "In July, the campaign legal and security teams were notified by the FBI that we were targeted by a foreign actor influence operation," a Harris campaign official told AFP. "We have robust cybersecurity measures in place and are not aware of any security breaches of our systems resulting from those efforts." Google's threat analysis group continues to see unsuccessful attempts from APT42 to compromise personal accounts of individuals affiliated with President Joe Biden, Vice President Harris and Trump, the report said. Phishing The hacking group works by gleaning information about targets and tailoring "phishing" efforts to dupe victims into revealing log-in information for accounts like Gmail. Examples given in the report included posing as a think tank or other credible contact to lure victims to fake video meeting landing pages, where log-in credentials are needed to take part. While technical tools abound in hacker arsenals, some opt for "social engineering" tactics that trick people into clicking on booby-trapped links or logging in to realistic replicas of legitimate web pages. Google said it disrupted APT42 attempts to hack the campaigns of Biden and Trump in 2020. In May and June of this year, the Iranian hacker group's targets included personal email accounts of about a dozen people affiliated with Biden or Trump and Google blocked numerous attempts by APT42 to log in to their accounts, according to the report. Google also reported that the group got into the personal Gmail account of an influencial political consultant. "APT42 is a sophisticated, persistent threat actor and they show no signs of stopping their attempts to target users and deploy novel tactics," Google said. "This spring and summer, they have shown the ability to run numerous simultaneous phishing campaigns, particularly focused on Israel and the United States." Google urged high-risk individuals associated with the coming election to remain vigilant and to take advantage of ramped-up defenses offered by the internet firm. The US State Department warned Iran on Monday of consequences over election interference following the Trump campaign's announcement that it had been hacked. The Trump campaign has suggested that Iran was behind the breach, which resulted in private documents being sent to reporters, including research the campaign used to vet running mate J.D. Vance. It warned media outlets against reprinting the documents, saying that such action would be "doing the bidding of America's enemies." The tone was different from 2016, when Trump said at a news conference that he hoped Russia would "find" Hillary Clinton's emails, remarks widely viewed as encouraging further hacks of his election opponent. US intelligence concluded that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to support Trump, who has rejected the findings. 2024 AFP This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Police departments typically place surveillance cameras in public spaces like major intersections. CyprianLatewood/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA In 2021, a driver in Albuquerque, New Mexico, ran a red light, striking and killing a 7-year-old and injuring his father. The suspect fled the scene and eventually escaped to Mexico. Using camera footage and cellphone data, the Albuquerque Police Department's real-time crime center played a crucial role in identifying, apprehending and charging the person at fault. The driver was ultimately sentenced to 27 years in prison, providing a measure of justice to the grieving family. Real-time crime centers are specialized units within police departments that use the latest technology to monitor public spaces and record incidents. The New York City Police Department was the first to institute a real-time crime center in 2005. Real-time crime centers often focus on video surveillance, using closed-circuit television systems, license plate scanners, body cameras worn by officers and drone cameras. The centers sometimes also include gunshot detection and computer-aided dispatch systems, live or static facial recognition, cellphone tracking and geolocation data, and access to probation, parole and arrestee information. Police departments are adding the latest innovations, such as video analytics driven by deep learning artificial intelligence, to identify objects and assess subjects' behavior. Some real-time crime center operations and surveillance methods are controversial, especially those using technologies that are rapidly evolving, such as drones and automated image analysis. As a professor of criminal justice and criminologist formerly embedded within the Miami Police Department, I can explain how these centers functionand the safeguards they employ to assure accountability and appropriate use. Instant assistance Real-time crime centers typically function around the clock and fulfill several critical roles. They provide real-time video feeds and other essential data to officers responding to incidents. Police departments also use them to monitor ongoing situations such as protests or threats to critical infrastructure. Detroits police officials credit the citys real-time crime center with helping them solve violent crimes. In some real-time crime centers, like those used by the Chula Vista Police Department, near San Diego, and Metro Atlanta, drones act as an initial first responder and can stream live footage from the field back to the center. Real-time crime centers also can support investigations after an incident has occurred. The monitoring technologies can track the movement of a suspect's vehicle, assist in documenting video evidence for prosecution or even pinpoint where gun casings may be found at a crime scene. Many incidents showcase how this process leads to faster resolutions of criminal investigations, often allowing investigators to locate suspects in hours instead of days. Agencies of various sizes increasingly collaborate with business communities and large institutions to share live CCTV video footage. This collaboration allows agencies to access video feeds from locations like hotels or arenas without needing to install their own expensive equipment, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars per unit. Expanding, but effective? Real-time crime centers are rapidly expanding across the U.S., growing by 148% over the past four years. Around 150 police agencies have adopted these units. Despite this growth, real-time crime centers are still considered relatively new in policing, used by less than 1% of all agencies nationwide. Even among larger police agencies, characterized by the amount of full-time personnel and corresponding budgets, only 12% have done so. Despite the increasing presence of real-time crime centers, only a few major studies have investigated their impact. A 2019 evaluation of decentralized real-time crime centers within the Chicago Police Department showed a 3% to 7% decrease in both violent and property crimes after the centers had been installed. A study of real-time crime center effectiveness using data from the same source revealed a 5% increase in solving violent crimes, a 12% increase in solving property crimes and an 11% overall improvement in case clearance rates. A more recent Miami Police Department real-time crime center evaluation found a 66% higher likelihood of clearing cases of violent crime incidents compared with cases not supported by the center. Clearance rate is a measure of how many reported crimes the police successfully handle. A crime is considered cleared when the police arrest and charge those involved, or if it's resolved in other ways, such as if the suspect dies or if the victim decides not to cooperate. Nonetheless, real-time crime centers have shown limited effectiveness in addressing some types of violent crime such as sexual assault and domestic violence, likely due to the typically private nature of these offenses. Further research is needed to fully understand how effective real-time crime centers can be across all types of crimes. Safeguards against abuse Accountability in policing is essential. The rapid advancement of technology raises particular concerns about privacy, surveillance and secure storage of sensitive information. These issues underscore the need for strong safeguards, which are rapidly evolving and are sometimes overlooked by the police or those in charge of the systems they acquire. Recently, police departments have made changes to address these concerns to alleviate systemic issues or biases in investigations, including changing policies for the use of technologies like facial recognition. Human verification remains crucial for validating information and outcomes in each case. Departments keep detailed records whenever any search or monitoring occurs, both to improve transparency and to justify additional support or funding. People can request these records through the Freedom of Information Act or request information from their local agency's records unit, though fees may apply. Commonly documented materials include video footage and license plate reader data. Records related to less severe offenses are generally retained for no more than 30 to 90 days, while evidence pertinent to homicide investigations may be preserved indefinitely. Ongoing investigation data is typically withheld until the case is resolved. Of the over 1,100 agencies that use drones, most offer the public access to a live drone flight map to improve transparency, and most are cautious that negative community feedback could result in a program eventually being cut. Becoming commonplace Real-time crime centers are rapidly expanding nationwide and likely to become commonplace in policing soon. The technologies they use are powerful, particularly when combined in real time, but some of the concerns they raise are valid. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. PGGM Investments raised its position in Ventas, Inc. (NYSE:VTR Free Report) by 43.2% during the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 8,733 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after buying an additional 2,635 shares during the quarter. PGGM Investments holdings in Ventas were worth $448,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. First Community Trust NA acquired a new position in shares of Ventas during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Manchester Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in Ventas by 77.9% in the 4th quarter. Manchester Capital Management LLC now owns 514 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 225 shares in the last quarter. ORG Partners LLC acquired a new position in Ventas in the 2nd quarter valued at $27,000. First Financial Corp IN acquired a new position in Ventas in the 1st quarter valued at $30,000. Finally, EdgeRock Capital LLC acquired a new position in Ventas in the 4th quarter valued at $37,000. Institutional investors own 94.18% of the companys stock. Get Ventas alerts: Ventas Price Performance Shares of VTR stock traded down $0.76 on Wednesday, hitting $58.52. 2,427,773 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,325,827. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.36, a current ratio of 0.58 and a quick ratio of 0.58. Ventas, Inc. has a 12 month low of $39.33 and a 12 month high of $59.82. The stock has a market cap of $24.18 billion, a P/E ratio of -307.98, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.63 and a beta of 1.33. The company has a 50 day moving average of $52.94 and a 200 day moving average of $47.75. Analysts Set New Price Targets Ventas ( NYSE:VTR Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 1st. The real estate investment trust reported $0.05 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.79 by ($0.74). Ventas had a negative return on equity of 1.63% and a negative net margin of 3.33%. The business had revenue of $1.20 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.19 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.75 earnings per share. Ventass quarterly revenue was up 8.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts predict that Ventas, Inc. will post 3.16 EPS for the current year. VTR has been the topic of a number of research reports. Wedbush upped their price objective on Ventas from $54.00 to $64.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Monday, August 5th. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price objective on Ventas from $52.00 to $63.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Friday, August 9th. StockNews.com raised Ventas from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, July 10th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on Ventas from $46.00 to $49.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Thursday, May 30th. Finally, Evercore ISI upped their target price on Ventas from $53.00 to $56.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 16th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Ventas currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $54.31. Read Our Latest Report on VTR Insider Buying and Selling In related news, CEO Peter J. Bulgarelli sold 3,784 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $55.24, for a total transaction of $209,028.16. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 104,295 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,761,255.80. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. In other Ventas news, CEO Peter J. Bulgarelli sold 3,784 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $55.24, for a total value of $209,028.16. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 104,295 shares in the company, valued at $5,761,255.80. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CFO Robert F. Probst sold 20,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $58.87, for a total value of $1,177,400.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 156,403 shares of the companys stock, valued at $9,207,444.61. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 63,863 shares of company stock worth $3,682,554 in the last ninety days. 1.00% of the stock is owned by insiders. Ventas Profile (Free Report) Ventas Inc (NYSE: VTR) is a leading S&P 500 real estate investment trust focused on delivering strong, sustainable shareholder returns by enabling exceptional environments that benefit a large and growing aging population. The Company's growth is fueled by its senior housing communities, which provide valuable services to residents and enable them to thrive in supported environments. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding VTR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Ventas, Inc. (NYSE:VTR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Ventas Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ventas and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. PGGM Investments trimmed its position in Molina Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:MOH Free Report) by 77.7% in the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 2,070 shares of the companys stock after selling 7,199 shares during the period. PGGM Investments holdings in Molina Healthcare were worth $615,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in MOH. McIlrath & Eck LLC bought a new stake in Molina Healthcare in the 4th quarter valued at about $34,000. Principal Securities Inc. bought a new stake in Molina Healthcare during the 4th quarter worth approximately $42,000. Lindbrook Capital LLC increased its holdings in Molina Healthcare by 37.7% during the 4th quarter. Lindbrook Capital LLC now owns 219 shares of the companys stock worth $79,000 after purchasing an additional 60 shares in the last quarter. Access Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in Molina Healthcare during the 4th quarter worth approximately $99,000. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC bought a new stake in Molina Healthcare during the 4th quarter worth approximately $106,000. 98.50% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Molina Healthcare alerts: Insider Activity at Molina Healthcare In related news, COO James Woys sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $345.15, for a total value of $3,451,500.00. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 53,613 shares of the companys stock, valued at $18,504,526.95. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other news, Director Ronna Romney sold 250 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $343.27, for a total transaction of $85,817.50. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 16,945 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,816,710.15. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, COO James Woys sold 10,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $345.15, for a total value of $3,451,500.00. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 53,613 shares in the company, valued at $18,504,526.95. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 11,250 shares of company stock valued at $3,876,528 over the last 90 days. 1.10% of the stock is owned by insiders. Analyst Ratings Changes MOH has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Robert W. Baird initiated coverage on Molina Healthcare in a research note on Thursday, May 30th. They issued an outperform rating and a $405.00 target price on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their target price on Molina Healthcare from $354.00 to $353.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, July 29th. Barclays cut their target price on Molina Healthcare from $437.00 to $430.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 25th. Stephens restated an equal weight rating and issued a $320.00 target price on shares of Molina Healthcare in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. Finally, Truist Financial cut their target price on Molina Healthcare from $440.00 to $400.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, July 15th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating, six have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $378.00. Get Our Latest Stock Report on MOH Molina Healthcare Price Performance Shares of Molina Healthcare stock traded down $0.34 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $339.22. The stock had a trading volume of 369,035 shares, compared to its average volume of 498,021. The firm has a market cap of $19.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.41, a P/E/G ratio of 1.20 and a beta of 0.58. Molina Healthcare, Inc. has a 12 month low of $282.96 and a 12 month high of $423.92. The businesss 50-day moving average is $311.21 and its 200 day moving average is $350.27. The company has a current ratio of 1.57, a quick ratio of 1.57 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.49. Molina Healthcare (NYSE:MOH Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The company reported $5.86 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $5.73 by $0.13. The firm had revenue of $9.88 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.75 billion. Molina Healthcare had a net margin of 2.84% and a return on equity of 28.09%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 18.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $5.65 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Molina Healthcare, Inc. will post 23.5 earnings per share for the current year. Molina Healthcare Profile (Free Report) Molina Healthcare, Inc provides managed healthcare services to low-income families and individuals under the Medicaid and Medicare programs and through the state insurance marketplaces. It operates in four segments: Medicaid, Medicare, Marketplace, and Other. The company served in across 19 states. The company was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Long Beach, California. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MOH? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Molina Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE:MOH Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Molina Healthcare Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Molina Healthcare and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sky Investment Group LLC trimmed its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report) by 2.3% during the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 1,503 shares of the companys stock after selling 36 shares during the period. Sky Investment Group LLCs holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $1,361,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Twelve Points Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 1.4% in the 2nd quarter. Twelve Points Wealth Management LLC now owns 811 shares of the companys stock worth $734,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Verum Partners LLC boosted its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 1.5% in the second quarter. Verum Partners LLC now owns 731 shares of the companys stock valued at $662,000 after buying an additional 11 shares during the period. Versant Capital Management Inc boosted its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 1.8% in the first quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 736 shares of the companys stock valued at $573,000 after buying an additional 13 shares during the period. Innova Wealth Partners grew its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 1.2% during the first quarter. Innova Wealth Partners now owns 1,068 shares of the companys stock worth $831,000 after buying an additional 13 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Hart & Patterson Financial Group LLC increased its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 2.0% during the 2nd quarter. Hart & Patterson Financial Group LLC now owns 679 shares of the companys stock worth $615,000 after acquiring an additional 13 shares during the period. 82.53% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Eli Lilly and Company alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In related news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 210,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $939.82, for a total value of $197,362,200.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 96,943,810 shares in the company, valued at $91,109,731,514.20. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. In other Eli Lilly and Company news, EVP Johna Norton sold 7,056 shares of Eli Lilly and Company stock in a transaction on Monday, June 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $819.38, for a total value of $5,781,545.28. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 25,428 shares of the companys stock, valued at $20,835,194.64. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 210,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $939.82, for a total transaction of $197,362,200.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 96,943,810 shares in the company, valued at approximately $91,109,731,514.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 1,214,704 shares of company stock worth $1,066,841,316. 0.13% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Eli Lilly and Company Trading Up 2.5 % Eli Lilly and Company Announces Dividend Shares of LLY stock traded up $22.30 on Wednesday, hitting $930.35. The company had a trading volume of 3,560,061 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,102,179. Eli Lilly and Company has a twelve month low of $516.57 and a twelve month high of $966.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.90, a quick ratio of 1.03 and a current ratio of 1.35. The firm has a market cap of $884.21 billion, a P/E ratio of 137.02, a P/E/G ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 0.41. The stocks 50-day moving average is $875.61 and its two-hundred day moving average is $801.22. The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 15th will be issued a dividend of $1.30 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, August 15th. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.56%. Eli Lilly and Companys payout ratio is 76.58%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities analysts have commented on LLY shares. BMO Capital Markets raised their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,001.00 to $1,101.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Friday, August 9th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $875.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Friday, August 9th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $994.00 to $1,015.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, June 24th. Bank of America raised their price objective on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,000.00 to $1,125.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, August 9th. Finally, Truist Financial reissued a buy rating and set a $1,000.00 target price (up previously from $892.00) on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Tuesday, June 25th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $948.29. View Our Latest Report on LLY Eli Lilly and Company Profile (Free Report) Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets human pharmaceuticals worldwide. The company offers Basaglar, Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, insulin lispro protamine, insulin lispro mix 75/25, Humulin, Humulin 70/30, Humulin N, Humulin R, and Humulin U-500 for diabetes; Jardiance, Mounjaro, and Trulicity for type 2 diabetes; and Zepbound for obesity. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LLY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Eli Lilly and Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Eli Lilly and Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Tsfg LLC trimmed its position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (NYSEARCA:EFA Free Report) by 14.5% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 3,258 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 553 shares during the period. Tsfg LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF were worth $255,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of EFA. Howe & Rusling Inc. raised its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE ETF by 112.7% during the 4th quarter. Howe & Rusling Inc. now owns 336 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 178 shares in the last quarter. Arjuna Capital bought a new position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE ETF during the 4th quarter worth $26,000. Fortis Group Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE ETF by 100.0% during the 4th quarter. Fortis Group Advisors LLC now owns 346 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 173 shares in the last quarter. CarsonAllaria Wealth Management Ltd. bought a new position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE ETF during the 1st quarter worth $27,000. Finally, SRS Capital Advisors Inc. grew its position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE ETF by 183.1% during the 4th quarter. SRS Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 402 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 260 shares in the last quarter. 79.80% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get iShares MSCI EAFE ETF alerts: iShares MSCI EAFE ETF Price Performance EFA stock traded up $0.29 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $78.93. 7,006,223 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 14,017,647. iShares MSCI EAFE ETF has a 12 month low of $65.68 and a 12 month high of $82.16. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $79.08 and a 200 day simple moving average of $78.61. iShares MSCI EAFE ETF Company Profile iShares MSCI EAFE ETF, formerly iShares MSCI EAFE Index Fund (the Fund), is an exchange-traded fund. The Funds investment objective is to seek investment results that correspond to the price and yield performance of its underlying index, MSCI EAFE Index (the Index). The Index has been developed by MSCI Inc as an equity benchmark for its international stock performance. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for iShares MSCI EAFE ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares MSCI EAFE ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Annasofia Scheve covers trending news for the Express-News. She can be reached at Annasofia.Scheve@express-news.net. Annasofia has bachelor's degrees in journalism and political science from the University of Missouri. She is an Ohio native, and wrote for Cincinnati Magazine and the Cincinnati Enquirer before joining the Express-News in 2023. Tsfg LLC increased its stake in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM Free Report) by 55.1% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 363 shares of the semiconductor companys stock after buying an additional 129 shares during the quarter. Tsfg LLCs holdings in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing were worth $63,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Cadence Bank increased its stake in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 0.5% during the first quarter. Cadence Bank now owns 15,004 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $2,041,000 after acquiring an additional 69 shares during the last quarter. ZRC Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 20.9% during the second quarter. ZRC Wealth Management LLC now owns 405 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $70,000 after acquiring an additional 70 shares during the last quarter. Joel Isaacson & Co. LLC increased its stake in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 2.5% during the first quarter. Joel Isaacson & Co. LLC now owns 3,048 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $415,000 after acquiring an additional 74 shares during the last quarter. Toth Financial Advisory Corp increased its stake in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 3.3% during the first quarter. Toth Financial Advisory Corp now owns 2,288 shares of the semiconductor companys stock worth $311,000 after acquiring an additional 74 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Principle Wealth Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 1.3% in the first quarter. Principle Wealth Partners LLC now owns 5,940 shares of the semiconductor companys stock valued at $808,000 after buying an additional 77 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 16.51% of the companys stock. Get Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing alerts: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Stock Performance NYSE TSM traded down $2.36 on Wednesday, hitting $169.98. 11,496,983 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 16,223,228. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27, a current ratio of 2.39 and a quick ratio of 2.13. The firms 50-day moving average price is $170.71 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $149.78. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited has a fifty-two week low of $84.01 and a fifty-two week high of $193.47. The firm has a market cap of $881.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.27, a P/E/G ratio of 0.98 and a beta of 1.14. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Increases Dividend Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing ( NYSE:TSM Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Thursday, July 18th. The semiconductor company reported $1.48 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.37 by $0.11. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing had a return on equity of 25.89% and a net margin of 37.85%. The company had revenue of $20.82 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $20.33 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.14 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 34.6% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts expect that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited will post 6.44 EPS for the current year. The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, January 9th. Investors of record on Thursday, December 12th will be issued a $0.4871 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, December 12th. This represents a $1.95 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.15%. This is a boost from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturings previous quarterly dividend of $0.49. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturings dividend payout ratio is currently 32.57%. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on TSM shares. TD Cowen lifted their price objective on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $130.00 to $170.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, July 18th. Barclays lifted their price objective on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $150.00 to $170.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 5th. Needham & Company LLC lifted their price objective on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $168.00 to $210.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, July 15th. Susquehanna reaffirmed a positive rating and issued a $250.00 price objective on shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein lifted their price objective on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing from $150.00 to $200.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, June 20th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $200.00. Check Out Our Latest Report on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing About Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (Free Report) Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, packages, tests, and sells integrated circuits and other semiconductor devices in Taiwan, China, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Japan, the United States, and internationally. It provides a range of wafer fabrication processes, including processes to manufacture complementary metal- oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) logic, mixed-signal, radio frequency, embedded memory, bipolar CMOS mixed-signal, and others. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:RNR Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm purchased 139 shares of the insurance providers stock, valued at approximately $31,000. Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of RNR. CWM LLC increased its position in shares of RenaissanceRe by 8.7% in the first quarter. CWM LLC now owns 610 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $143,000 after buying an additional 49 shares in the last quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue lifted its holdings in shares of RenaissanceRe by 0.9% in the first quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue now owns 5,714 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $1,342,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares in the last quarter. Hilltop National Bank grew its position in shares of RenaissanceRe by 14.9% in the second quarter. Hilltop National Bank now owns 400 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $89,000 after purchasing an additional 52 shares during the last quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC raised its position in shares of RenaissanceRe by 1.5% during the 4th quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 4,926 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $965,000 after purchasing an additional 73 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Benedict Financial Advisors Inc. grew its holdings in RenaissanceRe by 0.6% during the 1st quarter. Benedict Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 12,196 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $2,866,000 after buying an additional 77 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 99.97% of the companys stock. Get RenaissanceRe alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes Several brokerages have recently issued reports on RNR. Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on RenaissanceRe from $257.00 to $240.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, July 10th. UBS Group cut their price objective on shares of RenaissanceRe from $251.00 to $248.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, July 9th. Bank of America raised their target price on shares of RenaissanceRe from $334.00 to $347.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, July 11th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of RenaissanceRe from $265.00 to $267.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded RenaissanceRe from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Monday, July 29th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $263.40. Insiders Place Their Bets In related news, CFO Robert Qutub sold 2,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $224.56, for a total value of $561,400.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 73,915 shares of the companys stock, valued at $16,598,352.40. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, CFO Robert Qutub sold 2,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, July 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $224.56, for a total transaction of $561,400.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 73,915 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,598,352.40. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP David E. Marra sold 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $230.00, for a total transaction of $230,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 85,544 shares in the company, valued at approximately $19,675,120. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.30% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. RenaissanceRe Stock Up 0.9 % Shares of NYSE:RNR traded up $2.07 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $238.50. 3,578 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 338,443. The firms fifty day moving average price is $225.07 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $225.83. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21, a quick ratio of 1.38 and a current ratio of 1.38. RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. has a twelve month low of $174.22 and a twelve month high of $239.42. The company has a market cap of $12.44 billion, a PE ratio of 5.22, a P/E/G ratio of 1.27 and a beta of 0.38. RenaissanceRe Announces Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, September 13th will be paid a dividend of $0.39 per share. This represents a $1.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.65%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 13th. RenaissanceRes dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 3.45%. About RenaissanceRe (Free Report) RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, provides reinsurance and insurance products in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Property, and Casualty and Specialty segments. The Property segment writes property catastrophe excess of loss reinsurance and excess of loss reinsurance to insure insurance and reinsurance companies against natural and man-made catastrophes, including hurricanes, earthquakes, typhoons, and tsunamis, as well as winter storms, freezes, floods, fires, windstorms, tornadoes, explosions, and acts of terrorism; and other property class of products, such as proportional reinsurance, property per risk, property reinsurance, binding facilities, and regional U.S. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding RNR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:RNR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for RenaissanceRe Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for RenaissanceRe and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. AdvisorNet Financial Inc raised its stake in Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. (NYSE:BBVA Free Report) by 6,096.0% in the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 12,454 shares of the banks stock after acquiring an additional 12,253 shares during the quarter. AdvisorNet Financial Incs holdings in Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria were worth $125,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. bought a new stake in Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria during the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Spire Wealth Management increased its position in Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria by 237.7% during the 4th quarter. Spire Wealth Management now owns 4,120 shares of the banks stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 2,900 shares during the period. Russell Investments Group Ltd. raised its holdings in Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria by 139.8% during the 4th quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 3,906 shares of the banks stock worth $36,000 after purchasing an additional 2,277 shares during the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC acquired a new position in shares of Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria in the 4th quarter worth approximately $44,000. Finally, Financial Management Professionals Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria by 295.3% in the 1st quarter. Financial Management Professionals Inc. now owns 4,076 shares of the banks stock valued at $48,000 after purchasing an additional 3,045 shares during the last quarter. 2.96% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria alerts: Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria Stock Performance Shares of NYSE BBVA traded up $0.17 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $10.06. 699,648 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,529,160. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. has a one year low of $7.41 and a one year high of $12.20. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $10.25 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $10.55. The company has a market cap of $58.73 billion, a PE ratio of 6.86, a P/E/G ratio of 1.00 and a beta of 1.32. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria ( NYSE:BBVA Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The bank reported $0.51 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.48 by $0.03. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria had a net margin of 27.55% and a return on equity of 22.05%. The business had revenue of $9.93 billion during the quarter. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.36 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. will post 1.65 EPS for the current fiscal year. Several equities analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada upgraded shares of Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria to a moderate buy rating in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. Citigroup raised Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Friday, August 9th. Finally, BNP Paribas cut Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria from a neutral rating to an underperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 12th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating, two have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy. View Our Latest Research Report on BBVA Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria Company Profile (Free Report) Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, SA provides retail banking, wholesale banking, and asset management services in the United States, Spain, Mexico, Turkey, South America, and internationally. The company offers savings account, demand deposits, and time deposits; and loan products, such as residential mortgages, other households, credit card loans, loans to enterprises and public sector, as well as consumer finance. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BBVA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. (NYSE:BBVA Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Agricultural Bank of China Limited (OTCMKTS:ACGBF Get Free Report) saw a large drop in short interest in the month of July. As of July 31st, there was short interest totalling 21,231,600 shares, a drop of 57.4% from the July 15th total of 49,887,200 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 0 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently days. Agricultural Bank of China Price Performance OTCMKTS ACGBF opened at $0.42 on Thursday. Agricultural Bank of China has a one year low of $0.31 and a one year high of $0.49. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $0.44 and a 200-day simple moving average of $0.42. Get Agricultural Bank of China alerts: About Agricultural Bank of China (Get Free Report) Recommended Stories Agricultural Bank of China Limited, together with its subsidiaries, provides banking products and services. The company operates through Corporate Banking, Personal Banking, and Treasury Operations segments. It offers demand, personal call, foreign currency call, time or demand optional, foreign exchange call, foreign exchange time, savings, agreed term, and negotiated deposit accounts, as well as certificates of deposit; and loans, including housing, consumer, business, fixed asset, working capital, real estate, and entrusted syndicated loans, as well as trade finances, guarantees and commitments, and loans with custody of export rebates accounts. Receive News & Ratings for Agricultural Bank of China Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Agricultural Bank of China and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. AKITA Drilling Ltd. (OTCMKTS:AKTAF Get Free Report) saw a significant growth in short interest in July. As of July 31st, there was short interest totalling 19,800 shares, a growth of 200.0% from the July 15th total of 6,600 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 12,800 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 1.5 days. AKITA Drilling Price Performance OTCMKTS:AKTAF opened at $1.04 on Thursday. AKITA Drilling has a twelve month low of $0.93 and a twelve month high of $1.45. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $1.00 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $1.08. Get AKITA Drilling alerts: About AKITA Drilling (Get Free Report) Featured Articles AKITA Drilling Ltd. operates as an oil and gas drilling contractor in Canada and the United States. It is involved in the drilling oil and gas wells, potash exploration and development wells, geothermal wells, disposal wells, and carbon storage wells, as well as wells to be developed into storage caverns for gas. Receive News & Ratings for AKITA Drilling Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AKITA Drilling and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Lithia Motors (NYSE: LAD) recently received a number of ratings updates from brokerages and research firms: 8/13/2024 Lithia Motors was downgraded by analysts at StockNews.com from a hold rating to a sell rating. 8/9/2024 Lithia Motors was upgraded by analysts at Guggenheim from a neutral rating to a buy rating. They now have a $338.00 price target on the stock. 8/6/2024 Lithia Motors had its price target raised by analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $280.00 to $315.00. They now have an overweight rating on the stock. 8/5/2024 Lithia Motors was upgraded by analysts at StockNews.com from a sell rating to a hold rating. 8/2/2024 Lithia Motors had its price target raised by analysts at The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. from $300.00 to $335.00. They now have a neutral rating on the stock. 8/2/2024 Lithia Motors had its price target raised by analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $266.00 to $302.00. They now have an equal weight rating on the stock. 7/22/2024 Lithia Motors had its price target raised by analysts at Bank of America Co. from $320.00 to $330.00. They now have a buy rating on the stock. Lithia Motors Stock Performance Shares of NYSE LAD traded up $5.41 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $285.99. 14,754 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 248,839. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $261.24 and a 200 day moving average price of $272.72. The company has a market cap of $7.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.44, a PEG ratio of 3.59 and a beta of 1.63. Lithia Motors, Inc. has a 52 week low of $231.36 and a 52 week high of $331.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.25, a current ratio of 1.19 and a quick ratio of 0.28. Get Lithia Motors Inc alerts: Lithia Motors (NYSE:LAD Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The company reported $7.87 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $7.09 by $0.78. Lithia Motors had a return on equity of 13.81% and a net margin of 2.52%. The firm had revenue of $9.23 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.29 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $10.91 EPS. Lithia Motorss revenue was up 13.8% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Lithia Motors, Inc. will post 27.62 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Lithia Motors Announces Dividend Insider Buying and Selling at Lithia Motors The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 23rd. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 9th will be paid a dividend of $0.53 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 9th. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.74%. Lithia Motorss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 6.26%. In other news, Director Shauna Mcintyre sold 306 shares of Lithia Motors stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $289.65, for a total transaction of $88,632.90. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 1,922 shares in the company, valued at approximately $556,707.30. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Company insiders own 1.79% of the companys stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Lithia Motors Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. EVR Research LP bought a new position in Lithia Motors in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $6,059,000. AQR Capital Management LLC increased its position in Lithia Motors by 25.4% in the 2nd quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 2,565 shares of the companys stock worth $645,000 after buying an additional 520 shares during the period. Point72 Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. bought a new position in Lithia Motors in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $80,000. HITE Hedge Asset Management LLC bought a new position in Lithia Motors in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $509,000. Finally, Point72 DIFC Ltd bought a new position in Lithia Motors in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $143,000. Lithia Motors, Inc operates as an automotive retailer worldwide. It operates in two segments, Vehicle Operations and Financing Operations. The company's Vehicle Operations segment sells new and used vehicles; provides parts, repair, and maintenance services; vehicle finance; and insurance products. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Lithia Motors Inc Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Lithia Motors Inc and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Applied Industrial Technologies (NYSE:AIT Get Free Report) updated its FY25 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided earnings per share guidance of $9.20-9.95 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of $10.07. The company issued revenue guidance of +/-2.5% yr/yr to ~$4.37-4.59 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $4.70 billion. Applied Industrial Technologies also updated its FY 2025 guidance to 9.200-9.950 EPS. Analyst Ratings Changes Separately, Northcoast Research assumed coverage on shares of Applied Industrial Technologies in a research note on Monday, July 1st. They set a neutral rating for the company. Get Applied Industrial Technologies alerts: Read Our Latest Report on Applied Industrial Technologies Applied Industrial Technologies Stock Down 0.9 % Applied Industrial Technologies Announces Dividend AIT stock opened at $196.80 on Thursday. Applied Industrial Technologies has a 12 month low of $142.66 and a 12 month high of $223.15. The firm has a market cap of $7.60 billion, a PE ratio of 20.85, a P/E/G ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 1.06. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $196.20 and a 200 day simple moving average of $191.97. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34, a current ratio of 3.77 and a quick ratio of 2.70. The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 30th. Investors of record on Thursday, August 15th will be given a $0.37 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, August 15th. This represents a $1.48 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.75%. Applied Industrial Technologiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 15.51%. Insider Activity at Applied Industrial Technologies In related news, VP Jason W. Vasquez sold 650 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $196.71, for a total value of $127,861.50. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 22,960 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,516,461.60. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 2.20% of the stock is owned by insiders. Applied Industrial Technologies Company Profile (Get Free Report) Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc distributes industrial motion, power, control, and automation technology solutions in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. It operates in two segments, Service Center Based Distribution, and Engineered Solutions. The company distributes bearings, power transmission products, engineered fluid power components and systems, specialty flow control solutions, advanced automation products, industrial rubber products, linear motion components, automation solutions, tools, safety products, oilfield supplies, and other industrial and maintenance supplies; and motors, belting, drives, couplings, pumps, hydraulic and pneumatic components, filtration supplies, valves, fittings, process instrumentation, actuators, and hoses, filtration supplies, as well as other related supplies for general operational needs of customers' machinery and equipment. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Applied Industrial Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Applied Industrial Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Ares Management (NYSE:ARES Get Free Report) had its target price cut by analysts at Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from $134.00 to $133.00 in a research report issued on Thursday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a hold rating on the asset managers stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschafts price objective would indicate a potential downside of 8.93% from the stocks previous close. A number of other brokerages have also issued reports on ARES. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and set a $150.00 price target on shares of Ares Management in a research report on Wednesday, May 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on Ares Management from $141.00 to $143.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 30th. UBS Group dropped their price objective on Ares Management from $160.00 to $158.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, July 10th. TD Cowen boosted their price objective on Ares Management from $158.00 to $162.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Monday, August 5th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group dropped their price objective on Ares Management from $131.00 to $127.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, May 9th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Ares Management currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $138.82. Get Ares Management alerts: Get Our Latest Report on Ares Management Ares Management Stock Performance Shares of ARES traded up $2.21 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $146.04. The stock had a trading volume of 460,428 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,147,240. The company has a market cap of $45.25 billion, a PE ratio of 65.64, a PEG ratio of 1.29 and a beta of 1.22. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $139.72 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $136.56. The company has a quick ratio of 1.03, a current ratio of 1.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70. Ares Management has a fifty-two week low of $96.00 and a fifty-two week high of $155.53. Ares Management (NYSE:ARES Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Friday, August 2nd. The asset manager reported $0.99 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.98 by $0.01. Ares Management had a return on equity of 21.22% and a net margin of 12.86%. The company had revenue of $788.68 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $860.09 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.90 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that Ares Management will post 4.23 earnings per share for the current year. Insider Buying and Selling at Ares Management In other Ares Management news, insider David B. Kaplan sold 125,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $131.94, for a total value of $16,492,500.00. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other news, insider David B. Kaplan sold 125,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $131.94, for a total transaction of $16,492,500.00. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, insider R. Kipp Deveer sold 41,676 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $150.21, for a total value of $6,260,151.96. Following the sale, the insider now owns 1,075,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $161,475,750. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 545,093 shares of company stock worth $74,553,444 over the last 90 days. 1.20% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Ares Management Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Ares Management by 1.3% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 16,599,345 shares of the asset managers stock worth $2,207,381,000 after purchasing an additional 206,996 shares during the last quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA lifted its position in shares of Ares Management by 58.5% during the 2nd quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 5,058,394 shares of the asset managers stock worth $674,183,000 after purchasing an additional 1,867,933 shares during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its position in shares of Ares Management by 1.9% during the 4th quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 3,872,559 shares of the asset managers stock worth $460,525,000 after purchasing an additional 71,819 shares during the last quarter. LRI Investments LLC lifted its position in shares of Ares Management by 49.4% during the 2nd quarter. LRI Investments LLC now owns 2,822,565 shares of the asset managers stock worth $376,191,000 after purchasing an additional 933,664 shares during the last quarter. Finally, American Century Companies Inc. raised its holdings in Ares Management by 24.4% in the 2nd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 2,316,584 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $308,754,000 after acquiring an additional 453,657 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 50.03% of the companys stock. About Ares Management (Get Free Report) Ares Management Corporation operates as an alternative asset manager in the United States, Europe, and Asia. The company's Tradable Credit Group segment manages various types of investment funds, such as commingled and separately managed accounts for institutional investors, and publicly traded vehicles and sub-advised funds for retail investors in the tradable and non-investment grade corporate credit markets. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Ares Management Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ares Management and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Baader Bank Aktiengesellschaft bought a new position in The Southern Company (NYSE:SO Free Report) in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 7,974 shares of the utilities providers stock, valued at approximately $609,000. Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. ORG Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of Southern by 454.8% in the 2nd quarter. ORG Partners LLC now owns 2,985 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $230,000 after buying an additional 2,447 shares in the last quarter. Bill Few Associates Inc. grew its position in Southern by 6.3% in the second quarter. Bill Few Associates Inc. now owns 5,714 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $443,000 after acquiring an additional 341 shares in the last quarter. IVC Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Southern by 18.3% during the 2nd quarter. IVC Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 7,806 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $606,000 after purchasing an additional 1,205 shares during the last quarter. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Southern by 9.5% during the 2nd quarter. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. now owns 56,988 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $4,421,000 after purchasing an additional 4,927 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC lifted its stake in shares of Southern by 10.1% in the 2nd quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 355,873 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $27,605,000 after purchasing an additional 32,579 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 64.10% of the companys stock. Get Southern alerts: Southern Stock Performance Shares of NYSE:SO traded down $0.18 on Thursday, hitting $87.01. 2,798,040 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,484,767. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.66, a quick ratio of 0.66 and a current ratio of 0.91. The companys 50 day moving average price is $81.01 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $75.05. The Southern Company has a one year low of $61.56 and a one year high of $89.68. The firm has a market capitalization of $95.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.37, a PEG ratio of 3.10 and a beta of 0.51. Southern Announces Dividend Southern ( NYSE:SO Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The utilities provider reported $1.10 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.91 by $0.19. Southern had a return on equity of 12.88% and a net margin of 17.67%. The firm had revenue of $6.46 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.10 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.79 EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 12.4% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts expect that The Southern Company will post 4.01 earnings per share for the current year. The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 6th. Investors of record on Monday, August 19th will be given a $0.72 dividend. This represents a $2.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.31%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, August 19th. Southerns dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 74.42%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities analysts have weighed in on the company. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their target price on Southern from $83.00 to $94.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on Southern from $80.00 to $87.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a report on Monday. Wolfe Research downgraded Southern from an outperform rating to a peer perform rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd. Scotiabank boosted their price objective on shares of Southern from $77.00 to $87.00 and gave the stock a sector outperform rating in a research note on Friday, August 2nd. Finally, Barclays raised their target price on shares of Southern from $66.00 to $71.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 9th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $82.00. Get Our Latest Report on SO Insider Buying and Selling In other Southern news, EVP Sterling A. Jr. Spainhour sold 2,380 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $88.99, for a total value of $211,796.20. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 12,500 shares in the company, valued at $1,112,375. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. In other Southern news, EVP Sloane N. Drake sold 12,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $77.61, for a total transaction of $931,320.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 16,771 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,301,597.31. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Sterling A. Jr. Spainhour sold 2,380 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $88.99, for a total transaction of $211,796.20. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 12,500 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,112,375. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 21,280 shares of company stock worth $1,678,625 in the last 90 days. 0.18% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Southern Company Profile (Free Report) The Southern Company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. The company also develops, constructs, acquires, owns, and manages power generation assets, including renewable energy projects and sells electricity in the wholesale market; and distributes natural gas in Illinois, Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee, as well as provides gas marketing services, gas distribution operations, and gas pipeline investments operations. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Southern Company (NYSE:SO Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Southern Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Southern and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Berenberg Bank restated their buy rating on shares of Marshalls (LON:MSLH Free Report) in a report published on Monday morning, Marketbeat reports. Berenberg Bank currently has a GBX 420 ($5.36) target price on the stock. Marshalls Price Performance Shares of LON MSLH opened at GBX 337 ($4.30) on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 39.31, a current ratio of 1.87 and a quick ratio of 1.34. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of GBX 324.15 and a 200 day moving average price of GBX 301.59. Marshalls has a 1-year low of GBX 195.30 ($2.49) and a 1-year high of GBX 364.50 ($4.65). The company has a market cap of 852.17 million, a PE ratio of 4,814.29, a P/E/G ratio of 0.17 and a beta of 1.15. Get Marshalls alerts: Marshalls Cuts Dividend The company also recently declared a dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 2nd. Stockholders of record on Thursday, October 24th will be paid a dividend of GBX 2.60 ($0.03) per share. This represents a dividend yield of 0.76%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, October 24th. Marshallss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 11,428.57%. About Marshalls Marshalls plc, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells landscape, building, and roofing products in the United Kingdom and internationally. It offers paving products, such as flag paving, natural stone paving, block paving, permeable paving, tactile paving, accessories, steps, rail products, marker blocks, setts and cobbles, and pedestals; kerbs; and combined kerb and drainage systems, linear drainage systems, below ground drainage, offsite solutions, civils and drainage water management, specialist precast, and precast solutions. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Marshalls Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Marshalls and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Historian and author James Aalan Bernsen will discuss his book, The Lost War for Texas, on Saturday at a symposium in Leming. Carlos Javier Sanchez/pixelreflex Media An author whose new book might reshape what Texans know of their early history will discuss his five years of research on the 1813 Battle of Medina the deadliest military conflict ever fought in the Lone Star State at a free symposium Saturday, the eve of its anniversary. The Lost War for Texas, by James Aalan Bernsen, examines the social and political factors affecting the first revolution in Texas, which he said started in 1811 and ended with the four-hour battle south of San Antonio on Aug. 18, 1813, when local rebels who had declared independence from Spain four months earlier were defeated by the Spanish Royal Army. The victors inflicted unimaginable horrors on the townspeople accused of aiding the revolution. Historians believe well over 1,000 people were killed in the fighting or later executed. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It was a giant wound slashed into the heart of the town and of the province. Texas would never be the same again, Bernsen wrote in a graphic chapter, near the end of his book, on the battle and brutality that followed. The new book by James Aalan Bernsen examines the first Texas revolution and the 1813 Battle of Medina. Scott Huddleston / Staff A lead ball recently unearthed at a dig in northern Atascosa County is linked to the 1813 Battle of Medina. Jessica Phelps While the ongoing $550 million Alamo project is transforming the 1836 battle site in San Antonio, new information on the 1813 battle is challenging past narratives of the first Texas revolution. Bernsen's book provides new details through sources previously untapped or underutilized. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He will offer a summary of his research and have copies to sell and sign at the symposium at the Atascosa County Lonnie Gillespie Memorial Annex, 25 E. 5th St. in Leming. It starts with a 9 a.m. ceremony commemorating the battles 211th anniversary and will feature exhibitors and speakers from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. I dont want to say my book is a be-all and end-all, because I dont think thats how history works. But I do think I stir the pot, and I think future generations, using that as a starting point, can take you a lot farther, said Bernsen, who last year relocated from the Austin area to his hometown of Castroville. Working in consultation with former Texas state historian Jesus de la Teja and other scholars, Bernsen draws from little-known sources, some originally published in small or obscure newspapers or periodicals, others now digitized. Unlike the 1836 Battle of the Alamo, the 1813 battle has been largely overlooked, and there hasnt been a thorough examination for more than 80 years, Bernsen said. I spent five years on this book. If I was a historian at a university who had a years sabbatical, I could not have done that kind of depth of research, he added. Recent discoveries of lead balls and other military artifacts in southern Bexar and northern Atascosa counties have helped identify the possible site of the battle, believed to have begun with an initial engagement that broke into smaller skirmishes as rebel troops fled northward to escape Spanish cavalry. Martin Gonzales, chairman of the Atascosa County Historical Commission, will give an update on efforts to confirm the battle locations with archaeological evidence. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Martin Gonzales, the Atascosa County Historical Commission chairman, holds a button recently found at a new site linked to the 1813 Battle of Medina. Jessica Phelps Martin Gonzales, the Atascosa County Historical Commission chairman, talks about the history of the 1813 Battle of Medina while looking at a diorama. Jessica Phelps Gonzales called Bernsens book the most complete study ever conducted of the Gutierrez-Magee filibuster, which supported the 1811-1813 revolution. Bernsen challenges a long-running theory that the uprising was fueled by U.S. President James Madisons state department to acquire Texas as part of the Louisiana Purchase, and explores its connection to followers of a conspiracy hatched by American politician Aaron Burr to take the territory. While the revolt was supported by Americans hoping to benefit, Tejanos wanting good and accountable government close to home played a key role and suffered greatly after the battle, with survivors bearing emotional scars for decades, Bernsen said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. lowered its position in shares of Boston Scientific Co. (NYSE:BSX Free Report) by 11.5% in the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 67,119 shares of the medical equipment providers stock after selling 8,759 shares during the period. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc.s holdings in Boston Scientific were worth $5,169,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. PGGM Investments boosted its position in shares of Boston Scientific by 9.6% during the 2nd quarter. PGGM Investments now owns 117,794 shares of the medical equipment providers stock worth $9,071,000 after purchasing an additional 10,366 shares during the period. ORG Partners LLC raised its holdings in shares of Boston Scientific by 6,094.7% in the 2nd quarter. ORG Partners LLC now owns 1,177 shares of the medical equipment providers stock valued at $90,000 after buying an additional 1,158 shares during the period. DMC Group LLC boosted its holdings in Boston Scientific by 13.2% during the 2nd quarter. DMC Group LLC now owns 5,918 shares of the medical equipment providers stock valued at $456,000 after acquiring an additional 691 shares during the period. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. increased its stake in Boston Scientific by 10.0% during the second quarter. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. now owns 39,381 shares of the medical equipment providers stock worth $3,033,000 after purchasing an additional 3,577 shares during the period. Finally, Consolidated Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Boston Scientific during the second quarter worth about $211,000. 89.07% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Boston Scientific alerts: Boston Scientific Stock Performance BSX traded up $0.97 on Thursday, reaching $77.39. The company had a trading volume of 1,632,658 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,217,078. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $76.36 and a 200-day moving average price of $71.71. The stock has a market capitalization of $113.54 billion, a PE ratio of 64.22, a P/E/G ratio of 2.49 and a beta of 0.78. Boston Scientific Co. has a 1 year low of $48.35 and a 1 year high of $79.43. The company has a quick ratio of 1.14, a current ratio of 1.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47. Insiders Place Their Bets Boston Scientific ( NYSE:BSX Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The medical equipment provider reported $0.62 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.58 by $0.04. Boston Scientific had a return on equity of 16.80% and a net margin of 12.00%. The company had revenue of $4.12 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.02 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.53 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 14.5% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts forecast that Boston Scientific Co. will post 2.4 EPS for the current fiscal year. In other Boston Scientific news, EVP Arthur C. Butcher sold 14,011 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $75.34, for a total value of $1,055,588.74. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 20,197 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,521,641.98. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, EVP Arthur C. Butcher sold 14,011 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $75.34, for a total transaction of $1,055,588.74. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 20,197 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,521,641.98. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Wendy Carruthers sold 6,983 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $74.12, for a total value of $517,579.96. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 40,188 shares in the company, valued at $2,978,734.56. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 34,960 shares of company stock worth $2,638,984 over the last three months. 0.50% of the stock is owned by insiders. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of Boston Scientific from $82.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. Truist Financial upped their price objective on Boston Scientific from $86.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 16th. Raymond James boosted their target price on Boston Scientific from $85.00 to $91.00 and gave the stock a strong-buy rating in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. Barclays upped their price target on Boston Scientific from $70.00 to $78.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Friday, April 26th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group initiated coverage on Boston Scientific in a research note on Thursday, May 30th. They issued a buy rating and a $90.00 price objective for the company. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nineteen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $84.76. View Our Latest Report on Boston Scientific Boston Scientific Profile (Free Report) Boston Scientific Corporation develops, manufactures, and markets medical devices for use in various interventional medical specialties worldwide. It operates through two segments, MedSurg and Cardiovascular. The company offers devices to diagnose and treat gastrointestinal and pulmonary conditions, such as resolution clips, biliary stent systems, stents and electrocautery enhanced delivery systems, direct visualization systems, digital catheters, and single-use duodenoscopes; devices to treat urological conditions, including ureteral stents, catheters, baskets, guidewires, sheaths, balloons, single-use digital flexible ureteroscopes, holmium laser systems, artificial urinary sphincter, laser system, fiber, and hydrogel systems; and devices to treat neurological movement disorders and manage chronic pain, such as spinal cord stimulator system, proprietary programming software, radiofrequency generator, indirect decompression systems, practice optimization tools, and deep brain stimulation system. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BSX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Boston Scientific Co. (NYSE:BSX Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Boston Scientific Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Boston Scientific and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated their outperform rating on shares of California Resources (NYSE:CRC Free Report) in a report published on Monday, Benzinga reports. Royal Bank of Canada currently has a $65.00 price target on the oil and gas producers stock. CRC has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Citigroup assumed coverage on shares of California Resources in a research note on Friday, July 19th. They issued a buy rating and a $63.00 price objective for the company. Stifel Nicolaus increased their price objective on California Resources from $68.00 to $69.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, April 23rd. Barclays reduced their target price on shares of California Resources from $62.00 to $55.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, August 8th. Mizuho increased their price target on shares of California Resources from $63.00 to $64.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Monday, May 13th. Finally, TD Cowen began coverage on shares of California Resources in a report on Friday, August 2nd. They set a buy rating and a $65.00 price target on the stock. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, California Resources has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $62.13. Get California Resources alerts: Read Our Latest Analysis on CRC California Resources Trading Up 0.8 % California Resources stock opened at $48.96 on Monday. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $50.06 and a 200-day simple moving average of $51.32. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26, a current ratio of 1.41 and a quick ratio of 1.29. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.36 billion, a PE ratio of 14.03, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.83 and a beta of 0.98. California Resources has a 12-month low of $43.09 and a 12-month high of $58.44. California Resources (NYSE:CRC Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, August 6th. The oil and gas producer reported $0.60 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.96 by ($0.36). The business had revenue of $514.00 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $477.07 million. California Resources had a return on equity of 11.00% and a net margin of 11.34%. The companys quarterly revenue was down 13.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $0.53 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts expect that California Resources will post 4.99 EPS for the current fiscal year. California Resources Increases Dividend The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 16th. Investors of record on Friday, August 30th will be issued a $0.3875 dividend. This represents a $1.55 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.17%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th. This is an increase from California Resourcess previous quarterly dividend of $0.31. California Resourcess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 44.41%. Insider Buying and Selling at California Resources In other news, Director Mark Allen Mcfarland sold 37,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $48.10, for a total value of $1,779,700.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 104,939 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,047,565.90. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, Director Christian S. Kendall purchased 20,895 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 13th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $47.97 per share, for a total transaction of $1,002,333.15. Following the completion of the purchase, the director now directly owns 24,600 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,180,062. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Mark Allen Mcfarland sold 37,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $48.10, for a total value of $1,779,700.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 104,939 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,047,565.90. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.03% of the companys stock. Hedge Funds Weigh In On California Resources Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Point72 Asset Management L.P. increased its stake in California Resources by 2,615.2% in the second quarter. Point72 Asset Management L.P. now owns 843,011 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $44,865,000 after acquiring an additional 811,963 shares during the period. Victory Capital Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of California Resources by 229.6% in the 4th quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 885,906 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $48,441,000 after purchasing an additional 617,084 shares during the period. Samlyn Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of California Resources in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $28,566,000. Hennessy Advisors Inc. bought a new position in shares of California Resources during the 4th quarter worth approximately $20,713,000. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of California Resources by 4.4% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 8,100,283 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $446,326,000 after buying an additional 344,043 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 97.79% of the companys stock. California Resources Company Profile (Get Free Report) California Resources Corporation operates as an independent oil and natural gas exploration and production, and carbon management company in the United States. The company explores, produces, and markets crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids for marketers, California refineries, and other purchasers that have access to transportation and storage facilities. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for California Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for California Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. CCL Industries Inc. (TSE:CCL.B Get Free Report) Senior Officer Mark Mcclendon sold 400 shares of CCL Industries stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$73.47, for a total value of C$29,388.00. CCL Industries Stock Performance Shares of CCL.B stock opened at C$74.69 on Thursday. CCL Industries Inc. has a 12 month low of C$52.82 and a 12 month high of C$75.53. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 48.74, a current ratio of 1.95 and a quick ratio of 1.31. The firm has a market capitalization of C$12.52 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.17, a P/E/G ratio of 0.26 and a beta of 0.53. The companys fifty day moving average price is C$72.44 and its two-hundred day moving average price is C$69.58. Get CCL Industries alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several brokerages recently issued reports on CCL.B. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price objective on CCL Industries from C$79.00 to C$83.00 in a research report on Friday, May 10th. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price objective on CCL Industries from C$81.00 to C$83.00 in a research report on Friday, May 10th. Scotiabank lifted their target price on shares of CCL Industries from C$80.00 to C$84.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Monday. Raymond James lifted their target price on shares of CCL Industries from C$84.00 to C$87.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Monday. Finally, TD Securities lifted their target price on shares of CCL Industries from C$90.00 to C$92.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Monday. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Buy and an average price target of C$84.78. About CCL Industries (Get Free Report) CCL Industries Inc manufactures and sells labels, containers, consumer printable media products, technology driven label solutions, polymer bank note substrates, and specialty films. The company operates through four segments: CCL, Avery, Checkpoint, and Innovia. The CCL segment offers pressure sensitive and specialty extruded film materials for decorative, instructional, functional, and security applications in the consumer packaging, healthcare, chemicals, consumer electronic device, and automotive markets. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for CCL Industries Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CCL Industries and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Dell Technologies (NYSE:DELL Free Report) had its target price decreased by Wells Fargo & Company from $175.00 to $150.00 in a report issued on Wednesday morning, Benzinga reports. Wells Fargo & Company currently has an overweight rating on the technology companys stock. Several other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports on DELL. Citigroup lifted their price objective on shares of Dell Technologies from $125.00 to $170.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 21st. Bank of America lifted their price objective on shares of Dell Technologies from $130.00 to $180.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on shares of Dell Technologies from $125.00 to $155.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, May 20th. Barclays raised shares of Dell Technologies from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating and set a $97.00 target price for the company in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Evercore ISI cut their target price on shares of Dell Technologies from $165.00 to $140.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Monday. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $132.06. Get Dell Technologies alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on DELL Dell Technologies Price Performance Shares of NYSE:DELL traded up $5.01 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $107.96. The companys stock had a trading volume of 4,594,062 shares, compared to its average volume of 10,211,000. The company has a 50-day moving average of $126.73 and a 200-day moving average of $120.24. Dell Technologies has a 12 month low of $53.62 and a 12 month high of $179.70. The firm has a market cap of $76.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.02, a P/E/G ratio of 1.34 and a beta of 0.92. Dell Technologies (NYSE:DELL Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 30th. The technology company reported $1.04 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.00 by $0.04. Dell Technologies had a net margin of 4.00% and a negative return on equity of 173.72%. The firm had revenue of $22.24 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $21.70 billion. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Dell Technologies will post 6.85 earnings per share for the current year. Dell Technologies Announces Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 2nd. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, July 23rd were given a dividend of $0.445 per share. This represents a $1.78 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.65%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, July 23rd. Dell Technologiess payout ratio is 36.33%. Insider Activity at Dell Technologies In related news, CEO Michael S. Dell sold 139,419 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $136.18, for a total value of $18,986,079.42. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 30,272,822 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,122,552,899.96. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, Director Iv (Gp) L.L.C. Slta sold 16,434 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $135.16, for a total value of $2,221,219.44. Following the transaction, the director now owns 806,352 shares in the company, valued at approximately $108,986,536.32. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, CEO Michael S. Dell sold 139,419 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $136.18, for a total transaction of $18,986,079.42. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 30,272,822 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,122,552,899.96. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 7,058,131 shares of company stock valued at $963,293,619 in the last three months. 46.70% of the stock is owned by insiders. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Dell Technologies A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Capital World Investors purchased a new position in shares of Dell Technologies during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $835,946,000. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main lifted its position in shares of Dell Technologies by 449.8% during the 4th quarter. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main now owns 3,714,573 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $284,165,000 after buying an additional 3,038,891 shares in the last quarter. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale lifted its position in shares of Dell Technologies by 83.4% during the 1st quarter. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale now owns 2,224,975 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $250,676,000 after buying an additional 1,011,512 shares in the last quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. lifted its holdings in Dell Technologies by 311.5% in the 1st quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 1,195,871 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $136,461,000 after purchasing an additional 905,279 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Balyasny Asset Management L.P. lifted its holdings in Dell Technologies by 2,466.2% in the 4th quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. now owns 886,409 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $67,810,000 after purchasing an additional 851,867 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 38.10% of the companys stock. Dell Technologies Company Profile (Get Free Report) Dell Technologies Inc designs, develops, manufactures, markets, sells, and supports various comprehensive and integrated solutions, products, and services in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and internationally. The company operates through two segments, Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG) and Client Solutions Group (CSG). Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Dell Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Dell Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. raised its position in shares of The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX Free Report) by 4.9% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 131,947 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock after buying an additional 6,183 shares during the quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc.s holdings in TJX Companies were worth $14,527,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Running Oak Capital LLC raised its position in shares of TJX Companies by 10.9% in the 1st quarter. Running Oak Capital LLC now owns 111,987 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock valued at $11,358,000 after purchasing an additional 11,036 shares during the last quarter. New Mexico Educational Retirement Board lifted its stake in shares of TJX Companies by 15.9% in the 1st quarter. New Mexico Educational Retirement Board now owns 69,380 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock valued at $7,037,000 after purchasing an additional 9,500 shares during the period. Options Solutions LLC acquired a new position in shares of TJX Companies in the 4th quarter valued at $726,000. Advisors Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of TJX Companies by 3.7% in the 1st quarter. Advisors Capital Management LLC now owns 572,324 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock valued at $58,045,000 after purchasing an additional 20,629 shares during the period. Finally, Ethos Financial Group LLC purchased a new stake in TJX Companies in the 4th quarter worth $269,000. 91.09% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get TJX Companies alerts: TJX Companies Trading Up 2.0 % Shares of TJX stock traded up $2.17 on Thursday, hitting $110.88. 1,911,827 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 5,364,826. The firms 50-day moving average price is $110.98 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $102.56. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 1.23. The stock has a market capitalization of $125.31 billion, a PE ratio of 27.06, a PEG ratio of 2.95 and a beta of 0.88. The TJX Companies, Inc. has a twelve month low of $86.71 and a twelve month high of $115.35. TJX Companies Announces Dividend TJX Companies ( NYSE:TJX Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 22nd. The apparel and home fashions retailer reported $0.93 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.87 by $0.06. The firm had revenue of $12.48 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $12.48 billion. TJX Companies had a net margin of 8.47% and a return on equity of 64.26%. The companys revenue was up 5.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.76 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that The TJX Companies, Inc. will post 4.11 EPS for the current year. The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 5th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, August 15th will be given a dividend of $0.375 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 15th. This represents a $1.50 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.35%. TJX Companiess payout ratio is 37.22%. Insider Buying and Selling at TJX Companies In other TJX Companies news, CEO Ernie Herrman sold 20,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $102.17, for a total value of $2,043,400.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 571,148 shares of the companys stock, valued at $58,354,191.16. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In related news, Director Amy B. Lane sold 1,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $102.07, for a total transaction of $153,105.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 23,470 shares in the company, valued at $2,395,582.90. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CEO Ernie Herrman sold 20,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $102.17, for a total transaction of $2,043,400.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 571,148 shares in the company, valued at $58,354,191.16. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 50,003 shares of company stock valued at $5,060,941 over the last 90 days. 0.13% of the stock is owned by insiders. Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities research analysts recently commented on the stock. TD Cowen boosted their price target on shares of TJX Companies from $119.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, May 17th. Loop Capital boosted their price target on shares of TJX Companies from $115.00 to $125.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, July 3rd. Barclays boosted their price target on shares of TJX Companies from $109.00 to $114.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, May 23rd. Robert W. Baird boosted their price target on shares of TJX Companies from $110.00 to $113.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, May 23rd. Finally, Evercore ISI set a $113.00 price target on shares of TJX Companies in a report on Tuesday, May 21st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and sixteen have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $113.39. Get Our Latest Report on TJX TJX Companies Profile (Free Report) The TJX Companies, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an off-price apparel and home fashions retailer in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia. It operates through four segments: Marmaxx, HomeGoods, TJX Canada, and TJX International. The company sells family apparel, including footwear and accessories; home fashions, such as home basics, furniture, rugs, lighting products, giftware, soft home products, decorative accessories, tabletop, and cookware, as well as expanded pet, and gourmet food departments; jewelry and accessories; and other merchandise. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for TJX Companies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for TJX Companies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TRV Free Report) by 1.8% during the second quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 20,443 shares of the insurance providers stock after acquiring an additional 361 shares during the quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc.s holdings in Travelers Companies were worth $4,157,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the business. Pathway Financial Advisers LLC purchased a new position in shares of Travelers Companies during the first quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Beacon Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in Travelers Companies by 74.2% in the first quarter. Beacon Capital Management LLC now owns 155 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $36,000 after acquiring an additional 66 shares in the last quarter. Northwest Financial Advisors purchased a new position in Travelers Companies during the 4th quarter valued at $32,000. Opal Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in Travelers Companies in the 1st quarter worth $42,000. Finally, Tributary Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Travelers Companies in the 1st quarter worth about $45,000. Institutional investors own 82.45% of the companys stock. Get Travelers Companies alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on TRV shares. Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on shares of Travelers Companies from $220.00 to $210.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 19th. StockNews.com raised Travelers Companies from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Monday, July 22nd. Evercore ISI dropped their price target on Travelers Companies from $253.00 to $250.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, April 18th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lowered their price objective on Travelers Companies from $241.00 to $231.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 18th. Finally, Piper Sandler lowered their price target on shares of Travelers Companies from $213.00 to $207.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Monday, July 22nd. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have given a hold rating, four have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Travelers Companies currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $223.78. Travelers Companies Price Performance Shares of TRV traded up $2.32 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $216.41. The stock had a trading volume of 226,394 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,359,830. The business has a fifty day moving average of $209.64 and a 200 day moving average of $215.24. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a quick ratio of 0.33 and a current ratio of 0.33. The firm has a market cap of $49.33 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.91, a PEG ratio of 1.10 and a beta of 0.61. The Travelers Companies, Inc. has a 12 month low of $157.33 and a 12 month high of $232.75. Travelers Companies (NYSE:TRV Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Friday, July 19th. The insurance provider reported $2.51 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.23 by ($0.72). Travelers Companies had a net margin of 8.37% and a return on equity of 15.90%. The business had revenue of $11.28 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.35 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.06 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 11.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts predict that The Travelers Companies, Inc. will post 17.19 EPS for the current year. Travelers Companies Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 10th will be issued a dividend of $1.05 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 10th. This represents a $4.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.94%. Travelers Companiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 31.20%. Insider Activity In other news, EVP Michael Frederick Klein sold 10,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $211.44, for a total transaction of $2,114,400.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 22,798 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,820,409.12. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Corporate insiders own 1.33% of the companys stock. Travelers Companies Company Profile (Free Report) The Travelers Companies, Inc, through its subsidiaries, provides a range of commercial and personal property, and casualty insurance products and services to businesses, government units, associations, and individuals in the United States and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Business Insurance, Bond & Specialty Insurance, and Personal Insurance. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TRV? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TRV Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Travelers Companies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Travelers Companies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. lowered its stake in shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (NYSE:CP Free Report) (TSE:CP) by 21.3% during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 58,929 shares of the transportation companys stock after selling 15,926 shares during the quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc.s holdings in Canadian Pacific Kansas City were worth $4,640,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. LRI Investments LLC acquired a new stake in Canadian Pacific Kansas City in the 1st quarter worth $32,000. ORG Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City in the second quarter valued at about $39,000. Tobam acquired a new stake in Canadian Pacific Kansas City during the first quarter worth about $51,000. Rational Advisors LLC bought a new position in Canadian Pacific Kansas City during the first quarter valued at about $52,000. Finally, Partnership Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Canadian Pacific Kansas City in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $52,000. 72.20% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Canadian Pacific Kansas City alerts: Canadian Pacific Kansas City Price Performance Shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City stock traded up $1.83 during trading on Thursday, reaching $79.86. The companys stock had a trading volume of 840,224 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,140,765. Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited has a one year low of $68.92 and a one year high of $91.58. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $79.74 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $82.74. The company has a current ratio of 0.51, a quick ratio of 0.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. The stock has a market capitalization of $74.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.01, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.27 and a beta of 0.96. Canadian Pacific Kansas City Cuts Dividend Canadian Pacific Kansas City ( NYSE:CP Get Free Report ) (TSE:CP) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, July 30th. The transportation company reported $1.05 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.74 by $0.31. The company had revenue of $3.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.58 billion. Canadian Pacific Kansas City had a net margin of 24.45% and a return on equity of 8.77%. Canadian Pacific Kansas Citys quarterly revenue was up 13.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.62 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited will post 3.11 EPS for the current fiscal year. The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, October 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 27th will be given a $0.1373 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 27th. This represents a $0.55 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.69%. Canadian Pacific Kansas Citys payout ratio is 17.31%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price objective on Canadian Pacific Kansas City from $82.00 to $83.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Scotiabank raised shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City from a sector perform rating to a sector outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, July 10th. Susquehanna reaffirmed a neutral rating and set a $80.00 price objective on shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. Raymond James upped their target price on shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City from $120.00 to $130.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, April 22nd. Finally, Evercore ISI dropped their price target on shares of Canadian Pacific Kansas City from $90.00 to $89.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 25th. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $96.56. Get Our Latest Stock Report on CP Canadian Pacific Kansas City Profile (Free Report) Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited, together with its subsidiaries, owns and operates a transcontinental freight railway in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. The company transports bulk commodities, including grain, coal, potash, fertilizers, and sulphur; merchandise freight, such as forest products, energy, chemicals and plastics, metals, minerals, consumer products, and automotive; and intermodal traffic comprising retail goods in overseas containers. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CP? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (NYSE:CP Free Report) (TSE:CP). Receive News & Ratings for Canadian Pacific Kansas City Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Canadian Pacific Kansas City and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Franco-Nevada Co. (TSE:FNV Get Free Report) (NYSE:FNV) announced a quarterly dividend on Tuesday, August 13th, Zacks reports. Investors of record on Thursday, September 12th will be paid a dividend of 0.497 per share on Thursday, September 26th. This represents a $1.99 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.20%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, September 12th. This is a positive change from Franco-Nevadas previous quarterly dividend of $0.49. Franco-Nevada Stock Performance Shares of TSE FNV opened at C$165.48 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.63, a quick ratio of 23.26 and a current ratio of 29.40. The firm has a market cap of C$31.82 billion, a P/E ratio of -46.41, a PEG ratio of 5.00 and a beta of 0.62. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of C$167.66 and a two-hundred day moving average price of C$161.98. Franco-Nevada has a 1 year low of C$139.19 and a 1 year high of C$198.00. Get Franco-Nevada alerts: Insider Activity In other news, Director Catharine Elizabeth Goddard Farrow sold 20,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of C$171.78, for a total transaction of C$3,435,562.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 301 shares in the company, valued at C$51,705.21. In related news, Director Paul Brink sold 13,076 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$170.21, for a total value of C$2,225,654.19. Also, Director Catharine Elizabeth Goddard Farrow sold 20,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of C$171.78, for a total value of C$3,435,562.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 301 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately C$51,705.21. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 33,606 shares of company stock worth $5,747,182. 0.69% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In FNV has been the topic of several recent research reports. Eight Capital lifted their price target on shares of Franco-Nevada from C$190.00 to C$200.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday, April 22nd. Canaccord Genuity Group raised their price objective on shares of Franco-Nevada from C$177.00 to C$190.00 in a research note on Tuesday, July 23rd. CIBC upped their price target on Franco-Nevada from C$250.00 to C$265.00 in a research report on Wednesday, July 10th. Raymond James lifted their price target on Franco-Nevada from C$150.00 to C$151.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Friday, May 3rd. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus boosted their target price on Franco-Nevada from C$182.00 to C$196.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, April 19th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of C$192.18. Read Our Latest Research Report on FNV About Franco-Nevada (Get Free Report) Franco-Nevada Corporation operates as a gold-focused royalty and streaming company in South America, Central America, Mexico, the United States, Canada, and internationally. It operates through Mining and Energy segments. The company manages its portfolio with a focus on precious metals, such as gold, silver, and platinum group metals; and engages in the sale of crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids through a third-party marketing agent. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Franco-Nevada Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Franco-Nevada and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Galway Metals Inc. (CVE:GWM Get Free Report) Director Robert Hinchcliffe purchased 40,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 8th. The stock was bought at an average cost of C$0.46 per share, for a total transaction of C$18,634.05. Robert Hinchcliffe also recently made the following trade(s): Get Galway Metals alerts: On Monday, August 12th, Robert Hinchcliffe purchased 10,000 shares of Galway Metals stock. The stock was bought at an average cost of C$0.52 per share, for a total transaction of C$5,160.00. On Tuesday, August 6th, Robert Hinchcliffe purchased 30,000 shares of Galway Metals stock. The stock was bought at an average cost of C$0.43 per share, for a total transaction of C$12,900.00. On Tuesday, July 30th, Robert Hinchcliffe purchased 10,000 shares of Galway Metals stock. The stock was bought at an average cost of C$0.45 per share, for a total transaction of C$4,500.00. On Wednesday, July 24th, Robert Hinchcliffe purchased 25,500 shares of Galway Metals stock. The stock was bought at an average cost of C$0.40 per share, for a total transaction of C$10,307.10. On Monday, July 22nd, Robert Hinchcliffe purchased 10,000 shares of Galway Metals stock. The stock was bought at an average cost of C$0.39 per share, for a total transaction of C$3,850.00. On Friday, July 19th, Robert Hinchcliffe purchased 15,000 shares of Galway Metals stock. The stock was bought at an average cost of C$0.39 per share, for a total transaction of C$5,850.00. On Wednesday, July 17th, Robert Hinchcliffe purchased 10,000 shares of Galway Metals stock. The stock was bought at an average cost of C$0.40 per share, for a total transaction of C$4,000.00. On Monday, June 24th, Robert Hinchcliffe purchased 2,000 shares of Galway Metals stock. The stock was bought at an average cost of C$0.36 per share, for a total transaction of C$720.00. On Wednesday, June 19th, Robert Hinchcliffe acquired 10,500 shares of Galway Metals stock. The stock was acquired at an average cost of C$0.36 per share, for a total transaction of C$3,780.00. On Friday, June 14th, Robert Hinchcliffe acquired 3,500 shares of Galway Metals stock. The stock was acquired at an average cost of C$0.24 per share, for a total transaction of C$853.30. Galway Metals Price Performance Galway Metals stock opened at C$0.53 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20, a quick ratio of 4.81 and a current ratio of 2.69. The firm has a market cap of C$45.01 million, a P/E ratio of -10.60 and a beta of 1.76. The businesss fifty day moving average is C$0.39 and its two-hundred day moving average is C$0.36. Galway Metals Inc. has a 52 week low of C$0.23 and a 52 week high of C$0.61. About Galway Metals Galway Metals ( CVE:GWM Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 30th. The company reported C($0.01) EPS for the quarter. Equities research analysts forecast that Galway Metals Inc. will post -0.04 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. (Get Free Report) Galway Metals Inc engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral resource properties in Canada. The company primarily explores for gold, zinc, copper, silver, and lead deposits. It holds a 100% interest in the Clarence Stream project located in southwest New Brunswick, Canada; and Estrades mine, related Newiska concessions, and adjacent Casa Berardi claims located in western Quebec, Canada. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Galway Metals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Galway Metals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Issuer Direct (NYSE:ISDR Free Report) in a research report sent to investors on Sunday. The brokerage issued a buy rating on the stock. Issuer Direct Stock Down 2.0 % ISDR stock opened at $9.11 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 0.84 and a quick ratio of 0.84. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $8.75 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $11.26. Issuer Direct has a fifty-two week low of $7.61 and a fifty-two week high of $22.50. The stock has a market capitalization of $34.77 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 45.55 and a beta of 0.73. Get Issuer Direct alerts: Issuer Direct (NYSE:ISDR Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 8th. The company reported $0.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.14 by $0.02. Issuer Direct had a return on equity of 9.01% and a net margin of 2.43%. The business had revenue of $7.69 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $7.62 million. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Issuer Direct will post 0.52 earnings per share for the current year. Insider Buying and Selling Issuer Direct Company Profile In other Issuer Direct news, major shareholder Topline Capital Partners, Lp bought 36,559 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 28th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $9.46 per share, for a total transaction of $345,848.14. Following the completion of the purchase, the insider now directly owns 643,699 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,089,392.54. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link . In other news, insider Topline Capital Management, Ll acquired 4,744 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 26th. The shares were bought at an average price of $7.80 per share, with a total value of $37,003.20. Following the acquisition, the insider now directly owns 662,855 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,170,269. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link . Also, major shareholder Topline Capital Partners, Lp purchased 36,559 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 28th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $9.46 per share, for a total transaction of $345,848.14. Following the completion of the purchase, the insider now directly owns 643,699 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,089,392.54. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here . In the last 90 days, insiders have bought 78,184 shares of company stock worth $692,527. Corporate insiders own 26.08% of the companys stock. (Get Free Report) Issuer Direct Corporation operates as a communications and compliance company, provides solutions for both public relations and investor relations professionals in the United States and internationally. The company provides press release distribution, media databases, media monitoring, and newsrooms through media advantage platform; ACCESSWIRE, a news dissemination and media outreach service; and Webcaster Platform, a cloud-based webcast, webinar, and virtual meeting platform that delivers live and on-demand streaming of events to audiences of various sizes, as well as allows customers to create, produce, and deliver events. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Issuer Direct Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Issuer Direct and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee listens to a question from the pressing during a press conference responding to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxtons lawsuit challenging the Uplift Harris program, the guaranteed income program, Wednesday, April 10, 2024 at Harris County Administration Building in Houston. Harris County officials called the lawsuit by Paxton a targeted act. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Harris County Commissioner Precinct 1 Rodney Ellis, from left, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee leave the podium after giving response to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxtons lawsuit challenging the Uplift Harris program, the guaranteed income program, in a press conference Wednesday, April 10, 2024 at Harris County Administration Building in Houston. Harris County officials called the lawsuit by Paxton a targeted act. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee answers a question from the press during a press conference responding to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxtons lawsuit challenging the Uplift Harris program, the guaranteed income program, Wednesday, April 10, 2024 at Harris County Administration Building in Houston. Harris County officials called the lawsuit by Paxton a targeted act. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is photographed during the press during a press conference responding to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxtons lawsuit challenging the Uplift Harris program, the guaranteed income program, Wednesday, April 10, 2024 at Harris County Administration Building in Houston. Harris County officials called the lawsuit by Paxton a targeted act. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Harris County will relaunch its guaranteed income initiative with added restrictions following Attorney General Ken Paxtons lawsuit challenging the legality of the Uplift Harris program. Though the Uplift Harris legal battle is still making its way through the courts, the clock is running out to move forward with the $20.5 million program because its funded by federal pandemic recovery dollars that must be allocated by the end of the year. Around 1,900 participants were selected earlier this year to receive $500 monthly payments for 18 months, following a similar guaranteed income model that has been used around the country. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Just as Harris County households were set to receive the first payment, Paxton filed a lawsuit that put the program on hold, pending litigation. There is no such thing as free money especially in Texas, Paxtons office wrote in the petition, describing Uplift Harris as a socialist experiment by (Harris County Judge) Lina Hidalgo. Though the Texas Supreme Court has not ruled on the program, in June it strongly signaled the belief that the initiative violates the Texas Constitution. Although we make no definitive statement about the merits, the state has raised serious doubt about the constitutionality of the Uplift Harris program, and this potential violation of the Texas Constitution could not be remedied or undone if payments were to commence while the underlying appeal proceeds, Justice Jimmy Blacklock, a Republican who is running for reelection this year, wrote in a 12-page opinion that kept the program on hold. Paxtons office has argued the program violates a state law prohibiting the gift of public funds to any individual, does not serve a public purpose and lacks sufficient controls on how the funding can be spent. The county has defended the initiative, arguing that it will alleviate poverty and the participants were selected by a common method of distributing public funds, a lottery system with eligibility requirements. Advertisement Article continues below this ad San Antonio and Austin have previously implemented similar programs without facing legal challenges from the state. Under the new plan approved Thursday, the households that were already awaiting payment will receive pre-loaded cards that restrict spending to approved categories. Thats not the spirit of a guaranteed income program, Hidalgo said. Thats why this is Uplift Harris 2.0, not Uplift Harris. But it is a way to keep our promises to these families and we do think it will have a benefit and something that we can study. If the state challenges the modified program, the county plans to reallocate the funding to existing programs that support people living in poverty, Hidalgo said. Commissioners Court signed off on the modified program in a 4-1 vote, with Republican Commissioner Tom Ramsey opposed. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I just think this money could be much better spent, Ramsey said, suggesting that the funds could go toward improving conditions at the Harris County Jail. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (TSE:CM Free Report) (NYSE:CM) had its price objective cut by Jefferies Financial Group from C$79.00 to C$78.00 in a report released on Monday, BayStreet.CA reports. They currently have a buy rating on the stock. CM has been the subject of a number of other reports. Barclays upped their price target on Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from C$70.00 to C$71.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a report on Friday, May 31st. UBS Group set a C$70.00 target price on shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 2nd. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upgraded shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from a hold rating to a moderate buy rating in a research report on Monday, June 3rd. TD Securities boosted their price objective on shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from C$76.00 to C$83.00 in a report on Thursday, August 8th. Finally, Scotiabank increased their target price on shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from C$73.00 to C$77.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, May 31st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of C$71.50. Get Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce alerts: View Our Latest Analysis on CM Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Price Performance Shares of CM opened at C$70.67 on Monday. The company has a market capitalization of C$66.24 billion, a PE ratio of 10.84, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.01 and a beta of 1.11. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce has a one year low of C$47.44 and a one year high of C$71.77. The companys fifty day moving average price is C$67.68 and its 200 day moving average price is C$66.20. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (TSE:CM Get Free Report) (NYSE:CM) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 30th. The company reported C$1.75 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of C$1.66 by C$0.09. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce had a return on equity of 12.14% and a net margin of 29.50%. The business had revenue of C$6.16 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of C$6.11 billion. Analysts anticipate that Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce will post 6.7699387 earnings per share for the current year. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Announces Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, July 29th. Investors of record on Friday, June 28th were given a dividend of $0.90 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, June 28th. This represents a $3.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.09%. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerces dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 55.21%. Insider Activity at Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce In other Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce news, Senior Officer Christina Charlotte Kramer sold 23,782 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, June 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$67.50, for a total transaction of C$1,605,285.00. In other Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce news, Senior Officer Christina Charlotte Kramer sold 23,782 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$67.50, for a total value of C$1,605,285.00. Also, Senior Officer John Hountalas sold 20,808 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$65.97, for a total transaction of C$1,372,672.55. 0.03% of the stock is owned by insiders. About Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (Get Free Report) Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, a diversified financial institution, provides various financial products and services to personal, business, public sector, and institutional clients in Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through Canadian Personal and Business Banking; Canadian Commercial Banking and Wealth Management; U.S. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. PGGM Investments boosted its position in Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE:OMC Free Report) by 4.2% during the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 37,324 shares of the business services providers stock after buying an additional 1,513 shares during the quarter. PGGM Investments holdings in Omnicom Group were worth $3,348,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in OMC. Meyer Handelman Co. grew its position in shares of Omnicom Group by 17.2% in the 2nd quarter. Meyer Handelman Co. now owns 157,497 shares of the business services providers stock worth $14,127,000 after acquiring an additional 23,127 shares in the last quarter. M&G Plc acquired a new stake in shares of Omnicom Group in the second quarter valued at approximately $924,000. Wedmont Private Capital raised its holdings in shares of Omnicom Group by 6.0% during the second quarter. Wedmont Private Capital now owns 3,845 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $359,000 after buying an additional 218 shares during the last quarter. Occidental Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in Omnicom Group by 6.7% in the 2nd quarter. Occidental Asset Management LLC now owns 25,153 shares of the business services providers stock worth $2,256,000 after buying an additional 1,574 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Czech National Bank increased its position in Omnicom Group by 7.1% in the 2nd quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 37,319 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $3,348,000 after acquiring an additional 2,482 shares during the period. 91.97% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Omnicom Group alerts: Omnicom Group Trading Up 1.6 % NYSE OMC traded up $1.48 on Thursday, reaching $95.93. The company had a trading volume of 376,856 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,605,372. The stock has a market cap of $18.79 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.76, a PEG ratio of 2.24 and a beta of 0.95. Omnicom Group Inc. has a 52 week low of $72.20 and a 52 week high of $98.71. The stocks 50 day moving average is $91.55 and its 200-day moving average is $91.99. The company has a quick ratio of 0.81, a current ratio of 0.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.31. Omnicom Group Dividend Announcement Omnicom Group ( NYSE:OMC Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, July 16th. The business services provider reported $1.95 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.88 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $3.85 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.83 billion. Omnicom Group had a net margin of 9.55% and a return on equity of 37.51%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 6.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.81 EPS. Equities analysts predict that Omnicom Group Inc. will post 7.92 earnings per share for the current year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 11th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 20th will be issued a $0.70 dividend. This represents a $2.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.92%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 20th. Omnicom Groups payout ratio is 37.84%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several brokerages have recently weighed in on OMC. StockNews.com upgraded Omnicom Group from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Thursday, April 18th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of Omnicom Group from $104.00 to $108.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 17th. Wells Fargo & Company upgraded shares of Omnicom Group from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and increased their price target for the stock from $91.00 to $106.00 in a research note on Wednesday, April 17th. Moffett Nathanson upped their price objective on shares of Omnicom Group from $89.00 to $93.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, April 17th. Finally, Barclays raised Omnicom Group from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and increased their price objective for the company from $100.00 to $110.00 in a report on Tuesday, May 7th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $104.70. View Our Latest Report on Omnicom Group Insider Buying and Selling In other Omnicom Group news, Director Linda Johnson Rice sold 488 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, July 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $90.88, for a total transaction of $44,349.44. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 10,356 shares of the companys stock, valued at $941,153.28. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 1.30% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. About Omnicom Group (Free Report) Omnicom Group Inc, together with its subsidiaries, offers advertising, marketing, and corporate communications services. It provides a range of services in the areas of advertising and media, precision marketing, commerce and branding, experiential, execution and support, public relations, and healthcare. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Omnicom Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Omnicom Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. ORG Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV Free Report) during the second quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor purchased 4,313 shares of the airlines stock, valued at approximately $121,000. A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in LUV. Czech National Bank boosted its stake in Southwest Airlines by 0.6% during the 1st quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 104,990 shares of the airlines stock worth $3,065,000 after purchasing an additional 585 shares during the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC raised its holdings in shares of Southwest Airlines by 14.6% during the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 4,680 shares of the airlines stock worth $137,000 after acquiring an additional 595 shares during the period. Artisan Partners Limited Partnership raised its holdings in shares of Southwest Airlines by 0.4% during the 4th quarter. Artisan Partners Limited Partnership now owns 10,790,654 shares of the airlines stock worth $311,634,000 after acquiring an additional 47,119 shares during the period. Polianta Ltd purchased a new position in shares of Southwest Airlines during the 1st quarter worth $1,223,000. Finally, Tidal Investments LLC raised its holdings in shares of Southwest Airlines by 26.0% during the 1st quarter. Tidal Investments LLC now owns 100,351 shares of the airlines stock worth $2,931,000 after acquiring an additional 20,694 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.82% of the companys stock. Get Southwest Airlines alerts: Southwest Airlines Stock Performance NYSE LUV traded up $0.70 on Thursday, reaching $26.08. The stock had a trading volume of 1,650,528 shares, compared to its average volume of 9,624,040. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a current ratio of 0.90. Southwest Airlines Co. has a 12-month low of $21.91 and a 12-month high of $35.18. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $27.35 and its 200 day moving average price is $28.81. The stock has a market cap of $15.63 billion, a P/E ratio of 40.28, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 17.89 and a beta of 1.15. Southwest Airlines Dividend Announcement Southwest Airlines ( NYSE:LUV Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 25th. The airline reported $0.58 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.51 by $0.07. Southwest Airlines had a return on equity of 5.92% and a net margin of 0.41%. The company had revenue of $7.40 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $7.32 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.09 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 5.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts expect that Southwest Airlines Co. will post 0.31 earnings per share for the current year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 25th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, September 4th will be paid a dividend of $0.18 per share. This represents a $0.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.76%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, September 4th. Southwest Airliness dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 114.29%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several brokerages recently issued reports on LUV. Barclays boosted their price objective on shares of Southwest Airlines from $26.00 to $27.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Wednesday, July 10th. HSBC began coverage on shares of Southwest Airlines in a report on Monday, May 13th. They issued a hold rating and a $27.80 price objective on the stock. Raymond James restated an outperform rating and issued a $30.00 price objective (down from $33.00) on shares of Southwest Airlines in a report on Friday, April 26th. TD Cowen reduced their price objective on shares of Southwest Airlines from $26.00 to $19.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Finally, Susquehanna reduced their price objective on shares of Southwest Airlines from $27.00 to $25.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, April 30th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have given a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $28.47. View Our Latest Report on Southwest Airlines About Southwest Airlines (Free Report) Southwest Airlines Co operates as a passenger airline company that provides scheduled air transportation services in the United States and near-international markets. As of December 31, 2023, the company operated a total fleet of 817 Boeing 737 aircraft; and served 121 destinations in 42 states, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, as well as ten near-international countries, including Mexico, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Aruba, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Belize, Cuba, the Cayman Islands, and Turks and Caicos. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LUV? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Southwest Airlines Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Southwest Airlines and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Performance Food Group (NYSE:PFGC Get Free Report) had its target price increased by investment analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $80.00 to $83.00 in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an overweight rating on the food distribution companys stock. Wells Fargo & Companys price target would suggest a potential upside of 14.70% from the companys previous close. Several other equities research analysts have also issued reports on the stock. Morgan Stanley dropped their target price on shares of Performance Food Group from $80.00 to $76.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, July 16th. Truist Financial lifted their target price on shares of Performance Food Group from $86.00 to $88.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday. StockNews.com lowered shares of Performance Food Group from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on shares of Performance Food Group from $80.00 to $87.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday. Finally, Barclays boosted their price objective on shares of Performance Food Group from $84.00 to $88.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Thursday. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $82.89. Get Performance Food Group alerts: View Our Latest Research Report on Performance Food Group Performance Food Group Price Performance NYSE:PFGC traded up $0.11 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $72.36. 193,766 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,067,284. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $66.43 and its 200 day moving average price is $70.35. The company has a market cap of $11.26 billion, a PE ratio of 27.00, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.81 and a beta of 1.42. Performance Food Group has a 12-month low of $52.92 and a 12-month high of $78.54. The company has a quick ratio of 0.77, a current ratio of 1.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.96. Performance Food Group (NYSE:PFGC Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, August 14th. The food distribution company reported $1.45 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.35 by $0.10. Performance Food Group had a net margin of 0.72% and a return on equity of 16.22%. The business had revenue of $15.20 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $15.25 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $1.14 earnings per share. Performance Food Groups revenue for the quarter was up 2.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts expect that Performance Food Group will post 4.2 EPS for the current fiscal year. Institutional Trading of Performance Food Group A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. D. E. Shaw & Co. Inc. grew its position in shares of Performance Food Group by 58.8% in the 2nd quarter. D. E. Shaw & Co. Inc. now owns 396,225 shares of the food distribution companys stock worth $26,194,000 after buying an additional 146,731 shares during the period. Eminence Capital LP grew its position in Performance Food Group by 7.4% during the 2nd quarter. Eminence Capital LP now owns 2,398,614 shares of the food distribution companys stock valued at $158,572,000 after purchasing an additional 164,472 shares during the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in Performance Food Group by 82.0% during the 2nd quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 170,639 shares of the food distribution companys stock valued at $11,281,000 after acquiring an additional 76,891 shares during the period. Armistice Capital LLC lifted its stake in shares of Performance Food Group by 56.0% in the 2nd quarter. Armistice Capital LLC now owns 240,887 shares of the food distribution companys stock worth $15,925,000 after purchasing an additional 86,497 shares during the period. Finally, Point72 Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. bought a new position in shares of Performance Food Group in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $159,000. 96.87% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. About Performance Food Group (Get Free Report) Performance Food Group Company, through its subsidiaries, markets and distributes food and food-related products in the United States. It operates through three segments: Foodservice, Vistar, and Convenience. The company offers a range of frozen foods, groceries, candy, snacks, beverages, cigarettes, and other tobacco products; beef, pork, poultry, and seafood; and health and beauty care products. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Performance Food Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Performance Food Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. George Weston Limited (TSE:WN Get Free Report) Senior Officer Rashid Wasti sold 150 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$218.50, for a total transaction of C$32,775.00. Rashid Wasti also recently made the following trade(s): Get George Weston alerts: On Wednesday, August 7th, Rashid Wasti purchased 1,500 shares of George Weston stock. The shares were purchased at an average cost of C$21.34 per share, with a total value of C$32,010.00. On Tuesday, July 30th, Rashid Wasti sold 3,300 shares of George Weston stock. The stock was sold at an average price of C$215.00, for a total transaction of C$709,500.00. On Wednesday, May 22nd, Rashid Wasti sold 1,307 shares of George Weston stock. The stock was sold at an average price of C$193.25, for a total transaction of C$252,577.75. George Weston Trading Up 1.8 % TSE WN traded up C$3.86 on Thursday, hitting C$218.79. The companys stock had a trading volume of 53,751 shares, compared to its average volume of 121,903. The company has a quick ratio of 0.73, a current ratio of 1.25 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 159.31. George Weston Limited has a 1-year low of C$144.41 and a 1-year high of C$219.28. The companys 50-day moving average is C$203.24 and its 200 day moving average is C$189.31. The firm has a market cap of C$29.27 billion, a PE ratio of 22.70, a PEG ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 0.38. George Weston Announces Dividend Analysts Set New Price Targets The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 1st. Shareholders of record on Sunday, September 15th will be given a $0.82 dividend. This represents a $3.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.50%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 13th. George Westons dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 34.64%. A number of research firms recently issued reports on WN. Desjardins upped their price objective on shares of George Weston from C$212.00 to C$232.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 31st. BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on shares of George Weston from C$196.00 to C$220.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 31st. Scotiabank upped their price objective on shares of George Weston from C$200.00 to C$212.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research report on Monday, May 6th. TD Securities lowered their price objective on shares of George Weston from C$246.00 to C$242.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Monday, July 22nd. Finally, CIBC upped their price objective on shares of George Weston from C$235.00 to C$254.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 31st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of C$229.67. Check Out Our Latest Report on George Weston George Weston Company Profile (Get Free Report) George Weston Limited provides food and drug retailing, and financial services in Canada. The company operates through two segments, Loblaw Companies Limited (Loblaw) and Choice Properties Real Estate Investment Trust (Choice Properties). The Loblaw segment provides grocery, pharmacy and healthcare services, health and beauty products, apparel, general merchandise, and financial services. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for George Weston Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for George Weston and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bank of Ireland Group plc (OTCMKTS:BKRIY Get Free Report) was the target of a significant growth in short interest during the month of July. As of July 31st, there was short interest totalling 21,000 shares, a growth of 51.1% from the July 15th total of 13,900 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 33,800 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.6 days. Bank of Ireland Group Trading Up 0.8 % Bank of Ireland Group stock traded up $0.08 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $10.51. The stock had a trading volume of 13,683 shares, compared to its average volume of 38,902. Bank of Ireland Group has a fifty-two week low of $8.38 and a fifty-two week high of $11.73. The company has a 50-day moving average of $10.76 and a two-hundred day moving average of $10.37. Get Bank of Ireland Group alerts: About Bank of Ireland Group (Get Free Report) Further Reading Bank of Ireland Group plc provides various banking and financial products and services. It provides current and savings accounts, and business deposits and accounts; personal, car, home improvement, graduate, motor finance, and student loans, as well as overdrafts; and business and farming loans, green business, insurance premium finance, invoice finance, hire purchase, and leasing services. Receive News & Ratings for Bank of Ireland Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bank of Ireland Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Bunker Hill Mining Corp. (OTCMKTS:BHLL Get Free Report) was the target of a significant decline in short interest in the month of July. As of July 31st, there was short interest totalling 7,300 shares, a decline of 65.6% from the July 15th total of 21,200 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 186,400 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.0 days. Bunker Hill Mining Stock Performance Shares of OTCMKTS:BHLL remained flat at $0.12 during midday trading on Thursday. The stock had a trading volume of 58,939 shares, compared to its average volume of 199,587. The companys 50-day moving average is $0.12 and its 200 day moving average is $0.10. The firm has a market cap of $39.81 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -1.17 and a beta of 1.57. Bunker Hill Mining has a twelve month low of $0.07 and a twelve month high of $0.15. Get Bunker Hill Mining alerts: Bunker Hill Mining (OTCMKTS:BHLL Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 30th. The company reported ($0.01) earnings per share for the quarter. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Separately, Echelon Wealth Partners upgraded Bunker Hill Mining to a moderate buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 22nd. View Our Latest Research Report on BHLL About Bunker Hill Mining (Get Free Report) mining of mineral properties in Canada and the United States. It focuses on exploring for zinc, lead, and silver ores. Its flagship asset is the 100% owned Bunker Hill mine located in the Silver Valley, Idaho. The company was formerly known as Liberty Silver Corp. and changed its name to Bunker Hill Mining Corp. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Bunker Hill Mining Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bunker Hill Mining and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Solo Brands, Inc. (NYSE:DTC Get Free Report) has received an average recommendation of Hold from the eight analysts that are covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, six have issued a hold recommendation and one has assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price target among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $2.93. Several analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Canaccord Genuity Group decreased their target price on Solo Brands from $5.00 to $3.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, August 8th. Citigroup lowered their price objective on shares of Solo Brands from $2.50 to $1.35 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, August 8th. Get Solo Brands alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Solo Brands Insider Buying and Selling at Solo Brands Institutional Trading of Solo Brands In other Solo Brands news, CEO Christopher T. Metz purchased 49,310 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 13th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $1.97 per share, with a total value of $97,140.70. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 250,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at $492,500. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website . In other Solo Brands news, CEO Christopher T. Metz acquired 49,310 shares of Solo Brands stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 13th. The stock was bought at an average price of $1.97 per share, with a total value of $97,140.70. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief executive officer now directly owns 250,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $492,500. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link . Also, CEO Christopher T. Metz bought 52,366 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 11th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $1.94 per share, for a total transaction of $101,590.04. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 152,366 shares in the company, valued at approximately $295,590.04. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here . In the last quarter, insiders have acquired 351,676 shares of company stock valued at $523,731. Company insiders own 0.73% of the companys stock. Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust bought a new position in shares of Solo Brands during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Balboa Wealth Partners purchased a new stake in shares of Solo Brands during the 4th quarter valued at $72,000. Gladstone Institutional Advisory LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Solo Brands in the 4th quarter worth $97,000. 1620 Investment Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Solo Brands in the 4th quarter worth $113,000. Finally, Williams & Novak LLC purchased a new position in Solo Brands during the 2nd quarter worth $42,000. 84.48% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Solo Brands Price Performance DTC opened at $1.29 on Thursday. The business has a fifty day moving average of $2.09 and a 200 day moving average of $2.18. The stock has a market cap of $117.74 million, a P/E ratio of -0.64 and a beta of 2.62. The company has a quick ratio of 1.16, a current ratio of 2.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45. Solo Brands has a 52-week low of $1.08 and a 52-week high of $6.64. Solo Brands Company Profile (Get Free Report Solo Brands, Inc operates a direct-to-consumer platform that offers outdoor and lifestyle branded products in the United States. The company provides camp stoves under the Solo Stove Lite brand name; fire pits under the Solo Stove brand name; kayaks under the Oru brand name; paddle boards under the ISLE brand name; and storage solutions for fire pits, firewood, and other accessories. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Solo Brands Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Solo Brands and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited (NYSE:TEVA Get Free Report)s stock price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as $18.58 and last traded at $18.51, with a volume of 1650247 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $18.01. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research firms recently commented on TEVA. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Saturday, August 3rd. Barclays increased their target price on Teva Pharmaceutical Industries from $21.00 to $22.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, August 1st. Piper Sandler reissued an overweight rating and issued a $20.00 price target (up previously from $19.00) on shares of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries in a report on Monday, May 13th. Bank of America upped their price objective on shares of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries from $18.00 to $21.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, May 30th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upped their price target on shares of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries from $19.00 to $23.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, June 27th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $18.67. Get Teva Pharmaceutical Industries alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Stock Performance Insider Activity The stock has a 50-day moving average of $16.85 and a 200 day moving average of $15.05. The stock has a market cap of $20.95 billion, a PE ratio of -43.91, a P/E/G ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 0.90. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 0.89 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.52. In other news, Director Roberto Mignone sold 519,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $17.03, for a total transaction of $8,838,570.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 981,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,706,430. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In other news, Director Roberto Mignone sold 519,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $17.03, for a total value of $8,838,570.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 981,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $16,706,430. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider Eric A. Hughes sold 24,537 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $17.25, for a total value of $423,263.25. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 45,060 shares of the companys stock, valued at $777,285. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.55% of the companys stock. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Teva Pharmaceutical Industries A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in TEVA. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC boosted its holdings in Teva Pharmaceutical Industries by 13.6% during the 1st quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 1,372,477 shares of the companys stock valued at $19,366,000 after acquiring an additional 164,614 shares during the period. QRG Capital Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries by 53.7% in the first quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. now owns 143,747 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,028,000 after purchasing an additional 50,247 shares in the last quarter. Capital Wealth Planning LLC purchased a new stake in Teva Pharmaceutical Industries during the 1st quarter worth approximately $2,169,000. Public Employees Retirement Association of Colorado lifted its holdings in Teva Pharmaceutical Industries by 1,382.8% during the 4th quarter. Public Employees Retirement Association of Colorado now owns 255,826 shares of the companys stock worth $2,671,000 after buying an additional 238,573 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Migdal Insurance & Financial Holdings Ltd. boosted its position in Teva Pharmaceutical Industries by 6.9% in the 4th quarter. Migdal Insurance & Financial Holdings Ltd. now owns 28,919,540 shares of the companys stock valued at $301,920,000 after buying an additional 1,860,000 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 54.05% of the companys stock. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Company Profile (Get Free Report) Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited develops, manufactures, markets, and distributes generic medicines, specialty medicines, and biopharmaceutical products in North America, Europe, Israel, and internationally. It offers generic medicines in various dosage forms, such as tablets, capsules, injectables, inhalants, liquids, transdermal patches, ointments, and creams; sterile products, hormones, high-potency drugs, and cytotoxic substances in parenteral and solid dosage forms; and generic products with medical devices and combination products. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The Toronto-Dominion Bank (NYSE:TD Get Free Report) (TSE:TD) has been assigned an average recommendation of Hold from the eleven research firms that are covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, six have issued a hold recommendation, three have given a buy recommendation and one has assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month target price among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $88.00. A number of brokerages recently issued reports on TD. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Toronto-Dominion Bank from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday. National Bank Financial cut shares of Toronto-Dominion Bank from a sector perform rating to an underperform rating in a research report on Thursday, May 23rd. BMO Capital Markets lowered their price objective on shares of Toronto-Dominion Bank from $86.00 to $84.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a research report on Friday, May 24th. UBS Group initiated coverage on shares of Toronto-Dominion Bank in a research report on Tuesday, July 2nd. They issued a neutral rating for the company. Finally, Scotiabank upgraded shares of Toronto-Dominion Bank from a sector perform rating to a sector outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 17th. Get Toronto-Dominion Bank alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on TD Institutional Inflows and Outflows Toronto-Dominion Bank Trading Up 0.2 % Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. TD Asset Management Inc boosted its stake in shares of Toronto-Dominion Bank by 28.9% in the 4th quarter. TD Asset Management Inc now owns 46,469,553 shares of the banks stock valued at $3,017,384,000 after purchasing an additional 10,415,591 shares during the last quarter. Canoe Financial LP boosted its stake in Toronto-Dominion Bank by 2,035.4% during the 4th quarter. Canoe Financial LP now owns 42,808,439 shares of the banks stock worth $2,766,281,000 after acquiring an additional 40,803,711 shares during the last quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia boosted its stake in Toronto-Dominion Bank by 0.3% during the 4th quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia now owns 33,335,463 shares of the banks stock worth $2,154,141,000 after acquiring an additional 105,772 shares during the last quarter. National Bank of Canada FI boosted its stake in Toronto-Dominion Bank by 6.2% during the 1st quarter. National Bank of Canada FI now owns 29,655,117 shares of the banks stock worth $1,677,917,000 after acquiring an additional 1,736,931 shares during the last quarter. Finally, 1832 Asset Management L.P. boosted its stake in Toronto-Dominion Bank by 6.0% during the 2nd quarter. 1832 Asset Management L.P. now owns 25,803,480 shares of the banks stock worth $1,418,159,000 after acquiring an additional 1,462,794 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 52.37% of the companys stock. Shares of Toronto-Dominion Bank stock opened at $57.91 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $101.19 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.16, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 0.82. The company has a quick ratio of 1.01, a current ratio of 1.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $56.24 and a 200 day simple moving average of $57.74. Toronto-Dominion Bank has a 12-month low of $53.52 and a 12-month high of $65.12. Toronto-Dominion Bank (NYSE:TD Get Free Report) (TSE:TD) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, May 23rd. The bank reported $1.50 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.35 by $0.15. The business had revenue of $10.18 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.90 billion. Toronto-Dominion Bank had a net margin of 9.96% and a return on equity of 14.38%. Research analysts expect that Toronto-Dominion Bank will post 5.86 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Toronto-Dominion Bank Cuts Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, July 31st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, July 10th were paid a $0.74 dividend. This represents a $2.96 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.11%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, July 10th. Toronto-Dominion Banks dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 67.73%. Toronto-Dominion Bank Company Profile (Get Free Report The Toronto-Dominion Bank, together with its subsidiaries, provides various financial products and services in Canada, the United States, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Canadian Personal and Commercial Banking, U.S. Retail, Wealth Management and Insurance, and Wholesale Banking. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Toronto-Dominion Bank Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Toronto-Dominion Bank and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Meet Kunming South Railway Station in SW Chinas Yunnan, where travelers can conveniently purchase fresh-cut flowers People's Daily Online) 09:34, August 15, 2024 (Photo courtesy of the official WeChat account of China Railway) Kunming, southwest Chinas Yunnan Province, is a city surrounded by flowers. As a result, many visitors choose to bring home a bouquet of fresh-cut flowers as a romantic souvenir. To make this even more convenient for travelers, Kunming South Railway Station has opened a flower shop right inside the station. (Photo courtesy of the official WeChat account of China Railway) (Photo courtesy of the official WeChat account of China Railway) Passengers can conveniently purchase flowers at the flower kiosk situated near the escalator at the west entrance of the railway station. The kiosk offers not only fresh-cut flowers but also packaged bouquets, catering to both gift-giving and floral arrangements. (Photo courtesy of the official WeChat account of China Railway) Passengers arriving at the railway station can purchase flowers at the flower vending machine at the exit. By simply scanning the QR code on the machine using their mobile phones, passengers can effortlessly select and purchase their desired bouquet. (Photo courtesy of the official WeChat account of China Railway) When time allows, passengers can also visit the Kunming Dounan Flower Market, which is located about 11 kilometers away. The market offers a wide range of fresh-cut flowers, potted plants, and succulents at reasonable prices. In recent years, many e-commerce companies have been selling fresh-cut flowers online. Each week, large quantities of fresh-cut flowers are transported from the Kunming Dounan Flower Market to Kunming South Railway Station and then distributed nationwide via high-speed trains. The transportation of flowers reaches its peak during traditional festivals such as Spring Festival and Qixi Festival. (Photo courtesy of the official WeChat account of China Railway) I regularly take the train to Kunming and head straight to the Kunming Dounan Flower Market to handpick flowers, said a man surnamed Yu, owner of a flower shop in Chengdu, southwest Chinas Sichuan Province. During his visit, Yu handpicked some fresh-cut flower varieties from the Kunming Dounan Flower Market to take back with him. If they catch on, he intends to set up a deal with the sales company to ship more flowers to Chengdu using the high-speed rail network. (Photo courtesy of the official WeChat account of China Railway) To make it easier for passengers to bring flowers along, the staff at Kunming South Railway Station offer helpful assistance. Additionally, the service desk at the stations waiting room provides tape for passengers to securely wrap their flowers. (Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Liang Jun) Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton arrives to court during former U.S. President Donald Trump's trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments at Manhattan Criminal Court on April 30, 2024 in New York City. Pool/Getty Images Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will work at a food bank as part of a deal he struck with prosecutors earlier this year in his recently closed fraud case, his attorney Dan Cogdell said Thursday. Cogdell declined to provide more information about where or when its taking place, citing privacy and security concerns. Im not going to get into the weeds of it because I dont think its anybodys business, Cogdell said. I dont want protesters showing up. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Paxton reached a deal in March just weeks before his criminal case on securities fraud charges was set to go to trial. In exchange for having his charges dismissed, Paxton agreed to do 100 hours of community service, complete 15 hours of legal ethics classes and pay about $300,000 in restitution to the victims. He did not admit any wrongdoing. Paxton was indicted in July 2015 for failing to inform friends that he would make a commission off their investment in a North Texas tech company and for neglecting to register with the state as an investment adviser. TruWealth Advisors LLC cut its position in shares of Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM Free Report) by 11.4% in the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 2,165 shares of the companys stock after selling 279 shares during the quarter. TruWealth Advisors LLCs holdings in Philip Morris International were worth $219,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in PM. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Philip Morris International by 0.4% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 136,556,344 shares of the companys stock worth $12,511,292,000 after buying an additional 481,636 shares during the last quarter. Capital World Investors boosted its stake in Philip Morris International by 1.5% during the first quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 111,247,656 shares of the companys stock valued at $10,192,510,000 after buying an additional 1,684,992 shares during the period. Capital Research Global Investors lifted its position in Philip Morris International by 3.1% during the first quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 60,217,039 shares of the companys stock valued at $5,517,085,000 after purchasing an additional 1,800,864 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Philip Morris International by 0.9% during the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 13,396,354 shares of the companys stock worth $1,226,746,000 after acquiring an additional 125,919 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Northern Trust Corp boosted its holdings in shares of Philip Morris International by 0.6% in the 4th quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 13,126,737 shares of the companys stock worth $1,234,963,000 after purchasing an additional 77,820 shares in the last quarter. 78.63% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Philip Morris International alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, insider Wilde Frederic De sold 20,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $113.01, for a total value of $2,260,200.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 158,447 shares in the company, valued at $17,906,095.47. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, insider Wilde Frederic De sold 20,000 shares of Philip Morris International stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $113.01, for a total transaction of $2,260,200.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 158,447 shares in the company, valued at approximately $17,906,095.47. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, insider Massimo Andolina sold 9,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $115.35, for a total transaction of $1,038,150.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 85,629 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,877,305.15. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.13% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on PM shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on Philip Morris International from $110.00 to $125.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. Bank of America increased their price target on shares of Philip Morris International from $110.00 to $118.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 24th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their price objective on shares of Philip Morris International from $116.00 to $118.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, July 25th. Barclays upped their target price on shares of Philip Morris International from $110.00 to $130.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus raised their target price on Philip Morris International from $115.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 24th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Philip Morris International currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $109.80. Check Out Our Latest Report on Philip Morris International Philip Morris International Price Performance NYSE PM traded up $0.69 on Thursday, hitting $117.89. 4,239,412 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,379,851. The firm has a market cap of $183.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.89, a P/E/G ratio of 2.35 and a beta of 0.58. Philip Morris International Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $87.23 and a fifty-two week high of $119.06. The firms 50-day moving average price is $107.16 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $98.59. Philip Morris International (NYSE:PM Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 23rd. The company reported $1.59 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.57 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $9.47 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.19 billion. Philip Morris International had a negative return on equity of 113.32% and a net margin of 9.41%. The businesss revenue was up 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.60 earnings per share. On average, research analysts predict that Philip Morris International Inc. will post 6.41 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Philip Morris International Announces Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, July 8th. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 21st were issued a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, June 21st. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.41%. Philip Morris Internationals dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 101.56%. About Philip Morris International (Free Report) Philip Morris International Inc operates as a tobacco company working to delivers a smoke-free future and evolving portfolio for the long-term to include products outside of the tobacco and nicotine sector. The company's product portfolio primarily consists of cigarettes and smoke-free products, including heat-not-burn, vapor, and oral nicotine products primarily under the IQOS and ZYN brands; and consumer accessories, such as lighters and matches. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Philip Morris International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Philip Morris International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Tsuruha Holdings Inc. (OTCMKTS:TSUSF Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant increase in short interest in the month of July. As of July 31st, there was short interest totalling 118,700 shares, an increase of 32.6% from the July 15th total of 89,500 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 0 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently days. Tsuruha Stock Performance TSUSF remained flat at $58.94 on Thursday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $63.06 and a two-hundred day moving average of $71.63. Tsuruha has a 52 week low of $58.94 and a 52 week high of $58.94. Get Tsuruha alerts: Tsuruha Company Profile (Get Free Report) Featured Stories Tsuruha Holdings Inc operates drugstores in Japan. It sells pharmaceutical, cosmetic, miscellaneous goods and food products. The company was founded in 1929 and is headquartered in Sapporo, Japan. Receive News & Ratings for Tsuruha Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Tsuruha and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. StockNews.com lowered shares of Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. (NYSE:TKC Free Report) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note released on Sunday morning. Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. Trading Up 0.5 % NYSE:TKC opened at $7.57 on Friday. Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. has a 1 year low of $4.07 and a 1 year high of $8.47. The business has a fifty day moving average of $7.72 and a 200-day moving average of $6.47. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45, a current ratio of 1.78 and a quick ratio of 1.77. Get Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. alerts: Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. (NYSE:TKC Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, May 27th. The Wireless communications provider reported $0.10 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. had a return on equity of 11.51% and a net margin of 10.07%. The company had revenue of $996.26 million during the quarter. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. will post 0.34 earnings per share for the current year. Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. Increases Dividend Institutional Inflows and Outflows The company also recently announced an annual dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 16th. Investors of record on Friday, December 6th will be paid a dividend of $0.169 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 6th. This represents a yield of 2.38%. This is a boost from Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S.s previous annual dividend of $0.10. Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. BNP Paribas Financial Markets boosted its stake in Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. by 41.4% during the first quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 385,600 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock valued at $2,001,000 after buying an additional 112,852 shares in the last quarter. Ritholtz Wealth Management increased its stake in Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. by 3.3% in the 2nd quarter. Ritholtz Wealth Management now owns 363,292 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $2,754,000 after purchasing an additional 11,584 shares in the last quarter. BTC Capital Management Inc. purchased a new position in Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. in the 1st quarter worth about $1,073,000. StoneX Group Inc. purchased a new position in Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. in the 1st quarter worth about $996,000. Finally, Capital Wealth Planning LLC purchased a new position in Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. in the 1st quarter worth about $880,000. Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. Company Profile (Get Free Report) Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. provides digital services in Turkey, Ukraine, Belarus, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and the Netherlands. It operates through Turkcell Turkey, Turkcell International, and Techfin segments. It offers work contact services, such as mobile communications, fixed business internet and business phone, and customer loyalty and programs; digital business services comprising uninterrupted access, cyber security, data center, Internet of Things, big data, e-transformation, technologies, and managed services, and cloud solutions. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of WEC Energy Group, Inc. (NYSE:WEC Free Report) by 8.1% during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 4,646 shares of the utilities providers stock after acquiring an additional 349 shares during the quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLCs holdings in WEC Energy Group were worth $365,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Opal Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of WEC Energy Group during the 1st quarter worth approximately $25,000. Northwest Bank & Trust Co acquired a new position in shares of WEC Energy Group during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Tennessee Valley Asset Management Partners acquired a new stake in shares of WEC Energy Group during the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. First United Bank & Trust acquired a new stake in shares of WEC Energy Group during the 4th quarter worth approximately $30,000. Finally, Olistico Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of WEC Energy Group during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $29,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 77.20% of the companys stock. Get WEC Energy Group alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes Several research firms recently issued reports on WEC. BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on shares of WEC Energy Group from $87.00 to $91.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research report on Thursday, August 1st. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of WEC Energy Group from $80.00 to $86.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 6th. KeyCorp dropped their price objective on shares of WEC Energy Group from $96.00 to $95.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Monday, July 22nd. Scotiabank dropped their price objective on shares of WEC Energy Group from $96.00 to $90.00 and set a sector outperform rating for the company in a research note on Monday, April 22nd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on shares of WEC Energy Group from $93.00 to $98.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, August 1st. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $87.31. Insider Buying and Selling In other WEC Energy Group news, Director Ulice Payne, Jr. sold 750 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $88.45, for a total value of $66,337.50. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 21,876 shares in the company, valued at $1,934,932.20. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, VP Anthony Reese sold 1,362 shares of WEC Energy Group stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $88.78, for a total transaction of $120,918.36. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 1,462 shares in the company, valued at $129,796.36. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Ulice Payne, Jr. sold 750 shares of WEC Energy Group stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $88.45, for a total transaction of $66,337.50. Following the transaction, the director now owns 21,876 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,934,932.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 2,462 shares of company stock valued at $218,668 over the last quarter. Insiders own 0.34% of the companys stock. WEC Energy Group Trading Down 0.5 % NYSE WEC traded down $0.42 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $89.22. 144,755 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,183,790. WEC Energy Group, Inc. has a one year low of $75.13 and a one year high of $92.23. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $81.81 and a 200-day simple moving average of $81.14. The stock has a market cap of $28.18 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.57, a P/E/G ratio of 2.27 and a beta of 0.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.37, a current ratio of 0.74 and a quick ratio of 0.54. WEC Energy Group (NYSE:WEC Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, July 31st. The utilities provider reported $0.67 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.63 by $0.04. WEC Energy Group had a net margin of 15.85% and a return on equity of 12.26%. The business had revenue of $1.77 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.87 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.92 earnings per share. WEC Energy Groups quarterly revenue was down 3.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts anticipate that WEC Energy Group, Inc. will post 4.88 EPS for the current year. WEC Energy Group Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Sunday, September 1st. Investors of record on Wednesday, August 14th will be paid a dividend of $0.835 per share. This represents a $3.34 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.74%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, August 14th. WEC Energy Groups dividend payout ratio is presently 72.93%. About WEC Energy Group (Free Report) WEC Energy Group, Inc, through its subsidiaries, provides regulated natural gas and electricity, and renewable and nonregulated renewable energy services in the United States. It operates through Wisconsin, Illinois, Other States, Electric Transmission, and Non-Utility Energy Infrastructure segments. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding WEC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for WEC Energy Group, Inc. (NYSE:WEC Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for WEC Energy Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for WEC Energy Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC decreased its holdings in shares of Extra Space Storage Inc. (NYSE:EXR Free Report) by 4.6% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,906 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after selling 92 shares during the quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLCs holdings in Extra Space Storage were worth $296,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in EXR. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank lifted its position in shares of Extra Space Storage by 17.0% in the 4th quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 118,087 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $18,933,000 after acquiring an additional 17,163 shares during the period. GSA Capital Partners LLP bought a new position in shares of Extra Space Storage during the 4th quarter worth approximately $3,304,000. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Extra Space Storage by 8.4% during the 4th quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. now owns 2,724,293 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $436,786,000 after buying an additional 211,395 shares during the period. State of Tennessee Treasury Department lifted its position in shares of Extra Space Storage by 252.1% during the 4th quarter. State of Tennessee Treasury Department now owns 114,819 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $18,409,000 after buying an additional 82,207 shares during the period. Finally, Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp lifted its position in shares of Extra Space Storage by 19.3% during the 1st quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp now owns 247,203 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $36,307,000 after buying an additional 40,055 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 99.11% of the companys stock. Get Extra Space Storage alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities analysts have issued reports on the company. Evercore ISI lifted their price objective on Extra Space Storage from $140.00 to $151.00 and gave the company an in-line rating in a research report on Monday, July 15th. Citigroup dropped their target price on Extra Space Storage from $168.00 to $160.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Friday, June 7th. StockNews.com upgraded Extra Space Storage from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 23rd. Scotiabank boosted their target price on Extra Space Storage from $140.00 to $159.00 and gave the stock a sector underperform rating in a research report on Friday, July 19th. Finally, Barclays boosted their target price on Extra Space Storage from $157.00 to $158.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, May 20th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Extra Space Storage currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $160.67. Extra Space Storage Stock Performance NYSE:EXR traded down $1.36 on Thursday, hitting $165.32. The companys stock had a trading volume of 31,775 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,068,776. The company has a current ratio of 0.20, a quick ratio of 0.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $159.18 and a two-hundred day moving average of $148.52. The firm has a market capitalization of $35.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 37.12, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.37 and a beta of 0.83. Extra Space Storage Inc. has a one year low of $101.19 and a one year high of $171.46. Extra Space Storage Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 28th. Investors of record on Friday, June 14th were paid a $1.62 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, June 14th. This represents a $6.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.92%. Extra Space Storages dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 144.32%. Insider Buying and Selling at Extra Space Storage In other Extra Space Storage news, CEO Joseph D. Margolis sold 7,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $152.58, for a total value of $1,144,350.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 31,690 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,835,260.20. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other Extra Space Storage news, Director Joseph J. Bonner sold 677 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, June 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $148.22, for a total transaction of $100,344.94. Following the sale, the director now owns 5,229 shares of the companys stock, valued at $775,042.38. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, CEO Joseph D. Margolis sold 7,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, July 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $152.58, for a total transaction of $1,144,350.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 31,690 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,835,260.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 1.36% of the companys stock. Extra Space Storage Profile (Free Report) Extra Space Storage Inc, headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, is a self-administered and self-managed REIT and a member of the S&P 500. As of December 31, 2023, the Company owned and/or operated 3,714 self-storage stores in 42 states and Washington, DC The Company's stores comprise approximately 2.6 million units and approximately 283.0 million square feet of rentable space operating under the Extra Space, Life Storage and Storage Express brands. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EXR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Extra Space Storage Inc. (NYSE:EXR Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Extra Space Storage Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Extra Space Storage and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Victorias Secret & Co. (NYSE:VSCO Get Free Report) traded up 7.3% during mid-day trading on Thursday after Barclays raised their price target on the stock from $17.00 to $19.00. Barclays currently has an underweight rating on the stock. Victorias Secret & Co. traded as high as $24.16 and last traded at $23.81. 690,683 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 76% from the average session volume of 2,834,205 shares. The stock had previously closed at $22.20. A number of other research analysts have also commented on the company. Morgan Stanley raised Victorias Secret & Co. from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating in a report on Wednesday. Telsey Advisory Group reissued a market perform rating and set a $24.00 price target on shares of Victorias Secret & Co. in a report on Thursday. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price target on Victorias Secret & Co. from $15.00 to $17.00 and gave the company a sell rating in a report on Thursday. Bank of America raised their price target on Victorias Secret & Co. from $15.00 to $18.00 and gave the company an underperform rating in a report on Thursday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on Victorias Secret & Co. from $15.00 to $16.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a report on Friday, May 17th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $19.50. Get Victoria's Secret & Co. alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Victorias Secret & Co. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Victorias Secret & Co. Victorias Secret & Co. Price Performance A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of VSCO. GAMMA Investing LLC purchased a new position in Victorias Secret & Co. in the 4th quarter worth about $41,000. Point72 Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. purchased a new position in Victorias Secret & Co. in the 2nd quarter worth about $50,000. Harvest Fund Management Co. Ltd purchased a new position in Victorias Secret & Co. in the 4th quarter worth about $58,000. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Victorias Secret & Co. in the 4th quarter worth about $76,000. Finally, Arena Capital Advisors LLC CA purchased a new position in Victorias Secret & Co. in the 4th quarter worth about $106,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.29% of the companys stock. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $18.19 and a two-hundred day moving average of $20.58. The stock has a market cap of $1.86 billion, a PE ratio of 18.15, a PEG ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 2.08. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.51, a quick ratio of 0.28 and a current ratio of 0.97. Victorias Secret & Co. (NYSE:VSCO Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, June 5th. The company reported $0.12 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.11 by $0.01. Victorias Secret & Co. had a return on equity of 46.52% and a net margin of 1.71%. The firm had revenue of $1.36 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.36 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.28 EPS. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 3.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts anticipate that Victorias Secret & Co. will post 1.73 EPS for the current year. About Victorias Secret & Co. (Get Free Report) Victoria's Secret & Co operates as a specialty retailer of women's intimate, and other apparel and beauty products worldwide. It offers bras, panties, lingerie, casual sleepwear, and athleisure and swim, as well as fragrances and body care; and loungewear, knit tops, activewear, and accessories and beauty under the Victoria's Secret, PINK, and Adore Me brands. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Victoria's Secret & Co. Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Victoria's Secret & Co. and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Special prosecutor Brian Wice makes his way to the 185th courtroom for suspended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxtons eight-year-old felony securities fraud case at the Harris County Courthouse on Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023 in Houston. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer A pair of lawyers who prosecuted Attorney General Ken Paxton on securities fraud charges wont be paid more than a couple thousand dollars for their work on the case since 2016, a Houston-based appeals court ruled Thursday. The decision is a major blow to the special prosecutors, who have been fighting for years to be paid a higher rate. Prosecutor pro tem Brian Wice, center right, talks with defense attorneys for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton during a hearing in his securities fraud case Friday, Feb. 16, 2024, 185th District Court at the Harris County criminal courthouse in Houston. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer They cut a deal with Paxton in March just weeks before the case was set to go to trial. In exchange for having his charges dismissed, Paxton agreed to do 100 hours of community service, complete 15 hours of legal ethics classes and pay about $300,000 in restitution to the alleged victims. Advertisement Article continues below this ad RELATED: Texas AG Ken Paxton reaches deal allowing him to avoid trial in criminal securities fraud case The fight over pay is the only unfinished argument in the nine-year-long case, one of the longest-running in Texas history. Harris County District Court Judge Andrea Beall in October ruled that the special prosecutors should be paid $300 an hour. On Thursday, a three-judge panel of the 1st Court of Appeals overruled the decision. Special prosecutor Brian Wice said in a statement he would appeal to the state's highest criminal court. "Today, the court of appeals effectively held that the special prosecutors must be paid less than $5 an hour for all of the work they performed over the last eight years," Wice said, adding that he was confident the new ruling would be overturned. Advertisement Article continues below this ad File photo of special prosecutor Kent Schaffer from 2023. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer His co-counsel, special prosecutor Kent Schaffer, who withdrew from the case just before a deal was struck, estimated that he is owed about $210,000 for about 700 hours of work. He said in an interview that he "wasn't surprised at all" by the ruling. "That's one of the reasons I got off the case," Schaffer said. "The fix is in. In any of these political cases, the fix is in. Every statewide elected official who's ever been prosecuted, the appellate courts have had their back 100%." Paxton was indicted in July 2015 for failing to inform friends that he would make a commission off their investment in a North Texas tech company and for neglecting to register with the state as an investment adviser. Wice and Schaffer were appointed as special prosecutors after the Collin County district attorney recused himself because of his relationship with Paxton. Collin County taxpayers are on the hook for their bill because the case originated there. The countys commissioners court paid the prosecutors a couple hundred thousand dollars in 2016, then contested the fees and stopped making payments. Wice and Schaffer have not been paid since. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The county says the prosecutors must be paid according to a fee schedule that sets a cap of $2,000 for pretrial work in noncapital cases. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, third from left, speaks with his defense attorneys after appearing in the 185th District Court for a hearing in his securities fraud case Friday, Feb. 16, 2024, at the Harris County criminal courthouse in Houston. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer The Court of Criminal Appeals, the states highest criminal court, in 2018 had ruled that the $300-an-hour rate was outside the legal limit. That might have been the end of the issue, but when the case was assigned to Beall last year, she ruled the county fee was not reasonable for a case of this complexity. Collin County appealed. The Houston appeals court on Thursday said that judges do not get to decide what is a reasonable fee and must abide by fee schedules set by local judges. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Chris Kratovil, an attorney for Collin County, said he was pleased with the ruling. This is a win for the taxpayers of Collin County, Texas, and Im happy to have and honored to have been part of the team to deliver that win, Kratovil said. Special Prosecutors Brian Wice, left, and Jed Silverman address reporters after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton agreed to pre-trial diversion in his securities fraud case Tuesday, March 26, 2024 at Harris County Criminal Courts at Law in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Kratovil said this case should serve as an example of why private sector attorneys should not be appointed as special prosecutors when local district attorneys recuse themselves. If the state district judge in question had done that rather than appointing private sector lawyers from 250 miles away, none of this litigation would have been necessary, he said. A couple assistant district attorneys in Dallas County or Tarrant County or Denton County or Kaufman County could have handled this at no additional expense to the taxpayers. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A previously unknown threat actor has been attributed to a spate of attacks targeting Azerbaijan and Israel with an aim to steal sensitive data. The attack campaign, detected by NSFOCUS on July 1, 2024, leveraged spear-phishing emails to single out Azerbaijani and Israeli diplomats. The activity is being tracked under the moniker Actor240524. "Actor240524 possesses the ability to steal secrets and modify file data, using a variety of countermeasures to avoid overexposure of attack tactics and techniques," the cybersecurity company said in an analysis published last week. The attack chains commence with the use of phishing emails bearing Microsoft Word documents that, upon opening, urge the recipients to "Enable Content" and run a malicious macro responsible for executing an intermediate loader payload codenamed ABCloader ("MicrosoftWordUpdater.log"). In the next step, ABCloader acts as a conduit to decrypt and load a DLL malware called ABCsync ("synchronize.dll"), which then establishes contact with a remote server ("185.23.253[.]143") to receive and run commands. "Its main function is to determine the running environment, decrypt the program, and load the subsequent DLL (ABCsync)," NSFOCUS said. "It then performs various anti-sandbox and anti-analysis techniques for environmental detection." Some of the prominent functions of ABCsync are to execute remote shells, run commands using cmd.exe, and exfiltrate system information and other data. Both ABCloader and ABCsync have been observed employing techniques like string encryption to cloak important file paths, file names, keys, error messages, and command-and-control (C2) addresses. They also carry out several checks to determine if the processes are being debugged or executed in a virtual machine or sandbox by validating the display resolution. Another crucial step taken by Actor240524 is that it inspects if the number of processes running in the compromised system is less than 200, and if so, it exits the malicious process. ABCloader is also designed to launch a similar loader called "synchronize.exe" and a DLL file named "vcruntime190.dll" or "vcruntime220.dll," which are capable of setting up persistence on the host. "Azerbaijan and Israel are allied countries with close economic and political exchanges," NSFOCUS said. "Actor240524's operation this time is likely aimed at the cooperative relationship between the two countries, targeting phishing attacks on diplomatic personnel of both countries." Semiconductor firm Signetics to start $100 mln Vietnam factory production in 2025 By Tri Duc Thu, August 15, 2024 | 2:07 pm GMT+7 South Korean semiconductor firm Signetics plans to put its Vinh Phuc province-based $100-million factory, that will supply products to chaebols Samsung and SK, into operation by October 2025. Signetics and CNCTech, a local provider of precision machines and a major industrial park developer in the northern province, signed an agreement Wednesday to build and operate the factory. CNCTech is known for its portfolio of over 600 hectares of industrial real estate. Representatives of Signetics and CNCTech sign an agreement in Vinh Phuc province, northern Vietnam, August 14, 2024. Photo courtesy of Vinh Phuc newspaper. The Signetics factory in Ba Thien I Industrial Park will cover five hectares, producing flip-chip, MCM, BGA, and FBGA, which are essential components of memory chips, graphics processing units (GPU) and televisions. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Vinh Phuc Chairman Tran Duy Dong said South Korea was the provinces top foreign investor, both in terms of investment value and project number. He asked relevant agencies to help the investor process administrative procedures and utility services. He also requested Young Poong, the parent firm of Signetics, to make further high-tech investments in the province. As of July 2024, Vinh Phuc had attracted foreign direct investment (FDI) of $7.33 billion in 555 valid projects, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment. South Korea was the provinces biggest investor with 238 projects and a total registered capital of over $3 billion. Vietnam remains Samsungs key hub for manufacturing, R&D By Tri Duc Thu, August 15, 2024 | 11:54 am GMT+7 Vietnam is a key hub of Samsung for manufacturing and research & development (R&D) activities, a Samsung Vietnam delegation said at a press meeting on Wednesday. Vietnams key role is demonstrated by the fact that Vietnamese staff directly participate in the R&D, manufacturing, and exporting of Samsungs latest products, a representative said at the event hosted at Samsung Electronics Vietnam Thai Nguyen (SEVT) headquarters. Park Sung Ho (standing), CEO of Samsung Electronics Vietnam Thai Nguyen, speaks at a press meeting on August 14, 2024. Photo courtesy of Thai Nguyen newspaper. Key examples are Samsungs latest flagship phones, namely Galaxy Z Flip 6, are produced by SEVT. Galaxy Z Fold 6, another Samsung flagship phone, is manufactured at Samsung Electronics Vietnam (SEV) in the neighboring province of Bac Ninh. Those two products, along with other phones, are researched and developed by Samsungs R&D center in Hanoi. Samsung Vietnam also highlighted its strong support for staff, including 45 fully-furnished campuses with 5,300 rooms hosting 18,000 staff and 800 45-seat buses for workers commuting to work. The company runs 14 canteens serving a total of 117,000 meals a day and 23,000 people at once. It also operates eight healthcare facilities with 190 hospital beds. Samsung now operates six factories in Vietnam, one R&D center, and one retailing entity. Last year, the tech giant contributed $55.7 billion to Vietnams total export revenue. In 2023, the country earned an export turnover of $355.5 billion, down 4.4% year-on-year as external demand weakened, according to the General Statistics Office. Earlier in August, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha called on Samsung to continue its pioneering role in Vietnams transition to a digital and green economy, at a meeting with general director of Samsung Vietnam Choi Joo Ho. He also suggested foreign firms, including Samsung Vietnam, to propose the Vietnamese government measures to remove bottlenecks in the execution of the Direct Power Purchase Agreement (DPPA) rules, with a view to operating the electricity market in line with the market mechanism. Samsung has so far invested $22.4 billion in Vietnam, Samsung executive chairman Lee Jae-yong told Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at a meeting in July. After heavy rainfall soaked much of South Texas in late July, Medina Lake started to finally show some signs of life. But dry weather returned in August, and the progress the lake was making has ground to a halt. The surface elevation of the lake, which sits on the border of Bandera and Medina counties, had fallen to a record low 970.05 feet above mean sea level on July 22. In the week that followed, Medina Lakes elevation rose by about 6 feet, reaching 976.02 feet on July 29. Even though the lake was only considered 3.6% full at the time, the rise in water levels was the highest since October 2018. Shown are the drought levels across part of South Texas, as of Thursday, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. National Drought Mitigation Center All improvement has stopped. A strong regime of high atmospheric pressure has developed in the upper-level weather pattern, halting rain chances across the region. As of Thursday, the lakes surface elevation has dropped back to 975.34 feet, which means the lake is only 3.5% full. Advertisement Article continues below this ad With dry weather in the forecast, the dropping of lake levels shows no signs of stopping. The surface elevation is decreasing at about a half-inch per day. At that rate, the lake will likely drop an additional foot over the next three weeks if we dont pick up substantial rainfall. Drought conditions San Antonio had an exceptionally wet July, recording 4.25 inches of rain during the month. But since July 29, San Antonio has only measured 0.03 inch of rain, and conditions are likely to stay dry as we head into the second half of August. A floating dock sits in the water below a home just north of the dam at Medina Lake on Thursday, July 25, 2024. The lake is currently 3.5% full with a mean water level of 975.75 feet above sea level according to Water Data for Texas. Water levels have risen 5.47 feet in the last two days due to recent rains though the lake is still 88.46 feet below conservation pool level. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer Exposed trees sit far below a home just north of the dam at Medina Lake on Thursday, July 25, 2024. The lake is currently 3.5% full with a mean water level of 975.75 feet above sea level according to Water Data for Texas. Water levels have risen 5.47 feet in the last two days due to recent rains though the lake is still 88.46 feet below conservation pool level. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer Water begins to cover established vegetation below exposed trees at Medina Lake on Thursday, July 25, 2024. The lake is currently 3.5% full with a mean water level of 975.75 feet above sea level according to Water Data for Texas. Water levels have risen 5.47 feet in the last two days due to recent rains though the lake is still 88.46 feet below conservation pool level. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer Floating docs sit stranded far from the water just north of the dam at Medina Lake on Thursday, July 25, 2024. The lake is currently 3.5% full with a mean water level of 975.75 feet above sea level according to Water Data for Texas. Water levels have risen 5.47 feet in the last two days due to recent rains though the lake is still 88.46 feet below conservation pool level. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer Exposed trees rise above the water just north of the dam at Medina Lake on Thursday, July 25, 2024. The lake is currently 3.5% full with a mean water level of 975.75 feet above sea level according to Water Data for Texas. Water levels have risen 5.47 feet in the last two days due to recent rains though the lake is still 88.46 feet below conservation pool level. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer A party dock sits exposed well off the water at Medina Lake on Thursday, July 25, 2024. The lake is currently 3.5% full with a mean water level of 975.75 feet above sea level according to Water Data for Texas. Water levels have risen 5.47 feet in the last two days due to recent rains though the lake is still 88.46 feet below conservation pool level. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer Water covers established vegetation next to exposed trees at Medina Lake on Thursday, July 25, 2024. The lake is currently 3.5% full with a mean water level of 975.75 feet above sea level according to Water Data for Texas. Water levels have risen 5.47 feet in the last two days due to recent rains though the lake is still 88.46 feet below conservation pool level. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer A floating dock sits in the water below a home just north of the dam at Medina Lake on Thursday, July 25, 2024. The lake is currently 3.5% full with a mean water level of 975.75 feet above sea level according to Water Data for Texas. Water levels have risen 5.47 feet in the last two days due to recent rains though the lake is still 88.46 feet below conservation pool level. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer A floating dock sits in a cove behind exposed trees just north of the dam at Medina Lake on Thursday, July 25, 2024. The lake is currently 3.5% full with a mean water level of 975.75 feet above sea level according to Water Data for Texas. Water levels have risen 5.47 feet in the last two days due to recent rains though the lake is still 88.46 feet below conservation pool level. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer Floating docs sit stranded far from the water just north of the dam at Medina Lake on Thursday, July 25, 2024. The lake is currently 3.5% full with a mean water level of 975.75 feet above sea level according to Water Data for Texas. Water levels have risen 5.47 feet in the last two days due to recent rains though the lake is still 88.46 feet below conservation pool level. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer Floating docks, left, and a helipad just north of the dam at Medina Lake on Thursday, July 25, 2024. The lake is currently 3.5% full with a mean water level of 975.75 feet above sea level according to Water Data for Texas. Water levels have risen 5.47 feet in the last two days due to recent rains though the lake is still 88.46 feet below conservation pool level. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer A dock sits in a narrow sliver of water Monday, Aug. 8, 2022 of Medina Lake in Lakehills. The lake fell to 9.9 percent full Monday according to the Texas Water Development Boards Water Data for Texas website and has been dropping 0.1 percent per day for much of the summer. The lake is now 71 feet below conservation pool elevation. William Luther/Staff photographer For the year, San Antonio has recorded 19.48 inches of rain. Technically, thats slightly above average for the Alamo City through Aug. 15. However, even though our 2024 rainfall totals are looking good, The National Drought Mitigation Center still has San Antonio placed in a moderate drought, which is typified by local water restrictions and low levels at creeks and streams. Why is that? Advertisement Article continues below this ad Heres why: During 2022 and 2023, San Antonio averaged just above 15 inches of rain each year, less than half of what is normal. The extreme lack of rain caused long-term drought and historically low lake levels across the region. While the higher rainfall this year has helped, were still trying to dig ourselves out of the years-long rainfall deficit. Upcoming rain forecast With high pressure and extreme heat expected across the Lone Star State over the next week, the chance of rain here in South Texas is looking extremely slim. An isolated shower or storm cannot be ruled out by the second half of next week, but overall chances are not good. The outlook for Aug. 22-28 from the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center calls for a high probability of below-average rainfall across Texas. Climate Prediction Center The weather pattern is expected to remain unfavorable into the final week of the month as well. According to the Climate Prediction Centers outlook for Aug. 22-28, below-normal precipitation is anticipated for South Texas. Drought conditions are likely to worsen and lake levels will decrease further. Advertisement Article continues below this ad What about Canyon Lake? You have reached a premium content area of Transitions. To read this entire article please login if you are already a Transitions subscriber. Not a subscriber? Subscribe today for access to: Full access to the website, including premium articles videos, country reports and searchable archives (containing over 25,000 articles). The Ukrainian surprise attack into Russian territory heads into its second week, challenging Moscow on its home front. From The Conversation. The Ukrainian advance into Russias Kursk oblast took almost everyone by surprise. Perhaps not the Russians stationed on the border, who reportedly tried to warn of a Ukrainian troop buildup, but the rest of us who watch the conflict closely did not think the Ukrainian army under increasingly severe pressure in Donetsk oblast further south had the spare manpower and kit to launch this operation. So far it has been successful, advancing up to 30km in some directions and creating a salient inside Russia some 40km wide. An area of about 800 square kilometers has been seized so far according to the Institute for the Study of War in the greatest loss of western Russian territory since April 1944. How have the Ukrainians done it, and what might happen next? First, they have had good operational security (opsec). Remember the US Discord leaks last year that gave away the battle order of Ukraines summer 2023 offensive forces? Well, thankfully, this time that hasnt happened, and America even initially deemed surprise that the Ukrainians had attacked into Russia, before later endorsing the move. Better opsec means a less prepared enemy, as was the case when Ukraines lead brigades rolled over the border early on 6 August. Second, and perhaps most importantly, they picked a weakly defended stretch of the border to attack, near the Russian town of Sudzha, nearly 200km northwest of the closest front line in Kharkiv, and 350km from the main front line. On the main front line, Russia has managed to generate a persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability (ISR), using drones and pairing this with guided missiles and bombs to make it very hard for the Ukrainians to move without being targeted. This has made it difficult to mass forces and maneuver in the way needed to achieve a breakthrough. Russian defenses and force ratios are also strong here. But in moving the point of attack to a relatively unguarded stretch of border, Ukraine has managed to negate these advantages and set the conditions for an operational breakthrough. In Kursk, the Ukrainians are back on the offensive and the mechanized brigades are rolling again, causing chaos and confusion as they get behind the Russian lines and fan out. It has been an impressive move. On top of concentrating elements of six brigades, many with western tanks and armored fighting vehicles, without being attacked, they have used deep reconnaissance groups to cause chaos and confusion ahead of the main thrusts. Crucially, they have also managed to establish and maintain an air defense (AD) and electronic warfare (EW) bubble over their advancing forces. The AD bubble makes it much more difficult for Russian fast jets and helicopters to operate near Ukrainian forces, while EW jams the frequency spectrums needed for Russia to operate its drone-based ISR. Weve also seen the Ukrainians adapt tactically, successfully using first-person-view (FPV) drones against helicopters for the first time. Russias attack helicopters were crucial in breaking up the 2023 summer offensive, so this move could have a major impact on Russias ability to use helicopters near the front lines. Theyve also used their own fast jets in the close air support role, hitting ground targets in Russia. The cumulative effect of this combined arms coordination is that Russian commanders arriving to relieve Kursk have spoken of how difficult it will be to dislodge the Ukrainian army quickly. The Damage Done According to one top Ukrainian official, the operation aims to stretch the positions of the enemy, to inflict maximum losses and to destabilize the situation in Russia. The unnamed official added that the attack has greatly raised our morale, the morale of the Ukrainian army, state and society. The morale boost is well apparent, but with Russia actually increasing its push into Donetsk recently, it is not clear if the Kursk operation will bring any relief for Ukraines beleaguered defenders there. Either way, this kind of successfully executed operation doesnt just happen. It will have been carefully planned for months. And that timeline perhaps gives an indication of its ultimate strategic objective. Months ago, Donald Trump was odds-on to become the next US president. He has stated he will stop aid to force Ukraine to negotiate with Russia. So perhaps the strategic aim is to seize and hold Russian territory as leverage in any future negotiations. Significantly, the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has congratulated the armed forces for increasing the size of Ukraines exchange fund. Will They Stay or Will They Go? There have been reports of Ukrainian troops using mechanical diggers to build trenches inside Russia, which could indicate plans to try to defend at least some of the seized territory. Meanwhile, the Russians are doing similar, with a view to stabilizing the lines. This will be their short-term goal, followed by the attrition of Ukrainian forces and the reducing of the pocket occupied by the incursion. But this will take time. Looking ahead, absent another Ukrainian surprise, an unlikely Russian military disaster, or a political deal, the most likely course of action is that Russias numerical advantage will begin to tell. Then Kyiv will have a decision to make: to withdraw troops back into Ukraine or to prepare defensive lines on Russian territory further west. As a withdrawal while in contact with the enemy is notoriously tricky, this would be better done sooner rather than later. They could try to hold what they have but this is reliant on reinforcing and sustaining the salient, and risks getting badly mauled by the Russians over time. Finally, there could potentially be some sort of quick deal solution: Ukraine withdraws in return for a Russian withdrawal from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which could provide sorely needed energy this winter, for example. Ukraines Kursk offensive is high risk and high stakes. So far, the operation has been successful, but its eventual outcome rather than events a week in will determine its wider importance. But Ukraine has shown the west it can use their equipment and its own jets inside Russia without major escalation. It may also contribute to another round of Russian mobilization, increasing the political risk to the Kremlin. And one thing neither side will forget is how easy it was for Ukraine to roll over the weakly protected Russian border and embarrass Putin. Written by Dr. Patrick Bury for The Conversation. Republished with permission. Bury is a reader (senior associate professor) at the Politics, Languages & International Studies Institute for Digital Security and Behavior (IDSB), University of Bath, specializing in warfare and counter-terrorism. He served as a British Army infantry officer and was subsequently an analyst at NATO. Assystem, one of the world's leading independent nuclear engineering companies, said its key unit - Assystem Radicon - has been signed up by Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC) as its partner for conducting pre-development studies for renewable energy parks in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This collaboration comes under a three-year Framework Consultancy Agreement Technical IPP predevelopment service, said Assystem in a LinkedIn notification. As per the deal, Assystem Radicon will be responsible for certifying that the quality of work conforms to the specifications, norms, standards and drawings as per Saudi Aramco requirements. A major global player in the nuclear engineering sector, Assystem has been supporting Saudi Arabias switch to low-carbon energy and infrastructure through its Radicon subsidiary. Radicon, which started out in Saudi Arabia 30 years ago as a local engineering company, now has offices in Riyadh, Al Khobar and Yanbu cities. This is Assystem Radicon's second contract win from SPPC as it had clinched a project management and construction supervision services contract for the Taiba and Qassim power plant gas pipeline project. In June this year, the Saudi Ministry of Energy had launched the Geographic Survey Project for Renewable Energy sites in the Kingdom. Under this plan, it will install 1,200 stations for measuring solar and wind energy across all regions of the kingdom.-TradeArabia News Service Amanat Holdings, a leading healthcare and education investment company, has seen its first-half (H1) net profit decline 8% to AED89.1 million ($24.2 million), impacted by a one-time gain in the previous year and the corporate tax in UAE. Excluding these items net profit was 12% higher year-on-year. Meanwhile, the companys revenue grew by 17% year-on-year to AED433 million in H1 2024 driven by strong performance in Education, which grew 26% year-on-year EBITDA increased by 1% year-on-year to AED154 million in H1 2024, with an 18% increase in Education partially offset by a decline at Healthcare due to a one-time prior year gain and near-term revenue pressure in the UAE. Excluding the prior year one-time gain, adjusted EBITDA increased by 8%. Net profit before tax and zakat Net profit before tax and zakat increased 2% year-on-year to AED101 million in H1 2024, or 13% excluding a prior year one-time gain. The companys balance sheet shows significant cash balance of AED480 million with low leverage at the end of H1 2024. Amanats Board has endorsed an interim dividend of AED75 million for the period, equivalent to AED3 fils per share, reflecting Amanats commitment to returning value to its shareholders H1 2024 operating highlights Strong student and beneficiary growth: Over 3,000 students and beneficiaries added across Education, bringing total enrollments to more than 20,000 with record increases at Middlesex University Dubai (MDX) (up 20%) and Human Development Company (HDC) (up 22%) and a 14% increase at NEMA. Expanding special education needs network: HDC opened 3 new centres in the first half of 2024, following the launch of 6 new centres in 2023 taking total centres to 31. An additional 9 centres are under development and scheduled for opening through 2025. Amanats Chairman, Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, said: Amanat made strong progress on its value creation strategy in the first half of 2024, with continued growth at the Education business and with both our Healthcare and Education businesses well positioned to capture significant demand growth, underpinned by favorable market and sector fundamentals. Interim dividend The payment of an interim dividend of AED75 million also demonstrates our ongoing commitment to translate growth into consistent shareholder returns through our attractive dividend policy. John Ireland, Chief Executive Officer, added: Amanat delivered a robust set of results in the first half of 2024, with revenue and adjusted EBITDA up 17% and 8% respectively year-on-year, driven by the strong performance of our Education business, which saw revenue increase 26% year-on-year, supported by record enrollments with over 3,000 students and beneficiaries added in the period. We remain committed to both driving growth in long-term care through increasing bed capacity, with 200 beds currently under construction, and growing our Education business through increasing enrollments in the UAE, further expansion of HDC and exploring M&A opportunities.--TradeArabia News Service Dubai Chambers has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bank of China Dubai Branch to develop collaboration and enhance cooperation between the business communities in Dubai and China. The signing of the agreement coincides with the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the UAE and China. Trade and investment ties between the two markets have been growing steadily, with Dubai emerging as an increasingly attractive destination for Chinese businesses in all sectors seeking to expand both within the region and globally. The MoU was signed by Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers, and XinYuan Pan, General Manager of Bank of China Dubai Branch, at Dubai Chambers headquarters. The agreement outlines a framework for enhanced cooperation between the two parties and is aimed at contributing to achieving their shared goals through the exchange of knowledge and services, as well as enhancing mutual support for investors, entrepreneurs, and businesses in Dubai and China to boost the growth of bilateral trade and investments and strengthen economic relations. Diverse opportunities The signing of the MoU comes ahead of the Dubai Business Forum China, which will be organised by Dubai Chambers and will take place in Beijing on August 21. The event aims to highlight the diverse opportunities available in Dubai for Chinese investors across a wide range of strategic sectors. The Bank of China ranks among the four largest state-owned commercial banks in the Peoples Republic of China. Dubai is home to the first branch of the Bank of China in the Middle East region, which was launched in 2013.--TradeArabia News Service Samer Abu-Ltaif, Microsofts Corporate Vice President & President Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa, secured the coveted top spot in the Forbes Middle Easts twelfth edition of its flagship Global Meets Local ranking. In April 2024, Microsoft announced a $1.5 billion investment into Abu Dhabis G42, with plans to establish a $1 billion fund for developers to boost AI skills in the region. Andrew Torre, Regional President, Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa for Visa, and Dimitrios Dosis, PresidentEastern Europe, Middle East & Africa (EEMEA) at Mastercard, round up the top three entries. Regional heads of MNCs The ranking spotlights the regional heads of the top multinational corporations that have expertly steered the distinctive Mena business environment, leaving a lasting impact on the region's economic transformation and global integration. The 2024 ranking features 104 outstanding executives leading the regional offices of 100 Forbes Global 2000 companies. The listees hail from 40 different nationalities. Lebanon tops the ranking with 12 executives, followed by India with eight, and the U.K. and France with seven each. Among the 100 companies, 55% are based in the US, with the remainder spread across 15 other countries. These companies span 30 sectors, illustrating the pivotal role that multinational corporations play in diversifying the regions economies. The technology sector leads with 19 entries, followed by nine pharmaceutical companies and seven automotive firms. Six different sectors are alone represented in the top 10. Investments in accessible education have gained traction and become a central focus among the executives featured in this years ranking. In 2023, Yasser Abdul Malak launched Nestle Middle Easts Nestle Academy as part of a $1.9 billion initiative aimed at empowering Saudi talent, aligning with Saudis Vision 2030. Similarly, Intel Corps Taha Khalifa introduced Intel Corps digital literacy programme, Intel Skills for Innovation, across the Middle East. Targeting women specifically, Oracles Leopoldo Boado Lama and Nick Redshaw launched the sAIdaty initiative in January, in partnership with the Dubai Business Women Council, to enhance AI skills among women. Digital transformation Beyond education, several companies have been accelerating digital transformation in the region through significant projects and initiatives. For instance, in March 2024, IBM announced a plan to invest over $200 million in talent and infrastructure for a new IBM software lab in Riyadh. In May 2024, Google rolled out new AI Gemini models and other features, introducing the advanced Arabic version of Gemini Advanced. Global Meets Local 2024 Top 10 *Samer Abu-Ltaif Company: Microsoft Designation: Corporate Vice President & President Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa Nationality: Lebanese Global Headquarters: US Sector: Technology *Andrew Torre Company: Visa Designation: Regional President, Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa Nationality: American Global Headquarters: US Sector: Technology *Dimitrios Dosis Company: Mastercard Designation: President Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa Global Headquarters: US Nationality: German Sector: Technology *John (Mick) Nicholson; Joseph Rank Company: Lockheed Martin Designation: Nicholson: CEO Middle East; Rank: CEO Saudi Arabia & Africa Nationality: Americans Global Headquarters: US Sector: Aerospace *Kami Viswanathan Company: FedEx Designation: President Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and Africa Nationality: Indian Global Headquarters: US Sector: Logistics *Kuljit Ghata-Aura Company: Boeing Designation: President Middle East, Turkiye, Africa and Central Asia Nationality: British Global Headquarters: US Sector: Aerospace *Yasser Abdul Malak Company: Nestle Middle East Designation: Chairman and CEO Mena Nationality: Lebanese Global Headquarters: Switzerland Sector: Food and Beverages *Guy Hutchinson Company: Hilton Designation: President Middle East & Africa Nationality: British Global Headquarters: US Sector: Hotels and Hospitality *Johannes Hummer Company: Vodafone Designation: Regional Head of Middle East, Africa, Caucasus & Central Asia Nationality: Austrian Global Headquarters: UK Sector: Telecommunications *Anthony Nakache Company: Google Designation: Managing Director Mena Nationality: French Global Headquarters: US Sector: Technology To compile this list, Forbes Middle East analysed the 2024 Forbes Global 2000 list, focusing on companies with significant operations in the Mena region. The top-ranking executives from their regional headquarters were then evaluated based on factors such as the impact and scope of their role, sustainability and CSR initiatives, business size, personal achievements, and public recognition.--TradeArabia News Service Three innovative Bahraini female-led startups have been announced as the winners of the fifth cohort of the Standard Chartered Women in Tech incubation programme, a key part of a global initiative by Standard Chartered Bank. The first prize of $35,000 was awarded to Ingy Alireza, Founder of Numuw, the second prize of $25,000 went to Shahd Al Zaki Co-Founder of ProCode, and the third prize of $15,000 was earned by Sarah Barghout, Founder of Lets Collect. These winners were carefully selected by a distinguished panel of judges representing all programme partners. The announcement followed the presentations of the 10 participating female entrepreneurs, whose ventures span a diverse array of industries, including E-Sports, B2B Marketplace, Food Technology (FoodTech), Education Technology (Ed-Tech), HR & Employee Wellness, Event Management Platform, Restaurant Management Software, Health Technology (Health-Tech), and Loyalty and Rewards. The winners were revealed during the programmes demo day, attended by esteemed executives and representatives, including Dr Boutros Klink, CEO of Standard Chartered Bahrain; Noora Al-Nusuf, Head of Corporate Affairs and Brand and Marketing, Middle East (excluding UAE) at Standard Chartered Bank; Yasmeen Al Sharaf, Director of the FinTech & Innovation Unit at the Central Bank of Bahrain; representatives from Tamkeen and the Supreme Council for Women; Ahmed Hejres, Financial Counselor at Unido ITPO Bahrain; and Marwa Aleskafi, Director of Programs and Partnerships Development at Tamkeen; Eng Mariam Jumaan, Member of the Supreme Council for Women and Suzy Al Zeerah, Chief Operating Officer of Bahrain FinTech Bay. Launched in March 2024, the fifth edition of the Women in Tech programme is a key part of a global initiative by Standard Chartered Bank. The programme, in partnership with Bahrain FinTech Bay, Innovate for Bahrain, and in collaboration with the Central Bank of Bahrain, Tamkeen, the Supreme Council for Women, and Unido ITPO Bahrain, provides comprehensive support, mentorship, and funding to empower Bahraini female entrepreneurs. Each year, 10 applicants are selected to participate in an eight-week programme, concluding with the selection of three winners who receive financial rewards and a three-month residency at Bahrain FinTech Bay. This initiative aims to foster the entrepreneurial potential of Bahraini women and integrate them into the Kingdom's economic development. TradeArabia News Service Topsoe, a global leader in carbon emission reduction technologies, has signed an agreement with Holborn Europa Raffinerie GmbH (Holborn), to provide its HydroFlex technology for the production of SAF and renewable diesel at its plant in Hamburg. Holborn is a successful oil refinery that supplies Hamburg and northern Germany with fuels and heating oil. The production will serve to address the rapidly growing demand for SAF. As cited by the International Energy Agencys Net Zero Scenario, over 10 per cent of fuel consumption in aviation needs to be SAF by 2030 to stay on course for net zero CO2 emissions by 2050. In 2022, the International Air Transport Association estimated global SAF production to make up only around 0.1 per cent to 0.15 per cent of total jet fuel demand. Elena Scaltritti, Chief Commercial Officer at Topsoe, said: We are pleased to sign this agreement with Holborn. To support the energy transition, we need a cleaner long-distance transportation sector. A key step in securing this is by increasing production of SAF and renewable diesel. Holborn is spearheading the rollout of SAF in Northern Europe through its Hamburg plant, and we are proud to be a part of this process. We look forward to delivering our technology and continue working with Holborn to accelerate the uptake of SAF in Europe and globally. Lars Bergmann, Chief Executive Officer at Holborn, said: Our complex in Hamburg is at the forefront of our commitment to implement the energy transition. As such, it is vital we bring in the best technology to deliver on the high standards and specifications required for the project. Holborn is very pleased to sign this agreement with Topsoe, who are proven market leaders, and whose technology is vital for processing our specific feedstock requirements. Holborn develops the renewable fuels complex for Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) inside the existing refinery in Hamburg, Germany. The plant is expected to be operational in early 2027, including the interconnecting infrastructure with the existing facilities. Once completed, the plant will produce approximately 220,000 tons per year of renewable diesel and SAF using waste and residue feedstocks. This agreement with Holborn follows a number of wins announced by Topsoe for the roll-out of its HydroFlex technology, including Braya Renewable Fuels Come By Chance plant in Canada, Cepsa Bioenergia San Roques Palos de la Frontera plant in Spain, and Guangxi Hongkun Biomass in China. -TradeArabia News Service 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. A Minnesota state trooper with a spotty driving record was charged with manslaughter and vehicular homicide Tuesday in a high-speed crash that killed a high school cheerleader weeks before she was set to graduate. Witnesses said Shane Roper, 32, was allegedly "hauling ass" and "flying" in a patrol car without its emergency lights or siren activated when it T-boned a Ford Focus making a left turn near the Apache Mall in Rochester around 5:40 p.m. on May 18. One or both cars then struck a Toyota RAV4 SUV, leaving all five people in the civilian vehicles seriously injured. Olivia Flores, 18, of Owatonna, Minnesota, who was traveling in the rear in the Focus, died of blunt force trauma at a local hospital. A "ride along" passenger in Roper's car suffered multiple fractures but Roper escaped with minor injuries, according to authorities. An investigation revealed that Roper had floored the accelerator and was traveling at 83 mph more than twice the 40 mph speed limit when he approached the intersection, Olmsted County Attorney Mark Ostrem said in a news release. Roper, who said he was pursuing a suspected traffic violator, allegedly didn't ease off the accelerator until 1.4 seconds before impact. "Trooper Roper, violating his duty in such a gross fashion, caused the death of a young lady celebrating her impending graduation from high school," Ostrem said. "As with any other person driving recklessly and without regard to very basic rules of the road, Mr. Roper's conduct cannot be tolerated." Roper didn't have a lawyer listed for him, the Associated Press said. The investigation into the deadly crash revealed that Roper drove in excess of 99 mph four times earlier in the day and once reached 135 mph, all without his emergency lights on, Ostrem said. Roper's disciplinary records also showed he was involved in four earlier crashes blamed on "inattentive driving or excessive speed," according to the criminal complaint against him. In addition to the charges in Flores' death, which each carry a maximum 10 years in prison, Roper faces seven lesser counts involving the other victims. The Minnesota State Patrol said Roper was on paid leave pending resolution of the case. "We express our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Olivia Flores and to the other community members affected by the tragic fatal crash that occurred on May 18 in Rochester," Col. Christina Bogojevic said in a statement reported by the Star Tribune. "The conduct alleged in the criminal complaint is concerning and does not align with the State Patrol's core values." At the centre of Stonehenge lies the Altar Stone, a hefty slab of sandstone whose origin and purpose have been among the famed megalithic monument's enduring mysteries. A new analysis has revealed that this rectangular colossus took a remarkable journey to become part of one of humankind's ancient wonders. Its geochemical fingerprint is a perfect match for bedrock found in northeastern Scotland, researchers said on Wednesday, indicating that the Altar Stone - weighing an estimated six tons - was transported roughly 700-750 kilometres (435-465 miles) by Stonehenge's creators to Salisbury Plain in southern England. The findings left the researchers stunned. No stone from any other monument dating to that time period is known to have been transported such a distance. "We couldn't believe it," said Anthony Clarke, a doctoral student in geology at Curtin University in Australia and lead author of the study published in the journal Nature, opens new tab. The common belief for the past century had been that it had been sourced from Wales like some other large Stonehenge components. The Altar Stone, recumbent rather than erect, is 4.9 metres (16 feet) long, a metre (3-1/4 feet) wide and half a metre (1-2/3 feet) thick. It is grey-green sandstone, though its rippled and weathered surface now has a red-brown colouration. Transporting it such a distance - perhaps by both land and sea - suggests a degree of societal organization among Britain's Neolithic communities unexpected for the time when it was moved, thought to have been about 4,600-2,500 years ago, roughly contemporaneous with ancient Egypt's great pyramids. "This finding radically refines our understanding of prehistoric connectivity and the technology of Neolithic Britain," said Curtin University isotope geology professor and study co-author Chris Kirkland. Previous analyses had identified two primary types of stone used to build the monument's stone circle: some sourced locally from near Marlborough around 25 km (15 miles) away and some from around Pembrokeshire in Wales 250 km (150 miles) away. Sandstone bears grains of various minerals. The researchers analysed the age and chemistry of zircon, apatite and rutile grains in two Altar Stone fragments. The zircon primarily dated to 1-2 billion years ago. The apatite and rutile dated to about 450 million years ago. The Altar Stone at the ancient monument Stonehenge located on Salisbury Plain is seen underneath two bigger Sarsen stones in Wiltshire, Britain in this undated photo released on August 14, 2024. Professor Nick Pearce, Aberystwyth University/Handout via Reuters The chemistry of the fragments matched Scottish bedrock from the Orcadian Basin region, reaching from Inverness to Scotland's northeastern tip and beyond. "It's a micro-analysis technique," said geologist and study co-author Nick Pearce of Aberystwyth University in Wales. The researchers used a laser beam to vaporize a chosen mineral in the rock, then analysed the gas vapour, measuring the ratio of isotopes - variants of a given element - of uranium and lead to determine the age of the mineral. "And the match of this sort of age fingerprint that we got from these minerals is identical to the Orcadian Basin in Scotland, not Wales," Pearce said. "So, suddenly it's gone from being 250 kilometres (155 miles) from Stonehenge, give or take, to 700 kilometres from Stonehenge." The Altar Stone, partly covered by two other fallen stones, is the only one of the monument's large stones not part of its circular design. While the precise location where it was sourced remains unknown, getting such a massive cargo from Scotland to Wiltshire would have been a challenge, underscoring the Altar Stone's importance to Stonehenge's builders. "How it was moved is uncertain but marine shipping is a realistic suggestion, given the mountainous and forested terrain of possible land routes," said Aberystwyth University geologist and study co-author Richard Bevins. The simple boats of the time could have been used to transport it down the coastline, the researchers said. The Altar Stone's evocative name comes from a 17th century interpretation by English architect Inigo Jones. "It got its name because it is flat like a table, but we don't know if it always was like this, nor do we know what exactly it was used for. We do know the setting sun on the solstice lights it up," Kirkland said. "It really is unique in the monument," Bevins said. "Loads of uncertainty about what the Altar Stone means." Stonehenge, built in multiple stages over about 500 years starting at approximately 3000 BC, remains a site of fascination, drawing a stream of tourists from around the world. "It provides a connection to our ancient ancestors who made something that has endured time," Kirkland said. The World Health Organization on Wednesday declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years, following an outbreak of the viral infection in Democratic Republic of Congo that has spread to neighbouring countries. An emergency committee met earlier on Wednesday to advise WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on whether the disease outbreak constitutes a "public health emergency of international concern," or PHEIC. PHEIC status is WHO's highest level of alert and aims to accelerate research, funding and international public health measures and cooperation to contain a disease. "It's clear that a coordinated international response is essential to stop these outbreaks and save lives," said Tedros. Mpox can spread through close contact. Usually mild, it is fatal in rare cases. It causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions on the body. The outbreak in Congo began with the spread of an endemic strain, known as clade I. But a new variant, clade Ib, appears to spread more easily through routine close contact, including sexual contact. It has spread from Congo to neighbouring countries, including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, triggering the action from the WHO. Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus attends an ACANU briefing in Geneva, Switzerland, December 15, 2023. Photo: Reuters "The detection and rapid spread of a new clade of mpox in eastern DRC, its detection in neighbouring countries that had not previously reported mpox, and the potential for further spread within Africa and beyond is very worrying," Tedros added. Tedros said on Wednesday that WHO had released $1.5 million in contingency funds and plans to release more in the coming days. WHO's response plan would require an initial $15 million, and the agency plans to appeal to donors for funding. Earlier this week, Africa's top public health body declared an mpox emergency for the continent after warning that the viral infection was spreading at an alarming rate, with more than 17,000 suspected cases and more than 500 deaths this year, mainly among children in Congo. Professor Dimie Ogoina, chair of WHO's mpox emergency committee, said all members unanimously agreed that the current upsurge of cases is an "extraordinary event," with a record number of cases in Congo. Vaccines and behaviour change helped stop the spread when a different strain of mpox spread globally, primarily among men who have sex with men, and WHO declared an emergency in 2022. In Congo, the transmission routes need further study, WHO said. No vaccines are yet available, although efforts are underway to change that and work out who best to target. The agency also appealed to countries with stockpiles to donate shots. Vietnamese Party General Secretary and State President To Lam and his spouse will pay a state visit to China from August 18 to 20 at the invitation of Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping and his spouse. This will be the Vietnamese leaders first visit to China since he took office as Vietnams Party chief on August 3. The 13th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam elected him as general secretary for the 2021-26 term at a meeting on the same day. The Chinese leader sent congratulations to State President To Lam on his election as the Vietnamese Party chief. Xi underlined that he was willing to join Party General Secretary To Lam in leading the building of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future, jointly promoting their traditional friendship, consolidating political trust, deepening strategic exchanges, and boosting substantive cooperation. During the upcoming China visit, the Vietnamese leader is set to hold talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi. This will be the first time for the two leaders to directly meet each other since the top Vietnamese official took on the new position. Party chief and President Lam will also meet several top Chinese officials and attend a series of key activities in Beijing and Guangzhou. The visit takes place when the Vietnam - China ties are thriving strongly. The two nations will celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year. Their in-depth partnership in the economic, trade, and investment fields has become one of the highlights of the bilateral ties over the past many years. China is Vietnams largest trade partner, and the latters second-biggest buyer. Meanwhile, Vietnam is Chinas biggest trade partner in Southeast Asia and its fifth-largest trade partner in the world, after the United States, Japan, South Korea, and Russia. In 2023, two-way trade amounted to US$171.9 billion. The total export and import value between the two countries reached over $77 billion in the first five months of 2024. Over the past few years, Vietnam and China have entered multiple bilateral and multilateral agreements such as the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area agreement and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. China is working to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Vietnam is one of the CPTPP members. The Vietnamese leaders visit is expected to further cement bilateral ties, especially in the political aspect, and to create more cooperation opportunities to bring benefits to the two nations, their peoples, and the region. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The former premier of the British Virgin Islands has been sentenced in the United States to more than 11 years in federal prison after being convicted at trial in a conspiracy to traffic 'tons' of cocaine into the U.S. and launder the proceeds, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida announced Tuesday. Former British Virgin Islands (BVI) Premier Andrew Alturo Fahie was sentenced on Monday to 135 months in prison for his part in agreeing to facilitate the passage of "tons" of Colombian cocaine into Miami via BVI ports. According to evidence presented at trial, in March and April 2022, Fahie participated in meetings with a "purported Sinaloa Cartel drug trafficker" alongside BVI Ports Authority Managing Director Oleanvine Pickering Maynard (O. Maynard) and his son, Kadeem Stephan Maynard (K. Maynard). At the meetings, they discussed bringing 3,000 kilograms (about 6,614 pounds) of cocaine through a BVI port as a test run, followed by 3,000 kilograms once or twice a month for four months. Fahie and O. Maynard agreed to secure licenses, shield the boats carrying the cocaine while in BVI's ports, and bribe BVI government officials and employees, in return for which the pair would receive a percentage of millions of dollars in cocaine sales. To hide the drug trafficking proceeds, Fahie would funnel the money through different businesses or smuggle it back to the BVI. Fahie and O. Maynard were arrested in Miami in April 2022, where they were set to pick up a $700,000 cash advance on their deal. K. Maynard was arrested in St. Thomas. O. Maynard and K. Maynard pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import cocaine and were sentenced to 112 months and 57 months in prison, respectively. --with reporting by TMX Catch up on the news in Vietnam today: Society -- A project to expand the two-lane Cam Lo - La Son expressway, which connects Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue Provinces in central Vietnam, will be implemented and soon be completed in 2025, according to the Ministry of Transport. -- The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport will restrict or bar vehicles from entering multiple downtown streets such as Nguyen Hue, Le Loi, Vo Thi Sau, and Ba Huyen Thanh Quan from today until Sunday. -- As many as 40 transport operators in Ho Chi Minh City had their business licenses revoked from June to August, according to the municipal Department of Transport. These companies did not have any transport business activity for six months from the day of receiving their business licenses or stopped operating for six consecutive months. -- Hanoi will enhance inspection over food safety at all hotels that are producing mooncakes to serve the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival, which is held on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month and falls on September 17 this year. Lifestyle -- An Indian billionaire will bring his 4,500 workers to Vietnam to explore Hanoi, Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh Province, and Ninh Binh Province for a company trip from August 27 to September 7. -- The Khanh Hoa Union of Science & Technology Associations has proposed listing the circular Dam Market in Nha Trang City, south-central Khanh Hoa Province as an architectural structure with special value. -- The eighth Vietnam Festival will be held in Japans Kanagawa Prefecture on September 7 and 8 to help strengthen bonds between the two nations, reported the Vietnam News Agency. Business -- The Da Nang branch of Indovina Bank has disclosed its intention to auction 90 seaside apartments in Hoi An, an internationally famous tourist city in Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam, to recover debts. -- Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical Joint Stock Company (BSR) is working to leave the Unlisted Public Company Market, or UPCoM, for the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange (HOSE) this year. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The administration of Dong Nai Province, a neighbor of Ho Chi Minh City, has recently held a meeting with relevant units to discuss the execution of the first phase of the Dau Giay - Tan Phu Expressway, which is slated to span 60.2 kilometers and carry an estimated price tag of VND9 trillion (US$356 million). At the working session, a representative of the Thang Long Project Management Board said the Ministry of Transport had approved the first phase of the expressway project, which would be conducted under a public-private partnership (PPP) model. A tender to choose an investor for the project is expected to be completed in December of this year. The expressway is planned to pass through four districts in Dong Nai, including Thong Nhat, Xuan Loc, Dinh Quan, and Tan Phu. The project will start at the ending point of the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway in Thong Nhat District, end at an intersection with National Highway 20, and connect to the Tan Phu - Bao Loc Expressway in Tan Phu District. Some 378 hectares of land will be cleared for the project. The representative of the Thang Long Project Management Board suggested that the Dong Nai administration task relevant departments, agencies, and districts with supporting the projects execution, especially its site clearance. Vice-chairwoman of the Dong Nai Peoples Committee Nguyen Thi Hoang asked the four districts affected by the construction of the Dau Giay - Tan Phu Expressway to submit data concerning the projects impact on local households to the provincial Department of Planning and Investment prior to September 12. The Department of Planning and Investment will later summarize the data and propose the provincial government approve the site clearance subproject. Hoang also requested that the districts enhance their management of the planned site to prevent illegal construction. On July 30, the Ministry of Transport passed the first phase of the Dau Giay - Tan Phu Expressway project. The expressway will initially have four lanes with a width of 17 meters, but without emergency lanes. Later, the project will expand to a width of 24 meters, with four lanes and emergency lanes. Of the total estimated investment of nearly VND9 trillion, VND7.7 trillion ($305.9 million) will be raised by the investor, while VND1.3 trillion ($50.1 million) will come from the state budget. The expressway will include a rest stop on each side, with the site clearance cost for these rest stops included in the overall project investment. Once completed, the expressway will meet local transport demands, ease pressure on National Highway 20, and improve traffic safety. The project is expected to be completed in 2026 and operational by 2027. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Nearly 80 sidewalks and alleyways in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, are being renovated out of their dilapidated condition at a total cost of US$8 million. Many footpaths in the district have deteriorated, with several sections of sidewalk losing or displacing tiles, making it difficult for residents to walk, according to Pham Quach Truong Giang, head of the District 1 Construction Investment Project Management Board. As part of the plan, 12 sidewalks, along with 64 alleyways and road sections across 10 wards that have degraded and settled, will be repaved with granite. This effort aims to enhance the cityscape. The sidewalk and alleyway upgrade project is expected to cost nearly VND200 billion ($8 million) and is slated for completion by the end of 2024. On several sidewalks along streets such as Nguyen Thi Nghia, Nguyen Trai, Huynh Thuc Khang, Pham Ngoc Thach, Nguyen Van Chiem, Nguyen Van Cu, and Nguyen Thai Hoc, old bricks have been removed in preparation for resurfacing, as observed by reporters from Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper. Locals are excited to see the sidewalks getting a facelift, said Kim Huong, a resident of Nguyen Trai Street in District 1. When were not busy, well help the workers with the sidewalk upgrades to expedite the projects completion." Broken tiles on the sidewalks along Pham Ngoc Thach Street and Nguyen Van Chiem Street were removed in early August to make the footpaths ready for repaving. After bumpy sidewalks are repaved with granite, residents will feel comfortable and convenient to walk, said Minh Toan, a worker for sidewalk upgrade project. Apart from revamping degraded sidewalks, the District 1 administration will also replace old drainage systems along the affected streets. A worker is pictured leveling out the surface of a damaged sidewalk before repaving it in downtown Ho Chi Minh City. Dozens of workers speed up work on the sidewalk renovation project on Nguyen Trai Street in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Kim Huong, a resident of District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, expresses her excitement to see degraded sidewalks get a makeover. A road worker cleans a new layer of tiles on a sidewalk in downtown Ho Chi Minh City. Building materials are transported to a construction site to renovate sidewalks in downtown Ho Chi Minh City. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Over 220 workers have been hospitalized for suspected food poisoning after consuming meals provided by the local labor federation to employees at the Taiwanese-owned Bo Hsing Enterprise Co. Ltd in Vinh Long Province, southern Vietnam on Wednesday morning, according to local health authorities. By 9:00 am on Wednesday, a total of 223 Bo Hsing workers had been hospitalized after experiencing symptoms of vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, suspected to be caused by food poisoning, according to the provincial Department of Health. The affected workers were first taken to various health facilities, including Vinh Long Province General Hospital, for treatment on Monday evening after consuming a 'trade union meal' provided at the company at noon the same day. This special lunch, offered to nearly 1,500 Bo Hsing employees, was more expensive than the typical meals provided to workers, with each portion costing about VND50,000 (US$2) owing to the inclusion of fortified foods. Tran Van Trach, chairman of the provincial Labor Federation, explained that while the federation covered the cost of the fortified foods, the meal itself was sourced by the company and included fruits, milk, and other snacks. The agency is currently working with the company to support the affected workers, some of whom were discharged on Wednesday morning after receiving treatment and care, Trach added. Under the health department's direction, the provincial Sub-Department of Food Safety and Hygiene has collected samples of all foods and beverages related to the incident for testing to determine the cause. Bo Hsing Enterprise Co. Ltd. is a 100-percent Taiwanese-invested business specializing in the production and processing of garment products for export, according to the Vinh Long Province Portal. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A 16-year-old student from Vinh Phuc, northern Vietnam, inhaled laughing gas, or nitrous oxide, has been discharged from hospital after treatment for weakness in her arms and paralysis in both legs, all resulting from her inhalation of laughing gas from 15 balloons. Phu Tho General Hospital, located in neighboring Phu Tho Province, reported on Thursday that they had admitted the schoolgirl who had inhaled laughing gas from 15 balloons two weeks ago. The student said that she was in good health before inhaling the gas from these balloons over the course of three consecutive days. Shortly after inhaling the gas, the girl began to experience numbness in her limbs, cramps, and a loss of feeling in both legs. Doctors diagnosed her with perioperative peripheral nerve injury caused by the abuse of laughing gas. She spent nearly 10 days in a wheelchair before her health improved enough for her to walk again. She has since been discharged from the hospital. She was advised to return for regular medical check-ups and to develop a habit of physical exercise. Dr. Le Thi Bich Thuy, head of the department of rheumatology and internal medicine at Phu Tho General Hospital, explained that nitrous oxide poisoning results from the extended overuse of laughing gas, which can lead to nerve damage. While inhaling laughing gas can create feelings of euphoria and relaxation, it takes a heavy toll on users' health and can even be fatal. The Ministry of Health has issued warnings about the dangers of nitrous oxide-filled balloons. Prolonged use can lead to symptoms such as transient dizziness, loss of balance, impaired memory, hypotension, sleep disorders, cerebral ischemia, and weakness in the limbs, according to the ministry. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Former Seven News presenter Sharyn Ghidella will return to Network 10 in a masterstroke move as anchor of Queenslands 10 News First. Starting in September, Ghidella will present Queenslands 10 News First bulletin from the networks Brisbane studios. Returning to 10 News First feels like coming home. Network 10 provided me my first opportunity to work in a metropolitan newsroom and I have nothing but fond memories of my time there in the early 90s, she said. To be returning to present a new local news service, with even more content relevant to Queenslanders, represents an exciting opportunity for me. Viewers recently have been very vocal about what they want in a news service, and 10 News First is tailoring its new local bulletin to meet those viewer needs. 10 News First has long been committed to keeping its audience informed about the issues and events that matter to them, both at home and overseas, and I cant wait to join this dedicated and highly professional team in the Queensland newsroom. Erin Edwards, Executive Editor 10 News First Queensland, said: Sharyn is a masterful journalist. She deep dives into every story to give Queenslanders the facts without fuss. Sharyn loves Queensland. She understands Queensland. We cant wait to start a new chapter at 10 News First Queensland. Martin White, Head of Broadcast News, Paramount Australia and New Zealand, said: This is a great day for 10 in Queensland. Were firm believers in local journalism and giving our audiences the best possible content which aligns perfectly with Sharyn, Brisbanes number one newsreader. Were thrilled to welcome her back to 10 and cant wait to get started. 10 News First presenter, Sandra Sully, will hand the reins over to Sharyn next month. Sandra Sully said: Ive known Sharyn for many years, and Im thrilled to be handing the Brisbane bulletin over to another Queenslander. Its wonderful to have our local news in such good hands, and Im delighted to welcome Sharyn home to 10. I cant wait to see the great things she and our local Queensland team will do together. .@SharynGhidella is coming home! 10 News First is thrilled to announce the one and only Sharyn Ghidella is returning to 10 to anchor our all-new 5pm local Queensland bulletin from Brisbane. Join Sharyn and the team this September, as she presents the local news that matters to pic.twitter.com/xk8ZQMUPUV 10 News First Queensland (@10NewsFirstQLD) August 15, 2024 Sharyns career is a testament to her dedication and passion for journalism. Growing up in the North Queensland town of Babinda, Sharyns early years were marked by a deep love for reading and a burgeoning interest in journalism. In 1983, Sharyn moved to Brisbane to pursue a Bachelor of Business, Communications. It was during this time that she discovered her passion for journalism and news writing. An internship at North Queensland Television (NQTV) marked the beginning of a swift ascent through the ranks, moving from their Cairns newsroom to the Townsville studios in 1989. Here, Sharyn honed her skills in producing, reporting, and readingall essential elements of storytelling. By 1990, at 24 years old, Sharyn was recruited by Brisbanes Channel 10 newsroom as an on-the-road reporter and update presenter. In 1992, Sharyn transitioned to the Nine Network in Sydney, starting as a reporter before being promoted to present Daybreak, an early-morning news program. Sharyn soon became the regular newsreader on the Today Show. In 2007, Sharyn joined the Seven Network and presented the networks Brisbane bulletin since 2013. Sharyn recently departed Seven after an illustrious 17-year tenure with the network. Sharyns career comes full circle when she returns to the 10 News First Brisbane news desk in September. Australian Story profiles WA Senator Fatima Payman who recently quit the Labor Party to sit as an Independent. Former Labor senator Fatima Payman reveals why she voted against her party and the fallout that followed, both at home and in the capital. A week after she returned to Canberra as an independent, Australian Story presents the dramatic inside story of Senator Fatima Paymans decision to break ranks with the ALP and cross the floor. Senator Payman gives a rare insight into the conflict that arises when private views clash with party policy and the personal toll of her actions on her and new husband Jacob Stokes. Its not often that your wife is in a public fistfight with the prime minister, says Stokes, who was then a Labor staffer in WA. We got into arguments about it. After speaking out against the partys position on the Gaza war, the first-term senator became the centre of a media and political storm, which culminated when she quit Labor to sit on the crossbench seven weeks ago. Labor Minister Anne Aly speaks candidly about her former colleagues actions. Australian Story documents the WA senators return to federal parliament as an independent, speaking to her controversial new chief of staff, former preference whisperer Glenn Druery. I dont know what to expect in terms of how my former colleagues are going to treat me, she says. Fatima Payman was the first-born of four siblings whose family were forced to flee when the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan. In 2022, at the age of 27, she unexpectedly won a seat in the Senate for Western Australia and became the parliaments first politician to wear a hijab. Shes the first Labor member to cross the floor in 40 years. Producers: Olivia Rousset, Robyn Powell and Kirstin Murray. 8pm Monday on ABC. ABC News has announced Bridget Brennan as the new co-host of News Breakfast, to succeed Lisa Millar, alongside Michael Rowland. A Dja Dja Wurrung and Yorta Yorta woman, she first joined the ABC as a cadet journalist in 2010 and her previous roles have included being the ABCs Indigenous Affairs Editor, Europe Correspondent and National Indigenous Affairs Correspondent. She has worked on News Breakfast since late last year as newsreader and co-presenter after returning from London and helping lead the ABCs coverage of the Voice to Parliament Referendum. Im really honoured and excited to be taking up this spot on the couch, alongside our amazing team at News Breakfast, Bridget said. Im so grateful to Lisa and Michael for showing me the ropes and being wonderful mentors while Ive adjusted to early starts and all the twists and turns that live television throws at you! I love the interaction with our wonderful audience and the News Breakfast team is so hard working and good fun. I cant wait to get stuck in. I didnt grow up watching Aboriginal women on the news, so its really an important moment for my mob as well. Bridget is such a delightful friend and workmate smart, intuitive and kind, Lisa Millar said. I cant wait to see the impact shell have in this role, especially with our audience, who have already enthusiastically embraced her as a familiar part of their morning. Michael Rowland said: Bridget has been such a breath of fresh air since joining the show and I am delighted shell now be my main co-presenter. Bridget brings to the job enormous news heft, but also a love of music, film, food and bad jokes mine, mostly. All the things that make News Breakfast tick! ABC Director, News Justin Stevens said: Im delighted Bridget has agreed to take up this leading role on one of our flagship ABC News programs. Bridget is a formidable journalist and broadcaster and I cant wait to see what she does on News Breakfast from here. Lisa Millars last show will be on Friday 23 August. A second season of Mother & Son has been confirmed by ABC, to begin filming in Sydney later this year -which is very positive news given Denise Scotts recent health challenges. Denise Scott (Maggie) and co-star Matt Okine (Arthur) return for six new episodes produced by Wooden Horse (The Clearing, Stuff the British Stole). This season welcomes director Shaun Wilson (Rosehaven, Frayed). Wooden Horse joint CEO and Producer, Jude Troy said: The return of the reimagined Mother and Son for a second season is testament to an enduring and beloved brand that continues to resonate with contemporary, multi-cultural Australia. We are delighted to welcome comedy director Shaun Wilson to the hilariously dysfunctional Boye family. ABC Head of Screen, Jennifer Collins said Over a million Australians came to the ABC each week on average to watch Mother and Son and we are thrilled that comedy legend Denise Scott and whip smart Matt Okine will return for a second season. Mother and Son is an iconic ABC comedy that reflects our diverse contemporary family life with equal parts warmth and humour. Grainne Brunsdon Chief Operating Officer of Screen Australia said, Screen Australia is thrilled to support the second season of Mother and Son, bringing back the beloved cast whose comedic genius continues to shine. With Shaun Wilsons direction, were excited to see where the next series goes, showcasing the talent behind this beloved show. Head of Screen NSW, Kyas Hepworth said After the success of season one, including three Logie nominations, Screen NSW is excited to support Wooden Horse and the entire creative team including Matt Okine, Sarah L. Walker, Tristram Baumber and Tim Spencer, in bringing this fresh take on the iconic Mother and Son series back to our screens for a second season. Denise Scott and Matt Okine will also be attending the Logies this Sunday with three nominations. Production credit: Mother and Son is a Wooden Horse production for the ABC. Major production investment from Screen Australia in association with the ABC. Financed with support from Screen NSW. Based on the Original Series by Geoffrey Atherden. Re-created & written by: Matt Okine, Sarah L. Walker, Tristram Baumber and Tim Spencer. Produced by Jude Troy. Associate Producer Alexandra Cameron. Executive Producers: Jude Troy, Richard Finlayson, Matt Okine, Geoffrey Atherden. ABC Executive Producers: Rachel Okine and Todd Abbott. International Sales: ABC Commercial. Season 15 of The Real Housewives of New York City will stream on Hayu from October 2. Sai De Silva, Ubah Hassan, Erin Lichy, Jenna Lyons, Jessel Taank and Brynn Whitfield all return this season, along with new housewife, Racquel Chevremont and Rebecca Minkoff, who joins as a friend. Back for another bite out of the Big Apple, this flourishing group of friends Sai De Silva, Ubah Hassan, Erin Lichy, Jenna Lyons, Jessel Taank and Brynn Whitfield are joined by elite new faces Racquel Chevremont and Rebecca Minkoff. But things can change in a New York minute when rumours start spreading among the ladies and only time will tell if longstanding loyalties are strong enough to weather the storm as secrets shake things up. About the cast: As she finally takes her mums ashes out of the shopping bag and to their final resting place, Sai De Silva tests out the world of therapy and enters her realm of Zen. As life goes on, will she be able to keep her cool or when push comes to shove, will Sai fire back? Happier than ever and madly in love with Mr. Connecticut, Ubah Hassans dreams of becoming a mother seem closer than ever. Though as her relationship continues to prosper, she struggles with the thought of giving up her independence. Erin Lichy moved her family out of up-and-coming Tribeca and back to the Upper West Side in hopes of creating a more convenient life for her family. These days, however, Erin finds herself needing her friends more than ever as she struggles with a loved ones cancer diagnosis while also navigating unexpected issues with her husband, Abe. Jenna Lyons remains as busy as ever as she navigates her career and motherhood. As she settles into her blossoming new relationship and prepares for her son to go off to college, can she find balance in her personal life while maintaining her bustling social engagements and successful business ventures? After two years with her twins, Jessel Taank has mastered the art of being a boy mum and is on a mission to bring a baby girl onto the scene. However, shes reminded it takes two to tango and she must convince a distracted Pavit to get on board with baby #3 in order to make her dreams a reality. The Real Housewives of New York City is produced by Shed Media with Lisa Shannon, Lauren Volonakis, and Anne Swan serving as executive producers. Andy Cohen also executive produces. Eric Fuller and Alfonso Rosales co-executive produce. Kamala Harris' presidential candidacy has not only energized Democrats, but also given them an advantage among people who previously disliked the candidates of the two main parties, a new survey by a top pollster shows. Concretely, a Monmouth University study saw a drop in the so-called double haters. Close to 20% of respondents held this view when Biden was running, but the figure dropped to 8% after Harris rose to the top of the ticket. A June poll when Biden was still running showed that 54% of "double haters" didn't support any candidate, while 28% backed Biden and 19% supported Trump. Current figures show Harris with the support of over half of the Biden-Trump "double haters" (53%), while only 11% are supporting Trump and the remaining 35% is not backing any candidate. "Taking Biden out of the mix and replacing him with Harris has significantly altered a key metric in this race. As we reported last month, Trump-Biden double haters want to shake things up, but they are wary of change that is too authoritarian. Harris appears to provide most of this group with the fresh outlook they desire," said Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute. The shift toward Harris can also be seen in the enthusiasm generated among Democrats. Enthusiasm for a potential Trump-Biden rematch had been on the rise but never exceeded 50%. However, the prospect of a Trump-Harris contest has increased enthusiasm to 68%, with a particularly dramatic rise among Democrats. Concretely, this figure has jumped from 46% in June to 85% in August. Independents have also shown increased enthusiasm, rising from 34% to 53%. Republican enthusiasm for the Trump-Harris matchup remains at 71%, the same level it was for a Trump-Biden rematch in June. Overall, Harris gets 48% of the support compared to Trump's 43%. At this point in the last election cycle, Biden held a nine-point lead over Trump among registered voters, with 51% to Trump's 42%, according to a national Monmouth Poll. The rest of the vote was divided among third-party candidates, including Libertarian Jo Jorgensen (2%), Green Party's Howie Hawkins (2%), and other candidates (1%), with 3% of voters still undecided. This story was originally published on Latin Times Silver Logie nominee Simon Baker is set to appear in a Mullumbimby court next month, charged with two offences. According to The Australian, the offences are an attempt to drive while under influence of alcohol first offence and drive vehicle under influence of alcohol first offence. He does not have bail conditions attached to the charges. Baker is best known for role as Patrick Jane in The Mentalist, plus The Guardian, Limbo, LA Confidential, Roar and E Street. He recently starred in Boy Swallows Universe which landed him a Best Actor nomination at this Sundays Logie Awards. Baker as also forged a production deal with Made Up Stories to co-produce and direct all episodes of Lioness, based on the book by New Zealand author Emily Perkins. He will appear before a magistrate at Mullumbimby local court on September 4. Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill: Proposals and Apprehensions The proposed Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill has sparked significant concern among Indian social media creators, who fear it could stifle creativity and limit freedom of expression online Thursday August 15, 2024 11:27 PM , Mohd Ziyaullah Khan In the months leading up to the Indian elections earlier this year, YouTuber Akash Banerjee produced content highlighting the shortcomings of the incumbent government. His videos critiqued various government policies and actions, including its divisive campaign strategies and opposition crackdown. Banerjee, who runs the channel The Deshbhakt with over 4.8 million subscribers, is now worried about the future of his channel. Content creators and digital rights activists argue that the government is seeking to tighten its control over online content, jeopardising the last bastion of press freedom. Over the past week, more than 785 Indian creators have signed a letter to the government, while many others have taken to social media with hashtags like #KillTheBill and shared videos to explain the proposed law to their audiences. Government Proposal The Indian government plans to classify social media creators as digital news broadcasters, which would impose new regulations including: Mandatory registration with the government Establishment of a content evaluation committee Appointment of complaint handlers Failure to comply could result in criminal charges, including jail time. This would require creators to bear the cost of compliance, and failure to adhere could result in severe penalties, including criminal charges and possible jail time. Critics argue that these measures could stifle independent voices and limit creative freedom, placing a heavy burden on creators to navigate complex bureaucratic requirements. Criminal Liability for Social Media Firms Likely Even the Social media companies like Meta, YouTube, and X are not spared under this proposed social media regulations. Henceforth with this regulation at place, these companies will be classified as intermediaries, and may face criminal liability if they fail to provide information requested by the government. Additionally, the draft bill places the responsibility for compliance with the rules on users, rather than the social media intermediaries. The legislation is also expected to encompass advertising networks such as Google Adsense, Facebook Audience Network, and Taboola, which are likely to be classified as advertising intermediaries. These are defined as intermediaries that primarily facilitate the buying and selling of advertising space on the internet or the placement of advertisements on online platforms without endorsing the advertisements themselves. Legislative Developments On July 26, Hindustan Times reported that the government intends to revise the Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill to consolidate all broadcaster regulations. The new version defines digital news broadcaster as anyone who broadcasts news and current affairs via online platforms as part of a business or commercial activity. On August 12, Hindustan Times reported, the government requested the return of physical copies of the latest bill version, indicating a possible pause or reconsideration of the proposed legislation. The future steps regarding the bill remain unclear. Creators and digital rights activists fear the legislation will tighten the governments control over online content and threaten press freedom. The reactions from more than 800 Indian creators seemed inevitable. It has come in the form of a petition wherein they feel that it is important to get greater transparency in the bills drafting process. Campaigns against the bill, including hashtags like #KillTheBill, have emerged on social media. Prateek Waghre, Executive Director of the Internet Freedom Foundation, criticised the bill for potentially extending government control over online speech. Impact on Creators The proposed regulations are expected to affect both international and local creators. For example, global popstar Taylor Swift would need her content evaluated by a committee before release in India. Prominent Indian creators like Dhruv Rathee and Kunal Kamra have expressed concerns about the bills impact. Smaller creators, such as Dr. Medusa, who has over 250,000 followers, worry that the regulations could disproportionately affect them. She highlights the difficulty of complying with requirements like appointing a grievance redressal officer with limited resources. In response to the proposed regulations, some creators are considering new projects. Meghnad, an independent journalist and YouTuber, is contemplating launching The Grievance Redressal Show as a way to address the situation creatively. Final Thoughts The proposed legislation has sparked significant concern among Indian social media creators, who fear it could stifle creativity and limit freedom of expression online. The outcome of the bill and its implications for the content creation landscape in India remain to be seen. The bill is imposing a heavy regulatory burden on small content creators, many of whom lack the resources to comply with these demands. This could further lead to the shutdown of independent journalism and undermine the economic viability of smaller creators. [The writer, Mohd Ziyauallah Khan, is a freelance content writer based in Nagpur. He is also an activist and social entrepreneur, co-founder of the group TruthScape, a team of digital activists fighting disinformation on social media. Image used here is AI generated.] Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. Why PM Modis concern about Bangladeshi Hindus has no takers? Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is required to show action needed to bring his own house in order before reminding his neighbours about their duties Thursday August 15, 2024 5:26 PM , Aleem Faizee, ummid.com The attacks on Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh after Sheikh Hasinas resignation are matter of deep concern though there are doubts about the exact nature and scale of the violence. Different media groups, including British broadcaster BBC, have scrutinised Indias mainstream media, and based on fact check analysis, accused them of using fake and unrelated videos to exaggerate the actual situation in Bangladesh. Also, at the time when the Indian media was in full blown misinformation run while reporting about the attacks on Bangladeshi Hindus, a grand alliance of local Hindu organisations refuted widespread violence against the minorities in Bangladesh. In a video message released online, Advocate Gobinda Pramanik, Secretary General of Bangladesh Jatio Hindu Mohajote, confirmed attacks on Hindus but said these attacks were not communal in nature. He also said Hindus having allegiance or close ties with the erstwhile Sheikh Hasina government were attacked just like Muslim supporters of the now dethroned Awami League. In the meantime, different Muslim groups and student organisations at the forefront of the anti-government protests in Bangladesh formed small groups to provide protection to Temples and businesses owned by Hindus. This was also acknowledged and hailed in the Indian Parliament by Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar. Nonetheless, these attacks, even if on a smaller scale, must not only be unequivocally condemned but the interim government headed by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus must also be pressurised using all means to take immediate actions needed to ensure protection to Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh. Taking note of the grave situation in Bangladesh, various heads of states and rights groups expressed their concerns over the attacks on the minorities in the country. So did Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi - soon after the violence erupted and also today while addressing the nation on 78th Independence Day. "140 crore Indians worried about the safety of the Hindus, the minorities in Bangladesh. India will always be a well-wisher of Bangladesh's progress. We hope the situation normalises in Bangladesh soon. Indians want the security of Hindus, and minorities there to be ensured, Modi said during his Independence Day address from the Red Fort Thursday August 15, 2024. The concerns raised by PM Modi are necessary and timely. The only problem why his concerns have no takers and lack substance is his own record, and the record of the BJP and the party leaders vis-a-vis security and safety of minorities in India. The communal agenda of the BJP and its leaders, without any exception, has been widely documented with strong evidences. On his part, Narendra Modi as Prime Minister was expected to rein in the haters. Instead he, many a time, encouraged them. Worst and in a clear disgrace to his position as Prime Minister of this great nation, he was personally involved in inciting violence against the minorities in India, especially the Muslims, in one way or the other. Various heads of states and international rights bodies on a number of times issued appeals to the present dispensation similar to the one by PM Modi during his Independence Day Address Thursday. The latest is by New York based Human Rights Watch. In a report published on the eve of 78th Independence Day or the 77th anniversary of Indias Independence, Human Rights Watch accused Prime Minister Modi and the ruling BJP of using hate speech, inciting discrimination, hostility, and violence against the minorities, especially the Muslims and Christians, to win the 2024 General Elections. Indian Prime Minister Modi and BJP leaders made blatantly false claims in their campaign speeches against Muslims and other minority groups, said Elaine Pearson, Asia Director at Human Rights Watch. These inflammatory speeches, amid a decade of attacks and discrimination against minorities under the Modi administration, have further normalized abuses against Muslims, Christians, and others, she added. Analyzing a total of 173 campaign speeches by Modi delivered during the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections, Human Rights Watch said the Indian Prime Minister made Islamophobic remarks in 110 speeches. "The Modi governments actions have violated Indias obligations under international human rights law that prohibit discrimination based on race, ethnicity, or religion and require the government to ensure equal protection of the law to everyone. The government is also obligated to protect religious and other minority populations and to fully and fairly prosecute those responsible for discrimination and violence against them", Human Rights Watch said. Prime Minister Modi however neither expressed any regret nor has taken note of these warnings. On the contrary, he denied these allegations, claiming about his party and its affiliated groups. We are not against Muslims. That is not our domain, Modi said further pointing to Indias democratic, secular, and diversity standards, and the country being mother of democracy. Human Rights however is not convinced and warns: The Indian governments claims of plurality and being the mother of democracy ring hollow in the face of its abusive anti-minority actions. The new Modi government needs to reverse its discriminatory policies, act on violence against minorities, and ensure justice for those affected, Elaine Pearson, Asia Director at Human Rights Watch, said in the report published a day before the Independence Day 2024 when Modi was probably giving final touches to his I-Day Speech. When such are the international views and opinions about Narendra Modi and his government, the Indian Prime Minister is required to show action needed to bring his own house in order before reminding his neighbours about their duties. Footnote: There is also another opinion by a section in the India who believes Modi and BJP are neither concerned about the minorities in Bangladesh nor in India. Their sole aim is to further a political agenda which ensures the continuation of the POWER they hold. [The writer, Aleem Faizee, is Founder Editor of ummid.com. He can be reached at aleem.faizee@gmail.com or @aleemfaizee.] Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. Climate change may have played a part in the latest massive wildfire just outside Athens, but some critics blame inadequate equipment and lack of planning for what has become an annual crisis. The wildfire, which started on Sunday in Varnavas, 35 kilometres (22 miles) from the capital, had by Tuesday killed one woman, caused widespread damage and sent thousands fleeing from their homes. The blaze even came as close as the suburbs of Athens before firefighters got the upper hand. "People shouldn't be burnt alive in 2024," said Marianna Chatzieleftheriou at a small far-left rally on the crisis outside parliament on Tuesday. For her the death was a "political crime", and one she blamed on the conservative government. "There are not many firefighters... all the equipment is poor. And the actions start at a late stage," the 27-year-old doctor told AFP. Fellow protester Marietta Papadopoulou said the water-bombing planes were old models -- and there were not enough of them. "I'm really angry...," the 58-year-old gym teacher told AFP. "The government doesn't take the necessary measures to protect the environment, cities, villages." Some sections of the press also attacked the response from the authorities. "Enough is enough" said the front page of Greece's top-selling centrist daily Ta Nea. The liberal Kathimerini said the blaze "had left huge destruction (and) unanswered questions". "This year too, we are spectators of the same play," said Nikos Androulakis, head of the socialist opposition party PASOK, as he visited some of the devastated sites on Tuesday. "We cannot experience such tragic consequences every year. We need to do more and as soon as possible." "Every year we are doing our best to improve," said Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who cut short his holiday to deal with the crisis. "But unfortunately conditions are becoming more difficult," he added after an emergency cabinet meeting Tuesday. This year's summer wildfire season has seen dozens of blazes, as the Mediterranean country recorded its warmest winter and the hottest June and July since reliable data collection began in 1960. Scientists say that human-induced fossil fuel emissions are worsening the length, frequency and intensity of heatwaves across the world. Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said Greece had successfully dealt with numerous forest fires since May -- even though their number was up by half from the same period last year, from over 2,300 to over 3,500. "The Varnavas fire occurred on a level five extreme risk day... This means that if a fire does occur, it is extremely difficult to contain," he said. Marinakis said Greece now had "17,500 firefighters -- more than ever before". In April, Greece also unveiled a 2.1-billion-euro upgrade to its civil protection infrastructure, touted as the country's most ambitious to date. Mostly EU-funded, it includes new water bombing aircraft, helicopters, fire engines, thermal cameras and over 100 surveillance drones. But none of that will arrive until next year -- and the first planes from an order of seven new DHC-515 water bombers will be delivered in 2027. Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias said the original fire Sunday spread even though a water-bombing aircraft reached the area in just five minutes. "The fire spread very quickly because of the strong wind," firefighter Marinos Peristeropoulos told AFP near one of the hotspots on Monday. Fellow firefighter Asterios, 45, added: "The pine trees are like a match. And climate change has brought desert to the woods." Evangelos Kouris, an electrical engineer from the Athens suburbs, also blamed the rainless, "extremely hot, dry summer". His T-shirt smudged with soot, he had spent the night from Monday to Tuesday putting out small fires with neighbours. "The environment is too flammable," the 51-year-old told AFP. But he also believed "people set fires on purpose" and faulted the authorities for not thinking far enough ahead. "We know the risks but we are not building a total plan," he said. "The anger will come later," said another local, Tilemachos Iouliou. For now though, he was "still in shock. "Athens is on fire every year. The surrounding... mountains are always on fire. But it was the first time the fire came into the city," the 40-year-old office worker told AFP. He too blamed a lack of long-term planning, but did not seem confident that much could be done. "They say you have to build big roads with no trees, but with the kind of winds yesterday, I don't believe they could be of use," he said. "When there is no more forest, we will be safe." HA NOI It is critical to improve the legal framework for e-commerce to remain a driver for the development of digital economy in Viet Nam, an online conference held by the Governments e-portal has heard. E-commerce is developing rapidly in Viet Nam after the pandemic and becoming a major pillar in the digital economy, Tran Minh Tuan, Director of the Department of Digital Economy and Digital Society under the Ministry of Information and Communications said on Wednesday morning. He cited statistics that e-commerce contributed 15-17 per cent to the digital economys value as of the end of 2023. Viet Nam has set a target that the digital economy will account for 20 per cent of the countrys gross domestic product (GDP) by 2025 and 30 per cent by 2030 from the current 12-14 per cent. With more than 14 million offline stores and 9,000 marketplaces, going online has become a big trend, he said, adding that e-commerce revenue is expected to account for 10 per cent of the total retail revenue by 2025 the goal is within reach. Lai Viet Anh, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Industry and Trades e-Commerce and Digital Economy Department, said that with a growth rate of 25 per cent in 2023, Viet Nam was among the top ten countries in terms of e-commerce expansion. The potential remains huge, she said, adding that the current e-commerce revenue accounts for around eight per cent of the total retail sales. E-commerce can be a sector that can help narrow down the digital gap between major cities and remote areas, she stressed. The official said the development of e-commerce must be associated with the development of value chains as well as in line with the regional development planning and the distribution system planning. The most important factor is to determine advantages of each locality in terms of products and logistics and enhance their linkage to optimise the efficiency of the supply chains, she stressed. Another focus is working with e-commerce platforms to promote the consumption of Vietnamese goods, especially agricultural products during peak harvest seasons. In the long term, efforts are being made to develop brands for Vietnamese goods online. It is also necessary to have planning and promote the development of the logistics network to reduce costs, Viet Anh said. Economist Vo Tri Thanh said that the potential of e-commerce is undeniable, but there are two problems to be paid attention to in policy making to ensure its on-trade development. The first problem is the narrowing down of the traditional retail sector in the rapid expansion of e-commerce, he said, adding that policies must be inclusive. The second problem relates to handling disputes and protecting legitimate rights of consumers. It is necessary to improve the legal framework for e-commerce and digital economy to create breakthrough developments, including regulations on electronic transactions, competition, intellectual property rights, asset ownership rights and consumers right protection, Thanh said. In addition, promoting innovations and new business models coupled with accelerating logistics and digital infrastructure development are important, he said. ASEAN is also making an effort to promote the development of digital economy and digital trade, thus, there are bigger problems to be considered such as data transfer, cross-border dispute resolution and ensuring fair competition, Thanh added. Managing director of e-commerce platform Shopee in Viet Nam Tran Tuan Anh said that Viet Nam, being strong in local production and with high internet penetration, has a huge potential for an e-commerce boom. The Government should adopt policies to support enterprises and individuals to create products and new models for e-commerce business, he said. Customer experiences and compliance are vital for e-commerce businesses like Shopee, Tuan Anh said. He expects that the Government will have instructions for resolving disputes in specific cases. Accelerating cross-border trade According to Lai Viet Anh, cross-border e-commerce accounts for 20-22 per cent of the global e-commerce value, with a growth rate more than doubling that of e-commerce. Viet Nam is an exporter of many products such as garments, footwear, rice and farm produce. Cross-border e-commerce was estimated at US$3.3 billion in 2022 in Viet Nam and is expected to reach $11 billion by 2027. How to optimise Viet Nams e-commerce is a long-term plan, she said, adding that the focus in the next five years will be promoting the exports of Made-in-Vietnam products via e-commerce, especially providing support to small and medium sized enterprises to sell in the global market. Attention must be paid to sustainable development in e-commerce and cross-border trade development because this is an unavoidable trend in the world - together with requirements of origin traceability, deforestation regulations, environmental protection and waste reduction and Vietnamese goods must export sustainably, she stressed. It is also necessary to have mechanisms to enhance the data sharing among State management agencies and e-commerce platforms to develop a sustainable and healthy e-commerce market, she said. Agreeing with Viet Anh, Tuan said cross-border e-commerce is a big trend and the Government should consider cross-border e-commerce a big opportunity to export made-in-Vietnam products. Regarding the development of products for exports, the senior economist Thanh said that production must ensure quality and economy of scale, consumption trend and the ways of developing Vietnamese brands. According to Tuan Anh, Shopee expected to help 1,000 enterprises to sell their products abroad and the number is expected to increase to 100,000 soon. To do that, three things are important including production scale, consumer trends and branding, he said. Tuan Anh also urged the Government to have policies to promote the development of domestic enterprises. VNS Several Asia-Pacific countries are ageing fast. Viet Nam is expected to take only 19-25 years to progress from being an ageing society (with 7-14 per cent of the population aged 60 or older) to an aged society (14-21 per cent aged 60 or older). Viet Nam News reporter Mai Huong spoke to Hamza Malik, Director of the Macroeconomic Policy and Financing for Development Division at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), about the implications of Viet Nam's rapidly aging population. He explores the potential impacts on labour productivity, consumer demand, the economy, and the fiscal adjustments and opportunities in developing the silver economy. How does population aging in Viet Nam compare globally and what is driving this trend? Viet Nam is one of the fastest-aging countries in the Asia-Pacific region and the world, driven by rapid fertility decline and increased life expectancy. The proportion of the population aged 65 or over is estimated to be 9.1 per cent in 2024, projected to rise to 11.8 per cent in 2030 and 20.0 per cent by 2050. By 2036, Viet Nam will become an 'aged' society, where more than 14 per cent of the population is aged 65 or over. It will take only 17 years for Viet Nam to transition from an 'aging' society to an 'aged' one. Population aging results from economic and social development, with life expectancy at birth increasing by nearly 13 years over the past 50 years, now standing at 74.7 years (79.4 years for women and 70.1 years for men). Fertility decline has also contributed, with the total fertility rate dropping from 5.6 children per woman in 1975 to 2 children per woman in 1999 and is now at 1.9 children per woman. How will the aging population affect labour productivity and the economy of Viet Nam? Productivity is influenced by factors such as physical ability to work, human skills and knowledge and available technology. Demographic shifts, particularly an aging population, primarily affect the physical ability to work, which naturally declines with age. However, this decline can often be offset by upskilling and reskilling workers and investing in new technologies. Additionally, improvements in the work environment, labour regulations and management styles can further enhance productivity. Therefore, ageing does not seal the fate of labour productivity, neither in Viet Nam nor in any other country it is rather a headwind that can be considerably overcome by government policies and private sector action. As people age, their consumer preferences evolve. The demand for goods, particularly durable items such as housing, cars, and household appliances, tends to decrease, while the demand for services, especially healthcare, increases. Over time, there is a shift in focus from goods that are essential in younger years to services that provide comfort and pleasure in older years. This shift also extends to education, with a growing emphasis on mid-life upskilling and reskilling. Although these changes are gradual, they are powerful and largely irreversible. How should Viet Nams fiscal policy be adjusted to respond to the aging population? Policymakers typically divide society into two groups, those who work and those who do not. To facilitate transfers between these groups, pension systems are designed in two main ways. First, governments collect social contributions and distribute them to retirees, promising future pensions to current workers. Second, individuals can save and invest through pension funds, funding their pensions directly from their own assets. Regardless of the system chosen, it is crucial to ensure that people remain active in the workforce as long as they desire, even if their productivity decreases or they work part-time. Extending work activity is the most important pension policy, achieved through synergy with public expenditures on healthcare and education. Good health and updated skills lead to healthier aging, longer work activity, reduced old-age poverty and improved quality of life for the elderly. While it may seem that reallocating budgets could address socio-economic challenges, budget expenditures are often inflexible, making significant shifts difficult. Key areas such as education, healthcare, social protection and public infrastructure investment are all critically important. However, there is potential to rethink spending within each sector. For instance, building new schools or hospitals in rural areas could have more significant developmental impacts than improving existing urban facilities. Similarly, investing in training and upskilling education and healthcare staff could yield substantial benefits. In public expenditures, efficiency and impact are what matter most. What measures can the Vietnamese government adopt to maintain and improve the quality of life for the elderly? To support older adults in the workforce, Viet Nam could increase the retirement age and make it equal for women and men. Continuous learning and skill upgrades should be encouraged, especially for older workers. Addressing age-based discrimination through legislation and awareness campaigns is also essential. More flexible work arrangements, such as part-time work or shorter hours, should be promoted. Currently, 97 per cent of older workers in Viet Nam participate in the informal sector, indicating significant barriers to formal sector employment. Viet Nam has led in supporting Older Persons Associations (OPAs), which help older adults contribute to society and use their knowledge and experience. In addition, technology must adapt to an aging population by developing products that meet the needs of older adults, making technology a positive force that enhances their quality of life. Technology can support access to healthcare, assist older adults living alone and help them in the workplace. Digital literacy is crucial for older adults to benefit from technology, and efforts such as ESCAP's regional meeting on enhancing digital literacy among older adults in Asia and the Pacific have focused on developing tools to increase this literacy. What are the opportunities for developing the silver economy in Viet Nam? Contrary to common assumptions, studies have shown that older workforces are not necessarily less productive than younger ones. As the working-age population declines, labour becomes less abundant, pushing economies to become more productive. Globally, the most aged economies also tend to be those with higher productivity. Economies must adjust their production structures from labour-intensive sectors to more capital-intensive ones. The care economy is a growing sector, with a significant unmet demand for professional care work in many countries. Care services are expected to be the most significant area for growth. However, all sectors can adapt and develop products that appeal to older adults, making them more age-friendly. VNS HA NOI The northern port city of Hai Phong has been a foreign investment magnet, hosting 967 FDI projects underway worth US$30.65 billion. To clinch its position as one of the leading localities in FDI attraction, along with optimising its advantages as the largest gateway to the sea in the north, the city has exerted great efforts in improving the investment environment and diversifying investment promotion. It sent a delegation led by Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Le Tien Chau to China from August 4-10 to conduct investment promotion activities. The delegation held many working sessions at localities, universities, and businesses of China, including ZTE and TCL groups in Shenzhen city, Guangdong province, which are influential technology and digital firms not only in China but the world over. At an investment promotion conference in the city, Hai Phong granted investment licences to seven investors with a combined investment of nearly $200 million, along with four memoranda of understanding on cooperation. At the event, Chau briefed participants on the potentials and advantages of Hai Phong, one of the three major cities of Viet Nam and an economic hub of the northern region with a high socio-economic growth rate. In the first half of 2024, the city lured $1.5 billion of FDI. Hai Phong has diverse types of road, sea, rail, waterway and air transport, and owns a long-lasting industrial sector. Its inh Vu - Cat Hai has been the most successful economic zone in Viet Nam. Currently, Hai Phong is establishing a 20,000-hectare Southern Coastal Economic Zone in a green and ecological direction, which will bring many advantages to investors along with advantages in human resources and life quality, said the city leader. He also highlighted the city's efforts to accompany and support investors, especially in administrative procedures, labour training and land rent. According to the city People's Committee, Hai Phong is hosting 975 valid projects, many of which are invested by world leading firms such as LG, Bridgestone, Regina Miracle, Pegatron, SK, Nipro Pharma, Aeon, and Tongwei. Jang Jin Ke, General Director of Tongwei Vietnam, said that his company has received great support from the city throughout its establishment and operation here. He held that Hai Phong's investment promotion activities in China can enhance the investment efficiency and quickly identify investment opportunities, helping the city respond rapidly to market changes, thereby contributing to promoting economic development in the context of globalisation. At a conference jointly held in early August by the Party Committee of Hai Phong and the Party Central Committee's Economic Commission to review the five-year implementation of Resolution No 45-NQ/TW issued by the Politburo on January 24, 2019, on building and developing Hai Phong until 2030 with a vision to 2045, many experts affirmed that Hai Phong is a bright spot in the country's economic and social development, particularly in FDI attraction. They contributed their ideas for Hai Phong to develop in a breakthrough manner. Associate Prof. Dr. Tran inh Thien, member of the Government Advisory Board, affirmed that despite many challenges in the world and in the country, Hai Phong's growth results have still been very positive with a growth rate of over 12 per cent in 2023, which is very impressive. In the coming time, it is necessary to empower Hai Phong so that the city can become a model of economic development associated with the development of economic zones, he suggested. Meanwhile, Dr. Vo Tri Thanh, former Vice Director of the Central Institute for Economic Research and Management, noted that in the last five years, Hai Phong has made significant contributions to the country in industrial development. He advised the city to focus on promoting free trade areas and logistics in the coming time. VNS HCM CITY Amid the robust digital transformation in Viet Nam, information technology and creative industries have emerged as sectors with significant growth potential. This has driven up demand for human resources in terms of both numbers and quality, posing challenges to businesses in finding and retaining talent, according to insiders. According to the Ministry of Information and Communications, the number of registered digital technology businesses has increased by nearly 30 per cent since 2020 to 75,000. Despite its late development, the creative industry accounts for around 3 per cent of the countrys GDP, according to the General Statistics Office. The Vietnam IT Market Report by TopDev pointed out that there would be a need for 700,000 IT workers by 2025. The country has around 530,000 now. The creative industry with its specific expertise and high turnover rate also has constant recruitment demand, and the human resources available now are insufficient to meet it. Businesses have to compete to attract and keep talent, which causes problems as they have to constantly hunt for and train new employees, industry insiders said. Diversify human resources According to a report titled A 10-year review, Vietnamese Talent Trends by Anphabe, a consulting firm that provides employer brand and happy workforce solutions, 57 per cent of white-collar workers have been in temporary and flexible jobs. Some 30 per cent of Gen Z expect employers to offer flexible work schedules and 71 per cent will consider other jobs if they do not. This requires businesses to find effective human resource solutions. To address these challenges, domestic and foreign companies said they are considering hiring foreign workers and diversifying working policies. Recruiting remote workers and the flexibility offered by remote and on-site work also help businesses connect more easily with both local and global talent, especially Gen Z workers. But this process can become complex, especially when dealing with a diverse workforce comprising multiple nationalities due to payment procedures, and time zones, according to analysts. Therefore, businesses should consider adopting a professional and integrated remote employee management system to ensure both high performance and effective HR management, they said. The remote employee management platform market is currently vibrant, with a wide variety of options from a single feature to supporting multiple tools, they said. This is a very favourable condition for businesses to choose a platform that suits them, they said. Job van der Voort, co-founder and CEO of Remote, a leading global remote workforce management system, said: Hiring internationally and maintaining a remote workforce used to be a privilege reserved for large corporations. Today, even small and medium-sized enterprises can access global talent. VNS HA NOI The Civil Aviation Authority of Viet Nam has asked domestic carriers to increase flights to meet the travel demand for the upcoming National Day of September 2. Specifically, the authority asked them to increase night time flight hours, to not only meet travelling demand, but also to ensure operation efficiency. Demand during national holidays often increases sharply, especially on domestic routes to tourist spots, the authority said, adding that carriers need to ensure safety and convenience for passengers. National carrier Vietnam Airlines recently said that it will increase the number of flights from August 30 to September 4 to nearly 500,000 seats, or nearly 2,500 flights on both domestic and international routes. The airlines will increase flights on popular routes connecting Ha Noi, HCM City with a Nang, a Lat and Cam Ranh, and HCM City with Hue and Phu Quoc. The total number of seats of domestic flights is 330,000 or 1,700 flights, up 19 per cent. Flights for international routes to India, China, Thailand and Australia will also be increased. To date, bookings have reached nearly 50 per cent of the seats. Vietjet also plans to increase by 25,000 seats for the coming holiday. Viet Nam will take a four-day break for the National Day. VNS HCM CITY Phuc Sinh Corp, a coffee and pepper producer and exporter of Viet Nam with over 14 years of commitment to sustainable development, will receive a 25-million-USD loan from SAIL Investments Netherlands-based & Green Fund, for developing a sustainable coffee value chain without deforestation. This is the fund's first investment in a Vietnamese enterprise, showing a positive signal for Vietnam's agriculture sector in attracting sustainable investments from international financial markets. Through this partnership, the Dutch investment fund will provide financing for Phuc Sinh to promote agricultural transformation towards a sustainable coffee value chain without deforestation. Addressing the ceremony to announce the information on August 15, Phan Minh Thong, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Phuc Sinh Corp, said this investment is a significant step forward in Phuc Sinh's sustainable development strategy. The company is committed to improving the quality of its products and also ensuring that the production process contributes to environmental protection and community support, he said, noting that the collaboration will help Phuc Sinh advance to sustainable development, thus providing long-term value for both the company and the society. With the long-term investment and support from the fund, Phuc Sinh pledges to speed up the transformation of Vietnam's coffee industry towards traceable and deforestation-free supply chains, focusing on improving the quality and value of Vietnamese coffee and promoting sustainably-produced products on a global scale. By applying responsible agricultural practices, Phuc Sinh aims to set a standard for the sector, contributing to protecting the ecosystem and promoting sustainable economic development in Vietnam Operated by SAIL Investments, a global sustainable investment manager with its headquarters in the Netherlands, & Green Fund invests in companies worldwide that can demonstrate separating commodity production from deforestation, and protecting biodiversity while ensuring social inclusiveness. The fund targets industries that lead to deforestation, such as palm oil, soybean, animal protein, and forestry. By the end of 2023, the fund's portfolio has contributed to protecting 3.1 million hectares of forests and reducing 13.2 million tCO2-e (carbon credits). VNS TOKYO The 8th Viet Nam Festival will be held in Japans Kanagawa prefecture on September 7 - 8 to help strengthen bonds between the two nations, heard a press conference on August 14. Governor of the Japanese locality Kuroiwa Yuji stressed that the festival will be an opportunity for local residents to get better insights into a beautiful Viet Nam, thus promoting people-to-people ties. An exchange event will also be held from August to September to introduce Vietnamese cuisines standout features to local people and tourists. Besides, there will be investment and tourism promotion events, as well as activities boosting economic and trade cooperation between localities of both sides, he added, saying this demonstrates the festival's substantive contributions to bilateral ties, which are developing sustainably. Vietnamese Ambassador Pham Quang Hieu, for his part, spoke highly the local administration's efforts to organise the annual festival, which he described as typical for locality-to-locality connections and also a model for similar events to be arranged in other localities of Japan. He stressed that the annual festival has bridged the Vietnamese community and Kanagawa people, helping strengthen the friendship and mutual trust between the two countries people. According to the organising board, the festival will also feature performances of Vietnamese water puppetry and Vovinam (Vietnamese traditional martial art), folk games, a music exchange, and a Japanese speaking contest for international students in Kanagawa. Another highlight is the introduction of the script of Princess Anio, a special opera premiered last year to mark the 50th anniversary of the Viet Nam - Japan diplomatic ties. The opera is based on the love story between Sotaro Araki, a merchant from Nagasaki of Japan, and Princess Ngoc Hoa (called Princess Anio by Japanese) in Hoi An of Viet Nam during the trading era of the Shuinsen in the early 17th century. Viet Nam, with more than 34,000 nationals in Kanagawa, becomes the second largest foreign community there. The Japanese prefecture is located just south of Tokyo and boasts a population of over 9.2 million. - VNA/VNS Japanese visit to ancestors during Vu Lan Festival in Hoi An HOI AN A Japanese expat community in the ancient town paid visits to old tombs of former Japanese traders, who had lived in Hoi An in the 17th century, to welcome their ancestors back home. Tomo Usuda, a Japanese expat living in Hoi An said people in Japan are preparing to celebrate Obon a festival devoted to celebrating ancestors that features lighting lanterns and maintaining family gravesites. In Japan, families look after their ancestors' gravesite by sweeping them or cleaning the stones to honour them. Obon is one of many Asian festivals focused on the veneration and celebration of ancestors. Tomo said he and his mother Reiko Usuda and other members of the Japanese group including Genta Miyagawa, Taisei, Kana M. Furuya, Nao Hoi An, Izumi Sasaki had paid visits to three tombs of Yajirobei, Banjiro and Gusokukun in a suburban area of Hoi An. The three tombs have been preserved and cared by generations of local people in the ancient town for years. We pay our tributes on Vu Lan, or (Ullambana), Festival, or Obon season in Japan, by cleaning tombs, receiving back and remembering our ancestors. Some people return to their hometown for this occasion, Tomo said. Tomo said he and his mother also visited his grandma's tomb Tani Toshiko who died at the age of 93 and was then buried in Hoi An. He also said he and Reiko also visited the memorial of La Hoi a Hoi An-born composer -- and others, who were killed by the Japanese military in 1945. In Viet Nam, Vu Lan (Ullambana) Festival, also known as the Amnesty of Unquiet Spirits, is held during the seventh lunar month as this is also considered to be the month lost souls are in the search of mercy. It has become one of the largest annual traditional festivals in Viet Nam that is celebrated throughout the country. The festival is meant for Vietnamese people to express their gratitude and appreciation to their ancestors and parents. This year, the event falls on August 22, the 15th of the seventh lunar month. Like Vietnamese people, the Japanese community in Hoi An also came to clean tombs and burn incense, as well as offering fruit, flower and lit candles or other gifts. Their tombs, which have been preserved by local people in Cam Chau Commune, attract Japanese residents and tourists. According Researcher Vo Hong Viet from Hoi An citys heritage management and preservation centre, Japanese businessmen stayed in Hoi An as their second home over 400 years ago when the port town was well-known as a busy trading centre. He said there were 40 Japanese tombs in Hoi An, but the three in Cam Chau Commune were the largest and easiest to access. Viet said the centre, with support from the Japan International Co-operation Agency, renovated the three tombs and cleared access paths for visitors and local people. Japanese Professor Kikuchi Seiichi from the Showa Women's University said the descendants of the defunct Japanese businesses could not be found in Japan. Among the three tombs, Tani Yajirobei is believed to have died in 1647 and his records include the oldest and clearest information related to his life, including a love affair with a local woman. It's evidence of the prolonged existence of the Japanese community in Hoi An, with ancient architecture, a bridge and culture that have been preserved for over a century. Viet said Tani Yajirobei had been called back to Japan following a ban issued by the Emperor on oversea businesses. However, he returned to Hoi An in an effort to find the woman he fell in love with. While he was there, he fell sick and died. He was buried in a green paddy field with his tomb facing northeast towards his homeland in Japan, according to Viet. The other tombs were inscribed with the names Banjiro (1665) and Gusokukun (1629). According to data from the centre, the last ship left Hoi An in 1673 to repatriate the Japanese traders, but some of them stayed and died in the town. VNS HA NOI General Phan Van Giang, Politburo member, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission and Minister of National Defence, hosted a reception for General Tan Sri Datuk Seri Mohammad bin Ab Rahman, Chief of Defence Forces of Malaysia, in Ha Noi on Thursday. Giang underlined that Viet Nam and Malaysia are neighbours linked by the sea and active and responsible members of ASEAN, adding Viet Nam attaches great importance to promoting the strategic partnership with Malaysia and supports Malaysia as the ASEAN Chair in 2025. Expressing his delight at the growth of the Viet Nam-Malaysia relations with increasing political trust and strengthened cooperation in culture, education, tourism and people-to-people exchange, he affirmed that bilateral defence collaboration has made important contributions to the general achievements in ties between the two countries. Noting that his delegation's visit shows the sound cooperation between the two countries and two militaries and aims to realise the memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation signed by the two Governments in December 2023, General Tan Sri Datuk Seri Mohammad bin Ab Rahman said that all countries should work together in the current context of mixed and multi-dimensional global challenges. Briefing his host on the outcomes of his talks with Sen. Lt. Gen. Nguyen Tan Cuong, Chief of the General Staff of the Viet Nam People's Army, the Malaysian defence chief said that the two sides evaluated the results of cooperation over the years and discussed measures to promote and deepen their bond. Giang hailed the talks' outcomes and highly valued cooperation between the two militaries over the years, especially in delegation exchange, training, and mutual support at multilateral forums and mechanisms. He suggested that the two militaries continue to fully and effectively implement the deputy ministerial defence policy dialogue mechanism, while establishing mechanisms of air force consultations and exchange for young officers, promoting collaboration in promising areas such as defence industry, military medicine, United Nations peacekeeping and continuing to consult and support each other at multilateral forums. He told the guest that the Ministry of National Defence of Viet Nam will organise the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the VPA and the second Viet Nam International Defence Exhibition in December, General Giang extended his invitation to the Malaysian Defence Minister, and expressed his hope that leaders of the Malaysian Armed Forces and General Tan Sri Datuk Seri Mohammad bin Ab Rahman will support Malaysian defence delegations to attend the events, underlining that Vietnam would also welcome Malaysian defence industry enterprises. VNS HA NOI To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee and State President of Viet Nam, along with his spouse, will be paying a State visit to China from August 18-20, according to a statement released on Thursday from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The visit is made at the invitation of the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee & State President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping, and his spouse. This will mark To Lam's first overseas trip since he was elected General Secretary of the CPV early this month. Following the highly successful official visit to China by the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (October 2022) and the state visit to Viet Nam by General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping and his spouse (December 2023), the two sides issued a joint statement on 'continuing deepening and elevating the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries and building a Viet Nam-China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance' and signed 36 cooperation agreements across various fields. In terms of substantive cooperation in areas such as trade, investment and tourism, Viet Nam maintains its position as China's largest trading partner within ASEAN and its fifth-largest trading partner globally by country. Bilateral trade volume in 2023 reached US$171.9 billion. In the first six months of 2024, bilateral import-export turnover amounted to $94.5 billion (an increase of 24.1 per cent year on year), with Viet Nam exporting $27.8 billion to China, up 5.3 per cent and importing $66.7 billion from China, up 34.1 per cent. Viet Nam's trade deficit with China stood at $38.9 billion, a 66.7 per cent increase. In 2023, China's investment in Viet Nam reached $4.47 billion across 707 projects, making it the fourth-largest investor in Viet Nam by registered capital and the largest in terms of the number of projects. In the first six months of 2024, China ranked fifth with registered capital of $1.299 billion but led in the number of newly licensed projects with 447 projects. As of the end of June 2024, cumulative Chinese investment in Viet Nam reached $28.23 billion (ranking it seventh out of 148 countries and territories with investments in Viet Nam), with 4,667 valid projects. The Chinese have invested in 19 out of 21 sectors open to foreign investment and across 55 out of 63 provinces in Viet Nam. In terms of tourism, after three years of interruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Viet Nam welcomed 1.75 million Chinese visitors in 2023, making China the second-largest source of tourists to the country. In the first seven months of 2024, Viet Nam received 2.14 million Chinese visitors, accounting for 27.1 per cent of total international arrivals to Viet Nam, second only to South Korea. Regarding border and territorial issues, the situation along the land border and in the Gulf of Tonkin remains generally stable. The two sides are planning to organise activities to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Land Border Treaty and the 15th anniversary of the signing of three legal documents on the Viet Nam-China land border. The situation in the East Sea (known internationally as the South China Sea) remains complex but is largely under control and mechanisms for exchanges and negotiations between the two sides on maritime issues are regularly maintained. VNS Law enforcement agencies have been pretending to be Secret Service agents at various Donald Trump events, according to an exclusive scoop from RealClearPolitics. Reporter Susan Crabtree posted a photo on Wednesday that showed a man working a J.D. Vance event wearing a Secret Service patch on his armored vest checking a bag. Except, he's not actually part of the Secret Service. EXCLUSIVE -- DANGEROUS Secret Service imposters/deception: This man, pictured below, is not with the Secret Service yet he is wearing a Secret Service patch on an armored vest issued by another federal agency while appearing to check a backpack in this photo. As you can pic.twitter.com/epI5umP4aI Susan Crabtree (@susancrabtree) August 14, 2024 After investigating, Crabtree found out that the individual is a Homeland Security Investigations special agent. This person also specializes in transnational crime and customs and immigration law violations for the U.S. This is reportedly part of a growing pattern of chaos at the agency following the assassination attempt on former President Trump. Crabtree said she has "personally witnessed Homeland Security agents, clearly marked as such, assisting at entry points at the Republican National Convention." "The U.S. Secret Service became aware of a photo where a member of another law enforcement agency is improperly wearing a Secret Service patch," the Secret Service said in a statement to Crabtree. "Corrective action has been taken and guidance has been distributed to the workforce regarding the use of agency insignias." "That said, no external agencies serve in direct protective or organizational capacities for the U.S. Secret Service,"the statement concluded. The sources who clued Real Clear Politics in on the practice told Crabtree it's unclear how the practice originated and how widespread it is, but called it a real threat to security. "There's a massive security risk because if all someone has to do is make a fake Secret Service path and throw it on themselves and walk around the site, how are normal Secret Service [agents] supposed to be able to tell who is who?" a source told Crabtree. The revelation comes after Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned last month after she was grilled by lawmakers over the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. She faced bipartisan calls to resign at the time. "Why was the Secret Service's protective perimeter in Butler shorter than the range of an AR-15? It does not take 60 days to answer that question," Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wrote on social media during the hearings. "The agency's failure to publicly account for these questions and others from Congress is unacceptable." HA NOI - A ceremony was held on Thursday to officially inaugurate a hotline between the General Staff of the Viet Nam People's Army and the General Command of the Royal Cambodian Army. Now operational, the hotline is anticipated to significantly enhance defence diplomacy, furthering the strong and growing bonds of friendship, solidarity and cooperation between Viet Nam and Cambodia. The ceremony, conducted concurrently at the headquarters of both the Viet Nam People's Army and the Royal Cambodian Army, was co-chaired by Senior Lieutenant General Huynh Chien Thang, a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Viet Nam and Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Viet Nam People's Army and General Vong Veasna, Deputy Commander of the Royal Cambodian Army. In his remarks, Senior Lieutenant General Huynh Chien Thang underscored the close and historic ties between Viet Nam and Cambodia. The two neighbouring nations, he noted, share a deep-rooted tradition of camaraderie, having stood together in the fight against colonialism and imperialism and in the overthrow of the genocidal Pol Pot regime, thereby securing independence, freedom and happiness for their peoples. Viet Nam, he affirmed, remains deeply committed to and places utmost priority on the continuous reinforcement and development of its enduring, comprehensive and sustainable relationship with Cambodia. Senior Lieutenant General Huynh Chien Thang praised the concerted efforts of the Communications Corps, the Cipher Department (under the General Staff of the Viet Nam People's Army), the 86 Command and Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group, along with their Cambodian counterpartsthe Information Command, Cipher Department and Metfone Company of the Royal Cambodian Army. He highlighted that recent advancements in bilateral defence cooperation have been both comprehensive and increasingly effective, reinforcing this collaboration as a cornerstone of the Viet Nam-Cambodia relationship. In recognition of the evolving demands of the current era, the General Staff of the Viet Nam People's Army and the General Command of the Royal Cambodian Army have jointly established this hotline to swiftly address matters of mutual concern. This important initiative is set to further strengthen the traditional friendship between the two nations, particularly within their armed forces. To ensure the hotline's optimal functioning, Senior Lieutenant General Huynh Chien Thang called on the relevant departments within the Ministries of Defence and the General Staff of both countries to continue their guidance and support. He urged them to work closely with the Communications Corps, the Cipher Department, the 86 Command and Viettel, in collaboration with their Cambodian counterparts, to maintain the hotlines full operational readiness. The Communications Corps, in coordination with the Cipher Department (under the General Staff of the Viet Nam People's Army), the 86 Command and Viettel, will work closely with their counterparts on a weekly basis to conduct regular checks and communication tests. Any issues that arise will be promptly addressed to ensure that the hotline remains clear and fully operational, ready to facilitate seamless communication and collaboration between the leadership of the General Staff of the Viet Nam People's Army and the General Command of the Royal Cambodian Army. General Vong Veasna, while praising the strong and friendly relations between Cambodia and Viet Nam, emphasised the importance of the hotlines establishment, noting that it would further strengthen the ties between the two armies. VNS HA NOI General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee and State President To Lam and his spouse will pay a state visit to China from August 18 20. The visit will be made at the invitation of General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and President of China Xi Jinping and his spouse, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced. On this occasion, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son granted an interview to the press ahead of the visit. What are the expectations from the state visit to China by Party General Secretary and State President To Lam and his spouse? The state visit to China is the first foreign trip by Party General Secretary and State President To Lam in his new position, and a particularly important diplomatic activity between Viet Nam and China this year which has a major impact on the development trend of the relations between the two Parties and the two countries in the subsequent long term. That Party General Secretary and State President Lam accepts the invitation from Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping to make his state visit to China first after shouldering his new position manifests the importance and priority of the top level of both sides in consolidating and advancing their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, building the Viet Nam-China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance. Both sides are very eagerly looking forward to the visit and expect to achieve outcomes in several areas as follows: First, based on the relationship nurtured by leaders of both countries, including late Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and other Vietnamese leaders, continuing and further enhancing the fine and favourable development trend of the Viet Nam-China relations achieved through the historical mutual visits of the top leaders of both Parties and countries in the recent past; maintaining high-level strategic exchanges, consolidating the foundation of political trust, and promoting the orientation for the development of the bilateral relations in the new phase. Second, reaching consensus on major orientations and measures for effectively building the Viet Nam-China community with a shared future holding strategic significance in the direction of the six major goals agreed upon by both sides; with a focus on realising high-level common perceptions and signed agreements; making substantive cooperation achieve new progress, particularly in the areas of mutual interest such as railway connection, agricultural trade, high-quality investment, financial and monetary affairs, culture and tourism, and people-to-people exchanges. Third, through discussions in a frank, sincere, and substantive spirit on border and territorial issues, together appropriately addressing existing issues, better managing and solving differences on the sea, and keeping issues on the sea from affecting momentum of healthy development of relations between the two Parties and countries, thus contributing to maintaining peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world. I am confident that, with the special attention and close coordination from both sides, Party General Secretary and State President To Lam and his spouse's state visit to China will arrive at a great success, becoming a new milestone and opening up a new period in the development of the friendly neighbourliness, the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, and the Viet Nam-China community with a shared future which carries strategic significance. How do you evaluate the outcomes of the Viet Nam - China cooperation over the past time? The Viet Nam - China relations have witnessed rapid progress and been increasingly profound and comprehensive across all domains since their normalisation more than 30 years ago, especially more than 15 years after the establishment of the framework of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in 2008. Particularly, following the historical official visit to China by late Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in October 2022 and the third state visit to Viet Nam by Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping in December 2023, the two countries agreed to continue further deepening and elevating their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, as well as building a Viet Nam China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance in accordance with the six major goals, opening up a new chapter for the bilateral relations. So far this year, the bilateral relations have maintained robust growth momentum, with the cooperation spirit having spread strongly to all levels, sectors, and people from all walks of life. Both sides assess that bilateral relationship has been at the deepest, most comprehensive and substantive level ever. The outcomes of their cooperation could be seen through three perspectives as follows: First, exchanges and contacts at the high level, and from central to local levels have been regularly maintained with various flexible forms, contributing to strengthening political trust and creating a new impulse for all levels and sectors of both sides. So far this year, Viet Nam has sent two delegations of key leaders, including the Prime Minister and the Chairman of the National Assembly, to visit China and have working sessions there. Besides, several members of the Politburo, Secretaries of the Party Central Committee, and leaders of ministries, sectors and localities of Viet Nam have visited China. The two sides have also opened up new cooperation areas and established more annual high-level exchange mechanisms between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the Chinese National Peoples Congress. Recently, the Chinese Party and State manifested their special sentiments and respects at the passing of late Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. The Communist Party of China Central Committee sent its message of condolences early; Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping came to the Vietnamese Embassy in Beijing to pay respect; and member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committees Political Bureau and Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Wang Huning was sent to the funeral as the Special Representative. Second, the bilateral economic-trade-investment cooperation continues growing. We have been impressed by the figures such as two-way trade in the first half of 2024 rising 24.1 per cent year-on-year to US$94.5 billion; the number of FDI projects in the six-month span remaining at the top with 447 new ones worth nearly $1.3 billion; and positive tourism recovery (Viet Nam hosted 2.1 million Chinese tourist arrivals during January-July, higher than that of the whole 2023). Advancements have been seen in the bilateral agricultural cooperation, with the basic completion of procedures for the export through the official channel of several Vietnamese farm produce to China such as frozen durian, fresh coconut, chilli, and passion fruit. People-to-people exchanges have been enhanced, the number of the Vietnamese students in China rising to more than 23,000, doubling the figure recorded before the COVID-19 broke out. Third, the land border situation has been generally stable; the East Sea (internationally known as the South China Sea) situation basically well controlled; and exchange and negotiation mechanisms between the two sides on the sea issues regularly maintained. The two sides are heading towards organising activities to mark the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Viet Nam-China Land Border Treaty and the 15th anniversary of the signing of the three legal documents on the Viet Nam-China land border. VNS HA NOI The upcoming state visit to China by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee and State President To Lam and his spouse demonstrates the importance and top priority that Viet Nam gives to its relations with the neighbouring country, said a senior Vietnamese Party official. Le Hoai Trung, Secretary of the CPV Central Committee and head of its Commission for External Relations, made the affirmation in an interview granted to the press ahead of the top leaders trip from August 18 20. Could you please share about the purpose and meaning of the state visit to China, the first by comrade To Lam in his capacity as Party General Secretary and President, from August 18-20? This is comrade To Lam's first visit to China as Party General Secretary and President, at the invitation of Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping. Through the visit, we affirm the importance and top priority that Viet Nam attaches to the Viet Nam-China relations in our foreign policy, thereby continuing with strategic dialogue at the highest level and strengthening the good relations between the two leaders of the two Parties and countries. With this visit, we hope to work together with China to accelerate the implementation of high-level common perceptions, especially those reached during the historic visit to China by late Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in 2022, and the visit to Viet Nam by Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping in 2023, in the spirit of strengthening and deepening the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, and building the Viet Nam-China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance. The joint statement of the 2023 visit set out six major orientations, comprising stronger political trust, more substantial cooperation in defence security, deeper and more practical cooperation, more solid social foundation, closer multilateral coordination, and better management and settlement of differences. Within the framework of the visit, we will discuss issues of Viet Nams concern, as well as how to promote cooperation with the partner who is both a neighbour, a socialist country, and a world power, thus consolidating a favourable foreign environment and foreign position, optimising external resources for the successful implementation of socio-economic development targets, and implementing foreign affairs and international integration as set in the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress. During this state visit, what are the main contents which the leaders of the two Parties and countries will focus on? Party General Secretaries and Presidents To Lam and Xi Jinping are scheduled to engage in an exchange at the highest strategic level of the two Parties and countries; and assess the relationship between the two Parties and countries, especially the results in implementing high-level agreements between key leaders of the two countries. These include agreements reached during the China visit by late Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in 2022 and the Viet Nam visit by Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping in 2023. Senior leaders of ministries, agencies and localities who are members of the Vietnamese delegation will discuss new cooperation contents and mechanisms for the time ahead. Besides, they will look into measures and contents to materialise the 2023 joint statement with the six major orientations in six areas. Notably, the two sides will evaluate and exchange views on the implementation of high-level agreements and propose additional contents and measures to make the bilateral relationship more solid, comprehensive and practical. During the state visit, apart from meetings with key Chinese leaders, there will be various important activities with the participation of Chinese people and their representatives. Could you please share your expectations about the results of the visit? Through this visit, both sides will affirm the importance they attach to the relations between the two Parties and countries, as well as the significance of the relations. They will affirm the set directions and high-level cooperation agreements; and particularly create conditions and mechanisms for as well as agree on measures to implement well and effectively their reached deals. The two countries will continue to strengthen political trust and mutual understanding, and affirm the importance they give to common perceptions; evaluate achievements; propose measures to implement the set orientations and agreements, and may suggest new orientations and mechanisms. Thereby, we will build the relationship exactly as both sides desire, according to the motto set out in the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. We will have more conditions to consolidate the favourable international environment and international position, boost socio-economic development and implement the foreign policy as well as the development goals of the 13th National Party Congress. VNS HA NOI National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man affirmed that Viet Nam always regards the United States as a partner of strategic importance at his reception for US Ambassador Marc Evans Knapper in Ha Noi on Thursday. The chief legislator used this occasion to thank the US for sending condolences to the Vietnamese Party, State and people over the passing of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. US President Joe Biden sent a letter of condolences and assigned Secretary of State Antony Blinken to come to Viet Nam to pay respects to late Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. He appreciated the ambassadors understanding about Viet Nam and its people, as well as his contributions to enhancing the bilateral relations, including the preparation for the state visit to Viet Nam by President Joe Biden in September 2023. Man noted his hope that Knapper will pay more attention to the implementation of agreements reached by the two countries, contributing to promoting the Viet Nam-US ties. The leader also welcomed the USs continued commitment to supporting a strong, independent, self-resilient and prosperous Viet Nam. Since the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership in September 2023, the two countries relevant agencies have coordinated in implementing the new framework, he said, adding that the two sides have stepped up all-level delegation exchanges and recorded positive results. The two-way trade reached nearly US$111 billion last year, and over $66.1 billion in the first seven months of this year, Man said. The two countries legislators have also maintained delegation exchanges, and cooperation in law making and supervision, the NA leader revealed. He suggested the two sides work harder to effectively materialise the Viet Nam-US joint statement and action plan towards the 30th founding anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties in 2025. Man held that ample room remains for the two countries to foster their cooperation, and suggested them raise the bilateral trade revenue, and intensify investment promotion in science-technology, education-training, and health care. The two legislatures should deepen their cooperation to exchange experience in law making and supervision over the implementation of collaboration agreements, he said. The NA Chairman said he hopes that the ambassador will urge US agencies consider and soon recognise Viet Nams market economy status, and remove Viet Nam from the list of countries for export restrictions on high technologies, support the Southeast Asian nation at major important forums like the United Nations, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and increase funding for dioxin remediation, bomb and mine clearance, aid to persons with disabilities, and search and identification of Vietnamese martyrs. For his part, Knapper stressed the passing of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong was a huge loss to not only Viet Nam, but also the Viet Nam-US relations, and affirmed that the US will continue its close coordination with Party General Secretary and President To Lam and other leaders of Viet Nam. He said legislative cooperation remains an important pillar of the bilateral relations, and thanked the Vietnamese NA and its agencies for their support in strengthening the bilateral ties, and promoting understanding between Vietnamese and US legislators. The diplomat pledged to continue to work with relevant ministries and agencies to soon recognise Viet Nams market economy status, and remove it from the list of countries for export restrictions on high technologies, expressing his belief that the Viet Nam-US relations will reap more achievements in the time ahead. VNS HA NOI Many localities in Viet Nam have developed strategies and action plans to raise environmental protections and take measures to reduce plastic waste. Local authorities of coastal provinces and cities have paid attention to the sustainable development of economic sectors including tourism and effectively exploit marine resources but combined with eco-system protection. Sea and island tourism has been selected as one of the primary products in the national tourism strategy for the 202130 period, with a vision until 2045. By 2030, all tourist destinations, attractions, lodging facilities and service providers in coastal areas will completely stop using single-use plastics and non-biodegradable plastic bags in order to fulfill the goal of sustainable tourism development, which is linked to environmental preservation and an efficient response to climate change, according to the plan. An attraction for tourists in southern Kien Giang Province, Phu Quoc Island, hosts over 5.5 million tourists annually. Despite having the benefit of island tourism resources, Phu Quoc has numerous obstacles in the development of green tourism, including environmental preservation and plastic waste reduction. The People's Committee of Phu Quoc City is committed to promoting eco-friendly and sustainable growth in several economic areas, including tourism. By 2025, the city hopes to ban single-use plastics entirely in tourist destinations, seaside services and night market establishments. About 80 per cent of areas in the Phu Quoc marine protected area will no longer have plastic waste. Nguyen Thi My Quynh from World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature in Viet Nam said they have coordinated with authorities to carry out the project of Phu Quoc looking towards a non-plastic waste island. Numerous useful activities have been conducted within the project's framework to educate the public, businesses and tourists about environmental protection and the reduction of plastic trash. In addition, the project has introduced green collection stations to gather rubbish and give out eco-friendly shopping bags to visitors staying at hotels and resorts. Con ao District, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, is another popular island destination for travellers. It strives for sustainable socio-economic development, which includes ecologically friendly tourism expansion, to make this place a top-notch travel destination. Public knowledge of environmental preservation has been raised through communication initiatives implemented as part of a local circular economy concept. Both visitors and locals have received training on the classification of garbage at source. Local travel agencies and transportation providers have pledged to cut back on plastic usage in their services. Con ao District People's Committee and WWF - Viet Nam handed out hundreds of waste classification manuals and bags made from recycled, waterproof fabric to tourism service establishments. Con ao National Monuments Conservation Centre has implemented the model of 'Say no to plastic bags at Hang Duong Cemetery'. The initiative has been put into practice by the Con ao National Monuments Conservation Centre. The management board of Con ao National Park has coordinated numerous rubbish collection and ocean waste treatment campaigns on roads, beaches and tourist destinations. Vo Thanh My, Vice Chairman of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province Tourism Association, said: The association has strengthened communication on the tourism business community to actively apply the circular economy model in the island district and minimise the use of disposable plastic products in tourism and service activities. A large number of lodging facilities and service providers in the area have separated waste at the source, My said. A representative of Nicobar Con ao Hotel said glass water bottles have taken the place of plastic ones. We provide shampoo and shower gel to visitors in tiny glass bottles that they can reuse multiple times, the representative told Vietnam News Agency. The Secret Con ao Hotel uses easily decomposable, eco-friendly waste bags, a RO water filtering system and glass bottles rather than plastic bottles for guest water. In an effort to reduce its reliance on electricity, the hotel has made an investment in a solar energy system with a 65KWh design capacity per hour. In order to produce drinking water without using single-use plastic bottles, Six Senses Con ao Resort, which aims to boost zero plastic waste model, has constructed a water filtration system. ang Thu Hien, a tourist from Ha Noi, said: "Con ao is a spiritual tourism destination familiar to me and many people. While visiting relics on the island, tourists like me have been encouraged to use baskets (to carry worshipping items) without plastic products. "Although this is a very small action, if every tourist voluntarily adopts the habit, it will help preserve the environment of the Con ao in the short and long term," she said. VNS HA NOI In recent years, all levels of government, agencies and residents of Ha Noi have actively participated in the implementation of the National Target Programme for New-Style Rural Area Development and achieved many positive results. The rural areas of the capital have increasingly transformed towards civilisation and modernity, with the material and mental lives of the people seeing steady improvements. According to the Coordination Office for New-Style Rural Area Development in Ha Noi, to date, the city has recognised 65 communes as meeting the standards for new-style rural areas. This achievement has contributed to the betterment of people's lives and the efforts to build rural areas that are increasingly civilised, modern and rich in cultural identity. Nguyen Van Chi, permanent deputy head of the Coordination Office, said that Ha Noi has two out of 65 communes fully meeting the criteria for comprehensive new-style rural area across all eight fields: Yen My and ai Ang communes in the outlying district of Thanh Tri. The remaining communes mostly meet the standards in two to four fields. In Bat Trang Commune (Gia Lam District), which is famous both in the country and on an international scale for its traditional pottery craft, the maintenance of security and order has been identified as a key factor for promoting production, business and tourism. Therefore, Bat Trang has chosen to develop model new-style rural areas with a focus on tourism and security. On February 23, it was recognised by Ha Noi's authorities as meeting the standards for model new-style rural areas in 2023 in the fields of tourism and security. Pham Huy Khoi, Chairman of the People's Committee of Bat Trang Commune, affirmed that being recognised as a model new-style rural area will motivate the commune to do better in other fields and further improve ones already meeting the standards, such as tourism and security. Regarding tourism, Bat Trang Commune will collaborate with businesses to introduce more digital transformation solutions, aiming to make it a key tourist destination in the capital. In 2023, Phung Xa Commune (My uc District) was also recognised by the city of Ha Noi for completing the construction of model new-style rural areas in education and training. Vu Van Chuy, Chairman of the commune's People's Committee, stated that all three schools in the commune (kindergarten, primary, and secondary) have met national standards, with the secondary school reaching level 2 national standards. Pham inh Thanh, a resident of Phung Xa Commune, said that since the commune achieved the standards for model new-style rural areas, his family has noticed positive changes, especially in the enthusiasm of his children attending the newly refurbished secondary school, which is equipped with modern learning facilities. Phung Xa Commune's leader also mentioned that after achieving model new-style rural area standards in education and training, the commune has set a goal to develop Phung Xa into an e-commerce commune by 2024. With a highly developed weaving industry, the commune plans to leverage digital technology and e-commerce platforms to promote and sell its products. The commune will invest in infrastructure, ensure stable and high-speed internet along with providing training for residents on packaging, logistics, online insurance and cashless payments. Nhi Khe Commune (Thuong Tin District) was recognised in 2023 for meeting the standards for model new-style rural areas in three fields, healthcare, culture and education and training. Today, Nhi Khe has a system of schools and health stations that provide the best conditions for local residents. The achievements of Nhi Khe have been widely supported by the local population. Nguyen Viet Hoan, the head of the Thuong inh hamlet (Nhi Khe Commune), shared that the residents are very pleased with the progress seen in Nhi Khe, with many new roads, modern schools and a growing economy. One of the keys to success in building new-style rural areas in Nhi Khe has been the unity and consensus among the people. According to the People's Committee of Nhi Khe, since 2012, the local residents have contributed nearly VN28 billion (US$1.1 million), accounting for more than eight per cent of the total resources mobilised for the National Target Programme for New-Style Rural Area Development. Ngo Van Ngon, Deputy Chief of the Coordination Office for New-Style Rural Area Development in Ha Noi, said that along with increasing the number of communes meeting the standards for model new rural areas to achieve the set goals, the city of Ha Noi consistently directs communes to improve the quality of fields already meeting the standards and to focus on those that are not yet meeting the standards, aiming towards comprehensive model new rural areas linked with smart rural development. VNS * The article is published under the coordination of the Coordination Office of the New-Style Rural Development Programme in Ha Noi. HA NOI The Prime Minister recently issued a decision on the establishment of the National Medical Council which is tasked with giving independent capacity assessment in medical profession. Under the decision, taking effect from August 13, chairman of the council is a leader from the Ministry of Health (MoH), while there are one permanent vice chairman, and two vice chairmen who are the directors of the MoHs Department of Medical Service Administration, and Administration of Science, Technology and Training. They are appointed by the Prime Minister as proposed by the Minister of Health. Members of the Ha Noi-based council include representatives from medical facilities, training establishments and associations, and experts. VNS Accordingly, Vinh Hoan Corporation (VHC), the top tra fish exporter, posted 22.2 per cent jump in its revenue in during the period (H1) reaching $253 million. Its profit, however, saw 26.5 per cent drop on-year, falling to $20.15 million, in which the gross profit margin just fetched 11.98 per cent, and net accrued profit margin came to 7.96 per cent, falling to a record low compared to 2020-2023. Aside from narrowed gross profit margin, Vinh Hoan eyed a spike in transportation cost during the period, surging from $2.68 million to $4.18 million. Truong Thi Le Khanh, chairwoman of the Board of Directors at Vinh Hoan, has attributed continued retreat of their profit to dwindling price of tra fish. This means the companys business efficiency had almost halved in H1 compared to the most favourable year of 2022 and extended diminishing trend from 2023 until now. Similarly, other businesses in the sector such as Nam Viet JSC and International Development and Investment Corporation (IDI) witnessed their revenue going sideways, yet their net profit continued to pull back due to narrowed gross and net profit margins. Along with this, in H1 Nam Viet JSC saw 0.9 per cent drop in its revenue falling to $92 million, and its profit shed 16.7 per cent on-year to $1.43 million. Its gross profit margin and net profit margin fell to 11.1 per cent compared to 11.3 per cent on-year ago, and 1.6 per cent compared to 1.9 per cent one year ago. Besides this, Nam Viet explained that the transportation cost after falling in the first quarter (Q1), had spiked 91.4 per cent in Q2, rising to $789,500 to $1.5 million. Meanwhile, in the first half IDI saw its revenue slightly going down by 0.7 per cent to $148.5 million, yet its profit took a plunge of 21 per cent on-year falling to $1.2 million. In which the companys gross profit margin retreated to 7.68 per cent compared to 8.34 per cent one year ago, and net profit margin fell to 0.81 per cent compared to 1.02 per cent one year ago. IDI also explained that during the period the companys transportation cost picked up nearly 40 per cent, surging from $1.47 million to $2.06 million. Putting eyes on business performance of tra fish exporters, analysts at Viet Dragon Securities suggest that the prospects in the second half focuses on revenue increases as the price of tra fish is more competitive compared to other kinds. The tra fish price is expected to go up in all markets at year-end peak season, but the increase might not be robust due to still weak global economies. More glorious prospect is anticipated in 2025 after the Fed might embrace rate cuts starting this September. Experts at SSI Securities echoed the mindset, saying that consumption would continue growth momentum in H2 as from August to November is often the peak time for tra fish exports, alongside expectation for resumed consumption in the US market. Figures by Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) show that in the first seven months of this year, Vietnam counted nearly $1.09 billion from tra fish export, up 7.7 per cent on-year. AgroMonitor, an in-depth market analysis firm for the commodity sectors of Vietnam serving the business community, also reported a rebound in tra fish export value in all markets in H1, particularly the US market, in which, despite surging revenue, the price remains low level compared to one year ago.. Hung Yen attracts more than $1.5 billion in H1 Synchronous infrastructure, open investment environment, and transparent administration are the factors enhancing Hung Yens appeal in the eyes of domestic and foreign investors. Tyres and tubes firms see buoyant performance in H1 Tyres and tubes businesses eyed impressive results in the year to date, leveraging export market rebound and markedly improved accrued profit. This landmark event featured prominent representatives from leading Vietnamese tech corporations and notable Taiwanese venture partners, fostering a collaborative environment for the burgeoning digital economy. Richard R. C. Shih, head of the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office in Vietnam Richard R. C. Shih, head of the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office in Vietnam, said that the relationship between Taiwan and Vietnam has developed strongly across people-to-people exchanges, diplomacy, economics, and culture. Shih cited there are 260,000 Vietnamese workers and 27,000 Vietnamese students in Taiwan, and more than 130,000 marriages between Vietnamese and Taiwanese people. On the other hand, more than 80,000 Taiwanese people are working in Vietnam and the total investment made by Taiwanese enterprises in Vietnam has reached tens of billions of USD. "With such a comprehensive and solid foundation of relations in many fields, we believe that investments from Taiwan will continue to flow more strongly into Vietnam," Shih said. Do Tien Thinh, NIC's deputy director general, said that most Taiwanese projects in Vietnam are successful. Taiwan is currently the fourth-largest investment partner and the fifth-largest trade partner of Vietnam, with the total investment reaching over $37 billion. "This is a good time for Taiwanese and Singaporean startups because Vietnam has a good ecosystem for startups, and holds numerous opportunities for businesses thanks to its population of 100 million, and the green transition and digital transformation it is undertaking in numerous sectors," Thinh emphasised. The participating Taiwanese startups showcased their cutting-edge technologies across various sectors, demonstrating Taiwan's strengths in digital services, including e-commerce, marketing, and education. The startups also highlighted their advancements in cybersecurity, trust technology, smart manufacturing, the Internet of Things, and sustainable industries. Among the notable participants, Gogolook - a leader in trust tech - has successfully expanded its reach into Southeast Asia, including markets like Thailand and the Philippines, and is now entering the Vietnamese market. Other standout startups included IsCoolLab, a specialist in robotic process automation for the manufacturing sector, and Sightour, an optical character recognition technology innovator. Both companies have established manufacturing partnerships in Vietnam, completing their proof of concept and preparing to scale up further. Additionally, energy management firms 3Egreen and ZiG have made significant strides in reducing energy costs for manufacturers, helping them to achieve their environmental, social, and governance goals and earn carbon credits. "ZiG has independently developed a universal IoT system that allows applications in different scenarios to quickly adopt IoT systems through modularisation. Our cases are spread across Mainland China, Taiwan, and Vietnam," said Frank Chang, ZiG sales manager. "Different types of devices or metres are centralised into the packaging centre in the form of packages. With just one-click installation, we can connect and manage the devices to reduce the complexity of various types of devices, accelerate system implementation speed, and simplify maintenance and management." The event featured insights from IT solutionw company SotaTek, who shared its successful collaboration cases across several Asian countries to support its endeavours in the growth of Vietnam's digital economy. Discussions on chip and manufacturing also captivated the audience, with venture capitalists from ThinkZone and Hive Ventures sharing their perspectives on the investment landscape. This year's Taiwan Tech Solution Day in Hanoi received unprecedented attention and engagement from Vietnam's public sector and major enterprises. The event successfully connected the startup ecosystems of Taiwan and Vietnam, paving the way for future collaboration and innovation. Startup Island Taiwan symbolises a journey from a startup island to the international arena. It demonstrates to the world the strong ambition and capabilities of Taiwan startup companies, as well as their intention and ability to contribute to other startup ecosystems around the world. Vietnam a key partner of Taiwan's textile industry Taiwan's textile industry, which aims to innovation and sustainability in production and manufacturing, considers Vietnam as a key and close partner to grow together. Taiwanese interest in electronics continues to surge A survey by Taiwanese Ministry of Economic Affairs shows that nearly one-fifth of Taiwans traditional manufacturing enterprises have expressed interest in investing in Vietnam. Taiwan aims to become AI-island based on semiconductor industry Taiwan, which has been known as a powerhouse in the global semiconductor industry, is now setting AI into motion to further strengthen its economic capability in the global supply chain. Taiwan aims to become global supply chain centre in six key industries Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs' (MoEA) Industrial Development Administration has highlighted semiconductors, AI healthcare, machine tools, electric vehicles (EVs), bicycles, and textiles as six of its outstanding industries. Mohammed Abu al-Qumsan had just collected the birth certificates of his three-day-old twins when he received the news: his Gaza apartment had been bombed, killing the babies and their mother. Footage of a distraught Abu al-Qumsan, weeping and falling as he still holds the birth certificates, has been widely circulated on social media, becoming the latest emblem of the devastating toll of the war in the Palestinian territory. "I was in the hospital at the time when the house was targeted," he says, tears streaming down his face. "There was a call, after the birth certificates were printed. "The caller asked, 'Are you okay and where are you?' I told them I was at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, and I was told that my house had been bombed." Abu al-Qumsan had left his wife, the infants and his mother-in-law in the fifth-floor flat they shared in Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, which has been relentlessly bombed by Israeli forces. "I was informed that they are in Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital and I told them I am at the entrance to the hospital," he says. "I went inside the hospital with the birth certificates in my hands... and they told me they are in the morgue." An Israeli military spokesperson, when asked for comment on the strike, told AFP: "The details of the incident as published are not currently known to the IDF (Israel Defense Forces)." On Wednesday, with his home obliterated and his family gone, Abu al-Qumsan folded unused pink and yellow baby clothes outside a blue tent in Al-Mawasi, a coastal area that Israel has declared a humanitarian zone. He never got the chance to show his wife that their babies had been legally named: Aser, the boy, and Aysal, the girl. "On the same day I obtained their birth certificates, I also had to submit their death certificates, for my children, and also for their mother. "I did not get the chance to celebrate their arrival. Their clothes are new, they did not wear them," he says, also showing a half-full pack of nappies. "These nappies, we had a hard time finding them. For three months, we have been trying to buy some" in the Gaza Strip, where there has been a dire shortage of basic supplies since the start of the war. The Gaza war began with Hamas's October 7 attack on southern Israel which resulted in the deaths of 1,198 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures. Militants also seized 251 people, 111 of whom are still held captive in Gaza, including 39 the military says are dead. Israel's retaliatory military offensive in Gaza has killed at least 39,965 people, according to a toll from the territory's health ministry, which does not provide a breakdown of civilian and militant deaths. Abu al-Qumsan married his wife Jumana, a pharmacist, in July last year, before the war plunged their lives into chaos. She endured a traumatic pregnancy as they fled from place to place to escape the bombardments. Despite carrying twins, she insisted on volunteering in hospitals until the seventh month. "Since the beginning of the war, I have been afraid every day, living in terror, and I was afraid that she would miscarry," Abu al-Qumsan says. "We lost friends, family, and people who were very dear to us," he adds. "We were in a lot of pain, we were very scared. We ran a lot." "I want to know why she was killed in this way. I want to know why she was targeted. In the house, in a safe area," he says. "There was no prior warning of the bombing of the house. I have nothing to do with military action. We are civilians." Vietnam and South Korea upgraded their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2022. How do you evaluate the positive impact of this relationship since that time? Choi Bundo, chairman of the Korean Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam The elevation of Vietnam and South Koreas relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership has had a significant positive impact on bilateral trade relations. This strengthened partnership has led to deeper and more diversified economic cooperation between the two countries. Firstly, there has been a significant increase in South Korean investment in Vietnam. According to data from the Foreign Investment Agency under Vietnams Ministry of Planning and Investment, South Koreas investment capital in Vietnam reached $1.41 billion in the first six months of 2024. This marks a 15.8 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2023, positioning South Korea as the fourth-largest investor among 84 countries doing so in Vietnam. South Korean companies have expanded their funding across various sectors, including manufacturing, real estate, and retail. Notably, major conglomerates such as Samsung and LG have made substantial investments that have garnered considerable attention. Secondly, the trade volume between the two countries has increased significantly, from less than $2 billion in 2000 to $79.4 billion in 2023. Each country now ranks as the third-largest trading partner for the other. There has been particularly vibrant trade in electronic products, textiles and garments, and agricultural and fishery products. Thirdly, people-to-people exchanges have flourished. As of 2023, 170,000 South Koreans reside in Vietnam, while approximately 270,000 Vietnamese live in South Korea. Last year, about 3.6 million South Korean tourists visited Vietnam, with Vietnamese visitors to South Korea reaching 500,000. In the first four months of this year, South Korea emerged as the largest tourism market for Vietnam, with 1.6 million visitors accounting for 28.5 per cent of all international arrivals. These increased people-to-people exchanges, including students, workers, and tourists, have enhanced mutual understanding and solidified the foundation for economic cooperation. These positive outcomes are the result of continued support and strengthened cooperation efforts by both governments. It is anticipated that this positive trend will persist, creating even greater synergies for both economies in the future. What factors should Vietnam and South Korea do to attract high-quality investors from the latter? To entice high-quality financial backers from South Korea, Vietnam should consider several factors. The first is providing relevant advantages. The process for obtaining registration certificates and work permits should be streamlined. While theres proactivity at the prime minister level in addressing issues, this enthusiasm often doesnt translate effectively to the operational level. This gap needs to be bridged to ensure investors receive tangible benefits. Consideration should be given to establishing a one-stop centre for foreign-led companies to handle all funding, labour, and tax-related issues in one place. Secondly, supporting the materials, components, and equipment industries is crucial for attracting high-quality investors. The Vietnamese government should implement proactive support policies for these sectors, laying the groundwork for collaboration with high-quality South Korean financiers. Failure to address these supply chain issues could lead to increased logistics costs, potentially deterring investors. Next, related regulations should be clarified and administrative procedures simplified to reduce uncertainties. Its crucial to protect intellectual property rights and foster a fair competitive environment. It is also essential to strengthen education and training programmes for highly skilled technical personnel and establish a tailored workforce supply system that meets the needs of South Korean companies. Therefore, it is also necessary to revise relevant laws to facilitate the entry of educational institutions and companies focused on training technical personnel. By comprehensively considering these factors in policy formulation and implementation, Vietnam can more effectively attract high-quality investors from South Korea. What is your prediction for the funding wave from South Korea in the coming period? Future South Korean investments in Vietnam are likely to focus increasingly on renewable energy, advanced technologies including AI, and digital transformation. In line with Vietnams renewable energy policies, South Korean companies are expected to increase funding in clean energy sectors such as solar and wind power. Investments are also expected to grow in cutting-edge fields like semiconductors, AI, and robotics. South Korean companies are expected to intensify their efforts to leverage Vietnams skilled workforce and cost competitiveness to enhance their global competitiveness, and there are likely to be expanded investments in areas related to the digital economy, including e-commerce, fintech, and digital content. These trends are expected to further strengthen economic cooperation between Vietnam and South Korea, contributing to the sustainable growth of Vietnams economy. According to the latest figures released last week by Vietnams General Statistics Office, South Korea is now Vietnams fourth-largest trade partner, after China, the United States, and ASEAN. The Vietnam-South Korea trade turnover in the first seven months of this year reached $46.5 billion, up from $35.2 billion in the same period last year. This included $41.5 billion worth of Vietnamese exports, up 9 per cent on-year, and $32.1 billion for South Korean exports, up 12.6 per cent as compared to the same period last year. The total trade deficit for Vietnam in this period sat at $17.7 billion, up from $15.5 billion last year. Vietnam has for many years been suffering from a trade deficit with South Korea (see chart). However, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), Vietnam is still an increasingly attractive destination for South Korean investors who import many types of materials for production from their home market into Vietnam, where such materials cannot be produced directly due to a weak supporting industry. Last year, both nations total trade turnover reached $76.1 billion. Vietnams exports to South Korea hit $23.4 billion, accounting for 6.6 per cent of the formers total export turnover. Meanwhile, Vietnams imports from South Korea stood at $52.6 billion, occupying 14.8 per cent of Vietnams total import value. According to the General Department of Vietnam Customs, the key items that were imported the most last year from South Korea includes computers, electronics, and their spare parts ($28.7 billion); machinery and equipment ($5.4 billion); assorted petrol and oil ($3.2 billion); plastic materials ($2 billion); metal ($1.3 billion); steel ($1.1 billion); vehicle spare parts ($846.2 million); and mobile phone and spare parts ($524 million), among others. All these figures recorded an on-year increase. The MoIT said that these imported items do not compete with those in Vietnam where many of similar items are not produced, and they are all used for domestic production in Vietnam, not luxury items. According to the MoIT, an expansion in South Korean investment has contributed to a rise in imports from the East Asian country. Figures from the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment showed that accumulatively as of July 20, South Korea was the biggest foreign backer in Vietnam, with more than 10,000 valid projects registered at $87.61 billion. In the year to July 20, total newly registered and newly added capital and stake acquisition and capital contributions from South Korean investors in Vietnam hit $1.58 billion. At a bilateral meeting more than one week ago in Hanoi between Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and South Korean counterpart Han Duck Soo, the Vietnamese leader said that efforts are to be made to soon raise the bilateral trade turnover to $100 billion, with a vision to reach $150 billion by 2030. To this end, Vietnam welcomes all South Korean investments into key and high-tech industries such as semiconductor, digital transformation, green economy, circular economy, high technology, renewable energy, and AI, he added. PM Soo assessed that Vietnam is a strong destination full of potential for South Korean companies, whose number has hit nearly 10,000 in Vietnam, and that his government will continue to create all the best conditions for them to increase investment. In an example, Hyundai Motor Group executive chair Euisun Chung said last month that the group wants to put more money into Vietnam, and especially transfer new technology to Vietnam in the vehicle industry. Hyundai has invested $415 million in Vietnam, employing 2,300 workers, with an estimated revenue reported to be $2.6 billion last year. It has also transferred tech to Vietnams Truong Hai Auto Corporation to manufacture and assemble assorted Kia products in the south-central province of Quang Nam. Samsung chairman Lee Jae Yong also said that this group plans to invest more in Vietnam over the next three years. Samsung Electronics CFO Park Hark-kyu in May revealed a plan to place about $1 billion in Vietnam annually while meeting with PM Chinh in Hanoi. Samsung Electronics has already invested $22.4 billion in Vietnam so far and incorporated over 300 Vietnamese companies into its supply chain, a more than 12-fold increase from a decade ago. Vietnam now produces half of Samsung Electronics smartphones. Last year, total exports of Samsung in Vietnam hit $55.7 billion, and the group has expanded local operations from manufacturing plants for smartphones to research and development facilities. More recently, the tech giant has been seeking to help local firms join its global production and supply chain network. Elsewhere, Lotte chairman Shin Dong Bin also said that it plans to increase its investment in the country. Currently, it is implementing a smart city project in Thu Thiem of Ho Chi Minh City, but awaiting the areas land price to be fixed before it can speed up construction of the project. Last September, Lotte inaugurated its $650 million mall in Tay Ho district of Hanoi, which has thus far received over 7 million visitors. Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott International's award-winning travel programme, is inviting planners to unlock the benefits through the new Your Vision, Our Commitment campaign. Sheraton Hanoi West offers bonus points and a free room night, plus complimentary drinks and F&B and laundry discounts The campaign focuses on four key Marriott Bonvoy Events strengths, centred around delivering the very best event experience for clients. The first, 'Sensations to Savor', leverages on Marriott Internationals team of creative culinary experts, while 'Thoughtfully Personalised Service' showcases the attention of associates to anticipate and meet the needs of every guest. 'Experiences Made Memorable' reaffirms commitment to deliver excellence by ensuring every detail is executed flawlessly, while venues provide inspirational spaces with 'Where Connections Flourish'. By working closely with its clients, Marriott seeks to create truly outstanding events at the groups portfolio of 21 world-class hotels and resorts all across Vietnam. Meetings industry professionals can now look forward to an array of personalised perks when they confirm their group gathering before December 31, 2024, and host it by March 31, 2025. At JW Marriott Hotel Hanoi, which features 17 versatile venues, organisers can now earn 5,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points and delegates can enjoy a special price for spa therapies, while Sheraton Hanoi West offers bonus points and a free room night, plus complimentary drinks, food and beverages (F&B), and laundry discounts for stay delegates (subject to availability). At the landmark 5-star Sheraton in Haiphong, corporate bookers can unlock a voucher for a free stay, spa vouchers, and bonus points, while travel agents will receive one complimentary nights stay for every 15 paid room nights and 5,000 bonus points, and delegates will receive a welcome drink plus generous F&B and spa discounts. In Ho Chi Minh City, Vinpearl Landmark 81, Autograph Collection, the tallest hotel in the city, is raising the bar for business events with spectacular sky-high meeting spaces and a choice of five enticing extra benefits, plus in-stay discounts, hotel credit and free drinks for delegates. Alternatively, Le Meridien Saigon is offering VND1 million ($40) credit for F&B and spa services for any organisers who enrol a Marriott Bonvoy member, complimentary or upgraded rooms, themed coffee breaks, and more for new group inquiries. Sheraton Saigon Grand Opera Hotel promises double Marriott Bonvoy points, one complimentary nights stay, and a welcome reception with one hour of drinks. On Vietnams vibrant central coast, companies have multiple venues to choose from in dynamic Danang and culture-rich Hoi An. Sheraton Grand Danang Resort & Convention Center provides more than 3,300 sq.m of space for every size and style of event, plus a wealth of exclusive perks including double points for new members, 5,000 bonus points for existing members, and a free room night for every 15 room nights booked. Nestled on Non Nuoc Beach, Danang Marriott Resort & Spa is offering a Vietnamese themed coffee break, a one-hour welcome reception for the gala dinner, plus free and upgraded rooms. Meanwhile, Phu Quoc sets the stage for enchanting alfresco events. At JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort & Spa, the artistic beach-front resort, organisers who enrol as new Marriott Bonvoy members will receive a two-night stay voucher or a 60-minute spa voucher, plus 10 per cent discounts for delegates at the resorts restaurants, bars, and spa. Existing members will receive a choice of three perks including double Marriott Bonvoy points, complimentary room, or room upgrade for every 20 rooms or more. On the islands sunset coast, Sheraton Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort will bring every vision to life in its stunning beach-front setting, including vibrant beach parties with unforgettable sunset views. Special privileges include a one-hour welcome reception with beer and soft drinks. IFF Holdings, Marriott International open luxury hotel, residences In a significant expansion of its luxury hospitality offerings in Southeast Asia, IFF Holdings has announced a signed agreement with Marriott International to open Arbora, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Quangnam, Danang and The Residences at Arbora, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Quangnam, Danang. Marriott International expand high-ranking official role Marriott International has announced the expansion of Duke Nams role as area vice president for South Korea and Philippines to now include Vietnam. This expanded role marks another chapter in the 38-year hospitality career of this industry veteran. Arnaud Ginolin, managing director and partner Boston Consulting Group (left) and Suncica Zdunic, project leader Boston Consulting Group Asia-Pacifics vast potential and diverse market dynamics present significant opportunities and unique challenges for renewables developers, investors, and operators. These complexities are examined in our latest report, Asia-Pacific is Ready for Renewables. Are Energy Players?. Navigating this complex landscape demands a nuanced understanding of each markets intricacies and a strategic approach tailored to local conditions. Achieving substantial renewable energy integration will require significant investment. According to the International Energy Agencys announced pledges scenario, revised in August 2023, investments in Asia-Pacific renewables from 2022 to 2030 are projected to reach $286 billion. Vietnams rapid growth and national commitments to expand renewable energy capacity make it an intriguing market for low-carbon energy evolution in Southeast Asia, with wind and distributed solar technologies providing a valuable platform for sustainable success. The promise of renewables in Vietnam Vietnam is a nation with growing energy demand, driven by rapid population and economic growth. The national economy is projected to grow to nearly 6 per cent in 2024 far above the global average and outstripping many regional peers. The readjustment of global supply chains from China towards Southeast Asia is further bolstering the nations economic opportunity, creating fertile ground for renewables investment. The country has a strong foundation of renewable energy, with installed energy capacity of over 46,000MW as of 2023 marking it as a regional leader by total installed renewable capacity. There are strong national commitments designed to further expand on this foundation, with Vietnam setting targets to achieve net-zero by 2050. The Power Development Plan VIII targets generating approximately 27 per cent from wind and solar by 2030, with approximately half coming from hydropower, gas, and other lower-carbon sources. It aims to phase out coal completely by 2050, with gas power plants converted to ammonia, hydrogen, and liquid-natural gas. Wind, solar, and hydropower are targeted to account for the greatest share of the future power mix. Vietnams participation in the Just Energy Transition Partnership also positions it to benefit from significant foreign direct investment to support the nations low-carbon energy ambitions. In total, Vietnams roadmap to significantly expand renewable energy generation is expected to deliver an additional 26GW of wind and solar capacity. Charting a course for success Renewable energy development in Vietnam and across Asia-Pacific is driven by several key elements, each adding momentum towards a sustainable energy future. One significant driver is cost reduction. Advances in technology and economies of scale have made renewable energy increasingly competitive with traditional fossil fuel-based power generation. This cost parity, particularly in solar, has accelerated the adoption of renewables in Asia-Pacific, driving investment and deployment of clean energy infrastructure. In navigating the renewable energy landscape across Vietnam and Asia-Pacific, developers and investors must adapt to the diverse business environments present in each market. We have identified five key factors for both developers and investors to consider: finding focus by concentrating efforts on specific markets and technologies, establishing local partnerships to access land and navigate regulatory landscapes, broadening financing options to address challenges of lower returns and increased competition, navigating the supply chain by integrating with local players and meeting local content requirements, and leveraging offtake expertise to gain a competitive edge in tender processes. Vietnams high-growth economy and robust transition commitments provide an intriguing opportunity for energy players, and a valuable foundation for future industry growth. It is important for stakeholders to consider their positions now, and build a strong platform that enables them to take advantage of the projected acceleration in renewables tech. Distributed solar power is emerging as a compelling opportunity due to low capital costs and established local presence in solar panel manufacturing. There is potential for further market growth driven by corporate demand. The enthusiasm for such projects will be heavily influenced by the recently approved direct power purchase agreement (DPPA) pilot. Under this scheme, large consumers with monthly consumption of over 500,000kWh will have the opportunity to procure renewable energy directly from producers, creating fertile ground for distributed solar installation. Vietnam also has official targets to push growth in both on-shore and offshore wind energy, although grid capacity constraints and congestion issues are likely to dictate the timeline. These grid challenges mean internal rates of return are currently low for renewables, at less than 5 per cent on average. Offshore wind is expected to become a priority after 2030 with a promising export potential to other ASEAN countries. There is already conditional approval from Singapores energy regulator to import 1.4GW of low-carbon energy from Vietnam, predominantly powered by offshore wind, to mitigate the nations own energy limitations. Despite the opportunities, investors in Vietnams renewable energy market face challenges. Adapting to market dynamics while maintaining financial viability and sustainability requires agility, foresight, and an in-depth understanding of local market conditions. However, important efforts to address these issues are underway. In partnership with Vietnam Electricity, the government is focusing investment on enhancing grid infrastructure through championing investment in suitable energy storage solutions to support integration of variable renewable energy into the expanding power system, while enhancing power system flexibility. The DPPA pilot and market liberalisation efforts also provide important signals to potential investors, although the former must address outstanding implementation questions around financial dynamics for virtual DPPAs. Vietnam has an important platform with existing capacity, strong commitments, and government backing to drive growth. Developers and investors should look to build robust early foundations, supported by local partnerships, to secure an early-mover advantage with potential for higher returns in the long term. Feasibility is a must for successful DPPA mechanism A July government decree permits many kind of renewable energy projects to engage in direct power purchase agreements without using Vietnam Electricity transmission line. Tran Dang Khoi, general director of Hero Future Energies Vietnam LLC under Hero Group, told VIRs Oanh Nguyen about the impact of the policy on renewable energy firms and offered some proposals. DPPA paves the way to energy transition Direct power purchasing mechanisms pave the way for manufacturers to accelerate their emission reduction strategies by expanding the procurement of renewable energy. When adjusting special consumption tax rates, it is essential to carefully plan the increases and implement a gradual approach to ensure business continuity, protect jobs, and allow the market to adapt smoothly by 2030, heard VIR's seminar on the issue on August 14 in Hanoi. The beers, wines, and spirits sector was estimated to have contributed around $2.4 billion, or approximately 3.4 per cent of the state budget revenue in 2023. This issue is currently under review by the Ministry of Finance as part of the draft amendments to the Special Consumption Tax (SCT) Law. The revised law is expected to be discussed by the 15th National Assembly during its next session in October and November, with approval anticipated in May 2025. The objective of these amendments is to regulate consumption levels and curb the abuse of alcohol. The beverage sector has seen a continuous decline in average profits since 2021, with industry-wide tax contributions dropping by an average of 10 per cent annually from 2020 to 2023. In the first six months of 2024 alone, inventory levels have surged by 29 per cent compared to the same period last year, the seminar heard. At the seminar, many experts noted that a sharp and rapid increase in the SCT on alcoholic beverages could exacerbate the difficulties faced by businesses and workers in the industry, as well as those in related sectors. Nguyen Thi Cuc, chairwoman of the Vietnam Tax Advisory Association and former deputy director general of the General Department of Taxation (GDT), cited a 2022 decision which called for revising SCT policies to align with evolving consumer trends and government priorities on public health and environmental protection. The decision also includes a plan to gradually increase taxes on tobacco and alcohol from 2026 to 2030, aiming to raise prices by at least 10 per cent as recommended by World Health Organization. "We fully support the SCT rate increases on alcohol during this period to curb consumption and protect public health," Cuc stated. "However, the tax hikes should be phased in a way that sustains business operations and preserves jobs across the supply chain, allowing the market and consumers to adapt smoothly to these changes by 2030." Nguyen Van Phung, former head of the Large Enterprise Tax Management Department of the GDT said the primary role of taxes is to generate revenue for the state budget. "While tax collection also influences production, consumption, and income behaviours - thereby impacting supply and demand as well as social relations - taxes are not a cure-all. Their main goal remains to create income for the state," Phung said. "Tax adjustments should be part of a carefully crafted government strategy, especially in our current context where combating corruption is critical. This means tax policies must be fair, effective, and based on thorough research." Le Tuan Anh, director-general of the Department of Industrial Economics under the Ministry of Planning and Investment, noted that while Vietnam's growth is promising, there are ongoing challenges to contend with. Some industries, like beverages, are still struggling. Despite efforts, production and consumption in the beverage sector remain below expectations, with some companies reporting significant losses," Anh observed. "The tax hike must be balanced to avoid bankruptcies; we need a rate that secures revenue without harming businesses." Anh also highlighted the need for effective administrative measures to influence behaviour and warned that higher taxes could lead to increased smuggling. Hoang Van Cuong, a member of the National Assembly's Finance and Budget Committee, underscored a key consideration regarding the implementation of SCT increases. When we raise SCT, it is crucial to create a significant impact rather than making small, incremental hikes each year, Cuong advised. If the increase is minimal annually, consumers will easily adapt without noticing much change, leading to little to no shift in consumption behaviour. Raising SCT could potentially drive consumers towards informal products or increase home consumption, which might negatively impact the service industry, he added, and a downturn in the service sector could adversely affect economic growth. "Tax increases must be coupled with additional measures, such as public awareness campaigns and efforts to shift consumer behaviour. If we simply raise taxes without altering our approach and enforcement, achieving the policys objectives will be challenging, Cuong said. During an online working session on August 13 with officials from Ha Tinh and Nghe An provinces regarding the Quang Trach-Pho Noi section, the PM emphasised the urgency of the project. Spanning 514km from Quang Trach (Quang Binh province) to Pho Noi (Hung Yen province), the project is divided into four components, with a total investment of nearly $1 billion. Construction commenced late last year. PM Chinh highlighted the importance of the project, noting that it will have a transmission capacity of around 2,400MW, significantly enhancing the electricity supply for northern Vietnam in 2025. He urged all relevant agencies and local authorities to "remain resolute and intensify efforts during this critical final phase" to ensure the project's completion by September 2, aligning with its planned inauguration on the National Day. According to reports from Vietnam Electricity (EVN), the project has made considerable progress, with all foundation sites and corridor areas handed over. Key materials and equipment, including steel poles, conductors, insulators, and accessories, have been delivered to contractors. As of now, all of the foundations have been cast, 98.5 per cent of the poles erected, and 62.5 per cent of the wiring completed. EVN chairman Dang Hoang An reported that the company is on track to energise the entire project by August 25. The Nam Dinh 1 - Thanh Hoa section was successfully energised on June 30, and the remaining three segments are being prioritised for completion. The Nam Dinh I-Pho Noi and Quynh Luu-Thanh Hoa sections are expected to be energised by August 19, with the Quang Trach-Quynh Luu section targeted for energisation by August 31. To ensure the project meets its deadline, PM Chinh instructed all involved parties to meticulously review assignments and work continuously in suitable shifts. He specifically tasked the Ministry of Industry and Trade with regular inspections, oversight, and timely issue resolution. The Ministry of Defence was directed to mobilise military regions 3 and 4 to provide EVN with necessary equipment, machinery, and manpower. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development was instructed to guide the conversion of forest land use, while the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment was tasked with providing environmental guidance to ensure proper restoration upon project completion. Additionally, the Ministry of Home Affairs, alongside other authorities, was directed to propose appropriate rewards for all levels of participants involved in the project. Feasibility is a must for successful DPPA mechanism A July government decree permits many kind of renewable energy projects to engage in direct power purchase agreements without using Vietnam Electricity transmission line. Tran Dang Khoi, general director of Hero Future Energies Vietnam LLC under Hero Group, told VIRs Oanh Nguyen about the impact of the policy on renewable energy firms and offered some proposals. Singaporean M&As hold wide promise Singapore dealmakers continue to set sights on dealmaking in Vietnam, with transactions in fields ranging from renewable energy to real estate. Progress demanded for offshore wind, illustration photo/ Source: Shutterstock At a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha over a week ago, the ministry (MoIT) explained that offshore wind power is a complex field for Vietnam, involving security, sovereignty over the seas and islands, and a range of issues related to the functions and tasks of various ministries and agencies. The lack of policies and legal regulations adds to the difficulties, making the implementation of the goals stated in the Power Development Plan VIII (PDP8) particularly challenging. Offshore wind power development requires careful and thorough research. The initial phase focuses on assigning state-owned economic groups to pilot projects, creating a foundation for perfecting legal regulations. Foreign and private investors will only be involved after a comprehensive assessment of the pilot project and a complete legal system, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hoang Long said at the meeting. According to the MoITs proposal, Vietnam Oil and Gas Group has certain advantages in implementing offshore wind power projects due to its existing infrastructure and experience with similar facilities in oil and gas projects at sea. This could help utilise existing resources and protect national sovereignty. However, an assessment of the actions alignment with the Partys policy regarding the firms business direction is necessary. For Vietnam Electricity, which has extensive experience in building and managing power plants and transmission systems, the MoIT acknowledged that wind power is a relatively new energy source in Vietnam, and the conditions for its development differ from those of traditional energy sources. The MoIT also noted the potential participation of military-run organisations. However, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has stated that its forces lack the experience and qualifications for this role. Further discussions with relevant ministries are required for more clarity. The PDP8, adopted last year, aims to reach six gigawatts of offshore wind power by 2030. However, no concrete initiatives have been implemented yet. According to official statistics, 36 local firms applied to conduct surveys to assess the potential for offshore wind generation in 2022. Due to legal constraints, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment suggested delaying these activities. Similarly, foreign projects in the south-central region like Germanys PNE Groups $4.6 billion investment in Binh Dinh province and Denmarks Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners development project in Binh Thuan province have seen limited progress. At the meeting, DPM Ha emphasised that the pilot needs to identify specific projects, address legal concerns, and conduct research on investment practices, financial issues, policies, and technology transfer. He also noted that problems may not always stem from legislative obstacles but rather from a lack of cooperation among ministries and agencies. Specifically, he highlighted that the real challenge in selecting locations for offshore wind power projects lies in the lack of agreement between the MoD and the Ministry of Transport, rather than legal issues. Ha added that the MoIT must closely examine issues related to investor selection, electricity export, and the involvement of foreign investors to find practical solutions. This is a project for implementation, not for requesting policy. The pilot implementation of offshore wind power is a process of doing while completing, aiming to fully develop the accompanying legal policies for various project types, including those for domestic needs, export, and green hydrogen, he said. Offshore wind power, hydrogen, and gas power awaiting policies The expeditious execution of gas power, offshore wind power, and hydrogen projects is contingent upon the competent authorities formulating policies pertaining to these domains. Wind ventures on radar for PNE German project developer PNE AG plans to build up to three offshore wind farms off the coast of the south-central province of Binh Dinh with a capacity of up to 2GW and investment capital of $4.6 billion. Measures for offshore wind must be carried out rapidly Vietnams ambition to achieve 6GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030 is increasingly adrift, with not enough work carried out on legalities and developer support. AI is a buzzword for every industry right now. How is Qualcomm addressing this demand, particularly in countries like India and Vietnam? The AI revolution is sweeping the globe, and Vietnam is no exception. Since generative AI emerged as a key trend a few years ago, its application and awareness have grown exponentially. Vietnam, with its youthful population, particularly Gen Z and Millennials, is primed for significant growth opportunities in AI. These digital natives possess savvy digital knowledge and are naturally inclined towards new technologies. ST Liew, vice president of Qualcomm According to reports from McKinsey and others, by 2030, around40 per cent of Vietnam's consumption will be driven by digital natives born between 1980 and 2012. Qualcomm, a pioneer in communication, computing, and AI, is well-positioned to lead this evolution. We have been investing in AI research and development for over 15 years, accumulating extensive experience and knowledge. This positions us perfectly to drive the AI revolution, especially in AI on devices, which we call "AI at the Edge". We have launched our new silicon-on-chip, the Snapdragon X Elite, specifically designed for the PC industry. This innovation brings AI capabilities directly onto devices, including PCs. We've already integrated AI into smartphones, automotive applications, XR, VR, and many other devices. Now, we're extending this to PCs, which we believe will rejuvenate the industry. The PC has remained relatively unchanged for the past 20-30 years, but AI is revitalising it. Qualcomm is playing a crucial role with the introduction of the Snapdragon X Elite. We are collaborating with key industry partners, including Microsoft and leading PC original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) such as Asus, Acer, Dell, HP, and Lenovo. This is just the first step, and we will continue to work closely with our partners to drive the AI revolution forward. There are numerous technologies behind the Snapdragon X Elite that we will explore further, but the key takeaway is that AI is breathing new life into the PC industry, and Qualcomm is at the forefront of this transformation. What positive trends do you see in the PC market, specifically for the Vietnamese market? The Vietnamese market is exceptionally vibrant, particularly with its digital natives. There is a tremendous yearning and hunger to learn here. AI initiatives and activities are increasing significantly throughout Southeast Asia, and Vietnam is one of the most progressive countries in the region. This makes it an excellent market for PCs with AI capabilities. Qualcomm is currently the only solution powering the Microsoft Copilot Plus AI PCs. Just late July, we launched the first Copilot Plus PC using the Snapdragon X Elite with Asus. The potential in Vietnam is tremendous, and Qualcomm has had a presence in the country for over 20 years. We've been working with many partners and companies in Vietnam on various initiatives, demonstrating our long-term commitment to the market. To tap into this growth potential, Qualcomm is partnering with Asus. What are your expectations for this partnership, and what are upcoming potential partnerships or collaborations that Qualcomm is exploring? We innovate and launch platforms like the Snapdragon X Elite and collaborate with innovative companies like Asus to turn these solutions into consumer devices. On July 30, the Asus Vivobook S15, powered by the Snapdragon X Elite, was officially launched in Vietnam. It features our latest Orion CPU, a 12-core processor offering the highest performance and best power efficiency on the market. This means that at the same power consumption, our CPU outperforms competitors. The Asus device is a 15.6-inch model with an OLED display, combining a thin and light design with an exceptional stereo sound system certified by Harman Kardon with the multidimensional sound of Dolby Atmos. This powerful combination ensures the PC performs exceptionally well. At the end of the day, the consumer needs a PC that has strong internal components and delivers an excellent user experience. Working closely with OEMs like Asus is essential to deliver both hardware and software excellence to the consumer. This partnership allows us to ensure that the product meets high standards and offers a seamless user experience. It's crucial to collaborate with the right partners in the PC industry and across other product lines to bring the best solutions to the market. AI represents a transformational shift, impacting nearly every industry and aspect of our lives. It touches everything from enterprises to consumers, and the influence of AI is ubiquitous. At Qualcomm, we consider AI foundational to our work, particularly in edge devices like PCs and smartphones. For instance, at Computex in early June, we announced 22 different Copilot+ PCsfrom globally recognised brands featuring our Snapdragon X Elite or Snapdragon X Plus. This new chipset is designed to offer superior performance and efficiency, providing users with the longest battery life available in the market. Users can watch videos up to 60 per cent longer and enjoy 70 per cent more streaming time compared to competitor devices, highlighting our commitment to delivering top-tier technology. Our smartphones also benefit significantly from AI functionalities. We currently have more than 16 models incorporating advanced AI features, ensuring that our mobile solutions remain at the forefront of innovation. In Vietnam, we actively collaborate with numerous partners such as VinAI, Viettel IDC, BKAV, and VNPT. We have established a robust presence with engineering teams in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, focusing on supporting local AI initiatives. The Vietnamese government is keen on leveraging AI to transform the country, building on the Make-in-Vietnam initiative, which has evolved into a focus on innovation and technology. Projections indicate that Vietnam's AI industry could grow to a $3.4 billion market, with a compound annual growth rate of around 28 per cent from now to 2030. Qualcomm is dedicated to contributing to this growth and is eager to continue working with partners to support AI development in Vietnam. Our comprehensive approach includes not just hardware but also software and ecosystem support, ensuring that AI can drive significant advancements across various sectors in Vietnam. We believe that with our cutting-edge technology and deep partnerships, we can play a crucial role in Vietnams AI evolution. In the age of AI, security remains concerned. How does Qualcomm ensure security and privacy for its AI services? Qualcomm takes security and privacy very seriously. We maintain stringent management of data, adhering to both international regulations and our internal standards. Our data management processes are constantly audited, and we perform regular checks and inspections to identify potential breaches. We follow stringent protocols to ensure the integrity of our data management and comply with various international standards. From a solutions perspective, our chipsets are equipped with secure boot, authentication, and encryption features. These elements are integral to maintaining a high level of security. For example, our collaboration with Microsoft Copilot Plus leverages these secure chipsets to ensure robust data protection. Our approach involves bringing AI to the edge, meaning much of the AI processing happens directly on the device - whether it's a PC or a smartphone. This localised processing ensures that a significant amount of data remains on the device, adding an extra layer of security and privacy for the user. We are particularly proud of our ability to perform AI processing at the edge. This is not only efficient but also enhances privacy, as not all data needs to be sent to the cloud. Edge processing ensures that data is handled securely on the device itself, reducing exposure to potential breaches. Our neural processing unit, with its 45 tera operations per second capability, exemplifies world-class performance in AI on the edge, allowing for efficient and powerful AI applications. This combination of robust security measures and cutting-edge technology positions Qualcomm as a leader in secure AI solutions. Qualcomm partners with Vietnam for 5G rollout Shah Zeb and Nam Thieu from Qualcomm spoke to VIRs Bich Thuy about how important 5G is for a successful digital transformation and why its important for the country to accelerate the commercialisation of 5G. Qualcomm partners with Vietnam in 5G rollout With Vietnams moves to commercialise 5G this year, more opportunities and expectations are coming. Nam Thieu, country director of Qualcomm Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, discussed the importance of 5G commercialisation with VIRs Bich Thuy. This loan will provide additional capital to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), micro enterprises, and individual customers in Vietnam, with the option to convert the loan into SeABank common shares within four years. This agreement marks the start of a strategic partnership between SeABank and Norfund, aimed at promoting economic growth and financial inclusion in Vietnam. This collaboration will enable us to enhance our support for SMEs and micro enterprises, meeting long-term capital needs for business development and addressing the growing demand for consumer loans, a SeABank representative stated. The bank also plans to focus on extending its services to unbanked and under-banked populations in Vietnam. The $30 million convertible loan from Norfund raises SeABank's total capital raised from international institutions to $850 million, including funding from global financial entities and other financial funds. The confidence shown by international organisations in SeABanks operational efficiency and reputation is a testament to our robust financial management, the representative added. With this new capital, SeABank will continue to offer flexible financial solutions, optimise capital utilisation, and diversify its products and services to meet the specific needs of various customer segments. The bank will focus particularly on SMEs, especially those led by women, micro-enterprises, and individual customers. Norfund, the Norwegian government's investment fund for developing countries, is dedicated to creating jobs and improving livelihoods through investments in businesses that drive sustainable development. As a key tool of the Norwegian government for strengthening the private sector in developing countries and reducing poverty, Norfund's committed portfolio totals $3.6 billion, with investments focused on Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. The fund concentrates on four key investment areas: renewable energy, financial inclusion, scalable enterprises, and green infrastructure. Phung said statistics from 2003 to 2016, based on data from the Beer and Alcohol Association and the General Department of Taxation, show that over 13 years, the average per capita beer/alcohol consumption rate rose from 3.8 litres per person annually to 6.6 litres during 2008-2010. By 2016, at the peak of economic growth, this consumption had reached 8.3 litres per person annually. Nguyen Van Phung, former director of the Department of Tax Administration at Large Enterprises Meanwhile, alcohol tax rates increased from 45 per cent in 2010-2012 to 50 per cent in 2013, 55 per cent in 2016, 60 per cent in 2017, and 65 per cent from 2018 onwards. Despite continuous tax hikes over a decade, average per capita alcohol consumption doubled. Alarmingly, alcohol-related violent behaviour increased from 1.4 per cent of the population in 2010 to 14.4 per cent in 2016. While taxes increased by 5 per cent annually, alcohol-related violence surged tenfold. "This demonstrates that increasing the special consumption tax (SCT) doesn't change consumer behaviour. Consumer behaviour actually changed due to Decree 100. Clearly, administrative measures are more effective than taxation," Phung stated, proposing to extend these administrative measures as they have a far stronger impact than tax instruments. In a sideline discussion, Phung noted that businesses and citizens generate income, so taxation must align with people's income levels and consumption patterns. From a comprehensive perspective, Phung shared that the draft amendments to the Law on SCT submitted by the Ministry of Finance (MoF) to the government on July 24 shows progress by incorporating public feedback and not applying mixed or flat-rate duties methods. In Vietnam, immediately applying flat-rate duties or mixed methods would shock and harm businesses and consumers, as the majority have average incomes insufficient for high-end alcohol consumption. "We can only consume moderately priced products, such as beers costing $0.6-0.8 per can. Therefore, applying tax as a percentage is reasonable," Phung said. Regarding the two options being considered by the MoF, a substantial immediate increase or a gradual increase, Phung stated that he is not leaning towards either option. However, he emphasised that regardless of the chosen approach, it must ensure an increase in state budget revenue. This is because Vietnam needs to consider revising personal income tax and corporate income tax. If there are reductions in revenue from these areas, increases must be made elsewhere to maintain the state budget. Therefore, Phung stressed the need to encourage manufacturers to cooperate with the government and accept tax adjustments. Phung emphasised that when increasing the SCT, authorities should conduct communication campaigns to help consumers accept new prices and businesses adapt to impacts on their operations. VIR conference on Special Consumption Tax Law attracts thousands A conference themed Tax Amendments to Promote Business Activities held by VIR has attracted thousands of people both online and offline. VBA requests amendments to the draft on special consumption tax Although the Vietnam Beer-Alcohol-Beverage Association supports the government's policy on amending the special consumption tax, it has suggested a reduction in the amount of tax to be increased and a reasonable extension of the timeline to stabilise the market. International delegates laud China's green development Xinhua) 09:36, August 15, 2024 HOHHOT, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- A group of delegates from countries including Laos, Indonesia, the United States and Japan have praised China's high-quality development through ecological environmental protection and harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. From Sunday to Tuesday, the group visited the city of Chifeng, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, as part of an international seminar jointly organized by the China Foundation for Human Rights Development and China Datang Corporation Ltd. The delegates were impressed by Inner Mongolia's renewable energy development, ecological restoration and desertification control. "CHINA IS INVENTING THE FUTURE" On Monday, the delegates visited the Saihanba wind farm operated by China Datang. The wind farm has supplied 42.38 billion kWh of green electricity to regions including northeastern and northern China, equivalent to saving over 13.9 million tonnes of standard coal and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by over 42.25 million tonnes. "In the field of renewable energy, China is inventing the future," said Harvey Cary Dzodin, chairman of HCD Earthcare Culture Association, adding the industry has offered transformation opportunities for many regions in the country. "I am amazed by what I've seen in Inner Mongolia. My previous impression of the region was a lot of sheep, ancient history and good food, but now this land has become a leader in renewable energy development." The foreign delegates were particularly interested in China Datang's future development and international expansion plans and looked forward to potential future collaboration. "The last time I visited China, the sky was often gray, but now it is blue. I believe China has made significant progress in environmental protection and renewable energy development," said Andriah Feby Misna, director of Various New Renewable Energy, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of the Republic of Indonesia. Indonesia is also actively pursuing clean energy, and there is great potential for cooperation between the two countries, she said. "THIS IS WIN-WIN" On Tuesday, the delegates visited a new road in a desertification control area in Ongniud Banner, which stretches across the vast desert with grass grids on both sides that act like a "net" to hold the shifting sands in place. "I have never seen anything like this before," said Dzodin, who was among the delegates who gathered around Wu Hua, deputy director of the Ongniud Banner Forestry and Grassland Bureau, to learn about sand control. "We use reeds to create grids to significantly reduce wind speed, and then plant sand-resistant species within the grids to further stabilize the sand," Wu said. "While combating desertification, the local government also increases the income of the community members by employing them in these projects. This is win-win, reflecting China's determination to continually improve the lives of its people," Dzodin said. Dzodin plans to arrange for more young people to visit China to learn about ecological restoration projects and contribute to the protection of the planet. The delegates also visited the Ma'anshan forest farm in Harqin Banner. Valaxay Lengsavad, deputy head of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee's commission for external relations, said locals had overcome great challenges to achieve denser forests and more wildlife. Laos, with its many mountains and forests, has great potential for cooperation with China in ecological protection, he said. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) An Arkansas mom who hid her 5-year-old son's body beneath floorboards after her boyfriend drowned him in the toilet admitted guilt for her part in the little boy's grisly death. Ashley Rolland, 30, pleaded guilty to two counts of permitting abuse of a minor in connection with the murder of Blu Rolland and the assault of his 6-year-old sister on Thursday August 8th, according to the Arkansas Department of Public Safety. Blu's body was found stuffed under the floorboards of her Marianna, Arkansas residence in December 2022, on what would have been the boy's sixth birthday, three months after he was killed. Last month, Rolland's boyfriend, Nathan Bridges, 34, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and first-degree battery after he shoved Blu's head in a toilet bowl and drowned him as "punishment" for biting his finger, NBC News previously reported, citing court records. He was sentenced to 60 years in prison, Bridges also abused Blu's older sister by putting the girl's head and upper body in scalding hot water, Rolland told police, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Rolland was handed down a 40-year prison sentence Thursday, according to the DPS. The Ministry of Information and Communications, in collaboration with the NGO HealthBridge Vietnam, organised a workshop in Hanoi on August 13 to provide information on the harmful effects of tobacco and the role of tax policies in preventing tobacco-related harm. At the event, the World Bank and World Health Organization (WHO) suggested that pricing and tax policies are among the most effective solutions to control tobacco consumption. The Ministry of Finance has been seeking feedback on draft amendments to the Law on Special Consumption Tax (SCT), which is set to be presented to the National Assembly (NA) for discussion at the eighth session in October and for approval at the ninth session next May. The draft maintains the current 75 per cent tax rate but adds an absolute tax amount with annual increases scheduled from 2026 to 2030, proposing two options. Specifically, option one would increase tax by VND2,000 (8 US cent) per pack in the first year, reaching VND8,000 (40 US cents) by 2030. Option 2 would apply an increase of VND4,000 (20 US cents) per pack from 2026 and progressively increase by VND1,000 (4 US cents) per pack over the next five years to reach VND10,000 (40 US cents) per pack by 2030. Representatives from the Ministry of Health also gave the thumbs up to the Ministry of Finance on several proposals in the draft amendment to the SCT law. These aim to institutionalise and implement NA and government resolutions, especially the Party's Resolution No.20-NQ/TW dated October 2017 on continuing to protect, care for, and improve people's health. With the SCT law under revision, the WHO believes Vietnam has a unique opportunity to aim for higher goals and achieve even more benefits for public health. At the workshop, experts refuted claims that tax increases lead to higher unemployment rates. "Employment in the tobacco industry only accounts for 0.39 per cent to 0.42 per cent of total jobs in the economy. While tax hikes may reduce employment in the tobacco sector, they shift job creation to other industries and professions. Moreover, the government gains additional revenue to reinvest in the economy, particularly in areas such as health and education. Unlike tobacco, these sectors boost the country's productivity and growth," Dao The Son, an economist, stated. Tran Thi Nhi Thuy, head of the Legal Department under the MIC, said, "According to the WHO, smoking is among the top reasons behind death worldwide. Tobacco use causes eight million deaths annually. Despite initial efforts and results in preventing tobacco-related harm, Vietnam remains one of the 15 countries with the highest smoking rates among adult males globally and ranks third in the ASEAN region." Each year, over 40,000 deaths in Vietnam are attributed to tobacco-related diseases. This figure is projected to rise to 70,000 annually by 2030, nearly four times the number of road traffic fatalities nationwide, if Vietnam fails to combat tobacco harm effectively. Furthermore, tobacco use inflicts significant economic losses. Recent studies estimate the annual economic cost of tobacco use in Vietnam at $4.3 billion, equivalent to 1.14 per cent of GDP in 2022. This figure is five times larger than the tobacco tax revenue contribution to the national budget. Dr. Angela Pratt, representative of the WHO in Vietnam, acknowledged that Vietnam had made some good progress in the fight against tobacco harm in the last decade. However, on current trends, Vietnam will not achieve the National Tobacco Control Strategy target of reducing smoking among men to below 36 per cent by 2030. According to the General Statistics Office, tobacco consumption in Vietnam is beginning to rise again. From 2022 to 2023, total cigarette production increased by more than 10 per cent. Stronger action is needed to reduce tobacco use in Vietnam to protect health and save lives. "One of the biggest challenges we face is that tobacco in Vietnam is incredibly cheap and has been more affordable over time as peoples incomes have increased, but tobacco prices havent. We need to change this. Increasing tobacco taxes is the fastest and most cost-effective way to achieve this," Pratt said. WHO official urges tobacco tax, price hikes Representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Vietnam Angela Pratt has called on the country to raise tobacco tax and prices, which are still among the worlds lowest. Vietnam steps up tobacco control The Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) and the Tobacco Harm Prevention and Control Fund under the Ministry of Health co-organised a conference in Hanoi on November 23 to promote the communications work in the fight against tobacco. Tobacco use shrinking worldwide: WHO The number of adult tobacco users has dropped steadily in recent years, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday but it warned Big Tobacco was working hard to reverse that trend. At the Vietnam Manufacturing Expo 2024 on August 8, themed Sustainovation: The Path to Manufacturing Efficiency, Le Anh Son, deputy general director of technology at Phenikaa Group, highlighted the companys robot pallet mover, which was specifically ordered by South Korean tech giant Samsung. Le Anh Son, deputy general director of technology at Phenikaa Group Son shared, Samsung is a major corporation with specific requirements for the robots used in its factories. They required a robot that fully integrated with their warehouse system, creating a fully automated system where the robot can communicate with other devices and automatically perform tasks without human intervention. For instance, when the warehouse system signals a shortage, the robot automatically understands and retrieves the goods as needed. According to Son, this collaboration is an opportunity for Phenikaa X to showcase its capabilities. The company is not just a manufacturer but also engages in the development of robot software systems from the ground up, allowing Phenikaa X to easily adjust its products to meet the unique needs of clients, particularly in terms of integration and communication with other devices. Samsung expects our robot not only to move from point A to point B but also to have the capability to detect the location of pallets in the warehouse, regardless of where they are placed. This is a very high standard, and only developers with core robotics technology can meet it, he added. Designed specifically for factories, electronics manufacturers, garment production, and automotive parts manufacturing, the AMR Pallet Mover robot from Phenikaa-X is capable of handling heavy loads up to 1,000kg, sensing dynamic loads, and adjusting speed and acceleration based on the weight of the load. Compliant with the API VDA5050 standard, the AMR Pallet Mover seamlessly integrates with warehouse management systems and existing automation equipment. Additionally, the product is equipped with the PNKX MMG management software, tailored specifically for the factory environment in Vietnam, enabling efficient coordination between humans and robots within the operational ecosystem, thereby optimising workflows. Currently, this management software is being used at Samsung Electronics factory in Thai Nguyen. Notably, the AMR Pallet Mover is designed to ISO 3691-4 safety standards, featuring three layers of protection including an AI camera for detecting people and objects, a PL-d level LiDAR safety sensor, and a collision sensor. This represents the highest safety standard for mobile robots, specifying design, manufacturing, operation, and maintenance requirements to ensure the safety of people and property. "Phenikaa X's products have reached high standards in autonomy and safety, on par with those of major global corporations. We are confident that our products represent a reliable solution with strong potential for future growth," Son asserted. With its strength in customisation, Son hopes this will become a defining characteristic of the company. Foreign manufacturers are often reluctant to modify their mass-produced, commercialised products to meet the specific needs of individual customers. Even if the current trial at Samsungs factory is successful and moves into mass production, we will continue to invest in research and development to meet the demands of different customers, Son continued. Son noted that the cost of a Phenikaa X robot is estimated to range from $32,000 to $48,000, making it suitable for foreign-invested enterprises with high integration and customisation needs. Phenikaa Xs geographical advantage also allows the company to provide technical support to customers in Vietnam, saving costs compared to bringing in foreign experts. According to Mordor Intelligence, the global robotics market is expected to reach approximately $42.59 billion by 2024 and $79.87 billion by 2029, with a compound annual growth rate of 13.4 per cent from 2024 to 2029. The fastest-growing market is the Asia-Pacific region. In Vietnam, the industrial robotics market is expected to reach $309.8 million by 2024, according to Statista, as manufacturing companies intensify their adoption of technology in general and AI-powered robots to enhance productivity and comply with sustainable development standards. FDI inflow into Vietnam reaches nearly 15.2 billion USD Vietnam attracted nearly 15.2 billion USD in foreign direct investment (FDI) in the first six months of this year, a year-on-year increase of 13.1 per cent, according to the General Statistics Office. The May Legend redefines modern office standards in Haiphong With notable economic growth, a prime location, modern transportation infrastructure, abundant resources, and immense development potential, Haiphong is a compelling destination for domestic and international businesses and investors. KYIV, Ukraine Ukrainian forces pushed on with their major cross-border advance into Russia's Kursk region for a second week Wednesday, claiming they took more ground, captured more Russian prisoners and destroyed a bomber in attacks on military airfields. Assault troops advanced about a mile farther into areas of Kursk on Wednesday, the commander of the Ukrainian military, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, said in a video posted on President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Telegram channel. Ukrainian troops also took more than 100 Russian soldiers prisoner, Syrskyi said. Zelenskyy said they would eventually be swapped for Ukrainian prisoners of war. Additionally, the troops destroyed a Russian Su-34 jet used to launch devastating glide bombs at Ukrainian front-line positions and cities, Ukraine's General Staff said. The surprise Ukrainian push into the Kursk region that began Aug. 6 rattled the Kremlin. The daring operation is the largest attack on Russia since World War II and could involve as many as 10,000 Ukrainian troops backed by armor and artillery, military analysts say. Syrskyi said Ukrainian forces advanced into about 390 square miles of the Kursk region, though it was not possible to independently verify that claim. If Ukraine actually controls all of that territory in the Kursk region, it would have captured in just one week almost as much Ukrainian land as Russian forces took 450 square miles between January and July this year, according to calculations by the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank. Russian authorities acknowledged the Ukrainian gains in the Kursk region, but they described them as smaller than what Kyiv claims. Even so, they evacuated about 132,000 people from the Kursk and Belgorod regions and have plans to evacuate 59,000 more. Ukraine's deputy prime minister, Iryna Vereschuk, said Wednesday that the military plans to open humanitarian corridors that would allow civilians in Ukraine-controlled areas of the Kursk region to head elsewhere in Russia or into Ukraine. Ukraine also claimed that overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, it conducted its biggest attack on Russian military airfields since the start of the Kremlin's full-scale invasion in February 2022. A Ukrainian security official who spoke on condition of anonymity told The Associated Press the aim was to sap Russia's air power advantage. A Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Tuesday that Kyiv has no intention to occupy the Russian territory it controls. Rather, it aims to stop Russia from firing missiles into Ukraine from Kursk, he said. Analysts say Kyiv's forces targeted the Kursk region because Russia's weak command and control structure there made it vulnerable. "The situation is still highly fluid, but with clear signs that the Russian command and control of responding units is still coming together, with all-important unity of command not yet achieved," said retired U.S. Vice Adm. Robert Murrett, a professor and deputy director of Syracuse University's Institute for Security Policy and Law. "The next 2-3 days will be critical for both sides." In AP video shot in Ukraine's Sumy region, which borders Kursk and which analysts say serves as a staging ground for the cross-border advance, Ukrainian trucks and armored vehicles traveled along roads lined with thick forests. Meanwhile, Russia's Belgorod border region, which is next to Kursk, declared a regional emergency Wednesday during heavy Ukrainian shelling. A federal emergency was declared in Kursk on Saturday. Belgorod Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov described the situation there as "extremely difficult and tense," as the attacks destroyed homes and caused civilian casualties, unnerving locals. He said about 11,000 people fled their homes, with about 1,000 staying in temporary accommodation centers. It wasn't clear how, when or whether Ukraine would attempt to extricate itself from the ground it took. The Ukrainian military claims it controls 74 settlements, believed to be villages or hamlets, in the Kursk region. Ukraine's 1+1 TV channel published a video report Wednesday that it said was from Sudzha, a Russian town about 6 miles from the border. The report showed burned-out columns of Russian military vehicles, and Ukrainian soldiers handing out humanitarian aid to local residents and removing Russian flags from an administrative building. Russia's predicament is whether to pull troops from the front line in Ukraine's Donetsk region, where achieving a breakthrough is one of the Kremlin's primary war goals, to defend Kursk and halt the Ukrainian advance. U.S. President Joe Biden said Tuesday that the developments in Russia are "creating a real dilemma" for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Biden declined to comment further on the top-secret operation until it is over. The Institute for the Study of War said the incursion is unlikely to shift the dynamics of the conflict. "Russian authorities will likely remain extremely averse to pulling Russian military units engaged in combat from (Donetsk) and will likely continue deploying limited numbers of irregular forces to Kursk due to concerns about further slowing the tempo of Russian operations in these higher priority directions," it said late Tuesday. These cities had the worst traffic in 2023 These cities had the worst traffic in 2023 #25. San Antonio #24. New Orleans #23. King of Prussia, Pennsylvania #22. Denver #21. Austin, Texas #20. Stamford, Connecticut #19. Portland, Oregon #18. Honolulu #17. Dallas #16. Charlotte, North Carolina #15. Pittsburgh #14. Baltimore #13. San Francisco #12. Nashville, Tennessee #11. San Juan, Puerto Rico #10. Seattle #9. Atlanta #8. Houston #7. Washington DC #6. Philadelphia #5. Miami #4. Boston #3. Los Angeles #2. Chicago #1. New York City The frantic search for a convicted baby killer who escaped a van transporting him to a hospital continued Wednesday. Ramone Alston, 30, managed to free himself from leg restraints inside a prison van that was taking him for medical treatment in Hillsborough, North Carolina, Tuesday morning, according to authorities. Two correctional officers were removing Alston from the vehicle at a rear entrance when he "broke away," ran across a parking lot and disappeared into a wooded area, said Keith Acree with the Department of Corrections. Using aerial assets, canine resources and ground searches covering more than 600 acres, Alston has managed to evade capture for more than 24 hours. "Since he left the hospital, everything indicates a northern push. We received a call last night that he was at Big Lots in Durham. We received another call that might suggest that he was in another area in Durham. There was some discussion about him being in another part of the state, and I cannot put any degree of certainty with any of those," Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood told reporters during a Wednesday afternoon update. Blackwood said he believed Alston's escape was planned, noting some family members of the convict had been more cooperative than others. "We have made contact with some family members," he said. "Cooperation has been varied." Alston was in the middle of serving a life sentence for the Christmas Day slaying of 1-year-old Maleah Williams in 2015. Maleah was struck in the head during a drive-by shooting into a crowd gathered outside an apartment complex in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Prior to his first-degree murder conviction, Blackwood described Alston as a career criminal, whose father he went to school with. "I've known Ramone (Alston) since he was born. He was a troubled child, and he's been involved in criminal activity since he was a juvenile. He's extremely cagey. He's extremely dangerous," said Blackwood. "And he has nothing to lose." A $35,000 reward is being offered for information leading to Alston's capture. WAVERLY The Board of Education on Monday approved giving 6 acres of land to the city. The 5.96-acre parcel behind and east of Southeast Elementary School between the school and river is currently being used as a park and is already managed by the city. No one commented at a public hearing before the board approved the conveyance of the property in 4-0 vote. Southeast, located at 809 Fourth St. S.E., closed as an elementary school in the spring as two new buildings are opening to replace three schools. In June, the board approved a one-year lease agreement between the Waverly-Shell Rock Community School District and Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation, the nonprofit that oversees Head Start in the area. Three classrooms in the school building will hold the districts newest preschool program for 4 year olds. One classroom is also being leased to Head Start for its programming. In June, the board approved hiring Katie Devereaux as the districts early childhood education director for its programs. The board discussed needing to establish funds for preschool and child care in the district, but no action was taken Monday. A public hearing is planned on the topic Sept. 9. Nine change orders on the Prairie West and North Ridge elementary school construction projects and the Shell Rock Elementary School remodeling project were also approved. At Prairie West, a temporary construction road added $26,948 to the project cost. At North Ridge, cost reductions for antenna systems and metal composite material panels as well as minimal additional costs for threshold replacements decreased project expenses by $72,921. A bathroom sink change added $911 to the project costs at Shell Rock Elementary. In addition, Activities Director Greg Bodensteiner and Brady Weber, the high schools associate principal, made a presentation on sportsmanship within the district, including a student advisory committee involved with the issue. Bodensteiner emphasized the committees role in making sure the student section is clean after each home and away game. He and other meeting participants expressed hope that parents and the community pick up on the committees efforts and also start doing their part in cleaning up after games. In addition to cleaning efforts, Bodensteiner suggested that the other sportsmanship work the committee focuses on could be a leadership opportunity for the community. Photos: Waverly-Shell Rock soccer in State first round Four New York-based flight attendants admitted to smuggling drug money to the Caribbean island of the Dominican Republic. Sarah Valerio Pujols, Charlie Hernandez, Emmanuel Torres and Jarol Fabio pleaded guilty to one count of operation of an unlicensed money transmission business, according to federal prosecutors. "These four flight attendants abused their privileges as flight attendants to move money for drug traffickers," U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said. "My office is committed to staunching the illicit flow of narcotics proceeds in all of its forms. These guilty pleas show that the sky is not the limit when it comes to law enforcement's reach." Prosecutors say the flight attendants worked for different international airlines and had elevated TSA security clearance that allowed them to pass through a less-scrutinized security screening at airports. Around October 2021, prosecutors alleged a cooperating witness operated a money laundering business that specialized in the movement of cash from New York City drug sales to the Dominican Republic. The flight attendant were allegedly paid a fee to get the money past airport security and handed off to a person in the Dominican Republic. The flight attendants were caught through a series of orchestrated sting operations, according to authorities. They face up to five years in prison when they are sentenced. Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation (14 August 2024) The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation. In Volchansk and Liptsy directions, units of the Sever Group of Forces inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 82nd Air Assault Brigade and 92nd Assault Brigade near Liptsy and Tikhoye (Kharkov region). The AFU losses amounted to up to 165 Ukrainian troops, five motor vehicles, one 152-mm D-20 howitzer, and one 122-mm D-30 howitzer. Units of the Zapad Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions as well as inflicted losses on formations of the AFU 116th Mechanised Brigade, 77th Airmobile Brigade, 3rd Assault Brigade, 120th Territorial Defence Brigade, and 183rd Reserve Brigade near Petropavlovka (Kharkov region), Stelmakhovka, Novovodyanoye (Lugansk Peoples Republic), and Torskoye (Donetsk Peoples Republic). Two counter-attacks launched by units of the AFU 117th Territorial Defence Brigade were repelled. The AFU losses amounted to up to 475 Ukrainian troops, one tank, three U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers, three armoured fighting vehicles, and two pickup trucks. In the course of counter-battery warfare, three Polish-made 155-mm Krab self-propelled artillery systems, two U.S.-made 155-mm M198 howitzers, two UK-made 155-mm FH-70 howitzers, and one 122-mm D-30 howitzer. Six AFU ammunition depots were destroyed. Units of the Yug Group of Forces improved the tactical situation and inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 54th Mechanised Brigade, 1st National Guard Brigade, and 114th Territorial Defence Brigade near Verkhnekamenskoye and Krasnogorovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic). The AFU losses amounted to up to 690 Ukrainian troops and one armoured fighting vehicle. In the course of counter-battery warfare, one U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzer, one Polish-made 155-mm Krab self-propelled artillery system, one 152-mm D-20 howitzer, one 152-mm Msta-B howitzer, one 122-mm Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, two 122-mm D-30 howitzers, and two U.S.-made 105-mm M119 howitzers. One AFU ammunition depot was destroyed. Units of the Tsentr Group of Forces continued to engage in active warfare and inflicted losses on formations of the AFU 32nd, 100th mechanised brigades, 142nd Infantry Brigade, 68th Jaeger Brigade, and 14th National Guard Brigade near Kirovo, Toretsk, Zhelannoye, Rozovka, and Grodovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic). Three counter-attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 53rd Mechanised Brigade and 15th National Guard Brigade were repelled. The AFU losses amounted to up to 395 Ukrainian troops, one tank, two armoured fighting vehicles, two motor vehicles, one 152-mm D-20 howitzer, two 122-mm D-30 howitzers, and one 100-mm Rapira anti-tank gun. Units of the Vostok Group of Forces improved the tactical situation along the front lines and inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 58th and 72nd mechanised brigades near Vodyanoye and Novoukrainka (Donetsk Peoples Republic). Two counter-attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 125th Territorial Defence Brigade were repelled. The AFU losses amounted to up to 120 Ukrainian troops, nine motor vehicles, two Polish-made 155-mm Krab self-propelled artillery systems, two U.S.-made 155-mm M198 howitzers, one 152-mm Msta-B howitzer, and one U.S.-made AN/TPQ-36 counter-battery warfare station. Units of the Dnepr Group of Forces inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 65th Mechanised Brigade and 128th Mountain Assault Brigade near Novodanilovka and Pavlovka (Zaporozhye region). The AFU losses amounted to up to 80 Ukrainian troops, 11 motor vehicles, one 152-mm D-20 howitzer, two 122-mm D-30 howitzers, and one Anklav-N electronic warfare station. Two AFU ammunition depots have been destroyed. Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces destroyed one POL base of AFU military hardware, as well as engaged enemy manpower and hardware clusters in 149 areas during the day. Air defence units shot down four Tochka-U tactical missiles, two French-made Hammer guided aerial bombs, three U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles, 147 unmanned aerial vehicles, 119 of them outside the special military operation zone. In total, 638 airplanes and 279 helicopters, 29,970 unmanned aerial vehicles, 569 air defence missile systems, 17,057 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,400 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 13,229 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 24,715 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation. Tags: WtR Control over the implemented situational plan has been achieved. The majority of the area occupied by the enemy has already been totally cordoned off, with many Mercenaries trapped like animals that they are. The enemy is being driven out, but for the most part death is their way out and the villages where they position themselves are being eliminated of these vermin. The antagonistic NATO is currently experiencing losses that it has almost certainly never experienced throughout the whole existence of the Strategic Defence Forces, thanks to the participation and rapid destruction of all units of the Russian Ministry of Defence. It is NATOs own foolishness that is causing it to suffer these losses and there will be many many coverups in the West Russians would not have overlooked the months-long US shelling of the NPP and inhabitants in Kursk. That Western intransigence demonstrated a lack of effective operational OPSEC/COMSEC and strategic coherence in US leadership and planning And now it is very well known that NATO/USA/EU are fully without a doubt, to even the Most Western Loving Ass Kissing Russians, that the West is trying to kill all Russians All to plan! WtR Health-care staff working jobs like laundry, taking care of long-term care residents and building maintenance have rejected a contract offer from the Interlake-Eastern Health Region (IERHA) and the Prairie Mountain Health Region (PMH). In a news release Thursday, the Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union (MGEU) said support workers in both regions have voted to approve a strike mandate. The MGEU said the vote happened this week. Kyle Ross, the president of the MGEU, said support workers have the lowest pay in Canada and the union is asking for more competitive pay to help attract more staff. Health-care jobs were once seen as highly desirable in Manitoba communities, but its hard to recruit when the starting wage for many of these jobs is just $17.07/hour, he said in a news release. A request has been made for the health regions to return to the bargaining table. The MGEU said a strike date has not been set but planning for strike action will start right away. The last contract expired March 31, 2024. CTV News Winnipeg has reached out to the health regions for a response. American journalist and former U.S. Marine, Austin Tice, has allegedly been held by Syrian authorities for 12 years. On Wednesday, President Joe Biden called for the immediate release of Tice. "This week marks 12 long, terrible years since American Austin Tice was abducted in Syria," the president stated. "We have repeatedly pressed the government of Syria to work with us so that we can, at last, bring Austin home. Today, I once again call for his immediate release." Secretary of State Anthony Blinken also touched on Tice's captivity, noting that Austin has been separated from his family and kept in unknown conditions for more than a quarter of his life. He added that there have been repeated attempts at negotiation to find a way to bring Tice home. "Austin went to Syria to show the world the truth of what was going on there," Blinken stated. "We're not going to relent until we find a way to bring Austin's unjust detention to an end." In 2022, Biden said that the US government knew "with certainty" that Tice was being held by the Syrian government; however, Syrian authorities continue to deny this claim. The Syrian government has denied that it "kidnapped or is holding any American citizen on its territories" and has called the accusations made by the US government '"baseless." Tice disappeared while reporting in Daraya, a suburb of Damascus in Syria, in August of 2012. At the time, he was working as a freelance journalist and photographer for several news organizations, including CBS, the Washington Post, and the McClatchy Company, according to the Guardian. Submissions are now being collected for the 4th annual "What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up" art contest, hosted by the Nevada Treasury. The contest is open to students from Pre-Kindergarten to 12th grade, and pieces must be submitted by the deadline of October 13th. Entrants are asked to create an original artwork that shows off what they'd like to be when they grow up. Winners from each grade level have the potential to win up to $1000 to be deposited into a college savings account. For more information and to submit an entry, visit the NVigate Higher Education website. Reno Police have arrested a man in connection with a shooting in Stead in April 2023. Police say Max Carrillo was extradited from San Diego to the Washoe County Jail on Wednesday where he faces an open murder charge. The medical examiner previously said that 48-year-old Luis Carrillo-Zamora died from multiple gunshot wounds at a mobile park on Panamint Drive. ORIGINAL STORY: The Washoe County coroner has identified the man killed in a shooting in Stead last Friday. The medical examiner says 48-year-old Luis Carrillo-Zamora died from multiple gunshot wounds. The shooting was reported in a mobile home park on Panamint Drive around 3:45 p.m. As of last Friday, when the shooting happened police did not have a suspect in custody. We reached out to them for an update today but have not yet heard back. If you have any information that can help authorities, call or text your anonymous tip to Secret Witness at 775-322-4900. The widow of a Tennessee Army National Guard soldier was arrested in connection with his murder nearly five years after his body was found with multiple gunshot wounds and bound by zip ties, according to authorities. Amanda James Bishop, 39, of Kingston, Tenn., was arrested on Tuesday along with Eric Austin Byrd, 39, of Lenoir City, Tenn., and charged with first-degree murder, the Loudon County Sheriff's Office said. Bishop was the widow of Jacob Bishop, who was found dead in his Lenoir City home on Oct. 1, 2019, by his mother. "Today's arrests mark a crucial step towards justice for Jacob Bishop and his family," said Sheriff Jimmy Davis. "This case has remained a top priority for our office, and I commend the relentless efforts of our detectives and partner agencies who have worked tirelessly to bring those responsible to justice." Davis said the investigation into Bishop's death faced "numerous challenges, but advancements in technology and new evidence allowed the case to progress." Jacob Bishop's family said it has been a long search for justice. "It's kind of a relief in a sense, but at the same time, it doesn't change nothing. I still don't have my brother. My mom still doesn't have her son," brother Josh Bishop told WATE-TV. "But as far as justice, it's nice to know where they are, you know what I mean, so no one can do this again." He said his brother, who had a daughter with Amanda Bishop and a child from a previous marriage, proudly wore his military uniform. "He was funny. He loved life. He loved his kids. He loved his family. He loved his country. And he was proud to serve," he said. The two suspects are being held in the Loudon County Detention Center on $1 million bond. No motive was released for the killing. Individual Americans contributed a record $374.4 billion to charity in 2023, according to the Giving USA Foundations annual report on U.S. philanthropy. This generosity supports many amazing organizations that put those billions to work for health care, education, environmental protection, the arts and many other causes. Unfortunately, it also opens a door for scammers. Giving is very often an emotional decision, not necessarily a logical one, says Bennett Weiner, executive vice president and COO of the Better Business Bureaus Wise Giving Alliance, a charity-monitoring organization. People want to respond to issues they care about or they hear about on the news. And scammers capitalize on donors goodwill to line their pockets. Members only The vast majority of nonprofit organizations that are raising funds are doing so ethically and by the book. I do think that there are unfortunately times when unscrupulous people exploit the trust and generosity of others, explains Laura MacDonald, founder of the Benefactor Group, which advises charities on fundraising practices. But its possible to ensure your donations go to organizations that are genuinely serving others, not helping themselves, by learning to recognize how scammers operate and taking a few precautions before handing over your check. Video: 4 Ways to Avoid a Charity Scam How charity scams work Scammers appeal to your emotions with heartrending stories, then keep the bulk of the cash themselves. Like genuine nonprofits, they reach you via telemarketing, direct mail, email and door-to-door solicitations. They might make appeals on social media and create well-designed websites with deceptive names. Here are a few common tactics scammers use. Capitalize on disasters and humanitarian efforts. Photos of people trying to rebuild their lives after a natural disaster or in an area of conflict can make us open our hearts and wallets. When these events are in the news, questionable operators know that the iron is hot, Weiner says. People are likely to give unquestioningly and may give to the first request they get. Mimic a genuine charitys name. Scammers often imitate the names of familiar, trusted organizations to deceive donors. Some of the questionable operators are counting on the fact that youre not going to look further to see if thats the one youre thinking of and youre just going to give, Weiner says. Pretend you have given before. Scammers often exploit those with cognitive issues who might not recall their giving history. They will call people, and theyll imply that they have already made a pledge in the past and that theyre just calling to follow up on where their donation is, says Laurie Styron, CEO of CharityWatch, an independent charity-monitoring organization. Use online crowdfunding. You may get a plea on social media to help someone who has a devastating illness such as cancer or has lost their home due to fire. Anyone set up an account on a crowdfunding site and post a fake story and photos. They can have that campaign set up and then be gone in a blink of an eye, Styron says. Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump are tied among likely voters in the presidential race for the battleground state of Michigan, according to an exclusive AARP poll released Thursday. Forty-eight percent of likely voters favor each candidate in a head-to-head matchup. When the lens shifts to voters 50-plus, former President Trump takes a 2-percentage-point lead, according to the poll. Forty-nine percent of older voters prefer Trump, while 47 percent favor Vice President Harris. Members only Michigan is very much a toss-up state, says Bob Ward, a partner with Fabrizio Ward, part of a bipartisan polling team that conducted the AARP-commissioned survey. We are seeing that older voters are going to be playing a big role here. Theyre more motivated to vote than younger voters. Fabrizio Ward and polling company Impact Research interviewed 1,382 likely Michigan voters from Aug. 7 through 11 about the presidential race and the issues motivating them to vote. Harris became the Democratic presidential nominee Aug. 5 after an online vote by the partys convention delegates. President Joe Biden announced July 21 he was ending his reelection campaign, paving the way for Harris nomination. On Aug. 6, she chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. Trumps vice presidential pick is U.S. Sen. JD Vance of Ohio. AARP (Source: Getty Images) When pollsters asked voters whom they would support in a race among Harris, Trump and several third-party candidates, Trump had a slight edge over Harris. Forty-five percent of likely voters polled would cast their ballot for the former president, and 43 percent would vote for Harris. Six percent favor third-party candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has gained access to the Michigan ballot. Four percent of likely voters remain undecided. Michigan was a red state that flipped to blue four years ago when Biden won it, says Paula D. Cunningham, state director of AARP Michigan. Although this poll shows people still are exploring and researching the candidates and their stances on issues, Cunningham says independent voters can make a difference. We have a large number of independent voters, almost 30 percent, and they can swing an election either way, Cunningham says. Michigan is considered a battleground state in the 2024 presidential election. In 2020, Biden won the state by 2.8 percent 154,000 votes. He received 50.6 percent of the vote that year, and Trump received 47.8 percent. The candidate who prevails in Michigan this November will receive 15 electoral votes toward the 270 needed to win the presidency. Likely voters opinions of Trump and Harris are similar, the poll shows. Overall for Trump, 46 percent of likely voters have a favorable opinion while 50 percent have an unfavorable opinion. The numbers are nearly as close for Harris 45 percent having a favorable opinion and 49 percent with an unfavorable opinion. AARP (Source: Getty Images) Voters also were asked about Michigans open U.S. Senate race. Among all voters polled, U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat, has a 3-percentage-point lead over former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, a Republican. Forty-seven percent of voters prefer Slotkin, while 44 percent prefer Rogers. Among voters 50-plus, the two are tied with 46 percent of likely voters favoring each candidate in a head-to-head matchup. That race to fill the seat of retiring Democrat Debbie Stabenow is definitely a battleground Senate race, Ward says. When her marriage ended, Camille Rae, at 53, was searching for answers. Sometimes when youre thrown into one of these storms in life, youre just not quite sure which way to turn next, she explains. While researching ways of coping with her new circumstances, she found a podcast about how to reboot your life the concept is based on rebooting a computer. She liked the idea of starting over and decided to spend a year traveling. Members only Now 56, she says, The physical distance gave me the perspective and the clarity that I needed. So that when I did come home, I really did feel like I had that reboot. Camille Rae traveled for a year after her divorce. Her excursion took her to Havana. Courtesy Camille Rae Rae is one of many people who embarked on a golden gap year. Like a traditional gap year taken by high school graduates before entering college, a golden gap year is when you dedicate time to your personal growth through travel at age 50 or older. Taking a golden gap year can be considered a luxury, as a survey of nearly 4,600 people ages 18 and up, conducted for Northwestern Mutual by the Harris Poll, found an average nest egg of $88,400. Yet, many Americans say they will need nearly $1.5 million to retire. The idea is to find a new spark in life, and its often a great thing to do during a transition, says Doni Belau, 61, the founder of the travel company Girls Guide to the World. Theres a clarity that comes to you when you go away, she says. Camille Rae also traveled to the Algarve region of Portugal during her golden gap year. Courtesy Camille Rae Aiden Freeborn, the senior editor of The Broke Backpacker, noticed the trend of taking a golden gap year while organizing group trips to Pakistan around 2019. It was more common to find people who were [in their] 50s [and] in [their] 60s backpacking into places where we were, he says. This may be due to different factors. After the pandemic people realized the importance of traveling now instead of waiting, explains Sarah-Leigh Shenton, director of marketing at travel company Red Savannah. She adds that people tend to be more active later in life as well. Another factor in the move toward taking a golden gap year is due to the changes in how people retire. Whatever your idea of an old-fashioned retirement is, it doesnt sound fulfilling to most of us, says Belau. She explains that instead of moving to a warmer climate to retire, many people are interested in traveling and having adventures. An additional difference in retirement is the extended time frame. People are gradually retiring now. Theyre not just stopping at a certain day, says Angela Rice, the cofounder of Boutique Travel Advisors. This change allows more opportunities for longer periods of travel and a chance to figure out how you want to retire during this transition phase. There are also more people retiring now, with about 4.1 million Americans expected to reach the traditional retirement age of 65 this year, according to the Alliance for Lifetime Income. We spoke to travel experts who offered their advice on how to have a successful journey during your golden gap year. A female Secret Service agent left her post without permission to breastfeed her child five minutes before Donald Trump's campaign appearance Wednesday in North Carolina, according to a RealClearPolitics reporter. The agent in charge of security for the entire event doing a final sweep of the location discovered the woman breastfeeding her child in a room set aside for "official" Secret Service work in the event of an emergency, the report said. The woman, who was out of the Atlanta Field Office, was in the room with two other family members, the report said. It said that the woman, who was not identified, did not have permission to be in the room. She and her family members bypassed the Uniformed Division checkpoint and were escorted by unauthorized event staff into the room. Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the incident did not affect the event and is under review. "All employees of the U.S. Secret Service are held to the highest standards," Guglielmi told the publication. "While there was no impact to the North Carolina event, the specifics of this incident are being examined. Given this is a personnel matter, we are not in a position to comment further." The incident comes about a month after the former president narrowly escaped an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, Pa. Two New Mereenie Development Wells Approved Brisbane, Aug 15, 2024 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Central Petroleum Limited's ( ASX:CTP ) ( C9J:FRA ) ( CNPTF:OTCMKTS ) relevant subsidiary company (25% interest) and its Mereenie JV partners have formally approved the drilling of two development wells at the Mereenie Oil and Gas Field ("Mereenie") in the Northern Territory. This investment decision follows the recently announced Gas Sales Agreements with the Northern Territory Government ("NTG GSA"). The Mereenie development wells are expected to return field production capacity back above 30 TJ/d (100% JV) from the current 27 TJ/d (100% JV) and produce at least 25 PJ of gas (100% JV) over their lifetime. Firm gas from the new wells is to be sold into the recently executed NTG GSA which can be expanded by up to 6 TJ/d following successful completion of the wells. These development activities are in response to strong market signals arising from Central's recently completed gas marketing campaign. The wells are estimated to take 30 days each, and target the crest of the Pacoota 3 (P3) reservoir (at depths of around 1,500m) to optimise productivity and gas recovery from the field. Central's 25% share of costs for this program is expected to total approximately $8 million and can be funded from existing cash reserves. Project economics are compelling, benefitting from the NTG GSA and low incremental production costs through the use of existing surface infrastructure. Central, as Operator, has contracted with Ventia Australia Pty Ltd to have Rig 101 drill the two new Mereenie wells, West Mereenie 29 and 30. Drilling is anticipated to commence around the end of this year, with commencement of gas production expected in the first half of 2025. Central's Managing Director Leon Devaney said, "Central and its partners are pleased to continue supporting the domestic market by supplying Territory gas to Territorians. The NTG GSA, increased production at Mereenie, and our declining liabilities are expected to drive a step-change in Central's free cash flow over the next 12 to 24 months. We now look forward to successfully completing these wells on time and on budget, and increasing our gas production at a time when the Territory and the broader east coast market are crying out for more firm gas supply. *To view tables and figures, please visit: https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/K78T63F9 About Central Petroleum Limited Central Petroleum Limited ( ASX:CTP) is an established ASX-listed Australian oil and gas producer (ASX:CTP) with exploration and appraisal permits in the Northern Territory (NT). Central has grown to become the largest onshore gas operator in the NT, supplying residential and industrial customers in the NT and wider Australian east coast market. Central is seeking to become a major domestic energy supplier, in addition to helium and naturally occurring hydrogen, with exploration, appraisal and development plans across 169,112 km2 of tenements the NT, including some of Australia's largest known onshore conventional gas prospects in the Amadeus Basin. Related Companies Galilee Energy and Vintage Energy Merger Heads of Agreement Melbourne, Aug 15, 2024 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Vintage Energy Ltd ( ASX: VEN ) (Vintage) and Galilee Energy Limited ( ASX: GLL ) (Galilee) announce they have entered into a binding Heads of Agreement (HoA) under which Vintage will, subject to the satisfaction of various conditions, acquire all of the fully paid ordinary shares in Galilee by way of a scheme of arrangement under Part 5.1 of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (Scheme). - Vintage Energy ("Vintage") and Galilee Energy ("Galilee") have signed a Heads of Agreement with key terms for a merger via a scheme of arrangement - Proposed merger to be effected by Vintage acquisition of 100% of Galilee via an all-scrip deal - Merger creates a better equipped company for gas supply to eastern Australia in the near and long term - Combined group to have existing appraisal gas production, 2P reserves of ~50 PJ and long-term sales contracts plus the large unconventional ~2,500 PJ 2C Glenaras gas resource - Stronger balance sheet created by merger supports advancement of projects currently supplying gas - Merged acreage portfolio encompasses most onshore sedimentary basins currently, or expected to, supply gas to eastern Australia - The Galilee board unanimously recommends the proposal, in the absence of a superior proposal and subject to being satisfied with its due diligence enquiries and an independent expert concluding (and continuing to conclude) that the scheme of arrangement is in the best interests of Galilee shareholders - The Vintage board unanimously supports the proposal, subject to Vintage being satisfied with its due diligence enquiries and in the absence of a superior proposal involving Vintage - Galilee raising A$2.66 million via a fully underwritten placement and entitlement offer The proposal will create a merged group better resourced to generate value from the favorable long-term outlook for onshore gas and oil in eastern Australia through greater financial strength, an expanded resource base and an enhanced portfolio. In particular, the merger would marry Vintage's existing Cooper Basin gas supply and 2P gas reserves with the long-term potential of Galilee's substantial contingent resource exceeding 2,500 PJ, armed with a stronger balance sheet and superior cost structure. The increased cash resources created by the merger are expected to yield near-term benefits through a strong and focused progression of the Odin and Vali gas projects as a priority, both of which are currently supplying gas under longterm contracts. The boards of the two companies have directed the preparation of a Scheme Implementation Deed to be expedited, together with other relevant material for agreement between the parties and Galilee shareholder consideration and approval. Galilee Executive Chairman, Ray Shorrocks said: "There is a huge opportunity emerging in Australia's east coast gas market. This merger is aimed at enabling the combined companies and their shareholders to take full advantage of this looming gas shortfall and the impact that will have on gas prices, margins and free cashflow generation. "It will also provide long-term growth potential and access to funding". Vintage Chairman, Reg Nelson said: "The merger will create a company with much greater exposure to east coast gas supply in the near and long term and a stronger balance sheet. "For Vintage shareholders, it means their company will be better equipped to grow production and revenue from the appraisal of the Odin and Vali gas fields. In addition, our long-term prospects will be enhanced through addition of Galilee's substantial gas resources. There is clear complementarity in the Vintage and Galilee acreage holdings. Their combination will result in a portfolio encompassing nearly all of the onshore sedimentary basins currently supplying, or expected to supply, gas to eastern Australia such as the Cooper, Bowen, Surat, Otway and Bonaparte Basins. "We are looking forward to working with the Galilee team to take the Heads of Agreement to a scheme of arrangement for shareholder action at the earliest opportunity." Proposed transaction The HoA provides that Vintage will acquire 100% of Galilee shares on issue post the capital raising announced by Galilee today. Under the Scheme, Galilee shareholders will receive two fully paid ordinary shares in Vintage for every one fully paid ordinary Galilee share held on the Scheme record date. The 100% scrip scheme consideration implies a share price of $0.02 for Galilee based on the closing price of Vintage shares of $0.01 on 12 August 2024, the last day both companies traded on the ASX prior to Galilee entering a trading halt. This represents: - a 5% premium to the last close share price of Galilee of $0.019 (as at 12 August 2024); - a 6.6% discount based on Galilee's 10 -day VWAP to 12 August 2024 of $0.0196 compared to Vintage's 10-day VWAP to 12 August 2024 of $0.00915 - a 12% discount based on Galilee's 30-day VWAP of $0.0215 to 12 August 2024 compared to Vintage's 30-day VWAP to 12 August 2024 of $0.00946 Vintage's closing share price on the last trading day before this announcement was $0.009. Upon implementation of the Scheme, Vintage and Galilee shareholders will hold approximately 60.2% and 39.8% of the Merged Group respectively, calculated using Galilee shares on issue post- capital raising. Under the HoA, the merger is conditional upon Galilee completing a $2.5 million capital raising announced today. The capital raising is scheduled for completion on 20 September 2024. The HoA also provides for an initial seven-week period for both Vintage and Galilee to conduct due diligence and finalise the terms of the Scheme Implementation Deed as part of an overall six-month exclusivity period. During the exclusivity period customary exclusivity restrictions apply, including "no shop", "no talk", "no due diligence" and "notification" obligations apply to both parties. In certain circumstances, including if a party breaches certain exclusivity restrictions, a party is liable to pay a fee of $250,000 to reimburse the other party's incurred due diligence costs. A summary of the binding exclusivity terms and cost reimbursement arrangements is attached to this announcement. Board intention The board of Galilee intend to unanimously recommend that Galilee shareholders vote in favour of the Scheme, (and will vote their shares in favour of the Scheme), subject to entry into an acceptable Scheme Implementation Deed, no superior proposal being received and an Independent Expert concluding (and continuing to conclude) that the Scheme is in the best interests of shareholders. The board of Vintage unanimously supports the Scheme, subject to Vintage being satisfied with its due diligence enquiries and in the absence of a superior proposal involving Vintage. Pathway to shareholder consideration and approval A Scheme Implementation Deed will now be prepared and agreed by the parties. Documents for the scheme of arrangement together with other relevant material, will be dispatched to Galilee shareholders for shareholder consideration and approval. The Proposed Transaction will be implemented by way of a scheme of arrangement to be proposed in the Scheme Implementation Deed pursuant to Part 5.1 of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (Corporations Act) whereby Vintage is to provide two Vintage shares for every one Galilee share, for all Galilee shares on issue as at the record date of the Scheme. Implementation of the Scheme will be subject to various conditions, including: - The parties completing legal and financial due diligence in relation to the Proposed Transaction to their reasonable satisfaction; - Galilee raising at least $2.5 million via an equity capital raising; - Finalisation and execution of a Scheme Implementation Deed and any other documents required to give effect to the Proposed Transaction; - No Galilee or Vintage Material Adverse Change or Prescribed Occurrence occurring (each as defined in the HoA); and - All regulatory and/or third-party approvals being obtained (if required). In addition, implementation of the Scheme will be dependent on: - An Independent Expert's Report concluding the Scheme is in the best interests of Galilee shareholders and not withdrawing or adversely changing that conclusion; - Galilee shareholder approval of the Scheme by the requisite majorities under the Corporations Act at a Scheme Meeting expected to be held in the coming months; and - Court approval of the Scheme. The Scheme Implementation Deed to be prepared will contain customary provisions and contain full details of the terms and conditions of the proposed scheme of arrangement. Next steps At this stage, Galilee shareholders do not need to take any action. Galilee will continue to keep shareholders, and the market informed of developments associated with the Proposed Transaction in accordance with its continuous disclosure obligations. Please refer to the Equity Raising announcement released today on the ASX for further information regarding the fully underwritten A$2.66m equity raising Galilee has undertaken. To view the Merger Presentation, please visit: https://www.abnnewswire.net/lnk/IAK4262X About Vintage Energy Ltd Vintage Energy Ltd (ASX:VEN) has been established to acquire, explore and develop energy assets principally within, but not limited to, Australia, to take advantage of a generally favourable energy pricing outlook. Related Companies Ferry commuters in Boston were warned of possible delays Wednesday and Thursday due to a juvenile humpback whale hanging out in Boston Harbor, officials said. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) issued the warning Wednesday, and said to expect delays on the Lynn, Hingham/Hull and Winthrop/Quincy ferries to continue through at least Thursday. Although federal boating speed regulations are in place along several East Coast locations specifically to protect endangered North Atlantic right whales, it is generally recommended for vessels to slow around any whales to reduce the risk of collision. Federal regulations require vessels 65 feet or longer to travel at speeds of 10 knots (about 11.5 mph) or less in zones where whales are known to be, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, though the agency also encourages smaller boats to follow the speed guidelines. Humpback whales spend the spring and summer feeding in the coastal waters of the North Atlantic, including Boston Harbor, before heading south for the winter. Boston Harbor and coastal areas throughout New England also see North Atlantic right whales, finback whales and minke whales. ALERT: The MBTA has announced that ferry service may be delayed today due to the presence of a juvenile humpback whale in Boston Harbor. pic.twitter.com/gCP2v6m1AA Only In Boston (@OnlyInBOS) August 15, 2024 --with reporting by TMX Bellavita, one of the pioneering beauty and personal care brands in India, has launched its new advertising campaign, intending to redefine the culture of gifting with its luxurious perfume gift sets. This campaign positions BELLAVITAs curated fragrance collections as a sophisticated and memorable alternative to the traditional sweet boxes, dominating the gifting landscape in India. Through the campaign, Bellavita introduces a fresh & quirky take on the lack of gifting options in India. The campaign narrative is structured as a conversation between a family and a modern AI chat agent, peppered with humorous banter on how homogenous gifting is in India. Ashutosh Taparia, Board Member & Managing Director of Guardian Group, Bellavita's holding company, commented, Gifting is intrinsic to Indian culture. The Indian calendar is dotted by a long list of festivals & the culture of exchange of gifts between & within families. We believe fragrances render as great gifting choices over existing traditional sweets & chocolates both from a healthy-living perspective and also as a longer lasting alternative. Bellavita has always stood for making the entire country smell amazing, And with this new campaign, we aim to introduce a fresh perspective on gifting while celebrating beauty and elegance. Eventhough traditional sweet boxes have been a staple, our perfume sets offer a unique and refined alternative that allows individuals to express their appreciation and love in a more personalised and luxurious way" said Aakash Anand, Founder of Bellavita. Founded in 2018 as a direct-to-consumer (D2C) brand, Bellavita emerged with a vision of delivering global quality beauty & personal care products for an aspiring India. It has quickly emerged as the preferred fragrance-forward brand on the back of its strong product development, local manufacturing & quality consciousness. Bellavita, housed under the Guardian group, was acquired by Ananta Capital through a mix of primary cash infusion & secondary stake sale. Lovkesh Kapoor, Board Member & CEO of Guardian Group commented, BELLAVITAs products are positioned as affordable luxuries made with world-class ingredients. These exact qualities make BELLAVITAs products as cherishable gifts. We believe the young generation is constantly seeking opportunity to express themselves, seeking choice and is uncompromising on utility and value. BELLAVITA perfumes score higher than all gifting choices with these expectations The ad film is available on Youtube at this Link. The ad film was also posted on LinkedIn early in the morning by Aakash Anand where it met with great response from the community garnering over 1000 likes at the time of this release going live. The ad film was conceptualized by Sidhant Mago, directed by Neal Massey & produced by Pick Films. India will celebrate its 78th Independence Day on August 15th, 2024, which falls on Thursday, this year. It was through the consistent struggle, perseverance and fight against the Britishers by our valiant freedom fighters, that India gained freedom from the years of slavery, tyranny, and injustice. India is described as a Sovereign, Socialist, secular, Democratic Republic by the Preamble to the Constitution and is committed towards Justice, Liberty, and Equality for the citizens. Mahatma Gandhi was at the forefront of the fight against the British, presuming the leadership of the Congress in year 1921, leading campaigns across the country for putting an end to untouchability, reduction of poverty, increasing women's rights, accomplishing 'swaraj' or 'self-rule'. He initiated the Dandi Salt March to protest against the salt tax imposed by the British. He introduced the Quit India movement, the Civil Disobedience movement, the Non-Cooperation movement, the Satyagraha movement, and others. And finally, India became free on August 15th, 2024 after nearly 90 years of British rule, marking its freedom from the oppression and abuse that plagued many Indians. This day also marks the day of the partition of India and Pakistan. The Constitution of India became effective on January 26, 1950, and the day is celebrated as Republic Day, Independence Day is the day when Indians were born again in a new spirit and with utmost pride to be able to call India their own country or motherland. Every year on Independence Day, Indians pay tribute to the innumerable sacrifices made by our freedom fighters, filled with a patriotic spirit and love for the nation, rejoicing the freedom in the air. The day begins with the flag-hoisting ceremony at Red Fort in Delhi where the Prime Minister of the country hoists the tri-colored flag at 7:30 AM and delivers a speech addressing the nation, where he talks about the achievements of the country in the previous year, the obstacles ahead and the goals for the future. During the celebrations this year, more than 4000 special guests will be present belonging to a diversified group comprising of the youth, farmers, women, the poor who were identified as developed India's four pillars by the Prime Minister. The event is broadcast live on YouTube through Press Information Bureau, Doordarshan, PMO, PIB handles on X (previously Twitter). The Independence Day theme for 2024 is 'Viksit Bharat' which stands for 'Developed India'. This is in support of the mission of India to be a developed country by the year 2047, when the country will step into its 100th year, marking a centenary. The 'Har Ghar Tiranga' movement has also been launched again by the Prime Minister and this year it is celebrated from August 9 to August 15th. Every time one places a phone call, the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' caller tune greets them. It is a part of the 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' and began in the year 2021 to commemorate the 75th Independence of India, encouraging people to hoist the tricolor flag in their homes, thereby bolstering the sense of unity, patriotism, and respect towards the national flag. People can post selfies with the national flag, taking part in the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign. It provides a certificate of participation that can be downloaded from www.harghartiranga,com. PM Modi changed his profile picture to that of the tricolor flag on X, encouraging more people to celebrate the Tricolour of India. Like every year, this year too brands all over India are celebrating the 78th Independence Day with utmost enthusiasm and vigor on social media, launching ingenious advertising and marketing campaigns that celebrate India's another year of Independence. Ambuja Cements and ACC Ambuja Cements and ACC, the cement and building material companies of the diversified Adani Portfolio, pay their tribute to all Indians on the nations 78th Independence Day, by launching new brand films. The films, Ambuja Cements Tum Virat Ho and ACCs The Bridge of Unity, honour the remarkable individuals who have dedicated their lives for the betterment of their country, and celebrate the unity found amidst the diverse glory of India. Jindal Stainless Steel Jindal Stainless, one of the largest stainless-steel manufacturers in India, has launched a song on the occasion of Independence Day to celebrate the progressive and collaborative spirit of India. The song is an original composition sung by students from Vidya Devi Jindal School and O P Jindal Modern School at Hisar, Haryana. The song captures the pride and joy of being an Indian, while also envisioning a country built on the stainless values of unity, innovation, and resilience. MediBuddy MediBuddy, India's largest digital healthcare platform has unveiled an inspiring campaign celebrating strength through health. This paradigm-shifting initiative aims to democratise healthcare access across India, embodying the powerful message: Empowering a Healthier, Stronger India. The campaign aims to connect personal health with national strength, urging viewers to take charge of their well-being as a contribution to India's progress. iThrive This Independence Day, iThrive has extended its impactful "Making the Right Choice" campaign with a revived focus on addressing the pressing health challenges faced by India today. Under the theme "Freedom from Lifestyle Diseases," the campaign aims to educate and inspire individuals to take control of their health through informed lifestyle choices. AS-IT-IS Nutrition As India gears up to celebrate its 77th Independence Day, AS-IT-IS Nutrition, a leading name in the health and fitness industry, has announced its new campaign, Desh Ka Junoon. This campaign highlights the spirit of dedication and pride that fuels every Indians heart. ITC On the occasion of Indias 78th Independence Day, ITC Ltd. has paid tribute to the Nation with the creation of a unique musical composition Desh Ek Raag performed by the Gurus and Shishyas of the ITC Sangeet Research Academy (ITC-SRA). The soul-stirring composition captures the confluence of Hindustani Classical Music forms, rooted in the cultural traditions of the country. Liberty General Insurance As India celebrates its 78th Independence Day, Liberty General Insurance has unveiled its latest brand film, a lively and humorous portrayal of the freedom and peace of mind that their services provide to car owners. This years film, set against the picturesque backdrop of a familys picnic journey, brings a fresh, light-hearted approach to the importance of roadside assistance cover, making it as entertaining as it is reassuring. Rentomojo Rentomojo, Indias leading rental platform, has launched its latest initiative, the Brave to Be Free campaign, which aims to inspire individuals to break free from societal norms and pursue their true passions. This campaign is a powerful call for those who feel confined by routine, financial pressures, and societal expectations. TATA Tea Premium TATA Tea Premium-Desh Ki Chai, flagship tea brand from Tata Consumer Products Ltd. is back this Independence Day with its #DeshkaGarv-Pradesh Ki Kala campaign. This campaign celebrates moments of pride from Indias glorious post-independence journey such as the Green Revolution of Punjab that contributed towards making the country self-sufficient in food grains, Delhis 1982 Asian Games that heralded the start of Colour TV revolution, among other such events. RiteBite Max Protein This Independence Day, RiteBite Max Protein has launched its new campaign, #MainAzaadHoon, celebrating Indias 77th year of independence by addressing a crucial aspect of personal freedom: the choice to embrace healthier eating habits. Safed Safed Detergent's Independence Day campaign emphasizes the significance of the color white, symbolizing peace, truth, and unity. The protagonist, a supervisor, reflects on how the nation has forgotten these values, despite white being a unifying force in the tricolor flag. He reminds viewers that while we inherently understand these ideals, we often overlook them. The ad concludes with a powerful message: when our hearts embody the purity of white, our country becomes unparalleled. Nayara Energy With India preparing to mark its 77th Independence Day, Nayara Energy released a brand film honoring the unwavering determination of Indians driving the nation forward. Fittingly named Naye India Ka Nayara, the film elegantly showcases uplifting tales that reflect values like perseverance, inclusiveness, and environmental responsibility, at the same time exploring the emerging identity of a modern India. JSW Paints JSW Paints, Indias leading environment-friendly paints company and a part of the US$ 24 billion JSW Group, is adding colour to India's Independence Day celebrations with a film that captures the colours of the Indian national flag. Conceptualized by TBWAIndia, the campaign offers a fresh perspective on the Indian national flag, celebrating the diversity of its colours. The campaign has been launched across digital platforms. Angel One Angel One Ltd, one of the pioneering fintech player, focused on empowering individuals on their financial journey, unveiled its Independence Day #AzaadiKaRaasta campaign. The campaign features an impactful social-first approach that illustrates the journey towards financial freedom. The campaign celebrates the journey as much as the destination, acknowledging the effort, determination and perseverance required to gain control over one's financial future. MakeMyTrip Millions of people of Indian origin live across the world today, many of whom have achieved international success and captured global admiration. Special occasions like Independence Day often stir a deep sense of pride and nostalgia in their hearts, reminding them of their roots and its vibrant culture. Recognising this enduring connection, MakeMyTrip, in collaboration with Ministry of Tourism, has launched a special campaign on the eve of Indias 78th Independence Day, inviting Indians worldwide to rediscover their roots with 'India: The Homecoming.' Godrej Industries Group As India gears up to celebrate Independence Day, Godrej Industries Group has unveiled a digital campaign titled #SmallFreedomsofIndia. Showcasing the everyday freedoms that we as citizen of India enjoy, which often goes unnoticed, the campaign underscores how these freedoms play a crucial role in the well-being and upliftment of Indians in addition to overall development of the country. Mountain Dew One of the leading beverage brands in the country, Mountain Dew is celebrating Indias Independence Day with a powerful new campaign, Courage Has No Bias'. This campaign underscores the importance of breaking free from gender stereotypes and championing the true spirit of courage. Niva Bupa Health Insurance View this post on Instagram A post shared by Niva Bupa Health Insurance (@nivabupaofficial) With Indians gearing up to celebrate the 78th Independence Day, Niva Bupa Health Insurance Company Limited (Formerly known as Max Bupa Health Insurance Company Limited) (Niva Bupa) launched a media campaign " Sirf Chutti Mat Manao to drive the adoption of health insurance. Zomato Food delivery platform Zomato came up with an Instagram post portraying a birthday cake with 'Happy Birthday India' written on it, along with the caption 'double tap to drop your wish' Parle Parle Products came up with an ad campaign on the occasion of Independence day, conveying the message of how Parle products are made from the soil of India and the various aspects surrounding it. The brand posted on Instagram with the caption 'From the battlefront to the breakfast table, were tightly bound to the unwavering spirit of our beloved India! ??? Parle: Made in India, by India. Dabur Dabur unveiled an Instagram post with the caption 'This Independence Day, let's celebrate the freedom to live life with joy and wellness. With Dabur by your side, embrace the spirit of health and happiness, and let every moment be a celebration of the vibrant journey we're on together. Here's to the joy of freedom!, on the occasion of Independence Day. Amul Amul India came up with an Instagram post announcing discounts on its entire protein range, with the caption 'This Independence Day, take a step towards a Stronger you and enjoy 15% off on our entire protein range on 15th August 2024. Get ready to power up with Amul Protein! Available on: https://shop.amul.com/en/browse/protein.' Stayfree Stayfree brought out a post on Instgram with the caption 'Own your freedom, everyday! Happy Independence day??' boAt boAt came up with an Instagram post saluting the heroes who have not taken an leave on August 16th, with the caption 'Desh toh aazad ho gaya par tumhara kya?' Insight Cosmetics Insight Cosmetics, one of the leading names in the cosmetic industry, celebrates Independence Day and Raksha Bandhan by paying tribute to the resolute spirits of the nations soldiers and their families. As a token of appreciation, the brand is sending exclusive gifts to the sisters of nearly 50 soldiers, emblematizing the bond of protection and the spirit of freedom. Bharat BillPay Bharat BillPay came up with an Instagram post on the occasion of Independence Day with the caption - "77 years young and still soaring! India's story is one of courage, innovation, and growth. Wishing our great nation a Happy 78th Independence Day!" Club Mahindra Club Mahindra posted on Instagram with the caption - "Freedom is in the air, and so is the magic of celebration! ??. As we honour the spirit of our great nation, lets embrace the joy of discovering the diverse cultures and traditions that unite us. Wishing you a Happy Independence Day filled with cherished memories and togetherness. Jai Hind! ??." Zoreko A renowned name in the Family Entertainment Centre, Zoreko celebrated 78th independence with Freedom to Play campaign for gaming enthusiasts with great offers on both games and food. This one-of-a-kind offer transformed the spirits of gaming enthusiasts where games and fun can go hand in hand. With top-ups of 1508, 5000, or 7800, gamers received bonus credits ranging from 15% to 100%, which offered them the freedom to play the games of their choice. Such offers allow patrons to spend more time with their loved ones. This Independence Day, SMFG India Credit honours all women who are redefining independence by transforming dreams into reality every single day, crafting a new identity of progress. Join us in celebrating their incredible journey, as they create Pragati Ki Nayi Pehchaan. Jindal Stainless, one of the largest stainless-steel manufacturers in India, has launched a song on the occasion of Independence Day, for celebrating the progressive and collaborative spirit of India. The song is an original composition sung by students from Vidya Devi Jindal School and O P Jindal Modern School at Hisar, Haryana. The song encapsulates the pride and joy of being an Indian, while also envisioning a country built on the stainless values of unity, innovation, and resilience. Speaking about the video, Head, Corporate Communications, Sonal Singh, said, This video pays homage to Indias diversity and its relentless drive for holistic growth, premised on building a corrosion-free nation. The song conveys the values of determination, perseverance, and progress, which are central to both Jindal Stainless and Indias growth stories. This video is a heartfelt tribute to the hard work, passion, and innovative spirit of all our fellow Indians, who are the true pillars of this nations incredible success. At Jindal Stainless, we are proud to shape, and be shaped by, this great nations march towards progress. Jindal Stainless was founded in 1970 on the ethos of creating self-reliance for Indias stainless steel consumption by substituting imports. In the early 90s, when the demand for stainless steel in India was only around 0.25 million tonnes, nearly 85% of this consumption was in the kitchenware sector. Recognising the potential of stainless steel, Jindal Stainless has played an instrumental role in diversifying the metals applications and breaking into newer, hitherto uncharted sectors. From then to now, with Indias consumption roaring above 4 million tonnes, with only 40% going to the kitchenware sector, Jindal Stainless has been a flagbearer in this journey for India. This song is an ode to the swadeshi dream of the founding fathers and entrepreneurs of India. Alongside the students featured in the video who have performed the song, the video also features employees of Jindal Stainless. As India marks its 78th Independence Day, Jindal Stainless proudly showcases the values that have been the cornerstone of its ethos and success for decades as its story intricately interweaves with that of India. Authored by Kimmy Babbar, Head, Corporate Communication, JCBL Group The Changing Face of Marketing Marketing, which is predominately about promotion and selling products and services, has drastically evolved over the past few years, forcing brands to adapt their strategies to market requirements. The linear trajectory from barter to digital has been punctuated by seismic shifts in consumer behavior, technological advancements, and societal dynamics. As such, the marketing function has evolved from a passive conduit to an active architect of brand experience. Whether in B2b or B2C, the brands that failed to adapt to these changes often face obsolescence. The range of products offered has transitioned from physical goods to digital products and solutions, reflecting the dynamic market. The Early Era of Marketing In the very early era, a few centuries ago, Indias marketers relied on print advertising. Beginning with black and white, it then evolved to bright brand colors, to associate the visual identity with the product. Traditionally in B2B business, connections were crucial; with a major emphasis on increasing brand awareness. The best way to achieve this was to create a unique brand identity to differentiate ones brand from the competitors. Eventually, print media evolved from pamphlets to banners displayed on different modes of transport like buses, trucks, etc, often accompanied by an announcer or presenter who discussed the product. The Era of Growth and Modernization Exceptional economic growth increased consumer buying power. The advent of radio broadcasting in the twentieth century brought in the revolutionary medium of jingles and slogans. Radio provided a platform to reach a broader audience, thus increasing brand awareness. The Akashvani era introduced television, offering brands a platform to shift from audio ads to video ads. This transition worked wonders for B2B products, humanizing them created awareness among all kinds of consumers, regardless of their association. Initially focused on product specifications, video ads soon evolved to include storytelling elements, often featuring well-known personalities. This era also saw improvements in distribution and transportation across regions. The Globalization Boom Globalization allowed foreign companies to enter local markets, leading to a broader range of product alternatives and shifting marketing strategies from product-centric to consumer-centric. The automobile industry saw various alternatives for everything, from sourcing spare parts to assembling them. This wave also spurred technological advancements in production. The Rise of Branding and Corporate Identity Branding involves distinguishing oneself from the competition. In the era of the barter system, branding meant burnt marks customized for individuals. For B2B companies, this provided an opportunity to simplify complex products using media kits, logos, color schemes, and distinctive packaging. The Era of the Internet The internet revolutionized marketing, introducing additional channels like emails, websites, newsletters, and e-brochures to reach customers directly. For B2B companies, this provided an opportunity to simplify the complex product using detailed content, case studies, and technical specifications. The rise of e-markets facilitated direct sales from manufacturer to end-users, eliminating the traditional chain of distribution channels. The Era of Social Media The rise of social media has altered the entire marketing landscape. For B2B brands, social media has become a place to showcase thought leadership, networking, and lead generation. Companies can now directly engage with the decision-makers, eliminating the different channels of the traditional sales funnel and fostering stronger customer relationships. The growth of influencers and affiliates gave B2B companies a chance to showcase their product specification. It also became a platform for industry experts to address the audiences directly and endorse their products to niche audiences. The Era of AI and VR Technologies like AI and VR provided a new vision to B2B companies and transformed entire systems. Incorporating AI in the production process eliminates the scope of error and revolutionizes data analytics enabling companies to better understand customer needs and personalize communications. VR offers a different product experience, allowing potential clients to understand the product and alter it as per their specifications virtually before making the purchasing decisions. Conclusion The evolution of marketing illustrates the significant impact of technological advancements on consumer behavior and business practices. Businesses that embraced these changes have flourished by leveraging new tools and strategies. As we look to the future, the continued integration of AI and VR promises to revolutionize production processes, creating more efficient, personalized, and engaging marketing experiences. The future is bright for companies ready to adapt and innovate, as they stand to benefit from the ever-evolving landscape of marketing technology. DISCLAIMER: The views expressed are solely of the author and Adgully.com does not necessarily subscribe to it. redBus, the worlds largest online bus ticketing platform, is proud to introduce the Route to 47: Roads of India's Revolutions campaign as India commemorates its 77th year of independence. Several Indians today are not closely connected with their history and the pivotal role that local heroes and landmarks played in shaping the cities, towns and streets they live on. In a move to integrate technology with history, redBus has also developed an augmented reality (AR) filter on Instagram. This innovative feature allows users to scan any road surface in India and engage with an immersive journey that narrates the stories of major routes and their roles in the nations freedom struggle. redBus has also leveraged Googles My Maps, where it has showcased 47 historically significant routes across India that contributed to the journey of the nation's independence. This map offers an engaging, informative experience through short, animated videos and info cards. Heres how users can access the features: Open the Instagram filter and scan any road surface in India. A map of India will appear, highlighting 47 major routes. Users can click on any route and embark on an immersive journey that narrates the stories of key routes and their roles in the nations freedom struggle. To view a video on how this works, click: https://www.instagram.com/p/C-o8srEMMQP/?hl=en Users can also use Googles My Maps to view 47 historic routes, where they can click on each major route to view animations and delve deeper into the historical significance of these paths. Link :https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?ll=19.017398861588465%2C76.16953339656344&z=5&mid=1aiJnrtoJmnp7GmlTJ3IYxg0oldBW2ac This initiative aims to honour and illuminate the significant routes that played crucial roles in Indias journey towards independence. For instance in 1931, over 4000 farmers in 100 bullock carts marched from Madduru to Bangalore (now Bengaluru), to protest agricultural taxes. Bal Gandhar Tilak was taken by road from Pune to Bombay (now Mumbai) in 1908, following his arrest and then subsequently deported to Mandalay (now Burma), where he was imprisoned. The 1857 Mutiny began when sepoys or soldiers stationed at Meerut marched by road to Delhi, sparking what is now called the first war of Indian Independence. To honour and mark the occasion, redBus is running an Independence Day contest on its Instagram handle. Users who are connected with Indias history stand a chance to win up to Rs. 5000. Pallavi Chopra, CMO of redBus, commented, "Roads are a pathway to our past and witness to the most iconic moments in our history and our 'Route to 47: Roads of India's Revolution' campaign is a celebration of these roads and the huge role they have played in our struggle for Independence. This campaign is an immersive journey designed to engage and inspire everyone, especially the youth. At redBus, we are leveraging cutting-edge AR technology to bring these stories to life in a way that's accessible and engaging for everyone. I think our in-house creative agency The Fuel has done a fantastic job of creating a property which makes the independence struggle come alive in a personally relevant way for users. We hope that we can help to keep the legacy of our freedom struggle vibrant and relevant for future generations." My Maps Link: https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer? ll=19.017398861588465%2C76.16953339656344&z=5&mid=1aiJnrtoJmnp7GmlTJ3IYxg0oldBW2ac Try the AR filter here: https://www.instagram.com/ar/1240993163924502/ The Oakland Unified School District is paying students with chronic absenteeism $50 to attend class - with the caveat they must have perfect attendance to get the money, according to a report. The aim of the pilot program, called the Equitable Design Project, which ended its second year in the school system in June, is to motivate students who are chronically absent to attend class by giving them $50 checks every Friday, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. But if the high school students enrolled in the program are tardy, cut or skip class they forfeit the money. This year, 93 students signed up for the program that ran the final 10 weeks of the school year. It's an attempt by school administrators to turn around surging absenteeism after the COVID pandemic. In the 2023-2024 school year, about 32% of students in the district were chronically absent, the report said. "The money is a hook that gets them into school. It's the relationships, it's being valued that keeps the students in school," Zaia Vera, the project's leader and head of social emotional learning in the district, told the San Francisco Chronicle. As part of the program, students have to check in and out of school by meeting with an adult. The students must also fill out an assessment about their mental health and their classroom experience once a week. School administrators said most of the chronically absent students identify as Black or Latino, noting that many of them are homeless or live in unstable family environments. Even with the monetary impetus, some students are hard pressed to overcome their family situation. "There's so much stuff happening with different kids at home, outside of school that trumps any educational learning that they're receiving," Jenell Marshall, an English teacher at MetWest High School who's involved in the program, told the publication. She said of the seven students she enrolled in the program this year, only three of them attended school consistently. In a creative blend of patriotism, health, and convenience, Times Prime has unveiled its latest campaign, 'Azadi ka Swad', just in time for India's 78th Independence Day. This innovative initiative, launched in partnership with quick-commerce platform Zepto and health-focused snack brand The Healthy Binge, is set to add a flavorful twist to the celebrations in Bangalore. The 'Azadi ka Swad' campaign offers Zepto Pass customers a unique opportunity: a complimentary pack of specially curated snacks from The Healthy Binge on orders above Rs. 299. This collaboration not only celebrates the spirit of independence but also caters to the growing trend of health-conscious consumerism in India. Harshita Singh, Business Head and Founder of Times Prime, shared her enthusiasm for the campaign: "As we celebrate India's 78th Independence Day, we are thrilled to launch Times Prime 'Azaadi ka Swaad' in Bangalore. This campaign showcases our commitment to delivering exceptional experiences and promoting wellness. Partnering with Zepto's rapid delivery service and The Healthy Binge's nutritious snacks, we're offering a festive yet health-conscious experience." The Healthy Binge, known for its innovative millet-based snacks, brings a nutritious element to the festivities. Karan Korke, Co-founder of The Healthy Binge, expressed his excitement about the partnership: "We're delighted to join Times Prime 'Azaadi ka Swaad'. Our commitment to quality and innovation aligns perfectly with this campaign, which celebrates India's diverse tastes and the spirit of independence. The Healthy Binge is excited to contribute to the happiness and health of families in Bangalore with a range of baked chips made with millets like ragi and jowar." Zepto, with its promise of 10-minute deliveries, ensures that the patriotic spirit reaches customers at lightning speed. Devendra Meel, Chief Business Officer of Zepto, commented on the collaboration: "At Zepto, we are essentially delivering happiness in 10 minutes. Collaborating with Times Prime on 'Azaadi ka Swaad' allows us to extend that joy nationwide, delivering not just products, but a piece of India's rich heritage and celebration to millions of homes - in just 10 minutes!" This campaign is a prime example of how brands are innovating to create meaningful experiences for consumers during festive seasons. By combining the convenience of quick commerce, the benefits of healthy snacking, and the emotional resonance of Independence Day, Times Prime has crafted a campaign that speaks to multiple consumer needs and preferences. The 'Azadi ka Swad' initiative also underscores the potential of strategic partnerships in the e-commerce and quick-commerce sectors. By bringing together a digital membership program, a quick-commerce platform, and a health-focused snack brand, Times Prime has created a synergy that enhances the value proposition for all parties involved. Moreover, this campaign reflects the changing landscape of festive marketing in India. As consumers become more health-conscious, brands are adapting their offerings to include nutritious alternatives even during traditional celebrations. The choice of millet-based snacks aligns perfectly with this shift, offering a healthier option without compromising on the festive spirit. As India prepares to hoist flags and sing patriotic songs, Bangalore residents can look forward to a unique celebration that combines the joy of Independence Day with the convenience of modern technology and the benefits of healthy snacking. It's a testament to how far India has come in terms of innovation and health awareness, while still holding onto the core values of independence and unity. For those interested in participating in this patriotic and health-focused celebration, more information can be found at www.TimesPrime.com. As the nation gears up for its 78th Independence Day, Times Prime's 'Azadi ka Swad' campaign offers a fresh and flavorful way to celebrate freedom - one healthy bite at a time. Also Read: Times Prime Sweetens Independence Day with Massive Ladoo Giveaway South Korea Unveils Vision for 'Freedom-Based Unification,' Proposes Dialogue With North Korea 2 President Yoon Suk Yeol unveiled a vision for unification with North Korea on Thursday, pledging to expand outside information in the reclusive nation and proposing an official dialogue channel that can take up any issue. Yoon made the remark in an address marking Liberation Day, which celebrates the 1945 end of Japans colonial rule, saying, Complete liberation remains an unfinished task as the Korean Peninsula still remains divided, reports Yonhap news agency. The freedom we enjoy must be extended to the frozen kingdom of the North, where people are deprived of freedom and suffer from poverty and starvation, Yoon said. Only when a unified free and democratic nation rightfully owned by the people is established across the entire Korean Peninsula will we finally have complete liberation. Japanese Defence Minister Minoru Kihara was among the officials who visited the shrine, prompting Seouls foreign ministry to summon Taisuke Mibae, deputy chief of mission at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, to strongly protest the visit. It marked the first time in three years for a sitting Japanese defence minister to visit the shrine. (We) cannot but deplore the anachronistic act, a foreign ministry official said. The defence ministry also called in a defence attache at the Japanese Embassy to strongly protest Kiharas visit to the shrine, the official stated, noting that it goes against the two countries efforts to develop future-oriented relations. Students and parents are adjusting to a new school year, and with that comes new safety and security measures enacted in schools statewide. Multiple Alabama school districts are implementing new security systems like metal detectors and X-ray machines. Others are incorporating more school resource officers on campus. Mo Canady, executive director of the National Association of School Resource Officers, said officer training at NASRO has significantly increased between 2021 and 2023. Thats usually an indicator that more schools in the country are adding SROs. Alabama school districts are required to offer some safety and security measures, but much is left up to local implementation and funding. A 2023 AL.com analysis of recent school safety and discipline incidents found increasing reports of guns, tobacco, threats and fights. Marion County Board of Education announced in late July two that SROs would serve the 1,600 students in Hamilton. Canady, who spent 25 years at the Hoover Police Department, said positive relationships between adults such as SROs and students can effectively help create a safe school environment. Good relationships mean students are more open to sharing information. Tuscaloosa County Schools recently installed the OpenGate Weapons Detection System in every intermediate, middle and high school. The system, similar to a traditional metal detector, uses two freestanding pillars that screen people with bags, backpacks and purses to detect metal objects. AL.coms analysis of the most recent available state data found five incidents of possession of a firearm or firearms component in Tuscaloosa County during the 2022-23 school year. This year, Sheffield City and Bessemer City announced weapons detection systems at their schools. There were four incidents of weapons possession during the 2022-23 school year in Bessemer City, and none reported in Sheffield City. Mobile County Schools also implemented a new advanced weapon detection system at middle and high schools as part of their enhanced safety plan. The districts security plan includes crisis alerts, random searches with dogs, security cameras and limited visitor access. AL.com reported 12 gun possession incidents during the 2022-23 school year. Canady said installing metal detectors should only be part of an overall school safety plan designed to enhance what we already have going on around school. He said relying only on weapons detection systems can create a false sense of security. The most important issue with school safety is ensuring the perimeter is secure. This includes making sure all doors and windows have working locks. Students, faculty, and staff shouldnt prop them open or just let someone in a door. If all of those things are problems, then the metal detector or the weapons detection system really doesnt enhance our school safety. Were not correcting the existing problem, Canady said. Canady said security technology must go hand-in-hand with the everyday boots on the ground. What should parents know about school safety? Parents should ask administrators questions about safety and security in their childs school. Canady said they should know the policies and procedures in place, such as how often safety drills are held. Alabama recommends two code red drills at each K-12 school every year. They need to know that the school district is taking safety very seriously, Canady said. Multidisciplinary safety teams should be at every school, and it is everyones business, according to Canady. A team should ideally include a school counselor, administrator, mental health specialist or social worker, and a law enforcement liaison. If theres an SRO, parents should know if theyre well-trained. Families should know the culture and climate of school life and whether children and teachers feel safe there. Canady mentioned that schools can utilize climate surveys for parents and staff. He also recommended reading about Safe and Sound Schools Averted School Violence Database, which monitors close calls anonymously shared by law enforcement and school personnel to improve student safety. State lawmakers weighed in on student discipline issues in the 2024 legislative session. Students have a right to a hearing and appeal for potential suspensions, expulsions and alternative school placement process. Legislators enacted a Teachers Bill of Rights which educators to remove students for disrupting class. School districts also must create comprehensive safety plans including maps that administrators will share with local law enforcement. These laws go into effect Oct. 1. Right before our eyes, weve watched Birmingham grow into one of the Souths culinary gems, a dining destination that is home to multiple James Beard Award-winning chefs and a diverse and vibrant restaurant scene. Before all that happened, though, another generation of chefs and restaurateurs had already made the Magic City a culinary melting pot, serving everything from hot dogs to barbecue, seafood to soul food, Greek dishes to Asian cuisine. We have enough long-gone-but-never-forgotten favorites to fill a phone book (remember those?), but here are the five old Birmingham restaurants we miss the most. Birmingham artist Dirk Walker's painting of downtown's beloved, old Joy Young Restaurant hangs on a wall at chef Adam Evans' new Asian-American restaurant Current Charcoal Grill as a tribute to the Magic City's Asian food history. (Bob Carlton/bcarlton@al.com) Joy Young Restaurant Revered for its egg rolls and chop suey, as well as such American dishes as fried chicken and crabmeat au gratin, Joy Young Restaurant was a downtown institution for about 60 years, and many a Birminghamian celebrated a birthday, a graduation or an anniversary in one of the restaurants curtained private booths. Mansion Joe, who came to America from China, started the business in 1920, when he and three partners opened what was then called King Joy on Third Avenue North in downtown Birmingham. It was believed to be the first Chinese restaurant in the Magic City. Joe and his partners later renamed their restaurant Joy Young Restaurant and eventually relocated a few blocks away to 20th Street North, across from the street from Birminghams old Tutwiler Hotel, where the restaurant remained for another 55 years. After the downtown location closed in 1980, grandson Henry Joe moved Joy Young to the ground floor of the Brookwood Medical Center parking deck in suburban Homewood. It, too, closed several years later. Long lines at lunch were a common scene outside John's Restaurant during the downtown Birmingham restaurant's heyday.(Birmingham News archival photo) Johns Restaurant Greek restaurateur John Proferis opened Johns Restaurant on 21st Street North -- now Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard North -- in 1944, and for more than a half-century, Johns was the place to go in downtown Birmingham for a casual meat-and-three lunch and for a fancy, white-tablecloth dinner. In the early 1970s, Proferis sold Johns to his nephews Phil and George Hontzas, who eventually moved the restaurant into a new, larger building a block away and brought in a third brother, Jimmy Hontzas, to help them. After first Phil and then Jimmy died in the mid-80s, George Hontzas ran Johns with the help of his sons, Tom and Pete. The restaurant was later sold and became Johns City Diner, which closed in 2023 after 19 years in business. During the glory days of Johns Restaurant, a long line of customers streaming out the front door and spilling onto the sidewalk was a common occurrence, as the restaurant served up to 1,500 guests a day. Menu favorites included trout almondine, broiled Greek snapper and crabmeat-stuffed flounder, but no trip to Johns was complete without a basket of those crispy-on-the-outside, pillowy-on-inside cornbread sticks and a side of that shredded, angel-hair cabbage, which was served with the restaurants signature house-made dressing, a recipe that Proferis perfected. While Johns Restaurant is long gone, the tangy slaw dressing -- marketed by Tom Hontzas, who grew up mixing and bottling the dressing in his fathers restaurant -- is still available in grocery stores and restaurants around Alabama. RELATED: The story behind Johns Famous Slaw Dressing Pete's Famous Hot Dogs closed in 2011 after the death of longtime owner Constantine "Gus" Koutroulakis, who ruled his tiny hot dog kingdom for 63 years. (AL.com file photo/Beverly Taylor) Petes Famous Hot Dogs Were old enough to remember when downtown Birmingham had a hot dog joint on almost every street -- and two on some. Tonys Terrific Hot Dogs on Second Avenue North. Lyric Hot Dogs & Grill on Third Avenue North. And Jimmys Hot Dogs on Fourth Avenue North. None, though, was more beloved than Petes Famous Hot Dogs, the 7-foot-wide cubbyhole on Second Avenue North where the grumpy Constantine Gus Koutroulakis held court seven days a week -- every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas -- for sixty-three years. A trip to Petes Famous for a couple of dogs and a scolding from Gus was a rite of passage for anyone who ever grew up or worked in Birmingham. And after that initiation, we kept going back for more. Gus took over the business from his uncle Pete Koutroulakis in 1948 and worked right up until the day he died -- on April 5, 2011. And when he left us at 83, so, too, did a piece of downtown Birmingham. Oh, what we would give for a special dog all the way and a gentle chiding from Gus. RELATED: Birminghams best hot dogs: Our Top 5 Browdy's delicatessen opened in downtown Birmingham in 1913 and moved to Mountain Brook in 1944. After 96 years in business, Browdy's closed in 2009.(Birmingham News file/Mark Almond) Browdys Victor Browdy opened the original Browdys delicatessen in downtown Birmingham in 1913, and it remained in his family for three generations and 96 years -- the last 65 of those in neighboring Mountain Brook. Famous for its corned beef sandwiches and crispy fried chicken, the deli also included a meat market that sold kosher salami and hand-cut steaks and a bakery that offered rye bread and cheese blintzes. Browdys moved to Mountain Brook in 1944 and settled into its last location next to the old Western Supermarket on Culver Road in the early 1990s. Brother and sister Stan Browdy and Marilyn Browdy Leonard -- Victor Browdys grandchildren -- owned the deli when it closed in 2009. Business wasnt what it used to be, they said, and it was time for them to move on. Turning out the lights that last night, though, was still an emotional time for the Browdy siblings. It was just real sad -- just a terrible time, Stan Browdy told AL.com in 2009. It was like I couldnt believe it was really happening. We had talked about it and talked about it, but I couldnt believe we were really doing it. The space later had another life as the home of Ollie Irene restaurant before it was eventually razed to make way for Mountain Brooks new Lane Parke restaurant and retail development. RELATED: Shedding tears over memories of Browdys deli The oak-shaded courtyard at Cobb Lane Restaurant in Birmingham's Five Points South neighborhood made for a tranquil lunch hour.(Birmingham News file/Jessica McGowan) Cobb Lane Restaurant On a picture-perfect Birmingham day -- or even on a partly cloudy one -- there was nothing better than sitting in the oak-shaded courtyard at Cobb Lane Restaurant, sipping on a cup of the restaurants signature she-crab soup and/or indulging in a slice of its famous chocolate roulage. In 1948, Birmingham booster and businesswoman Virginia Jemison Cobb opened a dress shop along the brick alleyway between 19th and 20th Streets and 13th and 14th Avenues South in Birminghams Five Points South neighborhood, and she served tea sandwiches as a courtesy to her customers. Over time, her food became so popular that the dress shop evolved into a full-service restaurant. Cobb continued to run the restaurant well into her 80s, and after a revitalization project in 1982, the alley was renamed Cobb Lane in her honor. The restaurant had a few different owners after her, but many of her dishes remained on the menu long after she died in 1987. Her recipes are still searched for and shared on Pinterest, and some of them are preserved in the 1996 book A Stroll Down Cobb Lane: In the Kitchen With a Southern Lady. Cobb Lane Restaurant served its last customers in 2009, closing after 61 years due to an economic downturn that crippled the business, then-owner Jeff Stykowski told AL.com at the time. A lot of a people have a lot of memories of the restaurant, Stykowski said. There are a lot of people who have a real personal connection to it. RELATED: Farewell to Birminghams Cobb Lane Restaurant Details are taking shape for a free Jimmy Buffett tribute festival to be held this fall in downtown Mobile. According to information released by Visit Mobile, the inaugural Son of a Sailor Fest will take place Sept. 21 in Cathedral Square. Its described as a family-friendly street festival with a second-line parade and a musical lineup topped by Jimmy Buffett tribute band A1A. Will Kimbrough, a Mobile native who co-wrote with Buffett and who has performed as an honorary member of Buffetts Coral Reefer Band, also will perform. According to Visit Mobile, the S.O.S. Fest traces its roots directly to a grassroots effort to hold a parade in Mobile in September 2023, days after Buffetts death on Sept. 1. That event was launched with little more than social media discussion and word of mouth promotion, but gained city support as it snowballed, and ended up drawing an estimated 3,000 or so people as participants and spectators. Joseph Brennan, the Mobile filmmaker who spearheaded the event, told AL.com after the fact that hed had a lot of help, from early supporters such as John Killian at Braided River Brewing and the Blow House Brass Band to the endorsement the Downtown Mobile Alliance and a receptive response from the Mobile Police Department. Brennan said at the time hed heard a lot of interest expressed in a follow-up, but wasnt sure how that would work. More recently, in an interview published by Visit Mobile, he elaborated: I didnt get through the day of the parade without a dozen people asking me, This will be a yearly event, right? Brennan said. More and more interest (demands, you might say) rolled in throughout the weeks that followed. Simply put, we immediately knew we had something special that needed to happen again. We got to work taking a completely improvised, rag-tag event and transitioning into something that could grow and last without losing that magic. I think what weve got in store will do just the trick. The Son of a Sailor Fest is being produced by the nonprofit organization SouthSounds Music and Arts Festival, Inc. Brennan said the fest is the product of a partnership with Visit Mobile, Downtown Mobile Alliance, Mobile County, the city of Mobile and Jimmys sister, Lucy LuLu Buffett. Lucys fantastic, renowned beach restaurant destination, LuLus, is a generous sponsor and we couldnt be more excited, he said. Having Lucy as a part of Son of a Sailor Fest is very special and something we really cherish. Buffett was born in coastal Mississippi but grew up in Mobile, attending McGill-Toolen Catholic High School. Before his career took off, he performed in the Admirals Corner bar in what was then the Admiral Semmes Hotel on Government Street. For information and updates on the festival, visit www.sos-fest.com. A young Montgomery woman has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for her role in brutal 2020 murder of a 17-year-old girl. Erin Taylor, now 20, was 16 when she was initially arrested on a capital murder charge in the slaying of Lesley Luna Pantaleon. Taylor is one of four teens charged in Pantaleons death. Pantaleon was reported missing on June 24, 2020, and state authorities had requested the publics help finding her. Her decomposed body was found July 4, 2020, in Catoma Creek. Montgomery police and firefighters responded to the lake on Old Selma Road after receiving a report of a possible body in the water. The teens body was taken to the Alabama Department of Forensic Science for an autopsy and later confirmed to be Pantaleon. Court records show she had been beaten with a metal pipe and stabbed with a knife. Her 2006 blue Chevrolet Trailblazer was stolen, as was her cell phone. Initially, Taylor, TaNiya Merriweather, and Tyeshia Whisenant were arrested on capital murder charges. All three girls were 16 at the time. Erin Taylor, 20, has been convicted in the brutal death of a 17-year-old Montgomery girl in 2020. She and her three co-defendants were all teens when they were arrested.(Montgomery County District Attorney's Office) Later, police also arrested Keontae Davidson and charged him with capital murder as well. He is now 20 years old. Taylor pleaded guilty April 1 to a reduced charge of murder. Davidson entered his guilty plea June 25 and is set to be sentenced Sept. 12. Whisenant pleaded guilty June 10. Her sentencing date has not been announced. Merriweather has not yet gone to trial. The senseless brutality shown by the defendants in this case deserves the strongest condemnation and toughest sentence, Montgomery County District Attorney Daryl Bailey said. I am proud that my office was able to obtain justice for this innocent young girl and her family. Judge Reid sent a strong message with her sentence today and I hope the violent criminals in our community hear it: Montgomery County is not the place to commit violent crime, he said. If you do, then you are going to get caught, prosecuted, and sent to prison for a very long time. A state prison inmate serving time for murder died in the infirmary at William Donaldson Correctional Facility in western Jefferson County. Coron Brian Abdullah, 33, died Wednesday, according to the Jefferson County Coroners Office. Abdullah was serving time for 2013 murder and robbery convictions out of Macon County. He was found unresponsive at 6:55 a.m. in the infirmary where he was being treated for a medical issue, said Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Yates. Abdullah was pronounced dead at 7:08 a.m. An autopsy will be conducted to assist in determining the cause and manner of death. The Alabama Department of Corrections Law Enforcement Services Division is investigating the circumstances surrounding the death. An Alabama man facing multiple federal counts pleaded guilty Monday in New York City to importing a stuffed protected bird of prey without notifying the U.S. Department of the Interior, records showed. Eufaula resident Toney Jones pleaded guilty to violating one count of the Endangered Species Act in federal court in Brooklyn for not reporting his acquiring of the Levant sparrowhawk to the agency, records showed. The Levant sparrowhawk, also known as Accipter brevipes, is a small bird of prey native to southeast Europe, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Sudan and Tunisia, among other countries. Its adult population is estimated to be between 10,000 to 20,000, according to the International Union for Conservation of Natures Red List of Endangered Species. Jones boss, Dr. John Waldrop of Georgia, also pleaded guilty to that count as well as conspiracy to smuggle good into the United States. Prosecutors said the pair were not alleged to have imported live birds when they were indicted last year on charges of conspiracy, smuggling, Endangered Species Act, and money laundering. Waldrop and Jones used online sales sites such as eBay and Etsy to buy birds and eggs from around the world, including Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Lithuania, Malta, Russia, South Africa, the United Kingdom and Uruguay, according to the indictment. The pair imported and collected myriad species of protected birds, such as canary, dipper, duck, eagle, falcon, grouse, gull, hawk, heron, hoopoe, kestrel, kinglet, lapwing, murre, owl, parrot, pochard, rail, teal, snipe, spoonbill, vulture and woodpecker, the charging document went on to say. In addition to the conspiracy, the indictment charged Waldrop and Jones with importing three packages containing birds and eggs in 2020 through John F. Kennedy International Airport in violation of smuggling and ESA laws. The packages contained a Levant sparrowhawk, a grasshopper buzzard-hawk, two gull eggs, two murre eggs and one unidentified bird egg, prosecutors claimed. Waldrop and Jones were also alleged to have conspired to commit money laundering by sending funds out of the U.S. to finance bird smuggling. A 12-year-old cheerleader from in Texas died on Monday night after her parents treated her life-threatening injuries with smoothies, police say. Authorities received a call requesting medical assistance from Miranda Sipps' mother on August 12, shortly after 8:00 p.m. Dispatchers instructed her to stop her vehicle along Highway 16 South and FM 140, where emergency medical responders met her. The Jourdanton Jr. high School student was alive but unconscious when she was immediately transported to Methodist Hospital, Atascosa County Sheriff David Soward said. Sheriff's deputies and investigators started investigating the circumstances surrounding her injuries. The 12-year-old died in the hospital emergency room at 9:55 p.m. Sergeant investigator Robert Newman led the investigation alongside a team of CID investigators. Authorities were able to determine the child suffered serious life-threatening injuries last Thursday evening. The parents never took her for medical treatment and tried to treat her themselves. During a news conference, Sheriff David Soward said Miranda "was primarily unconscious, unresponsive, incompasitative" and they simply tried to treat her with a smoothie with some vitamins. The mother put her daughter in the car and allegedly called 911 when she went into respiratory distress. The sheriff thinks she did that because she did not want police to go to the home. Denise Balbaneda, 36, and Gerald Gonzales, 40, were arrested at their home in Christine on Tuesday afternoon. The pair were booked into the Atascosa County Jail. They are each charged with injury to a child causing serious bodily injury by omission, a first-degree felony. They were jailed on $200,000 bail. A GoFundMe was organized in honor of Miranda. "She was taken from us far too soon in an unexpected way," Pricilla Chapa said. "Leaving behind a legacy of love, laughter, and memories that we will cherish forever." Alabama wants to execute more people this year than they have in over a decade. Earlier this week, the Alabama Supreme Court authorized the execution of Carey Dale Grayson, paving the way for him to be put to death this fall. Carey Dale Grayson, now 49, was convicted in the 1994 killing of Vickie Deblieux in Jefferson County. Gov. Kay Ivey has yet to set a date for Graysons execution. It would be the states fourth this year, and the third using the states new method of suffocation by nitrogen gas. And, the Alabama Attorney Generals Office has requested permission to execute Derrick Dearman, too. The high court hasnt yet authorized the request, but if they do and it happened in 2024, his would be the sixth execution this year. Dearman, who was sent to Alabama Death Row in 2018 for the brutal slayings of the family members of his then-girlfriend in Citronelle in 2016, fired his attorneys earlier this year and told AL.com he wanted to stop all appeals of his conviction and death sentence. His execution is set for lethal injection, not nitrogen gas. If Grayson and Dearman are executed this year, their executions would be the fifth and sixth for Alabama in 2024. According to data from the Alabama Department of Corrections, the last time the state executed more than 3 people in a year was in 2011. That year, under Govs. Bob Riley and Robert Bentley, Alabama put six people to death. The fourth execution this year is set to happen in September, when Alan Eugene Miller is put to death. Miller, 59, is set to die on Sept. 26 also by nitrogen gas. Hes being executed for the Aug. 5 1999 Shelby County workplace shootings in which he killed Terry Jarvis, 39, Lee Holdbrooks, 32, and Scott Yancy, 28. Earlier this month, Millers lawyers reached a confidential settlement with the state and ended his federal lawsuit. Miller has already entered the execution chamber once, when the state attempted to kill him using its three-drug lethal injection in in September 2022. But prison officials called off that execution about 30 minutes before the states death warrant expired at midnight, after prison workers couldnt set up the intravenous lines needed for the drugs before the midnight deadline. Kenneth Smith, who was the country and Alabamas first inmate to be executed using nitrogen flowing through a gas mask, suffered a similar fate as Miller in 2022. Following those two attempts, the state halted executions for several months while conducting a review of the prisons death penalty process. In 2023, executions started back up with a new team of prison workers tasked with handling parts of the protocol and a new rule allowing the governornot the Alabama Supreme Courtto set a time frame for executions. That change effectively ended the midnight deadline, which had often caused executions to be called off. Smith was executed in Jan. 2024 using nitrogen gas, setting off controversy across the world after Smith writhed on the gurney. Prison officials have said Smith, who was executed for the 1988 murder-for-hire of a pastors wife, prolonged the execution by holding his breath. In May, Jamie Ray Mills was executed by lethal injection for the beating deaths of an elderly couple with a machete, ball-peen hammer, and a tire iron two decades ago. In July, Alabama executed 64-year-old Keith Edmund Gavin for a 1998 murder at a north Alabama ATM. He was put to death by lethal injection, because he didnt change his method of execution to gas when he had the opportunity to do so in 2018. Millers execution is set to be the fourth this year; Graysons would be the fifth. United Methodist Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett, head of the North Alabama Conference, was elected president of the World Methodist Council at its meeting this week in Sweden. Wallace-Padgett, who will be leaving her post in Birmingham on Sept. 1 after 12 years as bishop of North Alabama United Methodists, was elected on Wednesday at the meeting in Gothenburg, Sweden, said Danette Clifton, communications director for the conference, who is attending with Wallace-Padgett. Wallace-Padgett will serve as president of the World Methodist Council for the next five years. The council meets every five years. The World Methodist Council is made up of 80 denominations from around the world that have emerged out of the Methodist movement started by John and Charles Wesley, Clifton said. The organization functions by looking at the commonalities we share and our common theology instead of focusing on differences. Wallace-Padgett was elected a bishop of the United Methodist Church in 2012 and assigned to North Alabama. In 2021, she took on leadership of the Holston Conference in Tennessee, and will continue in that role after she leaves the North Alabama Conference. She will also take over leadership of the West Virginia Conference as of Sept. 1. I am honored to serve as President of the World Methodist Council for the next five years, Wallace-Padgett said after the election. One reason is because the Council brings together over 80 communions within the Methodist, Wesleyan, and related Uniting and United Churches traditions during this time of increasing division in our world and the body of Christ. Focusing on our commonalities as opposed to differences is worthy work that surely pleases God. The world is a better place as we live into the World Methodist Council vision of spreading the Gospel and making disciples of Christ for the transformation of the world. Over the past few years, Wallace-Padgett presided over the North Alabama Conference during a period of controversy that saw more than half the churches in the conference disaffiliate, or leave the denomination. The churches that disaffiliated from the United Methodist Church had opposed same-sex marriage and ordination of LGBTQ clergy, which the United Methodist Church now supports after successful votes to update its policies on those issues at the most recent General Conference earlier this year in Charlotte, N.C. Statewide in Alabama, more than half of United Methodist congregations disaffiliated about 555 churches. Most of those departures have taken place since 2022. Nationwide, over the past four years, 7,600 congregations left the United Methodist Church 5,600 in 2023. That was about a fourth of all United Methodist churches. They left under 2019 guidelines that made it possible for churches to negotiate to leave and take their property with them until the end of 2023. In the North Alabama Conference, 198 churches disaffiliated on Dec 10, 2022, and another 132 churches disaffiliated on May 11, 2023. Bishop Jonathan Holston will be taking over leadership of both the North Alabama Conference and the Alabama-West Florida Conference, effective Sept. 1. Bishop David Graves, currently head of the Alabama-West Florida Conference, will oversee the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference, taking over for Bishop Bill McAlilly, who is retiring after recovering last year from a near fatal car accident. Departures from the Alabama-West Florida Conference were complicated by a tightening of rules on disaffiliation, and 45 churches filed a lawsuit against the conference saying it tried to run out the clock before the disaffiliation deadline to prevent them from leaving. There were 193 churches that disaffiliated from the Alabama-West Florida Conference on May 7, 2023, and eight more on Nov. 12. A Dothan megachurch that went independent sued the conference saying it owed no money to leave. The State Supreme Court denied the United Methodist Churchs request that lawsuit be dismissed. In addition, the Alabama-West Florida Conference voted to close 10 churches this year, including the historic Uniontown United Methodist Church. A former Centre police officer has been charged in connection with a scheme to plant drugs on innocent motorists in order to manufacture drug arrests. Michael Kilgore, 40, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances specifically methamphetamine, according to a Thursday announcement by Northern District of Alabama U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton Peeples. Kilgore has agreed to plead guilty to the crime. According to the charging documents and the plea agreement, Kilgores scheme began in early January 2023, when he stopped a car and found various drugs. Kilgore offered the driver the chance to avoid drug charges by working for Kilgore. The driver accepted and became a co-conspirator in Kilgores drug-planting scheme. Kilgore and his co-conspirator then arranged for a package containing methamphetamine, oxycodone, and marijuana to be attached to the undercarriage of a certain vehicle. On January 31, 2023, Kilgore performed a sham traffic stop of that vehicle and discovered the drug package where he knew it had been planted. The vehicles driver and passenger were detained for drug possession. Kilgore and his co-conspirator planned to repeat the scheme on another vehicle. But after buying the drugs to be planted, Kilgores co-conspirator discarded the drugs and reported the scheme to law enforcement. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett A. Janich is prosecuting the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Osborne assisted. A date has not yet been set for Kilgore to enter his guilty plea. A former Calhoun County Jail accounts clerk has been charged in the theft of more than $47,000 from the east Alabama facility. Allyson Christine Smith, 38, is charged with first-degree theft, Sheriff Matthew Wade announced Thursday. The missing money was discovered through an audit. Her immediate supervisor the jail captain - was fired for failure to supervise. Court records show the Ranburne woman was arrested on the felony charge May 30, and released the same day after posting $20,000 bond. The case has been forwarded to a grand jury for indictment consideration. Earlier this year, the Calhoun County Sheriffs Office was being audited by the Alabama Examiners of Public Accounts Office as required by law. The audit uncovered a delay in deposits that yielded a caution notation on the audit exit report, Wade said. Shortly thereafter a vendor reported a delay in payment that furthered concern and prompted an investigation. The investigation showed that some deposits were being made several weeks late and outside time frame established by commonly accepted accounting standards and that the account balances were insufficient in order to cover the liabilities. A supplemental audit of the account led by the Examiners office over the following weeks showed an account deficiency of $47,036.20. The sheriff said Smith admitted to stealing a portion of the cash deposit each week Wade said a claim was made on the bond, an insurance policy maintained on all sheriffs office employees, to recoup the loss and been subsequently paid making the account whole. Restitution will be sought as part of the ongoing criminal process, he said. With the arrest and the account made whole, the Examiners of Public Accounts considers the issue fully addressed and have closed their investigation. Moving forward, measures have been taken to reduce employees interaction with currency, Wade said, and additional safeguards have been put into place to prevent such an opportunity in the future. The Calhoun County Sheriffs Office remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and transparency' the sheriff said. We have taken decisive action to address this issue and have implemented stronger safeguards to prevent such incidents in the future. The appearance of buses in several north Alabama cities last week prompted questions and community meetings about Haitian immigration in the state. Last week, photographs of people entering and exiting charter buses in Albertville were shared on Facebook, with users questioning what purpose the buses served, who was on them, and where they were coming from. Pilgrims Pride later issued statements say it had chartered the buses for employees to and from its Russellville plant. The company then said it would no longer use charters. But residents of several north Alabama communities have expressed anger over their presence. One speaker at a meeting in Albertville said Haitians have smells to them. Theyre not like us. Theyre not here to be Americanized. They dont care about schools. Theyre scary, folks. In Athens, City Councilman Chris Seibert was confronted at a council meeting about his renting properties to Haitian workers. At the two meetings, people expressed concerns about the presence of Haitians in schools, and whether the immigrants work and vote illegally. I think I understand the real root of this, and maybe you guys need to do some soul searching, Seibert said, according to The Decatur Daily. Here is a look at some of those claims and the facts behind them: Are these undocumented workers coming to Alabama? Poultry processor Pilgrims Pride, the employer which originally chartered the buses that began the controversy, said the workers in question are eligible to work under U.S. law. Can immigrants vote? At Tuesdays community meeting in Albertville, speaker Jay Palmer said one driving force behind immigration is the left, which wants a new voting population. There was no mention of a bipartisan immigration reform bill that died after opposition from former Trump. The current (Biden) administration is looking for mass amnesty, Palmer said. The reason theyre doing these things is for votes. Only U.S. citizens can vote. To register in the state of Alabama, someone must be a citizen, reside in Alabama and be at least 18 years old. They cannot have been convicted of a disqualifying felony, or have had their voting rights restored. They also cannot have been legally declared mentally incompetent by a court. The deadline to register expires 14 days prior to an election. Are there sanctuary cities in north Alabama? Both Athens and Albertville city governments have released statements in recent days regarding several questions about immigrants. Neither Albertville nor Athens is a sanctuary city Neither the City of Athens, nor any of its city officials, receive any federal funding or private funding relating to housing for migrants with work permits, nor does the city participate in any federal program or private program that provides aid or housing to such workers. The City does not have any plans to do any of that, the citys statement reads. Is the presence of the Haitian workers increasing crime? Athens Police Chief Anthony Pressnell confirmed during their city council meeting that there has been no rise in crime since the arrival of more Haitians, The Decatur Daily reported. There has not been a noticeable increase in the municipal court docket, the Athens city statement read. The City -- and state and federal law -- condemn any narrative that seeks to discriminate against people based on their race or nationality. How is Haitian immigration impacting schools? According to the city of Athens, the number of new enrollments in the school system is minimal, and there has not been a noticeable increase in the municipal court docket. According to state education figures, Athens City Schools had no migrant students in 2022-23, the last year for which records are available, and 513 students with a limited English proficiency. The Decatur Daily reported that at Mondays meeting, Athens resident Amanda Schulte said she feared unvaccinated Haitian children were attending school with her children which creates a danger to the large number of unvaccinated children in our public school system. A statement from Athens City Schools Superintendent Beth Patton said, Haitian students are coming with immunizations. Albertville City Schools in 2022-23, the last year for which state records were available, had 311 recorded migrant students, and 1,574 students with limited English proficiency, which could be any language. The system has a total enrollment of 5,750 students. Marshall County had 177 migrant students in a population of 5,649. Of those, 724 has limited English proficiency. What is the Haitian population of Alabama? Currently, Alabama has 2,569 Haitian residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That makes up .05% of the state population. According to the Center for Immigration Studies, two of the top five states for Haitian immigration settlement in 2022 were neighboring states Florida, with 51%, and Georgia, with 4%. Why are Haitians coming to the U.S.? Haiti has seen political unrest for years, as the country has not held elections since 2016. In March, criminal organizations on the Caribbean island organized a jailbreak of more than 4,000 inmates. More than 2,500 people died there from January thru March. The unrest kept the countrys prime minister from returning from abroad. Gross National Income per capita in Haiti is $1,730, and a quarter of the islands population lives in extreme poverty on less than $1.25 per day. A Haitian can apply as a refugee, i.e., a person with well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group, who has been forced to flee his or her country because of persecution, war or violence. However, the process to apply for refugee status can take up to two years. Haitians, along with Cubans, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans, are allowed 30,000 non-citizens each month to enter the U.S. Some can enter for up to two years for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Arrest warrants for a small town Alabama mayor and two of his staff have been tossed out. Judge Lee Barnes late Wednesday issued an order immediately throwing out the warrants against Wayman Newton, the mayor of Tarrant, and two of the towns employees. Effectively immediately any warrants and/or summons issued by Laverne Knight, Municipal Magistrate City of Tarrant shall be withdrawn and not served, Barnes, the town judge in Tarrant, wrote in his order. The warrants stemmed from a dispute between Knight and the mayor over her duties. Its just the latest uproar between officials in the town of 6,000 north of Birmingham. Ive been dealing with this for four years, Im used to it, Newton told AL.com this morning. Once again, they do something idiotic, and it backfires and unfortunately I get drawn into it and Im guilty by association. The threats of arrest stem from a recent personnel dispute between Newton and the city clerk that escalated in a showdown late last week when the mayor reprimanded her for performance and then restricted her access to employees and documents. Tarrant City Clerk Laverne Knight has taken out arrest warrants for Mayor Wayman Newton and two other employees steaming from a dispute over her job duties.Joseph D. Bryant In a videotaped exchange, Newton told Knight not to contact city employees and only contact him for documents and information. Knight then shot back by swearing out warrants. She accused the mayor and another employee of obstructing a governmental operation. She accused a third worker of harassment. Knight told AL.com she filed criminal charges because Newton is blocking access to records she needs to do her job. She also accused him of violating personnel rules by hiring a public works director. I have to be able to safeguard even the most sensitive information, the most confidential information, Knight told AL.com. He wants to control the city clerk, he wants the city clerk to show what he wants, to be transparent to his standards. The warrants were signed by Knight and list the police chief Wendell Major as the complainant. Judge Barnes threw out the warrants after hearing from the Alabama Administrative Office of Courts. Eric Locke, an attorney from the office, told city officials that Knight, as city clerk, did not have the authority to issue the warrants. So any magistrate duty she has executed without first being appointed could leave the city at risk for lawsuits arising from false arrest, false imprisonment, etc. Locke wrote. The city clerk has no supervisory power over the court clerk/magistrate (unless she wears both hats). Judge Barnes appointed the city clerk as a magistrate shortly before she took out the warrants on Tuesday. However, by late Wednesday afternoon, in both his order and a followup email, Barnes revoked Knights power and declared her arrest warrants invalid. While the warrants are officially off the books, the legal wrangle might not be over. Knight previously told AL.com that she would continue her pursuits and amend her warrants if she were struck down. Knight is Tarrants fourth city clerk in four years. Her dramatic showdown with the mayor is the latest in a series of fights at city hall where the mayor, council, and police remain entrenched in a fight for power. The years of political vitriol at city hall has divided the town residents and city employees. Council members have denied any involvement in the issuing of the arrest warrants. Police chief Wendell Major, whom Newton has tried to fire, said his involvement in the warrants are based on the law, not politics. One of two suspects charged with capital murder in the 2015 deadly shootings of a pregnant woman and a man in Muscle Shoals had his case dismissed Tuesday, court records showed. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshalls office, which is prosecuting the slayings of Gary Baskins, 25, Kayla Glover, 23, and Glovers unborn child in Muscle Shoals, was granted its motion to drop its case against Shaun Michael Ryan. The motion was made days after Colbert County Circuit Court Judge Mitchell D. Hays ordered that statements Ryan gave to prosecutors could not be used at trial. In May, Ryans attorneys claimed he was not read his Miranda rights and that he was intoxicated -- and even lost consciousness -- during his six-hour interview with then-Colbert County District Attorney Bryce Graham. Last week, the attorney generals office announced it charged Travis Eric Fallows, 35, with four counts of capital murder in connection with the slayings. The deadly shooting happened Jan. 24, 2015, outside Jodys Restaurant on Alabama Highway 20 in Muscle Shoals. The victims were in a vehicle when they were killed. The investigation was led by the attorney generals investigations division and the Muscle Shoals police department. If convicted, Fallows faces the death penalty or a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole, Marshall said. Mobile County District Attorney Keith Blackwood said there are still options available for prosecuting the Prichard murder suspect whose case was dismissed because a detective failed to show up to the preliminary hearing. Blackwood said while Mobile County District Court Judge Spiro Cheriogotis threw out the murder case on Tuesday, the case can be sent to a grand jury for a possible indictment against Kendarius Welch. There have been many times over the years that a judge has found no probable cause or otherwise dismissed a case at the preliminary hearing level. Thats why we call it a preliminary hearing, because its preliminary. That does not prevent a grand jury from hearing the same and additional evidence and then making their own decision on whether to indict the case, he said, according to WPMI. Welchs preliminary hearing was conducted over several days. Prichard police Det. Jason Hadaway, a witness in the case, showed up to one of the hearing days but did not appear for Tuesdays session, according to the order dismissing the case by Mobile County District Court Judge Spiro Cheriogotis. Defendant appeared in Court from jail for preliminary hearing with attorney Jerome Carter. Detective Jason Hadaway not in Court. Case is dismissed at Defendants request ..., Cheriogotis wrote in his order. Blackwood said five preliminary hearings were scheduled in the case, causing confusion. Meanwhile, Welch, 28, remains in the Mobile County Metro Jail on a hold for the state Department of Corrections, jail records showed. Welch was also charged with four probation violations at the time of his arrest. This is an opinion column. Its easy to not see them. Even to ignore them. To see only what you want to see, feel what you want to feel. Even if its wrong. In a state long defined in Black and white, Latinos are Alabamas invisible culture. Yet theyre here and growing. The browning of Alabama is real, whether some like it or not. And it just might save us. Unless we screw it up. Unless we make them feel unwelcomeas weve done before. Unless we allow fear and ignorance to twist us into knots. Again. Thirteen years ago, the hateful immigration bill HB56 was signed into law. Thankfully, its wicked teeth were ultimately yanked by the federal courts, though its ugly remnants have recently reared. In Russellville, where the school superintendent was fired after the citys growing Latino population showed significant progress in school. In Albertville, where some folk leveled their pitchforks at busses carrying migrants to work at a poultry plant in their city. In Montgomery, where Latino business owners are being targeted by criminals. Sometimes with deadly consequences. In the mind of at least one state lawmaker, Trinity Republican Rep. Ernie Yarbrough, whos trying to revive a not-well-veiled bill that died last session, which would allow local and county enforcement to harass folks about their immigration status based on things that are being reported, as Yarbrough has said. And out of the mouth of our infantile and increasingly embarrassing senior U.S. Senator, who last month ignorantly described most immigrants as garbage." Alabama, your racism is showing. Again. Yet theyre not going anywhere. Theyre here. To stay, work, and live. Just like you. Theyre family breadwinners, parents, and caretakers of their elders. Just like you. Theyre entrepreneurs building a dream. Just like you. Theyre teachers, first responders, police officers, and vital healthcare workers. Just like you. Theyre lawyers, corporate executives, and non-profit leaders. Just like you. Theyre factory workers, rising before dawn to fill viable jobs that allow them to support themselves and their families. Just like you. Theyre students striving for dreams. Just like your children and grandchildren. Theyre moms, dads, grandma and granddads, uncles and aunties. Just like you. Theyre our neighbors. Your neighbors. And theyre our futurewhether some of you like it or not. Fact is, theyre presence is growing. Between 2021 and 2022, the states Hispanic population grew by more than 250,000, a 3.8% increase that was the eighth highest in the nation that year, according to U.S. Census Bureau population estimates. Theres no reason to believe that growth rate has abated. Indeed, heres a barometer indicating it just might be rising even faster: the percentage of Hispanic children enrolled in Alabamas K through 12 schools. Five years ago, based on data provided by the state Board of Education, Hispanic children represented eight percent (60,972) of the states 722,012 students enrolled across the state. Last school year, that number grew by 21,435, a staggering 35 percent, to 82,407 Hispanic children representing 11% of overall enrollment. That growth is reflected in Birminghams shrinking school systemgirding it even. Just five years after the system educated more than 22,000 students, enrollment last year tumbled one student below 20,000, to 19,999. One student. Hispanics students represented 12.2% (2,447) of BCSs enrollment in 23-24up from 7% (1,593) of 22,246 students in 18-19. Do that math: Without Hispanic students, enrollment in Birmingham schools would have plummeted to an embarrassing 17,552 last year down 3,101 from an (imaginary) Latino-less BSC of 20,653 five years ago. Early indicators for this school year are that Hispanic enrollment in Birmingham will rise to 13%, according to a BCS spokeswoman. Consider this, too: Immigrants are becoming U.S. citizens in just under five months, the fastest rate since 2013 and 2014, as revealed by The New York Times. About 3.3 million immigrants have become citizens under President Joe Biden. Carlos Aleman, CEO of the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama (HICA!), sees a trickledown in the growth of naturalizations. In recent years, the organization, based in Homewood, has helped process just over 50 naturalization forms annually. Last year, HICA! processed about 120. In June the organization hosted a swearing in on the diamond at Regions Field. Otherwise, the events happen in Montgomery. That classroom spike logically translates into a rise in residents (also shrinking), which is a boost for the citys labor force: more teachers, more first responders, more badly-needed police officers, more health-care and social workers, more counselors, more everybody. But only if we see them. People are here, says Aleman. We want to help reduce crime. We got to give people opportunities. We want people to get educated and go to school here and then get jobs here and stay here. We want people to buy homes here. So we need to create pathways for this to happen. Thats the conversation Im interested in having. Some are welcoming. HICA! partners with Woodlawn United, which is seeks to elevate the lives of residents in that community. If Im doing community development work, I need to be looking at everybody, shares CEO Mashonda Taylor. Yes, my community is eighty percent Black, but theres a growing Hispanic community, not only in the schools but where we live. So, if Im thinking about holistic community revitalization, creating mechanisms for creating generational wealth, things that some people never had access to before, I cannot leave that group out. Aleman is well aware of some of the recent events targeting Hispanics across the state and isnt deaf to the hateful rhetoric about migrants spewed during this charged pollical season. You want to say crazy stuff [about us] because thats what you need to say to get elected, thats your business, he says. Were trying to create space for a community that wants to be here. In a state that has long seen itself through a hazy prism of Black and white, with cities that have historically governed themselves the same, we might want to think about this: The browning of Alabama just might save us. Just might save cities where their presence is still largely unseen. Or being ignored. Or worse. I was raised by good people who encouraged me to be a good man and surround myself with good people. If I did, they said, good things would happen. I am a member of the National Association of Black Journalists Hall of Fame, an Edward R. Murrow Award winner, and a Pulitzer Prize finalist for commentary. My column appears on AL.com, and digital editions of The Birmingham News, Huntsville Times, and Mobile Press-Register. Tell me what you think at rjohnson@al.com, and follow me at twitter.com/roysj, or on Instagram @roysj. A former deputy in Oklahoma has been arrested for harboring a fugitive with whom she had a romantic relationship, tipping him off about the movements of a task force searching for him, according to reports. Alicia Briones, 34, a former Pottawatomie County sheriff's deputy, was arrested on Aug. 6 following a months' long investigation for harboring Emanuel McClain at her home, KFOR reported. Sheriff Mike Booth said there were suspicions about Briones even before the investigation began. "A little while back we started seeing some inconsistencies and there were some issues kind of on our radar," Booth told the station. "Sometimes, you know, things happen, there might be a good reason for something, but when red flags go up, you got to check it out." "Our suspicions were about things that were going on, was even worse than what we thought as the investigation continued," he continued. According to the affidavit for her arrest, the probe began in February under the belief that Briones and her sister, Miranda, were protecting McClain. In May, Miranda was taken into custody in another county in Oklahoma for a felony warrant and she gave authorities consent to search her cell phone. "Miranda states Alicia had given McClain information about what vehicles undercover agents were currently driving as well as investigators locations," the court document said. Briones also informed McClain about how Shawnee Police officers were writing a search warrant for a house he was staying at in February. Officers got a search warrant for Briones' phone and found more than a thousand text messages between her and McClain going back to December 2023. There were also multiple photos of McClain on the phone. In one message, from April 2024, McClain asked Briones who drove a white Charger. "Alicia responds back by telling McClain 'the DA Task Force," which was operating surveillance on him at the time. Briones is being held in the Pottawatomie County Jail on a $250,000 bond. This plan of action will revitalize the city and environs of Bethlehem by transforming it into an international site that recognizes its global significance as Jesuss birthplace. Its a reasonable model, especially considering that there are historical precedents for doing this. Bethlehem is an Arab-dominated town about six miles south of Jerusalem. Its approximately 4,100 square miles are home to around 28,000 people. But of course, its much more than just another Middle Eastern town. For Jews Bethlehem is part of the Promised Land in the region of Judaea (part of the West Bank of the Jordan River). Jews also believe that Bethlehem is the birthplace of the most iconic King of Israel, David. Image: Bethlehems Church of the Nativity in 1487 (cropped) by Konrad von Grunenberg, Public domain. For almost two millennia, Bethlehem has been caught between two worlds in what seems like an eternal conflict. After the Romans conquered Judea in 135 C.E. (when they renamed the region Palestine as an insult to the Jews), the vast majority of Jews were scattered to many far-off lands. However, some never left. For several decades after Theodor Herzl proposed that the worlds scattered Jews return to their homeland, Jews began to purchase land (they never stole it), both when the Ottoman Empire controlled Syria-Palestine and when the British took control under the Mandate. After WWII, under the 1947 UN Partition plan, the UN Special Committee on Palestine (UNSCOP) recommended dividing the former mandate between Jews and Arabs, with both Jerusalem and Bethlehem and the lands in between getting set aside as a special internationally administered enclave. Jews accepted this proposal. The Arabs rejected it and, instead, prepared to annihilate the new Jewish state. The reason for the worlds interest in Bethlehem is obvious. For Christians, Bethlehem is central to the life of Jesus, the man Christians believe is the Jewish Bibles long-promised Messiah. For them, Jesus is the Christ (The Anointed One) who is God The Father, the incarnation of the divinity, the very Yahweh of the Torah. The Christian Gospels of Matthew 2 and Luke 2 assert that Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea. The Catholic Christian Church of Nativity in Bethlehem is built above the traditional site of the birthplace of Jesus. For Muslims Bethlehem is also celebrated as the birth of Isa (Jesus), recognized as a prophet of Allah. Muslims also revere Miriam (Mary), the mother of Jesus. Islams scripture, the Koran, even has a Surah (Chapter 19) dedicated to Mary, entitled Miriam. Muslims also accept the miracle of Jesuss Virgin Birth. Following the partition and during the 1948 Israeli War of Independence, Jordan gained control over both Bethlehem and Jerusalem. In 1967, after its victory in the Six-Day War, Israel conquered both of those cities, allowing Jews for the first time in almost 20 years to return to their most holy spot, the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Under the 1993 Oslo Accords, while Israel would not (and will never) give up control of Jerusalem, it ceded Bethlehem to the Palestinian Authority. The Muslim world celebrated this aspect of the Oslo Accords. Muslims wanted it to diminish the Christian presence in the region. The Clinton Administration went along, either out of indifference or because it supported that goal. It was a tragic mistake that needs rectification. This secession helped transform this once almost entirely Christian enclave into a city where only about ten percent of the population is Christian faith today. Many Christians fled due to harassment by the Muslim majority, as well as the Israeli decision to erect a high-security wall between Bethlehem and surrounding Jewish settlements to prevent murderous attacks on those settlements. This security wall has been an obstruction to the citys economic progress. Bethlehem is important beyond its religious significance. Christianity, like Judaism, is a stabilizing force. Both have grown beyond the use of the sword as a political means. That is not the case with Islam. Muslims have been aggressively targeting Christians for extinction in the Middle East and elsewhere. The worlds Christian (and, in Europe and America, post-Christian) community has failed to rescue the worlds beleaguered Christians, nor have they made any move to preserve Christs birthplace. The Islamic push to erase a Christian presence in Bethlehem could be halted by having the UN impose on the city a governing council composed of the major Christian faiths with a rotating head changed every two to four years. The rules of governance would be set out in a charter to allow consistency of law to facilitate a thriving local economy, along with access and protection for residents and visitors. To facilitate returning Christian citizens to the city, there would need to be a fund established to purchase sufficient property for residential and commercial purposes, as well as for churches. Funding would best be served by contributions from the international community. Initially, security must come from Israel and America. The potential peace dividends make it worthwhile. This proposal will necessarily need the support of the Worlds Abrahamic Religions, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, but there are historical precedents. As noted, UNSCOP already proposed an international controlling body for Bethlehem. There are other historical examples of open cities, such as the Free City of Trieste. The city was incorporated into the Hapsburg Austrian Empire but maintained its Free City Status. Trieste lost its Open City Status only in 1954 when it was subsumed into the Italian nation-state. Signaling that Bethlehem is a center where the three Abrahamic faiths can co-exist will breathe new life into this world religious site. The rare model of Islam cooperating with Judaism and Christianity could add stability to a region in sore need of it. The African-American quest for political equality has been a long and often difficult struggle. Though the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution enacted in 1870 stated The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude, this was largely an empty gesture. Matters changed dramatically when Congress enacted the Voting Rights Act of 1965. (it has since been amended multiple times). The Act mobilized the federal governments vast power to ensure that African Americans had full, unencumbered, access to the ballot. Section 2 prohibited any state or local authority from imposing any rule that, results in the denial or abridgement of the right of any citizen to vote on account of race or color or membership in a language minority group. Also banned were practices such as the literacy test whose unstated purpose was to minimize black voting. The Act explicitly barred jurisdictions with histories of racial discrimination from altering their voting regulations without the U.S. Attorney Generals prior approval (called pre-clearance) The Acts language was further interpreted to mean that voting provisions that hindered blacks from being elected by fellow blacks violated the Act. The Act dramatically altered our political landscape and today African Americans have achieved notable electoral successes from twice electing a black president to being elected mayor of almost every major American city. To be sure, while black turnout vis-a-vis-white rates have declined somewhat from the highwater level when President Obama was elected, nobody could possibly deny that the Black vote is a fervently courted voting bloc. Given these successes, what unfinished business remains on the black voting rights agenda? According to leading Democrats, including President Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris, the answer is to enact The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement of 2024 (John Lewis was a notable civil rights activist). According to one supporter, It would restore the Voting Rights Act to its place as the crown jewel of American democracy. The proposed legislation would restore the pre-clearance policy that the Supreme Court had invalidated in Shelby County v. Holder in 2013. With this returned power, the U.S. Attorney General could then intervene to protect the voting rights of cohesive coalition of members of different racial or language minority groups. In other words, this 2024 proposed Act is a return to the earlier era when blacks were barred from voting by devious tactics such cumbersome registration requirements. Now, since much has occurred between 1965 and 2024, and blacks dominate many jurisdictions, what specific tactics are being employed to deprive blacks of the right to vote? Significantly, the Act itself is exceedingly vague. For example, evidence of anti-black discrimination could be Whether there is a lack of responsiveness on the part of elected officials to the particularized needs of members of the protected class. Another example of voting discrimination offered is The use of overt or subtle racial appeals either in political campaigns These justifications for Washingtons intervention are a far cry from an earlier era when blacks were physically excluded from voting. Not surprisingly, however, there is more in the Act than meets the eye. The Brennan Center for Justice, a left-wing think tank closely aligned with black civil rights groups, is more explicit. For them the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2024s chief purpose is to maximize black voting by loosening election rules. In a sense, the civil rights movement has gone from demanding equal voting access to eliminating almost all barriers on voting. Unfortunately, the quest for racial quality will open the floodgates for fraud. According to the Brennan Center, obstacles faced by blacks include limits on mail-in voting, requiring additional information on mail-in ballots, limiting the time when a mail-in ballot can be requested and banning deposit boxes where these ballots can be dropped off. Other supposedly restrictive measures include limiting help that can be given to a perspective voter, restrictions on organizations trying to register perspective voters, tougher rules for absentee ballots, limits on permissible IDs as well as more stringent rules for allowing convicted felons to vote. Such practices easily facilitate more egregious violations, notably allowing non-citizens to vote, paying people to harvest votes from nursing homes and collecting fake absentee ballots from non-residents. Obviously, given the ease of generating dishonest landslides, the real intent of the John Lewis Act is to maximize the Democratic vote under the guise of enhancing black voting rights. Nevertheless, despite the bills aim to help Democrats, especially black Democrats, its future impact -- if enacted -- may be contrary to expectations. The Bill does not mention blacks by name and as Americas demography shifts, Hispanics (among other groups) may be the future beneficiaries with blacks the losers. Many cities and congressional districts have expanding Hispanic populations, and soon they might be the ones demanding the U.S. Attorney General examine voter repression, ironically at the hands of elected black officials. Chicago, New York City, and Los Angeles, among others, could see Hispanic political machines skillfully employing the John L. Lewis Act to push blacks out of public office. Moreover, the use of iffy tactics as bogus absentee ballots will eventually undermine the democratic legitimacy of elections themselves. Electoral outcomes must be accepted as fair and, if they become shames, people refuse to accept the outcomes. This is now occurring in Venezuela and similar Third World nations. Why live under such conditions or start businesses when public officials owe their power to ballot stuffing, not competence or heeding the public will? It is hardly accidental that many immigrants fleeing to the United States are escaping nations where elections are fixed despite their democratic trappings. Here in the U.S. those owing the positions to fake write-ins and non-citizens will govern depopulated, economically depressed dystopic cities. Do the countless congressional sponsors of the John L. Lewis Act want this outcome? Finally, those pushing the bill should realize that winning an election, whether honestly or by fraud, is only a means to an end, not an end in and of itself. The Voting Right Act of 1965 demonstrates the power of the federal government to remove barrierss to voting which, in turn, helped thousands of blacks achieve political office. But these accomplishments do not demonstrate that increased voting is the sure path to progress more generally. Whether in major cities like Detroit or small towns in the Mississippi Delta, the evidence shows that winning every office on the ballot does not automatically create prosperity, functioning schools, less crime, and all else that office seekers typically promise. There are also opportunity costs to pursuing elections as the paramount route to equality. Those currently committed to enacting the John L. Lewis Voting Rights Act of 2024 might ask where they can better invest their time and energy. Perhaps winning elections is no longer the best strategy for racial progress. Almost 60 years have passed since the Voting Rights Act of 1965 became law, while its accomplishments are self-evident, one should ask if there is more to racial progress than just winning elections. Image: Library of Congress For months, election-watchers have wondered: will Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. make it onto enough states ballots to have an impact? Will he have the money to run a real campaign? And most importantly, who will he hurt more: Donald Trump or Kamala Harris? One thing most didnt expect was what happened on Monday, August 12: he was bounced from the ballot in the state he grew up in, on a technicality. Now, election law has always been full of technicalities, and some of us would argue that theres nothing wrong with that. Government is about compliance with the law, and if youre too sloppy to comply on your very first responsibility the paperwork that creates your candidacy then arguably, you shouldnt be in charge of writing, implementing, or enforcing the law. Those of us who have been in politics a while have seen candidates bounced from the ballot for forged signatures on petitions, for missing a declaration or two, or even for incomplete pagination on the filing packet. And we usually dont mind, as odd as it seems to outsiders, because we argue that if the candidate cant be trusted to get these fundamentals right, then we cant really trust him to keep campaign promises, or to notice pork that other pols sneak into bills, or to hold agencies to the line in department oversight. But this weeks news was such a consequential violation that it was rather surprising. RFK Jrs nominating petitions identified him as a resident of New York State. A Democrat front group challenged his candidacy, claiming he doesnt actually live in New York at all, and a judge ruled against him. As it turns out, RFK Jr. has lived in California for the past ten years and only recently decided to rent a bedroom in New York state from a friend a bedroom in which he has spent only one night since the verbal agreement commenced, apparently in May. He admits that he has lived in California since 2014, to be with his wife, kids, and pets, but he always intended to return to New York someday (hes 70), and he has always thought of himself as a New Yorker anyway. One is tempted to say that, in modern parlance, despite living in California, he identifies as a New Yorker, and that should be good enough. This raises a completely new set of questions. First, regarding the election paperwork, if the reports are true and they appear to be undisputed his campaign put this friends bedroom on his campaign paperwork as his residence. Its a lie. Theres no other way to put it. So as election paperwork goes, this is about as big a thing as a candidate can get wrong. Elected officials are caught and bounced out of office all the time, in municipal and even state legislative seats, when proven to live outside their districts. Why should a candidate for president be different? Next, regarding why it matters especially in a presidential race, RFK Jr. isnt running alone. Unlike legislative offices, candidates for president and vice president must run as a team. RFK Jr. selected a running mate from California: the very wealthy Nicole Shanahan. If hes from New York and shes from California, theres no problem. But if theyre both from California, thats a big problem. Our system is designed to encourage (read: force) at least some degree of geographical diversity. Each member of the Electoral College is specifically banned from voting for two candidates from his own state. This means that if both candidates are from California, and they win the state of California in the General Election, the electors of the state of California would be unable to vote for their ticket. With California being the biggest prize in the Electoral College, it would be insane to run that risk, and its inconceivable that RFK Jr. and his campaign staff didnt know about it. It follows that they had to decide on the New York filing as an intentional scheme to skirt the law. Its a shortsighted, embarrassingly amateurish scheme, but still, a clearly intentional one. Some claim that the Constitution is out of date, that its rules have long been discarded. As tragic as it is to admit, too many in our country do treat it that way. But the law of the land is still the law of the land. It has never been overturned. So this requirement in the Electoral College still stands. As recently as the presidential election of 2000, when Texas governor George W. Bush wanted to name Wyoming politician Dick Cheney as his running mate, at a time when Cheney had been living in Texas for a few years. Cheney famously flew back to his house in Wyoming to change his registration back in time, so that they would legally be from separate states, in compliance with the law. And as recently as this very summer, as President Trump considered his own potential running mates, the fact that he currently lives in Florida was high on the list of reasons he couldnt consider Senators Scott or Rubio, Congressman Donalds, or Governor DeSantis, all of whom would bring a lot to the ticket, but all of whom are fellow Floridians and would necessitate a formal move for one or the other of them. Because its the law. Where does the RFK Jr. campaign go from here? (Note: I happen to subscribe to the belief that he hurts Harris more than he hurts Trump, so Im personally hoping he finds a way to stay in, but its not easy. And I could be wrong.) Finally, this situation raises a couple of other questions about the rule. The Framers set the rule in place for a reason. They wanted our presidents and vice presidents to come from different states, and to be known to different local politicians, both to provide geographical diversity in office and to increase the odds that a bad nominee (a traitor, an autocrat, a lunatic, a crook, whatever) would be exposed in time to stop his election. Its really not about committing to rent an apartment somewhere if you win; its about coming from a place where you are well known already. In a way, the electors of the candidates state therefore hold a very special, additional obligation in this process. They are the last wall of defense against a bad guy getting in. But what if the candidate never intended to win in the first place? As a hopeful spoiler, RFK Jr. creates a new twist on the residency requirement. It has always been known that the rule only really matters if you expect to win the state. The two candidates arent banned from running; their home states electors are banned from voting for them. A Trump/DeSantis ticket cant win the presidency without Floridas electors, and a Harris/Newsom ticket cant win the presidency without Californias electors, so neither ticket would ever be dared. By contrast, if the two Democrats were from Oklahoma, or the two Republicans were from Massachusetts, it would be considered safe, because theres no chance their states electors would ever face the issue anyway. So the quandary appears in the case of an independent candidate who has no expectation of winning. Since Kennedy/Shanahan has no real chance, whats the harm in allowing the ticket? Californias electors will never have to face the question. But if we allow ourselves to admit that reality, we must face two larger questions. Is it morally right to allow a candidate in the race meddling with such an important choice who is admittedly just there to be a spoiler? We have always accepted the existence of third parties, telling ourselves that, in theory, everyone has a chance. But if we allow the rules to recognize the unspoken truth that third parties have no chance, then isnt that in itself a violation of the Founding Fathers plans? The Framers never intended for America to have parties at all. This particular situation is an excellent example of why the Founding Fathers hoped that factions would never develop in the first place. Perhaps we have even more decisions before us this fall than we realized. John F. Di Leo is a Chicagoland-based international transportation manager, trade compliance trainer, and speaker. Read his book on the surprisingly numerous varieties of vote fraud (The Tales of Little Pavel), his political satires on the Biden-Harris years (Evening Soup with Basement Joe, Volumes I, II, and III), and his brand-new nonfiction book on the 2024 election, Current Events and the Issues of Our Age, all available in eBook or paperback, only on Amazon. Image: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. President Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer have called the Supreme Court out of control and extreme. But their efforts to undermine and intimidate the Court are as dangerous to our constitutional system as they are disingenuous, for they represent a monarchal effort to control the Court. Under Article III of our Constitution, the nations judicial power is vested in the Supreme Court and lower courts to be established by Congress. In addition to resolving cases or controversies brought before the Court, since the landmark 1803 case of Marbury v. Madison, it has been understood that power includes the right to declare acts of other departments and state governments unconstitutional. As Chief Justice John Marshall explained in Marbury: [A] Law repugnant to the Constitution is void. Without respect for Article III, Democrats were outraged when the Supreme Court held that the Constitution does not address the issue of abortion and declared it should be decided by the American people through their elected representatives rather than by nine unelected justices. It took no position on the merits of abortions. Then, they complained when the Court banned racial discrimination from college admission policies. Image by AI. Most recently, they have attacked the Courts decision to recognize that presidents and former presidents have criminal immunity for their official acts. In reality, the Trump v. United States case is quite consistent with past Supreme Court jurisprudence. Thus, in 1967s Pierson v. Rayin an 8-1 decision written by the very Liberal Chief Justice Earl Warrenthe Court recognized the continued validity of the absolute immunity of judges for acts within the judicial role...even when the judge is accused of acting maliciously and corruptly. In 1980s Nixon v. Fitzgerald, the Court declared: The Presidents absolute immunity [from civil lawsuits] is a functionally mandated incident of his unique office, rooted in the constitutional tradition of the separation of powers and supported by the Nations history. The Trump decision that has so outraged President Biden and prominent Democrats did nothing more than affirm that the president and former presidents have the same constitutional immunity from criminal prosecution for their official acts already firmly established for the legislative and judicial branches. President Biden might want to be careful what he wishes for, as the great personal wealth he and his family have acquired as a result of his government service might quickly vanish if he has to pay for legal representation for criminal lawfare prosecutions by future Republicans. Or, far more seriously, if he faces civil lawsuits from relatives of even a small percentage of the 73,838 Americans killed by fentanyl overdoses in 2022 alone (80% more Americans than were killed in combat during the entire Vietnam War) or raped and/or murdered because Biden failed to see the nations immigration laws faithfully executed as required under Article II, Section 3, of the Constitution. On March 5, 2020, then-Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumersurrounded by angry protesters in front of the Supreme Courtdeclared: I want to tell you, Gorsuch. I want to tell you, Kavanaugh. You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price. You wont know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions. Chief Justice John Roberts promptly said that Schumers clear threat was both inappropriate and dangerous. But what if Senator Schumer had gone a step further and (after President Biden took office) arose on the Senate floor, looked directly into the C-SPAN cameras, and called upon Americans to assassinate conservative justices (so Biden could replace them), as well as calling for President Trump to be assassinated. Is Schumer above the law and a king? Or could he be prosecuted like any normal citizen for incitement to commit murder? I ask this question because, in a July 29 Washington Post op-ed article, President Biden attacked the Trump decision as a threat to Americas democratic institutions. Biden began with the profound principle that No one is above the law and called for a constitutional amendment reversing the decision. Biden argued: If a future president incites a violent mob to storm the Capitol and stop the peaceful transfer of powerlike we saw on Jan 6, 2021there may be no legal consequences. Three days later, with support from three-quarters of his Democrat colleagues, Senator Schumer introduced the No Kings Act, declaring in Section 2(a)(1): [N]o person, including any President, is above the law. As a graduate of Harvard Law School and member of the Senate for more than 25 years, is King Chuck truly unaware of the Speech or Debate Clause of the Constitution? Or is he hoping that the average American can be easily deceived on the eve of an election? In reality, neither state nor federal murder lawsnor any other criminal lawswould apply to Senator Schumers incitement because Article I, Section 6, Clause 1, of the Constitution provides in part: [F]or any Speech or Debate in either House, they [Members of Congress] shall not be questioned in any other Place. Members of Congress are absolutely immune from both criminal prosecution and civil litigation for their official acts. And while one might conclude this makes them above the law, in reality, the Constitution is our supreme law, and their protections stem directly from that instrument. Congresss own website describes the scope of the Speech or Debate Clause as interpreted by the courts: [I]t is well established that the Clause serves to secure the independence of the federal legislature by providing Members of Congress and their aides with immunity from criminal prosecutions or civil suits that stem from acts taken within the legislative sphere. It is true that Article 1, Section 5, Clause 2 of the Constitution gives each House of Congress the power to expel members by a two-thirds vote. Butif you exclude southerners expelled during the Civil Warin its entire history, Congress had expelled only two members. While we are talking about Schumers No Kings Act, perhaps it should be noted that it grossly violates the Constitution. First of all, it attempts to do by a mere statute what even President Biden recognized required a constitutional amendment. But, perhaps even more outrageous, Section 4(b)(7) provides: [T]he Supreme Court of the United States shall have no appellate jurisdiction to declare any provision of this act...unconstitutional. Wow! Chief Justice John Marshall must be turning over in his grave. Who knew that a mere statute could amend the Constitution to deprive the Supreme Court of the power of judicial review? Presumably, Congress will attach a similar provision to every future law so it can run rampant across our Constitution once the Supreme Court has been neutralized. Why didnt President Franklin Roosevelt think of this approach when, in 1937, he tried to pack the Supreme Court by adding more members of his choicea move that outraged both Congress and the American people despite FDR having large Democrat majorities in both houses of Congress. Based on press accounts, it seems clear that congressional Democrats do not expect this bill to become law. As one Associated Press account put it, Democrats see the proposals as a warning to the court and an effort that will rally their voting base ahead of the presidential election. That may work because while FDRs court-packing scheme was resoundingly rejected by Congress, it appears to have intimidated the Court to the degree that it never again struck down one of FDRs pet laws. Professor Turner holds both academic and professional doctorates from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he taught for more than three decades prior to his 2020 retirement. He is currently completing a three-volume study on National Security and the Constitution. The MSM fever worked for Joe Biden, maybe, in 2020 (Did Biden actually win? Most probably, no). And, the MSM fever (same one) might have worked for Hillary in 2016, had she not beenand still is, an essentially unlikeable liar, so patently in on the take for moi, as highlighted by serial past and ever-present Clinton scandals. However, the MSM will not work for Kamala. The MSM are breathing fire from the nostrils about this race, but its just repetitive, boring overkillfrom their earnest, serious shows to their marketing campaigns across social media, Kamala is seen everywhere looking lovely (or not so) and smiling (or not) and the picture is cloying, artificial (AI), inchoate, and very demonstrably rigged. The entire DNC 2024 campaign process, from start to finish, has embraced the predictably false polling stats (as false as those Biden stats for unemployment, and see todays Part D Medicare timely, temporary bailout), which allows us to see, finally, the Wizardess of Oddness as she cackles behind the medias curtain, the latest, inglorious revelation of the vacuous moral crash of the Democrat party. Better late than never. And yea, the DNC is coming up next week and the pace will be hectic and confused and protested by the predictably unschooled, orchestrated Hamas zealots. Here is a worry for all of the Democrats now: the RNC nominating event in July was a thing of real beauty. It was an admitted and unusual success for the Republican Party. Even Reagans son was astonished. How to counter the July events? The DNC will, naturally, opt for the uber-fake, with the usual suspects (Clinton, Obama, Biden) lined up, as if vertically prepping for their own horizontal funerals, for the big supportive photo-op. Yet, heres whats working against the Dem scions (phony photo-ops and tiresome, Trump rage and real envy included). The DNCs primary and also its nominating processes wereas was the post-July 13 summary treatment of Bidencertainly out of order, and likely in many aspects, illegal. And then, there was the attempted Trump assassination, which-need-not-be-spoken-of next week. And then, enter stage Far Left: The ludicrous presidential duo, the crazy dumb brownish woman propped up by a vainglorious, spendthrift, pro-CCP grayish man, bringing fake joy and moderacy and pretending to care. In direct challenge to this awkward, bifurcated mirage, the candidates have way-problematic records to explain. Just stay mum? The only magic in Chicago will be AI. Diversitys manifest, all-embracing, and critical failureswhich the Dems still wildly advocate for through a parade of DEI individualshas killed the Democrats 2024 campaign. What, exactly, can the MSM do now, but just ignore everything surrounding Bidens work and continue to shriek at the ghosts of liberal ideas? There is so much at stake, or so the MSM hollers at usbut it is only their own sorry journalistic careers that are at stake (but we know these careers to be already dead in the water). Lying and cheating and fakery and ignorance are not happy markers for longish careers in politics and/or journalism. All of the Democrat talking points (lets see, racism, sexism, genderism, climate-ism, fascism, yada yada yada) are so many delusional mini-juggernauts, one wishes to never deal with them again. In the real world, the Democrats look is so declasse that Obama/Biden Inc. is now rushing to scoop up Trumps ideas (no tax on tips, cost of living talk, and other policies) just to save face next week. Spokespersons for the MSM/Democrats are ridiculing the July 13 assassination attempt on Trump, but that wont take, either. July 13 has made a terrible impact on the American retina and thats not to be erased. An overriding problem of vanished credibility is one that the MSM now owns, entirely. It is the identical problem the Democrats now have that is paring away at their base, one voting demographic after another: Latinos, younger voters down to the age of 18, labor unions, and even long term Democrat billionaire heavyweights are segueing to Trump. Life happens. In contrast, the MSM has scripted itself to death. The DNC is too late for a good fix. The pipers song is now being popularly heard as undiluted B.S. in all truly relevant areas: food, energy, water, health, safety, the economy, deficits, defense, infrastructure, immigration, taxes, schools, you name it. Dont be fooled by the MSM: Biden/Obama Inc. now has its nasty brand slapped down tight and hard on the backs of regular Americans, and no amount of last minute Kamalacrat policy reversals/inventions, or massive immigrant vote trickery, or massive MSM interference, will succor the daily pain of the majority of Americans. Accordingly, the MSM has been polling down and thinning its ranks. The Democrat party comes next. Image generated by AI. Im one of those who finds it hard to believe that the Secret Services endless failures on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania, were merely accidents that, equally accidentally, paved the way for someone to come within a whisker of assassinating President Trump. That much incompetence seems purposeful, not accidental. On the other hand, the story of the Secret Service agent who vanished from guarding President Trump so that she could breastfeed her baby does indicate a level of incompetence so over-the-top that DEI obsessions really could explain what happened in Butler. Susan Crabtree, a RealClearPolitics reporter, broke the story, the short version of which is that five minutes before Trump was to arrive at a venue, a Secret Service agent snuck two of her family members into a special safe area, where she settled down to breastfeed her baby. EXCLUSIVE and BREAKING: During a Donald Trump visit to North Carolina yesterday, a woman Secret Service special agent abandoned her post to breastfeed with no permission/warning to the event site agent, according to three sources in the Secret Service community. Shortly pic.twitter.com/lkfhhLcA0B Susan Crabtree (@susancrabtree) August 15, 2024 EXCLUSIVE and BREAKING: During a Donald Trump visit to North Carolina yesterday, a woman Secret Service special agent abandoned her post to breastfeed with no permission/warning to the event site agent, according to three sources in the Secret Service community. Shortly before Trump's motorcade arrival -- I'm told five minutes beforehand -- the site agent was getting ready for the arrival. (The site agent is the person in charge of the entire event's security.) The site agent went to do one final sweep of the walking route and found the agent breast-feeding her child in a room that is supposed to be set aside for important Secret Service official work, i.e. a potential emergency related to the president. A working agent on duty cannot bring a child to a protective assignment. The woman was out of the Atlanta Field Office. The woman agent was in the room with two other family members. The agent and her family members bypassed the Uniformed Division checkpoint and were escorted by an unpinned event staff into the room to breastfeed, the sources said. Unpinned means they have not been cleared by the Secret Service to be there. When contacted about the incident, Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the incident did not have an impact on the event. and it's under review. "All employees of the U.S. Secret Service are held to the highest standards," he said. "While there was no impact to the North Carolina event, the specifics of this incident are being examined. Given this is a personnel matter, we are not in a position to comment further." While the above report is deeply disturbing, I still had to laugh at Guglielmis statement that All employees of the U.S. Secret Service are held to the highest standards. Yeah, right. This isnt the first time female Secret Service agents have been having...lets call them issues. In April, when Kamala was merely the most unpopular Vice President in history, rather than the joy bringer (as opposed to Obamas light bringer), one of her female Secret Service agents had a mental breakdown on the job: The Secret Service agent assigned to Vice President Kamala Harris was removed from her duties Wednesday after physically attacking the commanding agent in charge and other agents trying to subdue her, according to an agency spokesman and knowledgeable Secret Service sources. Several sources in the Secret Service community identified the agent who physically attacked her superior as Michelle Herczeg. [snip] Herczeg showed up at the terminal and began acting erratically, grabbing another senior agents personal phone and deleting applications on it, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The other agent, a shift leader, was able to recover his phone and then acted as if nothing had happened. But Herczegs bizarre behavior didnt stop. She then began mumbling to herself, hid behind curtains, and started throwing items, including menstrual pads, at an agent, telling him that he would need them later to save another agent and telling her peers that they were going to burn in hell and needed to listen to God, a source told RealClearPolitics. There was more erratic behavior, which culminated when Herczeg then chest-bumped and shoved her superior, then tackled him and punched him. The agents involved in restraining Herczeg were especially concerned because she still had her gun in the holster. They wrestled her to the ground, took the gun from her, cuffed her, and then removed her from the terminal. Somehow it seems unsurprising that, back in 2016, Herczeg sued the Dallas police force for alleged gender discrimination based on a claim that a male superior assaulted her. The suit was dismissed. Maybe she was assaulted, but maybe she was already delusional and unstable back then, something the US Secret Service should have caught. But wait! Theres more! Before I even get to events in Butler, there was the female Secret Service agent caught taping cameras when she and her homies broke into a hair salon to use it as a free restroom and hangout: Secret Service broke into a Massachusetts hair salon during a Kamala event. They covered the cameras with duct tape and broke inside to use the bathroom, let other attendees use the bathroom, and took candies off the desk. They reportedly left the store unlocked and left the pic.twitter.com/JYbiUqo2Zv Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) August 11, 2024 And when it comes to Butler, womens failures were all over the place. The head of the Secret Service was a woman (Kimberly Cheatle). The lead agent at the Butler site was a woman who failed to abide by basic security protocols. Shes now being investigated for leaking sensitive information on her social media. And of course, there was the infamous video of female agents immediately after the shooting appearing befuddled and incompetent: Absolute humiliation for this gaggle of female Secret Service Agents. Look at the disorder: - Cant holster weapons - Gear falling to the ground - Erratic, fearful movements - No show of force, composure DEI Secret Service make Presidents LESS Safepic.twitter.com/o6HcHzxEUw Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) July 14, 2024 We were told that feminism would give women an equal shot at doing the jobs for which they were qualified, without regard to sex. However, the reality is that (a) women still cluster around lower-paying, lower-prestige jobs that give them the ability to be there for their children so that, (b) if employers want to meet DEI hiring metrics for women, they must lower their standards. This isnt to say that there arent women who are totally competent and qualified for even the most demanding jobs. However, there are fewer of them than the DEI types want. The result is that you must hire incompetent women to make up the numbers, including women who clearly should be in lower-paying, lower-prestige jobs so that they can do the most important job of all: Being a mother (as the Secret Service agent in North Carolina, weirdly and dangerously, tried to do). Our federal government is a cesspool. The combination of too much power, too much money, and too much cultural Marxism has created an unsustainable system that needs to be cleaned out. In his first term in office, Trump was unable to do that. This time, when he wins, he must take on the Herculean task of cleaning out the governments Augean Stables or America is done for, sacrificed on the altar of a woke bureaucracy. Image by AI. These are lawfare Democrats, not democracy Democrats. According to an Associated Press article out today, an official employee of the Democratic National Convention just filed a new lawsuit in Wisconsin in an attempt to disqualify the Green Party candidate from being included on the November ballot. This new litigation is just one datum point in the overall trend of Democrats trying to remove opponents from ballots everywhere. Here are some of the details reported by the AP: An employee of the Democratic National Committee filed a complaint Wednesday seeking to remove the Green Partys presidential candidate from the ballot in Wisconsin, arguing that the party is ineligible. Its the latest move by the DNC to block third-party candidates from the ballot. Democrats are also seeking to stop independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in several states. Jill Stein is expected to officially become the Green Partys presidential nominee at its national convention, which begins Thursday. First the Democrat operatives aimed high, seeking to disqualify President Trump in a number of states, both through the courts and unilaterally via executive election officialsit didnt work. They also went after Robert F. Kennedy Jr., seeking his removalthat litigation is ongoing. Now, they want the Green candidate gone too, arguing that the whole party is ineligible. We can understand their desire to get rid of Trumpheaven knows theyve done their darnedestbut the Greens and RFK Jr. arent Trump, so why are they in the crosshairs? Well, because...this: The last time Stein was on the ballot in Wisconsin for the Green Party was in 2016, when she got just over 31,000 votes more than Donald Trumps winning margin that year of just under 23,000 votes. Some Democrats blamed Stein for helping Trump win the state and the presidency. Green voters are leftistsshell take away votes from the Democrat anointedas are many of RFK Jr.s supporters. The Democrats are entitled to those votes, personal convictions and freedom of choice be darned. It doesnt matter what the voters want when they dont want Democrat. If were talking about supporters of Trump, Stein, or RFK. Jr., theres no room for them and their voices or desires in this kind of democracy. This kind of democracy has coups to oust sure-losers, anoints candidates who never won a single primary or received a single delegatesometimes cheating out the candidate the people pickedand uses any and all means and arguments to get to a one-candidate ticket. sAvE dEmOcRaCy! they shriek! Image generated by AI. The Harris campaign is running TV ads about the border. In a nutshell, Mrs. K wants you to believe that she is tough on the border. As you can imagine, she surrounded herself with a bunch of law enforcement officers. Of course, she did. Wouldnt you? Unfortunately for Mrs. K, a funny thing happened on the way to your TV or computer screen. Well, the officers want out. They dont want to be a prop in Mrs. Ks show. Lets take a look: Border Patrol agents expressed more distrust of Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris than President Joe Biden and said they will not vote for her in November in interviews with the Washington Examiner. I would never vote for her, the first agent said. These past four years have been a nightmare for the patrol, and it would be another four years of the same and probably worse than Biden, honestly, a second agent said. Agents are not allowed to speak with the media, and those who spoke with the Washington Examiner did so on the condition of anonymity. The agents ranged from rank-and-file members to supervisors to the upper echelon of management. So they want out. Can you blame men who put their lives on the line everyday? Can you fault those men and women for refusing to go along with the lie that VP Harris is a law and order candidate? Please remember that law enforcement officers are restricted when it comes to political participation. However, they can vote along with their families. My guess is that most vote against Mrs. K because of defunding the police campaigns, and she was the czar who never showed up at the border. Another problem brewing for the Harris-Walz team is the stolen valor story. It doesnt help the campaign that they cant answer questions. P.S. Check out my blog for posts, podcasts, and videos. Image: YouTube video screen grab. Today, according to RealClearPolitics polling average, 65% of Americans feel this country is headed in the wrong direction. Also, today, we are 84 days from the next presidential election. The incumbent, Joe Biden, is not running, so we are looking for another leader to replace him. Bidens Vice President, Kamala Harris, is running as the Democrat candidate in this quadrennial contest. Former President Trump is running again as the Republican candidate for POTUS. If 65% of Americans felt our country was headed in the right direction, Ms. Harris would be the popular favorite going into November because she is part of the Biden administration. Joe Biden withdrew from the race, however, because his party (led by Nancy Pelosi and, rumor has it, Barack Obama) concluded that he and his policies were going down to defeat in November. His unpopular policies regarding the economy and immigration put the Democrats on a losing trajectory. Nancy Pelosi, with encouragement from other Democrat wizards, started to stir the pot as they saw a dark future in it. The rest of the nation suspected something was up, but we were not allowed to get close enough to hear the incantations or see the secret ingredients added. That mystic mixture exploded on July 17, as reported on Las Vegas police radio frequencies, with Bidens emergency trip to a hospital. Four days later, President Biden announced in a letter that he would not seek a second term and that he was backing VP Harris as his replacement at the top of the Democrat ticket. Two people want the POTUS gig, but only one can get the job. Meanwhile, 65% of us still think our ship of state is heading fast in the wrong direction on the Niagara River. Who is the best person to turn us around before we go over the Falls? The Democrats want this election to be a referendum on Donald Trump. They want us to remember all his unkind tweets. They worked had to impeach him twice and they are still hoping to throw him in jail before Election Day. They want us to remember what happened on January 6, 2021. They want credit for all their good intentions. They do not want this election to be a referendum on the incumbent, Joe Biden or his Vice President. They keep telling us that the economy is fine, and to ignore our grocery bills or what we are paying for energy. They want us to ignore the flood of illegals they have invited into America. Donald Trump wants this election to be a referendum on Vice President Harris and President Biden. He wants us to compare the Harris/Biden years with his term as POTUS. After making that comparison, he wants us to choose him as the candidate most likely to get America back on the right course. As we are choosing the person best suited to get us back on course, we ought to consider toughness. Who wants the job more? In her last bid for the presidency, VP Harris dropped out before the slings and arrows of the primaries even started. This time around, she refuses to talk to the press. Trump, on the other hand, will talk with any reporter who wants to chat with him. He wants a second term, and he has taken more slings, arrows, and bullets than is sensible to most folks. When a bullet nearly ended his campaign and life on July 13th, he rose from the pile of Secret Service agents protecting him and shook his fists, hollering, Fight, fight, fight! This courageous fighter and patriot deserves his shot at putting America back on course. Image by AI Ned Cosby, a frequent contributor to American Thinker, is a former pastor, veteran Coast Guard officer, and a retired English teacher at high school. His novel OUTCRY is a love story exposing the refusal of Christian leaders to report and discipline clergy who sexually abuse our young people. This work of fiction addresses crimes that are all too real. Cosby has also written RECOLLECTIONS FROM MY FATHERS HOUSE, tracing his own odyssey from 1954 to the present. For more info, visit Ned Cosby. Apparently, an assassination attempt against President Trump never happened. Or if it happened, that's reason enough to throw him out of his own home. That's the thinking of Palm Beach's mayor, Danielle Moore, who objects to President Trump's Secret Service protection and wants him thrown out of his own home. She's pretty nasty based on reporting in the Palm Beach Daily News: The Palm Beach Council on Tuesday directed town staff to research what might be able to be done about the July 20 shutdown of South Ocean Boulevard between the Southern Boulevard traffic circle and South County Road to protect Mar-a-Lago and Trump in the wake of the July 13 attempted assassination of the Republican nominee for president. "In my mind, if the road is closed, the Mar-a-Lago Club is closed," Mayor Danielle Moore said, after Council Member Julie Araskog raised the question of what will be done about traffic and security when the club reopens at the beginning of Palm Beach's social season this fall. "There's no way in God's green earth that they can bring 350 people into that club. It's completely illogical that you've got a road closed and then you're going to let 350 strangers into your club." No one wants anything to happen to Trump, Moore said, a comment that was echoed in comments by fellow council members, town staff and residents. They also said that politics play no role in their calls for relief from the issues caused by the prolonged closure. "However, you can't have it both ways, boys and girls," Moore said. "Either the club's open or not." What kind of talk is that? Based on what I could tell from the story, the road closure would involve the amount of road that I highlighted in with a yellow marker on this Google map: There's an easy detour for the residents situated below the yellow line onto the Florida mainland, and for the residents caught in the middle path of the yellow line, of whom there are not huge numbers, there would seem to be difficulty getting in and out, owing to the lack of other roads to their homes. The article didn't say what traffic conditions were like for those who would take the detour, and maybe that is where the claimed delays come from. It seems a trusted traveler pass for residents would solve the matter, verifiable with a magnetic sticker on the car as is done on California's toll roads so that they could come and go without too much trouble. But that's not what this mayor wants, she wants to shut the entire home of the president down over the road closure, claiming that what cheeses her off is its attached club. She claims everyone who would go to the club is a stranger, which is nonsense -- the Secret Service vets these people before they can get anywhere near the residence, as is the case with all former presidents and their residences, and the current one in the White House, too. She just doesn't want President Trump to have any kind of home with the kind of security he needs in the wake of the assassination attempt, as her convenience is more important. She cites caregivers of elderly residents being unable to get in and out, but once again, a trusted traveler program seems more reasonable than simply throwing a resident from his home because she doesn't like his protective detail. She also throws out the claim that residents "don't feel safe" based on ... either cops being there or the potential for assassins. If it's the former, that again is nonsense. Everybody loves having extra cops and Secret Service in their vicinity. When I researched Hunter Biden's digs in Venice Beach, California, news reports had residents thrilled with the extra Secret Service as it kept the bum count down, and they were quite upset when Hunter left the area. When I lived in Singapore some 20 years ago, I loved my apartment, which it turns out, was very close to the home of retired former leader Lee Kuan Yew's home. The presence of watchful Ghurkas everywhere made everyone feel safe, safe, safe, and the place was safe enough as it was, this being Singapore. Of course, she would probably argue that she viewed President Trump as an assassin magnet, and maybe even didn't trust the Secret Service to protect him. What that reminds me of is a passage in "Killing Pablo," by Mark Bowden, where the poor investigator charged with hunting down drug kingpin Pablo Escobar kept getting thrown out of his apartment when landlords found out what his job was. They didn't want the building blown up by Escobar, but that certainly wasn't fair to the investigator, nor did it help what should have been a national effort to save Colombia from becoming a narcostate. Based on all the questionable claims she's made, it looks like she just wants to harass him, given that neither lawfare, assassination attempts, nor the leftist bid to bankrupt him has taken him down. Now she wants her shot at him, to at least chase him out of his house. It's disgusting, a total harassment of a resident for no good reason other than she doesn't like his politics. The president can't even have peace in his own home with a busybody like her around, looking for some way to get him. She can solve the traffic problems of her constituents through many different means, but her obvious rage and draconian threats that violate the Constitution suggest she just wants to chase him out in the harshest way possible first. We don't see that kind of crap with President Obama, whose library project certainly has inconvenienced a lot of people. We just see this harassment directed at President Trump, and now she's taking her turn. What an awful person. Image: Screen shot from Palm Beach Civic Association (Philip Baldwin, Claudia Shea, William Kelly, Sally Lewis) shareable video, via Vimeo Public Utility Commission of Texas Commissioner Lori Cobos talks to CenterPoint Energy CEO Jason Wells during a PUC meeting in July. On Thursday, Cobbs challenged the company again on its $800 million generator lease. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer CenterPoint Energy executives said Thursday the company cannot terminate its lease for barely used generators that have already cost the utility $800 million, shocking regulators who are now turning on the investment after approving it last year. Jason Ryan, CenterPoint's executive vice president of regulatory services and government affairs, told the Public Utility Commission of Texas that the contract cant be terminated unless the vendor, Life Cycle Power, fails to meet its contractual obligations. The lease ends in 2029, he said. A provision that couldve allowed CenterPoint to terminate the contract if regulators found the investment to be not prudent expired at the end of 2023, Ryan said at a regularly scheduled PUC meeting. Advertisement Article continues below this ad You entered into a contract you cant terminate unless theres vendor non-performance. And of course, these large units seem like (they) largely havent been run, may not ever be run, so we dont even know theyll not perform, Commissioner Lori Cobos said in response. It just seems like were in this circular place where yall are coming across like your hands are tied to this contract. Ryan said CenterPoint could try to negotiate with Life Cycle Power to switch out the types of generators it leases if we believe we don't have the right assets. CenterPoint is also willing to discuss extending the time it takes to recover its costs for the generators through rate increases. Customers are also expected to cover the companys costs restoring power following the May derecho and July's Hurricane Beryl, he said. CenterPoint is allowed by law to lease generators to mitigate the risk of widespread power outages, but Ryan said the company is open to discussing whether that policy should change. We think we have the right tools in the toolbox for the various risks that we uniquely face in Houston, but we're open to having that dialogue on whether or not we should continue to mitigate those risks with these tools, he said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad CenterPoint leased 15 32-megawatt generators and five 5-megawatt generators from Life Cycle Power in 2021. The larger generators have never been deployed, even though lawmakers and regulators say CenterPoint told them the large generators could help with power restoration after hurricanes when persuading them to support the deal. CenterPoint turned over its generator contracts with Life Cycle Power earlier this week at the PUCs request. The contracts showed that monthly lease costs for the units ranged from $120,000 to $900,000, which CenterPoint prepaid in an effort to secure a reduced cost. Jason Wells, named CenterPoints CEO in 2024, was the companys signatory on most of the generator leases when he served as its chief financial officer. The company didnt disclose the full cost of another 13 small generators it leased to be used for power restoration following extreme weather events, despite the PUC asking for that information. The cost of labor to deploy these small generators after Beryl was nearly $336,000, and the ongoing operating cost could include the monthly lease cost, fuel, materials and labor, according to CenterPoint. Advertisement Article continues below this ad CenterPoint executives have been saying since Beryl that the large generators are exclusively meant for use during outages that occur at the directive of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the grid operator, when power demand threatens to exceed supply, as it did during the February 2021 freeze. Cobos, however, was frustrated by CenterPoints emphasis on these rare scenarios, known as load shed events. You can focus on load shed all you want, but you guys made the case for hurricanes, and now we're at a place after Hurricane Beryl where there's been devastating impacts in your service territory. People died, Cobos said. I feel like there's a lot of talking out of both sides of your mouth on this issue, doing little dances, pointing to different facts that justify your decision. Consumer advocacy groups and municipalities immediately protested when CenterPoint tried to pass on $200 million of its generator lease costs to customers in 2022. The issue ended up in front of the State Office of Administrative Hearings, and subsequent hearings revealed that the large generators had never been used and couldnt power facilities such as hospitals if distribution systems went down in severe weather events such as hurricanes. A pair of administrative judges found that CenterPoint's process for assessing bids from vendors to provide the generators on a short-term basis was not competitive, citing emails between Wells and representatives from Life Cycle Power before CenterPoint issued a request for bids. Thus, the judges ruled in early 2023 that CenterPoint shouldnt be allowed to pass on its generator costs to customers. Advertisement Article continues below this ad State Sens. Phil King and Carol Alvarado wrote letters to the PUC urging them to approve the deal anyway. In a 4-1 vote in 2023, commissioners, including current commission members Cobos and Kathleen Jackson, did just that. Only current Commissioner Jimmy Glotfelty dissented. Rachel Zegler, a delicately beige-colored woman with a 50% Hispanic lineage, was cast as Snow White in Disneys upcoming live-action musical remake of the classic 1937 animated cartoon. She can sing in a generic pop culture way and probably acts just as well. Shes also a vapid idiot who claims to support a Free Palestine, even while emoting about the horrors of antisemitism. She is the Democrat party bases single, female base. I make it a point never, ever to see Steven Spielberg movies and to avoid Stephen Sondheim musicals, so I missed Zeglers debut as Maria in his West Side Story. Apparently, she was adequate. Based on the adequacy, Disney cast her as Snow White despite, as I noted, her not-snow-white complexion. Thats not a racist remark; thats a fact, which you can affirm in this picture of Zegler in 2023 at the premiere of something or other: Image by Brutallygolden. CC BY-SA 4.0. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so I wont opine about whether Zeglers the fairest in the land or not. All that I will say, again, is that shes not snow white. Others have noted, though, that Gal Gadot, who plays the wicked queen in the same movie, has a more classical beauty: Internet meme; creator unknown. Gal Gadot, of course, is Israeli and, before becoming a Hollywood actress, served (as all Israelis do) in the Israeli military: Gal Gadot (aka Wonder Woman) joining the IDF. Finally a good role model in Hollywood. Also Wonder Woman was fantastic.#MondayMotivation pic.twitter.com/bgPPt4XyMX The Columbia Bugle (@ColumbiaBugle) June 12, 2017 Not surprisinglyand unlike her self-loathing countryman whos Kamala Harriss anti-Israel advisorGadot is extremely supportive of Israel: Courageously @GalGadot will host Hollywood screening of uncensored footage of Hamas Massacre. Im fighting for awareness of what happened in the Holocaust and what happened on Oct. 7. We cant just ignore it. pic.twitter.com/2U6N3ofGLY Afshine Emrani MD FACC (@afshineemrani) November 7, 2023 While Gadot is pro-Israel, Zegler, a textbook mindless starlet, is a Hama advocate. Many have noted Zeglers most recent tweet on the subject, which she made just three days ago: and always remember, free palestine. rachel zegler (she/her/hers) (@rachelzegler) August 12, 2024 However, the fact is that Zegler has repeatedly voiced her support for Hamas...er Free Palestine: Thats Zeglers shtick...Free Palestine. But heres the thing: Zelger has absolutely no idea what that means. I say this because shes also posted weepy things about the horrors of the Holocaust and antisemitism and about the antisemitic Pittsburgh shooting, which, she rightly noted, was an attack on freedom of worship: Zegler, like so many uninformed, emotive, irrational young womenthe largest voting bloc on the lefttotally fails to understand that you cannot simultaneously support Hamas, freedom of worship, and the Jews right to be free from another Holocaust. Thats because Hamas has dedicated itself to annihilating Israels 10,000,000 Jews, while Islamic adherents and their fellow travelers want to globalize the intifada, which means eliminating the other 5-6 million Jews. Thats some Holocaust. Likewise, Zegler doesnt understand that one of the mandates of Islam is to convert people. There is no freedom of worship under Islam. Also, Islam doesnt subscribe to the nice Mormon knock on the door approach. Instead, Islam opts for a more pro-active conversion method involving fire and sword, with sexual slavery and servitude reserved for those who refuse to convert but whom Islam nevertheless allows to live. Zelger deserves all the heat she gets for being pro-Hamas, but she also deserves ridicule for taking stands on things about which she clearly knows nothing. Our country suffers from a plague of ignorance, and shes the poster child. Meanwhile, Disneys Snow White doesnt seem destined to be a classic. First, the studio had to re-do the entire movie after its Snow White and The Seven Weird People fiasco when it turned out that, to be PC, Disney had re-cast the dwarves as Renaissance Faire hippies. Then, Disney had to run interference after Zegler, once again showing her lack of self-awareness, made it clear that Snow White doesnt need no stinkin man to save her. Now, Disneys crashing headlong into Middle Eastern politics. Because of Gal Gadot, the pro-Hamas crowd is demanding a Snow White boycott: BOYCOTT THIS MOVIE!! gal gadot is a zionist and a member of IDF whos been terrorising and committing crimes against humanity towards palestine for over 75 years now. https://t.co/vQeFFkSiu9 bjo (@livingformlk) October 28, 2023 Meanwhile, my advice is that, given Zeglers repeatedly professed pro-Hamas sentiments, it would be the wise Jew who stays home when Snow White comes to town. This is no hardship for me. As someone who prefers not to have a major movie studio relentlessly shove LGBTQ+ propaganda down childrens throats (which seems to be Disneys prime mission of late), Ive steered clear of Disney for years. Its not a good look for the Regents of the University of California to almost immediately appeal a court order barring it from religious discrimination. Especially when the preliminary injunction used language making clear the extent of UCLAs breach of fundamental constitutional rights. On Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge Mark Scarsi, a Trump appointee, issued a remarkably pointed preliminary injunction in response to a lawsuit by Jewish UCLA students, represented by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, over the Universitys failure to secure their civil rights. The New York Post summarizes some of the judges strong language: In a scathing, 16-page order, Scarsi blasted UCLAs Board of Regents for openly maintaining in court proceedings thus far that it had no responsibility to defend Jewish students religious freedoms, since the anti-Israel tent cities which sprang up on campuses nationwide including at Columbia University were engineered by third-party protesters. In the year 2024, in the United States of America, in the State of California, in the City of Los Angeles, Jewish students were excluded from portions of the UCLA campus because they refused to denounce their faith, he wrote, partially in italics. This fact is so unimaginable and so abhorrent to our constitutional guarantee of religious freedom that it bears repeating, Jewish students were excluded from portions of the UCLA campus because they refused to denounce their faith, the judge added. Here is what the judge ordered UCLA to do, summarized by Reasons Eugene Volokh), who is also the Gary T. Schwartz Distinguished Professor of Law at UCLA: [1.] Defendants [UCLA officials] are prohibited from offering any ordinarily available programs, activities, or campus areas to students if Defendants know the ordinarily available programs, activities, or campus areas are not fully and equally accessible to Jewish students. [2.] Defendants are prohibited from knowingly allowing or facilitating the exclusion of Jewish students from ordinarily available portions of UCLA's programs, activities, and campus areas, whether as a result of a de-escalation strategy or otherwise. [3.] On or before August 15, 2024, Defendants shall instruct Student Affairs Mitigator/Monitor ("SAM") and any and all campus security teams (including without limitation UCPD and UCLA Security) that they are not to aid or participate in any obstruction of access for Jewish students to ordinarily available programs, activities, and campus areas. [4.] For purposes of this order, all references to the exclusion of Jewish students shall include exclusion of Jewish students based on religious beliefs concerning the Jewish state of Israel. [5.] Nothing in this order prevents Defendants from excluding Jewish students from ordinarily available programs, activities, and campus areas pursuant to UCLA code of conduct standards applicable to all UCLA students. [6.] Absent a stay of this injunction by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, this preliminary injunction shall take effect on August 15, 2024, and remain in effect pending trial in this action or further order of this Court or the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. UCLAs first PR response was focused on its own concerns, not the rights of the students it allowed to remain under siege: Mary Osako, UCLAs vice chancellor for strategic communications, said in a statement that the ruling would improperly hamstring our ability to respond to events on the ground and to meet the needs of the student community. UCLA is committed to fostering a campus culture where everyone feels welcome and free from intimidation, discrimination, and harassment, Osako added. The leadership of Americas elite higher education is clearly in crisis, faced with a strong faction among both faculty and students intent on isolating and ultimately destroying Israel and bullying its supporters, especially those who have the temerity to openly practice and affirm their Jewish faith. In response, most seem unwilling to confront the aggressors and defend the bedrock principles of the Republic. Just yesterday, the president of Columbia University, Minouche Shafik, suddenly and unexpectedly resigned and announced she was leaving the country. Embattled Columbia University president Minouche Shafik suddenly resigned Wednesday and is escaping back to her home country after leading the elite institution for less than a year that was marked by constant and sometimes destructive anti-Israel protests. Shafik announced she would be stepping down from the Ivy League in a letter to the student body and blamed the period of turmoil for her shocking departure. This period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in our community, Shafik wrote. Over the summer, I have been able to reflect and have decided that my moving on at this point would best enable Columbia to traverse the challenges ahead. I am making this announcement now so that new leadership can be in place before the new term begins. This last claim does not pass the laugh test. Classes begin at Columbia in two-and-a-half weeks. Make no mistake, this is a moral crisis for higher education in this country, with its leadership mostly failing the test. There is no willingness to confront bullies that are willing to use force to get their way, and who fund lots of full tuition-paying foreign students, and who are supported by legions of leftist faculty that now dominate all but a small handful of universities and colleges. Andrea Widburg adds: What is so amazing is that the school used to be so Jewish indeed, it may still be that its nickname was Jew CLA. Stand With Us, an amazing organization, started at UCLA because the the parents saw it become anti-Semitic. The founders figured out that while the Jewish kids went to college to learn and enjoy the college experience, Muslim countries and anti-Semitic organizations were sending people there just to be activists. They did not care about grades or about the college experience. As students, their job was to spread anti-Semitic and anti-Israel sentiments. Combine that with the increasingly leftist faculty, and you have a state funded institution that believes it has the right to discriminate against Jewish students. Image: Beyond My Ken, via Wikimedia Commons // Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International, 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic I am not sure whether to be amused or insulted by the press coverage of Sen. J.D. Vances Marine service. The implication is that because he had a Military Occupation Specialty (MOS) of Combat Correspondent he was not a warrior. I spent 28 years in the Air Force and had many contacts with Marines. My brother-in-law was a Marine aircraft maintenance specialist during WW II. He served with Pappy Boyington in the Black Sheep Squadron. My son was a Marine intelligence NCO. I have many friends who were Marines. The ASVAB test is the standard test used by the U.S. military services to determine a recruits aptitudes and abilities. The ASVAB is a timed, multi-aptitude test, which is given at more than 14,000 schools and Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS) nationwide and is developed and maintained by the Defense Department (DoD). The ASVAB helps the DoD not just determine whether you are a good fit to join the service, but also which service branch you might be best for and even what military jobs you can hold after you finish basic training or boot camp. The better your ASVAB score, the broader your options. The minimum for acceptance in the Marine Corps is an ASVAB score of 50. The requirements for Combat Correspondent is an ASVAB score on the high side of 100. The same is true for the intelligence MOS held by my son. Other specialty fields, other than rifleman, have various ASVAB skill levels. But one thing I know is that every Marine is a rifleman above anything else. Sen. Vance served in a combat zone. His job may have been to record and report on Marine activities and operations but he was still a rifleman in a combat zone where he might have been subjected to potential hostile fire. For the press or a opposing Presidential campaign to imply otherwise is deceptive and degrading. Sen. Vance enlisted in the Marines and served full time for the period of his enlistment. He deserves respect and honor for that service, not snide, pointless comments. With all due respect for his Democratic opponent who served in the National Guard, the two types of service are not comparable. When I was on active duty I served in two combat zones, but did not carry a rifle or weapon and, thankfully, was never shot at. The same seems true when comparing Sen. Vances service to that of Gov. Walz. Frankly, it is their service since that most concerns me. Sen. Vance secured degrees from two of our finest universities, worked in the private sector where he was apparently quite successful, and was elected U.S. senator from one of our oldest states. I am not sure what Gov. Walz did before entering politics. There are indications he was a schoolteacher, but I have also read he was a full time National Guard civilian. I can speak of his elected history, as I have family in Minnesota and have followed events there for several years. His record places him to the Left, among those who put party above country. So, I have to say: if you look at the record of each you can only conclude that Sen. J.D. Vance is undoubtedly the most qualified to serve our country as Vice President. For more information on the Marine Corps and its jobs I refer you to their website. SEMPER FI Image: Office of J.D. Vance Americans love the freedom to choose but dont always make the healthiest choices. Our government is supposed to be there to help us make healthy and safe choices, not to eliminate the freedom to make our own decisions regarding our health and well-being. For example, government wouldnt encourage us to eat fast food instead of fruits and veggies. It would never encourage you to ride without a seatbelt. And yet the government, via its Food and Drug Administration, seems to be deliberately scaring people away from vaping and thus toward the alternative, which is of course cigarette-smoking, even though smoking is inarguably much more dangerous. Dont just take my word for it. Tobacco-related diseases claim nearly 500,000 American lives each year. Smoking is the top cause of preventable deaths in the U.S., and 90% of all lung cancer is caused by smoking. E-cigarettes and vaping products are effective at helping adults reduce or quit smoking altogether. That will also allow thousands to quit smoking and live longer, healthier lives. Isnt that what the FDA is supposed to want? Yet instead of encouraging vapes, or at least remaining neutral about them, the FDA is acting as if they were as dangerous as cigarettes. Some of their doomsday advertising and public statements would have one think they are even more so. Joe Bidens FDA has signed off on more than 16,800 tobacco products since 2009 and only 23 of those products are the least dangerous of them all: e-cigarettes. More facts: Bidens FDA chooses to make politically convenient decisions regarding U.S. vaping policy, which caters to outside special interest groups. These include Big Tobacco, Michael Bloombergfunded groups, and congressional appropriators who want to see vaping banned for political reasons. One of those Dems is Senate majority leader Charles Schumer. He encourages the FDA to crack down on vaping products. While the FDA has done much to snuff out the worst kinds of e-cigs that can hook kids, like Juul, there are clear workarounds and illegal methods being used by sneaky actors, the New Yorker claims. But while he poses as an opponent of vapes, Schumer cosponsors the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act, a bill that would do much to legalize marijuana. Schumers bill includes decriminalization and the expulsion of criminal records. This makes no sense. Why would the government work to legalize one type of smoking, while cracking down on products that reduce another type of smoking? More facts: The Biden administration and Senator Schumer are coming down on smoking cessation products. But both men support needle exchange programs as part of Biden's harm reduction strategy to address overdoses. Yet neither seems to be doing much about illegally imported fentanyl. It seems as if Democrats are the party that wants to steal vapes from freedom-loving Americans who just want to enjoy their nicotine, even as they ignore larger health problems from pot to opioids. This bias undermines public health and favors the interests of organizations masquerading as public health groups. It also undermines the forgotten men and women of America who are looking for flavored nicotine alternatives to cigarettes. In elite liberal circles, the rates of smoking are declining. That means inside-the-Beltway types at the FDA think their policies are working. Instead, by refusing to authorize a wide variety of flavored nicotine alternatives, these policies are causing death and serious health problems in thousands of the most vulnerable Americans around the country. Here is a warning for Democrats: many of these people are single-issue voters. They support leaders who are ready to change the biased and overbearing regulatory scheme that was overturned by the Supreme Courts Chevron decision. Biden, Schumer, Pelosi, and their fellow Democrats are on notice. By continuing to promote an overbearing and broken regulatory framework, this FDA is depriving Americans of the freedom of choice they deserve. Legalizing flavored e-cigarettes provides Americans with the freedom to choose a safer nicotine alternative. This protects both their health and their rights. We shouldnt allow Democrats to take away our freedom to vape. Chris Bailey is an Atlanta area-based former radio reporter, public relations professional, and firearms instructor. He is a longtime advocate for personal freedom. Image: Vaping360 via Flickr, CC BY 2.0. Back in May, Google unveiled one of its most controversial AI features to date. AI Overviews were met with criticism. and then they started delivering really messed up results. This caused the company to walk the feature back. Well, Google isnt done with this feature, as its expanding AI Overviews to more regions. To catch you up, AI Overviews is the feature that will create AI-generated summaries of your search queries. Its something that many people, especially site owners, didnt like. This gives people the ability to forgo visiting websites and contributing to their ad revenue. Not only that, but AI Overviews were also generating inaccurate and potentially dangerous results. Everyone keeps giving the company a hard time for telling people to put glue on pizza. So, it was clear that Google still had some work to do on the feature. While it was pretty much in hibernation, its been available in a very limited capacity. AI Overviews are expanding to more places While this feature has pretty much been non-existent, the company has been working on bringing it back into the world. According to a new report, Google is expanding the feature to six more regions. These are Japan, The UK, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and Brazil. The company stated Through our testing in these markets, weve found that people prefer using Search with AI Overviews, and they find their search results more helpful. So, it was inevitable that the company was going to bring to these markets. As time goes on, Google is going to bring AI Overview to even more markets, whether we like it or not. Hopefully, Google has improved the quality of the results before making it to everyone. Along with this news, Google is also changing how it displays links. One thing that keeps AI Overviews from being a complete smack to the face of publication sites is the fact that it surfaces links to where it got the information. It looks like links will be embedded into the actual results themselves. This will help people navigate to more publisher websites, the company says. Save feature Along with these changes, AI Overviews could bring a save feature. This will let you store the queries you searched for. It will save the queries in an Interests page. Recent reports suggest that the US government wants to impose a new round of trade restrictions on China. However, some representatives and senators believe that this could lead to a tech death spiral since not all allied countries align with the severity of the US measures. The US reportedly considering a wider chipmaking equipment export ban to China The next trade restrictions that the Biden administration could impose target chipmaking equipment. The US government would like some of its partners to stop importing this equipment to China. The measure would not apply to equipment from Japan and the Netherlands. However, those countries already have their own restrictions against the import of chipmaking equipment to China, although not as severe as those that the United States has been implementing. This would be the next step in a policy of trade restrictions that has sought to limit Chinas access to the latest manufacturing technologies. Previous restrictions targeted hardware and software whose development involves US technology. The bans have been escalating, as they were first aimed only at 5G technology, which allowed Huawei to use flagship Snapdragon chips for a time but without a 5G modem. For this reason, Huawei has increasingly turned to local companies to get key components. Currently, the company designs its Kirin chipsets for later production in SMICs factories. Although SMIC does not have access to the latest manufacturing processes, Huaweis investment has helped them make giant strides in recent years. Situations like these, where Chinese companies strengthen themselves in the face of trade restrictions, have worried US government representatives. California Democrats warn of the US falling into a tech death spiral Regarding the new potential sanctions, California Democrats fear that they could be more harmful than beneficial to the United States. Senator Alex Padilla and Representative Zoe Lofgren sent a letter to the Commerce Department urging it to reconsider further controls. We ask that you pause additional unilateral export controls until you have adequately justified that such controls will not harm US competitiveness in advanced semiconductors and semiconductor manufacturing equipment, reads the letter. Opponents of further restrictions warn that they could lead to a tech death spiral in the US. The main argument is that not all US-allied countries are applying such severe trade sanctions. So, the US could gradually fall behind in the industry, becoming less competitive. Of course, such a situation would affect local chip manufacturing companies. The US government cancelled some subsidies for chip research and development It is no coincidence that the loudest voices against the restrictions are from California. The state is home to major US chipmaker companies such as LAM, Applied Materials, and KLA. There was already some tension between California Democrats and the Biden administration due to the cancellation of a chip research and development subsidy program. The program would have primarily benefited Applied Materials, Reuters reports. In the letter, the representatives also urged the United States to pressure allied countries to fall in line on the severity of export controls. Democrats do not totally oppose implementing trade restrictions on China as such. However, they are against measures with questionable national-security benefits. Especially when not all of their allies implement the same restrictions and the local tech industries might be affected. Googles SVP, Rick Osterloh, is in charge of the companys hardware division. Though we mainly see him for Pixel announcements, he is also in charge of Nest and other hardware at Google. Following the Made by Google event on Tuesday, Osterloh spoke with Stratechery, and talked about a number of things. Including how hard it is to build a phone. Osterloh says that to make a phone is probably one of the hardest things to do, it is so hard, youre trying to put in so much technology into a small form factor, its got really complicated regulatory authority and certification work. And this only scratches the surface, because you also have to hit your targets for timing, hit your targets for cost and price points, but also nail quality and have to be innovative enough at the same time that people are interested. Osterloh also gives props to Samsung and Apple, saying that theyve been making hardware for a very long time and doing a good job with it all along, so it takes a long time to build the capabilities just for the fundamentals. He continues by saying, We want to have excellent silicon, we want to have excellent hardware and devices, we need to have an excellent OS that goes to everyone, and then we need to have excellence in AI. Googles Pixel prices have increased as their capabilities have increased In the same interview, Osterloh also talks about pricing. Since Pixel devices started at around $400 to $500 back in 2016, and now we have devices that are $1,800. He states that this is a reflection of our increase in capabilities. A big part of this was the acquisition of HTCs smartphone division back in 2018. With that acquisition, Google got a number of people that were steeped in the industry. With Osterloh taking charge of the Android division as well as the Pixel division, that also could create some friction with partners like Samsung. Osterloh said he told Smausng that it doesnt mean anything with respect to a change in strategy. Osterloh says that when they work with Samsung, its very close and the same as they always have. This is evident from Samsung launching the first devices with Circle to Search earlier this year. Google introduced its latest Pixel smartphones called the Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, and 9 Pro Fold earlier this week. Apart from the refreshed design and upgraded hardware, the new Pixels are also loaded with a handful of new AI features. The search engine giant has also introduced an all-new Pixel Weather app for the new phones, which offers an AI weather summary. Notably, Google isnt keeping the Pixel Weather app exclusive to the Pixel 9 as it is coming to the Pixel Tablet soon. Pixel Tablet will soon be getting the AI-powered Pixel Weather app Google has updated a support article on its website, which explains the new Pixel Weather app. The new article mentions that the new app is available for the Pixel 9 series, including the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and Pixel Tablet. The latest weather app will be available on the Pixel 9 series smartphones at launch. Soon, Google will release the Pixel Weather app for the Pixel Tablet as well. The new goodies of the Pixel Weather app could find their way to the Pixel 8 and older products soon. 9to5Google reports that its likely most of the features, except Gemini Nano-powered AI Weather Report, will be available for older Pixels. The new weather features are expected to arrive in the December Pixel Feature Drop update. The new functionalities could be added to the Weather app that powers the Google Clock integration. It is available on the Pixel 5a and newer. Notably, you can also sideload the app on non-Pixel phones. Recently, we were able to install it onto the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 foldable flagship. The Pixel Weather app offers a custom AI weather report, 10-day forecast, weather map, and more Googles new Pixel Weather app offers a handful of useful features. You get a customizable detail page, notifications, and the weather summary. It provides information like a 10-day forecast, AQI, humidity levels, and a map to see a 6-hour precipitation forecast. The biggest highlight of the app is an AI Weather Report, which is powered by the Gemini Nano model. The app lets you get a grid of Material You shapes for various things. In these cards, you can include Precipitation, Wind, Sunrise, & sunset, UV index, Visibility, Pressure, and more details. Theres also a useful Weather Map, which provides a 6-hour precipitation forecast. It is powered by the same models supporting nowcasting. This feature will be available in the US, UK, and most EU countries, excluding Italy, Luxembourg and Lichtenstein. Sonia Garcia is a trending food reporter for the Houston Chronicle. She can be reached at sonia.garcia@houstonchronicle.com. A Rio Grande Valley native, she previously was an editor and writer for the Austin digital news startup Austonia after graduating from Texas State University. She enjoys trying new restaurants in Houston, where she lives with her 14-year-old Chihuahua. At the August 13 Made by Google event, the Mountain View giant not only unveiled the Pixel 9 series but also shared new capabilities of Gemini. Among them, one such was related to Google Assistant Routines. Now, you can trigger the Google Assistant Routines on your Android device using the Gemini mobile app. You can finally start your Google Assistant Routines using the Gemini Android app When Google first launched the Gemini app in February, many users complained that Google Assistant Routines didnt work with it. Back then, users saw an error message saying Shortcuts to start a Routine and Routines attached to alarms in the Clock app no longer work. However, the feature seemingly returned with a new update. Following the update, you can finally set Google Assistant Routines using the Gemini mobile app. You can now say start [routine] and Google Assistant triggers within the Gemini app to run it. You can access the feature quite easily. First, you need to go to Gemini Settings. Then, head to the Google Assistant features in Gemini menu. Next, youll need to navigate to the Routines tab. There are a few limitations, though No doubt, the ability to trigger routines using the Gemini mobile app is great. Sadly, there are some limitations to it. Google notes Not all starters or actions are supported when you use a Routine with Gemini. Thats not all, you cant trigger Google Assistant Routines by typing a command and scheduled times. Also, you cant trigger it using location-based activation as well as home screen shortcuts. Lastly, the feature still doesnt support many actions like playing your favorite music, sharing fitness data, or reciting poems. That said, we expect Google to lift all these restrictions to help users make the most out of the amazing AI-powered feature in the near future. Nokia used to release rather odd-looking phones back in the day, like the Nokia N93, for example. That has not been the case for a long time now, though. Well, Yanko Design just released a wild-looking Nokia phone concept, which would turn some heads if it ever became a reality, but that will unfortunately never happen. This wild-looking Nokia phone concept would easily turn heads if became a real product Just to be clear, this is a third-party concept, Nokia has nothing to do with this. In any case, if you check out the gallery below the article, youll see the so-called Nokia Infinity Pro. Thats the name Yanko Design went with. Its also worth noting that AndroidLeo is the designer here. This pill-shaped smartphone definitely looks unique. It has aggressive curves, and would definitely feel different to hold and use. A centered display camera hole is located at the top of its display. There are two separate islands on the back. The top one is reserved for the cameras, two of which are included there. In the bottom one, youll notice a second display. Yes, not only does this phone has a wild shape, but also a second display on the back. This device even has a second display The second display on the phone is round, and its about the size of the camera island. Nokia branding is rather prominent on the back, and the back cover is also interesting. It could be plastic or something like that, it surely is not meant to be glass. We also noticed what we believe is a speaker on the back of the device, below the second display. A power/lock key sits on the right-hand side, while the volume button are on the left. Its a real shame smartphone OEMs are not releasing such wild-looking devices. We had a lot more of those back when cellphones were around, and around the time cellphones were stepping over into the smartphone territory. We can barely look at one dog's face after she was returned to a Fresno, California shelter. The good girl was so sad. Mother Gothel has such a good spirit. Sadly her new owners decided to return her. And now people online are angry on her behalf. Heartbreaking video of the dog was shared online by Valley Animal Center. The 7-year-old Pit Bull looked devastated in the clip the shelter shared. Mother Gothel has large brown eyes and an open face. It's a shame that her owners changed their mind. They'll never get to know this sweet pup. Related: Pit Bull Mama Beams With Pride Over Her New Puppies in Precious Video "Previously spent over 900 days in shelter and now returned back after months," the video's text overlay reads. The dog is clearly feeling being back at the shelter. Thankfully it seems like someone at Valley Animal Center loves her, because the pup got lots of pets at the end of the clip. "It's heartbreaking to see her so sad," the shelter wrote in the onscreen caption. People in the comments section were pulling for this good girl. "Why was she returned? People need to understand that long term shelter dogs will need months to decompress and become part of the family," wrote one person. "This is so heartbreaking. She deserves the world," someone else chimed in. "Poor sweetheart. Well here's a chance to not fail a little angel. Locals, come on, open your hearts!!! SAVE HIS LIFE!! DON'T FAIL HIM!" pleaded someone else. "Come on California peeps! Someone is out there looking for the love of their life!" one person chimed in. Adopting From Valley Animal Center If you or someone you know is looking to bring home your forever pet, there are so many animals at Valley Animal Center who need a good home. As a no-kill shelter, Valley Animal Center rescues hundreds of homeless cats and dogs every year. First things first, head over to the shelter in person or browse their website to see which animals are available for adoption. If you see an animal you like you can even request to meet with them in a private room! Getting an animal that really vibes with you is important. Make sure you take into account your lifestyle, your living circumstances, and who is living in your home with you. Some dogs need more activity than others. Some dogs are great companions for apartment living, while others need more space. And some dogs are truly great family dogs, while others are probably best for single people or people without young kids. Whatever your circumstances, there will be a pet for you out there. And by adopting from a shelter you'll be giving an animal like Mother Gothel a second chance. Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips. Sir Brian May has said the animal welfare community is very disappointed by the new Labour Governments current stance on badger culling. The Queen guitarist, 77, who has been campaigning about the issue for more than a decade, is fronting a new BBC documentary in which he investigates how the bovine tuberculosis (bTB) crisis in England and Wales can be dealt with without killing the mammals. BTB is recognised as a problem which devastates farm businesses and badger culling has long been a part of the government response to the disease, despite criticism from wildlife and animal welfare campaigners. Sir Brian May (Ian West/PA) Sir Brian told the PA news agency: At the moment, its fair to say that the whole animal community is very disappointed in the way that the new Labour Government is behaving because they came into power with a manifesto which said that they were going to stop badger culling because it was ineffective, thats actually in the manifesto. And theyre actually not stopping it, theyre allowing it to continue at least until 2026 under the existing licences. Keir Starmer does have the power to squash those licences and call a hold right now, on the basis that the badger cull has not worked and hes not done that, and were very disappointed. Were not giving up hope on the new government, but at the moment its a very disappointing situation. The animal rights activist added: I dont feel that the British public should allow this to happen, and Im hoping there is a big outcry. Labour pledged in its 2024 manifesto to work with farmers and scientists on measures to eradicate Bovine TB, protecting livelihoods so that we can end the ineffective badger cull. The Governments existing policy of intensive and supplementary control will end by January 2026. In a new hour-long documentary, Sir Brian and his research team investigate how bTB is passed on finding evidence to suggest that current methods used to detect the disease are ineffective. Sir Brian May (Ian West/PA) The programme also documents a four-year experiment in which Sir Brian partnered with large mammal vet Dick Sibley and farmer Robert Reed, whose farm was chronically infected with bTB. Using methods that emphasised better testing and hygiene inside the farm, the group were able to get the farm declared bTB-free without a cull. Speaking about their findings, Sir Brian said: There is so much evidence to show that badgers have nothing to do with the spread of bovine TB, that there is no way you can justify it (culling). However, he said the problem is that the Department for Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) has been advising that the cull is beneficial. I think any minister who comes in is obliged to follow the advice that hes given, he said. Unfortunately, this advice is wrong and needs updating. Animal charity the Badger Trust says that more than 230,000 badgers have been killed since the current cull began in England in 2013. A Defra spokesperson said: We recognise the devastating impact bovine TB has on the farming community which is why we are committed to beating this insidious disease. This government will roll out a TB eradication package including vaccination, herd management and biosecurity measures to achieve our objective of getting to bovine TB free status and end the badger cull. Sir Brian co-founded wildlife campaign group the Save Me Trust and has previously spoken out about fox hunting as well as badger culling. He was speaking on Thursday in Windlesham, Surrey, where his group and the wildlife hospital Harper Asprey Wildlife Rescue are based. Brian May: The Badgers, The Farmers And Me is to air on August 23 at 9pm on BBC Two and BBC Two Wales. Foreign Secretary David Lammy is to visit Israel with his French counterpart Stephane Sejourne to advocate for a ceasefire in the war in Gaza. In the first joint UK-France visit to the region in over 10 years, Mr Lammy and the French foreign minister will also visit the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). They said they will use the visit to stress there is no time for delays or excuses from all parties on a ceasefire deal. The pair will meet Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz and the minister of strategic affairs of Israel, Ron Dermer. People take part in the national march for Palestine in central London organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PA) This week, officials from the US, Qatar and Egypt are to meet an Israeli delegation in Qatar. Hamas has not yet said whether it will be participating after accusing Israel of adding new demands to a previous proposal that had US and international support. Mediating parties have been attempting to secure an agreement for a three-phase plan in which Hamas would release a number of hostages captured in the October 7 attack in exchange for a lasting ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Mr Lammy said: This is a dangerous moment for the Middle East. The risk of the situation spiralling out of control is rising. Any Iranian attack would have devastating consequences for the region. The UK and France are united in our commitment to secure a lasting peace for Israelis, Palestinians and the wider region. There can be no delays or excuses. All parties must engage seriously in negotiations on a ceasefire deal. This is a vital opportunity to secure the release of hostages and an immediate surge in aid into Gaza. Only with diplomacy can we end the current destructive cycle of retaliatory violence. Only with diplomacy can we deliver long-term peace and security for all. That is the message we will be taking with us to the region. Foreign Secretary David Lammy is to visit Israel with Stephane Sejourne to advocate for a ceasefire in the war in Gaza (PA) The Gazan health ministry has said more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israels offensive, which has also wounded 92,401 people and displaced more than 85% of the population from their homes. Escalating tensions have raised fears of all-out war in the region as fire is regularly exchanged between Lebanon-backed Hezbollah and the Israeli military. Israeli forces have regularly targeted mosques, schools, hospitals and cemeteries in Gaza where it claims fighters or tunnels are located, often causing civilian casualties. The fighting has also killed 329 Israeli soldiers. Mr Sejourne said: Its never too late for peace. We must at all costs avoid a regional war, which would have terrible consequences. We must secure a ceasefire agreement and the release of all the hostages. France and the United Kingdom support the efforts of the American, Egyptian and Qatari mediators to achieve this. He said: We have been mobilised for several weeks to call on all parties to show restraint and responsibility. Any miscalculation in the current situation could provoke a generalised conflagration. This roundup of claims has been compiled by Full Fact, the UKs largest fact checking charity working to find, expose and counter the harms of bad information. How many migrants come to the UK? Immigration has consistently been one of the most debated topics in UK politics in recent yearsand in recent weeks too, after violent anti-migrant protests. But we often see confusion and conflicting claims over what the figures actually show. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) currently publishes estimates of long-term international immigration to, and emigration from, the UK based on administrative data. Subtracting the number of emigrants from the number of immigrants over a given period produces a figure for net migration. The ONS defines a long-term international migrant as someone who has changed their country of usual residence for a period of at least a year. According to the most recent estimates from the ONS, around 1.2 million long-term immigrants arrived in the UK in 2023 and emigration totalled 532,000, meaning net migration to the UK was estimated to be 685,000. This represents a 10% fall compared to 2022, when net migration to the UK was the highest on record at 764,000. But net migration in 2023 was still nearly four times higher than in 2019, when the Conservative party said in its manifesto it would bring down overall numbers. (We saw a number of contrasting claims about these figures ahead of the general election from Sir Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak, which often didnt tell the full story.) Its worth noting that these annual net migration estimates may be revised at a later date. For example, the initial estimate for net migration in 2022 was 606,000substantially lower than the revised estimate. In 2023, the vast majority of people who migrated to the UK (85%) were non-EU nationals. Ten percent were EU nationals, with the remaining 5% British nationals. The top three non-EU countries of origin were India (250,000 migrants), Nigeria (141,000) and China (90,000). Work was the most common reason for non-EU migration in 2023, followed by coming to the UK to study. Around 8% of the non-EU nationals arrived in the UK to seek asylum. The majority of migrants to the UK arrive here legally. However the number of migrants arriving via irregular methods (particularly by small boats) has increased considerably in recent years. The ONS does not publish data on the proportion of migrants who arrive in the UK legally or illegally. However Home Office data shows that in 2023 there were 36,704 irregular arrivals, 80% of whom arrived on small boats. The majority of small boat arrivals (around 90%) claim asylum in the UK, and in the year ending June 2023 these claims accounted for just over a third of asylum claims. No, paint is not being put in cereal A video on Facebook advises that people should not eat cereal because it contains a chemical called trisodium phosphate which is also found in paint thinner. It goes on to say they literally are putting paint in our cereals. Weve seen similar misleading claims before, with some examples circulating a decade ago. Trisodium phosphate, or TSP, is a chemical compound that has many different applications. It is used as a food additive and can be found in various food products, including some brands of cereal. Several food regulators have approved its use. Trisodium phosphate can also be used in industrial manufacturing processes, and can be found in paint thinner, but there are many other additional chemicals used to make such products. There are also other examples of substances used in foods that have industrial applications, such as sodium bicarbonate (or baking soda). The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been welcomed to Colombia as they began their four-day tour of the South American nation. Harry and Meghan were met in the capital Bogota on Thursday by Colombias vice-president Francia Marquez and her husband Rafael Yerney Pinillo. They spent around half-an-hour at the vice-presidents residence, where they exchanged welcome gifts and were offered tea, coffee and traditional pandebono Colombian cheese bread. The Sussexes are being given a full security detail throughout their visit alongside Ms Marquez, who invited the couple to travel to Colombia for what has been dubbed a DIY royal tour. Answering questions from journalists at a press conference ahead of their arrival, Ms Marquez said she was inspired to ask Harry and Meghan to visit the country after being moved by their Netflix documentary. I saw the Netflix series about their life, their story and that moved me and motivated me to say that this is a woman who deserves to come to our country and tell her story and her exchange will undoubtedly be an empowerment to so many women in the world, Ms Marquez said. The Sussexes controversial six-part Netflix show, aired just three months after Queen Elizabeth IIs death, laid bare their troubled relationship with the royal family and the struggles which led to their decision to step back from the working monarchy. Office workers in London, watching the Duke and Duchess of Sussexs Netflix documentary (Jonathan Brady/PA) Ms Marquez described the Sussexes trip as a very special visit aimed at building bridges and joining forces against cyber-bullying and online digital violence and discrimination, as well as promoting womens leadership in Colombia. The Sussexes team has not confirmed how the trip is being funded, whether privately, through Harry and Meghans Archewell Foundation, by the Colombian government or other means. The quasi-royal tour, which has many similarities to the programme of an official royal overseas visit, is the Sussexes second this year, after their three-day visit to Nigeria at the invitation of the West African nations chief of defence staff. Harpers Bazaar magazine, covering the trip as the only words pool, said Ms Marquez shared her personal admiration for Harrys late mother Diana, Princess of Wales. Harrys late mother Diana Princess of Wales (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Meghan and Ms Marquez were pictured embracing as they greeted each other warmly, with Ms Marquez clasping Harrys hands in her own as they were introduced. The Sussexes were colour co-ordinated style-wise, with the duchess in a navy halterneck top and trousers and Harry in a dark blue suit and light blue shirt. During the sit-down chat, Ms Marquez said she shared the same ideals and goals as Harry and Meghan amid their campaign to make the digital world safer for children. Harry and Meghan visited a local school, the Colegio Cultura Popular, on Thursday and joined a summit, in collaboration with their Archewell Foundation, about creating a healthier digital landscape. They spoke to children in a session where the class talked about their favourite and least favourite parts of social media, technology and dealing with life on the internet. Meghan said the group should aim to be self-reliant and not tech-reliant while Harry about asked the conversations they have with their families about managing social media and literacy. Ms Marquez, a lawyer and human rights and environmental activist, is Colombias first black vice-president and serves in the countrys first left-wing government, led by president Gustavo Petro. Harry and Meghan are spending four days in the South American country (Jordan Pettitt/PA) A former housekeeper who had her first child at 16, Ms Marquez rose to prominence for her opposition to illegal gold mining in her home province and won a prestigious environmental prize for her work. She spearheaded a 10-day, 350-mile march of 80 women from La Toma to the nations capital, resulting in the removal of all illegal miners and equipment from her community. Ensuring the couples security will be a high priority during their stay. The Foreign Office warns against all but essential travel to certain parts of Colombia, with kidnapping rates remaining high. It also describes the country as seriously afflicted by conflict with a resurgence in violence in parts of Colombia despite the peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) movement to end the civil war. The duke has meanwhile maintained it is still dangerous for Meghan to return to the UK. He is said to be missing the private funeral of his uncle Lord Fellowes husband of Dianas sister Lady Jane Fellowes in Norfolk later this month due to his security fears. Harry lost a High Court challenge against the Home Office in February over a decision to change the level of his personal security when he visits the UK, but he has been given the green light to appeal. During the case, the court was told Harry believes his children cannot feel at home in the UK if it is not possible to keep them safe there and that he faces a greater risk than his late mother, with additional layers of racism and extremism. Harry and Meghan stepped down from the working monarchy in 2020 and no longer travel at the request of the UK Government on official overseas royal visits, when travel costs would have usually been met by the taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant. The lobby of a new Texas Childrens Hospital Intensive Outpatient Program facility designed for youth located in Bellaire on Monday, May 20, 2024, in Houston. The location will serve children and teens who need intensive treatment but don't need to be admitted to a hospital. Annie Mulligan/Contributor Texas Childrens Hospital notified the state that it laid off 997 employees through job cuts announced last week, the first time the hospital has officially disclosed the number of affected workers. The figure included in a Workforce Adjustment and Retraining Notification submitted to the Texas Workforce Commission includes employees from all Texas Childrens locations. The hospital system includes more than 120 locations, including its Woodlands, West Campus and Austin hospitals. The hospital previously told the Chronicle that it was laying off 5% of its approximately 20,000 employees, or roughly 1,000 workers, but declined to provide an exact number. The number disclosed in the WARN notice is in line with that approximation. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The WARN notice offers more insight into the scale of the layoffs at the nations largest childrens hospital. Texas Childrens attributed the job cuts to a series of financial challenges, including lower patient volumes in Houston and a two-week delay in the opening of the new Austin campus. The hospital reported an operating income loss of nearly $200 million through the first six months of its current fiscal year. The layoffs have also affected patients. Families with children with complex medical needs told the Chronicle that their appointments for speech, physical and occupational therapy were postponed or canceled in the wake of the layoffs. Texas Childrens said Friday that it is working to reschedule appointments. Businesses with more than 100 full-time employees are required to file a WARN notice if they plan to lay off more than 50 workers at a single site, according to Labor Department guidelines. Texas Childrens notice is addressed to the TWC, Houston Mayor John Whitmire and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A WARN notice must be given at least 60 days before a mass layoff or plant closure, according to the guidelines. Texas Childrens WARN notice is dated Aug. 6, which is 60 days before the first set of layoffs are set to take effect Oct. 5. The hospital said in the WARN notice that employees are being laid off on four separate dates: Oct. 5, Nov. 26, Nov. 29 and June 17, 2025. Texas Childrens told the Chronicle on Wednesday that all employees affected by the layoffs have been notified; the hospital did not comment on why four separate dates are listed in the notice. Texas Childrens previously told the Chronicle that it does not anticipate any additional layoffs. A TWC spokesperson said the hospital has not filed any additional WARN notices. Mark Wallace, CEO of Texas Childrens Hospital, answers questions from reporters after a press conference about the 2024 Texas Childrens Houston Open on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024, at Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer Advertisement Article continues below this ad The layoffs came amid what the hospital characterized as historic financial challenges within the health care industry. Fitch Ratings, one of three major credit rating agencies, recently downgraded Texas Childrens bond rating to AA- from AA after the hospital reported operating income losses of $198.1 million through the first six months of fiscal year 2024. Lower-than-expected patient volumes in Houston, the delayed opening of the Austin campus, enrollment drops in the Texas Childrens Health Plan and higher-than-expected losses in medical costs all played a role in the downgrade, Fitch said. Teenagers across the UK are anticipating their A level results. (Getty Images) (Getty Images) A levels results day has arrived, and teenagers all across the UK will be nervously biting their teeth as they wait to see if they have achieved the grades they need to get a place in university or college. This year, experts are predicting that those leaving school will find it easier to get into their chosen university compared to their predecessors as universities seek to take on more UK students. Nevertheless, this period of time can be full of anxiety for both parents and teenagers. Its important for parents to be mindful of how they react to their childs feelings, even before the results are at hand. Jessen James, a trained mental health and human behaviour expert, tells Yahoo UK: "Exam results day can be a nerve-wracking experience, not just for students but also for parents. The pressure to meet expectations, both from themselves and others, can create overwhelming anxiety. "Now, while adults understand that an envelopes contents does not define your future, for teens, it can feel like everything hangs on this single moment." To help parents prepare their teenagers for whats to come, James shared his top tips: What to do before results arrive: Dont disrupt your childs routine "So, heres something very, very important, dont suddenly change your childs routine just because results day is approaching," James advises. "For example, trying to protect them by keeping them off their phones or social media can actually do more harm than good. This will likely be one of the key ways they stay in contact with their friends, so suddenly taking that away from them during a stressful time - because lets face it, the whole familys emotions will be running high - can be counterproductive, making them feel more alone and isolated." While social media usage can be a concern, James says that allowing your teenager to maintain their usual habits is crucial to help them keep a sense of things being normal. This provides stability, which can reduce anxiety. "Any sudden strictness might upset their routine and make them feel even more stressed. It will also be easier for you to spot any changes in behaviour if you stick to the same routine." Encourage open conversations Being there for your teenager and letting them talk about their concerns is really important. (Getty Images) (Getty Images/iStockphoto) Providing opportunities for your child to talk about their feelings and concerns is really important. Whatever you do, dont brush things off by saying something like, Everything will be fine, James says. "Instead, its important to focus on creating open discussions about their feelings or any fears they have. Encourage them to handle their emotions by asking, What worries you most about results day? "This approach helps them feel heard and validated rather than just reassured, which can feel like a shut down, whether you mean for it to sound that way or not." What to do on results day Put things into perspective On the day that results come out, its important to let your child know that different outcomes are OK and everyone in life has their own path, James says. "Remind your child the world's most successful people in business didnt get perfect grades and that their worth isnt tied to how well they did in their exams - ultimately it is how you apply yourself and how disciplined you are to succeed. "Discuss possible outcomes beforehand and reassure them that you will support them no matter what, which can help distract from some of the pressure they will be feeling." Plan a distraction "While waiting for the results, engage in an activity thats not only low-key but also meaningful, such as a visit to a place they love," James recommends. "This distraction should be something that genuinely interests them, helping to shift their focus from anxiety to something fulfilling." What to do after results day Acknowledge emotions first Making sure you acknowledge your teenager's emotions before jumping into any problem-solving mode is key. (Getty Images) (Getty Images) It can be easy to jump straight into problem-solving mode as a parent, no matter what the result is. However, James emphasises the importance of taking the time to acknowledge your childs emotions first. "Whether theyre overjoyed, disappointed, or somewhere in between, try and validate their feelings at first. Then, help them celebrate any small wins, whether its a passing grade in a tough subject or the effort they put into their studies. "This reinforces the idea that progress, not perfection, is what ultimately matters. Also, if they do get great grades, of course, praise is wonderful. However, if praise is the first and only response, you may inadvertently communicate to your child that this is all that matters. "Be very careful here because they may grow up believing that their worth is solely tied to external validation from a parent. As a result, they might not feel truly fulfilled as adults, constantly seeking validation from others and struggling to find internal satisfaction. This could lead to unintended problems down the line." Help them focus on their strengths This is an important time to guide in your child in reflecting on their unique strengths and passions, both academic and non-academic, James says. "Encourage them to think about what they genuinely enjoy and excel at, whether its a subject, a hobby, or a skill - it can be literally anything. "This exercise helps them become motivated and excited. It helps them understand themselves better and change their view from just focusing on exam results to thinking about their overall abilities and future possibilities." It is also crucial that you dont compare their results to anyone elses, including their siblings or friends. Doing so can seriously exacerbate feelings of inadequacy or competition, which in turn affects their self-worth. "Instead, stay honed on their individual journey, strengths, and what the possibilities are for them only," James concludes. Read more about mental health: A house husband has been jailed for 18 months for violent disorder for taking part in a far-right protest in Weymouth despite the efforts of his wife to coax him away. Father-of-three Ian Vetier, of Weymouth, pleaded guilty to the offence at Bournemouth Crown Court in relation to the demonstration on August 4. Richard Tutt, prosecuting, said that the 36-year-old played a prominent role among the group he described as the Enough is enough group which had gathered to confront a larger Stand Up To Racism group. He described how police officers feared for their safety as they attempted to control the protest group who were shouting and swearing aggressively at them. He added that the police attempted to stop the far-right group as it attempted to march towards the counter-demonstration despite such a march not being planned or agreed with the police. Ian Vetier, of Weymouth, pictured taking part in a protest in Weymouth on August 4 (CPS/PA) He said that an officer noticed two males pushing and shoving against one of the police sergeants who was then pushing back and the two males were trying to get past the cordon. He added: One of those males was identified as Ian Vetier and he is noticeable as he is one of a few males who was shirtless and was holding a Union Jack flag in his right hand. He added: Mr Vetier can be seen and heard shouting Its a free country mate, and a little later he was saying words to this effect: You f****** wrong un, back them f****** ragheads, c**** mate, the lot of them. The protest group then started chanting collectively Who the f*** is Allah? He said that Vetier then shouted in front of an officer: You want to back them f****** lot down there, you f****** idiots, the lot of you, you are not f****** British at all, you c**** arent f****** British. He then walked back into the main protest group. Mr Tutt said that about two hours later Vetier was seen arriving in a car where he confronted officers in the cordon for taking photographs of the car. He said that Vetier shouted aggressively to officers: F****** waste of space, whats the point, why are you taking pictures, you f****** piglet, you are f****** scum and other similarly charming expressions. Richard Martin, defending, said that Vetier had shown remorse for his actions and had pledged not to attend another demonstration in the future. The court heard that Vetier was a house husband who had previously been convicted of three counts covering seven offences of dishonesty between 2013 and 2016. Mr Martin said: He puts it down to getting caught up in the heat of the moment, your honour knows this was a highly emotive day, people are entitled to assemble for lawful protest, what he seems to have done is fallen foul of the hostile animus there. He got caught up in it and realises that was a very wrong thing to do. Judge William Mousley KC told the court that Vetiers wife could be seen in video footage shown to the court trying to coax him away from his prominent position. Mr Martin responded: She was supportive of him but she is the one left carrying the consequences of what her husband did. Sentencing Vetier, Judge Mousley said: You were part of a group of 30 or more males causing public disorder on the Weymouth esplanade with members of the public not involved would have been nearby, holidaymakers and the like. Police were trying to prevent that disorder from escalating, the group of which you were a member were loud, threatening, abusive and threatening including making racist remarks. All that created a frightening atmosphere, violence was being threatened by the group. There was no lawful reason for the behaviour, doubtless some of it was fuelled by alcohol. He added: Its right to say you yourself did not use any violence towards the police or anyone else but your presence and your role served only as encouragement to others to do so. You were prominent and remained at the front of the group for significant parts of the incident, you were shouting at police, abusive and threatening. Kate Brown, chief crown prosecutor with CPS Wessex, said: The disorder seen in Weymouth was a true blight on our region and will no doubt have disturbed residents of this otherwise peaceful community. The right to protest is enshrined in law, but that right does not extend to verbally abusing and physically attacking police officers who are there to ensure everyones safety. The behaviour seen will not be tolerated and the Crown Prosecution Service will continue working with our partners in policing and the wider criminal justice system to make sure those who bring violence to our communities face the full consequences of their actions. Two Just Stop Oil activists have denied criminal damage and interfering with national infrastructure after two private jets were sprayed with orange paint in a protest at Stansted Airport. The group said at the time of the incident, on June 20, that activists had entered the airfield and used fire extinguishers filled with orange paint. Jennifer Kowalski, 28, of Dumbarton in Scotland, and 22-year-old Cole Macdonald, of Brighton both pleaded not guilty at Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday to criminal damage and interfering with national infrastructure. Just Stop Oil activists Jennifer Kowalski (left) and Cole Macdonald arriving at Chelmsford Crown Court (Yui Mok/ PA) The aircraft were owned by Prudential Insurance and by an investment group, according to charges read to the court. Essex Police previously confirmed that the private jet of pop star Taylor Swift, which Just Stop Oil said had landed at Stansted mere hours before, was not at the airport at the time. The two defendants are due to stand trial at the same court from September 15 next year, with a time-estimate of three to four days indicated. Prosecutors told an earlier hearing that the cost of cleaning up the paint was 52,000. Judge Mary Loram KC set a pre-trial review hearing for August 26 next year. She granted both defendants bail, with conditions including that they do not go within a mile of an airport save for on moving public transport. The Liberal Democrats have called on the Government to make this the last Premier League season where games are locked behind a paywall. In its General Election manifesto, the party pledged to tackle the high price of watching football on TV and ensure that at least 10 Premier League games a season would be free to air. The Lib Dems claim that broadcasting more football matches for free would build on the success of the Olympics programming and inspire the next generation of boys and girls to get involved in sports. Calum Miller, MP for Bicester and Woodstock, has now written to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy to urge her to meet with representatives from the football industry to discuss free broadcasting options. In the letter, Mr Miller said: This must be the last Premier League season to be locked behind the paywall. Football remains the most popular sport in the United Kingdom, deeply rooted in our countrys culture and tradition, attracting millions of passionate fans and players. But ticket prices for matches have continued to soar during the cost of living crisis and many fans are now priced out of watching the team they support. I am calling on you to have discussions with the Premier League to tear down the paywall and give football back to the country. Footballer Cole Palmer (John Walton/PA) Perhaps with your intervention, the Premier League and associated television companies might be persuaded to give us all a live Premier League match as a Christmas present. It is time for young boys and girls, and their mums, dads and grandparents, to watch Cole Palmers penalties, Sakas dazzling footwork and Pep Guardiolas record breakers. I hope you are able to make this happen. The letter also notes the Womens Super League and Spanish top division La Liga have made games available for free as part of a deal with broadcasters. A DCMS spokesperson said: The Government has no plans to review the listed events regime. A-level trends: Which subjects are on the up or falling out of favour? Here are some of the key subject trends in this years A-level results: Subjects on the up The health of the UK economy may be a matter of debate but there is no argument over the health of A-level economics, which is flourishing. It had 40,451 entries in 2024, more than ever, up 3% year-on-year and 52% since 2014. Economics was the 10th most popular A-level overall and the third most popular subject among boys, behind only maths and physics. Business studies is also continuing to do well, with entries increasing 10 years in a row to a new high of 44,961: enough to lift it one place in the top 10 most popular subjects overall, from seventh to sixth. Entries for business studies are 68% higher than a decade ago. There were 20,370 entries for computing, another new high, up 11% on last year and nearly double the 10,286 entries just six years ago in 2018. Subjects falling out favour The long-term decline in the popularity of performing arts subjects shows no sign of reversing. A-level entries in drama and music (PA Graphics) Drama entries fell 6% year-on-year and have almost halved in the past 15 years, dropping 46% from 16,925 in 2009 to 8,654 in 2024. There was a very slight rise in music entries this year, up from 5,493 in 2023 to 5,517, but this is still down 47% on the number 15 years ago (10,425). Entries for performing/expressive arts have sunk even lower, with just 1,170 this year compared with 1,203 in 2023 and 3,591 in 2009. Religious studies is another subject trending downwards, though it remains a more popular choice than any of the performing arts, with 16,622 entries this year down 1% from 16,853 last year, and down 39% from a peak of 27,032 entries in 2016. A-level entries in computing and religious studies (PA Graphics) No change at the top The top five most popular subject choices were unchanged for the fifth year in a row: maths, psychology, biology, chemistry and history. The top five for boys was maths, physics, economics, chemistry and biology, while the top five for girls was psychology, biology, maths, chemistry and sociology. A boost for foreign languages The big three foreign languages at A-level Spanish, French and German all saw an increase in entries this year. Spanish entries rose from 8,110 to 8,238, French from 7,063 to 7,544 and German from 2,358 to 2,431: not sharp jumps by any means but a change from the pattern of recent years which saw steep declines for both French and German. A-level entries in French, Spanish & German (PA Graphics) The long-term picture is still pretty grim, with French having stood as high as 15,149 entries 20 years ago and 10,433 10 years ago, while German had 6,390 entries in 2004 and 4,187 in 2014. But the small rise in entries this year might suggest the decline has come to a halt and even gone into reverse. Gender imbalance in subjects Computing recorded the biggest gender imbalance towards males, with boys making up 83% of entries and girls 17%. Physics (77% boys, 23% girls) and further maths (73% boys, 27% girls) were among the other subjects skewed heavily towards males. A-level subjects with the greatest gender imbalance (PA Graphics) The biggest imbalance towards females was in the relatively new subject of health and social care. In the double award for this subject, girls made up 96% of entries and boys just 4%. Performing/expressive arts (91% girls, 9% boys) and Welsh as a first language (82% girls, 18% boys) were other examples of subjects with predominantly female entries. A man has been charged with attempted murder after a police officer was stabbed at a high-security prison in July. David Taylor, 62, formerly of Willington, County Durham, was remanded in custody over the incident at HMP Frankland, Durham Police said on Thursday. The officer, a detective constable serving with Greater Manchester Police, suffered a single stab wound to the chest on July 23, during an interview with a remand prisoner. A 62-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder after a @gmpolice officer was stabbed at HMP Frankland last month. David Taylor, formerly of Willington, County Durham, was remanded in custody to appear at court on September 3. More here: https://t.co/wd9CYVdjm8 pic.twitter.com/rLiPX04Wx9 Durham Constabulary (@DurhamPolice) August 15, 2024 Land and air ambulance crews were called to the jail and the officer, who suffered critical injuries, was taken to hospital where he was treated before being discharged. He is now recovering at home from the stabbing, which Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood had described on X, formerly Twitter, as deeply concerning. HMP Frankland in Durham is a category A mens prison, the highest level of security, and houses some of the countrys most serious criminals. Taylor will appear at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates Court on September 3. Matthew Perrys live-in assistant has pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute ketamine connected to the death of the US actor. Kenneth Iwamasa, 59, of Toluca Lake, admitted to repeatedly injecting Perry with ketamine without medical training, including performing multiple injections on October 28 2023 the day he died, the Department of Justice said. He previously pleaded guilty on August 7 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death. Mr Iwamasa was one of five people charged after the Friends star died from an accidental ketamine overdose last October. An investigation into the circumstances surrounding Perrys death revealed that in autumn last year the 54-year-old actor fell back into addiction and these defendants took advantage to profit for themselves, United States attorney Martin Estrada said. Matthew Perry sought treatment for depression and anxiety and went to a local clinic where he became addicted to intravenous ketamine, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) administrator Anne Milgram said. When clinic doctors refused to increase his dosage, he turned to unscrupulous doctors who saw Perry as a way to make quick money. Dr Salvador Plasencia, 42, of Santa Monica, allegedly worked with Dr Mark Chavez, 54, of San Diego, to supply Perry with large amounts of ketamine charging Perry 2,000 dollars (1,500) for a vial that cost Dr Chavez approximately 12 dollars (9). As Matthew Perrys ketamine addiction grew, he wanted more, and he wanted it faster and cheaper, that is how he ended up buying from street dealers who sold the ketamine that ultimately led to his death, Ms Milgram said. Five defendants, including two doctors, charged in connection with actor Matthew Perrys fatal drug overdose last year https://t.co/1zPBcVkRnJ US Attorney L.A. (@USAO_LosAngeles) August 15, 2024 Dr Plasencia allegedly used Perrys live-in assistant Mr Iwamasa to distribute approximately 20 vials of ketamine to the actor over a two-month period from September to October 2023 in exchange for 55,000 dollars (43,000). It is claimed the doctor taught Mr Iwamasa, who had never received medical training, how to inject Perry with ketamine including on the day he died at his Pacific Palisades home after multiple injections. Before Perrys death, Dr Plasencia wrote in a text message: I wonder how much this moron will pay, adding that Perry was spiralling out of control with his addiction, Mr Estrada said. Ms Milgram said Perry turned to street dealer Eric Fleming, 54, of Hawthorne, who allegedly sourced ketamine from a drug trafficker known as The ketamine Queen Jasveen Sangha, 41, of North Hollywood. Mr Fleming pleaded guilty on August 8 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death, and admitted in court documents that he distributed the ketamine that killed Perry, the US attorney said. He also is said to have admitted to obtaining the drug from Ms Sangha, and distributing 50 vials of ketamine to Mr Iwamasa half of them four days before Perrys death. Matthew Perry died in October from the acute effects of ketamine (Ian West/PA) Ms Sangha allegedly sold approximately 50 vials of ketamine to Perry for 11,000 dollars (8,553) in cash, the US attorney said. The ketamine supplied by Sangha would ultimately be the dose that took Matthew Perrys life, Ms Milgram told the briefing. Perry, who most famously played Chandler Bing in hit US sitcom Friends, was found unresponsive in the pool at his residence in Los Angeles on October 28. In December, Perrys death was ruled an accident from the acute effects of ketamine a sedative that can be used as a recreational drug, as well as to treat depression and pain management. Lisa Kudrow, Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, Courteney Cox and David Schwimmer in Friends (Landmark Media/Alamy) A medical examiner said that Perry had been receiving ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety, with his last known treatment one-and-a-half weeks prior to his death. The ketamine in his system at death could not be from that infusion therapy, the report said. Mr Estrada said the investigation into Perrys death uncovered a broad underground criminal network responsible for distributing large quantities of ketamine to Perry and others. He said they have filed numerous federal charges against the five defendants, including conspiracy to distribute ketamine and distribution of ketamine resulting in death. With regard to defendant Plasencia, the statutory maximum sentence he faces is 120 years in federal prison. With regard to defendant Sangha, the statutory maximum she faces is life imprisonment, Mr Estrada added. During his life, Perry was open about his battle with substance abuse and addiction, setting up a sober living facility for men with similar issues. Following his death, a foundation was set up in his name to help those struggling with addiction. An investigation into Matthew Perrys death from an accidental ketamine overdose last October has led to five people including his assistant and two doctors being charged. It is claimed that Perry first went to a clinic for depression and anxiety, and became addicted to intravenous ketamine, and when he asked for an increased dosage, he was refused. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) claims he then turned to unscrupulous doctors who abused their position of trust. Here is a look at how events unfolded: November 2022: Perry releases the book Friends, Lovers And The Big Terrible Thing, in which he says he was on the brink of death, aged 49, when his colon burst from drug abuse. Perry also discloses he spent two weeks in a coma and five months in hospital and had to use a colostomy bag for nine months. He says he is in sobriety. Actor Matthew Perry (Myung Jung Kim/PA) Late September 2023: According to the indictment, Dr Salvador Plasencia, 42, of Santa Monica, learned Perry was interested in obtaining ketamine. Plasencia then allegedly contacted Dr Mark Chavez, 54, of San Diego, to supply Perry with the anaesthetic medication. September and October: It is claimed that Plasencia used Perrys live-in assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, 59, of Toluca Lake, to distribute approximately 20 vials of ketamine to the actor. Mid-October: It is alleged Iwamasa began also to buy ketamine for Perry from Erik Fleming, 54, of Hawthorne, and Jasveen Sangha, 41, of North Hollywood. During the same month, Iwamasa was allegedly told that Perrys ketamine addiction was spiralling out of control. October 28: The US Attorneys Office, Central District of California, says Iwamasa injected Perry at his Pacific Palisades home with the ketamine that was sold to him by Fleming and Sangha, and using syringes from Plasencia. Perry was found face down in his hot tub, and paramedics declared him dead. Perrys death was announced and it is claimed that Sangha texted Fleming: Delete all our messages. October 29: An post-mortem examination is completed on Perry. November 3: Friends co-stars Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow and Jennifer Aniston reportedly attend his funeral at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park, where he was buried. Matt Le Blanc, David Schwimmer, Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry and Jennifer Aniston width= December 15: The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner ruled his death an accident from the acute effects of ketamine. Perry was receiving ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety, the examination said. It concluded that this would not explain the levels found in his blood, which was in the range used for general anaesthesia during surgery. February and March 2024: The US attorney alleges that Plasencia provided altered and falsified medical records, which claimed he had a legitimate treatment plan in place for Perry, which they say was an attempt to influence the investigation. May: The Los Angeles Police Department confirms it is continuing to work with the DEA on an investigation into the circumstances of Perrys death. August 7: Iwamasa pleads guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death. He admits to repeatedly injecting Perry with ketamine without medical training, including performing multiple injections on the day of his death. August 8: Fleming pleads guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death. He admits to obtaining the ketamine from his source, Sangha, and to distributing 50 vials of ketamine to Iwamasa, the US attorney said. August 15: Plasencia, Chavez, Iwamasa, Fleming and Sangha are charged over the circumstances surrounding Perrys death. Sangha and Plasencia are set to appear in court. Who is winning Celebrity Race Across The World's budget contest? (BBC) Celebrity Race Across The World is under way, with Kelly Brook and Jeremy Parisi the surprise winners of the first leg but who is leading in terms of the budget? Each contestant on the BBC One travel series is given a budget of 1,100 (2,200 per pair), the equivalent of an airfare from the start point in Belem, northern Brazil to the finish line in Frutillar, southern Chile. Along the way, they'll have to decide where to splurge the cash on costs such as transport, accommodation and food, and where to cut back. They can also take on jobs during the race to earn back some money. It's a tricky balance to strike as teams are aiming to hit the checkpoints first but if they burn through their budget they could end up stuck on a slower route or even be eliminated from the race. How much budget does each Race Across The World team have left? The teams' financial decisions are already having an impact on how their race is going, as the amount they spent in week one correlated to where they finished in the first leg for many of them. Kelly Brook and Jeremy Parisi spent the second most but came in first. However, Kola Bokinni and Mary Ellen spent even more than Brook and Parisi but were lagging behind the others in last place. Kelly Brook and Jeremy Parisi's budget splurge put them in first place. (BBC) Kola Bokinni and Mary Ellen Budget left: 83% remaining Kelly Brook and Jeremy Parisi Budget left: 1,841.31 - 84% remaining Scott Mills and Sam Vaughan Budget left: 1,864.76 - 85% remaining Jeff and Freddy Brazier Budget left: 1,930.18 - 88% remaining Celebrity Race Across The World spending rows Just one episode in, the contestants' different attitudes to spending are already showing. A few of the pairs have had some friction over budget already as they decide where to focus their funds. Scott Mills and Sam Vaughan Scott Mills says Sam Vaughan is the tightest person he knows. (Getty Images) The Radio 2 DJ married Sam Vaughan just a couple of months after filming the series so they obviously managed to overcome their spending differences, but budget was an issue from the start. In one scene, Vaughan asked a bus ticket seller for a discount and looked satisfied that she said yes, but Mills commented: "So that's 3 pence." Vaughan replied: "But, it's savings," as Mills chided him: "Get your money out, Martin Lewis." Speaking ahead of the race getting started, Mills said: "Sam is one of the tightest people I've ever met in my life, and I say that with love." Vaughan admitted: "I just like to make sure that I get the better value for everything, so I'll set the washing machine and dishwasher for midnight because it's the cheapest rate." Jeff and Freddy Brazier Jeff and Freddy Brazier fell out as tempers frayed. (BBC) The father and son were involved in the first argument of the series which kicked off over a seemingly innocent conversation about spending. They had stopped to eat dinner and Freddy joked that if he had control of the team's cash, he would have bought a bucket of ice cream - but his dad snapped: "You can just say if you really want something. It's our money...You don't need to do stuff on the quiet. It's better for our family if we're just open and honest with each other." His comment clearly hit a nerve, as Freddy shot back: "I don't think we're even open as a family though. I stayed quiet because I feel like that's what everyone else does." An annoyed Jeff asked: "Are you joking? Freddy don't be unfair. What have I done for the last seven or eight years? Don't say that I don't. Take responsibility, that's part of this." They later made up with a hug, but not before Jeff had stormed off leaving Freddy saying: "Part of me came on this race to open up with my dad and already he's storming off. That's not good. He might not like what I say, I'm just trying to talk to him really but it's hard." Kelly Brook and Jeremy Parisi Kelly Brook was not keen on budget travel. (BBC) Brook appeared much keener to splash the cash than her husband Parisi but they appeared to come to a compromise, as while they spent the second most, they did reach the checkpoint first. Parisi was keen to save money on overnight buses and by working, while Brook complained about missing out on experiences and having to travel on a budget. One viewer commented: "'It's not who can save the most money' Kelly there, showing she has not watched this show. Ever." Someone else joked: "According to Kelly Brook. Its 'Celebrity Take Your Time Across The World." Another viewer added: "If it was up to Kelly, I doubt they would even get to first checkpoint, before the others have crossed the finish line. She is going to drive her husband bonkers." Despite viewers' criticisms, they were the surprise winners of the first leg as Brook said: "I wish we'd seen more, but Jeremy's a winner, I want him to be a winner." Read more: Celebrity Race Across The World This article originally appeared on Yahoo TV UK at https://uk.news.yahoo.com/celebrity-race-across-world-budget-remaining-124431830.html Northern Irelands official museums body has been consulted around a potential role in the future of the former Maze Prison site. Political disagreement at Stormont around proposals for a peace centre at the site have seen it lay derelict for decades. The current First Minister Michelle ONeill indicated in June that she along with deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly were to meet with the Maze Long Kesh Development Corporation. The former Maze Prisons H Block at Long Kesh near Lisburn, Northern Ireland (Niall Carson/PA) The body, which was established in 2011, is understood to have met in April with senior officials from National Museums NI (NMNI). It emerged on Thursday in a development first reported by the BBC that there had been discussions with National Museums Northern Ireland around what role it could play in the interpretation of and access to the former prison. The former paramilitary prison only compromises part of the huge 347-acre site near Lisburn that falls under the remit of the corporation. While there has been some development most significantly the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society becoming an anchor tenant and moving the annual Balmoral Show to the venue the wider transformation of the site has been stalled for over a decade. The Ulster Aviation Society and the Northern Ireland Air Ambulance also operate out of the site. The full regeneration plan hit the buffers in 2013 when former DUP first minister Peter Robinson blocked efforts to build a peace centre as part of a redevelopment of the sprawling grounds which once housed the high-security jail and were gifted to the Northern Ireland Executive by the UK Government. The prison held paramilitary inmates during the Troubles and was the location for republican hunger strikes in 1981 in which 10 died, including Bobby Sands. Mr Robinsons move came amid unionist concerns about the symbolism of building a peace centre on the site of the prison. A political impasse has continued since. In 2019 the corporation said it was setting aside the plan for the peace centre as it focused on progressing the sites wider redevelopment. The corporation has said the site has the potential to generate 5,000 jobs and deliver more than 300 million of investment through social and economic regeneration. A spokesperson for NMNI said any future role within the site would be an extension of our relevant work at our museums. NMNI runs the Ulster Museum, Ulster Folk and Transport Museums in Belfast and Co Down, as well as the Ulster American Folk Park in Co Tyrone. It is our understanding that the Maze Long Kesh Development Corporation has been tasked with exploring options for the future development of the site, they said. Within that context we have discussed what, if any, role we could play in supporting the interpretation of and access to the heritage buildings, including the Second World War hangars and the prison buildings. This would be as an extension of our relevant work at our museums. However, any decisions on the future of the site rest solely with Executive Ministers. Stormont Education Minister Paul Givan (Liam McBurney/PA) DUP Lagan Valley and Stormont minister Paul Givan the site should not be allowed to become a shrine. Mr Givan, whose father served as a prison officer at the Maze, said he does not see that at the former prison-turned-museum the Crumlin Road Gaol in north Belfast. The price that was paid by prison officers and their families is one that is not properly reflected and I think its important that we acknowledge that, he told the BBC. We cannot allow a circumstance where the Maze would become the retelling of some kind of story by republicans in terms of the hero worship. I dont believe thats what it would be. I dont see that at the Crumlin Road Gaol. I absolutely want to see investment on the site and for it to be developed, and there has to be a way found to make sure that it isnt a shrine, never will be a shrine, and I think that we can guarantee that that would be the case. I think these things should be worked through and there should be people talking about how we make sure things can be developed in a way whereby that there no revisionism, that there is no celebration of those prisoners but we also reflect the price that was paid by prison officers and the sacrifice that they made. Montgomery County commissioners are pushing for change in state legislation to regulate the growing number of roadside businesses, specifically the sale of animals, that they say are a burden to the community. A man unloads firewood to sell along FM 1314 near U.S. 59 in February 2023 in Porter. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer Montgomery County commissioners are pushing for change in state legislation to regulate the growing number of roadside businesses, specifically the sale of animals, that they say are a burden to the community. Precinct 4 Commissioner Matt Gray is spearheading the effort to amend the population threshold in current legislation to capture Montgomery County. Not only do they create hazardous road conditions, but they circumvent the health food regulations, they take away from people who invest in the community and storefronts, Gray said. You get puppy mills with people sitting out in 100-degree heat selling dogs or giving animals away. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Under the Texas Transportation Code, counties with a population of more than 1.3 million can regulate the sale of food, merchandise or live animals by vendors, including the placement of any kind of structure by a vendor. WATER WOES: Magnolia still sees developer interest despite a halt on issuing building permits Montgomery County's population is at 678,490 and the county has a permitting and inspection process for food vendors. County Judge Mark Keough was hesitant to pursue new legislation that would be too broad. However, he supported an amendment that would allow the county to regulate businesses, especially those selling puppies. My concern is the puppy mills, Keough said. People bringing more animals into the county. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Gray said while enforcement seems challenging because most of Montgomery County is unincorporated, he said the legislation is critical for the health and safety of the community. This gives us some teeth so we can at least nip this in the bud on the one setting up in the rights of way in busy areas, Gray said. We can at least mitigate that to some degree. Precinct 3 Constable Ryan Gable said he has seen the issue in south Montgomery County. (Roadside businesses) have become a hindrance; they bring people in that you dont want on the side of the road, Gable said. (Legislation) to be able to handle those (vendors) would help a lot. It would be a great tool to have. There has never been a more dangerous time to be taking drugs, the head of the National Crime Agency (NCA) has warned. Director-general Graeme Biggar said drugs were the biggest single driver of organised crime in the UK and remained the most important crime type for the law enforcement agency to be tackling as he raised concerns about a significant number of deaths linked to the incredibly strong synthetic opioid nitazene in the last year. Outlining the NCAs annual assessment of crime threats to Britain, he said: There has never been a more dangerous time to be taking drugs. The number of people that have died from the misuse of drugs has increased by 60% over the last 10 years and tripled over the last 30 years. That gives us one of the highest death rates for drugs in Europe. At the briefing in central London on Thursday, he told reporters that over the last year the NCA had seen the presence of synthetic opioids in greater numbers after previously emerging in small levels in the form of drugs such as fentanyl. Since the surge in nitazene began in June last year which is being used as a cheap way to increase the strength of certain drugs there have been 284 confirmed deaths from nitazene or versions of it to date, he said, but stressed the number is likely to rise as investigations into other deaths continue. That is a relatively small proportion of overall drug deaths, but it has been growing. It is significant, Mr Biggar said, adding: From nitazene, you can absolutely die the very first time you take it, and from nitazene, you very often dont know you are taking it. It is heroin thats been adulterated. Its been put into a pill that you think is something else. And so anyone, a teenager, might be taking a drug thinking it is something else, and its nitazene. It is incredibly strong, and you die. In the majority of nitazene cases, the substance was consumed unintentionally alongside other drugs such as heroin and/or benzodiazepines, with very small quantities capable of leading to overdose and death, a document setting out the NCAs national strategic assessment said, adding: We must prepare for these substances to become widely available, both unadvertised in fortified mixes, and in response to user demand as a more potent high. Mr Biggar said his warnings applied to anyone who takes recreational drugs as he highlighted that the NCA estimated the cost to society in the UK from the misuse of drugs is 20 billion. NCA bosses also told how drug mules were brazenly flying into the UK with suitcases stuffed full of cannabis without even trying to hide it. Mr Biggar said cannabis remains the biggest single drug consumed in the UK as he described how the NCA had noticed a significant increase in the last two years of airline passengers trying to bring the drug into the country in their luggage. Illegal drugs devastate lives, tear communities apart and bring violence on our streets from the criminal gangs involved in drug dealing. Find out more https://t.co/fDaR12krz3 pic.twitter.com/i7xlxcRTjE National Crime Agency (NCA) (@NCA_UK) August 15, 2024 Turning to child sexual abuse, Rob Jones, the NCAs director general of operations, said it is still continuing to demand a big resource-intensive effort to tackle. The NCA threat assessment estimated there are between 710,000 and 840,000 UK-based adult offenders who pose varying degrees of risk to children, equivalent to 1.3% to 1.6% of the UK adult population. That is the threat to children in the UK from people who may have a sexual interest in them, Mr Jones said, adding: Those figures are eye-watering, but theyve been out there for many years now, and they stack up. He drew attention to high profile individuals, people of public prominence, being arrested and dealt with for this crime. And we can continue to see children being harmed online as a result of it. His comments come in the wake of disgraced veteran BBC News presenter Huw Edwards pleading guilty to charges of making indecent images of children, with the court hearing he had been involved in an online chat with a man on WhatsApp between 2020 and 2021 who sent him hundreds of sexual images, of which 41 were indecent images of children. The NCA has seen changes in the threat to children with the significance of sextortion, Mr Jones also warned as he told how sextortion groups doubled down with a new playbook in terms of trying to inflict misery on children through extortion tactics to make money. He said it is important to have open conversations with children about the tactic of coercion to extort sexual favours from a victim because it will completely change the power dynamic. He added: If children feel they can reach out and say, Ive shared a compromising picture, Ive shared a compromising chat, the people who are trying to extort them have no power over them whatsoever. The NCA repeated concerns that dangerous migrant Channel crossings were a persistent and high-volume threat in the wake of more deaths at sea, with Mr Biggar suggesting an asylum system that works quickly and effectively could help deter the numbers of people attempting the journey. Pasha Kovalev dances with his partner Ashley Roberts on Strictly Come Dancing - GUY LEVY/PA Former Strictly Come Dancing star Pasha Kovalev has said the BBC needs to re-establish workplace behaviour rules in order to save the series, amid controversy over the alleged treatment of contestants. The Russian dancer, who joined the BBC show in 2011 before leaving in 2018, suggested there were one or two bad apples that would need to be dealt with. Kovalev, who lifted the glitterball trophy in 2014 with the late TV presenter Caroline Flack and came second alongside Ashley Roberts, the Pussycat Dolls star, in 2018, said there are no excuses for bad behaviour, regardless of the pressure you are under or the atmosphere you are in. The results of an investigation, launched by the BBC following allegations made about Italian professional dancer Giovanni Pernice by former participant Amanda Abbington, have not yet been published by the corporation. The rules need to be regulated, or revisited, and the atmosphere should be re-established where people are trusting one another, people are positive and working together to create a better show delivering a better product, and entertaining people, Kovalev told the Daily Mirror. He added: I never experienced anything of the sort during my time on Strictly or witnessed anyone else going through it, because Id have definitely intervened. I guess in every office in the country youd have one or two bad apples, and when it comes to it, it needs to be dealt with. However, he said he is optimistic the show will continue after this years 20th anniversary. There is no reason to have a break, in spite of all this controversy, he said. It needs to be addressed, to be fixed, [and] people need to be listened to for a proper creative, celebratory atmosphere. The professional dancer met his future wife, Countdown star Rachel Riley, when they were paired on the 11th series of the dancing contest. The couple married in Las Vegas in 2019, following Rileys divorce from Jamie Gilbert in 2013. They have two children together. Kovalevs comments come after the 2024 Strictly line-up was revealed, which includes the shows first blind contestant, Olympic athletes and soap actors. Forensic tents erected at an RNLI station in Dover after the incident in the Channel on 14 December 2022. Photograph: Gareth Fuller/PA An investigation into the sinking of a migrant boat in the Channel that claimed at least eight lives in December 2022 has found that the dinghy was wholly unsuitable and ill-equipped for its hazardous journey and even more poorly constructed than other similar vessels making the crossing. Of those who died, at least four bodies were never recovered and three of the four that were recovered have not yet been formally identified. The body that was identified has been returned to his family. The report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) analysed probable reasons for the collapse of the dinghy with 47 people onboard, the youngest aged 13, from countries including Afghanistan, Sudan and Albania. It concludes that the dinghy, named Charlie, was poorly built compared to the many others that had been recovered and inspected in the preceding years. It was reported that there were glue marks consistent with the presence of handholds that had come away from the tubing, and the fabric floor panel, which was constructed with one side slightly textured to improve grip, was fitted upside down. At about 3am on 14 December 2022 there was a structural failure and many of the migrants entered the water, the MAIB said. The Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre at Dover had been informed at 2.13am that night that the dinghy was potentially in distress. Thirty-nine people were rescued by a fishing vessel, the Arcturus, and other boats. The first report that the dinghy was in distress came through at 1.53am. A volunteer for the French charity Utopia 56 received a global positioning system location in the Channel and a WhatsApp voice message that said: Hello brother, we are in a boat and we have a problem, please help. We have children and family in a boat and water come in the boat and we do not have anything for the children safety. Please help bro. Please, please, please, we are in the water. We have a family. The sound of someone crying loudly could be heard in the background, the MAIB report says. The volunteer tried unsuccessfully to contact the sender before alerting authorities in Dover and Calais. Investigators concluded that this was a false declaration intended to expedite rescue but at about 3am the occupants of the dinghy heard a pop or bang and the boat started to flood rapidly from under the floorboards, the report says. Some people were able to cling on to the tubing on the side of the dinghy but others were forced into the water. The water temperature that night was 11C; anything below 15C can cause cold water shock that can lead to swift loss of life. The air temperature was as low as -4C. Some NGOs have previously said they believed that passengers standing up thinking they were about to be rescued when the Arcturus came into view caused the floor of the boat to collapse. The MAIB report does not mention this and states that a tear in the material at the base of the boat led to the fabric flooring ripping, allowing floorboards at the base of the boat to float away and in turn leading to a collapse of the side tubing towards the centre of the boat. Due to the freezing weather, a surveillance aircraft usually used to patrol the Channel was not flying and there was a delay before the coastguard rescue helicopter was dispatched. Ibrahima Bah, a teenager from Senegal, was convicted of four counts of manslaughter in relation to the incident. He is appealing against his conviction. Minouche Shafik will step down immediately and take up a job in Britain with the Foreign Office - AP The president of Columbia University has resigned to take up a job in the foreign office following heavy criticism of her handling of pro-Palestine protests on campus. Baroness Shafik, who was made a life peer in the House of Lords in 2020, announced on Wednesday that she will step down immediately, just weeks before the start of the new academic year. She said the period of unrest has taken a considerable toll on my family, adding that she would return to Britain to work alongside David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, to review the Governments approach to international development. In an email to staff and students on Wednesday, Lady Shafik said the unrest at her university has been a period of turmoil where it has been difficult to overcome divergent views across our community. She added: Over the summer, Ive been able to reflect and have decided that my moving on this point would best enable Columbia to traverse the challenges ahead. Discussing her new role, she said: I am very pleased and appreciative that this will afford me the opportunity to return to work on fighting global poverty and promoting sustainable development, areas of lifelong interest to me. It also enables me to return to the House of Lords to re-engage with the important legislative agenda put forth by the new UK government. Lady Shafik, who is British-American, became the first female president of Columbia when she was appointed last year, but her tenure was overshadowed by pro-Palestine protests on campus earlier this year. Students barricaded themselves inside a building on the New York campus in April in protest against Israels war in Gaza. Footage of some demonstrators smashing windows at the universitys historic Hamilton Hall caused anger and, despite protesters insisting their sit-in was peaceful, police were called to dismantle the occupation. New York police officers carrying zip ties and riot shields stormed the building after being invited on to campus by Lady Shafik, a move that was heavily criticised by staff and students. She also appeared before Congress in April amid allegations that her university had not done enough to stamp out campus anti-Semitism. In a fraught hearing in Washington, DC, one Congress member accused Lady Shafik of allowing Columbia to become a hotbed of anti-Semitism and hatred. Earlier this week, three Columbia deans resigned after exchanging anti-Semitic text messages while Jewish speakers raised concerns about prejudice on campus. Lady Shafik has postgraduate degrees from the London School of Economics and the University of Oxford. She previously led the LSE and before that worked at the World Bank, where she rose through the ranks to become the banks youngest-ever vice president. She also worked at the Department for International Development, followed by a stint at the International Monetary Fund, and then in 2016 as deputy governor of the Bank of England before quitting after only two years in the role. Her resignation comes after two other Ivy League presidents were forced to step down earlier this year. Claudia Gay, of Harvard, and Liz Magill, of the University of Pennsylvania, left their posts as universities across the US were accused by Republicans of failing to protect their Jewish students from anti-Semitic incidents following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October. Asteroid impact believed to have led to the death of the dinosaurs some 66m years ago. Photograph: Science Photo Library/Alamy When a massive space rock slammed into Earth 66m years ago, it wiped out huge swathes of life and ended the reign of the dinosaurs. Now scientists say they have new insights into what it was made from. Experts studying material laid down at the time of the event say they have found tell-tale signs to support the idea the Chicxulub impact crater was produced by a carbon-rich, C-type, asteroid that originally formed beyond the orbit of Jupiter. Mario Fischer-Godde, co-author of the research from the University of Cologne, said the team are now keen to look at deposits associated with an impact some suggest was behind a large extinction about 215m years ago. Maybe this way we could find out if C-type asteroid impacts would have a higher probability for causing mass extinction events on Earth, he said. Writing in the journal Science, the researchers report how they studied different types, or isotopes, of ruthenium within a layer of material that settled over the globe after the impact 66m years ago. This layer contains traces of the remnants of the asteroid said Fischer-Godde. The team chose to look at ruthenium because the metal is very rare in the Earths crust. The ruthenium that we find in this layer, therefore, is almost 100% derived from the asteroid, said Fischer-Godde, adding that offers scientists a way to determine the makeup, and hence type, of the impactor itself. The team found samples of the layer from Denmark, Italy and Spain all showed the same ruthenium isotope composition. Crucially, said Fischer-Godde, the result is different to the composition generally found on Earth, ruling out a theory that the presence of ruthenium and other metals such as osmium and platinum, are down to past eruptions of the Deccan Traps volcanoes. The team also cast doubt on the possibility that the impactor was a comet, saying the ruthenium isotope composition of the samples is different to that of meteorites thought to be fragments of comets that have lost their ice. Instead the ruthenium isotope findings tally with the average composition of meteorites from carbonaceous (C-type) asteroids carbon-rich space rocks that would have formed at the beginning of the solar system, beyond the orbit of Jupiter. But questions remain about where exactly the asteroid came from before it headed to Earth. Fischer-Godde said C-type asteroids can today be found in the asteroid belt that sits between Mars and Jupiter because, not long after the formation of the solar system, Jupiter migrated, scattering asteroids in the process. As a result, he suggests the ill-fated space rock probably came from there. Maybe there was a collision of two asteroid bodies in the belt, and then this chunk kind of went on an Earth-crossing orbit. That could be one scenario, he said, although he noted there are other possibilities, including that it came from the Oort cloud that is thought to surround the solar system. Dr Craig Walton of the University of Cambridge, who was not involved in the work, said the research is exciting although in his view it remains unclear whether the impactor was an asteroid or comet. Nonetheless, this kind of work is offering us ever more detailed insights into the nature of the objects that have so dramatically shaped Earths history, he said. David Lammy issued a statement on Thursday welcoming the restart of negotiations for a ceasefire and return of hostages in Gaza. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA David Lammy is reportedly planning an imminent trip to Israel amid high tensions with Iran, in an attempt to help avert an escalation of war in the Middle East. The foreign secretary will meet Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, and Israel Katz, the foreign minister, along with Stephane Sejourne, the French foreign minister, Sky News reported. A Foreign Office source did not confirm the report and said Lammys official travel arrangements would be set out in the usual way. However, the Tottenham MP issued a statement on Thursday welcoming the restart of negotiations for a ceasefire and return of hostages in Gaza. He said it was a crucial moment for global stability and that the coming hours and days could define the future of the Middle East. As the UK made clear at the UN security council this week, the situation in Gaza is devastating, Lammy said. The strike on the al-Tabeen school demonstrated that Palestinians in Gaza have nowhere safe to turn. These talks are an opportunity to secure an immediate ceasefire that protects civilians in Gaza, secures the release of hostages still cruelly held by Hamas and restores stability at a dangerous moment for the region. He added: The UK will continue to use every diplomatic lever to bring about a ceasefire. In the last week, I have spoken with partners from across the region on the urgent need to bring this conflict to an end and the prime minister has spoken to his US, French and German counterparts, as well as the Iranian and Egyptian presidents. Related: Gaza death toll hits 40,000, with thousands more yet to be counted Its clear from these conversations that a ceasefire would not only protect civilians in Gaza, but also pave the way for wider de-escalation and bring much-needed stability for the Middle East. Tensions have risen in the region after Iran blamed Israel for killing Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, in Tehran. Israel has not commented on whether it had a role in the death. The official IRNA news agency reported on Tuesday that Irans new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, said the wests silence about unprecedented inhumane crime in Gaza, and Israeli attacks elsewhere in the Middle East, was irresponsible and encouraged Israel to put regional and global security at risk. On Thursday, the UN human rights chief, Volker Turk, said a grim milestone had been marked with the news that the death toll in Gaza had passed 40,000. The Gloucestershire Way as it runs near Nashend the path was created by Gerry Stewart in 1996. Photograph: Cotswolds Photo Library/Alamy My father, Gerry Stewart, who has died aged 90, was a champion of ramblers and public rights of way in Gloucestershire and beyond. A police officer for much of his life, he went on to become an official guardian of public paths, protecting them from closure and encroachment, before devising a series of themed long-distance walks put together from existing paths, mostly in Gloucestershire but including parts of Worcestershire and Herefordshire. The first of these was the Gloucestershire Way, for which he wrote and self-published an associated guidebook in 1996. The path proved to be popular, and now appears on Ordnance Survey maps. It was followed in 1997 by the Wysis Way, then the Three Choirs Way (1999), the Cotswold Canals Walk (2000) and the St Kenelms Way (2005). Gerry was born in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, and brought up in the nearby village of Alderton, where he attended the local primary school before transferring to Cheltenham grammar. His father, Vic, was an agricultural labourer, and his mother, Flo (nee Gyde), a housewife. In 1952 Gerry was called up on national service, spending his two years in the military police, first in Germany and then at the Suez Canal in Egypt. After being demobbed he became a Gloucestershire constabulary police officer in Cheltenham and served in various locations across the county. In his youth a keen cyclist and later an enthusiastic walker, climber and mountaineer, he and his wife, Kate (nee Kent), whom he married in 1955, were early members of the Gloucestershire Mountaineering Club. After retiring from the police force in the rank of inspector in 1982, Gerry took a position with Gloucestershire county councils rights of way department as a footpath inspector, retiring from that job after 11 years in 1998. He then became a local correspondent for the Open Spaces Society, tasked with keeping an eye on his former employer for any diminution of available routes. Gerry complained for many years that the use of paths in Gloucestershire was being hampered by the shocking state of many stiles, and he successfully lobbied for many of them to be removed. He gave the county council a hard time but all for the public good. He leaves a valuable legacy of paths in Gloucestershire that are in better order thanks to his determined work. He is survived by Kate and their children, Genevieve and me. England recorded 85,000 cases of gonorrhoea in 2023. Photograph: Science Photo Library/Alamy Gonorrhoea is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, and could be untreatable in the future, health officials have warned as a report reveals a rise in super-strength cases in England. There were 85,000 cases of gonorrhoea diagnosed in England last year, the highest level since records began in 1918. Left untreated, it can lead to serious health problems including pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility. The vast majority of cases can be treated. But recently there has been an increase in people diagnosed with strands that are resistant to ceftriaxone, the first line antibiotic typically used to treat the infection. Most of those affected were in their 20s, heterosexual, and acquired the infection abroad, though some had no travel history, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). The public health agency confirmed there had been transmission of ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhoea in England. The UKHSA will publish a report on Thursday highlighting the concerning rise in antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea infections in England, and urging people to protect themselves by using condoms. Between June 2022 and May 2024, 15 ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhoea cases were detected in England, according to UKHSA. Five involved super-strength strands, which health officials said led to extensively drug-resistant gonorrhoea, meaning their infections were resistant to first and second-line treatments and other antibiotics. Due to the serious nature of the drug-resistant infections, some of the 15 had to be hospitalised, and receive a cocktail of powerful drugs to prevent the gonorrhoea spreading to other parts of their body. Related: Hospital admissions for easily treatable STIs rise amid funding cuts in England Before 2022, only nine cases of ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhoea had ever been detected in England. Dr Helen Fifer, a consultant microbiologist at the UKHSA, said: Gonorrhoea is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, risking the possibility of it becoming untreatable in the future. Untreated gonorrhoea can lead to serious health issues, including pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility. Condoms are the best defence, but if you didnt use one with a recent new or casual partner, get tested to detect the infection and prevent onwards transmission. For people having sex without condoms with new or casual partners, regular testing for STIs such as gonorrhoea is essential to maintain good sexual health, the UKHSA said. Testing is free and can be accessed through local sexual health clinics, university and college medical centres or through self-sampling kits sent via the post. Prof Matt Phillips, the president of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH), said: The rise of antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea infections in England is a worrying trend that must be addressed with immediate action. Antibiotic resistance of STIs poses an increasingly major public health threat, which can create physical and psychological harms and place additional demands on other parts of the NHS. BASHH, alongside sector partners, had repeatedly called for a sexual health strategy for England, Phillips said. This must be a priority if our expert sexual health workforce are to effectively meet these growing and changing needs in sexual health. The emergence of drug-resistant gonorrhoea comes amid wider concerns about rising levels of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in England. There were 401,800 new cases of STIs diagnosed in 2023 a rise of 4.7% since 2022. Chlamydia cases accounted for almost half of these, with 194,970 diagnoses in 2023. As well as 85,223 cases of gonorrhoea, there were 9,513 cases of infectious syphilis the highest number since 1948. While the majority of syphilis cases were diagnosed among gay and bisexual men, the UKHSA said there was a larger proportional rise in syphilis diagnoses among heterosexual men and women. Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, an anti-abortion campaigner, and Father Sean Gough, a Catholic priest, were arrested over silent prayer at an abortion clinic in Birmingham, but charges were dropped - Jacob King/PA Wire The Home Office is to consider banning silent prayer outside abortion clinics, The Telegraph understands. MPs voted for legislation last year which would ban protests, including silent prayer, within a buffer zone of 150 metres of a clinic or hospital providing abortion services, but it has not yet come into force. And despite the vote, draft guidance published in December told police that silent prayer should be allowed inside the new safe access zones. It also allowed for consensual communication within the zones, which has been interpreted as permitting the handing out of leaflets or activists engaging people in conversation. The Telegraph understands that ministers will now be reviewing this guidance. Pro-choice campaigners hope the review will result in both silent prayer and the handing out of leaflets being limited. Government sources did not specify which aspects of the guidance, which was put out for consultation, could be revised. All three Home Office ministers, including Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, voted against allowing silent prayer inside buffer zones while in opposition. The current draft guidance states that prayer within a safe access zone should not automatically be seen as unlawful. It adds: Silent prayer, being the engagement of the mind and thought in prayer towards God, is protected as an absolute right under the Human Rights Act 1998 and should not, on its own, be considered to be an offence under any circumstances. Jess Phillips has confirmed that safe access zones will be introduced 'imminently' around abortion clinics - Heathcliff O'Malley for The Telegraph Jess Phillips, the safeguarding minister, confirmed earlier this month that the Government would implement safe access zones around abortion clinics imminently. Under the Tories, the Home Office consultation ended in January. Finalised guidance was expected in the spring, but was not published before Julys election. Dame Diana Johnson, the new policing minister, had questioned James Cleverly, the then home secretary, over the document in her role as chairman of the home affairs select committee earlier this year, signalling her dissatisfaction with the wording on silent prayer. Dame Diana, who is not personally responsible for the abortion clinic legislation, told the then-home secretary in January: We specifically voted against proposals to allow silent prayer and consensual communication in safe access zones. I notice that the Home Office has produced guidance which includes those measures being allowed. I just wondered why you would do that when Parliament had been very clear that that was not the will of Parliament, she added. A number of pro-choice organisations wrote to Ms Cooper shortly after she took office, urging her to review the guidance and to urgently implement safe access zones around clinics. Fear of major loopholes for protesters Louise McCudden, of MSI Reproductive Choices, told The Telegraph that if the draft guidance were not revised, it would create major loopholes for anti-abortion protesters. She added: We hope the new Government will make sure safe access zones are implemented in line with what elected MPs voted for. With a Home Secretary who voted for safe access zones, a Home Office team of fierce reproductive rights advocates like Diana Johnson and Jess Phillips, and a Government that says it wants to make tackling violence against women a priority, we are cautiously optimistic that they recognise the dangers of watering down this legislation. Rachael Clarke, of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, said: The law was designed specifically to stop activities such as being present all day every day, staring at and approaching women as they try to access confidential medical care, handing out false medical information in leaflets, or standing at the clinic gate with rosary beads and candles. It should be clear to everyone that these activities are designed to influence womens reproductive choices theres simply no other reason to be present at the gate to an abortion clinic. Ban threat to religious freedom However, some MPs and campaigners have said silent prayer should never be considered a form of protest, and claim that banning it outside clinics would be a threat to religious freedom. In March 2023, an anti-abortion campaigner was arrested for praying silently outside an abortion clinic in Birmingham. Isabel Vaughan-Spruce was filmed in front of a British Pregnancy Advisory Services clinic that was subject to a buffer zone order before the draft guidance was published. She was not carrying a placard and did not say anything about abortion procedures aloud. West Midlands Police later released her without charge and apologised, with Ms Vaughan-Spruce claiming she had been targeted for a thought crime. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom included her arrest in its annual list of violations of religious freedom around the world. Julie Sweeney, 53, jailed for 15 months for posting 'Don't protect the mosques. Blow the mosques up with the adults in it' The husband of a keyboard warrior who was jailed after writing a Facebook post calling for a mosque to be blown up said her sentence was well over the top. David Sweeney, 76, insisted his wife of 29 years was not a racist and that her outburst was caused by an emotional breakdown over the Southport knife attack. Julie Sweeney, 53, from Cheshire, lived a quiet, sheltered life before sending the comment to her local community Facebook group in Kidsgrove, a court heard. Jailing her for 15 months on Wednesday, the judge told her that even people like you need to go to prison. Speaking for the first time about the case, Mr Sweeney, a former RAF supplier, insisted the comment was out of character for his wife and suggested the punishment was over the top. David Sweeney, 76, and his wife Julie have been married for 29 years Breaking down in tears as he reflected on her sentence, he told The Telegraph: Its completely out of proportion, its just ridiculous. Its a big loss, shes my right arm. Three police cars turned up, there were three officers. Whats that about? Its too big a force for what it was. Its just crazy. It does anger you, its over the top, well over the top. Its difficult, its hard to come to terms. She just got angry on the night because we watched a news item with her it just wound her up because of what had happened to the three girls. The pair, who have been married for 29 years and live on the outskirts of a village, tried to delete the post within a minute of it being published but couldnt work out how to delete it, Mr Sweeney added. Not that sort of person He said: Shes not that sort of person. Weve got a neighbour next door who is Asian and he knows Julie is not a racist. Weve got three granddaughters. It upset her, it wound her up. She just literally had an emotional breakdown. Following a post that showed white and Asian people involved in the clean-up from the aftermath of the Southport disorder, Sweeney posted on Facebook: Its absolutely ridiculous. Dont protect the mosques. Blow the mosques up with the adults in it. Sarah Badrawy, prosecuting, told Chester Crown Court that one of the groups 5,100 members became uneasy at a number of comments posted on the site in the wake of widespread violent disorder following the killing of three young girls in Southport on June 29. Police were alerted about the post, which was later deleted. 'As this case demonstrates, there is nowhere to hide,' Cheshire Constabulary said after Sweeney's jailing - Cheshire Constabulary/PA When arrested, Sweeney, who is also Davids full-time carer, told officers: Im not being rude, but there are a lot of people saying it. She said she posted the comment in anger, had no intention to put people in fear and conceded it was unacceptable and that she would be deleting her Facebook account. Sweeney, from Church Lawton, Cheshire, pleaded guilty to sending a communication to convey a threat of death or serious harm, an offence under the Online Safety Act 2023. Judge Steven Everett, the recorder of Chester, labelled Sweeney a keyboard warrior and jailed her for 15 months. Sweeneys family are understood to be horrified and shocked by the revelation, which they were only made aware of after sentencing. Heartbroken family One family member said: All I can say is how shocked we are. I was gobsmacked when I heard the news. We only found out once Dave [David] called us once shed been sentenced. What she said, I was shocked. I mean, shell post a little bit here and there, but nothing to that extent, and nothing hurtful. Asked if the sentence was harsh, she added: Absolutely. There needs to be some sort of punishment, Im not denying that but 15 months is quite a lot, considering other people do worse things and get lesser sentences. I think it was just an angry thing that she probably thought and just wrote down without thinking, didnt think of the consequences of what shed written. The family are in shock and of course heartbroken. David is on his own now. A spokesman for Cheshire Constabulary said: Since the start of the recent disorder in other areas of the UK, we have been clear that we will not tolerate this kind of behaviour in Cheshire, including those who post abusive and threatening messages online. People may think that posting hateful messages on social media, instead of engaging in this sort of behaviour in person, offers them some sort of anonymity. But this could not be further from the truth. As this case demonstrates, there is nowhere to hide. If you choose to engage in this behaviour, whether in person or online, we will find you and you will be held responsible. Jun Zhuge, COO of SEG Solar. The firm opened its 250,000 square foot global headquarters on Aug. 8 at 10625 Telge Road where they will manufacture, warehouse and ship solar panels. Michael Wyke/Contributor SEG Solar opened its $60 million global headquarters this month in northwest Houston as more solar companies continue moving to Texas. The firm opened its 250,000 square foot global headquarters on Aug. 8 at 10625 Telge Road. Michael Wyke/Contributor Jun Zhuge, COO of SEG Solar. The firm opened its 250,000 square foot global headquarters on Aug. 8 at 10625 Telge Road where they will manufacture, warehouse and ship solar panels. Michael Wyke/Contributor SEG Solar opened its $60 million global headquarters this month in northwest Houston as more solar companies continue moving to Texas. The solar manufacturer was started in 2016 and co-founded by CEO Jim Wood and COO Jun Zhuge, with help from CLO Micheal Eden. According to the companys website its focus is to deliver reliable and cost-effective solar modules to the utility, commercial, and residential markets. The company first was based in California but relocated to San Antoino and opened its 250,000 square foot global headquarters on Aug. 8 at 10625 Telge Road. Advertisement Article continues below this ad When you look at Houston specifically its the third largest city in U.S., it has one of the best ports in the U.S as well, Wood said. When you think of the energy capital of the world, its Houston, Texas. Growing market for solar companies Wood said when looking at Texas a few years back the market wasnt the biggest at that time for solar but he knew Texas would eventually become the largest solar market in the U.S and knew it would be a good move for the company. Several manufacturing companies are continuing to move to Texas and Wood said that even more solar companies will continue to move their facilities here. Turkey-based Elin Energy, Laos-based Imperial Star Solar, Spain-based PV Hardware has all moved their manufacturing companies to the Houston area in the past 5 years, according to Houston Chronicle reporting. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Not only does Houston or Texas as a whole have a good utility market for solar but has a great residential market as well, Wood said. Lots of people in Texas that have solar on their homes, we see a lot of our solar panels deploy on homes throughout all of Texas. When you go to Austin airport those are our solar panels all over the Austin airport. Labor pool and housing market benefits Wood said another reason SEG Solar moved to the area was due to several things including to shipping cost, business friendly and the great labor pool. The firm plans to house around 500 employees in the next few years with jobs in several different departments. Its got a great labor pool (if) you need electrical engineers, or you need someone to push a broom, or you need someone to drive a forklift, or you need human resources people and theres just a great pool of talent in the Houston market. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Wood said that the company has already been active in the community with sponsoring with local schools and plans to work with the local colleges to setup workforce development and training with the company. SEG Solar may be new to the Houston area but has had solar manufacturing facilities outside of the U.S., such as 105-acre of space in Indonesia. Wood said that the company plans to build the largest solar campus in Indonesia. A protest in Kolkata after a junior doctor was raped and murdered. Photograph: Piyal Adhikary/EPA At the stroke of midnight, thousands of women holding flaming torches and blowing conch shells began to march through dark streets across the state of West Bengal. The processions in the early hours of the morning on Thursday 15 August, Indias Independence Day, were part of several days of protest against the brutal rape and murder of a junior doctor inside a hospital in the state capital, Kolkata, last week. The women marched to chants of Reclaim the night, a reference to the fact that the unnamed 31-year-old doctor was attacked at night on Friday while taking a break from a long shift at the government RG Kar hospital. The call for women to come out emerged from the anger expressed on social media, and quickly created the largest protest movement the state has seen for a long time. The anger on the streets was about the doctors horrific ordeal, but it was also about the daily struggle Indian women face to live freely. Organisers said they chose Independence Day to ask: when will women gain their independence? As the marchers made their way past homes, gated communities and apartment blocks, many inside rushed out to join the throng, undeterred by the rain. The chants were about justice, safety and respect. Anupama Chakraborty came out with her two granddaughters, aged 11 and 13. This has rocked the country. The girl who was brutalised was an on-duty doctor. If the government cannot ensure the safety of women at a government-run institution, what hope is there? she told the Telegraph. On Monday, thousands of doctors halted most services by going on strike, severely disrupting patient services across India. They are demanding justice for the victim and better security at hospitals, such as stricter controls over who enters, more CCTV cameras and more guards. The doctor who was killed had been watching the Olympics with colleagues, had dinner and chatted to her parents before going into a seminar room to rest. The police investigation revealed that the 33-year-old man arrested for the crime was able to access every part of the hospital even though he appeared to be an unofficial tout helping patients to get admission faster in return for money. The Federation of Resident Doctors Association union, which called the strike, had called it off after a meeting on Wednesday with the federal health minister, Jagat Prakash Nadda, but many doctors continued to strike. Distrust with the police investigation has been mounting, after the hospital initially told the parents that their daughter had committed suicide. Whats clear from this is that the hospital staff, along with police, wanted to cover up the real culprits, Nazrul Islam, the former director-general of police in West Bengal, told the NDTV news channel. Protesters were also incensed that although the hospitals principal, Dr Sandip Ghosh, resigned after the incident, he was reinstated as principal of another hospital 24 hours later. Responding to petitions for the case to be investigated outside the state, the Kolkata high court raised concerns about destruction of evidence and handed over the case to the federal crimes agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation. Related: Indias supreme court to rule on new penal code permitting marital rape The young doctors death has struck a chord with the public, highlighting yet again the vulnerability of Indian women to violence. The shock has been heightened by the fact that she was not out late in the dark on her own but was at her place of work, filled with light and people. In 2022, an average of 86 rapes were reported in India every day. Ever since the savage gang-rape and death of a young woman in 2012 on a bus in New Delhi, Indians have wearied of an all-too-familiar cycle: rape, outrage, promises of change, return to normal. This time, neither the women and child development minister, Annapurna Devi, nor the chair of the National Commission of Women, Rekha Sharma, made a statement. Ranjana Kumari, the director of the Centre for Social Research, said: It makes my blood boil when I see this silence, when I read how he butchered her, this total neglect of safety at the hospital. Nothing, nothing has changed since 2012. The room where it happened didnt even have a CCTV camera. Alison Bairnsfather-Scott, a Noongar woman who submitted evidence to the inquiry about the murder of her sister Jessica, says the reports recommendations are toothless. Photograph: Frances Andrijich/The Guardian The Greens senator Dorinda Cox says she is gutted by the report of the inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and children because it does not do enough to address the absolute crisis levels of violence that families and advocates spoke of. The landmark inquirys final report was tabled on Thursday and found there has been little, if any, justice for many First Nations women and children who have been murdered or disappeared. Released after two years of inquiry, the report made 10 recommendations, including that the attorney general should task the Police Ministers Council to review and harmonise police practices in each jurisdiction by no later than 31 December 2025. Related: How did I get here? I came from a good home: the violent patterns that haunt Indigenous women The committee also called for a culturally appropriate and nationally significant recognition and remembrance of murdered and disappeared First Nations women and children; the appointment of a First Nations person at the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission; longer-term needs-based funding for First Nations womens legal services; sustainable funding for First Nations people experiencing domestic, family and sexual violence; and for the Australian Press Council to consider how the media portrays cases of murdered and disappeared First Nations women and children. The committee said it cannot over emphasise how disturbed it was by the case studies presented to it. Cox, who advocated for an inquiry since her maiden speech in 2022, said the recommendations were weak and not the courageous reforms communities had called for. This should have been one issue about humanity, about just doing the right thing, Cox told Guardian Australia. When you sit in front of people and you can hear how much pain theyre in, its the right thing to do. This is above politics. Its not a game. We are dealing with peoples lives. And yet the chair and the deputy chair both got up and spoke to this report and said they were moved by some of the things that they heard and thanked people, but for what? What was the end product, if youre not going to make change for those people? What did we actually do this for? Cox said violence against First Nations women and children was a national emergency. We have seen that. Our communities see this as they rallied on the street across the country. Yet the recommendation of the committee failed those who participated in the inquiry. She said the safety of Indigenous women and children deserved bipartisan support. Where is the outrage, I ask? What will it take to have change? Pretty shattering Alison Bairnsfather-Scott, a Noongar woman from Perth who submitted evidence to the inquiry about the murder of her sister Jessica in 2019, travelled to Canberra to hear the report be tabled in the Senate on Thursday. She said the report was disappointing to say the least, adding she felt Australia has really let us down. Bairnsfather-Scott, who is an anti-violence advocate, said the recommendations in the report were toothless, out of touch with what was going on in communities and said nothing about important subjects such as the courts, prisons, child protection and housing. Its not strong enough, and I feel like it does not represent the voices that they would have heard, she said. Its quite heartbreaking to be honest, because it takes a lot to open your heart and relive those traumatic times, and for this to be the result is pretty shattering. Bairnsfather-Scott said this feeling was exacerbated by the fact the report was tabled to an almost empty Senate chamber. People werent interested in it, or even knew it was going on, she said. I really struggle with things like this. Dont tell me we care when this is what we see. It feels foolish to think that I thought that this could be different, because time and time again we are faced with this as a community: that our lives simply do not matter. Related: How many First Nations women and children are murdered? The figures are shocking and yet incomplete Honestly, I wanted government to take some of the weight off my shoulders, to share the load, the burden for me to be able to rest and recover. But Im forced to keep on fighting to, yet again, pick myself up off the ground and scream that our lives matter, that we deserve better, and wonder where the outrage is. It could have been above politics. Everyone should care about this. An Albanese government spokesperson said the recommendations were significant and the government would work through them carefully. They thanked the families who gave evidence and who continue to endure tragedy and loss. Every experience represents real and significant grief to families and entire communities. These are significant recommendations and the Government will work through them carefully, the spokesperson said. Djirra, the specialist Indigenous advocacy service, said the inquiry was an important first step in drawing attention to the epidemic of the murder and brutal disappearance of First Nations women and children across this country. But Djirras chief executive, Antoinette Braybrook, said she was disappointed there were only 10 recommendations in the report. While Djirra welcomes the report recommendations for improving the coverage and capability of family violence prevention and legal service, and other Aboriginal-led support services, we are dismayed the report is silent on fundamental issues, Braybrook said. For example, the recommendations make no mention of the need to address massive data gaps. It is unacceptable that Closing the Gap data on the number of First Nations women and children experiencing violence is now over 6 years out of date. Braybrook said she was looking to the national leadership for bipartisan solutions and real change that puts womens and childrens safety first. NSW opposition leader Mark Speakman has called for Liberal director Richard Shields to resign after the party failed to nominate candidates for a swathe of local government elections. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP The New South Wales Liberal leader, Mark Speakman, says the partys state director, Richard Shields, must resign immediately after a monumental stuff-up over next months local government elections. The Liberal party missed the noon Wednesday deadline to lodge the necessary paperwork to nominate candidates, meaning there will be no Liberal candidates in eight councils in Greater Sydney and regional NSW at the 14 September elections. All up, the Liberals failed to nominate 136 candidates across 17 councils, according to election analyst Ben Raue, who runs the Tally Room blog. The party managed to partially nominate candidates in some of the affected councils, such as Canterbury-Bankstown. Speakman on Thursday said Shields was to blame and confirmed he had spoken about his resignation with the federal opposition leader, Peter Dutton. Related: NSW Liberal party campaign in crisis after deadlines missed for council election nominations We had a conversation. He can say what he said, but Im not going to say for him, Speakman said. Our party administration has let the candidates, the party members and the general public down. This is a debacle. Theres no other way to describe it. Unfortunately, in these circumstances, the state director has to fall on his sword. He is the CEO who runs the organisation. He is the CEO who is responsible. Speakman would not place blame on the NSW Liberal party president, Don Harwin, when asked whether he should share responsibility for the error. According to Raues analysis ahead of the NSW electoral commissions release of the full list of candidates on Thursday afternoon, the scale of the disaster would be worse than the Liberal party had expected. There would be no Liberal candidates in the following councils: Blue Mountains, Campbelltown, Cessnock, Lane Cove, Maitland, Northern Beaches, Shoalhaven and Wollongong, Raue predicted. He found the following councils would be partially affected, meaning only some Liberal candidates will be able to run: Bayside, Camden, Canterbury-Bankstown, Central Coast, Georges River, Hornsby, Newcastle, North Sydney and Penrith. Shields on Wednesday blamed the error on a lack of resources, releasing a statement that said the secretariat was unfortunately unable to nominate in all of the local government areas that were put forward by the state executive. Shields leads the Liberal secretariat, which shares responsibility for the partys administration in NSW and is in charge of submitting the paperwork to nominate council candidates, including those who are already sitting councillors. Guardian Australia contacted Shields for additional comment. Speakman said he had been personally unaware of any resourcing issues. I think all of us are embarrassed that this is happening for the Liberal party, he said. [Shields] should have either gathered the additional resources he needed, or, alternatively, departed from the centralised process and told at least a number of candidates to lodge their nominations themselves. Speakman conceded the administrative fiasco would damage the Liberals brand, including at future state and possibly federal elections. He said the party was exploring whether there were any avenues for affected candidates to run, including asking the NSW Electoral Commission for leniency on the deadline or the Minns Labor government to legislate an extension. Asked if he thought any candidates who missed out due to the error would take legal action against the party, Speakman said: I doubt it, but I dont know the answer. The NSW deputy Liberal leader, Natalie Ward, said she was furious on behalf of candidates, party members and voters. Im so upset and disappointed for each and every one of them, she said. Speaking on 2GB, Dutton described the issue as a mess. The mess is obviously an administrative error where they havent submitted the forms on time, he said. And youre right, thats, its not acceptable. And those discussions are taking place at the moment. We want, you know, to make sure that there is a proper administrative process put in place. And they failed in that regard. And its very, very disappointing to see. Matthew Perrys assistant allegedly injected him more than 20 times with ketamine in the four days before he died, according to California prosecutors who have brought charges against five people in connection with his death. Two doctors, an acquaintance and a woman known as the ketamine queen are among those charged with providing the actor with the ketamine in September and October last year. One doctor named in an indictment filed on Wednesday said in a text message that he wonder[ed] how much this moron will pay for the drugs. Some allegedly involved in distributing the drugs referred to vials of ketamine using code words such as Dr Pepper, cans and bots, the prosecutors said. Salvador Plasencia, a doctor at an urgent care centre, and Jasveen Sangha, a woman prosecutors said was known as the ketamine queen, were arrested on Thursday and are accused of supplying drugs to Perry, who was found dead aged 54 at his LA home last year. Click here to view this content. A grand jury indictment, unsealed on Thursday, said the two people worked to procure ketamine despite knowing that he had a history of drug abuse. Prosecutors named Perrys assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, an acquaintance named Erik Fleming and another doctor, Mark Chavez, as co-conspirators in an underground criminal network responsible for distributing [a] large quantity of ketamine to Perry and others. Martin Estrada, a US attorney, said in a press briefing on Thursday that the defendants took advantage of Mr Perrys addiction issues, adding: They knew what they were doing was wrong. Illegal narcotics seized from Jasveen Sangha's Hollywood home In a 34-page court filing, prosecutors described how the co-conspirators communicated with each other to procure and administer ketamine to Perry. In September last year, Mr Iwamasa made contact with Dr Plasencia, a registered doctor, in the hope of buying ketamine. Over the following weeks, prosecutors said the doctor trained Mr Iwamasa to inject his boss with the drug, and supplied syringes to do so. He is in turn accused of buying the ketamine from Dr Chavez, another medical doctor, who allegedly bought it from a wholesaler by making fraudulent statements about how he would use the drug. In one text message, Dr Plasencia described meeting with Perry to Dr Chavez as like a bad movie, the court filing said. On Oct 10, Dr Plasencia is accused of meeting Perry in a car park in Long Beach, California, and injecting him with ketamine inside the car. Prosecutors say that Sangha's distribution of ketamine led to Perry's death - US Department of Justice Over the following weeks, the pair arranged for Mr Iwamasa to buy more ketamine, which was first administered by Dr Plasencia himself, then by the assistant. On one occasion, Dr Plasencia allegedly injected Perry with enough ketamine to make him freeze and for his blood pressure to significantly spike, said prosecutors. Over the same period, Mr Iwamasa also allegedly bought ketamine from Mr Fleming, an associate who in turn obtained it from Ms Sangha, a ketamine queen accused of acting as a drug dealer to the rich and famous in Hollywood. Prosecutors said Mr Fleming told Mr Iwamasa that the ketamine was great stuff and that Ms Sangha only deal[s] with high end and celebs. On Oct 14, Mr Iwamasa allegedly bought 25 vials of ketamine from Mr Fleming for $5,500 (4,275). The indictment alleges that the defendants sold Perry a vial of ketamine that cost $12 for $2,000 Ten days later, he is accused of buying another 25 vials, which included Perrys fatal dose. Between Oct 25 and 27, he allegedly injected Perry with six doses of ketamine each day, followed by three more doses on Oct 28. Later that day, Perry was discovered dead, face down in his hot tub. The coroners report after Perrys death found that he had a high dosage of ketamine present in his system at the time of his death, which was ruled an accident. The same day, the court filing shows Ms Sangha instructed Mr Fleming: Delete all our messages. Authorities tracked communication between the five defendants - US District Court Earlier this year, Ms Sangha was charged with possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Police raided her home in March and found 79 bottles of ketamine and almost 2,000 methamphetamine pills. She has pleaded not guilty. Authorities said that contributing factors to Perrys death had included drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine, a drug used to treat opioid use disorder. The actor, who was best known for his role as Chandler Bing in the American sitcom, had been open about his struggle with alcohol and substance abuse before his death, although he said he had stopped using drugs. Perry posted this photograph of himself in his hot tub five days before his death - Instagram An aerial view of the pool and hot tub where Matthew Perry was found dead - AKGS The medical examiners report after his death found levels of ketamine in his body equivalent to the amount that would be used for anaesthesia. Perry had been undergoing ketamine infusion treatment for depression, but the quantity of the drug in his body at the time of death could not be attributed to the treatment alone, the examiner said. In his memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, Perry wrote extensively about his struggles with addiction, including during his time filming the hit sitcom. The Friends cast at a reunion in 2021 - SOME He said he had taken ketamine as part of treatment for his mental health conditions in a Swiss clinic. Ketamine was a very popular street drug in the 1980s. There is a synthetic form of it now, and its used for two reasons: to ease pain and help with depression, he wrote. He said his addiction had begun in 1997, three years after Friends first aired, when he was prescribed the drug Vicodin to deal with the pain from a jet skiing accident. During some of the series, he was taking 55 pills a day and said he thought his hangovers had affected his performance on the show. One time, in a scene in the coffee house when Im dressed in a suit, I fell asleep right there on the couch, and disaster was averted only when Matt LeBlanc nudged me awake right before my line, he wrote. No one noticed, but I knew how close Id come. His death prompted grief from his co-stars, including Jennifer Aniston, who played Rachel Green. He was happy. He was healthy. He had quit smoking, she said in December. I was literally texting with him that morning, funny Matty. He was not in pain. He wasnt struggling. He was happy. Lisa Kudrow, who played Phoebe Buffay, said she had begun rewatching the show in tribute to her friends death. You would be horrified if you saw what was closed, one NSW caseworker said of reports to the child protection helpline. Illustration: Nash Weerasekera/The Guardian It begins with a phone call. A 10-year-old boy rings, asking for help because his mums not coping, shes been drinking and cant look after him. A teacher calls, concerned about a student who keeps missing school. A neighbour rings because theres often shouting next door and the parents of the kids who live there have started smoking ice again. The New South Wales child protection helpline receives hundreds of thousands of calls a year, largely from teachers, doctors and police who suspect children are at risk of abuse and neglect. If a child is in danger its designed to be their gateway to help. But at any given moment there can be 10,000 reports stuck in a backlog, according to one caseworker. When the calls to the centralised service are eventually triaged, like in a hospital, the reports are referred to Department of Communities and Justice offices. Related: Children in danger as NSW child protection reaches crisis point, striking caseworkers say Its here that a brutal calculation takes place. There might be dozens of children in danger but often DCJ officers can choose only one call to respond to. Will it be the baby born to a single mother with addiction issues, or the teenager who is hurting themselves and running away? The child coming to school with bruises, or not at all? The other reports are marked closed due to competing priorities. No one responds to them. As one caseworker says, You would be horrified if you saw what was closed. Next, delays mean that even the most serious calls might not be followed up for weeks or months. In that time children may be hurt, experience severe neglect or witness violence that affects them for life. These children are deemed to be at risk of significant harm and, in the 12 months to June 2023, there were more than 112,000 of them. Only a quarter received a home-based safety assessment. The other 84,000 had their cases closed. The NSW auditor general has found that the DCJ did not follow up with any of these children and does not know what happened to them. These are the children failed by a system workers say is in crisis due to underfunding, understaffing and the privatisation of out-of-home care. But even the children who are assessed are often failed, and for the same reasons. The effects can be devastating, caseworkers say, not only for individuals but for society. I cant actually look at myself in the mirror Michael Smart quit the department last year after the removal of a baby from a 19-year-old mother. It was a case that almost broke him. He saw how the system could punish those who had asked for help. The teenager had asked a nurse to help her because she was afraid she wanted to shake her infant. Smart removed many children from their families in his more than 20-year career as a caseworker in the states northern rivers region but says this was the first time he thought a removal was completely wrong. This young woman, she had no partner, he says. She had no family support. She had given birth on her own. And then a few weeks later she tried to seek help. The assessment was that this young woman was capable of looking after this child but needed assistance. Related: People think its all in the past: push to reform system taking Aboriginal kids from families But because she had no family to turn to both her parents had significant alcohol issues and because the department had no capacity to support her, her baby was taken. That was the point when I realised that I couldnt ever go back to the department, Smart says. It was the first time Ive ever been involved in a removal that I felt, I cant actually look at myself in the mirror. It was about poverty. Shed identified that she was struggling, which is a strength. She sought advice, she sought help but she was penalised because she was 19 and she had no one to assist her. But the government werent going to help her either. The states child protection system is meant to keep families together as much as possible. It is meant to support those who are struggling, to remove children from danger and to care for them if they cant go home. It is supposed to help make their homes safe, so that they may be reunited with their families. In the second half of 2023 78 babies were removed from their mothers within their first two weeks of life. Thats nearly three a week. The public would be absolutely mortified The northern rivers region is best known for the tourist town of Byron Bay. Its hinterland is home to counterculture and cattle farms; the rolling hills are an almost shocking emerald green. Here the statistics for children in danger are among the worst in NSW: fewer than one in six calls about children at risk of significant harm are assessed. Its a story replicated across the country: overwhelming demand is met by a desperate shortage of resources. In 2022-23 about one in every 32 Australian children came into contact with child protection services, according to the federal Institute of Health and Welfare, and, as is the case for all child protection statistics, Indigenous children are disproportionately affected. In 2022 the Productivity Commission said response times had lagged to their slowest in more than a decade. In 2023 the federal government added social workers to its list of skills shortages, its record of occupations that employers are struggling to fill. In the northern rivers there are DCJ offices in Tweed Heads, Ballina Lismore and Grafton. Staff, who spoke to Guardian Australia on the condition of anonymity because they are not permitted to talk to the media, say some offices are so short-staffed they can barely respond to any reports. If the public sat in on an allocation meeting and realised what we dont allocate, they would be absolutely mortified, one caseworker says. They go through all the reports and they go, OK, weve only got one worker whos got capacity to go out and weve got 40 reports, so which one are we going out on? It might be teenagers who are using drugs, leading to psychosis and impacting on their brain development. Domestic violence; you might have children witnessing parents choking, throwing stuff, punching mum in the head, holding the baby yelling and screaming, threatening with a weapon. Mums unable to protect their child because they are in survival mode. And, whatever mum does, the male can be coercive and controlling, monitoring where mum is, the routine with the kids, controlling every aspect of what shes doing. The caseworker warns that the state is not only letting down its most vulnerable children but also the healthcare system, schools and police. The failure to intervene means children experiencing domestic violence may suffer psychological harm that perpetuates that cycle of violence. Wanting to be with your mum Jason is a young Aboriginal man from Grafton who understands the cycle of violence. Guardian Australia has decided to give him a pseudonym to protect the privacy of the people in his story. He was removed from his family when he was three after police were called to an intense episode of domestic violence. The 27-year-old now has two small children of his own. He admits to having been violent towards their mother on two occasions. He says its something hes ashamed of. Hes sensitive, speaks openly and seems remorseful. But he says he can be quick to anger. He and his siblings went to live with their grandmother but spent stints with foster carers when he says his behaviour became too much for her. They were sent to Port Macquarie, Sydney and towns outside Grafton. When he was a child, Jason says, he was very violent whenever he arrived at a carers house, breaking windows and destroying valuables so caseworkers would come back to pick him and his sister up. Jason also spent time in residential care, living with other children who had been removed from their families. It felt like prison, he says. Theres nothing like wanting to be with your mum, he says, especially when you are so many kilometres away that you know for a fact that you cant even speak, see or hug or touch. Related: NSW boys home grounds to be explored after possible clandestine human burial sites revealed Despite being a promising scooter rider who was sponsored by a local company, Jason says he was fighting heaps at school. He was impulsive and the way he acted was pretty bad. He spent three weeks in prison this year for breaching an apprehended domestic violence order that his mother had taken out against him after he broke one of her windows during an argument. On the later occasion, he says, he got drunk and shouted at her and threw a couple of items down the hall. Jason says he still feels angry about what happened to him as a child but he had a big wake-up call after his daughter was born. Everyone in the world has a choice, or choices, he says. But being, as I said, impulsive, and I guess being in that framework has affected me. Theres not really much programs or rehabilitation for the, I call it post-traumatic stress, from dealing with the feeling of constantly being alone, that youre constantly being shipped around, and you just dont feel welcome or comfortable in any sort of area that you are put in. The family violence cycle For too long, Prof Susan Heward-Belle says, children have been viewed as collateral damage or secondary victims of domestic violence. There hasnt been enough acknowledgment that they have unique experiences of family violence that are their own, she says. Heward-Belle was a NSW child protection caseworker for many years before completing a PhD in domestic violence and teaching at the University of Sydney. She points to the Australian Child Maltreatment Study, the first to estimate the proportion of mental health conditions caused by childhood abuse and neglect. The study found that between 21% and 41% of mental health conditions could be linked to childhood maltreatment, which Heward-Belle says can have lifelong impacts on the way people view themselves. Like all the caseworkers the Guardian spoke to, Heward-Belle points to early intervention as vital for breaking this cycle, but says that until child protection services are adequately resourced, nothing will change. One northern district casework manager says the department had begun cutting resources in 2022. The office lost about a third of its staff. Between January and May last year, the manager says, the office closed 250 to 300 reports it would have responded to if it could. There was one in particular that sort of sticks in my mind, the manager says. A little girl who had been restored to her mother and then the shit hit the fan, the mum started using drugs again [and] associating with people that werent great for the little girl. And we were told we cant allocate that. And so to my mind, why did we remove that child, work with mum to try and get things better, and put her back in a situation that was as bad as when she was removed? It was sickening. There was domestic violence, there was serious neglect and physical abuse, like, you name it, across the board, we were just closing them because we had no capacity. The manager says proper intervention is intensive. If we cant go into a family to work with them, to get some sort of change, these children grow up, and the only parenting role modelling they have is of their parents, and you continue a cycle. There were kids who [are] now adults who were known to us as children who were being reported as new parents. *** The cycle of violence is not guaranteed. It can be broken with adequate and timely support. Without it children who are exposed to domestic violence are more likely to have violent relationships as adults, whether they are the perpetrator or the victim. Sometimes they are both. There are cases where, you know, the mother is violent towards the father, as well as the father being violent towards mum, the casework manager says. So the kids see that and go, Oh, thats normal. Its really important to respond to those families quickly. And we try to come to it from an angle of trying to get people to understand the cycle. The manager went on extended leave and pursued workers compensation: I literally woke up one morning and couldnt get out of bed. I just couldnt do it. The worst of the worst Michael Smart says child protection workers are under extraordinary pressure and resourcing problems have reached crisis point. He is now an organiser at the Public Sector Association, the union that represents DCJ staff and other government workers. Encouraged by the success the teachers and paramedics unions had in securing pay rises after the 2023 election of the Minns Labor government, the PSA called for caseworkers to have their wages regraded, which would mean a $10,000 raise for entry-level employees, who are paid $79,302 on average and are almost always required to have completed a four-year social work or psychology degree. The government allocated $244m over the next year to move children out of emergency accommodation and to recruit more foster carers. But its budget didnt include funding to meet the unions demands of a pay rise and the hiring of 500 additional caseworkers. Negotiations continue. The government has conceded that the low response rates to reports of children at risk of significant harm reflect staff shortages. There were 233 unfilled caseworker positions across the state in March. For months there were only two caseworkers in Ballina available to respond to new risk-of-harm reports and they even had to buy their own stationery, according to an employee, and Lismore is also understaffed. The department maintains there has been no reduction in the number of funded caseworker roles across NSW and that, at the moment, there are no vacancies in Ballina. A spokesperson for DCJ said it reviewed every childs ROSH report. Dr Jess Griffiths is a former caseworker who, when she started in Ballina in May 2021, was one of 16. By early 2023 only four were left, she says. Her workload became just unbearable. The wheels had already fallen off, Griffiths says. [There] was just this constant kind of mental load that you carry, and all youre trying to do is prioritise the worst of the worst. Griffiths says many really concerning reports had to be closed. By the time she left the department, she says Ballina was so short-staffed it was only responding to reports about babies. Reports about coercive control, a strong predictor of future violence, did not receive attention she says. Children just not going home, or not going to school, or running away from home or homeless on the street would never be allocated, she says. Caseworkers ran evacuation centres during the extraordinary flooding that devastated the northern rivers in early 2022. More than two years later the Lismore office still hasnt reopened. A local caseworker says staff only have 10 hours out of the 140 hours they work each month to meet families in person. The rest of their time is taken up by record keeping and paperwork, so we cant go face-to-face because were sitting at a desk looking at a computer screen. The caseworker says reports which are more difficult to investigate, such as those relating to emotional and physical neglect, may be abandoned in favour of more immediately pressing reports about physical abuse and violence, even if DCJ has received dozens of calls about them. Child protection workers can be called to homes where families are living in overwhelming squalor. If you were to put the TV series Hoarders in the minds of people, this is the stuff we deal with, the Lismore caseworker says. Youre talking maggots in fridges. Youre talking flies. Theres no way the agency was doing home visits, or they would have seen the holes in the walls and that the house had been absolutely trashed A caseworker Some houses in subtropical Lismore are absolutely full of black mould. There are people who are sick, theyre poor, and the department of housing [Homes NSW] doesnt really give two shits about them, the caseworker says. I could take you to 25 houses that have a mould problem thats been reported over and over and over again. All of these houses have children living in them. I have to say that if anybody down the pub saw what we saw, they would be absolutely outraged, because our tolerance for risk is so high, the caseworker says. And it has to be, because if our tolerance for risk was any lower, wed be bringing way more children into care. In June the states auditor general, Bola Oyetunji, handed down his review of child protection. The report was damning. It criticised the DCJ for not collecting appropriate data on what therapeutic services children needed and said that despite numerous previous reviews the department had not redirected its resources from a crisis-driven model to one of early intervention. Oyetunji also determined that the department had failed in its duty of care because it did not monitor the wellbeing of children in out-of-home care, even though it is required by law to do so. Over the past five years there has been a decline in the number of children returning to their parents. There were 569 restorations in 2018 and 417 in 2023. Pretty much broke my soul The case of two young Aboriginal girls and their three older brothers who were removed from their mother because she could no longer take care of them sticks with one caseworker. The woman, it was believed, had an undiagnosed brain injury from being kicked in the head and hit by a relative. That whole case pretty much broke my soul, says Sam, a former Aboriginal child protection caseworker, who managed the familys case for 18 months before she quit the department. She was still a good mum and she loved her kids unconditionally but she just didnt have that capacity to understand how to actually be a parent. The children were separated and their cases taken on by two agencies. The girls went to Ngunya Jarjum, an Aboriginal-run organisation based in Lismore. Sam says the sisters were placed with a carer. When she and another caseworker went to collect them, they stank of urine and their heads were visibly crawling with lice. Ngunya Jarjum told Guardian Australia it did not comment on specific child protection matters due to the legal requirement to protect childrens privacy. The girls then went to another agency, Life without Barriers. They were placed with carers who werent Aboriginal. Sam says she felt frustrated with what she saw: There just wasnt really any motivation to keep the family connection with the two younger girls and the three older brothers, she says. They lived probably a five- to 10-minute drive from each other. And they were really trying to whittle their family contact down to one hour a month. The childrens mother had to move home. While heavily pregnant, she spent 24 hours on a bus every month to get to and from the coast so she could attend mandatory court hearings relating to the removal of her children and, ideally, visit them. Sam says she tried to organise Life without Barriers and the carers to time the mothers visits with seeing her girls, but she felt they werent accommodating. The boys went to We Care NSW and were placed in an alternative care arrangement because no family could be found to take them in. They lived in a house under the supervision of shift workers arranged by We Care. We Care told Guardian Australia it did not manage childrens cases and this responsibility remained with the agency that referred children to them. ACAs are a type of high-cost emergency care arrangement in which children are placed in hotels, motels, serviced apartments or rental accommodation. Most are run as a for-profit service by labour-hire firms. Information tabled in parliament in March revealed that the youngest child living in one of these arrangements was just two. As of 11 March the child had spent 173 nights in this sort of care. Related: Crime and nourishment: the Koori court giving help and hope to traumatised kids Last August there were 471 children in HCEAs in NSW, according to the auditor general, with 30% living in hotels, motels and serviced apartments. These arrangements cost an average of $829,000 a year for each child, but the government has said they can reach up to $2m. In his review the auditor general found that shift workers without child protection qualifications delivered most of the care in emergency placements. His report found DCJ lacks the systems and reporting processes to gauge the quality of this care. Every caseworker Guardian Australia spoke to pointed to the privatisation of out-of-home care as a shift that changed everything for the worse. More than a decade ago the Coalition government relinquished most of the states responsibility for it, entrusting non-government organisations and private agencies with arranging foster care placements, residential homes and emergency care. These agencies are also meant to be responsible for ensuring that children are looked after. There were 12,352 children and young people in statutory out-of-home care in NSW at the end of March; 46.1% of them were Indigenous. In June 2021 58 out of every 1,000 Indigenous children in Australia were in out-of-home care. The system has been criticised as repeating the tragedy of the stolen generations, the Indigenous children who over a period of at least 60 years were forcibly removed from their homes. Some caseworkers argue that taking children into care can be unavoidable. But Sam says she worked with Aboriginal families who were treated with a stigma that she believes perpetuated the ongoing trauma of the stolen generations. I dont think theres enough support available to those families thats culturally appropriate, she says. The auditor general has said DCJ has failed to deliver Aboriginal strategies and reforms in the last five years and that it has not developed holistic family preservation models based on Aboriginal ways of healing. Sam says she keeps coming back to the case of the family of five children. The girls sometimes went six weeks without seeing their brothers. She says she felt ongoing frustration, believing that Life without Barriers was reluctant to arrange makeup visits because of the cost. Guardian Australia sent detailed questions to Life without Barriers about Sams concerns. A spokesperson for the organisation said it was not able to comment on specific cases due to privacy and confidentiality obligations. Aboriginal children have a right to grow in culture and with kin and for this reason, Life Without Barriers publicly committed to transition all Aboriginal children in our care to Aboriginal community-controlled organisations in NSW, the spokesperson said. In late 2022 the NSW government awarded Ngunya Jarjum a five-year contract worth more than $63m. Life without Barriers a charity which operates across the state was given a contract for the same period worth more than $705m. Its an enormous amount of money, Sam says. And this is the type of treatment that the families get. All up the government spent $1.9bn on out-of-home care in 2022-23. Workers say its outsourcing means children are often pulled out of one situation of neglect only to be dumped into another. The caseworkers say some agencies cherrypick cases a baby or toddler will be easier to place in a foster home and cost less than an older child with a disability. One caseworker recalls a child being managed by an agency who was about to be returned to a home where a massive domestic violence incident had occurred. There were older siblings in the home and they were becoming violent, the caseworker says. And theres no way the agency was doing home visits, or they would have seen the holes in the walls and that the house had been absolutely trashed. The impact on children is devastating, unbearable to witness, causing us emotional and psychological harm Betina Huber, former caseworker Another caseworker says: You take [children] from the family because theyre at risk or theyre in danger or whatever. And then we put them in equally as dangerous situations and we leave them. I wonder long term what that cost is going to be. The litigation that the department is leaving themselves open to is enormous. In March the families minister, Kate Washington, disclosed to the NSW parliament that the government had started tracking some out-of-home-care NGOs because she was so concerned about the quality of the information they were providing to her office and to magistrates. DCJ caseworkers, who represent the minister in court matters relating to children who have been removed from their families, raise similar concerns. Washington said nearly 100% of the information about the children in care that the department received was not accurate. Labor has blamed the Coalition for leaving it with a broken system. The oppositions families spokesperson, Natasha Maclaren-Jones, says DCJ caseworker vacancies have increased under Labor. Across the state the government recorded a 7% vacancy rate in 2022. It was 10% at the end of March. Washington hasnt said whether shell give caseworkers a raise or hire more of them. She has ordered an urgent review of out-of-home care, due to report back by the end of the year, and promised reform. A dedicated team has been created to move children out of emergency care. But, as one northern rivers caseworker says, its not as simple as moving the kids because there is such a massive shortage of foster carers. Theres nowhere to put them, the caseworker says. Thats where were stuck. Organisations know that theyve got the monopoly. Thats why they charge so much. Tears for all the children Before Betina Huber quit DCJ after 20 years in its Ballina office, she made a formal complaint. In an email, seen by the Guardian, the senior caseworker wrote that the job had become intrinsically abusive and unsafe. Caseworkers and managers are continuously exposed to childrens suffering due to the inadequate and dysfunctional [out-of-home-care] system which was put in place by the department, Huber wrote in the 11 December 2023 email. The impact on children is devastating, unbearable to witness, causing us emotional and psychological harm, evidenced by the mass exodus of caseworkers, people going on sick leave like myself, and workers on [compensation] claims. Huber said she had despaired about failing children. I am sad for letting my team down now, she wrote. This is what burn out feels to me: Grief at feeling defeated Tears for all the children who crossed my path and wondering how they are now, and the parents, and the colleagues. She said outsourcing the ministers responsibility to provide safe and nurturing care for children in care had led to the endemic abuse of children. She made 12 recommendations as a matter of urgency, including that DCJ employ professional care workers on salaries of $150,000 to look after children in emergency situations and keep them out of ACAs. Related: I have taken babies from their mothers. After my son was born I feared it was my turn to be punished | Ariane Beeston Huber says she attended an internal meeting six weeks after she sent the email. There were no outcomes, there were no minutes, she tells the Guardian. There was nothing. I then just felt like it was no point in staying there. Nothing was going to change. A spokesperson for DCJ said it was unable to comment on individual employment or child protection matters due to privacy obligations. But the department concedes it needs to improve. The DCJ spokesperson said we acknowledge theres more work to be done to ensure all vulnerable children and families get the support they need. Huber says the government is traumatising and abusing children in emergency care. Sometimes they move 500km away, at which point its very difficult to keep contact with their parents, she says. And this is for children as young as newborns. Children living without love and care often deteriorate within a couple of months, she says, because they dont feel safe. Were spending so much money, she says, to actually harm children long term. And money is both the problem and the solution for a system that is supposed to be keeping families together wherever it can. Too much funding is going to private contracts, frontline workers say, and not nearly enough to them. *** Despite his experience of the child protection system, Jason dreams of working with young people who have been removed from their families. He says he always wanted to be a social worker but, because of his history, fears he cant ever be that person that I wanted to be. Ive always been thinking that, like, am I welcome? Am I good enough to be around certain people? he says. It always plays on your mind. I still wish I could be able to help, he says, his voice breaking. I get emotional about it because I just know exactly how much it affects everybody. If he ends up being able to do the work that he wants, he will tell young people not to give up no matter how empty you feel or how much you doubt yourself. Youve got choices, and just choose wisely. Its going to be a long journey, but youll see the other side of it all At the end of the day I would say, Im proud to be able to stand before you to actually have this conversation. So, yeah, thats what Id say. Reginald D Hunter went on to make another joke aimed at Jewish people after the incident - Joseph Okpako/WireImage Police are investigating a potential hate crime at an Edinburgh Fringe show after two Israeli audience members were hounded out. Scotlands national force has confirmed it received a report of a hate incident at a gig on Sunday by Reginald D Hunter, the American comedian, and said it was reviewing the circumstances. The Telegraph previously reported that the audience members were booed out of the Assembly George Square Studios after they objected to Hunters joke comparing Israel to an abusive spouse. The American comic responded to the controversy for the first time on Thursday, calling it an unfortunate incident and expressing regret for any stress caused to the audience and venue staff members. However, he later reposted social media comments claiming he had been a good comedian by responding to hecklers, and that allegations of anti-Semitism were being made to shut down criticism of Israel. The incident began when Hunter made reference to a Channel 5 documentary titled My Wife, My Abuser, about an abusive partner who publicly claimed that her victim was guilty of abusing her. Pair heckled and booed by other audience members Witnesses said Hunter told the audience: When I saw that, I thought, my God, its like being married to Israel. Hunter was heard telling the audience members, who said they were from Israel and one of whom was disabled, to leave after they briefly heckled him over the joke, saying it was not funny. As they left his show, called Fluffy Fluffy Beavers, which runs until Aug 26 at the Fringe, they were booed and heckled with expletives from other audience members after Hunter verbally attacked them. The comedian went on to make an anti-Semitic joke about being unable to access a review of one of his shows on a Jewish newspapers website. He said: Typical f---ing Jews, they wont tell you anything unless you subscribe. The Campaign Against Anti-Semitism has described accounts of the events as extremely concerning and has urged witnesses to come forward. Scotland has new hate crime laws A spokesman for Police Scotland said: We have been made aware of a hate incident, which reportedly took place at an event in Edinburgh on Aug 11 2024. We are reviewing the circumstances. Controversial new hate crime laws in Scotland came into force in April, which make it an offence to stir up hatred against protected groups, including Jews. In a post on social media, Hunter said: There was an unfortunate incident in my new show. As a comedian, I do push boundaries in creating humour, its part of my job. This inevitably creates divided opinions and I am staunchly anti-war and anti-bully. I regret any stress caused to the audience and venue staff members. The Campaign Against Anti-Semitism said in a statement that its lawyers were examining this incident. A spokesman added: Comedians are rightly given broad latitude, but they also have a responsibility to their audience. Reginald D Hunter has laughed off his Holocaust jokes and another supposed joke about typical f---ing Jews in the past, but watching on and cracking jokes as Jews are hounded out of your show is a sickening low that cannot be disguised as comedy. We have seen this before in recent months, and venues must stand extremely firm against this kind of behaviour. The Assembly Festival, which runs the venue, stated: We are aware of an audience member choosing to leave Reginald D Hunters performance on Sunday Aug 11. The venue front of house team attended and supported the member of the public upon exiting. Kemi Badenoch is one of the front-runners in the race to replace Rishi Sunak - Geoff Pugh for The Telegraph A senior ally of Boris Johnson and Liz Truss has thrown his support behind the extraordinary Kemi Badenoch to be the next Conservative leader. Writing in The Telegraph, Sir Simon Clarke said that Mrs Badenoch will never shy away from levelling with the British people about the challenges we face. He also pointed to her past support for Brexit, saying Mrs Badenoch would fight any attempt by Labour to make the UK a rule-taking shadow member of the EU. Sir Simon was chief secretary to the Treasury under Mr Johnson and communities secretary under Ms Truss. He lost his seat in Middlesbrough at the general election last month. Simon Clarke on the campaign trail with Mr Johnson in 2019 - Stefan Rousseau/PA He was also a vehement critic of Rishi Sunak, becoming one of only two Tory MPs to publicly call on him to step down as prime minister with election defeat looking likely. That move, which caused controversy and turmoil within the Conservative Party, was made via a Telegraph article published on Jan 23. Sir Simon refers to it in his new piece, writing: In January, I warned in these pages of the iceberg that the Conservative Party was about to hit if we failed to change course and deliver on our promises to the British people. We now find ourselves adrift in the freezing and fretful sea of opposition. The question now is how we chart a safe course to land. Simon Clarke served under Ms Truss during her brief tenure as prime minister in 2022 - Anadolu He argues that Mrs Badenoch, the former business secretary seen as one of the front-runners in the race to replace Mr Sunak, is the best placed to lead the party in the uncertain years ahead. He writes of the task of winning back power: All of this will require extraordinary leadership, and we are fortunate to have an extraordinary person in Kemi Badenoch. She is principled and intellectually fearless, and she has shone from the moment she entered Parliament. Kemi voted for Brexit, and will fight any attempt by Labour to drag us into the nightmare position of being a rule-taking shadow member of the EU. She is a low-tax, small-state Conservative who will ensure we go into the next election with a credible plan to deliver a government that does what it needs to do well, but is wise enough to know where its boundaries should end. Sir Simon does not have a vote in the first round as he is no longer an MP, but for years he has been a significant voice on the Right of the Conservative Party. The other candidates in the Tory leadership race are Robert Jenrick, James Cleverly, Tom Tugendhat, Priti Patel and Mel Stride. The field will be knocked down from six to four candidates by MP voting in September, then down to two by MPs after the party conference. Tory members will then pick the winner in November. It is time for Kemi Badenoch In January, I warned in these pages of the iceberg that the Conservative Party was about to hit if we failed to change course and deliver on our promises to the British people, writes Simon Clarke. We now find ourselves adrift in the freezing and fretful sea of opposition. The question now is how we chart a safe course to land. The survival of the Conservative Party is not guaranteed. The general election revealed the extent of the disconnect between what we were talking about from illiberal smoking bans to half-baked ideas of national service and what the public cared about. We have no divine entitlement to be the only, or indeed the principal, party of the centre-Right in British politics. But I fear greatly for our country if we are not. An optimistic, Reaganite Conservative Party, embracing the boundless potential of free markets and free people, should contrast sharply with the darker vision of Reform a party that talks of the future not in hope but in fear. It is certainly the only form of conservatism that can plausibly win back the privilege of governing our country again. If we are to achieve this, first we will need to earn trust. We should own and defend our successes in government, including transforming school standards, delivering Universal Credit, honouring the vote to leave the EU and supporting Ukraine. But we should also own our failures. Too often, we talked Right but governed Left. In particular, we utterly failed to convince the public that we were prepared to do whatever it takes to stop the small boat crossings. We have to recognise that the European Convention on Human Rights, a living instrument twisted beyond recognition by Strasbourg judges, cannot be placed above the publics legitimate expectation that we should be able to police our borders. We did not walk the walk on responsible capitalism. Our failure to reform our broken planning system means our country is short of four million homes, with devastating consequences for those priced out of the dream of home ownership. It has also stopped us delivering the infrastructure that drives economic growth, from data centres to reservoirs to railways. Our descent into nimbyism has been as harmful and embarrassing as it has been electorally futile. On energy and the environment, over the last two years we surrendered global leadership and political coherence. Channelling Margaret Thatchers 1989 speech to the UN, we should harness the power of the market to tackle climate change, clean our waterways and deliver cheaper and sovereign energy. There is an authentically Conservative middle path between the damaging state-ism of Labours GB Energy and its attack on North Sea oil, and the siren voices of those who call for us to jettison our climate commitments. The UK can be a world leader in clean growth, and the new jobs created in industries like nuclear, hydrogen and wind will benefit some of our left-behind communities most of all. Character matters. Some of our conduct in government was shameful and was not challenged or addressed in the way that it should have been. If we want to serve again and change our country, first we have to take responsibility and put our own house in order. All of this will require extraordinary leadership, and we are fortunate to have an extraordinary person in Kemi Badenoch. She is principled and intellectually fearless, and she has shone from the moment she entered Parliament. Kemi voted for Brexit and will fight any attempt by Labour to drag us into the nightmare position of being a rule-taking shadow member of the EU. She is a low-tax, small-state Conservative who will ensure we go into the next election with a credible plan to deliver a government that does what it needs to do well, but is wise enough to know where its boundaries should end. She has an instinctive understanding that we need not simply to reduce legal and illegal immigration dramatically, but to have a proper national conversation about integration too. The recent appalling riots have exposed a country divided, and we need to build a new and shared sense of British identity instead of the parallel societies of multiculturalism. Above all else, I know Kemi will never shy away from levelling with the British people about the challenges we face. The situation in so many ways resembles the mid-1970s. An exhausted Conservative government has been rejected. A Labour government has been elected without enthusiasm and without answers adequate to the times. The West is in disarray and our enemies sense opportunities. The harsh reality is that Britain is growing steadily poorer in relative terms, and so many of our problems stem from how to make ever less butter stretch over ever more bread. But the late 1970s and the 1980s also show that these problems are fixable with the right person in charge. We need to remake the case for free-market economics to a new generation. We need to reimagine how we afford and commission our public services. We need to re-arm and re-forge alliances to defend freedom. And we need to replace self-doubt with moral clarity and confidence. It is time for renewal, first of our party and then of our country. It is time for Kemi Badenoch. Sir Simon Clarke served as secretary of state for levelling up and as chief secretary to the Treasury. He lost his seat in July 2024 Protests have escalated across India in response to the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at a state-run hospital in Kolkata. Tens of thousands of women have taken to the streets demanding an end to what they perceive as systemic nonchalance towards crimes against female victims. The protesters held a candlelight rally at midnight coinciding with the start of Indias Independence Day celebrations on Thursday and gathered at the busy Shyambazar five-point crossing in Kolkata. As the clock struck midnight on Wednesday, the usual traffic chaos was replaced by a unified call for justice as the women rallied under the banner of Reclaim The Night. The movement, led by social science researcher Rimjhim Sinha, 29, is advocating structural changes to ensure the safety of women. Reclaim The Night protesters in their thousands brought Kolkata streets to a standstill - PIYAL ADHIKARY/SHUTTERSTOCK The brutality of this case is enraging, said Ms Sinha. Its not just another rape case where survivors can speak for themselves this time, we lost a life. The aggressiveness of these crimes is escalating, and its clear that women are increasingly becoming victims of these criminal activities. Sinha emphasised her movement is just the beginning of a broader fight for structural reforms. This movement is going to be long-term. Our first step, gathering at night, is meant to initiate changes that would make our society safer for women, she added. The rape and murder of a 31-year-old female trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9 has sparked widespread outrage, drawing citizens from across India to the streets. The incident occurred while the victim who has not been named was on duty, resting in a seminar hall in what should have been a secure area. Anger at a midnight rally in Kolkata demanding a crackdown on sexual attacks - DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP Dr Sandip Ghosh, principal of the medical college, initially attempted to dismiss the case as a suicide, stating it was irresponsible of the girl to go to the seminar hall alone at night. He later resigned from the post. A volunteer hospital worker has been arrested in connection with the crime. The principals statement, suggesting the victim was at fault for being alone at such an hour, is a clear reflection of the deep-rooted patriarchal mindset that blames the victim rather than the perpetrator, Ms Sinha said. During the protest, a group of people entered the hospital premises, vandalised property and pelted police officers with stones on Wednesday night, triggering violent clashes. Ms Sinha outlined demands for immediate reform, including gender equality education in schools, secure restrooms for women and marginalised gender communities working night shifts and safe public transport available at all hours. Women should not have to choose between their safety and their jobs, she said. We need secure facilities, from restrooms to creches, that support women across all sectors from domestic workers to corporate employees. Widespread vandalism marred protests against attacks on women in Kolkata - DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP The protests are expected to continue. Ms Sinha added: The system that oppresses us must be challenged. The overwhelming participation in these protests is proof that people want change, and they are ready to fight for it. Violence against doctors in India has been a long-standing issue with sporadic protests erupting over the years. The Indian Medical Association has once again urged the federal government to enact a special central law to curb violence against doctors and declare hospitals as safe zones. The government has previously stated that no separate law is needed. We are devastated, the brutality of this attack inside a hospital is terrifying, said Dr Swarnapali Maity, secretary of the Women Doctors Wing of Protect The Warriors, an organisation advocating for the safety of doctors in India. I havent slept all week, the level of torture this young woman endured is unimaginable. The autopsy report is proof of the brutality she had suffered. It indicated multiple penetrations and that she was sexually assaulted more than once. Students who perform better than their predicted grades are also able to use the system to find an alternative institution - Matt Cardy/Getty Images A-level results day is a moment of joy and triumph for many, as students prepare for life at the university of their choice. But for others, it can be a highly stressful time if their results dont go to plan and they narrowly miss their required grades. While many students still secure places at their insurance choices, there are some who miss the mark altogether and need to enter Ucass Clearing process to find an alternative institution. Similarly, students who perform better than their predicted grades are also able to use the system to find an alternative university. University chiefs are expecting a record number of pupils to use Clearing to trade up this year as more prestigious courses are added to the system. Here, we detail everything you need to know about the Clearing process and how to gain a place at university no matter the outcome. What is clearing? Clearing is the system of matching up students with spaces on university or college courses. You can enter Clearing to find a course if you have not met the grades outlined in your offers. You can also use the system if you are considering changing to a different course because your grades are better than predicted, after declining your original place. A record number of 18 year-olds secured a university place using Clearing last year, when more than 38,000 used the system to find a degree, according to Ucas. It marked a 14 per cent increase compared to 2022, and included a third of all pupils who used Clearing to secure a better offer than their original one. What time does Ucas open? Students will be able to access their university applications through Ucas from 8am on Thursday Aug 15. At the same time, students will be able to receive the breakdown of all their exam results by attending their school or college, or having them emailed or sent in the post. They can also arrange for a relative or friend to pick up their results. Ucas Hub will start updating from around 8.15am for A-level students, and will show the status of their university offers. This could include a confirmed place at their firm choice, a confirmed place at their insurance choice, or neither making them eligible for Clearing. It may also include more unusual options, such as students being offered a place on a different course at their firm university choice. This normally happens when pupils miss their main offer, and they do not have to accept this. When does Clearing open? Pupils will be able to add a Clearing choice from 1pm on Thursday Aug 15. Applicants should wait until they have any pending exam results before contacting universities and colleges about possible vacancies, according to Ucas. Clearing will remain open until Oct 21, but some courses will close before this deadline, depending on their popularity. Which universities are accessible through Clearing? The vast majority of universities in the UK have courses available through Clearing, including some of the top institutions in the country. The Russell Group represents 24 world-class, research-intensive universities and 18 of them have at least one course available through Clearing this year. Some universities announced whether they have places from July 5 to allow students the chance to research vacant courses and universities and prepare for a range of scenarios. Others will wait until pupils receive their A-level grades on Thursday before making courses available. Are any universities unavailable? Oxford and Cambridge do not offer places through Clearing. Are only a limited number of subjects available? No. It used to be unheard of for oversubscribed courses like medicine to be on offer through Clearing, but this has changed. Extra places on courses that are more competitive are expected to be made available through clearing, including courses like medicine, dentistry and nursing. Can you re-apply to a university that rejected you? Clearing allows you to apply to any university with vacancies, even if they rejected you the first time round. If you spot a course you like and meet the entry requirements, call the admissions team and talk to them about your opportunities. What is Clearing Plus? Clearing Plus was introduced in 2020 to offer help to anyone who is unplaced or is applying for the first time through Clearing. If youre in Clearing, look for a button in Track marked View Matches to see courses which Ucas considers would be good for you, taking into account your original choices and your qualifications and grades. Ucas has described it as like matchmaking but for university courses. If you see a course you like, you can hit Interested so that university or college can contact you you can do this for up to five choices at a time. But remember, courses in Clearing fill up quickly, and you may not always receive a call, so also look for courses in Clearing using the search tool. Saying youre interested in a course through Clearing Plus does not guarantee an offer. How do you make a decision through Clearing? In clearing, you will need to call universities or colleges to try to gain a place, before adding them as a choice in your application. You will need: your Personal ID number your Clearing number your grades/UCAS tariff points information about why you want a place the university name phone number course code and title Find a quiet space to make the call, and be positive and polite while speaking to the university or college representative. Take your time to make an informed decision, and remember to take advice from family members, friends and teachers. Only add a Clearing choice once you have permission from the university or college. You can only add one choice at a time, and any confirmation will come through on Ucas Track and by email. David Lammy with Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, in July - Ben Dance / FCDO David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, has vowed to use every diplomatic lever to bring about a ceasefire to Israels war with Hamas ahead of a trip to the region on Friday. Mr Lammy will meet with his Israeli counterpart who is expected to urge him to impose sanctions on Iran and declare the IRGC a terrorist organisation. He will also be joined by Frances foreign minister. Senior US officials now believe Benjamin Netanyahus forces have severely diminished Hamas but will not be able to eliminate the terror group entirely, according to a report in the New York Times. An Israeli delegation arrived in Qatar on Thursday in what has been described as a last chance to negotiate a ceasefire deal with Hamas, which could avert a looming attack by Iran and Hezbollah on Israel. John Kirby, the White House national security council spokesman, said on Thursday that from a military perspective, Israel has definitely achieved the vast majority of its objectives. After the first round of talks on Thursday, Mr Kirby said: Today is a promising start. There remains a lot of work to do. American and Israeli officials told the New York Times that it is not possible to free all 115 hostages in Gaza through military operations, repeating a claim already made by the IDF. Hamas declined to join the ceasefire talks in Doha, instead arguing that an outline presented by Joe Biden in a speech on May 31 should be implemented instead of renewing negotiations. The deal would end the war, free all hostages, release 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israel and allow for the reconstruction of Gaza. While the US said that both Israel and Hamas have largely agreed to the framework presented by Mr Biden, both parties have expressed reservations over remaining issues such as the presence of Israeli forces in Gaza. One of the main sticking points is the issue of a critical buffer zone known as the Philadelphi corridor, which separates Gaza from Egypt. Israel took control of the zone when it launched its ground offensive in Rafah in May. Since then, Israel has discovered dozens of tunnels crossing from Gaza into Egypt, which has only strengthened Israels claim that it must control the corridor to prevent further smuggling of arms. An Israeli official told The Telegraph that Mr Netanyahu stands by his demand that Israel control the corridor. Hamas and Israel have repeatedly accused each other of sabotaging the negotiations and presenting new demands. The push for a ceasefire is linked to the threat of a regional war as both Iran and Hezbollah have threatened to attack Israel following assassinations of top Hezbollah and Hamas leaders in Beirut and Tehran last month. Hezbollah has previously said that it will stop attacking Israel if a ceasefire is reached in Gaza, while Iranian officials told Reuters that only a ceasefire could make Iran reconsider an attack on Israel. Mr Kirby said that Washington has information that an attack could come with little or no warning, and certainly could come in the coming days, and we have to be ready for it. Should Iran decide to attack, Mr Kirby added, they could do it with little or no notice We dont want it to come to that. Click here to view this content. The City of Houston Metropolitan Multi-Service Center on West Gray hosts around 10,000 persons per month in activities ranging from adaptive basketball and rugby, adaptive fitness programs, swimming, arts and crafts and performing arts. Kirk Sides/Staff photographer CenterPoint will start hosting community open house sessions this week, a part of the companys initiative to improve service and communication following Hurricane Beryls impact in the Houston region. The company will host the sessions from Saturday to Sept. 28 under the Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative. The first meeting will take place at the Tom Bass Community Center in Houston. We are committed to re-earning the trust of our customers, and these open houses are an important opportunity for us to share the actions we are taking and the progress we are making to improve in areas of greatest concern and, most importantly, to listen and gather feedback from our customers, the companys spokesperson wrote in an email. Advertisement Article continues below this ad How the open houses work Attendees will find stations with specific topics, including a table for people to sign up for a Power Alert Service, outage tracker demonstrations and a feedback board where customers can share their experience during Beryl and ideas for CenterPoint to improve. CenterPoint representatives also plan to share specific information about the Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative, first announced Aug. 5, which has 40 commitments from the company to address customers' concerns. Participants can speak with CenterPoints team and discuss any questions and/or comments. The spokesperson said they will also share ways for customers to provide their insight and feedback. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The leadership team will also be present at the open houses to talk directly with the public about any issues and/or ideas customers have. We want our customers to hear directly from us how seriously we take that commitment, how determined we are to take action and re-earn their trust, and to hear directly from them about how and what we can do better going forward, the spokesperson said. Doug Lewin, Texas energy analyst and publisher of the Texas Energy and Power newsletter, said he gives credit to CenterPoint for taking the steps to meet with the public. However, he believes the sessions should be ongoing, rather than ending in September. Im just a little bit mystified as to why (they) think a couple of months of meetings would take care of it, he said. CenterPoint has been in the headlines after Beryl blew through the Houston area, causing nearly 2.3 million customers to lose power, with most without electricity for days. The incident left many people to face the intense summer heat after the storm with no air conditioning. Advertisement Article continues below this ad DATABASE: CenterPoint bankrolled the same Texas politicians who now criticize it Attorney General Ken Paxton initiated an investigation of CenterPoints conduct during Beryl, calling the allegations regarding the company concerning. To improve customer service efforts, CenterPoint announced the community listening sessions in a letter to Abbott and touted having completed five sessions to inform people about the elements of the plan since July 17. Representatives also plan to listen to customer feedback about improving communication and utilizing customers' recommendations in the upcoming sessions. Five open house sessions have been listed for Harris County, along with sessions in Galveston, Fort Bend, Montgomery and other counties. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Heres the full schedule: Tom Bass Community Center 15108 Cullen Blvd., Houston Aug 17, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pledger Community Center 17817 3rd St., Pledger Aug. 20, 4 to 7 p.m. Pasadena Convention Center 7902 Fairmont Parkway, Pasadena Aug. 22, 4 to 7 p.m. Metropolitan Multi-Service Center 1475 W Gray St., Houston Aug. 24, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Waller County Community Center 21274 FM 1098, Prairie View Aug. 27, 4 to 7 p.m. Wharton Civic Center 1924 N. Fulton St., Wharton Aug. 28, 4 to 7 p.m. Dayton Community Center 801 S. Cleveland St., Dayton Sept. 4, 4 to 7 p.m. West Side Complex Building 8138 FM 3246, Baytown Sept. 5, 4 to 7 p.m. Wright Cuney Recreation Center 718 41st St., Galveston Sept. 7, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Knights of Columbus Hall 1310 U.S. 90 West, Sealy Sept. 11, 4 to 7 p.m. Eagle Lake Community Center 100 N. Walnut Ave., Eagle Lake Sept. 12, 4 to 7 p.m. Missouri City Landmark Community Center 100 Louisiana St., Missouri City Sept. 14, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dow Academic Center 500 College Blvd., Lake Jackson Sept. 14, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bayland Community Center 6400 Bissonnet St., Houston Sept. 18, 4 to 7 p.m. Magnolia Event Center 11659 FM 1488, Magnolia Sept. 25, 4 to 7 p.m. Grin, 17, obtained hormones privately online at 14 with the support of his parents. Photograph: Christian Sinibaldi/The Guardian After the landmark Cass review into the care of young people questioning their gender this year, puberty blockers have in effect been banned in England, Wales and Scotland for the treatment of under-18s with gender dysphoria. Dr Hilary Cass, the reports author, had criticised the lack of evidence surrounding the benefits and risks associated with the drugs, which delay the onset of puberty. Even before her review was published, NHS England stopped the routine prescription of puberty blockers in March, and NHS Scotland followed in April. In May, the outgoing Conservative government also issued an emergency order banning private prescriptions of the drug. This temporary order was challenged in court by a transgender advocacy group but it was upheld as lawful, and the new Labour health secretary, Wes Streeting, has defended the ban. Cass, who said puberty blockers had become almost totemic in the debate about the appropriate care for this group of children and young people, suggested they should only be prescribed as part of an authorised clinical trial. This is not expected to start recruiting participants until next year. In the meantime, the waiting list for childrens gender care is growing. According to NHS Englands own figures, more than 5,700 under-18s are waiting an average of 100 weeks for a first appointment in England and Wales. The heavily criticised Gender Identity Development Service (Gids) at Londons Tavistock and Portman NHS trust has closed, and two new specialist hubs have launched, with more expected to open. So what of the children and families affected by the changes? The Guardian spoke to four young people and their parents who are struggling to cope. Names have been changed to protect their identities. *** Hannah was three when she started telling her parents she was a girl, not a boy. Her mother, Sarah, said her daughter had worn skirts and dresses to nursery, and at the age of seven changed her name and pronouns after requesting this for about a year. But once she noticed the physical signs of puberty last year, Hannah who was then 12 started a lengthy and intrusive assessment process at the Sandyford clinic in Glasgow. Sarah said: The doctor was confident Hannah understood what was happening and had the capacity to consent. By February, she told us she would be recommending her for puberty blockers. But the following month, NHS England stopped new prescriptions south of the border and a few weeks later the Sandyford confirmed Hannah would not receive the blockers. They acknowledged that the timing was very hard on us, assured us nobody was getting discharged, and [said] there would be emotional wellbeing appointments, her mother said. The family felt they had no choice but to explore private medicine, but the full ban closed off that option. We dont know whats next, her mother said. Hannah had always said she would kill herself if she had to go through male puberty. This is a medicine thats still very much in use [for children going through early puberty], but not available for Hannah. Hannah had had a difficult childhood, Sarah said, and was first referred to child and adolescent mental health services (Camhs) at the age of six. She is one of the neurodivergent children who, according to the Cass narrative, is in particular need of protection by this ban, Sarah said. But I cannot stress enough that everyone who knows Hannah, including her GP, Camhs and social work, believe she needs puberty blockers and that the NHS should be providing this care. Her GP and a Camhs psychiatrist both wrote to Sandyford to stress this. There are a lot of professionals involved in Hannahs life; all accept her absolute consistency with regard to gender identification and none have concerns about our parenting. This ban has made an already vulnerable child more vulnerable. *** The outright ban imposed by the government this year was a performative gesture, said Grin, a 17-year-old trans boy and sixth form student. The chance of getting blockers at a point in your development when they are actually useful was effectively zero before it; there already was no access, he said. It was this frustration that prompted him and another trans friend to embark on a protest at the end of June, scaling the front of the NHS England building in London and perching on a ledge for three nights under the banner Trans Kids Deserve Better. The reason we used the image of a pawn on our banner is because it feels like young people are being used for political gain and treated as an intellectual exercise, rather than as human beings, he said. Grin, who lives in London, joined the waiting list for Gids the week after he turned 13 four years ago. But he had still not got an appointment when he was referred to adult services earlier this year. Its really scary being a young person just working out who you are, and to know that your puberty is progressing in a way that you dont feel aligned with you feel trapped, he said. My body was changing in a way I actively hated. He obtained hormones privately online at 14 with the support of his parents. He has now been on puberty blockers, bought from abroad, for four years and, through his GP, has been taking the masculinising hormone testosterone for three years. The whole point of blockers is to be a compromise, so that you dont have to go through permanent change before you fully know what you want. Its a scary thing to think about at 11, he said. If Id had access to blockers at that age, it would have given me time to engage with therapy no amount of psychological intervention is going to help when youve got that huge terror about your body changing. Had I been cis, that would have given me time to figure it out. The Cass review urged the NHS to introduce a full research programme for young people treated by gender services, which could include puberty blockers, but Grin believes the future is DIY hormones where people source and administer drugs without professional medical oversight, typically buying them online. There is a concern that the next generation getting blockers will not be regulated, but a bigger issue is that there will be a much greater differentiation depending on parents: do they have the money to go private and do they trust their own instincts to go against what the NHS is advising for their children? he said. *** Coven, an 18-year-old trans girl and student from London, joined the NHS waiting list for youth gender services at the age of 13, when she socially transitioned with the support of her family. At the time I wasnt sure about the medication I needed but I knew I needed help. Instead, Im now on an adult waiting list and still havent had my first appointment, she said. Although her GP has been supportive, putting her on a waiting list for psychological support, she became too old for that service before she was seen although she has been able to get some counselling through queer organisations. I looked into private healthcare but the money involved meant it just wasnt possible, she said. Even before the puberty blockers ban, nobody was getting healthcare anyway, she added. I know one of two people out of a large group of friends who have actually made it off the NHS waiting list, and by then they were way past the need for puberty blockers. When she heard that the court had ruled the ban legitimate, it was crushing, but not a surprise, she said. From my experience, young trans people dont have access to healthcare. The waiting lists are long and cruel, the prices of a private clinic are unrealistic, and other routes are uncontrolled and not often monitored by medical professionals. Every pathway looks bleak right now. Despite her reservations, Coven has been taking non-prescription hormone replacement therapy for two years. Ive had to become my own doctor, do all my own research, spend so much time analysing blood tests on my own. Dont I deserve someone to oversee my care? she said. If I was in the room with decision-makers Id want to tell them that so many people are drowning in despair because of the decisions theyve made. *** Paulas trans son, Josh, was seen by Gids at the age of 15 after a wait of two years. I did have worries as a parent because I felt there were a lot of unknowns. The discussion around transgender care is upsetting because people talk with such certainty and theres so much we dont know, she said. For me, the concern was about making those choices at such a young age. There does seem to have been a surprising lack of research and relying on received wisdom instead. The clinic recommended that Josh experience more of life before making a decision about hormonal intervention. Theres been a lot of coverage about the Tavistock giving out puberty blockers readily, and that wasnt our experience, his mother said. They werent very systematic in their care of Josh, but I didnt feel they were trying to advocate for puberty blockers. Our relationship with our child was more important than anything else Paula, mother of Josh She added: One of the problems I had at the time was that they were presented as a way of pausing, reflecting and giving breathing space, but almost all the young people who started them went on the cross-sex hormones [which are designed to masculinise or feminise a persons body], so it seemed like a very clear pathway. Theres wasnt always transparency about that, or else a level of knowledge was assumed that parents didnt have. Josh certainly saw it as a first step. In his mind the only reason to go to Gids was to get on [puberty] blockers. Josh, who is now 20, ended up saving money from his part-time job and getting testosterone online without his parents knowledge when he turned 18. He was so determined. That was when we entered a different phase do I want to be unhappy for the rest of my life because my child is doing something I worry about? Our relationship with our child was more important than anything else. Paula echoed Cass in saying that puberty blockers have become a key focus in the sometimes toxic debate about treatment for young people. Blockers seem to have become a flashpoint for the whole debate about healthcare for gender-questioning young people, she said. Sometimes, the vitriol I find in my news feed is horrifying. But Josh is very resilient and clear in himself about who he is. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counsellor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org. A bouquet of flowers placed near the Wang house at Carrara on the Gold Coast after 10-year-old Sophie was found dead. A vigil will be held for her on Friday. Photograph: Darren England/AAP The Gold Coast community will hold a candlelight vigil for slain schoolgirl Sophie Wang, as friends and colleagues rally around her academic father, who found her body. Dr Yun Wang, a respected associate professor of chemistry at Griffith Universitys Gold Coast campus, is being offered support by the university. Police said he called for help after returning to his Carrara home and discovering a scene described by experienced detectives as one of the most confronting they had ever seen. Sophies mother, Yingying Xu, was arrested nearby about four hours later and has been charged with her murder. Xu did not appear in Southport magistrates court on Wednesday when her charges were mentioned and she was formally remanded. Related: Gold Coast mother charged with murder of 10-year-old daughter as police describe incredibly confronting scene Wangs professional profile says he arrived on the Gold Coast in 2018. He obtained his doctorate from Fudan University in Shanghai in 2002 and later worked at the University of Texas and the University of Sydney. We are deeply saddened to hear about the tragic death of the daughter of a valued member of the Griffith community, a Griffith University spokesperson said in a statement. Our thoughts are with the family and friends at this incredibly difficult time. Property records show that Wang and Xu bought the townhouse, in the upmarket Emerald Lakes area of Carrara, in 2019, and that they were involved in the communitys strata association. A candlelight vigil for Sophie has been organised at Emerald Lakes on Friday at 4pm. The weekly Thursday night markets at Emerald Lakes will also hold a minutes silence. Members of the local community say they are in shock. Sophies school, the nearby Emmanuel College, released a statement saying the incident would profoundly impact our school community. Our prayers go out to the family and friends of the child, and we extend our deepest condolences to all those affected by this tragedy. Tim Walz campaigns in Las Vegas, Nevada, on 10 August 2024. Photograph: David Becker/ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock In a possible early preview of their debate in October, Tim Walz, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, has pushed back against an attempt by his Republican rival, JD Vance, to imply that abortion is not a normal concern for women voters. Vance was asked by Laura Ingraham on Fox News how he would respond to suburban women who feared a national abortion ban. First of all, I dont buy that Laura, he replied. I think most suburban women care about the normal things most Americans care about right now. Walz posted the segment on Twitter/X and wrote: Its pretty normal to respect a womans right to make her own damn health care decisions. Related: Project 2025: rightwing manifestos key proposals and how they could affect you Walz, the governor of Minnesota, and Vance, a senator from Ohio, have both accepted an invitation by CBS to take part in a one on one televised debate on 1 October. Walz has vowed to use the debate to push Vance on his links to Project 2025, the controversial rightwing blueprint to overhaul the US government. See you on October 1, JD, Walz wrote on a bullish post on X after the network issued the invitations. In a later email to fundraisers, Walz signalled his intentions to confront Vance about his connections to Kevin Roberts, the president of the Heritage Foundation thinktank that has drawn up Project 2025. The 922-page document foresees among other things sacking 50,000 civil servants and closing agencies like the Department of Education in the event of a second Donald Trump presidency. JD Vance shares Donald Trumps dangerous and backward agenda for this country, Walz wrote in the email. Folks, I just agreed to debate JD Vance on October 1. Boy, Ive got to tell you, I cant wait to debate the guy. Heck, he even wrote the foreword for the architect of the Project 2025 agenda. I am going to do my best to make sure everyone watching our debate knows just that. The latter comment referred to Vances penned forward for Roberts forthcoming book Dawns Early Light, in which the GOP nominee lavishes praise on both Roberts and the thinktank. Never before has a figure with Robertss depth and stature within the American Right tried to articulate a genuinely new future for conservatism, Vance writes. The Heritage Foundation isnt some random outpost on Capitol Hill; it is and has been the most influential engine of ideas for Republicans from Ronald Reagan to Donald Trump. Vances foreword has undermined earlier attempts by Trump to disavow links to Project 2025, which also recommends an expansion of presidential powers, an aggressive offensive against woke ideology and a ban on sales of the abortion pill. Trump has tried to neutralise Democrats efforts to draw attention to the project by claiming that he did not know the people involved and disagreed with its contents. Walzs comments on abortion also show his intent to put the focus on Vances views on that issue. The Republican has previously spoken in favour of a national abortion ban but has accepted Trumps stricture that the matter should be left to individual states, following the US supreme courts 2022 ruling overturning Roe v Wade, the 50-year-old court judgement that guaranteed a womans constitutional right to an abortion. Related: JD Vance agrees to October vice-presidential debate with Tim Walz Vance has yet to formally accept CBSs invitation and in contrast to Walzs gung ho approach appeared skittish about the prospect in his interview with Ingraham, in which he tried to set out conditions and said he wanted to avoid a fake new garbage debate. We just heard about this thing three hours ago so were going to talk to them and figure out when we can debate, he said. We want to look at the moderators, talk about the rules a little bit. I strongly suspect were going to be there on October 1, but were not going to do one of these fake debates where they dont actually have an audience. Were going to do a real debate, and if CBS agrees to it, then certainly well do it. Vance said on 7 August that he would debate Harris now the Democratic presidential nominee but previously the vice-presidential candidate when Joe Biden was at the top of the ticket but refused to commit to debating Walz because he was not certain that the Democratic ticket had been finalised. In fact, Harris and Walz had been officially certified as the Democratic nominees the previous day after a virtual roll call of delegates to next weeks national party convention, which takes places in Chicago. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris hold joint event in Maryland Click here to view this content. Click here to view this content. Joe Biden joked he was too damn old at his first joint speaking event with Kamala Harris since he dropped out of the presidential race. The US president ended his re-election bid and endorsed Ms Harris amid mounting pressure from within his own party about his age following a disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump. Making light of the issue at the joint rally in Maryland, the 81-year-old joked that he had served in the Senate for 270 years. I know I look 40 but Im a little bit older, he said. Last time I was too damn young because I was only 29 when I got elected, now Im too damn old, he added, prompting a huge laugh from the audience. At the end of his speech, Mr Biden again referred to his lengthy political career, saying: I thank God that in the last three months Im president of the United States, I was able to finally get done what I tried to get done when I was a young senator. Mr Biden and Ms Harris, 59, took turns to gush about one another at the event, which focused on lowering prescription drug prices. I have an incredible partner in the progress we made. Shes going to make one hell of a president, Mr Biden told the crowd. Ms Harris had earlier heaped praise on Mr Biden, saying: Of course, I could speak all afternoon about the person that I am standing on this stage with. She referred to him as our extraordinary president, Joe Biden and the audience responded with chants of thank you, Joe! She added: It is my eternal and great, great, great honour, I have to tell you, to serve with this most extraordinary human being and leader, our president, Joe Biden. Kamala Harris and Joe Biden put on a united front in Maryland - SHAWN THEW/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Before he spoke, Mr Biden stood next to Ms Harris with his head bowed and his hands clasped together, only smiling and looking at the crowd when she complimented him. Putting on a united front, the two leading Democrats were tactile throughout the event and embraced when Ms Harris handed over the podium to Mr Biden. At the end of the remarks, she walked back to the president and clasped his hand, before the pair walked off stage to rapturous applause. During his speech Mr Biden continually attacked Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, at one point calling him Donald Dump. Referring to the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which enabled Medicare to negotiate prescription drug costs, Mr Biden said: We finally beat Big Pharma, and, I might add, with no help from Republicans. Not a single Republican vote for this bill, period, not one in the entire Congress. Mr Biden suggested this had been due to the guy were running against, adding: Whats his name? Donald Dump? The president also attacked MAGA Republican Project 2025. The 922-page document sets out proposals for a second Trump stint in the White House. They want to repeal Medicares power to negotiate drug prices let me tell you what our Project 2025 is: beat the hell out of them, Mr Biden said. Mr Bidens appearance comes a day after he struggled to take selfies in front of a room filled with 100 digital creators and influencers, appearing to photograph only himself, a video shows. The creators filmed Joe Biden's every move at the White House - BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP The White House has released photographs of Wednesdays event, but none of the presidents awkwardly angled selfies have materialised. Mr Biden put on a fumbling display as he entered the room without saying a word, turned the camera towards his forehead, snapped a picture, moved and did the same again. His selfie-taking appeared to be an attempt to connect with the tech-savvy attendees, who he called the future of communication and who together have millions of followers. The creators, which ranged from chefs to make-up artists and fitness gurus, filmed his every move and grinned as he told them: Youre the source of the news You are the new breakthrough in how we communicate. As the crowd laughed, Mr Biden added: And thats why I invited you to the White House, because Im looking for a job. Thursdays joint event came as Ms Harriss narrow lead over Trump in the polls continued to grow. In the RealClearPolitics average of recent national polls, Ms Harris was almost one point ahead of Trump on 47.9 per cent to his 47 per cent. Trump was ahead by three points when Joe Biden dropped out of the race on July 21. In FiveThirtyEights average of polls, Ms Harris has grown her lead over Trump to nearly three points, from 46.2 per cent to 43.6 per cent. 07:52 PM BST Thats all for today Thanks for following our live coverage. Check back to the homepage for our latest updates. 07:23 PM BST Biden and Harris hold hands and walk offstage Joe Biden and Kamala Harris held hands and waved to the crowd before walking off stage together. The audience chanted thank you Joe after he finished delivering remarks at an event about lowering the cost of prescription drugs. 07:18 PM BST Biden attacks Trump Project 2025 The audience booed as Joe Biden attacked Donald Trump and Project 2025. The 922-page document, Project 2025, sets out proposals for a second Trump stint in the White House. Let me tell you what our project 2025 is: beat the hell out of them, Mr Biden said. 07:13 PM BST Biden and Harris embrace on stage at joint event Joe Biden and Kamala Harris embrace at first joint event since he dropped out of the presidential debate Kamala Harris smiles at Joe Biden at first joint event since he dropped out of the presidential race 07:04 PM BST Biden: Harris will make one hell of a president Joe Biden, who looked somewhat uncomfortable as he waited for his turn to speak, had returned the favour by praising Kamala Harris. He has described her as an incredible partner, adding: shes gonna make one hell of a president. 07:00 PM BST Biden salutes audience at joint event with Harris Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris walk out together, at an event on Medicare drug price negotiations Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris walk out together, at an event on Medicare drug price negotiations 06:57 PM BST Harris heaps praise on Biden Kamala Harris has been piling praise on Joe Biden, who has been stood her side with his hands clasped together, his head bowed, smiling occasionally. I can speak all afternoon about the person that I am standing on the stage with, Ms Harris said, prompting loud screams from the audience. Ms Harris described Mr Biden as an extraordinary president. When she said thank you, Joe, the audience broke out in a chant of the same phrase. 06:50 PM BST Kamala tells audience: I love you back Kamala Harris and Joe Biden walked out to a rapturous applause at their first joint event since the US president dropped his re-election bid. Mr Biden pumped a fist and saluted the audience, while Ms Harris walked in waving. I love you back, Ms Harris told the audience as she began delivering remarks. 06:45 PM BST Trump v Harris polling 06:37 PM BST Wes Moore recounts traumatic death of father Wes Moore, the governor of Maryland, is on stage recounting his traumatic childhood memories of watching his father die because he didnt receive treatment for a rare but treatable virus. When I was just three years old, I watched my father die in front of me because he didnt get the health care that he needed, Mr Moore told the crowd. Mr Moore said his father, who looked disheveled and unshaven, was released from hospital and told to get some rest. Hours later he died. I dont come from a family thats used to making policies. I come from a family thats used to suffering the consequences of them, Mr Moore said. 06:31 PM BST Harris campaign attacks self-obsessed Trump Kamala Harris campaign mocked self-obsessed Donald Trump ahead of his New Jersey press conference this afternoon. TODAY: Donald Trump To Ramble Incoherently and Spread Dangerous Lies in Public, but at Different Home, the vice presidents team said in a press release. It added: Donald J Trump, loser of the 2020 election by 7 million votes, will hold another public meltdown in Bedminster, New Jersey. Not so fresh off NABJ, Florida, and Twitter glitches, Donald Trump intends to deliver another self-obsessed rant full of his own personal grievances to distract from his toxic Project 2025 agenda, unpopular running mate, and increasing detachment from the reality of the voters who will decide this election, the campaign said. 06:11 PM BST Harris extends polling lead over Trump Kamala Harris narrow lead over Donald Trump in national polls continue to grow, according to two new polls. The majority of the polling was done by RealClearPolitics and FiveThirtyEight before the vice presidents selection of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate. In the RealClearPolitics average of recent national polls, Ms Harris has taken a nearly one-percentage-point lead over Trump, 47.9 percent to 47.0 percent. By the same measure, Trump was ahead by three percentage points when Joe Biden dropped out of the race on July 21. In FiveThirtyEights average of polls, Ms Harris has grown her lead over Trump to nearly three-percentage-points, from 46.2 percent to 43.6 percent. 06:11 PM BST Hello and welcome to our live coverage Were bringing you the latest updates from a joint rally by President Joe Biden and Kamala Harris tonight. One of the drones carrying its payload of mosquitoes - World Mosquito Program Click here to view this content. Raining death from above with unerring precision, drones have quickly emerged as a dominant force on the battlefields of Ukraine. But thousands of miles away in Fiji, the technology is now being deployed in an altogether different conflict: the fight against dengue fever. In a world first, drones are being used to release mosquitoes infected with a bacteria that prevents them from spreading the disease. The drones themselves are not unlike Ukraines dreaded Baba Yaga large hexacopters named after a witch from Slavic myth and armed with thermal vision and a payload of mortar bombs. Up to 160,000 mosquitos are chilled into a state of torpor before being loaded into a specially designed container box featuring temperature and humidity controls that was slung beneath the drone. The aircraft then takes off and follows a precise flightpath, ejecting groups of around 150 insects at a time in targeted areas. The project, a collaboration between the World Mosquito Programme (WMP) and WeRobotics, aims to provide a new tool to counter outbreaks of dengue, a tropical disease that is a threat to more than half the worlds population and which infected over six million people and killed thousands last year. Click here to view this content. At the heart of the programme is an innovation by the WMP, which has pioneered the use of Wolbachia, a bacteria that, when present, blocks the dengue virus and other pathogens like Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever, from growing inside the bodies of the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that usually carry them. Female mosquitoes infected with the bacteria pass it on to their offspring, and it also has the effect of reducing their lifespans, helping to bring down population density in hard-hit areas. The technique has already proven highly effective. During recent trials across Colombia, researchers reported a 94 per cent reduction in dengue infections, bringing cases down to the lowest level in 20 years. Previous attempts to release Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes were carried out from the ground, with clouds of adult mosquitoes being released from tubes often out of car windows. Dr Colin Malcolm, Principal Lecturer in Genetics at the School of Life and Medical Science at the University of Hertfordshire, said rough terrain was a challenge for teams on the ground. Youre talking about areas that can be quite crowded, as dengue is quite often associated with settled, poverty-stricken areas, he told The Telegraph. The complications may be poor plumbing, poor hygiene, poor roads, which means difficulty getting around with your vehicles. Another challenge was the sheer number of places where mosquitoes can multiply. They can be flower vases, they can be roof gutters, they can be water storage tanks, said Dr Oliver Brady, Associate Professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. This is where Wolbachia comes in as a potential solution. Because rather than having to kill every single mosquito out there, you are trying to replace the natural mosquito population with one that cant transmit dengue. Researchers in Fiji put their drones to the test in two trials, covering an area of two square kilometres in Nakasi, a suburb of the capital Suva which encroaches on lush jungle. With the drone doing the heavy lifting, just three people were needed for flight operation two pilots and one field staff and the deployment took two hours in total. It proved to be a far more efficient way of releasing the insects than from the ground. Part of this drone development is thinking about innovative technologies to potentially address these hard-to-reach areas and making the tools suitable for all in urban environments everywhere, said Dr Brady. It means that the same number of people would cover a much broader area. So theres real hope that we can roll out the technology a lot faster than we currently are. Jeremie Gilles, the WMPs Director of Projects, said: With UAV-based releases, we foresee an 80 per cent reduction on staff operating on the ground compared to traditional release methods. From speed, altitude as well as methods for chilling, handling and packaging, we have learned a lot and are ready to consider other flying platforms for a faster scale up. A drone takes off carrying its payload of mosquitoes - World Mosquito Program Some aspects of the programme proved more complicated, however, including when the researchers encountered technical difficulties, with the mosquitoes sometimes clumping together on release leading to an uneven distribution. Dr Malcolm was also concerned that the use of drones could spread fear among local populations who traditionally associate their use with warfare. Drones themselves have got particular connotations, he said. Weve seen them in other parts of the world, where theyre used in warfare, or in the context of release of chemicals and so on. Dr Brady added that drone deliveries often come with stigma due to a historical mistrust of large-scale interventions. But he added that being able to control the spread of dengue will become even more important as warmer and wetter climates cause mosquito populations to surge. Experts have warned that the virus is expanding into new territory including Europe and the tip of South America. More and more countries around the world are beginning to think about using dengue control under the umbrella of how do we adapt to climate, Dr Brady said. The unpredictability of weather events is going to create more turbulent urban environments mosquitoes thrive in. The need has never been more acute for new tools against dengue. Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security A Ukrainian armoured vehicle attempted to ram through a Russian border checkpoint alone before coming under heavy fire. Video appears to show the Kozak-2 vehicle heading at full speed towards the Kolotilovka checkpoint, which separates Ukraine from Russias Belgorod region. Russian military bloggers called it a suicide mission after the combat vehicle clearly marked with Ukraines white triangle, a symbol of its invasion of Russia quickly became trapped by a barricade on the road. The footage shows the vehicle crashing near the centre of the checkpoint and coming under fire. It was reportedly hit by a Russian FPV drone and a precision-guided Krasnopol shell. It is not clear what happened to the seven soldiers seen scrambling out of the vehicle before it was hit. The moment the Ukrainian vehicle rams into the checkpoint Barely alive after such a blow, the paratroopers still managed to unload at the entrance to the checkpoint, reported one Russian Telegram account, which claimed that they were then eliminated. Belgorod has come under bombardment in recent days as Ukraines incursion, which began in the neighbouring Kursk region, enters its 10th day. The offensive has so far forced the evacuation of more than 200,000 from the border zone. A state of emergency was declared in Belgorod on Thursday, with officials citing a complex and tense situation. Russias army said it was preparing concrete actions, including the allocation of additional forces, to defend Belgorod from further Ukrainian attacks. Kyiv claims to have seized over 1,150 square kilometres of Russian territory in Kursk. Moscow claims its forces have stemmed Ukraines advances, while conceding that small groups continue to probe its border defences. Steggall told Guardian Australia: If [Dutton] is going to advocate for a policy that comes under the definition of racism, then that inference is there. Composite: The Guardian / AAP The Coalitions suggestion of a blanket ban on visas for Palestinians fleeing the war in Gaza is under intense scrutiny, with independent MP Zali Steggall doubling down on claims it would be racist while advocates describe the move as disgraceful and un-Australian. Peter Dutton, escalated the oppositions rhetoric against Palestinians fleeing Gaza on Wednesday in criticising the security checking process for visa applications and urging a temporary blanket pause. The opposition leader claimed no one fleeing Gaza should be allowed to come to Australia at the moment due to an unspecified national security risk. On Thursday, during a motion to suspend the standing orders, Dutton said the stance was not against people of a particular religious belief. This is not against people of a particular political persuasion. This is about keeping our country safe, Dutton said. And Anthony Albanese has failed the Australian public and he should stand condemned. But during the heated debate, Steggall accused the Coalition of whipping up fear and told Dutton to stop being racist in the chamber before withdrawing the comment. Dutton later accused Steggall of being a Greens MP and holding extreme views. But Steggall told Guardian Australia she stood by her comments, calling the policy, and its inference, racist. To raise an inference that we are to fear anyone coming here, seeking refuge from Gaza, any Palestinians, that theres an inference they are all terrorists, or they are all linked with Hamas. Now that is, that is a racist inference, she said. If [Dutton] is going to advocate for a policy that comes under the definition of racism, then that inference is there. The oppositions hard line stance has infuriated the wider community, with advocates, community groups and constituents in western Sydney labelling the comments as hateful and shallow. The borders to leave Gaza, and in particular the Rafah crossing on the Egyptian border, have been closed for months, meaning there are few opportunities to leave the conflict zone. The latest death toll has just surpassed 40,000, many of them women and children, according to Gazas health authority. The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, confirmed on Wednesday that 2,922 visas had been granted to Palestinians since 7 October 2023. More than 7,100 had been rejected for various reasons, such as security concerns and applicants not being considered immediate family. Rasha Abbas, the director of Palestine Australia Relief and Action (Para) group, said it was really disheartening to see the opposition leaders comments. Its un-Australian, I would say; the leader of the opposition has tried to play politics with human suffering, Abbas said. Para said it was supporting almost 1,000 of the 1,300 Gazans who had made it to Australia since the conflict escalated after 7 October 2023. Abbas said many of them, including young children, were deeply traumatised and struggling with watching the conflict from afar. These are families trying very hard to find a way forward, to heal, while theyre still seeing their loved ones in pieces, she said. The way that Australians have stepped in to come to help us, to help those new arrivals, the amount of support we are getting is unparalleled, unbelievable. It shows who we are as Australians. We expect our leaders to step in to reflect the beauty of our society and not to step into hateful rhetoric and divisive, scary tactics just to try and get some political mileage. Randa Abdel-Fattah, a sociology academic of Palestinian heritage, said the rhetoric mainstreamed and normalised the dehumanisation of Palestinian life. The Asylum Seeker Resource Centres advocacy director, Jana Favero, said the comments were about politics not national security or safety. I probably could have drafted some of the lines that [Dutton] said because he just constantly falls back from this pathetic playbook of fear and division, she said. In Sydneys Belmore, located within immigration minister Tony Burkes seat of Watson, constituents described their outrage at Duttons comments, with many supporting an increased visa intake. Resident Sean Marshall said Duttons comments were absurd and that community anger at how the government had handled the war in Gaza was palpable. Its sad that weve got someone who just plays such shallow, reactionary, hate-filled politics that doesnt do the country any good, he said. Its absurd and just nasty. I wish there was an opposition that had some sort of compassion. Local teacher Sam, who didnt want to share her surname so she could speak freely, said she could see both sides to the debate. A lot of people are very angry at how powerless they feel when it comes to the war. But things are so inflamed right now, people are so angry, and I just wonder if more people might heighten those feelings. Owner of barber Fade City, Adam Torcaso, said there was substantial empathy for the plight of Palestinian refugees across western Sydney. I feel for them; they should have the chance to live here and start a new life. As long as they fill out all the necessary forms and things like that, I dont see why not. People see the videos, they see footage of children dying and they are all upset, its gut wrenching. And especially as a father, it is hard for me to see these children lose their lives. Its just incredibly sad. A self-styled paedophile hunter who racially abused pro-Palestinian demonstrators has told a court he had been a stupid, drunken idiot as he was jailed for eight months. Phil Hoban, 48, was a prominent figure in an anti-immigration demonstration in the centre of Leeds on Saturday August 3, where he could be seen shouting at hundreds of rival protesters and leading the chanting. On Thursday he was jailed by a judge who detailed how the defendant climbed on to a barrier and started rubbing your lips towards a person of colour and was then part of a group who were making similarly racist and insulting gestures, some making monkey noises and gestures. Phil Hoban pictured in 2019 when he went on trial alongside other members of his Predator Exposure group but was later found not guilty (Dave Higgens/PA) The Recorder of Leeds, Judge Guy Kearl KC, said to Hoban: You then started to imitate the manner in which Muslim people pray, in order to mock their religion and, at a slightly later time, you were chanting Allah, Allah, who the f*** is Allah? The judge heard how, after his arrest, Hoban disputed this last statement, telling police he was chanting; Who the f*** is Alan? The anti-immigration demo in Leeds city centre was part of a series across England. Despite some scuffles with police, who formed a cordon to separate the rival protesters, the event did not turn violent in the same way as others in Hull and Liverpool on the same day. Judge Kearl told Hoban: What you have done cannot be viewed in isolation. It must be viewed against the background of unrest and disorder in the country. This was your contribution to that disorder both in this city and nationwide. Your conduct and that of your group was designed to stir up hatred. It took place at a time when the social climate was particularly sensitive. Father-of-three Hoban is the founder of Predator Exposure a group which set-up sting operations against men who made contact with fake profiles of teenage girls they set up online. The groups activities resulted in prosecutions, including that of Irish TV producer Kieran Creaven who was jailed in 2018 after he was tricked by Predator Exposure into flying from Dublin to Leeds to meet a girl he had groomed on Facebook with hundreds of messages. In 2019, Hoban was one of a group of six from Predator Exposure who went on trial accused of offences including false imprisonment following sting operations against two men. But they were all acquitted by a jury after telling the court they were engaged in lawful citizens arrests. Before he was sentenced on Thursday, Hoban told the judge at Leeds Crown Court: I would like to apologise to the people I offended and am truly sorry for the offence I have caused to them. I mean that from the bottom of my heart. Hoban was a prominent figure in an anti-immigration protest in Leeds which confronted a much larger pro-Palestinian demonstration (Owen Humphreys/PA) Im no racist and its killing me inside being labelled this. Hoban, who told the court he could not afford a barrister, said from the dock that he is mixed race, has three mixed-race children and detailed charity work he did with the black and Asian communities in Beeston, Leeds. He told Judge Kearl he had hurt his family all for being a stupid, drunken idiot. He also said he is stepping down from his child protection work which, he told the court, had snared 440 online predators. The court heard Hoban has 24 previous convictions for 66 separate offences including burglary, affray, possessing a bladed article, arson and drug-related matters. Hoban, of Northcote Crescent, Leeds, was jailed after previously admitting causing racially aggravated harassment, alarm or distress. He appeared in the dock alongside James Gettings, 35, who was also jailed for eight months. A video of Gettings mocking Muslim people praying was shown to Judge Kearl on Thursday. Gettings, of Landseer Walk, Bramley, Leeds, admitted causing religiously aggravated harassment, alarm or distress at a previous hearing. Carmel Pearson, prosecuting, said Gettings told police after he was arrested that he was disgusted by his own behaviour, he had been disowned by members of his family and that three seconds of madness has ruined his life. Former Strictly Come Dancing star Pasha Kovalev said BBC bosses need to regulate its rules in order to save the series, amid controversy over the alleged treatment of contestants. The Russian dancer, who joined the the BBC flagship show in 2011 before leaving in 2018, said he was very upset to hear allegations made about the show. I never experienced anything of the sort during my time on Strictly or witnessed anyone else going through it, because Id have definitely intervened, the 44-year-old told the Mirror newspaper. Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Pasha Kovalev (Ray Burmiston/BBC) I guess in every office in the country youd have one or two bad apples, and when it comes to it, it needs to be dealt with. The results of an investigation, launched by the BBC following allegations made about Italian professional dancer Giovanni Pernice by former participant Amanda Abbington, have not yet been published by the corporation. Pernice denies the allegations, while fellow Italian dancer Graziano Di Prima has also left the show. Kovalev, who lifted the glitterball trophy in 2014 with late TV presenter Caroline Flack and placed second alongside Pussycat Dolls star Ashley Roberts in 2018, said there are no excuses for bad behaviour regardless of the pressure you are under or the atmosphere you are in. However, he said he is optimistic the show will continue after this years 20th anniversary. There is no reason to have a break, in spite of all this controversy and discussions lately, he said. It needs to be addressed, to be fixed, people need to be listened to for a proper creative, celebratory atmosphere. Rachel Riley and Pasha Kovalev during the Live show of BBCs Strictly Come Dancing in 2013 (Guy Levy/PA) Kovalev added: The rules need to be regulated, or revisited, and the atmosphere should be re-established where people are trusting one another, people are positive and working together to create a better show delivering a better product, and entertaining people. The professional dancer met his future wife, Countdown star Rachel Riley, when they were paired on the 11th series of the dancing contest. The couple married in Las Vegas in 2019, following Rileys divorce from Jamie Gilbert in 2013. In November 2021 she gave birth to their second daughter, Noa, following the birth of Maven in 2019. Kovalevs comments come after the 2024 Strictly line-up was revealed, which welcomes the shows first blind contestant, Morning Live stars, Olympic champions and soap actors. Taylor Swift returned to London on Thursday for the first of five shows in her Eras Tour. The superstar will be playing songs from each of her 10 albums, each marking a different era in her career, for a show that is expected to last almost three-and-a-half hours. She is expected to perform more than 45 songs and undergo about 15 costume changes. Taylor Swift mania has arrived in London as the star began the first of five shows at Wembley on Thursday (Yui Mok/PA) The Olympic Steps at the stadium were dubbed the Swiftie Steps and fans were sure to get a snap to mark the occasion (Lucy North/PA) Fans have constructed their best outfits ahead of the show, with sparkles and glitter at every turn (Lucy North/PA) Some fans began queuing the day before the show in an attempt to get the best spot in the crowd to see the megastar. Fans gather outside Wembley Stadium in north west London, ahead of Taylor Swifts latest Eras Tour concert (Lucy North/PA) Sophie and Angela Hutton, from Sutton, said they couldnt wait to see the singer after Sophie spent 72 days in Great Ormond Street Hospital (James Manning/PA) Thursdays performance will be Swifts first in two weeks, after her shows in Vienna were cancelled following a failed terror plot. Security was heightened at the stadium, with the Metropolitan Police saying they were well prepared ahead of the five-night run. Security was heightened at the stadium after three of Swifts shows in Vienna were cancelled (Lucy North/PA) Fans have spent countless hours creating outfits dedicated to the show (Lucy North/PA) The epic Eras Tour began in March 2023 and has seen the star traverse the globe, performing for six months in the US before heading to South America, Asia, Australia and finally Europe. This weeks shows are Swifts last in Europe before she heads back across the Atlantic for even more gigs in the US and Canada. Katie Jackson, 18, wearing a homemade Taylor Swift bodysuit, and Kacey Tinsley, 20, pose for a photo outside Wembley Stadium (James Manning/PA) Fan Erin Bourne, 17, from Cardiff, made the journey to Wembley (James Manning/PA) Martyna Smoniewska, 19, is celebrating her BTec results after she received an email with her results while in the queue for the concert (James Manning/PA) Students are shown during a class at Thompson Elementary School, 6121 Tierwester St., Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Houston. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer After just a week of school under their belts, thousands of Houston ISD elementary and middle school students will begin taking adaptive and standardized tests. HISD requires certain exams at the beginning, middle and end of the year to collect data, track progress and group students for interventions and support, according to the 2024-25 testing calendar. Students are scheduled to take middle-of-year exams in January and end-of-year exams in April or May. Houston ISD's testing calendar changed several times during the 2023-24 school year, so some future testing dates may change as the year proceeds. In one instance, the district pushed its scheduled end-of-year MAP Growth assessments to occur two weeks later, forcing some schools to scramble to reschedule field trips and other activities. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Students in second through eighth grade will take the beginning-of-year Northwest Evaluation Association Measures of Academic Progress Growth national adaptive math, reading and science exams from Tuesday through Thursday. Kindergarten and first-grade students will also take the math exams on Tuesday. In addition to the MAP exams, the district will have kindergarten and first graders take the short Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills or mCLASS Lectura test from Aug. 19 to Sept. 20. The test, which measures if students are meeting fluency benchmarks, will also be given to second graders in New Education System schools. Next month, pre-K students will start to take the CIRCLE Assessment, a series of online tests that track students progress on several topics such as rapid letter and vocabulary naming, early writing and phonological awareness. Theyll take the beginning-of-year exams from Sept. 4 to Oct. 2. The middle-of-year MAP exams are scheduled for Jan. 14 to 16, while the end-of-year exams are scheduled for May 20 to 22. Students will take future DIBELS and Lectura assessments from Jan. 8 to Jan 31 and April 21 to May 12, while the CIRCLE exams are scheduled for Jan 8 to Feb. 7 and April 23 to May 23. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Heres a look at the remaining notable testing dates on current version of the districts testing calendar: Gifted and Talented testing HISD will test all second graders from Sept. 23 to Oct. 15 to determine if they qualify for the gifted-and-talented program, which they must enter if they want to attend the districts vanguard magnet schools. They also will provide the exam to fifth and eighth graders who score in the top 25% of the beginning-of-year reading and math MAP exams and other students whose families request it. Parents of students entering kindergarten can request to have their students tested from Sept. 23 to Oct. 8. The deadline for parents to request GT testing is Sept. 16. Advertisement Article continues below this ad College readiness exams HISD will require students in eighth, ninth, 10th and 11th grade to take the preliminary SAT, or the PSAT, on Oct. 16. The exam is used to prepare students for the SAT and determine their eligibility and qualification for the National Merit Scholarship Program, which offers up to $2,500 for top performing students. High school seniors with no SAT score will take the national college entrance exam on Oct. 23, while juniors will take the SAT on March 5 as part of HISDs SAT School Day and can take the ACT on March 26. Students will also take International Baccalaureate exams from April 25 to May 21 and Advanced Placement exams from May 5 to May 16. Advertisement Article continues below this ad State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness At the end of the year, students will take the STAAR, a series of state-mandated, online exams based on the state curriculum standards. High school students must pass five End-of-Course exams Algebra I, English I, English II, biology, and U.S. history to graduate. High school students will take the English I exam on April 10 and the English II exam on April 15. Middle school students will take the reading exam on April 10, while elementary school students will be tested on April 15. Eighth graders will take the science STAAR on April 16, while high schoolers will take the U.S. history exam. Fifth graders will take the science STAAR on April 22, while eighth graders will take the social studies exam and high school students will take the biology exam on April 23. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Joey Essex said he has made the decision to report an alleged stalker to the police, after receiving threatening messages online. The reality TV star claimed he has received more than 100,000 private and public messages from one user, which also appear to threaten his Love Island girlfriend Jessy Potts. We have had to take the decision to report the stalker to the police because the messages have started to become more threatening, 34-year-old Essex told The Sun newspaper. I love my fans and want to be able to talk to them online but there has to be a line somewhere and sadly this is it. Essex and his team are due to speak to police on Thursday to launch a formal probe, The Sun reported. The newspaper has not named the woman alleged to be involved. Essex and Potts met on the most recent instalment of ITV reality dating show Love Island. He entered as the shows first celebrity contestant, having risen to fame on The Only Way Is Essex (Towie) before appearing on a host of reality shows. The couple were dumped from the show a day before the final, which saw Mimii Ngulube and Josh Oyinsan crowned winners. Essex has previously starred on the UK and Australian editions of Im A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!, along with Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, Celebrity MasterChef, Celebs Go Dating and Dancing On Ice. Representatives for Essex have been contacted for comment. Foreign Secretary David Lammy has said resumed talks aiming to halt the Israel-Hamas war could define the future of the Middle East. The US, Qatar and Egypt are to meet with an Israeli delegation in Qatar, accusing Israel of adding new demands to a previous proposal that had US and international support. Hamas has not yet said whether it will be participating. Mediating parties have been attempting to secure an agreement to a three-phase plan in which Hamas would release a number of hostages captured in the October 7 attack in exchange for a lasting ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The Gazan health ministry has said more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israels offensive, which has also wounded 92,401 people and displaced more than 85% of the population from their homes. Escalating tension has reiterated fear of all-out war in the region as fire is now regularly exchanged between Lebanon-backed Hezbollah and the Israeli military. In a statement on Thursday evening Mr Lammy said it was a crucial moment for global stability. He said: The coming hours and days could define the future of the Middle East. That is why today, and every day, we are urging for our partners across the region to choose peace. As the UK made clear at the UN Security Council this week, the situation in Gaza is devastating. The strike on the al-Tabeen school demonstrated that Palestinians in Gaza have nowhere safe to turn. These talks are an opportunity to secure an immediate ceasefire that protects civilians in Gaza, secures the release of hostages still cruelly held by Hamas and restores stability at a dangerous moment for the region. The UK will continue to use every diplomatic lever to bring about a ceasefire. In the last week, I have spoken with partners from across the region on the urgent need to bring this conflict to an end and the Prime Minister has spoken to his US, French and German counterparts, as well as the Iranian and Egyptian Presidents. Relatives and supporters of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza hold photos of their loved ones (Ariel Schalit/AP) Its clear from these conversations that a ceasefire would not only protect civilians in Gaza, but also pave the way for wider de-escalation and bring much-needed stability for the Middle East. It is in the interests of both Israelis and Palestinians for a deal to be agreed, urgently. I urge all parties to engage in the negotiations in good faith and show the flexibility needed to reach an agreement. I thank Qatar, Egypt, the US and all international partners for their efforts in coordinating this vital moment. Israeli forces have regularly targeted mosques, schools, hospitals and cemeteries in Gaza where it claims fighters or tunnels are located, often causing civilian casualties. The fighting has also killed 329 Israeli soldiers. The security guard who helped disarm an alleged knife attacker in Leicester Square has been recognised for his bravery at the Pakistan High Commission in London. The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) confirmed it was providing consular assistance to two injured Australians after Mondays attack. The 29-year-old security guard, known as Abdullah, told the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) he heard a scream before running towards the incident, after being the guest of honour at the Pakistan Independence Day event held by the High Commission on Wednesday. He told ABC: I would say that Im a brave person. We Pakistanis are brave by heart. So I wasnt scared. Ive never seen anything like it before, it was horrible. An 11-year-old girl was allegedly stabbed eight times by Ioan Pintaru, 32. The Metropolitan Police said she suffered serious injuries that are not life-threatening. The girls 34-year-old mother was initially thought to have been hurt, but blood from her daughters injuries had been mistaken for injuries, police said Security guard Abdullah, 29, who works at TWG Tea shop at the scene in Leicester Square, London (Eleanor Cunningham/PA) A DFAT spokesman confirmed it is providing consular assistance to two Australians injured in London but said he was unable to provide further comment due to privacy obligations. We would however ask that the privacy of the family is respected at this difficult time, he said. Pintaru has been charged with the attempted murder of the girl and possession of a bladed article in a public place, said in court to be a steak knife. He appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court on Tuesday wearing a grey prison-issue sweatshirt. The court heard Pintaru is a Romanian citizen of no fixed address and the charges were read to him through an interpreter during the 10-minute hearing. Court artist sketch of Ioan Pintaru appearing at Westminster Magistrates Court (Elizabeth Cook/PA) Prosecutor David Burns said a woman and her 11-year-old daughter were in Leicester Square as tourists when a man approached the girl, placed her into a headlock, hes then stabbed her eight times to the body. He said she was wounded in the face, shoulder, wrist and neck area. The court heard members of the public intervened and when police arrived they found a man being held on the ground. Mr Burns told the court the girl was still in hospital undergoing treatment and that she required plastic surgery. Police said on Monday that there was no suggestion the incident was terror-related and officers do not believe the suspect and the victims were known to each other. Sofia Vergara said she would reprise her role as Modern Familys Gloria Delgado-Pritchett in a TV movie sequel. The actress, who was born in Colombia, was nominated for four Emmys and four Golden Globe awards for her performance in the US sitcom, which ran from 2009 for 11 seasons. Id die to be on that set, Vergara told Variety of the series, which also starred Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Sarah Hyland, Eric Stonestreet and Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Discussing a reboot, Vergara said: Itd be so much fun. A TV movie maybe? Although the 52-year-old believes it may be early for the family to make a comeback following the last episode which aired in 2020, she is not opposed to the idea of a sequel so long as her former co-star Ed ONeill does not die. I always joke with him, Ed, dont die. Because if we do the sequel, it will take some time, and youre the oldest of us. You cant be dead, she said. US actor ONeill, 78, played Vergaras on-screen husband Jay Pritchett. Since the finale of Modern Family, Vergara has won another Emmy nod for her title role in Netflixs Griselda about the Godmother of Miamis drug empire which aired in January to critical acclaim. Vergara said she could relate to the shows material, following the death of her older brother Rafael in 1996. She said he was killed by a Colombian cartel in a botched kidnapping attempt. It destroyed my family, she said. It destroyed my mum. It changed our lives completely. We didnt know what was happening, why he had been killed. After his death, Vergara invited her mother, sister and younger brother to live with her in Miami. It was hard, because I had to take responsibility for my whole family, she said. Modern family won 22 Emmy awards and a Golden Globe for best comedy TV series. The mobile network Three UK continued to make a loss in the first half of the year as it called investing in its network unsustainable, ahead of its planned merger with Vodafone. Three said pre-tax losses narrowed to 30 million for the six months to June 30, an improvement on a 76 million loss at the same time last year. The loss was driven by the growing cost of running and improving its network of mobile phone towers and digital infrastructure, which it put down to inflation. Want to find out more about our ongoing #Vodafone / #Three #merger investigation? Including: what weve found so far how the merger could impact consumers how our merger investigations work Visit our Vodafone / Three page: https://t.co/QUEeW2ReQo pic.twitter.com/NxCpwG4tU0 Competition & Markets Authority (@CMAgovUK) April 29, 2024 Vodafone and Three hope to complete a tie-up, after the two companies agreed a 15 billion deal last summer which would create the UKs largest mobile phone network. The deal has not yet got the green light to go ahead, however, after attracting concerns from regulators. Threes losses come despite the company managing to grow its customer base by 3% versus last year, bringing it to 10.9 million people. The growth came mainly across its cut-price mobile network Smarty, plus its broadband offerings for home and business customers, boosting revenue by 9% to 1.3 million. Chief executive Robert Finnegan said the loss was because of the escalating inflationary costs of operating our network. He added: Our cashflows have been negative since 2020 and our costs have almost doubled in five years, meaning investment in network is unsustainable. Vodafone and Threes planned merger is under investigation by the competition watchdog (Chris Ison/PA) UK mobile networks rank an abysmal 22nd out of 25 in Europe on 5G speeds and availability, with the dysfunctional structure of the market denying us the ability to invest sustainably to fix this situation. Our merger with Vodafone will unlock 11bn worth of investment in digital infrastructure, creating a best-in-class 5G network for the UK and helping to grow the UK economy. Mr Finnegan will have to wait longer to find out if the merger will go ahead, as the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) scrutinises the deal. If it goes ahead, the merger would reduce the number of mobile networks in Britain from four to three. The others are EE and O2. In an update published on August 2, the CMA said it was giving itself until December 7 to complete the probe and publish its findings. The extension reflects the very wide scope of the inquiry and the technical and regulatory complexity of the sector, the watchdog said. PHOENIX - Arizona used to be a near-foregone conclusion for Donald Trump. Now its an emerging problem," according to one longtime political observer. Vice President Kamala Harris is rising in battleground state polls and drew thousands to a political rally in Glendale, Ariz., last week, establishing herself as a more formidable Trump opponent than President Joe Biden was. Now, Republicans wonder whether Trump has been present in Arizona enough and say he is losing ground to Democrats. They're on their back foot, said Chuck Coughlin, a longtime GOP strategist who left the party during the Trump era. Arizona clearly is an emerging problem for him. Trump could address some of those criticisms in person as soon as next week. The former president is weighing a trip to Arizonas southern border in Cochise County, where the U.S.-Mexico border runs for 84 miles. The region is home to two ports of entry: Douglas and Naco. Sierra Vista Mayor Clea McCaa and Sierra Vista police Chief Chris Hiser will be present for Trumps visit, a city spokesperson said on Wednesday. It is not clear what day Trump might visit the county, and the former presidents campaign declined to answer questions about his travel plans. Arizona is a top campaign destination for presidential candidates because it is among a handful of states that could decide the outcome of the 2024 election. Trump lost here by fewer than 11,000 votes in 2020, the smallest margin of any state on the electoral map. It was the first time a Democratic presidential candidate had won in Arizona since 1996 and only the second time since 1948. Former President Donald Trump makes an appearance at a town hall meeting hosted by the conservative group Turning Point Action at Dream City Church in Phoenix on June 6, 2024. Democrats had all but given up on Arizonas presidential prospects at the beginning of the summer, but the well-choreographed swap at the top of the ticket has injected new enthusiasm in the party. Harris held smaller Arizona events during her tenure as vice president but drew a crowd of 15,000 to Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale last week for her first Arizona appearance as the Democratic nominee. Trump addressed some 4,000 people at a rally at Dream City Church in Phoenix in June. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report just changed its Arizona presidential election forecast from lean Republican to toss-up, and a survey from Coughlins polling firm HighGround found Harris narrowly leading Trump in Arizona 44% to 42% among likely voters. (The HighGround survey was conducted July 30-Aug. 5 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.38 percentage points). I didn't think Democrats thought they could win out here, Coughlin said. Now they're like, oh ... we might be able to win this thing. The Trump campaign has put more resources into Arizona lately, dispatching vice presidential nominee JD Vance for a rally and border tour in Cochise County, the same region Trump is considering visiting. Trump and his allies are also pouring millions into TV ad buys to attack Harris on immigration and the economy. MAGA Inc. just announced a $100 million TV ad buy across the battleground states of Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Arizona, Georgia and North Carolina, POLITICO reported. It's hard to believe until you see it with your own eyes, just how bad the policies of the Kamala Harris administration have been when it comes to the southern border, Vance said during his trip to the border wall, making sure to attack Harris on one of her most vulnerable issues. Trump has veered off track with his messaging, though, according to one of his Arizona backers. Trump never stops speaking and should stick to a campaign message that can broaden his coalition, said Arizona Republican Alberto Gutier, who served as a Trump elector in 2016. Trump can still win it, but hes gonna have to solidify what's left of the party, Gutier said, pointing to struggles Arizona Republicans have faced in recent years. The GOP lost three Senate races, the Governors Office, the Secretary of States Office and the Attorney Generals Office during the Trump era. For its part, the Trump campaign said his momentum is growing and attacked Harris on the economy and the border. Everything from rent, groceries to gas is far more expensive under Kamala Harris. Under her failed leadership, Arizona families have experienced record high prices and an unruly border crisis; our communities have been less safe, and deadly drugs are killing our youth. President Trump offers Arizona voters hope through his agenda to make Arizona safe and affordable again," Trump campaign spokesperson Halee Dobbins said in a written statement. "The momentum is only growing for Trump ahead of November as voters grow sick and tired of Harris lies and unlivable policies; Arizona wont buy her gaslighting this fall."But Gutier said hes worried that Harris appeals to a noteworthy voting group that could help sway the election result. Here in Arizona, young people, a lot of people who have not been involved in politics, see her as a savior, Gutier said. Good luck, America. Still, Trump just got a boost from a top Arizona Republican whom he butted heads with in the past. Former GOP Gov. Doug Ducey endorsed Trump on Tuesday, putting his differences aside to back the former president who once said Ducey was betraying Arizona by certifying the 2020 election results. Differences aside, there is too much on the line and only a Republican in the White House and a majority in the House and US Senate can ensure it, Ducey said, throwing his support behind Trump and GOP Senate nominee Kari Lake. No charges: Why Arizona Attorney General Mayes didn't want to indict Trump in fake elector case He also received praise from the Arizona Republican Party chair for taking questions from billionaire Trump booster Elon Musk during a lengthy livestream on Musks social media site. Harris has taken few questions from reporters since she became her partys nominee. The conversation between President Trump and Elon Musk on X Spaces again demonstrated President Trump's commitment to transparency and direct engagement with the American people, Arizona GOP Chair Gina Swoboda said in a written statement. In stark contrast, Kamala Harris has been noticeably absent from the media for over three weeks. When it comes to campaigning offline, Trump has a lighter footprint than the Harris operation in Arizona. The Trump campaign has eight offices here, compared with Harris 12, though it says it has plans to open more ahead of the election. Trump offices are in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Casa Grande, Sun City, Chandler, Mesa, Tucson and Kingman. The campaign also holds Super Saturday training sessions for volunteers around the state. The Harris-Walz campaign has seen a surge of momentum as voters are responding to Vice President Harris fight to bring down costs, secure the border, and make sure Arizona families dont just get by but get ahead, Harris spokesperson Jacques Petit said in a written statement. Meanwhile Donald Trump and JD Vance have almost no presence in the state and are running on a toxic Project 2025 agenda to ban abortion in Arizona and slash Medicare and Social Security, which is why Republicans, Democrats and Independents are coming together to defeat them and deliver the White House for Vice President Harris and Governor Walz. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Is Arizona an emerging problem for Donald Trump? What to know The answer shocked me. Simply Recipes / Getty Images One of the first things I ever learned how to make was deviled eggs. I loved helping my mom make a platter of them because it always meant something special was about to happenusually a holidayand more importantly, she let me scrape the filling from the bowl. As a kid, I probably mangled more eggs than I successfully peeled. Over time, I learned how to peel an egg to come out intact with the whites and without any nicks. I have my philosophy around hard-boiling eggs, which I often do for weekly meal prep, but I was curious to know if there was wisdom I was missing out on, so I decided to ask the real pros: egg farmers. I figured if anyone had insight on getting it right, it would be them, and their unanimous answer absolutely shocked me. Simply Recipes / Getty Images The Panel of "Eggsperts" Nicole Broder, Jes Carr, and Kara Adair : Owners and farmers at Shine Farms in Richmond, Virginia Chris Newman : Owner and farmer at Sylvanaqua Farms and Author of First Generation Farming Sarah Beth Tanner: Eggfluencer at Pete & Gerry's The Number One Tip for Hard-Boiling Eggs, According to Egg Farmers Ive tried just about every tip for peeling hard-boiled eggs, from jiggling them inside a pint glass to cooling them in an ice bath before peeling. (The latter tip, I still swear by.) However, I was not prepared for what my egg farmer friends told me: The key to great hard-boiled eggs is to use eggs that are a little bit on the older side. Nicole, Jes, and Kara are the farmers behind Shine Farm in Richmond, Virginia, where I often score my eggs. They told me, Buy your eggs from your favorite farmers market, but then let them sit for a few days. Older eggs are easier to peel after boiling! Just up the road at Sylvanaqua Farms in Colonial Beach, Virginia, farmer Chris Newman has the same idea: My tip would be that if youre buying eggs directly from a farmer, dont boil them for at least a week or two. Eggs that are too fresh are almost impossible to peel. Suddenly, my frustrated attempts at peeling farm-fresh eggs started to make sense. The eggs just needed a bit more time, but why? According to the USDA, That's because the air cell, found at the large end of the shell between the shell membranes, increases in size the longer the raw egg is stored. As the contents of the egg contract and the air cell enlarges, the shell becomes easier to peel. For this reason, older eggs make better candidates for hard cooking. Even store-bought can be too fresh to peel, says Sarah, so its best to wait until theyre closer to their expiration date. Use cold eggs straight from the fridge, and opt for eggs that are closer to their expiration date, if you have them. In general, the older the egg, the easier it is to peel. Then, consider the following pro tips for hard-boiling eggs: Use a pot big enough to place the eggs in a single layer Remove eggs from the boiling water directly to an ice bath before peeling Start peeling at the egg's larger endthats where the air pocket is Read the original article on Simply Recipes. By Jonathan Stempel (Reuters) - Bayer won a legal victory in its fight to limit liability from claims its Roundup weed killer causes cancer, as a U.S. appeals court said on Thursday that federal law shields the German company from a lawsuit by a Pennsylvania landscaper. Shares of Bayer rose as much as 13.2% in Friday trading in Germany, on optimism the decision could eliminate much of its remaining legal liabilities for Roundup, made by its Monsanto unit. The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia rejected plaintiff David Schaffner's claim that Monsanto violated state law by failing to put a cancer warning on the label for Roundup. Schaffner was diagnosed in 2006 with a kind of cancer called non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a common claim for Roundup plaintiffs. He and his wife Theresa sued Bayer in 2019, partly over how his illness affected their relationship. Chief Judge Michael Chagares wrote for a unanimous three-judge panel that the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act requires nationwide uniformity in pesticide labels, and prevented Pennsylvania from adding a cancer warning. COURTS ARE DIVIDED The decision conflicts with rulings from federal appeals courts in San Francisco and Atlanta in similar cases. That raises the prospect the U.S. Supreme Court could resolve the split if the Schaffners appealed, perhaps as soon as next year. The court is not required to hear an appeal, but often accepts cases when lower courts disagree on the law. Chip Becker, a lawyer for the Schaffners, said his clients were disappointed with the decision and were reviewing their legal options, and that federal law should not preempt their failure-to-warn claim. In a research note, Barclays analysts said "this ruling was not expected," and Bayer believed a positive Supreme Court resolution "could bring glyphosate litigation to an end." The Supreme Court declined to hear Bayer's appeal from the San Francisco decision. Bayer has until Sept. 5 to appeal the Atlanta decision, court records show. Bayer said it was pleased with Thursday's decision and looked forward to presenting its arguments to the Supreme Court, saying that court should "settle this important issue of law." The German company has long maintained that Roundup and its active ingredient glyphosate are safe. SHARE SLUMP Bayer has faced extensive litigation over Roundup, and through Thursday had seen its share price fall more than 73% since buying Monsanto for $63 billion in June 2018. It settled much of the litigation for $10.9 billion in 2020, but still faces about 58,000 claims. Another 114,000 claims have been settled or rejected. Though Bayer won 14 of 23 Roundup trials through July 23, one victory was overturned on appeal, and the losses saddled it with billions of dollars of damages awards. The Schaffners settled with Bayer in September 2022, conditioned on Bayer being unable to convince courts that federal law preempted Pennsylvania's cancer warning. Chagares said it did, and that this approach "best achieves Congress's stated aim of uniformity in pesticide labeling." Roundup is among the most widely used weed killers in the United States. Bayer phased out sales for home use last year. The case is Schaffner et al v Monsanto Corp, 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 22-3075. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Additional reporting by Brendan Pierson and Ludwig Burger; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Frances Kerry) Texas officials adopted their first-ever statewide flood plan on Aug. 15, 2024. In this file photo, Mike Bartlow carries items out of his house through flood water as his family evacuates their home in River Plantation, Aug. 28, 2017, in Conroe. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer Texas officials adopted their first-ever statewide flood plan Thursday, recommending $54.5 billion worth of strategies and studies to protect the 1 in 6 Texans who live or work in flood hazard areas. The delayed "Ike Dike," a series of gates, floodwalls and dunes proposed to protect the Houston-Galveston region from storm surge, ranked first on the states final list of flood mitigation projects. It also accounted for nearly half of the plans budget. The full sum dwarfed typical flood prevention investments made by state lawmakers, which totaled about $1 billion in the last legislative session. Advertisement Article continues below this ad More than 3,000 of the plan's 4,609 recommendations were to fund research that will evaluate new solutions, suggesting the strategies' ultimate costs will be much higher. "The intent is that it will be funded by any and all possible sources, not just by the state," said Reem Zoun, who leads the Texas Water Development Board's Flood Planning Division and oversaw the planning process. Here's what to know about the flood control plan and why it matters to Houston: What is the purpose of Texas' new flood plan? Zoun said a statewide plan was crucial even without the funds to support all projects that emerged. Many Texas regions previously had no detailed hazard mapping or strategy to prioritize flood control projects, in spite of the state's long history of flooding. While the Houston area does have better data on its own flood risks and planning processes, many local mitigation strategies have never been fully funded. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Priority projects could continue to struggle with funding, though. The final plan itself said flood infrastructure is often underfunded and needs public assistance because it does not generate direct revenue and "in some cases, those entities incurring the cost of flood mitigation measures are not the same entities that realize the benefits." The Texas Water Development Board ranked project proposals submitted in 15 regional plans based on their impacts during 100-year floods. The Legislature, which ordered the plan, is expected to use those recommendations during the next legislative session. Texas officials adopted their first-ever statewide flood plan on Aug. 15, 2024. In this file photo, homes just east of Beltway 8 are inundated with water from the overflowing Buffalo Bayou north of Briar Forest Dr. from Hurricane Harvey. Mark Mulligan, Staff Photographer / Mark Mulligan / Houston Chronicle What's the public reaction to Texas' flood control plan? The planning effort was met with praise from community members and local officials who attended the Texas Water Development Board meeting Thursday to comment before the board's approval. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "This plan has brought a lot of what we have been advocating in the past years," said Frances Acuna, one of over 350 volunteers who worked on the regional flood plans assembled by local authorities and residents. "Because of increased development, old infrastructure doesn't have the capacity to hold the water," Acuna said, adding that the process had given hope to communities that have been ravaged by flooding. Zoun, in her presentation to the board ahead of Thursday's unanimous adoption vote, said the long-term impact of the effort would "no doubt reduce the risk and impact of flooding and ease suffering," even though it could not change past disasters. Texas officials adopted their first-ever statewide flood plan on Aug. 15, 2024. In this file photo, flood victims are rescued by boat from a neighborhood flooded by Tropical Depression Imelda on Sept. 19, 2019, in Patton Village. Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer What was the climate change controversy over the draft? The plan drew public scrutiny earlier this summer for leaving out the term "climate change" and failing to factor in modeling that could predict how rising sea levels or future rainfall would affect flood zones. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Cyrus Reed, conservation director for the Sierra Club in Texas and one of the commenters at an open hearing on the strategy, said at the time that "it's a very imperfect plan, not conservative enough in terms of protecting people." Reed and other Texans who raised concerns made clear that there was little opposition to statewide flood planning itself, which the Legislature kicked off after Hurricane Harvey killed dozens of people in the Houston area and caused an estimated $125 billion in damage. Zoun said the agency is working now on "future condition" mapping before the next planning cycle, which will help regions predict how weather and development will alter flood patterns. What are 100-year and 500-year floods? When Hurricane Harvey drowned the Houston area for days on end in 2017, the storm filled places that had less than a 0.2% chance of inundation in a given year according to federal flood maps. It was named a "500-year flood." Advertisement Article continues below this ad While the destruction it wreaked was anomalous, Harvey was not the first 500-year flood in half a millennium. It was the third in three years, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, whose research on the uptick in flooding kicked off a new federal mapping project for Harris County that should be released by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in 2025. Without accounting for new adjustments, floods that creep up into the regions 100-year flood plains are already considered five times more likely than 500-year floods, with a 1% chance of occurring every year. Why can flood plain maps be misleading? By definition, 500-year and 100-year flood plains consider the statistical likelihood of an event by looking at the past rather than modeling future changes. In Texas, it appears clear to many residents that the future will look different. Flooding is getting worse. It has always been a part of our life, but it is increasingly being driven by climate change, said Jennifer Walker, the director of the Texas Coast and Water Program for the National Wildlife Federation. Even with accurate predictions, "the term '100-year flood' is misleading," according to the Harris County Engineering Department. Homes in the area's 100-year flood plain have at least a 26% chance of filling with water over the course of a 30-year mortgage. In the past three decades, many have flooded multiple times. Texas officials adopted their first-ever statewide flood plan on Aug. 15, 2024. In this file photo, Conroe firefighter Cody Leroy carries a resident evacuated in a boat by the CFD Rapid Intervention Team on May 2, 2024 in Conroe. Brett Coomer/Staff photographer What is next for the state's flood planning? The Texas Water Development Board will submit the flood plan to the Legislature on Sept. 1. Lawmakers are expected to consider the agency's recommendations when making funding decisions for flood mitigation strategies. The plan also made five direct legislative recommendations, distilled from hundreds proposed in the 15 regional strategies. It recommended the state set up ongoing flood mitigation funding, establish targeted assistance for remote or disadvantaged communities, expand funding to mitigate low water crossings, set up regional early warning systems and develop a levee safety program. The board was mandated by law to create a plan as a "guide to state and local flood control policy," but its advice is not binding: Elected officials at the state level retain control of which suggestions they will put into practice. Making sure thawed bread tastes good actually begins before you even put it in the freezer. Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Cindy Barr; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Nothing tastes as good as a piece of fresh bread loaded with butter, but if your only option is pulling a loaf from the freezer, making sure its thawed correctly is key. Related: Our 52 Best Quick Bread RecipesNo Long Rise Required The Best Method For Thawing Bread The easiest method for thawing a frozen loaf of bread is to simply transfer the wrapped loaf from the freezer to the refrigerator, says North Carolina chef Rhonda Stewart, Within 24 hours, the loaf should be thawed and ready to eat, she says. Letting a frozen loaf of bread thaw on the countertop is another method. Be mindful of the amount of moisture inside the bread bag as that can cause the crust to become soggy and possibly moldy if stored at room temperature for more than a few days, Stewart advises. Meet Our Expert Rhonda Stewart, Senior Instructor/Associate Professor, Johnson & Wales University, Charlotte Campus The Most Important Tip About Freezing Bread Store it properly. Maximizing flavor and freshness of frozen bread actually begins before it goes into the freezer. Before your loaf goes in the freezer, make sure it is tightly wrapped or sealed in a plastic bag, Stewart says. This prevents the loaf from absorbing excess moisture or odors from the freezer and reduces the chance of freezer burn. Much of your success depends on the original crumb and crust structure of the fresh loaf before it goes into the freezer, she says. Stewart says that restoring the proper taste and texture of a loaf of frozen bread can be a tricky process. For enriched breadsthose with a higher fat or sugar contentthe thawing can be successful. For breads with a lower fat or sugar content, like a sourdough or artisan style bread, the thawed loaf may be dense or chewy. Related: Should You Refrigerate Bread To Make It Last Longer? 2 Tips For Thawing Frozen Bread Though everyone can agree that fresh is best, thawed bread can be equally delicious. Stewart offers two tips for thawing frozen bread: Slice before you freeze. If you know that youll only need a few slices of bread at a time, plan ahead. Slice the loaf and then secure it in a plastic bag before freezing, she says. When you need a slice, remove just one piece, and then warm it in the toaster to thaw. Add water. For crusty breads, like sourdough, you can restore that crunch by adding water. Give the loaf a quick dunk in a bowl of water, place directly on the oven rack, then bake the bread in a preheated oven at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for about five minutes, Stewart says. Related: Our Most Popular Bread Recipes Of All Time Downsides Of Freezing Bread Stewart acknowledges that although sometimes freezing bread is necessary, there are a couple downsides to consider. Flavor: You may lose a bit of flavor if its not wrapped properly, she says. Texture: The crust may not be as crispy as fresh as you like, but that can be fixed with a quick bake in a hot oven, says Stewart Crust: Sometimes the crust can break if the loaf gets moved around in the freezer too often, she notes. Related: The Best Way To Keep Your Bread Fresh, According To A Baker For more Southern Living news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on Southern Living. In a poor Caracas neighborhood, the letter X is appearing on peoples homes crude chest-high slashes of paint that residents say amount to a threat. Residents living in 23 de Enero, once the stronghold of the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, believe pro-regime paramilitary groups are behind the spray paint. The groups, known as colectivos, are marking people who had protested the outcome of Julys presidential election, residents told CNN. There are some fifty homes in my street, and thirty-two have been marked, said one resident, who asked to use the alias Pablo, due to fear of retaliation for speaking out. The Xs appeared in Pablos neighborhood days after Venezuelas President Nicolas Maduro claimed victory at the polls on July 28 a result disputed by the opposition and questioned by foreign observers. Members of a Venezuelan paramilitary unit took photos of his neighbors as they stood outside their homes and called for Maduro to step down by banging pots. The next morning, we woke up and all the houses were marked with a cross, Pablo said. Pablo told CNN he could hear the painting on his own door in the middle of the night, the rattle and spray waking him up from his sleep. The following days, they would ride around the street saying this mark is for cowards and that they would come back with guns if anyone protested, he said. Paramilitary groups have historically been used by the Maduro regime to intimidate or attack opposition supporters. In many of Caracas poorest neighborhoods, they are the only law. CNN is attempting to contact Valentin Santana, the leader of one of the most notorious colectivo, La Piedrita, for comment. Another resident of the same neighborhood said her home was not grafittied, but that she is now too intimidated to join planned anti-government protests on Saturday. She is fearful of a crackdown by the government, which has already detained hundreds of opposition supporters for protesting against Maduro or casting doubt about his disputed victory. She says that paramilitary groups have installed surveillance cameras in her area, and she does not know who to trust. The Venezuelan government recently repurposed an app originally intended to report public administration malfunctions to allow anonymous charges against opposition supporters. Residents say the black marks were spray painted by a paramilitary unit. Portions of this image have been blurred by CNN to protect identities. - CNN This is the app to snitch on the fascists, Maduro himself told a recent rally, presenting the new service. It has since been blocked on Apples App store but is still available on Google Play. She believes that about 80% of the area she lives in would be in favor of Venezuelas political opposition but are too intimidated to make their voices heard. A couple days after the election, two young protesters were taken away, theres no trust among neigbhbors also because of the app, Valentina said. A pattern of repression Venezuelans have felt this fear before. In 2019, when opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself to be the interim president of Venezuela, with widespread popular support, motorcycle riding colectivo members terrorized anti-government rallies with gunfire and prevented opposition lawmakers and journalists from entering the National Assembly. That pattern of repression appears to be ramping up today. Pablo accuses colectivo members of making threats, such as being taken to prison, blacklisting for vital government benefits for cheap gasoline and food handouts. There have also been threats of overt violence in the past few days, though he maintains he will keep protesting. Going to jail, that is scary, because at my age that almost certainly means dying in jail. But I dont want to stop, people are angry I am very angry, furious, Pablo, who is in his seventies, told CNN. Such accounts echo the warnings of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who told CNNs Christiane Amanpour on Tuesday that Maduro is exercising violence on innocent people in the aftermath of the disputed vote. Young people are [taken] out of their houses, houses are marked with a cross at their doors. Journalists have been detained, four of them have been accused of terrorism. This is happening as we speak, she said. Since the contested election, Maduro has been at the forefront of the government crackdown, ordering the opening of two new prisons to accommodate detained protesters and openly calling for everyone in the streets to be imprisoned. Maduro has also endorsed what is informally referred to as Operation Knock-Knock, that has seen security services knocking at opposition members doors. Knock Knock! Dont be a crybaby Youre going to Tocoron (a jail) Maduro shouted at a rally last week. Even after Venezuelas electoral and judicial authorities announced the victory of Maduro, they have not shown detailed results and electoral records to support it, prompting anger and concern across the country and abroad. Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado looks on with a hand in her chest during a protest against the result of the presidential election on July 30, 2024 in Caracas, Venezuela. - Alfredo Lasry R/Getty Images Meanwhile, the team of opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia has released independently collected polling station data that, although partial, appears to suggest that Maduro lost. Numerous countries say they will not recognize the official election result until the vote tallies are published in full. In a report shared Tuesday, a panel of experts from the United Nations said the presidential election lacked basic transparency and integrity. They also strongly criticized the National Electoral Council (CNE) for announcing the winner without revealing the tabulated results from each of the countrys polling stations, saying it had no precedent in contemporary democratic elections. The note from the UN is giving us a lot of hope. The world must know that we have a neo-Nazi for president, Pablo said. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com By Andrew MacAskill and Conor Humphries LONDON (Reuters) - British weapons can be used by Ukrainian forces in operations on Russian territory, Britain's Ministry of Defence said on Thursday, but restrictions on the use of long-range Storm Shadow missiles remain. In the last two weeks, Ukraine has carried out the biggest foreign attack on sovereign Russian territory since World War Two, which one Ukrainian official has said is designed to create a buffer zone to protect its population against attack. Britain's then foreign minister David Cameron said in May that Ukraine had a right to use weapons provided by London to strike targets inside Russia, but the government had not commented before on Ukraine's use of the donated weapons by ground forces on Russian territory. Setting out the use of weapons deliveries in some of the most explicit terms to date, a spokesperson for Britain's Ministry of Defence said that Ukraine had a "clear right of self-defence against Russia's illegal attacks" and "that does not preclude operations inside Russia". "We make clear during the gifting process that equipment is to be used in line with international law," the spokesperson said. The policy means that British tanks, anti-tank missiles, and other military equipment given to Ukraine can be used inside Russia as part of Ukraine's defence against Russia's invasion. Restrictions on the use of British supplied long-range Storm Shadow missiles, which can only be used within Ukraine's internationally accepted borders, remain in place. Using swarms of drones, heavy artillery and tanks, Ukraine says it has captured more than 1,000 square kilometres (390 sq miles) of Russian territory since Aug. 6 in a move that Russian leader Vladimir Putin called a "major provocation". A British source said Ukrainian troops are thought to have used British Challenger 2 tanks inside Russia. The Ministry of Defence declined to comment on the use of British tanks inside Russia. Britain has pledged 7.6 billion pounds ($9.77 billion) in military assistance for Ukraine since February 2022 when the Russia invasion began, according to the House of Commons library, which publishes research. This includes 14 of Britain's main battle tanks last year along with armoured vehicles, ammunition, air defence systems, electronic warfare equipment and artillery. But Britain, like other Western governments, has so far refused to allow Ukraine to use long-range weapons because of the perceived risk of escalation in the conflict. Russia has said it would respond if Britain allowed Ukraine to strike Russia with British weapons. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy again this week urged Western allies to permit long-range missile strikes into Russia. ($1 = 0.7783 pounds) (Reporting by Andrew MacAskill and Conor Humphries; editing by Philippa Fletcher) A central California man suspected of sexually assaulting a juvenile and slashing the child's throat in the laundry room of an apartment complex earlier this month has been arrested, police announced this week. Arthur Dean Knapp, 40, is being held at the Madera County jail on a slew of charges, including rape and attempted murder, jail records show. Police in Chowchilla, a city of less-than 20,000 people about 40 miles northwest of Fresno, arrested Knapp on Aug. 1 the same day that the crime was reported. Chowchilla Police Chief Jeff Palmer identified Knapp as the suspect during a Tuesday press conference in the same week that Knapp had been formally indicted. "I want to extend our agency's and our city officials' sorrow to the victim, as well as their family, for having to endure such a tragic, and horrific assault upon them," Palmer said during the news conference, "an assault carried out by a monster who should not have been walking our streets and should never walk any streets freely again." Attack occurred in laundry room at Chowchilla apartment complex The brutal attack took place in a laundry room shared by residents of an apartment complex in Chowchilla. Palmer, who described the attack as a crime of opportunity, said Knapp was not a resident of the apartment and it was unclear if he had any prior relationship with the victim. After the sexual assault, Knapp is accused of slitting the juvenile's throat and leaving the youth for dead. But once the victim regained consciousness, the child was able to alert authorities before receiving treatment and surgery at a nearby children's hospital, Palmer said. "This attempt to take this victim's life was unsuccessful; the reason it was unsuccessful was because the suspect counted on the victim to be weak," Palmer said. "He counted wrong. In fact, the victim was so strong, they picked themself up and was able to report what had happened." Investigators relied on witness statements and DNA evidence from a rape kit provided to the U.S. Department of Justice to link Knapp to the crime, Palmer said. Police officials indicated Tuesday the young victim is recovering from the injuries sustained in the attack and will survive. "Cases like this cannot happen to our children," Palmer said. "Cases like this in smaller cities like ours are very personal to all of us." Knapp faces life in prison without parole If convicted as charged, Knapp could face the possibility of life in prison without parole, Madera County District Attorney Sally Moreno said Tuesday. In addition to rape and attempted murder, Knapp is charged with parole violations and assault with a deadly weapon. Knapp also has prior offenses on his record that could increase the severity of any sentence he receives, Moreno added. "We are prepared to do everything we need to do to make sure the community stays safe and justice is served," Moreno told reporters. Knapp was arraigned Tuesday in court, where he pleaded not guilty to the indictment a standard procedure at this point in the criminal justice process. He is scheduled to appear in court Aug. 23 for a preliminary hearing, online court records show. Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Arthur Dean Knapp accused of slashing California child's throat, rape By Jonathan Allen and Kanishka Singh NEW YORK (Reuters) -Columbia University President Minouche Shafik resigned on Wednesday, nearly four months after the university's handling of campus protests over Israel's war in Gaza drew criticism from pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian sides alike. Shafik, who cited the toll the campus turmoil took on her family, becomes the third president of an Ivy League university to step down in the wake of campus protests over Gaza. She said she made the announcement now so new leadership could be in place before the new term begins on Sept. 3, when student protesters have vowed to resume protests. "It has... been a period of turmoil where it has been difficult to overcome divergent views across our community. This period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in our community," Shafik said in a statement. The university announced Katrina Armstrong, dean of Columbia's medical school, would serve as interim president. Armstrong said in a statement she was "acutely aware of the trials the University has faced over the past year." Columbia was rocked in April and May as protesters occupied parts of the New York City campus in opposition to Palestinian civilian deaths in Gaza, resulting in hundreds of arrests. The demonstrators denounced Shafik for calling police onto campus to halt the demonstrations, while pro-Israel supporters castigated her for failing to crack down sufficiently. Students with Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a group behind the protests, welcomed the resignation but said it should not become a distraction from their efforts to have Columbia divest from companies that support Israel's military and its occupation of Palestinian territories. "We hope that Columbia will finally appoint a president that will hear the students and faculty rather than appeasing Congress and donors," said Mahmoud Khalil, one of the group's lead negotiators with the school's administration. Republican U.S. Representative Elise Stefanik, a critic of university leaders in congressional hearings over Gaza protests nationwide, called Shafik's resignation "overdue" on X because of what she called failure to protect Jewish students. Two other Ivy League presidents have resigned after facing congressional critics. Liz Magill of the University of Pennsylvania stepped down in December 2023 and Claudine Gay of Harvard quit a month later. Shafik, an Egyptian-born economist who holds British and U.S. nationality, was previously deputy governor of the Bank of England, president of the London School of Economics and deputy managing director at the International Monetary Fund. After leading Columbia for little more than a year, Shafik said she would return to the British House of Lords and chair a review of the government's approach to international development. Her position at Columbia was undermined when pro-Palestinian protesters set up dozens of tents on the main lawn. On April 18 she took the unusual step of asking New York police to enter campus, angering rights groups, students and faculty, after encampments were not cleared voluntarily. More than 100 people were arrested and the tents removed, but within days the encampment was back in place. The university called police back in on April 30, when they arrested 300 people at and near Columbia and the City College of New York. Some protesters were injured in the arrests. The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered on Oct. 7 when Palestinian fighters from Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's subsequent assault on the Hamas-governed enclave has since killed nearly 40,000 Palestinians, according to the local health ministry, while displacing nearly the entire population of 2.3 million, causing a hunger crisis and leading to genocide allegations at the World Court that Israel denies. (Reporting by Jonathan Allen in New York, Kanishka Singh and Jasper Ward in Washington, and Daniel Trotta in Carlsbad, California; Editing by Mary Milliken and William Mallard) Democrats are ramping up their attacks on Project 2025, the sweeping conservative strategy designed to guide the next Republican president, intensifying their public messaging campaign during the long August recess with plans to escalate those efforts even further in the final sprint to Novembers elections. A small House Democratic task force formed to combat Project 2025 has warned for months that the controversial GOP agenda poses a material threat to the countrys democratic traditions. But as the attention surrounding Project 2025 has swelled outside the Beltway and public surveys increasingly reveal that voters broadly oppose its contents Democrats also see the conservative strategy as something else: a political goldmine, one that both validates their warnings about the perils of a second Trump administration and holds the potential to drive voters to their side on Election Day. Democratic leaders have taken notice. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) met twice with members of the Democratic task force in his Capitol office before the long August recess. Hes coordinating with the group on several Project 2025 forums on Capitol Hill when Congress reconvenes in September. And hes eyeing several related field hearings around the country in the final weeks leading into Novembers elections, hoping the eleventh-hour scrutiny will push apprehensive voters toward Democrats at the polls. The heavy involvement of Democratic leaders marks an evolution in how the opposition task force is operating, as members of the party brass from Jeffries, at the highest tier, to the leaders of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC), which acts as the partys messaging arm step off the sidelines to join the messaging blitz. That has changed in a big way, Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), who launched the opposition task force in June, said of the leadership role. Things are very integrated now. And so from Leader Jeffries on down to the DPCC, and the caucus, and our task force everybody is working together with this as a priority. This is going to be part of Democrats closing argument, certainly, in the next 85 days. Indeed, in Democratic strategy discussions, Project 2025 seems to be everywhere. The leaders of the DPCC blasted an email to Democratic offices last week challenging each lawmaker to use the long summer break to hold at least five district events exposing the extremism of Trumps Project 2025. The three members who rack up the most events will win a plaque. Separately, the Democrats campaign arm launched a recess press campaign highlighting various components of Project 2025 a different issue every day. The idea is to tie the more controversial elements of the document to vulnerable Republicans in the battleground districts that will decide which party controls the House next year. We want to hold them accountable for their positions, Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.), head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said by phone Wednesday. Project 2025 is a compilation of Republican policies, she continued. We want to continue to remind folks that thats where they stand, that those are the positions that Republicans have been supporting, and this is whats at stake this election: our rights, our freedoms, our democracy and our future. The House efforts jibe with the message coming from Vice President Harris, who has lambasted Project 2025 on the campaign stump. For those who miss the rallies, a portion of Harriss campaign website is dedicated to warnings that the conservatives policy plans would gut federal benefits, eliminate womens reproductive rights and shift power from working-class Americans to their employers. Some Democrats said they were stunned that an obscure policy document from a Washington think-tank has broken through the election-year noise to become a major issue in the campaign. Yet a number of recent public opinion polls reveal that most voters are familiar with the agenda and most dont like what they see. This is a deeply resonant issue with the public because everyone stands to be impacted by it, and its a matter of life and death for our democracy and our communities, Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), another member of the opposition task force, said in an email. A senior Democratic aide said the attention of party leaders was piqued in early summer, weeks after the task force was formed, when interest in Project 2025 exploded on social media and began to be reflected in public polls. Project 2025 in like, late June, early July, had this renaissance online. It was a trending topic on Twitter; a lot of influencers were talking about it. Awareness sort of started to organically go up, the aide said. And then we noticed in the polling that there was a real opportunity, because when you tell more people about it, they do not view it favorably. So its really on us to educate people about it. The contentious blueprint is almost certain to be a focus of attention at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago next week, where Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, are scheduled to secure the partys formal nomination. How much focus, however, remains unclear. Huffman, for one, has lobbied for a Project 2025 pavilion to be a centerpiece of the event a kind of hub of programming, he said, to showcase the GOPs policy plans in contrast to the Democrats own. I dont know if theyre going to do that, Huffman said. But Ive tried every way that I could to get that into the convention. Even before then, Democrats are eyeing every chance to shine a light on the project. The Biden administration on Thursday, for instance, is rolling out the names of 10 new prescription drugs subject to price negotiations under Medicare a process, designed to cut costs to seniors, that would be repealed under Project 2025. Theyve just given us this awesome opportunity to paint full contrast on every single issue of importance, the aide said, and we intend to continue totally taking advantage of it. Spearheaded by the conservative Heritage Foundation, Project 2025 offers a long list of policy recommendations intended to guide the agenda of the next conservative in the White House, whether its former President Trump or another Republican further afield. Among the proposals raising eyebrows are provisions to crack down on abortion access nationwide; revoke federal approval of mifepristone, a widely used abortion pill; eliminate the departments of Education and Commerce; establish that only married men and women are the ideal, natural family structure; and adopt a whole-of-government unwinding of federal efforts to combat climate change. It also proposes steps to eradicate the so-called deep state, making it easier for the next GOP president to fire federal employees deemed insufficiently dedicated to advancing conservative policies. Last month, after the Supreme Court had ruled in favor of near-blanket immunity for former presidents, Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts suggested the decision would help Trump overhaul Washington, a la Project 2025, without fear of legal consequences. We are in the process of the second American Revolution, he told The War Room podcast, which will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be. Trump, for his part, has taken great strides to distance himself from Project 2025, disavowing any connection to both its drafting and the policies it proposes. In a Truth Social post last month, he was terse, writing that I have nothing to do with, and know nothing about, Project 2025. In an email Wednesday, a campaign spokesperson amplified that message, accusing Harris and Democrats of LYING and fear-mongering about Trumps ties to the document because they have NOTHING else to offer the American people. Since the Fall of 2023, President Trumps campaign made it clear that only President Trump and the campaign, and NOT any other organization or former staff, represent policies for the second term, Danielle Alvarez, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign, wrote. President Trump personally led the effort to establish 20 promises made to the forgotten men and women across our nation, as well as [the] RNC Platform these are the only policies endorsed by President Trump for a second term. Other Republicans have rushed to Trumps defense, noting that outside groups on both sides regularly issue policy papers while dismissing the notion that Project 2025 will hurt Republicans at the polls. Voters understand that the policy positions of people who are not elected, who are in think tanks or other organizations, are ideas, and a lot of people have a lot of ideas, Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.) said. And I know that President Trump himself has disavowed whats in that, because his policy positions are different in many respects. Still, the reaction to the document has prompted enough concern in the Trump campaign that it has compiled a reference document, entitled Project 2025 Pushback. Democrats, meanwhile, have rejected the claims of disassociation, noting that many of the contributors to Project 2025 worked in Trumps first administration, and some of those figures are expected to join a second if he wins. That list includes Russell Vought, who served as Trumps head of the Office of Management and Budget, and John McEntee, head of personnel in Trumps first term, who launched an effort to purge the presidents critics from federal agencies in a campaign reminiscent of that proposed in Project 2025. The skeptics are also quick to point out that Trump had flown on a private plane with Roberts to a Heritage event where he touted the groups playbook as exactly what our movement will do. Its an example of just a mountain of receipts, Huffman said. We could spend a lot of time walking through all the ways in which Trump and JD Vance and pretty much everyone else in their inner circle have been up to their neck in Project 2025. The task forces most recent alarm surrounding Project 2025 came last week, when Huffman led a letter to Roberts requesting he meet with lawmakers to discuss the agenda. The Democrats want to focus, in particular, on the only part of the plan that hasnt been released publicly: a fourth pillar laying out the 180-day playbook for implementing the policy and personnel changes outlined in the published parts of the document. Roberts has not responded to the entreaty, which proposed an Aug. 16 deadline. The Heritage Foundation did not respond to several requests for comment. Huffman, meanwhile, suggested the fourth-pillar secrecy is designed to conceal the truly draconian stuff. This is the Insurrection Act. This is potentially deploying the military in different parts of the United States, domestically, possibly even invoking martial law, he said. I mean, none of this is out of the realm of authoritarian possibility for these people. And I think we need to know what theyre up to. Mychael Schnell and Emily Brooks contributed. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Every great screen performance expands the medium in its own way, giving audiences something to respond to, while offering fresh ideas to future actors. A select few can be said to have redefined the craft entirely: Orson Welles in Citizen Kane, Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront, Toshiro Mifune in Rashomon and Gena Rowlands in A Woman Under the Influence. Rowlands died Wednesday at age 94, half a century after A Woman Under the Influence premiered at the New York Film Festival in 1974. Rowlands was the last to go from among a tight clique of titans actors who transformed modern cinema: Peter Falk, Seymour Cassel, Ben Gazzara and, of course, Rowlands late husband, actor-director John Cassavetes. More from Variety Younger audiences who know Rowlands only as the memory-challenged older woman in The Notebook (directed by her son Nick Cassavetes) or for her Emmy-winning turn in Hysterical Blindness owe it to themselves to investigate her most important work, including formidable turns in Faces, Opening Night and Gloria (the most mainstream-friendly of those titles, in which she plays a pistol-packing gangsters moll charged with protecting a Puerto Rican orphan). My personal favorite is 1971s almost-impossible-to-find Minnie and Moskowitz, if only because the shaggy central couple, played by Rowlands and Cassel, struggle in such recognizably human ways. Gina was there from the beginning of her husband Johns filmmaking career, witnessing firsthand what is widely recognized as the birth of the American independent film movement. Technically, Rowlands was on stage, acting opposite Edward G. Robinson in Middle of the Night, when Cassavetes made Shadows. (She does appear briefly in the film, but made a far greater impression in the nine other movies they made together.) Rowlands served as his muse, and without such a force to inhabit her roles, Cassavetes oeuvre would not have had the seismic influence on the course of screen acting. Before moving on to A Woman Under the Influence, its worth taking a moment to consider the impact of Shadows on both Cassavetes and Rowlands careers. Shot in 1957 for just $40,000, the black-and-white film was an experiment in improvisation-based acting, which grew out of a workshop exercise between Cassavetes and his cast. The performances in that movie are raw, fiery and seemingly unrehearsed (even though some required as many as 50 takes to satisfy the perfectionist first-time filmmaker), introducing a new kind of realism to screen acting. According to Rowlands (who served as a sort of living memory for her husband after his death in 1989), Cassavetes wrote detailed scripts for nearly all his subsequent projects. And yet, Shadows made such a revolutionary impression on the filmmaking community at the time that Cassavetes name came to be associated with improvisation, such that audiences assumed those projects were made the same way (where actors were responsible for their own dialogue), to the extent that many directors have credited Cassavetes as the pioneer of their own improv-based approaches. The truth is more nuanced, but also essential to understanding Rowlands power as an actor. Given his own background (he played Mia Farrows husband in Rosemarys Baby the same year he made Faces), Cassavetes was the apotheosis of an actors director. He implicitly trusted those hed cast in his films to make the characters their own, listening to their suggestions and encouraging whatever original ideas they might bring. In a video interview with the Academy, Rowlands describes a liberating lesson her husband gave her on A Woman Under the Influence. Rowlands was second-guessing her ability to play the title character, and Cassavetes insisted that hed written it for her. The part belongs to you, he told her, putting full trust in Rowlands to embody it. It was the most wonderful feeling of freedom, she explained. Its freed me up in many things since, so that when I hear the word action, its not any pressure. [The part] is mine to do with what I think is right. The one caveat with Cassavetes: After Shadows, it always went back to the script, resulting in a highly disciplined form of improvisation that can fairly be compared to jazz. The performers learn their music, but are free to interpret and embellish in ways that make the result feel unpredictable and alive in short, true to life. In A Woman Under the Influence, Rowlands plays Mabel Longhetti, a modern housewife who sincerely wants to please her husband, but is overwhelmed by her three children, an intrusive mother-in-law and unattainable ideas of what a perfect wife should be. To put the film in context, The Stepford Wives (from Rosemarys Baby writer Ira Levin) had landed two years earlier, which goes to show that society was questioning whether the notion of a perfect wife was a reasonable ideal. Watching the film, one gets the impression that Mabel has been inundated by decades of Hollywood movies and Madison Avenue advertising misleading, impossible depictions that present wives as submissive, supportive partners. Mabel desperately wants to serve that role to her husband Nick (Peter Falk), but has anxieties, alcohol abuse and other mental health obstacles standing in the way. During the films unhinged birthday party scene in which some kids play dress up, while others run around completely naked another parent berates Mabel for acting strange, which is ironic, since thats precisely what makes her work in the film so special. Until Rowlands played that character, the vast majority of screen performances could be described as acting normal. Some stars, like Rowlands idol Bette Davis (with whom she appeared in the TV movie Strangers: The Story of a Mother and Daughter), devoured a fair amount of scenery along the way, but they tended to avoid the kind of twitching, contorted agony we see on Rowlands face in scene after scene of A Woman Under the Influence. Few had ever let audiences in to the slow, excruciating unraveling of a womans psyche the way Rowlands did. The most painful part from the spaghetti breakfast she serves Nick and his buddies to the climactic slap comes in knowing that Mabel is trying to keep it together. She wants to be the perfect wife. Tell me what you want me to how you want me to be, she stammers to her husband early on, pleading, I can be that. I can be anything. You tell me, Nicky. Rowlands possessed the range to play anybody, but poor Mabel doesnt. She can only be herself, rendered human and recognizable in all her flaws. Best of Variety Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Iraq has postponed announcing an end-date for the US-led military coalitions presence in the country due to recent developments, raising questions about the future of US military presence in the Gulf state amid heightened tension in the region. Iraqs Higher Military Commission had aimed to propose an end date for Operation Inherent Resolve, the US military operation combatting terror group ISIS. We were very close to announcing this agreement, but due to recent developments, the announcement of the end of the international coalitions military mission in Iraq was postponed, a statement by Iraqs foreign ministry said Thursday, without giving further details on what the recent developments. Tensions are mounting in the region as Israel and the United States brace for a potential Iranian attack on Israel to avenge the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last month. Iran blames the assassination on Israel, which has not confirmed or denied responsibility. Iran-backed militias in Iraq are pressuring the Shia-led government to end the US troops presence in Iraq. Several powerful militias in Iraq have stepped up attacks on US sites in the country since October 7, saying in support of people in the Gaza Strip, where they view the US administration as one of Israels main allies. In response, the US has launched retaliatory airstrikes inside Iraq targeting the groups. The US has roughly 2,500 troops currently in Iraq who have been operating there in an advise and assist capacity since December 2021, when the US military announced the end of its combat role in the country. This is a developing story and will be updated. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com DALLAS (AP) The Justice Department is defending a plea deal it struck with Boeing over planes that crashed and killed 346 people, saying in a court filing Wednesday that it lacks evidence to prosecute the company for more serious crimes. Prosecutors said if the plea deal is rejected and the case goes to trial, they will not offer testimony or evidence about the causes of two crashes in 2018 in Indonesia and 2019 in Ethiopia, nor will they charge any Boeing individuals. Boeing agreed last month to plead guilty to a single felony charge of conspiracy to commit fraud for deceiving regulators who approved the 737 Max. Under the plea deal, Boeing would pay a fine of at least $243.6 million, invest $455 million in compliance and safety programs, and be placed on probation for three years. The Justice Department made Wednesday's court filing in response to relatives of some of the people killed in the crashes, who asked a federal judge in Texas to reject the settlement. The relatives argue that the sentence approved by prosecutors is light punishment considering the loss of lives. U.S. District Judge Reed OConnor in Fort Worth, Texas, can accept the plea agreement and proposed sentence, or he could reject the deal, which likely would lead to new negotiations between Boeing and the Justice Department. Prosecutors said if the case goes to trial, they would still try Boeing on the same conspiracy charge, and not for two more serious charges: manslaughter or death resulting from fraud involving aircraft parts. The agreement is a strong and significant resolution that holds Boeing accountable and serves the public interest. It holds Boeing to account for the most serious, readily provable offense, department officials told the judge. The department repeated its previous position that even with the deal, Boeing could still be charged in connection with the blowout of a panel from the side of an Alaska Airlines Max during a January flight. Boeing, which is based in Arlington, Virginia, is alleged to have hidden details about new flight-control software from the Federal Aviation Administration. In both crashes, the software caused the nose to pitch down repeatedly and forcefully based on faulty readings from a single sensor, and pilots were unable to regain control. Boeing blamed two relatively low-ranking employees for the deception under a 2021 settlement that would have let the company escape criminal prosecution. However, the Justice Department revived the possibility of prosecution in May, when it told the judge that Boeing violated terms of that settlement. Judge OConnor has previously ruled that he lacked power to overturn the 2021 deal, called a deferred-prosecution agreement, and it is unclear whether he would scuttle a plea agreement. The judge has accused Boeing of egregious criminal conduct." He also ruled that the Justice Department violated a law granting rights to crime victims by not telling families of the passengers about secret negotiations with Boeing before the 2021 deal. This time, prosecutors have repeatedly and extensively consulted with the families, including discussing the terms of a plea agreement, said the deputy chief of the Justice Departments fraud section, Sean Tonolli. Their voices have been heard, considered, and incorporated into the governments decision-making, he said. Despite her being convicted of stealing food from kids during the COVID pandemic, Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones offered to cover the $1.5 million worth of chicken wings stolen by a former food service director in exchange for the woman's release from prison. Vera Liddell, who served in the director role for Harvey School District 152 near Chicago, is incarcerated at the Cook County Jail for theft and operating a criminal enterprise, WGN, ABC News and CBS News reported. She pleaded guilty on Aug. 9 to the charges and got a nine-year prison sentence, the outlets said, citing prosecutors. Haven't you heard? Sign up for USA TODAY's Everyone's Talking newsletter for all the internet buzz. Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones has offered to cover $1.5 million worth of chicken wings in order to free the former food service employee who stole them. The 68-year-old Liddell stole the mounds of meat intended to be take-home meals for students learning remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, WGN reported, citing Cook County prosecutors. In a social media post Tuesday, Jones said, "I'll pay for the wings that she stole to get her free." Ill pay for the wings that she stole to get her free https://t.co/0mr1Bl9dWR Chris Jones (@StoneColdJones) August 13, 2024 Buc-ee's lawsuit: South Carolina man suing Buc-ee's says he was injured by giant inflatable beaver How did Vera Liddell steal the chicken wings? Liddell's job involved placing orders with Gordon Food Services, a main supplier for the school district, prosecutors said, according to ABC News. She placed the orders and did the billing but kept the chicken wings between July 2020 and February 2022, prosecutors said. Between August and November 2021, Liddell ordered more than 11,000 cases of chicken wings from the food provider and then picked up the orders in a district cargo van, CBS News said, citing prosecutors. The massive fraud began at the height of COVID during a time when students were not allowed to be physically present in school, read a proffer presented at Liddells bond hearing in 2023, according to WGN. Even though the children were learning remotely, the school district continued to provide meals for the students that their families could pick up. The chicken theft operation was discovered in 2023 when an audit found that the district's food service department exceeded its annual budget by $300,000 halfway through the school year, prosecutors said, according to ABC News. The business manager for the district then found the invoices for the chicken wings, which was odd because it is a food item that wouldn't be served to students because they contain bones, the outlet said, citing court records. USA TODAY contacted Gordon Food Services and the school district but has not received responses. Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chiefs DT Chris Jones offers to cover $1.5M for stolen chicken wings Congressman Al Green speaks in front of community members, teachers, parents, students and elected officials protest the closing of Libraries in HISD schools outside the Hattie Mae White Educational Service Center on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023 in Houston. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer Houston Democratic politicians on Thursday denounced Gov. Greg Abbotts recent executive order requiring public hospitals to collect information on undocumented patients, calling it a political stunt that could deter immigrants in the state from seeking necessary medical care. The order signed by the governor on Aug. 8 requires the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to collect information on patients immigration status and cost of care so the state can bill the federal government. Federal law bars hospitals from withholding emergency care to patients due to immigration status (Abbotts order also directed hospitals to inform patients of these protections). U.S. Rep. Al Green, whose congressional district covers swaths of south and southwest Houston, criticized Abbotts move as part of the governors larger anti-immigrant agenda and said the order could deter immigrants from seeking care regardless of legal status. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In this country, emergency health care, as a matter of law, is available to persons regardless as to whether theyre documented or undocumented, Green said. Many of them are going to now be put in a position where they may not get the health care that they need and that they deserve and that their tax dollars may be paying for. Abbotts order directed hospitals to begin collecting information on undocumented patients by Nov. 1 and send quarterly cost-of-care reports to the Health and Human Services Commission by March 2025. Harris County officials, including County Attorney Christian Menefee and Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia, recently encouraged residents to continue seeking care at local hospitals despite the order. I stand with those who are seeking care and urge everyone, regardless of immigration status, to continue accessing the health services they need without fear, Menefee told the Chronicle last week. Advertisement Article continues below this ad U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia also attacked Abbotts order, saying the Republican governor is auditioning for a role in former President Donald Trumps potential second administration. The three-term congresswoman criticized Abbott for the states refusal to accept billions in federal funding to expand Medicaid in Texas, which has the highest uninsured rate in the country. He wants to find out how much money is going to provide this health care for immigrants, she said. Why is it that all of a sudden he cares? He has not expanded Medicaid, which would serve millions in our state. State Rep. Gene Wu characterized Abbotts actions as part of a larger war on immigrants and people of color during the news conference, invoking the conservative initiative known as Project 2025. The highly controversial right-wing policy playbook would reshape the federal government under a second Trump administration, and the former president has been clear on his goal to deport migrants en masse if he regains power. What we have seen time and time again is that American citizens who are immigrants will fall for this and refuse to go and see a doctor because they are scared, Wu said of the executive order. They dont know what the governors order actually means. They dont understand that this is just a political game that hes playing, but hes playing with peoples lives. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Shin-Shem Steven Pei, a University of Houston engineering professor who is president of the Texas Multicultural Advocacy Coalition, echoed Wus sentiment that all immigrants in Texas, even U.S. citizens, could be harmed by the executive order. I came to the U.S. over 50 years ago, and Im an American citizen, he said. But if tomorrow I am in a medical emergency am I going to be treated by the hospital? Im worried not just for undocumented immigrants, I worry for myself and my children. Local League of United Latin American Citizens leader and activist Sergio Lira called it an anti-immigrant political pinata and offered the governor a history lesson. Advertisement Article continues below this ad WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy will appoint his former chief of staff, George Helmy, to replace Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, who has said he will resign next week after being convicted on corruption charges, the New Jersey Globe reported on Wednesday. Murphy, a Democrat, is expected to formally offer Helmy the post on Thursday and announce his selection on Friday, the Globe reported, without citing sources. Murphy's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters. Helmy served as Murphys chief of staff until October. Currently an executive at a healthcare company, Helmy earlier in his career worked for U.S. Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey and former Senator Frank Lautenberg. Menendez, who has represented New Jersey in the Senate since 2006, announced last month he would resign on Aug. 20 following his conviction on corruption charges, including bribery and acting as an agent for Egypt's government. (Reporting by Eric Beech; Editing by Christian Schmollinger) By Mark Trevelyan LONDON (Reuters) -The wife of late Russian dissident Alexei Navalny said on Thursday that investigators had told her his death in an Arctic prison colony in February was caused by a "combination of diseases" - a finding she rejected as preposterous. Yulia Navalnaya said she would demand a criminal investigation of her husband's death, which she considers to be murder, and that Navalny's team would continue to conduct its own probe. Navalny, 47, died suddenly on Feb. 16, depriving the Russian opposition of its most charismatic and popular leader. He had been serving sentences totalling more than 30 years on charges he said were rigged in order to silence his criticism of President Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin has strongly rejected his supporters' accusation that Putin had him murdered. Posting on social media, Yulia Navalnaya published a copy of a three-page official letter she received last week stating there were no criminal circumstances surrounding her husband's death and therefore no grounds to open an investigation. The letter was signed by Alexander Varapayev, the same investigative official who, according to Navalnaya, initially refused to hand over her husband's body to his mother unless she agreed to have him buried in secret - a demand she rejected. The letter said Navalny had fallen ill suddenly while walking in a prison yard, and was taken to a medical unit where staff tried unsuccessfully to save him with "indirect heart massage and artificial respiration". An emergency team was sent for, but was also unable to revive him. Navalnaya said that version was a lie and a cover-up. "We know very well that when Alexei became ill, he was taken not to the medical unit, but back to the punishment cell. That he was dying there, alone. That he was taken to the medical unit already unconscious. That in the last minutes before his death he complained of acute pain in his stomach. Why is all this not in the resolution of the Investigative Committee?" she wrote. She did not say how she and her husband's supporters had established the sequence of events she described. LIST OF DISEASES The official letter said the cause of Navalny's death was a "combination of diseases" which it presented as a long list, ranging from hypertension and pancreatitis to damage to his vertebrae and the presence of herpes virus in his lungs and spleen. It said the trigger for his death was a critical increase in blood pressure that had upset the rhythm of his heart and overloaded the pressure in its chambers. Navalnaya said "every third person in Russia" had chronic diseases of the kind listed by the report, and "people don't die suddenly from something like that in the space of an hour". She also challenged the diagnosis of heart arrhythmia. "Tell me, how did you discover this arrhythmia during the autopsy? Heart rhythm disturbances cannot be determined posthumously, and during his lifetime Alexei did not have any heart diseases," she said. She said Navalny had been lively and cheerful when he appeared by video link at a court hearing on the eve of his death. And if he had really been suffering from so many diseases, she demanded, then "why was such a sick person sent to a punishment cell and kept there for months?" Navalnaya demanded the opening of a criminal case, though she said there would be no investigation as long as Putin remained in power. "Therefore, we will continue to investigate ourselves," she wrote, urging prison staff and officials to contact her team confidentially and promising to pay for any new information. (Reporting by Mark Trevelyan;Editing by Alison Williams) The city of Edmond, Oklahoma, has agreed to a $7.15 million settlement with a man who served 48 years in prison for a crime he didnt commit, his attorney announced. Glynn Simmons, now 71, served 48 years, one month and 18 days following his murder conviction in a 1974 shooting. He was released on bond in July 2023 after a judge vacated a 1975 judgment and sentence at the request of the Oklahoma County district attorney. His case was eventually dismissed in December 2023. Simmons served the longest wrongful incarceration of any exoneree in the US, according to the National Registry of Exonerations. The average length of wrongful incarceration is just over nine years, said the registry, which tracks exonerations going back to 1989. Simmons was 22 when he and another man were convicted of murdering Carolyn Sue Rogers during a liquor store robbery, according to the district attorneys office. The prosecutions case at trial depended on the testimony of an 18-year-old woman who was shot in the head during the robbery, the exonerations registry said. Mr. Simmons spent a tragic amount of time incarcerated for a crime he did not commit. Although he will never get that time back, this settlement with Edmond will allow him to move forward while also continuing to press his claims against the Oklahoma City defendants, attorney Elizabeth Wang said in a news release sent to CNN. We are very much looking forward to holding them accountable at trial in March, the release said. CNN has reached out to Simmons for comment. The settlement resolves Simmons claims against the City of Edmond and the estate of former Edmond detective Anthony David Garret. Additional claims against Oklahoma City and retired Oklahoma City detective Claude Shobert remain pending, according to the release. The city has no comment at this time, Edmond Marketing and Public Relations Manager Bill Begley said. Oklahoma City spokesperson Valerie Littlejohn declined comment as it is pending litigation. Simmons was convicted in a 1974 murder that happened while he was 700 miles away in Harvey, Louisiana, celebrating the holidays with family and friends, according to the attorneys release. No physical evidence ever connected him to the crime, the release said. The only evidence against him was grossly falsified police line-ups and reports and police manipulation of a victim who briefly witnessed the crime before being horribly injured during it. Simmons release came after the district attorneys office found evidence was withheld from his defense attorneys a so-called Brady violation the district attorney said in a news release at the time. Oklahoma County District Court Judge Amy Palumbo then amended the order in December 2023, dismissing the case against him with prejudice. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com MADISON COUNTY, Miss. A Mississippi man found a tusk from the biggest mammal to ever walk across the state's land: A giant mammoth. The discovery in Madison County is the first giant mammoth tusk ever documented in Mississippi, in part because the animals where much rarer than mastodons, and the smaller woolly mammoths. "I always hoped to find a part of a mammoth, but that's pretty rare down here," said Eddie Templeton, a Madison County man, who regularly hunts for fossils along creek beds in the area. Giant mammoths lived about 10,000 and 20,000 years ago, during the tail end of what is commonly referred to as the Ice Age. Templeton "knew it was a tusk" when he saw it, and notified the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality's Office of Geology and the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science. But, he said, "It didn't occur to me it could be a mammoth tusk instead of a mastodon tusk until later. When I learned it was a mammoth and not a mastodon, I got even more excited." Over the years, Templeton said he's found many other fossils, including a petrified bone from a saber-toothed cat, more commonly called a saber-toothed tiger. Taco-shaped animal A new fossil shows an animal unlike any we've seen before Gigantic tusk discovery 'takes the cake' The tusk Templeton discovered is remarkable because of its large size and the rarity of giant mammoths in the area that is now Mississippi, experts said. "For Mississippi, this is a pretty substantial find," said state geologist James Starnes. "It's pretty rare in general down here. The tusks don't preserve well." Jonathan Leard (left) of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality's Office of Geology and Eddie Templeton of Madison look at the position of a mammoth tusk that Templeton recently found in a Madison County Creek. Finding any part of a tusk is rare, but mammoth tusks are especially so. It's much more common to find mastodon fossils, because the animals could live in a variety of habitats, whereas mammoths were more specialized and needed open grasslands for feeding and had less suitable habitat than mastodons, Starnes said, making their numbers fewer. "This is not something you see every day," Starnes said. "This takes the cake when it comes to Ice Age fossils." The tusk Templeton found is so large because it came from a Columbian mammoth, an animal that could grow up to 15 feet tall at the shoulder and weigh in excess of 10 tons. The more famous woolly mammoth, as well as mastodons, were about 9-10 feet tall at the shoulder, according to the National Park Service. "This was a big, big animal. This would have dwarfed a woolly mammoth," Starnes said, adding it's the largest known mammal to ever walk on the land that's now Mississippi. George Phillips, paleontologist with the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, said the Columbian mammoth tusk that was recently found in Mississippi is the first officially documented in the state. What happens to the mammoth tusk next? Templeton, Starnes and Jonathan Leard, also of MDEQ, excavated the tusk and built a plaster jacket around it for protection. It was then taken to the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science and turned over to paleontologist George Phillips. Phillips said it's the first Columbian mammoth tusk ever officially documented in the state. He said it was just a matter of time before one was found. "We've got plenty of mammoth teeth, so a tusk was bound to show up," Phillips said. "It's an impressive find. We knew one would show up sooner or later." Phillips said the tusk will be allowed to dry and then be preserved by infusing it with a special type of glue. While it's a very important find, it's anybody's guess as to when it will go on display for the public to view because it's a slow process. "Everybody wants to know that," Phillips said. "Right now, we're focusing on other exhibits." This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Giant mammoth tusk found in Mississippi is a first-of-its-kind find When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Getty Images The vast majority of dog parents are loving and affectionate, caring for their pups and providing them with everything they need for happy, healthy lives. But while many dogs are living their best lives with the best dog toys , treats, and people to play with, there are of course some canines who arent quite as lucky like those forced into dog fighting. Indeed, UK charity the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) has shared that reports of dog fighting have increased by 35% over the last four years. The number of incidents reported to the RSPCA was 399 in 2020 but 537 in 2023. Over four years from 2020 to 2023, the charity received a total of 1,734 reports of organized dog fighting in England, and a further 97 in Wales. Currently, the charity is raising funds through its No Animal Deserves Cruelty campaign to help support the efforts of its rescue teams, which help save dogs from this violence. Will Mitchell, RSPCA Special Operations Unit Chief Inspector, said, Dog fighting is a draconian and barbaric bloodsport which many people believe society has left behind in history. Sadly though, the reality is that we continue to investigate cases today, involving sophisticated networks of people whose passion is breeding, training, arranging and fighting dogs. While the number of reports seems high, the number of reports that lead to prosecutions are low, because it can be difficult to get evidence when gangs can be quite secretive and tight-knit. However, an investigation the RSPCA had been working on for two and a half years, Operation Ghoul, ended in June when three men were jailed and two more were sentenced for their involvement in a dog fighting gang. Ian Briggs, head of the SOU, said, Weve seen cases in which dogs are forced to fight to the death or are left with catastrophic injuries such as broken legs and deep puncture wounds to their heads and faces. Tragically, the suffering for these dogs doesnt end in the fighting pit. Injured and dying dogs can be electrocuted to death or even drowned in bathtubs before their bodies are burned to ash. Dogs who refuse to fight or lose in the pit are abandoned. Many of the dogs used in dog fighting are never found after being abandoned, while some dogs who are rescued are identified as banned breeds under the UKs Dangerous Dogs Act, and cant legally be rehomed. Mitchell added: Dog fighting is a dark, secretive sport but it could be happening near you; in a garage or warehouse in the heart of a city, or on a rural farm in a quiet village. Wed urge the public to contact the police or RSPCA if they have any concerns about dog fighting near them. Signs can vary but dogs used in fighting will usually have scars on their face, front legs, and hind legs, and they can also have damaged ears and puncture wounds. Other suspicious activity includes hiding dogs away in outbuildings or kennels and not exercising in public, as well as groups of people meeting with their dogs. A fire department in Colorado is praising a school bus driver for swiftly evacuating more than a dozen children from the vehicle after it caught fire Wednesday. The fire broke out as the Aurora School District employee drove 14 children home after school about 4 p.m., first responders said, and no injuries were reported. Aurora Fire Rescue in Colorado is praising a school bus driver for successfully evacuating more than a dozen children from the vehicle after it caught fire on Aug. 14, 2024. No injuries were reported. According to Aurora Fire Rescue, which responded to the emergency call, the bus caught fire in the municipality located less than 10 miles east of downtown Denver. "The outcome of this incident could have been tragic, but the quick and effective actions of the bus driver and firefighters were truly heroic," officials wrote. 'Fully engulfed in flames': Colorado school bus fire When firefighters arrived, the agency posted on Facebook, the bus was "fully engulfed in flames." Crews soon learned the bus driver and all 14 children on the bus had safely evacuated. Aurora Fire Rescue in Colorado is praising a school bus driver for successfully evacuating more than a dozen children from the vehicle after it caught fire on Aug. 14, 2024. No injuries were reported. No one was hurt, the agency reported. "Upon noticing the fire emerging through the dashboard as he turned the bus, the bus driver immediately pulled over and assisted in evacuating the children," officials said. "His prompt and courageous actions were crucial in ensuring everyone's safety." The city's fire investigators determined the fire started "in the engine compartment" and reported they determined the blaze to be accidental in nature. Key West water craft fatal crash: Miami father, 9-year-old son killed after Waverunner slams into concrete seawall in Keys Bus driver who saved 14 students in Colorado praised for swift action Officials with the Aurora School District, as well as members of the community, are also hailing the driver a hero. "We are extremely grateful that no one was injured," the district released in a statement to USA TODAY Thursday. "While taking students home after school, the bus driver noticed a small fire in the engine compartment and immediately stopped the bus and evacuated everyone on board. We then called emergency responders who put the fire out. Another APS bus picked up the students and took them to their stops." The district did not identify the employee or say how long they worked for its schools. Aurora Fire Rescue in Colorado is praising a school bus driver for successfully evacuating more than a dozen children from the vehicle after it caught fire on Aug. 14, 2024. No injuries were reported. "We want to give our utmost thanks to our bus driver for his awareness and quick action. His response kept everyone safe. The safety of our students and staff is our top priority." On the fire department's social media post, dozens of Facebook users also thanked the driver for his efforts. "This bus driver deserves the biggest gold medal possible!" one person wrote. Another user wrote, "Not all heroes wear capes; some sit behind the wheel of a school bus." 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: School bus catches fire with children on board in Colorado, all escape The U.S. Secret Service is making arrangements for former President Donald Trump to resume outdoor campaign rallies by surrounding his podium with bulletproof glass, multiple sources told ABC News. The measure is typically used exclusively for sitting presidents, but the Secret Service is making an exception following the first attempted assassination of a presidential candidate since George Wallace in 1972. The Secret Service declined to comment on its use of ballistic glass. MORE: FBI, in private meeting with Trump, revealed new details about his would-be assassin: Sources Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said the campaign does not comment on security measures relating to Trump. The Secret Service recommended that Trump stop holding outdoor rallies last month after a gunman in Butler, Pennsylvania, fired at him from a rooftop 400 feet from the stage, nicking his ear. A man in the crowd was killed in the attack. Since July 13, Trump has held nearly a dozen campaign events, all of them indoors. Trump has privately expressed a desire to campaign outdoors and has sought assurances it would be safe, the sources said. At a rally at an indoor arena in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on July 31, Trump complimented the size of the venue then told the crowd, "They'd prefer that we be in an arena. I don't know why. But we're not giving up the outdoor rallies. You know, all those people that we had to turn away today, at an outdoor rally you can have." PHOTO: Former president Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at Butler Farm Show Inc., July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images) Trump's protective detail is preparing for glass panels to surround him on three sides, according to the sources -- though it's not immediately clear when that would start. "The Secret Service use of UpArmored glass around former President Trump is another step to ensure the campaign is and remains secure," said ABC News contributor Don Mihalek, a retired senior Secret Service agent. "This isn't just a piece of glass but a large, bulky and heavy armored glass that will require extensive logistics capability, normally reserved for large-scale outdoor events." Typically, the ballistic glass is flown aboard a military cargo plane. In Trump's case the Secret Service is ordering multiple sets to be stored around the country so it can be trucked wherever it's needed, sources said. Former Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle, in the aftermath of the Butler shooting, beefed up the protective details for Trump, Vice President Kamala Harris, and their running mates. Other protectees, like second gentleman Doug Emhoff, also received an increase in protection, sources said. Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the last attempted assassination of a U.S. presidential candidate. Secret Service prepares use of bulletproof glass for outdoor Trump rallies: Sources originally appeared on abcnews.go.com By Alexandra Alper WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two U.S. lawmakers want the Biden administration to probe China's TP-Link Technology Co and its affiliates for potential national security risks from their widely used WiFi routers over fears they could be used in cyber attacks against the U.S. Republican Representative John Moolenaar and Democratic Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, who lead the House Select Committee on China, requested a Commerce Department probe in a Tuesday letter seen by Reuters. According to research firm IDC, TP-Link, which focuses on the consumer market, is the top seller of WiFi routers internationally by unit volume. In calling for an investigation, the U.S. legislators cited known vulnerabilities in TP-Link firmware and instances of its routers being exploited to target government officials in European countries. "...We request that Commerce verify the threat posed by (China-affiliated small office/home office) routers particularly those offered by the world's largest manufacturer, TP-Link," according to the letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. They called it a "glaring national security issue." The Commerce Department said it would respond to the letter through appropriate channels. The Chinese Embassy said it hopes authorities will "have enough evidence when identifying cyber-related incidents, rather than make groundless speculations and allegations." TP-Link, founded in China in 1996 by two brothers and based in Shenzhen, said in a statement that the company does not sell any router products in the United States and that its routers do not have cybersecurity vulnerabilities. The letter is a sign of mounting concerns that Beijing could exploit Chinese-origin routers and other equipment in cyber attacks on American governments and businesses. The U.S., its allies and Microsoft last year disclosed a Chinese government-linked hacking campaign dubbed Volt Typhoon. By taking control of privately owned routers, the attackers sought to hide subsequent attacks on American critical infrastructure. The vast majority of affected routers, however, appeared to be from Cisco and NetGear, the Justice Department said in January. Last year, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency said TP-Link routers had a vulnerability that could be exploited to execute remote code. Around the same time, U.S. security company Check Point reported that hackers linked to a Chinese state-sponsored group used a malicious firmware implant for TP-Link to target European foreign affairs officials. The Commerce Department has broad powers to ban or restrict transactions between U.S. firms and internet, telecom and tech companies from "foreign adversary" nations like China, Russia, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Venezuela if their products pose a national security risk. (Reporting by Alexandra Alper; Additional reporting by Eduardo Baptista; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Sonali Paul) "Pioneering the Space Frontier No. 8" by Robert T. McCall is up for sale. Christie's Images LTD. 2024 Space artifacts and artwork from the collection of late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen are hitting the auction block. Christies is holding a three-part auction featuring many historic artifacts from Allens collection, including in the realm of space. Over the Horizon: Art of the Future from The Paul G. Allen Collection features the work of brilliant artists imagining space exploration in an entirely new and prophetic way, according to a news release from the auction house. Among the works up for sale is the painting Saturn as Seen from Titan by Chesley Bonestell. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The vivid painting of rich colors, circa 1952 per Christies, imagines what it might be like to view Saturn and its rings from the planets largest moon, Titan. It is estimated to sell for between $30,000 and $50,000. Bonestell was known as the Dean of Astronomical Artists, according to the New Mexico Museum of Space History, as his paintings and images of space inspired many people over the decades. Pioneering the Space Frontier No. 8 by Robert McCall is also being sold, along with original illustrations by Bonestell and Fred Freeman from a 1950s series that ran in Colliers magazine called Man Will Conquer Space Soon! Also up for sale is a spacewalk checklist from Gemini IV that was flown in space and annotated during the June 1965 mission. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The documents are part of Pushing Boundaries: Ingenuity from The Paul G. Allen Collection, one of the three parts of the auction. Firsts: The History of Computing from The Paul G. Allen Collection is the other part. Both Over the Horizon and Firsts are online-only auctions with bidding ending Sept. 12. Pushing Boundaries items will be auctioned live at Christies in New York starting Sept. 10. The space items are just part of what will be sold during the auction as up for grabs are other memorable, unique and fascinating artifacts from over the years. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Estimated to go between $4 million and $6 million is a letter from Albert Einstein to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt alerting him that a scientific discovery had been made that could turn uranium into an atomic bomb. The two-page letter is dated Aug. 2, 1939. An Apple-1 computer used by Steve Jobs and a menu from the Titanic are also among the items up for sale. Allen co-founded Microsoft with his childhood friend, Bill Gates, in 1975. He died in 2018. A noted philanthropist during his life, Allens giving ways have continued with the auctions of his personal items. All proceeds from the auction will be given to philanthropy, Christies said. The first auction of items in Allens collection in 2022 was the biggest art sale in history with a total of more than $1.5 billion. By Leah Douglas and Tom Polansek WASHINGTON/CHICAGO (Reuters) - The U.S. bird-flu outbreak in dairy cattle is much larger than official figures suggest due to farmers' reluctance to test their animals and risk the economic consequences of a positive result, according to Reuters interviews with dairy experts, veterinarians, and farmers in six states with known cases. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has counted bird flu in about 190 dairy herds in 13 states since March. The virus's jump from birds to cows heightened concerns that it could adapt to spread among humans. Scientists have warned that limited surveillance could weaken the U.S.' ability to respond to further human spread. Thirteen dairy and poultry farm workers have been infected with bird flu this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reuters spoke with more than a dozen researchers, veterinarians, farmers, and livestock industry groups to understand whether the bird-flu spread in dairy cattle is being accurately tracked. State animal and human health experts in three states who work closely with veterinarians and farmers said the government tally is likely an undercount because farmers are fearful of the economic hardship brought by a positive test, including being restricted from selling their milk or cattle for weeks. The virus reduces milk production in cattle. The U.S., the world's second-largest cheese producer after the European Union, is the only country with known infections in cows. "While we have nine official positives, there are many, many, many more farms that are impacted or infected that are just not testing," said Joe Armstrong, a veterinarian and cattle expert at the University of Minnesota, who has spoken with farmers across the state. A more accurate cattle case count for Minnesota would be three to five times higher, Armstrong said. A USDA spokesperson said the agency has encouraged testing by requiring negative tests for cows being shipped over state lines since April and offering a voluntary program for testing farmers' milk supplies weekly. Twenty-four dairy herds are participating in that program, of roughly 24,000 farms nationally that sell milk, according to agency data. Six farmers, veterinarians, and other experts said farmers were reluctant to test because they did not believe the virus is a serious concern, or because government incentives to test did not offset their expected losses. Colorado farmer Terry Dye, 78, said his two dairies were infected this summer and he did not notify the state because he wanted to handle it privately. State agriculture officials eventually heard about the infections and quarantined his animals, he said. "Sometimes it's more convenient to not know," said Dye. USDA offers to compensate farmers with infected animals for veterinary care and 90% of lost milk production. Forty-seven herds have signed up for agency financial assistance, though that total includes farms without infections that are seeking support for biosecurity costs. USDA tests raw milk from cows to identify the virus in herds. The Food and Drug Administration has separately tested commercial milk supplies and says pasteurization kills the virus, so milk is safe to drink. TOUGHER TESTING Experts said ways to better track the spread include more states mandating raw-milk testing or higher compensation to farmers. Michigan and Colorado have taken aggressive approaches to containing bird flu in cattle, though experts there still think cases are being missed. Phil Durst, an educator with Michigan State University who has spoken with farmers whose herds contracted the virus, said Michigan's 27 positive herds are likely an undercount by at least a third. Jenna Guthmiller, an assistant professor of immunology at the University of Colorado who has studied the virus, said Colorado's 63 positive herds are also likely an undercount. After a series of outbreaks, Colorado on July 22 became the only state to require dairy farms to test bulk supplies of milk each week. The tests have uncovered 10 infected herds that have been quarantined. "Once we better understand the scope and scale of the outbreak, we can put measures in place to mitigate further spread," said Maggie Baldwin, Colorado's state veterinarian. Some farmers do not test because they distrust government officials or information about the risks of bird flu to cattle and humans, four sources said. "There's plenty of dairy farms that I've heard about that just don't believe it," said Jason Schmidt, a dairy farmer in eastern Kansas. In Oklahoma, a dairy that suspected it was infected in April did not submit stored milk samples to USDA for testing until July, according to the state. The herd had recovered by the time testing confirmed an outbreak, and Oklahoma has not had other reported cases, the state said. In states with few or no infected cows, farmers and veterinarians are concerned that when the virus arrives or resurges, they won't be able to track it. "The longstanding adage is that the cure for fever is don't take a temperature. So, if we don't test, then we're not positive," said Mark Hardesty, a dairy cattle veterinarian in Ohio, which reported one dairy herd infection in April. Wisconsin, the No. 2 milk-producing and top cheese-producing state, has not reported any bird-flu cases in cattle. Dairy farmers likely would not test even if they suspected symptoms in their herds, said Keith Poulsen, director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. "It's still cheaper to just go through a herd outbreak, recover, and move on down the road," Poulsen said. (Reporting by Leah Douglas in Washington and Tom Polansek in Chicago; Editing by Caroline Stauffer and Rod Nickel) Wally Amos, the charismatic founder of Famous Amos cookies, has died at age 88, according to a statement signed by his children. In the statement, his children said the cause was complications of dementia. He was a true original Black American hero, said the statement, signed Sarah, Michael, Gregory and Shawn Amos. With his Panama hat, kazoo, and boundless optimism, Famous Amos was a great American success story, and a source of Black pride, the statement said. Amos opened his bakery in 1975 on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, selling bite-sized chocolate chip cookies that were a novelty for the time, according to the companys site. The bakery, whose cookies were developed from a family recipe, attracted Hollywood celebrities and musicians. Ferrero, Famous Amos current owner, said it was saddened by the loss of Wally Amos and our thoughts are with his family, in a social media post. He brought joy to millions with his cookies and is an inspiration to generations of entrepreneurs. Amos was born in Tallahassee, Florida. Famous Amos wasnt just a business, he said in a 1991 Detroit Black Journal interview. I started making cookies just to make a living and to be happy doing what I was doing, Amos said in the interview. And I just, I was so committed and so involved and so joyous about it. From there, he created a cookie empire. I didnt say, Hey, Im going to go in the cookie business, make a lot of money, you know, sell out of cookies. I said, Well, do something I like the way I want to do it, you know, Im going to have fun doing it, Amos said in the interview. Amos was also a figure in US pop culture. He famously appeared in a cameo in the sitcom The Office to excitement and applause from the cast members. Before that, he also appeared on The Jeffersons and Taxi. Amos sold the cookie brand to a private equity group in 1988 after years of financial struggles for the company. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Express your opinion! Fill out this form to submit a Letter to the Editor. Submit The facility will also host high-speed and secure networking infrastructure to connect the NT and the broader APAC region. The official opening of D1 will play a pivotal role in accelerated computing and represents the next step towards achieving national digital equity for the NT, said NextDC CEO Craig Scroggie. D1 has a target capacity of 7 megawatts and will support the rapid emergence of technology innovation driven by artificial intelligence (AI). This facility will enable organisations operating in the Northern Territory to embrace digital innovation and compete in new and dynamic growth markets across the APAC region, said Scroggie. The data centre is located close to Darwins central business district and also provides direct access to major subsea cable infrastructure, enabling real-time responsiveness to operational and mission-critical requirements across several sectors, including government, mining, resources and defence. For NextDCs partner Vocus, integrating its Terabit Territory fibre network within the data centre will help connect the high-capacity, low-latency networking required for highly resilient digital infrastructure and mission-critical operational centres in Darwin. Ellie Sweeney, CEO at Vocus, said, this will also allow it to connect to its Darwin-Jakarta-Singapore Cable submarine system and claimed it will unlock Darwin as a major new digital hub for the Asia Pacific, delivering unparalleled redundancy and reliability to the region. Several organisations were also involved as foundational partners in the Digital Development Program at D1 Darwin, including Aussie Broadband, GSL Networks and NetVault. Northern Territory business and government will be able to significantly boost the capability of their current digital footprint, actively supporting our Digital Territory Action Plan to enable all Territorians to reach their potential and thrive in a digital economy, added Northern Territory Chief Minister Eva Lawler. The opening of D1 comes months after NextDC initiated a $1.3 billion capital raising effort as it significantly ramped up the development and fit-out work across its Sydney and Melbourne data centres. After the Australian contingent arrived at the RACV Royal Pines Resort for EDGE 2024, the conference kicked off with a series of sessions tailor fit for the Australian and New Zealand (A/NZ) channel. Day 1s conferencing started with the official EDGE 2024 Welcome by Foundrys editorial director for A/NZ, Cathy OSullivan. Stela Solar, director of the National AI Centre, presented on the opportunities for Australia in the AI era and the importance of safe and responsible AI. OSullivan was then joined by CSO Group chief strategist Hank Clark, KPMG New Zealand consulting partner and cyber lead Matthew Evetts, Amaru founder, CEO and CISO Ray Dussan and Accenture security director for A/NZ Jacqui Kernot to talk about building and monetising a cyber security practice. Ingram Micro SVP and country chief executive for A/NZ Tim Ament discussed navigating the IT industry speed of change and complexity to drive business success. The day concluded with a compelling session by David Shein, who shared valuable lessons from his experience growing and selling Com Tech Communications, Australias first tech unicorn. Foundry Foundry Foundry Foundry Foundry Foundry Foundry Foundry Foundry Foundry EDGE 2024 Foundry Foundry Foundry Foundry Foundry Foundry Over 70 activities to be held during China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week Xinhua) 09:57, August 15, 2024 GUIYANG, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- The 2024 China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week will be held in southwest China's Guizhou Province from Aug. 20 to 25, according to a press conference on Wednesday. More than 70 activities are scheduled for this year's education cooperation week, the event's organizers have said. The event will showcase the latest achievements of educational exchange and cooperation between China and ASEAN, and share the experience and outcomes of China and ASEAN countries in areas including higher education and vocational education, according to the organizers. The week will play an improved role in serving people-to-people exchange, deepening educational cooperation, and promoting regional economic and social development, they said. This year's event will be co-hosted by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Education, as well as the provincial government of Guizhou. The education cooperation week, which was first held in 2008, has developed into a high-end platform and bridge making positive contributions to China-ASEAN relations. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Fair for Houston members Ally Smither, from right, and Terri Chen deliver three boxes of more than 23,000 signatures to Houston City Secretary Pat Jefferson Daniel and staff Dana Dixon at the City Hall Annex on Wednesday, July 5, 2023, in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Nearly seven months after Houston missed a deadline to increase its role in regional planning, negotiations with the Houston-Galveston Area Council have stalled indefinitely, despite a mandate by Houston voters in last November's elections to renegotiate the body's structure or withdraw from the organization entirely. Spanning 13 counties and representing over 100 local governments, H-GAC is responsible for distributing federal funds for infrastructure, climate mitigation and workforce development projects, among other things. Houston voters approved a ballot measure last year that required the city's membership in H-GAC to hinge on a population proportional voting structure based on the population of members jurisdictions. Proposition B, as the ballot measure was known, was meant to rectify what advocates said was Houstons and Harris Countys underrepresentation on the board and the organizations Transportation Policy Council, which oversees regional projects. The measure dictated that if negotiations failed after 60 days, the city must withdraw from H-GAC and TPC altogether. Advertisement Article continues below this ad However, since an H-GAC committees proposal for a new, two-layered voting structure was shot down in January, discussions on a compromise have been nonexistent. The city has also not moved to leave either group, opening itself up to legal challenges. There has not been progress, said Houston City Council Member Sallie Alcorn, who serves as chair of the H-GAC board and supported the proposal. It was very clear from the majority of both boards that they would not entertain more discussion on board composition. Traffic moves along the 610 West Loop during rush hour, Friday, Jan. 7, 2022, in Houston. Mark Mulligan/Staff photographer More people, fewer votes The 4.8 million-plus people who live in Harris County, including the 2.3 million residents of Houston, make up nearly two-thirds of the population represented by H-GAC's board of directors and TPC, which spans an eight-county area. Their representatives, however, hold just four of the 37 seats on the board, making up 11% of the vote, and five of the transportation council's 29 seats, for a voting share of 17%. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Under the two-layered proposal, the H-GAC board and TPC would handle most decisions using a numerical model that allots one vote to each representative. The option for a population-weighted second vote, however, could be invoked if at least two members called for it, and it would give members one vote per 175,000 residents that they represented. Houston and Harris County, for example, would have had 13% of votes on the transportation council in the first instance and 46% in the second. The second vote would have to receive support from at least two-thirds of members to pass. The option for a second vote was necessary, advocates said, to avoid situations in which Houston might be shortchanged on decisions that affected it most heavily as the regions dominant population center. In recent years, H-GAC members have voted to send Houston just $9 million, or 2%, of $488 million in federal flood relief funds and approved the controversial Interstate 45 expansion project, which will uproot hundreds of Houston families and businesses, over the opposition of city and county leaders. Organizers with Fair for Houston, the grassroots advocacy group that developed Proposition B and gathered over 20,000 signatures to get it on the ballot, said city officials had worked hard to find a compromise with skeptical board members and were disappointed that a solution was never reached. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Its disappointing that it died because we still believe that this is the right thing to do for all parties, said Fair for Houston organizer Michael Moritz. We were excited about the negotiations that occurred and thankful to most of the people on the board who were playing ball until the very end, when they rejected it. Chuck Wemple, executive director of H-GAC, said the board members did "a lot of good faith work" negotiating the rejected proposal. He said the organization prioritizes regional cooperation and that the nature of the board's composition spanning urban, suburban and rural jurisdictions meant that there would always be instances in which some members may be dissatisfied with a decision, especially on major funding. "Each time we've done this, it's always a challenge, it's always difficult, and there will always be entities who feel they didn't get what they deserve," Wemple said. "The path this stuff takes, we just do our best to be transparent about it and go forward, learn from the past and move into a better space next time." An outsized influence at H-GAC? Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough, who sits on both the H-GAC board and transportation council, said he voted against the proposal because it would have given Houston and Harris County representatives outsized influence by giving their votes added weight, rather than holding all votes equal and adding more seats to the boards based on population. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Keough noted that while Houston and Harris County are the densest population centers in the region, growth in the suburbs far outpaces that of the city. Montgomery Countys population grew by 14% between 2020 and 2023, according to census population estimates, compared with 2% growth in Harris County and growth of less than 1% in Houston. The Montgomery County judge said Proposition B was unfair and that he believed it to be driven by special interests. When asked to elaborate, he named the transportation equity nonprofit LINK Houston. Youd have 7 million people in the region who now have to capitulate to a very small group of people in Houston who would be determining funding for roads and bridges when there is an ideological difference between many of the outer counties and the city of Houston, Keough said. Gabe Cazares, executive director of LINK Houston, said Houstonians have a vested not special interest in decisions made at H-GAC that affect their daily lives and called Keoughs remarks a distraction. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We encourage everyone to come back to the table, negotiate in good faith and deliver a solution to the voters who demanded one, Cazares said. Moritz, the Fair for Houston organizer, said the idea that Houston was trying to stifle suburban and rural input was a misconception and noted that Fort Bend and Montgomery counties both would have received at least one additional vote under the proposal. Some people had an expectation that Houston would seek to strong-arm the region if it had passed, and that was not the intent. The intent was to modernize the voting structure in a way that accounted for population, Moritz said. No immediate plans to sue The citys decision not to withdraw from H-GAC or TPC has left it open to legal action, but even if a lawsuit were filed, it is unclear how effective it would be in achieving the propositions aims. Membership on the H-GAC board is voluntary, and Houston would still be able to access services but would lose its seat at the decision-making table if it left the group. Federal law, meanwhile, dictates that a regions largest city must hold a spot on a metropolitan planning organization in Houstons case, the Transportation Policy Council. City Attorney Arturo Michel said leaving TPC would require state approval, which would be unlikely. Michel said Houston considered withdrawing after the deadline passed but has opted to take a more patient approach. The organizers "succeeded in identifying the issue that Houston does not have proportional representation, but in terms of achieving that it may be beyond what Houston itself can effect, Michel said. Its a voter initiative, its important, but in terms of what the administration or counsel can do that would really get to the heart of what the proposition is trying to achieve, there's little that can be done. Fair for Houston organizers said they are carefully evaluating any legal action but have so far opted to take a patient approach as they keep an eye on similar campaigns happening in Cincinnati and other cities. Moritz said hes optimistic that a long-term solution can still be reached despite the current inaction by the boards, pointing out that voter referendums, such as the one in 2018 that helped deliver Houston firefighters a new contract this summer, can take years to implement. Champion local news. Join our community of readers who value daily beat reporting and in-depth stories alike. Your membership allows us to continue the legacy of local, independent journalism in the Roaring Fork Valley. With your support, we can remain a free and accessible source of news for everyone, always without paywalls or corporate influence. Together, we can ensure that vital local stories are told. 15 August 2024 08:30 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more The State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) has been a pivotal force in the socio-economic development of Azerbaijan, undergoing significant growth since its inception. Under the strategic direction of National Leader Heydar Aliyev, SOCAR's oil strategy, initiated in 1994, has driven transformative changes within the company and facilitated Azerbaijans integration into the global economy. This strategy has also attracted considerable foreign investment, solidifying SOCARs role as a major player in the international energy market. The "Contract of the Century," signed with leading international oil companies to develop hydrocarbon deposits in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea, marked a new era in the nation's oil and gas industry. Today, SOCAR has evolved from a company focused on oil and gas production, transportation, and processing into a major transnational corporation. It effectively represents Azerbaijan in international projects, contributing significantly to the countrys economic strength, socio-economic development, and the realization of national interests. SOCAR stands as the largest and most dynamic energy company in the region, leading both Azerbaijan and Georgia, and ranking among the top three holdings in Turkiye. In the second quarter of 2024, SOCAR achieved a notable drilling milestone, completing 21,600 meters of drillingan increase of 14.7% compared to the same period the previous year. The company produced 1.9 million tons of oil and 1.8 billion cubic meters of gas from fields operated independently or in partnership as the main shareholder. Gas production in Azerbaijan grew by approximately 5.2% year-over-year, reaching 12.5 billion cubic meters in the second quarter. Overall, 7.2 million tons of crude oil were extracted in Azerbaijan during this period. SOCAR's oil exports totaled around 4.2 million tons, encompassing both oil produced directly by SOCAR and its share of production from international consortia in Azerbaijan. The company also saw a 9.2% increase in natural gas exports, reaching 6.2 billion cubic meters. Domestic natural gas consumption during the reporting period was 2.3 billion cubic meters. In processing, SOCAR handled over 1.5 million tons of oil and more than 862 million cubic meters of gas in the second quarter. Gas processing volumes increased by 0.6% compared to the same period in 2023. Additionally, SOCAR exported over 659,000 tons of oil, petrochemical, and gas-chemical products from its Azerbaijani facilities, marking an 8% rise in exports compared to the previous year. SOCAR's robust oil and gas export activities reinforce its position in the international energy markets, contributing significantly to global energy security. The company remains committed to expanding its export opportunities and enhancing its role in the global energy sector. SOCAR's global energy relationships European Countries: SOCAR enhances Europe's energy security by exporting natural gas through the Southern Gas Corridor. This project includes the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) and the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), which transport Shah Deniz gas to European markets. SOCAR's role is crucial in diversifying Europe's energy sources and reducing reliance on single suppliers. Turkiye: SOCAR is a major player in the Turkish energy market, exporting oil and gas from Azerbaijan. The company has significant investments in Turkiye, including the Petkim petrochemical complex and the STAR Refinery. These investments underscore SOCAR's commitment to the Turkish energy sector and its strategic importance in regional energy dynamics. Georgia: SOCAR exports oil and gas to Georgia, a key transit country for Azerbaijani energy resources. Georgia's strategic location facilitates the transport of Azerbaijani oil and gas to various markets, reinforcing its role in the regional energy infrastructure. Russia: SOCAR engages in oil and gas trade with Russia, primarily through established transit routes. This trade contributes to the overall energy flow between the countries and supports regional energy stability. South Asian Countries: SOCAR, through its international partners, exports oil to South Asia. The company's activities in this region aim to expand its footprint in the global energy market and foster economic ties with South Asian countries. Serbia: SOCAR's collaboration with Serbia is formalized through a "Memorandum of Understanding" and an "Agreement on the Sale of Gas" between SOCAR and Srbijagas. This cooperation enhances bilateral relations and promotes energy sector development between the two countries. Kazakhstan: SOCAR and Kazakhstan maintain a robust partnership in the oil and oil products trade. Key aspects of this cooperation include the transportation of Kazakh crude oil through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline and processing operations in Azerbaijan. Since March 2023, SOCAR Midstream Operations LLC has been transporting 125,000 tons of oil per month from Kazakhstan's Tengiz field. Notably, the first shipments from Kazakhstan were loaded onto the "President Heydar Aliyev" and "Shusha" tankers in March 2023. The road map signed with KazMunayGaz in 2023 further enhances cooperation, positioning Azerbaijan as a pivotal regional energy hub. Israel: SOCAR's engagement with Israel focuses on the exchange of expertise in exploration, production, and transportation of hydrocarbons. This collaboration is instrumental for Israel's oil and gas sector development, leveraging SOCAR's advanced technological and operational experience. SOCAR's international partnerships and strategic investments illustrate its pivotal role in global energy markets and its commitment to strengthening energy ties with countries around the world. Future energy projects SOCAR has ambitious plans for the future of its energy operations, particularly with the development of new natural gas projects. Beginning in the first quarter of 2025, SOCAR will initiate natural gas production as part of the "Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli" (ACG) deep gas project. President Ilham Aliyev has emphasized the significance of this project, highlighting its large reserves and its role as a major source of Azerbaijans oil exports over the years. President Aliyev stated, "The 'Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli' structure represents a promising asset with substantial reserves. We have long relied on ACG for our oil exports, and now, with our partners, we are preparing to explore its deep gas potential. Initial production is projected to be around half a billion cubic meters, with expectations to increase this volume 3-4 times in the coming years. This development, alongside production from the 'Shah Deniz' and 'Absheron' fields, will significantly boost our gas output. Additionally, we plan to advance the second phase of the 'Umid' gas-condensate field, which could yield 2-3 billion cubic meters of gas within 3-4 years. These projects are grounded in detailed analysis, financial resources, and agreements with investors, with some being executed in collaboration with partners and others by SOCAR independently." SOCAR green energy projects SOCAR is also making strides in the field of renewable energy through its subsidiary, "SOCAR Green". Established to promote green energy and decarbonization, SOCAR Green focuses on managing SOCARs strategic renewable energy projects and enhancing cooperation with international partners in this sector. During the Baku Energy Week, SOCAR Green signed Shareholders' Agreements with the United Arab Emirates company "Masdar" for three major renewable energy projects in Azerbaijan. These agreements encompass the development of one wind and two solar power plants. This collaboration aims to diversify Azerbaijans energy sources, expand the use of alternative energy, and support the countrys transition to a low-carbon economy. The signing of these agreements marks a significant step toward Azerbaijans energy transition goals. With the planned installation of three power stations totaling 1 GW in capacity, these projects will contribute to Azerbaijan's commitment to a greener future, aligning with its role as the host of COP29. The implementation of these projects is expected to save approximately 2.3 billion kWh of electricity annually and prevent about 1 million tons of carbon emissions per year. This aligns with Azerbaijan's green agenda and supports sustainable development efforts, significantly advancing the country's renewable energy goals. SOCARs efforts in expanding its natural gas production and investing in renewable energy underscore its commitment to both meeting current energy demands and advancing global sustainability goals. SOCARs trajectory from a national oil company to a major transnational corporation reflects its dynamic impact on both regional and global energy landscapes. With substantial investments and strategic partnerships spanning Europe, Turkiye, Georgia, Russia, South Asia, Serbia, Kazakhstan, and Israel, SOCAR continues to enhance its global footprint. Looking ahead, SOCAR is poised to further expand its influence through ambitious natural gas projects and green energy initiatives. In conclusion SOCARs ongoing efforts will not only support Azerbaijans energy transition but also contribute significantly to the broader goals of sustainable development and energy diversification. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 15 August 2024 11:20 (UTC+04:00) President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to President of Congo Felix Tshisekedi, Azernews reports. The letter reads: "Dear Mr. President, On the occasion of the National Day of the Republic of Congo I sincerely congratulate you and, through you, your people on behalf of myself and the people of Azerbaijan, and extend my best wishes. The current dynamics of Azerbaijan-Congo relations is gratifying. Your visit to Azerbaijan in April has given a new impetus to the friendly and cooperative relations between our countries. Additionally, the recent visit of the COP29 President-Designate to Congo is a clear example of our countries' partnership in combating climate change. I believe that relations between Azerbaijan and Congo will develop in the spirit of friendship, aligned with the interests of our peoples, with our effective cooperation continued through our joint efforts on multilateral platforms, including the COP29 to be held in Baku. On this remarkable day, I wish you good health, happiness, success in your endeavors, and continuous peace and prosperity to the people of Congo. Respectfully, Ilham Aliyev President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Baku, 12 August 2024" --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 15 August 2024 13:55 (UTC+04:00) Fatima Latifova Read more Under the 2024 bilateral cooperation plan between Azerbaijan and the Republic of Uzbekistan, Uzbek military personnel visited Azerbaijan to participate in a course on planning and tactics for using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in modern armed conflicts, Azernews reports. On the first day of the course, the Uzbek guests were briefed on the history and activities of the Air Force, including the use of UAVs in traditional battles, the organization of combat flights, and the use of mini and micro UAVs in the Azerbaijan Army. The delegation was shown various UAVs in the arsenal of the Azerbaijan Army and informed about their tactical and technical characteristics. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 15 August 2024 19:46 (UTC+04:00) Fatima Latifova Read more Armenia, as a country, is not on par with Azerbaijan on the battlefield. The 44-day Garabagh War of 2020 reaffirmed this fact to the world. Another issue that was confirmed is that Armenias accusations and threats are baseless claims made from behind a screen. During the war, officials from Armenia's Ministry of Defense spread false information about the number of casualties in the Azerbaijani Army, aiming to somewhat reduce the panic and chaos prevalent among the Armenian population and military. Even after the war ended and peace negotiations began, Armenian media continued to accuse Azerbaijan with fake news. In March of this year, Armenian Telegram channels spread information alleging that Azerbaijan was sending military supplies to Ukraine. It seemed that the Armenian side, whose relations with Russia had deteriorated, was trying to drag Azerbaijan into the same situation, claiming that Azerbaijan was also involved in the Ukraine-Russia war. It should be noted that Armenian media resources continue to publish false news about the alleged use of Azerbaijani territory for military purposes against a third state. Interestingly, Armenian media is trying to create animosity between Azerbaijan and the countries with which Yerevans relations have worsened. Yesterday, an Armenian website claimed that Azerbaijan was interfering in the Israel-Palestine conflict and even sending weapons to Israel, allegedly as a means of intimidating Iran. To know Yerevan's official stance regarding the activities of such websites would be interesting. Since peace negotiations were relevant in the region just three months ago, the purpose of provoking Azerbaijan with such accusations remains unclear. Regarding the Israel-Palestine-Iran issue, Azerbaijans position is crystal clear. Baku prioritizes the development of relations with all countries. Azerbaijan recognizes Palestine as a state and supports the peaceful resolution of the conflict. Furthermore, cooperation with Israel is also of special importance to Azerbaijan. No third country, especially the hypocritical Armenian government, has the right to question Azerbaijan on this issue. Trying to tarnish Bakus image with such false news is merely a reflection of Armenias desperate situation. It is important to note that by taking steps that undermine the peace process, instigating provocations at the border, and attempting to draw attention with baseless accusations in the media, Yerevan will not achieve any progress. Currently, as a result of its misguided policies, the Pashinyan administration is receiving small bribes from the West and is becoming a puppet of foreign influences in the region. Given that Armenian media once portrayed children injured in an earthquake as victims of the Garabagh war, it would be unrealistic to expect them to adopt a responsible news policy now. However, spreading such extreme lies, and trying to stir up regional tensions without any evidence, is a bold move even for the cowardly Armenian government. It is clear that, as in politics, military, and other areas, Armenia is also carrying out the orders of foreign influences in the media sphere. It seems that the defeat in the Garabagh war was not enough for Yerevan to understand its mistakes and make the right decisions. The Armenian media is still trying to provoke Azerbaijan by spreading false information and claiming that Azerbaijan is influencing the tense relations between Israel and Iran. However, it is unclear what Armenia hopes to achieve with this. Sometimes, while carrying out orders from the West, the Armenian government forgets which region it exists in. While Azerbaijan is working for peace and security in the South Caucasus, Yerevan is still attempting provocations, whether in the media, diplomacy or on the battlefield. However, it should not be forgotten that any conflict in this region will affect all the countries without bypassing the instigator. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 15 August 2024 17:30 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more A delegation led by Major General Misfir bin Hasan Al-Isa, head of the General Department of Educational Issues and Promotion of Moral Values of the Armed Forces of Saudi Arabia, recently visited Azerbaijan, Azernews reports citing the Ministry of Defense. Colonel Elshad Abilov, head of the Department of Ideological Work and Moral-Psychological Support at the General Staff Department of the Ministry of Defense, welcomed the delegation at the Azerbaijan Army's Training and Education Center. During the visit, the delegation attended lectures on the critical role of national, moral, and patriotic values in enhancing the moral and psychological well-being of servicemen. They also received a briefing on the efforts to organize ideological work, train military psychologists, and the key areas of activity in this field. The meeting focused on discussing the expansion of military education cooperation between the two countries and addressing various issues of mutual interest. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 15 August 2024 08:00 (UTC+04:00) The Bundeswehr barracks have been completely sealed off in one of the districts of Cologne, Azernews reports, citing the Der Spiegel sources. A possible act of sabotage is being investigated. Information about infiltration into the barracks is being checked; the tap water may be contaminated. Military personnel and civilians were asked not to drink the water. Military personnel were prohibited from entering the barracks. The facilities were inspected by the Bundeswehr military police. It is claimed that the act of sabotage could have occurred at a facility near Cologne Airport. There are 4,300 military personnel and 1,200 civilians serving there. The barracks have their water supply. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 15 August 2024 09:00 (UTC+04:00) Climate experts from Africa are set to discuss financing issues that will be the main agenda at the upcoming COP29 climate conference in Baku this November, Azernews reports, citing EnviroNews Nigeria. The meeting of the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change kicks off in Nairobi, Kenya today and will conclude on August 16. In the lead-up to the event, a consultative meeting was also held where experts discussed important issues related to shaping climate financing for African countries. Experts emphasized that developed countries should allocate at least $5.9 trillion to developing nations by 2030, taking into account growing needs and priorities, the necessity of adaptation, mitigation, ensuring a fair energy transition, as well as compensating for losses and damages. They also called on developed countries not to derail climate negotiations this year with discussions about contributions and donors, and to focus on their obligations under the Paris Agreement to finance climate actions. Climate expert Samson Mbeve noted that the New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance (NCQG), considering the needs and priorities of developing countries, should move away from debt instruments, especially those masquerading as climate financing. "Developing countries are in dire need of grants, especially for their adaptation efforts. Loans of any sort would need a higher degree of concessionality. With many developing countries already burdened by significant debt, adding more through climate finance could deepen financial struggles rather than help," he said. Mbeve added, "We also need to remember that developed nations have a responsibility to help those who have been most affected by climate change. The NCQG should focus on fair and sustainable solutions that genuinely support global efforts without creating additional financial strain." --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 15 August 2024 21:48 (UTC+04:00) Turkish soldiers secured both first and second places in the Best Sniper Competition, which featured military personnel from 19 NATO allied countries. U.S. European Command congratulated the winners. The competition, held in Hohenfels, Germany, from August 5-11, 2024, saw 36 teams from 19 NATO allied countries vying to be named the best sniper team in Europe. Turkish Special Forces personnel, representing their country, won first place, while the Land Forces personnel achieved second place. U.S. European Command praised the winners, stating, "We congratulate our friends from Turkiye for winning the 2024 Best Sniper Team in Europe award." --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 15 August 2024 19:21 (UTC+04:00) Following the announcement by the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources that Turkiye's nuclear power target is 7.2 GW by 2035 and 20 GW by 2050, all eyes have turned to the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant. Cihad Terzioglu, Vice President of the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen Association (MUSIAD), stated that nuclear energy and the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) will make significant contributions to energy supply security. He noted that the plant, with its first unit nearing completion, will advance Turkiye in various areas, from energy diversity to mitigating the effects of climate change, and added that he believes that nuclear power plants established in Turkiye, especially Akkuyu NPP, will contribute to reversing brain drain as well as provide economic and technological gains. The Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources announcement has shifted focus to Akkuyu NPP, which experts describe as a "turning point in Turkiyes energy journey." This initiative is the first step toward long-term goals, with additional reactors planned for Sinop and Thrace, and the development of small modular reactors (SMRs) expected to add around 5 GW. Terzioglu highlighted that the rapidly progressing first unit of the plant will offer significant advantages to Turkiye, stating, "Considering the energy bill within the current account deficit, Akkuyu NPP, which will meet approximately 10 percent of our electricity needs, is of great economic importance. Beyond these benefits, I believe the nuclear energy sector will also significantly contribute to Turkiye's technological advancements." Terzioglu also discussed the potential for a reverse brain drain. "Nuclear energy technology will boost sectors such as medicine, chemistry, and machinery. This contribution will be sustainable with a growing qualified workforce and job creation thanks to nuclear technology. With many nuclear energy and physics engineers considering opportunities abroad, Turkiye could see a reverse brain drain due to nuclear energy plants. The introduction of nuclear energy technology with Akkuyu will also diversify our energy supply. Given the increasing need for clean energy due to the eventual decommissioning of fossil fuel power plants and carbon regulation mechanisms, Akkuyu and a total nuclear energy capacity of 10-15 GW will be crucial for Turkiyes energy security and climate goals. Turkiye, adhering to its National Energy and Mining Policy since 2016, emphasizes localization while ensuring energy supply security. The development of factories, production lines, and sub-industries for wind and solar technologies from renewable energy sources exemplifies this approach. We will also experience the positive impacts of the nuclear power plant in this regard. This technology, involving tens of thousands of pieces of equipment and numerous services in the supply chain, will create its ecosystem. This ecosystem will span from manufacturing and sub-industries to engineering and administrative services. Companies and institutions gaining experience in this ecosystem will also be positioned to provide services to nuclear power plants abroad, potentially boosting our export power. Additionally, nuclear energy technology will advance developments in electric vehicles, storage, and hydrogen technologies, which will become more prominent in the future." "SMR technology has reached the commercialization stage," Terzioglu added. "Small modular reactor (SMR) technology, which follows conventional nuclear energy methods, has reached commercialization. I anticipate it will be favored in the coming years due to its easy installation, decommissioning, and advantages in waste and fuel processes. I believe the heavy industry will be particularly interested in SMR solutions ranging from 30 MW to 300 MW. It is crucial to develop financing opportunities to accelerate SMR technology investments and ensure it is included in global incentive mechanisms for combating climate change." Altug Karatas, a Board Member of the Energy Efficiency Association, stated that the experience Turkiye gains from building nuclear power plants will provide a significant advantage in developing small modular reactors (SMRs). He noted that the world is rapidly advancing in the field of SMRs, which are poised to become a new source of production in the transition to carbon-free energy. "This new market, driven by key players such as Rosatom, the Russian State Nuclear Energy Corporation that constructed Akkuyu NPP, has the potential to accelerate the shift to a new production model in the energy sector. This can be achieved through the legislative infrastructure and ecosystem development that countries will implement. The production experience Turkiye acquires from constructing nuclear power plants will also be a major asset in the transition to SMRs." 15 August 2024 21:00 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat Aliyeva The Government of Burkina Faso, chaired by President Ibrahim Traore, has adopted a resolution on the establishment of an atomic energy agency in the country, Azernews reports. The document defines the provisions concerning the competence and rules of operation of the Burkini Atomic Energy Agency (BAAE). According to Traore, the creation of the BAAE "will ensure the energy independence of Burkina Faso, the industrialization of the country and facilitate access to electricity throughout the country." At the end of July this year, the Government of Burkina Faso adopted a bill granting privileges and immunities to experts and officials of the IAEA, whom the country will receive during the construction of its nuclear power plant. According to BIA, Burkina Faso plans to build a nuclear power plant by 2030 to meet the growing demand for electricity, which is expected to triple in a few years. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 15 August 2024 22:34 (UTC+04:00) The naval forces of the United States and France conducted bilateral exercises in the waters of the Philippine Sea on August 13, Azernews reports. "The Seventh Fleet [of the US Navy] regularly takes steps to strengthen interoperability with allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region, which was done this week during a bilateral operation with our long-time allies, the French Navy," Fred Kacher, Commander of the Seventh Fleet of the US Navy, is quoted as saying. According to him, the joint work "strengthens the potential of the Navy" and increases their ability to contain regional conflicts. The American Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Dewey (DDG 105) and the French Aquitaine-class frigate FS Bretagne (D655) took part in the military maneuvers. During the events, the ships carried out joint maneuvering, combined communication and simulated refueling at sea. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Extraordinary Aurora Borealis Photos Caught Around Oregon, Even South Coast Published 8/13/24 at 5:55 a.m. By Andre' GW Hagestedt, Oregon Coast Beach Connection (Portland, Oregon) Barely 11 p.m. on Sunday and social media around the Pacific Northwest starts lighting up. One of the first images comes from up north, at Washington's inner coastline at Port Townsend: big, bright aurora borealis and its massive curtains. (Photo Julie Conrad - near Waldport) Meanwhile, NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center in Colorado around 1 a.m. had Oregon just out of the auroral zone on their half-hour prediction page. It was not looking good. Yet the region beat those odds. By 2 a.m., photos from around the Oregon coast come piling in. First Yachats which is interesting because that's much farther down south than anticipated. Then Lincoln City pops up. By 3 a.m., Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff from the Portland office made it out to a park nearby and could see the vague purple in the sky to the north just barely. We managed to photograph it along with a super bright Jupiter and Venus. Sure enough, it wasn't just an illusion. That was the aurora borealis, but seriously drained of color by all the city lights of Portland. Yachats by Jacklyn Larsen Photography: you can see two shooting stars in the upper left top of the curtain (click to enlarge) Those outside the area got the good stuff. Whatever the half-hour predictions, the geomagnetic storm from a series of CME's earlier this week increased. NOAA noted earlier Monday that the storm category shot up from a G2 to G4 in the wee hours. Among the lucky ones were Yachats' Jacklyn Larsen of Jacklyn Larsen Photography. She and the rest of the Oregon coast got even luckier: the skies cleared instead of sticking to the National Weather Service's mostly cloudy forecast. Courtesy Newport Parks and Rec Department Larsen said she was surprised by the turn in the weather. She was coming back from the valley rather late at night and coming up just out of Florence when she saw the display. I could see a faint glow of the lights similar to what I had witnessed in May, Larsen told Oregon Coast Beach Connection. The lights cast a unique hue across the horizon and out over the ocean. I stayed out for a little over two hours, starting at 11pm. The most colorful action I observed from the aurora happened after midnight. I found a small vehicle turnout beside the highway just south of Yachats and quickly set up my camera. Jacklyn Larsen Photography There, Larsen said she saw pink curtains dancing across the sky. After a few images, she was able to confirm what it looked like: that was indeed the northern lights. She was using 3- to 6-second exposures. Not far, Yachats' Julie Conrad caught the shot near Waldport at the very top. Above: In Damascus, close to the Columbia Gorge, Kelly Misenhimer Smith. Much of this state and Washington were putting on a show. Beyond that, the Perseid meteor showers were firing off like crazy, which hasn't been seen much in the Portland area lately. Outside of big cities, it made quite the scene as well. That was the icing on the cake for many photographing this. Yachats by Jacklyn Larsen Photography: click to enlarge to see at least two shooting stars While I have witnessed many meteor showers over the years, this one seemed more active and more brilliant than any others I recall, Larsen said. There were a few falling stars that were so bright, they had me speechless as they streaked across the sky. While I was able to see many of them with the naked eye, I was quite surprised to see how many other meteors were captured in my images that I had not noticed while watching the skies. Not far up the central Oregon coast, the Newport Parks and Recreation Department caught one amazing shot from the Nye Beach area. Discover Port Orford Down in Port Orford, Discover Port Orford snagged another amazing photo of the northern lights, with Cape Blanco visible in the distance. Battle Rock is the first silhouette you see. Oregon Coast Hotels in this area - South Coast Hotels - Oregon Coast Vacation Rentals - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours MORE PHOTOS BELOW More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast. LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted 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. A newly introduced bipartisan bill, the Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act, aims to loosen restrictions on physician-owned hospitals. The bill introduced by Reps. Michael Burgess, MD (R-Texas), Tony Cardenas (D-Calif.), Morgan Griffith (R-Va.), and Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas) seeks to expand the existence of existing physician-owned hospitals, according to an Aug. 14 article published by the American Medical Association. The growth of physician-owned hospitals has slowed dramatically since 2010, according to the AMA, which cites the passage of the Affordable Care Act and a hospital-lobbied provision within the law that prevented any new physician-owned hospitals from opening. The new bill wouldn't repeal the current ban. It creates smaller changes and a narrow exemption for new physician-owned hospitals that meet specific criteria. Hospitals that meet the criteria for exemption are defined as those located in a rural area and more than a 35-mile drive 15 miles for mountainous regions from another hospital or critical access hospital. These facilities will be permitted to move forward as new physician-owned hospitals. "With consolidation on the rise in all areas of health care leading to higher costs, it's crucial that Congress pursue policy solutions to increase competition, especially among hospitals," said AMA President Bruce A. Scott, MD. Three hematology-oncology physicians have resigned from South Kingston, R.I.-based South County Health claiming underfunding, The Providence Journal reported July 30. A June 28 newsletter from the 100-bed community hospital and healthcare systems' Chief Medical Officer Kevin Charpentier, MD, blamed "chronic underfunding of the healthcare delivery system." "During our exploration of alternatives there emerged a divergence in perspectives regarding partnerships that might potentially bridge the ever-widening financial gap. Additionally, a recent convergence of coverage issues, provider transitions and support staff turnover created a perfect storm of staffing challenges at the provider level," the newsletter said, according to the publication. "In response to the entirety of the events, our hematology oncology providers have recently tendered their resignations." Angela Taber, MD, director of the cancer center, James Smythe, MD, and Matthew Danish, MD, will resign in October, according to an Aug. 1 statement. The hospital noted that it has since hired three new hematologists/oncologists who are expected to start in October, according to the statement. It has also invested more than $12 million in enhancing cancer care on its Wakefield campus and plans to invest around $4 million in the development of a breast health center. The hospital lists nine physicians and two nurse practitioners as its hematology oncology providers. The hospital declined to comment on the resignations, according to the publication. "As an organization, we refrain from discussing specific personnel matters publicly. It is not uncommon for personnel changes to occur within an organization of our size. When providers leave for any reason, we have comprehensive strategies in place to ensure that patients continue to receive safe, high quality care," according to a statement to the publication provided by Sarah Toatley, a South County Health spokesperson. Becker's has reached out to South County Health and will update the story if more information becomes available. Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare, parent company of United Surgical Partners International, is turning its focus to ASCs as it rapidly sells hospitals. "Tenet is entering a new era with a greater proportion of our performance coming from our highly efficient ambulatory surgical business and a reduced debt profile," CEO Saum Sutaria, MD, said during the company's fourth-quarter earnings call. "We will have significant financial and capital flexibility to increase shareholder value over the long-term." The sell-offs are driving momentum in Tenet's stock, according to a Feb. 4 article published by Seeking Alpha. Tenet posted a 1.6% decline in full-year sales to $19.2 billion in 2023. However, these new deals are expected to bring in billions of dollars in sales to the company. Here are the hospitals that Tenet has sold so far in 2024: 1. Tenet agreed to sell its majority interest in Birmingham, Ala.-based Brookwood Baptist Health to Orlando (Fla.) Health in a deal is valued at approximately $910 million in cash, with after-tax proceeds of approximately $790 million. The transaction includes five hospitals, along with affiliated physician practices Brookwood Baptist Medical Center in Birmingham; Princeton Baptist Medical Center in Birmingham; Walker Baptist Medical Center in Jasper, Ala.; Shelby Baptist Medical Center in Alabaster, Ala.; and Citizens Baptist Medical Center in Talladega, Ala. 2. In March, Tenet completed the sale of its Pacific Coast Network to Orange, Calif.-based UCI Health for $975 million. As part of the agreement, Dallas-based Tenet's medical centers Fountain Valley Regional Hospital, Lakewood Regional Medical Center, Los Alamitos Medical Center and Placentia-Linda Hospital will now be part of UCI Health. 3. Also in March, Tenet finalized an agreement to sell two hospitals to Roseville, Calif.-based Adventist Health. The acquisition includes the two hospitals, Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center in San Luis Obispo and Twin Cities Community Hospital in Templeton, along with their related provider practices and imaging centers. 4. In February, Tenet completed its $2.4 billion sale of three hospitals along with their affiliated physician clinics to Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Novant Health. Novant acquired Mount Pleasant, S.C.-based East Cooper Medical Center, Hilton Head (S.C.) Hospital and Hardeeville, S.C.-based Coastal Carolina Hospital. Auburn (N.Y.) Cardiology Associates plans to shutter its office after 40 years. When the facility closes Sept. 30, one cardiologist, Marc Baker, MD, will join the Auburn Heart Institute, the hospital's cardiac care center, according to an Aug. 15 report from The Citizen. Dr. Baker will begin seeing patients at the hospital Oct. 1. His existing patients at Auburn Cardiology Associates will be informed of his move, and they will have the option to continue as his patient or seek another cardiologist. When the practice shutters, Auburn Community Hospital's heart institute hopes to fill the void, the report said. After Dr. Baker arrives, there will be four cardiologists and two mid-level providers at the institute. When the institute opened in 2023, it had two cardiologists and one mid-level provider. The Federal Trade Commission's noncompete ban is in flux amid several divergent court rulings, according to an article by law firm Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath published Aug. 14 in JDSupra. Three district court judge rulings have challenged the FTC's plan to ban noncompetes for most workers. A Pennsylvania federal court judge denied the motion for a preliminary injunction pushing the effective date of the agency's noncompete ban. The judge ruled that the ban fell within the FTC's rulemaking authority, after a Texas federal court held that the ban exceeded its statutory authority, setting up a split among federal courts. In Florida, retirement community Properties of the Villages sued, alleging it invests heavily in training sales associates because their relationships with residents of the community are central to its business model. The sales associates sign noncompetes that stipulate that for 24 months after leaving the company, they will not compete to sell homes within the Villages community. Lawyers said that under the major questions doctrine, Congress cannot delegate to executive agencies issues of major political or economic significance. U.S. District Judge Timothy Corrigan granted a preliminary injunction in the case, prohibiting enforcement of the rule just for the retirement community until the case is resolved. This will not stop the FTC's rule from going into effect Sept. 4, however. "Adding to the confusion is the likelihood of a lengthy appeals process," the Faegre Drinker article added, saying the Supreme Court's recent overturning of the Chevron ruling in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo could also mean they "may apply Loper Bright's new test to the FTC's adoption of the rule." The FTC's rule makes it illegal to include most noncompetes in employment contracts unless the employer is a nonprofit, and requires companies with noncompetes to inform workers that they are void. With these divergent rulings expected to emerge, many are predicting this issue to work its way to the Supreme Court, according to an article by law firm Kohrman Jackson & Krantz published Aug. 13 in JDSupra. Three dental schools in Illinois earned endowments from the Illinois State Dental Society. Each of the three schools will receive $8,000 from the ISDS Foundation's dental education endowment fund. Here are the three schools and how they plan to use the additional funds: More than 800,000 healthcare workers in New York have received bonuses of up to $3,000 per person from the state through the Health Care Worker Bonus Program. Gov. Kathy Hochul launched the program in 2022, which has awarded workers over $2 billion in total, according to an Aug. 13 news release from the governor. Those who provide patient-facing services and have an annual base salary of $125,000 or less were eligible for payments and received them over two vesting periods, according to the release. "Health care workers deliver for New Yorkers every day and that's why we're delivering for them," Ms. Hochul said in the release. "Our powerful investments are putting money back in workers pockets and helping to grow our health care workforce to provide the highest quality care for New Yorkers." Health systems are increasingly leveraging EHR systems for more than just storing patient data. Cleveland Clinic is using its Epic EHR system to bolster patient safety and caregiver well-being. It is doing this through an integration within its EHR that features alerts when unsafe situations arise, offering guidance to caregivers on how to navigate challenging encounters. For example, caregivers might receive alerts indicating that a patient should be paired only with male staff due to past incidents involving inappropriate comments. Alternatively, an alert could suggest that a female caregiver should not be alone with a specific patient, helping to mitigate potential risks of misconduct or harassment. Meanwhile, San Diego's Rady Children's Hospital has implemented a "disappearing help line" feature within its EHR to address the issue of "note bloat," which refers to the excessive length of clinical notes. This software offers in-line reminders, suggestions and tips while a provider is drafting a note, which then disappears once the note is signed. The platform has helped reduce the length of inpatient progress notes by 18.7% and admission notes by 6.4%, while also decreasing the number of coding queries where coders seek additional information to accurately bill patients by 14%, according to researchers at Rady Children's Hospital. Six national hospital groups, including the American Hospital Association, America's Essential Hospitals and the Federation of American Hospitals, on Aug. 14 filed an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to correct HHS' "misinterpretation" of the formula set by Congress to calculate Disproportionate Share Hospital payments. As it stands, the DSH pay formula includes a Medicare fraction that counts supplemental security income-eligible Medicare beneficiaries in the numerator and the total Medicare-eligible population in the denominator. The AHA argues that HHS is "undercounting" the number of SSI-eligible Medicare beneficiaries by claiming patients are "entitled to" SSI benefits only if they actually receive those benefits, which lowers the numerator in the formula and results in lower payments to hospitals. HHS' interpretation is inconsistent with a previous Supreme Court ruling (Becerra v. Empire Health Foundation) in which HHS argued that a patient is "entitled to" Medicare under the DSH formula if they are qualified for Medicare regardless of whether Medicare paid for the hospital stay. "Despite that victory, HHS has refused to apply the same logic to determine whether a patient is 'entitled to' SSI benefits even though Congress used the same words in the same sentence," hospitals groups said in the amicus brief. "That approach is textually indefensible, and it significantly undercounts the needy patients served by America's hospitals." If the DSH pay formula is not adjusted, hospitals are projected to lose more than a billion dollars a year in DSH payments, according to the AHA. "What's more, a hospital's eligibility for DSH payments affects its entitlement to other federal benefits designed to help hospitals 'provide a wide range of medical services' to vulnerable populations," the hospital groups wrote in the brief. The Association of American Medical Colleges, Catholic Health Association and National Rural Health Association also joined in the filing. Click here to read the amicus brief in full. Cleveland Clinic is being accused of illegally discriminating based on race by operating a program to prevent and treat strokes in minority patients, The Wall Street Journal reported Aug. 14. The system's minority stroke program began in 2019, and tailors treatment and prevention services to Black and Latino patients, including medical referrals and post-stroke care. Black men and women are at least two times as likely as white Americans to die from strokes. Activist groups Do No Harm and Wisconsin Institute have filed a complaint with HHS claiming that "race discrimination is a defining feature" of the program. The complaint alleges that the hospital system is violating the Affordable Care Act and a provision of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that prohibits discrimination by recipients of federal funds. "Cleveland Clinic is not permitted to sort individuals and coordinate benefits on the basis of race according to whatever rationale it believes is appropriate however well-intentioned its misguided notions may be," the complaint said. In the complaint, the Wisconsin Institute said unidentified members of Do No Harm "who are not members of racial or ethnic minorities" were affected by the discriminatory practices. Hospital system spokesperson Andrea Pacetti told the Journal that Cleveland Clinic treats patients regardless of race, ethnicity or other characteristics as part of its mission to provide medical care and education and to conduct research. The system is one of many with programs aimed at people of color in order to help improve patient outcomes and eliminate racial disparities. However, the groups behind the complaint said other components could explain health disparities, including environmental and other factors such as health insurance, income, bias and more. "It undermines trust, it suggests there's two kinds of healthcare being deliveredthere's healthcare being delivered to minorities, and there's healthcare being delivered to white people," Stanley Goldfarb, MD, Do No Harm's chairman and a retired physician and University of Pennsylvania kidney disease researcher, told the Journal. "Our mission is to get rid of discriminatory practice in medicine." The allegations are some of the first to bring a fight against race-based programs into healthcare, arguing that providers can't use racial and ethnic demographics for treatment, preventive care or patient education. "There's definitely a concerted effort to attack DEI in healthcare and medicine, but I haven't seen it done before over the way the actual provision of medical care is done," David Glasgow, executive director of New York City-based New York University School of Law's Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging, told the Journal. The HHS Office of Civil Rights will evaluate the complaint and could investigate. "Our mission is to care for life, research for health and educate those we serve," Ms. Pacetti told Becker's. "Our job in fulfilling our mission is to care for all individuals across the communities we serve regardless of race, ethnicity, or other characteristics." Similar cases have gone to court before. In 2022, New York was sued and successfully defended a directive that healthcare providers take race and ethnicity into account when distributing COVID-19 treatments. Michael Duncan has stepped down from his role as CEO of Penn Medicine Chester County Hospital. Mr. Duncan, who has led the hospital since 2011, will now serve as CEO of the Chester County Hospital Foundation, according to an Aug. 14 LinkedIn post from the hospital. As foundation CEO, he will focus on completing a fundraising campaign for the Abramson Cancer Center, the post said. Chief Medical Officer Karen Pinsky, MD, has been named interim CEO and president. Dr. Pinsky has worked at the hospital for 28 years, according to the post. Dallas-based Steward Health Care has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its physician group, Stewardship Health, to Nashville, Tenn.-based Rural Healthcare Group, part of private equity firm Kinderhook Industries, for $245 million in cash, according to an Aug. 12 bankruptcy court filing, obtained by Becker's. The planned acquisition comes after UnitedHealth Group's Optum backed out of plans to acquire Stewardship Health in late June. RGH, which comprises 17 clinics across the U.S., would take on Stewardship, which combines Steward Health Care Network and the Steward Medical Group primary care providers with an integrated primary care network of around 5,000 employed and affiliated providers in nine states. Stewardship's value-based care is offered to Medicaid and commercial populations, according to an Aug. 12 Steward news release. "As part of the ongoing Chapter 11 proceedings, following a robust and active bidding process, Steward Health Care is pleased to have reached an agreement with Rural Healthcare Group," Mark Rich, president of Steward Health Care, said in the release. Following the acquisition, RGH "plans to make significant investments Stewardship's infrastructure," according to an Aug. 12 RGH news release. "RHG's partnership will help keep healthcare local for patients, allowing them to continue to see providers that are familiar with their medical history," the RGH release said. "Furthermore, the transaction will separate Steward Medical Group and Steward Health Care Network from Steward's hospital system - transitioning clinics from health system-owned to independent is an area of expertise for RHG, and ultimately a benefit to patients." Steward sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May and is actively working to offload its hospitals. The for-profit health system has also received bankruptcy court approval to close two of its Massachusetts hospitals, Boston-based Carney Hospital and Ayer-based Nashoba Valley Medical Center, by Aug. 31. A third Steward hospital, Holy Family Hospital in Haverhill (Mass.), is also facing closure due to an altered bid from a potential owner. The Stewardship Health transaction must now wait for bankruptcy court approval and will close based on the completion of closing conditions, like regulatory approval, the releases said. Somers Point, N.J.-based Shore Memorial Health System has agreed to pay the U.S. $3.15 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by receiving improper pandemic loans, the Justice Department announced Aug. 14. The settlement resolves allegations that the system took a loan from the Paycheck Protection Program, which was created in March 2020 as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, and that the company was not entitled to the loan. Prosecutors alleged that Shore Memorial Physicians' Group, an affiliate of the health system, applied for and received a PPP loan for $2.78 million, which it was not eligible for because it was affiliated with the system and was therefore not a small business. Shore Memorial Health System sought and received forgiveness of the total loan amount but has since fully cooperated with the Justice Department's investigation and resolution of the issue, according to the agency. As part of the settlement, Shore Memorial Health System has agreed to pay the U.S. $3.15 million, with $315,000 of that amount going to the whistleblower who filed the complaint. Becker's has reached out to the health system and will update this story if a comment is received. NewYork-Presbyterian, New York City's largest private health system, is fighting two separate legal battles involving the state's largest nurses' union, the New York State Nurses Association. One dispute arises from a May arbitration decision on safe staffing, awarding more than $270,000 to nurses in the cardio-thoracic ICU at New York City-based Columbia University Medical Center. In late July, the health system filed a petition in federal court seeking to overturn the arbitration decision. The petition, accessed by Becker's, argues that the hospital made "good faith efforts to hire and otherwise obtain additional staff to meet the staffing grid and evidence of the obstacles that it faced that arose out of market conditions for nursing staff in the area." It also argues that the award is "punitive" and was not available under the collective bargaining agreement between the parties. The union argues that the agreement permitted such a remedy and that the hospital filed the petition to avoid safe staffing. The NYSNA finalized its last contract for about 4,000 nurses on Dec. 31, 2022. The union has since faced arbitration over safe staffing issues twice: first in December 2023 and again in May, with the latter still being litigated. "Our first priority is always safe staffing and ensuring patient safety," a union spokesperson told Becker's. "We do that through contractual enforcement, including arbitration, and also through New York state law." NewYork-Presbyterian declined to comment on the case. The second dispute arises from the 2020 termination of Rosamaria Tyo, a nurse and unionizer at Hudson Valley Hospital in Cortlandt Manor, N.Y. In June, the hospital filed an appeal to the Supreme Court after losing before three tribunals, according to The New York Times. The hospital said it fired Ms. Tyo for walking out of a surgery to attend a union meeting. "Tyo excused herself from the operating room, without permission or coverage, leaving her orientee unsupervised, in order to attend a gathering of union representatives and employees who were going to engage the chief nursing officer in an unscheduled meeting to lobby her to attend contract negotiations between the union and the hospital to advocate for their interests," NewYork-Presbyterian's lawyers wrote in their Supreme Court petition. The lead surgeon in the operating room that day recommended reinstating Ms. Tyo, according to the Times. The National Labor Relations board also upheld a decision by an administrative law judge, concluding that the hospital wrongfully fired Ms. Tyo for engaging in union activity protected under federal law. The board ordered the hospital to offer Ms. Tyo full reinstatement and pay for loss of earnings and other benefits, a determination upheld last year by a federal appeals court in New York. Lawyers for NewYork-Presbyterian have argued that those who did not side with them acted "to literally 'play doctor' (or, at the very least, play circulating nurse) by assuming that [they] could run an OR better than the medical professionals charged with doing so." NewYork-Presbyterian declined to comment on that case as well. Through a union spokesperson, Ms. Tyo declined an interview request from the Times. The NLRB has waived its right to file a response to the petition in this case, and the Supreme Court has yet to decide whether it will hear the case. Meanwhile, Pat Kane, executive director of the NYSNA, told the Times, "That Presbyterian is willing to take this all the way to the Supreme Court has a really chilling effect on the workforce." Wakefield, R.I.-based South County Health experienced a staffing shake-up this summer after three hematology oncology providers resigned due to "chronic underfunding." The system's chief medical officer, Kevin Charpentier, MD, announced the resignations in a June 28 newsletter, according to a July 30 Providence Journal report. Dr. Charpentier provided the Journal with a statement Aug. 1, announcing South County Health's hiring of three new hematology oncologists. The system also published a news release on Aug. 1 providing details on the situation and assuring patients the transition would be "as seamless as possible." The resignations of Matthew Danish, MD, James Smythe, MD, and Angela Taber, MD, will take effect in October. The release identified the newly hired oncologists as Jean Lee, MD, PhD, Nancy McKinney, MD, and Sylvia Vania Alarcon Velasco, MD, though they are not listed on the South County Health website as of Aug. 15. "As an organization, we refrain from discussing specific personnel matters publicly. It is not uncommon for personnel changes to occur within an organization of our size," a South County Health spokesperson told Becker's. When asked for further comment, the health system cited the statements provided to the Journal. The first group of Walgreens employees are seeking to join a new national union of retail pharmacy professionals, MedPage Today reported Aug. 12. Ten pharmacists and pharmacy technicians at a Walgreens location in Vancouver, Wash., have filed to join the Pharmacy Guild, part of the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers. Pharmacists employed by Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aid have traditionally not unionized. The Pharmacy Guild was formed after a string of walkouts by retail pharmacy workers across the U.S. last year who voiced concerns about heavy workloads and inadequate staffing. CVS employees in Las Vegas became the first group to join the union in April, followed by staff members at two retail locations in Rhode Island in May. Walgreens said it has taken numerous actions to improve working conditions for its employees, including redirecting many administrative tasks and using local micro-fulfillment centers to help fill prescriptions. "We respect the right of our team members to choose to be represented by a union, but we continue to believe the best way to maintain a positive environment is through the direct relationship between our team members and their managers, who are striving every day to achieve our shared purpose of serving our communities and reimagining local healthcare," a Walgreens spokesperson told Becker's Aug. 15. "We are fully committed to ensuring our team members' contributions are acknowledged and rewarded, including with competitive pay and benefits." CVS offered a similar stance in comments shared with MedPage today in April after the Las Vegas vote. "While we believe the direct, two-way relationship we have with our colleagues is the best way to resolve workplace concerns, we have professional and productive relationships with our thousands of union employees and their union representatives," a spokesperson told the publication. "We'll continue to work closely and collaboratively with all our colleagues to address any concerns they have now and in the future and are committed to providing a positive and rewarding work environment." "Transparency," a growing buzzword in the pharmaceutical industry, is making another premiere at Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Co. The company publishes all of its drug prices on its website, which account for the manufacturing costs, plus a $5 pharmacy labor fee, a $5 shipping fee and a 15% markup. In another move to boost transparency, Mark Cuban told Jon Stewart on "The Daily Show" Aug. 12 that the company will soon publish its contracts. "We're just getting it approved [Aug. 12] we're going to publish all contracts," Mr. Cuban, co-founder of Cost Plus Drugs, said. "Never before has it been done where, for my companies, we're saying, 'If you want to do business with us, if this hospital system wants to work with my companies, whatever it may be, we're going to publish them and put them online for anybody to see all of our pricing.'" Two health systems currently partner with Cost Plus Drugs: Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems and Louisville, Ky.-based ScionHealth, which operate a combined 165 hospitals. On "The Daily Show," Mr. Cuban discussed the controversies surrounding pharmacy benefit managers and how his company plans to disrupt the $4.3 trillion U.S. healthcare industry. "The first rule when [PBMs] negotiate they say is, 'You can't talk about this,'" he said. "It's like [the film] 'Fight Club.' You cannot say what your price is. You can't say what we're doing in our negotiation. And, they got so big doing that that nobody ever questioned them." The Federal Trade Commission and several other organizations are questioning the biggest PBMs and their business practices. The New York State Department of Health issued an advisory Aug. 14 asking providers to discontinue use of ciprofloxacin as a post-exposure prophylaxis for close contacts of patients with meningococcal disease. "Ciprofloxacin has been a first-line agent for invasive meningococcal disease post-exposure prophylaxis; however, due to increasing rates of ciprofloxacin resistance among invasive meningococcal disease cases, providers should discontinue use of ciprofloxacin as postexposure prophylaxis for close contacts of people with invasive meningococcal disease in New York state," the advisory said. Rifampin or ceftriaxone should be prescribed for post-exposure prophylaxis instead, and azithromycin may be used as an alternative. The change is due to increasing rates of resistance to the drug. Last year, four of 20 invasive meningococcal cases in the state of New York, but outside of New York City, were resistant to ciprofloxacin. Within the city, six of 35 cases were resistant. "The number and proportion of patients diagnosed with ciprofloxacin-resistant invasive meningococcal disease in New York has approached the CDC-recommended threshold for discontinuing ciprofloxacin post-exposure prophylaxis in a local catchment area (at least two patients and 20% of patients) to prevent prophylaxis failure," the health department said. Meningitis is a rare but serious disease that can cause pneumonia, bloodstream infections and brain swelling. Between 10% and 15% of cases in the U.S. are fatal, and providing antibiotic post-exposure prophylaxis to those who had close contact to patients with the disease is a major prevention strategy. Gov. Kathy Hochul has awarded $646 million over a three-year period to three workforce investment organizations to train and recruit thousands of mental health, social care and healthcare workers in the state. Iroquois Healthcare Association, Finger Lakes Performing Provider System and the 1199SEIU Training and Employment Funds are the three organizations to receive funding under the Career Pathways Training program. "The health of every New Yorker depends on a strong, stable and equitable health care system, and health care workers are its very foundation," Ms.Hochul said in an Aug. 15 news release shared with Becker's. "This investment allows us to continue to retain and grow our healthcare workforce and ensure we deliver the highest quality healthcare for New Yorkers." The funding comes after Ms. Hochul paid up to $3,000 per person to more than 800,000 state healthcare workers since 2022 through the Health Care Worker Bonus Program, totalling more than $2 billion. The funding will also be used to help support tutoring and academic programs like apprenticeship and mentorship. It will also aid in job readiness and placement; help with tuition program fees, textbooks and supplies; and help with holding educational programs for new workers, like assistance with application and enrollment. In a bid to consolidate operations, Crozer Health's Ridley Park, Pa.-based Taylor Hospital will cease performing surgeries. Jeffrey Malumed, MD, president of Premier Orthopaedics, has been performing surgeries at Taylor for 35 years, according to an Aug. 15 report from The Philadelphia Inquirer. His time with the hospital will now end Sept. 1 as the system continues to shutter services and close locations across the country. Crozer plans to consolidate surgical operations at its other locations, as Taylor Hospital performs only three to four surgeries a day. Crozer will instead move general surgical procedures to some of its ASC and outpatient settings. "It's disheartening," Dr. Malumed told the Inquirer. "I've been with Taylor since it was a bustling institution. We had five ORs, 30 cases a day, four floors of patients. Times have changed." Premier was still doing 700 to 800 surgeries, including joint replacements, annually at Taylor, according to the report. It accounted for the majority of the surgeries being performed at the hospital. Premier, which has more than 35 locations in Southeastern Pennsylvania, has three ASCs where it will move some of the surgeries that would have been done at Taylor. The locations make it more difficult for patients living in Ridley Park to have easy access to quality orthopedic surgeries. Another shuttered Crozer facility, Springfield Hospital was close to becoming home Premier's fourth ASC location, but state regulators denied a plan to put the service in the hospital, which would have required a different license, according to the report. Prospect Medical Holdings recently announced a plan to sell Crozer Health to CHA Partners due to financial issues that have forced Crozer to cut staff and services over the past few years. Continued innovation in spine techniques and technology are reshaping what the "gold standard" will be. Nine spine surgeons discuss what that gold standard could look like. Ask Spine Surgeons is a weekly series of questions posed to spine surgeons around the country about clinical, business and policy issues affecting spine care. Becker's invites all spine surgeon and specialist responses. Next question: How are changes in reimbursement models and insurance policies affecting the financial viability of spine practices today? Please send responses to Carly Behm at cbehm@beckershealthcare.com by 5 p.m. CST Wednesday, August 21. Editor's note: Responses were lightly edited for clarity and length. Question: What will the new gold standard of spine surgery look like? Rachel Bratescu, MD. George Washington University (Washington, D.C.): The road to becoming referred to as the 'gold standard' for technology, implants or biologics is not necessarily linear and especially in the spine community can be very subjective depending on a surgeon's training, experience, geography and available resources. An important historical pattern to highlight with new ideas or techniques is that there is often an initial period of uncertainty and skeptical feedback from the community; in a specialty where the stakes are high we greatly value long-term evidence of efficacy and safety before implementing novel procedures. Two trends that will likely gain increasing momentum in the coming years include the push toward outpatient surgeries performed in ASCs, which is closely interrelated to increasing utilization of minimally invasive techniques. One example being unilateral biportal endoscopy - while this is considered the 'gold standard' in other countries, the inherent learning curve is an additional factor in the United States that is likely hindering its more widespread adoption. Brian Gantwerker, MD. The Craniospinal Center of Los Angeles: The gold standard of spine will be shorter and shorter length of stays, minimal, if any blood loss, and more durable results. There is much room for development in the realm of minimally invasive spine and disc arthroplasty. My hope is that few, if any, opioids postoperatively will be needed for spine patients. Some day, I envision patients having the most minimal of pain and eschewing opioids altogether. Jian Guan, MD, board certified neurosurgeon Pacific Neuroscience Institute-South Bay and Spine Institute (Torrance, Calif.): The new gold standard for spine surgery is going to be the continued proliferation and development of more personalized treatments for each individual patient's spinal pathology. With the continued spread and evolution of technologies such as navigation and robotics, and further improvements in material sciences, we will move further and further away from the idea of one-size-fits-all solutions for broad swathes of spinal conditions in favor of customized approaches that maximize recovery and minimize both risk and patient downtime. Sean Jandhyala, MD. RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group and Community Medical Center (Toms River, N.J): The future of spine surgery will blend traditional non-operative and operative techniques with the utilization of spinal robotics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. It is critical that both aspects of spine surgery, traditional and modern technology are incorporated in the future care of spine patients to maximize optimal outcomes. Todd Lanman, MD. ADR Spinal Restoration Center (Beverly Hills, Calif.): Artificial joint replacements have transformed orthopedic surgery, establishing themselves as the gold standard for treating severe degenerative joint diseases in hips and knees. This advancement is now being mirrored in spinal surgery, where artificial disc replacement (ADR) is emerging as a superior alternative to traditional spinal fusion for both cervical and lumbar conditions. ADR offers significant benefits by preserving natural motion, unlike fusion, which immobilizes vertebrae. This motion-preserving approach can enhance functionality and promote quicker recovery. To ensure patients have access to skilled surgeons, we have launched the ADR Spine Top Doctors program. This network connects individuals with experienced artificial disc replacement specialists across the U.S, facilitating access to high-quality care. As ADR gains recognition, this initiative will play a vital role in improving patient outcomes and expanding the availability of this innovative treatment option in spinal surgery. Kathryn McCarthy, MD of Norton Leatherman Spine (Louisville, Ky.): An outcome that results from integrating: 1. A finely tuned human surgical skill, 2. Interpretation and implementation of data generated by robust numbers of patient experience both clinically and radiographically, likely with AI format, 3. Safe incorporation of technology and 4. A surgeon with a warm heart and perhaps even a smile. Emeka Nwodim, MD. Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics (Bethesda, Md.): I believe the future of spine surgery will continue to be promising and innovative. We are currently witnessing a range of advancements, including minimally invasive and endoscopic spine surgical techniques, which can yield excellent results and patient outcomes, when performed by skilled hands. However, I believe the gold standard will remain in open surgery. This technique has stood the test of time and is consistent and reproducible amongst surgeons both nationally and globally. Jimmy Zhu, MD. Endeavor Health Orthopaedic & Spine Institute (Naperville and Plainfield, Ill.): We live in an exciting era of technological innovations. The goals of spine surgery have not changed, namely decompression, stabilization, and deformity correction. As spine surgeons, however, we have a plethora of tools in our toolbox to accomplish those goals with more accuracy, efficiency, reliability, and reproducibility. We hope that continues to translate to clinical significance in the immediate and long-term postoperative periods. Therefore, the new gold standard of surgery will likely involve larger use of technology, depending on the healthcare system and surgeon comfort. These technologies likely will focus on motion preservation, minimizing surgical footprints and optimization of spinal parameters. Artificial intelligence also will become an increasingly bigger part of spine surgery and healthcare, in general, to facilitate patient care optimization. Christian Zimmerman, MD. St. Alphonsus Medical Group and SAHS Neuroscience Institute (Boise, Idaho): Colloquially speaking, the gold standard is the widely accepted orthodoxy against which others are compared and maintained. Currently, the most reliable procedure, independent of application and usage, is spinal fusion. For better or worse, these procedures are globally accepted as means to address acute and degenerative spinal disease. Yet since the planetary healthcare crisis and its devaluation of services and means, this too has become further scrutinized and less sanctioned. Depending on patient demographic served, most larger institutions who administer to the aged and needy rely upon conventional decompressive surgical techniques to subserve frequently seen diagnosis. Intraoperative 2D/3D device accuracy and alignment surgical assist currently expands one's capabilities especially helpful in salvage procedures. Two Co Down artists have put a creative spin on a ritual many enjoy when they want to meet up with friends catching up over a cuppa Rebecca Killen (L) and Laureanne Kootstra co-owners of the Clay Project in Newcastle, who run ceramics workshops throughout the week. Picture by Peter Morrison Two Co Down artists have put a creative spin on a ritual many enjoy when they want to meet up with friends catching up over a cuppa. How about if you add some ceramics and paint into the mix? And no, you dont have to be an artist or a master potter to take part. Friends Rebecca Killen and Laureanne Kootstra first established the Clay Project in 2021 running a number of workshops in various locations as well as hosting birthday parties and hen parties, to name a few. Rebecca Killen (L) and Laureanne Kootstra co-owners of the Clay Project in Newcastle, who run ceramics workshops throughout the week. Picture by Peter Morrison Now they have opened one of Northern Irelands only clay painting cafes in the seaside town of Newcastle where you can go with friends or by yourself to paint and decorate some ceramics and enjoy a cup of coffee overlooking the scenic promenade. The pair moved into their studio space in Co Down earlier this year after thinking up their dream while both on maternity leave three years ago. The two women say they are proud to be an example for working mums following their dreams. Laureanne (34) said: Opening this shop was both of our dreams, we are constantly pinching ourselves that this is actually happening. We also work extremely well together we actually agree on everything work-related. It is so special how we met and just got so lucky! Laureanne is originally from the Netherlands but moved to the Mournes, where her husband grew up, four years ago. She said that they previously lived in Berlin, where she worked for a pottery painting studio there. Rebecca Killen (L) and Laureanne Kootstra co-owners of the Clay Project in Newcastle, who run ceramics workshops throughout the week. Picture by Peter Morrison When I moved here, I thought the concept would work well here as well, similar to what I was working on in Berlin, she told Belfast Telegraph. As a new mother and a new resident here I was worried I would be sitting alone at home, but I had found out that Rebecca was living locally and was working in the same medium so when I moved over, we started chatting through Instagram. I had been following her work for a while and we were both pregnant at the time and met up a few times to talk about all our shared interests, she explained. After we visited a pottery market, we sat in a cafe and I asked Rebecca if she would be up for opening a studio together with me and she agreed! It was great to become a strong team together. We always say that together we are not working double as fast but actually triple as fast. Bouncing ideas off each other is so much fun after both working alone for so many years. Rebecca (37) said that when she first met Laureanne back in 2021 she was at a point in her career where she was looking for a change in direction, so the timings worked out perfectly. I had spent the last seven years working on wholesale orders, mostly on my own in the studio and while I found this work hugely satisfying, especially having my work in beautiful retail stores and homes across Ireland and right across the globe, there were times where the experience of making products full time was quite isolating, she explained. I have always enjoyed teaching ceramics, after teaching part-time in the Southern Regional College, and wanted to explore this further and to do that alongside Laureanne who was also passionate about ceramics, so it was an exciting opportunity for me, she added. From there The Clay Project was born just as we had both become mums for the first time. Artist Kathryn Shaw working on a piece of pottery at the Clay Project in Newcastle,. Picture by Peter Morrison For me, The Clay Project was my creative outlet and gave me the flexibility to work alongside navigating motherhood. Rebeccas iconic milk bottles can be seen in various craft stores all across the island of Ireland which she says reflects her style of pottery well. My product range consisted of slip cast fine bone china bottles, vessels and dishes inspired by traditional blue and white pottery, nostalgic forms and the picturesque Co Down coastline, she explained. I loved making the milk bottles, they were the first product that really took off. The milk bottle shape is beautifully simple and for me invokes memories of snack time at primary school and leaving the bottles at the front door for the milkman. Rebecca thanks her art teachers from high school Trevor Woods and Jakki Trainor, who are themselves renowned ceramic artists in their own rights for her love of the medium. I had two amazing art teachers who both had an infectious passion for ceramics and encouraged me to explore the medium, she said. Both of them are still very supportive and over the years Ive had the opportunity to work alongside both Trevor and Jakki at fairs and exhibitions. What I love most is the endless possibilities with clay and the room for experimentation which was quite addictive. An artist works on a piece of pottery the Clay Project in Newcastle,. Picture by Peter Morrison Despite studying the art of ceramics for many years, Laureanne and Rebecca have both insisted that you dont need to be an artist to work with clay. Anyone can work with clay, its a beautiful material to work with and quite quickly you can make a piece of pottery whether that be using hand building methods or slip casting, however making ceramics involves many processes and to become skilful in these processes it does take time, education and experience, said Rebecca. We teach hand building, slip casting and decorating techniques and we have developed our workshops in a way that anyone can follow along, we guide our participants carefully through the making process so that each person creates a piece of ceramics unique to them. Laureanne said that it can take 10,000 hours to become a master craftsman in ceramics, but in just a two-hour painting and decorating session you can still reap the benefits of working with clay. Rebecca Killen (L) and Laureanne Kootstra co-owners of the Clay Project in Newcastle, who run ceramics workshops throughout the week. Picture by Peter Morrison All of our workshops can be followed by people who have never touched clay but also by people who have experience who can learn new techniques or just enjoy the therapeutic qualities, she explained. In school, you get taught to follow the things that youre good at and when you are not good at art you end up dropping it, but you can still get so many benefits out of it for your mental health and your wellbeing. We love seeing the instant relaxation of people when they work with this medium, she pointed out. We are encouraging people to let go of the idea of being good at something and to just enjoy the process and therapeutic qualities of clay. Taking part in our decorating classes is great for a rainy day, you get some time away from your phone when your hands are busy making something beautiful and you can be fully in the moment either catching up with a friend or even enjoying some downtime by yourself. Working with clay is a mindful experience and we believe this is beneficial for everyone. Laureanne added that what is unique about the Clay Project is the fact that all their bisqueware is entirely sourced and handmade within the UK and Ireland. A lot of Pottery Painting places are importing their ware from China but for us it was very important to work with small businesses and potters closer to home, she said. Pottery pieces on display at the Clay Project in Newcastle,. Picture by Peter Morrison We also have a shop element to the cafe where we sell our own ceramics, tools and prints. All our coffee is also from a local roaster and our tea is from a Belfast company, and our buns from a bakery in Kilkeel, you couldnt get any more local. You can follow @theclay_project on Instagram to keep up with all their latest workshops The new Co Londonderry store will employ 18 additional staff Work has started in Co Londonderry on what will become Northern Irelands largest Lidl supermarket. The new site in Coleraines Riverside Retail Park has an area of 2,475 square metres, of which 1,752 will be used for the sales floor. The store is estimated to create 18 new jobs, added to the around 22 staff who will relocate from the stores current location in the retail park. The supermarket will open in spring 2025, and Lidl says that it will feature wider aisles and more higher energy efficiency. There are plans for 152 parking spaces, as well two electric vehicle charging points. Lidl estimates that the project will create around 200 other jobs in design, construction and landscaping. The supermarket group has been investing millions of pounds in Northern Ireland, opening new locations and updating existing ones. It came 56th on the Belfast Telegraphs list of Top 100 Companies in Northern Ireland for 2024. It made a pre-tax profit last year of 11m on a turnover of 434.1m, and employs over 1,200 people. The company has a market share of just over 9% of the supermarket business in Northern Ireland. Ivan Ryan, the regional managing director of Lidl NI, told Ulster Business this month that the company is aiming for a 20% market share in Northern Ireland. The company is aiming to increase its network of 41 current stores to 50 by the end of this decade. Ivan Ryan, Lidl Northern Ireland regional managing director Speaking as work began on the new Coleraine store, Mr Ryan said: Were thrilled to be opening a new store in Coleraine which marks another step forward in advancing our plans to bring our successful big on quality, Lidl on price proposition to even more shoppers, to enhance the shopping experience and create new jobs and local investment. Our mission is to ensure we provide best value and choice, and the creation of this bright, new modern concept store will reflect our growth ambitions in the local area and right across the region. Ciaran McQuillan, Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, added: This is a welcome announcement for Coleraine and indeed the Borough, including the confirmation of new jobs and investment for the area. Lidl NI investment and growing presence in the locality and region is fantastic news for both shoppers and the wider community in Coleraine. "I am keen to see the progress of this new store and look forward to its opening in due course. News Catch Up: Wednesday 14 August Holmes was leading a discussion about a row engulfing a Norfolk village, where some residents have expressed concerns over the divisiveness of flying a Union Jack over the village hall. Anti-racism activist Imarn Ayton and royal broadcaster and historian Rafe Heydel-Mankoo were invited into the studio to debate the topic, but things got particularly heated as the conversation developed between Ayton and Holmes. Heydel-Mankoo said the Union Flag is about as British as warm beer but Ayton made the point that the Union Jack is sometimes associated with far-right symbolism, which is why some people might find it divisive. Holmes made a blunder when he addressed Ayton as Imran instead of her name Imarn, which she corrected him on. Eamonn questioned whether the row in the Norfolk village was an unnecessary fuss, when he said: Running a flag outside a village hall in Norfolk, you sort of think whats the big deal. But Ayton reminded Holmes to be aware of other peoples differing opinions. Be considerate. No, be considerate guys, he said. I know youve finished your segment, but Eamonn, Im not going to let you finish with that one. She continued: Be considerate of other peoples beliefs and views. If you are considerate and sympathetic of everyone and how we perceive the world, you might find yourself leading with equality. Just so you know, Ill finish it there. Holmes fiercely told Ayton not to lecture him, and reminded her that he is aware of the flags political divisiveness since he grew up in Northern Ireland. Let me just tell you something. You dont have to lecture me. I sit in the middle, trying to see both sides of things, he said. You did not grow up in Northern Ireland where a flag represented something political, I did, I had to live with it. Ayton insisted that Holmes should have let her give a closing opinion, to which he replied: Im trying to say you did not grow up in Northern Ireland, where a flag represented something political and anti to a certain religion in Northern Ireland, I did. Ayton responded said: And just like with Black people, you are not Black, sir, and I understand racism more than you. Holmes responded: Ahh give me a break. Lets go to the break. Back after this. The Government has praised the vital role of the media in reporting the arrest and convictions of those involved in violent disorder. Some 80 adults have so far been sentenced following violent unrest which broke out in parts of the UK in the wake of the Southport stabbings at the end of July. Specific charges have varied across cases but have included violent disorder, affray during a protest, racially aggravated intentional harassment, as well as publishing written material to stir up racial hatred. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has praised the robust and swift response of the criminal justice system, which he said sent a very powerful message to those considering getting involved in further disorder. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer praised the robust and swift response of the criminal justice system (Joe Giddens/PA) In an open letter published on Thursday, justice minister Heidi Alexander thanked the media for ensuring the public sees and hears about justice being done. She said: I want to acknowledge and thank you and your colleagues in the media for the vital role you have played in recent weeks in upholding the principles of open justice and transparency. Its important now more than ever that justice is not only being done, but that the public sees and hears about justice being done; that crime leads to punishment and that the consequences of criminal activity will apply, in spite of any wider challenges we face across the justice system. Im fully aware of the unfailing work that goes on behind the scenes of every news story, as court reporters follow cases through the system, attend and observe court hearings in person or online, request and verify details before independently and accurately reporting court business, in real time, often to very tight deadlines. Convictions and sentencing of people allegedly involved with riots is set to continue in the coming weeks, with suspects across the country potentially facing more serious charges after a 15-year-old boy became the first person to be charged with riot on Thursday. Rioting is an offence that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison double that of a charge of violent disorder. An investigation into Matthew Perrys death from an accidental ketamine overdose last October has led to five people including his assistant and two doctors being charged. It is claimed that Perry first went to a clinic for depression and anxiety, and became addicted to intravenous ketamine, and when he asked for an increased dosage, he was refused. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) claims he then turned to unscrupulous doctors who abused their position of trust. Here is a look at how events unfolded: November 2022: Perry releases the book Friends, Lovers And The Big Terrible Thing, in which he says he was on the brink of death, aged 49, when his colon burst from drug abuse. Perry also discloses he spent two weeks in a coma and five months in hospital and had to use a colostomy bag for nine months. He says he is in sobriety. Actor Matthew Perry (Myung Jung Kim/PA) Late September 2023: According to the indictment, Dr Salvador Plasencia, 42, of Santa Monica, learned Perry was interested in obtaining ketamine. Plasencia then allegedly contacted Dr Mark Chavez, 54, of San Diego, to supply Perry with the anaesthetic medication. September and October: It is claimed that Plasencia used Perrys live-in assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, 59, of Toluca Lake, to distribute approximately 20 vials of ketamine to the actor. Mid-October: It is alleged Iwamasa began also to buy ketamine for Perry from Erik Fleming, 54, of Hawthorne, and Jasveen Sangha, 41, of North Hollywood. During the same month, Iwamasa was allegedly told that Perrys ketamine addiction was spiralling out of control. October 28: The US Attorneys Office, Central District of California, says Iwamasa injected Perry at his Pacific Palisades home with the ketamine that was sold to him by Fleming and Sangha, and using syringes from Plasencia. Perry was found face down in his hot tub, and paramedics declared him dead. Perrys death was announced and it is claimed that Sangha texted Fleming: Delete all our messages. October 29: An post-mortem examination is completed on Perry. November 3: Friends co-stars Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow and Jennifer Aniston reportedly attend his funeral at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park, where he was buried. December 15: The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner ruled his death an accident from the acute effects of ketamine. Perry was receiving ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety, the examination said. It concluded that this would not explain the levels found in his blood, which was in the range used for general anaesthesia during surgery. February and March 2024: The US attorney alleges that Plasencia provided altered and falsified medical records, which claimed he had a legitimate treatment plan in place for Perry, which they say was an attempt to influence the investigation. May: The Los Angeles Police Department confirms it is continuing to work with the DEA on an investigation into the circumstances of Perrys death. August 7: Iwamasa pleads guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death. He admits to repeatedly injecting Perry with ketamine without medical training, including performing multiple injections on the day of his death. August 8: Fleming pleads guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death. He admits to obtaining the ketamine from his source, Sangha, and to distributing 50 vials of ketamine to Iwamasa, the US attorney said. August 15: Plasencia, Chavez, Iwamasa, Fleming and Sangha are charged over the circumstances surrounding Perrys death. Sangha and Plasencia are set to appear in court. Joey Essex claimed he has received more than 100,000 private and public messages from one user (Alamy/PA) Joey Essex said he has made the decision to report an alleged stalker to the police, after receiving threatening messages online. The reality TV star claimed he has received more than 100,000 private and public messages from one user, which also appear to threaten his Love Island girlfriend Jessy Potts. We have had to take the decision to report the stalker to the police because the messages have started to become more threatening, 34-year-old Essex told The Sun newspaper. I love my fans and want to be able to talk to them online but there has to be a line somewhere and sadly this is it. Essex and his team are due to speak to police on Thursday to launch a formal probe, The Sun reported. The newspaper has not named the woman alleged to be involved. Essex and Potts met on the most recent instalment of ITV reality dating show Love Island. He entered as the shows first celebrity contestant, having risen to fame on The Only Way Is Essex (Towie) before appearing on a host of reality shows. The couple were dumped from the show a day before the final, which saw Mimii Ngulube and Josh Oyinsan crowned winners. Essex has previously starred on the UK and Australian editions of Im A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!, along with Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, Celebrity MasterChef, Celebs Go Dating and Dancing On Ice. Representatives for Essex have been contacted for comment. Supernanny at 20: Is the naughty step out of date or do we still need Jo Frosts help? 'To have to live that all over again is almost too much': NI woman's family 'retraumatised' by murderer's appeal Case could not have come at a worse time, say victims loved ones Jennifer Dornan Allison Morris Thu 15 Aug 2024 at 07:18 An appeal by the man convicted of murdering mother-of-three Jennifer Dornan is expected to be heard next month. Noah Rea, Simon Hall and Peter Hall got the results they needed at Dunclug College, Ballymena Luca Lin, Jack Crawford, Kian Smyth and Ben O'Neill were delighted with their A Level results at Slemish College. Anna Francey, Emma Houston, Leah Scott, Anna Service and Naomi Turtle were among those receiving their A Level results at Dunclug College in Ballymena. Grace Hamilton and Hannah Leetch celebrate their A Level success at Slemish College in Ballymena. Across Northern Ireland there were anxious faces as pupils walked into schools, some for the final time as seven years of study came to an end. For many of the pupils at Slemish College and Dunclug College the hushed fear of results day changed into squeals of delights as envelopes were opened and futures laid out before them. Grace Hamilton and Hannah Leetch were overjoyed with their results at Slemish, and both will now take different paths over the next few years. Grace Hamilton and Hannah Leetch celebrate their A Level success at Slemish College in Ballymena. While Hannah is now looking forward to relaxing for a few weeks before heading to Queens University where she will follow the science route with a degree in Chemistry, its going to be a gap year for Grace, who will spend some time following her passion for Christian outreach and creative media before continuing with her education. I was a bit nervous initially, said Grace. But Ive got what I needed and more to carry on with social media, film and editing. I want to do film production at Ulster University. Shell take a BTec in Uniform Protective Services and qualifications in Business Studies, Media Studies and English with her. Im just soaking it all in, she said. My parents would have been happy for me whatever, but I think theyre even happier now. Ill miss the teachers, Ill miss the friends Ive made over seven years, but Im ready to move on and excited for the possibilities. Ill be grand. Her friend Hannah is off to Queens, having known for some time she wanted to follow the science route. I got what I needed and more she smiled. Ill be doing a chemistry degree and thatll be exciting. Its what Im good at. If I was doing an English A-level Id have been hopeless! I knew Id got in, Id checked UCAS first. But driving down here was nerve-wrecking and Im a mess at the thought of leaving school! she said. For Kian Smyth and Ben ONeill, things could not have worked out better. Luca Lin, Jack Crawford, Kian Smyth and Ben O'Neill were delighted with their A Level results at Slemish College. Ben has had his eyes on a pharmacy degree at Ulster University. An ABB result in maths, chemistry and biology means hes got his wish. I was wee bit nervous, he admitted. Now my mums buzzing. She was even more nervous than me. It is a big step leaving school, he added. Its weird I might not be back here, but Ive got a plan to work with and Im delighted. For Kian, theres a decision to be made. He has an offer of a university place, but hes going to take a few days and think about his future. Its nice to have the options now, he said. I got ABC grades and Im very happy, but Im going to re-evaluate. I have my place at university, but Ill see what happens next. Honestly, I opened the envelope and my jaw dropped. I thought that was just a phrase people used, but it happened. Daniel Hanna celebrates his A Level results with principal at Dunclug College Ballymena, Mr Niall Oliver. Around 60 pupils at nearby Dunclug College were also saying their farewells to school life, some heading off to college or university and some now ready to step into the working life. For Grace Scott, its going to be a waiting game. Ive done well and Im happy with my grades, but Im just short of getting into Strammillis. I want to do post primary teaching and Ill be getting a remark, so theres still a few weeks of waiting for me. I have options, but teaching is what I want to try to do. Daniel Hanna was taking everything in his stride. Ill be going Ulster University to study history of education in Coleraine, he said. But there are mixed emotions. Im actually a bit sad at leaving school but Im ready for what the future holds. Noah Rea is another seeking a future in education, and is heading to Stranmillis College after top grades in Maths, Health and Life Science and ICT. Ill miss school, but I had a good, relaxing summer. I was a wee bit nervous this morning though, he said. Anna Francey was beaming with pride having achieved three A grades. Anna Francey, Emma Houston, Leah Scott, Anna Service and Naomi Turtle were among those receiving their A Level results at Dunclug College in Ballymena. I didnt think I would get this far, she said, having already applied for halls at Stranmillis where shes ready to start training to be a primary school teacher. I can relax now, and enjoy the next few weeks. Emma Houston is going to Edinburgh where she will study business management with marketing and the reality of leaving home is just starting to sink in. Im a bit nervous about a new place, but Ill sort out somewhere to stay. Thats my plan for the next few weeks now. For Leah Scott its a career in health and social care on the agenda. Its what I want to do, earn some money, contribute to society. I am sad school is over but Ive got exactly what I wanted. At Belfast High School Adam Patterson (18) received four A*s in his A-levels (maths, chemistry, biology and history) and found out on Thursday that he has been accepted into Queens University Belfast to study medicine. Mum was doing little dances, he laughed. His friend Ruairidh Davis (18) will also be joining him at Queens. I was really happy with my results, said Ruairidh. Ruairidh Davis (18) and Adam Patterson (18). Belfast High School. 15/08/2024 I didnt exactly get the offer I wanted for Queens, but I did get into Queens anyway, to study a degree in geography, so Im pretty happy. I got a BBC in maths, biology and geography. Im going to see Two Door Cinema Club in concert tonight to celebrate as well. AS-level pupil Lily Behzadi (17) is relieved to have the stress of this years exams and results over and she has been pleasantly surprised by her grades. I was actually devastated coming out of my English exam. I had a really bad headache during it, so I had to get special consideration and everything. I thought: Oh, my God, this has gone terribly. But it apparently didnt: I got a B. She has her sight on law and history at university. Im not sure exactly what university to go to yet. Im going to look at a few in September. Lilys friend Leah Horan (17) is hoping to study medicine at Queens, but if not, she will instead aim to attend university in England to pursue her dreams of being a doctor. Niamh Davis Wilson (right), of Bloomfield Collegiate School in east Belfast, receives a hug from a friend after opening her AAB results. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Pupils have shared their happiness at reaching the next stage of their education after receiving their AS and A-level results. The years have flown by since the students returned to in-person schooling post-Covid and, as expected, results have returned to pre-pandemic levels, with the reintroduction of more traditional exam arrangements. In 2019, 29.4% of students received the top grades and on Thursday morning it was confirmed that, again, almost a third of pupils in Northern Ireland were awarded a A/A* grade. It does represent a fall in top grades after the years of the pandemic saw a significant rise in results when teachers calculated grades for students. Aaron Weir (17) said he was a bit worried when studying for his AS exams, as he knew this would be the first normal exam year to take place since the Covid outbreak began. However, with three As secured in his subjects of biology, chemistry and history, he is excited about beginning his final year at Belfast High School. I do look forward to getting back, he told The Belfast Telegraph. It was stressful this year, but its going to be even more stressful next year. Aarons friend Jovial Vincent Gigy (17) was awarded AAC grades for his AS exams in biology, chemistry and maths. He has also been enjoying academic life and said that he hasnt found the jump from GCSEs to A-levels too hard, as the reduction in the number of subjects has helped. Both teens, who are delighted with their results, still arent sure what they want to do once they leave school. Meanwhile, those in the year above them, who have now completed their time in secondary education, already know whether or not they have got in to the universities of their choice. Ruairidh Davis (18) and Adam Patterson (18) of Belfast High School. 15/08/2024 Adam Patterson (18) received an astounding four A*s in his A-levels (maths, chemistry, biology and history) and found out on Thursday that he has been accepted into Queens University Belfast (QUB) to study medicine. He said: I got in this morning. Mum was doing little dances. His friend Ruairidh Davis (18) will also be joining him at QUB. I was really happy with my results, said Ruairidh. I didnt exactly get the offer I wanted for Queens, but I did get into Queens anyway, to study a degree in geography, so Im pretty happy. I got a BBC in maths, biology and geography. Im going to see Two Door Cinema Club in concert tonight to celebrate as well. Leah Horan (17), Lily Behzadi (17) and Jazmin Marrow (17) of Belfast High School. 15/08/2024 AS pupil Lily Behzadi (17) noted that she and her peers are relieved to have the stress of this years exams and results over them, and she has been pleasantly surprised by her grades. I was actually devastated [coming out of my English exam]. I had a really bad headache during it, so I had to get special consideration and everything. I thought: Oh, my God, this has gone terribly. But it apparently didnt: I got a B. I think I want to do law and history [when I do leave school], but Im not sure exactly what university to go to yet. Im going to look at a few in September. Lilys friend Leah Horan (17) is hoping to study medicine at QUB, but if not, she will instead aim to attend university in England to pursue her dreams of being a doctor. Their other schoolmate Jazmin Marrow (17), meanwhile, is stuck between wanting to study primary school teaching at Stranmillis or psychology at QUB. Niamh Davis Wilson (right), of Bloomfield Collegiate School in east Belfast, receives a hug from a friend after opening her AAB results. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye All three are pleased with how their results turned out, but for anyone who has been disappointed with their grades, Education Minister Paul Givan shared that he took a very different path to his career. My results had taken me down a different path to what I had thought, because I had hoped to go straight into university, but I didnt quite get the grades that I needed, he said, speaking at Belfast High. But I persevered. And thats one of the messages today: maybe not everyone has got the results that they wanted, but there are other pathways open to you, and if you just keep working hard you will get to that end destination that you want. Some people might not want to go to university as well. They might want to go straight into an apprenticeship or employment. Education Minister Paul Given (centre) joins students at Belfast High School as they receive their A-level results (Liam McBurney/PA Wire) Education Minister Paul Givan believes Northern Ireland remains a very attractive place to live and work for young people. He was speaking as thousands of students received their AS and A-level results today. Last year, a study from think tank Pivotal found that just over half of local young people (54.8%) see a good future for themselves in Northern Ireland, with 41.8% saying they plan to leave to find work or for further study elsewhere. But Mr Givan believes the trend of uprooting is turning. Theres some evidence that there are more people now wanting to stay in Northern Ireland. And I want the best to stay, he said. Some will move because they want to live away and experience life outside of NI. I hope to get those people back again. Thats perfectly understandable, if people want to have a broader perspective in terms of their life experiences, but we want to make sure that we have the courses and spaces available in our universities so that those who want to stay can stay and access university. We continue to provide fees at a much greater reduced level in comparison to other parts of the United Kingdom. That helps to attract people, but obviously careers are very important. In Northern Ireland, we are now at less than 2% in unemployment levels. There are hugely successful companies based here, so we are an attractive place to work, to live, and I think thats showing in the number of pupils wanting to stay. Mr Givan was speaking at Belfast High School as teenagers received their grades. The total number of A-level entries in Northern Ireland has remained stable with 32,873 entries this year. Some 8.2% of entries achieved an A* grade compared to the 8.0% awarded in 2019. Overall, 98.5% of students in Northern Ireland achieved A*- E grade, similar to 98.4% in 2019. Mr Givan said that all students can be immensely proud of what they have achieved. [Results are] now back to where we were in 2019, he noted. Weve built upon that and now we need to look at what NI needs to do to continue to be the best part of the United Kingdom in terms of our educational results, because that is what has happened today. I am incredibly proud that we punch above our weight when it comes to our qualifications and the results speak to that. The minister also believes that the school system is able to make sure children from ethnic minority backgrounds can feel safe and valued. The DUP politicians comments came after yet another racially motivated hate crime took place in Belfast on Wednesday night. Bricks were thrown at a property in the Lindsay Way area of Donegall Pass, resulting in smashed windows, leaving the resident of the house shaken up. It is the latest in a string of racist incidents to happen in the city over the past fortnight, since an anti-immigration protest in the city centre turned violent on Saturday, August 3. Mr Givan said: Ive been hugely impressed going round schools where weve got a lot of diversity in terms of ethnic minorities and newcomers, many different nationalities. I see how schools are operating in a way that is integrated and people are very much part of that school community. That comes right from the top, from the leadership of the schools with the teachers, and of course the environment within a school, he told The Belfast Telegraph. Im confident that within our school system we are able to make sure that everyone can feel safe, valued and very much part of our society. Thats what I want as Education Minister. And thats what Im seeing whenever I visit all of the schools in Northern Ireland. Abdullah Almasry pictured at hishome in Belfast which was attacked on Wednesday night. Image: Presseye The front windows of a house in Lindsay Way were smashed in the attack on Wednesday night. Image: Pacemaker The front windows of a house in Lindsay Way were smashed in the attack on Wednesday night (Pacemaker) Abdullah Almasry pictured at his home in Belfast which was attacked on Wednesday night. Image: Presseye A man whose home was targeted in a racist attack has said he no longer feels safe in Belfast. Bricks were thrown at Abdullah Almasri's house and windows were smashed. The incident happened shortly before 10pm on Wednesday in the Lindsay Way area of Donegall Pass. Police said they are treating it as a racially motivated hate crime. Mr Almasri, who has lived in Belfast for seven months, said he was inside at the time. While uninjured, he was left shaken, and now feels his life is at risk. The front windows of a house in Lindsay Way were smashed in the attack on Wednesday night (Pacemaker) I am not safe here," he told the BBC. Yesterday it was broken glass, maybe tomorrow I will die. "And maybe people wont know I am dead as I live alone." He added: Northern Ireland is a beautiful place and not everyone is racist, but in this area it is hard to stay," he added. "I am feeling afraid, stressed and worried [that] tomorrow I will die." SDLP councillor Gary McKeown also condemned the attack, saying, "Im disgusted that, once again, we are hearing news of a racist attack. After a few days of relative calm in our city its deeply disappointing to see another racist attack on a home in south Belfast. "Last week our city sent a message, loud and clear, rejecting racism and hate, with thousands taking to the street to show their solidarity with those impacted by the recent disorder and racist attacks. Mr McKeown said many immigrants to Northern Ireland are now living in fear. Far too many members of our community are terrified after what has happened recently, and the ongoing pattern of intimidation that has been going on for years, he added. Sinn Fein MLA Deirdre Hargey said Belfast wont stand for racism. The small minority involved in these attacks do not speak for our city and its people, she said. Abdullah Almasry pictured at hishome in Belfast which was attacked on Wednesday night. Image: Presseye A police spokesperson said: Luckily, the resident who was inside at the time wasnt injured but has been left shaken by their ordeal. This type of act is unacceptable and we are treating this as a racially motivated hate crime. It came as Communities Minister Gordon Lyons revealed 131 hate crime incidents have been reported to the Housing Executive in Northern Ireland in the last year. In the first week of this month, 22 incidents were reported. Mr Lyons said: I am working closely with my Ministerial colleagues and I welcome the united political leadership on this issue in Northern Ireland. "Theres never any justification for violence and it should not be tolerated. I would encourage anyone who has experienced any form of attack to come forward knowing that they will be supported by the departments agencies and those within criminal justice. Housing Executive chief executive Grainia Long, who accompanied the minister during his visit, said some staff fear for their safety following threats against them. Read more Photojournalist is right to refuse police I did the same 15 years ago and PSNI hauled me to court News Catch Up: Wednesday 14 August The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) has confirmed it is working with Belfast Zoo after a trainee was locked in with lions. The Belfast Telegraph previously reported that a probe has been launched after an individual believed to be on a training programme was left unattended in the enclosure. A spokesperson for BIAZA, which represents the best zoos and aquariums in the world, said it is aware of the incident which happened earlier this month. The zoo has informed BIAZA that Belfast City Council, which owns and operates the zoo, is undertaking an investigation, they added. BIAZA will be working closely with the zoo throughout this process but cannot offer further details as this is a live investigation. The professional body is a member of both the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA). It collaborates with its members to further conservation science, natural history and environmental education and animal welfare around the world. According to a source familiar with details of the incident the person involved was initially in the enclosure alongside a member of staff. The lions were originally kept in their den while (the individual) was in the enclosure with a more experienced staff member, they told this newspaper. They said that the experienced employee then left the paddock. The gate was locked and the animals were free to move around meaning the person was locked in with the lions with nowhere to go. Belfast Zoo is home to a pride of Barbary lions which includes one male lion named Qays and two females, Fidda and Theibba. The breed is one of the largest sub-species and is extinct in the wild. This big cat measures one metre in height at the shoulder and up to three and a half metres in length, the zoos website states. Average weight can be up to 230 kilograms. Belfast City Council, which owns the facility, previously confirmed a probe is under way. Council is aware of an incident at the lion enclosure at Belfast Zoo earlier this month, a spokesperson said. We take the safety of all our staff, visitors and animals very seriously, and an investigation is under way into the circumstances of this incident. We cannot comment further while this is ongoing. Belfast Zoo participates in the Department for Communities JobStart Scheme which is designed to allow unemployed 50 to 64-year-olds a chance to gain skills and experience in the workplace. It also runs a number of apprenticeship programmes it is understood the person involved was participating in one of these initiatives. Deputy UUP leader Robbie Butler and Independent MLA Claire Sugden were among those to express concern following the incident. They both pointed out that the safety of the individual involved and the welfare of the lions were put at risk. Exam figures for 2024 show every region of England has seen a year-on-year increase in the proportion of A-level entries awarded A and above (PA) Every region in England saw an increase in top A-level grades this summer, but there are warnings that stark divides in achievement remain. There is still a two-tier system in A-level results, with students in London and the South East more likely to pick up the highest grades than their peers in other parts of the country, according to one social mobility expert. Lee Elliot Major, professor of social mobility at Exeter University, said more must be done to create a level playing field to allow all teenagers to reach their potential, regardless of where they live. (PA Graphics) Exam figures for 2024 show every region of England has seen a year-on-year increase in the proportion of A-level entries awarded A and above. All regions also saw a higher proportion of entries awarded A* or A this year compared with the pre-pandemic year of 2019, but London and south-east England were the only areas to see figures above 30%, with the next highest region eastern England some way behind on 27.5%. London saw the highest proportion of entries awarded A and above, at 31.3%, up 1.3 percentage points from 30.0% in 2023. The East Midlands had the lowest, at 22.5%, up 0.2 points from 22.3% in 2023. The gap between these two regions was 8.8 percentage points, up from 7.7 points last year. Prof Elliot Major told the PA news agency: These results highlight the stark regional divides that characterise our education system. When it comes to A-level results, we effectively have a two-tier system: London and the South East versus the rest of the country. He added: Of course these patterns reflect the differing levels of child poverty across the country, but we need to do more to understand the specific obstacles to education in different parts of the country. Our South West social mobility commission for example found that coastal and rural inequalities and lack of connectivity are particular problems in this region of the country. We must do better in creating a level playing field in which all teenagers can flourish academically, wherever they happen to come from. Earlier this week, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson pledged to turn around baked-in educational inequalities, to ensure young people from all backgrounds have a chance to get on in life after leaving school. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders union the NAHT, said the Education Secretary is right to look at these disparities. He said: Although the percentage of top A-level grades (A/A*) increased in all regions of England this year, looking behind the headline figures, the gap between the highest achievers in different regions has continued to grow. School leaders have seen both the pernicious impact of the pandemic and poverty on childrens learning, mental and physical health, and wellbeing. When families are struggling with insecure housing, or to afford to heat their homes and feed their children, this inevitably affects pupils ability to attend school and concentrate when they are there. Pepe DiIasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: These figures are a sign of the deep inequalities in our society, and we welcome the new Governments focus on tackling child poverty and disadvantage. This work will need to produce tangible results sooner rather than later. In 2023, north-east England had the lowest proportion of entries awarded A or above, at 22.0%, while south-east England had the highest, at 30.3%: a gap of 8.3 points. But this year the gap between these two regions narrowed to 6.9 points (north-east England 23.9%, south-east England 30.8%). Meanwhile, the proportion of entries awarded A and above in Wales and Northern Ireland has fallen sharply year on year, as these nations complete the return to pre-pandemic levels of grading. In Wales, the figure has dropped from 34.0% in 2023 to 29.9%, while in Northern Ireland it has decreased from 37.5% to 30.3%, though both of these are still above the 2019 pre-pandemic figures of 26.5% and 29.4% respectively. Here are the percentages of A-level entries awarded the top grades (A*/A) by nation and region, with the equivalent figures for both 2023 and the pre-pandemic year of 2019: North-east England 23.9% (2023: 22.0%; 2019: 23.0%) North-west England 25.5% (2023: 24.1%; 2019: 23.5%) Yorkshire & the Humber 24.6% (2023: 23.0%; 2019: 23.2%) West Midlands 24.8% (2023: 22.9%; 2019: 22.0%) East Midlands 22.5% (2023: 22.3%; 2019: 21.0%) Eastern England 27.5% (2023: 26.6%; 2019: 25.6%) South-west England 26.9% (2023: 26.3%; 2019: 25.8%) South-east England 30.8% (2023: 30.3%; 2019: 28.3%) London 31.3% (2023: 30.0%; 2019: 26.9%) England 27.6% (2023: 26.5%; 2019: 25.2%) Wales 29.9% (2023: 34.0%; 2019: 26.5%) Northern Ireland 30.3% (2023: 37.5%; 2019: 29.4%) All 27.8% (2023: 27.2%; 2019: 25.4%) Here is the A-level pass rate (entries awarded A*-E grades) by nation and region: North-east England 97.6% (2023: 97.6%; 2019: 98.3%) North-west England 97.6% (2023: 97.4%; 2019: 97.9%) Yorkshire & the Humber 97.3% (2023: 97.2%; 2019: 97.8%) West Midlands 96.8% (2023: 96.8%; 2019: 97.1%) East Midlands 96.6% (2023: 96.9%; 2019: 97.4%) Eastern England 97.1% (2023: 97.3%; 2019: 97.6%) South-west England 97.4% (2023: 97.4%; 2019: 97.7%) South-east England 97.3% (2023: 97.5%; 2019: 97.8%) London 96.9% (2023: 96.9%; 2019: 96.8%) England 97.1% (2023: 97.2%; 2019: 97.5%) Wales 97.4% (2023: 97.5%; 2019: 97.6%) Northern Ireland 98.5% (2023: 98.8%; 2019: 98.4%) All 97.2% (2023: 97.3%; 2019: 97.6%) Oropouche virus disease, dubbed Sloth Fever, is spread by midges and mosquitos in the Americas and has now arrived in Europe A debilitating virus originally found in sloths has arrived in Europe, with a dozen cases detected in Spain and suspicions that many more cases have gone undetected. It has generated media headlines warning of the terrifying and deadly disease caused by the virus which has been dubbed Sloth Fever. But what exactly do we know about it? What is Sloth Fever? It is a flu-like illness caused by the Oropouche virus (OROV) which has its origins in pale-throated tree-dwelling sloths, non-human primates and birds. Transmitted to humans through insect bites, including midges and mosquitoes, it causes a Zika-like illness. Cases of the disease, native to South America, have been reported in Europe for the first time, with people in Spain, Italy and Germany recently infected. According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), 19 cases of the virus were detected in travellers returning from Cuba or Brazil in June and July. Is Sloth Fever deadly? Two young women under the age of 30 have reportedly died after being infected with the virus in Brazil. However, according to the countrys health ministry, they both had pre-existing health conditions. Most people recover with no lasting effects, but there are fears the virus could be dangerous to unborn babies. The ECDC says the prognosis for recovery is good and it insists fatal outcomes are extremely rare. But little is known about the emerging disease. Researchers in the Lancet journal have described the virus a mysterious threat and warned that a notable increase in cases over the past seven decades highlights a growing public health concern. What are the symptoms of Sloth Fever? Unsurprisingly, given the nickname, symptoms typically begin with a fever four to eight days after infection. Other signs of the disease include headache, muscle aches, stiff joints, nausea and vomiting. Those infected may also experience chills and increased sensitivity to light. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), severe cases may result in neuroinvasive disease such as meningitis. An alert was given by the UN last month about possible negative health effects to unborn babies if the mother contracts the disease while pregnant. Potential cases of pregnant mother-to-child transmission in Brazil are being investigated amidst fears it could potentially cause stillbirth, miscarriage or deformities in the foetus. Is there a cure for Sloth Fever? There is no known vaccine or cure for the disease and no specific medicine available to treat it. Symptoms usually last between three to six days. Typical prevention methods, such as the use of nets to sleep under, could be ineffective due to the tiny size of midges. There is no known case of human-to-human transmission, but the rapid increase in cases is causing concern. Should we be worried about Sloth Fever? Yes and no. The Public Health Agency has confirmed that no cases have been reported in Northern Ireland. But some experts have warned that the spread of the virus could become unstoppable. Dr Paul Hunter, professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia, has advised expectant mothers against non-essential travel to infected areas. He also said he is almost certain there are more infections in Europe that have not yet been detected and reported. Dr Danny Altmann, a professor of immunology at Imperial College London, said there is a real need for vigilance among tourists as the virus was taking off this summer in the Americas. The expert warned that southern Europe and North America could be much more at risk from diseases including Sloth Fever and Zika as a result of global warming, which allows midges and mosquitoes to expand the geographical areas where they can thrive. General views of the former H Block Maze prison at Long Kesh near Lisburn Northern Ireland. Picture date: Monday June 24, 2024 A DUP minister has vowed there will be no shrine to terrorism at the former Maze Prison site. Paul Givan was speaking after it emerged the organisation that runs Northern Irelands museums has been in talks with the body set up to redevelop the site. National Museums NI held a meeting with the Maze Long Kesh Development Corporation (MLKDC) in April. Read more How landmark development hopes were lost in a Maze of political failure The BBC reported that minutes from the meeting state that a draft partnership agreement between the two bodies is in development. Paramilitary prisoners were housed in the Maze during the Northern Ireland conflict before it was closed in 2000. It was the scene of the 1981 hunger strikes in which ten republican including Bobby Sands prisoners died. More than a decade ago there were plans for a peace centre to be built on the site, until former DUP First Minister Peter Robinson quashed the idea amid concerns it could become a terrorist shrine. Regarding its potential involvement in regenerating the site, National Museums NI said: "It is our understanding that the Maze Long Kesh Development Corporation has been tasked with exploring options for the future development of the site. "Within that context we have discussed what, if any, role we could play in supporting the interpretation of and access to the heritage buildings, including the Second World War hangars and the prison buildings. "This would be as an extension of our relevant work at our museums. However, any decisions on the future of the site rest solely with executive ministers." Alliance MP Sorcha Eastwood said, given the recent announcement by the Government of the planned establishment of Great British Energy, the site could play a major role in green skills and upskilling people for jobs for the future. Speaking to the BBC, Paul Givan said inevitably there is a story to be told regarding the sites history, but there wont be a shrine at the Maze. I come from this where my father served as a prison officer for 36 years, he worked in the H-Blocks with Provisional IRA prisoners, with loyalist prisoners, he added. He was there during the hunger strike, he was there when Bobby Sands died. So I know personally, from my family, what was involved when you served in the Maze Prison - the threat that you were under. Our windows were blown out in our house, my dad checked under his car before every single journey. There never will be a shrine at the Maze because my party wont stand for that. Of course there is a way to manage our past, but there will never be a shrine at the Maze Prison, thats not going to happen. TUV deputy leader Ron McDowell said any suggestion a museum could be built on the site would horrify innocent victims. In his letter from America to DUP MLAs and MPs back in 2013, Peter Robinson said it would be wrong to go ahead with plans for a peace centre on the Maze site - despite his party previously supporting the move - in the absence of agreement as to how it would operate. News Catch Up: Wednesday 14 August An Aberdeen City Council report has recommended that 500 homes with Raac be knocked down and rebuilt (Jacob King/PA Wire) The demolition and rebuilding of more than 500 homes built with collapse-risk concrete in Aberdeen has been recommended. Panels of the lightweight, building material reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) were discovered in the roofs of 504 homes in the Balnagask area, in 372 different buildings, last year. Residents were moved out in February from the homes, which were built about 60 years ago, and include 366 council houses and flats, while another 138 properties containing Raac are privately owned. Raac is highly porous with steel reinforcements less well-bonded than in traditional concrete making roofs liable to collapse suddenly. Aberdeen City Council has decided to demolish and rebuild 504 homes found to have Raac (Andrew Milligan/PA Wire) A report, which will go before Aberdeen City councillors on August 21, has recommended that the homes are demolished at a cost of 20-25 million, and rebuilt, with the project expected to cost more than 150 million in total. The process of rehoming people has begun with a target to finish before the end of the year. As of Tuesday, 151 leases have been signed, including 144 for homes with Aberdeen City Council and seven with social landlords. Concerns about Raac emerged last year, prompting governments and councils around the UK to assess buildings for its presence. The Aberdeen City Council report said: Officers recognise the wider impact of moving home, the disruption to support networks, sense of community, and links to existing education and health services. A person/family centred approach, is being adopted to support the most appropriate outcome. However, as difficult as this is, the condition of the Raac roof panels is categorised as high-risk. This categorisation has been confirmed following an extensive intrusive investigation and inspection survey programme covering circa 130 of the affected council-owned properties. It added: Officers would advise members that the council tenants need to move as their safety is paramount. Members are also asked to note that our independent structural engineers have advised that given the number of properties inspected, it is envisaged that the same level of risk is applicable to the uninspected privately owned properties. Many homeowners may find themselves in negative equity, it was warned. Options looked at by the council included adding timber runners to extend the bearing length at the support walls, which was deemed to be unviable. Other proposals included installing a support timber frame under existing Raac roof panels; removing the panels and replacing the roof also discounted for council homes and removing the panels, and replacing the roof with new energy efficient materials. Demolition and rebuilding was described as deliverable. The option of demolition and consideration of future housebuilding will be considered by the council on August 21. Opposition politicians have called for more support for councils dealing with the implications of Raac. Scottish Conservative North East MSP Liam Kerr, who has met residents affected, said: This will require astronomical sums of money at a time when councils are having their budgets slashed. Its a necessity that the Scottish Government delivers essential funding needed to cope with Aberdeens depleted housing stock. Since Raac was discovered in Balnagask, next to no support has been given to tenants and homeowners who have been left in the dark, worried about their future. The onus is now on the council to work with the Scottish Government to ensure this process runs smoothly. Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: This report will be troubling for those in council houses across the country where this dangerous concrete has been detected. If the risks are serious enough to merit demolition in Aberdeen, what about other areas like Dundee and Edinburgh which have also found the material in social housing? What about fire stations, NHS buildings and schools? It is now over a year since I raised this issue with the then first minister and the governments response has been to make it someone elses problem. Cash-strapped local authorities cannot be expected to bear the costs of removals and rebuilding alone. It is time for the SNP to establish a fund that councils, health boards and public bodies can tap into to remove this dangerous concrete. Housing minister Paul McLennan met again with council leaders on Monday, ahead of the meeting next week. A Scottish Government spokesperson said: We recognise this is a worrying time for people who have concerns about Raac. The Scottish Government has held constructive discussions with Aberdeen City Council throughout their options appraisal process for homes impacted by poor condition Raac and have supported the exploration of options for the council to consider. The final decision on the preferred option is for the council. We will continue to work together on their preferred option to ensure that the affected households are supported appropriately. Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy speaks to the media outside BBC Broadcasting House in London, before appearing on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg (Jonathan Brady/PA) Foreign Secretary David Lammy has said resumed talks aiming to halt the Israel-Hamas war could define the future of the Middle East. The US, Qatar and Egypt are to meet with an Israeli delegation in Qatar, accusing Israel of adding new demands to a previous proposal that had US and international support. Hamas has not yet said whether it will be participating. Mediating parties have been attempting to secure an agreement to a three-phase plan in which Hamas would release a number of hostages captured in the October 7 attack in exchange for a lasting ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The Gazan health ministry has said more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israels offensive, which has also wounded 92,401 people and displaced more than 85% of the population from their homes. Escalating tension has reiterated fear of all-out war in the region as fire is now regularly exchanged between Lebanon-backed Hezbollah and the Israeli military. In a statement on Thursday evening Mr Lammy said it was a crucial moment for global stability. He said: The coming hours and days could define the future of the Middle East. That is why today, and every day, we are urging for our partners across the region to choose peace. As the UK made clear at the UN Security Council this week, the situation in Gaza is devastating. The strike on the al-Tabeen school demonstrated that Palestinians in Gaza have nowhere safe to turn. These talks are an opportunity to secure an immediate ceasefire that protects civilians in Gaza, secures the release of hostages still cruelly held by Hamas and restores stability at a dangerous moment for the region. The UK will continue to use every diplomatic lever to bring about a ceasefire. In the last week, I have spoken with partners from across the region on the urgent need to bring this conflict to an end and the Prime Minister has spoken to his US, French and German counterparts, as well as the Iranian and Egyptian Presidents. Relatives and supporters of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza hold photos of their loved ones (Ariel Schalit/AP) Its clear from these conversations that a ceasefire would not only protect civilians in Gaza, but also pave the way for wider de-escalation and bring much-needed stability for the Middle East. It is in the interests of both Israelis and Palestinians for a deal to be agreed, urgently. I urge all parties to engage in the negotiations in good faith and show the flexibility needed to reach an agreement. I thank Qatar, Egypt, the US and all international partners for their efforts in coordinating this vital moment. Israeli forces have regularly targeted mosques, schools, hospitals and cemeteries in Gaza where it claims fighters or tunnels are located, often causing civilian casualties. The fighting has also killed 329 Israeli soldiers. More than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, the territorys health ministry has said. Israels offensive has also wounded 92,401 people and displaced more than 85% of the population from their homes, the ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said. It does not distinguish between civilians and militants in its toll. The announcement came during yet another push from international mediators to broker a ceasefire in the war, now in its 11th month. The conflict began on October 7 after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people most of them civilians and dragging roughly 250 hostages to Gaza. Israel says 111 of the captives have not been released, including the bodies of 39. The hostages include 15 women and two children under the age of five. A boy walks past a wall with photos of hostages held in the Gaza Strip, in Tel Aviv (Ariel Schalit/AP/PA) In Gaza, health officials have struggled to fully identify the dead as bodies stream into overwhelmed hospitals and morgues where they say the count is compiled amid the chaos of war and displacement. In its most recent detailed report on the dead, issued on Thursday, the ministry said 40,005 people have been killed. Health officials and civil defence workers say the true toll is likely thousands higher, since many bodies remain buried under the rubble of buildings destroyed in airstrikes. The update comes as international mediators are set to hold a new round of talks aimed at halting the war and securing the release of scores of hostages. The US, Qatar and Egypt are to meet with an Israeli delegation in Qatar, although Hamas has not said whether it will participate, accusing Israel of adding new demands to an evolving proposal that had US and international support. A ceasefire in Gaza would likely calm tensions across the region and may persuade Iran and Lebanons Hezbollah to refrain from retaliatory strikes on Israel after the killing of a top Hezbollah commander in an Israeli airstrike and of Hamas top political leader in an explosion in Irans capital. The mediators have spent months trying to hammer out a three-phase plan in which Hamas would release scores of hostages captured in the October 7 attack that triggered the war in exchange for a lasting ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Both sides have agreed in principle to the plan, which President Joe Biden announced on May 31. The air and ground offensive by Israel in Gaza has been one of the most devastating military campaigns in recent history. Palestinians displaced by the Israeli air and ground offensive on the Gaza Strip flee from Hamad City (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP/PA) Israel says it aims to eliminate Hamas and it blames Hamas for civilian deaths because militants operate in civilian areas and have built extensive tunnel networks underneath them. Israeli forces have regularly targeted mosques, schools, hospitals and cemeteries where it claims fighters or tunnels are located, often causing civilian casualties. The fighting has also killed 329 Israeli soldiers. The Israeli military claims around 15,000 Hamas fighters are among those killed in Gaza but has not provided evidence. Nearly 85% of Gazas 2.3 million people have been driven from their homes, fleeing multiple times across the territory to escape ground offensives. During the war, thousands within Israel and in southern Lebanon have also been displaced. The assault has created a massive humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The entire territory is at high risk of famine and more than 495,000 people more than a fifth of the population are expected to experience the most severe level of hunger in the next months, according to the latest report by the leading authority on measuring hunger. Sanitation systems have been destroyed, leaving pools of sewage and towers of rubbish in tent camps packed with displaced families. The offensive likely either damaged or destroyed 59% of all structures in Gaza by July 3, including 70% of buildings in north Gaza, according to an analysis of satellite data by Corey Scher and Jamon Van Den Hoek, experts in mapping damage during war. The conflict has sparked fears of a wider regional war, with Lebanons Hezbollah and the Israeli military trading fire almost daily over their countries border. More than 500 people have been killed on the Lebanese side, including some 350 Hezbollah members and 50 fighters from other militant groups, with the rest civilians. In Israel, 22 soldiers and 24 civilians have been killed. Bennington, VT (05201) Today Partly cloudy skies during the morning hours will give way to occasional showers in the afternoon. High 57F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Showers in the evening, then cloudy overnight. Low around 40F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. PITTSFIELD A city EMS provider has issued a public apology for one of its staff members using the bathroom at a hair salon behind the Colonial Theatre during Vice President Kamala Harris visit last month. In a Facebook post, County Ambulance President Brian Andrews said his staff had no idea that Four One Three Salon owner Alicia Powers had not given permission to the U.S. Secret Service for use of the business bathroom on July 27, when Harris visited Pittsfield for a fundraiser. The Secret Service entered the business without permission, allowed other law enforcement and emergency responders to use the bathroom, and left without locking the door, Powers has said. She said the agency's Boston office has since apologized. We deeply regret the inconvenience caused to Four One Three Salon and understand their desire to find out who is responsible, Andrews said in the post. County Ambulance was among many local and regional first responders and law enforcement officials called to duty the day of Harris' visit. Pittsfield police and firefighters and Berkshire County Sheriff's deputies were among those patrolling South Street and the Wendell Avenue neighborhood. Video footage circulating online and in TV news reports show a County Ambulance employee entering the salon to use the bathroom. Powers declined comment Thursday on Andrews' statement, saying her legal counsel "advised me to hang tight" given the national exposure the story has received. She previously said the Secret Service has apologized for taping over the security camera on the salons back door that morning, and for entering the building without permission. She said her security cameras showed people entering and exiting the building for about two hours, and that they left the door unlocked when they left that afternoon. She has also said city police were supportive of her attempts to get accountability from the Secret Service for entering her business without permission. The salon is located at 54 Wendell Ave., and its back door is across the parking lot from the back door of the Colonial Theatre. Harris motorcade used the parking lot during the visit. During planning meetings ahead of Harris' visit, there was a brief discussion about the hair salon behind the Colonial Theatre being available for bathroom use. Although I didnt focus on this detail at the time, a colleague later confirmed it was discussed, Andrews said in the Facebook post. Asked about that Thursday, Andrews said he did not recall who said the salon bathroom would be available. There was a lot going on at that meeting, he said. Andrews said the employee visible in the video reached out to him earlier this week to say they were being hassled about the incident, saying "I'm not a bad person." "I knew it was time for me to post something and make a public statement" to defend the employee, he told The Eagle. I am dismayed that the video of our staff has been prominently featured in media coverage, leading to undue stress for them. They were not the first to use the salon, and it is unfair that they have been singled out. he said in his statement on posted Wednesday on the County Ambulance's Facebook page. Our staff are highly trustworthy and would never engage in illegal or improper behavior. I want to apologize for the distress caused to our staff by this situation. We would never knowingly use a business without authorization, and I regret that this incident has been used to cast a negative light on our service. The Secret Service said that its not agency policy to make use of private property without permission. Harris visited less than a week after she became the presumptive Democratic nominee for president. Her appearance with musicians James Taylor, Yo-Yo Ma and Emmanuel Ax and historian Heather Cox Richardson raised $1.8 million and drew hundreds of spectators to downtown Pittsfield some in support, some in opposition or protest. The visit cost the city more than $50,000 in overtime and necessary purchases. The city's ability to borrow equipment from other communities kept that cost from rising higher. Powers, a city native, opened the salon business more than five years ago in the historic Hinsdale House, in what was formerly a suite of law offices. The business has 12 employees. Pittsfield restaurants barely 'stay afloat' as they wait for liquor licenses. Here's why the process is so complicated ... and expensive With no snags, an applicant should be able to receive their liquor license from the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission in four weeks. But in Pittsfield, some businesses go months without one while addressing compliance issues. A recent Eagle report pores over the frustrating experiences of Pittsfield restaurateurs waiting for liquor license transfers needed to keep their businesses afloat. In interviews with a diverse range of city business-owners and local lawyers who represent them, a common perspective emerged: The citys Licensing Board has a liquor license transfer process that is responsive, relatively quick and user-friendly but unfortunately thats far less often the case when it comes to getting final approval from the states Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission. Every lawyer I know that does this work has had an application thats been on hold for a year or more, Jesse Cook-Dubin, an attorney who works for area eateries on matters like licensing, told The Eagle. It would be all too easy and needlessly reductive to chalk this issue up purely to tedious state bureaucracy and the evils of regulation. Save for the most extreme free-market true-believers, most reasonable people recognize the need for regulation especially around controlled substances like alcohol that, while legal, carry real risks with its sale and consumption. So while it would be simple to level a cri de coeur against ABCC on the righteous behalf of small-business owners, that would not be a reasonable response or solution. Im sure that the way that the people at the state level deal with the applications is not exactly the way folks that live in this community would be dealing with it, knowing that the people who applied for the transfer are really relying on that to make a living, said Thomas Campoli, chairman of the Pittsfield Licensing Board. But [the ABCC] are doing their due diligence. They have to do that. Fair enough. Still, given the near-universal procedural frustration in places like Pittsfield where we want to see vital enterprises like restaurants not only survive but contribute to much-needed local economic activity, its fair to ask how this regulatory process might be improved. To really answer that question requires raising another: What are the rules and mechanisms of control that we actually want and need as communities and as a commonwealth and what trade-offs and knock-on effects should we accept with them? According to the executive director of the ABCC, the application process is relatively straightforward, but an applicant must follow the instructions to the letter simply said, though not always easily accomplished for restaurateurs juggling myriad objectives while trying to open or operate their new establishment. If all goes according to plan, the state approval process might take around four weeks. But with applications that (understandably) require a good deal of submission and supplemental materials, any mistake in those reams of forms, no matter how small, can send business-owners back to the drawing board, adding weeks, months or even longer to approval process. That could mean a reduction in profitability during a new restaurants critical nascent phase or a complete destruction of long-term viability altogether. Without the liquor license, it kills my momentum, said Ronny Brizan, co-owner of BBs Hotspot, a Caribbean restaurant that brought new life to the former home of the Lantern on North Street. BBs opened at the start of the year but wasnt able to acquire a liquor license until May 22. Mr. Brizan said the delay frustrated customers who wanted to buy drinks and employees who had to wait until the restaurant could sell alcohol to get more work hours. It added cost because we had to go back and forth, said Louise Brizan, BBs other co-owner. Thats not just the cost of less revenue for several months but more time and legal fees to straighten things out with the ABCC. In the Brizans case, the hold-up in transferring the liquor license from the spaces previous establishment to the new occupants stemmed from a single clause in their lease stipulating that the landlords of the building would gain ownership of the liquor license if the Brizans defaulted. Other applicants can see delays relating to restaurant owners immigration status or criminal background. State law does not allow a liquor license to be issued to an establishment if the majority of its directors are not U.S. citizens. It also doesnt allow convicted felons to operate businesses without a license. An applicants manager and anyone with an ownership stake must submit a Criminal Offender Record Information check to ensure compliance with that law and allow the ABCC to assess the character fitness of proprietors. While we can certainly see the driving arguments for these rules, the structure of incentives and disincentives they beget are worth interrogating a bit. On what basis should we be more suspect of folks who arent citizens but are otherwise legal immigrants specifically regarding serving alcohol? And should we really erect more barriers for immigrants to contribute to the local economy and social fabric? Further, do we want to erect similar barriers for former criminals seeking to invest in a new life of honest work by creating or operating a new business? Whats more, these rules make it so that some hopeful restaurateurs must create complex ownership structures to comply with these rules just because of some of their investors or proprietors backgrounds. The reality is this induces more complicated applications that increase the likelihood of confusion or errors in forms and filings, further clogging up the pipeline of a state commission already perceived as slow-moving and unresponsive. Is that an incentive we want for a process that is already terminally long for some? We dont pretend to have all the answers here, but we at least know these questions are worth asking on behalf of Pittsfielders facing real challenges to their very livelihood in spaces where their offerings of vital economic activity are needed desperately. And the state should be interested in spurring, not depressing or even denying, economic activity even if that requires a hard look at the status quo of state law and ABCC procedure. A path of less resistance would be tweaking at the local level. An added pressure in places like Pittsfield is the element of scarcity when it comes to all-beverage, on-premise licenses or so-called pouring licenses. Unlike some other municipalities, including a handful of Berkshire communities, Pittsfield did not take up a one-time offer from the state about 40 years ago to eliminate the local cap on liquor licenses. Thus, no new pouring licenses can be created in Pittsfield for the time being; they can only be transferred from one entity to another even if a new owner endeavors to make a go of it in a former restaurants footprint. That scarcity not only makes the licenses expensive well into the five figures at a minimum in Pittsfield but funnels enterprising restaurateurs into the states often long and frustrating license transfer approval process. While municipal policy maneuvers like raising local license caps could make a difference, perhaps its time for state lawmakers to take a zero-based approach to reassessing the states liquor licensing system. The Legislature recently has signaled its willingness to address this issue as an economic development driver in Boston, at least. Instead of addressing it in piecemeal manner, we recommend a thorough review of the process to determine the kind and degree of regulation that is appropriate to Massachusetts in the 21st century. Their constituents in Pittsfield especially those trying to realize their dreams in the restaurant business would appreciate it. Judge again rejects Trump's recusal request in hush money case Xinhua) 09:59, August 15, 2024 NEW YORK, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- A New York judge who is overseeing the hush money case involving former U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday denied the defendant's demand to recuse himself from the case for the third time, according to a decision posted by the court. Juan M. Merchan, a judge from the New York County Supreme Court, said the defendant provided nothing new for the court to consider and the counsel only repeated arguments that have been denied by this court or higher courts. "Innuendo and mischaracterization" do not create a conflict of interest and recusal is therefore not necessary, much less required, said the judge in the decision. In the latest motion filed on July 31, 2024, Trump's counsel alleged that the relationship between U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and a member of the court's family warrants recusal. It's reported that Merchan's daughter Loren Merchan worked as a political consultant for prominent Democrats and campaigns including Harris's 2020 presidential run. Trump's counsel also filed similar motions on May 31, 2023, and April 3, 2024. Judge Merchan is scheduled to make a ruling on Trump's motion to set aside a jury's verdict on Sept. 6 and will deliver a sentencing on Sept. 18 if a sentence is still necessary. The sentencing date was postponed from July 11 following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on presidential immunity on July 1. A jury in New York in late May found Trump guilty of all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in a bid to hide hush money payments to a porn star in 2016. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) A spokesperson for the Irish College of General Practitioners, Professor Liam Glynn, has repeated a warning that there is going to be a shortage of GPs as more retire in the coming years. Prof Glynn was responding to concerns in Ardara in Co Donegal where the local GP Dr Mireille Sweeney is retiring after 29 years' service to the community. Advertisement Speaking on RTE radios Morning Ireland, he said the situation in Ardara was not uncommon, and it was something being faced by a lot of communities. Over 25 per cent of GPs are aged over 60 years, so this issue is going to become more prevalent in rural communities, he warned. We really need to start to focus on what are the short, medium and long term solutions to try and solve some of these problems. Because I truly believe a lot of work is being done. I'm sure there's a lot of people who are working hard in the background. "The local stakeholders, the HSE, the Irish College of General Practitioners I know has put a huge amount of work into this, performing a new national standing committee and recently appointing a rural lead, because we all are recognising that these are serious problems coming down the line. And we need to all be working together to try and solve these problems. Advertisement Prof Glynn acknowledged that there were difficulties in attracting the younger generation of GPs into rural practice. So we need to do everything we can to make these posts attractive to a younger generation of GPs. In terms of the main support that rural practices get, it is the rural practice support framework. And that is due for renegotiation this year between the government and the Irish Medical Organisation which represent us as doctors. So it's really important that that is a priority that's renegotiated because it's not sufficient and not enough practices are involved in that. For any profession, if one third of its workers can't get coverage to go on holidays, very soon people are going to leave that profession. Advertisement One of the primary fears that young doctors have going into a local practice was getting cover, he said. We have to develop some sort of a local locum lifeline. In the most recent survey of general practitioners, one third of them mentioned the fact that they couldn't take annual leave because they couldn't get locum cover. Now, for any profession, if one third of its workers can't get coverage to go on holidays, very soon people are going to leave that profession. So this is something that we really need to prioritise. And we need to get focused on this. We need to train more GPs. We need to make sure that the new strategic task force in general practice has a laser like focus on more general practice and to try and address the problems that we're having there. But I really feel we could actually solve the locum issue and provide two to four weeks of guaranteed cover. For these practices in rural Ireland, it would make a huge difference and even the expansion in general practice places will make a difference. But it's going to take much longer. Access to health care is one of the key tenets of any democracy, said Prof Glynn. So if we are concerned about making sure that our citizens can get equitable access to health care, we really need to focus on this type of practice. Advertisement We really need to be doing everything we can to support these (rural) practices. We had a very similar situation in the local practice in Co Clare, where it was advertised three times and there was no applicants. And in fairness to the HSE locally in the Midwest, they funded what we've called the Rural Fellowship programme. And suddenly when that was attached to the practice, there was three applicants and now the post is being filled. "Provided the will is there and the resources are there, there are ways to try and support older GPs in practice who are moving towards retirement and attracting new GPs into practice. But there's a couple of key problems that have to be solved and one of them is definitely around locum cover. Kate Atkinsons latest offering has echoes of classic Agatha Christie-style murder mysteries Fiction 1. Death At The Sign Of The Rook by Kate Atkinson is published in hardback by Doubleday. Available August 22nd Advertisement For those of you havering about whether to preorder #DeathAtTheSignOfTheRook by Kate Atkinson - we give you the indie exclusive edition. Decision made? @DoubledayUK pic.twitter.com/1J5W9tR8V8 Alison Barrow (@alisonbarrow) August 10, 2024 Advertisement Jackson Brodie is back for his sixth outing in Kate Atkinsons latest offering, Death At The Sign Of The Rook. Hired to investigate the theft of a painting, Brodie finds himself caught up in an intricate web which (in true Atkinson style) comes together at the end in a satisfying denouement. Based in and around a stately home, the set-up is a delight, paying homage to traditional Agatha Christie-style murder mysteries with a cast including a major, a vicar and an elderly matriarch, as well as the return of previous Brodie companion, DC Reggie Chase. Long-term fans of the erstwhile detective will not be disappointed the characters are well-drawn, their stories unfolding alongside each other until gradually the strands unite, keeping the reader guessing how they will ultimately tie together. Those new to the Brodie novels will find enough here to enjoy the story without knowing much about Brodies past. A great read. 9/10 (Review by Alison Kershaw) 2. Minas Matchbox by Yoko Ogawa is published in hardback by Harvill Secker. Available August 15th Advertisement (Harvill Secker/PA) After the sparse yet captivating brutality of The Memory Police, which got Japanese author Yoko Ogawa on the shortlist for the 2020 International Booker Prize, Minas Matchbox is a definite change of pace. It follows 12-year-old Tomoko, who is sent to live with her rich uncles family on the other side of the country for a year in the 1970s. The book follows her year there her friendship with the sickly Mina who weaves elaborate stories, the familys pet pygmy hippopotamus, the uncles long, unexplained absences and more. The characters are beautifully drawn, but theres not much propelling the plot forward. While its a pleasant read, nothing really happens and theres barely any jeopardy making it unclear what the overall point is. 7/10 (Review by Prudence Wade) 3. The Instrumentalist by Harriet Constable is published in hardback by Bloomsbury. Available August 15th Advertisement The hardback is here and it is everything. I cannot believe I can hold my finished debut in my hands. Thank you @AllegraLeFanu thank you thank you thank you pic.twitter.com/z12Boc2W6M Harriet Constable (@HConstable) July 22, 2024 Advertisement Based on the true story of an orphaned violinist in Venice in the 1700s, Harriet Constables latest book will delight fans of historical fiction. Anna Maria della Pieta was abandoned at an orphanage when she was a baby, and was raised around music falling in love with the violin. Shes taught by none other than Antonio Vivaldi, and sets her sights on becoming a female maestro. Its the kind of book you can see easily adapted into a movie or miniseries, and will no doubt fascinate readers keen to get a glimpse of 18th-century Venice. Its a pacy read, but some might find the characters a touch cliched, and the descriptive language particularly when talking about music can often seem over-the-top. 6/10 (Review by Prudence Wade) Non-fiction 4. Home Is Where We Start by Susanna Crossman is published in hardback by Fig Tree, priced 18.99 (ebook 9.99). Available August 15th (Fig Tree/PA) If youve ever fantasised about living in a commune, then this engrossing memoir is likely to make you change your mind. Crossman was six when she, her mother and siblings moved to a crumbling mansion alongside a collection of other adults and children. She stayed there for 15 years and while this social experiment might have been beneficial to some of the adults, the lack of guidance and boundaries was anything but for the kids. In the book, Crossman describes it as being in the playground all day, all night, and never going home. But this isnt a misery memoir. Crossman examines philosophical and sociological perspectives on the meaning of home, giving insight both into why utopias are unattainable and why we shouldnt try to reach them in the first place. 8/10 (Review by Jackie Kingsley) Childrens book of the week 5. Mama Car by Lucy Catchpole, illustrated by Karen George, is published in paperback by Faber & Faber. Available now (Faber & Faber/PA) Writer and activist Lucy Catchpole known as one half of social media personalities The Catchpoles with her husband James presents her latest picture book for preschool-age readers, Mama Car. The Mama Car has big wheels and can take you on exciting expeditions, but can also be a safe place like home when youre feeling unsure. But its best feature it carries Mummy! Mama Car is a simple but effective celebration of the wheelchair which feels inclusive and gentle for very young readers, with simple illustrations by Karen George that are evocative of traditional picture books from years gone by. 7/10 (Review by Holly Cowell) BOOK CHARTS FOR THE WEEK ENDING AUGUST 10th HARDBACK (FICTION) 1. There Are Rivers In The Sky by Elif Shafak 2. Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon 3. The Pairing by Casey McQuiston 4. When The Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker 5. Witness 8 by Steve Cavanagh 6. Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors 7. The Book Of Elsewhere by Keanu Reeves & China Mieville 8. Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros 9. Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell 10. You Are Here by David Nicholls (Compiled by Waterstones) HARDBACK (NON-FICTION) 1. Pinch Of Nom Air Fryer by Kay & Kate Allinson 2. Lets Be Honest by Jess Phillips 3. Victor And Barrys Kelvinside Compendium by Alan Cumming & Forbes Masson 4. Catherine, The Princess Of Wales: The Biography by Robert Jobson 5. Autocracy, Inc by Anne Applebaum 6. Dinner by Meera Sodha 7. Lucky Girl by Lottie Tomlinson 8. Paris 44 by Patrick Bishop 9. So Good by Emily English 10. Ask Not: The Kennedys And The Women They Destroyed by Maureen Callahan (Compiled by Waterstones) AUDIOBOOKS (FICTION AND NON-FICTION) 1. Message Deleted by K. L. Slater 2. Atomic Habits by James Clear 3. None Of This Is True by Lisa Jewell 4. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman 5. A Game Of Thrones by George R.R. Martin 6. Fire And Blood by George R.R. Martin 7. Unruly by David Mitchell 8. We Solve Murders by Richard Osman 9. It Starts With Us by Colleen Hoover 10. The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood (Compiled by Audible) Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump lobbed a series of personal and policy-based attacks at his Democratic rival Kamala Harris in a speech on Wednesday, hoping to recover from a difficult stretch during which his lead in opinion polls has all but evaporated. Some allies, donors and advisers have expressed concern at Mr Trump's attacks on the US vice president's intellect and suggested that he instead focus on what they argue are the failed policies Ms Harris has promoted while in office. Advertisement Speaking to supporters in Asheville, North Carolina, Mr Trump steered clear of broadsides challenging Ms Harris' racial identity and spoke about policy in more detail than he has at other recent events. But he continued to throw personal insults at her, at one point calling her "stupid" and denigrating her laugh as a cackle, saying: "That's the laugh of a person with some big problems." Since emerging as the Democratic Party's candidate after president Joe Biden dropped his own re-election bid last month, Ms Harris has dramatically changed the race. Polls have consistently shown her closing the gap on Mr Trump and some now have her ahead in the race for the November 5th election. Personal attacks on Kamala Harris The surge has rattled Mr Trump's campaign, and he has responded with insults. He has implied that Ms Harris, whose mother was born in India and whose father was born in Jamaica, has only recently leaned into her Black identity. Some Republicans have smeared her with racist and sexist attacks. Some Trump allies say the approach has hurt his campaign. Advertisement "Personally it makes no difference to me what Kamala wants to identify as," said Bill Bean, a major Republican donor who hosted Mr Trump's vice presidential pick, JD Vance, at an Indiana fundraiser in late July. Mr Bean said he had talked with Mr Vance and Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley about the need to attack Ms Harris on her policy record, not her identity. Mr Trump spent the latter part of his North Carolina speech doing just that: attacking her policies while spelling out his own. He said he would open up federal lands to drilling and ease the permitting process for pipelines among other measures designed to bring down consumer prices should he defeat Ms Harris. Advertisement He also pledged to cut energy and electricity prices in half within 12 to 18 months of taking office. He did not specify how he would do so, but repeated previous promises to bring more oil production online, including in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, where the Biden administration has ceased issuing new permits. He accused Ms Harris of supporting a ban on fracking and said her position would prove a major liability in the critical swing state of Pennsylvania, where fracking is common. While Ms Harris opposed all new fossil fuel infrastructure projects when she was running for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2019, and the Biden administration tried and failed to impose a fracking ban on federal lands, her campaign says she no longer favours a ban. At one point during the speech, Mr Trump brought financier and informal economic adviser Scott Bessent on stage. Advertisement The former president complimented the acumen and physical appearance of Mr Bessent, who several Trump allies view as a leading contender for treasury secretary should Trump win in November. Memo In a memo released before Mr Trump's Asheville event, Harris campaign communications director Michael Tyler accused Mr Trump of neglecting the middle class by opposing union protections and backing corporate tax cuts, among other measures. World Harris to focus on grocery costs, child tax credit... Read More Ms Harris on Friday will travel to North Carolina, where she will talk about economic policy in a speech in Raleigh. She will outline a plan "to lower costs for middle-class families and take on corporate price-gouging," a campaign official said. Mr Trump maintains a slim lead in North Carolina, according to an average maintained by the website Real Clear Politics, though Ms Harris is within striking distance. That represents a marked difference from a month ago, when Mr Biden was the candidate and Republicans appeared to be running away with the state and were turning their attention to traditionally Democratic states like Minnesota and Virginia. A court in Greenland has ruled that veteran environmental activist and anti-whaling campaigner Paul Watson must remain in custody as authorities consider Japans request for his extradition, police said. The court ruled that Watson must remain in detention until September 5 to ensure his presence in connection with a decision on extradition, Greenland police said in a statement, adding that Watson has appealed against the decision to Greenlands High Court. Advertisement 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. As you watch this video, Captain Paul Watson is sitting in Anstalten Prison solely because he has dedicated his life to protecting the ocean. We are awaiting updates on his potential extradition to Japan. Denmark holds the final decision on this matter. We need to pic.twitter.com/81arcICW2o Captain Paul Watson Foundation (@CaptPaulWatson) August 12, 2024 Advertisement He was arrested last month on an international warrant issued by Japan when his ship docked in Nuuk, Greenlands capital. Japans government then asked Danish authorities to hand over Watson so he could be tried in Japan. Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark. Advertisement Japans coast guard sought his arrest over an encounter with a Japanese whaling research ship in 2010 when he was accused of obstructing the crews official duties by ordering the captain of his ship to throw explosives at the whaling ship. Japans government argues whale meat is part of Japans food culture and supports the sustainable use of whales. Japan withdrew from the International Whaling Commission in 2019 and has since resumed commercial whaling within its exclusive economic zone. 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. Thailands populist Pheu Thai party has said it will nominate its leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra in a Parliament vote for the countrys new prime minister after former incumbent Srettha Thavisin was removed by a court order over an ethical violation. Ms Paetongtarn is the youngest daughter of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is seen as the force behind Pheu Thai. Advertisement He was the first Thai politician ever to win an overall majority of seats and the residual popularity of Mr Thaksin is a factor in the support for his daughter. If Ms Paetongtarn is approved by Parliaments vote, which is scheduled for Friday, she will become Thailands second female prime minister and the countrys third leader from the Shinwatra family after her father and her aunt Yingluck Shinawatra. Srettha Thavisin was removed as prime minister on Wednesday (Sakchai Lalit/AP/PA) Advertisement Pheu Thai was given support on Thursday by its major coalition partners to nominate one of its two candidates as the new prime minister. The other eligible candidate for Pheu Thai had been Chaikasem Nitisiri, 75, a former minister of justice who served in the Pheu Thai government led by Mr Thaksins sister Ms Yingluck and was removed by a coup in 2014. Mr Srettha was ousted on Wednesday after less than a year in office. The Constitutional Court found him guilty of a serious ethical breach regarding his appointment of a Cabinet member who was jailed in connection with an alleged bribery attempt. Advertisement It was the second major ruling in a week to shake Thai politics. The same court last week dissolved the progressive and main opposition Move Forward party, which won last years general election but was blocked from power, saying it violated the Constitution by proposing an amendment to a law against defaming the countrys royal family. The party has already regrouped as the Peoples Party. Pheu Thais ruling coalition partners have already given their endorsement for the partys candidate, including the Bhumjaithai party, which came third in the election, and the pro-military Phalang Pracharath and United Thai Nation parties. Advertisement Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been nominated to be the new prime minister of Thailand (Sakchai Lalit/AP/PA) Pheu Thai finished second in last years election but was given a chance to form a government after the winners, reformist Move Forward party, was blocked from taking power by the previous Senate, a military-appointed body. Move Forward was then excluded from the coalition by Pheu Thai, who went on to join hands with parties affiliated with the previous military-backed government that ousted it in a coup. Advertisement The move drew criticism from some of its supporters but party officials say that it was necessary to break the deadlock and start reconciliation after decades of deep political divisions. The former senators were given special power to veto a prime ministerial candidate by the constitution adopted in 2017 under a military government. That power expired when their term ended in May, however. New members of the Senate, selected in a convoluted process last month, do not retain the veto. A candidate now needs just a majority from the lower house, or at least 247 votes. The House of Representatives now has 493 sitting members after six were banned from politics as a result of Move Forwards dissolution. Another lawmaker of the Bhumjaithai party is suspended awaiting a court ruling. Hundreds of student protesters and political activists in Bangladesh armed with bamboo sticks, iron rods and pipes have assaulted supporters of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina. The clashes on Thursday prevented them from reaching the previous house of Ms Hasinas father and assassinated independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the capital Dhaka. Advertisement The house in the Dhanmondi area was turned into a museum to showcase narratives and other objects about a military coup on August 15, 1975, when Mr Rahman was assassinated along with most of his family members. The house, now called Bangabandhu Memorial Museum, was torched by the protesters hours after Ms Hasinas downfall on August 5 following an uprising during which more than 300 people were killed. Mr Rahman is fondly called Bangabandhu or, a friend of Bengal. Military and paramilitary personnel stand guard as protesters block the road in front of the former residence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (Rajib Dhar/AP/PA) Advertisement Thursday is the anniversary of Mr Rahmans death and Ms Hasina, now self-exiled in India, urged her supporters to commemorate the day by paying respect to her father. Previously, August 15 was a public holiday and was observed as a national mourning day by Ms Hasinas administration That has been cancelled by an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus following the ouster of Ms Hasina, who survived in 1975 along with her younger sister because they were visiting Germany. Advertisement On Thursday, the protesters attacked Ms Hasinas supporters who attempted to get to the site. They manhandled many and checked visitors phones and identity cards while threatening journalists for filming the incidents at the scene, witnesses said. Another group of protesters on Thursday chanted Naraye Takbeer, Allahu Akbar or, Allah is Great, Shout of Allah is Great as they marched through streets in the area where the museum site remained blocked with barbed-wire fences. The protesters, who arrived at Ms Rhamans house first on Wednesday, attacked a prominent actress as she along with dozens of Ms Hasinas supporters reached there to light candles as part of the commemoration. Advertisement A protester carries the Bangladesh flag as he and others block the road in front of the former residence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (Rajib Dhar/AP/PA) Overnight, they held a party using loudspeakers and playing songs as they danced outside the museum, which was set on fire during the anti-government demonstrations earlier this month. The protesters said they were out to stop the gathering of Ms Hasinas supporters as they could attempt to create chaos in the name of commemoration. Advertisement Sarjis Alam, a key organiser of the student protests, said on Thursday they would continue to demand the trial of Ms Hasina as he led a rally in the Shahbagh area. Sam Jahan, a video journalist for Reuters, protested against the harassment by the protesters, in a Facebook post. It is fair enough what you, the political activists, student protesters want to achieve, politically. But when you try to stop my rolling camera, resisting the freedom of the press and when you manhandle my colleagues, I will speak up, Jahan wrote in the post. The countrys leading English-language Daily Star newspaper reported that their journalists faced trouble at the scene and they were forced to delete photos and videos. The protesters have been demanding trial of Ms Hasina for the killings during weeks-long violence and cases have already been filed against her and other close party colleagues and top police officials. More than 300 people were killed in unrest that started in July with protests against a quota system for government jobs that later morphed into a movement against what was considered Ms Hasinas increasingly autocratic administration. The uprising eventually forced Hasina to leave office and flee to India, ending her 15-year rule. A Ukrainian drone attack on Russian airbases damaged at least two hangars and other areas, satellite images analysed by the Associated Press (AP) on Thursday have shown. Images taken on Wednesday by Planet Labs PBC analysed by the AP show two hangars at Borisoglebsk airbase had been struck, with a field of debris seen around both. Advertisement It was not immediately clear what purpose the hangars served. There also appeared to be damage potentially done to two fighter aircraft at the base. Separately, at Savasleika airbase, one burn mark could be seen on the apron in images on Wednesday, although there was no apparent damage visible to the fighter jets and other aircraft there. A satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows damaged fighter jets at the Borisoglebsk airbase in Russia after an attack by Ukrainian drones (Planet Labs PBC via AP/PA) Advertisement Kursk acting governor Alexei Smirnov on Thursday ordered the evacuation of the Glushkovo region, about 28 miles north-west of Sudzha, where heavy battles are taking place, as Ukraines daring incursion into the bordering Kursk region entered its second week. The evacuation order suggests Ukrainian forces are gradually advancing toward the area. Russia also declared a federal-level state of emergency in the Belgorod region. A regional-level state of emergency had been declared a day earlier in Belgorod and the change in status suggests officials believe the situation is worsening and hampering the regions ability to deliver aid. Advertisement Residents who suffer severe health damage will be eligible to receive payments of up to 600,000 rubles (5,136). Those who experience a loss of property are eligible for up to 150,000 rubles (1,323), Russias emergencies ministry said. Ukraines chief military officer General Oleksandr Syrskyi declared that Ukrainian forces have taken about 390 square miles of the Kursk region. The claim could not be independently verified. A burned car is seen in front of an apartment building damaged after shelling by the Ukrainian side in Kursk (AP/PA) Advertisement The contact lines in Kursk have remained fluid, allowing both sides to move easily, unlike the static frontline in eastern Ukraine where it has taken Russian forces months to achieve even incremental gains. Russian military bloggers have claimed Russian reserves arriving in the region have stemmed Ukrainian advances, but they also noted that Ukrainian small mechanised groups have continued to probe Russian defences. Speaking to reporters at the UN on Wednesday, Russias deputy UN ambassador Dmitry Polyansky dismissed Mr Syrskyis claim of having gained 390 square miles of the Russian territory. Advertisement Whats happening in Kursk is the incursion of terrorist sabotage groups, so there is no front line as such, Polyansky said. There is an incursion because there are forests that are very difficult to control. He said Ukrainian troops in the forests will be singled out and eliminated within a very brief period of time. Mr Polyansky called the Ukrainian incursion an absolutely reckless and mad operation, and said Ukraines aim to force Russia to move its troops from eastern Ukraine is not happening because we have enough troops there. Kyiv troops have full control of the town of Sudzha in the Kursk region in their incursion into Russian territory, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The town, the largest that Ukraine has reportedly seized so far, had a pre-war population of about 5,000 people. Advertisement Natural gas flows from West Siberian gas fields through pipes that pass through Sudzha and cross the Ukrainian border into Ukraines system. Mr Zelensky said a Ukrainian military commanders office is being set up in Sudzha. He did not elaborate on the details or the functions of the office. The news came after it emerged a Ukrainian drone attack on Russian airbases damaged at least two hangars and other areas, satellite images analysed by The Associated Press (AP) show. A satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows damaged fighter jets at the Borisoglebsk airbase in Russia after an attack by Ukrainian drones (Planet Labs PBC via AP/PA) Advertisement Images taken on Wednesday by Planet Labs PBC analysed by the AP show two hangars at Borisoglebsk airbase had been struck, with a field of debris seen around both. It was not immediately clear what purpose the hangars served. There also appeared to be damage potentially done to two fighter aircraft at the base. Separately, at Savasleika airbase, one burn mark could be seen on the apron in images on Wednesday, though there was no apparent damage visible to the fighter jets and other aircraft there. Advertisement Kursk acting governor Alexei Smirnov on Thursday ordered the evacuation of the Glushkovo region, about 28 miles north-west of Sudzha, where heavy battles are taking place, as Ukraines daring incursion into the bordering Kursk region entered its second week. The evacuation order suggests Ukrainian forces are gradually advancing toward the area. Authorities say more than 120,000 residents in the Kursk region already have been evacuated. Russia also declared a federal-level state of emergency in the Belgorod region. A regional-level state of emergency had been declared a day earlier in Belgorod and the change in status suggests officials believe the situation is worsening and hampering the regions ability to deliver aid. Advertisement A burned car is seen in front of an apartment building damaged after shelling by the Ukrainian side in Kursk (AP/PA) Residents who suffer severe health damage will be eligible to receive payments of up to 600,000 rubles (5,136). Those who experience a loss of property are eligible for up to 150,000 rubles (1,323), Russias emergencies ministry said. Ukraines chief military officer General Oleksandr Syrskyi said that Ukrainian forces have taken about 390 square miles of the Kursk region. The claim could not be independently verified. Advertisement The contact lines in Kursk have remained fluid, allowing both sides to move easily, unlike the static front line in eastern Ukraine where it has taken Russian forces months to achieve even incremental gains. Speaking to reporters at the UN on Wednesday, Russias deputy UN ambassador Dmitry Polyansky dismissed Mr Syrskyis claim of having gained 390 square miles of the Kursk region. Whats happening in Kursk is the incursion of terrorist sabotage groups, so there is no front line as such, Mr Polyansky said. There is an incursion because there are forests that are very difficult to control. He said Ukrainian troops in the forests will be singled out and eliminated within a very brief period of time. Mr Polyansky called the Ukrainian incursion an absolutely reckless and mad operation, and said Ukraines aim to force Russia to move its troops from eastern Ukraine is not happening because we have enough troops there. A federal judge has indicated he will order major changes in Googles Android app store to punish the company for engineering a system which a jury declared an illegal monopoly that has hurt millions of consumers and app developers. Over the course of a three-hour hearing in San Francisco on Wednesday, US District Judge James Donato made it clear that the forthcoming shake-up he is contemplating will probably include a mandate requiring Googles Play Store for Android phones to offer consumers a choice to download alternative app stores. Advertisement Mr Donato has been weighing up how to punish Google since last December when a jury declared the Play Store a monopoly following a four-week trial. The verdict centred on Googles nearly exclusive control over distribution of apps designed for Android phones and the billing systems for the digital commerce occurring within them a system that generates billions of dollars in annual revenue for the company. In protesting the judges potential requirements, Google has raised the spectre of consumers devices being infected by malicious software downloaded from third-party app stores, triggering security chaos. Advertisement However, Mr Donato repeatedly hammered on the need for a major overhaul of the Play Store, even if it causes Google headaches and huge bills that the company has estimated could run as high as 600 million dollars (467 million), depending on what the judge orders. We are going to tear the barriers down, that is going to happen, Mr Donato told Google attorney Glenn Pomerantz. When you have a mountain built out of bad conduct, you are going to have to move that mountain. Advertisement Mr Donato said he is hoping to issue an order outlining the framework for the changes to the Play Store within the next few weeks. Googles tactics in the penalty phase of the Play Store case may foreshadow its strategy in a similar round of so-called remedy hearings that will be held in an even bigger antitrust case that resulted in a judge branding the dominant search engine as an illegal monopoly. Those hearings focused on the crown jewel of Googles empire are scheduled to start on September 6 in Washington, D.C. In the Play Store case, Mr Donato still appears to be grappling with how much time he should give Google to make the changes to its Android operating system and Play Store, and also for how long the restraints he imposes should remain in effect. Advertisement Google wants 12 to 16 months to make the adjustments to ensure a smooth transition and avoid glitches that could affect the performance of Android smartphones. Epic Games, the video game maker that filed the antitrust lawsuit that resulted in the Play Store being declared a monopoly, contends Google could do everything in about three months at a cost of about one million dollars. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size This story is part of the August 17 edition of Good Weekend. See all 11 stories . Its not every day you get to snorkel with a Formula 1 driver. I use the word with here in a broad sense. Its not just me and McLarens young rising star, Oscar Piastri, drifting over a Whitsundays reef, pointing out undersea wonders to each other. Its a bunch of us: reporters, McLaren employees and Great Barrier Reef Foundation staff. Its a special moment for Melbourne-born Piastri, 23, because hes never seen the reef. But no ones quite sure what it will be like today. Its late March and the World Heritage Area is bleaching for the fifth time since 2016. We tilt our masks to the water and hope for the best. Amid the greens and browns, and the odd blue and yellow, we see white. Not large fields of bleached coral, just singular ones, here and there. Afterwards, standing on shore in his orange McLaren polo top, Piastri reflects on what hes witnessed. I definitely saw some bleached coral and unfortunately some dead coral as well, so for me it highlights why its so important that were involved in this initiative. The initiative is the reason were here on Queenslands Hayman Island. McLaren is announcing that some of its best engineers will help automate the dispersal of millions of baby corals to try to support the reef through the ravages of climate change. If you think coral and motor sport make strange bedfellows, youre not alone. F1 cars pollute, of course, but the sports biggest carbon footprint comes from globetrotting their cars and teams to 21 nations each season. McLaren and F1 have set net zero emissions targets, yet the media launch seemed ripe with greenwashing potential. McLaren was no doubt delighted with the pictures of Piastri on the beach and the resulting news reports that cast the team as joining the fight to help save the reef. Money cant buy that kind of publicity. But heres the thing. Few of the scientists and engineers involved in managing the reef in a warming world view McLarens involvement cynically. With almost half the reef experiencing unprecedented heat stress last summer, these experts part of a collaboration that includes the Australian Institute of Marine Science, Great Barrier Reef Foundation (GBRF), CSIRO and four universities have a task so challenging and urgent, they welcome all comers. Already, this largely taxpayer-funded partnership, called the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program (RRAP), has spent $167 million since 2018 on research and development. In the next few years, for a further $50 million, it will roll out the worlds biggest reef intervention, creating several million corals, half of them more heat-tolerant types. If McLaren engineers can help solve bottlenecks on the baby coral production line, then great. This is not a get-out-of-jail-free card to not act on climate change. Coral reef scientist Dr Line Bay There are experts from a range of fields around the world who may be able to help us deliver bigger solutions at smaller costs, says coral reef scientist Dr Line (pronounced Lee-nah) Bay, research program director at the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) and a RRAP research leader. Advertisement But these attempts to help the reef adapt from making so-called super corals in the laboratory to cloud brightening (yes, its a thing) have their critics, most notably leading Australian reef expert Professor Terry Hughes, who say they are costly, impractical and a distraction from the core need for rapid carbon cuts. Were not naive, says Bay, in response to this sort of criticism. This is not a silver bullet. This is not a get-out-of-jail-free card to not act on climate change. Theres going to be a hard limit [to which] you can push coral. But Im not willing to give up and throw my hands in the air and say nothing can be done without the data backing that up. As scientists for the Australian population, weve got to do the very best we can. F1 driver Oscar Piastri on a McLaren media day, when the company spruiked its involvement in reef seeding. At the National Sea Simulator (NSS), an hours drive south of Townsville, theres a room thats like a time machine for corals. Part of AIMS, its a huge research facility full of seawater tanks where a lot of the critical RRAP research is conducted. When I visit in late May, the institutes technicians have so accurately mimicked the wild conditions of a reef off Townsville the fading sunlight, the rising moonlight, the gloom in between that the corals believe theyre living five months in the future. More precisely: they understand it to be the night after the full moon this coming October, at about 8.28pm, when actually its 3.28pm on May 24. The researchers have become so adept at time-tricking the corals, they can make them spawn in the early afternoon so workers can leave the office by 6pm. But it does require a totally sealed-off room with a foyer of black curtains to ensure no daylight leaks in when the corals think its evening. This is why Im in the dark, leaning over a tank with Loni Koukoumaftsis, a tall and warmly enthusiastic marine scientist, wearing a headlamp that throws a low-level red light onto browny-orange plate coral. Its in what Koukoumaftsis calls the setting phase, or what Im thinking of as the pimple stage. Small, whitish bumps are forming on the surface as the polyps, the animal part of the coral, get ready to burp out a package of eggs and sperm. Corals are colonies made up of thousands of polyps that are like tiny sea anemones. Theyre animals that mostly consist of only a stomach, a mouth and tentacles that sprout at night to help them feed. But the bulk of their nutrients come from a plant, an algae, that cohabitates in their cells in a normally happy marriage. Under heat stress, the polyp will evict the algae leaving it white or bleached and eventually die of starvation if the heat doesnt abate. Coral spawning at the National Sea Simulator. Credit: AIMS | Marie Roman A little while later, we return to see these corals release a few dozen one-millimetre bundles of egg and sperm, the size of a sugar grain. They rise, as if in slow motion, to the surface. There arent many today, so Koukoumaftsis is under no pressure to collect them. But normally, hed proceed with some coral IVF, pouring the mixture through a mesh screen to break up the bundles (in the wild, currents and waves do this). Then hed swish the separated eggs and sperm in a plastic bowl until they fertilise, which takes about 30 minutes. In another room, Koukoumaftsis shows me the results of this process: a few days on, a bunch of little larvae are swimming around in a culture tank, looking for a place to settle and start a new colony. Advertisement Its only the third year that Koukoumaftsis and colleagues have managed to create an out-of-season spawning (they first cracked it in 2022). Doing this means they dont have to wait for the summer spawning and can provide more coral larvae for the institutes experiments. Its been super-exciting to fast-track our understanding of young corals so we can support more reef restoration research, he says. To understand the task ahead for the RRAP scientists, its important to know how climate change is already affecting the reef. This is not an easy thing, partly because the reef, the worlds largest, is bigger than Italy and made up of nearly 3800 individual reefs that are impacted in different ways at different times. It is also deeply political because the reef is a proxy in the climate change wars. One side rings the doomsday bells, while the other insists everythings fine. The reality is somewhere in between and rather intriguing. Loni Koukoumaftsis calls the research super exciting. Credit: Roslyn Budd In the past 15 years, the reef plunged to its lowest ever coverage of hard corals since surveys began 38 years ago. (Hard-coral cover is used as a reef health measurement because its the critical habitat underpinning the survival of thousands of other species of marine life.) Now, its at its highest in the central and northern regions after a remarkable reseeding of corals that has surprised reef scientists. People who say all the corals are dead, thats garbage, says coral reef scientist Dr David Wachenfeld, who heads AIMS reef monitoring project. But equally, people who say theres more coral than ever before and therefore no climate change that is also garbage. To get a picture of whats been going on, we need to travel to the reefs north at Lizard Island, which Wachenfeld describes as a beautiful miniature version of the story of the entire Great Barrier Reef. Marine scientist Dr Anne Hoggett and her husband, Dr Lyle Vail, have run the Australian Museums Lizard Island Research Station for 34 years. Hoggett explains the island was spared the reefs first mass bleaching in 1998. Bleaching came, though, in 2002 and 2010. In 2014 and 2015, the island was hit with two category-four cyclones, which stripped the corals to bare rock around the edge of the Lizard Island group but spared those in the lagoon. Then came what Hoggett describes as the catastrophic bleaching of 2016, which wiped out the lagoon corals. Only a small suite of tough coral species survived. In 2017, the temperatures matched 2016, but there was nothing much left to kill. And there was hardly any spawning because most of the adult corals were dead. At this point, you might be getting a little depressed about Lizard Island. But something remarkable happened. One year later, Hoggett noticed the corals growing again. Recovery was by no means everywhere, but in some places, the corals had grown to such an extent that the reef looked absolutely fabulous again by the end of 2023. It was just incredible. This plunge and surge of coral growth on Lizard Island and elsewhere across the reef is so unexpected that reef scientists have been trying to work out whats going on. Scientists such as Hoggett noticed that some of the new growth came from tiny corals that had settled before the bleaching, survived the heat and replaced the dead adults. Its also thought that coral larvae drifting in the water column where they can potentially live for weeks and travel tens of kilometres settled and repopulated the vacant space. The problem, says Hoggett, is that the recovery depends on larvae from other reefs. As the years go on, there are going to be fewer places to provide the larvae to reseed these damaged areas. It wont bounce back forever. Advertisement Anne Hoggett and Lyle Vail, based on Lizard Island, witness coral bleaching first-hand. Meanwhile, every summer on Lizard Island has become a roll of the dice for the corals. Since 2020, bleaching has occurred annually (a frequency that Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, an Australian pioneer of coral bleaching research, thought would start around 2050). Bleaching is not a death sentence for corals: if a storm arrives or clouds roll in, the cooling can allow the animals to repopulate themselves with algae that might be living in the water and sediment, or from a little bit left in their cells. In the bleaching since 2020, the dumb luck of a last-minute weather change saved corals from dying. But in the last summer this luck ran out, says Hoggett, with up to 80 per cent of the important Acropora corals on the reef dying. But the severe marine heatwave of early 2024 was not remarkable for what happened in Hoggetts part of the reef, the north. (Coral Sea temperatures in 2017, 2020 and 2024 were the highest for 400 years, according to recently released University of Wollongong research.) It was the first time the south had been hit with unprecedented heat stress and bleaching. The heatwave was driven by a record-breaking global spike in temperatures that alarmed climate scientists, even when they factored in an El Nino and rising emissions (theyre not sure whether its a blip or a new normal). Loading In April, Americas National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) declared the fourth global coral bleaching event. In Thailand, widespread bleaching prompted authorities to shut down whole islands to snorkelling tourists, and in Florida, underwater nurseries growing new coral were moved to deeper, cooler waters, while 1500 specimens were taken out of the sea and housed in tanks on dry land. Wachenfeld says that while the latest reef snapshot, released earlier this month, showed record hard cover in two regions, the surveys were mostly conducted before last summers bleaching event. Also, he warns that the reef is generally more fragile because the fast-growing corals that first came back are less heat-tolerant, break easily in storms and are favoured by the predator crown-of-thorns starfish. Coral cover has always been up and down, says Wachenfeld, but the downs and the ups have become more extreme in the last 15 years. The concern is that if we break the resilience of the system, at some point a down on the roller coaster will no longer be followed by an up. In another room of tanks at the simulator, Line Bay and I are looking at uniform rows of brown blobs. Arent they wonderful? says Bay, 53. They arent the most wonderful-looking corals Ive seen, but I believe her when she says theyre part of an important trial. Advertisement Nobody wants to be the person who does the cane toad equivalent on a coral reef. AIMS executive director David Mead This experiment, like many at the simulator, falls into the category of assisted evolution. Corals have evolved to live in some hot places Magnetic Island corals, for example, can withstand 30.5 degrees for 20 days, while that same heat would make corals bleach within a day just 90 kilometres south. The problem is that climate change is warming the water faster than corals can adapt. With assisted evolution, scientists are speeding up this process, and one way they do this is to find coral parents that are more heat-tolerant. Corals inherit heat tolerance from their parents; its like tall parents tend to have tall babies, says Bay. So scientists might go to a bleached reef and pick the survivors for further breeding. They might go to a reef, take a coral sample and subject it to a heat test on the boat. Then they breed more of the corals that passed the heat test and return them to the reef. AIMS Line Bay has gene-edited corals. Credit: AIMS | Chris Brunner In the simulator, theyve bred corals that have evolved to survive in hotter parts of the reef with corals from cooler parts, but this has had mixed success. Theyve also been interbreeding coral within the same species, which happens in the wild. But these are only allowed out of the lab in a controlled way theyre brought into the simulator to spawn, then put back on the reef just in case the hybridisation has caused a problem. (Nobody wants to be the person who does the cane toad equivalent on a coral reef, says engineer David Mead, a co-founder of RRAP and AIMS executive director.) Bay, a genetic specialist, has also been working on corals using the gene-editing technology CRISPR-Cas9. But while there have been some encouraging early results, anything to do with manipulating genes in a coral is going to be tricky because heat tolerance is thought to be polygenic (more than one coral gene is responsible for it). Are we playing God? I dont think so. These are natural corals and natural processes. Line Bay The most promising experiment is the one before us, with the wonderful brown blobs. AIMS scientist and University of Melbourne professor Madeleine van Oppen has discovered that a big factor in heat tolerance is the type of algae that lives inside it. In other words, whether your plant housemate can stand the heat can trump how heat-loving your parents are. There are two important groups of algae available for the most common corals and the one thats more heat-resistant makes the coral grow slower. To overcome this problem, van Oppen and colleague Matthew Nitschke took the faster-growing algae type and heated it up in experiments. They bred the survivors, heated them again and repeated this over hundreds of quick-turnover generations across two years to fast-track their evolution. Then they injected this heat-tolerant algae into the tanks for the coral to take up. Advertisement Glebe goes a little under the radar. Its not quite Newtown, and a world away from Surry Hills. Its working-class history is outdone by Balmains, and if you had to draw a picture that encapsulates Glebe, you might not know where to start. But look a little closer, and youll find it is steeped in the citys history as a place of protest, a cauldron of counterculture, and a microcosm of debate over Sydneys look, feel and character. Nic Dalton inside the legendary Half A Cow on Glebe Point Road in 1991. It was on Glebe Point Road that celebrated architect Edmund Thomas Blacket built Bidura in 1858, a two-storey villa in the colonial regency style. Lately, the heritage-protected building and adjacent former childrens court have sat neglected, attracting vandals and trespassers, while awaiting a residential redevelopment. The site and its future have been core business for the Glebe Society, one of Sydneys more storied residents groups, perhaps best known for its role in the green bans of the 1970s. It held its first meeting at Glebe Town Hall on June 19, 1969, and two years later helped elect to Leichhardt Council a conservationist coalition led by Trotskyist mayor, Nick Origlass. 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 As the new metro line opens under the heart of Sydney, we take a look at how it became a reality. See all 19 stories . Nestled in a historic art deco building, Rockpool and Spice Temples bars, restaurants and private dining rooms are destinations for corporate A-listers in Sydneys CBD. In their exquisite interiors, staff go to great lengths to satisfy their wealthy guests. Yet more than five years ago, a mega-rail project being carved out beneath their feet raised fears of disruption above. Large equipment excavating a temporary access tunnel to giant station caverns below risked causing vibrations and smashing expensive glassware in the bars and restaurants. The project team suggested Rockpool staff move glasses further apart. It averted disruption to Rockpool, but a few glasses in Spice Temple rattled from a sideboard and broke. It illustrates the intricate work undertaken on a massive scale over the past seven years during construction of the $21.6 billion Metro City and Southwest rail line under Sydney Harbour and the heart of the city. In the north, the need to drill emergency cross passages between twin rail tunnels beneath Royal North Shore Hospital at St Leonards presented enormous challenges for engineers because of patient sensitivity to noise and vibrations around the clock. The timing of those works and how they were managed and the respite period, just for those few cross passages, became a whole exercise in itself, recalls Hugh Lawson, the Brit who has steered the mega rail project for the last seven years. A cutaway illustration of the new underground metro station at Martin Place and office towers above. Credit: Sharp Brothers Concealed from prying eyes for years, the staggering scale of the new underground rail line will be unveiled on Monday when the line opens, in an act akin to unwrapping a giant present for the city. Carved out of sandstone, the fully automated railway is an engineering marvel that will reshape suburbs close to its stations and the way people traverse Sydney. Yet, the mega project is about $10 billion over budget and the final piece a 13-kilometre stretch from Sydenham to Bankstown in the citys south-west will be at least a year late opening. Critics fear that the new railways benefits will fail to match its eye-watering price tag, and are scathing of the projects problem child: the conversion of the century-old Bankstown rail line into one for driverless metro trains. Forty-five years after the opening of the last railway to be built under the Sydney CBD, commuters will be whisked at up to 100 kilometres an hour on single-deck trains between six new underground stations, as well as giant new platforms beneath Central Station. In a sign of the scale, the twin rail tunnels under the harbour and CBD span 15.5 kilometres from Chatswood to Sydenham. To ensure services run every four minutes in peak periods, the size of the fleet has been doubled to 45 trains, which are housed in giant rail yards in Sydneys northwest and at Sydenham. Advertisement The new line forms the second stage of Sydneys computer-driven rail network, acting as an extension of the Metro Northwest railway between Tallawong and Chatswood which opened in 2019. Together, the railway to be known as the M1 will extend 66 kilometres from Rouse Hill in the northwest to Sydenham in the south, and eventually onto Bankstown. Global stage Its the biggest city-shaping investment that has happened in 100 years and the community is yet to fully understand the impacts it is going to make, says Rob Stokes, a former NSW planning and infrastructure minister who oversaw Sydney Metro before he quit state politics in early 2023. To his mind, the new line is a bigger deal than the construction of the Harbour Bridge. Stokes argues that the bridge inevitability had to be built to link the citys north and south, whereas the metro line was never guaranteed. The metro is an entirely different way of conceiving how to develop the city, he says. The coathanger was transformative but ultimately inevitable. The metro is transformative but the decision to do it was never inevitable. It required many hard choices. After the final piece of Sydneys Metro City and Southwest project opens late next year, the ribbon is due to be cut on a new metro line to Western Sydney Airport in late 2026, followed six years later by the Metro West railway under the citys east-west spine between the CBD and Parramatta. Advertisement Costing $65 billion, Sydneys metro network is one of the worlds largest rail projects, rivalling the 200-kilometre expansion of Paris rapid transit system. Known as the Grand Paris Express, the project will result in a railway encircling the French capital at a cost of 36 billion. Blood on the floor The triumph of opening a shiny new rail line risks overshadowing the long and rocky journey from attempts early last decade to revive plans for metro rail. The Eastern Suburbs line was the last railway to be built under Sydneys CBD. It opened on June 23, 1979. Credit: Kevin John Berry Several months before the 2011 NSW election, the then-head of the states transport agency, Les Wielinga, walked into a meeting with shadow transport minister Gladys Berejiklian who had asked to catch up. Ive got to admit, I was fairly nervous when I walked in. The [Coalition] policy was to put heavy rail out to the northwest. I believed that to be wrong, he recalls. It took until about six months after they got in for us to get the decision for cabinet to make it metro rather than heavy rail. Loading In October 2011, Berejiklian first briefed new premier Barry OFarrell on an option for a metro line instead of a railway for double-deck trains. Eight months later, OFarrell and Berejiklian called a press conference to unveil a major shake-up of Sydneys rail network. In Sydneys Rail Future blueprint, Berejiklian detailed plans in June 2012 for a metro-style, single-deck train system to the northwest, and an eventual second harbour train crossing. It was an abrupt U-turn on the Coalitions election promise 15 months earlier to build a rail line to Sydneys northwest as an extension of the existing double-decker train network. Advertisement The metro plans had been difficult to gain approval from inside government, and met deep cynicism from the media and the public after the previous Labor governments metro plans were aborted. The internal rift was evident in the strain between senior Transport officials and Treasury bureaucrats over the blueprints wording. There was a lot of tension as to whether it said across the harbour or under the harbour, recalls Peter Regan, a former senior Treasury official who is now Sydney Metro chief executive. Treasury was certainly of the view that it should be above [the harbour], not below. Treasurys fear was that tunnelling under the harbour would be more costly than building a line over the Harbour Bridge. There was a massive kind of conjecture as to whether or not that was a credible thing to be building, Regan says. It was contentious because its a big call. That was a project way beyond what anyone had done for a long time. There was always a question mark around how it would get done, but also the timing and the dates. In the end, Berejilkian and transport officials prevailed: the blueprint envisaged a new tunnel under the harbour. Yet, it did not end the internal brawling with Treasury to turn plans for a metro rail line under the heart of the city into reality. There was blood on the floor on a couple of occasions, Les Wielinga recalls. Its a massive project. And its been built in some of the toughest construction environments you could imagine. It also ushered in a bruising period between the Berejiklian camp and Infrastructure NSW, an agency the new government had set up to advise on where and how to spend money on major projects. [Infrastructure NSWs] Paul Broad and Nick Greiner were very, very fixed on building the road network ... rather than rail, Wielinga says. In mid-2013, the well-regarded public servant retired due to health reasons. Wielinga left behind a tight team spearheaded by the northwest rail link project head Rodd Staples, senior Transport official Carolyn McNally, rail strategy head Gary McGregor and Berejiklians chief of staff Larry McGrath. In the early days, the mega rail extension project was referred to as Sydney Rapid Transit, and for a time within top government circles was known as Crosslink, before it was publicly badged Sydney Metro City and Southwest. The Coalition government took small steps over several years towards revealing it to be a full-blown metro rail system, trying to avoid people drawing parallels with the Keneally governments failed CBD metro rail plans. Advertisement In a sign of the sensitivities, public servants sweated over renders to be released showing how seats would be arranged in the metro trains. The first artists impressions showed rows of seats two abreast separated by an aisle. A later iteration revealed seats set against the side of carriages, while one row of seats faced forward. Eventually, renders revealed the real plans: seating along the sides of the carriages, meaning more passengers would stand. A six-carriage metro train has seating for about 378 people, compared with about 880 on a double-decker train. Rodd Staples was both the key architect of the Metro Northwest line, and its extension from Chatswood, under the harbour to the CBD and Sydenham, and onto Bankstown. Under Labor, he had been responsible for delivering the $5 billion CBD Metro from Central Station to Rozelle a project cancelled in early 2010 by then premier Kristina Keneally at a cost of about $400 million. Rodd had always pushed Metro, and he was always about getting a second network for Sydney, former NSW transport minister Andrew Constance recalls. I used to call him Metro Man. It was very much his baby. Staples traces the genesis of the new train network to 2006 when David Richmond, who played a pivotal role in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, put the idea of a metro system on the table. Labor can be credited with having been the genesis of Metro. What the Liberals were then able to do was convert that into reality and move it forward into delivery, he says. The money Under new premier Mike Baird, the Coalition rolled the dice at the 2015 election, taking a political gamble in selling NSWs poles and wires power assets if it was voted back in. That was the brave call. If that hadnt gone through, and the community hadnt given us the mandate at that 2015 state election, then this project wouldnt be being opened, Constance says. The poles and wires sale, which Labor opposed, delivered a $7 billion down payment to extend the metro line under the harbour. There was no way in the world that we would have this project if that hadnt happened, Constance says. Advertisement The Coalition wants a high-powered probe of whether sympathising with terrorists should be grounds for blocking visas, as it escalates a rare dispute with the nations spy chief over the screening of Palestinian refugees. In a heated day in Canberra that followed Opposition Leader Peter Duttons divisive call for a total ban on migration from Gaza, the opposition bombarded Prime Minister Anthony Albanese with questions about checks done on the 2922 Palestinians given visas since the start of the Israel-Hamas war and accused him of misquoting ASIO boss Mike Burgess by overstating the agencys role in vetting people. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton trades barbs with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in question time on Thursday. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen Labor rejected the attack and turned the tables on Dutton, alleging he had a long history of sowing division on immigration including the time the opposition leader said Melburnians were scared to go out because of African youth gangs. The visa dispute was sparked by weekend comments from Burgess that suggested rhetorical support for Hamas would not, on its own, be enough to block a visa. The return of federal parliament from the winter break should be a time for national leaders to display a burst of new energy after taking at least a little time off from political combat. But there was no sign of that energy this week, and that is a real problem for Anthony Albanese and the government when so many Australians are no longer listening. The prime minister and his frontbench colleagues returned to their rehearsed lines in question time with all the enthusiasm of a school speech night just after parents had received a letter about a lice outbreak. They went through the motions without really connecting with voters about the household pain over the cost of living. They gave Australians no reason to sit up and pay attention. Peter Dutton sparked controversy by calling for a halt on refugees from Gaza. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen Yes, the government promised $3.6 billion to subsidise childcare wages, but this was an incremental spending burst when parents know that childcare is too expensive, too inflexible and needs structural change to deliver a genuine economic gain. The Labor pitch stuck to the usual pattern a policy without boldness, sold without vigour. Australians have emerged from the pandemic into a hard world of rising prices and falling growth. They spent the COVID era watching their political leaders every day to find out what was happening with lockdowns, vaccines, financial aid and virus test kits. Now they dont have to watch their political leaders at all. A fiery racism row erupted in federal parliament after independent MP Zali Steggall told Peter Dutton to stop being racist and dividing the country when the opposition leader continued to accuse Labor of making the country less safe by admitting migrants from Gaza. Dutton dismissed Steggall as a Green with extreme views, but hours later he was hammered in question time by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who gave his strongest rebuke yet of Dutton by accusing him of 20 years of form in making divisive remarks about Lebanese and African migrants to Australia. Zali Steggall accused Peter Dutton of being racist and dividing the country, which the opposition leader said were unparliamentary remarks. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen The opposition leader has faced a backlash over his call on Wednesday to reject Palestinians fleeing war-torn Gaza as potential threats to national security. On Thursday morning, Coalition home affairs spokesman James Paterson clarified that the opposition was calling for a temporary pause on visa applications from Gaza, until it was satisfied there could be proper security checks. As the issue dominated parliament for a second day, Labor insisted the government and ASIO were following the same processes that occurred under the former Coalition government, and accused the opposition of undermining national security agencies. We are visiting my son in Dubai in October. Which country would you recommend where we could travel together for a week? He has suggested either Oman or Turkey. L. Kaye, North Melbourne, Vic With 10 days to spare you could also stay for a few nights in Taormina, even the top hotels such as Villa Carlotta and the Four Seasons San Domenico Palace, where much of The White Lotus was filmed, drop their prices in December. From Taormina you could take a ferry from Milazzo to explore the Aeolian Islands. The islands cultural assets, including churches, galleries and museums, would work in your favour if the weather turns sour. You can fly from London to Catania non-stop in just over three hours, although you might want to base yourselves a little further south, at Syracuse or better still, the tiny island of Ortigia. From here you could make day trips to explore nearby cities including Noto, Ragusa and Modica to the south-west and Taormina and the area around Mount Etna to the north. I need to be in London for a few days before Christmas and want to spend about 10 days in southern Europe. Looking for somewhere relatively warm and, hopefully, sunny over Christmas and New Year. Can you suggest two or three locations? J. Mills, Saigon, Vietnam One possibility is Malta. According to weatherspark you can expect average daily temperatures between 13-18C and almost 10 hours of daylight but some rain. Another good choice could be Sicily, temperatures could be just a couple of degrees cooler than Malta, although slightly drier as well. Cultural depth: Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. Credit: iStock Oman and Turkey are both excellent suggestions. Turkey has more variety and cultural depth and that would be my first choice. Its also easy to get to thanks to Turkish Airlines flights into Australia that offer a one-stop connection to Istanbul, and their ticket prices are keen. In October you can expect mild temperatures in Istanbul, a little warmer along the coast but cooler in Anatolia. However a week is too short to see any more than a couple of places in Turkey. Being more compact, Oman would fit more easily into a one-week itinerary. The other possibility is Egypt, but this, too, is a tight fit on a seven-day schedule. After arriving in Milan in June and visiting a friend at Lake Como, we have 10 days before we need to be in Tuscany for a wedding. After the festivities we have another 10 days before we fly out of Rome. After the wedding, were thinking about Umbria or Sardinia before Rome. Any suggestions for places we shouldnt miss on a relaxed schedule? C. Norwood, Williamstown, Vic You have a generous amount of time and the most obvious route from Lake Como would be via the great cities of Emilia-Romagna. I like Ferrara, a really gorgeous Renaissance city with some wonderful palaces and art galleries. Second choice, Parma, which is more accessible by train and gives you easy access to Modena, Bologna and Piacenza. Youre in one of the gastronomic capitals of the universe, and Parma has the usual northern Italian jaw-dropping assembly of churches and palaces. For accommodation you might try Al Battistero dOro. Your next stop could be Florence, it will be busy but if youve not been before its unmissable, and the same applies to Siena. If you want something different, you could travel west from Milan to Piedmont, a tapestry of rolling hills and vineyards with medieval towns crowning the hilltops. Highlights include Bra, birthplace of the Slow Food movement, and the nearby Barolo wine region, one of Italys most celebrated. Another is Orta San Giulio, a small town on the edge of Lake Orta, and finally the ride on the DomodossolaLocarno railway line, the Vigezzina-Centovalli, one of the worlds great rail journeys. After the wedding, Umbria has some fine medieval hill towns such as Spello, Montefalco and Trevi, and wooded hills where you can hunt for truffles with dogs followed by a lunch of freshly made pasta with grated truffles, a meal you wont forget. There are great cities such as Assisi, Orvieto and Perugia and on the rippling hillsides, olive groves that produce some of Italys finest olive oils. If youre more inclined towards walks through wild countryside and along rugged coastline, Sardinia, and the islands beaches make it a favourite summer holiday destination for Italians. Finance and mortgage brokers will always put the best interests of the customer first because not only are we legally obliged to, but we want to ensure that our customers continue to use and trust our industry. Prince Harry's Unexpected London Appearance Bolsters Coronation Attendance Speculation (Photo: REUTERS) The relationship between Prince Harry and King Charles III has reportedly deteriorated to a "dreadful" state, largely due to ongoing security concerns that the Duke of Sussex has about visiting the United Kingdom. According to royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams, these issues are central to the strained relationship between father and son, with Harry increasingly reluctant to return to the UK unless he is assured of the security measures he believes are necessary for his protection. During a recent episode of The Royal Record podcast, Fitzwilliams discussed the possibility of Prince Harry returning to the UK, particularly in light of the upcoming funeral of his uncle, Lord Fellowes. According to Fitzwilliams, security concerns have been cited as the primary reason for Harry's anticipated absence. "He spoke recently of fearing being attacked whilst he was in the UK, and we know he's not comfortable with the level of security that he's got in the UK," Fitzwilliams noted. The security issue has been a contentious point since 2020, when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped back from their roles as senior working royals. At that time, the couple lost their automatic right to taxpayer-funded police protection, a decision that Harry has vehemently opposed. He has since taken legal action against the UK Home Office, challenging the decision to downgrade his security when visiting the country. Despite his efforts, a High Court ruling dismissed his challenge earlier this year, though Harry has been granted permission to appeal. Fitzwilliams highlighted the irony in Harry's stance on UK security, pointing out that the Duke has visited countries like Nigeria and Colombia, where security concerns are arguably higher. "It appears hypocritical when you look at, say, security in Nigeria, even if it was arranged by the defense minister, or the security in Colombia, even if the vice president is arranging it," Fitzwilliams said. Adding to the complexity of the situation, Fitzwilliams suggested that recent civil unrest in the UK may have intensified Harry's concerns about his safety. "I suspect that his view of security fears will have been heightened by the recent riots here," he remarked. A significant factor in the ongoing rift between Harry and King Charles, according to Fitzwilliams, is Harry's belief that his father has the power to override the decisions made by the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (Ravec), which determines the level of security for members of the royal family. "He believes that King Charles has the power to reinstate their police protection," Fitzwilliams explained. This belief, coupled with Harry's deep-seated fears stemming from the tragic death of his mother, Princess Diana, has only widened the chasm between the two. During his most recent visit to the UK, Harry reportedly declined an offer to stay at Buckingham Palace, choosing instead to stay at a hotel-a decision that Fitzwilliams found puzzling, especially given Harry's concerns about security. "When he was last here, not only did he not see his father, but also reportedly was offered a room in the Palace and chose a hotel," Fitzwilliams said, adding that it underscores the depth of Harry's mistrust and fear. Fitzwilliams also speculated on the potential implications of resolving the security dispute. "It would at least be a gesture so far as the British establishment is concerned if he was given the security that he feels he ought to have," he said. Such a gesture might encourage Harry to visit the UK more frequently and possibly even bring Meghan Markle and their children, though Fitzwilliams acknowledged that Meghan's unpopularity in Britain could complicate matters. Food-tech giant Swiggy, which is gearing up for its IPO, has extended its service fee policy to include gross order value which covers GST and packaging fees for restaurants in non-metro areas, according to a report by The Economic Times. This adjustment will lead to an increased commission for its restaurant partners in these regions. Previously, the service fee, also known as the commission, was calculated based on the net value of restaurants in smaller towns and cities, while those in larger urban areas were already subject to fees on the gross value. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp Starting August 14, Swiggy will charge a service fee on the gross value of each order, as per the merchant terms. This change is being applied uniformly across the platform to all partners, leading to a slight increase in the service fee payable to Swiggy, the company stated in a letter to its restaurant partners. This policy change will affect approximately 1,000 restaurants, according to sources familiar with the situation. Contracts are usually tailored individually, but this latest update will be implemented for around 1,000 partners at this stage, the business-daily quoted a person with knowledge of the matter. A Swiggy spokesperson said the recent communication was intended for a small group of partners based on discussions and is a standard procedure, as different partners have unique commercial agreements according to their needs. Swiggy typically charges commissions ranging from 17-25 per cent from restaurants, while competitor Zomato charges payment gateway fees separately. Standardising commission sparks debate There have been no broad changes to Swiggys commission structure for restaurant partners. They will continue to operate under the existing terms of their agreements, the Swiggy spokesperson was quoted in the report. The move aims to standardise charges on gross value orders across the roughly 350,000 restaurants listed on Swiggys platform. However, the change has sparked a debate since many restaurant partners will be affected. It would be wise to consider sustainable strategies that benefit both restaurants and delivery platforms. Only increasing commissions or discounts to gain market share may not yield long-term results, the business daily quoted an executive from a food services company. Swiggy launches UPI for faster payments Restaurant partners and food delivery platforms typically negotiate individual contracts based on brand value, order volumes, and other metrics. The commission charged by food delivery platforms, such as Swiggy and Zomato, significantly impacts a restaurants income, making it a point of ongoing discussion. On Wednesday, Swiggy introduced its newly integrated Unified Payments Interface (UPI) Plug-in service, powered by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and Juspay. Branded as Swiggy UPI, this feature allows customers to make faster payments directly within the app, reducing transaction time from over 15 seconds to just five seconds. Police have unearthed "bomb-like substances" from at least eight places, including two in Guwahati, after the banned ULFA (I) on Thursday claimed to have planted bombs in 24 locations to trigger serial blasts across Assam on Independence Day, officials said. In an email purportedly from the United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) to media houses, including PTI, the terror outfit asserted that the bombs did not explode due to "technical failure". Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp ULFA said the blasts were scheduled to take place between 6 am and noon on Thursday but after failure in execution, it sought public cooperation for defusing the explosive devices. The banned outfit gave out a list identifying the exact locations of 19 bombs with photographs but could not pinpoint the remaining five spots. The email, which was sent minutes after Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma completed his speech on the occasion of 78th Independence Day, prompted the security forces to send multiple teams to all the places mentioned by ULFA (I) to look for explosives along with bomb disposal squads assisted by other central security forces, including the Army. The entire development has put a big question mark on the efficacy of the intelligence wing as police had no clue on the existence of the bombs until ULFA (I) itself informed about these, despite the entire state being on high alert on the occasion of Independence Day celebrations. As soon as the news broke, it brought back the horror of the 2008 serial bomb blasts into public memory. NDFB's Ranjan Daimary faction had carried out the serial bomb blasts across Assam on October 30, 2008 that claimed the lives of 88 persons and left more than 500 people injured. "Assam Police have carried out extensive searches throughout the state today for explosive devices. At two places in Guwahati, suspicious articles were found which were opened by the Bomb Disposal Squad of Police," DGP G P Singh said in a post on X. These articles did not have an ignition device inside though some circuits and batteries were seen, and the substance inside have been sent for forensic and chemical examination, he added. "Similar articles have been seen at Lakhimpur, Sivasagar, Nalbari & Nagaon which have been safely disposed of. In this connection, appropriate lawful investigation has been initiated," Singh said. Out of the 24 locations, eight are in Guwahati. These include an open field at Last Gate in Dispur, near the official residences of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and other ministers. Another place is Satgaon Road towards Narengi Army Cantonment in Guwahati. Apart from these, Ashram Road near Gandhi Mandap, Panbazar, Jorabat, Bhetapara, Maligaon and Rajgarh in the capital city have also been mentioned as the spots of bombs. Places have been named in Sivasagar, Dibrugarh, Lakhimpur, Nagaon, Nalbari, Tamulpur, Tinsukia and Golaghat districts also where ULFA (I) claimed to have planted bombs. When contacted, a senior officer at Assam Police headquarters told PTI that all the SPs of the districts, especially those mentioned in the list by the anti-peace talk faction of ULFA, have been alerted and asked to carry out a thorough search of the areas. "Bomb disposal squads, metal detectors and sniffer dogs have been dispatched to every location. So far, we have got information of recovery of around eight bags and boxes containing bomb-like substances but none of them carried any triggering devices," he added. Police have so far recovered two packets each from Guwahati, Sivasagar and Lakhimpur, while one each was found in Nagaon and Nalbari, the official said. After the recovery at Ashram Road near Gandhi Mandap and Panbazar in the state capital, Guwahati Police Commissioner Diganta Barah said the two packets contained bomb circuits and some explosive-like materials. "However, no detonating mechanism was present. We have sent the materials to the forensic department to ascertain the nature of the explosives. Nothing was found in the remaining six locations," he told reporters here. Sivasagar Additional Superintendent of Police Moidul Islam said they found two suspected items in two deserted vehicles near the DTO office and ONGC establishment, and kept those covered with bomb blankets. "The bomb disposal squad is coming to examine those. After that we will be confirmed if those are IEDs or not," he added. A senior police official in Lakhimpur said that bomb-like devices were seized from an abandoned truck at Hatilung and at Laluk market in front of the Inspection Bungalow. "The Hatilung device is a complete IED with the detonating device. We have successfully defused it," he added. Similar items were recovered from an old ambulance in Nalbari and one location near Barghat area in Nagaon as well, senior officials said. Police have closed all roads in and around the places mentioned in the mail. Senior police officials rushed to all the places and are monitoring the search operations. While ULFA mentioned the exact locations of 19 bombs, it could not pinpoint two places each in Tinsukia and Golaghat and one in Dibrugarh. World Health Organisation (WHO) director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday declared that the spread of Monkeypox or Mpox in Africa is a global health emergency. The WHO chiefs announcement came a day after the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared the virus a public health emergency in the continent. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp ALSO READ: Mpox vaccines maybe months away even as WHO, Africa CDC discuss emergency So far, Africa has witnessed more than 14,000 cases and 524 deaths due to Mpox virus this year. This figure is a 160 per cent jump compared to last years data and has raised concerns that the spread of the virus might actually spill over to other countries. Currently, 96 percent of all reported cases are from Congo, but the disease has been reported in a total of 13 African countries, according to the Africa CDC. What is Mpox virus: Key symptoms Mpox is part of the same virus family as smallpox but typically causes milder symptoms, such as fever, chills, and body aches. Its more serious symptoms include lesions, sores, ulcers, or other irregularities on the skin. The disease was first detected in 1958 and can spread through close contact with an infected person or animal. Scientists are particularly worried over a new form of Mpox, detected in a Congolese mining town. It has the potential to kill up to 10 per cent of the people and may spread more easily, they said. Why is the new Mpox virus more dangerous? Lesions from the new form of Mpox are primarily found on the genitals. This is a shift from the conventional virus, which affects the chest, hands, and feet. The new symptoms make the virus harder to detect, increasing the risk of spread. According to the WHO, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda reported Mpox for the first time recently. It said that all infections are linked to the Congo epidemic, which is concerning for the world. In 2022, the Mpox outbreak had affected over 70 countries across the world. Gay and bisexual men were found to be the prime target of the infection because of factors including sexual contact. However, this time, the infection pattern has shifted significantly with children under 15 now representing over 70 percent of mpox cases and accounting for 85 percent of deaths in Congo. The CM slammed opposition leaders for taking credit for providing employment while sharing power with him | (Photo: PTI) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday said the NDA government in the state has now fixed a new target of providing 12 lakh government jobs to youths by next year. Soon after hoisting the tricolour at the Gandhi Maidan here, Kumar said, "Bihar is moving ahead with high growth rate and development. It will go ahead with inclusive development in the coming years. Earlier, we had promised to provide 1 million government jobs to our youthsbut now our government has fixed a new target of providing 1.2 mn government jobs to youths before the 2025 assembly polls. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp The state government is working in this direction, the chief minister said. "Under its 'Saat Nischay Part-2' scheme, the state government fixed a target of providing 1 million jobs and creating employment opportunities for 1 million people. The scheme was launched in 2020 around 516,000 people have already been given government jobs under this scheme and a process has been completed for providing 200,000 more government jobs," Kumar said. The state government has also surpassed its target of creating employment opportunities for 1 million people, with more than 2.4 mn opportunities already established, said the CM. By next year, 1 million more employment opportunities will be created, he said. The CM slammed opposition leaders (without taking any name) for taking credit for providing employment while sharing power with him. He said, "Nowadays some people keep making statements that no recruitment used to take place and they had started doing recruitment. But I want to tell you that it was my initiative to give 1 million jobs and we are working on it". Further on the special package recently announced by the Centre for Bihar, Kumar said, "I have continuously spoken about special category status or special package for Bihar. Now the Central government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a special package for Bihar for several developmental and infrastructure projects in sectors like road construction, industries, health, tourism etc. We are thankful to Modi Ji for this special package announced for Bihar." On the law and order situation in the state, Kumar said his government would prefer the path of development and also ensure that the rule of law continues to prevail in each and every part of the state. "We work to maintain mutual love and harmony among people of different communities and social groups, without any prejudice, to take the state forward on the path of development. Rule of law prevails in the statethis is the top priority of the government. To improve law and order strength of (police) force has been increased. Now the strength of Bihar police will be increased by 227,000", said the CM. On Thursday, Indias 78th Independence Day, Sunita Kejriwal, wife of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, expressed her sadness as the national flag was not displayed at their home due to Arvind Kejriwals imprisonment. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Sunita Kejriwal said, Today the tricolour was not hoisted at the CM residence. It is very sad. This dictatorship can keep an elected chief minister in jail, but how can it stop the patriotism in the heart... Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp CM , https://t.co/h9TMWuy7qZ August 15, 2024 AAP minister Atishi also voiced her anguish on the day, drawing a parallel between past struggles for freedom and the current situation. Atishi compared the historical fight for freedom with todays circumstances. In a post on X, she said, Today is Independence Day, when India got freedom from the British dictatorship in 1947. Hundreds of freedom fighters faced lathicharge, went to jail and sacrificed their lives to get us this freedom. They would not have even imagined in their dreams that one day, in independent India, an elected chief minister would be framed in a false case and kept in jail for months... She further said, Let us pledge on this Independence Day that we will continue to fight against dictatorship till our last breath. Excise policy scam Delhi CM Kejriwal, currently lodged in Tihar Jail due to a money laundering investigation related to the excise policy, was taken into custody by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21. Later, in June, he was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) while still in prison. Although Kejriwal was granted bail in the ED case, the Supreme Court denied him bail in the CBI case. A bench, led by Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, stated, We are not granting any interim bail. We issue a notice. The court has issued a notice to the CBI, allowing the central agency until August 23 to respond to Delhi CM Kejriwals petition. On August 13, the Calcutta High Court ordered the immediate transfer of the probe from Kolkata Police to the CBI. | File photo The Jadavpur University Teachers' Association has called for a day-long cease-work on Friday to protest the vandalism at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. In a statement, the association denounced any attempts to conceal evidence related to the rape-murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor and demanded justice for the victim's family. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp "We also demand a high-level impartial probe into alleged attacks on nursing students and medics by miscreants on the intervening night of August 14-15," JUTA general secretary Partha Pratim Roy told PTI on Thursday. To emphasise these demands, JUTA will observe a full day cease-work on August 16, alongside a sit-in from 1 pm to 3 pm at the administrative building, Aurobindo Bhavan. Coincidentally, SUCI (Communists) has also called for a 12-hour general strike in the state on the same day, addressing the same issue. Nurses protested on Thursday morning against the vandalism at the state-run hospital in Kolkata, hours after unidentified miscreants ransacked a part of the medical establishment where a woman doctor was found dead last week. The emergency ward, nursing station, medicine store, and parts of the outpatients department of the hospital was vandalised by miscreants amid midnight protests by women across the state, condemning the alleged rape-murder of the doctor in the hospital's seminar hall on August 9. A civic volunteer was arrested the following day in connection with the crime. On August 13, the Calcutta High Court ordered the immediate transfer of the probe from Kolkata Police to the CBI. Uttar Pradesh, which clocked 480 million tourists in 2023, more than any other state and an increase of 50 per cent over 2022, hopes to increase this number to 800 million by 2028. The recipe for this increase includes a gastronomical ingredient. The Yogi Adityanath government in the state is looking to curate a network of 1,001 dhabas (small local eateries) dotting the states major national and state highways. The state tourism department has already identified the dhabas for revamp. A process of registration will start soon for providing them with 25 to 30 per cent subsidy In 2023, the country exported these medicines worth $ 9 billion as against 7.33 billion in 2022. | Representational Image With the government focusing on boosting domestic manufacturing of pharmaceutical products, India's medicine and antibiotics exports have started gaining significant market share in the US. According to the commerce ministry data, India is the third largest import source of 'medicine put up for retail sale' for the US. The top two are Ireland and Switzerland. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp In 2023, the country exported these medicines worth $ 9 billion as against 7.33 billion in 2022. With this increase in the shipments, India's share went up to 13.1 per cent in 2023 from 10.08 per cent in 2022. Share of the top exporter Ireland fell to 13.85 per cent in 2023 from 17.18 per cent in 2022 because its sales in the US went down to $ 9.5 billion in 2023 from $ 12.5 billion in 2022. The second biggest exporter Switzerland also saw its share decline to 13.7 per cent last year from 17.4 per cent in 2022. Similarly, India has increased its share among exporters of antibiotics in the Italian market. It is ranked 10th in that market by increasing its share to 2.12 per cent in 2023 from 0.96 per cent in 2022. In value terms, the country's antibiotics exports to Italy stood at $ 23.34 million in 2023 as against $ 11.48 million in 2022. Further the data showed that India's competitiveness is growing in the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) apparatus market of Germany. In 2023, the country made a small gain by increasing its export share in Germany to 1.7 per cent from 0.45 per cent in 2022. In value terms, India exported theseI machines worth $ 13.02 million last year as against $ 2.93 million in 2022. India is the sixth largest exporter ofI apparatus, whereas the UK is the leader with exports of $ 460 million. "Penetrating the EU market is difficult and it is important that we have a base coming in. These reflect some efforts which are being put in terms of monitoring various markets and various commodities to see where growth can be pushed," an official said. Pharma and medical devices manufacturing is the priority area for the government and these two sectors were the first ones to get a Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. In his Independence Day speech on Thursday, August 15, Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised nepotism and casteism, highlighting their harmful effects on society and politics. He emphasised the need to eliminate caste-based and dynastic politics and unveiled a plan to introduce one lakh youth from non-political backgrounds into the political sphere. We must free Indias political landscape from caste-based and dynastic influences. We aim to bring forward one lakh youth from families without political ties. They may join any party, but this fresh infusion will strengthen India's democracy, PM Modi remarked. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp During his address on Indias 78th Independence Day, Modi said this initiative is designed to combat the issues of nepotism and casteism while bringing new energy into Indian politics. Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition and a Congress member, who often faces criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party over nepotism in Indian politics, was also present at the event. I want to start by bringing one lakh individuals whose families have not been involved in Indian politics for generations, whether it be in Gram Panchayats, Zilla Parishads, Nagar Palikas, Legislative Assemblies, or the Lok Sabha. We need fresh faces in Indian politics to eliminate casteism and nepotism, Modi asserted from the stage. They are free to join any political party and serve as representatives of the people, Modi added. This will bring about a new wave of thought and prosperity in India's democracy, Modi concluded. This years celebration marks the 11th occasion that PM Modi has addressed the nation from the Red Fort on Independence Day, making him the third Prime Minister, after Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, to reach this milestone. The theme for this years Independence Day is Viksit Bharat @ 2047, which aligns with the Governments vision to transform India into a developed nation by 2047. Longest speech by PM Modi PM Modi delivered his longest Independence Day speech on Thursday, lasting 98 minutes from the Red Fort. Modis speeches generally average around 82 minutes, surpassing the duration of those by previous prime ministers. Jawaharlal Nehru and IK Gujral previously held the records for the longest speeches at 72 and 71 minutes, respectively. Interestingly, Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi also gave the shortest speeches on record, at 14 minutes in 1954 and 1966. Laying down the path for Viksit Bharat In his speech, PM Modi mentioned that the path to Viksit Bharat has been charted out with input from citizens across various sectors. Among the suggestions he received were ideas to make India a hub for skills, education, media, and self-reliance. He also mentioned that citizens expressed a desire for India to become a leading food exporter, support small-scale farmers, undertake governance and justice reforms, develop greenfield cities, establish an Indian space station, and promote traditional medicine and wellness. Modi emphasised that the collective goal is to elevate India to the position of the worlds third-largest economy soon. Chinese medical team expands traditional Chinese medicine awareness in Namibian schools Xinhua) 10:18, August 15, 2024 A local teacher (front) experiences acupuncture therapy during a lecture given by members of the 15th Chinese medical team at a private school in Windhoek, Namibia, Aug. 14, 2024. The 15th Chinese medical team to Namibia on Wednesday continued to promote traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), with the introduction of acupuncture to learners and staff members at Amazing Kids Private School in the Namibian capital of Windhoek. (Xinhua/Chen Cheng) WINDHOEK, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- The 15th Chinese medical team to Namibia on Wednesday continued to promote traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), with the introduction of acupuncture to learners and staff members at Amazing Kids Private School in the Namibian capital of Windhoek. Li Bangwei, the head of the 15th Chinese medical team, held an engaging lecture detailing acupuncture, a technique involving the insertion of needles at specific points on the body to promote healing. The presentation covered the history of acupuncture, its various uses, and the specific points targeted during treatment. Acupuncture, which has been practiced in China for more than 2,000 years, aims to stimulate the body's natural healing process, said Li. The lecture was supported by a video from Richard Kamwi, Namibia's former minister of health and social services who has extensive interactions with the Chinese people as well as the country itself. In the video, Kamwi discussed the benefits of acupuncture and urged the attendees to consider it a viable alternative for maintaining health. Meanwhile, the lecture extended to a more hands-on approach, as the participants experienced the practice personally. Jon Vreis, a staff member at the school who undertook an acupuncture session during the lecture, said in an interview with Xinhua that he found the therapy very intriguing. "The explanations given to me are very thoughtful. Doctor Li explained very well what the uses of acupuncture are. I'm very fearful of needles and I never thought I'd have this experience, but I decided to challenge myself," he said. He said the acupuncture was not as painful as he had expected. As the session went on, he found it very relaxing. He plans to revisit the medical team soon because he has been dealing with health issues since COVID-19 and the acupuncture has already made a difference. Other participants in the lecture also joined the session, believing that consistently being acupunctured would yield desirable health results. Acupuncture is currently one of the several traditional Chinese therapy techniques practiced in Namibia, with a bulk of sessions conducted at the TCM Clinic located at the Katutura State Hospital in Windhoek. So far, China has dispatched a total of 15 medical teams to Namibia since 1996. The teams have been committed to assisting the health sector in Namibia while maintaining a friendship between the two countries. Li Bangwei (R), the head of the 15th Chinese medical team, indicates specific points targeted during acupuncture treatment to students during a lecture at a private school in Windhoek, Namibia, Aug. 14, 2024. The 15th Chinese medical team to Namibia on Wednesday continued to promote traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), with the introduction of acupuncture to learners and staff members at Amazing Kids Private School in the Namibian capital of Windhoek. (Xinhua/Chen Cheng) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) The World Health Organization has declared that the increasing spread of mpox in Africa is a global health emergency, warning the virus might ultimately spill across international borders. The announcement by WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus came after a meeting of the UN health agency's emergency committee. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared mpox a public health emergency on the continent on Tuesday. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp WHO on Wednesday said there have been more than 14,000 cases and 524 deaths in Africa this year, which already exceed last year's figures. So far, more than 96% of all cases and deaths are in a single country -- Congo. Scientists are concerned by the spread of a new version of the disease there that might be more easily transmitted among people. Here's a look at what we know about mpox, and what might be done to contain it: What is mpox? Mpox, also known as monkeypox, was first identified by scientists in 1958 when there were outbreaks of a pox-like disease in monkeys. Until recently, most human cases were seen in people in central and West Africa who had close contact with infected animals. In 2022, the virus was confirmed to spread via sex for the first time and triggered outbreaks in more than 70 countries across the world that had not previously reported mpox. Mpox belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox but causes milder symptoms like fever, chills and body aches. People with more serious cases can develop lesions on the face, hands, chest and genitals. What's happening in Africa that's causing all this concern? The number of cases has jumped dramatically. Last week, the Africa CDC reported that mpox has now been detected in at least 13 African countries. Compared with the same period last year, the agency said cases are up 160% and deaths have increased by 19%. Earlier this year, scientists reported the emergence of a new form of mpox in a Congolese mining town that can kill up to 10% of people and may spread more easily. Unlike in previous mpox outbreaks, where lesions were mostly seen on the chest, hands and feet, the new form of mpox causes milder symptoms and lesions on the genitals. That makes it harder to spot, meaning people might also sicken others without knowing they're infected. WHO said mpox was recently identified for the first time in four East African countries: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. All of those outbreaks were linked to the epidemic in Congo. Tedros said there was concern for the further spread of the disease within Africa and beyond. In the Ivory Coast and South Africa, health authorities have reported outbreaks of a different and less dangerous version of mpox that spread worldwide in 2022. What does an emergency declaration mean? WHO's emergency declaration is meant to spur donor agencies and countries into action. But the global response to previous declarations has been mixed. Africa CDC Director General Dr Jean Kaseya said the agency's declaration of a public health emergency was meant to mobilize our institutions, our collective will and our resources to act swiftly and decisively. He appealed to Africa's international partners for help, saying that the escalating caseload in Africa had largely been ignored. It's clear that current control strategies aren't working and there is a clear need for more resources, said Michael Marks, a professor of medicine at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. If a (global emergency declaration) is the mechanism to unlock these things, then it is warranted, he said. What's different about the current outbreak in Africa compared to the 2022 epidemic? During the global outbreak of mpox in 2022, gay and bisexual men made up the vast majority of cases and the virus was mostly spread through close contact, including sex. Although some similar patterns have been seen in Africa, children under 15 now account for more than 70% of the mpox cases and 85% of deaths in Congo. Ahead of its emergency meeting, Tedros said officials were dealing with several mpox outbreaks in various countries with different modes of transmission and different levels of risk. Stopping these outbreaks will require a tailored and comprehensive response, he said. Greg Ramm, Save the Children's Congo director, said the organisation was particularly worried about the spread of mpox in the crowded camps for refugees in the east, noting there were 345,000 children crammed into tents in unsanitary conditions. He said the country's health system was already collapsing under the strain of malnutrition, measles and cholera. Dr Boghuma Titanji, an infectious diseases expert at Emory University, said it was unclear why children were so disproportionately hit by mpox in Congo. She said it might be because kids are more susceptible to the virus or that social factors, like overcrowding and exposure to parents who caught the disease, might explain it. How might mpox be stopped? The 2022 outbreak of mpox in dozens of countries was largely shut down with the use of vaccines and treatments in rich countries, in addition to convincing people to avoid risky behaviour. But barely any vaccines or treatments have been available in Africa. Marks, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said that immunisation would likely help -- including inoculating people against smallpox, a related virus. We need a large supply of vaccine so that we can vaccinate populations most at risk, he said, adding that would mean sex workers, children and adults living in outbreak regions. Congo has said it's in talks with donors about possible vaccine donations and has gotten some financial aid from Britain and the US. WHO had already released $1.45 million from its emergency fund to support the response to mpox in Africa, but said it needs an initial $15 million to fund that response. Terming the strikes by Ukraine as 'terrorist attacks', Zakharova called on international organisations to condemn these acts | (Photo: Shutterstock) Moscow has accused Kyiv of carrying out barbarous attacks devoid of military purpose to 'terrorise' Russian civilians, after the Ukrainian forces made advancements in southern Russia recently. The Russian Foreign Ministry, in its recent claim, has said that Ukrainian strike on Kursk on August 11 hit a residential building, which injured 13 civilians, two of whom are in serious condition. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp "The Kyiv regime continues to carry out its terrorist attacks with the single goal to terrorise the Russian civilians. While being perfectly aware that these barbarous attacks are devoid of any military purpose, it continues to work off the loans provided by its masters," the official spokeswoman of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said at a briefing on Wednesday (local time). "On the night of August 11, the Armed Forces of Ukraine launched a massive strike on Kursk, with tactical Tochka-U missiles fired at the city. Most of them were destroyed by air defence systems. However, one of them hit a residential multi-story building, resulting in 13 civilians injured, including two that are now in serious condition," she added. She said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine have also carried out a massive attack on several Russian regions of Belgorod and Voronezh using UAVs in the last 24 hours. "Once again, Shebekino in the Belgorod Region came under attack that left five people injured. Last night, a civilian was killed and 16 others injured during Ukraine's attacks on the DPR. It was reported that a total of 21 Ukrainian UAVs were destroyed by air defence systems over four regions of Russia. It is apparent that Ukraine's missile and UAV attacks on Russian regions are clearly of terrorist nature," Zakharova said, according to the readout of the briefing released by the Russian Foreign Ministry. "We strongly condemn these barbaric terrorist acts aimed at destroying civilian infrastructure, and killing and intimidating civilians," Zakharova added. Terming the strikes by Ukraine as 'terrorist attacks', Zakharova called on international organisations to condemn these acts. "We have no doubt that those who organised and perpetrated these crimes, including their foreign sponsors, will be held to account. A tough response from the Russian Armed Forces will not take long in coming. Once again, we call on international organisations to condemn the terrorist attacks by Ukrainian militants, although we are sure that relevant structures' shameful silence will come in response," Zakharova said. Ukraine says its forces are pressing farther into Russia's Kursk area, a week after launching a cross-border operation in which Kyiv claims to have captured enemy soldiers and destroyed a Russian fighter plane, CNN reported. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday that his soldiers have advanced 1 to 2 kilometres in Russia's southern Kursk. Since the beginning of its surprise onslaught, Kyiv has claimed possession of approximately 1,000 square kilometres (386 square miles) of Russian territory. Meanwhile, the Russian border region of Belgorod declared an emergency on Wednesday after new attacks by Ukrainian forces, reported CNN. "The situation in the Belgorod region continues to be extremely difficult and tense," Belgorod Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said in a video message posted on his Telegram account on Wednesday. Amid the ongoing tensions in the region, the Indian Embassy in Russia on Wednesday issued an advisory for Indian nationals in some regions of Russia, asking them to temporarily relocate outside Bryansk, Belgorod and Kursk regions. The advisory stated that due to security concerns in the Bryansk, Belgorod and Kursk regions, all Indian nationals must temporarily relocate outside these regions. A COMMUNITY came together in their droves last week to support one of their own as tractors revved, hair was lost and everyone dug deep to support local man Tom Eustace. The event, Toms Tractor Run to Recover, was held to support Tom from Castlemore, who continues to recover following a significant fall earlier this year while attending a wedding in Rome. The fundraising event was held jointly by Tullow Rugby Club and The Fighting Cocks GFC, clubs where Tom is a very popular member. Kaitlin ORiordan and Hazel McDermott at Tom's Tractor Run to Recovery at the Blackgates, Tullow The atmosphere was absolutely electric. The crowds came in the afternoon and stayed all night it was fantastic, enthused Robin Johnson from Tullow Rugby Club. The clubs were also delighted to welcome Toms family to the event, with Toms family members participating in the tractor run and his parents Michael and Maria waving off up to 300 vehicles that took part. Susan and Jason Hegarty with their children James, Mia and Grace The tractor run set off from the Blackgates at 3pm and such were the numbers taking part that the first vehicles were back at the grounds as the final starters were setting off. The tractor run was followed by a mini-truck run for the day's youngest participants. This was followed by a delicious barbecue, with more than 300 burgers served up, and then music by Brian Kennedy of Christys Shadow. Next up was the auction, with lots of terrific items going under the hammer, with Micheal Doyle and Eric Driver taking charge and getting top dollar for lots of great items. The auction was also available online, with bids coming in from all over the country and beyond. Ella and Paddy Hosey enjoying the tractor run Stefan Doyle of X Factor Romania fame then entertained the masses, followed by a head shave, with lots of lads bravely stepping up to face the shears. We're delighted with how everything went and the great crowd we had all day, said Robin. Tom's family have expressed their gratitude for all the support. "It means the world to us to see everyone coming together to help Tom on his road to recovery. SCHOOL costs, SUSI grants and solar farms were among the issues discussed with taoiseach Simon Harris on his recent visit to Carlow. The taoiseach was in town to help kick-start the general election campaign of Clonegal woman Catherine Callaghan, who made history recently by becoming the first female Fine Gael candidate in this constituency. Among the topics discussed were the return-to-school costs faced by parents. Catherine said one mother she spoke to had spent 400 on uniforms and 850 on electronic devices for just one secondary school student. The taoiseach pledged to look at these aspects of the education system. While free school books have been provided to primary and junior cycle students, many parents across the county are still feeling the financial strain from other expenses. I am committed to working with an taoiseach to ensure that these families receive the necessary relief, she told The Nationalist. I am also calling on government to increase income threshold levels for SUSI grant applications, she said. In relation to a proposed solar farm in the Killerig area, Catherine said: I have requested an update from the relevant government department in relation to the Land Use Review Phase 2 and I shall be sharing the information I receive in due course. Gordon Deegan The 365m Center Parcs holiday resort in Co Longford has this year recorded average weekly revenues of 1.85m as operating profits increased by nine per cent to 29.4m. In another record year for the business, new accounts filed by Center Parcs Ireland Ltd show that revenues at the Co Longford resort rose by 10.6 per cent from 87.4m to 96.7m in the 12 months to the end of April 18th this year. Pre-tax profits declined by 51 per cent from 19.8m to 9.7m due mainly to net finance expenses increasing by 170 per cent from 7.2m to 19.5m this year. The Center Parcs Irish business achieved the increase in revenues and operating profits on the back of occupancy rates of 98.7pc. The occupancy rate compares to an average occupancy rate of 97 per cent across the six village resort strong Center Parcs UK and Ireland group. The Irish business over the 12 months paid out dividends of 152.7m and the high dividend payout was made possible by the firms balance sheet receiving an equity injection of 101m during the year. Next month, construction work is due to commence on a 100m expansion of the village at Co Longford with the addition of 198 lodges and luxury treehouses, which will increase the resorts capacity to around 3,500 guests. The stellar performance by the Irish business helped the Center Parcs UK and Ireland group to its best ever Earnings Before Tax Depreciation and Amortisation (EBITDA) performance of 310.5m in its 37-year history. The accounts for the Irish business show that its adjusted EBITDA was 38.8m this year compared to 34.8m last year. Center Parcs opened its first forest resort in the UK in 1987 and only opened Center Parcs Longford in 2019. The UK and Irish business achieved combined revenues of 704m this year on the back of 2.3m guests and Longford Center Parcs contributed 12 per cent of group revenues. The best performing Center Parcs was its Sherwood Forest operation, which recorded revenues of 129.2m based on its 4,806 capacity, which compares to Longfords guest capacity of 2,736. A statement attached to the group accounts states that the group has traded exceptionally well, delivering another year of record profits. The accounts for the Irish operation show that a change in accounting policy resulted in a 115.4m revaluation gain for the firm which resulted in property, plant and equipment having a net book value of 365.8m at the end of April 18th 2024. The directors report shows that operating profits increased as the Irish firms RevPAL (Rent per available lodge night) increased from 275.55 last year to 298.80 this year. The company recorded a post-tax profit of 9.1m after incurring a corporation charge of 600,000. Numbers employed at the Longford Village resort this year increased by 68 from 1,233 to 1,301 as staff costs increased by 12 per cent from 24.9m to 27.9m. The operating profit of 27m this year takes account of non-cash depreciation costs of 7.9m. The company had accumulated profits of 69.4m at the end of April 18th this year. The firms cash funds decreased from 50.9m to 11.9m this year. Last year, Canadian owners of the Center Parcs resorts in Ireland and the UK, private equity group, Brookfield, unsuccessfully tried to sell off the business. By Cillian Sherlock, PA Population growth is having big consequences on new spending measures in the Budget, the Minister for Public Expenditure said. Budget 2025 is to include a 6.9 billion spending package. Of this, 5.1 billion will cover the costs of meeting existing levels of service requirements in 2025 and decisions have already been taken around public pay and funding the National Development Plan. It leaves 1.8 billion for new current expenditure measures, with minister Paschal Donohoe identifying the growing population as the big pressure on finalising the budget. Asked where pinch points across departments in the next Budget would be, Mr Donohoe said: We have a population which continues to grow which is a really good and a really, really important thing but it does mean that the cost of maintaining the same quality of public services is going up year after year. The clearest example of where we are experiencing that at the moment is with regard to our health services, where while the outcomes that they are delivering are, I believe, improving for for many but still need to improve for more we are simply seeing more and more people turning up in our emergency departments in our big hospitals in bigger numbers than we have seen before. Speaking to reporters in Dublin on Thursday, he said: That is an example of the demographic change, that we have always thought about happening in the medium term, is now happening. That has big consequences for our budgets and for the money that is available for new measures. Vivienne Clarke Sinn Feins mental health spokesperson Mark Ward has called for the Mental Health Act to be reformed. Speaking on RTE radios Morning Ireland in advance of the launch of the partys mental health policy, Mr Ward said statutory powers should be given to the Mental Health Commission to regulate Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs). The Mental Health Commission have given a fantastic report that highlighted all the 49 recommendations, but they haven't got the statutory powers to go in and make the changes that are needed. What we would do is we would give them the statutory powers. Mr Ward said that from his background working in addiction and mental health services, he knew that people need the right care, at the right place at the right time". At the moment too many people were falling through the cracks because of the shortage of services, he added. Mr Ward said he had conducted extensive interviews with the various stakeholders and had consulted with international experts. I met with people with lived experiences, and I've met with the community and voluntary sector, and they've given me the information that I presented in this document that is needed to transform how child and youth mental health services are delivered in this country. There had been many reports into Camhs which had highlighted governance issues, in relation to children being given the wrong medication and not being monitored. Children falling off the cliff edge at the age of 18 with no continuity of care when they transfer from adolescent mental health services to adult mental health services is another issue, he said. What we want to have is proper workforce training in place, which we haven't got at the moment. If you want to recruit people, you have to have the people to recruit. So we need to start increasing the amount of trainees in the healthcare sector by 20 percent. "And we have a commitment there of 20 percent in year one. We will incrementally increase that over time in government. And that will enable people to work in the health sector. The funding that will be required to implement the Sinn Fein mental health policy will be 250 million for year one, he said. With additional costs year-on-year after that. This figure was part of Sinn Feins alternative Budget which will be presented in the coming weeks, he said. The proposed funding of 250 million would transform how mental health services are delivered across the country. The plan was that no matter what door a person knocked on for addiction or mental health services, they would get help, he added. James Cox Students looking for rental accommodation have been urged to be wary of scams ahead of the new academic year. National housing charity Threshold has partnered with the Irish Council for International Students (ICOS) and the Union of Students Ireland (USI) as part of its annual Scamwatch campaign to raise awareness around ever-more elaborate fraudulent scams. The joint 2024 campaign is calling on students to carry out some thorough checks before paying deposits for private rental accommodation, amid growing warnings of scams from gardai, as a new academic year commences in the coming weeks. Threshold is urging incoming students to reach out if they come across a suspicious advert as they look for a home, in a competitive rental market, for the upcoming academic year. Over 250,000 students are expected to return to college this year, with over 100,000 living in the private rental market, as previously indicated by 2023 figures. However, the limited supply - or prohibitive cost - of purpose-built student accommodation means many students must look elsewhere for available properties, and this can result in some falling victim to sophisticated scams. Commenting on this issue, Thresholds campaigns officer Cat Clark said: With so many students entering the rental market for the first time this September, we are urging those who come across suspicious adverts to reach out to Threshold so that our team can provide support, and potentially prevent many students and other renters falling victim to scams." International students are particularly vulnerable ICOS promote the rights and welfare of international students who choose Ireland as a study destination. Laura Harmon, executive director, said the organisation is regularly contacted by international students seeking information and advice, and in many cases, English is not their first language. Due to this language barrier, our research has found that more than one in four international students use group chats and social media pages to find accommodation, where scams are particularly prevalent and as a result, are more likely to fall victim to an accommodation scam. We carried out a survey with 819 participants late last year that found 13 per cent of these had been the victim of an accommodation scam, but only 11 per cent of this cohort reported the crime to authorities. We would urge students who are coming to Ireland for the first time to contact Threshold for support if they are unsure about a property. Shortages and high accommodation cost making students an easy target USI vice president for welfare Niamh Doherty said this can be a really difficult time for students who dont yet have a room for the new academic year. We know it can be especially hard for first years and international students, who dont have as much time to get their accommodation sorted. It is even harder when there is such a shortage of accommodation, and everything is so expensive. Students can get desperate, and it can be really easy to fall victim to scams, so we hope this campaign can guide them on what to look out for and how to spot a scam if they encounter one. USI advises everyone looking for student accommodation to look at the dedicated Threshold webpage and to reach out to USI or your local Students Union, if you need help or support on this or any issue. Case Study Daniel (name changed) contacted Threshold regarding a possible scam while attempting to secure a room in a property he had seen advertised online. He dealt with a management company via email, who requested a large holding deposit. The agent requested full bank card details for deposit payment, including the CVC number. Daniel became suspicious, having never had an agent or landlord request a holding deposit before even viewing the property. National housing charity Threshold has partnered with the Irish Council for International Students (ICOS) and the Union of Students Ireland (USI) as part of its annual Scamwatch campaign. He got in touch with a Threshold advisor to ask for guidance. Meanwhile, he told the agent he wouldnt pay, but that he was still interested in the property. They then invited him to a viewing which he attended alongside many others. Emails from the company appeared legitimate, including the tenancy agreement that was sent to Daniel, however the physical address of the company which was provided to him - did not match that registered online. The company website provided no information and was empty of content. Additionally, company bank details were provided but the agent would not disclose the named person on the bank account. Based on these suspicions and after speaking to Threshold, Daniel decided not to pursue the property. Threshold advised him to report the advert to Daft.ie and to the gardai. Andrew Clinton, Threshold advisor, said there are several checks that the charity can do to see if the property is a valid one. We can check if it is currently tenanted by searching the Residential Tenancies Board register of tenancies as well as make an assessment based on the details a student provides, if they contact us. We can advise them on what further information is required to check legitimacy and if this is not forthcoming, there is usually an untoward reason for that. Thresholds helpline is open Monday to Friday, 9am- 9pm at 1800 454 454, with webchat at www.threshold.ie/get-help/ for any renter in need of advice or support. Also see the dedicated student Scamwatch page at https://threshold.ie/advocacy-campaign/scamwatch/ For information and advice for students moving to Ireland to study, visit www.internationalstudents.ie/info-and-advice, or contact ICOS at +353 1 660 5233. For student support and advice, visit www.usi.ie,or contact the USI at (01) 7099 300. Chattanooga State Community College on Tuesday announced its Deans List for the Summer 2024 semester. The list is made up of 80 students, including two from Catoosa County, four from Bradley County, six from Marion County, and 34 from Hamilton County. Students can earn Deans List recognition by completing 12 or more academic hours in a semester and maintaining a grade point average of at least 3.5. The Deans List is calculated at the end of the semester and cannot be updated later to reflect grade changes, such as the removal of incomplete classes. "A students place on the Deans List is a recognition of his or her commitment to academic excellence. Congratulations to these outstanding students," officials said. Catoosa Abbey Danielle McDowell Cain Alexander Wooten Bradley Shannon Marie Boyer Jessica Marette Creighton Terri Lynn Lindon Chelsie Luann Summars Marion Cortney Michelle Atwell Rachel Sue Borresen Taylor Criss Crystal D Lyda Thomas V Pipia Walter Lewis Tucker Hamilton Paul Allen Brianna N Bankston Nichollas G Bellot James Blevins William Brown Danielle Y Cafferty Kiely Rae Dowell Preston K Driver Lucas Alvin Estevez Casey Lynn Flemings Kyle Gambarrotti Ashley Michaela Ann Gilbert Veronica D Hayes Brittany Simone Herman Marli Lael Herron Joshua A Hood Ashlynn Jean Ireland Kera Lea Jackson Asha Camille Lee Isaac Stephen Linville Joel Linville Nathan J Lockhart Austin T Mays Megan Elizabeth Moser Mace D Murphy Waterlily Meliana Na'a Muhammad Abdullah Naveed Seth Wade Patton John Grant Reid Tara Jade Schoonmaker Brittany Nicole Schult Cassidy Morgan Simms Abigail Michele Willerson Tyler Ryan Woulfe It is essential to treat teachers as professionals as they help students think critically and develop a love for learning. The focus should be on elevating teachers' voices and judgment and allowing them to create a rich and fulfilling learning experience for their students. We have made education too standardized and diminished the role of educators in the process. Educators need room for creativity or variation to connect with students and respond to their unique needs. A teacher and education blogger from Georgia, Vicki Davis, wrote: In our rush to make teachers accountable, we have made them accountable for the wrong things. We are pushing them to turn kids into memorizing automatons who remember a lot of facts only to forget them right after the test. It is essential to recognize that children are not widgets, so education reforms aimed at making better widgets are (not surprisingly) a failure. Teachers are not widgets either. Teachers are more than just content deliverers; they are facilitators of learning who can inspire and engage students. When confined by inflexible curricula, their expertise may be underutilized, leading to a lack of enthusiasm in the classroom. It's crucial to understand that education is a dynamic process that requires adaptability. With freedom, educators are fully capable of meeting the diverse needs of their students. The challenges surrounding school curricula highlight a significant gap between the materials provided and the actual needs of teachers and students. A curriculum that doesn't allow for personalization can result in a one-size-fits-all approach that overlooks individual learning styles and cultural contexts, thereby failing to meet the unique needs of each student. Many educators feel that off-the-shelf materials often lack relevance and inclusivity, essential for engaging a diverse student body. When curricula are designed without input from those directly involved in the classroom, they may not resonate with students' experiences and perspectives. Additionally, the importance of professional development cannot be overstated. It is a crucial support system for teachers, helping them modify the materials to fit their classrooms. Without adequate training and support, the profession will not grow continuously. Curriculum developers and educators should collaborate more strongly to address these issues. Involving teachers in the development process ensures that materials are practical and user-friendly. This collaborative approach values educators' expertise and empowers them to improve the curriculum. Additionally, providing ongoing professional development would enable teachers to use curricula more effectively, benefiting student learning outcomes. The design and implementation of curricula can vary significantly based on various factors, including state standards and district policies, but rarely individual teacher preferences. A well-structured curriculum should align with state standards and provide a clear roadmap for educators to follow. This alignment is crucial for ensuring students obtain the necessary knowledge and skills for their specific grade level and subject area, but educators also need some flexibility. However, the variability in how curricula are rolled out and utilized can lead to inconsistencies in educational quality. In some districts, a robust support system may include training and resources to help teachers effectively implement the curriculum. In others, teachers might be left to navigate the materials independently, potentially resulting in a disjointed educational experience for students. Moreover, the flexibility of a curriculum is crucial. It should allow teachers to adapt lessons to meet the needs of their classrooms, considering factors like varying learning styles, cultural backgrounds, and individual student experiences. Teachers empowered to modify the curriculum can create a more engaging and relevant learning environment for students. Amazing in arguing for universal vouchers and pushing differentiation in education, Governor Lee wants even more standardization in public education. A successful curriculum should meet state standards and resonate with teachers and students, fostering an inclusive and practical educational experience. We must strive for excellence in curriculum design and implementation while allowing educators the freedom to use their expertise to do whats best for their students. Tennessee urgently needs to reduce its reliance on out-of-state organizations, contractors, and bureaucrats to restore teacher and parent autonomy. Empowering teachers to innovate and adapt is crucial for a more effective educational environment. This involves guiding without being overly prescriptive and supporting collaboration and creativity. Valuing teachers as professionals improves the educational experience for both educators and students. Let's amplify the teacher's voice in education! JC Bowman Executive Director of Professional Educators of Tennessee Mikel & Hamill announced that Donna Mikel has been selected as one of the 2025 Lawyer of the Year award recipients in the 31st edition of The Best Lawyers in America. She has received this accolade due to extremely high peer voter feedback regarding her work in the categories of Employment Law - Individuals and for Litigation - Labor and Employment in Chattanooga. Only a single lawyer in each practice area and community is honored with an award of Lawyer of the Year. She is a three-time recipient of this award. Mikel & Hamill also announced that both Donna Mikel and Doug Hamill have been selected by their peers for recognition for their professional excellence in the 31st edition of The Best Lawyers in America for their work in Employment Law Individuals and Litigation Labor and Employment. Donna has also been selected for recognition in Employment Law Management. A Criminal Court jury for the second time has found Kristijian Mrkonjic guilty of first-degree murder in a killing outside the Skyzoo bar on Lee Highway. The conviction on all charges on Thursday in the courtroom of Judge Boyd Patterson carries a life prison sentence. Mrkonjic was first convicted in a trial in July 2023. Both sides agreed to a retrial due to questions about one witness's testimony. In the first trial, the lone defense witness testified that a group at the former club on Lee Highway were "over-excited" and threatening to "beat the white boy's a--" just before Mrkonjic fired at two people at the bar parking lot. Eric Grant and Marking Vaughn, who were standing close together, were each hit nine times, and the 32-year-old Grant died. There were 13 shots fired in all with many of the bullets striking both men. There were 13 shots fired in all with many of the bullets striking both men. Police said Mrkonjic sped away at speeds up to 130 mph in his gray Dodge Ram, and he was in Atlanta for five days before going into custody. Police earlier said the killing came after a heated argument between Mrkonjic and Grant over a woman "that they both had a relationship with." Police said Grant challenged Mrkonjic to a fight, but Mrkonjic told him, "Nah, m----- f-----, you're gonna die." Police said he then pulled out a .45 and began firing. The defense witness, at the first trial, said he went to the Skyzoo about 1:30 a.m. in the incident he recalls as "two days before Memorial Day" in 2021. He said he parked near Mrkonjic and went over to talk with him. He said they made plans to meet at the Waffle House to get something to eat. He said Mrkonjic's girlfriend was among those slated to go with them. The witness said the club was letting out about 2:20 a.m. when Grant and others started toward Mrkonjic. He said they were "griping" and appeared ready for a "ruckus." He said they intended they "were going to do something to him." He told the jury in the courtroom of Judge Boyd Patterson, "It was wild. They were over-excited." He said, "I'm thinking I'm in trouble. It's time to go." He said he had gotten over near his car when the shots broke out. Prosecutors said some of the shots that hit the two men were in the back. The gun used during the incident has never been found. Eric Grant was a 2007 graduate of Tyner High School and continued at Tennessee State University. He was a member of Mt. Canaan Baptist Church. The notorious bar has since been acquired by the Chattanooga Airport and torn down. For a third consecutive month, the statewide unemployment rate remained at an all-time low of 3 percent, according to new data from the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The state first marked the record low for seasonally adjusted unemployment in May, and it has held steady ever since.Over the past year, Tennessees statewide unemployment rate dropped 0.2 of a percentage point, from 3.2 percent to 3 percent.Employers across the state added 2,000 new nonfarm jobs to their payrolls between June and July.The construction sector accounted for most of the new jobs. The healthcare and social assistance sector was responsible for the next highest amount of job growth, followed by the wholesale trade sector.Comparing year-to-year job growth, Tennessee has 22,600 additional nonfarm jobs. The largest increase in employment was in the education and health services sector, followed by the mining, logging, and construction sector, and then the trade, transportation and utilities sector.Detailed information about the July 2024 unemployment data is available here Unlike Tennessee and its record-low unemployment, the nationwide rate increased during July. Seasonally adjusted unemployment grew by 0.2 of a percentage point to 4.3 percent across the United States.In a year-to-year comparison, the national unemployment rate jumped 0.8 of a percentage point, from 3.5 percent to 4.3 percent.While the state has record-low unemployment numbers, many Tennesseans are still searching for work or better employment. TDLWD offers many job seeker resources at no cost, and job seekers can start their search online at TNWorkReady.com.Tennesseans without a high school diploma can improve their employment situation by taking Adult Education classes at no cost. TDLWDs New Pathways to a Diploma program allows adult learners to use different testing methods to earn their equivalency diploma, so they can tailor test-taking to the best of their ability.The state of Tennessee will release the July 2024 county unemployment data on Thursday, Aug. 22 at 1:30 p.m. CDT. This enhancement, completed as scheduled, significantly expands Ashlands footprint, capabilities and headcount of their Irish facility focused on delivery of innovative bioresorbable polymer chemistry to meet increasing market demand. Continuing investment also underscores Ashlands commitment to the companys new innovative technology platforms announced last September. One of seven platforms, bioresorbable polymers enable customers to create improved pharmaceuticals, medical devices and tissue engineering solutions. It is excellent news that Ashland has completed their expansion project on their manufacturing and R&D lab at the National Science Park in Mullingar, said Peter Burke, minister for enterprise trade and employment, Ireland. This significant investment in my hometown and in the Midlands region itself demonstrates Ashlands commitment to Ireland and further strengthens Ireland as a global leader in the life sciences sector. It is encouraging to know that the work undertaken there will lead to innovative medical solutions. As Ashland expands, they will find ample talented graduates in the local surrounds and from the nearby Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) to fulfil that growth. All the best to the Ashland team on this momentous occasion. When the first French colonists settled in modern-day Louisiana in the 1700s, they found that there was a shortage of women. To solve the issue, French women were sent over to New Orleans to be married to the local men. However, the women who arrived were not what the men had been expecting. They were abnormally pale, and their skin blistered almost immediately when exposed to the hot, subtropical sun. As a result, rumors spread of their ghostly characters, and they became known as the Casket Girls. Some believed they were ghosts that were sent to haunt the city. Others thought they might be vampires that would attack the people. These women have become a significant part of the haunted history of New Orleans. Here is their story. In the early 1700s, the new French colony in Louisiana was undergoing a population crisis. The governor of Louisiana, Jean Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, asked the French government to deliver nice young women to the territory so they could marry the male French colonists. The government ended up sending women from the poorest places in France. Between 1719 and 1721, a total of 258 women were shipped to Louisiana. Of the 258 women, 29 were from orphanages, 35 were from poor houses, and 194 were convicted criminals. When they arrived in New Orleans, they were seen holding small casket-shaped trunks, or casquettes, that carried their clothes, which was how they got the name Casket Girls. The men were appalled by their appearances, behaviors, and backgrounds. Some men refused to marry them. The Casket Girls were also sent to other locations like Mobile and Biloxi. Most of the Casket Girls were placed into unwanted marriages, where they were abused by their husbands. Those left unwed had to find other ways to support themselves. After the French king found out about their mistreatment, he ordered that the young women be returned to France. While they waited to go home, the girls were kept under the care of the Ursuline nuns. Sign up for Chip Chicks newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox. In the 1980s, an Australian physician named Barry Marshall made a groundbreaking discovery that revolutionized the treatment of stomach ulcers. At the time, he hypothesized that certain bacteria caused ulcers. To prove his theory, he drank a concoction of bacteria. His self-experimentation confirmed that stomach ulcers were caused by bacteria, not stress and spicy foods, which was the belief at the time. Marshall graduated with a bachelors degree from the University of Western Australia in 1974. He worked at Royal Perth Hospital from 1977 to 1984. Later, he taught medicine at the University of Western Australia. In the early 1980s, Marshall became interested in the research of pathologist Robin Warren. In 1979, Warren observed the presence of corkscrew-shaped bacteria in the lowest part of the stomach after performing gastric biopsies on half of his patients. He noticed that the bacteria directly correlated with gastric inflammation. Warren and Marshall began working together to determine the significance of the bacteria. They studied the biopsies of 100 patients. Eventually, Marshall was able to cultivate the bacterium, which was later named Helicobacter pylori. The experts began to suspect that gastritis and peptic ulcers were caused by H. pylori. Their findings contradicted the idea that stress, the consumption of spicy foods, and other lifestyle factors were the culprits of ulcers in the stomach. The theory of bacteria causing ulcers was not new. In 1899, Polish gastroenterologist Walery Jaworksi was the first to propose the concept. Since then, the theory has been repeatedly rejected based on the belief that microorganisms cannot survive in the stomachs acidic environment. Marshall and Warren were the first to accurately identify the bacteria. They were also correct in their argument that H. pylori was hiding under the stomachs mucous layer, which has a neutral pH. For 10 years, they fought to have their hypothesis heard. Sign up for Chip Chicks newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox. Can you imagine coming home after a long shift at work to find someone in your home, ready to attack you? Can you imagine if that attacker was sent by someone you married? This happened to Susan Kuhnhausen in 2006, when she was working as a nurse, and one day, she came home to someone who wanted to take her life. In 2006, Susan Kuhnhausen was 51-years-old and living in Portland, Oregon. At the time, Susan was working as a nurse in an emergency room at Providence Hospital. That year, she and her estranged husband, Michael Kuhnhausen, were in the process of getting a divorce. The divorce took a toll on Susan, so during the afternoon on September 6th, 2006, after a work shift, she chose to stop at the hairdresser and get her hair colored, allegedly mentioning she needed it since she was going through a difficult divorce. Susan returned to her home a little after 6:30 pm that evening and was ready to relax when suddenly, a man emerged from the shadows of her house and came at her with a claw hammer. Susan was struck in the head by the man, but her fight or flight kicked in, and she chose to fight. After struggling back and forth for a moment, Susan was able to defend herself from the attacker, placed him in a choke hold, and choked him to death. Susan then allegedly ran to a neighbors home to call 911 once her attacker was unconscious, and when police arrived, they identified him as Edward Dalton Haffey. At first, police assumed Edward was in Susans home to rob it, but further investigation proved otherwise. One of the biggest signs that something was very suspicious about this case was that there were no signs of forced entry into Susans home, and one of the only other people who knew the homes security alarm code was her soon-to-be ex-husband. Michael. After further investigating Edward, police discovered he had served prison terms in the past for heinous crimes like conspiracy to commit murder, robbery, and burglary. They also found out Edward had worked for Michael as a janitor at a business. Sign up for Chip Chicks newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox. Bodies being exhumed at a mass-grave site linked to an investigation around a Kenyan cult that practiced starvation. The local evangelical alliance that fought government proposals in 2016 now says it supports regulations to prevent a future Shakahola. Yasuyoshi Chiba / Contributor / Getty A year after more than 400 members of a Christian sect starved to death in eastern Kenyas Shakahola forest, a Kenyan task force is calling for policy regulations it hopes will allow the government to better balance religious liberty and human rights. Paul Mackenzie, who led Shakaholas Good News International Church, is still in custody awaiting the outcome of the case filed against him by the state. He and his associates have been charged with the death of 191 minors, and authorities believe the victims acted under direction from Mackenzie, an end times preacher who promised them heaven if they starved to death. The policy aims at strengthening the right for the use of freedom of religion and at same time to protect the public from potential harm arising from the practice of religion and belief, the Religious Organizations Policy report stated in its introduction. It ensures freedom of religion and belief is not used as an avenue to abuse human rights and dignity. 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. Its most wide-reaching mandate would force all churches seeking to be legally registered with the government to first affiliate to existing denominations or umbrella groups. These groups include the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya (EAK), the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Kenya National Congress of Pentecostal Churches, the Kenya Coalition of Churches Alliance and Ministries, and the Organization of African Instituted Churches. The current law requires churches to register with the Registrar of Societies but does not require them to affiliate with any recognized religious bodies. Working with the umbrella groups is a mechanism for self-regulation. It is a better model of regulation, said Kepha Nyandega, the EAKs secretary general. Being accountable is biblical; even Jesus was accountable to God. This support reflects a pivot for the EAK, which in 2016 had previously suggested that this level of regulation would hamper evangelism efforts and the growth of the church. Nyandega explained he favored this proposal, however, because it would allow umbrella groups to self-regulate and crack down when their own members become errant. If the bill becomes law, it will bring order in the religious sector and it will also make it easier for religious organizations to operate and work together in a clearly defined legal environment, he said. At the same time, Nyandega says, small churches worry that larger congregations may try to control who may control the membership of the proposed Religious Affairs Commission. In turn, he has assured small churches that the proposed legislation determines the composition of the commission, and that the commission will represent all interest groups. The report calls for clergy to have a minimum level of theological training; for the government to regulate religious broadcast content; and for it to more strictly and routinely enforce building code, sanitation, and noise pollution standards. Any new religious organizations seeking government registration will now be vetted by National Intelligence Services (NIS) and county security intelligence committees. The 14-person task force was commissioned in May 2023 by President William Ruto. Former National NCCK secretary general Mutava Musyimi led the group, which included Christian, Muslim, and Hindu professionals as well as experts of professional bodies. The current EAK chairman and archbishop of Kenya Assemblies of God, Philip Kitoto, and the former chairman and current archbishop of Deliverance Churches in Kenya, Mark Kariuki, were among those serving. Among its deliverables is a bill that would make the groups 11 recommendations law. Legislators will debate the bill when the attorney general sends it to parliament later this year. Members of the public and churches may still have a chance to influence the law that will come out of parliament. Most government-sponsored bills (like the one in question) go first to parliament for debate. Afterward, a committee solicits public feedback and writes a report incorporating the views of the public before presenting it to parliament, where the report is once again debated and amendments are made before the bill finally becomes law. This report was released to the public just weeks after young people led country-wide protests against the Ruto government and criticized the church for its close relationship with political power. Given this timing, pastors say they have little incentive to publicly oppose the proposed regulation. Remember, said Tony Kiamah of River of God Church in Nairobi, a Kenya Assemblies of God congregation. The Gen Zs said they will come for the church after they are done with the government. The bill would also create the Religious Affairs Commission, which would be led by a Registrar of Religious Organizations (RRO) and create new regulatory standards. Despite what seem like good intentions, some church leaders worry that additional government oversight will only encourage corruption and that some government officials may take advantage of churches that fail to fulfill the requirements and demand bribes. Are we going to allow the government to regulate churches when the government cannot regulate itself? said Kiamah. To him, the key to preventing another Shakahola is not religious regulations, because existing institutions are too weak. For instance, although the government has tried to ban cults and religious extremists and prevent false preachers from freely operating, this still persists. The law is there to deal with such matters, but corruption is what has hindered our ability to deal with such issues, he said. We should strengthen the police service, the intelligence, the judiciary, and other government institutions, and we will be out of the woods. The Gikuyu, Embu, Meru and Akamba (GEMA) Unity Forum, a group that represents Pentecostals in predominantly central Kenya, said the proposed regulations would leave them gagged as a church. Any changes should be subjected to a referendum, said Nicholas Ikui, a GEMA leader. Some churches were established before Kenya got her independence. So, I wonder how such would be registered afresh. Religious organizations need the government because they lack the capacity and means to punish errant churches, says Joseph Mutungi, the bishop of the Anglican Church of Kenya, Machakos diocese. At the same time, the government does not have the capacity to determine spiritual matters, which only the Church and other religious organs offer. If the reports recommendations are implemented, the government could investigate claims and complaints against problematic churches. If those were verified, the RRO could deregister and publish names of individuals and groups whose preaching and teachings are seen to be extremist and cultic. Additionally, if the bill passes, any church leader who gives misleading information to the government would be at risk of being fined or imprisoned. The task force has also recommended revising the national curriculum to educate students about the dangers of religious extremism and emphasize the need for religious tolerance. While receiving the report, Ruto promised to protect freedom of religion as well as the Kenyan people. We will continue to safeguard and protect the freedom of religion, but at the same time mitigate its potential abuse to harm Kenyans, he said last month. Moves by the government to regulate churches more directly are not new. As far back as 2015, the government had plans to regulate churches. Under the plan put forward by then attorney general Githu Muigai, religious entity registration applications had to be accompanied by personal information about its leaders. Church leaders were to submit a copy of their national identity card, Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) certificate, personal identification pin, a passport photograph, a certified copy of a theological certificate from a duly registered and accredited theological institution, and a tax clearance or exemption certificate. Religious leaders pushed back, claiming that being forced to declare their salary would require them to pay taxes and that the government was asking for personal details that previously churches had not been required to give to receive registration. The protest ultimately killed Muigais efforts. Home News Billy Grahams granddaughter voting for Biden, says Trump trying 'to hijack our faith for votes' A granddaughter of the Rev. Billy Graham, Jerushah Duford, said she is voting for Joe Biden this upcoming election despite her pro-life views and accused President Donald Trump of trying to hijack our faith for votes. I spent the better part of my life watching my grandfather look to the example of Jesus to how to conduct himself how to treat people, Duford, whose mother Gigi Graham is the eldest child of Billy and Ruth Graham, said in a recent interview. Scripture talks about doing justly, loving mercy, walking humbly, and these are tenants of our faith that I do not believe our president demonstrates in any way. Duford, who recently joined the Lincoln Projects women coalition to advocate against President Trumps reelection, stressed that shes not looking for a savior We have a savior, she said nor does she believe the president has to share her faith. 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 However, [Trumps] attempt to hijack our faith for votes and the evangelical leaders silence on his actions and behavior has presented a picture of what our faith looks like that is so erroneous, it's done significant damage to the way people view Jesus. Duford also condemned what she sees as silence from some church and evangelical leaders regarding Trump's treatment of the marginalized communities and his objectifying of women. This silence, she said, has done enormous, enormous damage to the way people view our faith. She claimed that over the last few months, thousands of people have asked her how a church that adheres to the teachings of Jesus can support Trump. I want the world to know personally that the Jesus we serve promotes kindness, dignity, humility, and this president doesnt represent our faith, Duford said. What we see in the White House is not what Jesus looks like and is not our faith. Duford told The New York Times she believes her grandfather would be discouraged by the current state of politics. I think he would be sad. I think his greatest desire had nothing to do with policies but to introduce people to a loving Jesus, and the division this administration has caused I believe has hurt this effort, she explained. When it comes to the issue of abortion, Duford said she genuinely wishes the Democratic Party would have a greater value for life inside the womb, but also wishes the Republican Party would place a greater value on life outside the womb. You cannot choose just one and define yourself as pro-life, she said. Dufords opinions starkly contrast those of her cousin, Cissie Graham Lynch, the daughter of the outspoken conservative Franklin Graham. During a speech delivered at the Republican National Convention, the 34-year-old warned that the Biden-Harris vision for America of leaves no room for people of faith and urged people of faith to support the Trump administration. They will force the choice between being obedient to God or to Caesar, Lynch said, because the radical lefts God is government power. So in the words of my grandfather Billy Graham, let us stand for political freedom, moral freedom, religious freedom, and the rights of all Americans, and lets never give in to those who would attempt to take it from us. Lynch asserted that after Trumps election, people of faith had a fierce advocate in the White House who appointed judges who respect the First Amendment. She also noted how the Trump administration has supported Christians facing legal discrimination challenges related to their religious beliefs on sexuality and marriage in court. She said the Trump administration has ensured religious ministries would not be forced to violate their beliefs. Lynch also praised Trump for talking about the importance of religious freedom at the United Nations last year. In America, we have not faced physical persecution, even though the left has tried to silence us, she said. Even during the pandemic, we saw how quickly life can change. Some Democratic leaders tried to ban church services while marijuana shops and abortion clinics were declared essential. But do you know what truly is essential? Our right to worship freely and live our faith in every aspect of life. Other members of the Graham family have also publicly backed Trump, including evangelists Franklin Graham and Anne Graham Lotz. While some polls have shown the presidents support slipping with white evangelicals, a poll from Pew Research Center taken last month showed that 82% of white evangelicals planned to vote for Trump. Home News Church of England paid off priest considered threat to kids after forced retirement The Church of England paid a six-figure sum to Canon Andrew Hindley to settle legal actions and end his career in the Blackburn diocese following decades of sexual assault allegations and police investigations that didn't result in criminal charges. A two-year BBC investigation found that Hindley accepted a 240,000 ($308,000) settlement to retire in 2022, though the exact amount remains undisclosed due to non-disclosure agreements. The CofE confirmed the settlement was in response to legal action initiated by Hindley challenging a decision to force him into retirement. "The case highlighted on the BBC today is complicated and very difficult for everyone involved particularly those who came forward," the CofE said in a statement. "A number of allegations were made about the Canon over a number of years and a risk assessment was conducted according to the House of Bishops 2017 safeguarding guidance. In the event, none of the allegations resulted either in a conviction in the criminal courts, or in a determination of misconduct in the independent Church courts through the Clergy Discipline Measure." 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 Church of England is currently reviewing the disciplinary procedure for members of clergy (Clergy Discipline Measure), as recommended by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, IICSA and a review of the risk assessment regulations and guidance is under way," the statement adds. The former Bishop of Blackburn Julian Henderson told BBC the settlement with Hindley, who served in the diocese from 1991 to 2021, was the "only option" left "to protect children and vulnerable young people from the risk Canon Hindley posed." The investigation also discovered that "restrictions" on Hindley, which ban him from school events, were "never monitored." "The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, backed a plan to close Blackburn Cathedral if the priest returned to work from suspension," the report states. "Three Lancashire bishops complained 'strings have been pulled and networks have been used to effect Canon Hindley's ongoing ministry.'" The outlet notes that previous attempts to pay priests to leave the ministry date back at least 15 years. Rowena Pailing, a former senior staff member at Blackburn Cathedral, resigned in protest over the handling of the case, which she described as an "open secret" among senior clergy, the BBC reported. She criticized the CofE's prioritization of its reputation over the protection of victims and survivors. The two-year investigation reveals a history of repeated attempts to address concerns about Hindley's behavior, dating back over 25 years. Hindley was subject to five police investigations concerning sexual assault allegations, including alleged incidents involving minors in 1991 and 2000, according to the report. All investigations were dropped due to lack of evidence or because the alleged victims did not pursue charges. Over the years, internal Church documents and risk assessments have repeatedly pointed to potential risks posed by Hindley, yet definitive action was lacking. The case reached a critical point in January 2021 when the Cathedral Chapter voted to retire Hindley on ill-health grounds, using a seldom-used 1949 law. The decision followed unsuccessful efforts to remove him from his cathedral residence, which he opposed legally. Hindley has argued that the actions against him were motivated by homophobia and personal vendettas and claimed that his case, when reviewed independently, always resulted in his exoneration. The archbishops of Canterbury and York have acknowledged the need for improvements in Church processes. However, the efficacy of current safeguarding measures and disciplinary procedures remains under scrutiny, BBC noted. "This case highlights the complexity of our structures and processes and is just one example of why we asked Professor Alexis Jay, the former chair of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, to provide options and recommendations for how further independence of safeguarding within the Church of England might be achieved. This work is now being taken forward," Archbishops of Canterbury and York Justin Welby and Stephen Cottrell said in a joint statement. "As the Bishop of Blackburn told the BBC, the Church has made huge strides in safeguarding in the past 10 years particularly in listening to the voices of survivors and victims. However, this case, which goes back many years, shows that we are still working to get our processes right and we must learn from the mistakes of the past." Former Bishop of Blackburn Henderson and the current Bishop Philip North have said the CofE must learn from the case to ensure a safer future for the Church community. Home News Colorado Capitol gallery to allow pro-life clothing after lawsuit threat Colorado state Capitol officials are now allowing gallery guests to wear political apparel after they were threatened with a lawsuit for removing someone because he wore a pro-life sweatshirt. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) announced Wednesday that it had persuaded Capitol officials to remove the gallery ban on clothing with political messages. FIRE had previously sent a letter of complaint to Capitol officials over their decision to forcibly remove pro-life activist Jeffrey Hunt from the gallery because of a shirt he was wearing. 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 am thrilled at this outcome, said Hunt, as quoted in the announcement. Now, Coloradans are free to share their voices, particularly at the state Capitol, where the work of the people takes place. FIRE attorney Josh Bleisch was also quoted in the announcement as saying that Hunt should have been allowed to express his opinions in a non-disruptive manner, but the rule was overbroad and gave officials too much leeway to arbitrarily enforce the ban. Now that the ban is no more, Coloradans can wear a political shirt where politics happens, Bleisch added. Although the House and Senate galleries now allow guests and tourists to wear political clothing, the state Capitol still prohibits gallery attendees from bringing banners, posters and signs, reported the Denver-based Westword. Political apparel is also still prohibited in committee rooms. In March 2023, while attending a legislative debate over a couple of pro-choice bills, Hunt was forcibly removed from the Senate gallery for wearing a Colorado Christian University shirt that read Pro-Life U, a nickname for the academic institution. Cindi Markwell, the secretary of the Senate, explained in a statement given to Westword last year that the shirt prohibition was in response to the contentious debate over the bills. "These bills drew both pro-life and abortion rights constituents," Markwell told Westword at the time. "In accordance with custom and practice and as stated on the signage posted on each side of the Senate gallery, no apparel can be worn expressing political statements. The purpose of the policy is to avoid conflict between opposing sides on any particular issue." Last month, FIRE sent a complaint letter to capitol officials over the treatment of Hunt, specifically addressing it to Stephen Rosenthal, House Chief Sergeant-At-Arms; Frank Lombardi, Senate Chief Sergeant-At-Arms; and Benjamin Trujillo, Senate Sergeant-At-Arms. The Capitol Gallery Rules ban on political pins and apparel violates the First Amendment, stated FIRE's complaint letter. When the government seeks to silence political expression, it bears a heavy burden to justify its censorship. The Capitol Gallery Rule cannot meet that high bar. Suppressing silent, nondisruptive political expression is not a permissible let alone compelling interest in a state Capitol. And a rule prohibiting nondisruptive political expression in a public gallery is not reasonable in light of the purpose of the gallery ensuring Colorados Legislature is open and accessible to members of the public interested in pending legislation. Home News Woman raped by illegal immigrant at knifepoint told attacker 'God was watching' The homeless woman who was allegedly raped at knifepoint by an illegal immigrant near the Coney Island boardwalk said that she believed her assailant was trying to kill her and recalled repeatedly reminding her attacker that "God was watching him." Daniel Davon-Bonilla, a 24-year-old Nicaraguan migrant, is accused of sexually assaulting the unnamed woman, while his friend, Leovando Moreno, allegedly attacked the victim's boyfriend with a pipe. The victim has chosen not to reveal her identity to the media. In an interview published Tuesday by The New York Post, the anonymous victim recounted her struggle to fight off Davon-Bonilla, fearing he intended to murder her. 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 She expressed her sorrow that assaults like hers happen to women every day, many of whom never receive justice. "It wasn't rape; it was attempted murder. He didn't try to rape me; he tried to kill me," she said. "I kept telling him God was watching him." At the time of the assault, the victim and her boyfriend, 34-year-old Ray Ramsammy, were living under a boardwalk behind Maimonides Park stadium. Both homeless people and migrants shared the encampment, and Ramsammy and his girlfriend had been living there for two weeks when the attack occurred. Ramsammy returned to the encampment one day after getting coffee to find his girlfriend being sexually assaulted. He told The Post that he saw his girlfriend being held down, choked, and threatened with a knife as her attacker forced himself on her. When Ramsammy attempted to intervene, Moreno struck him with a pipe. "I tried to pull the guy off her, and he tried to stab me," Ramsammy said, recalling that he also yelled for someone to call the police. "I grabbed the pipe with one hand and the other one was behind me, hit me with a brick. Hit me in the back." While Ramsammy said he was "hurt a little," he noted that his girlfriend was "hurt a lot" and is still trying to recover from the rape. "She's messed up right now. When it started getting dark out last night, she was getting paranoid," he said. "She sees Hispanic men today, and she thinks it's going to happen again. She's really upset." The victim stated that she hopes Davon-Bonilla receives a lengthy sentence, expressing fear that he might kill someone. According to The Post, Davon-Bonilla had already spent two months in jail after accepting a plea deal in an April 2023 rape case, where he was accused of raping a woman at a hotel converted into a migrant shelter. As WABC reported Tuesday, the victim is a 46-year-old woman, and she was treated at a New York hospital following the assault. Davon-Bonilla has been charged with rape, assault, sexual abuse, menacing and criminal possession of a weapon, according to WABC. Moreno, who is from Mexico, has been charged with assault and criminal possession of a weapon and underwent a psychological evaluation at the hospital. Local law enforcement reports that the suspects had been staying at a migrant shelter. Regarding Davon-Bonilla's previous conviction related to the assault at the Brooklyn migrant shelter, the outlet noted that the migrant could have been deported over the incident. In a press conference Tuesday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams called the Coney Island attack a "despicable act" and criticized the city's "sanctuary city" status, which prevents local authorities from cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement when illegal immigrants are criminally charged. "Laws do not allow us to coordinate with ICE," Adams said. "That's the law. And, you know I'm not happy about that. And I think he's the poster child of what's wrong with not doing that coordination." "And that's a traumatizing, traumatized that family that was there. They were traumatized over that event. And my heart goes out to them," Adams added. "Those small number of migrants that are in our city, they should be held accountable when they break the law. And I think that he was, he came in illegally and then he was allowed to just to stay. I just recall hearing something about his initial entry into our country. I'm not 100% sure, but I think in one of my briefings, that's what I heard." The news of the woman's rape in New York comes shortly after an interview with three Department of Homeland Security whistleblowers, who allege that U.S. Customs and Border Protection is failing to enforce a 2005 federal DNA law. In an interview released Sunday by former CBS News reporter Catherine Herridge, whistleblowers Michael Taylor, Fred Wynn and Mark Jones claimed that CBP retaliated against them for raising concerns about the agency's violation of the 2005 DNA Fingerprint Act. The law requires the border agency to collect DNA samples from non-U.S. citizens in detention for immigration violations. The DNA collected from the migrants is then sent to the FBI. According to Jones, this law helps authorities locate criminals and reduces the time needed to track them down. Herridge asked whether the DHS' failure to comply with the law contributed to the death of Rachel Morin, a mother of five who was killed by an illegal immigrant last August. The whistleblowers agreed that this failure may have played a role in Morin's death. The mother's killer had multiple encounters with border agents prior to the murder, creating several opportunities to take his DNA. Home News Justin Welby rebuked over actions in case of chaplain deemed terror threat for questioning LGBT ideology The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, is being criticized for his handling of a case involving Bernard Randall, a chaplain blacklisted for a sermon questioning LGBT teachings at a Christian school. A leading legal figure within the Church of England described Welbys refusal to address the concerns as plainly wrong. Randall, 52, previously a chaplain at Trent College in Nottingham, was barred from preaching for five years following a 2019 sermon in which he encouraged students to debate LGBT teachings after they asked for his guidance on the issue. Despite being cleared by multiple secular bodies, Randalls license to preach was withheld by the Bishop of Derby, Libby Lane, citing safeguarding concerns. The decision remains in effect even though Randall was found not to have violated CofE doctrine. 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 Gregory Jones K.C., tasked with reviewing the clergy discipline tribunals findings, criticized the CofEs handling of Randall's case, calling the error gross and the situation egregious, The Telegraph noted. Jones noted that the CofE had failed to justify the safeguarding concerns adequately, suggesting a lack of substantial evidence against Randall. Despite these findings, Welby has blocked Randall from filing a misconduct case against Bishop Lane. In a sermon that sparked controversy, Randall, who had previously served as a university chaplain at Cambridge, promoted a dialogue on biological sex and conscience rights within a Christian educational context. He argued for a balanced debate on such issues, a stance that ultimately led to his job loss and subsequent blacklisting, including being investigated as a terrorist. The case has escalated to the point where Randall is pursuing a judicial review against Dame Sarah Asplins decision to dismiss his grievances. Dame Sarah, president of Tribunals, had acknowledged serious errors in the handling of the case but did not hold Bishop Lane personally accountable, instead suggesting a reevaluation of the case by an independent team. Amid the legal and ecclesiastical battles, Randall voiced his frustration over the CofEs reluctance to support him, despite shared theological stances. Speaking to the Telegraph, he described the use of safeguarding protocols as a political tool against him, undermining his career and personal life. Andrea Williams, CEO of the Christian Legal Centre and supporter of Randalls case, has also criticized the CofEs stance as contradictory to its teachings. She pointed out the paradox of the Protestant denomination's actions, suggesting that even historical figures like Jesus would struggle under the current doctrines of safeguarding applied by the CofE. The Disclosure and Barring Service and other regulatory bodies have dismissed actions against Randall, contradicting the CofE Diocese of Derbys stance, which labeled the denominations own teachings as a risk factor. This stance has led to Randall being unable to officiate in church services. I have been vindicated by a number of secular bodies, but the CofE, who, on paper, share my beliefs and should be supporting me, are refusing to give me my life back, Randall was quoted as saying. Home News Harris victory will usher in 'most anti-parent, extremist' gov't in US history, Moms for Liberty claims The parental rights advocacy group Moms for Liberty told its supporters this week that an "anti-parent, extremist government" could take root in the United States if Vice President Kamala Harris is elected president in November. Moms for Liberty released a "Letter to American Parents" on Wednesday, urging them not to vote for the Democratic presidential ticket of Harris and running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. Authored by the group's co-founders, Tina Deskovitch and Tiffany Justice, the letter warns that a "potential Harris/Walz presidency" would "give way to the rise of the most anti-parent, extremist government America has ever known." 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 While the letter did not explicitly tell American parents to support the Republican ticket of former President Donald Trump and Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, it highlighted what it characterized as concerning positions taken by Harris and Walz. "In the extremist view of Harris-Walz, the family is viewed as a threat to the government's power," Deskovitch and Justice wrote. "We have heard this thinking before, whether it was called socialism in Cuba or Marxism in Russia or Maoism in China." "Each operates on the belief that by weakening the family unit, the state can exert greater influence over individuals," they added. "This is exactly what Walz just recently did with his 'Trans Refuge law' which grants legal protection to children who travel to Minnesota for so-called gender affirming care, including puberty blockers, reconstructive genital surgery, and hormone therapy, as well as the medical practitioners who provide it." The Minnesota law referenced in the letter is House File 146, which Walz signed into law last year that, among other things, shields individuals who provide surgical and hormonal interventions to gender dysphoric children from prosecution in other states. The law was the topic of an exchange between Vance and ABC News' Jonathan Karl earlier this week, with Vance pushing back on Karl's assertions that the law doesn't allow the government to "kidnap" children from their parents. "What I just described to you, I would describe as kidnapping," Vance said. "You should not be able to take people's children away from them if you disagree with decisions about gender reassignment. Yes, he has proposed that, Jon." Moms for Liberty claimed "the replacement of parents is underway in Minnesota, as children are encouraged to view the state as their ultimate guardian." The letter quoted an opinion column published by the Minnesota-based news outlet Alpha News, stating that "Academic achievement is no longer the primary goal in Minnesota" regarding education. The editorial suggested that "Walz's education focus is transforming the students' values, attitudes, and beliefs into the woke worldview." While the letter did not include as many examples of "anti-parent" attitudes expressed by Harris, it declared that "California and Minnesota, the states Harris and Walz hail from, are great examples of the dangers that government poses to parental rights." "Both Walz and Harris support telling school kids that there are more than two sexes and that they may have been born in the wrong body," the letter continued. "They push for Title IX language that now makes transgender a 'protected class,' meaning that schools can punish kids for as little as using the wrong pronoun with a peer. Moms for Liberty wants to sound the alarm LOUD AND CLEAR: Harris and Walz want power and control. Not freedom." Moms for Liberty, which helps elect conservative school board members in school districts nationwide, says it is "dedicated to fighting for the survival of America by unifying, educating and empowering parents to defend their parental rights at all levels of government." It is one of several advocacy groups that have popped up in the past few years as concerns about parental rights have emerged in American political discourse. The group is not without its critics, as the far-left civil rights activist group Southern Poverty Law Center labeled Moms for Liberty "an antigovernment organization," claiming that it advances "conspiracy propaganda" as well as "hateful imagery and rhetoric against the LGBTQ community." "In its efforts to combat anything that it considers 'woke ideology,' Moms for Liberty commonly propagates conspiracy theories about public schools attempting to indoctrinate and sexualize children with a progressive Marxist curriculum," stated the SPLC. "Moms for Liberty has been at the forefront of the battle for book bans, which often includes labeling teachers and librarians who have books deemed inappropriate as groomers and also reading excerpts of books aloud without context at school board meetings to raise alarm in other parents." In a statement given to The Christian Post last year, Moms for Liberty rejected SPLC's characterization of their work, arguing that their chief goal was to empower parents. "Name-calling parents who want to be a part of their child's education as 'hate groups' or 'bigoted' just further exposes what this battle is all about: Who fundamentally gets to decide what is taught to our kids in school parents or government employees?" they stated. "We believe that parental rights do not stop at the classroom door and no amount of hate from groups like this is going to stop that." Home News Bodycam footage shows police frustrated with Secret Service after Trump assassination attempt Body camera footage shows Butler Township police officers scrambling to gain rooftop access to reach the gunman who tried to assassinate former President Donald Trump last month, expressing frustration with the U.S. Secret Service for failing to heed their warnings to secure the roof. Twelve videos obtained by The New York Times via a public information request show the movements of Butler Township Police Department officers during the July 13 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The footage shows that the officers located the shooter, Thomas Crooks, at 6:08 p.m. and worked to gain access to the roof before he opened fire a few minutes later. 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 While the shooter failed to kill the former president, he murdered one attendee and injured two others. Lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle have raised questions about the security at the Butler rally and how Crooks gained access to the rooftop a few hundred yards away from the event. In the footage, officers call for a ladder to gain access to the roof moments after the assassination attempt. In the aftermath of the shooting, officers near Crooks' body can be heard making comments about what had just transpired. "What are the chances? What are the [expletive] chances?" one officer remarked. Another Butler Township officer can be heard saying that he told the Secret Service to have security around the area where Crooks fired, stating that he warned them days before the rally. In a statement provided to The Christian Post, a spokesperson for the U.S. Secret Service confirmed that the agency is aware of the newly released body camera footage and is currently reviewing it. "The U.S. Secret Service appreciates our local law enforcement partners, who acted courageously as they worked to locate the shooter that day," the spokesperson stated. "The attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump was a U.S. Secret Service failure, and we are reviewing and updating our protective policies and procedures in order to ensure a tragedy like this never occurs again." The Butler Township Police Department did not immediately respond to CP's request for comment. Police responded to reports of a suspicious person, according to the footage, and one officer began surveying a nearby forest around 6:04 p.m. as Crooks scaled a building in the opposite direction. The officer's body camera appears to show Crooks walking on the roof of one of the buildings a few minutes later, according to The Times, but it is unclear if the officer saw the shooter. Four officers congregated on one side of the building, while another officer who had just arrived was hoisted onto the roof. The officer hoisted onto the roof communicated on his radio that Crooks had a gun, with the shooter opening fire a few moments later. Crooks was later killed by a Secret Service sniper. Regarding the release of the footage, WPXI reported last week that Butler residents appear to approve of the public having access to it, as it allows for transparency. Butler resident Jeff Patrick told the outlet that releasing the footage helps assure people that there is no attempted cover-up. The office of Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, a native of Butler, is reviewing the footage, according to WPXI. Last month, Kelly was named Chairman of the Bipartisan House Task Force on the attempted assassination of Donald Trump by House Speaker Mike Johnson. The task force consists of seven Republicans and six Democrats. "It's critical that we investigate, detail, and explain the security breakdowns that tragically killed one person, injured two others, and nearly claimed President Trump's life," Kelly said in a statement at the time. "We must never let something like this happen again. The American people have a right to know what happened. Congress has a responsibility to find out." Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., is another Republican lawmaker calling for answers. In a letter to Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe, Hawley said Secret Service whistleblowers told him the lead site agent responsible for security at the Butler rally had a reputation for incompetence. "This specific allegation follows similar public reports that this agent was 'new' to the local field office and had 'relatively little experience.' The whistleblower alleges that this individual was, as part of securing the site, specifically responsible for line-of-sight concerns," Hawley stated. The Republican lawmaker urged Rowe to suspend the lead site agent as an investigation into the claims continues, stating that he finds it "especially alarming" that the agent is reportedly still operational in the field. Home News Christian dance group in Barbados demands investigation after arbiter admits bias A Christian dance and theatrical group in Barbados is demanding an investigation after a senator and arbiter admitted "a real perception of bias" and rescinded his ruling to uphold the group's disqualification from a national competition after they challenged trans ideology during their performance. Legal representatives for Praise Academy of Dance Barbados received a letter from Barbadian Sen. Gregory Nicholls admitting that "a fair-minded informed observer would conclude that there was a real possibility of bias" in his ruling last November, according to the United Kingdom-based nonprofit Christian Legal Centre, which represents the school in the small Caribbean nation. "I have therefore decided to rescind my arbitral decision of November 17th, 2023, in the interest of fairness to all parties concerned," added Nicholls, a member of the Barbados Labour Party. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe In October, the state-owned National Cultural Foundation (NCF) and judges with the National Independence Festival of Creative Arts (NIFCA) disqualified the academy for allegedly breaching "the bounds of good taste" and making "defamatory claims" with their dance performance titled "Speak Life." The performance, which was put on by teenage students and can be viewed on YouTube, depicts a 15-year-old girl who struggles with her gender identity but who ultimately learns to embrace her biological sex because of the Bible. Dialogue in the show includes the affirmation that sex is biologically fixed according to one's chromosomes, and one of the lines says, "It's not a choice, you don't get to pick, that's the science, period!" The show also unfurled banners quoting Genesis 1:27: "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." After being disqualified, the dance group filed a complaint with Nicholls, who served as arbiter for NCF. According to Barbados Today, news of the story hit the press, and Nicholls has since parted ways with the organization after rescinding his ruling. Nicholls confirmed to the outlet that he was "no longer the arbiter of NCF having rescinded my decision [in] the matter due to an error made in my correspondence." "I made an error in my communication with the legal counsel for Praise Academy where I misstated the capacity in which I was responding to their letter. This was long after the arbitration decision was made and I sought to clear that up in subsequent correspondence," he continued. "[Praise Dance Academy] has not accepted that it was a misstatement in my letter to them and as such, I had no choice but to rescind the award and pave the way for the current Arbiter or some other person chosen by NCF to make the determination in the matter," he added. Attorney Davida Maynard-Holligan, who has been representing Praise Academy of Dance Barbados, praised the rescission but noted in a statement that the original decision by NIFCA judges to disqualify the group remains unchanged. Together with the Christian Legal Centre, the academy is calling for "an impartial investigation" into Nicholls' ruling and what led to it. "While we are encouraged that Senator Nicholls has withdrawn his ruling, the original ruling against the group remains in place and justice is being delayed," Maynard-Holligan said. "If we had not challenged and exposed what had happened to the group, there is no way that Senator Nicholls would have withdrawn his ruling. What he did therefore remains a highly concerning precedent which must never happen again on this island," the attorney continued. "The ruling sent a chilling message to Christians in Barbados, especially young students, who do not believe in and refuse to conform to confusing and harmful gender identity ideology and extreme teaching," he said, adding that Nicholls' public ruling "amounted to an LGBTQ takeover of our legal rights and freedoms in Barbados and cannot go unchallenged." Home News Former Christian school teacher charged for sex crimes involving students A former South Carolina Christian school teacher has been arrested and charged with multiple sex crimes, including some involving students. Thirty-six-year-old Norman Jermaine Roberson of Piedmont, a former teacher at Fountain Inn Christian School in Laurens County, has been charged with eight counts of sexual battery with a student. The Laurens County Sheriff's Office released a statement last week stating that an investigation began on Aug. 5 into allegations against Roberson, who has been accused of having inappropriate sexual relationships with students in Laurens County since 2015. 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 Fountain Inn Christian School said that it learned of the charge against Roberson involving a former student on Aug. 9. "Norman Jermaine Roberson no longer is affiliated with or employed by Ft. Inn Christian School and has not been affiliated with the school for numerous years," the school told The Christian Post in a statement. "Leadership staff at Ft. Inn Christian School will fully cooperate in any investigation of this matter. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all involved in this matter." Investigators allege Roberson was involved in crimes in other upstate counties as well, with alleged sexual encounters with students happening in Simpsonville, Fountain Inn, Greenville County and Greenville city. The ages of the alleged victims, along with the specific days of the alleged sex crimes and other details surrounding the case have not yet been made available. "This type of behavior is always cause for concern especially due to the position of trust the suspect held," said Laurens County Sheriff Don Reynolds. "I commend those involved for stepping forward now and I pray that there are no more victims, but if there are please talk to us. We want to cover all bases and get justice." According to U.S. News & World Report, Fountain Inn Christian School is a private school for students in Kindergarten to 12th grade. It enrolls 84 students, with a minority student enrollment of 9.5% and a student-teacher ratio of 12:1. Roberson was booked at a detention center in Laurens County with a bond is set at $40,000, according to Fox Carolina. Fits News reported that Magistrate William Wham granted him a $5,000 surety bond on the charges and ordered him not to have "any contact with any of the victims directly or indirectly or (to) go near their residences." Home News Gateway Church cancels conference after Robert Morris resignation Gateway Church has canceled this year's Gateway Conference held annually in September following the resignation of founding pastor Robert Morris over allegations he sexually abused a minor over three decades ago. Gateway Conference organizers announced Wednesday that they canceled the gathering "after much prayer and consideration." "Our congregation and staff are in the midst of navigating Robert Morris' resignation and the emotions surrounding it," they stated. "As we seek to navigate this season in a healthy way and in a manner that promotes healing for everyone affected, we believe it best to not hold Gateway Conference this year." Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe "We are sincerely sorry for any inconvenience or disappointment this causes. For those who have already registered, we will be issuing full refunds on the tickets." The organizers also stated that they were "deeply sorry for the pain this situation caused the survivor, other survivors of abuse, and the Church at large" and that they were "overwhelmed by the love and support we've received from many of you for our congregation, volunteers, and staff who serve this church." In June, the Southlake, Texas-based megachurch's board of elders announced in a statement given to The Christian Post that Morris, who founded the congregation in 2000, resigned as lead pastor following allegations of sexual misconduct. Specifically, Morris was accused of abusing a woman named Cindy Clemishire back in the 1980s for about five years, beginning when she was only 12 years old. A couple of days before the announced resignation, Morris admitted in a statement to engaging in "inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady" when he was in his 20s. However, he did not name Clemishire in his statement. The elders explained that in addition to Morris resigning, they also hired the law firm Haynes & Boone, LLP, in order "to conduct an independent, thorough, and professional review of the report of past abuse to ensure we have a complete understanding of the events from 1982-1987." The Gateway elders said that while Morris told them about his past and they believed he had been biblically restored to ministry, Morris did not disclose that he had abused a 12-year-old. "Regretfully, prior to Friday, June 14, the elders did not have all the facts of the inappropriate relationship between Morris and the victim, including her age at the time and the length of the abuse. The elders' prior understanding was that Morris's extramarital relationship, which he had discussed many times throughout his ministry, was with 'a young lady' and not abuse of a 12-year-old child," explained the elders. "Even though it occurred many years before Gateway was established, as leaders of the church, we regret that we did not have the information that we now have. We are heartbroken and appalled by what has come to light over the past few days, and we express our deep sympathy to the victim and her family." In July, Morris' son James and his wife, Bridgette, stepped down as the new leaders of Gateway Church after a meeting with elders. Popular Christian author and San Antonio-based Pastor Max Lucado will serve as Gateway Church's teaching pastor on an interim basis. Home News 'Barbaric and unwarranted': Muslims burn down church building in Nigera ABUJA, Nigeria Muslims burned down a church building in the early hours of Saturday morning in central Nigerias Niger state, sources said. The razing of the building of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) congregation in Kontagora town at about 3 a.m. was the second time Muslims have destroyed the worship auditorium at the site, said Associate Pastor Samson Ogbebor. I got a distress call that our church was on fire, and on getting there I met a church being burned down and properties therein looted by hoodlums, Pastor Ogbebor told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. This church has faced lots of challenges about 10 years ago, some Muslim hoodlums came and burnt it down completely, and through self-efforts we were able to rebuild the worship sanctuary. 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 Muslims in Kontagora had made several unsuccessful attempts to prevent the congregation from constructing the worship auditorium, he said. We eventually completed the building of the church building, but they have not relented in their opposition to allowing us as Christians to have a place of worship in the town, Pastor Ogbebor said. For a second time, they have burnt down the sanctuary. Church member Markus Emmanuel said he rushed to the site after receiving a call about the fire at the Champion Parish, Kontagora town. The building was completely razed by fire, Emmanuel told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. Some residents close to the church building told us that they saw a group of Muslims who came into the church premises and set fire on the building. Emmanuel said the building was still under construction when it was burned 10 years ago. This is the second time our worship sanctuary has been destroyed, as 10 years back, a group of Muslim fanatics who were opposed to the church building being constructed at that site set fire on it before the worship building was reconstructed, he said. Church deacon John Aboje called on Muslim leaders in the town to take measures toward preserving the religious freedom of Christians in the predominantly Muslim Kontagora Local Government Area. We just want to plead with the state government and the Kontagora Muslim emirate to look into the issue by compelling the perpetrators to allow freedom of worship, Aboje said. The Rev. Bulus Dauda Yohanna, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Niger State Chapter, confirmed the destruction of the worship auditorium in a statement issued on Saturday. The destruction of the RCCG worship building is not only barbaric and unwarranted, but also a very painful experience to the Christian community in Kontagora town, Yohanna said. Theres the need for government officials in Kontagora to take strict measures towards putting an end to such ungodly activities of fanatics. This incident has created religious tension. Christians were hoping that the law would take its course, he said. To be frank, issues like this must be tamed, and people who have done this should be fished out and made to face the law, Yohanna said. Aisha Wakaso, media aid to Gov. Mohammed Bago, said in a statement that the governor condemned the destruction of the church building. We totally condemn this act and tell our Christian brothers and sisters, as well as other Niger state inhabitants, that the government prioritizes their safety, security, and freedom of religion, Wakaso said. Our state utilizes its diversity and the peaceful coexistence of all religious and ethnic groups. We will not condone this stupid act of violence. The governor has requested that all relevant security agencies conduct an immediate and complete inquiry into the attack, he said. We are convinced that the perpetrators of this horrible arson will be quickly discovered and prosecuted, Wakaso said. The administration will see that those involved are punished to the fullest extent of the law. We urge the people of Kontagora and Niger state to be calm and refrain from revenge or violence. Let us continue to collaborate to preserve the peace and togetherness that define our magnificent nation. In the 2024 Open Doors World Watch List of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, Nigeria was ranked No. 6, as it was in the previous year. Nigeria remained the deadliest place in the world to follow Christ, with 4,118 people killed for their faith from Oct. 1, 2022 to Sept. 30, 2023, according to the 2024 World Watch List report. More kidnappings of Christians than in any other country also took place in Nigeria, with 3,300. Nigeria was also the third highest country in number of attacks on churches and other Christian buildings such as hospitals, schools, and cemeteries, with 750, according to the report. This article was originally published by Christian Daily InternationalMorning Star News. Home News Robber sentenced for stealing $400K in jewelry from NYC 'Bling Bishop' during service A man who assisted in the armed robbery of over $400,000 in jewelry from New York City "Bling Bishop" Lamor Whitehead during one of his services will go to prison for over seven years for his participation. Twenty-five-year-old Say-Quan Pollack received the sentence in connection with the armed robbery while Whitehead was leading a service at Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries in Brooklyn on July 24, 2022. Pollack, joined by two other men, Juwan Anderson and Shamar Leggette, reportedly robbed the 46-year-old pastor during a live-streamed church service. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe In November 2023, Pollack pleaded guilty to one count of federal robbery, a crime which carries a maximum of 20 years in prison. "Pollack has been held accountable for committing a bold robbery in a house of worship with a gun, terrorizing the men, women, and children participating in the religious service that Sunday morning," said U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace in a statement. According to prosecutors, the co-conspirators stole more than $400,000 in jewelry from the pastor and his wife and must pay $402,639 in restitution. Whitehead himself was sentenced to nine years in prison in June for wire fraud, attempted extortion and making false statements to federal law enforcement agents. Whitehead was accused of defrauding Pauline Anderson, who used to attend his church. Anderson said she gave retirement savings to Whitehead to aid her in buying a house. Known as the "Bling Bishop" for his flashy lifestyle, Whitehead allegedly took the roughly $90,000 for his personal use. The pastor also reportedly tried to coerce a body shop owner to give him $500,000 in exchange for promising him access to New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Whitehead previously went to prison for five years for charges involving identity theft and grand larceny. Whitehead was briefly detained by police and not charged in 2022 following an incident where he grabbed a woman who interrupted his sermon at Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries and removed her from the church. Home News Robert Morris allegedly asked Cindy Clemishire to name price for silence on sex abuse Two days after Cindy Clemishire confronted Gateway Church founder Robert Morris in 2005 about how he sexually abused her starting when she was 12, he accused her of attempting to blackmail him, then asked her to name her price after she demanded he pay for what he had done to her as a child. Clemishire ultimately said she wanted Morris to pay $2 million in restitution. Morris, who never paid off Clemishire, recently resigned from Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, after the now 54-year-old grandmother revealed that he sexually abused her over multiple years in the 1980s, beginning when she was 12. Clemishire, who said she has been grappling with the psychological impact of the abuse for decades, revealed in selected emails shared with The Christian Post how she first reached out to Morris in 2005 about the abuse. 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 emails show that after Clemishire reached out to Morris via his Gateway Church email, Tom Lane, then executive senior pastor of Gateway Church, invited her to talk to him in a response in April 2005. Clemishire insisted, however, that she wanted to only talk to Morris. On April 13, 2005, Lane responded in an email stating that Morris, his wife, Debbie, along with the elders of Gateway Church, wanted her to find help and healing from Morris indiscretion. First, I wanted to let you know that Robert has been completely open with the Elders of Gateway Church about his past and specifically about his indiscretion with you. Throughout the years, Robert has been open and accountable, doing what he could to find healing and restoration in his life. At the time of the indiscretion, Robert submitted to a two year process that included stepping out of vocational ministry, Lane wrote. This healing process included meeting with you and your parents to ask forgiveness. He undertook other steps as he was directed by the Elders of Shady Grove Church. He continues to walk in a humble attitude of accountability today with the Elders of Gateway Church, he added. As he has previously stated on several occasions, Robert deeply regrets what took place and has repented to God, and you, along with your parents and sister, and to the Elders of both Shady Grove Church and Gateway Church. In a separate email dated Sept. 9, 2005, Clemishire told Morris: I am giving you one last chance to call me. You really have no idea how devastating it will be if you don't. I don't want Tom or anyone else to contact me. This is your issue not his. Morris responded on Sept. 16, 2005, in an email saying, I'm praying about my response to your email. I will respond to you by a week from today. On Sept. 20, 2005, Clemishire reached out to Morris again, asking that he call her. When he asked her in a reply that same day to explain what she meant when she said it was time for him to step up to the plate and bless her, she explained that he needed to be held accountable for what he did. Men that have over 100 counts of child molestation go to prison. Men who pastor churches that have over 100 counts of child molestation go to prison and pay punitive damages. You have not had to do either. I do not believe that is fair or right. You have had almost no consequences for your actions. I have suffered almost my entire life from the emotional damage you inflicted on me, Clemishire wrote. If you want to know what I want, call me. Otherwise, I will proceed with what has been advised. Twenty-three years after you began destroying my life, I am still dealing with the pain and damage you caused. I want some type of restitution. Pray about it and call me. Two days later, on Sept. 22, 2005, Morris and his wife called the then 35-year-old Clemishire and discussed the abuse on a call, a transcript of which was leaked to NBC News and published on Thursday. The transcript, titled, Transcription of recorded phone conversation with Cindy Clemishire was leaked by a former member of Gateways IT department. It was reportedly discovered more than a decade ago while transferring files from Morris computer to a new laptop. The worker was not identified in the report. Okay, tell us what you need to tell us, Morris said, according to the transcript. Clemishire reportedly pointed to her previous emails and told him unless he paid for what he did to her, she would seek criminal charges or go public with her story. Well, I dont think money is going to help you, Morris replied. Who said it was going to help me? Clemishire interjected. It is certainly helping you. Morris reportedly told her that it wasnt the money that was helping him but his efforts in trying to serve the Lord. What is helping me is that since this time I have tired (sic) to do the right thing and tried to serve the Lord, Morris said. Morris and his wife told Clemishire that they loved her, but Clemishire replied that she wasnt happy that he hadn't suffered any consequences for abusing her. Two years out of the ministry big deal, she said. I just have a real problem the fact that you have gone untouched by this. As they spoke on the call, Clemishire tried to explain that she wasnt trying to blackmail him. I am not trying to blackmail you, Clemishire said. I am not trying to say you pay me or this is what I am going to do. Ok, Morris said, do you want to put an amount on it then? It is not a small number, Clemishire said. Money doesnt make you happy and I can understand that. So that is not what this is about. When Morris pressed her again to put a price on it Clemishire told him Two Million Dollars. Morris ended the conversation a moment later. In an email on Oct. 3, 2005, Morris told Clemishire that his lawyer advised him not to pay her any money under a threat of exposure and said her father had asked him not to publicly reveal what he did to her. Debbie and I really do care for you, and we sincerely want God's best for you. You see the blessings God has poured out on my life and conclude that it is because I have hidden my past. God does not work that way. He will not be mocked by deceit. I confessed my sins to you and your family 18 years ago and I have continued to share it with those who need to know as per the counsel of your father. I did what he asked me to do, Morris said. I thought I obtained your forgiveness as well as your family's. If you desire to make this public, I am also willing to do so. I would consult with your father first since he asked me not to share it publicly years ago. You should talk to your father also about disclosing the matter beyond those who already know since he has your best interest at heart and his counsel should, at the least, be considered, if not honored, Morris added. My attorney advises that if I pay you any money under a threat of exposure, you could be criminally prosecuted, and Debbie and I do not want that. If you need more information, have your attorney contact mine. When asked why she didnt just have Morris criminally prosecuted at the time she reached out to him, Clemishire told CP on Friday that she was told the statute of limitations for the abuse had expired. When asked if she believed Morris when he said her father had asked him not to reveal the abuse publicly, she said she didnt. No, I do not believe him, Clemishire told CP. I do not ever remember my father requesting RM (Robert Morris) not to share about it. Why would my father ask that of him? RM was the one at risk if it went public. Home News Robert Morris Ministries cancels future radio, television broadcasts after child sexual abuse scandal Following allegations that came to light last month that Gateway Church founder Robert Morris sexually abused Cindy Clemishire over multiple years in the 1980s, beginning when she was 12, Pastor Robert Morris Ministries has now canceled all future radio and television broadcasts. The elders of Gateway Church learned that Pastor Roberts moral failure from more than forty years ago involved a minor. We are heartbroken and grief-stricken for this woman who has carried this burden of abuse for decades, the Board of Elders of Gateway Church and the Overseers of Pastor Robert Morris Ministries said in a joint statement posted on the Robert Morris Ministries homepage Wednesday. Pastor Roberts sin and his lack of transparency to the churchs elders and leadership has disqualified him from continuing in his role as senior pastor at Gateway Church and as leader of Pastor Robert Morris Ministries. As a result, all future radio and television broadcast ministry from Pastor Robert Morris Ministries has been canceled, the ministry leaders continued. 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 reaction from Pastor Robert Morris Ministries comes some two weeks after Texas-based Daystar Television Network, one of the largest Christian television networks in the world, also removed all programming featuring Morris following his June 18 resignation from Gateway Church over the allegations from Clemishire. Clemishire, 54, reported last month that the megachurch founder began sexually abusing her on Dec. 25, 1982, when she was just 12 years old. She says the abuse continued for four-and-a-half years before he was found out. But he was later allowed to return to ministry. When questioned about the allegations by The Christian Post, Morris only confessed to being involved in inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady more than 35 years ago, and said he repented and was restored to ministry. In March of 1987, this situation was brought to light, and it was confessed and repented of. I submitted myself to the Elders of Shady Grove Church and the young ladys father. They asked me to step out of ministry and receive counseling and freedom ministry, which I did. Since that time, I have walked in purity and accountability in this area, Morris said. Clemishire insisted to CP, however, that she was no young lady when Morris abused her. I was 12 years old. I was a little girl. A very innocent little girl. And he was brought into our home. He and his wife, Debbie, and their little boy, Josh, trusted and preached at the church that my dad helped start and then began grooming all of us to do this, which took me decades to wrap my brain around as an adult, she said. It went on for many years. He says there was no sexual intercourse, but he did touch every part of my body and inserted his fingers into me, which I understand now is considered a form of rape by instrumentation. I was an innocent 12-year-old little girl who knew nothing about sexual behavior. In their announcement of Morris' resignation on June 18, Gateway Church elders said they retained the law firm of Haynes & Boone, LLP, to "conduct an independent, thorough, and professional review of the report of past abuse to ensure we have a complete understanding of the events from 1982-1987." Despite the removal of video and audio content from Morris for the website of Pastor Robert Morris Ministries, the staff said the broadcasts helped many people around the world for decades. We are grateful for how God has used Gateway Church and Pastor Robert Morris Ministries to minister to so many people around the world for decades. Countless people have come to Christ, grown in their faith, and been ministered to in their time of need. We are truly humbled by what God has done through these ministries, they said in their statement. Our prayer for you who have watched our television programs, listened to Worship & the Word on radio, and supported this ministry with your prayers and gifts can be found in Scripture. Numbers 6:2426: May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace. Home News Toxic workplace, plagiarism, border crisis: 5 Kamala Harris controversies since 2020 Having secured enough support from delegates to become the Democratic Party's 2024 presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris has not been without controversy throughout her political career. As the first female and first African American vice president in American history, she is trying to make history again by becoming America's first female president. The Christian Post previously released a list of controversies surrounding the former California senator and attorney general when she was first named President Joe Biden's vice presidential running mate in 2020. 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 This new list of headline-grabbing actions on her part continues where the previous list left off, going from an October 2020 interview into her time in the Biden administration. Here are five additional controversies surrounding Harris that have occurred since 2020. Home News US says it is committed to the security of Israel, approves $20 billion in weapons sales U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken approved a weapons sale to Israel worth approximately $20 billion the State Department announced on Tuesday. The weapons sale includes F-15 fighter jets, Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs), tank ammunition, mortar rounds and tactical vehicles. After receiving approval from the State Department, Congress was notified of the sale agreement. Congress could theoretically block the weapons sale, however, doing so would involve a complicated process. 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 weapons would not be immediately available, as the sales agreement involves contracts with various defense companies. Tank and mortar rounds would be available for delivery upon purchase and could be delivered as soon as 2026. However, the fighter jets and tactical vehicles would take longer, with the F-15s being built by Boeing and not expected before 2029. The United States is committed to the security of Israel, and it is vital to U.S. national interests to assist Israel to develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability, the State Department said regarding the weapons sale. This proposed sale is consistent with those objectives. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant thanked Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin following the approval. The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has faced pressure to reduce military support for Israel amid claims of high civilian casualties. Gaza has been devastated by the war, with the majority of its 2 million inhabitants now living as evacuees in the humanitarian zone declared by Israel. However, the increasing threats from Iran and Hezbollah have raised concerns of a broader regional conflict. The proposed sale will improve Israels capability to meet current and future enemy threats, strengthen its homeland defense, and serve as a deterrent to regional threats. Israel will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces, the State Department release continued. The contracts for the F-15 fighter jets from Boeing will reportedly cover 50 new aircraft, as well as upgrade kits to modify some of Israels existing F-15s with newer engines and electronics. According to the Associated Press, those jets could be delivered as soon as 2029. The State Department also wrote that it is not attempting to alter the basic military balance in the region. The U.S. has been involved in diplomatic efforts aimed at preventing a major Iranian retaliation following the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31. It has also attempted to convince Hezbollah not to escalate its fighting with Israel following Israel's elimination of Fuad Shukr in Beirut on July 30. The U.S. has already sent additional warships and fighter jets to the region to dissuade Iran from making a large-scale attack on Israel. This article was originally published by All Israel News. Home Opinion Christians belong in public schools too With millions of American children returning to school this month, parents of faith must understand their childs religious liberty is not checked at the public school door but has a rightful place in public education, thanks to the U.S. Constitution. The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed this over 50 years ago and ruled in Tinker v. Des Moines that students do not shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate. The Constitution demands that religion receive equal status and treatment in the learning environment. Simply put, religion is not a constitutional orphan in the public educational system. 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 To prohibit religious expression in the public education system would be to strangle the free minds of students and teach them that the fundamental rights enshrined in our nations charter are mere platitudes that can be ignored at the whim of some antireligious zealot masquerading as an educator. Students, parents, and teachers should understand that the First Amendment absolutely applies in public schools. Students and teachers have the right to silently pray, engage in religious discussion with their fellow students and teachers, access student activity fees for religious groups, distribute flyers and literature on an equal basis with nonreligious literature, read their Bibles during non-instructional time, and engage in any other religious activity that does not create substantial disruption of the learning environment. If the school allows students to engage in their own personal expression during non-instructional time, it is prohibited from excluding personal religious expression during the same time frame. Good news for religious liberty In a country besieged by immoral behavior and attempts to remove God and prayer from the public school and the public square, Liberty Counsel has worked to ensure religion is protected in the school system and that religious organizations like Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) and its after-school Bible clubs for elementary students are not discriminated against in the education system. With the most recent win against the Hawaii State Department of Education, we have represented CEFs Good News Clubs in states nationwide for over two decades, never losing a case and ensuring its after-school Christian clubs have equal access. In 2001, the Supreme Court decided Good News Club v. Milford Central School, holding that a public school must treat Child Evangelism Fellowship equally with all similarly situated nonreligious organizations desiring to host character-building educational programs for students. The Court held, and rightly so, that there is no constitutionally significant difference between the invocation of teamwork, loyalty, and patriotism by nonreligious groups and the invocation of Christianity by Good News Clubs. The significance of this fundamental principle of religious speech should not be underestimated. Not a constitutional orphan If the school opens a forum for programs of interest to students, the First Amendment prohibits the government from treating a religious organization like CEFs Good News Club as a constitutional orphan. The Constitution demands that CEF and its Good News Club receive equal treatment in public schools, and if it allows a nonreligious group to access district facilities, it must extend the same access to CEF. Many school districts have attempted to find an exception to that concrete constitutional principle, and they have all failed. The reason for that is simple: The First Amendment is obstinate in its demand for nondiscriminatory treatment of religion, and there are no exceptions to that First Amendment stipulation. The U.S. Supreme Court has said that the vigilant protection of constitutional freedoms is nowhere more vital in than in the community of Americas schools, where the classroom is intended to serve as the archetypal marketplace of ideas. Public schools cant be enclaves of totalitarianism Education is intended to teach students how to think, not what to think. And far too often in our current system, school administrators get it backward, thinking that students must all think a certain way, adopt a certain set of ideals, and forget what their religious and moral convictions prescribe. Contrary to what some would argue, students are not closed-circuit recipients of the ideas, thoughts, beliefs, and practices that only a select few school administrators deem suitable for their education. Indeed, the Supreme Court has said that schools are prohibited from operating as enclaves of totalitarianism in which the state possesses absolute authority over the students and their methods of thinking. It cannot be denied that the nations future depends upon a well-informed and educated electorate, and schools must serve as a microcosm of the larger Republic in which students and teachers are free to express their opinions, convictions, and religious beliefs without fear of reprisal. Eighty years ago, the Supreme Court made clear that [i]f there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens by word or act their faith therein. The Court finished that profound national commitment by noting that its guiding light was without exception. And so it should be. In a nation born on the will to be free, it should come as no surprise that our education system is not designed to infringe on religious freedom, and that includes the freedom of an evangelistic after-school Bible club for elementary school students. Christians in Russia and Russian-occupied Ukraine face increasing persecution Christians are suffering serious religious liberty violations in Russia and Russian-occupied Ukraine, Release International has warned. The non-profit organisation says the scale of the hostility is reminiscent of Soviet-era repression, with imprisonment, torture, and murder all on the rise. In Russia, Christian preacher Eduard Charov is facing trial after questioning the morality of the war in Ukraine on social media. His 2023 post read ,"Would Jesus Christ have gone to kill in Ukraine?" In occupied Ukraine, a Christian leader has been jailed over public opposition to the war, and churches that share this view are at risk of demolition or other forms of intimidation, Release said. A Protestant woman, named only as Olena, from Melitopol in occupied Ukraine, is being held in a prison in Donetsk over remarks she made at a prayer meeting. She was due to stand trial on 15 August for spreading 'knowingly false information' about Russia's armed forces, and faces up to 10 years in prison. Release CEO Paul Robinson said that the cases "reflect the rising persecution of Christians in Russia and in Russian-occupied Ukraine". "Christian leaders have been tortured, disappeared, and murdered for taking a Christian stand, in what looks worryingly like a return to the bad old days of Christian persecution under the Soviet Union," he said. Charov, who runs a homeless shelter with his wife, is due to stand trial this month and is expecting a prison sentence. He told the Russian media outlet Takiye Dela: "I already have a suitcase packed at home. My wife will look after the shelter in the meantime. And I will continue to help people in prison. There are people in need everywhere." The 53 year old faces up to seven years in prison or a fine of up to a million roubles. The plight of Christians speaking out against the war was highlighted by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom in its most recent report. "State retaliation against those who spoke out against Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine using religious language or on moral grounds [has] continued at startling heights," it said. "In Russian-occupied territories [of Ukraine], de facto authorities banned religious groups, raided houses of worship, and disappeared religious leaders. "In the Zaporizhzhia region, Russian authorities banned the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and closed Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Roman Catholic, and Baptist churches. At the end of the year, the whereabouts of several priests whom Russian forces had detained ... remained unknown." Muslims burn down church building in central Nigeria Muslims burned down a church building in the early hours of August 10 in central Nigeria's Niger state, sources said. The razing of the building of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) congregation in Kontagora town at about 3 a.m. was the second time Muslims have destroyed the worship auditorium at the site, said Associate Pastor Samson Ogbebor. "I got a distress call that our church was on fire, and on getting there I met a church being burned down and properties therein looted by hoodlums," Pastor Ogbebor told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. "This church has faced lots of challenges about 10 years ago, some Muslim hoodlums came and burnt it down completely, and through self-efforts we were able to rebuild the worship sanctuary." Muslims in Kontagora had made several unsuccessful attempts to prevent the congregation from constructing the worship auditorium, he said. "We eventually completed the building of the church building, but they have not relented in their opposition to allowing us as Christians to have a place of worship in the town," Pastor Ogbebor said. "For a second time they have burnt down the sanctuary." Church member Markus Emmanuel said he rushed to the site after receiving a call about the fire at the Champion Parish, Kontagora town. "The building was completely razed by fire," Emmanuel told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. "Some residents close to the church building told us that they saw a group of Muslims who came into the church premises and set fire on the building." Emmanuel said the building was still under construction when it was burned 10 years ago. "This is the second time our worship sanctuary has been destroyed, as 10 years back, a group of Muslim fanatics who were opposed to the church building being constructed at that site set fire on it, before the worship building was reconstructed," he said. Church deacon John Aboje called on Muslim leaders in the town to take measures toward preserving religious freedom of Christians in the predominantly Muslim Kontagora Local Government Area. "We just want to plead with the state government and the Kontagora Muslim emirate to look into the issue by compelling the perpetrators to allow freedom of worship," Aboje said. The Rev. Bulus Dauda Yohanna, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Niger State Chapter, confirmed the destruction of the worship auditorium in a statement issued on Saturday (Aug. 10). "The destruction of the RCCG worship building is not only barbaric and unwarranted, but also a very painful experience to the Christian community in Kontagora town," Yohanna said. "There's the need for government officials in Kontagora to take strict measures towards putting an end to such ungodly activities of fanatics. This incident has created religious tension." Christians were hoping that the law would take its course, he said. "To be frank, issues like this must be tamed, and people who have done this should be fished out and made to face the law," Yohanna said. Aisha Wakaso, media aid to Gov. Mohammed Bago, said in a statement that the governor condemned the destruction of the church building. "We totally condemn this act and tell our Christian brothers and sisters, as well as other Niger state inhabitants, that the government prioritizes their safety, security, and freedom of religion," Wakaso said. "Our state utilizes its diversity and the peaceful coexistence of all religious and ethnic groups. We will not condone this stupid act of violence." The governor has requested that all relevant security agencies conduct an immediate and complete inquiry into the attack, he said. "We are convinced that the perpetrators of this horrible arson will be quickly discovered and prosecuted," Wakaso said. "The administration will see that those involved are punished to the fullest extent of the law. We urge the people of Kontagora and Niger state to be calm and refrain from revenge or violence. Let us continue to collaborate to preserve the peace and togetherness that define our magnificent nation." In the 2024 WWL of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, Nigeria was ranked No. 6, as it was in the previous year. Nigeria remained the deadliest place in the world to follow Christ, with 4,118 people killed for their faith from Oct. 1, 2022 to Sept. 30, 2023, according to Open Doors' 2024 World Watch List (WWL) report. More kidnappings of Christians than in any other country also took place in Nigeria, with 3,300. Nigeria was also the third highest country in number of attacks on churches and other Christian buildings such as hospitals, schools, and cemeteries, with 750, according to the report. 2024 Christian Daily International-Morning Star News Ukrainian ambassador to the Vatican believes a visit by Pope Francis would promote peace Ukraine's ambassador to the Holy See, Andrii Yurash, has asked Pope Francis to visit Ukraine almost every time they've met for a private audience. Each time, the pope has pointed to a folder resting on his desk containing the formal invitation from Ukrainian officials and said he is waiting "for the appropriate time," Yurash said. Even though the war between Russia and Ukraine started in 2014, the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 significantly escalated the conflict and brought it to the forefront of global conversations. More than two years later and after repeated appeals from Ukrainian religious and political leaders, the pope has not personally visited Ukraine. "When I meet him, and when I have this opportunity, he always tells me one phrase: I'm waiting for the appropriate time when my visit will symbolize a real positive input into the situation," Yurash told Religion News Service on Monday. The Ukrainian Embassy to the Holy See is a stone's throw from St. Peter's Square. Pictures of Vatican prelates meeting with Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, fill the walls. Zelenskyy too asked Francis to visit Kyiv before the invasion in 2022 and has since then repeated the invitation to the Holy Father. For Yurash, a papal visit would signify the "greatest step in the peace building process in Ukraine." Every time the pope has told him he is waiting for the right time to visit Ukraine, the ambassador said, he answered by stating that "anytime you come to Ukraine, it will be the appropriate time, because you will bring the most important thing: You will bring hope. You will bring a new energy. You will bring something unique and a sign of closeness from the Western civilization, from the Western society, a message that we are all with you." In a 2022 interview with Reuters, Pope Francis had announced he would visit Kyiv only if he could travel to Moscow as well. The desire to avoid taking sides in a conflict reflects a long-standing Vatican approach to diplomacy and the hope of acting as a peace broker. But the pope's efforts to remain above the fray have also led to some diplomatic blunders. Speaking to the Italian news outlet Il Corriere della Sera in 2022, the pope suggested NATO was responsible for the Russian invasion of Ukraine and later hinted at imperial interests at play in the ongoing conflict. In an interview with Swiss broadcaster RSI in March, Francis seemed to encourage Ukraine to embrace the courage of the "white flag" and sit down at the negotiating table. Despite the Vatican's attempts to provide context for the papal remarks, Ukrainians reacted angrily to the pope's comments. While Yurash understands the good intentions of Vatican diplomacy, he was critical of the pope's efforts to influence the Kremlin and Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Any negotiation can be possible if you have the second side," he said, "but Russia has always been negative, not responding, not being polite, not being positive in any terms." Pope Francis has spearheaded a diversified effort to bring peace to the region, from official diplomacy, to charitable outlets, to unofficial channels. Leading the official effort is the pope's No. 2, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who visited Ukraine in mid-July for a six-day trip to meet with local officials and religious leaders. It was the first visit by Parolin since the beginning of the invasion, having previously visited the country in 2016 and 2021. The Vatican's de facto foreign minister, Archbishop Paul Gallagher, also visited the country in May 2022. Parolin celebrated the final Mass for Catholic Latin Rite Ukrainians at the Marian sanctuary of Berdychiv, a major Catholic site in the country. The sanctuary has been elevated to a minor basilica, a sign of the Vatican's recognition of the site where hundreds of Ukrainian faithful have prayed for peace. He asked for Mary's intercession in the war and compared the Ukrainian suffering to "the dark hour of Calvary" when Jesus was crucified. Parolin also visited the Greek Catholic cathedral in Kyiv and met with the major archbishop of the Greek Catholic Church in Ukraine, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, who has been a steady voice for Ukraine's resistance to Russian aggressions. Parolin also visited Odessa and witnessed firsthand the devastation of the war, meeting with children in the pediatric Okhmatdyt hospital in Kyiv, the largest in the country, which was bombed in July of last year. Zelenskyy presented Parolin with a medal of order of merit for his efforts in supporting the sovereignty of Ukraine. Their discussions focused on paths to peace but also on the different Christian denominations cohabitating, sometimes tenuously, in the battle-torn country. Yurash described Parolin's visit as "successful for both sides," underlining Ukraine's appreciation for the Vatican's efforts. "I really hope that at some point, as a consequence of this very important visit, we will have a possibility to greet His Holiness in Ukraine as well." Parolin seemed more skeptical about a peaceful resolution to the conflict, especially after Ukrainian troops moved into Russia's Kursk region on Aug. 6. "These are very worrying developments, because it means opening new fronts," Parolin told reporters on Monday. "In this sense, the chances for peace could become increasingly distant." Pope Francis' unofficial diplomacy channels are led by his peace envoy, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, who is not only the president of the Italian bishops' conference but also a skilled negotiator with experience in conflict resolution. Yurash said Zuppi, who has already met with political leaders in the U.S., China, Russia and Ukraine, has been successful in his efforts. Zuppi has been involved in negotiating the exchange of hostages and ensuring Ukrainian children be returned to their homes. The cardinal has relied on the influential St. Egidio movement, a lay organization with respected experience in peace building and creating humanitarian corridors for refugees. Yurash said Zuppi is in contact with Russian officials but added that the details of his work are secret. Pope Francis has continued to issue charitable support to Ukraine through his papal almoner, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, who has helped provide basic necessities, medicines and funds. Reflecting on his tenure as ambassador, which began shortly after the start of the full-blown war with Russia, Yurash said he has appreciated the support and help from other state representatives. He worked especially closely with the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, Joe Donnelly, who presented his credentials to the pope only seven days after Yurash. Yurash, whose son is enlisted in the Ukrainian army and will soon join the front, said he avoids any contact with the Russian representative to the Holy See. "How can I communicate with the person who, even by his presence here, is a symbol of international terrorism?" he asked. He said he hasn't given up hope that the pope will visit his country but when "the appropriate time" will be for Francis, he said, remains an open question. Religion News Service 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. Radioactive water leaks reported at Japan's crippled Fukushima power plant Xinhua) 13:15, August 15, 2024 Photo taken on March 6, 2023 shows the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Futabacho, Futabagun of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) TOKYO, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- About 25 tons of radioactive water have leaked within the crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, the plant's operator has reported, a week after the latest round of ocean discharge started. The nuclear-contaminated water, which leaked from a surge tank connected to the Unit 2 reactor building, was meant to be contained in a tank receiving overflow from the spent nuclear fuel pool, according to Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO). Accumulating on the first basement level of the reactor building, the leaked water led to a rise in the level of contaminated water already present in the area, TEPCO introduced on Tuesday, confirming that the contaminated water had not escaped outside the reactor building. Photo taken on March 6, 2023 shows abandoned houses in Futabacho, Futabagun of Fukushima Prefecture in Japan. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) The leak was first identified last Friday, when a decrease in the water level of the surge tank was detected, according to TEPCO, which upon further investigation discovered water flowing into a drain in a room on the third floor of the reactor building. The company plans to use a remotely operated robot to measure radiation levels in the room by Friday and further pinpoint the exact location and cause of the leak. The cooling pump for the pool has been temporarily shut down as part of the investigation. Hit by a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and an ensuing tsunami on March 11, 2011, the Fukushima nuclear plant suffered core meltdowns that released radiation, resulting in a level-7 nuclear accident, the highest on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale. The plant has been generating a massive amount of water tainted with radioactive substances from cooling down nuclear fuel in reactor buildings. The contaminated water is now being stored in tanks at the nuclear plant. People protest against the Japanese government's plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water into the sea in Fukushima, Japan, June 20, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) Despite furious opposition both at home and abroad, the ocean discharge of the Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water began in August 2023, and the eighth round of ocean discharge started last week. In fiscal 2024, TEPCO plans to discharge a total of 54,600 tons of the contaminated water in seven rounds, which contains approximately 14 trillion becquerels of tritium. Amid raging credibility and safety concerns among the Japanese public following a series of accidents at the crippled plant, TEPCO and the Japanese government have been frequently challenged for mishandling the contaminated water. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) By MD Media/ Adobe Generated with AI I want to talk about trust. I dont know about you, but when Im feeling frustrated, angry, or vulnerable I have a small but consistent call-sheet of people in my inner circle who know me well and who understand what I need. If someone in that inner circle were to suggest a podcast, a book, an experts view or a therapists phone number Im infinitely more likely to look into that than the recommendation of a stranger. Such is human nature. Trust is earned and held by a few. When thinking about what makes a community safe, strong and resilient, particularly when faced with a crisis or severe or sudden shock as weve seen in the last fortnight, every individual in that community needs to be able to turn to their own supportive call-sheet; the network of people they can truly trust not to judge, not to make things worse, not to put them into further danger. We cannot expect people, particularly in a position of stress, vulnerability or danger, to follow guidance or advice from a faceless authority not unless their faith in that guidance has been reinforced to them by people they already trust. Two weeks ago, when three young girls Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice Dasilva Aguiar were killed in a shocking knife attack at a summer holiday dance club, we witnessed in real time the power of supportive networks in Southport to galvanise community tragedy into positive action. Sadly, in the days that followed we also saw how networks can harness mistrust to do the opposite, organising and gathering support for violence that later became widespread, using fear, racism and hate to fan the flames. Power in linking networks What I am noticing, and became even more apparent last week, is that when different networks of trust connect, there is great power. Last Wednesday, as social and traditional media reported on an anticipated seismic wave of further violence, many of us felt like a nation held hostage by fear. Huge swathes of us were back to an early-pandemic-like state, where it felt like the only safe space was home. And yet, by the evening, the streets of my hometown and many others around the country lit up with messages of solidarity, safety and belonging. We witnessed the power of community WhatsApp, local support services, faith groups, neighbours and friends, connecting circles of trust until thousands felt safe to step out and stand shoulder to shoulder against violence: love and solidarity won. Embracing diversity of voice Even though the violence has subsided (for now), people across civil society are grappling with the challenge of how to recover and rebuild social bridges in the face of such significant division, to help prevent anything like this happening again. We mustnt demand all the unique parts of our wonderfully rich, diverse and unequal society with all its different communities to conform and act in the same way, all the time, or listen to people they dont feel represent them. Instead of seeking simplicity and conformity we should embrace the diversity of voice, experience and understanding, and spend our energy looking for new and creative ways to strengthen bonds of trusts between pre-existing networks. Whether were talking about the needs of a particular place, of young people, of refugees, of faith groups, people who are homeless or those with a physical disability or neurodiversity any community of interest or identity will be part of a network that is brimming with honed expertise and understanding of the unique needs of its members. They have a trusted bond and are our best chance of building bridges that silence hate and prejudice. The VCS Emergencies Partnership provides one of the spaces for different voices to come together. The partnership is a network of networks, bringing together 300 organisations, and each of their circles of trust, to provide a more coordinated and person-centred response to emergencies. By doing that, we hope people impacted are offered support that meets their needs and respects their rights. Prioritise three areas In the aftermath of these heinous events, there are three key things I think our sector and our partners should prioritise; Leadership: At every level of civil society we need leaders who recognise the power of networks and how to connect them. Leaders must make space to understand and hear diverse voices and experience and should also be skilled in listening to, navigating and celebrating the complexity of multiple networks. Solidarity: Those spreading hate and division are the minority. The outpouring of support and solidarity that was shown last Wednesday and since is incredible. But we need to remember that we must be proactive actively anti-racist, and use our networks of love, strength and acceptance to silence the hate. Changing the narrative: Much media and political discourse in recent years has relied on tribalism and scapegoating, with too few voices telling too narrow a story. We need a new whole-of-society narrative that celebrates the contributions of people from across our diverse and multi-cultural society, creating platforms for different voices and experiences. We should allow the last two weeks to shock us. But we should also use it to re-energise us. Lets take bigger steps to connect with others and use our network of networks to rebuild a safer, more connected and more resilient Britain. Civil Society Voices is the place for informed opinion, and debate about the big issues affecting charities today. Were always keen to hear from anyone, working or volunteering at a charity, who has something to say. Find out more about contributing and how to get in touch. is the place for informed opinion, and debate about the big issues affecting charities today. Were always keen to hear from anyone, working or volunteering at a charity, who has something to say. Sign up for The Media Today, CJRs daily newsletter. Next week, the Democratic National Convention returns to Chicago. Its the same host city as in 1968, a year when fraught proceedings inside the convention hall were overshadowed by a violent police crackdown on antiwar protesters outside. (Thomas Whiteside reported on the scene for CJR.) It was a time of political upheaval that sounds familiar today: a Democratic president dropping out of the race, assassinations (or attempted ones), and protests against police brutality, racism, and an unpopular war. America is, of course, a very different place than it was fifty-six years ago, but the events of 1968 resonate today, especially for those who covered them. The similarities are strikingand, I think, they may be misleading, said Robert Friedman, who watched history unfold from his perch as the editor in chief of the Columbia Spectator (where, just like this year, antiwar protesters took over Hamilton Hall). The worst experience that I had as a reporter was the convention in Chicago in 68, recalled Earl Caldwell, a longtime correspondent for the New York Times who covered the civil rights movement, and was in a motel room below Martin Luther King Jr. when he was assassinated. Dan Rather, who found himself caught up in the melee inside the convention, said, In Chicago in 1968, you knew it was the story and, to quote one of the sayings at the time, the whole world was watching. What the world saw on their television screens marked a turning point in the publics perception of the media, with many blaming what occurred on the reporters, according to Heather Hendershota historian and the author of When the News Broke: Chicago 1968 and the Polarizing of America (2023). Hendershot spoke to my colleague Josh Hersh for an episode of The Kicker: After the convention, the idea that the mainstream mediawere exhibiting liberal bias became nationalized. Over the past few weeks, I spoke with these and other journalists to hear their recollections of that timeand to find out what they make of comparisons to the politics of 2024. Our conversations have been edited for length and clarity. Setting the Stage Marvin Kalb Chief diplomatic correspondent, CBS Nineteen sixty-eight was an astonishing year. The year started with the Vietcongs total surprise Tet offensive, which caught the United States totally off guard. The next major thing was that the president, having been asked for an additional 206,000 troops, thought about it and said, Ive got to get out of here. At the end of March, he announced, to everyones astonishment, that he was not running any longer. Almost immediately, Martin Luther King was shot. The minute that happened, almost every major city in America was in flames. People killed. The country appeared to be collapsing. A month or two after that, Robert Kennedy gets shot and killed. Robert Friedman Editor in chief, Columbia Spectator It is important to remember how crucial the Vietnam War was in defining America in 1968. There were two huge issues: one was race and the other was Vietnam. The race issue was best exemplified by the assassination of Martin Luther King and the riots that occurred in many cities around the country after that. In terms of Vietnam, the protests were all-encompassing. The difference from now is that the Vietnam War actually involved US soldiers, a whole generation of college students facing a draft, and thousands of American deaths. It shaped American consciousness. War is terrible wherever and whenever it occurs, but the personal jeopardy is missing. Earl Caldwell National reporter, the New York Times One of the biggest stories in this period was the story that was taking place in these newsrooms because they were integrating. In 1968, it was the year the Kerner [Commission] report came out. The most damning part of that report was aimed at the institution of the news media. The reports said that these papers could not tell their readers what was happening in Black America, even if they wanted to, because their staff were all white. When you were BlackNegro thennobody thought you were the reporter. My world really changed when I joined the New York Times and I became a national reporter. Id arrive at these places in the middle of the night and Id go into these hotels and say, Earl Caldwell, and they said, Oh, we dont have any reservation for you. Then I would say, Maybe the reservations in the name of the New York Times? And theyd go into a back room and come back and say, Oh yeah, we do have it. They see a Black face show up and thats the last thing they expect. Columbia University / Illustration: Katie Kosma. Heat Rises Friedman On April 30, 1968, the police were called onto the Columbia campus. Seven hundred students were dragged out of the buildings, arrested, some were beaten. It was a pretty horrific night. My deputy editor was among those beaten by the police and hauled off to prisonI had to call his father at three in the morning to tell him that his son was in jail. The next morning we woke up, and on the front page of the New York Times was a story written by thenexecutive editor Abe Rosenthal, about the terrible damage that the students had done inside the buildings. What I saw was the terrible damage the police had done on campusbeating students, bloodying them, arresting them. What the Times saw was what the Columbia administration wanted them to see, which was ink thrown on the blackboard in Mathematics Hall and the sleeping bags strewn across the hall of the office of the president. Caldwell With King, I was actually missing my deadline because I wanted to get a telephone in my room. The operator told me that they didnt have any service. She kept telling me that the lines were busy. I said, Im a reporter from the New York Times. She said, I dont care who you are. When this thing happened with King, I got up off my behind and there was a payphone out in the alley just behind the restaurant there. I called the New York Times and asked for the national desk and a secretary answered. I remember telling myself to be calm, be cool. I told the secretary to tell them its an emergency. Then I just told him what had happened. The key thing he asked me was if King would survive. I was able to tell him that there was no way he could survive. I mean, I was looking right into his eyes. They looked like somebody had put something in them and stirred them uphis eyes. But the wound was so massive. Hundreds of people were arrested or injured during the police crackdown on antiwar protesters during the DNC. (AP / Illustration: Katie Kosma.) At the Convention Kalb You go into the Democratic convention, there was wildness all over the place. Ive never seen anything like it. It was an amazing scene to behold. Dan Rather Correspondent, CBS In Chicago, in 1968, it was electric. You knew it was the story and, to quote one of the sayings at the time, the whole world was watching. There was an atmosphere that was charged, both inside and outside the hall, where there were mass demonstrations. Security was way heavy. From the very beginning, if you were any kind of a reporter at all, you knew that the whole idea was to keep control. There were layers upon layers of security, including plainclothes policemen and, not only that, but not-plainclothes policemenenforcers. It made it difficult to get into the hall, and to leave. As you were planning your coverage, and coverage developed, this loomed large. It would be a struggle. It was to be decided at the convention who the nominee would be. As a reporter speaking for myself, franklyyou didnt want to be anywhere else during those days. Earl Caldwell, pictured in 1973. (AP / Illustration: Katie Kosma.) Caldwell The worst experience that I had as a reporter was the convention in Chicago in 68. One of the things that happened was Claude Lewis, my dear friend, was with the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Bulletin. The police out in Chicago, in Grant Park, were attacking the crowds. Claude was holding up his press credentials and they beat him. I found him the next day in a hospital. He still had this little piece of paperhis press badgeand it was bloody. They beat him pretty good. I didnt get beat up, because I knew when the police started coming what was coming. Outside the Hilton hotel, Ill always remember what I saw. Ive never seen anything like it in my life. There was a big crowd of demonstrators outside the Hilton and the police kept converging. The police were about eight, ten deep, taking these little baby steps. They were going closethey inched closer and closerand, all of a sudden, the protesters had no place to go. They were going to go right through that glass window. Then the police started beating them. I mean, they were beating them. When it was over, I looked at the ground and there were nothing but shoesdozens and dozens of all kinds of shoes. They beat those kids right out of their shoes. I went into the hotelyou got these little credentials around your neck so people dont know what you are, but they know youre official somethingand a woman grabbed me, a white woman, and she said, Youve got to do something! Young white kids! In Chicago, it was the white students, antiwar students that were really the ones that were leading those protests, but they were the targets of the police. I was never in a situation like that where I saw Blacks being beaten the way those kids were beaten out in Chicago. The Kicker featuring Heather Hendershot: How the DNC changed the publics trust in media. The Whole World Was Watching Rather In 1968, there was no cable television, there was no internet. You basically had the big three networks, and ABC was not fully grown at that time. All three networks carried all of the conventionsthat was about the only place anybody could get it. A huge difference is that things were decided at the convention, as opposed to today, when the convention only rubber-stamps what has been decided in the primaries. You could make a case that it was the last convention where things were really decided. Marvin Kalb, pictured in 1968. (Courtesy: Marvin Kalb / Illustration: Katie Kosma.) Kalb The thing to bear in mind now, we were in a totally different world. Journalism did not have cable television, social media, any of the advantages and problems of the internet. We were still essentially three networks, major newspapers, primarily men doing the reporting, anchoring, and writing for newspapers. Women had not yet really made an impact on journalism, and everything was, I would say, old-fashioned: the way in which we considered stories, the way in which we reported them. Today I sense much more of an effort to editorialize things than we did back in 68. In 68, there was a feelingand Im not speaking just for myself, but CBS network, NBC, the Postthat we didnt feel we were part of the war, or part of the campaign. We were just covering the story rather than being part of this story. Today there is very much a war within journalists and, on both sides, there is a willingness to be inside the story, rather than be above the story looking down. The Comparison Caldwell When I think about it, this would be a very difficult time to be a reporter. I cant imagine what it would be like to have your editor in your pocketeverywhere you went, all of the time. They have instant contact with you. Sometimes you need to be hard to get. Sometimes you need to be able to have your space. One of the things you need as a reporter is a little bit of time, sometimes, to swallow what it is that youre witness to. We had that. On the other hand, if you were a reporter in something like what happened to me with King? Oh, my god. Its amazing what you could do. Friedman In some fundamental ways, journalism has not changed. The job of reportersto witness, confront, and analyze whats going onremains basically the same. For me, the education that I got as a student journalist at Columbia in 1968 is basically: pay attention to what people are saying, listen, watch, learn, report, do it fairly, and do it on all sides. The similarities are strikingand, I think, they may be misleading. History, while it may echo the past, doesnt necessarily follow it. It would be a mistake to think that the outcomes of the elections or the politics of the times are alike. In 2024, America is a different country. We are going to have a second Black Democratic presidential nominee. In 1968, that was considered to be an impossible dream. In fact, the one person who came closest to articulating that dream, Martin Luther King, was gunned down. I dont think whatever similaritiesand however dramaticare between 1968 and 2024, necessarily, can be used to predict whats going to happen this time around. One thing thats always a constant: surprise. Ted Koppel Nixon campaign reporter, ABC I think this is about as fraught a period as I can remember, including 1968. What is definitely more fraught is what happens the day after. I think if we look back at what happened four years ago, and the election denial that began quite literally on Election Day, and then just built up until it reached an explosion on January 6if you look back at what happened then and you look at the circumstances today, and ask yourself, what do you think is going to happen if, as is inevitably the case, one or the other side loses? How likely are they to take it in a generous spirit? The danger of real violence after the election is significant. An interview with Ted Koppel. Parting Advice Kalb If I was covering the story now, I would want to know as much as I possibly could about Kamala Harris. I would like to know a great deal more than I know about San Francisco politics. Id like to know the promises that she made when she was just a lawyer, not someone who may be our president. I want to know more about the people. What drives them? What moves them? What defines them? Because ultimately, out of that will emerge the policies that will govern the country and end up governing all of us. Rather Going into the Democratic Convention, my one piece of advice Id have for everybody is, Dont be cynical, be skeptical. I tend to give myself a lecture and would give it to anybody else covering politics today: Dont fall into the trap of spending a lot of time with polls or the so-called horse race coverage. Its almost not worth talking about, because people are going to do it whether you think its a good idea or not. As for yourself as a reporter, you can promise yourself youll do as little of it as possible. Keep in mindas I learned to keep in mindthat, when covering politics, overnight is a long time; a week is forever. What may appear to be the case when you walk out of this Democratic Convention in a matter of days could be something different. In politics, things change really quickly. Kevin Lind was a CJR fellow. Sign up for The Media Today, CJRs daily newsletter. In January, two journalists and authors sued OpenAI and Microsoft for copyright infringement. Their suit, while similar in its claims to others filed by heavyweight newspapers and authors, garnered attention for its particularities: the plaintiffs were both named Nick, live near each other in Massachusetts, and are in their eighties. Last month, the Associated Press noted all these facts at the top of an article about their case. One of the journalists, Nick Basbanes, told me recently that the APs lede was accurate, but added, with a chuckle, that he wishes it had chosen a different one. We age, he said. It is one fact of life. Another fact, according to Basbanes and his fellow plaintiff, Nick Gage, is that AI companies use of published journalism to train their large-language models (teaching them, in effect, to write like humans) is ethically and legally wrong. I pay for the privilege of acquiring journalism, Basbanes told me. These people dont. The way I look at it, its outright theft. Their case has been folded into a class action, brought by nonfiction and fiction writers represented by the Authors Guild. But there is something distinctive and refreshing about Basbaness perspective, one not mired in tech jargon or legalese. I am not a technologist, but Im fully aware of whats going on, Basbanes told me. (AI firms have denied any wrongdoingand in general terms, how copyright law might apply to them involves some complex issues, as CJRs Mathew Ingram has written. The case including Basbanes and Gagess claim is still making its way through the legal system.) Another part of what makes Basbaness perspective refreshing is that he is an expert bibliophileone who sees books and paper as forms of technology. (Maybe he is a technologist after all.) He is not hostile toward AI itself: indeed, he uses it for translation and transcription, and is fascinated by its use in deciphering ancient texts. And he does not see AI as being all that different from other technologies that have helped keep people informed throughout history. For him, it all comes down to the integrity with which technology is used. The technology that we carry along with us is wonderful, he says. The skills, ethics, and principles that you have to apply to the tools that you use, they dont change. The techniques dont change; the tools may. Basbanes has dedicated much of his nearly sixty-year career to reviews, columns, and features about literature. He has written ten booksmany of them about books. Everything that I do as a writer stems from book culture, he told me. John Updike once called him the bibliophilia expert. Over his career, Basbanes has amassed over three hundred and fifty hours of recorded interviews with authors, at least three hundred and sixty-five boxes of notes, and more than twenty thousand books. He knows these figures because, in 2015, he gave much of his personal archive to the Cushing Memorial Library at Texas A&M University, which houses his work alongside that of Walt Whitman and Rudyard Kipling. He donated an additional five thousand books, which were added to the tractor trailer headed to Texas, but that hardly scratched the surface of his personal collection. The next day, it looked like nothing had left the house, Basbanes says. When I asked him which book from his collection he was most fond of, he equivocated. You reach a certain age in life where you begin to collect not by addition, he said, but by subtraction. Nicholas Basbanes. Courtesy photo. It may seem curious to think of books and paper as forms of technology in an age of pocket supercomputers and machines that think, write jokes, and play active roles in war. But books are an information delivery system so practical that their form hasnt changed all that much in thousands of years; theyve been in the hands of Mesopotamians and Generation Alpha alike. In 2013, Basbanes wrote On Paper, a book about the cultural history of that product as a world-altering technological advancement. He referred to its introduction two thousand years ago as a paradigm shift, noting that its impact was significant everywhere it went. Aside from the proliferation of the written word, paper revolutionized hygiene, recordkeeping, architecture, and engineering. Basbanes posits that its impact cannot be overstated. We still use an inordinate amount of it in the digital age. As Basbanes told my colleague Jon Allsop in a 2018 interview, toilet paper is a booming business. Generative AI is itself a booming business. The difference is that its progress is better measured in weeks and months than in hundreds of years. There has been a lot of speculation about how AI is going to change the world and, more narrowly, journalism. Transcription, translation, and many types of data work are already known use cases. But can it do the job of writers? A friend of Basbaness, who is a teacher, recently asked her students if they wanted her to use AI for their college recommendations or let her write the letters herself. You dont need ChatGPT or my help to determine their preference. Writing is the human expression of language, and writing is uniquely human, Basbanes says. Are they taking my thoughts and [those of] ten thousand other writers, and coming up with a hybrid voice? Its going to be a computerized voice. Sign up for CJRs daily email Basbanes is now working on a prequel to On Paper, called Before Paper, about the materials that were used to hold markings for the three thousand years of writing prior to papers creation. Most of that writing is lost, but in some cases, marked-up substrates are still kicking around, though in far too fragile a state to handle, let alone read. That was, until researchers began applying AI to the problem. In February, researchers with digital scanners and AI readers began to decipher the Herculaneum scrollsinscribed papyrus found in the ash of Mount Vesuvius before it buried the town and neighboring Pompeii. Basbanes is far more interested in the 21st-century technologies that are being used to access and to unlock such texts than the papyrus itself. (It helps that new technologiesthe internet, digital archives, video calls, AIshave time from the research process, a luxury to someone familiar with trips back and forth to library reference sections.) Basbaness first book, A Gentle Madness, was a love letter of sorts to the history and art of book-collecting through profiles of great collectors. The subtitleBibliophiles, Bibliomanes, and the Eternal Passion for Booksreads like an appropriately self-aware personal assessment save for the term bibliomanes, which refers to people who compulsively collect or hoard books to their own detriment. One of the books subjects is Stephen Blumberg, an avid book thief who is said to have stolen twenty-three thousand books at a value of roughly five million dollars. The compulsion to hoard tomes seems relevant in the context of large language model learning. But there is a difference between stolen books on a shelf and a vast dataset where the texts have quietly been separated from their bindings. The world of data, of course, neednt disaggregate books. Using WorldCat, a worldwide library database managed by the nonprofit OCLC, Basbanes can see that A Gentle Madness is available at sixteen hundred libraries worldwide. Knowing that his words are available to so many readers, with his name attached and in his voice, is the kind of exposure and mass access to his work that he lives for. By contrast, AI uses a computerized voice, approximating a humanity that it leveraged from so many great authors. Basbanes hopes that his AI lawsuit is resolved in my lifetime, he says, and that it results in accountability to protect going forward, and compensation for whats been wrongfully taken for me, for my friends, and for any number of other writers who have been severely abused. But what about the future of the physical book? Even before AI, the digital age wiped out the need for certain types of paper. (When was the last time you saw a phone book, let alone used one?) But other forms have survived. Works of the creative spirit, the works of imagination, fiction, poetry, fine printing books are beautiful objects in and of themselves, Basbanes says. Theres a tactility. You pick up a beautiful booknot only is it a pleasure to look at, its a pleasure to hold. If that moves you, then you understand what drives certain people to book madness: why they do things like Blumberg, who steals twenty thousand rare books; why they buy them or risk their fortunes. He adds, I dont think you can ever fall in love with a website or an electronic text. Basbanes did come back to my question about his favorite book in his collection. In a glassed bookcase in his home, he has a three-volume set of The Bibliographical Decameron, published in 1817 by the Reverend Thomas Frognall Dibdin, who coined the phrase bibliomania and is, in some ways, an intellectual forefather to Basbanes. Basbaness copy of this Decameron has exquisite paper, leather binding, gilt edges, marble endsheets, and great resonance for him. (It did not go to Texas.) It reminds him of A Gentle Madnesshis own madness, as well as the book itself. When Basbanes got his hands on the first copy of his first book, fresh from the printers, it was as special a day for him as the birth of his first child. I am glad I was seated, he said. Other notable stories: Yesterday marked twelve years since Austin Tice, an American journalist, was abducted while reporting in Syria. In a statement, President Joe Biden reiterated a call for Tice to be released and said that his administration has repeatedly pressed the Syrian government to cooperate, but in the White House briefing room, Karine Jean-Pierre, the press secretary, declined to comment on whether thered been any progress up to now. According to Michael Wilner of McClatchy, where Tice worked as a freelancer, media executives and other supporters are growing frustrated with the lack of a resolution. Missed windows are a huge reason Austin is still missing after 12 long years, Debra Tice, his mother, said. We are in a window now. Our government must act now. According to Semafors Max Tani, more job cuts are coming at New York Public Radio: LaFontaine Oliver, the organizations CEO, said yesterday that WNYC will soon reduce its staff by a minimum of 8 percent, claiming that its ability to continue to serve New York is at stake. In other news about the audio business, the Boston Globe hired three people to launch a weekly podcastbut then U-turned on the plan, after concluding that it was not an effective way to juice paid subscriptions. The Globe is reportedly finding alternative roles for the hires; CommonWealth Beacon has more. And Wirecutter, the product-review site owned by the New York Times, will launch a podcast next week. Earlier this year, Meta said that it would shut down CrowdTangle, a tool widely used by researchers and journalists to monitor the spread of content, including misinformation, on Metas platforms; dozens of groups urged Meta to reconsider, or at least keep the tool running through the election, but this week, the company turned it off. Meta has released an alternative tool, but for now, most newsrooms cant use it. Per the AP, critics have also complained that its not as useful as CrowdTangleat least not yet. And Minouche Shafik resigned as president of Columbia University after a little over a year in the job. Her tenure was marked, as we reported earlier this year, by sharp divisions over her handling of Gaza solidarity protests on campus, which resulted in Shafik authorizing the police to arrest demonstrators. The Columbia Spectator, the student paper that led the way in covering that episode, has more on Shafiks departure. New from CJR: 1968 All Over Again Correction: A previous version of this piece misstated the number of hours of recorded interviews Basbanes has done with authors. Kevin Lind was a CJR fellow. More than three-fourths of properties flooded by Hurricane Debby were outside a designated flood hazard area and were likely to be uninsured for the water loss. Many of those properties were concentrated in spots seemingly far away from where the storm made landfall, including Sarasota, Florida; Savannah, Georgia; and Charleston, South Carolina. That was the conclusion reached in a report from First Street Foundation, a nonprofit organization that uses computer modeling and loss data to assess risk from climate change and storm events. Losses from Hurricane Debby were disproportionately centered in the state of Florida, the Aug. 12 report said. The results of the First Street flood model simulation found $2.6 $4.5 billion in losses from the event, of which $1.9 $3.3 billion (~70%) is likely to be uninsured and occurred outside of FEMAs special flood hazard area. Overall, the storm, which made landfall as only a Category 1 hurricane in the Big Bend stretch of Florida, has caused as much as $12 billion in damage, with some $9.7 billion outside FEMAs designated flood zones, the report found. About 385,000 properties saw some level of water that reached the buildings footprint. Some 160,000 of those likely received damage, First Street reported. These findings underscore the necessity for a reevaluation of flood risk assessments and preparedness strategies in vulnerable areas, the report said. Other reports have noted that relatively few properties in the area were covered by private or National Flood Insurance Program policies. NFIP data show that the number of flood policies in South Carolina, for example, dropped by 1.4% over the past year, The Charleston Post and Courier reported. As Debby moved inland, the storms slow pace allowed it to drop significant amounts of rain over the Southeastern United States, First Street said. This led to catastrophic flooding, particularly in parts of Georgia and South Carolina, where several rivers overflowed their banks. One area that was unexpectedly hard hit by the inundation was Bradenton, Florida, south of Tampa. As waters rose to 48 feet behind the Manatee River Dam, local officials made the decision to release the pressure to avoid disaster. But the release caused significant flooding downstream and led to more than 200 water rescues, the report noted. The full report can be accessed here. Top photo: Ann Farkas surveys her flood-damaged home in Canisteo, New York, after remnants of Tropical Storm Debby swept through the area, creating flash flood conditions. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle) Related: Debbys Florida Claims Already Near 12,000 as Yaworsky Says Market Is Strengthening Five law firms should receive $267 million in legal fees for obtaining a $1 billion settlement for shareholders of Dell Technologies, the Delaware Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday, rejecting arguments that the payment was a windfall. The fee is one of the largest ever for U.S. shareholder litigation. A Delaware trial court is weighing two other requests for huge legal fees, both in cases involving Tesla. Plaintiffs in the Dell case alleged that they and other shareholders were short-changed in a controversial $23.9 billion transaction in 2018 that marked Dells return as a publicly traded company. The settlement was announced in November 2022, averting a trial scheduled to begin the next month. Last year, a Court of Chancery judge awarded the $267 million fee to the five law firms that brought the lawsuit, including Labaton Keller Sucharow and Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, finding it in line with Delaware legal precedent. But a group of large investors led by Pentwater Capital Management asked Delawares top court to reduce the fee and base it on a model used in federal courts. As settlements of federal securities litigation grow in size, the percentage awarded in attorneys fees generally declines. In the 10 largest federal securities cases, lawyers collected on average less than 10% of the recoveries as fees, compared with 27% in the Dell case, according to Pentwater. Delaware courts have focused on providing incentives to plaintiffs lawyers to litigate cases rather than accept quick settlements. That can lead to larger fees, particularly in cases like Dell that settled shortly before trial. The fee in the Dell case is the second largest in Delaware and would rank fifth largest in federal securities litigation, according to data from Stanford Law School cited in Pentwaters court filings. Delaware is the legal home to a majority of U.S. publicly traded companies. This in part reflects the predictability of its court system, which relies on specialized judges instead of juries in shareholder litigation, but the courts approach to legal fees has been a point of contention for business groups. Tesla is fighting fee requests related to a settlement of claims that its directors were overpaid, and in a case over CEO Elon Musks $56 billion pay package. Lawyers in the directors case are seeking $230 million in fees. In the Musk pay case, lawyers are seeking an unusual fee in the form of 29 million Tesla shares worth about $7.8 billion when Tesla shares hit a recent peak in July. The judge in the Tesla cases, Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick, has not said when she will rule. The shareholder law firms in the Dell case are Labaton Keller Sucharow, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, Friedman Oster & Tejtel, Andrews & Springer, Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd. The defendants were represented by nine law firms. (Reporting by Hals in Wilmington, Delaware) A federal judge in Florida has temporarily blocked a U.S. Federal Trade Commission rule that would ban agreements commonly signed by workers not to join their employers rivals or launch competing businesses, becoming the second judge to rule that the ban is likely invalid. After a hearing on Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Timothy Corrigan in Ocala, Florida, blocked the FTC from applying the rule to real estate developer Properties of the Villages, pending the outcome of the companys lawsuit claiming the commission lacked the power to adopt the ban earlier this year. Corrigan did not issue a written opinion explaining his decision, and it was unclear whether the block on the rule applied more broadly. Related: U.S. Judge Will Not Block Biden Administration Ban on Worker Noncompete Agreements Properties of the Villages, which operates a residential community of more than 145,000 people, claims that only Congress, and not the FTC, has the authority to ban practices that it deems anticompetitive. About 30 million people, or 20% of U.S. workers, have signed noncompetes, according to the FTC. The commission enforces federal antitrust laws. The FTC and lawyers for Properties of the Villages did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Related: FTC Ban on Worker Noncompete Agreements Delayed by Judge The Democratic-controlled commission and supporters of the rule, which takes effect in September, say noncompete agreements suppress workers wages and mobility and violate U.S. antitrust law by limiting competition for labor. California, Minnesota, Oklahoma and North Dakota have already banned noncompete agreements, and at least a dozen other states have passed laws limiting their use, but the FTCs rule would be the first nationwide ban. Business groups and many Republicans say that noncompetes are a crucial tool for businesses to protect trade secrets, confidential information, and their investments in recruiting and training workers. At least three lawsuits have been filed challenging the ban. A federal judge in Texas last month blocked the FTC from enforcing the rule against a coalition of business groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the countrys largest business lobby, and tax service firm Ryan. But a judge in Philadelphia later in July refused to block the rule in a lawsuit by a tree-trimming service, finding that it was reasonable for the FTC to determine that noncompetes are exploitative and coercive. (Reporting by Wiessner in Albany, New York; Editing by David Holmes) 12 Columbia University President Nemat "Minouche" Shafik testifies before a House Education and the Workforce Committee hearing on "Columbia University's Response to Antisemitism," on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., April 17, 2024. The president of Columbia University announced her resignation Wednesday after a little more than a year on the job, following months of criticism over protests on the Manhattan campus over the war in Gaza. Nemat "Minouche" Shafik had been criticized by anti-war protesters as well as by House Republicans in Congress, but for different reasons. In a letter to the Columbia community, Shafik said while she was president "we have made progress in a number of important areas." "However, it has also been a period of turmoil where it has been difficult to overcome divergent views across our community," she said. "This period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in our community." Shafik, an economist who became president of the Ivy League school in July 2023, asked the New York City Police Department twice to clear encampments set up this spring by protesters in what demonstrators said was an act of solidarity with Palestinians. After the first encampment on the Manhattan campus was cleared a second one grew. Protesters took control of Hamilton Hall and the NYPD cleared it and the encampment at the request of the university. In April, Shafik appeared before a House committee where she faced questions about her handling of antisemitism on campus. The resignation is effective Wednesday, Shafik wrote in the letter. "Over the summer, I have been able to reflect and have decided that my moving on at this point would best enable Columbia to traverse the challenges ahead," Shafik wrote. "I am making this announcement now so that new leadership can be in place before the new term begins." Columbia's Board of Trustees said in a statement that it "regretfully accepts Minouche Shafik's decision to step down as president of the University." Adyen reported a big miss on first-half sales Thursday. The news drove a $20 billion rout in the company's market capitalization . Dutch payments company Adyen beat half-year core profit expectations driven by market share gains, slower hiring and lower one-off expenses on Thursday, sending its shares more than 5% higher. While the digital payments sector faces pressures from lower post-pandemic consumer spending and regulatory scrutiny, Adyen is outgrowing peers helped by international expansion and clients such as U.S.-based Cash App and Canada's Shopify. Adyen's biggest growth driver is improving demand from existing clients and its ability to expand services for them, finance chief Ethan Tandowsky told Reuters in an interview. "There's still room to grow, even in our most mature markets," Tandowsky said. This applies both to partnerships with payments platforms serving small and medium-sized businesses, and Adyen's more direct integrated services for large companies. Adyen has a single-digit percent market share in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region and North America, leaving it ample room to grow there, it said. It also pointed to a contract win with IKEA in Mexico and a new clearance to operate as an online payment aggregator in India as examples of its international expansion. Its half-year core profit rose 32% to 423.1 million euros ($465.8 million), beating the average estimate of 413.39 million from 13 analysts polled by LSEG. Net revenue grew 24% year-on-year to 913.4 million euros, while EBITDA margin expanded to 46% from 43% in the same period. J.P.Morgan analysts said the results were positive given investors' cautious stance on the stock. French rival Worldline in early August cut its 2024 forecast citing a sharp decline in demand in Europe, while Adyen lowered its 2026 guidance last November and said it would hire less people to cut costs. Adyen said it hired 37 employees in the first half of 2024, down from 551 in the same period last year. U.S. crude oil futures rose more than 1% on Thursday to close above $78 per barrel, rebounding from two days of losses as recession fears ease. Strong retail sales for July and declining jobless claims gave investors renewed confidence in the U.S. economy, which had been shaken recently by weak labor and manufacturing data. U.S. crude oil and Brent are up 1.7% this week as the situation in the Middle East remains precarious. Here are Thursday's closing energy prices: The U.S. benchmark surged above $80 per barrel on Monday as Israel and OPEC member Iran appeared on the brink of direct conflict, with the Pentagon dispatching forces to the Middle East to defend its ally. Prices subsequently pulled back as war fears eased, at least temporarily, with Iran apparently willing to abort an expected strike on Israel if Gaza cease-fire talks scheduled Thursday in Qatar are successful. China has also weighed on the market this week, with OPEC lowering its forecast for the year on softening demand in the world's second-largest economy. And U.S crude stockpiles rose for the week ended Aug. 9 as the summer driving season nears its end. Airwallex, which was most recently valued at $5.6 billion and is backed by Tencent, has been tipped as one of many prominent fintech IPO candidates. Tencent -backed payments startup Airwallex has reached an annual revenue run rate of $500 million and will look to get ready for an initial public offering by 2026, CEO and co-founder Jack Zhang told CNBC in an exclusive interview. "I think the next big milestone is the $1 billion," Zhang said, in response to a question on what's next for the Singapore-based firm after crossing the $500 million ARR milestone last month. "Hopefully we can achieve that in 2026, or 2027. That is the goal." Run rate is a rough measure of how much revenue a company will make in a single year, based on monthly performance. Zhang said that Airwallex has seen significant growth in its business in the last year, boosted by an expansion into developed markets such as the U.K., Europe, and North America. In the Americas region, Airwallex grew its revenue by more than 300% year-over-year, according to figures shared with CNBC. The U.K., Europe, and North America now account for more than 35% of Airwallex's overall transaction volumes, Zhang said. When asked by CNBC about how he feels about the prospect of an IPO for his business, Zhang said: "For us, it's just about getting IPO-ready in the next two years so that we have the choice to go or not go." "In 2025, we will prepare everything, and we can decide what to do after 2026," he added. Ukrainian servicemen operate a tank on a road near the border with Russia, in the Sumy region of Ukraine, on August 14, 2024. The Ukrainian army entered Russia's Kursk region on August 6, capturing dozens of settlements in the biggest offensive by a foreign army on Russian soil since World War II. Roman Pilipey | Afp | Getty Images More than a week into Ukraine's surprise incursion into Russia's Kursk region and the operation, and the gains made in the last week are likely to have exceeded even Kyiv's wildest expectations. Ukrainian forces now occupy more than 1,000 square kilometers of Russian territory and have captured 74 settlements, Ukraine's top military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Tuesday. On Wednesday, the president claimed Ukraine's forces had advanced even further into Russia, making gains of 1-2 kilometers and capturing more than 100 Russian soldiers since the beginning of the day. Ukraine appeared to make the most of its newfound offensive momentum by launching the largest ever drone attack yet on Russian military airfields on Thursday, destroying a Russian Su-34 jet used to launch glide bombs at Ukrainian front-line positions and cities, Ukraine's General Staff said. CNBC was unable to independently verify the claims made by Zelenskyy or the military. Russia is seething about the incursion which has seen the first foreign army on Russia soil since World War II. It says the raid is designed to stop its rolling offensive in eastern Ukraine, and to destabilize the country. Officials in Moscow have also used the incursion to further attack Ukraine's Western backers. A Ukrainian military vehicle drives from the direction of the border with Russia carrying blindfolded men in Russian military uniforms, in the Sumy region, on August 13, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Roman Pilipey | Afp | Getty Images A grim-faced President Vladimir Putin has vowed a "worthy" retaliation to what he initially described as a "large-scale provocation." But the gains in the southwestern region of Kursk have seemingly stunned Russia's military command, which has yet to mount a robust response to the incursion. Geopolitical and defense analysts warn that a response will come, and while Kyiv can bask in the success of its cross-border operation for now, it does need to have a plan as to what happens next. Whether Ukraine chooses to consolidate its territorial gains in Kursk, reinforce its troops and continue its advances or to withdraw its forces while the going is still good in order to preserve lives, and ahead of what might be a furious Russian response a decision will need to come quickly. "The initial phase of the offensive that saw quick Ukrainian advances and the establishment of defensive positions in the Kursk region appears to be coming to an end," Andrius Tursa, Central & Eastern Europe advisor at risk consultancy Teneo, said in a note Wednesday. "While the first week of the offensive appears to have been successful for Kyiv from the military and political perspective, it still entails significant risks, he noted, adding that it's crucial to watch whether the Ukrainian forces "can manage to hold the occupied territory and, if needed, pull back troops and equipment with minimal losses." Ukrainian armoured military vehicles drive from the direction of the border with Russia, in the Sumy region, on August 13, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. On August 6, 2024, Ukraine launched an offensive surprise into the Russian border region of Kursk capturing over two dozen towns and villages in the most significant cross-border attack on Russian territory since World War II. Roman Pilipey | Afp | Getty Images The offensive is being carried out by experienced troops with advanced Western military equipment that appears to have been pulled back from the frontlines in Ukraine, Tursa said. "Their loss would have negative implications for the country's defensive capabilities and could backfire politically, especially if the outcome of the incursion is perceived to be unworthy of the losses," he warned. Russia stunned, but not for long The sheer audacity of Ukraine's cross-border raid seemed to leave Russia stunned last week, as several thousand Ukrainian troops entered Kursk. Russian authorities in Kursk and neighboring Belgorod have initiated evacuation programs, with around 300,000 residents subject to the measures. Both states have also declared a state of emergency. Russia's defense ministry has claimed in daily reports that it is repelling and thwarting Ukrainian advances, although it has conceded that Ukrainian units have advanced up to 30 kilometers into Russian territory. On Wednesday, the ministry said several ground and air units, and artillery and drone strikes, "prevented enemy mobile armoured groups from getting into the depth of the Russian Territory." A screen grab from a video released by Russian Ministry of Defense shows Russian forces launching a missile attack with Lancet, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), targeting the military tank of Ukrainian Armed Forces at the border area near Kursk Oblast, Russia on August 12, 2024. Russian Ministry of Defense | Anadolu | Getty Images Russia appears to be largely relying on Russian conscripts, and elements of some regular and irregular military units pulled from less critical sectors of the frontline in eastern Ukraine, to address the ongoing Ukrainian incursion, analysts at the Institute for the Study of War think tank stated Tuesday. Analysts warn Russia's lackluster response to Ukraine's incursion is unlikely to last much longer, however. "In the coming days, Russia's so-called counter-terrorist forces consisting of various domestic security units will likely step-up efforts to liberate the occupied territories. This will likely include addressing the dilemma of whether Russia should use heavy weapons within its own territory," Teneo's Tursa noted. Matthew Savill, the military sciences director at the Royal United Services Institute defense think tank, said Tuesday that "sustaining a force of any size in Russia, and defending against counter-attacks, will be hard, given the limited reserves available to Ukraine. Neither has it thus far resulted in the Russians slowing their advances around the Donbas, where the situations around Chasiv Yar and towards Povrovsk remain difficult." 'Occupation' or retreat? Ukrainian officials and defense analysts acknowledge that the incursion into Russia is designed to give Ukraine more bargaining power in any future peace initiatives with Russia. The timing is salient as a possible second term for former President Donald Trump brings with it the likelihood that Ukraine could be pressured or forced into negotiations with its foe and possible territorial concessions, in order to end the war. As such, hanging on to territory in Kursk could prove a useful bargaining chip, although doing so could come at a high cost in the face of a stronger and more organized response by Russia to the incursion. President Zelenskyy appeared to suggest there may be plans for a longer operation in Kursk, saying on Wednesday that he had held a meeting on the security and humanitarian situation in Kursk and had discussed "security, humanitarian aid" and the "creation of military administrations if necessary," he said on Telegram. A senior Ukrainian official told CNBC this week that Kyiv hoped that "if everything goes well [in Kursk], the presence of the Ukrainian troops in Russia will serve as a force to change the dynamics of the war, and it will increase our negotiating power, for example, in the context of the possible peace initiatives," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the operation. The official insisted that Ukraine had no interest in occupying or annexing a part of Russia but would seek to use its incursion to change the dynamics of the war, particularly in eastern Ukraine. "This is not about Ukraine's desire to seize Russian territory. We're confident the world understands this is not about annexing parts of Russia. We don't need that territory. We just need them to get out from ours," the official said. The official said Ukraine wanted to use its present position as "leverage" to "bring about a just peace, faster." Ukrainian servicemen operate a Soviet-made T-72 tank in the Sumy region, near the border with Russia, on August 12, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Roman Pilipey | Afp | Getty Images "Having waited for over 4 years to make this announcement, Koryo Tours is very excited for the opening of North Korean tourism once again," Koryo Tours, a Beijing-based tour operator, said in a statement on its website. The companies added that foreign tourists will be permitted to the North Korean city of Samjiyon by December, while other areas of the country could potentially become accessible. The North Korea-focused travel companies KTG and Koryo Tours said on Wednesday that their local partners in the country had informed them about government plans to allow trips to some locations. North Korea will resume international tourism this winter, ending a COVID-era ban on travelers, according to operators that organize tours to the country. This undated picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on November 28, 2016 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (C) standing among skiers in Samjiyun. North Korea has largely been closed to foreign tourists since 2020, though some international flights in and out of the country resumed last year. A small Russian group reportedly visited North Korea in February. The country has been preparing for a wider reopening for some time now. According to Koryo Tours, North Korea has been working for years to develop and build tourism facilities in Samjiyon, a mountain city near the Chinese border. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who visited the city last month, has praised it as "a model of highly-civilised mountain city," with new hotels, attractions, and a ski resort, according to North Korean state media. Another major tourism site is being constructed on the country's eastern coast. The efforts could help North Korea with its economic recovery from the devastating impacts of the global pandemic. According to Koryo Tours' website, introductory tours to North Korea typically range between 600 euros and 1,500 euros per person, depending on factors such as the point of departure, duration, group size, and lodging. The only nationalities restricted from travel to North Korea as tourists are citizens of the Republic of Korea. The U.S. government, meanwhile, has a strong advisory against travel to the country. "U.S. passports are not valid for travel to, in, or through North Korea, unless they are specially validated by the Department of State." It is likely that an opening of Samjiyon is aimed at attracting Chinese travelers, who constituted the majority of international tourists visiting North Korea before the pandemic. In 2019, a record 350,000 Chinese tourists visited North Korea, providing a huge revenue stream for Pyongyang, according to NK News, an U.S. website that provides analyses of the country. Starboard Value added to its bet on Salesforce by some 40% in the second quarter, while reducing a stake in web services company GoDaddy by more than 25%, according to a new regulatory filing. The Jeff Smith-run hedge fund upped its stake in the maker of customer relations management software by about $126 million, according to InsiderScore.com. Salesforce shares have slumped 3% this year, falling nearly 15% in the second quarter alone. Starboard previously trimmed its stake in Salesforce by 21% in the first quarter of the year. The New York-based hedge fund also increased existing positions in News Corp Class A shares and Fortrea , the contract research organization spinoff from Labcorp . Smith trimmed significant holdings during the period. That included axing his GoDaddy stake by more than 28% to $644 million. GoDaddy shares are up more than 51% year to date. Starboard sent a letter to the company earlier this year, pushing management to continue moving "in the right direction" by creating specific and realistic growth goals and offering investors more details on plans to profit improve margins. Smith first began accumulating a stake in GoDaddy in 2021. GDDY YTD mountain Shares this year Smith also chopped Starboard's positions in Humana and Wix.com by 25% and 23%, respectively. According to a 13D filing published last month, the hedge fund revealed a new position totaling nearly $533 million in Tinder parent Match Group early in the third quarter. In July, CNBC reported that the activist hedge fund had acquired a roughly 6.5% stake in the online dating company. Smith sent a letter to Match Group's CEO in July, urging management to improve margins by cutting costs and innovating its products to turn around its business, or consider going private. Days after Starbucks skyrocketed on its stunning CEO change , shareholders may wonder what to do with the stock. It's a more than understandable question because large-cap stocks rarely add 24.5% in one session like Starbucks did Tuesday following news that Brian Niccol will leave Chipotle Mexican Grill and replace embattled CEO Laxman Narasimhan at the coffee giant. In March 2023, we were willing to give Narasimhan the benefit of the doubt when the former Reckitt Benckiser CEO and PepsiCo executive took over for three-time Starbucks leader Howard Schultz. But the writing was on the wall about a year later when Narasimhan failed to take accountability for a terrible fiscal 2024 second quarter. The day after the April 30 earnings, Jim Cramer blasted Narasimhan in a CNBC interview for not acknowledging the severity of the problems facing Starbucks. Jim has always described Niccol as one of his favorite CEOs and was thrilled with the announcement. We have high expectations for what Niccol can do at Starbucks considering how successful he has been at Chipotle and the extraordinary value he brought to shareholders of the Mexican restaurant chain since he took over as CEO in March 2018. While blessing a quick flip for members who bought Starbucks shares when the Club did on July 29 at just over $75 per share, Jim Cramer said Wednesday during the Club's August Monthly Meeting that he thinks investors will be rewarded for sticking around. The stock gave back just over 2% on Wednesday but remained around $94. Jim thinks Starbucks could be a buy on a pullback. Niccol, who takes over at Starbucks on Sept. 9, will assume the reigns at a tricky time for the company. Despite Tuesday's surge, the stock was still a few percent lower in a year when the S & P 500 has gained 14%. Starbucks shares were also 13% away from their 52-week high of $107.66 and about 25% short of their all-time high of $126.32 in July 2021. In terms of valuation, the stock remains attractive at about 24 times fiscal year 2025 earnings estimates and below the nearly 28 times average forward multiple over the past five years. SBUX 5Y mountain Starbucks performance over 5 years A stock being down is not a reason in and of itself to own it, and the suppressed multiple has not stopped it from being a loser in the recent past. So, why stick with it because we're now getting a new leader who is up to the task of tackling the unique issues that have plagued Starbucks and stock in recent quarters. For starters, Niccol has major experience operating fast causal chains like Starbucks. Before serving as CEO of Chipotle, Niccol was the CEO of Taco Bell and before that Taco Bell's chief marketing and innovation officer. That's exactly what Starbucks needs, a proven leader who can change the narrative and reinvigorate the company. In other words, Niccol brings with him over a decade of relevant experience whereas Narasimhan's prior experience was focused more on packaged goods where the in-store experience just isn't a factor in determining success. Niccol didn't have to deal with China at Chipotle. But he was at Taco Bell when the China operations of Yum Brands-owned Taco Bell, KFC, and Pizza Hut, became a new separate company Yum China in 2016. Taco Bell operates in far more countries than Chipotle, which gives Niccol the international experience that will be necessary to navigate Starbucks' opportunities around the globe and to adapt to varying consumer preferences. It will be interesting to see how Niccol goes about addressing Starbucks' planned China expansion efforts. We know he knows how to expand a footprint, which is what Starbucks has promised to do in the world's second-largest economy. Between Dec. 31, 2018 and Dec. 31, 2023, Chipotle's operations expanded from 2,491 locations to 3,437, a nearly 38% increase. Domestically, what Niccol has learned in terms of blending the in-store experience with mobile ordering at Chipotle can be hugely helpful at Starbucks. Niccol is also no stranger to brand controversy, taking the helm at Chipotle in 2018 and helping the company navigate salmonella and E.coli outbreaks. Starbucks thankfully doesn't have any health scares to deal with, but it does have brand issues in terms of customer complaints of being too expensive and too slow to serve. Unhappy workers at some locations have sought to unionize. Starbucks is also combating the erroneous perception that it has a political stance in the Israel/Hamas war. Bottom line What Starbucks needs is someone who knows how to market and innovate, figure out China, revamp the in-store and digital experiences here in the U.S., and foster more trust with employees. Niccol checks all the boxes and has proven success in all of these areas. That's why we think there will be plenty of upside at Starbucks in the quarters to come as Niccol hits the ground running next month to improve operations and make the company more efficient to the benefit of earnings. Should Niccol need help in turning Starbucks' business around, he's got Elliott Management and Starboard Value in his corner as activist shareholders. For the skeptics, had you sold Chipotle stock on the 15% gain after Niccol was announced as CEO in February 2018, you would have missed out on an additional 792% gain as of Monday's close. Can repeat even just a bit of that magic at Starbucks? We think it's worth sticking with him to find out. CMG mountain 2018-03-01 Chipotle performance since March 2018 (Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust is long SBUX. See here for a full list of the stocks.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED. Chipotle Mexican Grill CEO Brian Niccol speaks with CNBC's Kate Rogers at the CNBC Evolve conference November 19th in Los Angeles. Jesse Grant | CNBC Talen Energy Corporation shares have doubled this year as the Houston-based company charts a path for nuclear plants to power the data centers that tech companies rely on to support artificial intelligence. Talen stock has soared 103% since January, through Wednesday, giving it a market capitalization approaching $7 billion. Investor interest in Talen has climbed since it signed a $650 million deal in March with Amazon Web Services to sell the cloud computing company a data center campus powered by the Susquehanna nuclear plant in Berwick, Pennsylvania. Talen's stock has risen nearly 52% just since the AWS deal was disclosed. And the power company's shares may have more room to run, with Oppenheimer rating the stock an outperform with a 12-to-18 month price target of $140, implying about 8% upside from Wednesday's close of $129.81 per share. Talen became an independent power company in 2015 after PPL Corporation spun off its power plants in Pennsylvania and Montana to focus solely on its regulated utilities business. But Talen had a rough start, filing for bankruptcy in 2022 after surging natural gas prices left it with losses tied to derivative contracts it has used to smooth out risk. Talen restructured, brought on Mac McFarland as CEO in 2023, started selling non-core assets and settled a lawsuit against PPL. "They've really been doing a good job of cleaning up the company, narrowing the focus, monetizing assets where they can, and then returning cash to shareholders," Ian Zaffino, senior research analyst at Oppenheimer, told CNBC Wednesday. Riding AI wave Talen is now riding the AI wave, with its AWS data center deal viewed as a potential model for how the power industry can meet the tech sector's growing energy demand for reliable, carbon-free nuclear power. The AWS data center campus will supply 960-megawatts of power when completed, nearly the size of the average nuclear reactor in the U.S. "Our one deal matters because data centers form in multi-site clusters, so we hope that proving one working model in Pennsylvania is a sign of good things to come for further buildout," McFarland told analysts on Talen's second-quarter earnings call this week. Data centers represent a major opportunity for economic development, the CEO said, with each gigawatt representing roughly $10 billion in direct investment, and the total impact multiple times higher than that when indirect jobs and investment are included. "It's really an enormous opportunity," Zaffino said of the AWS deal. It could add $225 million in incremental earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization for Talen if Amazon builds out the entire campus, though this will take years, the analyst said. Talen's EBIDTA guidance for 2024 is $750 million at the midpoint. TLN YTD line Talen Energy The AWS deal faces a challenge from American Electric Power and Exelon at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). AEP and Exelon argue that the agreement could reduce capacity on the grid and create scarcity, resulting in rising energy prices. They also argue that the agreement presents a free rider problem in which the data center and nuclear plant benefit from the grid without paying their share of the costs. For its part, Talen accuses the two utilities of trying to stifle innovative solutions to the power demand challenge presented by data centers that have huge energy needs. Other independent power companies such as Constellation Energy and Vistra Corp . defend Talen's agreement with AWS in filings to FERC, demonstrating how the deal is viewed as a potential turning point for the industry. Constellation Energy and Vistra have said they are holding similar conversations with tech companies on potential agreements to directly power data centers with their nuclear assets. In all likelihood, federal regulators are likely to accept the Talen-AWS agreement, even though Talen faces potential risks, Zaffino said. "The AI trade, all the stuff surrounding this data center deal is a very, very large part of the thesis," the Oppenheimer analyst said. "There's obviously risk of an AI bubble or something along those lines," he said. In addition to the Susquehanna nuclear plant, Talen owns seven natural gas plants , two coal plants and has stakes in several other coal-fired power stations. McFarland has said this year that Talen is also looking at the possibility of powering data centers with its natural gas assets. The CEO said this week a model could develop in which tech companies effectively underwrite the construction of new gas plants by entering into long-term contracts for power before they are built. Beyond data centers, power demand is rising elsewhere in the U.S. just as supply is increasingly constrained. The nation's largest grid operator, PJM Interconnection, recently held a capacity auction in which prices soared to $269.92 per megawatt-day, nearly 10 times the price of the previous auction. That puts Talen's core business, providing power, in a "really, really good spot," Zaffino said. The Susquehanna-AWS deal is layered on top of Talen's core business, with the potential for something similar at the company's Lower Mount Bethel and Martins Creek natural gas plants in Pennsylvania, he said. "It's quite a large opportunity," Zaffino said. Here are the biggest calls on Wall Street on Thursday: Morgan Stanley reiterates Apple as overweight The firm says it's bullish heading into the new Apple iPhone cycle. "While early October iPhone sell-through still most critical for next cycle growth, momentum seems to be building into the iPhone 16 launch." Wells Fargo downgrades M & T Bank to underweight from equal weight Wells said in its downgrade of the regional bank that lower rates are "not ideal." " MTB has an above avg. est. P/E even though it is more exposed to lower rates given it's a more plain vanilla, NII-oriented bank [net interet income], w/greater CRE and increased competition in its slower growth footprint." UBS upgrades Dutch Bros to buy from neutral UBS said in its upgrade of the coffee chain that Dutch Bros shares are too attractive to ignore at current levels. "Upgrade to Buy: Compelling sss [same-store sales] catalyst path, attractive LT unit growth intact." Baird initiates Valvoline as outperform Baird said it sees several sustainable drives for the auto services company. " VVV is a trusted leader in the large, fragmented, and needs-based/recession-resilient auto services industry." Goldman Sachs upgrades Progressive to buy from neutral Goldman says it's getting bullish on shares of the auto insurance company. "The premise of our upgrade is stronger and more sustainable PIF [policies in force] growth at PGR than we see reflected in street estimates." Piper Sandler initiates Tyra Biosciences as overweight Piper says it's bullish on shares of the biotech oncology company. "Initiating coverage of TYRA shares with an OW rating, $33 price target as we think this company's expertise in FGFR [fibroblast growth factor receptor] biology positions it well to overcome key limitations of earlier generation FGFR inhibitors." Morgan Stanley upgrades Victoria's Secret to equal weight from underweight Morgan Stanley said it's more constructive on the stock following management changes. "We upgrade VSCO to Equal-weight, as 1) leadership changes put turnaround hopes back in play, 2) 2Q upside makes for an achievable 2H bar..." UBS upgrades Medtronic to neutral from sell UBS said in its upgrade of the medtech stock that it sees a "diabetes turnaround." "We are upgrading MDT to Neutral from Sell as we now have higher conviction that the recent Diabetes turnaround is sustainable." Citi downgrades European Wax Center to neutral from buy Citi downgraded the body wax center company citing too much uncertainty. "We are downgrading EWCZ shares from Buy to Neutral and lowering our TP from $16 to $5.50 following 2Q EPS." JPMorgan downgrades bluebird bio to neutral from overweight JPMorgan downgraded the biotech company following earnings. "We're downgrading BLUE shares to N from OW following the 2Q results update. ... .Indeed, we see sentiment being further hurt by the aggregate commercial outlook into 2H24 being more encouraging than that exiting 1Q." JPMorgan upgrades Sea Limited to overweight from neutral JPMorgan said the Singapore-based tech conglomerate is "firing on all cylinders" "We are upgrading SE to OW as all three major business segments are likely to drive positive earnings revisions." Deutsche Bank upgrades Robinhood to buy from hold Deutsche says it sees upside potential for the stock trading company. "We upgrade Robinhood Markets (HOOD-Buy), joining Buy-rated Charles Schwab within our e-brokers, and we see over 20% upside potential for both stocks over the next 12 months." KeyBanc upgrades Brinker to overweight from sector weight Key said investors should buy the dip on shares of the owner of brands like Chili's. "We are upgrading EAT stock to OW and establishing a $72 PT. Our call follows an ~11% post-results decline in EAT shares." Morgan Stanley upgrades Nucor to overweight from equal weight Morgan Stanley says the steel company has defensive characteristics. "We are upgrading NUE to OW given our preference for lower beta/defensive exposure in 2H24 with a new price target of $176/share." Wells Fargo downgrades Snowflake to equal weight from overweight Wells said in its downgrade of the stock that its survey checks show "potential churn" from a recent data breach. " SNOW's premium multiple tougher to defend w/ tech differentiation in question in rapidly evolving era of open data formats. New mgmt, macro impacts & recent data breach (w/ potential churn) stacking up at a tough time." JPMorgan adds Dell to the focus list JPMorgan said Dell shares are compelling at current levels. "Dell, on the other hand, offers an attractive entry point from a valuation perspective after the recent pull-back with near-term margin focus from investors preventing them from appreciating the revenue TAM [total addressable market] accessible to Dell, particularly as the AI investment cycle moves to Enterprises benefitting Dell both on Servers and Storage." Bank of America upgrades PNC to buy from neutral Bank of America called the regional bank an "all weather stock." "We are upgrading our rating on PNC Financial to Buy from Neutral and raise PO to $200 from $185 driven by the positive EPS revisions and assigned multiples." Bank of America downgrades Pilgrim's Pride to neutral from buy Bank of America downgraded the poultry producer due to tough comps. "We are downgrading shares of Pilgrim's Pride (PPC), the 2nd largest broiler (chicken) processor in the US, from Buy to Neutral while maintaining our estimates & $47 PO still based on 6x CY25 EV/EBITDA." Goldman Sachs reiterates CrowdStrike as buy Goldman says it's sticking with shares of CrowdStrike . "Risk/reward may be turning more positive; October quarter key to establishing a oor to growth." Bernstein reiterates Amazon as a top idea Bernstein said Amazon is a top pick at the firm amid the recent market volatility. "Reset expectations while the OI [operation income] inflection story remains intact with further contribution from robust AWS growth, advertising re-acceleration in 2H24 from Prime Video ad ramp, and steady retail margin expansion while prioritizing gross profits." Bernstein reiterates Broadcom as a top idea The firm says Broadcom is the "cheapest way to play AI in semis." "A de-risked core (non-AI) semiconductor business with a good 2025 set-up..." Stifel initiates Advanced Energy Industries as buy The firm says the supplier of power delivery subsystems is well positioned. "We are initiating coverage of Advanced Energy Industries with a Buy rating on the shares." Oppenheimer reiterates Ulta as outperform Oppenheimer said it's sticking with Ulta shares following news on Wednesday that Berkshire Hathaway took a stake in the beauty company. "Earlier [Wednesday], Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway disclosed a new stake of 690K shares in ULTA Beauty. Shares are indicated up ~10% to the high-$360s after market." UBS upgrades Millicom to buy from neutral UBS says the LatAm telecom company is well positioned. "We upgrade TIGO to Buy with a new PT of $33.00 (vs. $25.00 before)." Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump attends a press conference, the day after a guilty verdict in his criminal trial over charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, at Trump Tower in New York City, U.S., May 31, 2024. Lawyers for Donald Trump have asked a New York judge to delay the former president's sentencing date in his criminal hush money case until after the Nov. 5 presidential election. The Republican presidential nominee's legal team argued that pushing Trump's sentencing past the election would "reduce, even if not eliminate, issues regarding the integrity of any future proceedings," in a letter obtained by NBC News. They also claimed that there was no reason for New York Judge Juan Merchan to stick to the current sentencing schedule, aside from "naked election-interference objectives." "There is no basis for continuing to rush," read the letter from attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, dated Wednesday. "Accordingly, we respectfully request that any sentencing, if one is needed, be adjourned until after the Presidential election." Trump is currently scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 18, about seven weeks before Election Day. Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will meet for two presidential debates, while their running mates will face off just once, the Harris campaign said Thursday. "The debate about debates is over," Harris campaign spokesman Michael Tyler said in a statement. The Republican nominee's campaign has "accepted our proposal for three debates two presidential and a vice presidential debate," according to the Democrat's campaign. Both Trump and Harris had agreed last week to a debate on Sept. 10 hosted by ABC News. The next debate will come on Oct. 1, when Trump's running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, and Harris' pick, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, meet for the one and only vice presidential debate, Tyler said. The spokesman's statement also said, "The American people will have another opportunity to see the vice president and Donald Trump on the debate stage in October." He did not specify on which day that debate would take place, or which network would host it. A politician said, We should have a new dish, and we should name it Pad Thai Today, its easier than ever to eat food from around the world. If a dish a good enough, it seems like its bound to find a market eventually and get eaten everywhere. But that takes time, if it happens at all. When one type of food instead jumps the queue and becomes famous worldwide before any anything else, something a little more shady may be going on. Maybe weve all fallen victim to some government conspiracy. Luckily, its the delicious kind of conspiracy, which is one of the few types of conspiracies that work out great for everyone. 4 Pad Thai Was Invented by the Thai Government to Make You Come to Thailand If youve never been to Thailand, have you ever wondered what they call Pad Thai over there? We refer to it as Thai food, but surely they dont in Thailand itself, since they themselves are Thai. Canadians dont call Canadian bacon Canadian bacon. The French dont call French fries French fries, nor do they call them frites francais. So, what do the Thai call Pad Thai? Don't Miss Answer: They call it Pad Thai. This reveals the truth behind the dish and behind the nation. Iudexvivorum/Wiki Commons The nutty truth Pad Thai isnt a traditional Thai dish but was commissioned as an invention at the end of the 1930s by Prime Minister Plaek Phibunsongkhram. The PM (who was called Phibun for short) wanted to create a national identity, and he figured that meant a national dish. Lots of people cooked their own kinds of noodles, both in his country and in the surrounding ones, so the team came up with this one standardized noodle dish, arbitrarily flavoring it with peanuts. Phibun named it Pad Thai. He also named the nation, dubbing it Thailand, meaning land of the free. Before, it had been Siam. Pad Thai is as old as Thailand itself, if you say Thailand was founded in the 1938 with the Songsuradet Rebellion, but its otherwise misleading to call it a traditional part of Thai cuisine. Ritz crackers are older than Pad Thai. So, thats where Pad Thai came from. As for why it became so famous internationally, thats its own little story. At the start of the 21st century, the Thai government launched a plan to fund thousands of Thai restaurants worldwide, and for them to use Pad Thai to introduce people to Thai culture. The plan worked. Its why America has so many Thai restaurants right now, and barely any Cambodian restaurants, even though the two countries are right next to each other. Advertisement 3 Mac and Cheese Was a Rationed Treat You can probably name a dozen types of pasta and at least two ways to prepare each of them. Only one type of pasta, though, is such a casual food that its an appropriate side dish when you order barbecue. Its macaroni and cheese, and it was one of the earliest Italian imports to America. In 1793 when some Italians in America were surely already eating macaroni Thomas Jefferson had his own personal macaroni maker. Hed ordered it from Naples during his time in Paris. Other people in America ordered pasta imported from Sicily, and local pasta factories opened. Advertisement Around this same time, a song called Yankee Doodle namedropped macaroni, but that wasnt directly related. The macaroni in that song was a type of effeminate man and his choice of hairstyle. That macaroni, in turn, got its name from men whod toured Europe and visited Italy, and plenty of people at the time knew the macaroni slur but not the pasta. Philip Dawe Before Jefferson, this is what people thought macaroni meant. Thats why mac and cheese became known in America. To know why it became super-popular in America, we need to fast-forward to the 20th century. This was when Kraft invented processed cheese and made packaged mac and cheese into a non-perishable cheap dish. Then came World War II, and Kraft got the government to assign Kraft Mac and Cheese the uniquely low price of half a ration point per box. People loaded up on this one affordable food, developed a taste for it and passed the tradition on to their kids. Advertisement 2 Risotto, Meanwhile, Is Fascist Advertisement If we shift to pastas birthplace, at the same time that macaroni was getting really big in America, there was actually a push to kill pasta dead. Pasta caused weakness, pessimism, inactivity, nostalgia and neutralism in Italy, said a self-appointed food expert named Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. This baseless idea reached the ears of Benito Mussolini, who embraced it. The country should wean itself off pasta, announced Mussolini. Instead, they should prepare dishes with rice. This way, men would become fit and quick again, and maybe theyd bring back the glory of Rome. His push for risotto didnt succeed in eliminating pasta. But he did manage to make risotto popular, and it stuck around long after he was gone. spurekar/Wiki Commons At least he made the grains run on time. Mussolini likely never believed the pseudoscience behind pasta sapping peoples energy. He tried to switch to risotto because Italy grew its own rice but imported lots of the wheat it used to make pasta. Thats similar to why Phibun settled on Pad Thai for Siams new national dish. Before, lots of Thai people ate rice, which was imported, but he wanted to promote noodles made of wheat, which they grew domestically. Advertisement The British are coming! The British are coming! Or at least the funny ones are on their way if Rob Schneider has anything to say about it. Schneider took a break from bashing the libs and apologizing to his estranged daughter today to offer a life raft to all of those U.K. comics under assault by their oppressive government. Yikes! Whats going on across the pond? Don't Miss Tyranny has returned to the United Kingdom, Schneider brayed on his Twitter/X account. Sounds serious. Are comedians being placed in the stocks? Having their heads cut off? Not exactly. Schneider is reacting to another social media post decrying a decision by a British judge to jail someone for an offensive social media post. Could Ricky Gervais and his edgy vodka ads be next? Not if Schneider has anything to say about it. I am starting a new media company and I am bringing over British writers, Producers and comedian, Schneider posted and hes going to need a writer or two to fix his odd capitalization, irregular use of plural nouns and when-I-feel-like-it punctuation. Dear Friends, he writes in another post. I am offering refuge and work to United Kingdom comedians and writers, who have had their Freedom of Speech REMOVED by their repressive government, to come here to the United States, where Freedom of Speech is enshrined in our Constitution. Are we sure the United States is where British comics should find asylum? After all, one guy told British comic John Cleese that America is where theyre running out of people to cancel so theyre canceling dead people. Advertisement Wait, that was Rob Schneider. Guess cancel culture isnt a problem here anymore, eh Rob? Good to know. How exactly do U.K. comedians and writers get signed up for Schneider Asylum Productions or whatever the new freedom-first venture will be called? Schneider, who praises the talents of Monty Python and Peter Cook as the Beatles of comedy, is making it easy. By filling out a simple form on RobSchneider.com, all those funny people can earn their green cards and rant about whatever immigration policies strike their fancy. Advertisement Advertisement But theres one problem: I clicked through to RobSchneider.com and that sign-up form is nowhere to be found. Theres tour info, links to a podcast Schneider hasnt recorded in four years and ads for Daddy Daughter Trip, his self-produced movie about what a great girl-dad he is. Conspicuously missing is the form Schneider promises British comics on his Twitter/X feed. Perhaps some nefarious British barristers have sabotaged RobSchneider.com in an effort to continue their reign of tyranny? Or maybe Schneider got all blustery before he got his web guy to update his site. Lets go, man a nation of oppressed comedians is counting on you. Some scorned former fans cant believe that the comic went on Late Night the same week as his ex-wifes book release Three years after his divorce, the internets ex-boyfriend is, somehow, still in the doghouse. Before John Mulaney checked into rehab for drug addiction in late 2020, the lauded Saturday Night Live veteran and stand-up superstars public image was that of a squeaky-clean, high-energy and impeccably dressed showman who merged the pageantry and formality of old-school Tonight Show comics with a contemporary boyishness that stole the hearts of the Tumblr generation. Unlike the fandoms of any one of his comedy colleagues, Mulaneys massive following included a large contingency of terminally online Millennial-to-Gen-Z women who had formed a parasocial relationship with his stand-up persona while missing many of the hints that Mulaney himself had dropped to indicate that the handsome, puckish performers personal life wasnt nearly as cheery as his onstage demeanor. In early 2021, Mulaney divorced multimedia artist Anna Marie Tendler after years of mining their seemingly healthy relationship for material in his stand-up specials. Don't Miss On Tuesday, Tendler released her memoir, titled, Men Have Called Her Crazy, which coincided with the official Late Night with Seth Meyers YouTube account posting clips from Mulaneys appearance on the previous nights show. Apparently, that completely innocuous coincidence was a little too suspicious for many of Mulaneys former fans who quickly took to Twitter to cry conspiracy! over the comedian daring to tell Meyers that he and his wife Olivia Munn shop at H Mart. According to the reviews of Men Have Called Her Crazy, Tendler's tell-all is decidedly light on dirty details about Mulaneys personal life or his potential misdeeds during their separation and divorce. In fact, Tendler barely makes mention of her famous ex-husband at all in the memoir, much to the disappointment of Mulaneys scorned female fans who had hoped that Men Have Called Her Crazy would offer more opportunities for them to project their own past relationship problems onto their former celebrity crushs personal life. Advertisement Meanwhile, Mulaney's appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers the night before Tendlers book release was similarly undramatic. The two old friends simply riffed on the differences between Mulaneys stiff, repressed, Irish-Catholic upbringing and Munns more blunt Vietnamese-Chinese family, with Mulaney noting that he wouldnt be able to perform his pitch-perfect impression of his new mother-in-law on NBC without ending his career. Clearly, theres no secret connection between the release date of Men Have Called Her Crazy and Mulaney making his umpteenth appearance on Late Night the previous evening, but thats not stopping a subsection of Twitter from digging even further into their stance on Mulaneys first marriage. Of course, the majority of Twitter users who pay close attention to Mulaneys life and career are not in that group, and they continue to defend the New in Town comedian in his new chapter despite the frankly insane insistence from some that Mulaney will not be seeing heaven! Advertisement Ultimately, all online conversations about Mulaneys private life especially threads concerning his family seem needless and invasive considering the fact that absolutely nobody who is currently arguing about his divorce on Twitter has ever met Mulaney or Tendler in real life. But for all the brilliant specials and hilarious scripts Mulaney continues to produce, there is an inextricable part of Mulaneys public image that the parasocial relationships formed by a startling number of women and girls in the mid-2010s will always influence. Advertisement Thankfully, the tabloids second-favorite stand-up behind Pete Davidson seems utterly unphased. After all, Mulaney once bought a brand-new Rolex, pawned it for a $9,000 loss, used the remaining cash on cocaine and then told Netflix the entire story. A couple mean tweets cant ruin his day, unlike how a slightly boring Late Night interview seemed to derail his haters. Elle King went after dad Rob Schneider earlier this week on the Dumb Blonde podcast, calling him out for talking out of your ass and being a terrible dad. Schneider responded today on The Tucker Carlson Show with a response that was surprisingly heartfelt until, of course, he started talking out of his ass again. Its easy to smack Schneider around for his goofy opinions on just about everything, but he at least tried to be a stand-up guy at the beginning of Carlsons podcast. Despite Carlsons goading about the comic being attacked by his daughter, Schneider refused to push back. I want to tell my daughter, Elle, I love you, and I wish I was the father in my 20s that you needed, and clearly I wasnt. I hope you can forgive me for my shortcomings. Don't Miss I love you completely, I love you entirely, and I just want you to be well and happy with you and your beautiful baby, Lucky, Schneider continued. I wish you the best. I feel terrible, and I just want you to know that I dont take anything you say personally. Of course, King likely wanted Schneider to take the criticism personally it wasnt a general diatribe against absentee fathers. Schneider messed up, and she wanted the world to know. While the former European Gigolo expressed regrets about his poor parenting for arguments sake, lets give him the benefit of the doubt and trust his sincerity he completely stuck it to King once again when it came to the rest of her complaints. Youre talking out of your ass, and youre talking shit about drag and, you know, anti-gay rights and its like get fucked, she ranted. I want to use this opportunity to say that I disagree! I do not agree with what he says! Guess what Schneider spent the rest of his two-hour-plus (!) podcast appearance giving King more ugliness to distance herself from. He couldnt even get through his apology without hinting that Kings resentment had something to do with her substance abuse issues, giving him a clean segue into drugs coming in over the borders, which led to a tirade against illegal immigrants, which led to fist-shaking about Big Pharma and vaccination policies. Take a breath, Rob! Advertisement Schneider also defended the transphobic jokes his daughter hates were just going to throw biological reality out? and chastised Canadians for being too polite to find those gags funny. The late-night comedy shows that no longer invite him to appear? Thats because Jimmy Fallon is too busy orchestrating political indoctrination to deal with a righteous truth-teller. Liberals just dont have a sense of humor, Schneider told Carlson. Theyre too sensitive. Schneider leaned hard into his newfound Catholicism during the interview, too, attempting to add gravitas to his battle against the rising evil in America. The weapon for fighting evil? Protecting free speech, he argued, which is why I wrote this book! Oh yeah, Schneiders new book is out next month. Thats the real reason he was on Tucker Carlson today, a fact he mentions multiple times during the podcast. Hey, if a guy can shill and apologize to his daughter all in one sitting, thats a good days work. Photo: Christopher Robbins On a steamy Sunday afternoon in July, Kevin Bryant was sitting on a bench in Bed-Stuys Herbert Von King Park. He was watching an off-leash French bulldog happily take a shit in the grass right next to a fresh sign that read No Pets. Thats the problem right there, Bryant said, shaking his head. People ignore the sign. They still put their dog in the grass there. When the dog park he pointed to the corner of the park with a large shade tarp drawn over it. Look how nice that dog park is! Just a few years ago, dogs ruled this filthy town. They graced the covers of our magazines and played leading roles in our dreams of post-pandemic city life. In the summer of 2021, back when the landlords were running scared and office life was dead, why wouldnt you get a dog? Who doesnt love dogs? Three years later, we have an answer: Lots and lots of people. On Reddit and in our piss-soaked streets, the dog backlash is in full swing. As New York becomes more cartoonishly difficult for human beings to live in, the existence of dogs feels like mockery. We are metaphorically, and literally, sick of their crap. Gale Brewer, who has been working in city government since the Carter administration and who is on her fourth nonconsecutive City Council term, has seen dog-related gripes swing sympathies. Two decades ago, her office would field a litany of calls about the lack of dog runs. But now that dogs have more dedicated places to be, people have different complaints. Forget the dog runs, Brewer told me. The next issue: people not keeping their dogs on the leash. This dynamic of dogs and their owners refusing to be penned into a dog run to the consternation of dogless park users is especially acute at Von King. We had the most more than Prospect Park, more than Central Park, more than some of these bigger parks we had the most complaints out of any other place about off-leash and unmanageable dogs, said Scarlett Clark, a volunteer who helps lead the Friends of Herbert Von King Dog Park in Bed-Stuy. This helps explain the No Pets signs that now cover some two-thirds of Von King. The Parks Department denied that Von King was leading in off-leash complaints but confirmed that the reason behind the signs was off-leash dogs ruining the grass fields, which required them to be reseeded. We are committed to ensuring our public greenspaces can support the diverse ways that New Yorkers use them, and we are grateful to the many community groups who look after dog runs throughout the city, said department spokesperson Chris Clark. Dogs in the sun . Photo: Christopher Robbins Why dont dog owners stick to the dog runs? Clark (the dog-run volunteer, not the Parks spokesperson!) who says she covers 15 miles a day as a dog-walker and visits parks all over Brooklyn, has a few theories. One is that there is a common misconception about the existence of off-leash hours: If your park has a dog run, there are no off-leash hours. Thats what the dog run is: The place for your dog to be off-leash. Another might be categorized as a misconception about just how nice the Von King dog run is. Its just this weird clash of, people still want to use the park, but then people dont want to go to the dog run because its flooded and a literal germ pool and mosquito attractant we just had algae growing last week in the water, Clark said. In her two years at the helm, Clark has had to untangle a dizzying array of canine-and-human problems and estimated that shes spent 80 hours in meetings with other volunteers and representatives from the city. That includes dealing with the flooding, which makes the run a breeding ground for disease. (Earlier this year, there was a still-unconfirmed leptospirosis outbreak at McCarren Park.) and dogs when it rains. Photo: Christopher Robbins Also at Von King, dozens of pooches have been injured by the same dog, whose owner insists on returning to the run despite the aggression. Another guy got stabbed with an ice pick this past spring after his dog attacked a group of dogs. He was still walking around after, didnt seem like life-threatening stabs, an alleged witness wrote on Reddit, where all NYC dog drama lives. (The NYPD confirmed that an 18-year-old who lives across the street has been charged with assault.) Dealing with it, its really hard, Clark says cheerfully. I am a sensitive person, so I just eat a lot of sugar. So much sugar. Just as with every single other aspect of New York City, huge piles of money and resources tend to make managing dog parks much easier. At the brand-new $70 million Gansevoort Peninsula on Manhattans West Side, the dog run is cleaned twice a day and power-washed once a week, which is what you get when youre lucky enough to frequent one of the five dog runs managed by the Hudson River Park Trust. The new run actually three separate structures, one for big dog, one for small dogs, and a third training area was designed by the firm that worked on the High Line, Field Operations, and no detail was overlooked. During the design phase, someone (probably a dog?) pointed out that the two-inch-wide bench slats used across the park were big enough for a pup to catch their paws in, so they were redrawn to 1.5 inches. You might also notice sets of metal squares at the base of these seating areas: This is dachshund-escape prevention, in case any of the small friends get a notion to wriggle past the fence and out onto the West Side Highway. Dog runs that arent fortunate enough to be managed by trusts propped up by corporate cash suffer the same fate as our busted public fields, playgrounds, and restrooms. Kevin Bryant, the Von King parkgoer, who has lived in Bed-Stuy for 30 years, said he was shocked when he recently went to a movie night in Bryant Park. Its a private park in Manhattan on 42nd Street, he said, understandably conflating its access situation (the park is actually public) with how the park is maintained and policed. I was wondering why they got movie night every Monday and we dont have it here. People were out there with wine and blankets. Despite Eric Adamss campaign promise to set aside one percent of the city budget to the Parks Department, something that hasnt happened since 1977, the mayor has defunded parks. This summer, Adams and the City Council gave Parks $618 million, a $20 million cut from last year. While the Parks budget has increased by more than $200 million compared to a decade ago, this years figure was the lowest share of the city budget in a decade nearly half of what Adams promised. In other words, you should reserve some of the anger you have for the unfixed Weimaraner taking a dump in the Long Meadow next to your cheese board for the mayor who allocates more money to paying for NYPD overtime ($788 million!) than operating the entire citys park system. Parks still needs that one percent, Brewer said, before stating the obvious: Dog runs arent for dogs; theyre for people. Ive been to two marriages that I can think of where people met in the dog run, Brewer said. This is a big tough city. And I feel very, very strongly about anything we can do to build community. Clark and Von Kings dog community, with the help of Councilmember Chi Osse, was recently able to secure more than $1 million in discretionary funding to patch up the dog run there, a feat that Clark in part attributes to all the off-leash-dog complaints. But Clark predicted that the off-leash-dog problem is going to get worse in central Brooklyn before it gets better. Thats because the Von King dog-run renovations line up with dog-run construction at Maria Hernandez and Irving Square in Bushwick. All those dogs with no sanctioned place to bark and hump and frolic and fight. The Parks Department is aware of this and says its paying attention. Between 2025 and 2027, we are going to have a very hard time because every dog run is going to be under construction at the same time. And Im a little terrified about it, Clark said. Actually, I think its going to be very, very crazy. Mid-year review of China's major-country diplomacy: maintaining self-confidence, self-reliance, demonstrating sense of duty as responsible major country 14:06, August 15, 2024 By He Yin ( People's Daily Great transformation is accelerating across the world. Changes of the world, of our times, and of historical significance are unfolding like never before, and the world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation. Yet the overall direction of human development and progress will not change, the overall dynamics of world history moving forward amid twists and turns will not change, and the overall trend toward a shared future for the international community will not change. Since this year, under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, China has followed the principles of self-confidence and self-reliance, openness and inclusiveness, fairness and justice, and win-win cooperation in its pursuit of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. Committed to building a community with a shared future for mankind, China has demonstrated its sense of duty as a responsible major country. Chinese President Xi Jinping paid state visits to France, Serbia and Hungary at invitation from May 5 to 10, which have consolidated China's relations with the three European countries and relaunched China-EU cooperation. On May 30, Xi attended the opening ceremony of the 10th ministerial conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum and delivered a keynote speech, in which he proposed that China is ready to work with the Arab side to put in place "five cooperation frameworks" to step up the building of a China-Arab community with a shared future. On June 28, Xi attended and delivered an important speech at the Conference Marking the 70th Anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, stressing the importance of carrying forward these principles and jointly building a community with a shared future for mankind. From July 2 to 6, Xi attended the 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Astana and paid state visits to Kazakhstan and Tajikistan at invitation, charting the course for the development of the SCO, deepening China's good-neighborly relations with regional countries, and promoting the substantial advancement of building a community with a shared future among neighboring countries. Xi also met and held talks with dozens of foreign leaders visiting China, renewing friendships and discussing cooperation. China's splendid head-of-state diplomacy and its substantial results are writing new chapters of China's interactions with the world. China has always been committed to independence and self-reliance. It develops the country and nation with its own strength and maintains a firm grasp on the future of its development and progress. China stays committed to an independent foreign policy of peace, and stays true to the belief that peace and development represent an irresistible trend of the times. In pursuing major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, China firmly safeguards its sovereignty, security and development interests with a firm will to create a more favorable international environment and provide more solid strategic support for building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through the Chinese path to modernization. China firmly assumes its responsibilities on major issues concerning the unity, cooperation and legitimate rights of developing countries and major issues concerning the future of mankind and the direction of world development. Maintaining self-confidence and self-reliance, major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics is always committed to upholding peace and stability. Xi has engaged in in-depth exchanges of views with leaders of various countries on international and regional hotspot issues, including the Ukraine crisis and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. He explained China's position on the Ukraine crisis from a historical perspective and strategic viewpoint, and also provided an overarching summary of the consensus and shared interests between China and Europe. He said China and the EU should jointly oppose spillover and escalation of the fighting, create conditions for peace talks, safeguard international energy and food security, and keep industrial and supply chains stable. On the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Xi stressed that the pressing task is to realize a comprehensive ceasefire as quickly as possible, that the key priority is to ensure humanitarian assistance, and that the fundamental way out is to implement the two-State solution. Under China's mediation, senior representatives from 14 Palestinian factions held reconciliation talks in Beijing and signed the Beijing Declaration on Ending Division and Strengthening Palestinian National Unity. China always stands on the right side of history, stands with peace and justice and holds the international moral high ground. It has received wide recognition and high appraisal from the international community, becoming an indispensable force in promoting world peace and stability. Major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics is always committed to promoting common development. China is endeavoring to build itself into a stronger country and rejuvenate the Chinese nation on all fronts by pursuing Chinese modernization. The immutable goal of Chinese modernization is to deliver a better life to the whole of more than 1.4 billion Chinese people. For the world, this means a broader market and unprecedented development opportunities. It will also instill strong impetus in the global modernization endeavor. Xi has repeatedly expounded on the global significance of Chinese modernization on both bilateral and multilateral occasions, clearly demonstrating China's commitment to peaceful development, open development, cooperative development, and win-win development. He said China will continue to advance high-quality development and Chinese modernization, enable the Chinese people to live a better life, and contribute more to sustainable development in the world. He noted that China will further comprehensively deepen reform and promote high-quality development and high-level opening up, which will provide new impetus and new opportunities for global economic development. Looking to the future, China will provide new and greater opportunities for world development by advancing Chinese modernization on all fronts through the new achievements. (Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun) Lori Trzop, senior vice president of health center operations for Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, speaks about plans to close the health center in the town of Amsterdam during a virtual community forum on Wednesday. Local patients would be redirected to the next closest Planned Parenthood sites in Johnstown and Schenectady. Americas shock jocks have really got it in for us. 'Britain is turning into "Soviet Russia",' the populist commentator Joe Rogan blasted to his 17 million YouTube subscribers, responding to the polices stern crackdown on violent rioters and those espousing hate speech online last week. Civil war [in the UK] is inevitable, Elon Musk proclaimed to his 194 million followers on his social media platform X. Fortunately, these outbursts have been proven to be hysterical hyperbole. But they have framed a debate that is going to dominate our politics as we start to move forward from the recent riots: how do we draw a line between free speech and reckless societal vandalism? To his credit, Robert Jenrick has picked a side. A former Home Office minister famed for his robustly unremarkable centrist positions, his bid for the Tory leadership has suddenly seen him recasting himself as a standard bearer for the new-Right. Far-Right thugs in Rotherham after a hotel, housing asylum seekers, was set on fire with more than 130 people inside But a few days ago he made a brave, bold and creditable intervention. I thought it was quite wrong that somebody could shout Allahu Akbar! on the streets of London and not be immediately arrested, he told Sky News. The statement saw him pilloried from both Right and Left, with his Conservative colleague Baroness Warsi raging: This language from Jenrick is more of his usual nasty divisive rhetoric. But though it was controversial, Jenrick had affirmed an important principle. Which is that the right to free-speech is not, and has never been, absolute. Where it morphs into incitement and in turn promotes active violence it needs to be constrained. And as the recent riots have proved, the right to free expression does not extend to rushing into a crowded cinema and screaming Fire!. Nor does it give anyone the right to incite others to burn down a hotel full of migrant women and children. Those who condemned Jenrick claimed the phrase Allahu Akbar is used daily by practising Muslims as a form of prayer. But as he correctly pointed out, context matters. If used in a place of worship, thats fine. When screamed by a mob of masked men parading down a local high street it is not. And that distinction needs to be robustly policed. In the wake of the sentences handed out to those involved in the riots, a number of commentators have sprung to the defence of those imprisoned, pointing to seemingly innocuous phrases they circulated on social media. But again, context is all. Elon Musk has declared that civil war in the UK is 'inevitable' In the 1980s, I went to a south London comprehensive school that was targeted by the National Front because of it multi-ethnic character. One of their favourite chants was There Aint No Black In The Union Jack. In the context of a discussion about national livery, such a statement is accurate and innocuous. When uttered by people trying to start a race riot it becomes vile hate-speech, and needs to be dealt with accordingly. And until the past fortnight, there was a broad national consensus on that. Since Britain first became a nation of laws, there has never been a time when we have had unlimited freedom of expression. Thats why we have had blasphemy laws, decency laws, race hate laws, libel laws, defamation laws and contempt of court legislation. The strength and focus of that legislation have waxed and waned as social attitudes have shifted. But restrictions on expression have sat on the statute book for centuries. Indeed, in the past few years the need for them has been thrown into even sharper relief. The rising threat of political extremism driven partly by hard-Right extremists, but primarily from Islamist fundamentalism has seen politicians of all persuasions clamouring for action. Thats why hate preachers like Anjem Choudary have been jailed. And organisations like Islam4UK and Muslims Against Crusades rightly banned. One of the drivers for those bans was a recognition that there is a difference between genuine peaceful protest and divisive provocation. In 2010, the tiny Wiltshire town of Wootton Bassett found itself at the heart of a solemn ritual. The bodies of fallen soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan were driven slowly through the streets, where they were met by crowds of local people who stood silently to honour them as they passed. Islam4UK issued a threat they would march through the town not in memory of the occupying and merciless British military but for the Muslims murdered in the name of democracy and freedom. There was national outrage, and a week later the group was proscribed. I cant believe anyone seriously thinks that was not an appropriate response from Ministers to what was a clear attempt to incite public disorder. But for some reason, those inciting public disorder on our streets over the past fortnight are seeing numerous apologists flocking to their defence. One of their main criticisms appears to be that our new Government is somehow being selective in how it polices hate-marches and hate-speeches. Two-Tier-Keir becoming their go-to soundbite. Robert Jenrick speaking during the launch of his bid to become the next Conservative Party leader earlier this month But that overlooks two rather important facts. The first is that Keir Starmer has been consistent in his response to those creating, or inciting, disorder. As head of the Crown Prosecution Service, he led the response to the 2011 riots by establishing the 24-hour courts that helped bring calm back to the streets - a model used successfully again last week. Similarly, as Labour leader he defined himself by directly tackling the anti-Semitism that had blighted his party. And far from appeasing radical Islamist elements on the far-Left, he sought to drive them from his movement. Which is precisely why Starmer and his candidates faced a vicious campaign by Islamist extremists and their fellow-travellers in numerous seats during the election campaign. The second key fact is the crackdown on hate-speech is not the preserve of the new Government. It was Suella Braverman who sought to strengthen the Prevent anti-extremism initiative by accurately stating: Non-violent extremism can certainly lead to violence, but its a problem even where it does not. It undermines our values and divides communities. It was Michael Gove who fought to introduce a new definition of extremism by stating that the liberties that we hold dear, and indeed the democratic principles that we are all sent here to uphold, require us to counter and challenge the extremists even though most extremist materials and activities are not illegal. Even Liz Truss, who earlier this week was defending Elon Musks increasingly bizarre social-media rants, committed her government to pushing ahead with the Online Safety Act before she was booted from office. Joe Rogan has declared that Britain is turning into Soviet Russia The principle has long been established. The right to free speech is not unfettered. And at times of heightened community tensions, careless talk can literally cost lives. So if Musk, and his army of social media warriors want to recast the nature of our public discourse, fine. If they really are intent on replacing the established media with their brave new brand of citizen journalism, so be it. But then, with their new-found power comes new-found responsibility. They need to practise what they preach. And if what they preach is hate, leads to social disorder or interferes with an ongoing investigation into one of the most barbaric crimes in British history, they need to accept the consequences. Words matter. Words have power. So theres to be no crying. No whinging about Stalinist Starmer. The keyboard warriors have to own what they say. And in the wake of the riots, they should be honest about what they are actually demanding. Not the right to free speech. But the right to peddle prejudice. The right to spread malicious information that could impede an ongoing murder investigation. The right to incite people to riot. There is never a time in the history of our nation when we have enjoyed that right. And fortunately, we never will. Why do Lefties have a problem with our national flag? Its a serious question. There are few nations in the world of which radicals should be prouder. Which country, down the centuries, did as much to enrich working people and give them a share in government? Where, in the sweep of history, would you rather have been poor, or female, or from a religious minority? Seriously, where? Muscovy? Persia? Abyssinia? What makes the latest bout of national angst about the Union flag interesting is the location. Some locals in the Norfolk village of Claxton are reportedly upset at plans to fly the worlds most famous banner outside their village hall on special occasions. Locals in the Norfolk village of Claxton are reportedly upset at plans to fly the Union flag outside their village hall on special occasions The flag is often used as a symbol against immigration and it would worry me if it was being used in the wrong way, said one resident. It does have certain connotations, said another. Yes, it does, and bloody good ones. It was under those colours that we extirpated the slave trade, defeated Nazism and Communism, and spread the rule of law across the world. It is the flag that our finest athletes draped themselves in when they won medals in Paris the past two weeks. Yet we keep debating whether the Union flag and, indeed, the St Georges Cross, are offensive to minorities. One of the few genuine St Georges Day folk-customs in England is the annual hand-wringing article about the need to rescue our national symbols from racists. Still, the fact that this bizarre self-loathing has spread to a remote part of East Anglia Claxton is too small for a school, a post office or a pub is telling. Youd think tiny hamlets would be our last line of defence against woke hysteria. When anti-Britishness spills off campus and reaches the tranquil flatlands of Norfolk, identity politics can truly be said to have gone mainstream. I suspect that the complaints are coming from just a minuscule number of residents. That is generally the way with wokery. Because any accusation of racial insensitivity, however absurd, makes institutions run for cover, and a handful of activists are often able to get their way against the polite and passive majority. But let me again put the question. Even from a woke point of view, what do people have against the Union flag? Our flag is, by its design and its history, deliberately inclusive. It was the first banner to celebrate a state that was civil rather than racial in its conception. It is the flag that our finest athletes draped themselves in when they won medals at the Paris Olympics this summer, such as heptathlon silver medallist Katarina Johnson-Thompson When, in 1606, King James I of England and VI of Scotland decreed the forerunner of the present flag, for use at sea, he was conscious of joining two ancient nations, each of which brought its folkways, history and ethnic identity with it. That crude and wily monarch ordered that from henceforth all our Subjects of this Isle and Kingdome of Great Britaine, and all our members thereof, shall beare in their main-toppe the Red Crosse, commonly called St Georges Crosse, and the White Crosse, commonly called St Andrews Crosse, joyned together according to the forme made by our heralds. Great Britain, unlike England and Scotland, was multi-national, representing the kind of unity in diversity that Lefties generally love. Back in 1606, Britain had no ethnic identity, no poetry or songs, no unique traditions. All that came later. When, following the Act of Union with Ireland in 1801, our flag took on its present design, it was again supposed to symbolise a civil rather than an ethnic or religious patriotism. Ireland, like England and Scotland, had an old history. But everyone in the archipelago, regardless of ancestry, could share in a common identity. Like all nations, the United Kingdom has had a chequered history. We have had our sublime moments and our shameful ones. But our flag, throughout its 223 years (or 418 years if we count its predecessor), has more often than not flown on the right side, championing ordinary people against tyranny. Three times in the 20th century, countries that elevated the rule of law and personal freedom took up arms against militaristic autocracies. On all three occasions the First and Second World Wars and the Cold War the Union flag stood for liberty. Around 2.4million Indian volunteers served under the Union flag during the Second World War, such as these Sikh and Punjabi soldiers at a camp in Egypt in 1940 It is easy to forget that, for most of that time, most British subjects were neither white nor Christian. When the call came, millions of young men from around the Empire and Commonwealth rushed to answer, seeing in those crazy-paving, red-white-and-blue shapes a promise of justice. An extraordinary 1.4 million volunteers came from British India that is, the territories now comprising Pakistan, India and Bangladesh to fight under the Union flag in the First World War. It is worth stressing the word volunteers. There was no conscription in India. It was the second-largest volunteer army the world has ever known. The largest? It came two decades later, when 2.4 million Indian volunteers served under the same flag during the Second World War, honouring their fathers as well as the ideals which Britain was defending against the Nazis. Those volunteers, along with hundreds of thousands more who came from Africa, the Caribbean and the Dominions, evidently did not think the Union flag was racist or exclusionary. How patronising, not to say arrogant, for us now to assume that we know better than they did. And on the basis of what, precisely? Why are we the only country that has this problem? I dont mean that we are the only country to have disputes about what flag to fly. It often happens that flags are associated with a particular regime. In Belarus and Georgia, for example, Soviet nostalgics favour a different flag from pro-Westerners. Pro-democracy dissidents in Venezuela today fly a version of their national flag with seven rather than eight stars, rejecting the changes made by the then president, Hugo Chavez, when he added the eighth (partly to symbolise his claim on the neighbouring country of Guyana). In Spain, Leftists occasionally fly the red-gold-and-purple tricolour of the Second Republic. Iranian monarchists fly their lion-and-sun flag. And so on. When China snuffed out Hong Kongs remaining liberties, local people proudly waved the Union flag, like this activist outside the region's District Court in 2021 as nine pro-democracy protesters were sentenced But all these are examples of a dispute about who should be running your country. They are not a rejection of the country itself. Only we British seem to have that peculiar psychosis. What is it that explains what George Orwell once called the masochism of the English Left, by which he meant a readiness to ally with any cause, however vile, provided it was sufficiently Anglophobic? I think it comes down to our countrys historical success. A lot of Left-wingers will champion the underdog, regardless of the rights and wrongs of the dispute. The philosopher Bertrand Russell called it the belief in the superior virtue of the oppressed. Britain was very rarely the underdog. The fact that we were the first nation to industrialise meant that we generally had a technological edge over our rivals. We used that advantage in all manner of virtuous ways, from stamping out slavery to liberating Europe. But, if you are predisposed always and everywhere to back the weaker party, that doesnt matter. When China snuffed out Hong Kongs remaining liberties, local people proudly waved the Union flag. For them, there was no question about what it stood for: personal freedom, representative government and the rule of law. We should hoist our colours proudly, in the same spirit, and for the same causes. Lord Hannan is International Secretary of the Conservative Party and serves on The Board of Trade What will be the issue that turns voters against this Government and eventually brings it down? We can't be sure, of course. There might be a self-inflicted economic crash in two years' time. Or a terrible war for which this country is woefully unprepared. But there's one grievance that is already bubbling away and I believe is certain to boil over because Labour has no idea how to deal with it. I mean the cross-Channel boats. The overall number of illegal immigrants coming across the Channel since Sir Keir Starmer stepped into No 10 is expected to reach 5,000 this week If one examines the problem rationally, it could be argued that it's odd that politicians and the media concentrate so much on illegal migrants when they were outnumbered by legal migrants by a factor of more than ten to one during the last Parliament. Yet it is clear that illegal immigration is a particular concern. People are dismayed that the authorities have lost control of our borders. They rightly object to the huge sums being spent putting up illegal immigrants in hotels about 7million a day. Think what better use could be made of that money. Dozens more crossed the English Channel yesterday, following the arrival of 703 last Sunday, a record on a single day since Labour took power. The overall number of illegal immigrants coming across since Sir Keir Starmer stepped into No 10 is expected to reach 5,000 this week. Can Labour be blamed? Probably not. If by some miracle the Tories had won the election, the numbers coming across would in all likelihood have been very similar over the past six weeks. Except that the Tories did have a plan to pack off some illegal immigrants to Rwanda that was intended to act as a deterrent. Thanks to the European Court of Human Rights, delays caused by our own courts and the blocking activities of the House of Lords, aircraft filled with migrants never took off. A mere five people took commercial flights to Rwanda. 703 migrants made the journey last Sunday, a record on a single day since Labour took power Who can say what effect there would have been on Rishi Sunak's electoral fortunes if he had managed to get a couple of aeroplanes off the ground, as he undertook to do as recently as April? But for reasons that remain unfathomable, he chose to call an election without giving himself a chance to find out. It's very strange. We can't know whether the Rwanda plan would have acted as a deterrent. My guess is that it would have if there had been enough flights. Migrants sitting in Calais, or at any rate some of them, might have had second thoughts about approaching the White Cliffs of Dover in small boats if they had thought there was a good chance of their being packed off to the east-central African country. But the question is now academic because Sir Keir Starmer has shredded the Tories' Rwanda plan, partly because he doesn't believe that the country is a very nice place and therefore migrants shouldn't be sent there and partly on grounds of cost. What remains is very vague, and in the opinion of many expert observers unlikely to be effective. A 'Border Security Command' force is being set up, tasked with tackling the criminal gangs that organise the small boats crossing the Channel. This body will, in the words of the Home Office, 'provide strategic direction to work across agencies, drawing together the work of the National Crime Agency, intelligence agencies, police, Immigration Enforcement and Border Force, to better protect our borders and go after the smuggling gangs facilitating small boat crossings'. Sir Keir has shredded the Tories' Rwanda plan. Hope Hostel in Kigali was set to welcome migrants under Rishi Sunak's scheme So that's it, then! A brand new body will miraculously do the trick by coordinating existing agencies under the watchful eye of Sir Keir Starmer, who has repeatedly reminded us that when he was Director of Public Prosecutions he led successful prosecutions against drug dealers, terrorists and violent criminals. With such a record, the Prime Minister, who certainly doesn't lack self-confidence, believes that he will make short shrift of the smuggling gangs. Others are much less sure. Ben Brindle of the Migration Observatory at Oxford University has told The Guardian: 'The gangs are decentralised there's not some big boss you can smash. The Conservative government was also very hot on enforcement, so it's not a new direction. Labour say they'll do it more effectively but it's not clear how that would happen and what it would look like.' Just how much Sir Keir's ideas are still on the drawing board some would say in the clouds was illustrated by a meeting he had earlier this week with Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni. They agreed to encourage Europol, the EU police force, to address illegal immigration. Even if this happened, is it likely to stem the number of migrants crossing the Channel? It would be wonderful if the Government's new measures were successful, and I suppose one shouldn't rule out a tiny possibility that they will be. But Sir Keir isn't offering much more than an organisational shake-up. Closer cooperation with the French authorities is unlikely to be more productive than it has been in the past. There is more. Not only has Sir Keir junked the one policy Rwanda that had any prospect of deterring illegal migrants. He has succeeded in giving them an incentive to cross the Channel. For the Government has said it will expedite the claims of some 90,000 migrants who were held in limbo by the last government, awaiting possible deportation to Rwanda. The Refugee Council estimates that around two thirds of these people will be granted asylum, given the profile of the countries from which they have come. If I were a migrant intending to enter Britain illegally, the prospect of my claim being considered relatively quickly, and the knowledge that I had at least a two-thirds chance of it being successful, would redouble my determination to come here. It is perhaps unfair to judge the Government on the basis of what has happened over the past six weeks. But it will be judged, and rightly so, on what happens from now on. If I were a migrant, the knowledge that I had at least a two-thirds chance of my asylum claim being successful would redouble my determination to come to Britain, writes Stephen Glover Here's a prediction. Overall numbers crossing the English Channel this year will come close to the record of 46,000 in 2022, and could surpass it. Unless the Channel is covered in fog for many months next year, or there are constant unseasonal storms, there's no reason to believe that 2025 will be any better. The truth is that Labour has got rid of one plan that might have worked and has replaced it with poorly considered measures that are most unlikely to make a significant difference to a problem greatly vexing the British people. Legal immigration is apparently beginning to come down as a result of new restrictions belatedly introduced by the Tories. But there's no reason to suppose that illegal immigration the focus of so much disquiet is going to reduce by a significant amount, if at all. If I'm right, Labour is drifting towards a huge crisis. It has promised what it won't deliver. And this betrayal, when it becomes clear to the British people, will not be easily forgiven. Prince Harry will doubtless be on his best behaviour during his visit to Bogota with Meghan over the coming days despite being familiar with the Colombian capital's most infamous export. Admitting to past cocaine use in his memoir, Harry explained he first tried the drug at a friend's country house when a teenager. 'I'd been offered a line and I'd done a few more since,' he wrote. Harry clarified the Colombian marching powder didn't make him feel particularly happy, but did make him feel 'different'. Lots not to talk about in downtown Bogota tonight. Prince Harry will doubtless be on his best behaviour during his visit to Bogota with Meghan over the coming days despite being familiar with the Colombian capital's most infamous export The couple are in Bogota, Colombia - but there's lots for them not to talk about tonight Admitting to past cocaine use in his memoir, Spare, Harry explained he first tried the drug at a friend's country house when a teenager. Pictured right: Harry looks the worse for wear on a night out in 2006 Even a refurb can get political With more than 330 new MPs experiencing the dodgy wiring and crumbling masonry of the Palace of Westminster, will incoming culture minister Chris Bryant manage to find the multi-billion cost of refurbishment? Bryant, a keen advocate for restoration, has watched helplessly as MPs persistently kicked rebuilding options into the long grass. Relocating parliamentarians to an alternative home would be quicker and cheaper. Working with them in situ could take up to 76 years and cost upwards of 22billion. MPs are scheduled to get a vote next year if the building hasn't collapsed before then. Will incoming culture minister Chris Bryant manage to find the multi-billion cost of refurbishment for the Palace of Westminster? (pictured) Saoirse shares the limelight Being romantically linked with Slow Horses heartthrob Jack Lowden is not all cake and roses for Atonement star Saoirse Ronan. 'When I'm with Jack and I think someone's recognised me I'm like, 'I'm just not in the mood,' she tells Total Film. 'Then they come over and they're like, 'Jack I love you!' 'They're oblivious to who I am and ask if I'll take their photo with Jack. I'm like, 'Sure yeah.' They know Jack about me: Saoirse Ronan says fans usually recognise her beau, Slow Horses heartthrob Jack Lowden (pictured together) Royal appointment goes under the radar Without any fanfare the King has resurrected the post of Surveyor of the King's Pictures appointing deputy head Anna Reynolds. Why didn't the Palace PR machine go into overdrive heralding the appointment of the first woman to succeed the likes of Kenneth Clark, and, er, Anthony Blunt? The King was finally persuaded to act after accepting that having a Deputy Surveyor but no actual Surveyor was a nonsense. The post was unadvertised and didn't even get a mention in the Royal Collection's annual report. Deep waters. Emily's (not quite) breaking news Emily Maitlis excitedly enthuses: 'It's Here' at the release of the first stills of Ruth Wilson portraying her in Amazon's upcoming Prince Andrew drama. But has executive producer Emily already missed the boat? She was embarrassingly beaten to the punch by her former Newsnight producer Sam McAlister, whose rival Netflix movie Scoop, has been and gone five months before her production airs. Maitlis 'declined' to advise Gillian Anderson after she was cast to play her in McAlister's version. Miaow! Emily Maitlis excitedly enthuses: 'It's Here' at the release of the first stills of Ruth Wilson portraying her in Amazon's upcoming Prince Andrew drama - but has she missed the boat? (pictured: Emily interviewing Prince Andrew) Gyles is like a dog with a bone over kissing Gyles Brandreth pontificates on Nicola Peltz Beckham kissing her chihuahua Nala. 'I'm not with her on this,' barks Gyles. 'You can let your dog lick you, but you shouldn't go kissing your dogs on the lips. 'Cuddles, yes. Doggie lip-kissing, no.' 'Someone give Beagle Brandreth a Winalot biscuit and put him back in his kennel! Universities bring benefits to Britains towns and cities far beyond the lecture theatre, science lab or seminar room. They attract students in their tens of thousands, providing vital custom for local retail and hospitality firms, and create jobs in academia and a host of ancillary roles. Above all, they inject communities with the vitality and effervescence of youth. But for all that, the first duty of British universities remains the same as it ever was: to educate, guide and inspire the young adults of this country. Thats why the Government funds the student loan scheme, despite knowing much of the money will never be repaid, and spent a total of 4.55 billion on higher education last year. A group of students at a ceremony in Portsmouth graduating (file image) A student preparing for a test by making notes in a book whilst using a laptop (stock image) Foreign students are most welcome, of course, and make an invaluable contribution cultural and economic to university life. Crucially, they pay much higher fees, handing a financial lifeline to cash-strapped institutions, some of which are said to be close to insolvency. But there is a balance to be struck between profit and principle. If international students are favoured to such an extent that domestic ones are disadvantaged or frozen out of some courses, faith in the system will quickly corrode. Today we reveal that leading universities are offering hundreds more courses in Clearing to foreign applicants than those from this country. They must be careful not to tip the balance too far. They are autonomous institutions that like to portray themselves as global businesses. So, its natural they should want to maximise revenue where possible. However, in their desperation to attract the student yen, dollar and rupee, they must not lose sight of their primary function. A troubling epidemic Diagnosis figures for ADHD and autism has risen to 730,000 since lockdown (stock image of a doctor and a patient) Its no secret that being barred from school during the pandemic had a baleful psychological effect on a generation of pupils. But the news that the number of parents claiming disability benefit for children with such conditions as autism and ADHD has soared to 730,000 is still deeply shocking. This is an increase of 200,000 since lockdown and the total is expected to hit 948,000 by 2028-29. Are we really in the grip of such a profound mental health epidemic? Or could some be gaming the system? Either way, the numbers are spiralling out of control. Quite apart from contributing to a ballooning welfare budget, many of these children are likely to stay on benefits as young adults rather than looking for work. This would be disastrous. Their chances of future employment would be blighted, and their life choices severely limited. In the most extreme cases this may be unavoidable. But those who are able should be weaned off welfare as soon as possible. It would be far kinder in the long term. Class war casualty The only Catholic boarding school - Kilgraston (pictured in Perthshre) has to shutter its doors as Labour's new VAT on private schools tipped the institution over the edge Scotlands only Catholic boarding school has closed, citing the imposition of VAT as the final blow. Kilgraston School in Perthshire had been struggling but Labours tax raid pushed it over the edge. At least three other schools have announced they are closing and more are expected to follow. As we have said all along, such closures will cut the anticipated tax take, leave parents scrabbling for scarce state school places, and the policy could end up costing money. Labour wont be concerned. It will still see it as a victory in the class war. French pharmacies are known the world over as being a haven of chic beauty and skincare brands. But if TikTok is anything to go by, Turkish chemists are also something of a goldmine for beauty fans. Content creators have taken to the social media platform to share their impressive beauty hauls and are in disbelief over the low prices of skincare and haircare buys. 'Every girl on this app [TikTok] raves about French pharmacies, but Turkish pharmacies are the one,' TikTokker @yas.jd explains in her viral video. The creator then goes on to share her haul, which consists of active ingredients in handy ampoules, targeted skincare and hair growth-boosting shampoo. 'Every girl on this app [TikTok] raves about French pharmacies, but Turkish pharmacies are the one,' TikTokker @yas.jd explains in a video 'Pure vitamin C - five bulbs. Pure vitamin E - five bulbs inside,' she continued, holding the products up to the camera. 'Every Turkish girl I know swears by this stuff - it's a collagen and biotin shampoo, which is apparently meant to be life-changing for hair growth. 'After having a baby, I need all the help I can get. So I have high hopes for this. 'Expigment,' she continued, holding which is great for fading acne scars and sun spots. So cheap. 'Lastly, they were doing a deal on my favourite SPF50. Pretty sure I paid 21 in Boots at home, but it was only 600 Turkish Lira, which is 13.90 - bargain.' The video has resonated, garnering over 100,000 likes on the platform and almost 800 comments. 'They sell also pure retinol (tretinoin) No need for prescription,' wrote one follower in response to the video, while another said: 'The olive oil range - is unbelievable in those pharmacies.' Another wrote: 'I'm going Turkey in September is there anything else a lady needs to know what to get I'll fill my case up.' Turkish pharmacy hauls are proving to be a big trend on TikTok, with millions of social media users viewing videos showcasing pharmacy bargains. TikTok creator @yas.jd has had almost two million views on her Turkey beauty haul video TikTok creator @roxanne_simpson19 also picked up a shampoo with added keratin and argan TikTok user @roxanne_simpson19 was in disbelief over the bargain prices in Turkey 'I went to a chemist in Turkey and this is everything I got. You are going to be like: what - for how much?' TikTok creator @beckymorganmakeup told her followers. The content creator then continued: 'So I do just want to mention that this is the receipt and it came to 1,934 Turkish Lira,' which she then roughly translated to English currency on screen, visibly shocked by the very reasonable 45 price tag. In her haul, @beckymorganmakeup shared she'd bought a bronzing spray and prescription-grade skincare Tretinoin, as well as some medical buys like an inhaler and throat spray, which she also commented had low price tags in comparison to the UK 'If you're going away on holiday, make sure you check out the pharmacies, especially if you go to Turkey,' she added. Another TikTok creator, @itsjustgizem, shared a video titled, 'Everything I stock up on at Turkish pharmacies when I go back to Turkiye.' In the clip, which shows an array of Turkish pharmacy products, they list moisturiser for dry skin, moisturiser for hands and nails, as well as cream for wounds, scars and sun damage, vitamin C ampouls, vitamin E ampouls, Bepanthen ampouls, hair growth oil and goat milk soap.' TikTok user @beckymorganmakeup also stocks up on healthcare essentials when she's in Turkey While UK skincare TikTokker @roxanne_simpson19 shared her full haul, featuring vitamin C ampoules, which she claims completely 'reset' her skin and a pomegranate hair oil, which the user said boosts shine. However, there is a more worrying side to the trend, as picking up prescription-strength skincare abroad can pose some health risks. 'The danger of buying tretinoin over the counter is that customers can opt for the wrong dosage for their skin type, which can do more harm than good,' Cigdem Kemal Yilmaz, skincare expert and the founder of Skin Masterclass told FEMAIL. 'If I were you, I'd first try to find a local physician who is willing to prescribe tretinoin. Maybe someone working in an aesthetic medical clinic.' A teacher living with eczema has detailed how a beauty therapist's simple facial mistake left her covered in excruciating burns and aggressive flare-ups. Brittany Ball, from Port Macquarie, had always struggled with skin issues - but things went horribly wrong after getting a professional chemical skin peel in March 2023. 'The therapist didnt prep my skin properly and I got third degree burns on my face. It started to peel off and then got infected,' the 33-year-old told Daily Mail Australia. 'It was really hot, red and inflamed for months.' She was working as a barista at the time so the hot steam from brewing coffee made it even worse - leaving her with irritating skin. 'It took five months to heal, and was incredibly painful, raw, itchy and embarrassing,' she explained. 'On top of that, my face started breaking out with pimples. It totally wrecked my skin.' She tried everything imaginable to treat her unsightly painful skin - but nothing seemed to work. Brittany Ball had always struggled with skin issues - but things went horribly wrong after getting a professional chemical skin peel She was working as a barista at the time so the hot steam from brewing coffee made it even worse - leaving her with aggravated skin 'I went on antibiotics which were quite drying and affected my face. The doctor also gave me a really thick balm, but it seemed to trap the heat in more, so aggravated the burns, breakouts and eczema,' Brittany said. She turned to natural products, in which she noticed some relief on her face. Brittany was at a friend's house when she randomly stumbled across a MooGoo product in her shower. As her skin was nowhere near recovered, she decided to give the Australian natural skincare brand's $20.90 exfoliating powder a go. 'My skin was still flaking so I used the exfoliating powder. Its non-abrasive and my skin immediately felt clean and smooth,' she said. She began using the brand's $24.90 ultra hydrating face cream during her skincare regime, which she claimed transformed her complexion. In six months of using MooGoo's face cream, Brittany claimed her skin 'completely cleared' She turned to natural products, in which she noticed some relief on her face. The chemical peel left her with painful, flaky skin. It took her six months before it finally healed 'I have been using it now for around six months. It has completely cleared up my acne breakouts and even the scars from a chemical peel gone wrong has started to fade. It's amazing,' Brittany said. However, the cold weather has made her scalp psoriasis worse. 'The eczema is now under control but I still struggle with psoriasis and have had it for about six months,' she explained. 'I use scalp cream but I'm a picker and it feels so good to itch it, but then it scabs and it's really hard to get rid of.' Brittany has shared her story for Psoriasis Awareness Month - as the condition is one of the top 10 most common skin disorders in the world, with celebrities including Kim Kardashian and Cara Delevingne suffering from it. According to NGO Psoriasis Australia, around 1.6 million Aussies live with psoriasis - a long-term inflammatory skin condition which causes the rapid build-up of skin cells which can crack and bleed. There isn't a cure for psoriasis, but psoriasis treatments can improve symptoms. A mum said that the paper in Kmart's Thermal Print Camera is high in BPA An Aussie mum has issued an urgent warning about a Kmart product that is typically targeted towards children. Kmart's Thermal Print Camera is suitable for ages eight and up, but one mum claims the 'super cute' cameras use a thermal print paper loaded with BPA (Bisphenol A). BPA, a chemical intended to harden plastics and prevent food contamination, among other uses, has also been linked to higher risks of obesity, asthma, diabetes, and heart diseases across over two decades of increasing scrutiny on the compound. 'This is really important, I can't hold back any more: Parents please don't buy these for your kids, they're really bad news,' the mum said in a viral TikTok video. A recent groundbreaking study in Australia linked a greater risk of autism in children with high levels of BPA in the womb. The research, led by a crack team of Australian scientists from the Florey Institute at the University of Melbourne found if the chemical was discovered in a pregnant mother's urine, it more than tripled the chances a young boy would develop autism symptoms by age two. Kmart Australia strongly denies any 'danger' and insists all Kmart products are compliant with Australian regulations. 'Ensuring the products we sell are safe for our customers is our priority, and we have processes to comply with required regulatory and safety standards legislated in Australia,' a Kmart spokesperson told FEMAIL. 'There is no BPA compliance issue in relation to this product.' BPA is not banned in Australia but In 2010, the Australian Government announced a voluntary phase out of BPA use in polycarbonate baby bottles. According to Food Standards Australia, concerns have been raised that BPA exposure may cause health problems for a number of years. 'However, when food safety authorities around the world have reviewed BPA they have generally concluded there are no safety concerns at the levels people are exposed to,' they said. An Aussie mum warned Australian parents not to buy the Kmart Thermal Print Camera for their children, claiming 'dangerously high' levels of BPA in the thermal paper While the mum said that the camera was 'super cute', she thought it was dangerous to let children come into contact with it A woman who commented on the video said she was well aware of the BPA in thermal printing paper and agreed that the camera was unsafe. 'My mum bought one and I made her throw it in the bin,' she said. Others said that it wasn't only thermal paper, but that common receipts were also 'coated' with the chemical. 'I don't even let my daughter hold receipts, I know it sounds extreme but they are so toxic,' one mum said. 'There's so much information on receipt paper, the BPA is at insane amounts, I don't let my kids hold receipts either,' another said. A loyal Chick-fil-A customer has slammed the fast food outlet after incurring an unexpected cost added to her meal - declaring the chain is 'getting out of hand' and should 'count their days.' In a video with over 240,000 views, TikTok user @_staylina reveals she was charged a bag fee of 10 cents in her latest order, which was just a simple box of fries and a drink. 'I place a mobile order, right? Just French fries. Just French fries and a drink,' she explained in the video. 'Why the f**k did I get charged for the bag?' she continued, sounding outraged. The creator continued on her impassioned speech - desperately asking what the chain will charge for next. TikTok user @_staylina considers herself somewhat of a Chick-fil-A expert and fan - although the chain's latest policy has her fuming 'What's next? What's next? You gonna charge me for the French fry container? 'You gonna charge me for the potatoes? You gonna charge me to park in your parking lot?' she raged. She also slammed the eatery for changes made to their rewards program on the app a few years ago. 'I'm in the top tier,' she explained. 'Why the f**k did you guys change it?' The chicken enthusiast said when she first became 'obsessed' with Chick-fil-A, it was far easier to earn enough points for a free drink. 'But now it's taking me 100 f**king years just to earn a free drink,' she complained. 'Count your days Chick-fila-A, I'm so over it.' The fast-food lover then urged everyone to start looking at their receipts. The creator revealed she was charged for a bag in her latest order, which was just a simple box of fries and a drink She also slammed the eatery for changes made to their rewards program on the app a few years ago (stock image) TikTok users weighed in, many agreeing that the price has gotten out of hand 'Y'all, start looking at your receipts,' she declared. 'Try and see if you're getting charged for your bags I get it at the stores that you go shopping at that ban bags. But like, this is food. 'What am I supposed to do? Walk out holding it?' she asked. 'What's next, we gotta go out and kill the chicken ourselves?' the creator added. The TikTok user has previously had a video about Chick-fil-A that went viral, after noting the meat tastes different. 'They literally changed the chicken,' she said passionately. 'And it is the most disgusting chicken I've ever had.' In a comment, she mentioned the price of her favorite meals have also increased. 'The meal I get used to be $8 max... then after they changed it went to $12 plus,' she wrote. TikTok users weighed in, many agreeing that the price has gotten out of hand. 'It's like $65 plus to feed me, my husband, and our three kids at Chick-fil-A and I don't even get a meal I only get a sandwich. Like that's RESTAURANT money not fast food money,' one user commented. 'YEP! We don't go anymore. Feeding a family of six is outrageous cost and then to top it off the chicken taste horrible and the quantity of fries is just damn sad,' another agreed. Another suggested the bag cost may differ state to state. 'You must live in a state that has a reusable bag law. I just looked at all my receipts in the app and there's no bag fee. I'm in Texas,' they wrote. Single use plastic bags have been banned in Pennsylvania, where it appears Aylin lives, since January 2024. The regulation requires retailers to charge a fee of at least $0.10 for compliant paper and reusable bags. The DailyMail.com has reached out to Chick-fil-A for comment. Alison Ready's seven-year-old daughter, Isobel, is outdoorsy and fearless; her son Robert, four, a Lego fanatic. The love she feels for both knows no bounds but it is marred by a mounting sense of guilt. Because they were conceived with donor sperm Alison sourced not from a licensed clinic but from the febrile fertility marketplace of social media and a serial donor who has boasted of fathering 800 children. 'I was so excited that my dream to have children could come true, I didn't think about the implications,' she admits. Yet now the early fog of motherhood has lifted, the magnitude of her decision is beginning to sink in. The donor, Simon Watson, 50, charges 50 per pot in expenses for what he describes as his 'magic potion' on Facebook. Outwardly an affable divorced man from Luton, in 2016 he said he hoped to 'crack 1,000' children in four years. Simon Watson, 50, charges 50 per pot in expenses for what he describes as his 'magic potion' on Facebook And given his most recent post in June announced the arrival of five more babies in a month, it's safe to say he has probably met his target. You would think the prospect of your children having hundreds of half-siblings might deter you but, incredibly, Alison was encouraged by Watson's success rate. Then 33, single and unable to afford a fertility clinic, she was blinded by her desire for motherhood. 'It was so exciting that it was this easy,' she reflects. 'In retrospect, I was so naive.' Watson might flaunt screenshots of clean bills of health online, but he's not subject to the stringent health checks that donors to fertility clinics require, putting Alison's children at greater risk of hereditary disorders. And because he wasn't donating through a regulated clinic, he is, in the eyes of the law, her children's legal father. What's more, thanks to the growing popularity of home DNA testing kits, which reveal biological relatives, it may be only a matter of time before Alison's children find out they have several hundred half-siblings, the psychological ramifications of which could potentially be catastrophic. When it comes to telling her children about their biological father, Alison, now 40, whose name the Mail has changed to protect her family's anonymity, is feeling reticent. 'Obviously, it's my children's right to know, but I don't want to tell them I 'made' them from Facebook for 50,' she admits. 'Becoming a mother was something I needed on a very basic level and I've got the two most amazing children. But the way I went about having them is not something I intend to tell people. There's a lot of guilt. It's very much my dirty secret.' So why speak out at all? 'I hope that by telling my story I'll help other women desperate for children to think twice before using an unlicensed donor.' Now the early fog of motherhood has lifted, the magnitude of Alison Ready's decision is beginning to sink in (file image) Watson appears an altruistic saviour, posting pictures of newborns and positive pregnancy tests he says grateful women have sent him. But Alison has her doubts. 'He says he wants to help people become parents but I now think it might have something to do with power and ego, and how many times he can spread his seed. 'Now I've thought through the potential consequences for my children, I believe he should be stopped. What he's doing ought to be against the law.' So where does the law stand on sperm donors? It would be fair to say it feels somewhat toothless. A Netflix documentary, The Man With 1,000 Kids, recently highlighted the growing problem. It documented the horror of parents discovering their Dutch donor Jonathan Meijer may have fathered up to 1,000 children around the world after offering his sperm through Facebook. Meijer, 42, who admitted having between 550 and 600 children in a Dutch court, was eventually banned from donating sperm and told by the judge he would be fined 85,000 if he flouted the ban. But Watson, who has said he wants to get the 'world record' in producing offspring, is allowed to continue unchecked. Indeed, he is not breaking any law. In UK fertility clinics each donor is allowed to donate to a maximum of just ten families. But when a donor has reached this limit, there is nothing to stop them donating again at a clinic abroad or through other means, such as social media. And like Meijer, Watson has donated in licensed clinics as well as via his Facebook account. According to the HFEA (Human Fertilisation And Embryology Authority), which regulates fertility clinics, more than half of new sperm donors registered in the UK in 2020 were from donor imports sperm brought to the UK from abroad. The rule limiting donations to UK clinics does not apply overseas, so there is a chance many more children could be (or have been) created worldwide by such donors, says Clare Ettinghausen, Director Of Strategy And Corporate Affairs at the HFEA. She says that, outside its jurisdiction, the HFEA has 'no way of monitoring how many times a donor is used'. As for payment, donors in Britain are not legally allowed to charge but can claim expenses. In March the HFEA increased sperm donors' permitted expenses from 35 to 45 per clinic visit. Even though the HFEA warns against using unregulated Facebook groups, many women feel compelled to do so. Watson helps run the 9,000-strong group Sperm Donors UK, and also has his own Facebook page, where he posts updates on the babies he's fathered. There is a growing community of donor-conceived adults seeking better recognition, including British organisation Donor Conceived UK. But the emphasis is still on the rights of the recipients and donor, with little thought given to the child created. The law was changed in 2005 to grant them access to their donor's identity when they are 18 but most of those conceived using social media donors are still children and unable to advocate for themselves. There is nothing to prevent serial donors providing their sperm to women such as Alison, a softly-spoken accounting assistant who lives in the north of England. She says she had wanted to be a mother 'forever there's never been anything else I've really wanted to do'. Dutch donor Jonathan Meijer may have fathered up to 1,000 children around the world after offering his sperm through Facebook When she reached her 30s but had still not found the right partner, she says she 'got to the point where I was ready and thought I'd go it alone'. Her father died of cancer when she was three, 'so a single parent family was normal for me'. However, donor sperm costs around 1,000 at a fertility clinic and it's an additional 1,000 for one cycle of IUI (intrauterine insemination), the procedure that places sperm inside a woman's uterus. Not eligible for NHS support IUI is not routinely offered on the NHS she 'knew I'd have to find another route'. In late 2016 she confided in a friend, who told her about Watson's Facebook page. 'I would never have thought to look on Facebook,' she says. 'I was just relieved there was another option.' It seems extraordinary she didn't give the decision more thought, but she is far from alone. Watson, who has three children from two marriages, had recently featured in a BBC documentary in which he claimed: 'I've had way more than 800 children over the years and they're just the ones I know of.' He said business had 'snowballed' because of the 'ease of Facebook' and insisted he met no hostility to his work. 'When people find out what I do, most people just find it really funny.' Alison found his 'success' rate encouraging and messaged him. Watson replied within hours. 'He said he could be wherever I needed,' says Alison. Watson donates fresh sperm, which is not illegal for private donors. The HFEA, however, requires licensed clinics to test sperm, then freeze it for 180 days before testing again. Only then can it be used. (This is because some diseases may only be detectable after the six-month waiting period.) Fertility clinics are also legally obliged to offer counselling to both donor and recipient. Alison, of course, received none, and she admits she gave no thought to the fact her child would have hundreds of half-siblings: 'It sounds silly now, but I didn't.' Watson offered to deliver the sperm to Alison, 100 miles away, in return for his petrol mileage being reimbursed, or said she could come to him in exchange for 50 cash in hand which he says covers his expenses. Alison drove to meet Watson in 'a random layby' in May 2017. He passed his plastic pot of semen and the syringe he provides to would-be mothers through the window of her car. She did not consider Watson attractive nor did she give much thought to how he could be reflected in her child's character or appearance. 'I suppose I hoped my child would look like me.' Watson wished her luck and drove off. Alison found a quiet country lane, put blankets over her car windows, then inseminated herself before driving home. 'I did think, 'What have I just done, could this be real?' she recalls, but adds that even so, it all felt 'so casual for a life-changing event'. Three weeks later, she discovered she was pregnant. Aside from the friend who suggested Watson, nobody knew the father's identity she told her family she'd used a 'private donor' and insists even her mother has never asked about the donor: 'Perhaps people were speculating among themselves, but they respected my privacy.' The early months of motherhood were consumed by love and exhaustion, her own mother too far away to babysit. 'I was very much on my own without anyone to share the load.' Yet baby Isobel's first smile and first steps eclipsed the sacrifices she'd made and when Alison started yearning for a second child two years later she approached Watson 'because it worked last time'. Alison, who had a brief relationship that ended when her daughter was a few months old and has been single since, had had no contact with Watson in the interim. When they met in the same layby near his home, there was no flicker of recognition: 'I don't think he remembered me. It was a basic transaction.' Alison isn't sure when to tell her daughter and son that they were conceived using a donor (File image) That attempt failed and, more restricted with a toddler in tow, she requested Watson visit her for a second donation. This time he 'produced' his specimen in her bathroom one evening while her daughter was asleep upstairs, because, he said, 'it would be fresher' a tawdry and risky scenario that Alison says she 'tried not to think about'. Again, he wished her good luck, thanked her for the 50 cash and money to cover his petrol and left. Finding out she was pregnant 'felt good' says Alison, who gave birth to son Robert alone in hospital during Covid. (She hasn't told Watson she conceived from either donation.) As Isobel and Robert grew up, she noticed only her own likeness. 'They looked very much like they belonged in my family and motherhood was so all-consuming that when they were small, I didn't think about the fact they were donor-conceived much.' It is only now their personalities are emerging that their conception troubles her. 'My daughter thrives around my male friends, so I have guilt she doesn't have a father figure,' says Alison, who says neither child has yet asked who their dad is. 'If Isobel is playing she might say 'we don't have a dad', but that's it,' she says. It is only a matter of time. Although legally, donor-conceived children don't have a right to find out who their donor is until they're 18 (and recipients have no legal obligation to tell their children), research has found they are more likely to happily accept the truth if they're told the basic facts before the age of three. Alison, however, still isn't sure when to tell her daughter and son. 'I plan to feed them information as they ask for it, not bombard them,' she says. 'I'll start with, 'No, you don't have a dad, but you have a donor,' and see where that goes.' She doesn't want to reveal Watson's identity until they're in their late teens and 'old enough to try to understand where I was coming from. Hopefully by then they will know I did it with the purest intentions and that it felt like my only option.' How finding out they are in a 'pod' of 800-plus half-siblings might affect them is unknown. DNA tests have only recently become widespread and most of Watson's offspring he has been donating since 2000 are below 18, the minimum age you can take a test without parental consent. 'It's convenient when your 'victims' don't have a voice,' says Eve Wiley, 37, an activist who campaigns for greater regulation. Eve herself is one of 14 half-siblings, and discovered in adulthood that her donor was her mother's doctor. He had secretly substituted his own sperm for that of the donor her parents had chosen. 'When you feel you're just a number in a game it's dehumanising,' she says, pointing out that there is a 'grief process' from discovering the deceit surrounding your conception. There are other risks too, including a well-documented and troubling phenomenon in which siblings, or half-siblings, who meet in adulthood while unaware of their genetic relationship, may confuse their instinctive feelings of familiarity for sexual attraction. 'To be forced into this situation is not fun. It's hard to navigate. When I hear of these sibling pods that are so large, I really feel for them,' Eve says. There is a broader issue of genetic diversity, she adds, because it will not just be Watson's biological children affected, but their children and grandchildren, meaning tens of thousands of related people perhaps living within a small geographical area. There is a risk that half-siblings who meet in adulthood while unaware of their genetic relationship may confuse their instinctive feelings of familiarity for sexual attraction Although Watson says he has children 'all over the world', Alison isn't worried about her children inadvertently starting relationships with half-siblings because she moved from the south to the north of England three years ago. 'We're not 90 minutes away where we could potentially be going to school with a half-sibling and not realise. The chances are a lot less,' she says, admitting, however, that the prospect is 'not nice'. Her own life, meanwhile, is built on evasion. Alison's brother sometimes does the school pick-up, so, she says, some fellow parents assume he is the father. She worries about starting a new relationship for fear of telling any new partner the truth. 'I suppose I would eventually, once I was sure they could be trusted, if we were to break up, not to throw it in my children's faces as payback.' Eve Wiley, the donor-conceived activist, believes mass donation 'absolutely should be illegal' and that it's not just serial donors who are to blame. She feels licensed clinics must do more to prevent it, too, saying: 'There is no excuse not to have a way to scan each donor's passport, to make sure that clinics are not letting a serial sperm donor in.' If the law cannot stop them, perhaps the threat of financial ruin should. Given she wants no contact with Watson, Alison doesn't intend to try to take advantage of the fact he is her children's legal father and may under the law have parental responsibility but she says others might. 'I'm surprised he hasn't been hit for child maintenance. Anyone could knock on his door. 'The world could suddenly crumble on him.' When the Mail asked Watson if he would like to comment on his ambition to have 1,000 children, his motivation for becoming a sperm donor and what he thought the impact would be on the lives he created, he quickly became threatening. 'I will find you. You won't be able to hide,' he emailed. 'You go after my kids I'll go after your whole family... my hatred for anyone that goes after my descendants will never end.' His words present quite a contrast to his altruistic social media persona. And they highlight the importance of increased regulation and support for the women desperate to have a baby by any means possible and for the many children who will one day have to grapple with the truth about their conception. Names and some details have been changed. He's been dubbed the 'black sheep' of the Norwegian Royal Family - and Marius Borg Hiby has more than lived up to his name. The future King of Norway's stepson, 27, yesterday sensationally admitted to assaulting his 'girlfriend' 'after an argument' while 'intoxicated with cocaine and alcohol' in a statement which has rocked the Nordic nation. Ten days ago, Borg Hiby, the tattooed stepson of heir apparent Crown Prince Haakon, was arrested near Skaugum Castle, his family's official residence, and spent 30 hours in police custody after the attack. But it's sadly not the first scandal to involve the former motorcycle mechanic - in February 2023, his girlfriend at the time was photographed holding a bag filled with 'white powder', with local media speculating it was actually cocaine. Even aged just 15, Crown Princess Mette-Marit's son from a previous relationship was making headlines after a national newspaper suggested the then teenager was creating security concerns by using Instagram publicly and sharing his family's location. He's been dubbed the 'black sheep' of the Norwegian Royal Family - and Marius Borg Hiby (pictured left) has more than lived up to his name Borg Hiby was raised by his mother and stepfather with his half-siblings, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 20, and Prince Sverre Magnus, 18, but unlike them he has no official public role. Here, FEMAIL takes a look at all the times the 'black sheep' of the Norwegian Royal Family caused controversy... ADMITTED TO ASSAULT 'WHILE ON COCAINE' The crown prince's stepson had only just announced his relationship with Rebecca Helberg Arntsen (pictured) in July Norwegian magazine Se og Hr released images of what they claim is the apartment where the 'violent episode took place'. Photos show a knife planted in a wall and a broken chandelier Borg Hiby yesterday sensationally admitted to assaulting his 'girlfriend' 'after an argument' while 'intoxicated with cocaine and alcohol' in a statement which has rocked the Nordic nation. Ten days ago, Borg Hiby, the tattooed stepson of heir apparent Crown Prince Haakon, was arrested near Skaugum Castle, his family's official residence, after the violent episode. Speaking for the first time, former motor mechanic Hiby made a frank admission of his culpability and a grovelling apology to Ms Arntsen and his loved ones. In his statement, issued via his lawyer to state-controlled NRK, he said he suffers with 'several mental disorders' and has 'struggled with substance abuse for a long time', which he will now resume treatment for. Photos reportedly taken of at the home in Oslo after the argument showed a knife planted in the wall and a broken chandelier. In July, Borg Hiby announced his relationship with Rebecca Helberg Arntsen. Speaking via his defence lawyer, yvind Bratlien, he said: 'Last weekend something happened that should never have happened. I committed bodily harm and destroyed objects in an apartment in the intoxication of alcohol and cocaine after an argument. 'I have several mental disorders which mean that throughout my upbringing and adult life, I have had, and still have, challenges. I have struggled with substance abuse for a long time, something I have been in treatment for in the past. 'The drug use and my diagnoses do not excuse what happened in the apartment at Frogner on the night of Sunday last weekend. I want to be responsible for what I have done, and will explain myself truthfully to the police', the statement added. Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway and Marius Borg Hoiby arrive at Ravnakloa fish market on June 23, 2016 in Trondheim Norway's Princess Ingrid Alexandra (front C) poses for a family photo with (front L and R) Norway's King Harald V and Norway's Queen Sonja and (back LtoR) Marit Tjessem, Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Norway's Crown Prince Haakon, Norway's Prince Sverre Magnus and Marius Borg Hoiby on the occasion of a gala dinner for her 18th birthday in Oslo in 2022 'For me, the most important thing is to say sorry to my girlfriend. She deserved neither what happened that night, nor the extreme pressure from both the Norwegian and foreign press afterwards.' Mette-Marit's eldest son also apologised to his family for his actions that have 'greatly affected you'. Since his statement, the victim's lawyer Mette Yvonne Larsen told Dagbladet: 'The last time I spoke to my client they were not lovers.' The statement is the first he has made in the case. It is also the first time it has emerged that he will plead guilty to the charges. His defence attorney yvind Bratlien said: He has not formally taken a position on guilt as he has not been questioned, but in reality this is an admission of guilt after the charge, he told Norwegian channel TV2. The woman's legal aid lawyer Mette Yvonne Larsen told VG: 'It is good that he is speaking out and admitting a drug problem and she is happy about that.' The statement appeared to take even the police unawares. Police inspector Henriette Taxt Rstadli told local media that they only became aware of it after being contacted by journalists this afternoon. The police were not aware of this until it came out in the media, she said. The Norwegian Royal family made no comment on the case. Royal expert Trond Isaksen Noren commented: It is not at all positive for the royal family's reputation. 'The King has decided that Hiby is an official member of the royal family, thus this is the first time a member of the royal family has been charged. That says something about the seriousness, he told NTB. Borg Hiby faces preliminary charges of bodily harm and criminal damage, and could face up to a year in prison. Police had previously confirmed the alleged victim was in a 'relationship' with the motorcycle mechanic, according to reports. EX GIRLFRIEND CLAIMS SHE WAS 'SUBJECTED TO PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL VIOLENCE' Since news of his arrest last weekend, when he spent 30 hours in police custody, one of Hiby's ex-girlfriends, Juliane Snekkestad, has claimed to have been 'subjected to psychological and physical violence' while they were dating. Sharing a post on her Instagram Stories (pictured), the model said: 'I now no longer choose to remain silent.' Marius previously dated London-based former Playboy model Juliane Snekkestad in 2019 The case took on an even darker flavour earlier this week when Hoibys ex-partner, model Juliane Snekkestad, 29, released her own statement about it on Instagram, claiming to have been 'subjected to psychological and physical violence by the person in question' while they were dating. Sharing a post on her Instagram Stories, the model said: 'I now no longer choose to remain silent... This has happened before. And this must be stopped now.' Following news of his arrest, his ex girlfriend Juliane, wrote on her social media account: 'The last few days have been strange and painful. In the last week I have received a lot of phone calls; messages... regarding my ex's order. 'First, I would like to send warm thoughts to those affected by the case. Although the closest family and friends have known about this, I now no longer choose to remain silent. Because I actually can't keep silent any longer. 'And to answer the clues: Yes. I have previously been subjected to psychological and physical violence by the person in question. Where the psychological violence was most brutal for me. 'I'm not sharing this because I want pity... Or to put the focus on me... This has happened before. And this must be stopped now,' her statement read, when translated from Norwegian to English. EX GIRLFRIEND POSES WITH 'WHITE POWDER' Nora Haukland caused scandal when appearing to hold a bag of 'white powder' in a photograph of her posted to Instagram by friend and fellow reality star Sophie Elise Isachsen Nora Haukland (pictured in 2023), 27, dated Borg Hiby for just over a year before going their separate ways last summer Nora Haukland, 27, who found fame after winning Norway's Love Island in 2020, started dating Borg Hiby for just over a year before going their separate ways last summer. But she caused scandal when appearing to hold a bag of 'white powder' in a photograph of her posted to Instagram by friend and fellow reality star Sophie Elise Isachsen. Shared in February 2023, the snap showed the two pals posing up a storm in stylish outfits, with the caption: 'Life is a billion times more fun when you don't care about anything.' But the party snap backfired after fans spotted Nora holding a bag in her left hand, which seemed to contain white powder. Speculation quickly began over whether the powder was actually cocaine, according to Bild. The photo was quickly deleted from the friend's profile, however Norwegian media shared the snap afterwards - while Borg Hiby and his then girlfriend apparently fled to Barbados. 'I have spent the last few weeks trying to sort things out with the people I love and work with. The photo should never have been published, I don't want to romanticize anything, and I am terribly sorry,' Nora's friend Sophie said amid the scandal. Nora met Borg Hiby at a party in April 2022 and half a year later, their relationship became public. Following his arrest, the ex girlfriend shared a cryptic message on her Snapchat, in which she said: 'My head is very chaotic, it's up and down, and I've felt every possible emotion in the last few hours.' Nora started her message on the social media app with: 'Hello guys... What to say... It's been a strange few hours. 'I don't have much to say right now,' added the influencer before speaking about her 'very chaotic' mind, according to Se og Hr. ROYAL COUPLE DEFENDED SON'S PHOT-SHARING AMID ACCUSATIONS OF 'SECURITY CONCERNS' Borg Hiby (pictured with Prince Haakon in 2017) is under suspicion for causing bodily harm and criminal damage, Oslo police said Wednesday Borg Hiby pictured in a photograph shared to his Instagram account In 2012, Prince Haakon and Princess Mette-Marit took the rare step of writing an open letter to a Norwegian newspaper which claimed Borg Hiby's public use of Instagram posed a security risk. However, the royal couple claimed it was 'difficult to see' how the then teenager, who was aged just 15 at the time, had caused an issue by uploading pictures and the family's locations to social media, reported Hello!. They said the story, published by Norwegian tabloid newspaper VG, was 'speculative, over-dimensioned and without substance at the cost of a child of 15 years'. They added: 'We react strongly that you are exposing our child in this manner. For us, it's very important to shield our children against an undisciplined public spotlight because we believe it can be a heavy burden and damaging. All children have a right to be protected against that.' The duo also noted that their official engagements are announced 14 days ahead of time, and are easily available to the public. 'The programs are often detailed down to the minute and the place,' they said. 'This is a security risk we live with every day, every year, an entire life.' 'It is often known where well be', they added, noting how the family's location could also be discovered on the official website for Norways royal family. The parents also insisted that the teenager's use of social media was modest, 'compared to most 15-year-olds', they said in their letter. The newpaper's original report quoted terror expert Magnus Ranstorp, who criticised the police for allowing Borg Hib to share the information on his public Instagram account. He had been posting the information from his phone for 42 weeks before the newspaper ran the story. His account was locked for a while after the drama. ANNOUNCED HE WAS STEPPING AWAY FROM PUBLIC LIFE Marius pictured with other members of the Norwegian royal family, including the King, Queen, and heir to the throne in June 2022 Growing up, Borg Hiby made public appearances with his mother, stepfather and half sister Ingrid Alexandra (who is the future queen of Norway) and half brother Prince Sverre Magnus on occasions such as national day. However, when he turned 20 the royal court announced he was stepping away from public life and his profile was removed from the family's official website. 'Hiby will not conduct any official activities on the Royal Family's behalf,' a statement said, 'on the basis of his wish to live outside the public eye.' His mother Crown Princess Mette-Marit also published an open letter on the court website, saying: 'Marius is, and will continue to be, a vital member of our family. He has always had a public role that has been very difficult to define. 'Unlike his siblings, he has no official duties. He won't have a public role and is not a public person. Marius became a symbol for the unusual choice we made when we married.' Norway's future queen made headlines in 2001 when she married Haakon, because she was a single mother who had lived a freewheeling life with a companion who had been convicted on drug charges. As the excitement gears up to the Norwegian royal wedding of the year, Princess Martha Louise and her husband-to-be, Durek Verrett, have suffered another bitter blow after his estranged sister launched an extraordinary attack on him. The controversial American 'shamanic healer', who once claimed children get cancer from being 'unhappy', has been embroiled in an explosive row with his mother and sister for several months which led him to threaten them with legal action. However, now Durek's oldest sister Demi DeLaNuit has hit back at her younger brother and revealed what she claims are the terms of a legal warning he sent to her - including a public apology video that he would be able to pre-approve. Demi's furious rebuttal comes just weeks before the Shaman and Princess Martha Louise, the oldest child of King Harald and Queen Sonja, are due to walk down the aisle at the Union Hotel in Geirangerfjord on August 31. Demi DeLaNuit, the estranged sister of Shaman Durek Verrett, has launched a blistering attack on her brother via Instagram in which she promises to see him in court after claiming he has threatened to sue her for 'millions of dollars' While the lead-up to the nuptials should be a happy time, the couple, whose union has long been controversial, have been blighted by rows and scandal within the royal family; including the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit being arrested on suspicion of assaulting a woman. Taking to Instagram in a post in which she has tagged some of the shaman's Hollywood pals including wellness guru Gwyneth Paltrow, Demi DeLaNuit, who is still followed by Martha Louise but not by Durek Verrett, claimed the couple were threatening to sue her 'for millions of dollars'. She added she has 'laid low' for four years since he got together with the Norwegian Princess; until Durek began to spout 'untruths' about her. The controversial American Shaman who once claimed he came back from the dead and has been known to associate childhood cancers with unhappiness will wed Martha Louise on August 31 The estranged sister of the Shaman (pictured with Martha Louise before their estrangement) has said she won't comply with what she claims are the terms her brother laid out in a legal warning The clip then cuts to Durek speaking about how his mother and sister 'joined up with the press' and told 'lies' about him - referring to a row that began in April when Veruschka Urquhart, Durek's mother, conducted interviews with Norwegian celebrity magazine Se og Hr in which she branded her son a 'dangerous' man who had 'brainwashed' Princess Martha Louise. She also claimed that her son did not grow up with the wealth he has previously claimed to have enjoyed during his childhood. In the clip, Demi showed the camera what she claims is the cease and desist letter issued by Durek and Martha Louise earlier this month; which threatened to sue her if she did not stop discussing her brother in public. Demi then reads out what she claims are two conditions he has laid out to her. The first is that she deletes a clip she posted on social media in which she requested a private meeting with her brother to hash out their differences. She should then film and upload an apology video, retracting previous claims made about her brother - but that before the video is uploaded, she should send it to Durek for approval. Demi says: 'My response? No.' The second demand, she claims, is that she should 'turn over everything I have on you' which includes electronic files. Demi stresses again that she would not comply. The future King of Norway's stepson (pictured left) has admitted to assaulting his girlfriend 'after an argument' while 'intoxicated with cocaine and alcohol' The crown prince's stepson had only just announced his relationship with Rebecca Helberg Arntsen (pictured) in July Instead, she threatens to see her estranged brother 'in court' where she claims she will share information she previously has not revealed in public. Demi then attacks her brother for threatening legal action against their mother, saying: 'You are riding our 81-year-old mother a little too hard for my taste'. She revealed the Shaman has also tried to 'silence' her daughter, his niece, by threatening to sue them for 'millions of dollars'. Demi concludes: 'I have worked tirelessly to separate myself from you since that incident that happened four years ago.' She does not explain which incident she is referring to. She says: 'It's all gonna come out soon.' The eviscerating attack comes amid a turbulent time for the Norwegian royal family after the future King's stepson was arrested and held in custody on assault charges. Marius Borg Hiby, 27, the tattooed stepson of heir apparent Crown Prince Haakon, was arrested near Skaugum Castle, his family's official residence, after the violent episode against his girlfriend, Rebecca Helberg Arntsen. Now, speaking for the first time, former motor mechanic Hiby, labelled the black sheep of the Norwegian Royal Family, has made a frank admission of his culpability and a grovelling apology to Ms Arntsen and his loved ones. The shaman, whose Hollywood friends include wellness guru Gwyneth Paltrow, is a figure of controversy in Norway In his statement, issued via his lawyer to state broadcaster NRK, he said he suffers with 'several mental disorders' and has 'struggled with substance abuse for a long time', which he will now resume treatment for. Photos reportedly taken of his lover's home in Oslo after the argument showed a knife planted in the wall and a broken chandelier. In July, Borg Hiby announced his relationship with Ms Arntsen. Borg Hiby, son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit from a previous relationship, was raised by his mother and stepfather with his half-siblings, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 20, and Prince Sverre Magnus, 18, but unlike them he has no official public role. The scandal was a bitter blow to Crown Prince Haakon, whose public image has previously been relatively free of drama in comparison to his older sister Martha Louise. The Princess, who was originally the heir to the Norwegian throne, stepped down as a working royal following backlash among members of the public to her relationship with Durek. Durek was dropped by his publisher shortly after the couple announced their engagement in June 2022 over pseudoscientific claims he made in his book 'Spirit Hacking'. Among the claims were that children 'can get cancer from being unhappy'. Durek has also claimed he once came back from the dead, recovering from a month-long coma, by letting his soul 'burn' and he has also spoken of having to undergo a kidney transplant from his sister as a child. It is unclear why he needed the kidney or how he became wheelchair bound, as he has described. The illness which sent him into a coma is also undisclosed. After stepping down as a working royal in November 2022, she gave an interview on Swedish TV in which she claimed she had 'received the most criticism of anyone in Norway' for her spiritual beliefs. As she sat down with Anna Hedenmo on Min Sanning - which translates to My Truth - the royal said she felt she needed to step back because of public image. She said: 'I am probably the one in Norway who has received the most criticism of all, I think.' Every week, FEMAIL asks two singletons to report back from their blind date. This week, it's the turn of Amanda, 49, and Nick, 48 - but will romance be on the cards for these two hopefuls? Amanda, 49 Separated with two children, aged 15 and 13. Current Role: Magazine editor. Would like to meet: A relaxed man I can have fun and go on holiday with. Im not after another husband, just someone to share things with. Amanda says she's not after another husband, just someone to share things with Dating Past? I was married for 14 years but we separated more than two years ago. We are still friends. Ive been on three dates since then, one of whom was a catfish a completely different man to the one I thought Id been chatting to. It was all very weird I suspect he was married. Pre-date nerves? I was a bit anxious as I knew so little about Nick. While I was waiting, a man walked in who looked about 80 and I thought: Could that be him? First impressions? He wasnt 80! And yes, he was attractive and smartly dressed in a dark blue T-shirt and trousers. He had a big smile which made him look friendly, and I knew it was going to be fine. He told me he was nervous, too, so that helped. Easy to talk to? We come from quite different backgrounds hes a Greek Cypriot from North London, whereas Im from the West Country but were both gregarious and could talk about growing up in the rave culture of the 1990s. We also covered children, cats, holidays and even ghosts. I used to edit a ghost magazine and told Nick about the man I interviewed once who thought his bottom was haunted! Nick told me about an eerily accurate reading hed had from a psychic, even though he isnt a real believer. We both go off on tangents in conversation, which I loved. I had a brilliant time. My 13-year-old joined us at the end shed been shopping but it wasnt awkward and Nick made her feel welcome, which was lovely. Embarrassing Moments? Not at all. Did sparks fly? Its too early to say, although I think we found each other attractive and there was a bit of flirting. We swapped numbers and hes already texted me, so maybe. See him again? I think we will meet again without the pressure of having to tell a national newspaper afterwards. Something more relaxed like a pub lunch. And without having my daughter join us on the date... What do you think he thought of you? I would be surprised if he wasnt positive. Would your family like him? My daughter spent two hours with us and thought he was lovely. Amandas verdict: 9.5/10 Liked? We never stopped talking; it was such fun. Regrets? No. Coffee or cab? Coffee. Nick, 48 Separated with one son, aged 15. Current role: Bus driver. Would like to meet: An independent woman with her own life, who doesnt depend on me for her happiness. Nick says he loves it when a woman has a fabulous sense of humour. The only thing he and Amanda didn't talk about was past relationships Dating past? My longest relationship lasted six years but we parted amicably three years ago. Im still friends with the mother of my son, who I was with for four years. Lately, though, dating hasnt been a priority as Ive been far too busy. Pre-date nerves? Its my first official date in two years, but I tried to use the nerves as fuel. First impressions? I was really impressed. Amanda was wearing a red dress and she had a great figure you can see she looks after herself and goes to the gym. From the moment we sat down, we never stopped chatting. Easy to talk to? We were talking for an hour and a half before we even ordered food. Amanda loves travelling as do I and we spoke about the ups and downs of having teenagers. We are clearly from different backgrounds, but that didnt matter. The only thing we didnt talk about was past relationships, which I dont think either of us thought was a good subject for a first date. We also laughed a lot. I love it when a woman has a fabulous sense of humour. Embarrassing moments? Not once. Did sparks fly? I dont think so at this early stage. She was simply someone I got on incredibly well with. There was no sexual chemistry, even though shes attractive, but I put that down to it being my first date in two years. See her again? We swapped numbers but nothing was said about whether wed like to meet again. She possibly thought there wasnt any chemistry either, but Im not too disappointed about that. I felt the same. So Ive no idea if well have another date, but Id like to see her again, even as friends. What do you think she thought of you? I hope shed say Im easy to talk to and well-mannered. Would your family like her? Shes got a cracking personality. I actually got to meet her 13-year-old daughter after the date as she was shopping nearby. We all ended up going to a pub afterwards, which was lovely and relaxed. We had a great time. Nicks verdict: 10/10 Liked? She didnt look at her phone once. Regrets? None at all. Coffee or cab? Coffee. Porn is a growing addiction crisis I should know I work as a counsellor at a boys boarding school. Some of the stories I hear when dealing with young people are unspeakable. But I can say that a worrying proportion of teenage boys spend hours every day looking at content so explicit it would make anyone blush. This, perhaps, is not too surprising. After all, when have teenagers not been hormonal monsters? Porn is now the second most common addiction in the UK after alcohol, according to Britain's biggest rehab provider, the UK Addiction Treatment Group However, I also run my own psychotherapy practice for adults and since setting up my business, a new phenomenon has shocked me even more: A horrifying number of married men are hooked on internet porn. Research suggests that, since the Covid pandemic, the number of people almost entirely men seeking help for porn addiction has trebled, according to the UK Addiction Treatment Group, Britains biggest rehab provider. According to the organisation, porn is now the second most common addiction in the UK, after alcohol. Ive seen this for myself. Generally, the first time a woman will realise there is an issue is when she catches sight of porn on their partners phone or laptop. Understandably, this can lead to feeling of anger and disbelief. Many women worry that it must be a reflection of themselves: that they are not attractive enough, not sexy enough that they are not good enough. Week after week, distraught women sit in my therapy room, sobbing profusely, and tell me how they discovered their partner had not only been watching porn every day, but that he had been doing this on family holidays, birthdays, and even on their wedding anniversary. Therapist Samantha Marcham says often the first time a woman will realise there is an issue is when she catches sight of porn on their partner's phone or laptop But the case that surprised even me, was the man who had slipped away to watch porn on five separate occasions during his own sons wedding day! Its important to say that having a porn problem does not mean someone is a bad person, nor a bad partner. Just like with alcohol and drug abuse, it is a condition that requires treatment. It certainly doesnt mean that a husband doesnt love his wife. However, porn addiction can have serious consequences if it is not treated. One of the most common issues is that many men who regularly watch porn struggle to perform during sex. Another is that men may start acting out violent fantasies, such as attempting to choke or hit their partner. One of the most worrying consequences of a porn problem is that it puts men at risk of sextortion, a crime that is on the increase in the UK. One of my clients, a professional man in his 50s, arrived at my clinic in a state of sheer panic after his porn habit spiralled into him paying to use chatlines and sexting other women or so he thought. One of these women, turned out to be an Eastern European criminal gang who then demanded money. When he refused, they threatened to come to his home that evening to pick up the cash, or they would tell his wife and his children. After I had managed to calm him down, he went home and did the sensible thing and confessed everything to his wife. Together, they called the police. Ultimately, the key to tackling a porn addiction problem is catching and treating it early. Many men will deny they have an issue for far too long. This is why, sometimes, its up to their wife or partner to stage an intervention. So, with that in mind, here are some of the signs that your husband has a porn addiction... YOUR SEX LIFE DISAPPEARS One of the first signs of a porn problem is when a husband suddenly wants less sex. Of course, in a long-term relationship, it is common for desire to come-and-go. Research suggests that women are more likely to experience a low sex drive, especially after having children or during menopause. As a result, many men turn to porn because they feel over-sexed compared to their partner and want to let off steam. There is nothing wrong with this masturbation is a normal habit for both genders. However, if, seemingly out of nowhere, your husbands sex drive drops off, this may suggest he is masturbating to porn too much. I often hear from women who say the first time they noticed any issue was when they instigated sex with their partner and he struggled to gain, or maintain, an erection. This is also a sign that he may be getting his sexual fix online. Theres even a medical name for this problem porn-induced erectile dysfunction. However, this may also be a sign of standard erectile dysfunction, which affects roughly one in four adult men primarily those over the age of 50. For this reason, it is important to look for other signs of porn addiction as well. HE WONT LET YOU LOOK AT HIS PHONE When a man becomes cagey about his wife looking at his phone, one of the most likely reasons is that he is regularly using it to view porn. Historically, this has been seen as a possible sign of an affair but frankly, I can tell you its much more likely to be explicit pictures and videos. Mobile phones are the main way people consume porn these days and, moreover, the internet has provided a seemingly infinite number of ways to consume content designed to arouse. Along with the obvious websites such as Pornhub, the most common places online where porn can be found include the social media sites Reddit and Twitter, as well as the subscriber app OnlyFans (more on that below). Male clients even tell me that they even resort to watching soft-core videos on TikTok and YouTube where nudity isnt allowed. While Google search history can be hidden by going incognito (opening up a private browser), searches on Reddit, Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube generally cannot. Moreover, all these apps now use sophisticated software that show users content based on what they have previously viewed. This means that, if a regular porn watcher opens up Reddit or TikTok, for example, the first thing that appears is likely to be explicit or suggestive content. For this reason, look out for your husband turning his phone screen away from you whenever he uses it. Or, even more telling, he jumps like a madman to intercept you if you go to pick his mobile up. If you know his password already, then be suspicious if he changes it without explanation. HE SPENDS A LOT OF TIME IN THE BATHROOM This, to me, is by far the most common sign of a problem men who are addicted to porn will almost always lock themselves away in the bathroom. In a family home especially one with children this may be the only place of any privacy. So it makes sense that a man attempting to hide his reliance on porn will take frequent, lengthy trips there. This might involve running the shower for ten minutes or more but spending the majority of time sitting on the loo staring at his phone. Keep an eye on how often your husband takes his phone with him to the bathroom. He may even bring headphones with him, too. If he does this, gently ask him why he needs his phone. An overly defensive or aggressive response may signal trouble. HE ASKS YOU TO TRY NEW THINGS DURING SEX... OR BRINGS HOME SEXY UNDERWEAR Strangely, another warning sign of porn addiction I come across regularly is men buying their partner racy lingerie Men who watch too much porn will often try to re-enact what they see on the screen in real life which can often lead to uncomfortable situations. Its easy to see why this happens. For many men, porn is a fantastical escape. It allows them to imagine a sex life which is more adventurous and vigorous than it actually is. Its not surprising that some attempt to turn fantasy into reality. This might involve acts which their partners find shocking, such as choking and hitting. However, the most common change in behaviour I see is a sudden desire for bl*****s. Its probably due to the fact that every single porn film involves oral sex. Its depicted as a normal part of sex. In reality, studies show that less than a third of young women say they enjoy performing oral sex, and older women are even less keen on it. Strangely, another warning sign of porn addiction I come across regularly is men buying their partner racy lingerie. They get so used to seeing these revealing and uncomfortable outfits in porn that they want to see their wives wearing them too. YOU START NOTICING STRANGE CARD PAYMENTS ON THE JOINT ACCOUNT Until recently, it seemed like the days of paying for porn was in the past. Gone were the days of sleazy video rentals or pay-per-view channels, it was all online for free. But, now paying for porn is back and its ruining marriages. This is almost entirely thanks to OnlyFans, the subscriber porn app which is used by around 12 million people in the UK. It allows customers nine out of ten are men to pay a monthly subscription to a single porn actor, who posts regular explicit content only available to their fans. Its a fascinating business, some women make more than 1million every year via OnlyFans, but its a massive factor in the rise of porn addiction in the UK. According to the UK Addiction Treatment Group, OnlyFans is one of the most common triggers of porn addiction in the patients they see. This is largely due to the phenomenon psychologists call parasocial relationships. This is where someone builds a one-sided relationship with a social media personality online. They adore this person, and begin to feel like they know them personally, even though this famous figure doesnt know who they are. Its often seen in young women who become besotted with musicians like Taylor Swift or Harry Styles. But with OnlyFans it takes on a much darker form. Some even argue that a married man who uses the app is cheating on his partner. Im not sure I agree, but I dont think its healthy either. The good news is that its easy to spot if your partner is dim enough to use your joint account to buy an OnlyFans membership. These usually cost around 10-a-month, and it will show up on the bill as OnlyFans. So, if your partner suddenly decides he wants to get a new debit card, or you see him inputting his card details into his phone, but he wont tell you why, it could be due to an OnlyFans account. ...AND WHAT TO DO IF YOU THINK YOUR PARTNER HAS A PROBLEM Your relationship might have become strained or stale due to the malign effects of porn. You might be plodding along, not making the most of life, or each other Spotting the signs of porn addiction isnt a case of catching a partner out, its about helping them. The good news is that a compulsion for pornography can be fixed. And it certainly doesnt mean the end of a relationship. In fact, although it might feel crushing to discover your partner has a problem, it can turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Your relationship might have become strained or stale. You might be plodding along, not making the most of life, or each other. This could be the wake-up call that is needed for both of you. So, should you suspect your partner has a problem, who can you do about it? Talk to them. Ask them if they could subconsciously be using porn as a crutch. Check if there is something he is worried about work, finances, or the kids. A porn problem can often come as a result of stress. Addressing the topic might come as a relief to him. Keeping a secret can make a person feel they are very alone. But its important to approach it without appearing angry or judgmental. Talk to your partner about using healthier crutches instead, like exercise. Even better, find something you can do together get a couples membership at the local gym, or make time to go for long walks together. And, if you are a man reading this who recognises you might have a porn problem that is getting out of a control, show this article to your partner. She might be taken aback, but she will appreciate the honesty. If you dont feel you are able, or if you dont have a partner, then you can talk to a counsellor confidentially. There is a list of reputable therapists on the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) website. Couples therapy can also make a relationship better than it ever was. Samantha Marcham is a psychotherapeutic counsellor. Her book Porn Bomb, co-written with her son Maximillian, offers advice to young people about pornography. A man who was diagnosed with a rare form of penile cancer before having his penis fully amputated has urged other men to look out for the warning signs - after the condition left him in 'mental torture'. During Thursday's episode of ITV's This Morning, Craig Mycock, from Stockport, opened up about his 'hellish' experience. He told presenters, Rylan Clark-Neal and Josie Gibson, that he had braved appearing on national television in the hopes that he could encourage other men to watch out for the warning signs of the condition. Each year, 700 men are diagnosed with penile cancer in the UK. Craig had no idea he had cancer in 2018 when he went to the doctor for an unrelated procedure to check on his bladder. During Thursday's episode of ITV 's This Morning, Craig Mycock (pictured), from Stockport, opened up about his 'hellish' experience During the procedure, the nurse spotted an unusual freckle on the end of his penis that concerned her so much that she had to call in a doctor for a second opinion. Craig, who is a bus driver, was horrified when doctors informed him that he was suffering with an aggressive form of cancer and hed need to have a full amputation immediately. He had no idea that the mark on his penis was anything to be concerned about. 'It wasn't itchy or painful, I just thought that it was something that was there so I'd just ignored it up until then,' he explained. Craig was sent to the Christie hospital in Manchester, known for treating cancer. He remembered being terrified when he knew he was being sent there. 'When you hear Christie's, your heart just sinks,' he shared, recalling other family member's experiences with cancer in the same hospital. Craig was then given a biopsy and two weeks later, he told it was an aggressive, fast-growing cancer and they'd need to remove part of his penis. At this stage, Craig said he was 'concerned by not too concerned. I thought it would be okay to carry on my life.' When he arrived at Christie's hospital for the operation, he was told the cancer had spread. After further testing, he was told the cancer had accelerated and he would need an operation to remove the penis completely. Craig appeared on the show next to his wife, Colette, who he credits to surviving the experience. The couple have been together for 33-years-old Because of lockdown at the time, he had to attend these appointments alone. 'I couldn't have anybody with me which affected me a lot but you had to grin and bear it,' he said. When Rylan asked Craig what it felt like to know he would lose his penis, he described the experience as simply 'hell'. 'You lose all your confidence, your masculinity, your identity really,' he explained. He went on to say he would never have recovered mentally if it weren't for his partner of 33-years, Colette Daniels, and his family. Craig then opened up about the extremely challenging emotions his diagnosis brought out, that led him to attempt to take his own life. Sharing her side of things, Colette said: 'The mental health side of it was the most difficult for me because seeing Craig go from a man's man and a joker to someone who sat in a chair and didn't speak for days, and never went out. 'If he went out and saw someone he'd run away, that hurt me more to see him shrivel up into a shell of nothing. Craig to me, is the bravest man on this earth,' she said. Colette said she was initially surprised that Craig had wanted to share his experience, but was proud that her partner was sharing for the sake of helping others. Though the amputation was successful, Craig said he still experiences a lot of pain around the site of the surgery and sometimes find the agony 'unbearable'. Amid the physical paid, Craig said the experience was 'mental torture'. 'It took me as far as it possibly could and at one point I broke and I did the stupid thing of trying to take my own life but that's part of my story and I've come out the best side of it,' he shared. 'Penile cancer is there and not many people know about it,' he said. Craig (pictured on This Morning) had no idea he had cancer in 2018 when he went to the doctor for an unrelated procedure to check on his bladder Dr Nighat appeared on the show to give her advice on how men can check themselves for the first signs of penile cancer. She said that penile cancer is fortunately rare, only affecting 700 men a year, less than one per cent of new cancers. She noted that prostate cancer, which is much more common, still faces 'a lot of stigma and taboo'. She said: 'As a GP, I get patients who have come in after all my treatment with the aftermath and it's the mental toll that it takes because you can feel very very alone.' Dr Nighat acknowledged Craig's challenging diagnosis that had taken place during lockdown, when he had to face the news of the cancer when he was alone. She encouraged men to look out for a number of warning signs to get checked, saying men should look out for: 'Any skin changes - we say persistent changes - meaning over four weeks, any irritation, any rash. A discharge as well isn't normal or any blood. 'It's really important then to go a little further from the genitals and look in the groin area because you can get lumps in the groin. Just like we would say for breast to look under the armpit and the neck, look under the groin.' Dr Nighat also encouraged men to look out for 'red flag' signs such as unintentional weight loss, bowel symptoms, you just feel really tired, bone pain, they are really sinister symptoms.' In light of such symptoms, Dr Nighat urged individuals to 'come and see us'. Penile cancer is more likely to be diagnosed in men over 50, though she urged people to make sure they are still being checked regardless. Smokers also have an increased likelihood of developing cancer. 'The most important thing is being aware of it and please don't be embarrassed to come and have that conversation with a doctor,' she urged in conclusion. For help and support contact the Samaritans on 116 123 or go to samaritans.org Lauren Sanchez and Jeff Bezos have gone from vacation to Vatican, taking some time out from their European jaunt to visit the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church. The couple shared some photos from their sit-down chat with Pope Francis on Thursday - calling it an 'honor' to meet and spend time with him. Lauren, 54, cut a striking but demure figure in an all-black ensemble as she met the Pope, opting for a long black skirt which she paired with a black blazer. The Emmy-winning journalist had her hair pulled back with some loose tresses around her face. She accessorized with a pair of diamond earrings and a splash of simple makeup. Lauren Sanchez, 54, wore an all-black ensemble as she met the 87-year-old head of the Catholic Church Her fiance Jeff, 60, wore a black suit with a black tie and white shirt, as the couple excitedly met the 87-year-old head of the Catholic Church. 'His wisdom, warmth, and humor were deeply touching. He reminded us not to take life too seriously, a simple yet powerful reminder to keep lightness in our hearts,' Lauren captioned the series of photos. 'We also discussed the urgent need for climate action, something he's passionate about, as are all of us at the Bezos Earth Fund,' she continued. Lauren added that Pope Francis' 'belief in finding beauty and meaning in everything we do resonated deeply with me.' 'I love that he encourages priests to read poetry and literature to stay connected with the human spirit,' she gushed. 'Grateful for this incredible blessing and the gentle wisdom he shared with us.' Lauren and Jeff have been enjoying a European vacation all summer, posting snaps of their luxurious trip to social media. They were photographed kissing in front of the Trevi Fountain in Rome on Tuesday night as well as enjoying a romantic dinner date. The couple shared some photos from their sit-down chat with Pope Francis on Thursday - calling it an 'honor' to meet and spend time with him Lauren, 54, wore an all-black ensemble with her Jeff, 60, wearing a black suit and tie when they sat down with Pope Francis Lauren and Jeff enjoyed a romantic evening out in Rome on Tuesday, stopping by the Trevi Fountain for a sneaky kiss The loved-up couple enjoyed a romantic dinner in Rome during their evening in the Italian capital Lauren has been showcasing her curves in a series of figure-hugging and sheer outfits while on vacation Jeff's superyacht is named the Koru, which translates to 'new beginnings' in Maori. Pictured June 13, 2023 in Portofino, Italy Lauren and Jeff looked every inch the loved-up couple as they walked through the Italian capital hand-in-hand. They walked by the Trevi Fountain, stopping to check out the incredible landmark, where the couple cheekily stole a smooch among the admiring crowd of people. They couldn't keep their hands off each other and put on an affectionate display - with Lauren's dazzling diamond ring in full view. The couple have been enjoying a European summer together, first spotted in Greece on their yacht in June. Earlier this week, the billionaire and his fiancee were pictured soaking up the sun in Italy last week with an A-list cadre of guests, including Leonardo DiCaprio, his girlfriend Vittoria Ceretti, and Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom. The celebrity couples were snapped as they disembarked from a tender boat at Nikki Beach on the island of Sardinia. The group have been sailing around the Mediterranean aboard Jeff's Koru superyacht, which translates to 'new beginnings' in Maori. The superyacht holds a special place for the couple, with Lauren and Jeff getting engaged there in early 2023. A reporter who resurfaced her 'uncomfortable' chat with Blake Lively amid the ongoing It Ends With Us drama has been accused of posting the video to 'distract' from the backlash Justin Baldoni is receiving. Award-winning journalist Kjersti Flaa, 51, shared a tense moment that she had with the Gossip Girl alum, 36, during a 2016 interview to her YouTube channel after rumors erupted that Blake had become embroiled in a feud with her It Ends With Us costar Justin, 40. Kjersti, who is originally from Norway but now lives in California, said the painful interaction left her wanting to 'quit her job' - and it sparked intense backlash against Blake. But now, eagle-eyed social media users have noticed an interesting connection between Kjersti and the other clients of the PR crisis manager that Justin hired, leading some to believe that she is part of a 'smear campaign' against Blake that was launched by the actor. Justin recently hired publicist Melissa Nathan to represent him - a woman who previously worked with Johnny Depp during his defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard. Some fans are convinced that the interviewer (left) who resurfaced her 'uncomfortable' chat with Blake Lively (right) only posted it to 'distract' from the backlash Justin Baldoni is receiving And some people pointed out that Kjersti is an avid support of Johnny's, and spoke highly of him during the highly-publicized trial. Back in 2022, while the actor was in the midst of battling it out in court against his ex, Kjersti shared an old clip from 2014 that showed her chatting with him about his 'biggest insecurities.' And in the description of the video, she described Johnny as 'the most polite and sweet' person she had ever interviewed. It's exactly the opposite of what she did amid the It Ends With Us drama, as she branded her interview with Blake as the 'most uncomfortable situation she had ever experienced.' X, formerly Twitter, has now erupted with posts about Kjersti's past praising of Johnny - and the suspicious timing of her re-sharing the Blake interview. 'Admittedly this was very weird and mean-spirited of [Blake] and I don't like Blake Lively, HOWEVER the timing of this being posted by the interviewer right after Justin Baldoni hired Depp's PR team is not lost on me,' one person wrote on X, formerly Twitter. 'He definitely did some s**t too and this is a distraction.' 'I think it's a little funny how Kjersti Flaa, ardent Johnny Depp defender, is suddenly now the poor defenseless little journalist attacked by Blake Lively,' someone else added. 'Right after Justin Baldoni hired the PR lady that started Depp's smear campaign of Amber Heard too.' 'So Justin hires Johnny Depp PR and suddenly a journalist who happens to be a Johnny Depp defender is the one claiming that Blake was rude?' another user asked. Kjersti Flaa, 51, shared a tense moment that she had with the Gossip Girl alum, 36, after rumors erupted that Blake had become embroiled in a feud with Justin, 40 (seen together in the film) 'And your telling me his camp isn't launching a smear campaign on her? Too much drama.' 'Justin Baldoni hired Johnny Depp's crisis PR... and suddenly Kjersti Flaa shows her asinine interview with Blake Lively. Hmmm...,' a fourth tweet read. A fifth said: 'Justin Baldoni hires Johnny Depp's PR lady & immediately the smear campaign against Blake gets dirty. 'Ask yourself how Kjersti Flaa's, who is Depp's number one defender, interview from 2016 an issue now?' DailyMail.com has contacted Kjersti for comment. Blake and fellow actress Parker Posey sat down with Kjersti back in 2016 to discuss their then-new film Cafe Society. But when Kjersti congratulated the actress, who was expecting her second child with husband Ryan Reynolds at the time, on her pregnancy, things immediately turned tense. Blake seemed completely unamused with the comment, and replied with a sarcastic quip. 'First of all, congrats on your little bump,' Kjersti, who is the founder of Content Now TV, gushed. 'Congrats on your little bump,' Blake fired back, as the interviewer giggled nervously. 'What about my bump?' Parker joined in, standing up to show her butt to the camera. Kjersti, who appeared thrown off by Blake's response, then sat their awkwardly as the two ladies joked about their various 'bumps' together. Justin recently hired a PR crisis manager Melissa Nathan to represent him - a woman who previously worked with Johnny Depp during his defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard And some people pointed out that Kjersti is an avid support of Johnny's, and spoke highly of him during the highly-publicized trial And things only got worse when Kjersti asked the women her first question. Since the movie took place in the 1930s, Kjersti wondered if they enjoyed wearing old-school clothes in the movie. But Blake didn't like the query, and as Parker started to answer, she interjected, 'Everyone wants to talk about the clothes but I wonder if they would ask the men about the clothes.' 'I would,' Kjersti promised. Again, the ladies started talking to one another rather than to Kjersti, as they discussed some of their favorite outfits worn by men in the movie. The uncomfortable interview went on for another few minutes, before a defeated Kjersti wrapped it up. Kjersti uploaded a clip of the awkward encounter to her YouTube channel recently, and titled it: 'The Blake Lively interview that made me want to quit my job.' 'Sitting down with Blake Lively and her co star Parker Posey for Cafe Society is the most uncomfortable interview situation I have ever experienced,' she added in the caption. 'Is it not OK to congratulate someone on their pregnancy or to ask another woman about costumes she is wearing in a film?' The resurfaced interview quickly went viral, and it lead to Blake receiving intense criticism. People flocked to the comment section to slam her, with one person branding the star as 'rude' and another calling her behavior 'weird and uncalled for.' 'She and her husband talk about their kids all the time and you can't congratulate her on her pregnancy?' one person wrote. 'That was such weird and uncalled for behavior, I'm sorry you had to sit through that. You kept your composure so well.' X, formerly Twitter, has now erupted with posts about Kjersti's past praising of Johnny - and the suspicious timing of her re-sharing the Blake interview 'The way she replied, "Congrats on your little bump." Yikes how rude,' someone else agreed. Another user added, 'What in the f**k was this? Yeah don't quit your job, but they should definitely quit theirs if they get triggered that badly by questions they don't like. Ridiculous behavior.' 'Wow, this is disappointing to watch. I'm very turned off by Blake and Parker's behavior,' a fourth comment read. During the interview, Kjersti congratulated the actress, who was expecting her second child with husband Ryan Reynolds at the time, on her pregnancy, but things turned tense 'It lacked tact and both, but more so Blake, were just extremely rude and lacked any class here. 'Shame on her. You did excellent keeping it together. The only true lady in that room.' 'Asking about wardrobe for a period piece movie is a normal question. I'm so sorry they treated you this way,' a fifth said. Speculation of a feud between Blake and Justin - who on top of starring in the film also directed it and served as one of the producers - has been swirling for weeks. The rumors first arose after fans noticed the two failed to do any press together leading up to the film's release. In addition, the on-screen love interests were not pictured together at the US premiere last week. Eagle-eyed social media users also noticed that both Blake and author Colleen unfollowed Justin on Instagram recently. A source told DailyMail.com that Blake and Justin clashed over his 'dismissive' attitude to her 'input' while they were filming scenes that involved abuse. The insider claimed that Justin only focused on 'what he believed was the abusive male viewpoint' and had a very 'chauvinistic' approach to the topic. Speculation of a feud between Blake and Justin has been swirling for weeks after fans noticed they failed to do press together or take photos together at the premiere 'During scenes depicting abuse, Justin failed to consider Blake's character's perspective, instead focusing solely on what he believed was the abusive male viewpoint,' they said. 'His approach was very chauvinistic, creating a tense atmosphere on set.' The source claimed Justin was 'borderline abusive' on set, and said he 'almost became the character.' 'Justin almost became the character in the sense that some women on set felt he was borderline abusive to them and that he was unprofessional and unapologetic,' they said. 'Directing a film so serious and so important about domestic abuse without allowing the women to be included in this process is disturbing.' In addition, TMZ reported that Blake felt 'fat-shamed' by Justin on set while they were preparing for a scene that saw him lift her off the ground. Insiders told the website that Justin suffers from back problems and sought assistance from a trainer prior to the lifting scene. He allegedly asked the trainer how much Blake weighed and asked for help preparing his back to avoid incurring an injury. When Blake learned about his comments, she allegedly felt fat-shamed by him. Meghan Markle greeted Colombia's vice president with a gift as she and Harry landed in the country's capital for the start of their four-day quasi-royal tour. The Duchess of Sussex, 43, was invited to the country by vice president Francia Marquez after the politician saw the couple's two-part Netflix documentary. As Megan and Harry, 39, greeted Ms Marquez and her partner, Rafael Yerney Pinillo, they gave them a personal gift. Then the quartet shared a conversation, during which Ms Marquez is reported to have told the former senior royals that she admired Prince Harry's late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. According to Harper's Bazaar, the four had tea and coffee at Ms Marquezs residence, during which the politician said she believes she shares the same goals when it comes to creating a safer online world for children as the Sussexes. Meghan and Harry have arrived in Colombia for their four-day visit - landing in capital city Bogota After the meeting, Harry and Meghan were pictured smiling and walking hand-in-hand in Bogota. Mother-of-two Meghan wore a navy blue 596 collared vest from New York-based brand Veronica Beard. She teamed her sleeveless, buttoned garment with matching navy, ankle-grazing trousers from the designer, priced at 349.33. The ensemble was paired with black Manolo Blahnik high heels and a cream $4,700 handbag from Italian company Loro Piana. The couple have a busy schedule for the days ahead on the royal-in-all-but-name tour three months after their Nigeria visit - starting with a visit to local children's school, the Colegio Cultura Popular, for a tour and meeting with its headteacher. It is their second so-called quasi-royal engagement after a trip to Nigeria earlier this year. Across the next four days, the Sussexes will take in the city of Bogota before heading off to Cartagena and Cali as part of a 'cultural and social' visit. Harry will also meet members of the Team Colombia squad participating in the Invictus Games, who are gearing up for the 2025 games in Whistler, Canada. Meghan is pictured embracing the Colombian vice president Francia Marquez, who invited the Sussexes to the country after seeing their Netflix documentary Officials have kept the itinerary a closely guarded secret as parts of the country are described as 'best avoided' due to ongoing internal conflicts. Colombia, like Nigeria, is seen as a high risk destination in parts by the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office. 'FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of Colombia,' the government agency says, adding that many armed groups remain active in the country despite a 2016 peace deal between the government and revolutionary outfit FARC. Marquez told reporters earlier today the purpose of the visit was to 'build bridges and open doors' in order to tackle the problem of cyberbullying and discrimination online, particularly for young people. She is reported to have told Harry and Meghan that they share the same goals when it comes to safety and mental health on social media. However, she did not disguise that the trip will serve as a way of showing Colombia on the global stage - leading to fears that the Sussexes are being manipulated to shore up the vice-president's reputation following a number of scandals. Colombian president Gustavo Petro has a 34 per cent approval rating among voters and he has sacked centrist figured in his cabinet who opposed his expensive healthcare and pension plans. Prince Harry shakes hands with the VP as the Sussexes kick off their four-day trip to Colombia, arriving in the nation's capital today Marquez has been accused of using helicopters like taxis in order to shuttle herself back and forth from work. In the past, when asked why she used them so frequently, she is reported to have said she was the vice president, so 'too bad.' The VP says the visit has been on the cards for a year after she invited Meghan to the country a year ago on July 25, International Afro-descendant Women's Day. Meghan had made much of her African descent during she and Harry's visit to Nigeria in May this year - their first 'in all but name' royal tour together. Ms Marquez said today: 'We wanted to invite Meghan, an Afro-descendant woman, to participate in that meeting and share her experiences. 'At that time we sent her a letter inviting her and she responded to us - the letter said that she couldn't come but she was eager to visit and get to know our country. 'Since then we have been working for a year to achieve this visit, which is so important and good. According to reports, Ms Marquez, said she believes she shares the same goals when it comes to creating a safer online world for children as the Sussexes. '(As for) how I met Meghan and Harry, well, I met them in the media but above all I saw the series on Netflix about her life and her story and that moved me and motivated me to say: this is a woman who deserves to come to our country and tell her story. 'Without a doubt it will be a strengthening for so many women in the world.' She also said of the visit: 'I also want to take advantage of the media, of national and international communication, to invite the world to visit our country. 'Colombia is a country with enormous cultural wealth, with unique biodiversity and strong people who want to get ahead. 'Colombia, the country of beauty, wants to be the best host and so it will be.' For Ms Marquez, part of the reason for the trip may be that she sees Meghan as an ally in cyberbullying. They were invited to the country by vice-president Francia Marquez (pictured), who was 'moved' by Meghan's story as relayed in the Netflix documentary released in 2022 She is the first black vice-president of Colombia and last year a woman was convicted after making a racist rant in which she called Ms Marquez an 'ape'. The Associated Press reported the woman, Luz Fabiola Rubiano, said: 'Francia Marquez is an ape what education can Black people have, they steal, attack and kill.' She pleaded guilty to the charges in April 2023. Ms Marquez claims she was the victim of over 12,000 racist comments on social media last year. She told the press conference: 'I think I have told the story, the history of racism and racial discrimination from when I was a child, I've been aware of it since I was 13. 'For women today that are involved in politics in the world, we are exposed to a level of violence on social networks that affects our wellbeing (and) our dignity.' Prince Harry appeared 'keen to avoid pulling royal rank' as he and wife Meghan Markle met Colombia's vice president, according to a body language expert. The Duke, 39, and Duchess, 43, of Sussex arrived in Bogota today, as they embark on a four-day tour of Colombia. Meghan was invited to the country by VP Francia Marquez after she learned of her story in depth via the couple's two-part Netflix documentary. And first on the Sussexes' agenda was meeting Ms Marquez and her partner, Rafael Yerney Pinillo at the politician's residence. Body language expert Judi James spoke to FEMAIL about photos from the engagement. Body language expert Judi James said Prince Harry allowed Meghan Markle to take the spotlight during the first day of their trip to Colombia According to Judi, when meeting the vice president, 'Meghan greets the host warmly, using non-verbal signals that would normally imply a long, fond friendship' She said: 'Harrys body language on their arrival and as they greet their host suggests some status-lowering as though he is keen to avoid pulling royal rank here.' Judi suggested that the Duke was purposefully taking a backseat when it came to the spotlight. 'He walks ahead, towing his wife along and allowing her to soak up all the attention with her elegant posture, that designer bag and her perfect, Duchenne smiles and excited eye-smiles, while his own facial expression looks less performative for the cameras,' she explained. The idea of Harry trying to avoid 'pulling royal rank' also appeared to be present as he greeted the vice president, according to Judi. Describing the introduction between Meghan and Ms Marquez, Judi told FEMAIL: 'Meghan greets the host warmly, using non-verbal signals that would normally imply a long, fond friendship. 'Her arms are held out to retain the clasp as though she is reluctant to let go and keen to chat while using eye contact and close attention signals.' She added that this kind of prolonged holding is 'usually seen when old friends greet each other after a time gap and want to combine holding with face-gazing as they play catch-up'. Describing Harry's introduction to the politician, Judi noted that 'Meghan stands in the middle' of the two, 'with her arms held out to suggest it is she who is bringing the two people together'. The body language expert said Prince Harry displayed a 'very non-royal bow to signal respect and to lower his own status' as he met the vice president She added: '[Meghan's] fond smile makes it look as though she is delighted to have brokered the meeting between her husband and a woman she seems fond of.' Meanwhile, when it came to the Duke, Judi said: 'Harry responds with a very non-royal bow to signal respect and to lower his own status as his hand it held in a two-handed grasp of affection.' According to reports, the Duke and Duchess stayed at the residence for half an hour, where the Vice President expressed her gratitude for the couple's official visit. Ms Marquez described the Sussexes' trip as a 'very special visit' aimed at building bridges and joining forces against cyber-bullying and online digital violence and discrimination, as well as promoting women's leadership in Colombia. The Sussexes' team has not confirmed how the trip is being funded, whether privately, through Harry and Meghan's Archewell Foundation, by the Colombian government or other means. The quasi-royal tour, which has many similarities to the programme of an official royal overseas visit, is the Sussexes' second this year, after their three-day visit to Nigeria at the invitation of the West African nation's chief of defence staff. Harper's Bazaar magazine, covering the trip as the only words pool, said Ms Marquez shared her personal admiration for Harry's late mother Diana, Princess of Wales. During the sit-down chat, Ms Marquez said she shared the same ideals and goals as Harry and Meghan amid their campaign to make the digital world safer for children. The former senior royal couple met with Colombia's vice president and her partner (pictured L-R: Prince Harry; Meghan Markle; Colombian Vice President Francia Marquez; her husband Yernei Pinillo) Ms Marquez took Harry and Meghan to visit city centre public school Centro Nacional Cultura Popular. Harry and Meghan chatted with a group of around 20 students aged between 12 and 18. The kids spoke about what they like and what worries them about technological change. Headmaster Leonel Umana, 51, said the visit had focussed on an anti-cyber bullying project. Although there was a translator at hand, Meghan showed off her good command of Spanish, Mr Umana said. He added: 'She speaks Spanish well. We had to explain a few of our typical Colombian slang words that our students use and that caused a few laughs and jokes. 'At first we were told that there were to be no mobile phones or pictures due to protocol. 'But when we finished the session and toured the school with them they broke the protocol and posed for pictures with the kids. 'Harry told the teachers to keep up their good work, which they loved.' Harry and Meghan broke protocol of a mobile phone and picture ban to pose for snaps with teachers and children During the visit to the school Harry told the teachers to keep up their good work, 'which they loved' They were invited to the country by vice-president Francia Marquez (pictured), who was 'moved' by Meghan's story as relayed in the Netflix documentary released in 2022 The pair are expected to stay in the 2,500-a-night Presidential suite at the Sofitel Legend Hotel in Cartagena Across the next four days, the Sussexes will take in the city of Bogota before heading off to Cartagena and Cali as part of a 'cultural and social' visit. Harry will also meet members of the Team Colombia squad participating in the Invictus Games, who are gearing up for the 2025 games in Whistler, Canada. Officials have kept the itinerary a closely guarded secret as parts of the country are described as 'best avoided' due to ongoing internal conflicts. Colombia, like Nigeria, is seen as a high risk destination in parts by the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office. 'FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of Colombia,' the government agency says, adding that many armed groups remain active in the country despite a 2016 peace deal between the government and revolutionary outfit FARC. Besides several police cars and vans, armed soldiers were also deployed to protect Harry and Megan in a massive ring of steel. Roads were blocked off and residents forced on lengthy detours to reach their homes or wait at checkpoints for events to finish so they could carry on. Security is also tight due to death threats on the host for their trip Ms Marquez. She has been targeted before in the past as have her relatives including an attack on her father Sigifredo Marquez Trujillo just two months ago when a car he was in was wracked with gunfire. He was unharmed. At the time she expressed her 'concern for security in Cauca, Valle del Cauca, in the municipality of Suarez and the district of La Toma, as well as for the security of my community and my family'. Ms Marquez told reporters earlier today the purpose of the visit was to 'build bridges and open doors' in order to tackle the problem of cyberbullying and discrimination online, particularly for young people. She is reported to have told Harry and Meghan that they share the same goals when it comes to safety and mental health on social media. However, she did not disguise that the trip will serve as a way of showing Colombia on the global stage - leading to fears that the Sussexes are being manipulated to shore up the vice-president's reputation following a number of scandals. Colombian president Gustavo Petro, a former guerilla soldier, has a 34 per cent approval rating among voters and he has sacked centrist figured in his cabinet who opposed his expensive healthcare and pension plans. Ms Marquez has been accused of using helicopters like taxis in order to shuttle herself back and forth from work. In the past, when asked why she used them so frequently, she is reported to have said she was the vice president, so 'too bad.' Prince Harry and Meghan meeting students in Abuja during their quasi-royal tour of Nigeria in May this year Harry and Meghan will visit Bogata as part of their tour of Colombia The vice-president of Colombia says she was moved to invite Harry and Meghan to the country after watching their Netflix documentary (pictured) The VP says the visit has been on the cards for a year after she invited Meghan to the country a year ago on July 25, International Afro-descendant Women's Day. Meghan had made much of her African descent during she and Harry's visit to Nigeria in May this year - their first 'in all but name' royal tour together. Ms Marquez said today: 'We wanted to invite Meghan, an Afro-descendant woman, to participate in that meeting and share her experiences. 'At that time we sent her a letter inviting her and she responded to us - the letter said that she couldn't come but she was eager to visit and get to know our country. 'Since then we have been working for a year to achieve this visit, which is so important and good. '(As for) how I met Meghan and Harry, well, I met them in the media but above all I saw the series on Netflix about her life and her story and that moved me and motivated me to say: this is a woman who deserves to come to our country and tell her story. 'Without a doubt it will be a strengthening for so many women in the world.' She also said of the visit: 'I also want to take advantage of the media, of national and international communication, to invite the world to visit our country. 'Colombia is a country with enormous cultural wealth, with unique biodiversity and strong people who want to get ahead. 'Colombia, the country of beauty, wants to be the best host and so it will be.' For Ms Marquez, part of the reason for the trip may be that she sees Meghan as an ally in cyberbullying. Ms Marquez claims she was the victim of over 12,000 racist comments on social media last year - and she has been the target of death threats and attacks. She has been targeted in the past, as have her relatives - including an attack on her father Sigifredo Marquez Trujillo just two months ago when a car he was in was wracked with gunfire. At the time of the attack, which took place on Father's Day, Ms Marquez said: 'It pains my heart, that just this day, my father was attacked. 'I report that my father, along with my 6-year-old nephew and the two men of protection, suffered an attack on the Suarez-Cali road, near Timba, fortunately they were unharmed and are well. 'I express my concern for security in Cauca, Valle del Cauca, in the municipality of Suarez and the district of La Toma, as well as for the security of my community and my family.' She is the first black vice-president of Colombia and last year a woman was convicted after making a racist rant in which she called Ms Marquez an 'ape'. The Associated Press reported the woman, Luz Fabiola Rubiano, said: 'Francia Marquez is an ape what education can Black people have, they steal, attack and kill.' She pleaded guilty to the charges in April 2023. She told the press conference: 'I think I have told the story, the history of racism and racial discrimination from when I was a child, I've been aware of it since I was 13. 'For women today that are involved in politics in the world, we are exposed to a level of violence on social networks that affects our wellbeing (and) our dignity.' Cases of gonorrhoea have hit a record high as fears grow over an imported super strain that is proving resistant to treatment. Over 85,000 gonorrhoea diagnoses were reported in England last year, the highest number since records began in 1918. The UK Health Security Agency, which published the figures, is urging people who have condomless sex with new or casual partners to get tested. It warned that while the infection can usually be easily treated, some strains are resistant to commonly used antibiotics - making them harder to clear. Those who remain infected are at risk of becoming infertile. The Local Government Association, which represents councils with responsibility for commissioning clinics, blamed the rise in infections on people struggling to access to contraception and the huge demand for care. A type that poses a 'particular threat is ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhoea, the UKHSA said. Ceftriaxone is the first line antibiotic used to treat gonorrhoea in England and so resistance to the drug can make treatment difficult, especially for gonorrhoea infections in the throat. Between June 2022 and May 2024, 15 ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhoea cases were detected in England, including five that were extensively drug-resistant, meaning resistant to both first- and second-line treatment options and to other antibiotics. Until 2022, only nine cases had been detected in England in total. To date, all detected cases have been among heterosexuals, mostly in their 20s, and most acquired the infection abroad. There has been limited transmission within England, but the UKHSA said the increasing number of cases in recent years is 'concerning as it raises the chance of wider spread and treatment challenges. Your browser does not support iframes. Dr Helen Fifer, a consultant microbiologist at UKHSA, said: Gonorrhoea is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, risking the possibility of it becoming untreatable in the future. Untreated gonorrhoea can lead to serious health issues, including pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility. Condoms are the best defence, but if you didn't use one with a recent new or casual partner, get tested to detect the infection and prevent onwards transmission. Professor Matt Phillips, president of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, said: 'The rise of antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea infections in England is a worrying trend that must be addressed with immediate action. Antibiotic resistance of STIs poses an increasingly major public health threat, which can create physical and psychological harms and place additional demands on other parts of the NHS. 'BASHH, alongside sector partners, has repeatedly called for a sexual health strategy for England; this must be a priority if our expert sexual health workforce are to effectively meet these growing and changing needs in sexual health. Meanwhile, the latest data from UKHSA show that syphilis rates are still rising. Syphilis can cause severe, irreversible, and potentially life-threatening damage to the brain, heart, or nerves if not treated. In 2023, diagnoses of infectious syphilis rose to 9,513, a 9.4 per cent increase from 2022 (8,693). The highest rates were among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, however, the largest proportional rise between 2022 and 2023 was in heterosexuals. UKHSA is also reminding healthcare professionals to be alert to the signs of syphilis. The UKHSA says the increase in gonorrhoea and syphilis diagnoses will in part be due to increases in testing but may also be due to more transmission of these STIs within the population. It added: Both of these STIs are easy to catch and are on the rise. If you are having condomless sex with new or casual partners, regular testing for STIs and HIV is essential to maintain good sexual health. Testing is free and can be accessed through local sexual health clinics, university and college medical centres or through self-sampling kits sent discreetly through the post. A four-year-old girl is one of 72 Queenslanders who've died from the flu so far this year with experts warning the worst is yet to come. Records show 4,162 Queenslanders have been hospitalised with the flu since January - smashing the number of hospitalisations throughout all of 2019 by 1,000. The uptick has been attributed to vaccine hesitancy following the Covid pandemic. Only 10 per cent of the number of patients hospitalised have received their flu vaccine - despite the state government making them free. Of the 72 deaths recorded so far, 13 were aged between 40 to 64 while 58 were over the age of 65. The four-year-old girl was the only child death recorded, with 670 children hospitalised with the flu. The remaining hospitalisations included 1,584 adults aged 18 to 65 and 1,908 elderly people. Only 1,686,800 Queenslanders over the age of six months have received their flu vaccination, about 30 per cent of the eligible population. The state's health minister Shannon Fentiman urged Queenslanders to get their free flu vaccinations with the shots even available at Brisbane's Ekka show. Queensland's flu outbreak has claimed the life of a four-year-old girl and 71 others The state's health minister Shannon Fentiman (pictured) urged Queenslanders to get their free flu vaccinations Queensland is the only Australian state to offer free flu vaccinations yet only 28 per cent of the population have gotten the jab. The program has cost taxpayers $47million over the last two years. Ms Fentiman warned the state is 'potentially weeks away from seeing the worst of the flu season'. 'I'm asking all Queenslanders to please get your free flu jab' she said on Sunday. 'No one wants to see their child or loved one hospitalised, and we know that vaccination makes a huge difference when it comes to the risk of being hospitalised with flu. 'This doubling of hospitalisations is concerning for our smallest Queenslanders and I am asking parents across the state, please vaccinated yourself and your kids.' Ms Fentiman said the vaccine was made free after two 'terrible flu seasons' in 2022 and 2023. 'You can get your free flu vaccination at the chemist, at your GP, and even at the Ekka,' she said. Only 1,686,800 Queenslanders over the age of six months old have received their flu vaccination, about 30 per cent of the eligible population Records show 4,162 Queenslanders have been hospitalised with the flu since January with the uptick attributed to vaccine hesitancy following the Covid pandemic Premier Steven Mile said it was 'very concerning' to see the sharp rise in children hospitalised by the flu. 'It is absolutely critical that everyone who can gets their flu shot, to help protect the most vulnerable people in our community,' he said. 'That's why we have made the flu vaccine free, so cost isn't a barrier to staying safe and healthy.' A new deadly strain of mpox will likely reach the UK and could soon lead to British deaths, infectious disease experts have warned. Other experts told MailOnline this more aggressive version of the virus may have already begun to spread silently beyond Africa, potentially reaching Europe. Yesterday the World Health Organization (WHO) declared an ongoing mpox outbreak across several central African nations a 'public health emergency of international concern'. This is the same designation the WHO gave Covid in late January 2020, just a few weeks before the virus ripped across the world, and some scientists have compared the current outbreak to the 'early days of HIV'. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) today announced they are 'already planning' for UK cases. So what exactly is the new strain and how worried should you be? This map shows the location of mpox cases by UK nation between January 2023 and as of the end of July this year It is a far cry from the 2022 outbreak where thousands of cases were recorded, mostly in London This map shows areas where cases of the new mpox strain has been confirmed (shaded in red) and those where nations deemed to be at risk of cases emerging according to UK health officials The mpox currently spreading rampantly in countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a different, deadlier strain, than that which reached Europe in 2022, and is detailed in the maps above. That outbreak, mainly limited to gay and bisexual men, was a milder strain dubbed clade II, and only killed roughly about one in every 500 people that caught it. The strain currently striking alarm among health experts is a new version of the far more dangerous clade I variant, called clade Ib, and kills about one in 20 adults it infects, rising to up to one in 10 children. Infections have also been linked to an alarming rise in miscarriages among pregnant women. Urgent guidance issued to British health workers will remind them clade I mpox is a pathogen of the highest possible concern to public health and all suspected cases need to be alerted through official channels. Mpox, also known as monkeypox, spreads between people through skin-to-skin contact. This can be through sex, or by a simple touch like when caring for children, though it can also spread by secondary contact like sharing towels or bed linen for example. It causes characteristic lumpy lesions, as well as a fever, aches and pains and fatigue. However, in a small number of cases, it can enter the blood and lungs, as well as other parts of the body, when it becomes life-threatening. Professor Paul Hunter, an expert in infectious diseases from the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline the new mpox strain would likely reach Europe, and by extension, the UK. 'This clade Ib is spreading predominantly through intimate and sexual contact and so could well spread rapidly to areas around the world,' he said. 'It probably will spread to Europe, but that doesnt mean we should stop trying to control it now.' He added that while the new mpox strain could lead to fatalities in developed nations, they could be lower due to better access to a higher standard of health care. 'It is difficult to extrapolate death rates from Africa to Western Europe as the health care access is so different,' he said. However, Professor Hunter, said there was reason for optimism, as given countries managed to control the 2022 spread of the clade II strain, nations could use the same measures against clade I. Jean Kakura Biyambo, a father of six from the Muja internally displaced persons camp in DRC, gestures from a general hospital where he has been receiving treatment for mpox, on July 16 A child with skin lesions receives treatment at the treatment centre in Munigi, DRC, on July 19 Vials of single doses of the Jynneos vaccine for mpox are seen from a cooler at a vaccinations site in Brooklyn, New York on August 29, 2022 as the disease swept through the United States 'The behavioural and vaccine measures used to control that pandemic will be just as effective against the new clad,' he said. Such measures included encouraging people to avoid having sex with new partners during outbreaks and deployment of the smallpox vaccine. The smallpox vaccine targets a close relative of the mpox virus, meaning it offers a degree of protection against the disease. Professor Hunter said while data was yet emerging it is likely those who had clade II of mpox will enjoy some immunity from the new clade as their bodies have already experienced a similar infection. Dr Simon Clarke, an infectious disease expert University of Reading, said while people shouldn't panic, mpox will likely reach the UK. 'All countries should be aware of the risk that this new variant of the virus will spread, indeed its already doing so in Africa and likely find its way to Europe and the UK in due course, so its important that authorities in the developed world assist with containing this wave of infections,' he said. 'This will spread beyond Africa and may already have begun to do so, but nobody really knows to what extent.' Thankfully he said it is unlikely we will see anything near the same level of travel restrictions as during Covid, but added that health systems like those in the UK still need to prepare for cases. 'There is already an NHS vaccination programme in place for those judged to be at high risk, he said. 'The authorities need to be vigilant and ensure that there are enough vaccine doses available and that they reach the right people quickly.' Cases of the new mpox strain centred in the DRC with its neighbouring nations reporting more than 17,000 suspected cases, and 517 deaths, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This is a 160 percent surge compared to the same period last year. A total of 13 countries have reported cases. And in the past month, at least 50 mpox cases have been reported in four other countries bordering the DRC - countries that have not experienced the virus previously. The city of Goma in the DRC also has an international airport providing frequent direct flights to Europe which experts have warned is a possible path for the virus to enter a new continent. And Kenya, which has also been struck by the outbreak has direct 9-hour flights from Nairobi to London. The WHO hopes that by classifying the outbreak as a global emergency will bring focus efforts on providing mpox vaccines, which are available, to those in Africa that need them the most. Professor Jimmy Whitworth, an expert in epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, is one person hoping WHO's announcement will lead to action. 'The amount of vaccine required has been estimated by Africa CDC to be 10 million doses,' he said. Monkeypox Q&A: Everything you need to know What is monkeypox? Monkeypox is a rare viral infection which people usually pick up in the tropical areas of west and central Africa. It is usually spread through direct contact with animals such as squirrels, which are known to harbour the virus. However, it can also be transmitted through very close contact with an infected person. Monkeypox was first discovered when an outbreak of a pox-like disease occurred in monkeys kept for research in 1958. The first human case was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the infection has been reported in a number of central and western African countries since then. Only a handful of cases have been reported outside of Africa and they were confined to people with travel links to the continent. How deadly is it? Monkeypox is usually mild, with most patients recovering within a few weeks without treatment. Yet, the disease can prove fatal. Monkeypox kills up to 10 per cent of people it infects. However, with milder strains the fatality rate is closer to one in 100 similar to when Covid first hit. Is there a cure? Because monkeypox is closely related to the virus that causes smallpox, jabs for smallpox can also protect people from getting monkeypox. One vaccine, Jynneos, also known as Imvamune or Imvanex, has been licensed in the US, but it's not approved in the UK. The vaccine was shown to be around 85 per cent effective in preventing monkeypox infection. Antivirals and pooled blood from individuals vaccinated against smallpox can be used to treat severe cases. Advertisement He added that the world needed to avoid what happened during the Covid pandemic where rich nations stockpiled vaccines for their own use. 'The cost and availability of vaccine is going to be a great challenge, but it is really important that, unlike in the Covid-19 pandemic, there is global solidarity, that the vaccine reaches the people who need it most and that it is not stockpiled by rich countries,' he said. 'This is a real challenge for the global health security community to demonstrate that they can work together for global public good and not for narrow national interests.' 'Let us hope they take that opportunity, otherwise we risk this epidemic spreading across the African continent, and possibly beyond.' Dr Brian Ferguson, an expert in immunology at the University of Cambridge, said the mpox situation is concerning in part because of how many children it was infecting. '40 per cent of cases are in children under 5 years old. As mpox disease is more severe in immunocompromised individuals, it is also a concern that the current outbreak is taking place in a region where HIV prevalence is relatively high but access to antiretroviral drugs is poor,' he said. 'There is further concern about the lack of access to vaccines and a globally slow response to vaccine production and distribution. 'Even though there are existing effective vaccines, there are not enough doses and they are not being getting to where they are needed. 'The WHO is attempting to address these issues, but this requires greater international effort to produce and deliver vaccines.' Sanjaya Senanayake, an expert in infectious diseases and at The Australian National University said it would be a mistake to consider the outbreak an Africa only issue. 'Although the epicentre for this new outbreak is the DRC, it has spread to a number of East African nations, highlighting its pandemic potential with so many large airports in the region,' he said. But he added there was hope that mpox vaccines can turn things around. 'Two doses of a vaccine are very effective in preventing the infection, although this usually applies to adults rather than children, in which most of the cases have been; therefore, hopefully, the announcement by the WHO of this being a public health emergency of international concern will galvanise global resources to contain the outbreak within Africa, and ultimately terminate it.' Dr Meera Chand, deputy director at the UK health Security Agency, said the current threat to the UK by the new mpox strain is 'currently considered low'. But she added: 'However, planning is underway to prepare for any cases that we might see in the UK. 'This includes ensuring that clinicians are aware and able to recognise cases promptly, that rapid testing is available, and that protocols are developed for the safe clinical care of people who have the infection and the prevention of onward transmission.' WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a statement yesterday said: 'The emergence of a new clade of mpox, its rapid spread in eastern DRC, and the reporting of cases in several neighbouring countries are very worrying. 'On top of outbreaks of other mpox clades in DRC and other countries in Africa, its clear that a coordinated international response is needed to stop these outbreaks and save lives.' The WHO and the NHS recommends a vaccine within four days of contact with someone who has the virus or within up to 14 days if there are no symptoms. Healthcare workers and men who have sex with men are advised to receive a vaccine even if they have had no mpox exposure. Symptoms of mpox include a rash, skin lesions, fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain and swollen lymph nodes. There are no direct treatments for mpox infection available with instead medics focused on supporting a patient to help their body fight off the virus. Doctors are warning over the dangers of rushing back into sex after a years-long dry spell in a grisly medical report. The woman, a 39-year-old mother, suffered a tear in the right side of her vagina after having sex for the first time in eight years. The frightening episode saw blood flood into her bathroom and the patient go through 20 sanitary pads in an attempt to stem the bleeding. She lost more than half a liter of blood in total, prompting doctors to keep her in the hospital overnight. Women have suffered tears to the vagina during sex (stock image) The patient, who was in the UK, received sutures to close up the wound in her vagina and stem the bleeding. She was discharged the next morning, and suffered no long term complications as a result of her injury. Doctors said it was possible that the injury was caused by her vagina not being properly lubricated before penetrative sex occurred. In the report, they said: 'The vagina becomes lubricated with transudate [watery fluids] and increases in dimensions of length and width as part of the sexual excitement. 'Sexual intercourse that occurs without this physiologic preparation of the vagina is more likely to lead to a vagina injury.' Injuries to the vagina can lead to lots of bleeding because the area is highly vascularized, or contains lots of blood vessels. Doctors warn that injuries in this area also leave patients at risk of infections and long-term damage to the reproductive organs possibly caused by scar tissue. These injuries are rare but not unheard of, with a 2022 study on 316 gynecologists finding 83.5 percent had treated people with vaginal injuries from consensual sex. Three cases of vaginal bleeding following sex were revealed in the report published in Case Reports in Clinical Medicine. In every case the sex was consensual, the women had not fallen pregnant and none were due to have a period at the time the bleeding began. In the second case, an 18-year-old lost an estimated two liters of blood or a third of the blood in her body after suffering from a vaginal tear. The patient had consensual sex with her partner in the morning, and denied using any sexual toys or implements. But then rushed to the bathroom, where she spent two hours trying to stem bleeding including inserting a tampon which was forced out by the flow of blood. She made her way to the ER, but had two sanitary pads soak through with blood before her arrival. The patient also said she was starting to feel faint. Examination revealed a two-inch tear in the lip of her cervix, which is the area at the back of the vagina. She received stitches to close the tear and a blood transfusion to replace the lost fluids, and was kept in hospital overnight before being discharged. In a third case, an 18-year-old mother came to the hospital suffering from heavy vaginal bleeding. It had begun shortly after 4am after the patient had penetrative sex with her partner, she said, and also had their fingers put into her vagina. Examination revealed a 1.5-inch tear in the vaginal wall, which was repaired using sutures. She was discharged and suffered no long-term complications from her injury. In their report, the doctors said: 'An [injury to the vagina after sex] is a rare emergency that may be complicated by excessive blood loss, which is increased if there is a delay in seeking care and diagnosis. 'Prompt treatment should be instituted in such cases to minimize complications.' The wounds after often treated using sutures to help stem the bleeding, as well as applying pressure to a wound to help stop it bleeding. The study was led by researchers at Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust based in London. A coroner has issued a warning on a hospitals insufficient preparations for junior doctor strikes after a 71-year-old died during industrial action. Coroner Robert Cohen said neglect contributed to pensioner Daphne Austins death after learning she was one of 25 patients being looked after by just one consultant at an NHS hospital, because colleagues were striking. Mrs Austin was first admitted to Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle, in May last year having suffered a stroke and it later became apparent she had sustained a kidney injury. During her stay the pensioner became dehydrated, her glucose levels were poorly controlled, and there was a delay in carrying out blood testing due to strikes, an inquest heard. On one particular day, Mrs Austin received no medical input as hundreds of junior doctors had walked out in a dispute over pay, Mr Cohen said. Daphne Austin, 71, was first admitted to Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle, in May last year having suffered a stroke and it later became apparent she had sustained a kidney injury Eventually, Mrs Austins condition deteriorated and she developed life-threatening sepsis. Despite treatment, Mrs Austin died as a result of that condition the following day. Now, a coroner has issued a warning on the insufficient ability to ensure safe levels of cover during industrial action. Mrs Austin attended Cumberland Infirmary on May 22 last year after suffering a stroke. It was heard that during a stay, the diabetics glucose levels were poorly controlled and her fluid balance was not monitored in an effective manner, leading her to become deydrated. Some three weeks after being admitted, it became apparent that Mrs Austin had sustained an acute kidney injury. Despite this realisation, monitoring via blood testing was not carried out on the pensioner during the two subsequent days. Mr Cohen said: 'It is more likely than not that this was because of industrial action by junior doctors.' On June 17, nearly four weeks after she was admitted, she developed sepsis. The coroner said: 'Neglect being the ineffective monitoring of Mrs Austins fluid balance and the fact that blood testing was not carried out on 15th or 16th June 2023 contributed to Mrs Austins death.' Junior doctors across North and West Cumbria walked out from Wednesday, June 14 until Saturday, June 17 last year in a dispute over pay. The young professionals were members of the British Medical Association (BMA) trade union and partook in the industrial action after they demanded an increase in wages. During an inquest into Mrs Austins death, the coroner heard evidence from one of the Trusts consultants who said that on the day of the strike she had to look after nearly 25 patients. For this reason, Mrs Austin did not receive any medical input on June 14 due to the junior doctors strike. Mr Cohen said another consultant gave evidence that despite being listed as one of the consultants covering the unit in the contingency planning evidence he was probably dealing with other duties on that day. 'In the circumstances, I am concerned that the planning that seeks to ensure safe levels of cover during periods of industrial action was insufficient to meet need and that this gave rise to a risk of future deaths,' he said. Mr Cohen sent the prevention of future deaths report to the North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Trust and Secretary of State for Health and the British Medical Association, who have 56 days to respond. The coroner ruled urosepsis and acute kidney injury was the medical cause of death and the conclusion of the inquest was a narrative. Influencers have come up with a new thing that you can blame all of your problems on: cortisol. In over 140,000 posts on the topic, TikTok users are blaming the stress hormone for a range of ills - from a puffy face to bloating to adult acne. Doctors say in rare cases this natural hormone can cause facial swelling, such as in the case of comedian Amy Schumer, who has a rare disorder that causes cortisol to go into overdrive, called Cushing's disease. But for the average person, a puffy face might be a natural occurrence, and not sign of some underlying hormonal imbalance. 'I think the cortisol face trend is trying to explain a perceived cosmetic issue, like a round face, and trying to medicalize it, in order to be able to take control of fixing it,' dermatologist Dr Cristina Psomadakis told The New York Times. It seems many people are concerned about facial puffiness. Google searches for 'cortisol face' have increased steadily since March of 2024, peaking earlier this month. This could be in part due to how popular the topic seems to be on social media. Liz Tenuto, known by her 2million TikTok followers as The Workout Witch, has released many videos about the topic. In a video posted in January of 2024, Ms Tenuto said that high cortisol 'changes the way you look' by giving you adult acne, puffy face, neck hump, puffiness around the eyes, bloating and more. To solve this problem, Ms Tenuto recommended to commenters: 'I suggest the release stress & trauma somatic exercises at the [link emoji][heart emoji]'. Following that link, Ms Tenuto has a variety of different personal exercise regimens, journals and training routines beginning at $19. Other influencers use this to promote their individual supplement lines or apple cider vinegar. Others yet recommend using Gua Sha, a traditional Chinese medical practice, which involves dragging a tool over the face to promote de-bloating. However, doctors like Dr. Rajita Sinha, a licensed clinical psychologist and director of the Yale Interdisciplinary Stress Center, told The NYT, say these symptoms like a puffy faces aren't signs that anything is wrong. For the average person, 'it would have to be very, very high levels of stress for it to have a more visible, non-transient effect,' Dr. Sinha said. Ms Schumer announced that she was dealing with Cushing's syndrome in February 2024 in a newsletter Instead, the facial differences are probably due to natural changing related to aging or weight fluctuation. Cortisol is sometimes known as the stress hormone, but it plays a much more complex role in the body. There are receptors for the hormone on almost every part of your body, according to the Cleveland Clinic. So when it gets released into your blood stream, it can latch onto and affect everything from your immune system to your muscles to your hair, skin and nails. It helps control how your body uses its energy, regulates blood pressure and tells you when to be alert and when to be asleep. It also can play a role in inflammation, which is where people have come up with the idea of cortisol face. When your body is responding to an injury, cortisol gets released. This makes your body inflamed in order to stamp out invading bacteria or other external forces that can make you sick. Sometimes, chronic stress can have a similar affect on the body - sending large amounts of cortisol into the blood stream regularly, leading to inflammation which might make you appear puffy. But this condition is actually quite rare, and is usually only seen in people recovering from surgery, using steroids or dealing with an underlying health condition For example, Cushings syndrome is a condition that causes your glands to overproduce cortisol, leading to chronic swelling, weight gain and facial rounding. It can be fatal or go away on its own, and it's relatively rare, affecting between 40 to 70 people out of every million, according to the NIH. Comedian Amy Schumer,43, is currently living with Cushing's syndrome , and pushed back against the public attention she received from her plump face while raising awareness for the condition. 'It has been a crazy couple [of] weeks for me and my family. Aside from fears about my health, I also had to be on camera having the internet chime in. But thank God for that. Because that's how I realized something was wrong ' Ms Schumer said. The growing proportion of men waiting until their 40s and 50s to have children could be leading to a wave of babies born prematurely, underweight, and unhealthy. America has been in the middle of a so-called baby bust in recent decades and the conversation has largely focused on the fact that women are increasingly waiting until they are too old to give birth, the researchers of a new study said. But men also apppear to have a 'biological clock that eventually leads to fertility issues, said the team from Stanford University, Emory University, and the University of Rome. They found a link between fathers in their 40s and 50s and a variety of increased risks at birth that go beyond low birth weight and premature birth, including breathing issues, seizures, and autism spectrum disorder. In 2011, fathers aged 50 and older made up 1.1 percent of all US births. By 2022, this percentage had risen to 1.3 percent. The biggest increase was among fathers aged 50 to 54, whose share of births grew from 0.7 percent in 2011 to 0.9 percent in 2022 Older paternal age is linked to an increased risk of negative birth weight outcomes including low birth weight. Graphic courtesy of the journal Frontiers in Endocrinology The average age of all fathers rose steadily from 30.8 in 2011 to 32.1 in 2022, and the proportion of births involving all fathers aged 50 or older increased from 1.1 percent to 1.3 percent from 2011 to 2022, respectively. Researchers from the US and Italy looked at over 46 million live births in America from 2011 to 2022, with paternal age recorded for 85 percent of them. Most fathers were under 50, and the average age was about 31. Just slightly over one percent of births were fathered by men aged 50 or older, with an average age of 53.8 in that cohort. The researchers used records of those births to explore the relationship between paternal age and pregnancy outcomes as well as the effects on maternal health. Fathers aged 50 to 59 had a 16 percent higher risk of fathering a baby born prematurely and a 14 percent greater risk of having a baby who is born underweight compared to fathers in their 30s. There was also an associated 13 percent higher risk of older fatherhood resulting in the mother developing gestational diabetes during pregnancy. Fathers in their 60s similarly showed an increased risk of causing the mother to have gestational diabetes, though this risk didnt carry over for men in their 70s. Men in their 70s who became fathers, meanwhile, showed a 21 percent higher chance of having a baby born prematurely and a 24 percent increased chance of the baby being underweight compared to younger fathers. They also found that older fathers in their 50s were twice as likely to require help conceiving with assisted reproductive technology (ART) any kind of reproductive treatment or procedure, such as IVF, used to get pregnant. It is not clear yet, though, whether this has actually led to an uptick in babies born with conditions such as low birth weight, breathing problems, seizures, and genetic abnormalities. The researchers added: These associations increased with advancing paternal age: fathers aged 70 years and older were more than 6 times more likely to use ART. Their findings were published in the journal JAMA Network Open. The paternal age autism connection has been under investigation for decades, with many large-scale studies involving government health databases and thousands of birth records Mens fertility tends to decrease as they age. This is due to a range of factors, such as a decrease in sperm volume of up to 3.3 percent per year and sperms inability to swim, and changes in the structure and shape of sperm. While women are born with all the eggs theyll ever have, men make new sperm cells constantly that divide and replicate around every 16 days. Every time those cells divide which can happen around 800 times by the time a man reaches 50 it introduces more chances for a genetic mutation to occur. And a wide range of genetic conditions have been associated with advanced paternal age, including some skeletal disorders such as achondroplasia, the most common cause of dwarfism. Older paternal age has also been associated with disorders caused by an abnormal fusion of one or more joints between the bones of a babys skull. This can result in abnormal head shape and increased pressure in the skull, which can impair the babys brain development. In addition to genetic disorders, older fathers have been tied to a higher risk of their children being diagnosed with schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, autism spectrum disorder, and bipolar disorder later in life. One study found the risk that an older fathers baby will be diagnosed with bipolar disorder down the line is 37 percent higher than that of a father in his 30s or 40s. And an Israeli study showed a more than five-fold increase in autism risk for the children of men 40 years or older compared with those of men younger than 30. A highly influential study in 2018 conducted by Stanford University collected data from over 40 million births and concluded not only that older fathers were more likely to have babies that were underweight and born prematurely but also that they had a higher risk of experiencing seizures. Al Pacino, 83, welcomed his fourth child at the age of 83 with his girlfriend, 29 Last year, Robert De Niro welcomed his seventh child at the age of 79 with partner Tiffany Chen Compared to fathers aged 25 to 34, which is the average paternity age in the US, babies born to men aged 45 or older were 14 percent more likely to be admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit, 14 percent more likely to be born prematurely, 18 percent more likely to experience seizures, and 14 percent more likely to have a low birth weight. For fathers aged 50 or older, their newborns were 10 percent more likely to need ventilation at birth and 28 percent more likely to require care in the neonatal intensive care unit. Older fathers are typically associated with affluence and financial stability. Prime examples include actors Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Billy Joel. But the researchers found that this isnt always the case. They cited Scandinavian research that found that older fathers come from diverse urban and rural settings, with varied education levels, marital status, and health literacy. They added: The trend toward delayed fatherhood is often attributed to diminished concerns of the male biological clock and the desire for educational and financial stability prior to starting a family. Previous studies have also highlighted the influence of evolving gender norms that promote active parental involvement while emphasizing traditional roles like the male breadwinner. Women are also increasingly delaying childbirth despite constant awareness of this biological clock, choosing instead in a growing number of cases to focus on professional growth and financial stability. A new deadly strain of mpox has officially reached Europe, health officials have reported. Sweden's public health agency has recorded what it says is the first case of a ultra-deadly and more contagious variant of mpox called clade 1 outside of Africa. It comes as infectious disease warn that this type of the infection will likely reach the UK and could soon lead to British deaths. Yesterday the World Health Organization (WHO) declared an ongoing mpox outbreak across several central African nations a 'public health emergency of international concern'. This is the same designation the WHO gave Covid in late January 2020, just a few weeks before the virus ripped across the world, and some scientists have compared the current outbreak to the 'early days of HIV'. This map shows the location of mpox cases by UK nation between January 2023 and as of the end of July this year It is a far cry from the 2022 outbreak where thousands of cases were recorded, mostly in London The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) today announced they are 'already planning' for UK cases. So what exactly is the new strain and how worried should you be? This map shows areas where cases of the new mpox strain has been confirmed (shaded in red) and those where nations deemed to be at risk of cases emerging according to UK health officials The mpox currently spreading rampantly in countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a different, deadlier strain, than that which reached Europe in 2022, and is detailed in the maps above. That outbreak, mainly limited to gay and bisexual men, was a milder strain dubbed clade II, and only killed roughly about one in every 500 people that caught it. The strain currently striking alarm among health experts is a new version of the far more dangerous clade I variant, called clade Ib, and kills about one in 20 adults it infects, rising to up to one in 10 children. Infections have also been linked to an alarming rise in miscarriages among pregnant women. Urgent guidance issued to British health workers will remind them clade I mpox is a pathogen of the highest possible concern to public health and all suspected cases need to be alerted through official channels. Mpox, also known as monkeypox, spreads between people through skin-to-skin contact. This can be through sex, or by a simple touch like when caring for children, though it can also spread by secondary contact like sharing towels or bed linen for example. It causes characteristic lumpy lesions, as well as a fever, aches and pains and fatigue. However, in a small number of cases, it can enter the blood and lungs, as well as other parts of the body, when it becomes life-threatening. Professor Paul Hunter, an expert in infectious diseases from the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline the new mpox strain would likely reach Europe, and by extension, the UK. 'This clade Ib is spreading predominantly through intimate and sexual contact and so could well spread rapidly to areas around the world,' he said. 'It probably will spread to Europe, but that doesnt mean we should stop trying to control it now.' He added that while the new mpox strain could lead to fatalities in developed nations, they could be lower due to better access to a higher standard of health care. 'It is difficult to extrapolate death rates from Africa to Western Europe as the health care access is so different,' he said. However, Professor Hunter, said there was reason for optimism, as given countries managed to control the 2022 spread of the clade II strain, nations could use the same measures against clade I. Jean Kakura Biyambo, a father of six from the Muja internally displaced persons camp in DRC, gestures from a general hospital where he has been receiving treatment for mpox, on July 16 A child with skin lesions receives treatment at the treatment centre in Munigi, DRC, on July 19 Vials of single doses of the Jynneos vaccine for mpox are seen from a cooler at a vaccinations site in Brooklyn, New York on August 29, 2022 as the disease swept through the United States 'The behavioural and vaccine measures used to control that pandemic will be just as effective against the new clad,' he said. Such measures included encouraging people to avoid having sex with new partners during outbreaks and deployment of the smallpox vaccine. The smallpox vaccine targets a close relative of the mpox virus, meaning it offers a degree of protection against the disease. Professor Hunter said while data was yet emerging it is likely those who had clade II of mpox will enjoy some immunity from the new clade as their bodies have already experienced a similar infection. Dr Simon Clarke, an infectious disease expert University of Reading, said while people shouldn't panic, mpox will likely reach the UK. 'All countries should be aware of the risk that this new variant of the virus will spread, indeed its already doing so in Africa and likely find its way to Europe and the UK in due course, so its important that authorities in the developed world assist with containing this wave of infections,' he said. 'This will spread beyond Africa and may already have begun to do so, but nobody really knows to what extent.' Thankfully he said it is unlikely we will see anything near the same level of travel restrictions as during Covid, but added that health systems like those in the UK still need to prepare for cases. 'There is already an NHS vaccination programme in place for those judged to be at high risk, he said. 'The authorities need to be vigilant and ensure that there are enough vaccine doses available and that they reach the right people quickly.' Cases of the new mpox strain centred in the DRC with its neighbouring nations reporting more than 17,000 suspected cases, and 517 deaths, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This is a 160 percent surge compared to the same period last year. A total of 13 countries have reported cases. And in the past month, at least 50 mpox cases have been reported in four other countries bordering the DRC - countries that have not experienced the virus previously. The city of Goma in the DRC also has an international airport providing frequent direct flights to Europe which experts have warned is a possible path for the virus to enter a new continent. And Kenya, which has also been struck by the outbreak has direct 9-hour flights from Nairobi to London. The WHO hopes that by classifying the outbreak as a global emergency will bring focus efforts on providing mpox vaccines, which are available, to those in Africa that need them the most. Professor Jimmy Whitworth, an expert in epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, is one person hoping WHO's announcement will lead to action. 'The amount of vaccine required has been estimated by Africa CDC to be 10 million doses,' he said. Monkeypox Q&A: Everything you need to know What is monkeypox? Monkeypox is a rare viral infection which people usually pick up in the tropical areas of west and central Africa. It is usually spread through direct contact with animals such as squirrels, which are known to harbour the virus. However, it can also be transmitted through very close contact with an infected person. Monkeypox was first discovered when an outbreak of a pox-like disease occurred in monkeys kept for research in 1958. The first human case was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the infection has been reported in a number of central and western African countries since then. Only a handful of cases have been reported outside of Africa and they were confined to people with travel links to the continent. How deadly is it? Monkeypox is usually mild, with most patients recovering within a few weeks without treatment. Yet, the disease can prove fatal. Monkeypox kills up to 10 per cent of people it infects. However, with milder strains the fatality rate is closer to one in 100 similar to when Covid first hit. Is there a cure? Because monkeypox is closely related to the virus that causes smallpox, jabs for smallpox can also protect people from getting monkeypox. One vaccine, Jynneos, also known as Imvamune or Imvanex, has been licensed in the US, but it's not approved in the UK. The vaccine was shown to be around 85 per cent effective in preventing monkeypox infection. Antivirals and pooled blood from individuals vaccinated against smallpox can be used to treat severe cases. Advertisement He added that the world needed to avoid what happened during the Covid pandemic where rich nations stockpiled vaccines for their own use. 'The cost and availability of vaccine is going to be a great challenge, but it is really important that, unlike in the Covid-19 pandemic, there is global solidarity, that the vaccine reaches the people who need it most and that it is not stockpiled by rich countries,' he said. 'This is a real challenge for the global health security community to demonstrate that they can work together for global public good and not for narrow national interests.' 'Let us hope they take that opportunity, otherwise we risk this epidemic spreading across the African continent, and possibly beyond.' Dr Brian Ferguson, an expert in immunology at the University of Cambridge, said the mpox situation is concerning in part because of how many children it was infecting. '40 per cent of cases are in children under 5 years old. As mpox disease is more severe in immunocompromised individuals, it is also a concern that the current outbreak is taking place in a region where HIV prevalence is relatively high but access to antiretroviral drugs is poor,' he said. 'There is further concern about the lack of access to vaccines and a globally slow response to vaccine production and distribution. 'Even though there are existing effective vaccines, there are not enough doses and they are not being getting to where they are needed. 'The WHO is attempting to address these issues, but this requires greater international effort to produce and deliver vaccines.' Sanjaya Senanayake, an expert in infectious diseases and at The Australian National University said it would be a mistake to consider the outbreak an Africa only issue. 'Although the epicentre for this new outbreak is the DRC, it has spread to a number of East African nations, highlighting its pandemic potential with so many large airports in the region,' he said. But he added there was hope that mpox vaccines can turn things around. 'Two doses of a vaccine are very effective in preventing the infection, although this usually applies to adults rather than children, in which most of the cases have been; therefore, hopefully, the announcement by the WHO of this being a public health emergency of international concern will galvanise global resources to contain the outbreak within Africa, and ultimately terminate it.' Dr Meera Chand, deputy director at the UK health Security Agency, said the current threat to the UK by the new mpox strain is 'currently considered low'. But she added: 'However, planning is underway to prepare for any cases that we might see in the UK. 'This includes ensuring that clinicians are aware and able to recognise cases promptly, that rapid testing is available, and that protocols are developed for the safe clinical care of people who have the infection and the prevention of onward transmission.' WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a statement yesterday said: 'The emergence of a new clade of mpox, its rapid spread in eastern DRC, and the reporting of cases in several neighbouring countries are very worrying. 'On top of outbreaks of other mpox clades in DRC and other countries in Africa, its clear that a coordinated international response is needed to stop these outbreaks and save lives.' The WHO and the NHS recommends a vaccine within four days of contact with someone who has the virus or within up to 14 days if there are no symptoms. Healthcare workers and men who have sex with men are advised to receive a vaccine even if they have had no mpox exposure. Symptoms of mpox include a rash, skin lesions, fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain and swollen lymph nodes. There are no direct treatments for mpox infection available with instead medics focused on supporting a patient to help their body fight off the virus. Exam Nation by Sammy Wright (Bodley Head 22, 288pp) Yesterday at 8am, hundreds of thousands of 18-year-olds - and their anxious parents - found out their A-level results, with the joy or despair that followed. Those grades were the culmination of years of hard slog, exams and assessments but what exactly did that one day really tell us about these teens achievements? After the chaos of grades during the pandemic and the correction in last years results, many parents may be questioning just this. As a result, this provocative new book by Sammy Wright, an experienced teacher and former member of the UK Governments Social Mobility Commission aims to ask us: just what is school for? Pupils receive their results today at Parrs Wood High School in Didsbury, Manchester Pupils at Solihull School, in the West Midlands receive their A-level results today It may sound like an obvious question. In theory, school equips our children to become independent and productive citizens, to get good jobs and forge their lives. In reality, says Wright, the current system means one thing: passing exams. For those who were pleased on August 15, thats fine; for millions of others who are disappointed or who didnt even get that far in the first place where does it leave them? To write this book, Wright has put in the hard yards. He visited 20 schools over the course of a year and interviewed hundreds of children. Most places are anonymised except for a few high-profile and controversial schools such as the Michaela Community School in North London and the Reach Academy in Feltham. He also looks back on his own two-decade career in teaching, including an encounter with former student, Kingsley Ben-Adir, the Bob Marley: One Love actor, who is interviewed. The book is split into three parts: what is school for, what is it like, and how can it be done differently. Wright begins by skewering the current problems that bedevil teachers and students. In particular, he looks back to the gaming of the system that has been in place since performance tables were introduced in 1992. Wright is excoriating about what he sees as the marketisation of the school system, and in particular the way Ofsted operates so that its simplistic one-word grades all too often end up giving high scores to schools that benefit from privilege rather than academic excellence, referring to Ruth Perry, the Berkshire headteacher who took her life in 2023 after an inspection. But dont be fooled into thinking this is nothing more than a woolly liberal tract, despite Wrights criticism of the private school system. He analyses the different approaches of such thinkers as Ken Robinson and E.D. Hirsch and is clear that we still need exams, a curriculum, and to assess and measure schools. He praises Michaela (famously dubbed Britains strictest school) for its lack of bullying, and honest approach to competition. If your child's results weren't as good as you and they had hoped, don't despair, there are plenty of options available to them aside from university Actor Kingsley Ben-Adir, who went to William Ellis School in Gospel Oak, north-west London, and stars in Bob Marley: One Love, was inspired by two teachers to become an actor The book really comes to life with the children that Wright interviews both aspirational and resigned, who are super ambitious or who cannot see the point of learning various subjects and who understand that their peers play a huge role in their school life. Wrights talent is to let these voices shine through these interviews have the ring of authenticity (as do his sometimes hilarious, sometimes depressing anecdotes about his own teaching life). And it also makes clear there are no easy answers Ben-Adir, his star interviewee, was inspired by two teachers to take up acting, but even then his path to fame was not straightforward. Wright also has a neat turn of phrase; you can see how hed be an inspirational English teacher. I particularly enjoyed his comparison of Michael Gove as Education Secretary in a gamed system, with Captain Renault in Casablanca walking into Ricks Cafe and being shocked to find there is gambling going on. It certainly challenges you as a middle-class parent whos blithely told their children how important passing exams are (and gone through every school open day looking at their results first). As Wright points out, the straight-A student who becomes a teacher may end up less well off than the pupil who sets up a plumbing business, and that plenty of people who go to university end up in staggeringly boring jobs. I was convinced as well by Reachs decision to run classes through from age three to 18, avoiding the often traumatic shift from primary to secondary and meaning families can end up having a 20-year relationship with a school with the positive investment that can follow from that. Wright also puts his money where his mouth is and attempts to come up with practical solutions himself. This includes changing Ofsted so safeguarding and education inspections are divided; having GCSE-style qualifications a year earlier to provide a bridging year for retakes or a year without exams for those who are contemplating A-levels. He also advocates lotteries rather than catchment areas and wrap-around care to fit in with parental work patterns. In the end, however, he concludes the best schools have one point in common they all tell a story, and help their pupils tell a story about the need for something that transcends the individual whether thats Michaelas aspiration or Reachs community. And so whatever results your child got yesterday, if you found them a school that gave them that foundation, it will set them up for their best future. Tesco is trialling alcohol cabinets for sparkling wine and spirits, including this one in Perivale It's no secret that Britain is in the midst of a shoplifting crime wave. In short, there has been a large rise in thieves simply strolling into shops - big and small - and walking out with armfuls of goodies, with little fear of being caught. Most Friday nights my boyfriend and I will buy a bottle of wine from our local Tesco Express to have with dinner. If I'm feeling fancy I might splash out on a bottle of Prosecco. It's a quick, painless task that I don't think much about. That is until I saw Tesco had recently rolled out locked alcohol cabinets to discourage shoplifters. The idea is that drinks will be locked away before the door is unlocked remotely, without waiting for a Tesco employee to come over and unlock them. One store in Perivale, west London, has gone semi-viral on social media for its cabinets. TikTok users are baffled, Twitter users incensed - many believe it is a sad indictment of the times we're living in. I decided to head to the shop myself to see the cabinets in person. A stone's throw from Perivale station, this Tesco superstore sits between a Costa Coffee and the Grade II-listed Hoover Building. It's a quintessential quiet London suburb and not somewhere you'd expect a shoplifting epidemic. The store is huge and home to its standard food and drink offering, is its clothing range and a pharmacy. I maneuver through fridges and aisles full of bottles and cans of alcohol, some without security tags, in open fridges. I wonder whether the alcohol cabinets have already been removed due to backlash, but I eventually find them at the end of the shop. Understandably, Tesco has chosen, for now, to only put some sparkling wine, champagne and spirits behind these cabinets. I speak to a Tesco employee who says the cabinet replaced a previously faulty one and was installed around six months ago. They say shoplifters are rife and the issue isn't just alcohol, it's food, drink and even electric toothbrushes, and the cupboards don't seem to be making much of a difference. There is plenty of alcohol on display without security tags in this Tesco store I have a go at opening a fridge with an electronic locking system myself. It's pretty simple - they're locked until I press a button on a screen, wait 10 seconds until they open and I can pick the bottle I want. I don't need to present my Clubcard or any ID. Tesco says it is trialling a new cabinet for a small number of a large stores to help reduce theft, but I'm not convinced. The employee I speak to seems to think it will help with dealing with serial shoplifters, but Tesco claims there is no camera or facial recognition software used. Up close: The message reads - the cabinet is locked for security reasons, please tap the arrow for access This is surprising, given many supermarkets and retailers now film us at self-checkouts, for example. It therefore begs the question: what exactly is the point? If the door opens automatically after a few seconds, what will stop customers from taking out a bottle and walking out? Similarly, while the aisle is empty on a Wednesday afternoon, I imagine it's much busier on a Friday or Saturday night. Once the door is open, a shoplifter could lean over and pick out a bottle. If someone is desperate enough, they will find a way. Similarly, there is plenty of wine and beer on display in this store that isn't hidden behind a screen and door that shoplifters could easily pick up. My local Tesco Express in east London has moved some of its high-value and popular bottles to a small case behind the tobacco counter, the way supermarkets used to keep their spirits behind the counter. This makes much more sense. Customers are forced to ask a member of staff to retrieve a bottle and they can watch them scan them through the self-checkouts. However, the new alcohol cabinets signify a wider move away from customer-facing jobs in store - the Tesco employee I speak to is stocking shelves - as encapsulated by the rollout of self-checkout machines. A survey by the British Retail Consortium earlier this year showed the cost of theft doubled to 1.8billion in 2022/23, with over 45,000 incidents a day. If the theft of spirits and sparkling wine is such an issue, why aren't they behind a counter that only employees can access, rather than waiting on an automatic door? I commend Tesco for doing something about the wave of shoplifting, though - even at the cost of mild inconvenience to regular shoppers. A survey by the British Retail Consortium earlier this year showed the cost of theft doubled to 1.8billion in 2022/23, with over 45,000 incidents a day. Supermarkets are losing serious money to theft and will likely only have to spend more to prevent it. Tesco wouldn't answer on how much the cost of installing cabinets is - nor how many stores may have them in the future. But, if they're serious about it, they will need install much more than an automatic door. Have you seen new methods to stop the shoplifting problem at a shop near you? Get in touch: editor@thisismoney.co.uk Amanda Blanc is one tough cookie. Since she got her teeth into Aviva four years ago, shes cleaned up operations, cut jobs and given the insurer a new sense of purpose. It worked: Aviva is the countrys biggest pensions and insurance provider, one that looks after 19m customers with more than 300billion of assets. It is number one in workplace pensions: 4.9m Brits have more than one policy. The shares are up by nearly a third, too. Blanc is also a big-hitter in the corporate world: shes a non-executive of BP and was recently asked by the Chancellor to advise on a 7billion national wealth fund. Aviva boss Amanda Blanc has warned warning Chancellor Rachel Reeves that the Government should stay well away from messing with pension tax relief As the brutal resignation letter Blanc wrote when quitting the chair of the Welsh Professional Rugby Board last year after accusing members of misogyny proved, she is no shrinking violet either. And shes a Dame. Which makes Blancs latest warning to Rachel Reeves that the Government should stay well away from messing with pension tax relief all the more compelling. And spot-on. Blanc, who was speaking after reporting excellent half-year results, was responding to rumours that Reeves is contemplating changing pension reliefs to help plug the 22billion black hole. At present, basic-rate taxpayers receive 20 per cent tax relief on pension contributions, while higher-rate taxpayers get 40 per cent and additional-rate taxpayers can claim 45 per cent. Changing to a 30 per cent flat-rate is being mooted, penalising higher earners. Quite rightly, Blanc cautions the Government to think carefully, as pensions are a long-term game. Anything Reeves might do today, she warns, will have consequences in five, ten, 15 and 20 years time. Blanc will no doubt have in mind Gordon Browns famous raid on dividends paid to pension funds which meant pensioners lost income. Up to 250billion may have been lost by pensioners while the knock-on effect was that pension funds withdrew from buying UK equities. Such political, gimmicky policy changes have dangerous, unintended consequences. Blanc could have gone even further; reminding Reeves that pensions are not just about saving but represent delayed income and are most certainly not a honeypot to be raided by desperate politicians. We can but hope that when Blanc meets Reeves to discuss the new wealth fund, she will hammer home the damage that changing pensions relief, including the tax-free lump sum, will have on future pension income. Reeves has made a song and dance about having top leaders such as Blanc on-side. It would be less than courteous of her not to listen carefully to what experts like her have to say. The Unipart Way Nearly 11 years ago I found myself in the tipping rain outside British Leylands old HQ on the bleak Cowley industrial estate near Oxford, waiting to interview John Neill. All I knew about Neill was that he had joined as a business graduate, had headed the buyout of Unipart in 1987, that he was quirky, had studied Japanese Lean techniques at Honda to improve production processes and had come up with the Unipart Way of doing business. With turnover of 1billion, the car parts manufacturer was owned by its employees and going gangbusters. All in all, he sounded intriguing. And so he was. More than that, Neill is one of the UKs great industrialists, albeit one that most people have never heard of. One of the many fascinating topics we talked about was how he wanted to apply his industry techniques to reforming the NHS which, he argued, was obsessed with top-down targets rather than bottom-up. He called it, quite simply, stupid, as 95 per cent of what is done doesnt add value for the customer true about most organisations. This is what he said: Im going to be frank with you, and this will upset a lot of people in healthcare, but if we ran our factories with the same level of defects as those in an average hospital then wed be out of business in 24 hours. And we would go bust if we ran the factories only five days a week, as many hospitals are doing. Now, after 50 years of the Unipart way, the 77-year-old legend is to retire. Health Secretary Wes Streeting should ask him to join the NHS board. Reader told to take it up with car firm - but British Airways wouldn't give its name In May, my husband and I went on holiday to Lake Como in Italy. We flew from Heathrow to Milan Malpensa airport with British Airways and paid using Avios. We also booked our hotel and an airport transfer on the BA website. The latter cost 432 and was described as a 'private premium car transfer service'. On the outward leg, the car transfer took an hour and a quarter. On the way back, we booked the pick-up at 11:00 for our flight at 15:05 and expected to arrive at the airport at about 12:15 - giving us plenty of time. However, the car arrived 35 minutes late which the driver said was due to traffic. The hotel checked the car sat nav and suggested an alternative route to avoid it. The driver insisted on continuing with his route and we arrived at the airport at 14:40 - more than two hours late. The check-in desk was closed and we missed our flight. Missed it: L.H's holiday on Lake Como came to an infuriating - and expensive - end as her car transfer to the airport was delayed, meaning she was too late to catch her flight We called BA, but were told we could not be transferred to the next flight without paying, as we had used Avios for the booking. I had to get home that night for a medical appointment, so I booked the last seat available online for 444. My husband booked at the ticket desk at a cost of 618. Both were economy class. We complained to BA and were told to take it up with the car company, but our booking didn't include the name of the firm and BA won't tell us. We're more than 1,000 out of pocket for the replacement flights and would also like some of our money back for the 432 'premium' transfer. We've also lost the Avios on the return flight we missed. L.H, Essex Helen Crane, This is Money's consumer champion, replies: You and your husband were faithful British Airways customers, having saved enough Avios loyalty points for a pair of return, business class tickets to Milan. At the time you booked, you say that would have cost about 800 in cash. You spent 18,250 points as well as using a companion voucher. You'd planned a short getaway to Lake Como, the Northern Italian beauty spot where George Clooney famously owns a waterside villa. You spent a few days living la dolce vita, but that came to a very abrupt end when it was time to go home. CRANE ON THE CASE Our weekly column sees This is Money consumer expert Helen Crane tackle reader problems and shine the light on companies doing both good and bad. Want her to investigate a problem, or do you want to praise a firm for going that extra mile? Get in touch: helen.crane@thisismoney.co.uk When your journey back to the airport ended in disaster, BA effectively told you - in the words of Clooney's 2005 drama - Good Night, and Good Luck. In total you had handed over about 2,800, plus the Avios, for the original holiday. While it was all booked on BA's website, the hotel and car company aren't run by BA. The airline argues that, as the car transfer was carried out by a third-party firm, that it wasn't responsible for the missed flight. But I would say that, because the ride was booked on the BA website as an add-on to your flights, and you paid your money to BA, the car company was a take some responsibility. 'We would have hoped it would have been a reputable company that should have got us to the airport on time and heeded heavy traffic reports,' you told me. Even if you wanted to complain directly to the taxi firm, you could not - as BA is refusing to give you its name - which I will come to later. Of course, traffic jams happen - but it was made worse by the driver's late arrival. If you had arrived at the airport 35 minutes earlier, you may have made the flight by a whisker. He also refused to take the diversion suggested by the hotel receptionist - which involved a ferry across the lake to another town. Lap of luxury: But L.H's 'premium private car' didn't live up to its billing (stock image) I was also surprised to hear that British Airways wouldn't give you a seat on another flight that day because you had paid using Avios, not cash. What a way to treat your brand's most loyal customers. To add insult to injury, when you finally got on to the flight you told me your 444 seat appeared to have been double-booked. In what may be your only stroke of luck that day, the person who booked it wasn't sitting in it, and had bought it for extra space. They graciously allowed to let you sit there anyway. After you finally made it home from Italy, you contacted BA to try and get some of your money back - and give it a pizza your mind. Sadly, it washed its hands of the problem quicker than someone eating a tiramisu without a spoon. It insisted the car transfer was a 'third-party' booking and you'd have to take it up with them. But astonishingly, BA refused to give you the name, phone number or email of that company - claiming it didn't even know them. You have shown me your emails with BA, where you repeatedly ask for these details and the customer service rep replies: 'we do not have the details you are requesting'. It told you to check your booking confirmation, which came from BA and simply read: 'private premium car'. It later told you heavy traffic was a 'force majeure' event, which wouldn't be covered by its refund policy in any case. You were left with plenty of questions, so I got in touch with BA to ask some of them. When a customer books a car transfer on the BA website and pays BA, who is the contract with? What is BA's policy on being transferred to another flight when it has been paid for via Avios? And would you be refunded for your 1,062 replacement flights, 432 car transfer or the Avios used on the flight you missed? Sadly I didn't get many answers. A BA spokesman said: 'We're sorry to hear of our customer's experience and we are in contact with them to resolve the matter.' They have now agreed to refund you 300 in cash and 8,500 in Avios points. That's better than nothing, and makes you just about square for the Avios wasted on the return leg. But you and your husband are still out of pocket and still feel BA has left you - to name another Clooney film - Up in the Air. You told me you're unhappy with the amount, but are 'losing the will to live' trying to get the refund, so will accept. You are also exploring making a claim on your travel insurance and reporting this to the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution. The boss of British logistics giant Unipart has announced plans to retire after more than 50 years. Executive chairman John Neill will step down this month after five decades at the helm of a business that started life as a unit of British Leyland. Industry figures paid tribute to one of the great British industrialists and a legendary figure in manufacturing in the UK. Neill, 77, said he plans to spend more time with his family. The board said the businessman has dedicated a lifetime to creating an iconic British company and will step down as Unipart celebrates its 50th anniversary. 'Legendary figure in UK manufacturing': Unipart founder John Neill will retire this month after five decades at the helm of car parts giant Neill began working for the now defunct British Leyland once the UKs biggest car manufacturer in 1974. He became the managing director of the parts division at just 29, making him one of its youngest executives. The division was in terminal decline when he joined, Neill said yesterday, as its parent company was plagued by poor productivity and strikes. He staged a management buyout of the Unipart business in 1987, a feat he described as achieving the virtually impossible. The father-of-two took on the role of chief executive before becoming executive chairman in 2022. While British Leyland no longer exists, Unipart has more than 12,000 employees and provides logistics and supply chain services in 21 countries. Last year the Oxford companys revenue topped 1bn for the first time. Unipart director Bryan Jackson said: In all honesty, it would be incredibly difficult to replace Johns role as executive chairman. Simply put, how do you follow someone who has dedicated a lifetime to creating an iconic British company with its unique spirit? David Bailey, a Birmingham Business School professor and automotive industry expert, said: It is the end of an era, he is a really legendary figure in manufacturing in the UK. Without Neills influence, Bailey said he was not sure [the UK car manufacturing industry] would have survived. Stephen Phipson, chief executive of industry body Make UK, said: John is one of the great British industrialists. Ive no doubt that hell remain a close friend to, and champion of, our sector for the years to come. Former Aston Martin boss Andy Palmer said his achievements will remain unparalleled. Neill, who will stay on as the largest Unipart shareholder, told the board in May of his plans to retire. He said yesterday that the job has been one of the greatest honours of his life. The industry veteran, who was born in South Africa and educated in Scotland, said it was the right time to leave to spend more time with his family. He will step down from his day-to-day responsibilities at the end of August and will continue to support the business until the end of November. A new non-executive chairman role will be created for Neills replacement, while Darren Leigh will stay on as chief executive. Unilever sell-off: Train Fund Management is run by feared activist investor Nelson Peltz A feared New York activist has trimmed his stake in British consumer goods firm Unilever. Investment giant Train Fund Management, run by Nelson Peltz, has sold around 3.8m shares for nearly 181million, according to a regulatory filing. Peltz, who is on the board of Unilever, had a 1.47 per cent stake or 36.6m shares in the owner of Dove soap and Marmite, worth about 1.4billion. He now holds about 32.6m shares. Peltzs hedge fund started building a stake in Unilever in early 2022 and he joined the board in May that year. Unilever shares have gained nearly 30 per cent since Trians stake was made public in 2022, and are up more than 23 per cent this year, rallying last month after the upbeat results for the first half. Trian sold small stakes for portfolio management purposes. Peltz endorsed Hein Schumacher as chief executive in 2023. In his first year, Schumacher has overseen plans to spin off the ice cream business, lay off up to 7,500 staff, and focus on 30 brands to reverse years of underperformance. The shares rose 0.4p, or 21p, to 4747p. Victoria's Secret has poached the boss of Rihanna's lingerie brand in a bid to turn around its fortunes. The troubled group said Hillary Super will replace Martin Waters as chief executive next month. Super currently runs Savage X Fenty for popstar Rihanna and was previously in charge of US home and fashion retailer Anthropologie. Star attraction: Victoria Secret's recent campaigns have included famous models such as Hailey Bieber and Emily Ratajkowski (pictured) She will be Victoria's Secret's third chief executive in four years. Victoria's Secret has fallen out of fashion in recent years due to rising competition from other lingerie brands, including Rihanna's Fenty. The business has 1,350 shops in almost 70 countries including around 25 in the UK. A UK presence was revived by High Street stalwart Next and US parent L Brands after a joint rescue effort in March 2022. It had entered liquidation the year before after shops were closed during the pandemic. Shares, which trade on the New York stock market, leapt 16 per cent yesterday. They have fallen almost 50 per cent since August 2012 when the company made its debut. After a six-year hiatus, the brand will revive its blockbuster runway fashion show featuring its model 'Angels' this autumn. Its recent campaigns have included famous models such as Hailey Bieber and Emily Ratajkowski. I recently landed in Spain for a three week holiday and my bank offers fee-free spending abroad. However, when I paid for a meal last night for the family which came to roughly 150, the card machine asked whether I wanted to pay in local currency or pounds. I always forget what the best option is can you enlighten me? And what happens if you pick the wrong one? Does it really make much of a difference? Many Britons on holiday will at one point or anther be asked if they want to pay in pounds or the local currency by a card machine Helen Kirrane of This is Money replies: It's the age old question. You're handed a card machine when on holiday and it it asks whether you want to pay in pounds or the local currency. Depending on which of these you pick can lead to vastly different costs. You might be temped to choose to pay in pounds thinking your own bank or card provider would give you a more favourable exchange rate. There is a definitive answer to this conundrum though - you should always pick the local currency of the country you are visiting if you are given the option. It is almost always going to work out cheaper than choosing to pay in pounds. When you choose to pay in the currency of the country you're visiting, Visa or Mastercard will set the exchange rate. The rate used by your card provider when paying in the local currency will almost always be better than the exchange rate the shop or overseas bank is using, when paying in sterling. If a card machine gives you the option to pay in pounds, always just decline it and pick euros or the local currency of the country you are in. If you pick the wrong currency and choose to pay in pounds, it will end up costing you more. That is because you are at the mercy of the overseas bank or retailer's exchange rate, which is going to be far less favourable than your own card provider's. And that means you'll be paying more than you should. This is known as dynamic currency conversion (DCC) and it also applies to withdrawing cash from a foreign ATM as well as card payment - so pick local currency here too. This is a huge hidden cost for Britons paying by card overseas. DCC alows a provider to use its own exchange rate to convert the amount of local currency you wish to withdraw into sterling. It will always be at your expense though. A spokesman from the Post Office replies: You may come across DCC in many countries around the world, but be particularly careful if you are using ATMs in either Spain, Greece, Portugal, Croatia or Thailand. If you're using an ATM or spending on your card abroad, always choose to withdraw or spend in the local currency. Victorian Senator Ralph Babet has refused to back down after being called out for spreading a bizarre conspiracy theory that claims the world is controlled by Satanic paedophiles. A tweet simply stating 'The world is run by Satanic pedophiles' was posted by the United Australia Party senator on his X feed. Senator Babet told Daily Mail Australia he stood by this claim and a number of other provocative social media posts. Senator Babet insisted that his tweets reflected his genuine beliefs. However, La Trobe Professor of Political Communication Andrea Carson believes the tweets are part of a 'cynical' strategy to raise his profile. 'We have an example of an accidental politician in the form of Babet who got 4500 votes to get the second position to represent Victoria,' Professor Carson said. 'When you have got a minor politicians with fairly low profiles in terms of their portfolio responsibilities they do try to punch about their weight by getting social media attention.' United Australia Party Senator Ralph Babet has stood by a number of incendiary tweets Senator Babet is standing by a bizarre conspiracy theory he shared social media that Satanic pedophiles run the world The 'Satanic paedophiles' tweet gained 1.2 million views, proving the value of Professor Carson's observation that 'co-opting or appropriating international content' was helping the local senator's cause. 'In a global information environment politicians like Babet try to leverage what they can to get as much attention as possible,' she said. 'However, when he sticks to local content he is not getting much reach or viewership, so the more sensational and controversial the views and the more they can tap into global narratives the more attention that he gets.' When asked by Daily Mail Australia about the wild accusations, Sen. Babet doubled down on his Satanic paedophiles message. 'We are in a spiritual battle, it is good versus evil, there is no other way to describe this,' Sen. Babet said. The UAP representative would not specify who the Satanic paedophiles are that run the world but he did rule out the leaders of Australia's major political parties. 'Is Peter Dutton a Satanic pedophile? Absolutely not,' he said. 'Is Mr Albanese a Satanic pedophile? No, he is not, but then again these people don't run the world do they?' 'They are puppets. Albanese is a puppet, Peter Dutton is a puppet, they are both beholden to globalist special interests behind the scenes. Senator Babet is pictured with controversial US commentator Tucker Carlson Mr Babet with Coalition senator Jacinta Price 'The political elite - who prefer sucking the teat of their wealthy overlords in Davos than representing the people who elected them are gorging themselves on unchecked mass migration,' he claimed. 'I could nominate entire suburbs in Sydney or in Melbourne where you can walk down the street and well imagine you are in a foreign country.' Professor Carson described Senator Babet as a 'niche politician' whose electoral prospects can be boosted by building a small but dedicated following, and does not have to speak to broader audiences. 'They (niche politicians) are using the big US, UK narratives to try and increase their algorithmic spread and ultimately their personal profiles,' she said 'They dont get the normal platforms they are not out there is serious ministerial portfolios where they getting attention to their policy initiatives. 'So how does he get the type of attention and eyeballs he craves in order to get re-elected? He does it by using the algorithmic spread of sensational content on social media and thats what we are seeing here. La Trobe Professor of Political Communication Andrea Carson believes the tweets are part of a 'cynical' strategy to raise his profile 'He will comment on anything on getting traffic that fits with the worldview of being a maverick politician. 'The more sensational the content the content is the more it drives emotions, the more it is likely to spread, particularly fear, anger and hate.' Professor Carson said Senator Babet's tweets were 'disappointing' in 'a global information environment that has low quality information and high quality information'. 'When we look at the problems of mis- and dis-information, one way to mitigate that is to increase high quality information,' she said. 'It is disappointing when you see the elites that are not exercising responsible free speech and this is an example of that where he is contributing to low quality information and the public takes notice of this. 'Politicians are there to be leaders and sense makers not to contribute to a polluted information system. 'I find it ironic in one of his clips he talks about the degradation of political institutions but in these acts he is contributing to lowering public trust in institutions and politicians by spreading inflammatory content.' Advertisement The number of A* and A grades awarded to teenagers across England, Wales and Northern Ireland has increased compared to last year but the overall pass rate has slightly dipped, national figures show. Hundreds of thousands of students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland received their exam results on Thursday in a year when grading was expected to be restored to 2019 levels in all three nations. More than a quarter (27.8%) of UK entries were awarded an A or A* grade, up by 0.6 percentage points on last year when 27.2% achieved the top grades - and was also higher than in 2019 when 25.4% of entries were awarded the best grades. But the overall pass rate - the proportion of entries graded A* to E - has fallen to 97.2% this year, which is lower than last year (97.3%) and the pre-pandemic year of 2019 (97.6%). Our live coverage has ended but for a full recap see below Confusion reins as the Albanese government's bizarre new laws forcing tax professionals to disclose mental health problems to their clients take effect. The chairman of the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB) - the body that will assess such matters on behalf of the government - has said that mental health 'could possibly be relevant' as a matter for disclosure to clients. But the minister responsible - assistant treasurer Stephen Jones - claims otherwise, telling Daily Mail Australia that chairman Peter de Cure is wrong. 'Some silly stuff like mental health has been suggested which is clearly not intended or in scope', Jones says. No wonder there is confusion amongst tax practitioners, parliamentarians and the general public. The chairman of the body tasked with enforcing the law is saying one thing: mental health 'could possibly be relevant' as a matter for disclosure. The minister responsible for tabling the change says the TPB's interpretation is 'silly stuff'. Anthony Albanese's government has introduced bizarre new rules that could see accountants have to declare their mental health conditions to clients. Above, the PM with fiance Jodie One tax practitioner affected by the changes, who did not want to be named, told Daily Mail Australia 'if it's so silly then rule mental health out in the determination'. Stock image However the minister is refusing to amend the determination to make that clear. One accountant affected by the changes, who did not want to be named, told Daily Mail Australia 'if it's so silly then rule mental health out in the determination and list exactly what you expect agents to disclose'. On Tuesday when the Prime Minister's Office was directly asked if the chair of the TPB was wrong to include mental health as a disclosable condition under the new laws, it refused to answer the question. Despite objections from all 13 bodies representing tax practitioners - and concerns amongst the Coalition and the crossbench - the government tabled the ministerial determination in the Senate on Monday. That means it is now formally in effect, as a ministerial determination does not need to be voted on by Parliament to commence. So it is now the law of the land - despite no guidelines having been developed on how mental health matters need to be disclosed, if at all. The Opposition has tabled a disallowance motion aimed at removing or amending the new law which as currently written requires tax practitioners to disclose 'any' matter that might influence a client to engage their services. Critics say that means accountants might need to disclose everything from personal health issues to mental health problems to sexual orientation. Even their religious denomination might need to be disclosed, if such particulars would influence a client's decision to engage their services. The profession wants the meaning of what needs to be disclosed to be tightened, not just in any guidance provided but in the law itself. The broad wording of the new laws has the potential to force accountants to make disclosures no other professionals are required to do - which is why the sector is united in its call for change. All of this uncertainty is causing serious anxiety amongst tax practitioners as they wait to find out what happens next in this messy debate. Daily Mail Australia understands that various mental health bodies are now writing to the minister, requesting he withdraw or amend the changes made because they are likely to cause harm. Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones has rubbished claims about the consequences of the rule as 'silly stuff' Australian of the Year and mental health expert Professor Patrick McGorry has already expressed concerns with Jones' ministerial determination, saying that he 'supports clarification' on disclosure requirements. But mental health disclosure requirements might just be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this badly worded new law, which was introduced to parliament without any consultation, according to the sector it affects. Because the new rules say that 'any' matter that might influence whether or not a client engages a tax practitioner needs to be disclosed, opponents are worried that such broad terminology might, for example, include same sex married accountants needing to disclose their sexual orientation to religiously conservative clients who opposed the introduction of SSM. 'The new laws are a mess and the minister responsible for them just won't listen when told of the risks. He ploughed ahead like he knows best with no regard for our concerns', another accountant told Daily Mail Australia. Mr Jones says 'what we are focused on is an agent's breach of the Code and the Tax Services Law. 'It is in the public interest that this is disclosed. We are working with the associations to make that crystal clear'. Daily Mail Australia understands that a growing number of senators are planning to support the disallowance motion to reject the bizarre new rule. But it is unclear right now where the numbers will ultimately fall. A vote is required within 15 parliamentary days. The combined organisations opposing the new laws represent over 500,000 members. They say they plan to make this an issue at the next election unless the government sees the error of its ways and fixes the messy situation it has created. For millions of teenagers around the country, their immediate futures are being decided today. A-level results day brings joy to those who have worked hard, and misery to the luckless and the idle. But, if you are one of those who has not achieved the grades you wanted, it is worth considering what some of Britain's most celebrated figures were doing at 18. Future Hollywood superstar Richard Burton was an unknown school dropout who was yet to 'make it' in any sense of the phrase. Queen Elizabeth I was a marginalised princess dogged by anxiety and living in fear of her life. And Geoffrey Chaucer, who is now known to some as the 'father of English literature', grew up in a world that had been devastated by the Black Death. Below, historian ALICE LOXTON - the author of Eighteen: A History of Britain in 18 Young Lives, traces the early ups and downs of five of Britain's greatest names. Queen Elizabeth I - Dogged by anxiety Perhaps it's no surprise 18-year-old Elizabeth - though brilliantly clever - was dogged by anxiety, and constantly on the edge of a nervous breakdown, writes ALICE LOXTON What would a modern therapist make of eighteen-year-old Elizabeth I? There would be a lot to unpack. First, the execution of her mother, Anne Boleyn, when Elizabeth was a toddler. Then, the coming and going of four stepmothers. What to make of the death of her father, King Henry VIII? Or sexual abuse from her stepmother's husband (who was swiftly executed)? What of her half-siblings - Mary and Edward - who became her greatest rivals? Perhaps it's no surprise 18-year-old Elizabeth - though brilliantly clever - was dogged by anxiety, and constantly on the edge of a nervous breakdown. Again and again, Elizabeth's future was redirected, her identity recalibrated, her place repositioned, within her family, in court, and on the world stage. She must have been terrified by the creaks as she lay in bed at Hatfield House in Hertfordshire. Was that a door in the wind, or the arrival of the King's men, here to take her to the Tower? Was this letter to be one inviting her to court for Christmas, or informing her of some unknown treason? Yet it was such upheaval which was Elizabeth's secret to success. Here she forged a resilience, a strength of character which when she sat on the throne 7 years later, aged 25 - would serve her well. Diamonds are made under pressure, and the immense pressure of Elizabeth's childhood produced a dazzling diamond in a ruff. Richard Burton - school dropout Richard Burton was born on November 10, 1925 in the small front bedroom of a terraced house in Pontrhydyfen, a village in South Wales. He was the twelfth of thirteen children in the Welsh-speaking family of Richard and Edith Jenkins and made a big impression from the start. For Richard Jenkins Jr was a 'real whopper' of a baby, weighing twelve pounds. Like Elizabeth I, Richard's mother died when he was young and he grew up with no memories of her. Richard Burton was born on November 10, 1925 in the small front bedroom of a terraced house in Pontrhydyfen, a village in South Wales. Above: The future star in the late 1940s Instead, he was raised by an older sister, Cis: 'my sister, had become my mother, and more mother to me than any mother could ever have been.' His teenage years in Port Talbot were tricky. Troubles at home forced him to drop out of school, and wave goodbye to hopes of a 'bright future'. Instead, he began a job in the haberdashery department at the local Co-op, where he was nicknamed 'Jenkins Co-op'. It was a total and utter humiliation. 'I broke my heart over him when he went to the shop,' remembered Cis, 'He hated it. Oh - he hated it.' It was a mentor, Philip Burton, who nurtured Richard's acting dream. Together they trudged up to the Welsh hills, and practiced passages of Shakespeare through the whistling winds, down to the valleys below. So fruitful was this mentorship, Philip Burton became Richard Jenkins' legal ward, and 'Richard Burton' was born. It was this endeavour that within a couple of decades would make Richard one of the most celebrated, highly paid actors in the world. Burton went on to star in many classic films, including in Cleopatra alongside his future wife Elizabeth Taylor Horatio Nelson - a seasoned Royal Navy sailor The first thing to know about the teenage Horatio Nelson? You've got his name all wrong. Though he was baptised 'Horatio', he went by the nickname Horace until the age of nineteen 'an English name for an Englishman'. Born in Norfolk as the son of a country clergyman, Horace could have expected to live a quiet, rural life. Not so! He pestered his uncle Maurice to join the Royal Navy. Maurice wasn't so sure: 'What has poor Horatio done,' he wrote, 'who is so weak, that he should be sent to rough it out at sea?' The first thing to know about the teenage Horatio Nelson? You've got his name all wrong. Though he was baptised 'Horatio', he went by the nickname Horace until the age of nineteen. Above: Nelson as a young Captain, 1781 But any concerns for welfare were soon cast aside: 'But let him come, and the first time we go into action a cannon ball may knock off his head and provide for him at once'. Character building stuff. First, Horace traversed the tempestuous Atlantic seas on a voyage to the Caribbean. Next, on June 4, 1773, when Horace was still fourteen years old, he voyaged north, to the Arctic, where the legend goes - he fought polar bears and walruses. Then, on October 27, 1773, aged fifteen, Horace set out as a midshipman on HMS Seahorse. This time, the destination was the furthest Royal Navy base from Britain at the time. It was exactly what Horace wanted: 'Nothing less than such a distant voyage could [. . .] satisfy my desire for maritime knowledge'. Over the following years, Horace saw 'almost every part of the East Indies', and nearly died from malaria. All before reaching his eighteenth birthday! He would of course go on to lead decisive naval victories against Napoleon's forces, most famously at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, when he lost his life. Nelson lost his arm at the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife in 1797, but that did not stop him Vivienne Westwood - training to be a secretary In April 1941, as the Second World War raged, the birth of a baby was printed in a local Derbyshire newspaper: 'SWIRE. On the 8th April 1941, at the Partington Maternity Home Glossop. 'To Gordon and Dora, God's precious gift of a daughter. Vivienne Isabel. First grandchild for Mr & Mrs E. Ball.' It wasn't a particularly glamorous start for a girl who would become Vivienne Westwood, one of the most successful fashion designers of all time. 'The first thing you should know about me,' Vivienne would later explain, 'is that I was born in the Second World War. Rationing. All of that. I didn't have a banana until I was seven. Didn't like it when I did.' Like many of us today, as an 18-year-old Vivienne Swire was full of uncertainty, with no idea of the thrills which lay ahead. Above: Westwood, then aged 35, at her shop, 'Sex' on King's Road in London, 1976 Like many of us today, as an 18-year-old Vivienne Swire was full of uncertainty, with no idea of the thrills which lay ahead. She dropped out of art school, thinking there weren't any creative careers other being an artist. 'I was just too working-class to see beyond that one stereotype,' she later said. She started a Pitman's typing course, to train as a secretary, then became a teacher. Eventually, it was Vivienne's bold creativity which would bring her back to design work. As Vivienne herself put it many years later, 'I lived all my life as if I'm young'. This was her secret to success. To never grow up, to always rebel, to stay for ever a teenager. Dame Vivienne Westwood and Andreas Kronthaler, her third husband, celebrate United Colors of Benetton's new capsule collection designed by Jean-Charles de Castelbajac on March 31, 2022 Geoffrey Chaucer - sartorial trailblazer and survivor of the Black Death It must have been a relief for Geoffrey Chaucer to have reached his eighteenth birthday. Born the son of a London vintner, as a young child he endured the horrors of the Black Death, a plague which attacked 'the whole of England so violently that scarcely one in ten of either sex was left alive'. As a teenager he climbed the social ladder, working as a page boy in the household of the Countess of Ulster. This glamorous work in a royal household darting between tournaments, weddings and outrageous fancy-dress spectacles was rudely interrupted by a military campaign to France. It must have been a relief for Geoffrey Chaucer to have reached his eighteenth birthday. Born the son of a London vintner, at around 7 years old he endured the horrors of the Black Death, a plague which attacked 'the whole of England so violently that scarcely one in ten of either sex was left alive' It was a dramatic Gap Year: whilst the English army laid siege, Geoffrey was taken prisoner by the French, only escaping by the skin of his teeth. But teenage Geoff was a sartorial trailblazer too. One of his most notorious outfits was so shockingly revealing, some blamed its popularity for inciting God's wrath and causing the plague. It was a tunic with sleeves (called a paltok), black and red tights (called a hose). All of it with a very snug fit. The paltoks were 'extremely short garments . . . which failed to conceal their arses or their private parts'. So this is the earliest record we have of Geoffrey Chaucer. Not Chaucer the Diplomat, nor Chaucer the Poet, but Chaucer the Risque. Alice Loxton's new book, Eighteen: A History of Britain in 18 Young Lives, is published by Macmillan from today. Her first book, UPROAR!: Satire, Scandal and Printmakers in Georgian London, was published last year. Ms Loxton has more than two million followers on the likes of TikTok, Instagram and X. A wildlife campaigning schoolboy is believed to have inspired guerrilla artist Banksy's amazing nine-picture animal murals which have popped up across London. When 10-year-old Leo spotted a Banksy art piece near his home in Camberwell and Peckham last year, he was beside himself with excitement. He commented on the Instagram post on the mysterious artist's account: 'This is my neighbourhood! I can't believe Bansky is in Camberwell and Peckham! 'Please can you make some more art in SE5? about nature and endangered animals?' He signed off cheerfully: 'Merry Christmas!' The revelation comes after at least nine animal-themed murals appeared in London in the space of a week. A wildlife campaigning schoolboy inspired guerrilla artist Banksy's amazing nine-picture animal murals which have popped up across London When 10-year-old Leo spotted a Banksy art piece was near his home in Camberwell and Peckham last year, he was beside himself with excitement He commented on the Instagram post on the mysterious artist's account: 'This is my neighbourhood! I can't believe Bansky is in Camberwell and Peckham! Banksy's artwork in Chelsea depicting two elephants poking their heads out of out windows Map of everywhere Banksy murals have been spotted across London Another is seen walking off with the Banksy artwork which had just been unveiled Little Leo is an ambassador for the Captain Paul Watson Foundation and the Born Free Foundation - which works to protect wild animals. He is a 'big fan' of Banksy and is delighted at the inclusion of the animals in his art. Leo said: 'Let's save spider monkeys, wolves, tigers, rhinos, gorillas, parrots, elephants and all endangered animals in the wild! Thank you Banksy for making animals the superstars they deserve to be.' The wildlife enthusiast runs a YouTube channel with the help of his mother where he talks about endangered animals. The young boy from South London began making videos in lockdown, hoping to educate others because 'something needed to be done'. Inspired by environmental legend Sir David Attenborough, he even wrote a letter saying he tried to make his voice sound like his hero's and asked for tips. Sir David replied to thank him for the letter which delighted Leo. The boy also won the Young Animal Hero Award from Animal Star UK, which recognises the children who work to help animals. One of the artist's pieces in London features the goat silhouette with rocks falling down below People photograph a new artwork unveiled by Banksy in Chelsea, South West London Banksy's fifth painting of two pelicans eating fish appeared in Walthamstow A ninth portrait of a gorilla appearing to lift up the base of a white shutter to release birds and a seal appeared at the London Zoo near Regents Park. It marks the latest in a series of nine animal-themed graffiti by the elusive artists that has appeared in the capital since August 5 - seemingly prompted by young Leo's comment. Banksy has confirmed he is responsible for the new artwork at around 1pm each day leaving fans anticipating what else might appear and speculating what the meaning is behind the jungle of animals. The first piece showed the silhouette of a goat balancing on top of some masonry on an exterior wall. The street art showed the goat looking down towards the ground of the building near Kew Bridge in West London, with debris falling down its side. The artwork was the first Banksy since a stunt at Glastonbury Festival in June in which an inflatable dinghy full of dummies dressed as migrants launched into the crowd, live on the BBC. A new Banksy mural appeared by Kew Bridge in London on August 5 One of the men in Kew Bridge, who is masked (right), is believed to be elusive artist Banksy The second piece appeared the next day in Chelsea, showing the two elephants silhouettes placed in boarded up window frames with their trunks stretched out towards each other. Tourists also descended to view the artwork which is located on the side of a three storey building composed of three flats and faces onto Edith Grove, one of the busiest roads in the area. As with the day before, the Bristol-based artist did not write a caption for either Instagram post which has caused fans to speculate on the meaning of the artwork - with some saying the piece could be a reference to 'elephants in the room'. The third Banksy artwork appeared above a railway bridge in Brick Lane, showing three monkeys swinging along. The elusive artist confirmed the monkey mural was his on Instagram but did not caption the post, fuelling speculation about its meaning. Three monkeys have been associated with the Japanese proverb 'see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil'. In Banksy's work the monkeys are not covering their eyes, ears or mouths. The artwork showing the silhouette of a wolf howling appeared on a rooftop in Peckham. It is a piece in a series of murals that have been unveiled in a week A painting which shows three monkeys swinging from a railway bridge in Brick Lane It has been sprayed black, near a vintage clothing shop and a coffee house in the popular market street, not far from Shoreditch High Street. On the fourth day of Banksy installations across the capital, a howling wolf was painted onto a satellite dish in Peckham. The striking painting of the canine howling into the night sky, however, was stolen just hours after it was revealed. Footage has emerged showing the shocking moment the artwork was dismantled before being carried away - but some suggested it was just another stunt from the artist. The group of hooded men wearing facemasks and gloves were spotted scaling the building, removing the satellite dish, and walking off. The apparent theft rings echoes of a similar incident last year where another piece by Banksy - a traffic stop sign with three military drones - was also taken. Banksy's fifth new artwork showed two pelicans eating fish above a chippie has appeared on a quiet residential street in Walthamstow. The mural, which is placed atop Bonners Fish Bar, on Northcote Road, portrays one pelican attempting to catch a fish in the air, while the other has its head facing down, eating an identical fish design that was already on the chippie's signboard. Pictures circulating on social media this morning have captured the moment the guerrilla artist - whose identity remains a mystery - was creating his latest masterpiece. Th sixth artwork, depicting a wild cat like a tiger or leopard, in Crinklewood An image of a large cat stretching on a bare wooden advertising board on Edgware Road Street artist Banksy posted a picture of his mural to his official Instagram showing a rhino mounting a Nissan Micra with a traffic cone on its bonnet on Westmoor Street in Charlton Caught on camera by an onlooker, two men were spotted in a cherry picker van at the site of the graffiti while dressed in orange high-vis clothing and helmets. On the sixth day, a silhouette of a stretching cat appeared on an abandoned billboard in Cricklewood, north London, appearing to show the animal stretching and scratching at a broken part of the wood. The seventh installation appeared on a police sentry box in Ludgate Hill in the City of London. The artist appears to have used translucent spray paint on the glass windows to create the design, turning the sentry box into what looks like a giant fish tank, differing from his dark silhouette images. The glass-paned box was then taped up by the local council and will be kept temporarily by the City of London Corporation's offices, a walk of less than 15 minutes from the previous location. A spokesman for the authority said: 'We have moved the artwork to Guildhall Yard to ensure it is properly protected and open for the public to view safely. 'A permanent home for the piece will be decided in due course.' On the eighth day, the artist posted a picture of his mural to his official Instagram showing a rhino mounting a Nissan Micra with a traffic cone on its bonnet on Westmore Street in Charlton, south east London. Banksy confirmed his swimming fish artwork which appeared on a City of London police box The design differs from Banksy's usual style and has been painted with more detail and tone Yet within seven hours of the new graffiti being confirmed, it was defaced and the car had been removed. Council chiefs described the vandalism of the graffiti artist's latest piece on Westmoor Street in south-east London, as a 'real shame' as the vehicle was removed on Tuesday. The ninth mural was painted on a white shutter at the zoo, and appears to show a gorilla lifting its base to release birds and a seal. Located on a shutter at the zoo's entrance, it ties in to previous pieces, with different animals scattered around the city. MailOnline has approached Banksy's representatives for comment. Democrats have for weeks been pushing their narrative that JD Vance is 'weird' around women. Now DailyMail.com has unearthed a decades-old picture that isn't going to help the GOP vice-presidential candidate dispel that characterization. It was taken in jest and has a real meaning behind it but, still, it is not a good look considering the other claims leveled at Donald Trump's pick for his Number Two. In the photograph, Vance, then 18, is seen in a men's bathroom looking on as three girls pretend to use the urinals. The picture appeared in the 2003 yearbook of Middletown High School in Ohio when Vance then known as JD Hamel was in his senior year. DailyMail.com has unearthed a decades-old photo of JD Vance posing with three female classmates at the urinals of the boys' bathroom, during his senior year of high school in Ohio The picture appeared in the 2003 yearbook of Middletown High School in Ohio when Vance then known as JD Hamel was an 18-year-old high school senior No explanation was given in the yearbook itself as to why the three girls were in the bathroom, nor why they should be pictured with Vance. But now, one of the three has explained to DailyMail.com the meaning behind the surprising shot. It was to show the power of girls in that year's student government, one of the women who asked that her name not be used, said. We thought it would be funny, she added. 'Usually it was all male officers, and we were an even split, and so it was sort of the opposite.' The picture showed the four top student council officers president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer. Ironically Vance was vice-president, the position he is now seeking in federal government. Nikki May, who was treasurer, told DailyMail.com she admires her former classmate. He was a great student and guy,' said May. 'I am very proud to say I went to high school with JD and very impressed of the man he has become. 'I wish him all the best and I am rooting for him to succeed!' While the picture was meant as a lighthearted take on school life it can't help but add to the perception that Vance, now 40, will have to shake. The first-term US senator from Ohio, has been constantly criticized since Donald Trump picked him as his running mate on July 15. Democrats have gleefully latched on to old comments of his that bolster the idea that he does not know how to deal with women. One of the most notorious was when he said that the country is 'effectively run by a bunch of childless cat ladies' singling out Kamala Harris, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Pete Buttigieg who are 'miserable at their own lives and the choices that they've made, and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable, too'. 'The entire future of the Democrats is controlled by people without children,' he claimed, failing to note that Harris and Buttigieg both have adopted children and AOC, at 34, is still of child-bearing age. Eight-times Oscar-nominated actress Glenn Close who played Vance's grandmother in the film version of his memoir Hillbilly Elegy posted a photo on Instagram of her holding her cat Eve. 'Eve would have left a bleeding mouse head in the bed of anyone who criticized any kind of lady with a cat!' wrote the mother-of-one. Critics have also noted that Vance has supported the state monitoring women's pregnancies. 'He's consistently shamed families and mothers who prioritize their career and choose to wait to start a family,' said one. 'Vance has made off-putting remarks about his 'effect on women', and he has a history of passing judgment on and making insulting assumptions about women in his life,' the source added. Democrats point to the time he was asked, aged 14, to pick a political issue he cared about and he chose abortion. Glenn Close who played Vance's grandmother in the film version of his memoir Hillbilly Elegy hit back at his comments in an Instagram photo of her holding her cat Eve Vance's Democratic opponent, Tim Walz is who first referred to Vance and Trump as 'weird' and 'creepy.' The vice presidential candidate is seen with nominee Kamala Harris at their rally in Eau Claire, Wisconsin last week This picture, said to be of JD Vance wearing a blond wig and what appears to be a long skirt, has gone viral online He still calls himself '100 percent pro-life' and has called for a federal limit on abortion, saying of cases where women want to terminate their pregnancy in cases of rape of incest 'two wrongs don't make a right'. It was his opponent for vice president, Democrat Minnesota Governor Tim Walz who first coined the word 'weird' for Trump and Vance. He said the pair were 'creepy' and 'weird as hell'. Vance was vice-president of the student council during his senior year at Middletown High School In an earlier interview he said: 'These guys are just weird. They're running for he-man women-haters' club or something. That's what they go at. That's not what people are interested in.' The comments have since sparked a vicious campaign by critics and Internet sleuths ridiculing and digging up dirt on Vance, including one viral photo allegedly of Vance dressed as a woman and sporting a blonde wig. That picture is said to date from his time at Yale Law School. Vance has hit back at the criticism, telling CNN's Dana Bash that the insults are 'fundamentally school yard bully stuff'. 'They're name-calling instead of actually telling the American people how they're going to make their lives better,' he said. 'I think that's weird, Dana, but look, they can call me whatever they want to.' He then said the Democrats' use of 'weird' was less about him and Trump, and more about his opponents not being 'comfortable in their own skin, because they're uncomfortable with their policy positions for the American people'. But Democrats say there are so many examples of Vance being uncomfortable when discussing women's issues the charge of weirdness is apt. Democrats have cited Vance's tendency to criticize women for working instead of raising a family as one example of his disconnection with women's issues JD and Usha Vance with two of their three children Ewan and Vivek Vance was living in this house at the time he posed with three female classmates in the boys' bathroom They cite his tendency to criticize women for working instead of raising a family as one example. 'If your worldview tells you that it's bad for women to become mothers but liberating for them to work 90 hours a week in a cubicle at the New York Times or Goldman Sachs, you've been had,' he said in 2022. And the Harris camp has even claimed he advocated that women should stay in unhappy, or even violent, marriages for the sake of their children, when he said in 2022 that the sexual revolution had made it easier for people to 'shift spouses like they change their underwear'. Vance has adamantly denied that that is what he meant. A column in his home-state Ohio Capital Journal added Vance's 'stalking' of Vice President Kamala Harris at the Eau Clair Airport in Wisconsin when he walked over to her plane in an attempt to get her to answer questions as another example of his 'contempt' for women. 'It was the kind of juvenile stunt you'd expect from a frat boy being a jerk,' wrote Marilou Johanek, who labeled Vance 'Senator Cringeworthy'. 'The Republican vice-presidential nominee is seemingly hellbent on reinforcing his odious public image as a weird piece of work from The Handmaid's Tale,' she added. Joe Biden may have ended his reelection effort but almost six in 10 voters think he should go further and stand down as president. The 81-year-old bowed to pressure last month and stepped aside as the Democratic nominee for the presidential election after enduring weeks of scrutiny following a disastrous debate performance. Now voters are wondering whether he is fit enough to lead the country if he is not fit enough to run again. A whopping 57 percent of likely voters polled by J.L. Partners said they believe the nation's oldest president should resign now. Those numbers include almost half of Democrats or 47 percent. The White House has already dismissed calls for him to resign as 'ridiculous.' Karine Jean-Pierre, Biden's press secretary, said the president believed he could have completed a second term and had no intention of leaving the White House early. 'And he wants to finish the job that he started and delivering more historic results for the American people,' she told reporters at the White House soon after Biden ended his reelection run. Even so, questions about Biden's age and fitness for office have dogged his three-and-a-half years at the White House. They took on a new urgency last month when he froze up during his first campaign debate against Donald Trump on stage in Atlanta. He watched slack-jawed at times when his opponent was speaking and seemed to lose his way when answering questions. Donors were first to raise the alarm, openly questioning whether Biden was the best candidate to beat Trump. They were soon followed by Democratic lawmakers who worried that Biden's frailty at the top of the ticket would cost them their seats in November. With former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former President Barack Obama apparently coordinating moves from behind the scenes, Biden bowed to the inevitable after consulting with his closest advisers at his Delaware home. James Johnson, co-founder of J.L. Partners which conducted the poll, said the results showed Biden had lost authority with the American population. President Joe Biden's stunned reaction to at a Juneteenth concert on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington A day earlier he was at Tulane University to highlight his 'Cancer Moonshot' program 'It seems his announcement that he is leaving the race has confirmed to the public at large that he is not fit for office, as well as running again,' he said. 'This puts us in totally unprecedented territorythe president, who relies on the popular authority of the office, has a majority of voters and a chunky share of his own supporters saying he should leave. 'That is going to be cause for concern in the White House with months to go and potential crises ahead. One thing is for sure: there will be little room to carve any final legacies with a public that has stopped listening to Joe Biden.' Republicans were quick to call for Biden to resign the presidency when he pulled out of the race. 'If Joe Biden is not fit to run for president, he is not fit to serve as president,' said House Speaker Mike Johnson, the top Republican in Congress. But the poll results show that almost half of Democrats and 52 percent of independents now share that view. In the meantime, Biden has signaled that he wants to push ahead with setting out his legacy. On Tuesday, he highlighted $150 million in research awards for eight organizations as part of his 'Cancer Moonshot' program. Next week, he will address the Democratic Party convention in Chicago before ceding the stage to Kamala Harris. Aides say he will then turn his attention to distributing funding earmarked in signature legislation, shoring up alliances and making policy announcements. The anti-woke pundit Matt Walsh may have gotten too famous for his own good. In a hilarious clip from his new film, viewers can see the moment Walsh realizes he's too easy to recognize nowadays. He shared it exclusively with The Mail. It's from his upcoming release Am I Racist?, which pokes fun at racial justice warriors. He'd snuck himself into a support group called 'Grieving White Privilege, Ant-racist Allyship Training', pretending to be named Steven. But he made the mistake of sporting his trademark attire a plaid shirt, with thick beard and quiff. Filmmaker Matt Walsh was too easy to recognize with his trademark plaid shirt, beard, and quiff For his new documentary, Walsh went undercover as a rookie DEI consultant with a tweed jacket and a man bun In the session, a workshop-goer realized they had Walsh in their midst one of right-wing America's leading voices. The atmosphere quickly turned awkward and sour. But the cameras kept rolling. 'I want to know that my physical safety and yours and everybody else's here is okay,' said a woman attendee, her voice trembling. Breeshia Wade, the black woman leading the group of white attendees, urged Walsh to leave. Ultimately, members called the police, and Walsh had to wrap up his shoot. But not before the 38-year-old cracked some gags at the expense of the anti-racism confab. 'Is it because I said I had 17 black friends?' Walsh asked. 'It might have been 15. It depends on how you count them.' Before being walked out of the room, Walsh suggested he needed a 'better disguise.' In an email exchange with The Mail, Walsh kept the funnies flying about the incident. 'I wanted to confront my whiteness, and they called the cops on me,' quipped the filmmaker. 'That doesn't seem like a safe space to me.' Walsh was likely recognized due to his hit 2022 documentary about radical transgender ideas, called What Is a Woman? Back then, he could go undercover easily. Not anymore. The anti-trans flick and Walsh's eponymous Daily Wire show made him a minor celebrity, with 2.9 million followers on X and plaudits from the platform's owner Elon Musk. Thanks to his disguise, Walsh lands an interview with Robin DiAngelo, the leading anti-racism scholar who coined the phrase 'white fragility.' The movie takes aim at America's sprawling diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) industry Thankfully, Walsh had plenty of examples of liberal attire to draw from. He recalled a toe-curling past interview with Patrick Grzanka, a University of Tennessee gender expert. Walsh decided to mimic Grzanka's attire a tweed jacket, skinny jeans, and a blue shirt. To top it off, he sported a man-bun an ultimate symbol of liberal metro-sexuality. For the rest of the 1hr 41m racism movie, Walsh goes undercover as a pony-tailed liberal. He role-plays as a bumbling rookie diversity consultant who spouts racial justice buzzwords. He crashes the closed-door progressive supper club Race2Dinner, where white women guests pay thousands of dollars for co-founders Regina Jackson and Saira Rao to lecture them about white supremacy. He also sits-down with Robin DiAngelo, the leading anti-racism scholar who coined the phrase 'white fragility.' The film pours scorn on the massive diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) industry that ballooned after the police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, in Minneapolis in 2020. Advocates of DEI says it helps get more women and minorities into jobs and colleges that they had long struggled to access. But Walsh and others deride a woke box-ticking exercise that ends up robbing opportunities from straight, white men. All the while, they say, DEI consultants happily pocket six-figure salaries running absurd workshops on microaggressions. Walsh also showed up at progressive supper club Race2Dinner, where white women guests pay thousands of dollars to be lectured about white supremacy. In one scene, Walsh in his alter-ego delivers a workshop that introduces attendees to 'healing pain' 'Everything about this movie exposes the 'anti-racism' movement as one giant grift,' Walsh said. The clip, which was shared exclusively with The Mail, is 'just the beginning,' he added. 'People will be shocked when they see the rest.' The film is The Daily Wire's first theatrical release for an in-house production. The company's co-CEO Jeremy Boreing said he wanted it to 'reach every corner of America, not just The Daily Wire's core audience or political conservatives.' 'DEI is the next pillar of the woke mind virus that's about to topple,' he added. It hits theaters on September 13. Boki, a young Korean YouTuber, squares up to a towering platter of noodles topped with fried eggs and an assortment of dumplings and kimchi (fermented vegetables). Its the sort of feast that could feed a small family, but this meal is not for sharing. In a video posted to her extraordinary Eat With Boki channel, the slim young woman pours herself a giant glass of cola, takes a large gulp and then starts scooping up noodles with her chopsticks and piling them into her mouth. All of them. For ten unbroken minutes, Boki shovels in mouthful after mouthful, slurping noisily but somehow barely smudging her red lip-gloss. Only once the plate is cleared does she look at the camera, announcing to her ten million subscribers: I finished it all! I ate well. Bye. Welcome to the world of mukbang a global food phenomenon that has millions of regular viewers, particularly women, hooked. Boki, a young Korean YouTuber, digging into a towering amount of food, also known as a mukbang challenge for live audiences Combining the Korean words for eating (meokneun) and broadcast (bangsong), mukbang sees its stars consuming vast amounts of food on camera before posting clips for followers. And they do it because its lucrative, with thousands of mukbangers on YouTube and TikTok now competing to out-guzzle rivals and pull in advertising revenue. Some are said to be millionaires. But there is a dark side to this obsession. Last month, Chinese mukbanger Pan Xiaoting died while gorging on 22 lb (10 kg) of food. The morbidly obese 24-year-old was killed by a suspected stomach tear. Xiaoting collapsed, live on camera, during a ten-hour food binge on chocolate cake, chicken fingers and seafood. China had already banned such videos, but even the authoritarian Communist Party has been unable to stop Xiaoting and others from livestreaming meals (rather than posting clips afterwards). But mukbang presents a threat to public health beyond China and Asia, spreading to the US and even Britain and now several countries are cracking down on the phenomenon. D r Andrew Harris, a psychology lecturer at Nottingham University has warned: Mukbang videos centre around consumption and indulgence, potentially reinforcing a cycle of overeating or unhealthy food relationships. Boki gulping away at a large pint of coke as she takes on another giant plate of food for her followers For ten unbroken minutes, Boki shovels in mouthful after mouthful, slurping noisily but somehow barely smudging her red lip-gloss Chinese mukbanger Pan Xiaoting (pictured eating a Burger King) shockingly died while gorging on 22 lb (10 kg) of food live on camera Pan Xiaoting (pictured eating fast food) died after aa ten-hour food binge on chocolate cake, chicken fingers and seafood in front of a live online audience The trend first emerged in South Korea, where communal dining is of cultural importance. With a rise in the number of young Koreans living alone due in part to Covid and plummeting marriage and birth rates there was a demand for virtual dinner companions. In addition, more than a quarter of South Koreans in their 20s have temporary jobs and making mukbang videos has become a way to earn extra income. This was the case for Jeongae Kim, who was holding down two jobs to support her mother. Wooing viewers isnt just about how you eat but what you eat. Jeongaes 2.9 million subscribers like watching her feast on seafood or spicy food, she claims. Prior to her YouTube fame, she was living in a tiny flat and recording videos at 3 am to ensure there was no background noise. Thanks to mukbang, she now lives in a spacious apartment. So just how much are these professional eaters making? YouTubers with more than a million subscribers can potentially earn around 62,000 a year, while top creators those with over ten million subscribers can earn as much as 310,000 a month. No wonder the appetite for mukbang has grown beyond Asia. Trisha Paytas is a Los Angeles-based YouTuber who films herself devouring everything from scrambled eggs to buckets of fried chicken for five million subscribers. I did a Pizza Hut one where I eat like five different pizzas, Paytas told ABC News. And I think that made like maybe $50,000. Though she may be raking in the cash, there has been a price to pay. The mother-of-two has battled with depression and an eating disorder, ballooning to more than 15 st. Online trolling exacerbated her insecurities. Everyones go-to hate comments are Miss Piggy, Youre obese and Keep shoving food in your mouth, she said. As these continued to grow, so did my weight. Nikocado Avocado, or Nicholas Perry in real life, was previously a vegan when he lived in Colombia with his husband Orlin Home But the 32-year-old has raked in a net worth of 3 million gorging himself on camera in front of millions (pictured on a scooter with fist fulls of Taki's) After eating 10,000 calories a day (pictured eating noodles and Takis), Perry suffers with obesity and breathing problems Her battle with her size prompted her to get liposuction in 2017, but she piled on the pounds again not least because eating is effectively her job. Then theres 32-year-old Nikocado Avocado, or Nicholas Perry in real life, who has a net worth of about 3 million. The American now consumes over 10,000 calories at a sitting almost monthly live on camera. Perry went from 11.5 st in 2016 to around 25 st. He suffers from obesity and breathing problems, and is often shown in his videos wearing a mask for his sleep apnoea. Fans had reportedly warned Pan Xiaoting about the harm she was doing to her body, but her portions got bigger as her popularity grew. Which brings us to another element in the appeal of mukbang people get to eat vicariously. They indulge in the pleasures of others eating without any of the negative consequences not least gaining weight. Researchers monitoring the brainwave activity of mukbang viewers found the nucleus accumbens the subcortical brain structure known primarily for its roles in pleasure and addiction reacted more to the consumption by others of high-calorie food. Its not uncommon to see comments like: Is anyone else watching this so they wont eat? under online mukbang videos. A video blogger called Lydie, who became the first British mukbang star in 2016, believed her YouTube channel helped those struggling with eating disorders. Over 100,000 people watched the 25-year-old translator, from Yorkshire, scoffing McDonalds burgers, fries and chicken nuggets. I know that when I watch mukbang, I dont feel like eating any more, she told an interviewer. But health officials worldwide are now warning that the burgeoning interest in mukbang presents a real danger for influencers. Trisha Paytas (pictured in a video) is another prolific American mukbanger confessed she made around $50,000 tucking away on five pizzas in a mukcbang Although the mother-of-two is raking in the dough, mukbanging as she previously confessed to suffering with an eating disorder Her battle with her size prompted her to get liposuction in 2017 In 2018, when adult obesity was nearing 40 per cent, South Koreas government launched an anti-obesity plan citing harm caused by gluttony-encouraging media such as mukbang and saying there was insufficient monitoring around such online content. Meanwhile, China declared a crackdown, shutting 13,000 mukbang accounts in 2020. By that point, there were around 395,000 videos receiving nearly 30 million views. And last month, it was reported that the Philippines government is considering banning the content after a creator, Dongz Apatan, suffered a fatal stroke after gorging on fried chicken. But in a world thats increasingly connected virtually but disconnected from reality, the appetite for mukbang videos and the wealth they can generate for their creators is unlikely to diminish any time soon. An Australian FIFO worker who was fighting for life in Thailand has received the six pints of a rare blood type he needed to survive from selfless Aussie expats. James Lothian, 41, from Perth, suffered catastrophic injuries in a car crash in Chonburi, Thailand, in March while on a break from work to visit his wife and five-year-old son. Mr Lothian spent five months in intensive care at the Chonburi Hospital, requiring the use of a ventilator, and underwent emergency surgery on his stomach and liver. The father was released from hospital and had his dressings changed daily but the wounds to his liver and small intestines became infected. Mr Lothian needed surgery to remove the infected sections of his bowel, but it was unsuccessful and he was diagnosed with septicemia - a blood infection - in August. Doctors weren't able to perform surgery to remove the infected tissue until they could source enough O-negative blood. His family put a desperate call out for Australian expats who were travelling or living in Thailand who had O-negative blood to donate it if they could. In Australia, just 9 per cent of people have O-negative blood, but in Thailand it is far rarer, at just 0.3 per cent of the population. James Lothian, 41, from Perth , suffered catastrophic injuries in a car crash in Chonburi, Thailand, in March while on a break from work to visit his wife and five-year-old son The FIFO worker has been in hospital since March and may require further surgery Mr Lothian's sister revealed her brother was able to receive six pints' worth of blood from expat travellers and underwent surgery on Wednesday. The 41-year-old, however, still has a long road ahead of him, and has been unable to eat or drink since May, lost 40kg and is being fed via a tube. His family have started a GoFundMe to help cover Mr Lothian's extensive medical bills. It's possible he may need to be medevaced home to Australia or receive further surgery. 'Due to James being a visitor in Thailand medical bills are piling up and we are working hard to get him home safer to get good quality medical care,' his sister Stacey wrote. Mr Lothian's brother and father were among those who donated blood. Mr Lothian had been visiting his wife and five-year-old son in Thailand when he was involved in the car crash Sunrise host Nar Barr has slammed a decision to ban a lollipop man from high-fiving schoolchildren as 'un-Australian' during a fiery rant. John Goulden, a crossing supervisor for Mount Dandenong Primary School, was reprimanded by Victoria's Yarra Ranges Council after just one parent complained. The beloved lollipop man had been high-fiving students for four years before he was told he would need to comply with the council's code of conduct rules. 'It's totally ridiculous,' a fired-up Barr said of the decision on Thursday. 'Yarra Ranges Council you should be ashamed of yourself. Why does one person get to say what everyone does in the whole community? 'One lollipop man fist-bumping kids, what has happened to Australia? 'For god sake, if you are from Yarra Ranges Council phone us, or we're phoning you. 'This is not Australia. Absolutely ridiculous.' Sunrise host Nar Barr has slammed a decision to ban a lollipop man from high-fiving schoolchildren as 'un-Australian' during a fiery rant on Thursday John Goulden, a crossing supervisor for Mount Dandenong Primary School, was reprimanded by the Yarra Ranges Council after just one parent complained Co-presenter Monique Wright added that it 'just took one Karen to ruin everyone's fun'. 'If it was a Karen or a Ken we are onto them this morning,' Barr agreed. Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas told Sunrise that 99.9 per cent of Australians would praise Mr Goulden for doing 'exactly what we want our seniors to do'. 'Your out there making a contribution, your out there making our kids feel safe, your making them feel welcome with a high-five for goodness sake,' he said. 'Common sense has to reclaim it's ground and this would be a very good first step, to have this thrown out and reversed. How ridiculous.' 'You do wonder, who at Yarra Ranges Council said 'Ok we've got a complaint, we've got to address it',' Barr replied. She asked Melbourne broadcaster Neil Mitchell if he thought there was a child safety concern with allowing the high-fives to continue. 'They should reconsider and they will reconsider. There's already 800 signatures on the petition and that will grow with this exposure,' he said. 'I've had a look, there are 36 pages of instructions from VicRoads to the traffic supervisors. They're not allowed to vape, they're not allowed to smoke, they're not allowed to read newspapers, they're not allowed a mobile phone, they're not allowed to knit, but there is nothing there about high fiving. 'And he says he's been told off for calling the kids 'sweetheart'. We're worried about kids' mental health. He's doing exactly what he should. 'He's engaging with them. He's welcoming them.' Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas told Sunrise that 99.9 per cent of Australians would praise Mr Goulden for doing 'exactly what we want our seniors to do' Angry parents have rallied behind Mr Goulden and launched a petition with over 1,000 signatures so that he can continue to high-five students The Yarra Ranges Council said the parent who made the complaint was concerned Mr Goulden's high-fives were a threat to student safety. 'Council has reminded the contractor who is currently supervising children at the Mount Dandenong Primary School of expectations of the role regarding interactions with children,' the council said in a statement. Angry parents have rallied behind Mr Goulden and launched an online petition so that he can continue to high-five students. Organiser and parent at the school Rohan Bradley plans to take the petition to the council in the hopes they will reverse the decision. 'I was very happy to get behind this and encourage people to speak up because (the ban) felt like an injustice to the community,' he told the Herald Sun. As of Thursday morning, the petition had garnered almost 1,200 signatures online as well as 45 signatures from students and staff at the school. 'John's friendly high-fives are indeed a form of such positive social interaction, aiding in improving child mental health in our community,' Mr Bradley wrote. 'His high fives in the morning and afternoon have become a tradition that many children look forward to. A small gesture that symbolises the warmth and friendliness of our unique community.' A hero security guard who rushed to save an Australian girl being stabbed in London's Leicester Square has shared new details from the terrifying ordeal. Abdullah, 29, helped to disarm the 11-year-old's accused attacker after the man allegedly placed her in a headlock and stabbed her eight times at 11.30am on Monday. He held Ioan Pintaru, 32, who goes by his middle name Alexandru, on the ground for several minutes before Metropolitan Police arrived and arrested him. The 11-year-old girl from NSW required plastic surgery after she sustained serious wounds to her face, shoulder, wrist and neck during the alleged attack. The girl's mother, 34, was also injured and was found covered in her daughter's blood after she desperately tried to save her. Abdullah said he started running towards the alleged knifeman after he heard a scream while working in a store nearby. 'A couple of more people joined as well, and we just hold him until the police came. 'It took maybe three or four minutes for police to arrive, and they just took him into custody.' Security guard Abdullah, 29, helped to disarm the 11-year-old's alleged attacker after the man allegedly placed her in a headlock and stabbed her eight times at 11.30am on Monday Abdullah said he wasn't scared when he rushed at the alleged knifeman. 'I would say that I'm a brave person. We Pakistanis are brave by heart as. So I wasn't scared,' he told the ABC. 'I've never seen anything like it before, it was horrible,' he said. Pintaru, a long-distance truck driver, has been charged with attempted murder and possession of a bladed article in a public place following the allegedly random attack. He appeared at London's Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday wearing a grey tracksuit and spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth. Pintaru, who was described as homeless in court, was remanded in custody ahead of his next court hearing in the Old Bailey on September 10. Ioan Pintaru, 32, has been charged with attempted murder and possession of a bladed article in a public place following the alleged attack in London Police have not confirmed a motive for the attack but say it was not terror-related (pictured, police officers at the scene in Leicester Square in London) Police have not confirmed a motive for the alleged attack but say it was not terror-related. They believe Pintaru did not know his alleged victims. The girl had been on holiday with her family when she was attacked. She had been visiting the TWG Tea store with her mother at Leicester Square, a tourist hotspot which receives up to 2.5million visitors every week. An Australian driver's rebellious note to rangers about the introduction of cashless parking meters has won huge support online. In a message printed out and placed in their car window - along with two gold coins - the driver wrote that 'The introduction of a cashless payment system does not suit my lifestyle. 'I am willing to pay with these coins any day of the week. I would request that you do not issue a fine against this vehicle. Yours sincerely, Owner of this vehicle.' Their response garnered praise from commenters when the sign was posted to social media. 'My father may have a smart phone ... but like hell does he have any idea how to work it other than as a phone... this is totally unacceptable and discrimination against the older generation !!' one poster wrote. 'I've watched so many elderly struggle with this as they can't download the app. It's disgraceful,' said another. 'Yes I only identify as a cash paying citizen,' a third person wrote. In a message (pictured) printed out and placed in their car window - along with two gold coins - the driver wrote that 'The introduction of a cashless payment system does not suit my lifestyle' A car is pictured in Sydney beside a modern, cashless parking meter with a digital display Others pointed out the hidden charges that come with using a card to make payments. Poll Should car parks be forced to take cash as well as electronic payments? Yes No Should car parks be forced to take cash as well as electronic payments? Yes 1243 votes No 71 votes Now share your opinion 'I recently used my debit card for a $3 meter charge and lo and behold I get a .32 cent additional charge for doing so.you try and find that on the fine print on the meter.,' wrote one. Another said 'Our government needs to amend laws to stop banks controlling these transactions. 'Governments should always ensure their constituents have the right to pay cash in our society. The fees imposed by the banks are all added into prices we are paying. 'Tired of banks running the economy, need to open a government bank and encourage the use of cash as a payment again.' While there was not a lot of support for electronic payments among the hundreds of comments, one poster pointed out that people don't have to use the service. The war against everything going cashless has taken a humorous turn with one outraged Aussie taking a very unusual stance. A parking ticket inspector is pictured 'What people don't get is the method of payment is determined by the person that is selling the service or goods. If they don't want cash then that's their choice. 'As a potential customer you have the choice of using the service and paying in the way set out or......don't use the service and go elsewhere. 'One thing is certain, business that have convenience of payment, like apps and contact less, will do better than those that don't. 'Stop living in the past and modernise.' The family of a 12-year-old girl who was allegedly tortured to death by her father and wicked stepmother have filed a lawsuit against a number of state and county agencies - alleging an 'absolute failure of the system.' Malinda Hoagland's three half sisters are seeking millions of dollars from Chester County, its Children, Youth and Family Office, Monroe County and its office of Children and Youth, as well as the Coatesville Area School District and the state of Pennsylvania in the federal suit filed Wednesday. A separate lawsuit was also filed in state court against Commonwealth Charter Academy - the school Malinda attended from January up until her death in May. The suits say all of these different agencies 'looked the other way' at warning signs that Malinda was being beaten and starved by her father, Rendell Hoagland, 52, and her stepmother Cindy Warren, 45, prior to her death in May, according to Fox 29. These missed warning signs were 'so astounding and show an absolute failure of the system that should never be allowed to happen again,' the suits say. Malinda Hoagland's three half sisters have filed wrongful death suits against a number of county and Pennsylvania agencies as well as the schools she attended Her father Rendell Hoagland, 52, and her stepmother Cindy Warren, 45, are now charged with her death The lawsuits claim representatives from Chester and Monroe counties, as well as staff at the schools Malinda attended 'affirmatively used their authority to place [her] into a home in which they knew that [she] was the ongoing victim of serial abuse, starvation and torment. 'Had these defendants not misused their authority in this manner, Malinda Hoagland would have been removed from her residence, spared months of torture, abuse and starvation and would be alive today,' the suits say, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. The suits argue that Warren should never have been allowed to live with Malinda due to a child abuse conviction over 20 years ago that resulted in the death of her ex-husband McKinley Warren Jr.'s two-year-old daughter Jessica Bock. Jessica died in 2000 in after Warren refused to change her diaper because 'she had painted her nails.' Instead, she called McKinley, who had been drinking at a bar, to come home and change the toddler's diaper - which is when he fatally injured Jessica. Warren's ex-husband McKinley Warren Jr. is serving 25 to 50 years for Jessica's murder and for abusing their three-year-old son, Isaiah. Warren, meanwhile, was given a three to seven year prison sentence after she testified against her former partner and pleaded guilty to child endangerment of their son. But in a 2020 custody order in Monroe County, Warren was explicitly barred from being left alone with Malinda, the Inquirer reports. Yet nothing was done when Rendell moved with her and Malinda to Montgomery County and eventually Chester County, the lawsuits argue. The suits argue that Warren should never have been allowed to live with Malinda due to a child abuse conviction over 20 years ago Warren's ex-husband McKinley Warren Jr. is serving 25 to 50 years for the death of his two-year-old daughter, Jessica (right) The suits also claim that the staff at North Brandywine Middle School, where Malinda was enrolled up until November 2023, filed a complaint with the state Department of Health's ChildLine service over the girls' absences and their concerns that she was being abused at home, given her physical condition and behavior. Records show Malinda had about 25 unexcused absences and an additional 10 excused absences in 2023, before she was removed from in-person schooling, NBC Philadelphia reports. But employees at the Children, Youth and Family Office only called the home to discuss the concerns - and never conducted an in-person visit, the lawsuit alleges. In those two phone calls, Hoagland and Warren said they would address the concerns about Malinda at her next doctor's appointment - but records show there was no indication she had seen a doctor for several years before her death, the lawsuits claim. 'If you have a student in your class who's becoming emaciated, losing weight, has scabs, wounds, bruises, [is] hiding food in her locker - which they knew about - you have to do more,' attorney Tom Bosworth said. He noted that the goal of the civil suits is 'to ensure that a full and complete accountability will be achieved for the heinous actions of the educators, case workers and institutions who all failed Malinda miserably. 'The imposition of punitive damages is necessary to not only punish these defendants for their reckless conduct, but also as a deterrent so nothing like this ever happens again.' An autopsy found Malinda had more than 75 identifiable 'bruises, contusions, ulcers, and pressure sores' on her body Prosecutors have said Malinda was found 'barely alive' by police on May 4, after her father called 911 - claiming she had crashed her bicycle into a tree. But medics at a local hospital were shocked by her condition, which included heavy bruising, half a dozen broken bones and liver damage. An autopsy eventually discovered more than 75 individually identifiable 'bruises, contusions, ulcers, and pressure sores' on her body, and concluded that her death was caused by 'starvation and multiple blunt force injuries'. She weighed just 50 pounds at the time of her death, prosecutors noted. An ensuing investigation found that Rendell and Warren scrambled to delete videos and text messages in the hours before her death. But officers were still able to recover 'hundreds of videos and still images on the defendants' cellphones and Blink Security Cameras,' after securing a search warrant. They reportedly show Hoagland and Warren cuffing Malinda's ankles to furniture, forcing her to sleep chained on the floor with no pillow or blankets, and telling her not to expect breakfast, lunch or dinner. The obese couple would allegedly force the little girl to do 'endless amounts' of strenuous exercises while shackled as punishment for 'perceived slights'. Those 'slights' included stealing food, not smiling during school sessions over Zoom, or wetting herself while cuffed to furniture. They would watch her over the video surveillance system and bark out commands and reprimands through the speaker system while the girl was chained and alone in the basement. Other footage showed Malinda begging Warren to unshackle her, according to the lawsuit. 'I'm not going to act stupid, I'm not going to make you mad,' the young girl could allegedly be heard pleading. 'I know I ruined everything. Please allow me to change.' Lawyers for Malinda's half sisters say they want accountability from the different agencies Prosecutors also say Malinda's father and stepmother withdrew her from in-person schooling in November 2023, and enrolled her in solely online classes. They would then allegedly use makeup to cover up her bruises and shackled her to the floor. Hoagland and Warren are now facing the death penalty as they are charged with first degree murder. But investigators have said there is no indication that either the Coatesville Area School District or the online Commonwealth Charter Academy failed to meet the legal requirements of reporting abuse. They said evidence shows that teachers at both schools often checked in with Malinda. In a statement to NBC Philadelphia, a spokesperson for the Coatesville Area School District said, 'The torture and death of this child is a horrific tragedy. 'We follow and exceed state-mandated policies and procedures for training of faculty and staff to identify and report suspected child abuse,' the spokesperson continued. 'We were shocked and shaken by the news that Malinda Hoagland had died months after being withdrawn from our school district last year.' The Commonwealth Charter Academy also said that law enforcement officials found they did not fail in their responsibilities to report abuse, and noted that Malinda was an honor student who regularly attended classes and was actively engaged. 'Malinda Hoagland's death was tragic and heartbreaking for the CCA school community,' it said. A representative of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services also told NBC Philadelphia they could not comment on pending litigation, but called Malinda's loss 'tragic. 'Our sincerest thoughts continue to be with Malinda's family and friends, as the death and loss of any child is tragic.' Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has been asked if he's a 'heartless racist' after claiming Palestinians fleeing Gaza shouldn't be allowed in Australia. Mr Dutton demanded all visa applications from Gaza be refused amid claims people fleeing the war could pose a threat to Australia's national security. Coalition MPs wrote to Tony Burke on Tuesday, calling on the newly appointed Home Affairs Minister to tighten visa vetting for applicants from Gaza to ensure they held no rhetorical support for Palestinian militant group Hamas. However, Mr Dutton held firm that no one from Gaza should be entering Australia right now while speaking on Sky News. 'I don't think people should be coming in through that war zone at all at the moment,' he said. 'It puts our national security at risk.' Mr Dutton was grilled over the call on Today and asked if he was a 'heartless racist' and whether he had 'any humanity'. 'We have to make decisions and they can be tough decisions, but the decisions are in our country's best interests,' Mr Dutton said. Opposition leader Peter Dutton (pictured) was has been asked if he was a 'heartless racist' after doubling down on demands to refuse entry to immigrants from Gaza He claimed the Albanese government had brought in people from a war zone without doing face-to-face interviews in some cases. 'That is without precedent; 1,300 people have come here on tourist visas, again, without precedent,' he said. 'I think it's a massive, latest mess of the Albanese government, and it puts our country at risk.' He also claimed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese either 'misled parliament' or 'just didn't have a clue what he was talking about' on Wednesday by saying the same process applies when bringing people out of Gaza as when Australia brought people over from Syria. 'That is just not true. Twelve months after we took that decision I was still being criticised for not bringing people here quickly enough,' he said. Mr Dutton said face-to-face interviews were done in northern Iraq along with biometric testing. 'The government has done none of that,' he said. 'I'm sure the vast majority of these people are just innocent people fleeing a war zone, but our country's best interest is served when we know who is coming here and when we have a proper process to exclude those who are sympathisers of a listed terrorist organisation.' Dutton said the government should put a freeze on Gazan immigration amid claims people fleeing the war could be linked to Hamas (pictured, displaced Palestinians on the Gaza Strip) When asked if it's 'all refugees' he wants to stop from coming into the country, Mr Dutton replied 'we should stop people coming in from a war zone'. 'We don't know if the proper checks haven't been done ... You bring 3,000 people in, let's say 99 per cent are good. 'If 1 per cent of people are questionable or sympathisers with a listed terrorist organisation, how on earth is that in our country's best interests?' He added his 'job is to protect all Australians'. 'I'm not discriminating on any basis. I'm happy to see people brought in from the Middle East if they've been properly checked,' he said. 'We make decisions that are in our country's best interests. That is not what Anthony Albanese has done.' Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured) said Mr Dutton 'always seeks to divide' and that his comments went against the advice of ASIO's director general and security agencies Senator Jane Hume said there should be a 'temporary pause' on visas when asked if she supported Dutton's call while speaking to the ABC on Wednesday morning. 'If we cannot do the security checks to ensure that those who are fleeing Gaza are not supporters of Hamas, then we have to take a temporary pause until we can be assured of that. We must do that to keep Australians safe,' she said. Mr Albanese told ABC TV earlier that Mr Dutton 'always seeks to divide'. 'We take our advice from the director general of ASIO and the security agencies, not from someone always looking for a fight,' he said. NDIS Minister Bill Shorten told Radio National that he didn't share Mr Dutton's view on Wednesday. 'I think if somehow he's conflating the idea that every person (who) lives in Gaza is a member of Hamas, I don't share that view,' he said. 'He hasn't said that, but he says there's risk. 'We currently have a process where ASIO vet people, where we have national security checking and, memo to Peter Dutton, we're using the same process that he used. 'So if he thinks our current process is no good, then what's he saying about all the time when he was in charge?' Teal MP Zali Steggell has slammed Peter Dutton as 'racist' over his call to ban Palestinians fleeing to Australia from war-torn Gaza. The opposition leader told Sky News on Wednesday there was uncertainty about Gazan refugees and their allegiance to the Palestinian terrorist group, Hamas. 'I don't think people should be coming in from that war zone at all at the moment, it's not prudent to do so, and I think it puts our national security at risk,' Mr Dutton said. On the floor of the House of Representatives on Thursday, Ms Steggall - who represents Warringah on Sydney's northern beaches - accused Mr Dutton of painting all Palestinians as terrorists. 'These are families that you are seeking to paint...that somehow they are all terrorists, that they should all be mistrusted, that they are not worthy of humanitarian aid,' she said. 'Stop being racist.' Mr Dutton said the remark was 'unparliamentary' and asked for it to be withdrawn. Peter Dutton does not believe Palestinians fleeing Gaza should be allowed into Australia for security reasons Ms Steggall objected : 'A description of language being racist is an unparliamentary remark?' But she then complied with the Speaker's request to withdraw the comment. Mr Dutton defended his comments later on Thursday, telling Today Show host Karl Stefanovic he was trying to protect Australians. Stefanovic asked: 'Are you heartless, a heartless racist? Do you have any humanity?' Mr Dutton replied: 'I just think all the usual political tripe, put it all to one side.' 'We have to make decisions, and they can be tough decisions, but decisions that are in our country's best interests.' 'What's happened here, Karl, is that the government has brought people in from a war zone - in some cases, they haven't even done face-to-face interviews and that is without precedent.' He likened the situation to the idea of allowing Al-Qaeda and ISIS sympathisers to enter the country. Independent MP Zali Steggall (pictured in the House of Representatives on Thursday) called Mr Dutton 'racist' 'The government's trying to patch this up, but they are putting our country at risk. We can take people in a measured, responsible way, that's not what they've done,' he said. When asked whether he had discussed his position with his colleagues beforehand, Mr Dutton said: 'It's a discussion not for Shadow Cabinet, to be honest, it's a discussion with the national security team. 'It's in our country's best interests.' ASIO head Mike Burgess and home affairs department officials have repeatedly stated appropriate security checks were conducted for visa applicants. About 1200 Israelis were killed when Hamas launched its October 7 attack and almost 40,000 Palestinians have been killed due to Israel's counteroffensive in Gaza. The Australian government has called for a ceasefire plan to be adopted as the death toll mounts and the humanitarian situation worsens. A teenage girl battling anorexia was Googling how few calories she could eat a day to live off before tragically taking her own life. Victorian father Robb Evans said his daughter Liv's battle with her eating disorder was sparked by schoolyard bullies and fuelled by social media before her death in April last year. 'The claws were in so deeply she couldn't see a place to recover,' he said of his 15-year-old, clutching her urn under his right arm. While he still searches for clarity on what his daughter was exposed to, the posts she was comfortable showing him included advice on masking illness with water and clothing. 'It got more sinister in how few calories could you consume in a day to live,' he said. 'She was searching for this content and then being presented with more and more of it.' Through his grief, Mr Evans has thrown his energy behind a campaign to force teenagers under the age of 16 off social media. Mr Evans earlier told Channel Nine's 60 Minutes that social media giant Instagram preyed on his daughter 'whether intentional or not'. Victorian father Robb Evans is speaking out following the death of his daughter Liv in April last year 'People that are saying, ''I'm healthy and I live off 200 calories a day'',' Mr Evans told the program 'I said, ''Liv, they're lying''. 'I said, ''you have to understand that these people might be saying they're healthy'' but I said ''you cannot survive on 200 calories a day and this is the reason why''.' Meta and TikTok allow children as young as 13 onto their platforms, though each cannot easily verify ages. The 36 Months campaign co-led by media personality Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli has also won support from comedian Hamish Blake, Hollywood actor Tahyna MacManus, business, academics and parents. A petition signed by 110,000 people was presented to NSW parliament on Wednesday. Even without platforms implementing a 'very simple' technical method to verify age, enacting a legal minimum would empower young teens to stay away and parents to enforce bans, supporters say. Liv Evans was exposed to disturbing information on social media platforms during her battle with an eating disorder Wipfli denied mounting an attack on social media, saying Australia needed to acknowledge young children were more vulnerable to doom-scrolling and other key features of Instagram and TikTok. 'We need it (change) now - there are kids on the edge so we don't have time to waste,' Wipfli said. Eating disorder experts say teenagers need more time to develop without the influence of social media and want a ban for under-16s among other changes. 'The teenage years are the most prevalent age of onset for an eating disorder in Australia,' the Australia and New Zealand Academy for Eating Disorders told a federal inquiry. 'Due to the loop of content reinforcing appearance ideals, control of eating etc. the algorithm can reinforce challenges related to the development of an eating disorder and treatment seeking and recovery.' Instagram's parent company says it has spent more than US$5billion ($A7.5 billion) on safety and security in the past year alone. Teens who search for content related to eating disorders or body image issues now see a pop-up with tips and an easy way to connect with support organisations such as the Butterfly Foundation. 'We have developed - and continue to review and update - our approach to eating disorder content in consultation with experts around the world,' Meta has told a federal social media inquiry. Mr Evans said quiet kids like his daughter needed to be protected Age verification for the online purchase of alcohol has been trialled in NSW, with that state government flagging that it could inform similar pilots for social media. A state-run summit in October is hoped to generate innovative solutions to the challenges of social media. Mr Evans said quiet kids like his daughter needed to be protected. 'She was so loving and kind, very creative, loved animals and never had a bad word to say about anyone,' he said. 'I obviously miss her every day.' This global crisis has triggered politicians in Florida, in the US, to call for a ban on teenagers having access to social media for children under 14, while 15 and 16 year olds will need parental consent. Texas has also recently legislated parental consent will be required before a user under the age of 18 can open an account. Communications minister Michelle Rowland says the Australian government will be closely monitoring how these bans work and whether its effective. It comes after South Australia also moved to ban social media for children under the age of 14. The state government has appointed former High Court chief justice Robert French to conduct a legal examination into banning accounts for children. Mr French will examine what regulatory and technological 'pathways' the government might pursue to institute its prohibition. The government's policy would also require parental consent for children aged 14 and 15. Meanwhile in NSW, Premier Premier Chris Minns said a summit will be held in October 'to address the increasing harm online platforms are having on children and young people'. Environment minister Tanya Plibersek said the government was taking kid's mental health seriously. Lifeline 13 11 14 Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25) Butterfly Foundation 1800 334 673 The family of an Australian man are pleading for help to pay for his repatriation flights from China where he has been in a coma for over a month. Yang Yang Chen, 34, was about to fly home to Sydney on June 20 after a three-week holiday when a nasty fall left him with severe skull fractures. He was rushed to the ICU unit in Shantou Central Hospital, in the Guangdong Province, before being transferred to the neurosurgery ward where he remains. Without travel insurance Mr Chen's medical bills continue to grow, while the option to fly him back home is even more expensive because of the severity of his injuries. A common medical care model in the country means his mother Grace Huang had to travel to the hospital to be by his side around the clock. Ms Huang said the uncertainty about her son's future has caused the family 'great emotional stress'. The family have launched a GoFundMe to help pay the estimated $250,000 bill to safely fly Mr Chen back to Australia. 'Any financial aid you can provide will be greatly appreciated by the whole family and those closest to us,' a post to the fundraiser reads. Sydney man Yang Yang Chen (pictured), 34, has been in a coma in a Chinese hospital since June 20 and needs to be repatriated to Australia by the end of August when his visa expires His mother and primary school teacher, Grace Huang (pictured), has been by his side for weeks and revealed an air ambulance would cost the family $250,000 Ms Huang said she has been getting little sleep during the weeks spent beside her son, leaving her 'physically and emotionally drained and on the verge of collapse'. 'My heart aches to see my son in such a condition,' she wrote. The part-time school teacher from Sydney said she and her husband have tried to access help from the Australian consulate in Guangzhou. However, they were instead told that the issue of Mr Chen's repatriation is 'solely a family responsibility', according to Ms Huang. They have also been told that their son's condition means he can't fly as a 'stretcher passenger' on a commercial flight. 'Yang is not even fit for medical repatriation on commercial flights because of his skull fractures, pulmonary embolism and still being in a coma,' Ms Huang wrote. 'This means he is not able to be put on lower flow oxygen inhalation for the flight back home.' She added that their final option is to bring Mr Chen home via air ambulance with CareFlight, which is estimated to cost around $250,000. Hardened criminals with more than 100 previous convictions are being spared jail as Britain's overcrowded prisons reach 'breaking point'. The number of career criminals avoiding jail for their offences has nearly tripled from 1,289 in 2007 to 3,325 in 2023, Ministry of Justice data shows. In more than 4,000 cases since 2007, offenders have avoided prison, as revealed by The Telegraph last night. MailOnline revealed last month that as many as three in five prisons are now overcrowded, with prison governors fearing they will soon run out of space. In the wake of the recent riots and the promise of swift justice for offenders, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has warned that soft justice has led many to feel 'crime has no consequences' - vowing to tackle the crisis. HMP Wandsworth (pictured) is one of the most overcrowded prisons in the country, running at more than 150% capacity Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced a series of measures designed to ease overcrowding in jails and avert a 'total breakdown of law and order'. In a speech at HMP Five Wells, in Northamptonshire, she said prisons were 'on the point of collapse' Your browser does not support iframes. Labour has been accused of taking a 'dangerous gamble' with plans to release prisoners early in a bid to manage the overcrowding problem, however. Under new plans, offenders will be automatically freed after serving just 40 per cent of their sentence, rather than the current 50 per cent. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the measures were designed to ease the pressure on full jails and avert a 'total breakdown of law and order'. She stressed the rule would not apply to violent offenders serving more than four years, sex offenders or those in prison for crimes connected to domestic abuse. Dangerous offenders serving extended or life sentences would also be exempted from the scheme. The early release scheme is due to run for at least 18 months, with the first batch of prisoners freed in September. Under the plans, far-right rioters could also be released early, in spite of the government's hard stance against violent disorder in the wake of the Southport stabbings. Rioters sentenced last week all received less than the four year cap, meaning they may too be eligible for the release after serving 40 per cent of their sentence. A rioter locked up for three years this week will have already served 40 per cent of their sentence in around 14 months time. Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley previously said around 70 per cent of those arrested at a protest in Whitehall had prior convictions, including for weapon possession, violence and other serious offences. Neil OBrien, former Tory minister and MP for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston, told The Telegraph: 'Most people would expect that sentence lengths would massively increase if you were being convicted for the umpteenth time but instead sentencing gets weaker for those with many previous convictions the more crime less time effect. 'Too many people in the criminal justice system are obsessed with community sentences and modish ideas, but the evidence is that jailing the small number of super-prolific offenders who commit an outsized proportion of crime for longer is an effective way to make the public safer.' A Ministry of Justice source told MailOnline that there would be further exemptions to the early release programme, including those found guilty of arson or terrorism - which some rioters could be charged with. Rioters throw a wheelie bin amid an attack on a hotel housing asylum seekers on August 4 Police defend themselves as far-right thugs launch planks of wood during a riot in Rotherham Police face off with far-right agitators on Parliament Road in Middlesbrough on August 4 Your browser does not support iframes. Ms Mahmood announced last week that an extra 500 prison places would be introduced to house rioters, and has blamed the previous Government for leaving prisons overcrowded and 'at the brink of collapse'. In June, under the Tory government, a leaked report concluded the UK would run out of space to house prisoners by 2025 with a shortfall of 2,300 cells on the exiting path. 'The March 2022 demand and supply forecast shows that, assuming all current planned capacity projects are delivered on time there will be a capacity gap of 2,300 by March 2025,' the memo posted on the MoJ website read. The Ministry swiftly removed the two-page report from its website after being asked about it by Inside Time, the UK's prison newspaper. A spokesman said it was an 'internal, draft document that is over a year old, was not cleared and was published in error'. A father and son have been jailed after pocketing 136k in a 'get-rich-quick' scheme - returning cheap irons to Argos with forged receipts. Paul Mathews, 62, and Dean Mathews, 40, took back or exchanged as many as 528 items at stores over a period of some three years, police said. The duo, from Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, would buy reconditioned Tefal irons - worth 400 new - at heavily discounted prices. They would then take the irons to Argos stores and ask for the money back or a gift card. The duo were caught out in February 2024 when staff at chain raised suspicions over Paul's activity. Upon further inspection, police uncovered an 'elaborate plot' they said was aimed at making 'as much money as possible'. Police shared CCTV footage they say shows Paul Matthews, jailed over the 'iron' scheme Dean Matthews (pictured) worked with his father on the scheme over a period of three years Dean Matthews was jailed for two years for his involvement in the 'elaborate plot' Paul Matthews received a sentence of three years for his role City of London detectives linked the men's cars to CCTV footage at different Argos stores which matched up with fraudulent transactions. And a number of items, including Tefal irons kept in an Argos carrier bag, were seized from their addresses. Upon their first arrest, the pair were bailed under the condition that they could not visit an Argos store - but they continued their criminal spree less than 24 hours after being released. They were arrested again in May 2024 and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud and money laundering. A search of their home address in June uncovered bank cards linked to the Argos fraud hidden inside a clock, police said. Nineteen new offences were put to them during interview, and both men were remanded in custody due to their repeat offending. During their sentencing at Norwich Crown Court on Tuesday, Paul was jailed for three years and his son Dean was jailed for two. Det Chf Insp Lee Parish, of City of London Police, said: 'This was an elaborate plot with a very simple objective - make as much money as possible. 'Both men will now serve time in prison for their actions, which should serve as a lesson to those being tempted by illegal get-rich-quick schemes. 'You will eventually be found out, and we will pursue you until justice is served. 'Retail fraud has a huge impact on a very human level. 'The impact of this fraud has a human element when you consider that businesses rely on profitability to pay their employees' salaries, health benefits, and health insurance.' Police said they became involved in the case after Argos raised suspicions about Paul Matthews. City of London Police's specialist Fraud Operations team were ultimately brought in to investigate, pinning the scam on the duo. The men initially responded 'no comment' through police interviews after their arrests in February. The public has been warned to avoid a West Midlands canal where dead fish were found after the water was contaminated by deadly cyanide. The 'serious' toxic chemical spillage has affected a 12-mile stretch of water in Walsall and sparked a major incident to be declared. The Environment Agency tested the water in the canal networks and towpaths for sodium cyanide with Walsall Council's leader later confirming it to be the substance. Residents living near the waterway were told not to eat fish from the canal or have contact with the contaminated water. The public have been asked to avoid an extended area of the canal and towpaths from the Walsall lock flight to the lock flights at Rushall, Ryders Green and Perry Barr. The 'serious' toxic chemical spillage has affected a 12-mile stretch of water in Walsall and sparked a major incident to be declared The Environment Agency tested the water in the canal networks and towpaths for sodium cyanide A sign warns the spillage could pose a potential serious risk to health if 'you or your pets are exposed' Walsall Council leader Garry Perry confirmed the substance to be sodium cyanide, which can cause seizures, vomiting and loss of consciousness. The UK Health Security Agency says it is used in industry for metal cleaning, plating, extraction and photography. The Environment Agency said it was investigating a surface coatings and sealings firm, Anochrome Ltd, as a possible source of the leak. The public body described the incident in Walsall as 'unacceptable' and warned it would take 'robust enforcement action' if any wrongdoing had occurred. Anochrome describes itself as 'a quality conscious and environmentally aware organisation' on its website. Walsall Council previously said a major incident was declared on Tuesday. An EA spokesperson said: 'We are working closely with Walsall Council and the UK Health Security Agency to respond to the serious chemical spill incident in Walsall and to assess the impact on the environment. 'We are now investigating the company that is believed to have caused this incident. Dead fish have been pictured floating in the canal that has been poisoned by the deadly toxic chemical spillage The spillage, which was discovered on Monday, had gone directly into a stretch of the canal from Spinks Bridge, Walsall, down to Birchills Street Bridge Walsall Council said the Environment Agency was testing the canal water for sodium cyanide and other chemicals in the affected area. Exposure to the chemical can cause headaches, nausea, dizziness, confusion, changes in heart rate and loss of consciousness, according to the agency(file image) The canal was closed off on Wednesday morning, with several police cars and members of the Canals and Rivers Trust at the scene A stretch of canal at Reservoir Place, Walsall, West Midlands, where dead fish can be seen floating on top of the water, is cordoned off by police 'Pollution of this kind is unacceptable and the impact on wildlife and the environment can be severe. We will take robust enforcement action if non-compliance is uncovered. 'We have established a sampling and testing programme and urge the public to follow safety advice given by the local council.' A spokesperson for the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs said ministers were closely monitoring the situation, adding: 'Toxic pollution of this kind is disgraceful.' Anochrome said it had immediately notified the EA and Severn Trent Water following the incident and its senior management team remained on-site working to minimise and contain the spill, BBC News reported. Bruce and Lauris Crook, 72 and 70 - originally from New Zealand, live on a narrowboat and have been unable to pass through the locks on the canal since Monday while water testing takes place. Mr Crook told the PA news agency: 'They want the water to stay as undisturbed as possible. As a first step it seems they want everything to stay still. 'The locks were closed because of repairs required, but by Monday afternoon, it was a wider stoppage. So we can't move. The council added that anyone who has taken any fish from the canal should not eat them while drinking water will not be affected by the incident In a statement, the council said they were notified of a spillage in Pleck by the Environment Agency on August 12 that had gone directly into the canal 'We registered with the Canal and River Trust as an interested party and they'll let us know when they're happy that the boats start moving again.' Residents in the area expressed their frustration and anger upon hearing the news, raising concerns about the damage the chemical will cause to the local area. Martyn Lever told the Express & Star: 'We use the canal all the time for leisure, recreation and we walk the dog along there, plus I volunteer litter picking along there and we try to keep the area as clean and tidy as we can. 'When you see something like this, standing on the bridge and seeing dead fish on the top, it's a horrible thing to see and the thing is that two days ago, it was fine, but we saw the pollution yesterday morning and it seems like it was allowed to happen. A heartbreaking reminder of the 10-year-old girl allegedly murdered by her own mum remains on the balcony of her home -as she is remembered as the 'smartest person' in her school. Sophie Wang, a Year 5 student at Emmanuel College, was unable to be saved by paramedics after they rushed to her home in Emerald Lakes, in Carrara, on the Gold Coast, just after 6pm on Tuesday. Her father had found the 10-year-old with her throat allegedly slashed and phoned triple zero. Sophie's 46-year-old mother, Yingying Xu, was arrested in a nearby street just before 10.30pm and later charged with murder. In a heartbreaking reminder of the domestic tragedy, some items of little Sophies school uniform could be seen drying on the line on the balcony at the back of the house. Sophies classmate Oliver Hayes, 11, laid flowers outside her home on Wednesday afternoon with his mother and other school friends. She was one of the smartest kids in our school, Oliver said. Theres so many words to describe her. She was very nice, she really cared about people a lot and she was very kind. Sophie Wang, a Year 5 student at Emmanuel College, was unable to be saved by paramedics after they rushed to her home in Emerald Lakes, in Carrara, on the Gold Coast , just after 6pm on Tuesday. She was remembered by school mates as smart and kind Sophie's 46-year-old mother, Yingying Xu (pictured), was arrested in a nearby street just before 10.30pm and later charged with murder The Carrara community and Emmanuel College, which has its grounds just yards from the Wang-Xu house, is grappling with shock and grief in the wake of the horrifying incident. On Thursday morning, several children accompanied by their parents came to lay flowers at the scene on their way to school. Police tape is still blocking the residential street and a large criminal forensic van sits outside the front door of the property, as a team of officers could be seen entering and leaving the suburban home on Thursday morning. In a heartbreaking reminder of the domestic tragedy, some items of little Sophies school uniform could be seen drying on the line on the balcony at the back of the house (pictured) Sophies classmate Oliver Hayes (pictured), 11, laid flowers outside her home on Wednesday afternoon with his mother and other school friends. She was one of the smartest kids in our school, Oliver said On Thursday morning, several children accompanied by their parents came to lay flowers at the scene on their way to school It comes as a candlelit vigil is due to be held for Sophie on Friday at 4pm by the Main Fountain in Emerald Lakes. A neighbour across the street from where the tragedy took place described Sophie as a really friendly little girl. Amanda, 68, said she was in the same class as her grandson and used to see her walking to and from school. I could always hear her playing music, Amanda told Daily Mail Australia. She was always walking to school and back. She was really friendly and would say hi. A really friendly little girl. Amanda said her grandson was being given counselling by the school. He always talked about Sophie. They got along very well, she added. Police tape is still blocking the residential street and a large criminal forensic van sits outside the front door of the property, as a team of officers could be seen entering and leaving the suburban home on Thursday morning (pictured) Its just so awful. The school and the whole community is just in shock. A mother whose daughter was in Sophies choir laid daffodils at the scene on Thursday afternoon. Everyone is just in shock, no one will ever really understand it. Its so hard on the kids, the mother-of-two said. She revealed that Sophie was in the Emmanuel College reading club, a star program for children who have read over a million words. Wed often see her reading in the library in the mornings. She was a really good reader, the mother added. On Tuesday night, Daily Mail Australia revealed that detectives are investigating religious TikToks Sophies mother made on the same day she allegedly killed her. Earlier on Tuesday, Xu had posted three videos on TikTok in which she muttered to the camera about religion in Chinese. In the clips, Xu talks about Christianity and how the 'trinity' is the 'only true god' and 'Jesus is the incarnate son of man'. The videos will form part of the investigation into the case, which seasoned detectives have describe as one of the 'most confronting they have ever seen. In my 15 years as a detective it is one of the most confronting scenes I have ever seen, Detective Acting Inspector Kent Ellis told reporters on Wednesday. Associate Professor Yun Wang (pictured) arrived home to find his daughter allegedly murdered on Tuesday night. He donned a blue forensics suit and was helping police piece together what allegedly happened just hours after her tragic death A staff member from Emanuel College pays her respects after the little girl was allegedly killed by her mum The tragedy has also rattled staff at Griffith University, where Prof Wang works in the chemistry and forensic science department, specialising in renewable energy. Two male colleagues of Prof Wang's turned up at the house on Wednesday afternoon with food but were turned away by an officer who told them the father was not there. The university is offering support to Prof Wang and his close colleagues. 'We are deeply saddened to hear about the tragic death of the daughter of a valued member of the Griffith community,' the university said in a statement. 'Our thoughts are with the family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.' Xu was remanded in custody and will next appear in court on November 29. Hundreds of degree courses at top universities are being offered to high-paying international students instead of British applicants, the Daily Mail can reveal. Analysis shows that pupils collecting their A-level results today will have far fewer options than those applying from abroad when it comes to choosing alternative courses through the Clearing process. Of the 24 top institutions in the Russell Group, 17 have places available through Clearing and 11 are offering more courses to those from abroad than to those living here. Overseas students pay much higher fees. Today, more than 250,000 students will find out if they made their predicted grades and secured their course of choice. Hundreds of degree courses at top universities are being offered to high-paying international students instead of British applicants (file image) Edinburgh University has 253 clearing places available for overseas students, but only one for students from Scotland or England (file image) It is expected tens of thousands will enter Clearing to find a new course, and admissions chiefs have said there will be 'every kind of course under the sun' available, including medicine. Choices will be even more plentiful for international students who pay up to 38,000 a year compared with the 9,250 paid by those living here. In one example, Edinburgh University has 253 available for overseas students, but only one for students from Scotland or England. Durham University has 98 courses available for international students, but only 42 for English students. Exeter has 437 for international students but just 214 for home students. As of yesterday morning, Russell Group universities had a total of 4,504 courses available to foreign students, against 3,883 for domestic students equating to 621 more (16 per cent). Durham University has 98 courses available for international students, but only 42 for English students A Russell Group spokesperson said that of those students who did join their universities last year through Clearing, more than 80 per cent were UK students (file image) Alan Smithers, professor of education at Buckingham University, said: 'Universities have struggled to attract the number of international students they had been hoping for, in order to balance their books. This is leaving their finances very precarious. 'The new Government should urgently seek to find less precarious ways of financing universities.' It is understood new rules in January which banned international students from bringing in family members has had an impact on numbers. Vivienne Stern, chief executive of Universities UK, said the financial position for universities had deteriorated 'very fast' in the past year. Clearing is run by admissions body Ucas, allowing students who have missed their predicted grades or done better than expected to shop for a new course. A Russell Group spokesman said: Of those students who did join our universities last year through Clearing, over 80 per cent were UK students. This year Ucas data shows that more UK 18-year olds are holding an offer than last year and, whilst the number of places available in Clearing varies across different universities and different courses, early indications show availability across the sector is at similar levels to previous years. All students, wherever they are from, are considered on their academic merits according to their suitability for the course. A Durham University spokesman said: 'Entry to degree courses is not made available to international students at the expense of home students. We recruit to separate streams for home and international students. 'Through our robust, transparent and publicly available admissions policy, we treat home students and international students equitably and fairly. 'Places on a wider range of courses are currently available through clearing to international students because many international students have already received their exam results, for example for the International Baccalaureate. 'When A-level results are published on Thursday 15 August, we expect to be able to offer to home students places on more courses through clearing.' An Exeter spokesman said: Programmes sometimes have multiple variants and all of these may be listed even those there are only a handful of spaces available across the discipline. It is not unusual for there to be more vacancies for international students since a higher proportion decide to apply after they get their results and use clearing to do so. The University of Exeter is one of the largest recruiters of home students in the country. The mother of a British hostage held by Hamas in Gaza has pleaded with diplomats to get a peace deal done ahead of todays crucial ceasefire summit in Qatar. Mandy Damari, whose daughter Emily, 29, was kidnapped from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, emphasised that it was a pivotal moment for negotiators to show their commitment to all the hostages. These last ten months Ive been sick with worry - I just cant wait to hold Emily in my arms again, she said. Ms Damari yesterday joined the British Ambassador to Israel, Simon Walters, and his American and German counterparts at a special joint press conference at the Hostages and Missing Families Forum headquarters in Tel Aviv. The diplomats urged Iran not to jeopardise a peace deal. Israel has been braced for an attack by Iran since a Hamas leader was assassinated in Tehran last month. Ms Damari told the Daily Mail: I havent spoken to any media about Emily for ten months. I am hopeful but not optimistic that a deal will be done this week. Mandy Damari, whose daughter Emily, 29, was kidnapped from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, emphasised that it was a pivotal moment for negotiators on both sides Homes in the Kfar Aza kibbutz - they were burnt to the ground by Hamas on October 7 last year Ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas were slated to continue today in Doha (pictured: Jabalia camp for Palestinian refugees in the northern Gaza Strip) I was in the room with the British Ambassador, and also the US and German Ambassador and it was reassuring to feel their support. I feel that it is crucial at this pivotal moment in the negotiations to show their commitment to all the hostages. Ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas were slated to continue today in Doha, with Western leaders urging Hamas to return hostages and Israel to stop its bombardment of Gaza. But Hamas has stated it wont participate in the talks and neither side appears willing to reach a compromise. Mr Walters told yesterdays press conference: We are at a critical junction for the sake of the hostages, Israel and the Palestinians and the whole region. We need a deal which will create a positive dynamic and prevent a further deterioration of a situation that is already dire. On the 313th day since Hamass brutal attack on October 7, Mr Walters said that even in our worst nightmares, we couldnt have imagined that we would still be here ten months later. It is the 313th day since Hamass brutal attack on October 7 from the Gaza Strip (pictured) He added: We urge Iran and its proxies to refrain from attacking Israel. If Iran chooses to jeopardise these negotiations it will bear responsibility for those actions. US Ambassador to Israel, Jack Lew, said that the suffering of the families is enough of a reason for us to be here just in the name of humanity and that its an enormous urgency, because its also part of the question of maintaining some stability in this region and not having violence escalate. Mr Lew added that reaching a deal would open a pathway for conversations to have a diplomatic solution in the north, and other critical strategic objectives, which would leave Israel the region and our countries safer. The press conference comes days after US President Joe Biden spoke to the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, and the UK to discuss de-escalating tensions in the Middle East and reaching a ceasefire in Gaza. The five leaders then issued a joint statement that stressed there is no further time to lose. It also expressed support for Israel against any Iranian threat while urging distribution and delivery of aid to Gaza. Mr Biden said it was his expectation that a ceasefire would prevent Iran from launching retaliatory strikes against Israel. Mr Walters added: We have stood with the families throughout this ordeal, and we will continue to do so until their loved ones are home. Their suffering has gone on for far too long. There can be no further delay. Now is the time for a deal that sees the immediate return of the hostages. The president of Columbia University has resigned with immediate effect just a week after three of her deans quit over a leaked text message exchange which mocked concerns about anti-Semitism. Minouche Shafik resisted demands for her resignation as protests against Israel brought the New York college to a standstill earlier this year but said on Wednesday that the 'turmoil' had taken 'a considerable toll on my family'. Donations began to dry up as wealthy benefactors reacted with disgust to the protests, and Shafik herself was widely criticized after appearing before Congress where she refused to say whether the phrase 'From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free', should be considered anti-Semitic. But she infuriated students after calling in the NYPD to clear the campus of protesters, and refusing their demands to divest university money from Israel. 'It has been distressing for the community, for me as president and on a personal level, to find myself, colleagues, and students the subject of threats and abuse,' she said last night. Columbia University president Minouche Shafik blamed the considerable toll on my family or her decision to resign with immediate effect The university's New York campus was one of dozens across the country that were rocked by anti-Israel protests earlier this year The texting occurred during a meeting in May at the Ivy League school in which Jewish students described the anti-Semitism that they were experiencing on campus in the wake of Hamas' brutal assault on Israel on October 7. The trio were put on leave, according to a letter from Shafik and University Provost Angela Olinto that was sent to members of the school community after the texts emerged in June. The three in question are former Associate Dean for Student and Family Support Matthew Patashnick, Vice Dean and Chief Administrative Officers Susan Chang-Kim and former Dean of Undergraduate Student Life Cristen Kromm. The meeting was titled Jewish Life on Campus: Past, Present and Future. It took place on May 31. The text messages that have since been publicly released include Chang-Kim's words: 'Comes from such a place of privilege hard to hear the woe is me, we need to huddle at the Kraft center. Huh??' Kromm responds: 'Amazing what $$ can do,' while talking about an op-ed that was published in the school's Columbia Spectator newspaper. The messages were later published as part of an investigation by the House Committee on Education and Workforce. Dean of Columbia College Josef Sorett was also on the text thread but did not participate as much. 'This incident revealed behavior and sentiments that were not only unprofessional, but also, disturbingly touched on ancient anti-Semitic tropes,' Shafik told the school's community. 'Whether intended as such or not, these sentiments are unacceptable and deeply upsetting, conveying a lack of seriousness about the concerns and the experiences of members of our Jewish community that is antithetical to our University's values and the standards we must uphold in our community.' The emergence of the texts sparked fresh outrage on the campus, which was rocked by months-long anti-Israel protests in the wake of its war with Hamas Deans Susan Chang-Kim, (left), Cristen Kromm (center), and Matthew Pataschnick (right) resigned last week after their texts were exposed Portions of the text messages sent by the three deans that were released by congress last week The Egyptian born Shafik was the first woman to serve as Columbia's president will return to the UK where she is a member of the House of Lords At 36, she became the youngest ever vice president of the World Bank. During her work there, she met her first husband, fellow Egyptian Mohamed El-Erian. In 2002, Shafik married her second husband, scientist Raffael Jovine. The couple shares two children and three step children. Their daughter, Olivia, is a 2015 graduate of Columbia's urban planning school. 'I have tried to navigate a path that upholds academic principles and treats everyone with fairness and compassion,' she wrote in her resignation statement on Wednesday. 'As President Lincoln said, 'A house divided against itself cannot stand'we must do all we can to resist the forces of polarization in our community. 'I remain optimistic that differences can be overcome through the honest exchange of views, truly listening, andalwaysby treating each other with dignity and respect.' During a spring Capitol Hill hearing, House GOP Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., accused Columbia's leadership of refusing to 'enforce their own policies and condemn Jewish hatred on campus,' creating a 'breeding ground for antisemitism.' Stefanik, in a statement to DailyMail.com on Wednesday, cheered the ousting of Shafik following the resignations of Harvard President Claudine Gay and Yale President Liz Magill. 'THREE DOWN, so many to go,' she said. During a spring Capitol Hill hearing, House GOP Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., accused Columbia's leadership of refusing to 'enforce their own policies' 'Columbia University's President Minouche Shafik's failed presidency was untenable and that it was only a matter of time before her forced resignation,' Stefanik explained to DailyMail.com. 'After failing to protect Jewish students and negotiating with pro Hamas terrorists, this forced resignation is long overdue. We will continue to demand moral clarity, condemnation of antisemitism, protection of Jewish students and faculty, and stronger leadership from American higher education institutions.' A Roman Catholic boarding school has become one of the first of its kind to close in the face of Labour's VAT raid on private education. The tax change is cited as a factor in the shutdown of Kilgraston School, near Bridge of Earn, Perthshire, on Tuesday. Local authorities are now rushing to accommodate the 249 pupils affected but space is at a premium in council-run schools. Other independent schools in the UK could soon be in a similar predicament, with thousands of children left trying to find a place in the hard-pressed state sector. Also in Scotland, the 100-pupil Cedars School in Greenock will close next month. Kilgraston School, near Bridge of Earn, Perthshire, has become one of the first of its kind to close in the face of Labour's VAT raid on private education Also in Scotland, the 100-pupil Cedars School in Greenock will close next month Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson (pictured) has said she wanted to 'act quickly', saying independent schools have had 'ample time to prepare' for the new changes Labour is pushing ahead with its plans to remove the VAT exemption and business rates relief for private schools from January 1 in an attempt to raise 1.5billion. Kilgraston Scotland's only Catholic boarding school was saved last year after an 'extraordinary call to action' which raised 1.2million in 48 hours. But the school said a combination of factors, including falling demand from international boarders and the 'possible impact of VAT on fees' meant it had to close. The school, which has 3.4million of loans and finance commitments outstanding, charged annual fees of 41,634 for senior boarders. Meanwhile, Jonathan Hewat, registrar at fee-paying Lomond School in Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire, warned that more schools may go out of business. Mr Hewat described the Labour leadership as 'green-eyed' and accused it of forcing schools to look at ways to engage in hard marketing tactics to try to attract more pupils if they want to stay open. On LinkedIn, Mr Hewat wrote: 'The green-eyed, spineless Labour idiocy is enforced and the reality is that a good number of independent schools who have traditionally needed to do nought but open their doors are going to have to start to 'market' themselves. Hard.' The school was contacted for further comment. Scottish Tory education spokesman Liam Kerr said: '[The closure of Kilgraston] is not just desperately sad news for staff, students and parents, but damaging to the local community.' Chris McGovern, of the Campaign for Real Education, said: 'Private schools are being destroyed by the politics of envy.' Scottish Tory education spokesman Liam Kerr said: 'The confirmation of Kilgraston's closure is an early indication of the impact of Labour's policy. 'It's not just desperately sad news for staff, students and parents, but damaging to the local community.' One senior private school insider said Labour had wrongly assumed the independent sector in Scotland had the resilience and resources of many of its counterparts south of the Border. The Treasury declined to comment on individual school closures but ministers believe that it is 'right that we introduce [VAT on fees] as soon as possible'. A man has been rushed to hospital after being hit by 500kg of falling wet concrete. The man, 38, was hit by the concrete at a construction site in Sydney's south on the M6 motorway at Marsh St in Arncliffe at 2am on Thursday morning. He has been taken to St George Hospital and is reported to be in a stable condition. Paramedics rushed to the scene and treated the man for neck and wrist injuries, police told Seven News. The incident is being treated as a workplace accident and has been referred to SafeWork NSW. More to come Four members of a Texas family were killed, and one was left in critical condition, when a driver who was allegedly street racing slammed into them on Saturday night. The Rosales family was reportedly returning home from a trip to Six Flags and dinner at Panda Express at around 8.15pm, when police say they were struck by a speeding red Dodge Charger, according to WFAA. The impact of the collision at the intersection of South Belt Line Road and Kingston Drive in Grand Prairie, Texas, forced the family's Chevy Traverse to flip over on its side and crash into a nearby Valero gas station, where it caught fire. Three people in the SUV were pronounced dead at the scene, and a fourth succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital. The deceased have since been identified as Jessie and Lorena Rosales, along with their 13-year-old daughter, Stephanie, and their six-year-son, Angel. Their 16-year-old son Anthony remains in critical condition. Jessie and Lorena Rosales, along with their 13-year-old daughter Stephanie and their six-year-son Angel were killed in a fiery crash on Saturday. Their 16-year-old son Anthony (left) is also in critical condition The family was traveling in a Chevy Traverse when it was struck by a red Dodge Charger Police say the crash occurred as the driver of the red Dodge Charger, 20-year-old Jaime Mesa, was street racing 22-year-old Anthony Morales in a white Dodge Charger with a black roof. Surveillance footage from a nearby business showed the red Dodge Charger driving at a high rate of speed into the family's SUV, and the white Charger driving by slowly, according to a police affidavit. Following the wreck, the white Charger was also caught on a traffic pole camera running a red light, WFAA reports. The affidavit also claims that witnesses on the scene saw the Chargers revving their engines and racing before the collision. Jaime Mesa, 20, has been arrested for allegedly street racing and causing the crash The impact of the high-speed crash sent the SUV rolling, witnesses said. 'I just heard a real loud bang like, like an explosion, and I saw the vehicles roll two times and two people got ejected and the vehicle just caught on fire so fast,' Yvette Acosta recounted. 'I haven't been able to sleep because I hear the screams of the people,' she said. Ashik Maharzan, an employee of the Valero gas station, also said he saw 'two people flying out of the window' and ran to help, but the heat from the flames was too intense. 'There was just an explosion; I couldn't even go near the fire, it was just that big,' he told NBC DFW. 'People were yelling and crying there, and I saw the two bodies lying there.' The flames then continued to spread to wires hanging from utility poles - knocking out Internet access for nearby residents. The impact of the high-speed collision sent the SUV rolling into a gas station and catching fire Meanwhile, some good Samaritans were seen in video rushing to help get Mesa out of his wrecked car. Miguel Coronado said he was driving down the road Saturday night and passed the crash when he saw that the driver of the wrecked Charger was still in the drivers' seat so he decided to pull over and help. 'I was peeking through the door because it was a little bit open,' he told Fox 4 News. 'So I'm peeking through it, and the steering wheel is like pressed up on his chest, like he could barely breathe.' Video posted online shows Coronado trying to get the door open, with more people eventually showing up to help him. Together they were able to get Mesa out. 'As soon as we got him out, that's when police arrived,' Coronado said. 'And two minutes later, the ambulance and firefighters got here.' But Coronado said the news of the family's death made him think of his seven-month-old daughter. 'I wish I could have helped the other car,' he lamented. 'It's just really sad. Their life changed in a snap.' Good Samaritans found Mesa still in his wrecked Dodge Charger (pictured) and helped him out of the vehicle Mesa is now in the hospital with non life-threatening injuries, as he faces four counts of racing on a highway and causing death, four counts of manslaughter, one count of racing on a highway and causing serious bodily injury and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Morales was also located Sunday night, and is now facing similar charges. But Grand Prairie police say they are still investigating the crash. In the meantime, Anthony Rosales is fighting for his life in the hospital, and an online fundraiser has been created to help pay for his medical bills and to help with the expenses of burying the family members. It notes Anthony has two other siblings, a brother named Jessie and a sister, Natalie, who 'have stepped up to get him through this physical battle in addition to all the other battles they will face. 'This sweet sibling group has a long, hard road ahead of them physically, emotionally and financially.' Anthony Rosales is fighting for his life at a local hospital following the crash At the moment, Anthony's aunt Delia said they are 'just trying to see if he's gonna be able to survive, and I just want the best for him. 'We can't believe it,' she told WFAA. Delia described her brother, Jessie, as the backbone of the family. 'We were always together, traveling together, basically. We were all a united family.' 'They're gone and they're gone forever,' Delia continued. 'And I know [the suspects are] in custody supposedly, but they're not gonna bring them back.' The NSW Liberal Party is in chaos after the 'worst act of mismanagement in the organisation's history' has left it with no candidates in the upcoming election for up to a dozen councils. Leader Mark Speakman has called on state director Richard Shields to resign after the deadline for nominations in the September 14 elections was missed affecting as many 140 Liberal candidates, many sitting members set to lose their jobs. Lane Cove Council Mayor Scott Bennison said he was 'fed up' with the party and publicly quit on live radio on Thursday - the latest error the last straw after he was booted from the ticket days ago in favour of a 22-year-old political staffer. 'I've quit the Liberal Party, I'm just sick of all the factional rubbish,' Mr Bennison, who had been a member since 2007, told 2GB's Ben Fordham. Mr Bennison said he had already sent the email to resign from the Liberals and that he was appalled someone with his experience as a councillor and mayor was knocked back for preselection in favour of a junior party member. It is understood the staffer works for Lane Cove MP Anthony Roberts. Mr Bennison said residents told him they would support him as an independent so he was 'announcing' that he was officially now an independent mayor. 'It's with a heavy heart... all those hours spent supporting state and federal elections and running campaigns... but the community deserves better than a 22-year-old staffer.' Lane Cove mayor Scott Bennison has quit the Liberal Party after an official missed the nomination deadline for up to 140 candidates and he was booted from the ticket in favour of a 22-year-old staffer In an email to colleagues, Mr Speakman described the debacle engulfing the party as 'the worst act of mismanagement that I can think of in the organisation's history'. Mr Shields admitted the mistake, blaming limited resources for the blunder and apologised to the Liberal-endorsed candidates who had not been nominated. Officials confirmed the party missed Wednesday's 12pm deadline to nominate candidates representing some of the biggest council areas in NSW. 'We've had three years to sort this out, and we still stuff it up ... It's just unbelievable,' Mr Bennison said. State Liberal leader Mark Speakman is understood to be furious over the stuff up and has called for Richard Shields to resign Northern Beaches, Lane Cove, Camden and Campbelltown councils are among those thought to be affected in Sydney, while voters might also not be able to pick candidates in the regional local government areas of Wollongong, Shoalhaven, Penrith and Blue Mountains. Deputy Liberal leader Natalie Ward said she was 'ropeable' about what had been 'a monumental stuff-up' ahead of the September 14 elections. 'This is unacceptable for our members, it's unacceptable for the candidates (and) it's unacceptable for the voting public that support our party and want to vote for a Liberal member,' she told 2GB. About 40 sitting councillors could lose their jobs courtesy of the blunder. according to numbers crunched by election analyst Ben Raue and reported by the Daily Telegraph. Mr Speakman has called on Mr Shields to resign. 'There's no doubt that's a setback, and it is frustrating,' he said 'The state director has to fall on his sword, he is the CEO who runs the organisation,' he said. Business leaders have warned Angela Rayner her workers rights plan could harm jobs and growth. The deputy Prime Minister and business secretary Jonathan Reynolds held talks with the top bosses of business groups and trade unions yesterday. It was there that industry figures urged the new government to do its best to reduce harm to firms and the wider economy from its plans. There are fears too stringent rules could limit firms from hiring more people. The new raft of employment laws have been promised within Labours first 100 days of taking office on July 5. But ministers will iron out the details over the coming weeks, with Labour keen to satiate the concerns of businesses, as well as workers and their trade unions representatives. The policies include giving workers rights from day one in new jobs as well as a crackdown on zero-hours contracts. Angela Rayner was last night warned that her workers rights plan could harm jobs and growth Industry figures urged the new government to do its best to reduce harm to firms and the wider economy from its plans (file image) Before the election, Lord Mandelson - the architect of New Labours 1997 election victory - urged the party to tread carefully so it did not cripple thriving British businesses. Labour also plans to scrap Tory moves to restrict workers from going on strike. Tina McKenzie, policy chair at The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), which has over 215,000 members, said: It will be crucial the Government starts to demonstrate it is prepared to try and reduce harm to employment, small business and the economy from any and every negative impact of these proposals. The new administration must listen to the real needs of small businesses on the ground and help, not harm, small business efforts to get people into work and secure the high levels of growth the country desperately needs. And Neil Carberry, who runs the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), said: Theres lots to do - businesses have some concerns but we will get there. He added: Changes made to businesses rather than with business are inevitably going to fail. Its a great start to be talking to each other and working through some of the things that are really concerning REC members about the plan ahead. Jonathan Geldart, director-general of the Institute of Directors, said further consultation would be essential to minimising the risk of unintended consequences of these reforms. Ms Rayner, a former union shop steward, said the meeting was the first of its kind and had kicked off a new era of partnership that will bring benefits to everyone across the country striving to build a better life. Concerns have been expressed by industries, including hospitality, that are reliant on part time and temporary workers. They say these employees also appreciate flexibility and hope this is respected by the new rules. Business lobbyists said yesterday talks had felt constructive but they would await further details. More talks are to be held as the legislation is hammered out. Ex-Qantas chief Alan Joyce has revealed he's been told to take a year off after his blazing exit from the airline - but is refusing to speak out about his time at the national carrier. On Thursday, outside his $20million apartment in The Rocks in Sydney, the 58-year-old spoke warmly about his life after Qantas, but said he was legally restrained from speaking about what he did at the airline. Asked directly, 'What would you say to Australians upset about the damage to Qantas' reputation and customer service under you?', Mr Joyce said: 'I cannot talk, I'm legally restricted from answering that.' He also refused to comment on the $9million bonus slashed from his payout, after a scathing review last week blamed him for damaging the airline's reputation. However Mr Joyce, standing next to his husband, Shane Lloyd, happily spoke to Daily Mail Australia about what was to come. He said he would be working as a director for the Sydney Theatre Company and doing charity work, 'but I've been told I have to take a year off,' he said, nodding towards Mr Lloyd, who smiled. Mr Joyce and Mr Lloyd are also spearheading a scholarship competition in both their names for LGBTQIA+ Australian playwrights to work in New York. Ex-Qantas boss Alan Joyce (right) on Thursday with his husband, Shane Lloyd (left), says he's been advised to take a year off but refused to be drawn on his response to Australians angry about the national airline Alan Joyce, 58, chatted amiably about his life after Qantas, his future plans and taking a rest from corporate life but said he was restricted about discussing his slashed $9m bonus Having led Qantas as chief executive for 15 years before stepping down in September last year, Mr Joyce has faced intense criticism over cancelled flights, lost luggage, and accusations of exploiting customers with exorbitant prices. Last week's review by former McKinsey partner Tom Saar and commissioned by Qantas found the airline's reputational battering was largely due to 'too much deference' to a long-tenured CEO. 'The group had a "command and control" leadership style with centralised decisions and an experienced and dominant CEO,' the review said. The review concluded that while there were no deliberate findings of wrongdoing, mistakes by the airline's management caused 'significant reputational and customer service issues'. Alan Jones was harshly criticised in Qantas' review of his tenure at the airline before docking him $9.26m, but speaking outside his $20m Sydney apartment on Thursday, he declined to respond As a result, the national carrier cut Mr Joyce's bonus by $9.26million. An update to Qantas' 2023 financial year executive remuneration last week revealed that Mr Joyce had his $8.36million 2021-2023 long-term bonus axed and his short-term incentive of $900,000 reduced by a third. He was left with just just $1.8million. Mr Joyce, an Irish-born Australian from humble beginnings in Dublin, earned around $150million during his tenure at Qantas. In June last year, Mr Joyce also sold $17million worth of Qantas shares just days after the airline supplied details of cancelled flights to the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission. Alan Joyce and his husband Shane plan to combine the penthouse and sub-penthouse apartments into a single, five-bedroom home, with each bedroom featuring an ensuite and offering world-class views Mr Saar's review was critical of this move, finding that 'there should be additional scrutiny of share dealings proposed by the CEO and members of the group leadership team'. Since Mr Joyce left Qantas in September 2023, he and his husband have been splitting their time between their home at Whale Beach and their penthouse apartment at The Rocks. Mr Joyce bought the luxury five-bedroom home at Whale Beach in 2017, which sits on a clifftop block overlooking the sea. They also own two apartments in The Rocks - the sub-penthouse and the penthouse above. While Mr Joyce enjoys his 'year off,' renovations are reportedly afoot to turn the space into six bedrooms, all with ensuites, so the couple can accommodate family visiting from overseas. Both apartments offer world-class views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House, and together, they would be worth more than $20million. Last month, he and Mr Lloyd sold their stunning waterfront home in the exclusive suburb of Mosman, which featured a private jetty. They had bought the property in 2022 for $19million and spent millions on renovations before selling it for just under $21million. Alan Joyce's mother, Colette, pictured above with his late father Maurice, is in her 80s and still resides in his hometown of Dublin Mr Joyce credits his parents, who left school at 12 and worked multiple jobs, for his education and work ethic. His mother, Colette, is in her 80s and a retired swimming centre cleaner who lives in Dublin. His late father, Maurice Joyce Snr, worked as a postman, a glazier, and a tobacco factory worker. Mr Lloyd has family in New Zealand. Brittany Higgins' husband David Sharaz could have avoided facing financial ruin if he apologised to Linda Reynolds over two tweets and agreed to three other demands, legal documents show. Lawyers acting for Liberal senator Linda Reynolds sent Mr Sharaz a concerns notice - which is the first step in a defamation claim - on January 6, 2023, over two social media posts that allege she bullied his wife. Ms Higgins, a former Liberal staffer, was raped in Ms Reynolds' office in Parliament House in 2019 and has maintained the senator tried to cover up the assault, and made her choose between her complaint and her political career. Despite Ms Reynolds strongly contesting the allegations against her, the couple continued to perpetuate the claims using their public social media platforms. The senator then launched defamation proceedings against them both, but Mr Sharaz conceded defeat in April citing financial issues. He will have to pay Ms Reynolds' legal fees, as well as his own, along with any damages. But documents released by the court on Wednesday, amid the case against Ms Higgins, show that he could have avoided financial turmoil if he complied with Ms Reynolds' requests in the first place. The concerns notice identified two allegedly defamatory tweets authored by Mr Sharaz in January and December 2022. His first post included a media release about Ms Reynolds' work in gender equality, called 'empowering women'. Pictured: Brittany Higgins with her husband, David Sharaz. They are both being sued for defamation Liberal senator Linda Reynolds is pictured, left, outside the WA Supreme Court last week He wrote: 'There is a very real chance that Linda Reynolds will be called to court this year to answer questions on her involvement in Brittany Higgins feeling pressures by her office not to continue with a complaint to police. 'She uploads this to her official website.' The second post referred to Ms Reynolds sending information about Ms Higgins' $2.4million compensation claim against the government to a News Corp columnist. It also referred to Ms Reynolds' partner Robert Reid sitting in the ACT Supreme Court during Bruce Lehrmann's rape trial in 2022. At the time, the senator had not given evidence and was not allowed to engage with court proceedings. The senator then texted Lehrmann's lawyer Steven Whybrow asking for transcripts, and suggested that he look at Ms Higgins' texts with another former staffer because they might be 'revealing'. Ms Reynolds has denied trying to assist the defence. Mr Sharaz wrote: 'First Linda sent her husband in to watch a victim's cross-examination and was texting the defence team tips. 'Now she's leaking privileged information to the paper while Britt's fragile in a clinic. Pictured: A tweet David Sharaz wrote about Linda Reynolds David Sharaz wrote a tweet accusing Linda Reynolds of bullying Brittany Higgins (pictured) 'When will the bullying end, Linda Reynolds?' In the concerns notice, Ms Reynolds' lawyer Martin Bennett threatened Mr Sharaz with legal action, explaining his client was 'aggrieved' over the posts. 'You have portrayed an inaccurate and professionally damaging depiction of my client that has prompted damaging speculation amongst the public as to my client's conduct,' it read. 'The damage this has caused and continues to cause my client cannot be underestimated.' Mr Sharaz was also informed that he could be liable for up to $443,000 if his posts were found to be defamatory in a a WA court. To avoid a civil case altogether, Ms Reynolds was willing to accept an apology and a redaction of the posts, along with a signed undertaking promising not to post false information about her in the future. She also asked that he cover her legal costs associated with putting the concerns notice together, along with 'an appropriate sum' to compensate her for alleged reputational damage. Mr Sharaz did not agree to her terms and was subsequently sued for defamation. David Sharaz is pictured at his wedding on the Gold Coast in June, shrouded by umbrellas Brittany Higgins (right) and David Sharaz (left) were pictured leaving David Malcolm Justice Centre in Perth on Wednesday night after a nine-hour mediation Attempts to resolve the matter in March via mediation were unsuccessful. Mr Sharaz conceded defeat in April. 'Despite our best efforts, Linda Reynolds has not accepted attempts to resolve this matter through mediation, and Brittany may now be exposed to another trial. It will be her third,' he said in a statement. 'I cannot afford to pay legal costs to defend myself over a six week trial. 'As a result I have today informed the court that I will not fight Reynolds' legal action any more. 'I now appeal for Senator Reynolds to settle her litigation against Brittany, a rape victim, by agreeing to disagree and putting all of this behind them. It's time to move on. 'It's time to let Brittany heal.' Costs are yet to be determined, but he will likely owe the senator significantly more money now than he would have if he complied with her demands last January. Ms Higgins' trial is currently being heard in the WA Supreme Court. She will give evidence in the final week of August. In April, a Federal Court judge found on a civil scale that Lehrmann raped Ms Higgins in Parliament House in 2019. He is appealing the decision. Disgraced former TV personality Andrew O'Keefe was all smiles as he left court on Thursday, where he was slapped with a new charge as he awaits judgment after appealing convictions for domestic violence. The former Deal or No Deal host appeared before Waverley Local Court on Thursday charged with intimidation and breaching an apprehended violence order. The court was told an additional charge of entering enclosed lands without lawful excuse had since been laid by police following the alleged incident on July 28. Police allege the 52-year-old threatened a man at an address in Point Piper shortly before he was stopped while driving and allegedly found in possession of a crack pipe. The court was told last month Mr O'Keefe allegedly confronted the man 'potentially as a matter of jealousy' following a 'rekindling' with his former partner. The prosecutor at the time said O'Keefe had made admissions to having put one foot through the door despite knowing he was 'not supposed to be' at the property. The court was told O'Keefe was found after the alleged intimidation with a crack pipe in his jacket pocket and was drug affected, but he has not been charged with any drug-related offences. He will return to court next week when his new lawyer, Jahan Kalantar, said he is likely to enter pleas of not guilty pending 'fruitful discussions' with the police prosecutor. Andrew O'Keefe smiled at waiting cameras as he left Waverley court on Thursday. Picture: NewsWire / Jeremy Piper OKeefe entering the court with his new lawyer, Jahan Kalantar. Picture: NewsWire / Jeremy Piper It comes as the former Weekend Sunrise host awaits his fate over a high-profile appeal of drug and domestic violence-related convictions handed down in January. O'Keefe was found guilty and sentenced to a 12-month and three 18-month community corrections orders over the 'frightening and degrading' attack. Twenty-six years ago, Aaron Govendir told police his home had been broken into and he was knocked unconscious before his wife was bludgeoned to death. But detectives allege the story was a lie and the now-elderly man murdered his wife Denise before staging an apparent car theft in a bid to cover up his crime. The 81-year-old man was on Thursday charged over Ms Govendir's cold-case killing after attending a police station on an unrelated matter. Detectives said Govendir was in an 'emotionless' state when he was arrested over the alleged murder of his wife at their home in the suburb of Dover Heights in Sydney's well-off east on March 10, 1998. A man has been arrested 25 years after the alleged murder of a woman in Sydney's eastern suburbs Developments in forensic and medical evidence along with re-interviewing witnesses bolstered investigators' case to a point they could lay a murder charge after a long-running probe, police said. Govendir previously told investigators the couple was assaulted by a man who broke into their home claiming to be a police officer. He said he was knocked unconscious before being restrained with cable ties. In his version of events, the intruder seriously assaulted Ms Govendir, who died from her head injuries. But on Thursday detectives said they believed there was no bogus police officer. 'We will allege it was a staged robbery, just to cover the tracks of what allegedly has been committed, which was ... in essence a domestic-violence murder,' Homicide Squad commander Danny Doherty said. 'We allege this man was responsible for violently assaulting Denise and then staging a robbery ... when in fact, nothing was actually stolen.' An Australian teenager who claims to have broken the world record for staying awake has spoken about the symptoms that came with it and how long it took him to recover. 'Norme', 19, says he stayed awake for 265 hours straight in order to beat the record set by Randy Gardner, who spent 264 hours and 25 minutes awake when he was a teenager in 1964. He spent the 11 days and one hour awake in his home near Melbourne, as an audience of viewers watched online, or at least they did until YouTube banned him for 'violating community guidelines', as did streaming service Twitch. On day 10 Norme, who didn't talk to any doctors before taking on the challenge, told 9News he was 'pretty freaking delirious'. As he closed in on his goal, he posted a photo of his hands to X, saying the skin on them had become irritated and was peeling. Norme admitted he fell into microsleep at some points during his stunt, but had friends who prodded him awake when that happened. At one point during Norme's 11 days awake, the police called to his house, alerted by someone concerned for his health. They advised him to talk to a doctor, but were not able to get him to break his record attempt and just go to sleep. An Australian teenager who claims to have broken the world record for staying awake has spoken about the symptoms that came with it and how long it took him to recover When he passed the 265-hour mark he slept for 38 hours, he said, and felt dizzy when he finally woke. His risky behaviour left professionals unimpressed though, with sleep expert Dr Vanessa Cropley saying she was 'astounded that someone would willingly put themselves through such an ordeal'. It is certainly not recommended from a health perspective,' the University of Melbourne academic said. 'There are a lot of inherent risks to it, so it's quite concerning that someone would actually do this, just for an experiment.' Poll Do you think it's a good idea to stay awake for 11 days straight just to beat a record? Yes No Do you think it's a good idea to stay awake for 11 days straight just to beat a record? Yes 44 votes No 425 votes Now share your opinion Norme was unrepentant, though, saying 'I looked it up, it has a zero per cent mortality rate. Nobody has ever died from trying.' On this he is mistaken. People die from lack of sleep all around the world every day when, for example, they crash their cars due to exhaustion. Often, those exhausted people also kill others, too - passengers, people in other vehicles and pedestrians. Purposely staying awake is so dangerous, there is no official record for doing so - the Guinness Book of World Records stopped counting in the late 1990s it due to the very serious, and possibly fatal, consequences. The effects of long-term sleep deprivation include sluggishness, irritability and losing focus. 'What's more concerning is that there can be sometimes symptoms of kind of psychosis that is experienced,' Dr Cropley said. 'There have been cases where people do see things that aren't there, or hear things that aren't there, or have this kind of paranoid thinking.' Studies have long shown a chronic lack of sleep can increase the risk of a range of conditions, such as obesity, memory loss, diabetes, heart disease and a reduced immune response, leaving people vulnerable to infections. After just 18 hours without sleep, a person's blood pressure begins to rise, making the heart work harder and putting extra strain on it. Going 18 hours without some shut-eye also leads to falling testosterone - the male sex hormone - levels. As he closed in on his goal, he posted a photo of his hands to X (pictured), saying the skin on them had become irritated and was peeling When he passed the 265-hour mark he slept for 38 hours, he said, and felt dizzy when he finally woke Sleep deprivation can lead to obesity, memory loss, diabetes, heart disease, heightened and unstable emotions, impaired ability to learn and a reduced immune response, leaving you vulnerable to disease Randy Gardner, the American teenager from whose 60-year-old record Norme was trying to beat, initially showed no ill effects from his 11 days awake, he later reported suffering from years of unbearable insomnia. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Norme for comment. Dog meat has finally been banned in South Korea. The upsetting centuries-old tradition was brought to an end with the passing of a bill in January that banned the breeding or slaughter of dogs in dog farms and the distribution of dog meat. It finally went into effect on August 7. The industry had previously seen hundreds of thousands of dogs reared and slaughtered in South Korea each year. But over the past few years, dog meat has been falling out of favor at a rapid pace as dog ownership skyrocketed, UPI reports. Efforts to shut down the dog meat industry then picked up momentum last year as both major political parties in South Korea introduced bills to end the practice - supported by high profile figures, including First Lady Kim Keon Hee. The South Korean government that bans the breeding or slaughter of dogs in dog farms and the distribution of dog meat The South Korean government is now focusing on compensating the 5,600 businesses in the dog meat industry - including 1,500 farms and 2,200 restaurants and shops - that are on the verge of shut down. The government will make up for the cost of equipment loss and renovation costs, as well as monetary packages for meat distributors or restaurant owners before the ban fully goes into effect in February 2027. Dog farmers will also be reimbursed for demolition costs and receive extra monetary compensation - whose amounts will be determined by the government at a later date, according to the Straits Times. Those in the dog farming industry looking to transition their businesses may also seek state funding to renovate their business facilities, as well as state-sponsored services such as consulting and training. The South Korean government is now focusing on compensating the 5,600 businesses in the dog meat industry - including 1,500 farms and 2,200 restaurants and shops - that are on the verge of shut down The government will make up for the cost of equipment loss and renovation costs, as well as monetary packages for meat distributors or restaurant owners before the ban fully goes into effect in February 2027 When the law is fully implemented in February 2027, anyone who butchers a dog for meat will face up to three years imprisonment and a fine of up to $23,000. Anyone who raises a dog for meat or sells dog meat could also be punished with up to two years in jail or a $15,000 fine. 'The message is clear for those relative few who still eat dog meat, that the end of South Korea's dog meat era is in sight,' said Sangkyung Lee, Humane Society International/Korea's dog meat campaign manager. But still, some dog meat farmers are fighting back. In March, the Korean Association of Edible Dogs - which represents farmers of some 1.5 million dogs - filed a constitutional complaint against the government, claiming the move breaches the freedom to choose an occupation and the freedom of food choices. The group in July also requested that the Board of Audit and Inspection look into alleged abuse of power to imperil dog farmers' livelihood. Melanie Ferguson, a travel blogger from Vancouver, said she tried a venerable dog stew called Bosintang while it was still available In the meantime, black goat meat is experiencing a price hike in South Korea as a perceived alternative for dog eaters. But Melanie Ferguson, a travel blogger from Vancouver, said she tried a venerable dog stew called Bosintang while it was still available. 'It's probably the most controversial thing I've done,' she wrote in January, after the bill was first passed. 'When I lived in South Korea, my old friends would often chide me with an Asian stereotype. "Have you eaten cat yet?"' they would ask. '"No come on," I would reply. "They don't eat cat here - Koreans eat dog." And so I did too.' She said she chose Bosintang because it is revered as a source of vitality during harsh winters or on the hottest summer days. 'That's the meal I ate in Seoul. Just once by myself, as I couldn't convince anyone to join me. 'When it arrived at my table. I have to admit it looked good. 'After it cooled, I used my metal chopsticks to take my first bite.' Ferguson described the taste as like beef - but with a dog smell to it. 'It tasted good, too. Like beef, the meat was tender and stringy. 'I could smell dog, but it wasn't strong, with the scents of the other stew ingredients wafting to my nose. 'What's the big deal? I wondered,' she said. 'I ate until I was full.' Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has interrupted a press conference to demand Nationals leader David Littleproud 'say something about the children being slaughtered' amid rising tensions around the Gaza-Israel conflict. Senator Hanson-Young fired off the vicious line as she passed Mr Littleproud in the hallway while he took questions from reporters on Thursday. 'Why don't you say something about the children being slaughtered,' she said as the bemused Nationals leader quickly resumed taking questions. The interruption came after opposition leader Peter Dutton called for a outright ban of arrivals from Gaza, in a move condemned by Labor and the Greens. Mr Dutton appeared to be at odds with the 79 Coalition MP's who called for Hamas supporters to be denied visas, rather than all Gazans. Ms Hanson-Young accused Mr Dutton of leading the 'nasty party'. 'It's Trumpian, it's despicable and it needs to be called out,' she told reporters. Mr Dutton told Sky News on Wednesday that there was uncertainty about Gazan refugees and their allegiance to the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas. Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young (centre) interrupted a press conference being held by Nationals leader David Littleproud (right) on Thursday 'Why don't you say something about the children being slaughtered?' she asked Mr Littleproud 'I don't think people should be coming in from that war zone at all at the moment, it's not prudent to do so, and I think it puts our national security at risk,' he said. His call to ban Palestinians from seeking safety in Australia was branded as 'racist' by Teal MP Zali Steggall on the floor of the Representatives on Thursday. 'These are families that you are seeking to paint... that somehow they are all terrorists, that they should all be mistrusted, that they are not worthy of humanitarian aid,' she said. 'Stop being racist.' Mr Dutton said the remark was 'unparliamentary' and asked for it to be withdrawn with Ms Steggall eventually complying with the Speaker's request. The opposition leader later defended his comments, telling Today Show host Karl Stefanovic he was trying to protect Australians. Stefanovic asked: 'Are you heartless, a heartless racist? Do you have any humanity?' Mr Dutton replied: 'I just think all the usual political tripe, put it all to one side. 'We have to make decisions, and they can be tough decisions, but decisions that are in our country's best interests. His call to ban Palestinians from seeking safety in Australia was branded as 'racist' by Teal MP Zali Steggall on the floor of the Representatives on Thursday (pictured) Opposition leader Peter Dutton (pictured on Thursday) called for a outright ban of arrivals from Gaza, in a move condemned by Labor and the Greens 'What's happened here, Karl, is that the government has brought people in from a war zone - in some cases, they haven't even done face-to-face interviews and that is without precedent.' Mr Dutton accused Labor of putting Australians at risk and likened the situation to the idea of allowing Al-Qaeda and ISIS sympathisers to enter. When asked whether he had discussed his position with his colleagues beforehand, Mr Dutton said: 'It's a discussion not for Shadow Cabinet, to be honest, it's a discussion with the national security team. 'It's in our country's best interests.' ASIO head Mike Burgess and home affairs department officials have repeatedly stated appropriate security checks were conducted for visa applicants. The Australian government has called for a ceasefire plan to be adopted as the death toll mounts and the humanitarian situation worsens. A former school principal who helped murder two police officers and a neighbour had stopped making contact with key people in his life, including his doctors, months after he suffered a cardiac arrest, a coronial inquest was told. Nathaniel Train, his brother Gareth and his wife Stacey gunned down constables Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow during an ambush on a rural property in Wieambilla, Queensland, on December 12, 2022. Soon after the trio murdered Alan Dare, who lived nearby, after he spotted smoke billowing from the Wains Rd property. As the coronial inquest into the deaths entered its 12th day, a person who knew Nathaniel gave evidence about their interactions with him in the year leading up to December 12. The witness, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, told the inquest the last time they saw Nathaniel was in December 2021. Train told the witness that he was going camping and wanted to visit his adult children in Queensland. It wasn't until a year later, the witness learnt, that Nathaniel had illegally crossed the Queensland border on December 17, 2021, during Covid restrictions and ditched several weapons he owned. His car was also later abandoned after he'd driven through floodwater. A witness at a coronial inquest has revealed school principal turned cop-killer Nathaniel Train (pictured) had become more isolated in the lead up to the brutal attack Nathaniel, his brother Gareth and his wife Stacey murdered Constable Matthew Arnold (left) and Constable Rachel McCrow (right) when they approached the home in search of Nathaniel The witness said when they learnt this information, they became even more concerned about Nathaniel because he had never told them about the incident. The witness told the inquest that they had been communicating through text, calls and email to Nathaniel up until May 30, 2022. Their communication ceased because the witness said they wanted to protect their own mental health. The witness said they had become concerned about Nathaniel's determination to get them to read about biblical readings he believed related to Covid. They then told Nathaniel to no longer text, call or email soon after, but would stay in contact with his children to make sure he was okay. The witness said while they weren't in direct contact with Nathaniel after May 2022, they knew others who were, but when those communications ended around October, the witness's concern for Nathaniel grew. '(Another person the witness knew) let me know that Nathaniel had stopped responding to her emails (at the end of July 2022),' the witness said. 'I also wrote to Gareth and Stacey to ask if they were still in contact with Nathaniel. 'They responded and to told me to 'go away' pretty much.' The witness said they made efforts to contact Nathaniel but were unsuccessful. The witness said they had become concerned about Nathaniel's determination to get them to read about biblical readings he believed related to Covid (pictured, Nathaniel Train) Nathaniel had travelled to his brother's Wieambilla property (pictured) to convert it to run 'off the grid' while also being capable of holding off a police siege The inquest heard that Nathaniel had become 'overworked' after taking up the role as principal at a 'dysfunctional school'. 'He stepped into a role where there was something like 21 principals in the same amount of years,' they said. 'Lots of principals had just walked off. The school was pretty much dysfunctional.' They added that he started work at 4am every day, including weekends. 'It was just a challenge. A huge challenge. Every day was a challenge,' they said. The inquest had been told Nathaniel experienced cardiac arrest in August 2021 which left his heart only operating at 26 per cent without medical care. After he was released from hospital, Nathaniel declined further medical treatment and had even stopped taking his medication in about November 2021. The inquest was told a letter reportedly written by Nathaniel on October 9, 2022, stated that he was going 'out bush' to go camping and would be turning his phone off. After this letter, the inquest was told Nathaniel's email account was accessed and it was discovered that he had many unanswered emails, including one from his doctor with his latest medical results. In another email, Nathaniel told someone there was 'no point talking to me anyway'. Police were hit with a hail of bullets when approaching the property, leading to the deaths of two officers, neighbour, Alan Dare, and the Train trio After the cop-killers were killed, police found weapons and sniper hides across the property (pictured, Gareth's bolt-action rifle) A missing person's report was ultimately made in early December, prompting NSW police to issue a social media post on December 8 calling for information about where Nathaniel might be. The inquest was told concerning emails sent from Gareth to others in the days prior were forwarded to NSW Police on December 12. The witness who knew Nathaniel told the inquest they received a text message from Gareth about 6pm on December 12 that read: 'You sent people to kill us. Run.' The witness said they immediately contacted police but had always thought Gareth was simply a 'keyboard warrior' despite 'highly derogatory abusive' communication from him in the past. The inquest was previously told constables Arnold and McCrow and Mr Dare were murdered between 4.30pm and 5.30pm on December 12. A few hours later, SERT officers fatally shot the three Trains at the Wains Rd property after they failed to respond to lengthy negotiations asking them to surrender. The two constables and their two colleagues, constables Randall Kirk and Keely Brough, had been at the property to perform a welfare check on Nathaniel and issue an arrest warrant for him related to the weapons offences in December 2021. The hulking teenager who battered a Florida teaching assistant unconscious for taking his toy away has apologized after being sentenced to five years in prison. Brendan Depa, then 17, left Joan Naydich, 59, with concussion, hearing loss and five broken ribs in a prolonged attack at Palm Coast's Matanzas High School in February last year. Judge Terence Perkins said he had not heard a word of remorse from the 270 pound teen as he jailed him last week. But Depa's current tutor has produced an apology he says the autistic student wrote while in custody. 'I deeply regret allowing my emotions to get the best of me and letting things happen the way that they did,' he writes. 'In a choice between letting this incident destroy, define, or strengthen me, I have chosen to let it strengthen me.' Video caught the moment Brendan Depa launched himself on teaching assistant Joan Naydich, 59 at Matanzas High School before delivering a flurry of vicious blows Depa, who pleaded no contest to the assault, was slammed by a judge for showing no remorse The 6ft 6ins pupil became enraged when Naydich asked a teacher to confiscate the Nintendo Switch Depa had been playing with. He called her a bi**h and a wh**e when he learned of her request, spitting at her before following her out of a classroom and launching his brutal attack. Surveillance footage recorded Naydich completely limp on the floor after Depa knocked her unconscious but the enraged student punched her in the head and back another 15 times before letting up. Naydich, a mother of two, had called for her teenaged attacker to be locked up for the maximum sentence of 30 years. 'Brendan Depa's actions that day has caused me to lose a job that I had for almost 19 years, lose my financial security, lose my health insurance,' she told the court. In his note, Depa wrote: 'I am extremely sorry for injuring Miss Joan so severely, and I am happy to see the injuries I inflicted did not leave any permanent scars or bruises.' But Naydich said she is unlikely ever to fully recover from the beating. 'Every day is a challenge,' she said. 'I have lived every day since with the repercussions of it, the assault of it, whether it be hearing loss that I have, vision loss, headaches.' Joan Naydich, 59, the victim of Depa's brutal attack testified against him on May 1, 2024. She has always advocated for him to be locked up for the maximum amount of time, which would have been 30 years She has said her life will never be the same after the attack. She's also filed a permanent injunction against Depa preventing him from ever coming within 500 feet of her home or place of work Depa's current tutor Gene Lopes shared a letter from the teenager with NewsNation But the decision from Judge Terence Perkins to give Depa 25 years less than that could have do with the exculpatory testimony that came from his mother and arguments from his defense team. Leann Depa, his adoptive mother, said she had warned the school about her son's laundry list of triggers. According to her, 'electronics' was his biggest trigger. 'I had told the school that being hungry was a trigger, that noise was a trigger, that being told no was a trigger, that being corrected in front of other people was a trigger, and electronics was a huge trigger,' she said on the stand. Lawyers for Depa have filed a separate lawsuit against the school district for negligence, describing him as 'a ticking time bomb.' Leann Depa, Brendan Depa's adoptive mother, was seen in court reacting with tears to her son's five year sentence The letter which tutor Gene Lopes shared with NewsNation's Ashleigh Banfield, claims that 'what I did should not define who I am'. 'I made a mistake - one I will never let happen again - and I am sorry,' it reads. 'During my incarceration, I have learned coping skills to ensure something like this never happens again. 'I have grown and matured in ways otherwise impossible, making me not happy I have been incarcerated, but nonetheless grateful.' Pictures released after the beatdown show gashes on the aide's cheek, bruising around the eyes, one blood shot eye, a dent in her nose and a tear at the back of her ear. Naydich said the worst injuries are internal and that the attack deeply affected her cognitive functions. 'Unfortunately, a lot of my injuries that are not visible I'm going to have for the rest of my life,' she said. Depa himself flung back his head and exhaled as sentence was passed Depa's attorneys tried to turn it around on her, claiming that Naydich failed to address the autistic boy's unique needs and wasn't properly trained to handle him. Kurt Teifke, one of Depa's lawyers, reportedly referred back to prior testimony that suggested the assault was a manifestation of his disability. 'It's not his fault,' Teifke said. Judge Perkins didn't buy it, citing the brutality captured in the video and adding that Depa's attack on Naydich was not an isolated incident. 'It captures the senseless, extreme violence in a very troubling way,' Perkins said, commenting on the video. In his sentencing, Perkins also cited testimony from a state witness, a psychologist, who said Depa knew what he did was wrong. Depa's mother pleaded with the judge to let her son serve house arrest. 'I knew Brendan and I knew his triggers and I knew his needs and his strengths and I beg you to let him come home with me,' she said. After her son was sent to prison, described the verdict as a 'death sentence' and told reporters he was being punished for being black, large and disabled. 'He's scared,' she told NewsNation. 'To have your child call and cry and say 'I don't want to die' it's awful.' Once he finishes his five year sentence, Depa will be subject to 15 years of supervised probation. A 22-year-old woman was taken off life support by her family after she suffered major injuries when she was hurled from her boyfriend's car. Zahriya Moreno and her boyfriend, 25-year-old Angelito Adrian Olivas, had gotten into an argument early Monday morning, and at some point, Moreno jumped on the trunk of his vehicle as he tried to leave the area, according to a criminal complaint obtained by KOLD. Olivas, who had been dating Moreno for one and a half years, allegedly knew Moreno was on the trunk and kept driving anyway. At some point, she fell off and Olivas found her unresponsive. He then drove her to the Drexel Heights Fire Department in Tucson, Arizona and was brought to a local hospital. Zahriya Moreno, 22, was taken off life support by her family on Wednesday after she suffered injuries she sustained when she was hurled off her boyfriend's vehicle on Monday Her father, Robert, said he woke up on Wednesday knowing Zahriya was going to be taken off life support. But he wasn't expecting more than 100 people to show up at Banner-University Medical Center for her Honor Walk, as she had her organs donated. 'The outpouring of support is something I wouldn't have fathomed in a million years,' he said. 'I thought it was just going to be family and friends.' He added that it is 'wonderful to know that parts of my baby will live on, but there's no words, no anything that will ever be able to make this better.' More than 100 people showed up at Banner-University Medical Center for her Honor Walk Robert said he woke up on Wednesday knowing that Zahriya was going to be taken off life support He said he was not expecting so many people to show up for Zahriya's Honor Walk He noted that they had previously lost Zahriya's twin brother, Izac, who died in a motorcycle crash in 2021 - which Robert said took a toll on her. 'Mom would hear her crying in her room by herself a lot because she didn't want everyone else to see her being weak, and we relied on her strength, and I hope that we can fill it somehow now,' he said. 'Because as we lost our twins, it's going to be a lot of darkness in the future and we're going to push through that as difficult as it is, because that's what our daughter would have wanted for us.' Zahriya's grandparents also said they are now finding solace knowing that she is reunited with her twin brother. Olivas has been arrested on charges of felony domestic violence, aggravated assault and felony endangerment Zahriya's family described her as a 'very strong girl' who 'just graduated recently from esthetician school' They described Zahriya as a 'very strong girl' who 'just graduated recently from esthetician school' to KVOA. She was active in JROTC and wanted to do that full time. Meanwhile, Olivas has been arrested on charges of felony domestic violence, aggravated assault and felony endangerment. He was released later in the day after posting a $2,500 bond - infuriating Robert. 'It almost seemed like a joke,' he said. 'I'm disappointed in the judge, the legal system.' The Federal government has intervened to save regional airline Rex after it plunged into voluntary administration, with debts of about $500million. Transport Minister Catherine King announced the funding package for the airline on Thursday afternoon to give certainty to regional travellers. 'Rex's continuation is in the best interests of Australia, and the government is working closely with the administrators to ensure a strong regional aviation presence now and into the future,' she said in a statement. The guarantee ensures that if any Rex Airlines bookings to or from a regional destination are canceled during the administration period, passengers will receive a full refund. That is for all regional flight bookings after Rex entered voluntary administration at 9.31pm on July 30. Along with financial support, Ms King said her department would continue working with the administrator, EY, on plans for the continuation of the airline. 'We also expect the administrator to honour and prioritise the entitlements of Rex employees,' she said. Transport Minister Catherine King (pictured) announced the funding for Rex on Thursday afternoon The Labor government has extended a lifeline to regional airline, Rex 'This guarantee is a message to regional Australia that we know how important reliable air services are to you and that we are not going to allow your communities to be left behind.' EY partner Sam Freeman said he was grateful to the government for extending a lifeline to the regional carrier. 'The guarantee will help Rex to keep flying while we undertake the recapitalisation of the airline and secure its future,' he said. 'We're currently undertaking a process to find an investor committed to a sustainable commercial regional network.' Mr Freeman told creditors last week that Rex's debts amounted to about $500million owed to lessors, airports, refuellers, staff, and tens of thousands of airline customers. It was also unable to pay about 600 employees final wages and entitlements after they were fired. Administrators have been contacting interested parties on mass to find a buyer or investor. The airline has operated for 21 years and is responsible for flying five per cent of domestic passengers, with Qantas and Virgin claiming the remaining 95 per cent. The widow of a soldier who was found dead and tied up in their home has been charged with his murder - five years after the brutal slaying. Jacob Bishop, a dedicated member of the Tennessee Army National Guard, was discovered by his mother inside the Lenoir City home on October 1, 2019. The woman found her son, who was 35 at the time, dead from multiple gunshot wounds and bound by zip ties. After five years of tireless investigating by the Loudon County Sheriff's Office - two arrests have finally been made in the case. Amanda Bishop, wife to the soldier, and Eric Austin Byrd, her distant cousin, were arrested in connection the 2019 murder. Jacob Bishop, a dedicated member of the Tennessee Army National Guard, was found dead by his mother in 2019 Bishop's widow Amanda Bishop (pictured) has been charged with his murder Bishop and his wife had started the paperwork for a divorce - and were tied up in a heated custody battle over their child. Loudon County Sheriff Jimmy Davis chalked the murder up to an ongoing feud between the married couple that had a devastating ending. 'They were going over a heated custody battle over their child and we believe this is what sparked the animosity between the two and eventually led to his murder,' Davis said in a press conference. Davis could not provide any information on Bishop's two children. Both Byrd and Amanda Bishop were charged with first-degree murder and are being held at the Loudon County Detention Center on $1 million bonds. According to Davis, the arrests came after a thorough and comprehensive investigation that involved multiple difference law enforcement agencies. 'Today's arrests mark a crucial step towards justice for Jacob Bishop and his family,' said Sheriff Davis. Bishop was arrested alongside her distant cousin Eric Austin Byrd (pictured) and they were both charged with first-degree murder Before his horrific death, Bishop had just returned from a year-long deployment in Poland 'This case has remained a top priority for our office, and I commend the relentless efforts of our detectives and partner agencies who have worked tirelessly to bring those responsible to justice.' 'We hope that these arrests bring some measure of peace to Jacob Bishop's family and all those affected by this senseless tragedy,' Sheriff Davis added. Before his horrific death, Bishop had just returned from a year-long deployment in Poland. Initial reports stated that Bishop was discovered 'unconscious and unresponsive' by his mother at his home before 7.43am on October 1, and once patrol deputies arrived on scene it was quickly determined that foul play was involved. Law enforcement said at the time that witnesses described a suspicious white SUV that was lurking in the Lenoir City man's neighborhood in the days before he was gunned down on Shaw Ferry Road North in Northern Loudon County. The vehicle left the area on the day of the murder, Loudon County Sheriff's Office said after working for a week to gather evidence from the scene. Bishop's partner at the time, Brittany Kindred, pleaded with the public to help find out who is responsible for taking her Tennessee Army National Guard partner's life. 'If anyone has any information on this vehicle or anything relating to Jay, we BEG you to contact Loudon Co Sheriff's Office. WE WILL NOT GIVE UP,' Kindred posted on Facebook. Both Amanda Bishop and Eric Austin Byrd are being held at the Loudon County Detention Center on $1 million bonds She shared a video of the moment they reunited in May and said the clip was to be played at their forthcoming wedding. Describing herself as a nurse and 'Urijah & Brayson's Mommy' on her profile, Kindred had the day before attended a graveside service with military honors at the Tennessee Veterans Cemetery. Bishop's mother Diane has proudly posted images of her Infantryman son on her Facebook profile throughout the years and his own boasts images from his time in Poland. Tens of thousands of pupils find out today their A-Level results - with top grades tipped to drop in a return to pre-pandemic marking standards. Students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are bracing for outcomes which could determine whether they go on to university, apprenticeships or entering the job world. Last year, more than a quarter - or 27.2 per cent - of UK A-level entries were awarded A or A* grades, down on 36.4 per cent in 2022. But it was higher than in 2019 - the last year that summer exams were taken before Covid-19 - when 25.4 per cent of UK A-level entries were given top grades. Exam regulators have now ditched the Covid-19 pandemic approach which put more weight on teachers' own assessment of their pupils. Tens of thousands of pupils find out today their A-Level results - with top grades tipped to drop in a return to pre-pandemic marking standards Last year, more than a quarter - or 27.2 per cent - of UK A-level entries were awarded A or A* grades, down on 36.4 per cent in 2022 Results were bumped up during the pandemic, when many pupils were forced to study from home - yet those awaiting their results today have also had their education disrupted, this time by the concrete crisis. Just days before the academic year was due to start last year, a number of schools were forced to offer remote learning when reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) was found in buildings. Yet a one-off uplift to exam marks has not been granted to all pupils who had their education affected by Raac despite calls from schools and families. In England, exams regulator Ofqual has said it expects this summer's national results to be 'broadly similar' to last summer, when grades were brought back in line with pre-pandemic levels. In Wales and Northern Ireland, exam regulators are aiming to return to pre-pandemic grading this summer - a year later than in England. The number of top A-level grades awarded is forecast to drop by up to 16,000 this year as the softer marking regime of the pandemic era is reversed. A* and A grades could fall by about seven per cent when pupils open their results today, according to a report from the University of Buckingham. A* grades alone could fall by 11,000 or 14 per cent, the paper predicts. A* and A grades could fall by about seven per cent when pupils open their results today, according to a report from the University of Buckingham A taped-off section at Parks Primary School in Leicester last September indicates how it was one of the schools affected by reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) problems The move to restore pre-pandemic standards comes after Covid-19 led to an increase in top A-level and GCSE grades in 2020 and 2021, with results based on teacher assessments instead of exams. Leaders in the education sector have warned that this cohort of young people has had to overcome a series of challenges in recent years - and those from disadvantaged backgrounds have been hit the worst. The batch of students now receiving their A-level results were in Year 9 when schools closed due to the pandemic and were the first year group to sit GCSE exams in 2022 after they were cancelled for two consecutive years. Lee Elliot Major, professor of social mobility at the University of Exeter, told the PA news agency: 'In many ways this is one of the unluckiest cohorts to emerge in the post-pandemic era - blighted by Covid disruption, a cost-of-living crisis not to mention the national crisis of unfit school buildings, and yet at the same time they have received no compensation or extra support in the exam system.' Department for Education figures, as of February 8, show 234 education settings in England have been identified as having the collapse-risk concrete in their buildings. Of these, 94 are listed as secondary or all-through state schools, while 11 are post-16 colleges. Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, told PA: 'I really hope that we don't see young people being majorly disadvantaged in Raac schools because it will be a travesty on top of something that has already disadvantaged them and put them in a difficult situation.' The Joint Council for Qualifications has said schools and colleges can apply for 'special consideration' after today if they feel their results have been affected by Raac disruption during the exam series - such as a 'noisy environment' in the exam hall due to nearby building work. Today's results will hep determine the next steps for students, with many hoping to secure the grades they need to take up university places Lee Elliot Major (pictured), professor of social mobility at the University of Exeter, says this year's A-Level students are among 'the unluckiest cohorts to emerge in the post-pandemic era' Mr Di'Iasio added: 'I would welcome anything that allows students to gain recognition for the turbulence and the adversity that they face, be it through Raac or anything else that hasn't been recognised. 'I would hope that university admissions officers, but also schools and colleges and the whole system, make allowances for these young people because young people have had an incredibly traumatic period and they need all the support they can get right now.' Meanwhile, the Daily Mail can reveal that hundreds of degree courses at top universities are being offered to high-paying international students instead of British applicants. Analysis shows that pupils collecting their A-level results today will have far fewer options than those applying from abroad when it comes to choosing alternative courses through the Clearing process. Of the 24 top institutions in the Russell Group, 17 have places available through Clearing and 11 are offering more courses to those from abroad than to those living here. As of yesterday morning, Russell Group universities had a total of 4,504 courses available to foreign students, against 3,883 for domestic students equating to 621 more (16 per cent). Ahead of today's results, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: 'Young people deserve enormous credit for what they have achieved, in the face of both the huge disruption of recent years, and in too many cases the inequality that goes hand in hand with young people's backgrounds. 'I am determined to break down these barriers to opportunity so every young person can pursue their dreams and thrive. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, pictured leaving Downing Street on July 30, has said students deserve 'enormous credit' in the face of 'the huge disruption of recent years' 'I hope young people everywhere can celebrate their results and look forward to their next step - be that university, an apprenticeship or beginning their careers.' She told Times Radio this morning: 'I do just want to say a huge congratulations to all of those young people. 'They've been through an awful lot in recent years and they've shown tremendous resilience, and they've had fantastic support from the staff and teachers within their schools and colleges, and it's a big and exciting day for them.' T-level results will also be received by thousands of students in England on Thursday, and youngsters across the country will be awarded their level 3 vocational and technical qualification exam results. Students could face less competition for university places this year due a decline in the proportion of UK school leavers applying to higher education and a fall in overseas demand, education experts have suggested. As of yesterday afternoon, a PA sample covering 130 of the UK's largest higher education providers showed there were 22,774 courses with vacancies for undergraduate students living in England on the Ucas clearing website. A similar analysis last year, carried out the day before A-level results day, indicated 22,521 courses with vacancies on the clearing site. Clearing is available to students who do not meet the conditions of their offer on A-level results day, as well as those who did not receive any offers. Students who have changed their mind about what or where they wish to study, and also those who have applied outside the normal application window, can also use the process. Rebecca Montacute, head of research and policy at the Sutton Trust charity, told PA: 'Young people receiving their exam results today have had to overcome many challenges along the way. Hundreds of degree courses at top universities are being offered to high-paying international students instead of British applicants (file image) Edinburgh University has 253 clearing places available for overseas students, but only one for students from Scotland or England (file image) 'They lost education time due to the pandemic, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds were particularly affected by the loss of in-person teaching, lack of space and a quiet learning environment at home, lack of devices to learn with, and little social interaction with their peers.' 'These issues have been compounded for pupils who experienced further lost learning in schools impacted by the Raac crisis,' she added. Scotland has a different qualification system and students received their results on Tuesday last week. Figures released by the Scottish Qualifications Authority showed that 77.2 per cent of those sitting National 5 exams passed with grades A to C - down from 78.8 per cent last year. For Highers, 74.9 per cent passed with the top bands, a drop from 77.1 per cent last year, and for Advanced Highers 75.3 per cent of students achieved A to C grades as opposed to 79.8 per cent in 2023. N Chinas coastal county transforms saline-alkali land into symbiotic grain-seafood farms People's Daily Online) 14:10, August 15, 2024 This aerial photo taken on July 17, 2023 shows the view of a marine farm in Laoting county, north China's Hebei Province. (Xinhua/Yang Shiyao) In the fields, we grow rice as shrimps and crabs hide amongst the rice seedlings, said Duan Yanyan, a hardware engineer who monitors in real time 8,000 mu (about 533.33 hectares) of rice paddies via a large screen in the control room of an agricultural demonstration zone in north Chinas Hebei Province. The rice paddies, established to efficiently utilize the saline-alkali land in Laoting county, Hebei Province, support the raising of crabs and shrimps. The paddies make up a smart agricultural demonstration zone formed in the county. The smart agriculture management platform displays real-time data on such factors as water level, water quality, weather, pest control, seedling conditions, and soil. Duan said that the on-site experts discovered that to successfully grow rice while maintaining a healthy environment for crabs and shrimps, the water level should be 8 centimeters. With the help of sensors installed across the rice paddies, the smart agriculture management platform gives early warning when the water level is below the set level, and the remote-control system allows water pumps in the fields to automatically draw water to replenish the rice paddies, Duan explained. These seemingly ordinary rice fields are equipped with water pipes underneath, which can meet the fields irrigation needs while helping with salt drainage, said Wei Mingzhao, an executive of the demonstration zone. The water pipes, together with irrigation canals and ditches, have formed an ecological circulation system that facilitates science-based, efficient restoration of soil fertility for saline-alkali land, Wei said. Crabs, shrimps, and fish seedlings are introduced into the fields as soon as rice transplantation is completed, Wei said, explaining that grass seeds and microorganisms are natural food for crabs, shrimps and fish. The unit price of the pesticide-free rice from the rice-crab co-culture fields can reach 20 yuan ($2.79) per kilogram, according to Wei. While promoting rice-crab co-culture and improving soil conditions, the demonstration zone has also introduced saline-alkali tolerant rice varieties to increase the yield of the rice fields. Compared to common rice varieties, the new saline-alkali tolerant varieties have a significantly higher per-mu yield, which can reach around 700 kilograms, according to Zheng Aimeng, a local farmer who has benefited greatly from the efficient utilization of saline-alkali rice fields. Zheng has grown 100 mu of saline-alkali tolerant rice this year, which is expected to generate an annual net income of over 40,000 yuan for him. He also earns an annual salary of more than 60,000 yuan by operating agricultural machinery for the demonstration zone. According to official statistics, the salt content in the saline-alkali land of the demonstration zone has been reduced from 3.5 per mille to around 1 per mille within two years, changing the salinity of the land from moderate to mild. In autumn last year, the demonstration zone harvested over 1 million kilograms of rice and achieved a comprehensive income of more than 4 million yuan from symbiotic rice-crab cultivation. In an effort to further tap into the integrated farming system, the demonstration zone has further expanded the variety of aquatic animals for its rice-fish co-culture practice this year, raising Chinese softshell turtles, green lobsters, and giant river prawns in rice fields on a trial basis and keeping grass carp, Asian carp, Mozambique tilapia, and yellow catfish in irrigation canals, according to Wei. The success of the demonstration zone has significant implications for the development of Laoting county, where nearly one-third of the township is located near Chinas Bohai Sea and approximately 50,000 people live in saline-alkali areas. According to the latest special survey data on saline-alkali land in Hebei Province, Laoting county has a total area of 137,300 mu of saline-alkali land, accounting for about 17 percent of the total arable land in the county. Aerial photo shows rice fields in Laoting County, north China's Hebei Province. (Xinhua/Mu Yu) The countys efforts to promote integrated farming in saline-alkali land and treat saline-alkali soil through fish farming have been proven to be remarkably effective. So far, 64,000 mu of the saline-alkali land of the county has been transformed into a green tapestry of rice, with the area of rice-fish farming reaching 2,000 mu. Adopting a systematic approach to saline-alkali land treatment, Laoting county has taken measures including shifting from using well water to using river water for irrigation, returning straw to fields, introducing biological improvements, and enhancing fertilization to improve the soil conditions of its saline-alkali land in recent years. The measures have effectively reduced the total salt content of the soil by 20 percent and organic matter content by 2 to 3 percent, increasing the crop yield per mu of land by more than 10 percent in the 10,000-mu soil improvement project for saline-alkali land covering six villages in Laoting. In 2023, the county achieved a total grain production of 520 million tonnes. We consider saline-alkali land as an important arable land resource and stick to the principle of growing suitable crops for the land while improving the land to suit crops. After years of continuous comprehensive soil improvement, the overall situation of soil salinization has been alleviated, said Duan Jianbo, director of the Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Laoting county. In the past, the saline-alkali land could only be used to grow saline-alkali tolerant crops, now it can sustain a variety of options such as corn, wheat, and soybeans, greatly stimulating local farmers enthusiasm for crop farming, Duan said. It is just like ordinary farmland now, said Gao Huaijiang, a local villager. In addition to innovating agricultural practices and improving soil conditions, Laoting county has also vigorously boosted the development of aquaculture, making the most of its 124.9 kilometers of coastline and 420,000 mu of tidal flats for seafood production. The high salinity and severe salt return in coastal areas make them a seafood belt with natural seawater fish ponds, said Liu Weibin, deputy head of the Aquatic Products Center of Laoting county. So far, the county has developed over 65,000 mu of saline-alkali tidal flats, with approximately 400,000 square meters of factory-based aquaculture areas, according to Liu. The seafood produced mainly includes sea cucumbers, scallops, prawns, and turbot, Liu said. As many local fishermen have transitioned from fishing to aquaculture for their livelihood under the guidance of the local government, sea cucumber cultivation in saline-alkali flats has become a distinctive industry that drives income growth for people in Laoting. Currently, the county has a coverage rate of over 70 percent for new and improved sea cucumber varieties. The annual production of fresh, semi-processed, and processed sea cucumbers has reached nearly 6,500 tonnes. Around 38,000 people are employed in the industry, which has a total industrial chain output value of nearly 1 billion yuan. The county is making further efforts to create an integrated sea cucumber industry chain that encompasses breeding, aquaculture, processing, and marketing, according to Liu. (Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Liang Jun) A vicious gang of hackers might have stolen every American's Social Security number in a massive theft of personal information from a large data broker, which experts are calling 'a five-alarm wake-up call.' Following the online heist, which took place four months ago, one of the hackers reportedly released most of the sensitive data on the dark web for free. Now that this sensitive information - including Social Security numbers - has been disseminated, it is possible it will give rise to rampant identity theft, fraud, and various other crimes. 'If this in fact is pretty much the whole dossier on all of us, it certainly is much more concerning [than previous breaches],' Teresa Murray, a cybersecurity expert, told Yahoo news. A vicious gang of hackers might have stolen every American's Social Security number in a massive theft of personal information from a large data broker Now that this sensitive information- including Social Security numbers- has been disseminated, it is possible it will give rise to rampant identity theft, fraud, and various other crimes 'If people werent taking precautions in the past, which they should have been doing, this should be a five-alarm wake-up call for them,' Murray continued. In April, a notorious gang of hackers known as the USDoD took credit for the theft of sensitive personal records of 2.9 billion people from National Public Data, which often provides personal information to employers, staffing agencies, and private investigators. In a forum for hackers, the USDoD offered to sell the valuable data, which encompassed records of people from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. According to a post on X.com by a cybersecurity expert, the group claimed that they were selling the 4 TB database for $3.5 million. In April, a notorious gang of hackers known as the USDoD took credit for the theft of sensitive personal records of 2.9 billion people from National Public Data The hacker went on to claim that the database contained about 2.7 billion records, which came furnished with a person's full name, date of birth, address, and Social Security number But last week, a putative member of the hacking gang, going by the name Felice, told the forum that they were offering 'the full NPD database.' The hacker went on to claim that the database contained about 2.7 billion records, which came furnished with a person's full name, date of birth, and address. It also contained Social Security numbers, phone numbers, and alternative birth dates and names. News outlets centered around cybersecurity have since viewed sections of the data Felice made available. According to experts, the data appeared to be genuine. According to Yahoo, National Public Data has been informing people who have contacted them regarding the data breach that they 'are investigating these issues.' The data broker also reportedly stated that they have 'purged the entire database, as a whole, of any and all entries, essentially opting everyone out.' The hacker went on to claim that the database contained about 2.7 billion records, which came furnished with a person's full name, date of birth, and address By doing so, National Public Data has deleted 'non-public personal information' about people, although they might have to retain certain documents to 'comply with legal obligations.' Even though email addresses were noticeably absent from the hackers' database, ill-intentioned people could still do 'all kinds of things,' according to Murray. With the information they already have in hand, criminals could attempt to hijack someone's bank account. 'For someone who's really suave at it, the possibilities are endless,' Murray added. A young Australian girl who was allegedly stabbed by a homeless man eight times while holidaying in London with her family has been released from hospital. The 11-year-old girl, from New South Wales, was left with injuries to the face, shoulder, wrist and neck after the 'random attack' with a steak knife in Leicester Square on Monday at 11.34am. Ioan Pintaru, 32, allegedly put her in a headlock then began his frenzied attack before he was restrained by members of the public then arrested by police. The alleged victim was rushed to hospital in a serious condition and underwent plastic surgery, but has since been released, the ABC reported on Thursday. Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has said the girl's family is receiving consular assistance. Police will allege that Pintaru was not known to the girl or her mother. Pintaru, of no fixed abode, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court yesterday charged with attempted murder and possession of a bladed article. He wore a grey prison-issue sweatshirt and the court heard he is a Romanian citizen. An aerial view of the police cordon at the scene in London's Leicester Square on Monday Ioan Pintaru, 32, allegedly put the girl, 11, in a headlock before attacking her on Monday Police officers stand in front of the cordoned-off area in London's Leicester Square on Monday The charges were read to him through an interpreter during the ten-minute hearing. Pintaru was remanded in custody to next appear at the Old Bailey on September 10. He has a four-year-old child who lives in Manchester, but he is currently homeless. David Burns, prosecuting, told the court that a 34-year-old woman and her 11-year-old daughter - who are from New South Wales in Australia - were in Leicester Square as tourists. He said the defendant 'approached the 11-year-old girl, placed her into a headlock', adding: 'He's then stabbed her eight times to the body. 'She sustained wounds to the face, shoulder, wrist and neck area. Fortunately members of the public intervened, which prevented any further injury being made to the child.' Mr Burns said officers were called and 'found the defendant being held by the members of the public'. The prosecutor added: 'He was detained and searched and found a knife on his person. 'In relation to the complainant - she was taken to hospital and she currently resides in hospital where she's undergoing treatment. 'I understand that she required plastic surgery for the injuries she sustained.' District Judge Michael Snow described the incident as a 'random attack on a child'. Discarded clothing and emergency medical equipment in the TWG Tea shop on Monday Police were seen detaining a man in Leicester Square after an 11-year-old girl was stabbed on Monday A court artist's sketch of Ioan Pintaru appearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court yesterday He told Pintaru: 'These charges must be tried at the Central Criminal Court. You must remain in custody pending that appearance.' The girl's 34-year-old mother was initially thought to have also been hurt but blood from her daughter's injuries was mistaken for injuries of her own, the Metropolitan Police said. The girl went to hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries. Detectives added that that there was no suggestion the incident was terror-related, and they do not believe the suspect and the victims were known to each other. A police cordon sealing off the crime scene on Monday surrounded the double doors of the TWG Tea shop, which is beside the Lego store and in front of the M&Ms store. Leicester Square and the surrounding area attracts an estimated 2.5million visitors every week and is home to shops, theatres, cinemas and restaurants. Detective Chief Superintendent Christina Jessah said: 'This is a horrific incident and our thoughts are with the victims and their family. We will continue to provide support to them over the coming days and weeks. 'I would like to pay tribute to the members of the public, including staff from local businesses, who bravely intervened in this incident. They put themselves at risk and showed the best of London in doing so. 'An urgent investigation is now ongoing and detectives are working to establish the details around exactly what happened.' The security guard who helped disarm an alleged knife attacker in Leicester Square has been recognised for his bravery at an official ceremony in London. Abdullah, 29, helped to disarm the accused attacker after the man allegedly stabbed a mother and her 11-year-old daughter with a steak knife at the London tourist spot on Monday at 11.34am. The shop security guard, who works at TWG Tea shop in the square, was one of those who tried to save the schoolgirl as she was allegedly stabbed eight times by the knifeman. The brave hero told the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) he 'heard a scream' before running towards the incident, after being the guest of honour at the Pakistan Independence Day event held by the High Commission on Wednesday. He told ABC: 'I would say that I'm a brave person. We Pakistanis are brave by heart. So I wasn't scared. I've never seen anything like it before, it was horrible.' Abdullah (pictured) helped to disarm the accused attacker after the man allegedly stabbed a mother and her 11-year-old daughter with a steak knife at the London tourist spot on Monday at 11.34am Police officers stand in front of the cordoned-off area in London's Leicester Square on Monday where a schoolgirl was allegedly stabbed eight times by the knifeman The girl, from New South Wales, was allegedly left with injuries to the face, shoulder, wrist and neck after the 'random attack. The Metropolitan Police said she suffered serious injuries that are not life-threatening. Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has said the girl's family is receiving consular assistance. Ioan Pintaru, 32, of no fixed abode, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court yesterday charged with attempted murder and possession of a bladed article. He wore a grey prison-issue sweatshirt and the court heard he is a Romanian citizen. The charges were read to him through an interpreter during the ten-minute hearing. Pintaru was remanded in custody to next appear at the Old Bailey on September 10. He has a four-year-old child who lives in Manchester, but he is currently homeless. David Burns, prosecuting, told the court that a woman and her 11-year-old daughter - who are from New South Wales in Australia - were in Leicester Square as tourists. He said the defendant 'approached the 11-year-old girl, placed her into a headlock', adding: 'He's then stabbed her eight times to the body. The court heard members of the public intervened and when police arrived they found a man being held on the ground. Mr Burns told the court the girl was still in hospital undergoing treatment and that she required plastic surgery. Ioan Pintaru, 32, allegedly put the girl, 11, in a headlock before attacking her on Monday A court artist's sketch of Ioan Pintaru appearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court yesterday Discarded clothing and emergency medical equipment in the TWG Tea shop on Monday Police officers at the scene in London's Leicester Square on Monday after a man was arrested The girl's 34-year-old mother was initially thought to have also been hurt but blood from her daughter's injuries was mistaken for injuries of her own, the Metropolitan Police said. Police said on Monday that there was no suggestion the incident was terror-related and officers do not believe the suspect and the victims were known to each other. A police cordon sealing off the crime scene on Monday surrounded the double doors of the TWG Tea shop, which is beside the Lego store and in front of the M&Ms store. Leicester Square and the surrounding area attracts an estimated 2.5million visitors every week and is home to shops, theatres, cinemas and restaurants. Detective Chief Superintendent Christina Jessah said: 'This is a horrific incident and our thoughts are with the victims and their family. We will continue to provide support to them over the coming days and weeks. 'I would like to pay tribute to the members of the public, including staff from local businesses, who bravely intervened in this incident. They put themselves at risk and showed the best of London in doing so. 'An urgent investigation is now ongoing and detectives are working to establish the details around exactly what happened.' A conservative Christian minister claims he is being persecuted for refusing to include a 'Welcome to Country' ceremony at the start of his religious conferences - and that he is prepared to go to jail to defend his rights. Dave Pellowe said he had been hauled before the Queensland Human Rights Commission after a complaint was made that he failed to include the Indigenous ritual - or a Smoking Ceremony - in his national 'Church and State' conferences. The outspoken right-wing preacher claimed that he chose to leave the ceremony out because 'you cant mix Christianity, a true religion, with something that is made up.' He said the man who raised the claim against him had paid for a ticket one of his conferences and attended the event, only to complain that 'I have racially vilified and humiliated him on the grounds of his race and religion.' 'I don't know if he's some other religion or why he came to a Christian event to hear from a Christian teacher of Christian doctrine,' he told online news network ADH TV. 'The ubiquitousness of these Welcome to Country rituals being imposed upon Australians of all beliefs or non-belief at sporting events, when you land on a plane, when you walk into a government building, when you visit a website, when you start a Zoom meeting. 'These are religious rituals which Christians in particular should have no part of. 'And under a democratic, allegedly secular and pluralistic society, it should also be something that the taxpayer doesn't fund and the government doesn't impose. Conservative Christian minister Dave Pellowe says he is prepared to go to jail to defend his right to exclude Welcome to Country ceremonies from his religious conferences 'Its the duty of Christians to preach the truth and gospel and to not mix Christianity with false religion, such as the Aboriginal traditional religion, which is bearing all the hallmarks of paganism inherently false beliefs,' he claimed. 'I don't care if the penalty is $2.50 on the principle of it. I will not apologise for preaching the gospel.' Mr Pellowe was speaking to controversial former Christian lobbyist and ADH TV host Lyle Shelton who himself has faced a four-year fight with authorities over comments he made linked to his religion. It comes after a long-serving mayor also slammed Welcome to Country ceremonies earlier this week, labelling them 'bulls***', as debate continues to swirl around their appropriateness at council meetings. Trevor Pickering, 54, was first elected as mayor of Croydon Shire Council, in north Queensland, in 2012 before winning the following elections in 2016 and 2020. Mr Pickering has taken issue with the shifting political climate, noting there has been a growing fixation on 'risk assessed management plans', preferred pronouns and phrases like 'inclusion' and 'resilience'. Having served on the council since 2000, the fourth-generation cattle farmer said he has 'had a gutful of the bulls**t' and that he won't contest the next vote. When pressed on his views on Welcome to Country ceremonies, Mr Pickering said he refused to hold them at his council meetings. 'I've got a nephew who is Aboriginal, I have other family members who identify as Aboriginal, I grew up with Aboriginal people, I befriended Aboriginal people,' he told the Courier Mail. 'That Welcome to Country stuff is all pure bulls**t.' Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country ceremonies have been a hot topic for councils around the country. The mayor of north Queensland's Croydon Shire Council, Trevor Pickering (pictured), will not contest the role at the next election after frustrations over 'woke' culture In November, the Northern Areas Council, in South Australia, ditched its Acknowledgement of Country while the Shire of Harvey, in Western Australia, was left divided over its necessity with one councillor calling it 'tokenistic'. Welcome to Country ceremonies have also been under the spotlight in the corporate world. In May, an Aussie applying for a customer service role at an insurance company was left shocked when the hiring manager opened the interview with an acknowledgment. Civil servants lashed out at Queensland's Department of Justice and Attorney-General office the following month after staff were told to remove their shoes and wiggle their toes. Mr Pickering said a majority of Aussies would be confronted by having someone regularly 'welcome them' to the land their families have lived on for 100 years. Prominent 'No' campaigner Warren Mundine argued the ceremony had been hijacked despite it originally designed to bring Australians together. 'It has become divisive in the sense that, you know, "what about us, we've been here for awhile as well, this is our country" and everything like that,' Mr Mundine said in March. 'I think the trivialisation of it, that's the problem. We should be doing proper welcomes and you shouldn't have to do it at every meeting. 'I go to some conferences and you spend half the day doing Welcome to Country.' Mr Pickering took issue with Welcome to Country ceremonies (file image) which would be confronting to Aussies whose families have lived on the land for 100 years Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council CEO Nathan Moran argued the ceremonies still centre around inclusivity but aired concerns it may become trivialised. 'I don't think it's about divisive, I think it's about inclusion. I am concerned about trivialising it, it not being respected, delivered in an appropriate way,' Mr Moran said. 'I just hope it's delivered in the right way by the right people, for myself who's a representative of the Aboriginal community, we're a democratic community, we have elected representatives who go out and represent us. Volodymyr Zelensky last night implored his Western backers to green-light the use of long-range missiles to strike deep into Russia. Emboldened by the stunning offensive of his armed forces into Russia's Kursk region, the Ukrainian President is seizing the opportunity to hammer home his advantage, claiming drones are not enough to destroy key Russian military infrastructure. 'Our Ukrainian drones work exactly as they should, but unfortunately, there are things that cannot be done with drones alone,' the Ukrainian president said in his nightly address. 'We need other weapons - missiles... long-range decisions for Ukraine. This must be done. The bolder our partners' decisions, the less Putin will be able to do about it.' Newest NATO member Sweden declared this morning that Ukraine has the right to defend itself both inside and outside its territory, with Kyiv's Western allies seemingly supportive of the incursion in Kursk. But approving the use of long-range missiles on Russian soil would signify a major shift from US and European governments who have thus far provided weaponry to Kyiv on the proviso they are not used for offensive strikes in Russia. Vladimir Putin and top-ranking Russian officials have trumpeted incessantly that they would consider any Western country to have directly entered the conflict should its weapons be used to attack Russian land, sparking fears that such a move could trigger the descent into World War III. However, Taras Kuzio, a professor of political science at the National University Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, posited that the assault on Kursk has shown that the fear of crossing Russian 'red lines' that could lead to nuclear escalation 'is a myth'. Emboldened by the stunning offensive of his armed forces into Russia's Kursk region, the Ukrainian President is seizing the opportunity to hammer home his advantage A handout still image taken from handout video provided on 14 August 2024 by the Russian Defence Ministry press-service shows Russian servicemen fire Russian Giatsint-S self-propelled gun towards Ukrainian positions at an undisclosed location A Ukrainian armoured military vehicle travels past a burned car near the Russian-Ukrainian border, Sumy region, Ukraine, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024 Russian troops are seen digging defensive trenches some 50 miles from the border in anticipation of the Ukrainian advance Ukrainian servicemen operate an armoured military vehicle on a road near the border with Russia, in the Sumy region of Ukraine, on August 14, 2024 'Our Ukrainian drones work exactly as they should, but unfortunately there are things that cannot be done with drones alone,' the Ukrainian president said in his nightly address. 'We need other weapons - missiles... long-range decisions for Ukraine. This must be done.' Russian President Vladimir Putin is pictured at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence, August 14, 2024 Ukraine's invasion of Kursk appeared to have stalled somewhat earlier this week, with Russian commanders scrambling to pile fresh units into the battle on the ground while bombing Ukrainian positions from the air with Su-34 jets. But by Wednesday, Ukrainian officials claimed to have regained the initiative and claimed to have captured almost as much Russian land in Kursk as Russian forces took in Ukraine in the last seven months, according to the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank. Kyiv claims its troops are now controlling at least 74 settlements, including the strategic town of Sudzha, and have advanced almost 30 miles into some parts of Kursk. Hundreds of Russian prisoners have also been captured, blindfolded and ferried away in trucks. Kyiv could use those men to bargain for the return of hundreds of imprisoned Ukrainians in future prisoner exchanges, with Ukrainian human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets declaring yesterday that his Russian counterpart, Tatyana Moskalkova, had initiated a conversation about that very subject - the first time such a request has come from Moscow. Images from the battlefield showing columns of destroyed Russian weaponry are reminiscent of Ukraine's successful counteroffensives in 2022 in Kherson and Kharkiv. The photos also offer a sorely needed boost to national morale that deflated after the failed 2023 summer counteroffensive and months of recent territorial losses in the east. Ukrainian servicemen drive a Humvee military vehicle past a destroyed border crossing point with Russia, in the Sumy region, on August 14, 2024 Ukrainian servicemen operate a tank on a road near the border with Russia, in the Sumy region of Ukraine, on August 14, 2024 A Ukrainian military vehicle drives past a burning car on a road near the border with Russia, in the Sumy region of Ukraine, on August 14, 2024 Ukrainian servicemen drive an armoured military vehicle past a destroyed border crossing point with Russia, in the Sumy region, on August 14, 2024 Evacuated people queue to fill out the form for humanitarian aid at a distribution centre in Kursk on Wednesday Matthew Savill, the Director of Military Sciences at the RUSI think tank, told MailOnline there could be as many as 10,000 Ukrainian troops now in Russia, with upper estimates from other sources putting the figure as high as 12,000. 'There's evidence of Ukrainian forces from at least four different brigades - 22nd and 88th Mechanised and 80th and 82nd Air Assault, and possibly more - now involved in the offensive in Kursk. 'These brigades are using Western-provided equipment like infantry fighting vehicles as well as Soviet-era tanks. 'It's hard to judge numbers, but it might be enough for around a division - perhaps 10,000 - given the spread of fighting now underway. 'But we should be very cautious about determining exact size, because units are being rotated, and the presence of elements doesn't tell us the whole unit has been deployed. 'That ambiguity suits the Ukrainians.' Kyiv was forced to pull some troops from the hottest parts of the front line in eastern Ukraine in order to launch the Kursk offensive, raising fears that key battles along the frontline could be lost. Ukrainian commanders have said they hope the incursion will also force Russia to do the same, or at the very least deploy reserves that were intended to bolster attacks at other parts of the 620-mile front line. So far, Moscow's focus in the Donetsk region seemingly remains unchanged, with fighters in Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson reporting that Russian forces had if anything upped the intensity of their attacks. 'There is no way Russia will stop its actions in the parts of the front line where they are tactically succeeding,' Ukrainian military expert Konstantin Mashovets said. 'There, they will push and squeeze until their last man is standing, no matter what.' But he said the push into Kursk might force the Kremlin to pull reserves 'from the parts of the front line that are of secondary importance.' 'The stretching of the front line for us is also stretching the front line for the enemy,' said the commander of the 14th Regiment of Unmanned Drones, who uses the call sign Charlie, after he participated in the opening stage of the offensive. 'Only we have prepared for this operation in detail. The Russians were not prepared for this operation at all.' A Ukrainian soldier stands guard as he surveys a line of Russian POWs taken in Kursk Ukrainian servicemen drive an armoured military vehicle past destroyed border crossing point with Russia, in the Sumy region, on August 14, 2024 A Ukrainian military vehicle driving past a destroyed border crossing point with Russia This photograph shows bombs lying in the area of a destroyed border crossing point with Russia, in the Sumy region, on August 14, 2024 Politically, the incursion turned the tables on Russia and reset the terms of a conflict in which Ukraine increasingly seemed doomed to accept unfavourable cease-fire terms. Presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak suggested that the incursion would strengthen Kyiv's hand in future negotiations with Russia, as occupying part of Russian territory ahead of any cease-fire talks may give Ukraine some leverage. Ukrainian officials have said they do not intend to occupy Kursk, but they may seek to create a buffer zone to protect settlements in the bordering Sumy region from relentless Russian artillery attacks and to block supply lines to the northeast. A Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesperson told reporters in Kyiv earlier this week: 'The sooner Russia agrees to restore a just peace, the sooner Ukrainian raids on Russian territory will stop.' But he caveated that statement by saying: 'As long as Putin continues the war, he will receive such responses from Ukraine.' Kyiv's troops are already digging trenches in Kursk, suggesting they intend to remain there for some time. Police have passed a file to the Crown Prosecution Service on whether to press charges over last month's Manchester Airport incident which left three officers injured. A member of the public had his head stamped on in clashes which have already prompted an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct. The force launched an investigation after video footage emerged of violent scenes at the airport on July 23. The first clip, which went viral on social media, appeared to show a police officer kicking and stamping on the head of Fahir Amaaz, 19, while he was on the ground. A second video then showed an altercation which had broken out in the moments before the incident. Videos emerged showing clashes breaking out between members of the public and Greater Manchester Police officers at Manchester Airport on July 23 Protests were held outside Greater Manchester Police divisional headquarters in Rochdale on July 24 in response to the first footage of the incident emerging Solicitor Aamer Anwar is seen holding up a picture of Shameem Akhtar, 56, alongside her son Fahir Amaaz, 19, at a news conference on Tuesday last week Mr Amaaz and his brother Muhammad Amaad, 25, appeared to throw punches at a male police officer - while two female officers were also hit to the ground before Mr Amaaz was Tasered. Two police officers remain under criminal investigation for assault in relation to the incident, according to the IOPC. And now Greater Manchester Police has said in a statement this morning: 'We have submitted a file to CPS for advice as part of our investigation into incidents at Manchester Airport on 23rd July. 'We have submitted a comprehensive file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service for advice as part of an investigation into a series of alleged criminal offences which saw three police officers injured at Manchester Airport in July. 'GMP Major Incident Team investigators, led by a highly experienced Senior Investigating Officer, have been thoroughly investigating the incident. 'Four men remain on police bail. A separate and independent investigation into our officers actions, by the Independent Office for Police Conduct, remains ongoing.' Protests broke out in Manchester and Rochdale after the first video emerged - with eggs hurled at a GMP HQ in Rochdale and trams in Manchester disrupted. In a press conference earlier this month, the lawyer of the family involved in the incident said the men's mother, 56-year-old Shameem Akhtar, was hit in the face with a Taser by an officer. Footage of a police officer kicking Fahir Amaaz, 19, while he was arrested alongside his brother Muhammad Amaad A second video was posted online, showing moments before the police 'stamping' incident A Stand Up To Racism demonstration in Manchester took place on July 25 Shameem Akhtar, 56, appeared tearful as she faced the media on Tuesday last week Mrs Akhtar said she was racially abused on her flight to Manchester from Pakistan In the days after the incident, the IOPC said a GMP constable was under criminal investigation for assault in connection with the arrests of the brothers. The watchdog then revealed a second officer had been advised they were also under criminal investigation for assault, relating to an incident shortly afterwards when two other men were arrested. The officer is also being investigated for potential gross misconduct for alleged breaches of police professional standards including their use of force. An IOPC spokesman said it had received a further referral from GMP of a complaint, detailing several allegations, from one of the people involved. Catherine Bates, IOPC regional director, said: 'It is clear the situation at Manchester Airport was complex and escalated rapidly. 'The incident, which resulted in injuries to police officers and members of the public, has caused understandable concern and we are working hard to piece together all of the relevant events on that day. 'In parallel, Greater Manchester Police is investigating whether any criminal offences were committed by members of the public during the initial altercation and the subsequent arrests. 'These investigations are separate, and we are liaising with the Crown Prosecution Service to establish how they can progress in parallel.' A family has saved 588,700 on inheritance tax after a HMRC blunder saw a member of staff issue a certificate confirming that no payment was due. Jennifer Elizabeth Fleet had entered a scheme not long before her death in 2011 to bring the value of her estate below 325,000 the amount everyone can pass on tax-free on their passing. The complex tax-saving scheme worked by creating an artificial debt to bring the value of the estate down and was spotted by HMRC, but the department failed to claw back the unpaid tax because of its own administrative shortcomings. Mrs Fleet's sons and executors signed an inheritance tax form in October 2011 stating that the value of her assets was 1.8m, including 1.6m in liabilities of which 1.4m was the guarantee. This meant her estate was below the 325,000 threshold at the time of her death, so her family escaped the 40 per cent death duty for anything over this value. Jennifer Elizabeth Fleet had entered a scheme not long before her death in 2011 to bring the value of her estate below 325,000 the amount everyone can pass on tax-free on their passing (file image) But an HMRC officer wrote to Mrs Fleet's advisers five years later stating that the debt was not deductible, and therefore the estate had been undervalued. In 2018, after a number of delays, her adviser applied for a certificate of discharge which would wipe out the tax liability. It was then that a HMRC staff member unaware that another officer was dealing with the case issued a certificate confirming that no inheritance tax was due. In 2019, the officer in charge issued a determination saying the amount liable to inheritance tax was 1.4m meaning the family owed more than 500,000. The sons appealed to the first-tier tribunal. HMRC argued that Mrs Fleet had, by entering into the scheme, made a lifetime transfer which was immediately chargeable to inheritance tax. The tribunal accepted that the scheme was 'ineffective in reducing the value of Mrs Fleet's estate for inheritance tax purposes'. However, it allowed the appeal on the grounds that there had been no lifetime transfer because the value of the guarantee had effectively remained within her estate at the date of her death. Although the scheme had failed on a technical level, HMRC could not collect the tax. Claire Roberts, of accountancy firm Moore Kingston Smith, told The Telegraph: 'This decision is the latest in an increasingly common pattern of HMRC getting the basics wrong. 'In this case, 500,000 of tax was lost simply because different parts of HMRC did not speak to each other. 'This comes at a time when HMRC is facing growing criticism for their falling service standards and this costly mistake will add fuel to the fire.' An HMRC spokesman said: 'We acknowledge the ruling and welcome the tribunal's agreement that the scheme used does not reduce inheritance tax liabilities.' An arrest warrant has been issued for a Ukrainian man over the Nord Stream gas pipeline bombing, two years after the mysterious explosions that Russia denied involvement in. Since the bombing, speculation has been rife around who was responsible with Ukraine and Russia both vehemently denying any involvement. But German media reported on Wednesday that a European arrest warrant had been requested for a Ukrainian man, a diving instructor whose last known address was in Poland. The Polish prosecutor's office told AFP it had received the warrant for a man named as 'Volodymyr Z.' in June 'in connection with proceedings against him in Germany'. However, the man left for Ukraine at the beginning of July before he could be detained, it said. Gas bubbles from the Nord Stream 2 leak reaching surface of the Baltic Sea in the area shows disturbance of well over one kilometre diameter near Bornholm, Denmark, September 27, 2022 Underwater footage of the blast site showed that the damage was far greater than initially thought German investigators believe the man was one of the divers who planted explosive devices on the Nord Stream pipelines, according to the ARD broadcaster and newspapers Die Zeit and the Sueddeutsche Zeitung. They have also identified two more Ukrainians, a man and a woman, who they believe acted as divers in the attacks, the reports said - believed to be a married couple who run a diving school in Ukraine. However, no arrest warrants have yet been issued for them. Different German media outlets reported Wednesday that they had reached Volodymyr Z. and the woman in question, who both denied any involvement. The German federal prosecution service declined to comment when contacted by AFP. German government spokesman Wolfgang Buechner also did not comment directly on the reports but stressed that German prosecutors' 'investigations are being carried out according to the law regardless of who is concerned and which results they lead to'. Buechner told reporters at a press conference that the results of the probe 'of course do not change anything about the fact that Russia is waging an illegal war of aggression against Ukraine'. Polish prosecutors said the suspect had been able to leave Poland because German investigators did not 'include him in the database of wanted persons'. 'The Polish Border Guard had no knowledge and no grounds for detaining Volodymyr Z.,' the prosecutor's office told AFP. Nord Stream's two pipelines had been at the centre of geopolitical tensions as Russia cut gas supplies to Europe in suspected retaliation for Western sanctions over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. A handout picture released by ImageSat International (ISI) on September 30, 2022, shows an image from an intelligence report depicting a release of gas emanating from a leak on the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline, in the Swedish economic zone in the Baltic Sea Underwater video shows extensive damage to Nord Stream 1 pipeline Four large gas leaks were discovered in September 2022 in the pipelines off the Danish island of Bornholm, with seismic institutes recording two underwater explosions just before. While the leaks were in international waters, two were in Denmark's exclusive economic zone and two in Sweden's. The pipelines were not in operation when the leaks occurred, but they still contained gas which spewed up to the surface and into the atmosphere. The Ukrainian suspects are accused of transporting the explosives used in the attack in a sailing yacht called the Andromeda, according to the German media reports. The same yacht was searched by German investigators in January 2023. According to reports at the time, a team of five men and one woman chartered the yacht from Rostock port to carry out the operation. In June 2023, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky insisted Kyiv knew nothing about any plan to blow up the pipelines. As president he has the power to give orders, Zelensky said in an interview with Germany's Bild daily. 'I did nothing like that. I would never do that,' he said. Denmark, Sweden and Germany all opened investigations into the explosions, but Denmark and Sweden both closed their investigations earlier this year. The proportion of A-level entries awarded top grades in England, Wales and Northern Ireland has increased on last year and remains above pre-pandemic levels. Hundreds of thousands of UK students received their exam results today in a year when grading was expected to be restored to 2019 levels in all three nations. More than a quarter (27.8 per cent) of UK entries were awarded an A or A* grade, up by 0.6 percentage points on last year when 27.2 per cent achieved the top grades. This was also higher than in 2019 - the last year that summer exams were taken before the pandemic - when 25.4 per cent of entries were awarded A or A* grades. And this year is also the first time that top A-level results have risen since 2021. Meanwhile, the total number of students accepted on to UK degree courses has risen by 3 per cent on the same point last year - with 425,680 taking up places so far. Some 243,650 18-year-old applicants from the UK were accepted at a university or college this year, compared to 230,600 in 2023 - a rise of 6 per cent. And 82 per cent of all applicants got a place at their first choice - up from 79 per cent last year. Carys Bonell and Ava Doherty celebrate at Harris Westminster Sixth Form in London today Kherri French (left) and Yasmin Hanachova (right) react together as they receive their A-level results this morning at Norlington School and Sixth Form in Waltham Forest, East London Hannah Greenwood reacts with her parents as she receives her results at Solihull School today Students celebrate their results at King Edward VII High School for Girls in Birmingham today (From left) Aisha Sidime, Daleen Sherkawi and Orissa Mistry at Solihull School this morning Noah Harrison receives his A-level results at Solihull School in the West Midlands this morning Pupils receive their results today at Parrs Wood High School in Didsbury, south Manchester A family member looks at a student's A-level results at Solihull School this morning Students celebrate their results at King Edward VII High School for Girls in Birmingham today Jack Gallagher with his parents Matt and Lisa as he receives his results at Solihull School today Students receive their A-Level results at the City of London Academy Highgate Hill today Katie Smallwood celebrates after getting her A-level results at Solihull School this morning Students receive their A-level results at Solihull School in the West Midlands this morning Students receive their A-level results at Solihull School in the West Midlands this morning Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Overall, the proportion of UK entries awarded the top A* grade this year has risen by 0.4 percentage points to 9.3 per cent, compared with 8.9 per cent in 2023, and it is higher than when it stood at 7.7 per cent in 2019. Key statistics in this year's A-level results The proportion of candidates receiving top grades has risen from last year . It also remains higher than before the Covid-19 pandemic. A total of 27.8% of entries were awarded either an A or A*, up from 27.2% in 2023 and above 25.4% in 2019. . It also remains higher than before the Covid-19 pandemic. A total of 27.8% of entries were awarded either an A or A*, up from 27.2% in 2023 and above 25.4% in 2019. Some 9.3% of entries received an A*. This is also up on last year (8.9%) and higher than the figure for 2019 (7.7%). Discounting the pandemic-affected years of 2020-22 - when the figure peaked at 19.1% in 2021 - 9.3% is the highest proportion since the A* grade was first awarded in 2010. This is also up on last year (8.9%) and higher than the figure for 2019 (7.7%). Discounting the pandemic-affected years of 2020-22 - when the figure peaked at 19.1% in 2021 - 9.3% is the highest proportion since the A* grade was first awarded in 2010. The overall pass rate (grades A* to E) was 97.2% . This is down from 97.3% in 2023 and also below 2019, which was 97.6%. It is the lowest figure since 2008, when it also stood at 97.2%. . This is down from 97.3% in 2023 and also below 2019, which was 97.6%. It is the lowest figure since 2008, when it also stood at 97.2%. Some 76.4% of entries received a C or above. This is up from 76.0% in 2023 and above the pre-pandemic figure of 75.9% in 2019. This is up from 76.0% in 2023 and above the pre-pandemic figure of 75.9% in 2019. The lead enjoyed by girls over boys in the top grades has narrowed . The proportion of girls' entries awarded A or higher this year was 28.0%, just 0.4 percentage points higher than the equivalent figure for boys' entries (27.6%). Last year, girls led boys by 0.6 percentage points (27.5% girls, 26.9% boys). . The proportion of girls' entries awarded A or higher this year was 28.0%, just 0.4 percentage points higher than the equivalent figure for boys' entries (27.6%). Last year, girls led boys by 0.6 percentage points (27.5% girls, 26.9% boys). Boys have extended their lead over girls in the highest grade, A* . The proportion of boys' entries awarded A* this year was 9.5%, 0.4 points higher than girls (9.1%). Girls had moved in front of boys from 2020 to 2022, before boys reclaimed a 0.3-point lead last year. Boys had previously led girls at A* from 2012 through to 2019. . The proportion of boys' entries awarded A* this year was 9.5%, 0.4 points higher than girls (9.1%). Girls had moved in front of boys from 2020 to 2022, before boys reclaimed a 0.3-point lead last year. Boys had previously led girls at A* from 2012 through to 2019. The most popular subject this year was maths, for the 11th year in a row . It had 107,427 entries, up 11% from 96,853 in 2023. Psychology remains the second most popular subject. It had 78,556 entries, down 2% from 80,493 in 2023. Biology was once again the third most popular subject, with 74,367 entries, a fall of 0.4% from 74,650. . It had 107,427 entries, up 11% from 96,853 in 2023. Psychology remains the second most popular subject. It had 78,556 entries, down 2% from 80,493 in 2023. Biology was once again the third most popular subject, with 74,367 entries, a fall of 0.4% from 74,650. Further maths saw the largest percentage increase in entries this year . It was up 20% from 15,080 in 2023 to 18,082 in 2024. . It was up 20% from 15,080 in 2023 to 18,082 in 2024. London saw the highest proportion of entries awarded grades of A and above (31.3%, up 1.3 percentage points from 30.0% in 2023) across the regions of England. The East Midlands had the lowest (22.5%, up 0.2 points from 22.3% in 2023). (31.3%, up 1.3 percentage points from 30.0% in 2023) across the regions of England. The East Midlands had the lowest (22.5%, up 0.2 points from 22.3% in 2023). A total of 886,514 A-levels were awarded this year. This is up 2% on last year's 867,658. Advertisement Excluding the period of 2020 to 2022, the years of the pandemic, this is the highest proportion of A* grades awarded since they were first handed out in 2010. But the overall pass rate - the proportion of entries graded A* to E - has fallen to 97.2 per cent this year, which is lower than last year (97.3 per cent) and the pre-pandemic year of 2019 (97.6 per cent). The figures, published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), cover A-level entries from students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In England, exams regulator Ofqual had said it expected this year's A-level results to be 'broadly similar' to last year, when grades were restored to pre-pandemic levels. Ofqual's chief regulator Sir Ian Bauckham told a briefing that standards had been maintained from last year. He said: 'There is no grade inflation this year. Standards have been maintained from 2023. Any change is largely due to the ability of the cohort.' In Wales and Northern Ireland, exam regulators said they aimed to return to pre-pandemic grading this summer - a year later than in England. It comes after the Covid-19 pandemic led to an increase in top grades in 2020 and 2021, with results based on teacher assessments instead of exams. Boys have pulled further ahead of girls at the top grade this year, with 9.5 per cent of boys' entries scoring an A* compared with 9.1 per cent of girls' entries - a gap of 0.4 percentage points. Last year the gap was 0.3 percentage points. Boys have traditionally led girls, scoring more A* grades than their female classmates every year between 2012 and 2019. But girls overtook boys between 2020 and 2022 - the years of the Covid-19 pandemic. Girls continued to outperform boys at A* and A but the gender gap has narrowed again this year. A total of 4,135 students in England alone scored three A* grades, according to separate figures from Ofqual. This is up from 3,820 last year and 2,785 in 2019. The latest statistics show that the attainment gap between independent schools and comprehensives in England has widened compared with last year. The latest Ofqual figures show that this summer, 49.4 per cent of independent school candidates scored grade A or above in all subjects, compared with 22.3 per cent of those at comprehensive schools - a gap of 27.1 percentage points. Last year, the gap was 25.4 percentage points, while in 2019 it was 24.8 percentage points. The cohort of students who are receiving their results were in Year 9 when schools shut due to Covid-19, and they were the first year group to sit GCSE exams after they were cancelled for two years in a row. Leaders in the education sector have warned that this cohort of young people has had to overcome a series of challenges - and those from disadvantaged backgrounds have been hit the worst. Lee Elliot Major, professor of social mobility at the University of Exeter, said: 'In many ways this is one of the unluckiest cohorts to emerge in the post-pandemic era - blighted by Covid disruption, a cost-of-living crisis not to mention the national crisis of unfit school buildings, and yet at the same time they have received no compensation or extra support in the exam system.' Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. He also said it was 'simply not acceptable' that private school pupils are more than twice as likely to secure top grades. Just days before the academic year was due to start last year, a number of schools were forced to offer remote learning when reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) was found in buildings. Grade percentages by nation and region Every region of England has seen a year-on-year increase in the proportion of A-level entries awarded A and above, the 2024 exam figures show. All regions also saw a higher proportion of entries awarded A* or A this year than in the pre-pandemic year of 2019. London saw the highest proportion of entries awarded A and above, at 31.3%, up 1.3 percentage points from 30.0% in 2023. The East Midlands had the lowest, at 22.5%, up 0.2 points from 22.3% in 2023. The gap between these two regions was 8.8 percentage points, up from 7.7 points last year. In 2023, North East England had the lowest proportion of entries awarded A or above, at 22.0%, while South East England had the highest, at 30.3%: a gap of 8.3 points. But this year the gap between these two regions narrowed to 6.9 points (North East England 23.9%, South East England 30.8%). Meanwhile, the proportion of entries awarded A and above in Wales and Northern Ireland has fallen sharply year on year, as these nations complete the return to pre-pandemic levels of grading. In Wales, the figure has dropped from 34.0% in 2023 to 29.9%, while in Northern Ireland it has decreased from 37.5% to 30.3%, though both of these are still above the 2019 pre-pandemic figures of 26.5% and 29.4% respectively. Here are the percentages of A-level entries awarded the top grades (A*/A) by nation and region, with the equivalent figures for both 2023 and the pre-pandemic year of 2019: North East England 23.9% (2023: 22.0%; 2019: 23.0%) North West England 25.5% (2023: 24.1%; 2019: 23.5%) Yorkshire & the Humber 24.6% (2023: 23.0%; 2019: 23.2%) West Midlands 24.8% (2023: 22.9%; 2019: 22.0%) East Midlands 22.5% (2023: 22.3%; 2019: 21.0%) Eastern England 27.5% (2023: 26.6%; 2019: 25.6%) South West England 26.9% (2023: 26.3%; 2019: 25.8%) South East England 30.8% (2023: 30.3%; 2019: 28.3%) London 31.3% (2023: 30.0%; 2019: 26.9%) England 27.6% (2023: 26.5%; 2019: 25.2%) Wales 29.9% (2023: 34.0%; 2019: 26.5%) Northern Ireland 30.3% (2023: 37.5%; 2019: 29.4%) All 27.8% (2023: 27.2%; 2019: 25.4%) Here is the A-level pass rate (entries awarded A*-E grades) by nation and region: North East England 97.6% (2023: 97.6%; 2019: 98.3%) North West England 97.6% (2023: 97.4%; 2019: 97.9%) Yorkshire & the Humber 97.3% (2023: 97.2%; 2019: 97.8%) West Midlands 96.8% (2023: 96.8%; 2019: 97.1%) East Midlands 96.6% (2023: 96.9%; 2019: 97.4%) Eastern England 97.1% (2023: 97.3%; 2019: 97.6%) South West England 97.4% (2023: 97.4%; 2019: 97.7%) South East England 97.3% (2023: 97.5%; 2019: 97.8%) London 96.9% (2023: 96.9%; 2019: 96.8%) England 97.1% (2023: 97.2%; 2019: 97.5%) Wales 97.4% (2023: 97.5%; 2019: 97.6%) Northern Ireland 98.5% (2023: 98.8%; 2019: 98.4%) All 97.2% (2023: 97.3%; 2019: 97.6%) Advertisement Department for Education (DfE) figures, as of February 8, show 234 education settings in England were identified as having the collapse-risk concrete in their buildings. Of these, 94 were listed as secondary or all-through state schools, while 11 were post-16 colleges. A one-off uplift to exam marks has not been granted to all pupils who had their education disrupted by the concrete crisis despite calls from schools and families affected. Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: 'I really hope that we don't see young people being majorly disadvantaged in Raac schools because it will be a travesty on top of something that has already disadvantaged them and put them in a difficult situation.' The JCQ has said schools and colleges can apply for 'special consideration' after today if they feel their results have been affected by Raac disruption during the exam series - such as a 'noisy environment' in the exam hall due to nearby building work. Mr Di'Iasio added: 'I would welcome anything that allows students to gain recognition for the turbulence and the adversity that they face, be it through Raac or anything else that hasn't been recognised. 'I would hope that university admissions officers, but also schools and colleges and the whole system, make allowances for these young people because young people have had an incredibly traumatic period and they need all the support they can get right now.' Mr Di'Iasio also said: 'This is a red-letter day for thousands of young people and there will be both celebrations and disappointments. Students in the latter category should not despair, however, as there are a range of options available.' He added: 'While the dark days of the pandemic are in the past, its legacy continues to haunt us, as many of these students experienced severe disruption to their education. 'In particular, this impacted upon young people from disadvantaged backgrounds whose families were also adversely affected by the subsequent cost-of-living crisis.' Meanwhile in England today, 7,380 students received their T-level results in the third year that the qualification has been awarded - and 88.7 per cent achieved at least a pass. Around 250,000 results were also issued to students who took level 3 vocational and technical qualifications (VTQs) this year. Margaret Farragher, chief executive of the JCQ, said: 'Huge congratulations to students on their achievements, spanning a range of vocational, technical and academic qualifications. 'While the pandemic is now behind us, we must acknowledge that this group of students faced disruption during their education and pay tribute to their resilience.' And Jill Duffy, chairwoman of the JCQ board of directors and chief executive of the OCR exam board, said: 'With A-level grades similar to last year, Gen Z students and their teachers will see some much-needed continuity and stability after the disruptions of the pandemic. 'Whether going to university or into training or straight into a career, their qualifications help them move on to their next stage, and we wish them every success in the future.' Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson offered her congratulations to students, saying they can be 'really proud of what they've achieved. Ms Phillipson, who also revealed that she achieved four As in her own A-levels, told Times Radio: 'I do just want to say a huge congratulations to all of those young people. 'They've been through an awful lot in recent years and they've shown tremendous resilience, and they've had fantastic support from the staff and teachers within their schools and colleges, and it's a big and exciting day for them.' Ms Phillipson also said there were 'plenty of opportunities' for A-level students who fall short on results day. She told Sky News: 'To our young people receiving their results, there are lots of great options out there in terms of what you can go on to do next. 'For those young people who get what they need and move on to their destination of choice, that's brilliant. 'For those who perhaps fall slightly short, there are lots of options out there. There are lots of people that can be there to provide advice and support, whether that's the school or college, Ucas through clearing, or the National Career Service. 'So I want to wish them all the very best, but to reassure them that there are plenty of opportunities that are there.' In addition, she said that where students are from should not impact what they can achieve and committed to closing the 'big gaps' in university access across the UK. Ms Phillipson added: 'I want all young people to be able to choose the path that's right for them. For many young people that will be university, for many young people that will be an apprenticeship, or going into the world of work. Ting Ting He (left) hugs Victoria Lovera at Ark Globe Academy in South East London today Leena Hamza at Newcastle High School for Girls got three A*s today and will study medicine at Imperial College London Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson at Loreto Sixth Form College in Manchester today Students sit together after receiving A-level results at Ark Globe Academy in London today Students receive their A-level results at Belfast High School this morning Azizah Haider receives her A-level results at Ark Globe Academy in South East London today Emma Harris receiving her A-level results at Belfast High School this morning Student Umar Fernandez (second left) at City of London Academy Highgate Hill today Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson at Loreto Sixth Form College in Manchester today Education Minister Paul Given (right) joins students at Belfast High School this morning Students receive their A-level results at Ark Globe Academy in South East London today Ciara Wilson (left) and Leah Horan after receiving A-level results at Belfast High School today Student Cleashei Nicolas receives her A-level results at Ark Globe Academy in London today Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson at Loreto Sixth Form College in Manchester today Emily Hall at Newcastle High School for Girls will study geography and planning at university 'It's about having those range of options that are available. And I think, sadly, whatever the headline figure in terms of university applications, we do still see, sadly, very big differences between different parts of the country. Ukrainian refugee, 17, who fled Kyiv is off to study at Cambridge after achieving four A*s Terrified of the daily air raid sirens over Kyiv at the start of the Ukraine war, Anna Ursakii and her family decided to flee. Their journey west involved travelling through 10 different countries before she finally made it to northern Italy. From there she emailed schools at the top of the UK rankings and was thrilled to be awarded a place at the prestigious Brighton College under the school's pioneering scholarship system. Brighton College student Anna Ursakii, 17 Today, Anna, 17, has won a place at the University of Cambridge to study Natural Sciences after she achieved four A* grades in four A Levels. Her achievement at gaining a place at one of the world's most coveted universities is even more astonishing given English is her second language. Head teacher Richard Cairns says Anna threw herself into life at 43,000 a year Brighton College, becoming a member of the award-winning chamber choir and part of the dance show team. During her time at the college she made sure to keep the war in the forefront of everyone's minds. Anna, who arrived at the school in 2022 with her six-year-old brother Sasha, said: 'I was absolutely terrified of the sirens. They scared me so much. 'We heard Brighton College was offering places to Ukrainian refugees and we applied. I just emailed them, chancing my luck and they got back to me.' Anna opens her results in Brighton today After a call with the headteacher which she had to make from a petrol station she was offered a full scholarship. Working hand in hand with local charities and refugee organisations, Brighton College has taken around 20 Ukrainian children on full scholarships. Reflecting on her time in England, Anna said: 'I've really valued the opportunity to be at Brighton College. It is a gift to be free, to be safe, and to have a future. I feel safe now, I have good friends and a warm home. 'It breaks my heart that my friends from Ukraine don't get to experience this and instead have to study in shelters. My hope now is hope for the future and hope for peace.' Anna studied Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Physics and will be going to Clare College, Cambridge. Anna with her six-year-old brother Sasha Mr Cairns said: 'So many Ukrainian youngsters have had their whole lives entirely upended by this terrible war, and the story of Anna gives a glimmer of hope for the future. 'I am so proud of this remarkable young woman and am just glad that we were able to help her a little along the way.' Brighton College pupils have achieved record-breaking results, with a phenomenal 99.3 per cent A* to B, which is thought to be the highest results of any school. An incredible 85.2 per cent of results were A* to A and almost half were A*. Advertisement 'So for example, you're far more likely to apply to university from London and the South East than you are from the North East, where I'm from. So it's not kind of a flat figure across the country. 'There are big gaps, big differences, and actually that they've been growing in recent years,' the MP who represents Houghton and Sunderland South said. 'And the same is sadly true when it comes to some of our outcomes. 'And I'm absolutely determined to turn that around, because I don't believe where you're from should determine what you can go on to achieve, and it certainly shouldn't limit your choices and options.' Earlier, Ms Phillipson spoke about how A-level results are expected to be 'broadly in line with last year'. Speaking to BBC Breakfast, she added: 'I had to overcome quite a lot of my life to get to that point, but it was a straightforward journey.' Ms Phillipson also said she was 'really surprised' to hear that students with T-levels are not being accepted by some universities. She added: 'I think T-levels are an important part of our system. I think they provide really high quality options for young people around technical and vocational education. 'What we're doing at the moment is looking at the other options that sit alongside T-levels to make sure that we've got a good mix, so that all of our young people are able to study for a really high quality qualification.' Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, she also said: 'T-levels are here to stay, but we need to make them work, and we need to make them work better than has been the case. 'But alongside that, we need to make sure that there are other routes for our young people. T-levels won't be the answer, won't be the solution for every young person that is considering a technical or vocational relief.' And Rebecca Montacute, head of research and policy at the Sutton Trust charity, said: 'Young people receiving their exam results today have had to overcome many challenges along the way. 'They lost education time due to the pandemic, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds were particularly affected by the loss of in-person teaching, lack of space and a quiet learning environment at home, lack of devices to learn with, and little social interaction with their peers.' 'These issues have been compounded for pupils who experienced further lost learning in schools impacted by the Raac crisis.' Separate figures from the university admissions service Ucas showed the number of students accepted on to UK degree courses has risen this year. A total of 425,680 applicants - of all ages and domiciles - have gained a place at university or college, which is up 3 per cent on the same point last year. Ucas said 82 per cent of all applicants have gained a place at their first choice university or college, which is up from 79 per cent last year. For 18-year-olds in the UK, 243,650 applicants have been accepted - up 6 per cent on last year. The number of 18-year-olds from the most disadvantaged backgrounds in the UK to gain places on courses has reached a record high, Ucas said. Overall, 27,600 of UK 18-year-olds from the most disadvantaged backgrounds (POLAR4 Quintile 1) have accepted a degree place, up 7 per cent on 25,800 last year and on the previous record of 26,650 in 2021. The number of international students who have been accepted on to courses stands at 51,170, down slightly on 51,210 last year. Accepted applicants from China (10,950) are down 6 per cent compared with last year. Education experts have suggested students could face less competition for university places this year due a decline in the proportion of UK school leavers applying to higher education and a fall in overseas demand. As of yesterday afternoon, the day before A-level results day, a sample of 130 of the UK's largest higher education providers showed there were 22,774 courses with vacancies for undergraduate students living in England on the Ucas clearing website. A similar analysis last year, carried out the day before A-level results day, showed there were 22,521 courses with vacancies on the clearing site. Clearing is available to students who do not meet the conditions of their offer on A-level results day, as well as those who did not receive any offers. Students who have changed their mind about what or where they wish to study, and also those who have applied outside the normal application window, can also use the process. Jo Saxton, chief executive of Ucas, said: 'Today's figures highlight the tenacity and effort from students who have aimed high and are about to embark on their exciting next steps. 'I'm particularly thrilled to see free school meals students securing a place at university or college in record numbers. 'I know how important it is to everyone working in education that every student, no matter their background, has the opportunity to reach their full potential. 'Widening access and participation is not just about numbers; it's about opening up doors and transforming the lives of students through higher education so they can pursue their passions and career aspirations. 'Ucas is here to help all applicants take their next step, including students who received different results than expected, or those who are looking to change their mind. 'There are just under 30,000 courses available in Ucas clearing across a broad range of subjects and universities so there really is something for everyone.' And Vivienne Stern, chief executive of Universities UK (UUK), said: 'Everyone who worked hard for their results today should be immensely proud of themselves. 'It is heartening to see that a record number of disadvantaged students have gained a place at a university or college this year. 'We know that a degree has particularly strong benefits for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and this will boost earnings and career prospects throughout their lifetimes.' Speaking about international students, Ms Phillipson said the Government does not intend to remove visa restrictions placed on them by the previous Tory government. In January, restrictions were introduced to prevent most international students bringing dependents with them to the UK. Asked whether the visa restrictions should be reversed, Ms Phillipson told Sky News: 'We don't intend to change that. 'But what I do say is that international students who come to our country and study do make a tremendous contribution. 'In economic terms, into where it comes to the communities where they will come and live: Sunderland - where I'm a Member of Parliament - we have lots of students that come from around the world, often as postgraduate students, that study and make a contribution. 'But it's also a big part of our reach around the world, the impact that we can have as a country, the business links, the trading links, the opportunities and the bridges that we build between nations.' She added that raising university tuition fees would be 'unpalatable'. Asked whether tuition fee caps would be increased in the next five years, Ms Phillipson told Sky News: 'I do recognise the challenge, and I hear that message from institutions as well, but I think that's a really unpalatable thing to be considering. 'Not least because I know that lots of students across the country are already facing big challenges around the cost of living, housing costs, lots of students I speak to who are already working lots of jobs, extra hours, in order to pay for their studies.' Twin sisters get the same A-level results... two years after the same feat at GCSE! Twin sisters have achieved exactly the same set of A-level results - two years after managing the same feat at GCSE. Nicola and Victoria Tsang, 17, have achieved identical grades for the second set of public exams in a row. In today's results they both achieved A* grades in economics and A grades in maths and physics, while they both also earned an A* in the EPQ - a research project similar to a mini dissertation. Nicola (bottom) and Victoria Tsang (top) It comes two summers after they recorded the same grades in the same subjects at GCSE. Victoria, the older sibling by a minute, said: 'I was saying yesterday what happens if we get the same results again and we both said that won't happen. We've had different grades in our mocks in the run-up to the exams so I can't believe it's happened again.' Nicola said: 'We saw that we had both got our first-choice universities so it was only then that we checked our grades. We compared our grades and thought not this again. This time I didn't expect it to happen. The probabilities are higher but I still didn't think it would happen.' Nicola added: 'Our friends were messaging yesterday asking what if it happens again? We haven't told anyone about it yet.' The sisters, from Hong Kong, have lived and studied together at Benenden School in Kent since they were 11. They have always been in the same boarding house and have both been prefects during their final year at the boarding school. The Tsang sisters' career paths are also heading in the same direction - they both plan to pursue law degrees, but at different universities. Victoria is off to Cambridge while Nicola is starting at London School of Economics. Advertisement Ms Phillipson added that the Government does intend to 'reform the system overall'. Education think tank EDSK has argued that tuition fees in England should be reduced to 6,000 a year to make post-18 education 'more equitable' for students. 'A reduction in the fee cap to 6,000 would significantly reduce the income of HE (Higher Education) providers if nothing else changed,' the think tank's paper acknowledged. Speaking to ITV's Good Morning Britain, Ms Phillipson said: 'I'm not happy with the system I've inherited, and I do want to reform that system. 'I've been looking at all of the options around this, I will continue to review that. 'We're little more than a month into this new Government, and this is a really big and complex area where if we want to drive change, we need to make sure we get this right, so we will review it, I want to make sure it's a fairer system overall for our students. 'And there are big challenges that our institutions, our universities, are facing at the moment where it comes to their finances, and that's why I've taken immediate action as Secretary of State to refocus the work of the regulator, the Office for Students, to make sure that our universities are on a much firmer footing and succeed into the long run.' In Northern Ireland today, almost a third of A-level students received a top A/A* grade with just over 26,000 pupils receiving results at A or AS-level. This year marks the completion of the transition back from various interim arrangements put in place during the pandemic, with results described as being comparable with 2019. Amid periods of lockdown, examinations were cancelled in 2020 and 2021, while mitigations were put in place in 2022 and 2023. This year, some 30.3 per cent of students received a grade A or above, just up from 29.4 per cent in 2019. Examinations board CCEA, which issues results in Northern Ireland on behalf of the JCQ, described a milestone year. They indicated that this year's results are not directly comparable with last year when some 37.5 per cent achieved an A/A* grade when mitigations were in place. During a visit to Belfast High School this morning, Stormont Education Minister Paul Givan said he is delighted that results in Northern Ireland 'continue to outperform other parts of the UK' where 27.8 per cent of grades awarded were A/A*. 'We're beating England, Wales and that's important to continue to punch above our weight in terms of our qualifications,' he said. 'I'm delighted with the results and it's a culmination of a huge amount of work put in by the teaching profession and the hard work of the incredibly dedicated pupils, speaking to some of them this morning, the hours of work that they put in every week and at weekends, today they get to see the results of all of that. 'I'm hugely proud of what we have been able to achieve in Northern Ireland.' This year there were 32,873 A-level entries. Some 8.2 per cent of entries achieved an A* (8 per cent in 2019), 30.3 per cent achieved A* - A grades (29.4 per cent in 2019) and overall 98.5 per cent of students in Northern Ireland achieved A*- E grade (98.4 per cent in 2019). Mathematics was the most popular subject accounting for 9.6 per cent of entries. It was followed by biology (8.7 per cent), health and social care (7.9 per cent), business studies (7 per cent), history (6.4 per cent), chemistry (5.9 per cent), geography (5.1 per cent), English literature 4.8 per cent), religious studies (4.1 per cent) and physics (3.9 per cent). Meanwhile, AS-level entries were up from 39,336 in 2023 to 41,180 this year. In those results, some 26.7 per cent of students achieved grade A (26.4 per cent in 2019) and overall 96.4 per cent achieved A-E grade (95.7 per cent in 2019). Gerry Campbell, chief executive of CCEA, described the results as an 'important milestone for thousands of young people across the country', adding that 'students should feel proud of their achievements'. '2024 also marks a milestone for examinations as we have completed the first normal exam year since the pandemic began,' he said. 'This would not have been possible without the collaboration and hard work of our schools and colleges, and I wish to especially thank them for their support and commitment to our students across Northern Ireland.' Next week, some 32,000 students will receive the results of their GCSEs. Stormont Economy Minister Conor Murphy has encouraged those receiving exam results, and their parents/carers, to contact his department's Careers Service for free, professional, impartial advice and guidance. 'It is important that young people receiving their exam results today know that professional advice is available to help them navigate the next stage of their career journey,' he said. 'Whatever results you have received today, my department's Careers Service can outline the wide range of opportunities available, based on the most up-to-date labour market information. 'I want to wish all students best wishes for the future and reassure you the Careers Service is ready to support you on your next steps.' Scotland has a different qualification system and students received their results on Tuesday last week. Figures released by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) showed that 77.2 per cent of those sitting National 5 exams passed with grades A to C - down from 78.8 per cent last year. For Highers, 74.9 per cent passed with the top bands, down from 77.1 per cent last year, and for Advanced Highers 75.3 per cent of students achieved A to C grades, falling from 79.8 per cent in 2023. Jeremy Clarkson has broken his silence on A-Level results day as hundreds of thousands of students anxiously await their results this morning. The presenter and Clarkson's Farm star's annual results day tweets have become a traditional tenet for worried teenagers as they find out what grades they have achieved throughout the morning. Taking to X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday Clarkson wrote: 'Dont worry if your A level results arent what you were hoping for. 'I got a C and two Us, and here I am, 46 years later, with my own pub. It opens next weekend if you fancy dropping in.' The presenter typically takes to social media to reassure students who didn't get the results they were hoping for that there are still plenty of opportunities they can take advantage of. It comes as Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said A-level results are expected to be 'broadly in line with last year', as she revealed that she achieved four A grades in her own exams. The presenter and Clarkson's Farm star's annual results day tweets have become a traditional tenet for worried teenagers Your browser does not support iframes. Earlier Clarkson posted: 'Morning everyone. Anything going on?' Responding to the presenter's pub tweet, former London Mayoral candidate for the Tories Susan Hall posted: 'Where is it Jeremy?' Clarkson's long-standing tweets have lightened a tense day for many students in recent years. In 2021, he told his followers he has 'loads of friends' despite achieving poor A-Level results in his own exams. And last year the Diddly Squat farmer wrote: 'It's not the end of the world if your A-Level results aren't what you'd hoped for. I got a C and two Us and here I am today with my own brewery.' The Top Gear presenter's most popular variation came in 2016, when he revealed his results and added: 'I'm currently on a superyacht in the Med.' Other tweets have boasted of having a Bentley and renting a grand chateau in France for the summer. Social media users last night speculated on what his message might be, with one fan writing: 'Happy Jeremy Clarkson #ALevelResults tweet Eve everyone. I hope Father Clarkson brings you exactly what we expect.' The Education Secretary was also keen to reassure students early this morning. Ms Phillipson said there are 'plenty of opportunities' for A-level students who fall short on results day. The ex-Top Gear star last year reminded fans he owns his own brewery In previous years, Clarkson's annual sharing of his A Level results have always been coupled with a boast of his success Clarkson's long-standing tweets have lightened a tense day for many students in recent years Hana Sarwar receives her A level results - 2 A stars and an A - at King Edward VII High School for Girls, an independent school in Edgbaston, Birmingham Carys Bonell and Ava Doherty Celebrate at the Harris Westminster Sixth Form after opening their results She told Sky News: 'To our young people receiving their results, there are lots of great options out there in terms of what you can go on to do next. 'For those young people who get what they need and move on to their destination of choice, that's brilliant. 'For those who perhaps fall slightly short, there are lots of options out there. There are lots of people that can be there to provide advice and support, whether that's the school or college, UCAS through clearing, or the National Career Service. 'So I want to wish them all the very best, but to reassure them that there are plenty of opportunities that are there.' Speaking to BBC Breakfast about her four A grades, she added: 'I had to overcome quite a lot of my life to get to that point, but it was [not] a straightforward journey.' Ms Phillipson also said she was 'really surprised' to hear that students with T-levels are not being accepted by some universities. She added: 'I think T-levels are an important part of our system. I think they provide really high quality options for young people around technical and vocational education.' 'What we're doing at the moment is looking at the other options that sit alongside T-levels to make sure that we've got a good mix, so that all of our young people are able to study for a really high quality qualification,' she continued. 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Built as an ocean liner, the SS Arcadian was chartered by the Royal Navy in 1915 and sunk on April 15, 1917, with the loss of 279 lives. It was five years to the day after the Titanic sank, and one of the survivors, Thomas Threlfall, would survive the sinking of the Arcadian too. Now her wreck has been found over a century later, discovered by a Greek team at a depth of 163 metres, southeast of the Cycladic island of Sifnos. Team leader Kostas Thoctarides said: 'The main feeling was excitement and a sense of satisfaction. For a long time we have been reading this thrilling story that has so many fascinating aspects. A British troop ship torpedoed in the First World War with a Titanic survivor on board has been discovered in the Aegean Sea (wreck pictured above) Built as an ocean liner, the SS Arcadian (pictured) was chartered by the Royal Navy in 1915 and sunk on April 15, 1917, with the loss of 279 lives It was five years to the day after the Titanic sank, and one of the survivors, Thomas Threlfall (pictured), would survive the sinking of the Arcadian too Pictured is the luxury White Star liner Titanic, which sank on its maiden voyage to America in 1912 'Then we saw the image of her on the seabed, something the human eye is seeing for the first time. 'For us it was a journey into the past and the history of the Arcadian, which is unknown to most people in Greece.' The Arcadian was sunk en-route from Salonika in Greece now Thessaloniki to Alexandria in Egypt. She'd headed west into the Cyclades in the hope of avoiding a German U-boat, detected at the island of Ikaria - but she was unsuccessful. Those on board had just completed an abandon ship drill when, at 5.44pm, the torpedo hit. Fired by the UC-74, it struck Arcadian on her starboard side, between the bridge and the foremast. With most of the crew still on deck from the drill, captain Charles L Willats had the lifeboats launched, and ordered the ship be abandoned this time for real. Just five minutes after the explosion, Arcadian's bow slipped below the water, with her stern lifting out of the sea. Her escort, HMS Sentinel, led the rescue, with French warships from Milos joining the effort some two-and-a-half hours later. In all, 1,058 people were saved, and 279 lost comprising 34 crew, ten members of the navy, and two civilians, with the rest from the army. Mr Threlfall later said: 'It was the same day and in the same month that the Titanic went down, and I have come safely out of both affairs.' Now the SS Arcadian's wreck has been found over a century later, discovered by a Greek team at a depth of 163 metres, southeast of the Cycladic island of Sifnos The Arcadian was sunk en-route from Salonika in Greece now Thessaloniki to Alexandria in Egypt He continued: 'The Titanic stopped afloat for a couple of hours and we had time to turn around, but of course you could not live in the water that night. 'This time we had calm sea and warm weather, and you had a chance, but with the Titanic you died in the water almost as soon as you got in.' A statement from Planet Blue, Mr Thoctarides' company, said the Arcadian was in 'excellent condition' and was 'one of the most impressive wrecks in Greece'. It continued: 'Time seems to have stopped at its sinking in 1917.' It's also upright in the water, apparently because its bow hit the seabed while the stern was still sinking. The hole caused by the torpedo is visible even now. For Mr Thoctarides it's the culmination of a decades-long effort. He said: 'Our historical research on Arcadian started over 20 years ago by collecting information mainly from the British and German archives. This photo shows the stern accommodation on the wreck of the SS Arcadian Pictured above is the dining room of the SS Arcadian, which sunk during WWI Survivor Thomas Threlfall said after the SS Arcadian sank: 'It was the same day and in the same month that the Titanic (pictured) went down, and I have come safely out of both affairs' 'Since the year 2000 we have been collecting data on the subject. As the wreck is located in a quite offshore area and a long journey is required to get there, we wanted to be as prepared as possible for these surveys. 'So we created quite a large file on Arcadian and when we had the opportunity to be in the area for underwater works we located it relatively quickly using sonar.' No remains or personal artifacts were found on the ship, which was explored externally using an ROV (remotely operated vehicle). Mr Thoctarides dedicated the discovery to those who perished on the Arcadian. The ship was built in 1899 by the Vickers, Sons & Maxim company at their yard in Barrow-in- Furness, England. Built for the Pacific Steam Navigation Company, she was initially named the Ortona, but was renamed the Arcadian after being acquired by the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company in 1906. Her foe, the UC-74, was built in 1916 at the Vulcan Shipyard in Hamburg, and sank a total of 37 ships during her career. She was interned at Barcelona in 1918 after running out of fuel, surrendered to France in 1919, and broken up in Toulon two years later. Linda Reynolds was a 'mess' requiring around-the-clock care after a breakdown during the firestorm sparked by Brittany Higgins' cover-up accusations, a defamation trial has been told. The ex-defence minister is suing her former staffer, Ms Higgins, over a series of social media posts she alleges contain mistruths - including that she mishandled the response to the incident - that she believes damaged her reputation. Denita Wawn told the Perth court it was 'devastating' to see her friend of more than 20 years so physically and mentally unwell after her breakdown at parliament house in 2021, which triggered severe cardiac symptoms. 'She was a mess ... Physically, she was shaking, she was pale, she looked weak. Mentally, she was in a high state of distress,' she told the WA Supreme Court on Thursday. Ms Wawn said she was 'incredibly concerned' about the senator. 'That her heart condition would result in her potentially dying and the stress that she was putting herself under was exacerbating that condition,' she said. 'I spent considerable time in her home with her, looking after her ... There were a number of us that took turns to be with her.' Ms Wawn said the senator remained in a high state of anxiety and stress in 2022. Linda Reynolds (pictured) is suing her former staffer Ms Higgins over a series of social media posts containing alleged mistruths she believes damaged her reputation. Denita Wawn said she reacted to the Brittany Higgins (pictured left alongside Lisa Wilkinson) interview with 'shock and horror and empathy' 'She wasn't resilient ... trying to show that she was coping but in fact she wasn't and she would break down when she was with either myself or with the group of friends,' she said. The court heard that after the Labor Party was elected to office in 2022, the senator was in an unusually high state of distress while holidaying with friends in northern NSW. 'She broke down on our last night ... she was very upset that she had not been made a shadow minister, not even a junior minister, which in effect had stopped her ministerial career in the future,' Ms Wawn said. Ms Wawn said she repeatedly 'implored' the senator to retire from politics in the years after Ms Higgins accused her of mishandling her alleged rape in 2019. Senator Reynolds announced in February she would not seek re-election. 'She is not in a position to put that level of strain on her body that continues today,' she said. 'Her confidence is superficial and she still shows a lack of significant lack of confidence in private.' She agreed the senator had suffered from a heart condition prior to Ms Higgins' 2021 allegations and was on medication for a period of time for depression and anxiety. Ms Wawn recalled watching Network Ten's The Project when Ms Higgins was interviewed. 'My reaction was of shock and horror and empathy, first and foremost for Ms Higgins,' she said. '(And) for Linda that there had been accusations that she had not undertaken her duty as an employer.' Senator Reynold's former acting chief of staff during the 2019 federal election, Dean Carlson, told the court there was robust discussion about what to do in the days after Higgins' alleged rape. Denita Wawn (pictured) told the court her friend Linda Reynolds was a 'mess' in the wake of the cover-up claim Mr Carlson said Senator Reynolds had consulted the then special minister of state, Alex Hawke, and backed informing the Australian Federal Police. 'The conversation became quite heated. Ms Brown did not want to do that without the permission of Ms Higgins,' he told the WA Supreme Court on Thursday, referring to the senator's chief of staff Fiona Brown. 'There was concern around the circumstances, how Ms Higgins was found in a state of undress warranted the opportunity for the AFP to determine whether anything had occurred.' Mr Carlson said it was eventually agreed Ms Brown would contact Ms Higgins to offer support in making contact with the police. 'I supported Ms Brown's position. I thought it was important Ms Higgins had agency over any action and her privacy was paramount,' he said. Mr Carlson said the late-night security breach on February 23, 2019, that led to Ms Higgins and her then-colleague Bruce Lehrmann - who has always denied any rape took place - being in the senator's ministerial suite was concerning. Asked if he suspected a sexual assault had occurred at that stage, he said: 'There were too many question marks ... of course that was a live option.' 'We were working with a void of information,' he said. He told the court he understood Ms Higgins was later offered alternatives about where she would work during the 2019 election campaign, in the weeks after the alleged rape in the senator's office. Brittany Higgins is pictured outside the Federal Court in Sydney in December These included remaining in Canberra, working from the Gold Coast where her parents lived and in Perth 'where the minister would spend the bulk of the election campaign'. Mr Carlson said that during the campaign the senator's office paid for Ms Higgins to travel to the Gold Coast 'in recognition of the fact that she was the only one in the campaign who hadn't seen family for an extended period of time'. 'I recall distinctly that was an unusual arrangement because we actually had to work out how we would do that within travel policy because she wasn't based in Queensland, she was based in Canberra,' he said. Ms Higgins' defence statement of claim says she felt 'isolated, traumatised, depressed, unsupported and confused' during her time in Perth for the 2019 federal election campaign. Mr Carlson said staff who travelled to Perth for the election campaign stayed in the Aloft Hotel near the senator's campaign office. He said Ms Higgins was often invited to and joined after-work social activities, such as dinner and drinks. 'I found Ms Higgins to be a very enthusiastic team member of the team and whenever I tasked her with work it was always done,' he said. The number of students who received top-grade A-level results has risen despite a return to pre-pandemic marking, according to official figures - with hundreds of thousands of youngsters successfully securing a place at university. Teenagers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have been opening the fateful letters that will determine their future this morning. The proportion of A-level entries awarded top grades is up on last year and remains above pre-pandemic levels - beating out forecasts that suggested the number of top-level grades may fall after markers returned to pre-pandemic standards. Exams body Ofqual had said earlier this year it expected 'national results in 2024 to be broadly similar to those seen in 2023' - but more than a quarter, 27.8 per cent, of results were an A or A* grade, up 0.6 per cent on last year. Admissions body UCAS says 425,680 prospective students have done well enough to make the grades necessary for their conditional university placement offer, up three per cent on last year. Even those who have held off on making a decision will have an greater chance of going to university with more clearing places available than in the past - almost 27,000 courses, including 3,500 at the top-flight Russell Group institutions. Carys Bonell and Ava Doherty were among the students celebrating their results today, at Harris Westminster Sixth Form in central London Two students congratulate each other on their grades at King Edward VII High School for Girls in Birmingham, as it was revealed more pupils than last year have secured university places Hana Sarwar was another pupil delighted to receive A-level results today - seen here celebrating two A* grades and an A at King Edward VII High School for Girls in Birmingham Your browser does not support iframes. Kherri French (left) and Yasmin Hanachova (right) react as they get their A-level results at Norlington School and 6th Form in Waltham Forest, east London Solihull student Hannah Greenwood is lost for woods after getting good A-level results Education secretary Bridget Phillipson joined pupils at Loreto Sixth Form College in Manchester to celebrate their A-level results Belfast High School's Emma Harris shows off her A-level results this morning This was also higher than in 2019 - the last year that summer exams were taken before the pandemic - when 25.4% of entries were awarded A or A* grades. Overall, the proportion of UK entries awarded the top A* grade this year has risen by 0.4 percentage points to 9.3%, compared with 8.9% in 2023, and it is higher than when it stood at 7.7% in 2019. Excluding 2020-2022, the years of the pandemic, this is the highest proportion of A* grades awarded since they were first handed out in 2010. The latest Ofqual figures show that this summer, 49.4% of independent school candidates scored grade A or above in all subjects, compared with 22.3% of those at comprehensive schools - a gap of 27.1 percentage points. Youngsters have been breathing sighs of relief this morning after making the mid-holiday trek into school to open the brown envelopes dictating the next steps in their learning. Student Kitty told BBC Breakfast: 'It was like a weight lifted because I've been waiting all summer to find out how I did and it's been a long time coming.' Asked if she got any sleep, she said: 'No, not really, I was up like every half hour.' Twin sisters Nicola and Victoria Tsang, both 17, achieved identical A-level results two years after pulling off the same feat with their GCSEs. The pair, from Hong Kong, have lived and studied together at Benenden School in Kent since they were 11 and their career paths are also heading in the same direction - they both plan to pursue law degrees, but at different universities. Victoria is off to Cambridge while Nicola is starting at London School of Economics. Also among those passing their exams today is a schoolboy believed to be the youngest person ever to pass A level maths with a Grade A* - at the age of 10. Kautilya Katariya achieved the top grade in the subject - eight years earlier than most students sit their exams. The boy genius already holds the record for being the youngest qualified computer programmer in the world, which he achieved at just six-years-old. And then two years later he achieved the highest possible marks in GCSE maths aged eight after teaching himself the subject online during Covid lockdowns. He said previously: 'I'm feeling good about my achievements and I'm quite proud.' Twins Nicola (bottom and left) and Victoria (top and right) Tsang have gotten identical A Level results two years after pulling off the same feat with their GCSEs Kautilya Katariya, 10, shows off his A-level results after notching up an A* in mathematics years before he was due to take the exam Ting Ting He (left) hugs friend Victoria Lovera as they celebrate their A-level results at Ark Globe Academy in south-east London Students Sahl Yildiz (left) and Mario Godinho receive their A-level results at Ark Globe Academy in south east London Young Noah Harrison grins as he opens his A-level Former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson, pictured here at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone last month, has taken to social media as per tradition on A-level results day The presenter has made a habit of offering solace to students disappointed by their grades TV presenter Jake Humphrey also shared his own results - and some insight from his father Rex The Repair Shop presenter Jay Blades, meanwhile, said his daughter Zola had passed her A-levels with 'flying colours' In A-levels, boys have pulled further ahead of girls at the top grade this year, with 9.5% of boys' entries scoring an A* compared with 9.1% of girls' entries - a gap of 0.4 percentage points. Last year the gap was 0.3 percentage points. Boys have traditionally led girls, scoring more A* grades than their female classmates every year between 2012 and 2019. But girls overtook boys between 2020 and 2022 - the years of the Covid-19 pandemic. Girls continued to outperform boys at A* and A but the gender gap has narrowed again this year. A total of 4,135 students in England alone scored three A* grades, according to separate figures from Ofqual. This is up from 3,820 last year and 2,785 in 2019. Another 7,380 students received their vocational T-level results in the third year that the qualification has been awarded - and 88.7% achieved at least a pass. Around 250,000 results were also issued to students who took level 3 vocational and technical qualifications (VTQs) this year. Ofqual's chief regulator Sir Ian Bauckham told a briefing that standards had been maintained from last year - down to the hard work of pupils alone. He said: 'There is no grade inflation this year. Standards have been maintained from 2023. Any change is largely due to the ability of the cohort.' Meanwhile, in what has become an A-level results day tradition, TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson took to social media to remind people how he under-performed in his school exams before going on to success. He first posted on X, formerly Twitter: 'Morning everyone. Anything going on?' He then added, in a nod to his previous posts this time each year: 'Don't worry if your A level results aren't what you were hoping for. I got a C and two Us, and here I am, 46 years later, with my own pub. It opens next weekend if you fancy dropping in.' Meanwhile, TV presenter Jake Humphrey shared a text from his father Rex reminding him that his A-level results hadn't been what he expected. He said on X: 'It was the love, patience and understanding of my parents that got me through my a-level results day. If someone in your life hasn't got the results they want today, put an arm around and show love. Their future is far from written.' The Repair Shop presenter Jay Blades, meanwhile, said his daughter Zola had passed her A-levels with 'flying colours'. Ucas said 82 per cent of all applicants have gained a place at their first choice university or college, an increase from 79 per cent last year. For 18-year-olds in the UK, 243,650 applicants have been accepted - a six per cent rise. And the number of 18-year-olds from the most disadvantaged backgrounds in Britain securing places on courses has reached a record high, Ucas said. Overall, 27,600 of UK 18-year-olds from the most disadvantaged backgrounds have accepted a degree place, up seven per cent on 25,800 last year and above the previous record of 26,650 in 2021. The number of international students who have been accepted on to courses stands at 51,170, down slightly on 51,210 last year - while accepted applicants from China (10,950) are six per cent lower. Tens of thousands of pupils are finding out their A-Level results today after markers returned to pre-pandemic standards Last year, more than a quarter - or 27.2 per cent - of UK A-level entries were awarded A or A* grades, down on 36.4 per cent in 2022 Azizah Haider on the phone spreading the word of her A-level results after picking them up in London today Student Cleashei Nicolas receives her BTEC results at Ark Globe Academy in south east London Education Minister Paul Given (right) joins students at Belfast High School as they receive their A-level results Ucas chief executive Jo Saxton said: 'Today's figures highlight the tenacity and effort from students who have aimed high and are about to embark on their exciting next steps. 'I'm particularly thrilled to see free school meals students securing a place at university or college in record numbers. 'I know how important it is to everyone working in education that every student, no matter their background, has the opportunity to reach their full potential. 'Widening access and participation is not just about numbers - it's about opening up doors and transforming the lives of students through higher education so they can pursue their passions and career aspirations.' She added that there were almost 30,000 courses available in Ucas clearing. The fight for places is already underway, with the University of Sheffield taking calls from over 500 applicants in two hours on Thursday morning. Dan Barcroft, Sheffield's director of admissions, said competition for last-minute clearing places was 'fierce'. Last year, more than a quarter - or 27.2 per cent - of UK A-level entries were awarded A or A* grades, down on 36.4 per cent in 2022. But it was higher than in 2019 - the last year that summer exams were taken before Covid-19 - when 25.4 per cent of UK A-level entries were given top grades. Exam regulators have now ditched the Covid-19 pandemic approach which put more weight on teachers' own assessment of their pupils. A* and A grades could fall by about seven per cent when pupils open their results today, according to a report from the University of Buckingham A taped-off section at Parks Primary School in Leicester last September indicates how it was one of the schools affected by reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) problems Just days before the academic year was due to start last year, a number of schools were forced to offer remote learning when reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) was found in buildings. Yet a one-off uplift to exam marks has not been granted to all pupils who had their education affected by Raac despite calls from schools and families. The move to restore pre-pandemic standards comes after Covid-19 led to an increase in top A-level and GCSE grades in 2020 and 2021, with results based on teacher assessments instead of exams. Leaders in the education sector have warned that this cohort of young people has had to overcome a series of challenges in recent years - and those from disadvantaged backgrounds have been hit the worst. The batch of students now receiving their A-level results were in Year 9 when schools closed due to the pandemic and were the first year group to sit GCSE exams in 2022 after they were cancelled for two consecutive years. Lee Elliot Major, professor of social mobility at the University of Exeter, told the PA news agency: 'In many ways this is one of the unluckiest cohorts to emerge in the post-pandemic era - blighted by Covid disruption, a cost-of-living crisis not to mention the national crisis of unfit school buildings, and yet at the same time they have received no compensation or extra support in the exam system.' Department for Education figures, as of February 8, show 234 education settings in England have been identified as having the collapse-risk concrete in their buildings. Of these, 94 are listed as secondary or all-through state schools, while 11 are post-16 colleges. Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, told PA: 'I really hope that we don't see young people being majorly disadvantaged in Raac schools because it will be a travesty on top of something that has already disadvantaged them and put them in a difficult situation.' The Joint Council for Qualifications has said schools and colleges can apply for 'special consideration' after today if they feel their results have been affected by Raac disruption during the exam series - such as a 'noisy environment' in the exam hall due to nearby building work. Mr Di'Iasio added: 'I would welcome anything that allows students to gain recognition for the turbulence and the adversity that they face, be it through Raac or anything else that hasn't been recognised. 'I would hope that university admissions officers, but also schools and colleges and the whole system, make allowances for these young people because young people have had an incredibly traumatic period and they need all the support they can get right now.' Today's results will hep determine the next steps for students, with many hoping to secure the grades they need to take up university places Lee Elliot Major (pictured), professor of social mobility at the University of Exeter, says this year's A-Level students are among 'the unluckiest cohorts to emerge in the post-pandemic era' Meanwhile, the Mail can reveal that hundreds of degree courses at top universities are being offered to high-paying international students instead of British applicants. Analysis shows that pupils collecting their A-level results today will have far fewer options than those applying from abroad when it comes to choosing alternative courses through the Clearing process. Of the 24 top institutions in the Russell Group, 17 have places available through Clearing and 11 are offering more courses to those from abroad than to those living here. As of yesterday morning, Russell Group universities had a total of 4,504 courses available to foreign students, against 3,883 for domestic students equating to 621 more (16 per cent). Ahead of today's results, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: 'Young people deserve enormous credit for what they have achieved, in the face of both the huge disruption of recent years, and in too many cases the inequality that goes hand in hand with young people's backgrounds. 'I am determined to break down these barriers to opportunity so every young person can pursue their dreams and thrive. 'I hope young people everywhere can celebrate their results and look forward to their next step - be that university, an apprenticeship or beginning their careers.' She told Times Radio this morning: 'I do just want to say a huge congratulations to all of those young people. 'They've been through an awful lot in recent years and they've shown tremendous resilience, and they've had fantastic support from the staff and teachers within their schools and colleges, and it's a big and exciting day for them.' She added on Sky News that there are 'plenty of opportunities' for youngsters who do not get the results they were hoping for - from clearing to the National Career Service. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, pictured leaving Downing Street on July 30, has said students deserve 'enormous credit' in the face of 'the huge disruption of recent years' T-level results will also be received by thousands of students in England on Thursday, and youngsters across the country will be awarded their level 3 vocational and technical qualification exam results. Ms Phillipson has said the vocational qualifications are 'here to stay' this morning, telling BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'We need to make them work, and we need to make them work better than has been the case. 'But alongside that, we need to make sure that there are other routes for our young people. 'T-levels won't be the answer, won't be the solution for every young person that is considering a technical or vocational relief.' Students could face less competition for university places this year due a decline in the proportion of UK school leavers applying to higher education and a fall in overseas demand, education experts have suggested. As of yesterday afternoon, a PA sample covering 130 of the UK's largest higher education providers showed there were 22,774 courses with vacancies for undergraduate students living in England on the Ucas clearing website. A similar analysis last year, carried out the day before A-level results day, indicated 22,521 courses with vacancies on the clearing site. Clearing is available to students who do not meet the conditions of their offer on A-level results day, as well as those who did not receive any offers. Students who have changed their mind about what or where they wish to study, and also those who have applied outside the normal application window, can also use the process. Hundreds of degree courses at top universities are being offered to high-paying international students instead of British applicants (file image) Edinburgh University has 253 clearing places available for overseas students, but only one for students from Scotland or England (file image) Rebecca Montacute, head of research and policy at the Sutton Trust charity, told PA: 'Young people receiving their exam results today have had to overcome many challenges along the way. 'They lost education time due to the pandemic, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds were particularly affected by the loss of in-person teaching, lack of space and a quiet learning environment at home, lack of devices to learn with, and little social interaction with their peers.' 'These issues have been compounded for pupils who experienced further lost learning in schools impacted by the Raac crisis,' she added. Scotland has a different qualification system and students received their results on Tuesday last week. Figures released by the Scottish Qualifications Authority showed that 77.2 per cent of those sitting National 5 exams passed with grades A to C - down from 78.8 per cent last year. For Highers, 74.9 per cent passed with the top bands, a drop from 77.1 per cent last year, and for Advanced Highers 75.3 per cent of students achieved A to C grades as opposed to 79.8 per cent in 2023. A sacked porn star allegedly took revenge on the producer that fired her by getting her boyfriend to take him and four other adult actresses hostage on a sex-film set. Isadora Albuquerque Barbosa, 21, refused to go quietly when her ex-boss dismissed her from the filming studio in Guarapari, in Brazil's state of Espirito Santo. In retaliation, she sent her co-star and real-life boyfriend Wender Henrik Goncalves da Silva, 24, to carry out a brutal armed robbery on July 21, local media has reported. Da Silva burst into the studio with two accomplices during filming and took the producer and his actresses hostage while he forced them to make online bank transfers, police have said. They stole 18,505 in money, smartphones, watches and jewellery from their victims after threatening to kill them, according to reports. Isadora Albuquerque Barbosa, 21, (pictured) refused to go quietly when her ex-boss dismissed her from the filming studio in Guarapari, in Brazil's state of Espirito Santo Isadora Albuquerque, 21, poses with boyfriend Wender Henrik Goncalves She sent her co-star and real-life boyfriend Wender Henrik Goncalves da Silva, 24, to carry out a brutal armed robbery on July 21, local media has reported City police Specialised Criminal Investigations Unit boss Rosane Cysneiros said in a statement: 'It all happened due to a disagreement with the model who was fired by the producer of the project and did not participate in the filming that weekend. 'The suspect's boyfriend, with several records for crimes such as robbery and drug trafficking, went to the house as a kind of revenge for the disagreement between the model and her manager.' Police detained da Silva and Barbosa on August 12 after tracking them down in Vila Velha, in the the state of Espirito Santo. The pair are being held in custody awaiting trial but their two accomplices, say officers, are still on the run. Isadora Albuquerque, 21, was arrested on suspicion of ordering a robbery on her ex-boss They stole 18, 505 in money, smartphones, watches and jewellery from their victims after threatening to kill them, according to reports The Metropolitan Police is failing in almost every area of its work, a damning report by the police watchdog has revealed. His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services said it had 'serious concerns' about how Britain's biggest police force headed by Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley is preventing and reducing crime. Lee Freeman, HM inspector of constabulary, judged too that the service was not managing the risks posed by registered sex offenders and online abusers 'effectively' - with one high-risk offender not being visited by the police since 2017. Scotland Yard was also criticised for failing in the support it offers to victims. The findings come after Scotland Yard has faced a series of scandals, including the murder of Sarah Everard by serving officer Wayne Couzens, serial sex offender David Carrick and strip searches of children. The Metropolitan Police, whose commissioner is Sir Mark Rowley (pictured in Westminster last Thursday) is failing in almost every area of its work, a damning watchdog report says His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services said it had 'serious concerns' about Britain's biggest police force Metropoiitan Police scandals include the rape and murder of Sarah Everard by serving officer Wayne Couzens (pictured) Former Metropolitan Police officer David Carrick was convicted of 49 offences including 24 rapes - mugshot issued by Hertfordshire Police Today's report graded each area of Scotland Yard's work on a scale from 'Outstanding' to 'Inadequate' - with no area rated either 'Outstanding' or 'Good', while most were ranked as 'Requires improvement' or 'Inadequate'. Mr Freeman uncovered examples of poor organisation within London's police force, which was condemned in a separate review a year ago concluding it was institutionally racist, misogynistic and homophobic. The HMIC said the Met faced 'unique challenges' as the police force for one of the busiest cities in the world at a time of great unrest. Mr Freeman urged the force to nevertheless continue working to improve how it investigates crimes - after finding many crimes are never fully investigated and there have been no 'consistent improvement' in supporting victims. He said: 'Policing the capital city places additional strain on the force and its leadership, as the force tirelessly manages protests, state visits and royal occasions, and national and international sporting events. 'In parallel, the force is in the midst of an organisational-wide transformation, which is significant in both its size and scale. 'While it was evident in my inspection that many key changes have and are being made, they are not yet translating into consistent and sustained improvements in some key areas. 'While I commend the force for the progress it has made in answering the public's calls quickly, I have serious concerns about how the force is currently investigating crime and how it manages offenders and suspects. 'We will continue to monitor the Metropolitan Police under our Engage process, and I look forward to seeing the further progress made.' Today's report graded each area of Scotland Yard's work on a scale from 'Outstanding' to 'Inadequate' - with no area rated either 'Outstanding' or 'Good' Another damning watchdog report previously cited numerous fiascos, including the murder of Sarah Everard (pictured) by serving officer Wayne Couzens Couzens was given a while life order when sentenced in September 2021 for rape and murder The Met has been in the Engage process, a form of enhanced monitoring used when a force is 'not succeeding in managing, mitigating or eradicating' concerns, since its last inspection two years ago. The new HMICFRS report reveals troubling discoveries, including how there was a lack of training in both the process of managing suspects and offenders, and in use of the Violent and Sex Offender Register. In one disturbing example, a high-risk registered sex offender had not been successfully visited by officers or team members since 2017. The report said: 'As such, this individual and the risk they pose to the community wasn't being managed.' The inspection found there was 'no proactive consideration' of arresting the individual nor issuing a warrant. More generally, it found that too many visits to registered sex offenders were announced in advance - potentially allowing the offender to conceal any prohibited devices and therefore appear to pose less risk. Under the 'investigating crime' section, the inspectorate found the force's crime allocation policy led to 'inconsistent decision-making across the force, and to arguments about who should investigate what'. There were examples during the inspection of complex crimes being allocated to officers with only 'basic investigative training', while supervisors in investigation teams had little or no training in how to manage crime workloads, the report said. The quality of investigations for neighbourhood crimes was 'generally poor' and lines of enquiry were not always identified or pursued. Today's report reveals troubling discoveries, including how there was a lack of training in both the process of managing suspects and offenders by the Metropolitan Police (stock image) Former Met Police officer David Carrick pictured in a court artist drawing in February last year as details emerged of his horrific crimes including 'violent and brutal' sex attacks Data on stop and search was also incomplete, as officers sometimes failed to record the ethnicity of those it searches. In the past, the Met has been accused of disproportionately targeting ethnic minorities when it conducts stop and searches. It also found the Met does not consistently help victims to access their rights, as laid out in the Victims' Code, and does not always recognise when a victim is entitled to an enhanced service. Among its recommendations, the inspectorate called for the Met to immediately review its operating model for the teams responsible for the day-to-day management of registered sex offenders and online child sexual abuse and exploitation. It was previously revealed that about 350 officers were on a backlog for a gross misconduct hearing towards the end of last year - and about 1,600 Met cops and staff were being investigated for alleged violence against women and sexual abuse. A new clampdown is part of a vetting and review process of the force's 44,000-strong workforce ollowing Couzen's March 2021 rape and murder of Sarah Everard, 33, who was kidnapped after leaving a friend's home in Clapham, south London. Couzens was sentenced to life in prison with a whole life order in September 2021. Serial rapist David Carrick was jailed for a minimum term of 30 years in February last year - as the judge Cheema-Grubb told how he took 'monstrous advantage of his victims' while serving as a Metropolitan Police officer for more than two decades. Other Met Police controversies included the high-profile case of Child Q, a 15-year-old schoolgirl who was strip-searched in 2020 having been wrongly accused of possessing cannabis. The girl, who is black, was strip-searched while on her period with no appropriate adult present at a school in Hackney, east London. The Child Q case sparked a wave of protests, with hundreds gathering at Hackney Town Hall in March 2022 after it emerged the teenager was searched without another adult present People protest outside Stoke Newington police station in north London over the treatment of Child Q, a black 15-year-old schoolgirl who was strip-searched by police while on her period In the wake of that incident, a report by the Children's Commissioner published last year found that black children were up to six times more likely to be strip-searched by police. Meanwhile, two Met officers were jailed for two years and nine months in December 2021 for misconduct in public office after taking and sharing pictured of murder victims Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman in a park in Wembley, north-west London. Police constables Deniz Jaffer, 50, and Jamie Lewis, 35, were sent to protect the murder scene after the sister's bodies were discovered hidden in undergrowth of the park. instead they decided to take six photos of the bodies, sending them to a public WhatsApp group of police officers and members of the public, including a doctor and a dentist. They were released automatically last year for serving just half of their sentences. Responding to today's new report, the Met said it was using 'every available resource to deliver more trust, less crime and high standards for London'. In a statement, it said: 'We are now reflecting carefully on the findings, the core of which reflect our A New Met for London plans and the briefing we gave to the HMIC.' The watchdog found that the force had improved its response with the majority of 999 and 101 calls now answered quickly. Bibba Henry, 46, and Nicole Smallman, 27, were stabbed to death by Danyal Hussein in a Wembley park in June 2020 The women's mother Mina Smallman previously spoke of forgiving their killer but says she cannot do the same for the officers who took photos of her daughter's dead bodies Two police constables - Deniz Jaffer, 50, (left) and Jamie Lewis, 35 (right) - were jailed for two years and nine months in December 2021 for misconduct in public office after taking pictures of the women's bodies But inspectors also discovered that recruitment issues meant there were not enough officers or high enough experience levels to reach the standards expected. It comes as figures from the British Transport Police Authority revealed that violent attacks on women and girls travelling on the railways have exploded by 50 per cent in two years. Crimes against women and girls rose from 7,561 in 2021 to 11,357 in 2023, and sexual harassment cases doubled to 1,908. A separate survey last year found only one in five people who witnessed sexual harassment reported it to the police. Shocking footage has emerged of the moment Ukrainian paratroopers made an extraordinary bid to smash the international border with Russia by driving at full speed in a Kozak 2 armoured vehicle. They audaciously sought to ram the Kolotilovka checkpoint with Russia's Belgorod region in an apparent effort to expand the Ukrainian invasion which has already seen Kyiv's forces seize huge swathes of territory in neighbouring Kursk region. Reports say the vehicle hit dragon's teeth barricades and was then attacked by a Russian FPV drone. Russian artillerymen also unleashed a Krasnopol precision-guided shell at the vehicle. The Russians branded it a 'suicide mission' attack by the fearless Ukrainian troops. The vehicle is seen making a beeline for the border in this drone footage They audaciously sought to ram the Kolotilovka checkpoint with Russia's Belgorod region The vehicle barrels into the checkpoint between Ukraine and Russia's Belgorod region Reports say the vehicle hit dragon's teeth barricades and was then attacked by a Russian FPV drone The armoured vehicle was attacked with a drone and explosive shells Russian reports said those who escaped were quickly 'eliminated', while others 'burned with the vehicle' Some paratroopers miraculously escaped from the crashed armoured vehicle which is seen in a giant fireball explosion. 'Barely alive after such a blow, the paratroopers still managed to unload at the entrance to the checkpoint,' reported one account. But Russian reports said those who escaped were quickly 'eliminated', while others 'burned with the vehicle'. At least seven Ukrainian troops are seen on the video. But there were likely up to 11 in the domestically made Kozak-2. Ukraine reportedly made several attempts to break through the border into the Belgorod region. The incident coincides with reports that Russia had repelled Ukrainian efforts to break the border at Kolotilovka. There were also reports that Ukraine was using tanks against the border. This comes as more than 100 Russian soldiers surrendered en masse to Ukraine, claiming their commanders abandoned them. An entire company laid down their arms and were taken as prisoners of war by the Ukrainian armed forces inside Vladimir Putin's Kursk region. A total of 102 held up the white flag in the biggest mass surrender of the brutal war between Russia and Ukraine. The images will be seen as an abject humiliation for Kremlin dictator Putin, and as the result of the folly of him forcing untrained men and young conscripts to the front. 'More than 100 Russians abandoned by their commanders made the right decision and surrendered,' said Ukrainian outlet Want to Live, which seeks to broker surrenders. 'They can be understood. It is hard to conduct military operations when you are commanded by tyrants and embezzlers, and the flanks are 'covered' by [Chechen leader Ramzan] Kadyrov's bandits, who abandon everyone and everything, just so as not to be captured themselves. This comes as more than 100 Russian soldiers surrendered en masse to Ukraine, claiming their commanders abandoned them Several soldiers were sitting on the ground with blindfolds on after they surrendered Over a hundred Russian soldiers surrendered to Ukraine in the Kursk region on August 14, 2024 The Russian soldiers surrendered to Ukraine in the western Kursk region of Russia 'And thanks to [Russian] General [Alexander] Lapin, who is helping us successfully advance in the Kursk region, just as in 2022 in the Kharkiv region, for the defence of which he was responsible.' He was Putin's controversial pick as deputy commander of ground forces and head of the Leningrad military district, a figure seen as incompetent by many pro-war hardliners. Pravda Gerashchenko Telegram channel said: 'Their commanders fled, so a company of fighters decided to save their lives and surrender to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.' The captives would help Ukraine return its PoWs held by Russia in exchanges. Yan Matveyev, a Russian military analyst, said the losses were serious for Russia. 'Just imagine, in the video a quarter of an entire motorised rifle battalion is captured. A very serious blow to combat readiness.' Three parking bays in a seaside town are on sale for a staggering 150,000 but fed-up residents have said the whopping price tag 'makes sense'. Residents in the heart of Whitstable, Kent, say they sometimes have to leave their cars a mile away after fruitless 20-minute searches for a spot closer to home. Shockingly, spaces have become so sought-after that one small patch of land with three bays is valued at 10,000 more than a four-bed house a 40-minute drive away in Dover as locals blame tourists for making finding a space 'impossible'. Whitstable is a magnet for tourists, either coming for the day or staying in the hundreds of Airbnbs. Locals say parking has become a 'gigantic issue' - with some even taking to watching out the window so they can quickly nab a space when one becomes free. These three parking bays in Whitstable, Kent, are on sale for a staggering 150,000 - 10,000 more than a four-bed house a 40-minute drive away in Dover The site is accessible from Island Wall - the main road running parallel to the town's coastline But resident Dan Griliopoulos, 44, is confident someone will snap it up, saying: '50,000 for a space in a place where parking is impossible at busy times kind of makes sense' Three spots near the seafront have now been listed for sale online for 150,000 - and locals say they aren't surprised there's a market for them. The listing reads: 'Situated in a prime town centre location just off Whitstable's bustling high street, it presents a rare opportunity to acquire a freehold parcel of land currently used for off-road parking for up to three vehicles. 'It is accessed via Island Wall within close proximity of the seafront and the working harbour.' Resident Dan Griliopoulos, 44, is confident someone will snap it up, saying: '50,000 for a space in a place where parking is impossible at busy times kind of makes sense. 'If you have disposable income, it will reduce your stress. 'I do not have a parking space at my house so I have to hunt for a space which will take 20 minutes on a busy summer day like this. 'You see people watching out of their windows and spying to see when cars leave in Albert Street and Victoria Street then rushing out and calling their friends to say: 'I have got a space.' 'It is madness and I have parked near Whitstable railway station before which takes about 15 minutes to walk back to my home.' He added people are always dumping their cars on the pavement and double-yellow lines, risking a fine. As well as being popular with day-trippers, Whitstable is also the Airbnb capital of Kent, with more than 500 listed in the town. The listing reads: 'Situated in a prime town centre location just off Whitstable's bustling high street, it presents a rare opportunity to acquire a freehold parcel of land currently used for off-road parking for up to three vehicles' Keam's Yard car park (seen) is opposite the plot in Island Wall and costs 3.70 an hour between 7.30am and 9pm or 2 an hour overnight Mr Griliopoulos added: 'The Whitstable market is overheated and I know one person who owns 12 Airbnbs along this stretch. 'There are people with more money than sense so it would seem like a deal.' Another resident, Melanie Stevenson, says she is not shocked by the 150,000 asking price as she believes 'everything seems to be extortionate' in the town. The 62-year-old said: 'I am from north London which I thought was expensive but Whitstable is more so. 'Parking is at a premium and I have applied for permits for visitors but was refused. I have one parking space so it is a nightmare.' Residents can use any pay-and-display car parks - excluding Whitstable swimming pool, Oyster, Beach Walk and The Harbour sites - if they have a permit, which costs 856 a year. But they are not guaranteed a space and sites can often be busy in the warmer months due to people flocking to the town. Keam's Yard car park is opposite the plot in Island Wall and costs 3.70 an hour between 7.30am and 9pm or 2 an hour overnight. The rates increased this year - previously being 3.10 an hour from April to September and 1.60 the rest of the year - with Canterbury City Council bosses saying financial pressures meant they had no choice but to hike prices. One resident living in the area, who asked not to be named, struggled to see why anyone would purchase the land and then charge for parking as it could take years for them to make a profit. They said: 'We would love to have the plot but not for that amount of money. 'Parking is a premium in Whitstable but this is taking the p***. It would seem more appropriate for it to be residents' parking. Parking is terrible but the price is ridiculous.' Another resident, who also wanted to remain anonymous, said her neighbours were shocked by the 150,000 price tag. She added: 'People have said: "Wow, how did they come up with that figure?" 'Parking is a nightmare as people park on the pavement, double-park and abandon their cars. It is a gigantic issue in Whitstable.' A number of houses in the county can be found listed on Zoopla with a lower asking price than the plot in Island Wall. One example would be a four-bedroom terraced house in London Road, Dover, which is being marketed for 140,000. Senior Ukrainian military officers hatched the daring plan to blow up Russia's Nord Stream gas pipelines during 'a night of heavy boozing', an investigation has claimed. The multi-billion dollar Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines transporting gas under the Baltic Sea were ruptured by a series of blasts in September 2022, seven months after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine. The blasts wrecked three out of four pipelines, which had become a controversial symbol of German reliance on Russian gas in the wake of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, and triggered wild speculation over the possible culprit - not to mention a continental energy crisis. But now, a Ukrainian military officer allegedly involved in the operation told the Wall Street Journal the sabotage - pulled off with a single yacht, a six-person crew, rudimentary diving equipment and a set of light explosives - was dreamt up by a few Ukrainian military men amid an alcohol-fuelled bash. 'I always laugh when I read media speculation about some huge operation involving secret services, submarines, drones and satellites,' the officer said. 'The whole thing was born out of a night of heavy boozing and the iron determination of a handful of people who had the guts to risk their lives for their country.' One officer who participated and three other sources familiar with the plan told WSJ it was initially approved by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but said that former armed forces commander-in-chief Valery Zaluzhny instructed the team to forge on with the attack when Zelensky got cold feet. The Ukrainian president's office today rejected the WSJ's investigation as 'absolute nonsense'. Gas bubbles from the Nord Stream 2 leak reaching surface of the Baltic Sea in the area shows a disturbance of well over one kilometre in diameter near Bornholm, Denmark, September 27, 2022 A video shared by Norwegian underwater drone company Blueye shows extensive damage to the Nord Stream 1 pipeline following the attack in September 2022 Ukrainian general Valery Zaluzhny, former armed forces commander-in-chief and now ambassador to the UK, allegedly told the crew to carry out the attack on Nord Stream even after Zelensky got cold feet The Andromeda, a 50-foot Bavaria 50 Cruiser recreational sailing yacht, is the vessel German investigators believe was used by the crew who sabotaged the Nord Stream pipelines Ukrainian suspects are accused of transporting the explosives used in the attack in a 50ft sailing yacht called the Andromeda, according to investigations conducted by Germany and revealed by German media. The WSJ investigation revealed that, having agreed their intention of blowing up Nord Stream, the Ukrainian officers studied an old plot conceived by Ukrainian intelligence and Western experts to attack the pipelines following the annexation of Crimea, but they quickly dismissed this approach due to its high cost. Instead, a simpler plan was devised involving a six-person team who would use a small sailing boat - the Andromeda - to carry out the mission, supposedly with help from a Polish travel agency linked to Ukrainian intelligence. The team included an experienced military skipper and several divers, who were equipped with their diving gear and explosives, along with sonar and maps of the sea bed. Two of the divers were husband and wife, with sources telling WSJ the presence of a woman on board made the crew's disguise as friends on a yachting holiday more plausible. Setting out from the Baltic Sea port of Rostock, poor weather forced the crew to make a brief stop at the Swedish port of Sandhamn, where one diver accidentally dropped an explosive device into the sea. The team considered aborting the mission but decided to press on once the weather cleared, successfully navigating the Baltic Sea's dark, icy waters to reach the pipelines where they planted powerful HMX explosives. In June 2023, Zelensky insisted Kyiv knew nothing about any plan to blow up the pipelines. 'I did nothing like that. I would never do that,' he said in an interview with Germany's BILD. But sources told the WSJ that Zelensky was fully aware of the plan and initially gave it the green light, only to back out later after the CIA got wind of the mission and asked him to pull the plug. The CIA was reportedly informed about the monumental sabotage mission by Dutch intelligence agency MIVD, which sources claim had developed a robust intelligence-gathering capacity in Ukraine due to its involvement in the investigation of the Malaysian Airlines flight MH17. General Zaluzhny, his commander-in-chief at the time and now ambassador to the UK, allegedly defied Zelensky's orders and told the crew to carry out the attack anyway. Zaluzhny himself dismissed these claims made by the WSJ as 'a mere provocation', as Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak denied his country's involvement and instead pointed the finger at Russia. 'Such an act can only be carried out with extensive technical and financial resources... and who possessed all this at the time of the bombing? Only Russia,' Podolyak said. 'Ukraine's involvement in the Nord Stream explosions is absolute nonsense. There was no practical sense in such actions for Ukraine.' Meanwhile, Dr Huseyn Aliyev, an expert in conflict and security in Russia, Ukraine and the former Soviet Union at the University of Glasgow's Central and Eastern European Studies, cautioned that the claims raised in the WSJ investigation were 'based on anecdotal evidence' and described them as 'difficult to believe'. 'It is difficult to believe that, if Ukraine indeed planned this operation at the highest level, no communication took place with the German side. 'I also find it difficult to believe that operation of that scale and magnitude was allegedly handled by the Ukrainian Army Chief Gen Zaluzhny, rather than the Military Intelligence (GUR) or Security Services (SBU), which to this date were in charge of all sabotage activities against Russia,' he said, though noted that a former SBU agent was reportedly involved in planning the attack. This handout picture taken and released on September 29, 2022 shows the release of gas emanating from a leak on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline Aerial photo provided by the Swedish Coast Guard on Sept. 27, 2022 shows the gas leak from Nord Stream in the Baltic Sea Ukrainian suspects are accused of transporting the explosives used in the attack in a 50ft sailing yacht called the Andromeda, according to investigations conducted by Germany and revealed by German media Disgruntled German officials involved in the investigation declared the sabotage operation had put Berlin in a difficult position. 'An attack of this scale is a sufficient reason to trigger the collective defence clause of NATO,' one official told WSJ in alarming comments. 'But our critical infrastructure was blown up by a country that we support with massive weapons shipments and billions in cash.' German government spokesman Wolfgang Buechner sought to make it clear that the investigation would not interfere with Germany's support of Ukraine in its war against Russia, nor would it harm bilateral relations. 'Investigations are being carried out according to the law regardless of who is concerned and which results they lead to'. He said the results of the probe 'of course do not change anything about the fact that Russia is waging an illegal war of aggression against Ukraine... The procedures have no bearing on what the Chancellor (Olaf Scholz) has described as the support of Ukraine's defence against Russia's illegal war of aggression, as long as necessary.' It comes as Poland yesterday received a European arrest warrant issued by Berlin for a Ukrainian suspect named as Volodymyr Z who is thought to have participated in the historic attack. German investigators believe Volodymyr Z, a Ukrainian diving instructor, was part of a team that planted the explosives. Polish National Public Prosecutor's Office spokeswoman Anna Adamiak said German authorities sent a European warrant to the District Prosecutor's Office in Warsaw in June for Volodymyr Z in connection with proceedings conducted against him in Germany. 'Ultimately, Volodymyr Z was not detained because at the beginning of July he left Polish territory, crossing the Polish-Ukrainian border,' she told reporters. 'Free crossing of the Polish-Ukrainian border by the above-mentioned person was possible because German authorities... did not include him in the database of wanted persons, which meant that the Polish Border Guard had no knowledge and no grounds to detain Volodymyr Z.' The blasts wrecked three out of four Nord Stream pipelines, which had become a controversial symbol of German reliance on Russian gas in the wake of Moscow 's invasion of Ukraine, and triggered wild speculation over the possible culprit Top ranking Ukrainian general Valery Zaluzhny, the former commander in chief of Ukraine's armed forces and now ambassador to the United Kingdom, is said to have told Ukrainian officers to proceed with the Nord Stream plan despite Zelensky's reluctance This handout photo taken on September 28, 2022 from an aircraft of the Swedish Coast Guard (Kustbevakningen) shows the release of gas emanating from a leak on the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline The 50-feet-long charter yacht 'Andromeda', which German prosecutors had searched believed to be used for the blasts of the Baltic Sea pipelines Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 iew towards Nord Stream 1 Baltic Sea pipeline and the transfer station of the Baltic Sea Pipeline Link in the industrial area of Lubmin, Germany, August 30, 2022 A married couple, a man and a woman - also Ukrainian diving instructors - have also been identified in Germany's investigation into the sabotage but so far no arrest warrants have been issued for them, according to SZ, Zeit and ARD. The woman told broadcaster Welt on Wednesday that neither she nor her husband were involved, and that she was in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, at the time of the pipeline attack. Ukraine's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The German federal prosecutor's office declined to comment on the media reports. Germany, Denmark, and Sweden all opened investigations into the incident, and the Swedes found traces of explosives on several objects recovered from the explosion site, confirming the blasts were deliberate acts. But the Swedish and Danish investigations were closed this February without identifying any suspect. Amanda Knox has clapped back at an Italian court for 'gaslighting' her after it released a 35-page document explaining its decision to uphold her conviction for slander in June against a bar owner she had accused of killing British student Meredith Kercher. Taking to X (formerly Twitter) last night, Knox, slammed the Italian justice system in a lengthy string of Tweets for 'gaslighting me for 17 years'. 'It began during my interrogation, and it continues in the courts, most recently in the legal motivation released on August 8th which explains why they found me guilty of slander back in June', she wrote. The Florence appellate court last Thursday had said that a hand-written memo by Knox, 36, 'was written spontaneously and freely', adding that the document contained 'the objective details of the crime of slander.' US citizen Knox was a 20-year-old exchange student in the university town of Perugia when she and her then-boyfriend Italian Raffaelle Sollecito were accused of murdering 21-year-old Brit Kercher, who was found dead in the apartment they shared on November 2, 2007. Amanda Knox slams Italian court Amanda Knox arrives with her husband Christopher Robinson (L) at the courthouse in Florence, on June 5, 2024 before a hearing in a slander case, related to her jailing and later acquittal for the murder of her British roommate in 2007 Congolese pub owner Diya "Patrick" Lumumba who was originally jailed for the murder of Meredith Kercher, looks on outside Perugia's court, central Italy, Tuesday Sept. 16, 2008 After years of flip-flop trials and jail time they were exonerated in 2015, but a slander conviction endured against Knox for wrongly accusing an innocent man, Congolese bar owner Patrick Lumumba, who was her boss at the time. The accusation meant that Lumumba was held for two weeks on suspicion of murder before police released him with an iron-clad alibi. Knox has insisted that she named the bar owner under extreme police pressure, after she was interrogated for 53 hours by police, during which she signed statements wrongfully accusing Lumumba, who was also her boss at the time. The hand-written memo in question, which was an attempt to walk back the accusations against Lumumba, said: 'I'm very doubtful of the verity of the statements because they were made under the pressure of stress, shock and extreme exhaustion.' She also underlined that 'these things seem unreal to me, like a dream, and I am unsure if they are real things that happened, or are just dreams my mind has made to try to answer the questions in my head and the questions I am being asked.' In last night's string of Tweets, Knox said that 'after hours of being psychologically tortured, I was finally left alone and began to realize that the statement I'd been pressured to sign were likely not true. 'I tried to tell the police, but they ignored me. So I asked for a pen and a piece of paper. 'This gaslighting is upsetting and triggeringhearing a judge offer illogical arguments, present falsehoods as facts, and label me a liarbut it also inspires me to keep fighting, because the police should be held accountable for their abuses of power,' she added. The slander conviction is the only one remaining against her long after Knox was definitely exonerated of the murder of Kercher, and she traveled to Florence in June hoping to remove the last legal stain against her - only to be convicted again. Picture shows British student Meredith Kercher, who was on exchange in Perugia, Italy when she was murdered In this Sept. 26, 2008 Amanda Knox, center, is escorted by Italian penitentiary police officers to Perugia's court Knox's hand-written document was the only piece of evidence the Florence appellate court was to examine after Italy's supreme court threw out two signed statements falsely accusing Lumumba of murdering Kercher. The highest court's ruling followed a finding by a European court that Knox's rights had been violated during a long night of questioning. The European Court of Human Rights in 2019 ordered Italy to pay Knox damages for failing to provide a lawyer or an independent interpreter during the extended night of questioning during which she signed the two statements fingering Lumumba. Kerchers brutal stabbing death in the idyllic Perugia fueled global headlines as suspicion fell on Knox. Flip-flop verdicts over nearly eight years of legal proceedings polarized trial watchers on both sides of the Atlantic. The pair were fully exonerated by Italys highest court in 2015. Rudy Hermann Guede convicted of murdering Kercher Knox, who is now a mother of two and a criminal justice reform advocate, will not serve any jail time for the recent conviction as she had already spent some three years behind bars. Rudy Hermann Guede, a man from Ivory Coast whose DNA was found at the crime scene, has been definitively convicted in Kerchers murder. He was released from of a 16-year term. Guede's DNA was discovered on Kercher's body despite his claims that he was in the bathroom listening to music when she was killed. He was recently ordered to wear a monitoring bracelet and not leave his home at night after an ex-girlfriend accused him of physical and sexual abuse. A doting father has shared his pride after his step-daughter 'nailed it' and received top A-Level results today, revealing how she 'shaped me as a father'. Former elite swimmer Craig Pankhurst, 45, from Thurstaston, Merseyside, took to social media and said Darcy's A*AA grades mean she can now go to university before hopefully joining the Army. Mr Pankhurst, who suffered a stroke at the age of 39, has had a remarkable recovery and this morning took Darcy to collect her results at independent school Birkenhead. On Wednesday night he shared a touching post on X, formerly Twitter, and said: 'In a few short hours, Darcy will be opening her A-Level results. 'She's been the most wonderful step-daughter I could ever wish for. She's the girl who shaped me as a Father. Former elite swimmer Craig Pankhurst, 45, from Thurstaston, Merseyside, took his step-daughter Darcey to collect her results The former elite swimmer had a stroke at 39 and credits the family dog with aiding his recovery 'I am inspired by her every single day. Good luck, Darcy. Whatever the outcome, you'll be just fine.' On Thursday morning he posted photos of Darcy, 18, overcome with emotion as she opened her results. 'Nailed it. Absolutely nailed it,' he wrote, adding: 'Next stop, Leeds University and then the Army. Super proud.' Replying to a well-wisher, he later quipped that 'champagne will be flowing all day'. Since his stroke, Mr Pankhurst has set up his own charity, A Stroke of Luck, supported by his wife Kirsten and two daughters, Darcy and Reefe. He previously told MailOnline how adopting a Newfoundland-Poodle puppy, Rowlf, has been key to his recovery. Describing the stroke, which temporarily impacted his speech and mobility, he said: 'On April 28, 2018, I opened my eyes and the room was pitch black. 'That only lasted a split second but when I regained some light coming into my eyes, my right eye saw the room rotating in one direction and my left eye saw the room rotating counter-clockwise. 'I walked to work two days later because I knew I wasn't well enough to drive and what would usually take 10 minutes took over an hour. My coordination was all over the place. 'I then went to hospital, they did a brain scan and found two areas of brain damage. The stroke affected me massively. I was in hospital for a fortnight. Your browser does not support iframes. On Thursday morning he posted photos of Darcy, 18, overcome with emotion as she opened her results Mr Pankhurst pictured with his wife Kirsten and daughters Darcy and Reefe in 2020 Mr Pankhurst has set up a stroke charity, A Stroke of Luck, to support other stroke survivors 'Having daily exercise through walking improved my coordination, developed my strength in my left side and I was able to increase the speed I could walk over time.' His recovery meant he could accompany Darcy to school this morning to celebrate her results with her in person. Hundreds of thousands of students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland received their exam results today in a year when grading was expected to be restored to 2019 levels in all three nations. More than a quarter (27.8 percent) of UK entries were awarded an A or A* grade, up by 0.6 percentage points on last year when 27.2 percent achieved the top grades. This was also higher than in 2019 - the last year that summer exams were taken before the pandemic - when 25.4 percent of entries were awarded A or A* grades. But the overall pass rate - the proportion of entries graded A* to E - has fallen to 97.2 percent this year, which is lower than last year (97.3 percent) and the pre-pandemic year of 2019 (97.6 percent). The figures, published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), cover A-level entries from students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In England, exams regulator Ofqual had said it expected this year's A-level results to be 'broadly similar' to last year, when grades were restored to pre-pandemic levels. In Wales and Northern Ireland, exam regulators said they aimed to return to pre-pandemic grading this summer - a year later than in England. It comes after the Covid-19 pandemic led to an increase in top grades in 2020 and 2021, with results based on teacher assessments instead of exams. The number of applicants accepted on to UK degree courses has risen this year, Ucas figures show. Overall, 243,650 18-year-old applicants from the UK have been accepted at a university or college, compared to 230,600 last year - a rise of 6 percent. The mother of Ashley Dale explained how she got the 'fire in her belly' to confront her daughter's killers at court. Julie Dale's daughter Ashley, 28, was shot on 21 August, 2022 at her home in Old Swan in Liverpool by James Witham. The case came just one day before Olivia Pratt-Korbel, nine, was also killed at her home in Dovecot, Liverpool by Thomas Cashman. The violence of both cases, coupled with the fact both the victims were not the intended targets shocked Britain, and led to both Cashman and Witham being jailed for life with a minimum term of more than 40 years each. Mother and Daughter: Julie Dale (right) and Ashley (left) in a photograph given by the family Julie Dale on BBC Breakfast discussing how she found find the courage to face Ashley's killers Julie standing outside Liverpool Crown Court after her daughter's killers were jailed for life Now as a new documentary looks into how Merseyside Police solved the cases and brought Witham and Cashman to justice, Julie has spoken about her own determination to address her daughter's killer. 'I was told sort of early on by the family liaison officer that I have this opportunity to write a victim impact statement, and I would have the opportunity to read it out in court,' she said. 'I said "no way" I couldn't stand up in front of a crowd of people, just in a general circumstance and talk,' she added in an interview with the BBC. 'Then the time got closer and I started writing it and then I just got this fire in my belly from somewhere. I don't know where it came from. 'And, I just did it, got up, and I read it out. I don't remember much of when I read it. 'I just felt like it was my chance to be able to speak to the defendants.' Witham then aged, 41, was jailed on 22 November last year along with Sean Zeisz, 28, Niall Barry, 26, Joseph Peers, 29, for the murder of Ashley. The four were also jailed for conspiring to girl her boyfriend Lee Harrison, and conspiring to posses a Skorpion submachine gun with ammunition with intent to endanger life. Merseyside Police: (left to right) Sean Zeisz, Niall Barry, Joseph Peers and James Witham Merseyside Detectives: The Murders of Ashley and Olivia will be shown on Channel 4 at 9pm on Monday, 19 August. It will follow the investigation led by DCI Cath Cummings, who led the operation to catch Ashley's killers. It will also look into the murder of Olivia Pratt-Korbel and her killer Cashman. Speaking ahead of the documentaries release, Julie added: 'We sat for eight weeks with them looking at us. 'There was no remorse, there was no upset. They did not appear sorry. I felt that (the victim impact statement) was my chance to speak to them and put my message across. 'James Witham, got up and walked out of the dock when I addressed him. 'I did not remember him walking out the dock until after the event. 'But because I addressed him by name and I looked at him and I said: "I hope you see my baby girl's face every night like I do when I go to sleep" then he got up and walked out the dock.' On 21 August, Ashley was at her home in the Old Swan area of Liverpool Witham opened fire with a Skorpion sub-machine. Ten bullets were fired with one hitting Ashley in the abdomen and five into a wall of an upstairs bedroom. Liverpool Crown Court heard the shooting began after Witham forced his way into the house through the front door. Before the attack her car tyres were slashed by Peers and Witham to try and cause a distraction. The police scene outside of Ashley's home in the days following her murder by the gang The background to her murder is set in a feud which Barry held with her boyfriend Mr Harrison. Three years prior to the shooting Mr Harrison had sided against Barry in a dispute over drugs which resulted in a bitter disagreement. The pair met each other at Glastonbury festival where they argued with Mr Harrison, allegedly, saying he would stab Barry. During the police investigation, Mr Harrison did not aid officers and spent much of his time abroad. At the time Ashley's family said her daughter's relationship with Mr Harrison was linked to the reason she was shot. In a previous interview, Julie remarked: 'The difficult thing is, most of the defendants, pretty much all of them, knew Ashley and have known her on a friendly basis. 'Never mind to do what they did, but then to get up and lie about it and talk about her.' Paul Hollywood's wife has won her bitter planning row with locals to turn her pub into a house. Melissa Spalding and celebrity baker Paul had put more than 80,000 of their own cash into trying to save The Chequers, near Ashford, Kent. But they said it was no longer viable as a business, so her family submitted plans to turn it into a home earlier this year. But this hit massive local opposition, with residents even forming a campaign group to try and buy the pub and run it as a community. Melissa had told councillors that her parents had spent even larger sums trying to keep it afloat but said the business was 'dying on its feet'. Last night, at a meeting of Ashford Borough Council planning committee, councillors voted seven to five in favour of turning it into a residential property. This was met with anger from locals who believe the village of Smarden will now be 'ruined' as a result. Melissa Spalding and celebrity baker Paul had put more than 80,000 of their own cash into trying to save The Chequers, near Ashford, Kent The Chequers in Smarden (pictured) The Chequers Inn pub has seven rooms and a large two-bedroom owner's accommodation During the meeting, it was revealed the lengths the couple had gone to try and sell the business as a pub. This included being marketed with four different estate agents since November 2020. One local told MailOnline: 'It is a travesty. It will ruin the village. 'I hope it makes them both very happy and a lot of money. But this will leave the village in a much worse-off position. 'What message does this send out to other places and villagers? 'What sort of importance is being placed on pubs in communities these days? None at all. 'I really hoped it could be kept as a pub and be the hub of the village. 'Instead it will be a home. I am sure it will be a lovely home but it will not benefit the rest of the village.' Locals had pleaded with the Great British Bake Off star to intervene. The pub's owner Glenn Spalding had submitted plans in January to turn the 16th-century building into a single-dwelling home. The plans mean no physical work either externally or internally would be needed at the property. Hollywood reportedly met Ms Spalding at the pub four years ago, and she has been the landlady for 16 years. While the TV personality initially denied the romance, her car was reportedly seen on the drive outside his nearby home, a 1million Grade II listed pile. Spalding temporarily moved into into the 18th Century four-bedroom farmhouse in April 2020, with the couple growing closer as Britain was plunged into national lockdown during the pandemic. Friends later claimed they were living together on a permanent basis at the property, originally purchased while Hollywood was dating Summer Monteys-Fullam. Spalding and Monteys-Fullam had been friends for years, having lived close to one another in rural Kent. The pair tied the knot in October 2023, in a Byzantine style chapel set in the grounds of Cyprus' most exclusive hotel. An investigation has been launched at Belfast Zoo after it was reported that a worker had been 'locked in' to the lion enclosure. The incident took place last week, when an individual was shadowing a more experienced keeper and helping tend to the big cats. However, that member of staff then left the enclosure and locked the gate behind them, automatically releasing the lions into the pen - meaning the person was 'locked in' with the lions and 'nowhere to go'. A source told the Belfast Telegraph that the individual was 'lucky they weren't killed or severely mauled'. It is not clear how long the individual was left in the enclosure. The last recorded Barbary lion was shot in Morocco in 1942. The only Barbary lions left in the world are now found in zoos. Pictured one of the lions at Belfast zoo Belfast Zoo is home to a pride of Barbary lions once native to North Africa, but are now extinct in the wild The source said: 'The lions were originally kept in their den while (the individual) was in the enclosure with a more experienced staff member.' They added: 'They are very lucky they weren't killed or severely mauled and left with horrendous injuries. 'It's just another thing that raises serious questions for Belfast Zoo. 'I can only imagine what was going through this poor person's mind. I mean how on earth did this happen?' It is believed that the person who got trapped in the cage was at the facility as part of one of the zoo's training and apprenticeship schemes. A spokesperson for Belfast City Council, which owns the facility, confirmed a probe is under way. Belfast Zoo is home to a pride of Barbary lions once native to North Africa, but are now extinct in the wild. The last recorded Barbary lion was shot in Morocco in 1942. The only Barbary lions left in the world are now found in zoos and are part of a global and collaborative breeding programme to ensure their future survival. The largest subspecies is recorded throughout history and was a regular fixture in gladiator battles in Italy's Colosseum during Roman times. The largest subspecies is recorded throughout history and was a regular fixture in gladiator battles in Italy's Colosseum during Roman times (stock) This comes after research by the Aspinall Foundation found a total of 3,074 breaches of animal welfare standards across Britain's zoos in May this year (stock) The council said: 'Council is aware of an incident at the lion enclosure at Belfast Zoo earlier this month'. 'We take the safety of all our staff, visitors and animals very seriously, and an investigation is under way into the circumstances of this incident. 'We cannot comment further while this is ongoing.' It is also understood that the incident has been reported to the Health and Safety Executive NI. Belfast zoo has been approached for comment. This comes after research by the Aspinall Foundation found a total of 3,074 breaches of animal welfare standards across Britain's zoos in May this year. The 18-month-long investigation focused on public-accessible areas between July 2021 and January 2023 and looked at 29 European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) accredited establishments to see if they were meeting EAZA's animal welfare requirements. The report stated how a total of 162 mammal species were impacted mentally and physically across the zoos it assessed and the number of alleged breaches per zoo ranged from between 1 to 418 - calling it 'gross neglect'. Belfast Zoo was found to have 31 breaches, according to the report. In 2019 a red panda cub, called Amber, managed to escape from the zoo and spent 12 hours on the run, before being found a mile away. Zoo officials said she had spent a 'short time exploring the local area', after people were urged to keep clear of her over fears she could be defensive when cornered. A Ukrainian refugee who fled Kyiv with her family at the start of the war has been offered a place to study at the University of Cambridge after achieving four A* grades in her A-Levels. Anna Ursakii and her younger brother Sasha fled air sirens following Russia's invasion, travelling west through 10 different countries before they finally made it to northern Italy. After hearing about a scheme at a prestigious British school, she emailed the prestigious Brighton College and was thrilled to be awarded a place at the under the school's pioneering scholarship system. Today, Anna, 17, has won a place at the University of Cambridge to study Natural Sciences after she achieved four A* grades in four A-Levels, despite English being her second language. Head teacher Richard Cairns says Anna threw herself into life at 43,000 a year Brighton College, becoming a member of the award-winning chamber choir and part of the dance show team. Anna Ursakii and her younger brother Sasha fled the war in Ukraine following Russia's invasion in 2022 Today, Anna, 17, has won a place at the University of Cambridge to study Natural Sciences after she achieved four A* grades in four A-Levels Your browser does not support iframes. During her time at the college she made sure to keep the war in the forefront of everyone's minds. Anna, who arrived at the school in 2022 with her six-year-old brother Sasha, said: 'I was absolutely terrified of the sirens. They scared me so much. 'We heard Brighton College was offering places to Ukrainian refugees and we applied. I just emailed them, chancing my luck and they got back to me.' After a call with the headteacher - which she had to make from a petrol station - she was offered a full scholarship. Working hand in hand with local charities and refugee organisations, Brighton College has taken around 20 Ukrainian children on full scholarships. Reflecting on her time in England, Anna said: 'I've really valued the opportunity to be at Brighton College. It is a gift to be free, to be safe, and to have a future. I feel safe now, I have good friends and a warm home. 'It breaks my heart that my friends from Ukraine don't get to experience this and instead have to study in shelters. My hope now is hope for the future and hope for peace.' Mr Cairns said: 'So many Ukrainian youngsters have had their whole lives entirely upended by this terrible war, and the story of Anna gives a glimmer of hope for the future. Anna opens her results, which will see her study at the University of Cambridge, in Brighton today Anna had to call Brighton College from a petrol station during her journey to the UK Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson visits Loreto Sixth Form College on results day as students receive their grades Hannah Greenwood reacts with her parents after receiving great A-level results at Solihull School in the West Midlands Jack Gallagher with his parents Matt and Lisa as he receives his A-level results at Solihull School Hundreds of thousands of students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland received their exam results today (Pictured: Students at the City of London Academy) 'I am so proud of this remarkable young woman and am just glad that we were able to help her a little along the way.' Brighton College pupils have achieved record-breaking results, with a phenomenal 99.3% A*-B, thought to be the highest results of any school. An incredible 85.2% of results were A*-A and almost half were A*. Hundreds of thousands of students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland received their exam results today in a year when grading was expected to be restored to 2019 levels in all three nations. More than a quarter (27.8 percent) of UK entries were awarded an A or A* grade, up by 0.6 percentage points on last year when 27.2 percent achieved the top grades. This was also higher than in 2019 - the last year that summer exams were taken before the pandemic - when 25.4 percent of entries were awarded A or A* grades. But the overall pass rate - the proportion of entries graded A* to E - has fallen to 97.2 percent this year, which is lower than last year (97.3 percent) and the pre-pandemic year of 2019 (97.6 percent). The figures, published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), cover A-level entries from students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In England, exams regulator Ofqual had said it expected this year's A-level results to be 'broadly similar' to last year, when grades were restored to pre-pandemic levels. In Wales and Northern Ireland, exam regulators said they aimed to return to pre-pandemic grading this summer - a year later than in England. It comes after the Covid-19 pandemic led to an increase in top grades in 2020 and 2021, with results based on teacher assessments instead of exams. The number of applicants accepted on to UK degree courses has risen this year, Ucas figures show. Overall, 243,650 18-year-old applicants from the UK have been accepted at a university or college, compared to 230,600 last year - a rise of 6 percent. A former Tory education minister has claimed the party was 'wrong' to attack 'Mickey Mouse' degrees while in government. Robert Halfon, who served as universities minister when Rishi Sunak was prime minister, said the phrase was 'an insult' to students. During the general election campaign, Mr Sunak promised to curb the number of 'poor quality' university degrees and instead fund 100,000 apprenticeships. The ex-PM had previously attacked 'rip off' courses and vowed to limit the number of students a university can recruit to a course if it was not delivering good outcomes. Such courses were dubbed 'Mickey Mouse' degrees, but Mr Halfon has now blasted his former colleagues over the use of the term. Former Tory education minister Robert Halfon has claimed the party was 'wrong' to attack 'Mickey Mouse' degrees while in government A-level students are pictured after receiving their results today at the City of London Academy Highgate Hill Your browser does not support iframes. During the general election campaign, Rishi Sunak promised to curb the number of 'poor quality' university degrees and instead fund 100,000 apprenticeships. File pic He told the Telegraph: 'I never liked that phrase and I never used it because I felt that it insulted it became a kind of watchword when you think of students those students who work really hard to get into university. 'You have to be very careful about using that term because it comes over as an insult to everyone who works hard to go to university and has a wonderful experience. 'So I never used that. I never liked that. And I thought it was wrong that we did it.' But Mr Halfon, who did not stand at the general election, added it was right to have a 'ruthless focus on outcomes' for university graduates. 'I'm open-minded about what the course is, as long as the students are getting good skilled jobs at the end,' he told the newspaper. 'And if they're not, then the taxpayer shouldn't be subsidising or funding it.' He spoke out as hundreds of thousands of students prepared to head off to universities after receiving their A-level results today. The proportion of A-level entries awarded top grades was up on last year and remains above pre-pandemic levels, national figures showed. More than a quarter (27.8 per cent) of UK entries were awarded an A or A* grade, up by 0.6 percentage points on last year when 27.2 per cent achieved the top grades. This was also higher than in 2019 the last year that summer exams were taken before the pandemic when 25.4 per cent of entries were awarded A or A* grades. Overall, the proportion of UK entries awarded the top A* grade this year has risen by 0.4 percentage points to 9.3 per cent, compared with 8.9 per cent in 2023, and it is higher than when it stood at 7.7 per cent in 2019. Excluding 2020-2022, the years of the pandemic, this is the highest proportion of A* grades awarded since they were first handed out in 2010. But the overall pass rate the proportion of entries graded A* to E has fallen to 97.2% this year, which is lower than last year (97.3 per cent) and the pre-pandemic year of 2019 (97.6 per cent). The figures, published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), cover A-level entries from students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The American ballerina accused of committing treason by donating $51.80 to Ukraine's military has been sentenced to 12 years in prison. Ksenia Karelina, 33, was today sentenced to 12 years imprisonment in a general regime colony after pleading guilty to 'high treason' charges last week. Karelina, who was born in Russia and obtained US citizenship after marrying an American and moving to Los Angeles, was arrested in Yekaterinburg in February. She had returned to her original homeland to visit relatives including a grandmother in her 90s. When she arrived at Koltsovo airport in late January, law enforcement officials checked her cell phone using the search word 'Ukraine'. They allegedly found evidence of a bank transfer to a pro-Ukrainian foundation in America. She was later detained and charged with treason. Karelina pleaded guilty in her closed trial last week, news reports said. Russian-American ballerina Ksenia Karelina (pictured) has been found guilty of 'high treason' by a Russian court and was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment in a general regime colony Karelina (pictured on Thursday) was in a glass defendant's cage wearing a white top and jeans as the guilty verdict was read out at a court hearing in Yekaterinburg on Thursday 'The court found Ksenia Karelina guilty of high treason and sentenced her to 12 years' imprisonment in a general regime colony,' the Sverdlovsk Regional Court in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg said on Thursday. Karelina stood in a glass defendant's cage wearing a white top and jeans as the verdict was read out, a video posted by the court showed. Investigators found Karelina had on February 24, 2022 - the first day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine - had donated to an organization that supports Ukrainian war efforts, the court heard. Russia's Federal Security Service said she 'transferred funds in the interests of a Ukrainian organization, which were subsequently used for the purchase of tactical medicine items, equipment, means of defeat and ammunition by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.' Her supporters say she had donated $51.80 to Razom for Ukraine, a New York-based charity that provides humanitarian aid to children and elderly people in Ukraine. The charity has denied it provides any military support to Kyiv. The Los Angeles resident pleaded guilty at her closed trial in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg, where her case was heard by the same court that convicted Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich of espionage in July. The 33-year-old ballerina and spa worker was not included in a major prisoner swap between Russia and the West last week that freed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was convicted of espionage in July. But Karelina's lawyer Mikhail Mushailov has said she hoped to be included in a future exchange. Karelina (pictured) reportedly obtained US citizenship after marrying an American and moving to Los Angeles. She was arrested in Yekaterinburg, Russia in February while visiting family She pleaded guilty in her closed trial last week. Karelina is seen speaking with her lawyer as she stands in a glass cage in a court room in Yekaterinburg, Russia on August 15, 2024 Karelina was first detained on 27 January while visiting family in the city of Yekaterinburg, almost a month after flying out to Russia, according to a Russian rights group. It is understood that when she arrived at Koltsovo airport law enforcement searched the word 'Ukraine' in her phone and found evidence of the donation. Law enforcement allegedly found evidence of a bank transfer for $51.80 to a pro-Ukrainian foundation in America. They did not detain her immediately but invited her the next day to come to a police station. When she arrived, it is reported by Yekaterinburg journalist Dmitry Kolezev, that she was confronted by FSB officers. Russian regional news agency URA.RU reported the charge was related to 'swearing in a public place', an accusation she rejected in court, according to the Mediazona news outlet. She was initially held for 14 days after being detained for 'petty hooliganism' but was never released, as authorities charged her with 'treason' while she was in custody. Karelina, who worked at a spa in Beverley Hills, had travelled home around the New Year after her boyfriend surprised her with a plane ticket. She is pictured in New York City Her former mother-in-law, Eleonora Srebroski, told Reuters in February that Karelina, who worked at a spa in Beverley Hills, had travelled home around the New Year after her boyfriend surprised her with a plane ticket. She had assured her boyfriend that Russia was 'safe' and that he had no reason to fear her traveling there, according to Srebroski. Srebroski said Karelina had made a small donation to Razom for Ukraine, a New York-based nonprofit that sends non-military assistance to the country, invaded by Russian forces in 2022. Karelina, who is in her early thirties, arrived in the US in 2012 via a work-study program and was briefly married to Srebroski's son. Her ex-husband has described her as a fun-loving woman who didn't care much for politics. Karelina's employer, the Ciel Spa at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills, wrote on Facebook in February that she had been 'wrongly accused'. Her current partner has also publicly petitioned for her release. On her Facebook page, Karelina says that she's from Yekaterinburg and that she studied ballet at the S. P. Diaghilev school Russia often arrests foreigners on minor charges before accusing them of more serious offences like treason or espionage. Washington has accused Moscow of arresting its citizens on baseless charges to use them as bargaining chips to secure the release of Russians convicted abroad. Karelina's sentencing comes just over two weeks after Russia freed US reporter Evan Gershkovich, former US marine Paul Whelan and 14 others in its biggest prisoner swap with the West since the Cold War. On Wednesday, an American man accused of violence against a Russian law enforcement officer in Moscow was sentenced to 15 days in custody for 'hooliganism'. A British model has been branded 'mental' and warned she should leave Spain for her own safety after filming herself taking off her knickers and leaving them as souvenirs in Costa holiday hotspots including a supermarket bread counter. Chloe Lopez is fast making a name for herself in Britain's favourite holiday destination with her selfie online videos showing her taking off her thong panties and placing them in unexpected places. Her latest stunt, in which she whipped off a pair of pink knickers and left them in a bread roll tray in a Mercadona supermarket in front of an astonished customer before waltzing off with a smile on her face, has enraged locals. Spaniards were trolling the pretty brunette online today as they called on police to take action. One said in a chilling warning: 'If we catch you in Spain in the supermarket doing this we'll drag you down all the aisles by your hair.' Chloe Lopez' latest stunt (pictured above), in which she whipped off a pair of pink knickers and left them in a bread roll tray in a Mercadona supermarket in front of an astonished customer before waltzing off with a smile on her face, has enraged locals Chloe (pictured) is fast making a name for herself in Britain's favourite holiday destination with her selfie online videos showing her taking off her thong panties and placing them in unexpected places Spaniards were trolling the pretty brunette online today as they called on police to take action. One said in a chilling warning: 'If we catch you in Spain in the supermarket doing this we'll drag you down all the aisles by your hair' Pictured above is another moment when Chloe took off her knickers to hide them as a 'donation' around public places Referring to the supermarket incident, he added: 'You should be reported because you've committed a public health crime that could lead to the supermarket concerned suffering financial losses.' Another writing on Chloe's Instagram, where she describes herself as 'Your fave Brit' and has posted several videos showing her taking off her knickers in public places and leaving them as 'donations', said in English: 'Reported to police. You are viral for the wrong reasons. I bet your family is proud.' Although many of her recent stunts have been identified locally as occurring in Spain, a recent video the globetrotting beauty posted showed her leaving a pair of pink knickers on top of an upmarket bar in the Mexican holiday resort of Tulum in front of an astonished waitress. In a previous video she says while she finishes up a coke at a picture-postcard beach bar: 'I've just finished at the best beach bar in town. 'I'm going to leave them a little tip for some great service.' She finishes up by taking off her thong panties and leaving them on the table before walking towards the sea. Chloe also put one of her knickers through the flap of a vending machine in a shopping centre Chloe describes herself as 'Your fave Brit' on Instagram and has posted several videos showing her taking off her knickers in public places and leaving them as 'donations' Chloe took off her knickers on an escalator as part of her various stunts leaving them behind in public places Respected Spanish daily El Mundo also reported on the anger Chloe's behaviour is causing Here Chloe is wrapping her knickers around the rail of a public walkway In her latest online video posted to her Instagram 179,000 followers she pulls off the same stunt, saying: 'I'm back in the supermarket again and I'm going to leave a little donation with the hot dogs' before chuckling and walking away. A spokesman for one of the Spanish supermarkets where Chloe is said to have left her underwear was quoted today as saying: 'We are aware of the incident and our executives and lawyers have of course been informed so they can decide how to proceed.' Respected Spanish daily El Mundo, reporting on the anger the Brit's behaviour is causing, highlighted a comment by one social media user who said: 'As well as being English and an influencer Chloe Lopez is a slut. 'She left her used knickers in a Mercadona supermarket bread tray.' This is the moment a brazen rioter got his just deserts after he drove more than 50 miles to hurl racist abuse at police during a riot, before boasting about his injuries. Stuart Bolton, 38, travelled from his home in Barrow-upon-Humber to Rotherham on August 4 with his partner and 15-year-old son after watching live coverage of the violence outside Holiday Inn. The thug launched into a vile verbal attack on officers while there shouting 'come here you P***, finish it, finish it', and 'one on one, I'll kill you. I'll kill you. F**k that, f**k that, f**k that'. He was snared by cops after he boasted at a Shell petrol station about taking part in the riot and officers causing the injury to his head. Bodycam footage from his arrest shows how Bolton launched into an aggressive tirade, shouting 'you know your officers assaulted me', as he walked along a pavement with a shopping bag. Police then proceed to arrest Bolton who shouts: 'What have I been done for? 'What have I been done for', as one officer tells him to 'calm down'. One female officer was forced to raise her voice while reading his rights, shouting 'listen' as Bolton repeats 'look at the back of my head', referencing the injury he received after the riot. It comes as more than 1,100 people have now been arrested over the far-right violence, with almost 650 charged, the NPCC confirmed today. Stuart Bolton, 38, travelled from his home in Barrow-upon-Humber to Rotherham on August 4 He was snared by cops after he boasted at a Shell petrol station about taking part in the riot and officers causing the injury to his head Bolton launched into an aggressive tirade when he was arrested by police One female officer was forced to raise her voice while reading his rights, shouting 'listen' as Bolton repeats 'look at the back of my head', referencing the injury he received after the riot. Stuart Bolton, 38, pictured here grinning travelled 50 miles with his partner and 15-year-old son to hurl racist abuse at police during a riot in Rotherham Mark Bowen, 40, was handed a 25-month sentence after shouting at police: 'Shame on you, you horrible c****, I hope it's your f****** kids next mate.' Bowen claimed in police interview that he did not have social media and believed he was joining in with a 'football celebration'. He was the third man to jailed at Bristol Crown Court yesterday. He also pleaded guilty to violent disorder when he appeared at Bristol Magistrates' Court on Friday 9 August having been arrested after verbally abusing members of the public and police officers. He was sentenced to two years and a month. Footage released today shows the moment Bowen screamed at police. Mark Bowen was jailed for 25 months after shouting at police: 'Shame on you, you horrible c****, I hope it's your f****** kids next mate' Dominic Capaldi, 34, was handed 34 months in prison after he was captured on police bodycam footage throwing objects towards officers in the city's Castle Park. He pleaded guilty when he appeared at Bristol Magistrates' Court on Saturday 10 August and was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court to two years and 10 months in prison. Daniel Russell, 47, was jailed for 32 months after he was seen kicking a black man, who may have been part of an anti-racism protest. Dominic Capaldi, 34, was handed 34 months in prison after he was captured on police bodycam footage throwing objects towards officers Daniel Russell, 47, was jailed for 32 months after he was seen kicking a black man, who may have been part of an anti-racism protest. Elliot Wragg, 23, was clearly in denial, answering 'no comment' when he was questioned by officers about his involvement in the violent mass disorder. However, an overwhelming about of evidence placed Wragg at the scene of this disgusting display of disorder and brutality, with social media videos showing Wragg throwing items at officers, forcing him to plead guilty to violent disorder at Sheffield Magistrates' Court on Monday. Wragg, of Assembly Way, Barnsley, has been sentenced to two years and four months. Upon sentencing, Judge Richardson said: 'You were a participant of this mob of violent and ignorant individuals. Your conduct was vile towards police officers.' Elliott Wragg, 23, threw objects at police during rioting in Rotherham Glyn Guest was the first to be sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court. Despite the 60-year-old claiming he was only at the hotel out of curiosity, he was seen aggressively confronting officers who were bravely protecting the hotel and its residents. Despite being warned, Guest grabbed the riot shield of an officer causing them to fall towards the crowd of unruly thugs. His abhorrent behaviour was captured on camera, leading to his arrest and charge. Guest, of Pearson Crescent, Wombwell, pleaded guilty on Monday at Sheffield Magistrates and yesterday was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison. During sentencing, the Record of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC said: 'You have brought shame on yourself and the town of which you are a resident.' Glyn Guest, 60, was jailed for two years and eight months after pulling a police officer to the ground outside a hotel which was housing asylum seekers in Rotherham Meanwhile, police in Merseyside have issued pictures of another eight riot suspects wanted in connection with the violent disorder in Southport and Liverpool. Anyone with information about the identities of the men pictures have been asked to contact police directly. Detective Chief Inspector Tony Roberts said: 'These eight males need to make themselves known as soon as possible, as we think they could assist our ongoing investigations into the incidents of disorder in Southport and Liverpool. 'Each and every person who took part can expect to face the consequences of their actions. 'We are still working through footage and images as they come in and we'll continue to arrest, charge and put before the courts anyone identified. 'To date, we have arrested 74 people, and charged 41. There will be more to come in the following days and weeks. 'Please contact us with names and the corresponding number on the image and we will do the rest.' Merseyside Police have issued eight images of riot suspects following disorder in Southport and Liverpool Anyone with information about the identities of the men pictured have been asked to contact Merseyside Police Rioters descended on County Road, Liverpool, causing major damage in what police said was 'serious violent disorder' Two women have admitted violent disorder relating to unrest in Bristol on August 3. Elly-Jayne Cox, 33, of Bishopsworth, Bristol and Lisa Bishop, 38, of Lawrence Weston, Bristol, appeared before Bristol Magistrates' Court on Thursday morning. Both defendants pleaded guilty to a charge of violent disorder and were remanded into custody by District Judge Joanna Dickens. They will appear before Bristol Crown Court on Friday to be sentenced. Three people have also pleaded guilty to violent disorder in connection with events in Plymouth on Monday, August 5. Kerry Gove, aged 34, Andrew Ball, aged 49 and Grant Braidwood, aged 40, who are all from Plymouth have been remanded in custody and will be sentenced at Plymouth Crown Court tomorrow. Kerry Gove (pictured), aged 34, pleaded guilty Andrew Ball, aged 49 (pictured) pleaded guilty Grant Braidwood, aged 40, (pictured) pleaded guilty A 15-year-old boy who admitted to violent disorder in Sunderland and stealing a vape from a shop is being sentenced today, as well as the 'ringleader' of the Southport riot who attached a black man in Manchester. A man who threw bricks at police outside a hotel housing asylum seekers has been jailed for two years and 10 months. Paul Smith, 21, of Keynsham Road, Manchester, was sentenced for violent disorder on Thursday morning at Manchester Crown Court. In footage shown in court, Smith can be seen throwing bricks and a bottle towards police officers and vehicles during the disorder outside the Holiday Inn hotel in Manchester on July 31. Prosecutor Philip Hall said of Smith's demeanour on the footage: 'He's smiling and appears to be taking some delight from the event.' In his sentencing remarks, Judge John Potter said: 'On July 29, an appalling and tragic attack took place in Southport. Three children lost their lives and numerous other children and adults were seriously injured in a knife attack. 'Shortly after that attack, lies were deliberately spread via leaflets, the internet and social media as to who may have been responsible. Paul Smith, 21, of Keynsham Road, Manchester, was sentenced for violent disorder on Thursday morning at Manchester Crown Court Rioters descended on County Road, Liverpool during the recent violent disorder Rioters outside the Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham hurling a table at police Trouble flared up outside of The Holiday Inn, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, where asylum seekers and immigrants are housed 'This material emphasised the supposed nationality, ethnicity and religion of the alleged attacker. 'Inspired by the ignorance of racism, mobs gathered in towns and cities throughout the country intent on retribution.' A man who carried out a 'spinning kick' against a shop window during disorder in Manchester has been jailed for 20 months. Oliver Chapman, 23, of Duke Street, Radcliffe, was sentenced for violent disorder on Thursday afternoon at Manchester Crown Court. Prosecutor Philip Hall said Chapman was 'part of a group seen kicking shop fronts' in Manchester city centre on August 3. Dozens of police separate anti fascists from the far right protesters in Liverpool Police surround protesters outside Abdullah Quilliam mosque in Liverpool During a police interview, Chapman admitted kicking a shop front, saying: 'I'd done a silly spinning kick to it.' Judge John Potter told Chapman that he had taken part in an 'incident of lawlessness' and 'violently kicked a glass door'. The judge added: 'You decided to align yourself with a large group of individuals who were intent on causing violence.' of the others you sent through, which are all excellent: I think they were all done sentenced yesterday, but the vids are new today? Two more men have been charged following disorder in Merseyside. Daniel Carrigan, 41, of Preston Grove, Anfield, was charged with violent disorder and criminal damage in Southport, and Luke Moran, 38, of Leybourne Avenue, Birkdale, was charged with violent disorder, Merseyside Police said. Both men will appear at Liverpool Magistrates' Court later on Thursday. Meanwhile, a further three people have been charged following the disorder in Bristol earlier this month, taking the total number to 15. Lisa Bishop, 38, of Lawrence Weston, Bristol, Bradley McCarthy, 34, of Knowle, Bristol, and Elly-Jane Cox, 33, of Bishopsworth, Bristol, were all charged with violent disorder. They are due to appear at Bristol Magistrates' Court later today. Cleveland Police said a 40-year-old woman has been charged with violent disorder in relation to unrest in Hartlepool on July 31. Donna Conniff, of Alford Court, Hartlepool, has been remanded in custody to appear at Teesside Magistrates' Court on Thursday. A self-styled paedophile hunter was jailed for eight months at Leeds Crown Court today after admitting racially abusing protesters who gathered for a pro-Palestinian demonstration in the city. Phil Hoban, 48, was a prominent figure in an anti-immigration demonstration in the centre of Leeds on Saturday August 3, where he could be seen shouting at hundreds of rival protesters and leading the chanting. The anti-immigration demo in Leeds city centre was part of a series across England but, despite some scuffles with police, it did not turn violent in same way as others in Hull and Liverpool on the same day. Phil Hoban, 48, (pictured) was a prominent figure in an anti-immigration demonstration in the centre of Leeds on Saturday August 3, where he could be seen shouting at hundreds of rival protesters and leading the chanting Father-of-three Hoban is the founder of Predator Exposure - a group which set-up sting operations against men who made contact with fake profiles of teenage girls they set up online. The group's activities resulted in prosecutions, including that of Irish TV producer Kieran Creaven who was jailed in 2018 after he was tricked by Predator Exposure into flying from Dublin to Leeds to meet a 'girl' he had groomed on Facebook with hundreds of messages. In 2019, Hoban was one of group of six from Predator Exposure who went on trial accused offences including false imprisonment following sting operations against two men. But they were all acquitted by a jury after telling the court they were engaged in lawful citizens' arrests. Hoban, of Northcote Crescent, Leeds, was jailed on Thursday after previously admitting causing racially aggravated harassment, alarm or distress. House husband Ian Vetier was jailed for 18 months for violent disorder for taking part in a 'far-right' protest in Weymouth despite the efforts of his wife to coax him away. The father-of-three pleaded guilty to the offence at Bournemouth Crown Court in relation to the demonstration on August 4. House husband Ian Vetier was jailed for 18 months for violent disorder for taking part in a 'far-right' protest in Weymouth despite the efforts of his wife to coax him away Richard Tutt, prosecuting, said that the 36-year-old played a 'prominent' role among the group he described as the 'Enough is enough' group which had gathered to confront a larger Stand Up To Racism group. He described how police officers feared for their safety as they attempted to control the protest group who were shouting and swearing aggressively at them. He added that the police attempted to stop the 'far-right group' as it attempted to march towards the counter-demonstration despite such a march not being 'planned or agreed' with the police. He said that an officer 'noticed two males pushing and shoving against one of the police sergeants who was then pushing back and the two males were trying to get past the cordon'. He added: 'One of those males was identified as Ian Vetier and he is noticeable as he is one of a few males who was shirtless and was holding a Union Jack flag in his right hand.' He added: 'Mr Vetier can be seen and heard shouting 'It's a free country mate', and a little later he was saying words to this effect: 'You f****** wrong 'un, back them f****** ragheads, c**** mate, the lot of them. 'The protest group then started chanting collectively 'Who the f*** is Allah?' He said that Vetier then shouted in front of an officer: 'You want to back them f****** lot down there, you f****** idiots, the lot of you, you are not f****** British at all, you c**** aren't f****** British'. 'He then walked back into the main protest group.' Mr Tutt said that about two hours later Vetier was seen arriving in a car where he confronted officers in the cordon for taking photographs of the car. He said that Vetier shouted aggressively to officers: 'F****** waste of space, what's the point, why are you taking pictures, you f****** piglet, you are f****** scum' and 'other similarly charming expressions'. Richard Martin, defending, said that Vetier had shown remorse for his actions and had pledged not to attend another demonstration in the future. The court heard that Vetier was a 'house husband' who had previously been convicted of three counts covering seven offences of dishonesty between 2013 and 2016. Mr Martin said: 'He puts it down to getting caught up in the heat of the moment, your honour knows this was a highly emotive day, people are entitled to assemble for lawful protest, what he seems to have done is fallen foul of the hostile animus there. 'He got caught up in it and realises that was a very wrong thing to do.' Judge William Mousley KC told the court that Vetier's wife could be seen in video footage shown to the court trying to 'coax him away from his prominent position'. Mr Martin responded: 'She was supportive of him but she is the one left carrying the consequences of what her husband did.' Sentencing Vetier, Judge Mousley said: 'You were part of a group of 30 or more males causing public disorder on the Weymouth esplanade with members of the public not involved would have been nearby, holidaymakers and the like. 'Police were trying to prevent that disorder from escalating, the group of which you were a member were loud, threatening, abusive and threatening including making racist remarks. 'All that created a frightening atmosphere, violence was being threatened by the group. There was no lawful reason for the behaviour, doubtless some of it was fuelled by alcohol.' He added: 'It's right to say you yourself did not use any violence towards the police or anyone else but your presence and your role served only as encouragement to others to do so. 'You were prominent and remained at the front of the group for significant parts of the incident, you were shouting at police, abusive and threatening.' Twin sisters who attended the same schools as Princess Anne have achieved exactly the same set of A Level results - two years after managing the same feat at GCSE. Nicola and Victoria Tsang, 17, both achieved A* grades in Economics and A grades in Maths and Physics, while they both also earned an A* in the EPQ - a research project similar to a mini dissertation. It comes two summers after the pair, who attend Benenden School in Kent, recorded the same grades in the same subjects at GCSE. Victoria, the older sibling by one minute, said: 'I was saying yesterday what happens if we get the same results again and we both said that won't happen! 'We've had different grades in our mocks in the run-up to the exams so I can't believe it's happened again.' Hundreds of thousands of students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland received their exam results today in a year when grading was expected to be restored to 2019 levels in all three nations. A-LEVELS: Nicola (left) and Victoria Tsang, 17, both achieved A* grades in Economics and A grades in Maths and Physics GCSES: Two years ago Nicola and Victoria, then 15, achieved the same GCSE results too The teenagers both attended independent Benenden School (pictured) in Kent, where Princess Anne is an alumnus Your browser does not support iframes. Nicola said: 'We saw that we had both got our first-choice universities so it was only then that we checked our grades. 'We compared our grades and thought not this again! 'This time I didn't expect it to happen. The probabilities are higher but I still didn't think it would happen.' Nicola added: 'Our friends were messaging yesterday asking what if it happens again? We haven't told anyone about it yet!' The sisters, from Hong Kong, have lived and studied together at Benenden School in Kent since they were 11. They have always been in the same boarding house and have both been prefects during their final year at the boarding school. They are one of three sets of twins in their year group at the independent school. One of the other sets of twins also managed identical results today - but in different subjects. The Tsang sisters' career paths are also heading in the same direction - they both plan to pursue law degrees, but at different universities. Victoria is off to Cambridge while Nicola is starting at London School of Economics. The twins, who have lived in the UK since they were 11, are both headed to university and will live apart for the first time Princess Anne at Benenden School in Kent on 29th September 1963 Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson visits Loreto Sixth Form College on results day as students receive their grades Hannah Greenwood reacts with her parents after receiving great A-level results at Solihull School in the West Midlands They both agree that having a bit more space from one another could be a positive thing. Nicola said: 'It will be different but it's good to sometimes be separated and have my own life. 'We share the same friend groups so going to a different university will mean we'll have different friends. 'But London is so close to Cambridge so we'll see each other a lot.' Victoria added: 'She can't get rid of me!' In 2022 the sisters, who are fraternal twins, both achieved nine Level 9 grades - the highest available - and two Level 8s each. Remarkably, both their Level 8s were in the same subjects: Spanish and Further Maths. Their Level 9 grades came in Biology, Chemistry, Chinese, English, English Literature, Maths, Music, Physics and Religious Studies. Although the sisters are not identical, academic similarities between them are not uncommon. Jack Gallagher with his parents Matt and Lisa as he receives his A-level results at Solihull School Hundreds of thousands of students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland received their exam results today (Pictured: Students at the City of London Academy) Earlier in their school careers they got the same Maths test score, down to 0.5 of a mark. At a former school, they both made precisely the same mistake in a Maths test by accidentally copying down the wrong number - despite being in different classrooms. And the academic similarities may not be done there. Asked whether they might to get the same grades in their respective degrees in a few years' time, Victoria said: 'The probability of us getting the same grade is probably quite high.' Across the country, more than a quarter (27.8 percent) of UK entries were awarded an A or A* grade, up by 0.6 percentage points on last year when 27.2 percent achieved the top grades. This was also higher than in 2019 - the last year that summer exams were taken before the pandemic - when 25.4 percent of entries were awarded A or A* grades. But the overall pass rate - the proportion of entries graded A* to E - has fallen to 97.2 percent this year, which is lower than last year (97.3 percent) and the pre-pandemic year of 2019 (97.6 percent). The figures, published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), cover A-level entries from students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In England, exams regulator Ofqual had said it expected this year's A-level results to be 'broadly similar' to last year, when grades were restored to pre-pandemic levels. In Wales and Northern Ireland, exam regulators said they aimed to return to pre-pandemic grading this summer - a year later than in England. It comes after the Covid-19 pandemic led to an increase in top grades in 2020 and 2021, with results based on teacher assessments instead of exams. The number of applicants accepted on to UK degree courses has risen this year, Ucas figures show. Overall, 243,650 18-year-old applicants from the UK have been accepted at a university or college, compared to 230,600 last year - a rise of 6 percent. I set up my first business at the age of 13 - selling nail foils imported from China for three years. I would sell them online or on a stall at a market in Glasgow. Over that time, I made 5,000 in profit - enough to invest into my first MacBook. And enough to give me a snapshot into the real world that made me realise I didn't want to continue with my education - I wanted to run my own business. My teachers were shocked when I told them my plans - and tried their best to persuade me to go to university. I was getting straight As at school - including maths, Spanish, art and music - perhaps they felt as though I would be a good advocate for the school. My guidance teacher told me: 'I see that you're not applying for university, and you're applying for a job.' Interiors expert Liv Conlon, 25, from Glasgow, runs two seven-figure businesses after refusing to go to university Liv when she was at school with her brother Jack. She was a straight A student, and teachers said she was ruining her life by not studying science There was no option for me to tick a box that said: 'Starting my own business.' The education system just wasn't for me. One of the main reasons I wanted to leave was the bullying. It made me dread walking into the classroom every day. It was horrendous. A group of girls would talk about me behind my back, or to my face. They set up a group chat to talk about me too. Even now I suffer with anxiety due to what I went through every day at school. It became so bad that I changed school in the final year of my Scottish Highers - the equivalent of A-levels - and I still passed with four As and a B at my school in South Lanarkshire Liv, 25, juggles being a single mother to her son with running two seven-figure businesses Secondly, I didn't enjoy being told what to do. I had a strong head on my shoulders and had already found my direction in life. It was just before I left school in 2015, aged 16, that I saw a gap in the market to launch a property staging business. ThePropertyStagers idea was born - essentially enhancing the look and atmosphere of a house or flat to make it easier to sell and more profitable for the vendor. I told my mum Ali, who supported me every step of the way. When I told my teachers my plan to leave school and not go to university, they were shocked. One said I was ruining my life. Another said it was a big mistake not moving forward with science. I remember my guidance teacher sneering: 'Will this little interior design business really do very well?' They really didn't see it as the path to success. For a split second I considered that I was missing out on the life experience of going to uni. Was starting my own business pushing me to grow up too fast? Should I be drinking every night at the student union? Enjoying not having any commitments and learning new things? When I weighed up all the pros and cons, it led me to the same conclusion; there are different paths in life for everyone. I'd found mine and I was going to jump headfirst into making my business, ThePropertyStagers, a success - and I have. Liv winning a Young Apprentice award at the age of 16, the same year she left school to start her own business Liv was crowned The UK Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2019 after founding ThePropertyStagers at just 16 Within the second year, it was turning over 1million. Ten years on, it now stages (furnishing homes to sell them) more than 400 properties across the UK. I've also launched a second business - StagerBoss - which teaches other women how to launch their own staging business. This is on track to turn over seven figures in its first year too. Not many people can say they've started two successful businesses from scratch, built a 1m brand in their teens, travelled the world delivering keynote speeches, won 12 national and international business and entrepreneur awards, delivered a TEDx talk, had dinner with the Prime Minister, and became a two-times best-selling author with an endorsement from Netflix. And even fewer people can say they've done all that and so much more before they were 25. And I'm writing this from my house in Spain. These experiences - at school and out in the business world - have helped shape my opinion of our education system. Personally, I don't believe it prepares grown-up adolescents for their lives to come. Liv Conlon, 25, is the owner of ThePropertyStagers, which helps make properties seem more appealing to buyers Schools should be teaching real life skills: how to tackle finance and taxes, how to get a mortgage, how to deal with the problems life throws at you. Over the last decade, I've hardly called on many of the things I learnt in the classroom. Of course, communication skills are important, and subjects like English, Maths, drama and Spanish have helped, but even in those cases, schools should concentrate more on how these subjects can help in real-life situations. I don't feel I missed out by not going to university. I never liked studying. I like to show up and just get on with whatever challenge I'm presented with. By my twenties I was earning seven figures in my business and meeting people I knew from my school days who were working at restaurants, still at uni and racking up debt. I was able to fast track that journey so I'm ten or 15 years ahead where most people are at this age. Could I have achieved all of this if I had gone to university? I doubt it. For those getting their A-level results today; if you don't get the grades you need to go on to uni, or even if you do but you're unsure whether higher education is the right path for you, there are other options. Maybe think about starting your own business. Or if you're already thinking about it; look at how you can make it happen. I'm so glad I followed my instinct and didn't let others' views push me into a direction I wouldn't have been happy with. And that could be the case for you. A brainy teen successfully built his own nuclear fusion reactor at college and received an A* grade. Cesare Mencarini, 17, built the reactor to generate neutrons as part of his Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), for which he achieved an A* in his A-Level results today. Before embarking on his ambitious project, Cesare had to convince his teachers it wasn't dangerous - and then spent another 18 months making his vision a reality. It is believed to be only nuclear reactor built in a school environment and he showcased his work at the Cambridge Science Festival recently. He also achieved top grades in maths, further maths, chemistry and physics while studying at Cardiff Sixth Form College in Wales. Cesare Mencarini, 17, built the reactor to generate neutrons as part of his Extended Project Qualification Before embarking on his ambitious project, Cesare had to convince his teachers it wasn't dangerous Your browser does not support iframes. Cesare plans to work at the Interface and Analysis Centre at the University of Bristol in Gloucestershire for a year before applying for a degree in engineering. He hopes to 'encourage other young people to develop ideas' and think about how they 'can improve our world.' Current nuclear power stations use nuclear fission, which involves splitting atoms into smaller parts to create energy. But nuclear fusion has been hailed as a potentially planet-saving energy source, as it involves fusing atoms together, which creates a massive amount of energy. The main problem preventing fusion from being used is the astronomical temperatures required before atoms begin joining together. Cesare, who is from Italy, said: 'The college was initially concerned that this project, which I have also used for my EPQ, was dangerous. 'However we did full risk assessments and the staff have been so supportive. 'I had to adapt the design to fit in with the budget and my aim is to encourage other young people to develop ideas and think about how we can improve our world and be innovative. 'The purpose of the reactor is to produce the necessary conditions for fusion to take place. Hundreds of thousands of students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland received their exam results today (Pictured: Students at the City of London Academy) Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson visits Loreto Sixth Form College on results day as students receive their grades Kherri French (left) and Yasmin Hanachova (right) react together as they receive their A-level results this morning at Norlington School and Sixth Form in Waltham Forest, East London 'However, as we cannot get the same pressure achieved by the sun's own gravity here, we have to use a high voltage to get the atoms hot enough.' The college's principle Dr Julian Davies described Cesare as 'outstanding' and says he will make a 'significant impact on the energy industry in the future.' He said: 'This is an extremely exciting project and has taken one and a half years in the making. 'We want to give our students the opportunity to work on projects that interest them as well as teaching them how to pass exams and to be brave in enabling them to take risks and develop projects that are applicable to real life situations. 'Cesare has been outstanding in his work ethic and will no doubt make a significant impact on the energy industry in the future.' Hundreds of thousands of students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland received their exam results today in a year when grading was expected to be restored to 2019 levels in all three nations. Carys Bonell and Ava Doherty celebrate at Harris Westminster Sixth Form in London today Hannah Greenwood reacts with her parents as she receives her results at Solihull School today Noah Harrison receives his A-level results at Solihull School in the West Midlands this morning Students celebrate their results at King Edward VII High School for Girls in Birmingham today Students receive their A-Level results at the City of London Academy Highgate Hill today More than a quarter (27.8 percent) of UK entries were awarded an A or A* grade, up by 0.6 percentage points on last year when 27.2 percent achieved the top grades. This was also higher than in 2019 - the last year that summer exams were taken before the pandemic - when 25.4 percent of entries were awarded A or A* grades. But the overall pass rate - the proportion of entries graded A* to E - has fallen to 97.2 percent this year, which is lower than last year (97.3 percent) and the pre-pandemic year of 2019 (97.6 percent). The figures, published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), cover A-level entries from students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In England, exams regulator Ofqual had said it expected this year's A-level results to be 'broadly similar' to last year, when grades were restored to pre-pandemic levels. In Wales and Northern Ireland, exam regulators said they aimed to return to pre-pandemic grading this summer - a year later than in England. It comes after the Covid-19 pandemic led to an increase in top grades in 2020 and 2021, with results based on teacher assessments instead of exams. The number of applicants accepted on to UK degree courses has risen this year, Ucas figures show. Overall, 243,650 18-year-old applicants from the UK have been accepted at a university or college, compared to 230,600 last year - a rise of 6 percent. A mother-of-five who died after being mauled by a dog at her home had lost her daughter just weeks earlier. Michelle Hempstead, 34, was attacked by a Bullmastiff-type breed at her ground- floor flat in Southend, Essex, on July 29 and suffered lacerations to her left arm. Neighbours described how Ms Hempstead had clambered over the railing of her balcony to escape, before collapsing near a play area. Bystanders rushed to give her first aid after hearing her screams. She was taken by paramedics to Southend Hospital before being transferred to the Royal London Hospital where she died the next day. An inquest into her death was opened today but adjourned while a police investigation continues. Police seized two dogs - the other believed to be a Pomeranian - but have not destroyed either. The dog involved in the incident was 'assessed by a dog liaison officer as not a banned breed'. Today it emerged that Ms Hempstead's daughter died on June 4. In an online appeal to help pay for her funeral and support her children, Ms Hempstead's friend Liah Smith said it was the second time that tragedy had struck the family. Michelle Hempstead, 34, has been pictured for the first time today after the tragic attack Michelle is pictured with her friends Joanna and Liah before the tragedy An inquest, which was opened and suspended in Chelmsford today, was told that police found her with a 'laceration to her upper limb' on July 29 this year. A neighbour of Ms Hempstead said after she died: 'I was at home with my partner when we heard screaming. 'He went to help and I called an ambulance. By the time we had got down to her, she had run across to near the play area and had collapsed. 'She was unconscious and had a really nasty wound to the top of her arm. It was evidently a dog bite. 'I think she had climbed out over her balcony. I came out to help. She had run screaming and made it against a wall.' The neighbour added Ms Hempstead had a partner and was devoted to her dogs. 'She was quite friendly. We had had a puppy last year and she would stop us to see how he was getting on,' she said. 'I was not aware of any problems with her dogs. There was a boy aged around 14 or 15 who would come to her flat to walk the big dog. 'We saw both dogs being taken out early in the morning and they were both walking happily on a lead.' A post-mortem examination found the axillary artery - the main artery in the arm - had been severed, causing severe blood loss and multiple organ failure. Liah Smith, Michelle's friend of 10 years, paid tribute to her as 'fun no matter the situation'. Ms Smith said in a GoFundMe set up in her memory: 'Michelle's first born and only daughter (whose name I won't disclose to respect the family's privacy) slipped away from us on June 4th and was laid to rest peacefully on July 2nd. 'This passing was an awfully tragic time for Michelle and her family to endure. For something so harrowing to go through, they have not been able to reach a place of peace, and within the space of five weeks the family have had to deal with the shocking passing of Michelle too. Our hearts are broken.' Paying tribute to her 'fun, bubbly and 'selfless' friend who was 'made of steel, just an incredibly strong woman who everyone adored', Ms Smith added: 'She always went above and beyond for people. 'Whether it was stray cars or rough sleepers, Michelle would always get them water, always do something and always recognise people. 'Even if all she had on her was 2 for the bus, she would have given it away. Her attitude was so carefree and she as such a fun person, no matter the situation and even when times were tough. 'She was such a positive person. She was so bubbly all the time to the point where you think 'You can't be like that all day.' Describing the loss of her friend, who had two jobs to give her kids 'what they needed', she added: 'It was too much. There was panic and we had no idea what was going to happen. 'It is so hard. I can't imagine how hard it was for her. I can't imagine her headspace and I cannot stop thinking about how she must have felt at the time.' An Essex Police spokesperson said: 'Our officers are encouraging residents in Southend that haven't spoken to police to get in touch following the death of a woman in Southend. Sadly, despite the efforts of neighbours, paramedics and doctors, she did not survive She managed to escape and climbed over the balcony rail of her ground floor flat in Retort Close (pictured) The wall in a tunnel next to a play area in Retort Close, Southend, where Michelle was attacked 'A woman was found with life-threatening injuries, was treated at the scene and taken to the Royal London Hospital for urgent treatment but died on Tuesday 30 July. 'Two dogs have been seized from the address. Both dogs seized have now been disclaimed for destruction and the victim was the sole owner of the dogs.' Acting Detective Inspector James McLean-Brown, who is leading this investigation, said earlier this month: 'This was a very distressing incident to witness, so I'd like to thank everyone who has spoken to us so far and ask anyone else with information to contact us. 'The details you have may be important and we need the fullest picture to complete our enquiries.' Ms Smith thanked the people who rushed to her friend's aid after she was injured, saying in her online tribute: 'We would also like to express our absolute gratitude to the individuals who helped Michelle before emergency services could reach her, to witness and hear such incredibly brave neighbours that came together as a community to help her touched us tremendously. 'We thank you all for the unconditional love and care you showed.' Court co-ordinator Andy Flack said that Ms Hempstead was taken to Southend Hospital for treatment, then subsequently transferred to the Royal London Hospital, where she died on July 30. He said a post-mortem examination recorded that Ms Hempstead sustained a 'dog bite wound to left upper arm'. Mr Flack said that transection of the left axillary artery - the main artery to the arm - was also a contributory cause to her death. Multi-organ failure and hypovolemic shock - where a severe loss of blood or other fluids prevents the heart from pumping enough blood - were also given as contributory causes. Lincoln Brookes, senior coroner for Essex, said - after details of the case were outlined by Mr Flack - that he would suspend the hearing pending the outcome of a criminal investigation. 'I've received a written request from Essex Police to suspend the coronial proceedings pending a criminal investigation,' said Mr Brookes. 'I accordingly grant that request.' He said he would review the suspension after three months, and asked that his 'deepest condolences' are passed to the family. The 'fierce' scramble for clearing places in UK universities is underway after thousands of youngsters received their A-level results this morning - with institutions offering would-be last-minute applicants wild incentives to get them on board. The University of Sheffield said it had dealt with more than 500 calls in just over two hours after opening its phone lines at 8am - while 18 of the 24 Russell Group institutions are offering a combined 3,900 domestic undergraduate places this year. Some universities are offering bursaries, scholarships and even free laptops to those who choose to apply for the remaining spaces on an estimated 30,000 courses across the country. And it comes as the boss of admissions body Ucas said this week that many prospective students are increasingly waiting until the day they open the fated brown envelopes dictating their future before making a decision on where to study. Jo Saxton, Ucas's chief executive, said earlier this week applicants are using clearing to 'exert their choice' once they have their exam grades. Around a third of students picked up a clearing place at university after switching away from their original firm choice (pictured: students at Ark Globe Academy in London today) Estimates suggest some 27,000 courses have places available through clearing today (pictured: students at the City of London Academy today) Clearing is available to those who do not get the results they expected - as well as those looking to switch from their original choice (pictured: Solihull School students getting results) Ucas says almost 68,000 students secured a place on a university course through clearing last year Dr Jo Saxton, chief executive of admissions body Ucas Dr Saxton said today: 'Ucas is here to help all applicants take their next step, including students who received different results than expected, or those who are looking to change their mind. 'There are just under 30,000 courses available in Ucas clearing across a broad range of subjects and universities so there really is something for everyone.' The Ucas boss earlier said the 'single largest group' of applicants who used clearing last year was made up of those who decided to decline an existing offer that they had been holding to choose a different course or institution. Universities have recognised this change and are listing courses on the clearing site to ensure applicants bypassing the normal process have choices - along with ludicrous incentives to persuade them to get on board. Bedfordshire University is offering a 2,400 scholarship for high achievers and a 1,000 bursary to other clearing students, while the University of Northampton promises a free laptop or accomodation discount. Aberystwyth University also offers guaranteed accommodation and an 'excellence scholarship' worth 2,000 for high-flying first years. The University of Sheffield and University of Central Lancashire are guaranteeing accommodation for anyone who accepts an offer through clearing, while the University of Gloucestershire is hosting a prize draw for a year's boarding. St Mary's University, Twickenham, meanwhile, is holding a 250 prize draw for 'priority' clearing students, and the University of Solent is offering free gym memberships for clearing students. Dan Barcroft, director of admissions at Sheffield, said: 'Competition for clearing places remains fierce, especially for popular courses at top universities, with many students reassessing their options post-results and using clearing to 'shop around' and find the best university for them. 'At Sheffield, we have some places available through clearing for high-achieving students and we guarantee accommodation to everyone who accepts an offer by the end of August, to help ease the stress of results day. 'Students are expected to make big decisions over the next few days, so it's important they think carefully about where they want to study. Universities have a duty to recognise this and ensure they don't add to the pressure. 'Applicants should take advantage of clearing open days, campus tours and online taster sessions, where they can speak to current students, to make sure they are making informed choices.' The University of Reading said on X, formerly Twitter, that it had 'taken thousands of calls and made hundreds of offers already this morning'. Some of the offers made to clearing students at Aberystwyth, Northampton and Solent universities including scholarships, laptops and gym memberships Universities depend massively on students choosing them to study because of the income they get from tuition fees - and the sector faces a number of challenges as people look at options other than university to carve our their future path. There has been a drop in the number of foreign students coming to the UK to study - a significant challenge as they can be charged higher tuition fees, freed from the cap imposed on British students - and an overall dip in the number of school leavers pursuing further education. Foreign students can pay many times what a UK student will in annual tuition fees. The Reddin survey of university tuition fees, published by the Complete University Guide in 2021, found annual fees for a foreign student could be almost 40,000 a year. UK students pay no more than 9,250 a year in tuition fees thanks to a government-mandated cap. The number of international students who have been accepted on to courses in 2024 stands at 51,170, down slightly on 51,210 last year. Accepted applicants from China (10,950) are down 6% compared with last year. Last year, Ucas said almost 68,000 students had found a place on a course through clearing - and almost a third did so after turning down their original firm choice. Analysis by the PA news agency last week found that more top institutions had courses available through clearing in the week before A-level results day than at the same point last year. A sample of 130 of the UK's largest higher education providers - out of an estimated 166 - showed there were 22,774 courses with vacancies for undergraduate students living in England. A similar analysis last year, carried out by PA the day before A-level results day, showed there were 22,521 courses with vacancies on the clearing site. Overall, 17 of the 24 universities in the Russell Group, which represents some of the most prestigious UK institutions, had vacancies on courses for English residents - a total of 3,500 courses between them. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson (pictured with students in Manchester today) says there are 'plenty of opportunities' for students who do not get the grades they hoped for Ark Globe Academy students Ting Ting He (left) and Victoria Lovera (holding fingers up) celebrate their A-level exam results today A similar analysis last year, the day before A-level results day, showed 16 of the 24 Russell Group universities had vacancies on courses for English residents - a total of 2,171 courses between them. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson earlier said there are 'plenty of opportunities' for A-level students who fall short on results day. She told Sky News: 'To our young people receiving their results, there are lots of great options out there in terms of what you can go on to do next. 'For those young people who get what they need and move on to their destination of choice, that's brilliant. 'For those who perhaps fall slightly short, there are lots of options out there. There are lots of people that can be there to provide advice and support, whether that's the school or college, Ucas through clearing, or the National Career Service. 'So I want to wish them all the very best, but to reassure them that there are plenty of opportunities that are there.' The start of the clearing process comes as a total of 425,680 applicants have gained a place at university or college - up 3% on the same point last year, according to data published by the university admissions service. Ucas said 82% of all applicants have gained a place at their first choice university or college, which is up from 79% last year. Hundreds of thousands of students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland received their exam results on Thursday in a year when grading was expected to be restored to 2019 levels in all three nations. More than a quarter (27.8%) of UK entries were awarded an A or A* grade, up by 0.6 percentage points on last year when 27.2% achieved the top grades. This was also higher than in 2019 - the last year that summer exams were taken before the pandemic - when 25.4% of entries were awarded A or A* grades. Overall, the proportion of UK entries awarded the top A* grade this year has risen by 0.4 percentage points to 9.3%, compared with 8.9% in 2023, and it is higher than when it stood at 7.7% in 2019. Excluding 2020-2022, the years of the pandemic, this is the highest proportion of A* grades awarded since they were first handed out in 2010. The clearing process is open until October 21. A Labour 'cash for jobs' row has deepened as the Tories demanded the Treasury 'come clean' over the appointment of a party donor to a top civil service role. Laura Trott, the shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, has written to a senior Whitehall official with a series of questions over the growing controversy. Ian Corfield, a banker who previously donated more than 20,000 to senior Labour politicians, was recently made a director at the Treasury. It has since been reported how a watchdog was not informed of his past donations - including 5,000 to Chancellor Rachel Reeves - before it approved his appointment. Ms Trott said the Government appeared to have 'withheld important information' from the Civil Service Commission over the hiring of Mr Corfield. The Conservative MP wrote to James Bowler, the Treasury's permanent secretary, with nine questions for the department to answer. These included queries over whether Ms Reeves had any role in the employment of Mr Corfield to her department, or if she had recused herself from the process. Ian Corfield, a banker who previously donated more than 20,000 to senior Labour politicians, was recently made a director at the Treasury It has since been reported how a watchdog was not informed of Mr Corfield's past donations - including 5,000 to Chancellor Rachel Reeves - before it approved his appointment Laura Trott, the shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, has written to a senior Whitehall official with a series of questions over the growing controversy Ms Trott said: 'The Labour Government have serious questions to answer. 'By seemingly failing to provide the Civil Service Commission with the fact that this individual has been a donor to Rachel Reeves, they have withheld important information that might well have had a significant impact on the Civil Service Commission's decision to allow this exceptional appointment. 'The Chancellor and the Labour Party must urgently come clean on how this appointment has been conducted.' Laura Trott's letter to Treasury's top civil servant Dear James, I write regarding the reports that Mr Ian Corfield has been appointed to a director-level position in your department. As Mr Corfield is a recent donor to the minister in charge of your department, Rachel Reeves MP, his appointment has inevitably attracted a great deal of attention. I know you are committed to upholding the very highest standards, to transparency, and to defending the values of the Civil Service, including its political impartiality. Therefore I am sure you will understand why I believe it is important that the following questions are answered as soon as possible: On what day was a request made by ministers to appoint Mr Corfield, and on what date did he commence employment in HM Treasury? Was the fact of Mr Corfields donation to the Chancellor brought to the specific attention of the Civil Service Commission at the time when an application for an exceptional appointment was initially submitted? Or did the Commission subsequently become aware of the donation? Was the Chancellor herself, as a recipient of the donation, recused from decisions involving the appointment of Mr Corfield? Was Mr Corfields donation to the Chancellor recorded in writing with you, as Permanent Secretary, before any suggestion was first made to appoint him to a Civil Service position? When was this interest recorded with you? Was advice sought from the Cabinet Office or the Prime Ministers Independent Adviser on ministerial interests in relation to the conflict, or perceived conflict, between the donation to the Chancellor and any decision by your department to appoint Mr Corfield to a role? Did your department test the potential conflict relating to Mr Corfield at the point of his recruitment, in line with the Government guidance on managing Conflicts of Interest, and what steps will be taken to uphold the impartiality of the Civil Service? Will Mr Corfield have a role recruiting and managing other civil servants? Have any other Labour donors been appointed to Civil Service positions in your department? Have there been any minuted meetings between Rachel Reeves and Mr Corfield either before or after this appointment? I look forward to your reply. Advertisement Mr Corfield joined the Treasury after working as a senior business adviser to Labour between January and July. According to Politico, the Civil Service Commission was not told about Mr Corfield's political cash-giving ahead of its decision on his new job. The watchdog, which was established to safeguard an 'impartial' civil service, stressed that responsibility for carrying out background checks on potential Whitehall hires lies with the employing department itself. A CSC spokesperson told the website: 'The Commission's role is to independently consider the department's request under its principles. 'Due diligence on candidates is a matter for the employing department.' Kate Owen, interim chief executive of the CSC, said in a blogpost that the employing department is 'also responsible for addressing any potential propriety matters'. Conservative MP Andrew Griffith, a former Treasury minister, told MailOnline there was a 'growing whiff of a 'cash for jobs' scandal over this case.' Henry Newman, a former adviser to Michael Gove, said: 'Can you imagine the outrage if a Conservative chancellor had appointed a Tory donor as a civil servant in HM Treasury without telling the Civil Service Commission?' It is understood there is no specific block on a candidate being appointed to a civil service role if they have previously made a political donation. But, when asked whether they had informed the CSC about Mr Corfield's donations, the Treasury refused to comment on 'individual staffing appointments'. A Government spokesperson said: 'As you would expect, we do not comment on individual staffing appointments. 'Any appointments are made in line with the civil service rules on recruitment.' Mr Corfield has donated more than 20,000 to Labour politicians over the last nine years, according to Electoral Commission records. Most recently, he donated 5,000 to Ms Reeves in 2023. The director role is a senior civil service position and has a pay range of 97,000 to 162,500. Usually such roles are given to career civil servants rather than external candidates. Previously, Mr Corfield has held senior roles in the private sector, including at Australian banks Aussie and Bankwest. Jack Worlidge, a senior researcher at the Institute for Government think tank, said the case 'exposes clear gaps in the rules.' 'The Commission's recruitment principles are silent on the use of the exceptions process to appoint politically aligned candidates, as well as on the involvement of ministers in exceptional appointments,' he added. 'The Commission also plays no role in considering the propriety of appointments. During the election campaign Labour repeatedly emphasised its credentials around propriety and ethics. 'It will be interesting to see if the new Ethics and Integrity Commission closes some of these gaps.' The Treasury has been contacted for a response to Ms Trott's letter. A Guatemalan immigrant convicted last month of raping a Maryland resident was arrested yesterday by Immigtation & Customs Enforcement officers. 19-year-old Guatemalan Henry Argueta-Tobar's arrest came after he was sentenced on July 3 to 20 years in prison for second-degree rape. However, the court then suspended all but 190 days of the prison sentence. Commenting on yesterday's arrest, Enforcement and removal Operations Baltimore acting Deputy Field Officer Director Vernon Liggins said that Argueta-Tobar had 'made his way to Maryland and victimized one of our residents' and therefore 'we could not allow him to continue to threaten our communities'. 'ERO Baltimore will continue to prioritize public safety by relentlessly pursuing unlawfully present sexual predators and egregious criminal noncitizens'. 19-year-old Guatemalan Henry Argueta-Tobar was arrested yesterday after he was convicted last month of raping a Maryland resident. Local authorities had released him after his arrest & ignored ICEs detainer request Charles Country Courthouse. In December 2023 the Charles Country Sheriff's Office arrested him and he was charged with rape in the second degree. ERO then issued an immigration detainer against him with the Charles County Detention Center in La Plata According to and ICE press release, in December 2023, the young man was arrested by the Charles Country Sheriff's Office and was charged with rape in the second degree. ERO then issued an immigration detainer against him with the Charles County Detention Center in La Plata. According to ICE, an immigration detainer is a request to state or local law enforcement agencies to put a hold on a person who is set to be released, so that ERO can 'assume custody for removal purposes in accordance with federal law'. However, this request was not honored by Charles Country Detention Center, which meant Argueta-Tobar was released. According to an ICE press release, the 19-year-old was first apprehended in May 2019 after he illegally entered the US near El Paso, Texas as an accompanied minor. US Border Patrol transferred custody of Argueta-Tobar to ERO El Paso, who released him on an order of recognizance. In February, a Department of Justice immigration judge in Baltimore ordered the man be removed to Guatemala, before his July conviction for rape. Argueta-Tobar remains in custody following his arrest yesterday. This comes after a shocking new report on Tuesday revealed that thousands of migrants who entered the US illegally with their families and were put into a deportation program have been allowed to stay by the Biden administration. This comes after a shocking new report on Tuesday revealed that thousands of migrants who entered the US illegally with their families and were put into a deportation program have been allowed to stay by the Biden administration. Pictured: Migrants who make up the 'Viacrusis migrant' walk in a caravan in the municipality of Villa Comatitlan in the state of Chiapas, Mexico, 27 March 2024 According to the report, Biden has allowed 90 percent of migrants put into the Family Expedited Removal Management (FERM) program to remain in the U.S. instead of being deported. Only 2,600 out of a total of 24,000 migrants enrolled in the program have actually been deported, according to a New York Post report. That leaves over 21,000 who were allowed to stay in the U.S. And since FERM began in May 2023, over 840,000 migrants traveling in family units have been apprehended by authorities at the border, according to ICE data reviewed by the House Homeland Security Committee. This means just a fraction of illegal migrants coming into the U.S. with their families were removed via the FERM program. It wasn't immediately clear why every family unit wasn't immediately placed into FERM removal proceedings. The flawed program is now catching the attention of top lawmakers in Congress, who are demanding action. 'The same White House that is letting millions of illegals into our country is also refusing to deport them,' Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson posted on X in response to the bombshell report. 'The Biden-Harris Administration has no intention of enforcing our laws. No amount of spin can cover it up.' Kim Dotcom will be extradited to the United States from New Zealand, the nation's justice minister has said. German-born Dotcom, who has New Zealand residency, has been fighting extradition to the United States since 2012 following a FBI-ordered raid on his Auckland mansion. Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith signed an extradition order for Dotcom, who is facing criminal charges relating to the defunct file-sharing website Megaupload. Megaupload was used by many to share pirated movies and music, from which the US government alleges Dotcom made his massive fortune. He moved to New Zealand, where he lives with his young child and his second wife Elizabeth, and has spent years fighting extradition to the US. 'I considered all of the information carefully, and have decided that Mr Dotcom should be surrendered to the U.S. to face trial,' Goldsmith said. 'As is common practice, I have allowed Mr Dotcom a short period of time to consider and take advice on my decision. I will not, therefore, be commenting further at this stage.' In a post on social media website X on Tuesday, Dotcom said 'the obedient US colony in the South Pacific just decided to extradite me for what users uploaded to Megaupload', in what appears to be a reference to the extradition order. Kim Dotcom will be extradited to the United States from New Zealand, the nation's justice minister has said Dotcom lives with his wife Elizabeth in Queenstown, New Zealand US authorities say Dotcom and three other Megaupload executives cost film studios and record companies more than $500million by encouraging paying users to store and share copyrighted material, which generated more than $175million in revenue for the website. The company's chief marketing officer Finn Batato and chief technical officer and co-founder Mathias Ortmann, both from Germany, along with a third executive Dutch national Bram van der Kolk were arrested with Dotcom in 2012. Ortmann and van der Kolk entered plea deals that saw them sentenced in 2023 to jail terms in New Zealand but allowed them to avoid extradition. Batato died in 2022 in New Zealand. A huge blaze has engulfed an apartment block in South London with around 80 firefighters called to the scene. Two flats on the tenth and eleventh floors were alight on St Marks Square in Bromley this morning, the London Fire Brigade have confirmed, with two taken to hospital by ambulance teams. The same building caught alight just two years ago, which saw around 120 people inside needing to be evacuated. One resident, who wished to remain unnamed, revealed that the building is split into separate blocks, meaning that he was unaware of the fire until he heard a crowd outside. 'I heard a big crash and was like "what the hell's that?" Then I looked out the window and saw crowds of people looking up and a lot of firemen and I just got out of there,' he told MailOnline. Two flats on the tenth and eleventh floors were engulfed by ablaze at an apartment block on St Marks Square in Bromley, the London Fire Brigade have confirmed 'I heard a big crash and was like "what the hell's that?" Then I looked out the window and saw crowds of people looking up and a lot of firemen and I just got out of there,' one resident told MailOnline Residents and fire crews seen at the scene of this morning's blaze Control Officers took the first of 20 calls at 9.52am and the fire was under control two hours later Footage showed smoke flowing out of a tenth floor window from a three-roomed flat Twelve fire engines and around 80 firefighters tackled the inferno at roughly 10am this morning. Crews from Bromley, Beckenham, Woodside and surrounding fire stations all attended the scene at the 19-storey, modern apartment building, where some teams remain. Control Officers took the first of 20 calls at 9.52am and the fire was under control two hours later. The resident expressed his concern that the side of the building which caught alight today features lots of wooden decking and glass balconies, perhaps increasing the risk to fire - but added that he understands the apartment block has met all the relevant fire safety requirements. He also added that both this fire and the last one were 'relatively contained' and only spread to 'a couple of flats'. Station Commander Gary Melia, who attended the scene, said: 'Firefighters worked hard to bring this fire under control. 'There remains significant congestion around Westmoreland Road, so please continue to avoid the area if you can. 'A rest centre has been set up at St Marks Church Hall and we are working with multi-agency partners to support residents. 'Crews will remain on scene for several hours damping down.' The cause of the fire is under investigation. Bromley Council reacted to the blaze by saying they would 'support emergency services as needed'. The same building also caught alight in 2022 and a Premier Inn next to the tower was also evacuated due to safety concerns. Half of a five-room flat on the 15th floor of the block was alight that day, with part of the roof also on fire. More than 120 residents were evacuated from the building and there were no reports of injuries. A resident told MailOnline firefighters managed to get to the fire 'pretty quick'. 'It's a big plaza with a cinema and a Nandos and we could see from the balcony that there were loads of people in the square. I went to my other balcony at the back of the building and that's where you could see the flames. 'Everyone just left, evacuated the building. I guess they evacuated the cinema across the street as well. There's a big square in the plaza and they just moved everyone away.' He added the building is divided into four self contained blocks and said he believed the fire was contained to just one. It is the second fire at the building in just a few years, with the 2022 blaze, which saw around 100 residents evacuated, pictured Footage of the 2022 incident showed flames and black smoke coming from one part of a slanted roof before further footage showed firefighters on the roof with the flames apparently extinguished Raquell Viamonte, 22, who was working at a restaurant in the square, said it was 'terrifying' when the fire broke out. She said: 'It was quite stressful. I had to deal with quite a lot of customers, kick them out and refund their orders. 'The fire alarm started ringing and by the time I walked out there were firefighters running around everywhere. It was terrifying.' Footage posted on social media showed flames and black smoke coming from one part of a slanted roof. Further footage showed firefighters on the roof with the flames apparently extinguished. A high-achieving East London state school in one of the capital's poorest boroughs broke its own record today after 150 students achieved straight A* grades at A-level. Brampton Manor Academy had 349 pupils get either an A* or A in all their subjects, and 50 of them will now be going to Oxford or Cambridge universities. Over 90 per cent of the cohort are heading to one of the 24 leading Russell Group institutions. The school in Newham now sends more students to Oxbridge than Eton College, with more than 400 going in the 12 years since it opened its sixth form in 2012. And Brampton Manor is now the world's top school for Oxbridge entry, having sent 85 pupils to the prestigious universities in 2022, up from 57 in 2021 and 53 in 2020. Many of the high achievers at the school are from ethnic minority backgrounds, in receipt of free school meals or will be their family's first to attend university. Brampton Manor Academy had 349 pupils get either an A* or A in all their subjects today Jo (left) achieved A*A*A* and will study human, social and political sciences at the University of Cambridge; while Ayushi (right) achieved 2 A*s and an A and will study social sciences at UCL Harnam (left) achieved four A*s and will study mathematics at the University of Warwick; and Benjamin (right) achieved three A*s and will study economics at UCL Your browser does not support iframes. Among this year's top achievers were two boys who both scored four A*s and will study computer science - with Arik going to Cambridge and Owen heading to UCL. Brampton Manor headteacher Dayo Olukoshi was given an OBE for services to education The school's executive principal Dayo Olukoshi told MailOnline today: 'I am very delighted with the incredible achievement of our students and the high number progressing to Oxbridge this year. These students combine exceptional academic ability with an exemplary work ethic. 'I am very proud of them and indeed our entire cohort of Year 13 students, who have remained focused - despite the many challenges and obstacles in their way - and have been rewarded with offers from the country's most prestigious universities.' In a series of tweets today, the school said: 'Massive congratulations to the class of 2024. It's all smiles here at Brampton Manor as our students celebrate record A level results. Over 300 students achieved straight A*/A grades.' It later added: 'Our class of 2024 have set a new record at Brampton Manor: 150 students achieved straight A* grades at A level! Wow, what a bunch of talented students. Massive congrats to you all.' Safiya (left) achieved 2 A*s and an A and is going to study archaeology at Cambridge, while Fathema (right) is going to Oxford to study chemistry with 2 As and an A Arik (left) achieved 4 A*s and who will study computer science at the University of Cambridge; while Luke (right) also got 4 A*s and who will study mathematics and statistics at Oxford The school also said that Brampton Manor students 'demonstrate year after year that success can be achieved through effort and determination'. It added: 'We are immensely proud of each of you and wish you all the very best as you embark on the next stage of your journey. Keep in mind our school motto: success through effort and determination.' The school is unsurprisingly rated outstanding by Ofsted and Dr Dayo was given an OBE in 2016 for services to education. More than 2,000 pupils attend Brampton Manor, which has a traditional academic approach to learning and a no-nonsense stance on behaviour. In 2023, 70 per cent of all GCSE results were graded at 5+, which was 16 percentage points above the local authority average. Brampton Manor has a traditional approach to learning and no-nonsense stance on behaviour Students celebrate their A-level results at Brampton Manor Academy three years ago in 2021 Eton, which costs 52,749 a year to attend after a 3,200 'acceptance fee', has not yet revealed its A-level results for this year. Overall, national figures showed that that the proportion of A-level entries awarded top grades is up on last year and remains above pre-pandemic levels. Hundreds of thousands of students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland received their exam results today in a year when grading was expected to be restored to 2019 levels in all three nations. More than a quarter (27.8 per cent) of UK entries were awarded an A or A* grade, up by 0.6 percentage points on last year when 27.2 per cent achieved the top grades. This was also higher than in 2019 - the last year that summer exams were taken before the pandemic - when 25.4 per cent of entries were awarded A or A* grades. Overall, the proportion of UK entries awarded the top A* grade this year has risen by 0.4 percentage points to 9.3 per cent, compared with 8.9 per cent in 2023, and it is higher than when it stood at 7.7 per cent in 2019. Excluding 2020-2022, the years of the pandemic, this is the highest proportion of A* grades awarded since they were first handed out in 2010. But the overall pass rate - the proportion of entries graded A* to E - has fallen to 97.2 per cent this year, which is lower than last year (97.3 per cent) and the pre-pandemic year of 2019 (97.6 per cent). This video is no longer available This video is no longer available A single mum whose life became a living nightmare when her ex-boyfriend bombarded her with thousands of threatening text messages and relentlessly stalked her for months on end has opened about the harrowing ordeal. Mum-of-three Tash Kramer thought she'd found the love of her life after she struck up a relationship with Gavin Porter while living in Benalla in Victoria's north-east in March last year. She initially wasn't looking for a relationship with the Irishman but the pair 'hit it off', before things took an ugly turn. Ms Kramer claims that just three months into the romance, Porter became jealous and possessive and began to abuse and threaten her. She claimed he would also drive past her house and call endlessly for hours. 'He would get drunk and just start calling me names,' Ms Kramer told A Current Affair. 'Calling me fat, calling me ugly, telling me to kill myself and then have no recollection the next day 'He would beg for forgiveness and then it was just a cycle' Fearing for her life and her children's safety, Ms Kramer claimed she would comply with Porter's alleged demands to meet him at certain places to keep the peace. Seven months after the couple (pictured) began their relationship, police took out an interim family violence intervention order against Porter (pictured right) 'I tried many times to end the relationship, but he wouldn't have it, I was a possession to him,' she said. Porter also sent Ms Kramer threatening text messages during their relationship. 'I'm going to make your life hell,' one message read. Porter threatened to cut her throat in another. There were also threatening voicemails. 'Natasha, I'm giving you two minutes to answer your phone or I sweat to God....' he says on one message. He says in another: 'You're making me very angry and I don't want to to do but I'm f****** on the verge of doing something.' Ms Kramer claims their relationship soon became violent and recalled one particular incident where she blamed herself. 'He [allegedly] punched me in the hip and then choked me on the ground,' Ms Kramer said. Police eventually arrested Porter following the alleged threats and uncovered 3,000 text messages. Seven months into the relationship, police took out an interim family violence intervention order against Porter. Ms Kramer (pictured) claims that just three months into the relationship, Porter became jealous and possessive before he allegedly began to abuse and threaten her Ms Kramer claims that Porter was angry about the court imposed order and hassled her to revoke it, amid fears he would lose his visa and be deported. 'The magistrate asked me whether I was happy for the order to stay for a year, I agreed,' Ms Kramer said. 'Within a minute of me agreeing to the order, my phone started ringing and Gavin was making threats to come to my work.' At breaking point, the young mum considered ending her life and drove to nearby train tracks, where police spent an hour looking for her they found her hiding in the bushes. It was a turning point for Ms Kramer who opened up about the abuse to police. But the nightmare wasn't over yet. Porter came to her home one night and allegedly tapped on the window while she was sleeping. A terrified Ms Kramer grabbed a kitchen knife, locked her children inside the house and ran outside onto the road in a desperate bid to keep Porter away from her kids. By the time police had arrived, Porter had allegedly fled the scene and spent several weeks on the run. The torment finally ended last November when police caught up with Porter shortly after he arrived in Melbourne on a flight from WA. He was arrested at a hotel 40 minutes later. Gavin Porter (pictured) was sentenced to two years' jail and he is set to be deported back to Ireland when his sentence ends in late 2025 The magistrate described the matter as the worst family violence cases he had heard. Porter was sentenced to two years' jail and is expected to be deported back to Ireland at the end of 2025 after serving his sentence. Ms Kramer has since moved towns and the job she loved for a fresh start and to get her life back. She urged others facing a similar situation to not be afraid to ask for help. 'I resisted for such a long time and made things much harder for myself, they're there to help,' Ms Kramer said. If you or someone who know needs support, contact 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or Lifeline on 13 11 14. A Californian shaman has been arraigned on charges that he sexually assaulted two female victims. Ricardo Flores, 59, was arrested by officers last week after multiple victims reported alleged sexual assaults committed by him to the Moreno Valley Sheriff's Office. Authorities say that Flores is the religious leader of a shamanistic community and calls him Koyote the Blind. Officials say they managed to detain Flores as he was returning to the US from Mexico, before he was later charged with eight felony crimes including rape. The Riverside County District Attorney's Office revealed that Flores had been charged with eight felony crimes. Ricardo Flores, 59, was arrested by officers last week after multiple victims reported sexual assaults committed by him to the Moreno Valley Sheriff's Office Officials said they believed there could be more victims and encouraged anyone with information to come forward These included rape, lewd acts on a child, two counts of penetration of a minor, penetration with a foreign object and aggravated sexual assault of a child. According to the authorities, the acts occurred over a decade from 2012 to 2023 and he faces life in prison if convicted. The Sheriff's Office said that some of the alleged crimes took place that matches the address of Xicoco Shamanic Arts, a group led by Flores in Moreno Valley. Officials said they believed there could be more victims and encouraged anyone with information to come forward. In online profiles, Flores describes himself as being an exiled shaman, accomplished magician and yogi originally from El Salvador. Flores describes his time in the country as where he trained 'among the volcanoes and jungles pursuing his Jesuit education'. He has led a number of organizations and written books on his ideas according to his online biographies. His teaching revolve around a healing system and ancient healing energy called 'Aka Dua'. In online profiles, Flores describes himself as being an exiled shaman, accomplished magician and yogi originally from El Salvador. Flores also frequently refers to teachings related to sex and what he refers to as the mastery of 'sexual alchemy' and 'sex magick'. An online profile says that after moving to America in 1985 he pursued a graduate and post graduate degree in Philosophy and Cognitive Sciences. The Xicoco Shamanic Arts website says they offer 'sweat lodges, vision quests, and a medicine wheel'. Flores next scheduled court appearance will be on August 23 and according to the court is a continuation of his arraignment. Officials in Mexico have claimed the allegations that two college students were drugged with fentanyl-laced drinks at a resort are false. The head of the State Attorney General's office (FGE), Raciel Lopez Salazar, said an investigation has found that Zara Hull and Kaylie Pitze were never spiked, Riveria Maya News reports. The Oklahoma State University students were left in wheelchairs after drinking the possibly tainted water on August 2. Disturbing images showed them slumped over a poolside bar moments after the alleged poisoning. But in a statement, Salazar said the girls' drug tests came back clean and that the case has been 'exaggerated and classifies it as simple alcohol consumption'. Officials in Mexico have claimed allegations two college students were drugged with fentanyl-laced drinks at a resort are false. Pictured: The students moments after the alleged spiking 'There was no drug dealing here in Quintana Roo with fentanyl,' he added. Hull and Pitze were on a dream vacation with their boyfriends when the horror unfolded. It was previously reported they were in Cancun, but in fact they were staying at a hotel in Isla Mujeres, the investigation revealed. State Secretary of Tourism, Bernardo Cueto, said the students and their families are yet to lodge any formal complaint. He called the situation a 'very rare case and a very strange situation that is being investigated'. He told local media his office has approached the United States Consulate to get in touch with the families but is yet to hear back. 'Through the consulate we requested more information from the relatives, but there was no response, there was no interest or intention from the relatives to give us more details of what happened,' Cueto said. Zara Hull and Kaylie Pitze became dangerously sick on their dream vacation in Mexico 'I have to tell you in no uncertain terms it seems very strange to me, a very strange situation because if someone's health is affected in some establishment, the first thing you do is report the establishment where you were possibly or supposedly poisoned.' Hotels, bars and restaurants have been put on high alert in the meantime. Hull previously described the moment she and Pitze passed out in front of her terrified boyfriend Jake. 'We both got water and within two minutes, Jake had turned around and we both hit the bar, heads down at the same time,' she said. Hull said she experienced convulsions before passing out and becoming 'basically paralyzed.' Snider rushed her to the hospital and remained by her side as staff reportedly demanded thousands of dollars for treatment. 'They had increased the money they wanted. The baseline was $10,000 for them to even look at me,' Hull said. Hull initially could not breathe on her own and was put on a ventilator She has since returned to the US and is undergoing physical therapy as part of her recovery 'They were holding me captive. We're college students; we don't have the money they're asking for.' Meanwhile, she suffered from seizures throughout the night, and the doctors intubated her. Stephanie Snider, the mother of Hull's boyfriend Jake, said she believes they were spiked by people who wanted to harvest their organs or subject them to trafficking. 'We believe they were planning to take her away to be trafficked or perhaps even to take her organs (which is what we were later told is a common thing that is done),' Snider wrote in an emotional Facebook post. Hull claimed hospital staff demanded even more money to release her, and the air ambulance to bring Hull back to the United States cost $26,000. A day after ingesting the suspicious beverage, the group secured a private plane to fly them to Dallas. An update on a GoFundMe indicated that Hull is now 'home and well'. The two Oklahoma college students were on a trip with their boyfriends But their vacation quickly turned into a nightmare. However, officials say their investigations show that the students' drug tests came back clean. She initially could not breathe on her own and was put on a ventilator. Doctors say they have not found anything wrong with Hull, even though she experienced at least 18 convulsions. Pitze did not end up in the hospital, but had a tough 24 hours after she was possibly drugged. 'Zara is feeling better physically each day-just still a little wobbly and dizzy at times,' Stephanie Snider, Jake's mom said. 'She feels like she needs to sleep a lot but still having a little trouble falling asleep. It seems like when we close our eyes at night many things hit at once of what shes been through. 'Kaylie is still struggling with these things as well so prayers are still needed for these girls. 'She will continue working on the physical therapy exercises to get stronger and more stable,' she added of Hull. Former Love Island star Davide Sanclimenti has said almost 1 million worth of items have been stolen from his LA home. The 29-year-old said on Instagram on Thursday that he had lost 'precious and personal belongings' worth about 933,312 in the theft, which he claimed took six minutes. He told fans he is 'trying to stay positive' and added that he will be moving house as a result of the incident. Sanclimenti won the eighth series of the ITV reality show in 2022, alongside then-partner Ekin-Su Culculoglu. The pair split in June 2023 and got back together in the same year, before breaking up again in January this year. It comes amid a spate of burglaries targeting the homes of the rich and famous in LA in recent weeks. Former Love Island star Davide Sanclimenti has said almost 1 million worth of items have been stolen from his LA home Taking to Instagram, Sanclimenti posted photographs of stripped shelves and said he is 'trying to stay positive' He has also appeared in Ekin-Su And Davide: Homecomings, which saw the couple embark on two trips to Sanclimenti's hometown in Italy, and Culculoglu's hometown in Turkey. Speaking about the theft on Instagram, Sanclimenti said: 'I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who has displayed their concern and is DMing me and asking why I have been quiet over socials. 'As you all know I'm living in LA atm. Our home got broken into and was robbed of nearly 1.2m worth of precious and personal belongings, gone within six minutes. 'Just goes to show the saying is true, the evil always target the pure hearted, but I'm trying to stay positive that the good people will always win in the end. 'I'm taking a few days to reset, change house and keep moving forward.' The former Love Island star posted photos which showed empty shelves with just a couple of items - including a Christian Dior bag - left strewn on the floor, seemingly dropped in the robbers' haste. The thieves were thorough, even reportedly taking a safe, using a drill to extract it from a closet. The incident comes as ex Ekin-Su holidays solo in Portofino, posting updates to her four million Instagram followers in which she appears to have taken a swipe at Sanclimenti. Culculoglu urged her fans to 'set boundaries' and not rely on anyone else for happiness. The star also encouraged her fans to have more confident in themselves and urged them to 'be there your own best friend' in a series of videos shared to her Instagram Story on Wednesday evening. The former Love Island star posted photos which showed empty shelves with just a couple of items left strewn on the floor, seemingly dropped in the robbers' haste Ekin-su split from the Italian businessman, 29, for a second time after a series of blazing rows over his friendships with OnlyFans models Ekin-Su posted a video of herself cheersing the camera and sipping on a glass of wine as she enjoyed her solo meal, putting on a busty display in her halterneck dress Sanclimenti won the eighth series of ITV reality show Love Island in 2022, alongside then-partner Ekin-Su Culculoglu (pictured) Ekin-Su Culculoglu, 29, put her curves on full display as she was spotted sporting a skimpy bikini while enjoying a solo holiday to Portofino on Wednesday She told them: 'So I'm currently in beautiful Italy on my own having a lovely few days just because I wanted to. 'And I think spending time on your own and taking yourself away, taking yourself to be on your own, being your own best friend - which I relate back to the book is partly why I want you guys to read it and why I am the way I am - why being on your own isn't scary. 'Why having the confidence to go on a holiday on your own - you don't need anyone in your life.' She added: 'Trust me happiness comes from within, it comes from you, it doesn't come from other people. 'When you stop relying on happiness, on other people, and you start to find it deep within your soul, that is when life begins I swear. 'And you don't tolerate b******t from anyone and you have boundaries and you grow and I can't wait to be 30 in six or seven days, bring it on.' she said. The apparent raid of Sanclimenti's home is the latest in a line of expert heists which have seen Hollywood's most rich and famous residents targeted. Last month Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson had their $26million Pacific Palisades home broken into, TMZ reported. It is not known if anything was taken. The couple were the fourth celebrities to be hit by a similar crime in a month after Bhad Bhabie, Sarah Hyland, and Marlon Wayans. Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson have become the latest celebs to fall victim to burglaries in and around the Los Angeles area Bhad Bhabie, 21, had her home broken into just weeks ago but was not in the property at the time Actress Sarah Hyland has her home broken into on July 27 - also in broad daylight Bhabie's home was hit by burglars after thieves smashed through her back door before stealing items such as handbags and jewelery. Law enforcement entered the rapper's home after the alarm was triggered shortly before 10pm on July 12. Authorities discovered signs of forced entry but none of those who broke into the property were found at the scene, although one man in a black hoodie was spotted fleeing by time cops arrived. Sarah Hyland, 33, also had her home broken into by intruders after she spotted 'two masked men' leaving her property on her security cameras. The Modern Family star's house in Los Angeles was burgled on July 27 - also during broad daylight - after the suspects smashed a glass window to gain access into her home. Sarah had been out of town at the time of the incident but caught her crime while watching her live security camera footage from her mobile phone after receiving an alert. The Los Angeles Police Department has been contacted for comment. Disney has claimed a widower whose wife died after suffering a severe allergic reaction at a theme park restaurant cannot sue the company because he had previously signed up for a free one-month trial of its Disney+ streaming service. Kanokporn Tangsuan, 42, suffered a deadly allergic reaction on October 5 last year after she and her family dined at Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant in the Disney Springs, Walt Disney World's outdoor shopping center. The family claims their waiter assured them the food would be allergen-free. Her husband Jeffrey Piccolo filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Florida, claiming Walt Disney Parks and Resorts was negligent and failed to properly train their staff about food allergies. But Disney has sought to dismiss the suit and argued it should instead be sent to arbitration because the terms and agreements of its streaming service contract which includes a 'binding arbitration clause,' court records show. Piccolo's lawyers branded Disney's argument as 'preposterous' and said it 'borders on the surreal', a court filing obtained by DailyMail.com revealed. His attorneys have also urged the judge to reject the company's motion to dismiss. Piccolo is seeking in excess of $50,000 from Disney for mental pain and suffering, funeral expenses, medical expenses and loss of income. Jeffrey Piccolo (left) filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Disney after his wife Kanokporn Tangsuan (right) died from an allergic reaction Tangsuan and her family had dined at Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant (pictured) in Disney Springs on October 5, shortly before she had a deadly allergic reaction Disney, in a May 31 court filing, cited that Piccolo created a Disney+ account in November 2019 and bought tickets to Epcot in 2023, which required him to agree to their terms and conditions. When signing up for a free trial of streaming service, Piccolo agreed to the terms of Disney's 'Subscriber Agreement' which include an arbitration clause in Section 7 titled 'Binding Arbitration and Class Action Waiver', the company argued. '[The section] applies to "all disputes" including those involving "The Walt Disney Company or its affiliates." Walt Disney Parks and Resorts is an affiliate of The Walt Disney Company,' the company said. They also said Piccolo agreed to the 'Walt Disney World terms' when he purchased park tickets for him and his wife in September 2023 which include the same arbitration clause. Disney also noted by agreeing to the terms he represented his deceased wife while doing so. 'Whether Piccolo actually reviewed the Disney Terms is also immaterial,' the company added. Piccolo's lawyers have rejected the company's 'incredible argument', claiming that Disney's position means anyone who signs up for a free trial of the streaming service 'will have forever waived the right to a jury trial enjoyed by them and any future Estate to which they are associated.' 'As can be seen from the prior sentence, this argument borders on the surreal,' the plaintiffs argued in an August 2 court filing. 'Walt Disney Parks and Resorts nonetheless improperly attempts to negate this distinction by making the preposterous argument,' the complaint said. Disney said the matter should go to arbitration because that is what Piccolo agreed to when he created a Disney+ account in November 2019. Pictured is an excerpt of the Terms & Conditions of the Disney+ subscriber agreement The lawsuit further alleged that Disney has made an error about the contract Piccolo signed. The complaint, in a footnote, argues the company 'incorrectly states that the Disney+ Subscriber Agreement is between Disney DTC and/or its affiliates, by erroneously quoting language from the Disney Terms of Use, rather than the Disney+ Subscriber Agreement'. Piccolo's lawyers also argued that Disney gave up their right to seek arbitration when it filed its first answer to the lawsuit without bringing the matter up. 'Even if the Court were to consider the substantive part of WDPR's untimely Motion, it is based on the incredible argument that any person who signs up for a Disney+ account, even free trials that are not extended beyond the trial period, will have forever waived the right to a jury trial enjoyed by them and any future Estate to which they are associated,' Piccolo's attorney said. A Disney spokesperson in a statement to DailyMail.com said: 'We are deeply saddened by the familys loss and understand their grief. Given that this restaurant is neither owned nor operated by Disney, we are merely defending ourselves against the plaintiffs attorneys attempt to include us in their lawsuit against the restaurant.' Defense attorney Misty Marris, appearing on NewsNation's CUOMO program Wednesday, suggested it is unlikely a judge will find it 'reasonable' that a consumer is signing away their right to be heard in a court of law 'because you signed up for an app on your television'. Acknowledging that Disney+ users do sign a contract, Marris added: 'But you don't just look at that one isolated component of a contract from a court's perspective and make a determination that any and all cases, no matter what they are, have to go into arbitration.' She argued that the full agreement of the contract will have to be considered. 'I saw user registration, subscriptions, cancellation of the app, payment, copyright, everything you would think would relate to the use of the application, the use of the platform,' she said of her review of the agreement. 'Not when you step onto that property and if you experience a personal injury when you're actually in the park.' She added that when 'something is silent' in a contract it 'comes down to the intent of the parties' and 'what a reasonable person would think'. Disney also argued Piccolo agreed to their terms and conditions of arbitration when he bought tickets to Epcot A defense attorney has suggested it is unlikely a judge will find it 'reasonable' that a consumer is signing away their right to be heard in a court of law 'because you signed up for an app on your television'. Pictured: Disney+ application Piccolo said his wife was highly allergic to dairy and nuts and the couple chose to eat at the pub because they believed Disney would have proper safeguards in place. The couple repeatedly asked their server about allergen-free food, and claimed the waiter even went to confirm with the chef. 'The waiter unequivocally assured them that the food would be allergen free,' the lawsuit read. Tangsuan, a medical doctor at NYU Langone in New York City, ordered the following menu items at the restaurant: 'Sure I'm Frittered,' 'Scallop Forest,' 'The Shepherd Went Vegan,' and 'Onion Rings.' The bottom of the menu available online notes, 'Cross-contamination may occur and thus we CAN NOT GUARANTEE that any dish we prepare will be completely free of gluten/allergens.' She began having severe difficulty breathing and collapsed to the floor, 911 was called and the caller told the dispatcher Tangsuan had self-administered an epi-pen. Piccolo and his mother Jackie had tried calling Tangsuan to meet back up with her, but a person answered her phone and told them she had been taken to the hospital. Tangsuan was highly allergic to dairy and nuts and the couple chose to eat at the pub because they believed Disney would have proper safeguards in place Piccolo said they repeatedly asked their server about allergen free food, and they said the waiter even went to confirm with the chef Tangsuan was a medical doctor at NYU Langone in New York and her husband is seeking in excess of $50,000 from Disney She died at the hospital and the medical examiner investigation determined the cause of death was a result of anaphylaxis due to elevated levels of dairy and nut in her system. The lawsuit notes that although Disney does not own the pub, 'Disney had control over the menu of food offered, the hiring and/or training of the wait staff, and the policies and procedures as it pertains to food allergies at Disney Springs restaurants, such as Raglan Road.' They argue Disney failed to properly train its employees on food allergies, and the employees failed to properly warn Tangsuam about allergens in her food. The filing said Disney and the pub, 'owed a duty of care to its invitees/guests to ensure that food that was designated as allergen free and/or food that was requested to be prepared allergen free, was in fact free from allergens that would cause death or serious physical harm to guests with food allergies.' A British police force today revealed its probe into rape allegations against an American fugitive who faked his own death will go no further. Suspected conman Nicholas Rossi, who has been accused of sex crimes in the US, was also being quizzed over an alleged historic rape in the UK. Rossi made headlines over his bizarre court appearances and to this day claims he is not the US-born accused, but instead Irish orphan Arthur Knight. He reportedly faked his own death before spending two years in a legal battle against his extradition from Scotland, but now awaits trial in Utah. The alleged rapist, who speaks with a British accent and wears an oxygen mask, is accused of two counts of rape in 2008. Suspected conman Nicholas Rossi will face no further action over rape claims in the UK The American fugitive is facing a life behind bars in the US over two sex crimes Rossi claims he has been caught in a case of mistaken identity He faces a life behind bars for the alleged crimes. But Rossi was also being quizzed by Essex Police over an alleged rape in Chelmsford in 2017. The force said it received the sex crime claims two years ago. But it today told SkyNews there is 'no realistic prospect of a conviction'. Essex Police said: 'As part of our investigation, we remained in consistent dialogue with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and its specialist international liaison team. 'When our investigation was complete, our findings were submitted to the CPS. We received correspondence from the CPS which set out a decision to take no further action as there was no realistic prospect of a conviction. 'Throughout this stage of the investigation, we have worked determinedly to present the strongest possible legal case and we have remained in consistent dialogue with the victim.' The alleged sex offender was sent back to the US in January, but he and his wife Miranda insist this is a case of mistaken identity. In 2020, Rossi was charged with the historic rape of a 21-year-old woman. The sex crime allegedly happened in Orem Utah in 2008 but due to a backlog of DNA test kits at Utah State Crime Lab he was not named as a suspect until about a decade later. A warrant for his arrest was issued in 2020. Rossi also stands accused of the rape of another woman, 26, in Salt Lake County from the same year. Several allegations of domestic abuse have also emerged in the wake of the accusations coming to light. Rossi's ex-lawyer claimed he had moved to Ireland in 2019 for a fresh start. By the time he first set eyes on his wife Miranda Knight in Bristol that same year, it was believed he was going by the alias Arthur Brown. A year later the pair tied the knot, with Rossi taking on the surname of Knight. The Independent reported Rossi announced to the media at the start of 2020 that he had just weeks to live after being diagnosed with terminal non-Hodgkin lymphoma. And on February 29, 2020, an obituary notice was released online declaring his death. Who is Nicholas Rossi? Nicholas Rossi was born as Nicholas Alahverdian in Providence, Rhode Island, in July 1987 to mother Diana Alahverdian and father Jack Alahverdian, according to reports in US newspaper The Providence Journal. He was adopted by his stepfather David Rossi, and changed his surname to Rossi. Rossi had a turbulent childhood and left his family home as a teenager, spending much of his adolescence in Rhode Island's Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) care facilities. He spoke out against the conditions in care, claiming to have suffered abuse and neglect and he made a name for himself by campaigning to improve facilities for children living in the state's care. In 2008, Rossi was convicted of sexually assaulting a student while attending a community college in Ohio. He was placed on the sex offenders register as a result. What is Rossi now accused of? Rossi is wanted in the US for allegedly raping a woman in Utah in 2008 and also faces domestic abuse charges. Authorities say he faked his own death in order to evade charges in the US. How was Rossi caught? In July 2020, DNA allegedly linked him to a 2008 rape in Utah which is ultimately what led to his discovery in Scotland. He was arrested on December 13, 2021 at the Glasgow hospital by police officers who served him with an Interpol red notice. With the assistance of medical staff at the hospital, the patient initially named as Arthur Knight was identified as Rossi. Advertisement 'Arthur' and Miranda Knight put down roots in Scotland in 2021, where he was reportedly working as a professor at the University of Glasgow. Rossi was detained after he awoke from a medically induced coma in a Covid ward at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in December 2021. Police swarmed his room, serving him with an Interpol red notice. The fugitive alleged police framed him after taking his fingerprints whilst he was in a coma. In November last year it was ruled Arthur Knight was in fact Rossi, and he later lost his last appeal against extradition. Noting that Rossi often used an English accent, neighbours told The Times: 'For someone who was on the run, he really liked to draw attention to himself.' Miranda's brother claimed Rossi spoke with a thick Irish accent and never discussed his own family. According to Kevin, his sister was beside herself when the allegations emerged against her husband. The brother claimed Miranda believed the authorities had accused the wrong man. He told the Daily Record in 2022: 'Nicholas is a master manipulator. He's told her it's a case of mistaken identity. 'He kept my sister under this spell. He's pulled every manipulation trick in the book to try and keep her under that spell.' Prosecutors believe Rossi has used ten different aliases over the years including, Nick Alan, Nicholas Brown and Nick Alahverdian. Rossi has been awaiting trial in jail in Utah since December last year. During one of his first court appearances in the US, he continued to speak in a British accent throughout the hearing and sported an oxygen mask that made it difficult to understand what he was saying. The last words of the pilots of the doomed passenger jet that crashed in Brazil killing everyone on board have been revealed after the plane's black box was found. The discovery means investigators now have the 'full transcript' from the cockpit voice recorder of the Voepass Airlines plane that crashed last Friday. The transcript indicates the pilot and copilot noticed a steep loss of altitude about one minute before the crash, local TV station Globo reported on Wednesday, citing unnamed people from the investigation. The two-hour recording reveals the copilot asked the pilot 'what is going on?', and saying the plane needed 'more power' to be stabilized. Brazil's aviation accident investigation center, Cenipa, did not comment on the content of TV Globo's report. Captain Danilo Santos Romano was named as the first victim of the horror crash in the city of Vinhedo The airline said 61 people were aboard the plane at the time of the crash. Video showed the aircraft spiraling out of the sky just before impact Your browser does not support iframes. The plane, an ATR-72 turboprop from local airline Voepass, was bound for Sao Paulo from Cascavel, in the southern state of Parana, and crashed at around 1.30pm local time in the town of Vinhedo. The crash killed all on board but no one on the ground was hurt. A video shared on social media after the accident showed the aircraft spinning out of control as it plunged down behind a cluster of trees near houses, sending a large plume of black smoke into the air. Earlier this week it was revealed that a mysterious unaccounted-for passenger was aboard the plane. Initially Voepass said the plane was carrying 57 passengers and four crew, but on Saturday the firm confirmed another unaccounted-for passenger had been on the flight, putting the number of casualties at 62 - it is unclear whether this additional passenger was simply missed off the manifest or whether they snuck on board. For now, the cause of the crash remains unknown. Metsul, one of Brazil's most respected meteorological companies, said on Friday that there were reports of severe icing in Sao Paulo state around the time of the crash. Local media cited experts pointing to that as a potential cause, although others cautioned against jumping to a conclusion, urging to wait for the outcome of the official investigation. Liz Ibba dos Santos, a 3-year-old girl who was traveling with her father (pictured together), was the youngest passenger who died in the crash An aerial view shows Brazilian forensics working in the site where a Voepass airline plane crashed, in Vinhedo, Brazil, 10 August 2024 Airports Minister Silvio Costa Filho said the center was also opening a criminal probe. The airline Voepass and the French-Italian ATR manufacturer are assisting investigations, they said in statements. The aircraft was flying normally until 1.21pm, when it stopped responding to calls, and radar contact was lost at 1.22pm, Brazil's air force said in a statement. The plane did not report any emergency. Videos of the event show that the sky was apparently clear when the plane started spiraling in an unusual circling motion before crashing. To find out the cause for the crash, investigators would look at aspects like weather and examine to what extent the engines and controls were functioning properly, according to US aviation safety expert Anthony Brickhouse. Some aviation experts speculated that ice had built up on the plane after seeing a video of the spiraling aircraft. On Friday, Voepass said ice was predicted at the altitudes in which the plane was flying, but that it should have been within an acceptable level. Brazilian aviation engineer and crash investigator Celso Faria de Souza said he is almost certain ice caused the accident, judging from the video. ATR-72 planes have experienced issues with icing, with a crash in 1994 in the U.S. state of Indiana killing 68, after the plane was unable to bank due to ice buildup. After that incident, manufacturer ATR improved its de-icing system. In 2016 in Norway an ATR-72 experienced issues after ice accumulated on the plane, but the pilot was able to regain control. The local firefighters corps confirmed that the Voepass plane fell in the city of Vinhedo, but did not offer more details The VOEPASS flight was on its way from Cascavel to Guarulhos when it crashed Video showed the smoking wreckage, which was near residential homes Data from the flight tracker shows the plane lost 13,000 feet in elevation in under two minutes during the final moments of its ill-fated trip John Hansman, a professor in the department of aeronautics and astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, reviewed some of the Brazil crash footage shared on social media and without having reviewed flight data said the crash did not appear to have been caused by weather. It may have been an engine failure on one side, mismanaged by the crew, which would lead to the rotation downward, said Hansman. The search for the cause of the crash comes as the remains of all 34 male and 28 female victims were recovered on Saturday. Authorities are using seat assignments, physical characteristics, documents and belongings such as cell phones to identify the victims, firefighter Maycon Cristo said at the crash site earlier on Saturday as the bodies were being pulled from the wreckage. Liz Ibba dos Santos, a 3-year-old girl who was traveling with her father, was the youngest passenger who died in the crash. Josgleidys Gonzalez, 29, her four-year-old son Joslan and her mother Maria Gladys Parra also died on Voepass Flight 2283 alongside their six-month-old dog Luna. Sao Paulo's morgue began receiving the bodies Friday evening, and it asked victims' relatives to bring in medical, X-ray and dental records to help identify the bodies. Blood tests were also done to help identification efforts. The bodies of the pilot, Danilo Santos Romano, and his co-pilot, Humberto de Campos Alencar e Silva, were the first to be identified. Another 10 have been identified since, local authorities said. One body is already set for burial, and another seven are expected to follow on Sunday, Sao Paulo's state government said. Six leading oncologists and two resident medics, in their final year of training, were on their way from their home city of Cascavel to a cancer conference in Sao Paulo when the plane crashed This photo shows an aerial view of the wreckage of an airplane that crashed with 61 people on board in Vinhedo, Sao Paulo State, Brazil, on August 10, 2024 Four professors at Unioeste university in western Parana were confirmed dead. Eight cancer doctors were also among the passengers. Six leading oncologists and two resident medics, in their final year of training, were on their way from their home city of Cascavel to a cancer conference in Sao Paulo when the twin-engine turboprop ATR 72-500 VoePass Airline flight crashed on Friday. Eduardo Baptistella of the Regional Medical Council said: 'Unfortunately we received very sad news and were able to confirm the death of eight doctors. 'The doctors were going to an oncology conference. These were people who dedicated their lives to saving others.' Some of the doctors' names began to emerge Friday night including radiologist Leonel Ferreira, pediatric cancer expert Sarah Stella and Silvia Osaki. Mr Baptistella said 15 doctors had been scheduled to take the two-hour doomed flight but seven had taken an earlier plane. One of the doctors was Arianne Risso, who worked every day to help her patients battle cancer. Risso's cousin, Stephany Albuquerque, recalled in a phone interview that the two often played together when she was young. Even then, Risso wanted to become a doctor and, as she grew older, applied herself so intensively to her studies that she rarely went out on the town. Medicine was her calling. One of the doctors was Arianne Risso (pictured), who worked every day to help her patients battle cancer Debris is pictured as emergency personnel work at the site of a plane crash on Friday Risso, 34, was flying with her colleague Mariana Belim (pictured), 31. The two had been in residencies at Cascavel's cancer hospital, and a statement from the institution praised them for the conscientiousness, care and respect with which they treated their patients. 'Arianne treated people who were terminally ill at a time in their lives when they were struggling. But Arianne was always available and did everything with a lot of love,' Albuquerque told AP by phone from Florida, where she now lives. 'She wasn't the kind of doctor who would the tell the patient, 'This is your illness, take this.' No, Arianne took care of people. ... She would give out her personal phone number to patients.' Risso, 34, was flying with her colleague Mariana Belim, 31. The two had been in residencies at Cascavel's cancer hospital, and a statement from the institution praised them for the conscientiousness, care and respect with which they treated their patients. 'It's no wonder that praise for them both would often reach us. Their love of the profession was very clear,' the hospital said. Willian Rodrigo Feistler, a general practitioner who grew up in Cascavel, knew six people who died in the crash and was particularly close to Belim, with whom he studied and had maintained a 15-year friendship. 'Mariana was serene with a melancholic temperament, but very intelligent, empathetic and devoted to her profession,' Feistler said by phone from Cascavel. 'She dedicated much of her life to studies and medical training. She had already specialized in clinical medicine and was completing her specialization in clinical oncology.' Jose Roberto Leonel Ferreira, a recently retired doctor who also died in the fiery wreck, was one of Feistler's teachers during his undergraduate studies. He had a radiology clinic in Cascavel. Adriano Assis told Brazilian news outlet G1 that he was not allowed to board Voepass Airliness flight 2283 because he had arrived late at the gate A passenger revealed that he along with three friends are among the 10 people who went to the wrong gate at Cascavel Regional Airport and missed getting on Voepass Airlines flight 2283 Voepass Airlines flight 2283 crashed behind a condominium in Vinhedo, a city in the southeastern Brazilian state of Sao Paulo on Friday 'I went over cases with him on several occasions. He was a receptive person who helped other doctors in the discussion of cases to reach diagnoses,' Feistler said. Brazil's Federal Council of Medicine said the loss of the doctors left Brazil's medical world in mourning, and expressed its solidarity for the victims' friends and relatives. They were venturing forth from Cascavel in search of knowledge as a means to better treat their patients, its statement said. After footage of the devastating plane crash emerged, several people came forward saying they were supposed to be on the plane and could have been dead if they didn't miss their flight. Adriano Assis had finished his shift at a hospital and was running late to catch the 11.56am flight at Cascavel Regional Airport in Cascavel, Parana to Sao Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport in Sao Paulo. Assis told Brazilian news outlet G1 that he made it to the counter at 9.40am and noticed that there were no agents. He stood nearby and had a coffee while constantly looking at the departure and arrival screen to see if there was any information available for flight 2283. 'When I decided it was already 10.30am, there was a huge line here,' he recalled. 'I waited until it was 10.40am or so. The guy said I wouldn't be boarding anymore because it was an hour before boarding.' Assis said that he pleaded with the agent to allow to board his return flight to Sao Paulo. 'At that moment, I argued with him and stuff, and that was it, and he saved my life, man,' he said. 'He did his job because... if he hadn't done it... maybe I wouldn't be in this interview today, sorry.' Another young man told the outlet that he and three friends were among 10 passengers who were waiting by the wrong gate and unable to board the flight. 'When it was 11 o'clock, I came looking here. When I looked I said, 'Man, you're not getting on that plane anymore',' he recalled. He attempted to persuade one of the gate agents into allowing him inside the plane, but his tactics didn't work. 'I said, 'Girl, put me on this plane, I have to go, I have to go',' he said. 'She said, 'No What I can do for you is reschedule your flight.' So, she rescheduled it for 6.20pm.' Zahriya Moreno was taken off life support following a fatal argument A father sobbed over his 22 year-old daughter's hospital bed before she was wheeled off to donate her organs after being killed during a fight with her boyfriend. Robert Moreno was seen crouched over daughter Zahriya's body Wednesday, after she was taken off life support at Banner University Healthcare in Tuscon, Arizona. Highly emotional footage showed Zahriya - whose twin brother Izac died in a 2021 motorcycle crash - being wheeled away for surgery as more than 100 family, friends and staff watched. The practice is known as an honor walk. Robert Moreno sobs over his daughter Zahriya's hospital bed before she was wheeled away for organ donation surgery, after being fatally-injured during an argument with her boyfriend Zahriya is pictured being wheeled out of her hospital room after she was taken off life support The young trainee esthetician lost her twin brother in a motorbike crash in 2021, with Zahriya's tragic death bringing further anguish to her grieving family More than 100 people turned up to wave and clap Zahriya off at Banner University Healthcare in Tuscon. The practice of forming a guard of honor for a person who has donated their organs is known as an honor walk Robert, who works as a fire captain, told KOLD: 'Being as we lost our twins, its going to be a lot of darkness in the future and were going to push through that as difficult as it is because thats what our daughter would have wanted for us. 'Im devastated.' The stricken father says Zahriya had never recovered from the death of her brother Izac and added: 'Its wonderful to know that parts of my baby will live on, but theres no words, no anything that will ever be able to make this better.' Zahriya died Monday after an argument with her 25 year-old boyfriend Angelito Adrian Olivas, police say. She is said to have jumped on the trunk of his car to try and stop him driving off, only for Olivas to do so, with Zahriya falling to her death from the moving vehicle. Olivas found his girlfriend of a year-and-a-half unresponsive and drove her to a nearby firehouse, before she was rushed to hospital and later declared brain dead. Zahriya climbed on the trunk of her boyfriend's car during an argument and he drove off with her still on it, cops say. She later fell off the vehicle and was fatally-injured Robert Moreno, pictured, explained how his family lost their son Izac - Zahriya's twin brother - in a 2021 motorcycle accident Zahriya Moreno, 22, was taken off life support by her family on Wednesday after she suffered injuries she sustained when she was hurled off her boyfriend's vehicle on Monday Olivas has been arrested on charges of felony domestic violence, aggravated assault and felony endangerment Robert said he woke up on Wednesday knowing that Zahriya was going to be taken off life support Zahriya's dad said of the honor walk: 'The outpouring of support is something I wouldn't have fathomed in a million years,' he said. 'I thought it was just going to be family and friends.' He and his family described Zahriya as a 'very strong girl' who 'just graduated recently from esthetician school'. She was active in JROTC and wanted to do that full time. Meanwhile, Olivas has been arrested on charges of felony domestic violence, aggravated assault and felony endangerment. He was released later in the day after posting a $2,500 bond - infuriating Robert. 'It almost seemed like a joke,' he said. 'I'm disappointed in the judge, the legal system.' A Hamas guard has executed an Israeli hostage 'in revenge' after an IDF strike killed his two children, a spokesperson for the terror group said. The Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades - the militarised wing of Hamas - said in a statement on Monday that two of its fighters 'assigned to guard' the hostages had fired at them in 'two separate incidents'. One male hostage was killed, while two female hostages sustained gunshot wounds and are feared to be in critical condition, with Abu Obeida, the spokesperson for the Al-Qassam Brigades, saying on Monday: 'Attempts are underway to save their lives.' Hamas has now condemned the prisoner's murder, saying that it was against 'our ethics' and 'the instructions of our religion'. 'The (Hamas) soldier assigned as guard acted in a retaliatory manner against instructions after he received information that his two children were martyred in one of the massacres conducted by the enemy,' Ubaida said on Telegram today. This picture taken from Israel's southern border with the Gaza Strip shows smoke billowing following an Israeli strike in the besieged Palestinian territory on March 27, 2024 Palestinian girls stand next to a destroyed house following an Israeli air strike in Al Maghazi refugee camp, Gaza Strip, August 14, 2024 'The incident doesn't represent our ethics and the instructions of our religion in dealing with captives. We will reinforce the instructions,' he added. In a later message on the group's official Telegram, it posted: 'Your Brutality is an Imminent Danger to Your Prisoners.' The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. On Monday, after Hamas' initial announcement of the incident, the Israeli military said it couldn't immediately corroborate or refute the group's report on a killed hostage. The timing of Hamas' revelation could be an attempt to increase pressure on Israel ahead of ceasefire talks in Doha today. Envoys from the United States, Israel, Qatar, and Egypt are meeting in what is seen as a last-chance effort to reach a ceasefire deal that could see the release of Israeli and foreign hostages held in Gaza in return for the freedom of many Palestinians jailed by Israel. The talks, an effort to end 10 months of fighting in the Palestinian enclave and bring 115 Israeli and foreign hostages home, were put together as Iran appeared on the point of retaliating against Israel following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31. With US warships, submarines and warplanes dispatched to the region to defend Israel and deter potential attackers, Washington is hoping a ceasefire agreement in Gaza can defuse the risk of a full-out wider regional war. Hamas officials, who have accused Israel of stalling, did not join Thursday's talks. However mediators planned to consult with Hamas' Doha-based negotiating team after the meeting, the official briefed on the talks told Reuters. Israel's delegation includes spy chief David Barnea, head of the domestic security service Ronen Bar, and the military's hostages chief Nitzan Alon, defence officials said on Wednesday. Families of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, hold the pictures of their loved ones calling to end the conflict outside the Prime Minister's Likud party headquarters in Tel Aviv, Israel, August 15, 2024 Smoke rises following an Israeli air strike as internally displaced Palestinians sit next to their tents in Khan Younis camp, southern Gaza Strip, August 13 CIA Director Bill Burns and US Middle East envoy Brett McGurk represented Washington at the talks, convened by Qatari prime minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, with Egypt's intelligence chief Abbas Kamel also in Doha. Israel and Hamas have each blamed the other for failure to reach a deal but in the run-up to Thursday's meeting, neither side appeared to rule out an agreement. A source in the Israeli negotiating team said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has allowed significant leeway on a few of the substantial disputes. Gaps include the presence of Israeli troops in Gaza, the sequencing of a hostage release and restrictions on access to northern Gaza. In the lead-up to Thursday's talks, Hamas, which rejects any U.S. or Israeli intervention in shaping the 'day after' the war in Gaza, told mediators that if Israel made a 'serious' proposal that is in line with Hamas' previous proposals the group would continue to engage in negotiations. Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters on Thursday that the group is committed to the negotiation process and urged mediators to secure Israel's commitment to a proposal Hamas agreed to in early July, which he said would end the war and required a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. Even as negotiators arrived in Qatar, fighting continued in Gaza, with Israeli troops hitting targets in the southern cities of Rafah and Khan Younis. After months of a war which has laid waste to Gaza, killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials, and driven almost all of its 2.3 million population from their homes, there was a desperate desire for an end to the fighting. Flames rise following an Israeli strike on a residential building, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City, in this screen grab taken from a video, August 11, 2024 Displaced Palestinians make their way as they flee Hamad City following an Israeli evacuation order, amid Israel-Hamas conflict, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip August 11, 2024 'Enough is enough, we want to get back to our homes in Gaza City, every hour a family is getting killed or a house getting bombed,' said Aya, 30, sheltering with her family in Deir Al-Balah in the central part of the Gaza Strip, where hundreds of thousands have sought refuge from the fighting. 'We are hopeful this time. Either it's this time or never I am afraid,' she told Reuters via a chat app. In Tel Aviv, families of some of the hostages protested outside the headquarters of Netanyahu's Likud party. 'To the negotiating team - if a deal is not signed today or in the coming days at this summit, do not return to Israel. You have no reason to return to Israel without a deal,' said Yotam Cohen, whose brother Nimrod Cohen is a hostage in Gaza. The hostages were taken in the Hamas raid on southern Israel on Oct 7 in which the militants killed some 1,200 people, triggering the war in the Palestinian enclave. A California town is divided over a plan to build 3,000 homes on a stunning lakeside ranch as environmental groups argue the land is prone to wildfire, while developers say it will bring in tons of affordable housing. The Fanita Ranch project was halted after it 'abused its discretion and did not proceed in the manner required by law,' Judge Katherine Bacal wrote in an order, following a lawsuit from environmental groups, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. The 2,600-acre project was set to be built in the hills of the Santee lakes - near San Diego - to alleviate the region's housing shortage and was supposed to provide fast escape routes for fires. However, Bacal said the plan was inconsistent with the city's plan and Fanita Ranch violated California's environmental protection laws, according to CBS 8 San Diego. Developers, HomeFed Fanita Rancho LLC, plan to appeal the decision, Jeff O'Conner told The Union-Tribune. He also added that the project would have helped counter the city's affordable housing crisis. The Fanita Ranch project was stopped after it 'abused its discretion and did not proceed in the manner required by law,' Judge Katherine Bacal ruled (pictured: the planned site) The 2,600-acre project was set to be built in the hills of the Santee lakes - near San Diego - to alleviate the region's housing shortage and provide fast escape routes for fires Mayor John Minto said his community still 'stands behind our efforts to meet state demands to create additional housing in our city in a way that benefits our community.' Three thousand homes were supposed to be built, including low-income housing, but environmental groups feared the area was wildfire prone as 65 fires have burned in the area in the last 100 years, according to CBS 8 San Diego. 'There are places where development does not belong and in an extreme fire zone is one of them,' Van Collinsworth, the director of Preserve Wild Santee - one of the groups that sued in 2022 - told CBS 8 San Diego. This isn't the first time the project has faced backlash since its approved in 2020. Developers, HomeFed Fanita Rancho LLC, plan to appeal the decision. He also added that the project would have brought $2.6million toward the city's affordable housing crisis (pictured: housing mockups) Three thousand homes were supposed to be built, including low-income housing, but environmental groups feared the area was wildfire prone as 65 fires have burned in the area in the last 100 years (pictured: housing markets) Shortly after its approval, environmental groups sued, saying the community would not be able to provide fast evacuation routes and Bacal said in a different ruling that Santee had to pull back approval, according to The Union-Tribune. The council pulled the referendum and reintroduced the project in 2022 after giving developers the green light again after they changed the process to consider the project, which removed the need to place it up for a vote on the ballot. 'The court rightly rejected the citys attempt to ram through the Fanita Ranch project without considering the dangers of developing in a wildfire-prone zone,' Senior Counsel at the Center for Biological Diversity, John Bose, told The Union-Tribune. 'This decision is a victory for the exceptionally diverse wildlife here and for neighboring residents who wont face an increased risk of wildfire.' The city reintroduced the project in 2022 after giving developers the green light again after they changed the process to consider the project, which removed the need to place it up for a vote on the ballot, which prompted a lawsuit (pictured: a cafe mockup) Environmental groups claimed the area needed preserved. Most of the project site was planned to remain undeveloped, as well as, include a network of trails The Endangered Habitats League, the California Chaparral Institute, Preserve Wild Santee, and the Center for Biological Diversity sued, saying the area needs to be preserved. The development sits between Mission Trails Park and Sycamore Canyon Preserve. Most of the project site was planned to remain undeveloped, as well as, include a network of trails. Residents have previously voted on Fanita Rach in 1999 and 2005, where both proposals were shot down. DailyMail.com has reached out to the ranch for comment. A pair of robbery suspects have gone viral for displaying some manners while robbing a woman in Rio de Janeiro. The perps were riding on a motorcycle when they intercepted the victim while she was on her way to work in the northern neighborhood of Olaria last Friday, surveillance camera showed. The suspect sitting on the back of the bike walked up to the woman while his accomplice instructed him to 'get her phone.' He apparently felt bad for their victim and said, 'Hey auntie, sorry about that. Thanks auntie.' Two robbery suspects apologized to a woman when they intercepted her on a Rio de Janeiro street last Friday and stole her cell phone and handbag One of the suspects (seen here next to the victim) told the woman, 'Hey auntie, sorry about that. Thanks auntie,' when he forced her to hand over her cell phone and handbag during a robbery last Friday in Rio de Janeiro His cohort also appeared to show remorse and told the woman, 'It's our job.' The woman, who was on her way to work, walked away before the thieves fled in the opposite direction. Authorities in the state of Rio de Janeiro reported a significant rise in cell phone robberies and thefts during the first six months of 2024 in comparison with the same period last year. Data released by the state's Public Security Institute this week showed 18,876 cell phone thefts and 10,195 cell phone robberies were reported from January to June - an increase of 40 percent and 20 percent, respectively, from the first half of 2023. At least 937,294 cell phones were stolen throughout Brazil last year, an average of 107 per hour, according to an annual report released by the Brazilian Security Forum in July. One of the robbery suspects who was riding the motorcycle also apologized to the robbery victim and told her, "It's our job," when he and his accomplice robbed her cell phone and handbag. No arrests have been reported 'To combat theft and robbery of cell phones, which is a problem that affects not only the State of (Rio de Janeiro) but the country, state forces have been acting in an integrated manner, with visible policing and investigations to identify receiving gangs,' the Rio de Janeiro Public Security Department said in a statement. The statement also said that the state's Military Police force has stepped up patrol in areas that have been plagued by cell phone robbery and thefts. They have introduced an app that allows cell phone owners to register their device serial numbers to help investigators in the event their phones are stolen or robbed. 'The Military and Civil Police also exchange experiences with other security forces in the country,' the Rio de Janeiro Public Security Department said. 'They recently visited Piaui and Ceara to learn about the work carried out in these states and thus contribute to the investigations in Rio de Janeiro. 'The police stations developed methodologies to identify stolen and robbed cell phones that were activated in new accounts, as well as to locate these devices and their users.' The manager of a Costa where a 13-year-old girl died from an allergic reaction to cow milk in her soya hot chocolate has said he wasn't concerned employees used Google Translate to complete allergy training. Teenager Hannah Jacobs, who had severe dairy allergies, died just hours after taking the first few sips of her hot drink bought by her mother in Barking, East London. Within half an hour, the 13-year-old began vomiting and collapsed. She was tragically confirmed dead just hours after consuming it. Faton Abrashi, Costa's regional operations manager for North West and South London, told East London Coroner's Court this morning that he didn't know employees used Google Translate while training. But he added he didn't see a problem with employees doing it to check 'two or three words'. Hannah Jacobs, 13, of Barking, East London, died following a suspected anaphylactic reaction Hannah had taken a sip of a hot chocolate purchased at a Costa Coffee branch Another staff member had failed allergy training '20 times' before eventually passing, the court heard on Monday. The inquest also heard previously that Hannah may have survived the ordeal had she been given an adrenaline injection sooner. Hannah's mother told East London Coroner's Court she'd ordered two soya milk hot chocolates and told staff of her daughter's severe dairy allergies. However, the barista taking her order later claimed she had asked for one 'extra hot' and one 'normal' hot chocolate - not having specified for them to be made with soya milk but merely insisting the milk jug was cleaned between making the identical drinks. Forensic analysis of Hannah and her mother Abimbola Duyile's coffee cups, undertaken by Barking and Dagenham Council, found no traces of soya milk - but 'substantial levels' of milk protein. Hannah had suffered with extremely severe allergies since being diagnosed as a toddler, which led to her avoiding meat, eggs, fish and wheat following previous mild allergic reactions and tests. Ms Duyile said Hannah had enjoyed a soya hot chocolate at Costa on several occasions before, having been convinced by her mother to try a hot drink there. Reading from one of Mr Abrashi's statements, Assistant Coroner Dr Shirley Radcliffe said the 'onus' was on the customer to declare their allergies, according to Costa's training documents. She added: 'Upon a customer notifying a member of staff of an allergy they must refer to the allergy book.' Employee's training takes around six weeks, the inquest heard, within which a 'mandatory' online allergy training module must be completed. 'Anyone who has not received this training is unable to serve hypersensitive customers,' Dr Radcliffe continued. Hannah had enjoyed a soya hot chocolate at Costa on several occasions before, having been convinced by her mother to try a hot drink there. Pictured at her birthday Hannah had taken a sip of a hot chocolate purchased at a Costa Coffee branch (file picture) Costa employee Ana Sanz, who was assistant manager of the Barking franchise at the time, previously told the inquest that neither Hannah or her mother were shown the 'allergy book'. Ms Sanz, whose first language is Spanish, said: 'You have to show them the book. We would know to clean the jug and the frother before preparing a drink for someone with allergies.' Asked if she had used the translation tool to complete some of her online Costa allergy training, Ms Sanz added: 'I used it sometimes.' Costa have now changed the policy so that employees who have not completed their allergy training cannot serve any customers in any stores, the hearing was told. But the training is 'always done in English' and no 'alternative languages' were permitted while sitting the final test, Mr Abrashi said. When asked about employees using Google Translate, he admitted 'I was not aware. 'For two or three words on Translate To me, it is ok. 'It is used as a form of dictionary as well. I have experienced team members say words that I have had to look in a dictionary myself. 'Google Translate is not a concern for me. 'It's not that they don't know English, they just don't know the word.' The court heard the multiple-choice allergy training quiz could only be completed once employees answered all questions correctly. If they fail the test, they must revisit the training before attempting the quiz again. However, there is 'no limit' to the number of times the quiz can be taken, with the court hearing one staff member having failed 20 times before passing. 'There is no limit, no restrictions [to the number of times employees can attempt the quiz],' Mr Abrashi said. 'The more they fail, the stronger they know the knowledge.' Dr Radcliffe, upon reading some questions from the quiz, said: 'It is quite complex 'It requires a level of understanding, and you could see why if English was not your first language, you might struggle [with it].' Mr Abrashi also told the court there were around four audits for each store each year, including at least one a year from a third-party company and a 'mystery customer' with allergy requirements. He said that it the mystery customer was not shown the allergy book by their server, it would be an automatic fail. Dr Rahul Chodhari, of the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, told the coroner that the 13-year-old was eventually given a dose that was too small for her age and weight. Hannah was pronounced dead at Newham General Hospital in East London (file picture) Hannah was given a 150mg adrenaline Auto-Injector EpiPen - recommended for children aged six and under - around two minutes after entering a pharmacist and collapsing on the floor. Asked if it would have 'made a difference' if Hannah had been given two 300mg doses one after another, Dr Chodhari replied: 'It's hard to predict the outcome as we are so far down the anaphylaxis sequence. 'But 150gm was certainly too small a dose to be given. 'Even after giving adrenaline on time, you could continue to go downhill on an anaphylaxis cascade. 'Hannah was 47 kilograms. 150mg was too small a dose. An earlier and higher-dose intramuscular injection could have saved Hannah's life. 'The time matters the most. If Hannah would have received [an injection at the] earliest [opportunity], chances are her life would have been saved. 'I am personally very upset at losing such a vibrant young person.' Nadim and Tanya Ednan-Laperouse, co-founders of The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, the UK's food allergy charity, told the inquest today: 'We are devastated to be attending yet another inquest into the death of a child from a suspected food allergy. 'Over the last year we have been supporting Hannah's family helping them to negotiate the complex and often bewildering process when a child suddenly dies, and when they are consumed by grief. 'We must wait to see what comes out of the inquest over the next few days. 'However, this case, like our daughter Natasha's, and sadly so many others, underlines just how serious food allergies can be. 'They are not a lifestyle choice but a serious, unpredictable medical condition that can be potentially fatal. We all individuals, companies and the Government need to wake up to this fact and do everything we can to keep people with food allergies safe. 'Allergy training needs to be strengthened so that it is not simply a tick box exercise, but rather a set of protocols that keep people with food allergies safe from harm. How many more children must die before we start taking food allergy seriously.' In a statement read to the court, the bereaved mother described her daughter, saying: 'Hannah Jacobs was my daughter. Hannah loved life. 'She was caring, affectionate, funny, outspoken and energetic. She was 13 when she died - an age in which we all change so quickly. I have never known the adult Hannah. 'Hannah had a strong sense of right and wrong. I always said she would have been a great lawyer. She had never suffered a serious allergic reaction that required her to go to hospital or [to have an injection]. 'Hannah understood her allergies were life threatening. I will always remember her as a happy child so full of happiness and promise. I will never know the woman that Hannah would have eventually become.' The inquest, which is expected to last until next Monday, continues. By SA Commercial Prop News Actis, the pan-emerging markets private equity firm today confirmed the sale of its 85% shareholding in Accra Mall to retail property developer, Atterbury, and financial services group, Sanlam. Actis, the pan-emerging markets private equity firm today confirmed the sale of its 85% shareholding in Accra Mall to retail property developer, Atterbury, and financial services group, Sanlam. This strategic trade sale demonstrates an increasing interest in Ghana by foreign investors and also reflects the acute demand for high quality real estate assets in sub-Saharan Africa. Actis managed the development process, invested the equity and raised the debt to finance the project, working in partnership with renowned Ghanaian entrepreneurs, the Owusu-Akyaw family. The mall opened its doors in July 2008 fully let, and today attracts 135,000 shoppers each week. David Morley, Head of Real Estate at Actis said: This sale reflects the serious interest of quality institutional investors in sub-Saharan real estate assets. The development of Accra Mall came at a time when Ghanaians still sourced even basic goods from London and Johannesburg. Now they can buy products locally with pride. We are extremely pleased with what we have achieved here, in partnership with the Owusu-Akyaw family. Accra Malls success gives us great optimism for our upcoming projects in Accra, both our mixed use development in the Airport area, and One Airport Square. Alex Bruks of the Owusu-Akyaw family said: My brother, the late Joseph Owusu-Akyaw, shared a vision with Actis: to create a focal point where Ghanaians could come to socialise, shop and relax, and to bring a new standard of retail to Ghana. It has been a rewarding journey and this mall stands as testament to our joint ambition and hard work. We are excited about this next chapter in the malls history. Actis is sub-Saharan Africas most experienced private equity real estate investor. Since 2004, Actis has developed ten institutional quality assets in seven countries in sub-Saharan Africa including other A-grade retail malls: Ikeja City Mall and The Palms in Lagos, and The Junction in Nairobi. Actis intends to initiate and develop real estate projects worth half a billion US dollars in sub-Saharan Africa over the next three years. The husband of a New York City influencer explained his reasons for killing himself in a heartbreaking suicide note. Real estate mogul Brandon Miller took his own life at the $15.5 million Hamptons home he shared with his wife Candice last month, amid mounting financial strain. In a suicide note, Miller explained that a last-minute make-or-break business deal had fallen through leaving him feeling he had no way out. The New York Times reports that Miller also detailed two life insurance policies that could be used to pay off creditors. Miller killed himself by inhaling exhaust fumes while his Candice was touring Europe with their two daughters. Real estate mogul Brandon Miller explained his reasons for killing himself in a heartbreaking suicide note Troubled Miller, 43, waited until his family had left town for a weeks-long luxury vacation before getting into his car and running the engine until it filled their garage with toxic gas. A wealthy friend arranged for shaken Candice, 42, and their two girls to fly back to the US on a private jet. They arrived in time to say their final goodbyes before Miller was taken off life support at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital and declared dead on July 3, according to a well-placed source. 'They are amazing, sweet girls who loved their dad so much. This is absolutely devastating for all of them,' the source added. Miller had been struggling to maintain the lavish lifestyle he and his wife enjoyed in the years leading up to his death. The couple had already been forced to sell up their TriBeCa townhouse and were renting a $47,000-a-month Upper East Side home to try and keep up appearances. Miller took his own life at the $15.5 million Hamptons home he shared with his wife Candice last month, amid mounting financial strain Prior to his death, Miller had run up huge debts and taken out several loans against the Hamptons home At the time of his suicide, Miller is estimated to have owed around $17 million. He was being sued for at least $221,000 for various non payments and had taken out a series of loans for millions of dollars against the Hamptons estate. Interior Marketing Group Inc sued Miller in April, claiming he failed to pay a balance of $102,730.27 for luxury furnishing services, as reported by Page Six. The same lawsuit accuses Miller of refusing to return over $64,000 in furniture from their apartment in Manhattan. In another lawsuit against Miller, filed in May, Lighthouse Marina claims he failed to pay his balance for the services on his boat, named MillerTime, which had been at the Long Island marina since October 2020. The marina claims Miller never 'responded nor acknowledged' a notice in October 2022 informing him he owed nearly $40,000. Miller's alleged debt eventually grew to $55,205.76, per the legal filing. Sources told the New York Times that Miller had begun weeping openly in business meetings as he struggled to cope with increasing financial pressure. In a suicide note, Miller explained that a last-minute make or break business deal had fallen through leaving him feeling he had no way out He was found unconscious in the garage of the couple's $15.5 million Hamptons home which has since been listed for sale By the time his wife jetted off to Europe, Miller was scrambling to arrange a $1,000 loan - a minuscule amount compared to the sums he was used to dealing with. Friends said that Miller encouraged his wife to take the vacation by reassuring her everything had been paid for. However, upon arrival, her credit card was declined and the family's travel agent was forced to vouch for them, sources said. Meanwhile, Miller was said to be at home attempting to pull off a deal which could reverse their fortunes but sadly fell through. Candice Miller has since listed their Water Mill home for $15.495 million and is said to be relocating to Miami with her children ahead of the new school year. Local authorities took apart desperate residents' homemade roundabouts they erected to stop dangerous sideshows from happening in their California neighborhood. Oakland's San Antonio neighborhood has been grappling with nearly daily sideshows, or informal car stunt demonstrations that happen illegally in empty lots or busy streets. The crisis that has escalated to a point of desperation for residents. Fed up with the city's perceived inaction, neighbors took matters into their own hands, constructing tire barriers and makeshift roundabouts to deter reckless driving. 'This is the worst I have seen it in my 23 years of living here It's way more worse and dangerous,' Randy Duarte, a San Antonio resident, told KRON4. 'They almost killed someone,' resident Michael Andemeskel told KTVU. 'There's a school up there. Kids have been hit on this street. There are people whose cars have been crashed into and totaled.' Local authorities took apart desperate locals' homemade roundabouts they erected to stop dangerous sideshows from happening in their California neighborhood. Oakland's San Antonio neighborhood has been grappling with nearly daily sideshows, or informal car stunt demonstrations that happen illegally in empty lots or busy streets. To combat the chaos, neighbors constructed tire barriers and transformed three intersections into roundabouts in an effort to stop to the reckless driving. 'The speed bumps were bolted into the ground to make it hard to move,' Duarte said. The DIY traffic calming measures appeared to be effective, according to Duarte. 'It actually made everyone come to a stop. They think it's a problem,' Duarte said. But the city swiftly removed the barriers, citing safety concerns. Neighbors argue the city isn't doing enough to protect them. Odelson Souza told KUTV that his two-year-old son had a near-miss with a speeding car coming down the sidewalk. 'Look, please help us,' said Souza. 'Who else we gonna call? Superman?' The city has justified the removal, calling the barriers 'unauthorized hazards.' 'We at the city empathize with our community, and we all want safer streets, but increasing the risk to the public by installing hazards is not the solution. The city will promptly remove these unauthorized, dangerous installations,' the City of Oakland said in a statement to KRON4. Odelson Souza (pictured) told KUTV that his two-year-old son had a near-miss with a speeding car coming down the sidewalk The DIY traffic-calming measures appeared to be effective but the city swiftly removed the barriers Oakland Residents like Heather Washington are undeterred. 'What we heard when we did inquiries about getting an actual roundabout, we were told that somebody has to die first before they'll do anything about that And, we're just not waiting for that,' said Washington. 'The next step is to continue with the pressure and effort on the city.' The community is determined to continue pressing the city for effective solutions to the ongoing sideshow crisis. A hero police dog who won the hearts of Aussies after he miraculously survived a stabbing attack while on duty has died, sparking an outpouring of tributes. Kaos, 12, a few weeks ago was awarded the Canine Service Medal for outstanding service and bravery during his seven-year stint in the Queensland police force. Police revealed 'with heavy hearts' on Thursday that Kaos died unexpectedly at his home last Saturday. Aussies fell in love with the German shepherd after he survived a stabbing attack while helping to capture two suspects in Brisbane in February 2020. Kaos, who was seven at the time, was rushed into emergency surgery after he suffered a 12cm gash in the near-fatal attack. The men who caused Kaos' injuries were charged at the time with serious animal cruelty, among other charges. The hero police dog underwent weeks of rehabilitation but made a full recovery before returning to his job on the streets of Brisbane. Kaos went on to help catch even more suspects before he retired from the force in July 2021. PD Kaos, 12, (pictured) unexpectedly died at home on August 10. Australian fell in love with German shepherd after he was stabbed while apprehending offenders in 2020 Senior Constable Jim Griffiths and Kaos (pictured) 'were best mates and a formidable team' The police dog spent his final three years with his handler, Senior Constable Jim Griffiths and his family in the Queensland town of Dayboro. Queensland Police described Kaos as not only fierce while tracking offenders but also a sweet and soft soul when off-duty. During his retirement years, Kaos became a regular at his local Dayboro cafe - and was often seen lying in the sun happy to receive attention from customers. Kaos also made countless visits to the Queensland Children's Hospital to cheer up sick kids. 'PD Kaos and Senior Constable Griffiths were best mates and a formidable team,' the statement said. Last month Kaos had been awarded the Canine Service Medal for his outstanding service and bravery over seven years in the force (pictured with his handler and owner Senior Constable Jim Griffiths centre) Kaos spent his final years living with handler Senior Constable Jim Griffiths and his family 'With honour he served, and it was an honour to serve with him.' Kaos' death sparked an outpouring of love and grief from Aussies. 'Thank you for your service PD Kaos. Rest easy knowing you were the best boy,' one wrote. Another added: 'So sad. RIP Kaos. Thanks for protecting us all. Big hugs to his handler/owner,' One woman who had the pleasure of meeting Kaos numerous times during hospital visits wrote: 'You were a beautiful, wise boy. RIP and thank you for your service.' A fourth one commented: 'Stand down officer, you're officially off duty.' A federal agent tasked with securing a J.D. Vance event last week broke protocol by sporting the insignia of another agency, DailyMail.com has learned. The breach came from a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agent who was tasked with conducting security bag checks outside of the August 7 event near Detroit, Michigan. A photograph of the agent reveals he was wearing a Secret Service patch on his armored vest despite not being a part of the department. Already mired with controversy since the shooting at Donald Trump's rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, one month ago, the Secret Service broke protocol once again, and admit it never should have happened. Secret Service providing patches to other agencies is not standard practice, a source familiar with the matter told DailyMail.com. 'Its definitely against agency protocol.' The agent shown above is not actually apart of the Secret Service but a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent, which similar to the USSS, is also overseen by DHS. The Secret Service has changed their protocols to avoid such confusing interactions Further, a Secret Service spokesperson revealed to DailyMail.com 'corrective action' has already been enacted and new policy changes have been implemented to avoid a similar debacle. 'The U.S. Secret Service became aware of a photo where a member of another law enforcement agency is improperly wearing a Secret Service patch,' the spokesperson said. 'Corrective action has been taken and guidance has been distributed to the workforce regarding the use of agency insignias.' The issue comes at a politically sensitive time for the agency. Since the Butler tragedy resulted in the death of firefighter Corey Comperatore and the brutal injuries of two other rally goers, the agency's top brass have been dragged before Congress. Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, is escorted by Secret Service agents ahead of his August 7 event in Detroit Secret service closely monitors a press conference with Vice Presidential Candidate JD Vance speaks at the Shelby Township Police Department on August 7, 2024 in Shelby Township, Michigan. Vance and Harris both spoke at competing events After testifying weeks after the assassination attempt, Kimberly Cheatle resigned as the department's director. Days later, her replacement, Secret Service Acting Director Ronald Rowe was forced to testify before Congress on his agency's historic failure. That hearing, like Cheatle's, quickly devolved into a shouting match as Rowe was repeatedly berated by lawmakers. In addition to the hearings on the assassination attempt, a number of Secret Service whistleblowers have come forward calling foul on many internal practices. One of those whistleblowers claimed to Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., that the lead Secret Service agent in charge of Donald Trump's deadly Butler, Pennsylvania, rally was 'inexperienced' and 'failed to implement appropriate security protocols.' Another whistleblower similarly told the senator that the same lead site agent 'personally made decisions that likely compromised the overall security of the event.' 'The site agent, the lead agent, was known to the Trump campaign to be inexperienced, to be ineffectual, to be, frankly, incompetent at their job,' Hawley said of the complaints. U.S. Secret Service on watch before Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris arrives at a campaign event, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Eau Claire, Wisconsin U.S. Secret Service on watch over Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris Lawmakers have also introduced legislation to reform the agency to avoid mistakes. Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., told DailyMail.com this week that he introduced two Secret Service-aimed bills after Trump was saved by 'luck' and not the 'skills' of the protective agency. 'We cannot leave the security of a president or a presidential candidate the chance,' the Democrat said. His legislation, if passed, would increase the protective radius the Secret Service must defend around a protectee and would strip them of their financial crimes responsibilities. A congressional task force has been established to investigate the Butler rally and multiple investigations into the event by the FBI and DHS are ongoing. Two French fighter pilots died in a horror mid-air smash yesterday over eastern France, President Emmanuel Macron said, in a rare accident involving cutting-edge military aircraft. A pair of Rafale jets, designed and built by France's Dassault Aviation company, endured a sickening collision in the skies above the Vosges region near the town of Colombey-les-Belles, but the cause of the incident was unclear. One pilot successfully ejected from one of the jets following the crash and was subsequently picked up 'safe and sound' by rescue teams, according to defence minister Sebastien Lecornu. Authorities launched a desperate search for two pilots from the second jet - a trainee pilot and their flight instructor - but they were later declared dead. 'We learn with sadness the death of Captain Sebastien Mabire and Lieutenant Matthis Laurens in an air accident in a Rafale training mission,' Macron posted on X. 'The nation shares the grief of their families and brothers in arms at Air Base 113 in Saint-Dizier.' Captain Sebastien Mabire and Lieutenant Matthis Laurens died on August 14, 2024, after their Rafale jets collided in mid-air in eastern France The supersonic Rafale 'multi-role' fighter - used to hunt enemy planes, strike ground and sea targets, carry out reconnaissance and even carry France's nuclear warheads - has become a bestseller for the French arms industry French gendarmes and French military vehicles stand beside the forest in Autreville, eastern France, on August 14, 2024, following a crash between two French military Rafale jets A helicopter from the French Air Force takes part in a search operation in Autreville, eastern France, on August 14, 2024, following a crash between two French military Rafale jets The supersonic Rafale 'multi-role' fighter - used to hunt enemy planes, strike ground and sea targets, carry out reconnaissance and even carry France's nuclear warheads - has become a bestseller for the French arms industry. France's armed forces operate hundreds of the highly capable fighters which have also been sold to Egypt, India, Greece, Indonesia, Croatia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Accidents involving the jets are extremely rare. 'We heard a loud noise, around 12:30pm (1030 GMT),' said Patrice Bonneaux, deputy mayor of Colombey-les-Belles. It was not the usual sonic boom of a fighter jet breaking the sound barrier, he said. 'It was a strange noise, a percussive sound'. 'I assumed that two planes had collided, but we didn't believe it,' he said, adding that a road bordering a nearby forest had been cordoned off. It was not immediately clear what caused the collision. 'The military authorities will report on the causes of the accident,' said the local prefecture. 'We learn with sadness the death of Captain Sebastien Mabire and Lieutenant Matthis Laurens in an air accident in a Rafale training mission,' Macron posted on X A Dassault Rafale fighter jet is seen from an Airbus A400M Atlas military transport aircraft during a demonstration flight by the French Air Force The supersonic Rafale 'multi-role' fighter - used to hunt enemy planes, strike ground and sea targets, carry out reconnaissance and even carry France's nuclear warheads - has become a bestseller for the French arms industry. Accidents involving the jets are extremely rare In December 2007, a Rafale jet crashed near Neuvic in southwestern France. Investigators concluded that the pilot had become disorientated. That was believed to be the first crash of a Rafale. In September 2009, two Rafale aircraft went down as they flew back to the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle off the coast of Perpignan after completing a test flight. One pilot died while the others managed to eject and were rescued. Lecornu said in January that France had ordered 42 new Rafale fighter jets, with the first to be delivered in 2027. The French military has now ordered more than 230 Rafales since the jet went into service. Macron has urged defence manufacturers to boost production and innovation as Europe seeks to increase arms supplies to buttress Ukraine, which has been struggling to fight off Russia's invasion, now in its third year. A comedian has apologised after his Edinburgh Fringe show 'hounded out' and mocked two Israeli audience members. Reginald D Hunter, who is from Albany, Georgia, but has lived in the UK since 1997, has insisted that he is 'staunchly anti-war and anti-bully' after the backlash he received following the incident. The 55-year-old had been performing his new standup show 'Fluffy Fluffy Beavers', when he made a quip about how watching a recent Channel 5 documentary about domestic abuse had made him think of Israel. But when two Israeli audience members had objected to the distasteful joke, they were reportedly sworn at, called 'genocidal' and told 'you're not welcome' by fellow spectators shouting 'Free Palestine'. Now Hunter has taken to X to apologise for his part in the incident, claiming it is part of his job as a comedian to 'push boundaries'. Reginald D Hunter has insisted that he is 'staunchly anti-war and anti-bully' following the backlash he has received online Hunter has taken to X to apologise for his behaviour In a post on X he wrote: 'There was an unfortunate incident in my new show 'Fluffy Fluffy Beavers'. 'As a comedian I do push boundaries in creating humour, it is part of my job. This inevitably creates divided opinions but I am staunchly anti-war and anti-bullying. 'I regret any stress caused to the audience and venue staff members.' Anti-semitism campaigners called the incident 'a sickening low that cannot be disguised as comedy' - as organisers maintained they were 'committed to upholding the principles of creative freedom of expression.' The pressure group Campaign Against Antisemitisim have asked their own lawyers to review footage to see whether any action can be taken. In a statement the group said: 'Reginald D Hunter has laughed off his Holocaust jokes and another supposed joke about 'typical f***ing Jews' in the past, but watching on and cracking jokes as Jews are hounded out of your show is a sickening low that cannot be disguised as comedy. 'We have seen this before in recent months, and venues must stand extremely firm against this kind of behaviour.' The US-born entertainer was half-way through the packed gig at the Edinburgh Festival on Sunday night - described by one theatre critic as the 'ugliest Edinburgh Fringe moment ever' - when the commotion began. The statement made by the pressure group Campaign Against Antisemitisim on social media Two Israeli audience members were sworn at, called 'genocidal' and told 'you're not welcome' by fellow spectators shouting 'Free Palestine ' at them after objecting to a joke told by stand-up comedian Reginald D Hunter at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe The incident has provoked outrage among some social media users, who describe it as 'awful' and 'anti-semitic' As a woman told her story of how she was ill-treated by her husband, the comedian revealed that he thought to himself: 'My God, it's like being married to Israel.' While the joke evoked laughter from the audience, a couple on the front row were prompted to shout out 'not funny', before revealing they were Israeli. Dominic Cavendish, chief theatre critic for The Telegraph, was in the audience when the furore erupted. Writing a review of the show, which he awarded one star to, Cavendish said: 'The pair, who said they were from Israel, then endured their fellow audience members shouting expletives ('f--- off' among them), and telling them to go with slow-hand claps, boos and cries of 'genocidal maniac', 'you're not welcome' and 'free Palestine' part of the toxic mix.' Rather than pulling the audience up for their animosity towards the unwitting hecklers, Hunter apparently instead said to them: 'You can say it's not funny to you, but if you say it to a room full of people who laughed, you look foolish.' The couple, one of whom was disabled, are then said to have exited from the show as Hunter apparently 'openly laughed' at them and as fellow audience members continued to jeer. Two Israeli audience members were sworn at, called 'genocidal' and told 'you're not welcome' by fellow spectators shouting 'Free Palestine ' at them after objecting to a joke told by stand-up comedian Reginald D Hunter at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Not done with the pair, even as they left, Hunter then related a story about how his partner had complained about not being able to access the Jewish Chronicle's website, as it is behind a paywall. He is reported as saying: ''Typical f---ing Jews, they won't tell you anything unless you subscribe.' 'It's just a joke,' he added. The incident has provoked outrage among some social media users, who describe it as 'awful' and 'anti-semitic'. One wrote: 'His behaviour was abhorrent - but what was the audience thinking by abusing two strangers who happened to be Israeli? Hateful, toxic, repellent stuff.' Another posted: 'So disappointing that someone who is from a minority doesn't empathise with (in fact encourages) racism towards another minority.' A third said: 'If your gags are at the expense of [a] bullied minority, you're not a comedian - you're a bully.' She later became unconscious and paralysed An Aussie mum who was left paralysed and almost died twice in Africa is uncertain whether she will ever fully regain control of her body. Leah Makanda, from Newcastle in the NSW Hunter Valley, first became ill in Uganda in March. The mother-of-four, who lives with Addison's disease, was unable to move after her illness was triggered by the stress of learning about the death of a graduate student who worked for a charity Ms Makanda had set up to help impoverished families. Ms Makanda then contracted malaria and suffered sepsis before she was rushed to hospital with severe chest pains when blood clots formed in her lungs. She lost consciousness twice and had to be revived through cortisol steroids and fluids to prevent her from suffering a cardiac arrest. Just a week into her treatment, Ms Makanda experienced severe pain across her whole body and lost movement in her arms and legs. 'I couldn't move any part of my body, except for my head and there was minimal movement in my neck,' Ms Makanda told 7News. 'It was like a battery was switched off and no one knew what was happening.' Ms Makanda (pictured) became paralysed a week into her treatment after she experienced severe pain across her whole body and soon lost movement in her arms and legs The hospital Ms Makanda was admitted to lacked the facilities and resources to administer the care she required. She became immobile and totally dependent on her husband Robert, his family and carers Her family back home in Australia launched a GoFundMe so Ms Makanda could fly back home to get the specialist care she needed. Eventually, she regained enough movement in her limbs to be flown back to Newcastle in May. She was admitted to John Hunter Hospital and was diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorders, which are illnesses caused by changes to the way the brain works. Ms Makanda's loved ones rallied to appeal for donations so that she could come home and receive the treatment she requires. She's pictured with her husband Robert She was discharged from hospital recently but still has a long road to recovery ahead of her, not knowing whether her body will return to normal. 'It may be something I have to live with. It's been really, really difficult - it's changed the future for us,' she said. Ms Makanda is grateful for the support she has received since becoming unwell. Ms Makanda had been living on Uganda for 11 years after she first visited the landlocked country as a teenager during a trip with the Salvation Army to help children in orphanages. She met her husband during a separate visit when she was 25 and the couple soon got married and they have three boys and a girl, who they adopted. Ms Makanda (pictured centre) was discharged from John Hunter Hospital recently, but she still has a long road to recovery and isn't sure if her body will return to normal The pair launched the Mbuyu foundation, in a bid to help men, women and children to live a life free from poverty. Ms Makanda hasn't given up on returning to Uganda- the country she calls home to help hundreds of families in need. But right now she's taking life one day at a time as her road to recovery continues. Tens of thousands of rail passengers who were prosecuted and fined for alleged fare evasion after set to be refunded after a judge ruled their convictions were void. Seven train companies, including Northern Rail and Greater Anglia, could face paying out millions of pounds to people who they privately prosecuted for travelling without a ticket. The railway firms had brought prosecutions against its passengers using the controversial Single Justice Procedure (SJP), despite not being permitted to do so. Today, however, Chief Magistrate at Westminster Magistrates Court, Paul Goldspring, said that six 'test cases' should be declared 'void', adding that thousands of cases could be dealt with in the same way over the coming months. The judge said the Courts Service, the Department for Transport and the train operating companies - two of which have not yet been identified - would work to identify those affected. Seven train companies, including Northern Rail and Greater Anglia, could face paying out millions of pounds to people who they privately prosecuted for travelling without a ticket Train companies along with the Department for Transport are working alongside those affected Up to 74,000 people could be refunded by the seven train companies across teh UK He added that 'a team will be put in place to begin the work of recovering the money paid and refund the money to individuals' by November. 'There are discussions ongoing with all the parties about how that may be paid,' he added. Neither the amount of money to be refunded nor the number of people affected has been confirmed, but Judge Goldspring said 'over 74,000' people is a 'best guess at the moment'. The SJP was set up in 2015 to allow magistrates to decide on minor offences, such as using a television without a licence or driving without car insurance, without defendants going to court. Rail companies were permitted to use the SJP in 2016 to privately prosecute fare evaders, but many have been brought under the Regulation of Railways Act 1889, which is not allowed under the procedure. In June, Judge Goldspring said those convictions were 'probably unlawful', with lawyers for rail companies telling a further hearing last month they were 'in agreement' the prosecutions should be thrown out. In his ruling, the judge declared the test cases a 'nullity', so it was 'as if as though the proceedings never existed'. He said: 'Parliament did not envisage these offences being prosecuted through the SJP. They should never have been brought through that process.' 'I'm satisfied that the correct approach is to declare each of the prosecutions void and a nullity,' he continued. Greater Anglia said 'it's working to ensure all those who are entitled to compensation as a result of this procedural error are quickly and fully reimbursed' The railway firms had brought prosecutions against its passengers using the controversial Single Justice Procedure (SJP), despite not being permitted to do so Giving a summary of his judgment, he said: 'Parliament did not envisage these offences being prosecuted through the SJP. They should never have been brought through that process. This is, to my mind, a paradigm nullity.' He continued: 'I'm satisfied that the correct approach is to declare each of the prosecutions void and a nullity.' He added that it was hoped that a list of those affected could be compiled by the end of September, with the cases listed as a 'bulk' hearing 'by the end of October' and declared void by a 'similar direction' so that 'everybody is in the same position'. Following the ruling, the Ministry of Justice, the Courts and Tribunals Service and the Department for Transport said that the seven companies who had privately prosecuted fare evaders under the SJP were Northern, TransPennine, Avanti West Coast, Greater Anglia, Great Western Railway, Arriva Rail North and Merseyrail, with the list to be updated on Monday. The departments said that those affected by the ruling were prosecuted by one of the seven companies between 2018 and 2023, with the 'vast majority' of cases prosecuted from 2020, under either section 5(1) or section 5(3) of the Regulation of Railways Act 1889. They added that those affected should wait to be contacted directly about their case. They said: 'The decision to use SJP is a matter for prosecutors. When cases come to court, magistrates decide on conviction and sentence, advised by legal advisers.' Sarah Cook, whose prosecution was one of the test cases, said that the train companies admitting that her prosecution was wrong after fining her was 'a kick in the teeth' and that the matter 'puts a massive no-go' on travelling on trains. Scottish railway service, Avanti West Coast, is among the rail services who will have to pay out Ms Cook, a 42-year-old pet shop owner from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, was fined 475 under an SJP prosecution after she did not pay a 20 fine for travelling without a ticket between Wombwell and Barnsley in November 2022. But she said that she had been waiting to hear back for a year on an appeal against the original fine, before being told she had been prosecuted. Following the court's ruling, she said: 'It's a kick in the teeth. I know some people would say take the win, sit back, appreciate that. For me, although money at the time was an issue, for me more than the money was the stress. 'I have not got a criminal record, I'm not somebody out there committing crimes, and for somebody to say you could have a criminal record, you could potentially face jail time if you have been a repeat offender, to me that was terrifying.' She continued: 'For them, their punishment is 'we're sorry', and there is a bit of me that thinks I don't know if that is good enough. 'When you have put 75,000 people under the pressure of going to court, having to fill out multiple documents, potentially being threatened with larger fines and criminal records, I don't know if 'I'm sorry, here's your money back' is good enough.' Tom Franklin, the chief executive of the Magistrates' Association, called for reform of the SJP and said 'serious questions' had been raised by the case. Seven companies who had privately prosecuted fare evaders under the SJP were Northern, TransPennine, Avanti West Coast, Greater Anglia, Great Western Railway, Arriva Rail North and Merseyrail He said: 'This ruling has big implications for tens of thousands of people, and there are serious questions that the prosecuting authorities - in this case, the train companies - need to answer as to how this was allowed to happen.' After Thursday's hearing, a spokesperson for Northern Rail said: 'We welcome the judgment of the Chief Magistrate in court today. We would like to apologise again for the errors that have occurred. 'We will now work with the court to implement today's findings. We are unable to respond to individual inquiries in the meantime. 'Northern remains committed to ensuring that all our customers are treated fairly, which means ensuring all passengers who board our trains have a valid ticket.' A Government spokesperson said: 'We acknowledge the Chief Magistrate's judgment and welcome the apology from train operators. While fare evasion should be tackled, the right process should be followed at all times. 'The people affected will be directly contacted in due course to resolve the cases in accordance with the judgment.' A spokesperson for Greater Anglia said: 'Following the hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court today we are now working to ensure all those who are entitled to compensation as a result of this procedural error are quickly and fully reimbursed. 'Like many in the industry, we acted in good faith following the introduction of the Single Justice Procedure in 2016, but we apologise for using this process incorrectly.' A paedophile who dragged a 12-year-old girl in a suitcase to his home before handcuffing her to the bed and telling her she was his 'sex slave' has been jailed for 45 years. Horrifying footage shows Daniel Moraes Bittar, 43, struggling to pull the suitcase up two flights of stairs at his home in Luziania, Brazil on June 28 last year. Bittar kidnapped the child from outside her school with the help of his 22-year-old girlfriend and accomplice Gesielly de Souza Vieira. The girl was bundled into a car and de Souza Vieira held a chloroform-soaked cloth to her face while Bittar threatened her with a knife. Her legs were then cuffed and she was zipped up inside a suitcase, which was placed in the boot as they drove to a woodland area to dump her mobile phone. Bittar kidnapped the girl and dragged her in a suitcase to his home in Brazil last year Bittar kidnapped the child from outside her school with the help of his 22-year-old girlfriend and accomplice Gesielly de Souza Vieira Picture shows the girl, 12, with her legs handcuffed, lying on a bed in the suspect's apartment Horrifying footage shows Bittar, 43, struggling to pull the suitcase up two flights of stairs at his home in Luziania, Brazil on June 28 last year The 43-year-old, who worked as a civil servant, was only caught when police were alerted to the horrifying CCTV footage and found the victim half-naked and handcuffed to his bed. She had suffered bruises and chemical burns, and medical examinations conducted after she was rescued confirmed she had been sexually assaulted. According to the police, sexual objects, stun guns, cameras and pornographic materials were found at the scene of the horrific assault in June last year. A petrol canister was also found leading the police to believe he may have planned to burn the girl's body after raping her. Bittar who was seen in a video whimpering while being questioned by cops, has now been jailed for 45 years and nine months. De Souza Vieira was also sentenced to 29 years and two months in prison for her part in the horrific crime. Both have also been ordered to pay 11,400 in compensation to the victim, who has not been named. Bittar's defence team has already said that they do not agree with the sentence and will appeal. In the footage following his arrest, the police officer can be heard asking Bittar: 'Is the girl there in your house?' Gesiely de Sousa Vieira, his accomplice, was sentenced to 29 years in prison for her part in the crime The girl was found with her legs cuffed to the bed in Bittar's house Bittar, 43, confesses to the crime to police in Brazil in June last year He then nods sheepishly and says 'yes' to which the officer then asks: 'What is she doing in your house?' The 43-year-old begins to reply incoherently before the cop interrupts him asking: 'Where did you take her? Why did you take her? What did you do to her?' Bittar who is visibly nervous says: 'She's just there, I haven't done anything to her yet.' Detective Joao Guilherme Medeiros told media in July last year: 'The victim stated that Bittar touched her intimate parts and that she was forced to touch his genitals. 'The girl said he threatened her all the time and said she would be his sex slave. He also filmed the abuses committed against the student and sent them to his girlfriend. The victim told us that he mentioned Geisy's name on the phone.' He added: 'We have footage of him putting the suitcase in the EcoSport since Monday 26. The planning of the crime is very clear. During a search of Bittar's (pictured) flat, electric shock devices, cameras, sex toys, and pornographic material were found Picture shows items sized by police from Daniel Moraes Bittar's house 'In fact, he had in mind another girl, a 13-year-old, who has already been interviewed by our team. 'This potential victim was known to the co-defendant because she had lived near Daniel's girlfriend. This girl was their target. 'For some reason, on June 28, they changed their minds and went to the school in in Luziania and initially observed children and teenagers, and then, on a nearby street, they approached the victim we found in captivity.' A climate protester was hospitalized with facial injuries on Wednesday after being punched by a security guard at Citibank's New York headquarters, Common Dreams reports. The incident occurred as activists with the Summer of Heat campaign were gathered in the bank's lobby. Eren Can Illeri, the injured protester, was part of the protest demanding a meeting with Citibank executives to address the bank's continued investment in fossil fuels. Summer of Heat, a coalition backed by New York Communities for Change, Planet Over Profit, and Stop the Money Pipeline, has made Citibank a primary target this summer. Video footage of the incident shows Illeri filming with his phone when a security guard approached him and attempted to grab the device. A climate protester was hospitalized with facial injuries on Wednesday after being punched by a security guard at Citibank's New York headquarters, according to protest organizers Eren Can Illeri (pictured) the injured protester, was part of the protest demanding a meeting with Citibank executives to address the bank's continued investment in fossil fuels The guard then punched Illeri in the face and pushed him to the ground 'We have been asking Citi to meet with us for weeks to talk about what it can do to tackle the climate emergency,' Alice Nascimento, a spokesperson for Summer of Heat told Common Dreams. 'But rather than meet with us, they have sent their security guards to physically attack peaceful climate activists after weeks of intimidation and threats.' 'Citi backs violence and it's sickening,' said Alice Hu, a climate campaigner for New York Communities for Change, who said the violence that took place at the company's HQ is a direct reflection of 'the violence of fossil fuels and climate chaos.' "We're not asking Citi to do anything radical. We're simply asking them to support the energy transition in the way that is necessary to rein in catastrophic climate change,' Alec Connon, a lead organizer of the Summer of Heat campaign, told DailyMail.com. 'Yet, they have ignored our last three requests even for a meeting. It seems as if they would rather have their security attack us than sit down and talk with us like grown-ups.' Since its launch on June 10, Summer of Heat has mobilized over 4,000 people in protests targeting Citibank. Over 475 individuals have been arrested, including a cello-playing grandfather last week, in connection with these protests. Protesters also reported being shoved by a top Citibank lawyer last month. 'Citi keeps proving their violent business is rooted in violent people,' said Planet Over Profit. 'This can't go on.' In an email statement to DailyMail.com, Citibank wrote: 'These activist groups have repeatedly been given many avenues to engage constructively but instead they continue to pursue acts of intimidation, trespassing and vandalism. Since its launch on June 10, Summer of Heat has mobilized over 4,000 people in protests targeting Citibank. Over 475 individuals have been arrested, including a cello-playing grandfather (pictured) last week, in connection with these protest 'These activist groups have repeatedly been given many avenues to engage constructively but instead they continue to pursue acts of intimidation, trespassing and vandalism,' Citibank said in an email statement to DailyMail.com 'We are grateful for the assistance of the New York City Police Department in addressing this unacceptable behavior, which damages our property and disrupts our colleagues ability to get into their workplace. 'Our position on our work to address climate change through our financing has been clear, and is evidenced by our track record. We work with our clients as they decarbonize their businesses, while also meeting the energy needs of today. 'We remain committed to helping to support the growth of renewable energy and clean technology through our $1 trillion sustainable finance goal while at the same time we continue to support the transition to a low-carbon economy through our commitment to net zero by 2050. These activities are not mutually exclusive.' Prime Minister Narendra Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the country is becoming Aatmanirbhar in Defence and is emerging as a global manufacturing hub due to the steps taken by the government in the last few years. During his address to the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort, PM Modi pointed out that there was a time when the majority of the Defence budget was used to procure weapons and equipment from abroad. Now, the government is focussed on indigenous manufacturing to make the nation self-reliant. The Prime Minister hailed the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces for taking a series of decisions. There are over 5,600 items that are being/will be procured only from the Indian industry after designated timelines. India, which was once completely dependent on import of Defence equipment, is today exporting to numerous countries. Annual Defence production hit a record high of Rs 1.27 lakh crore in FY 2023-24. In the same fiscal, Defence exports touched a record high of Rs 21,083 crore, an increase of 32.5 per cent over FY 2022-23. According to the Ministry of Defence, there has been a massive jump in Defence exports in the first quarter of FY 2024-25. Rs 6,915 crore worth of Defence equipment has been exported in the first quarter, an increase of 78 per cent from the first quarter of FY 2023-24, when the figure was Rs 3,885 crore, the ministry added. PM Modi said there was a time when the country was a victim of terror attacks; but today it is bold and strong, with the Armed Forces giving a befitting reply to anyone who tries to harm the sovereignty, unity and integrity of the country. He asserted that the nation is proud of its brave soldiers who selflessly serve the motherland. Be it the Army, Navy, Air Force or the space sector, we are witnessing the ever-growing Nari Shakti of our country, PM Modi said. From a futuristic time travel map to an 'inside out' version, many cartographers have had a go at improving the world-famous London Underground map. The most recent attempt was from University of Essex psychology lecturer Maxwell Roberts who used circles instead of straight lines to represent the network. Others have seen the Tube network combined with the Beijing Subway to create a new 'grid-like' city plan, and recoloured to make inner-city Tube lines clearer. Transport for London (TfL) has also created its own versions, such as the Black History Month map and the Taylor Swift map for the pop star's shows in the capital. But for now, it looks like the current version - evolved from a famous 1933 design by electrical draughtsman Harry Beck based on circuit diagrams - is here to stay. While the map was initially rejected by transport chiefs because it was deemed too radical, it soon became a hit with the public after a trial print-run - and the design remains in place today despite the network having massively expanded since. Maxwell Roberts has created a new version of Harry Beck's 1933 London Underground map Web developer Peter Trotman plotted Tube stations into a time travel map written in Javascript Alastair Carr created an inside-out Tube map where Edgware and Heathrow are in the centre Jug Cerovic redesigned TfL's map with new colours that aim to make inner-city lines clearer Alastair Carr worked on a version that sees the Tube combined with the Beijing Subway Dr Roberts, from Walton-on-the-Naze, created his first attempt in 2013 but recently reposted it and it went viral online - gaining one million engagements within a day. He said: 'I wasn't expecting it to go that crazy. That is the most crazy map I have ever released on social media.' Discussing the 90-year-old Tube map which is still in use in an updated form, Dr Roberts wrote on LinkedIn: 'The current state of the official London Underground map is lamentable for all sorts of reasons. 'It has poor balance, simplicity, coherence and topographical accuracy. It fails by any criterion of effectiveness you can imagine and has been in a neglected state of decline for years. 'I caused a stir a few years ago calling it a garbage piece of lazy design and nothing has happened since to change my mind.' One of the alternative Tube maps created by TfL - this one being the Black History Tube Map The Taylor Swift Tube map was released by Mayor Sadiq Khan and TfL in June for her concerts Commenting on his creation, Dr Roberts said: 'Let's go back to my original circles map and let's make it better this time. 'I also thought, 'Let's get the geography as well because, with maps, shapes and geography are important. Let's try to make my map better than TfL in every way'.' He said he decided to update his creation after TfL released an advertising map for mobile phones with a circles-and-spokes design. A TfL spokesperson reinforced that the original Tube map was 'an iconic piece of world-renowned design'. 'While there have been some previous 'circular' designs of a London Tube map created by fans and other designers over the decades, [the new] design was specifically created in-house by our design team for this campaign and only shows the London Underground lines, external.' One of the oldest official London Underground maps goes back to 1895, by W J Adams & Sons This 1908 version of the Tube map was credited to artists and printers Johnson, Riddle and Co A 1919 version of the Tube map by Waterlow & Sons boasts about the Central line extension A very colourful background on this 1926 Tube map design by Reginald Percy Gossop This portrait map was produced in 1928 by F. H. Stingemore, with the Northern line prominent A version of the Tube map from 1932 by Charles Burton even features boats on the Thames A 1932 map by the London Electric Railway was one of the precursors to Harry Beck's version One of the final efforts before Harry Beck's map was used was in 1933, by F. H. Stingemore The Tube map has become one of the most identifiable diagrams in the world famous for helping people navigate their way through the capital. But other designers have made their own attempt at redrawing the network. Among them is Alastair Carr who worked on a version that sees the Tube network combined with the Beijing Subway. He aligned Tiananmen Square with Trafalgar Square, and gave names to all the stations based on their new positions in London such as Mayfair, Kensington Palace and King's Road. Mr Carr also added a series of new stations on the outskirts such as Cock Clarks (near Chelmsford), Bisley (near Woking) and Harmondsworth (near Heathrow). In addition, Mr Carr once created an inside-out Tube map where Edgware and Heathrow Airport are in the centre of the capital, while the likes of Oxford Circus and Leicester Square are on the outskirts. The first Harry Beck Tube map was released in 1933 and is based on a circuit diagram A map showing the central section of the Tube was released in 1934 by an unknown designer This 1937 version of the map by Harry Beck has large diamonds to show interchange stations A 1938 version of Harry Beck's map still features interchange diamonds but they are smaller The 1941 Beck map refers to the suspension of the Earl's Court to Willesden Junction line A 1948 map by Harry Beck, shortly before Central line services began running to West Ruislip A 1950 version of the map by Beck includes a very striking purple for the Metropolitan line The Tube map has evolved by the time of this 1979 version but is still based on Beck's design The 2008 version of the Transport for London map looks far more like the present-day version The Night Tube map was released by Transport for London in 2016 when services began The latest Transport for London map for 2024 with Overground lines given individual names Another designed to have had a go at redoing the Tube map is British web developer Peter Trotman, who turned it into a travel time map. The idea was to make an interactive diagram in Javascript to help passengers work out how close each Tube station was to their starting point. A further attempt was by Paris-based architect Jug Cerovic, who redesigned TfL's map with new colours that aim to make the inner-city Tube lines more clear. This was achieved by using brighter colours for the Underground and lighter colours for the National Rail line, as well as bringing in curvy lines. Republican Alison Esposito boasts a 25-year career as a New York City police officer, but not without record of complaints about her behavior. While the officer-turned-political candidate rose through the ranks to deputy inspector and commander officer of the 70th precinct in Brooklyn, New York City paid out $120,000 on her behalf over misconduct allegations which she denies. A New York law enforcement source told DailyMail.com it is 'extremely common' for the city to fork over taxpayer dollars in a settlement rather than let a complaint play out in court. 'Often the officers don't know that the suit is being held.' 'Rather than fighting it in court, the city just settles it without even telling the police officer.' Republican Alison Esposito boasts a 25-year career as a New York City police officer, but not without record of complaints about her behavior Esposito, who if successful would be the first openly gay Republican woman in the House, is locked in a tight race for the seat occupied by Democratic Rep. Pat Ryan. She ran an unsuccessful campaign for lieutenant governor with former Rep. Lee Zeldin in 2022. In 2017, the city paid out $25,000 in a settlement after Esposito was accused of arresting and assaulting a baby. In 2016 Esposito and another officer allegedly unlawfully entered an apartment in East Harlem, where Chantal Vazquez says they 'did unlawfully stop, assault, frisk, handcuff, detain, arrest and imprison' her infant daughter Rebecca Cuevas. Cuevas said the arrest was 'malicious, unlawful and not based upon a warrant, probable cause, and/or any other justification,' according to documents obtained by DailyMail.com. An attorney for Esposito denied the allegations and claimed the 'plaintiffs' culpable conduct caused or contributed, in whole or in part, to their injuries or damages.' In another incident, Esposito arrested three black women in 2003 on suspicion of shoplifting. Kelli Williams, Diane Hodges and Markeyta Wicker were browsing an H&M during a trip to Manhattan with their Philadelphia church group. Williams at one point picked up an abandoned purse with money sticking out of it and remarked that the money looked fake and someone might be playing a joke. After they left the store Esposito and a pair of other police officers, all dressed in plain clothes, surrounded the women and allegedly did not identify themselves as officers. One of the officers asked who touched the purse and Williams said she had, but had taken nothing out of it and showed them that she'd paid for everything in her shopping bag. The women alleged that Esposito put her arm around Williams' neck and handcuffed her. Another officer allegedly 'said in substance, "You're going down b****.'" As Hodges and Wicker intervened to find out what was going on, they too were arrested. The three were allegedly then taken to jail and Wicker's young daughter was forced to return to Philadelphia without her. The three women were charged with shoplifting but their cases were dismissed nine months later. They won $95,000 in a settlement. While the officer-turned-political candidate rose through the ranks to deputy inspector and commander officer of the 70th precinct in Brooklyn, New York City paid out $120,000 on her behalf over misconduct allegations which she denies The Esposito campaign could not be reached for comment by DailyMail.com. Campaign spokesperson Ben Weiner told City & State, which first reported on the complaints: 'When criminals legally and lawfully are brought to justice, they often seek to scapegoat law enforcement via the courts and the city of New York is frequently forced to settle frivolous and baseless lawsuits in order to avoid costly litigation.' This week Politico reported that Esposito's gun was stolen from a vehicle she left unlocked in 2016, which led to a reprimand from her supervisors. Espositos off-duty handgun, described as a Smith & Wesson 9 mm, her NYPD identification card and police officers shield were all taken from her vehicle, and never recovered, according to a police report. This week Politico reported that Esposito's gun was stolen from a vehicle she left unlocked in 2016, which led to a reprimand from her supervisors Esposito reported that her purse, where she left the gun, and credit cards had been taken. It was recommended that she be docked 20 days vacation time over the incident, according to a disciplinary record. The report lists the theft as occurring sometime between 3 p.m. on Nov. 20 and 9 a.m. on Nov. 21. She reported it on November 22 at 10 a.m. State law requires gun owners to notify police within 24 hours of a gun theft. The Secret Service has made another concerning security mishap while protecting former President Donald Trump. During the former president's campaign rally in Asheville, North Carolina, on Wednesday afternoon, a female Secret Service agent allegedly left her position without telling the site agent - the individual in charge of security. The agent departed her post just minutes before Trump's motorcade arrived at the venue to breastfeed her child in a side room meant for agency work, RealClearPolitics first reported. When the site agent conducted a last-minute walkthrough of the route Trump would take, they noticed the agent's absence and later discovered her with several family members in the side room who were not vetted by security. Now the Secret Service is investigating the latest mistake for the embattled agency. Three Secret Service sources told the outlet that the room the female agent was nursing her child in was reserved for agency work like a potential presidential emergency 'All employees of the U.S. Secret Service are held to the highest standards,' Secret Service Chief of Communications Anthony Gugliemi told DailyMail.com in a statement. 'While there was no impact to the North Carolina event, the specifics of this incident are being examined.' 'Given this is a personnel matter, we are not in a position to comment further,' he continued. Three Secret Service sources told the outlet that the room the female agent was nursing her child in was reserved for agency work like a potential presidential emergency. They also revealed that agents working a protective assignment are forbid from bringing a child. The woman in question, the sources revealed, was from the Atlanta Field Office and was in the side room with two family members. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at Harrah's Cherokee Center in Asheville, North Carolina Secret Service agents stand guard outside of former President Trump's motorcade shortly after he was shot by Thomas Matthew Crooks at his Butler campaign Those family members were not screened by security, the sources confirmed. They told the outlet that the female agent and members of her family completely avoided the Uniformed Division security screening and instead were escorted by staff into the room. That escort was unpinned, the sources said, which means they were not previously cleared by the Secret Service to be in that area. The mistake is just the latest made by the embattled agency that has suffered several controversies since would be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks shot the former president at his Butler, Pennsylvania, campaign rally on July 13. Last week, before a campaign event for trump's running mate Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent was spotted wearing a Secret Service patch on his armor vest. The Secret Service agent who gave the HSI agent the patch broke protocol, a source familiar with the matter told DailyMail.com. Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, is escorted by Secret Service agents ahead of his August 7 event in Detroit Secret service closely monitors a press conference with Vice Presidential Candidate JD Vance speaks at the Shelby Township Police Department on August 7, 2024 in Shelby Township, Michigan. Vance and Harris both spoke at competing events Secret Service providing patches to other agencies is not standard practice, the source told DailyMail.com. 'Its definitely against agency protocol.' An official spokesperson for the Secret Service later revealed that an internal action had been taken and policy changes were underway. 'The U.S. Secret Service became aware of a photo where a member of another law enforcement agency is improperly wearing a Secret Service patch,' the spokesperson said. 'Corrective action has been taken and guidance has been distributed to the workforce regarding the use of agency insignias.' And the controversies come at a politically sensitive time for the agency. Since the Butler tragedy resulted in the death of firefighter Corey Comperatore and the brutal injuries of two other rally goers, the agency's top brass have been dragged before Congress to account for their failures. After testifying weeks after the assassination attempt, Kimberly Cheatle resigned as the department's director. Days later, her replacement, Secret Service Acting Director Ronald Rowe was forced to testify before Congress on his agency's historic failure. That hearing, like Cheatle's, quickly devolved into a shouting match as Rowe was repeatedly berated by lawmakers. Lawmakers have also introduced legislation to reform the agency to avoid mistakes. Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., told DailyMail.com this week that he introduced two Secret Service-aimed bills after Trump was saved by 'luck' and not the 'skills' of the protective agency. A Secret Service agent outside the White House, Washington, DC Secret Service agents surround trump after he was shot on July 13 before escorting him off stage and into his motorcade vehicle 'We cannot leave the security of a president or a presidential candidate the chance,' the Democrat said. His legislation, if passed, would increase the protective radius the Secret Service must defend around a protectee and would strip them of their financial crimes responsibilities. A congressional task force has been established to investigate the Butler rally and multiple investigations into the event by the FBI and DHS are ongoing. A man has been charged with attempted murder after a police officer was stabbed in the chest at a high-security prison. David Taylor, 62, formerly of Willington, County Durham, was remanded in custody over the incident at HMP Frankland in July. Durham Police said the officer, a detective constable serving with Greater Manchester Police, suffered a single stab wound to the chest during an interview with a remand prisoner. Land and air ambulance crews were called to the jail and the officer, who suffered critical injuries, was taken to hospital where he was treated before being discharged. David Taylor, 62, formerly of Willington, County Durham, was remanded in custody over the incident at HMP Frankland (pictured) in July He is now recovering at home from the stabbing, which Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood had described on X, formerly Twitter, as 'deeply concerning'. HMP Frankland in Durham is a category A men's prison, the highest level of security, and houses some of the country's most serious criminals. Taylor will appear at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court on September 3. Ukraine has taken full control of a Russian town in the largest victory since the incursion began, after successfully capturing 100 of Putin's troops in a day. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a Ukrainian military commander's office is being set up in the town of Sudzha in the Kursk region. The claim that Ukraine is now in control of the town could not be independently verified. Russia did not immediately respond to Zelenskyy's statement, but its defense ministry said earlier today that Russian forces had blocked attempts to take several other communities. It comes after more than 100 Russian soldiers surrendered en masse to Ukraine today, claiming their commanders abandoned them. An entire company laid down their arms and were taken as prisoners of war by the Ukrainian armed forces inside the Kursk region. A total of 102 held up the white flag in the biggest mass surrender of the war. Over 100 Russian soldiers were captured by Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region of Russia An aerial view shows what the Russian Defence Ministry says are captured Ukrainian service members lying on the ground, following an incursion of Ukrainian troops in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict in the Kursk region, Russia, in this still image from video released August 14 In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Security Service Press Office, over 100 Russian prisoners of war captured by a Security Service special unit during one military action are seen in a shelter in Kursk region, Russia, Wednesday, August 14 Sudzha had a prewar population of around 5,000 people. It holds a measuring station for Russian natural gas that flows through Ukrainian pipelines to Europe. Natural gas flows from West Siberian gas fields through pipes that pass through Sudzha and cross the Ukrainian border into Ukraine's system. There was no indication of any disruption of the gas flow through Sudzha, which accounts for about 3 per cent of Europe's imports. Satellite images on Thursday show that a Ukrainian drone attack on Russian air bases damaged at least two hangars and other areas. Images taken Wednesday by Planet Labs PBC show that two hangars at Borisoglebsk Air Base had been struck, with a field of debris around both. It was not immediately clear what purpose the hangars served. There also appeared to be potential damage to two fighter aircraft at the base. Separately, at Savasleika Air Base, one burn mark could be seen on the apron in images Wednesday, though there was no apparent damage to the fighter jets and other aircraft there. Kursk acting governor Alexei Smirnov on Thursday ordered the evacuation of the Glushkovo region, about 28 miles northwest of Sudzha, as Ukraine's daring incursion into the bordering Kursk region entered its second week. The evacuation order suggests Ukrainian forces are gradually advancing toward the area. Authorities say more than 120,000 residents in the Kursk region already have been evacuated. At a facility receiving evacuees, Tatyana Anikeyeva told of her flight from the fighting. 'We were rushing from Sudzha. - We hid in the bushes. Volunteers were handing out water, food, bread to people on the go. The sound of the cannonade continued without any break. The house was shaking,' she told Russian state television. Ukrainian servicemen operate a Soviet-made T-72 tank in the Sumy region, near the border with Russia, on August 12, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine Russian combat medics help injured troops and locals amid the Ukrainian offensive in Kursk Russian MLRS fires towards Ukrainian positions, August 13, 2024 Evacuees milled around and waited in long lines for food and other supplies. One man stroked his pet dog and tried to comfort her, while saying that he felt nauseous and couldn't eat himself. Russia also declared a federal-level state of emergency in the Belgorod region. A regional-level state of emergency had been declared a day earlier in Belgorod, and the change in status suggests officials believe the situation is worsening and hampering the region's ability to deliver aid. Residents who suffer severe health damage will be eligible to receive payments of up to 600,000 rubles (5,350). Those who experience a loss of property are eligible for up to 150,000 rubles (1,300), Russia's Emergencies Ministry said. Ukraine's chief military officer, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, declared that Ukrainian forces have taken 396 square miles) of the Kursk region. This claim could not be independently verified. The contact lines in Kursk have remained fluid, allowing both sides to maneuver easily, unlike the static front line in eastern Ukraine where it has taken Russian forces months to achieve even incremental gains. Russian military bloggers have claimed that Russian reserves arriving in the region have stemmed Ukrainian advances, but they also noted that Ukrainian small mechanized groups have continued to probe Russian defenses. Speaking to reporters at the UN on Wednesday, Russia's Deputy UN Ambassador Dmitry Polyansky dismissed Syrskyi's claim of having gained 1,000 square kilometers of the Russian territory. 'What's happening in Kursk is the incursion of terrorist sabotage groups, so there is no front line as such,' Polyansky said. 'There is an incursion because there are forests that are very difficult to control.' He said Ukrainian troops in the forests will be singled out and eliminated within 'a very brief period of time.' Polyansky called the Ukrainian incursion an 'absolutely reckless and mad operation,' and said Ukraine's aim to force Russia to move its troops from eastern Ukraine is not happening because 'we have enough troops there.' Footage published today shows the surrendered Russian soldiers in an underground army hideout after they surrendered to the Ukrainian SBU secret service and army. The images will be seen as an abject humiliation for Putin, and as the result of the folly of him forcing untrained men and young conscripts to the front. This comes as more than 100 Russian soldiers surrendered en masse to Ukraine, claiming their commanders abandoned them Several soldiers were sitting on the ground with blindfolds on after they surrendered A Ukrainian soldier stands guard as he surveys a line of Russian POWs taken in Kursk 'More than 100 Russians abandoned by their commanders made the right decision and surrendered,' said Ukrainian outlet Want to Live, which seeks to broker surrenders. 'They can be understood. It is hard to conduct military operations when you are commanded by tyrants and embezzlers, and the flanks are 'covered' by [Chechen leader Ramzan] Kadyrov's bandits, who abandon everyone and everything, just so as not to be captured themselves. 'And thanks to [Russian] General [Alexander] Lapin, who is helping us successfully advance in the Kursk region, just as in 2022 in the Kharkiv region, for the defence of which he was responsible.' He was Putin's controversial pick as deputy commander of ground forces and head of the Leningrad military district, a figure seen as incompetent by many pro-war hardliners. Pravda Gerashchenko Telegram channel said: 'Their commanders fled, so a company of fighters decided to save their lives and surrender to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.' The captives would help Ukraine return its PoWs held by Russia in exchanges. Yan Matveyev, a Russian military analyst, said the losses were serious for Russia. 'Just imagine, in the video a quarter of an entire motorised rifle battalion is captured. A very serious blow to combat readiness.' It comes as Ukraine's top commander said on today that Kyiv had set up a military commandant's office in the occupied part of Russia's Kursk region where he said his forces were still advancing and had taken up to 0.93 miles in the last 24 hours. Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi told President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a video published by the Ukrainian leader that Kyiv's forces had advanced 35 km into the Kursk region since launching an incursion into Russia last week. 'We are moving forward in Kursk region. A military commandant's office has been created which must ensure order and also all the needs of the local population,' he said in a written statement on his Telegram channel. An aerial view shows what the Russian Defence Ministry says are captured Ukrainian service members escorted by Russian service members, following an incursion of Ukrainian troops in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict in the Kursk region, Russia, in this still image from video released August 14 The Russian soldiers surrendered to Ukraine in the western Kursk region of Russia A Ukrainian serviceman drives a self-propelled howitzer 2S1 Gvozdika into Kursk, August 13, 2024 Kyiv's surge into Russian territory last week caught Moscow by surprise, seizing the initiative from Russian forces who have been grinding out small but steady gains all year in the east of the country. Syrskyi said Ukrainian forces had taken 82 settlements under control during the incursion and an area of 1,150 square kilometres. He said he was appointing Major General Eduard Moskalyov to head up a military commandant's office in the Kyiv-held part of western Russia. The colonel general indicated Kyiv's rate of advance had slowed in Kursk region. He said Kyiv had taken between 500 metres and 1.5 km in the last 24 hours, compared with between one and two km reported the day before. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who spoke cryptically of the need to prepare the 'next steps' in his public remarks on Wednesday, again hinted at other possible offensive actions on Russian territory. 'We must clearly guarantee at the legislative level that our warriors, who participate, for example, in the Kursk operation and will participate in all our other actions on the territory of the aggressor state, will receive absolutely all payments and benefits designated for the front line,' he said. This is the moment a woman filmed herself yelling 'Kiss my fat a**e' at counter-protesters during an anti-immigration rally in Bristol earlier this month - as she pleaded guilty to violent disorder this morning. Lisa Bishop, 38, and Elly-Jayne Cox, 33, both pleaded guilty to the charge at Bristol Magistrates' Court after video shared online showed them shouting at counter-protesters and police officers respectively during clashes on August 3. Lisa was heard shouting 'F*** you! F*** you! Kiss my f***ing a**e! Kiss my fat a**e', after counter-protesters began chanting, from behind the camera as tensions soared. Prosecutor Paul Ricketts said video footage showed Elly-Jayne shouting at officers and being 'racist in tone' - in the latest case surrounding the nationwide unrest to cite filmed footage shared on social media. The pair were remanded into custody by District Judge Joanna Dickens on Thursday and will appear before Bristol Crown Court tomorrow for sentencing. Lisa Bishop pleaded guilty to violent disorder following unrest in Bristol earlier this month Elly-Jayne Cox pleaded guilty to violent disorder following unrest in Bristol earlier this month Elly-Jayne Cox was seen in footage shouting at officers and being 'racist in tone': prosecutor Counter-protesters behind police could be heard chanting at the anti-immigration protesters Elly-Jayne Cox was identified in the crowd in video shared on social media Lisa Bishop could be heard shouting after being heckled by counter-protesters on August 3 Mr Ricketts said video of the demonstrations showed Elly-Jayne shouting at officers as the crowd moved to Redcliffe Way. 'She can be seen with a can which it looks like she throws at the opposing group,' Mr Ricketts said. In new video shared online, Elly-Jayne can be seen shouting 'scumbags' from the crowd. Asked how she would plead this morning, she replied: 'Yeah, I'm guilty'. Police have arrested 28 people and charged 15 in connection with unrest in Bristol on August 3. Rallies saw hundreds of far-right protesters, and a counter-protest group, gather around Castle Park in the wake of the Southport stabbings. Riot vans blocked Redcliff Hill as groups moved towards a hotel that houses asylum seekers. Counter protesters said they tried to stop the groups from entering the building - a day before far-right groups would start fires at hotels housing asylum seekers in Rotherham and Tamworth. Video shared by Lisa Bishop showed lines of police, and mounted officers, trying to keep order as rival groups gathered in Bristol. Tensions simmer as a woman shouts out 'Argh, he just spat! Dirty c***' 'He just spat on an officer's back,' she alleges. 'Oh he's allowed to spit? He's allowed to spit?' she protests. The camera pans to show a crowd behind chanting 'Eng-er-land! Eng-er-land!' On the other side of the park, counter-protesters shout 'You are few, we are many!' Holding the camera, Lisa shouts back: 'F*** you! F*** you! F*** you!' A small round of applause echoes around the opposing camp as Lisa continues her protest. 'Kiss my f***ing a**e!' she shouts. 'Kiss it! Kiss my fat a**e!' A man can be heard laughing, apparently at the comment. Other groups on the periphery continue to chant and interact with each other as officers stand by. Ahead of the planned demonstrations, Avon and Somerset Police promised to 'facilitate peaceful and lawful protest', while warning 'we will not tolerate and disorder or behaviour which negatively affects the safety of our communities'. But deplorable scenes on August 3 showed a gang of rioting thugs attacking police at Castle Park in Bristol. Chaotic footage showed one of the yobs, Daniel Russell, twice kicking a Black man, who may have been part of an anti-racism protest. He then spreads his arms to the side and shouts as he squares up to a line of riot police officers before one of the cops pushes him away. Russell, 47 from Bristol, was jailed for 32 months for his involvement in the violent disorder. Representing Russell, Mark Linehan told the court his client was 'profoundly ashamed of his actions on that day'. 'He apologises to those that had to witness it, those that had to experience it in uniform and to the community at large.' Linehan said his client had learning difficulties. Police and opposing demonstrators gather in Castle Park in Bristol on August 3 Anti-fascism protesters gesture at people who had gathered for the 'Enough is Enough' demonstration called by far-right activists in Bristol on August A protester throws a can of cider towards counter-protesters in Bristol on August 3 A police dog bites a protester in Bristol, southern England, on August 3 Judge Macmillan told Russell that 'as a result of the activities that were taking place at this time, your neighbours in this city were frightened to leave their homes'. 'These people are still frightened to do so and frightened for the safety of themselves and their children,' he continued. 'You decided to take part in a violent protest against immigration.' Dominic Capaldi, 34 from Bristol, was sentenced to 34 months in prison after pleading guilty to violent disorder at the same court. Mark Bowen, 40, of no fixed address, was sentenced to 25 months after also admitting to violent disorder. A nine-year-old girl who was killed after she was hit by a double-decker bus alongside her five-year-old brother has been named as nine-year-old Ada Bicakci. She died in hospital on the afternoon of Monday August 5 - two days after she was struck by the vehicle in Bexleyheath, south-east London. Little Ada's organs were donated and used to help six other children, police revealed today. The kind girl had once cut her long hair off to give to charity and has been described as a keen gymnast and swimmer. The male driver of the bus was arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury through dangerous driving and drug-driving. He has been bailed to a date in early November pending further enquiries. Her younger brother was taken to hospital as a precaution but has since been discharged. They were both with a family member at the time of the crash. The nine-year-old girl who was killed in a horror crash with a bus has been named as nine-year-old Ada Bicakci She held Turkish and British citizenship and has been described as a keen gymnast and swimmer - and once had her hair cut for charity (pictured) Police at the scene following the serious collision involving a bus in Bexleyheath, South East London Ada lived close to the scene of the crash and went to a local primary school. She was a Turkish-British national and also attended a Turkish school in the area. The Met Police have confirmed that she will have a multi-faith funeral. The investigation into the collision is continuing and the force are still appealing for witnesses to come forward. They said: 'At 9.05am on Saturday, August 3 police were called to Watling Street near the junction with Halcot Avenue after reports of a bus colliding with two children. 'Ada was taken to hospital by the London Ambulance Service with life-threatening injuries. 'Despite the best efforts of medical staff, she sadly died in the afternoon of Monday, 5 August. 'A five-year-old boy was also taken to hospital as a precaution. They were with a family member at the time of the collision.' Detectives from the Metropolitan Police's Roads and Transport Policing Command are leading the investigation. A Met Police spokesperson said: 'Any witnesses to the collision who are yet to speak with police are asked to call 101 quoting reference CAD 2309/03AUG. 'Alternatively you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.' Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tried to meet with Vice President Kamala Harris to discuss a Cabinet job in exchange for dropping out of the 2024 race. The Washington Post cited Kennedy campaign sources and reported Wednesday on Kennedy's entreaties to the Democratic nominee. It's clear that Kennedy has been looking for an exit ramp from his campaign - but the Democrats aren't interested. 'No one has any intention of negotiating with a MAGA-funded fringe candidate who has sought out a job with Donald Trump in exchange for an endorsement,' Democratic National Committee spokesman Matt Corridoni told DailyMail.com. Kennedy was in touch with Trump directly after the July 13 assassination attempt. Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tried to meet with Vice President Kamala Harris to discuss a Cabinet job in exchange for dropping out of the 2024 race RFK Jr.'s son, Robert F. Kennedy III, leaked video of the conversation. Trump is heard trying to coax RFK Jr. to join his team, suggesting the independent candidate and vaccine skeptic could do something with immunization in a second Trump administration. 'And we're going to win, we're way ahead of the guy,' Trump said of President Joe Biden, who was still in the race at that time. Kennedy is heard saying, 'yeah,' in agreement. While conversations with Trump were ongoing, Kennedy scrapped two appearances on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention. He was supposed to speak virtually at the CNN/Politico Grill and meet with Wisconsin farmers in nearby Madison. Instead he was spotted at two Milwaukee gyms, DailyMail.com reported. A spokesperson for the DNC told DailyMail.com that Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, isn't interested in bartering with Kennedy As next week's Democratic National Convention in Chicago approaches, the Kennedy campaign again announced counter-programming. The independent candidate will appear at a 'Restorative Justice Peace Circle' on Sunday night, on the eve of the four-day convention's kick-off. The event includes several leaders of the 'Black Lives Matter' movement. And then on Monday, Kennedy will headline a 'Peace & Restoration' town hall, where criminal justice will be discussed. Kennedy is currently polling at 5.6 percent, according to the Real Clear Politics polling average, after previously polling in the low double-digits. An American soldier who allegedly crashed into a British nurse in the UK before fleeing to the US is set to be extradited. Isaac Calderon, 23, was arrested in Houston, Texas last month, a year after he rammed into and seriously injured Elizabeth Donowho in Shucknall, Herefordshire. Calderon had failed to appear before Kidderminster Magistrates Court on December 1, 2023, and it was later confirmed by police that he had left the UK on November 25, and flew to the US. He had been undergoing a two-week training in Texas when the US Marshals apprehended him on an extradition warrant when he was arrested. Appearing at a court in Houston in handcuffs and leg shackles last month, a judge said that the man had 'just up and left' the UL rather than face justice there. Isac Calderon - US Serviceman who fled to Texas following road crash injuring Elizabeth Donowho who suffered several broken bones Nurse Elizabeth Donowho close to the site of her car crash in Shucknall Hill, Herefordshire, where she suffered several broken bones Photo of Donowho's injuries after Calderon rammed into her car last year Calderon is accused of smashing head-on into Elizabeth Donowho, 56, near Shucknall in Herefordshire last July then fleeing to the US. According to The Telegraph, Calderon claimed during his extradition hearing that he 'missed his court date not due to a desire to flee, but to his lack of funds', and that his only choice was to return to the US. He also reportedly has 'no money' to travel to his court appearance in the UK. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will now have the final say on his extradition. Calderon is accused of overtaking multiple vehicles before the collision on the A4103 on July 31st last year. West Mercia police issued an arrest warrant for him after he failed to appear for a court date to answer charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. Donowho, from Malvern, Worcestershire, said she was unable to walk for six weeks following the crash that left her with a fractured sternum and two broken ankles. Calderon was living with his family in a suburb of the Texan city until his arrest earlier this week and faces extradition to the UK after a formal request from the British authorities. In court filings in Texas, prosecutors said that Calderon admitted to vaping moments before the crash. Calderon was thought to have been visiting an SAS base in Herefordshire at the time of the crash. In court, his occupation was given as 'American soldier'. Pictured: Image of military ID He told West Mercia police his driving was 'definitely not safe' and agreed with a police officer's description of his conduct as dangerous, a transcript of the interview states. Shown a video of the collision Calderon repeatedly said to police: 'S***'. He also admitted he wasn't used to driving a manual gearbox - or British road signs - and that he just followed other drivers to know when he was supposed to stop. Witnesses said he was doing 70mph in a 50mph zone and was overtaking multiple vehicles before the collision. Calderon was thought to have been visiting an SAS base in Herefordshire at the time of the crash. In court, his occupation was given as 'American soldier'. Donowho said she was left unable to walk for se West Mercia police are said to have told Ms Donowho he was 'associated with the Secret Service'. Following Calderon's arrest last month, Radd Seiger, a spokesman for Ms Donowho, said: 'We are very pleased to see that the long overdue legal proceedings to extradite Mr Calderon are now well and truly underway in Texas and we hope he will be back in our jurisdiction soon. 'We also note that Mr Calderon was arrested last weekend on his army base confirming that he is in active service for the US Government. 'That tallies with what West Mercia Police told Elizabeth that he was in the UK working for the US intelligence agencies and it also means that the US Embassy's public statement last year after Mr Calderon left that he was in the UK only as a private citizen appears to be a fabrication.' 5,000 migrants have now crossed the English Channel on small boats since Labour won the general election in July, Home Office figures have confirmed. The new milestone comes after Home Office figures confirmed that 107 asylum seekers successfully crossed the Channel on Wednesday alone. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has vowed to smash the criminal gangs that run the crossings - but dinghies have continued to enter British waters since his electoral victory on July 5. A total of 18,574 aboard 359 boats have now been detected making the journey to Britain in 2024. A Home Office spokesperson told MailOnline: 'We all want to see an end to dangerous small boat crossings, which are undermining border security and putting lives at risk. 5,000 migrants have now crossed the English Channel on small boats since Labour won the general election in July, Home Office figures have confirmed (File image) Your browser does not support iframes. Dinghies have continued to enter British waters since Starmer's electoral victory on July 5 A total of 18,574 aboard 359 boats have now been detected making the journey to Britain in 2024 '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.' The latest stats come after Downing Street said this week that Britain should 'expect' more boat crossings this summer. Stopping the small boat arrivals was a key issue in Britain's general election in July and the PM had promised to 'smash the gangs' responsible for the crossings. Sir Keir's spokesman admitted on Monday, the hottest day of the year so far, that the warm weather meant officials were expecting more crossings over the coming weeks. Asked whether Labour was failing to stop the boats as effectively as the previous Tory administration, the spokesman said: 'I wouldn't agree with that. 'We know this summer is a challenging time and we expect to see increases before we see improvements in line with that. 'We know that it's in these months that criminal gangs seek to exploit people, taking ever more dangerous tactics and approaches. That's why it's vital that we work to smash the gangs responsible for that and who are risking lives in the Channel.' Sir Keir's (pictured) spokesman admitted on Monday, the hottest day of the year so far, that the warm weather meant officials were expecting more crossings over the coming weeks Stopping the small boat arrivals was a key issue in Britain's general election in July The PM's plan involves creating a new Border Security Command, bringing together existing immigration units given new 'counter-terrorism style' powers (File image) Sir Keir and France's President Emmanuel Macron have pledged to strengthen 'cooperation' in handling the surge in undocumented migrant numbers. The PM's plan involves creating a new Border Security Command, bringing together existing immigration units given new 'counter-terrorism style' powers. The spokesman could not put a time or date on when the new PM's plan will start to work. He also denied that scrapping the Rwanda scheme had made the situation worse, saying there was 'no link' between ditching the plan and the number of arrivals. 'Our focus is actually on getting an immigration system working that can process cases and bear down on the gangs that are driving this,' the spokesman said. Shadow Home Secretary James Cleverly has accused Labour of sending 'the wrong signal' by ditching the previous Tory government's Rwanda proposals - after figures showed small boat crossings had topped 18,000 for this year. The former minister and Conservative leadership hopeful said the numbers showed the Government's 'phantom border command clearly isn't working'. Mr Cleverly said: 'Since Labour have ditched our deterrent, more and more boats are crossing the channel with more and more people in them. 'They've sent the wrong signal, throwing the doors open instead of doing what is necessary to stop the dangerous crossings. 'The Government's phantom border command clearly isn't working. They need to get a grip and fast, otherwise the numbers will continue to climb.' The highest number of arrivals recorded in a single day so far this year was 882 on June 18 and the second highest was 711 on May 1, both under the previous government prior to the general election. The running tally is up by 13 per cent on the same point last year but three per cent lower than at this stage in 2022 which would see an annual record of 45,000 arrivals. At the end of 2018 the then-Home Secretary Sajid Javid declared a 'national emergency' as migrant boats began to cross from continental Europe. Since then, more than 132,000 migrants have reached Britain. Meanwhile, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch has published a report into the sinking of a migrant boat in the Channel that claimed at least eight lives on December 14, 2022. It found the dinghy was wholly unsuitable and ill-equipped for the crossing attempt. The vessel suffered structural failure and many of the migrants entered the water. Some 39 of the people were rescued by fishing vessels plus search and rescue personnel. The bodies of four victims were recovered to the UK and the other four were lost at sea. The MAIB report said: The occupants only method of raising the alarm was via mobile phone. All occupants of the boat were male and aged between 13 and 35, from a mixture of nationalities including Afghan, Sudanese, Indian and Albanian. Ruthless people-trafficking gangs have been packing more and more migrants into unsuitable vessels. The National Crime Agencys annual threat assessment, which was published yesterday, said that the average number of people per boat increased from 41 in 2022 to 49 last year. The report stated that, despite a one-third fall in the number of irregular migrants last year, it is highly likely the threat from organised immigration crime has increased going into 2024. Ed Hardy, a prolific artist and tattoo pioneer, stands in front of one of his works in his exhibition at the de Young Museum in 2019. He plans to close his Tattoo City studio after nearly five decades in San Francisco. Jeff Chiu/Associated Press San Franciscos iconic Tattoo City, which first opened in 1977, will close its North Beach shop by years end, as its founder, Don Ed Hardy, battles dementia. We have decided that the time has come for this part of San Francisco tattoo history to come to an end, Tattoo City announced on social media this week. Hardy, 79, a tattoo innovator and historian, estimated that he inked tens of thousands of people at the shop. Known for his intricate designs, Hardy revolutionized the tattoo art form with vivid depictions of ferocious tigers, bloody daggers and topless hula dancers. His works also inspired a global fashion line by French designer Christian Audigier, though their partnership ended acrimoniously. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A museumgoer looks at a wall of tattoos created by Ed Hardy in Ed Hardy: Deeper Than Skin at the de Young Museum in 2019. Hardys tattoo shop, Tattoo City in North Beach, will be closing at the end of this year. Jeff Chiu/Associated Press Despite retiring over a decade ago due to arthritis, Hardys influence persisted through Tattoo Citys operations, helmed by his wife, Francesca Passalacqua, and son, Doug Hardy, also a renowned tattoo artist. Starting his career in the mid-1950s, Hardy witnessed tattoos evolve from fringe fetishes to mainstream rites of passage. Inspired by Japanese tattoo art, he moved to Japan in 1973, becoming the first Westerner to apprentice under master Horihide, in the city Gifu, and immersing himself in yakuza culture. Upon returning to San Francisco, Hardy opened Realistic Tattoo Studio in 1974, offering custom body art by appointment. This was a departure from the traditional walk-in model where people had to settle on a premade flash piece from a menu. Ed Hardy shows off a tiger tattoo he created on the arm of fellow tattoo artist Mary Joy Scott in 2006. Despite retiring over a decade ago due to arthritis, his influence persisted through his shop Tattoo City, which he opened in 1977. Chris Stewart/The Chronicle 2006 Tattoo Citys first location at 2906 Mission St. was destroyed by fire in 1978. Its second iteration at 722 Columbus Ave., opened in 1991 during a tattoo renaissance, ultimately moving to an unassuming pink storefront at 700 Lombard St. in 1999. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Fellow tattoo pioneer Lyle Tuttles shop, around the corner on Columbus Avenue, closed in 2019 following his death. Former President Donald Trump's lawyers are seeking to put off his sentencing in the Stormy Daniels hush money trial until after the election, after getting an earlier reprieve following a Supreme Court ruling. Now, Trump lawyer Todd Blanche argues in a letter to Judge Juan Merchan for a delay, citing the risk of 'election interference'. He wants sentencing 'adjourned until after the Presidential election,' Blanche writes in a new letter to the judge where he invokes new developments in the 2024 election. Blanche's letter also brings up the failed effort to get Merchan to recuse from the case due to his daughter's work for a firm that does digital ad campaigns for Democrats. He he faults Kamala Harris' new running mate Gov. Tim Walz for having 'wrongly referred to this case in a public speech as the Democrat Party's nominee for Vice President.' Harris, a former DA and California AG, has made going after 'predators' and other suspects a key part of her stump speech since stepping in for President Joe Biden. Trump wants to prevent the District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office from filing a sentencing submission while the court is considering Trump's motion on presidential immunity, following the Supreme Court's ruling on the complex matter. Merchan is scheduled to rule Sept. 16 on the immunity issue, and Trump's team wants him to put off sentencing until any appeal is allowed to go through. He has previously said the Sept. 18th sentencing date 'remains unchanged.' Lawyers for former President Donald Trump said it would amount to 'election interference' to go ahead with scheduled Sept. 18th sentencing in his Stormy Daniels hush money case Former George W. Bush Justice Department official John Yoo told Fox News Merchan could in fact send Trump to jail in the midst of the campaign, following his conviction by a Manhattan jury of 34 counts of falsifying business records. 'Judge Merchan has ruled against Donald Trump every opportunity hes had,' said Yoo. 'He could have exercised his discretion here to change the sentencing date. But instead, he actually moved it closer to the beginning of absentee voting in my home state of Pennsylvania' a key battleground where Harris has opened up a narrow polling lead in the latest surveys. 'This really, could you imagine what would happen if Judge Merchan sentenced Donald Trump to jail time, even though hes a first time nonviolent offender?' said Yoo. 'What if Judge Merchan even went crazier and said, Donald Trump doesnt even get to stay out of jail while his case is on appeal? He has the power to actually order Donald Trump sent to jail immediately, although I expect he wouldnt.' New York Judge Juan Merchan already delayed sentencing following a Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity Many legal experts predicted before and after Trump's conviction that the non-violent first-time offender most likely would not get jail time. But Merchan has repeatedly fined Trump after finding he violated a gag order in the case. After numerous efforts to themselves delay the case and winning a Supreme Court ruling that blew up the Trump trial schedules, Trump's team says it would be improper to go ahead with sentencing with voting underway. 'Finally, setting aside naked election-interference objectives, they wrote, there is no valid countervailing reason for the Court to keep the current sentencing date on the calendar. There is no basis for continuing to rush,' Blanche wrote. Newly released video captured the moment an alleged assassin was shot in the central Mexico state of Tlaxcala. The victim, identified as 23-year-old Jonathan, and members of the Los Barba gang were seen on camera attempting to ambush a retired military sergeant at his home in the Tlaxcala municipality of Totolac. The surveillance footage, which was leaked on social media Monday, showed Jonathan walking in front of the group before they suddenly opened fired on July 24 at 4:21 pm. Three of the gang members briefly disappeared from the view of the camera while a fourth gunman remained several yards away from the home reloading his gun with ammunition. An alleged group of assassins linked to the 'Los Barbas' gang was seen on camera firing at the home of a retired military sergeant on July 24 in the central Mexican state of Tlaxcala. One of the gang members, identified as 23-year-old Jonathan (right), was shot by the veteran while he was trying to run away and is in critical condition The alleged gang assassins were seen on camera running away after they were done shooting at a retired military veteran The veteran fired a shot that struck the metal gate of a residence as the gang members began to retreat before Jonathan was shot and fell to the ground. One of the wounded gunman's accomplices, who identifies himself in the video as his brother, later ran back to check on him and yelled at the retired sergeant before he knelt over his friends body. A second video showed Jonathans father arriving at the scene at 4:28 pm in a private SUV and crying over his body while he begged cops and soldiers to call for an ambulance. Several cops could be seen showing Jonathan's father the bullet casings. The teens boy was eventually loaded on to the vehicle and taken to a local hospital. Family members requested an ambulance from the police before they loaded the wounded alleged gang member into a SUV and rushed him to a hospital The wounded gang member returned to the scene to check on his brother after he was shot - moments after the group had opened fire on the home of a military veteran they had argued with in the Tlaxcala municipality of Totolac on July 24 Marines and the police allowed the family to remove the wounded gang member instead of transporting him to a hospital in an ambulance Azteca Noticias reported that Jonathan remains hospitalized and in serious condition. Several media outlets reported that the shooting was allegedly sparked by an argument involving the sergeant and the gang members at a neighborhood store. The gunmen followed him to his residence and began to fire before he responded. DailyMail.com reach out to the Tlaxcala State Attorney Generals Office for comment. A court in the Russian capital on Wednesday handed a 15-day sentence to a U.S. citizen on charges of minor disorderly conduct. Moscow's District Court ordered the American, identified as Joseph Tater, to spend 15 days under administrative arrest on 'petty hooliganism' charges. Earlier Wednesday, Russia's Investigative Committee, the country's top criminal investigation agency, said that it had opened a criminal case against an unidentified U.S. citizen accused of attacking a police officer. Joseph Tater stands in a courtroom facing criminal assault charges after allegedly attacking a police officer in a Moscow hotel Russian state news agencies Tass and RIA-Novosti said that the American became abusive after being asked to show his documents at an upscale hotel on Monday evening. They claimed that the American 'behaved aggressively' and used profanities when the hotel refused to accommodate him, citing a lack of required documents. The reports said that the man attacked a police officer when he was taken to a police precinct. Officials at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow said they were aware of the reports, but wouldn't make further comments because of privacy restrictions. Several Americans are serving sentences in Russia on drug or theft convictions. A U.S.-Russian dual national, Ksenia Khavana, is expected to be sentenced on Thursday after pleading guilty in a closed trial to raising money for Ukraine's military. Prosecutors called for a 15-year term. In the largest Russia-West prisoner exchange since the end of the Cold War, Russia this month released Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and American corporate security executive Paul Whelan, both of whom were imprisoned on espionage convictions. Russia also released U.S.-Russian dual national Alsu Kurmasheva, a Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe journalist sentenced to 6 years for spreading 'false information' about the Russian military. Gov. Tim Walz should not be allowed to serve as vice president because of mischaracterizations he made about his time in the military, Sen. J.D. Vance said during a campaign stop in Pennsylvania on Thursday. The Republican vice presidential candidate continued to berate his Democratic counterpart by claiming Walz is 'insulting' troops with his lies. And he slammed Vice President Kamala Harris for trying to turn around the news cycle by 'playing victim' and accusing Republicans of attacking her running mate's 'honorable' time in the Army and National Guard. 'We're not attacking his honorable service, we're attacking the dishonesty about that service that is not honorable,' Vance insisted at a campaign stop about an hour outside of Pittsburgh. 'That is the height of dishonor, and Tim Walz should not be the vice president of the United States because of it.' Speaking with reporters aboard Trump Force Two later on Thursday, Vance doubled down and said talking about Walz's service is 'fair game' because he 'embellished' details over the course of 15 years. Sen. J.D. Vance tore into Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's 'lies' about his military service during a campaign event at VFW Post 92 in New Kensington, Pennsylvania on Thursday '[Harris] selected this guy, and they presumably have vetted the guy. And now when obvious lies and embellishments are coming to the forefront, they're trying to hide and say, 'no, no, you can't criticize his service.' Nobody's criticizing his service,' Vance said. 'I'm not criticizing his time in the Army,' he continued. 'I'm criticizing the way that he got out. I'm criticizing the fact that he lied and said he went to war when he didn't. And I'm criticizing the fact that he embellished multiple parts of his record in multiple media interviews over a 15 year-period.' 'I think it's totally fair game because I think it reflects on his integrity,' Vance said. 'And more importantly I think it reflects on Kamala Harris' judgment.' After becoming a member at local VFW Post 92 on Thursday morning, the Ohio senator hyped up a mostly veteran crowd by tearing into Walz on the third anniversary of the withdrawal from Afghanistan. The Marine Corps veteran also held a moment of silence for the 13 fallen service members at the top of his remarks. Joined by four other politicians who are also combat veterans, Vance rallied even more distaste against Walz and painted a picture of a better life for current and former troops under a Trump-Vance administration. Vance and other Republicans are jumping on comments Walz made that appeared to embellish what he did during his time in the service, including claiming that he carried weapons of war 'in war. The Harris-Walz campaign claims that their VP contender misspoke and slams Republicans for their attacks aimed at his time in service. '[Harris] selected this guy, and they presumably have vetted the guy. And now when obvious lies and embellishments are coming to the forefront, they're trying to hide and say, 'no, no, you can't criticize his service.' Nobody's criticizing his service,' Vance told press onboard Trump Force Two on Thursday Vance shows off his new VFW Post 92 membership card at a rally in New Kensington, Pennsylvania on Thursday, August 15 J.D. Vance and wife Usha share a smoosh before his remarks in Pennsylvania 'Let's just summarize the truth,' Vance said at his rally. 'Tim Walz said that he carried a weapon in war. He never went to war. Tim Walz said that he didn't know his unit was about to deploy to Iraq, when even his own press release at the time said that he knew exactly that. Tim Walz claimed to be a Command Sergeant Major, even had it printed on his challenge coins, and he knew he never achieved that rank.' 'And now, Kamala Harris, showing terrible judgment, has decided that her way out of this political problem is to claim that she and Tim Walz are the victims,' Vance lamented to jeers from the Pennsylvania crowd. 'I think the victims are the veterans who are having their service disparaged because the guy who wants to be their vice president is lying instead of telling the truth. I think those are the real victims.' Wealthy Americans have descended on Maine to buy waterfront real estate - in some cases building whole compounds on picturesque plots of land. The median sale price last year for single-family homes on lakes or ponds in the state was $415,000, a 72 percent increase from 2019, the Wall Street Journal reported. That jump has translated into more luxury homes being sold, as well. 'We've seen a ton more $2 million to $4 million sales [of Maine lake homes] over the last five years than most of us ever dreamed we would see,' said southern Maine real-estate agent John Scribner of LandVest. Beyond buying existing homes, some new arrivals are constructing them from scratch, knocking down rustic cabins in favor of fancy lodges and nifty workshops. Lake Sebago, a little over an hour's drive from Portland, has become a real estate hot spot in Maine Houses line the shoreline of the Rangeley Lakes Region, over 100 miles north of Portland While affluent Americans are just discovering Maine, the savviest real estate investors have known about its potential for years and got in early. Last year, Kathleen Murphy, once a veteran executive at Fidelity Investments, sold her and her husband's 29-acre property on Jordan Bay for $8.5 million after buying it for $5.53 million in 2016. The arrival of new-money types isn't sitting well with longtime locals like Randal Coulton, who has a 3,600-square-foot log house on an island in Moosehead Lake. Coulton said he's witnessed large homes replace modest ones over the last 20 years and chastised new owners who've cleared trees to erect 'ungodly' lodges. But even he understands why people are coming in droves. 'Maine has been the bargain for a long time and it's now being discovered and everyone wants a part of it,' he said. 'You can't blame them.' Last year, Kathleen Murphy, once a veteran executive at Fidelity Investments, sold her and her husband's 29-acre property on Jordan Bay for $8.5 million after buying it for $5.53 million in 2016 A woman stretches on a dock at dawn on Lake Sebago James and Catherine Ritter were first enticed by the majesty of America's northernmost contiguous state when they made it a summer tradition to bring their three children there for vacation, renting a place on the site of an old girls' camp. The Ritters, now in their 60s, split their time between Maine and the Boston area and moved quite a bit when their kids were young. But the one constant, Catherine said, 'was going to Maine for two weeks each summer.' When James retired from his job in financial management, the couple felt it was finally time to buy a house in Maine. They liked the idea of recreating a camp-like experience for their now-grown children. In 2011, they paid $800,000 for a 40-acre property on Hancock Pond that was previously part of a YWCA camp, complete with a lodge, three rustic cabins and an infirmary. They kept many of the structures, transforming the lodge into a main house and the infirmary into a workshop. The cost of renovations came to roughly $2 million. Moosehead Lake, seen in the height of autumn, is one of the largest mountain lakes in the U.S. A view of Phillips Lake, another more northern lake in the state Maine architect Chris Delano explained that replacing worn-out cabins with flashier real estate is his firm's specialty. He said the pandemic helped bring more people to the state. 'COVID spurred the idea, "I can work from anywhere. It's beautiful here," 'he said. The fear of climate change and erosion of shorelines is also driving some to the more than 6,000 lakes in Maine. The Ricciardiellos, who are in their 70s, sold their beach house in Gloucester, Massachusetts for that exact reason in 2020. They then spent $1.8 million on six-and-a-half acres in Jordan Bay, an inland body of water about an hour from Portland. They have since built a four-bedroom house with a porch facing the water, and renovated three outbuildings they now use for boats and other storage space. Joanne Ricciardiello said that their children are also gravitating toward the tranquil property, with one son already having built a 3,700-square-foot home there. A second son plans to build another house. As areas like Lake Sebago and Jordan Bay see more construction, other wealthy homeowners are looking for even more privacy. Aerial images of Frye Island on Lake Sebago Houses on Frye Island dot the shoreline of Lake Sebago A family enjoys a beach on Lake Sebago Between 2015 and 2017, retirees Pat and Jodi Maley bought 150 acres on Moosehead Lake for $2.675 million. Moosehead Lake, in the deep north of Maine, is also home to billionaire John Malone, the chairman of the telecommunications company Liberty Global. Initially, the Maleys' property had simple 1920s house with a leaky roof, Pat Maley explained. They lived in it for several years before spending several million dollars to construct a new lodge and guesthouse. 'We wanted it to be substantial, but something that blended in well with the natural surroundings,' Pat Maley said. The couple grew up on Lake Superior - Pat, 62, on the Canadian side and Jodi, 63, in Michigan - making lake people from the start. Moosehead Lake is home to billionaire John Malone, the chairman of telecommunications company Liberty Global. The town docks in Rangeley with boats and lakefront homes in the background A boat ramp that leads into a lake in Belgrade, Maine, another Portland-adjacent town The remote location of their new home made it difficult for the construction work to get done. Their contractor, who also happens to be pilot, would sometimes land his water plane at the Maleys' dock to bring in supplies. The couple even considered a substantial offer for the home - one that would have likely been the one of the state's priciest transactions of all time - but ultimately turned it down. 'We found one ranch in Montana that was maybe of interest,' said Pat Maley, noting that they would be giving up lakefront views for river frontage. 'It just wasn't enough to tip the scale and get us to leave.' An American Airlines flight from Boston to Rochester was forced to emergency land after smoke was spotted in the cabin. The flight was forced to land at Syracuse Hancock International Airport in Syracuse, New York, following the incident. The plane, an Embraer RJ145, landed without incident and was taxied to the gate by the airports fire and rescue teams. The 48 passengers onboard the flight were then bussed from Syracuse to the Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport. The plane, an Embraer RJ145, landed without incident and was taxied to the gate by the airports fire and rescue teams The flight was forced to land at Syracuse Hancock International Airport in Syracuse, New York, following the incident In March of last year a Spirit Airlines flight from Dallas to Orlando made an emergency landing in Jacksonville after a fire broke out in an overhead locker, filling the cabin with smoke. A passenger on board described the moment a retired firefighter put out the fire, which was said to have been caused by a device that was connected to a portable battery in a backpack. After safely landing ten people were taken to a hospital due to the smoke with non-life-threatening injuries. The FAA later confirmed it was caused by a battery. Five people, including two doctors, a live-in assistant and an alleged drug dealer known as the 'Ketamine Queen', have been arrested in connection with the overdose death of Matthew Perry. The suspects were apprehended on Thursday over claims they are part of a 'broad underground criminal network' that supplied the Friends star the ketamine that killed him in October 2023. Doctors Salvador Plasencia, 42, and Mark Chavez, 54, alleged drug dealers Jasveen 'Ketamine Queen' Sangha, 41, and Eric Fleming, 54, and Perry's live-in assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, 59, have all been charged. Prosecutors say the group preyed on the vulnerable star's addiction issues, with the doctors even referring to him as a 'moron' in cruel texts where they discussed how to further exploit him. Perry was found unresponsive in the hot tub of his LA home on October 28 by Iwamasa. His cause of death later determined to be 'the acute effects of ketamine'. Five people including two doctors, a live-in assistant and an alleged dealer known as the 'Ketamine Queen' have been arrested in connection with the death of Matthew Perry Jasveen Sangha, 41, is better known as the 'Ketamine Queen' of north Hollywood. Prosecutors say she is the lynchpin for a 'broad underground criminal network' which supplied the Friends star the ketamine that killed him in October 2023 The live-in assistant has since admitted being the one who administered the fatal doses to the actor, after being trained how to deliver them by Plasencia. Court documents allege that Iwamasa injected Perry with 27 shots of ketamine in five days. But prosecutors claim that Sangha's distribution of the substance on October 4, 2023 led to his death. Sangha had thousands of pills and kilograms of powder in her 'drugs emporium' home, photos published by prosecutors reveal. Federal law enforcement raided her home in March and recovered the incriminating evidence along with text messages about selling 'double strength' ketamine. Sangha, who has dual US and British citizenship, is now charged with a slew of drug offenses related to supplying the ketamine that killed Perry. An affidavit filed in a Los Angeles federal court by freshman DEA agent Tyler Abrego on March 20 describes a raid the day before on Sangha's home. 'During the search, law enforcement seized significant quantities of illegal drugs, including approximately 1,978 grams of orange pills that field tested positive for methamphetamine, 79 bottles containing a clear liquid that field tested positive for ketamine, and various other suspect narcotics,' Agent Abrego wrote in the criminal complaint. A handgun can also be seen in a photo of the seized drugs included in Abrego's affidavit. The complaint said Sangha was a 'large volume drug dealer' previously identified by the DEA, LAPD homicide detectives and the US Postal Inspection Service. Agents seized her cell phone, which had 'conversations related to selling pressed methamphetamine pills and ketamine.' In one March text conversation about selling ketamine, she asked for a payment of '958,51' to her PayPal, and said 'I think you'll like these but remember they're double strength'. Videos recovered from her phone showed her 'cooking ketamine', the DEA agent wrote. Doctor Salvador Plasencia, 42, has also been charged with conspiracy to distribute ketamine Perry's former live-in assistant Kenneth Iwamasa was also charged and admitted to administering the fatal dose of ketamine which killed the Friends actor In a press conference, US attorney Martin Estrada described Perry's steady descent into ketamine addiction, which started with him obtaining the controlled substance through doctors, before eventually resorting to street vendors. An explosive indictment alleges that the defendants made tens of thousands of dollars by selling the narcotic to the troubled star. In one instance, Plascenica worked with Chavez to charge Perry $2,000 for a vial of ketamine that cost $12, after he became increasingly desperate to get his hands on the drug, according to the filings. The doctors allegedly used Iwamasa, 59, to distribute approximately 20 vials of ketamine to the actor over a two-month period from September to October 2023 'in exchange for 55,000 dollars'. Text messages between them show them conspiring to supply Perry, with Plasencia insisting that he wants to be the star's 'go to' for the narcotic, the indictment shows. In one message, prosecutors claim that Plasencia sent a message to Chavez asking, 'I wonder how much this moron will pay', in reference to Perry. Estrada added that the defendants exchanged other messages in which they tried to cover up their involvement in supplying Perry ketamine after his death. After it was reported in the news, Sangha texted Fleming, 'Delete all our messages', prosecutors said. Jasveen Sangha, 41, otherwise known as the 'Ketamine Queen' of north Hollywood is also charged. Investigators said they discovered a 'drugs emporium' at her home during a raid in March 2024 Prosecutors say that Sangha's distribution of ketamine on October 4, 2023 led to Perry's death The indictment alleges that the defendants sold Perry a vial of ketamine that costs $12 for $2,000 as he became increasingly dependent on the substance Plasencia is charged with seven counts of distribution of ketamine and two counts of altering and falsifying documents or records related to the federal investigation. The other three defendants were charged separately and two have pleaded guilty, with a third agreeing to plead guilty. Fleming admitted to obtaining the ketamine from Sangha and distributing it to Iwamasa, who admitted then giving the drug to the star. On one occasion, Iwamasa is said to have met with Plasencia in a public Long Beach parking lot where the doctor injected the star with ketamine inside a vehicle. Two days later, he did the same thing with a large dose of ketamine at Perry's home that caused him to 'freeze up' and his blood pressure to significantly spike, the indictment says. Plasencia told Iwamasa something to the effect of: 'Let's not do that again,' but he still left additional vials of ketamine with Iwamasa for injecting Perry with, court papers say. Meanwhile in his plea agreement, San Diego doctor Chavez admitted to diverting supplies from his clinic, to Plasencia by filling out fake prescriptions. 'These defendants cared more about profiting off of Mr. Perry than caring for his well-being,' Estrada said. In his last post to his Instagram Perry shared images of him in his pool where he would later be found dead Alleged drug dealer Sangha could be facing life in prison if convicted of all offences 'Drug dealers selling dangerous substances are gambling with other people's lives over greed. This case, along with our many other prosecutions of drug-dealers who cause death, send a clear message that we will hold drug-dealers accountable for the deaths they cause.' He added that Sangha was aware of the dangers of ketamine after she allegedly sold it to another victim, Cody McLaury, hours before his overdose death in 2019. After a family member of McLaurys sent her a text message saying that her ketamine had killed McLaury, Sangha conducted a Google search for 'can ketamine be listed as a cause of death', prosecutors said. If convicted of all charges, Sangha could face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Plasencia could face up to 10 years in federal prison for each ketamine-related count and up to 20 years in federal prison for each records falsification count. Iwamasa and Fleming will face up to 15 years and 25 years, respectively, when they are sentenced in their federal cases. Chavez has been charged in an information pursuant to a plea agreement and will be arraigned on August 30. At sentencing, Chavez will face up to 10 years in federal prison. 'We allege each of the defendants played a key role in his death by falsely prescribing, selling, or injecting the ketamine that caused Matthew Perry's tragic death,' said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. Multiple law enforcement agencies have carried out searches, seizing computers, phones and other devices to try and establish which of the suspects was responsible for giving Perry the fatal dose 'Matthew Perry's journey began with unscrupulous doctors who abused their position of trust because they saw him as a payday, to street dealers who gave him ketamine in unmarked vials.' Beloved actor Perry had been receiving prescribed ketamine therapy to treat his anxiety and depression. But he had not had one of those treatments for a week-and-a-half prior to his death. That means the ketamine found in his system after he drowned had not been prescribed. The amount in his blood was in the range used for general anesthesia during surgery. It was listed as the primary cause of death, which was ruled an accident with no foul play suspected, the report said. The actor had been open about his struggles with substance abuse. In 2022, he said he estimated he had that spent $9 million battling his addictions across 15 rehab stays. York Council has come under fire after announcing plans to sell off homes including in the city's historic 'Shambles' amid an effort to improve affordable housing options. The council agreed to sell five one-bed flats in The Shambles and The Avenue on the open market, arguing it was the most financially viable option as they had deteriorated no affordable housing provider would be equipped to take them on. Councillors were told this week the historic nature of the sites made it unviable to improve them, after the executive agreed to sell the properties in July. But opponents say the decision to sell homes on The Shambles, a historic landmark believed to have inspired Harry Potter's Diagon Alley, now in the most expensive part of the city, is a mistake, branded a 'fire sale of the city's crown jewels'. Lib Dem opposition leader Cllr Nigel Ayre has argued that selling the flats would reduce the availability of potentially affordable housing, and said the plans went against Labour's housing commitments, as reported by York Mix. The historic Shambles has become one of the most expensive parts of the city They are also believed to have inspired Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter Franchise The Shambles is one of the best-preserved Medieval shopping streets in Europe, according to York's travel website. Its cobbled streets are lined with old overhanging buildings and shopfronts, forming a busy trading street to this day. Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter in 2007 The iconic facades in a desirable part of town have made The Shambles one of the most expensive places to live in the city. Mortgage company Bankrate judged that The Shambles was the second most expensive 'famous street' in England - after London's Oxford Street. While the shop-fronts have all been replaced and restored over the years, their careful preservation provides rare insight into the York of old. Many today now house cafes, sweet shops and gift shops key to local trade. York Council has been crucial to the preservation of this site, buying up many of the properties in 1920 to stop them being demolished. The decision to sell off flats a century later remains controversial. The council's corporate services, climate change and scrutiny management committee heard on Monday a litany of issues with the flats on The Shambles. This included accessibility problems 'and other requirements', according to York Mix. Judging their upkeep not financially viable, the council has made the case for selling the properties. Cllr Ayre, among the most vocal critics of the plan, said the move would see the flats sold off to the highest bidder. This risked going against Labour's commitments to providing more affordable housing, he argued. 'This is nothing short of a fire sale of council assets, including some of the city's crown jewels,' he said. 'Given the location of the Shambles flats we all know what they will be used for, this is a conscious decision to flip affordable homes into luxury flats. 'We're not a private developer, we're a local authority, there is social value in having somewhere in the city centre where people can afford to live.' Cllr Pavlovic argued that selling the flats would raise money that could then be invested in good quality affordable housing elsewhere. 'No one wants to take these properties on and it would cost a fortune to redevelop them,' he said. 'The Avenue building has been allowed to deteriorate for five years. 'The money that we receive from selling them will deliver far more affordable housing elsewhere.' The Shambles has been voted the most picturesque street in Britain The council bought flats in 1920 to stop them being demolished The Shambles, still lined with buildings dating back to the 15th century, took the prize for Britain's most picturesque street in the Google Street View Awards in 2010. Ian Addyman, a shop-owner on the strip, said at the time it was full of 'historic charm'. He said: 'There is a real feeling of community amongst shop owners and I think we all feel privileged to work in such a beautiful place. The shops here are all strikingly different and unique. 'Most people say that if you visit York, then at some point you will walk down The Shambles. 'It has been the backdrop for many a jigsaw, chocolate box and railway poster and once you visit you will see why.' Amazon has been given the go ahead to test-fly delivery drones beyond the visual range of a human operator in the UK. The e-commerce giant is edging ever closer to being able to fly your deliveries right to your doorstep in under an hour, as trials continue. Amazon is currently one of six companies involved in projects headed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), aiming to finalise regulations for wider drone use. Trials involving the other five companies include air traffic control, policing and delivering emergency medical supplies and inspecting offshore windfarms. Kirkwall airport in the Orkney islands - one of the establishments taking part - will be testing how drones and aircrafts can operate safely and harmoniously. Amazon has been given the green light to test-fly delivery drones beyond the visual range of a human operator in the UK (pictured: an Amazon drone) The e-commerce giant hopes to eventually be able to deliver packages to customers in under an hour with new technology(pictured: guests at Amazon's Delivering the Future explore the MK30) This comes after the technology giant said in 2023 the service would begin from one of its UK same-day delivery sites this year. The rollout is said to be part of an expansion of drone deliveries, which will also see it be introduced in Italy. Drone deliveries are already operating in Lockeford, California and College Station, Texas. The CAA has revealed the ongoing trials will use 'advanced technologies' to carry out tasks such as navigation and detecting other aircrafts, as it seeks to finalise regulations for the expanded use of drones. During these tests, key safety data detailing how drones sense and dodge other aircrafts as well as their communication with air traffic control, will be collected. They will also document how drones emit electronic signals to identify themselves to others in the sky. Sophie O'Sullivan, director of future of flight at the CAA, told the Guardian: 'These innovative trials mark a significant step forward in integrating drones safely into UK airspace. 'By supporting projects ranging from consumer deliveries to critical infrastructure inspections, we are gathering essential data to shape future policies and regulations. Drone deliveries are already operating in Lockeford, California and College Station Texas The trails led by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) hopes finalise regulations for the expanded use of drones (pictured/l engineers working on an Amazon drone) 'Our goal is to make drone operations beyond visual line of sight a safe and everyday reality, contributing to the modernisation of UK airspace and the incorporation of new technology into our skies.' David Carbon, the vice-president and general manager of Prime Air, added: 'It's crucial for operators like us to have clear regulatory requirements in order to bring and scale new technologies, such as drone delivery, to customers in the UK. 'We appreciate the CAA's effort to partner with us to help bring clarity to the regulations that support commercial drone delivery.' Amazon previously ran a short trial of an earlier version of the Prime Air drone delivery system in Cambridgeshire in 2016 but later pulled back on the UK division in 2021. A nuclear-capable Russian strategic bomber aircraft prized by Vladimir Putin that cost the authoritarian 228million crashed tonight in a remote Siberian region. Footage showed the moment it exploded. The cause of the Tu-22M3 going out of control was not immediately revealed. Witnesses said this type of plane - used by Vladimir Putin as a key plank in his nuclear arsenal - broke up in the sky before crashing amid fierce explosions. It came at a time of deeply strained relations between the east and west, and as Russia is at war with Ukraine. Putin's regime is also making repeated threats to unleash nuclear weapons on Ukraine or the West. A nuclear-capable Russian strategic bomber aircraft prized by Vladimir Putin that cost the authoritarian 228million crashed tonight in a remote Siberian region Footage showed the moment it exploded. The cause of the Tu-22M3 going out of control was not immediately revealed The Tu-22M3 (pictured) is prized by Putin for its nuclear capabilities Putin (pictured) has heavily invested in his nation's military Initial reports said the crew of four had safely ejected before the aircraft hit the ground and exploded in the Irkutsk region of Siberia. Three had been located and a search was underway for a fourth who had a broken leg, according to reports. Later reports said he had been found. The worst they suffered were 'bruises and fractures' There was not thought to be any danger of nuclear pollution. The plane crashed near the village of Mikhailovka in Irkutsk region, some 3,300 miles east of Moscow. It came down close to a major highway. While the cause was not given, a routine explanation of a 'technical malfunction' was fed to the Russian media. The plane crashed near the village of Mikhailovka in Irkutsk region, some 3,300 miles east of Moscow While the cause was not given, a routine explanation of a 'technical malfunction' was fed to the Russian media It came down close to a major highway Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin this week deployed two Tu-22M3 to threaten the West in a nuclear drill over the Baltic Sea. At the same time, two Tu-95MS strategic nuclear missile carriers buzzed the north of Britain by flying over the Norwegian Sea escorted by MiG-31 combat warplanes. The captain was the last to eject, reported SOTA media. The bomber had been flying from the Belaya airfield when it crashed evidently soon after takeoff. A report said: 'The crew miraculously steered the falling plane away from residential buildings and ejected.' Locals said there were repeated explosions from the crash site. A fire at the crash site was being extinguished by Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations. Locals report that there were explosions at the site of the wreckage after the crash. Chevron, which operates a refinery in Richmond, agreed to pay the city $550 million over the next 10 years. In exchange, city leaders agreed to pull a November ballot measure that could have imposed a $1-per-barrel tax on oil refined at the facility. Nina Riggio/The Chronicle The Richmond City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to approve a $550 million settlement with Chevron in exchange for pulling a November ballot measure that could have imposed an oil-refining tax on the company. Per the agreement, Chevron will pay $50 million a year for the next five years, then $60 million a year for the following five. The company initially offered $300 million, but raised the sum after a week of negotiations. Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez called the settlement a historic moment that followed a difficult set of negotiations. By standing up for environmental justice, as we have, other communities, too, can require that their polluters do the right thing, he said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The settlement money will help pay for much-needed infrastructure improvements, City Council members said, and comes just as money from a previous settlement was drying up. Chevron in 2010 agreed to pay the city about $115 million over 15 years, with those payments set to expire in 2025. In exchange for that sum, the council dropped a plan that some advocates said could have done more to hold Chevron accountable for environmental harms associated with its refining activities. In June, the council unanimously agreed to place a measure on the ballot that would ask voters to approve a $1 tax per barrel of oil refined in the city for the next 50 years. The so-called Polluters Pay Ballot Measure was set to appear before Richmond voters on the Nov. 5 ballot. The ballot measure, which council members expected Richmond residents to approve, had the potential to raise even more revenue. The citys finance director estimated that the tax could have generated $60 million to $90 million a year, according to council documents. However, council members said they feared litigation from Chevron could have prevented the measure from paying dividends. A similar tax passed in Carson (Los Angeles County) in 2017 has yet to bear fruit because of litigation and is costing that city around $1 million annually in legal fees, Richmond Council Member Doria Robinson said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In June, a Chevron employee and a recently formed nonprofit organization, called the Coalition for Richmonds Future, sued the council over the wording that would have framed the tax on the November ballot. Chevron also expressed intent to litigate, according to council documents. Given the potential for legal challenges, city officials said accepting much-needed funds was a prudent choice. To have half a billion dollars in front of us and then to say no when there is so much need is just not something I can do, Robinson said. Some community leaders expressed disappointment that the ballot measure was pulled. Our campaign did not approach the city with this concept just so that Chevron would cut a deal that is pennies to them, Kerry Guerin, an attorney with Communities for a Better Environment, said at the council meeting. But others said the lucrative settlement is evidence of environmental advocates sway over Chevron. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Chevron would rather pay than see us win at the ballot box, said Megan Zapanta, an organizer with the Asian Pacific Environmental Network, at the council meeting. Chevron called the agreement a win-win for the city and the company. This agreement will allow Chevron to continue to employ thousands of Bay Area residents and remain focused on providing the affordable, reliable, and ever-cleaner energy that this region demands every day, said Brian Hubinger, the public and government affairs manager for Chevron Richmond, while also supplying the city with much needed additional funding to support our communitys needs. Community activists also urged city officials to use the new funds to support environmental justice causes. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Teachers have been urged to show warmth and emotional responsiveness to classroom yobs in spineless new SNP Government guidance. An action plan published by Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth admitted that school staff have warned of a lack of meaningful consequences for disruptive behaviour. But it called for high warmth and support, high standards and high expectations of socially responsible behaviour - which critics warned was a bid to appease troublemakers. Shocking new figures last month revealed that teachers are assaulted by a pupil every four minutes, with more than 16,000 attacks in the most recent academic year. Education secretary Jenny Gilruth claims the lasting effects of the pandemic and the cost of living crisis is having 'a major impact' on pupils Last night Chris McGovern of the Campaign for Real Education said: The Scottish Government is refusing to face up to the reality of a collapse in school standards. It seems determined to appease trouble-makers by showing them emotional warmth. It is showing a spineless disregard for best interests of the majority of children. The document - entitled Improving relationships and behaviour in schools: ensuring safe and consistent environments for all states that positive outcomes are most evidenced in a relational style characterised by high warmth and support, high standards and high expectations of socially responsible behaviour. There should be effective implementation of values and expectations in a firm and consistent manner while using reprimands and consequences when necessary. This approach aims to promote autonomy by encouraging childrens participation in decisions about their behaviour by preventing problems and alleviating issues, while managing behaviour in the short term and developing responsibility among children in the long term. Explaining the idea of high warmth, the document states: An approach which features high warmth and high standards and expectations includes emotional responsiveness and support, and an ability to effectively set limits for behaviour. The Scottish Governments Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research found challenging behaviour can be widespread in secondary school, and identified problems with students vaping, and the use of misogynistic and explicitly sexualised language by boys, and in-school truancy - where pupils go to school but are not in class, instead spending time in corridors, toilets and social areas. Yesterday Ms Gilruth said: Since the last action plan on relationships and behaviour in Scotlands schools was published in 2017, our children and young people have experienced periods of significant challenge, including a global pandemic and a cost-of-living crisis which is causing real difficulty for families across the country. There is no doubt this has had a major impact on their schooling and how they learn. But last night Mike Corbett of the NASUWT teaching union said it is disappointing that the Scottish Government has not as yet committed any additional funding, time or resources to schools for the new action plan. He said: The Scottish Government must make it clear that serious misbehaviour will carry serious consequences if any plan is to secure a safe and orderly environment for teachers and students. Andrea Bradley, general secretary of the EIS teaching union, said the action plan fails to identify how, where and to what extent the requisite resources will be channelled towards solving or even alleviating the problem of disruptive, violent and aggressive behaviour in our schools. Scottish Labour education spokesman Pam Duncan-Glancy said: Behavioural issues in Scotlands schools have been boiling over the last year, with teachers, parents and pupils crying out for action. While this report is to be welcomed, it is long overdue and people could be forgiven for wondering why it took so long to publish something that leaves so much unanswered. Despite welcome attention to certain issues facing teachers and school staff, this report has nothing at all to say about new resources for teachers amid deep cuts and is thin on details. Jasveen Sangha has been arrested in connection to actor Matthew Perry's death. The 41-year-old was charged in an 18-count superseding indictment in relation to distributing ketamine to the Friends star in the weeks before he died aged 54. Sangha - who was allegedly known throughout North Hollywood as a dealer to celebrities - was nicknamed the 'Ketamine Queen' because of her prolific activity. She is charged with conspiracy to distribute ketamine, maintaining a drug-involved premises, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute ketamine, and five counts of distribution of ketamine. Just hours before she was arrested by police in Los Angeles on August 15, Jasveen Sangha was boasting about her new haircut and color on her social media. Sangha shared her lavish lifestyle, allegedly funded by her narcotics dealing, all over Instagram - where she posted snaps from her vacations to Mexico and Japan. Jasveen Sangha has been arrested in connection to actor Matthew Perry 's death The alleged dealer to the rich and famous would often post images of her wearing Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry and Louis Vuitton sneakers and Chanel clothes - as well as snaps of her indulging in caviar at private jet lounges at LAX. The 41-year-old dealing 'queen,' who has dual US and British citizenship, also hosted ritzy parties for her friends in Hollywood, and exclaimed that 'family is everything.' In February 2024, four months after Perry's death, Sangha posted smirking selfies while sunning herself on a trip to Playa del Carmen, Mexico, where she showed off her beachfront residence while drinking cocktails by the pool. She also boasted about her health and wellness journey - using IV drips after late-night partying and being a proponent of 'sound healing,' which she called 'absolutely uplifting and cleansing for the heart and soul.' Just two weeks after Perry's ketamine-overdose death, Sangha jetted off to Tokyo - where she indulged in lychee martinis at the Mandarin Oriental hotel, where suites cost $1,847 a night. Sangha is just one of five others who were arrested on August 15 in connection to the actor's tragic death, which shocked the world on October 28, 2023. In an indictment, texts between the defendants revealed that Sangha was known in the community for 'only deal[ing] with high end and celebs' in her drug business. She is accused of using her North Hollywood residence, referenced in the indictment as the 'Sangha Stash House,' to store, package, and distribute narcotics, including ketamine and methamphetamine. The indictment states that Sangha 'knew that the unsupervised and improper use of ketamine can be deadly' and in 2019, she allegedly sold the drug to another customer Cody McLaury, who died of a drug overdose. After a family member of McLaury's sent Sangha a text message saying that her ketamine had killed McLaury, Sangha conducted a Google search for 'can ketamine be listed as a cause of death[?]' She was also a key player in Matthew Perry's drug-induced death, it's alleged. In an indictment, texts between the defendants revealed that Sangha (pictured) was known in the community for 'only deal[ing] with high end and celebs' in her drug business Jasveen Sangha, 41, otherwise known as the 'Ketamine Queen' of north Hollywood is also charged. Investigators said they discovered a 'drugs emporium' at her home during a raid in March 2024 The alleged dealer jetted off on lavish holidays after Matthew Perry's death - including to Mexico and Japan On October 11, 2023, Sangha allegedly used Signal to message defendant Eric Fleming that her ketamine was 'high quality' and offered a sample to Perry, stating: 'It's unmarked but it's amazing he take one and try it and I have more if he likes.' According to the indictment, 25 vials of ketamine were bought from Sangha on October 24 to be given to Perry - and 'as part of the transaction, defendant Sangha included ketamine lollipops as an 'add on' for his large ketamine order.' When 'Ketamine Queen' Sangha found out that Perry had died on October 28, she allegedly called one of the alleged co-conspirators and told him to delete any digital evidence on their cell phones. When her home was raided in March 2024, police found a litany of evidence relating to her drug dealing - including an 'emporium' of narcotics and 1,978 grams of meth. An affidavit filed in a Los Angeles federal court by freshman DEA agent Tyler Abrego on March 20 described the raid the day before on Sangha's home. 'During the search, law enforcement seized significant quantities of illegal drugs, including approximately 1,978 grams of orange pills that field tested positive for methamphetamine, 79 bottles containing a clear liquid that field tested positive for ketamine, and various other suspect narcotics,' Agent Abrego wrote. A handgun was seen in the photo of the seized drugs included in Abrego's affidavit. The complaint said Sangha was a 'large volume drug dealer' previously identified by the DEA, LAPD homicide detectives and the US Postal Inspection Service. Agents seized her cell phone, which had 'conversations related to selling pressed methamphetamine pills and ketamine.' In a text conversation about selling the drug, she asked for a payment of '958,51' to her PayPal, and said: 'I think you'll like these but remember they're double strength'. Videos recovered from her phone showed her 'cooking ketamine', the agent wrote. Doctors Salvador Plascencia, 42, and Mark Chavez, 54, Perry's live-in assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, 59, and drug dealer Eric Fleming, 54, have also been charged. Just hours before she was arrested by police in Los Angeles on August 15, Jasveen Sangha was boasting about her new haircut and color on her social media Jasveen wrote 'delete all our messages' to co-conspirator Fleming on October 28 - the day Perry died Sangha is just one of five others who were arrested on August 15 in connection to the actor's tragic death, which shocked the world on October 28, 2023 According to experts, Sangha could face a life sentence over Perry's death. Former federal narcotics prosecutor Neama Rahmani, president of West Coast Trial Lawyers, said: 'Jasveen Sangha was the source of the ketamine that killed Perry and she could easily receive a potential life sentence over his death. 'There will be a lot of pressure on lower-level defendants and witnesses to flip on the doctor who provided the Ketamine or anyone else who played a role in getting it to Perry unlawfully. Matthew Perry died in October 2023 'Some doctors believe ketamine infusions can treat anxiety and depression, but it's one of the most abused party drugs. Perry should not have been using ketamine in a hot tub outside of a therapeutic setting. 'This is a very high-profile case and this is going to send a message to doctors as well as dealers who are profiting from distributing ketamine.' United States Attorney Martin Estrada said of Sangha and Plasencia: 'These defendants cared more about profiting off of Mr. Perry than caring for his well-being. 'Drug dealers selling dangerous substances are gambling with other people's lives over greed. 'This case, along with our many other prosecutions of drug-dealers who cause death, send a clear message that we will hold drug-dealers accountable for the deaths they cause.' LAPD Chief Dominic Choi added: 'Bringing these individuals to justice for their role in the untimely death of Mr. Perry required coordination and hard work by a number of people, and I want to thank LAPD detectives and our federal partners for their patience and dedication. 'As the boots on the ground in our communities, on a daily basis LAPD officers witness first-hand the harm that these narcotics can cause, so I'm pleased that our collective efforts have led to the arrest of these individuals.' Headteachers have been given the green light to ban mobile phones in school amid a worsening discipline crisis. Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth published guidelines to empower heads to stop pupils bringing the devices to class. They will also be able to bring in whole school bans, as mobile use can create unsafe learning environments that can impact behaviour. But ministers stopped short of introducing a formal nationwide ban, claiming that it would not be appropriate or feasible. The move came as Ms Gilruth also launched a bid to crack down on spiralling classroom violence by urging teachers to show empathy and warmth to troublemakers. SNP Education secretary Jenny Gilruth published guidelines to empower heads to stop pupils bringing the devices to class Last night Scottish Tory education secretary Liam Kerr said: This is an extremely belated response from the SNP Government to a significant problem they have ignored for too long. If headteachers now decide to introduce a ban on mobile phone use, they must have the resources to implement it without pupils education suffering. Students and staff in Scottish schools deserve proper support - and it is clear that this SNP Government is failing to deliver. The Scottish Government guidelines state that mobile phone bans could have exceptions for example in cases where pupils are suffering from anxiety. They also say police should be called in where there is evidence of phone cameras being used to record criminality - for example a pupil assaulting another pupil or to take pictures or film of a teacher without their consent. Ms Gilruth said there are undoubtedly growing behavioural issues associated with mobile phones after a bombshell study by world education leaders in December last year said mobile use in the classroom is helping to fuel a slump in Scottish pupils performance. The research by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, which has tracked pupils results around the world since 2002, uncovered a worrying slide in pupil performance in maths, science and reading as Scotland plunged down global education rankings. Ms Gilruth said the guidance makes clear headteachers will be empowered to take action up to and including whole school bans where they believe this to be necessary. Claiming that ministers are not introducing a monolithic national policy, the Education Secretary said: The Scottish Government does not intend to dictate approaches to our headteachers - they know better than anyone the specific approach which will work best in their school. Ms Gilruth, a former modern studies teacher, stressed she would support any headteacher who decides to institute a ban on mobile phones in their school, adding that the devices can detract from learning and could also create unsafe learning environments that can impact behaviour. But she insisted: This decision is one which rests with Scotlands headteachers, who know their pupils and their staff and who we trust to take the best decisions in the interests of their school communities. Her comments came as the Scottish Governments guidance suggested that policies on respectful and responsible use of mobile phones should be drawn up with the involvement of pupils, staff and parents. With almost two thirds (62 per cent) of children aged eight to 11 in Scotland owning a mobile, rising to 96 per cent of 12 to 15-year-olds, the document stressed mobile technology is an integral part of the lives of children and young people. However, concerns have been raised about the impact on behaviour, with the guidance adding: Pupils bringing their own mobile devices into schools can also create challenges. The guidance stated: It is evident that mobile devices, when used inappropriately, are causing disruption to pupils learning and that of their peers. Previous research has found almost one in three 15-year-olds reported being distracted using digital devices in most or every maths class, while about a quarter of pupils have been distracted by other pupils using digital devices. The Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research (BISSR) from 2023 highlighted an increase in the abusive use of mobile phones in schools - with devices used to bully or harass pupils and staff, with incidents filmed and posted on social media platforms. But the publication also set out some benefits to pupils taking their mobile phones to school - with the example given of youngsters being able to use them to order school meals. And it stated: In light of these factors, it is not considered to be appropriate or feasible to introduce a ban nationally on mobile phones in schools. Schools should consider exceptions to the ban for pupils who experience concern or anxiety, including whilst away from home on school trips. The guidance also states: Taking photographs, videos or audio recordings of an individual without their permission may be regarded as a breach of that persons rights, and may, in some instances, be regarded as an offence by the police. Should images or recordings be uploaded onto social networks without permission from the data subject, the individual should be asked to remove this as part of the normal behaviour policy of the school. Yesterday Ms Gilruth visited Stonelaw High School in Rutherglen, Lanarkshire, as the guidance on mobile phone use was published, along with wider guidance on behaviour and relationships in schools. Last night Simon Cane-Hardy, headteacher fee-paying Gordonstoun School in Moray, where King Charles was a pupil, welcomed the mobile phone guidance. He said: In 2017, we restricted the use of mobile phones by our students amid concerns the devices were having a detrimental impact on their wellbeing and ability to fully focus on lessons. Its pleasing there is a recognition from the Scottish Government that the use of mobiles in schools is having an adverse impact on pupil behaviour. They are a constant distraction and since we have taken mobile phones out of the classroom, every area of school life has been transformed at Gordonstoun. Mobile phones have been blamed for growing indiscipine in Scotland's classrooms He said: When our mobile phone policy was introduced six years ago, the school became noisier, and children spoke to each other rather than scrolling through their phone. Academic focus is much better and since 2017, weve seen a marked improvement in our academic results, which is partially attributable to our mobile phone policy. Hopefully, todays announcement will see more schools adopt a similar policy to what we have at Gordonstoun, with enormous educational benefits for both teachers and pupils. Andrea Bradley, general secretary of the EIS teaching union, said it welcomed the intent behind the new national guidance. She said: We want our young people to be well-connected to other human beings cognitively, socially and emotionally rather than being hooked far too often to their mobile phones. Mike Corbett of the NASUWT teaching union, said: We know that mobile phones can be used as a tool to bully and harass fellow pupils and teachers, as well as distracting pupils from their learning. We therefore welcome the guidance from the Scottish Government that school leaders can take steps to limit or ban the use of phones in their schools if they see fit. However, to be effective, addressing the use of mobile phones should form part of joined-up, whole-school strategies on managing pupil behaviour. A beaming Prince Harry and Meghan Markle enjoyed a show by Colombian folk dancers in Bogota yesterday after meeting bored-looking schoolchildren on the first day of their tour of the Latin American country. The royal couple were treated to a colourful theatrical performance of the play 'The Kiss of the Hummingbird' at the Delia Zapata National Centre for the Arts. Tapping her toes and smiling enthusiastically, Meghan chatted to vice president Francia Marquez and pointed to some of the costumes. Harry looked on as the outfits, which included multicoloured feathered headdresses adorned with exotic birds, were explained to him. Some of the dance troupe even appeared to have Union Jack's painted onto their faces and at one point Harry and Meghan stood up to clap and sway in time to the music. At the end of the performance Harry and Meghan shook hands with the dancers with the Duke telling one: 'These costumes are amazing.' Harry and Meghan made a quick wardrobe change for the performance, opting for lighter colours compared to the dark and navy outfits they wore when they landed in the country. The Sussexes had earlier smiled as they arrived hand-in-hand in the country's capital for the start of their four-day quasi-royal visit. They were warmly embraced by Ms Marquez who took them to city centre public school Centro Nacional Cultura Popular, which was under heavy armed guard for the couple's visit. In one snap, Harry appears to be brushing something away from his blazer with his hand while a pupil sitting in between Meghan and Ms Marquez stares aimlessly ahead. The Sussexes pose for a snap with one of the dancers after the performance finished Harry poses for a selfie with an artist as his wife Meghan looks on during a visit at the National Centre for the Arts The royal couple were treated to a colourful tribal dance at the Delia Zapata National Centre for the Arts A smiling Megan and Harry stand and clap along to the music alongside the country's VP Ms Marquez (left) The Duchess of Sussex chats with Ms Marquez during the tribal dance performance At the end of the performance Harry and Meghan shook hands with the dancers with the Duke telling one: 'These costumes are amazing' The Duke laughs and jokes as he gestures next to the director of the National Centre for the Arts, Xiomara Suescun Meghan and Harry smile as they meet one of the dancers at the welcoming ceremony held for the royal couple Vice President of Colombia Ms Marquez, Prince Harry, and Meghan, clap and dance during a folkloric presentation Musicians wearing traditional Carnival dress perform during a welcoming ceremony for Prince Harry and Meghan Harry looked on as the costumes, which included multicoloured feathered headdresses adorned with exotic birds, were explained to him Harry and Meghan hold hands as they are treated to a colourful tribal dance Ms Marquez took Harry and Meghan to visit city centre public school Centro Nacional Cultura Popular. One pupil sitting in between the VP and Meghan stares aimlessly ahead while Harry appears to brush something off his blazer During the visit the pupils chatted to Harry and Meghan about what worries them about technological change. A translator was at hand, but Meghan showed off her linguistic skills as she chatted away in Spanish. The Duchess described the group as incredibly 'impressive, smart, and savvy' and highlighted the importance of them aiming to be 'self reliant and not tech reliant.' During a speech yesterday, Harry appeared to reference the Southport attack in which three little girls were killed, according to the BBC. He said: 'For as long as people are allowed to spread lies, abuse, then social cohesion as we know it has completely broken down now what happens online within a matter of minutes transfers to the streets.' Meghan and Harry had earlier presented Ms Marquez and her partner, Rafael Yerney Pinillo, with an unspecified personal gift ahead of a closed-door tea and coffee hour with traditional pan de bono - Colombian cheese bread. The Duchess of Sussex was invited to the country by VP Marquez after she learned of her story in depth via the couple's two-part Netflix documentary. The Sussexes were pictured smiling and walking hand-in-hand in Bogota shortly after meeting Ms Marquez earlier yesterday; official pictures show Meghan smiling broadly as she greets the top politician. Meghan wore a navy blue Veronica Beard summer suit - comprised of 448 trousers and a 598 waistcoat - along with a 3,775 Loro Piana 'Loom' White handbag. She also wore shoes that resembled a pair of 595 Manolo Blahnik court shoes she has been seen in before. Harry put on a unifying front with his own outfit, donning a matching dark suit, light blue shirt and black dress shoes. The couple have a busy schedule for the days ahead on the royal-in-all-but-name tour three months after their Nigeria visit - starting with a visit to local children's school, the Colegio Cultura Popular, which is under heavy armed guard. It is their second so-called quasi-royal engagement after a trip to Nigeria earlier this year. The Duke of Sussex was fascinated by the dancers' outfits and told one of them: 'These costumes are amazing' Harry waves and smiles at some students as he arrives at the National Centre for the Arts Harry and Meghan smiled throughout the performance and at one point both stood and clapped their hands in time with the rhythm Meghan was enthralled throughout the performance and was seen nodding her head and smiling Harry holds onto Meghan's hand as they go to take their seats ahead of the performance Meghan Markle is seen smiling broadly as she greets Colombia's vice president Francia Marquez in Bogota Prince Harry is seen shaking hands with Ms Marquez as a smiling Meghan looks on. The Duke and Duchess stayed at the residence for half an hour, where the Vice President expressed her gratitude for the couple's official visit The Sussexes have arrived in Colombia - landing in capital city Bogota - for their four-day royal-in-all-but-name tour three months after their Nigeria visit They were invited to Colombia for their quasi royal tour after the country's vice president saw them on Netflix and was 'moved' by their story. Harper's Bazaar, the Sussex-sympathetic publication which is accompanying the couple on the trip, reports the couple were met by Ms Marquez after landing. The Duke and Duchess stayed at the residence for half an hour, where the Vice President expressed her gratitude for the couple's official visit. Ms Marquez described the Sussexes' trip as a 'very special visit' aimed at building bridges and joining forces against cyber-bullying and online digital violence and discrimination, as well as promoting women's leadership in Colombia. The Sussexes' team has not confirmed how the trip is being funded, whether privately, through Harry and Meghan's Archewell Foundation, by the Colombian government or other means. The quasi-royal tour, which has many similarities to the programme of an official royal overseas visit, is the Sussexes' second this year, after their three-day visit to Nigeria at the invitation of the West African nation's chief of defence staff. Harper's Bazaar magazine, covering the trip as the only words pool, said Ms Marquez shared her personal admiration for Harry's late mother Diana, Princess of Wales. The VP spoke at a press conference where she spoke of Diana's 'dream' of visiting the country. Ms Marquez said: 'I think that Prince Harry being here today after that dream of his mum's of visiting this country is an opportunity to show the best of our nation, to show who Colombians are. We are people who in the midst of adversities do everything possible to give the best of ourselves.' During the sit-down chat, Ms Marquez said she shared the same ideals and goals as Harry and Meghan amid their campaign to make the digital world safer for children. Ms Marquez took Harry and Meghan to visit city centre public school Centro Nacional Cultura Popular. Harry and Meghan chatted with a group of around 20 students aged between 12 and 18. The kids spoke about what they like and what worries them about technological change. Harry poses for hte camera as he shakes hands with a student of the Popular Cultural School in Bogota Prince Harry, Meghan, Ms Marquez her husband Yerney Pinillo visit local charter school, Colegio Cultura Popular Meghan and Harry chatted to a group of about 20 students during their visit to the school on the first day of their tour of Colombia Harry and Meghan chatted with a group of around 20 students aged between 12 and 18. The kids spoke about what they like and what worries them about technological change Harry and Meghan stand with Colombian vice president Francia Marquez and her partner Rafael Yerney Pinillos Headmaster Leonel Umana, 51, said the visit had focussed on an anti-cyber bullying project 'but when we finished the session and toured the school with them they broke the protocol and posed for pictures with the kids' Although there was a translator at hand, Meghan showed off her good command of Spanish, Mr Umana said Harry and Meghan broke protocol of a mobile phone and picture ban to pose for snaps with teachers and children During the visit to the school Harry told the teachers to keep up their good work, 'which they loved' Security is tight in the city, with armed police seen guarding the school where they are carrying out their first engagement Soldiers standing guard near the Colegio Cultura Popular school, where the Sussexes are meeting its headteacher after being greeted by Colombia's vicepresident They were invited to the country by vice-president Francia Marquez (pictured), who was 'moved' by Meghan's story as relayed in the Netflix documentary released in 2022 The pair are expected to stay in the 2,500-a-night Presidential suite at the Sofitel Legend Hotel in Cartagena Headmaster Leonel Umana, 51, said the visit had focussed on an anti-cyber bullying project. Although there was a translator at hand, Meghan showed off her good command of Spanish, Mr Umana said. He added: 'She speaks Spanish well. We had to explain a few of our typical Colombian slang words that our students use and that caused a few laughs and jokes. 'At first we were told that there were to be no mobile phones or pictures due to protocol. 'But when we finished the session and toured the school with them they broke the protocol and posed for pictures with the kids. 'Harry told the teachers to keep up their good work, which they loved.' Across the next four days, the Sussexes will take in the city of Bogota before heading off to Cartagena and Cali as part of a 'cultural and social' visit. Harry will also meet members of the Team Colombia squad participating in the Invictus Games, who are gearing up for the 2025 games in Whistler, Canada. Officials have kept the itinerary a closely guarded secret as parts of the country are described as 'best avoided' due to ongoing internal conflicts. Colombia, like Nigeria, is seen as a high risk destination in parts by the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office. 'FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of Colombia,' the government agency says, adding that many armed groups remain active in the country despite a 2016 peace deal between the government and revolutionary outfit FARC. Besides several police cars and vans, armed soldiers were also deployed to protect Harry and Megan in a massive ring of steel. Roads were blocked off and residents forced on lengthy detours to reach their homes or wait at checkpoints for events to finish so they could carry on. Security is also tight due to death threats on the host for their trip Ms Marquez. She has been targeted before in the past as have her relatives including an attack on her father Sigifredo Marquez Trujillo just two months ago when a car he was in was wracked with gunfire. He was unharmed. At the time she expressed her 'concern for security in Cauca, Valle del Cauca, in the municipality of Suarez and the district of La Toma, as well as for the security of my community and my family'. Prince Harry and Meghan meeting students in Abuja during their quasi-royal tour of Nigeria in May this year Harry and Meghan will visit Bogata as part of their tour of Colombia The vice-president of Colombia says she was moved to invite Harry and Meghan to the country after watching their Netflix documentary (pictured) Ms Marquez told reporters yesterday the purpose of the visit was to 'build bridges and open doors' in order to tackle the problem of cyberbullying and discrimination online, particularly for young people. She is reported to have told Harry and Meghan that they share the same goals when it comes to safety and mental health on social media. However, she did not disguise that the trip will serve as a way of showing Colombia on the global stage - leading to fears that the Sussexes are being manipulated to shore up the vice-president's reputation following a number of scandals. Colombian president Gustavo Petro, a former guerilla soldier, has a 34 per cent approval rating among voters and he has sacked centrist figured in his cabinet who opposed his expensive healthcare and pension plans. Ms Marquez has been accused of using helicopters like taxis in order to shuttle herself back and forth from work. In the past, when asked why she used them so frequently, she is reported to have said she was the vice president, so 'too bad.' The VP says the visit has been on the cards for a year after she invited Meghan to the country a year ago on July 25, International Afro-descendant Women's Day. Meghan had made much of her African descent during she and Harry's visit to Nigeria in May this year - their first 'in all but name' royal tour together. Ms Marquez said yesterday: 'We wanted to invite Meghan, an Afro-descendant woman, to participate in that meeting and share her experiences. 'At that time we sent her a letter inviting her and she responded to us - the letter said that she couldn't come but she was eager to visit and get to know our country. 'Since then we have been working for a year to achieve this visit, which is so important and good. '(As for) how I met Meghan and Harry, well, I met them in the media but above all I saw the series on Netflix about her life and her story and that moved me and motivated me to say: this is a woman who deserves to come to our country and tell her story. 'Without a doubt it will be a strengthening for so many women in the world.' She also said of the visit: 'I also want to take advantage of the media, of national and international communication, to invite the world to visit our country. 'Colombia is a country with enormous cultural wealth, with unique biodiversity and strong people who want to get ahead. 'Colombia, the country of beauty, wants to be the best host and so it will be.' For Ms Marquez, part of the reason for the trip may be that she sees Meghan as an ally in cyberbullying. Ms Marquez claims she was the victim of over 12,000 racist comments on social media last year - and she has been the target of death threats and attacks. She is the first black vice-president of Colombia and last year a woman was convicted after making a racist rant in which she called Ms Marquez an 'ape'. A former housekeeper who had her first child at 16, Ms Marquez rose to prominence for her opposition to illegal gold mining in her home province and won a prestigious environmental prize for her work. She spearheaded a 10-day, 350-mile march of 80 women from La Toma to the nation's capital, resulting in the removal of all illegal miners and equipment from her community. The Associated Press reported the woman, Luz Fabiola Rubiano, said: 'Francia Marquez is an ape what education can Black people have, they steal, attack and kill.' She pleaded guilty to the charges in April 2023. She told the press conference: 'I think I have told the story, the history of racism and racial discrimination from when I was a child, I've been aware of it since I was 13. 'For women today that are involved in politics in the world, we are exposed to a level of violence on social networks that affects our wellbeing (and) our dignity.' A California mom-of-four disappeared in the same town where Sherri Papini staged her kidnapping - and her family believes she 'may not be here anymore' after three months without contact. Nikki Cheng Saelee-McCain, 39, of Redding, California, was reported missing by her sister on May 21 after she hadn't been able to contact her for four days. She was last spotted visiting one of her husband Tyler McCain's family members at a hospital, according to The US Sun. The family believes McCain's husband, Tyler McCain, may have something to do with her disappearance, but police have not named him as a suspect. McCain disappeared from the same town that Sherri Papini famously staged her kidnapping in 2016, disappearing for three weeks before reappearing on Thanksgiving with a crazy tale. Nikki Cheng Saelee-McCain, 39, of Redding, California, was reported missing by her sister on May 21 after she hadn't been able to contact her for four days She (pictured with her husband) was last spotted visiting one of her husband Tyler McCain's family members at a hospital. The family believes McCain's husband may have something to do with disappearance, but police have not named him as a suspect What tipped off the sisters' suspicions was the change in Tyler's text messages. The couple had fought many times before and the mother of four even pressed domestic violence charges against him, which were dropped on July 5 due to the fact McCain did not up in court. Normally, when McCain would leave for a few days after a fight, Tyler would contact her sisters and tell them to: 'Tell her I love her. Tell her I'm sorry,' but this time he didn't, they told The US Sun. Instead, he texted: 'I think she's missing. I don't know I think she's missing.' 'So his response was different than normal, and that was definitely a factor for us in starting to worry,' Kaye Ford, McCain's sister, told the British outlet. They've had limited contact with the alleged abuser since, but that hasn't lessened any of their worry. 'I feel like Nikki may not be here anymore,' McCain's other sister, Chloe Saelee, told The US Sun. 'She wouldn't just walk off and leave. She was so excited for a fresh start and she was taking all these steps and planning for her and her kids' futures. 'Nikki didn't deserve this. And while it may be too late to turn back time, it's not too late to do the right thing,' she continued. 'We are all hurting right now, but her children deserve to know the truth and her children deserve to see whoever did this to her is behind bars and won't be able to hurt them or anyone else.' Normally, when McCain (right, with sister) would leave for a few days after a fight, Tyler would contact her sisters and tell them to: 'Tell her I love her. Tell her I'm sorry,' but this time he didn't. Instead, he texted: 'I think she's missing. I don't know I think she's missing.' On May 25, police found her Chevrolet Avalanched abandoned in a remote location in Tehama County The last text Saelee got from her sister was letting her know she was leaving the hospital to drop off her mother-in-law's vehicle at their residence in Redding Rancheria, a Native American reservation. She was going to catch a ride home with some of her husband's friends afterwards, she said. The pair continued to text throughout the night, but by the early hours of May 18, McCain stopped answering her, she told The US Sun. At that stage the sisters weren't worried as their group chat often goes days without use, but after Tyler said he hadn't heard from either, Saelee filed a police report with the Shasta County Sheriff's Office and the Redding Police Department. On May 25, police found her Chevrolet Avalanched abandoned in a remote location in Tehama County. Weeks after her disappearance, Tyler had his court appearance for his felony domestic violence cases - charges he picked up after he allegedly severally injured his wife in a three-hour attack in December. An officer recorded that McCain had 'blackened' and 'swollen' eyes and that facial trauma. Weeks after her disappearance, Tyler had his court appearance for his felony domestic violence cases - charges he picked up after he allegedly severally injured his wife in a three-hour attack in December Tyler allegedly bound his wife with tape, tried to wrap something around her throat, pulled her hair, and told her he 'intended to kill her,' police documents said Tyler allegedly bound his wife with tape, tried to wrap something around her throat, pulled her hair, and told her he 'intended to kill her,' police documents, viewed by The US Sun, said. When asked who did this to her, she told them Tyler had. He told police he thought she had been in a fight with another woman and that she was having an affair with a woman. Police had been called to their home on various occasions, which eventually resulted in their children becoming wards of the state, The US Sun reported. Despite her sisters' constant pleas, McCain never left her toxic husband because she 'never wanted to be the bad guy' and didn't want to 'be the reason her family broke apart,' they told the tabloid. Several times they helped her start working with a facility for women, but she never fully got through the process as she would 'go back' to Tyler. 'It always worried me because she never wanted to make police reports when these things happened,' Saelee told The US Sun. 'It worried me every time she returned home. I told her, 'I'm starting to see a pattern here, and I think it's a cycle. 'We were all very worried for her, but she kept deciding to go back.' Tyler was arrested earlier this month after being pulled over for an alleged traffic violation, where deputies found ammunition in his car, which violated his criminal protective order and got him arrested.' Redding Rancheria, where McCain was believed to last be seen, and others are offering a $30,000 reward for information about her disappearance. Donald Trump is bringing some familiar faces into his campaign after a slate of polls showed Kamala Harris eating away at his support in battleground states. The campaign is dismissing talk of a shakeup, calling it an effort to bolster the existing structure in a White House effort that before the GOP Convention drew plaudits for stability as Trump dispatched his primary rivals. Trump himself put that interpretation to rest by calling campaign chiefs Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita 'THE BEST' in an online post. 'Many people want to join the Campaign for the final push, some from the first two Campaigns - And we want as many as we can get!' Trump wrote. In Lewandowski, who helmed Trump's original 2016 effort before being pushed out in a shake-up, the campaign has a new senior advisor who knows Trump's habits and titled his book off the mantra of: 'Let Trump be Trump.' It comes at a time when outside advisors are saying the campaign could use some more guardrails to keep the candidate from going full-on, as when he called new opponent Kamala Harris 'not very smart' in an economic speech where he held up a box of Tic Tacs. Former President Donald Trump is bringing back Corey Lewandowski as a senior advisor to his campaign Also coming on board are Taylor Budowich, who ran the super PAC MAGA, Inc., Tim Murtaugh, who served as Trump's communications chief in 2024, Alex Pfeiffer, and Alex Bruesewitz, a consultant who had been considering a run for Congress in Wisconsin. Pfeiffer and Bruesewitz were both officials at MAG, Inc. 'As we head into the home stretch of this election, we are continuing to add to our impressive campaign team,' Wiles and LaCivita said in a statement. 'Corey Lewandowski, Taylor Budowich, Alex Pfeiffer, Alex Bruesewitz, and Tim Murtaugh are all veterans of prior Trump campaigns and their unmatched experience will help President Trump prosecute the case against Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, the most radical ticket in American history.' One campaign officials called it 'just an addition to the campaign' and said Trump's statement made clear it was not a shakeup of the current staff. Corey Lewandowski was 'very involved' in Trump's 2016 effort, as the candidate put it. The fired former campaign chief is coming back as a senior advisor at a time when Kamala Harris has been improving on Joe Biden's poll position Trump began his statement by saying he was leading in the polls, but recent movements have showed Kamala Harris tied or leading in key battlegrounds Trump began his post by writing: 'Were leading in almost all Polls, in some cases leading by A LOT, despite the fact that the Fake News is pulling out all stops for their Radical Left San Francisco Liberal, Kamala Harris.' That misstates the state of public polling although Trump was able to outperform polls in his surprise 2016 win. He narrowly leads Harris, 50-49 in the latest Fox News national poll and trails her by 4 points in the new Emerson poll. The Cook Political Report pulled back its rankings in three states after polls showed Harris tied or leading Trump in six of seven battleground polls. Trump's pollster Tony Fabrizio has the candidate tied with Harris in Michigan at 48. Trump fired Lewandowski, who had steered his campaign through New Hampshire and the early primaries, in June of 2016, after having brought on Paul Manafort as chief strategist. Manafort would resign by August, and Trump brought on Kellyanne Conway as campaign manager and Steve Bannon for the remainder of his White House run. 'I am pleased to announce that Corey Lewandowski, who was very involved in 2016, will be coming on board as a Senior Advisor. Others, likewise, are joining us. Theyll be announced soon!' Trump posted. Lewandowski had already been advising Trump's campaign, and was on hand for Trump's debate against Joe Biden in Atlanta this summer. A gas station clerk in San Bernardino was tasered and beaten by baton-wielding cops after they arrested the wrong man. Video footage from both a body camera and a cell phone captured a San Bernardino police officer striking a gas station clerk with a baton 16 times. The violent incident, which occurred on June 6 outside a Kwik Stop Food Market, left clerk Billy Hill with two broken legs, according to his attorney. 'We have to expect better,' attorney Dale Galipo told CBS News. 'This is not a guy who had a weapon or was trying to hurt someone, threatened or attacked someone. The guy worked there Police were initially searching for a motorcycle crash suspect matching Hill's description, but his lawyer insisted his client was not involved. The violent incident, which occurred on June 6 outside a Kwik Stop Food Market, left clerk Billy Hill with two broken legs Video footage from both a body camera and a cell phone captured a San Bernardino police officer striking a gas station clerk with a baton 16 times The 911 caller described the hit-and-run suspect as a white man wearing a black hat, black shirt, and possibly blue jeans. However, Galipo, maintains that his client was wrongfully identified and was not involved in the motorcycle crash. Officers who arrived at the scene claimed Hill was speaking erratically, and told law enforcement his motorcycle was locked up in his house. The police, who claimed Hill was not cooperating with him, attempted to put the clerk in handcuffs. A third officer joined the fray, and as the officers grappled with Hill, one drew a taser. In a desperate attempt to defend himself, Hill kicked out at the officer and tried to grab the taser. When the taser proved 'ineffective,' the officer resorted to using a baton, striking Hill's legs multiple times while other officers restrained him. 'He then made the choice to continue to resist arrest, which furthered the escalation of force to the point officers utilize the baton.' Bystanders at the scene reacted with shock, shouting references to the infamous Rodney King beating by Los Angeles Police Department officers in 1991. After the assault, Hill was arrested for resisting arrest. 'We have to expect better,' attorney Dale Galipo told CBS News . 'This is not a guy who had a weapon or was trying to hurt someone, threatened or attacked someone. The guy worked there The department said Hill is a convicted felon with a lengthy criminal history, which includes prior convictions for possession of a stolen vehicle, resisting arrest and resisting arrest by means of force. The San Bernardino Police Department has launched an internal investigation into the incident and acknowledged public concern. Chief Darren Goodman pledged transparency and accountability in the process and is investigating the arrest. 'We recognize the public's concern and interest in this matter and ask for patience as we conduct a meticulous investigation,' he stated. 'Our department is committed to upholding transparency and accountability. Galipo plans to file a claim against the city, alleging excessive force and potential de-escalation failures. A former limousine driver who raped teenage girls after picking them up from schools, care homes, and teen discos has been jailed for 24 years. David Saynor used his limousine company to groom and sexually abuse girls aged between 12 and 18 in the late 2000s and early 2010s, the National Crime Agency has said. The 77-year-old used his company vehicles to take his victims out for rides, plying them with alcohol before raping or sexually assaulting them. They were sometimes collected from their school or care homes , taken to or from teenage discos in Rotherham, or for rides around the area in Saynor's stretch Hummer, according to the NCA The girls would be given money for food, cigarettes or occasionally drugs - and were 'actively encouraged' to call Saynor if they needed a lift and to bring friends along. David Saynor used his limousine company to sexually abuse girls aged between 12 and 18 in the late 2000s and early 2010s, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said Sheffield Crown Court heard on one occasion the sex offender took a teen aged 12 or 13 at the time to a storage yard for his limousines. He then went on to rape her in an office building on the site, the NCA said. Another victim was abused when she was 14 and 15-years-old. She recalled being collected with a group of other girls in her school uniform and being given alcohol, cigarettes and money. Saynor, formerly of Rotherham and now of Lincoln, raped the girl in the back of the limousine and threatened to hurt her family if she told anyone. A further victim was 16 years old and in care at the time. She was driven to an area of Sheffield she did not know by the paedophile and told to perform a sexual act on him or be left there, miles from home and with no means of getting back. Saynor was arrested by the NCA in 2020 after numerous victims identified him. Following a five-week trial at Sheffield Crown Court he was found guilty of 15 charges relating to eight victims last July. NCA Senior Investigating Officer Stuart Cobb said: 'Saynor preyed on vulnerable girls who continue to live with the effects of his abuse as adults. 'The victims showed extraordinary bravery in reporting what Saynor did, and I'm pleased that we were able to get justice for them. 'I hope Saynor's imprisonment will bring the victims some closure.' An NSPCC spokeswoman said: 'It is very disturbing that Saynor used his position as a limousine driver to target, manipulate, groom and sexually abuse vulnerable girls, and used threats to try to maintain his control over them. 'The harmful impact of child sexual abuse can be profound and long-lasting if victims do not receive the support they need, so we urge anyone who has concerns a child is at risk of sexual abuse to report it.' It comes as part of Operation Stovewood the NCA's huge investigation into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013. Last Autumn, the NCA insisted 'this does not mean we are walking away' as it announced that, from January, new allegations would be handled by South Yorkshire Police rather than Operation Stovewood. The 76-year-old took his victims out for rides in his vehicles, plying them with alcohol , encouraging them to undress or dance for him, and then in some cases raping or sexually assaulting them The agency said it is 'confident that we have done all we realistically can to identify those individuals who may have been victims', saying it has identified more than 1,100 children involved in the exploitation between 1997 and 2013 almost all girls. More than 1,150 victims have now been identified and more than 300 designated suspects identified. The NCA said Operation Stovewood has seen more than 200 arrests and this most recent verdict means 36 convictions have been secured. The agency said it remains committed to seeing its current investigations through to the end of the criminal justice process, which is anticipated to continue into 2027. Previous estimates have put the cost of Operation Stovewood at around 90 million. Anyone who is concerned about a child's well-being can contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or via help@nspcc.org.uk. Children can contact the NSPCC by calling 0800 1111. A Jordanian national living in the U.S. has been detained after threatening to 'destroy or explode' everything in America and attacking multiple Florida businesses including a power plant. Hashem Younis Hashem Hnaihen, 43, has been charged with four counts of threatening to use explosives and one count of destruction of an energy facility, the Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed Thursday. Since June 2024, Hnaihen has rampaged through Orlando, Florida, vandalizing multiple local businesses, leaving threatening notes - particularly to those who have expressed support for Israel amid their ongoing war with Hamas. His letters were addressed to the U.S. government and listed a series of demands, and if they were not followed, he threatened to 'destroy or explode everything here in whole America. Especially the companies and factories that support the racist state of Israel.' Hnaihen attacked a solar panel power generating facility by cracking the panels, the DOJ announced Thursday. In addition to the solar power facility, the Jordanian also attacked multiple businesses and left notes threatening further violence His dangerous and outlandish actions earned him a rare rebuke from both the top of the DOJ and FBI who revealed he tried to 'carry out hate-fueled mass violence in our country.' 'We allege that the defendant threatened to carry out hate-fueled mass violence in our country, motivated in part by a desire to target businesses for their perceived support of Israel,' Attorney General Merrick Garland wrote in a statement. 'Such acts and threats of violence, whether they are targeting the places that Americans frequent every day or our country's critical infrastructure, are extremely dangerous and will not be tolerated by the Justice Department.' FBI Director Christopher Wray similarly wrote in a statement: 'Under the guise of expressing his beliefs, the defendant allegedly attacked a power facility and threatened local businesses, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages.' Red boxes denote the solar panels that were vandalized by Hnaihen. Authorities estimate he caused over $700,000 worth of damage to this facility alone The Jordanian national also attacked multiple businesses in the Orlando area. After vandalizing the locations he would leave threatening letters saying he wants to destroy America FBI Director Christopher Wray said threats of violence and destruction of property will never be tolerated by the FBI 'Violence and destruction of property to threaten and intimidate others will never be tolerated. The FBI and our partners will work together to pursue and hold accountable those who resort to violence.' Hnaihen faces up to 60 years in prison if he is convicted on all charges. After allegedly vandalizing a number of local businesses and avoiding authorities efforts to identify him, Hnaihen's attacks grew more sophisticated. At the end of June he broke into a solar power facility and methodically began cutting wires, breaking panels and crippling critical electronic components. While law enforcement was hot on Hnaihen's trail they continued to find the same threatening warning letter. After weeks of working to identify the source of the attacks and antisemitic threats local law enforcement arrested him on July 11. Hnaihen also attacked an Orlando Starbucks Law enforcement were able to apprehend him shortly after discovering yet another letter vowing to 'destroy or explode everything' at an industrial propane gas distribution plant in Orlando. Reps. Maxwell Frost, Daniel Webster, Bill Posey and Darren Soto, who all represent districts around Orlando, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Even when Kamala Harris does her first sit down interview, Sen. J.D. Vance thinks it will be 'too little, too late.' Donald Trump's running mate said the vice president will stay behind her teleprompter if the media continues to produce flowery stories about her without requiring she answer any questions. Vance told DailyMail.com that Harris' team likely sees their strategy as better to keep her on-script after going 25 days without a press conference or formal sit-down with reporters and mostly positive press in spite of that. Meanwhile, the vice president is facing backlash for deciding to first release an on-camera conversation with running mate Gov. Tim Walz where they discuss light topics such as tacos and music rather than accepting one of the offers from major media outlets for a serious conversation. But the Harris-Walz campaign vowed that the Democratic presidential candidate will participate in her first media interview before the end of the month. Sen. J.D. Vance told reporters on Trump Force Two on Thursday that he doesn't think there is incentive for Kamala Harris to come out from behind the teleprompter 'I think it's always too little, too late because the campaign is each day, right, you can't get back. We have what, now 82 days or so until the election,' Vance said onboard Trump Force Two. 'If I was her I would take it as an opportunity to actually persuade the American people and talk to them.' He continued: 'And I think it's interesting that she sort of sees basically this as an opportunity to run out the clock and avoid the American people for as long as possible.' In contrast to the Democratic candidate, Vance and Trump have held multiple press conferences over the last few weeks and continue to participate in interviews with the press. At campaign stops in Michigan on Wednesday and Pennsylvania on Thursday, the VP contender allowed reporters to ask him questions during rallies in front of supporters. He said it was important to be able to answer tough questions. J.D. and Usha Vance stopped in New Kensington, Pennsylvania on Thursday to speak with a mostly veteran crowd at a VFW Kamala Harris has not done an interview in the 25 days since becoming the Democratic presidential candidate, but did release on Thursday a video conversation with running mate Gov. Tim Walz where the two discussed tacos and music 'If you want to be the American people's vice president you ought to answer their questions and try to earn their vote. It's really that simple,' Vance said during his approximately 26-minute remarks in Byron Center, Michigan on Wednesday. 'You have got to stand before the American people and answer tough questions if you want to do this job,' he continued. 'And it is scandalous that Kamala Harris is running from the media but, more importantly, she's running from the American people. That's a disgrace.' 'I've never seen a presidential campaign in the history of my life where a person is asking to be the President of the United States, but she's afraid of you guys,' Vance added, gesturing to reporters lined up at the front of the stage. 'If you can't answer questions from the media, do you think you're going to be able to take on Vladimir Putin or Xi Jinping? If you're afraid of answering before the American people, how can we possibly trust you to sit in a room with world leaders and represent the American people.' But Vance, replying to DailyMail.com onboard Trump Force Two on Thursday, said he understands why Harris' team wants to keep her behind the podium. 'I mean look, if the media's going to write positive stories about her without requiring her to actually talk to them, then maybe it is better to hide behind a teleprompter because you don't have any good ideas,' the Ohio senator quipped. 'I mean, I think the Time magazine profile in particular was really shocking,' he continued. 'The cover of time magazine, they gave her a fawning profile without her even speaking to the media. I think it just suggests that fundamentally, a lot of the American press is an organ of the DNC and is behaving like that. And if they keep on acting like that, why would she get [out from] behind the teleprompter. Elizabeth Wilson is an intern on the breaking news team. She is a rising senior at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo majoring in journalism with a minor in political science. She has lived in San Francisco for the past decade and is excited to join the breaking news team. Wilson was most recently a fellow for the CalMatters College Journalism Network, where she covered higher education policy. She previously interned at the San Luis Obispo Tribune. At her campus paper, Wilson is a data and investigations reporter. Her award-winning reporting has focused on student experiences with campus safety. In her free time, she enjoys walking around the city, watching nostalgic TV shows and finding new music. The secretary of state and acting mayor of a Colombian city was arrested and is now facing extradition to the United States. Kevin Lopez was taken into custody Wednesday at his home in Riohacha, the capital of the province of La Guajira near the border with the Venezuelan state of Zulia. Lopez is accused by the Southern District of Florida of conspiring to commit a crime and drug trafficking, Colombia's Attorney General's Office said in a statement. He was transferred to a holding facility in Bogota as part of the process to complete his extradition. Kevin Lopez, the secretary of state and acting mayor of Maicao, was arrested on drug trafficking charges Wednesday in Riohacha, Colombia. Lopez is now awaiting to be extradited to Florida Colombia's Attorney General's Office said Kevin Lopez was involved in trafficking drug to the Dominican Republic At the time of his arrest, Lopez was serving as the acting mayor of Maicao while Mayor Miguel Aragon was traveling in Bogota. Lopez previously served in the Maicao city council before Aragon named him to the secretary of state post. The mayor's announced that he had been relieved of his duties as soon as his arrest was made public. 'This decision was made in order to guarantee trust and credibility in municipal administration and to ensure that public management is carried out with the greatest possible transparency and efficiency,' administration of Mayor Aragon said. Lopez was removed from his post as secretary of state of the Colombian city of Maicao after he was arrested on drug charges Wednesday Lopez was allegedly involved in drug trafficking activities between 2021 and 2022 out of La Guajira. 'The captured man, as a presumed member of an illegal organization and based on information provided by the US, would have sent narcotics in boats that initially arrived in the Dominican Republic,' the Colombian Attorney General's Office said. Lopez was under investigation for two years, according to National Police intelligence reviewed by local online news portal La Guajira Hoy. During that time, authorities seized more than six tons of drugs, seven firearms and arrested 36 suspects from Colombia, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic. Lopez was reportedly backed by the National Liberation Army, the Marxist-Leninist guerrilla group. DailyMail.com reach out to the Drug Enforcement Administration for comment. A criminology student who threw beer over a police officer and kicked at riot shields at a riot in Liverpool following the deaths of three girls in Southport has been jailed. Liverpool Crown Court hear on Thursday that Gerard Cooch, 39, was one of 'hundreds' who flocked to the centre of the city on August 3 to violently riot in the wake of the Southport stabbings, which were wrongly attributed to an immigrant by far-right groups. Cooch, who lives in nearby Bootle, was seen on CCTV and mobile phone footage, which was subsequently posted to YouTube and TikTok, making 'accusatory and hostile' remarks and 'swearing and gesticulating' in the area, where a line of police had formed a cordon near to Queen Square Bus Station. 'Intoxicated and angry', according to Nardeen Nemat, prosecuting, he then chucked a pint of beer over a cop and kicked riot shields twice, before being arrested an hour later. He told detectives that he had been attending a 'peaceful protest', but that the 'atmosphere became more hostile.' Liverpool was one of many cities that saw far-right riots flare up in the wake of the Southport stabbings. Liverpool Crown Court hear on Thursday that Gerard Cooch, 39, (pictured) was one of 'hundreds' who flocked to the centre of the city on August 3 to violently riot in the wake of the Southport stabbings Police officers and demonstrators clash during a protest against illegal immigration, in Liverpool, Britain, August 3, 2024 Police officers attend to a colleague after a face-off with protesters in Liverpool on August 3, 2024 during the 'Enough is Enough' demonstration held in reaction to the fatal stabbings in Southport on July 29 Far-right agitators encouraged people to go to protests six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar tragically die at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on July 29. Suspect Axel Rudakubana, now 18, from Banks, Lancashire, was charged with three counts of murder following their deaths. Cooch, who admitted to drinking three cans of cider on the day, told the court that he 'regretted not removing himself from the area' and was 'sorry for his involvement' in the riots. The criminology student's previous convictions include threatening behaviour, drunk and disorderly behaviour, production of cannabis, possession of cocaine and MDMA and breaching a suspended sentence order. Stephen McNally, appearing on behalf of Cooch, said his client's display of violence at the riot could be partially explained by his ADHD. 'It is of great regret that the psychology of the crowd appears to have overborne his ordinary character on that day. His ADHD means he is very easily caught up in what goes on around him', McNally said. A protestor holds a placard during the Stand up to Racism rally at St George's Hall in Liverpool, Britain, August 3, 2024 Police officers try to restrain a protester in Liverpool on August 3, 2024 during the 'Enough is Enough' demonstration held in reaction to the fatal stabbings in Southport on July 29 Riot police charge through the scooters laid by protestors in Liverpool, Britain, August 3, 2024 'His own participation and involvement is limited, but it cannot be taken outside of the context. He is not somebody who has ever displayed any affiliation or sympathy to what might be described as far right tendencies. 'The court knows that there is an undercurrent. The background events in Southport appear to have been the catalyst behind subsequent events. They are particularly emotive. It may well be that, in that context, the court can accept his assertion that his original intention was to attend what he believed would be a peaceful protest. 'He did not take the opportunity to extricate himself from that locality. Instead, to his regret and the regret of his family, he let himself down and he let them down and one might say that he let down the other citizens of this city in how he conducted himself. 'At the very outset, he expressed remorse. References speak of a man who, despite his difficulties, has sought to better himself. This is a gentleman who is partway through a degree course in criminology and psychology. The irony of that will not be lost on the court, I am sure. 'Mr Cooch needed to take a break from his studies due to issues he was having, in the context of a series of untimely bereavements in the family. He lost his father, grandfather and another family member in a short space of time. He has had to work very hard to get back up to speed.' Cooh admitted to a violent disorder charge, and was given 20 months in prison. Sentencing, Judge Brian Cummings KC said to Cooch: 'The incident occurred, plainly, in a busy public area. There is nothing on your record approaching the seriousness of what I am now dealing with. 'I accept that you have demonstrated a level of remorse. I accept that there have been some mental health factors in this case. There is plainly a better side to you.' Thousands of Britain's Army Reserves could qualify for military pensions under a 'landmark' legal ruling over soldiers being disqualified from schemes. Members of the Territorial Army, as it was known until 2015, were denied access to a service pension until that year. But many past and present reserves could be in line for 'life-changing' sums after a retired major launched a successful 'David versus Goliath' case against the Ministry of Defence. It wasn't clear last night whether the ruling would benefit reservists in other armed forces but the MoD admitted it was looking at the 'implications of the judgement'. The case was brought by Maj Charles Milroy, 66, who was refused access to a pension despite serving over 37 years in the TA, including a tour in Iraq. Reservists may benefit from 'life changing' pensions following a ruling against the MoD (file image) Recruits train with L86 light support weapons at the Infantry Training School, Catterick. File. He served an average of 46 days per year until his retirement from Scottish Water in 2010, when he was on duty for 150 days every year until he left five years later. An employment tribunal in Glasgow heard reservists with similar records were not allowed onto the scheme on the grounds that it was 'administratively burdensome and extremely expensive' to organise. The MoD argued admin costs outweighed the justification of giving pensions to reservists because typically they didn't serve long enough or work sufficient days in the year. Maj Milroy claimed he was entitled to the pension because of the length of his service and his annual workload. Employment Judge Frances Eccles has now ruled in his favour, saying it was 'disproportionate' of the MoD to deny pensions to all reservists when some, like the applicant, should have received them. The chartered civil engineer, who will now receive 7,300 per year, said: 'This case is a bit like David versus Goliath with an individual taking on such a large organisation. I am the test case.' Legal sources said the ruling could have a significant knock-on effect, potentially costing the cash-strapped MoD millions each year. Maj Milroy lost out under the terms of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme 1975 and its 2005 successor, which was open to regulars who 'make the services their career'. It was replaced with the Armed Forces Pension Scheme in 2015 which covered both regular soldiers and reservists and was brought in following the introduction of part-time workers' rights. Judge Eccles found that the employment of a reservist was not inherently different to that of a regular and Maj Milroy worked significantly more than usual for a reservist. British soldiers take part in a military parade in Warsaw on Polish Army Day, August 15 Maj Milroy, who was refused access to a pension, claimed he was entitled to the pension because of the length of his service and his annual workload. File photo The MoD was ruled to be guilty of less favourable treatment towards Maj Milroy in denying him a pension under the 1975 scheme. '[The MoD] cannot be criticised for seeking to avoid unnecessary costs and administrative burdens on the public purse. It is a legitimate aim,' the judge said. 'The tribunal was not persuaded, however, that the administrative burden and costs of allowing reservists to join the AFPS 75 scheme was sufficiently high to justify their exclusion.' She also pointed out the 'projected administration costs provided by [the MoD] were comparatively small when compared with the pension that a qualifying reservist such as [Maj Milroy] might receive from the scheme'. Maj Milroy's solicitor, Slade de Lacey of Beers LLP, said after the hearing: 'We were pleased with the unanimous findings of the panel, whose decision finds that reservists with enough service are eligible for a pension.' An MoD spokeswoman said: 'We are in discussion with legal counsel [over] the implications of the judgement and the possibility of appealing. 'We will not be commenting further at this time.' In January this year, there were around 24,000 reservists in the Army, 3,000 in the RAF and 3,300 in the Royal Navy. The father of tragic Molly Russell has accused major social media platforms of continuing to 'sit on their hands and choose inaction' over protecting youngsters from dangerous content. Ian Russell spoke out after a new study showed that some of the biggest platforms are failing to detect and remove material relating to suicide and self-harm. Research from the Molly Rose Foundation found that of more than 12 million content moderation decisions made by six of the biggest platforms, over 95 per cent were detected and removed by only two sites - Pinterest and TikTok. The charity said Meta's Instagram and Facebook were each responsible for just 1 per cent of all suicide and self-harm content detected by the major sites studied - and X, formerly known as Twitter, is responsible for just one in 700 content decisions. The study analysed publicly available records of over 12 million content moderation decisions taken by six sites: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, TikTok and X, and said it found the response of most platforms to suicide and self-harm content was 'inconsistent, uneven and unfit for purpose'. Ian Russell has accused major social media platforms of failing to protect youngsters from dangerous content Molly Russell (pictured) took her own life in November 2017, aged 14, after she had been viewing material on social media linked to anxiety, depression, self-harm and suicide The Foundation is now warning that the Online Safety Act does not go far enough to address what it says are clear systematic failures in the content moderation approach of social media firms. The charity - whoch is chaired by Mr Russell - was set up in Molly's memory as part of a drive to stop youngsters from resorting to suicide. Molly, who was 14 when she took her own life in November 2017, viewed more than 2,000 online posts about suicide, self-harm and depression during the last six months of her life. Mr Russell said: 'Almost seven years after Molly died, it's shocking to see most major tech companies continue to sit on their hands and choose inaction over saving young lives. 'As the last few weeks have shown, it's abundantly clever that much more ambitious regulation is required. 'That's why it's time for the new Government to finish the job and commit to a strengthened Online Safety Act. 'Parents across the country will be rightly appalled that the likes of Instagram and Facebook promise warm words but continue to expose children to inherently preventable harm. 'No ifs, no buts, it's clear that assertive action is required.' In comments to the Mirror, he added: 'Over the years we've grown used to hearing platforms say, 'We take this very seriously? the safety of our users is paramount'. 'That sounds comforting, but there's no real evidence anything has really changed.' In its report, the Foundation said it had found that social media sites were routinely failing to detect harmful content on the highest risk parts of its services. For example, it said only one in 50 suicide and self-harm posts detected by Instagram were videos, despite the short-form video feature Reels now accounting for half of all time spent on the app. The study also accused sites of failing to enforce their own rules, noting that while TikTok detected almost three million items of suicide and self-harm content, it suspended only two accounts. The research was based on content moderation decisions made in the EU, which are required to be made publicly accessible. Molly, pictured at a younger age, viewed more than 2,000 online posts about suicide, self-harm and depression during the last six months of her life Mr Russell (pictured) said 'it's shocking to see most major tech companies continue to sit on their hands and choose inaction over saving young lives' In response to the study, a Meta spokesperson said: 'Content that encourages suicide and self-injury breaks our rules. 'We don't believe the statistics in this report reflect our efforts. In the last year alone, we removed 50.6m pieces of this kind of content on Facebook and Instagram globally, and 99% was actioned before it was reported to us. 'However, in the EU we aren't currently able to deploy all of our measures that run in the UK and the rest of the world.' A spokesperson for Snapchat said: 'The safety and wellbeing of our community is a top priority. 'We strictly prohibit content that promote or encourage self-harm or suicide, and if we identify this, or it is reported to us, we remove it swiftly and take appropriate action.' TikTok did not provide a statement but said its rules were clear that it did not allow showing, promoting or sharing plans for suicide or self-harm. A Department for Science, Innovation and Technology spokesperson said: 'Social media companies have a clear responsibility to keep the people using their platforms safe and their processes to do so must be effective. 'Under the Online Safety Act, those who encourage self-harm with intent currently face up to five years in prison. Once the Act is fully implemented platforms will also have to proactively remove illegal content that encourages serious self-harm and stop children seeing material promoting self-harm or suicide, even when it falls below the criminal threshold. 'We want to get these new protections in place as soon as possible, but companies should not wait for laws to come into force - they must take effective action to protect all users now.' A 12-year-old girl from Texas died after her parents failed to seek medical help for her mystery illness - instead trying to nurse her back to health with smoothies. Miranda Sipps, who was a cheerleader at Jourdanton Junior High School, suffered from unknown life-threatening injuries for about four days before she tragically passed on Monday. During this time, Denise Balbaneda, 36, Sipps' mother, and Gerald Gonzales, 40, her stepfather, plied the teen with vitamin-rich smoothies in a bizarre bid to heal her from a devastating sickness. Instead of rushing their daughter to the hospital, Balbaneda and Gonzales kept Sipps at home, where the severely injured girl lay on a 'pallet' and drifted in and out of consciousness. Cheerleader Miranda Sipps, center, died after her mother and father failed to seek medical treatment for a mystery injury, investigators say. Instead, the teen's parents attempted to heal her with smoothies Investigators believe that the parents might have shown reluctance to seek medical attention because they did not want law enforcement to come to their home, which authorities described as 'unkept.' No further details have been given about the injury that ultimately killed Sipps or how she might have sustained it. Dispatchers received a call for medical assistance around 8pm on the night Sipps died. They met up with the family at at Highway 16 South and FM 140, where EMS workers found her 'alive but unconscious'. Miranda was rushed to Methodist Hospital in Atascos, where she was pronounced dead less than two hours later. Denise Balbaneda, the mom of a Texas cheerleader who succumbed to life threatening injuries, has been accused waiting four days to get her medical help Denise Balbaneda (left) and Gerald Gonzales (right) have been charged in connection with the death Detectives have launched an investigation into the circumstances of her 'serious' injuries and determined she had sustained them on August 8. 'The investigation revealed the parents failed to seek medical assistance for the girl, even though she was mentally and physically incapacitated and non-responsive, police said in a statement. At a press conference, Sheriff David Soward explained that the young cheerleader had not been 'talking.' 'She basically could flutter her eyes and move her hands a little bit over a four-day period,' he continued. The sheriff also noted that because the girl was unconscious she was not able 'to swallow' the smoothies. The 12-year-old girl, from Christine, was a cheerleader with the Jourdanton Junior High Cheer team When the cheerleader's condition deteriorated, her mother finally contacted authorities on Monday. 'It appears the mother finally called 9-1-1 when the girl went into respiratory distress,' the police statement said. By Tuesday, Balbaneda and Gonzales were booked into the Atascosa County Jail, where they were charged with first-degree felony for injury to a child by omission. If convicted, the parents could face between five and 99 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000. The investigation into Sipps' death is ongoing and a full autopsy to determine the girl's cause of death is pending. Sheriff Soward said investigators were not releasing details of her injuries as they were not yet sure how they were sustained. He confirmed that she did not have any broken bones or marks on her body. He did disclose that the police had previously been called to the family home without providing further information. 'They told us how the injuries happened and they told us they failed to act,' Sheriff Soward said. 'You can throw out how the injuries occurred, you still have a duty as a parent to provide medical care for a 12-year-old child,' the indignant law enforcement officer continued. 'We're not talking them assaulting the child, trying to kill the child or anything like that we're talking about them failing to act.' A mother-of-two says she realized something was wrong when a strange man sat near her children on a flight out of Washington DC as they were trying to head home to Georgia. Lauren Benton told USA Today that she, her husband Nathan, and their two children - ages six and nine - were flying home out of Dulles International Airport on August 2 when a man who was near them at the TSA checkpoint started following them to their gate. The unidentified man even followed Benton and her daughter into the women's restroom, she claimed. 'My heart sunk down into my stomach,' Benton recounted. 'With our children, we were trying to create the perception that they were safe at all times.' He then continued to stalk the family when they got on their Delta flight during early boarding and sat down in their row - before he was forcibly removed. An unidentified man was forcibly removed from a Delta Airlines flight out of Dulles International Airport on August 2 Benton said that at first, she and her husband were trying to remain calm to not upset their children. But when the man boarded the flight and sat near them, she knew she needed to do something - as her children were becoming more and more anxious. She then called over a flight attendant and discretely informed them of the situation, and the man was escorted off the flight, USA Today reports. An ensuing investigation found that the man did not have a boarding pass for the flight to Georgia - but did have a boarding pass and valid identification for another flight that day. The plane then had to be evacuated and a security sweep was conducted, which Benton said took an hour and a half to two hours to complete. Lauren Benton says the man stalked her family from the TSA checkpoint to their gate The TSA later told Benton it was investigating the incident, but told USA Today in a statement that it found there were no security lapses at the checkpoint because the man had a valid boarding pass and ID. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority - which operates Dulles International Airport - also confirmed the man was escorted off the plane, but said no charges were filed and he ultimately continued on to his final destination. Authorities also noted that the man appeared to have mental health issues. Delta Airlines, meanwhile, said it was investigating how the man was able to board the plane without a valid boarding pass. 'Delta has processes in place for gate agents and flight crews to very that individuals on board aircraft prior to departure are customers that are booked on that particular flight,' a spokesperson said. 'Delta is reviewing the matter in question internally and has been in touch with airport authorities in conjunction with this review.' Airport officials confirmed the man was escorted off the flight, but said no charges were filed But Benton said she doesn't understand how such a security lapse could happen. 'Individuals that belong on the plane should only have been allowed on the plane,' she lamented. 'I would like to know how this occurred. 'We live in a post-9/11 era, and people think something like this is not possible, and it's completely possible.' She went on to say she sympathizes with the man's mental health issues 'but I will not allow mental health to be used as an excuse for the [compromising] of my family's safety.' Benton also said she now hopes stakeholders will worker to make sure nothing like this happens again. In the meantime, though, she said she and her family will develop their own safety plan. 'Just don't be complacent,' Benton is now warning other passengers. 'Be prepared to speak out.' Hamas posted a sick photograph of a dead hostage killed in captivity as 'last chance' ceasefire talks started yesterday. The terror group refused to meet its Israeli counterparts in Doha for the latest round of negotiations despite immense pressure on both sides to finally end the war. Instead it shared the image of Ofir Tsarfati's body under the headline 'an unfortunate incident' stating: 'Your brutality has become an imminent danger to your prisoners'. A source claimed a guard 'acted against orders in revenge after receiving news of the martyrdom of his two children in one of the enemy's massacres'. The IDF said Tsarfati's body was recovered in November after being murdered by the group and confirmed the family had been informed. It suggests the terror group only published it on Thursday as part of twisted mind games with Israeli negotiators. Hamas shared an image of the body of Ofir Tsarfati, whose body was recovered in November Ofir's (pictured) mother said she would like to remember her son as he was: 'a perfect man, handsome, smiling, and happy' People stage a protest in front of the Defense Ministry building demanding the government sign a ceasefire and hostage swap deal on Thursday Protests have been ongoing in Tel Aviv for months, calling for an end to the war The mother of the hostage whose picture Hamas cruelly posted last night called on both sides to reach a deal as she asked that her son is remembered as a 'perfect man'. Tsarfati was kidnapped from the Nova festival before his body was recovered in November. His mother, Richelle, said: 'After ten and a half months of a difficult and painful war, Hamas has chosen today to release a photo of Ofir. I choose not to look at the image Hamas published. 'Instead, I want to remember Ofir as he was: a perfect man, handsome, smiling, and happynot as Hamas has decided to portray him in their despicable psychological warfare. 'What's important today is for the developing deal to be implemented successfully. 'There are 115 hostages who must return homethe living for rehabilitation and the deceased for proper Jewish burial. 'What's important today is that the team succeeds and does everything possible to return home with a deal. Everyone needs to come back home, every single person. And now.' Benjamin Netanyahu is under intense domestic pressure to get a deal with 111 hostages still in Gaza of which at least 39 are dead, according to the IDF. His bloody war has also now seen over 40,000 Palestinians die, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Hamas political official Osama Hamdan speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Doha on August 13 Palestinians rush towards a column of smoke billowing following Israeli bombardment which hit a school complex on August 3 Damage to a building in Be'eri kibbutz in Israel following Hamas' October 7 attacks Ofir Tsarfati was kidnapped from the Nova festival on October 7 (site pictured on Oct 17) Talks got back under way in the Qatari capital to try and implement a proposal lined out by President Joe Biden on May 31. Israeli officials said they considered this the 'last chance' to reach a compromise and said they had been given a slightly expanded mandate. CIA director William Burns was due to attend following a joint appeal by US, UK, French and German ambassadors to get the deal done. While Hamas is not participating, intermediaries from Egypt and Qatar are in close contact with the terror group and it is still hoped they can push them into agreement. US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said now is the time 'when it gets the hardest and most gritty', adding: 'Hopefully we'll make some progress here in the coming hours and days.' There is added pressure as Iran has said it will strike Israel directly if peace talks fail. Tehran had promised to retaliate for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh last month but is holding off dependant on the negotiations. Last week, the mediators called on Israel and Hamas to resume talks. They said a framework agreement was 'now on the table with only the details of implementation left to conclude' and they had a bridging proposal to overcome their differences. The first phase of the deal would include a 'full and complete ceasefire' lasting six weeks and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas in Gaza. At this point all female hostages, the elderly and the sick or wounded will be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners. The second phase would involve the release of all other living hostages and a 'permanent end to hostilities' before a third phase of reconstruction of Gaza and the return of dead hostages. Hamas has said it will 'not engage in negotiations for the sake of negotiations in order to provide cover for Israel to continue its war'. It accused Netanyahu of having 'added new conditions' and reneging on Biden's outline - a claim hotly contested by the Israeli PM. A boy sits in a trailer at a makeshift camp for the displaced in Gaza on August 13, 2024 Smoke billows in Gaza City on October 12, 2023, five days after Hamas' incursion into Israel A man mourns over the shrouded body of a family member in Gaza City on August 10 There are growing fears of a regional war if each side is unable to reach a compromise. David Lammy is due to land in Tel Aviv today for a meeting with his Israeli and French counterparts. The British Foreign Secretary said: 'We are at a crucial moment for global stability. The coming hours and days could define the future of the Middle East. 'That is why today, and every day, we are urging for our partners across the region to choose peace.' He is set to meet Israel Katz and Stephane Sejourne as he pushes for diplomats to make a deal in Doha. 'These talks are an opportunity to secure an immediate ceasefire that protects civilians in Gaza, secures the release of hostages still cruelly held by Hamas and restores stability at a dangerous moment for the region,' he said. 'The UK will continue to use every diplomatic lever to bring about a ceasefire.' Heartbroken Taylor Swift reportedly reached out to the families of the Southport stabbing before she took to the stage at Wembley Stadium tonight. This evening's performance in London was said to be 'the hardest concert of her career' after three little girls were killed whilst at a Swift-themed dance class on the Merseyside. Bebe King, six, Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, after the incident on July 29, while 10 others were also injured. Axel Rudakubana, 17, was charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder. As she took to the stage tonight returning to the UK for the first time since the tragedy, she appeared overwhelmed as she welcomed 92,000 fans to the final European leg of her Era's World Tour. While she did not mention the stabbing explicitly, the three innocent victims are said to have been in Swift's thoughts, who is said to have been 'shaken to the core' by the incident. 'Taylor may not have spoken about Elsie Dot, Alice and Bebe on stage but she has reached out to their families,' an insider said tonight. 'It is something that has weighed heavily on her mind.' In the aftermath of the tragedy, Swift said she was at 'a complete loss' over the devastating attack. 'The horror of yesterday's attack in Southport is washing over me continuously, and I'm just completely in shock,' the 34-year-old singer said following the incident. Taylor Swift reportedly reached out to the families of the Southport stabbing before she took to the stage at Wembley Stadium tonight Alice da Silva Aguiar pictured on the day she died next to a cardboard cut out of Taylor Swift - she was eager and ready to get into the dance class Elise Dot, seven, was one of the victims of the Southport stabbing that took place on July 29 Bebe King, six, was also killed while attending the Swift-themed dance class Swift fans went wild tonight as Ed Sheeran made a surprise performance with the American singer Swift and Sheeran performed Everything has Changed, End Game and Thinking Out Loud Swift performing her Red Era set at Wembley Stadium on August 15 - kicking off her final leg of the European Eras Tour Confetti flies through the air during Swift's performance at Wembley Stadium on August 15 'The loss of life and innocence and the horrendous trauma inflicted on everyone who was there, the families, the first response. 'These were just little kids at a dance class. I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families.' Just days later, Swift was then forced to cancel three gigs in Vienna after police uncovered a foiled ISIS terror plot. Swift has not commented publicly on the attempted attack but insiders said she was left 'horrified'. Tonight, however, as the queen of pop made a triumphant return to the stage in London for the final five shows of the European leg of her Eras tour, which has been running since last year. To help her through the gig - which has been surrounded by tragedy - her long-term pal and co-collaborator Ed Sheeran, 33, made an appearance on the stage. During her surprise song set, which Swift changes each gig, the singer-songwriters' performed their song Everything has Changed from the 2012 album Red, followed by End Game from Reputation. The duo then sang an emotional acoustic rendition of Sheeran's Thinking Out Loud while bright green lights shone out from the stadium. Before he left the stage, Swift showered him with compliments and while hugging him described him as a 'second brother'. Taylor Swift made a dazzling return to Wembley's stage tonight as she kicks off the last five shows of the European leg of her Era's Tour Before he left the stage, Swift showered him with compliments and while hugging him described him as a 'second brother' The pair sang Everything has Changed, from the 2012 album Red, followed by End Game from Reputation then Sheeran's song Thinking Out Loud Sheeran and Swift are long term friends as well as co-collaborators. Pictured together in 2015 at the Billboard Music Awards Sheeran and Swift pictured backstage at Madison Square Gardens back in 2013 Swift described Sheeran as her 'brother' as she gushed about him on stage Swift appears overjoyed as she plays a set during the Eras Tour at Wembley Stadium She said: 'Now he is someone that plays Wembley like every week. This is regular for him and he works so hard. He's probably so tired but he wanted to come play for you and do this for all of you.' Speaking after the concert, another insider told the Sun: 'Ed and Taylor have been friends for well over a decade and are very close. He has seen how the last few weeks have impacted her and wanted to be there to support her. 'It meant the world to Taylor to have him there on such a tough night.' Following tonight Swift will play four more shows in London, which will wrap up the European leg of her Eras World tour. Tonight a steel ring was formed around the stadium made up of hundreds of Metropolitan Police officers and security guards clad in yellow jackets. The London force reassured the public that they are 'well prepared' for the five gigs taking place over the next week, with additional ticket checks taking place. The force has also put a stop to fans congregating outside the stadium to hear her music - often referred to as 'tay-gating' - telling those who do not have a ticket will be turned away from the area. Swift performs The Man in a silver blazer with knee-high silver boots During her Red Era she wore a t-shirt that read 'A lot going on at the moment' - references are often picked up by fans During her hit song 22, Swift gave her black hat away to a young blonde girl wearing a light blue jumper who was singing along to the lyrics It comes after the foiled terror plot in Vienna, Austria, led to Swift cancelling all three concerts in the city. The planned attack allegedly involved a car, knives and explosives and was reported to have targeted those gathered outside the stadium. Recent events, however, did not put a dampener on Swifties' sprits tonight, who were out in force, trading friendship bracelets, dousing themselves in glitter and dressing up in themed outfits. Amongst the sea of Swifties were a number of famous faces, including Idris Elba and Amelia Dimoldenberg. When asked if he was excited to be there Elba said 'Oh my god, yeah, can't you tell?' adding his favourite song was London Boy. Elba, who stopped short of admitting he was a fully-fledged Swiftie, then traded bracelets with another fan Sienna Lorenz, 19, a student from Nottingham University. 'I gave him a London Boy bracelet and it broke as soon as he touched it so I gave him the Style one and he said thank you,' Ms Lorenz said. Ms Lorenz said Swift opened the gig with Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince to screams and cheers from the crowd. Breaking her silence in an emotional speech after Cruel Summer, the star said: 'The way that you have chosen to welcome us. There are 92,000 of you, out here, with your hands in the air - screaming the words. Excited Taylor Swift fans pose for photos outside Wembley Stadium as the superstar returns to London Fans show their Taylor Swift bracelets ahead of her concert, following the cancellation of three Taylor Swift Concerts in Vienna Taylor Swift fans flock into Wembley Stadium this evening to watch the mega star perform 'Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts. We love you so much London,' she added. 'I know how much planning and energy and effort it took to come to these shows I really appreciate that.' Later on in the show, Swift came out dressed for her Red Era wearing a t-shirt that said 'a lot going on at the moment'. Her t-shirt references are often picked up by fans. During her hit song 22, Swift gave her black hat away to a young blonde girl wearing a light blue jumper who was singing along to the lyrics. The two embraced for a few seconds before Swift gave her the hat. Swifities arriving at the stadium earlier on in the day had insisted they felt safe and praised the efforts made by security. 'After Vienna, it's good to hear that they've upped the security', student Brodie MacArthur, 23, said. 'In the back of your head, there's still worries. But there are a lot of people here to keep it safe.' Katie Jackson, 18, who works in care and travelled from Leeds, was wearing an outfit inspired by Taylor Swift's song Lover, made by her mother over several months. Regarding security, Miss Jackson said: 'They've put other things in place now and bumped up the security a bit more but you can't let it stop you. They wouldn't go ahead if it was going to be dangerous.' A visibly delighted Sophie Hutton with a tube still in her nose stood outside Wembley stadium with her mother, Angela, who said it was 'a dream come true as we never thought we'd be here' Her mother called her daughter 'super brave' and said they were going to have an amazing time This is the adorable moment a Met Police officer trades bracelets with a young Taylor Swift fan Police officers patrol Wembley as fans gather ahead of Swift's return to London Trading friendship bracelets at Swift's concerts has become a ritual with fans since the Eras Tour kicked off in Arizona last year, with Swifties spending hours making the beaded bands Many Swifties said they felt safe because of the fan's community which they say is filled with kind people. One heartwarming moment caught on camera showed a police officer trading bracelets with a young Swiftie. The little girl, wearing a pink princess dress was seen handing over a pink bracelet to the female officer, while the cop in return tied another bracelet onto the youngsters arm. Trading friendship bracelets at Swift's concerts has become a ritual with fans since the Eras Tour kicked off in Arizona last year, with Swifties spending hours making the beaded bands. Little Sophie Hutton, who has been in Great Ormond Street hospital with cancer for 72 days, said she could not wait to see Swift perform tonight. The schoolgirl from Sutton, who is still recovering, said: 'They just called us up and said 'would Sophie like to go' and I was like, yes! I won a Taylor Swift colouring book and we have been wanting to go ever since '(Being in Great Ormond Street) it was quite scary and what got me through was colouring.' Her mother Angela Hutton, called her daughter 'super brave' and said: 'This is the best first place to go when you're out of hospital. It's absolutely fantastic.' Swift changes into a pink and blue sequin bodysuit for her Lover Era set Swift fans dressed up as construction workers with the lyrics to But Daddy I Love Him on the back Other fans wore the shirt of Swift's boyfriend and American football player Travis Kelce Melissa Thornton, 17 and sister Maddie, 19, wear matching outfits as they prepare to see Taylor Swift later Thousands of fans are gathering at Wembley stadium ahead of Taylor Swift's run of concerts Fans have been queuing for up to 30 hours ahead of Swift's concert on Thursday Meanwhile four siblings have travelled from all across the world to see Swift's show tonight. Kiki Heath, 34, has travelled from Canada, student Bailey Heath, 23, from Bristol, Indi Heath, 36, from Surrey and China Heath, 26, from Budapest. 'When the doors open we will be sprinting,' Indi said, adding that they would 'run as fast as they can'. The first person in the queue arrived at 11am on Wednesday to try and get 'the best spot' in the stadium. Coco, 19, said the experience of her first Swift concert had already been 'really fun', adding that the atmosphere had been 'really nice' with fans making friendship bracelets together. 'We wanted to come as early as we could, we wanted to be the first ones because you get the best view and you have the most space', the teen who travelled down from Surrey said. Swift performs on stage wearing a sequined, bejeweled bodysuit Swift performing her Folklore/Evermore set during the Eras Tour at Wembley Stadium Swift performs The Man during her Eras Tour at Wembley Stadium August 15 'It's way more relaxed. Lots of people find it uncomfortable to camp out but I think it's really fun. You get to meet other people. Some unlucky fans, however, were left furious after being trapped outside Wembley as the singer began her first set. Swifties were left angered as they were refused entry to the stadium due to a maintenance issue after security ran out of wristbands. Fans were pleading to be let in quicker so that they didn't miss the start of the show. She sings Cruel Summer, The Man and Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince first. A concert goer said: 'It was chaos they wouldn't let anyone in without a wristband. They would bring some up but run out and you had to wait ages each time before they got more.' Lotty Evans, 18, from Warwick, who was huddled in the rain with her friends and family, said the heightened security at the concert had not dampened their spirits. She said it had made her feel 'secure' and was what she expected in London. Ms Evans was also not surprised Swift did not mention the attacks in Southport during her set. She said: 'I think it's really difficult to discuss events like that especially in the context of somewhere like Wembley. 'I can totally understand why she didn't talk about that, having talked about it on social media, it must be a really difficult thing for her as well, that she's associated with such a tragedy. I can totally understand why she didn't, for sure.' Asked how it felt to go to a Taylor Swift concert, she said: 'I've followed Taylor Swift for years, I've known her since I was like seven, I've been waiting for an opportunity to see her because I missed her when she did the (Reputation) tour. 'This was my first Taylor Swift concert and what a good one to start with.' Swift performing The Eras Tour at Wembley Stadium on August 15 Swift and Sheeran performing The Eras Tour at Wembley Stadium on August 15 Swift performing The Eras Tour at Wembley Stadium on August 15 She said the surprise songs, which featured Ed Sheeran duetting with the pop superstar, were her highlight of the evening. Speaking outside Wembley Stadium following the Taylor Swift concert, Beth Jones, 16, said: 'It's such an amazing experience, I've been to quite a few concerts of hers before but this was a whole new level.' Charlotte Jones, 52, added: 'She has got so much stamina and so much kindness and love for her fans.' They described the security in the stadium as 'top tier' and said they both felt safe during the concert. Queen legend Brian May has criticised Labour over its badger culling stance and has accused Sir Keir Starmer's party of axing its manifesto pledge to end it. The guitarist, 77, has long stood against the government program since it was introduced just over a decade ago, calling it an 'unnecessary crime'. Sir Brian yesterday blasted the new government for 'the way it is behaving' and hopes there will be a 'big public outcry'. Labour pledged in its 2024 manifesto to 'work with farmers and scientists on measures to eradicate Bovine TB, protecting livelihoods so that we can end the ineffective badger cull'. The Government's existing policy of intensive and supplementary control will end by January 2026. Queen legend Brian May has criticised Labour over its badger culling stance and has accused Sir Keir Starmer 's party of axing its manifesto pledge to end it Sir Brian yesterday blasted the new government for 'the way it is behaving' and says Sir Keir has the 'power to squash those licences and call a hold right now' Animal charity the Badger Trust says that more than 230,000 badgers have been killed since the current cull began in England in 2013 Sir Brian, who is fronting a new BBC documentary in which he investigates how the bTB crisis in England and Wales can be dealt with without killing badgers, said: 'At the moment, it's fair to say that the whole animal community is very disappointed in the way that the new Labour Government is behaving because they came into power with a manifesto which said that they were going to stop badger culling because it was ineffective, that's actually in the manifesto. 'And they're actually not stopping it, they're allowing it to continue at least until 2026 under the existing licences. 'Keir Starmer does have the power to squash those licences and call a hold right now, on the basis that the badger cull has not worked and he's not done that, and we're very disappointed. 'We're not giving up hope on the new government, but at the moment it's a very disappointing situation.' The animal rights activist added: 'I don't feel that the British public should allow this to happen, and I'm hoping there is a big outcry.' BTB is recognised as a problem which 'devastates' farm businesses and badger culling has long been a part of the government response to the disease, despite criticism from wildlife and animal welfare campaigners. In a new hour-long documentary, Sir Brian and his research team investigate how bTB is passed on - finding evidence to suggest that current methods used to detect the disease are 'ineffective'. The guitarist, 77, has long stood against the government program since it was introduced just over a decade ago, calling it an 'unnecessary crime ' Sir Brian stands with a protestor as he joins a rally against the badger cull in September 2012 in Bristol The programme also documents a four-year experiment in which Sir Brian partnered with large mammal vet Dick Sibley and farmer Robert Reed, whose farm was chronically infected with bTB. Using methods that emphasised better testing and hygiene inside the farm, the group were able to get the farm declared bTB-free without a cull. Speaking about their findings, Sir Brian said: 'There is so much evidence to show that badgers have nothing to do with the spread of bovine TB, that there is no way you can justify it (culling).' However, he said 'the problem' is that the Department for Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) has been advising that the cull is 'beneficial'. 'I think any minister who comes in is obliged to follow the advice that he's given,' he said. 'Unfortunately, this advice is wrong and needs updating.' Animal charity the Badger Trust says that more than 230,000 badgers have been killed since the current cull began in England in 2013. A Defra spokesperson said: 'We recognise the devastating impact bovine TB has on the farming community which is why we are committed to beating this insidious disease. 'This government will roll out a TB eradication package including vaccination, herd management and biosecurity measures to achieve our objective of getting to bovine TB free status and end the badger cull.' Sir Brian co-founded wildlife campaign group the Save Me Trust and has previously spoken out about fox hunting as well as badger culling. He was speaking on Thursday in Windlesham, Surrey, where his group and the wildlife hospital Harper Asprey Wildlife Rescue are based. Brian May: The Badgers, The Farmers And Me is to air on August 23 at 9pm on BBC Two and BBC Two Wales. A school friend of the 10-year-old girl allegedly murdered by her own mother has written a heartbreaking tribute honouring the 'timid but incredibly sweet and kind' victim, as the community struggles to come to terms with the tragedy. Sophie Wang, a Year 5 student at Emmanuel College, was unable to be saved by paramedics after they rushed to her home in Emerald Lakes, in Carrara, on the Gold Coast, just after 6pm on Tuesday. Her academic father, associate professor Yun Wang, had found the 10-year-old with her throat allegedly slashed and phoned triple zero. Sophie's 46-year-old mother, Yingying Xu, was arrested in a nearby street just before 10.30pm and later charged with murder. On Friday morning, Emmanuel College held a moving 'time of reflection and prayer for Sophie's family, friends, our community and all who have been impacted by this tragedy' before their chapel service. Grief-stricken children laid flowers, candles and heartfelt messages for their classmate, who was previously described as the 'smartest girl in the school'. One girl, whose little brother was in Sophie's grade, said he had described her as 'a bit timid, but incredibly sweet and kind'. Sophie Wang, a Year 5 student at Emmanuel College, was unable to be saved by paramedics after they rushed to her home in Emerald Lakes, in Carrara, on the Gold Coast , just after 6pm on Tuesday. She was remembered by school mates as smart and kind On Friday morning, Emmanuel College held a moving 'time of reflection and prayer for Sophie's family, friends, our community, and all who have been impacted by this tragedy' before their chapel service Tearful schoolchildren hugged one another as the Carrara community tries to come to terms with little Sophie's shocking death Grief-stricken children laid flowers, candles and heartfelt messages for their classmate, who was previously described as the 'smartest girl in the school' 'Everyone here in Emmanuel is devastated and deeply saddened because we lost a beautiful, amazing girl who would've had a bright future if she wasn't taken so soon,' one letter said. 'I hope that wherever you are now, you are happy and thriving.' Another 'year two buddy' of Sophie's, said she had a 'pretty, cheery face'. 'I'm so sorry this happened to you and i hope the pain has eased and you are safe,' the girl wrote. She added: 'Can you see all the beautiful flowers people gave you? They are so pretty! I hope they are cheering you up.' Fighting back tears, Emmanuel College principal Dan Brown described Sophie as a 'great young lady' and said the school was in 'complete devastation' at her loss. 'She was a great friend she was known as being compassionate and caring,' he said. The school's principal, Dan Brown, praised the student's for their response to the tragedy Sophie has been remembered by classmates as a clever and kind girl, who excelled in music and reading Mr Brown praised his students and staff for how they responded to the tragedy. 'Our staff have been just incredible they have been courageous, they have been compassionate and they have put our students first,' he said, reported the Gold Coast Bulletin. 'They've also wrapped themselves around each other to support each other in this really difficult time, which has impacted our whole school.' He added: 'Our students are incredible too. They have shown incredible respect, character and strength for this particular tragedy. 'They've wrapped their hands around each other, looked after each other and cherished Sophie's memory.' In a heartbreaking reminder of the domestic tragedy, some items of little Sophie's school uniform could be seen drying on the line on the balcony at the back of the house on Thursday. Pictured: a vigil at Emmanuel College held before the school's Friday morning chapel service Emmanuel College has offered all of its pupils and parents counselling in the wake of the tragedy One 'year two buddy' of Sophie's, said she had a 'pretty, cheery face' The Carrara community and Emmanuel College, which has its grounds just yards from the Wang-Xu house, is grappling with shock and grief in the wake of the horrifying incident. Sophie's classmate Oliver Hayes, 11, laid flowers outside her home on Wednesday afternoon with his mother and other school friends. 'She was one of the smartest kids in our school,' Oliver said. 'There's so many words to describe her. She was very nice, she really cared about people a lot and she was very kind.' On Thursday morning, several children accompanied by their parents came to lay flowers at the scene on their way to school. Fighting back tears, Emmanuel College principal Dan Brown described Sophie as a 'great young lady' and said the school was in 'complete devastation' at her loss In a heartbreaking reminder of the domestic tragedy, some items of little Sophie's school uniform could be seen drying on the line on the balcony at the back of the house (pictured) It comes as a candlelit vigil is due to be held for Sophie on Friday at 4pm by the Main Fountain in Emerald Lakes. A neighbour across the street from where the tragedy took place described Sophie as a 'really friendly little girl'. Amanda, 68, said she was in the same class as her grandson and used to see her walking to and from school. 'I could always hear her playing music,' Amanda told Daily Mail Australia. 'She was always walking to school and back. She was really friendly and would say hi. A really friendly little girl.' Sophie's 46-year-old mother, Yingying Xu (pictured), was arrested in a nearby street just before 10.30pm and later charged with murder Amanda said her grandson was being given counselling by the school. 'He always talked about Sophie. They got along very well,' she added. 'It's just so awful. The school and the whole community is just in shock.' A mother whose daughter was in Sophie's choir laid daffodils at the scene on Thursday afternoon. 'Everyone is just in shock, no one will ever really understand it. It's so hard on the kids,' the mother-of-two said. She revealed that Sophie was in the Emmanuel College reading club, a star program for children who have read over a million words. 'We'd often see her reading in the library in the mornings. She was a really good reader,' the mother added. Police tape is still blocking the residential street and a large criminal forensic van sits outside the front door of the property, as a team of officers could be seen entering and leaving the suburban home on Thursday morning (pictured) A staff member from Emanuel College pays her respects after the little girl was allegedly killed by her mum On Tuesday night, Daily Mail Australia revealed that detectives are investigating religious TikToks Sophie's mother made on the same day she allegedly killed her. Earlier on Tuesday, Xu had posted three videos on TikTok in which she muttered to the camera about religion in Chinese. In the clips, Xu talks about Christianity and how the 'trinity' is the 'only true god' and 'Jesus is the incarnate son of man'. The videos will form part of the investigation into the case, which seasoned detectives have describe as one of the 'most confronting' they have ever seen. 'In my 15 years as a detective it is one of the most confronting scenes I have ever seen,' Detective Acting Inspector Kent Ellis told reporters on Wednesday. The tragedy has also rattled staff at Griffith University, where Sophie's father Prof Wang works in the chemistry and forensic science department, specialising in renewable energy. Two male colleagues of Prof Wang's turned up at the house on Wednesday afternoon with food but were turned away by an officer who told them the father was not there. The university is offering support to Prof Wang and his close colleagues. 'We are deeply saddened to hear about the tragic death of the daughter of a valued member of the Griffith community,' the university said in a statement. 'Our thoughts are with the family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.' Xu was remanded in custody and will next appear in court on November 29. China, Africa embrace closer economic, trade ties Xinhua) 07:56, August 15, 2024 A coffee exhibitor shows coffee products during the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo in Africa (Kenya) 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya, May 9, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Yahui) BEIJING, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- China and African countries have developed closer economic and trade ties with ever-increasing trade volume, diversified commodities and services on both sides, latest data showed. Trade between China and Africa rose 5.5 percent year on year to 1.19 trillion yuan (about 166.6 billion U.S. dollars) between January-July, data from the General Administration of Customs (GAC) showed. China has been Africa's largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years, customs data showed. China-Africa trade reached a record high of 282.1 billion U.S. dollars in 2023, up 1.5 percent year on year, showing strong resilience. In 2023, China's new energy vehicles, lithium batteries, and photovoltaic products exports to Africa increased by 291 percent, 109 percent and 57 percent year on year, respectively. Meanwhile, China's imports of African nuts, vegetables, flowers, and fruits increased by 130 percent, 32 percent, 14 percent, and 7 percent, respectively, compared to the previous year. Specially, China's trade with Africa in intermediate goods posted 6.4 percent year-on-year growth in the first seven months of the year, GAC data also showed. Trade in intermediate goods between China and Africa accounts for 68 percent of the total value of bilateral trade, helping Africa in its process of industrialization and economic diversification efforts, said Lyu Daliang, an official with the GAC. During the January-July period, China's exports to Africa hit 697.93 billion yuan, while imports reached 490.89 billion yuan, customs data revealed. Sang Baichuan, dean of the Institute of International Economy at the University of International Business and Economics, said that the China-Africa trade has grown rapidly as a result of mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation. "It not only demonstrates the remarkable achievements of China's high-quality economic development, but also plays a significant role in promoting Africa's social development and improving local people's living standards," said Sang. The China-Africa Trade Index, based on trade-indicator data between China and African countries, was released for the first time by the GAC in 2023, with the general index of data from 2000 serving as the benchmark. Starting from 100 points in 2000, the index reached a record high of 990.55 points in 2022, indicating the rapid and positive development of China-Africa trade. "China and Africa economies are highly complementary," Sang noted, adding that China possesses mature and applicable technologies, equipment, and sufficient capital, while African countries have significant advantages in terms of manpower and natural resources. Strengthening trade ties between China and Africa is beneficial in leveraging their respective advantages and vast markets, achieving mutual benefits, and win-win development, according to Sang. The 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) will be held in Beijing from Sept. 4 to 6, and Lyu expects the two sides to enhance their economic and trade cooperation. The theme of the 2024 FOCAC is "Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future," according to an announcement made by the Chinese foreign ministry on July 30. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Japan ministers visit notorious war-linked Yasukuni Shrine despite opposition Xinhua) 14:35, August 15, 2024 TOKYO, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Three Japanese ministers, despite raging criticism from the global community, on Thursday visited the controversial Yasukuni Shrine, as the country marked the 79th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II. Defense Minister Minoru Kihara paid his homage at the shrine, a symbol of Japan's past brutal militarism, early in the morning, the first visit by an incumbent defense minister on this significant day since the Ministry of Defense was elevated from defense agency in 2007. Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi and Economic Revitalization Minister Yoshitaka Shindo also visited the war-linked shrine. Their in-person visits marked the fifth consecutive year that a Japanese cabinet minister has visited Yasukuni on this significant day. Several lawmakers from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, including Shinjiro Koizumi, a former environment minister and son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, also visited the shrine to pay homage. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida sent ritual offerings to the shrine in his capacity as president of the LDP. It came a day after Kishida took the public by surprise by announcing that he would not run in the ruling party's presidential race next month, ready to step down as prime minister after three years in power. The Yasukuni Shrine, located in central Tokyo, honors 14 convicted Class-A Japanese war criminals from World War II. It has long been a source of diplomatic friction for Japan and its neighbors. Visits and ritual offerings made by Japanese officials to the controversial shrine have consistently sparked criticism and hurt the feelings of the people of China, South Korea and other countries brutalized by Japan during the war. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) The Spartan Village on the Paseo project in San Jose is the biggest housing conversion in the Bay Area since the pandemic. Blake Cardoza/Water Tower Creative San Jose State University has completed the Bay Areas biggest housing conversion since the pandemic, creating beds for almost 700 students in just nine months. The 13-story Spartan Village on the Paseo project at 170 South Market St. opened Thursday. Thats less than a year after the city approved the hotel-to-housing conversion last October. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The school partnered with developer Throckmorton Partners to convert one of two towers of the Signia by Hilton San Jose hotel, formerly the Fairmont hotel. After temporarily closing in 2021, the hotel was rebranded and consolidated operations into its north tower. The reuse of an underutilized asset is a great model, as is having nearly 700 students living in the middle of downtown San Jose and in the center of the largest non-vehicle corridor in downtown. The daily activity of these students and the residence staff will be a significant revitalization in the area, said Charlie Faas, San Jose States vice president for administration and finance. In the wake of remote work and a decline in tourism, Bay Area developers and officials have floated proposals to convert office space and other commercial buildings into housing. But San Jose State and Throckmorton are the first to pull it off at a major scale. In San Francisco, projects have been proposed but have not started construction, in part because of high construction costs. Separately, San Francisco Mayor London Breed has sought to bring more college campuses to downtown. An artist rendering of the interior of San Jose State Universitys housing conversion project, which opened this week. Courtesy of SJSU The uniqueness of this project is based on the fact that SJSU is the only truly downtown urban campus in the California State University system, Faas said. But I believe it can be a model for urban student housing. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Throckmorton Partners bought the south tower for $73.1 million in 2023 and spent $40 million on renovations. San Jose State is leasing the project for now and has agreed to buy the property after 25 months for $165 million. Demolition work began in April, and construction started a month later. The project will be fully occupied by students, who start moving in this week. Rooms include a mix of double, triple and quad beds. Rents listed on the projects website range from $6,154 to $7,571 total for the four-month fall semester. More than 120 beds are designed as affordable for qualified students. An artist rendering of the interior of San Jose State Universitys housing conversion project. The building, which opened this week, will house 700 students. Courtesy of SJSU The timeline has been the biggest challenge. The accelerated schedule to meet a student move-in deadline on Aug. 15 has been a sprint, said Faas. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Hotels have advantages over offices when it comes to housing conversions. There are already individual bedrooms and bathrooms in hotels, while offices are typically set up with large, open floor plates. Amenities for the Spartan Village include on-site dining, a fitness center, study lounges, a movie and gaming theater and community kitchen. The project is about a seven-minute walk to San Jose States main campus. Another San Jose housing conversion project at the historic Bank of Italy office tower has also started construction, with 100 or more apartments planned. Police have arrested five people, including four underage teenagers, in Sheffield after six people were injured by an air rifle shooting. The incident, on Richmond Park Avenue, east Sheffield, took place at 2.23pm on Wednesday. Five children, aged between seven and 15, along with a 62-year-old woman were injured during the shooting. Three of the children were forced to go to hospital to undergo surgery to remove pellets from their bodies. Local cops arrested five people, a 15-year-old girl, two boys aged 15 and 16, and two 18-year-old men, on suspicion of possession of a firearm and GBH. All five have since been bailed pending further inquiries. CCTV footage taken on Richmond Park Avenue shows police pulling up to an address, before arresting three people outside a property. Police have arrested five people, including four underage teenagers, in Sheffield after six people were injured by an air rifle shooting The incident, on Richmond Park Avenue, east Sheffield, took place at 2:23pm on Wednesday South Yorkshire police, which is investigating the incident, has appealed to the public for further information on the shooting South Yorkshire police, which is investigating the incident, has appealed to the public for further information on the shooting, and have asked members of the public to quote incident number 488 of 14 August 2024 when they get in touch. The shooting comes just months after a 17-year-old was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after three people were injured in a horror attack at a school in Sheffield. Police were scrambled to Birley Community College following reports that a child had been injured with a sharp object. The youngster was given medical attention following the assault and two other adults were also found to be injured. All three were treated at the scene for minor injuries. The 17-year-old suspect was arrested and taken into police custody. Following the incident the community college has gone into lockdown. The Birley Academy posted on X, formerly Twitter: 'We went into lockdown as a precaution following an incident at the school. 'This was not a decision taken lightly, but the safety of students and staff is paramount. All students and staff are safe. We are working closely with the police and will update shortly.' An email sent to parents by headteacher Vicky Hall reads: 'There has been an incident in school. 'I want to reassure you that all staff and students are safe and well. Emergency services attended immediately and are in attendance. 'Please do not attend school at the moment.' British tanks are leading Ukraine's advance into Russia, it emerged yesterday as a key Putin ally called for peace talks. The Challenger 2 tanks, known for their heavy armour and hitting power, were given to Ukraine after Russia invaded in 2022. Now they are playing a key role in the incursion into Russia's Kursk and Belgorod regions. The Ministry of Defence did not comment on the use of the tanks last night, though UK Government policy allows Kyiv to use British weapons on Russian soil, with the exception of long-range Storm Shadow missiles. Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian president Vladimir Putin, urged both sides to negotiate. A Ukrainian soldier with a machine gun in his hands rides along a dirt road on a Challenger-2 tank on August 3, 2023 in Ukraine A Challenger 2 tank near the frontline in Zaporizhzhia region, on February 12 The Ukrainian armed forces build trenches to solidify their positions inside Russia in Kursk Ukrainian military vehicles drive past the border crossing point with Russia into Kursk He said: 'Let's sit down at the negotiating table and end this brawl. 'Neither Russians, nor Ukrainians, nor Belarusians, need it.' He suggested the war had been contrived by Western powers, saying: 'I cannot disclose these facts as they are completely classified but top [Western] officials openly say, and I quote: "Let them fight each other Ukrainians, Russians let them all die".' Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky has said his country now controls at least 75 Russian settlements and 400 square miles of land following its incursion into the Kursk region. More than 2,000 prisoners have been taken. Yesterday, he said his troops had taken full control of Sudzha, around five miles from the border and the largest town captured by the Ukrainian military so far. Further inland, Russia started digging trenches in a bid to stop the advance after failing dismally to eject the Ukrainians. Officials appealed for citizens to apply for digging jobs, offering three meals a day and wages. Earlier this week, Kyiv's forces constructed their own trenches to defend their gains. With both sides apparently bedding in for the long term, Kursk is likely to become a new front line, despite Kyiv's claim the bold incursion is to speed the end of the conflict. Moscow upgraded the situation in the neighbouring Belgorod region, saying it will send 'additional forces' and respond with 'concrete action'. Ukraine's 82nd Air Assault Brigade, which has operated the British tanks since last year, is involved in the incursion. Ukrainian personnel hold a Ukrainian flag as they stand on a Challenger 2 tank during training at Bovington Camp, near Wool in southwestern Britain, February 22, 2023 British Army soldiers during Exercise Immediate Response as one component of NATO's Exercise Steadfast Defender 2024, in Drawsko Pomorskie training area, Poland May 15 A Ukrainian soldier stands guard as he surveys a line of Russian POWs taken in Kursk Ukrainian servicemen operate a Soviet-made T-72 tank in the Sumy region, near the border with Russia, on August 12, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine The UK was one of the first countries to supply Western-made main battle tanks superior to the Soviet era machines operated by Ukraine and some Russian units. One of the 14 75-ton Challenger 2s was destroyed in Kyiv's failed summer offensive and yesterday, Russian military bloggers claimed another was knocked out by a kamikaze drone. Equipped with a highly accurate 120mm rifled gun, the battle-tested Challenger 2 is designed to destroy other tanks. Yesterday Yuriy Sak, of the Ministry of Strategic Industries of Ukraine, said the incursion was part of Ukraine's self-defence strategy to 'further degrade the military capability of the enemy'. My first inkling that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex may have trouble holding onto staff came back in 2018 when I received a tip that Meghans personal assistant, Melissa Toubati, had quit suddenly, just six months after the American actress had married into the Royal Family. Its a real shock, a source told me at the time. Why would she want to leave such a prestigious job so soon? Officials usually decline to discuss staffing matters, so it took me aback when a senior Palace source chose to pay tribute to her publicly. Melissa is a hugely talented person, the source said. She played a pivotal role in the success of the royal wedding and will be missed by everyone in the Royal Household. Prince Harry and Meghan with Josh Kettler (right) by their side during their visit to Nigeria in May Meghan's personal assistant Melissa Toubati quit suddenly, just six months after the American actress had married into the Royal Family For someone to go out of their way to pay such fulsome tribute suggested Melissas colleagues were not happy with her departure. The fact she left so soon raised questions over the reasons for her exit. Indeed, it later emerged that Jason Knauf, the couples communications secretary, had written to Simon Case, Prince Williams private secretary, in 2018 to say: I am very concerned that the duchess was able to bully two PAs out of the household in the past year. The treatment of X was totally unacceptable. He added: The duchess seems intent on having someone in her sights. She is bullying Y and seeking to undermine her confidence. We have had report after report from people who have witnessed unacceptable behaviour towards Y. Melissas exit proved to be the first of many departures from Prince Harry and Meghans staff in the years that followed. Its hard to keep track, but the total number of employees the Sussexes have lost since they married in 2018 is thought to be at least 18, with nine or more having left since they moved to California two years later, after quitting royal duties. The Sussexes staff retention problem was thrown into sharp relief this week after I revealed on Monday evening that Harrys grandly titled chief of staff, Josh Kettler, had suddenly quit after barely three months in the job amid much intrigue. When Kettler was appointed, he was described as the perfect man to guide King Charless younger son through his next phase. While a spokesman for the Sussexes declined to comment on Kettlers departure, an anonymous source subsequently briefed People magazine - a title that has been used to put across their point of view many times in the past - that Kettler had been hired on a trial basis. The source claimed that the decision to part ways was mutual, with both sides agreeing it wasnt the right fit. Im old enough to remember when Harry and Meghan declared that they wouldnt indulge in anonymous briefings, which, they suggested, were the sort of sinister Palace methods that would have no place in their modern household. How times change. The anonymous briefing given to People magazine has the appearance of being rather disingenuous. Kettlers hiring was on no more of a trial basis than any other appointment. I find the idea that they would fill a key position in such a way absurd. The significance of Kettlers role was clear to journalists covering Harry and Meghans quasi royal tour of Nigeria in May, when he was seen by the dukes side throughout. He had previously been with Harry in London at the St Pauls Cathedral service to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Invictus Games. To me, their use of the word mutual is fascinating too. They used the same word to describe the end of their relationship with the music streaming giant Spotify. A source tells me: Josh soon realised that the job wasnt for him. There were aspects of it that he wasnt comfortable with. He thought it was better to leave now than to continue in a job that he did not enjoy. The source is too diplomatic to spell it out but was it the case that the chief of staff discovered that there was only one chief in the Montecito household and it wasn't him? The timing of Kettlers departure could not be more awkward, as he was intimately involved in organising the couples quasi royal tour of Colombia, which begins today. He now joins the growing ranks of the Sussex Survivors Squad, the gallows-humour name former staff have given themselves. The most wounded members of that squad were those who accused Meghan of bullying behaviour while she was still a working member of the Royal Family. Josh Kettler has quit as Prince Harry's chief of staff after barely three months in the job, amid much intrigue Prince Harry Meghan at an award ceremony in Hollywood last month. The duchess has always strenuously denied allegations of bullying Palace aides admitted in 2022 that a report into allegations of bullying by the duchess had effectively been buried. They said that the findings would never be made public. Even those who took part in the inquiry were not told what the outcome was. Officials would confirm only that their investigation had concluded and recommendations on our policy and procedures had been taken forward. Aides had announced in 2021 that they were launching an inquiry into claims that Meghans belittling behaviour while a working royal drove two female personal assistants out of the household and undermined the confidence of a third. Staff were said to have been left in tears and feeling traumatised - with some likening their condition to having post-traumatic stress. The Royal Household employed a third-party law firm to probe the claims in a move that some predicted could increase tensions between Harry and Meghan and the institution. The allegations have always been strongly denied by the duchess, whose lawyers described them at the time as a calculated smear campaign. A spokesman added: The duchess is saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma. Surely, if Harry and Meghan want to ensure they have no problems recruiting staff in the future, they should urge the Palace to publish the report? To sign up for Richard Edens royal newsletter, click here A poignant letter from King Charles discussing the 'unbearable emptiness' of grief four months after Princess Diana's death has sold at auction for more than 1,500. Charles tells the recipient, a Mr Peter Houghton, that his heart 'bleeds' for him following the passing of 'dear Liz' to illness. The monarch adds that he can imagine the 'agony' he was going through and 'longed to wave a magic wand to transform the situation'. Charles then laments the 'bewilderment and confusion that accompanies the removal of someone so young from the world'. He elaborates on his Christian faith and his beliefs on what happens when someone dies, quoting a Bible passage that states 'now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face'. A poignant letter from King Charles discussing the 'unbearable emptiness' of grief four months after Princess Diana 's death has sold at auction for over 1,500 Charles standing with sons Prince William and Prince Harry, along with Diana's brother Earl Spencer following her funeral service in 1997 The three page handwritten letter was written on a Highgrove House letterhead and dated December 8, 1997, about 14 weeks after Diana's death. It is signed 'Charles' and has its original envelope which had his instructions for it to be delivered 'by hand'. The letter has sold for 1,560 ($2,004) at RR Auction, of Boston, US. Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997, when her sons Princes William and Harry were aged 15 and 12 respectively. An RR spokesperson said: 'This lengthy handwritten letter to "Peter" expresses his sympathy upon the death of a loved one. 'Charles was likely particularly emotional at the time he wrote the letter, as Princess Diana had tragically passed away just a few months before in August 1997.' The letter in full reads: 'I have been thinking so much of you yesterday and today, knowing how deeply you will be affected by yesterday's tragic news about dear Liz. 'My heart bleeds for you as I can imagine so well the utter agony and despair you must have gone through during all these heart-rendering months that you have known about Liz's illness. The letter was written in 1997 and was addressed to Peter, though it is unknown who that is The King writes about the 'unbearable emptiness' of grief and elaborates on his Christian faith and his beliefs on what happens when someone dies, quoting a Bible passage The multiple pages, written around 14 weeks after Diana's death, are signed with 'Charles' 'All of us who know you-and are so fond you both-have felt the agony in a far lesser way of course, but have longed to wave a magic wand to transform the situation. 'I often think that that is the worst part of all-being unable to help in any constructive way except to say constant prayers in the background & to try and surround you both with love & affection & concern. 'I can so well imagine the unbearable emptiness you must feel at this time; the sense of bewilderment & confusion that accompanies the removal of someone still so young from this world. 'Personally, I believe that there is another dimension beyond this physical one & that we will be amazed to discover it for ourselves when we are eventually - or at a moment- called upon to make that certain journey for ourselves. 'As it says in the Bible - "Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face." The letter still has its original envelope which had instructions for it to be delivered 'by hand' to a Mr Peter Houghton The coffin of Diana, Princess of Wales, is carried inside Westminster Abbey for her funeral service following her tragic death in a Paris car crash 'I can't tell you how pleased & happy I am to have known Liz. She was such a great life-enhancer. 'We shall all have such special memories of her but, above all, Peter, we mind about you & you are so very much in my thoughts and prayers at this most anguishing of times. 'I thought you might just find a very small speck of comfort from this short piece of profoundly wise verse by William Blake and, together with this, I enclose a few "Highgrove things" as a token of immense, affectionate sympathy.' Clever Hans, a performing horse, drew amazed crowds wherever he went. With his owner Wilhelm, a maths teacher, he put on incredible displays of arithmetic, beating out the answer to sums with his hooves. Hans even appeared to be able to read, though sceptics insisted the horse was merely responding to signals given by Wilhelm, touring Germany before the First World War. However the trick was done, neither the animal nor the teacher would have been surprised by news this month that horses are more intelligent than previously guessed. Researchers at Nottingham Trent University taught 20 horses to touch cards with their noses in return for treats. A system of lights was added: if the light was on, the treat was withheld. All the horses quickly learned not to touch a lit card which demonstrates, in psychological jargon, an internal model of the world. Smart though they undoubtedly are, horses are not the most intellectually gifted creatures in the animal kingdom. In fact, theyre not even in our top ten . . . Cunning Crows These South Pacific birds also known as the New Caledonian Crow (pictured understanding water displacement) are known to be quite the problem solvers In an experiment at the University of Auckland in New Zealand , researchers took seven wild crows and set them a complex puzzle (pictured: a crow flying through the sky) All seven birds managed to do it on their first attempt with the record being set by a crow called Sam (pictured a separate crow creating a hook from twigs) These South Pacific birds, also known as qua-quas, are brilliant problem solvers. In an experiment at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, researchers took seven wild crows and, after putting them in an aviary, set them a puzzle so complex it might have been inspired by a Heath Robinson cartoon. At one end of the aviary was a scrap of meat under a cover. To winkle it out, the birds needed to poke it with a long stick. That alone would flummox most creatures but the long stick was locked away, too, inside a cage. And to get that, the birds needed ... another stick! Hanging by a thread from their perch was a short piece of wood. To solve the problem and get the meat, each crow had to snap the thread, hold the short stick in its beak, drag the longer stick through the bars of the cage, then use that to retrieve the meat. All seven birds managed to do it on their first attempt. The record was set by a crow called Sam, who spent less than two minutes examining the components and then completed every stage without making a mistake. The researchers called the results incredibly surprising. In another experiment, birds brought a worm floating on the surface of a beaker of water into range by dropping stones into it to raise the water level. Professor Christian Rutz, who was part of a team at Oxford and Exeter universities investigating how the crows forage for food, believes these behaviours help them catch grubs and bugs that are richest in protein, which in turn gives their brains energy to develop. Crafty Macaques Long-tailed macaques are known for stealing items and holding them at ransom (Pictured: A wild macaque steals food from tourists in Chongqing, China) Usually the ransom price stands at one piece of banana or an orange segment for the safe return of possessions Three long-tailed macaques cuddling together during a hot day in Bali, Indonesia At the Uluwatu temple in Bali, long-tailed macaques are running a protection racket worthy of the Kray twins, stealing hats, sunglasses, bags and even shoes from tourists. The monkeys demand a ransom, usually one piece of banana or an orange segment for the safe return of possessions. But the elders of the troop are craftier and greedier. Like old-school bank robbers, they specialise in high-value raids and target smartphones. Tourists will pay almost anything to get a phone back. One old male snarls at humans who offer him mere bananas: he refuses to return his booty for anything less than a giant chocolate bar. The monkeys have worked out how to exploit us, wildlife film-maker Mike Gunton said. The speed with which humanity is changing the world means evolution has to speed up too. It isnt classical Darwinian evolution, the incremental physical changes over time. This is cultural evolution, and it is happening very fast. Diligent Dogs The average dog has an intelligence equivalent to that of a two-year-old human, according to the University of British Columbia (pictured: a border collie) The research rates border collies as the smartest dogs, followed by poodles, German shepherds (pictured running through a field of flowers), golden retrievers and dobermans) A golden retriever playing with a ball on a beautiful sunny day in a lush green field (stock image) According to psychology professor Stanley Coren, of the University of British Columbia, the average dog has an intelligence equivalent to that of a two-year-old human. He must know some brainy toddlers because dogs can do everything from detecting contraband to raising the alarm when their owner is about to suffer an epileptic fit. And very few blind people would trust a two-year-old to walk them across a busy road. Coren rates border collies as the smartest dogs, followed by poodles, German shepherds, golden retrievers and dobermans. He also argues that many dogs can count and do simple addition. In an experiment devised by researchers at Wofford College in South Carolina, a border collie called Chaser learned more than 1,000 words. A 2011 paper in the journal Behavioural Processes reported that Chaser could accurately select and fetch many hundreds of toys and other items, learning the names for several new ones every day and remembering them consistently. In fact, she proved better than her trainers, who had to write the names on the toys to keep track of them all. Brainy Octopuses Some octopuses collect empty coconut shells to use as shelters. If a predator approaches, they pull the shells around their bodies like armour (pictured: a common octopus) One species, the gloomy octopus, (pictured) uses stones, shells and even bottles to build a communal barricade around outcrops of rock Octopuses are also sneaky, with some even venturing out of their tank to nab fish in seperate locations (pictured: a close up of a common octopus) Some octopuses collect empty coconut shells to use as shelters. If a predator approaches, they pull the shells around their bodies like armour. Its hardly surprising theyre so clever: they have nine brains, one in each tentacle and a central one that assimilates information from all the others. One species, the gloomy octopus, uses stones, shells and even bottles to build a communal barricade around outcrops of rock, where they live in groups. Scientists found two of these octopus cities in Jervis Bay, Australia, in 2017. They dubbed one Octopolis and the other Octlantis. Octopuses are also crafty. Jon Ablett, of the Natural History Museum, says: At one lab, all the fish were going missing from their tank. The staff set up a little video camera and it turned out that one of the octopuses was getting out of its tank, going to the other tank, opening it, eating the fish, closing the lid, going back to its own tank and hiding the evidence. Deft Dolphins Bottlenose dolphins (pictured) use a cunning strategy to hunt and trap fish such as creating a mud barrier with their tails Dolphins leaping out of the water at Dolphin Research Center in March 27, 2023 (file image) In the shallows of the Florida Keys, bottlenose dolphins use a cunning strategy to hunt and trap fish. One swims in a tight circle, beating its tail on the silty seabed to stir up a ring of mushrooming mud. Fish caught in the circle start panicking and try to leap over the mud barrier ... straight into the waiting mouths of more dolphins. This requires agility and perfect timing, probably aided by communication via the rattle of their clicking noises. Andrew Read, a biologist at Duke University in North Carolina, has suggested this behaviour is an adaptation of an earlier dolphin hunting trick, where one animal herds the fish (like a dog with sheep) towards others in the pod. It could also have its origins in a technique known as the bubble net, used by humpback whales: blasting air through their blowholes, they confuse shoals of fish and corral them into a tight ball before lunging in to eat their fill. Shrewd Chimps Our closest animal relatives chimpanzees are amongst the most intelligent animals in the wild (pictured climbing high in the trees) A young Central Chimpanzee sitting on the ground holding its finger to its mouth Pan-hooting chimpanzee nestled in its natural habitat of Bissagos Islands, Guinea-Bissau (file image) The great apes, our closest animal relatives, are like us in so many ways. In Borneo during the 1970s, rescued orangutans watching humans washing in the river learned how to use soap and shampoo. Incredibly, this behaviour has spread to wild orangutans, which enjoy working up a lather on their arms and chests with stolen bars of soap. Scientists have been performing intelligence tests with apes, mostly chimps and bonobos (also known as pygmy chimps), for a century or more. But observations made in the wild tell us more about their innate abilities. Researchers from the University of Zurich, studying groups of chimps at three national parks in Tanzania, discovered that different troops have different skills. All three populations of chimps used twigs to poke into holes in the ground or into trees to extract ants, termites and other insects to eat, known as ant dipping. But it was only the chimps at the Tai reservation that used blades of grass, which were not as strong but could scoop up more insects at a time. The Tai apes also used stones to pound open nuts a trick females did better than the males. Wily Rats Decades of experiments with lab rats have proved they can recognise human faces, learn their way around complex mazes and operate levers to obtain food (pictured: a rat looking for food) Two curious brown rats hiding underneath a sofa (stock image) Decades of experiments with lab rats have proved they can recognise human faces, learn their way around complex mazes and operate levers to obtain food. They can even slow their heartbeats to get rewards. But a study by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute a couple of years ago went even further, using virtual reality devices to demonstrate that rats have imagination. They can envisage places in their minds, even when they are in a different setting. This implies both consciousness and memory. The experimenters used brain sensors to monitor the rats neuron activity, scanning the hippocampus the part of the brain that controls spatial reasoning. The animals were placed in a 360-degree interactive virtual environment, a sort of video game for rodents. This digital space was modelled on one already familiar to the rats in the real world. By thinking about where they wanted to go, and running on a ball-like treadmill, the rats could navigate their way through virtual reality to find a reward. Even when the imaginary journey was a long one, the rats stayed focused. The stunning thing, said Dr Tim Harris, is how rats learn to think about that place and no other place for a very long period of time, based on our perhaps naive notion of the attention span of a rat. A-star Bees Bees have distinct personalities, can recognise human faces as well as flowers, use simple tools, and solve problems (pictured: Bees collecting pollen) Bees (pictured pollinating a flower) are best known for their hive-mind which allows them to work as a team Bees have distinct personalities, can recognise human faces as well as flowers, use simple tools, and solve problems. But they are perhaps best known for their so-called hive mind: if a problem is too difficult for one bumblebee to solve alone, others will weigh in with the benefit of their experience just like humans. In an experiment at Queen Mary University, bees were presented with a tricky task to obtain a reward. By pressing a red lever, they could obtain a drop of sugar water. But when the researchers blocked the red lever and rearranged things so that the water could be reached only by pressing a blue lever, none of the bees could figure this out alone. But the researchers showed some how it was done and, by patient observation, they learned the technique. Next, the educated bees were introduced to a group of novices. Soon, the untrained bees had learned how to push both levers. Professor Lars Chittka said: This kind of cumulative acquisition of knowledge, learning from previous generations, was thought to be unique to the human species. This challenges the traditional view that only humans can socially learn complex behaviour. Bright Birds Nkisi the African grey was previously dubbed 'the cleverest parrot in scientific history' could apparently read his owners mind (a file image of another African Grey) The palm cockatoo in Australia (pictured perching on a branch) has been spotted using twigs as wedges, blades and scoops, to grab seeds from fruit Naturalists once thought that humans were the only species that had evolved to use tools. We now know thats far from true. All sorts of creatures do it: sea otters, for instance, lie on their backs in the ocean and balance flat stones on their stomachs, to use as anvils smashing shellfish open on them. All over the world, seagulls drop clams onto hard surfaces to break them open. But parrots are the masters of tool use. The palm cockatoo in Australia can grasp a stick in its beak and drum it against a tree trunk, as part of its mating ritual. And in a 2021 study, Goffins cockatoos were observed using three different kinds of twigs as wedges, blades and scoops, to obtain seeds from fruit. Perhaps the cleverest parrot in scientific history was Nkisi the African grey, a talker who was apparently able to read his owners mind. Aimee Morgana devised an experiment to illustrate this with biologist Dr Rupert Sheldrake after noticing that the bird often seemed to say words that corresponded to her thoughts. In the test, carried out 149 times, Aimee would take a card from a sealed envelope. A word was written on the card, and she would silently concentrate on it for two minutes. NKisi appeared to pick up that word via telepathy and repeat it about 15 per cent of the time. For example, when the word on the card was hug, NKisi said, Can I give you a hug? The odds that this was a coincidence were calculated at 4,000 to one. Caring Elephants The world largest land mammal - the elephants - also has the biggest brains and can remember routes to watering holes over incredibly long stretches of time and space An elephant calf makes a splash as it tries to get a drink (pictured) The largest land mammals on earth, elephants also have the biggest brains and can remember routes to watering holes over incredibly long stretches of time and space. They are also renowned for their empathy, not only mourning their dead but sometimes even trying to bury their remains. Elephants live in large social groups that continually split up and come back together known as fission-fusion societies. To remain in contact, they use low frequency rumbles, a noise too low for the human ear to hear, which is generated from the pit of their stomachs and travels down through their legs. The vibrations can travel for more than five miles and be heard by other elephants, picked up through the sensitive soles of their feet. These rumbles really make the earth shake they can be up to 117 decibels, as loud as a chainsaw. Scientists could be on the brink of a scientific breakthrough about how life originates after drilling deeper into the Earth than ever before. The record-breaking study unearthed a long section of rocks from the Earth's mantle - the layer of solid rock between the planet's inner core and outer crust. They drilled the over 4,000-foot-long rock core from a spot in the Atlantic Ocean called the 'Lost City Hydrothermal Field,' or more commonly, the 'Lost City.' Their findings, presented in the journal Science, offer a closer look at the chemical reactions that allowed life to emerge in the depths of the ocean. Scientists have extracted a huge sample of the Earth's mantle after drilling the deeper into the planet than ever before. With further analysis, the rocks will help answer questions about the origins of life on Earth, and how the mantle drives volcanic activity and important global cycles, according to the researchers. Led by researchers from the Universities of Cardiff and Leeds, the scientists traveled to the Lost City - a point about 1,500 miles east of South Florida - and extracted a mantle rock core from a nearby site. The Lost City lies along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which is one of the world's largest undersea mountain ranges at a length of 6,200 miles. Despite what the name suggests, the Lost City isn't the site of a sunken Atlantis. It's actually a 'bizarre' hydrothermal vent system where seawater circulates beneath the seafloor. The researchers drilled their core near the 'Lost City,' a system of hydrothermal vents that lies along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. It caught the attention of scientists because it produces vents up to 18 stories tall - the tallest ever seen - and the fluids forming these vents are heated by seawater reacting with million-year-old mantle rocks. That may not sound as exciting as a mysterious civilization lost to the ocean, but these vents are massively important as they could hold secrets about how life emerged on our planet billions of years ago, experts say. 'The reaction between seawater and mantle rocks on or near the seafloor releases hydrogen, which in turn forms compounds such as methane, which underpin microbial life,' said study lead author Johan Lissenberg, a geologist at Cardiff University. 'This is one of the hypotheses for the origin of life on Earth.' Lead researcher Johan Lissenberg from Cardiff University and two colleagues analyze the mantle rock sample. Their early findings have already been surprising. The researchers drilled into mantle rock 2,800 feet below the ocean surface using equipment aboard the research vessel JOIDES Resolution. They recovered large sections of continuous mantle rocks, which should be sample representative of the mantle rock beneath the Lost City vents, the researchers said. 'The recovery is record-breaking in that previous attempts of drilling mantle rocks have been difficult, with penetration no deeper than 200 meters (656 feet) and with relatively low recovery of rocks,' Lissenberg said. He and his colleagues documented how a mineral called olivine in the core sample had reacted with seawater at various temperatures. Studying this reaction and others between seawater and mantle rock minerals could help scientists understand how microbial life first formed in the depths of the ocean, Lissenberg explained. The researchers also made some surprising early discoveries about the core sample's composition - finding a more extensive period of melting (molten rick) than expected. An ancient Roman sarcophagus was discovered masquerading as a table at a tourist beach bar in Bulgaria. The 1,700-year-old relic was reportedly found on the sandy shores of the Black Sea, near Varna where the Radjana Beach Bar reportedly found it. A former police officer was visiting the beach bar at a beachfront known as St. Constantine and Elena while on vacation when he noticed the decorated table. The tourist notified local authorities who brought in archaeologists to verify that the object was a historical artifact. Photos and videos posted online revealed that the ancient sarcophagus had been used as a bar since at least 2020, prompting officials to initiate a pre-trial investigation into how the object ended up on the beach. A 1,700-year-old Roman sarcophagus was found being used as a table at a Bulgaria beach bar The sarcophagus was found at the Radjana Beach Bar in Varna, an area located next to the Black Sea Archaeologists were called to the scene and verified that the shelly limestone coffin and its decorative elements aligned with other relics from northwest Bulgaria at that time. The antique stone coffin featured garlands, animal rosettes and a labrys - more commonly known as an axe - on the sides while its top had been replaced with a stone slab that served as a bar for customers. Even though the archaeologists from the Regional History Museum reported that it appeared to have been repainted, the team told the Bulgarian news outlet Devnik that it was authentic after removing part of the paint. Archaeologist Alexander Minchev and his team established that the stones original structure and interior date back to the second century AD. The eight-foot-long Roman sarcophagus has been moved to the Archaeological Museum in Varna where it will undergo additional examinations. Even though the archaeologists from the Regional History Museum reported that it appeared to have been repainted, the team told the Bulgarian news outlet Devnik that it was authentic after removing part of the paint The antique stone coffin featured garlands, animal rosettes and a labrys - more commonly known as an axe - on the sides It remains unclear where the sarcophagus originated, but archaeologists told Devnik that the design style is not typical of other Roman artifacts found in Varna and was most likely brought from another region in Bulgaria. In Bulgaria, every object that has archaeological value, regardless of where, when and by whom it was found, belongs to the state, Minchev told Bulgarian National Television, according to The Sofia Globe. That is, the person who found it is obliged to give it to the nearest museum.It is the job of the police, possibly the prosecutors office, who must investigate how this sarcophagus ended up in Varna and on the beach, he continued. That is something to be done by the relevant authorities and it must be done, because this is probably not an isolated case. It remains unclear where the sarcophagus originated, but archaeologists told Devnik that the design style is not typical of other Roman artifacts found in Varna and was most likely brought from another region in Bulgaria The authorities have not yet made any arrests but have referred the case to the Varna District Prosecutors Office which has opened a pre-trial investigation to uncover how the sarcophagus ended up on the beach and why it was repurposed as a bar The authorities have not yet made any arrests but have referred the case to the Varna District Prosecutors Office which has opened a pre-trial investigation to uncover how the sarcophagus ended up on the beach and why it was repurposed as a bar. Roman artifacts are commonly trafficked in Bulgaria, with police seizing a shocking 4,600 archaeological items that were brought to the UK from Bulgaria in 2020. Similarly to the Roman sarcophagus, the items which included urns, lamps, arrowheads and ancient coins, all came from military camps that were once based in northern Bulgaria. Camping out in sleeping bags. Going days without washing. Facing life-altering health risks. NASA's stranded astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore are 'roughing it out' on the International Space Station as they remain stranded there with no official return date. Boeing's faulty Starliner has extended what was supposed to be an eight day mission into a potential eight months of high stress and uncertainty. Reports suggest the astronauts are living in less-than-ideal conditions, including a lack of proper sleeping arrangements, mounting psychological stress and increasing health risks. But despite all of this, NASA officials boldly claimed the astronauts were loving it at a press briefing on Wednesday. NASA officials insist that astronauts Barry Wilmore (left) and Sunita Williams (right) are 'doing fine' while stranded on the International Space Station, despite reports of rough conditions. 'I know if I was in their position I'd be really happy to be there,' Kenneth Bowersox, the associate administrator at NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate, said. 'I'd be happy to have the extra time." Each additional day they spend up there puts more strain on their bodies, as microgravity and space radiation deteriorate their health. Williams and Wilmore were only supposed to be aboard the ISS for eight days when they launched on Boeing's Starliner in June, but an issue with the craft's thruster system means it's not safe to undock and bring them home. NASA and Boeing have been working on a plan to return the astronauts safely to Earth, but won't have a decision until the end of the month, officials stated in the Wednesday briefing. Officials are currently weighing the risks of sending Williams and Wilmore home on the faulty Starliner versus SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft, which is scheduled to launch in September. Going the SpaceX route would mean that the astronauts would remain on the ISS until February 2025, extending their mission to eight months. An unexpectedly lengthy stay inside the cramped conditions of the ISS is bound to test the astronauts patience, especially when it comes to sleeping arrangements. Boeing's faulty Starliner blasted off to the ISS carrying Williams and Wilmore in June. NASA and Boeing are still deciding whether the spacecraft is safe enough to bring them home. The ISS is only equipped with six private sleep chambers, but there were already seven astronauts on board when Williams and Wilmore arrived, Time reported. That means three of them are left without proper sleeping arrangements. Williams and one of the astronauts who was already at the station are sleeping in less sophisticated sleep chambers called Crew Alternate Sleep Accommodations (CASA). But Wilmore is forced to camp out in a sleeping bag inside Japanese Space Agencys Kibo module. 'Butch is going to have to rough it a little bit,' Williams told Time editor Jeffrey Kluger, who spoke with the astronauts in May when they thought they would only endure these conditions for about a week. Williams also expressed some discomfort due to lack of showers on the ISS during an interview with the Society of Women Engineers on August 8. 'Of course, we dont have showers up here,' she said. 'Maybe I wouldve prepared a little bit better for that.' She added that on the ISS, she can only wash her hair about twice a week. Little annoyances like these can weigh on astronauts who spend long durations aboard the ISS, and can even give rise to psychological challenges. In simulated space missions, some experience the 'third quarter phenomenon' - a dip in motivation occurs when astronauts realize the amount of time they have left in their situation is as much as they have already lived through. Cramped conditions, lack of proper sleeping arrangements and psychological stress may be testing the stranded astronauts' patience. This can leave them feeling irritable, tense and unmotivated. Despite all these challenges, NASA officials say that Williams and Wilmore are having a grand time up there - for now. They are enjoying the environment, "eating that great space food", and being able to look out the window, Bowersox said during the briefing. 'I know that they're making the best of this time, but I'm sure they're eager for a decision just like the rest of us,' he added. But even if the astronauts are putting on a brave face, their bodies are suffering from the harsh conditions of spaceflight. Many studies have found that long stints in space can cause bone density loss, muscle atrophy, intense radiation exposure, vision problems and other significant health issues. Eight months wouldn't be the longest amount of time an astronaut has ever spent on the ISS. But with each passing day, Williams and Wilmore are at greater risk of developing cancer, osteoporosis and diseases that may result from long-duration spaceflight. At this time, NASA and Boeing are no closer to bringing the astronauts home, but are working to identify the safest return strategy. This week the actual Olympic flag not the fake Tom Cruise one from the ceremony was flown from Paris to Los Angeles, where the next Games will take place in 2028. It was a flight worthy of champions, with a fascinating Instagram video by Nicky Kelvin, Editor at Large at The Points Guy, showing why. He was given a seat on board and filmed the entire extraordinary experience, which began on Monday with a departure party at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport - and medal-winning athletes from the USA team and Olympic dignitaries were in attendance. Delta is the official airline of the LA Olympic Games, so aptly the plane was a Delta Airbus A350. But this one was brand new. In fact, the trip was only the plane's third-ever journey. What's more, it was 'dressed for the occasion', Nicky explains in the video. This week the actual Olympic flag not the fake Tom Cruise one from the ceremony was flown from Paris to Los Angeles, where the next Games will take place in 2028. Delta is the official airline of the LA Olympic Games, so aptly the plane was a Delta Airbus A350 (above) Nicky Kelvin from The Points Guy was given a seat on board and filmed the entire extraordinary experience. He's pictured here with a gold-medal-winning fellow passenger - rower Liam Corrigan On the outside, it was branded with an 'LA28' livery. And inside, every seat had a headrest cover carrying the message 'Au Revoir Paris, Hello Los Angeles'. Nicky was in economy, with the travel guru revealing that 'every seat had an exclusive cap and pin for the LA Games'. And with him in economy was the actual Olympic flag, hung up on a partition wall behind the last row. After take-off Nicky is treated to a 'lovely' lunch and gets the chance to mingle with some of the US athletes, with rowing gold-medalist Liam Corrigan and Olympic diver Delaney Schnell featuring in the video. Nicky then takes part in a raffle with some 'swanky prizes' and gets to enjoy some 'fun touches', including a bright-yellow Delta-branded macaron. There's then an 'exciting' moment where Nicky is shown 'the actual box the Olympic flag lives in'. Nicky took a seat in economy (left). Every seat had a headrest cover carrying the message 'Au Revoir Paris, Hello Los Angeles' Nicky enjoyed 'fun touches' like a bright yellow Delta-branded macaron during his flight The trip was only the plane's third-ever journey As seen in the video, this is a wooden box emblazoned with logos of former Olympic Games, including Sydney 2000 and Rio 2016. There was a 'big welcome' awaiting the flight in Los Angeles, Nicky remarks. After saying 'bye to the incredible crew', Nicky 'gets to watch the Olympic flag being walked off the plane'. The athletes onboard then gather for a photo with the flag to welcome it to LA for the next Games. From that point, Nicky says it's 'food, drink and snacks galore' in a celebration at LAX Airport. Nicky gets a peek at the official Olympic Flag box, emblazoned with logos of former Olympic Games, including Sydney 2000 and Rio 2016 With Nicky in economy was the actual Olympic flag, hung up on a partition wall behind the last row He adds: 'It was a chance for the athletes to let their hair down after Paris and look forward to the Los Angeles Games. 'With four years to go until the next Games, LA is already excited. And so are we.' For more from The Points Guy visit thepointsguy.com/uk-travel. Rebel Wilson has fired back at producers of her latest film The Deb for a defamation lawsuit they filed against her last month involving Sacha Baron Cohen, insisting she has 'substantial proof of their blatant lies.' The fallout began on July 2 when Rebel, 44, posted a video on Instagram accusing producers Amanda Ghost, Gregor Cameron and Vince Holden of 'blocking' her film from the Toronto International Film Festival, engaging in 'inappropriate behavior towards a lead actor' and 'embezzling funds from the film's budget.' In response, the trio filed a defamation suit for $35,000, accusing her of 'bullying staff,' 'vindictive behavior' and 'shirking her responsibilities' as a director on the film. She was also accused of 'disappearing from set for extended periods... and falsely claiming writing credits from Hannah Reilly, the young writer she hired. Rebel Wilson is being sued for defamation by producers from her film The Deb for scathing remarks she made on Instagram last month (pictured in the UK in April) The lawsuit was amended to include the debacle between Rebel, 44, and Sacha Baron Cohen, 52, (pictured) that erupted over 'sexual harassment' claims made in her memoir Rebel Rising In an amendment to the lawsuit obtained by DailyMail.com, the producers have now cited Rebel's allegations against Sacha, 52, that she made in her autobiography Rebel Rising earlier this year. They claimed the 'false' allegations were 'used to promote the sale of her book', as she 'hypocritically played the victim in order to elicit public sympathy in the hope that it would advance her professional self-interest.' DailyMail.com has learned exclusively from sources close to Rebel that she has 'substantial proof of their blatant lies' - proving that she did not fall short on her directorial duties. Dozens of members of the cast and crew have written statements of support for the actress who they described as 'professional' and 'incredibly supportive' on set.' Shane Jacobson, who stars in the film, said: 'I found Rebel to be incredibly supportive and collaborative on set not only to myself, but also to those around me during filming and at all other timesI have had the pleasure to work with many great directors over an extended career, and I would be more than happy to put my hand up to be directed my Rebel Wilson again anytime in the future.' Jane Dawkins, a member of the crew, added: 'As part of the crew who worked closely with you for months. Rebel you were nothing but professional, approachable and a great Director. Treating everyone with respect and so generous with your time with having photos w everyone between scenes. We all said it - one of our favorite films to work on! It would be such a shame if this little Aussie film doesn't get screened.' In addition to the statements - some of which were previously made public by PageSix - the source said that Rebel has 'evidence in the form of photos and video' shot every day of filming, proving that she went 'above and beyond.' 'The shoot for The Deb was October to December last year and Rebel was there every single day,' an insider said. 'She was the director for every scene and went above and beyond. She also worked 16-hour days for most of the days that it was filming. Rebel claimed that while filming The Brother's Grimbsy in 2016, Sacha would ask her to get naked for scenes despite her 'no nudity' rule (pictured in a scene from the film) The lawsuit was filed by producers Vincent Holden (left), Gregor Cameron and Amanda Ghost (pictured together right), who branded Rebel a 'malicious bully' 'In addition to the letters, there were photos and video every single day proving she was there. They also shot an EPK every single day to use the footage for promotional purposes.' Earlier this month, The Deb producers - who are represented by attorney Camille Vasquez - amended their lawsuit to add: 'In her autobiography, Rebel Rising, the actress included false allegations about Sacha Baron Cohens alleged inappropriate behavior on the set of the 2016 comedy The Brothers Grimbsy.' 'Rebel successfully used the furor around such allegations to promote the sale of her book. As with this situation, Rebel hypocritically played the victim in order to elicit public sympathy. Rebel has run this playbook one time too many,' the amended complaint read. Prior to the release of her autobiography Rebel Rising in April, passages from the book were redacted in The United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand after Sacha threatened a lawsuit over claims she made in the book. The Borat actor claimed that all of Rebel's accusations were made up in order to increase sales. Among them were claims that - while filming The Brothers Grimbsy' - Sacha would ask her to get naked for scenes despite her 'no nudity rule.' She also claimed that Sacha requested she stick her finger up his a**' because he thought it would make a funny scene in the film, writing that 'it felt like [he] had sexually harassed me.' According to a separate source, this was a scene in the film and not requested of Rebel in private. Rebel in a scene from the musical comedy The Deb, which was filmed in Australia last year Several people who worked on the movie and who were present during the filming of the scene came forward to tell about their experiences on set, supporting Sacha. They insisted that Rebel approved scripts in advance, confirmed that the 'finger in butt' direction came from the script, and said everyone on set acted professionally. A friend of Rebel's slammed Sacha's denials as 'blatant lies.' 'Sacha didn't move forward with any lawsuit. If he was able to prove his innocence he would have done so, the source said. 'Instead, the entire thing was swept under the rug and forgotten until The Deb producers brought him up in their lawsuit to bring attention to their case. 'This will backfire on them, of course, because of the evidence she has to show that they are lying about their accusations surrounding her involvement in the film. She was so dedicated to this film and the letters and evidence show this. Another insider said her presence on set is 'irrelevant' to the matters in the defamation case. 'Any claims about Rebel not being active on the set were never made by the filmmakers,' they said. 'There were stages of the productions that she was involved in and others that she was not. That's irrelevant to this issue being disputed in the defamation case.' Representatives for Rebel were contacted, as well as attorney's for The Deb producers. A spokesperson for Sacha told DailyMail.com: 'HarperCollins did not fact check this chapter in the book prior to publication and took the sensible but terribly belated step of deleting Rebel Wilsons defamatory claims once presented with evidence that they were false. 'Printing falsehoods is against the law in the UK and Australia; this is not a peculiarity as Ms. Wilson said, but a legal principle that has existed for many hundreds of years. 'This is a clear victory for Sacha Baron Cohen and confirms what we said from the beginning - that this is demonstrably false, in a shameful and failed effort to sell books.' The defamation lawsuit brought on by The Deb producers came after Rebel shared an Instagram video that accused the producers of extorting funds and blocking her latest film from debuting at the Toronto International Film Festival. They responded with the complaint which was filed earlier this month in Los Angeles. After being called a 'malicious bully' Rebel responded on Instagram to defend her accusations that the producers were secretly pocketing money from the low-budget film. The legal battle kicked off when Rebel accused the producers of her movie of 'bad behavior' on set, embezzling funds from the film, as she branded them 'vile and disgusting' 'Len Blavatnik, please stop funding and protecting Amanda Ghost, Gregor Cameron and Vince Holden,' she said in a video. 'Clearly these recent press articles and constant retaliations against me for speaking the truth on my small Australian movie are FALSE. 'All I did was tell the truth about these absolute f**kwits - now they launch a bogus defamation suit and bogus articles to inflict further harm.' Rebel also claimed in her initial video that The Deb producers deprived her of a writing credit on the film. However, the separate source said that writing credits are given by the Australian Writer's Guild and not by producers. Boy George, who is friends with Amanda, also waded into the ongoing feud, describing Rebel's claims as 'outrageous and painfully untrue things.' The Deb, which is Rebel's directorial debut, hits theatres on September 15. The film is set to wrap up the Toronto International Film Festival, which takes place from September 5 until September 15. The film - an adaptation of Hannah Reilly and Megan Washington's musical, which was originally staged in 2022 at the Rebel Theatre in Sydney - also stars Natalie Abbott. Sixth-grade social studies teacher Emma Smith prepares binders before the start of the school year at Willie L. Brown Jr. Middle School in San Francisco. Minh Connors/The Chronicle Classes start Monday for San Franciscos 48,000 public school students, kicking off what will be one of the most tumultuous academic years the city has ever seen. San Francisco Unified School District officials and families will have to grapple with the likely closure of at least 10 schools, massive cuts to prevent a state takeover, a divisive school board election and a big change to how students are assigned to schools. Thats just for starters. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Theres also a new payroll system to replace the previous one that was riddled with errors, cost more than $34 million and lasted three years. A new literacy curriculum will be rolled out for the first time in 20 years, and Algebra 1 will be reintroduced in middle schools after a decade of bitter fights over math education. And its possible the school board could rethink Lowell High Schools merit-based admission. Superintendent Matt Wayne said he understands the amount of upheaval ahead. Mastering Cultural Identity teacher Caleb Mathews places chairs into the hallway as he prepares his classroom for the upcoming school year at Willie L. Brown Jr. Middle School in San Francisco. MCI focuses on insuring literacy for African American boys. I just want them to feel at home in the classroom, Mathews said. Minh Connors/The Chronicle What needs to be done is hard, he said. Its going to be incredibly challenging. How the district navigates the next year will likely reverberate for years if not decades to come. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Missteps or mismanagement could erode the public trust further, push families out and leave the district at the mercy of a state bailout. On the other hand, assertive decision-making could lead to a balanced budget and a clean bill of fiscal health along with a stable of fully enrolled schools that have the staff and resources they need. But its hard to say at the outset how these huge undertakings will end up, whether in San Francisco or elsewhere. Its a lot to tackle at once, said Marguerite Roza, director of Georgetown Universitys Edunomics Lab and expert in school financial decision making. You often get a lot of really earnest school board members and superintendent. They also have no practice handling it. Selam Mathews helps her husband prepare his classroom before the school year by sharpening pencils at Willie L. Brown Jr. Middle School in San Francisco. Minh Connors/The Chronicle Rozas organization spends a lot of time watching school board meetings from across the country and analyzing decision making. She said pulling districts out of fiscal spirals requires elected officials to make choices, acknowledge trade-offs and take action. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Instead, she said, some school boards including San Franciscos hold meetings with staff presentations on dismal budget situations, then thank staff for their efforts without making tough choices. School boards need to dispense with the thank-yous and do something, she said. Its not business as usual to get to fiscal stability. San Francisco school board member Jenny Lam said she is prepared to make necessary decisions. Im ready, she said. Ive been ready since the day I started because I was elected by the people to ensure our students had not only the best education but also the best chance in life filled with opportunities and choice. The district is still overspending by $148.5 million this year, which is covered by reserves, but there will be little left after that. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Despite making significant cuts already and reducing staffing levels by more than 900 positions, the school board will probably need to cut more than $100 million by June for the 2025-26 budget. Mastering Cultural Identity teacher Caleb Mathews cleans out his classroom for the upcoming school year at Willie L. Brown Jr. Middle School in San Francisco. Minh Connors/The Chronicle Yes, its a challenge, Wayne said. Its forced us to clarify what is important to us. The state already has appointed fiscal advisers who have the power to veto school board spending, but without major cuts to the budget next year the district could run out of cash and require a bailout, which would lead to a state takeover. Parents are worried, said Meredith Dodson, executive director of San Francisco Parent Coalition. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We saw this coming. It didnt take much to identify we werent budgeting responsibly, she said. Among the many emotions right now, theres anger about how our city leaders could get us here. While the possibility of a state takeover is at the back of minds, school closures are at the front. Dodson said going back to school is usually a happy time, full of excitement for families, but this year they feel nervous. Unfortunately, the parents who are seeing whats happening and whats going to happen this year with the closures, and then some, theres just a lot of additional anxiety and worry, she added. Im hearing some parents saying theyre having nightmares about their kids school closing. Wayne is expected to release a list of schools recommended for closure in September. The school board is expected to vote on the list in December, with the schools shuttered at the end of the academic year. Teacher Caleb Mathews hangs a poster of renowned African American authors for the upcoming school year at Willie L. Brown Jr. Middle School in San Francisco. Minh Connors/The Chronicle Its unclear how many schools will be on the list, but district officials have said they need to right size the number of schools. Declining enrollment in recent decades has left 14,000 empty seats across the 106 elementary, middle and high school sites, with the loss of another 5,000 students expected over the next five years. Weve been clear from the beginning that this will impact the district as a whole and all our neighborhoods will feel it, Wayne said. When developing the plan, one of the guiding principles that we have is: How do we make sure students, who are moving have the same or better experience in their new environment? Wayne is hoping to convince families that despite the difficulty, closures are necessary to ensure all students have access to the resources they need. Right now, they are spread too thin across too many schools. Parents havent been convinced, with some launching save-their-school campaigns before the list of proposed closures has even been released. At Alamo Elementary, parents started signing a petition in May, urging the board and Wayne to keep the school off the list, citing the vibrant tapestry of cultures and backgrounds that make our community so unique and noting its an invaluable asset to the city. Roza said school boards, including in San Francisco, are often unprepared to manage the complexity of school closures. When you go to close schools, parents are going to come in and hold signs and say dont close my school, she said. The board needs to be trained for the tasks ahead. Wayne said he has already braced for whats ahead. The work to address overspending and declining enrollment has been put off for years and getting back on track will now require significant pain, but its temporary, Wayne added. Real Housewives of New Jersey star Dina Manzo has swiftly adapted to her new bucolic life in Montecito, California near Harry and Meghan and Oprah Winfrey. DailyMail.com spotted the serene Dina, 52, and her husband of seven years, entrepreneur and investment CEO David Cantin, 44, giving a tour of their newly adopted hometown on Tuesday. The loved-up couple could be seen driving in a light blue FJ-40 Toyota Land Cruiser with their friends in the back. After a scenic ride down to the Harbor area of Santa Barbara, Dina could be seen grabbing a cozy beige sweater that she paired with casual black pants and a ripped white tank top. She accessorized her outfit with a $3,000 Louis Vuitton multi-pochette crossbody bag and shiny tan flip-flops. DailyMail.com spotted the serene and beautiful Dina Manzo, 52, strolling about in her new home town of Montecito, California on Tuesday Dina and her husband, entrepreneur and investment CEO David Cantin, 44, as they drove friends around in a light blue FJ-40 Toyota Land Cruiser She accessorized her outfit with a $3,000 Louis Vuitton multi-pochette crossbody bag and shiny tan flip-flops David stayed close to his wife as they walked down to the ocean and took a long stroll with their friends trailing behind. The couple purchased their 6,000 square-foot mansion in May 2023 for $16million. Their five bedroom, five and a half bathroom house was originally built in 1994, and was last sold in late 2020 for $4.8 million and underwent significant renovations. The listing was described as 'Montecito's most coveted offering.' Her celebrity neighbors now include the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Oprah Winfrey, Ellen Degeneres, and more. Before moving to Montecito, the couple lived in San Juan Capistrano in Orange County. Its not hard to understand why she and her husband fled the East Coast for the relative tranquility of the West Coast. The couple purchased the 6,000 square foot mansion (pictured) in May of 2023. The listing was described as 'Montecito's most coveted offering' David stayed close to his wife as they walked down to the ocean and took a long stroll with their friends trailing behind In 2020, Dinas jealous ex-husband Thomas Manzo, 59, was charged with hiring a mobster to attack her then boyfriend David in 2015 outside a strip mall in New Jersey. In 2020, Dinas jealous ex-husband Thomas Manzo, 59, was charged with hiring a mobster to attack her then boyfriend David in 2015 outside a strip mall in New Jersey David was left battered and bruised in the incident. The actual hit man John Perna, 44, pleaded guilty to committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering activity and was released from prison in 2023 after serving three years. Thomas Manzo got his charges from the 2015 assault tossed this March after arguing his rights under the Speedy Trial Act had been violated since prosecutors had taken too long to start the trial. But just as quickly as it was dropped, the Feds picked it back up, and in June, a grand jury found Manzo guilty of conspiracy, falsifying and concealing documents and committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering activity. He now faces up to 46-years in prison and a $500k fine. His sentencing hearing is set for October 15. Her celebrity neighbors now include the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Oprah Winfrey, Ellen Degeneres, and more. (pictured: Dina, David and friends enjoying a sunny day in Montecito) Thomas Manzo, 59, was found guilty of conspiracy, falsifying and concealing documents and committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering activity in June after he hired a mobster to attack Cantin in 2015 Dina responded to finally getting justice in a swift Instagram post on June 5: 'I call my power back to me. I call my energy back to me. I call my magic back to me. 'I am cleansed and disconnected from anything that may drain me. I am shielded from any energy that does not serve me. I am safe. I am protected. I am whole. And so it is.' Dina was an original cast member of the Real Housewives of New Jersey, and even had her own series Dinas Party on HGTV. She has been married three times, the first, to George Hadjiapostoli, the father of her daughter Lexi, now 28. In 2007 she wed Thomas Manzo, the brother-in-law of RHONJ star Caroline Manzo, 62. They got divorced in 2016. 'Number 3 is the charm' she wrote on her Instagram account after marrying David in 2017. Zoe Kravitz opened up during a candid discussion about the 'hurtful' choice to move in with her father, Lenny Kravitz, after splitting from mother, Lisa Bonet. The Batman actress, 35 - who recently reacted to the iconic meme of her riding the back of Channing Tatum's bike - reflected on the past decision during an interview with Esquire that was published on Wednesday. Lenny and Lisa tied the knot in 1987 and welcomed their daughter, Zoe, one year later. However, when she was only three-years-old, the pair split in 1991 - and their divorce was finalized in 1993. Zoe initially lived with her mother in Santa Monica - and would be visited by her father as his career flourished. 'It was this whirlwind of a completely different universe,' she recalled, adding that she was intrigued by Lenny's fast-paced world. Zoe Kravitz, 35, opened up during a candid discussion about the 'hurtful' choice to move in with her father, Lenny Kravitz, after splitting from mother, Lisa Bonet; seen earlier this month in L.A. The beauty admitted that it was difficult to go back to 'this really quiet, really simple life' with her mother in California. When she was 11, Zoe decided to move in with her father in Miami - where she was able to 'do it all.' 'It wasn't that my dad didn't care,' she expressed to the outlet. 'He just cared about different things.' However, she grew up quickly while living with her father and experiencing the lifestyle that comes with fame. 'Just like it happens in the movies. It's like, "Oh, you think this is perfect? You think this is great? Guess what comes with this."' The High Fidelity actress also talked about having trouble fitting in while residing in Florida, and explained, 'People were confused. How are you Jewish if you're Black? If both of your parents are Black, how are you half white?' She later convinced her father to move up to New York City, and was able to meet 'weirdos' like herself. Zoe attended the Rudolf Steiner School and took part in the drama club. 'I wasn't some genius actress,' she said, but revealed it was place that she 'felt safe.' When she was 11, Zoe decided to move in with her father in Miami - where she was able to 'do it all'; seen in March with Lenny in Hollywood Lenny and Lisa tied the knot in 1987 and welcomed their daughter, Zoe, one year later. However, when she was only three-years-old, the pair split in 1991 - and their divorce was finalized in 1993; seen in 1988 She also remembered that when her father was away, a cousin would fly in to Manhattan to be her guardian until he returned. Kravitz further reflected on moving out of her mother's house, and stated, 'I think it was very hurtful that I moved away from her to be with my dad and my dad wasn't even there.' Zoe revealed, 'I just wish I had been able to appreciate what she was doing for me.' The star added that Lisa, 'was so focused on preserving my innocence. My creativity. Because she knew what the world is - that you don't get that back.' The actress opened up about other topics during her cover story for Esquire's September issue - such as her relationship with fiance Channing Tatum. She looked incredible on the cover of the magazine, rocking a black lace lingerie-inspired dress. Zoe shared her thoughts to all the reaction to the now iconic pictures of her and Channing out in New York in 2021. In the image, Zoe is standing up with her arms around Channing on his bike, which became a meme. 'I think it's funny,' she said. Kravitz further reflected on moving out of her mother's house, and stated, 'I think it was very hurtful that I moved away from her to be with my dad and my dad wasn't even there'; Zoe and Lisa seen in 2018 in Beverly Hills Zoe made her directorial debut in her upcoming movie Blink Twice, which is set to be released in theaters on August 23. The star said she only had one idea for the lead role in the film - Channing Tatum. She revealed to the outlet that at the time she had never met him and she knew she wanted him as the lead. Zoe spoke out about the process of making Blink Twice into a film - after she one day was on her laptop and wrote the two words 'P***y Island.' She revealed that she started typing out the story, calling it 'this fever dream of a novella.' The star began working with her friend E.T. Feigenbaum on the story, which took four years to iron out. She noted that after she reached out to Channing about the project, he sent back notes on the script after he said it wasn't ready. After she revised it, he accepted the role. The actress opened up about other topics during her cover story for Esquire's September issue - such as her relationship with fiance Channing Tatum She noted that after she reached out to Channing about the project, he sent back notes on the script after he said it wasn't ready. After she revised it, he accepted the role; seen in July in Berlin Zoe also provided an inside look at their relationship, revealing that they are long-distance - with Zoe in New York City and Channing in Los Angeles. The actress and Channing got engaged in 2023 after two years of dating. She also divulged that they love watching MasterChef and watched all 13 seasons of MasterChef together. 'We also like Love is Blind, which I shouldn't even be saying.' Zoe also said that she played an elaborate prank on Channing, which she got a baker. The prank was inspired by the show Is it Cake? on Netflix - which the couple obsessively watched. Zoe also provided an inside look at their relationship, revealing that they are long-distance - with Zoe in New York City and Channing in Los Angeles; seen earlier this month in L.A. She got the baker to make cakes in the shape of various objects - the first was a cake in the shape of fried chicken. They were on vacation together and he grabbed the cake thinking it was fried chicken and took a bite out of it. She continued the prank, having the baker make a cake that look like a remote control, as well as travel toothpaste and a sock. Kravitz said she heard him say 'What the f**k?' in the bathroom when he found out the toothpaste was cake. Kristin Cavallari - the founder & CEO of Uncommon James - spoke with the Environmental Working Group (EWG) in Nashville on Tuesday. The panel was in conjunction with the recent launch of her debut fragrance, Hard Feelings. Kristin stood out in a white ALC dress and Tony Bianco shoes with jewelry by her brand Uncommon James as DailyMail.com got her exclusive quotes and photos. The conversation centered on building and identifying clean, transparent brands in the crowded beauty industry, according to a press release. She said she was thrilled to put all her love into her new fragrance Hard Feelings. And the 37-year-old blonde also talked about feeling 'confident' as she romances 24-year-old Mark Estes. Kristin Cavallari - the founder & CEO of Uncommon James - spoke with the Environmental Working Group (EWG) in Nashville on Tuesday. The panel was in conjunction with the recent launch of her debut fragrance, Hard Feelings. Kristin stood out in a white ALC dress and Tony Bianco shoes with jewelry by her brand Uncommon James The conversation centered on building and identifying clean, transparent brands in the crowded beauty industry, according to a press release. She said she was thrilled to put all her love into her new fragrance Hard Feelings 'Everything we do at Uncommon James is that final touch jewelry, fragrance, and even skincare,' she also shared. And she shared that her new unisex fragrance makes her feel confident. Cavallari also noted that confidence leads to feeling 'empowered.' 'For me, fragrance seemed like a synergistic opportunity. It is that last thing you put that gives you that confidence. 'I love being able to empower women and men because this is unisex to go out into the world and take on the day.' The Hills vet talked clean living. 'I really feel like we all have a right to know everything that we're putting on our bodies and in our bodies,' she said. 'It just blows my mind quite honestly that we don't have transparency,' the Very Cavallari star added. Seen here with Jocelyn Lyle on the left at the Nashville event 'I want my daughter to be able to come into my bathroom and grab any product makeup, skincare, whatever it is, and have peace of mind that she's using it.' She also revealed her day to day off-camera makeup look: 'I'm such an eyes girl, so mascara. 'My day to day, I really don't wear any makeup, except for mascara. I'll fill in my brows, and then use the Uncommon Beauty bronzing drops if I'm gonna put something on my face.' Hosted at Woodlea at The Kimpton Aertson hotel, Cavallari got candid with Jocelyn Lyle, EWG's Executive Vice President, Mission & Partnerships, about her inspiration for creating Uncommon Beauty, which was founded to create clean, safe, and transparent skincare products. Cavallari began working closely with the EWG team earlier this year to ensure her new fragrance, Hard Feelings, was EWG Verified. Meanwhile, Kristin has said she is very happy with her young boyfriend Mark Estes, 24 The reality TV diva was recent in Santorini, Greece with her boyfriend Cavallari became a household name and pop culture icon as a star of MTV's hit reality series, Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County and The Hills, and later starred in E!'s Very Cavallari. In 2017, the 4x New York Times Bestselling author founded Uncommon James, a globally recognized lifestyle brand that spans everyday jewelry, skincare (Uncommon Beauty), apparel, accessories, and home decor. That brand's latest expansion includes its debut fragrance, Hard Feelings (EWG Verified), and the opening of its fourth brick-and-mortar location in Charleston (other storefronts include Nashville, Dallas, and Chicago). Cavallari is also a mother to three young children. Cavallari was seen in a new ad for KIND during a fun shoot with Tori Spelling in Malibu Uncommon James is a Nashville-based lifestyle brand founded by Kristin Cavallari in 2017 with a focus on creating affordable, stylish jewelry for the modern woman, clean and safe skincare, and home goods. From its initial jewelry collection, the brand has expanded to include versatile accessories, indulgent skincare products, and curated home essentials. With a commitment to quality and innovation, Uncommon James offers a range of products designed to elevate everyday life and empower personal expression. Meanwhile, Cavallari was seen in a new ad for KIND during a fun shoot with Tori Spelling in Malibu. KIND Snacks just launched a hilarious video with the stars. They return to the beach to commiserate with parents everywhere around the stressful back-to-school transition. In addition, KIND has also teamed up with DashMart, DoorDash's own grocery and convenience store, to deliver free samples of the brands newly released KIND Kids bars straight to parents' doors starting August 21. Phoebe Burgess has opened up about the challenging and rewarding aspect of family life while navigating motherhood as a single parent. The ex-NRL WAG, who shares two children with ex-husband Sam Burgess, admitted that being a single mum is 'not always easy' but is very grateful for her close-knit support network. Speaking exclusively with Daily Mail Australia, Phoebe discussed being a 'hero' in the eyes of her adorable two kids Poppy, seven, and Billy, five after unveiling her surprising new career move this week. The busy mum has released a new children's book, titled Zach and Zoe's Hide and Sneeze, which aims to raise awareness of allergic rhinitis in kids a condition that affects millions of Australians from the age of four. Collaborating with hay fever and allergy brand Zyrtec, Phoebe channelled own experience as a single mum whose children have been diagnosed with the allergy. The book features two young kids and their mother, who transforms into a superhero after solving their allergy symptoms during a game of hide and seek. 'I'm writing the book, and all I can write is what I know and what our environment is at a certain time,' Phoebe told Daily Mail Australia. 'But the key thing in our household is, I'm the one that would be the person wearing the cape in the children's eyes at the moment in our daily life, because it's the three of us.' Phoebe Burgess (pictured) has opened up about navigating motherhood as a single parent after unveiling her surprising new career move The mother-of-two said goodbye to Sydney at the beginning 2020, moving away from the city and is now living with her parents on their sprawling property in the Southern Highlands. Phoebe said it's one of the best decisions she's made for her two kids when it comes to preserving childhood innocence and freedom. 'I learned really early on that there's a trade off. My kids love the space,' she said. 'Billy has an electric bike, and dad's just made him a cool track out in mum's horse arena of jumps... Poppy just loves going outside and being creative.' The former television producer revealed she would most likely be living in a small apartment in Sydney if they had decided to stay following her split from Sam in 2019. The ex-NRL WAG, who shares two children with ex-husband Sam Burgess , admitted that being a single mum is 'not always easy' but is very grateful for her close-knit support network. Pictured: Phoebe (centre) with her daughter Poppy (left) and son Billy (right) 'It's an absolute privilege to have [space] when your kids are young. I want them to be free and I want them to be wild. And the reality would be that we would be probably in an apartment if we came back to the city,' she added. 'I absorb the risk. I absorb the downside by driving up and back for work. I'm lucky that my mum can pick the kids up from school if I was stuck on the highway or something.' Phoebe continued: 'I know it sounds silly, but I would bring them to Sydney to stay for a little bit, and it just wasn't the same. They're really happy with the freedom of running in and out.' Speaking exclusively with Daily Mail Australia, Phoebe discussed being a 'hero' in the eyes of her adorable two kids Poppy, seven, and Billy, five 'It's not always easy, and it's not perfect... I can't give them everything I'd like to, but that's something that I can give them.' Phoebe went on to discuss her experiences with allergies in her son and daughter, and emphasised the importance of parents being aware of their children's health and seeking medical attention when necessary. 'I've always felt that any feeling my kids have any ounce of discomfort, any pain, any sneeze, I think, as a mum, you feel it yourself,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'Living on our family property, Poppy and Billy are always running wild outside. I noticed they would come inside sneezing, with watery eyes or scratching an itchy skin rash. The mum-of-two has released a new children's book, titled Zach and Zoe's Hide and Sneeze, which aims to raise awareness of allergic rhinitis in kids. Pictured: Phoebe (centre) with her daughter Poppy (left) and son Billy (right) 'When you see your kids uncomfortable, even if it's something small, I felt I wasn't seeing something. I felt maybe I wasn't doing a great job. 'But I went to my GP and I got the information I needed. And I think with the book, I want parents to know this books for them, your kids can hopefully relate to the scenarios we've put in there.' Phoebe was previously married to NRL star Sam Burgess for four years. Sam and Phoebe wed in 2015, separated in late 2018 and rekindled their relationship in early 2019 before splitting for good in October that year. After the celebrity couple parted ways, their divorced was finalised in April 2020. Sam, formerly of the South Sydney Rabbitohs, admitted on SAS Australia to cheating on his wife with a woman in Melbourne in 2017. He is now engaged to Leeds hairdresser Lucy Graham and the couple share a baby daughter named Robbie. The former Rabbitohs player proposed to Lucy in June 2023, just nine months after they went public with their relationship. Phoebe's book, Zach and Zoe's Hide and Sneeze, will be available as a free gift with purchase of any Zyrtec product in-store at Chemist Warehouse, Terry White Chemmart and other participating independent pharmacies, from 1st September to 30th November 2024, or until stocks last. It will also be available as a downloadable e-book from local participating grocery stores. Collaborating with hay fever and allergy brand Zyrtec, Phoebe channelled own experience as a single mum whose children have been diagnosed with the allergy The Simi Valley, California home where the 1982 horror film Poltergeist was filmed has been placed on the market for $1,174,999. The motion picture, which Steven Spielberg was a writer on, arrived in theaters in June of 1982, and was a commercial and critical success. It garnered three Oscar nominations and making $76.6 million worldwide, also spawning a pair of sequels in 1986 and 1988, and a remake in 2015. In the storyline of the film, a suburban home (later revealed to have been built on a burial site) was haunted by demonic ghosts who sought to force out the Freeling family, played by JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson, Oliver Robins and the late Heather O'Rourke and Dominique Dunne. Tragically, the motion picture has been linked to a curse in which a number of actors in the film franchise died prematurely. The Simi Valley, California home where the 1982 horror film Poltergeist was filmed has been placed on the market for $1,174,999 The motion picture, which arrived in theaters in June of 1982, was a commercial and critical success, garnering three Oscar nominations and making $76.6 million worldwide, also spawning a pair of sequels in 1986 and 1988 They include Heather O'Rourke, who died at the age of 12 during surgery in February of 1988; and Dominique Dunne, who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend at 22 in November of 1982. In a 2022 piece for Vanity Fair in commemoration with the 40th anniversary of the motion picture's release, Williams said that she learned that real human remains were used amid production of the film. 'I always assumed that the skeletons were made by the prop department,' Williams told the outlet. 'A few years later, I ran into one of the special effects guys, and I said, "You guys making all those skeletons, that must have been really amazing." 'He said, "Oh, we didnt make them, those were real." I said, "What?" He said, "Yeah, they were real skeletons."' Said Williams: 'I dont know where they were bought from, but that really grossed me out. Im glad I didnt know that then, because I wouldve really been screaming a lot - for real.' The real estate listing from Equity Union Real Estate's Lauren Murdock read, 'This is the home where much of the first movie of the series was filmed but "this house is clean ... seriously, it is!"' adding that the 'home is ready to welcome a new family, without the ghostly antics, we promise!' The four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom home was built in 1979 and spans 2,373 square feet over a 16,000 square-foot lot, according to the listing. The abode has 'a thoughtfully designed layout perfect for entertaining, relaxing, and living your best life,' according to the listing, as the home has been 'well taken care of' and possesses 'good energy' in spite of its ties to the film franchise. The 1982 film was centered around the Freeling family, played by JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson, Oliver Robins and the late Heather O'Rourke and Dominique Dunne The four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom home was built in 1979 It spans 2,373 square feet over a 16,000 square-foot lot, according to the listing The listing said the 'home is ready to welcome a new family, without the ghostly antics, we promise!' Nelson is pictured standing outside the entryway of the home in the film The two-level home includes a vast living room that has large windows, allowing for ample sun to come in 'creating a warm and inviting atmosphere,' according to the listing. The home has a dining room that connects to a kitchen 'where fans of the movie will love to see it's still in its original form but with updated appliances,' the listing stated. A family room that features a fireplace and space for an office, according to the listing, or 'could easily be converted into a downstairs bedroom.' A half-bathroom and expansive laundry room round out the lower level of the home. The home's four bedrooms are situated in the upper level of the home, as the master bedroom has vaulted ceilings, which the listing stated establishes 'an airy and open atmosphere of tranquility.' The master bedroom also includes a large bathroom with a huge bathtub with double sinks, a shower and an expansive walk-in closet. The upstairs area also consists of a trio of bedrooms and a vast bathroom in the home's hallway. The abode also includes a garage that houses three vehicles. Williams said that she learned that real human remains were used amid production of the film The abode has 'a thoughtfully designed layout perfect for entertaining, relaxing, and living your best life,' the listing stated The two-level home includes a vast living room that has large windows, allowing for ample sun to come in 'creating a warm and inviting atmosphere,' according to the listing The home has a dining room that connects to a kitchen 'where fans of the movie will love to see it's still in its original form but with updated appliances,' the listing stated A table in the kitchen is adjacent to the home's larger dining room A family room features a fireplace and space for an office, according to the listing The home's four bedrooms are situated in the upper level of the home The home's four bedrooms are situated in the upper level of the home, as the home's master bedroom has vaulted ceilings The 16,000 square-feet of the lot is the 'largest in the neighborhood,' the listing stated, and has space for a pool house or standalone unit Amenities of the Southern California abode include a pool with a diving board and jacuzzi A fire pit is pictured adjacent to the pool and jacuzzi Amenities of the Southern California abode include a pool with a diving board and jacuzzi, as well as an adjacent fire pit. The 16,000 square-feet of the lot is the 'largest in the neighborhood,' the listing stated, and has space for a pool house or standalone unit. The listing suggested potential investors to note that 'there is much room to lot split and build a second home' potentially. Geographically, the house is situated in an area 'close to great schools, parks, shopping [and] dining' while it's 'conveniently close to 118 freeway' for commuters. Heidi Klum was stylish as she arrived to America's Got Talent on Wednesday in Pasadena. The 51-year-old German model who celebrated an anniversary with husband Tom Kaulitz, 34 days ago wore a 70s-inspired look that included flared white pants. The trousers boasted flesh-baring flower-shaped embroidery throughout and she added pointy-toe white leather boots. The mother-of-four added a heavily fringed purse with gunmetal-toned hardware, draping it over her torso crossbody-style. She wore a clinging, ribbed, ivory tank top and stacked multiple bracelets on her right wrist. Heidi Klum was stylish as she arrived to America's Got Talent on Wednesday in Pasadena The 51-year-old German model wore a 70s-inspired look that included flared white pants The trousers boasted flesh-baring flower-shaped embroidery throughout and she added pointy-toe white leather boots The star's signature lengthy blonde locks were freshly blown out and curled at the ends. The beauty added a pair of lightly tinted aviator sunglasses. She appeared to be in an upbeat mood as she interacted with fans outside of the studio. Klum was also active on social media as she answered questions via her Instagram Story while en route to work. When one fan inquired about her current manicure, she shared a photo of her long and flawless, glossy red nails. The media personality recently returned from a long holiday with Tom, where she was often seen relaxing topless on the beach. She called her choice to go without a top in St. Barts 'no big deal.' The America's Got Talent judge told DailyMail.com that she 'grew up with a lot of nudity' and encourages others to strip off on the beach. The mother-of-four added a heavily fringed purse with gunmetal-toned hardware, draping it over her torso crossbody-style The star's signature lengthy blonde locks were freshly blown out and curled at the ends 'It's so funny how many people talk about that,' she said of the reaction to her recent photos. '[They] should try it sometime.' She also noted that she was in a place where beach nudity isn't scandalous. 'Even though I am American, I'm also very much European, so I grew up with a lot of nudity on the beach,' the multihyphenate explained. 'So for me, this would be no big deal. Plus I was on a French island, and if you look around, most girls are topless, so it's just a very common thing,' Heidi emphasized. The Project Runway alum reiterated: 'So it's not like I'm doing something weird... and I always go to a beach when there's not a lot of people there. 'So I feel like I get into those things when no one is around.' She appeared to be in an upbeat mood as she interacted with fans outside of the studio She wore a clinging, ribbed, ivory tank top with her monochromatic outfit The Making The Cut star recalled: 'I have definitely been in America and in resorts where I have taken my top off this was many, many years ago and people literally have come to me and said, "Ma'am, some of the people here are complaining, would you mind putting your top back on?" 'And I'm like, "There's no one here. Who is complaining?" I guess there must have been someone looking out the window somewhere. But obviously I would put my top back on if I was asked.' Heidi previously revealed to People magazine: 'Im super comfortable naked today, to the point where my kids are like, "Mom, I have a friend coming over." 'As soon as someone is coming, I put my top on. But if no one is there sun's out, buns out.' Kyle Sandilands admitted to getting drunk for the first time in a decade on Wednesday - and has revealed the effect it had on his two-year-old son Otto. A clip, shared to Kyle and Jackie O's Instagram on Thursday showed a very merry Kyle, 53, dancing around his living room in front of the toddler. In the footage, Kyle sang both parts of the iconic Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton hit Islands In The Stream. Getting very much into the Dolly character, Kyle had wife Tegan Kynaston's black fur coat wrapped around his head to simulate Dolly's voluminous locks. Otto meanwhile, while getting into the spirit of the moment at first, could only stare, bemused, at Dad as he sashayed around the room, before running away. Commenting on Kyle's boozy performance, Jackie O, 49, asked Kyle how long he'd been sober. 'So, how long has it been since you've been a bit drunk?,' Jackie asked. 'Over a decade, probably,' responded Kyle. Kyle Sandilands has admitted to getting drunk for the first time in a decade, and his son Otto, didn't seem too impressed Kyle admitted he hadn't even enjoyed a tipple at his April 2023 wedding to Teagan, 38. Newsreader Brooklyn Ross then chimed in with his own assessment of the performance. 'You can see the look on Otto's face,' he said. It's like when you realise your dad just isn't the man you thought.' Kyle, buoyed by some Dutch courage, swanned around the room singing both parts of the iconic Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton hit Islands In The Stream Otto meanwhile, while getting into the spirit of the moment at first, could only stare, bemused, at Dad as he sashayed around the room, before running away Kyle's manager Bruno Boucher jumped in, too revealing that Kyle was 'upset' that he wasn't very popular at home. 'Kyle called me all upset and he's like: "No one in this house likes me",' Bruno said. 'Welcome to the joys of being drunk,' quipped Jackie. Tegan and Kyle welcomed a baby boy, Otto, in August 2022. Just after the baby arrived, Kyle told the Sunday Telegraph that Otto had already won his heart and he couldn't stop 'staring' at him. 'We just look at him the entire time, like a couple of goons, just staring at him and then we look at each other and smile,' Kyle told the publication. 'And then we [himself and Tegan] have a little tear.' Australian Survivor winner Liz Parnoz has welcomed her first child with her StreetX entrepreneur partner Daniel Bradshaw. The Russian-born athlete, 30, announced the exciting news on Instagram alongside a loved-up gallery of photos which captured the new mum tenderly cradling her son at the hospital. Liz was all smiles in the adorable snaps as she doted on her newborn son while her partner lovingly looked on. She captioned the gallery with some heartfelt words, as she revealed her son's unique name. 'Texas Bradshaw,' she simply captioned the sweet images. Many of Liz's reality star friends quickly took to the comment section to express their well wishes. 'Congratulations to you both! Well done mama! He is perfect,' wrote The Bachelor's Irena Srbinovska. 'Congratulations gorgeous, he is SO cute,' added Alisha Aitken-Radburn. Australian Survivor winner Liz Parnoz has welcomed her first child with StreetX entrepreneur partner Daniel Bradshaw On Wednesday, she shared another image as she enjoyed an outing with her one-week-old baby boy. 'Never known a love like this. Texas Bradshaw,' she wrote. In February, Liz revealed on social media she and her partner Daniel will soon be parents. The Olympic pole vaulter showed off her growing bump in a pink lace bra while Daniel posed in an adult nappy with a dummy in his mouth. 'Just left pound town,' she captioned the unconventional pregnancy announcement post, alongside a baby emoji. The phrase 'pound term' is a slang term referring to vigorous sexual activity. The couple work together, with Liz in the marketing department of Daniel's fashion brand StreetX, which he opened in 2011. The Russian-born athlete, 30, announced the exciting news on Instagram alongside a loved-up gallery of photos of her son at the hospital On Wednesday, she shared another image as she enjoyed an outing with her one-week-old baby boy Liz won Australian Survivor: Heroes vs Villains last year and later revealed what she plans to do with her whopping $500,000 in prize money. She told The Daily Telegraph at the time that she isn't sure exactly how she wants to spend the half a million dollars, but she would like to invest in something. 'I feel like the last 24 hours have just been an absolute blur. And what to do with the money I don't even know,' she said. 'I think I just really want to be really sensible with it and I want to, hopefully, invest into something.' A couple in rural Georgia find themselves facing a bizarre threat to survive in the trailer for the new Peacock series Teacup. The new series hails from writer Ian McCulloch (Yellowstone), director E.L. Katz (The Haunting of Bly Manor) and executive producer James Wan (Saw, Aquaman). Yvonne Strahovski - who recently welcomed her third son - and Scott Speedman star in the new series, based on Robert McCammon's novel Stinger, which debuts on Peacock October 10. The first two episodes will debut on October 10, with two episodes releasing each week, with the eight-episode series concluding, fittingly, on Halloween (October 31). Wan will executive produce with his Atomic Monster partners Michael Clear and Rob Hackett plus Francisca X. Hu and Kevin Tancharoen. A couple in rural Georgia find themselves facing a bizarre threat to survive in the trailer for the new Peacock series Teacup. Yvonne Strahovski and Scott Speedman star in the new series, based on Robert McCammon's novel Stinger, which debuts on Peacock October 10 The first two episodes will debut on October 10, with two episodes releasing each week, with the eight-episode series concluding, fittingly, on Halloween (October 31) The trailer begins with the overhead view of a house and shots of Strahovski's Maggie Chenoweth and her young son Arlo (Caleb Dolden) and daughter Meryl (Emilie Bierre). The overhead house shots keep adding words that read, 'We are in control'... though after a cryptic shot of someone in a gas mask, the word 'not' is added to form, 'We are not in control.' The brief 30-second trailer also shows brief shots of Maggie and Arlo along with numerous other characters setting up a tense rural environment. The final shot shows a teacup being placed over a few marbles, with the title card revealing the October 10 debut date as the trailer comes to an end. The series also stars Chaske Spencer, Kathy Baker, Boris McGiver, Caleb Dolden, Emilie Bierre, and Luciano Leroux. Series creator McCulloch unveiled the first footage at San Diego Comic-Con, where he revealed the meaning of the cryptic title will be revealed in the first two episodes. 'The reasons for this are too spoiler-y to share but watch the first few episodes and all will be revealed,' McCulloch explained. 'Point being, the series is now very much its own thing: a puzzle-box mystery, an edge-of-your-seat thriller, a can't-but-must look horror story, a family drama, a science fiction epic of the keyhole variety, of course,' he added. The trailer begins with the overhead view of a house and shots of Strahovski's Maggie Chenoweth and her young son Arlo (Caleb Dolden) and daughter Meryl (Emilie Bierre) The brief 30-second trailer also shows brief shots of Maggie and Arlo along with numerous other characters setting up a tense rural environment. The series also stars Chaske Spencer, Kathy Baker, Boris McGiver, Caleb Dolden, Emilie Bierre, and Luciano Leroux Series creator McCulloch unveiled the first footage at San Diego Comic-Con, where he revealed the meaning of the cryptic title will be revealed in the first two episodes Wan added in a statement, '"After reading Robert McCammon's book Stinger, the entire team at Atomic Monster felt a spark.' 'The story had all the ingredients for a captivating series and Ian McCulloch had a vision to bring it to life in a fresh way that was both startling and darkly atmospheric, but filled with a rich sense of humanity often lacking in edgy narratives,' he added. 'Add in our incredibly talented cast led by Yvonne Strahovski, Scott Speedman and Chaske Spencer and fans are in for a true edge-of-your-seat experience,' he said. Wan added, 'Teacup defies easy labels. It's a genre-bending blend of horror, mystery, and drama, with layers that unfold like a captivating puzzle. It goes beyond chills and thrills and holds up a mirror to humanity, exploring the darkness that resides within us all. We hope you enjoy this wild ride as much as we've loved creating it!' Radio star Jackie 'O' Henderson's new tell-all memoir has rocketed to the top of the Amazon Best Seller's list less than 24 hours since its release was announced. The 49-year-old revealed on Wednesday morning that she'll be releasing the book titled 'The Whole Truth' on October 29. Jackie's memoir climbed to the number six spot on the Amazon Best Seller's list just hours after the announcement and reached number two by Thursday morning. 'The book's not even out yet and after a small announcement yesterday, it's already number two on Amazon,' the excited radio host said on her KIIS FM show. 'I'm amazed that people pre-order stuff. I am blown away by this.' Her co-host Kyle Sandilands then congratulated her on the success of her upcoming memoir. Jackie thanked her radio listeners 'for the love' and said that she's 'feeling so grateful to those that have bought it already'. 'This is so overwhelming and I'm so excited for you guys to read it,' she added. Radio star Jackie 'O' Henderson's new tell-all memoir has rocketed to the top of the Amazon Best Seller's list less than 24 hours since its release was announced Jackie announced she is set to release a memoir on Wednesday and teased fans with the new contents during the Kyle and Jackie O Show. But the mother-of-one did not go into any detail about what readers can expect, leaving her co-host Kyle Sandilands frustrated. 'It's called The Whole Truth...what have we been getting some half a**ed truth?,' Kyle said, poking fun at the book's provocative title. 'Well [on radio] you [do] get the whole truth, you just don't get all the detail,' his co-host replied. Elsewhere in the chat, Kyle tried to confirm with Jackie whether the book would go into her sex life - but Jackie dodged the issue. She did however confirm that the book would deal with her former marriages to Phil O'Neil and Lee Henderson. The book reached #6 on Amazon's Best Seller's list overnight, and was #2 by Thursday morning Meanwhile, Jackie took to her Instagram with a post about the new book in which she admitted she was scared about being 'judged' over what the memoir reveals. 'So I finally decided to write a book,' she began her message to followers. 'And I'm really excited (and slightly terrified) to share it with you all,' she admitted. 'There's a lot I've shared on radio throughout the years, but there's an equal amount I haven't. 'Endless hours and months were spent sitting on this couch revisiting all the highs and lows and there were times I thought about abandoning it altogether, mostly out of fear, fear of judgement I guess. 'But I've realised it's better to own every part of me, even the parts I've struggled to speak about before, because speaking the truth brings more peace than hiding from it ever could. 'I'm so proud to share my story and give you all of me in this book.' Jackie also included a photo of herself showing off the cover of her new memoir. The book sleeve features a moody black and white photo of the radio star. Jackie teased fans with a preview of the book on her Instagram on Wednesday telling followers that she 'feared' being judged over its contents The media star has been married twice before. Jackie wed DJ 'Ugly' Phil O'Neil in the late '90s. After it ended in divorce she went on to marry UK photographer Lee Henderson in 2003 with the pair welcoming their daughter Catalina 'Kitty' Henderson in December 2010. The couple announced their separation in October 2018 but continue to have an amicable relationship as they co-parent their daughter. Meanwhile, Jackie recently discussed her 'dating life' as a single. The radio queen, who has been seen with a string of 'balcony boys' - younger suitors - has been enjoying dates on the balcony of her home in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs. But those days are behind her, Jackie confessed during the Kyle and Jackie O Show earlier this month. Jackie said she was now interested in finding romantic attachment with men over 40. Prestin Bailey created a GoFundMe to support him while he recovered from top surgery in 2021. Courtesy of Prestin Bailey At one point, Prestin Bailey felt like he and his Oakland friends were just passing money back and forth. His friend group was chock-full of trans people, and the money they raised again and again was for gender-affirming health care. Bailey, a trans man, created his own GoFundMe campaign to support his recovery from top surgery in 2021. His experience isnt unique. GoFundMe crowdfunding is a common way for trans people to access health care. A Chronicle analysis found that as of Aug. 6, there were just under 3,000 GoFundMe campaigns seeking money for gender-affirming medical procedures across the country. To identify these campaigns, the Chronicle searched for all campaigns that contained the keyword gender affirming. Most gender-affirming GoFundMe campaigns appear to benefit trans people: 66% mention trans, transgender or nonbinary, and more are run by trans people who dont explicitly identify themselves. But not everyone who seeks gender-affirming care is trans one recent Harvard University study found a majority of gender-affirming breast reduction surgeries for teenagers were performed on cisgender boys. Advertisement Article continues below this ad About 360 of the nearly 3,000 campaigns the Chronicle analyzed are in California. Those campaigns are disproportionately concentrated in the Bay Area, where about one-third of California fundraisers say they are located. As of Aug. 6, Oakland and San Francisco are each home to 33 campaigns. Of the top 10 cities where gender-affirming GoFundMe campaigns are located, Oakland has the third most campaigns on a per capita basis, eclipsed only by Portland and Seattle. In addition to hosting a disproportionate number of campaigns, San Francisco is also the most frequently mentioned city as a destination for care. There are 60 campaigns outside San Francisco, from Alameda to Florida, that point to the city. Maddie Deutsch, the medical director for UCSFs Gender Affirming Health Program, sees patients from other states and sometimes other countries seeking gender-affirming care. She thinks San Francisco is a destination for transgender health care thanks to its welcoming environment and the many practices that offer these procedures. The added expense of traveling to reach a clinic is one reason why some patients turn to GoFundMe to support their care about 12% of campaigns mention travel. But many costs can lead people to rely on crowdfunding. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Most private insurance plans cover gender-affirming care as long as it is deemed medically necessary. In 26 states, including California, Medicaid explicitly covers gender-affirming care for transgender people. Deutsch confirmed that most of her patients have insurance that covers their care. But she still sees patients who struggle to cover copays and other related costs. Lana Patel, a San Francisco trans woman, had to pay $4,000 after insurance for her gender-affirming vaginoplasty, an amount she struggled to come up with after being laid off from her health tech job. She didnt think folks would want to donate to the GoFundMe campaign she created but was surprised when 38 people raised $2,550 for her care. About 2% of gender-affirming campaigns mention vaginoplasty, and 4% include the more general term bottom surgery, or reconstructing the genitals to align with ones gender identity, which includes several procedures. By far the most common procedure mentioned in gender-affirming GoFundMe campaigns is top surgery, included in about half of the fundraisers. Top surgery includes removing a transmasculine persons breasts and reconstructing their chest to have a more masculine appearance as well as augmenting a transfeminine persons breasts. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Masculinizing top surgery requires a weekslong recovery process, during which many patients have to take off work and get help at home. Some patients turn to GoFundMe to help cover living expenses following top surgery and other recovery-intensive procedures. About one-third of all campaigns analyzed by the Chronicle mention recovery, about 17% mention bills and 14% mention rent. Baileys top surgery was covered by Medi-Cal, but he still needed help covering bills while he recovered. His GoFundMe campaign, which asked for $2,500, raised $1,885 in 2021. Bailey, who was new to the Bay Area at the time, was shocked that so many people here donated, including some anonymous donors. Even though the campaign wasnt fully funded, the money I did get was so helpful, Bailey said. It helped me get through the first two months of healing, which is especially important for top surgery you cant lift your arms more than 90 degrees or your scars wont heal the way they should. The median amount requested by GoFundMe campaigns is $7,000. It isnt common for campaigns to be fully funded: Of the about 2,800 campaigns that have been active for at least a month, only 15% had raised 100% or more of their goal. But its also rare for campaigns to go completely unfunded. Of campaigns that are at least a month old, 79% have raised at least $100. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Successful GoFundMe campaigns often require users to essentially market their suffering in order to receive vital funds. Bailey noted that transgender people have to make themselves especially vulnerable when asking for help on the site. Australian influencer Martha Kalifatidis has come under fire from fans after sharing an explosive argument with her mother online. The 36-year-old former Married at First Sight bride can be seen throwing an expletive filled tantrum in the post. The TikTok clip has attracted a whopping 4491 comments from Martha's followers since it went up six days ago. And most of the fan posts appear to be taking sides with Mary, Martha's mum, in the spat, which was triggered over a common kitchen utensil. In the video, Mary can be seen complaining that Martha has stained one of her mother's wooden chopping boards while preparing an omelette. 'It's a f***ing chopping board!,' Martha explodes at her mother, who can be seen in the clip keeping calm. At one one point in the video Martha shows viewers a cupboard filled with more than half a dozen chopping boards. 'Look at how many chopping boards this woman's got,' Martha complains, adding: 'And she doesn't want us to use them when we cook.' Australian influencer Martha Kalifatidis (left) has come under fire from fans after sharing an explosive argument with her mother. Both pictured 'I don't mind them using them,' Mary retorts, before holding up the board to the camera: 'But what am I going to do with this yellow stain?' 'It's f***ing turmeric, where am I going to cut turmeric,' Martha says, referring to the discoloured utensil. The clip has attracted more than 240K views on the platform - and much outrage towards the mother-of-one. And most of the fan posts appear to be taking sides with Mary, Martha's mum, in the spat, which was triggered over a common kitchen utensil. Pictured: Mary holds up the stained chopping which set off the terrible row 'Wow... I'd never talk to my mother like that,' posed one user, while another added: 'Not gonna lie Martha, but this was a hard watch.' 'I'd cry if I was her mum,' said another Tik Tok fan. Another said: 'Nawww my mums heart would break if I spoke to her like that.' Meanwhile, other followers advised the influencer it was time to leave her parents' home. Martha, her one-year-old son Lucius and fiance Michael Brunelli have been residing in her mum and dad's pad in North Melbourne since early 2023. 'Time to move out and buy your own chopping board darls,' one fan commented, while another added: I think its time for you to move out Martha!' The clip has attracted more than 240K views on the platform - and much outrage towards the mother-of-one Still, some of Martha's followers appeared prepared to offer Martha some understanding over her intimate share. 'I think people need to understand that this is a mother and daughter who know each other and live with each other, you dont get to judge that from the outside. 'I think your relationship is beautiful,' said one sympathetic fan. Another added: 'People saying they wouldnt talk to their mum like this! My mum is EXACTLY the same! Stressed over nothing, they just need a little reality check.' Martha and partner Michael welcomed their first child together in February 2023 after meeting on MAFS in 2019. Sylvester Stallone posted a steamy shirtless throwback with his wife Jennifer Flavin to celebrate her 56th birthday this week. The 78-year-old movie star married Jennifer in 1997 and they are the proud parents of three daughters - Sophia, 27, Sistine, 26, and Scarlet, 22. About two years ago, they shocked the public by announcing they were planning to divorce after 25 years as husband and wife. Then, in an astonishing U-turn, it emerged that they had decided to give their marriage another try after ironing out their issues. Now Sylvester looked back on the early years of their relationship by posting a heart-stopping snap of the pair of them in swimsuits on a boat. Sylvester Stallone posted a steamy shirtless throwback with his wife Jennifer Flavin to celebrate her 56th birthday this week Sylvester was wearing nothing but a speedo, showing off his cloven-in-marble torso and powerful legs to full advantage as he leaned against the rail. Meanwhile Jennifer was clad in a slinky black one-piece that flattered her willowy frame and flaunted her sensational legs. In the Instagram album he posted for Jennifer's birthday, the Rambo star also posted pictures of them walking hand in hand and cuddling together in an armchair. 'Happy birthday to my wife, Jennifer! Myself and the children think you are absolutely amazing. We love you forever!' he gushed in his caption. Jennifer was just 19 years old when she was first introduced to Sylvester in 1988, by which point he was a world-famous twice-divorced movie star in his 40s. They went red carpet official in 1990, only to break up in 1994 when Sylvester shockingly ended the relationship via FedEx letter. 'He sent me a six-page handwritten letter, in pen, It was pretty sloppy,' Jennifer told People, in an article that alleged he had cheated on her with Janice Dickinson. Ultimately, they got back together in 1995 and welcomed their eldest daughter the following year before making it down the aisle in 1997. The couple are pictured with their daughters (from left) Sistine, 26, Sophia, 27, and Scarlet, 22, at an event last year for their reality show The Family Stallone About two years ago, they shocked the public by announcing they were planning to divorce, but just as stunningly got back together a month later; pictured this March After he dumped her via FedEx letter in 1994, they reunited in 1995 and welcomed their eldest daughter the following year before making it down the aisle in 1997 Sylvester and Jennifer are pictured the year the married attending a Friars Club tribute to John Travolta and Kelly Preston at the Waldorf Astoria in New York They became a rare example of a long-lasting Hollywood marriage, until the image was shattered in August 2022 when Jennifer filed for divorce. However, the following month, reports began swirling that she had agreed to take him back and that the pair were in the process of repairing their relationship. After he and Jennifer reunited, Sylvester gave a revealing interview to London's Sunday Times about how their marriage was ultimately saved. 'There was a reawakening of what was more valuable than anything, which is my love for my family,' the Rocky beefcake explained. 'It takes precedence over my work, and that was a hard lesson to learn.' He revealed that earlier in his career, he tended to place work ahead of his children, saying, 'I didn't pay enough attention when they were growing up.' Said he: 'I was so career-oriented, and now I go: "OK, I don't have that much runway up ahead, and I want to start asking them about their lives."' He recalled: 'I ask them about their day, and they started at first a little monosyllabic. Then I heard one say: "I was just thinking about you." Oh my God. I've never heard that before in my life. When a daughter knows you care, she's there forever.' More than two decades after Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis starred in the Disney remake Freaky Friday, they are discussing their return for the sequel. Their 2003 film was a remake of the original 1976 adaptation of Mary Rodgers' 1972 novel of the same name, starring Barbara Harris and a young Jodie Foster. The story - following a mother and daughter who switch bodies after reading a mystical Chinese fortune cookie - will continue with Freakier Friday, with Lohan and Curtis reprising their roles as Anna and Tess, respectively. Both Lohan, 38, and Curtis, 65, sat down with IMDB to discuss the sequel, which is currently in production with Lohan spotted on the L.A. set on Wednesday. They both spoke about reuniting with practically all of their co-stars from the 2003 movie while teasing that they won't be the only ones who will swap bodies. More than two decades after Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis starred in the Disney remake Freaky Friday, they are discussing their return for the sequel Their 2003 film was a remake of the original 1976 adaptation of Mary Rodgers' 1972 novel of the same name, starring Barbara Harris and a young Jodie Foster Fans had been discussing the possibility of a sequel for years, with both Lohan and Curtis publicly lobbying for one as well, when Disney finally announced it last May. When asked what it was like when she asked Disney to make a sequel, Curtis said she practically insisted that they make this. 'I don't think I said we want to, I think I might have said you have to make a sequel, I don't think I was asking,' she joked. 'The truth is, I'm quite old and I've worked a lot and everywhere I go, the movie that people want to know about is Freaky Friday,' Curtis said. 'With all the other work I've done, Freaky Friday is the one they wanted, so when I came back from world tour, I did call Disney and say, "We need to be making Freaky Friday," and now we are.' Production started in late June, with Disney setting a 2025 release date, with Lohan gushing about the production, stating, 'It feels like a rhythm that never stopped.' She even confirmed that Tess' band from the 2003 film - Pink Slip - will return, stating, 'Pink Slip is returning in full force with a lot of love in their hearts. And its so much fun. And it feels like the band never left each other.' Lohan did tease there is a 'new song in this that is really beautiful.' Fans had been discussing the possibility of a sequel for years, with both Lohan and Curtis publicly lobbying for one as well, when Disney finally announced it last May When asked what it was like when she asked Disney to make a sequel, Curtis said she practically insisted that they make this 'The truth is, I'm quite old and I've worked a lot and everywhere I go, the movie that people want to know about is Freaky Friday,' Curtis said While they couldn't say much about the story for the sequel, Lohan teased it has, 'the right amount of funny, the right amount of freaky' While they couldn't say much about the story for the sequel, Lohan teased it has, 'the right amount of funny, the right amount of freaky.' Curtis added, 'The movie is just freakier in all aspects. Its funnier, and theres more physical comedy. The switches are freakier.' She added that returning co-stars Mark Harmon and Chad Michael Murray are also, 'freakier,' This one has more swapping. Curtis teased, 'I cant tell you what it is, but I have a secret way of reminding myself [which character Im playing], but I cant tell you until you see the movie, or until were promoting the movie, and then youll know a lot more about the movie.' ABC star Nate Byrne has opened up about what triggered his on-air panic attack this week. The News Breakfast weather presenter was forced to halt his report in the middle of Tuesday morning's broadcast after suffering an anxiety attack live on air. Appearing on the Carrie and Tommy Hit Network show on Thursday, Nate revealed being on camera in front of the 'weather wall' triggered his panic attack. 'It's very, very different for me and, luckily for me, its only when I'm in that one spot, which should actually be my safest spot,' he admitted. 'It is my favourite spot to be in the world at the weather wall doing my thing. But [it only happens] when I'm on camera.' Nate also revealed that he was surprised when he began experiencing panic attacks, 'about four or five years ago', especially given his previous career as a lieutenant in the Royal Australian Navy. 'For me, it was in my 30s five years ago or so. I was in the military, I've been on deployment to active war areas. I'm not a very anxious person ever,' Nate said before detailing how the problem first reared its head. 'A couple of years into being on TV, one day I got told to get into the studio quick. They needed me right now. So, I ran in got to the weather wall and I was just ever so slightly out of breath.' ABC star Nate Byrne has opened up about the source of his anxiety after suffering a panic attack on air this week 'It was only a 20 minute run, but I really scooted and then the camera came on me and I tried to control my breathing so I could do the proper presenter voice. 'I think in that moment I just forgot how to breathe properly and slightly starved my brain of oxygen as I was going.' Nate then revealed that this incident was only a preview of what was to come, with his first full-blown panic attack occurring '15 to 20 minutes later.' 'We did find ways for it to be managed,' he added. 'The thing for me is obviously I cant move off the camera, but I do this little thing when I need to. I just dig my little thumbnail into the side of my finger - not enough to do any damage, but just enough to give me a point of concentration.' 'It's a great coping technique for me but its different for everyone.' Nate also praised radio host Carrie Bickmore for speaking about her own struggles with anxiety on air this week. Appearing on the Carrie and Tommy radio show on Thursday, Nate revealed being on camera triggered his panic attack. Pictured host Carrie Bickmore Nate was forced to halt his report in the middle of Tuesday morning's broadcast after suffering a panic attack live on-air. He cut short his broadcast just before 6.30am, telling viewers 'I'm going to need to stop for a second'. Voice quivering, he told viewers: 'Some of you may know that I occasionally get affected by some panic attacks, and actually that's happening right now. 'Lisa (Millar), maybe I could hand back to you.' Co-host Lisa quickly took over the broadcast while Nate recovered off camera. Nate has spoken openly about his struggles with anxiety - publishing an article in 2022 where he documented his experiences of on-air panic attacks. The weather presenter was later welcomed back to the show and apologised for stepping out. 'Sorry if I gave anybody a bit of a scare,' he said. Bristol Palin expressed her heartbreak over her son Tripp Johnston's decision to leave her family home in Texas in an emotional Instagram post on Wednesday. Bristol, 33, who is currently based out of Austin, Texas, revealed the teenager has now moved back to the family's native Alaska to live with his father - her former fiance Levi Johnson, 34. Bristol is mother to three children: son Tripp, 15, with Johnston, and daughters Sailor Grace, eight, and Atlee Bay, seven, with ex-husband Dakota Meyer, 36. She posted an image of her two daughters on the doorstep of their home to commemorate their first day of school on Wednesday, while detailing the changing dynamic in her family. The Wasilla, Alaska native posted an image of her younger two daughters in the post, with text explaining how she's dealing with the move. Bristol Palin, 33, expressed her heartbreak over her son Tripp Johnston's relocation to Alaska from Texas via Instagram Stories Wednesday. Pictured in May of 2022 along with her son Tripp, 15, daughters Sailor Grace, eight, and Atlee Bay, seven, and ex-husband Dakota Meyer, 36 An emotional Bristol was pictured September of 2019 as she was baptized 'This has been the hardest first day of school yet with one of the biggest pieces of my heart missing,' Bristol said. 'Tripp has decided to finish out high school in Alaska to be closer to his dad and our entire family. 'If you know Tripp, you know he lives for hunting/fishing and I honestly cant blame him for wanting to be back home.' Bristol - the daughter of former Alaska governor and 2008 vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin - said she was doing her best to cope with the change. 'As hard as it is has been to come to this decision its truly not about what I want,' Bristol said. Bristol cited her son growing older and the value of him spending time with his father in explaining how she's handling the family issue. 'Hes almost 16 years old and that relationship with his dad is a lot more important than my own selfish desires of having him with his mama forever!' Bristol said. Bristol said she was still highly emotional about the situation, and hoping for as seamless a transition as possible. 'I cant talk about it yet without crying,' Bristol said, 'but selfishly praying for a quick year and easy transition for us.' She posted an image of her two daughters on the doorstep of their home to commemorate their first day of school, while detailing the changing dynamic in her family Bristol posed with her daughters as they headed off for their first day of school Levi's wife Sunny Johnson recently shared this image of him (left) hunting with Levi (right) Bristol was thrust into the national limelight in 2008 amid her mother's vice presidential campaign alongside then Republican presidential candidate, late Arizona Sen. John McCain. She appeared at the Republican National Convention in September 2008 alongside Johnston, as her pregnancy with Tripp when she was 17 made headlines, amid her mother's swift rise to political prominence as McCain's running mate. Beyond the campaign, her relationship with Johnston remained in the public eye amid a pair of engagements before they eventually split for good. Bristol made headlines in 2009 when she signed on for a $262,500 position to serve as an abstinence ambassador for a teen pregnancy prevention organization called The Candie's Foundation. 'Abstinence is the only way you can effectively 100 percent prevent pregnancy,' Bristol said in a 2009 Good Morning America appearance. 'It's the safest choice and it will prevent teen pregnancy and a lot of heartache.' Bristol in March of 2015 revealed she was engaged to Dakota Meyer, a Medal of Honor winner as a Marine. After calling off their engagement, they wed in 2016, prior to Meyer filing for divorce in 2018. She has enjoyed other brief romances since, but appears to be currently single. Bristol documented her teen pregnancy in her book Not Afraid of My Life, in which she called Levi a 'gnat' who had 'stolen her virginity' while she was drunk. She later insisted on Good Morning America that she was 'not accusing Levi of date rape or rape at all.' 'I'm looking back with adult eyes and thinking, that was a foolish decision,' she said. 'I should never have been underage drinking, and I should never have gotten myself into a situation like that.' That launched a round of court battles between the two, which started off bitterly and only got worse. In an initial affidavit, Levi asked for the hearings to be public 'as a check against anyone's need to be overly vindictive, aggressive, or malicious.' He added: 'Not that Bristol would be that way, nor would I. But her mother is powerful, politically ambitious, and has a reputation for being extremely vindictiveSo, I think a public case might go a long way in reducing Sarah Palin's instinct to attack.' In November 2013, Levi filed court documents attempting to get 50/50 custody of Tripp. At the time, he argued it was in the little boy's best interests to have his father around just as much as his mom. Bristol, who had been awarded full custody by a previous judge, claimed the custody demand was an attempt by the former oilfield worker to reduce his child support payments. Her lawyer alleged in court that Levi, who had appeared nearly naked in Playgirl after the split, owed $66,000 in back payments. Bristol and her then high school sweetheart Levi were thrust into the public eye after her mother Sarah Palin announced the 17-year-old was pregnant at the 2008 Republican National Convention Bristol and Levi called off their engagement in March 2009, just three months after their son, Tripp, was born on December 27, 2008 Shortly afterward, Bristol headed to court again, claiming Levi was an unfit parent, saying he had no regular visits with his firstborn and that rather than pay child support, he spent all his money on fancy cars, hunting, and extravagant trips. However, Bristol made plenty of money from her own lucrative deals. She became a spokesman for the Candie's Foundation a non-profit dedicated to preventing teen pregnancy after Tripp was born, receiving $262,000 in one year for her work, according to her tax returns. She also appeared on Dancing With the Stars, wrote a 2011 memoir, and had a reality show, Life's a Tripp, on Lifetime TV, which was canceled after one season. She also starred in Teen Mom OG in 2018. Bristol used her newfound wealth to buy her first five-bedroom home in Arizona. By 2014, she was claiming she had not earned a penny in 18 months and pushed a judge to increase Levi's child support payments to $1,750 a month. Within weeks of that filing, it was Levi's turn to increase the heat, asking a judge to find Bristol in contempt of court for taking Tripp out of Alaska without his permission. The former couple finally settled their child custody dispute over Tripp in 2016, seven years after their son was born. Levi also has three daughters Breeze Beretta, Indy Rae, and Delta Jo with his wife, Sunny Johnston, nee Oglesby, whom he married in 2012. Bristol and Levi have had an easier time co-parenting in recent years. Bristol is now pursing a career in real estate and has a clothing brand called Boyhart, which she promotes on Instagram. Married At First Sight and former adult star Hayley Vernon has issued a stern clapback at critics who accused her of being hypocritical in a social media post. The ex-reality star, 36, had shared a post to Instagram of Dubai influencer Vicenzo Darian putting on a racy display with his partner in a swimming pool and captioned it with some pointed words. 'I just saw this post on a story about goals. What's the goal here? To have people hyper-sexualising your partner on both sides,' Hayley questioned. 'Is goals putting looks and image over depth, character and substance? When you write "goals" and your goal is to look like this? 'Welcome to 2024 where a look is a goal,' the former adult content creator added. Hayley later shared a video revealing she had been inundated with private messages calling her a hypocrite, as she explained she had put her adult star past behind her. 'I lived in such a hyper-sexualised world for so long. It's funny once your eyes are open and your heart starts to get healed,' she said. 'Why do you want to wear stuff that is exposing the most intimate aspects of yourself? This world made me feel insecure about my true characteristics. Married At First Sight and former adult star Hayley Vernon (pictured) has issued a stern clapback at critics who accused her of being hypocritical in a social media post 'I have grown in my self-respect and that is enough. I just can't put myself in those positions again.' Hayley, who has spent the past four years working as an adult star and high-class escort, officially quit the industry in April. 'It just feels like a big breath out for me,' the bodybuilder said in an Instagram story. The reality star, 36, had shared a post to Instagram of Dubai influencer Vicenzo Darian putting on a racy display with his partner in a swimming pool and captioned it with some pointed words 'I will not be filming any more videos for [OnlyFans]. I think I have about nine, ten releases left. I will not be engaging or solicitating [sic] myself anymore, or giving any of my being to anyone further than what I have done,' she continued. Hayley admitted that being an adult entertainer was always 'so far removed' from her real identity, adding that the industry had brought 'so much negativity' into her life over the years. 'I was suffering from severe anxiety, I wasn't certain of who I was because I was trying to be someone different. I've just made the decision that it does not serve myself. It's soul destroying, I'm just going to say it,' she lamented. 'And I know that a lot of people are going to be like, 'You're a hypocrite'... But I was merely supposed to pass through this stage of my life. I was never supposed to sit in it,' she added. Hayley, who earned a whopping AUD$90,000 within the first month of joining the subscription website OnlyFans, explained that she only entered the industry out of desperation. Advertisement Lily Collins led the top-tier glamour at the premiere of Emily In Paris season four in Los Angeles on Wednesday night as critics slam the latest 'boring' installment. The leading lady, 35 who plays the hit Netflix's show's titular role of Emily Cooper looked sensational in a glitzy strapless black frock. She was joined on the red carpet by her stunning co-star Ashley Park and supermodel Taylor Hill, among other attendees. Lily's dress had a sparkly beaded bodice, a peplum waist and a sexy sheer diamond-print skirt. Each diamond was decked out in dazzling black sequins that caught the light as Lily posed for shutterbugs on the event's pink carpet. Lily Collins, Ashley Park and Taylor Hill led the top-tier glamour at the premiere of Emily In Paris season four in Los Angeles on Wednesday night Her jaw-length brunette hair was styled sleek and straight. As for makeup, the daughter of music legend Phil Collins rocked fluttery lashes and a satin maroon lip that complimented her milky, pale complexion. With so much sparkle in her look, Lily kept accessories to a minimum. She had on a pair of silver drop earrings and the rose-cut diamond engagement ring she received from husband Charlie McDowell, 41, in 2021. The Mirror Mirror star carefully stepped down the pink carpet steps outside The Egyptian Theatre in black stilettos. The long-awaited fourth season of Emily In Paris will hit Netflix on Thursday, August 15 at midnight. The 10-episode season will air in two parts. The second half will debut on September 12. Emily In Paris follows Emily Cooper (Collins), a social media savvy 20-something from Chicago, who lands her dream job at the luxury fashion marketing firm Savoir in Paris, France. Season four is expected to lift the lid on Emily's love triangle with Alfie (Lucien Laviscount) and Gabriel (Lucas Bravo). As for her work, Emily's blogging of her love life will cause her to clash once again with her boss Sylvie Grateau (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu). Lily looked confident as she celebrated the latest Emily In Paris chapter but early reviews have savaged season four as 'boring.' The leading lady, 35 who plays the hit Netflix's show's titular role of Emily Cooper looked sensational in a glitzy strapless black frock Lily's dress had a sparkly beaded bodice, a peplum waist and a sexy sheer diamond-print skirt Each diamond was decked out in dazzling black sequins that caught the light as Lily posed for shutterbugs on the event's blush pink carpet Her jaw-length brunette hair was styled sleek and straight Lily looked confident as she celebrated the latest Emily In Paris chapter but early reviews have savaged season four as 'boring' The Guardian 's Leila Latif slammed Emily In Paris for '[morphing] into a black hole devoid of plot, charisma and intrigue' after four seasons She held hands with co-star Ashley Park during her red carpet stint Park plays Emily's BFF and roommate Mindy Chen They were also joined by Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, who plays Emily's boss Sylvie Grateau at the Paris-based fashion marketing firm Savoir The trio looked ultra glam on the pink carpet The Guardian's Leila Latif slammed Emily In Paris for '[morphing] into a black hole devoid of plot, charisma and intrigue' after four seasons. They go as far as to say that 'nothing happens' in the first five episodes despite there being ample opportunity for drama via Emily's messy love life and work pressures. 'To say that this is as thrilling as watching paint dry would be a disservice to the many excellent shades of paint,' Latif writes. They did compliment Sex and the City costume designer Patricia Fields' costumes but described the show's Paris-inspired set design as 'shoddy.' The Guardian gave Emily In Paris season four, part one a brutal one-star rating. The Irish Independent's Pat Stacey labeled both the show and Lily's Emily 'annoying' and accused producers of creating a 'whitewashed' version of Paris. They wrote that the series lacks any 'racial and cultural diversity' outside of a few POC characters and called out the ridiculousness of Emily still being unable to speak French. Most of the criticism was for Emily, who Stacey sees as a 'tone-deaf and entitled' character who is somehow 'irresistible' to all in the Emily In Paris universe. Ashley Park was the belle of the ball at Wednesday's big LA premiere The actress, 33, wowed in a futuristic silver gown that showed off her toned legs and tiny waist The frilly frock had a skirt made of strips of shimmering fabric and the one-shoulder corset bodice had a glamorous 3D element Her brunette tresses were swept up in a sleek ponytail and she stood on tall silver chrome heels She was accompanied to the premiere by her Emily In Paris co-star-turned-boyfriend Paul Forman The couple could hardly keep their hands off one another as they shared kisses for the cameras before heading into the theater Ashley and Paul confirmed their romance in January after months of dating rumors Paul looked sharp in a fitted black blazer, skinny trousers and patent leather boots Taylor Hill looked incredible as she flaunted her natural beauty in an elegant polka dot dress The former Victoria's Secret Angel's dress had a frilly white ruffled bust and a cinched-waist design Her cropped brunette hair was tucked behind her ears She slipped on pointy kitten heels to complete her chic look Lily's co-star Ashley Park who plays Emily's BFF and roommate Mindy Chen was the belle of the ball at Wednesday's big LA premiere. The actress, 33, wowed in a futuristic silver gown that showed off her toned legs and tiny waist. The frilly frock had a skirt made of strips of shimmering fabric and the one-shoulder corset bodice had a glamorous 3D element. Her brunette tresses were swept up in a sleek ponytail and she stood on tall silver chrome heels. Park's flawless complexion had a radiant glow paired with classic winged eyeliner and a glossy nude-toned lip. She was accompanied to the premiere by her Emily In Paris co-star-turned-boyfriend Paul Forman. The couple could hardly keep their hands off one another as they shared kisses for the cameras before heading into the theater. Taylor Hill looked incredible as she flaunted her natural beauty in an elegant polka dot dress. Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu who plays Emily's boss Sylvie Grateau at the Paris-based fashion marketing firm Savoir exuded glamour in a sleeveless black dress Lucien Laviscount who stars as Emily's love interest Alfie looked super hunky in a chic black blazer and pants The British actor, 32, flashed his megawatt smile while posing with one hand tucked into his pant pocket Lucas Bravo who plays Emily's other love interest and Savoir co-worker Gabriel showed off his new hippie chic makeover as he posed for photos on the red carpet Pop star Alessia Cara, 28, showed off her incredible curves in a skintight black patterned maxi dress Sunny star Joanna Sotomura looked radiant in a ruffled white and black polka dot gown that she accessorized with a black ribbon choker necklace The former Victoria's Secret Angel's dress had a frilly white ruffle bust and a cinched waist design. She slipped on pointy kitten heels and her cropped brunette hair was tucked behind her ears. Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu who plays Emily's boss Sylvie Grateau at the Paris-based fashion marketing firm Savoir exuded glamour in a sleeveless black dress. The 61-year-old star's beaded dress had exaggerated hips and sexy black fringe on the skirt's hem. Lucien Laviscount who stars as Emily's love interest Alfie looked super hunky in a chic black blazer and pants. The British actor, 32, flashed his megawatt smile while posing with one hand tucked into his pant pocket. Lucas Bravo who plays Emily's other love interest and Savoir co-worker Gabriel showed off his new hippie chic makeover as he posed for photos on the red carpet. The French actor, 36, won the hearts of the show's audience with his Gallic charm and his clean-cut matinee idol features. But now, Bravo is rocking healthy stubble, as well as long hair and a groovy sense of style. He oozed confidence on Wednesday night in a classic black suit and leather dress shoes. Pop star Alessia Cara, 28, showed off her incredible curves in a skintight black patterned maxi dress. Access Hollywood's Zuri Hall cut a chic figure in a beige tube dress with a matching blazer that she draped over her shoulders Sherry Cola looked sweet and demure in a white short-sleeved blouse and bright green shorts with pink satin platform heels Tall Girl star Ava Michelle wowed in an elegant floral one-shoulder dress paired with a hardshell clutch purse and burgundy ballet flats Samuel Arnold who stars as Julian in Emily in Paris showed off his eye for fashion in a stylish muted purple suit Brazilian actor Renan Pacheco stood out in an impeccably tailored white suit Bruno Gouery who plays the role of Luc caught the attention of event photographers in a bold pastel yellow suit and skinny black tie The long-awaited fourth season of Emily In Paris will hit Netflix on Thursday at midnight; Collins pictured The 10-episode season will air in two parts. The second half will debut on September 12; Collins and co-star Lucien Laviscount pictured Sunny star Joanna Sotomura looked radiant in a ruffled white and black polka dot gown that she accessorized with a black ribbon choker necklace. Access Hollywood's Zuri Hall cut a chic figure in a beige tube dress with a matching blazer that she draped over her shoulders. Sherry Cola looked sweet and demure in a white short-sleeved blouse and bright green shorts with pink satin platform heels. Tall Girl star Ava Michelle wowed in an elegant floral one-shoulder dress paired with a hardshell clutch purse and burgundy ballet flats. Samuel Arnold who stars as Julian in Emily in Paris showed off his eye for fashion in a stylish muted purple suit. Brazilian actor Renan Pacheco stood out in an impeccably tailored white suit. Bruno Gouery who plays the role of Luc caught the attention of event photographers in a bold pastel yellow suit and skinny black tie. Chris Judd has revealed some very racy details about the iconic red gown which shot his wife Rebecca Judd to fame at the 2004 Brownlow Medal. The saucy number, which featured a plunging neckline and soaring thigh split, was created by Perth designer Ruth Tarvydas and valued at $2,000. Now Chris, 40, has revealed on The Front Bar the showstopping frock, modelled by Melbourne's queen WAG, 41, when she was just 21, has a shocking link to porn. 'The red dress took an interesting turn,' he told hosts Andy Maher, Sam Peng and Anthony Lehmann, revealing Bec was asked by a charity to donate the dress. 'She donated to charity and it sold for $20,000 which is a huge check, and 20 years ago, I guess it's an even bigger check. 'Turns out it was bought by a producer in the film industry and he was planning to make an adult film featuring the dress and featuring a lady wearing it.' Chris went on to explain that the adult content producer had very raunchy plans to create a porn film titled The Downlow, a play on the name Brownlow. In the flick, the producer would feature a woman wearing the dress that Bec wore to the 2004 Brownlow Medal, with Chris joking he would be played by Vin Diesel. Chris Judd, 40, (pictured) has revealed some very racy details about the iconic red gown which shot his wife Rebecca 'Bec' Judd to fame at the 2004 Brownlow Medal However, the footy star said the charity weren't pleased when they discovered what the dress would be used for, and 'ended up reneging on the deal'. The dress was returned to the charity, who gave the $20,000 back to the porn producer, but Chris and Bec haven't a clue where the dress has ended up now. Two decades ago, Bec made her red carpet debut at the 2004 Brownlow Medal in a dress that has become iconic. The saucy number, which featured a plunging neckline and soaring thigh split, was created by Perth designer Ruth Tarvydas and valued at $2,000. Pictured: Bec Judd at 2004 Brownlow She burst onto the scene at age 21 when she wore a red dress with a plunging neckline to the 2004 Brownlow Medal alongside her then-boyfriend Chris. The outfit, which boasted a neckline that dipped below her belly button and a daring thigh split, was created by Perth designer Ruth Tarvydas, and was valued at $2,000. Bec, who now shares four children with her retired footy champ husband, recently spoke about what happened to the dress after she was famously snapped in it. 'Definitely a moment! Can't believe it's been this long! The dress was given to charity which was auctioned off and I have not seen it since that night,' she told Zen Design. Nara Smith's fans are urging her to star in a reality show after her family shoot with her husband and fellow model Lucky Blue Smith. The 22-year-old Mormon fashionista shares three children with Lucky, 26, and often posts TikTok content that plays into the 'tradwife' trend. For a new GQ spread, she and Lucky frolicked on their ranch in Texas with their daughters Rumble, three, and Whimsy, four months, and their son Slim, two. Now she has posted a behind-the-scenes video from the shoot to her Instagram, complete with her breathy voiceover narration. Some of the commenters showered her with praise - but she also drew the ire of plenty of critics who all had the same complaint. Nara Smith's fans are urging her to star in a reality show after her family shoot with her husband and fellow model Lucky Blue Smith The trolls were united in taking aim at her whispery, somnolent monotone, which often dips into the scratchy register known as 'vocal fry.' 'Talk normal .. does it hurt to talk Normal?' demanded one viewer in her Instagram comments, as another joked: 'I KNOW shes tired of talking like this.' 'Girl nevermind the way you are talking is driving me crazy Im sorry,' wrote one observer while another complained that her voice was 'sooooooooo annoying.' 'Why do you always talk like you took a handful of sleeping pills?' marveled another viewer. 'Are you happy? Maybe try smiling sometimes when you talk???' 'Sorry that she had a sizure and her speak is so slurred,' quipped a viewer, as another commenter chimed in: 'Okay I love all the trad wife stuff I AM A TRAD WIFE, but the whispering has to go.' She had admirers as well, including one who wrote in her comments: 'Nara we need more content, or a reality showanything just more you.' Some even defended her voice, with one calling it 'hot' and another arguing: 'She talks the way she wanna talk why are yall hating relaaax.' In her video, she revealed that the GQ shoot was done when Whimsy, the youngest of her three children, was 'only six weeks old.' For a new GQ spread, she and Lucky frolicked on their ranch in Texas with their daughters Rumble, three, and Whimsy, four months , and their son Slim, two Now she has posted a behind-the-scenes video from the shoot to her Instagram, complete with her breathy voiceover narration In her video, she revealed that the GQ shoot was done when Whimsy, the youngest of her three children, was 'only six weeks old' The trolls were united in taking aim at her whispery, somnolent monotone, which often dips into the scratchy register known as 'vocal fry' Tweaking the perception of herself as a traditional housewife, she reminded viewers she is a working mother as she and her husband are both professional models. 'A lot of people dont realize that Lucky and I are both models and weve been working since we were very young,' she said pointedly. She has been married to Lucky since 2020 and, in addition to the three children they welcomed together, she is also stepmother to his seven-year-old daughter Gravity, whom he shares with his ex Stormi Henley. Nara has come in for brickbats in the past for her 'tradwife' content, as some viewers have slammed her for promoting an unattainable, old-fashioned lifestyle. Her TikToks show her dressed to the nines, looking straight out of a 1950s magazine, while cooking dishes like waffles, pudding and cinnamon rolls from scratch. Nara and Lucky have revealed they make their own toothpaste, and she even went viral for concocting her own homemade sunscreen. Speculation has been swirling online that Nara and Lucky secretly have a staff of helpers propping up their do-it-yourself image. Nara has denied as much, telling GQ: 'What people think online is that we have housekeepers and cleaners and nannies and all of these things, when in reality its just me and Lucky wanting a family and sharing our lives online.' Nara and Lucky have revealed they make their own toothpaste, and she even went viral for concocting her own homemade sunscreen Tweaking the perception of herself as a traditional housewife, she reminded viewers she is a working mother as she and her husband are both professional models In their profile, she insisted that she and Lucky split up their parenting responsibilities equally and have a nanny only for a few hours each week Lucky described their marriage as a 'a big partnership in every aspect of our lives,' and Nara explained that although she cooks, her husband 'does cleanup' She also disputed the image of herself as a repressed wife, saying: 'Its not about thinking: "Oh, I need to make my husband a meal right now, or hell be upset"' Nara has come in for brickbats in the past for her 'tradwife' content, as some viewers have slammed her for promoting an unattainable, old-fashioned lifestyle Their GQ shoot was a perfect encapsulation of the 'tradwife' aesthetic, set on a ranch in Texas and even including livestock in the family photos. In some of the most striking snaps, Nara and Lucky are seen playing with all three of their children in a room where the walls and ceilings are all exposed wood. Adding to the retro affect, the couple are modeling outfits redolent of the 1930s - she in a red gingham dress, he in a checked shirt tucked into jeans. In their profile, she insisted that she and Lucky split up their parenting responsibilities equally and have a nanny only for a few hours each week. She also disputed the image of herself as a repressed wife, saying: 'Its not about thinking: "Oh, I need to make my husband a meal right now, or hell be upset."' Lucky described their marriage as a 'a big partnership in every aspect of our lives,' and Nara explained that although she cooks, her husband 'does cleanup. Which Im grateful for, because I hate that part.' The reviews are starting to come in for the new season of Emily In Paris on Netflix - and to say they're not all positive would be an understatement. Lily Collins returns as the title character - Emily Cooper - a young American woman from the Midwest who uproots her life and takes a new job in Paris. With Season 4 debuting on Thursday - and the L.A. premiere happening on Wednesday - the reviews are starting to file in, many of which are not positive. The show returns after a two-year hiatus, though that wait wasn't seemingly long enough for some critics, who savagely bashed the show. A review from Leila Latif of The Guardian was perhaps the most brutal, calling the show a 'televisual black hole' that is, 'devoid of plot, charisma and intrigue.' The reviews are starting to come in for the new season of Emily In Paris on Netflix , and they are not all that positive. Lily Collins returns as the title character - Emily Cooper - a young American woman from the Midwest who uproots her life and takes a new job in Paris. The critic revealed she had viewed the first half of Season 4 - which debut on August 15 - with the second five-episode half dropping on September 12. She insists that, 'nothing happens,' as the title character continues working as a marketing executive while getting involved in a love triangle with her co-worker Luc (Bruno Gouery) and roommate Mindy (Ashley Park). The reviewer insists there is, 'absolutely nothing at stake' when it comes to the love triangle, with the 'drama' in the show coming from her professional life, though that appears to be a stretch too. 'In every episode, she has to use her talent and sunny disposition to ensure social media strategies are executed with aplomb. To say that this is as thrilling as watching paint dry would be a disservice to the many excellent shades of paint,' she says. The critic adds there are several subplots involving, 'missing people, #MeToo and Michelin stars,' though they ultimately, 'go nowhere.' Another review from the Irish Independent was equally savage, calling this show's version of Paris, 'a theme park version of the City of Light.' He touches on the show's running gag that Emily does not speak French and even after four seasons makes no effort to learn the language, and yet everyone in Paris seems to love her, which would likely not be the case in the real Paris. 'If this were the real Paris rather than a theme park version, Emily would get on everyones nerves. Instead, they all find her cute and adorable. Irresistible, too. Men fall at her feet on every street corner,' critic Pat Stacey says. The critic revealed she had viewed the first half of Season 4 - which debut on August 15 - with the second five-episode half dropping on September 12 She insists that, 'nothing happens,' as the title character continues working as a marketing executive while getting involved in a love triangle with her co-worker Luc (Bruno Gouery) and roommate Mindy (Ashley Park) The reviewer insists there is, 'absolutely nothing at stake' when it comes to the love triangle, with the 'drama' in the show coming from her professional life, though that appears to be a stretch too Another point of contention in this review is how the show ignores the city's racial and cultural diversity, adding, 'this fantasy Paris is as whitewashed as Richard Curtiss Notting Hill.' However, another piece from The Guardian's Joel Golby - while admitting the show is 'terrible' - thinks the time has come to 'drop the beef' with the show. 'The point of Emily in Paris is that it isnt for me its not even particularly for people who are sitting upright and once you see through all of that, you can: well, enjoy is not the right word, exactly. But you can at least appreciate Emily in Paris for what it is, which is: an unashamedly silly, soapy, Technicolor whirlwind of nonsense,' he said. 'Its a make-work programme for beautiful people who cant act and a show where, 30 episodes in and with 10 more pending, nothing significant has actually happened,' he adds, though he realizes he's 're-igniting' his 'beef' after reflecting more, concluding, 'It is beneath every single person who has ever watched it.' Meanwhile Paste Magazine's Jay Snow claimed that the new series 'continues to have nothing new to say'. Sinking their claws into Emily and Gabriel's romance scenes, they wrote: 'They can drag out the Emily and Gabriel romance as long as they like, but, so far, it has done nothing except stunt the story and character growth. 'Unless theres a major change coming after this season, it might be time to say au revoir to Emily and company.' The Independent critic Katie Rosseinsky took issue with Netflix's decision to split the series in half. 'The decision to split the series in half makes even less sense for Emily and co than it did for Bridgerton: at least the latters writers had the good sense to conclude part one on a cliffhanger. This batch of episodes, by comparison, ends with a Gallic shrug.' She brutally signed off: 'While the shows silliness has a certain limited charm, the cumulative effect is akin to eating too much sugar too quickly: it leaves you feeling a bit queasy and vowing to swear off this stuff in future.' Fans of the new series gushed that it was 'self-aware, stunning and adorable' in their reviews The show continues to inspire audiences with protagonist Emily's painfully chic ensembles The series remains one of Netflix's most popular ever romcoms with the ongoing love triangle leaving viewers gripped However other critics were fonder of the latest drop of episodes and showered them with praise. Over at The Daily Beast Emma Stefansky heralded season four as 'absurdly and adorably idiotic. 'It's as entertaining as anything else the show has cooked up,' she said of the new plotlines. 'I dont pretend to know anything about fashion, and I certainly wont learn anything from this particular show, but its always fun to see the wardrobe department going full-out on something like this while other shows dress their cast in a sea of crewnecks and black trousers.' Collider's Emily Cappello called the show's return 'stunning and self-aware... a fashionable ride through the streets of Paris.' She noted that in season four Emily finally 'explored her need for control and embraced her vulnerability. She also praised the new episodes for letting Sylvie shine, claiming there was more space and weight given to her 'realistic and throught-provoking internal conflicts.' Meanwhile The Times' Robert Crampton gushed: 'When the writing's as good as this, you cant dismiss Darren Stars show as mere fantasy fluff' Anica Wu, who runs a Chinese-flavored jerky company called Bonjerk, in her San Leandro home. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle Anica Wu couldnt stop talking about meat. She chatted on and on about using Chinese flavors to make jerky for her company, Bonjerk; about moving away from factory farms as she poured small spoonfuls of chile sauce into china bowls. Then, standing in her San Leandro kitchen, she dribbled in other flavorings: 1 gram fish sauce. Half a gram ginger juice. Some of the bowls got pineapple juice; others, shrimp paste. Wu dropped a slice of raw pork into each bowl, mashing the ingredients around. The next day, she layered the marinated pork in her old dehydrator and let it cook. It came out dry, funky and slightly sweet: an irresistible jerky drawing on Asian flavors. Wu, brimming with enthusiasm, sampled her new test recipe, sent it to a friend and asked for feedback. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I feel like I could talk for hours about this, said Wu, 37. Its so personal to me. Anica Wu makes different batches of marinades for test jerky recipes in her home in San Leandro. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle Seven years ago, with no know-how about meat, she had decided she wanted to launch this company. There are no Asian-inspired jerky out there, she said. I was just like, theres so many amazing flavors, especially in my culture I could do so much with this. In the years since, Wu became a butcher and learned about the importance of supporting small ranchers. She started selling her Chinese-flavored jerkys at popups and, in June, finally brought her jerky to some commercial shelves around the Bay Area. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Bonjerk now offers three flavors of pork jerky: char siu barbeque, mala Sichuan and black garlic. Made from pigs raised by an Amish farmer in Pennsylvania, the jerkys are chewy and soft, letting the succulent porkiness shine while also channeling the salty richness, sweetness and heat of Chinese foods that Wu grew up eating. Anica Wu mixes different flavorings into jerky marinades in her San Leandro home. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle As a kid in Kansas, where her father worked as a Chinese chef, Wu ate jerky from time to time. But it didnt become a fixation until she was about 30, working in commercial film production in the Bay Area. On road trips from San Francisco to Los Angeles, a friend sometimes stopped at the Harris Ranch Resort in Coalinga (Fresno County), where she bought jerky made with Harris Ranch beef, Worcestershire and soy sauce. That friend brought it back for Wu to try. Wu fell in love. She started freezing it, thawing only a little at a time to prevent herself from wolfing it down. She even sent an email to the ranch, asking to come see the jerky-making process. They never replied but Wu wasnt dissuaded. Advertisement Article continues below this ad She decided to make her own, visiting Guerra Quality Meats in the Sunset District to buy meat. Anica Wu takes out her 6-year-old dehydrator to show how she makes jerky. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle But once there, she felt lost: Shed grown up at Asian groceries, not butcher shops, and had no idea which cut to get. She came away with a London broil and made a first batch of jerky that was nearly inedible: pounds and pounds of tough, oversalted meat. That experience taught her that if she wanted to start a company, she needed to learn as much as she could about the meat industry. Thats because, Wu said, I knew nobody would take me seriously, especially as an Asian American woman. So she signed up for a butchery workshop in Napa, and then another in New York. Then she moved back home to Kansas and went looking for a job. Advertisement Article continues below this ad She showed up and said, I want to do this. I dont have any experience, said Alex Pope, the founder of Kansas City butcher shop and restaurant Local Pig. Shes just one of those people thats quite persuasive. Anica Wu prepares marinades for four test recipes of a new jerky flavor. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle He gave her the job. But Local Pigs established butcher was hoping for someone with experience to join, Wu thinks: I could tell the disappointment in his face, when he saw that it was me. Nevertheless, she dove in headfirst. During Local Pigs two butchery days a week, the duo broke down about four sides of beef, 20 sides of pork and 200 chickens. A slow cutter at first, Wu got used to mimicking the other butchers cuts while asking questions: How do I get the right leverage? Which knife do I use? Overwhelmed, shed sometimes cry on the way home. But eventually, she learned to cut up an animal, flowing from the neck to the shoulder to the ribs to the loins to the legs. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A few months later, Wu left Local Pig for a stint in Los Angeles at Belcampo (which shut down not long after amid scandal about sanitary, safety and labeling issues). She worked at one more Southern California shop before coming back north. Anica Wu tests new jerky recipes methodically, numbering each batch. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle By that time, Wu had learned to love the process of careful butchery, which she sees as a way of respecting animals who die for us to eat. She embraced small farms working to care for their animals and grow high-quality meat, an alternative to large-scale factory farms. Wu started teaching butchery, working with the nonprofit Women In Ranching to show other women how to break down animals. Amber Smith, the groups executive director, called her magnetic, recalling her glee at one goat butchery workshop in Colorado. Shes that excited and passionate about meat, Smith said. While Wu was learning butchery, she was also figuring out her jerky recipes. She thought about dishes shed grown up eating: the char siu bao at family dim sum on Sundays. The zha jiang mian she fell in love with while studying Mandarin in Beijing after college. The mapo tofu her parents made all the time. Wu transformed those dishes into jerky, with her parents offering tips. In 2021, she set up in a commercial kitchen in the Bayview and then started selling at popups the next year, bringing a blowtorch to add a final smoky touch to the jerky she sold. She made it all herself, often staying in the kitchen after midnight to get her trays of jerky ready for sale. Anica Wu makes different batches of marinades for jerky in her home in San Leandro. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle She was exhausted. Another jerky maker in the Bay Area told her, You need to have an exit strategy. Wu, who has big dreams of upsizing, agreed. She still tests new recipes at home in San Leandro. But this spring, for the first time, she outsourced her main production to a facility in Pennsylvania. Its near the pig farm she buys from, and it made over a thousand 2.2-ounce bags of jerky in a single batch. Online, she sells them for $17 each a high price tag, she knows, but one thats reflective of the companys small size and the high-quality pork. As she grows, shes hoping to lower those prices. She predicts itll be a 10-year journey to achieve her end goal: a national brand, on par with products like Fly By Jings sauces and Sanzos sparkling waters. At that scale, she hopes Bonjerk will help change the culture around meat, encouraging people to prioritize high-quality, small-farm cuts. To Wus mom, Sandy Chu, Bonjerk is a testament to her daughters confidence and persistence. Anica Wu holds packages of her jerky products in three flavors: char siu barbeque, mala Sichuan and black garlic. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle When she want something, she just directly go and get it, Chu said. Wu sees it slightly differently. When she was younger, she felt lost, neither Asian enough nor American enough. In college and afterward, she struggled to find her direction. Im not gonna sit here and be like, Jerky was my destiny, Wu said, laughing. But it did offer her something new: a path to follow, if an unconventional one. She knows now that, one bowl at a time, shell keep mixing up her sauces. Shell keep marinating pork, taking out the strips, draping them on a rack to cook. Shell keep pulling out slices of rich, spicy, salty jerky from the dehydrator shes used for six years now, since the very start of Bonjerk. Zoe Hague admitted she felt 'really emotional' in her latest vlog posted just days before her sister Molly-Mae announced her split from fiance Tommy Fury. The vlogger, 28, told her followers she had a 'really really rubbish day' regarding something that 'didn't involve' herself and husband Danny Rae. The video has led to speculation that it may have been the day she discovered that Molly-Mae had split from Tommy, which was announced on Wednesday. Fans were stunned when the Love Island star, 25, shared the bombshell news that she and the boxer, also 25, had broken up after five years together. Underneath Zoe's clip, one person wrote: 'Anyone else watching today and wondering if the track day was 'the day' Molly and Tommy called it quits.' Zoe Hague admitted she felt 'really emotional' in her latest vlog posted just days before her sister Molly-Mae announced her split from fiance Tommy Fury Fans were stunned when the Love Island star, 25, shared the bombshell news that she and the boxer, also 25, had broken up after five years together During her latest YouTube video, which was shared on August 11, Zoe said: 'I'm not going to lie to you I've had a really really rubbishy day. 'I won't go into it too much but just a really rubbishy day, it is now 5.55pm and I have had to drag my ass out well with the help of Danny.' Zoe revealed that she had planned to do a running session with Danny, who she tied the knot with just last month in a ceremony attended by her sister and Tommy. She said: 'We're going to do a little track session running track session tonight which I just know is going to make me feel better, like I know the second I finish this I will feel so much better oh it's just one of those days.' 'I'm not going to lie, I haven't achieved anything I needed to achieve. But that's sometimes just the way life goes, not everyday is positive but we are here now and going to do a good running session and then we're going to go home and have some yummy dinner. 'Tomorrow is a fresh day and I will get done everything we need to get done. let's go and run guys.' The video then jumped to Zoe on the running track, where she stopped to record herself saying she still felt incredibly emotional. She said: 'Goodness me! Oh my god guys don't know what's wrong with me I'm feeling so emotional. I do feel mentally better in terms of like I know I'm going to be a lot happier when this is done honestly best thing about running clears your head gets all your emotions out. The vlogger, 28, told her followers she had a 'really really rubbish day' regarding something that 'didn't involve' herself and husband Danny Rae The video has led to speculation that it may have been the day she discovered that Molly-Mae had split from Tommy, which was announced on Wednesday 'I don't think I've smiled today, which is quite sad really but I'm smiling now we've got three lots of four minutes left to do and then I'm done and we can catch up properly.' Feeling a bit brighter by the end of their run, she concluded: 'We feel so much better so much happier that was hard for you. Danny added: 'Did you say you were sad before?' Confirming her emotion was due to something that didn't directly affect her, she said: 'I was really sad before nothing to do with me and Danny. Just other things, just life.' Molly-Mae shared the shock news that she had split from fiance Tommy following months of off and on again speculation. The couple, met on Love Island in 2019 and went onto get engaged and welcome their daughter Bambi in 2023. Taking to Instagram Stories to share the bombshell statement on Wednesday, Molly wrote: 'Never in a million years did I think I'd ever have to write this. 'After five years of being together I never imagined our story would end, especially not this way. 'I am extremely upset to announce that mine and Tommy's relationship has come to an end. 'I will forever be grateful for the most important thing to me now and always, my beautiful daughter. Without us there would be no her, she will always be my priority. 'I want to thank you all for the love you have shown us over the last five years. You have all been a part of our journey and I feel it's right to share this with you all. The boxer proposed to the Love Island star in July 2023 in Ibiza, after four years together Following news of their split, a resurfaced clip has shown Molly-Mae sharing her fears that Tommy was cheating on her It comes after Molly-Mae shared the shock news that she had split from fiance Tommy following months of off and on again speculation The couple met on series five of Love Island in 2019, finishing in second place Taking to Instagram Stories on Wednesday, Molly. 25, wrote: 'Never in a million years did I think I'd ever have to write this' Just under an hour later, Tommy broke his silence on the split, penning on his Instagram Stories: 'I am heartbroken to share that Molly and I have decided to end our relationship' Fans have been left distraught at the end of the love story - demanding to know what happened and fuming they won't get to see 'the wedding of the year' Molly-Mae will be taking a step back from social media and work commitments as she attempts to come to terms with life without Tommy. She added: 'Whilst I attempt to navigate the coming days and weeks please kindly respect my privacy over this difficult time, I'll be back when it feels right. Molly-Mae x' Just under an hour later, Tommy broke his silence on the split, penning on his Instagram Stories: 'I am heartbroken to share that Molly and I have decided to end our relationship. 'The past 5 years have led to us having our beautiful baby girl, Bambi and I will be forever thankful to Molly for making me a dad. Bambi is our priority. 'Please respect our privacy, and our families privacy, as we navigate our way through this difficult time.' Molly-Mae's representative's declined to comment. MailOnline have contacted Tommy's representatives. The couple met on series five of Love Island in 2019, finishing in second place. They became official just weeks after their first villa date and moved in together in Manchester a month after landing back in the UK. Molly-Mae and Tommy posed for their last photo together while attending the wedding of her sister Zoe in July, Sharyn Ghidella has confirmed her exciting new job after her shock axing from Channel Seven. The Queensland-based news presenter, 57, was sacked from 7News last month after 17 years with the network amid a string of media job cuts. She has now confirmed she will be joining Network 10 to anchor the 5pm Queensland news bulletin. Her move to the network will also bring the 10 News First show back to its Brisbane studios after years of it being read from Sydney. Sharyn described her new job as a 'full-circle moment' as she returns to Network 10 after beginning her metro news career with the channel back in 1990. 'I wonder if my security tag still works,' she joked in a video announcing the news. 'Returning to 10 News First feels like coming home,' the veteran broadcaster added in a statement. 'Network 10 gave me my first big break in the early 90s, and to be back here, delivering a local news service for Queenslanders, is beyond exciting.' Sharyn Ghidella has confirmed her exciting new job after her shock axing from Channel Seven last month amid a string of media job cuts 10 News First's current presenter Sandra Sully will hand over the reins to Sharyn next month, saying she is 'thrilled' Sharyn is taking on the role. 'I've known Sharyn for many years, and I'm thrilled to be handing the Brisbane bulletin over to another Queenslander,' she said. 'It's wonderful to have our local news in such good hands, and I'm delighted to welcome Sharyn home to 10. I can't wait to see the great things she and our local Queensland team will do together.' Erin Edwards, Executive Editor 10 News First Queensland, added: 'Sharyn is a masterful journalist. She deep dives into every story to give Queenslanders the facts without fuss. 'Sharyn loves Queensland. She understands Queensland. We can't wait to start a new chapter at 10 News First Queensland.' Sharyn grew up in the North Queensland town of Babinda and got a Bachelor of Business Communications in Brisbane, before kicking off a career in journalism. She was recruited by Brisbane's Channel 10 newsroom at the age of 24 as an on-the-road reporter and update presenter. Sharyn moved to Sydney's Nine Network in 1992 and became a regular newsreader on the Today Show, before moving to the Seven Network in 2007. She has presented the network's Brisbane bulletin since 2013 but was axed from her role after 17 years last month. Sharyn confirmed the news of her job loss in a fiery Facebook post, revealing how she learnt of her role being cut while at the hair salon. She has confirmed she will be joining Network 10 anchoring the 5pm Queensland news bulletin in an exciting new venture After several anxious weeks of job cuts, she took aim at the failing network for prioritising gimmicks like astrology readings over keeping veteran talent. 'When you work in TV for as long as I have, not a day goes by when you aren't expecting the proverbial tap on the shoulder... After 38 years, my shoulder tap has finally come,' she began. 'It wasn't quite how I expected it to end at Channel Seven. I was actually sitting at the hairdressers for work, when I got the call informing me, that after 17 years with the network, my time was up.' She said her recent time at the network had been 'miserable' and she was glad to be heading out the door. 'While somewhat saddened by this decision, there is also some sense of relief. As has been widely reported, the past couple of weeks in TV has, sadly, been a miserable affair,' she wrote. 'A long list of talented, loyal and dedicated employees have been shown the door, in what seems to have been an interminable process of pulling the Band-Aid off slowly when it comes to removing what has been deemed excess stock. 'These people are some of the best content creators in the business. They are good people and it's been heartbreaking to watch.' She said she wasn't a fan of the network's rebranding of its news programming, which will see comedian Mark Humphries doing a comedy skit at 6.57pm tonight, and 'Astro Tash' start an astrology report next week. The Queensland-based news presenter, 57, was sacked from 7News last month after 17 years with the network in a shock cost-cutting move 'I'm also not one to have my evening news served up with humour and horoscopes either, so, to be honest, it is time to go,' she went on. 'As I'm known to say, the caravan moves on. There is certainly plenty of talent left in the building and I wish them nothing but the best moving forward.' She ended her post by thanking the many friends she had made throughout her long career with the network. There has been a cost-cutting bloodbath at Seven as the network's news division comes under new management. Three major names to go at the network include veterans Robert Ovadia, Andrew Frampton and seasoned Melbourne crime reporter Cameron Baud. The hotly-anticipated season four of Emily In Paris has underwhelmed critics, with reviews branding the show 'deeply annoying' and 'devoid of charisma'. Yet that didn't seem to dampen Lily Collins' spirits as she larked around at the show's premiere at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood on Wednesday. The leading lady, 35 who plays the hit Netflix's show's titular role of Emily Cooper was spotted cosying up to her on screen love interest Lucien Laviscount at the premiere's after party. The pair were beaming as they posed for snaps together, with Lucien holding out his hand gesturing to his glamorous co-star. During the evening, Lily was also spotted admiring American Olympian Bobby Finke's gold medal - which the swimmer won in the Men's 1500m Freestyle. Lily Collins cosied up to Lucien Laviscount and admired Olympian Bobby Finke's medal as she brushed off Emily In Paris season four's savage reviews at the LA premiere on Wednesday During the evening, Lily was spotted admiring American Olympian Bobby Finke's gold medal - which the swimmer won in the Men's 1500m Freestyle. Lily and Bobby were also spotted getting snapped with synchronised swimming silver medallist Anita Alvarez and fencing bronze medallist Nick Itkin. Cast members Bruno Gouery, Arnaud Binard, Samuel Arnold, Lucien and William Abadie were seen enjoying themselves at the after party. While in another snap Lucas Bravo - who plays Gabriel in the Netflix show - joined some of the other actors. Lily and her co-star Ashley Park, who play best friends, showed they are just as close off screen as they laughed together at the premiere. Lily Collins led the top-tier glamour at the premiere of Emily In Paris season four in Los Angeles on Wednesday night as critics slam the latest 'boring' installment. The leading lady, 35 who plays the hit Netflix's show's titular role of Emily Cooper looked sensational in a glitzy strapless black frock. She was joined on the red carpet by her stunning co-star Ashley Park and supermodel Taylor Hill, among other attendees. Lily's dress had a sparkly beaded bodice, a peplum waist and a sexy sheer diamond-print skirt. Each diamond was decked out in dazzling black sequins that caught the light as Lily posed for shutterbugs on the event's pink carpet. The leading lady, 35 who plays the hit Netflix 's show's titular role of Emily Cooper was spotted cosying up to her on screen love interest Lucien Laviscount at the premiere's after party The pair were beaming as they posed for snaps together, with Lucien holding out his hand gesturing to his glamorous co-star. Lucien and Lily play love interests Alfie and Emily in the Netflix hit Lily and Bobby were also spotted getting snapped with synchronised swimming silver medallist Anita Alvarez and fencing bronze medallist Nick Itkin Cast members Bruno Gouery, Arnaud Binard, Samuel Arnold, Lucien and William Abadie were seen enjoying themselves at the after party Lily and her co-star Ashley Park, who play best friends, showed they are just as close off screen as they laughed together at the premiere While in another snap Lucas Bravo - who plays Gabriel in the Netflix show - joined some of the other actors Her jaw-length brunette hair was styled sleek and straight. As for makeup, the daughter of music legend Phil Collins rocked fluttery lashes and a satin maroon lip that complimented her milky, pale complexion. With so much sparkle in her look, Lily kept accessories to a minimum. She had on a pair of silver drop earrings and the rose-cut diamond engagement ring she received from husband Charlie McDowell, 41, in 2021. The Mirror Mirror star carefully stepped down the pink carpet steps outside The Egyptian Theatre in black stilettos. The long-awaited fourth season of Emily In Paris will hit Netflix on Thursday, August 15 at midnight. The 10-episode season will air in two parts. The second half will debut on September 12. Emily In Paris follows Emily Cooper (Lily), a social media savvy 20-something from Chicago, who lands her dream job at the luxury fashion marketing firm Savoir in Paris, France. Season four is expected to lift the lid on Emily's love triangle with Alfie (Lucien) and Gabriel (Lucas). As for her work, Emily's blogging of her love life will cause her to clash once again with her boss Sylvie Grateau (Philippine). The leading lady, 35 who plays the hit Netflix's show's titular role of Emily Cooper looked sensational in a glitzy strapless black frock Lily's dress had a sparkly beaded bodice, a peplum waist and a sexy sheer diamond-print skirt Each diamond was decked out in dazzling black sequins that caught the light as Lily posed for shutterbugs on the event's blush pink carpet Her jaw-length brunette hair was styled sleek and straight Lily looked confident as she celebrated the latest Emily In Paris chapter but early reviews have savaged season four as 'boring' The Guardian 's Leila Latif slammed Emily In Paris for '[morphing] into a black hole devoid of plot, charisma and intrigue' after four seasons She held hands with co-star Ashley Park during her red carpet stint Park plays Emily's BFF and roommate Mindy Chen They were also joined by Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, who plays Emily's boss Sylvie Grateau at the Paris-based fashion marketing firm Savoir The trio looked ultra glam on the pink carpet Lily looked confident as she celebrated the latest Emily In Paris chapter but early reviews have savaged season four as 'boring.' The Guardian's Leila Latif slammed Emily In Paris for '[morphing] into a black hole devoid of plot, charisma and intrigue' after four seasons. They go as far as to say that 'nothing happens' in the first five episodes despite there being ample opportunity for drama via Emily's messy love life and work pressures. 'To say that this is as thrilling as watching paint dry would be a disservice to the many excellent shades of paint,' Latif writes. They did compliment Sex and the City costume designer Patricia Fields' costumes but described the show's Paris-inspired set design as 'shoddy.' The Guardian gave Emily In Paris season four, part one a brutal one-star rating. The Irish Independent's Pat Stacey labeled both the show and Lily's Emily 'annoying' and accused producers of creating a 'whitewashed' version of Paris. They wrote that the series lacks any 'racial and cultural diversity' outside of a few POC characters and called out the ridiculousness of Emily still being unable to speak French. Ashley Park was the belle of the ball at Wednesday's big LA premiere The actress, 33, wowed in a futuristic silver gown that showed off her toned legs and tiny waist The frilly frock had a skirt made of strips of shimmering fabric and the one-shoulder corset bodice had a glamorous 3D element Her brunette tresses were swept up in a sleek ponytail and she stood on tall silver chrome heels She was accompanied to the premiere by her Emily In Paris co-star-turned-boyfriend Paul Forman The couple could hardly keep their hands off one another as they shared kisses for the cameras before heading into the theater Ashley and Paul confirmed their romance in January after months of dating rumors Paul looked sharp in a fitted black blazer, skinny trousers and patent leather boots Taylor Hill looked incredible as she flaunted her natural beauty in an elegant polka dot dress The former Victoria's Secret Angel's dress had a frilly white ruffled bust and a cinched-waist design Her cropped brunette hair was tucked behind her ears She slipped on pointy kitten heels to complete her chic look Most of the criticism was for Emily, who Stacey sees as a 'tone-deaf and entitled' character who is somehow 'irresistible' to all in the Emily In Paris universe. Lily's co-star Ashley Park who plays Emily's BFF and roommate Mindy Chen was the belle of the ball at Wednesday's big LA premiere. The actress, 33, wowed in a futuristic silver gown that showed off her toned legs and tiny waist. The frilly frock had a skirt made of strips of shimmering fabric and the one-shoulder corset bodice had a glamorous 3D element. Her brunette tresses were swept up in a sleek ponytail and she stood on tall silver chrome heels. Park's flawless complexion had a radiant glow paired with classic winged eyeliner and a glossy nude-toned lip. She was accompanied to the premiere by her Emily In Paris co-star-turned-boyfriend Paul Forman. The couple could hardly keep their hands off one another as they shared kisses for the cameras before heading into the theater. Taylor Hill looked incredible as she flaunted her natural beauty in an elegant polka dot dress. Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu who plays Emily's boss Sylvie Grateau at the Paris-based fashion marketing firm Savoir exuded glamour in a sleeveless black dress Lucien Laviscount who stars as Emily's love interest Alfie looked super hunky in a chic black blazer and pants The British actor, 32, flashed his megawatt smile while posing with one hand tucked into his pant pocket Lucas Bravo who plays Emily's other love interest and Savoir co-worker Gabriel showed off his new hippie chic makeover as he posed for photos on the red carpet Pop star Alessia Cara, 28, showed off her incredible curves in a skintight black patterned maxi dress Sunny star Joanna Sotomura looked radiant in a ruffled white and black polka dot gown that she accessorized with a black ribbon choker necklace The former Victoria's Secret Angel's dress had a frilly white ruffle bust and a cinched waist design. She slipped on pointy kitten heels and her cropped brunette hair was tucked behind her ears. Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu who plays Emily's boss Sylvie Grateau at the Paris-based fashion marketing firm Savoir exuded glamour in a sleeveless black dress. The 61-year-old star's beaded dress had exaggerated hips and sexy black fringe on the skirt's hem. Lucien Laviscount who stars as Emily's love interest Alfie looked super hunky in a chic black blazer and pants. The British actor, 32, flashed his megawatt smile while posing with one hand tucked into his pant pocket. Lucas Bravo who plays Emily's other love interest and Savoir co-worker Gabriel showed off his new hippie chic makeover as he posed for photos on the red carpet. The French actor, 36, won the hearts of the show's audience with his Gallic charm and his clean-cut matinee idol features. Access Hollywood's Zuri Hall cut a chic figure in a beige tube dress with a matching blazer that she draped over her shoulders Sherry Cola looked sweet and demure in a white short-sleeved blouse and bright green shorts with pink satin platform heels Tall Girl star Ava Michelle wowed in an elegant floral one-shoulder dress paired with a hardshell clutch purse and burgundy ballet flats Samuel Arnold who stars as Julian in Emily in Paris showed off his eye for fashion in a stylish muted purple suit Brazilian actor Renan Pacheco stood out in an impeccably tailored white suit Bruno Gouery who plays the role of Luc caught the attention of event photographers in a bold pastel yellow suit and skinny black tie The long-awaited fourth season of Emily In Paris will hit Netflix on Thursday at midnight; Collins pictured The 10-episode season will air in two parts. The second half will debut on September 12; Collins and co-star Lucien Laviscount pictured But now, Bravo is rocking healthy stubble, as well as long hair and a groovy sense of style. He oozed confidence on Wednesday night in a classic black suit and leather dress shoes. Pop star Alessia Cara, 28, showed off her incredible curves in a skintight black patterned maxi dress. Sunny star Joanna Sotomura looked radiant in a ruffled white and black polka dot gown that she accessorized with a black ribbon choker necklace. Access Hollywood's Zuri Hall cut a chic figure in a beige tube dress with a matching blazer that she draped over her shoulders. Sherry Cola looked sweet and demure in a white short-sleeved blouse and bright green shorts with pink satin platform heels. Tall Girl star Ava Michelle wowed in an elegant floral one-shoulder dress paired with a hardshell clutch purse and burgundy ballet flats. Samuel Arnold who stars as Julian in Emily in Paris showed off his eye for fashion in a stylish muted purple suit. Brazilian actor Renan Pacheco stood out in an impeccably tailored white suit. Bruno Gouery who plays the role of Luc caught the attention of event photographers in a bold pastel yellow suit and skinny black tie. Ekin-Su Culculoglu put her stunning curves on display as she sported a skimpy bikini while enjoying a solo holiday to Portofino. The reality star, 29, was seen relaxing on a balcony in the popular tourist spot wearing a a hot pink two piece as she chilled out on a sun lounger. The Love Island star completed her look with a large cream hat as she was seen scrolling through her phone and looking out at the view. Ekin-Su shared her Italian getaway with her four million Instagram followers, posting a video to her Story on Wednesday showing off her sea view and captioning the clip: 'Be your own best friend and take your self away'. Meanwhile, the star seemingly made a reference to her ex-boyfriend, fellow Love Island contestant Davide Sanclimenti in the series of photos as she urged fans to 'set boundaries' and not rely on anyone for their happiness. Ekin-Su Culculoglu, 29, put her curves on full display as she was spotted sporting a skimpy bikini while enjoying a solo holiday to Portofino on Wednesday The reality star was seen relaxing on a balcony in the popular tourist spot wearing a a hot pink two piece a large cream hat as she was seen scrolling through her phone The former Celebrity Big Brother contestant also shared a mirror selfie with her followers showing off her tiny string two piece and matching pink nails In a series of stunning snaps the brunette beauty showed off her solo mini break - treating fans to glimpses of her relaxing in an infinity pool and enjoying Italian delicacies. The former Celebrity Big Brother contestant also shared a mirror selfie with her followers showing off her tiny string two piece and matching pink nails. Ekin-Su captioned the snap 'Nothing beats a real tan' as she updated her followers on her holiday. The beauty made sure to give fans a glimpse of her evening outfit as she snapped a selfie showing off a plunging pink and green halterneck dress. She accessorised with a cream quilted Chanel bag and left her dark hair loose. The star also encouraged her fans to have more confident in themselves and urged them to 'be there your own best friend' in a series of videos shared to her Instagram Story on Wednesday evening. Ekin-Su, wearing a pink and green halterneck dress and 2,590 Van Cleef clover necklace, addressed her fans. She told them: 'So I'm currently in beautiful Italy on my own having a lovely few days just because I wanted to. 'And I think spending time on your own and taking yourself away, taking yourself to be on your own, being your own best friend - which I relate back to the book is partly why I want you guys to read it and why I am the way I am - why being on your own isn't scary. 'Why having the confidence to go on a holiday on your own - you don't need anyone in your life. Ekin-Su took her fans on a tour of her hotel and shared snaps of the stunning view as she relaxed on a sun lounger Ekin-Su posted a video of herself cheersing the camera and sipping on a glass of wine as she enjoyed her solo meal, putting on a busty display in her halterneck dress 'You don't need to be around people and you don't need validation all the time. You can do this on your own even if you take yourselves out for a meal on your own, once you get used to it it's the best think ever. 'I couldn't care less if Mark on the other table or Jess or Adam or anyone else was staring because I was eating my dinner alone, cheers to that, and that's exactly how you guys should be. 'You shouldn't give a 'f**k, excuse my French, you should just be on your own man, it's the best thing ever.' she continued. 'Trust me happiness comes from within, it comes from you, it doesn't come from other people. 'When you stop relying on happiness, on other people, and you start to find it deep within your soul, that is when life begins I swear. 'And you don't tolerate b******t from anyone and you have boundaries and you grow and I can't wait to be 30 in six or seven days, bring it on.' she said. She then posted a video of herself cheersing the camera and sipping on a glass of wine a she continued to enjoy her solo meal. The video appears to made in reference to her former partner Davide, after the pair broke up in January. The star's Instagram posts seem to be in reference to her former partner Davide Saclimenti as she said: ''When you stop relying on other people... that is when life begins' The beauty made sure to give fans a glimpse of her evening outfit as she snapped a selfie showing off a plunging pink and green halterneck dress and quilted cream Chanel bag Ekin-Su shared her Italian getaway with her four million Instagram followers, posting a video to her Instagram Story with the caption: 'Be your own best friend and take your self away' In a series of stunning snaps the brunette beauty showed off her solo mini break - treating fans to glimpses of her enjoying some Italian delicacies Ekin-su split from the Italian businessman, 29, for a second time after a series of blazing rows over his friendships with OnlyFans models. The reality star described their relationship as a 'rollercoaster' and admitted that while the pair 'care deeply for each other' they just couldn't make it work. This is not the first time Ekin-su has referenced her former boyfriend. Last month, the influencer took to her Instagram stories to post a snap of herself wearing a T-shirt that read 'world's best ex-girlfriend' to poke fun at their recent breakup. And in another clip, Ekin-Su also joked that she was 'Dancing with bae' as she spun in circles by herself. The little nods towards her ex come after she admitted she has 'a lot more boundaries' going into future relationships following her split from the Italian hunk. And enforcing boundaries is something the star is keen to share with her followers as she encouraged them to be confident and take advice from her new book. The bombshell memoir includes what really happened in her relationship with Davide before their split as well as a look back on her time on reality television so far. Ekin-Su debuted new look on her Instagram as she revealed the release of her new book, Be Your Own Best Friend Her new tell-all book, Be Your Own Best Friend, will see her open up on childhood trauma and bullying, as well as looking back on her experiences taking part in Love Island, The Traitors US and Celebrity Big Brother. She told The Sun: 'It's everything, my experience with Davide, there's a lot in there. I'm done hiding. I'm done lying and protecting other people, this is my truth.' She added that writing the book felt 'like therapy' and said she 'want people to know me for me, not the work Ive done or the wronguns Ive dated.' The star took to Instagram to reveal the release of her book at the start of July. Sharing a casual snap dressed in linen trousers and a crop top, she penned: 'Writing this has taken me on an emotional rollercoaster! Im nervous to share with you the most vulnerable parts of me. 'I hope it will help you all to understand me a little better, why I am the way I am, and why Im not perfect. 'Writing this book has made me cry (a lot), but also laugh and smile, and Ive laid things bare which is scary for me. Please show support and pre order a copy (link in my bio). This is the most nervous Ive ever been! Shall we start a book club? Let me know what you think?! 'Thank you for always supporting me I cant wait for you all to start sending me your thoughts on the book, and take pictures with your copies! Make sure you tag me so I can share your pics' Ekin-su split from the Italian businessman, 29, for a second time after a series of blazing rows over his friendships with OnlyFans models While Ekin-su has been enjoying herself in Italy and on the red carpet, her former flame Davide has been grappling with the fall out of a robbery The Italian hunk took to Instagram on Thursday to explain his social media absence. Sharing pictures of an empty closet and drill holes where a safe once stood, Davide thanked his fans for their concern Ekin-Su's memoir will be available to purchase from August, 29, and is currently available to pre-order. The Turkish reality star seems to be focusing on herself more than ever as she debuted a new look for the premiere of It Ends With Us last week. Ekin-su showed off a brand new look as she debuted her new hairdo featuring some retro bangs and short layers. She looked nothing short of sensational as she flaunted her new look which boasted a fringe, choppy layers and a feathered lining. While Ekin-su has been enjoying herself in Italy and on the red carpet, her former flame Davide has been grappling with the fall out of a robbery. The Italian hunk took to Instagram on Thursday to explain his social media absence. Sharing pictures of an empty closet and drill holes where a safe once stood, Davide wrote: 'I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who has displayed their concern and DMing me and asking why I have quiet over socials. As you all know I'm living in LA atm. Out home got broken into and was robbed of nearly $1.2M of precious and personal belongings within 6 minutes.' He continued in another snap which showed empty shelves and a discarded 2,650 Christian Dior tote bag: 'just goes to show the saying is true, "the evil always target the purehearted" but I'm trying to stay positive that the good people will always win in the end! Despite his traumatic experience, Davide seems to have been making the most of his move State-side and was spotted attending the premiere of Borderlands starring Cate Blanchett 'I'm taking a few days to reset, change house and keep moving forward'. Despite his traumatic experience, Davide seems to have been making the most of his move State-side and was spotted attending the premiere of Cate Blanchett's newest film, Borderlands. The reality star looked suave in a grey chequered suit and open white shirt and he finished off his dapper look with a pair of chunky platform loafers. Emily In Paris returned to Netflix after a two-year hiatus on Thursday with its highly-anticipated fourth season. Lily Collins made her comeback as the title character Emily Cooper - a young American woman from the Midwest who uproots her life and takes a new job in Paris, finding herself in the middle of a steamy love triangle. The first five episodes are available to watch on August 15, with viewers having to wait almost an entire month for the second installment on September 11. However, from steamy carriage escapades to elegant balls, some scenes in the rom-com TV series looked all too familiar to another Netflix hit which debuted a new season recently. Bridgerton brought viewers its hotly anticipated third season back in June, telling Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan ) and Colin Bridgerton's (Luke Newton) love story. Slide me Is Emily In Paris copying Bridgerton? From steamy carriage escapades to elegant balls, some scenes in the rom-com TV series looked all too familiar One standout moment that viewers weren't quick to forget was a raunchy five-minute scene that saw Colin and Penelope get intimate in a horse-drawn carriage as their friendship turned romantic A very similar scene in the new instalment of Emily In Paris saw Emily and one of her love interests Gabriel (Lucas Bravo) rekindle their romance as they begin passionately kissing in a carriage of their own One standout moment that viewers weren't quick to forget was a raunchy five-minute scene that saw Colin and Penelope get intimate in a horse-drawn carriage as their friendship turned romantic. A very similar scene in the new instalment of Emily In Paris saw Emily and one of her love interests, Gabriel (Lucas Bravo), rekindle their romance as they begin passionately kissing in a carriage of their own. It came after all of the characters got dressed to the nines and attended a masquerade ball - something that's commonplace in the Bridgerton universe. The high-class event, which took part in the third episode, was hosted by Agence Grateux and sees both of Emily's suitors, Gabriel and Alfie (Lucien Laviscount), competing for her attention. Bridgerton even gets a name drop as Emily is talking to her best friend Mindy Chen (Ashley Park) at the ball when they see a carriage suspiciously rocking in the background. 'Oh! Someone's living out their horny Bridgerton fantasies,' she exclaims, to which Emily replies: 'Are you kidding me?' A few scenes later and Emily and Gabriel find themselves in a carriage, with Lily Collins' character exclaiming: 'Ah, this night, this carriage. It just feels like a fantasy. It's too good to be true'. As things heat up Gabriel asks: 'Why can't it be?' and insists they 'forget about reality for one night'. Episode three of Emily In Paris season four (LEFT) made references to Bridgerton (RIGHT), which debuted its third season on Netflix in June Bridgerton even gets a name drop as Emily is talking to her best friend Mindy Chen (Ashley Park) at the ball when they see a carriage suspiciously rocking in the background 'Oh! Someone's living out their horny Bridgerton fantasies,' she exclaims, to which Emily replies: 'Are you kidding me?' The pair then share a passionate smooch and the carriage rides off into Paris, leaving what happens next up to the viewer's imagination. Despite the first installment of episodes finally ending the love triangle and featuring a shocking twist, the Netflix show has failed to impress critics, who who savagely bashed it. The latest season had a web of complex storylines to untangle, including Camille's (Camille Razat) shocking pregnancy announcement to Emily's intricate love triangle involving her chef neighbour Gabriel (Lucas Bravo) and hunky Brit Alfie (Lucien Laviscount). And Emily finally makes her choice, as she and Gabriel choose to explore their romance, and declare their love for one another during the mid-season finale. A review from Leila Latif of The Guardian was perhaps the most brutal, calling the show a 'televisual black hole' that is, 'devoid of plot, charisma and intrigue.' She insists that, 'nothing happens,' as the title character continues working as a marketing executive while getting involved in a love triangle. Despite being beloved by fans, the third season of Bridgerton also didn't go down well with critics. It went down a treat with viewers as as it pulled in a shocking 45.1 million views within just four days of its release on Netflix. The pair then share a passionate smooch and the carriage rides off into Paris, leaving what happens next up to the viewers imagination Bridgerton went down a treat with viewers as as it pulled in a shocking 45.1M views within just four days of its release on Netflix A few scenes later and Emily and Gabriel find themselves in a carriage, with Lily Collins' character exclaiming: 'Ah, this night, this carriage. It just feels like a fantasy. It's too good to be true' But, The Independent's Nick Hilton stated the Netflix period drama is 'losing its bite' and gave the new series a disappointing two star rating. However, he praised actress Nicola, 37, saying: 'Coughlan is a superb screen presence and has long been one of Bridgerton's strengths.' The Telegraph also gave the new series two stars, claiming Nicola and Luke have 'almost zero chemistry' - despite their close bond in real-life. Critic Anita Sign wrote: 'The writers seem to have given up. Three of the first four episodes feature an almost identical scene of Penelope fleeing a ball in tears. The Lady Whistledown commentary now feels tired and unnecessary. 'Even the sex scenes are perfunctory, thrown in once an episode as if meeting a quota.' P.E Nation co-founder Claire Greaves (formerly Tregoning) has discussed her 'new chapter' in an interview with Marie Claire after her business split from Pip Edwards. The businesswoman confirmed she was stepping back from the athleisurewear brand in March, ending one of Aussie fashion's longest lasting relationships. The co-founders were hit by rumours of a falling out at the time, and Pip has since also walked away from the helm of P.E Nation in another shocking decision. Now, Claire is moving on to an exciting new business venture just months after leaving her 10-year working relationship with Pip behind her. She has teamed up with Aussie comedian Celeste Barber to launch a brand new make-up brand called Booie Beauty. Speaking to Marie Claire, Claire discussed her 'new chapter' with Celeste, 42, and gave an insight into their working relationship. '[Celeste] you're the ideas, you're the brand, and I'm building the business behind it, which is what I do,' Claire said while interviewing Celeste for the magazine's cover story. The business partners went on to poignantly discuss whether or not entrepreneurs should go into business with their friends. P.E Nation co-founder Claire Greaves (left) has discussed her 'new chapter' in an interview with Marie Claire after her business split from Pip Edwards (right) After her shock departure from P.E Nation, Claire teamed up with Aussie comedian Celeste Barber (pictured) to launch a brand new make-up brand called Booie Beauty Claire asked Celeste: 'They say never to go into business with friends, is that true?' To which Celeste replied: 'We've become friends through business, which I think is the smart way to do it, you need to like the people you work with.' Celeste went on to heap praise on Claire for 'reassuring' her as she makes the bold career change of going into business from acting. 'This is a very different thing to what I do in my other life,' Celeste explained. 'I second-guess myself a bit, I have ADHD, so my brain jumps around a lot and it can betray me sometimes. Claire has really reassured me along the way and will tell me, ''No, don't worry, you've nailed it''.' Claire and Celeste's brand Booie Beauty has launched online with a five-piece make-up collection that includes moisturizer, cheek tint, mascara and eyebrow gel. With prices ranging from $21 to $39, the brand is focused on providing fun make-up options for women over the age of 40, rather than just anti-ageing products. Claire is best-known as the co-founder of popular Aussie athleisurewear brand P.E Nation, but she stepped down from the role in March in a shock decision. Speaking to Marie Claire, the new team discussed whether or not entrepreneurs should go into business with their friends, with Celeste (pictured) praising Claire for her supporting her At the time, P.E Nation said in a statement that Claire would be 'pursuing other creative endeavours' and taking her career in a new direction. The brand told the Daily Telegraph: 'After 10 years of driving P.E Nation with friend and co-founder Pip Edwards, Claire Greaves has made the decision to step out of the day to day running of the business. 'Claire will remain on the board and will retain her shareholding as the company continues to thrive in the very creative, visionary hands of Pip Edwards at the helm, along with the board of directors. 'The business has secured and developed an extremely strong product and design team. 'Pip and the company are in complete support of Claire's transition to pursue other creative endeavours and wish her the absolute best in her next chapter.' Claire and Pip were then hit by rumours of a falling out, and Pip later wiped all traces of Claire from P.E Nation's social media in a seemingly telling move, erasing years of posts promoting the sportswear brand. Pip took over as the sole creative director after Claire's exit and gave the brand an overhaul and relaunch, but she has now confirmed that she too is stepping down. Earlier this week, Pip announced that she is taking a 'step back' and will no longer hold the creative director position that she took over after Claire's exit. Claire confirmed she was stepping back from the P.E Nation brand in March, and she and Pip (right) were later hit by rumours of a falling out. Pip has since also stepped back from the brand 'Following P.E. Nation's celebrated and successful re/brand at Sydney Fashion Week, I will be stepping back from the role of P.E. Nation's Creative Director, to pursue new creative challenges,' Pip wrote in a lengthy Instagram caption. 'My time leading the brand as Creative Director has been an incredible run, and while I am handing over that role, I am maintaining my P.E. Nation directorship and substantial shareholding/ I am forever grateful for and proud of what we have created, and P.E. Nation will always be in my heart and soul. 'As the brand grew, I grew. And much like the re/birth of P.E. Nation, it is now time for me to pursue my personal Re/Creation era.' 'I want to thank our loyal, committed and amazing P.E. Nation staff and community, both in Australia and abroad, for a phenomenal 10 years of birthing, living and breathing everything P.E. Nation, and for enabling us to collectively reach unforgettable heights,' she added. Pip and Claire co-founded the athleisure brand in Sydney back in 2015 and turned it into a globally thriving business. Some of Britain's biggest stars have teamed up with Ricky Gervais in his campaign to raise awareness against trophy hunting. Succession star Brian Cox and Lorraine Kelly joined him in wearing T-shirts featuring a print of an elephant on it, along with the organisation's logo and Ricky's signature. Each year British hunters contribute significantly to the number of endangered species such as lions, elephants, and polar bears. In an attempt to bring attention to the issue and drive donations, the Office actor has designed an exclusive clothing range. The T-shirts and hoodies, made from organic cotton, are produced using renewable energy. Ricky Gervais has been joined by Succession's Brian Cox and Lorraine Kelly for his campaign to raise awareness against trophy hunting Passionate animal lover Brian Cox is also involved in the project Lorraine has also hopped on the hype and proudly brandishd her campaign T-shirt Showing her support, Scottish TV presenter Lorraine shared a snap of her in the t-shirt on social media. She wrote: 'Proud to support this campaign! @rickygervais has designed an EXCLUSIVE T-shirt in support of the Campaign To Ban Trophy Hunting - CBTH. 'It's a DISGRACE that UK hunters can kill elephants for fun & import their sick "trophies" back. Help Ricky #BanTrophyHunting.' As it stands, current legislation allows hunters to import animal remains into the UK for taxidermy or decorative trophy displays. The comedian's campaign seeks to change this by advocating for legislation to ban such imports, a goal reflected in the Labour Party's manifesto. Ricky said: 'There are few things as immoral as shooting an animal just for fun, and then bragging about it. It's sickening, cowardly and downright deranged. 'It's not just American dentists who go around killing for kicks. British trophy hunters are among the most prolific in the world when it comes to killing elephants. It's just unbelievable, and it's got to end right now.' 'Elephants are amazing creatures and they're also endangered. That's why I've designed this T-shirt. I hope people buy them and help the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting expose and end this so-called sport for good.' Actor and presenter Vicki Michelle has showed her support Stanley Johnson showed off his T-shirt Peter Egan has showed his support for the campaign Ricky's designs are now available for purchase, with 100 per cent of the proceeds going directly to the campaign. Clothing from the collection can be returned to the supplier, Teemill, once they are worn out. Eduardo Goncalves, the founder of the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting, said: 'Ricky is an amazing voice for animals and has spoken out powerfully about the cruelty and insanity of trophy hunting. 'We are so grateful he has chosen to design this t-shirt for us and support our work to expose and end trophy hunting.' Visit https://campaigntobantrophyhuntingstore.com/ for more information. Newly-married John Schneider and Dee Dee Sorvino shared a kiss as they celebrate their wedding at the Watermark Hotel in Baton Rogue, Louisiana. The couple exchanged vows during a surprise ceremony in Las Vegas on July 23 after first meeting in Los Angeles last summer. John, 64, best known for his role as Bo in The Dukes of Hazzard, posed for photos with his wife Dee Dee, 55, in front of a 1969 Dodge Charger, named the The General Lee, which was made famous in the series. Toasting to their marriage, TV personality Dee Dee made sure to dress the part as she coordinated her outfit with the car. She opted for a black lace top and tiered orange skirt, complete with a fun pair of cowboy boots. Newly-married John Schneider and Dee Dee Sorvino shared a kiss as they celebrated their wedding at the Watermark Hotel in Baton Rogue, Louisiana, on Wednesday The couple exchanged vows during a surprise ceremony in Las Vegas on July 23 after first meeting in Los Angeles last summer Meanwhile, John looked smart in a dark grey suit, that he teamed with a white shirt. Dee Dee was previously married to Goodfellas star Paul Sorvino, who passed away from natural causes in July 2022 aged 83. John's third wife Alicia Allain Schneider died from breast cancer aged 53 in February 2023. The new couple have previously spoke out about how the recent loss of both their spouses, within the past two years, brought them together. Dee Dee revealed how the late actor gave her his blessing to marry 80s TV icon John Schneider two years after his death. In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com, the actress and entertainer said her late husband came to her in dreams approving of the romance with the Dukes Of Hazzard star. John and Dee Dee wed in Las Vegas last month after a secret 11-month romance. In an exclusive interview, both Dee Dee and John teared up admitting that they doubted ever finding love after losing their spouses. John, 64, best known for his role as Bo in The Dukes of Hazzard, posed for photos with his wife Dee Dee, 55, in front of a 1969 Dodge Charger, named the The General Lee, from the series John seen as Bo Duke in the CBS television series in 1979 Toasting to their marriage, TV personality Dee Dee made sure to dress the part as she coordinated her outfit with the car She opted for a black lace top and tiered orange skirt, complete with a fun pair of cowboy boots John was staggered by the romance: 'I didn't think the laughter would ever happen again,' he said. But showing off their emotional and comedic connection, Dee Dee teased they have sexual chemistry too as their marriage is filled with 'lots of physical activity.' They hope their marriage will inspire others dealing with grief to find love again. The couple opened up on finding love against all odds after an introduction at a Three Stooges celebration at The Hollywood Museum in Los Angeles last summer. John and Dee Dee exchanged vows during a surprise wedding at one of Sin City's famous wedding spots Vegas Weddings in downtown Las Vegas on July 23. Few friends had been aware they were dating before they tied the knot at the drive-thru venue in a ceremony overseen by officiant and longtime Elvis impressionist Ron DeCar. Speaking on the red carpet at the event, Dee Dee confessed that Paul, who passed from kidney issues and pneumonia in Florida in July 2022, 'absolutely' endorses this new union. Tearing up she said: 'There is no doubt in my mind that Paul Sorvino sent John to me. I am absolutely sure of it. I heard him. 'I've gotten a lot of messages in my dreams and I just know it. 'He told me many times before he died, because he was sick, 'I really want you to find love'. 'I said, 'no way. It's not happening. There's no way there'll be anyone after you.' Meanwhile, John looked smart in a dark grey suit, that he teamed with a white shirt The new couple have previously spoke out about how the recent loss of both their spouses, within the past two years, brought them together The General Lee was on display during their marriage celebration Dee Dee was previously married to Goodfellas star Paul Sorvino , who passed away from natural causes in July 2022 aged 83 (pictured in December 2018) John's third wife Alicia Allain Schneider died from breast cancer aged 53 in February 2023 (pictured in March 2017) 'And then Paul brought me, John, I'm convinced. And so grateful again, you've got to have gratitude.' Devastated Dee Dee expected to end her days alone after her Law And Order actor's husband's passing. 'It was really tough before. I was so sad. I tear up thinking about him always, and then I met this one,' she gushed, looking at John. 'I never thought I would find anyone. And then John came and was a miracle...Paul sent him to me.' Earlier this year, John was slammed as 'racist and hateful' for comparing Beyonce to a dog marking its territory after she announced her country music album. The actor and country music artist who also said President Joe Biden 'should be publicly hung' made the graphic analogy during an interview with conservative network One American News. During the discussion he was asked about his thoughts on 'leftist' musicians, like the singer, who venture into different genres. 'The lefties in the entertainment industry just won't leave any area alone, right? They just have to seize control over every aspect, don't they?' the host asked Schneider. He replied, 'They've got to make their mark, just like a dog in a dog walk park. You know, every dog has to mark every tree, right? So that's what's going on here.' He then made a comment about how usually it's the other way around with country artists like Shania Twain trying to break into mainstream music genres. 'I know a little something about country music,' he then asserted. John released country music of his own in the 1980s. Beyonce surprise dropped her first country song Texas Hold 'Em on during the Super Bowl. At the same time, she announced the release date of her eighth studio album Act II, the second of the Renaissance trilogy, which is completely country-influenced. Social media users and fans of Beyonce later took to both Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter, to offer their reactions over John's comment. 'Don't open ur mouth to speak on her again,' one wrote, while another added, 'You know you canceled, right?' Earlier this year, John was slammed as 'racist and hateful' for comparing Beyonce to a dog marking its territory after she announced her country music album (pictured) Social media users and fans of Beyonce later took to both Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter, to offer their reactions over John's comment 'D**n...did you really compare Beyonce to a dog marking her territory???!? That's crazy bc if it wasn't for black ppl there would be no country music...if it wasn't for a black man...you would remain irrelevant...humble much?' a fan wrote. One penned, 'Talking bout the queen gone cast ya,' while another typed, 'you got some nerve to use a dog as a metaphor for beyonce..you should be ashamed of yourself...' 'but i know your white privilege won't allow you to be, so we the beyhive WILL terrorize you and your family for all the last days of your boring white life until we see an apology. also STREAM TEXAS HOLD 'EM & 16 CARRIAGES act ii OUT 3.9.' 'John Schneider compares Beyonce's new country music to a dog urinating: "Leftists Are Trying to Take Over Everything." I think he's talking about his own failed attempt at a music career,' another penned. Tyson and Paris Fury have reached out to Molly-Mae Hague after her shock split from fiance Tommy Fury. The Love Island star announced on Wednesday that her and boxer Tommy, both 25, were splitting up after five years together. It has since been revealed that he has allegedly cheated on her with multiple women. Now Molly's closest friends and family are rallying around her as her policeman father Stephen was spotted arriving at her Cheshire home with a bouquet of flowers. It comes as Tyson and wife Paris are said to be 'gutted' by the break-up news of Molly and Tommy's split, MailOnline has learned. A pal close to the reality star couple has said they 'adored Molly' and that Paris had reached out to message the influencer. Tyson and Paris Fury have reached out to Molly-Mae Hague after her shock split from fiance Tommy Fury Now Molly's closest friends and family are rallying around her as her policeman father Stephen was spotted arriving at her Cheshire home with a bouquet of flowers The Love Island star announced on Wednesday that her and boxer Tommy, both 25, who share daughter Bambi, were splitting up after five years together The source told MailOnline: 'Paris has sent a message just saying she's there for her. Her and Tyson adored Molly and Tommy and are gutted it's not worked out. 'They're not taking sides and Paris just wanted to make sure Molly was OK. 'Things are obviously really hard and raw at the moment and all of Molly and Tommy's friends are rallying round. 'Paris and Molly spent a lot of time together. They've both had to deal with long periods alone while their men were away training so Paris became a really good friend to Molly. 'When they were together Molly and Tommy enjoyed a number of holidays and nights out with Paris and Tyson. 'She was "fully accepted" into the Fury fold and treated like one of the family. 'Molly loves Tommy's family and hopes she will be able to stay in touch. They will still be a part of their daughter's life moving forward even if Tommy and Molly won't be together anymore.' Previously in Paris and Tyson's Netflix show At Home With The Furys, Molly revealed she couldn't have felt more welcomed by Paris into the family. Molly's dad looked downcast as he parked his car and headed inside the property with the pink and white flowers and a Tesco 's shopping bag It comes as Tyson and wife Paris are said to be 'gutted' by the break-up news of Molly and Tommy's split, MailOnline has learned A source told MailOnline: 'Paris has sent a message just saying she's there for her. Her and Tyson adored Molly and Tommy and are gutted it's not worked out. They're not taking sides and Paris just wanted to make sure Molly was OK' Stephen cut a casual figure in a polo shirt which he teamed with beige trousers and white trainers. He was spotted chatting to her security team before entering the property Molly-Mae shared a sweet pictured with her father Stephen in 2020 Molly's best friend Taylor Blue was also spotted arriving at her house wearing a pink oversized hoodie and purple tracksuit bottoms Taylor carried a large tote bag as she entered Molly's house Shortly after her arrival, the influencer's manager Fran Britton arrived cutting a casual figure in a grey T-shirt black leggings and flip flops Fran was seen speaking to Molly's security team She told her then fiance Tommy that she thought Paris was a 'wonder woman' and that she 'doesn't know how she does it'. And it appears the feelings are entirely mutual, with mum-of-seven Paris hailing the former Love Islander. Speaking to Fabulous magazine, Paris explained: 'I was actually really surprised that Molly-Mae spoke highly of me and my world. It's lovely to hear people's opinion of you.' She added: 'I think the same of her she's a clever young lady who's really switched-on.' Molly's dad looked downcast on Thursday as he parked his car and headed inside the property with the pink and white flowers and a Tesco's shopping bag. Molly's best friend Taylor Blue was also spotted arriving at her house wearing a pink oversized hoodie and purple tracksuit bottoms. Shortly after her arrival, the influencer's manager Fran Britton arrived cutting a casual figure in a grey T-shirt black leggings and flip flops. The Love Island pair had faced split speculation at the start of the year but in recent weeks they seemed to be stronger than ever. Now it's been claimed that infidelity played a part, with Molly-Mae believing that Tommy was unfaithful 'a number of times.' A source told The Sun: 'It seems he would play away when he knew people wouldnt recognise him.' The insider added 'Molly-Mae is absolutely heartbroken and says she fully expects that other women are going to come forward and speak to her about him being unfaithful. 'Molly-Mae has been completely crushed by this. She thought she could trust Tommy completely. The love they once had has been shattered.' Molly and Tommy met on Love Island in 2019 and went on to get engaged and welcome their daughter Bambi in January 2023. Molly and Tommy, both 25, met on Love Island in 2019 and went onto get engaged and welcome their daughter Bambi in 2023 But on Wednesday the couple announced their shocking split, as Molly-Mae shared a statement to Instagram (pictured finishing second place in 2019 on the show) On Wednesday evening, close friend of Molly-Mae Anoushka Santos, 32, was spotted arriving at the star's home in a white Mercedes, just hours after the news broke Following the shock announcement, a source told MailOnline on Thursday that Molly-Mae's friends have rallied around to support her. On Wednesday evening, close friend of Molly-Mae Anoushka Santos, 32, was spotted arriving at the star's home in a white Mercedes, just hours after the news broke. England star Luke Shaw's girlfriend Anouska was seen sitting in the passenger seat of the car with another person while spending time on her phone. When Anouska was seen turning up at the blonde beauty's home, two other women were seen entering the property alongside a security guard. The security team was also seen hauling in bags of shopping from Marks & Spencer. Taking to Instagram Stories to share her bombshell statement on Wednesday, Molly, wrote: 'Never in a million years did I think I'd ever have to write this. 'After five years of being together I never imagined our story would end, especially not this way. 'I am extremely upset to announce that mine and Tommy's relationship has come to an end. 'I will forever be grateful for the most important thing to me now and always, my beautiful daughter. Without us there would be no her, she will always be my priority. 'I want to thank you all for the love you have shown us over the last five years. You have all been a part of our journey and I feel it's right to share this with you all. Taking to Instagram stories on Wednesday, Molly wrote: 'Never in a million years did I think I'd ever have to write this' Just under an hour later, Tommy broke his silence on the split, penning on his Instagram Stories: 'I am heartbroken to share that Molly and I have decided to end our relationship' Molly-Mae will be taking a step back from social media and work commitments as she attempts to come to terms with life without Tommy. She added: 'Whilst I attempt to navigate the coming days and weeks please kindly respect my privacy over this difficult time, I'll be back when it feels right. Molly-Mae x' Just under an hour later, Tommy broke his silence on the split, penning on his Instagram Stories: 'I am heartbroken to share that Molly and I have decided to end our relationship. 'The past 5 years have led to us having our beautiful baby girl, Bambi and I will be forever thankful to Molly for making me a dad. Bambi is our priority. 'Please respect our privacy, and our families privacy, as we navigate our way through this difficult time.' Pip Edwards is enjoying a getaway in the Greek islands after her shock departure from P.E Nation. The designer, 44, took to Instagram on Thursday to share a series of photos of herself enjoying the sights of Mykonos. Pip posed by the sea at her accommodation, showing off her incredibly slender frame as she wore a skimpy bikini. She also shared a poolside picture while she wore a black wide-brimmed Prada hat with a patterned scarf underneath. Other photos showed her walking the twisting backstreets of the island, offering a glimpse of the gorgeous blue and white homes of a village. Another picture saw her posing by an ancient wall as the sun set. In the caption to her post, she wrote, 'Mykonos forever, Photo Dump Part 1,' teasing more snaps from her getaway were to come. The glimpses into her holiday comes just days after the athleisure queen's shock announcement she has taken a 'step back' from her hugely popular fashion label P.E Nation. Pip Edwards is enjoying a getaway in the Greek islands after her shock departure from P.E Nation. The designer, 44, took to Instagram on Thursday to share a series of photos of herself enjoying the sights of Mykonos. Pictured Pip posed by the sea at her accomodation, showing off her incredibly slender frame as she wore a skimpy bikini. She also shared a poolside picture while she wore a black hat with a patterned scarf underneath It also comes as the fashion label's co-founder Claire Greaves (formerly Tregoning) has discussed her 'new chapter' in a new interview with Marie Claire. Now, Claire is moving on to an exciting new business venture just months after leaving her 10-year working relationship with Pip behind her. She has teamed up with Aussie comedian Celeste Barber to launch a brand new make-up brand called Booie Beauty. Speaking to Marie Claire, Claire discussed her 'new chapter' with Celeste, 42, and gave an insight into their working relationship. '[Celeste] you're the ideas, you're the brand, and I'm building the business behind it, which is what I do,' Claire said while interviewing Celeste for the magazine's cover story. Claire then asked a very telling question about entering into business dealings with friends, after Edwards spectacularly wiped all trace of Greaves from P.E Nation's Instagram page following their split. Other photos showed her walking the twisting backstreets of the island, offering a glimpse of the gorgeous blue and white homes of a village Claire asked Celeste: 'They say never to go into business with friends, is that true?' To which Celeste replied: 'We've become friends through business, which I think is the smart way to do it, you need to like the people you work with.' Celeste went on to heap praise on Claire for 'reassuring' her as she makes the bold career change of going into business from acting. 'This is a very different thing to what I do in my other life,' Celeste explained. 'I second-guess myself a bit, I have ADHD, so my brain jumps around a lot and it can betray me sometimes. Claire has really reassured me along the way and will tell me, ''No, don't worry, you've nailed it''.' Claire (pictured left with Pip) recently asked a very telling question during a Marie Claire interview about entering into business dealings with friends, after Edwards spectacularly wiped all trace of Greaves from P.E Nation's Instagram page following their split Pip took over as the sole creative director after Claire's exit and gave the brand an overhaul and relaunch, but she has now confirmed that she too is stepping down. Earlier this week, Pip announced that she is taking a 'step back' and will no longer hold the creative director position that she took over after Claire's exit. 'Following P.E. Nation's celebrated and successful re/brand at Sydney Fashion Week, I will be stepping back from the role of P.E. Nation's Creative Director, to pursue new creative challenges,' Pip wrote in a lengthy Instagram caption. 'My time leading the brand as Creative Director has been an incredible run, and while I am handing over that role, I am maintaining my P.E. Nation directorship and substantial shareholding/ I am forever grateful for and proud of what we have created, and P.E. Nation will always be in my heart and soul. 'As the brand grew, I grew. And much like the re/birth of P.E. Nation, it is now time for me to pursue my personal Re/Creation era.' 'I want to thank our loyal, committed and amazing P.E. Nation staff and community, both in Australia and abroad, for a phenomenal 10 years of birthing, living and breathing everything P.E. Nation, and for enabling us to collectively reach unforgettable heights,' she added. Pip and Claire co-founded the athleisure brand in Sydney back in 2015 and turned it into a globally thriving business. Courteney Cox was spotted on a fun date with her daughter Coco Arquette in Los Angeles on Wednesday night. The 60-year-old Friends alum looked casually chic as she treated the 20-year-old musician to dinner at celebrity haunt Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica. Clad in a classic white button-down shirt and faded denim, the Scream icon radiated charm, her megawatt smile lighting up the moment as she exited the Italian restaurant. Her stunning daughter showcased her long legs in a chic black mini dress, paired with sleek black boots and a stylish red designer handbag. The outing comes after Coco humorously called out her famous mother for not saving any pieces from her iconic Friends wardrobe, jokingly describing it as 'very rude.' Courteney Cox was spotted on a fun dinner date with her daughter Coco Arquette in Los Angeles on Wednesday night The 60-year-old Friends alum looked casually chic as she treated the 20-year-old musician to dinner at celebrity haunt Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica Courteney became a '90s style icon, thanks to the outfits she wore as the neurotic Monica Geller in NBC's sitcom phenomenon, which ran from 1994 to 2004. 'Fun fact she didn't save anything for me from the '90s. It's actually very rude,' Coco told Refinery29. She added: 'Everyone's like, 'Oh those outfits'. (But) no, I don't have them.' When asked who between the two of them is more likely to take something from the other's wardrobe and not give it back, Coco was quick to admit she was guilty of nabbing clothes. She said: 'Me. 100 percent without a question. Quickly answered.' These days, Coco may be all grown up, but Courteney is still reflecting on raising her mini-me throughout the years. In April, the Friends star went on Minnie Driver's Minnie Questions podcast and shared her regret of not stepping into certain situations when Coco was younger. 'I wish so bad I could have realized in the moment a way to protect Coco from things that I didnt, because of my own issues, whether it was codependency or seeing her in relationships with people I knew this was not good,' Courteney explained. 'But I didnt want to step in, even though I knew something wasnt right, because she would get so mad at me.' The outing comes after Coco humorously called out her famous mother for not saving any pieces from her iconic Friends wardrobe , jokingly describing it as 'very rude' Courteney became a '90s style icon, thanks to the outfits she wore as the neurotic Monica Geller in NBC's sitcom phenomenon, which ran from 1994 to 2004 'Fun fact she didn't save anything for me from the '90s. It's actually very rude,' Coco told Refinery29 ; (Cox, Aniston and Kudrow attend SAG-AFTRA Foundation's 4th Annual Patron of the Artists Awards at Wallis Annenberg Center in 2019) Recalling some of the conversations the pair would have, the Dirt alum noted, 'She [would say], "Let me deal with it mom, you dont understand." 'And I did understand, and I should have [trusted] myself and I should have stepped in. So, with certain things about myself, she saw them.' 'I'm not saying I made her who she is, but you do see things in other people, whether it's just always taking care of people and being the nicest person,' Courteney continued. 'And I mean, that's one of the things with age, I've learned to say no, I've learned to have boundaries. But I mean, earlier on when she was a kid, or not even that many years ago, I wish I'd been a firmer parent.' Clint Eastwood is 'doing ok' weeks after Christina Sandera died aged 61. The iconic 94-year-old filmmaker is mourning the death of his longtime partner - whom he was with for 10 years - after she passed away on July 18. Asked how the family is coping after their tragic loss, Clint's son Scott Eastwood told E! News 'Everyone is great.' Asked about his father, the 1992'actor added: 'He is doing OK. Thank you for asking.' Last month, Sandera's death certificate revealed she was killed by cardiac arrhythmia, which causes the heart's rhythm to become too slow, rapid or irregular, a representative from the Monterey County Health Department confirmed. Clint Eastwood is 'doing ok' weeks after Christina Sandera died aged 61; seen here at the premiere of Sully in 2018 Atherosclerotic coronary artery disease was cited as an additional condition that led to her passing. It occurs when deposits of fat, cholesterol, calcium and other substances accumulate in artery walls, causing blood vessels to harden and narrow, which restricts blood flow around the body. When the plaques rupture they form a blood clot that can block the flow of blood more dramatically, which can result in a heart attack or stroke. 'Christina was a lovely, caring woman,' the Oscar winner said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. 'I will miss her very much.' A Warner Bros spokesperson told the outlet no further information would be given on Christina's death as Clint wants to privately grieve. He and Christina had been together since 2014 after meeting while she was working as a hostess at Clint's Mission Ranch Hotel and Restaurant in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. They made their red carpet debut at the 2015 Academy Awards and even though they lived a relatively private life, Christina was a regular plus-one with Clint to his red carpet events. She was also very close to his large family and in 2018 joined three of his eight kids, as well as his granddaughter and first wife Margaret Johnson at the premiere of his film The Muse. The iconic 94-year-old filmmaker is mourning the death of his longtime partner - who he was with for 10 years - after she passed away on July 18, pictured in 2018 Asked how the family is coping after their tragic loss, Clint's son Scott Eastwood told E! News 'Everyone is great,' Clint and Christina seen here at the 2015 Academy Awards The Million Dollar Baby director is dad Laurie Murray, 70, Kimber Lynn Eastwood, 60, Kyle Eastwood, 56, Alison Eastwood, 52, Scott Eastwood, 38, Kathryn Eastwood, 36, and Francesca Eastwood, 30, and Morgan Eastwood, 27. He has always kept his family out of the spotlight and he has a good reason for that. 'There are other people that are involved there and they're vulnerable people,' the Oscar winner told CBS News in 2004. 'I can protect myself, but they can't.' She instantly became a pop culture icon after bursting into the public eye as loudmouthed Page 3 girl, Jordan. Having tried her hand at modelling, singing, presenting, campaigning and reality TV, the glamour model quickly became a household name in Britain. Yet while Katie Price's moniker will ring a bell for both young and old, you would be forgiven for not recognising the star on sight alone, with Katie famously undergoing numerous cosmetic procedures over the years. After two decades in the spotlight, Katie is almost unrecognisable from the naturally pretty teenager who burst on to the modelling scene at the age of 16, with her natural curls and fresh-faced beauty winning her an army of fans. Katie, now 46, has undergone an array of procedures over the years, including rhinoplasty, a silhouette facelift, 3D, veneers, lip fillers and Botox, culminating in her first facelift in 2017. Now, after two decades under the surgeon's scalpel, MailOnline takes a look at the many faces of Katie Price. The many faces of Katie Price: MailOnline takes a look at the star's changing look after two decades of boob jobs, Botox and face lifts 1995 - Barefaced beauty At the age of 17, Katie Price was a fresh-faced natural beauty looking to make it into the world of glamour modelling. At a friend's suggestion, the teenager had professional photographs taken and was quickly snapped up by a modelling agency who landed her a Page 3 slot in The Sun newspaper the following year, sparking the creation of her glamour model alter ego, Jordan. Speaking last year, Katie revealed she was glad that she wasn't exposed to social media at the time as she had 'no idea what Botox was or fillers', otherwise she may have started her tweaks and enhancements at an even earlier age. 1995: At the age of 17, Katie Price was a fresh-faced natural beauty looking to make it into the world of glamour modelling 1998 - First boob job Having just turned 20, the rising glamour model experienced her first taste of cosmetic surgery, boosting her 32B cup breasts to a 32C. The procedure cost 4,500 and it's thought her mum Amy and stepdad Paul helped pay for her to have the procedure. Katie has since spoken out about her decision to go under the knife, admitting she was 'too young' and that she feels sorry for young girls growing up these days in a world of social media and filters. 1998: Having just turned 20, Katie experienced her first taste of cosmetic surgery, boosting her 32B cup breasts to a 32C 1999 - Second and third boob job Despite having only just increased her breast size, Katie opted to have two more procedures the following year at the age of 21. Katie boosted her bust from a C cup to a D cup and just a few months later went up again to a F cup. Katie has previously claimed that she has only paid for two of her boob jobs over the course of her career - it is not known if these were the ones. 1999: Despite having only just increased her breast size, Katie opted to have two more procedures at the age of 21 2001 - Lip fillers At the age of 21, Katie had her first cosmetic procedure on her face, opting for lip fillers. While the glamour model did not confirm the rumours at the time, she was seen sporting a noticeably fuller pout while out enjoying the party scene. Her overall look had also started drastically transforming, with the model sporting dramatic false lashes, bright lipstick and pale hair extensions. 2001: At the age of 21, Katie had her first cosmetic procedure on her face, opting for lip fillers 2004 - Botox Aged 26, Katie began to experiment with Botox injections that relax the muscles in your face to smooth out lines and wrinkles. She made no secret of her love of the procedure, announcing at the time: 'I get my forehead and around my eyes Botoxed every six months and I love it. You can't beat it. It just freezes all the wrinkles and that's what you want.' At the time, Katie insisted she would never take things further and have a facelift, explaining: 'I'd never have a full facelift. I've seen what they can do to people and I don't want to go through that.' 2004: Aged 26, Katie began to experiment with Botox injections that relax the muscles in your face to smooth out lines 2006 - Fourth boob job Katie went under the knife yet again to take her F cup breasts up to a G cup. The glamour model also played around with her overall look and embraced her dark side with a new brunette hairstyle. She also continued to dabble with fillers and Botox. 2006: Katie went under the knife yet again to take her F cup breasts up to a G cup 2007 - First nose job and veneers At the age of 29, Katie took her love of surgery to the next level, undergoing rhinoplasty, a chemical peel and treating herself to a 25,000 set of new veneers. 'Oh my God, it burned like hell!' she said at the time. 'The next day I had this hideous red rash on my chin but two days later there wasn't a single spot left.' Speaking about her nose job at the time, she admitted to liking her original nose, explaining: 'I liked my nose before and now. If I had a cupboard with both noses, I would alternate between them!' 2007:Katie took her love of surgery to the next level, undergoing rhinoplasty, a chemical peel and a 25,000 set of veneers 2008 - Fifth boob job Despite gradually increasingly her bust size over the year, Katie fancied a change on her 30th and brought her bra size back down from an F cup to a C cup. The procedure meant that Katie had returned to the size of her first boob job 10 years prior. Katie's changing shape also coincided with the launch of her first clothing line - an equestrian range. 2008: Despite gradually increasingly her bust size, Katie fancied a change and brought her bra size back down to a C cup 2011 - Sixth boob job Katie's smaller chest didn't last long, and at age 33 she went back under the knife again to boost her bust to an F cup. Katie also underwent body-contouring treatment and cheek and lip fillers. The Loose Women panelist admitted that she loved having her cheeks filled to give her a 'plumper, more youthful look'. 2011: Katie's smaller chest didn't last long, and at age 33 she went back under the knife again to boost her bust to an F cup 2015 - Seventh and eighth boob job Just before appearing on Celebrity Big Brother, the reality star had a botched boob reduction that left her with a hole in her breast and an implant protruding from her flesh. Katie told her shocked housemates: 'Ive got no tits anymore. Theyve gone. Theres not even anything there. If you saw what Im like underneath. The scars gone septic. My whole implant was hanging out on New Years Day.' Shortly after leaving the Big Brother house she underwent corrective surgery and had her implants swapped for a D-cup. 2015: Just before Celebrity Big Brother, the star had a botched boob reduction that left her with a hole in her breast 2016 - Ninth boob job and tattooed makeup Despite her surgery horror the year before, Katie was undeterred and flew to a Brussels clinic to go under the knife yet again, this time settling on a 32GG bust. The reality star also had her eyebrows and lips tattooed, also known as 'permanent make-up', explaining that she prefers to go make-up free on a day-to-day basis. Additionally the star has regular facial treatments, last year sharing a bloodied selfie after having a dermal roller micro-needling treatment, which sees a dermaroller with many tiny needles rolled across into the skin - designed to stimulate cells into regeneration. 2016: Despite her surgery horror the year before, Katie flew to a Brussels clinic to get another boob job, this time a 32GG cup 2017 - First face lift, new veneers and 10th boob job Despite insisting she would never have a face lift and could rely on Botox, Katie went back on her word undergoing a 'Silhouette' face lift. The procedure is designed to lift a sagging cheeks and blurred jawline, using 'sutures' implanted under the skin to sculpt features. However, Katie was soon spotted with puffy features, revealing that she suffered an allergic reaction to anesthetic penicillin after having further work on her veneers. She also had her breast implants reduced from 1000ml implants to 795ml. 2017: Despite insisting she would never have a face lift and could rely on Botox, Katie went back on her word 2018 - Second face lift Katie claimed her first face lift had been a botched job and went back under the knife the following year aged 40 to correct it. She said at the time 'I need to get my face re-corrected after surgeon has totally f**ked my face up', admitting it had He agent added: 'She had the thread and it really quite distorted her look. She got a lot of backlash, a lot of negative press, a lot of trolling, everyone saying shed taken it too far, when actually it was a job that had not gone to plan.' 2018: Katie claimed her first face lift had been a botched job and went back under the knife the following year aged 40 2019 - Third face lift, boob job first Brazilian bum lift and 11th boob job Katie jetted to Turkey to overhaul her entire look with a full body transformation. The reality star opted for a face, eye and eyelid lift, Brazilian bum lift along with a tummy tuck. Just three months later she returned to the clinic and opted for another boob job, going back down to a D cup. 2019: Katie jetted to Turkey to overhaul her look with a face, eye and eyelid lift, Brazilian bum lift along with a tummy tuck 2020 - 12th boob job and another set of veneers Katie returned to Turkey to have another set of veneers and revealed her real teeth had been reduced to stubs as she flashed a smile on her YouTube channel. The mother-of-five then jetted to Belgium to correct botched surgery on her breasts, saying her surgeon was utterly shocked by the 'awful' previous procedure. Katie said: 'They looked deformed, they were absolutely awful. That's the first time I've gone to a different surgeon. I had to go back to Frank with my head down, ashamed that I'd been to another clinic.' 2020: Katie returned to Turkey to have another set of veneers then jetted to Belgium to correct a botched boob job 2021 - Liposuction, eye and lid lifts and 13th boob job Amid the Covid pandemic, Katie jetted off to then red-list Turkey for a complete cosmetic surgery overhaul, undergoing full body liposuction, eye and lip lifts, liposuction under her chin, and fat injected into her bum. The reality star also visited Belgium to have her 13th boob job as well as full body liposuction with bum fat removal. The plastic surgery - performed by Dr Frank Plovier - came just five days ahead of the glamour model's sentencing for her shocking drink-drive crash. 2021: Katie jetted to Turkey for a complete cosmetic surgery overhaul, undergoing full body liposuction, eye and lip lifts 2022 - Another brow and eye lift Katie secretly jetted back to Belgium at the beginning of 2022 for an eye and brow lift and had been concealing her new look with her head in a bandage. Dr Judy Todd, an aesthetic doctor at Clinica Medica in Glasgow, said: 'It appears like she's had a face lift, temporal brow lift, and possibly an upper blepharoplasty.' It was reported last month that Katie plans to travel to Turkey imminently for yet more plastic surgery, amid claims she wanted to get some tweaks in after being unhappy with her latest work. Sian Dellar, Brow Specialist and Founder of Sian Dellar Permanent Makeup Clinic, added: 'Katie's eyebrows, like the rest of her, have changed lots over the years! 'Back in the 90s she had a very thin over plucked brow which was the fashion at the time, and today she has an extremely thick and unnatural looking brow. 'Currently it seems the face or eye lift that shes had have pulled her brows outward which looks unnatural and makes the brows appear almost stretched. 'Of course, as with any enhancement, its personal preference but we recommend not going too many shades darker, and keeping the shape as natural looking as possible and work to create or enhance brows to frame the face. 'Katies choice to have them so thick and dark and in that unusual positioning means they dominate her face and are the first thing the eye is drawn to. I would love to see Katie take her brows back to 2015/2016 when the fuller brow became a big trend. She got it right then and they framed her face well.' 2022: Katie secretly jetted back to Belgium for an eye and brow lift and is planning to to travel to Turkey for more surgery 2023 - 16th and 'biggest ever' boob job It's not clear if Katie lost track of the number of breast augmentations or opted to keep some of her surgery private but by 2023 it emerged she'd undergone her 16th boob job, two years after claiming to be on her 13th. The star went under the knife in a bid to have the 'biggest in Britain' and was subsequently pictured being wheeled into surgery at the Be Clinic in Belgium. She is said to have wanted even bigger breasts, opting for 2120 CC implants in a bid to boost her already large bust size. Katie told OK! magazine of her boobs: 'I love them. They healed really quickly and they didn't hurt at all. That probably doesn't help. Because I heal quickly, it doesn't put me off and I have more. 'I would go bigger as well and I will eventually. I just love having big boobs and a small body. I've always loved that look. In my eyes, if I'm having a boob job, I want them to look fake, I don't want them to look natural. I don't like the natural look. 'I just like that old-school American Playboy pin-up look. When I have surgery, that is what I'm striving for. If I could look like my airbrushed pictures, that would be amazing. But that's impossible to achieve.' 2023: It's not clear if Katie lost track of the number of breast augmentations or opted to keep some of her surgery private but by 2023 it emerged she'd undergone her 16th boob job, two years after claiming to be on her 13th 2024 - MORE facial surgery In July 2024 Katie confirmed she is travelling to Turkey for facial surgery, to be filmed for a new documentary, after failing to attend a bankruptcy hearing. The former glamour model was absent at a scheduled 760,000 bankruptcy court hearing having flown overseas for her latest cosmetic procedure. A warrant was subsequently issued, with Katie admitting she's 'doing the best she can' to rectify her financial issues after receiving 'very clear warnings' that she needed to attend court. Legendary Broadway producer Adam Epstein has died at the age of 49 following a brief battle with cancer. Epstein had won a Tony Award for producing Hairspray before the age of 30 and received other nominations for his work on revivals of Amadeus and The Crucible. His family said that he had passed away on Tuesday at Adventist Health hospital in Glendale, California. His brother Brett posted on Facebook saying that it was with the 'heaviest of hearts' that he announced his brother had died. His brother added that Epstein died after 'a very short yet incredibly grueling battle with a brain tumor'. His family said that Epstein, seen here, passed away on Tuesday at Adventist Health hospital in Glendale, California Epstein had won a Tony Award for producing Hairspray before the age of 30 and received other nominations for his work on revivals of Amadeus and The Crucible In his heartbreaking post, his brother said: 'It's with profound sadness and the heaviest of hearts that I announce the passing of my beloved brother and best friend Adam Epstein. 'Adam who would have been 50 on September 7th, tragically lost a very short yet incredibly grueling battle with a brain tumor (Gliosarcoma). 'My entire family is devastated and in shock from his loss. A large part of me died yesterday as well after he passed and I cannot imagine a world where I am living in it without him. 'I will somehow have to manage to move forward. Adam, I am so honored to have been able to call you my brother. 'There will never ever be another like you. You were a dynamo, a star, a true one of a kind. I will miss you forever and I would not be who I am today had I not had you in my life. 'You were an amazing brother to our younger sister Logan Epstein as well as an exceptional brother-in-law to my wife Natalie Epstein. 'I am so grateful that Hazel and Oliver got to know their "Uncle Addy" and I pledge to you that Sophie and baby Lucy will know what an incredible person and spirit you were as well. 'My heart breaks for my parents as no parent should ever lose a child, no matter what age. 'Mom and Dad, while I am now your only son here on earth, Adam is forever with you through me, my children, and in all of our hearts and memories. Adam, I love you.' In just ten years his productions saw him pick up 12 Tony Awards and 46 nominations Epstein and Marc Shaiman during Hairspray Opening Night Los Angeles - After Party at Henry Fonda Theatre in Hollywood, California According to an obituary in the Hollywood Reporter, Epstein started out on Broadway as an intern before serving as a production associate. In 1998 he produced the Tony-winning revival of Arthur Miller's 'A View from the Bridge' and then 'Amadeus' in 1999, starring Michael Sheen. In 2002 he worked alongside Liam Neeson and Laura Linney in 'The Crucible' before adapting John Waters 1988 film Hairspray for the stage, which became a sensation. In just ten years his productions saw him pick up 12 Tony Awards and 46 nominations. Jerry Mitchell, two-time Tony-winning choreographer, told the outlet: 'Adam was the youngest producer I had ever worked with when we met on Hairspray. 'I will always be grateful for his support and encouragement and care for all of us.' While Waters told the outlet: 'Who as a little boy wants to grow up to be a producer? Well, Adam did. In 2002 he worked alongside Liam Neeson and Laura Linney in 'The Crucible' before adapting John Waters 1988 film Hairspray for the stage, seen here, which became a sensation 'Thats what gives him such tremendous confidence. Hes always known what he wanted to do. Together, Adam and I had a hit, Hairspray, and a flop, Cry-Baby, and his enthusiasm for each was exactly the same. A cheerleader for his productions like no other.' In recent years he earned a master's degree in American Studies and launched a TV career as a political pundit on Fox News. His liberal voice saw him spar with right-wing commentators. He is survived by his parents Bonnie and Marc, brother Brett, sister Logan and nieces Hazel, Sophie and Lucy, as well as his nephew Oliver. A funeral service is set to take place on Sunday at the Levitt-Weinstein-Blasberg, Rubin-Zilbert Memorial Chapels in North Miami Beach, followed by interment at Mount Nebo in Miami. Love is Blind UK viewers were sent into a frenzy as they confessed they would be 'distraught' if Nicole Stevens and Benaiah don't make it to the altar, after the latest three episodes hit Netflix. Following its success in the United States - where six series' have aired - the show has landed in the UK, with hopeful singletons dating their suitor without ever laying eyes on them, at least until they're engaged. The fourth episode of the Netflix show ended on a tense note as Nicole, 29, who is set to be one of the main participants of the show, accepted a proposal from Sam. But, the duo put an end to their budding romance after meeting face-to-face and didn't join their co-stars in Greece. Instead, Nicole teased she wanted to pursue things with another man she had been speaking to in the pods Benaiah, 33. Love is Blind UK viewers were sent into a frenzy as they confessed they would be 'distraught' if Nicole Stevens and Benaiah don't make it to the altar After hitting it off Benaiah and having officially met his parents, viewers of the show have confessed that they would be 'distraught' if they don't make it The fourth episode ended on a tense note as Nicole accepted a proposal from Sam, but they soon ended it after they met face-to-face and didn't join their co-stars in Greece But now that Nicole has hit it off Benaiah and the pair have officially met their respective parents, viewers of the show have confessed that they would be 'distraught' if they don't make it. Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, fans have revealed their approval for the new romance as they hope it flourishes enough to make it to the altar. One penned: 'Everybody was so happy to see Nicole and Benny walk into the party in Greece. That was awesome. I hope they make it to the altar.' 'Now after this if Nicole and Beniha and don't make it I will be DISTRAUGHT' 'Nicole& Beniahs meeting was 10 million times better than her meeting with Sam lmao. Upon all his Nottinghill quotes you cant fake romance' 'Benaiah and Nicole suit each other really well' 'Why are Nicole and Benaiah actually cute?' 'Benaiah is SO happy to be with Nicole!! And I love ittttt!!' 'Nicole and Ben sitting down with her parents they are perfect for each other' Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, fans have revealed their approval for Nicole and Benaiah's new romance as they hope it flourishes enough to make it to the altar 'I didnt see the vision at first but Nicole and Beneiah are actually really cute' Despite fans have came flooding in with support, there are still two episodes of the show to go. The weddings are still yet to air and so it is currently unknown if the two lovebirds have stuck together beyond their pods. The duo have had a rocky road in their path to love after they both came face-to-face with Sam at a party. While at the function with all the other cast members, Nicole returned her ring and bracelet to Sam - Benaiah was not too keen to speak to him. But their budding romance so far is appearing promising, after the pair met each other's parents. While the parent have their hesitations and slight concerns, they are rooting for the couple to make it to the altar and make it work. The final two episodes of Love Is Blind UK will be released on Netflix on Wednesday, August, 21. It is expected that they will include the final weddings which will reveal the all-important altar questions. Katie Holmes looked breezy in another blouse and casual pants combo as she took a walk in New York City. The Dawson's Creek star, 45, has certainly made the breezy blouse and relaxed fit pants look her go-to late summer outfit. This time, Katie paired the fun print top with cropped, drawstring grey sweatpants, black ballet flats and sunglasses and carried a large brown leather tote bag over one shoulder. Layered necklaces accessorized her look as she appeared to be having an intense phone call in one of the snaps. This comes days after her ex-husband Tom Cruise abseiled down into the State de France during the closing ceremony at the Paris Olympics. The Mission: Impossible actor performed one of his trademark stunts at Sunday's ceremony as he slid 115-feet on a rope from the venue's roof as part of the handover to Los Angeles for the 2028 Games. Katie Holmes looked breezy in another blouse and casual pants combo as she took a walk in New York City Tom was seen greeting athletes present at the ceremony before landing and taking the Olympic flag away on a motorbike. A pre-recorded segment then showed the 'Top Gun' star carrying the flag back to the US on a plane before he draped it over the Hollywood sign. Cruise is said to have been the driving force behind the spectacle and approached the International Olympic Committee (IOC) himself about doing a series of stunts to bring the Paris and Los Angeles Games together. Meanwhile, their daughter Suri Cruise, 18, is heading to college at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania imminently. Suri officially dropped her last name of Cruise upon turning 18. She has had little to no contact with her father Tom in about a decade. The soon-to-be college freshman took the name Noelle her mother's middle name as her official new last name. In an interview with Town & Country, the First Daughter star reflected on this milestone in her and Suri's life. The Dawson's Creek star, 45, has certainly made the breezy blouse and relaxed fit pants look her go-to late summer outfit 'Im proud of my daughter. Of course, I will miss the close proximity, but Im really proud of her and Im happy,' she explained. 'I remember being this age, this time of beginnings. Its exciting to learn about yourself, and I loved that time, so it makes me happy to think about it like that.' Carnegie Mellon has a world-class drama school something Suri is said to be interested in alongside vocal performance. Town & Country noted how Suri 'has contributed vocals to songs in two of Holmess films' - the 2023 drama Rare Objects and 2022 romantic drama Alone Together. Holmes, speaking with Glamour in April 2023, said that she sought to encourage Suri's performing on her projects over the years. This comes days after her ex-husband Tom Cruise abseiled down into the State de France during the closing ceremony at the Paris Olympics . The Mission: Impossible actor performed one of his trademark stunts at Sunday's ceremony as he slid 115-feet on a rope from the venue's roof as part of the handover to Los Angeles for the 2028 Games 'Im proud of my daughter. Of course, I will miss the close proximity, but Im really proud of her and Im happy,' she explained 'I hope she always does something on my films,' Holmes said. 'I always ask her.' Holmes said that 'both of those experiences came out of the same sense of what I love about our industry, which is, you have these projects and you become a family with people.' Holmes said she strived to create a 'safe, beautiful, creative space' for Suri to hone her craft as a performer. 'So it comes out of love for me to include someone who I love dearly,' Holmes said. 'It was very meaningful to me to have her there, because shes my heart.' Hana Cross put on a leggy display as she joined newly-engaged Made In Chelsea star Emily Blackwell at a fashion event in London on Thursday. The model, 27, flaunted her toned pins in a black mini dress at the Peppermayo London pop up launch on 59 Greek Street ahead of the famous Australian brand's pop up shop debut in the UK. Hana wore her stylish halterneck dress with shiny ballet pumps and kept her accessories minimal. Meanwhile newly-engaged Emily, 28 - who is set to tie the knot with partner Jordan Oldershaw - wore a chic white co-ord. She looked great in the waistcoat and matching wide leg trousers as she posed up a storm. Hana Cross (seen) put on a leggy display as she joined newly-engaged Made In Chelsea star Emily Blackwell at a fashion event in London on Thursday Meanwhile newly-engaged Emily, 28 - who is set to tie the knot with partner Jordan Oldershaw - wore a chic white co-ord The model, 27, flaunted her toned pins in a black mini dress at the Peppermayo London pop up launch on 59 Greek Street ahead of the famous Australian brand's pop up shop debut in the UK She completed her look with white leather shoes and toted a tiny brown bag with her. Emily wore her medium-length tresses in loose curls and opted for a glamorous makeup look. Last weekend Emily announced that she's engaged to her partner Jordan after he popped the question during their lavish Florence getaway. The reality star, who has been dating the businessman for two years, took to her Instagram with the good news as she proudly showed off her gorgeous diamond ring. The couple couldn't wipe the smiles from their faces as they celebrated amid their sun-soaked trip to the very swanky 1,500-a-night Villa San Michele Hotel. Emily looked effortlessly chic in a black strapless mini dress as they dined alfresco following the surprise proposal and took in the Italian city's speculator views. She captioned the post: 'MR&MRS OLDERSHAW COMING SOON 10.08.2024'. Their famous friends rushed to send their congratulations with former co-star Jamie Laing writing: 'BLACKWELL 5 BACK OF THE NET'. While his girlfriend Sophie Habboo adding: 'So happy for you both!!!'. She completed her look with white leather shoes and toted a tiny brown bag with her as she beamed Emily wore her medium-length tresses in loose curls and opted for a glamorous, glowing makeup look Hana wore her stylish halterneck dress with shiny ballet pumps and kept her accessories minimal She completed her look with dark shades as she made her way to the event wearing the black dress She put on a confident display as she posed at the event in London to launch the new pop up store Miles Nazaire said: 'Wait what!!!!!!!!! Omg!!! Let's goooooooooooooooo I'm so happy!!!! This is madnesss congrats!' While Jess Wright wrote: 'Aww congratulations' and Montana Brown commented: 'Arghhhh congratulations beautiful'. The five star Villa San Michele Hotel overlooks Florence and boasts only 12 rooms, with famous guests over the years including everyone Napoleon Bonaparte to from Kim Kardashian. Jordan is the CEO of a consulting agency and the couple often keep social media followers up to dates with their lavish holidays. Emily previously dated co-star Harvey Armstrong before dumping him after he bedded another woman behind her back and lied about it before he was caught out with an incriminating photo. On the E4 show she was forced to confront Harvey over his lies after he was pictured with his arm around an unknown girl at an after party causing Emily to rightly suspect he had betrayed her. The black dress had a stylish backless design and was worn with flat ballet pumps to add some class She accessorised with statement black earrings to match her look perfectly Rock legend Greg Kihn has died aged 75 following a battle with Alzheimer's. The 80s musician - known for hits Jeopardy and The Breakup Song, died Tuesday. A tribute on his social media page read: 'Rest in peace, dear Greg. Your music, your voice, your stories, your spirit and your passion will forever echo in our hearts and inspire countless souls.' Kihn is survived by two children, son Ry, a guitarist; and Lexi, a nurse. His 1983 hit Jeopardy landed at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 - just behind Michael Jackson's hit, Beat It. Born in Baltimore, Greg rose to fame in the 1980s with The Greg Kihn Band - after years spent playing coffee houses. Rock legend Greg Kihn has died aged 75 following a battle with Alzheimer's - pictured 2018 The 80s musician - known for hits Jeopardy and The Breakup Song, died Tuesday - pictured 1980 When Kihn was 17, his mother submitted a tape of one of his original songs to the talent contest of the big local Top 40 radio station WCAO, which he won, taking home a typewriter, records, and a Vox electric guitar. He moved to California where he painted houses - later meeting future bandmate and Earth Quake guitarist Gary Phillips. He was later signed to Matthew King Kaufman's Beserkley Records. In 1976, he recorded his first album with his own ensemble, called The Greg Kihn Band consisting of Robbie Dunbar (guitar), Steve Wright (bass), and Larry Lynch (drums). In 1981, The Breakup Song charted at number 15 on The Billboard Hot 100, He later released albums Kihntinued (1982), Kihnspiracy (1983), Kihntageous (1984), and Citizen Kihn (1985). Worldwide hit Jeopardy also featured a groundbreaking music video with a Night of the Living Dead theme. In the 1980s Kihn opened shows for bands including Journey, the Grateful Dead, and the Rolling Stones. From 1996-2012 Kihn was a DJ for KUFX and released horror novels. His debut novel Horror Show was nominated for the prestigious Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel. A tribute on his social media page read: 'Rest in peace, dear Greg. Your music, your voice, your stories, your spirit and your passion will forever echo in our hearts and inspire countless souls' - pictured 2003 It's finally back after a two-year hiatus, but Emily In Paris fans were left choking on their buttered croissants after settling down to watch the first five episodes of season four on Thursday. The show, starring Lily Collins as its fashion obsessed titular character, has enjoyed enormous success following its initial launch on Netflix in 2020. Now into its fourth season, the show returned on August 15 with five new episodes of an expected ten, but viewers were divided after watching them back-to-back. Of the numerous points raised across social media, Emily's decision to end her complex love triangle by ditching hunky Brit Alfie, played by Lucien Laviscount, and embark on a relationship with the less popular Gabriel, played by Lucas Bravo, had many crying sacre bleu in disbelief. Taking to X, formerly Twitter, one dismayed viewer raged: 'Emily choosing Gabriel is so boring.' It's finally back after a two-year hiatus, but Emily In Paris fans were left choking on their buttered croissants after settling down to watch the first five episodes of season four A second added: 'No Alfie, no clout!' A third commented: 'new season of emily in paris and i just wanna say that i still absolutely cannot stand emily and gabriel together THEY ARE SO ANNOYING... alfie was right there babe.' A fourth added: 'Unpopular hot take - Emily and Gabriel are kind of annoying as a couple. 'Kind of hoping Emily ends up with someone completely different (bc she doesnt deserve Alfie anymore at this point either) or even better why not be a happy, content single person?' While a fifth commented: 'Still not on the Emily and Gabriel train.' Others disagreed, with one adding: 'emily and gabriel even if they aren't endgames, they always will be in my eyes because they were soulmates from the beginning I don't care about the rest.' A second wrote: 'GABRIEL IS THE HOTTEST MAN ALIVE AHHHHHH.' Elsewhere there was mild criticism of the returning show's quality, as well as Lily Collins' latest performance as Emily. Fans took to X, formerly Twitter, in their drives after the first five episodes of season four aired on Thursday Emily's decision to end her complex love triangle by ditching hunky Brit Alfie, played by Lucien Laviscount, and embark on a relationship with the less popular Gabriel, played by Lucas Bravo (pictured, right), had many crying sacre bleu in disbelief 'season 4, seems to have jumped the shark,' wrote one. 'Every favourite character is present, but they are simply going through the motions. 'The masquerade ball was probably the worst episode. I had to take a break after 3 episodes, when I normally binge-watch.' The latest season had a web of complex storylines to untangle, including Camille's shocking pregnancy announcement to Emily's intricate love triangle involving chef neighbour Gabriel and Alfie. And Emily finally makes her choice, as she and Gabriel choose to explore their romance, and declare their love for one another during the mid-season finale. In other relationship news, pregnant Camille and Athens-born Sofia, portrayed by Melia Kreiling, move in next door to Gabriel, but after struggling to make it work they end up going their separate ways. The final episode ends in a shocking twist, as Camille goes to her gynaecologist for a check-up and learns the devastating truth that she was never expecting; the test was a false positive and her stress was behind her late period. Others were more divided in their opinions, with one accusing the cast of 'going through the motions' during the opening five episodes of season four In other relationship news, pregnant Camille and Athens-born Sofia, portrayed by Melia Kreiling, move in next door to Gabriel, but after struggling to make it work they end up going their separate ways A TikTok exposing Emily's very messy love life goes viral and her breakup with Alfie was broadcast to the world, landing the American in hot water Camille feels like she's lost it all - Gabriel, Sofia, and the baby she thought she was carrying. As she later arrives at his restaurant L'Esprit de Gigi to share the heartbreaking news, she stays quiet as a thrilled Gabriel reveals he no longer cares about not having a Michelin star as he has the baby on the way. Netflix viewers will have to wait until next month to discover how Gabriel takes the news, and if his and Emily's romance is the real deal. The first episode in the new series kicks off three days after Gabriel and Camille's disastrous wedding that was called off thanks to the steamy love triangle involving Emily. A TikTok exposing Emily's very messy love life goes viral and her breakup with Alfie was broadcast to the world, landing the American in hot water. This transfers over to her work life, creating a less-than ideal situation as she and hunky boxer Alfie, who haven't spoken since the wedding, are supposed to be presenting as a loved-up couple as the new faces of a brand campaign. Blocked and deleted by her former beau Alfie, Emily is determined to do what she can to win him back, but it's clear her feelings for Gabriel are still in the picture. The Brit finally breaks his silence after seeing a giant poster of himself and Emily kissing on a billboard outside his gym, calling her to ask her to make it go away. Lily Collins returns as the title character - Emily Cooper - a young American woman from the Midwest who uproots her life and takes a new job in Paris. The critical response to season four has so far been mixed, with a review from Leila Latif of The Guardian the most brutal, calling it a 'televisual black hole' that is, 'devoid of plot, charisma and intrigue.' The critic revealed she had viewed the first half of Season 4 - which debut on August 15 - with the second five-episode half dropping on September 12. She insists that, 'nothing happens,' as the title character continues working as a marketing executive while getting involved in a love triangle with her co-worker Luc (Bruno Gouery) and roommate Mindy (Ashley Park). The reviewer insists there is, 'absolutely nothing at stake' when it comes to the love triangle, with the 'drama' in the show coming from her professional life, though that appears to be a stretch too. 'In every episode, she has to use her talent and sunny disposition to ensure social media strategies are executed with aplomb. To say that this is as thrilling as watching paint dry would be a disservice to the many excellent shades of paint,' she says. The critic adds there are several subplots involving, 'missing people, #MeToo and Michelin stars,' though they ultimately, 'go nowhere.' The critical response to season four has so far been mixed, with a review from The Guardian calling it a 'televisual black hole' that is, 'devoid of plot, charisma and intrigue' The Guardian critic insists that 'nothing happens,' as the title character continues working as a marketing executive while getting involved in a love triangle with her co-worker Luc (Bruno Gouery) and roommate Mindy (Ashley Park) Another review from the Irish Independent was equally savage, calling this show's version of Paris, 'a theme park version of the City of Light.' He touches on the show's running gag that Emily does not speak French and even after four seasons makes no effort to learn the language, and yet everyone in Paris seems to love her, which would likely not be the case in the real Paris. 'If this were the real Paris rather than a theme park version, Emily would get on everyones nerves. Instead, they all find her cute and adorable. Irresistible, too. Men fall at her feet on every street corner,' critic Pat Stacey says. Meanwhile Paste Magazine's Jay Snow claimed that the new series 'continues to have nothing new to say'. Sinking their claws into Emily and Gabriel's romance scenes, they wrote: 'They can drag out the Emily and Gabriel romance as long as they like, but, so far, it has done nothing except stunt the story and character growth. 'Unless theres a major change coming after this season, it might be time to say au revoir to Emily and company.' Matthew Perrys live-in assistant has pleaded guilty to giving the late Friends star the ketamine that caused his death, prosecutors announced on Thursday. Iwamasa now faces up to 15 years in prison, after a bust that also led to charges of four other defendants including a Los Angeles doctor who supplied the deadly drug to Perry. Last November DailyMail.com revealed that Iwamasa had been living with Perry and working as his assistant up until his death. The Department of Justice said Iwamasa injected Perry with ketamine the day he died, on October 28 2023. California prosecutors announced on Thursday that Iwamasa, 59, of Toluca Lake, pleaded guilty on August 7 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death. The assistant admitted to repeatedly injecting Perry with ketamine without medical training, including performing multiple injections on Perry on October 28, 2023 the day Perry died, the DoJ said. Matthew Perry had a live-in assistant and caretaker, 59-year-old Kenny Iwamasa (pictured together in August) admits to giving the late Friends star the ketamine that caused his death. He admitted to repeatedly injecting Perry with ketamine without medical training, including performing multiple injections on Perry on October 28, 2023 the day Perry died, the DoJ said Perry had moved back into his newly refurbished home and was enjoying his hot tub when he died suddenly on October 28 They also charged Jasveen Sangha, 41, who they labeled the Ketamine Queen of North Hollywood; Santa Monica doctor Salvador Plasencia, 42; Eric Fleming, 54, of Hawthorne; and Dr. Mark Chavez, 54, of San Diego. Police obtained text messages between the two doctors plotting to sell ketamine to Perry, saying: I wonder how much this moron will pay and Lets find out. Plasencia is charged with conspiracy to distribute ketamine. According to his LinkedIn account, Iwamasa had helped handle Perry's affairs for more than 25 years Sangha, a dual British/US citizen, is charged with a slew of crimes including one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute ketamine, and seven counts of distribution of ketamine, and two counts of altering and falsifying documents or records related to the federal investigation. Fleming admitted he distributed the ketamine that killed Perry, and pleaded guilty on August 8 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death. Fleming admitted to getting 25 vials of ketamine from Sangha and giving them to the assistant Iwamasa four days before Perrys death. Prosecutors said Dr Chavez agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, admitting he sold the drug to Plasencia, and got supplies of it by making false representations to a wholesale ketamine distributor and by submitting a fraudulent prescription in the name of a former patient without that patients knowledge or consent. Just two months before his shock passing and a few days after his 54th birthday, Perry and Iwamasa were seen shopping at the Nike store at The Grove in LA DailyMail.com can reveal the Friends star and Iwamasa had been living in a $49,000-a-month Beverly Hills property for a little over a year while his Pacific Palisades pad underwent renovations Perry lived in a Beverly Hills hideaway with Iwamasa until just a couple of weeks before his untimely death, DailyMail.com can reveal. And it is he who, sources close to the star believe, discovered Perry's lifeless body in the hot tub at his newly refurbished house on October 28. The actor had been renting a three-bed hillside home overlooking Beverly Hills and the ocean for $49,000 per month for more than a year while his $6million Pacific Palisades house was undergoing renovation. He was living in the rental with Iwamasa, an executive assistant who helped manage Perry's affairs for more than 25 years. The house's landlord, John Malakzad, identified Iwamasa as 'an individual living with Perry and monitoring him'. Iwamasa had been pictured driving Perry, 54, around Los Angeles on errands and emerging from the Beverly Hills home in the morning, photographs exclusively obtained by DailyMail.com revealed. The Friends actor had moved back in to enjoy his refurbished Pacific Palisades house less than a month before he was found dead, by a 'personal assistant'. As his live-in PA, Iwamasa is believed to be the one to find his body. Earlier this year in February, Perry was spotted outside the Beverly Hills property as he had furniture delivered to the secret hideaway The actor had been spotted at the home regularly since October 2022 Aerial images show Perry's pool and the hot tub at his $6million Pacific Palisades home where he was found dead late last month aged 54 Iwamasa, wrote on his LinkedIn page that he worked as an 'executive assistant' employed by Perry's manager Doug Chapin. Among his roles he lists: 'Executive Assistant to personal manager responsibilities for 25 years (on-going) for client Matthew Perry ('Friends'; actor-writer-producer).' 'I thrive in chaotic situations which call for order,' he adds. 'I am discreet, loyal and honor absolute confidentiality. 'I love deadlines, contracts, dotting i's and solving puzzling situations and projects.' Just two months before his unexpected death, and days after his 54th birthday, Perry and Iwamasa had been seen shopping together at The Grove in LA, DailyMail.com reported at the time. One of Iwamasa's family members who lives in Los Angeles confirmed to DailyMail.com that the assistant had been living with Perry in recent months, though the relative had not spoken to Iwamasa since the actor's death. In Perry's last post on Instagram he was pictured making the most of the hot tub that overlooks his coastal neighborhood during a moonlit night on October 23, five days before his death. 'Oh, so warm water swirling around makes you feel good?' he captioned the post. Perrys autopsy report listed the acute effects of ketamine as his cause of death. The report said he had high levels of the tranquilizer drug in his blood, likely fell unconscious and slipped underwater in his jacuzzi. Contributing factors in Mr. Perrys death include drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine (used to treat opioid use disorder), the Los Angeles Medical Examiner said in a statement. The manner of death is accident. First responders on the scene revealed that when Perry was found by his assistant, he was underwater. The assistant lifted his head up in a desperate attempt to get him some air. By the time the Los Angeles Fire Department arrived at his Pacific Palisades home, the actor was already dead, it was later determined. It comes after a 15-second dispatch call emerged revealing the moment his assistant called 911 to report a possible cardiac arrest. Perry had been open about his past struggles with alcohol and substance abuse, but said in recent interviews he was clean and sober. Perry wrote in his memoir, published last year, that he had spent $9million trying to get sober, revealing he had been to 6,000 AA meetings, gone to rehab 15 times, and been in detox 65 times. First responders reportedly found antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications at the property but there was no sign of any illegal drugs. Donald Trump is seen on a video screen during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland. His deliberate mispronunciation of Kamala Harris first name is racist and a not-so-subtle message about power and control. Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images 2016 I mispronounced my wifes name on our first date. We connected online so I had only ever seen it in print, but still, when we met for the first time, I botched it. She is Resham pronounced RAY shum but I swallowed the first syllable and leaned too boldly into a broad A in the second: ruh SHAHM. However, I then did what every decent person does with an unfamiliar name and asked, meekly, Did I get that right? She gently corrected me, and the rest is history. Ive been thinking a lot about that moment as she and I get ready to welcome our first child later this week. Weve been trying to come up with a name for months now, and though weve got a few semifinalists, were waiting to see his face before we decide for sure. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Some of the names were considering, like my wifes, have an Indian derivation. My mother-in-law is from Punjab, and Resham is a family name her grandfathers. So Arjuna and Agastya are on the list, as are Samar and Kavi. But ever since Joe Bidens decision to drop out of the presidential race cleared a path for Kamala Harris to claim the nomination, Ive been rethinking these and other Indian names. Not because theyre any less beautiful or meaningful but because since then, Donald Trump has been ramping up his use of mispronunciation as a racist weapon. Whether from laziness, ignorance or malice, Republicans have been mangling Harris first name for years. As the Washington Post reported, fully half of the speakers at the Republican National Convention said it wrong. Goya CEO Bob Unanue went so far as to call her que mala or so bad in Spanish but at least he gets points for creativity. Columbia University linguistics professor John McWhorter argued in a New York Times column that this trend calls back to an earlier time in U.S. history when an electorate with less formal education was also less inclined to give foreign words the college try. This might be true, but it is also an awfully sanguine reading of a habit Republicans often describe in more nefarious terms. Take Trump. At an event a week ago Friday, the former president mangled Kamala repeatedly and then paused to explain why: Ive heard it said about seven different ways. He hasnt or at least not from the candidate herself, who famously put out an announcement during her 2016 Senate run teaching us all how to say it the right way. (And Trump definitely hasnt heard it said Kamabla.) Advertisement Article continues below this ad But then, as he so often does, Trump doubled down. He doesnt say it the wrong way because he doesnt know; he says it the wrong way because he doesnt care: I couldnt care less if I mispronounce it or not. I couldnt care less. (Though I doubt hes spent much time with his running mates family, I shudder to think about how he says Vivek J.D. Vances sons name. I bet his Indian American wife Usha shudders, too.) If, as education professors Rita Kohli and Daniel Solorzano argue, the careless mispronunciation of a foreign name can be a racial microaggression, then this is something much worse. UC Berkeley sociolinguistics professor Nicole Holliday contends that its an effort to draw attention to the part of Harriss background that is less familiar to the American electorate. After Obama, Trump might be wagering that while were more comfortable with a Black president, some voters might still have reservations about a scary brown one. This might also explain his recent, bigoted efforts to define her as solely Indian. His mispronunciation, then, is a not-so-subtle message about power and control. Dont worry, hes saying to his acolytes. She doesnt get to say who she is; I do. This is how mispronunciation goes from microaggression to macroaggression. And Trump is making it seem OK. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Which brings us back to my baby. In the years to come, hell head out into playgrounds, classrooms and workplaces full of a few more people who, following Trumps example, feel justified in either failing to learn his name or mangling it at their whim. Of course, neither of these forms of bullying is new, but weve never had a candidate so eager to try them out from behind the presidential seal. 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 Its just one of the countless ways in which Trump has coarsened our culture and made America worse than it was before. And my sons going to have to deal with that. Love is Blind's cutest couple have welcomed their first child together. Alexa and Brennon Lemieux, who met and fell in love during season three of the popular Netflix dating show, welcomed their first child on July 31. 'Our perfect daughter, Vienna Ziva Lemieux, born July 31, 2024,' the caption began. 'She has mommy's hair and daddy's dimples and we couldn't be more in love,' the couple wrote in a joint Instagram post on Thursday. Alexa, 29, and Brennon revealed they were expecting a baby in January in a cutesy Instagram post and caption. Love is Blind 's cutest couple have welcomed their first child together 'The best of me and the best of you, baby Lemieux coming soon,' she wrote. Once they posted the birth announcement, a bunch of former Love is Blind contestants rushed to the comments section to congratulate the couple. Season one alum Cameron Hamilton, wrote, 'Congratulations you two!!!' Giannina Gibelli added, 'Yayayayay she's here!!! congrats so happy for you.' Season four alum Zack Goytowski wrote, 'Congratulations! I know you both are already amazing parents @brennonlemeuix welcome to team girl dad.' Shortly after revealing they were expecting, Alexa shared their complicated fertility journey with People. 'We wanted this to happen and so we're just grateful to be here,' Alexa told the outlet. 'It's been such a big part of my life [and] I'm the worst secret keeper ... so I'm ready for it to be out there!' 'We've been trying for almost a year and a half, so it was a lot,' she noted. 'I went through some fertility treatments and nothing worked. I was really nervous that maybe we're never going to be able to have kids.' Alexa 'cut out alcohol and caffeine, got weekly acupuncture...tried almost everything people recommended' and believed she might 'never have a baby of [her] own.' And then, she got a positive pregnancy test when she 'least expected it' reflecting that it was the 'hardest' journey. Alexa and Brennon Lemieux, who met and fell in love during season three of the popular Netflix dating show, welcomed their first child on July 31 'Our perfect daughter, Vienna Ziva Lemieux, born July 31, 2024,' the caption began 'She has mommy's hair and daddy's dimples and we couldn't be more in love,' the couple wrote in a joint Instagram post on Thursday, August 15 Alexa, 29, and Brennon revealed they were expecting a baby in January in a cutesy Instagram post and caption In a lengthy Instagram post earlier this year, Alexa detailed all she went through to conceive, including two IVF treatments. 'Ive dreamed about being a mom for as long as I can remember. Whenever I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer was always the same. A mom,' she wrote. 'I wish I could go back in time for a moment and give the me a year ago the biggest hug and tell her all her dreams are going to come true. That I will get to be a mom and that Ill get to do it all with the love of my life,' she wrote 'As I lay here with you squirming around in my tummy, Im a little sad that I no longer get to be your home. But we cant wait to meet you on this side, you are already our home.' Advertisement Charlie Sheen's ex-wife Brooke Mueller made a rare sighting on Thursday. The 46-year-old blonde beauty, who used to date the late Matthew Perry over 20 years ago, looked flawless as she hit a sandy beach in Malibu. The socialite had on a gold/beige one-piece swimsuit that was plunging in front and came up on the hips. She added round Ray-Ban sunglasses as her hair was worn down. Along with the red carpet veteran was her fuzzy beige pooch that she doted over while settling in for a suntan session. These photos have surfaced on the same day that several of Perry's drug dealers and handlers who helped get the Friends actor the Ketamine that led to his death were arrested. Charlie Sheen 's ex-wife Brooke Mueller made a rare sighting on Thursday. The 46-year-old blonde beauty, who used to date the late Matthew Perry over 20 years ago, looked flawless as she hit a sandy beach in Malibu The socialite had on a gold/beige one-piece swimsuit that was plunging in front and came up on the hips. She added round Ray-Ban sunglasses as her hair was worn down Brooke was seen arriving at the beach in a grey shirt and black crochet shorts before stripping down to her bathing suit to enjoy the warm sunshine. After her walk she was seen playing and cuddling her rescue dog Kayla in the sand. She also sipped on a power soda. Mueller married Hollywood star Charlie Sheen in May 2008 and the couple had twin sons Bob and Max in 2009. They filed for divorce in November 2010 and finalized their separation in May 2011. Brooke and Matthew were close pals for decades after they broke up. She had known the Hollywood icon for so long that it was Perry who introduced Brooke to Charlie at a party held at his house. Perry died in October 2023, aged 54, from the acute effects of ketamine. He was found in his hot tub submerged in water but died of the drug overdose. There were several arrests on Thursday in connection with Perry's death. Brooke was linked to the named dealers which include Jasveen Sangha, AKA 'The Ketamine Queen,' and Erik Fleming. In March authorities got a search warrant for Brooke's home in connection with Perry's death and seized Brooke's computer and phone, according to TMZ. She was in rehab at the time. The site claimed in a new report that Brooke once spent time in rehab with Matthew. It was the same place and at the same time that Sangha and Fleming were there, the site claimed. She was married to Charlie Sheen, seen left in 2021, and was close to Perry, seen right in 2017. Several of Perry's drug dealers were arrested on Thursday Along with the red carpet veteran was her fuzzy beige pooch that she doted over while settling in for a suntan session These photos have surfaced on the same day that several of Perry's drug dealers and handlers who helped get the Friends actor the Ketamine that led to his death were arrested Brooke was linked to the named dealers which include Jasveen Sangha, AKA 'The Ketamine Queen,' and Erik Fleming. In March authorities got a search warrant for Brooke's home in connection with Perry's death and seized Brooke's computer and phone, according to TMZ. She was in rehab at the time Jasveen was arrested Thursday in connection with Matthew's death. Fleming, who cut a deal and pled guilty to a pair of charges, was a drug broker who delivered the ketamine from Sangha's stash house to Perry's live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, the site claimed. On Thursday, Perry's personal assistant pleaded guilty to charges in connection with the actor's death. Iwamasa pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death. The Department of Justice has accused Iwamasa of 'repeatedly' injecting the actor with ketamine 'without medical training', including on the day that Perry passed away. Iwamasa is one of five defendants charged with offences related to the actor's death, which also includes Sangha and Dr. Salvador Plascencia. The site claimed in a new report that Brooke once spent time in rehab with Matthew. It was the same place and at the same time that Sangha and Fleming were there, the site claimed Mueller married Hollywood star Charlie Sheen in May 2008 and the couple had twin sons Bob and Max in 2009 They filed for divorce in November 2010 and finalized their separation in May 2011 Sangha has been charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises. What's more, Sangha is facing one count of possession with intent to distribute ketamine and five counts of distribution of ketamine. Plascencia, meanwhile, has been charged with conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Elsewhere, Mark Chavez, another doctor, has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. The star doted on her rescue dog named Kayla; the canine had on a Service Dog harness Brooke was seen arriving at the beach in a grey shirt and black crochet shorts before stripping down to her bathing suit to enjoy the warm sunshine She chugged on a can of soda as she sat knees down on a blue towel Her arms looked very toned as she hoisted her blue backpack over her shoulder Fleming has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death. Fleming and Iwamasa are potentially facing 15 to 25 years in prison, while Chavez faces up to a decade in prison. Sangha could face a possible life sentence. Perry - who was best known for playing Chandler Bing on Friends opposite Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox, among others - died due to the 'acute effects of ketamine'. An autopsy report also listed drowning, coronary artery disease and buprenorphine effects as contributing factors in the his death. This week sees the return of two of the worlds most popular female icons as Taylor Swift plays Wembley again for her sell-out Eras tour and series four of Emily In Paris, starring Lily Collins, streams on Netflix. Beautiful, charming and with a list of unsuitable exes as long as your arm, Taylor and Emily have much in common including, it turns out, their enviable wardrobes... Fluffy Coats Emily wears this striking Missoni faux-fur from the fashion houses upcoming collection in the new series. She may have been one of the first to wear it, but it isnt one of a kind unlike the bespoke Oscar de la Renta version Taylor wore on tour. Lily Collins starring as the leading lady in Emily in Paris donning a striking Missoni faux-fur fluffy coat Taylor Swift is renowned for wearing her famed purple Oscar de la Renta fluffy coat on her record-breaking Eras Tour (pictured) Knee-Length Boots When Emily strutted the streets of Paris in knee-length 1,100 Maison Skorpios boots in season two, they instantly sold out. But its Taylor who owns the knee-high look she sported these 1,900 Prada boots in New York last year. Lily Collins on the set of Emily In Paris bagged herself a pair of stylish knee-high 1,100 Maison Skorpios boots Taylor Swift strutted down the streets of New York City in 2023 with a pair of knee-length 1,900 Prada boots Checked Two-Piece Taylor wore a Vivienne Westwood tartan mini skirt and matching jacket combo when she threw a party for her tour team at Londons private members club Annabels this week. The look instantly reminded us of Emilys memorable outfit from the shows very first episode her 600 gingham shorts and jacket by Veronica Beard. Taylor wore a Vivienne Westwood tartan mini skirt and matching jacket combo when she threw a party for her tour team at Londons private members club Annabels earlier this week Lily Collins in a 600 gingham pair of shorts and jacket by Veronica Beard during the first ever episode of Emily in Paris Velvet Trouser Suit Emily looked beautiful in a tailored Balmain velvet suit in season three, selected by the shows costume designer Marylin Fitoussi. Was Taylor, who wore a burgundy velvet suit by Etro the year before, her inspiration? During season three of Emily in Paris, Lily Collins can be seen wearing a smart tailored Balmain velvet suit Taylor Swift attending the "All Too Well" premiere at AMC Lincoln Square in 2021 in New York in a plush burgundy velvet suit The Beret Emily famously loves this iconic French style, and in season two she donned a canary yellow version while Taylor wore a lemon one in her Karma video last year. Lily Collin's character is famed for her iconic yellow beret (pictured as she sits on a green park bench) Taylor also donned a very similar hat in the video for her hit song with Brendan Urie Me! Ruffles Taylor was the first to wear the fussy look in 2019 when she donned this pale blue mini dress by Raisa Vanessa. Emily, meanwhile, wrapped herself in a purple ruffled jacket from the Iris Apfel H&M collection on a trip to Provence in season three. Taylor Swift wearing a pastel purple ruffled dress at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas In a more deep purple, the character of Emily (Lily Collins) also wears a dress packed out with ruffled material Dip-Hem Dress On the Eras tour, Taylor wears a series of these soft, feminine dresses by Jessica Jones, while in season two of Emily In Paris our heroine donned a periwinkle blue number by Magali Pascal, which dare we say it looked a little boring for Emily. Taylor Swift performing onstage in a dark blue dip-hem dress in California in 2023 French accents, bold fashion statements and a love triangle can only mean one thing: Emily In Paris is back. Lily Collins returns as the title character - Emily Cooper - a young American woman from the Midwest who uproots her life and takes a new job in Paris. The show returns after a two-year hiatus, though that wait wasn't seemingly long enough for some critics, who savagely bashed the show. The first five episodes are available to watch on August 15 with viewers having to wait almost an entire month for the second installment on September 11. The latest season had a web of complex storylines to untangle, including Camille's (Camille Razat) shocking pregnancy announcement to Emily's intricate love triangle involving her chef neighbour Gabriel (Lucas Bravo) and hunky Brit Alfie (Lucien Laviscount). And Emily finally makes her choice, as she and Gabriel choose to explore their romance, and declare their love for one another during the mid-season finale. French accents, bold fashion statement and a will-they-won't-they romance can only mean one thing: Emily In Paris is back Emily finally makes her choice, as she and Gabriel finally choose to explore their romance, and declare their love for one another during the mid-season finale In other relationship news, pregnant Camille and Athens-born Sofia, portrayed by Melia Kreiling, move in next door to Gabriel, but after struggling to make it work they end up going their separate ways. The final episode ends in a shocking twist, as Camille goes to her gynaecologist for a check-up and learns the devastating truth that she was never expecting; the test was a false positive and her stress was behind her late period. Camille feels like she's lost it all - Gabriel, Sofia, and the baby she thought she was carrying. As she later arrives at his restaurant L'Esprit de Gigi to share the heartbreaking news, she stays quiet as a thrilled Gabriel reveals he no longer cares about not having a Michelin star as he has the baby on the way. Netflix viewers will have to wait until next month to discover how Gabriel takes the news, and if his and Emily's romance is the real deal. The first episode in the new series kicks off three days after Gabriel and Camille's disastrous wedding that was called off thanks to the steamy love triangle involving Emily. A TikTok exposing Emily's very messy love life goes viral and her breakup with Alfie was broadcast to the world, landing the American in hot water. This transfers over to her work life, creating a less-than ideal situation as she and hunky boxer Alfie, who haven't spoken since the wedding, are supposed to be presenting as a loved-up couple as the new faces of a brand campaign. Blocked and deleted by her former beau Alfie, Emily is determined to do what she can to win him back, but it's clear her feelings for Gabriel are still in the picture. The Brit finally breaks his silence after seeing a giant poster of himself and Emily kissing on a billboard outside his gym, calling her to ask her to make it go away. A TikTok exposing Emily's very messy love life goes viral and her breakup with Alfie was broadcast to the world, landing the American in hot water In other relationship news, pregnant Camille and Athens-born Sofia, portrayed by Melia Kreiling, move in next door to Gabriel, but after struggling to make it work they end up going their separate ways Emily hasn't had the best luck with dating since relocating from Chicago to Paris in pursuit of her dream marketing job Alfie and Emily even share a smooch on the kiss cam at a tennis game as part of their new odd PR relationship. Meanwhile, Gabriel and Emily's awkward first neighbourly encounter sees the chef explain he 'rushed into marrying Camille' and she's staying at her family's chateau in Paris. Elsewhere in the French capital, Emily's bestie Mindy and her musical group have been selected to represent the country in Eurovision, but need to raise money for their performance. She's still trying to make things work with her toxic boyfriend Nicolas, who's father hasn't taken a liking to her outfit choices - but the pair quickly make up when he allows her access to the brand closet full of designer gear. Emily's love triangle gets thrown into full swing once her two love interests face off and square up to each other in Gabriel's restaurant. Alfie questions Gabriel on whether he still has feelings for Emily and his refusal to answer only makes tensions higher. As the American marketing consultant parades around Paris in her usual flamboyant outfits, she seems to be no closer to deciding who she's going to choose. As the American marketing consultant parades around Paris in her usual flamboyant outfits, she seems to be no closer to deciding who she's going to choose Netflix viewers will have to wait until next month to discover how Gabriel takes the news, and if his and Emily's romance is the real deal Swanning between visiting a shirtless Alfie as he trains for his boxing matches, to conveniently running into Gabriel every time she leaves her apartment, it's hard to tell who will come out on top for Emily. The storylines veers off in another direction when it's revealed that Camille is MIA and no-one can find her anywhere. Of course, Emily is the one who finally tracks her down in Giverny, and the duo finally have it out, before making up and heading back to Paris. Camille and Gabriel quickly call things quit as the blonde beauty reignites her relationship with Sofia - the woman she had an affair with in the lead up to her wedding. Sylvie's more serious storyline sees her tackle sexual misconduct in the workplace, as she looks into the string of sexual harassment that's affected women at JVMA, including her own experiences. As we watch her scenes unravel, she's torn as exposing the abuse could have an impact on her hard-earned career. The reviewer insists there is, 'absolutely nothing at stake' when it comes to the love triangle, with the 'drama' in the show coming from her professional life, though that appears to be a stretch too The heat is turned up in the third episode as all of the characters head off to a masquerade ball and Emily is playing with fire as she dances and flirting with both Gabriel and Alfie The heat is turned up in the third episode as all of the characters head off to a masquerade ball and Emily is playing with fire as she dances and flirting with both Gabriel and Alfie. Despite it seeming like she was ready to rekindle with Alfie, Gabriel comes out on top as the two share a passionate kiss in a carriage on the way home, leaving her decision once again up in the air. Episode four confirms that Gabriel is winning Emily's heart, as the pair enjoy a steamy candlelit rooftop date and their romance reaches the next level. Emily hasn't had the best luck with dating since relocating from Chicago to Paris in pursuit of her dream marketing job. In the first series 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. 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. Swanning between visiting a shirtless Alfie as he trains for his boxing matches, to conveniently running into Gabriel every time she leaves her apartment, it's hard to tell who will come out on top for Emily The storylines veers off in another direction when it's revealed that Camille is MIA and no-one can find her anywhere Despite it seeming like she was ready to rekindle with Alfie, Gabriel comes out on top as the two share a passionate kiss in a carriage on the way home, leaving her decision once again up in the air 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.' With Season 4 debuting on Thursday - and the L.A. premiere happening on Wednesday - the reviews are starting to file in, many of which are not positive. A review from Leila Latif of The Guardian was perhaps the most brutal, calling the show a 'televisual black hole' that is, 'devoid of plot, charisma and intrigue.' The critic revealed she had viewed the first half of Season 4 - which debut on August 15 - with the second five-episode half dropping on September 12. She insists that, 'nothing happens,' as the title character continues working as a marketing executive while getting involved in a love triangle. She insists that, 'nothing happens,' as the title character continues working as a marketing executive while getting involved in a love triangle with her co-worker Luc (Bruno Gouery) and roommate Mindy (Ashley Park) Fans of the new series gushed that it was 'self-aware, stunning and adorable' in their reviews The reviewer insists there is, 'absolutely nothing at stake' when it comes to the love triangle, with the 'drama' in the show coming from her professional life, though that appears to be a stretch too. 'In every episode, she has to use her talent and sunny disposition to ensure social media strategies are executed with aplomb. To say that this is as thrilling as watching paint dry would be a disservice to the many excellent shades of paint,' she says. The critic adds there are several subplots involving, 'missing people, #MeToo and Michelin stars,' though they ultimately, 'go nowhere.' Another review from the Irish Independent was equally savage, calling this show's version of Paris, 'a theme park version of the City of Light.' He touches on the show's running gag that Emily does not speak French and even after four seasons makes no effort to learn the language, and yet everyone in Paris seems to love her, which would likely not be the case in the real Paris. 'If this were the real Paris rather than a theme park version, Emily would get on everyone's nerves. Instead, they all find her cute and adorable. Irresistible, too. Men fall at her feet on every street corner,' critic Pat Stacey says. 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 in September Another point of contention in this review is how the show ignores the city's racial and cultural diversity, adding, 'this fantasy Paris is as whitewashed as Richard Curtis's Notting Hill.' However, another piece from The Guardian 's Joel Golby - while admitting the show is 'terrible' - thinks the time has come to 'drop the beef' with the show. 'The point of Emily in Paris is that it isn't for me it's not even particularly for people who are sitting upright and once you see through all of that, you can: well, 'enjoy' is not the right word, exactly. But you can at least appreciate Emily in Paris for what it is, which is: an unashamedly silly, soapy, Technicolor whirlwind of nonsense,' he said. 'It's a make-work programme for beautiful people who can't act and a show where, 30 episodes in and with 10 more pending, nothing significant has actually happened,' he adds, though he realizes he's 're-igniting' his 'beef' after reflecting more, concluding, 'It is beneath every single person who has ever watched it.' Meanwhile Paste Magazine's Jay Snow claimed that the new series 'continues to have nothing new to say'. Sinking their claws into Emily and Gabriel's romance scenes, they wrote: 'They can drag out the Emily and Gabriel romance as long as they like, but, so far, it has done nothing except stunt the story and character growth. 'Unless there's a major change coming after this season, it might be time to say 'au revoir' to Emily and company.' However other critics were fonder of the latest drop of episodes and showered them with praise. Lily and the stars of Emily In Paris gathered together for a cast photo ahead of the hotly-anticipated launch (pictured L to R: hilippine Leroy-Beaulieu, Lucas Bravo, Ashley Park, Lily) 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 Over at The Daily Beast Emma Stefansky heralded season four as 'absurdly and adorably idiotic. 'It's as entertaining as anything else the show has cooked up,' she said of the new plotlines. 'I don't pretend to know anything about fashion, and I certainly won't learn anything from this particular show, but it's always fun to see the wardrobe department going full-out on something like this while other shows dress their cast in a sea of crewnecks and black trousers.' Collider's Emily Cappello called the show's return 'stunning and self-aware... a fashionable ride through the streets of Paris.' She noted that in season four Emily finally 'explored her need for control and embraced her vulnerability. She also praised the new episodes for letting Sylvie shine, claiming there was more space and weight given to her 'realistic and throught-provoking internal conflicts.' Meanwhile The Times' Robert Crampton gushed: 'When the writing's as good as this, you can't dismiss Darren Star's show as mere fantasy fluff' Trisha Goddard stunned Good Morning Britain viewers on Thursday as she launched a rant about Tommy Fury and Molly-Mae Hague's split. The TV personality, 66, discussed the Love Island stars' recent split with presenters Richard Madeley and Richard Arnold. Fans were shocked when the influencer, 25, shared the bombshell news that she and the boxer, also 25, had broken up after five years together. And after the pair announced their separation in an emotional social media statement on Wednesday, pizza company Domino's issued a statement on X which led Trisha to compare the couple to King Charles III and Lady Diana. As Trisha made the comparison, she failed to give an explanation, leaving the studio in an awkward silence. Trisha Goddard stunned Good Morning Britain viewers on Thursday as she launched a rant about Tommy Fury and Molly-Mae Hague's split Fans were shocked when the influencer, 25, shared the bombshell news that she and the boxer, also 25, had broken up after five years together Richard began the showbiz segment by detailing the breakup and mentioned that Molly-Mae and Tommy's split triggered a wave of reactions. Mentioned how they came second place on Love Island, Richard said: 'This goes to show the impact over the last five years and they didn't even win the show.' Domino's social media post reads: 'Everyone at Domino's joins the nation in mourning the break-up of Molly-Mae and Tommy Fury's relationship. Our thoughts and condolences are with them at this time.' Trisha claimed the company is trying to make money 'out of somebody's misery, adding: ''Well, I don't know whether it's a bad impact or money-making, people making money out of somebody's misery. 'I'm sorry, businesses are commenting, it's about 'how many more people can we pull into our website?''' She added that the technique is 'clickbait', saying: 'But there's a real family and there's real people here so my reaction was more about the coverage', before trailing off: 'Charles and Diana...' There was then several seconds of silence before Richard was forced to jump in and say: 'we're respecting their privacy as we wish them all the very best.' Prior to this awkward moment, Trisha was forced to apologise to viewers after she was 'caught' looking distracted on screen due to a Love Island story. After the pair announced their separation in an emotional social media statement on Wednesday, pizza company Domino's issued a statement on X which led Trisha to compare the couple to King Charles III and Lady Diana She added that the technique is 'clickbait', saying: 'But there's a real family and there's real people here so my reaction was more about the coverage', before trailing off: 'Charles and Diana...' As Trisha made the comparison, she failed to give an explanation, leaving the studio in an awkward silence It comes after Molly-Mae shared the shock news that she had split from fiance Tommy following months of off and on again speculation Trisha was not happy to be covering the couple's split, and as the camera panned back to her, she said: 'I'm sorry. Sorry, you caught me! Poking my eyes out!' She also questioned: 'But do you need 6 stories one after the other about someone's private life?' It comes after Molly-Mae shared the shock news that she had split from fiance Tommy following months of off and on again speculation. The couple, met on Love Island in 2019 and went onto get engaged and welcome their daughter Bambi in 2023. Taking to Instagram Stories to share the bombshell statement on Wednesday, Molly wrote: 'Never in a million years did I think I'd ever have to write this. 'After five years of being together I never imagined our story would end, especially not this way. 'I am extremely upset to announce that mine and Tommy's relationship has come to an end. 'I will forever be grateful for the most important thing to me now and always, my beautiful daughter. Without us there would be no her, she will always be my priority. 'I want to thank you all for the love you have shown us over the last five years. You have all been a part of our journey and I feel it's right to share this with you all. Molly-Mae will be taking a step back from social media and work commitments as she attempts to come to terms with life without Tommy. She added: 'Whilst I attempt to navigate the coming days and weeks please kindly respect my privacy over this difficult time, I'll be back when it feels right. Molly-Mae x' Just under an hour later, Tommy broke his silence on the split, penning on his Instagram Stories: 'I am heartbroken to share that Molly and I have decided to end our relationship. The couple met on series five of Love Island in 2019, finishing in second place The boxer proposed to the Love Island star in July 2023 in Ibiza, after four years together Taking to Instagram Stories on Wednesday, Molly. 25, wrote: 'Never in a million years did I think I'd ever have to write this' Just under an hour later, Tommy broke his silence on the split, penning on his Instagram Stories: 'I am heartbroken to share that Molly and I have decided to end our relationship' 'The past 5 years have led to us having our beautiful baby girl, Bambi and I will be forever thankful to Molly for making me a dad. Bambi is our priority. 'Please respect our privacy, and our families privacy, as we navigate our way through this difficult time.' Molly-Mae's representative's declined to comment. MailOnline have contacted Tommy's representatives. The couple met on series five of Love Island in 2019, finishing in second place. They became official just weeks after their first villa date and moved in together in Manchester a month after landing back in the UK. Molly-Mae and Tommy posed for their last photo together while attending the wedding of her sister Zoe in July. Trader Joe's has recalled one of its candles after more than a dozen reports of it causing dangerous flames. The Mango Tangerine Scented Candle has caused 14 incidents of 'high flames', according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. This includes three reports of minor property damage and two reports of minor burns. The retail giant has recalled around 653,000 candles. It said the candle flame can spread from the wick to the wax, causing a larger than expected flame and posing a fire hazard. Customers should immediately stop using the recalled candles and return them to any Trader Joe's store for a full cash refund of $4. Pictured: The scented candle that Trader Joe's has recalled Consumers can also complete an online form if they would prefer to receive a $4 Trader Joe's gift card by mail instead. Consumers who submit the online form will need a receipt or photo of the recalled candle. On average, candles cause 21 home fires a day nationwide, according to the National Park Service. On May 21, the Crowder family in Georgia lost their entire home and all their possessions to a fire started by a candle. The family of six, with children aged 9 to 15, only had minutes to escape with their lives. 'My daughter had fallen asleep with a candle. She was reading by candlelight, and she woke up around 2:15 a.m. and her bed was in flames, the wall, and her book bag,' mother Amy Crowder told Fox 5 Atlanta. Actor Cocoa Brown's home, also in Georgia, burned to the ground back in February, with TMZ reporting a lit candle may have fallen into a pile of clothes. The For Better or Worse star, 51, escaped her Fayetteville property with her son Phoenix, 12, and her pets. The 14 reports include three reports of minor property damage and two reports of minor burns The home, along with all the Crowder family's possessions, was completely destroyed after a candle fire The Crowder family of six poses for a photo Actor Cocoa Brown and her 12-year-old son, pictured, escaped from their burning home in Fayetteville, Georgia, back in February. Sources say a candle was the cause Statistics show that candle fires are the most common in December, during the peak of the holidays. The National Fire Protection Association says these types of blazes kill 86 people a year on average, while also causing up to $374 million in direct property damage per year. The National Candle Association cited a government study suggesting 85 percent of candle fires could be prevented if people followed three simple safety rules. These include never leaving a burning candle unattended, never lighting a candle near flammable objects and keeping them out of reach from children and pets. While India has a rich tradition of genuine spiritual leaders, the influence of these charlatans has surged, fueled by politics and societal insecurities The Mundaka Upanishad warns of the dangers posed by those who, though ignorant, present themselves as wise. The verse (1.2.8) loosely translates to, Living in the midst of ignorance and considering themselves wise, fools think of themselves as learned. They wander around, bewildered, like blind men led by the blind. This verse serves as a caution against self-proclaimed spiritual gurus who mislead others. India has long been a land of genuine spiritual gurus who have guided millions, providing a path for the masses to follow. However, times have changed. Today, genuine spiritual leaders are often overshadowed by flashy godmen, or "babas," who frequently deceive people for personal gain. This trend has become particularly dangerous when combined with the politics of numbers, creating a powerful politico-religious phenomenon. These so-called babas often become demigods with political leaders as their disciples, wielding immense power and wealth, even though they claim to have renounced it. A recent incident in Hathras highlights the tragic consequences of such influence. Over 150 people, mostly women from poor Dalit families, were killed in a stampede during a satsang by Bhole Baba, also known as Narayan Sakar Hari. Baba, a former policeman who retired 28 years ago amid rape allegations, had attracted around 150,000 people to the event, despite only 80,000 being allowed. The stampede occurred when the crowd rushed to collect soil believed to have healing powers after Baba's departure. His popularity and wealth have only grown, despite such tragedies. While some of his followers were arrested, Bhole Baba himself was not named in the FIR, and his ashrams remain untouched by authorities. And he is not alone. Many others are doing just that. A couple of years back a procliamed baba gave unique recipie for peoples woes: keep 500 rupees in your wallet for prosperity, keep your spouse photo for better relationship and so on. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Insan ran schools for girls in which they had to eat rose petals as prasadam on which he walked. Figures like Asaram Bapu and Gurmeet Ram Rahim Insan are serving prison sentences for serious crimes. The number and influence of such godmen have grown, partly due to the rise of religious politics. This trend is mirrored globally, though it is particularly pronounced in India. The following of these godmen often stems from the insecurity and faith of their followers, who may feel abandoned by both God and the system. This combination distances them from rational thinking. In countries with less economic and social insecurity, the influence of religion tends to wane, but not entirely. In the United States, faith healers or Televangelists wield significant influence over their followers, claiming to cure people in the name of Jesus Christ. While the number of those cured remains questionable, these healers amass enormous wealth, owning Caribbean islands and flying in private jets. Addressing the influence of these Babas is a significant challenge. The Indian Constitutions Article 51A emphasises the duty of citizens to develop a scientific temper and humanism, which these fake godmen often ignore. While organizations like the Andhashradha Nirmulan Samiti in Maharashtra work to expose fraudulent practices, activists like Dr. Narendra Dabholkar have paid the ultimate price, allegedly at the hands of conservative groups like Sanatan Sanstha. Similar forces were responsible for the deaths of Govind Pansare, Gauri Lankesh, and Professor Kalburgi. Following Dr Dabholkar's murder, the Maharashtra Assembly passed a law against superstition and miracle cures. To curb the influence of fake godmen, a combination of education, awareness, and strong legal frameworks is essential. Promoting critical thinking and spiritual education can empower individuals to discern genuine spiritual guidance from deception. Educational institutions, community programs, and media can play a crucial role in spreading awareness about the characteristics of false gurus and the dangers of blind faith. Encouraging open discussions about spirituality and ethics can help people recognise the difference between authentic spiritual leaders and charlatans. Additionally, it is crucial to strengthen laws and regulations to hold fraudulent godmen accountable. Publicising such cases can also serve as a warning to potential victims. Ultimately, by encouraging critical inquiry, supporting victims, and ensuring justice, society can reduce the influence of fake godmen and safeguard the integrity of spiritual practices. (The writer is a freelance writer, social activist and business coach; views expressed are personal) As the world grapples with the escalating effects of climate change, the urgent need to rethink our approach to water management becomes ever more pressing Whenever we face drought and heat waves we are reminded to take a relook at efficiency of water management. More than one-fourth of the global population, nearly 2.2 billion people do not have proper access to clean drinking water. United Nations (UNs) goal in this regard is to provide clean drinking water and sanitation for all by 2030. UNs coordination mechanism on water and sanitation (UN-Water) sets the theme every year. This years theme was Leveraging Water for Peace.Air and water are important to sustain life on Earth. The conflicts between the countries, between the states and within society arise when we have to share water for crop irrigation, household purposes, industrial uses and power generation. The conflict gets often aggravated especially when the availability of water becomes scarce during the pinch period. Treaties between the countries have resolved the disputes. Different forums are also available for the resolution of conflicts at international and national levels.India has 25 major river basins with most rivers flowing across the states. There is the Interstate Water Dispute Act, of 1956 for resolving disputes in the use, control and distribution of river and river valleys. The disputes are continuing challenges to federal water governance in the country. To resolve the disputes, there are water dispute tribunals in India namely the Ravi and Beas Water Tribunal, Vansandhara water dispute tribunal, Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal, Mahanadi water dispute tribunal, Krishna water dispute tribunal and Cauvery dispute tribunal etc. The sharing of water of the Cauvery River has been the source of serious conflict between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. In 2018, the tribunal awarded Karnataka to annually release 192 tmc of water in ten equal monthly instalments to Tamil Nadu. 2023-24 was El Nino (Spanish word meaning little boy) year and there has been a deficit in rainfall in the catchment of the river from July 2023 onwards. As a result, the reservoirs were half empty and it became difficult for Karnataka to follow the orders of the tribunal. Two states started a blame game till early July 2024 when there were good rains in the Cauvery catchment in the latter part of July. As nature was kind, the dispute was resolved and the blame game stopped. The prolonged dispute between the states for sharing water is always traced back to destruction as well as poor maintenance of the catchment of the river and unfavourable weather conditions like El Nino.World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced that El Nino, a climate pattern associated with the warming of the ocean surface in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean has impacted the monsoon causing below-normal rainfall last year, has gradually weakened. This has been one of the five strongest El Nino on record but remained weaker than 1997-98 and 2015-16. El Nino typically has the greatest impact on global climate in the second year of its development in this instance 2024, WMO said. This impact has led to above normal temperature in India till June 2024. WMO further added that there is a chance of La Nina (Spanish word meaning little girl) developing later in the year. La Nina is a climate pattern associated with periodic cooling off the ocean surface temperature and brings normal rains in the region. Western World, Canada and the US are experiencing heat wave conditions even in August this year.The underground water table receded during summer. There has been a public hue and cry in many places in central and peninsular India to access potable water for household needs. The Government and Civic agencies are facing the challenge. Karnataka is one such state where there was an acute drinking water problem in the summer. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah directed the district administration to establish a helpline and control room to enable the public to register grievances and supply water in tankers to all affected areas. He also directed to tender the work of digging more bore wells to tap underground water for public emergencies. Bengaluru too faced a water shortage. Water supply to the city comes through the pipeline from the Cauvery River located 100 km away. The water has also to be pumped up at many intermediate locations to achieve an altitude of 1 km, where the city is. The arrangements have been made to supply water in tankers from adjoining towns. Water supply to high-rise apartments was also reduced. Residents used disposable cutlery and wet wipes to ration their water consumption. It will generate more waste and agencies may have to step up the disposal. They have also banned vehicle washing and swimming pool activities. Deepening of the bore wells is another environmental challenge. Every time the groundwater level recedes, we go for the deepening. Is it environmentally sustainable? Recharging the ground through rain harvesting structures has to be adhered to by each Government continuously. Rivers originating from the Himalayas are snow-fed and satisfy the water needs of the people, especially in the northern belt of the country from west to east. Rivers in the central Indian landscape and peninsular India originate from forests. Often big rivers originate from the same place and flow in different directions. Johila, Narvada and Son originate from Amarkanthak and flow in different directions. Five rivers namely Koyana, Krishna, Venna, Savitri and Gayatri originate from Mahabaleshwar near Pune. Several important rivers like Tungbhadra and Cauvery also originate from the Western Ghats. Apart from providing drinking water to several villages and towns, there are numerous irrigation and power projects located on these rivers. Life is fully dependent on these rivers and except the Himalayan Rivers all others originate from forests. Let us be clear that water is not produced by forests, yet the rivers originate there. Forests are the mothers of rivers and are systems to conserve rainwater in the subsoil and the roots of the trees. The river source provides a small volume of water trickling from the roots of each of the millions of trees on undulating hills around. As it forms the stream and the flow of water proceeds under gravity, many more such streams join to increase the volume of water. Sometimes bigger streams or even rivers also join to increase the volume of flowing water in the river. The water in the streams is nothing but rainwater. During the monsoon substantial quantity of water is absorbed by the earth charging the underground aquifers and some portion of it is retained in the subsoil and roots of the trees. The roots hold the water like a sponge and continuously release it during warm weather, making the streams perennial. While traversing in the forests we come across several perennial streams even in summer months when there is no rainfall.Every stream has a catchment and if it is a forested catchment, the stream would be perennial in the non-rainy season, or else it would be a seasonal stream flowing on rainy days. Forests play a significant role in conserving water and making the streams perennial. Further, the streams flowing out of forested catchment would always carry cleaner water without even soil particles in it. On the contrary, streams flowing through areas dominated by human activities would be muddy and mixed with chemicals and sewage. Further, the rainwater carries a lot of soil and the reservoirs get silted up losing their water holding capacity. Reservoirs located closer to forested areas have a longer life. Maintenance engineers have a difficult time in de-silting reservoirs receiving water from human areas. The rainfall pattern and distribution not only depends upon weather conditions and the direction of wind but also depends upon the density and distribution of forests on land. The pledge we must take is to preserve and conserve natural forests. Forests also play a vital role in the maintenance of the water cycle. More than two years ago, on the sidelines of COP 26 at Glasgow, leaders holding 90% of forests on the planet had pledged to end deforestation by 2030. Of course, India did not sign this pledge. Two more COP meetings have taken place since then, but the issue has not been reviewed by those who pledged. On the contrary, there are reports suggesting that natural forests are being lost at an alarming rate unprecedented warming has also taken its toll and forest fires have remained uncontrolled for months in the US, Canada, European countries, Russia, China, Brazil, and Australia. If we dont save our forests, the perennial water streams will become seasonal. (The writer is retired principal chief conservator of forests, Karnataka; views are personal) In a unique movement, lakhs of women of different age and from different walks of life and irrespective of their financial status on Wednesday hit the streets of Bengal, more so at several points in Kolkata to register their protest against the brutal rape and murder of a young woman in the safety of her workplace, calling to break free of the shackles on the eve of Indias 78th year of Independence. Similar protests were reported from Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and even foreign ports like Australia and Oslo. The protest scene was tumultuous at what they call the epicentre of agitations, Jadavpur University, with thousands converging outside the University, causing widespread traffic jams along the wide boulevards for several kilometers on end. Is it as though all roads lead to Jadavpur, said Parambrata Chatterjee, a popular Bengali and Hindi film actor. Reports of similar congregations were reported from Coochbehar, Jalpaiguri, Siliguri, Raiganj, Bolpur-Shantiniketan, Bongaon, Durgapur, Purulia, Asansol, Howrah, Midnapore, Barasat, and Rajarhat New Town north of Kolkata. A senior officer in the State police law and order department said, Bengal has shown why it is still different such a unique protest I have never seen in 25 years of my life. Not a thousand but several lakh, mostly women, who have emerged on the streets jettisoning pressure. Spurred by the Reclaim the Night campaign, which gained momentum through social media, after Rimjhim a Presidency College postgraduate student of Sociology appealed a few days ago to join her in a midnight protest at 11:55 pm on the appointed day. I did not think so many people would respond like this it shows that women, particularly in India have gun powder inside them, waiting or on the verge of explosion,. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday appealed to doctors to rejoin work reminding the nature of their jobs. Like the police the doctors too perform emergency duty and I remind them their duty I can only appeal to their conscience as several patients are returning to their villages without getting treatment. I have learnt that few have died I will request them to return to their work, Banerjee said. On the third day of their strike on Wednesday in protest against rape and murder of their colleague in Kolkatta, junior residents from over 60 Government medical colleges in cities, including Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Rishikesh, Delhi, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, Guwahati, and Bangalore among others across the country demonstrated a united front, expressing their frustration at the tragic incident through various forms of protest from wearing black bands and holding candlelight marches to shouting slogans, and staging demonstrations. Their anguish was palpable as they refused to relent until enactment of the Central Protection Act for healthcare workers. In Telangana, Seethakka garu, Minister of Panchayat Raj and Rural Development of the State came forward to show solidarity with doctors across the country. The strike has had a clear impact on health services particularly elective i.e. non-essential ones, with many patients at the OPD returning home without treatment as they boycotted the services. However, emergency cases were not impacted. Soon after the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) decided to call off their strike following a meeting with Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Tuesday, questions arose from various state resident doctors' associations and the Federation of All India Medical Associations (FAIMA). These groups expressed concern over FORDA's decision and chose to continue their strike, seeking better safety measures for healthcare workers. They emphasised the need for broader systemic reforms to ensure the protection and well-being of all healthcare professionals. In the national capital, the Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) at AIIMS and RML hospital continued with their strike on the third day. The AIIMS RDA stated, "The AIIMS community has reiterated its demand for the implementation of the Central Protection Act and has decided to continue support for their RG Kar MC&H doctors. By consensus, it has been decided that resident doctors at AIIMS, including foreign nationals, sponsored candidates, fellows, and graduates, will continue their strike, which includes suspending academic activities, optional OPD services, ward and OT services. However, sub-emergency services, ICU, emergency procedures, and emergency OT will continue." FAIMA Doctors Association President Dr Rohan Krishnan too said that we are continuing with the strike as of now till our Demands are not met. "We have heard that one of the bodies in the Resident Doctors' Association has called off their strike. The FAIMA doctors will be on strike because only one demand has been met, which is transferring the case to the CBI. The High Court has done this. We have not received substantial support from the state or central government. We want a central protection act for healthcare workers and we seek concrete action on this. Junior doctors at government-run hospitals in Rajasthans Swai Mansingh College and Srikakulam Medical College, Andhra Pradesh boycotted outpatient services in support of the nationwide protest while NIMHANS Employees Association extended their support. Similarly, protests in Government Medical College, Ananthapuramu, Andhra Pradesh and Gandhi medical College, Secunderabad, Telangana, were held. We are continuing with the strike, Telangana JUDA said as nursing staff joined in protest at Kakatiya medical College,Warangal ,Telangana. RDA AIIMS Raebareli and PGI Chandigarh doctors protested for safe workplaces in the hospitals. United Doctors Front Association said, We urge the entire medical community to ensure that no woman ever suffers like this again. It's high time we secure the #CPA for HCWs. It also called upon Drs, paramedics, actors, politicians,media,influencersto join us in this vital cause. The resident doctors at Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) said, "We the office bearers of BMC MARD convened a meeting, and have decided that the ongoing strike will continue until all the demands put forth by the association are fully met and provided in writing. The decision to persist with the strike is firm, and no actions will be taken to end it until our demands are addressed satisfactorily. The doctors also sat on strike in front of the ANMMC hospital's superintendent with a placard in their hands, demanding justice. Similarly, Resident doctors of the Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) staged while Junior Doctors of Assam's Guwahati Medical College and Hospital held a candle march to show solidarity with the victim of Kolkata doctor rape-murder incident. Jeff Leopold, co-owner of six Ace Hardware stores in the Bay Area, has had to lock up merchandise to curb shoplifting. Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle Before the Lego sets were kept behind locked glass panels, Michelle Leopold said the boxes of popular toys were regularly stolen from the shelves of her Ace Hardware store in Laurel Heights. One time, a group of shoplifters entered the store with garbage bags, filled them with Lego boxes and fled to a waiting van. Michelle and her husband, Jeff, who own six Ace locations across the Bay Area, have started locking other merchandise including the entire tool aisle in an effort to curb shoplifting. The losses are definitely piling up, Michelle said. In the past 10 years, theres definitely been an increase in shoplifting. Advertisement Article continues below this ad After a customer helped her stop someone from stealing two Yeti coolers this week, she thinks everyone not just those running retail businesses is getting fed up with brazen theft. In response to complaints from business owners like Michelle Leopold, California lawmakers passed a slate of bills Monday to address retail theft crimes, including by cracking down on the sale of stolen goods and making it easier to prosecute burglaries. They also include a measure that would eliminate the requirement that victims prove their vehicle was locked to press car burglary charges. The bills now await final approval from Gov. Gavin Newsom. The Democratic governor hasnt officially committed to signing them, but hes praised lawmakers for their work to address retail theft and has said he supports the general policies in the bills. They represent one vision for how best to address crime on California streets, an issue that has divided Democrats. Newsom and legislative leaders say the crime bills strike a balance between targeting organized crime rings and prolific thieves with harsher punishments and keeping lower-level criminals out of jail. Advertisement Article continues below this ad But they face opposition from both sides. To their left, some Democrats with more liberal stances on criminal justice policies say the bills are too punitive and will lock too many people in jail. Ace Hardware in San Francisco has been repeatedly hit by shoplifters. Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle During debate on one of the bills to make it easier to prosecute theft, state Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, D-Los Angeles, said such measures would make communities less safe by saddling low-level offenders with criminal records that prevent them from getting jobs to support themselves. This measure and others like it are making our communities unsafe because these measures deepen mass incarceration, she said. On the other side, a bipartisan coalition of moderate Democrats and Republicans says the bills, while good, dont go far enough. They argue addressing retail theft requires going back to California voters and asking them to roll back parts of Prop 47, a ballot measure passed in 2014 that reduced punishments for drug possession and theft of property worth less than $950 to misdemeanors. Advertisement Article continues below this ad That coalition backs a November ballot measure, Prop 36, to do just that. It would allow people caught stealing three times to be charged with felonies, regardless of what they stole and how much it cost. It would do the same for felony drug possession charges and would increase jail time for repeat and organized retail theft. The measure also contains provisions to compel people with multiple drug convictions into treatment. While the Leopolds were not aware of the details of the retail theft legislation, they emphasized that they think doing anything short of rolling back the $950 threshold included in Prop 47 will not be far enough. They said they think shoplifters understand the law and are careful to take under $950 in merchandise. Theres debate over whether the $950 threshold is indeed to blame for the kinds of shoplifting crimes the local business owners describe. Newsom has been adamant that it is not the root problem, pointing out that California has one of the lowest felony theft thresholds in the country. Texas, for example, has a minimum felony theft threshold of $2,500. Data from the California Department of Justice shows reported shoplifting crimes have fluctuated since Prop 47 passed in 2014. That year, the state recorded 97,000 shoplifting crimes. There were nearly 114,000 reported shoplifting crimes in 2023, but the year before, there were just under 82,000. Opponents of Prop 47 often argue that the reduced threshold means such crimes are underreported. A security guard stands outside a Lululemon store in San Francisco. Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle Melanie Kim, state policy director for the San Francisco Public Defenders Office, wrote in a letter to lawmakers this year that retailers have exaggerated the prevalence of theft in pushing the Legislature to crack down, She pointed to an incident last year when the National Retail Federation walked back a claim that organized theft accounted for half of all inventory shrink, a term for lost product that also includes products lost or damaged by retailers themselves. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Crime in San Francisco is in a long-term decline. This is true of both rates of property crime and violent crime. Despite this, the media regularly produce sensationalized news reports about the city, she wrote. Kim pointed to studies that she said showed harsher penalties would not combat retail theft. She instead advocated for increased funding for housing, education and employment opportunities to address root causes of theft. Theft is an act of desperation and poverty, she wrote. Chandler Tang says she has spent thousands of dollars to increase security because of shoplifting at Post.script, her San Francisco gift sore. Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle Chandler Tang said she has spent thousands of dollars to increase security at her Lower Pacific Heights gift store, which is called Post.script, because of shoplifting. She installed a security gate outside the door and outfitted the small shop with several cameras and handwritten signs telling customers theyre being filmed. Tang said shoplifters have pocketed $30 to $50 gifts that are often small enough to be hard to spot. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A security camera seeks to deter shoplifting at Post.script. in San Francisco. Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle The San Francisco native opened her store in November 2019 and has dealt with theft since the very beginning. It sucked because were a small business, and it really hits our morale a lot and kind of makes me a bit more paranoid, she said. Tang said that supporting Prop 36 will be drawing her to the ballot box in November. San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said he supports both the retail theft legislation and the ballot measure. I think these bills are helpful. Theyre a step in the right direction, said Mahan, a Democrat. They are limited, however, because Prop 47 was passed by a vote of the people and making changes requires going back to the voters. Legislative leaders incited backlash when they tried to pit the retail theft bills against the ballot measure. In June, they amended several of the bills to contain language that would repeal the policies if Prop 36 passed. That would have forced supporters to choose either the bills or the proposition, but it generated so much controversy that legislative leaders were forced to remove the repeal language from the bills. Now that the retail theft bills have passed, however, they may still erode the ballot measures funding. The bills, which were crafted in negotiations with the California Retailers Association and the California Grocers Association, contain those trade groups top priorities. With those policies on the verge of becoming law, the businesses they represent may have less incentive to pour more money into the ballot measure campaign. Rachel Michelin, the chief executive officer of the California Retailers Association, said that the group is hopeful and excited about the retail theft bills. The group, which has previously voiced support for Prop 36, will reevaluate its position following the signing of the legislation, she said. Michelin said many measures included in the legislative package particularly those going after organized crime and online resellers address aspects of retail theft not included in the ballot initiative. A police security station seeks to combat shoplifting at Target in Emeryville. Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle Before the measure qualified for the ballot, big retailers provided the bulk of the funding. None of the three largest funders of the measure Walmart, Target and Home Depot have contributed to the campaign since March. The companies did not respond to questions about whether they planned to contribute more money to the Prop 36 campaign. After raising more than $9.2 million during the first half of the year, primarily from retailers, the campaign reported just $103,000 in cash on hand at the end of June. In California, successful ballot measure campaigns typically cost tens of millions of dollars. Lawmakers passed the following retail theft bills Monday: Fighting valiantly, a young captain of the Indian Army sacrificed his life, on the eve of the 78th Independence Day, while leading an ongoing anti-terrorist operation aimed at flushing out Pakistani terrorists hiding in the forested belt of Assar in Doda district of Jammu on Wednesday. The security forces also neutralised a Pakistani terrorist while the hunt was going on to eliminate two to three other terrorists hiding in the area. It is suspected the terrorists may have fled the area leaving behind one M4 rifle, three bags, and a blood trail. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday morning convened a meeting in New Delhi on the rising terror-related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir ahead of the 78th Independence Day, it was learnt. Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Director General of military operations-Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma and heads of the security-related agencies attended the meeting, sources said. Tension prevailed in the area as residents woke up to the deafening sounds of heavy gunfire. In view of the the Independence Day events on Thursday, the security arrangements were further stepped up to prevent any other incident of terrorist violence across the region. The security forces have already been kept in a State of high alert for the past few days to maintain tight vigil along the International border and the areas closer to the line of control. Armys White Knight Corps Wednesday posted on X stating, One terrorist has been neutralised in the ongoing operation. One AK 47 has been recovered in addition to the M4 rifle. Intermittent exchange of firing continues as the operations are ongoing, said the Army. Meanwhile, the army officer who laid down his life has been identified as Captain Deepak Singh. He hailed from Dehradun, Uttarakhand. On Thursday when the Nation comes together to celebrate Independence Day his family is expected to receive his mortal remains, wrapped in the tricolor. Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi and all ranks of the Indian Army also paid tributes. We salute the supreme sacrifice of the Braveheart Capt Deepak Singh, who laid down his life in the line of duty in J&K, We express deepest condolences to the bereaved family, the post said. Over 20 army personnel, including two army captains, and two para commandos have sacrificed their lives in the recent surge of incidents of Pakistan-sponsored terrorist violence since January 1 this year. At least 15 civilians including seven pilgrims were also killed during the same period. According to official sources, since last week the security forces had launched a hot chase based on specific intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists in the upper reaches of Udhampur. The first contact was established with the group of terrorists after the initial exchange of fire late Tuesday evening. Due to pitch-dark conditions, the operation was halted. On Wednesday, as the search parties started combing the area, a fierce gunfight erupted. The captain of the Indian army who was leading from the front during the ongoing operations received bullet injuries in the heavy exchange of firing. The army officer was safely evacuated to the base and shifted to the hospital but he later succumbed to his fatal injuries. One of the terrorists was also neutralized in the gunfight. To contain the situation, the Union government has already deployed additional troops across the Jammu region to flush out the foreign terrorists from their safe hideouts carved inside the forested areas of Rajouri, Poonch, Reasi, Udhampur. Doda, Kishtwar and Kathua. Two battalions of the Assam Rifles have also been inducted in the Machhedi area of Kathua and other upper reaches. Three thousand additional army troops and 2000 BSF men have been deployed across the region to plug the gaps and launch anti-terrorist operations across different sectors. Uttrakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, in a tweet, also offered his condolences. I pay my deepest respects to Captain Deepak Singh, a valiant son of Uttarakhand, who made the ultimate sacrifice during the encounter with terrorists in Doda, Jammu and Kashmir. His sacrifice in the service of Mother India will forever inspire patriotism among the youth. I pray to God to grant his noble soul a place at His feet and to provide strength to the grieving family to endure this sorrow. Former J&K Chief Ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti also expressed her condolences: Another young army officer lays down his life in the line of duty, this time in an encounter in Doda. It is highly unfortunate that the situation in some parts of the Jammu region has been allowed to deteriorate like this. May Captain Deepak Singhs soul rest in peace. I send my heartfelt condolences to his family & colleagues.posted Omar Abdullah on the micro-blogging site. Mehbooba Mufti also posted on X, No words will suffice to express the tragedy at Doda today where Captain Deepak Singh was killed during an encounter. The endless cycle of violence & mayhem in J&K continues to devour the lives of innocents despite tall claims of normalcy by the administration. My deepest condolences to his family. Chronology of Terror attacks since January 1, 2024 August 10: Two Army personnel were 'killed in Action' and one civilian died during an encounter in the Kokernag area of Anantnag. July 27: In BAT operation, One soldier of the Indian army made a supreme sacrifice while four others received injuries along the line of control in the Kamakari sector of Macchal in the North Kashmir district of Kupwara. July 24: A terrorist was neutralized and an Indian army jawan sacrificed his life in the North Kashmir district of Kupwara on Wednesday July 23: An Army trooper laid down his life while thwarting an infiltration attempt of terrorists along the Line of Control (LOC) in Battal area of Krishna Ghati belt, located in Mehdhar tehsil July 22: A heavily armed group of terrorists targeted 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 Jul 18: Two terrorists were killed as security forces foiled a fresh infiltration bid along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmirs Kupwara district. July 16: A Captain of the Indian army along with three other soldiers was martyred during a fierce gunfight with a group of Pakistani terrorists in the Dessa forest area. July 14 Alert troops of the Indian army Sunday foiled a major infiltration bid by neutralizing three heavily armed terrorists along the line of control in the Keran sector of the North Kashmir district of Kupwara. * July 7, 2024: An Army Sentry was injured as terrorists targeted an Army post at Manjakote in Rajouri district. * June 26, 2024: 3 Pakistani terrorists of Jaish-e-Mohammed outfit eliminated by security forces at Gandoh, Doda. * June 12, 2024: Cop injured in encounter at Gandoh, Doda. * June 11, 2024: 6 security personnel wounded as terrorists target Army and police joint post at Chattergalla, Doda. * June 11 and 12, 2024: Two terrorists and CRPF jawan killed and a civilian injured in a gun battle at Hiranagar in Kathua district. * June 9, 2024: Nine civilians, seven of them pilgrims killed and 41 others injured in a terror attack at Teryath, Reasi. * May 4, 2024: An IAF soldier was martyred and six others were injured when terrorists ambushed their vehicle at Surankote in Poonch district. * April 28, 2024: A Village Defence Guard (VDG) was martyred in a terror attack at Basantgarh in Udhampur district. Terrorists escaped. * April 22, 2024: A Social Welfare Department (SWD) official was killed by the terrorists. His brother, a Territorial Army jawan, who was the target, survived, at Shahdara Sharief in Rajouri district. Ahead of holding the maiden Assembly elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the Union Home Ministry has decided to rush highly decorated IPS officer Nalin Prabhat (1992 Batch), a counter-terrorism and anti-Naxal expert, to lead ongoing anti-terrorist operations as Special Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police with immediate effect. Nalin will formally take charge as Director General of Police, Jammu and Kashmir with effect from October 1, 2024, immediately after the superannuation of sitting DGP RR Swain on September 30, 2024. An appointment order in this regard was issued by the Union Home Ministry on Thursday, a day after the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on Wednesday sanctioned the inter-cadre deputation of Nalin, Director-General of the National Security Guard (NSG), from the Andhra Pradesh to AGMUT cadre for a tenure of three years. The Special DGP is expected to strengthen the intelligence gathering network of Jammu and Kashmir police besides intensifying anti-terrorist operations to create a conducive atmosphere for holding peaceful Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir. Nailn, 55, has earlier won three police gallantry medals. He also headed the specialised anti-Naxal police force Greyhounds of Andhra Pradesh, his former cadre State. He has extensively served in the CRPF as he headed its Kashmir region deployment as the IG operations and ADG. Meanwhile, a joint team of security forces have further intensified their anti-terrorist operations across the Jammu region after gunning down one of the foreign terrorists in the Assar area of Doda on Wednesday. Captain Deepak Singh, leading the operations from the front, laid down his life in the line of duty before neutralizing the lone terrorist. According to official sources, at least three terrorists managed to flee after inflicting fatal injury to an army officer. During the overnight operation in the Assar forest area of Doda the security forces also managed to recover one US-made M4 rifle, three bags, and other materials from the encounter site. His mortal remains were dispatched to his native place in Dehradun for the final rites with full military honors. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Governor Lt General Gurmit Singh (Retd.) paid floral tribute to Captain Deepak Singh, at Jolly Grant airport in Dehradun. In another related development, the Jammu and Kashmir police have established 19 special counterterror units, each headed by a Dy SP, in 8 terror-hit districts of Jammu. These teams will remain stationed and will conduct counterterror operations alongside looking after routine crime in the areas. The units have been set up in the areas that witnessed terror attacks in recent months across the Jammu province. According to official sources, these units will remain stationed at Latti and Panchari of Udhampur district. Malhar, Bani of Kathua district. Pouni/Ransoo, Mahore, Chassana, Gulabgarh, and Passana of Reasi district. Dessa/Kastigarh, Assar of Doda district.Dachhan, Drabshalla of Kishtwar district. Ramsoo, Chanderkote/Batote Sangaldan/Dharamkund of Ramban district. Kalakote of Rajouri district, Baffliaz/Behramgalla, Mandi/Loran, Gursai of Poonch district. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday delivered his longest Independence Day speech to date, speaking for 98 minutes. His speech was also the longest by comparison with any PM in the history of India. Besides, Modi who sported a multicoloured Rajasthani leheriya print turban with white kurta and churidar, also broke the record of his immediate predecessor Manmohan Singh by hoisting the national flag from the ramparts of the Red Fort for the 11th consecutive time. With this, Modi has become the Prime Minister to hoist the Tricolour for the third highest time. The record lies with first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru who got the honour 17 times from 1947 to 1964. Prior to this, Modis longest Independence Day speech lasted 96 minutes in 2016. In contrast, his briefest address was in 2017, spanning approximately 56 minutes. His longest I-day speech before Thursday was 96 minutes in 2016 while his shortest speech was in 2017 when he spoke for around 56 minutes. On the 78th Independence Day, Modi also became the prime minister to hoist the tricolour on Independence Day and deliver a speech for the third highest time. Modi delivered his first Independence Day speech in 2014, which lasted for 65 minutes. His speech in 2015 lasted for about 88 minutes. This was Modis 11th address as PM and his first after taking charge for a third term. In 2018, Modi addressed from the ramparts of the Red Fort for 83 minutes. Subsequently, in 2019, he spoke for nearly 92 minutes, which was his second-longest to date. In 2020 Modis I-day address lasted for 90 minutes. Before Modi, Jawaharlal Nehru in 1947 and IK Gujral in 1997 had the longest speeches at 72 and 71 minutes, respectively. Besides, PM Modi broke the record of his immediate predecessor Manmohan Singh by hoisting the national flag from the ramparts of the Red Fort for the 11th consecutive time. Indira Gandhi holds the record of hoisting the national flag for the second highest time. She did so 16 times, just one short of her fathers record. However, this was done in two different stints from 1966-1977 and 1980-1984. Manmohan Singh, who was prime minister of the Congress-led UPA government for 10 years, hoisted the national flag 10 times between 2004 and 2014. Of Indias 15 prime ministers, Gulzarilal Nanda and Chandra Shekhar were the only ones who did not get a chance to hoist the tricolour even once. Chandra Shekhar, who became the first prime minister of India to head a coalition government at the centre, held the top post from November 1990 to June 1991. Nanda, Indias second prime minister, served the nation for two brief terms---May 27-June 9, 1964 and January 11-24, 1966. At fifth spot is Atal Bihari Vajpayee, prime minister for 13 days in 1996 and two incomplete terms from 1998 to 2004, with six times. Vajpayee is followed by Rajiv Gandhi, who became the youngest prime minister of India and served for a single term from 1984 to 1989. He hoisted the tricolour five times. His record was equalled by another Congress PM, P V Narasimha Rao, who served as PM for a single term from 1991 to 1996. Lal Bahadur Shastri and Morarji Desai hoisted the flag two times each. Shastri was prime minister from June 1964 to January 1966. He is credited with leading India to victory in the India-Pakistan war of 1965. Desai served as prime minister for two years from 1977 to 1979. Four PMs Charan Singh, V P Singh, H D Deve Gowda and IK Gujral hoisted the flag once each. Charan Singh served as prime minister of India for 170 days between July 1979 and January 1980 and V P Singh from 1989 to 1990. Deve Gowda was prime minister for slightly less than a year, June 1996 to April 1997. Gujral, too, was prime minister for slightly less than a year (April 1997 to March 1998). Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called for strict punishment for those who execute these monstrous deeds, in an indirect reference to the Kolkata doctors rape and murder as the Mamata Banerjee Government faces massive anger and protests. In his first Independence Day address of his third term from the ramparts of the Red Fort and his 11th consecutive one, Modi said State Governments need to take crimes against women seriously and instill fear of punishment in the hearts of these criminals. Modi expressed concern over incidents of rape and violence against women and said he can feel the outrage of people. Modi said there is a need to widely publicise punishments given for atrocities against women, so that there is a fear of consequence. Without directly mentioning the ghastly crime in West Bengal, Modi said extensive discussions on those receiving punishment should be held so that criminals understand that crimes against women lead to hanging. The Prime Minister said, Now the need of the hour is that there should be a wide discussion about the criminals who get punished so that even those who commit such sins fear the consequences, including hanging to death. I feel that it is very important to create this fear, he said. there are some pressing concerns which bring me a lot of trauma, hence, I once again wish to highlight them from the ramparts of the Red Fort. As a society we should seriously dwell upon the atrocities being meted out to our mothers, sisters and daughters. The outrage is visible in the nation and among the citizens. I can feel this outrage. The States, society and the nation have to take serious cognisance of this malefaction. Crimes against women should be investigated without any delay. Those committing such demonic acts must be booked prima facie to reinstate the trust on the government, judiciary and civil society, Modi said. I would also like to say that when rapes and incidents of atrocities on women occur, it is widely discussed. But when a person of such a monstrous tendency is punished, it is not seen in the news, but restricted to a corner, he added. His comments come in the backdrop of the horrific rape and murder of an on-duty trainee doctor at a government hospital in Kolkata last week which led to widespread protests. The postgraduate trainee doctor was allegedly raped and brutally murdered on August 9. A civic volunteer was arrested in connection with the crime the next day. Addressing the nation on the 78th Independence Day, PM Modi said India can emerge as a developed nation through the collective resolve of 140 crore citizens, who together can overcome any challenge. The Prime Minister said if a nation of 40 crore people could launch the freedom struggle and overthrow a world power by breaking the shackles of slavery, the dream of a prosperous India can be achieved if 140 crore citizens work together towards the goal. This is the golden period of Bharat. Viksit Bharat 2047 awaits us. I can see clearly that the blood of our ancestors is in the veins of the 140 crore people. If those 40 crore people could fulfill the dreams of independence, then 140 crore citizens can realize the dream of a prosperous Bharat, he said. Turning his focus on the unrest in Bangladesh, he said 140 crore Indians are concerned over the safety of Hindus and other minorities in the neighbouring country and expressed the hope that normalcy will soon be restored there. India has always wished peace, happiness and prosperity for Bangladesh and wants its development journey to continue, said Modi, who sported a multi-coloured Rajasthani leheriya print turban with a white kurta and churidar. While hailing the rise of women in every sector, he expressed deep concern over incidents of crimes against them, amid an outrage over the recent rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata. He asked state governments to move with utmost urgency to ensure swift justice in such cases. In his speech, the Prime Minister indirectly told Indias adversaries that the rise of Bharat was not a threat to world peace and order so they should desist from targeting his country. He, however, made it emphatically clear that even though these adversaries (state and non- state players) will at best delay Indias rise due to their machinations, India is ready to counter this challenge. Modi also cautioned citizens against those who cannot digest the countrys rise, saying some people cannot think of Indias welfare. The country will have to avoid these people who are sunk in the depth of despair, he added. He said a handful of people nursing such vikriti (perversion) can be a cause of destroying everything and pave the way of anarchy. It inflicts such harm on the country that we will have to make a fresh beginning to repair the damage. They are dreaming to destroy everything. The country will have to understand it, he said, without making any direct reference to anyone or any incident. There are uncountable internal as well as external challenges, the prime minister said, asking foreign powers to be not part of plans against India or be concerned with its progress as the countrys growth is tied to humankinds welfare. His remarks came in the backdrop of opposition parties seizing on a recent report of Hindenburg Research, which has charged the SEBI chairperson Madhabi Buch with conflict of interest in probing the Adani group of companies, to target the market regulator and the government. The ruling BJP has in turn accused the opposition, especially the Congress party, of being hand in glove with the US-based short seller to bring about economic anarchy due to its hate for Modi. Modi said his government has modernised the countrys infrastructure, be it in road, rail, port, schools and hospitals. It has also ensured saturation coverage of welfare schemes, he said, adding that when every beneficiary is covered any taint of casteism and communalism is ruled out. In a clear swipe at opposition parties, he said some people are glorifying corruption and asserted that he wants to create an atmosphere of fear among the corrupt. His fight against corruption will continue, Modi said. He also pitched for reviving Nalanda Spirit in education so that instead of Indians going abroad for study, overseas students should come here. He also outlined Indias commitment to become a global leader in semiconductor production, and said the country will become an industrial hub in manufacturing. There may be challenges and shortages of resources but people united in goals can overcome this to achieve their target, he added. Within hours of Calcutta High Court ordering a court-monitored probe by the CBI into the RG Kar Medical College rape and murder case, the Central agency slueths on Wednesday reached Kolkata and took charge of the case. The CBI team from Delhi comprising medical and forensic experts visited the place of the occurrence after lodging four FIRs and taking custody of the prime accused Sanjoy Das earlier arrested and grilled by the Kolkata Police. Two CBI officers had taken the case diary and other documents pertaining to the case from the Kolkata Police on Tuesday. The officials visited and collected evidences from the seminar hall of the hospital's Department of Chest Medicine where the 31-year-old doctor was raped and murdered. The CBI officials also reported to have directed the hospital authorities to stop the renovation work right at the place of occurrence sources said. "The hospital administration was dislodging a wall separating the seminar hall reportedly to construct a rest room for the doctors which would have led to the tampering of the evidence so the authorities have been asked to stop the work," one of the agitators inside the hospital said. The Bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanan had on Tuesday found serious lapses in the police investigation promptly handing over the case to the CBI. The CBI's taking over of the case came almost in tandem with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee praising the police for "commendable work" in cracking the case. "The police have done commendable work they have cracked the case and arrested the accused," Banerjee said adding she wanted to see the accused person get punished but she was equally against any innocent person getting implicated. "Remember the Dhananjay Chatterjee case I don't want any innocent person to get punished so I gave the best of officers to investigate the case and they did a good job." Even as the medical staff including the resident doctors continued to strike work for the fifth day on Wednesday and women throughout the State planned to hit the streets in the midnight intervening August 14 and 15 seeking freedom for women, Banerjee launched a scathing attack on the BJP and the Left for trying to politicize the issue to extract Bangladesh like dividends. "There are some political hawks who instead of showing sympathy to the victim's family are trying to invoke a Bangladesh like situation in India so as to drive me out of power by force but let me tell them that I do not hanker for power I have been a street fighter and have always been in movements so I am not afraid of losing power," Banerjee said reminding how the BJP ruled States too have their issues with women and how Bengal witnessed many instances of rape and murder during the Left rule. "The BJP is trying to take political benefit out of this but have they forgotten the incidents of Unnao or Hathras where the women were raped and murdered by people with political patronage," Banerjee said adding "the BJP has failed to get majority in the Lok Sabha elections just because they have been doing dirty politics to create disturbance by dividing the people." Accusing the Left for provoking women Banerjee said, "the Left rule too had seen numerous instances of rape and murder when the dead bodies were buried without any investigations being made and the skeletons were recovered when we came to power." Hry Cabinet meeting on August 17 Chandigarh: Haryana Cabinet meeting will be held under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on August 17 (Saturday) at 10:00 AM. The meeting was earlier scheduled for August 17. After the change in time, the Cabinet meeting will now take place in the Main Committee Room, Fourth Floor, Haryana Civil Secretariat, Chandigarh, an official spokesperson said on Wednesday. 13 Hry Police officers honoured with medals on Independence Day Chandigarh: On the occasion of Independence Day 2024, as many as 13 officers and personnel of the Haryana Police have been honoured with the President's Police Medal (PPMDS) and the Police Medal (PMMS) for their outstanding and meritorious services. The Ministry of Home Affairs has announced the list of recipients. Among them, one officer from the Haryana Police has been awarded the prestigious President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service, while 12 other officers and personnel have been honored with the Police Medal for Meritorious Service. Vikas Kumar Arora, Police Commissioner of Gurugram, has been awarded the President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service in recognition of his exemplary contributions to law enforcement. The honorees include Deepak Saharan, Superintendent of Police; Kamal Deep Goyal, Assistant Inspector General of Police and others. Haryana Rajya Sabha By-Election on Sept 3 Chandigarh: Returning Officer for the Rajya Sabha by-election 2024 Saket Kumar on Wednesday said that the schedule for the by-election for a Rajya Sabha seat in Haryana has been announced. The nominations can be submitted by any candidate on any working day, except holidays, at the Haryana Vidhan Sabha Secretariat in Sector-1, Chandigarh, between 11 am and 3 pm until August 21. He further shared that the scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on August 22 at 10 a.m. Candidates can withdraw their nominations until August 27. If necessary, voting will be held on September 3 at the Haryana Vidhan Sabha Secretariat from 9 am to 4 pm, he added. HSSC to conduct written examination for Group 56 and 57 posts on Aug 17, 18 Chandigarh: Haryana Staff Selection Commission Chairman Himmat Singh said that the Commission will conduct written examinations for Group-56 and Group-57 posts on August 17 and 18. He stated that examination centers have been established in six districts namely Panchkula, Ambala, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, Karnal, and Panipat. About 45,000 candidates will appear for the examination. He said that the Commission is committed to ensure that all recruitments are conducted with transparency and fairness. Himmat Singh said that a meeting with the nodal officers of the police and district administration from all six districts has been scheduled for August 16 at the Haryana Staff Selection Commission office in Sector 2, Panchkula. MC Chandigarh issues guidelines for proper disposal of National flags Chandigarh: To ensure proper disposal of the damaged/torn National flag under the central governments Har Ghar Tiranga campaign, the Municipal Corporation Chandigarh has set up collection centres in all its community centres throughout the city, where citizens can deposit damaged or torn National flag, if any. The collection centres shall be operational till August 21. MC Commissioner Anindita Mitra directed all the concerned officers and officials that in case any National flag is found soiled, distorted and damaged, it should be deposited in the nearby Community centre. Thereafter, soiled, distorted, damaged or broken National flag would be disposed of as per the directions issued by the Ministery of Home Affairs under Flag Code of India 2002 under Section-V (misuse) and in terms of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 (as amended). 52 flat owners booked for not informing police about foreigners' stay in Gurugram Gurugram: Ahead of Independence Day, the Gurugram Police filed a case against 52 flat owners of a residential society who accommodated over 50 foreign nationals in their flats without informing the police and without the necessary documentation, officials said on Wednesday. According to officials, a Bhondsi Police Station team was checking hotels, guest houses, and various societies under its jurisdiction on Tuesday in view of the security for Independence Day and compliance with the instructions issued by the district administration. At the Central Park Society located on Sohna Road, the team, upon checking the records, found that over 50 foreign nationals were staying in 52 flats without informing the police and filling the mandatory C-form. Following this, a case was registered against the flat owners under the relevant sections of the Foreigners Act. "We appeal to the people that if any foreign national stays in their hotel, house, guest house, or flats, then inform the police about it and fill the C form," said Gurugram Police spokesperson Sandeep Kumar. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has greeted the police officers and police personnel awarded with the President's Award. While talking to media representatives in the Tiranga Yatra on Kolar Road, he said that in the history of Madhya Pradesh, our policemen had not yet received so many medals as they have received this year. It is a matter of pleasure that all our departments are doing their work with efficiency and responsibility. It is also a matter of pride for the police and the government to get so many medals for valour, bravery and courage. It is noteworthy that in the announcement of medals made by the Government of India on the eve of Independence Day 2024, it has been announced to award the President's Distinguished Service Medal and Commendable Service Medal and Gallantry Medal to the police officers of Madhya Pradesh. The medals will be given during Independence Day celebrations next year i.e. 15 August 2025. In line with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths vision to promote electric vehicles in Uttar Pradesh, the state government is taking several initiatives, including developing a web-based e-mobility dashboard and a mobile app for the EV Accelerator Cell. Invest UP, the nodal agency responsible for tracking investments in the state, has entrusted Uttar Pradesh Development Systems Corporation Ltd. (UPDESCO), with the task aimed at enhancing the states e-mobility. The project will be accomplished by one of the empanelled agencies within UPDESCO within 90 days of work allocation. The process of selecting an agency and assigning the work has already begun. It is noteworthy that the web-based e-mobility dashboard and mobile app for the EV Accelerator Cell will feature advanced capabilities such as enhanced data visibility, improved monitoring, effective management, transparency and public engagement. Additionally, information from the Transport, Urban Development, Housing departments, power corporation and Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) will be compiled to create the database for this initiative. The project will feature a proposed dashboard that offers a centralised platform for monitoring and managing electric vehicle (EV) registrations within the state. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) is focused on promoting cleaner and more sustainable transportation options. To support this, an EV Accelerator Cell will be established to oversee and execute e-mobility initiatives in the state. Invest UP has proposed the development of a UP E-Mobility Dashboard aimed at monitoring, managing, and planning electric vehicle operations across the state, while also promoting widespread EV adoption and setting a national example. This dashboard will be an essential tool for the Uttar Pradesh government to oversee, manage and encourage the use of electric vehicles, aligning with the states commitment to a cleaner and more sustainable transportation future. The e-mobility dashboard will be tailored for use by relevant departments and Invest UP officials, providing them with the means to track, manage and assess the deployment of EVs and charging stations throughout Uttar Pradesh. This initiative will support the promotion of e-mobility, reduce carbon emissions, and conserve fossil fuels. The dashboard and app will be designed with features such as an interactive map, vehicle registration management, data analytics and reporting, charging station details, EV purchase incentive disbursement, battery swapping station information, user management, and a public dashboard. These features will facilitate the sustainable growth of the e-mobility sector by providing a comprehensive platform for disseminating policy information, enhancing resource allocation, and promoting transparency. Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday said that the suffering endured by those who experienced the horrors of the Country's partition can never be forgotten. Considering their pains, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15, 2021 had announced from the Red Fort that August 14 would be observed as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day to honor those who sacrificed during the partition. In line with this, today the Haryana Government has begun observing this day as a state-level event under the 'Saint Mahapurush Samman Evam Vichar Prachar Prasar Yojana from Kurukshetra, Saini added. The Chief Minister was speaking as the chief guest at the State-level event by the Panchanand Memorial Trust in Kurukshetra on Partition Horrors Remembrance Day. Saini, paying tribute to those who were killed in the bloodshed following India's partition, said that he prays to the Almighty that such unfortunate incidents never occur anywhere in the world. The partition of India is a tragedy about which almost half of the post-independence literature is filled. The pain of the partition can never be forgotten, he said. The Chief Minister said that August 14 is a sorrowful day for the partition of India. In 1947, while the process of India's independence was ongoing, the country was also divided. Thus, we had to pay a heavy price for independence. Not only was our country divided, but lakhs of people on both sides were displaced and many were killed in the riots. Atrocities were committed against mothers and sisters. Even today, remembering that scene makes humanity shudder, he added. Saini said that these families and their new generations have also played a notable role in Haryana's development. The developed Haryana we see today owes much to the sweat of those hard working people. No matter where they settled in the country, their region experienced particular prosperity, thanks to their patriotism, honesty, dedication, and commitment, said Saini. He said that this day not only conveys a message of brotherhood but also reminds us that when the threads of social unity break, the country can also be torn apart. The Prime Minister's announcement of observing this day was intended for Indians to learn from history and commit to national unity for a golden future. The land of Haryana has endured the pain of partition more than others. Many families from here went to Pakistan, and the number of families displaced from Western Punjab at that time is higher compared to other states, said Saini The Chief Minister said that a world-class Shaheedi Samarak is being built in the village of Masana in Kurukshetra to preserve the memories of the partition and teach the new generations about mutual love and harmony. Approximately Rs 200 crores will be spent on this memorial. The Panchanand Memorial Trust has donated 25 acres of land for this purpose. Similarly, a memorial chowk has also been established in Jhajjar. The Chief Minister announced a grant of Rs 51 lakhs from his discretionary fund for the Shaheedi Samarak. He added that since its establishment in 2010, the Panchanand Memorial Trust has made great efforts to keep the memory of our ancestors alive. During the partition, 1 lakh of our ancestors fell victim to that horror. They could not even receive proper last rites. For the peace of their souls, the Panchanad Memorial Trust conducted a collective pind-daan at Gaya Tirth in 2016. Establishment of Maharaja Agrasen Airport will give Hry a unique identity on worlds air map In another event at Agroha, Hisar, the Chief Minister announced the inclusion of Agroha in the Hisar Metropolitan Development Authority to accelerate its development. The Hisar Metropolitan Development Authority will now be known as the Hisar-Agroha Metropolitan Development Authority. Saini said that to spread the glory of Agroha Dham and the message of equality, compassion, cooperation, democracy, harmony, brotherhood, non-violence given by Maharaja Agrasen, the journey that started from Chandigarh on August 3 has now reached here after travelling across the state. He said that it is a matter of pride that Maharaja Agrasen made Agroha his capital on this holy land. The Chief Minister said that the airport being built in Hisar has been named after Maharaja Agrasen. The establishment of this airport will give Haryana a distinct identity on the worlds air map. He said that in line with the principles of equality and social harmony of Maharaja Agrasen, the Haryana government has ensured equitable development in every sector. Over the past decade, new records of development have been set in Haryana. The Haryana government has taken numerous effective steps to create a conducive environment for industry and business. Saini said that along with financial incentives, timely delivery of government services has been ensured for industrialists, traders, and investors. As a result, Haryana has become the first choice for entrepreneurs both domestically and internationally for capital investment. He said that to accelerate industrial development, the Haryana government has developed an Ease of Doing Business ecosystem. In the past decade, 6,71,524 micro, small, and medium enterprises have been set up in the state, providing employment to 34 lakh people. Additionally, to address traders' issues, the Haryana Traders Welfare Board has been established, informed Saini. The Chief Minister said that under the Stand-Up India scheme, 6,027 young entrepreneurs in the state have been provided loans amounting to Rs. 1,238 crore. Similarly, under the Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY), 36 lakh youths have been given loans totaling Rs. 35,950 crore to establish employment. For setting up new food processing units in the state, a 25 percent capital investment subsidy is provided on project costs, said Saini. On the eve of India's 78th Independence Day, Dr. Davish Jain, a visionary educator and Chairman of the Prestige Education Foundation, has been honored with the prestigious 'Changemakers of Madhya Pradesh' award, recognizing his transformative contributions to education in the state. The award was presented to Dr. Jain and his wife, Monica Jain, by Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla at a glittering ceremony in Bhopal. Dr. Jain is among 16 distinguished individuals from Madhya Pradesh who have been bestowed with this prestigious award. While receiving this award, Dr. Jain dedicated the award to the students, faculty, and colleagues of the Prestige Group and Prestige Education Foundation, acknowledging their relentless commitment and collective efforts in advancing educational standards and driving meaningful societal change. "This award is a testimony to the unwavering dedication of our entire Prestige family, who have worked tirelessly to bring about a positive transformation in education. Our mission has always been to equip our students with the skills, knowledge, and values essential for success and leadership in the 21st century. This is the change we are committed toelevating the standard of education, not just in Madhya Pradesh but across the nation," Dr. Jain stated. Reflecting on the legacy of the Prestige Group, Dr. Jain said, "For over four decades, his focus has been on excellence, not only in business but in the most impactful area of alleducation. We started with a vision: to provide world-class education to the students of Madhya Pradesh, ensuring that quality education is accessible to all, rather than a privilege for a select few. Today, I am proud to witness this vision come to life, enriching the lives of thousands of students across the state," Dr. Jain added. Migrants wait in line for Customs and Border Patrol processing in Jacumba Hot Springs (San Diego County) after arriving from Mexico on June 5, 2024. Frederic J. Brown/TNS As Vice President Kamala Harris gains ground on former President Donald Trump, Republicans are labeling the Democratic presidential candidate as the Biden administrations border czar and accusing her of promoting an open border policy. In response, Harris points to her record as Californias attorney general from 2011 to 2017. I went after transnational gangs, drug cartels and human traffickers that came into our country illegally. I prosecuted them in case after case, and I won, Harris said at a campaign rally in Atlanta last month. Or, as a campaign video put it, Kamala Harris prosecuted transnational gang members and got them sentenced to prison. Trump is trying to avoid being sentenced to prison. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The statements are accurate as far as they go Harris successfully prosecuted hundreds of cross-border gang members, and Trump is scheduled to be sentenced next month for 34 felony convictions involving concealed hush-money payments but there is much more to be said about her record on immigration issues, as both Californias top law enforcement officer and a U.S. senator, vice president and presidential nominee. She is not a border czar that role, if it existed, would belong to the Department of Homeland Security, whose leader, Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, was impeached by House Republicans in February for allegedly refusing to enforce immigration laws. And the U.S.-Mexico border is not open illegal crossings reached record highs at times between 2021 and 2023, but totaled 57,000 last month, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, compared with more than 75,000 in January 2021, Trumps last month in office. Her record suggests that Harris the daughter of immigrants from India and Jamaica is sympathetic to those who flee poverty and gang violence to enter the United States, but hostile to the forces that push them northward, such as the gangs that exploit them or the harsh conditions in their homelands. Soon after becoming vice president in 2021, Harris was dispatched by President Joe Biden to Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador to try to reduce illegal migration by addressing its causes. Speaking in Guatemala in June 2021, she advised anyone who was thinking about making that dangerous trek to the United States-Mexico border: Do not come. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Migrants and their supporters were dismayed. Harris language was disappointing and shameful, said Cristina Jimenez, co-founder of the advocacy group United We Dream. Vice President Kamala Harris holds a news conference in 2021 after her tour of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Central Processing Center in El Paso. Jacquelyn Martin/Associated Press But Harris also worked to promote industrial development in those countries, with U.S. financial support, and encouraged their leaders to work with the Biden administration on programs to protect people from gang violence, cited by many migrants as their reason for fleeing. She tried to make it easier for people to stay in Central America. But that takes a generation, said Hiroshi Motomura, an immigration law professor at UCLA. Its easy to point to Harris and say she didnt do anything. No one can do anything in one or two years. As Californias attorney general, one of Harris first trips was to the California-Mexico border, where she visited an underground tunnel used by traffickers to smuggle drugs, guns and immigrants into the U.S. She made prosecution of traffickers a prime issue, periodically announcing arrests of 100 or more gang members. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In California, law enforcement at all levels of government have made major strides against these criminal groups, even in the face of declining resources, she declared in a 2014 report, Gangs Beyond Borders. Her success in significantly reducing the traffic over the long term is subject to debate, but her efforts did not go unnoticed. Disrupting transnational gangs and combating human trafficking were key aspects of Kamala Harris approach as Californias attorney general, said Elizabeth Vaquera, an associate professor at George Washington University and director of its Cisneros Hispanic Leadership Institute. She expanded our offices efforts at anti-money laundering and narcotics enforcement, especially transnational criminal organizations, said Maggy Krell, who was a prosecutor in Harris office, of Harris. I would say it was unmatched anywhere else in the country. At the same time, Harris expressed support for immigrants who had entered the U.S. without authorization but posed no apparent danger to the public. Advertisement Article continues below this ad They live among us. They are raising their children among us. Theyre not trying to come here and take Americas jobs, Harris told the Chronicle in a 2015 interview. As a prosecutor, Ill tell you: An undocumented immigrant, as compared to the general population, is the least likely to commit a crime. In a rare division with a fellow Democrat, Harris opposed President Barack Obamas Secure Communities program, which allowed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to demand notification from local law enforcement officials whenever they arrested an undocumented immigrant. She told county sheriffs in the state to make their own decisions based on their assessment of public safety. I disagreed with my president, because the policy was to allow deportation of people who by ICEs own definition were noncriminals, Harris said during a 2019 presidential debate. Obama repealed the program in 2014, Trump reinstated it in 2017 and Biden rescinded it again in 2021. California, meanwhile, moved to protect immigrants in 2017 when Gov. Jerry Brown signed the so-called sanctuary state law, which prohibited police from asking about a persons immigration status and also barred jails from holding inmates for deportation after they had served their sentence. Harris had left state office by then, after being elected to the Senate in 2016, and does not appear to have taken a public position on the California law. But some of her statements on related issues suggest support, such as a letter in 2015 to U.S. senators considering legislation that would have denied funding to California law enforcement agencies that refused to hold immigrants for deportation. Advertisement Article continues below this ad When local law enforcement officials are seen as de facto immigration agents, it erodes the trust between our peace officers and the communities we are sworn to serve, Harris wrote. The sanctuary law seemed to be consistent with her approach as a prosecutor, said Apolonio Morales, a deputy director at the nonprofit California Immigrant Policy Center. She was very centrist on the issue and would listen to advocates. Harris also has supported legislation that would clear a path to U.S. citizenship for longtime undocumented residents who have lived peacefully since entering the United States. Nathan Barankin, Harris chief deputy attorney general and chief of staff when she was a senator, said Wednesday she is fully capable of holding two concepts in mind at the same time. Under the leadership of the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the Uttar Pradesh government is set to hold Kakori Train Action centenary celebrations across India. In this sequence, the Lucknow-based theatre training institute Bharatendu Natya Academy will stage performances in prominent states, bringing to life the story of the Kakori heroes and the historic train action. Bharatendu Natya Academy Director Bipin Kumar said that the theatrical performances would be held in different cities of Uttar Pradesh as well as in various other states including Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Telangana and Delhi. Besides, the performances will also be staged in the northeastern regions including Sikkim and Assam among others. According to Bipin Kumar, the BNAs inaugural theatrical performance will take place in Lucknow this September. Subsequent performances will be staged in other districts of UP before expanding to states across the country. The state government aims to instill a strong sense of patriotism among citizens, ensuring that the heroic sacrifices of Indias freedom fighters are honoured and remembered by the present and future generations. Aligning with Chief Minister Yogis vision, the theatrical performances will spread the message of the Kakori Train Action centenary festival to the masses, he remarked. On August 9, 1925, the Kakori train robbery shook the British government when revolutionaries halted the 8 Down Saharanpur-Lucknow passenger train at Kakori and looted the government treasury. In response, freedom fighters Ram Prasad Bismil, Rajendra Nath Lahiri, Roshan Singh and Ashfaqullah Khan were sentenced to death, while others were imprisoned in the infamous Cellular Jail (Kaala Pani). The centenary celebrations, which officially commenced on August 9, will continue throughout the year with a range of statewide activities. As part of this, the state government is organising various cultural programmes to honour the memories of freedom fighters as well as inspire patriotism among the people. More than 600 resident doctors of Bhopal AIIMS continued to protest for the second day, they are demanding strict punishment for the accused of raping and murdering a lady doctor in Kolkata. The nursing staff has taken charge so that their strike does not disrupt the system. The nursing staff is managing OPD, dressing and minor operations. Doctors and other staff at Hamidia Hospital are working wearing black bands. On Wednesday, the resident doctors protested by taking out a rally in the AIIMS campus. A lady doctor was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata. The resident doctors are protesting against such a heinous crime and to get justice for the victim's family. Their strike has been supported by the AIIMS Bhopal Nurses Association, but they are also treating patients. Senior doctors and nursing staff are in charge of the entire system. About 600 resident or junior doctors of AIIMS are on strike. In such a situation, senior doctors have taken care of the system so that the treatment of patients does not get affected. AIIMS PRO KD Shukla said, junior doctors of AIIMS are on strike, but the senior doctors and nursing staff are in charge of the entire system. The number of doctors is around 200 and the nursing staff is around 500. At present, there is no problem of any kind. Resident doctors in AIIMS Bhopal went on strike on Tuesday. Due to this, the nursing staff took charge and treated the patients alone in OPD, dressing room and minor operation theatres. So that, the patients do not face any problem. At some places, the nursing staff kept seeing patients till 7 pm even after the duty ended at 5 pm. The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to grant interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a corruption case filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the alleged excise policy scam and sought a response from the probe agency on his plea challenging his arrest. The court scheduled the matter for hearing on August 23, stating "no interim bail for now". This is a setback to Kejriwal as he wont be able to hoist the national flag on the occasion of Independence Day event at Chhatrasaal stadium. Amid ongoing controversy over the Independence Day flag hoisting ceremony, Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena snubbed Kejriwals choice and nominated Delhi Home Minister Kailash Gahlot to hoist the national flag in the absence of Delhi CM. This is the first time in the past eight year that Kejriwal will not hoist the national flag as he is in Tihar jail. The insiders of the AAP said that top leadership is unhappy with Gahlot as he has shared the stage with Lieutenant Governor. Over the past few days, Gahlot has shared the stage with Saxena on several occasions. The leaders in AAP see Saxenas move as an attempt to create a rift. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief moved the Supreme Court after the Delhi High Court rejected his challenge to the CBI arrest. He has already got bail from the top court in a case by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) linked to the alleged liquor policy scam. Kejriwals bail came before the top court days after senior AAP leader and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was granted bail in the same case by the Supreme Court after spending 17 months in jail. As the hearing commenced before a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Kejriwal, submitted that he had got interim bail on three occasions in the money laundering case, also linked to the alleged scam, despite the stringent conditions laid down for grant of bail in cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Singhvi cited the top court's interim bail orders passed on May 10 and July 12, as well as the regular bail granted by the trial court on June 20. Responding to the development, the AAP said in a statement that the application for interim bail hasn't been rejected by the SC. It has only issued notice for 23rd August in today's hearing. "Everyone knows that this is a fake case with no recovery or evidence against any AAP leaders. We are confident that after the matter is heard by the SC, CM Arvind Kejriwal will get bail," the AAP said He informed the bench that the June 20 order of the trial court was stayed by the Delhi High Court on an "oral mention". Singhvi argued when Kejriwal could secure bail despite the stringent conditions laid down under the PMLA, he cannot be denied regular bail in the CBI case since the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA) does not have similar rigorous provisions like the anti-money laundering law. "I hate to say so but I have said this everywhere. This particular arrest is what might be called insurance arrest. You are having me interrogated on April 23 for nine hours, you do not have any further action till March 24 when the ED arrests me. I get three release orders and just on the cusp of the order, I am arrested in June," Singhvi said. Referring to Kejriwal's health concerns, Singhvi requested for interim bail. He said an application seeking the relief has also ready been filed. Justice Kant responded, We are not granting any interim bail. We are issuing a notice" The senior lawyer then requested for a "shortest date" and the bench posted the matter for hearing on August 23. The Delhi High Court had on August 5 upheld the arrest of the chief minister as legal, and said there was no malice in the acts done by the CBI which was able to demonstrate how the AAP supremo could influence witnesses who could muster the courage to depose only after his arrest. The high court had asked him to move the trial court for regular bail in the CBI case. Police personnel who eliminated gangster Atiq Ahmeds son Asad have been awarded with the Presidents Gallantry Medal. According to reports, six members of the STF team that gunned down Asad and Mohammad Ghulam in an encounter in Jhansi on April 13, 2023, received the Presidents Gallantry Medal. As many as 17 men of UP Police have received the Presidents Gallantry Medal. The Presidents Gallantry Medal was given to the team of Navendu Singh and Vimal Kumar Singh who had led the team involved in the encounter of Asad. Besides these officers, the other team members include inspectors Gyanendra Kumar Rai, Anil Kumar Singh, head constables Sushil Kumar and Sunil Kumar. Asad and his accomplice, shooter Mohammad Ghulam, both wanted in the Umesh Pal murder case, were shot dead in an exchange of fire with the Uttar Pradesh Police near Jhansi. Asad was caught on CCTV when Umesh Pal was killed and had been on the run for the about 50 days, police said. Asad and Ghulam, who were carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh each, tried to flee on a motorcycle, police had said. They opened fire at the Special Task Force team when it surrounded them and the policemen retaliated, they said, adding the two men were killed in the exchange of fire. Facing flak over the brazen killing of Umesh Pal, a prime witness in the 2005 Bahujan Samaj Party MLAs murder case, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had on February 25 accused the Samajwadi Party of patronising mafias and vowed to destroy them. Atiq Ahmed, a former MP, and Ashraf, an ex-MLA, were shot dead by three gun-toting youths who raised religious slogans while opening fire and handed themselves over to the police afterwards. According to an official communique, Meharban alias Kallu, who was wanted in 31 criminal cases and had a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his arrest, was killed in an encounter in Bulandshahr district on the intervening night of August 17 and 18, 2019. Inspector Jitendra Kumar Singh, Sub-Inspectors Rakesh Kumar Singh Chauhan and Anil Kumar and head constable Hariom Singh were awarded the Gallantry medal in this encounter. Sub-Inspector Jitendra Pratap Singh and Constable Vipin Kumar were awarded for their bravery in an encounter with wanted criminal Praveen alias Baua Dubey in Etawah district on July 9, 2020. According to the release, Praveen Dubey was a member of the gang of slain gangster Vikas Dubey and was involved in the attack on a police party in Bikru area of Kanpur on July 3, 2020, in which eight policemen were killed. The release said that Inspector Rajeev Chaudhary, Sub-Inspector Jaiveer Singh, head constables Rais Ahmed and Arun Kumar and constable Ajay Kumar were honoured in connection with an encounter in Seohara area of Bijnor district on April 12, 2023. Aditya Rana alias Ravi, a criminal with a reward of Rs 2.50 lakh, was killed in this encounter. Director General of Police Prashant Kumar congratulated the 17 policemen who received the Police Medal for Gallantry (PMG) and wished them a bright future. A total of 213 gallantry medals have been awarded to security personnel serving in police, paramilitary forces, fire department, home guards and civil defence in various states of the country on the eve of Independence Day 2024. Several hospitals, including the All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) and Safdarjung, continued their strike on Wednesday in protest against the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata. The Resident Doctors' Associations of AIIMS, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College (VMMC) and Safdarjung Hospital, Ram Manohar Lohia, and Indira Gandhi Hospital continued the strike for a third day on the trot, shutting down OPDs, OTs, and wards. Patients, who come from different corners of the country to recieve medical treatment in the city, had to return home without receiving care as doctors continued their strike despite many stating that it pained them to do so but had no option left. A 34-year-old man from Sona village in Uttar Pradesh's Rampur said it is very difficult to get treatment as most of the doctors are on strike. "I came here at 7 am and since then, Ive been shuffled from one department to another. Its now 2 pm and Im just running from one place to another. With the doctors on strike, its becoming difficult, as there are already too many patients in the government hospitals who can't get treated even on normal days," he said. The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), after a meeting with Resident Doctor Associations (RDAs) from across states and Institutes of National Importance, in a statement said it will stand with its peers nationwide in denouncing the murder and continue its strike. The Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA), however, called off its strike after a meeting with Union Health Minister J P Nadda at his residence on Tuesday night. The association said the decision to end the strike was taken in the interest of the welfare of patients. FORDA said, "A key outcome of the meeting was the health minister's agreement to form a committee with FORDA's involvement to work on the Central Protection Act. The ministry has assured that work on this will begin within the next 15 days." Doctors at Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital and associated hospitals have also called off their strike. A postgraduate trainee doctor was raped and murdered at the RG Kar Medical College while on duty last week. The semi-naked body of the 32-year-old woman was found on August 9 morning in the seminar hall of the government-run hospital in the West Bengal capital. Delhi Home Minister Kailash Gahlot, who hoisted the national flag at the Chhatrasal stadium here on the 78th Independence Day, hailed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as a "freedom fighter" who has been "punished" for working for people. Gahlot said he was distressed that an elected chief minister could not hoist the national flag because he is in jail. "Standing under this flag, I can say proudly that Arvind Kejriwal is a modern day freedom fighter because he accepted the punishment to work for the people of Delhi by going to the jail, but did not bow down or break in front of the anti-democratic forces," he said. Gahlot said the country did not get freedom just so that an elected chief minister could be put in jail, adding it got it to defeat illiteracy, poverty, unemployment and diseases. Kejriwal began the effort to free the country from these ills by providing quality education, healthcare, free electricity and world class transport facilities to the people in Delhi, he asserted. Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 in connection with an excise policy case and is currently lodged in Tihar Jail. Gahlot further said India's democracy is too strong for any power to weaken it, as he cited as an example of the resilience, the release of former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia from jail. On the occasion, he hoped that Kejriwal would also get bail soon. "I hope that Kejriwal will be out soon and will hoist the national flag in the years to come," he said. Sisodia, also arrested in connection with the excise policy case on February 26 last year, was granted bail by the Supreme Court on August 9. Gahlot said the Delhi government led by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will continue to give free electricity, education, healthcare and bus rides to women. "By bringing change in Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has proved that if intentions are clear and the government is honest, everything is possible," said Gahlot. "Our government has done a lot of work in Delhi under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal. There is 24 hours free electricity in Delhi. With this, there has been a tremendous change in the government schools of Delhi," he added. Gahlot listed the achievements of the government in various sectors like education, health and improving the pollution situation in the national capital. The minister, who also holds the portfolio of Transport, said Delhi is known as the Electric Vehicle capital and has the largest fleet of electric buses in the country and third largest in the world. Delhi has 1,970 electric buses at the moment and by 2025, 80 per cent of the bus fleet will be electric, he shared. Gahlot alleged the "democratic rights" of the people of Delhi were taken away through a legislation brought by the Centre, but assured people that their work won't stop despite all obstacles. Remembering freedom fighters who laid down their lives, he said, "Today, on the 78th year of independence, I salute all the freedom fighters." He also saluted the soldiers, who risked their lives to protect the country on the country's borders after independence. Delhi cabinet ministers Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Gopal Rai, Imran Hussain and Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar were present on the occasion. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC grew its position in Arista Networks, Inc. (NYSE:ANET Free Report) by 3.5% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 5,420 shares of the technology companys stock after purchasing an additional 182 shares during the quarter. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLCs holdings in Arista Networks were worth $1,900,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Benjamin Edwards Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Arista Networks during the 1st quarter worth about $26,000. Financial Synergies Wealth Advisors Inc. grew its stake in shares of Arista Networks by 872.7% in the 1st quarter. Financial Synergies Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 107 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 96 shares during the period. Rakuten Securities Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Arista Networks in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Sugarloaf Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Arista Networks in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Finally, Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Arista Networks in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $35,000. 82.47% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Arista Networks alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on ANET shares. Piper Sandler increased their price objective on shares of Arista Networks from $302.00 to $345.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, July 15th. Needham & Company LLC reiterated a buy rating and set a $375.00 target price on shares of Arista Networks in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on shares of Arista Networks from $340.00 to $390.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, July 24th. UBS Group raised their price objective on shares of Arista Networks from $275.00 to $285.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, May 8th. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on shares of Arista Networks from $325.00 to $355.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, July 18th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and sixteen have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Arista Networks currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $353.38. Arista Networks Stock Performance Arista Networks stock traded up $2.46 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $348.65. The company had a trading volume of 1,681,514 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,456,726. Arista Networks, Inc. has a 12-month low of $168.25 and a 12-month high of $376.50. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $336.11 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $301.62. The firm has a market capitalization of $109.25 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 48.22, a PEG ratio of 2.70 and a beta of 1.11. Arista Networks (NYSE:ANET Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 30th. The technology company reported $2.10 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.72 by $0.38. Arista Networks had a net margin of 39.01% and a return on equity of 30.50%. The business had revenue of $1.69 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.66 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.41 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 15.9% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts expect that Arista Networks, Inc. will post 7.29 earnings per share for the current year. Arista Networks announced that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock buyback plan on Tuesday, May 7th that allows the company to repurchase $1.20 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the technology company to reacquire up to 1.4% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are often a sign that the companys board of directors believes its stock is undervalued. Insider Activity at Arista Networks In other news, Director Kelly Bodnar Battles sold 216 shares of Arista Networks stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $324.02, for a total value of $69,988.32. Following the transaction, the director now owns 2,726 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $883,278.52. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other Arista Networks news, CEO Jayshree Ullal sold 17,759 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $319.15, for a total value of $5,667,784.85. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 17,681 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,642,891.15. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, Director Kelly Bodnar Battles sold 216 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $324.02, for a total transaction of $69,988.32. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 2,726 shares in the company, valued at approximately $883,278.52. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 140,066 shares of company stock worth $47,619,894 in the last ninety days. 3.54% of the stock is owned by insiders. Arista Networks Profile (Free Report) Arista Networks, Inc engages in the development, marketing, and sale of data-driven, client to cloud networking solutions for data center, campus, and routing environments in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific. Its cloud networking solutions consist of Extensible Operating System (EOS), a publish-subscribe state-sharing networking operating system offered in combination with a set of network applications. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ANET? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Arista Networks, Inc. (NYSE:ANET Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Arista Networks Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Arista Networks and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Howard Capital Management Group LLC lowered its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report) by 10.3% during the second quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 656 shares of the companys stock after selling 75 shares during the quarter. Howard Capital Management Group LLCs holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $594,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in LLY. Twelve Points Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 1.4% during the second quarter. Twelve Points Wealth Management LLC now owns 811 shares of the companys stock valued at $734,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Verum Partners LLC raised its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 1.5% during the 2nd quarter. Verum Partners LLC now owns 731 shares of the companys stock valued at $662,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc lifted its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 1.8% in the 1st quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 736 shares of the companys stock valued at $573,000 after purchasing an additional 13 shares during the last quarter. Innova Wealth Partners increased its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 1.2% during the first quarter. Innova Wealth Partners now owns 1,068 shares of the companys stock worth $831,000 after buying an additional 13 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Hart & Patterson Financial Group LLC lifted its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 2.0% in the second quarter. Hart & Patterson Financial Group LLC now owns 679 shares of the companys stock worth $615,000 after buying an additional 13 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 82.53% of the companys stock. Get Eli Lilly and Company alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets LLY has been the subject of several analyst reports. Morgan Stanley restated an overweight rating and issued a $1,023.00 target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a report on Friday, July 5th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded shares of Eli Lilly and Company from a hold rating to a buy rating and upped their price target for the company from $725.00 to $1,025.00 in a report on Monday. Truist Financial reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a $1,000.00 price target (up from $892.00) on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Tuesday, June 25th. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an overweight rating and set a $885.00 target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Monday, August 5th. Finally, Barclays raised their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $913.00 to $1,025.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 10th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Eli Lilly and Company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $948.29. Eli Lilly and Company Price Performance Shares of NYSE:LLY traded up $23.63 on Wednesday, hitting $931.68. The stock had a trading volume of 3,426,523 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,097,943. The firms 50 day moving average price is $873.64 and its 200-day moving average price is $800.31. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.90, a quick ratio of 1.03 and a current ratio of 1.35. Eli Lilly and Company has a twelve month low of $516.57 and a twelve month high of $966.10. The company has a market capitalization of $885.47 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 136.49, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 0.41. Eli Lilly and Company Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 15th will be paid a dividend of $1.30 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, August 15th. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.56%. Eli Lilly and Companys dividend payout ratio is 76.58%. Insider Transactions at Eli Lilly and Company In other news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 210,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $939.82, for a total value of $197,362,200.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 96,943,810 shares in the company, valued at $91,109,731,514.20. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In other news, CAO Donald A. Zakrowski sold 750 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, June 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $819.47, for a total transaction of $614,602.50. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 7,130 shares in the company, valued at $5,842,821.10. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 210,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $939.82, for a total value of $197,362,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 96,943,810 shares in the company, valued at approximately $91,109,731,514.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 1,214,704 shares of company stock valued at $1,066,841,316. Corporate insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock. About Eli Lilly and Company (Free Report) Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets human pharmaceuticals worldwide. The company offers Basaglar, Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, insulin lispro protamine, insulin lispro mix 75/25, Humulin, Humulin 70/30, Humulin N, Humulin R, and Humulin U-500 for diabetes; Jardiance, Mounjaro, and Trulicity for type 2 diabetes; and Zepbound for obesity. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LLY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Eli Lilly and Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Eli Lilly and Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC lifted its holdings in Lockheed Martin Co. (NYSE:LMT Free Report) by 4.2% in the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 5,493 shares of the aerospace companys stock after purchasing an additional 221 shares during the quarter. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLCs holdings in Lockheed Martin were worth $2,566,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the business. GAMMA Investing LLC raised its stake in Lockheed Martin by 130.0% in the 2nd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 3,572 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $1,668,000 after acquiring an additional 2,019 shares during the last quarter. Warther Private Wealth LLC raised its stake in Lockheed Martin by 86.1% in the 4th quarter. Warther Private Wealth LLC now owns 16,369 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $7,419,000 after acquiring an additional 7,575 shares during the last quarter. Morningstar Investment Services LLC raised its stake in Lockheed Martin by 99.6% in the 4th quarter. Morningstar Investment Services LLC now owns 147,811 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $66,697,000 after acquiring an additional 73,774 shares during the last quarter. Cercano Management LLC purchased a new position in Lockheed Martin in the 4th quarter worth $29,454,000. Finally, Brevan Howard Capital Management LP raised its stake in Lockheed Martin by 414.2% in the 4th quarter. Brevan Howard Capital Management LP now owns 7,121 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $3,228,000 after acquiring an additional 5,736 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.19% of the companys stock. Get Lockheed Martin alerts: Insider Activity In other Lockheed Martin news, insider Timothy S. Cahill sold 3,975 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $515.36, for a total value of $2,048,556.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 8,877 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,574,850.72. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Corporate insiders own 0.17% of the companys stock. Lockheed Martin Price Performance LMT traded up $3.79 on Wednesday, hitting $563.21. 796,370 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,087,874. Lockheed Martin Co. has a fifty-two week low of $393.77 and a fifty-two week high of $564.22. The company has a current ratio of 1.24, a quick ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.10. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $489.06 and a 200-day moving average price of $462.03. The stock has a market cap of $135.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.61, a P/E/G ratio of 4.40 and a beta of 0.46. Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, July 23rd. The aerospace company reported $7.11 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.45 by $0.66. Lockheed Martin had a net margin of 9.48% and a return on equity of 95.03%. The company had revenue of $18.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $17.05 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $6.73 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 8.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Lockheed Martin Co. will post 26.71 earnings per share for the current year. Lockheed Martin Announces Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 27th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 3rd will be given a dividend of $3.15 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 3rd. This represents a $12.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.24%. Lockheed Martins payout ratio is 46.10%. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on LMT shares. The Goldman Sachs Group reduced their target price on Lockheed Martin from $380.00 to $377.00 and set a sell rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, April 23rd. UBS Group lifted their price objective on Lockheed Martin from $511.00 to $538.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 24th. Royal Bank of Canada upgraded Lockheed Martin from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $500.00 to $600.00 in a research note on Monday, August 5th. Barclays lifted their price objective on Lockheed Martin from $480.00 to $505.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 30th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on Lockheed Martin from $518.00 to $560.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating, seven have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $541.85. View Our Latest Report on Lockheed Martin Lockheed Martin Company Profile (Free Report) Lockheed Martin Corporation, a security and aerospace company, engages in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration, and sustainment of technology systems, products, and services worldwide. The company operates through Aeronautics, Missiles and Fire Control, Rotary and Mission Systems, and Space segments. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Lockheed Martin Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Lockheed Martin and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Ensign Energy Services (OTCMKTS:ESVIF Get Free Report) and Nabors Industries (NYSE:NBR Get Free Report) are both energy companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their valuation, earnings, dividends, profitability, risk, institutional ownership and analyst recommendations. Earnings & Valuation This table compares Ensign Energy Services and Nabors Industries gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Get Ensign Energy Services alerts: Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Ensign Energy Services N/A N/A N/A $0.84 2.13 Nabors Industries $2.93 billion 0.30 -$11.78 million ($13.81) -6.00 Ensign Energy Services has higher earnings, but lower revenue than Nabors Industries. Nabors Industries is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Ensign Energy Services, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Institutional and Insider Ownership Analyst Ratings 52.8% of Ensign Energy Services shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 81.9% of Nabors Industries shares are owned by institutional investors. 7.3% of Nabors Industries shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a stock is poised for long-term growth. This is a breakdown of current ratings and price targets for Ensign Energy Services and Nabors Industries, as reported by MarketBeat.com. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Ensign Energy Services 0 0 0 0 N/A Nabors Industries 0 4 2 0 2.33 Nabors Industries has a consensus target price of $108.50, indicating a potential upside of 31.02%. Given Nabors Industries higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Nabors Industries is more favorable than Ensign Energy Services. Profitability This table compares Ensign Energy Services and Nabors Industries net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Ensign Energy Services N/A N/A N/A Nabors Industries -4.73% -28.10% -3.08% Dividends Ensign Energy Services pays an annual dividend of $0.47 per share and has a dividend yield of 26.2%. Nabors Industries pays an annual dividend of $0.04 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.0%. Ensign Energy Services pays out 56.0% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Nabors Industries pays out -0.3% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Both companies have healthy payout ratios and should be able to cover their dividend payments with earnings for the next several years. About Ensign Energy Services (Get Free Report) Ensign Energy Services Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides oilfield services to the crude oil and natural gas industries in Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company offers shallow, intermediate, and deep well drilling, as well as specialized drilling services, including horizontal, underbalanced, horizontal re-entry, and slant drilling for steam assisted gravity drainage applications; and equipment and services. It provides coring and oil sands drilling services to the mining, and oil and natural gas industries; directional drilling services; equipment rental services; shallow to deep well services, such as completions, abandonments, production workovers, and bottom hole pump changes for oil and natural gas producers; and interactive pressure drilling services with self-contained systems comprising nitrogen generation and compression equipment, and surface control systems. In addition, the company rents drill strings, loaders, tanks, pumps, rig mattings, blow-out preventers, waste bins, and wastewater treatment equipment for the drilling and completions segments of the oilfield industry. Further, it offers transportation and well servicing services. The company operates land drilling rigs, specialty coring rigs, and well servicing rigs. Ensign Energy Services Inc. was incorporated in 1987 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. About Nabors Industries (Get Free Report) Nabors Industries Ltd. provides drilling and drilling-related services for land-based and offshore oil and natural gas wells in the United States and internationally. The company operates through four segments: U.S. Drilling, International Drilling, Drilling Solutions, and Rig Technologies. It provides tubular running services, including casing and tubing running, and torque monitoring; managed pressure drilling services; and drilling-bit steering systems and rig instrumentation software. The company also offers drilling systems comprising ROCKit, a directional steering control system; SmartNAV, a collaborative guidance and advisory platform; SmartSLIDE, a directional steering control system; and RigCLOUD, a digital infrastructure to integrate applications to deliver real-time insight into operations across the rig fleet. In addition, it operates a fleet of land-based drilling rigs and marketed platforms rigs; manufactures and sells top drives, catwalks, wrenches, drawworks, and other drilling related equipment, such as robotic systems and downhole tools; and provides aftermarket sales and services for the installed base of its equipment. Nabors Industries Ltd. was founded in 1952 and is based in Hamilton, Bermuda. Receive News & Ratings for Ensign Energy Services Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ensign Energy Services and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Clint Eastwoods former Carmel-by-the-Sea home, which he lived in during his mayoral term, is listed for $21 million. Sherman Chu/Tim Allen Properties Clint Eastwoods former Carmel-by-the-Sea home, which he lived in during his mayoral term, is listed for $21 million. Sherman Chu/Tim Allen Properties Clint Eastwoods former Carmel-by-the-Sea home, which he lived in during his mayoral term, is listed for $21 million. Sherman Chu/Tim Allen Properties Clint Eastwoods former Carmel-by-the-Sea home, which he lived in during his mayoral term, is listed for $21 million. Sherman Chu/Tim Allen Properties Clint Eastwoods former Carmel-by-the-Sea home, which he lived in during his mayoral term, is listed for $21 million. Sherman Chu/Tim Allen Properties Clint Eastwoods former Carmel-by-the-Sea home, which he lived in during his mayoral term, is listed for $21 million. Sherman Chu/Tim Allen Properties Clint Eastwoods former Carmel-by-the-Sea home, which he lived in during his mayoral term, is listed for $21 million. Sherman Chu/Tim Allen Properties Clint Eastwoods former Carmel-by-the-Sea home, which he lived in during his mayoral term, is listed for $21 million. Sherman Chu/Tim Allen Properties Clint Eastwoods former Carmel-by-the-Sea home, which he lived in during his mayoral term, is listed for $21 million. Sherman Chu/Tim Allen Properties Clint Eastwoods former Carmel-by-the-Sea home, which he lived in during his mayoral term, is listed for $21 million. Sherman Chu/Tim Allen Properties Clint Eastwoods former Carmel-by-the-Sea home, which he lived in during his mayoral term, is listed for $21 million. Sherman Chu/Tim Allen Properties Clint Eastwoods former Carmel-by-the-Sea home, which he lived in during his mayoral term, is listed for $21 million. Sherman Chu/Tim Allen Properties Clint Eastwoods former Carmel-by-the-Sea home, which he lived in during his mayoral term, is listed for $21 million. Sherman Chu/Tim Allen Properties Clint Eastwoods former Carmel-by-the-Sea home, which he lived in during his mayoral term, is listed for $21 million. Sherman Chu/Tim Allen Properties Clint Eastwoods former Carmel-by-the-Sea home, which he lived in during his mayoral term, is listed for $21 million. Sherman Chu/Tim Allen Properties Clint Eastwoods former Carmel-by-the-Sea home, which he lived in during his mayoral term, is listed for $21 million. Sherman Chu/Tim Allen Properties Clint Eastwoods former Carmel-by-the-Sea home, which he lived in during his mayoral term, is listed for $21 million. Sherman Chu/Tim Allen Properties Clint Eastwoods former Carmel-by-the-Sea home, which he lived in during his mayoral term, is listed for $21 million. Sherman Chu/Tim Allen Properties Clint Eastwoods former Carmel-by-the-Sea home, which he lived in during his mayoral term, is listed for $21 million. Sherman Chu/Tim Allen Properties Clint Eastwoods former Carmel-by-the-Sea home, which he lived in during his mayoral term, is listed for $21 million. Sherman Chu/Tim Allen Properties Clint Eastwoods former Carmel-by-the-Sea home, which he lived in during his mayoral term, is listed for $21 million. Sherman Chu/Tim Allen Properties Clint Eastwoods former Carmel-by-the-Sea home, which he lived in during his mayoral term, is listed for $21 million. Sherman Chu/Tim Allen Properties Clint Eastwoods former Carmel-by-the-Sea home, which he lived in during his mayoral term, is listed for $21 million. Sherman Chu/Tim Allen Properties The grand estate once owned by Clint Eastwood during his tenure as mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea has hit the market. The century-old Las Ondas Estate, sprawling over 11,400 square feet, commands a significant piece of land in this picturesque Northern California coastal town at San Antonio and Ninth avenues. The three-story Spanish Revival home features four bedrooms, 4 bathrooms and an interior courtyard. It is available for $21 million, listed by Tim Allen of Coldwell Banker Realty. Eastwood, the 94-year-old San Francisco native renowned for his roles in Dirty Harry and Million Dollar Baby, lived in the estate from 1981 to 1996, until he sold it to the current owner, retired investor Frederick OSuch. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Clint Eastwoods former Carmel-by-the-Sea home, which he lived in during his mayoral term, is listed for $21 million. Sherman Chu/Tim Allen Properties OSuch invested $2.5 million in renovations over the following two years. My family has loved living and entertaining at this iconic property for nearly three decades, he said in a statement. It is time for the next owner to enjoy this historic home and share it with their friends and family for years to come. Carmel-by-the-Sea continues to attract celebrities seeking respite from the spotlight. In April, Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, joined by Gigi Hadid and Bradley Cooper, visited the serene retreat. Clint Eastwoods former Carmel-by-the-Sea home, which he lived in during his mayoral term, is listed for $21 million. Sherman Chu/Tim Allen Properties Originally constructed from Carmel stone around 1924, Las Ondas Estate is a block from the ocean and situated on a gated property within walking distance of downtown. The home features cherrywood floors, vaulted ceilings with exposed mahogany beams, and intricate details throughout. Its formal dining and living rooms each include fireplaces. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Additional highlights include a Craftsman-style kitchen, two primary bedroom en suites, a media room, a wine room and dual laundry facilities. Clint Eastwoods former Carmel-by-the-Sea home, which he lived in during his mayoral term, is listed for $21 million. Sherman Chu/Tim Allen Properties The outdoor spaces offer expansive decks with ocean views, a charming courtyard, and direct beach access. Many long-standing residents in the region have an affinity for the history of this property, Allen said. The warm and inviting spaces, both inside and outside, take you back in time and are reflective of Carmels old-world style and beauty. This private oasis is truly a special property not only because of its history but also for its exquisiteness and privacy. AirBoss of America Corp. (TSE:BOS Get Free Report) announced a quarterly dividend on Tuesday, August 13th, Zacks reports. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 30th will be paid a dividend of 0.035 per share on Tuesday, October 15th. This represents a $0.14 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.26%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 30th. AirBoss of America Price Performance Shares of BOS traded down C$0.01 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting C$4.29. The stock had a trading volume of 1,370 shares, compared to its average volume of 24,434. The stock has a market capitalization of C$116.39 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -1.75, a P/E/G ratio of -550.53 and a beta of 2.03. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 83.63, a current ratio of 2.26 and a quick ratio of 1.07. The companys fifty day moving average is C$5.40 and its two-hundred day moving average is C$5.45. AirBoss of America has a 52 week low of C$3.65 and a 52 week high of C$6.31. Get AirBoss of America alerts: Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, Director Peter Grenville Schoch purchased 10,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 28th. The stock was bought at an average price of C$5.75 per share, with a total value of C$57,500.00. Company insiders own 34.90% of the companys stock. Analyst Ratings Changes Several brokerages have issued reports on BOS. TD Securities boosted their price objective on AirBoss of America from C$7.00 to C$7.50 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Monday, May 6th. Cormark increased their price objective on shares of AirBoss of America from C$5.25 to C$6.00 in a report on Friday, May 10th. National Bankshares dropped their target price on shares of AirBoss of America from C$6.25 to C$5.75 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, July 16th. Finally, CIBC increased their price target on shares of AirBoss of America from C$4.75 to C$5.75 in a research note on Friday, May 10th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of C$6.00. View Our Latest Stock Analysis on AirBoss of America AirBoss of America Company Profile (Get Free Report) AirBoss of America Corp., together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells rubber-based products in Canada, the United States, and internationally. It operates through AirBoss Rubber Solutions and AirBoss Manufactured Products segments. The AirBoss Rubber Solutions segment involves in the manufacture and distribution of rubber compounds and rubber compounding related chemicals for various application in automotive, heavy industry, rollers, conveyor belting, defense, construction and infrastructure, mining, transportation, and oil and gas industries. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for AirBoss of America Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AirBoss of America and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Charles Schwab (NYSE:SCHW Get Free Report) had its target price raised by analysts at Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from $79.00 to $80.00 in a report released on Thursday, Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a buy rating on the financial services providers stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschafts price objective suggests a potential upside of 22.61% from the companys current price. A number of other brokerages also recently issued reports on SCHW. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upgraded Charles Schwab from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and upped their price objective for the company from $76.00 to $84.00 in a research report on Monday, July 8th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on Charles Schwab from $73.00 to $71.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, July 11th. UBS Group cut their price objective on shares of Charles Schwab from $91.00 to $90.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, July 9th. TD Cowen reissued a hold rating and issued a $71.00 target price (down previously from $88.00) on shares of Charles Schwab in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on shares of Charles Schwab from $82.00 to $78.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Charles Schwab has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $74.33. Get Charles Schwab alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on SCHW Charles Schwab Price Performance Shares of NYSE SCHW traded down $0.11 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $65.25. 3,643,126 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 8,015,395. The companys 50 day moving average is $69.49 and its 200 day moving average is $69.96. Charles Schwab has a one year low of $48.66 and a one year high of $79.49. The stock has a market capitalization of $116.04 billion, a PE ratio of 27.18, a P/E/G ratio of 1.18 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a current ratio of 0.42 and a quick ratio of 0.42. Charles Schwab (NYSE:SCHW Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 16th. The financial services provider reported $0.73 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.72 by $0.01. Charles Schwab had a net margin of 26.30% and a return on equity of 18.14%. The business had revenue of $4.69 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.68 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.75 earnings per share. Charles Schwabs quarterly revenue was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Charles Schwab will post 3.06 earnings per share for the current year. Insider Activity In related news, CEO Walter W. Bettinger bought 25,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 17th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $66.26 per share, with a total value of $1,656,500.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 827,377 shares of the companys stock, valued at $54,822,000.02. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In other news, CEO Walter W. Bettinger acquired 25,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 17th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $66.26 per share, with a total value of $1,656,500.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 827,377 shares in the company, valued at $54,822,000.02. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Carolyn Schwab-Pomerantz sold 9,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $78.41, for a total transaction of $705,690.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 574,257 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $45,027,491.37. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 181,911 shares of company stock worth $12,541,978. 6.60% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Morningstar Investment Services LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Charles Schwab by 98.0% in the 4th quarter. Morningstar Investment Services LLC now owns 4,691,362 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $326,284,000 after buying an additional 2,322,156 shares during the period. Brown Advisory Inc. boosted its position in Charles Schwab by 24.3% in the 4th quarter. Brown Advisory Inc. now owns 4,393,223 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $302,254,000 after purchasing an additional 857,734 shares in the last quarter. M&G Plc acquired a new stake in shares of Charles Schwab during the 1st quarter worth approximately $11,452,000. Retirement Systems of Alabama increased its holdings in shares of Charles Schwab by 13.0% during the 4th quarter. Retirement Systems of Alabama now owns 1,329,388 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $91,462,000 after purchasing an additional 152,967 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wright Investors Service Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Charles Schwab by 9.3% in the 4th quarter. Wright Investors Service Inc. now owns 47,164 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $3,245,000 after purchasing an additional 4,001 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 84.38% of the companys stock. About Charles Schwab (Get Free Report) The Charles Schwab Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a savings and loan holding company that provides wealth management, securities brokerage, banking, asset management, custody, and financial advisory services in the United States and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Investor Services and Advisor Services. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Charles Schwab Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Charles Schwab and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Global Payments Inc. (NYSE:GPN Get Free Report) has been assigned an average recommendation of Moderate Buy from the twenty-seven research firms that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, six have given a hold recommendation, nineteen have given a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $141.92. Several equities research analysts have commented on GPN shares. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lowered their price objective on Global Payments from $150.00 to $140.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, July 8th. TD Cowen cut their price objective on Global Payments from $152.00 to $125.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Friday, June 21st. Barclays lowered their price target on shares of Global Payments from $160.00 to $145.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Thursday, May 2nd. Stephens lowered their target price on shares of Global Payments from $145.00 to $130.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Thursday, August 8th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered Global Payments from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, June 10th. Get Global Payments alerts: View Our Latest Report on GPN Global Payments Stock Up 1.3 % Shares of NYSE:GPN opened at $105.08 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of $26.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.85, a PEG ratio of 0.63 and a beta of 0.98. The company has a current ratio of 0.92, a quick ratio of 0.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $97.76 and a 200 day moving average price of $114.68. Global Payments has a 12 month low of $91.60 and a 12 month high of $141.77. Global Payments (NYSE:GPN Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 7th. The business services provider reported $2.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.90 by $0.03. Global Payments had a net margin of 13.40% and a return on equity of 11.72%. The company had revenue of $2.57 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.32 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $2.48 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 4.7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Global Payments will post 11.09 earnings per share for the current year. Global Payments Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 13th will be given a $0.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 13th. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.95%. Global Paymentss payout ratio is 19.84%. Insider Activity at Global Payments In other news, CAO David M. Sheffield sold 1,651 shares of Global Payments stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $100.73, for a total value of $166,305.23. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 20,531 shares in the company, valued at $2,068,087.63. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. 0.98% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Global Payments Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Global Retirement Partners LLC raised its holdings in shares of Global Payments by 18.8% during the first quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 524 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $70,000 after purchasing an additional 83 shares during the period. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. boosted its stake in Global Payments by 1.9% in the first quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 4,752 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $635,000 after acquiring an additional 90 shares during the last quarter. Fidelis Capital Partners LLC raised its position in shares of Global Payments by 5.1% in the first quarter. Fidelis Capital Partners LLC now owns 1,930 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $258,000 after purchasing an additional 93 shares during the period. CENTRAL TRUST Co raised its position in shares of Global Payments by 30.9% in the first quarter. CENTRAL TRUST Co now owns 453 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $61,000 after purchasing an additional 107 shares during the period. Finally, Oliver Luxxe Assets LLC increased its holdings in Global Payments by 0.3% during the 1st quarter. Oliver Luxxe Assets LLC now owns 34,435 shares of the business services providers stock worth $4,603,000 after acquiring an additional 108 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 89.76% of the companys stock. Global Payments Company Profile (Get Free Report Global Payments Inc provides payment technology and software solutions for card, check, and digital-based payments in the Americas, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific. It operates through two segments, Merchant Solutions and Issuer Solutions. The Merchant Solutions segment offers authorization, settlement and funding, customer support, chargeback resolution, terminal rental, sales and deployment, payment security, and consolidated billing and reporting services. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Global Payments Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Global Payments and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. 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 The firefighters endorsement is a win for Farrell, a moderate running to the right of Breed who has been campaigning in large part on his desire for stricter measures to improve public safety. Farrell is likely to emphasize his support from firefighters, who are widely popular, as he campaigns in the months ahead. Its also the second time Farrell peeled off the backing of a labor union that sided with Breed during her first mayoral bid in 2018. Previously, Farrell and Supervisor Ahsha Safai were both endorsed by the San Francisco Building and Construction Trades Council, which supported Breed six years ago. Farrell said in an interview that hed heard from firefighters who were enraged by what he described as an increasing responsibility to address street issues such as homeless encampments due to the police departments staffing shortage. The fire department also plays an important role responding to drug overdoses and will continue to do so no matter whos mayor. Firefighters want to do their jobs, fight fires and protect San Francisco residents, Farrell said. But all of a sudden, theyre being asked to do things that were never part of their job description because of the conditions of our streets under Mayor Breed. We need a mayor who will tackle these issues head-on and make a real difference for not only the residents of San Francisco, but for our firefighters and first responders across the city. Rollins, the union president, said his members are out there on the front lines of everything thats going on on the streets of San Francisco and they listened very intently during the debate. At that debate, Breed pledged to implement a very aggressive crackdown on homeless encampments in response to a recent Supreme Court ruling. Farrell wants to look at returning businesses and commerce to San Francisco and cleaning up the streets, Rollins said. Those were priorities at the top of his list that resonated with the members. Career criminals with more than 100 previous convictions are being spared jail if they commit murder for the second time, recent records can reveal. If the criminal however murders a third person, they may have to spend a week or so in jail. Making Britain a Safer Place to Live Im on my second murder, so I am sort of treading lightly at the moment. I mean I dont mind spending a few weeks in prison playing a PS5 and smoking loads of dope, but I personally like to be out of jail committing crime, Jebs Shanker, 43, a career criminal from Grimstye, Hull told the BBC. In more than 4,000 such cases since 2007, offenders have avoided prison for their second murder. The proportion walking free from court has quadrupled in the past 16 years, with an average of five a week being spared jail in each of the past 10 years. The Ministry of Injustice data reveals that many career criminals have a very good career path in the UK simply because they are enabled and helped to commit crime and murder at every opportunity. Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, believes that criminals need to be treated fairly and leniently so that they can continue to create crimes to make the UK a safer place to live. The Metropolitan Police are to unveil a new initiative informing criminals that they may be arrested after they commit their second murder. Through Social Media and video presentations, there will be advice for career criminals on how to avoid committing their second murder offence. With the byline Dont Murder Twice You Could Pay the Price With a Week in Prison the initiative will run concurrently for the next few months according to the advertising agency commissioned to create and promote the campaign. Commissioner Sir Bumbler Bowley has spoken out about the number of murders with previous convictions: Britain has never been safer. We have reduced the sentences of many career criminals and are now looking to caution offenders who commit murder for the second time. Senior advisers to Labour have suggested that, with police solving just 5.5 per cent of all crimes, a third of the rate of seven years ago, offenders have become emboldened by the low chances of being caught, convicted and jailed. Meanwhile, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has welcomed the effort to caution second-time murder offences, and will tomorrow unveil a plaque in Trafalgar Square honouring zombie knife murderers in the capital city since his inauguration as mayor. Highway-railway bridge in China's Jiangxi boosts regional development 16:05, August 15, 2024 By Li Xinping ( People's Daily In the first six months of this year, fixed-asset investment in China's railway sector reached a record high. The investment has fully leveraged the advantages of the railway industry's long industrial chain, wide-ranging impact, and strong driving effects. A railway project under construction today well explains the "multiplier effect" of this investment. Photo shows the construction site of the Yangzizhou Ganjiang Highway-Railway Bridge in east China's Jiangxi province. (People's Daily Online/Zhu Haipeng) Standing on top of the 141-meter-high main tower G32 of the main bridge that spans the west tributary of the Ganjiang River, a part of the Yangzizhou Ganjiang Highway-Railway Bridge, one can overlook the sparkling Ganjiang River with cargo ships shuttling back and forth. Factories, high-rise buildings, and vast fields in the distance are all within sight. Up close, construction workers on the bridge are busy, many of whom come from counties and townships nearby. The Yangzizhou Ganjiang Highway-Railway Bridge is the controlling project of the entire route of the Nanchang-Jiujiang high-speed railway, while the latter remains an important part of the Beijing-Hong Kong high-speed railway, connecting the north and south, and integrating the east and west. Upon completion, the Nanchang-Jiujiang high-speed railway will be crucial for the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the social and economic development along the rail. The driving force of the bridge has already become evident as the project commenced. Let's first look at the investment stimulation. The Nanchang-Jiujiang high-speed railway, connecting Nanchang and Jiujiang in east China's Jiangxi province, has drawn a total investment of 32.41 billion yuan ($4.51 billion). The investment in the main bridge that spans the west tributary of the Ganjiang River alone was nearly 1.08 billion yuan. Since the construction began, the purchases of local materials have added up to 13.99 million yuan, effectively driving procurement demand. Xia Xiaoren, head of the Yangzizhou Ganjiang Highway-Railway Bridge with Nanchang-Jiujiang Intercity Railway Co., Ltd., said that apart from purchasing local materials such as stone, sand, steel bars, and cement, the company also leased machinery and vehicles from local providers. The project has created job opportunities for local people and cultivated a group of skilled personnel in project management, Xia added. Photo shows the construction site of the Yangzizhou Ganjiang Highway-Railway Bridge in east China's Jiangxi province. (People's Daily Online/Zhu Haipeng) According to Xia, the construction of the Nanchang-Jiujiang high-speed railway, has provided jobs to over 5,100 people, whose everyday needs have boosted the businesses of convenience stores and restaurants in local villages. "The project has effectively increased the income of local residents and propelled economic development," Xia noted. Upon completion, the Yangzizhou Ganjiang Highway-Railway Bridge will set a number of world records: it will become a highway-railway hybrid bridge with the most road lanes and largest capacity in the world, the world's largest-span highway-railway bridge supporting speeds up to 350 km/h, and the world's first harp-shaped cable-stayed bridge designed for trains running at 350 km/h. New records mean new challenges. To address the difficulties, new technologies are indispensable. "Before the construction began, we virtually simulated the entire building process, identified the engineering difficulties, improved design parameters, and streamlined the construction process," said Zhong Lianggen, deputy head of the Yangzizhou Ganjiang Highway-Railway Bridge with Nanchang-Jiujiang Intercity Railway Co., Ltd. "The three-dimensional visualization of the simulation was equivalent to an online rehearsal." The construction site of the main tower G32 resembled a sophisticated intelligent factory, with 31 monitoring points in each cofferdam foundation pit. Real-time monitoring was carried out through different methods such as radar water level gauges, strain gauges, and video surveillance. "Sensors provide real-time monitoring, and intelligent algorithms can automatically alert and correct any deviations, achieving precise construction," said Zhong. When the bridge is completed, its virtual version will also be delivered simultaneously for future maintenance. The virtual bridge contains all the information during construction processes, including design, material, plan, quality and examination, and will serve as the digital archive of the physical bridge. The Beijing-Hong Kong high-speed railway, along which the Nanchang-Jiujiang high-speed railway is located, is an important vertical line of China's high-speed rail network that centers around eight main vertical lines linking the north and south and eight horizontal lines connecting the east and west. It connects major city clusters such as Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, and the Pearl River Delta. "The Beijing-Hong Kong high-speed railway will become another important route connecting the north and south of China. It will not only facilitate travel and transportation, but provide more capacity resources for railway freight transportation," said Xia. (Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun) A child peers at a tent on 19th Street at Mission Street as she walks past with an adult in May. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle A growing portion of San Franciscos homeless population is not from the city, and more people are reporting the primary reason they became unhoused was alcohol or drug use, according to a new city report. The findings are likely to further fuel the debate about whos making up the citys homeless population and why as well as how to address the crisis. Mayor London Breed and some of her allies argue that people are flocking to the city because of its historically permissive approach to homelessness and open-air drug use. Opponents insist that is inaccurate and that even if people are coming from elsewhere, theyre entitled to compassion and help. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The new city report details a survey of hundreds of unhoused San Franciscans that found that 41% of people lived outside of the city before becoming homeless, up from 29% in 2022. While job loss was reported as the leading cause of homelessness among those surveyed at 22%, drug and alcohol use came in a close second. This year, 19% of people surveyed said drug and alcohol use led them to lose their housing, compared with 12% in 2022. The findings stem from a federally mandated, one-night snapshot of homelessness taken in January when volunteers fanned out across San Francisco to try to count as many unhoused people as they could find. The point-in-time count, which takes place biennially across the U.S., is used to assess the state of the homelessness crisis and determine how to best allocate funding and resources. Topline findings from the count were released in May, but more in-depth information was published in a full report Wednesday. Brian Shepperd, the director of case management at Urban Alchemy, looks out his front window at a tent during a point-in-time count of San Franciscos homeless population in January. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle Breed and other elected officials are promoting certain figures in the count to tout their policies and demonstrate progress in addressing the citys relentless homelessness and overdose crises. Breed is facing a tough reelection, with voters frustrated over the prevalence of encampments and open-air drug use. In recent weeks, Breed has more forcefully cracked down on encampments. She has also pushed a program to put unhoused people on buses and trains to reunite them with family or friends elsewhere, citing the new data that found more people were living outside of San Francisco before they became homeless. It shouldnt be a surprise to anyone that San Francisco does not have enough shelter or housing for every single person experiencing homelessness, said Emily Cohen, spokesperson for the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. And for many people, the pathway out of homelessness is going to be through their family or through their social networks, so we want to make it as readily available as possible for folks. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Preliminary data from the count found that San Franciscos homeless population rose 7% over the past two years from 7,754 in 2022 to 8,323 in 2024. There were also 437 homeless families counted this year a 94% spike from 2022. Chalu Banarsee hugs Kimberly Davis, whom he knows from city homeless services, during a point-in-time count of San Franciscos homeless population in January. More data from the count was released this week. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle Despite those jumps, more people experiencing homelessness in San Francisco are sleeping indoors than ever before, thanks to hundreds of new shelter beds. Unsheltered homelessness, which includes people living in tents, on sidewalks and in vehicles, dipped 1% over the past two years, according to city estimates. Jeff Cretan, spokesperson for the mayor, said the administration has focused heavily on expanding shelter and housing, but that leaves a very challenging population of folks who struggle to come indoors as well as newcomers, some of whom are immigrants, along with others coming to San Francisco for myriad reasons, including friends, services and the illicit drug scene. The mayor has taken a very aggressive stance on drug use on our streets and drug use in our communities, Cretan said. She doesnt want San Francisco to continue to be a place where people believe its easy to come and use drugs. Thats not who we are. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The latest data obtained by the Chronicle on Wednesday indicates unsheltered homelessness is shifting in different pockets of the city. In Districts 5 and 6, which include the Tenderloin and South of Market neighborhoods heavily impacted by encampments and open-air drug markets, the number of homeless people living on the streets or in vehicles dropped 20% and 23%, respectively, according to the new data. Meanwhile, unsheltered homelessness nearly doubled over the past two years in District 10, which includes the Bayview and Hunters Point neighborhoods. District 10, where 1,010 people were recorded sleeping in vehicles and on the streets, makes up about a quarter of the citys overall unsheltered homeless population of 4,354 people, according to the point-in-time count data. An increasing portion of San Franciscos homeless population is coming from outside the city, and more people are noting alcohol and drug use as the primary reason they became unhoused, according to new city data obtained by the Chronicle. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle Supervisor Dean Preston, who represents the Tenderloin, credits the progress in his district to reducing vacancies in permanent supportive housing and expediting housing placements for people on the streets. Preston in September urged San Franciscos Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing to fill half of the then-1,000 vacant units for formerly homeless people. He estimated Wednesday that the city had reduced the number of vacant units by about a third since then. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Preston called his districts reduction in street homelessness pretty significant and a positive step forward but added that he is worried that recent moves by the mayor to conduct more aggressive encampment sweeps and increase citations against unhoused people could jeopardize some of those gains. These sweeps just move people from one place to another, he said. They undermine trust, and they make it that much harder for people who are targeted in sweeps to be able to access housing and city resources. Ramon Castillo, 48, is approached by five police officers who arrest and detain him on Folsom Street near 18th Street. More data on homelessness in San Francisco was released in a new report this week. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle Paul Boden, a longtime advocate for unhoused people in San Francisco, said he thinks people should refrain from drawing any grand conclusions from the point-in-time count. He also said that focusing solely on unhoused people who may be from outside of the city or experiencing substance use disorders is stigmatizing and ignores other less visible homeless populations, such as families, people fleeing domestic violence and those who work but do not earn enough to afford the citys high rental rates. We have an election coming up in November, Boden said. Were not addressing the systemic issues of why so many people of different backgrounds and different ethnicities and different educational standards are homeless. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Although the point-in-time count results are often used by public officials and the news media, including the Chronicle, to quantify homelessness, the single-night tally is also widely regarded as an underestimate of the full scale of the crisis. For instance, data from the citys homelessness department found that more than 20,000 people engaged with San Franciscos homeless service providers at some point during 2023. The more in-depth survey conducted as part of the count, which asks questions like where someone is from and the reason they lost their housing, is a sample of about 1,000 unhoused San Franciscans. Almost a third of A-level students in Northern Ireland received a top A/A* grade. Just over 26,000 received results of A-level and AS-levels on Thursday morning. This year marks the completion of the transition back from various interim arrangements put in place during the coronavirus pandemic, with results described as being comparable with 2019. Amid periods of lockdown, examinations were cancelled in 2020 and 2021, while mitigations were put in place in 2022 and 2023. This year, some 30.3% of students received a grade A or above, just up from 29.4% in 2019. Examinations board CCEA, which issues results in Northern Ireland on behalf of the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), described a milestone year. They indicated that this years results are not directly comparable with last year when some 37.5% achieved an A/A* grade when mitigations were in place. During a visit to Belfast High School on Thursday morning, Stormont Education Minister Paul Givan said he is delighted that results in Northern Ireland continue to outperform other parts of the UK where 27.8% of grades awarded were A/A*. Were beating England, Wales and thats important to continue to punch above our weight in terms of our qualifications, he said. Im delighted with the results and its a culmination of a huge amount of work put in by the teaching profession and the hard work of the incredibly dedicated pupils, speaking to some of them this morning, the hours of work that they put in every week and at weekends, today they get to see the results of all of that. Im hugely proud of what we have been able to achieve in Northern Ireland. This year there were 32,873 A-level entries in Northern Ireland. Some 8.2% of entries achieved an A* (8% in 2019), 30.3% achieved A* A grades (29.4% in 2019) and overall 98.5% of students in Northern Ireland achieved A*- E grade (98.4% in 2019). Mathematics was the most popular subject accounting for 9.6% of entries. It was followed by biology (8.7%), health and social care (7.9%), business studies (7%), history (6.4%), chemistry (5.9%), geography (5.1%), English literature 4.8%), religious studies (4.1%) and physics (3.9%). Meanwhile, AS-level entries were up from 39,336 in 2023 to 41,180 this year. In those results, some 26.7% of students achieved grade A (26.4% in 2019) and overall 96.4% achieved A-E grade (95.7% in 2019). Gerry Campbell, chief executive of CCEA described the results as an important milestone for thousands of young people across the country, adding that students should feel proud of their achievements. 2024 also marks a milestone for examinations as we have completed the first normal exam year since the pandemic began, he said. This would not have been possible without the collaboration and hard work of our schools and colleges, and I wish to especially thank them for their support and commitment to our students across Northern Ireland. Next week, some 32,000 students will receive the results of their GCSEs. Stormont Economy Minister Conor Murphy has encouraged those receiving exam results, and their parents/carers, to contact his departments Careers Service for free, professional, impartial advice and guidance. It is important that young people receiving their exam results today know that professional advice is available to help them navigate the next stage of their career journey, he said. Whatever results you have received today, my departments Careers Service can outline the wide range of opportunities available, based on the most up-to-date labour market information. I want to wish all students best wishes for the future and reassure you the Careers Service is ready to support you on your next steps. For immediate advice and guidance please contact the Careers Service by calling 0300 200 7820. Lines are open 9.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday. A man who was extradited from the United States has been remanded in custody at Derry Magistrate's Court today facing 13 charges dating back to 2016. Stewart McAllister (29) of no fixed abode appeared charged with among other things robbery of a fast food outlet on September 4, 2016, possessing an offensive weapon namely an iron bar, possessing cocaine with intent to supply and a series of driving offences including two counts of dangerous driving in Duke Street and Simpson's Brae. All of these offences were said to have occurred on September 4, 2016. McAllister was also charged with assault on a police officer on September 6, 2016. A police officer proved the warrant and connected the accused to the charges. Defence solicitor Paddy MacDermott said this was an eight-year-old case and his client had been extradited from the US where he had been in custody since April of this year. He said the defendant had 'no income whatsoever and will be going into custody.' The solicitor said that there had been two other co-accused in these cases 'but they had been dealt with years ago'. Mr MacDermott said that the case would be going to the Crown Court for disposal and a preliminary enquiry would have to be held. McAllister was remanded in custody to appear again on August 29. A man has been jailed at Derry Magistrate's Court today for his part in a car chase in which a police officer was 'driven at' narrowly avoiding serious injury. Matthew Anderson (23) of Ballymagowan Avenue in Derry admitted four charges that occurred on February 2 this year. He admitted assaulting a police officer, obstructing police, resisting police and failing to give a specimen. The court heard that the charges arise out of an incident in which Anderson was a passenger in a car that was involved in a police chase from Strabane to Derry. It was said that during the chase the car Anderson was in was driven dangerously and a stinger had to be used. The court heard that a female officer was driven at and only narrowly avoided injury. The assault charge related to an incident while in custody Anderson spat at an officer. Defence counsel Stephen Chapman said that his client had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. Anderson was jailed for three months and disqualified from driving for three years. Tens of thousands of students in Northern Ireland will receive state examination results later. Just over 26,000 in the region will discover what results they achieved in A-level and AS assessments. Next week, some 32,000 will receive the results of their GCSEs. Following several years of disruption and interim arrangements, this year has been described as marking the completion of the transition from measures put in place during the coronavirus pandemic such as the cancellation of exams, reduced assessment criteria and generous grading. Exam board CCEA has indicated that grades awarded this week will be lower than during the pandemic years, but directly comparable to those issued before 2020. Stormont Economy Minister Conor Murphy has encouraged those receiving exam results, and their parents/carers, to contact his departments Careers Service for free, professional, impartial advice and guidance. It is important that young people receiving their exam results today know that professional advice is available to help them navigate the next stage of their career journey, he said. Whatever results you have received today, my departments Careers Service can outline the wide range of opportunities available, based on the most up-to-date labour market information. I want to wish all students best wishes for the future and reassure you the Careers Service is ready to support you on your next steps. For immediate advice and guidance please contact the Careers Service by calling 0300 200 7820, lines are open 9.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday. Northern Irelands Communities Minister has said the Stormont Executive is working together closely following a recent spate of hate crime attacks. Gordon Lyons said he welcomes the united political leadership on this issue in Northern Ireland, adding there is never any justification for violence and it should not be tolerated. In the latest incident, bricks were thrown at a house in the Donegall Pass area of south Belfast. Police said they are investigating the attack as a racially motivated hate crime. Mr Lyons said that while there is no switch that government can flick to stop racism and Islamophobia, they will tackle the issues. Communities Minister @gordonlyons1 has paid tribute to the courage and commitment of frontline housing staff in the light of a rise in hate crime attacks. More info: https://t.co/UDW6Nve6xD pic.twitter.com/UywhDRcvCZ Communities NI (@CommunitiesNI) August 15, 2024 What were determined to do is provide that leadership, to call out things that are clearly wrong, things that clearly shouldnt be happening and making sure we are doing what we can to tackle the real issues that exist, and foster better community relations. We will not be found wanting in doing that, he said. The Housing Executive do exceptional work in communities to try and improve those relations and will continue to do that. Mr Lyons was speaking after visiting Northern Ireland Housing Executive staff in Antrim. He said he felt it was important to visit and support staff affected, adding he wanted to pay tribute to their courage and commitment in the light of a rising number of hate crime attacks. Over the last 12 months, 131 hate crime incidents have been reported, with 22 taking place in the first week in August, he said. These target people who are entitled to live in safety and peace in their homes, and also housing staff who are simply doing their job. I commend our housing teams including those in the Housing Executive, Housing Associations and Supported People and Homelessness providers, who continue to support tenants, including children and the most vulnerable in our society, to keep them safe from harm despite coming under threat themselves. I want to say very clearly that this is wrong, there is no place for it in our society and that it needs to stop. Grainia Long, chief executive of the Housing Executive, said it had been valuable for both herself and Mr Lyons to hear from staff on the frontline. They come to work irrespective of what is happening in the local community what we heard today was staff who are really resilient, she said. San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu announces a lawsuit Thursday at City Hall against websites that use pictures of real women and girls to create AI-generated pornographic images. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu is suing 16 websites that his office says use AI to create nonconsensual, fake nude images of women and girls, the first lawsuit of its kind, according to the city. The sites allow users to create AI-generated images of real people, swapping their faces onto nude images in a violation of state and federal laws prohibiting deepfake pornography, revenge pornography and child pornography, Chius office said. This investigation has taken us to the darkest corners of the internet, and I am absolutely horrified for the women and girls who have had to endure this exploitation, Chiu said in a statement. Generative AI has enormous promise, but as with all new technologies, there are unintended consequences and criminals seeking to exploit the new technology. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Chief Deputy City Attorney Yvonne Mere said at a news conference Thursday that, as the mother of a 15-year-old girl, she was appalled to learn about the capabilities of some of these websites and put together a team after talking with Chiu to investigate. How can it be that this pernicious practice can go on without consequence? she said, adding that individual victims of this conduct have little practical and legal recourse. Leading AI companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic place limits on the kind of violent or explicit imagery their models will generate. But in an as yet unregulated space like AI, companies like those those Chiu is going after train AI image models on pornographic material and depictions of child sexual abuse, his office said, so that they can be used to generate nude images of real, identifiable women and girls without their consent. Deputy City Attorney Karun Tilak said during the news conference that it was not entirely clear which AI programs were being used to create the images. He said earlier versions of AI image programs such as Stable Diffusion that lacked more recent safeguards would probably be capable of creating them. Tilak also said his office knows the identity of some of the website owners, but that some have hidden in the shadows and that through this lawsuit we hope to obtain their identities. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Chius office said San Francisco Superior Court is still the proper jurisdiction because defendants are engaging in unlawful and unfair business practices in San Francisco. He added during the news conference that because victims were based in California and state laws were being violated, his office is able to bring the suit. The suit is seeking civil penalties and for the sites to be blocked by web hosts from continuing to post the alleged illegal content. So as not to push traffic to the companies websites, their URLs were redacted in the legal complaint filed Thursday. The sites collectively have been visited something like 200 million times in the first six months of this year, according to Chius office. They work by allowing users to pay to upload a clothed image of a person that is run through an AI image model to create a pornographic image. Chius office pointed to an Los Angeles Times story from February in which nonconsensual nude images of 16 eighth-grade students were circulated among students at a Beverly Hills middle school. Another example of the technology going viral was when deepfaked nude images of Taylor Swift began appearing on X this year. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Separately, the latest version of an AI model built by Elon Musk-owned company xAI began allowing users to generate violent and racy if not outright pornographic material this week. Those images users posted online and said were generated by the Grok-2 model included a scantily clad Kamala Harris along with past presidents appearing to do drugs and as Donald Trump and Sesame Street characters wielding weapons. Deepfakes depicting politicians have become a particular area of concern with an election looming in November. California lawmakers are seeking to pass bills to limit their usage around elections. In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, few leaders stand out as true visionaries, capable of steering their organisations through both present challenges and future opportunities. Sreekrishnan Venkateswaran, the CTO of Kyndryl India, is one such luminary. With pivotal roles at IBM and a remarkable portfolio of 27 US patents, of which seven have been instrumental in catalysing high-value IP licensing deals with tech giants like LinkedIn, Twitter/X, and Airbnb, Sreekrishnan also chairs Kyndryls global patent review board on Network & Edge, a testament to his authority in shaping the companys intellectual property landscape. With an illustrious career spanning over 25 years, Sreekrishnans expertise and innovative spirit are shaping the future of Indian tech innovation. In an exclusive interview, Sreekrishnan delves into his professional journey, the significance of patents in fostering a culture of innovation in India, the importance of focusing on emerging tech like Generative AI, nurturing Kyndryl Indias next generation of tech leaders, and an important message for Indias future technologists. Edited excerpts from our insightful conversation follow: Q) Tell us about your professional journey? I joined IBM directly from the campus of IIT Kanpur, where I was pursuing my masters in computer science and I was with IBM for 25 years, reaching the position of a distinguished engineer in 2016. When IBM spun off its technology services division into Kyndryl, I transitioned to the role of CTO Kyndryl India, and more recently I was named a Kyndryl Fellow, and additionally I served as a professor of practice in the Computer Science Department of BITS, Pilani, where I taught modern application architectures and AI. Also read: Intels Santhosh Viswanathan opines on what role will AI play in Indias future So, throughout my career I have had the privilege of working on numerous captivating projects and if I were to highlight one or two, maybe one from my early days and one more recent: In the early 2000s, I led the embedded firmware development for a lifesaving medical device for IBMs clients. And notably, we created the worlds first wireless pacemaker programmer and an innovative device that revolutionised lung biopsies, making the procedure easier, safer and painless. Its fulfilling when you see technology you have developed widely adopted, especially in healthcare. Recently I spotted one of these pacemaker programmers on a doctors desk at a local hospital here in Bangalore, and this was a vivid reminder of the meaningful impact of our work. Now taking a more recent example, as CTO for Kyndryl India, Im leading the implementation of a transformative digital platform for a major Indian fintech, and this platform has significantly enhanced financial inclusion by enabling secure, scalable, accessible digital transactions for millions of users across India over the last 2.5 years. These experiences overall have shaped my journey and career trajectory, and theyve also underscored the profound impact that technology can have on society when harnessed effectively and ethically. Q) How would you look at your inventions over the years? To illustrate how some of these patents have tangibly improved peoples lives, Ill take you back to the year 1999. At that time, I was leading a cutting-edge project at IBM to develop a smartwatch. The challenge here was to miniaturise an operating system designed for servers and adapt it to function effectively on a tiny wristwatch. This required us to innovate extensively, addressing numerous technical challenges ranging from power consumption to memory constraints to user interface design, and so on. This was 25 years ago. Our successful implementation of this project not only resulted in multiple US patents but also laid the groundwork for the pervasive computing industry, influencing its development over the next two decades. These patents that I referred to were subsequently cross licensed by IBM to other companies, enabling further innovation and advancement in wearable technology. For this pioneering work, we recently won the Test of Time award from the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). This is a recognition of work that has had a sustained impact in the community over many years, a decade or two decades. Another notable example involves a set of patents related to computer networks. IBM licensed these patents to companies like LinkedIn and Twitter, perhaps contributing to the robustness and efficiency of social networking platforms that millions of Indian and global users use daily. I believe these examples highlight how our back-end technology, initially developed for specific projects, can have a broad and lasting impact. Q) What is the stumbling block for tech innovation in India? Ill start by acknowledging that India has made significant strides in very recent years. The number of patent applications and patents granted, I think, crossed the six-digit mark 100,000 patents the previous financial year, which is like a threefold improvement over the previous years. But that said, there is still so much to be done to truly excel in this area and catch up with the leaders in the US and China. In my mind, there are a few steps that India needs to take: One is to emphasise quality over quantity. India must focus on the quality of inventions in addition to the number, and this can be achieved through education at the grassroots level. We need to encourage innovation where it often happens unnoticed. By fostering this culture of creativity and critical thinking from an early age, we can nurture a generation of innovators. The second is India needs to streamline its patent evaluation process. We need to increase the manpower dedicated to evaluating patent applications. That is crucial to reduce the time taken to review and approve these applications. Currently, the time required to process patent applications in India is still longer than in the US or China. Also, regular training for patent examiners is essential so that they can stay updated with evolving technical knowledge and become SMEs themselves. The third would be investments in R&D for emerging technologies. India needs to step up its investment in research and development, particularly in sunrise technologies, because these are the technologies that will help India consistently maintain a double-digit growth rate for the next 25 years. These investments should be genuine, focused on creating meaningful advancements, not merely for marketing purposes. And finally, I think we need mature intellectual property recognition. India must become a mature nation in recognizing and enforcing intellectual property rights. This means accelerating the recognition and enforcement of patents to align with global standards. Quick and fair enforcement will encourage more innovators to file patents domestically. So, addressing these few areas, I think India can significantly enhance its patent production. We are already number 5 on the list and can become a leader in innovation on the global stage. Q) So the problem isnt one of lack of talent? Thats right. A lot of the innovation in our experience happens at an early stage of any project and at that stage, these innovative ideas often go unnoticed. So, if we nurture that critical thinking at an early stage, then we can create a generation of inventors. We do have the skills, the manpower, and even the data in this country. But there are some nuances that we need to address here to cross the line. Q) As a master inventor, how are you enabling the next generation of Indian innovators at Kyndryl India? Clients expect Kyndryl to innovate quickly, and my team has consistently risen to this challenge with several impactful projects delivered from India. For a major telecom company, we rolled out a highly automated edge cloud that hosts critical distributed business applications. In the microfinancing sector, our technology is enabling institutions to drive economic change in rural areas. With healthcare providers like diagnostic companies and hospital chains, we are digitising operations to improve patient care. At an airport, we are infusing technology into various facets that enhance passenger experience and operational efficiency. For an automotive company, our solutions are powering connected vehicles, paving the way for smarter driving. We run mission-critical applications for a large bank, engineering high availability in the face of colossal user load. We even helped a gaming company launch their first product in India. We recently worked on a project of national importance that addresses the challenges of financial inclusion within the economy. Also, in the Edtech sector for an edtech client, we are developing a massively scalable learning platform leveraging hyperscalers, modern databases and generative AI to revolutionise education access and quality. So, you see across many verticals, we are doing deep work and this would exemplify our commitment to innovation. You know, each project also involved multidisciplinary teams working together, harnessing our collective knowledge and driving meaningful outcomes. Also read: Amazons Rajeev Rastogi on the impact of Artificial Intelligence on E-commerce in India Also the Kyndryl Fellows program is designed to nurture future leaders by recognising and fostering top talent within the organisation. Kyndryl Fellows serve as mentors to emergent leaders, and this mentorship helps to cultivate technical leadership skills in the next generation within the company. Kyndryl Fellows are encouraged to work across teams, projects, geos and practices, fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation, and this exposure helps future leaders gain a broader perspective as well as a deeper understanding of the business. In terms of innovation and research, most Fellows are involved in cutting-edge research and development projects and that allows them to contribute to and lead innovative initiatives. And this environment promotes creative problem-solving and leadership in technology and tech innovation. Q) What emerging technologies should India focus on over the next 5-to-10 years? The year 2023 marked a watershed moment for technology in more ways than one. We witnessed the resurgence of AI. Thanks to the proliferation of generative AI technologies, we saw new and more powerful models arriving every few weeks, impacting many spheres of life, many facets of business. In the next year, these mighty models that generate everything from text and code to voice, video, and images, will continue their march. The good news is that based on what we are seeing so far, Generative AI will not create an oligopoly where only a few have the resources and expertise to build, train, and operate large and specialised models that the rest of the world has to use. There are many players already in this field. The past year also saw open-source large language models or LLMs taking birth. Several of them were championed by large enterprises, and the next few years are poised to see more action, but predicting whether open source can emerge as the winner is perhaps best deferred by a year. The societal impact of all this generative AI and its interplay with the law will become captivating in the near future. It will cover intellectual property, liability, indemnification, privacy, security, responsibility, and bias because these models are trained on huge corpuses, which is the worldwide web. Theyre trained with the entire Internet, and the internet has bias due to existing historical bias. The internet has copyrighted material, and all of this gets ingested not as raw data, right? The way the neurons are interconnected, you cant really control the data by controlling the neurons. It works in a different way, so all of these aspects that Ive mentioned the law, privacy, security, bias, responsibility are going to come centre stage in the next few years. Researchers talk about artificial general intelligence called AGI, which is general-purpose AI or superintelligence, so to speak. That is a real possibility over the next few years, and that can be a game-changer in so many ways. Now, how would people have reacted just a few years back if we told them they would have a language understanding system to which they can ask any question and they would get an intelligent response? They would not have believed it, and that is a statement on what will be achieved in the next few years. So, I think these are the areas which would propel our growth. As for India, we have plenty of skills, manpower, data; we have all the fuel needed. We just have to leverage all of this, and then grow and become the best. Q) Whats the Indian governments incentive in protecting IP and fostering tech innovation? The Indian Government has a 25-year roadmap, right? India in 2047, 100 years of independence, and we want to be as close as possible to being the biggest economy in the world. To grow, we need to sustain a double-digit growth rate for many years, so 10% over the next 25 years. In order to achieve this, its clear that we have to invest in sunrise technologies, right? Exponential technologies as they are called, not only in the traditional technologies like textiles and manufacturing. It has to be the new tech: AI, data, Generative AI, blockchain, metaverse, and whatnot. When we talk about this, IP protection becomes key, because intellectual property is the big fuel. In order for us to climb the scale in terms of size of economy, there is a correlation between that and the amount of IP friendliness that our country has. When I say IP, it is also publishing more papers in conferences and journals and producing more PhDs and so on. So, well have to catch up with the leaders in all these fields. Q) Any message for Indias young tech innovators? I would say that to have a great career in technology, you have to fall in love with the field. As you progress from early-stage career to mid-career, shift your focus from depth of experience to breadth of perspective. In the early years, focus on gaining depth in multiple domains. Be a bit of a rolling stone and gradually acquire breadth. I think that is key. Throughout a long career spanning 35-40 years, you will encounter tech disruptions and discontinuities. That is a given, but foundational skills such as algorithms, mathematics, and statistics will endure, and they will keep you ready for opportunities over the long term. Finally, mastering the art of multitasking without feeling overwhelmed can be immensely rewarding as well. Also read: MediaTek Indias Anku Jain explains the impact of AI across different sectors in India Tesla hits pause on Thai factory plans, focuses on charging stations; Malaysia and Indonesia left waiting Tesla has reportedly paused its plans to build a factory in Thailand and will instead focus on establishing charging stations. The story was first broken by the outlet The Nation citing a Thai government source. Additionally, Tesla will not be setting up factories in Malaysia or Indonesia, relying solely on its existing plants in the US, China, and Germany to meet market demand. Leaving the door open for Malaysia Since the news broke, officials from Malaysia and Thailand have responded. Malaysia's Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry, Tengku Zafrul Aziz, clarified that Tesla never committed to establishing a factory in Malaysia. He also emphasized that the information came from an unnamed source. The Malaysian government has not received any official communication from Tesla. Zafrul further stated that whether or not Tesla builds a factory in Malaysia will not impact the country's electric vehicle (EV) development. However, a CNBC report from 2023 noted that the Malaysian government had allowed Tesla to bypass existing regulations and enter the market without needing a local joint venture, to attract the company. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim commented that Tesla's decision is unrelated to Malaysia's performance or policies, attributing it instead to the fierce competition from Chinese EV manufacturers. Anwar added that while Tesla has invested more in Thailand, operations in Malaysia are still in their early stages. Malaysian officials are set to meet with Tesla representatives on August 22, expecting more clarity on the matter then. Thailand's ambition as an EV manufacturing hub In Thailand, Bangkok Post reported that government spokesperson Chai Wacharonke stated Tesla is re-evaluating its global investment plans, not just considering Thailand. However, the Thai government is still awaiting an official response from Tesla regarding the factory delay. Then Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin (Thavisin has been removed from office by the Constitutional Court on August 14 at the time of writing) had met with Tesla executives multiple times in the latter half of 2023, visited Tesla's California factory, and led Tesla representatives on a tour of industrial parks in Thailand. Srettha later announced that Tesla would turn Thailand into an EV manufacturing hub. Following news of the factory suspension, Srettha stated that he had not received any official communication from Tesla, and discussions between the Thai government and Tesla were ongoing. Srettha also mentioned that during initial talks, Tesla expressed interest in India's vast market but viewed Thailand as a more favorable location for a factory. However, after Elon Musk canceled plans for a factory in India, no further updates were provided, sparking criticism in India. Meanwhile, Indonesia is still awaiting progress on Tesla's battery plant project. In 2022, the two parties signed a cooperation agreement, under which Tesla committed to purchasing US$5 billion worth of nickel from Indonesia for use in EV batteries. 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. 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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Elon Musk, owner of X, shared an image apparently created by his new Grok-2 AI tool, on Wednesday. Apu Gomes/TNS Elon Musks answer to OpenAIs Dall-E image generator, Grok-2, is a doozy. Musks company, xAI, released the latest version of its Grok artificial intelligence model late Tuesday. The tool has the ability to generate images when users type in a prompt on the X social media site, formerly Twitter, after buying a premium membership. The technology isnt novel. But unlike similar products from OpenAI or safety-focused competitor Anthropic, which include limitations on the kind of content they will create for users, the Grok-2 bot will apparently generate nearly anything you want. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Users on X have been posting images they said were created with the latest Grok-2 model that range from what appears to be presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump smilingly flashing the thumbs-up in an aircraft cockpit flying toward the burning Twin Towers, to former President Barack Obama appearing to do drugs. Some of the images appear slightly cartoonish or photoshopped but the lighting and photorealism are striking at a glance, and the images do not appear to suffer from telltale AI-generated confusion like showing a person with the wrong number of fingers. Musk launched xAI about a year ago, hiring a number of former OpenAI, Google and Microsoft AI researchers. Image generators made by other leading AI companies often refuse to generate pornographic, violent or misleading images. Leading up to the November election, a number of state bills are also focusing on heading off hyperrealistic images that could confuse or mislead voters about what a candidate said or did. State Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, is in the middle of a battle with many in the AI developer community and Silicon Valley over a bill intended at limiting the potentially most harmful effects of powerful AI models. That bill would put an onus on model makers to test their products to ensure their programs do not cause catastrophic harms. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Developers and open source model makers like Meta have pushed back, saying its terms are too broad and could crush innovation in a key industry. Musk has criticized AI program guardrails, and companies like San Francisco-based OpenAI, which he was an early investor in before leaving the company, for having a liberal bias. He has repeatedly sued OpenAI, demanding the company release its underlying code and accusing it of contravening its founding mission. Companies like San Franciscos Anthropic, also founded by OpenAI alumni, have taken the opposite approach, saying the development of safe AI with clear guardrails is paramount to their mission. Other outlets, including the Verge, that took Grok-2 for a spin found the tool was willing to generate copyrighted images, like Mickey Mouse, in compromising situations, as well as create images of a scantily clad Taylor Swift. Groks original chatbot version reportedly refused to help users break the law, pushing back on prompts that asked it for instructions on how to make drugs and other illegal activities. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Some users asked Grok-2 what it would and would not generate. The bot said, in some screenshots shared on social media, that it would not create excessively violent or pornographic images, or infringe on copyrighted material. Yet, users on X said Grok-2 allowed them to create images that appeared to defy those rules in some cases, and come right up to the line in other situations. Other images users said were generated by Grok-2 included one of Trump firing a weapon out of a pickup truck while wearing a headband often worn by Hamas fighters, and some of Trump and Musk in bed together. Not long after Grok-2s release, Musk posted what appeared to be an AI-generated image of him and Trump, who he has endorsed for president and brought back on the X site, dancing. Haters will say this is AI, he wrote. Advertisement Article continues below this ad As Budget 2025 approaches and many Early Years and School Age Care settings in Louth reopen next week after the summer break, Early Childhood Ireland is urging the government to increase the number of available places for young children. The latest official figures, taken from the Pobal Annual Early Years Sector Profile survey 22/23, highlight the scale of the issue, with hundreds of Louth children under the age of three on waiting lists to access the care and education they deserve. The data revealed that there are 122 children under the age of one on creche waiting lists in Louth and just one place available for them; 264 children aged 1-2 years on waiting lists and just five places available; and 398 children aged 2-3 years on waiting lists and 46 places available. Early Childhood Ireland says that it believes that every child in Ireland should have the right to access to high-quality Early Years and School Age Care, however, because of a lack of proper planning, this need is currently going unmet for children across the country. Frances Byrne, Director of Policy at Early Childhood Ireland, said, Ireland needs a system of national and local two-year and five-year planning cycles to ensure that there are enough places for children in their communities. We hear stories of parents putting their childs name down for a creche place before theyre even born. We know how many children are born in the state every year, and we need the government to enact a proper capacity planning system to meet the needs and rights of young children. Our 2024 Barometer, based on a national opinion poll, shows that an overwhelming majority (76%) of people in Ireland agree that every child should be guaranteed access to high-quality and inclusive Early Years and School Age Care in their community. Its time that the government put a plan in place to make this happen. To further support capacity planning, the organisation is asking the government to fully implement the National Action Plan for Childminding, which seeks to provide greater recognition and support for childminders, improve access to high-quality Early Years and School Age Care and offer families the chance to access financial supports. Childminding is an essential Early Years and School Age Care service for families and children. In other countries, families get a choice between a place with a childminder or one in an Early Years centre and this should be our ambition for children here too. Ms Byrne added. Ahead of Budget 2025, Early Childhood Ireland is also calling on the government to improve Family Leave entitlements, to prioritise the pay of graduates who work in Early Years and School Age Care settings, and to publish a five-year plan with a new investment target. The organisation says its budget submission offers a radical new approach to elevate Early Years and School Age Care to the same status as primary education in Ireland. Oracle Corp. was headquartered in Redwood City until it relocated to Austin, Texas, in 2020. The software computing giant, founded by three men who took their name from a CIA project they worked on, is reportedly involved in developing a personnel database for a second Donald Trump term. Paul Sakuma/Associated Press Oracle Corp., the $370 billion cloud-computing giant started in Santa Clara, is not shy about promoting a 430,000-plus-deep client roster that includes San Francisco-born tech companies such as Open AI and Palantir or the government of Saudi Arabia. But Oracles public-facing financial disclosures, its exhaustive customer index and searchable media releases do not mention its purported contract to build a secretive personnel database of politicos willing to implement Project 2025, a radically conservative agenda designed for a second Donald Trump term. Published last year, Project 2025 subtitled the Presidential Transition Project is a 900-page action plan organized by the Heritage Foundation and crafted by more than 100 Trump administration officials and staffers. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The sprawling policy document details how Trump can achieve a vision he has described in campaign speeches, interviews and his own Agenda 47 platform. Among other things, it outlines how the Republican nominee, in his first six months in office, could push through a national abortion ban, deport every undocumented immigrant and criminalize transgender identity. It also envisions the elevation of Christianity over other faiths, an end to state sovereignty and a tax hike for the middle class. Acknowledging that the former presidents first-term agenda was partially thwarted by federal judges, whistleblowers and even his own appointees, Project 2025 aims to use a new employment category Trump sought to create shortly before his 2020 defeat that would allow him to replace thousands of rank-and-file federal employees with political appointees. Which is where Oracle reportedly came in. As the New York Times reported in April 2023, Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts said his organization tapped the company to develop a secure personnel database that could provide Trump with up to 20,000 candidates by the end of this year, using artificial intelligence to speed up the vetting process. Paul Dans, Trumps former chief of staff at the Office of Personnel Management and Project 2025s chief architect, even drew up whiteboard sketches of what the conservative LinkedIn could look like in January 2023, according to ProPublica, while Axios reported the database had more than 4,000 entries that November. Advertisement Article continues below this ad As Dans writes in the forward for Project 2025, Our goal is to assemble an army of aligned, vetted, trained, and prepared conservatives to go to work on Day One to deconstruct the Administrative State. Neither Oracle Corp. nor the Heritage Foundation responded to the Chronicles requests for comment. Founded in 1977 by three men who took their companys name from a CIA project they had worked on, Oracle which moved its headquarters from Redwood City to Austin, Texas, in 2020 has resisted wading into presidential politics or appearing partisan. Its political action committee, Oracle PAC, has distributed nearly $400,000 to candidates and committees from both major parties since January 2023, including $60,000 apiece to Republican and Democratic congressional PACs, Federal Election Commission records show. Larry Ellison, the companys co-founder and chief technology officer, is a different story. Oracle Corp. co-founder and chief technology officer Larry Ellison, seen in 2014, has been a prolific megadonor to conservative causes and candidates, and participated in a 2020 phone call in which then-President Donald Trump considered strategies for fighting his election defeat to Joe Biden. Toru Yamanaka/AFP via Getty Images 2014 Advertisement Article continues below this ad Some of Silicon Valleys biggest, brashest investors and executives have been pledging in recent weeks to use their considerable wealth and influence to get Trump elected, including Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, crypto superfunders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, former PayPal executive David Sacks and Palantir founder Joe Lonsdale. To be considered for Project 2025s Presidential Administration Academy, one must access a passcode-protected questionnaire that asks applicants about their political philosophy and their opinions on immigrants, unions, gender, censorship by Big Tech, the education industry, permanent institutions of family and religion and whether Life has a right to legal protection from conception to natural death. A screenshot of the passcode-protected Presidential Personnel Database & Presidential Administration Academy Questionnaire for Project 2025, organized by the Heritage Foundation. Screenshot / SFC Its a dangerous manifesto, said California state Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley. It completely undermines womens autonomy and relegates us to second-class citizens. Rabia Muqaddam, a senior staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights, noted the irony of Heritage and the other conservative groups involved in Project 2025 railing against the administrative state. The document is a how-to to use the administrative state to go after abortion, she said. At the end of the day, its really very unprincipled. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Project 2025 has flopped spectacularly in recent weeks, as the publics growing knowledge of the Trump 2.0 plan coincides with its rising unpopularity. Trump himself has changed his story on Project 2025, going from claiming ignorance to issuing a full-throated disavowal. The distancing attempts represent a far cry from April 2022, when Trump gave a glowing keynote address at a Heritage event in Florida, commending Roberts for the conservative vision his foundation was crafting. Referring to Trumps denials, Roberts told the Vince Coglianese Show on WMAL, a Washington, D.C., radio station, last month that he had no hard feelings and that he understood the Republican presidential nominee was making a political tactical decision there. Funds have been allocated by Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys to upgrade visitor and recreational amenities at Slieve Foye in the Cooley peninsula. 60k will be spent on works accompanying the completion of recent recreation infrastructure improvement works. The money is part of 3 million nationally to develop and upgrade visitor and recreational amenities at Coillte Forest Parks across Ireland. The investment is part of a strategic partnership between the Department of Rural and Community Development and Coillte to maintain and manage existing trails in Coillte forests, and to develop new recreation opportunities. The funding will be used to deliver a range of projects such as new walking trails, carpark improvements, installation of footbridges and new toilet facilities. Speaking at Rossmore Park, Minister Humphreys said: Adventure tourism continues to go from strength to strength in Ireland. People want to be out and about enjoying our great outdoors whether its our beaches, lakes, mountains or of course our wonderful forests. We have seen a huge surge in visitor numbers to our forest parks in recent years and I want to see that continue. Im delighted that my Department is working collaboratively with Coillte so that we can upgrade and improve the experience for visitors. If you want to take a break and get some peace and quiet there is nothing quite like a walk in the forest. There are so many hidden gems on our doorstep in Ireland and I would encourage people to get out and explore them. Read Next: 4M in Government grants paid to 2,528 businesses in Louth Imelda Hurley, Coillte CEO said: We are delighted to continue our partnership with the Department of Rural and Community Development and this important funding will enable us to further enhance the experience for visitors to our recreational forests across the country. As Irelands largest provider of outdoor recreation, were delighted to welcome an estimated 18m visits to our recreational areas from across Ireland and indeed, further afield. Getting out in nature has proven positive benefits for peoples wellbeing and we look forward to further developing our recreational amenities for everyone to enjoy. 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. A United Airlines flight from San Francisco to Rome was diverted on Wednesday for the second consecutive day, this time due to a medical emergency, the airline said. Paul Chinn/The Chronicle 2020 A United Airlines flight from San Francisco to Rome was diverted on Wednesday for the second consecutive day. Flight 507, operated by a Boeing 777-200, diverted to Edmonton, Canada, due to a passenger medical emergency, a United spokesperson reported. According to aviation records, the flight touched down at Edmonton International Airport approximately 6 hours after its 4:49 p.m. departure from San Francisco International Airport. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The remainder of the flight was canceled, leaving 265 passengers and 14 crew members to return to San Francisco at 3:26 a.m. on Thursday. The spokesperson did not specify if passengers were rebooked on alternate flights to Rome. This incident followed a similar disruption on Tuesday when another Rome-bound United Airlines flight from San Francisco International Airport was diverted to Sacramento International Airport due to a mechanical issue. According to the airline, Flight UA507 departed SFO around 4:30 p.m., heading for Romes Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport, but landed in Sacramento just before 6 p.m. Many of the passengers from Tuesdays flight had been reassigned to the Wednesday trip. Raja Haddad, who was scheduled on both flights, told the Chronicle that passengers were left in the dark throughout the ordeal and informed they would now arrive in Rome on Friday. He expressed frustration that the second flight was directed back to SFO rather than an airport with better travel options. Advertisement Article continues below this ad No explanation was given for why they couldnt replace the crew and continue on the same plane, Haddad said. I usually empathize with these situations, but this experience has been completely off the charts. Privacy, fire safety, and staffing were identified as issues in a HIQA inspection of the No 2 Cordyline centre for people with disabilities in Cork. The centre has a capacity of 21 residents and there were three vacancies at the time of inspection, and though feedback from the centre was mostly positive, some areas were highlighted as being of concern. The centre, which is managed by the Brothers of Charity, was not compliant in eight areas, was substantially compliant in five, and was compliant in five. Surveys had been circulated to the residents in advance of the inspection, and while there was lots of positive feedback during the inspection, one resident stated, I would like a bigger bedroom. Another survey referenced that a different resident would prefer to live with people of their own age and this resident also mentioned the lack of staff availability and that activities had been cancelled because of this lack. A third residents survey referenced them wanting to go out of the centre more often with staff and there being lots of new staff that the resident did not know. There were issues around privacy, with some residents receiving checks in their bedrooms at night, but the rationale for such checks was not always documented. For one resident, it was indicated that they were to receive such checks due to possible seizures, the inspection report said. However, the same resident had a bed sensor already in place related to this, so it was unclear why the night checks were needed with this. The inspector also noted that a delivery person had entered one bungalow without knocking or using the doorbell. As had been also noted on a previous inspection, in February 2023, communal space was limited in some bungalows. Given the number of residents, there was no space available for them to receive visitors in private, other than in their bedrooms, and this was noted as an issue. Residents did have access to a nearby building, and this was on the same campus, that could be used to receive visitors in private, if they wished, but the suitability of this arrangement was raised by a family member, who spoke during the inspection and who highlighted that it would not always be appropriate to bring their relative to this building, depending on the weather. This same family member told inspectors of queries to management that went unanswered, and the family member also raised concerns around the living environment for the relative in their current home, along with the availability and levels of staff provided. Bedrooms were nicely furnished and personalised, and some had fitted wardrobes. While most residents did not pay for these, one residents funds were used to pay for their wardrobe. Staffing was a major issue, with the inspector acknowledging a general staffing crisis affecting the health and social care in Ireland and noting that the provider had been making ongoing recruitment efforts. Two bungalows did not have team leaders and had not had them for some time, while there had been occasions when staff levels were lower than were required and, as a consequence, sometimes nursing shifts would be filled by care assistants. Activities for residents were often not able to happen on a particular day, because of a lack of staff, and staff members indicated that it was hard to help residents fulfill goals identified in their personal plans as a result. As part of the personal-planning, residents were supported to participate in a personal-outcomes measures (POMs) process to identify goals for them to achieve, and the inespector found that one resident had been living in the centre since May 2022, but had only recently completed this process. STAFFING As such, at the time of this inspection, staffing in this centre was not in keeping with the needs of the residents, nor the centres statement of purpose, and there were issus with training, with 37% of staff not having received supervision in line with the providers policies. There were also fire-safety concerns, with evacuation times based on the most recent drills being much slower than was needed, and two residents personal plans stated that that their current residential setting was not suited to their particular needs. The centre noted that since the inspection, a residential-services manager had begun work to support the area manager in the designated centre, and a fourth team leader for one of the bungalows had been hired, with the centre aiming to have a final team leader in place by the end of September. That same date was given as a timeline by which all mandatory staff training would be complete, and the centre also noted that it had prepared a new private visitation area and that works have been completed to make all residents homes suitable. Additionally, new fire drills had been completed and showed a satisfactory evacuation time and there were now signs on all of the front doors telling visitors to ring the doorbell and wait until a resident or staff came to answer. Cork is short thousands of creche places, but treating the services and their staff like schools and school teachers would solve a lot of the problems in the sector according to Early Childhood Ireland. 2,768 children under the age of three are on the waiting list for a creche place in Cork according to latest data. With just 344 places available across the county, this leaves Cork as many as 2,424 places short. The data is compiled by Pobal, who cautioned that waiting lists are not in operation in all services, but also an individual child may be on multiple waiting lists in different services. There are 534 children under the age of one on creche waiting lists in Cork and just 17 places available for them, a shortage of 517. Additionally, there are 1,124 children aged 1 to 2 on waiting lists and just 36 places available, a shortage of 1,088 places, and 1,110 children aged 2 to 3 on waiting lists with just 291 places available a shortage of 819. Early Childhood Irelands director of policy, Frances Byrne, told The Echo that there are different problems in rural and in urban areas, including smaller services not being profitable to run, leaving children in the countryside having to travel further away. In cities, there are often not enough places to account for population growth, and though planning laws require creches to be built along with housing estates, further collaboration between agencies is necessary, she said. Nobody is required to talk to the Department of Children about how to kit out this creche, whos going to pay for it creches are being built in housing estates but left empty because nobody has the resources to open it, she claimed. Ms Byrne said that valuing creches to the same extent as schools would solve a lot of problems. The raison detre of the current and next government needs to be elevating early years to the status of primary education its long overdue and its already the case in other counties. The organisation, in its pre-budget submission, has called for a date to be set by the Government for bringing Early Years and School Age Care graduates within public sector pay and conditions, in line with teachers. Ms Byrne explained: The biggest challenge facing our 366 member settings based in communities across Cork is the recruitment and retention of staff, and any other challenges then have a knock on effect on staffing. At the moment, graduates are leaving full- time education with an equivalent qualification to teachers, but their pay can be less than half of teachers she said, explaining that maternity pay, pensions etc should all be brought in for early years staff also, as currently many are working in between the public and private sector. Promising the same wages and benefits would entice staff to work in the sector and stay there, she said. If the Government can name a date, even three or four years away, that would be transformative for our members. Additionally, proper planning is key: We know how many children are born in Cork every year, the Department of Education looks at where babies are born and they plan accordingly but we are not seeing that in our sector, Ms Byrne said. There has been progress recently, a Workforce Plan, Childminding Action Plan, and new funding models which are all really welcome, but were still way behind our European contemporaries. Thats all manifested in very high fees, long waiting lists, parents under huge pressure, providers under huge pressure too, and staff thinking they cant make a career out of this even if they really want to. It is not acceptable that Cork City Council took a week to remove racist graffiti that had been reported multiple times, a Cork councillor has said. The messages n*****s out and white man angry had been graffitied on a vacant building on Seminary Rd, Blackpool, and were reported by Cork City North East councillor Brian McCarthy on Wednesday, August 7. The Solidarity-People Before Profit councillor was informed that the issue had also been reported by several locals. However, almost a week later, the graffiti remained. The Echo asked Cork City Council for comment on the issue on Tuesday evening, and yesterday morning at 8:20am the words white man angry were power-hosed off the side of the vacant house. The graffiti that used the racial slur has been covered up with black spray paint by another person, while waiting for the council to act, and the council has not, at the time of writing, attempted to remove this. Racism Mr McCarthy said for the council to treat this like normal graffiti is a mistake: This is not graffiti, its racism. This is a very diverse area, lots of people of colour, including children, will have had to walk past both of these its awful that racists feel bold enough to put this on the wall. Its no coincidence that this has happened at the same time as the riots in the UK, in Belfast, and in Coolock. Mr McCarthy said he will be raising the issue at the next meeting of Cork City Council in September because for the council to take an entire week to deal with it is not acceptable. If someone went down and graffitied on the Michael Collins statue in Grand Parade, the council would have it removed that day, but this was reported more than once, locals sent photos, but after the weekend it was still up. Intimidating His party colleague, TD for Cork North Central Mick Barry, said it is shocking that people have the confidence to do something like this now, adding though Im pretty sure this individual did it under the cover of darkness. He told The Echo: There should be no space for racist graffiti in Cork city. Its horrible and is both insulting and intimidating to people of colour who live in our communities. It should not have taken Cork City Council an entire week to remove racist graffiti in this case. I want to thank the council staff who powerwashed the wall but the decision-makers higher up the ranks in City Hall should not be allowing racist graffiti stay up an entire week after being reported. A genuine zero-tolerance policy would see racist graffiti being removed far more quickly, ideally within 24 hours of being reported. If that would require purchase of extra powerwashing equipment then that is what should be done in my opinion. A spokesperson for Cork City Council told The Echo: This graffiti has been removed. Crews respond to removal requests daily along with numerous other service requests. This is the third such removal of graffiti in this area in recent weeks. A public meeting will be held next week to address growing concerns surrounding the Rosscarbery waste water treatment plant and recent no-swim notices issued across popular beaches in Cork. The Warren beach and Owenahincha beach both currently have do not swim notices in place due to water quality concerns, with microbilogical tests being carried out this week. The two notices were issued by Cork County Council, asking locals to avoid swimming or bathing in the waters at these locations due to pollution and decreased water quality. Fianna Fail Cork South West TD Christopher OSullivan said that local residents have voiced strong concerns that the waste water treatment plant is now failing, and are concerned about Uisce Eireanns response. Mr OSullivan added: The idea of the meeting is to compile all of this evidence. And then to have a full group representing business, parents, families, and locals to meet Uisce Eireann on another date. The meeting is set to take place on Thursday, August 22, at the Celtic Ross Hotel in Rosscarbery, at 7pm. One of Corks best-loved spaces, recognised internationally as one of Irelands top tourist attractions, has announced a programme of events to mark Heritage Week. Nano Nagle Place, which has been listed as the winner of the Tripadvisor Travellers Choice Award for 2024, has a week-long series of events celebrating culture and history in the heart of the city. Museum The week begins at midday on August 17, with free entry to the Nano Nagle museum, where the South Presentation Congregational Archives will be showcasing objects of importance from the life of the founder of the Presentation Sisters. From 11am to 1pm on August 18 and August 25, heritage specialist Shazia Waheed will give a workshop on native plants and animals. At 2pm on August 21, genealogist David Ryan will give a lecture centred around the South Presentation Convent burial ground. From 2pm to 4pm on August 24, visitors will have an opportunity to craft their own mini-museum inside a shoebox, in a creative and educational chance to explore museum curation. At 11am on August 24, Veronica Stuart will explore the intricate artistry and rich history of Youghal Lace, sharing stories and insights into this Irish craft and its cultural significance. From 2pm to 4pm on August 25, UCC lecturer and beekeeper Shane Lehane will give a lecture on the connection between bees honey, wax, and the saints in early Ireland. Award In addition to marking Heritage Week, Nano Nagle Place is also celebrating receiving the Tripadvisor Travellers Choice Award 2024, an accolade that highlights exceptional visitor reviews and ratings, and places the Cork heritage space among the top 10% of attractions globally. The award celebrates businesses that consistently receive outstanding reviews. Nano Nagle Place has achieved this status due to its more than 500 five-star reviews, highlighting its appeal as a must-visit destination in Cork City. The site is now open seven days a week. Tripadvisors awards honour travellers favourite destinations, hotels, restaurants, things to do, and more, based on reviews from travellers around the world shared on Tripadvisor. So-called best of the best award winners are among the top 10% of listings on Tripadvisor, distinguishing them as travellers favourites for 2024. Susannah Ahern, who is programme, heritage and education manager of Nano Nagle Place, said: The five-star reviews we receive are nothing short of a testament to the dedication of our incredible team who work hard to ensure our unique heritage site, Ms Ahern said. To find out more and book tickets for the centres Heritage Week attractions, visit https://nanonagleplace.ie. A takeaway and a food store, both of which are located at the same address in Douglas, were issued prohibition orders by the Food Safety Authority (FSAI) on July 17, after a power outage led to food in freezers thawing. Three Prohibition Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 in July including the two in Cork. The orders were served at the takeaway Goa Indian Spice Kitchen Ltd and retailer Select Asia both located at Unit 103, St Patricks Woollen Mills, Douglas. Prohibition orders are issued if the activities involve or are likely to involve a serious risk to public health from a particular product, class, batch or item of food . The effect is to prohibit the sale of the product, either temporarily or permanently, but the business can remain open. Outage An electric outage had occurred on the Douglas premises for approximately 24 hours, and the maintenance of the cold chain was interrupted resulting in inappropriate food storage temperatures in the cold room, refrigerator and chest freezers. Thawed food products were found in several freezers in the ground floor retail section and upstairs of the premises. Five downstairs freezers and two upstairs contained prepacked frozen food products which had thawed, with air temperature of 4.8C recorded in one freezer, while an open tray containing joints of meat which were recorded at 14.9C was discovered in a cold room. In the adjacent retail premises upstairs rear storage room, the chest freezer containing pre-packed frozen products and foods prepared in the take-away kitchen had a recorded air temperature of 7.8C. The inspector noted: All of the above items have been at an inappropriate food storage temperature for over 24 hours. The business was directed to withdraw the items of food identified from sale with immediate effect, with the inspector saying the activities of storage and selling of food involve or, are likely to involve, a serious risk to public health from the said Items of food for the particular reasons set out in Part 2 of the Schedule. Ordered They were ordered to ensure that the food is not used for human consumption, is recalled from sale or distribution and is detained or is destroyed in a manner prescribed by an authorised officer. Dr Pamela Byrne, chief executive, of the FSAI, emphasised that compliance with food safety and hygiene regulations should be of the highest priority for all food businesses. Food businesses have a legal responsibility to ensure the safety of the food they produce, distribute or sell by maintaining proper storage temperatures, ensuring staff are properly trained, having stringent hygiene practices and ensuring their food businesses are fully pest proofed. Achieving a strong food safety culture requires continuous and consistent training for all team members. Gardai in Cork city are appealing to the public for assistance in tracing the whereabouts of 14-year-old Maia Loftus Amigo who has been missing from her home in the city since Monday, August 12. Maia was last seen in the Togher area of Cork City, at approximately 1.15pm on Monday. Maia is described as 5 foot 4 inches in height with a slight build. She has green eyes and her hair is black. It is not known what Maia was wearing when last seen. Anyone with information on Maias whereabouts is asked to contact Togher Garda Station on 021 494 7120, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any garda station. Is there really such a thing as a just war? Can violence be sometimes or never justified? Was it the bould Daniel OConnell that said, No political change is worth spilling a drop of blood for? In a Utopian society there would be no need for anything except peace, love and harmony - but where do we find it? Ah yes, so many ifs and buts, but in reality we live in an imperfect world. Truly lofty aspirations are worth grasping at, but are oft times unattainable so we have to settle for second best. War has been ever present right down through world history. Occasionally, we seem to have a few peaceful years, or maybe even a decade, and then conflict breaks out again. At the present time, there are up to a dozen of what could be termed war zones and world peace seems further away than ever. Bewitched, bothered and bewildered I was the other night as I pondered all these issues and got no nearer the answers to my multitude of questions. Tuesday night it was, August the 13th, and I was on a journey of remembrance. As I left home I passed close to where 12 men were shot dead back in December, 1834. Were they law-breakers, these men who offered passive resistance to a military force armed with swords and guns? They were just part of a huge crowd who gathered at the farmyard of the widow Johannah Ryan, who was in arrears with her Tithe Payments to the local Parson, the Rev William Ryder. Since the Act of Union in 1800, the Church of Ireland was the Established Church in this country. We had no longer an Irish Parliament, so as a people the Irish were bound by the legal strictures imposed in Westminster. Imagine the injustice of a law which demanded a religious tithe be paid to the clergy of another religion. So it was in Ireland in the 1830s, and thus the so-called Tithe War broke out. When payment of tithes was refused, the local parson had the power to seize cattle or harvested crops like stacks of hay or straw in lieu of the sum of money owed. Cattle thus impounded were sold unless the guilty party paid up the arrears. In all fairness, could such a system be justified? Yes, I know the laws of the land demanded such payments but not every law or act can be deemed as being fair or just. Who decides what is fair and what is unfair? A hundred and ninety years ago, an impoverished people, in my opinion, were entitled to resist in whatever manner they could. Back on that December day in 1834, the populace used sticks and stones and hurleys to stand up against military might, and as a result blood flowed freely. The 12 slain were law-breakers as such, but morally they had right on their side. After a few months, those who fired the fatal shots and those who gave the order to Fire were found guilty of wilful murder, but in another example of a twisted might is right situation, the guilty all appealed and not one person ever served a single day in jail for the killing of 12 men. My journey two nights ago took me to well-kept Dunbullogue cemetery in the parish of Carrignavar. One hundred years after the twelve fell dead just a few miles from my home, another similar incident happened that ended in a fatality. On August 13, 1934, 90 years ago last Tuesday, Michael Patrick Lynch, from Lyre in Carrignavar, lost his life after an altercation at Marshs Yard in Copley Street Cork. Lynch was just 22 years old. Born in 1912, young Lynch grew from boy to man as the Free State Government sought to establish a Government in Ireland after 700 years of British Rule. After the Civil War, huge amounts of vital infrastructure, including bridges, railway lines and roads, lay in ruins and the task ahead was immense. Under WT Cosgrave, the painstaking work of State-building proceeded and included the major Shannon Hydro Electric Scheme which cost 5 million. In the 1932 General Election, Eamon de Valeras Fianna Fail gained a majority. Many thought the hand-over of power would be problematic, but Cosgrave was a statesman and a true believer in democracy. de Valera had promised, if he won, to cease the annual payment of around 3million in Land Annuities to the British Government - as agreed in the Treaty. The Annuity payments were a repayment to the British Government as agreed under the various Land Acts whereby Irish farmers had bought out their farms from landlords. True to his word, when in Government de Valera put up the two fingers to the London Government and refused to pay them the annuities. Irish farmers thought that was the end of the annuities, but no, de Valera forgot to tell farmers that his Government would still demand and collect the annuities from individual farmers. England slapped massive tariffs on Irish exports and so the Economic War began. Farm prices in Ireland went to rock bottom - calves, cattle, sheep and pigs were virtually worthless. Despite this agricultural collapse, the annuities were still demanded. Cumann na nGaedheal meetings were frequently attacked and broken up. In 1932, the Army Comrades Association - later called the Blueshirts - was formed to offer protection and the right of free speech to ex-service men and Cumann na nGaedheal members. During 1933 and 1934, the seizure of cattle from farmers who refused to pay the annuities increased. On August 9, 1934, an ad appeared on the Cork Examiner: For sale by auction on the 13th, at noon at Copley Street, Cork, one bull and ten dairy cows and 3 young cattle. By order - CT Kennedy, Courthouse, Cork. These cattle had been seized from two Cork farmers, and the stock were to be auctioned at Marshs yard in Copley Street. On the morning of the sale, huge numbers of farmers, many wearing their Blueshirt uniform, gathered in the city. A lorry was driven through the door of the yard. A group of farmers got access to the premises but were met by a branch of the Broy Harriers - a division of the Civic Guards. They opened fire and about 12 men were hit and young Michael Lynch was one of these. He died in hospital a few hours later. Michael grew up in turbulent times during the era of the War of Independence and the Civil War, but was too young to have taken part in any of these engagements. He was there on that fateful August morning 90 years ago in opposition to what he and his comrades saw as a gross injustice. They were right, of course, as it took Irish agriculture nearly 40 years to recover from that disastrous Economic War. Years later, I spoke to Jim Hegarty of Clonmult - he was wounded in the leg that day and had a narrow escape. Charges of fascism have been levelled against the Blueshirts - my own Auntie Jo was in the Blue Blouses. Michael Lynch and Jim Hegarty, Auntie Jo and the thousands of others were not fascists - they believed in free speech and were prepared to fight for it. We laid a wreath at the grave of Michael Lynch on Tuesday evening -it was the least we could do. The following inscription is on his headstone: The humblest citizen of all the land when clad in the armour of a righteous cause is stronger than all the hosts of error. (William Jennings Bryan) Air passengers have specific consumer rights under European law. You have a right to get assistance from your air carrier and you may be entitled to compensation in certain situations. Who does the law apply to? The law applies to all passengers departing from an EU/EEA airport. It also applies to passengers departing from an airport outside of the EU/EEA but arriving at an EU/EEA airport on an EU/EEA licensed carrier (unless they have already received compensation or assistance in that non-EU/EEA country). It does not apply if you are travelling free or at a fare that is reduced and is not available directly or indirectly to the public. The law also does not apply if you do not have a confirmed reservation or relevant document (visa etc), if you do not arrive at the boarding gate in good time or if you pose safety or security concerns. If you are denied boarding, or your flight has been cancelled or delayed, and the law does apply, the airline must provide you with a written notice setting out the rules for compensation and assistance. You must be offered two free telephone calls, fax messages, or emails. In addition, a sign must be displayed at the check-in area referring to air passenger rights under the law. What does denied boarding mean? It means the airline has refused to accommodate you on scheduled flights and charters although you have a valid ticket, correct documentation (passport, visa etc.), have confirmed your reservation and presented yourself for check-in within the required time limit as specified by the airline. Denied boarding happens when airlines sell more tickets for a scheduled flight than seats. Where a flight is overbooked the airline will first call for volunteers to surrender their confirmed reservations to the airline in exchange for agreed benefits. If there are not enough volunteers, the airline may deny boarding to passengers against their will but must compensate them and offer the appropriate assistance set out in the law. In both situations you will be entitled to a choice of: Refund of the cost of your ticket within 7 days if not wishing to travel or; re-routing to your final destination at the earliest opportunity or; re-routing at a later date at your convenience, subject to the availability of seats What is care and assistance by an airline? Free meals and refreshments must be offered depending on the waiting time. Free hotel accommodation must be offered if an overnight stay is necessary, as well as transport between the hotel and the airport. Plus, two free telephone calls, fax messages, or emails. If the airline does not give you the above and you are forced to make your own arrangements, keep all your receipts. You are entitled to get reimbursed for your expenses. What is my entitlement if the flight is cancelled? You are entitled to a choice of: Refund the cost of your ticket within 7 days or, re-routing to your final destination at the earliest opportunity or, re-routing at a later date at your convenience, subject to the availability of seats You may also be entitled to compensation. Are there situations where compensation is not payable? You are not entitled to it if: You have received at least two weeks notice of the cancellation; or you have received between 2 weeks and 7 days notice but been offered an alternative flight departing no more than 2 hours before your original departure and arriving at your final destination less than 4 hours after your original scheduled time of arrival; or you have received less than 7 days notice but have been offered an alternative flight departing no more than 1 hour before your original departure time and arriving at your final destination less than 2 hours after your original scheduled time of arrival. If the airline can prove the cancellation was caused by an extraordinary, unavoidable circumstance, even if all reasonable measures had been taken, no compensation is payable. Examples of this may include: Weather conditions, air traffic control restrictions, security risks, and industrial disputes that affect the operation of the flight What are my rights if a flight is delayed? Whether a delayed flight comes within the terms of the law depends upon the distance of the route involved and the length of the delay. The following flights are covered by the law: Delays of 2 hours or more in the case of flights of 1500 km or less; delays of 3 hours or more in the case of all flights within the EU of more than 1500 km, and all other flights between 1500 and 3500 km; delays of 4 hours or more in the case of all other flights If your delayed flight is covered by law, free meals and refreshments must be offered depending on the waiting time. Free hotel accommodation must be offered if an overnight stay is necessary, as well as transport between the hotel and the airport. You get two free telephone calls, fax messages, or emails. If the flight is delayed at least five hours, you must be offered a full refund instead of flying, for the part or parts of the journey you have not made and for the part or parts you already made if the flight is no longer serving any purpose to your original travel plan. If relevant, it includes a return flight to your first point of departure, at the earliest opportunity. If the airline can prove the delay was caused by an extraordinary, unavoidable circumstance, even if all reasonable measures had been taken, no compensation is payable. What are the levels of compensation? If a refund of the cost of the ticket is chosen and you are also entitled to compensation, the following must be paid: Flights of 1,500 km or less, 250; Flights of over 1,500 km within the EU and other flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km. 400; All other flights, 600. If the choice is re-routing and you are entitled to compensation, the amount you are entitled to depends on the length of delay past your original planned arrival time. What are the rules re upgrading and downgrading seats? If you are offered a seat in a higher class, the airline cannot charge you additional payment. If you agree to be in a lower class, you are entitled to reimbursement of a percentage of the difference in price. How do I make a complaint? Complain to the airline first. If it does not resolve your complaint, send it to the appropriate national enforcement body. Each member state is responsible for departures from airports in its territory and arrivals into such airports from third countries on EU/EEA-licensed carriers. The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA), the national enforcement body, deals with complaints arising from flights departing Irish airports or those arriving at an Irish airport from outside the EU/EEA on an EUEEA-licensed carrier. You can make a complaint online. If you have a complaint about a flight returning to Ireland from the EU/EEA, contact the national enforcement body in the EU/EEA state your flight departed from. Find more information on your rights and how to make a complaint on www.iaa.ie By Rebecca Black, PA Northern Irelands official museums body has been consulted around a potential role in the future of the former Maze Prison site. Political disagreement at Stormont around proposals for a peace centre at the site have seen it lay derelict for decades. The current First Minister Michelle ONeill indicated in June that she along with deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly were to meet with the Maze Long Kesh Development Corporation. The former Maze Prisons H Block at Long Kesh near Lisburn, Northern Ireland (Niall Carson/PA) The body, which was established in 2011, is understood to have met in April with senior officials from National Museums NI (NMNI). It emerged on Thursday in a development first reported by the BBC that there had been discussions with National Museums Northern Ireland around what role it could play in the interpretation of and access to the former prison. The former paramilitary prison only compromises part of the huge 347-acre site near Lisburn that falls under the remit of the corporation. While there has been some development most significantly the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society becoming an anchor tenant and moving the annual Balmoral Show to the venue the wider transformation of the site has been stalled for over a decade. The Ulster Aviation Society and the Northern Ireland Air Ambulance also operate out of the site. The full regeneration plan hit the buffers in 2013 when former DUP first minister Peter Robinson blocked efforts to build a peace centre as part of a redevelopment of the sprawling grounds which once housed the high-security jail and were gifted to the Northern Ireland Executive by the UK government. The prison held paramilitary inmates during the Troubles and was the location for republican hunger strikes in 1981 in which 10 died, including Bobby Sands. Mr Robinsons move came amid unionist concerns about the symbolism of building a peace centre on the site of the prison. A political impasse has continued since. In 2019 the corporation said it was setting aside the plan for the peace centre as it focused on progressing the sites wider redevelopment. The corporation has said the site has the potential to generate 5,000 jobs and deliver more than 300 million of investment through social and economic regeneration. A spokesperson for NMNI said any future role within the site would be an extension of our relevant work at our museums. NMNI runs the Ulster Museum, Ulster Folk and Transport Museums in Belfast and Co Down, as well as the Ulster American Folk Park in Co Tyrone. It is our understanding that the Maze Long Kesh Development Corporation has been tasked with exploring options for the future development of the site, they said. Within that context we have discussed what, if any, role we could play in supporting the interpretation of and access to the heritage buildings, including the Second World War hangars and the prison buildings. This would be as an extension of our relevant work at our museums. However, any decisions on the future of the site rest solely with Executive Ministers. Stormont Education Minister Paul Givan. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA. DUP Lagan Valley and Stormont minister Paul Givan the site should not be allowed to become a shrine. Mr Givan, whose father served as a prison officer at the Maze, said he does not see that at the former prison-turned-museum the Crumlin Road Gaol in north Belfast. The price that was paid by prison officers and their families is one that is not properly reflected, and I think its important that we acknowledge that, he told the BBC. We cannot allow a circumstance where the Maze would become the retelling of some kind of story by republicans in terms of the hero worship. I dont believe thats what it would be. I dont see that at the Crumlin Road Gaol. I absolutely want to see investment on the site and for it to be developed, and there has to be a way found to make sure that it isnt a shrine, never will be a shrine, and I think that we can guarantee that that would be the case. I think these things should be worked through and there should be people talking about how we make sure things can be developed in a way whereby that there no revisionism, that there is no celebration of those prisoners but we also reflect the price that was paid by prison officers and the sacrifice that they made. Leaving school early does not have to mean the end to education. So says Mary Cadogan, who is speaking from experience having left school before sitting her Inter Cert. The West Cork woman is currently completing her degree in supply chain management and has ambitions to do a masters in the area, and says its never too late to learn. Mary, originally of Caheragh, now lives in Skibbereen. I grew up on a farm, ended up leaving school just before my Inter Cert, at 5, she says. At 16, she started work in Ardtech Industries, Drimoleague which manufactured computer mice: I always had a drive for leadership and after just a few months, at the age of 17, I was made line supervisor. From there she worked in a factory in Dunmanway for a few years, where she was shift supervisory manager, and then joined ODonnell Design in Skibbereen in 1996, where she works today as procurement and transport manager. I started on the factory floor and worked my way up, said Mary. She completed a diploma in supply chain management last year at the University of Limerick, and this year has embarked on her degree. Its mostly online learning in the evenings. This has the bonus dual effect of learning and working to combine practice and theory together. Ive an ambition to do my masters as well and who knows what from there? It really feels like this is whats meant for me at this time. Mary used the pandemic lockdowns to upskill in various areas: I really developed my love of learning during that time. I did various remote courses and I really enjoyed it. Her commitment to continuous education doesnt come from a place of having to prove anything to herself or to anyone else because of being an early school leaver: I just have great passion for my work, love my job, and want to know as much as possible, with continuous learning, and not to stand still for a moment. And she does want people, regardless of their age, to realise that leaving school doesnt have to mean an end to education. I didnt actually like school that much. Id rather have done anything than be there I loved helping out on the farm, feeding calves, helping with the hay, doing anything at all where you could see results from the jobs done back then. I was lucky that my parents supported me in my decision which really helped. Mary joined Network West Cork during the pandemic when all meetings and events were online. It was a great channel in lockdown, and opened up a whole new network, as well as another whole new pathway. Networking is so important and I would encourage all girls and women, to get involved, go to an event, and take it step by step and you will find many benefits. Its a fantastic group to be part of. Theres support mentoring, and friendship, and so much more from such a similar-minded group. Its a great outlet professionally as well as socially. Winning the Employee Shining Star award recently was a really great moment, she said. I was over the moon it was still sinking in a whole week later to be honest. It was great validation of everything Ive achieved. With this award, I would like to acknowledge and pay tribute to my late mom who worked so hard, in an era when women were not recognised for all the great work that they did. Included on that list of achieve-ments is being chairperson of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Ireland (South) and council member. It is a very male-dominated space but Im so lucky as Ive also found it to be a very welcoming one, she said. I am also working on growing female members in the whole field of logistics and transport, and managing some investment property in West Cork. When Mary isnt working or studying, she enjoys playing a role in her community: Im involved in the Caheragh Threshing every year, which is a fundraiser for Breakthrough Cancer Research, and I also do so voluntary work for BCR PPI Panel. Gardening is another passion of mine and walking my dog, Daisy. I also enjoy flower arranging, reading, and music. Her ultimate advice is that learning is a life-long process. School isnt for everyone, and you cant force yourself into something if it doesnt feel right. There are so many opportunities out there now for people, and things do fall into place and come together and Im proof of that. My message is that youll find your place, and that your time will come. Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions. Last years record-breaking wildfires in Canada produced almost a decades worth of greenhouse gas emissions from wildfires in one season. According a new study co-led by University of East Anglia (UEA), the United Kingdoms Met Office, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH), climate change made the unparalleled wildfires in Canada and portions of Amazonia a minimum of three times more likely and produced roughly 2.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide approximately one-fourth of the total wildfire emissions worldwide. Last year, we saw wildfires killing people, destroying properties and infrastructure, causing mass evacuations, threatening livelihoods, and damaging vital ecosystems, said lead author of the analysis Dr. Matthew Jones, a research fellow with UEAs Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, in a press release from UEA. Wildfires are becoming more frequent and intense as the climate warms, and both society and the environment are suffering from the consequences. The report found that wildfire carbon emissions were 16 percent above average globally with a total of 9.48 billion tons of carbon dioxide. Emissions from Canadian boreal forest fires were more than nine times above the average for the last two decades, contributing nearly a quarter of worldwide emissions. The Canadian wildfires caused more than 230,000 people to be evacuated and claimed the lives of eight firefighters. Due to the wildfires in Amazonia, the region had one of the worst air quality readings on Earth. The loss of carbon stocks in South American tropical forests and boreal forests in Canada will affect the climate for years to come. After a fire, forests take from decades to centuries to rejuvenate, which means a prolonged lack of carbon storage. The real problem begins when you have a shift in the fire regime away from its natural state and towards more frequent and severe burning. Unfortunately, thats exactly what were seeing in forests, and its resulting in an imbalance immediate emissions from forest fires this decade are increasingly outweighing the delayed sinks from fires in previous decades, Jones said, as The Guardian reported. The report aimed to explain what caused extreme fire extent in western Amazonia, Canada and Greece. The researchers found that hot, dry fire weather had shifted drastically in all three of the focus regions in comparison with a planet without climate change. Not only was the extreme fire weather of 2023 and 2024 made at least three times likelier in Canada, it was made two times more likely in Greece and 20 times as likely in Amazonia. The attribution tools used by the research team found with 99-plus percent confidence that the extent of the 2023-24 Amazonia and Canadian wildfires was almost definitely greater because of climate change. It is virtually certain that fires were larger during the 2023 wildfires in Canada and Amazonia due to climate change, said Dr. Chantelle Burton, Met Office senior climate scientist, in the press release. We are already seeing the impact of climate change on weather patterns all over the world, and this is disrupting normal fire regimes in many regions. It is important for fire research to explore how climate change is affecting fires, which gives insights into how they may change further in the future. The studys climate models suggested that extreme wildfires will become more intense and frequent by 2100, especially in high greenhouse gas emissions scenarios. Whatever emissions scenario we follow, risks of extreme wildfires will increase in Canada, highlighting that society must not only cut emissions but also adapt to changing wildfire risks, said Dr. Douglas Kelley, UKCEH senior fire scientist, in the press release. These projections highlight the urgent need to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and manage vegetation in order to reduce the risk and impacts of increasingly severe wildfires on society and ecosystems. The analysis found that the extent of last years wildfires in Amazonia were increased by human activities like widespread forest degradation and deforestation for agricultural expansion, which amplified climate change effects by leaving forests more susceptible to fires during fire weather and drought. In many tropical forests like Amazonia, deforestation and the expansion of agriculture have exacerbated the effects of climate change on wildfire risk, leaving these vital ecosystems more vulnerable, Burton said in the press release. Forecasts for the 2024-25 fire season indicated a continuation of above-average probability of fire weathers dry, hot and windy conditions in portions of South and North America, with favorable wildfire conditions for June and July in the Brazilian Pantanal, British Columbia, Alberta and California. Were not particularly surprised by some of the recent fires in the news, as above-average fire weather was predicted in parts of North and South America. However, the extensive Arctic fires weve witnessed recently have caught us by surprise something to look at in our next report, said Dr. Francesca Di Giuseppe, ECMWF senior scientist, in the press release. The report, State of Wildfires 20232024, was published in the journal Earth System Science Data. These fires are something we should all be concerned about, Jones said, as reported by The Guardian. The full effects of last years fires will not be seen for a long time. Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions. Nearly half a billion children live in areas of the globe where there are twice as many or more extremely hot days each year than there were six decades ago, according to a new UNICEF analysis. The report, A Threat to Progress: Confronting the effects of climate change on child health and well-being, found that 466 million children one in five children in the world are exposed to this unprecedented level of excessive heat. The hottest summer days now seem normal, said Catherine Russell, executive director of UNICEF, in a press release from the international childrens organization. Extreme heat is increasing, disrupting childrens health, well-being and daily routines. The researchers compared average temperatures in the 1960s to those from 2020 to 2024 with extremely hot days being those that were more than 95 degrees Fahrenheit and found that they had increased for nearly half a billion children around the world, many of whom did not have the services or infrastructure to cope. The analysis looked at data by country and found that in 16 nations, children today are subjected to an additional month-plus of extremely hot days in comparison with six decades ago. In South Sudan, children have been exposed to an average of 165 of these extremely hot days annually this decade, compared with 110 days 60 years ago. In Paraguay, the number has risen from 36 to 71 days. Boys walk past a muddy field dried from the hot sun in Jamam refugee camp, South Sudan. Paula Bronstein / Getty Images Children are not little adults. Their bodies are far more vulnerable to extreme heat. Young bodies heat up faster, and cool down more slowly. Extreme heat is especially risky for babies due to their faster heart rate, so rising temperatures are even more alarming for children, Russell said in the press release. Worldwide, children in Central and West Africa are most exposed to extremely hot days, with the greatest temporal increases. For at least 95 days of the year, 123 million children in the region 39 percent suffer in extremely hot temperatures. In Sudan, that number is 195, in Niger it is 202 and in Mali children are exposed to 212 days of extreme heat. Nearly 48 million children in the Caribbean and Latin America live in areas with twice the number of exceedingly hot days. This new Unicef analysis issues a stark warning about the speed and scale at which extremely hot days are affecting children. It urgently calls on governments to seize the precious opportunity to act and get temperature rises under control, said David Knaute, a west and central Africa regional climate specialist with UNICEF, as The Guardian reported. Knaute pointed out that the Sahel a region to the south of the Sahara Desert that includes Sudan, Niger, Mali and Senegal was so vulnerable because it is a transitional zone between Saharas arid climate and the more fertile environment south of the desert. This creates a natural intense heat source, with desert dust particles interfering with the climate. Children and pregnant women face unique threats to their health and well-being from extreme heat exposure, especially if no cooling interventions are available. It can cause complications with pregnancy, including low birth weight, gestational chronic diseases, preterm birth and stillbirth. Excessive heat stress can contribute to non-communicable diseases like heat-related illnesses, malnutrition in children and can make children more susceptible to infectious diseases like malaria and dengue that spread easily in high temperatures. Extreme heat also impacts mental health, neurodevelopment and overall wellbeing. A girl takes a break at school during a heat wave in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on April 1, 2024. Matt Hunt / Anadolu via Getty Images When extreme heat goes on for longer periods, its effects are compounded. Children in more than half of the 100 countries surveyed were found to experience twice the number of heat waves now than 60 years ago, and these extremely hot temperatures are increasing in every country around the world. In the United States, 36 million children experience twice as many heat waves as 60 years ago, with 5.7 million experiencing three times as many. Governments must act to get rising temperatures under control, and there is a unique opportunity to do that right now. As governments are currently drafting their national climate action plans, they can do so with the ambition and knowledge that todays children and future generations will have to live in the world they leave behind, Russell said. (Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Darko Tepert)Christian Scouts on Christmas Eve in front of the Nativity Church in Bethlehem on December 24, 2006. Christians living in the Holy Land are a community with a highly vulnerable future as they are challenged by violence, migration, and a lack of investment as community that is highly underestimated, a new study shows. Researchers discovered that the Christian community in Israel, Jordan and Palestine makes a wide-ranging contribution to building civil society, new start-ups, excellence in education and in health and other humanitarian sectors, the UK's University of Birmingham said. The $3 billion economic contribution made by Christian communities to Israel and surrounding regions remains under "grave threat," the report said according The Tablet. One of the report's suggestions is the creation of "high tech start up hubs" to encourage and coordinate international investment amongst Christians living in the Holy Land. A combination of philanthropic resources and other investments, especially in "humanitarian" fields such as education and health, brings the total benefit to the region's economy from its Christian communities to $3 billion. Christian tourism in the region provides over $3 billion to the economy of Israel alone, with Christians comprising 53 percent of incoming tourism flights. The researchers also found major concerns that, especially in Israel, an unfair visa system and lack of benefits may undermine recruitment and retention of clergy that the churches need to continue building the communities and life of the Holy Land. "Christianity in the Holy Land is globally and diplomatically significant because of its position at the heart of the region, but its economic, social and civic value for the people of the Holy Land have been massively underestimated," said Prof. Francis Davis from the University of Birmingham's Edward Cadbury Center. CHRISTIANITY DWARFED Christianity is dwarfed by other religious groups with only around 50,000 in Palestine, dwindling over recent years, about 150,000 in Israel and 250,000 in Jordan. Christianity in the region has a unique public and diplomatic significance, the authors said. The Birmingham University experts worked with counterparts at the International Community of the Holy Sepulchre (ICoHS) and published their findings in the report "Defeating Minority Exclusion and Unlocking Potential: Christianity in the Holy Land." The experts found that Christians reported mistreatment on religious grounds and feel threatened by abusive behaviour. Examples of this are increasing grievance among Palestinian Muslims that increased the risk of verbal and physical attacks against minority Palestinian Christian communities. Davis said the contribution is disproportionate to the size of Christian communities. "Yet they are at grave risk from war, inter-religious and ethnic conflict, constraints on international investment and fears of economic and legal constraint provoked by migration," he said. "Their future is more vulnerable than it needs to be." The report makes several recommendations, including further research into the cultural, economic, and civic contribution of Palestinian Christians. It also supports a new program of education, briefing and information to increase understanding and engagement with the Christian communities. The report calls for meetings of religious, government and civil society organisations to explore how to reduce attacks on Christian communities. In the UK it calls for ongoing international legislative scrutiny; and exploring with the Israeli government how it can regularly publish departmental performance data relating to Christian communities. (Photo: Peter Kenny)Minarets and spires in Jerusalem where Jews, Christians and Muslims all have holy sites. This year, Easter for Christians, Passover for Jews and Ramadan for Muslims, Passover all coincide on the weekend of April 15 to 17 at a time tensions have boiled over into violence in the city where Jesus' crucifixion is commemorated and his resurrection is celebrated. Related Jerusalem has a shared past and future for three religions. world churches body tells UN forum Small number at Pope Francis' Easter Mass as he urges hastened COVID vaccine delivery Carrie Underwood announces Gospel album release Holy Land Christians put their faith in the Resurrection during pandemic Leader of bombed evangelical church in Sri Lanka offers forgiveness to attackers: WEA Nearly 300 killed in Sri Lanka Easter Sunday bomb blasts at churches and hotels Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter with 'Holy Fire' ceremony in Jerusalem, greetings from Putin in Russia In Easter Urbi et Orbi, Pope Francis prays for 'swift end' to bloody war in Syria, peace in Holy Land World churches body urges end to violence, respect for status quo of Jerusalem holy sites Coin found in Jerusalem's Old City may contributed to Temple tax in Herod's time Global evangelical group joins those expressing concern about Israeli annexation plans in West Bank Jews at Shabbat dinner engage with Christian accompaniers who work with them and Palestinians The last time that Ramadan for Muslims, Passover for Jews and Easter for Christians the Abrahamic faiths -- all happened on the same weekend was some 30 years ago. On Good Friday, April 15 Christians commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus, and on Sunday celebrate Easter, marking their belief in his resurrection. On April 15, Jewish believers celebrate the eve of Pesach, commonly called Passover, which commemorates the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and the end of their slavery. And over the same weekend, Muslims around the world mark another Friday, their weekly holiday within the holy month of Ramada, which started on April 2 and ends on May 2. The overlapping religious holidays have brought tens of thousands of Israeli and Palestinian worshippers, as well as foreign pilgrims, to Jerusalem's Old City. And it did not go well due to ratcheted up tensions around contested sacred sites. More than 20 Israelis and Palestinians were wounded on Easter Sunday in several incidents in and around Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, two days after major violence at the site, AFP reported. The latest clashes take the number of wounded since Friday to more than 170, at a tense time when the Jewish Passover festival coincides with Ramadan. They also follow deadly violence in Israel and the occupied West Bank in late March and early this month that has killed 36 people. At the Vatican on Easter Sunday Pope Francis called for free access to the holy sites in Jerusalem as he delivered his annual Easter address amid simmering violence between Israelis and Palestinians in the Holy City, according to AFP. "May there be peace for the Middle East, racked by years of conflict and division. On this glorious day, let us ask for peace upon Jerusalem and peace upon all those who love her, Christians, Jews and Muslims alike. "May Israelis, Palestinians and all who dwell in the Holy City, together with the pilgrims, experience the beauty of peace, dwell in fraternity and enjoy free access to the Holy Places in mutual respect for the rights of each," he said. The Pope made an impassioned plea for an end to the war in Ukraine in his Easter Message "Urbi et Orbi" to the city of Rome and the world, America Magazine reported. He alluded to the risk that this conflict could descend into a nuclear war and insisted, "Peace is possible; peace is a duty; peace is everyone's primary responsibility!" 'DECISION FOR PEACE' IN UKRAINE Francis called for "a decision for peace" in that war now in its 53rd day and "an end to the flexing of muscles while people are suffering." He made his appeal after celebrating Mass in St. Peter's Square and the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead, on Easter Sunday. The Pope reminded the 100,000 people presentthe largest gathering seen in that square and surrounding areas since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic two years ago. Two days earlier clashes between Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli police left 10 protesters wounded in the vicinity of Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, police said. The latest tensions in Jerusalem followed weeks of mounting tensions that saw two deadly attacks by Palestinians in or near the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv in late March and early April, alongside mass arrests by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank. Following an April 11 April statement of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem expressing grave concerns over announced police restrictions on Holy Fire Saturday, the World Council of Churches strongly condemned such measures restricting access to places of worship as violations of religious freedom in the Holy Land. "Jerusalem is sacred," declared World Council of Churches acting general secretary Rev. Ioan Sauca. "It is sacred for all three monotheistic religions, and access to Jerusalem is an inalienable right for all people of these faiths. Christians have been living on this land and witnessing to the resurrection of Jesus Christ for more than 2000 years. "The resurrection is at the heart of our Christian faith and at the heart of all Christian communities in the world. We cannot accept measures that challenge the fundamental rights of our churches to celebrate this centre point of our faith." (Photo: Peter Kenny)Women outside the Church of the Holy Nativity in Bethlehem. Pilgrims usually crowds Bethlehem at this time of year, but the Holy Land is closed to international visitors for a second successive Christmas due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "This Christmas, Bethlehem is preparing for a very 'Silent Night'," the Israeli newspaper Haarertz wrote on Dec. 21. Before the Omicron variant of COVID-19 fears triggered a new Israelis tourist ban, residents of the Bethlehem were preparing for a sea of pilgrims this Christmas season. Now the iconic church, the hotels and the shops stand empty, and locals are wondering how they will recover the losses, Haaretz reported. Leading up to Christmas, tourists would usually mob the birthplace of Jesus. Three Muslim women were the only visitors on the floor of Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity. Covered in hijabs, in their long robes the women snapped photos posing near the altar, recently restored to its former glory as sparkled behind them. "We get more Muslim visitors these days than Christians," a guard remarked. "They come from Hebron, Ramallah, Nablus, all over the region, to see how beautiful the church looks now that the restoration work is almost completed." "But, from overseas," he noted, "there is hardly anybody." For the second year, COVID-19 has disrupted Christmas celebrations in the town where Jesus is recorded as being born. Back on Nov. 1, for the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic, Israel opened its borders to tourists, provided they were vaccinated or recovered. But just three week later, when the new omicron variant discovered in southern Africa, those borders were sealed again. Bethlehem is in the West Bank, about six miles (10 kilometers) south of Jerusalem and falls under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority. The West Bank has no airport, so overseas tourists traveling there must enter through Israel's Ben Gurion Airport. So, restrictions on tourism hit the Palestinian area of special significance to Christians as well. Turist entry ban has been extended until Dec. 29 and hihgly likely beyond that, due to Omicron's rapid spread. (Photo: The John Bradburne Memorial Society.)John Bradburne cared for people living with leprosy in then-Rhodesia, refusing to leave them as a civil war raged. September, the long-awaited birth of spring in southern Africa, invokes in me the memory of John Bradburne. He died as spring arrived in September 1979 not far from his adopted home in Mutemwa in what was then Rhodesia. Mutemwa means, "You are cut off," in the local Shona language. It is well named. Wedged in the bush between two giant granite hills, it is far from the tourist haunts. Even if they knew of the place, few tourists would venture there for Mutemwa is the home of Zimbabwe's oldest leper colony. Today there are less than 100 lepers left in the settlement that once housed over 1,000 sick, desperate and lonely souls. "Cut off" is exactly what the colonial authorities planned when Mutemwa was chosen to house these most discarded and isolated of all human beings. Here, among the lepers, that John Bradburne, a wandering English pilgrim, settled, and as the story of his life and the strange events surrounding his death spread, more and more people started visiting Mutemwa, a site of pilgrimage. So much so that each September, around the anniversary of Bradburne's death, upward of 30,000 pilgrims descend on this isolated spot. And, almost every year, 6,000 miles (9,656 kilometers) away, a special commemorative service is held for Bradburne in London's Westminster Cathedral. Since his death, several people have claimed miraculous healings after praying to him, the BBC reported one year ago in a piece titled "Why Briton John Bradburne could become Zimbabwe's first Catholic saint." The miracles satisfy one condition for sainthood in the Catholic Church. It is also said that at his funeral, held in Harare, a speck of unexplained blood appeared below his coffin. SON OF ANGLICAN CLEREGYMAN John Randal Bradburne was born in Cumbria, the son of a high Anglican clergyman. Educated at Greshams, A Church of England foundation school, and commissioned into the Indian Army in 1941, he had a solid war record, serving first with the Ghurkhas in Malaya and then with the Chindits in Burma. When hostilities ended, Bradburne converted to Catholicism and gave up secular life to become a pilgrim, attaching himself to various monastic orders in Britain, Europe, and the Holy Land before traveling to what was then Rhodesia as a missionary helper in the early Sixties. Jesuit missionaries had been active in Rhodesia from the late 19th century. They introduced him to Mutemwa, where lepers from many southern African countries and various African tribes lived in appalling conditions of sickness, poverty, and isolation. From the moment Bradburne first saw the leper colony in 1969, it was clear his search was over. The restless English pilgrim had finally found his apostolate. Mutemwa became home, and the lepers became his family. He lived among them, attending to their medical, material, and spiritual needs, all the while battling officialdom for a better deal for his severely disabled and marginalized charges. IMPROVMENT IN LEPER COLONY Under Bradburne's care and with the support of a number of local farmers conditions improved at the leper settlement. By the late Seventies, however, war had come to Rhodesia. The Mutoko district, with its thick bush, rugged hills, and hidden caves, had become a hot spot for guerrilla activity counter-insurgency operations by the Rhodesian security forces. In November 1966, the white minority-led government of the British colony of Southern Rhodesia had illegally declared itself an independent nation, saying it was part of a struggle against international communism. That act led to international sanctions against the country and the intensification of a war started by black nationalists two years earlier. War crept ever closer to the mission. On the night of February 6, 1977, three Jesuit priests and four Dominican nuns were shot dead by guerrillas at St. Paul's Mission, Musami, some 30 miles (48 kilometers) from Mutemwa. Dunstan Myerscough, a Jesuit priest and the sole survivor of the Musami massacre, recalls the moment he faced the killers: "The full realization that we were going to die came to me," he wrote afterward. "There was some discussion among the guerrillas. The three facing us raised their rifles; the rest of the party seemed to run away in haste. I was looking at the center one, and I saw his gun belch fire. I turned away from him and fell to the ground. "There was a continuous burst for a few seconds after which more running feet receded. All then went dead quiet. I turned around, and there was no one to be seen. I got up and went to each of the seven in turn. Being assured that they were all dead, I went to the office to phone..." Today the bodies of the 'Musami Seven' lie alongside those of other murdered missionaries in 'Martyrs' Row' at the Jesuit mission cemetery at Chishawasha outside Harare. NO-GO AREA By mid-1979, the Mutoko district had become a no-go area and the war had made it impossible to be a neutral observer. In July that year Luisa Guidotti, an Italian doctor who regularly visited the leper colony from her base at the nearby All Souls Mission, was shot and killed by Rhodesian security forces at a roadblock near the mission. She was traveling in a marked ambulance when the killing occurred. Some commentators believe she was ambushed as Guidotti had previously had a brush with the Rhodesian authorities and been arrested under suspicion of aiding a wounded guerrilla, a claim that was later found to be groundless. But the security forces were suspicious of rural missionary communities and their role during the war. Guidotti may well have paid the ultimate price of that suspicion. In the light of Dr. Guidotti's death and the deteriorating security situation in the area, Bradburne's friends urged him to leave Mutemwa. He refused, insisting he stay on with his family, the lepers. Bradburne's biographer Fr. John Dove writes: "A good number of the lepers were diseased foreigners; others were from different tribes. They were unwelcome to some of the local tribesmen who herded their cattle on the leper fields, stole firewood, broke the fences, pinched mangoes. It was alleged that leper rations and gift clothing went astray. John was the shepherd who did all he could to keep the wolves at bay from his battered flock." There is a certain inevitability to the Bradburne story. Like some Greek tragedy being played out in the African bush, the end was always clear. BRADBURNE ABDUCTED On the night of Sunday, September 2, 1979, a group of boys who acted as the guerrillas' eyes and ears in the area abducted Bradburne from his hut, tied his hands behind his back, and marched him off into the night. In Dove's account, the day before his abduction Bradburne came down off Mount Chigona, which overlooks the leper settlement and which he often climbed to pray and gather his thoughts. He reported seeing an apparition persuading him to stay on at Mutemwa. Dove continues that Bradburne developed an "inexplicable, perhaps mystical, thirst " on the evening of his abduction. He ran to the water tap near the clinic. The water was turned off. He hurried back to the lepers, asking them for water -- they had none. The Christ-like thirst eased as it came. This was the last time they saw him. The two old lepers in the guest hut next to John's say that he retired there. Then in the night, they heard voices at John's door speaking in English. They say John opened the door, and conversation ensued. There was a noise of departure, and then all was silent. They were too afraid to leave their hut before the dawn". Following his abduction, Bradburne was taken to a cave some six miles (10 kilometers) northeast of Mutemwa. Here the abductors, now numbering around 40, mocked and taunted him before taking him to a nearby village. He was bound and left in an empty hut where he stayed throughout Monday, September 3. That night Bradburne was marched to a local guerrilla commander's hiding place in a cave in the nearby Inyanga Mountains. The party arrived with Bradburne the following morning. There he was accused of being an informer, but the commander said he knew of Bradburne and his work with the lepers. He offered the Englishman the option of leaving Mutemwa and going to Mozambique. Bradburne refused, saying the lepers needed him. That night the commander issued instructions for his release, but Bradburne's refusal to leave the area had sealed his fate. BACK TO THE LEPER COLONY He began the journey back to the leper colony accompanied by a group of local villagers. He did not make it home. Along the way, he was made to kneel in a ditch beside the main road leading back to Mutemwa. There he was shot in the back with an AK47. A guerrilla security officer who believed the Englishman had seen too much and was a security risk made the killing. Bradburne's body was removed from the culvert and laid on the side of the main Nyamapanda road. Villagers who witnessed the killing reported strange occurrences after the shooting. They reported hearing unrecognizable singing and claimed that a large bird had hovered over Bradburne's body. There was also the testimony of a shaft of light split into three when it touched the body. John Dove comments: "The phenomena described were beyond the invention of people of a vastly different religious culture... the symbolism of the phenomena had no meaning to the group... This was all beyond their comprehension. They only experienced fear and bewilderment." Despite threats from the guerrilla security officer that their village would be burnt if they did not dispose of the body, the villagers were so frightened by the phenomena they had witnessed that they defied his order. BODY LEFT ON ROAD Rather than dispose of the body as instructed, they left it on the shoulder of the road where it was found on Wednesday morning, September 5 by Fr. David Gibbs, who had heard via the bush telephone that a 'mukiwa' (a white man) had been killed. Having heard of the abduction, Gibbs concluded that it could only be Bradburne. It was not only the reported phenomena surrounding Bradburne's death that led to speculation that this was a blessed soul. At Bradburne's funeral in Salisbury Cathedral, three drops of blood were seen on the floor below the coffin. The undertaker was so concerned about the incident that he had the body checked before clerical witnesses after the burial service. There was no sign of blood inside or outside the coffin, and Bradburne's wounds were dry. Numerous sources verified this incident. John Dove writes that soon after Bradburne's death, two Bateleur eagles landed on the grass outside the room at Silveria House, the Jesuit novitiate outside Harare where Bradburne lived for a period before moving to Mutemwa. 'MESSENGERS OF GOD' The eagles remained on the ground for three-quarters of an hour. Bateleurs are incredibly shy raptors and rarely alight on the ground. Among the local Shona people, eagles are believed to be messengers of God. Each September month, local and foreign pilgrims are to found on the granite slopes of Mount Chigona, which soars high above Mutemwa leper station like an African Ayers Rock. Most nights will see them sleeping out on the mountain below the infinite expanse of the African sky. They come to pray and seek spiritual favors from the Englishman who cared for the lepers who still live in the shadow of what has come to be called the 'Holy Place' Bradburne's Mountain. Kerry Swift has worked as a journalist, corporate publisher, and academic. He worked on South Africa's Drum magazine in the late 1970s, taught journalism at Rhodes University, and later ran a journalism training school for a nation-wide newspaper group training black journalists during the apartheid era. He lives in Johannesburg. August 14, 2024: Russia has become increasingly desperate about its inability to counter the enormous amount of NATO aid that has prevented a Russian victory in Ukraine. Seeking additional tools to discourage NATO aid for Ukraine, the Russians turned to their Cold War (1947-91) disinformation campaigns. These efforts consisted of developing believable but misleading information to be spread among enemy populations. If disinformation works, your enemies find they are facing growing popular opposition to anti-Russian policies. None of these Cold War disinformation campaigns, such as nuclear winter, were effective enough to have a decisive impact on target nations. But the Russian disinformation was annoying and some of the misinformation survived for years after the Soviet Union ceased to exist in 1991. Current Russian leaders remembered this because most current Russian leaders were junior members of the government of military bureaucracies in the 1980s and they remember what worked or seemed to work. In 2024 Russian propaganda specialists have some powerful new tools to work with. This includes AI (Artificial Intelligence) software that can search the internet in minutes to find information to assist in whatever you are doing. In this case Russian propaganda specialists are seeking information that would be useful for a disinformation campaign in NATO countries that would generate popular opposition to NATO efforts to support Ukraine. The Russian efforts also make use of rapidly establishing new websites in different languages to represent the manor NATO countries. A media expert can quickly determine if these websites are fake, but such experts are not always available to debunk disinformation sites that suddenly appeared but claimed to have been around for a long time. The Russian disinformation had some success, but nothing decisive. Thats because Russia was the invader of Ukraine, not the victim of any non-existent NATO conspiracy. There is ample evidence of Russian misbehavior in Ukraine and scant material supporting claims of NATO misbehavior against Russia. Even with the help of AI software, Russia was unable to change enough attitudes in NATO countries to make a difference. There was a similar result during the Cold War, in an era that lacked the internet, 24/7 news media on television and radio or any effective AI apps. Those did not show up until the 21st century. The current Russian disinformation efforts depended on gaining access to Russian and some western news agencies and major media outlets that could be coerced or deceived into carrying Russian disinformation. These arrangements rarely last long because in an age of instant news available everywhere at all times it is impossible to maintain a disinformation campaign for long. That was where the AI apps came in because the AI could be programmed to continually revise and rewrite Russian disinformation so it could be reinserted into international news media. That worked for a while until the infected news outlets became aware of their problem and developed methods, some using AI apps, to detect and delete the Russian disinformation. Russian disinformation specialists keep trying even though their fake news survives for shorter and shorter periods. If Russia is willing to continue devoting money and resources to this AI powered disinformation effort, it will have some impact. The impact will diminish as media victimized by the Russian disinformation campaigns increase their denunciations of the Russian efforts. At that point, all the Russian disinformation efforts are more annoying than effective. This is very similar to what happened to pre-AI efforts during the Cold War. With AI you can do it faster and more frequently but with similar lack of success. Google is expanding AI Overviews, the feature that summarizes answers to complex questions from the web and presents them at the top of traditional search results, to six more countries India, Japan, Mexico, Indonesia, Brazil and the United Kingdom from Thursday with support for local languages as well as English. Thats less than three months after AI Overviews launched in the United States and promptly told people to eat rocks and put glue on their pizzas. Bringing them to millions more people begs the question: How do you prevent another glue pizza fiasco in a foreign country? Its a challenging space, Hema Budaraju, senior director of product management for Search at Google, told Engadget in an interview. Understanding quality at the scale of the web across all these languages is a hard problem, and integrating LLMs (large language models) is not easy to do. Using AI to better understand languages is pretty critical. To prevent a glue pizza situation in, say, Hindi or Japanese, Google said it has done language-specific testing of AI Overviews as well as red-teaming, a technique used by the tech industry to stress-test how systems might behave under attack from bad actors. We are focused on addressing potential issues and we are committed to listening and acting quickly, Budaraju said. In May, Google put additional guardrails on AI Overviews after its outlandish responses, such as limiting the inclusion of satire and humor content and restricting the types of queries that triggered the feature to begin with. In addition to expanding the feature to more countries, Google is also making one more big change to AI Overviews: it will now prominently display links to sources on the right-hand side of each AI-generated answer, making it easier for people to click through to the actual website where the answer came from. And for a small percentage of users, it will also add links directly within the text of AI Overviews. If this move is rolled out more broadly, it could allay concerns from publishers about losing traffic to AI that reads the internet for people and reduces the need to click through to actual web pages. "This experiment has shown early positive results and we are able to drive more traffic with links directly in the text, Budaraju said. Users who opt in to Search Labs, the companys platform for trying out upcoming features ahead of their general release also get to play with a couple of additional features the ability to save a specific AI Overview for future reference, as well as an option to simplify the language of an AI-generated answer, something that Google previewed earlier this year. Update, August 15 2024, 12:50 PM ET: This story has been updated to clarify that links within the text of AI Overviews are available for a small percentage of users, not just those signed up for Search Labs. As the US government weighs its options following a landmark monopolist ruling against Google last week, online publications increasingly face a bleak future. (And this time, its not just because of severely diminished ad revenue.) Bloomberg reports that their choice now boils down to allowing Google to use their published content to produce inline AI-generated search answers or losing visibility in the companys search engine. The crux of the problem lies in the Googlebot, the crawler that scours and indexes the live web to produce the results you see when you enter search terms. If publishers block Google from using their content for the AI-produced answers you now see littered at the top of many search results, they also lose the privilege of appearing in other Google search programs like snippets and Discover. Google uses a separate crawler for its Gemini (formerly Bard) chatbot, but its AI Overviews are generated using data from its main crawler. A Google spokesperson told Engadget that blocking an entire article from AI Overviews would not prevent its crawler from seeing "the full text of what's provided to us for ranking purposes" or from "being indexed and appearing in our web search results." The spokesperson also said the company's tools for publishers allow sites to only block certain sections of a page from features like snippets or AI Overviews. Web publishers nonetheless have no way to fully prevent AI Overviews without impacting overall search performance. The catch-22 has led publications, rival search engines and AI startups to pin their hopes on the Justice Department. On Tuesday, The New York Times reported that the DOJ is considering asking a federal judge to break up parts of the company (spinning off sections like Chrome or Android). Other options its reportedly weighing include forcing Google to share search data with competitors or relinquishing its default search-engine deals, like the $18 billion one it inked with Apple. iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens told Bloomberg, I can block ClaudeBot [Anthropics crawler for its Claude chatbot] from indexing us without harming our business. But if I block Googlebot, we lose traffic and customers. Google Another problem with combining the two is that it gives Google an immeasurable advantage over smaller AI startups. The company gets a plethora of free training data from publishers eager to remain visible in search. In contrast, AI companies are forced to pay publishers for access to their data and, even then, it wouldnt add up to the motherlode Google gets (essentially) for free. From that perspective, it isnt surprising to read that, according to Bloomberg, Google is spurning publishers that try to negotiate content deals. (Reddit has been the lone exception.) Why waste money on content deals when they get all the training data they want in exchange for the search results most publishers need to survive? Now you have a bunch of tech companies that are paying for content, theyre paying for access to that because they need it to be able to compete in any kind of serious way, Alex Rosenberg, CEO of AI startup Tako Inc., told Bloomberg. Whereas for Google, they dont really have to do that. It comes down to leverage, which Google wields over desperate publishers. On top of the industrys existing financial troubles (online ad revenue has fallen off a cliff over the past eight years), AdWeek reported in March that Googles AI-generated search answers could lead to a 20 to 60 percent drop in organic search traffic. The ball is now in the Justice Departments court to figure out where Google and, to an extent, the entire web goes from here. Bloombergs full story is worth a read. Update, August 16, 4:55PM ET: This story was updated after publishing to include a number of clarifications from a Google spokesperson. The original article said that preventing an article from being used in AI Overviews could block Google's webcrawler from including it in search results. The spokesperson asserted that this was incorrect; while blocking an entire article from its AI Overviews does prevent it from being included other search enhancements like snippets and Google Discover, it does not block it from standard web results. The article's subheading has been ammended to reflect the changes, and a full statement from Google follows: Metas latest round of account takedowns includes a fake political group that ran dozens of dummy accounts in an attempt to recruit Americans to run for office. The social network detailed the scheme in its latest report on coordinated inauthentic behavior on its platform. According to Meta, the fake accounts, pages and Facebook groups were trying to prop up a fictitious political group called Patriots Run Project, that encouraged people to challenge Republican and Democratic elites by running for office. In all, Meta uncovered 124 Facebook accounts, pages and groups as well as three Instagram accounts. The group primarily targeted people in Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and North Carolina, and spent $50,000 in Facebook ads. The Institute for Strategic Dialogue, a nonprofit that researches disinformation and extremism previously shared details about the Patriots Run Project and their Facebook presence. The group, they said, called for followers to run for office on a pro-Trump, anti-establishment platform focused on many of the same issues that motivate the right-wing movement: gun rights, border security, traditional values and combatting election fraud. Its not clear exactly who was behind the bizarre campaign. Meta said in its report they found links to individuals associated with a US-based on-platform entity called RT Group, but didnt elaborate. The companys researchers noted the group was relatively adept at disguising themselves. They used fake accounts they acquired from Bangladesh, and relied on proxies to make it appear as if they lived in the states they targeted. While Metas researchers said they were able to disrupt the group before it was able to establish a large audience on its platform, Politico has reported that the group was successful in recruiting one Montana man to run for Congress, though its unclear if he interacted with the group on Facebook. During a briefing with reporters, Meta noted that Patriots Run Project was also active on X and that its websites are still online. The companys researchers also shared more about what they are tracking ahead of the US presidential election. As with other recent elections, Russia-based groups are likely to target US audiences on Facebook, according to David Agranovich, Metas security policy director for threat disruption. I think we should expect to see Russian attempts to target election-related debates, particularly when they touch on support for Ukraine, Agranovich said. We expect Russia-based campaigns to promote supportive commentary about candidates opposing aid to Ukraine, and criticize those who advocate for aiding Ukraine's defenses. It looks like Disney is digging out the fine print in an effort to have their recent lawsuit tossed. Kanokporn Tangsuan, a doctor at New York University's Langone Heath hospital in Manhattan, died unexpectedly shortly after dining at a Disney Springs restaurant last year. She reportedly died due to her severe allergy to nuts which the victim brought to the establishment's attention. A 19-page lawsuit accuses Walt Disney Parks and Resorts of negligence. Her husband, Jeffrey J. Piccolo, is seeking in excess of $50,000 citing wrongful death on behalf of his wife in the suit filed on February 22 in Orange County, Florida, per the 'Associated Press.' According to the lawsuit, Tangsuan, her husband Piccolo, and his mother sat to have dinner at Raglan Road Irish Pub on October 5, 2023. The couple questioned the waiter about items on the menu, prompting the server to ask the chef "whether certain foods could be made allergen free." The waiter was informed she required "allergen free food." The couple allegedly confirmed with the waiter several more times to be absolutely sure before ordering a fritter, scallops, and onion rings, per the suit, which detailed that the waiter "guaranteed" the food was allergy-free. 45 minutes after they enjoyed a "guaranteed, allergy-free" meal, Tangsuan had trouble breathing. She self-administered her EpiPen, but it would not prevent her visit to the hospital. The 42-year-old was pronounced dead at the hospital. Disney is now pulling out their fine print, arguing that the lawsuit should be thrown out because Piccolo agreed to settle any lawsuit against Disney out of court through the arbitration process when he signed up for a one-month trial Disney+ in 2019. "The Terms of Use, which were provided with the Subscriber Agreement, include a binding arbitration clause," the company wrote in its motion, per the 'Associated Press.' "The first page of the Subscriber Agreement states, in all capital letters, that 'any dispute between You and Us, Except for Small Claims, is subject to a class action waiver and must be resolved by individual binding arbitration.' " Piccolo's lawyer, Brian Denney, isn't buying the argument, claiming that it was "absurd" to believe that hundreds of millions of Disney+ subscribers wave their rights to sue their company and its affiliates. "The notion that terms agreed to by a consumer when creating a Disney+ free trial account would forever bar that consumer's right to a jury trial in any dispute with any Disney affiliate or subsidiary, is so outrageously unreasonable and unfair as to shock the judicial conscience, and this court should not enforce such an agreement," Denney penned in the filing August 2. Read more: Kevin Hart Says He Was Pressured To Do Molly Before Cheating On Eniko In 2017 That Led To Extortion Scandal Per the media outlet, the Walt Disney mega corporation claimed Wednesday that they were "deeply saddened" by the family's loss, however stressed that the Irish Pub in question is not owned, nor is it operated by the media conglomerate. A hearing is scheduled for October 2. August 14, 2024: After a decade of conflict, counting Russias 2014 invasion and its sputtery aftermath, the fighting in Ukraine has evolved into a stalemate. Neither side has been able to achieve its goals. Ukraine, despite several hundred dollars in aid from NATO nations, has not been able to regain much territory taken by Russia over the last decade. The war has proven to be an expensive, in lives and money, stalemate. Ukraine continues to receive aid from the NATO nations, which together comprise about half the global GDP. Russia is much less well-off and largely on its own. Only its oil and natural gas sales keep it going. Ukraine has no oil and natural gas wealth to sustain it and depends on NATO aid. Despite this advantage, the Russian have seen themselves spending a large portion of their oil & gas income on a stalemate in Ukraine. Russia believes that Ukrainian efforts to join NATO are part of a NATO plot to surround and weaken Russia. This is not the case because Russia is doing that to itself with corruption, poor leadership and a declining population due to a low birth rate and the growing number of young Russians migrating to less corrupt countries seeking better employment and economic opportunities. The latter is much worse for Russia than the low birth rate which all industrialized countries share. Both Russia and Ukraine have used drones and missiles to carry out attacks deep inside enemy territory. This causes damage but does not change the location of the front line, which is about 1,300 kilometers long. It takes an enormous number of troops to maintain those front line positions. This leaves few troops for offensive operations. Recent Russian attacks not only failed but got a lot of Russian troops killed. Thanks to the internet and so many soldiers on both sides having cell phones, details of these failed attacks were soon known by everyone on both sides. Morale among Russian troops subsequently fell while the Ukrainians were encouraged by the success of their defensive operations, which resulted in far fewer Ukrainian casualties. Despite this, nearly three years of fighting have left troops on both sides reluctant to go on the offensive. Recent Russian offensives were characterized by many soldiers reluctant to advance. Russian leaders discussed employing the World War II era practice of using special troops to fire on reluctant soldiers during an attack. This did not work because this is not World War II and in the 21st century Russian soldiers ask embarrassing questions about why they are the invaders rather than, during World War II, the defenders of Russia against German invaders. Plus, unlike Soviet communist soldiers in World War Two, Russian soldiers shoot back at Russian troops shooting at them. NATO nations also resist Russian threats of retaliation if Ukraine is allowed to join NATO. Joining is not possible if a country is at war and the current Russian plan is to keep the war in Ukraine going indefinitely, using low levels of violence to maintain Ukraines wartime status. NATO nations are aware of this and are debating creating an exception for Ukraine and allow it to join NATO despite continued military problems with Russia. Russia is not inclined to accept this it because that would mean continuing the ruinous economic sanctions NATO nations imposed on Russia, Since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine Russia has suffered growing economic losses because of the sanctions. The government tried to hide this from most of the Russian population, but eventually failed. Russian citizens are economically worse off than before the invasion and angry at their government for seeking to continue the war. Neither side is willing to officially end it and the best possible outcome appears to be a deal similar to the armistice that stopped the 1950-53 Korean War. With an armistice the fighting halts but the grievances remain. The subsequent peace enables both sides to rebuild. That doesnt always work because North Korea continued to be ruled by an incompetent dynasty provided by members of the Kim Jong Il family that started the war. The third generation of Kims is now in charge and continuing the family tradition of economic and political failure. Meanwhile South Korea prospers, becoming one of the top ten economies in the world. A similar situation could develop in Ukraine, with Russia playing the role of North Korea while Ukraine is the pro-west South Korea. Currently Russia and North Korea are allies, while South Korea indirectly supplies Ukraine with weapons. This is done via shipments of South Korean weapons to NATO nations. South Korea demands that these weapons not be given to Ukraine. Instead the NATO nations unload all their existing weapons, including some Cold War era items, and resupply with the South Korean weapons. That works and Russia does not like it because it is lacks any major ally. China will sell Russia any commercial equipment it can afford at normal prices, but charges more for the sparse military equipment it pretends it is not selling. China plays games with Western sanctions and does not overtly flaunt its violation of those. Some Chinese equipment, like trucks and other logistical support items are dual use. That means they can be used for commercial or military operations. Russia buys weapons from North Korea and Iran but that does not provide enough firepower to subdue Ukraine, which continues to receive anti-missile missiles from NATO nations. It appears that a stalemate is the best that Russia can achieve in Ukraine and even that will cost Russia more than most Russian citizens are willing to see spent on this useless war. A 13-year-old girl was stabbed outside of a Brooklyn subway station on Sunday night. Now, police are searching for three teenage suspects, according to authorities. The girl, identified as Kayla Carter by 'ABC 7,' was stabbed in the abdomen near the Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center station in Prospect Heights around 7:45p.m. She was taken to Maimonides Pediatric Hospital and was in stable condition, officials said. Read more: Wealthy Sommelier Seen Leaving Court Smirking After Allegedly Stabbing Wife Multiple Times No arrests have been made, but the NYPD is seeking three male teens, believed to be between 16 and 18 years old. Police say the teenage suspects were last seen running off on Atlantic Avenue, according to 'News 12.' The motive for the stabbing is still unclear. In an interview Monday with 'ABC 7,' Carter said she didn't know the three guys who approached her who was "pointing and looking at us weird." When the girls showed no interest, a verbal dispute ensued and escalated. Carter told the outlet one suspect "tried to stab my friend, missed her. I didn't know he was going and I thought the knife was fake. I thought he was still going to try to stab me, I just ran. I didn't even look back to see if he was chasing me, I just ran." This incident is part of a troubling increase in teen violence in the city in recent months. In a separate incident, two teenage boys were attacked on the subway early Thursday morning, police reported. A 16-year-old was stabbed in the abdomen, and a 15-year-old was slashed on the hand, authorities said. According to 'PIX 11,' the assault occurred on a Q train near the Times Square42nd Street station shortly before 7a.m. Both teens were transported to the hospital and are in stable condition. No arrests have been made, according to police. The suspect is described as a male with short black hair and was last seen wearing all-black clothing. Wildfires can be started by a variety of sources human carelessness, accident or arson but Mother Nature occasionally sets one naturally with a lightning strike. Either way, limiting the effects of these fires has been a high-priority. During 2019, Alaska experienced a naturally ignited forest blaze that resulted in the Bergman Creek Fire in the states north-central area threatening 45,000 acres. The Ohio Division of Forestry deployed a 20-person multiagency team to the area for a wildfire suppression assignment and to work with other responding specialists. Stationed 450 miles northwest of Fairbanks in Allakaket, the crew included 10 employees and 10 members from other agencies and fire departments from Licking, Warren, Washington, Ottawa, Cuyahoga and Clermont counties. Additionally, two Ohio Department of Natural Resources employees and one retiree deployed to serve as support dispatchers in Tok, Alaska, while Fire Behavior Analyst and Resource Unit Leaders worked the Swan Lake Fire in the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska. Ohios supporting fire crews are normally deployed for two-week assignments, but duties such as these may be extended depending upon the situational circumstances and staffing. The Division of Forestry trains ODNR personnel, federal and private natural resource agencies, as well as fire departments. This training is used to prepare for interagency wildland fire emergencies to protect life and property in Ohio, manage prescribed fires for forest regeneration and to provide assistance to other states. Ohio forestland You may wonder why so much training takes place in Ohio since we seem to have little risk compared to Alaska or the more western states. Consider that Ohio is home to more than 8 million acres of forested land which includes many privately owned areas. There are the vast stretches of Wayne National Forest (240,101 acres), Shawnee State Forest (64,978 acres) and Zaleski State Forest (27,822 acres). Those state forest are just a part of the more than 800,000 acres administered by ODNR. Considering the proximity of homes and property, aging of many forests, how private woodlands are or are not managed and a knowledge of human carelessness and we begin to understand the importance for this preparedness. Fiery disagreement Interestingly, the entire issue of forest fires has been a subject of fiery conversations between conservationists, foresters, ecologists and politicians for decades. Its easy for us to agree that Smokey Bears plea of Only YOU can prevent forest fires is a great way of marketing the warning of carefully extinguishing fires. Unfortunately, Smokeys campaign has caused some major forest management hurdles and may have contributed to worsening fire hazards across the country. The publics interpretation often fails to separate the difference between a wild fire and a calculated controlled burn a message Smokey doesnt explain. In reality, fires play a natural role in forest and Great Plains ecosystems, regularly clearing out old growth and even assisting grasses and trees in their regeneration while controlling the march of successional maturation of the countryside. Regrettably, many of those indoctrinated by Smokey reside in the halls of Congress, are elected officials in affected areas or are one of their millions of constituents who believe that all fires are bad and should be fought voraciously. The results have been publicly-owned forests packed with potential fuel that will exacerbate any type of fire, whether set by man or nature. Experts advise that allowing fires to burn within controlled parameters will help clear this natural debris while improving forest health and enabling a variety of wildlife species to thrive a theory some Smokey fans find unthinkable. In 2007, U.S. Forest Service employees Geoffrey Donovan and Thomas Brown submitted a report titled, Be Careful What You Wish For: The Legacy of Smokey Bear. They note, Long-standing policy of aggressive wildfire suppression has contributed to a decline in forest health, an increase in fuel loads in some forests and wildfires that are more difficult and expensive to control. Due to the continued political struggle, the publics misinterpretation of forest management and the rapaciousness with which fires are fought often lull stakeholders into complacency. Moving homes and businesses into these areas has become a popular and lucrative money-maker for landowners, speculators and builders. Living close to these pristine areas has great appeal until its realized that your neighbor may be a tinderbox. Risky building The situation runs a close parallel to flood control. Flood-prone areas have had levies and other safeguards installed to reduce the risk of high water. With that reduction, people become more comfortable building homes and businesses within once flood-prone plains. In the event of those safeguards failures, the cost and damages go up exponentially. The result is a campaign to further expend public funds to prevent future mishaps while ignoring the causative factors that enhanced the potential for increased damages in the first place. More people moving into regions bordering publicly owned forests bring about the cry for increased fire protection. This can result in misunderstandings about the need to use fire as a management tool to control the very fuel source that may eventually contribute to the areas destruction. This disastrous effect was witnessed at Californias 2018 Camp Fire, the deadliest, most destructive and costliest wildfire in California history and the sixth-deadliest to have occurred in the U.S. The blaze devastated the town of Paradise, claimed the lives of 85 people and destroyed more than 18,800 structures which included 11,000 homes. Scott Berndt traveled from Findlay, Ohio, and served as incident command safety officer near the towns scarred skeleton, working with recovery and cleanup operations. At the time he noted, Nearly a year (has) passed since the Camp Fire occurred and the destruction is still clearly evident. We are all helping Paradise to rise from the ashes. Residents in Paradise continue to rebuild nearly six years after the Camp Fire destroyed their homes. Dangers of suppression The consensus of forest ecologists suggests that the long-held policies of aggressive wildfire suppression have had a direct role in the decline of the health of our forests while increasing the availability of fires fuel in the form of dead and downed trees; yet, federal fire-fighting policies that aggressively direct wildfire suppression are still the dictate. Donovan and Brown concluded that A more tolerant attitude toward wildfire must somehow become institutionalized in federal land-management agencies. Indeed, as wildfires become more difficult to control, we may have little choice but to accept increases in annual burned area. There must be recognition that complete wildfire exclusion is neither desirable nor possible and that maintaining forest health and controlling suppression expenditures necessitates burning large areas of forested land annually. These fires have burned in North America since before the arrival of Europeans, receiving little national attention before the 20th century. Even Wisconsins 1871 Peshtigo Wildfire, which burned 1.5 million acres and killed more than 1,200 people, was overshadowed by the Great Chicago Fire that began the same day. Wildland firefighters have died in every state except Massachusetts. Over 400 on-duty wildland firefighter fatalities occurred between 2000-2019. To the wildland firefighters who dedicate their lives to protecting our wildlands: You are the embodiment of courage, the sentinels of our forests, and the guardians of our natural heritage. Anonymous The philosophy currently is that most of our children will be required to continue through additional schooling as we enter the next century. Within the next decade or two we must consider continuing education in order to maintain a respectable place in society. Grade eight education will someday no longer be acceptable. Virgil Humm, 1899 A topic of conversation among friends recently centered on advanced education, college debt suffocating even the brightest and the best as individuals search for financial footing. Many say that we have lost the focus on elementary knowledge that succeeding in life requires. It was with great interest that I read an email sent to me by a friend in Tennessee. This eighth grade final exam in Salina, Kansas, in 1895 makes the saying he only had an eighth grade education suddenly stand in a whole new light. The original document is on file at the Smokey Valley Genealogical Society in Salina. Grammar, consisting of 10 problems for which students were given one hour to complete, asked such things as Give nine rules for the use of capital letters and name the parts of speech and define those that have no modifications. Students also had to define punctuation and give rules for principal marks of punctuation. For arithmetic, students were given one hour, 15 minutes. After first being tasked with naming and defining the fundamentals of arithmetic, they were then given a real-life problem to solve. A wagon box is 2 feet deep, 10 feet long and 3 feet wide. How many bushels of wheat will it hold? Then, If a load of wheat weighs 3,942 pounds, what is it worth at 50 cents a bushel, deducting 1,050 pounds for tare? District 33 has a valuation of $35,000. What is the necessary levy to carry on a school for 7 months at $50 per month and have $104 for incidentals? (My answers for the above three questions: 40; $24.10 and .14%. I really dont want anyone to tell me if Im wrong!) The questions go on from there. What is the cost of 40 boards, 12 inches wide and 16 feet long at $20 per meter? And, What is the cost of a square farm at $15 per acre, the distance of which is 640 rods? This part of the exam ends with instructions to write a bank check, a promissory note and a receipt. What strikes me about each of these questions is that these are real and relevant problems that young people in Kansas would have faced in daily lives. Algebraic equations in my high school classroom brought whining that we would never need to use such complex practices. The same could not be said of this eighth grade exam. U.S. history asked students to give the epochs into which our country is divided, show the territorial growth of the U.S., describe three of the most prominent battles of the Rebellion and relate the causes and results of the Revolutionary War. Students were expected to name and locate principal trade centers in the U.S. and name all republics of Europe, giving Capital city of each. Students were to explain why the Atlantic Coast is colder than the Pacific within the same latitude and describe the process by which the water of the ocean returns to the sources of rivers. The final geography question, not exactly a simple one, was to describe the movements of the Earth, then give the inclination of it. This final eighth grade exam took a total of five hours to complete. A student walking away with a high grade on this exam had every right to take pride in their education. Prepared well to land a job, these young students were ready to embrace life with an education that held value. And not a penny of debt followed them out the door of the one-room schoolhouse! CHILLICOTHE, Ohio The Zane Trace FFA officer team recently met at Zane Trace High School to plan the chapters activities for the upcoming school year and build their communication and teamwork skills. During the meeting, the officers evaluated the previous years activities and brainstormed potential new ones. Then, they worked in teams to write action steps and goals for the selected activities and scheduled them on the chapter calendar. Once the planning was complete, members enjoyed a visit from Mike Smith, a broadcaster with Litter Media. Smith helped the officers understand the importance of using all forms of communication wisely and gave them advice on how to build teams and make members feel valued. After their work at the school was complete, the officers kayaked and paddle boarded a 5-mile stretch of the Hocking River. MILLERSBURG, Ohio Garrett Houin of the West Holmes FFA chapter was named a national finalist this year for the Environmental Science and Natural Resources Agricultural Proficiency Award. Only four FFA members nationwide are selected as national finalists in each agricultural proficiency award area. Additionally, during his time wearing the blue and gold jacket, Houin has also won the state FFA proficiency award in the areas of Outdoor Recreation in 2022, Diversified Livestock in 2023 and Environmental Science and Natural Resources in 2024. He has also been a top-four state finalist in Service Learning and Equine Entrepreneurship. However, this is the first time he has been selected as a national finalist. Now that he has been selected as a national finalist, Houin will participate in an intensive interview process prior to the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis this October where he will share his project details with a panel of interviewers. Those scores will then be combined with his written application score to determine national placings, which will be announced on-site at the National Convention. A new pilot project that aims to help Welsh producers decarbonise beef is now searching for suitable farmers from Gwynedd and Anglesey to get involved. The 'Decarbonising PGI Welsh Beef' project will consider the impact of finishing beef cattle within a reduced rearing period on a business financial return, as well as its positive effect on the production of emissions. Hybu Cig Cymru Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) is leading this work and is currently recruiting a total of 50 farmers to participate. The farms must be located within Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire as originally advertised, with the opportunity now opened up to include beef businesses in Gwynedd and Anglesey too. Benefits for those involved include free carbon audits and free financial analysis, which HCC says could lead to increased profits for farm businesses. In addition, they will be entered into a prize draw for a chance to win a one-night stay with breakfast and evening meal at one of Wales 5-star resorts. In order to comply with the funding, provided by the ARFOR Challenge Fund which aims to strengthen the relationship between the economy and the Welsh language, participants must be Welsh speakers. HCCs policy development lead, Russ Thomas said: We are already working with farmers from Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire on this project and are pleased to offer the same opportunity to beef producers in north west Wales now too. "The purpose of this work is to develop efficiency within beef production systems in Wales and to ultimately help the producers make more money. It is also hoped that the project will have a positive impact further along the supply chain, as Mr Thomas explains that retailers and abattoirs are looking for livestock of consistent size, and standardisation between cuts. He said: "Retail sales and buying patterns will always be the key influences that determine the target grade specifications set by the abattoir and processor and acceptable lighter weights can range from 225kg to 400kg deadweight. A combination of historic and current market intelligence will be analysed as part of the project, along with the participating farmers individual performance data to map-out what-if scenarios for each business. By working with a group of 50 farmers, HCC says the work will generate information and results to inform the wider industry across Wales. Mr Thomas said: "It is hoped will include increased Welsh prime beef output with reduced stocking density and emissions, brand improvement for PGI Welsh Beef with evidenced sustainability, and improved confidence in the beef sector for consumers. As the red meat sector comes under growing pressure to reduce carbon and methane emissions, it is important that we also consider our environmental practices. "This project will consider both of these important aspects, with the aim of securing a profitable future of the sector. Delays at borders are having 'serious economic impacts' on tomato growers' businesses, resulting in a delay in sowing and subsequent delivery of plants to growers. It follows widespread concern among growers over the costs and disruption to the supply chain after the introduction of the UKs new Border Control Post (BCP) inspections. The British Tomato Growers Association (BTGA) has called for an assured, fast-track process for tomato seed, after growers who propagate young tomato plants from seed see delays of up to six weeks at the border. This is because of the need to re-test the tomato seeds on arrival in Britain, the BTGA explained. They are being held at the BCP until that process is complete, which can take up to 15 working days. Postal and other delays also add to this time. The seeds are being checked even though seed of European origin is tested and certified as disease free before it is dispatched to Britain. From 30 April, physical and identity checks began to apply to medium and high-risk animal products, plants and plant products entering the UK from the EU. The new controls mark the second phase of the UKs Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) which sets out a new risk-based approach to import checks on goods entering the UK from overseas. The NFU has repeatedly warned of the potential for delays following the introduction of the checks. In particular, for horticulture businesses, the shift of of controls away from their businesses to BCPs adds an additional risk to a highly bio-secure, just-in-time supply chain and could result in long delays, meaning plants are damaged or destroyed. NFU Horticulture and Potatoes Board chair, Martin Emmett, said the union had been warning of issues for grower businesses following changes to Border Control Posts for several years. The results of these concerns are now having real-life impacts on businesses ability to operate and plan ahead for next season," he added. "It is vital that the new government understands the extent of the issues and we work together towards achieving solutions as quickly as possible. This will ensure businesses can trade smoothly and continue producing fresh fruit, vegetables and plants for the nation. The BTGA said in a statement that these delays were having serious economic impacts on businesses, resulting in a delay in sowing and subsequent delivery of tomato plants to growers. The body said: Whilst as an industry we are working with partners such as the NFU, Defra, APHA to resolve these issues, we need our UK retail customers to support us with the timing of contract agreements to help us plan around these delays. "This means for British Tomato Season 2025 we urgently need retailer programmes/contracts to be agreed with our growers by the end of September 2024. In response to growers concerns, a Defra spokesperson said: Our border posts have the sufficient capacity needed to efficiently handle the volume of checks required, while our inspectors have undertaken extensive training to ensure goods are treated safely and with care. We will continue to work with and support businesses throughout this process to maintain the smooth flow of imported goods. Meanwhile, the British Society of Plant Breeders (BSPB) has reported that consignments of future varieties of oilseed rape from the EU have been held and delayed at BCPs. In a statement published last week, the body said the deadline for the seeds to be ready for use in trials was 10 August. Producers calving in a tight block in autumn, with a focus on genetic improvement, are advised to consider basing their sire selection on Autumn Calving Index (ACI). Although developed along similar principles to the more commonly used PLI, the ACI takes more account of the winter milk price. It also takes into account the feed costs associated with producing a higher proportion of winter milk and places a greater emphasis on daughter fertility than in year-round calving herds. These nuances see a slightly different list emerge in the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Boards (AHDB) August rankings, at the top of which stands Winstar Mendel P. This bulls ACI of 719 reflects his exceptional Predicted Transmitting Ability (PTA) for weight of fat and a good Maintenance Index for feed. Moving into second place is Winstar Graziano (ACI 713), another high milk solids bull, who also transmits lower somatic cell counts. Peak Mauney ranks third (ACI 705), with very good ratings for both lifespan and daughter fertility. However, the best daughter fertility bull in the top 20 is Progenesis Wimbledon who ranks fourth, with an ACI of 699. With an ACI of 693, Aardema Pistolero now ranks fifth, followed by the high reliability sire, Denovo Invictus. This bull now has 2,430 UK milking daughters, and excels for daughter fertility and maintenance. Denovo 16441 Millennium is a new entry in seventh place with an ACI of 677. He is a high fat transmitter, with good lifespan ratings. Denovo 14744 Ginetta transmits the highest combined weight of fat and protein in the top 20, only just outperforming ninth placed Bomaz Kettle (ACI 669). Westcoast Guarantees ACI of 668 earns him 10th place a position he shares with Denovo 16219 Aladdin. In the Spring Calving Index (SCI) ranking, Progenesis Wimbledon moves up one place to become the new leader. His SCI of 601 is in part due to excellent daughter fertility. Winstar Mendel P takes second place (SCI 599), closely followed by Denovo Invictus (SCI 598). Fourth placed is Winstar Graziano (SCI 591), ahead of Denovo 7921 Atrium (SCI 579) in fifth. Atrium now has over 5,000 UK daughters milking, and is proving to breed fertile cows which are of a smaller stature, which contributes to a very favourable Maintenance Index. Positions six to eight are occupied by Peak Mauney (SCI 566), Aardema Pistolero (SCI 563), debutant, Denovo 16441 Millennium (SCI 559) and Westcoast Guarantee (SCI 554). These Holsteins stand just ahead of a Jersey sire on these across-breed rankings, with VJ NR Hauggaard Nibali Nibiru taking 10th position. This bulls exceptional transmission of fat and protein even for his breed accentuates his suitability for spring block calving herds. Marco Winters, Head of Animal Genetics at AHDB, urges producers to favour these indexes if they are calving in a block of up to 12 weeks either grazing for SCI or winter feeding for ACI particularly if they are using mixed breeds. Both SCI and ACI have been developed as across breed indexes which allows producers to directly compare one breed with another, when specifically using these rankings. However, he warns producers not to compare the lists with each other, or with PLI or its components. Each of these indexes is calculated on its own genetic base, which means they must only be compared within their relevant group. Exhibition kicks off in Beijing to commemorate 60 years of international scientific cooperation 16:40, August 15, 2024 By Leng Shumei ( Global Times Photo: Chen Tao/Global Times An exhibition themed on the history of cooperation between the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) and the World Federation of Scientific Workers (WFSW) opened on Tuesday as part of the activities to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the cooperation between the two sides. The WFSW is the first international organization that CAST joined. In 1964, the Peking Symposium, the first large-scale international academic conference held by China, took place, according to CAST. Looking back at the history of cooperation between CAST and WFSW, their shared original aspiration and central theme have always been working together for science. Chinese scientists actively participated in the preparation and establishment of WFSW and related activities, promoting scientific and technological cooperation. To facilitate this, China hosted the 1964 Peking Symposium, inviting scholars from around the world to discuss the mission and development of science. Since the start of reform and opening up in 1978, CAST has continued to deepen cooperation with WFSW, committing to international scientific and technological exchanges, advocating trust and cooperation, and contributing to maintaining world peace, addressing global challenges, and promoting the sustainable development of human society, according to a statement from CAST sent to the Global Times. So far, CAST and other Chinese scientific associations have joined 875 international organizations, and nearly 800 international academic conferences are held in China annually. These achievements and prospects in the field of science and technology demonstrate China's significant progress in opening up to the outside world. Looking ahead, CAST stated that they are unfolding a new chapter in international scientific cooperation. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the 1964 Peking Symposium, providing an excellent opportunity to review the history of cooperation and create a better future. As part of this commemoration, CAST organized an exhibition themed on the history of cooperation between CAST and WFSW. China will continue to adhere to a high level of openness to the world. In today's world, cooperation is the only way to achieve win-win results, especially in the field of technology, as science knows no borders, Shi Yigong, deputy president of CAST, said in a speech at the opening ceremony of the exhibition. In 1964, the WFSW and CAST jointly organized the Peking Symposium, successfully breaking through technological barriers and promoting international scientific exchanges. Today, as we gather here, we are not only commemorating this conference but also reflecting on the past and present, and opening up new pathways for our future cooperation and mutual benefit, Shi noted. Many valuable materials that document the history of China's scientific cooperation with the world are displayed at the exhibition. For example, the first picture in the first unit of the exhibition, "The Vision of the World," comes from a report in the British journal Nature on the conference Science and the Welfare of Mankind, held in February 1946 in London. Related questions concerning the establishment of WFSW were discussed after the conference. Chinese meteorologist Tu Changwang and the late nuclear physicist Qian Sanqiang attended the conference, representing the Chinese science and technology community. Photo: Courtesy of CAST Another picture in the third unit, "Enhancing International Collaboration," shows then-Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai meeting with representatives from various countries attending the inaugural meeting of the WFSW Peking Center and the preparatory meeting of the Peking Symposium in September 1963. Photo: Courtesy of CAST Co-chairman of WFSW, Jean-Paul Laine, expressed his appreciation for the positive, fruitful, and sincere cooperation between CAST and WFSW over the past 60 years during the exhibition. He emphasized that this collaboration should serve as a model for cooperation between different scientific organizations worldwide. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, China shared information about the virus with the world soon after the pandemic broke out. This is a typical example of the benefits of cooperation, Laine told the Global Times. Laine emphasized the importance of cooperation and communication in addressing global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic. He praised China for sharing information about the virus early on, which he believes is a testament to the benefits of working together. However, Laine also raised concerns about the threats facing such cooperation, particularly due to geopolitical tensions. A report published in Nature in July revealed a decline in research collaborations between China and the US. "This decline is a really bad signal. Regardless of the political climate, scientific communication should remain unaffected, as the purpose of science is to benefit people rather than governments," Laine stressed. CAST is the largest scientific organization in China, serving as a home for 120 million Chinese science and technology workers. It represents China in 380 international scientific organizations and maintains long-term cooperation with 136 scientific and engineering institutions in 49 countries, according to the association. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) August 15, 2024: In Ukraine Russian attacks are now targeting more civilian targets. In early July 2024, a Russian missile struck a childrens hospital in Kyiv. Russia has been attacking Ukrainian hospitals since the start of the war but is now concentrating on medical facilities that specialize in treating children. Russia has been attacking Ukrainian hospitals with missiles since the start of the war. So far Russia has made about 1,700 attacks on hospitals resulting in nearly 500 deaths and injuries among patients and medical staff. Russian attacks on hospitals are not only deliberate but meant to demoralize the Ukrainian public and weaken support for the war. There was some demoralization among families that had lost children in these attacks but for most Ukrainians these attacks were a reminder of why Ukraine broke free of Russian control in the 1990s after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. Russian misbehavior had been a Ukrainian problem for centuries. The recent hospital attacks are a reminder of that. Francesa Eastwood has found it "bittersweet" to see her dad become a grandfather. Francesa Eastwood has found it 'bittersweet' to see her dad become a grandfather The 31-year-old actress is the daughter of Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood, 94, and his former partner Frances Fisher, 72, but after becoming a mother herself to Titan with Alexander Wraith in 2018, explained that her father was so "strict" with her growing up so there is a contrast. She told FoxNewsDigital: "I mean, [he's] just the sweetest. "You know, my dad was very strict and my mom both my parents were very strict with me when I was a kid. "And it's so lovely and sometimes bittersweet to just see how just doting and just classic grandpa and grandma to their grandson who can do no wrong." The 'Outlaws and Angels' actress also explained that it is "fantastic" that her parents are so involved in the life of their grandchild and wants to "nurture" the relationship as much as she can. She said: "But it's lovely. And they have their own relationship that I'm obviously involved in. They're fantastic, and they're so present. "It's a connection unlike anything else. And it's definitely like the most important part of my life right now is nurturing those relationships." Meanwhile, the 'Jersey Boys' star - who appeared alongside her family on the E! reality series 'Mrs. Eastwood and Company' in 2012 - also noted that she might not have "appreciated" just how much her parents included her in their professions as a child by taking her to movie sets, but can now look back and feel "such a respect" for the work that goes into making a film. She said: "At the time, I don't know if I appreciated it that much, but looking back they kind of dragged me around with them, and they really included me and had me visit. That was always of the only things that they always spoke to me like an adult about. Anything filmmaking, anything acting, whether it was watching movies or sitting behind the camera, watching them direct, sitting in hair and makeup, all this stuff "I have such a respect and an appreciation for all that goes into making a film. "It really is somewhere that I feel I feel like it's a home away from home, being on set no matter what, no matter what the set is. Some are better than others but I feel like it was a huge blessing in that it opened my world to something that I really love to do, and I appreciate them for kind of treating me like an adult in that way. At a very young age." Halle Berry has "learned that less is more". Halle Berry reveals her life lessons The Oscar winning actress celebrated her 58th birthday on Wednesday (14.08.24) and she marked the occasion with a natural selfie as she reflected on her life and thanked fans for their support over the years. She captioned the post on Instagram: "At 58, Ive learned that less is more! Thank you all for riding with me all these years!" Her boyfriend Van Hunt shared a sweet post in honour of Halle's big day as he commented on the way their relationship continues to blossom. He wrote on his own page: "Happy birthday to you. no one sees the commitment. the wear and tear. but i am proud to say i do as our love goes and grows. (sic)" Halle recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of 'Catwoman' by posing in topless with her cats for a series of racy pictures. Now, she has joked that her pets forced her into the steamy photoshoot. Speaking to Extra, she quipped: "The cats made me do it they made me do it! I said, Okay, lets go'. The kitties wanted that. Halle has been on the big screen for more than 30 years and even won an Oscar for her role as a struggling widow in the 2001 film 'Monster's Ball ' but admitted that it has all come as a surprise to her, especially because she is still enjoying success at this stage in life. She told E! News: "I never thought Id be doing this as a career, and then at this age and stage still being able to work at the level that I work on. But I came along at the right time when women are having longevity. There was a time when you were 40, you were kind of done. So its so nice to be a part of Hollywood now." 'The Moonfall' actress is now starring opposite Mark Wahlberg in 'The Union' - which sees a man recruited by his high school sweetheart on a high-stakes US intelligence mission - and explained that it was "fun" to get the chance to tell such a story because it made her think about her own younger days. She said: "It was fun. I think many of us fantasise about that one that got away or what if I would have stayed with my high school sweetheart, what would my life be like?" Lucas Bravo felt like he knew himself "better" before 'Emily In Paris'. Lucas Bravo has reflected on the nuance of success The 36-year-old actor - who plays Emily Cooper's (Lily Collins) attractive neighbour Gabriel in the hit Netflix show - admitted he still suffers with "self-doubt" even after the comedy drama's huge success. He told the UK's Independent newspaper: Professionally and financially speaking, I wasnt where I wanted to be [before 'Emily In Paris']. "At the same time, I felt like I knew myself better back then. I had more clarity and a lot less anxiety. "Id been chasing that goal for 27 years. But once you step into it, its hard to find another purpose. Every level has its own paralysing self-doubt. Lucas insisted he is "doing well" and "fine" despite opening up in a such a candid way. He added: "Being deep doesnt mean youre depressed. Its just important to talk about these things. In the past, he tried to explain the difference between real life for a successful actor, and the assumptions people might make. He recaleld: I wanted to bring nuance to the fact that just because you do one season of a Netflix show doesnt mean you have a beautiful house in the hills, and that youre rich and youre set for life and youre happy. "Youre allowed, as a human being, to go through a huge range of emotions and to question things. It doesnt mean youre not grateful, or youre not enjoying the ride... It just means things are real. Were complex. Its not black and white. Similarly, playing "the boy next door" chef in 'Emily In Paris' hasn't come easy for him, particularly as he tries not to focus too much on looks. He said: "'Emily in Paris' is a very aesthetic-driven show, so of course you get self-conscious. But Im trying as much as possible not to focus on looks it doesnt allow you to really lose yourself in a character. August 15, 2024: Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky has visited the United States seven times since he became the president of Ukraine. The last visit was in September 2023 and, like all previous visits, the goal was to maintain good relations with the U.S. government while trying to secure more military aid and modifications on how Ukraine can use American long-distance weapons. The United States does not want Ukraine to do something with the missiles provided which might trigger a war between the U.S. and Russia. Zelensky tried to explain that the last thing the Russians want is a war with the United States. Russian leader Vladimir Putin speaks of aggressive actions against Ukraine but any conflict with the U.S. is out of the question. Putin can do the math and Russia would do poorly in any armed confrontation with the Americans. When visiting the United States, Zelensky always expresses his gratitude for Americans military aid. Most of the NATO aid is provided by the Americans. This is obvious to Ukrainians, who note that most of the weapons provided came from the United States. Contributions from other NATO states are appreciated but Zelensky realizes where most of the weapons come from and wants to do whatever he can to ensure that those weapons keep coming. Zelensky fears that the upcoming American presidential elections will put a new president in power who disdains NATO and indicates the United States might leave the alliance, i.e., former President Trump. This is curious because Russia justified its invasion of Ukraine by claiming that Ukrainian efforts to join NATO were anti-Russian and part of a NATO conspiracy to surround and weaken Russia. The reality is that Zelensky wanted to gain the protection of the NATO alliance, which includes the United States in addition to well-armed nearby states like Poland, Germany and France. Russia did not want to fight the NATO alliance. While NATO could not justify sending troops to Ukraine, they could and did send over $200 billion worth of weapons and non-military aid. The Americans were the largest contributor but as the war continued, European contributions increased while U.S. shipments declined. NATO continues to support Ukraine because that was what NATO was established in 1949 to do. The threat then was the aggressive Soviet Union, which never attacked. When the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, the largest and most aggressive successor state was the Russian Federation, led by men who wanted to rebuild the Soviet empire and decided in 2021 that a good place to start was by attacking and absorbing Ukraine. The Russian invasion reminded other NATO states that the Russian threat still existed and that it was very real. At the same time, Russia is aware that NATO countries can muster more military forces than Russia and possess far larger economic resources than Russia. NATO nations are planning to increase the number of soldiers in their peacetime forces and that means a return of conscription. Without the Ukraine War, European voters would not have approved the return of conscription as a necessary step to increase the size of their armed forces. NATO nations have large enough populations of military age men to do this, in addition to enormous economic resources. NATO members accounted for 45 percent of $2.24 billion in global defense spending in 2022. NATO spending continued increasing faster than global spending because of the war in Ukraine. For example Denmark announced that it would gradually increase defense spending over the next ten years until it reached about $21 billion. At that point defense spending would be three times what it was in 2022 and would meet the NATO suggested two percent of GDP. Denmark had long spent much less, safe in the knowledge that the United States and larger NATO members met or exceeded the spending goal applicable to all NATO members. This annoyed the United States, but America had the largest economy in the world and military commitments worldwide. The U.S. has had the largest defense budget in the world since the 1940s. During the Cold War (1948-91), European NATO members believed their job was to keep the Americans in, the Germans down and the Russians out. After 1945 Germany was divided, with West German eventually joining NATO and prospering economically while East Germany stagnated economically and was controlled by Russia. Germans had had enough of militarism and preparing for war. West Germany joined NATO in order to keep the Russians out and spent what was necessary to meet NATO standards. West Germans knew that if Russia attacked, they would be the main target. West Germany was where other NATO members stationed most of their troops assigned to defend Europe. After the Soviet Union collapsed and a much smaller Russia became a democracy, defense spending by NATO members plummeted. The newly reunified Germany had huge costs associated with the merger of West and East Germany and even more reason to reduce defense spending. This was the peace bonus and it turned out to be temporary. By 2000 Russia was rearming and becoming more aggressive. One thing led to another and now we have the Ukraine War. This is the largest conflict NATO has ever had to deal with. Russia accused Ukraine of planning to join NATO. That wasnt true, at least until 2014 when Russia seized Crimea and portions of two eastern Ukraine provinces. Not content with that, Russia invaded again in 2022, seeking to absorb Ukraine back into a Greater Russia. Despite all the previous Russian defense spending and military reorganization, the 2022 invasion failed. This was due to Russian incompetence and corruption, huge reforms in the Ukrainian military, a spike in Ukrainian patriotism, ferocious Ukrainian resistance, and over $100 billion in military and economic aid sent to Ukraine by NATO members. This meant that by late 2023, Russian forces were significantly outnumbered, on the defensive and the Ukrainians were attacking. All that aid to Ukraine caused most NATO members to reconsider their own annual defense spending. This was nothing new. After Russias first invasion of Ukraine in 2014, NATO members realized that the Cold War threat was back and Cold War level defense spending would be required to deal with it. In September 2014 NATO members met and set specific commitments regarding defense spending. These commitments were to force NATO members to halt any decline in defense expenditure and keep spending in line with GDP growth. Members who currently spend less than two percent of their GDP on defense, were supposed to reach two percent within the next decade, preferably in ways that improved their ability to meet NATO obligations. The three most powerful, in military and economic terms, European NATO members of France, Germany and Britain, despite all their talk about necessity to deal with recent events in Ukraine and Middle East, instead reduced their defense spending even though they were already spending less than two percent GDP on defense. The Germans spent $41.72 billion in 2015, six percent less than in 2014 while 2015 spending was 1.09 percent of GDP versus 1.3 percent in 2013. Such a state of affairs resulted in severe readiness issues for the German military, including cuts in training, equipment shortages, maintenance issues and generally low readiness level. France was better off, at $41.2 billion, or 1.5 percent GDP in 2015. This was the same as in 2014. France did make big cuts earlier but its role in dealing with ISIL and sentiment after a recent major Islamic terrorist attack in France didn't seem to have much effect on its NATO-related spending. Britain also faced defense spending cuts, from $55 billion in 2014 to $54 billion in 2015. This was even worse in GDP percentage terms, in part due to changes in GDP calculations by adding narcotics, prostitution and charitable spending to the definition of GDP. This produced a decrease in defense spending as a percentage of Britains GDP, from 2.07 percent to 1.88 percent of GDP. That was the lowest British defense spending as a GDP percentage in the previous 25 years. Canada and Italy, two other NATO members with rather large economies, also decreased their defense spending. Canada spent $14.2 billion in 2014 which was just one percent of its GDP and planned to reduce it by $2.1 billion in coming years, to an extremely low 0.85 percent of GDP. Italy's already low 2014 defense spending of 1.2 percent GDP amounted to $13.68 billion but fell to $12.91 billion in the 2015 defense budget. Some smaller countries did take their military situation and NATO commitments seriously. The Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) were the most rattled by the Ukraine crisis among NATO countries because of their borders with Russia, small size, and often issues with a large Russian minority. Estonia, one of the very few NATO countries that reach the 2 percent GDP defense spending target, decided to exceed it by 0.05 percent GDP in 2015. Lithuania, which spent just 0.9 percent of its GDP on defense in 2014, reached 1 percent in 2015, and has committed to increase it by 0.2 percent of GDP every year, until it reaches the recommended 2 percent GDP mark. Latvia, much like Lithuania, has decided on a quick expansion of its military, its defense spending rising from 0.78 percent GDP in 2014 to 1.11 percent GDP in 2015. Unfortunately, the significant increases in military spending of Baltic countries are not big in real terms. Their economies are small, and as such, the biggest military budget of those three, Lithuania's, is just barely above $0.5 billion. Poland, one of few NATO countries taking the Ukraine crisis as seriously as the Baltics, spent $10.4 billion, or 1.95 percent of GDP in 2014 and got it up to the required 2 percent of GDP in 2016, with a specific focus on procurement of modern equipment. It has since soared. Romania followed Poland's example, with its military spending rising from 1.4 percent in 2014 to 1.7 percent in 2015 and reached 2 percent in 2017. This is different elsewhere in Central Europe. Bulgaria and Hungary, despite promises to increase their relatively small military budgets in 2015, actually reduced them as a portion of GDP share, by 0.15 percent and 0.04. Norway and Netherlands slightly increased their defense budgets, both of them reversing long running downwards trends. The 2022 Russian invasion was not a surprise to many east European NATO members. Less than a year before the invasion, Poland announced it was doubling the size of its military to 300,000 troops, giving it the largest active-duty force among the European NATO nations. The Polish military then consisted of 185,000 troops. Poland already spends more on defense, at 2.2 percent of GDP, than most NATO members. The goal for NATO nations is two percent of GDP but even in 2021 only a few had reached or exceeded that, including the United States (3.7 percent), Britain (2.2 percent) and France (2.1 percent). Russia was spending 4.3 percent. Elsewhere in the world Saudi Arabia spent 8.4 percent, Israel 5.6 percent, India 2.9 percent, South Korea 2.8 percent, Australia 2.1 percent and China somewhere between two and three percent. North Korea spends about a quarter of GDP on the military but has a GDP that is only about five percent the size of South Koreas. Global defense spending is about two trillion dollars and 2.4 percent of global GDP. U.S. spending accounts for 39 percent of that, which is equal to the next fourteen nations combined. Polish defense spending has increased enormously since it joined NATO in 1999, when it was spending $3.2 billion a year. To be a NATO member they had to bring all their military equipment up to NATO standards. While some of the Cold War era Russian equipment qualified, or could do so with some modifications, Poland wanted to replace most of the Cold War gear with modern Western weapons and equipment. Fortunately for Poland and other East European nations that joined NATO after 1991, the Cold War era NATO nations were reducing their armed forces and offered a lot of modern NATO weapons to the new members at very low cost or for free. Poland was able to upgrade its forces with German and American tanks and also purchased F-35 fighters, guided rockets, more effective electronics and modern military logistical equipment. Poland was a major manufacturer of ships, aircraft, and military vehicles while part of the Russian Warsaw Pact that dissolved in 1991. At the same time the Soviet Union was disintegrating. Poland is now producing NATO standard ships, aircraft, vehicles, and all manner of modern weapons. For that reason, most of the cost for expanding the military will be spent in Poland and make it possible to complete the expansion by the end of the decade or sooner. After 2014 many East European nations feared Russia had gone from former occupier to current threat and all decided to speed upgrades to their armed forces, as quickly as limited budgets allowed. For example, in 2015 Lithuania increased the 2016 defense budget by 35 percent. This made defense spending 1.48 percent of GDP. All this is eerily like what happened after World War I when France and Britain tried to help equip newly created, from the wreckage of the Russian and Austrian empires, countries like Poland and the Baltic States with cheap World War I surplus weapons and promises of aid if Russia should seek to rebuild its fractured empire. The Russians did attack in 1939, and now that bit of history repeated itself in Ukraine. In 1989 the newly liberated nations of East Europe sought some solutions to avoid repeating old history. What is happening in Ukraine demonstrates that NATO itself is one solution because Ukraine was considering NATO membership before the invasion, and now will definitely join once the fighting with Russia is over. The NATO rules do not allow a nation at war to join. That has not stopped NATO members from sending Ukraine over $100 billion in assistance since the invasion and continuing to send more. NATO nations also suffered economically by enforcing the economic sanctions imposed on Russia. This has cost some NATO members billions of dollars because they could no longer trade with Russia. The war has made it clear to Russia, NATO and Ukraine that Russia could not handle a war with the NATO alliance that involved NATO troops as well as large quantities of NATO weapons. The fighting so far has provided NATO nations with a growing list of improvements needed for their weapons and equipment. NATO weapons have generally outperformed their Russian equivalents and modifications are being made to address any problems encountered. Russia has a more extensive list of needed fixes and upgrades but lacks sufficient money to deal with more than a few of them. China's cargo throughput growth continued in the second quarter (Q2) of 2024, but the pace of expansion has decelerated to 3 per cent year-on-year (YoY), down from 6 per cent in the first quarter, according to Fitch Ratings. Total container throughput saw a 7 per cent YoY increase, bolstered by strong demand from Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, although domestic demand has shown signs of weakening. China's export value rebounded in Q2 2024, rising by 4.4 per cent YoY, compared to a contraction of 1.7 per cent in Q1. This growth was largely driven by a 15 per cent surge in exports to ASEAN. Exports to the US also returned to positive territory, growing by 2.5 per cent YoY, while exports to the European Union remained flat, as per Fitch. Shipping rates across various metrics, including the Shanghai Containerised Freight Index, China Containerised Freight Index, Baltic Dry Index, and Baltic Dirty Tanker Index, stayed elevated, largely due to the ongoing tensions in the Red Sea. Fitch Ratings anticipates that container shipping indices may moderate as a significant number of new container ships are delivered later this year. However, Fitch cautions that recent economic data suggest increased uncertainty over global economic growth and sluggish consumer demand in major economies, which could limit the growth of port throughput. Additionally, rising geopolitical tensions and the potential for further US tariff hikes on Chinese goods, coupled with the possibility of retaliatory measures, pose further downside risks in the medium term. China's cargo throughput growth slowed to 3 per cent YoY in Q2 2024, down from 6 per cent in Q1, with container throughput up 7 per cent YoY, driven by strong ASEAN demand. Exports rebounded by 4.4 per cent YoY, led by a 15 per cent surge to ASEAN. Despite high shipping rates, Fitch Ratings warns of potential risks from global economic uncertainty. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DP) Turkiye has agreed to start talks with the United Kingdom in Ankara to revise their free trade agreement (FTA) as both sides want to strengthen economic ties, the former announced yesterday. Trade talks were paused during the election. The updates are expected to extend the FTA's scope to include services and investments. Turkiye will start talks with the UK to revise their FTA to strengthen economic ties, the former announced yesterday. The updates are expected to extend the FTA's scope to include services and investments. Turkish trade minister Omer Bolat and UK counterpart Jonathan Reynolds recently discussed ways to surpass $20 billion in bilateral trade this year. The announcement followed a virtual discussion between Turkish trade minister Omer Bolat and UK business and trade minister and president of the Board of Trade Jonathan Reynolds. Bolat described the discussion with Reynolds as productive, highlighting specific steps aimed at raising trade volumes, encouraging investment and deepening bilateral cooperation, according to domestic media reports. He said both sides discussed ways to surpass $20 billion in bilateral trade this year. The first round of negotiations is expected to take place in the autumn and would include fresh talks with South Korea, Israel, Switzerland and Turkiye. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS) Shipping fees for major routes from Vietnam to the European Union (EU) and the United States have significantly increased, affecting profit margins of Vietnamese exporters, who are now quite concerned about their competitiveness in the international market. In recent weeks, the cost to transport a container to Europe reached $4,000-5,000, more than double what it was during the same period last year, and the same for the United States has risen to $6,000-7,000. Transport costs per container to closer destinations like China, Japan and South Korea have also increased by an additional $1,000-2,000. Shipping fees for major routes from Vietnam to the EU and the US have significantly risen, hitting profits of Vietnamese exporters, who are concerned about their competitiveness. A severe shortage of containers has made booking a ship a challenge as well. Chinese exporters put down large sums of money to book containers in advance, driving prices even higher There is a severe shortage of containers as well and that has made booking a ship a challenge, according to a domestic media outlet. Industry insiders said the shortage had never been addressed since the COVID-19 pandemic; rather it had been made worse by recent geopolitical tensions. Moreover, Chinese exporters had been willing to put down large sums of money to book containers in advance, driving prices even higher. The countrys ministry of industry and trade has suggested businesses to explore alternative routes and means of transport as a cost-cutting measure. However, experts felt it was only possible for small orders and short-term contracts. Rerouting goods may also lead to additional customs duties and procedures, complicating and prolonging the delivery. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS) Bollywood has time and again made some brilliant films based on stories from the battlefield. Right from the Independence struggle to wars with other countries, movies have been made to showcase the glory of the martyrs and the brutality of war. Be it winning against another country or fighting internal battles to save ours, weve had films like Border, Raazi, Uri: The Surgical Strike and many more to stir our souls and wake the patriot in us. As we celebrate the 78th Independence Day today, heres looking at films that are sure to make you proud and hold your head up high with patriotism. Take a look. Border (1997) Directer by JP Dutta, Border is a classic and one of the most watched war movies to come out of Indian Cinema. Based on the Battle of Longewala, it covers the the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971. Haqeeqat (1964) This film touched upon the Sino-Indian War from 1962. It throws light not only on the brutality of war but also the consequences of it. With a fictionalised representation of the events, the film follows a small platoon into the war and narrates their life and how the war impacted them. 1971 (2007) As the name suggests, this one too talks about the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 and tells the story of 6 prisoners of war and how they escape the Pakistan army. It also shows the internal unrest in Pakistan when the East side wants to separate itself from the West. LOC Kargil (2003) Based on the 1999 Operation Vijay, the film takes you into the lives of the soldiers fighting the war against Pakistani intruders who tried to strategically occupy the Kargil Sector. This is also the longest running film ever made with a runtime of 255 minutes. Raazi (2018) This one takes you away from the war front and into the life of a spy. Sehmat, marries into a Pakistani home to spy for her nation. The sacrifice and love for her country makes Sehmat an unsung hero. Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019) This is a fictional dramatisation of true events of the retaliation of 2016 Uri attack. This was a surgical strike by our army against four terrorists near who conducted grenade attacks near the town of Uri in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The Legend of Bhagat Singh (2002) Bhagat Singh is one of our Indian Freedom Fighters who will forever be remembered for his undying will to make India free of the British Raj. This film takes you through his journey as a freedom fighter and narrated the brave acts he committed before he was sentenced to death. He refused to bow down to the British and thus became a legend for the generations after him. Kesari (2019) This follows the story of the battle of Saragarhi that was fought between just 21 soldiers of the 36th Sikhs of the British Army and 10,000 Afridi and Orakzai Padhtun tribesmen in 1897. Its one of the most astounding stories of bravery. Neerja (2016) Another movie that is away from the war but stirs up the patriot in you. Neerja Bhanot was a Indian head purser on the Pan Am Flight 73 that was hijacked in 1986. Apart from active negotiations, she saved many lives and lost her own in the struggle to keep all passengers safe. She was posthumously award the Ashoka Chakra Award. Shershaah (2021) The story of Captain Vikram Batra, a young braveheart who was responsible for Indias victory during the 1999 Operation Vijay. This film also tells you the story of an unsung hero, Dimple Cheema, Batras fiance who spent her life like a widow after he was martyred in war. Sam Bahadur (2023) A film that narrates the story of Indias bravest soldiers Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw whos patriotism and courage left generations inspired. The film also sheds light on the soldiers backbone, his wife Silloo Manekshaw who stood by him like a pillar, supporting him through the triumphs and hurdles in life. Bhuj: The Pride of India (2021) The film traces a heroic incident that took place during the 1971 Indo-Pak war. It follows the incident of when the Bhuj air base was attacked, several local people came together to help the air force rebuild the damaged air strip. Sardar Udham (2021) The film follows the life story of Sardar Udham, a Punjabi Sikh revolutionary who makes an assassination plan to kill the man responsible for the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, Michael O Dwyer. As India celebrates its 78th Independence Day, Bollywood stars took to social media to share their patriotic sentiments and extend heartfelt wishes to fans across the nation. Prominent actors like Akshay Kumar, Arjun Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Ananya Panday, among others, marked the occasion with inspiring messages, honouring the spirit of freedom and unity. Their posts resonated with millions, highlighting the pride and joy that come with this historic day. Let's take a look at their posts: by Austin Bay August 14, 2024 The Pentagon is seeking short-term "fixes" for an old problem that has reached the point of crisis: the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard's warship and support vessel shortage -- their "hull deficit" in military jargon. In a moment, I'll list four "semi-quick fix" proposals. The interim options buy time. They don't answer the interconnected international security problems (plural) created by America's military and commercial-civilian ship shortage. America needs warships for security, for deterrence, for war when it erupts. In peace and war, in order to sustain and expand economic growth, America needs a modern merchant marine. Fact: Around $35 trillion in freight moves by sea each year. America's virtually nonexistent domestic civilian seagoing shipbuilding industry and the shrinking U.S.-operated merchant marine fleet have economic security consequences. This February in Forbes magazine, Loren Thompson noted, "At the beginning of 2023, China had 1,749 large oceangoing commercial vessels under construction in its domestic shipyards. America had five." More: "At the beginning of 2023, only 177 oceangoing commercial vessels flew the American flag." The number flying Chinese flags: "... over 5,000." A military consequence of America's commercial maritime deficiencies: In a big war, the U.S. will have to rely on another nation for immediate commercial shipping needs and definitely for replacement of vessels sunk or damaged. Iran's Houthi Yemeni proxies are a military force with sea pirate characteristics. When violent actors like the Houthis disrupt sea commerce, until powerful naval forces arrest or destroy them, shipping costs spike and every nation takes an economic hit. Hence the name for the U.S. Navy's Red Sea, counter-Houthi operation: Prosperity Guardian. "Powerful naval forces" introduces the Navy's hull deficit. The ship-short, stretched-thin U.S. Navy face multiple contingencies, like Communist China's threats to Taiwan and the Philippines, and China's implicit threats to U.S. allies Japan, South Korea and Singapore. The Coast Guard's unfortunate condition: underfunded, under-resourced, overtasked. Policing America's 95,509-mile coastline includes policing Alaska's 33,904-mile coastline. (The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's coastline measure includes estuaries, the Great Lakes and U.S. territories -- all Coast Guard responsibilities.) Congress wants to revive U.S. shipbuilding. In 2017, Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) tried to kick-start naval and commercial shipbuilding. He authored legislation to expand American maritime industrial capacity. Wicker tried again in 2023. In December 2023, Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro told Congress America must once again become a "global leader in shipbuilding" if it wants to remain a naval power. The hull deficit, however, will take years to fix. Building large warships takes a long time. So, four shorter-term options: 1. Several defense publications have suggested the U.S. operate common repair facilities with allies like Japan and South Korea. "Collaborative" ventures save money. Presumably, Japanese and Korean workers would perform the work in their home shipyards. "Forward repair" would keep more hulls in forward areas but also expose ships to quick attacks from China. 2. Buy warships from allies. By law, Navy ships must be built in America. Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri builds the Navy's Constellation-class frigate in its U.S. shipyard. Until U.S. domestic capacity expands, some Constellations could be built in Europe. 3. In 2023, the Center for Strategic and International Studies recommended a "... shift to smaller, more survivable ships." I've advocated that for years. To counter China, deploy small, fast, hard-to-target warships armed with missiles. Have them control drones. Modern weapons give small warships the firepower of a World War II cruiser. In 2022, I wrote a column about a boat Forbes mentioned in 2020: the H96, designed by Texas-based technologist George Hamilton. H96-type longer-range vessels can be built quickly in small shipyards. 4. This is a longer-term fix: collaborative ship-building projects like the Australia-United Kingdom-US (AUKUS) nuclear attack submarine consortium. Add Canada. Canada wants 12 new submarines -- but the public talk is no nuclear power. Given the Arctic Ocean's ice, Canada should have procured nuclear subs during the Cold War. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 14, 2024) - Aion Therapeutic Inc. (CSE: AION) ("Aion Therapeutic" or the "Company") announced today that the Company will be unable to file its annual audited consolidated financial statements for the financial year ended April 30, 2024, the related annual management's discussion and analysis and the related CEO and CFO certifications (collectively, the "2024 Financial Disclosure") by August 28, 2024 (the "Filing Deadline") in accordance with the requirements of National Instrument 51-102 - Continuous Disclosure Obligations ("NI 51-102") and National Instrument 52-109 - Certification of Disclosure in Issuer's Annual and Interim Filings, as applicable. On December 15, 2023 (the "Acquisition Date"), the Company completed its acquisition of Toppen Health, Inc. ("Toppen"), a limited liability company organized under the laws of the State of Wisconsin. As a result of this recent acquisition, the Company's independent auditor requires (i) a valuation of Toppen as at the Acquisition Date; (ii) a valuation of Toppen as at April 30, 2024; and (iii) an impairment testing of intangibles and goodwill of the Company as at April 30, 2024. The Company's management has been diligently working on providing its independent auditor with the necessary valuations and impairment testing. This process, which has taken a considerable amount of time, is required for the independent auditor to complete their audit report for the year ended April 30, 2024, as part of the 2024 Financial Disclosure. Consequently, the Company requires additional time to finalize and complete the 2024 Financial Disclosure. The Company anticipates having its 2024 Financial Disclosure completed and filed as soon as possible and anticipates, in any event, filing its 2024 Financial Disclosure by the end of September, 2024. Accordingly, the Company has applied for a management cease trade order ("MCTO") effective August 14, 2024 preventing management of the Company from trading, directly or indirectly, in the securities of the Company (except as otherwise authorized by applicable securities regulators), which will remain in place until the above-noted documentation has been filed, in accordance with the provisions of National Policy 12-203 - Management Cease Trade Orders ("NP-12-203"). Until the Company's 2024 Financial Disclosure is filed, the Company intends to satisfy the provisions of the Alternative Information Guidelines set out in NP-12-203. Furthermore, the Company's directors and officers will remain subject to a trading black-out pursuant to which such persons are prohibited from trading any securities of the Company until the end of the second full trading day following the day on which the 2024 Financial Disclosure is filed on SEDAR and a corresponding new release is issued by the Company. About Aion Therapeutic Inc. Aion Therapeutic is a forward-thinking business within the health and wellness sector with a diverse portfolio of intellectual property. With a commitment to innovation and transformative solutions, the Company is poised to drive positive change to redefine the boundaries of health and wellness. Toppen, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Aion Therapeutic, is a US-based health and wellness company dedicated to delivering state-of-the-art water filtration solutions. With a focus on innovation, affordability, and sustainability, Toppen's water filtration solutions are designed to meet the diverse needs of consumers, businesses, and industries around the world as they strive to provide access to clean and safe water. DISCLAIMER & READER ADVISORY This release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Expressions such as "anticipates", "expects", "believes", "estimates", "could", "intends", "may", "plans", "predicts", "projects", "will", "would" and other similar expressions, or the negative of these terms, are generally indicative of forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements in this press release include statements regarding: Aion Therapeutic and Toppen's business, business goals and management's expectation on the growth and performance of its business; the timing of filing the 2024 Financial Disclosure; and the grant of the MCTO. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, such as, without limitation, the risk that the parties will be unable to receive, in a timely manner, the necessary, regulatory approval of the MCTO or complete the 2024 Financial Disclosure. In addition, the forward-looking information contained in this release is based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information as it is inherently uncertain, and no assurance can be given that the expectations reflected in such information will prove to be correct. The forward-looking information in this release is made as of the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances. The securities of the Company have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This release is issued for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of any securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The Canadian Securities Exchange (operated by CNSX Markets Inc.) has neither approved nor disapproved of the contents of this press release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/220000 SOURCE: Aion Therapeutic Inc. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 14, 2024) - AJN Resources Inc. (CSE: AJN) (FSE: 5AT) (AJN or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has closed its non-brokered private placement of units (each, a Unit) in the capital of the Company at a price of $0.10 per Unit, which was announced on July 16, 2024. The Company issued a total of 5,000,000 Units at a price of $0.10 per Unit for gross proceeds of $500,000. Each Unit is comprised of one common share and one share purchase warrant (Warrant), where each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional common share (Warrant Share) at an exercise price of $0.15 per Warrant Share for a four year period. In addition, the Company settled a total of $150,000 owed to two directors through the issuance of 1,500,000 Units at a deemed price of $0.10 per Unit, which together with participation by another director in the private placement for $20,000 or 200,000 Units and another insider (>10% holder) for $130,000 or 1,300,000 Units, comprises approximately 46.2% of the total number of Units issued pursuant to the private placement and the debt settlement. These acquisitions by the three directors and the other insider constitute related party transactions within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (MI 61-101). The Company is relying on the exemptions contained in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 as the fair market value of the Units issued to insiders does not exceed 25 per cent of the market capitalization of the Company as determined in accordance with MI 61-101. The Company's board of directors reviewed and approved the debt settlement and private placement participation by the three directors and the other insider. The Company did not file a material change report in respect of the related party transactions at least 21 days before closing of the debt settlement and private placement as the date of closing was not previously known. The securities issued pursuant to the private placement and the debt settlement, and any Warrant Shares to be issued on the exercise of Warrants are restricted from trading until December 15, 2024. The net proceeds of the private placement will be used for acquiring and/or exploration of mineral properties, general corporate purposes, and working capital. The issuance of the Units did not result in a change of control or materially affect control of the Company. About AJN Resources Inc. AJN is a junior exploration company. AJN's management and directors possess over 75 years of collective industry experience and have been very successful in the areas of exploration, financing and developing major mines throughout the world, with a focus on Africa, especially the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements The information in this news release may include certain information and statements about management's view of future events, expectations, plans and prospects that may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Because of these risks and uncertainties and as a result of a variety of factors, the actual results, expectations, achievements or performance may differ materially from those anticipated and indicated by these forward-looking statements. Although AJN Resources Inc. believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurances that the expectations of any forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Except as required by law, AJN Resources Inc. disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/220003 SOURCE: AJN Resources Inc. The Queensland Government and Rio Tinto will work together to safeguard a pillar of the State's heavy industrial manufacturing base around Gladstone under a partnership to support investment in renewable energy projects. The agreement announced today represents an important step towards securing a long-term future for Australia's second-largest aluminium smelter, Boyne Smelters Limited (BSL) and thousands of jobs in central Queensland supported by the operations. The partnership supports Queensland's vision to establish Gladstone as a renewable energy hub and strengthens the electricity grid as Australia transitions to a cleaner energy future. The cooperation between Rio Tinto and the Queensland Government will complement ongoing policy development by the Australian Government to support a decarbonised aluminium industry as part of its Future Made in Australia Plan. Highlights of the agreement between the Queensland Government and Rio Tinto include: Economic Support: Through its "Energy and Jobs Plan', the Queensland Government will support BSL's financial viability from 2029 as the smelter transitions to renewable energy. Through its "Energy and Jobs Plan', the Queensland Government will support BSL's financial viability from 2029 as the smelter transitions to renewable energy. Operational Commitments Employment: Rio Tinto will invest to maintain BSL's full operational capacity, supporting Australia's ambition to remain a major exporter of aluminium. This ensures BSL, which has an annual production capacity of more than 500,000 tonnes of aluminium and directly employs more than 1000 people, will continue to be a significant contributor to the local, Queensland and national economy. Rio Tinto will also work to expand its coastal shipping capacity, to add a fifth domestically crewed vessel to its existing fleet of four. These ships transport bauxite from the company's Gove and Weipa mines to operations in Gladstone. Rio Tinto will invest to maintain BSL's full operational capacity, supporting Australia's ambition to remain a major exporter of aluminium. This ensures BSL, which has an annual production capacity of more than 500,000 tonnes of aluminium and directly employs more than 1000 people, will continue to be a significant contributor to the local, Queensland and national economy. Rio Tinto will also work to expand its coastal shipping capacity, to add a fifth domestically crewed vessel to its existing fleet of four. These ships transport bauxite from the company's Gove and Weipa mines to operations in Gladstone. Renewable Energy Investment: Rio Tinto commits to additional sustainable energy investments in Queensland, building on its existing commitments to Australia's largest solar and wind projects across the State. Rio Tinto commits to additional sustainable energy investments in Queensland, building on its existing commitments to Australia's largest solar and wind projects across the State. Gladstone Transformation: Support for Queensland's vision to establish Gladstone as a renewable energy hub, with BSL to develop capabilities to manage power consumption during times of peak demand and strengthen the electricity grid. The agreement remains contingent on the completion of Rio Tinto's energy contracting activities, relevant joint venture approvals, and the establishment of an Australian Government pathway for a decarbonised aluminium industry. Rio Tinto Chief Executive Australia Kellie Parker said: "This agreement with the Queensland Government represents one of the most significant partnerships in our long history of operations in the State. "It paves the way for a competitive, green-energy powered BSL, supporting employment and lowering Australia's carbon footprint. The partnership will support Australia's status as a leading, global supplier of aluminium at a time when the world needs the metal for the green energy transition. "While this is a critical part of the puzzle, we have more to do. We will continue to engage with the Federal Government on supportive industry policy to help sustain Australia's green aluminium sector for the future." About Rio Tinto and Boyne Smelters Limited Boyne Smelters Limited (BSL) has been operating since 1982 and is Australia's second largest aluminium smelter. Located at Boyne Island in central Queensland, BSL's activities include manufacturing carbon anodes in the carbon plant, aluminium production (smelting) in reduction lines, and casting of molten metal into aluminium products ready to ship. The smelter is adjacent to, and connected via a conveyor belt, to the Queensland Alumina Limited refinery for the supply of alumina. Rio Tinto's integrated aluminium production chain in Queensland is a significant economic driver, employing over 4500 people directly and supporting thousands more Australian livelihoods. The company's operations in Gladstone alone account for more than 3000 jobs, with 1000 of those at the BSL. Additionally, Rio Tinto's bauxite operations in Weipa employ more than 1300 people, supplying raw materials to the Gladstone manufacturing facilities. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240814651302/en/ Contacts: Please direct all enquiries to media.enquiries@riotinto.com Media Relations, United Kingdom Matthew Klar M +44 7796 630 637 David Outhwaite M +44 7787 597 493 Media Relations, Australia Matt Chambers M +61 433 525 739 Alyesha Anderson M +61 434 868 118 Michelle Lee M +61 458 609 322 Media Relations, Americas Simon Letendre M +1 514 796 4973 Malika Cherry M +1 418 592 7293 Vanessa Damha M +1 514 715 2152 Investor Relations, United Kingdom David Ovington M +44 7920 010 978 Laura Brooks M +44 7826 942 797 Investor Relations, Australia Tom Gallop M +61 439 353 948 Amar Jambaa M +61 472 865 948 Rio Tinto plc 6 St James's Square London SW1Y 4AD United Kingdom T +44 20 7781 2000 Registered in England No. 719885 Rio Tinto Limited Level 43, 120 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 Australia T +61 3 9283 3333 Registered in Australia ABN 96 004 458 404 riotinto.com Category General Company Unveils Powerful and Efficient CordZero All-in-One Tower Combi and Latest Robot Vacuum With Simultaneous Wet and Dust Cleaning Capabilities SEOUL, South Korea, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- LG Electronics (LG) is introducing its brand-new stick vacuum cleaning solution, LG CordZero All-in-One Tower Combi, alongside its newest 'all-in-one' robot vacuum and mop at IFA 2024. The All-In-One Tower Combi redefines storage, charging and style while making everyday cleaning simpler and more efficient by combining the CordZero A9X stick vacuum with the CordZero R5 robot vacuum. The company's latest robot vacuum and mop features a comprehensive system that handles floor cleaning, mopping, dust emptying, water refilling and automatic mop washing. Streamlined Cleaning with the All-in-One Tower Combi The innovative All-in-One Tower Combi solution features the Dual Auto Empty function, which automatically empties the dustbins of both the stick and robot vacuums. When docked, both devices are charged to ensure they are always ready to clean. The sleek, compact docking station serves as a central hub for all vacuuming needs, taking up minimal space and even featuring a UVC LED to help prevent bacteria from growing inside the disposable dust bag.[1] The CordZero A9X incorporates LG's Smart Inverter Motor, designed to provide powerful and reliable cleaning performance every time. The motor's rapid spinning action generates a strong suction that picks up dirt, dust and debris with ease. Moreover, the stick vacuum uses KOMPRESSOR technology, which compresses dirt and debris to increase bin capacity and reduce the frequency of emptying the dustbin. The vacuum also features Spray Mop for efficient mopping on hard floors. For a thorough and efficient cleaning experience, the LG CordZero R5 robot vacuum is equipped with a mop that allows it to vacuum and mop simultaneously. This is facilitated by an automatic water supply system from the embedded water tank that keeps the mop wet, eliminating the need for frequent trips to a water source. What's more, the robot vacuum employs a 360 LiDAR sensor to navigate obstacles and furniture, potentially preventing accidents like a fall down the stairs.[2] Next-Generation Robot Vacuum with Extensive Cleaning Capabilities LG is also bringing its 'all-in-one' robot vacuum and mop to the IFA show floor. This cutting-edge vacuum employs automatic mop cleaning and drying to reduce maintenance work and an automatic water supply system that fills and empties the water tank without user intervention.[3] To ensure the vacuum stays clean and fresh without any hassle, the vacuum automatically dispenses the cleanser when washing the mop. The advanced robot vacuum uses LiDAR to precisely map out routes and a front camera that works in unison with 3D and several other sensors, which recognize up to 96 objects, making obstacle navigation effortless. The robot vacuum effectively cleans dust with a powerful motor that delivers strong vacuum power of up to 10,000 pascals (Pa),[4] while its rotating mop ensures thorough mopping by spinning at 180 revolutions per minute (rpm). The intelligent vacuum can even detect carpets, increasing suction power and lifting its mop to clean more effectively over these rougher surfaces. To help consumers minimize odors from the product, LG has developed all-in-one robot vacuums that combat unpleasant odors from the wastewater after mop cleaning. This comprehensive cleaning solution automatically dispenses cleaner when washing the mop and dries it with hot air. This process reduces the formation of foul-smelling compounds, such as methyl mercaptan and dimethyl disulfide, in the water container storing used water after mopping by approximately 30 percent.[5] Additionally, LG's Secure Development Lifecycle (LG SDL) predicts and addresses security risks checked throughout every stage of product development. "We have merged the cleaning and maintenance process into one to deliver the convenient and effortless user experience consumer's desire," said Lyu Jae-cheol, president of LG Electronics Home Appliance & Air Solution Company. "We are fully committed to introducing a steady stream of innovative home appliances that exceed all expectations, with a strong focus on constantly redefining the seamless user experience." LG's latest cleaning solutions, including the A9X All-in-One Tower Combi and robot vacuum and mop, among other home appliance solutions will be on display at the company's IFA 2024 exhibition booth (Hall 18, Messe Berlin) in Berlin, Germany, from September 6-10. [1]Tested by KRIBS (Korea Research Institute of Bio Science) in accordance with LG protocol comparing the number of live bacteria in the All-in-One Tower's dust bag after operating the UVC LED for two hours (Model number: VDS-ST**U**) at 23.0 degrees Celsius (2.0 degrees Celsius) with a relative humidity of 45 percent (5 percent). The All-in-One Tower's dust bag was filled with simulated household dust (specified in IEC TS 62885-1 5.1) and bacteria (staphylococcus aureus, pseudomonas aeruginosa, pneumonia bacilli, escherichia coli-about 107 CFU per ml for each test bacteria) that was cultivated in a petri dish. The tested bacteria are located in nine representative locations on top of the dust. After operating the UVC LED for 2 hours, a comparison was made between the number of live bacteria with the un-treated chalet. The inhibition rate of bacterial growth may vary depending on actual environmental conditions. [2] 360 LiDAR sensor scans the surroundings 6 times per second up to a radius of 8 meters. Depending on the actual environment and usage conditions, actual surroundings and the map may differ. [3] Automatic water filling and emptying feature is only available with the addition and the installation of the automatic water supply kit, which is sold separately. The installation type can be changed to automatic water supply with the addition of the automatic water supply kit. The installation service may require additional fees or services depending on the region. [4] According to tests conducted by the Korea Testing Laboratory (KTL) on the all-in-one robot vacuum and mop (Model: R83*******) following Section 5.11 of the international standard IEC 62885-4:2020/AMD1:2023, the product was evaluated with an empty dustbin and a fully charged new battery. Using a specially manufactured adapter to connect the vacuum cleaner to the air data test equipment, the maximum suction power was measured under Turbo mode with direct drive movements, and the suction motor's maximum vacuum level was recorded with the motor directly connected to the air data test equipment. Suction power (measured in watts) is calculated as the product of the observed vacuum (in kilopascal, kPa) and the airflow (in liters per second, l/s) from the air data test equipment. The maximum vacuum level of 10,000 Pa for the suction motor refers to a sealed condition with an airflow of 0 l/s. Suction power may vary depending on whether the rotating brush is attached and the testing environment, while the vacuum level may differ based on the measurement conditions. [5] According to tests conducted by accredited certification agency Intertek using LG's specified criteria, the amount of methyl mercaptan and dimethyl sulfide odors was compared with and without the use of the company's robot vacuum cleaner maintenance solution. The test involved applying a solution of E. coli (approximately 104 colony-forming units per milliliter, CFU/ml) and approximately 12 milliliters of instant coffee dilution to the floor and then 10 minutes of mopping. Afterwards, the mop automatically washed and dried for 3 hours and the resulting wastewater was left in a 33-degree Celsius chamber for 7 days. Methyl mercaptan and dimethyl sulfide are sulfur compounds with strong odors. The automatic mop cleaning function only operates after a robot vacuum, which has cleaned for more than 10 minutes, returns to its charging dock, with the cleaner then automatically dispensed during the final cleaning process. The frequency of the cleaner replenishment and sulfur compound odor alleviation effect may vary depending on the usage environment. About LG Electronics Home Appliance & Air Solution Company The LG Home Appliance & Air Solution Company is a global leader in home appliances, air solutions as well as smart home solutions featuring LG ThinQ. The company is creating various solutions with its industry leading core technologies and is committed to making life better and sustainable for consumers and the planet by developing thoughtfully designed kitchen appliances, living appliances, HVAC and air purification solutions. Together, these products deliver enhanced convenience, superb performance, efficient operation and sustainable lifestyle solutions. For more news on LG, visit www.LGnewsroom.com. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2482125/LG_A9X_All_in_One_Tower_Combi_01.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2482126/LG_A9X_All_in_One_Tower_Combi_02.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2482127/LG_all_in_one_robot_vacuum_and_Mop_cleaning_solution_01.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2482128/LG_all_in_one_robot_vacuum_and_Mop_cleaning_solution_02.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/lg-introduces-new-all-in-one-vacuum-cleaning-solutions-with-next-level-versatility-at-ifa-2024-302222929.html Melbourne, Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 14, 2024) - Kincora Copper Limited (ASX: KCC) (TSXV: KCC) (Kincora or the Company) is pleased to be participating in the Sharewise Webinar to be held today, Thursday August 15th, from 1:30pm Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST). President & CEO Sam Spring will provide investors and shareholders an update on Kincora's asset portfolio, partner and corporate strategy outlining recent milestones, upcoming catalysts and with the opportunity for Q&A. A copy of the presentation is available at: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2305/220005_664006_kincora_copper_participation_in_the_sharewise_webinar.pdf This webinar can be viewed live via Zoom. Registration is free and available at: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/1917231614965/WN_3nN-VZ0lRpucefIyqLI2AA A recorded copy of the webinar will be made available following the event on Kincora's website (https://kincoracopper.com/interviews/ ) and Sharewise's YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@sharewiseau ). This announcement has been authorised for release by the Board of Kincora Copper Limited (ARBN 645 457 763) About Kincora Copper Limited Kincora is dual listed on the ASX and TSX-V (ticker "KCC") and is an active explorer and project generator focused on world-class copper-gold discoveries. The company recently executed four agreements that unlock up to A$60 million in multiple year partner funding. Further new projects that offer a clear value path and targeted partnerships are proposed. Kincora's portfolio includes district scale landholdings and scalable drill-ready targets in both Australia and Mongolia's leading porphyry belts, the Macquarie Arc and Southern Gobi, respectively, and, the Company is targeting initial exposure to 10,000m of drilling in the next 6-month before ramping up to over 30,000 metres pa of drilling. For more information please visit Kincora's website at www.kincoracopper.com. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/220005 SOURCE: Kincora Copper Limited NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / August 14, 2024 / Schneider Electric Schneider Electric Becoming climate neutral is a massive undertaking for anyone, let alone an entire continent. But, that's exactly what the EU is doing. In recent years, the European Commission has driven an ambitious decarbonization policy, striving to create a more resilient Europe and become the first climate-neutral continent in the world. This goal comes from a time of layered crises. The pandemic tested the EU's integrity, while the invasion of Ukraine brought warfare to its borders and crippled energy security. The economy has also suffered. For the past five years, growth in the European Union (EU) has been on average 1% lower than that of the U.S. and will continue to trail by around 0.8% in the long term, according to projections. One reason is the rise of energy prices across the zone. The price of natural gas in the EU is still three times higher than in 2019, and about five times that of the U.S. To reach its target, the EU must first solve a triad of problems involving energy: security, industrial competitiveness, and decarbonization. These issues have one common denominator: the EU's dependence on imported fossil fuels. This dependence doesn't just wreck the environment, it comes at a steep price - and opportunity cost. When the EU's energy import bill soared, over 800 billion euros went to buying fossil fuel imports at inflated prices. For comparison, that's almost triple the EU's defense spending in 2023. This money could've been spent on the energy transition instead. Resilient Europe: A modern economy built on modern technologies The demand-side of the equation - how energy is consumed by end-users - is a powerful lever for decarbonization, deserving much more attention. Here, we must encourage the swift adoption of both electrification and digitalization. By combining these modern technologies, industries can optimize the way they use energy, driving a faster transition away from fossil fuels and toward sustainable, affordable, and secure energy resources. With the Green Deal, the EU developed the right framework to address its energy challenges. But, there's a long road ahead. For example, nearly 75% of the building stock in Europe isn't energy efficient, with only about 1% undergoing renovation each year. Renewed EU institutions must tighten their focus on demand-side management of the energy sector, while ensuring the 'green' transformation of society doesn't impede competitiveness. To these institutions, we propose three priorities to make a more resilient Europe. 1. Accelerating the energy transition. This is the key to ending fossil fuel dependency and encouraging affordable, low-carbon energy sources. The Green Deal is a start, but we need more action to unleash the power of electrification on the demand-side. Across all sectors, research suggests that the share of electricity in the EU mix could more than double to reach 50% - with technologies that are already available at scale. Buildings, industry, and the distribution grids are where we should start. 2. Prioritizing digital transformation. The digitalization of the global economy is underway, but the EU still lags behind the two current powerhouses of the world: the U.S. and China. Digitalization can help develop new economic activities while giving thrust to the decarbonization of the EU's energy system. Notably, digitalization unlocks advanced forms of energy efficiency, and directly supports the rise of circularity at scale. That's why a digital transformation - combining sustainability and digitalization - must become a core policy of the EU, especially for industry and infrastructure. 3. Simplifying the sustainability policy framework. Europe's ESG commitment is driving innovation and the energy transition, aiming to make the continent a hub for sustainable technologies. Recent political cycles brought significant legislation to prepare for the 2050 climate goals, including the Sustainable Finance package, considering broader societal and environmental impacts. Moving forward, it's crucial to refine the regulatory framework to enhance Europe's leadership in sustainability policies, driving real transformation beyond reporting. I'm optimistic about the future. The EU boasts prominent industry leaders, strong local R&D and manufacturing capabilities, and abundant talent from top universities. With the right strategy, the EU has the potential to overcome its energy challenges. Read the full report here. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Schneider Electric on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Schneider Electric Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/schneider-electric Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Schneider Electric View the original press release on accesswire.com Genius Group Limited (NYSE American:GNS) ("Genius Group" or the "Company"), a leading AI-powered education group, today announced that management will participate in the Investor Summit August Investor Conference on Tuesday, August 20th, 2024. Chief Revenue Officer Peter Ritz is scheduled to host one-on-one meetings with institutional investors throughout the event, and will host a webcast presentation as follows: Investor Summit August Investor Conference Date: Tuesday, August 20th, 2024 Time: 4:00 p.m. Eastern time Webcast: https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/3062/51141 Please join at least five minutes before the start of the presentation to ensure timely participation. A live audio webcast and archive of the presentation will be available using the webcast link above. Registration is mandatory for conference participation. For more information or to schedule a meeting with management, please contact MZ Group at GNS@mzgroup.us. About Genius Group Genius Group (NYSE American: GNS) is a leading provider of AI-powered, digital-first education solutions, disrupting the highly standardized system of traditional education with a personalized, flexible and life-long learning curriculum for the modern student. Genius Group services 5.4 million users in over 100 countries, providing personalized curriculums for individuals, enterprises and governments. The comprehensive, AI-powered platform offers programs for K-12 education, accredited university courses and skills-based courses for entrepreneurs. To learn more, please visit https://www.geniusgroup.net/. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws, including (without limitation) statements regarding our or our management's expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future and other statements that are other than statements of historical fact. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words "believe," "project," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "plan," "may," "should," "will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result" and similar expressions, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including but not limited to: the Company's goals and strategies; the Company's future business development; changes in demand for online learning; changes in technology; fluctuations in economic conditions; the growth of the online learning industry the United States and the other markets the Company serves or plans to serve; reputation and brand; the impact of competition and pricing; government regulations; and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing and other risks contained in reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). For these reasons, among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements in this press release. Additional factors are discussed in the Company's filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof. Investor Relations MZ Group - MZ North America (949) 259-4987 GNS@mzgroup.us www.mzgroup.us SOURCE: Genius Group Limited View the original press release on accesswire.com Schlatter Industries AG / Schlagwort(e): Sonstiges Cyber-Angriff auf IT-Netzwerk von Schlatter 12.08.2024 / 06:00 CET/CEST Veroffentlichung einer Ad-hoc-Mitteilung gemass Art. 53 KR Fur den Inhalt der Mitteilung ist der Emittent / Herausgeber verantwortlich. SCHLATTER INDUSTRIES AG - SIX SWISS EXCHANGE: STRN - ISIN: CH0002277314 Ad hoc-Mitteilung gemass Art. 53 KR S c h l i e r e n, 12. August 2024. Das IT-Netzwerk von Schlatter wurde mit Schadsoftware angegriffen. Das Unternehmen hat umgehend die erforderlichen Sicherheitsmassnahmen eingeleitet und die zustandigen Behorden involviert. Eine detaillierte Untersuchung des Sachverhalts lauft. Am Freitag, 9. August 2024, wurde die Schlatter Gruppe von einem kriminellen Cyber-Angriff mittels Schadsoftware angegriffen. Die internen ICT-Spezialisten haben mit weiteren externen Experten sofort Massnahmen ergriffen, um den Schaden so weit wie moglich zu begrenzen. Die zustandigen Behorden wurden involviert. Im Rahmen dieses Prozesses wird untersucht, ob Daten abgeschopft wurden. Es ist von einer professionellen Attacke auszugehen und die unbekannte Taterschaft versucht, Schlatter zu erpressen. Die ICT-Experten arbeiten intensiv daran, alle Systeme so schnell wie moglich wieder verfugbar und funktionsfahig zu machen. Weitere Informationen Schlatter Industries AG Werner Schmidli Chief Executive Officer Telefon +41 44 732 71 70 Mobile +41 79 343 62 62 werner.schmidli@schlattergroup.com Schlatter Gruppe (www.schlattergroup.com) Die Schlatter Gruppe ist ein weltweit fuhrender Anlagenbauer fur Widerstandsschweisssysteme, Web- und Ausrustungsmaschinen fur Papiermaschinenbespannungen sowie Drahtgewebe und -gitter. Mit ihrem langjahrigen Know-how in der Anlagentechnik, Innovationskraft und zuverlassigem Kundenservice garantiert die am Swiss Reporting Standard der SIX Swiss Exchange kotierte Unternehmensgruppe fur leistungsstarke und werthaltige Produktionsanlagen. Diese Medieninformation enthalt bestimmte in die Zukunft gerichtete Aussagen, z.B. Angaben unter Verwendung der Worte "glaubt", "geht davon aus", "erwartet" oder Formulierungen ahnlicher Art. Solche in die Zukunft gerichtete Aussagen unterliegen bekannten und unbekannten Risiken, Ungewissheiten und anderen Faktoren, die dazu fuhren konnen, dass die tatsachlichen Ergebnisse, die Finanzlage, die Entwicklung oder die Performance der Gesellschaft wesentlich von denjenigen abweichen, die in diesen Aussagen ausdrucklich oder implizit angenommen werden. Zu diesen Faktoren gehoren unter anderem: der Wettbewerb mit anderen Unternehmen, die Auswirkungen und Risiken neuer Technologien, die laufenden Kapitalbedurfnisse der Gesellschaft, die Finanzierungskosten, Verzogerungen bei der Integration von Akquisitionen, die Anderungen des Betriebsaufwands, die Gewinnung und das Halten qualifizierter Mitarbeiter, nachteilige Anderungen anwendbaren Steuerrechts und sonstige in dieser Kommunikation genannte Faktoren. Vor dem Hintergrund dieser Ungewissheiten sollte sich der Leser nicht auf derartige in die Zukunft gerichtete Aussagen verlassen. Die Gesellschaft ubernimmt keinerlei Verpflichtung, solche zukunftsgerichteten Aussagen fortzuschreiben oder an zukunftige Ereignisse oder Entwicklungen anzupassen. ------------------------------ Schlatter Ad hoc-Mitteilung gemass Art. 53 KR Falls Sie keine Medieninformationen der Schlatter Industries AG mehr erhalten mochten, bitten wir Sie um eine Nachricht an: pascale.lehmann@lehmanncom.ch Ende der Adhoc-Mitteilung Quantum Blockchain Technologies Plc - R&D Update PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, August 15 15 August 2024 Quantum Blockchain Technologies Plc ("QBT" or "the Company") R&D and Business Update Quantum Blockchain Technologies (AIM: QBT), the AIM-listed investment company focusing on a R&D and investment programme within blockchain technology, is pleased to provide an update of its recent R&D activities for the development of its disruptive Bitcoin mining technologies. Overview The R&D activity during the past four months has been focused on two main directions: Further improvement in the results obtained in the laboratory for the three Artificial Intelligence ("AI") Methods: A, B and C, and The porting of these Methods onto existing commercial mining hardware. The short-term strategic goal is to achieve real-time bitcoin mining via one, or more, of the existing Bitcoin mining pools, through a collaboration or in partnership with a leading Bitcoin miner. In addition, the team is continuing to apply to secure patents for its IP by working with the Company's Patent Attorney as follows: to extend the two existing patent applications by applying for international patents, by continuing the work on its third patent application, and by defining the scope for a new, fourth patent application. Finally, Chief Research Officer, Francesco Gardin and senior colleagues have recently attended two of the major US Bitcoin conferences. As well as showcasing QBT's technology, the Company met with a number of potential North America mining partners and consultants, in order to consolidate its existing business contacts and establish new ones, in preparation for the planned commercial deployment of the three Methods. R&D Activity While QBT's AI-based mining technology has shown consistent results under laboratory conditions, supported by verifiable experimental data, the Company's research teams are continuously challenging the efficiency of the obtained results to further improve them. QBT's software engineers are continuing to attempt to successfully port the Methods to existing commercial ASIC-based mining hardware and software system, via CGMiner. This remains challenging due to the severe limitations of most current ASIC architectures for implementing SHA-256. These limitations are mainly due to the speed and power consumption inefficiencies created by the designers, which impact the ability to use any arbitrary input to SHA-256. A decision has been taken, therefore, to migrate away from CGMiner to AxeOS (ESP-miner), a more recently developed and, in the Company's opinion, a better designed public domain operating system software for Bitcoin mining devices. The Company has found that CGMiner, which is considered the leading operating system for Bitcoin mining, added elements of unpredictability to a number of processes, due mainly to the code being developed over the last 13 years by a large number of contributors, each adding a new elements to the mining software. Therefore, while CGMiner was initially used by QBT to achieve the porting of its Methods, its high-level of inefficiency has now been recognised and the change to ESP-miner has been implemented. ESP-miner was created by Open Source Miners United (OSMU), of which QBT is a sponsor, and incorporates the essential firmware-like functionalities of the FPGA component, which is the second processor of the current mining rigs' control boards that provides time communication with the hashing boards. ESP-miner uses the same processor for both the operating system and the firmware-like functionalities: the ESP32-S3 Espressif MCU (micro controller unit). The combination of ESP-miner and the new family of BM1366 ASIC is now QBT's new real-time operational environment for porting and testing the three Methods in a real-time mining mode. Other hardware and software platforms from OSMU are currently being assessed. Method A The key data from Method A's neural network training dataset is the accurate real-time measurement of the hashing time; specifically, the more precise the measure, the better the performance of the Method. The Company's main objective has been to collect such information in real-time while hashing is taking place on the ASIC chip. This was obtained by developing specific modifications to CGminer, replacing indirect time measure with direct measure. The same functionalities will be implemented in ESP-miner and the Company believes it will lead to even better real-time hashing time measuring, given the easier access to the firmware-like functionalities of this new software environment. Method B The porting of Method B will continue using the new ESP-miner software platform, making the control of the BM1366 chips easier, more efficient, stable and reliable. In parallel to this, a new tool has been developed by QBT for real-time mining testing which will bypass CGminer and any other mining operating systems, reducing potential errors introduced by the complexity of this mining operating system. This tool is likely to be ported directly onto the ESP32-S3 Espressif MCU. In addition to the porting activity, a new major alternative performance improvement technique has been developed, based on solid mathematical theory, which has been tested off-line in the laboratory, with consistent positive results. Once the ESP-miner porting has been completed, this new version of Method B will undergo real-time mining testing. Method C The laboratory results of Method C continue to be confirmed, while the R&D team is working on perfecting both the underlaying AI model used by the Method and the selection of data used for training it. Tests have been conducted, so far, off-line on historic data, 'ex-post', by using a simulation of a Bitcoin pool operating in the past. The reason for this approach is due to Bitcoin's current level of mining difficulty; that is, the probability of finding a winning hash is statistically almost impossible, unless using hundreds of mining rigs simultaneously. Therefore, by using the difficulty level of old blocks of the Blockchain, combined with current mining hardware, a real-time testing of Method C would, the Company believes, be possible. The Company has therefore adapted Method C to enable live demonstrations, by finding winning hashes at lower levels of difficulty, i.e. in the old blocks of the Blockchain, in order to give real time evidence to potential partners, or clients, within the average ten minutes new block hashing time to prove the hashing advantage of Method C, compared to standard non-AI-based hashing. Patents Both existing patent applications have been filed internationally. As a result, UK patent protection can be sought through the European Patent Office rather than through the UK Patent Office. The first international patent application has already been filed at the European Patent Office. If granted, the patent will include UK protection and the original priority date will not be affected. The first international patent application has also been filed in the US, Canada, Australia and South Korea. When the deadline for the national phase of the second international application approaches, the Company will file that international application at the European Patent Office and will decide on any additional jurisdictions to choose. Drafting of the third patent application, the proprietary quantum version of SHA-256, continues. The subject matter is particularly complex, hence the delay in finalising the document. A fourth patent application, related to Method C, but not on the nature of the Method, will start to be drafted very soon, with a filing expected to be made by the end of 2024. The Company's decision for the IP protection of Methods A, B and C is to keep them as industrial secrets, although patent applications which preferably make use of those methods could be filed, as in the case the one related to Method C, without the need to reveal those Methods. Business Developments Over the past few months, the Company has continued its discussions with the major Bitcoin sector companies, which are mainly located in North America. These discussions have now reached a level where the Company is looking to provide live mining test demonstrations, as soon as any one of the Methods is available for real-time mining, as confirmed by recent meetings in the US at Mining Disrupt 2024 in Miami and Bitcoin 2024 in Nashville. The Company believes the recent decision to migrate onto the ESP-miner operating system, running on ESP32-S3 Espressif MCU and using Bm1366 ASIC chips, is expected to achieve successful real-time mining testing of methods A, B and C. Once this technical milestone has been completed, the Company expects to commence conversations with the small number of companies who have developed their own versions of the mining operating system, firmware and drivers, that operate the current crop of commercial mining rigs. The plan is to port QBT's client version of its Methods to the miners' proprietary software environments, providing access to a potential market of millions of currently operational mining rigs. Francesco Gardin, CEO and Executive Chairman of Quantum Blockchain Technologies commented: "Most of the current and recent efforts of the Company are focused on the porting of the Methods on to commercial hardware mining platforms. "The skill set for the porting projects is completely different from AI know-how used in the design and development of the three Methods by our R&D teams. "A very experienced software engineer from Milan University joined the core software engineers' group nine months ago, and we feel this group now has all the necessary skills to successfully undertake the porting task to a real-time Bitcoin mining environment. "This complex technical step of the process is the precondition for deploying QBT's technology and entering into pragmatic partnership and commercial discussions with the major players of the sector, all of whom are very aware of QBT's technology and all of whom are just waiting for real-time. "The decision to switch to the ESP-miner operating system, running on ESP32-S3 Espressif MCU and using Bm1366 ASIC chips, will definitely accelerate moving in this direction." For further information please contact: Quantum Blockchain Technologies Plc Francesco Gardin, CEO and Executive Chairman +39 335 296573 SP Angel Corporate Finance (Nominated Adviser & Broker) Jeff Keating John Mackay +44 (0)20 3470 0470 Leander (Financial PR) Christian Taylor-Wilkinson +44 (0) 7795 168 157 About Quantum Blockchain Technologies Plc QBT (AIM: QBT) is an AIM listed investment company with a strategic focus on technology related investments, including a special regard towards Quantum Computing, Blockchain, Cryptocurrencies and AI sectors. The Company has an aggressive R&D and investment programme in the dynamic world of Blockchain Technology, which includes cryptocurrency mining and other advanced blockchain applications. Glossary of Terms ASIC: An Application-Specific Integrated Circuit is an integrated circuit chip customized for a particular use, rather than intended for general-purpose use. ASIC chips are typically fabricated using metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) technology, as MOS integrated circuit chips. Bitcoin Mining: Bitcoin mining is the process of using computer hardware to do mathematical calculations for the Bitcoin network in order to confirm transactions. Miners collect transaction fees for the transactions they confirm and are awarded Bitcoins for each block they verify. CGminer: Is the most popular software system for GPU/FPGA/ASIC based miners. CGminer is an open-source GPU miner written in C available for several platforms like Windows, Linux and OS X. Hash: A hash is the output of a hashing function, which is a mathematical function that converts an input of arbitrary length into an encrypted output of a fixed length. Method A: A Machine Learning based development by QBT R&D team, aimed at reducing the SHA-256 search space, compared to the brute force method used by BTC mining rigs today. Method B: A Machine Learning and statistical optimisation technologies developed by QBT R&D team, reducing the SHA-256 search space, but radically different from Method A. Method C: A Machine Learning based development QBT R&D team is an AI Oracle with to assess in real time the likelihood of an input to SHA-256 to generate a winning hash. (Method A, Method B and Method C, collectively, the Methods.) Neural networks: A neural network is a machine learning program, or model, that makes decisions in a manner similar to the human brain, by using processes that mimic the way biological neurons work together to identify phenomena, weigh options and arrive at conclusions. Porting: In computer science, it is a process of adapting, sometimes with modifications, a software component to enable its use on a platform different from the original one. Porting is done when the software is somehow adjusted, not when the source code is completely rewritten in a different programming language. SHA-256: Secure Hashing Algorithm (SHA)-256 is the hash function and mining algorithm of the Bitcoin protocol, referring to the cryptographic hash function that outputs a 256 bits long value. Designed by ZGF, the $2 billion terminal renovation and expansion is the largest mass timber project of its kind PORTLAND, Ore., Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Portland International Airport (PDX) main terminal expansion opened to passengers on August 14. Designed by ZGF for the Port of Portland, the one million square foot (93,000m2) project doubles the capacity of PDX and enables the airport to welcome 35 million passengers annually by 2045. Featuring a 9-acre (37,000m2) mass timber roof, the new terminal evokes the feeling of walking through a Pacific Northwest forest. Views to the airfield, abundant natural light, and interior landscapes that reflect the natural beauty of the region are present throughout the passenger journey. "The new main terminal is a testament to the vision of our incredible client, the Port of Portland." said Sharron van der Meulen, ZGF Managing Partner. "The design evokes the best of our region yet offers other airports a new model for how to expand and renovate in place to meet the travel demands of the future generations." The expanded terminal is the largest mass timber project of its kind, and it is designed with people and place at its heart. Intimate plazas with tree-lined retail concessions recall Portland's pedestrian-friendly streets. Urban furniture and plant-filled gathering places at various scales invite travelers to relax and enjoy their surroundings in a sanctuary of well-being. Instead of building an entirely new terminal, the Port of Portland and ZGF decided to renovate and expand in place, keeping the airport fully operational throughout five years of phased construction while realizing schedule, time and carbon savings. The strategy was made possible, in part, by a prefabricated wood roof that spans the expanded lobby, check-in, and security areas. An engineering marvel, the mass timber roof is the centerpiece of the expansion. It celebrates the state of Oregon's history of forest product innovation while showcasing what is possible for the future of mass timber design and sustainable wood sourcing. All of the 3.5 million board feet (8,250 m3) of wood for the roof is sourced from within a 300 mile (480km) radius of the Portland Airport and includes wood from small family-owned forests, non-profits, and tribal nations. The project's sustainable design sets a new standard for airports worldwide. The main terminal achieves a 50% reduction in energy use per square foot with a highly efficient, all-electric ground-source heat pump while doubling terminal capacity. A second phase of the project is underway now and will complete in early 2026. To learn more about the project, visit: PDX Airport Main Terminal Expansion For more information, images or interviews: media@zgf.com About ZGF: Climate, context, and community are elemental to every project across ZGF's diverse portfolio of work. Evolving from one office with strong regional roots in the Pacific Northwest to a global firm of 750+ with seven offices across North America, the firm's national reputation was honored with the American Institute of Architects' Architecture Firm Award, recognizing the firm's "high standards, humanistic concerns, and unique ability to capture the spirit of a place and the aspirations of its inhabitants." To learn more visit www.zgf.com . Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2481581/01_PDX_Airport_Main_Terminal_Ema_Peter_Photography.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2481646/zgf_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/portland-international-airport-main-terminal-opens-to-travelers-302221788.html ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As the world moves closer to a fully autonomous future, DronePort Rotterdam and Unmanned Valley announce DroneHorizon 2024. The summit is the first of its kind and will showcase the latest international innovations in autonomous and uncrewed systems from November 5 to 7, 2024. In a world increasingly reliant on automation, the event will explore the far-reaching applications of autonomous and uncrewed systems across air, land, water, and space, focusing on their potential to revolutionize business and military operations. DroneHorizon 2024 sets itself apart by demonstrating current autonomous and uncrewed system capabilities and showcasing how these technologies pave the way for a fully autonomous future. The summit will center around the following themes: Smart and Sustainable Practices: Building resilient infrastructures and collaborative ecosystems. Safety and Security Operations: Enhancing public and national safety. Business and Societal Value: Highlighting the transformative impact of these technologies on business efficiency and societal well-being. According to the founders of DronePort Rotterdam, Arthur Dallau and Niels Kalshoven: "At DroneHorizon 2024, we aim to create an immersive experience that brings together experts from aviation and non-aviation sectors. We strive to enhance the autonomous and uncrewed systems sector by focusing on real-world applications and strategic discussions. This B2B event is designed to foster collaboration, where innovative strategies and practical implementations converge, driving the industry forward." Experience Multi-Domain Applications of Autonomous and Uncrewed Systems DroneHorizon 2024 is a must-attend for professionals looking to connect with advanced technologies, participate in a dynamic environment where active business engagement is facilitated, and explore new market opportunities. It shifts the focus beyond just aerial drones, promoting a holistic approach that stimulates a wider view and strategies for implementation of autonomous and uncrewed systems. The event also stands out by delving into dual-use applications in both civilian and defense contexts, and by demonstrating internationally relevant multi-domain use cases that are possible today. Theo de Vries, Director of Unmanned Valley, states, "There are many assumptions about how uncrewed systems, such as drones, will impact our society. During DroneHorizon 2024, we will not speculate or entertain wild theories but instead discuss and demonstrate the most cutting-edge applications and technologies of today!" Tickets and Partnerships Tickets for DroneHorizon 2024 are now available. Partnerships with organizations interested in showcasing their innovations and engaging with a global audience are welcomed. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.dronehorizon.org. About the Organizers DronePort Rotterdam is a leading global hub for developing and applying autonomous and uncrewed systems, uniquely positioned at the intersection of the port, city, and airport. Unmanned Valley is the largest test site for drones and other sensor-based applications in the Netherlands. Supported by the space cluster, they aim to establish DroneHorizon as the premier global forum for autonomous and uncrewed systems discussions. This collaboration underscores a commitment to fostering a dynamic business-to-business environment, promoting industry advancements, and encouraging strategic partnerships. Strategic Partners This event is proudly supported by the Province of Zuid-Holland, the Port of Rotterdam, the City of Rotterdam, InnovationQuarter, Aerospace Delta, NIPV, and METIP. Additionally, the Dutch and European space cluster based in Noordwijk, supported by the efforts of the NL Space Campus, plays a crucial role in supporting DroneHorizon 2024. Media Relations Inquiries Arthur Dallau Founder and CEO arthur@droneportrotterdam.com +31 6 47 10 00 48 Nathy Ercol Strategic Communication Advisor nathy@droneportrotterdam.com View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/droneport-rotterdam-and-unmanned-valley-present-dronehorizon-2024-the-autonomous-and-uncrewed-systems-summit-in-the-netherlands-302222525.html JERICHO, N.Y., Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Global consulting firm J.S. Held, proudly celebrating 50 transformative years, announces the recognition of its construction advisory experts in the Who's Who Legal (WWL): Construction 2024 guide. This acknowledgment underscores J.S. Held's position as a leader in providing expert advisory services for complex construction projects, claims, and disputes globally. WWL: Construction offers in-depth analysis of the world's elite construction lawyers and experts, as well as Future Leaders in the field. J.S. Held's recognized experts have been selected for their outstanding experience and expertise in resolving complex multi-jurisdictional construction disputes through litigation, mediation, and arbitration. J.S. Held's Global Construction Advisory practice provides technical, financial, and strategic expertise to clients involved in engineering and construction projects and disputes, including delay, quantum, and standard of care. The expanded leadership team, structured to advise clients globally, includes: Mark Cohen, a 33-year expert in dispute resolution, project advisory, claims analysis, and risk management spanning a wide range of domestic and international projects. Cohen, recognized as "excellent on the stand, thanks to his careful preparation and expert knowledge," commented on the team's recognition: "We are honored to have so many of our experts acknowledged in Who's Who Legal: Construction 2024. This recognition reflects the depth of expertise and commitment to excellence across our global team. I'm particularly proud of how our experts are consistently described as 'excellent on the stand, thanks to careful preparation and expert knowledge.' This speaks to the high standards we maintain across all regions." North America Lead - Wiley Wright, who has over 40 years of experience specializing in forensic accounting and analyzing economic damages focusing on construction, government contracts, and environmental remediations and allocations. Wright, known as "excellent reputation in construction and government contracts claims" and "high-quality work", shares some of the acknowledgments for his team: "I'm proud of our North American team's recognition in Who's Who Legal. Our experts are commended for being 'extremely experienced' and 'excellent testifiers.' It's particularly gratifying to see our Future Leaders acknowledged for their 'great attention to detail' and 'impressive communication and analytical skills.' This demonstrates the strength of both our current expertise and the promising talent we're developing for the future." Europe, Middle East, Africa & Asia Lead - Gary Kitt, who is a highly experienced Chartered Quantity Surveyor, Chartered Builder, Chartered Arbitrator, and FIDIC certified Adjudicator with over 40 years of experience in building and engineering projects worldwide. Kitt, whose "wealth of experience and reputation in the UK construction claims market is second to none," highlights some of the recognitions for his team: "The acknowledgments our EMEA team has received underscore their exceptional capabilities. Our UK-based experts are praised for their 'wealth of experience' and 'reputation in the UK construction claims market.' We have team members recognized for their ability to 'simplify the dark art of delay analysis into straightforward prose,' and others noted as being 'very bright, motivated, and one of the best.' Some possess a 'deep understanding of the technical details in disruption analysis,' while others are commended for being 'regularly appointed quantum experts with vast experience' and 'top-notch report writing skills.' We're also recognized for our ability to 'respond well to questions and provide clear information to tribunals,' 'grasp details while summarizing key issues succinctly,' and for being 'strong and commercially minded practitioners.' Our Future Leaders are noted for their ability to 'explain complex quantum matters clearly and concisely' and for being 'exceptionally diligent' and 'incredibly professional and conscientious.' This range of skills exemplifies our commitment to excellence across all aspects of construction advisory services." Spain and Latin America Lead - Enrique Abiega, who combines experience as an Industrial Engineer and an MBA (Honors) from INSEAD. Enrique has more than 20 years of experience working for employers and contractors in contract and claim management, tendering, and dispute resolution and litigation processes. Abiega, described as "credible and reliable" and having "all the technical capabilities to do an excellent job," shares acknowledgments for his team: "I'm proud of the recognition our Spain and Latin America team has received. We have several bilingual experts recognized, all colleagues who started with us in the disputes' world coming from the execution of projects, and who have grown and developed with us - and more to come Our experts are commended for being 'credible and reliable' with 'all the technical capabilities to do an excellent job.' We have team members noted for their 'hands-on' approach, who 'work quickly to relay what information is needed to conduct analysis in a short period of time.' Our Future Leaders are recognized as 'experts in delay analysis' who are 'fantastic at explaining technical construction issues.' In Latin America, we're praised for being 'fantastic professionals' who bring 'intimate industry knowledge and a good understanding of strategic needs.' This reflects our commitment to providing top-tier services to our clients across this diverse region." J.S. Held's Construction Advisory team comprises nearly 200 professionals serving clients across six continents, in more than 15 languages. J.S. Held's experts support clients in resolving challenging issues that arise in engineering and construction projects through all forms of dispute resolution. The firm has an unwavering commitment to delivering clear, defensible analysis and testimony addressing the issues at hand. The team has significant experience providing expert witness testimony and is known for its "teaching" - as opposed to "telling" - approach. Rather than only providing a judge, jury, or tribunal with an opinion, J.S. Held experts communicate key facts and relevant theories in a clear and logical manner. From discovery to decision, J.S. Held provides the requisite knowledge and insight needed to offer the right expertise on complex construction matters. Jonathon Held, Chief Executive Officer at J.S. Held, commented, " This recognition by Who's Who Legal underscores our commitment to delivering expertise and innovative solutions in the complex world of construction advisory. It reflects not just the individual excellence of our experts, but our collective dedication to transforming the industry through precise analysis, reliable insights, and unwavering integrity." Learn more about the dedicated and entrepreneurial experts who help transform J.S. Held, explore our story, and celebrate this momentous milestone, our 50 & Forward celebration, with us at jsheld.com. About J.S. Held J.S. Held is a global consulting firm providing technical, scientific, financial, and strategic expertise across all assets and value at risk. Our professionals serve as trusted advisors to organizations facing high stakes matters demanding urgent attention, staunch integrity, proven experience, clear-cut analysis, and an understanding of both tangible and intangible assets. The firm provides a comprehensive suite of services, products, and data that enable clients to navigate complex, contentious, and often catastrophic situations. More than 1,500 professionals serve organizations across six continents, including 81% of the Global 200 Law Firms, 70% of the Forbes Top 20 Insurance Companies (85% of the NAIC Top 50 Property & Casualty Insurers), and 65% of the Fortune 100 Companies. J.S. Held, its affiliates and subsidiaries are not certified public accounting firm(s) and do not provide audit, attest, or any other public accounting services. J.S. Held, its affiliates and subsidiaries are not law firms and do not provide legal advice. Securities offered through PM Securities, LLC, d/b/a Phoenix IB, a part of J.S. Held, member FINRA/ SIPC or Ocean Tomo Investment Group, LLC, a part of J.S. Held, member FINRA/ SIPC. All rights reserved. Contact: Kristi L. Stathis | Global Public Relations | +1 786 833 4864 | Kristi.Stathis@jsheld.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2482927/WhosWhoLegal_Construction_JSHeld_Image.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1824221/4861706/JS_Held_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/js-held-celebrates-global-construction-claims-and-disputes-expert-recognition-302223338.html Der Goldpreis haussiert und schwingt sich von Hoch zu Hoch. Getrieben von geopolitischen Unsicherheiten sowie der Aussicht auf eine lockere Geldpolitik der FED gehen Experten aktuell von weiter steigenden Notierungen bis sogar in den Bereich von 3.000 US-Dollar je Unze Gold aus. Im Schatten des Basispreises notieren Goldproduzenten aus der zweiten Reihe sowie Explorationsunternehmen noch weit weg von ihren historischen Hochststanden entfernt und bieten dadurch erhebliches Aufholpotential. In diesem kostenlosen Report geben wir Ihnen Favoriten an die Hand, die aufgrund von Sondersituation die Chance auf eine Kursvervielfachung besitzen. Handeln Sie Jetzt! Fordern Sie jetzt den brandneuen Spezialreport an und profitieren Sie von dem weiter steigenden Kurs des Edelmetalls. Sichern Sie sich jetzt Ihren kostenfreien Report. JetLearn, a leading provider of online 1:1 coding, robotics, and AI education for kids teens, has announced a groundbreaking partnership with the NHS Staff Benefits Program. Recognised globally for its excellence in tech education, as evidenced by its top-most ratings on both Trustpilot and Google Reviews, JetLearn brings access to its acclaimed programs to the families of NHS staff members. This collaboration supports one of the UK's largest workforces by offering their children access to cutting-edge technology education. As part of this initiative, JetLearn is providing NHS staff members with an exclusive 15% discount on its educational programs, enabling their children to master coding, explore robotics, and dive into the world of artificial intelligence. The partnership between JetLearn and the NHS stems from a shared commitment to innovation and support for hardworking professionals. With JetLearn as the trusted provider for NHS families, employees can access high-quality, innovative tech education for their children. This aligns with JetLearn's mission to make cutting-edge education accessible to all children, inspiring the next generation to embrace technology and shape the future. Children of NHS staff will have the opportunity to develop essential tech skills in a fun and engaging way, preparing them for the digital future. JetLearn's personalised approach ensures that each child can learn at their own pace, exploring areas of technology that interest them most. NHS employee and a parent Mrs. Anmol Lakhani, shared her thoughts on the partnership: "As healthcare professionals, we're always looking for ways to support our children's education and prepare them for the future. This collaboration with JetLearn opens up valuable opportunities for our families to access high-quality tech education. It's reassuring to know that our kids can develop essential digital skills in a fun and engaging way, which is so important for the jobs of tomorrow." Abhishek Bahl, Founder and CEO of JetLearn, added, "we are honoured to partner with the NHS to support their incredible staff and their families. Offering this enhanced access, we hope to make a meaningful impact on the lives of NHS employees and their children, fostering a passion for technology and innovation. I'd personally like to extend a heartfelt thanks to all organisations involved in making this partnership possible." About JetLearn JetLearn, Europe's premier online next-gen skills academy for kids teens, serves learners in over 50 countries. Recognised globally for its excellence in tech education with top-most ratings on Trustpilot and Google Reviews, JetLearn empowers children with AI, coding, and robotics skills through fun, inspiring, and personalised learning. The company's world-leading curriculum and inspirational teachers power live online lessons and workshops, earning JetLearn recognition as one of the Top 5 EdTech companies in the "STEM for Kids" category by HolonIQ. Visit the JetLearn website today to learn more. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240815158642/en/ Contacts: ben@mvpr.io +31 6 15548286 SANTA CLARA, Calif., Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Frost & Sullivan Institute is excited to announce the recipients of the 2024 Enlightened Growth Leadership Best Practices Recognition from Europe. This prestigious accolade celebrates visionary companies that have shown exceptional innovation, advanced technologies, and transformative strategies to tackle global challenges, including climate change, decarbonization, waste reduction, and the consumption of non-renewable resources. Through their dedicated efforts, these companies are setting new standards for responsible business practices and demonstrating the powerful impact that sustainable growth can achieve. "The Enlightened Growth Leadership Best Practices Recognition signifies a commitment that extends beyond traditional CSR and ESG initiatives. It reflects the profound impact these companies and their leadership teams have on steering both their organizations and the world toward a sustainable future. Congratulations to the winners for their commitment to sustainable development and for generating opportunities that benefit all stakeholders," said Aroop Zutshi, Director of the Frost & Sullivan Institute. The award selection process is a multifaceted 8-step journey, involving an in-depth analysis of nominees' innovations and their industry impact. Performance indicators such as growth excellence, alignment with global 'innovating to zero' priorities, customer value chain optimization, and technological advancements form the foundation of the selection criteria. The chosen companies represent the pinnacle of Enlightened Growth Leadership. The Frost & Sullivan Institute congratulates the exceptional recipients of the 2024 Enlightened Growth Leadership Best Practices Recognition from Europe. These leading organizations will be honored for their outstanding achievements at the banquet, organized in association with the Strategic Consortium of Intelligence People (SCIP), in Barcelona later this year. Their significant accomplishments represent a perfect fusion of business success with a profound dedication to the advancement of global sustainability and social responsibility. Recipients: Picanol PGNiG S.A. Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG (Porsche AG) Progroup AG PROSUS RWE Sagemcom Sartorius AG Serco Group plc SESA ONE Sika AG Sinch Smith+Nephew Snam SPA SOL Spa Spotify AB Stellantis NV STMicroelectronics Syensqo Tecan Group Ltd. Teleperformance Tietoevry UNIMOT SA Uniper SE VERBUND AG ZEG zooplus SE About Frost & Sullivan Institute The Frost & Sullivan Institute (FSI) is a non-profit organization dedicated to utilizing business practices to address global priorities. The genesis of the institute goes back to the vision of either creating or becoming part of a solution that addresses threats to humanity. The Institute has identified strategic imperatives for transformation and believes that we can truly accelerate innovation to zero. To learn more about FSI, visit www.frostandsullivaninstitute.org About Frost & Sullivan For six decades, Frost & Sullivan has been world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders, and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, Mega Trends, new business models, and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion. Media Contact: Bivechana Gautam Email: Bivechana.gautam@frost.com Related Links www.frost.com www.frostandsullivaninstitute.org Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2482908/EGL.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/frost--sullivan-commends-organizations-building-a-better-future-with-the-2024-enlightened-growth-leadership-best-practices-recognition-302223286.html SANTA BARBARA, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 / Experiential travel company UNCHARTED has announced the launch of EVOLVE, a new multimedia website that features original reports, interviews with industry leaders, and off-the-beaten-track experiences. The website is meticulously designed for those interested in adventure travel, wilderness conservation, and culture. UNCHARTED Launches EVOLVE, the New Guide to the Luxury Adventure Travel Lifestyle Exploring the UNCHARTED world - EVOLVE is a new multimedia website that features original reports, interviews with industry leaders, and off-the-beaten-track experiences. For more than 30 years, UNCHARTED has designed luxury African safaris and similar bespoke, private adventures in the world's most spectacular natural destinations. "EVOLVE is our new guide to the luxury adventure travel lifestyle," says Chip Cunningham, co-founder and CEO of UNCHARTED. EVOLVE also includes curated videos, podcasts, and articles that have been selected by the UNCHARTED team - industry leaders who have decades of experience in the field and personal passions for conscious travel, and who have developed this platform as a way to freely share their expert, insider information. "Our roots are in African safaris, and we've extended that model of high-end, eco-conscious travel in remote wildernesses to include other spectacular nature travel destinations in South America, Australia, New Zealand, India, Southeast Asia, and the Poles," says Cunningham. "As our reach continues to spread, so does our decades-long commitment to sustainable travel that has a positive social, economic, and environmental impact. We're all about making progress and saving the planet, one safari at a time. EVOLVE is shining a light on others around the world who share our sense of mission." Find EVOLVE at gouncharted.com/evolve. ABOUT UNCHARTED Founders Chip and Sandy Cunningham started building UNCHARTED in East Africa in the 1990s, as co-creators of Bush Homes of East Africa. From the outset, they were embedded in the world of ethical, high-end, and low-impact safari camps and lodges. From 2014 to 2021, the company was branded OutsideGo in a partnership with Outside Magazine. The company happily regained its independent status and re-branded under its original name, UNCHARTED, in 2021. As one of the Robb Report's 22 Global Travel Masters, co-founder and company president Sandy Cunningham is a widely recognized authority on luxury adventure travel. Formerly based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, UNCHARTED is now headquartered in Santa Barbara, California. CONTACT Sandy Cunningham; sandy@gouncharted.com; (505) 231-0699 Contact Information Sandy Cunningham CEO & Co-Founder sandy@gouncharted.com (505) 231-0699 SOURCE: UNCHARTED View the original press release on newswire.com. Rising wedding photography trends revealed, with almost a third of the UK getting their guests to compete to get the best portrait on a smartphone LONDON, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- New research findings highlight the rising trend in alternative wedding photography - with 27% of Brits admitting they don't like their wedding photos. While 28% choose not to have an official photographer and over 1 in 3 Brits (39%) reveal they would consider a friend who's good on their smartphone to be their wedding photographer instead. With almost a 20% decrease in 'wedding photographer' searches over the last ten years** and 48% of Brits stating they like the flexibility and creativity of content creators who use smartphones to capture photos on the day - the influence of digital and social on the big day is clear. In fact, over half of people (51%) feel wedding photography needs modernising and 46% of Brits plan to, or did, use a wedding website or hashtag (42%) to gather the best shots from guests on the special occasion. What's more, over a quarter (28%) of people would also consider exclusively using photos captured by guests on their big day. While almost a third (31%) would incorporate a photography competition for wedding guests to get the best one. The research commissioned by HONOR, global smartphone provider, to highlight the new H200 series camera's capabilities with unparalleled images delivered by AI, capturing DSLR-quality light and shadows in every shot. With advanced features, including the AI Eraser function***, users can remove background items, such as people or debris, naturally to producer cleaner and more beautiful photos. 19% state their wedding photography was their biggest wedding day regret, followed by their choice of guests (12%) and venue (12%). Some Brits feel traditional wedding photography can take too long to take and receive (16%), others say they feel a bit dated (12%) or awkward (15%). Lauren Prichard, wedding content creator at Social Brides Club, commenting on the research findings, said: "Wedding content creation has become a huge part of the wedding industry. A huge benefit is that the content is delivered within 24 hours, meaning that couples can instantly relive their wedding day and share on social media straightaway. We keep in mind the importance of getting 'the shot' for the social media reveal the next day - the all-important just married Instagram post. There will always be a place for professional wedding photography and videography, but galleries can take up to six months to be delivered, so wedding content creation is the perfect addition to go alongside it. Smartphone behind-the-scenes content captured is a more raw and natural way of capturing wedding memories that we are more used to seeing. With so much going on, for most couples it's all about having as many memories as possible. Every event we attend we take photos and videos on our phone, so hiring a content creator for your special day means that you don't miss out. Some couples use QR codes round the venue to encourage guests to upload their photos via a link, or even use apps that act like a digital disposable camera." To help guests snap the best portrait photography at weddings in the future Lauren also shared her top tips for getting the perfect shot on your smartphone. Clean your lens: This is a huge mistake that people commonly make. Always take a small microfibre glasses cloth or, even better, a lens wipe to ensure your lens is clean. If you don't have anything to hand, give your lens a quick wipe on your clothing. Dirty camera lenses cause photos to be blurry or cloudy and this can't be fixed. We want clean and crisp, always. Choose your background wisely: Avoid a cluttered area for your photos and get your subjects to pose somewhere that shows off the beautiful venue the couple have chosen. For more candid shots where you have less control, using an AI eraser tool to remove unwanted objects from the background will produce a better photograph. Avoid being backlit: Never place your subjects in front of a window with the light coming in behind them as this causes images to be overexposed. Always have your subjects facing the window so the light hits their faces. Use the sun to your advantage: A lot of photographers prefer to shoot in the shade on sunny days as this is more flattering for portraits. However, when it comes to capturing photos on a smartphone direct sun lighting is perfect. We capture a lot of destination weddings across Europe so have learned to use the sun to our advantage. Take a few options: Never take just one photo. Modern smartphones have the capacity to capture lots of photos in a short space of time, meaning that you can choose the best one. The group photo enhance feature will also help with this, recognising closed eyes and correcting them to open. Bond Zhang, Country Manager of HONOR UK, said: "Photography trends are continuing to evolve, and our research findings highlight people are looking for new ways to capture the best portrait photography, even on their wedding days. At HONOR, we know how important capturing breathtaking images are, especially at big occasions like weddings of loved ones. The new H200 series uses AI-driven photographic precision, ensuring you can capture all sides of the subject, differentiating options for portraits, backgrounds, and lighting for perfectly balanced images." Helping wedding guests have that winning portrait picture edge, the H200 Pro boasts Group Photo Enhance features. Including 'Multi Frame Synthesis' technology to intelligently identify a frame where a person's eyes are closed or facial distortion caused by angle problems and updating this with a better frame, ensuring the perfect group photo every time. The H200 SERIES is setting a new standard for portraiture, even on your big day, visit https://www.honor.com/uk/phones/honor-200-pro/ to learn more. Notes to Editors *27% Research conducted by Censuswide on behalf of HONOR in August 2024. Over 10,000 consumers, including 5,000 married people, between the age of 18-75 surveyed in five markets: UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy. 2,000 respondents per market. **Google Trends used to analyse search interest in the topic of wedding photography since 2015 in the UK. Monthly scores were used to create an annual average. For 2024, the annual score is based on data up to 31 July 2024. In the first 7 months of 2024, average interest levels are 19 points lower than in 2015, indicating that interest has dropped by almost one-fifth. ***200 and 200 Pro devices only About HONOR HONOR is a leading global provider of smart devices. It is dedicated to becoming a global iconic technology brand and creating a new intelligent world for everyone through its powerful products and services. With an unwavering focus on R&D, it is committed to developing technology that empowers people around the globe to go beyond, giving them the freedom to achieve and do more. Offering a range of high-quality smartphones, tablets, laptops and wearables to suit every budget, HONOR's portfolio of innovative, premium and reliable products enable people to become a better version of themselves. For more information, please visit HONOR online at www.honor.com/uk View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/over-a-quarter-of-brits-admit-they-dont-like-their-wedding-photographs-reveals-honor-302222448.html Base Resources Limited - Notice of change of interests by Significant Shareholder PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, August 15 AIM and Media Release 15 August 2024 Base Resources Limited Notice of change of interests by Significant Shareholder Base Resources Limited (ASX & AIM: BSE) (Base Resources) advises that it has received notification from First Sentier Investors Holdings Pty Limited and certain of its related bodies corporate and associates (First Sentier) that, as at 13 August 2024, First Sentier had increased its voting power in Base Resources from 87,021,878 ordinary shares to 99,905,751 ordinary shares representing 7.39% and 8.48%, respectively, of the total Base Resources ordinary shares in issue. This constitutes a significant shareholding for the purposes of the AIM Rules for Companies. First Sentier's interest in 99,905,751 ordinary shares is held as follows: Registered holder of shares Holder of interest Nature of interest Number of ordinary shares Citibank N A Hong Kong First Sentier Investors RQI Pty Ltd Relevant interest under paragraph 608(1)(b) and/or 608(1)(c) of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), being a relevant interest arising from having the power to control the exercise of the right to vote attached to securities and/or to control the exercise of the power to dispose of securities in its capacity as investment manager, as provided for under its investment mandates. In addition, if any OTC derivatives, warrants or other securities (other than ordinary shares or ordinary units (as applicable)) are referred to below in this row, the relevant interest in respect of those securities arises under subsection 608(8) being an accelerated relevant interest held in the same capacity. 41,314,416 JP MORGAN CHASE First Sentier Investors RQI Pty Ltd 3,993,108 National Australian bank First Sentier Investors RQI Pty Ltd 12,881,679 Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. (MUFG) owns 100% of First Sentier Investors Holdings Pty Limited (indirectly) and has informed First Sentier Investors Holdings Pty Limited that it has a relevant interest in the shares noted in this column. Accordingly, First Sentier Investors Holdings Pty Limited has a relevant interest or voting power in those shares pursuant to section 608(3) or section 12(2)(a) of the Corporations Act (as relevant). MUFG has not provided any further details of that relevant interest - accordingly no transaction information is recorded in Appendix B or holder information is recorded in Section 4 in the full copy of notice available from the company's website (refer below for the website address). Reference is made to any subsequent filing of MUFG which will reflect this interest. 41,716,548 In the notice of its increase in its voting power, First Sentier disclosed acquisitions of ordinary shares which occurred during the period from 27 May 2024 to 2 August 2024 (each inclusive). The acquisitions disclosed were for a total of 5,310,616 ordinary shares for an average price of A$0.273 per share. A copy of the notice referred to in this release is available from the company's website: www.baseresources.com.au . ENDS. For further information contact: Australian Media Relations UK Media Relations Sodali & Co Tavistock Communications Cameron Gilenko and Michael Weir Jos Simson and Gareth Tredway Tel: +61 8 6160 4900 Tel: +44 207 920 3150 About Base Resources Base Resources is an Australian based, African focused, mineral sands producer and developer with a track record of project delivery and operational performance. The Company operates the established Kwale Operations in Kenya and is developing the Toliara Project in Madagascar. Base Resources is an ASX and AIM listed company. Further details about Base Resources are available at www.baseresources.com.au . PRINCIPAL & REGISTERED OFFICE Level 3, 46 Colin Street West Perth, Western Australia, 6005 Email: info@baseresources.com.au Phone: +61 8 9413 7400 Fax: +61 8 9322 8912 NOMINATED ADVISER & JOINT BROKER Canaccord Genuity Limited James Asensio / Raj Khatri / George Grainger Phone: +44 20 7523 8000 JOINT BROKER Berenberg Matthew Armitt / Detlir Elezi Phone: +44 20 3207 7800 CHICAGO, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The report "UHMW PE Market by Form (Sheets, Rods & Tubes, Fibers, Films), Application (Prosthetics, Filtration, Batteries, Fabrics), End-Use Industry (Aerospace, Defense, Shipping, Healthcare & Medical, Mechanical Equipment), and Region - Global Forecast to 2029", size is projected to grow from USD 2.2 billion in 2024 to USD 3.4 billion by 2029, registering a CAGR of 9.5% during the forecast period. The growth of the UHMW PE market is fuelled by its various reasons such as its characteristics like low moisture absorption, enhanced durability & low friction, its environmental advantages and regulatory considerations like being FDA (Food & Drug Administration) approved, making it suitable for human consumption as well. Browse in-depth TOC on "UHMW PE Market" 220 - Tables 52 - Figures 180 - Pages Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=257883188 Filtration, by application, is expected to be the second largest segment during the forecast period. UHMW PE is widely used for filtration, they are made in microporous material having tiny holes, making it suitable for the process of filtration. Tiny holes are helpful in separation of liquids and gases by trapping large particles in it. UHMW PE changes into a viscoelastic melt when heated above its crystalline melting point. In this process, the external form of the polymer particles is substantially retained, and only the surface of the individual polymer particles fuses at the contact points, forming a porous network. High tensile strength, chemical resistance and low moisture absorption make it an ideal choice for the filtration. Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=257883188 Healthcare & Medical is anticipated to be the second largest segment, by end-use industry, during the forecast period. UHMW PE has physical and mechanical properties such as high abrasion resistance, impact toughness, biocompatibility and corrosion & chemical resistance. It is also resistant to cyclic fatigue and radiation. These properties make UHMW PE a preferred choice in manufacturing artificial implants. The rise in demand for UHMW PE is seen due to rise in aging population, chronic disease and technological advancements in medical industry. UHMW PE is also engineered to be used in cardiovascular and orthopedic surgery procedures. The suture is prepared from a UHMW PE material that is strong and durable. Healthcare industry prioritizes human safety and comfort in long run, which increases the demand for durable UHMW PE. North America is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the global UHMW PE market, by region, during the forecast period. North America is one of the largest markets globally and provides significant opportunities for UHMW PE manufacturers. This region includes the Countries such as US, Canada and Mexico. Several factors, including rise in demand for orthopedic implant, aircraft components, rising adoption of lightweight materials, high investment of government for infrastructure and the growing population, are expected to drive the UHMW PE market in this region. Request Customization: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestCustomizationNew.asp?id=257883188 Key Market Players To enable an in-depth understanding of the competitive landscape, the report includes the profiles of some of the top players in the UHMW PE market. These are as Braskem (Brazil), Celanese Corporation (US), LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (Netherlands), Dsm-firmenich (Netherlands), Asahi Kasei Corporation (Japan), Avient Corporation (US), Mitsui Chemicals (Japan), Korea Petrochemical Ind Co., Ltd (South Korea), Teijin Limited (Japan), and Honeywell International Inc. (US) and many others. Browse Adjacent Market: Resins and Polymers Market Research Reports Related Reports: Plastic Films & Sheets Market - Global Forecast to 2028 Medical Tubing Market - Global Forecast to 2028 About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets has been recognized as one of America's best management consulting firms by Forbes, as per their recent report. MarketsandMarkets is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. We have the widest lens on emerging technologies, making us proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients. Earlier this year, we made a formal transformation into one of America's best management consulting firms as per a survey conducted by Forbes. The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion of new revenue streams that are substituting existing revenue streams in this decade alone. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines - TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing. Built on the 'GIVE Growth' principle, we work with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies - helping them stay relevant in a disruptive ecosystem. Our insights and strategies are molded by our industry experts, cutting-edge AI-powered Market Intelligence Cloud, and years of research. The KnowledgeStore (our Market Intelligence Cloud) integrates our research, facilitates an analysis of interconnections through a set of applications, helping clients look at the entire ecosystem and understand the revenue shifts happening in their industry. To find out more, visit www.MarketsandMarkets.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Contact: Mr. Rohan Salgarkar MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/ultra-high-molecular-weight-polyethylene-market.asp Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/ultra-high-molecular-weight-polyethylene.asp Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1951202/4609423/MarketsandMarkets.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/uhmw-pe-market-worth-3-4-billion-by-2029--exclusive-report-by-marketsandmarkets-302222116.html Erinnern Sie sich, als Moderna und BioNTech von unbekannten Unternehmen zu globalen Marktfuhrern wurden und fruhzeitige Investoren reich belohnt haben? Die Branche steht vor einem erneuten Innovationsschub von bahnbrechenden Medikamenten bis hin zu revolutionaren Therapien. Warum sollten Sie dabei sein? Sie sollten jetzt in Biotech-Aktien einsteigen, weil wir am Beginn einer neuen Ara der medizinischen Innovation stehen konnten! Gen- und Zelltherapien, personalisierte Medizin und bahnbrechende Technologien konnten das Gesundheitswesen revolutionieren und die Aktienkurse in die Hohe schieen lassen. Die nachste Erfolgsgeschichte im Biotechbereich warten nur darauf, entdeckt zu werden. Wer jetzt investiert, hat die Chance, von gigantischen Durchbruchen und enormen Renditen zu profitieren. Warten Sie nicht, bis es zu spat ist - der nachste Biotech-Superstar konnte morgen schon durchstarten! Verpassen Sie nicht diese Chance! Fordern Sie sofort unseren brandneuen Biotech-Spezialreport an und erfahren Sie, welche 3 Biotech-Aktien das riesige Potenzial haben, Ihren finanziellen Erfolg zu sichern. Dieser Report ist komplett kostenlos und zeigt Ihnen zukunftstrachtige Investments im Biotech-Sektor. Handeln Sie jetzt und sichern Sie sich Ihren kostenfreien Report! JACKSONVILLE, FL / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 / LFTD Partners Inc. ("LFTD Partners" or the "Company") (OTCQB:LIFD), the corporate parent of leading hemp, wellness and energy products maker Lifted Made, today reported its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2024. Financial results are reported in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and all currency is in U.S. dollars. Income Statement - Q2 2024 Compared to Q2 2023: Revenue decreased 24% to $9,487,299, down from $12,522,542 Operating loss was $582,745, compared to operating income of $2,372,674 Net loss was $523,212, compared to net income of $1,659,461 Basic loss per share was $0.04, compared to a basic income per share of $0.11 Diluted loss per share was $0.04, compared to diluted income per share of $0.10 Basic and diluted weighted average shares outstanding for the three months ended June 30, 2024 were both 14,759,282 Balance Sheet - June 30, 2024 Compared to December 31, 2023: Cash on hand decreased 17% to $3,613,788, down from $4,357,539 Inventory decreased 28% to $7,348,485, down from $10,174,667 Current assets decreased 25% to $16,319,984, down from $21,668,980 Current ratio increased to 3.10 from 2.49 Working capital decreased 15% to $11,056,730, down from $12,982,236 Notes payable to Surety Bank decreased 6% to $3,608,026, down from $3,854,851 Earnings Conference Call and Webcast Information: LFTD Partners will host an earnings conference call and webcast today, Thursday, August 15, 2024 at 8:30 AM ET. Participant phone numbers: Toll Free: 877-545-0320 International: 973-528-0002 Participant Access Code: 332191 Webcast event link: https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/2916/51081 The participant phone numbers and webcast event link are shown on the Investor Relations section of LFTD Partners' website at https://www.lftdpartners.com/investors. The webcast replay will also be available on the Investor Relations section of LFTD Partners' website. Although attendees will have the opportunity to submit questions during the earnings conference call, attendees are encouraged to submit questions prior to the call by emailing them to: jakejacobs@lftdpartners.com. About LFTD Partners Inc. Publicly traded LFTD Partners Inc., Jacksonville, FL (OTCQB:LIFD) is the parent corporation of Lifted Made, Kenosha, WI (www.urb.shop), which manufactures and sells hemp-derived and other psychoactive products under its award-winning Urb brand, hemp-free health and wellness gummies under its Mielos brand, and hemp-free energy gummies under its Rebel brand. Lifted Made is the worldwide, exclusive manufacturer and seller of Diamond Supply Co. (www.DiamondSupplyCo.com), and Cali Sweets hemp-derived products, and is the exclusive manufacturer and seller in the USA of hemp-derived products for a subsidiary of a large, publicly traded US marijuana company. LFTD Partners Inc. also owns 4.99% of hemp-derived beverage and products maker Ablis (www.Ablis.shop), and of craft distillers Bendistillery Inc. d/b/a Crater Lake Spirits (www.CraterLakeSpirits.com) and Bend Spirits, Inc., all located in Bend, OR. Please read LIFD's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission which fully describe our business and the Risk Factors associated therewith. Stay updated with our company news and product launches by subscribing to our newsletters at www.LFTDPartners.com and at www.urb.shop. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this document are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such information includes the operations, financing, growth, performance, products, plans and expectations of LFTD Partners Inc. and Lifted Made. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause or contribute to these companies' actual operations, financing, growth, performance, products, plans or results of these companies differing materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of certain other factors, including the risk factors set forth in LFTD Partners Inc.'s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell common stock or any other securities of LFTD Partners Inc. CONTACTS: Gerard M. Jacobs, Chairman and CEO of LFTD Partners Inc. (847) 915-2446 GerardMJacobs@LFTDPartners.com www.LFTDPartners.com Nicholas S. Warrender, Vice Chairman and COO of LFTD Partners Inc. (224) 577-8148 CEO@urb.shop www.LFTDPartners.com William C. "Jake" Jacobs, President and CFO of LFTD Partners Inc. (847) 400-7660 JakeJacobs@LFTDPartners.com www.LFTDPartners.com SOURCE: LFTD Partners Inc. View the original press release on accesswire.com Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 15, 2024) - Lorne Park Capital Partners Inc. (TSXV: LPC) ("LPCP" or the "Corporation") is pleased to announce it has closed a non-brokered private placement offering (the "Offering") of non-convertible and unsecured debentures of the Corporation (the "Debentures") for aggregate gross proceeds of $3,764,000. The Debentures mature on and become payable on August 15, 2029 and bear interest at a fixed rate of 7.8% per annum. The Debentures are direct, unsecured obligations of the Corporation, ranking equally with all other unsecured indebtedness of the Corporation. All of the securities issued in connection with the Offering are subject to a four-month hold period under applicable Canadian securities laws expiring December 16, 2024. The net proceeds of the Offering will be used to redeem existing non-convertible and unsecured debentures of the Corporation and for general working capital purposes. The Offering is subject to final approval by the TSX Venture Exchange. Insiders of the Corporation purchased an aggregate of $400,000 of Debentures pursuant to the Offering. The Offering is considered to be a "related party transaction" as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Offering is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 because the Corporation was not listed on a stock exchange specified in section 5.5(b) of MI 61-101, and neither the fair market value of securities being issued to insiders nor the consideration being paid by insiders will exceed 25% of the Corporation's market capitalization. About Lorne Park Capital Partners Inc. LPCP was created to bring together boutique investment management and wealth advisory firms in order to deliver robust, cost-effective investment solutions to affluent investors, foundations, estates and trusts. LPCP's unique strategy creates better alignment between investment managers and wealth advisors while providing them with additional resources to accelerate their growth. For further information, please contact: Robert Sewell Chief Executive Officer Lorne Park Capital Partners Inc. investor.relations@lpcp.ca (905) 337-2227 Cautionary Notes Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. /NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES, ANY FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RESTRICTION MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF U.S. SECURITIES LAW/ To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/219685 SOURCE: Lorne Park Capital Partners Inc. Stillwater Critical Minerals Corp. (TSXV:PGE)(OTCQB:PGEZF)(FSE:J0G) (the "Company" or "Stillwater") is collaborating with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory ("Berkeley Lab"), with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE") via the Advanced Research Projects Agency program ("ARPA-E"), to study the potential for geologic hydrogen production at its flagship Stillwater West Ni-PGE-Cu-Co + Au project in Montana. Funding in the amount of U.S. $2 million has been secured by Berkeley Lab to advance the "Cyclic Injection for Commercial Seismic-Safe Geologic H2 Production (CyclicGeoH2)" project, led by Berkeley Lab Research Scientist Dr. Mengsu Hu in collaboration with the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Texas at Austin. The team is developing technologies for geologic hydrogen production that address the challenge of extracting hydrogen both safely and economically at commercial scale. The technology involves the use of adaptive controls of fracture creation followed by serpentinization reactions to generate and subsequently extract hydrogen to a wellhead. Using rock samples from the Stillwater Igneous Complex, the team is applying an integrated approach for developing and testing novel technology that includes laboratory tests, field characterization and multiscale numerical modeling. The research effort in the project will benefit from studies conducted by other projects supported by ARPA-E that are focusing on the enhancement of the rate of geologic hydrogen generation. Geologic hydrogen refers to hydrogen gas that occurs naturally within the Earth's crust, which is generated through natural processes such as the reaction of water with certain types of iron-rich rocks, and other processes. The most favorable settings for geologic hydrogen accumulation are within ultramafic rocks which are rich in the mineral olivine that readily reacts in the serpentinization process, producing geologic hydrogen. These environments provide the necessary conditions for continuous hydrogen production over geological timescales or through accelerated stimulation of these reactions, making them ideal for potential exploration and extraction of hydrogen as a clean energy source. Hydrogen is increasingly recognized as a clean energy source due to its ability to produce energy with minimal environmental impact. When used in fuel cells, hydrogen combines with oxygen to generate electricity, with water vapor as the only byproduct, making it a zero-emission energy source. This contrasts sharply with fossil fuels, which release significant amounts of carbon dioxide and other pollutants when burned. Moreover, hydrogen can be stored and transported efficiently, making it a versatile energy carrier that can be used in a wide range of applications, from powering vehicles to providing backup power for grid systems. As the world seeks to reduce its carbon footprint, hydrogen holds significant promise as a key component of the transition to a cleaner, more sustainable energy future. Michael Rowley, Stillwater Critical Minerals President and CEO, stated, "We are excited for our Stillwater West project to be selected for this cutting-edge work in the burgeoning field of geologic hydrogen generation. We look forward to continued work with Dr. Hu's team given our shared vision of securing domestic supply of the critical minerals so urgently needed by the US while also potentially generating clean energy in the form of hydrogen based on the rare geology of the Stillwater Igneous Complex. With the largest nickel resource in an active US mining district and a wealth of other minerals listed as critical by the US government, Stillwater Critical Minerals is exceptionally well-positioned to play a significant role in achieving these goals as we continue to advance Stillwater West as a large-scale, low-carbon source of at least nine minerals listed as critical. It is our belief that mining can do more than supply minerals by conventional means, and that relationships such as this are the path toward more sustainable practices." Dr. Mengsu Hu, Berkeley Lab Lead Principal Investigator, said "It is an exciting opportunity to study geologic hydrogen that is funded by the US government for the first time. Our technology has potential for a wide range of geologic settings where it may be possible to produce geologic hydrogen at scale." Dr. Carl Steefel, Co-Principal Investigator at Berkeley Lab, stated "The layered ultramafic rocks of the Stillwater Complex may be ideal for generation of geologic hydrogen through stimulation. If core-scale tests using stimulation produce favorable results, we are optimistic about proceeding to larger scale pilot tests in the Stillwater Complex where the full range of our technology can be brought to bear. We are also interested to see if naturally occurring hydrogen can be detected in the Stillwater Complex." About Dr. Mengsu Hu Dr. Mengsu Hu is a Research Scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). Dr. Hu's research focuses on multiscale numerical modeling and machine learning for analyzing coupled thermal-hydro-mechanical-chemical (THMC) processes from fundamental Earth science to subsurface energy geoscience applications (e.g., nuclear waste disposal, geothermal energy and geologic hydrogen production and storage). Dr. Hu is currently serving on the Board of Directors of American Rock Mechanics Association (ARMA), and Editorial Board for Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, PNAS Nexus, International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, and Geomechanics and Geophysics for Geo-Energy and Geo-Resources. Dr. Mengsu Hu was selected as an ARMA future leader in 2020, a recipient of 2021 LBL Director's Award for Exceptional Early Scientific Career Achievement at LBNL, and a participant of 2022 U.S. Frontiers of Engineering symposium. About Dr. Carl Steefel Carl Steefel is a Senior Scientist at Berkeley Laboratory in the Energy Geosciences Division, Earth and Environmental Sciences Area. He also serves as head of the Geochemistry Department. He has seven years of experience in mineral exploration and over 40 years of experience in developing models for multicomponent reactive transport in porous media and applying them to topics related to water-rock interaction, chemical and enhanced weathering, and reactive contaminant transport. He is the principal developer of the CrunchFlow software, which won an R&D 100 Award in 2017. He was named an AGU Fellow in 2019 and received the Berkeley Lab Director's Award for Exceptional Scientific Achievement in 2020. About Dr. Michael Manga Dr. Michael Manga, co-Principal Investigator on the project, is a professor and department chair of Earth and Planetary Science, at the University of California, Berkeley. He studies the geological processes that shape Earth's surface. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, and his scholarship has been recognized with the Macarthur fellowship and the Macelwane medal from the American Geophysical Union and Donath medal from the Geological Society of America. Upcoming Events Stillwater Critical Minerals President and CEO, Michael Rowley, will be presenting at the following events: Emerging Growth Conference: Live Webinar Presentation, August 22 at 1:40 PT. To register click here. Precious Metals Summit, Beaver Creek, Colorado, September 10-13. For information and registration, click here. Commodities Global Expo 2024, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, October 20-22. For more information and registration, click here. Precious Metals Summit, Zurich, Switzerland, November 11-12, 2024. For information and registration, click here. About Stillwater Critical Minerals Stillwater Critical Minerals (TSXV:PGE)(OTCQB:PGEZF)(FSE:J0G) is a mineral exploration company focused on its flagship Stillwater West Ni-PGE-Cu-Co + Au project in the iconic and famously productive Stillwater mining district in Montana, USA. With the addition of two renowned Bushveld and Platreef geologists to the team and strategic investments by Glencore plc, the Company is well positioned to advance the next phase of large-scale critical mineral supply from this world-class American district, building on past production of nickel, copper, and chromium, and the on-going production of platinum group, nickel, and other metals by neighboring Sibanye-Stillwater. An expanded NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate, released January 2023, positions Stillwater West with the largest nickel resource in an active US mining district as part of a compelling suite of nine minerals now listed as critical in the USA. To date, five Platreef-style nickel and copper sulphide deposits host a total of 1.6 billion pounds of nickel, copper and cobalt, and 3.8 million ounces of palladium, platinum, rhodium, and gold at Stillwater West. All of these deposits remain open for expansion along trend and at depth. Stillwater also holds the high-grade Black Lake-Drayton Gold project adjacent to Nexgold Mining's development-stage Goliath Gold Complex in northwest Ontario, currently under an earn-in agreement with Heritage Mining, and the Kluane PGE-Ni-Cu-Co critical minerals project on trend with Nickel Creek Platinum's Wellgreen deposit in Canada's Yukon Territory. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Michael Rowley, President, CEO & Director - Stillwater Critical Minerals Email: info@criticalminerals.com Phone: (604) 357 4790 Web: http://criticalminerals.com Toll Free: (888) 432 0075 Quality Control and Quality Assurance Mr. Mike Ostenson, P.Geo., is the qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101, and he has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this news release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts including, without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization, historic production, estimation of mineral resources, the realization of mineral resource estimates, interpretation of prior exploration and potential exploration results, the timing and success of exploration activities generally, the timing and results of future resource estimates, permitting time lines, metal prices and currency exchange rates, availability of capital, government regulation of exploration operations, environmental risks, reclamation, title, and future plans and objectives of the company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Although Stillwater Critical Minerals believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include failure to obtain necessary approvals, unsuccessful exploration results, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, results of future resource estimates, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, risks associated with regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of personnel, materials and equipment on a timely basis, accidents or equipment breakdowns, uninsured risks, delays in receiving government approvals, unanticipated environmental impacts on operations and costs to remedy same, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the companies with securities regulators. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral exploration and development of mines is an inherently risky business. Accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on Stillwater Critical Minerals and the risks and challenges of their businesses, investors should review their annual filings that are available at www.sedar.com. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Stillwater Critical Minerals Corp. View the original press release on accesswire.com Pampa Metals Corp. ("Pampa Metals" or the "Company") (CSE:PM)(FSE:FIR)(OTCQB:PMMCF) is pleased to provide a Project Update for the Piuquenes Cu-Au porphyry project, San Juan, Argentina. Current Activities Since completing a maiden drill program at Piuquenes, the Company has prioritized the integration of recent drilling data with historical information which includes: Surface Geology and Geochemistry (1:2500); Geophysics - gDAS24 3D Pole-Dipole IP/Resistivity & Natural Source Magneto-Tellurics (17.8line-km); Airborne magnetic/radiometric survey; and 2,800m of well-preserved historical drill core (refer 17 June 2024 News Release). Aided by 4-acid multi-element geochemical data and reprocessed and interpreted historical geophysical data, the Company is also finalizing 3D geological modelling and grade and lithology interpretation at the Piuquenes Central porphyry Cu-Au deposit Concurrently, the Company continues to review the property wide upside potential, with Pampa Metals' mineral tenure extending for over 3km to the north of Piuquenes Central, with minimal exploration conducted over the area to date (refer Figure 1). The underlying geology is almost entirely masked at surface by thin transported cover, with no exploration drilling completed under this cover. The solid progress of these work programs has allowed Initial targeting and planning for the 2024/25 field season to begin. Company management is currently in San Juan finalizing preparations for the next field season, which will include further drill evaluation at Piuquenes Central, the initial drill testing of Piuquenes East, field mapping to advance several other nearby targets, and further geophysics if required. Next Steps The Company will provide further updates on the key findings from the 3D model development and the geophysical data integration once finalized, as well as the timing and scope of the 2024/25 field season work programs, preparation for which has already begun. Joseph van den Elsen, Pampa Metals President and CEO commented: "We are very pleased with the rapid progress we are making at Piuquenes and are excited by the upcoming field season. The Piuquenes project is a Company making asset and we look forward to more fully delineating the size and grade potential of the first deposit during the 2024/25 field season and concurrently testing a second undrilled, outcropping porphyry at Piuquenes East. Desktop work to-date confirms the potential for a cluster of deposits and we will advance several other targets this field season through surface exploration and possibly geophysics." Figure 1: Piuquenes Project - Property Wide Upside Potential ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD & INVESTOR CONTACT: Joseph van den Elsen | President & CEO | Joseph@pampametals.com ABOUT PAMPA METALS Pampa Metals is a copper-gold exploration company listed on the Canadian Stock Exchange (CSE:PM), Frankfurt (FSE:FIR), and OTC (OTCQB:PMMCF) exchanges. In November 2023, the Company announced it had entered into an Option and Joint Venture Agreement for the acquisition of an 80% interest in the Piuquenes Copper-Gold Porphyry Project in San Juan Province, Argentina. Neither the CSE nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, that address events or developments that Pampa Metals expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will" or "may" occur. These statements are subject to various risks. Although Pampa Metals believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guaranteeing of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. SOURCE: Pampa Metals Corp. View the original press release on accesswire.com ExaGrid Recognized Among Top Vendors that Drive Growth and Innovation ExaGrid, the industry's only Tiered Backup Storage solution with Retention Time-Lock that includes a non-network-facing tier (creating a tiered air gap), delayed deletes and immutability for ransomware recovery, today announced that MES Computing, a brand of The Channel Company, has recognized ExaGrid on its 2024 MES Midmarket 100 list. The MES Midmarket 100 recognizes top vendors that have proven themselves to be forward-thinking technology providers offering products and services that support midmarket organizations and drive growth and innovation for those customers. MES Computing defines the midmarket as an organization with an annual revenue of $50 million-$2 billion and/or 100-2500 total supported users/seats. Companies were selected based on their go-to-market strategy, how they serve the midmarket, and the strength of their midmarket product portfolios. "The MES Computing Midmarket 100 list recognizes the industry's key vendors that are invested in meeting the technology needs of midmarket organizations. The products and services offered by these manufacturers are helping midmarket businesses innovate, grow and thrive," said Samara Lynn, senior editor, MES Computing, The Channel Company. "Midmarket businesses are a critical driver of the U.S. economy, and we look forward to seeing how our Midmarket 100 honorees continue to serve this vital market segment." Midmarket organizations have a complex set of requirements, including: working across a wide range of operating systems, network topologies and distributed environments, security requirements, and managing data growth. In addition, these organizations have tight IT resources and budget dollars. ExaGrid Tiered Backup Storage appliances are easy to manage and work seamlessly with the industry's leading backup applications so that an organization can retain its investment in existing backup applications and processes. ExaGrid provides the fastest backups and restores, low-cost for long-term retention, and comprehensive security. In addition, ExaGrid's scale-out architecture allows organizations to pay-as-you-grow and eliminates expensive forklift upgrades. ExaGrid's product line consists of 2U appliance models-offering rack space efficiency for savings on rack storage, power and cooling costs while accommodating large data backups and future data growth. "ExaGrid Tiered Backup Storage offers what midmarket to enterprise organizations need for their backup storage: a scale-out architecture that allows organizations to add appliances as their data grows, so they only pay for what they need," said Bill Andrews, President and CEO of ExaGrid. "When organizations evaluate the backup solution and company that can best meet their backup needs and address their challenges, more and more IT organizations are finding that ExaGrid offers a solution that is easy to install and manage, meets all the requirements, and offers the best ransomware recovery all at a low cost." The MES Computing Midmarket 100 list is featured online at https://www.mescomputing.com/midmarket100 About ExaGrid ExaGrid provides Tiered Backup Storage with a unique disk-cache Landing Zone, long-term retention repository, scale-out architecture, and comprehensive security features. ExaGrid's Landing Zone provides for the fastest backups, restores, and instant VM recoveries. The Repository Tier offers the lowest cost for long-term retention. ExaGrid's scale-out architecture includes full appliances and ensures a fixed-length backup window as data grows, eliminating expensive forklift upgrades and planned product obsolescence. ExaGrid offers the only two-tiered backup storage approach with a non-network-facing tier (tiered air gap), delayed deletes, and immutable objects to recover from ransomware attacks. ExaGrid has physical sales and pre-sales systems engineers in the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Benelux, Brazil, Canada, Chile, CIS, Colombia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nordics, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, and other regions. Visit us at exagrid.com or connect with us on LinkedIn. See what our customers have to say about their own ExaGrid experiences and learn why they now spend significantly less time on backup storage in our customer success stories. ExaGrid is proud of our +81 NPS score! ExaGrid is a registered trademark of ExaGrid Systems, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders. About The Channel Company The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers, and end users. Backed by more than 40 years of unequalled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelcompany.com Follow The Channel Company: Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. 2024 The Channel Company, Inc. The Channel Company logo is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240815382420/en/ Contacts: ExaGrid Media Contact: Mary Domenichelli ExaGrid mdomenichelli@exagrid.com The Channel Company Contact: Samara Lynn The Channel Company slynn@thechannelcompany.com Q2 2024 Revenue was $12.3 million, a 12% decrease Y/Y Q2 2024 Revenue adjusted for recent divestitures was $9.4 million, a 2% increase Y/Y Q2 2024 Adjusted EBITDA was $1.8 million, an 18% increase Y/Y Q2 2024 Adjusted EBITDA excluding recent divestitures was $1.5 million, a 12% increase Y/Y TORONTO, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NowVertical Group Inc. (TSX-V: NOW) (OTCQB: NOWVF) ("NOW" or the "Company"), a leading data analytics and AI solutions company, announces its financial results for the three months ended June 30, 2024 ("Q2 2024"). Unless otherwise specified, all dollar amounts are expressed in U.S. dollars. Selected Financial Highlights for the Three Months Ended June 30, 2024: Revenue was $12.3 million in Q2 2024, a 12% decrease from $14.0 million in Q2 2023, and Adjusted Revenue was $12.5 million in Q2 2024 compared to $14.0 million in Q2 2023. Excluding the Allegient Defense, Inc. business, which was divested on May 24, 2024, and the Affinio Social business, which was divested on May 10, 2023, revenue was $9.4 million in Q2 2024 versus $9.3 million in Q2 2023, an increase of 2%. was $12.3 million in Q2 2024, a 12% decrease from $14.0 million in Q2 2023, and Adjusted Revenue was $12.5 million in Q2 2024 compared to $14.0 million in Q2 2023. Excluding the Allegient Defense, Inc. business, which was divested on May 24, 2024, and the Affinio Social business, which was divested on May 10, 2023, revenue was $9.4 million in Q2 2024 versus $9.3 million in Q2 2023, an increase of 2%. Gross Profit was $6.5 million in Q2 2024 compared to $6.8 million in Q2 2023. Gross Margin in Q2 2024 was 53% versus 49% in Q2 2023. was $6.5 million in Q2 2024 compared to $6.8 million in Q2 2023. Gross Margin in Q2 2024 was 53% versus 49% in Q2 2023. Administrative Expenses were $5.8 million in Q2 2024, a 10% decrease from $6.5 million in Q2 2023, owing to a concerted restructuring effort by management to reduce overhead costs and increase efficiency in the business. were $5.8 million in Q2 2024, a 10% decrease from $6.5 million in Q2 2023, owing to a concerted restructuring effort by management to reduce overhead costs and increase efficiency in the business. Income from Operations was $0.7 million in Q2 2024, a 125% increase from $0.3 million in Q2 2023 due to gross margin and administrative expense improvements. was $0.7 million in Q2 2024, a 125% increase from $0.3 million in Q2 2023 due to gross margin and administrative expense improvements. Adjusted EBITDA was $1.8 million in Q2 2024, an 18% increase from $1.5 million in Q2 2023. Excluding the Allegient Defense, Inc. business, which was divested on May 24, 2024, and the Affinio Social business, which was divested May 10, 2023, Adjusted EBITDA was $1.5 million in Q2 2024 versus $1.4 million in Q2 2023, an increase of 12%. was $1.8 million in Q2 2024, an 18% increase from $1.5 million in Q2 2023. Excluding the Allegient Defense, Inc. business, which was divested on May 24, 2024, and the Affinio Social business, which was divested May 10, 2023, Adjusted EBITDA was $1.5 million in Q2 2024 versus $1.4 million in Q2 2023, an increase of 12%. Net Income was $1.9 million and Net Income per basic and diluted share was $0.02 in Q2 2024, compared to a $1.1 million Net Loss and a Net Loss per basic and diluted share of $0.01 in Q2 2023. "We continued to make strides in the second quarter towards laying the foundation for profitability and sustainability, prioritizing long-term stakeholder value creation," said Sandeep Mendiratta, CEO of NowVertical Group. "During the quarter, we made amendments to certain obligations, earnouts and completed other settlements, which will improve our balance sheet. We also undertook a strategic disposition, allowing us to focus on our core business and strengthened our board, further solidifying our leadership. We delivered these changes while improving our EBITDA nearly 20% year-over-year. I am pleased to report that our transition to operational excellence and execution is well underway by finding opportunities for synergies and organic growth driven by cross selling and product market fit to our client base." Q2 2024 and Subsequent Business Highlights: April 23, 2024: Announced amendments to its obligations to the former shareholders of Acrotrend Solutions Ltd. (the "Acrotrend Obligations") that enabled it to improve its balance sheet by reducing its overall cash payment obligations, repay a substantial portion of the 2023 earn-out consideration due to the Acrotrend sellers in shares, and defer and cap certain future payments. May 1, 2024: The Company and the seller of Smartlytics Consultancy Limited agreed to amend the existing share purchase agreement to restructure the remaining earn-out obligations. May 14, 2024: Welcomed David Doritty as an independent director of the Company. May 27, 2024: Announced the strategic disposition of Allegient Defense, Inc. to a subsidiary of BCS, LLC for a gross consideration of up to $12.5 million, clearing $3.8 million of debt from NOW's balance sheet, reducing deferred liabilities and supporting growth plans for its integrated business, enabling strategic investments in its core data analytics and AI solutions business. June 12, 2024: Further to NOW's press release dated April 23, 2024, announced the settlement of the Acrotrend Obligations in the aggregate amount of $2.35 million owing to the former shareholders of Acrotrend Solutions Ltd., including the Company's CEO, Sandeep Mendiratta, improving the balance sheet. August 1, 2024: Announced the launch of its "One Brand, One Business" unified proposition strategy and the unveiling of its newly redesigned website. August 13, 2024: Entered into a capital markets advisory agreement with Sophic Capital to provide investor relations services. Q2 2024 Financial Results Investor Webinar: NowVertical Group invites shareholders, analysts, investors, media representatives, and other stakeholders to attend our upcoming webinar. Management will discuss Q2 2024 results, followed by a question-and-answer session. Investor Webinar Registration: Time: Monday August 19, 2024, 10:00 AM in Eastern Time (US and Canada) Register here: https://bit.ly/NOW-Q2 A recording of the webinar and supporting materials will be made available in the investor's section of the company's website at https://www.nowvertical.com/news-and-media Related links: https://www.nowvertical.com Additional Information: The Company's unaudited second quarter 2024 condensed consolidated interim financial statements, notes to financial statements, and management's discussion and analysis for the three months ended June 30, 2024, are available on the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Unless otherwise indicated, all references to "$" in this press release refer to US dollars, and all references to "CAD$" in this press release refer to Canadian dollars. About NowVertical Group Inc. The Company is a data analytics and AI solutions company offering comprehensive solutions, software and services. As a global provider, we deliver cutting-edge data, technology, and artificial intelligence (AI) applications to private and public enterprises. Our solutions form the bedrock of modern enterprises, converting data investments into business solutions. NOW is growing organically and through strategic acquisitions. For further details about NOW, please visit www.nowvertical.com. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. For further information, please contact: Andre Garber, CDO IR@nowvertical.com Nikhil Thadani, Investor Relations and Communications nik@sophiccapital.com t: (289) 667-1977 Cautionary Note Regarding Non-IFRS Measures: This news release refers to certain non-IFRS measures. These measures are not recognized measures under IFRS, do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and are therefore unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. Rather, these measures are provided as additional information to complement those IFRS measures by providing further understanding of the Company's results of operations from management's perspective. The Company's definitions of non-IFRS measures used in this news release may not be the same as the definitions for such measures used by other companies in their reporting. Non-IFRS measures have limitations as analytical tools and should not be considered in isolation nor as a substitute for analysis of the Company's financial information reported under IFRS. The Company uses non IFRS financial measures including "Adjusted Revenue", "EBITDA", and "Adjusted EBITDA". These non-IFRS measures are used to provide investors with supplemental measures of our operating performance and to eliminate items that have less bearing on our operational performance or operating conditions and thus highlight trends in our core business that may not otherwise be apparent when relying solely on IFRS measures. The Company believes that securities analysts, investors and other interested parties frequently use non-IFRS financial measures in the evaluation of issuers. The Company's management also uses non-IFRS financial measures to facilitate operating performance comparisons from period to period and prepare annual budgets and forecasts. Non-IFRS Measures: The non-IFRS financial measures referred to in this news release are defined below. The management discussion and analysis for the quarter ended June 30, 2024 (the "Q2 2024 MD&A"), available at nowvertical.com and on SEDAR+ and www.sedarplus.com, also contains supporting calculations for Adjusted Revenue, EBITDA, and Adjusted EBITDA "Adjusted Revenue" adjusts revenue to eliminate the effects of acquisition accounting on the Company's revenues. "EBITDA" adjusts net income (loss) before depreciation and amortization expenses, net interest costs, and provision for income taxes. "Adjusted EBITDA" adjusts EBITDA for revenue adjustments in "Adjusted Revenue" and items such as acquisition accounting adjustments, transaction expenses related to acquisitions, transactional gains or losses on assets, asset impairment charges, non-recurring expense items, non-cash stock compensation costs, and the full-year impact of cost synergies related to the reduction of employees in relation to acquisitions. Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws (together "forward-looking statements"), including, without limitation: the aggregate consideration to be received from sale of Allegient Defense, Inc. and expectations regarding NOW's business, finances and operations. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties, and contingencies. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "may", "should", "will", "could", "intend", "estimate", "plan", "anticipate", "expect", "believe" or "continue", or the negative thereof or similar variations. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the estimated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and the forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by inherent risks and uncertainties, including: adverse market conditions; risks inherent in the data analytics and artificial intelligence sectors in general; regulatory and legislative changes; that future results may vary from historical results; inability to obtain any requisite future financing on suitable terms; any inability to realize the expected benefits and synergies of acquisitions or dispositions; that market competition may affect the business, results and financial condition of the Company and other risk factors identified in documents filed by the Company under its profile at www.sedarplus.com, including the Company's managements discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2023. Further, these forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and, except as expressly required by applicable law, the Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Greenridge Exploration Inc. ("Greenridge" or the "Company") (CSE: GXP | FRA: HW3), is pleased to announce it has completed an updated technical review of the Nut Lake Uranium Project (the "Nut Lake Property" or the "Project") located in the Thelon Basin in Nunavut. The Project covers approximately 5,853 hectares near the Northern Tip of the Yathkyed Basin, a sub-basin of the Thelon Basin (please see Figure 1). Figure 1 - Nut Lake Property Claim Map Technical Review Update Dahrouge Geological Consulting Ltd. ("DGC"), on behalf of the Company, completed a secondary assessment of the historical data compiled for the Nut Lake Property, building on the previous technical review detailed in the Company's news release dated April 4, 2024. The second pass performed by DGC was focused on compiling and investigating historical data for the Project, including digitizing drillhole information, georeferencing maps, and pulling data from historical reports on or near the Nut Lake Property. The highlights of this secondary assessment are listed below: Tundra Showing Historical Rock Sampling Fifteen (15) total samples with six (6) cut from trenches and nine (9) high-grade float samples 2 . Trench assayed up to 42% U3O8 in small, 6 cm wide, saw cut grab sample with four (4) samples containing >7% U3O8. Float samples assayed up to 28% U3O8. . Historical Drilling Thirty-five (35) drillholes completed on this showing, totaling 394 meters of drilling 1 & 3 . 1.54% U3O8 over 3.5 ft including 8.84% U3O8 over 0.5 ft (DDH: W-10). 1.13% U3O8 over 6.0 ft including 4.89% U3O8 over 1 ft (DDH: W-24). 1.35% U3O8 over 2.5 ft including 3.33% U3O8 over 1 ft, and including 4.72% over 0.5 ft (DDH: W-8). 1.08% U3O8 over 2.5 ft including 3.83% U3O8 over 0.5 ft (DDH: W-12B). . Figure 2 - Historical work map of the Tundra Showing on the Nut Lake Property Heartbreak Showing1 The Heartbreak showing uncovered two pitchblende fractures in an area where a swarm of biotite trachyte occurs, 200 meters to the east-southeast of the Tundra showing. The most noteworthy samples were from the Heartbreak showing which returned samples across a 3.0" and 3.5" fracture that assayed 2.11% U3O8 and 4.36% U3O8, respectively 1 . . Fracture descriptions and assay results indicate significant mineralization potential. Frost heave on the surface suggests a potential strike length for the fractures. Figure 3 - Historical work map of the Heartbreak Showing on the Nut Lake Property Lakeshore Showing Historical Rock Sampling1&4 79LLR005 - 0.32% U3O8, 7.01% Ni, 23.46 oz/ton Ag. 79LLR006 - 0.15% U3O8, 1.02% Ni, 53.16 oz/ton Ag. L-6 - 0.08% U3O8. 6349 - 0.07% U3O8, 36.3 oz/ton Ag, 3.81% Ni. 6348 - 0.06% U3O8, 58.3 oz/ton Ag, 3.06% Ni. 6263 - 209.8 oz/ton Ag - fracture within mafic gneiss containing native silver. 6350 - 186.2 oz/ton Ag - fracture within mafic gneiss containing native silver. 6352 - 15.48 oz/ton Ag, 2.84% Pb. 6270 - 4.21% Pb. Historical Drilling Four (4) drillholes completed on this showing, totaling 62 meters of drilling 4 : 0.015% U3O8 over 2 ft (DDH: Lake #3). : Figure 4 - Historical work map of the Lakeshore Showing on the Nut Lake Property 431 Dike Swarm Showing Historical Rock Sampling Outcrop samples assayed up to 0.29% U3O8 (D175) with five (5) samples >0.02% U3O8 2 . . Trenches assayed up to 1.18% U3O8 (D172) with five (5) samples >0.1% U3O8 and nineteen (19) samples >0.02% U3O8. Historical Drilling Forty-one (41) drillholes completed on this showing, totaling 2,735 meters of drilling 1&3 : 0.667% U3O8 over 3ft including 1.627% U3O8 over 1ft (DDH: PO-25). 0.485% U3O8 over 4ft including 1.7% U3O8 over 1ft (DDH: WC-5). 0.177% U3O8 over 3ft, including 0.425% U3O8 over 1ft (DDH: PO-18). : Figure 5 - Historical work map of the 431 Dike Swarm Showing on the Nut Lake Property 448 Anomaly Showing4 Historical Rock Sampling Outcrop samples assayed up to 0.10% U3O8. Samples from trenches assayed up to 10.39% U3O8 with nine (9) samples >1% U2O8 and twenty-four (24) samples >0.10% U3O8: Trench L3 grab sampled with 5.51% Cu and 0.45% U3O8. Historical Drilling Thirty-two (32) drillholes completed on this showing, totaling 320 meters of drilling: 0.318% U3O8 over 0.75ft (DDH: Pitch 16). 0.433% U3O8 over 0.25ft and 0.082% U3O8 over 2ft (DDH: Pitch 5). 0.102% U3O8 over 1.41ft including 0.170% U3O8 over 0.66ft (DDH: Pitch 19). Figure 6 - Historical work map of the 448 Anomaly Showing on the Nut Lake Property SE Regional Anomalies Historical Rock Sampling Outcrop samples assayed up to 0.55% U 3 O 8 with two (2) samples >0.1% U 3 O 8 and thirteen (13) samples >0.02% U 3 O 8 1&2. Historical Drilling Twelve (12) drillholes completed in this region, totaling approximately 1,081 meters of drilling 1&3 : 0.026% U 3 O 8 over 36ft including 0.054% U 3 O 8 over 1.5ft (DDH: PO-46). 0.025% U 3 O 8 over 15ft (DDH: PO-45). 0.025% U 3 O 8 over 14.1ft (DDH: PO-44). : Figure 7 - Historical work map of the SE Regional Anomalies on the Nut Lake Property About The Nut Lake Property The Project is located approximately 55km north of the Angilak Uranium Deposit5 or 180Km southwest of Baker Lake, Nunavut in the Yathkyed Basin (a sub-basin of the prolific Thelon Basin) in Nunavut Territory, Canada. The Project consists of three contiguous mineral licences encompassing a total land area of approximately 4,036 hectares (~40km). In 1979, Pan Ocean Oil Ltd. performed an exploration program consisting of ground geophysics, geological mapping, prospecting and Winkie drilling as follow up to previous sampling with elevated uranium in dyke swarms, fractures and contacts between syenites and trachytes. The geology of the Project area consists of basal sedimentary rocks of the South Channel Formation, composed of white quartzites and pink to grey arkose and arkosic rocks. The sedimentary sequences of the lower Dubawnt Group are unconformably or disconformably overlain by volcanic rocks of the Christopher Island Formation. The Project hosts high grade vein hosted grab samples of up to 4.36% U3O8, 53.16 oz/t Ag, 1.15% Pb and 7.0% Ni. During the 1979 field season, geological mapping at a scale of 1:1,000 was completed on a major portion of the Project. This was concurrent with prospecting on, and in the immediate area of the Project. Results from prospecting were the discovery of two (41 m wide) syenite dikes and a frost heaved area of felsic gneiss with up to 3,000 cps on fracture surfaces. Two significant Uranium bearing showings were discovered, the "Lake Showing" and the "Heartbreak Showing". The most noteworthy was the Heartbreak showing which revealed 3.0" and 3.5" samples across a fracture that assayed 2.11% U3O8 and 4.36% U3O8 respectively. The results were followed up with a radon gal survey, a VLF-EM survey and an overburden sampling program. The radon survey results showed that the response is irregular with several good highs and the VLF-EM survey showed a series of northwesterly trending anomalies. It was concluded that further drilling of the Lake Showing is recommended. The Project and surrounding proximal area have seen approximately 805ft of Winkie Drilling and 6,920ft of diamond drilling completed on it. Multiple holes intersected significant uranium mineralization, with the most noteworthy being at the "Tundra Showing" where Hole Winkie AX W-24 intersected 9ft of 0.69% U3O8 including 4.90% U3O8 over 1ft from 8ft depth. Additional noteworthy holes were hole P049 which returned approximately 0.20% U3O8 over a one-foot interval and hole 068 which was drilled to intersect fracture mineralization and successfully encountered approximately 0.59% over 1 foot (Pan Ocean Oil Ltd., 1979 Assessment Report #81075). The combination of historically defined anomalies and modern exploration techniques provides prime ingredients for the potential of discovering a high-grade uranium system within the Project area. The Nut Lake Property has the potential to host unconformity vein and breccia type, sygenentic and sandstone-hosted phosphatic type mineralization. Qualified Person The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed by Neil McCallum B.Sc., P.Geo., of Dahrouge Geological Consulting Ltd., who is a "Qualified Person" as defined in NI 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. A qualified person has not done sufficient work to verify the results. The Company believes that the historical information is relevant to an appraisal of the merits of the Project and forms a reliable basis upon which to develop future exploration programs. The Company will need to conduct further exploration which will include drill testing and sampling to verify historical data, and there is no guarantee that the results obtained will reflect the historical results. References 1Source: 1979 Assessment report (number 81075) by Pan Ocean Oil Ltd. 2Source: 1978 Assessment report (number 61692) by Pan Ocean Oil Ltd. 3Source: 1978 Assessment report (number 61815) by Pan Ocean Oil Ltd. 4Source: 1980 Assessment report (number 81190) by Pan Ocean Oil Ltd. Assessment reports can be found here: https://nunavutgeoscience.ca/gateway/browseA.php 5Source: Reported by ValOre Metals Corp. in a Technical Report entitled "Technical Report and Resource Update For The Angilak Property, Kivalliq Region, Nunavut, Canada", prepared by Michael Dufresne, M.Sc., P.Geo. of APEX Geosciences, Robert Sim, B.Sc., P.Geo. of SIM Geological Inc. and Bruce Davis, Ph.D., FAusIMM of BD Resource Consulting Inc., dated March 1, 2013. Note: The historical mineral resource estimate was calculated in accordance with NI 43-101 and CIM standards at the time of publication and predates the current CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (May, 2014) and CIM Estimation of Mineral Resources & Mineral Reserves Best Practices Guidelines (November, 2019). About Greenridge Exploration Inc. Greenridge Exploration Inc. (CSE: GXP | FRA: HW3) is a mineral exploration company dedicated to creating shareholder value through the acquisition, exploration, and development of critical mineral projects in North America. The Carpenter Lake Uranium Project is located in the Athabasca Basin consisting of 7 mineral claims covering 13,387 hectares across the Cable Bay Shear Zone and the Company is advancing the Project to test multiple high priority targets. The Company's Nut Lake Uranium Project located in the Thelon Basin includes historical drilling which intersected up to 9ft of 0.69% U3O8 including 4.90% U3O8 over 1ft from 8ft depth2. Additionally, the Company's Weyman Copper Project in southeast British Columbia sits on the south portion of the famous Quesnel Terrance. The Company is led by an experienced management team and board of directors with significant expertise in capital raising and advancing mining projects. On Behalf of the Board of Directors Russell Starr Chief Executive Officer, Director Telephone: +1 (778) 897-3388 Email: info@greenridge-exploration.com Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information This news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements that are not historical facts, including without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, plans, programs, forecasts, projections, objectives, assumptions, expectations or beliefs of future performance, including statements regarding the project acquisition bringing a low-risk opportunity, the Company, building a strong battery metals portfolio with low-risk opportunities that positively impact the Company and its shareholders and the Company providing an initial work plan are "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the Project and its mineralization potential; the Company's objectives, goals, or future plans with respect to the Project; the Company's anticipated exploration program at the Project. These forward-looking statements reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company based on information currently available to it. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including those detailed from time to time in filings made by the Company with securities regulatory authorities, which may cause actual outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fffac19c-b7d2-4eab-bb92-329caf938e0d https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1b7c9db0-9fae-40a9-9112-a9d9fa68fcce https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c87b4117-5d1a-440c-96c7-07805c1d8bcc https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/498bafed-0f3d-4a3c-8042-baeb804f3b7b https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f8265418-cd8b-42b1-b71f-094627707e7d https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fb5a49b0-b198-4e7d-a572-858e7dac55de https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c8528c5b-8694-4901-86b2-7d825c8cd4d1 Assessment of near-surface gold resources could capitalize on record-high gold prices, positioning Pelangio for accelerated growth. TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 / Pelangio Exploration Inc. (PX:TSX-V)(OTC PINK:PGXPF) ("Pelangio" or the "Company")?is pleased to announce that it is currently evaluating the potential for near-term production at its Manfo gold project in Southwest Ghana. A review of the resource models of the three deposits at Manfo to determine the gold content and tenor of mineralization at shallow depths which could be exploited by open-pit mining is underway and will proceed to a formal study of possible near-term production scenarios which could be economic under the current record high gold price. Ingrid Hibbard, President and CEO, commented: "The NI43-101 maiden mineral resource estimate ("MRE") for the Manfo gold project was conducted eleven years ago using a gold price of $1,450 USD and estimated 195,000 oz Au Indicated plus 298,000 oz Au Inferred to be present. We believe that the 70% increase to the gold price over that used for the 2013 MRE has significantly upgraded the economics of gold production for the Manfo project. As such, we are evaluating possibilities for smaller-scale near term production at Manfo, and have commenced a review of the near-surface gold resource content to be followed by an economic assessment of potential development and production plans. Ongoing drilling efforts will continue with the potential for successful outcomes to complement profitable near-term production that could serve as a foundation for financing a larger-scale operation in the future." About the Manfo Project The 96 km Manfo project is located in the Sefwi-Bibiani greenstone belts of the Paleoproterozoic Birimian of southwest Ghana, 15 km southeast of Newmont's Ahafo gold mine and 40 km north of Asante Gold's Bibiani gold mine. Pelangio acquired the property in 2010 and conducted considerable exploration resulting in seven significant gold discoveries with three of them drilled to a resource status. In 2013 SRK Consulting (Canada) estimated the project hosts a gold mineral resource of 195,000 oz (at 1.5 g/t Au) Indicated and 298,000 oz (at 1.0 g/t Au) Inferred with the majority of the resource contained in the adjacent Pokukrom East and West deposits. SRK used a gold price of $1,450 USD per ounce Au and a cut-off grade of 0.5 g/t Au for their MRE. Refer to SRK's NI43-101 report "Mineral Resource Evaluation Technical Report, Manfo Gold Project, Ghana" released on June 21, 2013, for the details. In 2021 Pelangio identified opportunities to grow the project through step-out drill testing of open-ended mineralization in the known deposits plus drill testing of multiple exploration targets along and near the 9 km of mineralized structures within the property. Diamond drilling programs were conducted by Pelangio in 2021 and 2023 with a total of 1,423 meters of drilling conducted at the Pokukrom East and West deposits. These drilling programs and their results are detailed in Pelangio's press releases of November 16, 2021 and July 24, 2023. The results were encouraging and demonstrated extensions to the known mineralization in both deposits and concluded continued drilling around the deposits for potential resource additions is warranted. Significant intercepts from the 2021 and 2023 drill programs included: A number of resource extensional targets around the Pokukrom deposits remain to be drill tested which could deliver additions to the two Pokukrom deposits with successful infill drilling, and property-wide exploration drilling planned to test 20+ targets has yet to be conducted. These targets consist principally of untested favourable geological and structural settings with lower-order Au in soils anomalism that could deliver one or several satellite deposits with drilling successes. While the longer term goal is to develop Manfo into a significantly larger project through continued resource and exploration drilling programs, it is recognized that the significant resource contained at Manfo could present a near term opportunity for a smaller 'starter' mining project that exploits a shallower portion of the gold resource, which could capitalize a larger project down the road. The mineralization at Manfo comes to surface and some of the best gold grades are near surface. With the increase in the gold price from 1,450 USD in 2013 to $2,400 USD today, the economics of gold production at Manfo is expected to be much improved. A review of the resource models at Manfo to determine the gold content and tenor of mineralization at shallow depths which might be exploited by one or several smaller open-pits has commenced and will proceed to a formal study of possible near-term production scenarios which could be economic under the current record high gold price. The Manfo mineral resource estimation was conducted by SRK Consulting and published in June 2013. (Refer to the Mineral Resource Evaluation Technical Report, Manfo Gold Project, by SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc., released on June 21, 2013 and available on Pelangio's website). The resource estimation was made in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects at the time of the mineral resource estimation in 2013. NI 43-101 standards for disclosure have been amended multiple times since 2013 and as a result, Pelangio's 2013 resource estimate is no longer NI 43-101 compliant under the current standards. Figure 1. Location of the Manfo Project, Southwest Ghana Geology & Gold Mines Figure 2. Manfo Project - Resource Areas and Exploration Target Areas Qualified Person Mr. Kevin Thomson, P.Geo. (Ontario, #0191), is a qualified person within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Thomson approved the technical data disclosed in this release. About Pelangio? Pelangio acquires and explores prospective land packages located in world-class gold belts in Ghana, West Africa and Canada. In Ghana, the Company is focused on its two 100% owned camp-sized properties: the 100 km 2 Manfo property, the site of eight near-surface gold discoveries, and the 284 km 2 Obuasi property, located 4 km on strike and adjacent to AngloGold Ashanti's prolific high-grade Obuasi Mine, as well as the Dankran property located adjacent to its Obuasi property. See www.pelangio.com for further details on all Pelangio's properties. For additional information, please visit our website at www.pelangio.com , or contact: Ingrid Hibbard, President and CEO Tel: 905-336-3828 / Toll-free: 1-877-746-1632 / Email: info@pelangio.com Forward Looking Statements? Certain statements herein may contain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements or information appear in a number of places and can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate" or "believes" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements and information include statements regarding the Company's strategy of acquiring large land packages in areas of sizeable gold mineralization, and the Company's ability to complete the planned exploration programs. Regarding forward-looking statements and information contained herein, we have made many assumptions, including about the state of the equity markets. Such forward-looking statements and information are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statement or information. Such risks include the changes in equity markets, share price volatility, volatility of global and local economic climate, gold price volatility, political developments in Ghana, and Canada, increases in costs, exchange rate fluctuations, speculative nature of gold exploration, including the risk that favourable exploration results may not be obtained, near-term production may not be viable" delays due to COVID-19 or other safety protocols, and other risks involved in the gold exploration industry. See the Company's annual and quarterly financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for additional information on risks and uncertainties relating to the forward-looking statement and information. There can be no assurance that a forward-looking statement or information referenced herein will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements or information. Also, many of the factors are beyond the control of the Company. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward- looking statements or information. We undertake no obligation to reissue or update any forward-looking statements or information except as required by law. All forward-looking statements and information herein are qualified by this cautionary statement.? Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Pelangio Exploration Inc. View the original press release on accesswire.com Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 15, 2024) - BELGRAVIA HARTFORD CAPITAL INC. (CSE: BLGV) ("Belgravia Hartford", "Belgravia" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Ava Tahmasebi as an independent director to the Board of the Company. Additionally, Dr. Shoaib Sheikh has been appointed as head of the company's advisory committee. Ms. Ava Tahmasebi is a seasoned executive with over a decade of experience in driving innovation and business growth within the startup ecosystem. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Wireless Networks and has recently updated her skills through a Data Analytics program at the University of Toronto. Ms. Tahmasebi has played a pivotal role in mentoring over 50 startups, steering them towards notable success. As CEO of Startup Station, a Toronto-based startup studio with a focus on women entrepreneurs, she has refined her expertise in transforming nascent ideas into successful, market-ready businesses. Startup Station is a member of the National Angel Capital Organization (NACO). Dr. Shoaib Sheikh, MD, FACS, is a surgeon who has served on multiple provincial, national and international boards and committees for the past 17 years. The nature of involvement has been from board of directors, executive committees, editorial boards and provincial review committees. Dr. Sheikh has served for two full terms on the Board of Governors of the American College of Surgeons which has 90,000 member surgeons and has served on the finance committee of the College of Surgeons. Dr. Shiekh also owns 8,414,095 common shares of Belgravia Hartford which represents 12.49% of the outstanding common shares of the Company. Mr. Mehdi Azodi, The CEO & President of Belgravia stated "The addition of Ms. Tahmasebi to the board strengthens the governance and adds fresh perspective on future investments and due diligence process. The appointment of Dr. Sheikh provides the board and legal team with global business experience and access to capital injection for the company to build out a new business platform and fund the company's litigation affairs." About Belgravia Hartford Belgravia Hartford Capital Inc. ("Belgravia" or the "Company") is a publicly traded investment holding company listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange. Belgravia is focused on growing its assets and holdings and increasing its net asset value (NAV). Belgravia invests in a portfolio of private and public companies located in jurisdictions governed by the rule of law. It takes a multi-sector investment approach with emphasis in the resources and commodities sector. Belgravia and its investments are considered high risk holdings and it may expose shareholders to significant volatility and losses. For more information, please visit www.belgraviahartford.com Forward-Looking Statements Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements that use forward-looking terminology such as "may", "will", "expect", "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "potential" or the negative thereof or other variations thereof or comparable terminology. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding planned investment activities & related returns, the timing for completion of research and development activities, the potential value of royalties, and other statements that are not historical facts. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company, including, but not limited to, changes in market trends, the completion, results and timing of research undertaken by the Company, risks associated with resource assets, the impact of general economic conditions, commodity prices, industry conditions, dependence upon regulatory, environmental, and governmental approvals, and the uncertainty of obtaining additional financing. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/220043 SOURCE: Belgravia Hartford Capital Inc Hemostatic gel designed to control moderate to severe bleeding in seconds and save lives NEW YORK, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Cresilon Inc. ("Cresilon"), a Brooklyn-based biotechnology company focused on hemostatic medical device technologies, today announced it has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") 510(k) clearance for TRAUMAGEL ("TRAUMAGEL") for temporary external use for controlling moderate to severe bleeding. Cresilon's revolutionary plant-based hemostatic gel technology is designed to stop and control life-threatening bleeding in a matter of seconds when applied to a wound at the point of care. TRAUMAGEL, which utilizes Cresilon's proprietary hydrogel technology, is a first-of-its-kind hemostatic medical device with FDA clearance for temporary external use in moderate to severe bleeding. Cresilon intends to develop and manufacture TRAUMAGEL to address the needs of the U.S. military, government health agencies, emergency medical services ("EMS") systems, and medical professionals who routinely encounter traumatic wounds and need a solution to quickly and effectively stop and control severe bleeding. The company plans to initiate a strategic launch of TRAUMAGEL in the U.S. late 2024. "The ability to rapidly stop bleeding at the point of care and halt a life-threatening hemorrhage can be the difference between life and death for people with traumatic wounds," said Joe Landolina, CEO and co-founder of Cresilon and inventor of the technology. "The FDA clearance for TRAUMAGEL is a monumental milestone for Cresilon and brings us another step forward in our mission to save lives and transform the standard of care in wound treatment. Our proprietary hemostatic gel technology is a game-changer and unlike any other hemostatic agent currently being used." Severe blood loss can kill in a matter of minutes, whether from a gunshot wound or a massive injury-related hemorrhage. A person dies from injury nearly every 3 minutes, and 40% of these deaths are due to major hemorrhage or its consequences.1 Death from hemorrhage is early, with up to 60% of deaths occurring within the first 3 hours of injury.2 While several hemostatic agents and gauze bandages are currently available for applications such as trauma and surgery, many products require preparation and lengthy application time, can be difficult to apply, or are not suited to work across all types of bleeds. Cresilon's plant-based hemostatic gel is supplied in a pre-filled syringe, easy-to-apply, requires no preparation, and designed to stop bleeding quickly across all types of bleeds. TRAUMAGEL marks Cresilon's second FDA clearance for human use. The first was granted in June 2023 for Cresilon Hemostatic Gel ("CHG"), which is indicated for use in the local management of bleeding wounds such as minor cuts, lacerations, and abrasions. The recent FDA clearances follow several major advancements for the company which operates out of a state-of-the-art 33,000-square-foot biomanufacturing facility in Brooklyn's Industry City. Additionally, the company recently reported promising results from its cooperative research and development agreement with the U.S. Defense Department's Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) from a study of Cresilon's gel technology as a potential field and prehospital treatment to mitigate life-threatening brain hemorrhage and provide neuroprotection following a penetrating traumatic brain injury ("TBI"). For more information about Cresilon and TRAUMAGEL, visit www.cresilon.com. About Cresilon Cresilon is a Brooklyn-based biotechnology company that develops, manufactures, and markets hemostatic medical devices utilizing the company's proprietary hydrogel technology. The company's plant-based technology has revolutionized the current standard by stopping bleeding in seconds. The company's current and future product lines target trauma care, biosurgery, and animal health. Cresilon's mission is to save lives. For more information about Cresilon, which was named to Fast Company's annual list of the World's Most Innovative Companies of 2024, ranking No. 1 in the medical devices category, visit www.cresilon.com. References 1Curry NS, Davenport R. Transfusion strategies for major haemorrhage in trauma. Br J Haematol. 2019 Feb;184(4):508-523. doi: 10.1111/bjh.15737. Epub 2018 Dec 27. PMID: 30592036. 2Holcomb JB, del Junco DJ, Fox EE, et?al. The prospective, observational, multicenter, major trauma transfusion (PROMMTT) study: comparative effectiveness of a time-varying treatment with competing risks. Journal of the American Medical Association Surgery 2013; 148: 127-36. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1699548/Cresilon_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/cresilon-receives-fda-clearance-for-traumagel-302222920.html Completes funding required for the Signal-C FDA premarket approval with existing investors, including Quest Diagnostics, and new investors, including Olympus Innovation Ventures Universal DX ("UDX"), a biotech company dedicated to transforming cancer into a curable disease by detecting it early, today announced closure of the Series B which funds the clinical trial for its colorectal cancer screening blood test, Signal-C, aimed at achieving FDA premarket approval. The clinical trial for Signal-C (https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06059963) is well under way and recruited its first patient in January 2024. The study is on target to reach its recruiting goal of enrolling at least 15,000 patients across 100 investigator sites. Quest Diagnostics operates an oncology center of excellence in Lewisville, Texas, that will serve as the single site for testing for the trial. The parties announced a collaboration in November 2023 under which Quest will have exclusive rights to provide clinical laboratory services in the U.S. assuming FDA approval for the test. UDX is the provider of the results of the assay through its proprietary cloud solution. Once FDA approved, both parties will commercialize the test. "We are thrilled to announce the start of our FDA validation for Signal-C," said Juan Martinez-Barea, Chairman of UDX. "After securing the funding required, and having operationally launched our collaboration with Quest, UDX is one step closer to reaching the market with a non-invasive, highly accurate blood test for screening for colorectal cancer. Early detection is crucial, and our technology has the potential to significantly reduce the mortality of this disease." Signal-C uses next-generation sequencing (NGS) and bioinformatics to identify methylated DNA patterns and fragments shed by colorectal cancer tumors circulating in the bloodstream. The UDX Signal-C test has repeatedly demonstrated high accuracy as shown in studies presented at ASCO GI 2023 and Digestive Disease Week 2023. Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the third leading cause of cancer death in both men and women in the U.S. In 2023, an estimated 153,020 people were diagnosed with colorectal cancer in the U.S., and 52,550 died from the disease, according to the American Cancer Society. Screening can help detect the disease in its early, more treatable stages. However, according to a 2021 National Health Interview Survey, only 59% of individuals aged 45 years and older were up to date on colorectal cancer screening mainly due to relatively low compliance rates of existing screening techniques. It is expected that simple and non-intrusive blood tests will significantly increase the percentage of individuals screened, reduce the mortality rate and, consequently, help save more lives. About Universal DX Universal DX is a biotech company headquartered in Spain with its US office in Cambridge (Boston). Its mission is to transform cancer into a curable disease by detecting it early. Utilizing multi-omics, computational biology, and AI tools, UDX is deciphering the unique cfDNA sequences that capture cancer's earliest signals. UDX's most advanced assay is for colorectal cancer screening with high accuracy for pre-cancer and cancers. The company's technology can also be applied to other high-burden cancers. UDX has presented data on lung, pancreatic, liver, and esophageal cancers. For more information about the company, visit www.universaldx.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240807274324/en/ Contacts: Media Contact: Christian Hense, christian@universaldx.com Almost Half of Companies Need Over 6 Days To Recover Data Restore Usual Business Processes Cyber resilienceresearch commissioned byCohesity, a leader in AI-powered data security, reveals organizations overestimate their cyber resilience capabilities and maturity, leading to significant business continuity disruptions and ransom payments. The Cohesity Global Cyber Resilience Report 2024 polled from over 3100 IT and Security decision-makers in eight countries1 confirms the threat of cyberattacks especially ransomware continues to rise, with the majority of respondents falling victim to a ransomware attack in the last six months, and most having paid a ransom in the past year. Moreover, most respondents said the threat of cyberattacks to their organization's industry of operation has or will increase in 2024 compared to 2023. According to respondents, companies' cyber resilience strategies are holding up against a worsening cyber threat landscape, with close to 4 in 5 (78%) respondents saying they have confidence in their company's cyber resilience strategy and its ability to 'address today's escalating cyber challenges and threats'.2 At the same time, over 2 in 3 (67%) respondents revealed they had been the 'victim of a ransomware attack' in 2024; 96% said the threat of cyberattacks to their industry would increase or had increased this year, with close to 3 in 5 (59%) saying it had or will increase by over 50% compared to 2023. Organizations Are Paying Ransoms Breaking 'Do Not Pay' Policies However, despite the majority of respondents saying they were 'mostly confident' or had 'complete confidence' in their organization's cyber resilience strategy, only 6% of respondents said their company would not pay a ransom to recover data and restore business processes, or do so faster, with 83% saying they would.3 In fact, 3 in 4 (75%) respondents globally said their company would be willing to pay over US$1 million in ransoms to recover data and restore business processes, and over 1 in 5 (22%) said their company would be willing to pay over US$5 million. Concerningly, close to 7 in 10 (69%) respondents said their organization had paid a ransom in the last year, before being surveyed, despite 77% saying their company had a 'do not pay' policy. The more than 2100 respondents, who have paid a ransom, said they had paid ransoms4 in the past year totaling: 37% have paid ransom(s) between US$1 US$249,999 23% have paid ransom(s) between US$250,000 US$499,999 23% have paid ransom(s) between US$500,000 US$999,999 12% have paid ransom(s) between US$1,000,000 US$2,999,999 6% have paid ransom(s) between US$3,000,000 US$9,999,999 0.33% (7 respondents) have paid ransom(s) between US$10,000,000 US$25,000,000 "The reality for organizations is that destructive cyberattacks, like ransomware, are a 'when' not 'if' reality that threatens their business continuity. However, organizations can tackle this reality head-on by enhancing their cyber resilience the ability to rapidly respond and recover from cyberattacks or traditional business continuity scenarios by adopting modern data security, response, and recovery capabilities," said Brian Spanswick, CISO and CIO, Cohesity. "Organizations may have the greatest confidence in their cyber resilience, both in their strategy and capabilities, but the reality is that the majority are paying ransoms or would pay a ransom, so organizations are overconfident or overestimate their cyber resilience." Companies' Confidence In Cyber Resilience Doesn't Match Recovery Restoration Realities Cyber resilience is the technology backbone for business continuity. Cyber resilience defines companies' ability to recover their data and restore business processes when they suffer a cyberattack. However, cyber resilience remains a challenge that threatens business continuity, according to respondents: Only 2% of respondents said they could recover data restore business processes within 24 hours 18% said their company could recover data and restore business processes within 1-3 days 32% said they could recover and restore in 4 to 6 days, while 31% would need 1-2 weeks Almost 1 in 6 (16%) need over three weeks to recover data and restore business processes Conversely, when asked what their organization's 'targeted optimum recovery time objectives (RTO) to minimize business impact in the event of a cyberattack or incident of compromise' was, 98% of respondents said their target was within one day, despite only 2% saying they could recover data and restore business processes within this same period. Almost 1 in 2 (45%) said their targeted optimum RTO was within two hours. Customers and consumers expect consistent continuity of operations or services, which is why effective cyber resilience is vital. Yet, only 2% said their organizations' tolerance to disruption of business continuity and downtime due to a cyberattack or data breach was within 24 hours. In fact, 31% of respondents said their business' tolerance for downtime was between 1-3 days, 53% said up to 4-6 days, and 12% said more than a week. Interestingly, almost 1 in 2 (49%) respondents said they had stress-tested their 'data security, data management, and data recovery processes or solutions', by simulating a response to a cyber event or data breach, in the past six months. Zero Trust Security Data Privacy Remains A Challenge Despite Enhanced Regulations Legislation Over half (54%) of respondents said their 'centralized visibility' of critical data between IT Security could be improved to detect anomalies and determine sensitive data exposure or breaches. When asked about their data access control measures to align with zero trust security principles, barely more than half of companies had deployed multi-factor authentication, and less than half had deployed features requiring multiple approvals before changes to data or role-based access controls: Multi-factor Authentication (MFA): 52% 52% Quorum Controls or Administrative Rules requiring multiple approvals: 49% 49% Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) 46% "The most vital element of cyber resilience is the ability to recover business-critical data that restores key business processes. But you can't restore critical data if you don't secure it first from external or internal threats. This starts with deploying effective data access controls like multi-factor authentication (MFA) and role-based access controls (RBAC)," said Brian Spanswick, CISO and CIO, Cohesity. "The fact that almost 1 in 2 organizations are not implementing these controls to protect sensitive data is alarming and demonstrates a significant risk to an organization's cyber resilience. Especially given that everyday consumers and end-users are often and rightly required to have MFA enabled to secure their account credentials, with MFA also an important defense measure against AI-based attack techniques." Despite governments and public institutions going to great lengths to encourage more robust cybersecurity, data protection, and data privacy measures, only 42% of respondents said they had all the IT Security technology capabilities to identify sensitive data and comply with applicable data privacy laws and regulations. Yet, 79% of respondents also said that 'advanced threat detection, data isolation, and data classification were vital' to their organization's qualification for cyber insurance or to secure discounts on their cyber insurance policies. When asked 'What, if any, industries and/or sectors do you think are most impacted by cyberattacks?', respondents selected these as the 'Top 7' industries or sectors most impacted5 Globally: IT Technology 40% Banking Wealth Management 27% Financial Services (including insurance companies) 27% Telecommunications Media (including streaming services) 24% Government Public Services 23% Utilities (including Water, Electricity, Gas, and other energy services companies) 21% Manufacturing 21% AI A Plus Minus In Managing Escalating Cyber Threats According to respondents, organizations must now contend with AI-based cyberattacks or cyber threats, with 4 in 5 (80%) respondents saying they had responded to what they believe to be AI-based attacks or threats within the last 12 months. Of those respondents who said: "Yes", 82% said they had the 'necessary AI-powered solutions to counter and respond to these attacks.' Of the 18% who said they had not responded to AI-based cyberattacks or cyber threats in the past year, less than half (49%) said they have the 'necessary AI-powered solutions to counter and respond to these attacks', over a third (36%) said they do not, and close to 1 in 7 (15%) said they were unsure. "Cyber resilience is critical because the incentive and motivation of attackers is so high, with attack surfaces incredibly vast, so a reliance on protective controls is unrealistic," said Brian Spanswick, CISO and CIO, Cohesity. "Successful cyberattacks and data breaches severely disrupt business continuity, impacting revenue, reputation, and customer trust. This risk must be at the forefront of business leaders' priorities, not just IT and Security leaders. Similarly, regulation and legislation should not be seen by companies as the 'ceiling,' but instead the 'floor,' in both developing cyber resilience and adopting data security or recovery capabilities." About the survey: The findings are based on a survey of 3139 IT Security decision-makers (split as close to 50:50 as possible) commissioned by Cohesity and conducted by Censuswide between 27.06.2024 18.07.2024. The top five industries that respondents selected as best representing their company's operations were IT Telecommunications, Manufacturing, Financial Services (incl. Insurance), Banking Wealth Management, and Hospitals Healthcare. Censuswide abides by and employs the Market Research Society members, follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles, and is a member of the British Polling Council. Additional Resources Find out about how Cohesity can improve your cyber resilience and data security. Get the news in the Cohesity newsroom read Cohesity blogs. Follow Cohesity on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and LinkedIn. About Cohesity Cohesity is a leader in AI-powered data security and management. Aided by an extensive ecosystem of partners, Cohesity makes it easier to secure, protect, manage, and get value from data across the data center, edge, and cloud. Cohesity helps organizations defend against cybersecurity threats with comprehensive data security and management capabilities, including immutable backup snapshots, AI-based threat detection, monitoring for malicious behavior, and rapid recovery at scale. Cohesity solutions can be delivered as a service, self-managed, or provided by a Cohesity-powered partner. Cohesity is headquartered in San Jose, CA, and is trusted by the world's largest enterprises, including 47 of the Fortune 100. _______________________________ 1 Respondents were polled in: Australia, France, Germany, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States. 2 Respondents were provided with the NIST definition of cyber resiliency at the start of the survey: "The ability to anticipate, withstand, recover from, and adapt to adverse conditions, stresses, attacks, or compromises on systems that use or are enabled by cyber resources. Cyber resiliency is intended to enable mission or business objectives that depend on cyber resources to be achieved in a contested cyber environment." 3 11% said 'maybe, depending on the ransom amount.' 4 Respondents were asked to select the ransom amount they had paid with the last year, or if they had paid multiple ransoms to select the total amount of the ransoms they had paid. 5 Respondents were asked to select their 'Top 7'. This is why the percentage figures total over 100% for this data set. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240815400085/en/ Contacts: Media Contact Michael Thacker michael.thacker@cohesity.com +1-415-205-8326 DAVENPORT, Iowa, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Supply chain issues are well-known and have affected the American manufacturing sector. But when Battelle's Armored Commercial Vehicles line needs specialty parts, American Power Systems (APS) comes through. Based on consistent delivery when faced with anything from innovative supply chain management to emergency timelines and critical procurement challenges, APS has been a trusted partner and is Battelle's Small Business Supplier of the Year. "The challenges have been tough, but APS has allowed us to deliver our product to our customers," said Battelle Chief Financial Officer Chris Boynton. "We thank them for their contribution to our success. The response time and quality of products have been essential. Their power management systems help us bring our service members home safe." APS President & CEO Amy Lank and Senior Program Manager Phillip Potter traveled to Battelle's Columbus, Ohio, headquarters recently to accept the award. "APS is so honored by this recognition. Being a small business allows us to be flexible and nimble when customer needs like Battelle's arise," said Lank. "It is gratifying to know that we at American Power Systems are making a real difference, not just in Battelle's ability to get the job done, but ultimately in keeping the military personnel they support safe in the field no matter where the mission takes them." About Battelle Every day, the people of Battelle apply science and technology to solving what matters most. At major technology centers and national laboratories around the world, Battelle conducts research and development, designs and manufactures products, and delivers critical services for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio since its founding in 1929, Battelle serves the national security, health and life sciences, and energy and environmental industries. For more information, visit www.battelle.org. About American Power Systems, Inc. Headquartered in Davenport, Iowa, American Power Systems, Inc., specializes in the innovation and custom crafting of power conversion and distribution systems for armored, security, commercial, marine and purpose-built specialty vehicles. APS products include high output alternators, custom alternator brackets and dual alternator bracket kits, DC-DC boost converters, DC-DC step down converters, high idle switches, and more. To date, APS products have been used on more than 10,000 vehicles across multiple continents, including Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and Australia. For more information, visit www.americanpowerinc.com. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/818643/American_Power_Systems_Inc_Logo_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/american-power-systems-inc-honored-as-battelles-small-business-supplier-of-the-year-302222855.html Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 15, 2024) - Indigo Exploration Inc. (TSXV: IXI) (OTCQB: IXIXF) FSE: INEN) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that further to its news release dated July 9, 2024, it has received TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") approval for and completed the acquisition of a 100% interest in the Hot Property (the "Property"), a highly prospective uranium project located in the past producing Shirley Basin of Wyoming, comprised of 71 unpatented mineral claims covering a 5.75 km2 area (the "Acquisition"). The Hot Property claims have seen extensive historical exploration dating back to the 1960's with over 200 holes drilled including near-surface intercepts of 1.83 metres of 1.1% U3O8 at a depth of 43.0 metres and 3.35 metres of 0.28% U3O8 at a depth of 26.8 metres. The Project is located adjacent to Uranium Energy Corp.'s (UEC-NYSE) Shirley Basin project, Ur-Energy Inc.'s (URG-NYSE) Shirley Basin mine, and Nuclear Fuels Inc.'s (NF-CSE) Bobcat Uranium Project. Ur-Energy's Shirley Basin project hosts an NI 43-101 Measured and Indicated Resource of 8.8 Mlb U3O8 grading 0.23%1 and is currently under construction2. The Shirley Basin of Wyoming Wyoming represents the largest uranium producing state and contains the greatest uranium ore reserves within the United States. The Shirley Basin located 40 miles southwest of Casper, Wyoming, produced over 51 million pounds of U3O8 from 1960 to 1992 at an average grade of 0.22% U3O8. The Shirley Basin mines closed not for a lack of resource but due to lower uranium prices. The importance and relevance of the Shirley Basin today is reflected in production resurgence with Ur-Energy's production plans. Figure 1: Shirley Basin Uranium Project Map To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3717/220035_0236b77484564be3_001full.jpg Hot Property The Hot Property is strategically located just 800m east (0.5 mile) of an historic production area and 1.8km (1.1 miles) from Ur-Energy's uranium resource. Indigo uncovered 202 drill logs from public records from holes drilled in the 1950's on ground now covered by the Hot Property. One intercept (H1-Zeb-44) encountered 1.83m of 1.1% U3O8 at a depth of 43.0m and a second hole (H6-Zeb-44) encountered 3.35m of 0.28% U3O8 at a depth of 26.8m. Of the 202 holes, approximately 46% intercepted shallow uranium mineralization. Depth to mineralization ranges from 3m to 130m but average 46m deep in Eocene-aged Wind River Formation, the uranium host unit in the Shirley Basin. The Hot Property is particularly promising as one third of the mineralized holes on the property have two or more uranium intercepts. Company geologists have designed an initial 50-hole reverse circulation drill program and has submitted a Notice of Intent permit application to the BLM for permitting of the RC drill program. 1 Updated Initial Assessment Technical Report Summary on Shirley Basin ISR Uranium Project, Carbon County Wyoming, USA dated March 4, 2024 and prepared by Western Water Consultants, Inc. 2 Ur-Energy Announces Decision to Build Out Shirley Basin Mine: Press Release dated March 13, 2024 Terms of Transaction Pursuant to the Acquisition, the Company has acquired a 100% interest in a private limited liability Arizona company which holds the Property claims. The Company has paid an aggregate of CDN$20,000 and made a share issuance of 200,000 shares of the Company to earn the 100% interest, without any NSR royalty. In addition to the Acquisition costs, the Company will assume the annual land holding costs for the Property, which will amount to US$14,200 before September 1, 2024. The transaction closed on August 14, 2024. Bradley Parkes, P.Geo., VP Exploration and Director of Indigo Exploration Inc., is the Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101, who has read and approved the technical content of this news release. This news release includes certain forward-looking statements as well as management's objectives, strategies, beliefs and intentions. Forward looking statements are frequently identified by such words as "may", "will", "plan", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "intend" and similar words referring to future events and results. Forward-looking statements are based on the current opinions and expectations of management. All forward-looking information is inherently uncertain and subject to a variety of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, fluctuating commodity prices, competitive risks and the availability of financing, as described in more detail in our recent securities filings available at www.sedar.com. Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements and we caution against placing undue reliance thereon. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulations Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/220035 SOURCE: Indigo Exploration Inc. Today, Liberated Syndication Inc. ("Libsyn"), the leading podcasting platform for creators and advertisers, and Barometer, a contextual AI engine redefining the legacy of contextual targeting and brand suitability, announced a strategic partnership to ensure brand safety across Libsyn's extensive podcasting marketplace - providing continuous verification of brand suitability for every podcast episode. Podcast advertising revenues are projected to grow by 12% this year, surpassing $2 billion, and are on track to reach nearly $2.6 billion by 2026, according to the IAB. As more advertisers enter the podcasting realm and increase their ad spending to build authentic connections and drive consumer action, they're seeking assurances that their ads appear in podcast content that aligns with their brand values. Barometer's innovative technology evaluates every podcast episode against each advertiser's unique standards of brand safety and suitability. Traditional keyword-based brand safety solutions deliver sub-optimal outcomes. Instead, Barometer's AI-powered approach brings context back into the picture. Advertisers can customize and curate campaigns based on custom requirements using Barometer's unique curation capabilities. This partnership offers a robust and nuanced approach to evaluating and aligning content with brand values, emphasizing brand suitability, authenticity in tone, and alignment with content creators. "With our extensive catalog of thousands of shows, from independent creators to established names, we have expert insights into our inventory," said Stephen Pickens, Executive Vice President of Sales at Libsyn Ads. "Partnering with Barometer, a leader in podcast brand suitability, allows us to uniquely customize and group our inventory to meet the specific brand safety needs of our advertisers. We're thrilled to build on this partnership to foster trust and authenticity in every episode, ensuring that every brand's message aligns perfectly with the audiences across our expansive creator marketplace." Tamara Zubatiy, Co-Founder and CEO of Barometer, stated, "Libsyn has been a pioneer in podcast advertising and together, we look forward to educating advertisers on the evolution of brand safety, brand suitability and contextual targeting in podcasting and providing tools that offer a customized approach to understanding the content they're engaging with, while also simplifying the alignment of their ad spend with their brand values." With its expansive catalog of hundreds of exclusive podcasts and thousands of participating shows, Libsyn's full-service advertising solution offers advertisers invaluable monetization opportunities to access sought-after podcast advertising inventory like ABC Audio, The Viall Files, Aaron Mahnke's Lore, Darknet Diaries, The John Campea Show, Newsworthy, Berner Phone, and more. This partnership marks another milestone for Libsyn as the Company celebrates its 20th year in podcasting. Over the years, Libsyn has made substantial investments in platform innovations, particularly in expanding its advertising offerings and enhancing industry-leading tools for creators and advertisers. About Liberated Syndication Celebrating our 20th year in podcasting, Liberated Syndication Inc. ("Libsyn") is the leading podcasting platform for creators and advertisers to host, distribute, monetize, amplify, and measure their audio and video content. The Company hosts more than 75,000 shows and delivers over 8 billion downloads to listeners globally. Libsyn Ads offers industry-leading podcast advertising solutions, serving as a comprehensive ad buying and management offering for creators, advertisers, and agencies to initiate and manage highly targeted campaigns across thousands of shows. Visit libsyn.com or investor.libsyn.com for more information on the Company and the platforms that it powers. About Barometer Barometer is an omnichannel, AI-powered contextual engine with best-in-class brand suitability and contextual targeting solutions in audio. They help the largest brands in the world responsibly activate at scale in impactful channels like podcasts. Their patent-pending AI Brand Integrity Cloud uses natural language processing to analyze podcasts based on industry-standard taxonomies, including the IAB Content taxonomy 3.0 for contextual targeting and the Barometer Brand Standard Categories. These solutions drive radical transparency across the entire ad ecosystem building trust between the buy and sell sides to usher in a new era of scale and contextual understanding. Our proprietary, multimodal, contextual (and not keywords-based) technology makes brand suitability a process of INCLUSION rather than a block-list generator. Furthermore, through our investment in ensuring diverse voices & news content are not anti-targeted inadvertently, Barometer helps brands ensure their brand standards don't come at the cost of their brand values. For more information, visit http://www.thebarometer.co. Media Contacts: Libsyn - Ray Yeung + Nancy Zakhary | ray@relev8.co + nancy@relev8.co Barometer - Gabriella Reznick + Tamara Zubatiy | ella@thebarometer.co + tamara@thebarometer.co Investor Contact: Libsyn - investor@libsyn.com SOURCE: Liberated Syndication, Inc. View the original press release on accesswire.com Phoenix, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - August 15, 2024) - SinglePoint Inc. (CBOE: SING) a leading provider in the renewable energy sector, issues an update to shareholders detailing the effects of the 1-for-100 Reverse Stock Split. The Reverse Stock Split approved by the Company's Board of Directors and ratified by a majority of the voting shareholders became effective as of the opening of trading on Thursday, August 15, 2024. The Company utilized the provisions of the Nevada Revised Statutes to simultaneously reduce the number of authorized shares and the outstanding shares of common stock of the corporation. The Company is affecting the Reverse Stock Split to cure the minimum bid price deficiency in efforts to remain listed on the Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc. Listing Qualifications Department (the "Staff") of Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc. (the "Exchange") previously issued deficiency notifications to SinglePoint, Inc. (the "Company") for non-compliance with Exchange Rules 14.9(e)(1)(B) (the "Bid Price Rule"). Based on a review of the bid price of the Company's common stock between January 16, 2024, and February 27, 2024 (the "Review Period"), the Staff determined that the Company's common shares did not meet the minimum bid price requirement set forth in the Bid Price Rule, which requires a minimum bid price of $1.00 per share on a continuous basis. The compliance period was determined by the Staff to be February 28, 2024, to August 26, 2024 (the "Compliance Period"). Wil Ralston, Chairman and CEO of the Company, commented, "SinglePoint is committed to taking all reasonable steps and corporate actions necessary to preserve compliance with listing requirements of the national exchanges. We continue to believe that maintaining our listing on a senior national exchange is a long-term value for our shareholders through enhanced trading volume and liquidity." The Company effected the Reverse Stock Split pursuant to the Company's filing of a Certificate of Change (the "Certificate") with the Secretary of State of the State of Nevada in accordance with Nevada Revised Statutes ("NRS") Section 78.209. Under Nevada law, no amendment to the Company's Articles of Incorporation was required in connection with the Reverse Stock Split. Under Nevada law, because the Reverse Stock Split was approved by the Board of Directors of the Company in accordance with NRS Section 78.207, no stockholder approval is required. Pursuant to NRS Section 78.207, the Company may affect the Reverse Stock Split without stockholder approval if (i) both the number of authorized shares of the Common Stock and the number of issued and outstanding shares of the Common Stock are proportionally reduced as a result of the Reverse Stock Split; (ii) the Reverse Stock Split does not adversely affect any other class of stock of the Company; and, (iii) the Company does not pay money or issue scrip to stockholders who would otherwise be entitled to receive a fractional share as a result of the Reverse Stock Split. As described herein, the Reverse Stock Split complies with such requirements. Shares of SinglePoint began trading on a split-adjusted basis on the Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc under the same symbol SING. The new CUSIP number for the common stock is 82932V508. With the effect of the Reverse Stock Split, every 100 common shares outstanding automatically combines into 1 new share with no change in the par value. All stockholders who would hold fractional shares after the Reverse Stock Split were automatically rounded up to the next whole number and no cash will be paid for such fractions. Additionally, the Board of Directors approved special treatment to preserve round lot shareholders that was applied to stockholders that fell below 100 shares as a result of the 1-for-100 split. Any stockholder as of the record date that fell below 100 shares of common stock will be automatically rounded up to one hundred shares of common stock. The Company intends to treat stockholders holding shares of Common Stock in "street name" (that is, held through a bank, broker or other nominee) in the same manner as stockholders of record whose shares of Common Stock are registered in their names. Banks, brokers or other nominees will be instructed to affect the Reverse Stock Split for their beneficial holders holding shares of our Common Stock in "street name;" however, these banks, brokers or other nominees may apply their own specific procedures for processing the Reverse Stock Split. Stockholders who are holding their shares in electronic form at brokerage firms do not need to take any action, as the effect of the Reverse Stock Split will automatically be reflected in their brokerage accounts. Stockholders holding paper certificates may (but are not required to) send the certificates to the Company's transfer agent and registrar, VStock Transfer LLC ("VStock Transfer") at the address set forth below. VStock Transfer will issue a new stock certificate reflecting the Reverse Stock Split to each requesting stockholder. VStock Transfer can be contacted at (212) 828-8436. VStock Transfer, LLC 18 Lafayette Place Woodmere, NY 11598 Phone: 212.828.8436 Toll-Free: 855-9VSTOCK Fax: 646-536-3179 Email: info@vstocktransfer.com About SinglePoint Inc. SinglePoint Inc. is a renewable energy and sustainable lifestyle company focused on providing environmentally friendly energy efficiencies and healthy living solutions. SinglePoint is initially focused on building the largest network of renewable energy solutions and modernizing the traditional solar and energy storage model. The Company is also actively exploring future growth opportunities in air purification, electric vehicle charging, solar as a subscription service, and additional energy efficiencies that enhance sustainability and a healthier life. For more information, visit the Company's website (www.singlepoint.com). Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes "forward-looking statements". These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of SinglePoint's management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/220042 SOURCE: Hawk Point Media Group. EMMA GREDE MO GAWDAT HEADLINE UNITE 24, THE WORLD'S LEADING EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE EVENT Recognized as one of America's Richest Self-Made Women by Forbes, Emma Grede is a British businesswoman, serial entrepreneur, and philanthropist. The Co-Founder CEO of Good American, Founding Partner of SKIMS and Chairwoman of The Fifteen Percent Pledge will share her tips on engaging a global audience and leveraging the power of purpose to rally people behind your vision Former Google X Chief Business Officer Mo Gawdat asks what role happiness could play in unlocking growth within organizations and champions the role of the Chief Happiness Officer Organizational Velocity takes center stage at Unite 24 as the world's largest companies discover how to maximize performance across a global, modern workforce that's changed forever Unily the market-leading Employee Experience (EX) Platform, has announced Emma Grede and Mo Gawdat as headline speakers at the industry's most renowned EX conference, Unite 24Grede, the multihyphenate mogul behind some of the most disruptive brands of the decade including Good American, SKIMS, and Safely and Gawdat, the globally-renowned expert in AI, willlead an agenda of industry visionaries presenting the latest employee engagement strategies in front of 3,500+ attendees, between 15 and 16 October, at the iconic 22 Bishopsgate in London, UK. At a time when 80% of the global workforce is disengaged, employee burnout is at a record high, and connection to company purpose has plummeted to a record low, enterprises need a new approach to building the ultimate employee experience. As the leader in solving these challenges, Unily launched Unite to connect and inspire enterprise leaders striving to make change happen and create the best future of work. Unite is now a cornerstone of the EX calendar, boasting the largest audience of enterprise EX leaders anywhere in the world. In its fifth year, Unite 24 will explore today's EX challenges through the lens of Organizational Velocity, the ability of modern organizations to maximize performance across a global, modern workforce that's changed forever. Headliners offer insight into disruption and propose happiness as the key to success. Emma Grede is recognized as one of America's Richest Self-Made Women by Forbes. The British businesswoman, serial entrepreneur, and philanthropist will take to the main stage on Day 1 in a session titled "The New Rules of Engagement". The talk focuses on providing attendees access to the latest strategies to help the next generation of business leaders position themselves for success. With so many enterprises at risk of being replaced by disruptive brands waiting in the wings, Emma Grede offers a rare insight into how those disruptors, helmed by the next generation of business leaders, are positioning for success. She will share her strategies for carving out niches in crowded markets, engaging global audiences, leading with authenticity, fueling a high-performance culture, and activating employees as brand ambassadors. On Day 2, Mo Gawdat asks three thought-provoking questions: What would happen if we increased the happiness of our workforce by just 1%? Can happiness be a catalyst for productivity and innovation? And will we be happier in the age of AI?The former Chief Business Officer at Google X and thought leader on happiness and AI will challenge attendees to redefine their formula for success and discover a future where happiness powers growth. As enterprises struggle to shape-shift their workforce to always meet what's next, suffering from organizational lethargy, Mo Gawdat explores the potential of a Chief Happiness Officer to help unlock performance, reshape corporate culture, and build resilience against burnout. Driving Organizational Velocity at Unite 24 Grede and Gawdat headline an agenda of inspiring stories and critical discussions on how the world's leading companies are maximizing Organizational Velocity. These organizations have proven their ability to make sharp pivots, embrace frictionless operations, and stay one step ahead with a global, modern workforce that has become borderless, flexible, hyper-distributed, diverse, and unbound by roles, functions or hierarchies. "The performance champions of the next decade are the companies that maximize Organizational Velocity," said Chris Ciauri, CEO, Unily. "Our years of experience working with large companies has shown that most suffer from organizational lethargy, with employees stuck in silos, not engaged or actively disengaged. We call this the Velocity Drain, one of the enterprise's greatest threats today. At Unite 24, we answer the question: how can today's enterprise leaders maneuver their complex, multinational organizations at new speed with a modern digital workforce?" Unite 24 is a two-day event offering valuable insights into strategies for maximizing Organizational Velocity, addressing AI's promise, and helping build the ultimate employee experience playbook. Attendees will have their choice of panels, spotlights, and deep dives into the future of employee experience, employee journeys, and building the EX super team, featuring industry speakers from such recognizable brands as Estee Lauder Companies, British Airways, David Lloyd, American Airlines, Aflac, Lloyds Banking Group, Pearson, BBC, and Microsoft "Unite 24 is a unique opportunity for business leaders to prepare for what's next," added Ciauri. "We believe that every attendee will better understand the challenges that the Velocity Drain presents and will come armed with the strategies and tools to maximize Organizational Velocity in their company. We're excited to welcome the world to London this October as Unite kicks off for the fifth year." For more information, visit the Unite 24 official website: https://www.unily.com/unite About Unily Unily is the leading employee experience platform used by enterprises to engage, empower, and inspire employees, and is positioned by Gartner as a Leader in its 2023 Magic Quadrant for Intranet Packaged Solutions. Enterprises around the globe, including CVS Health, Johnson Johnson, The Estee Lauder Companies, Shell, Wipro, and many more rely on Unily's world-class, AI-enhanced SaaS technology to transform their employee engagement and alignment effectively and create exceptional employee experiences. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240815154843/en/ Contacts: Red Lorry Yellow Lorry (on behalf of Unily) unily@rlyl.com PHILADELPHIA, PA / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 / One of Philadelphia's leading personal injury firms, Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers has just unveiled a brand-new website designed to enhance user experience and reflect its position at the forefront of legal innovation. The website's cutting-edge design and seamless functionality across all devices reflect the firm's commitment to providing exceptional service to its clients. Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers in Philadelphia Now, it is easier to access the law firm's "Case Results" section, where visitors can explore its top successes on behalf of injured clients. The homepage also highlights practice areas with newly designed icons for a more intuitive navigation experience. Additionally, the "Areas Served" page has been renewed to easily explore the cities and neighborhoods the law firm serves. The firm hopes that these updates will elevate the user experience on its website and allow users to quickly access the catalog of helpful information on the site. About Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers With a combined experience of over 80 years, partners Ryan Zavodnick, Howard Zavodnick, and Todd Lasky have established a reputation for handling even the most complex injury and accident cases in Pennsylvania. Our client-centric approach is evident in our mission to treat each client like family and secure the maximum compensation possible. The firm's personal injury team has successfully recovered millions of dollars for our clients, demonstrating our expertise in various practice areas, including car accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, wrongful death claims, and workers' compensation claims. Our lawyers have been recognized by The National Trial Lawyers, Super Lawyers, and Expertise, to name a few. Whether you prefer an in-office consultation, a virtual meeting or a visit to your home or hospital, the attorneys at Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers are available to discuss your case. If you or a loved one has suffered a personal injury in the Philadelphia area, don't hesitate to contact us for a free consultation. The firm offers contingency fee arrangements for all personal injury clients, ensuring that accident victims in Philly have access to affordable, high-quality legal representation. Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers - Philadelphia 123 S. Broad St., #1220 Philadelphia, PA 19109 Phone: (215) 875-7030 Website: https://www.zavodnicklaw.com/about-our-law-firm/ Contact Information Ryan Zavodnick Philadelphia Personal Injury Lawyer zavodnickpersonalinjury@gmail.com (215) 875-7030 SOURCE: Zavodnick & Lasky Personal Injury Lawyers View the original press release on newswire.com. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 15, 2024) - Besra Gold Inc. (ASX: BEZ) (the Company) is very pleased to announce the appointment of Renee Minchin as the Company's Chief Financial Officer. Renee Minchin is the founder and Principal of her own accounting practice, where she provides comprehensive accounting services across a diverse array of industries, including financial services, technology, hospitality and the resources sector. Renee's academic credentials include a Bachelor of Business in both Accounting and Management from Monash University. She is a Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA), an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia (GIA) and a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators. Additionally, Renee is a registered BAS Agent with the Tax Practitioners Board and an ASIC Agent. Renee holds a Member in Practice status with CIMA. This announcement was authorised for release by Kenny Lee (Executive Director). Michael Higginson Company Secretary To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/220052 SOURCE: Besra Gold Inc. Lachute, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - August 15, 2024) - Quebec Innovative Materials Corp. (CSE: QIMC) (FSE: 7FJ) ("QI Materials", "QIMC" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce the successful extension of Line 1 to the west, executed in partnership with INRS (Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique) doubling Line 1's area of high hydrogen values to over 3.25 kms. Additionally, we are proud to present the comprehensive hydrogen model developed by Professor Marc Richer-Lafleche and share insights into the sources of the clean natural renewable identified in the Ville Marie project. "The potential for developing a robust hydrogen infrastructure at Ville Marie and St-Bruno-de-Guigues is crucial for meeting local community needs and supporting Quebec's broader clean emission goals.." notes John Karagiannidis, CEO of QIMC. "This initiative is expected to play a vital role in reducing Quebec's greenhouse gas emissions and fostering sustainable energy practices." Completion of Line 1 Extension to the West To delineate the area of high hydrogen values observed along line 1 of the July 2024 soil-gas survey, the field crew extended line 1 westward during the first week of August 2024. The extension starts at the end of the forest trail and ends near the chemin des secondes et troisiemes rangs of St-Bruno-de-Guigues (line 7), thus doubling the length of line 1. Professor Marc Richer-Lafleche, head of the QIMC hydrogen program and INRS's scientific head of Applies Geoscience Laboratory notes: "The concentration distribution of the hydrogen soil anomalies (figure 1) emphasizes a westward delineation of the hydrogen anomaly domain. This spatial variability may reflect, among other things, the presence of contrasting geological units (arkosic sandstones, Cobalt Group conglomerates, Ordovician dolomitic limestones) and also the probable presence of the Riviere-Blanche fault, which may be present in the St-Bruno-de-Guigues area beneath the thick glacial-lacustrine sediments." "We believe that this fault is partly responsible for the emplacement of hydrogen in the St-Bruno-de-Guigues area." said John Karagiannidis, President of QIMC. "The location of this fault is a priority for QIMC and INRS and will be the subject of a high spatial resolution audiomagnetotelluric survey to be carried out in the fall of 2024." To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7968/220059_318ac4c1543ccb8c_001full.jpg Diagram showing the variation of soil H2 concentrations along the St-Bruno-de-Guigues section of Line 1. The new data presented in this release correspond to stations from 1700 m to 3250 m. Hydrogen Model Professor Marc Richer Lafleche observes: "In addition to bedrock lithological contrasts, local Quaternary features may explain some of the trends observed in the distribution of soil hydrogen concentrations. For example, MRNF drill data from the Line 1 sector (intersection of Route 101 and Chemin du 4e Rang) indicate the presence of a 6 m thick gravel unit above the bedrock. This is overlain by 55 m of sandy-silty sediments of glaciolacustrine origin (MacIntosh, 1973: GM 29616; SIGEOM). Thickness variations from east to west of the gravelly unit (a more permeable, porous and lenticular unit) may partially control the distribution of hydrogen along Line 1." John Karagiannidis, president of QIMC notes: "This will be further verified by a geoelectric tomography (ERT) survey in the fall of 2024 and by a series of geotechnical boreholes in the spring of 2025." Sources of natural clean renewable hydrogen at St-Bruno-de-Guigues The geological map in Figure 2 shows the local geology in the vicinity of Line 1 at St-Bruno-de-Guigues. The volcanic belt of the Baby Group, including 4 units of iron formations (with extensions of the order of 10 km), basaltic tholeiites (iron-rich amphibolites) and peridotites and komatiites (ultramagnesian rocks), is perpendicular to the graben and basins of Huronian (Cobalt Gp) and Ordovician (New-Liskeard Gp) sedimentary rocks (Richer-LaFleche et al., 2020). "This overlap implies the presence of Fe- and Mg-rich Archean rocks beneath the Proterozoic sedimentary rocks of the graben." states Professor Marc Richer-Lafleche. "Furthermore, this interpretation is supported by MRNF aeromagnetic data (SIGEOM interactive map), which show a westward continuity of magnetic anomalies originating from the magnetic rocks of the Baby Gp. The presence of mafic and ultramafic rocks that may contain olivine relics and a high proportion of amphiboles could explain the hydrogen production." explains Professor Marc Richer- Lafleche. "Note that during the hydration process, H2O is reduced to H2 by Fe2+-rich mafic and ultramafic minerals. On the other hand, Cobalt Group arkosic sandstones, which are particularly rich in potassium and actinides, are ideal for the production of radiolytic hydrogen. The interaction of deep groundwater with these rocks could produce radiolytic hydrogen. This hydrogen could mix with hydrogen produced by mineral hydrolysis." Figure 2: Simplified geological map of the St-Bruno-de-Guigues and St-Eugene de Guigues regions (Source MRNF: SIGEOM). To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7968/220059_318ac4c1543ccb8c_002full.jpg "Our exploration of hydrogen within the Ville Marie project continues to yield significant results and our partner at INRS has developed a comprehensive model", states John Karagiannidis, president of QIMC. "The Ville Marie asset's geological and environmental characteristics offer a unique opportunity to establish a robust hydrogen energy network, which will play a critical role in Quebec's overall strategy to advance clean energy and support a low-carbon economy." REF: Richer-LaFleche, Moorhead, J., and Gouthier, J., 2020. Geology and geochemistry of the volcanic rocks of the Baby Group and the Archean and Proterozoic sedimentary rocks of the Pontiac and Cobalt Groups in Temiscamingue. MB 2020-12, 2020. 198 pages. About the INRS and Pr. Marc Richer-LaFleche, P.Geo. The Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique ("INRS") is a high-level research and training institute. Pr. Richer-LaFleche's team has exceptional geological, geochemical and geophysical experience specifically in the regions of QIMC's newly acquired claims. They have carried out over six years of geophysical and geochemical work and collected thousands of C1-C4 Soil-Gas analyses. M. Richer-LaFleche also holds an FRQNT grant, in partnership with Quebec MRN and the mining industry, to develop and optimize a Soil-Gas method for the direct detection of mineralized bodies and faults under Quaternary cover. In addition to sulphide gases, hydrogen was systematically analyzed in the numerous surveys carried out in 2023 in Abitibi, Temiscamingue and also in the Quebec Appachian. M. Richer-LaFleche is the Qualified Person responsible for the technical information contained in this news release and has read the information contained herein. In addition, the INRS team has several portable gas spectrometers and the sampling equipment and logistics necessary for taking gas samples and geophysical measurements on the ground or in the aquatic environment. He is a professional geologist registered with the Ordre des geologues du Quebec and is the Qualified Person responsible for the technical information contained in this news release and has read the information contained herein. For more information about Quebec Innovative Materials Corp. and its products, please visit www.qimaterials.com About Quebec Innovative Materials Corp. Quebec Innovative Materials Corp. is a mineral exploration, and development company dedicated to exploring and harnessing the potential of Canada's abundant resources. With properties in Ontario and Quebec, QIMC is focused on specializing in the exploration of white (natural) hydrogen and high-grade silica deposits, QIMC is committed to sustainable practices and innovation. With a focus on environmental stewardship and cutting-edge extraction technology, we aim to unlock the full potential of these materials to drive forward clean energy solutions to power the AI and carbon-neutral economy and contribute to a more sustainable future. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the CSE policies) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements". Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Quebec Innovative Materials' actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur. Although Quebec Innovative Materials believes the forward-looking information contained in this news release is reasonable based on information available on the date hereof, by their nature, forward-looking statements involve assumptions, known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Examples of such assumptions, risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, assumptions, risks and uncertainties associated with general economic conditions; adverse industry events; future legislative and regulatory developments in the mining sector; the Company's ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favorable terms; mining industry and markets in Canada and generally; the ability of Quebec Innovative Materials Corp. to implement its business strategies; competition; and other assumptions, risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. While the Company may elect to, it does not undertake to update this information at any particular time except as required in accordance with applicable laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/220059 SOURCE: Quebec Innovative Materials Corp. HNR Acquisition Corp (NYSE American:HNRA) (the "Company" or "HNRA") is an independent upstream energy company with oil and gas properties in the Permian Basin. Today, the Company announces key infrastructure improvements and upgrades to the electrical systems that will increase capacity for current needs and future growth, and enhance reliability of overall system which will provide consistency in performance and production. The field has three water stations to service the major sections of the water flood operations. The Russell Turner Water Station had low capacity and unreliable performance. The Company has assessed the electrical system and is in process of making upgrades of: Replacing and upgrading the transformer to a new reliable transformer. The replacement transformer will double the current capacity, which will satisfy current needs and provide capacity for our growth and expansion plans. The improvements will provide a constant electrical output and service which is better suited for all the downstream electronics, and minimize downtime caused by storms and other occurrences. Upgrading the lightning protection to minimize impacts of storms and protect the electrical equipment on the system Upgrading the horizonal pump, which is used to inject water, will greatly enhance our waterflood operations. The pump and related electronics have damage from past storms and issues. Accordingly, we are replacing with an upgraded horizonal pump and related electronics. "The electrical upgrades and improvements will greatly improve reliability and consistency of our operations, which will result in improved production in the areas affected by the conditions of the electrical systems," said Jesse Allen, Vice President of Operations. "Having the expanded electrical capacity will allow us to develop the property and grow production without electrical limitations." About the Oil Field Property In November 2023, the Company acquired LH Operating, LLC ("LHO") including its holdings in New Mexico of oil and gas waterflood production comprising 13,700 contiguous leasehold acres, 342 producing wells and 207 injection wells situated on 20 federal and 3 state leases in the Grayburg-Jackson Oil Field. The Grayburg-Jackson Oil Field is located on the Northwest Shelf of the prolific Permian Basin in Eddy County, New Mexico. Leasehold rights of LHO, now a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, include the Seven Rivers, Queen, Grayburg and San Andres intervals that range from as shallow as 1,500 feet to 4,000 feet in depth. The December 2023 reserve report from our third-party engineer, William H. Cobb and Associates, Inc. ("Cobb"), reflects LHO to have proven reserves of approximately 15.4 million barrels of oil and 3.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas. The mapped original-oil-in-place ("OOIP") in the LHO leasehold is approximately 876 million barrels of oil in the Grayburg and San Andres intervals and 80 million barrels in the Seven Rivers interval for a total OOIP of approximately 956,000,000 barrels of oil. Our primary production is currently from the Seven Rivers zone. In addition to proven reserves, the Company believes we may access an additional 34 million barrels of oil by adding perforations in the Grayburg and San Andres formations. With proven oil reserves of over 15 million barrels, combined with the potential 34 million additional barrels from the Grayburg and San Andres zones, LHO should produce oil and a revenue stream for more than two decades with a slow decline rate. About HNR Acquisition Corp HNRA is an independent upstream energy company focused on maximizing total returns to its shareholders through the development of onshore oil and natural gas properties in the United States. HNRA's long-term goal is to maximize total shareholder value from a diversified portfolio of long-life oil and natural gas properties built through acquisition and through selective development, production enhancement, and other exploitation efforts on its oil and natural gas properties. HNRA's Class A Common Stock trades on the NYSE American (NYSE American: HNRA) and our public warrants trade on the NYSE American (NYSE American: HNRAW). For more information on HNRA, please visit the Company's website: https://www.hnra-nyse.com/ Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from what is expected. Words such as "expects," "believes," "anticipates," "intends," "estimates," "seeks," "may," "might," "plan," "possible," "should" and variations and similar words and expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Such forward-looking statements relate to future events or future results, based on currently available information and reflect the Company's management's current beliefs. A number of factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from the events and results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Important factors - including the availability of funds, the results of financing efforts and the risks relating to our business - that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations are disclosed in the Company's documents filed from time to time on EDGAR (see www.edgar-online.com) and with the Securities and Exchange Commission (see www.sec.gov). Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Except as expressly required by applicable securities law, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Investor Relations Michael J. Porter, President PORTER, LEVAY & ROSE, INC. mike@plrinvest.com SOURCE: HNR Acquisition Corp View the original press release on accesswire.com Miami, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - August 15, 2024) - OysterLink, a restaurant and hospitality job platform, announces its list of the Top 10 restaurants in Miami with the best work environment. Best Restaurants in Miami to Work At To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10722/220054_background_11_1_550.jpg According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the leisure and hospitality industry has the highest quit rate versus other industries, recording a 4.9% in June 2024. Despite the numbers decreasing by 1.3% compared to June 2023, employee retention remains a challenge. OysterLink recognizes the importance of highlighting businesses that provide the best work environments based on employee feedback. These companies contribute to improving the industry's figures and the lives of its employees. The top Miami restaurants to work at are: Joe's Stone Crab - Started in 1913 by Joe Weiss. It has employed generations of families due to their familial work culture. Branja - A carefully curated space by MasterChef Tom Aviv offering mentorship opportunities to employees. Amara at Paraiso - The waterfront restaurant by James Beard Award-winning Chef and Owner Michael Schwartz also provides a great experience to its employees. Ostrow Brasserie - Miami's first Kosher-French restaurant by Chef Olivia Ostrow has a people-first work culture resulting in a healthy work environment. Zuma - A Japanese restaurant offering growth opportunities and free educational classes. Michael's Genuine Food & Drink - Michael Schwartz's flagship restaurant also joins the list for its focus on teamwork and effective communication with management. KYU - This award-winning Asian concept restaurant boasts a lower staff turnover rate than industry standards. Ariete - A Michelin-star restaurant serving modern American dishes with Cuban flair offers competitive pay and employee perks like food discounts and parking. Stubborn Seed - Another multi-award-winning restaurant joins the list for its emphasis on staff involvement and appreciation. Some employees highlight working with Top Chef and Owner Jeremy Ford. Lira Beirut Eatery - The restaurant by Gigi and Farid Lutfi brings the flavors of Lebanon to Miami backed up by a team that they consider a recipe for success. Explore the latest restaurant & hospitality job opportunities in the U.S. at https://oysterlink.com/ About OysterLink OysterLink is a job platform in the restaurant and hospitality industry. It features market trends and celebrity interviews to guide career growth. Currently, OysterLink attracts over 150,000 monthly visitors and is growing. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/220054 SOURCE: OysterLink Statkraft to purchase energy from Avangrid's 35 MW Casselman wind farm in Somerset County, Pennsylvania Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), a leading sustainable energy company and member of the Iberdrola Group, and Statkraft, Europe's largest producer of renewable energy, today announced the signing of a short-term Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA) for energy from Avangrid's 35 MW Casselman wind farm in Pennsylvania. This marks the second such deal between the two companies within the past nine months as they strengthen their growing relationship in the United States. Earlier this year, Avangrid and Statkraft announced a short-term VPPA for Avangrid's 300 MW Streator Cayuga Ridge South wind farm in Illinois. Statkraft and Iberdrola, S.A., Avangrid's parent company, have a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) in place for energy produced at Iberdrola's Korytnica II wind farm in Poland. "We are happy to continue building our U.S. relationship with Statkraft, a clean energy leader that aligns with our sustainability goals at Avangrid," said Pedro Azagra, Avangrid CEO. "This is further proof of an interested market for our productive merchant assets as we manage risk within our existing portfolio of projects. Additionally, partners like Statkraft are key to executing on our commitment to accelerating the clean energy transition." "Power purchase agreements are a key driver in moving the green transition forward", said Patrick Pfeiffer, Managing Director of Statkraft's operations in the United States. "As the demand for clean energy grows in the US, so does the need for providers like Statkraft: We are proud to support our partner Avangrid with long-term certainty, needed to thrive in a competitive market." The Casselman wind project reached commercial operation in 2007 and is located about 60 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, near the towns of Meyersdale and Rockwood. The plant's 23 wind turbines, with a combined capacity of 35 MW, are located on top of and near a rehabilitated surface mine, and bring clean energy jobs to the region. About Avangrid: Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) aspires to be the leading sustainable energy company in the United States. Headquartered in Orange, CT with approximately $46 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states, Avangrid has two primary lines of business: networks and renewables. Through its networks business, Avangrid owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Through its renewables business, Avangrid owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. Avangrid employs approximately 8,000 people and has been recognized by JUST Capital as one of the JUST 100 companies a ranking of America's best corporate citizens in 2024 for the fourth consecutive year. In 2024, Avangrid ranked first among utilities and 12 overall. The company supports the U.N.'s Sustainable Development Goals and was named among the World's Most Ethical Companies in 2024 for the sixth consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. Avangrid is a member of the group of companies controlled by Iberdrola, S.A. For more information, visit www.avangrid.com. About Statkraft US: Statkraft, Norway's state-owned renewable energy company, has been operating in the US renewable energy commodity markets since 2015. The company is an active participant in the US carbon, renewable energy and PPA markets, transacting with both renewable energy producers and consumers. From its two offices (Stamford, CT and San Francisco, CA), the local team is also responsible for representing the company's global portfolio to US clients and driving strategic business development in the US. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240815317991/en/ Contacts: Keaton Thomas Keaton.thomas@avangrid.com 503-956-9621 Maike Hohlbaum Maike.hohlbaum@statkraft.com +49-151-275-46308 Hove Capital Management, a distinguished wealth management firm established in 1997, is proud to highlight its expertise in fixed-rate bonds as a key driver of growth and innovation in the current economic climate. Recognized as one of the top five wealth management companies across Ireland and Europe, Hove Capital Management continues to deliver unparalleled investment solutions tailored to meet the needs of clients seeking stability and capital protection. As the global financial landscape faces ongoing challenges, including political shifts and economic disruptions similar to those experienced during the Trump administration and the COVID-19 pandemic, investors increasingly gravitate towards secure investment options. Fixed-rate bonds have emerged as a favoured choice, offering reliable returns and a safeguard against market volatility. Hove Capital Management's reputation for excellence is underscored by its top-five ranking among wealth management firms in Ireland and Europe. This accolade reflects the firm's long-standing commitment to sophisticated investment strategies and comprehensive financial services. The firm's deep expertise in fixed-rate bonds allows it to provide innovative solutions that address the evolving needs of its diverse clientele. Richard O'Brien, Senior Partner at Hove Capital Management, commented, "Our top-five ranking in Ireland and Europe is a testament to our dedication and expertise in wealth management. In these uncertain times, fixed-rate bonds offer a vital avenue for capital protection and steady growth. We are committed to leveraging our knowledge and experience to help clients confidently navigate these complexities and achieve their financial objectives." Fixed-rate bonds are increasingly valued for their stability, providing a predictable income stream and mitigating exposure to market fluctuations. This stability is particularly important given the recent global events that have highlighted the need for resilient investment strategies. Hove Capital Management remains at the forefront of the industry, continuously innovating and refining its approach to meet the demands of the modern investor. The firm's expansion of its focus on fixed-rate bonds exemplifies its dedication to delivering secure, capital-protected investment opportunities. For more information about Hove Capital Management's fixed-rate bonds and other investment services, please visit Hove Capital Management About Hove Capital Management Founded in 1997, Hove Capital Management is a leading wealth management firm recognized as one of the top five companies across Ireland and Europe. With a focus on sophisticated investment strategies and comprehensive financial services, the firm specializes in fixed-rate bonds, offering secure and innovative solutions to meet the diverse needs of its clients. Media Contact Details Peter Nobel Marketing Manager Hove Capital Management +44 204 579 0954 p.nobel@hovecapitalmanagement.com https://hovecapitalmanagement.com/ SOURCE: Hove Capital Management View the original press release on accesswire.com ST. PETERSBURG, FL / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 / EM Key Solutions (EMKS), a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), together with its wholly owned subsidiary CORTEK, today announced that Major General (Ret) James Bonner has joined their executive team as Senior Vice President of Strategic Programs. This strategic hire further enhances EMKS | CORTEK's leadership team, particularly in the areas of Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) defense and consequence management. In this role MG Bonner will lead efforts in strategic planning and execution, stakeholder engagement, business development and organizational growth. EMKS Logo MG Bonner brings 36 years of distinguished military service to the EMKS | CORTEK team, including key leadership roles in the U.S. Army, Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), and collaborations with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Most recently MG Bonner served as the Deputy Commander, U.S. Army North where he led efforts building and maintaining relations with interagency leadership, State Adjutant Generals, state emergency managers within the 49-state area, and military and civilian officials of Canada and Mexico. In this role he also provided liaison and regional committee representation to FEMA, DHS and FBI for conduct of military support of civil defense, national disaster relief, emergency resources management, weapons of mass destruction and continuity of government planning. MG Bonner's extensive experience spans global operations, strategic planning, and leadership of complex organizations addressing critical national security risks. "We are very pleased to welcome Jim as our Senior Vice President of Strategic Programs," said Mike Snyder, CEO of EMKS | CORTEK. "His extensive expertise in CWMD and CBRN domains, coupled with his proven track record in building cohesive teams and strategic leadership, will be instrumental in expanding EMKS and CORTEK's capabilities and driving growth in crucial areas in support of our client missions." Throughout his career, MG Bonner has demonstrated exceptional leadership at every level, from platoon to two-star command. His ability to build cohesive teams and develop leaders of character has been evident in diverse organizations, including conventional forces, Airborne units, Rangers, FBI, FEMA, DHS, JSOC, and Headquarters, Department of the Army (HQDA). Bonner was personally selected by Assistant Director of Counterterrorism as the first CBRN officer assigned to the FBI Domestic Terrorism Division, and also served as the first CBRN officer assigned to the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) in the wake of the fall of the Soviet Union, focused on combatting WMD and terrorism both home and abroad. MG Bonner led and commanded soldiers in the Republic of Korea, and three combat deployments (Afghanistan and Panama), to include working with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Bonner is a graduate of Southern Illinois University, and holds both a M.A., National Security and Strategic Studies United States Naval War College and a M.S., Administration Central Michigan University. "I am extremely honored and privileged to transition from one professional organization, the United States Army, to joining another professional organization, EMKS | CORTEK," said Bonner. "This is an organization devoted to a talented workforce and dedicated to providing strategic solutions in the protection our Nation. Thanks to EMKS | CORTEK leadership for the opportunity to join this distinguished Team." MG Bonner's addition to the EMKS | CORTEK executive leadership team reinforces the company's commitment to providing top-tier support to federal government enterprises in meeting their mission requirements. About EMKS l CORTEK Founded in 2015, EM Key Solutions (EMKS) is a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) serving our country, our Veterans and Uniformed Services, and the federal market at large with mission-centric, cost-effective and innovative mission support consulting and healthcare systems solutions. EMKS is an IT solutions and management consulting services provider with exceptional record of experience and performance with core capabilities in Advisory Services in CWMD, CBRN, FOIA support, Intelligence support, and a variety of subject matter expertise support across multiple agencies; Process Improvement and Business Transformation; Health IT Systems Solutions and Integration; Performance Management and Engineering; and Cyber Security Services. EMKS delivers a customer-centric approach with proven management processes to each project they undertake. Through sound leadership and management principles, EMKS focuses on offering its clients the solutions they need to be successful throughout the project management lifecycle. Founded in 2003, and acquired as a subsidiary of EMKS in 2022, CORTEK is an SDVOSB with a proven history providing successful projects that include integrated base defense/force protection, cyber, forensics/biometrics, systems and software engineering, FOIA, mission support and program management support services. EMKS | CORTEK clients include the Department of State, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Defense Health Agency (DHA), the FBI, Department of Defense (DoD), U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U. S. Army, DTRA, and DHS. Contact Information Matthew Terl Chief Growth Officer matthew.terl@emks.com 7272921521 SOURCE: EM Key Solutions View the original press release on newswire.com. Avolta AG / Key word(s): Miscellaneous Avolta wins 5-year F&B contract for two stores at Norway's Stavanger Airport, welcoming Michelin-recognized Sven Erik Renaa's new concept to the Departures Terminal 15.08.2024 / 18:00 CET/CEST Leading global travel experience player Avolta AG (SIX: AVOL) today celebrated the official opening of its two new F&B outlets, Sirkus Renaa and Crafts - Rogaland Gastropub at Stavanger Airport. The two stores are the result of a new five-year contract win, reinforcing Avolta's presence as the sole F&B operator within the Domestic Departures Terminal and aligning with the company's commitment to create a strong sense of place for travelers with local flavors and downtown heroes. Avolta is continuing its partnership with Norwegian Michelin-starred chef, Sven Erik Renaa, to debut the casual all-day dining concept, Sirkus Renaa, at Stavanger Airport. Renaa's passion for using natural, local products, translates to his latest concept, where travelers will find a selection of freshly baked pastries and sourdough loaves, handcrafted sandwiches, wood-fired pizzas and fresh pasta. An express area caters to travelers with less time, offering a selection of ready-to-go hot and cold food and drinks, including barista style coffee, throughout the day. The much-loved Crafts - Rogaland Gastropub will continue to welcome travelers for local and international draught beers and classic gastropub dishes such as 'The Craft House Burger' or Fish 'n' Chips, which uses local beer from Lervig Brewery in its batter, as well as plant based and sustainable alternatives. In line with its pledge to Create Sustainable Travel Experiences, Avolta has partnered with Klimato to advise of each menu item's carbon footprint calculation, allowing guests to make a conscious choice before purchasing. Walter Seib, CEO Northern, Central and Eastern Europe, Avolta said: "We are delighted to build upon Avolta's longstanding partnership with Stavanger Airport, and to continue to work with highly awarded Stavanger chef Sven Erik Renaa to elevate the catering experience at the airport, making the journey as rewarding as the destination. These concepts are a notch above where travelers might expect to dine before flying, and I'm confident they'll make the journey more enjoyable for holidaymakers and commuters alike." Elisabeth Strmstad, Commercial Director, Stavanger Airport said: 'We are delighted to welcome Sirkus Renaa here at Stavanger Airport Sola. Over the last couple of years, the airport has been focusing on locally sourced food together with the importance of passenger experience. We want the guests at the airport to recognize the region they have visited. Stavanger Airport Sola produces both honey and tomatoes. We are so happy that Sirkus Renaa have incorporated the products on the menu. Welcome to Sirkus Renaa, and a big thank you to Avolta for being a valued partner for Avinor.' Sven Erik Renaa, Founder of Sirkus Renaa said: "I am excited to showcase our Sirkus at Stavanger Airport. Our bakers, pizzaiolos, and pastry chefs are the best in their field and will do their utmost to offer travelers a large and varied selection with a focus on quality. There will be organic, authentic, and healthy options for people on the go. Fresh bread, pastries, sandwiches, salads, our renowned pizza, Italian pasta dishes, cakes, and chocolate. We hope it will be to your liking. Welcome!" About Stavanger Airport Stavanger Airport, Sola is the 3rd biggest airport in Norway serving approximately 4 million passengers on a yearly basis. Stavanger Airport, Sola is owned by Avinor and aims to fulfil Avinor's social mission through a wide range of routes, and a good strategic route network for the population and businesses in the region, where tourism continues to increase. Located in Sola municipality, a short distance from the city center of Stavanger and Sandnes. Stavanger Airport, Sola is crucial for business life in the region, including the renewable energy, tech industries and new forms of tourism. For further information: CONTACT REBECCA McCLELLAN CATHY JONGENS Global Head Investor Relations Director Corporate Communications Phone: +44 7543 800405 Phone: +41 79 288093 rebecca.mcclellan@ avolta.net cathy.jongens@avolta.net End of Media Release Cloud security leader becomes fastest company to achieve FedRAMP milestone NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 / Cloud security leader Wiz today announced that its top-ranked Cloud-Native Application Protection Platform achieved FedRAMP Moderate Authorization and is now listed as such on the FedRAMP Marketplace, just four years since the company's inception. Assaf Rappaport, Wiz Co-Founder and CEO. Photo credit - Omer Hacohen The milestone underscore Wiz's commitment to enhancing cybersecurity for U.S. government agencies as they transition to cloud environments. The power of Wiz is already being felt by many of these organizations, one example being the U.S. Navy, which integrated Wiz into its COSMOS platform, allowing for centralized visibility across its cloud resources and effective detection of security risks while ensuring strict adherence to DoD requirements. FedRAMP is a government-wide program that ensures standardized security in the cloud, facilitating faster cloud adoption by federal agencies. Wiz's rigorous security assessment and compliance with applicable National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication 800-53 controls affirm its adherence to federal security standards. As the federal government is tasked with modernizing its approach to cybersecurity, Wiz enables agencies to ensure that their cloud security can keep pace with the complexity of cloud threats and effectively improve their security posture in the cloud. "We are excited about the timing of our FedRAMP authorization, given the ever-changing threat landscape," said Assaf Rappaport, Co-Founder and CEO at Wiz. "As the U.S. Federal Government navigates the modern cybersecurity landscape amid cloud advancements and the rise of AI, Wiz is uniquely positioned to offer comprehensive risk management across all these domains." Wiz's platform significantly enhances operational efficiency and security. Its key benefits include comprehensive visibility based on the Wiz Security Graph, critical risk removal that focuses on high priority threats, supporting assessment of compliance to meet regulatory standards, proactive threat management, and secure use of AI. For more information about our FedRAMP authorization visit https://www.wiz.io/blog/wiz-achieves-fedramp-moderate-authorization. About Wiz Wiz secures everything organizations build and run in the cloud. Founded in 2020, Wiz is the fastest-growing software company in the world. Wiz enables hundreds of organizations worldwide, including 40 percent of the Fortune 100, to rapidly identify and remove critical risks in cloud environments. Its customers include Salesforce, Slack, Mars, BMW, Avery Dennison, Priceline, Cushman & Wakefield, DocuSign, Plaid, and Agoda, among others. Wiz is backed by Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia, Index Ventures, Lightspeed, Insight Partners, Cyberstarts, Thrive Capital, Greylock, Wellington, Salesforce, Blackstone, Advent, Greenoaks and Aglae. Visit https://www.wiz.io for more information. Contact Information Tamar Harel Tell NY tamar@tellny.com SOURCE: Wiz View the original press release on newswire.com. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 15, 2024) - Hypercharge Networks Corp. (TSXV: HC) (OTCQB: HCNWF) (FSE: PB7) (the "Company" or "Hypercharge"), a leading, smart electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions provider and network operator, today announced it has signed an agreement with Qualex-Landmark Living Inc. ("Qualex-Landmark") to install 20 Level 2 charging stations at Seasons, a new rental community in Coquitlam, British Columbia, with installation due to be completed in Summer 2024. Qualex-Landmark is a Vancouver based development group that has been building boutique residences for over 30 years. Its portfolio is defined by quietly iconic residential communities, born out of a highly detailed approach to development. Seasons consists of 116 one-, two-, and three-bedroom rental homes nestled within a burgeoning community in West Coquitlam on Regan Avenue and Emerson Street. "Qualex-Landmark is recognized as one of British Columbia's most renowned development groups, and this partnership recognizes their commitment to support sustainable transportation options at their projects," said Chris Koch, Head of Growth & Partnerships at Hypercharge. "Our ability to supply Seasons with Hypercharge EV charging stations prior to occupancy sets us apart, and we look forward to continuing to work with Qualex-Landmark on the opportunity for EV charging in their future developments." "Qualex-Landmark's partnership with Hypercharge reflects our commitment to innovation and sustainability," said Jordan Beach, Vice President of Marketing at Qualex-Landmark. "By integrating Hypercharge's EV charging solutions at Seasons in Coquitlam, we're not only enhancing convenience for our residents but also championing a greener future." -##- About Hypercharge Hypercharge Networks Corp. (TSXV: HC) (OTCQB: HCNWF) (FSE: PB7) is a leading provider of smart electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions for residential and commercial buildings, fleet operations, and other rapidly growing sectors. Driven by its mission to accelerate EV adoption and enable the shift towards a carbon neutral economy, Hypercharge is committed to offering seamless, simple solutions including industry-leading hardware, innovative and integrated software, and comprehensive services, backed by a robust network of public and private charging stations. Learn more: https://hypercharge.com/. On behalf of the Company, Hypercharge Networks Corp. David Bibby, President & CEO Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. More particularly and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements regarding contractual performance and the expected timing, delivery and installation of EV charging stations. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "may", "could", "should", "anticipate", "will", "estimates", "believes", "intends", "expects" and similar expressions which are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and the actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, assumptions and expectations, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Readers are cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, as such information, although considered reasonable by management of the Company at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release, and are expressly qualified by the foregoing cautionary statement. Except as expressly required by securities law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/220065 SOURCE: Hypercharge Networks Corp. The 2025 Peer Review Guide Recognizes Partners at Balekian Hayes, PLLC for Outstanding Work in Family Law Balekian Hayes, PLLC is proud to announce that partners Kris Balekian Hayes and John Withers, Jr., have been honored in the 31st Edition of The Best Lawyers in America peer review guide. This prestigious recognition celebrates Hayes for her expertise in family law and family law mediation and acknowledges Withers for his exceptional work in family law. Their inclusion in this distinguished list highlights their continued dedication and exceptional contributions to the field. The Best Lawyers guide, renowned for its thorough peer-review process, highlights exceptional legal professionals across 150 practice areas based on feedback from fellow attorneys. This esteemed recognition is a testament to the dedication and high regard in which the partners at Balekian Hayes, PLLC are held by their peers. "I am immensely grateful to be included along with my partner John in the list of top family lawyers by Best Lawyers in America," said Hayes. "This acknowledgment by Best Lawyers is particularly meaningful because it comes from the feedback of our peers in the legal community. Our firm takes great pride in our integrity and dedication to our clients, and this continued recognition is a testament to our steadfast commitment and the trust we have built with both our clients and colleagues." Hayes, who earned her law degree from St. Mary's University School of Law in San Antonio, holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Southern Methodist University in Dallas and a Master of Business Administration from St. Mary's University School of Business. With over two decades of experience in family law, Hayes is distinguished by dual certification from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in family law and child welfare-an honor held by only 47 family lawyers in Texas. She is also a credentialed mediator in all civil, family, and CPS matters and is licensed by the Supreme Court of the United States, highlighting her exceptional qualifications and expertise. Withers, a dual board-certified attorney, has earned recognition as a Super Lawyer and a nominee for Best Lawyers due to his commitment to excellence and advocacy for his clients. A Dallas native, he holds a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from Texas A&M University and attended the Field Artillery Officer Basic Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, as part of the U.S. Army Reserve. He later earned his law degree from Southern Methodist University. Withers' extensive legal background includes serving as an assistant district attorney and co-founding a successful law firm. His dedication extends beyond the courtroom through his military service and involvement in the State Bar College and the Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists. At Balekian Hayes, PLLC, based in Dallas, the leadership and commitment to clients are central to the firm's reputation. The repeated recognition by Best Lawyers not only underscores the individual excellence of each partner but also reflects the high standards maintained by the firm. For additional information about Kris Balekian Hayes and John Withers, Jr. and the services offered at Balekian Hayes, PLLC, please visit Balekian Hayes, PLLC. About Balekian Hayes: Led by Kris Balekian Hayes, the family law attorneys of Balekian Hayes PLLC are dedicated to fighting for their clients and their clients' children. From contested divorces, to child possession disputes, to out-of-court mediation and arbitration proceedings, the firm provides the knowledge and expertise needed to help people during what can be one of the most stressful times in their lives. To learn more about Balekian Hayes, visit https://www.bh-pllc.com/. Media Contact: Katie Mudd katie@thevokolgroup.com 214-676-4254 SOURCE: Balekian Hayes Family Law View the original press release on accesswire.com Finsbury Growth & Income Trust PLC - Transaction in Own Shares PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, August 15 For immediate release 15 August 2024 FINSBURY GROWTH & INCOME TRUST PLC (the "Company") MARKET PURCHASE OF COMPANY'S OWN SHARES The Company announce that it has today purchased 66,640 of its own shares ("Ordinary Shares") at a price of 839.70 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 52,461,243; 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 172,530,060. The figure of 172,530,060 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 Summary: Jebaseelan Varuvel received a 2024 Global Recognition Award for his work in the semiconductor industry. He has led advancements in GPUs (graphics processing units), CPUs (central processing units), and SoCs (systems on chips), improving high-performance, low-power chip designs for electronics. San Diego, California--(Newsfile Corp. - August 15, 2024) - Jebaseelan Varuvel received a 2024 Global Recognition Award for his contributions to the semiconductor industry. The award highlights his work and advancements in chip design technology. Photo Courtesy of Jebaseelan Varuvel "This award is a significant milestone in my career," Varuvel shared. "It reflects the hard work and dedication that my team and I have put into advancing semiconductor technology." Varuvel has led improvements in low-power semiconductor designs, working with major foundries. Leading AI-Based GPU Designs at Qualcomm With over 19 years of experience, Varuvel has been a key player in advancing Qualcomm's AI-based GPU (graphics processing unit) designs, essential for rendering images and videos in electronic devices. He oversees and manages complex semiconductor projects, directing over 25 final designs for application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and system-on-chips (SoCs), ensuring high performance and low power use. Varuvel focuses on the timing and design of semiconductor GPUs, planning and executing projects to achieve high efficiency and effectiveness. He developed the Powerwhiz tool, boosting the power efficiency of hard macros and subsystems by 35%. SoCs integrate all computer components onto a single chip. This enhancement is now used in many of the top semiconductor companies. Recognitions and Awards In addition to his technical work, Varuvel has earned multiple recognitions for his contributions to the semiconductor industry. He has served as a judge for the Golden Bridge Awards and the Globee Awards for Technology. He has also been awarded as a Gold Stevie Winner by the 2024 Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence. His work includes recognition for "Dynamic Mstap Sink Assignments to Improve Clock and Total Power," which won Innovation of the Month. He has also received several commendations for his leadership and technical expertise at Qualcomm. Varuvel on His Career and Future In his closing remarks, Varuvel reflected on his career in the semiconductor industry, saying: "Working in this field has been a fulfilling experience. The recognition and awards are a result of continuous effort and dedication. I will keep striving to achieve high standards in all my projects." Varuvel is enthusiastic about the future of semiconductor technology. "I'm excited to see how our work will shape the industry and drive technological progress," he added. "We have many projects coming up that I believe will significantly impact both consumers and businesses." About Global Recognition Awards The Global Recognition Awards is an international organization that acknowledges outstanding companies and individuals who have significantly contributed to their industries. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/219756 SOURCE: Baden Bower Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 15, 2024) - Droplet Lab, a Canadian leader in surface science innovation, is excited to announce the launch of its new educational instrument designed for both contact angle (goniometer) and surface tension (tensiometer) measurements. This cutting-edge tool is set to revolutionize the educational experience for K-12 and undergraduate students, bringing advanced surface science concepts into classrooms with ease. Students engage with Droplet Lab's innovative educational surface science instrument, designed to enhance hands-on learning in Chemistry and Material Science. This educational version combines a robust design with an intuitive user interface and pre-configured experiments, all in a convenient plug-and-play package. Built on the same core software technology as the peer-reviewed R&D product, this instrument will transform hands-on learning in Chemistry and Material Science. The official launch will take place at the ACS Fall Conference in Denver, Colorado, on August 19, 2024. For more information, please visit the Educational Page. Cannot view this video? Visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sClKGe7VEXk Key Features of the New Educational Instrument: User-Friendly Interface : The intuitive design simplifies complex measurements, making it accessible for both students and educators. : The intuitive design simplifies complex measurements, making it accessible for both students and educators. Seamless Curriculum Integration : Pre-configured experiments integrate effortlessly into existing curricula, enhancing the learning experience. : Pre-configured experiments integrate effortlessly into existing curricula, enhancing the learning experience. Real-World Applications : Helps students grasp and apply surface science concepts in real-world scenarios, bridging the gap between theory and practice. : Helps students grasp and apply surface science concepts in real-world scenarios, bridging the gap between theory and practice. Durable and Practical Design : Engineered to be durable and easy to use in a classroom setting, providing a reliable tool for educators. : Engineered to be durable and easy to use in a classroom setting, providing a reliable tool for educators. Enhanced Learning Experience: The hands-on approach fosters a deeper understanding of Chemistry and Material Science, equipping students with invaluable practical skills. The instrument offers an exceptional student-to-instrument ratio, allowing more students to engage with cutting-edge technology. "We are thrilled to introduce this groundbreaking educational tool to classrooms, empowering the next generation of scientists with the skills and knowledge they need to excel in surface science," said Abhimanyu Bhandankar, CEO of Droplet Lab. Join Droplet Lab in the mission to demystify surface science and make complex surface phenomena accessible and understandable for educators and students alike. For more information, please visit the website. The new educational instrument by Droplet Lab offers an affordable, easy-to-use solution for contact angle and surface tension measurements in educational settings. About Droplet Lab Droplet Lab is transforming surface science with the innovative instrument that seamlessly combines the functionalities of a goniometer and a tensiometer. Founded by Dr. Alidad Amirfazli, a leading authority in surface science, Droplet Lab's patented technology-supported by rigorous peer-reviewed research-makes complex surface phenomena accessible and understandable. The core mission, "Surface Science Simplified," reflects the dedication to making precise, reliable measurement tools that bridge theoretical knowledge and practical application for educators, researchers, and professionals alike. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/219992 SOURCE: Droplet Lab Irvine business owners can now benefit from Accountant Partners' proven tax, accounting, and business consulting services, which aim to increase profitability and preserve wealth. IRVINE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 / Accountant Partners, a leading small business accountant specializing in services for private companies and their owners, is excited to announce the opening of its new location in Irvine, California. With over 15 years of experience consulting business owners, Accountant Partners brings a proven track record of helping clients increase their net worth, minimize tax burdens, and grow their profits. Irvine Small Business Accountant Irvine Small Business Accountant The new Irvine office marks a significant expansion for Accountant Partners, allowing them to extend their personalized approach to a broader client base in the region. The firm is dedicated to providing partner-level attention and implementing tailored solutions to meet the unique challenges faced by business owners. Allan Bayer of Accountant Partners said, "We formed Accountant Partners as a small business accounting firm so business owners like yourself would receive partner-level value in accounting, reporting, and strategic advisory, providing real-time insights that help minimize your tax burden and maximize profitability. Our holistic approach ensures quality-consistency, efficiency, and peace of mind communication, allowing you to focus on what you do best." Striving for World-Class Service Accountant Partners is committed to delivering exceptional service including: Tax Plan For Current Year & Beyond Deduction Review & Strategy Planning Legal Entity Optimization Across LLC, S Corp, Partnership Retirement Options To Save While Minimizing Taxes Insurance Review To Protect Assets & Reduce Taxes TCJA, FFCRA, CARES Review For Liability Minimization IRS & Court Case References Support Positions Core Strategy Implementation Business Tax Preparation Quarterly Estimated Payments Quarterly Core Tax Planning & Implementation Quarterly 1-On-1 Review Tax Position As an Irvine small business accountant firm, Accountant Partners could potentially minimize tax burdens by $10k - or as much as $1M - and help grow profits. Their new Irvine location is poised to be a valuable resource for business owners seeking expert guidance and support. For more information on their accounting services at their new Irvine location, visit https://accountantpartners.com/small-business-accountant-irvine/. You can schedule a consultation at (844) 703-0880. About Accountant Partners: Accountant Partners is a leading small business accounting firm helping business owners in Irvine, CA, save up to $1M per year in taxes through partner-level accounting, reporting, and strategic advisory. With 27 years of experience, Accountant Partners specializes in best-in-class tax minimization strategies, personalized advisory, and technology-driven efficiency. Contact Information JP Richards Director of Communications releases@drakedigital.com 844-703-0880 SOURCE: Accountant Partners View the original press release on newswire.com. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 15, 2024) - K2 Gold Corporation (TSXV: KTO) (OTCQB: KTGDF) (FSE: 23K) ("K2" or the "Company") today announced that, further to its news release June 18, 2024 regarding its non-brokered private placement financing of up to 15,000,000 units (the "Units") at a price of $0.10 per Unit for gross proceeds to the Company of up to $1,500,000 (the "Offering"), it has closed the first tranche ("First Tranche") of the Offering. Under the First Tranche, the Company has issued 9,500,000 Units for gross proceeds of $950,000.00. Each Unit will consist of one common share (a "Share") in the capital of the Company and one non-transferable common share purchase warrant (each whole common share purchase warrant being a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will be exercisable to acquire one Share at a price of CDN$0.30 per Share for a period of 12 months from the date of issuance subject to an acceleration clause. If the 10-day volume-weighted average trading price of the Shares as quoted on the TSX Venture Exchange is equal to or greater than $0.35 at the close of any trading day, then the Company may, at its option, accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants by issuing a press release (a "Warrant Acceleration Press Release") announcing that the expiry date of the Warrants shall be deemed to be on the 30th day following the issuance of the Warrant Acceleration Press Release (the "Accelerated Expiry Date"). All Warrants that remain unexercised following the Accelerated Expiry Date shall immediately expire and all rights of holders of such Warrants shall be terminated without any compensation to such holder. K2 intends to use the net proceeds raised from the Offering to complete the EIS permitting for the company's Mojave Gold project located in Inyo County, California, USA, as well as exploration and general working capital. The Company will pay finders fees in compliance with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable securities legislation, to arm's length finders in connection with subscriptions from subscribers introduced by them, totaling $41,700.00 and 417,000 warrants exercisable for 12 months from the date of issuance to acquire common shares of the Company at an exercise price of $0.30 per share. Finders Warrants have the same terms as the Unit Warrants. Insiders of the Company acquired an aggregate of 950,000 Common Shares in the Offering, which participation constituted a "related party transaction" as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). Such participation is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 as neither the fair market value of the securities acquired by the insiders, nor the consideration for the securities paid by such insiders, exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization. As required by MI 61-101, the Company advises that it expects to file a material change report relating to the Offering less than 21 days from completion of the Offering, as the nature of the related party transaction is relatively immaterial, and was not necessary to complete the Offering, and can generally be considered reasonable in the circumstances. Closing of the Offering is subject to certain customary conditions, including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals and acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange. All securities issued under the Offering will be subject to a statutory hold period of four month hold period in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws. There are no material facts or material changes regarding the Company that have not been generally disclosed. Extension of the Non-Brokered Private Placement Further to the Company's news release dated June 18, 2024, the TSX Venture Exchange has granted an extension to the deadline for filing final documentation for the private placement to September 3, 2024. About K2 Gold K2 is a proud member of Discovery Group and currently has projects in Southwest USA and the Yukon. The Mojave Project is a 5,830-hectare oxide gold project with base metal targets located in California. Multiple previously recognized surface gold targets have been successfully drilled in the past, most notably by Newmont and BHP. Since acquiring the property, K2 has completed geochemical and geophysical surveys, geologic mapping, LiDAR, a WorldView 3 alteration survey, and successfully completed a 17-hole RC drill program focused on the Dragonfly and Newmont Zones. Highlights from K2's drilling program include 6.68 g/t Au over 45.72m from surface at the Dragonfly Zone, and 1.69 g/t Au over 41.15m from 44.20m depth at the Newmont Zone. The Wels Project lies approximately 40km east of the community of Beaver Creek and 60km south of Newmont Goldcorp's Coffee deposit discovered by Kaminak Gold Corporation (formerly a Discovery Group company prior to its acquisition by Goldcorp-Newmont). Both the Coffee project and the Wels project lie within the Tintina Gold Belt, share similar characteristics, and are host to structurally controlled gold mineralization within intrusive rocks exhibiting multiple trends of mineralization. K2's 2023 Reverse Circulation drilling program at the Wels Project intersected gold in every drill hole, including the discovery of a new mineralized corridor at the Saddle South target. The Wels land position consists of 350 contiguous quartz claims covering 7,200 hectares and lies within the traditional territory of White River First Nation. The Si2 Gold Project is located in Esmeralda County, approximately 60km northwest of Tonopah, Nevada, and 20km northwest of Allegiant Gold's Eastside deposit (1.4Moz Au, 8.8 Moz Ag). The project is road accessible and consists of 118 BLM lode claims covering 986 Ha, 65 of which are under option from Orogen Royalties Inc. (TSXV: OGN). The claims cover an 8 km2 area of steam heated alunite-kaolinite-buddingtonite alteration within a sequence of felsic to intermediate volcanic rocks displaying brecciation and strongly anomalous mercury. K2's 2023 diamond drill program at the Si2 Project confirmed that the system is gold bearing. The project was initially identified using the same methods, and by the same exploration team that identified AngloGold Ashanti's 4.22 Moz Au Silicon project1 near Beatty, Nevada, and was staked based on its strong geological similarities to Silicon. 1https://reports.anglogoldashanti.com/22/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/AGA-IR22.pdf K2 is committed to transparency, accountability, environmental stewardship, safety, diversity, inclusion, and community and indigenous engagement. K2 Gold Corporation is a member of Discovery Group based in Vancouver, Canada. For more information please visit: discoverygroup.ca. Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performance, prospects, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the exploration program at Si2, Wels, and Mojave, including results of drilling, and future exploration plans at Si2, Wels, and Mojave. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, variations in the nature, quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located, the Company's inability to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required for its planned activities, and the Company's inability to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies. The reader is referred to the Company's public disclosure record which is available on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca). Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. Except as required by securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. No securities of the Company have been or will, in the foreseeable future, be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/220081 SOURCE: K2 Gold Corporation Despegar.com, Corp. (NYSE: DESP) ("Despegar" or the "Company"), Latin America's leading travel technology company, today announced that it has formed a strategic alliance with World2Meet, the travel division of Iberostar Group, a Spain-based global tourism company. Under the alliance's agreement, World2Meet has acquired Despegar's Destination Management Company (DMC) BDExperience effective August 1, 2024, and will operate as a preferred partner to Despegar for the provision of destination services in Mexico and the Dominican Republic. In line with Despegar's focus on key long-term growth strategies, improving operational efficiency and maximizing return on capital, the divestiture of DMC enables the Company to better concentrate resources on its core business and further strengthen its organic growth profile. Despegar's DMC, operating under the BDExperience brand, is a destination management company with over 30 years of experience in the travel industry, specializing in airport transfers, private and group tours, and personalized assistance for tourists. As a result of the transaction, nearly 600 BDExperience employees will transfer from Despegar to World2Meet. About Despegar.com Despegar is the leading travel technology company in Latin America. For over two decades, it has revolutionized the tourism industry in the region through technology. With its continuous commitment to the development of the sector, Despegar today is comprised of a consolidated group that includes Despegar, Decolar, Best Day, Viajes Falabella, Viajanet Stays and Koin, and has become one of the largest travel companies in Latin America. Despegar operates in 19 countries in the region, accompanying Latin Americans from the moment they dream of traveling until they share their memories. With the purpose of improving people's lives and transforming the shopping experience, Despegar has developed alternative payment and financing methods, democratizing the access to consumption and bringing Latin Americans closer to their next travel experience. Despegar's common shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: DESP). For more information, visit Despegar's Investor Relations website https://investor.despegar.com/. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240815939829/en/ Contacts: IR Contact Luca Pfeifer, Investor Relations Phone: (+1) 305 481 1785 E-mail: luca.pfeifer@despegar.com Beckfield College is honoured to announce that Congressman Thomas Massie from Kentucky's Fourth District formally recognized the accomplishments of the college's students in a formal letter of congratulations to recent Beckfield graduates. This esteemed acknowledgement highlights the college's commitment to delivering quality education and preparing students for successful careers in nursing, business, and other healthcare as it celebrates its fortieth anniversary. In his letter, Congressman Massie praised the graduates for their hard work and dedication, noting that their education would open many doors. He also expressed his pride in the graduates choosing to further their education within Kentucky's Fourth Congressional District, encouraging them to consider starting their careers locally. Dr. Diana Lawrence, President of Beckfield College, commented on the recognition, stating, "We are deeply honoured by Congressman Massie's acknowledgement of our graduates. His words reinforce the value of our education and the significant impact our students will have on the community. At Beckfield College, we believe in the power of giving back and being active participants in the growth of the Cincinnati metro area. Our graduates are not just stepping into careers; they are stepping into roles where they can be catalysts for positive change in our community." Beckfield College's Director of Student Financial Services Angela Davis-Haynes, also shared her thoughts on the Congressman's letter, saying, "This recognition from Congressman Massie is a proud moment for our institution. It underscores the dedication and perseverance of our students, who have worked tirelessly to reach this milestone. We encourage our graduates to use their skills and knowledge to give back to our supportive community, helping to drive further growth and success in the region. The importance of community is deeply ingrained in our values, and we are excited to see our alumni contribute to its continued prosperity." The letter from Congressman Massie will be featured during Beckfield College's upcoming graduation ceremony and shared across the college's digital platforms to inspire current and prospective students. This recognition serves as a reminder of the college's ongoing commitment to excellence in education and its integral role in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky communities. About Beckfield College Beckfield College, located in Florence, KY, in the Cincinnati metro area, has been dedicated to providing quality education and training for over 40 years. Accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES), Beckfield College offers a range of programs designed to prepare students for successful careers in allied health, nursing, and business. The college takes pride in its nursing programs, which boast impressive NCLEX-RN pass rates in current and previous years. In 2023, the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program achieved a 93% pass rate, and the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program achieved an 88% pass rate. These outcomes reflect Beckfield College's commitment to excellence in nursing education, equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in the healthcare field. For more information about Beckfield College and its programs, please visit www.beckfield.edu. Contact: Bilal Abbasi Marketing Director Beckfield College 859-372-3905 babbasi@beckfield.edu SOURCE: Beckfield College View the original press release on accesswire.com 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! Hangzhou, China--(Newsfile Corp. - August 15, 2024) - HIKMICRO, a leader in the outdoor optics market, announced the successful conclusion of its first Global 2024 Overseas Agent Conference. The event, held at the company's "House of Silk" headquarters in Hangzhou, brought together global business partners and media representatives to share HIKMICRO's vision of "Grow Together, Explore Together." Photo credit: HIKMICRO At the conference, HIKMICRO presented its latest overseas performance and strategic analysis, reaffirming its core strategy of "EXPLORE." The company emphasized its commitment to technological advancement, reliable products, intuitive usability, and customer-focused solutions. Since 2016, HIKMICRO has seen significant growth, attributing its success to a robust global network of distributors, an extensive product portfolio, and effective local promotional efforts. The company announced that as of May 2024, it holds a 35% market share in the outdoor business sector, solidifying its position as the leading thermal imaging brand globally. Commenting on this success, HIKMICRO overseas director Stefan Li said, "We're excited to see our efforts in the hunting market paying off, and we look forward to continued growth as we bring thermal products from niche to mass markets." The summit served as a platform for HIKMICRO to reinforce its strategic direction in the outdoor optics market. The company emphasized expanding its presence in the daytime hunting sector and unveiled plans for new product lines, including handheld and scope products, set to be released before the August hunting season. The conference also facilitated closer working relationships with key partners and media from around the globe. Gerald Chen, general manager of HIKMICRO Central & Eastern Europe, expressed gratitude for the partners' alignment with HIKMICRO's strategy to broaden its reach and deliver innovative outdoor solutions. Partners from the UK and France shared their enthusiasm for HIKMICRO's growth and plans, highlighting the positive impact on their local markets and sales strategies. Additionally, the event featured a media open day, where delegates explored HIKMICRO's research and development center, gaining insights into the company's technology and brand ethos. HIKMICRO emphasized that this global gathering has been instrumental in fostering information sharing, product knowledge, and personal connections within the team. The company looks forward to hosting similar events, promising even more developments to share. For more information about HIKMICRO, visit the website at https://www.hikmicrotech.com. About HIKMICRO HIKMICRO is a world-leading technology explorer and innovator in the outdoor optics market. Since 2016, HIKMICRO has actively dedicated itself to pioneering technological innovation, delivering dependable reliability, ensuring intuitive usability, and maintaining an unrivaled focus on meeting its customers' needs. With a robust global network of distributors and a commitment to sustainable growth, HIKMICRO continues to set new standards in the industry. Contact Information: Name: Lina Wang Title: HIKMICRO Public Relations Manager Email: wanglina21@hikmicrotech.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/219074 SOURCE: Baden Bower NEXGENRX INC. ("NexgenRx" or the "Company") is pleased to announce its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2024, with quarterly revenue increasing to $4,084,839, and increased positive EBITDA of $376,500, resulting in a continued strong cash position for the Company. The Company achieved revenue of $4,084,839 in Q2 2024, an increase of $661,054 or 19.31%, compared to the second quarter of 2023. The growth is primarily due to the rise in transaction revenue, as well as administration revenue resulting from the introduction of Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions to NexgenRx customers in late 2023, in addition to a significant sales pipeline being converted into revenue. In Q2 2024 the Company also reported an increase in both net income and EBITDA over the comparable period in the prior year. NexgenRx achieved a positive EBITDA of $376,500, an increase of $60,593 over Q2 last year. The Company's cash position continued to remain strong at $1,809,550, after cash dividend payouts of $354,609 to the common shareholders in June 2024. Ron Loucks, President and CEO, stated "I am pleased to announce our Q2 financial results, which is a reflection of our growth sustainability. We continue to see growth in our top line revenue, in particular the recurring transaction and administration revenue. This year, we continue our new phase as a technology solution provider, promoting and expanding our fully managed SaaS solutions that empower our customers to self-manage their benefit plans effectively and efficiently. The Company is always evolving to meet the needs of clients." About NexgenRx NexgenRx is Canada's only independent full-service Third-Party Administrator and Technology Solutions Provider, offering proprietary full front-end, eligibility, enrolment, hour bank and mobile access capabilities, together with state-of-the-art claims adjudication and full provider network coverage. These combined capabilities allow NexgenRx to provide Plan Sponsors, sophisticated administration and health benefit technology applications in a cost-effective SaaS (Software as a Service) Model. NexgenRx is committed to building partnerships with organizations looking to exceed the expectations of their clients and plan members and deliver superior administration and claims processing solutions at a competitive cost. More information on NexgenRx can be found at www.nexgenrx.com. Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. The Company cannot guarantee future results, performance or achievements. Consequently, there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause the results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information include, but are not limited to: uncertainty as to whether the Company's strategies and business plans will yield the expected benefits; availability and cost of capital; the ability to identify and develop and achieve commercial success for existing and new products and technologies; the level of expenditures necessary to maintain and improve the quality of products and services; changes in technology and changes in laws and regulations; continued development and enhancement of the Company's proprietary software technology; cyber security risks and the other risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company's annual Management's Discussion and Analysis, as filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Readers are cautioned that this list of risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The Company undertakes no duty to update any of the forward-looking information to conform such information to actual results or to changes in the Company's expectations except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the release. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Ronald C. Loucks NexgenRx Inc. President and CEO 416.695.3393 x801 Kelly Ehler CPA, CA NexgenRx Inc. Chief Financial Officer 416-695-3393 x803 SOURCE: NexgenRx Inc. View the original press release on accesswire.com Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 15, 2024) - Andean Precious Metals Corp. (TSXV: APM) (OTCQX: ANPMF) ("Andean" or the "Company") today announced the voting results from the Company's Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (the "Meeting") held on Thursday, August 15, 2024. A total of 132,185,426 common shares, representing 88.37% of the Company's total issued and outstanding shares, were voted at the Meeting. The majority of shareholders voted in favor of the management resolutions presented, including: The number of directors of the Company was fixed at seven (7) The members elected to the Company's Board of Directors for the ensuing year are as follows: Grant Angwin Yohan Bouchard Felipe Canales Peter Gundy Alberto Morales Ramiro Villarreal Michele Ashby KPMG LLP was re-approved as auditors for the Company for the ensuing year About Andean Precious Metals Andean is a growing precious metals producer focused on expanding into top-tier jurisdictions in the Americas. The Company owns and operates the San Bartolome processing facility in Potosi, Bolivia and the Soledad Mountain mine in Kern County, California, and is well-funded to act on future growth opportunities. Andean's leadership team is committed to creating value; fostering safe, sustainable and responsible operations; and achieving our ambition to be a multi-asset, mid-tier precious metals producer. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange, Inc. nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/220153 SOURCE: Andean Precious Metals Corp. Guardoc Health, a Tel Aviv, Israel-based provider of AI-powered software used to identify errors, discrepancies, and gaps in real-time clinical charting within electronic healthcare records, raised $3M in Seed funding. The round was led by Pitango HealthTech. Bertelsmann Investments, US investor Springbank, Israeli investors Fresh.fund and Oded Barel-Sebag also participated. The company intends to use the funds to expand operations and its development efforts. Created by former ER nurse Hadassah Backman, Guardoc Health is an AI-powered SaaS solution integrating with electronic healthcare records, to identify errors, discrepancies, and gaps in real-time clinical charting. This integration facilitates timely corrections and mitigates risks, enhancing the quality of patient care. The technology leverages machine learning and natural language models, continually refined and audited by practicing nurses to ensure integration into daily workflows. This approach streamlines patient care processes and ensures the tool remains intuitive and user-friendly for healthcare professionals. FinSMEs 15/08/2024 Alaska Airlines announces investment in JetZero to propel innovative aircraft technology and design JetZero, a Long Beach, CA-based company developing a new blended-wing body (BWB) aircraft, received an investment from Alaska Airlines. The amount of the deal, made through Alaska Star Ventures (ASV), was not disclosed. This initiative is one piece of Alaskascomprehensive sustainability strategy along with operational efficiency, fleet renewal, sustainable aviation fuel, waste reduction, and electrified aircraft. Led by Mark Page, JetZero is developing a commercial blended wing body (BWB) airplane. With up to 50% lower fuel burn and carbon emissions compared to existing commercial airliners, the BWB airplane offers the aviation industry a clear path to achieving its 2050 net-zero goals. Working alongside the US Air Force, NASA, and the FAA, JetZero looks to enter commercial service by 2030. FinSMEs 15/08/2024 By bringing these characters to life with authenticity and passion, these actors have ensured that the spirit of the Indian armed forces continues to inspire generations read more As India celebrates its Independence Day today, we revisit Bollywood actors who have stepped into the shoes of Indian army officers on screen. These portrayals have not only entertained but also instilled a sense of pride and patriotism in audiences, making them reflect on the sacrifices and achievements of real-life heroes. By bringing these characters to life with authenticity and passion, these actors have ensured that the spirit of the Indian armed forces continues to inspire generations. Advertisement Kartik Aaryan in Chandu Champion Kartik Aaryans portrayal of Major Murlikant Patekar, an inspirational figure known for his bravery and indomitable spirit was one the actors finest. With the eight-minute intense war sequence Kartik showcased passion and later in the film displayed the indomitable spirit of our brave soldiers in other aspects of life. Shah Rukh Khan in Jawaan Shah Rukh Khan portrayed a stoic and determined army officer in Jawaan. His character, infused with the gravitas and charisma that SRK is known for, struck a chord with audiences, blending intense action with deep emotional undertones. Siddharth Malhotra in Shershaah Siddharth Malhotras portrayal of Captain Vikram Batra in Shershaah is one of his most celebrated performances in recent times. The film highlighted the immense bravery and patriotism of Captain Batra and Siddharths commitment to embodying the character with respect and authenticity was evident. Vicky Kaushal in Uri: The Surgical Strike Vicky Kaushals role in Uri: The Surgical Strike became an iconic portrayal of modern-day military operations. Vickys intense performance, particularly his delivery of the line Hows the Josh?, became a national catchphrase, capturing the spirit of the film and the bravery of the Indian soldiers. Sunny Deol in the Border Franchise Sunny Deols performance in the Border franchise laid the groundwork for patriotic films in Bollywood. His role as Major Kuldip Singh in the original Border film was a powerful portrayal of leadership and courage during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Sunnys intense screen presence and commanding delivery made it a timeless role in Indian cinema. Advertisement These actors have not only portrayed the lives of army officers with depth and respect but have also contributed to the ongoing narrative of patriotism in Indian cinema. As we celebrate Independence Day, we also celebrate these performances that have become a part of the nations cinematic heritage. India took its first steps as an independent nation on August 15, 1947. The first Independence Day was made even more special with a sterling performance by Ustad Bismillah Khan from the ramparts of the Red Fort. The legendary musician personified the idea of unity and elevated the shehnai to a new level read more Born as Qamaruddin Khan on March 21, 1916, Bismillah Khan is widely recognised for having introduced the shehnai from the marriage mandap to the concert hall. News18 India took its first steps as an independent nation on August 15, 1947. The first Independence Day was made even more special with a sterling performance by Ustad Bismillah Khan from the ramparts of the Red Fort. The legendary musician personified the idea of unity and elevated the shehnai to a new level. Heres all we know about him. Ustad Bismillah Khan and his musical journey Born as Qamaruddin Khan on March 21, 1916, Bismillah Khan is widely recognised for having introduced the shehnai from the marriage mandap to the concert hall, according to PTI. Advertisement Since his father was a wind instrument player in Maharaja Keshav Prasad Singh of Dumraon, he was naturally introduced to the shehnai at a very young age. He chose to take after his father, and as a result, he became lifelong friends with shehnai. At the age of six, he relocated to Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, to live with his uncle Ali Bux Vilayatu and started studying Raag and shehnai from him, as per Economic Times. In the early years of his career, Bismillah Khan appeared in many theatrical productions. It was at the All India Music Conference in Calcutta in 1937 that he had his first major break. The crowd responded positively to Shehnais performance, which put the instrument in the limelight. Later on, he performed in West Africa, Japan, Hong Kong, Afghanistan, the US, Canada, Bangladesh, Iran, and Iraq, in addition to other regions of Europe. During his remarkable career, he participated in several high-profile global events, such as the Osaka Trade Fair, the Cannes Art Festival, and the World Exposition in Montreal, according to The Statesman. Bismillah Khans involvement with the film industry was very limited. He made an appearance in the 1957 film Jalsaghar by Satyajit Ray and contributed the shehnai sound for Vijay Bhatts Goonj Uthi Shehnai (1959). Later, he portrayed the shehnai in Vijays popular Kannada film Sanaadi Appanna (1977). He was a sincere Muslim in practice who respected other religions and beliefs equally. Advertisement In addition to the Padma Vibhushan, he received the Tansen, Sangeet Natak Akademi, and other honours. The highest civilian distinction in India, the Bharat Ratna, was given to Khan in 2001, making him the third classical musician to receive it. Shantiniketan and Benares Hindu University both awarded him honorary doctorates. The first tune of Independent India Jawaharlal Nehru, the countrys first prime minister, invited Khan to play shehnai on August 15, 1947, at Red Fort in Delhi. On the eve of Indias first Independence, he was the only musician to have the unique privilege of playing his Shehnai. Following the PMs speech on August 15, Khan performed annually for several years. Advertisement Thousands of homes watched Doordarshans live broadcast of his performance. On January 26, 1950, he also performed at Indias first Republic Day celebration, as per ET. Introducing new raga Khan has often stated that he feels Lord Shiv, Lady Saraswati, and Lord Krishna themselves have blessed him with the ability to create art. He performed the new raga at a Kumbh Mela-related concert. This breathtaking raga was praised by spectators, who insisted that Ustad sing it again and again. When the curious music scholars present failed to figure out the name of the Raga, they questioned Bismillah Khan, who revealed that the Ragas name is Kanhaira, as per The Statesman. Advertisement The raga and the event were featured as the front page headlines the following day. The renowned musician (flutist) Hariprasad Chaurasya was captivated by the news and approached Bismillah Khan about Kanharira Raga. He answered that he had been introduced to the raga by a boy he had met on the train who was playing the flute. He gave the raga the name Kanharira because he thought the child was Lord Krishna. His death Khan was brought to the Heritage Hospital in Varanasi on August 17, 2006, for treatment after his health began to deteriorate. He died on August 21, 2006, from a cardiac arrest. The Indian government observed a day of national mourning after his passing. According to legend, his Shehnai and body were buried together in the Fatemaan burial cemetery in Varanasi, beneath a neem tree. Advertisement The Indian Army bestowed upon Bismillah Khan the highest distinction of a 21-gun salute. The performance at India Gate, his dying dream, never came true, as per PTI. With inputs from agencies India celebrates its 78th Independence Day and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort. Israel and Hamas will resume talks on the ceasefire deal. Heres what else will happen today read more Its going to be a busy Thursday. India will celebrate its 78th Independence Day, on the occasion of which Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort. The high-stakes ceasefire talks to bring war between Hamas and Israel in Gaza to a halt will begin today. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will address the Turkish parliament in a special session. As many as 100 Anna Canteens are all set to reopen in Andhra Pradesh. Advertisement Heres a glimpse of what will happen today India to celebrate 78th Independence Day India is poised to celebrate its 78th Independence Day today, marking a pivotal moment in the nations history. This day honours Indias liberation from British colonial rule on August 15, 1947, after a prolonged and arduous struggle for freedom. As part of the ongoing tradition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hoist the national flag and address the nation from the historic ramparts of the Red Fort in New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the nation from the historic Red Fort on the occasion of the 77th Independence Day, in New Delhi. File Photo/ PTI This years Independence Day theme, Viksit Bharat @ 2047, underscores the vision for a developed India by 2047. The event will feature at least 6,000 special guests, including youth, members of the tribal community, farmers, women, and other distinguished individuals who have excelled in various fields, often with the support of government initiatives. In addition, the Indian contingent that recently participated in the Paris Olympics has also been invited to join the celebrations, adding a layer of pride and honour to the festivities. Negotiations for Gaza ceasefire deal to resume Israel and Hamas will resume the stalled ceasefire negotiations with a new round of talks aimed at finalising a deal. The high-stakes meeting will involve Qatar, Egypt, and the United States presenting a final bridge proposal for a ceasefire-hostage deal. The deal was proposed by US President Joe Biden in May but unresolved differences over last-minute demands presented by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a looming military escalation threaten to derail the process. Advertisement People hold Israeli flags as protesters hold a rally, demanding a ceasefire and the end of Israels attacks on Gaza, in New York City. File image/Reuters Bidens three-phase plan starts with a six-week period during which Israeli forces would withdraw from populated areas of Gaza. This phase includes the release of several hostages, including women, the elderly, and the wounded, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and the implementation of a temporary truce. The second phase would involve the exchange of all remaining living hostages, including male soldiers, for a permanent ceasefire. In the third phase, a major reconstruction plan for Gaza would begin, and any remains of hostages who have been killed would be returned to their families, the US President said. Palestinian President Abbas to address Turkish parliament Advertisement Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is set to address the Turkish parliament on Thursday in an extraordinary session called during the parliaments recess. The session, as Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus stated, aims to show Turkiyes strong support for the Palestinian people and their cause and to ensure that the voice of the oppressed Palestinian people is heard around the world." Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Reuters During his speech, Abbas will highlight Israels attacks on Palestinian territories, particularly in Gaza. His address will be simultaneously translated into English, Turkish, and French, ensuring a wide reach. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will also attend the session, showcasing high-level support for Palestine. Additionally, the leaders will visit a Palestine-themed photo exhibition in the parliament building. Advertisement Anna Kitchen to reopen in Andhra Pradesh Anna Canteens are set to reopen in Andhra Pradesh on Independence Day, with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expected to formally relaunch the subsidised meal programme from a canteen in Vijayawada. The State government plans to reopen 100 Anna Canteens after they were shuttered during the YSR Congress Partys rule in 2019. District Collectors have made arrangements for the reopening, fulfilling one of the promises made by the NDA in its election manifesto. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be priced at 5 each (breakfast and two meals at 15 per day), NTR District Collector G. Srijana told The Hindu. Advertisement Anna Canteens will be reopened in phases in Guntur, Visakhapatnam, Rajamahendravaram, Anantapur, Eluru, and other locations across the state. Narendra Modi has become the third prime minister to give 11 Independence Day speeches from the ramparts of the Red Fort. Before him, only Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi have attained this feat read more Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the nation from the Red Fort on 78th Independence Day, in New Delhi. PTI On 15 August 1947, Jawaharlal Nehru delivered his famous Tryst with destiny speech on the occasion of Indias first Independence Day. Fast forward to 2024, and Narendra Modi is delivering a speech on the theme of Viksit Bharat 2047 to commemorate 77 years of Independence. With todays speech, Modi is equalling a new record with Nehru. He is the third prime minister, after Nehru and Indira Gandhi, to address the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on 11 consecutive August 15 occasions. Advertisement Lets take a closer look. Modis record 11 speeches Keeping up his turban tradition he sported a multicoloured Rajasthani leheriya print turban Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort for the 11th time this year, marking the 78th day of Independence. In his speech, he honoured those who are taking the nation forward, saying: Today, those who brave and courageous and hardworking are working to take the nation forward be it our soldiers, our farmers, our youth. I salute them all. He also consoled the families who had lost their loved ones in the recent natural calamities. In recent times, due to some calamities, many people have lost their lives. I want to assure their families that in this hour of grief and difficulty, the nation stands with them at every step, he said. In his speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Modi also asserted that Indias 140 crore citizens can achieve the goal of a prosperous and developed country if they walk shoulder to shoulder with united resolve. He said his government has worked to break the mindset of living with status quo by rolling out big reforms aimed at changing the lives of the middle class and the poor. While this is Modis 11th Independence Day speech, his first came in 2014 during which he announced a host of new programmes such as Swachch Bharat and Jan Dhan accounts and since then he has made various key announcements on the day. Advertisement This is Modis 11th Independence Day speech. He addressed the nation last year for 90 minutes. File image/PTI According to a Moneycontrol report, Modi has spoken an estimated 83,000 words from the ramparts of Red Fort in which farmers and poverty have been a running theme. An analysis shows that Modis speeches have retained the thrust on nationalism and focus on rural topics and focused less on themes related to religion and caste. Notably, since 2022, Viksit Bharat has been added to his speeches, with the initial reference being made in his 2022 I-Day speech. Modis Independence Day speeches have also been marked for their length. His first speech in 2014 lasted for 65 minutes and the length of his speeches has only grown since then. In 2016, Modi spoke for a record 94 minutes, making it the longest Independence Day speech. Advertisement On average, the length of PM Modis Independence Day address has been 83 minutes longer than any other Indian prime ministers. Nehrus I-Day record With todays speech, Modi has surpassed his predecessor Manmohan Singh, who delivered 10 Independence Day speeches during his tenure. However, he is yet to achieve Nehrus record the first PM delivered a whopping 17 straight Independence Day speeches. He began on August 15, 1947 with the unforgettable tryst with destiny speech. Nehrus speech began: Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom Advertisement Jawaharlal Nehru, the first PM of India, addresses the nation on the first Independence Day. File image/PTI Interestingly, a draft of that speech, released by the Congress later, shows that he had written about the countrys date with destiny but later delivered it as Tryst with destiny. 75 years ago, a little after midnight, Nehru gave his immortal 'Tryst with Destiny' speech. Heres his handwritten draft dated 14.8.47. He had penned it as 'date with destiny', but in a moment of true genius delivered it as 'tryst with destiny'. The video: https://t.co/Ba0QESuZ8L pic.twitter.com/N5M5KgP7MZ Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) August 14, 2022 Nehru in his draft note wrote, Long years ago we made a date with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the strike of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will wake to life and freedom. While Modis I-Day speeches are long, Nehru in comparison was succinct in his words. The first speech, given by Nehru in 1947, lasted for only 24 minutes. Besides Nehru, another PM who has delivered multiple Independence Day speeches is Indira Gandhi. Indira Gandhi, who served as prime minister from January 1966 to March 1977 and again from January 1980 to October 1984, addressed the nation 16 times, with 11 of those speeches being consecutive. Notably, it was Indira Gandhi who delivered the longest Independence Day speech before Modi. In 1972, she spoke for 54 minutes, a record that only Modi broke when he stormed to power in 2014. Government archives show that the average duration of Independence Day speeches has increased over time. History records show that Chaudhary Charan Singh, Vishwanath Pratap Singh, H D Deve Gowda and IK Gujral are the prime ministers who delivered Independence Day speeches only once. With inputs from agencies PM Modi delivered his longest Independence Day speech 98 minutes from the ramparts of the Red Fort. In his speech, he dedicated a significant amount of time, addressing the needs and wants of one section of society: women. He highlighted that it was time that speedy investigation of crimes against women took place and also spoke of longer maternity leave read more Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done it again. Speaking from the ramparts of the Red Fort, PM Modi delivered his longest speech 98 minutes long during which he reasserted the goal of Viksit Bharat 2047. He stated that Viksit Bharat 2047 is more than just a phrase for a speech; it represents a significant commitment and effort. If 40 crore people can break shackles of slavery to gain freedom, just imagine what can be achieved by the resolve of 140 crore people, he said. Advertisement However, PM Modi dedicated a significant period of his speech to one crucial section of Indian society: women, focusing on their safety and their empowerment. We take a closer look at how Modi batted for womens advancement through his Independence Day speech. Batting for womens safety Standing at the ramparts of Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the outrage that is prevalent in society over atrocities against women. He was referencing the nation-wide protests that have broken out over the brutal rape-murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at Kolkatas RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Without mentioning the incident directly, PM Modi said, Cases of crime against women should be investigated and those responsible should be punished without delay. The PM also added that the country is angry over it. I would like to express my pain once again, from the Red Fort today. As a society, we will have to think seriously about the atrocities against women that are happening there is outrage against this in the country. I can feel this outrage. The country, society, and state governments will have to take this seriously. Speedy investigation of crimes against women, those executing these monstrous deeds be awarded strict punishment at the earliest. He also highlighted the importance to create a fear of consequences of rape. He said it is important for people to speak about actions taken against rapists so that it can act as a deterrent. When the case of rape happens, media discusses the case at length, but when these perpetrators are brought to the books, there is very little discussion on the same. We need to speak about the action taken on such criminals so that it can act as a deterrent, he said. Advertisement It is important to note that Modis speech came just hours after unidentified miscreants vandalised parts of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on Wednesday night. The ensuing chaos has resulted in the emergency ward being completely destroyed, said a police official. Cops had to fire tear gas shells and used lathi-charge to disperse the miscreants. Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets people at the Red Fort on 78th Independence Day, in New Delhi, after delivering his record-breaking 96-minute long I-Day speech. PTI Empowering women Besides the topic of womens safety, Prime Minister Modi also spoke of how his government has worked hard to empower women in the country. We have worked on a women-led development model. Whether it is innovation, employment, entrepreneurship, in every sector women are marching ahead, Modi said in his Independence Day speech, adding, Look at the defence sector Air Force, Army, Navy space sector we are seeing the strength of women everywhere. Advertisement He spoke about how in the last ten years, 10 crore women have joined self-help groups, which is helping them become financially independent. Financially independent women can contribute to household decisions, leading to positive social changes. So far, we have provided Rs 9 lakh crores to these self-help groups. During his 96-minute long speech, Modi also spoke of the Lakhpati Didi scheme, announcing that the government plans to allocate between Rs 10 and 20 lakh to these groups. Junior doctors and nursing staff hold placards during an ongoing protest against the sexual assault and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, in Kolkata. Modi without referencing the incident said that there was outrage in the country. PTI A fair society for women In his Independence Day speech, PM Modi also batted for a more just society for women. He called for discussions on the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code in the country, saying that it needed to be secular and not discriminatory. Advertisement Referring to the Uniform Civil Code during the Independence Day speech, Modi said: A large section of the country believes, and it is true, that the civil code that we are living with is actually a communal civil code. I would say that it is the need of the hour that there be a secular civil code in the country Only then would we be free of the discrimination on the basis of religion. Modis BJP is of the firm opinion that the implementation of a Uniform Civil Code would bring about a change in the condition of women in society, making them more equal. Advertisement Moreover, in his speech, PM Modi also referred to how his government has extended maternity leave from 12 weeks to 26 weeks in order to remove a hindrance for working mothers. He said that his government doesnt just respect women but also takes decisions to make sure that all the requirements of working mothers. For working women, maternity leave has been increased from 12 weeks to 26 weeks. We not only just respect women, we not only make decisions for her sensitively, we make decisions to ensure that the government does not become a hindrance to the requirements of the mother to make her child a quality citizen, the PM said. Women in India In December 2023, when parties were preparing for the Lok Sabha polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that he considered women, youth, farmers and the poor as the biggest castes in the country and that only their upliftment would drive the development of the country. And from Modis Independence Day speech, it is evident that he continues to maintain this stance. In India, women make up 68 per cent of the roughly 140 crore population, as per projections based on the 2011 Census. As per the Periodic Labour Force Survey, published by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), 20.3 per cent of urban women are part of the workforce between January and March, compared to 58 per cent of men. Moreover, the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) reveals that 71.5 per cent of women were literate in 2019-21 compared to 84.4 per cent of men. Heres hoping that this Independence Day, women soar higher in India and are granted freedom from fear of being oppressed and marginalised. With inputs from agencies Delivering his 11th consecutive Independence Day speech, PM Narendra Modi spoke on various topics from the ramparts of Red Fort. From focusing on his governments reforms to calling for strict punishment against perpetrators of violence against women, he addressed concerns of 140-crore Indians read more PM Narendra Modi addresses the nation from Red Fort during Independence Day celebrations in New Delhi, August 15, 2024. AP Raising the pitch of Viksit Bharat 2047, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation from the ramparts of Delhis Red Fort on the 78th Independence Day. Donning a multi-coloured turban, white kurta-pyjama and blue jacket, he hoisted the national flag for the 11th time in a row, becoming only the third prime minister after Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi to do so. From womens safety to big reforms brought by his government, PM Modi touched upon several topics during his 98-minute speech. He also talked about multiple natural disasters that recently hit various parts of the country. Many have lost their families and loved ones in these calamities. Today, I extend my heartfelt sympathies to all those affected and assure them that we stand with them in this difficult hour. Advertisement Lets take a look at the key takeaways from PM Modis I-Day speech. Viksit Bharat 2047 PM Modi said his dream of making India a developed nation by 2047 when the country will mark its 100th Independence Day is a reflection of the resolve and dreams of 140 crore Indians. Viksit Bharat 2047 are not mere words; they are reflections of the resolve and dreams of 140 crore people, he declared. Remembering those who won our freedom 77 years back, Modi said, We are proud that we carry the blood of the 40 crore people who uprooted the colonial rule from IndiaToday, we are 140 crore people, if we resolve and move together in one direction, then we can become Viksit Bharat by 2047 by overcoming all obstacles in the way. Narendra Modi addresses the nation from the Red Fort on 78th Independence Day, in New Delhi, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. PTI He also highlighted the public input for the Viksit Bharat initiative. People have given many suggestions to make India developed by 2047, including making the nation a manufacturing hub and ensuring seed capital availability, Indian Express quoted him as saying. The recommendations also included reforms in governance, promoting traditional medicines, and enhancing the justice delivery system. Reforms by the NDA govt PM Modi focused on the reforms rolled out by his National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government during his first Independence Day speech after returning to power for a third straight term. He said the previous governments had a chalta hai indifferent attitude to development and reforms. Modi said his government broke the mindset of the status quo and implemented big reforms for the poor and the middle class. Advertisement Modi said his governments commitment to reforms is not for a few days of appreciation, but to strengthen the countrys foundation. The path of reforms chosen by us has become a blueprint for growth and not just for debate clubs, he stated. Hailing the banking sector reforms, he said Indian banks are now among the few strong banks globally. Modi also pointed out the reforms in the space sector, saying more startups are getting involved in this area. The PM also spoke about the change in the publics expectations of the government. Earlier, people wanted change, but their aspirations were not paid heed to; we brought big reforms on the ground. Advertisement Modi asserted these reforms are not borne out of a political compulsion but the dedication to the nation first. Womens safety Amid widespread outrage in India over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at a state-run hospital in West Bengals Kolkata, womens safety also featured in PM Modis speech. Commenting on the issue of atrocities against women, he said he understands and shares peoples anger over such incidents. The country, society, and state governments must address this matter with utmost urgency. There must be a swift probe into crimes against women, and those responsible for these horrific acts should face strict punishment without delay, he said. Advertisement The PM said there is no fear in offenders as there is not much publicity about the punishments for the culprits for such crimes. We need to instil a sense of fear amongst those abusing women, he added. Advertisement Secular Civil Code Batting for the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) demand for a common civil code, PM Modi said India has had a communal civil code for long. He said laws that divide the country on religious lines have no place in modern society. The Supreme Court has repeatedly held discussions on uniform civil code, given orders, because a large section of the country feels, and rightly so, that the current civil code is a communal civil code, a discriminatory civil code. The Constitution tells us, the Supreme Court tells us to and it was the dream of the Constitution makers. So it is our duty to fulfill it, Modi stated. He said time demands a secular civil code and then we will be free of religious discrimination. One nation, one election PM Modi also called for one nation, one election. He said the Ram Nath Kovind Committee also had a favourable view of holding simultaneous Lok Sabha and state Assemblies elections. Frequent elections are creating hurdles in the progress of the nation. It has become easy to link any scheme or initiative with elections. He urged political parties and those who understand the Constitution that we should move towards one nation, one election. In March, the high-level committee (HLC) on One Nation, One Election headed by Kovind submitted its report to President Droupadi Murmu endorsing holding simultaneous polls for Lok Sabha and state Assemblies by 2029. War against corruption Modi reiterated his governments zero-tolerance policy towards corruption. I want to instil fear in the minds of the corrupt so that they cannot have the courage to cheat the common man, the PM said in his address. He said the Centre was waging a war against corruption. Every citizen is tired of corruption. We have waged a war on it and I have to pay a price for it, but there is no price to pay when it comes to the nation. My fight against the corrupt will continue, Modi was quoted as saying by Indian Express. In a veiled dig at the opposition, the PM stated, Our country has overcome an entire regime of corruption. There have been personalised attacks on me, but my prestige is not more important than the cause of this nation. He alleged there are people who are still encouraging corruption and singing praises of corruption and the corrupt. Modi said zero tolerance towards corruption is the only way to eradicate it. Bangladeshs Hindu minorities Modi also mentioned Bangladesh in his I-Day speech. I hope things will soon be normal in Bangladesh. 140-crore people want Hindus and minorities there to be safe. We want our neighbouring countries to tread the path of peace and happiness, he said. His concern comes amid attacks on Hindus in the neighbouring country after Sheikh Hasina resigned as the PM and fled Bangladesh last week. With inputs from agencies Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the third child of ousted PM Thaksin Shinawatra, is all set to become the next Thai leader. The 37-year-old mother of two, if voted in parliament, will become only the second female PM of the Southeast Asian nation read more Leader of Pheu Thai Party, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, daughter of Thailand's former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, smiles before press conference in Bangkok, Thailand. The Pheu Thai Party declared their support for her on August 15. AP A day after Thailands Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin was dismissed by the Constitutional Court, the Southeast Asian nations populist Pheu Thai party and its coalition partners have announced that they have chosen 37-year-old Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the daughter of billionaire ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra, as its candidate for prime minister. We decide to nominate Paetongtarn Shinawatra, party secretary general Sorawong Thienthong told a press conference in Bangkok. Now, lawmakers will vote on Friday (August 16) in parliament where Pheu Thai heads a governing coalition on whether to approve Paetongtarn as prime minister. Advertisement As she prepares to become the next Thai PM, heres all we know about the 37-year-old and her rise in politics. A political scion The 37-year-old is the third child of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup. She grew up in Bangkok, attending private schools in the centre of the city. She was exposed to politics from a young age, and would follow her father around when he became foreign minister. As Thai political scientist Thitinan Pongsudhirak from Chulalongkorn University told CNN: She was very prominent and was often seen with him. She later went to the United Kingdom to get a masters degree in international hotel management at the University of Surrey. Later, she worked for the family business. Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra with his daughter Paetongtarn during her graduation day at a Bangkok university. File image/Reuters In 2019, she married commercial pilot Pidok Sooksawas and the couple have two children. With her party, the Pheu Thai, nominating her for the prime ministerial post, Paetongtarn will be the fourth member of the Shinawatra family to become prime minister. Thaksins brother-in-law Somchai Wongsawat was prime minister briefly during 2008, and his sister Yingluck Shinawatra was prime minister from 2011 until 2014. Both were forced from office by court rulings. Worthy political candidate In last years May election, Paetongtarn was one of the three prime ministerial candidates from the Pheu Thai party, along with tycoon Srettha Thavisin and former justice minister Chaikasem Nitisiri. Advertisement Before the elections, many had given Paetongtarn an edge over her rivals to become Thailands youngest prime minister. A pre-election opinion poll conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) showed she was the most popular choice for prime minister, getting more than double the support of her opponents the incumbent Prayuth and Forward Partys Pita Limjaroenrat, as per a CNN report in April. Supporters hold up posters of Paetongtarn Shinawatra from the Pheu Thai Party. In the May elections last year, she was one of the most visible candidates. File image/Reuters At the time, political observers had noted that her hard work while she was pregnant drew a great deal of public admiration and sympathy for her. Thaksin has endorsed his daughters political skills and said that she would make a good prime minister, but has played down suggestions that he still pulls the strings. Advertisement I have seen her dedicate herself to the party and she has done a good job even though she is pregnant, he was quoted as telling CNN of his daughter in March 2023. Now that she is (older), she decides for herself I dont control her. Shes got her mothers DNA and has (characteristics) I dont have so if she does become prime minister, she would do better than me, he added. Paetongtarns rise to the top Paetongtarns nomination for prime minister comes a day after Srettha Thavisin was ousted on Wednesday (August 14), less than a year in office. The Constitutional Court found him guilty of a serious ethical breach regarding his appointment of a Cabinet member who was jailed in connection with an alleged bribery attempt. Advertisement For Paetongtarn to finally be declared Thailands prime minister, she needs just a majority from the lower house, or at least 247 votes. Notably, the Pheu Thai and its allies hold 314 seats in the houses, of which 141 belong to Pheu Thai. Providing the alliance stays intact, Paetongtarn should face no difficulty in being named as prime minister. On Friday, if she succeeds in the vote in parliament, Paetongtarn will become Thailands second female prime minister and the youngest. With inputs from agencies In his 11th Independence Day speech from Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to iconic freedom fighter Birsa Munda. In his very short life he died when he was 25 Munda mobilised the tribal community and fought for a more just society read more Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays floral tribute to tribal icon Birsa Munda at his ancestral home in Ulihatu, in Khunti, Jharkhand. In his 11th Independence Day speech, PM Modi honoured the tribal hero, Birsa Munda. File image/PTI From the ramparts of the Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the national flag on the 78th Independence Day and addressed the nation amid light rain and a cloudy sky. However, the weather couldnt put a dampener on the PMs spirit as he delivered his address to the nation in which he paid tribute to the countless people who made sacrifices and struggled for the countrys freedom. The country is indebted to them, Modi said. Advertisement He also reiterated his Viksit Bharat 2047 goal through his address. PM Modi noted that his government was committed to reforms and the blueprint for growth is not borne of any political compulsion but the dedication to the nation first. In his over 60-minute long speech, he also mentioned tribal leader, Birsa Munda, also known as Bhagwan Birsa. Modi said of Birsa, Even before the freedom struggle, there was one young adivasi man who became a headache for the British forces. Just at the age of 20-22, this young man became a huge problem for the British. Today we know him as Bhagwan Birsa Munda and we worship him. His 150th birth anniversary is approaching. And he is an inspiration to all in our society. Birsa Munda shows how even the smallest man in society can bring about big change. Let us all come together and celebrate his 150th birth anniversary by increasing our love and compassion. But who is Birsa Munda and why did PM Modi mention him in his speech. 1) Birsa Munda was a freedom fighter and a revered tribal leader who challenged British rule and is credited with mobilising tribals against the empire. 2) Munda forced the colonial rulers to introduce laws protecting the land rights of the tribals. He spearheaded the tribal Millenarian movement that arose in the erstwhile Bengal Presidency comprising western districts of Bengal, Bihar and Odisha. Advertisement 3) Munda was born on November 15, 1875, in Chhotanagpur plateau of present-day Jharkhand. He had organised his first protest march for remission of forest dues during the great famine of 1895. Munda in his very short life, mobilised the tribal community, rebelled against forced conversions, envisioned a fairer, more just society and died fighting for it. Image Courtesy: @HardeepSPuri/X 4) He also coined the slogan, Abua raj seter jana, maharani raj tundu jana which means End the kingdom of the queen, create our kingdom. 5) In 1899, Birsa launched the Ulgulan movement, using weapons and guerrilla warfare to drive out foreigners. He encouraged tribals to follow the Birsa Raj and to not comply with colonial laws and rent payments. 6) However, the British put an end to the movement. On March 3, 1900, Munda was arrested by the British police while he was sleeping along with his tribal guerilla army at the Jamkopai forest in Chakradharpur. He then died in Ranchi Jail due to an illness on June 9, 1900, at the young age of 25. Advertisement 7) Munda in his very short life, mobilised the tribal community, rebelled against forced conversions, envisioned a fairer, more just society and died fighting for it. 8) Other than his fight for freedom and rights of the tribals, Birsa also founded a new religion called Birsait. The founding of the new religion was in response to the large-scale conversion by the missionaries. With inputs from agencies PM Narendra Modi donned a Leheriya print turban to address the nation on the 78th Independence Day. This popular textile from Rajasthan has a distinctive diagonal or chevron-striped pattern inspired by the waves the wind creates as it blows across the deserts of the state read more Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort, to mark the country's Independence Day in New Delhi on August 15, 2024. AFP Prime Minister Narendra Modi led India to celebrate the 78th Independence Day on Thursday (August 15). Addressing the nation from the ramparts of Delhis Red Fort, he spoke about various pressing issues such as womens safety, education and more. Marking this years I-Day theme of Viksit Bharat 2047, the Indian leader said if 140 crore citizens resolve and move collectively in one direction, the country will achieve the goal of transforming into a developed nation by the next 23 years. Advertisement Like every year, Modi donned a vibrant turban on Independence Day. This time, he paired his white kurta, churidar and blue bandhgala jacket with a multi-coloured Leheriya print turban. What is this Leheriya textile that PM Modi wore? 1. Leheriya is a famous heritage craft of Rajasthan. The word is derived from leher which means a wave. The distinctive diagonal or chevron-striped patterns indicate the waves the wind creates as it blows across the desert sands of the northern state. 2. Leheriya employs the traditional tie-dye technique which can be traced to the royal courts of Rajasthan in the 17th Century. Skilled artisans used natural colours from plants and minerals to create Leheriya prints. 3. Rajasthans elite patronised the Leheriya pattern by the 19th and early 20th Century, making it a status symbol. The Rajput rulers donned Leheriya turbans or saafas, which were a significant part of their wardrobe. PM Modi wore a Leheriya print turban for the 78th I-Day speech. Reuters 4. Initially, the Leheriya print was only worn by the Marwari community before being popularised among the masses. Today, women wear Leheriya sarees during the monsoon to symbolise fertility and hope for a good harvest, reports say. 5. Leheriya is a complex craft, which could take a month to complete. Artisans use a tie and dye technique to make the fabric. Pooja Choudhary, founder, Lavanya The Label, told Indian Express, This is typically done by folding the fabric in a specific manner, often across diagonally, and then binding it at regular intervals with threads before dyeing it. Wave-like patterns are created where the fabric has been protected from being dyed by thread marks. Advertisement 6. Leheriya, which symbolises prosperity, represents Rajasthans rich culture. It is worn these days during festivals, weddings and important events. The vibrancy of the colours and patterns on the turban also signifies how Rajasthani people love to enjoy life to its fullest at all times, Choudhary told Indian Express. 7. For his 11th consecutive I-Day address, PM Modi sported a Leheriya turban with orange, yellow and green hues. This was in line with his tradition of wearing colourful turbans on Independence Day and Republic Day every year. 8. In 2023, Modi chose a multi-coloured bandhani print safa for the 77th Independence Day. He paired the headgear with an off-white kurta, churidar and a black V-neck jacket. A year before, the PM was seen in a white turban with orange and green stripes, a nod to Indias national flag. Advertisement 9. The Indian leader, flaunting a long beard, picked a saffron turban with red patterns and a flowing trail in 2021. In 2020, Modi wore a saffron and cream headgear. He delivered the 2019 Independence Day address donning a flamboyant turban and a stole representing Indias artisanal heritage. 10. In 2018, Modis saffron-coloured turban was enhanced by its striking red pattern. His 2017 headgear was a vivid yellow with geometric patterns in red. The PMs tie-dye turban featured pink, red, saffron and yellow hues in 2016. PM Narendra Modi waves as he leaves after addressing the nation during Independence Day celebrations at the historic Red Fort in Delhi, August 15, 2018. File Photo/Reuters 11. The Indian leader chose a tie-and-dye headgear in 2015 as well. He addressed the nation on the occasion of the 69th Independence Day donning a yellow turban with multi-coloured crisscross lines. In 2014, he delivered his first I-Day speech as Indias PM putting on a vibrant Rajasthani turban adorned with orange, yellow, and green colours. Advertisement With inputs from agencies Ukraines forces have launched a surprise incursion into Russias Kursk, capturing more than 1,000 square kilometres and 74 towns and settlements. The mastermind behind this is Ukraines top military commander Oleksandr Syrski, the 58-year-old who has vast experience on the battlefield, earning him the nickname, the butcher read more Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi has attained popularity amidst Kyiv's successful incursion into Russia's Kursk region. Syrskyi is the brains behind the attack. File image/AFP The Russia-Ukraine war, which is inching slowly towards the 950 day mark, has seen many twists and turns. And in the latest twist, Ukraine has been pushing forward into Russian territory, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying troops hold 74 towns and settlements in the area, encompassing about 1,000 square kilometres (400 square miles) of territory. It all began on August 6 when Ukrainian troops in tanks and other armoured vehicles began coming from several directions into Russias Kursk region and were met with little resistance at the Russian border. This is now Ukraines deepest incursion into Russia since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. Advertisement But how has Ukraine been able to achieve such success in Russias Kursk? Who is responsible for the Ukrainian incursion, which according to analysts has left Russian President Vladimir Putin red-faced? We have the answers for you. Whos responsible for Ukraines incursion into Russia? The answer to this is simple: Ukraines top military commander Oleksandr Syrsky, who was appointed only in February to the position, replacing Valerii Zaluzhnyi, now Ukraines ambassador to the United Kingdom. But who exactly is Oleksandr Syrski? Syrskyi was born in July 1965 in Russias Vladimir region, which was then part of the Soviet Union. He has lived in Ukraine since the 1980s. Like many people of his age in Ukraines armed forces, he studied in Moscow at the Higher Military Command School among peers who have since become Russian commanders, graduating in 1986 and serving for five years in the Soviet Artillery Corps. Even though he has been living in Ukraine since the 80s, his command, as per an AFP report, is far from perfect. Moreover, he continues to have ties with Russia his parents and brother still live there. But hes hardly in touch with them; his brother earlier told Russias state media, TASS: Im not in touch with him, I dont even know where he is. I dont know anything about him. The Guardian has reported that his mother Lyudmila had liked social media publications supporting the invasion of Ukraine. In 2019, he became the head of Ukraines land forces. Earlier, he had commanded Ukrainian troops fighting a Moscow-backed insurgency in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions that began in 2014, and was given the call sign Snow leopard. Advertisement Syrskyi shot to fame in 2022 as he led the defence of Kyiv in the early days of the Russian invasion. For the bravery that he displayed then, President Zelenskyy named him Hero of Ukraine the countrys highest honour. Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with Commander in Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrski in Kyiv after the latter was promoted. File image/Reuters In July 2022, he once again was the mastermind behind the counteroffensive that pushed Russian troops away from the city of Kharkiv and retook swathes of land to the east and southeast. Hes also the one who led Ukraines defence of the eastern city of Bakhmut, where thousands of soldiers on both sides were killed in one of the bloodiest battles of the war so far. Despite criticism of the number of soldiers he lost in that battle, Syrskyi maintains that it damaged Russias overall war effort by tying down the Wagner mercenary group. The battle of Bakhmut also earned Syrskyi the title of Butcher because he was considered to have little regard for the loss of human life. Advertisement A highly-placed Ukrainian official told AFP that Syrskyi takes great offence over this nickname, arguing that he takes great care to minimise losses among his troops. It was in February this year, that President Zelenskyy promoted Syrskyi to commander of the armed forces. With this promotion, Syrskyi replaced the countrys famous commander-in-chief, Valerii Zaluzhnyi a move many called unprecedented. Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensyy listens to Oleksandr Syrski amid Russias attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region. Syrskis supporters call him a disciplined commander, who is often on the frontline. File image/Reuters Now 58, Syrskyi has been accused by many of Soviet military thinking. However, his supporters call him a disciplined commander, who is often on the frontline. As The Guardian noted in one of its reports, Close up, Syrskyi is warm and personable. His handshake is suitably iron. Advertisement When asked what he does while hes not engaged in war, he told the British outlet that he reads books on Ukrainian history, in order to understand past processes. We have brave people and a difficult history, he told The Guardian. How far has Ukraines incursion been? Under the watchful eye of Syrskyi, Ukraine began an incursion into Russian territory in Kursk on August 6. Since then, Ukrainian forces have been pushing deeper into the region, with President Zelenskyy saying on Wednesday (August 14), Today we have advanced well in the Kursk region. We are achieving our strategic goal. Advertisement Ukraine also claimed on Wednesday to have shot down a Russian Su-34 jet overnight in the Kursk region, where it said it had also captured 100 Russian prisoners. People gather in the courtyard of a multi-storey residential building, which according to local authorities was hit by debris from a destroyed Ukrainian missile, in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict in Kursk, Russia. Reuters Zelenskyy added that all in Ukraine should now act unitedly and efficiently as we did in the first weeks and months of this war when Ukraine took the initiative and began to turn the situation to the benefit of our state. Now we have done the exact same thing we have proven once again that we, Ukrainians, are capable of achieving our goals in any situation capable of defending our interests and our independence. But what will Ukraine do of the land it has seized so far? Kyiv has said that it would not hold on to Russian land it captured and offered to stop raids if Moscow agreed to a just peace. The sooner Russia agrees to restore a just peace the sooner the raids by the Ukrainian defence forces into Russia will stop, foreign ministry spokesman Georgiy Tykhy was quoted as saying by AFP. In the meantime, more than 120,000 Russians have fled their homes in Kursks border areas, with the regions governor announcing late Wednesday that another district had been evacuated. Ukrainian service members stand near an Armoured Personnel Carrier, amid Russias attack on Ukraine, near the Russian border in Sumy region, Ukraine. Reuters How has Russia responded to the incursion? A week into the incursion, Russia has responded to Ukraines incursion with anger. Last Sunday, Russian foreign ministry said Moscows forces will deliver a tough response to Ukraines surprise incursion into Russias territory. A day later, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Ukraine was trying to undermine Russian stability and warned that Ukraine would receive a worthy response. Russias President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting with security officials and regional governors to discuss the situation in the south of the country following an incursion of Ukrainian troops. Reuters The New York Times quoted the Russian strongman as saying: The West is fighting us with the hands of the Ukrainians. The enemy will certainly get the response he deserves, and all our goals, without doubt, will be accomplished. Russia has redeployed some troops to Kursk from the strategically significant region near Ukraines second-largest city, Kharkiv. Russia is unlikely to pull entire fighting units from eastern Ukraine but could redirect troops that were meant to reinforce the front lines in Donetsk, according to The Institute for the Study of War analytic group. But the implications of this incursion go far beyond the frontline. As the BBC notes, whats happened in Kursk is a symbolic rather than a decisive blow for President Putin. A Ukrainian source speaking to The Independent said: Putin is humiliated; weve embarrassed Russia once again. We have shown to the Russian people that their tsar cannot protect them. With inputs from agencies Nine people have been arrested after Kolkatas RG Kar Medical College and Hospital witnessed violence in the wee hours of Thursday. A mob barged into the emergency building, damaging medical equipment, breaking lights, fans and computers amid protests over the horrific rape and murder of a 31-year-old junior doctor there. The police say the seminar room where the victims body was found is untouched read more Damaged medical equipment in the emergency room after unidentified miscreants vandalised a portion of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital amid midnight protests by women in various parts of West Bengal against the alleged rape and murder of a post graduate trainee doctor, in Kolkata, August 15, 2024. PTI Kolkatas RG Kar Medical College and Hospital witnessed violence last night when doctors and nurses were holding a peaceful protest against the horrific rape and murder of a trainee doctor there. A violent mob reportedly carried out attacks on the ground floor of the emergency building at the hospital after midnight on Thursday (August 15). The attack came as India saw nationwide protests against the brutal rape and murder of the 31-year-old doctor last week. Reclaim the Night demonstrations, driven by social media, were held in several cities including Kolkata, calling for womens safety. Advertisement The police have arrested nine people for the vandalism at the hospital. Heres what we know about the violence at RG Kar Medical College. Mob vandalises RG Kar hospital The violent mob stormed the RG Kar hospital and ransacked the rooms on the ground floor of the emergency building with sticks and hammers, as per an Indian Express report. The Kolkata Police has reportedly said a group of about 40 people, allegedly posing as protesters, barged into the hospital premises, vandalised property and pelted stones at cops. In response, the police had to fire tear gas to disperse the mob, as per PTI. The mob toppled barricades, damaged gates and a few two-wheelers and overturned a Kolkata Police post vehicle, reported ThePrint. The iron gates inside the emergency building were destroyed, and desktop computers, laptops, lights, and fans were broken across rooms. Protestors at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital during a protest against the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor inside the hospital premises, in Kolkata, early Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. Unidentified miscreants entered the premises of the state-run hospital shortly after midnight on Thursday and vandalised portions of the medical facility, where the body of a woman doctor was found last week, police said. PTI On the ground floor, the cardiology emergency section, the admissions room, the tele-neuro medicine room, the nurses room, the medical officers room, and the emergency wards exhibited signs of vandalism on Thursday morning. The mob also went to the storeroom and broke open safes containing medicines. The ENT department was also ransacked, according to Indian Express. Beds and IV drips were upended, while chairs for patients and bathrooms were also not spared. A senior officer who received an SOS told ThePrint on the condition of anonymity, I have been in this force for 28 years, but I have not seen anything like this. The mob was tearing wires to snap the electricity with their bare hands, they had rods and swords and came charging towards the police. There were patients undergoing treatment and the force saved them on priority. The police cannot carry lathis inside a hospital where students are present. The force picked up walking sticks, banner poles to counter the crowd. Advertisement As per the police, the unidentified miscreants did not reach the fourth floor of the emergency building where the doctors body was found in a seminar hall. Scene of crime is Seminar Room which is intact and has not been touched. Dont spread fake news. We will take legal action, the Kolkata Police wrote on X. Some police officers sustained injuries in the attack on RG Kar. We have an adequate number of personnel posted outside the hospital, and they have been instructed to tackle the situation accordingly, a senior Kolkata Police officer told PTI. ALSO READ: Kolkata rape-murder: Was the trainee doctor gang-raped at RG Kar Medical College? Advertisement Eyewitnesses accounts Those present at RG Kar have opened up about the violent rampage at the hospital. Speaking to ANI, Pronoy Das, a security guard at the hospital who was on duty last night, said, Around 1 am last night, about 500-1,000 people came here. We locked the gate, but they broke it down. We went to another gate, but they broke down that too. There were too many, we were 10-12 people and the Police. So we were no match. They barged in and vandalised the property. They have damaged everything, from computers to medicines. They damaged even the CCTV cameras. Protesters who were holding peaceful demonstrations at the hospital over the tragic rape and murder case have alleged the police failed to protect them. Advertisement We were attacked at around midnight. The police ran faster than us. The goons beat some of us and ransacked the area. We are terrorised. They tried to break us, but our spirit to protest is still intact, a protesting doctor told Indian Express. Reactions to the violence The violence and vandalism in Kolkatas RG Kar have prompted reactions from the police and politicians. West Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose visited the hospital on Thursday afternoon. I am with you and we will work together to solve this. I assure you justice. My ears and eyes are open, he told the medical students. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has condemned the vandalism and called for an emergency meeting with its state branches to decide the future course of action. It also slammed the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government over the violence, holding it directly responsible for this collapse of public order, as per ANI. Advertisement The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has hit out at the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) government. BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari alleged the mob consisted of TMC goons who were given a safe passage by the police. Mamata Banerjee has sent her TMC goons to the apolitical Protest Rally near RG Kar Medical College and HospitalThey were given safe passage by the Police, who either ran away or looked the other way so that these lumpens would enter the hospital premises and destroy areas containing crucial evidence so that it doesnt get picked up by the CBI, he wrote on X. TMC general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee said he spoke to Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal and urged him to ensure that every individual responsible for todays violence is identified, held accountable, and made to face the law within the next 24 hours, regardless of their political affiliations. He said the doctors demands are fair and justified, adding that their safety and security must be prioritised. The Kolkata Police Commissioner on Thursday defended the force which is under immense pressure since the heinous rape and murder of the junior doctor at RG Kar. Blaming the malicious media campaign for last nights violence, he said, What happened here is because of the wrong media campaign, which has been a malicious media campaign as far as Kolkata Police are concerned. What has the Kolkata Police not done? It has done everything in this case. In 40 minutes 18 rooms were vandalised. The crime scene, however, remains intact. CCTV cameras were broken. Goyal said he was extremely angry about the rumours being spread about the tragic crime. I am extremely angry We have not done anything wrong Because of this malicious media campaign, people have lost trust in Kolkata police, he said, as per Indian Express. With inputs from agencies While the nation lost generations of leaders fighting for freedom from the British colonial rule, here is a brief tale of Indias path to Independence as the country read more The British came to India as traders at the turn of the 17th century. By the late 19th century, India had been under British rule for over a century. And by the 20th century, the Indian National Congress (INC), founded in 1885, became a focal point for the growing demand for self-governance and independence from colonial control. The British, benefiting economically from Indias resources and cheap labour, were reluctant to relinquish their grip. Advertisement Tensions escalated in 1905 when British Viceroy Lord Curzon partitioned Bengal, fearing growing mass awareness. This divide-and-rule strategy sparked widespread resentment and bolstered support for the INC. The movement for self-rule gained momentum. In 1919, the British government enacted the repressive Rowlatt Act, allowing detention without trial for suspected anti-government activities. The subsequent massacre of over 350 peaceful protesters in Amritsar deepened Indian outrage. This tragedy galvanised Mohandas Gandhi, a civil rights lawyer, to spearhead a campaign for full independence. Gandhi, championing nonviolent resistance, launched a series of peaceful protests and civil disobedience campaigns. He famously led the Dandi March of 1930, defying British tax laws by producing salt from seawater. His peaceful defiance drew tens of thousands of followers, leading to his arrest along with 60,000 others. Even while imprisoned, Gandhi continued his fight with hunger strikes. World War II saw Gandhis Quit India movement demand an end to British rule and refusal to support the war effort. Despite the British governments resistance, including Prime Minister Winston Churchills firm stance against Indian independence, the shifting global dynamics played a crucial role. The United States, eager to have colonised nations participate in post-war governance, pressured Britain to reconsider. In 1947, under the leadership of Clement Attlee, Britain passed the Indian Independence Act. The subcontinent was divided into Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan. This partition led to mass migrations and violent clashes, resulting in over a million deaths. Gandhi, devastated by the violence, attempted to restore peace through fasting. Tragically, he was assassinated in 1948. Despite the successful attainment of independence, India faced significant challenges in the years that followed, highlighting the complexities of its newfound freedom. Speaking after hoisting the national flag in the Supreme Court premises here, Chandrachud said Independence Day reminds us of the duties the countrys people have towards each other and the nation in realising all the values of the Constitution read more Emphasising the importance of freedom and liberty, Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud on Thursday noted that the recent events in neighbouring Bangladesh remind the value of these rights. Speaking after hoisting the national flag in the Supreme Court premises here, Chandrachud said Independence Day reminds us of the duties the countrys people have towards each other and the nation in realising all the values of the Constitution. What is happening today, say, in Bangladesh is a clear reminder of how precious liberty is for us. It is very easy to take freedom and liberty for granted but it is important to understand the past stories to remind us how important these things are, he said. Advertisement The CJIs remarks came amid mounting concerns in India over widespread incidents of attacks on the minority Hindu community in Bangladesh after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled on August 5 following weeks of violent unrest. Highlighting the significance of Independence Day, Chandrachud said, This day we honour our commitment to realise the dreams of all those who laid their lives for this country and those who lived to make it greater. Every beating heart in India, no matter their age or stature, goes back in time and fills with a deeply emotive sense of patriotism and indebtedness to our freedom fighters when we see our majestic flag flying high against the air of freedom on Independence Day, he said. On the occasion of Independence Day, I wish all of you, members of our journalistic core, a very happy Independence Day. Through you, I wish the rest of the nation, particularly those connected with law, a very happy Independence Day, he told reporters. He noted that many lawyers gave up their legal profession and dedicated themselves to the cause of the nation. The CJI said the work of the courts reflects the struggles of ordinary Indians navigating the rough and tumble of their daily lives. He stressed that a modern judiciary requires an accessible and inclusive infrastructure. Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal was also present during the flag hoisting and noted that the Constitution is above all. Advertisement The CJI had said a few days ago that the Constitution is above all. If this is imbibed by the legislature, executive and judiciary, India will be a developed nation, the minister said. Supreme Court Bar Association president and senior advocate Kapil Sibal recalled the words of first prime minister Jawahar Lal Nehru and said that is the freedom the country cherishes. On August 15, he said I am the first servant of the people of India. This is the spirit in which we want to uphold our freedom. We need to be free, need equality, get rid of poverty, Sibal said. CJI Chandrachud said India has conquered new frontiers of social justice, scientific development, economic prosperity and political milestones in the last 77 years. Advertisement He said when India achieved independence in 1947, it marked a tectonic shift in global power. Our founding parents charted out with a single-minded focus to uplift our citizens. They were guided by the father of our nation Mahatma Gandhi, to wipe every tear from every eye, so long as there was suffering in this country, he said. They knew that this was not a task which could be achieved in just one lifetime. But they resolved to not rest till they achieved it. The first task of independent India was therefore, for the Constituent Assembly to devise a Constitution that would serve the goals of a social revolution and of national renaissance, he said. Advertisement Chandrachud said the Constitution put the marginalised and the disenfranchised at the front and centre of the national project of emancipation. It ushered in a reign of deliberative democracy inspired by the ideals of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity. And to meet these aims, the Constitution weaved an intricate network of democratic institutions, he said. It established a representative, responsive and responsible government premised on parliamentary democracy and universal adult franchise. These ideas were no less than revolutionary for a country coming out of the brutal clutches of colonialism, he added. Chandrachud said lawyers and the Bar have been a constant force of good in the country. Advertisement The courts are vital to uphold the rights and dignity of citizens. But the Bar wedded to the Constitution and the rule of law, is vital to uphold the conscience of the courts. Members of the Bar are the crucial link between the people and the judges, he noted. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his Independence Day 2024 address, said, crimes against women must be probed as soon as possible and those who commit monstrous crimes should be punished as soon as possible' read more Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the nation on the occasion of 78th Independence Day at Red Fort, in Delhi on August 15, 2024. Source: PIB. Crimes and atrocities against women, amid Kolkata doctor rape and murder that has shook the world, found a special mention at Prime Minister Narendra Modis speech on Indias 78th Independence Day on Thursday at the Red Fort in New Delhi. The Prime Minister stressed that the crimes against women must be probed at the earliest and also emphasises to widely publicise punishments for those committing them to create a fear of consequences. Advertisement Without specifying on any particular case, PM Modi said that there is an outrage in the country over the issue of womens safety and that all stakeholders need to take it seriously. Speaking on the increasing crimes against women, the Prime Minister said: As a society, we must seriously address the atrocities against our mothers, sisters, and daughters. There is anger among the people because of this. I can feel that rage." Crimes against women must be probed as soon as possible and those who commit monstrous crimes should be punished as soon as possible, he said. Crucial to instill fear The Prime Minister went on to say, It is the need of the hour that extensive discussion on those receiving punishment be held so that those committing this sin understand that this leads to hanging. I think it is very important to instill this fear. Those who commit these crimes should know they will face the harshest penalties, he said. The PM continued by saying that this would help to build faith in the society. PM Modi even pointed out that while such crimes and violence incidents receive significant media coverage initially, the attention often fades away by the time the culprit is held accountable. There should be discussions about the convicts too, so that such criminals feel fear in their minds, he added. #WATCH | PM Narendra Modi says, "...I would like to express my pain once again, from the Red Fort today. As a society, we will have to think seriously about the atrocities against women that are happening - there is outrage against this in the country. I can feel this outrage. pic.twitter.com/2gQ53VrsGk ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024 Advertisement The statement of the Prime Minister came amid rage among doctors and people across the country following the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in West Bengals Kolkata. The semi-naked body of the trainee doctor, who was on night duty last Thursday, was found at the seminar hall of the state-run hospital on August 9. Earlier, police claimed she had died by suicide, but the autopsy report confirmed that she was raped and murdered. Advertisement The brutal crime has raised fingers at the West Bengal government-led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees party, Trinamool Congress (TMC). The state was considered to be one of the safest for women in the country. The Kolkata hospital rape and murder case was handed over to the CBI on Tuesday and pressure has been mounting on the agency to catch hold of culprits at the earliest and ensure they get harshest of punishments. Prime Minister Modi envisions India as a global manufacturing hub, promotes Design In India, and emphasises local innovation and skill development read more Prime Minister Narendra Modi receives a Guard of Honour on 78th Independence Day at the Red Fort, in New Delhi, on August 15, 2024. PTI On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi encouraged state governments to fiercely compete for global investment as he addressed the nation from the Red Fort on Indias 78th Independence Day. Modi highlighted the strong interest from global companies in investing in India, describing it as a golden opportunity for the country to become a global manufacturing hub. He urged state governments to craft policies that attract investment while maintaining high standards of governance and law enforcement. Advertisement Emphasising the need for innovation, Modi advocated for Design In India and Design for the World initiatives. He also called for Indian professionals to lead the burgeoning global gaming industry. In his 11th Independence Day address, Modi aligned his vision with the Industry 4.0 revolution, focusing on comprehensive skill development across various sectors, from agriculture to sanitation. The Skill India programme. he said, has sparked significant growth and momentum. Modi praised the Vocal for Local mantra as central to Indias economic strategy and highlighted the One District, One Product initiative, which aims to enhance district-level pride and specialisation in unique products to boost exports. He also reiterated the countrys commitment to achieving self-reliance in the energy sector and addressing climate change challenges. Chinese netizens Chinglish humor wins real comedian reputation for comforting upset foreign girl Global Times) 16:42, August 15, 2024 A foreign girl seeking comfort on Chinese social media following relationship trouble, unexpectedly received waves of Chinglish (Chinese-style English) responses from Chinese netizens. These unique and humorous replies not only warmed her heart, but also went viral on social media abroad, with many calling China net users real comedians. YourKris, a user on Xiaohongshu, China's life style sharing platform, posted a picture of herself in tears and snuggling up to a boy on August 7, captioned "bye baby." However, she didn't realize that the post soon went viral as sympathetic Chinese netizens flooded under the post to comfort her, with humorous Chinglish. One comment read, "cry what? Man like taxi, one goes, next come." This comment showcased the wit and humor of Chinese netizens, garnering nearly 10,000 likes. A netizen from Southwest China's Sichuan commented, "you can try try Chinese man, Don't cry baby, you are very pretty," which not only had a strong Chinglish flavor, but also reflected the openness and friendliness of Chinese netizens, other netizens commented. Another netizen, "momo," from Shanghai used the phrase "You pretty, he ugly, u swan, he frog!" to comfort the heartbroken girl. While the grammar may not be perfect, the intention of humor and encouragement is evident. "Abandon him!! Abandon him!!" commented another netizen. There were already more than 28,000 comments under her post as of press time. This event quickly gained popularity on overseas social platforms, with many foreign netizens showing a strong interest in Chinglish. Kat+ said on X that "imagine going through a rough patch with your boyfriend and thousands of Chinese netizens comfort you." Another X user ginger spice said, "would prefer Chinese netizens comforting my every move instead of a soundtrack to my life." Some expressed regret for not being able to communicate with Chinese netizens on the same platform, and enquired about Chinese software they could use. At the same time, other foreign netizens admired the humor and strength of Chinese netizens, and expressed a desire for Chinese netizens to engage in "battle" with them on the international internet. This event not only showcased the humor and warmth of Chinese netizens, but also reflected positive interactions in cross-cultural communication. Chinglish, a term once considered derogatory, is now gradually becoming a bridge for cultural exchange, connecting people from different countries and cultures, netizens said. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) As you were growing up, you must have discussed your father, Subhas Chandra Bose, in detail with your mother. What were her everlasting memories of him? I dont recall all the events and the memories. However, I do remember that after the end of World War II, there was a very difficult and trying time for all adults as they had to arrange for food and take care of their families. The memory of my father was very painful for my mother, she did talk to me about it, but not in the way one adult would talk to another adult. Later on, my memory was in addition coloured by the stories of my Indian relatives who visited us and talked about their memories of my father. Advertisement What are your earliest recollections and memories of your father? My earliest recollection is when one of my cousins visited us in 1947 and of my fathers photos which my mother kept and showed me. I dont have any recollection of my father himself because he saw me when I was four weeks old, and, obviously, I dont have any recollection of that meeting. Your mother had wanted to name you Amita Brigitte, but finally ended up naming you Anita Brigitte (Brigittes short form in German is Gita). What prompted her to do this? I was born in Vienna (then part of Germany) during the Nazi regime which was very anti-foreigner. So, it was forbidden to give a foreign name to your child. Amita would, therefore, have been unacceptable to the authorities. I was named Anita, which was also a foreign name, an Italian name. However, at the time Italy was one of the allies of Germany. Therefore I was given this name. Brigitte was chosen as middle name because one of its short forms was Gita. I would still have been called Anita. But Brigitte might have been my official first name if Anita had not been accepted. What were your feelings when you read the entire correspondence between your mother and your father and the bond between the two? The bond was surprising for both of them, and it was a deep one. Neither of them had started the relationship assuming that it would become that intense and meaningful; it started as a purely professional relationship. My father had made up his mind that he would dedicate his life to the independence struggle and any private relationship had no place in his life. Many people had tried to win him as a son-in-law but he had evaded those efforts. Advertisement There has been much debate and controversy about the disappearance and the ultimate fate of Netaji Bose. What is your personal opinion on this topic and Gumnaami Baba as well? It is certain that my father died on August 18, 1945, in Taipei, following a plane crash. There was no conclusive evidence available at the time. For example, my mother received the news a few days later in the form of a short announcement as part of the radio news. The British were certainly very interested in the fate of my father in the context of this news. They asked the Americans to investigate his death, as is proven by the documents released only much later. They established that he had died in the plane crash. Also, the Japanese and the Indian governments investigated the plane crash. Over the years there were 11 investigations, including three by the governments of India. Except for the Justice Mukherjee Commission of Inquiry, all of them concluded that he died as a consequence of the plane crash on August 18, 1945. Advertisement The Mukherjee Commission report was inconclusive. One of our relatives checked the report including the quoted, attached documents and found a number of mistakes. For example, there was a letter written in Japanese. The translation part of it had been left out. Furthermore, the report claimed that Habibur Rehman had said that the plane was flying at an altitude of 12,000-14,000 feet. If a plane drops from that height, obviously, no one will survive. But Rehman had said, as the document in the appendix shows, that on the way to Taipei the plane flew at that altitude. The plane actually dropped from a height of 20-30 metres because it lost an engine. Advertisement One of my nieces and one of my nephews talked to Justice Mukherjee and pointed out that there were several mistakes in his report. His response was: Yes, I know, and I dont want to talk about it. I dont know whether he stated incorrect facts on purpose or whether he simply didnt check the evidence properly. But I am surprised that a person of his stature would make such mistakes on purpose or out of sloppiness in writing a report. With regards to the Gumnaami Baba theory, I believe that it is a great insult to Netaji. Would a person of his integrity, come to India, not contact his family and simply sit behind a curtain? It simply doesnt make sense that a person like him would have behaved in such fashion. Advertisement Did you ever have an opportunity to interact with Habib-ur Rahman or any other survivor from the plane crash? There were several survivors of the plane crash including Habibur Rehman and two Japanese officers. I interacted with one of them in Japan, but I never had an opportunity to meet Habib-ur Rehman in person because he went to Pakistan, and I never had an opportunity to visit him there. He was the only Indian who accompanied my father when the plane crashed. Later, when my fathers remains were taken to Renkoji Temple in Tokyo, there were more Indians present. What are your views on the difference in opinion on your fathers fate according to the Shah Nawaz Committee and Justice Mukherjee Commission and how do you view the dissenting stand taken by Suresh Chandra Bose in Shah Nawaz Committee? Ten investigations came to the same conclusion about my fathers fate. One of my uncles, Suresh Chandra Bose, was part of the Shah Nawaz Committee and he originally initiated the draft report, but eventually changed his mind and gave a dissenting report. I have never understood why he changed his mind. What are your views on the ashes stored in Renkoji Temple in Tokyo, which are allegedly your fathers remains? How and where would you like them to be finally preserved? I want the remains to return to India because Indias freedom meant so much to him. I dont know how this can be done. I could do it in a private manner; bring the remains and inform others about it afterwards, but it would not be an acceptable approach either for the Japanese government or even less for the Renkoji temple priests. They would consider it to be an insult. They have gone through a lot of effort and risk and have protected and preserved the ashes for years. The first head priest would often keep the ashes with him even while he was going to sleep. Amongst many people in Japan, even the former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was a great admirer of my father. Therefore, a clandestine move to return Netajis remains to his homeland would not be proper. The only dignified way would have to be an official transfer. The Government of India would have to take a leading part in bringing back the remains. There may be a lot of excitement around it and there may even be people who may want to kill me for it. But a man who has sacrificed so much for his countrys freedom, certainly deserves to return to his country after her attaining independence. Last year, the head priest at Renkoji Temple, Kyozen Mochizuki, whose family has been preserving the ashes for decades, said that he would like the ashes to go back to India. If you had to send a message to the Government of India on this matter, what would you say? Not only the current head priest, but also his father-in-law who was the previous head priest and his father, who was the first head priest, took care of Netajis remains and honoured him. They all had wanted the remains to be taken to India. When I came to India in the 1990s, people from the Japanese embassy and some other people from Japan, wanted the remains to be brought back. The government of Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao and his foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee also wanted the remains to be brought back. But things changed when that government fell. Some members of the Forward Bloc and some members of my family approached the new government to appoint another commission of inquiry. That was when the Justice Mukherjee Commission of Inquiry was appointed. While that Commission was still working, there was no question of bringing the remains back to India. There were also people in my fathers family who didnt believe that the remains at Renkoji Temple were his and there would have been much mudslinging. My relative who checked the veracity and quality of the Justice Mukherjee Report, was finally able to convince most of the doubters in our family that those remains were indeed Netajis. We may not like it, but my father died on August 18, 1945. Only one of my cousins believed till his recent death that my father had escaped to the Soviet Union. While we can safely accept that this was not the case, it would certainly make more sense than the Gumnaami Baba story because that would explain that he was unable to return. But the Soviet Union has always denied this version when the Indian government made inquiries in the early 1990s. When did you first visit India and what was your experience of meeting your fathers family in India? I was given a very warm welcome by all my relatives with few exceptions. I had met quite a number when they had come to meet my mother and me in Austria. My mother used to have regular correspondence with several of them. Do your children and grandchildren know about your father and his legacy in Indias freedom struggle against colonialism? My children, more than my grandchildren, know about their grandfathers legacy. My elder son studied history and is a journalist, so he has a professional as well as private interest in it. Subhas Chandra Bose took the support of the Axis powers and also from Stalinist Soviet Union, who was part of the Allied group. How was this possible? In 1941 he would have preferred to take the Soviet Unions help for gaining Indias independence, but the Soviet Union was unwilling to support Indias efforts. In hindsight we know that both Hitler and Stalin were most undesirable individuals. They were war criminals who committed atrocious crimes. But only the enemies of Britain were possible supporters of Indias struggle for independence. When Germany attacked the Soviet Union in June 1941, the latter became an ally of Britain. Looking for support abroad my father was left with no choice of supporters except Britains enemies, even though he was aware that they were no desirable allies. On October 19, 1938, your father wrote to Jawaharlal Nehru and requested him to become Chairman of the Congress Planning Committee. How were the relations between both of them? My father originally considered Nehru as an elder brother and as leftist a kindred spirit. He was disappointed that Nehru did not support him when Gandhi wanted to prevent his reelection of Congress president in 1939. My father was always a great admirer of Gandhi, even though Gandhi opposed him for a variety of reasons in 1939. In his later days, Gandhi too became far more understanding of my fathers position. In the Indian National Army one brigade was named the Gandhi brigade and another brigade was called the Nehru brigade. In general, we have to realise that though different freedom fighters may have differed in some aspects of their opposition to Britain, all of them worked for the same general goal Indias independence; and any differences between them did not amount to personal animosity. My father and Gandhi differed on non-violence. My father held the view that though non-violence was important, the freedom movement should not be confined to it. Nehru was a convinced anti-fascist and believed that India should support Britain against Germany, Italy and Japan, provided Britain would promise to grant India independence after winning the war. My father would never have considered a collaboration with Britain. Though he was not a fascist himself, he believed that these countries, the enemies of Britain during that war, would support India in her freedom struggle against Britain. India has released a coin and several stamps on your father and on 75th year of Indias independence, a grand statue of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was inaugurated near India Gate in Delhi. What do you have to say about them? The location of his statue is a very prestigious one and, historically, a symbolic one. Afterall his statue, with some delay, replaces the statue of King George V, a former colonial ruler of India. The present government has honored my father in several ways, for example, by renaming the Andaman & Nicobar Islands as Swaraj and Shaheed Dweep. However, to paint my father as a Hindu Nationalist, is a distortion of history. He was convinced that a government and politics should be secular. But even as a devout Hindu he respected all religions equally. He did not only pay lip-service to this principle. This principle was practiced in the INA. It was very important for my father that there should be no distinction based on caste or religion. I am very pleased that my fathers contribution to his country and her independence are considered important and are recognised by the present government maybe more so than by some previous governments. According to you, what is the significance of your fathers legacy in todays India and how would you like him to be remembered? As far as the political aspect is concerned, my father stood for a secular state. I want him to be remembered as a person who was a dedicated idealist. For him, his countrys independence and his countrymens and countrywomens well-being had overriding importance, for which he was ready to sacrifice everything, including his life. I also want him to be remembered as a tolerant person in religious, cultural and political terms. For him, political opponents were not enemies but competitors for the same ideal. Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the transformation of Indias banking sector from struggling to thriving, emphasising the reforms that have positioned Indian banks among the strongest globally read more Prime Minister Narendra Modi receives a Guard of Honour on 78th Independence Day at the Red Fort, in New Delhi, on August 15, 2024. PTI New Delhi: Indian banks stand among the strongest globally due to significant reforms implemented by his government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared on Thursday. Speaking to the nation from the historic Red Fort, the Prime Minister highlighted the vital role of a robust banking system in strengthening the formal economy. He noted that the banking sector had previously faced challenging times, but has since witnessed growth and recovery. Just imagine the state of our banking sector in the past. There was no growth, no expansion, and trust in the system was lacking. Our banks were struggling We introduced major reforms to fortify the banking sector. Today, as a result of these reforms, our banks are among the few that are strong on a global scale, Prime Minister Modi said. Advertisement He highlighted the importance of a strong banking system in meeting the needs of the middle class, farmers, homebuyers, startups and the MSME sector. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee welcome the Calcutta High Courts decision of transferring Kolkata rape and murder case from Kolkata Police to the CBI read more West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced a series of protest activities demanding capital punishment for the accused in Kolkata rape and murder case. Source: PTI. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to complete the entire probe in rape and murder case of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at Kolkatas R G Kar Hospital and facilitate the hanging of culprits by August 18. Banerjee, who is facing intense criticism following the brutal rape and murder of an on-duty trainee doctor at the state-run hospital, further claimed that the Kolkata Police had already completed 90 per cent of the investigation in the case. Advertisement Within Sunday (August 18), CBI has to facilitate hanging of the guilty and complete the entire probe. Our Kolkata Police has completed 90 per cent of the probe, the West Bengal CM said. Further, Banerjee said that on August 17, a protest march will be carried out in all the blocks demanding for capital punishment of the criminal in the Kolkata rape and murder case. She further said that on August 18, there will be a demonstration in all the blocks. On August 19, the day of Raksha Bandhan or Rakhi, a programme to demand capital punishment of the guilty will be marked, ANI quoted Banerjee as saying. On August 9, a semi-naked body of a 31-year-old trainee doctor was found in the seminar hall of R G Kar Medical College and Hospital. Earlier, police claimed she had died by suicide but later confirmed that she was raped and murdered. The incident sparked protests by resident doctors in Kolkata and most parts of India, demanding speedy justice for the trainee doctor. A civic volunteer has been arrested in the case. On Tuesday, the Calcutta High Court transferred the case to the CBI. Banerjee welcomed the courts decision and said: We will abide by the Calcutta high courts order and extend all support to the CBI. We have no problem with the CBI taking over the case, as we want it solved as soon as possible." Advertisement The chief minister also urged the junior doctors and interns, who have been on strike for six days, to return to work, highlighting the serious impact on medical services. I urge doctors to resume work. You have been protesting for several days, and I havent interfered. But you must remember your duty to serve the people, as you have taken an oath. Three people have died, including a minor and a pregnant woman. If it pleases you, I will touch your feet and request that you return to your duties, she said. Also Read: Kolkata rape & murder: Mob violence at RG Kar Hospital, BJP says sponsored by Mamata Banerjees party Advertisement Also Read: Mamata gives Kolkata Police a deadline & a CBI warning: Crack Kolkata hospital rape-murder case in 7 days With inputs from agencies Around 12:40 am on Thursday, a mob barged into Kolkatas R G Kar Medical College and Hospital where 31-year-old woman trainee doctors semi-naked body was found lying in the seminar hall on August 9 read more On Thursday, August 15, a mob entered the premises of state-run R G Kar Medical College and Hospital and vandalised portions of the medical facility. Source: PTI. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded resignation of Mamata Banerjee as the chief minister of West Bengal and claimed that the mob violence at state-run R G Kar Hospital, during the Reclaim the Night protest, was sponsored by her party Trinamool Congress (TMC). Shortly after midnight on Thursday, August 15, the Reclaim the Night protest was carried out to urge authorities to make public space safer for women and ensuring just in the rape and murder case of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, turned violent on Wednesday night. Advertisement Around 12:40 am, a mob entered the hospital where the woman trainee doctors semi-naked body was found lying in the seminar hall on August 9. They barged into the premises and started vandalising the property there when a large number of people had congregated to protest against the brutal crime. Miscreants entered the premises of the state-run hospital and vandalised portions of the medical facility. According to the Kolkata Police, a group of about 40 people, mostly men, allegedly disguised as protesters, barged into the hospital premises and began attacking other protesters carrying out peaceful protest under the banner reclaim the night. I want to bring to the immediate and urgent notice of @AmitShah that we have just received shocking visuals from RG Kar Medical College where goons have attacked the college! Police is nowhere to be seen! There is absolute mayhem in West Bengal! Where is police? @MamataOfficial pic.twitter.com/VZOnBZeBHv Dr. Datta (AIIMS Delhi) (@DrDatta_AIIMS) August 14, 2024 They also attacked doctors of the R G Kar Hospital and even vandalised property as well as pelted stones at cops, leaving several injured. Visuals that have gone viral on social media showed the miscreants breaking barricades, damaging police vehicles and two-wheelers that parked there. Today, at midnight, as India celebrates Independence Day, a 1000+ mob attacked RG Kar Medical College and attempted to tamper evidence and prevent justice for #Nirbhaya2 This footage not only shows the strength of the mob but also the utter mockery of law and order in Bengal! pic.twitter.com/uD5sEcKgD6 Dr. Datta (AIIMS Delhi) (@DrDatta_AIIMS) August 14, 2024 Advertisement Latest reports from RG Kar Kolkata doctors. Mob entered and vandalised the entire medical college and hospital. Share for #BENGAL_HORROR #KolkataDoctor #KolkataDoctorDeath pic.twitter.com/tbwA2Li1Gm Rishabh Jain MD (@Rishabh2970) August 14, 2024 Seeing the mob forcibly entering the hospital, protesters and doctors ran to take shelter. Media personnel, who were there to cover the protests, took shelter with students and doctors in an auditorium inside the hospital. #WATCH | Pronoy Das, a security guard at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital who was on duty here last night when vandalisation took place, says, "Around 1 am last night when about 500-1000 people came here...We locked the gate here but they broke it down. We went to another https://t.co/Fg3JqRPn9R pic.twitter.com/ULKQsxwMwZ ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024 Lathi-charge at R G Kar Hospital Police personnel had to use tear gas shells and resort to lathi-charge to disperse the crowd and bring the situation under control. Riot control police were also out on the streets around the hospital. Mamata Banerjee must quit if she has any morality left: BJP BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla called the mob violence at R G Kar Hospital on Thursday a state sponsored violence and hooliganism." Poonawalla said that eyewitnesses have shown how the mob was brought in trucks and were placed in order to break the protest and create ruckus as well as ransack the R G Kar Hospital and perhaps destroy evidence. This is the mindset with which TMC operates, he said. Advertisement Not a Sanyog (cooperation) but a Prayog (method) to destroy evidence, discredit the protests which were peaceful, intimidate protesting women & doctors & suppress the truth. It is TANASHAHI MANSIKTA & CULTURE - TMC, Poonawalla said in a video message that he posted on X. Mamata Banerjee must quit if she has any morality left, the BJP leader further said, adding, Bengal law and order - RIP (rest in peace)." What happened last night in Kolkata & RG Kar Medical hospital was state sponsored violence, hooliganism Not a Sanyog but a Prayog to destroy evidence, discredit the protests which were peaceful, intimidate protesting women & doctors & supress the truth It is TANASHAHI pic.twitter.com/4kpFbBuDXo Shehzad Jai Hind (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Shehzad_Ind) August 15, 2024 Another BJP leader, Suvendu Adhikari, who also is the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the West Bengal Assembly, alleged that the vandalism at the R G Kar Hospital on Thursday was carried out by TMC goons sent by party supermo and chief minister Mamata Banerjee. Mamata Banerjee has sent her TMC goons to the apolitical Protest Rally near RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. She thinks that she is the most shrewd person in the whole world and people wont be able to figure out the cunning plan that her goons appearing as protestors would mix with the crowd and carry out vandalism inside the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Adhikari posted on X. Mamata Banerjee has sent her TMC goons to the apolitical Protest Rally near RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. She thinks that she is the most shrewd person in the whole world and people won't be able to figure out the cunning plan that her goons appearing as protestors would pic.twitter.com/1CPI2f1KUr Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) August 14, 2024 Police blames media The Kolkata Police Commissioner, Vineet Goyal, who reached R G Kar Hospital around 2 am on Thursday, meanwhile, accused the media of running a malicious campaign. What happened here is due to a wrong and motivated media campaign. Because of a malicious media campaign, Kolkata Police lost the trust of the people. There is so much pressure from the media, Goyal said. The senior cop of the Kolkata Police also said he was extremely angry and denied mishandling the probe. I am telling you from the core of my heart, from every member of the team, that we have not tried to save anyone. We are a responsible force, we cant destroy evidence just like that, the chief defended his team. Police stood as mute spectators Resident doctors, who were also part of the peaceful protest, blamed polices inaction. A mob of miscreants entered the hospital. The agitating doctors were attacked and had to flee. They even tried to enter the building where the junior doctor was raped andmurdered. Police stood as mute spectators, Subhendu Mullick, a senior resident doctor at NRS who was among the protesters, alleged. #WATCH | A trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Hasan Mushtaq says, "We were to leave at 11 PM for a protest march (from the protesting site). But, there was a group of people outside the campus, they were raising the slogan - 'We want justice', but they weren't https://t.co/NroDxzzKqp pic.twitter.com/MugnkDjmKu ANI (@ANI) August 14, 2024 Hooliganism at R G Kar exceeded all acceptable limits: TMC The general secretary of the ruling party in the state (TMC) and MP, Abhishek Banerjee, informed that he had spoken to Vineet Goyal and urged him to ensure that every individual responsible for todays violence is identified, held accountable, and made to face the law within the next 24 hours, regardless of their political affiliations. The hooliganism and vandalism at RG Kar tonight have exceeded all acceptable limits. As a public representative, I just spoke with CPKolkata, Abhishek Banerjee said in a post on X. The demands of the protesting doctors are fair and justified. This is the minimum they should expect from the government. Their safety and security must be prioritised, Banerjee said. The hooliganism and vandalism at RG Kar tonight have exceeded all acceptable limits. As a public representative, I just spoke with @CPKolkata , urging him to ensure that every individual responsible for todays violence is identified, held accountable, and made to face the law Abhishek Banerjee (@abhishekaitc) August 14, 2024 On Wednesday, a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team visited RG Kar Hospital and initiated a probe into the brutal crime. On Tuesday, the Calcutta high court had ordered the transfer of the probe into the case from the Kolkata Police to the CBI. Kolkata hospital rape and murder Last week, a postgraduate trainee doctor was raped and murdered at Kolkatas RG Kar Medical College and Hospital while on night duty. The semi-naked body of the 31-year-old woman doctor was found in the seminar hall of the state-run hospital in the morning of August 9. Police have arrested Sanjoy Roy, a civic volunteer, in connection with the crime. Also Read: WATCH: Kolkata doctors family shares ordeal of seeing rape victim daughters body Also Read: Kolkata hospital rape & murder: Autopsy reveals genital torture caused deep wound in doctors private parts Also Read: Kolkata hospital rape-murder case sparks nationwide doctors strike as autopsy reveals disturbing injuries With inputs from agencies In his Independence Day address, without making any specific references, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India will defeat all those with bad intentions with our good intentions read more Indias progress does not come with any crisis for anyone and the world shouldnt be concerned about the countrys growing strength, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday against the backdrop of geopolitical turbulences in various parts of the world. In his Independence Day speech from the ramparts of the iconic Red Fort, Modi said India is facing countless challenges both within and outside and that the country will neither falter nor get tired in dealing with them. Advertisement Without making any specific references, he said India will defeat all those with bad intentions with our good intentions. There are challenges within as well as outside. As we become stronger and our influence increases, the challenges too will increase, he said. The challenges from outside will increase but I want to tell everyone that Indias progress does not bring crisis for anyone, he said. We are the land of the Buddha, war is not our path and because of this, the world shouldnt be concerned about Indias progress, he said. I assure the world community that you should understand Indias traditions and its history of thousands of years, dont think of us as a crisis. The prime minister said there should not be any concern over the countrys development. I want to tell the countrymen that no matter how many challenges we face, it is in the nature of India to challenge the challenge, Modi said. We will neither falter, nor get tired , nor stop, nor bow down. We will leave no stone unturned to fulfil our resolutions, to change the fate of 140 crore countrymen, to realise the dreams of the nation. I assure you that we will defeat all those with bad intentions with our good intentions, Modi said without elaborating. Modis remarks came against the backdrop of Indias frosty ties with China following the border row in eastern Ladakh that erupted in 2020. Advertisement The prime minister spoke about the situation in Bangladesh. But his address was largely devoid of any other foreign policy issues. Indian National Army (INA) soldiers in 1944 had hoisted its flag for the first time in Moirang on Indian soil read more The tallest flag in North-East India was hoisted at the INA headquarters complex at Moirang in Manipurs Bishnupur district on the occasion of the countrys 78th Independence Day on Thursday. Indian National Army (INA) soldiers in 1944 had hoisted its flag for the first time in Moirang on Indian soil. Today, we proudly witness the unfurling of the tricolour at the historic INA headquarters in Moirang, Bishnupur district. The flag flies high atop the 165 ft tall flagpole, the tallest in North-East India, symbolizing our nations pride and glory. The INA headquarters, established by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, holds great historical importance. On April 14, 1944, the Indian National Army (INA) first hoisted the tricolour here, marking a pivotal moment in our struggle for independence, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said on X. Advertisement As we celebrate Har Ghar Tiranga, let us remember and honour the sacrifices made by our freedom fighters and the enduring legacy of Indias Freedom Struggle, Singh said. Earlier, Singh said I thought of unfurling the tallest flag in Eastern India and engaged a few persons to do it. A new architectural design which covers the old building of the INA headquarters was built. I wanted to surprise Prime Minister and Union Home Minister. We heard that the old Azad Hind Forces headquarters still had bullet holes and a place of hiding. We reached out to the owner of the house and told him that the government will properly compensate the owners by giving them land. Convenor of INA Memorial Y Modhu Singh applauded the initiative taken by the Biren Singh government to restore the INAs old headquarters. We want to convey our congratulations and appreciation to CM Biren Singh for showing keen interest and building a new structure above the old headquarters of INA without altering the old buildings. This will attract pilgrims from all across the country. The house previously belonged to social activist Hemam Nilamani Singh and witnessed iconic moments in Indias freedom struggle with Azad Hind Forces launching an all-out attack on British forces and declaring dependence long before the country achieved its independence in 1947. Grandson of Nilamani Singh, Hemam Nandkumar Singh said My grandfather joined the INA movement in 1944 and his residence became the INA headquarters after Moirang was liberated on 14th April 1944. The residence was handed to Colonel Shaukhat Malik. After the retreat of INA, he went to Rangoon (in Myanmar) and dedicated to the cause of Indias freedom struggle for a year under the leadership of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in Rangoon. A few metres from the INA headquarters is the INA museum which houses letters, weapons and other war memorabilias. The complex has a life-sized bronze statue of Bose which was a gift from West Bengal. Advertisement Speaking on the most valuable items in the museum Curator L Sadhna Devi said We have handwritten letters of Netaji and the original ones are displayed here . PM Modi asked the parties to ensure that national resources are used for the common man. One nation, one election is one of the key promises made by the BJP in its manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections. read more The prime minister urged political parties "from the Red Fort and with the national tricolour as a witness to ensure the nation's progress". Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday strongly advocated for one nation, one election, urging political parties to work together to realise the dream. He contended that frequent elections are hindering the nations progress. Speaking on the 78th Independence Day, he said that extensive consultations have taken place across the country with all political parties given their inputs, and a committee has submitted an excellent report on the matter. Frequent elections are creating hurdles in the progress of the nation. It has become easy to link any scheme/initiative with elections. There are elections somewhere every three to six months. Every work is linked to elections, Modi said from the ramparts of the Red Fort. Advertisement The nation has to come forward for one nation, one election, he said. The prime minister urged political parties from the Red Fort and with the national tricolour as a witness to ensure the nations progress. He also asked the parties to ensure that national resources are used for the common man. We have to come forward to realise the dream of one nation one election. His first Independence Day address of his third term takes him past Manmohan Singh, who unfurled the tricolour 10 times from the ramparts of Red Fort during 2004-2014, and places him behind Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, who did the honours 17 and 16 times respectively. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hoisted the national flag for the 11th time in a row from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Independence Day. In his address on the countrys 78th Independence Day, Modi said it is a day to pay tribute to the countless people who made sacrifices and struggled for the countrys freedom. The country is indebted to them, he said. Modi paid condolences to the families who lost their members in the recent national disasters. His first Independence Day address of his third term takes him past Manmohan Singh, who unfurled the tricolour 10 times from the ramparts of Red Fort during 2004-2014, and places him behind Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, who did the honours 17 and 16 times respectively. In his 78th Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for political unity to address the hindrance that frequent elections pose to national progress read more Prime Minister Narendra Modi receives a Guard of Honour on 78th Independence Day at the Red Fort, in New Delhi, on August 15, 2024. PTI New Delhi: On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly advocated for the concept of one nation, one election and called on political parties to unite in achieving this goal, arguing that frequent elections are impeding national progress. In his address on the 78th Independence Day, Modi highlighted that extensive consultations have been conducted nationwide, with all political parties providing their input and a committee delivering a comprehensive report. Frequent elections are obstructing the nations advancement. Its become commonplace to associate any scheme or initiative with upcoming elections. With elections occurring every three to six months, every task gets tied to electoral cycles, Modi declared from the Red Fort. Advertisement The nation must rally for one nation, one election, he emphasised. The prime minister urged political parties to act in the spirit of the Red Fort and the national tricolour, ensuring the nations progress. He also called for the effective use of national resources for the benefit of the common people, urging all to contribute to realising the vision of one nation, one election. The one nation, one election initiative is a major promise outlined by the BJP in its Lok Sabha election manifesto. The dramatic turn of events in Bangladesh involving Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas resignation on August 5, 2024, marks yet another tectonic shift in the nations history. It is bound to have a significant impact on its internal dynamics and the regions strategic landscape. Hasina had won the fourth consecutive term in January this year with her party, the Awami League, securing a comfortable majority, although the elections were boycotted by the opposition parties, besides allegations of irregularities. This notwithstanding, the country was deemed to be on a stable course. Advertisement The root cause of the current crisis was the reinstatement of the quota system, which had been abolished in 2018. As per the high court judgement in June this year, 30 per cent of the government posts were to be reserved for the descendants of people who fought in the 1971 War of Independence. The students began protests for the annulment of the quota ruling, terming it discriminatory. The agitation turned violent after the government crackdown and attacks by groups linked to the ruling party. Nearly 200 people lost their lives during the month-long agitation. The judgement was eventually reviewed by the Supreme Court, and reservations were brought down to 5 per cent. The situation appeared to have been brought under control. Intriguingly, the protests erupted again a few days later, on July 29, demanding the PMs ouster. These turned into a nation-wide movement, exposing Sheikh Hasinas authoritarian rule, rampant corruption, and nepotism, overshadowing the economic gains. The heightened violence claimed around 100 more lives. From the intensity of unrest, it was evident that the student movement had been hijacked by the radical elements and the supporters of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the main opposition party. The newly appointed Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Waker Uz Zaman, apparently expressed the inability of the security forces to control the situation, leading to Hasinas unceremonious departure. Advertisement Incidentally, Bangladesh has a tumultuous history of coups and regime changes. It started with the assassination of PM Sheikh Mujib on August 15, 1975, which resulted in General Ziaur Rehman taking over the reins. He in turn was assassinated in 1981 in a coup, and General Ershad came to power, who remained at the helm for a decade, till disposed of in 1990. Here on, democracy was restored in Bangladesh. The power alternated between Khalida Zia (wife of General Ziaur Rehman), who had two tenures as PM (1991-1996 and 2001-2006), and Sheikh Hasina, who ruled for 20 years (1996-2001 and 2009-2024). Advertisement Immediately after Sheikh Hasina fled to India, General Zaman declared Army takeover and announced the formation of an interim government. Khalida Zia, who had been under house arrest, was released. Muhammad Yunus, a Noble Laureate and harsh critic of Hasina, based in Paris, was named to head the interim government. On August 8, he was administered the oath as the Chief Advisor by the President of Bangladesh, Mohammed Shahabuddin. The interim government has 17 members with no representation from the Awami League. The allocation of portfolios depicts the profile of the interim government. Yunus himself has assumed control of 27 ministries, including defence, education, and energy. Career diplomat Mohammad Touhid Hossain is to head the foreign ministry. Abul Hassan Ali is to oversee finance and planning. AFM Khalid Hossain, former vice president of the hardliner organisation Hefazat-e-Islam, has been given religious affairs ministry. Asif Nazrul, the law professor who guided student coordinators during the protests, is to head the law ministry. Brigadier General Sakhawat Hussain (retd), former election commissioner, has been assigned the home ministry. The two student leaders who led the protests have been appointed as advisors. No decision has been taken on the tenure of the interim government and time of elections. Given that the interim government is being overseen by the military, there is scepticism about its ability to shape the reform agenda. Advertisement The foremost challenge for Yunus is to restore peace in the strife-torn nation, marred by weeks of violence that has left at least 455 dead. His next task is to prepare the ground for conducting fresh elections to facilitate the return of democracy. After swearing in, while appealing for unity, Yunus stated, Today is a glorious day for us. Bangladesh has created a new victory day. It has got second independence. Protestors continue having a free run, despite Yunus threat to resign if violence doesnt stop. Following the students ultimatum, Obaidul Hassan resigned as the top judge along with five other judges, and Refaat Ahmed was sworn in as the new Chief Justice. Inaction on the part of the Army remains a mystery, as it is the most potent force in the country and feared by the public. Advertisement The geopolitics of Bangladesh are in for a major makeover. Pakistan is bound to make deep inroads by exploiting its links with Jamaat. China, given its significant presence in Bangladesh, has welcomed the formation of an interim government. Beijing is well poised to further its strategic interests in the region. The US too has appreciated the change, as it had frosty ties with Hasina. The inevitable rivalry between Washington and Beijing is bound to trap Dhaka. India has always stood with the people of Bangladesh and hopes for an early return of normalcy. Given excellent bilateral relations during Hasinas tenure, current developments pose serious geopolitical challenges for India. The future of military cooperation and strategic and defence ties are matters of grave concern. A number of recently launched infrastructure projects may get hampered. Likelihood of a refugee influx is imminent, as evident from the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad report of 205 cases of persecution of its members since August 5. Hasinas presence in India is likely to be an irritant with the new dispensation. India needs to sensitise the world about the atrocities being committed against the minorities in Bangladesh. Delhi will have to navigate the troubled waters through astute diplomacy and pragmatic responses to protect its national interest. Today, Bangladesh stands at the crossroads, set for a change of course. The manner in which the chessboard is being set, it is apparent that power will swap hands in the coming electionsBNP and Jamaat-e-Islami being the main contenders, with the Army playing a pivotal role. How far students aspirations for true democracy materialise remains to be seen. The envisioned second independence will come at a price as the nations economy is bound to bear the brunt of mobocracy. The writer is a Bangladesh war veteran, currently Professor of Strategic and International Relations. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. In 1967, British High Commissioner John Freeman admitted that the uprising of 1946 had raised the fear among the British of another large-scale mutiny along the lines of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 read more The year 1946 was poised to be a historic year for the British Empire. The Second World War had ended a few months earlier. Germany and the Axis Powers had been defeated. The Allied forces led by the British, including its Navy, were basking in the glory of a famous victory. Little did they know about the oncoming storm that would blow away any plan. It was in Bombay the cosmopolitan port city of the British Empire that the first rumblings of a glorious fall would reverberate. Advertisement The year 1946 was about to be written into British history as the year of retreat, soon after the victory of 1945. Another year later, the sun finally set on the Empire. A tricolour would rise in its place. However, sadly, the catalyst for this monumental change would be forgotten soon. There is a background to the unremembered events of 1946 that led to the departure of the British from India. Between the years of 1942 and 1945, small-scale protests happened in the Royal Indian Navy in places like Bombay and Odisha. Besides, there were nine mutinies on board in this period. Finally, in February 1946, a protest by Indian sailors of the Royal Indian Navy in Bombay over poor treatment, work conditions and the continuing engagement in wars in the region quickly gathered momentum and blew up into a mutiny. The ratings, angered by the barbaric conduct of British naval officers and inspired by the exploits of the Indian National Army, led by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, which had been fighting against the British and the colonial occupation, decided to come together and take on the British navy. The appointment of a racist officer Arthur Frederick King, as the Commander of the HMIS Talwar, was the trigger to launch the uprising. Kings disdainful and foulmouthed conduct led to the ratings protesting aggressively against him and painting Quit India on his car. Barely 48 hours into the mutiny, the ratings took over the signal station, ships and naval establishment, as the protests gathered steam and support across Bombay, Karachi and Calcutta. In early February 1946, mutinies broke out in the Indian Pioneers unit in Calcutta and at a signals training centre at the air base in Jubbulpore in the Central Provinces. The protests spread to the Air Force base in Kanpur, dismantling the largest Air Force base in Asia. The movement spread like wildfire, impacting British forces in Singapore. Advertisement The ratings had captured British naval assets and were supported by the locals. Hindus, Muslims, and Parsis who were the owners of the local Irani cafes in Bombay gave food and belongings to the protestors. The entire city of Bombay had come out in support of the mutineers, writes Pramod Kapoor, who wrote the book 1946: Last War of Independence Royal Indian Navy Mutiny. BC Dutt, one of the prime mutineers, who later penned an account of the strike wrote, Restaurant keepers were seen requesting people to carry whatever food they could to the beleaguered ratings on the Talwar itself, we received so many food packets sent over the wall that we had enough to eat for a few days. Though the British sought to barricade and segregate the protestors, they had not bargained for the kind of support that the latter were receiving from the common people. Advertisement General Hastings Lionel Ismay had once remarked, Provided they do their duty, armed insurrection in India would not be an insoluble problem. If, however, the Indian Army went the other way, the picture would be very different. His words would prove to be prophetic. To quell the uprising, the British called in the army. However, unlike the massacre of Indians in Jallianwala Bagh in 1919, the soldiers in 1946 refused to fire on the naval ratings. The Marathas helped locals in handing over food packets to the naval ratings. The British were running out of patience. The Baluchis, Gurkhas, Punjabis, Marathas, and Garhwalis Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs refused to fire on fellow Indians. Led by the common man, the country had stood up as one against the colonial empire. Advertisement The refusal of Indian troops to obey the commands of British officers was the final nail in the coffin of the Raj. Two months after the uprising, an enquiry was commissioned in Britain on the mutiny, a typical English response to showcase their sense of justice. The fact is that the British were well and truly rattled. The uprising caused much worry and was discussed in the British parliament. Since the army had refused to function as an organ of governance and supported the naval uprising instead, the British government realised that their time in India was over. It was in 1946 that the British decided to exit from India: the naval uprising is said to have played a big part in forcing the decision on the British. Advertisement In little time, the naval mutiny had snowballed into a freedom movement that threatened the careers of veteran national leaders in India and stole the thunder from the ongoing larger political movement to free India. In a few days, the naval ratings had left Gandhi, Nehru, Patel, and Jinnah behind as the entire country rallied behind them. Sardar Patel had termed it as an act of goondaism and anarchy, according to Kapoor. Maulana Azad issued a statement that India was not in the mood to tolerate a movement (such as the naval mutiny) that suppressed the national spirit. The congress leaders had been in touch with British authorities and tried to assuage British authorities by distancing themselves from the strike. Kapoor writes that while the national leaders supported the just cause of the strike, which was the treatment meted out to the ratings, but backed out once the strike intensified into a full-scale confrontation, they soft-pedalled. When MA Jinnah was approached by the mutineers in Calcutta, the political leader met them but asked his secretary KH Khurshid to keep the meeting out of the media. An arrogant and abrasive Jinnah chided them and refused to support them. It is unsurprising since the future Qaid e Azam may have seen his movement for a separate nation ambushed by a bunch of common folk who he had no time to spare for. There was no support from Mahatma Gandhi either, which elicited criticism from sections of the media in India. The Peoples Age wrote that the leaders believed that freedom was a gift from the British and hoped to achieve the final settlement on the basis of the Quit India movement. The editorial was critical of Sardar Patel too and believed that the popular leader had no single word of condemnation of the British military who had fired indiscriminately and killed hundreds of innocent lives. While the key national leaders disappointed the ratings by refusing to back them, Aruna Asaf Ali, the communist leader supported them and met with the leaders. Eventually, the British arrested the ratings leaders and suppressed the uprising. The mutinys impact continued to be felt in Karachi and Calcutta, and if ever there was one unifying movement at that time that could have prevented the Partition or at least ensured a less violent Partition, this was one. To historians, it was probably a chance wasted by the Congress and the Muslim League to achieve independence through the means of an assertive and direct movement that celebrated a strong-willed, powerful and secular struggle: one that could leave a trail of blood in its wake but, it promised to be one that left a legacy of courage and sacrifice. Probably, the insecurity of losing the centre stage to the ordinary ratings must have dominated the minds of all leaders of the freedom movement. None showed the courage or ability to harness the strengths of the uprising. One leader India could have banked on, to harness the energy of this movement was Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Salil Shyam, a naval rating, who Kapoor describes as a catalyst for the revolt, had returned from the jungles of Malaya to India, where he spoke of the exploits of the Azad Hind Fauj or the Indian National Army to the ratings in Bombay. Shyams stories and the leadership of INA galvanised the movement. Boses mysterious disappearance from the scene had helped the British in addressing a movement that was led by strong-willed and capable leaders but it lacked a mercurial thrust that lends an element of unpredictability which a governing dispensation finds difficult to prepare for and hates to deal with. Bose was a rival that other national leaders had struggled to compete with when he was around. In his absence, Bose had managed to inspire the entire nation but continued to trouble his rivals. The Naval uprising was an example. In 1967, speaking on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Indias Independence, British High Commissioner John Freeman admitted that the uprising of 1946 had raised the fear among the British of another large-scale mutiny along the lines of the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The year 1946 was Indias second and successful war of Independence. In a travesty of justice, however, Indias leaders, supported by the people in the freedom struggle, failed to respond to the singular movement that was led by the people and needed the support of the leaders. The spectacular uprising of 1946 will go down in history as a moment of betrayal that would not only go unpunished but rendered insignificant: A tragic outcome of the pivotal movement that led to the British leaving Indian shores in 1947. It is to these freedom fighters and many others such as them that India owes its freedom on the midnight of August 15, 1947. The writer is the author of Watershed 1967: Indias Forgotten Victory over China and Camouflaged: Forgotten Stories From Battlefields. His fortnightly column for FirstPost Beyond the Lines covers military history, strategic issues, international affairs and policy-business challenges. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. Tweets @iProbal China should have, by now, upped the ante to achieve a high-income country status, but crucial economic trends show the Chinese economic miracle losing the shine read more The top Chinese leaders and experts meet annually during the summers at the seaside resort of Beidaihe. The legendary Mao Zedong started this tradition of summer retreat apparently as early as 1953. But this meeting that is believed to happen usually in the first two weeks of August is not a summer camp. Though the meeting is informal and secretive and the agendas discussed are not publicly disclosed, the economic policy direction and reform initiatives would have dominated the discussions, keeping the recent trends of the Chinese economy under consideration. Advertisement Chinas weakening household spending and the economic slowdown are a concern of investors as well as Chinese policymakers. Chinas growth in the second quarter of 2024 is below the expected rate of 5 per cent. The Chinese economy grew at a rate of 4.7 per cent year-on-year (YoY) in the Q2 2024. The same was 5.3 per cent for the first quarter of the present year marginally up from 5.2 per cent in the Q4 2023, though higher than the market expectations only to have the weakest yearly advance since Q1 2023 in the next quarter. On August 5, the Chinese government outlined a 20-point plan to stabilise and boost the economy. Measures included in it aimed at encouraging consumption on a wide range of goods and services, including new energy vehicles, home appliances, electronics, catering, and tourism; encouraging private investments; stabilising the property market; unveiling a package for tax relief measures for small businesses; and boosting consumption in rural areas. Whether these measures would be enough remains to be seen, with experts demanding more to stimulate consumption. Chinas economic might is its biggest power from domestic promise to international commitment that forms the clout of Beijings red aristocracy, which relies on the promise of sustained economic growth. Any compromises in this regard baffle policymakers in China. In fact, the third plenary meeting of the Communist Party of China, which took place from July 15 to 18, 2024, focused on economic reforms, including market mechanisms, fiscal and taxation reform, and de-leveraging the real estate sector. The meeting also discussed social policies, including strengthening social safety nets, promoting consumption, and addressing the urban-rural income gap. The Chinese economy has been facing several challenges, apart from the GDP growth not being able to match expectations. That includes: Advertisement Trade tensions with the US and West, on the issues of tariffs on Chinese goods recently China dragged the European Union to the World Trade Organisation over tariffs on electric vehicles. Debt crisis in the corporate sector and local governments, one can refer to IMF reports for this. Pricing of the property market bubble, in the first quarter of 2024 the real estate investment was 2.2 trillion RMB ($303.5 billion), a year-on-year decrease of 9.5 per cent. Also, the manufacturing sector, one of the biggest strengths of China, is suffering. Apart from this there are several other challenges, that include an ageing population shrinking of workforce and increase of dependents; reform required in Chinas state-owned enterprise system; and competition with the West in emerging technologies particularly in areas like semiconductors and artificial intelligence. Also, there looms a threat of the middle-income trap. In the recently released World Banks report, World Development Report, it was estimated that China might take more than 10 years just to reach a quarter of US per-capita income. Experts believe that China might end up falling into the middle income trap a situation where the countries growing wealthier and reaching 10 per cent of the annual US GDP per capita hit a trap whereby their growth becomes stunted, restraining the economy from reaching the status of a high-income country. China became a lower-middle income country by 1997 and an upper-middle income country by 2010, but experts believe that China needs a robust sustained growth rate of 6-7 per cent over the decade to avoid falling into the middle income trap and achieving the high income status. South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore spent 23, 27, and 29 years, respectively, as middle-income economies before moving up to the upper-income level, so by clear trends, its the time China should have tightened its belt for achieving the high-income country status. The Chinese economy is undoubtedly an economic miracle. This remains a big factor backing the authoritarian rule of the Communist Party of China. The promise of economic prosperity to its population provides legitimacy to the hierarchical rule and remains the backbone of the Chinese dream. These are the years that will contribute to the legacy of Xi Jinping, something Chinese paramount leaders have been most concerned about. So while the ivory tower CPC leadership can afford to ignore issues of human rights, economic growth is certainly not the sphere where leniency is affordable. Advertisement Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. Former Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed is the first chief of ISI, the powerful spy agency of Pakistan, to face a court-martial read more Afghan nationals paint over a picture of Pakistan's then-ISI chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed as they hold a protest against Pakistan near a police station in New Delhi on Sept. 10, 2021. (REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis/File Photo) After the unprecedented arrest of former Pakistani spy chief Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed, three more former senior army officers have been arrested. The Pakistani military on Monday said that Hameed, the former chief of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), had been arrested. He faces a court-martial on charges of corruption and misuse of power. Hameed is the first chief of ISI, the powerful spy agency of Pakistan, to face a court-martial. In Pakistan where the military has ruled for nearly half of its existence, the ISI chief is considered to be the second-most powerful person in the country after the army chief. Advertisement The fresh arrests of three other officers have come for actions prejudicial to military discipline, said the military in a statement carried by Reuters. The statement added that the military continued to investigate some retired officers and their accomplices for fomenting instability at the behest of, and in collusion with, vested political interests, as per the news agency. While the statement did not name the arrested officers, The Express Tribune has identified two of the three arrested officers as former Brigadiers Ghaffar and Naeem. The newspaper reported that both the retired brigadiers were allegedly involved in a covert operation to aid political liaisons. They were also close associated of Hameed and hailed from Pakistani Punjabs Chakwal city. Even though Hameed has been said to be arrested in connection with a case of pressurising a builder by misusing his position, his arrest has been seen as part of Pakistans political churn. Hameed was deemed close to former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, who was unceremoniously ousted in 2022 in a trust vote. Accused in more than 100 cases, he has been in jail for more than a year after making an enemy out of the all-powerful military-intelligence establishment. Hamid was deemed so close to Imran that his transfer out of the ISI by the then-army chief Genera Qamar Javed Bajwa was said to have led to a rift between him and Khan. The rift is said to have contributed to Imran making an enemy out of the army. Since his ouster, Imran has alleged that the army, the then-Opposition parties, and the United States were part of a conspiracy to remove him from power. Advertisement Formally, the case against Hameed involves allegations of misconduct levelled by the owner of a private housing society, Kanwar Moeez Khan of Islamabads Top City, according to Dawn. The newspaper reported that Khan has accused Hameed of raiding his offices and taking away valuables, including around 400 tola gold, cash, and diamonds. He also accused Hameed of the illegal takeover of the housing society. The Last Generation campaign group said in a statement that eight activists had stopped or reduced traffic at the Berlin, Cologne-Bonn, Nuremberg and Stuttgart airports and published pictures of activists with their hands glued to the tarmac read more A view of a display showing cancelled flights on the day activists of the "Letzte Generation" (Last Generation) protest for a change in climate policy at the Cologne-Bonn airport in Cologne, Germany. Reuters Two German airports temporarily suspended flights on Thursday morning after climate activists breached their airfields as part of a larger protest action targeting four airports nationwide. The Last Generation campaign group said in a statement that eight activists had stopped or reduced traffic at the Berlin, Cologne-Bonn, Nuremberg and Stuttgart airports and published pictures of activists with their hands glued to the tarmac. The activists did not enter the runway area, it added. Advertisement German politicians have demanded better protection for the countrys airports after climate activists were able to breach fences and disrupt air traffic, including at the countrys busiest airport, Frankfurt, for two days in a row last month. The Nuremberg airport suspended flights for a little over an hour due to the activists, leading to six delayed flights, one cancellation and one rerouted flight, it said on Facebook. Traffic at the Cologne-Bonn airport was running since 0525 GMT after being halted early Thursday, with some delays still expected, according to the airport on social media platform X. Police were on site at the Berlin-Brandenburg airport, the largest one affected, and were able to remove the two protesters who had entered the airfield by cutting through a fence, said a police spokesperson, adding flight operations were unaffected. Air traffic at the Stuttgart airport was also unaffected after two people who blocked a taxiway were immediately apprehended by police, the airport said in a statement. Last Generation has listed several countries across Europe and North America where similar disruptions are planned as part of a protest campaign calling for the German government to pursue a global agreement to exit oil, gas and coal by 2030. German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said on X that the protesters criminal actions are dangerous and stupid. The ministry has proposed severe prison sentences in response to such actions and is obliging airports to significantly improve their facilities security, she added. The United States may send long-range missiles that may be fitted onto Ukrainian F-16 fighters (Photo: AP) The Joe Biden administration is open to sending long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine, according to a report. Even as the United Kingdom and Germany have allowed Ukraine to use their weapons, tanks, and armoured vehicles inside Russia, the United States has so far not denied such permission to Ukraine. Now, Politico has reported that the Biden administration is open to sending Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSMs) to Ukraine and is currently working out the technicalities. The missiles are likely to be fitted on to F-16 fighter planes that Ukraine has recently acquired if the United States gives them to Ukraine. Advertisement The report comes at a time when Ukraine has captured around 1,000 square kilometres of Russian territories in the ongoing incursion in Russias border province of Kursk. The Ukrainian forces have captured at least one town and 74 settlements as the invasion has extended to the second province of Belgorod. Coupled with the F-16 fighter planes that Ukraine has got from European partners, the missiles delivery being considered by the Biden administration could give teeth to the Ukrainian forces. The push for sending long-range missiles to Ukraine comes towards the end of Bidens tenure. The idea appears to be to equip Ukraine ahead of the election. In case Donald Trump wins the election, he is likely to curtail aid to Ukraine, which may tank Ukrainian war efforts. Trump and his far-right Make America Great Again (MAGA) wing of the Republican Party have been opposed to the aid to Ukraine and have favoured a deal with Russia in a way thats deemed to favour Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Before the election, Ukraine as well as partners are attempting to maximise the gains on the battlefield to put Ukraine in a better position to bargain with any future Trump administration. While the Biden administration is considering giving JASSMs to Ukraine now, Ukraine already possesses some long-range weapons, such as the British Storm Shadow missiles but apprehensions of the United States means that the British have not greenlit its usage inside Russia. Advertisement Ukraine has long demanded the United States to lift its limitations on the usage of long-range weapons inside Russia. So far, the United States has only allowed limited cross-border usage of US weapons in the Kharkiv region. The anti-Hasina mobs also held more than two dozen supporters of Bangladesh Awami League (BAL) as hostages in Dhaka read more Bangladesh's anti-Sheikh Hasina mobs grab a suspected supporter of her Bangladesh Awami League (BAL) party as part of organised violence against the party cadres by students and anti-Hasina parties Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami. (Photo: Indranil Mukherjee/AFP) Following the second liberation of Bangladesh, the targeted violence by the countrys new rulers continued in the streets on Thursday. Mobs that waged that the movement against ousted premier Sheikh Hasina singled out supporters of her Bangladesh Awami League (BAL) party to beat them and hold them hostage. They had to be rescued by the military. The BAL supporters were trying to observe the death anniversary of Bangladeshs Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led the nations war of liberation against Pakistan and was its founding president. But the nations new rulers have been on a drive to erase Mujib from public memory. Hasina is Mujibs daughter. Advertisement Last week, the mobs opposed to Hasina climbed atop a statue of Mujib and hammered it. A separate video of men urinating on the statue also surfaced. Then, earlier this week, Muhammad Yunus, Bangladeshs new ruler appointed by anti-Hasina forces and military, scrapped the public holiday to mark Mujibs death anniversary. Mujib was assassinated along with most of his family on August 15, 1975, at their house in Dhanmondi 32, Dhaka. After the civilian-led democracy returned to Bangladesh, the home was turned into a museum. As part of the nationwide violence since Hasinas ouster which has singled out BAL supporters and minorities like Hindus, the museum was also burnt by anti-Hasina mobs. Watch: Mobs beat Hasina supporters in Dhaka In a video shared by The New York Times Mujib Mashal on X (formerly Twitter), armed men opposed to Hasina were seen thrashing people they said belonged to BAL. Men armed with clubs and pipes (many identified themselves as BNP or Jamat) thrashing and chasing away anyone they suspect of being Awami League, said Mashal on X. The post referred to the radical pro-Pakistan Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami who took over the anti-Hasina movement that was initially led by the students. Dhaka: Outside 32 Dhanmondi (Sheikh Mujibs house), its complete mob rule. The victims of yesterday are perpetrators of today: men armed with clubs & pipes (many identified themselves as BNP or Jamat) thrashing and chasing away anyone they suspect of being Awami League. pic.twitter.com/5SVnDSLZOo Mujib Mashal (@MujMash) August 15, 2024 Advertisement Writing in The Times, Mashal noted that the BAL was trying to hold the partys first major gathering since Hasinas ouster. Mashal noted that the BAL supporters were trying to mark Mujibs death anniversary. He noted that people wielding bamboo sticks and plastic pipes assaulted anyone suspected to be a member of BAL. Army rescued 30 BAL supporters held hostage by mobs: Report While The Times reported that anti-Hasina mobs of BNP and Jamaat were assaulting and leaving BAL supporters bloodied, The Dhaka Tribune reported that the students were also part of the activities. Advertisement The newspaper reported that students detained 30 BAL supporters and held them as hostages. In the end, the army rescued these 30 supporters, according to the newspaper. The American journalist and former marine disappeared while he was reporting in Daraya, a suburb of Damascus in Syria on 13 August 2012 read more Marc and Debra Tice, the parents of Austin Tice, who is missing in Syria, speak during a press conference, at the Press Club, in Beirut, Lebanon, Dec. 4, 2018. File Image: AP With just a few months remaining in office, US President Joe Biden called for the immediate release of American journalist Austin Tice who disappeared from Syria in 2012. The US authorities believe that Tice is being held by the Syrian government. The American journalist and former marine disappeared while he was reporting in Daraya, a suburb of Damascus in Syria on 13 August 2012. This week marks 12 long, terrible years since American Austin Tice was abducted in Syria, the President said in a statement marking the 12th anniversary of Tices disappearance. Advertisement We have repeatedly pressed the government of Syria to work with us so that we can, at last, bring Austin home. Today, I once again call for his immediate release," he added. The tragic fate of an award-winning journalist At the time of his disappearance, Tice was working as a freelance journalist and photographer for a variety of news organizations including CBS, the Washington Post, and the McClatchy Company. In 2012, he was awarded the George Polk Award for war reporting for his work covering the civil war in Syria, along with journalist David Enders. The US authorities have maintained that Tice was kidnapped and is being held by Syrian authorities. The freedom of the press is essential, and journalists like Austin play a critical role in informing the public and holding those in power accountable, the POTUS said in the Wednesday statement. We stand in solidarity with Austin, his family, and all Americans wrongfully detained and held hostage abroad. I will continue to do everything possible to advocate for and pursue his release and support his loved ones until he is safely returned home," he added. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a separate statement on the matter and echoed similar sentiments. Blinken maintained that the US government know the Syrian government has held Austin, and we have repeatedly offered to find a way to bring him home. Austin Tice was taken captive 12 years ago. We call on the Syrian government to work with the United States to end Austins captivity and to provide an accounting for the fate of other Americans who went missing in Syria. Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) August 14, 2024 Advertisement We call on the Syrian government to work with the United States to end Austins captivity and to provide an accounting for the fate of other Americans who went missing in Syria. Austin went to Syria to show the world the truth of what was going on there, he added. Were not going to relent until we find a way to bring Austins unjust detention to an end. Back in 2022, Biden maintained that the US government knew with certainty that Tice was being held by the Syrian government. Syrian government denies Tices captivity From the very beginning of the case, the Syrian government has denied the accusations hurled by the United States. The Syrian government denied that it kidnapped or is holding any American citizen on its territories and has called the accusations made by the US government baseless. Advertisement It is pertinent to note that Bidens remarks over the matter came just over a week after two senators Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat from Maryland, and John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas led a bipartisan effort and sent a letter requesting that the Biden administration use all available means to secure Austins release. The demands for Austins release intensified following the historic prisoner swap between Russia and the West which led to the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. With inputs from agencies. Democratic vice-presidential nominee Tim Walz confirmed his participation in a CBS News debate on 1 October, challenging his Republican counterpart, JD Vance. While Vance expressed interest in multiple debates, he has yet to commit to the October date read more Tim Walz, the US Democratic vice presidential nominee on Wednesday (August 14) confirmed that he has agreed to debate his Republican rival, JD Vance. The debate is set to happen on October 1, one of the dates for a debate proposed by CBS News. CBS News extended invitations to both Walz and the Republican vice-presidential nominee, Senator JD Vance, offering two dates in September and two in October for a debate to be held in New York City. Advertisement Walz promptly accepted the invitation, posting on social media, See you on October 1, JD. A campaign official for Kamala Harris, who recently ascended to the top of the Democratic ticket following President Joe Bidens withdrawal from the race, confirmed Walzs acceptance, stating, Harris for President has accepted CBS invitation to a Vice-Presidential Candidate Debate on 1 October. Governor Walz looks forward to debating JD Vance if he shows up. Vance, however, has yet to commit to the 1 October date. In an interview with Fox News, the Ohio senator said, I strongly suspect were going to be there on October the 1st. Vance also said he wanted to debate Walz more than once. I actually think we should do more than one debate. So hopefully were going to see him on 1 October, but hopefully were going to see him either before or after that, because I think its important for the American people to actually see us discuss our views, Vance said. Trump named Vance as his running mate last month, following Bidens departure from the race and Harriss subsequent elevation to the Democratic ticket. Walz was selected as Harriss running mate shortly thereafter. Harris and Trump have agreed to a presidential debate on ABC News on 10 September, marking the second presidential debate of the year, and the first one between Harris and Trump. Advertisement The first, between Trump and Biden in June, saw the Presidents performance widely criticised, eventually leading to his decision to withdraw from the race. Reportedly, the actions of the US delegation were to show Iran that the strikes that killed Ismail Haniyeh and Fuad Shukr were carried out without American coordination read more Kuwaiti newspaper al Jarida on Wednesday (August 14) cited an unnamed source in Irans Supreme National Security Council as saying that a high-ranking American security delegation, mediated by Oman, secretly travelled to Tehran. According to Israeli media outlet Jerusalem Post, which cited the report in al Jarida, the American delegation allegedly presented a list with the names of ten Mossad agents within Iran whom the Americans believed were involved in the assassination, directly or indirectly. Advertisement A good faith gesture? Al Jarida said that the Americans would have reportedly done this as a good faith initiative in response to Israels strikes killed Fuad Shukr in Beirut, Lebanon, and which Iran believes were also behind the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Reportedly, the actions of the US delegation were to show Iran that the strikes were carried out without American coordination. Snapshot of the report that appeared on The Jerusalem Post The assassinations of Haniyeh, Shukr Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, and Fuad Shukr, a senior Hezbollah military commander, were both assassinated in late July 2024, in operations widely attributed to Israel. Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Tehran, Iran, where he was attending the inauguration of the new Iranian president. The assassination occurred on July 31, 2024, when a missile struck the building where Haniyeh was staying, killing him and his bodyguard. This operation is seen as a significant escalation in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, particularly given the symbolism of carrying out the attack in the heart of Tehran, a key ally of Hamas. Israel has not officially confirmed its involvement, but the timing and nature of the attack strongly suggest Israeli responsibility. Fuad Shukr, a key Hezbollah commander, was killed just hours before Haniyeh, in an Israeli airstrike on a building in Beirut, Lebanon. Shukr was a significant figure in Hezbollahs military operations, and his death has been linked to a series of recent hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. The strike on Shukr is reported to have been in retaliation for a rocket attack that killed several children in the Golan Heights. Advertisement These assassinations have heightened tensions across the Middle East, with both Iran and Hezbollah vowing retaliation. With inputs from agencies Hamas might rejoin the talks early next week if mediators from the US, Egypt, and Qatar present a plan based on the proposals outlined by US President Joe Biden, according to a report, citing sources read more An Israeli tank manouvers near the Israel-Gaza border, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Israel, on Wednesday. Reuters Gaza ceasefire talks started in Doha on Thursday even as Hamas stayed away from the closed-door meeting, accusing Israel of adding new demands to US proposals and complaining that additional rounds of talks benefit its war rival. According to The National, citing sources, Hamas might rejoin the talks early next week if mediators from the US, Egypt, and Qatar present a plan based on the proposals outlined by US President Joe Biden. Advertisement With US warships, submarines and warplanes dispatched to the region to defend Israel and deter potential attackers, Washington is hoping a ceasefire agreement in Gaza can defuse the risk of a full-out wider regional war. According to a Reuters report, citing the official briefed on the talks, while Hamas officials did not join Thursdays talks, mediators planned to consult with Hamas Doha-based negotiating team after the meeting. The negotiations in Qatar are being attended by CIA Director William Burns, the spy chiefs of Israel and Egypt, and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, added sources. The negotiations will primarily focus on narrowing the differences between Israel and Hamas, The National quoted one of the sources as saying. But Israels insistence on eradicating Hamas and removing it entirely from the scene in Gaza after the war will always cast doubt on the fate of the talks, the source added. The fresh round of talks come as the Palestinian death toll in the Gaza conflict crossed 40,000 and amid threat of a broader Middle East war intensifying following the recent assassinations of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukr in Beirut. The conflict has displaced most of Gazas 2.3 million residents and devastated large areas. Israel has claimed responsibility for the Beirut assassination and is widely suspected of orchestrating the Tehran killing. Advertisement Both Iran and Hezbollah have vowed retaliation, though Iranian officials have hinted that Tehran might reconsider if a Gaza ceasefire is achieved in Doha. Mediators have spent months trying to finalise President Bidens three-phase plan, which involves Hamas releasing hostages from its October 7 attack on Israel in exchange for a ceasefire, Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and the release of Palestinian prisoners. While both sides have agreed in principle, disputes over amendments and clarifications have led to mutual accusations of imposing new, unacceptable demands. Hamas has rejected Israels latest proposals, which include a permanent military presence along the Egypt border and a checkpoint to screen Palestinians returning to Gaza. Advertisement Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denied making new demands but questions the durability of the ceasefire, emphasising Israels commitment to total victory and the release of all hostages. Disagreements also persist over which Palestinian prisoners would be released and whether they would face exile. Hamass October attack resulted in 1,200 Israeli deaths and around 240 hostages. About 100 hostages were freed during a temporary truce in late November, with Israel stating that 111 remain captive, though nearly 40 are reported dead. With inputs from agencies A senior Hamas official has reportedly said that the group will not participate in the Gaza peace talks. Meanwhile, top Political Bureau member Osama Hamdan has said Israel is not engaging in good faith and that Hamas doesnt believe Washington can or will apply pressure on Israel to seal a deal read more The Gaza peace talks for a ceasefire and hostage deal appear to hanging by a thread. Image used for representational purpose/Reuters Pressure has been mounting on Israel and Hamas to end the 10-month-old war that has been raging in Gaza. To that end, peace talks mediated by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt are expected to resume on Thursday (August 15) in Doha. However, it appears that these long-stalled negotiations are barely hanging on by a thread. Most recently, BBC quoted an unnamed senior Hamas official as saying that the group will not take part in the indirect talks on a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal. Advertisement The official stressed that Hamas wants a roadmap for implementing the agreement. He said the group would not engage in negotiations for the sake of negotiations in order to provide cover for Israel to continue its war. The official reiterated that the implementation plan must be based on the proposed deal outlined by US President Joe Biden at the end of May. He also accused Israel of adding new conditions. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denied the allegations, saying instead that Hamas has been the one demanding changes. Meanwhile, Osama Hamdan, a top Hamas official and member of its Political Bureau, told AP that the Palestinian group is losing faith in the United States ability to mediate a cease-fire in Gaza. On Tuesday (August 13), Hamdan said that Israel is not engaging in good faith and that Hamas doesnt believe Washington can or will apply pressure on Israel to seal a deal. Hamas is particularly resistant to Israels demand to maintain a lasting military presence in two strategic areas of Gaza after any cease-fire, conditions that were only made public in the past few weeks. We have informed the mediators that any meeting should be based on talking about implementation mechanisms and setting deadlines rather than negotiating something new, said Hamdan. Otherwise, Hamas finds no reason to participate. With inputs from AP In a filing, on Wednesday in federal court in Boston, the three women - Margaret Czerwienski, Lilia Kilburn and Amulya Mandava - voluntarily dismissed their 2022 lawsuit following months of mediation with Harvard read more A view of Harvard campus on John F. Kennedy Street at Harvard University is pictured in Cambridge, Massachusetts, US, December 7, 2023. File Image: Reuters Harvard University has settled a lawsuit accusing the Ivy League school of ignoring sexual harassment by a professor who three graduate students said had threatened their academic careers if they reported him. In a filing, on Wednesday in federal court in Boston, the three women - Margaret Czerwienski, Lilia Kilburn and Amulya Mandava - voluntarily dismissed their 2022 lawsuit following months of mediation with Harvard. Their lawsuit gained national attention with its claims that John Comaroff, then an anthropology professor, for years kissed and groped students and threatened to sabotage students careers if they complained. Advertisement Terms of the settlement were not disclosed. The law firm that represented the women, Sanford Heisler Sharp, said it was glad that our clients will now be able to move on with their lives and careers. Were proud of our clients courage in coming forward, speaking up about their experiences, and shedding light on important issues, the law firm said in a statement. Harvard and Comaroffs lawyer did not respond to requests for comment on Thursday. Comaroff, who retired earlier this year, issued a statement on his website in July calling the allegations false. When the suit was filed, his lawyers said he categorically denied ever harassing or retaliating against any student. The #MeToo-era lawsuit followed an internal Harvard investigation that found Comaroff had engaged in verbal conduct that violated professional conduct and sexual harassment policies. The three women said they were among the students who reported Comaroff to Harvard officials. Despite their warnings, Harvard watched as he retaliated by ensuring the students would have trouble getting jobs, the lawsuit said. They said Harvards inaction allowed Comaroff to repeatedly and forcibly kiss Kilburn and grope her in public, and claimed he graphically described ways she would be supposedly raped or killed in South Africa for being in a same-sex relationship. The lawsuit alleged Harvard violated Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which protects students from discrimination based on sex, and various Massachusetts laws. A judge largely rejected Harvards bid to dismiss the case in March 2023. Advertisement Comaroff was not a defendant. On his website, he said that as a result of the fact-free allegations he had before his retirement became the subject of an ugly, ferocious campaign by activists on campus who had occupied his classrooms and pressured students not to take courses with him. What is clear is that the incursion has changed the battlefield. The shock of Ukraines thunder run revealed chinks in the armor of its powerful adversary. The attack also risked aggravating Ukraines own weaknesses by extending the front line and committing new troops at a time when military leaders are short on manpower. read more Ukraines surprising incursion into Russias Kursk border region was a risky move by its military commanders, who used chose their limited resources to conduct an assault on a nuclear-armed enemy without any guarantee of success. Following early signs of progress, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy broke his silence and shared Kyivs daily advances with the nation. Ukrainian forces had taken control of 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles) of Russian territory, capturing at least 74 settlements and detaining hundreds of Russian prisoners of war, the official in Kyiv said on Wednesday. Advertisement However, after a week of the operation, the ultimate goal of the bold move to enter into Russian territory has remained unclear: Will Ukraine consolidate its hold on the captured territory, advance further into Russian territory or retreat? This incursion has changed the dynamics on the battlefield as Ukraines swift assault exposed vulnerabilities in its powerful adversary. Yet, the attack also posed risks to Ukraine by stretching its front line and requiring additional troops at a time when military leaders are already facing manpower shortages. To conduct the Kursk operation, Kyiv deployed battalions drawn from multiple brigades, some of which were pulled from the hottest parts of the front line, where Russias advance has continued unabated. So far, Moscows overall strategic advantage is intact. Kyiv deployed battalions to conduct the Kursk operation. These battalions drawn rom various brigades, some of which were pulled from critical front-line areas where Russias advance has shown no signs of slowing. Despite Ukraines efforts, Moscows overall strategic advantage remains largely intact. The stretching of the front line for us is also stretching the front line for the enemy," said the commander of the 14th Regiment of Unmanned Drones, who uses the call sign Charlie, after he participated in the opening stage of the offensive. Only we have prepared for this operation in detail. The Russians were not prepared for this operation at all. Advertisement As the offensive enters its second week, Ukrainian forces are pushing out in several directions from the Russian town of Sudzha. Images from the battlefield showing columns of destroyed Russian weaponry are reminiscent of Ukraines successful counteroffensives in 2022 in Kherson and Kharkiv. The photos are also a boon to national morale that deflated after the failed 2023 summer counteroffensive and months of recent territorial losses in the east. But some analysts are reserving judgment on whether the Kursk region is the right theater to launch an offensive. Estimates of the number of troops operating there range from 5,000 to 12,000. Within a week, Ukraine claimed to have captured almost as much Russian land in Kursk as Russian forces took in Ukraine in the last seven months, according to the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank. Advertisement Russian authorities acknowledged the Ukrainian gains but described them as smaller. Even so, they have evacuated about 132,000 people. Hundreds of Russian prisoners were blindfolded and ferried away in trucks in the opening moments of the lightning advance. They could be used in future prisoner swaps to free thousands of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians in captivity. On Wednesday, Ukrainian human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said the fighting in Kursk had lead his Russian counterpart, Tatyana Moskalkova, to initiate a conversation about prisoner swaps, the first time such a request has come from Moscow. Politically, the incursion turned the tables on Russia and reset the terms of a conflict in which Ukraine increasingly seemed doomed to accept unfavorable cease-fire terms. The strike was also a powerful example of Ukrainian determination and a message to Western allies that have dithered on allowing donated weapons to be used for deeper strikes inside Russian territory. Advertisement The assault has shown that the fear of crossing Russian red lines that could lead to nuclear escalation is a myth, and that Ukraines battle-hardened military remains a formidable force, wrote Taras Kuzio, a professor of political science at the National University Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. Presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak suggested that the incursion may also strengthen Kyivs hand in future negotiations with Russia. Occupying part of Russian territory ahead of any cease-fire talks may give Ukraine some leverage. Though the fighting continues, the territory currently under Ukrainian control is, by itself, of little economic or strategic value. There is some important gas infrastructure in the area, but its usefulness is likely to be limited other than as a minor bargaining chip. Ukrainians have also cut a railway line running from Lgov to Belgorod, said Pasi Paroinen of the Black Bird Group, a Finland-based open-source intelligence agency that monitors the war. Advertisement Major military bases are far from the current area of operations, and Ukrainian advances are expected to slow as Russia sends in more forces. Ukrainian officials have said they do not intend to occupy Kursk, but they may seek to create a buffer zone to protect settlements in the bordering Sumy region from relentless Russian artillery attacks and to block supply lines to the northeast. Forcing Russia to deploy reserves intended for other parts of the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line was the minimum aim, said Charlie, the commander. But so far, Moscows focus in the Donetsk region has not changed. Some Ukrainian troops were pulled from those very lines, where manpower shortages were a key factor that contributed to territorial losses this year. In the strategically significant Pokrovsk area, which is the main thrust of Russias offensive effort, soldiers have seen few improvements since the Kursk incursion. Nothing has changed, said a soldier known by the call sign Kyianyn. If anything, I see the increase in Russian offensive actions. But the Kursk operation showed they cant defend their own territory, he said. All of us are inspired here. Many of our soldiers wanted to go to Kursk and push them straight to the Kremlin. Targeting Russias Northern Grouping of Forces, which feeds the Kharkiv front, is a key goal, said Konstantin Mashovets, a Ukrainian military expert. Some Russian units have reportedly moved from Vovchansk in Kharkiv. In the south, a small number of Russian units were redeployed from the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, said Dmytro Lykhovii, the spokesman of the Tavria operational group. But that hasnt affected Russian attacks. We even see an increase in (Russian) activity, Lykhovii said. The Kursk operation has also served to draw attention away from the eastern front, where tens of thousands of Ukrainians have been killed and wounded, and where the Ukrainian military has struggled to repair cracks in its defenses. Most territorial losses in June and July were recorded in the Pokrovsk area, which is near a logistics hub, with fighting intensifying near the towns of Toretsk and Chasiv Yar. Russian forces dialed up those attacks to capitalize on troop fatigue and shortages. On many occasions, the losses were the result of poorly timed troop rotations and blunders that cast doubt about the overall strategy of the Ukrainian militarys General Staff. There is no way Russia will stop its actions in the parts of the front line where they are tactically succeeding, Mashovets said. There, they will push and squeeze until their last man is standing, no matter what. But the push into Kursk might force the Kremlin to pull reserves from the parts of the front line that are of secondary importance. With inputs from agencies. Over the summer, I have been able to reflect and have decided that my moving on at this point would best enable Columbia to traverse the challenges ahead," Minouche Shafik wrote in an email to students and faculty on Wednesday read more Nemat (Minouche) Shafik testifies before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce hearing on "Columbia in Crisis: Columbia University's Response to Antisemitism" on Capitol Hill in Washington, April 17, 2024. AP File Nearly four months after Columbia University was rocked by campus protests over Gaza war, institutes president Minouche Shafik on Wednesday resigned from her position. According to a BBC report, Katrina Armstrong, chief executive officer of the Columbia University Irving Medical Center, will serve as the interim president. In an email to students and faculty on Wednesday, Shafik, who has now become the third president of an Ivy League university to resign over her handling of Gaza war protests, said that she has overseen a period of turmoil where it has been difficult to overcome divergent views across our community. Advertisement This period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in our community, BBC quoted her as saying in the mail. Over the summer, I have been able to reflect and have decided that my moving on at this point would best enable Columbia to traverse the challenges ahead," Shafik wrote. I have tried to navigate a path that upholds academic principles and treats everyone with fairness and compassion, she said, adding, It has been distressing - for the community, for me as president and on a personal level - to find myself, colleagues, and students the subject of threats and abuse. In April, Shafik allowed the New York Police Department to flood the campus, a controversial decision that resulted in the arrest of around 100 students who were occupying a university building. The incident was the first instance of mass arrests on Columbias campus since the Vietnam War protests over 50 years ago. The decision also triggered widespread protests at other colleges throughout the US and Canada. Since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7 and Israel subsequently invaded into the Gaza, the US college campuses have become a focal point for protests related to the war. Leaders from Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn), and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology testified before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce regarding these protests. Advertisement The presidents of Harvard and UPenn resigned over their mishandling of campus protests and their congressional testimony, which included their reluctance to assert that calls for the deaths of Jews might breach university policy. In April, Shafik defended her institutions measures against antisemitism before Congress, highlighting an increase in such hatred on campus and the colleges efforts to protect students. Shafik resignation follows the departure of three Columbia University deans last week, who resigned after text messages revealed they had used antisemitic tropes while discussing Jewish students. These text exchanges were initially published by the Republican-led House Committee on Education and the Workforce in early July, BBC reported. Advertisement Shafik, a respected Egyptian-born economist with a background at the World Bank, IMF, and Bank of England, also previously served as president of the London School of Economics. With inputs from agencies A report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) said, in July, India was the second-largest buyer of Russian fossil fuels and almost 80 per cent of its imports comprised crude oil read more Russia emerged as Indias biggest supplier of crude oil after Russian oil was available on discount following sanctions on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Source: REUTERS. India, the worlds third largest oil consuming and importing nation, in July bought USD 2.8 billion worth of crude oil from Russia, second only to China which remains the largest importer of Russian oil, a report said. Russia emerged as Indias biggest supplier of crude oil, which is converted into fuels like petrol and diesel in refineries, after Russian oil was available on discount following some European nations shunning purchases from Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Advertisement Imports from Russia, which were less than one per cent of the total oil imported in pre-Ukraine war period, now make up for almost 40 per cent of Indias total oil purchases. China bought 47 per cent of Russias crude exports, followed by India (37 per cent), the EU (7 per cent), and Turkey (6 per cent), the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) said in a report. Not just oil, but China and India also bought coal from Russia. From 5 December 2022 until the end of July 2024, China purchased 45 per cent of all Russias coal exports followed by India (18 per cent). Turkey (10 per cent), South Korea (10 per cent) and Taiwan (5 per cent) round off the top five buyers list, it said. CREA however did not provide absolute numbers for imports. China was the largest buyer of Russian fossil fuels in July, accounting for 43 per cent (Euro 6.2 billion) of Russias monthly export earnings from the top five importers. Crude oil comprised 63 per cent (Euro 3.9 billion) of Chinas imports from Russia. In July, Chinas global import volumes of seaborne crude (40.2 million tonnes) dropped to their lowest levels since February 2023. Seaborne crude imports from Russia (4.3 million tonnes) also dropped to their lowest levels since December 2022 and may be linked to reduced processing margins for refineries amidst low fuel demand. Advertisement India was the second-largest buyer of Russian fossil fuels in July. Almost 80 per cent of Indias imports (valued at Euro 2.6 billion or USD 2.86 billion) comprised crude oil, the report said. India, which is more than 85 per cent dependent on imports to meet its oil needs, spent USD 11.4 billion in July on import of 19.4 million tonnes of crude oil, according to official data. In July, the discount on Russian Urals grade crude oil widened by 9 per cent month-on-month to USD 16.76 per barrel compared to Brent crude oil. The discounts on the ESPO grade and Sokol blends remained relatively stable and modest at USD 4.23 per barrel and USD 6.11 per barrel, respectively. Advertisement According to CREA, 36 per cent of Russian seaborne crude oil and its products in July were transported by tankers subject to the oil price cap. The remainder was shipped by shadow tankers and was not subject to the oil price cap policy. US and western nations in late 2022 introduced a cap regime to maintain Russian oil flowing to the global market to avert a damaging jump in prices, while limiting revenue Moscow earned from sales of crude. Cargoes of Russian crude could only access western services such as insurance and shipping if sales were capped below USD 60 a barrel. Advertisement To circumvent, a dark or shadow fleet of oil tankers emerged. The shadow fleet consists of second hand decrepit oil tankers with opaque ownership structures that make it difficult to ascertain who controls them, or force them to follow western laws. CREA said 81 per cent of the total value of Russian seaborne crude oil was transported by shadow tankers, while tankers owned or insured in countries implementing the price cap accounted for 19 per cent. Shadow tankers transporting oil products handled 37 per cent of Russias total volume of products in July 2024. The remaining volume was shipped by tankers subject to the price cap policy. Advertisement Russias reliance on tankers that are owned or insured in G7+ countries has fallen due to the growth of shadow tankers. This subsequently impacts the coalitions leverage to lower the price cap and hit Russias oil export revenues, CREA said. There have been calls given for preventing growth in shadow tankers that are immune to the oil price cap policy. Sanction-imposing countries should ban the sale of old tankers to owners registered in countries that do not implement the oil price cap policy. This would help limit the increase of shadow tankers used to transport Russian fossil fuels which has been observed since their full-scale invasion of Ukraine, CREA said. The United States and mediators Qatar and Egypt have called upon Israel and Hamas to conclude a deal to end the war in the Gaza Strip in the ongoing talks in Doha read more Hamas was part of the talks for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip in Qatars capital Doha on Thursday as before, according to White House. Previously, Hamas had said that it would not be part of the talks with Israel being mediated by Egypt and Qatar and facilitated by the United States. But the terrorist group had said that it was open to engaging with the mediators after their meeting with the Israeli delegation to discuss if Israel had any meaningful offer. Advertisement Now, the White House has said that Hamas participation in the talks was in line with the previous rounds. It further said the talks are expected to resume on Friday. In the past, it has worked very similar[ly] to how its working in Doha today, where mediators will sit and discuss, work things out, and then those mediators will be in touch with Hamas, and then Hamas leaders in Doha communicate directly with Mr. Sinwar for final answers, said White House National Security Council (NSC) Spokesperson John Kirby on Thursday. Kirby further said, The process that is playing out in Doha is very much keeping with the process that has played out in the past. Even as Israel had dubbed the ongoing talks as a now or never chance for a deal for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages in captivity, new demands made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have complicated talks. There are, however, signs that some of those gaps may have been bridged. The White House said that the mediators had narrowed some gaps between the two parties. Gaza ceasefire off to a promising start White House NSC Spokesperson Kirby said that the talks in Doha were off to a promising start. The Israeli delegation comprises external intelligence agency Mossad chief David Barnea, internal intelligence agency Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, and militarys hostages chief Nitzan Alon. On part of the United States, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) chief William Burns will attend the meeting. Advertisement Barak Ravid of Axios has reported that the Israeli delegation is staying overnight in Doha as talks will resume tomorrow. Kirby said at a briefing that talks are expected to continue on Friday as the complexity of the subject at hand made it unlikely for talks to conclude tonight. Given the complexity of the agreement, I do not anticipate coming out of these talks today with a dealIn fact, Id expect the talks to continue into tomorrow. This is vital work. The remaining obstacles can be overcome, and we must bring this process to a close. Qatar and Egypt are, in turn mediating with Hamas, said Kirby, as per The Jerusalem Post. Advertisement Kirby focussed that some of the gaps have already been narrowed and the talks on Thursday were focussed on the details of the implementation of the agreement. South Korea, a Japanese colony for 35 years, and China, which was invaded by Japan, see the shrine as a magnet for conservatives who want to gloss over their neighbours wartime actions. read more People release doves during their visit to the Yasukuni Shrine on the 79th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War Two in Tokyo, Japan, August 15, 2024- Image- Reuters Japan marked the anniversary on Thursday of its defeat in World War Two with visits by at least three cabinet ministers to the controversial Yasukuni shrine that other Asian nations see as a symbol of the countrys wartime aggression. Defence Minister Minoru Kihara, Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi, and Yoshitaka Shindo, the economic revitalisation chief, visited the site in Tokyo, the capital. Fourteen prominent convicted war criminals, including wartime prime minister Hideki Tojo, are among the 2.5 million war dead honoured at the shrine. Advertisement I would like to express my heartfelt condolences today to all those who sacrificed their precious lives and pay my deepest respect, Kihara said at the shrine, in comments aired on television. The visits are the first by senior government officials since Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol agreed with U.S. President Joe Biden to pursue deeper security ties. I understand that all of them visited the shrine in their private capacity and that it is not a matter for the government to comment on, Japans top government spokesperson, Yoshimasa Hayashi, told a regular press conference. It is natural for any nation to pay respect to those who have given their lives for their country. South Korea, a Japanese colony for 35 years, and China, which was invaded by Japan, see the shrine as a magnet for conservatives who want to gloss over their neighbours wartime actions. Our government urges responsible Japanese leaders to face history and demonstrate humble reflection and genuine introspection, South Koreas foreign ministry said. This is an important foundation for the development of forward-looking relations, it added in a statement. Supporters of Yasukuni, established in 1869 as Japan emerged from more than two centuries of isolation, say it commemorates all the war dead and not only those blamed for waging war on neighbours. We can live happily now because our ancestors fought in the war, said Yuka Watanabe, 50, a visitor to the shrine, where men wearing World War Two-era military uniforms bowed and marched with flags. Advertisement I dont think we should ever forget that. Kishida, who plans to step down in September, stayed away, sending an offering instead, Japanese media said. Takaichi is among about half-a-dozen people touted as his possible successor. No serving Japanese prime minister has visited Yasukuni, which means peaceful country in Japanese, since Shinzo Abe in 2013, a visit that prompted an expression of disappointment by then-U.S. President Barrack Obama. Members of the Chhatra Dal, the affiliate student wing of the BNP, also gathered at the Central Shaheed Minar. Nearly a thousand leaders and activists of the organisation chanted slogans demanding trials for the ousted Hasina administration while waving the national and party flags. read more People participate in a protest march against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government to demand justice for the victims killed in the recent countrywide deadly clashes, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024.- Image- AP Former Bangladesh premier Khaleda Zias party on Thursday staged sit-in protest across the country, demanding the arrest and trial of ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who resigned on August 5 and left following massive protests against her government. Activists and workers of the Dhaka Metropolitan unit of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) gathered at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosques South Gate, in front of Hasinas Awami League partys offices, and at the Central Shaheed Minar to press for their demands. Advertisement In an interview on Thursday, De-facto foreign minister, Mohammad Touhid Hossain said that Bangladesh is considering whether to request India to extradite the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as legal cases including murder charges continue to mount against her. Hossain also said that while he did not want to speculate, Hasina is now facing numerous cases. Should the countrys home and law ministries decide, Bangladesh may need to request her return to Bangladesh, he said. An interim government headed by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus was sworn in on August 8 along with 16 advisers to lead the government. Over 230 people died in Bangladesh in the incidents of violence that erupted across the country following the fall of the Hasina government on August 5, taking the death toll to 560 during the three weeks of violence. The interim government has already initiated an investigation against Hasina and nine others on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity that took place from July 15 to August 5 during the students mass movement against her government. Activists and workers of the Dhaka Metropolitan unit of the BNP and its affiliate organisations are holding sit-in programmes at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosques South Gate, in front of the Awami League offices, and at the Central Shaheed Minar to demand that autocrat Hasina and her accomplices be brought to justice for the loss of lives in the recent violence. Several hundred BNP activists also gathered in front of the BNPs central offices in Naya Paltan. BNP Dhaka City South Convenor Rafiqul Islam Majnu led the protests at Baitul Mukarram on Thursday. Advertisement We have announced a programme for today. The BNP and its affiliate organisations are taking part in the programme in Dhaka and across the country. We have one demand the arrest and trial of fascist autocrat Sheikh Hasina and her accomplices. They have conducted a brutal genocide in Bangladesh. Over a hundred activists and leaders of the Savar Jubo Dal were in front of the destroyed Awami League offices on Bangabandhu Avenue. They chanted slogans calling for Hasina to be brought to justice. The Dhaka Metropolitan Unit of the BNP and the Jubo Dal the youth wing of the BNP also held marches in Malibagh, Mouchak, Shahjahanpur, and Kaptan Bazar. The protest by the BNP came on the 49th anniversary of the assassination of the countrys founder and deposed prime minister Hasinas father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Advertisement Several students and general people this morning were seen near Mujibur Rahmans residence in Dhanmondi-32 attacking and obstructing people apparently going there to pay their respects. According to reports, a United Nations team will travel to Bangladesh to investigate atrocities committed during the unrest that toppled premier Sheikh Hasina last week, the countrys interim government said Thursday. Earlier today, Bangladeshs International Crimes Tribunal said it launched an investigation against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and nine others for alleged genocide and crimes against humanity committed between July 15 and August 5 during the student-led mass movement against her government. Meanwhile, a Dhaka court on Thursday directed the police to submit the probe report by September 15 in the case against Sheikh Hasina and six others regarding the death of grocery shop owner Abu Saeed, who was killed in police firing during the quota protests in Mohammadpur on July 19. Advertisement After Hasinas resignation, a caretaker government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was formed with a commitment to implement administrative and political reforms and ensure accountability for those involved in the violence. With inputs from agencies. Most of the leaders from the South Asian neighbouring countries invoked enduring friendship rooted in history and strengthening of bilateral relations when they greeted their counterparts. read more A joint contingent of Indian army, air force and navy march in to present guard of honor to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi before his arrival at the 17th century Mughal-era Red Fort monument for the country's Independence Day celebrations in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. - Image- AP Foreign leaders from K P Sharma Oli to Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu greeted India on Thursday as India celebrated its 78th Independence Day with Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the country from the ramparts of historic Red Fort. Nepal Prime Minister Oli took to X to write: Warm congratulations to Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji and the people of India on 78th Independence Day! May this day strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between our nations. Looking forward to advancing Nepal-India relations. Advertisement Warm congratulations to Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji and the people of India on 78th Independence Day! May this day strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between our nations. Looking forward to advancing Nepal-India relations.#IndependenceDayIndia K P Sharma Oli (@kpsharmaoli) August 15, 2024 Delivering his 11th consecutive Independence Day speech, PM Narendra Modi spoke on various topics from the ramparts of Red Fort. From focusing on his governments reforms to calling for strict punishment against perpetrators of violence against women, he addressed concerns of 140-crore Indians Maldives President Dr Mohamed Muizzu said on X: On the occasion of Indias Independence Day, I extend heartfelt congratulations to President @rashtrapatibhvn, Prime Minister @narendramodi, and the people of India. Our enduring friendship, rooted in history, has evolved to foster prosperity and development in the Maldives and the region. As we look to the future, I am confident that our partnership will continue to strengthen, driving mutual prosperity and shared goals, he added. On the occasion of Indias Independence Day, I extend heartfelt congratulations to President @rashtrapatibhvn, Prime Minister @narendramodi, and the people of . Our enduring friendship, rooted in history, has evolved to foster prosperity and development in the Maldives and the pic.twitter.com/HCtYMG0VLa Dr Mohamed Muizzu (@MMuizzu) August 15, 2024 Advertisement Muizzus cabinet colleague and Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer extended warm greetings and best wishes to Jaishankar, the Government, and the friendly people of India on the jubilant occasion of Independence Day. Wishing for continued peace, progress and prosperity for the people of India and for a stronger and vibrant bilateral partnership between #Maldives and #India, he said in a post on X. Advertisement Nepals Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Arzu Rana Deuba too took to X to say, On the occasion of the 78th Independence Day of India, I wish to extend warm greetings and felicitations to His Excellency @DrSJaishankar and the friendly people of India. May the ties of friendship and cooperation between Nepal and India continue to strengthen. Wishing peace, prosperity, and progress to the people of India, she said with a hashtag #NepalIndiaRelations. Tagging @narendramodi and @PMOIndia handles, Bhutans Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay said on X, Wishing the government and people of India a very happy Independence Day! May the special friendship between Bhutan and India grow ever stronger. Fresh from last weeks visit by Jaishankar to his country to reset Indias bilateral ties with the Maldives, Advertisement Predicting a bright future for US-India strategic relations, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that the two countries share a deep bond, which is founded on their shared commitment to democracy, freedom, and human dignity. Congratulating the people of India ahead of the countrys Independence Day, Blinken said in a statement: On this momentous day, we celebrate the rich and diverse history of the Indian people and the bright future of US-Indian relations. There is no basis for continuing to rush we respectfully request that any sentencing, if one is needed, be adjourned until after the presidential election, wrote Trump attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove in a letter to the judge, which was made public on Thursday read more Former US president Donald Trump has asked the New York judge who oversaw his hush money case trial to delay his sentencing until after Novembers presidential election. Trump was convicted in May of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover up a payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. According to The Hill report, Judge Juan Merchan had previously agreed to push the date back until September so he can first decide if the Supreme Courts presidential immunity decision requires tossing Trumps guilty verdict. (S)etting aside naked election-interference objectives, there is no valid countervailing reason for the court to keep the current sentencing date on the calendar," The Hill quoted Trump attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove as writing to the judge, which was made public on Thursday. Advertisement There is no basis for continuing to rush, the letter read. Accordingly, we respectfully request that any sentencing, if one is needed, be adjourned until after the Presidential election, added the letter. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D) has accused Trump of concealing reimbursements made to his former fixer, Michael Cohen, who paid $130,000 to porn actress Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 presidential election to keep quiet about an alleged affair. Trump, however, denies the affair and has pledged to appeal the charges. Trump has consistently sought to delay the hush money case, along with three other criminal proceedings that have yet to go to trial. Trump aims to win this years presidential election and potentially halt his indictments if he regains the White House. With inputs from agencies Tourists will soon be allowed to visit the mountainous northern city of Samjiyon in December, according to a report, citing at least two China-based tour operators read more In July, Kim Jong Un announced plans to upgrade Samjiyon airport, transform a military ski base into a resort, and build new railways and hotels to attract visitors from "friendly" countries. Reuters File After sealing itself off at the start of Covid pandemic in early 2020, North Korea will finally reopen one city to foreign tourists in December nearly after five years of border closures. According to a BBC report, citing at least two China-based tour operators, tourists will soon be allowed to visit the mountainous northern city of Samjiyon. Reclusive North Korea began to ease its restrictions only in the middle of last year. The border closures had also halted imports of crucial goods, exacerbating food shortages that were further intensified by international sanctions related to the countrys nuclear programme. Advertisement So far just Samjiyon has been officially confirmed but we think that Pyongyang and other places will open too!!! BBC quoted Shenyangs KTG Tours as writing on its Facebook page on Wednesday. Beijings Koryo Tour said tourists could potentially visit other parts of North Korea in December. Having waited for over four years to make this announcement, Koryo Tours is very excited for the opening of North Korean tourism once again, BBC quoted Beijings Koryo Tour as saying on its website. Samjiyon, located at the base of North Koreas tallest mountain Paektu, is famous for its winter attractions. Paektu, straddling the China-North Korea border, is celebrated in Pyongyangs propaganda as the site where Kim Il Sung fought Japanese forces and where Kim Jong Il was born. In recent years, Samjiyon has seen significant redevelopment. In July, Kim Jong Un announced plans to upgrade its airport, transform a military ski base into a resort, and build new railways and hotels to attract visitors from friendly countries, reported BBC, citing the state media. According to the report, citing KCNA, at that time the Mount Paektu-Samjiyon zone was envisioned to be a four-season mountainous tourist area to meet the cultural and emotional needs of the people on the highest level and revitalise international tourism. North Korea has only allowed Russian tourists to enter the country since early 2024, amid warming ties between the two nations. Advertisement One of the tour companies, Koryo Tours, told the BBC that the North Korean authorities were allowing tourists from any country to join the trips, apart from South Korea. However, the US bans its citizens from travelling to North Korea. It was only in August last year that North Korea allowed the return of citizens who were locked out because of border controls, one of the last few countries to do so. Since early 2024, North Korea has only allowed Russian tourists to enter, marking improved relations between the two countries. According to BBC, citing Koryo Tours, North Korean authorities have allowed tourists from various countries to join trips, except South Korea. However, US citizens remain prohibited from traveling to North Korea. Advertisement North Korea only resumed allowing its citizens to return in August of last year, being among the last countries to lift such border restrictions. With inputs from agencies MBABANE Government has confirmed that former PS in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development Clifford Mamba bought the government house at a 30 per cent discount. This is contained in written responses in the report of the ministrys portfolio committee on the debate of the ministrys first quarter performance report for the financial year 2024/2025, tabled in Parliament yesterday. Minister Appolo Maphalala was responding to a question that was previously posed by Mbabane East MP Welcome Dlamini, enquiring why the house was sold to the former principal secretary (PS). The valuation of the property was E3.2 million (land valued at E2 million and improvements at E1.2 million, respectively). Since when the transaction was concluded, the occupant was still a civil servant; a 30 per cent discount was effected, which is in line with Government General Order A777. After effecting same, the total price of the property was E2 240 000, revealed the minister through the responses. Highlighted The minister also highlighted that as per the Crown Lands Disposal Regulations, the occupant was expected to pay a five per cent deposit (E112 000), before signing of the agreement (deed) of sale. The minister had previously told Parliament that the sale of the house remained an allegation, on the basis that he had not seen the deed of sale and he had an assignment to verify if indeed the house was sold.The minister explained that the sale of pool housing, like all Crown/government property, is governed through The Crown Lands Disposal Act, 1911. The minister, through the response, highlighted that Section 3 empowers the minister to dispose Crown land through sale, lease and grant. He said in addition, the piece of legislation is accompanied by the Crown Lands Disposal Regulations, 2023, which detail how the sale, lease and grant will be carried out by the ministry. Anticipation He explained that specifically, the sale was undertaken in anticipation of the sale of pool housing, which was at the time, in the pipeline. He further divulged that the ministry was in the forefront in facilitating this project, which forms part of the Housing the Nation programme. The minister also responded to Dlaminis question on whether the house was renovated by the Eswatini Housing Board or not. At the time, Dlamini reminded the House that the former PS sat in the Eswatini Housing Board and he wondered if he recused himself from that decision-making body when it authorised the renovation of the house or he was part of that process. The minister explained that the ministry was not aware of the house being renovated by Eswatini Housing Board, as this was a task reserved for the Ministry of Public Works and Transport. Throughout the deliberations, the occupant recused himself from the process. Aware To date, this is the only property the ministry is aware of to have been sold to a civil servant in anticipation of the sale of government pool housing to civil servants, said the minister. He also explained that since the decision to sell or not to sell government pool housing is yet to be confirmed by the new Cabinet, the ministry is of the view that the matter is in abeyance, until further notice. Otherwise, the disposal of prime land/property is sometimes unavoidable due to the situation on the ground, responded the minister. It should be stated that previously, Dlamini advised Maphalala to reverse the sale of the government house to the former PS. In response to that, the minister stated that the ministry would be in a position to make an informed decision on the matter once Cabinet has taken a stand. In a National Liberation Day speech marking the 79th anniversary of independence from Japans 1910-45 colonial rule after World War Two, Yoon said he was ready to begin political and economic cooperation if North Korea takes just one step toward denuclearisation read more South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol and his wife Kim Keon-Hee wave national flags during the celebration of the 79th National Liberation Day at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul, South Korea. Reuters South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol offered on Thursday to establish a working-level consultative body with North Korea to discuss ways to ease tension and resume economic cooperation, as he laid out his vision on unification of the neighbours. In a National Liberation Day speech marking the 79th anniversary of independence from Japans 1910-45 colonial rule after World War Two, Yoon said he was ready to begin political and economic cooperation if North Korea takes just one step toward denuclearisation. Yoon used the speech as a chance to unveil a blueprint for unification and make a fresh outreach to Pyongyang, following his governments recent offer to provide relief supplies for flood damage in the isolated North which he said had been rejected. Advertisement But a unified Korea appears a distant prospect to most people on both sides of the border. Relations between the neighbours have been at their lowest in decades as the North races to advance its nuclear and missile capabilities and takes steps to cut ties with the South, redefining it as a separate, hostile enemy state. At the start of the year, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called South Korea a primary foe and said unification was no longer possible. Yoon said launching the inter-Korean working group could help relieve tensions and handle any issues ranging from economic cooperation to people-to-people exchanges to reunions of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War. We will begin political and economic cooperation the moment North Korea takes just one step toward denuclearisation, he said at a ceremony in Seoul. Dialogue and cooperation can bring about substantive progress in inter-Korean relations. The speech came amid a dispute with opposition lawmakers over Yoons appointment of what they view as a pro-Japan, revisionist former professor to oversee a national independence museum, another sign of political polarisation and divided opinions over Yoons efforts to ramp up security ties with Tokyo. Major independence movement groups which had for decades co-hosted the annual National Liberation Day events with the government held a separate ceremony for the first time in protest over the professor, joined by opposition lawmakers. Advertisement Yoons office has said there are misunderstandings about the appointment, and was seeking ways to resolve them. Yoon, in the speech, also raised the idea of a plan to launch an international conference on North Koreas human rights and a fund to promote global awareness on the issue, support activist groups, and expand North Korean residents access to outside information. It is important to help awaken the people of North Korea to the value of freedom, he said, calling for freedoms in the South to be extended to the frozen kingdom of the North. If more North Koreans come to recognise that unification through freedom is the only way to improve their lives and are convinced that a unified Republic of Korea will embrace them, they will become strong, friendly forces for a freedom-based unification. In the Thursday address, Abbas emphasised that the Palestinian people will stand tall and not accept a solution that keeps Gaza and the West Bank divided, as they have been since 2007 read more While addressing the Turkish parliament, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said that he would travel to Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war, even if the trip puts his life at risk. The PA leader is visiting Turkey to hold talks with the countrys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the Gaza crisis. I have decided to go to Gaza with other brothers from the Palestinian leadership, Abbas said in his address on Saturday. The proclamation from the Palestinian leader was applauded by Turkish lawmakers. I will do that. Even if this would cost my life. Our life is not more worthy than the life of a child, he added. Advertisement Abbas visit to Turkey came after his trip to Moscow where he met Russian President Vladimir Putin. In the Thursday address, Abbas emphasised that the Palestinian people will stand tall and not accept a solution that keeps Gaza and the West Bank divided, as they have been since 2007. Gaza is ours as a whole. We dont accept any solution that would divide our territories," he told the Parliament. There cannot be a Palestinian state without Gaza. Our people will not surrender," he added. What was Abbas doing in Turkey? On Wednesday, the Palestinian leader in the West Bank held talks with Erdogan over the ongoing war. Erdogans office said late Wednesday that the two discussed the massacres committed by Israel in Palestinian territories and the steps that need to be taken for a permanent cease-fire and peace at the presidential palace in Ankara. Abbass visit to both Turkey and Russia came as the threat of Iranian retaliation against Israel over the assassination of Hamas official Ismail Haniyeh fueled concerns about the war spillover across the Middle East. Abbas, who is based in Ramallah in the West Bank, is president of the Palestinian Authority, which has largely been sidelined since the October 7 attack which led to the start of the Israel-Hamas war. It is important to note that the Palestinian lawmaker is the chair of the Fatah party, which has a long-running rift with Hamas. Back in 2006, Hamas engaged in violent confrontations with Fatah fighters after the former won the elections. Advertisement With inputs from agencies. The authorities noted that the infected man was detected with mpox following his return from Saudi Arabia on August 3 read more This 1997 image depicts the dorsal surfaces of the hands of a monkeypox case patient. CDC via AP After the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Monkey Pox an international public health emergency, Pakistan on Thursday reported this years first case of the virus. According to Pakistani news outlet, Geo News, a Pakistani national in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was diagnosed with the fatal virus. The person recently came from Saudi Arabia. The officials at the Pakistani Federal Health Ministry said that the man belonged to the city of Dir and is currently residing in Mardan. The authorities noted that the infected man was detected with mpox following his return from Saudi Arabia on August 3. Advertisement Samples of people who came in contact with man collected According to Geo News, the health ministry official stated that they have collected samples from people who came in contact with the affected man. Subsequently, the ministry has ordered the Border Health Services to commence strict monitoring of all entry points. After the news broke out, the Pakistani health ministry conducted an important session under the chair of DG Health in which advisory and guidelines were issued regarding mpox. The provinces have been directed to appoint focal persons to monitor and report developments regarding the detection of the disease. Not the first time This is not the first time Pakistan had to deal with the horrors of monkeypox. Last year, the country confirmed nine cases of mpox, all among travellers who were returning from the Middle East and other countries. One person was affected by both HIV and mpox and eventually died in Islamabad. Around 15 African nations are currently reeling through the deadly cases. Four countries Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda previously unaffected by mpox, have reported cases since mid-July 2024. WHO raised an alert over the matter after it reported a cumulative total of 99,176 laboratory-confirmed cases of Mpox from January 1 2022, through June 30, 2024. In June 2024 alone, 934 new cases were reported, with most cases coming from the African Region (61 per cent), followed by the region of the Americas (19 per cent) and the European region (11 per cent). Sweden on Thursday confirmed Europes first case of the more dangerous variant of mpox. Swedens public health agency noted that the person became infected with the virus during his stay in the area of Africa which was currently struggling with a major outbreak of mpox Clade 1. Advertisement A person who sought care in Stockholm has been diagnosed with mpox caused by the clade I variant. It is the first case caused by clade I to be diagnosed outside the African continent, Swedens Public Health Agency said in a statement on Thursday The 33-year-old pleaded guilty to the charges and was detained in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg earlier this year while visiting her grandparents read more Ksenia Karelina, a US-Russian citizen was sentenced to 12 years in prison after she was charged with treason in Russia for her donation to a non-profit. Image Courtesy: Ksenia Karelina/Facebook Weeks after a historic prisoner swap, a Russian court has awarded a 12-year prison sentence to a Russian-American ballerina named Ksenia Karelina. The Russian authorities charged Karelina with treason after she made a donation of just over $50 to a US-based charity supporting Ukraine in the ongoing war against Russia. The 33-year-old pleaded guilty to the charges and was detained in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg earlier this year while visiting her grandparents. The verdict was delivered on Thursday during a closed-door trial held at Sverdlovsk regional court, CNN reported. Advertisement Investigators involved in the case accused Karelina of sending money to purchase equipment and ammunition for the Ukrainian army. Meanwhile, Karelinas lawyer, Mikhail Mushailov, told Russian reporters that he would appeal the verdict at a higher court. The timing It is pertinent to note that the conviction of the Russian-American ballerina came just two weeks after Russia and the West carried out the largest prisoner swap since the Cold War. 24 people including American nationals Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich were part of the deal that involved seven countries. Before the verdict, Mushailov told Reuters Karelina is hoping to be included in a future prisoner swap deal. An exchange is impossible until the court verdict comes into force, he told reporters. After the verdict, of course, we will work in this direction," he furthered. The story of Ksenia Karelina Karelina was a Los Angeles resident and an amateur ballerina. He became a citizen of the United States back in 2021 and was travelling to Russia in January to visit her grandparents. Chris Van Heerden, Karelinas boyfriend, told CNN he had bought her ticket to visit the country as a birthday gift. She had no fear, she was so proud to be going home shes so proud of Russia, Heerden recalled. The couple was on a vacation in Istanbul, Turkey, from there, Heerden returned to California and Karelina flew to Russia. This was her first visit to the country in several years. Interestingly, Heerden said that his girlfriend never spoke about the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. She doesnt watch the news, she doesnt intervene with anything, he said. Advertisement Meanwhile, the organisation to which Karelina reportedly gave money, the New York-based non-profit Razom for Ukraine, said that they are appalled by the detention of Karelina. Her trial was held in the same court of Yekaterinburg where journalist Evan Gershkovich was convicted of espionage and sentenced to 16 years in prison, last month. Both cases were heard by Judge Andrei Mineev. With inputs from agencies. Hasina fled the country for India on Aug. 5 after a violent uprising against her led to nearly 300 people getting killed, including many students. She has been named in two murder cases already, along with senior members of her cabinet. read more Protesters carry a member of the army on their shoulders as they celebrate Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. File Image- AP De-facto foreign minister, Mohammad Touhid Hossain said that Bangladesh is considering whether to request India to extradite the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as legal cases including murder charges continue to mount against her. In an interview on Thursday, Hossain mentioned that while he did not want to speculate, Hasina is now facing numerous cases. Should the countrys home and law ministries decide, Bangladesh may need to request her return to Bangladesh, he said. Advertisement Hossain said that such a request could pose a diplomatic challenge for the Indian government, adding that India is aware of the situation and he is confident they will handle it appropriately. He did not provide further details. Hasina, who resigned and fled to New Delhi after protests in the country turned violent, resulting in the deaths of hundreds, is now facing numerous cases. Meanwhile, Ataur Rahman, deputy director of the International Crimes Tribunals investigation cell said that a third case has been launched, investigating ten individuals, including Hasina, for murder, torture, and genocide committed during the protests. At least three of Hasinas former ministers and advisers have already been arrested in Bangladesh. In her only statement since her ouster, Hasina has demanded a probe into the killings and vandalism during the protests. She has not commented on the charges against her. Hossain, a retired diplomat, is the adviser on foreign affairs in the interim government led by Nobel laureate Mohammed Yunus, which was sworn in last week after Hasinas ouster. The council of advisers includes other retired officials, lawyers, student leaders of the protests and some opposition politicians. ROHINGYA REFUGEES In his first interview to international media since taking over, Hossain said Yunus is very unhappy about the way the statements are coming from India, from the former prime minister and he conveyed this to the Indian envoy in a meeting on Wednesday. Advertisement Hossain also asked India, and other countries, to take in more Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, as Bangladesh was not in a position to accept any more. Hossain said other countries need to put pressure on the Arakan Army rebel group in Myanmar to ensure this does not happen, referring to attacks on Rohingyas in their native Rakhine state. The world community has to create a situation that they (the Rohingya) can go back, he said. The Arakan Army, an ethnic rebel militia in Rakhine state, is fighting the Myanmar junta which overthrew the civil government in 2021. Both sides in the conflict have attacked Rohingya settlements. Advertisement Dozens of Rohingyas were killed while fleeing Rakhine this week, the latest episode of violence against the persecuted Muslim minority in Buddhist majority-Myanmar. Over 730,000 of them fled to Bangladesh in 2017 after a military-led crackdown that the U.N. said was carried out with genocidal intent. It is a humanitarian issue that involves the entire world, not only Bangladesh. We have done more than our share, Hossain said. He added that Dhaka wants good ties with everyone, including India, China and the U.S. Discussing possible elections in Bangladesh, the adviser said that there will be more clarity on the timeline by September. Because everyone, all my colleagues in the council of advisers, they are extremely busy with bringing back normalcy which should be restored by early September, he said. Advertisement He said the interims government priority is to bring irreversible reforms, because our system has been thoroughly corrupted and the institutions have been destroyed and they have to be restored. Once elections are announced, he said, we fade away, referring to senior members of the interim government. None of us have any political ambitions. With inputs from agencies. The remarks from the South Korean president came during his address at the 2024 National Liberation Day event which marked the 79th anniversary of the independence of Korea from the Japanese colonial rule which lasted from 1910-45 read more South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol at a recent meeting in the Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, on 27 May 2024. Reuters File Amid the brewing tensions in the Korean peninsula, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol offered to establish a working-level consultative body with North Korea on Thursday. Yeol said that the aim of the body will be to discuss ways to ease tensions between the two nations and resume economic cooperation. The remarks from the South Korean president came during his address at the 2024 National Liberation Day event which marked the 79th anniversary of the independence of Korea from the Japanese colonial rule which lasted from 1910-45. Advertisement Yoon maintained that he is ready to begin political and economic cooperation if North Korea takes just one step toward denuclearization, Yonhap reported. The South Korean president emphasised that the speech unveiled a blueprint for unification and made a fresh outreach to Pyongyang. South Korea extends olive branch The speech from Yoon came weeks after the South Korean government offered to provide relief supplies for flood damage in the isolated North. However, the offer was rejected by North Korea. Hopes for reconciliation also look bleak since the relations between the two nations are at the lowest point in a decade as the North races to advance its nuclear and missile capabilities and takes steps to cut ties with the South. Earlier this year, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called South Korea a primary foe and insisted that the unification between the two nations is no longer possible. In the Thursday address, Yoon maintained that launching the inter-Korean working group could help relieve tensions between the two countries. He stated that this way, both North and South could deal with any issues ranging from economic cooperation to people-to-people exchanges to reunions of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War. Dialogue and cooperation can bring about substantive progress in inter-Korean relations, he averred. In the speech, Yoon also proposed the idea of launching an international conference on North Koreas human rights. If more North Koreans come to recognize that unification through freedom is the only way to improve their lives and are convinced that a unified Republic of Korea will embrace them, they will become strong, friendly forces for a freedom-based unification, he said. Advertisement Yoon faces challenges from within The speech from the South Korean president also came at a time when several opposition lawmakers condemned him for appointing what they called a pro-Japan revisionist, former professor to oversee a national independence museum. Some of the opposition lawmakers were also uncomfortable with South Koreas growing ties with Japan. Amid the chaos, major independence movement groups that had for decades co-hosted the annual National Liberation Day events with the government held a separate ceremony for the first time in protest. Several South Korean opposition leaders took part in the event. In response to the growing criticism over the appointment of the professor, Yoons office has said there were misunderstandings about the appointment, and that it is seeking ways to resolve them. Advertisement With inputs from agencies. The authorities noted that the person became infected with the virus during his stay in the area of Africa which was currently struggling with a major outbreak of mpox Clade 1 read more A new strain of mpox was reported by scientists in May to be spreading in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Reuters As the World Health Organisation issues an alert about Monkey Pox, Swedens public health agency said that it has recorded what it claims to be the first case of a contagious new variant of mpox outside the African continent. The authorities noted that the person became infected with the virus during his stay in the area of Africa which was currently struggling with a major outbreak of mpox Clade 1. The news from Sweden came just hours after the WHO declared that the outbreak of mpox in Africa is now a public health emergency of international concern. Advertisement Sweden records first case in Europe With this, Sweden recorded the first case of Monkey Pox in the European continent. A person who sought care in Stockholm has been diagnosed with mpox caused by the clade I variant. It is the first case caused by clade I to be diagnosed outside the African continent, Swedens Public Health Agency said in a statement on Thursday, The Telegraph reported. It is pertinent to note that this is the second time in two years that the WHO declared the virus as a global public health emergency. At least 450 people died during the initial outbreak of the new variant in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The disease has since spread to areas of central and east Africa. Jakob Forssmed, Swedens Minister of Social Affairs said in a press conference that the patient travelled to a country which was hit by the outbreak of the virus. There are two types of mpox, Clade 1 and Clade 2. The latter caused a public health emergency back in 2022 and was considered relatively mild. The Clade 2 variant has already been reported in Sweden. Mpox spreads by physical contact and causes a characteristic lumpy rash, fever, aches, and pains. Medical professionals have always raised concerns over the matter since the virus can be extremely fatal. Clade 1b appeared in DRC in September last year and is touted as the most dangerous variant yet. It has a higher mortality rate than clade 2 - said to be between 5-10 per cent compared to 0.2 per cent and has already accounted for 15,000 cases in Africa this year. Advertisement According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the symptoms usually appear 6-13 days after infection and include fevers and headaches, rashes or sores and muscle aches. With inputs from agencies. If Paetongtarn wins the parliament vote, which is scheduled to take place on Friday, she will become Thailands second female prime minister and the countrys third leader from the renowned Shinawatra family read more Pheu Thai's prime ministerial candidate, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, gestures as she attends a birthday celebration held by red shirt supporters, a day ahead of her father, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, coming home from self-exile, at the party headquarter in Bangkok, Thailand, August 21, 2023. File Image / Reuters A day after Thailands constitutional court dismissed Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin from his office, the countrys populist party Pheu Thai announced that it would nominate party leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra for the prime ministerial post. On Thursday, the party decided to go with the daughter of Thailands former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and maintained that they would support her when the parliament votes. Thavisin was removed from office by the court over an ethical violation. Paetongtarn is the youngest daughter of the former Thai premier and was seen as the force behind the populist party. Advertisement If Paetongtarn wins the parliament vote, which is scheduled to take place on Friday, she will become Thailands second female prime minister and the countrys third leader from the renowned Shinawatra family. Her father and her aunt Yingluck Shinawatra have held the prime ministerial post in the past. Ruling alliance to conduct meeting to finalise the new leader On Thursday, Sorawong Thienthong, secretary-general of Pheu Thai, told reporters outside the parliament that the party executives would be meeting later in the day to decide on its prime ministerial nomination in Parliament. Srettha was ousted on Wednesday after serving the prime ministerial office for less than a year. His exit came as Thailands Constitutional Court found him guilty of a serious ethical breach after he appointed a cabinet member who was jailed over bribery charges. This was the second major ruling in the turbulent week, that shook Thai politics. Earlier this month, the same court dissolved the progressive and main opposition Move Forward party. The party won last years general election but was barred from assuming power after the court said that it violated the Constitution by proposing an amendment to a law against defaming the countrys royal family. After the dissolution, some of the party members eventually re-grouped as the Peoples Party. Ruling coalition partners have also given other names Meanwhile, Pheu Thais ruling coalition partners have already given other names for the prime ministerial post as well. Anutin Charnvirakul, the Bhumjaithai partys candidate and leader is seen as another frontrunner. However, he maintained that he would not contest Fridays vote against a candidate from Pheu Thai. Advertisement It is pertinent to note that a prime ministerial candidate now needs just a majority from the lower house, or at least 247 votes to assume the office. Thailands current House of Representatives has 493 sitting members after six were banned from politics as a result of Move Forwards dissolution. Another lawmaker from the Bhumjaithai party is suspended and is awaiting a court ruling. Meanwhile, the newly formed Peoples Party has said that it will not approve a candidate from Pheu Thai during the Friday voting. The partys leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, and his group will continue their duty as an opposition. With inputs from agencies. The discussions come at a critical juncture as regional tensions surge following the assassination of Hamas official Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, an event widely believed to be the result of an Israeli strike read more Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas for a significant round of talks at the presidential palace in Ankara, focusing on the intensifying conflict in Gaza. The discussions come at a critical juncture as regional tensions surge following the assassination of Hamas official Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, an event widely believed to be the result of an Israeli strike. Erdogans office released a statement late Wednesday, revealing that the two leaders discussed the massacres committed by Israel in Palestinian territories and explored the steps needed to achieve a permanent ceasefire and lasting peace. Advertisement Erdogan reaffirmed Turkeys steadfast support for the Palestinian cause, promising to amplify pressure on Israel through the international community, particularly within the Islamic world. He stressed the importance of delivering humanitarian aid to the beleaguered Palestinian territories and called for global efforts to bring an end to the violence. Importance of Abbas visit Abbass visit, which comes just before his scheduled address to the Turkish Parliament, is seen as a strategic move by Erdogan, who has long been a vocal supporter of Hamas and the broader Palestinian struggle. Erdogans invitation to Abbas followed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus address to the US Congress in July, where Netanyahu defended Israels military actions in Gaza. In contrast to Western nations, which have designated Hamas as a terrorist organisation, Erdogan has lauded the group as a liberation movement and has hosted its leaders, including Haniyeh, on multiple occasions in Turkey. Turkey criticises Israel, West In addition to his backing of Hamas, Erdogan has been one of the most outspoken critics of Israels military operations in Gaza, going so far as to accuse the Israeli government of genocide and likening Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler. This rhetoric has not been without consequence; in May, Turkey suspended trade with Israel, citing the ongoing assault on Gaza. Further escalating the diplomatic row, Turkey recently filed a request with a United Nations court to join South Africas genocide lawsuit against Israel. Advertisement The Turkish President has also criticised Western nations for their support of Israel, arguing that they should face accountability in international courts for their actions. The recent assassination of Haniyeh has only heightened regional tensions, with many in the Middle East bracing for potential Iranian retaliation against Israel. US comments on the development Shortly before Abbass arrival, US Ambassador to Turkey Jeffry Flake acknowledged the delicate situation, stating that Washington is seeking Turkeys assistance in de-escalating the conflict. Flake noted that Turkeys unique position allows it to engage with groups in Gaza that the US cannot, and he encouraged Turkish leaders to use their influence to reduce tensions wherever possible. Advertisement Erdogans hosting of Abbas and his strong stance on the Gaza conflict underscores Turkeys pivotal role in the region as both a supporter of the Palestinian cause and a key player in the complex geopolitics of the Middle East. As Abbas prepares to address Turkish lawmakers, the international community watches closely, aware that Turkeys actions could significantly impact the trajectory of the ongoing conflict. With inputs from AP Unlike the United States, the British government has allowed Ukraine to use its weapons and armoured vehicles inside Russia read more The UK has allowed Ukraine to use British weapons inside Russia except for the Storm Shadow missiles (Representative Photo, Credit: Reuters) The United Kingdom has said that Ukraine can use British weapons and armoured vehicles inside Russia in the ongoing Kursk incursion. The British government said its policy had remained unchanged since the previous conservative governments that had allowed Ukraine to use British weapons and vehicles inside Russia with the exception of long-range Storm Shadow missile. Earlier this month, Ukraine launched a surprise incursion in Russias border province of Kursk. In lightening success, Ukraine has claimed to won the city of Sudzha and around 74 settlements. Independent analysts have assessed that Ukraine has captured around 1,000 square kilometres of territories in the ongoing incursion that has now spread to second border province of Belgorod. Advertisement As reports of British and German armoured vehicles and tanks being used in Kursk have surfaced, the Sir Keir Starmers government has confirmed the usage would be in line with the British policy. The British Ministry of Defence (MoD) said Ukraine has a clear right of self-defence against Russias illegal attacks that does not preclude operations inside Russia, according to the BBC. What British weapons can Ukraine use inside Russia? Ukraine can use all British weapons and armoured vehicles inside Russia with the exception of the long-range Storm Shadow missiles. This means that anti-tank missiles, artillery shell, armoured vehicles, tanks, etc. can be used inside Russia. Former British Defence Secretary Sir Ben Wallace, whose authorisation to Ukraine during Rishi Sunaks premiership has been reiterated by Sir Starmers new government, told The Times of London that the ongoing Ukrainian offensive was designed to go after logistics and infrastructure supporting Russias invasion of Ukraine it was perfectly legitimate for Ukraine to use British weapons. Which foreign weapons have Ukraine used inside Russia? As the Ukrainian invasion of Russia continues, George Barros, a researcher at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), told The Times that in addition to the German-supplied Marder armoured vehicles that Russian media have reported to being used in Kursk, German mine-clearing tanks and tank transporters along with the US-supplied Stryker armoured fighting vehicle and at least one French-supplied armoured personnel carrier have also been spotted. Advertisement Barros further said that Ukraine also likely used US-supplied M142 high-mobility artillery rocket system (HIMARS) to destroy a Russian convoy in Kursk. Elsewhere, in Kharkiv, where Russia launched a surprise offensive in May, the United States had allowed Ukraine the limited cross-border usage of its munitions. Sir Wallace, the former British Defence Secretary, told The Times that the permission for cross-border usage of Storm Shadow missiles was not granted as allies were apprehensive about such usage. It was the long-term policy under my stewardship of defence that Ukraine had a right to use whatever weapons [were] supplied to it in going after the Russian military infrastructure and enablers that were supporting the prosecution of the illegal invasion of their country. If that involved the use of British weapons, as long as they were used in accordance with international law that was always permitted," said Wallace. Advertisement Long-range missiles stir Russian, and before that Soviet, fear about decapitation strikes against the leadership and key sites. Armoured vehicles, machine guns and NLAWS [anti-tank weapons] are a very different kettle of fish," said Wallace, adding that it explained why allies have been reluctant to grant permission to Ukraine to use Storm Shadow missiles inside Russia. Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said his country has nothing to do with the Nord Stream explosions, adding that Ukraine did not gain any strategic or tactical advantage from the blasts read more Gas bubbles from the Nord Stream 2 leak reaching surface of the Baltic Sea in the area shows disturbance of well over one kilometre diameter near Bornholm, Denmark, September 27, 2022. Source: REUTERS/Danish Defence Command Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak denied his countrys involvement in explosions which damaged the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and instead pointed the finger at Russia in comments to Reuters on Thursday. Such an act can only be carried out with extensive technical and financial resources and who possessed all this at the time of the bombing? Only Russia, Podolyak said as part of his written comments. The multi-billion dollar Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines transporting gas under the Baltic Sea were ruptured by a series of explosions in September 2022, seven months after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Advertisement Polish prosecutors said on Wednesday that Poland had received a European arrest warrant issued by Berlin in connection with the attack, but the suspect, a Ukrainian man named as Volodymyr Z, has already left Poland. On Friday, the Wall Street Journal reported that top Ukrainian officials were involved in what happened. Ukraine has nothing to do with the Nord Stream explosions, Podolyak said, adding that Ukraine did not gain any strategic or tactical advantage from the blasts. Russia has already blamed the United States, Britain and Ukraine for the blasts, which largely cut Russian gas off from the lucrative European market. Those countries have denied involvement. Germany, Denmark, and Sweden all opened investigations into the incident, and the Swedes found traces of explosives on several objects recovered from the explosion site, confirming the blasts were deliberate acts. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday announced that Ukraine has captured the strategic town of Sudzha in the Russian Kursk region, giving his forces a crucial foothold as they advance across Russia read more Zelenskyy said the capture of Sudzha was confirmed by Ukraines commander-in-chief, Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi during a briefing on Thursday. Screengrab Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday announced that Ukraine has captured the strategic town of Sudzha in the Russian Kursk region, giving his forces a crucial foothold as they advance across Russia. In a post on X, Zelenskyy said the capture of Sudzha was confirmed by Ukraines commander-in-chief, Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi during a briefing. Today at the Staff meeting, I received a report from Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi. Our key defense directions at the frontline: Toretsk, Pokrovsk, and others. These areas are currently facing the most intense Russian assaults and are receiving our utmost defensive attention. pic.twitter.com/uL3Oe4wL0n Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) August 15, 2024 Advertisement the Commander-in-Chief reported on the operation in Kursk Oblast. There has been new progress. Our exchange fund has been further replenished. Additionally, General Syrskyi reported the successful liberation of the city of Sudzha from Russian forces, said Zelenskyy in a video message on X. He said Ukraine is setting up a commandants office in the town while more than 80 settlements in Kursk have now fallen to advancing Ukrainian troops. I extend my deepest gratitude to every one of our warriors who has made this possible, said Zelenskyy. He said he also received a report from Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi on the defence directions at the frontline: Toretsk, Pokrovsk, and others. These areas are currently facing the most intense Russian assaults and are receiving our utmost defensive attention. Priority supplieseverything that is neededare being sent there, added the Ukrainian president. According to The Hill report, Moscow has not yet commented on Ukraines claims. Russian military bloggers are continuing to report fighting across Kursk, including in and around Sudzha, though Ukrainian forces have pressured the town for more than a week and have been close to taking it for days, added the report. Advertisement The capture of Sudzha will strengthen Ukrainian positions in Kursk as they push further into the region following a surprise attack on August 6. Despite Russian President Vladimir Putins security meetings and orders to repel the advance, Russia has struggled to counter the Ukrainian push. Kyiv claimed this week that it has secured approximately 386 square miles in Kursk. Ukraine is advancing in multiple directions from Sudzha, putting pressure on Russian forces across a broad new front. While Ukrainian officials have stated they do not intend to hold Russian territory, their offensive could redirect Russian troops from eastern Ukraine and reduce pressure there. Meanwhile, Ukraine has also captured dozens of prisoners, which could be leveraged in negotiations. Advertisement With inputs from agencies The United Nations will dispatch a fact-finding team next week to investigate atrocities committed during the Student Revolution in July and earlier this month, the interim government said, adding that the mission will focus on probing widespread human rights abuses." read more Protesters try to demolish a large statue of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, father of Bangladesh leader Sheikh Hasina, after she resigned as Prime Minister, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. File Image- AP A United Nations team will travel to Bangladesh to investigate atrocities committed during the unrest that toppled premier Sheikh Hasina last week, the countrys interim government said Thursday. The United Nations is sending a UN fact finding team next week to probe atrocities committed during the Student Revolution in July and early this month," the govt said in a statement, adding that the move discussed between UN human rights chief Volker Turk and interim Bangladeshi leader Muhammad Yunus during a phone call late Wednesday. Advertisement The top body of Hindus in Bangladesh has said that the community has faced at least 278 attacks since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina. Also, over 230 people died in Bangladesh in the incidents of violence that erupted across the country following the fall of the Hasina government on August 5, taking the death toll to 560 during the three weeks of violence, which originated from a students movement against a controversial quota system in jobs, according to reports. Earlier today, Bangladeshs International Crimes Tribunal said it launched an investigation against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and nine others for alleged genocide and crimes against humanity committed between July 15 and August 5 during the student-led mass movement against her government. A complaint was filed on Wednesday with the investigation agency of Bangladeshs International Crime Tribunal against deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and several others, accusing them of committing genocide and crimes against humanity during the mass movement of the students against her government. The complaint came on a day when the interim government said that the murders conducted within the period from July 1 to August 5 would be tried by the International Crimes Tribunal. Hasinas government was accused of many such abuses during her 15 years in power, including the mass detention and extrajudicial killing of political opponents. She fled by helicopter to India where she remains 10 days ago as student-led protests flooded Dhakas streets in a dramatic end to her iron-fisted rule. Advertisement Meanwhile, a Dhaka court on Thursday directed the police to submit the probe report by September 15 in the case against Sheikh Hasina and six others regarding the death of grocery shop owner Abu Saeed, who was killed in police firing during the quota protests in Mohammadpur on July 19. After Hasinas resignation, a caretaker government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was formed with a commitment to implement administrative and political reforms and ensure accountability for those involved in the violence. The US officials believe that Israel has beaten Hamas to the extent that an October 7-like attack is no longer possible, according to a report read more The ceasefire proposal on the table seeks to end the war in Gaza in three stages (Photo: Reuters) The United States believes that Israel has beaten Hamas militarily as much as possible and it is now time for the diplomacy to lead the way, according to a report. Following the invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023, by Hamas and allied terrorist groups, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a war against Hamas with the twin objectives of completely defeating Hamas and bringing home all the hostages taken by the terrorists. Advertisement In the Oct. 7 attacks, the terrorists killed around 1,200 people, injured around 5,400, and abducted around 250 people and took them to Gaza Strip as hostages. In the war since then, more than 30,000 people have been killed in Gaza with Hamas-run local government saying deaths are as high as 40,000. In May, Netanyahu acknowledged that at least 14,000 terrorists and 16,000 civilians had been killed in Gaza. Now, the Joe Biden administration of the United States believes that Israel has diminished Hamas military abilities and destroyed Gazas tunnel network as much it could and now the objective that remains is the return of hostages, according to The New York Times. The newspaper reported that the Biden administration officials believe the only way to get the hostages back is through diplomacy and not military means. The report comes as now or never talks are being held in Qatars Doha for a deal for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages. Even as the talks stand compromised with new demands inserted by Netanyahu and Hamas boycott, the Biden administration has said it is hopeful of a positive outcome. Hamas diminished as much as possible, total defeat not possible: US The United States believes that Israel has severely beaten Hamas but complete defeat of the group is not possible, according to The Times. Advertisement The reason behind that is that much of the tunnel network of Hamas in Gaza is still there even as Israel has dismantled a large part of it. According to an estimate, the tunnel network underneath Gaza is around 560-740 kilometres-long. For comparison, the entire Delhi Metro rail network is 392 kms-long. The officials told the newspaper that Israel has beaten Hamas much more than it was expected. In addition to driving out Hamas out of the vast majority of Gaza, Israel has also destroyed or seized crucial supply routes from Egypt into Gaza, including the Philadelphi Corridor the land strip along the Gaza-Egypt border. It has also claimed to have eliminated half of Hamas top leaders including the military chief Mohammed Deif. The Iran and Hamas have also accused Israel of assassinating previous Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Advertisement The military campaign has now, however, peaked and further progress in the wars remaining objective to bring back hostages can only be achieved diplomatically, according to US officials cited by the newspaper. The US officials believe that Hamas is no longer capable of planning or executing an attack on the scale of Oct. 7, as per the newspaper. Hamas is an ideology, cant be defeated: Israeli military The US assessment is in line with what the Israeli military itself said in June. Israeli military spokesperson Real Admiral Daniel Hagari said in June that Hamas is an ideology and an ideology cannot be completely defeated. To say that we are going to make Hamas disappear is to throw sand in peoples eyes. If we dont provide an alternative, in the end, we will have Hamas. Hamas is an ideology, we cannot eliminate an ideology, Hagari told Israels Channel 13 at the time. Advertisement Hamas, in addition to being a terrorist organisation, is also an ideological movement that had initially spawned off the Muslim Brotherhood, a transnational Islamist movement and a terrorist organisation with roots in Egypt. It is supported by Iran and shares its rejection of Israels right to exist and is committed to the destruction of Israel. It is part of Iran-backed groups in the region, such as the Hezbollah and Houthis, which share the opposition to Israel, and form the Axis of Resistance. Maduros victory has been rejected by the opposition, the United States, European Union and several Latin American countries read more Venezuelas CNE electoral council, under fire after declaring a widely rejected election victory for President Nicolas Maduro, on Wednesday described a UN report disputing the outcome as rife with lies. The CNE proclaimed Maduro the winner with 52 percent of votes cast in a July 28 poll, without providing a detailed breakdown. Maduros victory has been rejected by the opposition, the United States, European Union and several Latin American countries. Anti-Maduro protests in Venezuela have claimed 25 lives so far, with dozens injured and more than 2,400 arrested. A preliminary report published Tuesday by a panel of UN elections experts found the CNE fell short of the basic transparency and integrity measures. Advertisement The CNE hit back Wednesday, saying the UN report was rife with lies and contradictions and insisting a cyber terrorist attack has prevented it from disclosing a full breakdown of polling-station-level results after what it termed an impeccable and transparent electoral process. The CNE website has been down since election day. Venezuelas foreign ministry has also rejected the UN report. Former opposition leader Enrique Marquez, who also once ran against Maduro and himself served on the CNE, said Wednesday he would request the prosecutors office to launch a criminal investigation into his former colleagues on the electoral council. Mexico insisted the solution to Venezuelas post-election crisis could be resolved by it alone. This is a matter that belongs to Venezuelans, and what we want is for there to be a peaceful solution to disputes, which has always been our foreign policy, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador told reporters. He said he had no immediate plans for renewed contact with his fellow leftist leaders in Brazil and Colombia to discuss the crisis, saying he would await a ruling by Venezuelas Supreme Justice Tribunal, which Maduro had asked to certify the election outcome. Coup detat The opposition says its own tally of polling-station-level results showed Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, a 74-year-old retired diplomat, had won by a wide margin. Advertisement Gonzalez Urrutia and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who was barred from running by Maduro-friendly state institutions, are in hiding after the president accused them of seeking to foment a coup detat and incite civil war. On Wednesday, Gonzalez Urrutia said the report from the UN panel and an earlier one from the US-based Carter Center confirm the lack of transparency in the announced results and confirm the veracity of the oppositions published ballots, which demonstrate our indisputable victory. A day earlier, the South American countrys national assembly started considering a package of laws to tighten regulations on non-governmental organizations described by the regime as a facade for the financing of terrorist actions. Advertisement Other measures seek to increase government oversight over social media, accused of promoting hate, and to punish fascism a term often used by Maduro in relation to the opposition and other detractors. Debate in the single-chamber assembly is due to resume Thursday. Since coming to power in 2013, Maduro has overseen an economic collapse that has seen more than seven million Venezuelans flee the country, as GDP plunged 80 percent in a decade. Maduros last election in 2018 was also rejected as a sham by dozens of countries. In his first overseas trip since he was formally named his countrys top leader, To Lam will visit China on the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping who had visited Vietnam last December read more China said that Vietnamese President To Lam will visit for three days from Sunday, in his first overseas trip since he was formally named his countrys top leader. Vietnamese President To Lam will pay a state visit to China from August 18 to 20, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a statement Thursday, adding he had been invited by Chinese President Xi Jinping. China and Vietnam pledged to deepen bilateral ties when Xi visited the country last December, his first time there in six years. Advertisement That visit came after Vietnam and the United States upgraded diplomatic ties during US President Joe Bidens visit in September. Vietnam has long pursued a bamboo diplomacy approach, striving to stay on good terms with both China and the United States. Lams China trip will be his first overseas visit since being named general secretary of Vietnams Communist Party. As Venezuelan ruler Nicolas Maduro clings to power after last months disputed election, the United States, Brazil, and Columbia have called for a fresh election read more Rejecting calls for fresh election, Venezuelan Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has said fresh voting would be disrespectful to the last months vote. In the last months election held amid widespread voter suppression and crackdown by longtime ruler Nicolas Maduro, the Opposition led by Machado claimed victory. Even as the Maduro-controlled election authority declared him as the winner, it did not furnish any paper tallies to rectify the result. The Opposition claimed that its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, had won the election and the United States recognised him as the real winner. Advertisement Even as the much of the international community holds the election as disputed, Maduro has clung onto power and has unleashed a door-to-door hunt for critics. Around 2,000 people have been arrested hundreds of whom remained unaccounted. The regime forces and armed supporters have also killed at least 24 protestors. Amid such a crisis, the United States, Brazil, and Columbia had called for fresh election. But Machado said that as the Opposition had already won the last months election, another round of voting would be disrespectful to the popular that voters expressed last month. Lack of respect for Venezuelans Rejecting calls for fresh election, Machado said to ignore the last months result would mean showing lack of respect for Venezuelans who have given everything. Election was held in Venezuela on July 28. While the Maduro-controlled election authority announced himself as the winner with 51.2 per cent of the vote, the Opposition said Gonzales won with 70 per cent of votes against Maduros 30 per cent. The Maduro-controlled election authority did not furnish any paper tallies to rectify the figures presented and thats why the Opposition and much of the international community has held Maduros claim of victory as fraudulent. The elections took place and Venezuelan society expressed itself in very adverse conditions where there was fraud and we still managed to win, said Machado, as per AFP. Advertisement Even as the vote was marred by widespread voter suppression, violence by regime forces, and systemic efforts to hamper voting, the crackdown by Maduro had been long in the making, denying the Opposition any level-playing field. His regime had barred Machado, the nations most popular leader, from contesting the election and thats why the Opposition converged behind Gonzales. The regime had also slapped criminal cases against Machados supporters and put several Opposition leaders in jail ahead of the election. Starbucks new CEO Brian Niccols total compensation of $113 million includes a $10 million sign-on bonus, a $75 million equity grant, and an additional annual grant potentially worth $23 million starting in fiscal 2025 read more Brian Niccol has been named as the chairman and chief executive officer of Starbucks of August 13. Source: AP. Starbucks has announced a substantial compensation package for its new CEO, Brian Niccol, reflecting the high stakes involved in his hiring. Niccol will receive approximately $113 million in total compensation, which includes a $10 million sign-on bonus, a $75 million equity grant, and an additional annual grant potentially worth $23 million starting in fiscal 2025. This package is supplemented by a $1.6 million annual salary and a performance-based cash bonus ranging from $3.6 million to $7.2 million. Advertisement Niccol replaces Laxman Narasimhan, who stepped down after spending a little more than a year in Starbucks top job. Niccol will become Starbucks chairman and CEO on September 9. Until then, Starbucks Chief Financial Officer Rachel Ruggeri be the interim CEO. Relocation & perks In a nod to Niccols current residence in Newport Beach, California, Starbucks has agreed to significant perks to ease his transition. Niccol will not be required to relocate to Starbucks Seattle headquarters but will commute as needed. The company will cover the cost of temporary housing and provide a personal chauffeur in Seattle until he secures permanent accommodations. Additionally, Starbucks will set up a small remote office in Newport Beach and offer Niccol use of its corporate jet for travel between his home and headquarters. He will also benefit from Starbucks executive physical program but will be restricted from trading in coffee and dairy futures. Niccols track record & expectations Starbucks decision to offer such an impressive package is largely influenced by Niccols successful tenure at Chipotle Mexican Grill, where he led a remarkable 800 per cent increase in stock price and a nearly sevenfold rise in profits over six years. Starbucks is hopeful that Niccol will replicate this success and drive significant growth for the coffee giant, which recently faced a challenging period under former CEO Laxman Narasimhan, including a 23.9 per cent drop in share price and a $32 billion market cap loss. Companys stance on remote work Starbucks has adjusted its remote work policies since the pandemic. Founder Howard Schultz emphasised the importance of in-office collaboration and mandated that employees within commuting distance return to the office at least three days a week. This policy shift reflects the companys commitment to maintaining a strong connection to its mission and fostering teamwork. Advertisement Company statement A Starbucks spokesperson highlighted Niccols proven leadership skills and the alignment of his compensation with the companys performance. Brian Niccol has demonstrated his ability to deliver significant financial returns and is expected to bring long-term value to our partners, customers, and shareholders, the spokesperson said. The Ukraine government argues that multimillion-dollar scheme to buy mothballed nuclear reactors will help shore up the countrys energy grid that has been decimated in the ongoing war with Russia, according to a report read more In this image from a surveillance camera provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, smoke rises from a cooling tower of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station in a Russia-controlled area in the Energodar, Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine, on August 11, 2024. AP File Ukraines governments efforts to bring two new Russian-made reactors online at the Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Station in Western Ukraine are facing a stiff opposition, with the officials being accused of opening the door to corruption just as the war-torn country pushes to clean up the countrys energy sector. According to a Politico report, the government argues that multimillion-dollar scheme to buy mothballed nuclear reactors will help shore up the countrys energy grid that has been decimated in the ongoing war with Russia. Advertisement The government believes that buying Russian-made reactors, currently stored in Bulgaria, at an estimated cost of $600 million is the the quickest and fastest way to do so, added the report. However, the government is facing opposition from parliamentarians, including from at least one lawmaker from President Volodymyr Zelenskyys own party. Parliamentarians, whose sign-off will be mandatory for the deal to go through, are alleging that the deal could blow a massive hole in the countrys tattered budget for outdated technology that wont necessarily help Ukrainians stave off looming blackouts, reported Politico. The issue was raised on Tuesday morning when government officials met the members of parliament to discuss the matter. According to two lawmakers present, the government acknowledged it didnt currently have the necessary backing amid swirling doubts. Its extremely rare for things on such a high level not to be supported, Politico quoted Andrii Zhupanyn, an MP from Zelenskyys governing party and a member of the parliaments energy committee, as saying. Can we afford to be buying Russian nuclear reactors during the full-scale invasion? And what is the condition of these reactors? They were bought by Bulgaria 10-12 years ago, so will they work when they arrive in Ukraine? asked Zhupanyn. Expanding nuclear power need of the hour However, Ukraines energy minister German Galuschenko, who is advocating for the plan, downplayed the concerns, saying that expanding nuclear power is essential for maintaining the struggling energy grid and argued that the two VVER-1000 reactors represent the fastest and most cost-effective solution available. Advertisement Against Russian attacks, nuclear energy (accounts for) 60 per cent of our energy mix and is a backbone of our energy system, Politico quoted Galuschenko as saying. The development and adding more units to Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Station is a priority for the government of Ukraine, he added. As Ukraine tries to crack down on corruption in its energy sector, the issue of buying Russian-made reactors has come under intense scrutiny exacerbated by the arrest of Galushenkos deputy minister Oleksandr Kheil early this week. Kheil has been accused of pushing for a bribe of half a million dollars in exchange for transferring coal mining equipment belonging to a state enterprise. Advertisement Zhupanyn and his colleagues claim the Russian nuclear reactor purchase will become another venue for such dodgy dealing. In the last 10 years, there have been many criminal cases against people using tenders to extract cash from Ukraines state nuclear power company," Zhupanyn told Politico. If you allow them to spend billions of hryvnia on this, you can expect a pipeline of criminal cases in the next 10 years, added Zhupanyn. Meanwhile, Galuschenko denied accusations the government was withholding information and said everything is discussed in openness. The very fact the law is in (parliament) and we discuss its provisions with MPs and society is a clear sign of our openness, he was quoted as saying. Advertisement All speculations on transparency are manipulations by the forces and circles that are not interested in the development of the Ukrainian nuclear state sector, he added. Parliamentarians, however, continue to argue that the government has not adequately addressed key questions about the schemes cost-effectiveness or its ability to tackle the issues facing the struggling energy grid. Yaroslav Zheleznyak, an economist and MP from Ukraines liberal Holos party, expressed skepticism about the governments ability to resolve these concerns. There are a lot of MPs from basically all factions that are not supporting it, he told Politico following the meeting on Tuesday. We are concerned about corruption in this procurement process and we have not received any explanations, added Zheleznyak. Advertisement Bulgarias own energy concerns Meanwhile, Bulgarias energy sector is grappling with corruption scandals, as investigators raided the state-owned gas network operators offices on Tuesday over alleged misuse of EU funds. In May, supporters of a far-right, pro-Russian party obstructed a Kyiv delegation from inspecting equipment at one of Bulgarias nuclear plants, which Ukraine intended to purchase for its own energy sector, reported Politico. Ukrainian NGO Ekodiya has criticised the Khmelnytskyi project, arguing it relies on outdated Russian equipment that could pose safety and efficiency risks. Instead, the group advocates for investing in smaller, renewable energy facilities spread across a wider area. Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, CEO of state power firm Ukrenergo, told Politico that a broad green energy network would enhance grid resilience against Russian attacks. Recent missile and drone strikes by Moscow have severely damaged Ukraines electricity infrastructure, increasing reliance on EU imports. Analysts warn that without urgent efforts to expand capacity and protect critical sites with anti-air missiles, Ukraine could face a power crisis this winter. Additionally, a recent fire at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Russian-occupied southern Ukraine has heightened concerns about safety at the site, which the International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly flagged as operating under unsafe conditions. With inputs from agencies The election will be Sri Lankas first major poll since it ran out of foreign reserves, sending its economy into freefall and forcing it to default on its foreign debt in 2022 read more President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena gesture as they arrive at the Election Commission in Rajagiriya to submit his nomination papers for the upcoming presidential election, scheduled for September 21, in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Reuters Thirty nine candidates for Sri Lankas presidential election submitted nominations on Thursday as the Indian Ocean island nation prepares for a Sept. 21 vote key to charting its path out of a gruelling financial crisis. The election will be Sri Lankas first major poll since it ran out of foreign reserves, sending its economy into freefall and forcing it to default on its foreign debt in 2022. The Election Commission believes we will get the support of political parties, media, civil society and the public to have a peaceful and transparent election, its chairman, R. M. Ratnayake, said while accepting the nomination papers. Advertisement Two Buddhist monks were among the 40 candidates, one of the highest such figures on record, who had registered with the election panel to contest the vote, in which about 17 million Sri Lankans are eligible to cast ballots. But only 39 arrived on Thursday at the Election Commission to submit nomination papers and seek its approval to launch their campaigns. Incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe, opposition leader Sajith Premadasa and Marxist-leaning parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayake are seen as frontrunners. After being elected by parliament in July 2022, Wickremesinghe, 75, has shepherded the island through its worst financial crisis in decades, which triggered widespread protests and forced his predecessor, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, to resign. A surprise entrant to the fray is Namal Rajapaksa, 38, one of 225 lawmakers and the eldest son of two-time president Mahinda Rajapaksa, as the candidate of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) party, which has a parliamentary majority. The winner will have to shore up the fragile economic recovery, implement a four-year $2.9-billion programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), finalise a $12.5-billion debt restructuring and focus on achieving sustainable growth. On August 14, 2024 local time, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Myanmar's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister U Than Swe in Nay Pyi Taw. Wang Yi said, for more than 70 years, regardless of the changing international landscape, China and Myanmar have always upheld the spirit of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence that they jointly advocate, setting a fine example of relations between countries of different sizes based on equality and mutual support. China is ready to work with Myanmar to carry forward the "pauk-phaw" friendship, continue to support and help each other, and jointly push forward the building of a China-Myanmar community with a shared future. Wang Yi said that as the world today is undergoing both transformation and upheaval, China's development contributes to the forces for world peace and strengthens the stabilizing factors. The 20th CPC Central Committee recently held its third plenary session, which clearly stated that China will further deepen reforms comprehensively, build a high-standard socialist market economy, and promote high-quality development and high-standard opening-up. This will provide new opportunities and new momentum for China-Myanmar cooperation. China is ready to deepen Belt and Road cooperation with Myanmar, follow through on the three major global initiatives, and steadily advance the building of a China-Myanmar community with a shared future. The two sides should maintain high-level exchanges and enhance political mutual trust, steadily promote the development of the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor, and ensure the safe and smooth operation of the China-Myanmar oil and gas pipeline project, strengthen security cooperation and jointly combat cross-border criminal activities, accelerate cooperation in agriculture and other fields to help Myanmar improve people's livelihoods. Wang Yi said, taking the opportunity of celebrating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Myanmar next year, the two sides will carry out a series of celebration activities, strengthen people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and consolidate public support for friendship. U Than Swe said, Myanmar-China relations enjoy a long history and a deep "pauk-phaw" friendship, and the two countries will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations next year. Myanmar attaches great importance to its relations with China, adheres to the one-China principle and supports the Belt and Road Initiative, the three major global initiatives and the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind. Myanmar is willing to work with China to engage in closer exchanges at all levels, speed up the construction of major projects within the framework of the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor, deepen cooperation in agriculture, energy, tourism and other fields, and work for more results in building a Myanmar-China community with a shared future, so as to benefit the Myanmar people. U Than Swe said that Myanmar will make all-out efforts to ensure the safety of Chinese project personnel in Myanmar, effectively safeguard security and stability at the Myanmar-China border, and combat cross-border crimes with China. The two sides had an exchange of views on Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC). They agreed to deliver on the important common understandings reached at the fourth LMC Leaders' Meeting, realize the goal of building a community with a shared future for Lancang-Mekong countries, work for more fruitful LMC results, and jointly promote stable development and regional integration. Explore the rich history and architectural beauty of Trinity Episcopal Church in this captivating tour given by Reverend Jimmy Abbott. Join J.R., Lisa, Erika, and Reverend Jimmy in uncovering the layers of history, from its founding in 1841 to its role in wartime and natural disasters. Fri Friday 85 /54 Times of sun and clouds. Highs in the mid 80s and lows in the mid 50s. China says it 'destroyed large network' of Taiwanese spies Beijing has uncovered more than 1,000 espionage cases by Taipei, its spy agency says. By Taejun Kang for RFA and RFA Mandarin 2024.08.14 -- China has "destroyed" a large network of Taiwanese spies in the mainland and uncovered more than 1,000 espionage cases undertaken by Taiwan, China's security ministry said as it vowed to fight "separatism." "The cases involved espionage activities and leaking state secrets," said the Ministry of State Security, China's counterintelligence agency, in a post on its official WeChat account. The ministry cited the case of Taiwanese citizen Yang Zhiyuan, who was arrested in 2022. "His arrest dealt a serious blow to pro-independence separatist forces and had a strong deterrent effect," the ministry said in its post on Tuesday, calling Yang a "Taiwan independence" leader. Yang was detained in August 2022 in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, on suspicion of engaging in "separatist activities" and endangering China's national security. He was reportedly handed over to prosecutors in April the following year and is now facing trial in a Chinese court. "We will resolutely fight against Taiwanese separatism and espionage," the ministry said, adding that it would destroy any attempt to seek Taiwanese independence. Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, which is responsible for cross-strait affairs, said in response to a query from RFA Mandarin that the announcement by the Chinese security department illustrated its use of "vague and unclear laws" to detain people from Taiwan who do not conform with the political ideology of China's ruling Communist Party. The arrests also hindered a healthy interaction between the two sides, the council said, while reiterating its advice to Taiwan people to carefully consider the necessity of traveling to the mainland. Arrests of Tainwanese The Chinese ministry also lashed out at Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party authorities, warning that "those who are willing to work with them will be shattered under the wheels of history." China regards Taiwan as a renegade province that should be reunited with the mainland, by force if necessary. The democratic island has been self-governing since it effectively separated from mainland China in 1949 after the Chinese civil war. China has dialed up diplomatic and economic pressure on the island since former president Tsai Ing-wen's administration came to power in 2016.Tsai and her party refuse to acknowledge that Taiwan and the mainland belong to "One China." President Lai Ching-te, who is also a DPP member who came to power after a January election, is also viewed with suspicion by China's Communist Party. There have been several other cases in recent years of people from Taiwan who have been imprisoned in mainland China on espionage charges. Researcher Cheng Yu-chin was jailed for seven years in prison in 2022 on espionage-related charges. He was a former aide to Taiwan's former president Tsai. Taiwanese activist Lee Ming-che was sentenced to five years in a mainland Chinese prison for subversion of the state before being released in 2022, while Taiwanese businessman Lee Meng-chu was jailed on espionage charges after being arrested in Shenzhen in 2019 for taking photos of armed police officers. In June, China issued guidelines on criminal punishment for "diehard Taiwanese separatists," who attempt or incite secession, with penalties up to death. Chinese authorities also recently released a list of 10 "diehard Taiwanese separatists," including Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim and former DPP chairman Su Tseng-chang. Edited by Mike Firn. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content August not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Polish prosecutors file espionage charges against Russian-born man By VOA News August 14, 2024 Polish prosecutors filed espionage charges against a Russian-Spanish man on Wednesday, days after he was released from custody through a prisoner swap. Pablo Gonzalez was detained in Poland on February 28, 2022, just days after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and he was held in pretrial detention. He was released in a prisoner exchange between Russia and the West on August 1. Gonzalez had a Russian passport with the name Pavel Alekseyevich Rubtsov, from his time living there before moving to Spain at age 9. He announced himself as a journalist, filing reports to Spanish media. Prosecutors on Wednesday said he was being charged with spying for Russia's military intelligence service. In a statement, the prosecutor's office said that Gonzalez's alleged actions "included obtaining and providing information, spreading disinformation and conducting operational reconnaissance." He is accused of working on behalf of the Russian government from 2016 to 2022 in the cities of Warsaw and Przemysl, a staging area for international aid to Ukraine. Investigations into suspected co-conspirators are ongoing, which includes a woman known as Magdalena Chi. She is believed to be Gonzalez's ex-girlfriend. Some information for this story came from The Associated Press and Agence France-Presse. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemen: Statement by the Spokesperson on the storming of the OHCHR office by the Houthis European External Action Service (EEAS) 14.08.2024 EEAS Press Team The storming by the Houthis of the local Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Sanaa constitutes yet another escalation, following the wave of detentions by the Houthis of personnel of the United Nations, international and national non-governmental organisations (INGOs), and diplomatic missions in Yemen more than two months ago. The European Union fully endorses the call by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, to the Houthis to respect the Privileges and Immunities granted to the United Nations, and return the premises, and the equipment seized. It is of fundamental importance to maintain the human rights monitoring and reporting capacity of the OHCHR field presence in Yemen. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sri Lanka: The European Union deploys an Election Observation Mission European External Action Service (EEAS) 14.08.2024 Sri Lanka EEAS Press Team Following an invitation by the Election Commission of Sri Lanka, the European Union has decided to deploy an Election Observation Mission (EOM) to Sri Lanka to observe the Presidential Election scheduled for 21 September 2024. The EU has a long history of accompanying electoral processes in Sri Lanka and has deployed EOMs on six occasions, the last in 2019, reflecting the EU's commitment and partnership with the country. The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell, has appointed Nacho Sanchez Amor, Member of the European Parliament, as Chief Observer. The High Representative stated:"The deployment of the Election Observation Mission in Sri Lanka this year confirms our long-standing commitment to supporting credible, transparent, inclusive and peaceful elections in the country. For the EU, observing the election is a way to support the Sri Lankan people and their efforts to strengthen democratic institutions, in line with our multidimensional and sustainable partnership with the country". The Chief Observer declared: "I am honoured to lead the EU EOM to Sri Lanka. The forthcoming presidential election will give a new impetus to democracy following to the 2022 political and economic crisis. This election is important for Sri Lanka to continue making progress on its path of reforms and lasting recovery, in full respect of democratic values". Background The EU EOM is deployed at the express invitation of the host country and is led by aChief Observer. It iscomprised of different groups of observers. The Core Team consists of a Deputy Chief Observer and nine election experts who will arrive in Colombo on 13 August 2024. Later in August, 26 long-term observers will join the mission and be deployed across the country to follow the election campaign. Thereafter, 32 short-term observers will reinforce the mission on election week, also deployed throughout the country. The EU EOM will remain in the country until the completion of the electoral process. In line with the EU methodology on election observation, the mission will issue a preliminary statement and hold a press conference in Colombo after the election. A final report, including recommendations for future electoral processes, will be presented and shared with national authorities and stakeholders after the finalisation of the entire electoral process. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran 'keeps its options open' by linking retaliation with Gaza cease-fire Global Times China calls for preventing spillover effects By Zhang Yuying Published: Aug 14, 2024 11:37 PM Citing three senior Iranian officials, Reuters reported on Tuesday that only a cease-fire deal in Gaza stemming from hoped-for talks this week would hold Iran back from direct retaliation against Israel for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on its soil. Analysts said if the Reuters report is accurate, Iran, by linking the potential retaliation against Israel and the Gaza cease-fire negotiations, is keeping its options open. When asked whether China was in direct or indirect contact with Iran regarding its retaliatory actions, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Wednesday that China has been calling for international efforts to bring an early end to the conflict in Gaza as soon as possible and prevent further spillover. China plays an active role in easing regional tensions. "We support all efforts that contribute to permanent and comprehensive ceasefire in Gaza, and will work with the international community to deescalate the situation and avoid further escalation of the conflict and confrontation," Lin said. Iran has been preparing for potential retaliation against Israel, but it is also waiting for the right timing and assessing the optimal method of the attack, Sun Degang, director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Fudan University, told the Global Times on Wednesday. "If Iran were to retaliate against Israel at this moment, it would bear a heavy diplomatic burden, as the retaliation could undermine the ongoing cease-fire negotiations in Gaza," Sun said. "Under this circumstance, if the cease-fire negotiations do not yield results, or if Israel makes further military strikes against Hezbollah or Hamas, Iran's retaliation against Israel would be seen as more justified," he said. According to Liu Zhongmin, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, by linking the potential retaliation against Israel and the Gaza cease-fire negotiations, Iran is keeping its options open. Reaching an agreement on Thursday is extremely challenging due to the substantial disparities in the basic understandings of the negotiations between Hamas and Israel, Liu told the Global Times on Wednesday, as Hamas is eager to move forward with the implementation of the existing agreement, whereas Israel is adamant about reopening negotiations. In comments published on Tuesday, US Ambassador to Turkey Jeff Flake confirmed that Washington is asking allies to "help convince Iran to de-escalate tensions," Reuters said. However, on the same day, the US State Department approved potential weapons sales to Israel totaling roughly $20 billion, including an anticipated sale of up to 50 F-15 fighter jets valued at more than $18 billion, according to CNN. The US is sending a clear message to Israel that it is a steadfast protector, while at the same time, the US is working to deter Iran from initiating any significant retaliation on Israel that could potentially draw the US directly into the conflict, experts said. Sun said. "It is precisely the US' indulgence that has led to the tragedy in Gaza today. The US is the true instigator behind this crisis," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Philippines 'undermines China's goodwill' by hinting possible review of provisional arrangement Global Times By GT staff reporters Published: Aug 14, 2024 11:51 PM Chinese analysts warned that Manila is likely to be more proactive in the South China Sea to undermine the goodwill of China in calming tensions, after a senior official from the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs said a provisional arrangement on humanitarian resupply of living necessities to a Philippine warship illegally grounded at Ren'ai Reef may be subject to future review. Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Maria Theresa Lazaro said the understanding with China did not compromise the Philippines' South China Sea position and could be re-evaluated if needed. "The review will be there. When that will be is subject to further discussion," Lazaro told Reuters on the sidelines of a congressional hearing. The provisional arrangement with the Philippines on humanitarian resupply of living necessities to a Philippine warship illegally grounded at Ren'ai Reef was reached in July after China engaged in a series of consultations with the Philippines on managing the situation at Ren'ai Reef. The two sides agreed to jointly manage differences on maritime issues and work toward de-escalation in the South China Sea, which observers regard as a promising step to calm tensions in the region. The comment from the senior Philippines official and the recent provocations in other islands of South China Sea clearly reflects that the Philippines has no intention to diminish the tensions, Chen Xiangmiao, director of the World Navy Research Center at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on Wednesday. The Philippines is planning to send a second coast guard vessel to anchor in the lagoon in China's Xianbin Jiao (also known as Xianbin Reef) in the South China Sea in an attempt to construct a forward deployment base in the form of a semi-permanent floating platform, the Global Times learned from a source familiar with the matter on Wednesday. Manila is attempting to expand its illegal occupation of China's Xianbin Jiao, a move that seriously violates China's territorial sovereignty, Chinese experts said, noting that China will not let this take place. Manila does not cherish China's efforts to deescalate the tension by allowing humanitarian resupply of living necessities to the Philippine warship illegally grounded at Ren'ai Reef, and is even behaving boldly by inciting a series of flare-ups over the South China Sea, Chen said. "Manila's strategy is in line with the US' 'Indo-Pacific Strategy.' We should be vigilant in case Manila takes more small steps clandestinely to incite tension and attempt to bargain with China," Chen said. A Philippine Air Force NC-212 aircraft illegally intruded into the airspace over Huangyan Dao in the South China Sea on August 8, interfering with China's regular training activities despite repeated warnings from the Chinese side. However, the Philippine Navy criticized the recent actions of the Chinese air force as "coercive, aggressive, and deceptive", media reports said. "It is an old trick of the Philippines, taking a blatant provocation first and then portraying itself as a victim to the international community to gain sympathy," Chen said. In light of the "cunning" tactics of the Philippines, observers emphasized the importance for China to maintain its redline. In the event of additional provocations, China should increase surveillance not only around Ren'ai Reef but also at Xianbin Reef, Huangyan Island and other areas in the South China Sea. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Bangladesh's interim gov't keen to work closely with China: foreign affairs adviser Xinhua) 16:54, August 15, 2024 DHAKA, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Bangladesh's newly formed interim government is keen to work closely with China, the country's Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain said on Wednesday. Hossain's remarks came after Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen paid a courtesy call to him. "Hon'ble Foreign Adviser stated the importance of the historic relations between Bangladesh and China and said that the interim government is keen to work closely with China," Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a post on Facebook. "I also said that the people of Bangladesh view China positively," Hossain told media, adding "Therefore, regardless of government changes, relations will always be good." He also sought China's support in overcoming economic challenges. "We are facing economic difficulties. We hope China will assist us," the advisor added. Yao reiterated China's commitment to good neighborliness and friendship with all the people of Bangladesh. "The two sides had in-depth exchanges on developing our comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, promoting exchanges and cooperation in various areas, and jointly celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Bangladesh next year," Yao said in an interview with the media. Yao reiterated that China strictly follows the principle of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs, respects Bangladesh's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity and the development path independently chosen by the Bangladeshi people. "Our friendship and cooperation is oriented towards all Bangladeshi people, benefiting all Bangladeshi people and being supported by all Bangladeshi people," Yao said. As a close neighbor and friend of Bangladesh, no matter how the international and domestic situations of Bangladesh change, China will, as always, attach high importance to its relations with Bangladesh, Yao stressed. "China stands ready to work with Bangladesh to promote bilateral exchanges and cooperation and further advance our comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership," the ambassador said. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Lebanon says 3 people killed in Israeli attacks in south IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Aug 14, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- The Lebanese Health Ministry has said that three people have been killed in separate Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon. The ministry said on Wednesday that a person was killed in an airstrike on the village of Blida. Two more people lost their lives after a vehicle was hit at a square in the town of Marjeyoun, it added. According to the health ministry, at least five people were wounded in both attacks, four of them in Marjeyoun, who are said to be in critical condition. The Israeli regime meanwhile carried out a missile strike in Ayta ash Shab village, southern Lebanon, using drones. No casualties were reported in that attack. Earlier on Wednesday, Lebanon's Hezbollah resistance movement said that it had fired Katyusha rockets into Israeli city of Kiryat Shmona in response to the regime's attacks on villages in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in daily exchange of fire on Lebanon's southern borders since October 8, a day after the regime launched its devastating war on Gaza. Hezbollah has said it aims to support the Palestinian people in war-ravaged Gaza. The trade of fire has intensified over the past two weeks following Israel's assassination of top Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr and the movement's pledge of retaliation against the regime, raising fears of a wider conflict in the region. Such fears have also grown as Iran has promised to avenge the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh who lost his life in an Israeli attack on his accommodation in Tehran on July 31, a day after Shukr was killed in an Israeli airstrike in a southern suburb of Beirut. 4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hamas calls for intensified resistance in West Bank after Tubas raid IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Aug 14, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- Hamas has issued a statement, urging all Palestinians to back the resistance against the expansionist Zionist plans in the occupied territories. The call comes in the wake of a Zionist attack on the West Bank city of Tubas which killed at least five Palestinians on Wednesday. The statement said the heightened aggression by the Zionist army in the occupied West Bank reflects the intentions of the Zionist extremist cabinet to press ahead with its expansionist plans. It also criticized the financial and military support of the US government for the Israeli regime as an indication of their partnership in the genocide in Gaza. The Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) has also published a statement, saying that the cowardly Zionist attack on Tubas will ignite the fire of intifada and revolution which will burn the Zionist enemy. 9341** NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hezbollah targets Israeli military sites in support of Gaza IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Aug 14, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- The Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah says it has carried out several attacks against Israeli military positions in solidarity with the people of Gaza and in support of Palestinian resistance. Hezbollah said in a statement on Wednesday that it targeted Israeli surveillance equipment at the al-Mutla base using appropriate weaponry at 8:35 AM. Hezbollah further reported that at 10:10 AM, it launched missile strikes against a gathering of Israeli soldiers in the Harj Al-Shatula site near the occupied Lebanese village of Tarbikha. Additionally, at 10:50 AM, the group targeted the al-Baghdadi military with missiles. Hezbollah also launched a missile strike against Zibdin barracks in the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms region. The strikes followed an Israeli attack on the town of Baraachit in southern Lebanon early in the day. Israeli occupying forces and Hezbollah have been trading cross-border fire on an almost daily basis since the start of the war on Gaza early in October. 4353 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hamas says will not attend upcoming Doha talks IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Aug 14, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- A senior Hamas official has announced that the Palestinian resistance movement's representatives will not attend the Thursday Doha meeting to discuss a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and an agreement on the prisoner swap due to the sabotage caused by the Zionist regime and its prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Gaza. Lebanon's Al-Mayadeen TV on Wednesday quoted an unidentified senior Hamas official as saying that the movement's representatives will not participate in the Doha meeting on Thursday. The Hamas official underlined that Hamas would not accept the start of new negotiations in Doha without the other side's adherence to the proposals presented on July 2. The official also pointed out that Netanyahu had set new conditions, which would disrupt the negotiations. Speaking to Al Mayadeen on Wednesday , Hamas representative in Lebanon, Ahmad Abdel Hadi, said, "The current atmosphere is clearly one of deceit and stalling by Netanyahu, killing time while the Axis of Resistance prepares to respond to the assassinations of martyrs Ismail Haniyeh and Fuad Shukr." "The intention is to bring the Hamas movement back to square one, which is not in the interest of our Palestinian people," he stressed, making it clear that Hamas will not take part in negotiations that provide cover for Netanyahu and his "extremist" cabinet. He emphasized that Hamas believes Thursday's negotiations will begin from a point prior to square one, saying that the movement considers it unproductive to revisit issues that have already been resolved. The Hamas official pointed out that the assassination of the movement's political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and the Al-Tabieen school massacre in Gaza City confirm that Netanyahu is intent on escalating the conflict. The Israeli regime's Channel 13 TV recently reported that on the eve of the start of a new round of prisoner swap talks and a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu has once again announced new conditions. Netanyahu called for the immediate release of 33 prisoners alive and also asked his negotiators to consider the regime's opinion on the identity of the Palestinian prisoners demanded by Hamas as the main criterion for the release of the prisoners, and to determine a mechanism for the return of the Palestinians to their areas of residence in the northern Gaza Strip. Egypt, Qatar and the United States, as mediators of indirect talks between Hamas and the Israeli regime, recently issued a statement calling on the Tel Aviv regime and the Palestinian resistance movement to resume ceasefire talks on August 15 in Doha or Cairo. The negotiations have not yielded any results so far. Israeli media outlets repeatedly quoted the regime's security officials as saying that Netanyahu is to blame for the failure of the ceasefire talks. 4208**4354*4353 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pentagon says 8 US military forces injured in northeast Syria IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Aug 14, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- The Pentagon has announced that eight American forces were wounded in a recent drone attack in northeastern Syria. The American military forces were injured during the last Saturday drone attack carried out against the bases of the United States and its allies in the Rumalyn landing zone, the Pentagon spokesperson Patrick Ryder announced on Tuesday. According to Ryder, three of the wounded have returned to duty after being treated for brain injury and smoke inhalation, but the rest are still under medical care. Without mentioning further details, the spokesperson said none of the injured are in life-threatening conditions. Early on Saturday (August 10), the news media reported the occurrence of several explosions in the US military base in Kharab al-Jir located in al-Hasakah in the northeast of Syria. 1483**4354 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hamas urges world to slam Israeli use of civilians as human shields IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Aug 14, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- The world should condemn the Zionist regime's use of civilians as human shields, says a member of the Hamas Political Bureau. What the Hebrew-language newspaper Haaretz revealed about the Nazi occupation army's use of Palestinian civilians as human shields to search tunnels and buildings in Gaza once again confirms that the enemy has committed war crimes that must be condemned by everyone in the world, Izzat Al-Rishq was quoted by the Palestinian media as saying. "We urge the International Court of Justice to include these confessions in the case of war crimes for which the occupying regime is being tried," he added. He also called on international and human rights organizations to condemn these crimes and to prosecute and hold accountable the leaders of the Zionist regime. Haaretz had earlier reported that the Israeli army used Palestinian civilians as human shields during its military operations in the Gaza Strip. The Tel Aviv regime has launched a devastating war against the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, which has left more than 39,929 martyrs, and over 92,000 wounded. The was also caused the disappearance of 10,000 Palestinians, and the forced displacement of nearly 2 million residents of the besieged area. In addition, 70% of the houses and infrastructures of the Gaza Strip have been severely destroyed in this war, and the miserable siege and severe humanitarian crisis, along with the unprecedented famine and hunger, threaten the lives of the Gaza residents. 9376**4354 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel launches airstrikes on southern Lebanon IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Aug 14, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- The Zionist regime has carried out airstrikes against areas in southern Lebanon. Israeli fighter jets targeted Taybeh town and an area between Haddatha and al-Tayri in southern Lebanon, Al Mayadeen reported early on Wednesday. There was no report on possible casualties or damage after the attacks. It came a few hours after the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah fired tens of missiles against Israeli military bases in the north of the occupied Palestine. Hezbollah, in line with decreasing the pressures put by the Zionists on the resistance groups in Gaza, has been taking heavy operations against the Israeli regime's bases on Palestinian soil since the outset of the Gaza war last October. 1483**4354 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sixteen Palestinians killed in fresh Israeli attack on Gaza IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Aug 14, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- Sixteen Palestinians have been killed in the Zionist regime's latest airstrikes on the central and northern parts of the Gaza Strip, Palestinian media reported. According to the Shehab News Agency, seven Palestinians, including three children, were martyred in the Zionist regime's airstrikes on the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. Four Palestinians, including several children, were also martyred in the Zionist regime's airstrikes on a house in the Al-Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza. Al-Jazeera's correspondent reported that 16 Palestinians were martyred in the Israeli regime's airstrikes on the center and north of the Gaza Strip on Wednesday morning. The Tel Aviv regime has launched a devastating war against the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, which has left more than 39,929 martyrs, and over 92,000 wounded. The was also caused the disappearance of 10,000 Palestinians, and the forced displacement of nearly 2 million residents of the besieged area. 4208**4354 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN: Ceasefire badly needed as no place in Gaza remains safe IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Aug 14, 2024 New York, IRNA -- The Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, in a briefing to the Security Council, has called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, arguing that there is not safe place left for the Palestinians there as civilians are still being ordered to evacuate areas in the blockaded territory. According to IRNA's reporter, Rosemary DiCarlo told the Council in a meeting on Tuesday local time that was convened at the request of Algeria to discuss Gaza and the Israeli bombing of al-Tabin School there that left scores of Palestinians dead and many others, including women and children injured. DiCarlo said the UN Secretary-General has already condemned the continued civilian casualties in Gaza as a result of another attack on a school where hundreds of displaced Palestinian families had taken refuge. "No place in Gaza is safe and yet civilians are still being ordered to travel to the ever-shrinking areas," she said, adding that 10 months have passed since the beginning of the war and the risk of escalation of regional tension is more tangible than ever. This senior UN official reported the exchange of fire across the Blue Line almost on a daily basis and said she wanted pay attention to the worsening situation and ongoing violence in the occupied West Bank, including East al-Quds. "The parties must end all escalation if the move toward a bigger disaster is to be halted". I reiterate the UN Secretary General's request to everyone to make serious efforts to reduce regional tension for the benefit of long-term peace and stability, she added while hailing the efforts of Egypt, Qatar and the United States to force both sides to conclude an agreement that includes a ceasefire, release of hostages and humanitarian aid. Algeria: UNSC resolution on Gaza ceasefire must be implemented In his address to the 15-member Security Council, Algeria's ambassador and representative to the United Nations, Ammar bin Jame condemned the Israeli attack on the Tabin school and called for the implementation of the UN Security Council resolution on the Gaza ceasefire. According to IRNA, Ammar who had requested for the meeting reported the UN body about Israel's constant refusal to abide by and implement the resolution enacted earlier that called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The Algerian diplomat expressed his country's full support for the mediation efforts of Egypt, Qatar and the United States to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, saying the occupying Israeli regime has already defied the Security Council resolution. He called on the UNSC to deal with the root cause of the Palestinian issue, which is the illegal occupation of Palestinian lands. Ammar also highlighted financial and military aid to the Zionist regime to keep going with its genocidal campaign in Gaza. "The terrible massacre at Gaza's al-Tabin School in Haraat al-Daraj and the previous massacres would not have been happened without generous financial and military aid to the Israeli aggressors." The Algerian ambassador accused the Israeli regime of deliberately targeting the school and the world woke up to another terrible bloodshed in Gaza. "The Security Council must respond to the hopes of the Palestinians and their efforts to realize justice and their right to exist". Palestine UN envoy: Prevent genocide, punish criminals The Palestinian representative to the United Nations said on Tuesday at the Security Council meeting about the situation in Gaza and called on member states to prevent the genocide of Palestinians, punish the perpetrators of crimes. Riyad Mansour, while reacting to the Gaza school bombing said the Security Council should have taken action months ago to stop the military aggression against Gaza. Nothing can justify Israel's actions and this regime does not care about the condemnations and resolutions of the Security Council, he underlined, saying "jutifying famine and massacre against Palestinians is a common ideology of the Israeli occupation". Mansour also said: "If the Security Council decides to implement its decisions, no one should be above the law and punishments should be applied to criminals to prevent genocide." UK: No safe place left for Palestinians in Gaza The Deputy Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations echoed the call of the Under-Secretary-General during the meeting and the highlighted the lack of safe place for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to take refuge. James Kariuki was reacting to the bombing of the Tabin school by Israel as well as evacuation orders for Palestinians that include 86 percent of the population of the strip. He said that Britain was horrified by Israel's military attack on the school where Palestinian civilians were sheltering. "Unfortunately, that was not the only Israeli attack on schools and shelters that we have seen. In July alone, 17 such attacks took place". This British diplomat stated that the agreement for a ceasefire in Gaza is on the table and asked Israel to condemn its finance minister's rhetoric about starving the Palestinians in Gaza. France condemns Gaza school attack The representative of France at the United Nations told in this meeting of the Security Council that Paris strongly condemned the Israeli attack on al-Tabin school in Gaza. This French diplomat and expressed support for the mediation efforts of the US, Egypt and Qatar for a ceasefire in Gaza. US merely expresses concern over Israeli bombing school Linda Thomas Greenfield, the US ambassador and representative to the United Nations, expressed her concern over the bombing of Tabin school in Gaza by Israel and claimed that Washington has shared its concerns with Israel. Greenfield avoided to condemn the August 10 attack by Israeli military in a compound in Gaza that included a school and a mosque that sheltered desperate and displaced people, including women and children. "We have raised our concerns with Israel", she said mentioned the Israeli narrative that their target of attack was senior Hamas and Palestinian Jihad officials. "Israel has the right to pursue Hamas and respond to its threats. But how you do it is important. We have repeatedly said that Israel must take steps to minimize harm to civilians". The Israeli army bombarded Palestinian worshipers during morning prayers at al-Tabin school in al-Daraj neighborhood in Gaza City on Saturday morning (August 10), during which more than 120 Palestinians were martyred and many were injured. The attack sparked international condemnations but Israel key backer the US and some of its European allies remained silent on horrific crime. 4399 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli crimes in Gaza stain on int'l norms: Pakistan army chief IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Aug 14, 2024 Islamabad, IRNA -- Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir has reiterated his country's strong support for the aspirations of the Palestinian nation while condemning Israel for its "unabated violence and indiscriminate killing" in Gaza. Israel's violation of human rights and genocide of Palestinians is a stain on international norms and law-abiding societies, General Munir said in a speech at the officer college on the occasion of the 77th anniversary of Pakistan's independence, according to IRNA's Wednesday morning report citing Pakistan's national television. There is no doubt that Israel's crimes in Gaza are a clear violation of human rights and the genocide of Palestinians, and the continuation of these crimes is a stain on social norms in the world and law-abiding societies, he said, adding that: We support Palestine and any effort to send humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. Earlier, the Pakistani army's media wing reported a meeting between General Munir and the Palestinian ambassador to Pakistan, Ahmad Jawad Rabei. During the meeting at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, Munir expressed condolences over the loss of Palestinian lives in Gaza and said that incessant attacks on Palestinian population, schools, hospitals, aid workers and the forced exodus of civilians were "manifest crimes" against humanity. "Pakistan believes that the fresh spate of violence in Gaza is the result of unabated repression, continued human rights violations and state-sponsored sacrilege of Al-Aqsa mosque," the army chief was quoted as saying. Pakistan does not recognize Israel and has consistently raised the issue of Palestine at international bodies and wants an independent Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 borders. 4399 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Gaza ceasefire can refrain Iran from attacking Israel: US pres. IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Aug 14, 2024 New York, IRNA -- US President Joe Biden has said he expects Iran will refrain from its planned retaliatory attacks against Israel if a ceasefire agreement is reached in Gaza. According to IRNA, Biden, who is in the last months of his one-term presidency, claimed on Tuesday when asked if a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas could prevent an Iranian attack that he would focus the remaining time on accomplishing peace in the Middle East. We will see what we can do and how Iran will respond. I expect that if there is a ceasefire in Gaza, Iran will refrain from attacking Israel, he responded further to the question raised. I am worried about the situation in the Middle East which has become difficult, he said adding that: "Let's see what Iran does. We will see what happens if there is an attack." Pentagon: We take Iran's statements seriously Meanwhile, the spokesman of the US Department of Defense said that the public statements of the Iranians had been very clear, so we must take them seriously into account. Patrick Ryder, told reporters on Tuesday local time in an apparent reference to recent comments by senior Iranian officials about their country's legal right to respond to the aggressor for violating its sovereignty. There is no need to speculate about the date and time when Iran or one of the resistance groups will carry out an attack on Israel but the public statements of the Iranians have been very clear, he said "The United States remains very focused on de-escalation in the region while securing a ceasefire as part of an agreement to release the hostages and end the war in Gaza," Ryder said, adding that: "We have put these additional capabilities in the region to protect our forces and also to defend Israel." "We have been very clear in our commitment to help defend Israel," he reiterated In response to a question about the US submarine in the Middle East region and its role, he said that the movement of submarines is not a new thing. But again, it's important to look at this in the context of the broader presence of US forces in the region, which is to help protect ourselves, defend Israel, and deter aggression and de-escalation. 4399 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hezbollah fires more rockets at Israeli targets in occupied Palestine IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Aug 14, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- The Lebanese resistance movement, Hezbollah, has fired dozens of more rockets in retaliatory attacks on the Zionist regime's positions in the occupied Palestinian territories, news sources reported. Al Jazeera cited the Israeli media reports that said that dozens of rockets were fired at the town of Miron located in the north of occupied Palestine on Wednesday morning, with Channel 12 putting their number at 50. According to this report, the attack prompted sirens in Zionist settlements and areas around Miron. The attacks followed hours after Hezbollah reiterated its support for the people of Gaza and targeted a Zionist military base in the Jal al-Deir area with a rocket. On Monday, the Resistance Movement launched a volley of Katyusha rockets at the newly established headquarters of Israel's 146th Division in Giaton in response to Israel's attacks on civilian areas in southern Lebanon, particularly in the town of Maaroub as well as in support of Palestinians in Gaza. The regime's media revealed that even the Iron Dome air defense system was unable to intercept most of Hezbollah's rockets on Monday morning. A Zionist media outlet announced on Tuesday night in a report that Hezbollah has fired 7,500 rockets into occupied Palestine since the start of the regime's aggression against Gaza. The Hebrew-language Yedioth Aharonot newspaper also reported that Hezbollah has launched 200 drones at Zionist positions in occupied Palestine since last October, leaving a trail of death of a destruction of military personnel and property. The Hezbollah attacks have forced thousands Israeli settlers to flee from their units in the northern occupied territory to elsewhere. Since the onset of the Israeli genocidal war on Gaza, Hezbollah and the regime's military have been exchanging fires along Lebanon's southern border almost on a daily basis. 4399 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Security exec: NPA force down to 5 weakened guerilla fronts Philippine News Agency By Priam Nepomuceno August 14, 2024, 5:40 pm MANILA -- National Security Adviser (NSA) Eduardo Ano said Wednesday the New People's Army's (NPA) force continues to dwindle, with its weakened guerilla fronts now down to five. In a statement, Ano said this is a further decline from the seven weakened guerrilla fronts earlier stated by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) in its first-semester report. "We are confident na kaya nating matapos 'yung armed component. Sa AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines), ang target nila ay December 2024. August pa lang naman tayo (We are confident that we will be able to finish the armed component. The AFP's target is to end them by December 2024. It's just August)," the former AFP chief said when asked how confident the government is in attaining total victory against the communist insurgency. The NPA, created on March 29, 1969 by Communist Party of the Philippines chair Jose Maria "Joma" Sison, is the armed component of the CPP. The violent Maoist-inspired insurgents, which numbered about 25,000 in the 1980s, advocate for a bloody overthrow of the government. Since the NTF-ELCAC's creation in 2018, the 89 active NPA guerilla fronts have been rendered inconsequential and weakened, with only five remaining. Ano, however, clarified that the military and concerned local government units are still readying an official announcement regarding the two weakened NPA guerrilla fronts. The NSA also pointed out that the elimination of the CPP's armed component is not the end as a lot still needs to be done to prevent the communist insurgents from recruiting new members, especially in "white areas" or those in rural locations, and curb their resurgence. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address DND chief hopes for regular drills between PH soldiers, allies Philippine News Agency By Priam Nepomuceno August 14, 2024, 1:07 pm MANILA -- Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. has expressed hope for the conduct of regular exercises between Filipino soldiers and the country's allies. Teodoro made the remark as he welcomed the Philippine Air Force's (PAF) contingent to the just concluded Exercise Pitch Black in simple rites in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on Tuesday, the DND said in a news release Wednesday. "And now, the challenge for you is we need to sustain these kinds of operations. We have to make this the new normal," he said. The DND chief also touted the PAF's successful pilot participation in the biennial drills as proof of the strong strategic partnership between the Philippines and Australia. "This is game-changing, once again, and it is a success of the whole of government, literally, from the diplomatic side, (including) the SOVFA (Status of Visiting Forces Agreement) and the strategic partnership between Australia and us (the Philippines), to the defense side between the Defense Ministry of Australia and us, to the GHQ (General Headquarters), to the Major Service, and the Fighter wings," Teodoro added. The PAF contingent to the Pitch Black exercises, which was hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force from July 12 to Aug. 2, included four FA-50PHs light jet fighters and 162 personnel. The contingent logged a total participation time of 144 hours and 46 minutes across 61 sorties, engaging in high-intensity missions such as basic fighter maneuvers, tactical intercepts, dissimilar air combat tactics, and large force employment. These missions focused on key operations including air interdiction, suppression of enemy air defenses, and both defensive and offensive counter-air roles. MRF acquisition a priority The DND, meanwhile, assured that the acquisition of multi-role fighters (MRF) remains a priority as part of efforts to modernize the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). This comes in the wake of China's latest aggression where its military aircraft harassed a maritime patrol of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) over the Bajo de Masinloc on Aug. 8. "Addressing ongoing security concerns in the WPS, the Secretary (Teodoro) reaffirmed the commitment to strengthening the country's Air Defense Systems, particularly through the acquisition of MRFs, to enhance the Philippines' territorial defense capabilities," the DND said in a statement. The MRF is part of Horizon Two of the AFP Modernization Program slated for 2018 to 2022, which aims to acquire more equipment for external defense. Any aircraft that will be selected must be able to integrate with existing radar systems that have a range of around 250 nautical miles. AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. earlier said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has already gave the green light to the military's plan to acquire MRFs. Two possible contenders for the AFP's MRF project are the latest US Lockheed Martin model-made F-16s and the Swedish Saab JAS-39. The F-16V is the latest and most advanced F-16 in operation today and is considered the foremost combat-proven fourth-generation MRF. It is equipped with advanced radar systems allowing it greater detection and tracking capabilities along with advanced air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons. The JAS-39 "Gripen" C/D is classified as the most reliable "swing-role combat aircraft" available in the world today. The "C" version is a single-seat aircraft while the "D" version is a two-seater configuration. The Swedish-made fighter requires minimal personnel and ground support equipment for dispersed operations and can operate from small unprepared roads. It is also equipped with sophisticated radar and sensors and weapons. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkey to confront Israel attempts to set region on fire: Erdogan Iran Press TV Wednesday, 14 August 2024 9:05 PM Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said his country would confront the Israeli regime's attempts "to set the region on fire," addressing Tel Aviv's ongoing incendiary acts of deadly aggression against the regional countries. The chief executive made the remarks in the capital Ankara on Wednesday in a speech marking the foundation of his Justice and Development (AK) Party. "We will fight until the genocidal killers, who spilled the blood of over 40,000 innocents in Gaza, are held accountable under the law," he added. Erdogan was referring to the fatalities that have been resulted from the regime's October 2023-present war against the Gaza Strip. His remarks also came amid the regime's attacks against Lebanon that have witnessed a significant escalation since the onset of the Gaza war. At least 547 Lebanese people have been killed in the attacks that Tel Aviv has threatened repeatedly to intensify into another wholesale war against the country. Taking its acts of regional escalation to yet another confrontational level, the regime assassinated Fuad Shukr, a senior commander of the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah, and Ismail Haniyeh, the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas' Political Bureau chief, late last month. The resistance figures were martyred in separate targeted killing operations that were carried out against the Lebanese capital Beirut and the Iranian capital Tehran. Meeting with Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Ankara last week, Erdogan said the regime's assassination of the Hamas' leader "once again demonstrated Israel's lack of intention to engage in a ceasefire." Last Wednesday, Turkey submitted an official request to join a genocide case that was initiated by South Africa against Tel Aviv at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) last year. Commenting on the request at the time, the Turkish foreign ministry said Ankara's "decision to intervene reflects the importance our country attaches to resolving the Palestinian issue within the framework of law and justice." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hezbollah strikes Kiryat Shmona in response to Israeli aggression Iran Press TV Wednesday, 14 August 2024 6:33 PM The Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah says its fighters shelled the Kiryat Shmona settlement with a barrage of Katyusha rockets in retaliation for the Israeli regime's attacks on civilians in Lebanon. Israeli Channel 12 confirmed direct hits in the settlement, including near a bus station, resulting in a fire, and also power outage. Several settlers have been reported injured. Avichai Stern, the so-called mayor of Kiryat Shmona, has advised residents to stay near protected areas until further notice. Earlier in the day, the Israeli regime conducted a strike on the town of al-Abbasiya, injuring 17 people. Four of those wounded are in critical condition, including a 17-year-old boy, a 16-year-old boy, an eight-year-old girl, and a Lebanese woman. The Lebanese health ministry said in a statement that an "Israeli enemy" strike on the southern town of Marjayoun killed two people and wounded four others, noting the toll was provisional. The official National News Agency said an "enemy drone targeted a car" in the town square, a usually busy area home to shops. The health ministry also said one person was killed and another wounded in an "Israeli" strike in south Lebanon's Blida village. In other anti-Israel operations, the Lebanese resistance deployed drones to target a newly established gathering of Israeli soldiers in northern Abirim. Hezbollah also reported attacks on surveillance equipment at the Metula site and a gathering of Israeli soldiers in the Shtula woods. Hezbollah also struck the Baghdadi site, Zebdine Barracks, and the Ramtha site with rockets. The situation remains tense as the region awaits further retaliation from the Resistance in response to the Israeli assassination of senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr along with several civilians in an attack on a residential building in Beirut's southern suburbs on July 30. Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging deadly fire since early October 2023. The Lebanese resistance movement has vowed to continue its retaliatory attacks as long as the Israeli regime persists in its campaign of genocide in Gaza, which began after the October 7 Operation Al-Aqsa Storm by Hamas. Hezbollah officials have repeatedly stated that they do not seek war with Israel but are prepared if it occurs. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hamas not willing for 'new talks' with Israel, official says Iran Press TV Wednesday, 14 August 2024 4:27 PM The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas says it "would not take part in new talks" with the Israeli regime on a ceasefire in Gaza. That is according to a statement by the resistance group's Ahmad Abdul Hadi on Wednesday. In addition to Hadi, senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri also told Reuters on the same day, "Hamas is committed to the proposal presented to it on July 2, which is based on the UN Security Council resolution and the (US President) Biden speech and the movement is prepared to immediately begin discussion over a mechanism to implement it." "Going to new negotiation allows the occupation to impose new conditions and employ the maze of negotiation to conduct more massacres." Meanwhile, the English-language daily newspaper Arab News, published in Saudi Arabia, reported on Wednesday that unpublished documents seen by The New York Times show Israel demanded new ceasefire conditions in late July of US, Egyptian and Qatari mediators. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu privately added new conditions to the Tel Aviv regime's proposed ceasefire talks with Hamas, the report said. Netanyahu repeatedly blamed Hamas officials for the stalled negotiation process, despite criticism leveled at him from Israeli officials, it added. "Among the most contentious new proposals was an Israeli demand that it oversees the Philadelphi Corridor on Gaza's southern border with Egypt after the fighting stops... That proposal was absent from the Israeli conditions proposed in May," the Times reported. In response, Hamas called on mediators "to present a plan to implement what was agreed upon by the movement on July 2, 2024, based on Biden's vision and the UN Security Council resolution." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel approves new West Bank settlement amid deadly raids on Palestinians Iran Press TV Wednesday, 14 August 2024 2:44 PM Israel has approved the construction of a new settlement on a UNESCO World Heritage Site near the occupied West Bank city of Bethlehem as the regime's forces continue to raid areas across the occupied Palestinian territories. Israel's finance minister Bezalel Smotrich said Wednesday that his office had "completed its work and published a plan for the new Nahal Heletz settlement in Gush Etzion." He said in a message on X that the new approval was a response to actions by the Palestinian West Bank leadership and countries which have recognized a Palestinian state. In May, Spain, Ireland and Norway joined the majority of UN states that have recognized a Palestinian state. Smotrich, himself a settler, said, "No anti-Israel or anti-Zionist decision will stop the development of the settlement. We will continue to fight against the dangerous idea of a Palestinian state. This is the mission of my life." Peace Now, an Israeli anti-settlement group, denounced the new settlement plan, saying it is a "wholesale attack" on an area "renowned for its ancient terraces and sophisticated irrigation systems, evidence of thousands of years of human activity." "These actions are not only fragmenting Palestinian space and depriving large communities of their natural and cultural heritage, they also pose an imminent threat to an area considered to be of the highest cultural value to humanity." The Palestinian Authority has also reiterated that settlement construction and the demolition of Palestinian homes constituted ethnic cleansing. Israel, according to a European Union report, advanced plans for 12,349 homes to be built in the West Bank last year. Most United Nations member states consider settlements built in the West Bank and other territory Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war to be illegal under international law. The latest approval comes at a time of heightened tensions in the West Bank and east al-Quds over the regime's hostilities that have killed nearly 40,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip since October. On Wednesday, Israeli forces killed five Palestinians in air strikes and a raid in the north of the occupied West Bank. The regimes forces and settlers have killed at least 625 Palestinians in the West Bank since October 7, according to Palestinian health ministry figures. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Nearly 550 killed in Israeli strikes since October: Lebanon Health Ministry Iran Press TV Wednesday, 14 August 2024 9:54 AM The Lebanese Health Ministry says the death toll from Israeli strikes on towns and villages in the southern part of the country following the onset of a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip now stands at nearly 550. The ministry announced in its latest update published on Wednesday that at least 547 people, including 35 females and 20 children and teenagers, have been killed ever since Israel began its sporadic attacks against Lebanon following the latest Gaza war that began on October 7 last year. The ministry added that 1,765 people have also been wounded, with over 100,000 internally displaced. The majority of those killed are members of the Hezbollah resistance movement. This comes a day after Lebanese military sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said two Hezbollah members were killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon. The sources reported that the two members were killed in an Israeli drone strike on their car on the main road linking the town of Baraachit and the village of Beit Yahoun on Tuesday. The military sources also stated that the Israeli military launched seven airstrikes on five border towns and villages in southern Lebanon, and targeted 11 towns and villages with 50 shells. Meanwhile, Hezbollah announced that its fighters attacked several Israeli military sites, including the Misgav Am, Ramim, and Ruwaisat al-Alam barracks. A state of anticipation and caution prevails in Lebanon following the assassination of senior Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr in an Israeli airstrike on a building in the southern Beirut suburb of Dahieh on July 30. Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has vowed retaliation for the act of terror. Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging deadly fire since early October last year, shortly after the regime launched the genocidal war against the Gaza Strip following a surprise operation by the Palestinian Hamas resistance group. The Lebanese resistance movement has vowed to keep up its retaliatory attacks as long as the Israeli regime continues its Gaza war, which has so far killed nearly 40,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, in Gaza. Hezbollah officials have repeatedly said they do not want a war with Israel while stressing that they are prepared in case it occurs. Two Israeli wars waged against Lebanon in 2000 and 2006 were met with strong resistance from Hezbollah, resulting in the retreat of the regime in both conflicts. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 10,000-plus Israeli forces afflicted with physical or mental trauma in Gaza war: Military Iran Press TV Wednesday, 14 August 2024 9:14 AM The Israeli regime's ministry for military affairs says more than 10,000 of the regime's forces have been afflicted with either physical or mental trauma during Tel Aviv's now-eleven-months-long war on the Gaza Strip. The ministry's rehabilitation department reported the information on Wednesday. The department said it had received around 10,056 forces, including some 6,838 reservists, since the beginning of the war on October 7 last year. As much as 37 percent of the forces have received physical trauma to their limbs, while 35% are diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other mental disorders caused by trauma. According to Israeli military data, more than 300 Israeli forces have also died during the war. The regime launched the aggression in response to al-Aqsa Storm, a retaliatory operation staged by Gaza's resistance groups. The brutal military onslaught has so far claimed the lives of nearly 40,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children. The regime, however, releases the number of its casualties very occasionally. Observers say the regime underreports the fatalities to retain the morale of its forces and restrain backlash from those demanding a ceasefire that could enable the return of those who were taken captive during al-Aqsa Storm. The Gaza-based Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has repeatedly said it would release the remaining captives in exchange for complete cessation of the Israeli aggression and the regime's full withdrawal. It has also conditioned their release on the return of the displaced people, an end to the siege that has been imposed by Tel Aviv on Gaza, and initiation of the coastal sliver's reconstruction process. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has, nevertheless, vowed to keep up the war until, what he has called, "elimination" of Hamas, a prospect that has been ruled out as impossible by the group and even some Israeli officials and Tel Aviv's own allies. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran condemns Aqsa Mosque incursion, says Israelis seek to escalate tensions in region Iran Press TV Wednesday, 14 August 2024 7:54 AM Iran's Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned a recent incursion by far-right Israeli ministers and illegal settlers into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied Old City of al-Quds as a provocative move aimed at escalating tensions in West Asia. "The incursion by some ministers of the fake Israeli regime and Zionist settlers into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound is a blatant desecration of Muslim sanctities, a violation of the rights of Muslims worldwide, and a provocative step meant to foment tensions and instability in the region," spokesman Nasser Kan'ani wrote in a post published on the social media platform X on Tuesday evening. He went on to denounce the unlawful and controversial act, calling upon the international community, particularly Muslim nations and governments, to show a strong reaction in response. "The international community and world bodies have an objective and immediate responsibility to stop the Zionist regime's barbaric actions, which are in violation of international rules and regulations," the top Iranian diplomat stated. Earlier on Tuesday, Kan'ani had stated that the Israeli settlers' incursion into al-Aqsa Mosque was aimed at exacerbating tensions. "This wicked move is indicative of the undeniable fact that the leaders of the Israeli regime intend to advance their warmongering policies through hurting the religious feelings of Palestinian Muslims and the Muslim world," the spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry said. He emphasized that the United States and certain Western countries should immediately restrain the criminal Tel Aviv regime, help end the ongoing genocide in Gaza and stop the Zionist entity's adventurism in Palestine and elsewhere in the region if they are genuinely concerned about security and stability in West Asia. On Tuesday morning, more than 2,200 illegal settlers forced their way into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound to commemorate Tisha B'Av, an annual Jewish fast day that marks the occurrence of several disasters in Jewish history. Israel's far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Yitzhak Wasserlauf were among the intruders. Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site for Muslims. Far-right Israeli groups have previously called for widespread incursions into the mosque on the occasion of the Jewish Passover holiday. Under an agreement signed between Israel and the Jordanian government in the wake of the regime's occupation of al-Quds in 1967, non-Muslim worship at the holy compound is prohibited. But the ban is a mere phrase and, in action, circumstances have been against Muslims. The latest intrusion into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound takes place as the regime has been keeping its bloody war machine going in the Gaza Strip since October 7 last year, with hopes of a long-awaited ceasefire agreement fading after more than ten months of barbaric onslaught on the Palestinian territory. At least 39,929 Palestinians have been killed and 92,240 others injured as a result of the aggression imposed by the Israeli regime on the people in Gaza. The war began in early October after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas launched an unprecedented military operation into the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories near Gaza. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli forces injured in clashes with resistance fighters in West Bank's Tubas Iran Press TV Wednesday, 14 August 2024 6:50 AM Casualties have been reported among Israeli forces after Palestinian resistance fighters targeted Israeli military vehicles in the occupied West Bank city of Tubas as fierce clashes are underway between fighters and the regime forces in the area. The attack took place after Israeli troops stormed the northern West Bank city at dawn on Wednesday, where they surrounded a house and fired antitank grenades. Israeli media said a helicopter landed inside Beilinson Hospital in Tel Aviv, carrying wounded soldiers who were injured in the Tubas battles. Heavy clashes broke out following the Israeli military's incursion, with video footage showing Israeli helicopters transporting the Israeli casualties from Tubas. Palestinian resistance fighters reported detonating improvised explosive devices (IEDs), as battles intensified with Israeli forces. Local media also reported heavy gunfire and loud explosions in the city. Images and video clips shared on social media showed clouds of smoke following the explosions. A freed Palestinian prisoner was killed during the clashes in Tubas. Deadly drone At least four young men were also killed when an Israeli drone bombed a group of people in the West Bank town of Tammun, southeast of Tubas. Israeli forces held the men's bodies, with he Palestine Red Crescent saying that its crews were prevented from reaching the site of the drone attack. The latest development came a day after two young Palestinian men were killed by Israeli forces during raids in the West Bank cities of Ramallah and Qalqilya. Since Israel unleashed a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip in early October 2023, casualties have been rising in the West Bank as a result of intensified near-daily raids by the regime troops into Palestinian towns. A total of 624 Palestinians have been killed in the occupied West Bank by Israeli forces since the beginning of Israel's Gaza onslaught. Nearly 40,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have also been killed in Israeli attacks across the besieged Gaza in the past more than 10 months. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Eight US forces suffer traumatic brain injury in Syria attack: Pentagon Iran Press TV Wednesday, 14 August 2024 6:01 AM The Pentagon has announced that as many as eight American forces suffered traumatic brain injury (TBI) during a recent attack on their base in northeastern Syria. "Following the attack, out of an abundance of caution, eight service members were transported to a separate location for further assessment and evaluation. All eight received treatment for TBI and smoke inhalation," Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said at a press conference on Tuesday. Ryder claimed that three of the troops had returned to duty, while the others remained under observation. On Saturday, Lebanon's al-Mayadeen television network reported that the forces deployed to the US-occupied Kharab al-Jir Airbase in Syria's province of Hasakah had come under a drone attack from nearby areas. The report said several explosions had been heard inside the outpost after the explosive-laden unmanned aerial vehicle struck the site. This is the third major attack to target the American troops in the region in less than two weeks. Also on Tuesday, Iraqi resistance forces fired four missiles towards the US military base located inside the Washington-occupied Conoco gas field in eastern Syria. On August 5, a rocket attack targeted the US-occupied Ain al-Assad Airbase in the western Iraqi province of al-Anbar, injuring several American personnel members. No person or group claimed responsibility for that attack, but Iraqi resistance groups said afterwards that it marked a "new phase of escalation against American bases." The incidents come amid outrage among regional resistance groups at the United States' continued occupation of several military outposts in Iraq and Syria under the pretext of fighting the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group, which Baghdad, Damascus, and their allies had defeated back in 2017. The groups have, meanwhile, been fuming over the US's outright political and military support for the Israeli regime's ongoing war of genocide against the Gaza Strip. The brutal military onslaught has claimed the lives of nearly 40,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, since last October. Reporting last Wednesday, Lebanon's al-Akhbar newspaper also quoted one of the leaders of Harakat Hezbollah Nujaba, an Iraqi resistance group, as saying that "targeting American bases and interests has become an urgent matter." Among other things, he put the urgency down to reported involvement of Iraq-based American bases in the Israeli atrocities against Palestinians and resistance figures. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Thai lawmakers to elect successor after court ousts prime minister The Constitutional Court rocked Thai politics by voting 5-4 to remove Srettha Thavisin, citing an ethics violation. By Nontarat Phaicharoen for BenarNews 2024.08.14 -- Thailand's legislature plans to meet Friday to elect a new prime minister after the Constitutional Court removed Srettha Thavisin from office on Wednesday, ruling that he committed an ethical violation by knowingly appointing a cabinet member with a criminal record. In a 5-4 verdict that dissolved Srettha's government, which was in power for 11 months, the court said he was responsible for vetting his cabinet nominations. It ruled he was aware of the past conviction of ally Pichit Chuenban, a former lawyer who had been detained for six months in 2008 for contempt of court. For the time being, Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai is expected to serve as acting prime minister. If Phumtham is unavailable, the role would fall to second Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit. "The facts show that the respondent [Srettha] knew or should have known about various circumstances of the second respondent [Pichit] throughout, but still proposed to appoint the second respondent as minister in the Prime Minister's Office," the court ruled. "This demonstrates that the respondent lacks obvious honesty and integrity," the verdict said, noting he did not comply with ethical standards. The current cabinet is expected to continue in a caretaker capacity until a new government is formed - Parliament is scheduled to meet at 10 a.m. Friday to elect a prime minister. Srettha, a member of the Pheu Thai Party and Thailand's first civilian prime minister after almost a decade of military rule, did not attend the court session on Wednesday but responded to the verdict during a news conference at Government House in Bangkok. "I accept the ruling and confirm that throughout my time in this position, I worked with integrity," he said. "I'm not looking at whether I'll be disqualified or not, but I'm sad that I'll be removed as a prime minister without ethics. I'm confident that I am an ethical person." Pichit, Srettha's problematic appointee, had resigned on May 21 to avoid impacting the administration's work, despite maintaining that he was fully qualified to serve. "To allow the country to move forward and not affect the prime minister's administration of state affairs, which needs to proceed with continuity, I am not clinging to the position," Pichit said in his resignation letter. Srettha's successor must come from a list of candidates put forward ahead of the 2023 general election by parties that won at least 25 parliamentary seats. This narrows the field to potential candidates from several parties. These include Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Chaikasem Nitisiri from Pheu Thai; Anutin Charnvirakul from the Bhumjaithai Party; Gen. Prawit Wongsuwan from the Palang Pracharath Party; former Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha; and Pirapan Salirathavibhaga from the United Thai Nation Party, and Jurin Laksanawisit from the Democrat Party. Paetongtarn is the daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was forced from office by a military coup in 2006 and spent years in self-exile before returning to Thailand last year. Following his return, Thaksin spent six months in a prison hospital on corruption charges. Prayuth, a former army chief who took power after leading a 2014 military coup that overthrew then-Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Thaksin's sister, had announced he was leaving politics after losing power in the 2023 election. Despite that announcement, Prayuth is a candidate because his party named him ahead of the vote. 'Snack bag case' Srettha, a former real estate tycoon, was elected prime minister in August 2023 after the Pheu Thai Party formed a coalition government despite finishing second in the election. The Move Forward Party, which won the most seats, was unable to form a government because of opposition from military-appointed senators over its stance on reforming lese-majeste, the strict law against royal defamation. The case against Pichit, known as the "snack bag case," dates to 2008, when, while serving as a lawyer for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife in a land purchase matter, he was accused of attempting to bribe court officials with 2 million baht (U.S. $57,156). He allegedly placed the money in a paper grocery bag, pretending it was a snack for a court officer. This led to Pichit being found in contempt of court and serving a six-month prison sentence. In mid-May, 40 senators petitioned the Constitutional Court to rule on termination because of Pichit's appointment. On May 23, the Constitutional Court agreed to consider the petition. "We must thank the Constitutional Court for ruling that Srettha is removed from the position of prime minister due to dishonesty and severe ethical misconduct in nominating Pichit, who had issues, despite knowing about his qualification problems from the start," petitioner Somchai Sawaengkarn, a former senator, told reporters after learning of the verdict. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Phil Robertson, director of Asia Human Rights and Labor Advocates, criticized the ruling. "Thailand's dark era of destroying democracy through unaccountable rulings of the conservative, elite controlled Constitutional Court continues with the dismissal of PM Srettha Thavisin. The absurdity is palpable! Watch foreign investors head for exits," he posted. Party disbanded In the 2023 election, the Move Forward Party won 153 seats - the most of any party - and nominated Pita Limjaroenrat as prime minister. His nomination failed when he could not secure backing from the former Senate, whose 250 members were allowed to vote along with the 500 members of the lower house. The senators claimed they would not support his party's proposal to amend Article 112, also known as lese-majeste. Because of the controversy over Article 112, Pheu Thai, which had formed a post-electoral alliance with Move Forward, broke off ties with it and then formed a coalition that successfully nominated Srettha to serve as prime minister. The Constitutional Court ruled against Srettha six days after it had ordered the Move Forward Party dissolved and banned Pita and 10 other leaders from politics for a decade because of their campaign to undo the royal defamation law. Two days later, remaining members reconstituted as the People's Party. After Wednesday's ruling, the new party held a news conference to express concern and disagreement with it. "While the People's Party affirms that political office holders should have ethics and integrity, ethics is a matter that different people interpret differently," Parit Wacharasindhu, a party-list MP of the People's Party, told reporters. The ruling against Srettha is the fourth such action by the court in 16 years, according to media reports. Samak Sundaravej, who took office after Thaksin, was forced from office in 2008 because the court ruled he had hosted four cooking shows after taking office. Later that year, the court forced out Somchai Wongsawat after finding him guilty of electoral fraud. In 2014, the court found Yingluck guilty of abuse of power and forced her out at the same time as the Prayuth-led coup. Potential power shuffle Assistant Professor Olarn Thinbangtieo, a lecturer at the Faculty of Political Science and Law at Burapha University, pointed out that the ruling would shake the stability of the old power group, adding the new prime minister might not come from Pheu Thai's list. "In principle, Pheu Thai would nominate Paetongtarn as PM. However, what needs to be watched is how well Pheu Thai can maintain political stability with its current coalition partners," Olarn told BenarNews. "They will need to consolidate power to keep the majority vote in hand. There's a chance that the next PM might not come from Pheu Thai if the Shinawatra family assesses that Paetongtarn is not ready. "If the coalition parties become difficult, Pheu Thai might reverse course and join hands with the People's Party, which would also give them a majority. But in the long run, this decision will shake the unity of the old power group because they are now facing a tough battle with the People's Party, which has widespread support." Jon Preechawong in Bangkok contributed to this report. BenarNews is an RFA-affiliated online news organization. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content August not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taliban Celebrates Third Anniversary Of Kabul Takeover Amid Humanitarian Crisis By RFE/RL's Radio Azadi August 14, 2024 The Taliban celebrated the third anniversary of its return to power in Afghanistan with a military parade on August 14 amid what international aid groups say is one of the world's largest and most complex humanitarian crises. Taliban forces seized Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, on August 15, 2021, after the U.S.-backed government collapsed and its leaders fled into exile. Their government remains unrecognized by any other state, with restrictions on women, who bear the brunt of the radical group's policies that the United Nations has branded "gender apartheid," remaining a key sticking point. The Taliban takeover is marked both in mid-August around the date Kabul fell and at the end of the month, when the last U.S.-led international troops left Afghanistan amid a chaotic withdrawal. The withdrawal, agreed by the United States and the Taliban on February 29, 2020, allowed the radical Islamist movement's return to power 20 years after being ousted by U.S. forces following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States. The August 14 military parade was held at the Bagram airfield, some 40 kilometers north of Kabul, which was once the largest U.S. military base in Afghanistan. The audience of some 10,000 men included senior Taliban officials. Women were barred. Uniformed soldiers marched carrying light and heavy machine guns, with a motorcycle formation bearing the Taliban flag. The parade was also an opportunity to showcase some of the military hardware abandoned by U.S. and NATO-led forces after decades of war: helicopters, Humvees, and tanks. Taliban Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund, who had been scheduled to appear at Bagram, praised the Taliban authorities' victory over "Western occupiers" in a statement read by his chief of staff. The Taliban government has "the responsibility to maintain Islamic rule, protect property, people's lives, and the respect of our nation," the statement said. But international aid organizations have warned that millions of Afghans struggle in "one of the world's largest and most complex humanitarian crises, three years after the change in power." "Heavily dependent on humanitarian aid, Afghans are trapped in cycles of poverty, displacement, and despair. Afghanistan is at risk of becoming a forgotten crisis without sustained support and engagement from the international community," a statement by 10 organizations said on August 13. The aid groups -- including Save the Children, World Vision, Islamic Relief Worldwide, and the International Rescue Committee -- said an estimated 23.7 million people are currently in need of assistance in Afghanistan, out of a population of around 40 million. More than 6.3 million people are internally displaced in Afghanistan, the statement said, while unemployment has doubled over the past year. Women and girls are among the most seriously affected by this humanitarian crisis, Human Rights Watch has said. The Taliban has created "the world's most serious women's rights crisis," the organization said in a press release on August 11. Since the Taliban's return to power, women have been squeezed from public life -- banned from many jobs as well as parks and gyms -- and barred from secondary and higher education. "The issues of education -- women's education and work -- and their participation at national and international level have been completely nullified and pushed to the sidelines," a female resident of Kabul, who preferred not to be named due to security concerns, told RFE/RL's Radio Azadi. Afghan women's rights activists have been campaigning to declare the Taliban's treatment of Afghan women and girls as gender apartheid. With reporting by AFP, AP and dpa Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan- taliban-takeover-anniversary/33078345.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taliban Battles Boredom, Risk Of Fighters Joining Enemy Ranks By Michael Scollon August 14, 2024 The Taliban craves recognition by the international community that it is the only group capable of ruling and establishing security in Afghanistan. But not only has the militant group failed to achieve that status in its three years in power, rival extremist groups like Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) are mocking it for trying. IS-K has accused the Taliban of abandoning jihad, or holy war, and bowing to the foreign states it once fought to secure foreign aid and investment. That is the narrative promoted by the Afghanistan-based branch of the Islamic State (IS) extremist group as it looks to recruit belligerent Taliban fighters into its ranks. To lure Taliban fighters, IS-K has conducted attacks within and outside Afghanistan that undermine the Taliban's rule. IS-K has also employed a sophisticated and multilingual propaganda network to cast itself as the only option for hardened Taliban fighters who want to continue warring against foreigners and sectarian adversaries. "This is a very powerful and potent strategy, and it is likely already working," said Lucas Webber, co-founder of Militant Wire and research fellow at the Soufan Center. "There are reports of defections." Some Taliban rank-and-file, Webber says, may be fighting the complacency that comes with the day-to-day monotony of running a state. "A lot of these fighters, they grew up their whole lives fighting the United States and the international coalition, and they come from the global jihadist movement, the historic legacy of fighting the Soviets and fighting the Americans and their Western allies," Webber said. "Now a lot of them are stuck, bored, doing administrative jobs." The Taliban has tightened its grip on power since seizing Kabul in August 2021 and tried to capitalize on its gains to boost its image as a stabilizing force inside Afghanistan and in the region. "The consolidation of power has improved peace and stability internally and resulted in other positive benefits such as reduced corruption, decreased opium cultivation, and enhanced revenue generation," the UN monitoring team in Afghanistan reported in early July. But the hard-line Islamist group's widespread human rights abuses and failure to establish a government inclusive of women and the country's various religious and ethnic groups has left its biggest goal -- international recognition -- out of reach. It is a situation that, combined with multiple humanitarian, environmental, and economic crises, has hampered international aid and investment and undermined the Taliban's de facto government. So, too, have the actions of IS-K, a group founded in 2015 by disgruntled members of the Afghan Taliban and the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan and which subsumed the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, according to Webber. When IS militants claimed responsibility for the deadliest terrorist attack in Russia in two decades in March, suspicion immediately fell directly on IS-K. The Taliban, which has tried to neutralize IS-K and assuage concerns that Afghanistan is a haven for extremist groups, repeated its denials that the organization was operating on Afghan soil. But there is a wealth of evidence to show that the Taliban recognizes the threat IS-K poses both militarily and ideologically to its rule. Just prior to the Moscow bombing in March, Afghan media published an internal document attributed to the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI), the Taliban's notorious intelligence agency, which acknowledged IS recruitment efforts in the central Wardak Province. The document discussed the possibility that Taliban members who left the group during a recent effort to purge the ranks of undesirable fighters might have enlisted to fight for IS. The UN monitoring team in early July warned that IS-K had grown in numbers and succeeded in infiltrating the Taliban's GDI as well as its Defense and Interior ministries. In late July, Afghan media reported the arrest of 20 GDI members accused of working for IS-K in the western Herat Province, leading to the dismissal of the security body's regional head. For every step the Taliban takes to burnish its image at home and abroad, IS-K is doing its best to undermine it. IS-K seeks to establish a caliphate, or Islamic state, in Khorasan, a historical region that includes parts of modern-day Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, and Central Asia. "The group's narrative aims to reduce the Taliban's credibility among the Afghan population and trigger sectarian fault lines, promoting the idea that the Taliban has deviated from Islamic principles, while portraying itself as advancing the 'wider Khorasan,'" a UN Security Council committee reported in late July. Externally, that means conducting attacks in Tajikistan, Iran, and Pakistan, as well as in Russia. In Afghanistan itself, IS-K attacks undercut the Taliban's argument that it has established the type of security demanded by potential foreign investors from China and other states willing to work with the de facto government. In March, IS-K killed 21 people, most of them Taliban employees, at a bank in the southern city of Kandahar. Two months later, IS-K killed six foreign and local tourists in the central city of Bamiyan. The Bamiyan Buddhas were infamously reduced to rubble by the Taliban's first regime just before it was ousted by U.S.-led forces in 2001. Since retaking power, the Taliban has taken the remains of the Buddhas under its protection as it attempts to lure foreign, particularly Chinese, tourists to visit the UNESCO site. IS-K has used such attacks to flip some Taliban fighters to its side, boasting in a statement following the killings in Bamiyan that it had targeted foreign tourists and "Shi'a" living in the area. A Sunni extremist group, IS-K considers Shi'ite Muslims apostates. Riccardo Valle, director of research for The Khorasan Diary, said following the attack IS-K pointed out differences between the first Taliban regime that destroyed the Bamiyan Buddhas and the current one. "They are saying that once the Afghan Taliban were correctly applying religion, so they were destroying these idols," Valle said. But today IS-K has accused the Taliban of protecting the Bamiyan Buddhas "so that the Chinese can in return grant financial assistance, economic assistance to Afghanistan." The violence, Valle says, is part of IS-K's effort to disrupt the Taliban's economy and weaken its relations with foreign states. "They are also speaking directly to Taliban soldiers, trying to show them that the Islamic State is the only actor carrying out jihad," Valle added. "They know that some Afghan Taliban might be willing to listen." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-taliban-islamic- state-isk-khorasan/33067638.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Azerbaijan's Elections: In An Unfair Race, Opposition Considers Whether To Even Run By Joshua Kucera August 14, 2024 Vafa Nagi is running for parliament as an independent opposition candidate in Azerbaijan's parliamentary elections next month. And she doesn't have any illusions. "I have no chance to win," she said. The ruling New Azerbaijan Party, headed by President Ilham Aliyev, along with a constellation of other loyal parties, currently have total control of Azerbaijan's parliament. And in a country where Aliyev maintains an iron grip on the country and elections are routinely falsified, that is unlikely to change after the September 1 vote. So why run? In her travels around the area to gather the required 450 signatures to get on the ballot, she has had the chance to talk to many voters, Nagi, a feminist activist and former journalist, told RFE/RL. "You can see that people need someone to tell their problems to, people need someone to care about them," she said. In regions like her home district of Neftcala, in southeastern Azerbaijan, "people have been completely forgotten by officials," Nagi, said. There are few jobs and infrastructure is crumbling to the extent that salt water from the Caspian Sea has seeped into the municipal water supply, problems to which she says the authorities are indifferent. Campaigning offers "the chance to meet the people, to hear their voice," she said. Not everyone agrees that one-to-one communication makes campaigning worth it, and the question of whether to participate in the elections has divided Azerbaijan's opposition. Boycott The largest opposition party, the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (AXCP), is boycotting, arguing that taking part in the vote gives it a veneer of legitimacy. "We know that we won't come to power through a boycott," the party's leader, Ali Karimli, told Meydan TV, an independent online news platform, on July 20. "But the question for us now is not how we will come to power, but whether we take part in the government's charade of a fraudulent election, or do we keep our conscience clean?" Karimli has argued that the party's boycott helps to delegitimize the elections. "The fact that the principled opposition...didn't fit into the configuration that Aliyev created is driving the arrogant regime crazy," he wrote in a July 21 Facebook post. On August 9, the day the parliamentary election campaign officially kicked off, Karimli reported that the authorities had opened a criminal case against him, which he said was politically motivated. This will be the seventh straight election that the AXCP is sitting out, including the presidential election earlier this year, where Aliyev won his fifth consecutive term in office. Another of the largest opposition parties, Musavat, boycotted the presidential vote but is reversing course and taking part in the September parliamentary elections. "I don't think our participation will lead to democratic elections," Musavat's leader, Isa Qambar, told Voice of America's Azerbaijani Service. "But there are at least minimal possibilities," he said. In the process of gathering signatures to get on the ballot, the party's candidates have met with thousands of voters and talked to them about important issues in the country, he said. "This is a certain window of opportunity in a situation where practically all freedoms are restricted, and political activity is extremely difficult," Qambar said. "We are trying to make the most of it." Accelerated Elections Azerbaijan has long been one of the most unfree countries in the post-Soviet space, according to international rankings. But lately the country has become even more restrictive. A new media law passed in 2022 and a law on political parties adopted the following year further tightened the space for political discussion. That was followed by a wave of arrests of independent journalists and opposition figures. In the last parliamentary elections, more than 65,000 local observers took part. But the work of election-monitoring groups has become progressively more difficult. Groups are under increasing financial pressure, and have to register with the Central Election Commission, which restricts who can take part, says Mammad Mammadzadeh, coordinator of the Election Observation Alliance, an Azerbaijani watchdog. "Only pro-government nongovernmental organizations can register," he told RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service. Azerbaijan traditionally holds parliamentary elections in November, but at the end of June, President Aliyev announced that this year they would be moved up by two months. Ruling party deputies had argued that the schedule should be changed because Baku is hosting the COP29 global climate conference in November, and the elections could interfere. But the accelerated schedule also serves the government's agenda of dampening public interest in the elections, says Zohrab Ismayil, the head of the Baku-based Open Azerbaijan think tank. After the campaign officially kicked off on August 9, this year's politicking is taking place in the hottest month of the year, which is "not suitable" for serious activity, he says. Several nominally independent but pro-government candidates have recently and inexplicably withdrawn their candidacies, drawing speculation that the government forced them to step down. "The government's clear interest," Ismayil said, is that "activism should be limited." And so the opposition boycott only plays into the government's hands, according to Ismayil. "No political discussion, no political involvement," he said. "Of course, the opportunities for the opposition are very [few], but the boycotting is not increasing these opportunities, only decreasing them." Still, in the interest of appearing to be pluralistic, the government may "allow" a certain number of real opposition candidates, Ismayil says, to win and enter parliament. Nagi, the independent candidate in Neftcala, doubts she will be one of them. Her opponent is the wife of the current officeholder, who has served in parliament for nearly 30 years, and the couple has close ties to the government. Given that she is ignored by Azerbaijan's tightly controlled media, Nagi said that she plans to go door-to-door talking to voters. She will also focus on social media, especially TikTok, which she said is widely used in Neftcala. Nagi did manage to get elected in 2019 to a municipal council in her home region of Neftcala. But in those elections, there was a single polling place, and she personally stood by the ballot box for 11 hours, live streaming on social media, to make sure it wasn't stuffed. In her district for the parliamentary race, though, there are 49 polling places. "We would need hundreds of observers," she said. In the end, her tenure in the city council did not last long: after she pushed the council to be more transparent about its finances, she was the subject of a smear campaign that included posting photos around town of her in a swimsuit. Shortly thereafter, she was expelled from the council on what she says were political grounds. Now, with a run for a higher office, she says she hopes to call attention to the lack of free elections in Azerbaijan, and to hold on to whatever space for political expression that Azerbaijanis still have. It can always get worse, she said: "We are trying so our country doesn't turn into Turkmenistan." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/azerbaijan-september-elections- opposition/33077338.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Spanish Government condemns the visit of the Israeli minister Ben Gvir to the Esplanade of the Mosques Spain - Ministry of Foreign Affairs PRESS STATEMENT 043 14 Aug 2024 The Spanish Government condemns the visit of Israeli Minister Ben Gvir to the Esplanade of the Mosques and his statements; they represent an unacceptable violation of the historical status quo of the Holy Places of Jerusalem, which Israel must preserve by taking all necessary measures. The preservation of the status quo of the Holy Places, in which Spain recognises Jordan's special role as custodian, is essential. -NON OFFICIAL TRANSLATION- NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hamas Official Says US No Longer Seen as Negotiator Capable of Bringing About Ceasefire Sputnik News 20240814 WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Hamas Political Bureau member Osama Hamdan said in an interview with the Associated Press that the United States is no longer seen as a reliable negotiator capable of bringing about a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Hamden said Hamas does not see Israel engaging in good faith in the ceasefire negotiations and does not believe the Biden administration can pressure Israeli Prime MInister Benjamin Netanyahu's war cabinet to ink a deal. Hamas would only participate in Thursday's talks if negotiators were to discuss Israel's peace deal that US President Joe Biden announced in May without any new additions, he said. "We have informed the mediators that ... any meeting should be based on talking about implementation mechanisms and setting deadlines rather than negotiating something new," the outlet quoted Hamden as saying. "Otherwise, Hamas finds no reason to participate." On Tuesday, Hamas representative in Lebanon Ahmed Abdel Hadi told Sputnik that the Palestinian movement will not participate in the negotiations on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip scheduled for August 15. Last week, Egypt, Qatar and the United States called on Israel and Hamas to resume talks on the terms of a ceasefire on August 14-15. The three countries' leaders said they were ready to present a final proposal to reach a deal. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken postponed his planned trip to the region amid the uncertain situation in the region and Iranian plans to attack Israel. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Burkina Faso Highly Appreciates Russian Instructors - Defense Minister Sputnik News 20240814 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Burkina Faso highly appreciates Russian instructors compared to French ones, Burkinabe Defense Minister Kassoum Coulibaly told Sputnik. "If I deal with someone who comes to teach me, but is at a lower level than me, what do you want me to learn? Russian instructors bring us something new. It is about how to conduct combat operations, about Russian military doctrine. This is an advantage that has enriched us greatly," Coulibaly said. In partnership with the French side, there was a big gap between what was said and what was done, the minister added. Commenting on the Army-2024 forum, the official said that it was intense and the participants saw the capabilities of artillery, means of combating drones, noting that it was a good experience. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Gaza Ceasefire Showdown: Truce Elusive as All Sides Place Their Bets Sputnik News 20240814 The Palestinian movement, Hamas, has announced that it is not going to partake in the Gaza ceasefire negotiations slated to be held on August 15 in Doha, Qatar. "We will not participate in the negotiations that are scheduled for Thursday," Hamas' representative in Lebanon Ahmed Abdel Hadi told Sputnik. As countries all over the world are calling for a peaceful resolution to the Gaza conflict, this is how things stand on the eve of the missed talks: Hamas: The Palestinian group flatly refused to participate in the ceasefire talks saying, "Rather [Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu] is deceiving and evading and wants to prolong the war, and even expand it at the regional level, and thus he uses negotiations as a cover to continue his aggression against our people and commit more massacres against them," Hadi told Sky News. Israel: PM Netanyahu has toughened his stance on the negotiations, the NYT reported citing unpublished documents. Israel has put forward five new demands to the US, Qatar and Egypt with the most disputable one about retaining control over the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, though in May, Tel Aviv planned to withdraw troops. US: Washington has consistently expressed hope that Israel and Hamas would return to negotiations. However, on Tuesday, the US approved a new $20 billion arms sale to Israel, which includes tank rounds, mortar shells, air-to-air missiles, and F-15 warplanes. Iran: Tehran warned on Tuesday that only a ceasefire in Gaza, resulting from anticipated talks this week, could prevent the country from retaliating for the targeted assassination of a top Hamas official on Iranian soil by Israeli forces. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address IDF Says Hamas Shelled Humanitarian Corridor in Rafah Area Sputnik News 20240814 MOSCOW, (Sputnik) - The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that the humanitarian corridor in the Rafah area was allegedly shelled by Palestinian movement Hamas, due to which movement and coordination along the route were temporarily suspended. "Earlier today (Tuesday), Hamas terrorists opened fire toward the Humanitarian Route in the area of Rafah. Consequentially, movement and coordination along the Humanitarian Route has been temporarily halted as the area now constitutes an active combat zone," the IDF said on Telegram on Tuesday. On October 7, 2023, Israel was subjected to an unprecedented rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. In addition, Hamas fighters infiltrated the border areas, opened fire on the military and civilians and took hostages. Israeli authorities say that about 1,200 people were killed during the raid. The Israel Defense Forces launched Operation Iron Swords in the Gaza Strip and announced a complete blockade of the enclave. The enclave's health ministry says that the death toll from Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip since October 7 has exceeded 39,900. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary Blinken's Call with Qatari Prime Minister-Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson August 14, 2024 The below is attributable to Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel: Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. The Secretary and Prime Minister discussed efforts to calm tensions in the region and the importance of finalizing a ceasefire in Gaza. The Secretary and Prime Minister stated no party in the region should take actions that would undermine efforts to reach a deal. They also reaffirmed the joint leaders statement by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt. The Secretary thanked the Prime Minister for Qatar's critical role in working towards lasting peace in the region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The UK calls on South Sudan to deliver peaceful, credible, and inclusive elections: UK statement at the UN Security Council Statement by Jonathan Hollis, Acting Deputy Political Coordinator, at the UN Security Council Meeting on South Sudan. 14 August 2024 President, as we have heard today the picture in South Sudan remains precarious. Since its independence, the country has been plagued by appalling violence. Now is the moment for the South Sudanese authorities to demonstrate the political will to tackle the country's most pressing challenges and realise a more stable future. I would like to focus my remarks today on three points. First, the UK calls on the Government of South Sudan to take the necessary steps to deliver peaceful, credible, and inclusive elections. While we recognise some progress has been made with the partial funding of key institutions, we remain concerned that the preparations for elections on 22 December remain behind schedule. We urge the Government to fully disperse the resources needed to enable crucial preparatory work to get underway. We also call upon the parties to the Revitalized Agreement to engage in political dialogue to reach a consensus to deliver elections. This includes making decisions on voter registration, the type of elections that are to be called, and progress on the deployment of the Necessary Unified Forces. Second, civic and political space are cornerstones of any functioning democracy and must be respected. The UK remains concerned at reports of threats and intimidation of political activists, journalists, and human rights defenders. We are particularly troubled by the passing into law of the new National Security Service Bill, which allows the security services to arrest individuals without a warrant. We call on the Government of South Sudan to act in accordance with its constitutional commitment to respect human rights. Third, we recognise that three quarters of the population in South Sudan is suffering from a protracted humanitarian crisis, deepened by conflict, climate and economic shocks. We urge partners to work together to support the most vulnerable and for the Government of South Sudan to ensure a conducive environment, which enables the delivery of humanitarian assistance and prevents attacks on aid workers. In closing, while the challenges ahead are significant, they are not insurmountable. With the right political will and courage, South Sudan can take an important step towards a more peaceful, democratic and prosperous future. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Humanitarians report rise in children killed and injured in the West Bank 14 August 2024 - The killing, injury and displacement of Palestinians continues in the West Back against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in Gaza, now in its 10th month, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in an update issued on Wednesday. The number of Palestinian children killed by live ammunition fired by Israeli forces has almost tripled since 7 October 2023, compared with the preceding 10 months, rising from 39 to 115. Similarly, the number of Palestinian boys and girls injured by live ammunition fired by Israeli soldiers more than doubled during the same corresponding periods, or 1,411 compared to 615. West Bank violence The OCHA humanitarian update covered the period from 6 -12 August. During that time, Israeli forces killed five Palestinians in the West Bank. Another 54 were injured, including 11 children, by both Israeli forces and settlers. Palestinians also shot and killed an Israeli civilian and a Palestinian in two separate incidents. Additionally, two Palestinian men died from wounds sustained in Israeli airstrikes during an operation in Jenin on 5 August, bringing the death toll from that incident to seven. Nearly 600 killed overall Since the start of the Gaza war though to 12 August, 594 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in addition to two others who died from wounds sustained prior to 7 October. The majority, 577, were killed by Israeli forces, and 10 by settlers, while it remains unknown whether the others were killed by Israeli forces or settlers. OCHA said Israeli settlers perpetrated 25 attacks against Palestinians during the reporting period, resulting in six injuries and damage to property. Two children were among those injured. Palestinians also carried out three attacks against settlers, resulting in injury to one person. OCHA recorded roughly 1,250 attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians between 7 October 2023 and 12 August 2024. Around 120 led to fatalities and injuries, and about 1,000 resulted in damage to property. In 130 cases, both casualties and property damage occurred. The agency highlighted an incident during the reporting period in which Israeli settlers assaulted two 15-year-old Palestinian boys by handcuffing them, breaking their legs, and urinating on them in a settler outpost near Bethlehem. Property damage and demolitions Demolition of Palestinian homes, and the destruction of public infrastructure, also continues in the West Bank, the report revealed. Between 6 and 12 August, Israeli authorities demolished or forced the demolition of nine Palestinian-owned structures, one of which was a punitive demolition and eight were due to the lack of Israeli-issued building permits, which OCHA noted are almost impossible to obtain. As a result, 37 Palestinians were displaced, including 13 children, and around 789 more otherwise affected, mainly children. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Afghanistan: 20 years of steady education progress 'almost wiped out' 14 August 2024 - The de facto authorities in Afghanistan "have almost wiped out two decades of steady progress for education" there, putting the future of an entire generation in jeopardy, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural agency (UNESCO) reported on Wednesday. Afghanistan is currently the only country in the world where secondary and higher education is strictly forbidden to women and girls over 12. The Taliban swept back into power on 15 August 2021 and swiftly began curtailing women's rights. Three years to the day after the fall of Kabul, the nation's capital, at least 1.4 million girls have been deliberately denied access to secondary education because of the bans. Including the girls who were already out of school before the Taliban's reimposition of strict religious legal codes, there are now almost 2.5 million girls in the country deprived of their right to education, representing 80 per cent of Afghan school age girls. There has also been a decrease by over half of the number of students enrolled in universities since 2021, UNESCO said. As a result, the country will face a shortage of graduates trained for highly skilled jobs, which will only exacerbate development problems, according to the report. Equally strong impact on primary education While girls' education is technically still permitted under the age of 12, the number of those enrolled in primary education has fallen drastically since 2021. New UNESCO data shows that Afghanistan had only 5.7 million girls and boys in primary school in 2022, compared with 6.8 million in 2019. This drop in primary school enrolment is the result of the Taliban's decision to prohibit female teachers from teaching boys, exacerbating a teacher shortage. It can also be explained by parents' lack of incentive to send their children to school, in an increasingly difficult socio-economic environment. It is feared that the increasing drop-out rate could lead to a rise in child labour and early marriage. UNESCO's alternative learning methods Since 2021, UNESCO has set up programmes with the support of local communities in 20 of the country's 34 provinces. Over 1,000 facilitators, including 780 women, have been trained to deliver literacy courses, benefiting over 55,000 young people, the vast majority of them girls. UNESCO also invests in distance learning via radio and television, providing financial support and training to Afghan media wishing to develop and broadcast educational programmes. The UN agency continues to call on the international community to fully commit to restoring the right to education for girls and women in Afghanistan, stating that face-to-face education in a classroom is the best possible way for people to learn. "The right to education cannot be negotiated or compromised. The international community must remain fully mobilised to obtain the unconditional reopening of schools and universities to Afghan girls and women," emphasised Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO. International community must not 'normalise' Taliban rule Meanwhile 36 UN independent experts are also calling on the international community not to normalise the de facto authorities in Afghanistan in a joint statement released Wednesday. The rights experts who report to the Human Rights Council and who are not UN staff include the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett. "Over the past three years, the people of Afghanistan, especially women and girls, have been subjected to an appalling and intensifying attack on their rights and freedoms by a regime that lacks legitimacy and inclusivity, quashes all forms of dissent, represses civil society and the media, and has shown a flagrant disregard for the principles of justice, non-discrimination, equality, and the rule of law," the rights experts stated. The experts emphasised that the deliberate subjugation of women and girls is so widespread and systematic that it has come to amount to crimes against humanity, including the crime of gender persecution. The situation is so extreme that many Afghans say it is best described as "gender apartheid". "The people of Afghanistan deserve to live in a country where the rights, dignity, and humanity of all are respected and protected. Now more than ever, is the time for robust international action to meet their demands with increased protection, support and solidarity," they concluded. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address USS Oscar Austin One of Two U.S. Navy DDGs Homeport Shifting to Rota, Spain US Navy - Press Release 14 August 2024 NORFOLK, Va. -- USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79) is scheduled to change its homeport from Naval Station Norfolk, Va. to Rota Naval Base, Spain, in the fall of 2024. Oscar Austin is the first of two additional Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers to join the current Forward Deployed Naval Force-Europe (FDNF-E) force - adding additional capabilities to the U.S. European Command (EUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) areas of responsibility. The addition of these two ships will be phased, with the second arriving in 2026. The second ship will be named closer to its arrival. "Shifting Oscar Austin's homeport to Rota is the next step in bolstering U.S. and NATO maritime presence and combat power in Europe as well as increasing the capacity to execute the One Atlantic concept," said Adm. Daryl Caudle, commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command. "The One Atlantic concept improves the ability to share, leverage, and fully utilize naval forces in response to threats and strategic competitors while conducting multi-mission operations across the Atlantic by multiple Combatant Commanders." The move will increase the U.S. Navy's forward-deployed operational footprint in EUCOM to five destroyers in Rota. The increased presence reinforces the U.S. Navy's commitment to its enduring relationship with maritime allies in Spain, and it enhances operations to support maritime security alongside allies and partners in Europe and Africa, strengthening the trans-Atlantic link. The addition will enable additional coordination between U.S. and Spanish navies on ship maintenance and training. Operating naval forces from Spain maximizes flexibility and ensures access to strategic global crossroads. The addition of Oscar Austin to Rota will allow for more operational flexibility within the European theater. The arrival of the ship will provide a mitigation of operational tempo for other FDNF-E Sailors assigned to ships in Rota, improving quality of life and decreasing operational stressors. On May 8, 2023, the U.S. Ambassador to Spain, Julissa Reynoso, signed in Madrid on behalf of President Biden the enhancement of the Defense Cooperation Agreement with the Kingdom of Spain to increase the U.S. Navy's presence at Rota Naval Base, Spain, from four Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers to six. The initial decision to base destroyers out of Spain is part of the U.S. European Phased Adaptive Approach announced by President Obama in 2009. Since its announcement, the U.S. has broadened its Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) capabilities in theater including increasing FDNF-E from four to six and the finalization of the second Aegis Ashore site in Poland. Oscar Austin is the first Flight IIA Arleigh Burke-class, guided-missile destroyer and proudly bears the name of Pfc. Oscar P. Austin, United States Marine Corps. USS Oscar Austin was commissioned on August 19, 2000, in Norfolk, Va. Oscar Austin is ballistic missile defense, anti-submarine, and anti-surface warfare capable. The ship can embark two MH-60R Seahawk helicopters to assist in anti-submarine and other warfare areas. Destroyers can work with Carrier Strike Groups, Surface Action Groups, Expeditionary Strike Groups or independently. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Philippines' air base upgrade expected to deter China's aggression By Christy Lee August 14, 2024 Western analysts are welcoming an upgrade of a key air base in the Philippines as necessary to boost the readiness of the Philippines and U.S. militaries to deter Chinese aggression in the South China Sea. Basa Air Base, located about 100 kilometers from Manila, is set to receive a 58,000-square-meter parking apron that can accommodate up to 20 aircraft. The Pentagon announced last month it has awarded a contract worth over $32 million to Acciona CMS Philippines LLC to build the parking apron, shoulders and taxiway by July 2026. The upgrade will be funded under the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, a Pentagon program aimed at countering China's growing military threat in the Indo-Pacific. "The United States and its allies in the region will be able to deter aggression more effectively if the infrastructure at key bases such as Basa is modernized and expanded," said Bradley Bowman, senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. "The ultimate goal, of course, is to deter Chinese aggression in the region. This is not a theoretical problem. Beijing daily demonstrates that it believes in a might-makes-right foreign policy that ignores sovereignty and rights of its neighbors," Bowman continued. Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., told VOA on Tuesday that the Philippines and the United States "should not target any third party" in their cooperation to upgrade the base. "China made clear its positions on the military cooperation between the U.S. and the Philippines more than once," he said. "The U.S. is not a party to the issue of the South China Sea and has no right to interfere in the maritime issues between China and the Philippines." Manila on Sunday condemned "dangerous provocative actions" by two Chinese aircraft dropping flares in the path of a Philippine aircraft conducting a routine patrol around the Scarborough Shoal on Thursday in the South China Sea. Beijing defended its action as a legal move against Manila's "illegal" intrusion into its airspace. The Scarborough Shoal is one of the region's most contested maritime flashpoints. Manila and Beijing often find themselves in frequent flare-ups over the sovereignty and fishing rights of the shoal. It sits about 300 kilometers from Basa Air Base, well within the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone and about 900 kilometers from the Chinese mainland. The base, which hosts the Philippines fleet of FA-50PH combat aircraft, is currently ill-equipped to host additional fighter jets that the Philippines is in the process of acquiring, said Abdul Rahman Yaacob, a research fellow in the Southeast Asia Program at the Lowy Institute. Philippine military chief Romeo Brawner Jr. said in July the government had approved a decision to purchase multi-role fighter jets because the FA-50s were "not enough to defend the country." Yaacob said, "The air base, if equipped with sufficient infrastructure and facilities, could support and sustain Filipino and friendly forces' joint operations at the top end of the South China Sea," including surveillance operations. "Basa Air Base could play a role in any tension or conflict between the U.S. and China" because of its location, Yaacob said. The base faces the South China Sea across from China's Hainan Island. The modernization of the base is part of an Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) signed in 2014, which allows the U.S. to build and operate facilities on Philippine's bases for both countries and rotate American forces through the Philippines. The agreement did not establish permanent U.S. bases in the country. The U.S. allocated $66.57 million for Basa Air Base out of $82 million allocated for infrastructure investments at five bases designated as the EDCA sites in 2016. Prashanth Parameswaran, a fellow at the Wilson Center in Washington and founder of the twice-weekly ASEAN Wonk online newsletter, said the Basa Air Base modernization is "the latest in an impressive series of advances in the U.S.-Philippine alliance among both countries, as well as their wider network of partners under Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr." "Alliance collaboration in four new defense sites announced last year will also be key to monitor, in addition to five previously agreed sites including Basa Air Base, that were part of the 2016 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement," Parameswaran said. In addition to five bases including Basa, the U.S. and the Philippines announced last year they will expand the EDCA to include four new sites. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Botswana, US address challenges facing women in military By Mqondisi Dube August 14, 2024 U.S. and Botswanan military personnel took part in a workshop focusing on better integrating women into the African country's army, addressing issues such as sexual harassment and the need for tailored equipment. The three-day workshop was part of a larger program wrapping up Thursday intended to strengthen relations between the two countries and build local forces' capacity. Major Teisha Barnes, military operations officer of the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, which has an initiative to better address the role of women serving their countries, said women in the military face challenges that could limit their opportunities. "One of the big challenges is not letting women broaden their horizons and putting them in a box," Barnes said, adding that "not many women rise to the occasion." "We have made several changes in the U.S. over the last 10 to 15 years to accommodate women based on body type and changes to uniform just to help women feel more comfortable within the military," she said. Barnes elaborated on the U.S. Army's challenges regarding uniforms and equipment, saying, "In the U.S. we also had issues with the proper fit in the wear of our vest when it came to shooting and injuring females instead of helping us. Another issue we had was the learning that women did not weigh enough to actually break in boots. "By giving lessons to Botswana," she said, "we hope they will learn from our mistakes to prevent injuries to women." Botswana Defense Forces Major P. Sergio acknowledged that women in the army still face challenges and voiced hope that interactions with the U.S. Army will prove helpful. "In our culture, men believe that women cannot join the army because it is tough and we are soft, we are not masculine," Sergio said. "People are not quick to change; it will take time for people to accept that women have joined the army and are doing well." U.S. Ambassador to Botswana Howard Van Vranken said it is essential to afford women equal opportunities in the military. "It is [a] kind of approach to problem solving that incorporates everyone's strength and enables us to bring everyone into the equation on an equal basis," he said. "It's absolutely essential that in order to tackle the problems that we face in the 21st century in security, we need everyone to contribute." The U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, or SETAF-AF, workshop coincides with a broader initiative known as Southern Accord 2024, which is aimed at strengthening bilateral military capabilities. The SETAF-AF deputy commanding general, Brigadier General John LeBlanc, said this year's Southern Accord exercise, which drew 700 military personnel, has been a success. The bilateral exercises end Thursday. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Fighting continues in Gaza and West Bank as negotiators approach cease-fire talks By VOA News August 14, 2024 As negotiators prepared to resume discussions about a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas, fighting continued overnight in Gaza and the West Bank. International mediators from United States, Qatar and Egypt are set to begin a new round of talks on Thursday, but tensions remain high with Iran and its allies threatening to retaliate against Israel for the assassinations of a top Hezbollah operative in Beirut and of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Israel has claimed the Beirut attack, but not the Tehran one, although Israel is widely presumed to have carried it out. Israeli strikes early Wednesday killed at least 17 people, including five children and their parents, in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian health officials said. The Israel Defense Forces reported destroying more than 40 Hamas infrastructure sites throughout the Gaza Strip, killing armed combatants and uncovering large quantities of weapons, ammunition, grenades and other explosives. Israeli troops also killed five Palestinians in air strikes and a raid in the north of the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, sources on both sides said. The Israeli army said it "carried out air strikes on several armed terrorists" in the town of Tammun, 5 kilometers from Tubas. Tubas governor Ahmad Saad told AFP that four Palestinians were killed in Tammun and one in Tubas. Palestinian official news agency Wafa reported that "the army entered Tubas at dawn and shot and killed a young man hiding in his home." 'Not giving up' On Tuesday, U.S. President Joe Biden said that he was "not giving up" on concluding a cease-fire deal that could avert a bigger conflict. In addition to the threat from Iran, there are also concerns around reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has added to his demands for a cease-fire deal. His office denied the reports Tuesday, saying he did not introduce new terms, only "essential clarifications" for the deal's implementation. Netanyahu has said he will send a delegation to Thursday's talks, but it was not yet clear whether Hamas would participate. White House national security spokesperson John Kirby has warned that Israel and its allies must be prepared for "what could be a significant set of attacks" from Iran as soon as "this week." Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas in retaliation for the Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack that killed 1,200 people and led to the capture of 250 hostages. Israel's counteroffensive has killed nearly 40,000 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry, while Israel says the death toll includes thousands of Hamas fighters. VOA's Patsy Widakuswara, Margaret Besheer, Nike Ching, Carla Babb and Natasha Mozgovaya contributed to this report. Some information for this report came from Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address White House projects confidence on Gaza cease-fire talks By Patsy Widakuswara August 14, 2024 The United States and key mediators Egypt and Qatar are intensifying efforts to push Israel and Hamas toward a cease-fire deal to end 10 months of fighting triggered by Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Hamas, a U.S. designated terror group, has signaled it won't attend the latest round of talks scheduled in the Qatari capital, Doha, on Thursday. "We expect to be told by the mediators that Israel has accepted what is being offered, and any meeting should be based on talking about implementation mechanisms and setting deadlines rather than negotiating something new," said Hamas political officer Osama Hamdan. The White House is projecting confidence that the talks will happen. "There's always political posturing. We see this all the time in advance of talks, that's not new," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday during her press briefing. However, President Joe Biden has admitted that peace is elusive. "It's getting hard," he told reporters Tuesday when asked if a cease-fire and hostage release deal is becoming a more distant possibility. "We'll see what Iran does, and we'll see what happens if there's any attack," he said. "But I'm not giving up." Many fear escalation Reaching a truce in Gaza is key to holding back Tehran's expected attack on Israel in retaliation for the recent killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Iranian soil. Israel did not claim responsibility for the killing but is widely blamed for Haniyeh's death. Biden said he expects Iran to hold off its strike if a deal is reached in the next few days. With fighting between Israel and Hamas raging in Gaza and cross-border fire intensifying between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, many fear a large-scale Iranian attack would trigger wider conflict in the Middle East. "There is no more time to waste, and there's no more valid excuses from any party for any further delay," U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein said in Beirut on Wednesday. "The deal would also help enable a diplomatic resolution here in Lebanon, and that would prevent an outbreak of a wider war." Other officials are also engaging in intensive diplomacy this week. White House coordinator for the Middle East Brett McGurk will travel to Cairo and Doha, and CIA Director William Burns also will travel to Doha. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has postponed his departure to the region, originally scheduled for Tuesday. To bolster deterrence, the U.S. has deployed additional military assets to the Middle East, including squadrons of F-35C and F-22 Raptor jet fighters, the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and the USS Georgia submarine. Israel blames Hamas Israel has agreed to participate in a new round of talks Thursday. However, for weeks, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's own security officials and negotiators have accused him of stalling by reintroducing demands that had previously been eliminated. Netanyahu's office denies the claim. "It is Hamas that continues to set additional terms and has refused to reach an agreement," government spokesperson David Mencer said. As first reported by The New York Times this week, Israel in late July presented mediators with less flexible conditions compared with the set of principles it had offered in late May. "There are people who insist that Israel has deliberately stepped it up because it would prefer to drag its allies into a regional conflagration so as to provide the maximum amount of support to Israel," said Mirette Mabrouk, director of the Egypt program at the Middle East Institute. "This would be just a very, very bad idea," she told VOA. Iran keen to avoid war Boxed into a corner with its vows of retaliation, Iran also may be looking for an off-ramp to avoid a wider war, said Michael Singh, the managing director and Lane-Swig senior fellow at the Washington Institute of Near East Policy. "If it backs down, it will sort of be seen in the region, and maybe within Iran, to have backed away in the face of U.S. threats," he told VOA. "However, if it goes ahead with its plan, then it may find itself in a war that it can't win." Iran's mission to the United Nations has denied reporting that Tehran is considering sending a representative to Doha to engage in behind-the-scenes discussions with the U.S. while cease-fire negotiations proceed. The White House has not responded to VOA's request to confirm whether Iran would play an indirect role in talks. Pressure on Israel While the White House denies that domestic politics is a motivating factor in the cease-fire talks, Democrats are keen to avoid the optics of massive anti-war demonstrations as the party gears up for its national convention on Monday. That is when Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz will be celebrated as the Democratic presidential ticket to rival former President Donald Trump and Senator JD Vance, the Republican ticket in the November election. Progressives, young voters, Arab and Muslim Americans and others in the Democratic electorate have urged Biden to do more to pressure Israel to stop its campaign. Laura Blumenfeld, a senior fellow at the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies, suggested that Biden could tell Netanyahu, "Game over. What's coming down the pike, whether it's President Harris or President Trump, there isn't going to be the same kind of long leash for you. So, it's time to kind of wrap it up and bring about a new era." That new era is regional integration for Israel in return for Palestinian statehood. But that's way down the line. Cease-fire in Gaza remains the elusive first step. "Right now, the region is on the verge of an explosion, and Israel will be on the receiving end of that firepower," Blumenfeld told VOA. "The president can leverage this moment and say, 'We have your back, but now we need to see something from you in exchange, which is some compromises.'" Nearly 40,000 people have died in Israel's campaign in retaliation for the 1,200 people killed and 250 people captured by Hamas on October 7. Palestinian health officials say the war casualties are mostly women and children, while Israel says the majority are combatants. Biden has not used what many say would be the most effective leverage withholding American weapons. On Tuesday, the U.S. State Department announced it has approved an additional $20 billion in arms sales to Israel, including scores of fighter jets and advanced air-to-air missiles. VOA's Carla Babb and Kim Lewis contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Australian opposition lawmakers call for ban on visas for Palestinians fleeing Gaza By Phil Mercer August 14, 2024 Newly released statistics from the Australian government show that thousands of Palestinians have had their visa applications rejected since the start of the Israel-Hamas war last October. Australia's conservative opposition said Wednesday that it was "not prudent" for any Palestinians to be allowed into the country because of national security concerns. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the leader of the center-right opposition, Peter Dutton, clashed in Federal Parliament Wednesday over visas for Palestinians fleeing the conflict in the Middle East. Dutton had earlier told Australian television that Palestinians trying to leave Gaza should not be granted entry to Australia because of national security concerns. He said he was not satisfied there was adequate screening of visa applicants to ensure they were not associated with terrorism. Albanese stressed he had confidence in the country's vetting and security processes. Newly released government statistics show that since the attack by Hamas militants on Israel last Oct. 7, more than 7,100 visa applications from Palestinians in Gaza have been refused by the Canberra government. During the same period, officials approved another 2,922 applications, mostly visitor visas to holders of a Palestinian Authority travel document. Mike Burgess, head of the Australian Security Intelligence Organization, the domestic spy agency, said in an interview with local media Sunday that financial or material support for Hamas should lead to an application being denied. He added, however, that "rhetorical" support for Hamas was not grounds for the immediate disqualification of a visa application. But Australia's center-right opposition has insisted that rhetorical, as in written or vocal, support for the militant organization should also be grounds for denying an entry visa. James Paterson, the shadow minister for Home Affairs, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. that entry rules for people fleeing Gaza need to be strict. "I think the government should send a very clear message that no one who supports Hamas is welcome in Australia," Peterson said. "Think about all the challenges we have had with antisemitism, with social cohesion, we have just had the terrorism threat level increased - none of those problems become easier by bringing people to Australia who support terrorism." Community groups have reported an increase in antisemitic and Islamophobic abuse in Australia since the Israel-Hamas war broke out last October. Earlier this month, Australia's new Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the government was working on safeguards for Palestinians when their visitor visas expire. He confirmed they would not be sent back to Gaza with a war still raging. Since the Oct. 7 attacks, Australia has granted just over 8,700 visas to Israelis. About 200 applications have been refused. Intelligence officials have confirmed that security screenings were carried out on some but not all visa applicants, which were subject to referral from the Canberra government. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Radical Taliban observe third year of ruling Afghanistan By Ayaz Gul August 14, 2024 The Islamist Taliban marked the third anniversary Wednesday of recapturing power in Afghanistan with a public holiday and a televised military parade at the former U.S.-run Bagram airbase, among other symbolic events. The so-called "victory day" celebrations occurred amid ongoing global criticism of the Taliban government, known as the Islamic Emirate, for allegedly creating "the world's most serious women's rights crisis" and making impoverished Afghanistan the only country where girls are banned from education beyond sixth grade. The ceremony at Bagram, around 40 kilometers north of the Afghan capital, Kabul, featured a 21-gun salute and speeches from top Taliban leaders, with thousands of people in the male-only audience, including foreign diplomats. The then-insurgent Taliban swept back to power on August 15, 2021, as the U.S.-led international forces withdrew from the country after their involvement in the Afghan war for almost 20 years. The Taliban's prime minister, Hassan Akhund, stated in a message read by his chief of staff, "Allah granted the Mujahid nation of Afghanistan a decisive victory on this date over an international arrogant and occupying force." Akhund, largely considered a figurehead, was absent from Wednesday's event. Akhund's message said that the Taliban government "has the responsibility to maintain Islamic rule, protect property, people's lives, and the honor of our nation." The de facto Taliban government, not formally recognized by any country, cited the national solar calendar for marking the anniversary of "Afghanistan's victory and freedom" from the U.S.-led "occupation" a day early. Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, wanted by the United States for terrorism with a $10 million bounty for his arrest, also addressed the Bagram event, urging global cooperation and engagement with the Taliban administration. "My message to the international community is that there is no need for dismay over the fact that you took our independence, and we reclaimed it successfully," Haqqani said, without naming any country. "We do not want to hold anyone accountable. We have created favorable circumstances and have good intentions for them to cooperate with us in rebuilding Afghanistan, similar to how they helped during the occupation," he said. Haqqani ran his network of militants, staging high-profile suicide bombings and other deadly attacks in support of Taliban insurgents on American and NATO forces during their presence in the war-torn South Asian nation. The Bagram parade was also an opportunity for the Taliban to showcase the military hardware, including tanks, helicopters, and Humvees, left behind by U.S. and NATO forces. Taliban leaders boasted about their conquest and subsequent achievements, such as establishing "peace and security" and an Islamic system in line with their harsh interpretation of Islam, but none of them responded to allegations of human rights abuses, particularly their sweeping curbs on women's rights. They did not discuss hardships facing millions of Afghans. The United Nations and international aid agencies have ranked Afghanistan as one of the world's "largest and most complex" humanitarian crises. They estimated that 23.7 million Afghans, more than half women and children, need humanitarian relief. A group of 29 U.N. experts Wednesday jointly called for "stronger and more effective" international action to address the deteriorating human rights situation in Afghanistan. "We stress that there should be no move to normalize the de facto authorities unless and until there are demonstrated, measurable, and independently verified improvements against human rights benchmarks, particularly for women and girls," the Geneva-based experts said in a statement. In a separate joint statement this week, international non-governmental organizations warned of a growing aid funding gap. Speaking ahead of the three-year anniversary of the Taliban takeover, a top U.N. official on Tuesday urged the world to support Afghan women's fight for freedom. "Three years' worth of countless decrees, directives, and statements targeting women and girls - stripping them of their fundamental rights, eviscerating their autonomy," Alison Davidian, the U.N. Women's country representative in Afghanistan, said while sharing details of the latest survey. She referred to religious edicts the reclusive Taliban supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, has issued over the past three years to govern the crisis-hit country, most of them leading to restrictions on the freedom of Afghan women and girls. Akhundzada rarely leaves the southern city of Kandahar, regarded as the country's de facto capital. "To date, no woman in Afghanistan is in a leadership position anywhere that has influence politically at the national or provincial level. When Afghan women are engaged in the Taliban's structures, their roles are largely about monitoring the compliance of other women with their discriminatory decrees," Davidian told reporters in New York. "We must continue to invest in women. Nothing undermines the Taliban's vision for society more than empowering the very part of the population they seek to oppress," she stressed. Human Rights Watch reiterated its call for the global community to press the Taliban to remove curbs on women. "The third anniversary of the Taliban's takeover is a grim reminder of Afghanistan's human rights crisis, but it should also be a call for action," said Fereshta Abbasi, the U.S.-based watchdog's Afghanistan researcher. The Taliban have dismissed criticism of their government as interference in internal matters of Afghanistan, saying their policies are aligned with local culture and Islam. Terrorism-related international sanctions on many top Taliban leaders, isolation of their administration, and continued suspension of foreign development aid have made it difficult for Kabul to address deepening economic troubles. The World Bank reported in April that the aftermath of the Taliban takeover had seen a stark decline in international aid, leaving Afghanistan without any internal growth engines and leading to "a staggering 26 percent contraction in real GDP." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US pressures regional leaders to resolve Venezuelan election dispute By Anita Powell August 14, 2024 U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday continued to pressure leaders of nations sharing a region with Venezuela to resolve the oil-rich nation's political crisis stemming from its vote last month. The White House, meanwhile, reaffirmed its belief that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro fraudulently claimed he'd won reelection. Maduro is cracking down on his political opponents, prompting rights groups to sound the alarm. In a call between Biden and Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino on Wednesday, the two leaders discussed their concerns about "serious flaws" in the vote count following the Venezuelan election on July 28, according to a White House readout. "President Biden thanked President Mulino for his effort to advance democracy in both Panama and the hemisphere, including Panama's efforts to mobilize regional support to restore democratic norms in Venezuela and condemn political repression," the readout stated. The White House also took pains Wednesday to reiterate its stance that the Maduro-controlled National Electoral Council incorrectly tabulated the vote. "It is abundantly clear to the majority of the Venezuelan people, the United States and a growing number of countries that the CNE [Venezuela's electoral council] has not provided full, detailed tallied votes because they would show that Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia won the vote," said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. "Maduro must recognize it and engage in a constructive, inclusive dialogue in good faith with the opposition to restore democratic norms peacefully in accordance with Venezuelan electoral law and the wishes of the people." Washington's ties with Caracas have been strained over the past two decades not only by ideological differences with the left-leaning country but also by the United States' crippling sanctions on the nation. The resulting economic crisis has led to the northward exodus of millions of Venezuelans, leaving both U.S. authorities and those migrants in a delicate position as this crisis simmers. For his part, Madruo has said he won the election and considers it settled. He says that those hurt in the crackdown are among "the ranks of the National Guard and the police. Their actions have been in total accordance with the Constitution and the law." The United Nations, meanwhile, sounded the alarm this week over arbitrary detentions and "disproportionate use of force" in the country after the poll. The U.N. human rights body said forces loyal to Maduro have rounded up more than 2,000 people for demonstrating against him or casting doubt on his claims that he won a third term fairly. "It is especially troubling that so many people are being detained, accused or charged either with incitement to hatred or under counterterrorism legislation," U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said in a statement. "Criminal law must never be used to limit unduly the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association." Scholars of the region are calling for stronger action from world leaders. "What we're seeing there are human rights violations, and while many countries talk a big game, as we've seen around the world right now, few countries actually will step in and intervene, unfortunately, to protect civilians in situations where their rights are being violated and their physical integrity is being violated," said Maya Camargo-Vemuri, a researcher on mass atrocities and government repression at Johns Hopkins University. Wilson Center Chief of Staff Eddy Acevedo, who is currently in the region to look at issues stemming from the Venezuelan poll, told VOA he questions the White House's strategy of "giving diplomacy a chance as it evaluates next steps." "While I understand the rationale of trying to get Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil to do the right thing, they have failed to do so as of now," he told VOA via email. "Therefore, the U.S. must take the lead in rallying not only regional support but the rest of the international community to exert pressure on Maduro to allow a democratic transition in line with the results of the election. It's important to also remember countries like Panama, Costa Rica, and Chile who have stood strong in standing up for democratic principles in Venezuela." And, he said, he believes a rerun of the poll as proposed by Brazil is not the answer. "The Brazilians are shopping around a proposal for a second election, and this must be a nonstarter," he said. "The Venezuelan people have spoken, and the results are clear. No second election. Punto!" Celia Mendoza contributed from the White House; Kim Lewis contributed from Washington. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Vietnam's diplomatic balance 'unchanged' under new leader, experts say By Le Nguyen August 14, 2024 Vietnam's strategic balance between global powers is unlikely to change with To Lam, the former security tsar, at the helm of the country as Hanoi seeks to deepen its ties with both Washington and Beijing to boost its economic growth, experts told VOA. Lam was unanimously voted to the post of general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam following the passing of his predecessor, Nguyen Phu Trong, according to a statement by the Party's Central Committee on the conclusion of its extraordinary plenum on August 3. It came more than two months after he assumed the state presidency, making him the most powerful man in the country. The general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam is the top leadership position, higher than the president and the prime minister of Vietnam. Shortly after Lam's election, China's Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin were the first world leaders to congratulate him. Xi vowed to work with Lam to strengthen bilateral ties, while Putin called him "comrade." Four days later, U.S. President Joe Biden sent Lam a congratulatory message in which he said Vice President Kamala Harris and he "look forward to working with General Secretary Lam to continue advancing this historic progress, which supports a strong, independent, prosperous, and resilient Vietnam." Hanoi enjoys the highest level of ties with Washington, Beijing and Moscow after it elevated ties with the U.S. to comprehensive strategic partnership in September 2023 and three months later agreed to build a "community with shared future" with China. Choice and priority At the news conference immediately after his election as general secretary of the Communist Party, Lam said that the country's foreign affairs path is generally unchanged in the principles of independence, agency, multilateralization and diversification - which under Trong came to be famously known as "bamboo diplomacy," or delicate balancing between superpowers. The country's current foreign policy directions were shaped and enshrined at the last Party Congress in 2021, so it cannot be changed until the next Congress in 2026, noted Nguyen Hong Hai, a lecturer in international relations at Hanoi-based VinUni, in an email to VOA. He argued that Vietnam's foreign policy is a collective work by the Politburo, the party's highest decision-making body, not Lam's exclusive authority, although the top leader himself may have some personal imprints. "Vietnam continues to strike a balance between China and the U.S.," he stressed. He noted that Hanoi characterizes ties with Beijing and Washington respectively as "strategic choice" and "strategic priority," adding that "choice essentially takes precedence over priority." It is logical for Vietnam to place more importance on ties with China than the U.S. due to its geographic location and links between the two neighbors in many respects, the lecturer told VOA. "Hierarchy of Vietnam's foreign policy priorities ranges from neighbors, big powers, strategic partners, comprehensive partners, traditional partners and other important partners," he explained. "Judging by these priorities, China is an all-encompassing partner." However, such precedence should not be interpreted as "Hanoi's alignment with Beijing over Washington," he stressed. Carlyle Thayer, professor emeritus at the University of New South Wales in Canberra, told VOA in an email that "Vietnam will cooperate and struggle with both China and the United States in order to retain its independence and strategic autonomy." He noted that Vietnam's foreign policy was fundamentally shaped by its goal of becoming a modern industrial country with a high income by 2045. "To Lam will pursue parallel lines of action in relations with the United States and China," he said. "Both lines of action aim at promoting Vietnam's economic development." Lam will arrive in Beijing next week in his first foreign trip after becoming Vietnam's highest leader where he expects to build personal ties with Xi Jinping just as Trong did Trong met with Xi eight times both in Beijing and Hanoi between 2011 and 2024, including when Xi was still vice president in 2011. Both leaders managed to build a close relationship with special treatment like talks over tea. "At the moment, To Lam's personal ties with Xi is nowhere near that between Trong and Xi, and it takes time to build a comparably close relationship," observed Hai. As president, Lam hosted and held talks with Putin in June but never met Biden. He was minister of public security when Biden officially visited Hanoi last September. Human rights concerns As the minister of public security from 2016 to 2024, Lam oversaw the repression of dissidents. He was said to order the notorious abduction of a corrupt fugitive official in Germany in 2017, which strained relations between Hanoi and Berlin. "As minister, To Lam bears responsibility for the harassment, intimidation, arrest and imprisonment of political and civil society activists. There is no indication that there will be any change for the better in Vietnam's present human rights regime," noted Thayer, who has been following Vietnam's human rights status. Thayer said the U.S. has established channels to communicate its concerns to Vietnam while the EU could invoke the democracy clause in the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement should there be egregious human rights violations. Vietnam's poor human rights record is a product of its one-party political system under a collective leadership led by the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong for the last 13 years, Carl Thayer noted. In a congratulatory message to To Lam, Xi Jinping expressed support for what he called the communist party's new achievements in "socialist construction" in Vietnam, but did not bring up the issue of human rights. Asked if Lam's poor human rights record poses any obstacle to Washington's and Brussels' approaches, Thayer pointed to meetings between Lam and U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and the EU Foreign Affairs and Security chief Josep Borrell when they came to Hanoi last month to attend Trong's funeral. Blinken reportedly reassured Lam that the U.S. treasures the comprehensive strategic partnership with Vietnam, while Borrell told Lam that the EU wished to elevate ties to comprehensive strategic partnership. "In general, the U.S.' and EU's approaches to Vietnam are unchanged," said VinUni's Hai. "What matters to Washington and Brussels is Vietnam's foreign policy, not the role of an individual leader." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Srettha Thavisin Srettha Thavisin was the fourth Thai prime minister in 16 years to be removed by the kingdoms Constitutional Court. The court voted 5-4 to remove Srettha, whose appointment of former lawyer Pichit Chuenban, jailed for six months in 2008 for contempt of court conviction, fell short of official moral and ethical standards. Reporting from Bangkok, Al Jazeeras Tony Cheng said the development was a big surprise, but Srettha did not appear to be particularly concerned. He was seen looking cheerful at the government house earlier today. He said he wasnt going to go to the court [for an appeal], Cheng said. Most people here in Thailand, certainly those watching the political scene, thought that it was probably unlikely that he would be disqualified from his position. They thought he would get a good rap over his knuckles, he added. Srettha Thavisin, a successful and well-regarded Thai businessman from the Pheu Thai party. He is also, however, a relative newcomer to politics. Move Forward Party confirmed that Pheu Thai would be taking the lead in forming a new Thai government after the bid from Pita failed. Srettha Thavisin is a Thai politician and real estate developer who is one of the prime ministerial candidates of the Pheu Thai Party in the 2023 Thai general election. He was born on the 15th of February, 1963 in Bangkok, Thailand, and has a bachelors degree in civil engineering from Chulalongkorn University and a Masters of Business Administration from Claremont Graduate University, United States. Srettha co-founded Sansiri, his familys property development business, in 1988, which became one of the largest real estate developers in Thailand, and served as its chief executive and president until he resigned in April of 2023 to pursue his political career. He is a known confidant of both Thaksin Shinawatra and Yingluck Shinawatra, former and now exiled prime ministers of Thailand, and is seen as a pro-democracy and pro-reform candidate. He is married to Pakpilai Thavisin, a specialist in anti-aging medicine, with whom he has three children. He is also a collector of classic travel trunks, such as those made by Louis Vuitton. Under Thavisins leadership, Sansiri expanded domestically and internationally, establishing itself as a renowned name in the real estate market. Thavisin went on to also establish MQDC (Magnolia Quality Development Corporation), a subsidiary of the Sansiri Group. MQDC is dedicated to developing sustainable properties that focus on the well-being and happiness of residents while ensuring minimal impact on the environment. As a philanthropist, he established the Sansiri Foundation, which supports educational initiatives and the well-being of underprivileged children and communities. Through his foundation, Thavisin strived to make a positive impact on society, emphasizing the importance of education, health, and social responsibility. He wants to settle the political issues that have divided Thailand for decades, such as the role of the monarchy, the military, and the Shinawatra family. He believes that dialogue and compromise are needed to achieve national reconciliation and stability. He currently, however, is against amending the Lese Majeste law although his views on this appear to have changed. With Pitas rejection as PM despite winning the popular vote of the people being primarily due to his support of amending the Lese Majeste laws this is a major issue. He overall supports the pro-democracy and pro-reform movement that have been protesting against the military-backed government and demanding constitutional changes. However, he is more moderate than Pita and does not support the most extreme protesters that have called for monarchy reform, with his focus being on the economy and economic reform to build better equality. He advocates for a more decentralized and participatory system of governance, where local communities have more autonomy and power to manage their own affairs. He also wants to promote social welfare and environmental protection. He is a confidant of both Thaksin Shinawatra and Yingluck Shinawatra, former prime ministers of Thailand who were ousted by coups and live in exile. He shares their vision of a more inclusive and progressive Thailand that respects human rights and democracy. Srettha Thavisin is associated with the Pheu Thai Party, a major political party in Thailand, which has historically been linked to the Shinawatra family. His rise to political power is seen as part of the Pheu Thai Party's efforts to continue its influence in Thai politics after years of military influence and political instability in the country. Sretthas political journey began when he joined the Pheu Thai Party in October 2022. Srettha was also appointed as the partys deputy leader and economic chief. In April 2023, Srettha announced his resignation from Sansiri, amid speculation that he would be officially named as one of the prime ministerial candidates of the Pheu Thai Party. He said that he wanted to dedicate his full time and energy to serving the country and the people. He also said that he had no conflict of interest with his former business, and that he would not use his wealth or influence to gain an unfair advantage in politics. Srettha eventually became one of the three prime ministerial candidates of the Pheu Thai Party, alongside Thaksins youngest daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, and former Attorney General Chaikasem Nitisiri. Srettha is well-liked in the business community, with some 66 percent of 100 CEOs surveyed by the Krungthep Turakij newspaper saying he was their preferred choice for prime minister. Pheu Thai came second in Thailands May 14 election but took over the formation of a government after conservative members of the unelected upper house blocked attempts by Move Forward the youth-led progressive party that won the most seats in the polls from securing the top job for their candidate. The conservative legislators opposed Move Forward because of its pledge to revise a law that shields Thailands monarchy from criticism. Pheu Thai which announced an 11-party grouping that includes its former military rivals, including that of former army chief and outgoing Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said it is confident that Srettha will win the vote. Srettha Thavisin of the populist Pheu Thai party was the sole candidate to face the vote in Thailands bicameral legislature in August 2023 He ran under the slogan Srettha for Thailand, promising to bring economic recovery, social justice, and national reconciliation to the country. He also pledged to respect the constitution and the monarchy, and to work with all parties for the common good. Srettha told Voice of America (VOA), a United States-based news outlet, that it was the despair he felt for Thailand that led him into politics. We, you, look around yourself when youre sitting at the top of the pyramid, you dont just look at the same levels. You look at below of how other people live, he said in April. I feel saddened by what I have seen. Because of social disparity, in terms of education, in terms of getting healthcare, in terms of basic things like getting food on the table, its still not the way its supposed to be for a country that has enormous potential like Thailand. As Prime Minister, Srettha faced the challenge of navigating Thailand's complex political landscape, balancing economic reform, social welfare, and maintaining stability in a country that has experienced frequent political upheavals over the past few decades. His policies and leadership style are closely watched, both domestically and internationally, as Thailand seeks to strengthen its economy and political system. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russo-Ukraine War - 14 August 2024 - Day 903 Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace. "To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal] The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to decisively repel attempts by Russian units to advance deep into Ukrainian territory, directing major efforts to disrupt the occupiers' offense tasks, inflicting heavy casualties to the Russian enemy. During the current 24 hours, there have been 153 combat encounters. On the territory of Ukraine today, Russia made five missile strikes with the use of five missiles, 42 air strikes, dropping 47 cabiv. In addition, the zombies launched 565 kamikaze drones for strikes and carried out more than 3,000 shells at the positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements using different types of weapons. In the Kharkiv direction, Russian terrorists four times, supported by aviation, stormed the positions of Ukrainian units in the areas of Vovchansk and Sotnitsky Cossack. In Vovchansk there are still fights in two locations. According to the information available at this time, Ukrainian defenders in the Kharkiv direction eliminated and wounded more than seventy Russian occupants, destroyed a tank, five armored vehicles, an artillery system, 30 BPLAs, two car units and three special equipment units, and four artillery systems and six cars were also damaged. Nine times Russian forces attacked Ukrainian positions in the Kupyan direction. Near the settlements of Sinkivka, Petropavlivka and Berestove, the units of the Defense Forces repelled eight offensive actions. The situation is tense, ongoing one battle. In the Lyman direction per day Russian troops attacked Ukrainian defenders 15 times in the areas of Makiyivka, Nevsky and Terniv. At this time, two clashes continue. A tense situation in the Siversky direction. Russian forces tried 24 times with assault actions to push Ukrainian defenders out of positions in the areas of Bilogorivka, Verkhnyokamiansky, Spirny and Viimka. Seven clashes are still ongoing. In the Kramatorsky direction, Ukrainian soldiers fought off five attempts of the zagarbnikiv to advance near the Chasovoy Yar and Andriyivka. Four attacks withdrawn, the battle is ongoing. In the Toretsky direction, where aviation-backed invaders attacked Ukrainian positions near New York, Toretsky and Northern 21 times, 18 fighting ended. The action continues in three more locations. The main Russian efforts concentrates on the pokrovsky direction, here, throughout the day the Russian aggressor attacked Ukrainian units 55 times. The greatest activity was shown in the districts of Vozdvizhenko, Hrodivka and Zelannoy. 40 attacks Ukrainian defenders have already fought, another 15 buezitknen 40 continue. Today, the Russian occupiers in this direction lost more than 250 soldiers killed and wounded; a tank, an RSV, two armored vehicles and seven vehicles - destroyed. Ukrainian defenders also caused significant damage to two artillery systems, two combat armored vehicles and three Russian vehicles. In the Kurakhiv direction at this time of the day, Ukrainian defenders repelled five Russian attacks. Zagarbniki tried to advance near Konstantinivka and Krasnogorivka. The battle near Krasnogorivka is ongoing. The situation is under control. In the Vremivs komu direction for today, Russian forces six times stormed the front edge of defense in the direction of Vodyany and Vugledar. Ukrainian soldiers have stopped four Russian attacks, two more attacks are ongoing. In the orihivs komu direction there were three unsuccessful Russian attacks in the areas of small tokmacka and novodanilivka. In the direction of the pridniprovsk, five Russian assault actions were not successful. A loss of positions is not allowed. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine also reported thatthe Defense Forces of Ukraine struck four military airodroms of Russian occupiers at once. On the night of August 14, the units of the Air Force and Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine together with the Security Service of Ukraine and the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, attacked four airports in the Voronez, Kursk and Nizhnyrod regions of the Russian Federation. In particular, the military resorts " Khalino", " Savasl ka", " Borisoglebsk " and " Baltimore " are affected. These airports are based on military aviation, Su-34 fighter bombers, Su-35 fighter jets and other enemy military aviation equipment. The main objects of the impact were the warehouses of fuel-oil materials and aviation means of the impact. The results of the attack are getting clarified. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in Volchansk and Liptsy directions, units of the Sever Group of Forces inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 82nd Air Assault Brigade and 92nd Assault Brigade near Liptsy and Tikhoye (Kharkov region). The AFU losses amounted to up to 165 Ukrainian troops, five motor vehicles, one 152-mm D-20 howitzer, and one 122-mm D-30 howitzer. Units of the Zapad Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions as well as inflicted losses on formations of the AFU 116th Mechanised Brigade, 77th Airmobile Brigade, 3rd Assault Brigade, 120th Territorial Defence Brigade, and 183rd Reserve Brigade near Petropavlovka (Kharkov region), Stelmakhovka, Novovodyanoye (Lugansk People's Republic), and Torskoye (Donetsk People's Republic). Two counter-attacks launched by units of the AFU 117th Territorial Defence Brigade were repelled. The AFU losses amounted to up to 475 Ukrainian troops, one tank, three U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers, three armoured fighting vehicles, and two pickup trucks. In the course of counter-battery warfare, three Polish-made 155-mm Krab self-propelled artillery systems, two U.S.-made 155-mm M198 howitzers, two UK-made 155-mm FH-70 howitzers, and one 122-mm D-30 howitzer. Six AFU ammunition depots were destroyed. Units of the Yug Group of Forces improved the tactical situation and inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 54th Mechanised Brigade, 1st National Guard Brigade, and 114th Territorial Defence Brigade near Verkhnekamenskoye and Krasnogorovka (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses amounted to up to 690 Ukrainian troops and one armoured fighting vehicle. In the course of counter-battery warfare, one U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzer, one Polish-made 155-mm Krab self-propelled artillery system, one 152-mm D-20 howitzer, one 152-mm Msta-B howitzer, one 122-mm Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, two 122-mm D-30 howitzers, and two U.S.-made 105-mm M119 howitzers. One AFU ammunition depot was destroyed. Units of the Tsentr Group of Forces continued to engage in active warfare and inflicted losses on formations of the AFU 32nd, 100th mechanised brigades, 142nd Infantry Brigade, 68th Jaeger Brigade, and 14th National Guard Brigade near Kirovo, Toretsk, Zhelannoye, Rozovka, and Grodovka (Donetsk People's Republic). Three counter-attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 53rd Mechanised Brigade and 15th National Guard Brigade were repelled. The AFU losses amounted to up to 395 Ukrainian troops, one tank, two armoured fighting vehicles, two motor vehicles, one 152-mm D-20 howitzer, two 122-mm D-30 howitzers, and one 100-mm Rapira anti-tank gun. Units of the Vostok Group of Forces improved the tactical situation along the front lines and inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 58th and 72nd mechanised brigades near Vodyanoye and Novoukrainka (Donetsk People's Republic). Two counter-attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 125th Territorial Defence Brigade were repelled. The AFU losses amounted to up to 120 Ukrainian troops, nine motor vehicles, two Polish-made 155-mm Krab self-propelled artillery systems, two U.S.-made 155-mm M198 howitzers, one 152-mm Msta-B howitzer, and one U.S.-made AN/TPQ-36 counter-battery warfare station. Units of the Dnepr Group of Forces inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 65th Mechanised Brigade and 128th Mountain Assault Brigade near Novodanilovka and Pavlovka (Zaporozhye region). The AFU losses amounted to up to 80 Ukrainian troops, 11 motor vehicles, one 152-mm D-20 howitzer, two 122-mm D-30 howitzers, and one Anklav-N electronic warfare station. Two AFU ammunition depots have been destroyed. Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces destroyed one POL base of AFU military hardware, as well as engaged enemy manpower and hardware clusters in 149 areas during the day. Air defence units shot down four Tochka-U tactical missiles, two French-made Hammer guided aerial bombs, three U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles, 147 unmanned aerial vehicles, 119 of them outside the special military operation zone. In total, 638 airplanes and 279 helicopters, 29,970 unmanned aerial vehicles, 569 air defence missile systems, 17,057 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,400 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 13,229 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 24,715 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation also reported that the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue to repel the AFU attempt to invade the territory of the Russian Federation Active actions of the Sever Group of Forces, Army Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and artillery strikes prevented enemy mobile armoured groups from getting into the depth of the Russian Territory near Skrylevka, Levshinka, Semyonovka, Alekseyevskoye, and Kamishnoye. Two enemy groups on pickup trucks were located and eliminated near Martynovka. Six attacks launched by units of the AFU 115th Mechanised Brigade, 80th, and 82nd air assault brigades were repelled near Korenevo, Olgovka, Pogrebki, Russkoye Porechnoye, and Cherkesskoye Porechnoye. Losses were inflicted on the located manpower and hardware clusters of the AFU 22nd, 61st mechanised brigades, 92nd Assault Brigade, and 1st Presidential Operational Brigade near Loknya, Kremyanoye, Oleshnya, Sverdlikovo, and Daryino Aviation delivered strikes at the AFU reserves near Yunakovka, Sadki, Miropoliye, Khrapovshchina, Mogritsa, and Krovnoye (Sumy region). Over the past 24 hours, the AFU losses amounted to up to 270 Ukrainian troops, 16 units of armoured hardware, including two tanks, one Stryker armoured personnel carrier, 13 armoured fighting vehicles, 10 motor vehicles, and one 122-mm D-30 howitzer. 18 AFU servicemen were taken prisoner. Since the beginning of hostilities in Kursk region, the enemy lost up to 2,300 Ukrainian troops, 37 tanks, 32 armoured personnel carriers, 18 infantry fighting vehicles, 192 armoured fighting vehicles, 88 motor vehicles, four anti-aircraft missile systems, two MLRS launchers, and 15 field artillery guns. The operation to neutralise the AFU units is in progress. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russo-Ukraine War - 15 August 2024 - Day 904 Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace. "To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal] The UK Ministry of Defence reported that Russia held its annual Army 2024 International Military-Technical Forum in Moscow earlier this week. The event, which includes an arms sales exhibition, normally attracts Russian and foreign defence manufacturers, although international attendance has reduced since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In previous years, the event had run alongside Russia's International Army Games which was called-off again this year. The event was opened by Russian President Putin and Russian Defence Minister Belousov. In his address Belousov stated that the 'special military operation' in Ukraine is an "armed conflict between Russia and the collective West". This year's shortened event focused on attracting business delegates from defence industries rather than the mass audiences of past events. A variety of national delegations attended, including delegations from Belarus, Iran and North Korea; the latter two currently significant arms suppliers to Russia. Russia's arms producers are under pressure to increase their output to sustain the war in Ukraine. Some foreign sales contracts to key international partners have been delayed because of the imperative to supply Russian forces. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that in total, 111 combat clashes have taken place since the beginning of this day. Ukrainian defenders continue to decisively interrupt the attempts of the Russian enemy to advance deep into Ukrainian territory, giving him an effective fire effect. The hottest situation remains in the Pokrovsky direction. Russian zagarbniki carried out five strikes on the territory of Ukraine with eight rockets, and 53 air strikes, dropping 73 Kabi. In addition, 502 kamikaze drones were recruited to impress and carried out more than 3,100 shelling at the positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements. According to detailed information, in the Kharkiv direction Russian forces attacked five times the defensive borders of Ukrainian soldiers near Liptsiv and Vovchansk. Two attacks have been repelled, three - continue. In the Kupians komu direction, 12 combat clashes took place near synkivka, glushkivka, kolisnikivka, andriyivka, berestovoye and kruglyakivka. Nine clashes completed, three are still ongoing. In the Lyman direction throughout the day Russian zagarbniki six times attacked the positions of Ukrainians near Nevsky, Makiyivka and Terniv. Ukrainian defenders have fought back four attacks, two continue. In the Siversky direction during combat clashes, defenders of Ukrainian land repelled nine Russian assaults in the areas of Verkhnyokamiansky, Bilogorivka and Pereyznogo. At this time, four clashes are ongoing. In the Kramatorsky direction, three battles near the Time Yar were sharpened, one of which is still ongoing. In the Toretsky direction, according to detailed information, Russians 14 times attacked Ukrainian troops near Toretsk and New York. They did not have any success. In the Pokrovsky direction, since the beginning of this day, 39 battles have been sharpened near settlements, namely, Panteleimonivka, Vozdvizhenko, Green Field, Novotoretske, Mykolaivka, Novogrodivka, Novozhelanne, Boring, Bird. Defense forces repelled 27 attacks, 12 - still continuing. Today in this direction 335 Russian invaders were defecated, 118 of them - irrevocably. Also destroyed two units of BM-21 "Hail", three armored transporters, three UAVs, seven units of car transport and one unit of special equipment. In addition, two RSVs, two combat armored vehicles, an armored transporter, two artillery systems and three vehicles units were damaged. In the kurakhivs komu direction, Russian forces 10 times attacked Ukrainian positions near georgiivka, krasnogorivka and konstantinivka. Eight boezitknen completed, two are ongoing. In the Gulyaipil and Orihivsky directions, both Russian assaults of the positions of Ukrainian units near Rivnopil and Mala Tokmachka were unsuccessful. In the Pridnipro direction, Russian forces also suffered defeats, attacking the defensive borders of Ukrainians on the left bank of the Dnieper. In other directions, the situation remains unchanged. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in Volchansk and Liptsy directions, the units of the Sever Group of Forces have engaged manpower and hardware of the AFU 57th Mechanised Infantry Brigade, the 36th Marine Brigade close to Volchansk and Tikhoye (Kharkov region). The AFU losses were up to 60 Ukrainian troops, four motor vehicles, one 203-mm Pion self-propelled artillery system, one 152-mm D-20 howitzer, and two 122-mm D-30 guns. The units of the Zapad Group of Forces have captured more advantageous lines and positions, defeated 67th, 115th mechanised, 3rd assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the 1st National Guard Brigade close to Nevskoye, Chervonaya Dibrova, Makeyevka, and Stelmakhovka (Lugansk People's Republic). The AFU losses were up to 470 Ukrainian troops, three U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers, six motor vehicles, one UK-made 155-mm FH-70 towed howitzer, one 122-mm Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, and one 122-mm D-30 howitzer. One U.S.-made AN/TPQ-36 counter-battery warfare station and three ammunition depots have been destroyed. The units of the Yug Group of Forces have improved the tactical situation and inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of 23rd, 93rd, and 150th mechanised, 143rd infantry, 5th assault brigades of the AFU and the 241st Territorial Defence Brigade near Aleksandro-Shultino, Stupochki, Chasov Yar, and Pobeda (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU were up to 650 Ukrainian troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, five motor vehicles, one 152-mm D-20 gun, three 152-mm Msta-B howitzers, two U.S.-made 105-mm M119 guns. One ammunition depot has been destroyed. The units of the Tsentr Group of Forces have liberated Ivanovka (Donetsk People's Republic), defeated 32nd, 53rd, 100th, 117th, 151st mechanised brigades of the AFU, the 109th Territorial Defence Brigade, and the 111th National Guard Brigade near Toretsk, Grodovka, Vozdvizhenka, Kalinovo, Novogorodskoye, Mirolyubovka, and Nelepovka (Donetsk People's Republic). Seven counter-attacks of the AFU 53rd Mechanised Brigade and the 15th National Guard Brigade have been repelled. The AFU losses were up to 470 Ukrainian troops, one U.S.-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicle, one U.S.-made MaxxPro armoured fighting vehicle, two motor vehicles, and one 122-mm D-30 howitzer. The units of the Vostok Group of Forces have improved the tactical situation along the front line and inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 78th Mechanised Brigade and the 58th Motorised Infantry Brigade near Vodyanoye and Prechistovka (Donetsk People's Republic). Two counter-attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 125th Territorial Defence Brigade have been repelled. The AFU losses were up to 105 Ukrainian troops, three motor vehicles, and one U.S.-made 155-mm M198 howitzer. The units of the Dnepr Group of Forces have engaged manpower and hardware of 65th mechanised and 128th mountain assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the 106th Territorial Defence Brigade close to Pavlovka, Novodanilovka (Zaporozhye region), and Lvovo (Kherson region). The AFU losses were up to 90 Ukrainian troops, three motor vehicles, two U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzers, and one 122-mm Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system. One AFU POL depot has been neutralised. Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have eliminated one missile and artillery ammunition depot, a storage of uncrewed surface vehicles, a parking site of fuel supply vehicles as well as clusters of enemy manpower and military hardware in 152 areas. Air defence facilities have shot down three U.S.-made JDAM and French-made Hammer aerial bombs, 12 U.S.-made HIMARS projectiles, and 35 unmanned aerial vehicles. In total, 638 airplanes and 279 helicopters, 30,005 unmanned aerial vehicles, 569 air defence missile systems, 17,064 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,400 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 13,247 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 24,738 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation also reported that the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue to repel the AFU attempt to invade the territory of the Russian Federation. The Sever Group's intensive operations, air and artillery strikes have repelled an attack launched by assault detachments of the 115th Mechanised Brigade of the AFU in the direction of Kremyanoye. Russian troops have repelled further enemy attacks by hitting concentration areas of the 82nd Air Assault Brigade south of Kremyanoye and of the 80th Air Assault Brigade west of Russkaya Konopelka. The enemy losses were up to 90 servicemen, five U.S.-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, and six armoured fighting vehicles. Russian troops have routed the enemy units and restored the control over Krupets. Army Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles and artillery have foiled attempts of mobile enemy groups to break through to the Russian territory close to Varvarovka, Safonovka, Sheptukhovka, Kauchuk, Alekseyevskoye, and Matveyevka. Russian units have hit manpower and hardware clusters of the 22nd, 61st mechanised, 92nd assault brigades, 95th Air Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the 1st National Guard Brigade, and the 129th Territorial Defence Brigade close to Olgovka, Snagost, Pogrebki, Mirnoye, Zaoleshenka, Uspenovka, and Yuzhnoye. Iskander-M operational-tactical missile system have destroyed a convoy of 15 fuel supply vehicles close to Lubny (Sumy region). Operational-Tactical Aviation have attacked AFU reserves, ammunition and supply depots close to Yunakovka, Khoteni, and Kondratovka (Sumy region). Over the past 24 hours, the AFU losses were more than 340 Ukrainian troops and 19 armoured vehicles, including five Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and 14 armoured fighting vehicles as well as eight motor vehicles, five field artillery guns, two Anklav-N and Bukovel-AD electronic warfare stations. Since the beginning of hostilities in Kursk region, the enemy lost up to 2,640 Ukrainian troops, 37 tanks, 32 armoured personnel carriers, 23 infantry fighting vehicles, 206 armoured fighting vehicles, 96 motor vehicles, four air defence systems, three MLRS launchers, 20 field artillery guns, and three electronic warfare stations. The operation to neutralise the AFU units is in progress. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Battle of Kursk II - 14 August 2024 - Day 9 White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that the United States did not participate in the planning and preparation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' sortie into the Kursk region. "I have nothing more to say. I will only say that we certainly were not involved in any way in the planning or preparation of this operation, but in general we <...>," she said at a regular briefing. She was also asked to clarify US President Joe Biden's August 13 remarks that the Ukrainian Armed Forces' attack on the Kursk region created a "real dilemma" for the Russian leadership, but Jean-Pierre refused. "I think it's perfectly clear. I don't think I need to explain what the president said," she replied. The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) entered the territory of the Kursk region with a force of 12 thousand soldiers, among them there were many mercenaries, most of whom were destroyed. This was stated by the deputy head of the Main Military-Political Directorate of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, commander of the special forces "Akhmat" Major General Apty Alaudinov. OSINT Aggregator reported Ukrainian forces intensified their raids across the region. With no defined front line, mobile groups from the Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to launch operations from their occupied positions. Yesterday, Ukrainian troops entered the settlement of Spalnoye in the south, while Russian forces engaged them near Kauchuk. In the Korenevsky direction, clashes were reported near Snagost, which Ukraine managed to capture. Ukrainian units were also spotted in the vicinity of Olgovka. Skirmishes continue on the outskirts of Sudzha, which has been confirmed by multiple sources and geolocated footage to be under Ukrainian control, with Russian forces being pushed further east. In Sudzha, Ukrainian forces have taken control of high-rise buildings, establishing firing and sniper positions on rooftops. Ukrainian forces have successfully captured the village of Snagost. In the Korenovsky direction, they are advancing on the settlements of Kauchuk and Alekseevsky, where Russian forces are mounting a defense. Ukrainian troops have been observed approximately 1 km from Kauchuk. In the village of Plekhovo, south of Sudzha, Ukrainian armored vehicles have been spotted for the second consecutive day, suggesting that Russian forces have lost control over the area. According to preliminary information, Ukraine carried out an unsuccessful raid on the settlement of Giri. Ukrainian forces are attempting to advance northward toward Kurchatov from multiple directions. More advance east, west and south were noted today. The Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to hold reserves near the settlements of Troebornoye and Tetkino, poised to deploy them when strategically advantageous. Military Informant reported Ukrainian soldiers near the House of Culture in the village of Vnezapnoye , Korenevsky district, Kursk region at coordinates: 51.242304, 34.879202. It is not clear when the footage was filmed, but nothing was previously known about the enemy's presence in this area. If the video is relevant, it confirms the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces over this section of the 38K-006 Korenevo-Troitskoye highway , from where another offensive may develop towards Korenevo , the plans for which the Ukrainian army has not abandoned. Most likely, the enemy soldiers entered through the village of Gordeyevka , which borders the Sumy region , and it is also under their control. Thus, the Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to expand the front line in the Kursk region. Russian troops carried out another series of strikes on targets in the territory controlled by the Kiev regime in the Zhytomyr , Vinnytsia , Mykolaiv , Kyiv and other regions. In the evening, an explosion thundered in the port of Odessa. Ukrainian formations carried out one of the most massive launches of drones on Russian territory since the beginning of the SVO. The targets were the Baltimore and Borisoglebsk military airfields in the Voronezh region , as well as Savasleyka in the Nizhny Novgorod region . Russian aviation continues to target Ukrainian equipment, personnel, and rear positions. Due to the incursion into Kursk Oblast, the number of Russian Aerospace Forces airstrikes on the border area of Sumy Oblast has increased several times . Ukrainian aviation remains active as well, dropping munitions while maintaining a cautious distance. Reports indicate that Ukrainian forces deployed JDAM-ER guided air bombs to strike a Russian positions in one of the targeted settlements. Overnight, Russian air defenses successfully intercepted and neutralized four missiles targeting the Kursk region, as reported by the regional governor. On the night of August 14, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed a Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber in the Kursk region of Russia. This was announced by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. "During the execution of a combat mission, a Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber was destroyed by the forces and means of the anti-aircraft missile forces of the Air Force of Ukraine. Work to eliminate the occupiers, their equipment and weapons continues unceasingly," the General Staff clarifies. The Russian Kursk regional operational headquarters announced that an additional 2,000 people were evacuated from the border area in the last 24 hours. A total of 77 temporary accommodation centers have been established across the Kursk region to support those displaced by the conflict. The 810th Separate Guards Marine Brigade from Sevastopol has been battling units of the 82nd Separate Airborne Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Sudzha and across the region. The evacuation of civilians has begun in the Bolshesoldatsky district. In an effort to curb information leaks, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has implemented movement restrictions for all civilians within a 20-kilometer zone in the Sumy region. Some of the Russian troops have been relocated from Ukraine to Russias Kursk Oblast in order for Russia to fight off Ukraines surprise offensive. Thats according to POLITICO. Russia has relocated some of its units from both Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions of Ukraines south, Dmytro Lykhoviy, a Ukrainian army spokesman said in a comment to the media. And yet, he added that Russians had enough time to accumulate a rather large number of personnel, in particular in the Zaporizhzhia region, while the number of units redeployed remains relatively small. We must still understand whether it is a smokescreen activity, Lykhoviy suggested. Also, Russia continues its offensive on Pokrovsk and the Donetsk region in general. It will take "weeks" for the Russian authorities to gather the necessary number of troops to bypass the flanks and encircle the Ukrainian units in the Kursk region. Austrian military analyst Tom Cooper expressed this opinion in an interview with Suspilnya . "When you ask if there is a danger that the Russians will outflank Ukrainian forces in the Kursk direction, no. There is not. It will take weeks for the Russians to gather enough forces to do this. Any concentration of Russian troops will be detected by Ukrainian UAVs and then hit weapons of the HIMARS type and everything that is available (in the Armed Forces - ed.) - he said. Cooper emphasized that it "would be a big mistake" for the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation if they allowed the Russians to gather the necessary number of troops for the encirclement and noted that the assumptions about the so-called strength of the Russian army are somewhat exaggerated. "We think of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation as Soviet. As a huge force with thousands of tanks, armored personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles, endless reserves of artillery or ammunition, equipment and other things. In fact, the Russian Army in 2024 will no longer have so many (weapons ed. .).They have an infantry that moves very slowly, the command methodically does nothing without an order "from above", from the direct superiors and all the way to Moscow, which does nothing without extremely slow and long preparation," said the military analyst. Russia posted online job vacancies for trench diggers in the Kursk region, as satellite imagery reveals a newly dug trench system in the area. A user on the Russian social media platform Vkontakte, in a group called Typical Lgov, shared an announcement: Friends, they asked me to publish this announcement from Kurchatov, referring to a town near the Kursk nuclear power plant. The post added, We need people to dig trenches in Lgov. They also have equipment but no drivers. Payment every week. In addition, a construction company from the distant region of Bashkortostan posted a job listing on Avito, stating that workers are needed to dig trenches in the Kursk region. The job offers a monthly salary between $1,600 to $4,000, along with three meals a day, necessary tools, work clothes, and transportation to the job site at the companys expense. Russian Railways faced a transport collapse in regions bordering Ukraine and Belarus. A telegram was sent from the central office of Russian Railways to the Belarusian Railways about the need to stop sending freight trains from all stations of the Belarusian Railways to stations of the Oryol-Kursk branch of the Moscow Railway (MRZhD RR) from 12.08.2024. It is noteworthy that the received telegram with notification of the impossibility of receiving trains from the Belarusian Railways in the specified direction is no longer limited in validity, but has the mark "until cancellation". This circumstance terminates railway communication from Belarus to stations in the specified region of Russia for an unknown (unlimited) period. It should be noted that such a decision was made by Russian Railways against the backdrop of military events (the offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) and the establishment of their control on Russian territories) occurring in the Kursk region, as well as statements by the Russian authorities about the successes achieved. There is a large accumulation of "abandoned" trains (code 12 - no locomotive) at stations in the Smolensk region of the Moscow Railway. This circumstance also affects the rhythm of sending freight trains from the Belarusian Railway in the direction of the Moscow Railway and leads to disruption of the schedule. The lack of traction in the situation described is caused by the Russian authorities conducting a large-scale operational transfer of troops in the direction of the Kursk region and the redeployment of a significant part of the Moscow Railway's fleet of freight locomotives to carry out military transportation from the central part of Russia. At the same time, some sources report that the concentration of armed forces is being carried out from virtually all regions, even from fairly remote ones or those with complicated logistics. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Wang starts visit to Myanmar, Thailand to 'promote cooperation' Global Times A demonstration of China's commitment to regional peace, devt: expert By Wang Qi Published: Aug 14, 2024 11:05 PM Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi kicked off his four-day trip to Southeast Asian countries on Wednesday, with a visit to Myanmar and then traveling to Thailand to co-chair the ninth Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Foreign Ministers' Meeting, where he is also set to attend the Informal Discussion Between the Foreign Ministers of China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. Chinese analysts said that Wang's visit is a demonstration that China, as a responsible power, is always devoted to promoting in-depth cooperation on economic, social and security issues with equality and mutual benefit with neighboring countries under the concept of a community of shared future for mankind. In the context of external interference in and distraction over South China Sea issue, analysts noted that Wang's visit will further strengthen communication and coordination between China and ASEAN countries, which highlights the common aspiration of regional countries to pursue peace, stability and prosperity. Constructive role Wang met with Myanmar leader Min Aung Hlaing in Naypyitaw on Wednesday, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. As a friendly neighbor, China opposes turmoil and war in Myanmar, opposes interference in Myanmar's internal affairs by external forces, and opposes any attempts to sow discord in China-Myanmar relations and smear China, Wang said. The Myanmar leader said that Myanmar attaches great importance to its relations with China, is committed to developing bilateral friendship. It firmly adheres to the one-China principle and is willing to remain a friendly neighbor that China can trust forever. Myanmar is also willing to continue to cooperate with China to jointly crack down on transnational crimes such as telecom fraud, and will never allow any act that undermines China's security and interests, Min Aung Hlaing said, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. On Wang's visit to Myanmar, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday that it is aimed at deepening bilateral mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, cementing the close bond of friendship between the two peoples, and advancing the building of the China-Myanmar community with a shared future. As a friend and neighbor of Myanmar, China strictly follows the principle of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs, supports Myanmar's efforts to uphold stability, grow the economy and improve people's livelihoods, and provides constructive help for parties in Myanmar to properly address differences through political consultation within the framework of the constitution and other laws, the spokesperson added. In response to an inquiry regarding Deng Xijun, Chinese special envoy for Asian affairs, has arrived in Nay Pyi Daw, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on August 9 that "We have been committed to, in our own way, encouraging and urging relevant parties in Myanmar to stop the fighting, resolve issues through dialogue and consultation, and work to realize ethnic solidarity as well as stability and development of the country at an early date. China will continue to actively promote talks for peace and provide support and assistance to Myanmar's peace process to the best of our capability." Wang's visit to Myanmar showcases that China hopes to play a positive and constructive role on the peace and stability in Myanmar, said Zhu Feng, director of the Institute of International Studies at Nanjing University, noting that the three global initiatives put forward by China emphasize sustainable cooperation, development and peace. Xu Liping, director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that although China may provide some constructive help, the key to the solution lies in whether the political parties in Myanmar have real sincerity to negotiate a cease-fire and bring the country back to a normal track. Common aspiration After his visit to Myanmar, Wang will head to Thailand to co-chair the ninth LMC Foreign Ministers' Meeting. Analysts said that further enhancing the LMC will be the focus of Wang's trip as China and regional countries will also further deepen cooperation in non-traditional security. According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, the LMC is an innovative type of regional cooperation mechanism among China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam featuring collaboration, consultation and shared benefit. Since its launch in 2016, the mechanism has delivered fruitful results, contributing effectively to the economic and social development of the six Lancang-Mekong countries, and bringing tangible benefits to their peoples. The spokesperson said that all countries in the Mekong region are engaged in building a community with a shared future both bilaterally with China and multilaterally under the LMC mechanism. China hopes to work with Mekong countries at the LMC Foreign Ministers' Meeting to review the progress of cooperation, take stock of past experience, and plan the next steps to advance the LMC, to build the Lancang-Mekong region into an exemplar for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, a pacesetter for implementing the Global Development Initiative, a pioneer for implementing the Global Security Initiative and a frontrunner for implementing the Global Civilization Initiative, and form an even closer community with a shared future for Lancang-Mekong countries, the spokesperson added. On the sidelines of the LMC meeting, at the invitation of Thailand, Wang will attend the Informal Discussion Between the Foreign Ministers of China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand to exchange views on the regional situation, and on jointly combating cross-border crimes and other issues, the spokesperson said. "The LMC is already a complete cooperation mechanism," said Xu. Wang's visit to Southeast Asia comes amid heightened tensions between China and the Philippines over the latter's continuous provocation in the South China Sea. On August 8, despite China's goodwill efforts to calm tensions, the Philippines dispatched a military aircraft to illegally enter the airspace over China's Huangyan Dao, and issued a complaint later on August 10 over the professional and legitimate actions by the Southern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) in response to its intrusion. The visit is, to a large extent, also aimed at strengthening communication and dialogue between China and ASEAN countries on the South China Sea issue and further elaborate China's position and policy, Zhu said. "It is also expected that ASEAN countries and China would strengthen their coordination and unity." China and Indonesia held their first Senior Officials' Meeting of the Joint Foreign and Defense Ministerial Dialogue on Tuesday. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China and Thailand to launch joint air force drill with warplanes and special operations units Global Times By Liu Xuanzun Published: Aug 14, 2024 06:04 PM China and Thailand will hold a joint air force exercise in Thailand this month, with the Chinese side sending multiple types of warplanes and special operations forces. Experts said on Wednesday that the drill could feature practice relating to aircraft combat, airborne tasks as well as attack and defense of airports and anti-aircraft positions. Based on an annual drill schedule between the Chinese and Thai militaries, the China-Thailand Falcon Strike-2024 air force joint exercise will be held at a Thai air force base in August, Chinese Defense Ministry said in a press release on Wednesday. The Chinese side will send multiple types of planes in addition to its special operations forces to Thailand for the drill, which is aimed at enhancing the tactical levels and skills of both sides' participating forces, as well as strengthening pragmatic exchanges and cooperation between the two countries' militaries, the Chinese Defense Ministry said. According to a press release by the Thai air force, the exercise is scheduled from Sunday to August 29, as the drill will boost capabilities in air combat operations, air tactics, and joint air operations, promote mutual understanding between the air forces of both countries, as well as enhancing regional security. China and Thailand hold the Falcon Strike joint air force exercise generally on an annual basis, and in previous editions, the drills have mainly focused on air combat, but this year's exercise also features Chinese special operations forces, possibly airborne troops, Fu Qianshao, a Chinese military aviation expert, told the Global Times on Wednesday. Special operations missions could include reconnaissance and assault on positions behind hostile defense lines, including air fields, surface-to-air missile positions and ports, Fu said. As for the traditional air combat part, Fu said that the two countries' warplanes will likely hold confrontational exercises, which will enhance technical and tactical exchanges and boost mutual trust. During last year's Falcon Strike-2023, the Chinese side sent warplanes including the J-10C fighter jet, the JH-7A fighter bomber, the J-11B fighter jet and the KJ-500 early warning aircraft, while the Thai side sent the Saab JAS 39 Gripen, the Alpha Jet and the Saab 340 early warning aircraft, according to media reports. Thailand typically uses Western built aircraft and adopts combat tactics based on a Western model, and they could be good additions to China's domestic training programs, observers said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian's Remarks on August 14, 2024 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China Updated: August 14, 2024 19:52 Xinhua News Agency: MFA released on its website a report entitled The National Endowment for Democracy: WhataIt Is and What It Does. Can you tell us more about it? Lin Jian: With detailed facts, the report reveals the truth about the NED under its professed banner of democracy and human rights. The NED is engaged in instigating color revolutions to subvert state powerain other countries, colludingawith all sorts of elementsato meddleain other countries'ainternal affair, inciting division and confrontation to undermine the stability of other countries, fabricating false information to mislead public opinion, and using "academic activities" as a cloak for interference and infiltration. That includes targeting China by supporting "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, inciting activities for "Xinjiang independence", "Hong Kong independence" and "Tibet independence", and orchestrating subversive and infiltration activities against China's political security and social stability. What the NED does hasagrosslyaviolatedaother countries' sovereignty, security and development interests, breached international law and basic norms of international relations, and jeopardized world peace and stability, which is despised by people who stand for fairness and justice in the world. Peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom are the humanity's common values. Every country has the right to pursueaa development path suitedatoaitsanational realities and the needs of itsapeople. No country is in a position to lecture others on democracy and human rights, still lessausingademocracy and human rights as excuseato hurt other countries' interests. Members of the international community need to have exchanges and dialogue on the basis of mutual respect and equality, and work together to contribute to the progress of humanity.a China News Service: It was reported that Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles said on August 12 that Australia has signed a cooperation agreement with the US and the UK on nuclear-powered submarines that will enable the three countries to exchange nuclear-related material and information. What is China's comment on this? Lin Jian: China noted the reports. AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine cooperation harms efforts to keep the region peaceful and secure. The US, the UK and Australia formed AUKUS to advance cooperation on nuclear-powered submarines and other cutting-edge military technologies. Their moves exacerbate the arms race, undermine the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, incite bloc politics and military confrontation and hurt regional peace and stability. China and relevant countries in the region have expressed more than once serious concerns and firm opposition. AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine cooperation contravenes the object and purpose of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The cooperation involves the transfer of nuclear-powered submarine reactors and a large amount of weapons-grade highly enriched uranium from nuclear-weapon states to a non-nuclear-weapon state, which constitutes grave nuclear proliferation risks. IAEA's existing safeguards system cannot place effective safeguards on that, and major controversy exists on the interpretation and application of relevant safeguards provisions. Many countries have already expressed their concerns during the recent second session of the Preparatory Committee for the Eleventh Review Conference of the Parties to the NPT. China calls on the international community to take seriously the impact of AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine cooperation on the authority and effectiveness of the NPT, and its negative effect on the IAEA safeguards regime. The international community needs to continue to advance the intergovernmental process and address the world's concerns over the legal and technical issues involved in the cooperation through the IAEA, the NPT review process and other platforms. Until the international community reaches consensus on safeguards and other issues, the US, the UK and Australia should not proceed with their nuclear-powered submarine cooperation. The Paper: It is reported that recently Shigeru Ishiba, former LDP secretary-general and member of the House of Representatives of Japan, along with other Japanese parliamentarians visited the Taiwan region and met with its leader Lai Ching-te and others. What's China's comment? Lin Jian: I noted the report. There is but one China in the world. Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. We firmly oppose any form of official interaction between the Taiwan region and countries having diplomatic ties with China and have lodged serious protests with the Japanese side. The Taiwan question is at the very core of China's core interests. It bears on the political foundation of China-Japan relations and is a red line that must not be crossed. Japan committed innumerable crimes during its 50 years of colonial rule over Taiwan, and is responsible for the enormous sins witnessed by history against the Chinese people. We call on certain Japanese politicians not to forget the lessons of history and to recognize the fact that there is but one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. They should adhere to the one-China principle and the spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan, and stop sending wrong signals to the "Taiwan independence" separatists. The DPP authorities' separatist position for "Taiwan independence" and attempt to achieve that by collaborating with external forces will not get them anywhere. RIA Novosti: It is reported that former US President, the Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said that he does not rule out the possibility that China would "catch up, maybe even surpass" the US in terms of nuclear arsenal. In an interview with Elon Musk on the social media platform X, he said: "Russia and us are No.1, and we are sort of tied, and China is far behind, but they are developing at a level that you are not surprised to hear, very fast, they'll end up catching up, maybe even surpassing." What's China's comment? Lin Jian: We have no comment on campaign rhetoric during the US presidential election. The nuclear arsenal of the US is way bigger than China's. Let me just note that China follows a policy of "no first use" of nuclear weapons and a nuclear strategy that focuses on self-defense. China always keeps its nuclear strength at the minimum level required by national security, and never engages in arms race with anyone. CNN: According to space monitoring agencies and the US Space Command, one of China's Long March 6A rockets, after being launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on August 6, broke apart in low-Earth orbit last week. Multiple space debris-tracking entities said the breakup created a debris cloud consisting of hundreds of pieces. Can you confirm this and provide the latest monitoring information? What measures is China taking to monitor and deal with the debris? What has China done to prevent similar incidents from happening again in the future? (Similar questions from Bloomberg, DPA and RIA Novosti)a Lin Jian: The mission of the rocket was a peaceful use of the outer space consistent with international law and universal practice. China has taken necessary measures and is closely monitoring relevant orbit area and conducting data analysis. As a responsible major country, China attaches great importance to space debris mitigation. In conducting outer space activities, China has taken active efforts to fulfill relevant international obligations and regulate its aerospace activities. We've made it a rule to always take space debris mitigation measures after satellites and carrier rockets complete their missions, in order to help protect the environment of the outer space and ensure the long-term sustainability of outer space activities. AP: Has China had any direct or indirect outreach to Iran over its threatened retaliatory strike for the killing of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran? Has China urged Iran not to strike? If so, why? And has China had any outreach to Hamas or others over the group's decision not to take part in new cease-fire talks? Lin Jian: China has been calling for international efforts to bring an early end to the conflict in Gaza as soon as possible and prevent further spillover. China plays an active role in easing regional tensions. We support all efforts that contribute to permanent and comprehensive ceasefire in Gaza, and will work with the international community to deescalate the situation and avoid further escalation of the conflict and confrontation. TV Asahi: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced that he will not run in Liberal Democratic Party's leadership vote. What is China's comment on Prime Minister Kishida's decision? What's your comment on him as prime minister over the past three years? How will his stepping down affect China-Japan relations? (Similar questions from Kyodo News, Asahi Shimbun and Yomiuri) Lin Jian: We have noted the announcement. This is Japan's domestic affair. We have no comment on it. China and Japan are important neighbors. China hopes to work with Japan in the spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan to comprehensively advance the strategic relationship of mutual benefit and work to build a constructive and stable China-Japan relationship fit for the new era. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China top diplomat meets Myanmar leader, junta denies coup rumors Wang Yi calls for stability in Myanmar as conflict deepens and speculation rises over Min Aung Hlaing's future. By RFA Burmese 2024.08.14 -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Myanmar ruler Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing on Wednesday and highlighted Beijing's continued support for the military regime, even as the junta had to dispel rumors of a coup. Pro-junta media reported that the two men held a closed-door meeting in the capital Naypyidaw during which Wang expressed China's hope for Myanmar's stability and development, expressed appreciation for Myanmar's continued endorsement of China's claim to sovereignty over the democratic island of Taiwan, and pledged China's steadfast support in international forums. The meeting came amid calls from junta supporters for the removal of Min Aung Hlaing over his failure to eliminate the armed opposition and rumors circulating on social media that he had been deposed by a fellow general, which the military regime's True News Information Team denied. During Wednesday's talks, Wang emphasized the need for all stakeholders to be represented in an election that the junta has promised for next year, but which critics say will be an illegitimate sham. Wang also offered China's assistance with election-related matters and technical support for a census in preparation for the vote, media reports said. Myanmar's military ousted an elected government led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in early 2021, jailing her and hundreds of party colleagues and supporters, dissolving her party and banning other parties. The coup touched off a nationwide civil war as the junta sought to cement its control, pitting it against various paramilitary groups and ethnic armies on multiple fronts in the country's remote border regions. The junta has promised to hold elections but critics say a vote would be meaningless with Suu Kyi and so many pro-democracy politicians and activists behind bars. At Wednesday's meeting, Wang expressed Beijing's opposition to attacks by ethnic armed groups on towns and villages in northern Shan state, which borders China. Junta officials responded by saying that Myanmar would not permit any actions that could harm China's interests and is placing special attention on China's stability, development and security, reports said. Beijing has not released any information regarding the meeting or discussions with the junta and details of Wang's statement were not carried by pro-junta media. 'Push for broad dialogue' Speaking to RFA Burmese, Kyaw Zaw, the spokesperson for the presidential office of Myanmar's shadow National Unity Government, or NUG, suggested that "China's statements were misrepresented by the junta" to align with its interests and stabilize the border region. "The Chinese Embassy has also issued a statement [ahead of the meeting]," he said. "Their primary concern seems to be the border areas of Shan state and aiming to halt the fighting in Myanmar - particularly due to fears about the impact on their own border regions." Attempts by RFA to contact junta spokesman Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun for his response to the NUG's claims went unanswered Wednesday. Hla Kyaw Zaw, an expert on China-Myanmar affairs, said that Wang met with Min Aung Hlaing as part of a bid by the Chinese government to "maintain a positive relationship" with the junta. "The situation [in northern Shan state] won't be resolved by a ceasefire alone," he said. "There is a push for a broad dialogue that includes all stakeholders involved in the Myanmar issue to find a comprehensive solution. But the junta appears to be displeased with this approach." RFA sources in Naypyidaw said that Wang Yi's visit to Myanmar was also scheduled to include meetings with retired Senior Gen. Than Shwe and former President Thein Sein, who led Myanmar's quasi-civilian government prior to the November 2020 elections that brought Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party to power. Wang Yi's meeting with Min Aung Hlaing follows talks he held in June with Myanmar's former President Thein Sein at the State Guesthouse in Beijing. The Chinese foreign minister's visit to Myanmar is his second since the military coup, following one in June 2022. Rumors of coup The talks in Naypyidaw came amid rumors swirling on social media that Min Aung Hlaing had been detained as part of an internal coup orchestrated by a military adjutant general on Tuesday evening. The claims, which originated from a social media account called "Captain Seagull," were quickly dismissed by the junta's True News Information Team as "baseless rumors spread by fake accounts aimed at destabilizing the country." The information team also said that military officials, including Min Aung Hlaing, were continuing to perform their duties as usual. A former military officer, speaking anonymously due to security concerns, told RFA that the disinformation is part of a broader effort to create social and political instability in Myanmar. "The notion of a military disintegration due to an internal coup is creating false hope among the public," he said. "In reality, the political situation remains stagnant. The military, having been built up over decades, cannot be expected to collapse in just three years." The rumors come amid frustration from junta supporters over Min Aung Hlaing's handling of the conflict, which has seen the armed opposition make substantial gains in recent months. Market shelled Myanmar's military has increasingly turned to airstrikes and artillery fire as its troops suffer battlefield defeats, often with deadly results for the country's civilian population. During busy hours on Tuesday, at least 11 civilians were killed and 10 others injured when junta troops in Sagaing region's Monywa township fired a 60-millimeter rocket that landed in a market in Hta Naung Taw village, residents told RFA. Those killed in the attack included eight women and three men, aged 14 to 50, they said. A woman who was at the market and witnessed the attack told RFA that it occurred at around 9:00 a.m. "We heard the explosion followed by huge smoke, and everyone started running, while others stood as if in a daze," said the woman, who also declined to be named for fear of reprisal. Residents no longer dare to sleep in their homes, fearing more artillery attacks, and have taken shelter in concrete bunkers and nearby monasteries, she said. A member of the armed opposition in Monywa township told RFA that junta troops used to exclusively fire heavy weapons at military positions, but have begun targeting civilians as well. "Recently, they began intentionally targeting busy areas with tea shops, betel shops, markets, and so on," he said. On Sunday, an artillery shell fired from the military's Ma Au village checkpoint exploded in front of a betel shop near Lin Poe and Lin Pin villages, killing two 40-year-old female pedestrians and injuring nine others. Attempts by RFA to reach Nyunt Win Aung, the junta's social affairs minister and spokesperson for Sagaing region, by phone for comment on the attacks went unanswered Wednesday. According to data collected by RFA, as of the end of May, military airstrikes and artillery fire have killed 596 civilians and injured 823 others in Sagaing region. Translated by Kalyar Lwin and Aung Naing. Edited by Joshua Lipes. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content August not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China In Eurasia Briefing: Beijing Admits Its Ship Damaged A Baltic Pipeline. Now What? By Reid Standish August 14, 2024 A New Layer To A Baltic Mystery China has, for the first time, acknowledged that the Chinese-owned cargo ship NewNew Polar Bear was responsible for damaging the Balticconnector gas pipeline in October 2023. However, European officials may not be buying the explanation for how. Finding Perspective: The South China Morning Post reported on August 12 that Chinese authorities conducted their own internal investigation and have shared the results with the Estonian and Finnish governments. According to the Chinese report seen by some ministries, the incident is said to be an accident that resulted from a severe storm, although details about exactly how the pipeline was damaged are not mentioned. The 77-kilometer pipeline that travels from Estonia under the Baltic Sea and connects Finland to the European gas network was damaged along with two nearby telecoms cables on the night of October 7 or the morning of October 8, according to investigators. The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) led a probe into the incident and concluded that the damage, which sliced the pipeline and left a large dragging trail in the seabed, was done by a ship's anchor. Speaking to local media following the South China Morning Post report, Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur expressed skepticism over the Chinese explanation. "Personally, I find it very difficult to understand how a ship's captain could fail to notice for such a long time that its anchor had been dragging along the seabed," he said on August 13. Both Estonian and Finnish authorities said that the NewNew Polar Bear, a container ship that was flying the Hong Kong flag and is registered to the Chinese firm NewNew Shipping Line, was in the area and the culprit of the incident. The damage and the location of the ship made international headlines in October and into November when it was tracked as it was sailing back to China through Russian waters after Finnish authorities had unsuccessfully tried on multiple occasions to contact the vessel. What's Next?: While the acknowledgement adds a new layer to the story, Estonian and Finnish investigators have said that the Chinese report does not qualify as official evidence. The Estonian prosecutor's office also told the South China Morning Post that they have not received the document and they have submitted requests for legal assistance with Chinese authorities to gather evidence and interview the crew. Finland's NBI declined to comment. Those requests for further investigation remain unanswered by Beijing. Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal has also reportedly not seen the Chinese report and said that "the practical task remains to repair the damage, and the question remains of who will bear the cost." Both the Estonian and Finnish inquiries are ongoing. Sari Arho Havren, a Helsinki-based researcher with the Royal United Services Institute who has been tracking the case, told me that it shouldn't be surprising that China has acknowledged involvement given the amount of evidence, but now "the narrative that this was an accident will be used to deflect calls for a deeper investigation." Why It Matters: Since the incident took place, the main question has been whether it was an accident or an act of sabotage. The damage happened months after Finland had formally joined NATO and amid rising concerns from the Western military alliance over attacks on its critical undersea infrastructure like Internet cables, power cables, and pipelines. The Balticconnector incident also unfolded a little over a year after the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines that brought gas from Russia to northern Germany were damaged by explosions. Estonian and Finnish authorities have been careful in commenting about the investigation and how amenable their Chinese counterparts are. "If China doesn't comply, it will be very difficult to open it up any further," Arho Havren said. "How this case is handled will set an important precedent one way or the other." Three More Stories From Eurasia 1. China's Space Program Pushes Into Central Asia A new agreement for Kazakhstan to join Chinese-led plans to build and operate a research base on the moon could set the stage for deepening cooperation between the two countries, I reported here. The Details: This deal was signed in July, but its details were expounded during an August 5 press conference in Astana. Not only will Kazakhstan be the 12th member of the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), a Chinese-led initiative with Russia's Roskosmos for a lunar base, but Astana and Beijing also set up new exchanges and agreed to explore the commercial use of each other's spaceports. It's a significant development that sets Kazakhstan on a path to further integrate into China's booming space industry at a time when Beijing and Washington's rivalry is also playing out in outer space. The ILRS and its companion coordination organization are seen as a China-led response to NASA's Artemis Program, a U.S.-led initiative that aims to send a crewed mission to the moon by 2025, with a continuous presence by 2028. As part of its own diplomatic push for space, Washington has gotten more than 40 countries to sign the Artemis Accords, a set of principles for the exploration and use of outer space. Beyond the moon base, Kazakhstan's deal with China could also have implications for the future space economy. The Central Asian country has a storied legacy within the Soviet and Russian space programs and could help China in its satellite competition, which will sway the future of Beijing's Beidou Satellite Navigation System (BDS), which is its answer to the American GPS, Russian GLONASS, or the European Galileo navigation systems. Widespread adoption of either system carries immense commercial value and China wants BDS to be used for aircraft, auto, and ship navigation, as well as humanitarian and disaster assistance, agricultural improvement, weather forecast, and military applications. 2. Traditional Chinese Medicine Comes To Romania Under the tenure of Chinese leader Xi Jinping, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has spread and been actively promoted by Beijing abroad. My colleague Ionut Benea from RFE/RL's Romanian Service looks at how the practice has become a centerpiece of the programs offered at two of the country's top four medical universities. What You Need To Know: Ionut's reporting centers around the inroads made at the medical schools in Bucharest and Iasi in eastern Romania, where TCM has become part of the curriculum. Program heads and administrators at both universities have been the target of a push by Chinese officials to promote the style of medicine for years, including paid exchanges, scholarships, and sustained outreach from the Chinese Embassy in Bucharest. TCM has become part of a broader soft-power push by China. Xi often refers to the practice as a "national treasure" and has directed significant resources to research and promotion of TCM. In December 2016, China issued its first white paper on TCM which called for "equal status" between TCM and Western medicine as well as greater investment in TCM research and education. The document also calls for China to "actively introduce TCM to the rest of the world" through its bilateral relations and presence in multilateral organizations. Read the full report here. 3. Kazakh Crackdown Members of Naghyz Atazhurt, an unregistered political party in Kazakhstan that was founded to defend the rights of ethnic Kazakhs in neighboring Xinjiang, say they've recently come under increased pressure from the government, RFE/RL's Kazakh Service reports. What It Means: Speaking at an August 7 press conference, members of the group said their ranks faced a steep uptick in fines leveled against them. Bekzat Maqsutkhan, the head of the party, was recently sentenced to 10 days in jail on a charge of violating regulations for holding public events without a permit. Naghyz Atazhurt's leaders have been trying to officially register as a political party since May 2022, but have had their applications denied by the authorities. The organization was formerly known as Atazhurt Eriktileri and was originally founded as a grassroots organization that campaigned for the release of ethnic Kazakhs from Xinjiang's internment camps in western China as they began to fill up with Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and other mostly Muslim minorities in 2017 and 2018. In 2022, a group of leading members announced a plan to become a political party "to contribute to the process of the democratic political system while taking into account the Kazakh people's traditions, language, and national characteristics." Across The Supercontinent IPAC Threats: Romanian member of parliament Catalin Tenita participated in the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) in Taiwan in late July. Tenita, along with several other IPAC members, was contacted by the local embassy threatening strained ties with Beijing in an attempt to dissuade him and other lawmakers from attending the summit. German Surge: Despite calls from the German government to diversify away from China into less geopolitically risky markets, German direct investment soared in 2024, according to central-bank data seen by the Financial Times. The sharp rise is largely from the auto industry and is a sign that companies are ignoring the pleas of the government. German investment for the first half of 2024 has reached 7.3 billion euros ($8 billion), already more than the 6.5 billion euros for the whole of 2023. Chip Wars: Huawei is preparing to launch a new AI chip to challenge Nvidia's H100 amid U.S. sanctions aimed at curbing its tech advances, The Wall Street Journal reported. Kursk Reaction: Beijing has been relatively muted amid Ukraine's incursion into Russia's Kursk region. The only comment so far came on August 12 when the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement calling on Kyiv and Moscow to "observe the three principles for de-escalating the situation, namely no expansion of the battlefield, no escalation of fighting, and no fueling the flame by any party." One Thing To Watch Environmental protests are under way in Serbia over the government's plan to allow the British-Australian company Rio Tinto to open a lithium mine in western Serbia. The Serbian government tried to push through a similar deal in 2021 but backed off after months of widespread protests over environmental and pollution concerns engulfed the country. As tens of thousands of protesters again take to the streets, it's worth noting that it was during those 2021 demonstrations that Serbian law enforcement first tested some of the Chinese-made surveillance equipment it had purchased, as was documented in this RFE/RL investigation. Could the current protests be another opportunity to try out more new equipment? Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/china-baltic-connector- estonia-finland/33077971.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address California Man Indicted for Unlawfully Exporting Aircraft Components to Iran Wednesday, August 14, 2024 For Immediate Release Office of Public Affairs The Justice Department unsealed an indictment charging U.S.-Iranian national Jeffrey Chance Nader, 68, with crimes related to the illicit export of U.S.-manufactured aircraft components, including components used on military aircraft, to Iran in violation of U.S. economic sanctions and other federal laws. Nader was arrested yesterday in California. "This action demonstrates the Justice Department's commitment to keeping military-grade equipment out of the hands of the Iranian regime," said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department's National Security Division. "We will aggressively investigate, disrupt, and hold accountable criminal networks that supply sensitive technology to hostile and repressive governments in contravention of U.S. sanctions." "Attacks by Iran and its proxies on U.S. allies in the Middle East and its ongoing supply of Russia with drones and other technology to be used in its illegal war against Ukraine demonstrate why we must do all that we can to stop Iran from acquiring U.S. parts, services, and technology," said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. "The charges announced today represent the latest step in our ongoing effort to hold accountable those who illegally funnel goods and services to Iran and to deter others from doing the same." "Iran has no business using U.S.-manufactured parts and components to keep their planes and drones in the sky," said Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security. "Stopping these items before they get to our adversaries - like we did here - reflects the real-world impact we're having through the Disruptive Technology Strike Force." "This indictment highlights the FBI's commitment to enforcing export laws by holding those accountable who allegedly try to smuggle U.S.-origin military equipment to the benefit of Iran," said Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI's National Security Branch. "Any circumvention of U.S. export control law is unacceptable, and the FBI works diligently with its partners across the globe to seek out and bring to justice those who violate export laws along with any shell companies that support such activities." According to the indictment, beginning at least in 2023, Nader and other associates, conspired to purchase and illegally export - and attempted to export - from the United States to Iran four types of aircraft components, totaling nearly three dozen individual pieces. Some of these components are for use on military aircraft operated by Iran's armed forces, including the F-4 fighter jet. Nader, acting on purchase orders he received from customers in Iran, coordinated the purchase of relevant aircraft components with business associates in Iran, by which Nader and his Iran-based associates would reach out to U.S.-based suppliers of such components. In several instances, Nader falsely identified himself and his company, California-based Pro Aero Capital, to the U.S.-based suppliers as the end user of the items. Once Nader obtained the aircraft components, he attempted to export the items on multiple occasions to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The items were then to be transshipped to the ultimate customer in Iran. The items discussed in the indictment, however, were detained by a Special Agent with the Department of Commerce, and none were successfully exported from the United States. The FBI Washington Field Office and the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security is investigating the case, with assistance provided by the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven B. Wasserman for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Sean Heiden of the National Security Division's Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. Significant assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California. This prosecution is being coordinated through the Disruptive Technology Strike Force, an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states. Under the leadership of the Assistant Attorney General for National Security and the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Enforcement, the Strike Force leverages tools and authorities across the U.S. Government to enhance the criminal and administrative enforcement of export control laws. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Topics:Export Control National Security Components: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) National Security Division (NSD) USAO - District of Columbia Press Release Number: 24-1,008 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran ready to stand up to any aggression: Envoy to Russia IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Aug 14, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- Iranian Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali has said that his country stands ready to any aggression on its soil, and that the Israeli regime will receive a response to its actions against the Islamic Republic. Jalali made the remark in an interview with Russia TASS news agency on Wednesday, as he commented on the possibility of abandoning plans to respond to Israel ahead of a new round of talks in Qatar on a ceasefire in Gaza. "There will be a response, but we do not know when exactly. In any case, the Islamic Republic of Iran is always ready to stand up to any aggression, we will respond to it (Israel)", the ambassador said. Iran has promised to retaliate against Israel for the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31, a day after he attended the inaugural of the new president Masoud Pezeshkian. Iran says that the assassination taking place on its soil in a clear violation of Iranian sovereignty and territorial integrity, and that the country reserves the right to legitimate defense against any act of aggression against its territory. 4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian minister hails Iran's defense achievements as impressive IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Aug 14, 2024 Moscow, IRNA -- Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov has described the achievements of the Islamic Republic in the Army-2024 Exhibition as very impressive. Belousov toured the Iranian defense achievements pavilion in the 10th International Military-Technical Forum Army-2024 held on August 12-14. During the visit, the high-ranking official lauded the Islamic Republic's breakthroughs in the defense field. On the first day of the exhibition, Iran's "Mohajer-10" drone was put on display for the first time, which is said to be technologically much more advanced than previous Iranian-developed UAVs. On August 11, a high-level Iranian delegation headed by Deputy Coordinator of the Khatam al-Anbiya Base, Brigadier General Ali Shadmani arrived in Russia to take part in the exhibition. Organized by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the event showcased the military equipment capabilities of foreign exhibitors and delegations. The display includes weapons, ammunition, drones, aviation industry equipment, air and maritime defense systems, ballistic missiles, radar, electronic warfare equipment, as well as industrial and military batteries manufactured by Iranian experts. The Islamic Republic of Iran's defense and military industries participated in the exhibition for the third consecutive year. The forum is a platform for companies and enterprises to demonstrate their products for further integration into cooperation within the military-industrial complex. 7129**4354 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran pres. pick for defense chief says will develop 'jump jets, AI-driven drone swarms' Iran Press TV Wednesday, 14 August 2024 11:00 AM Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh, who has been picked by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, to run the Ministry of Defense, has presented parliament with his proposals for further development of the country's defense sector. Nasirzadeh, who currently serves as the deputy chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces and used to command the country's Air Force from 2018 to 2021, provided the legislative body with his proposals on Wednesday. The plans outlined his visions for additional expansion of the Islamic Republic aerial and naval warfare capabilities, missile technology, air defense prowess, and aerospace division among other things. As means of enhancing the Air Force, the senior military official advanced designing and production of "jump jets," which are capable of vertical takeoff and landing. He also proposed improvement of artificial intelligence technology across the country's drone squad to further equip it for swarm flight operations. Nasirzadeh suggested development of heavy multi-mission destroyers through acquisition of relevant technology, as well as enhancement and production of high-speed vessels that are capable of launching cruise missiles. To develop the missile sector, he suggested improvement of the country's capacity of producing various types of ballistic, cruise, and air defense missiles with diverse ranges and capabilities in proportion to the Armed Forces' current and future needs. The official, meanwhile, advocated additional improvement of the country's space technology, suggesting development of the technology and capacity of its satellite launchers, and placement of more than 20 satellites into orbit in the future. Using the capacity of defense diplomacy to facilitate the export of defense products, increasing interaction with neighboring counties as well as Latin American and African states, and creating the necessary platforms to double the export of defense products are among his other plans. Iran has been relying on domestic endeavors and know-how amid sanctions to make significant advances in enhancing the self-sufficiency of its Armed Forces. Heeding the directives of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, Iranian officials have repeatedly underscored that the country would not hesitate to strengthen its military capabilities, which are entirely meant for defensive purposes and are, therefore, never subject to negotiation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Why Is Iran Delaying Its Vowed Attack On Israel? By Kian Sharifi August 14, 2024 Iran has kept the world on edge since it promised to strike Israel more than two weeks ago -- a move experts say could plunge the region into an all-out war. The promised attack by Islamic republic is meant as retaliation for the July 31 killing in Tehran of Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of the U.S.- and EU-designated Palestinian terrorist group Hamas. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said after the assassination that Iran was "duty-bound" to avenge its "guest." An Iranian attack has been "imminent" for the past two weeks, and this anticipation has led to frequent bouts of hysteria on social media predicting an attack by Iran and its allies -- including Lebanese militant group Hizballah -- within hours. "I think they really enjoy that: watching Israel stuck in this waiting period, paying a heavy economic and psychological price," said Raz Zimmt, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv. But the fallout from the anticipation is a double-edged sword that also hurts Iran and its allies. "The negative impact on Israel, be it the stress to the home front, the military mobilization, and even the economic consequences, will not be limited to Israel, but also affect Iran and Lebanon," warned Michael Horowitz, head of intelligence at the Bahrain-based Le Beck International consultancy. Why The Wait? Analysts said the idea Iran is delaying its retaliation because it is relishing the psychological impact it is having is more of an excuse than a proper strategy. They agreed intense domestic debates, the complexity of coordinating with proxies, and assessing the risks associated with an attack have all contributed to Iran's hesitation. Zimmt said Iran is "facing a major dilemma" because while Khamenei and the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) want to restore Iran's deterrence vis-a-vis Israel, there are elements in Iran that worry a large-scale attack could drag Iran into a war with Israel and maybe even the United States. Even if a decision on how to respond to Haniyeh's killing has been made, coordinating with Hizballah and other members of the so-called axis of resistance -- Tehran's loosely knit network of regional state and nonstate allies and proxies -- is a time-consuming process. Another factor likely affecting Iran's decision-making is the United States beefing up its military presence in the region more than it did in April ahead of Iran's unprecedented drone and missile attack against Israel. "We're seeing a bigger response [from the United States] than in April, which is probably meant to match the scope of the threat, as Iran may carry out a larger response than the one in April," Horowitz said. "The message [from the United States] in sending both defensive assets -- but also potentially offensive ones -- is one of deterrence and perhaps the only kind of message that does truly matter at this stage." Can Diplomacy Prevail? Tehran has rebuffed calls by Western nations to show restraint, insisting it has a legitimate right to respond to Israel's killing of Haniyeh on Iranian territory. Still, the flurry of phone calls made to new President Masud Pezeshkian and acting Foreign Minister Ali Baqeri-Kani have raised speculation that attempts at diplomacy have helped delay an attack and could potentially stave it off. "I am skeptical that diplomacy, on its own, is enough to truly change the Iranian calculus," Horowitz said. "Iran will do what it feels is in its best interest, regardless of the calls and statements urging restraint." But Iran has suggested a different kind of diplomacy could convince it to at least "delay" its promised attack: a permanent cease-fire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. Farzan Sabet, senior research associate at the Geneva Graduate Institute, speculated Iran "may be looking for off-ramps" to justify a toned-down response, and some kind of Gaza cease-fire could be just the "diplomatic victory" it needs to do that. Zimmt said a Gaza cease-fire may not be important to Iran but it does provide Tehran with "an excuse or an explanation to legitimize this delay, both internally and mostly externally." He said a cease-fire could lead to Iran either reducing the scale of its attack or choosing a different method of retaliation altogether that does not involve a direct strike on Israel. No Good Options It remains a mystery when and how Iran is going to respond, but as things stand Tehran does not seem to have any good options. "Decision-makers in Tehran may have vacillated in finding a 'Goldilocks' option," Sabet said. That, he explained, is Iran's conundrum to deliver "a retaliatory strike that is not so weak as to have little symbolic or deterrent value, but not so strong as to cause an uncontrolled cycle of escalation that leads to a larger war." Tehran is effectively left with either a weak response or one that crosses the threshold of war. Both options "entail significant risks," Horowitz said, "either for Iran's regional projection power or the risks Iran could take if it crosses a line and is hit back in return." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-delay- israel-attack-hamas/33078726.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Rift widens between Netanyahu, Gallant as Gaza war drags on IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Aug 14, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- Zionist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Minister of Military Affairs, Yoav Gallant, are reportedly communicating only through the military secretary, signaling escalating tensions between the two. The rift between the two Zionist officials comes amid fears that the regime's war against the Gaza Strip is speedily getting out of control and could escalate into a regional war, according to Al Mayadeen. A Zionist journalist has said that Zionist prime ministers have never liked their ministers of defense but what is going on now has been unprecedented. Netanyahu and Gallant has had harsh disagreements for several months over a wide range of issues, including judicial reforms, October 7 Al-Aqsa Storm Operation, and the ceasefire in Gaza. The disagreements between them further exacerbated after Gallant said that Netanyahu bore responsibility for the failure of ceasefire talks, which triggered a response from the prime minister's office. 9341**4353 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US approves $20bn weapons package for Zionist regime IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Aug 14, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- The US Department of Defense (Pentagon) has approved the sale of $20 billion in fighter jets and other military equipment to Israel as the regime presses ahead with more than 10-month genocidal war on the Gaza Strip. According to IRNA's Wednesday morning report, quoting Reuters, this package of weapons includes F-15 fighters worth $19 billion, tank shells worth $774 million, and armored personnel carriers worth $583 million. The Pentagon announced that Blinken on Tuesday (local time) approved the sale of fighter jets and other military equipment worth more than 20 billion dollars to Israel. According to the statement, tank shells will be sent to the Zionist regime almost immediately, but the production of F-15 fighters and their delivery to Tel Aviv will take years. "The United States is committed to the security of Israel, and it is vital to U.S. national interests to assist Israel to develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability," the Pentagon said. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, in a post on X, thanked US officials for helping Israel maintain "its qualitative military edge in the region" and the US commitment to Israel's security. The US, Israel's biggest ally and weapons supplier, has sent Israel more than 10,000 highly destructive 2,000-pound bombs and thousands of Hellfire missiles since the start of the Gaza war in October, US acknowledged in June. According to IRNA, a senior US official previously announced that the United States had sent more than 6.5 billion dollars of weapons to Israel since October 7 last year, which was almost worth 3 billion dollars in May alone. 4399 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Approves $18.82Bln Sale of 50 F-15IA Aircraft to Israel - Pentagon Sputnik News 20240814 WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The US State Department has approved an $18.82 billion sale of 50 F-15IA multirole fighter jets and related equipment to the government of Israel, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said on Tuesday. "The Secretary of State has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Israel of F-15IA and F-15I+ Aircraft and related equipment for an estimated cost of $18.82 billion," the agency said in a press release. "The Government of Israel has requested to buy up to fifty (50) new F-15IA multi-role fighter aircraft." The Israeli government has also requested to purchase 25 modification kits for its existing F-15I multi-role fighter aircraft, 120 F110-GE-129 engines, 90 Advanced Display Core Processors II, 320 LAU-128 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile launchers, 25 M61A Vulcan cannons, and 180 Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System, among other related equipment, according to the release. Moreover, the US State Department has approved a possible $102.5 million sale of 30 AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) and related equipment to the government of Israel, the DSCA announced. "The Secretary of State has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Israel of Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles and related equipment for an estimated cost of $102.5 million," the press release said. The Israeli government has also requested to buy one AMRAAM guidance spare section, AMRAAM control sections and containers, common munitions built-in-test/reprogramming equipment (CMBRE) and spare parts, among other equipment, the statement read. Furthermore, the US State Department approved a $61.1 million sale of 50,000 120mm high explosive mortar cartridges to Israel, the agency revealed. "The Secretary of State has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Israel of M933A1 120mm High Explosive Mortar Cartridges and related equipment for an estimated cost of $61.1 million," the DSCA noted. "The Government of Israel has requested to buy fifty thousand (50,000) M933A1 120mm High Explosive (HE) mortar cartridges." In addition, the US State Department has approved a potential $774.1 million sale of 120mm tank cartridges and related equipment to Israel, the agency said. "The Secretary of State has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Israel of 120mm Tank Cartridges and related equipment for an estimated cost of $774.1 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today," the press release read. Israel has requested the purchase of 32,739 120mm tank cartridges, including High Explosive Multi-Purpose and Anti-Tank variants, in a deal valued at $774.1 million. The request also covers additional munitions, logistics, and support services, with deliveries expected to start in 2027, according to the release. The US State Department has also approved a $583 million sale of M1148A1P2 Tactical Vehicles to Israel, the DSCA announced. "The Secretary of State has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Israel of modified M1148A1P2 Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) and related equipment for an estimated cost of $583.1 million," the Pentagon said. The release did not specify the number of vehicles included in the package but said deliveries were expected to begin in 2026. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Japan PM Kishida to step down, not running for ruling LDP president People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 14:37, August 14, 2024 TOKYO, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced Wednesday that he will not run in the presidential election of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) next month, in a countdown to his three-year term. The nation is expected to see a new prime minister this fall following the announcement by Kishida, perplexed by mounting criticism over the LDP slush fund scandal and diving approval ratings for his cabinet. Kishida told a press conference at the prime minister's office that he takes full responsibility for the fundraising scandal and has decided to "step aside" as a first step to impress on the public that the ruling party can make a change. Kishida had been keen to secure reelection in the leadership race despite his unpopularity, but calls have been growing within the LDP for him to resign amid fears over how the LDP would fare in the next general election under his leadership, national news agency Kyodo reported, citing political pundits. The 67-year-old was elected president of the ruling LDP in 2021 and his three-year term expires in September. As of Wednesday, former LDP Secretary General Shigeru Ishiba and Digital Minister Taro Kono had expressed intentions to run in the LDP presidential election. LDP Secretary General Toshimitsu Motegi, Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi, former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and former Economic Security Minister Takayuki Kobayashi are also among those who may join the race, Kyodo reported. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Japanese PM Kishida to step down amid low approval rating Global Times China hopes for a constructive, stable relationship with Japan fit for the new era: FM By Zhao Yusha and Shen Sheng Published: Aug 14, 2024 11:10 PM Updated: Aug 15, 2024 12:10 AM Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced on Wednesday that he will not run in the upcoming Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership race in September, paving the way for Japan to have a new prime minister. The sudden announcement came as Kishida's Cabinet stepped up disaster preparedness after the weather agency last week issued its first-ever advisory warning of an increased risk of a megaquake along the Nankai Trough, running between central and southwestern Japan in the Pacific, according to Japan's Kyodo News. "As a first step to impress on the public that the LDP has changed, I have decided not to run in the presidential race," Kishida said during a press conference at the prime minister's office, adding he had made the choice at a time when he is free of immediate diplomatic commitments. Lin Jian, a spokesperson of Chinese Foreign Ministry, responded to the question about Kishida's announcement at Wednesday's routine press conference that "We have noted the announcement. This is Japan's domestic affair. We have no comment on it." China and Japan are important neighbors. China hopes to work with Japan in the spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan to comprehensively advance the strategic relationship of mutual benefit and work to build a constructive and stable China-Japan relationship fit for the new era, Lin added. Last month, the approval rating of Kishida's Cabinet edged up by only four percentage points to 21 percent in a weekend Mainichi Shimbun opinion poll, yet remained below the 30 percent mark for the 13th month in a row, Japanese media reported. Liu Jiangyong, the vice dean of the Institute of Modern International Relations at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times on Wednesday that it will be difficult for a leader with a low approval rating to lead the LDP to victory in elections in 2025. Liu emphasized that the decision by Kishida was likely driven by the potential political crisis that a failure in the general election could pose for the party. Speculation on potential candidates has landed on a number of senior LDP lawmakers, including party Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi, Digital Minister Taro Kono, Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi and Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, according to the Associated Press. Future policy No matter who becomes next LDP leader and new Japanese prime minister, he or she will likely continue with Kishida's China policy, Xiang Haoyu, a research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Wednesday. Traditionally, the faction Kishida leads has been known as the "dove faction," however, during three years when he was Prime Minister, Japan has adopted aggressive and hawkish policies in both security and diplomatic arenas, said Xiang. Xiang added that Kishida administration has failed to form an objective and rational understanding of China and adopt a positive China policy. Instead, the exaggeration of the "China threat" has increased during his tenure, and Japan has increasingly flirted with the Taiwan question to interfere in China's domestic affairs. These actions have severely damaged ties with China, which is of great significance to Japan. Xiang said the general political orientation toward China within the Japanese political circle and the LDP is basically the same, as there is a dominant negative attitude toward China and a consensus on balancing China and strengthening the US-Japan alliance. Former Japanese Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Wednesday reaffirmed his intention to run in the presidential election of LDP in September following Kishida's decision not to join the race. Ishiba, who is now on a three-day visit to Taiwan through Wednesday as the co-head of a six-member Japanese lawmakers' delegation, reportedly met with regional leader of Taiwan island Lai Ching-te. The Taiwan question is at the very core of China's core interests. It bears on the political foundation of China-Japan relations and is a red line that must not be crossed, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Wednesday, calling on certain Japanese politicians to stop sending wrong signals to the "Taiwan independence" separatists. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN report accuses Myanmar military of war crimes and crimes against humanity By Lisa Schlein August 14, 2024 A newly released report from a group of independent human rights experts says there is "substantial evidence" that Myanmar's military junta has committed war crimes and crimes against humanity, with civilians deliberately targeted in violation of international human rights law. "Our mandate is to collect evidence of the most serious international crimes in Myanmar. Our report shows that the number of these crimes is only increasing. The armed conflict is increasing in intensity and brutality," Nicholas Koumjian, head of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, IIMM, told journalists Tuesday in Geneva. "We have collected substantial evidence showing horrific levels of brutality and inhumanity across Myanmar. Many crimes have been committed with an intent to punish and induce terror in the civilian population," he said at the launch of IIMM's annual report. There was no immediate response from Myanmar's junta, which the United Nations does not recognize as a legitimate government. Koumjian said the IIMM has not sent the report to any authorities in Myanmar, though a public information officer noted the U.N. sent a copy to all member states, including Myanmar. The 18-page report by IIMM, a body created by the U.N. Human Rights Council in 2018, covers the period between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024. Investigators say the report is based on evidence collected from more than 900 sources, including more than 400 eyewitness testimonies, along with additional evidence such as photographs, videos, geospatial imagery, social media posts and forensic evidence. Authors of the report say that since the military toppled the country's democratically elected government in February 2021, "the number of serious international crimes in Myanmar has continued to increase in frequency and scale." They note that in the civil war, the military has lost territory in outlying regions to ethnic armed organizations and the People's Defense Force, or PDF, causing it to increasingly rely "on aerial and artillery bombardments of populated areas, resulting in numerous injuries and fatalities among the civilian population." The report documents many incidents proving that civilians "are often the victims of the conflict, not simply collateral damage, but often are targeted in the conflict," Koumjian said. "In Kayah state in February of this year, four children were killed and around 10 injured when fighter jets dropped bombs and deployed machine gun fire on the school," he said. One of two captured videotapes that he viewed shows PDF fighters "being tied between two trees and a fire built underneath them," burning them to death. Another video shows "resistance forces beheading captured soldiers in Loikaw in Kayah State" in November and December of last year. "It is incredible, not just the level of brutality, but the obvious feelings of impunity of those that committed the offense that they actually would videotape what occurred and then put it on social media so it would be broadcast," he said. The report accuses security forces of violently suppressing protests with disproportionate, often lethal force, "causing civilian deaths and serious bodily injury." It says thousands of people have been arrested and many tortured or killed in detention, "particularly in military detention." Investigators say they have also collected reliable evidence of sexual and gender-based crimes in detention committed against males and females, including children under age 18, including gang rape and multiple rapes. "I think the desperation of the regime is leading to more ferocity, more brutality in their attacks against the civilian population," Koumjian observed. "But I would add that we are also seeing a very concerning increase in violence and brutality by opposition forces, and we are very concerned about that also." The chief investigator is calling on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations regional bloc, or ASEAN, to help end the violence and bring the perpetrators of crimes to justice. "ASEAN is a very key player in Myanmar," Koumjian said, noting that the group "has drawn up a five-point consensus to end the fighting, that the junta itself has signed." "Yet we have seen an increase in violence, and we have seen an increase in the violence targeting civilians. ... It is not simply enough to say we support ending the violence," he said. "There have to be steps taken to ensure that, in fact, the violence has ended. "It is time for ASEAN to put some bite into its consensus." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pakistani official calls for completing gas project with Iran IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Aug 14, 2024 Islamabad, IRNA -- The chief of Pakistan's Jamaat-e-Islami has called for completing the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project in order to provide energy for his country. Hafiz Naeemur Rehman made the remarks in a press conference in Islamabad on Tuesday. People in Pakistan cannot tolerate the imposition of further high prices for electricity and gas, he said while censuring the government for its ineffective strategies to solve the energy problems. Iran's energy resources can help provide Pakistan with 25% of its energy needs, he said, urging the Pakistani government to not further delay the completion of the gas project with Iran. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch announced in May that the "Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline is included in the priority of Pakistan." In February, Islamabad approved the construction of an 80-kilometer section of the pipeline to avoid having to pay Iran some $18 billion in penalties for years of delays. The United States has threatened Pakistan with sanctions if it goes ahead with a plan to build the pipeline to import gas from Iran. "He did not agree with the notion that Pakistan was under pressure from the United States that it should not go ahead with the gas pipeline project with Iran," Naeemur Rehman was quoted by Pakistan's The News International as saying. 1483**4354 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Meeting with Acting Governor of Kaliningrad Region Alexei Besprozvannykh Alexei Besprozvannykh briefed the President on the region's socioeconomic development. August 14, 2024 13:15 Novo-Ogaryovo, Moscow Region Alexei Besprozvannykh, who was appointed Acting Governor of the Kaliningrad Region by Presidential Executive Order of May 15, 2024, reported that he has been actively engaged in getting to know the region and the current situation there, discussing economic challenges and tasks in the economy with the business and social issues with the people. A plan for the region's further development is under preparation. Particular attention is being paid to the special military operation, its participants and their family members. According to the Acting Governor, there are quite a few support programmes in place, and funds have been allocated to purchase the necessary equipment and gear. Disbursements have been increased for individuals who sign contracts to serve in the special military operation. A rehabilitation centre is operating in the region, and there are discussions about adding a second building. When working with the families of special military operation participants, the regional government seeks to meet all their needs. Alexei Besprozvannykh also spoke about the assistance to the Kherson Region, where repairs of kindergartens and schools are underway, and mentioned that together with the head of the Kherson Region, they are working on a plan of action until 2030. Turning to economic matters, Alexei Besprozvannykh said that the Kaliningrad Region has been facing certain challenges in terms of its development over the past two years considering its geography and sanctions, among other factors. However, it has been able to overcome practically all of them with the support it received from the President and the federal government. As of today, it expects its gross regional product to grow by 4.7 percent, with a projected growth of 5.8 percent in 2025-2027. The industrial output has been recovering, with manufacturing viewed as the main economic development driver for the region. By 2027, the region hopes to be able to reach pre-crisis manufacturing volumes as well as build a modern, high-technology manufacturing sector with a focus on domestic solutions. The emphasis in agriculture is on self-sufficiency. According to Mr Besprozvannykh, full self-sufficiency has been reached in grains, potatoes, milk, meat, meat products, and chicken eggs. Currently, self-sufficiency in the vegetable group is about 60 percent, and this problem will be addressed with support from the Ministry of Agriculture. However, the region will face a human resources problem in achieving these plans. Enterprises are already developing a programme to attract personnel from other regions, as well as a programme to automate production. Mr Besprozvannykh believes that the initial results can be expected in eighteen to twenty-four months. The topic of maritime transport, which is vital for the region's life and economic development, was also discussed. The federal government has already decided to subsidise reduced rates for the transportation of goods. Mr Besprozvannykh addressed the President with a request concerning reduced airfares. He said that 1.1 billion rubles have already been allocated for soft-term financing, but it is very important to secure uninterrupted financing. Vladimir Putin confirmed that the government will continue to subsidise airfares, and in terms of maritime transport, which currently serves as the main transport corridor for both delivering and exporting goods, a new ferry is scheduled to be delivered to Kaliningrad by the Zvezda shipyard at the end of 2028, with another one planned for 2029. The discussion also touched on the social sphere, including new healthcare and education facilities and the construction of cultural facilities, such as the Planet Ocean museum complex, a branch of the Tretyakov Gallery, and a branch of the Bolshoi Theatre. Mr Besprozvannykh also said that if the region's residents trust him to head the Kaliningrad Region at the upcoming elections, he will do his best to meet their expectations. Vladimir Putin noted that he would try to help Mr Besprozvannykh fulfil his plans, as he was the one to appoint him acting governor. However, the President stressed that the final decision rests with the people of the Kaliningrad Region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov hold talks with heads of Central African delegations 14.08.2024 During the ARMY 2024 International Military and Technical Forum Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov holds talks with Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs of Burkina Faso Kassoum Coulibaly Director of External Relations and Military Cooperation of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Niger Senior Colonel Hamadou Djibo Bartie. During the talks, the sides discussed promising areas of military cooperation as well as issues of strengthening security in Central Africa. Department for Media Affairs and Information NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Burkina Faso Defence Minister shares his impressions of ARMY 2024 International Military and Technical Forum 14.08.2024 Burkina Faso Defence Minister Kassoum Coulibaly shared his impressions of attending the ARMY 2024 International Military Technical Forum. 'It is a great honour to be here. On behalf of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Burkina Faso and the rest of the country, I would like to thank the President of the Russian Federation and the Russian people for inviting us to the event,' said Kassoum Coulibaly. He recalled that it is the second time Burkina Faso's military delegation has been attending the ARMY Forum: 'We had a good experience last year, we had been provided with a plenty of opportunities'. Kassoum Coulibaly also noted that this year's event has been improved significantly. 'At one of the sessions they shared with us the experience acquired in the special military operation. This was a very instructive, truly positive moment for the forum," added the Minister of Defence of Burkina Faso. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Over 80 delegations of foreign military departments take part in ARMY 2024 Forum 14.08.2024 Today on the final day of the ARMY 2024 IMTF, Head of the Main Directorate for Innovative Development of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation Lieutenant General Aleksandr Osadchuk held a traditional briefing for journalists. During the event he summed up results of the second day of the Forum and announced events on 14 August. Over 80 delegations of foreign military departments took part in events of the second day of the Forum. Ten bilateral meetings of the Russian Defence Ministry leadership with foreign colleagues were organised and held. Bilateral meeting were held with representatives of six countries through the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation. As Lieutenant General Aleksandr Osadchuk pointed out, foreign specialists expressed particular interest in expositions of trophy military vehicles, promising military hardware, exhibitions organised by Roscosmos state corporation, Rosatom corporation, Kalashnikov Concern (Unmanned Systems Expo), Almaz-Antey Concern, JSC Rosoboronexport, Shvabe Holding, Armocom company, ASTRON optical mechanics design bureau, as well as national expositions of Belarus, China, and Iran. 'A point of interest for guests and participants of the ARMY 2024 International Military and Technical Forum is the thematic exhibition 'Military Education in Serving the Fatherland'. It showcases advanced training systems applied in the educational institutions of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation taking into account warfare experience including the one of the special military operation and exercises,' said the head of the Main Directorate for Innovative Development of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation. The guests were also interested in the exposition 'Innovations serving the Fatherland' which shows THE latest developments in the field of space, air, ground, and water-based robotics tested and well proven in the special military operation zone. Moreover, experts pay great attention to the All-Russia People's Front exposition, which presents unique developments designed in the interest of the special military operation. In particular, developers from Tula presented a drone called 'Ovod'. Manufacturers of communications, navigation and UAV systems described the main benefit of their development: up to 1.5 minutes from taking the UAV out of the box to launching and taking off. The drone has a remote detonation function. It also has a self-destruct mode. Another popular invention at the exhibition is the Upyr FPV drone. Kamikaze UAVs are designed to defeat heavy and light armour, motor vehicles, dugouts and shelters, and enemy personnel. The People's Front also presented innovative fire-resistant suits for tankmen at the exhibition. The suits are made from Nomex fabric, a material that does not burn but melts. The fabric can withstand up to 45 seconds of direct fire - the time it takes for a tankman to leave a combat vehicle with no damage to his health. The standard time for this action is 19 seconds. Designers from all over the country, under the auspices of the People's Front, select, test, and support the serial production of the best domestic engineers. Thanks to the unique 'People's Defence Industry' project, thousands of innovative electronic warfare tools - drone detectors, spectroanalysers, and much more - have been supplied to the troops. Lieutenant General Aleksandr Osadchuk also reported that 38 events of a scientific and business program were held yesterday on 13 August 2024. Key among them include the round table titled 'Specific features and practices in contract system law. Innovations in procurement', the 4th scientific-practical conference on the development of military law in the context of the special military operation, and conference on the special combat training based on experience of the special military operation chaired by Deputy Minister of Defence Colonel General Yunus-Bek Yevkurov. Russia's Deputy Defence Minister Anna Tsivileva held a round table with representatives of enterprises and organisations on rehabilitation for veterans of the special military operation. Moreover, at the Forum, Anna Tsivileva took a look at the booth of the Military Medical Academy, where she was told about new training methods for future doctors. In particular, she learnt how augmented reality systems are applied as well as specially designed programmes including an encyclopedia of tactical medicine. On the second day of the ARMY 2024 IMTF, the Russian Defence Ministry presented awards to the defence industry enterprises which distinguished in fulfiling the state defence order. The awards were presented in the nominations of 'Working collectives that distinguished themselves in fulfiling the state defence order' and 'For contribution to organising and holding the Forum'. Today, the series of awards will continue, including the grand prize award ceremony of the ARMY 2024 International Military and Technical Forum. In addition, in order to develop scientific and technical cooperation with regional organisations and work together on applied research, agreements were signed at the Forum on 13 August 2024 between the Main Directorate for Innovative Development and the leadership of the Sakhalin, Kherson, and Omsk regions, TulaTECH Science and Education Centre, and 'Proyek-Tekhnika' Corporation (Kursk). Today, it is planned to sign such an agreement with the Association of Innovative Regions (Bortnik Fund). Today, 42 events of the scientific and business programme are planned. Key among them is the conference on the 'Current issues of organising medical support during the special military operation'. 'The activities within the scientific and business program are nearing their completion, and its outcomes will be summarised at a solemn session. The expert community will commend its active participants, and the results of the activities carried out by the Main Directorate of Innovative Development of the Russian Defence Ministry will produce a summary of the main papers presented at the Forum,' added Lieutenant General Aleksandr Osadchuk. He also recalled that on 13 August 2024, state contracts worth more than 500 billion roubles have been signed and granted. The signing ceremony was overseen by Colonel General Anatoly Gulyaev, Chief of the Main Armament Directorate of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. As a result of the contracts, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation will receive more than 500 units of basic weapons and equipment, and some 1 million pieces of ordnance. Today on the final day of the ARMY 2024 IMTF, all platforms will work in the interests of scientific and business community and representatives of foreign delegations. A series of bilateral meetings are planned involving the Ministry of Defence of Russia, Federal Service of Military-Technical Cooperation, and Rosoboronexport. There will be a series of awarding ceremonies, including the grand prize award ceremony of the ARMY 2024 International Military and Technical Forum. Department for Media Affairs and Information NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Head of Russian Defence Ministry presented with samples of armament and military hardware well proven in special military operation zone 14.08.2024 On the evening of 13 August 2024, Russian Minister of Defence Andrei Belousov visited the expositions of the ARMY 2024 International Military and Technical Forum. The head of the Russian Defence Ministry was presented with samples of armament and military hardware well proven in the the special military operation zone. Andrei Belousov took a look at promising developments of domestic defence industry enterprises, robotic systems and platforms that have been tested in the special military operation zone. He also saw unmanned aerial vehicles designed to carry out attacks, reconnaissance and special missions, long-, medium- and short-range air defence systems, and other promising models of military hardware. At the People's Defence Industry exposition, which is organised at the Forum for the first time, Andrei Belousov took a look at the developments of civilian small businesses and self-motivated citizens, whose products are supplied to the front line under the auspices of the All-Russian People's Front. These include a wide range of FPV drones and operators training programmes, portable signal jammers, remote mobile platforms for controlling small arms and anti-tank guided systems. In addition, the Russian Minister of Defence visited the expositions organised by the military defences of the Republic of Belarus, the People's Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and other foreign countries. Department for Media Affairs and Information NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Government Extends Temporary Ban on Gasoline Exports Until End of 2024 Sputnik News 20240814 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian government has extended a temporary ban on gasoline exports until the end of 2024, the Cabinet of Ministers said on Wednesday. Currently, Russia has an embargo on the export of gasoline abroad, except for the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) countries, imposed by the Cabinet of Ministers for the period from March 1 to September 1. At the end of May, the ban was temporarily lifted, and its effect resumed on August 1. "From September 1 to December 31, 2024, Russia will again have a temporary restriction on gasoline exports. The resolution on this has been signed. The decision was made to maintain a stable situation in the fuel market during the period of continued seasonal demand and scheduled repairs carried out at refineries," the statement said. The embargo on gasoline exports does not apply to fuel exported for international humanitarian assistance and for the personal use of citizens. The restriction also does not apply to supplies within the framework of intergovernmental agreements, including the EAEU countries. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Saudi crown prince fears 'assassination' for pursuing normalization with Israel: US magazine Iran Press TV Wednesday, 14 August 2024 10:38 PM Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly fears facing "assassination" as a result of his efforts at pursuing normalization of the kingdom's relations with the Israeli regime. American online news magazine Politico revealed the matter in a column published on Wednesday, citing the royal's recent conversations with US lawmakers. "The Saudi royal has mentioned to members of Congress that he's putting his life in danger by pursuing a grand bargain with the US and Israel that includes normalizing Saudi-Israeli ties," the piece read. "On at least one occasion, he has invoked Anwar Sadat, the Egyptian leader slain after striking a peace deal with Israel, asking what the US did to protect Sadat," it added. Back in 2020, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco entered US-brokered rapprochement deals with the regime. Washington has also reportedly been trying to add Riyadh to the list in a bid to bolster regional support for Tel Aviv, its most cherished ally. Last July, the administration of US President Joe Biden announced that a deal for the regime and Saudi Arabia to normalize relations might be on the horizon following National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan's talks with Saudi officials in the kingdom's port city of Jeddah. In September, though, the kingdom was reported to have informed the United States of its decision to suspend all negotiations on the potential rapprochement due allegedly to the Israeli cabinet's unwillingness to make any concessions to the Palestinians. A month later, following the onset of the regime's yet-ongoing war on the Gaza Strip, Reuters also reported that Riyadh was "putting US-backed plans to normalize ties with Israel on ice." However, citing a former US official and other people with knowledge of the conversations between bin Salman and the congressmen, Politico noted that the Saudi crown prince "appears intent on striking the mega-deal with the US and Israel despite the risks involved. He sees it as crucial to his country's future." The deal also reportedly features "multiple commitments" on the part of Washington to Riyadh, including security guarantees, assistance aimed at the kingdom's nuclear program, and economic investment in areas such as technology. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan ROC Ministry of National Defense 2024/08/14 PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan Date 6 to 6 a.m. (UTC+8) Tuesday to Wednesday, Aug. 13-14 PLA activities 27 PLA aircraft, and 12 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 19 of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's northern, central, southwestern, and eastern ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and coastal missile systems in response to the detected activities. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taiwan chipmaker breaking ground in Europe amid China threat By Li Beiping August 14, 2024 Next week, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, TSMC, the world's top advanced computer chipmaker, is expected to break ground on its first European factory in Dresden, Germany, as it seeks to diversify production from Taiwan and threats from China. TSMC is the biggest supplier of semiconductor chips used in everything from computers to cars and medical equipment. The company will run the nearly $11 billion plant, holding a 70% stake. The joint venture that includes minority investors Robert Bosch, Infineon Technologies and NXP Semiconductors, will be called European Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, or ESMC. Dresden's mayor's office confirmed to VOA that the ground-breaking ceremony will take place August 20 and that ESMC is the largest ever investment project in Germany's Saxony region. Analysts say Beijing's threats against Taiwan have spurred TSMC to diversify from the self-governing island, which Beijing considers a breakaway province that must one day reunite with China, by force if necessary. TSMC is already building a new factory in Arizona, with a total investment of $65 billion in the U.S., and constructing a nearly $9 billion plant in Japan. Anna Rita Ferrara, an Italian political and international law adviser for research organizations, told VOA, "TSMC's investment in Germany and the U.S.A. is a strategic move that allows the microchip industry to stay ahead in case China invades Taiwan. Relocating production to two major Western cities [Dresden and Phoenix] would help protect the Western IT sector from a dangerous supply reduction and a possible technological debacle." TSMC has a $3 billion Chinese mainland factory in Nanjing that has been producing less advanced chips since 2016. TSMC has a 61.7% market share in the global semiconductor market, while second-place Samsung has an 11% market share, according to Statista, a European statistics platform. The Dresden plant is scheduled to go into operation in 2027, with a monthly output of 40,000 chips, including 12-nanometer automotive chips, which are more advanced than those made in Taiwan. The Taiwanese chip giant did not immediately respond to VOA's requests for comment on the Dresden-based plant's opening and importance to diversifying from Taiwan in the face of China's threats. According to Reuters, TSMC's chairman, C. C. Wei, told reporters in June that the company had discussed moving factories outside of Taiwan, but called it impossible because up to 90% of its production is based in Taiwan. "Instability across the Taiwan Straits is indeed a consideration for supply chain," he was quoted as saying, "but I want to say that we certainly do not want wars to happen." As China has repeated its threats to force Taiwan's reunification, Europe and the U.S. have been working to attract domestic chip production to reduce their dependence on imports from Taiwan. The U.S. passed the Chips Act in 2022 to invest $39 billion to support chip companies in building factories. The European Union's Chips Act last year followed with its own plans to invest $47 billion to increase the share of European chip production to 20% of the world by 2030. Stefan Uhlig, deputy director and senior consultant of Silicon Saxony, the German region's semiconductor industry association, told VOA, "TSMC is coming to the EU because of the EU Chips Act, which is in place to attract technologies to the EU which are not here." Uhlig said one-third of European semiconductors come from Saxony. "The region is known as Silicon Saxony and recognized as such in Europe and around the globe. Many places around the globe are chip hot spots, some larger production-capacity-wise but none is larger in terms of different chip manufacturers in one place." Enrico Cau, an associate researcher at the Taiwan Centre for International Strategic Studies, told VOA having a factory in Europe is certainly part of TSMC's global plan to improve the resilience of the supply chain and logistics, and it will also help bring the entire supply chain closer to where chips are needed. "It is unclear how these new plants will affect Taiwan in the long term under certain conditions," he said. "For example, in case of critical disruptions of supply chains due to war, natural disasters, or even energy shortages, (especially with the new AI industry developing as a second core sector on the island and requiring much more power), that force(s) TSMC to also relocate the cutting edge manufacturing out of the island, temporarily or for longer periods of time." TSMC's electricity consumption currently accounts for about 8% of all power in Taiwan. The company accounted for about 8% of Taiwan's GDP in 2022, Bloomberg reported, while its market value was more than $800 billion, ranking ninth in the world and surpassing companies such as Tesla, JPMorgan Chase, and Walmart, and far exceeding semiconductor peers such as Intel and Samsung. Analysts say TSMC's diversifying production could also boost Taiwan's soft power on the world stage, where Beijing has sought to squeeze Taipei. Marcin Mateusz Jerzewski, director of the Taiwan office of the European Center for Values and Security Policy, told VOA that TSMC has undeniably enhanced Taiwan's global standing. "As the world's leading dedicated semiconductor foundry, TSMC embodies technological excellence and innovation, significantly bolstering Taiwan's soft power on the international stage," he said. "However, the burgeoning reliance on TSMC poses a nuanced dilemma for Taiwan's international standing, as the country's global perception increasingly hinges on the success of this singular entity. This overdependence necessitates a strategic reassessment to ensure sustainable economic and diplomatic engagement." Jerzewski noted that while TSMC accounts for a large chunk of Taiwan's economy, it mainly relies on small and medium-sized enterprises, which he said the government should help to invest in democratic countries to strengthen their ties and reduce the risk of over-reliance on a single corporate entity. Adrianna Zhang contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address August 14, 2024 Release Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Call With The United Kingdom's Secretary of State for Defence John Healey Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following readout: Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with his United Kingdom counterpart, Secretary of State for Defence John Healey, to discuss a range of regional and bilateral issues. Secretary Austin and Secretary Healey discussed their close cooperation to address shared challenges, including countering Russian aggression in Ukraine, the ongoing instability in the Middle East, and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. Secretary Austin and Secretary Healey reflected on the strength of the U.S.-UK defense relationship and committed to continue working together on their many common priorities. https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3873909/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Royal Air Force missions fuelled sustainably The Royal Air Force are using sustainable aviation fuel on routine operations for the first time. 14 August 2024 The Royal Air Force is ensuring Britain is secure while using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on routine operations for the first time - a move that will cut carbon emissions and bolster energy security. Aircraft including Typhoon and Poseidon submarine hunters, operating from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland, are using a blend of conventional and sustainable aviation fuels in a first for the air force as they take to the skies to defend the UK and allies. Earlier this year, four million litres of blended sustainable aviation fuel were delivered to the Royal Air Force through a contract with World Fuel Services. A further five million litres of fuel will be delivered in the next few months. The fuel is used to power aircraft operating from Lossiemouth in Morayshire, northern Scotland. RAF Lossiemouth is one of the UK's busiest RAF stations and is home to Typhoon aircraft who are ready to deploy 24/7, 365 as part of the UK's Quick Reaction Alert - keeping Britian secure. Defence Minister Lord Vernon Coaker said: "The pioneering use of sustainable fuels on routine operations shows how we're delivering on our first priority to keep Britain secure without compromise, while addressing our carbon footprint." Sustainable fuel sources include hydrogenated fats and oils, wood waste, alcohols, sugars, household waste, biomass and algae. As aviation currently accounts for nearly two thirds of fuel used across defence, this first for the RAF demonstrates the Ministry of Defence's commitment to reduce carbon emissions with no compromise to national security. In 2020, the Ministry of Defence updated aviation fuel standards to allow up to 50% sustainable sources to be used in fuel mixes for defence aircraft. Using SAF can cut aircraft carbon emissions by up to 70% and it is a significant step towards bolstering both operational capability and climate change and sustainability efforts, helping the RAF achieve its ambition to be net zero by 2040. Director Support Air Vice-Marshal Shaun Harris said: "We remain at the forefront of this important work with industry partners, and introducing sustainable aviation fuel to one of our busiest stations demonstrates our commitment, bringing defence and industry together to reduce our carbon footprint. "As well as contributing to reduced carbon emissions as part of the Defence Aviation Net Zero Strategy, our ability to use new fuels ensures that the Royal Air Force can continue to operate anywhere we are needed globally. RAF Lossiemouth's Station Commander Group Captain Sarah Brewin said: "The routine use of sustainable aviation fuel represents an important milestone in the RAF's journey towards helping mitigate against climate change. By integrating sustainable practices into our operations, we are not only enhancing our ability to protect the nation and deliver excellence on operations, but also contributing to a more sustainable future for generations to come." The RAF has been trialling different types of fuel since the update to fuel standards. In November 2021, an RAF pilot flew a microlight aircraft powered by synthetic fuel created from air and water in a world-first. In Spring 2022, a drone was flown on synthetic kerosene made by genetically modified bacteria and the RAF has tested an electric aircraft flown at RAF Cranwell. In November 2022, in a world first for a large aircraft, an RAF Voyager successfully trialled the use of 100% sustainable aviation fuel, flying for 90-minutes from RAF Brize Norton - a joint endeavour between the RAF, DE&S and industry partners Airbus, AirTanker and Rolls-Royce, with the fuel supplied by Air bp. In 2023, the Royal Air Force successfully used SAF to achieve the first SAF blend air-to-air refuelling of a Typhoon and C-130 Hercules aircraft. During the Royal International Air Tattoo last month, Typhoon aircraft used a SAF fuel blend. This work has helped to pave the way for the use of sustainable aviation fuels in the commercial sector, including a Government-funded transatlantic flight by Virgin Atlantic last year. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address August 14, 2024 Release Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Call With Ukrainian Minister of Defence Rustem Umerov Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following readout: Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with Ukrainian Minister of Defence Rustem Umerov today regarding priority security assistance efforts and Ukraine's ongoing operations. Secretary Austin and Minister Umerov also discussed the strong support from Allies and partners in helping meet Ukraine's urgent military requirements. Minister Umerov provided an update on battlefield dynamics, as well as the impact of Russia's continued attacks in Ukraine. https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3872275/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Minister of National Defence L. Kasciunas met with President of Ukraine Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of National Defence 2024-08-14 International cooperation Minister of National Defence Laurynas Kasciunas is on a visit to Kyiv. He met with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy. President and Minister overviewed the current challenges facing Ukraine. Minister of National Defence talked to President of Ukraine about Lithuania's support, collaboration with Ukraine about sharing lessons learned and best practices in the areas of drone warfare and fortification, as well as other relevant subjects. "Lithuania remains a loyal ally to Ukraine and a reliable partner on its way to European and Euro-Atlantic integration. We will continue to actively muster for Ukraine every aid possible, particularly military. We are not only assisting, we're also learning together with Ukraine from your best practices and competence in drone warfare, fortification efficiency and seek a close industry cooperation. Support to Ukraine makes us more fit to strengthen our own defence industry and encourages our manufacturers to be more proactive in drone design and building," said Minister L. Kasciunas. The meeting with President V. Zelenskyy also addressed consultations on defence reform pre-dating the start of the war, the progress made in the Ukraine Demining Coalition, funding of drones sent to Ukraine and drone testing and attuning to the Ukrainian military specific done by Lithuanian manufacturers. In August Lithuania will deliver 14 pieces of M113 armored personnel carriers, short-range air defence systems with missiles, drone jamming systems, solo drone jammers, tactical trailer, 20-tonne telescopic loaders, ATVs with spare parts, wheeled loaders, guns, ammunition, smoke munitions, gun accessories and parts. Responding to Ukraine's requests, this year Lithuania has delivered to Ukraine 155 mm ammunition, M577 and M113 armored personnel carriers, drone jamming equipment, Carl Gustaf recoilless rifle ammunition, RISE-1 long-range smart initiation system, disassembled L-39ZA Albatros aircraft and other aid so far. Lithuania's enduring assistance to Ukraine has reached over a billion euros to date, while the military assistance this far amounts to over EUR 641 million. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Minister of National Defence continues the visit in Ukraine, meets with Ministers of Defence and Strategic Industries Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of National Defence 2024-08-14 International cooperation During the visit in Kyiv Minister of National Defence Laurynas Kasciunas has met with Minister of Defence of Ukraine Rustem Umerov and Minister of Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshin. With Minister R. Umerov the Lithuanian delegation discussed military aid to Ukraine, progress made in Capability Coalitions, including the Ukraine Demining Coalition co-led by Lithuania and Iceland, Lithuania's contributions to the other Capability Coalitions and procurements of weaponry for Ukraine, best practices in using fortifications and other relevant subjects. Ministers signed an agreement of cooperation on the Demining Coalition. "Minister Umerov and I have discussed military support to Ukraine, the most pressing needs and what we can offer. I am proud that Lithuania will soon transfer to Ukraine the critically needed short-range air de fence systems as a contribution under the German, French and U.S.-led Capability Coalition that Lithuania is part of. A well as other types of equipment need on the battlefield and weapons. Support is essential in the daily fight against the aggressor, it is a matter of our own security," said Minister L. Kasciunas. The meeting with Minister Umerov also addressed the three-direction orientation of the Lithuanian assistance to Ukraine: military assistance channeled by the Lithuania industry, contributions to joint procurements in the format of the other capability Coalitions, and potential investment in Ukraine's defence industry. Investment in Ukraine's defence industry was discussed extensively with Minister of Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshin. Ministers discussed the ways for Lithuania to acquire products of Ukraine's defence industry and what products it might be, as well as the experience of other countries procuring from Ukraine. "Lithuania head the Demining Coalition so we are interested in what Ukraine manufactures in the area of demining that we could purchase on the Coalition format. We also support the potential collaboration between the Lithuanian defence industry and the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces of Ukraine," said Minister of National Defence L. Kasciunas while underscoring that Lithuania was interested the maritime drones, one of the most innovative Ukraine's weapons used against the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Lithuania's enduring assistance to Ukraine has reached over a billion euros to date, while the military assistance this far amounts to over EUR 641 million. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia's Belgorod region declares regional emergency amid ongoing tensions People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 14:37, August 14, 2024 MOSCOW, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Belgorod region has declared a regional state of emergency due to the escalating situation, with authorities considering elevating the emergency status to the federal level, the region's governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on his Telegram channel on Wednesday. "The situation in the Belgorod region remains extremely challenging and tense. Daily shelling by the Armed Forces of Ukraine has led to the destruction of homes, as well as injuries and fatalities among civilians," Gladkov said in a video address. "Therefore, we have decided to declare a state of emergency across the entire Belgorod region starting today to provide additional protection to the population and offer further support to those affected," he said. The governor also indicated that the regional government would soon appeal to the federal commission to request declaring a federal-level state of emergency. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address In Russia's Kursk Region, Tales Of A Frustrated, Frantic Rush To Escape Ukraine's Advances By RFE/RL's North.Realities August 14, 2024 KURSK, Russia -- One Russian man refused to leave his border-region home until it was hit with an explosive, and then he and his wife jumped into a neighbor's car to escape. Another gave up on being evacuated and crawled into a forest, spending two days avoiding land mines and aerial drones before hitching a ride to the city of Kursk. Another woman cried as she waited at a humanitarian aid point in Kursk itself. "I'm quite honestly very surprised by what's happening. It seems like we don't abandon our own and all that, but here are several thousand [Russian] soldiers in captivity now and now Russian territory is occupied," said Misha, a 35-year-old mechanic who was standing outside a humanitarian aid distribution center. "This is not what I expected when the war began." Eight days into their stunning invasion -- the largest incursion into Russian territory since World War II -- Ukrainian forces continue to expand their operations the southwestern region of Kursk, which shares more than 150 kilometers of border with Ukraine. Nearly 1,000 square kilometers were believed to be under control of Ukrainian troops as of August 14, as Russia's military and security forces scrambled to contain the advances. Civilian authorities, meanwhile, have struggled to handle the flood of people evacuated, or fleeing, from their homes. As many as 120,000 people were reported to have fled the Ukrainian advances; many have ended up in Kursk, the regional administrative center, whose prewar population was about 440,000. And a growing number of those said they were frustrated with how officials -- all the way up to President Vladimir Putin -- have responded to the growing crisis. 'We Left Under Fire' At a distribution center for humanitarian aid in Kursk on August 9, groups of people -- many of them evacuees -- milled about, along with riot police trying to keep order as some tried to grab at supplies being unloaded and distributed by volunteers. "We left under fire, at the last moment," said one woman who gave only her first name, Natasha, and said she was from the village of Korenevo. "My husband didn't want to leave, he kept saying, 'This is my home, I am a man, I will protect it.' We heard tanks and went outside to look at them. A second later, there was nothing left to protect: Either a missile or drones hit the house." Natasha said she and her husband jumped into a neighbor's car and sped away from Korenevo, located about 28 kilometers from the border. "The whole sky was buzzing already, we were flying at some crazy speed. I closed my eyes, grabbed the [door] handle and we got here just like that," she told RFE/RL. She nodded toward a neighbor who had fled in the same car and was standing nearby, crying. "Everyone is on edge," Natasha said, adding that the other woman had missed out on a piece of humanitarian aid and was also upset by TV reports downplaying the severity of the situation. "I have two children, I was given three pillows, and there weren't enough for her," she said. "Then in the evening, she saw on television how it turns out that everything is fine here, we are 'keeping our spirits up,' 'holding on,' and 'feeling the support of the whole country and the president.'" "The support of the country is more than enough, we don't need the support of the president," Natasha said of Putin. Asked to explain, she said: "What's he to us? It's too bad that 'one shouldn't vote for him' became clear [only] when they started shooting at us." Standing not far away, Misha, a mechanic from Bolshoye Soldatskoye, a village 30 kilometers from the border, described how days earlier, he had requested help in evacuating but gave up after getting no response and went into a nearby forest to hide. "I realized there would be no evacuation. Maybe the evacuation trucks had already been destroyed," said Misha, who did not want his last name published. In the forest, he saw drones overhead and worried he would be targeted. "There were mines in the forest. Dark green and brown petals. I had to walk very slowly. If you step on one, you're out a foot, then you have to crawl," he said. "On the first day, I was hoping to find something to eat, but there was nothing. On the second day I thought I'll eat frogs; it had just rained, there were a lot of them." After at least two days, he said, he heard cars honking on a road, and he flagged down a ride to Kursk. He said he was frustrated because early on after the launch of the all-out invasion in February 2022, Russian authorities had said the operation would be over quickly and that Russian forces would "liberate" Ukraine's Donbas region -- a reference to Kremlin propaganda that falsely asserted the Donbas was being illegally occupied by Ukraine's government. At the beginning, he said, "I thought we would quickly liberate the Donbas, incorporate it into Russia, and that would be that. But then there was more, it turned out. "Some people talk about Kherson, some talk about Odesa," he said, referring to other regions of Ukraine that Russian forces have targeted. "But 'salvation' has now reached the stage where we need to save the Kursk region. My house needs to be liberated now." 'Why Is Everything Happening So Ineptly?' Olga, a 50-year-old woman who lives in St. Petersburg, said her mother, Lyudmila, does not want to leave her home in Kursk, even though city services are slowly shutting down. "My mother says today almost all buses and trolleybuses stopped running, and trams -- only taxis [remain]. There are water shortages again," Olga told RFE/RL by telephone from St. Petersburg. "My mother thinks nothing terrible is happening," she said, adding her mother thinks the situation closer to the border -- such as in the town of Sudzha, which Ukrainian commanders have claimed -- is not as bad as it is being portrayed. "She thinks everything is too exaggerated about Sudzha," Olga said. "She says: 'This is deliberately being whipped up on the Internet to scare us.'" Natasha, the woman from Korenevo, said for many of those who have been evacuated, there is palpable frustration with how both the humanitarian situation has evolved, not to mention the entire war. "I understand everything.... Why is everything happening so ineptly?" she complained. She pointed to a spate of high-profile corruption investigations in recent months that have targeted top Defense Ministry officials, as well as past reports that Russian soldiers had looted Ukrainian homes of toilets in the early months of the invasion. "Generals are being jailed. There's no end in sight to the war. It turns out that there are only thieves there, in our army," she said. "Maybe the theft of toilets isn't fake, either?" NOTE: This story is based in part on reporting by a correspondent from RFE/RL's North.Realities on the ground in Russia. The name is being withheld for their protection. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/kursk-russia-ukraine- incursion-refugees/33078468.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova's comment on events around Ukraine 14 August 2024 13:55 1525-14-08-2024 The criminal and illegitimate Zelensky regime continues to reveal its ture neo-Nazi nature to the world. In light of the situation in Donbass, which is a failure for the Ukrainian armed forces, the Ukrainian authorities have launched a terrorist attack on the border areas of the Kursk Region. Kiev openly stated that this action was intended to improve their negotiating position in the long term, as unashamedly admitted by Mikhail Podolyak, adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, on August 8. According to the regional administration, the Ukrainian Armed Forces' artillery fire killed 12 civilians, including an ambulance crew and a pregnant woman, and injured over 120 people, including 10 children. On the morning of August 6, Ukrainian gunmen fired at the Gornal Belogorsk St Nicholas Monastery from a tank during a service. Armed units of the Ukrainian Banderites are indiscriminately attacking civilians trying to escape from dangerous areas, shelling residential buildings and civilian infrastructure, and engaging in outright looting. The captured Ukrainian armed forces militants have confessed to being instructed to ruthlessly shoot anyone on the spot in the event of resistance from civilians. Despite these barbaric methods, the Zelensky regime has failed to achieve its main goal of diverting the attention of the Russian armed forces from Donbass and Sloboda Ukraine. Currently, Russian Armed Forces are decisively repelling Ukrainian militants who have penetrated the Kursk Region. In light of the above, we would like to draw your attention to the recent statement by President Vladimir Putin: "...what kind of negotiations can we have with those who indiscriminately attack civilians and civilian infrastructure, or pose threats to nuclear power facilities? What is there to discuss with such parties?" The Kiev regime should seriously reconsider its actions and refrain from further terrorising civilians, including in other areas of the special military operation, where its units are also targeting residential neighbourhoods and civilian infrastructure. On August 11, Ukrainian neo-Nazis, sensing that their Western curators had given them the carte blanche for bandit raids into Russian regions, attacked the Zaporozhskaya Nuclear Power Plant using a kamikaze drone from Nikopol in the Dnepropetrovsk Region, which is controlled by Kiev. As a result, a fire broke out in the area where the cooling towers of the plant are located. Fortunately, it was contained in time, and the threat of an accident was eliminated. This act of nuclear terrorism has once again shown the danger that the Zelensky regime, incited by the West to new criminal adventures, the continuous supply of deadly weapons to Kiev, and its regular financial support pose to the entire world. On August 10, the Ukrainian neo-Nazis carried out a mass shelling of Gorlovka, injuring 14 civilians. On August 9, UAVs attacked Lipetsk, injuring nine. On the night of August 11, Ukrainian military groups shelled Kursk, with 15 people injured by a downed missile. On August 13, the Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked a civilian car with a UAV in the Privolye village in the LNR. A 64-year-old woman was killed. Shebekino, Belgorod Region, suffers regularly from shelling by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. According to the regional authorities, three to five attacks are carried out on the city daily, mainly from artillery and MLRS. As a result of these criminal actions, 36 people have died in the city this year alone, and almost 300 have been injured. These are clearly acts of terrorism. I would like to remind you that on August 13 we pay tribute to the victims of the barbarous shelling the Ukrainian Armed Forces carried out on the city of Zuhres in the DPR in 2014. The area around school No 10, the beach, the Zuyevskaya Thermal Power Plant and the city stadium came under these monsters' attack, resulting in 13 civilians killed, including four children, and 32 injured. Later, it was investigated that the attack was fired from the Smerch MLRS by the 1st division of the 107th rocket artillery regiment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces under the command of Colonel Alexander Kelembet, who was put on the wanted list. Ukrainian militants will not be able to escape fair punishment for the crimes they committed. Each name will be established. Today, Russian courts continue to pass sentences on Ukrainian neo-Nazis who have committed serious crimes against civilians based on evidence from the Investigative Committee of Russia. Militant Shkilnyuk received 21 years in prison for firing at a civilian car from a light machine gun in Mariupol in the spring of 2022. By a lucky chance, the civilian who was in the car was not injured. Ukrainian neo-Nazis Maslyanko and Skorodko, who fired artillery at the bridge over the Kalka River near the villages of Kasyanovka and Granitnoye in the DPR in February 2022 and damaged it, were sentenced to 15 years in prison each. None of the criminals will escape punishment. They will answer to the full extent of the law. For everything. Meanwhile, an outright madness continues in Ukraine around the discussion to lower the age for mobilisation to 18 years. They do not even hide that this topic is raised from time to time by Kiev's Western sponsors. According to Ukrainian media, the Ukrainians who do not want to fight for the Kiev regime, have to pay astronomic sums to leave the country. However, even in cases like this, not everyone is able to leave the borders of Ukraine. For example, last week, the story of 16 Ukrainians of draft age who tried to leave from the Odessa Region for Moldova in a refrigerator loaded with cattle meat was widely discussed. Each of them paid 6,000 to 8,000 dollars for a chance to escape. People are ready to do anything to save themselves from the Zelensky regime's mobilisation, so they won't be recruited by the Ukrainian Armed Forces and sent to slaughter. All this once again proves that the Ukrainians are cheap and expendable for the West and its Kiev puppets. They would sacrifice them without hesitation for the sake of achieving their own selfish goals. The AFU's full-scale campaign of terror against Russian civilians serves as a backdrop for the increasing evidence of rampant corruption within Ukraine's government agencies, including the so-called territorial recruitment centres. For example, recent news reports highlight the arrest of military commissariat employees in the Kharkov and Ternopol regions. These individuals were discovered to be accepting huge payments in exchange for draft dodgers. Such cases involve systematic kidnappings, muggings and extortions on pain of mobilisation, rather than isolated incidents. Similar practices are observed within the Armed Forces of Ukraine, where commanders reportedly authorise indefinite "leaves of absence" from the front lines for a "fee." Certain legislators also engage in the same corrupt practices at the local level. Bribes can be the undoing of even some higher-ranking officials. A nother corruption scandal has rocked the Ukrainian Ministry of Energy, involving a deputy minister who initiated a fraudulent scheme that cost the state several hundred thousand US dollars in losses. Clearly, the deeply corrupt regime of the Kiev-based usurpers is surviving solely on the West's handouts, and its downfall is only a matter of time. We see reports about radical nationalists barbarically demolishing monuments to Soviet liberator soldiers in Ukraine practically every day. For example, a monument on the common grave of Soviet officers and men was demolished in the village of Slobodka, Ivano-Frankovsk Region. Kiev's municipal council has decided to dismantle the bust of two times Hero of the Soviet Union and leader of the WWII partisan movement Sidor Kovpak in the Park of Eternal Glory. Protests against these cynical acts of vandalism have remained unheeded. Alongside these incidents, there is an ongoing campaign to rename streets commemorating Soviet and Russia-related anti-fascists and cultural figures. Their names are being replaced with those of Nazi collaborators. In recent weeks, streets bearing their names have graced the cities of Chernigov, Borispol, Pogrebishche, and Bar Vinnitsky, as well as the villages of Vyderta and Glevakha. However, this strategy will not help the Ukrainian nationalists to erase the true history and the names of true heroes, which will continue to live on in the hearts and memory of future generations. The above evidence, including the NATO-assisted Ukrainian attacks on Russia's sovereign territory, fully confirms the relevance of the goals and objectives of the special military operation for the denazification and demilitarisation of Ukraine. These objectives will undoubtedly be achieved. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine Wants to Start Talks Using Kursk Nuclear Plant Seizure as Ultimatum - Akhmat Head Sputnik News 20240814 MOSCOW, (Sputnik) - The Ukrainian Armed Forces went on the offensive on August 6 to seize territory in Russia's Kursk region, but their advance was stopped, said Valery Gerasimov, chief of Russia's General Staff. He stressed that the operation in Kursk will be completed by defeating the enemy and reaching the state border. Units of the Russian Armed Forces are in the Kursk city of Sudzha, which the enemy does not control but there are daily clashes, commander of the Akhmat special forces Apti Alaudinov told Russian media. "Today there are units of the Russian Defense Ministry in Sudzha. There is an enemy around and in some parts of the city. There are active clashes there every day. The enemy cannot say that he completely controls Sudzha, because he does not really control it," Alaudinov said. The major general also said that Kiev is planning on seizing the Kursk nuclear power plant on August 11 and use this to start negotiations with Moscow with an ultimatum. "We received very interesting materials a the whole layout of the operation, which was being prepared, by what forces and what was planned. What can I say: on the 11th [of August] it was necessary to take the nuclear power plant in Kurchatov... [Ukrainian President] Zelensky's blitzkrieg, which was planned with the seizure of the Kursk nuclear power plant and already entering negotiations with an ultimatum... failed," Alaudinov explained. The operation had not been completed, despite all the reserves directed by Kiev in this direction, Alaudinov said. "Most of the equipment has already been destroyed from what was deployed in the Kursk direction," Alaudinov concluded. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address We Continue Working with Our Partners on Long-Range Decisions for Ukraine - Address by the President President of Ukraine 14 August 2024 - 19:49 I wish you good health, fellow Ukrainians! Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi has already reported several times today, both on our frontline situation and on our operation in the Kursk region. Just now we have also had a conversation. We have agreed that we will send additional weapons to our warriors in the Donetsk direction, from the next support packages - more than planned. I thank all our warriors - every soldier of ours, every sergeant, every officer - who resist the Russian pressure and defend our country. Our advance in the Kursk region is going well today - we are reaching our strategic goal. The "exchange fund" for our state has also been significantly replenished. Today, I also held a meeting with our government officials - the Prime Minister of Ukraine, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Verkhovna Rada was also present - to discuss support for our military actions in the Kursk region. It is important that Ukraine fights by the rules, and the humanitarian needs that exist in this area must be met. Today's report by the Head of the Security Service of Ukraine was also positive. Now I would like to thank all our SSU warriors, as well as the warriors of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine and all the structures involved. Thank you for the accurate, skillful and effective strikes on Russian airfields. Our Ukrainian drones work exactly as they should. But there are things that cannot be done with drones alone. Unfortunately. We need other weapons - missile weapons. And we continue working with our partners on long-range decisions for Ukraine - because these are forward-looking decisions for our victory. It has to be done. The bolder our partners' decisions are, the less Putin will be able to do. And today I held a meeting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense, our Office, the National Security and Defense Council. We have prepared an algorithm for our actions to achieve strong decisions by our partners. Victorious decisions. I thank everyone who is helping Ukraine! Glory to all those who are fighting for our independence! Glory to Ukraine! NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Volodymyr Zelenskyy Held a Meeting on the Situation in the Kursk Region President of Ukraine 14 August 2024 - 16:00 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting on the situation in the Kursk region. The meeting was attended by Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Deputy Prime Minister - Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine Iryna Vereshchuk, Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko and Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets. The Minister of Internal Affairs reported on the humanitarian aspects of the assistance to the Ukrainian Defense Forces and the provision of security in the border communities of our country, as well as in the relevant districts of the Kursk region. The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced that in case of need military commandant's offices will be established in the Kursk region. Iryna Vereshchuk and Dmytro Lubinets informed the participants about the humanitarian aid supplies to the settlements of the Kursk region controlled by Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine, in exercising its right to self-defense and in defending the lives of people in the border communities of our country, is taking active steps on Russian territory, but the Ukrainian Defense Forces strictly adhere to the requirements of international conventions and international humanitarian law. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Andriy Yermak Met with the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State President of Ukraine 14 August 2024 - 09:29 Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak held a meeting with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O'Brien, who is visiting our country. The Head of the Presidential Office thanked the U.S. President, Joseph Biden, and his team, both chambers and parties of Congress for helping Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression, especially in strengthening our defense capabilities. Andriy Yermak and James O'Brien discussed the current situation on the battlefield and the status of defense agreements between Ukraine and the United States. The Head of the Presidential Office also stressed the importance of increasing sanctions pressure on the aggressor state of the Russian Federation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine presses on in Russia's Kursk region, Zelenskyy says By VOA News August 14, 2024 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday his country's troops were "moving further" into Russia's Kursk region and claimed that hundreds of Russian soldiers had been captured or surrendered. In the biggest offensive by a foreign army on Russian soil since World War II, Kyiv said it controls 74 settlements in southwestern Russia. Separately, Ukraine targeted four Russian airfields overnight with drones in the "largest attack" of its kind since Moscow invaded Ukraine's eastern flank 2A years ago. As the Kursk incursion stretched into its second week, Zelenskyy said on social media, "We are moving further. From one to two kilometers in different areas since the beginning of the day." In his Tuesday evening televised statement, Zelenskyy said, "Hundreds of Russian servicemen have already surrendered, and all of them will receive humane treatment a they did not experience such treatment even in their own Russian army." Moscow has not commented on reports of Russians surrendering. Russian authorities have acknowledged Ukrainian gains in the region but said they have repelled efforts by Ukrainian forces to push deeper into the area. "We have proven once again that we, Ukrainians, are capable of achieving our goals in any situation a capable of defending our interests and our independence," Zelenskyy said. He said Ukraine's capture of the Russian soldiers would "speed up the return home of our boys and girls" in an eventual prisoner swap. Meanwhile, Ukraine said it is creating a "security zone" in Russia's Kursk region and plans to organize humanitarian assistance and evacuation corridors for civilians looking to go either to Russia or Ukraine. Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said Ukraine also planned to organize access to the area for international humanitarian organizations. Footage from the Ukrainian TSN news outlet purportedly taken inside the Kursk region town of Sudzha showed Ukrainian soldiers climbing atop a building and removing a Russian flag, shouting "Glory to Ukraine!" Asked Tuesday about Ukraine's action, U.S. President Joe Biden said he's been briefed every four to five hours for the last six to eight days on Ukraine's action. "It's creating a real dilemma for [Russian President Vladimir] Putin," he said of the operation, which appeared to have caught the Russians by surprise. Don Jensen, a senior adviser on Russia and Europe at the U.S. Institute of Peace, agreed that Russia has been scrambling to respond. "People around the world will note that Ukraine has really showed skill, great operational security ... excellent planning and, above all, excellent execution of that plan," Jensen said. "The bottom line is that Ukraine has surprised the world again, showing Russia's weak spots," Jensen said. "Russia reacted very slowly and uncoordinated to the incursion, and not surprisingly, the Kremlin is shaking in its boots." Meanwhile, with Ukraine continuing its attack on Kursk, the neighboring Russian region of Belgorod declared a state of emergency, as the governor warned the situation there was "extremely difficult" because of Ukrainian shelling and drone attacks. An Agence France-Presse analysis of data provided by the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War indicated Ukrainian troops had advanced over an area of at least 800 square kilometers (309 square miles) of Russia as of Monday. More than 120,000 Russians have fled their homes in border areas of the Kursk region. But Russia said it had halted attempts by Ukrainian forces to push deeper into Kursk region in five areas. "The attempts by enemy mobile units using armored equipment to break through deeper into Russian territory have been repelled," its Defense Ministry said. Ukraine said Tuesday it would not hold on to Russian land it captured and offered to stop raids if Moscow agreed to a "just peace." "The sooner Russia agrees to restore a just peace ... the sooner the raids by the Ukrainian defense forces into Russia will stop," Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Georgiy Tykhy said. But no peace talks are underway or scheduled. Since launching its invasion in February 2022, Russia has captured territory in southern and eastern Ukraine and subjected Ukrainian cities to missile and drone barrages. Putin has vowed to "dislodge" Ukrainian troops from Russian territory, accusing Ukraine of using the operation to "improve its negotiating position" in any eventual peace talks with Moscow. Some material in this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Intelligence, US-provided weapons seen as key to Ukraine's Kursk offensive By Kateryna Besedina August 14, 2024 Superb Ukrainian intelligence and U.S.-provided weaponry are being credited for enabling the rapid advance of Ukrainian forces into Russian territory over the past week. Some analysts believe they could move even faster if Washington allowed them to use the most sophisticated weapons at their disposal. The Ukrainian troops continued their advance through the Kursk region on Wednesday, Day 9 of the first such incursion onto Russian soil since World War II. Ukrainian forces now control up to 1,000 square kilometers of land and more than 70 settlements inside Russia. "The grouping of defense forces continues to conduct an offensive operation on the territory of the Kursk region," Ukraine's top military commander, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, told President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a video conference on Wednesday. "Since the beginning of this day, Ukrainian troops have advanced from one to two kilometers." Vladislav Seleznyov, a former spokesman for the Ukrainian armed forces' general staff, told VOA's Russian Service that Ukrainian intelligence and the U.S.-provided High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, known as HIMARS, had been critical to the stunning advance. "Ukrainian intelligence worked perfectly," he said. "Therefore, some of the enemy columns rushing to the aid of the Russian army in the Kursk region were destroyed thanks to artillery and drones. Perhaps aviation. "And of course, the real scourge of the Russian army is the HIMARS, which turn into ashes a huge amount of weapons, equipment and personnel of the Russian army," he said. Still, the pace of the Ukrainian advance has slowed over the past few days a due not so much to Russian troops' resistance as to the Ukrainian forces' stretched supply lines. The key to countering this disadvantage, according to some experts, is Ukraine being given greater discretion to use Western long-range weapons a in particular, the MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMS, featuring a tactical ballistic missile that can fly up to 300 kilometers. "I think Washington is the main problem here," said John Hardie, deputy director of the Russian Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. "If the U.S. had given the green light to the ATACMS, their use on Russian territory, I think the British and perhaps the French would have followed suit with their cruise missiles that they have supplied to Ukraine," Hardie told VOA. "I think these weapons would be useful in this offensive, including for striking Russian command posts, logistics hubs or other targets further away than HIMARS can reach," he said. Despite the success of the Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk region, Russia continues to conduct its offensive along the front in eastern Ukraine, with its forces pressuring such towns as Pokrovsk and Toretsk. Still, according to Angela Stent, a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and professor emerita at Georgetown University, Ukraine's move into Kursk should not be seen as "an act of desperation." "I would say that the Ukrainians have tried to give the Russians a dose of their own medicine: to cause some uncertainty in Russia, and perhaps to question the competence of the Russian military," she told VOA. "And they achieved it." Despite having to defend Russian soil for the first time in decades, Russian President Vladimir Putin a who has insisted since it started on calling his full-scale invasion of Ukraine a "special military operation" a still seems reluctant to admit that he has taken his country to war. Since last week, he has been describing the Ukrainian offensive as a "large-scale provocation" and on Tuesday he announced the start of a "counter-terrorist operation" in response. According to Russian political analyst Ivan Preobrazhensky, Putin is carefully couching his language because he does not want to draw attention to the failure to defend the country's borders. Meanwhile, Russian armed forces are reportedly digging trenches to protect parts of the Kursk region they still control a including around the village of Viktorovka, about 45 kilometers from Russia's border with Ukraine a while officials in Kyiv discuss the possible creation of a military commandant's office in the Russian territory now occupied by Ukrainian troops. This article originated in VOA's Russian Service. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address TORONTO, Aug. 14, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nexus Industrial REIT (the REIT) (TSX: NXR.UN) announced today its results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2024. "We have entered a new phase as we begin to benefit from our recent investments. We have high-graded our portfolio, and invested in our development projects" said Kelly Hanczyk, CEO of Nexus Industrial REIT. "Our Q2 results clearly demonstrate this shift in our trajectory, and I expect that our momentum will accelerate from here, as we now have resolved key vacancy headwinds, have three remaining development projects coming online, and will also benefit from contractual rent lift and renewals," continued Kelly. "I am thrilled with the progress that we have made, and I am confident that our strategy to be a Canada-focused pure-play industrial REIT will continue to be meaningful and rewarding for our stakeholders." Second Quarter 2024 Highlights: Net income was $43.5 million driven by net operating income ("NOI") (1) of $31.6 million, gains on fair value adjustments of Class B LP Units of $21.1 million and of investment properties of $13.6 million. of $31.6 million, gains on fair value adjustments of Class B LP Units of $21.1 million and of investment properties of $13.6 million. NOI increased 14.2% year over year to $31.6 million from the acquisition of high-quality, tenanted income-producing industrial properties, and growth in industrial Same Property NOI which totaled $0.8 million or 3.5% compared to a year ago (1) . . Advanced the construction of a new 96,000 sq. ft. intensification industrial project in London, ON, which is expected to earn an 8% return. The building was completed and tenanted in July. Completed the sale of an office property for $5 million and have contracted for the disposition of 28 non-core properties for a total of $107 million. Normalized FFO (1) per unit was $0.178 and Normalized AFFO (1) per unit was $0.148, a reduction of $0.018 and $0.017 versus a year ago. per unit was $0.178 and Normalized AFFO per unit was $0.148, a reduction of $0.018 and $0.017 versus a year ago. NAV(1) per unit of $13.2 grew $0.71 or 5.7% versus a year ago. Subsequent events: Acquired a 62,000 sq. ft. new industrial building in Sherbrooke, QC on July 2, 2024 valued at $16.6 million. The purchase price was satisfied through the issuance of 456,700 Class B LP Units at a deemed value of $10 per unit and cash. (1) Non-IFRS Financial Measure Summary of Results (In thousands of Canadian dollars, except per unit amounts) Three months ended June 30, Six months ended June 30, 2024 2023 2024 2023 $ $ $ $ FINANCIAL INFORMATION Operating Results Property revenues 43,910 38,419 85,507 75,895 Net operating income (NOI) 31,617 27,689 61,154 53,417 Net Income 43,525 77,222 87,196 80,939 Funds from operations (FFO) (1) 16,576 16,775 30,931 33,223 Normalized FFO (1) (2) 16,642 17,266 31,885 33,717 Adjusted funds from operations (AFFO) (1) 13,770 14,100 25,358 28,048 Normalized AFFO (1) (2) 13,836 14,591 26,312 28,542 Distributions declared (3) 14,970 14,192 29,910 28,234 Same Property NOI (1) 24,867 24,063 48,452 47,766 Weighted average units outstanding (000s): Basic (4) 93,541 88,310 93,441 88,027 Diluted (4) 93,717 88,412 93,617 88,129 Per unit amounts: Distributions per unit basic (3) (4) 0.160 0.160 0.320 0.320 Distributions per unit diluted (3) (4) 0.160 0.160 0.320 0.320 Normalized FFO per unit basic (1) (2) (4) 0.178 0.196 0.341 0.383 Normalized FFO per unit diluted (1) (2) (4) 0.178 0.195 0.341 0.383 Normalized AFFO per unit basic (1) (2) (4) 0.148 0.165 0.282 0.324 Normalized AFFO per unit diluted (1) (2) (4) 0.148 0.165 0.281 0.324 AFFO payout ratio basic (1) (3) 108.7 % 100.7 % 118.0 % 100.7 % Normalized AFFO payout ratio basic (1) (2) (3) 108.2 % 97.3 % 113.7 % 98.9 % As at June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 2024 2023 $ $ PORTFOLIO INFORMATION Total Portfolio Number of Investment Properties(5) 118 116 Number of Properties Under Development 3 4 Investment Property Fair Value (excludes assets held for sale) 2,408,859 2,364,027 Gross leasable area (GLA) (in millions of sq. ft.) (at the REIT's ownership interest) 12.9 12.5 Industrial occupancy rate in-place and committed (period-end)(6) 98 % 97 % Weighted average lease term (WALT) (years) 6.9 6.9 Estimated spread between industrial portfolio market and in-place rents 25.1 % 29.0 % FINANCING AND CAPITAL INFORMATION Financing Net debt 1,296,226 1,203,432 Net Indebtedness Ratio 49.97 % 48.90 % Interest coverage ration (times) 1.61 1.72 Secured Indebtedness Ratio 28.1 % 30.4 % Unencumbered investment properties as a percentage of investment properties 41.8 % 35.6 % Total assets 2,593,924 2,463,067 Cash and cash equivalents 7,868 5,918 Capital Total equity (per condensed consolidated financial statements) 1,080,195 1,000,329 Total equity (including Class B LP Units) 1,235,819 1,199,434 Total number of Units (in thousands) 93,628 93,201 NAV per Unit 13.20 12.87 (1) See Non-IFRS Financial Measures. (2) See Appendix A Non-IFRS Financial Measures (3) Includes distributions payable to holders of Class B LP Units which are accounted for as finance expense in the consolidated financial statements. (4) Weighted average number of units includes Class B LP Units. (5) Includes 26 properties classified as assets held for sale. (6) Includes committed new leases for future occupancy. Non-IFRS Measures Included in the tables above and elsewhere in this news release are non-IFRS financial measures that should not be construed as an alternative to net income / loss, cash from operating activities or other measures of financial performance calculated in accordance with IFRS and may not be comparable to similar measures as reported by other issuers. Certain additional disclosures for these non-IFRS financial measures have been incorporated by reference and can be found on page 3 in the REITs Managements Discussion and Analysis for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024, available on SEDAR at www.sedarplus.ca and on the REITs website under Investor Relations. See Appendix A of this earnings release for a reconciliation of the non-IFRS financial measures to the primary financial statement measures. NOI Net Operating Income for the three months ended June 30, 2024 was $31.6 million or $3.9 million higher than Q2 2023, which was primarily due to $3.9 million from acquisitions of industrial income producing property completed subsequent to Q2 2023 and an increase in Same Property NOI of $0.8 million principally due to the completed lease up of 1751-1771 Savage Rd, Richmond, BC, partially offset by $0.4 million relating to redevelopment of an investment property that was reclassified to properties under development during the quarter, $0.2 million relating to dispositions completed since Q2 2023, and a lower termination fee of $0.1 million. Net Operating Income for the six months ended June 30, 2024 was $61.2 million or $7.7 million higher than the same period in 2023, which was primarily due to $8.3 million from acquisitions of industrial income producing property completed subsequent to Q2 2023, an increase in Same Property NOI of $0.7 million and $0.2 million higher straight-line rents largely attributed to recent acquisitions, partially offset by $0.6 million relating to redevelopment and $0.7 million relating to dispositions completed since Q2 2023. Fair value adjustment of investment properties The fair value adjustment of investment properties for the three months ended June 30, 2024, totaled $13.6 million which was primarily due to $13.7 million fair value gains resulting from appraisals received during the quarter, principally due to an $11.8 million write-up for an industrial property in Edmonton, AB; $8.4 million fair value gains relating to properties held for development based on development progress relative to the as-completed appraised value; and $3.0 million net fair value gains relating to changes in NOI/market rent assumptions. Offsetting the gains were net write-downs of $10.5 million to align values that are currently listed as assets held for sale with their expected disposal amounts, and a $1.0 million loss relating to investment property sale price adjustments and transaction costs. The fair value adjustment of investment properties for the six months ended June 30, 2024, totaled $28.7 million, which was primarily due to $16.9 million value gains relating to properties held for development based on development progress relative to the as-completed appraised value; $13.7 million fair value gains resulting from appraisals received during the period, principally due to an $11.8 million write-up for an industrial property in Edmonton, AB; $12.5 million net fair value gains relating to changes in NOI/market rent assumptions. Offsetting the gains were net write-downs of $10.5 million to align values that are currently listed as assets held for sale with their expected disposal amounts, $2.9 million in capital expenditures fair valued to zero and $1.0 million loss relating to investment property sale price adjustments and transaction costs. Outlook The REIT is focused on delivering total unitholder return through profitable long-term growth, and by pursing its strategy as a Canada-focused pure-play industrial REIT. Through the remainder of 2024, the REIT expects to benefit from positive rental fundamentals in the markets in which it has leases expiring. Overall, the REIT anticipates mid-single digit Same Property NOI growth in its industrial portfolio for the full year. In 2024, the REIT expects to benefit from the completion of four significant development projects. Combined, these properties will add annual stabilized NOI of over $10 million when complete: In the second quarter of 2024, the REIT completed the Park Street intensification project in Regina, SK. The primary tenant took possession on April 1 st , and once fully tenanted, will contribute an estimated yield of 7.5% on total development costs of $48 million. , and once fully tenanted, will contribute an estimated yield of 7.5% on total development costs of $48 million. In the third quarter of 2024, the REIT also completed construction of the 96,000 sq ft Hubrey Rd. expansion project in London, ON. This project was tenanted in July, and will contribute a going-in yield of 8.0% on total development costs of $14 million. In the third quarter of 2024, the REIT completed the 115,000 sq ft Glover Rd. new development in Hamilton, ON. This project will contribute an estimated going-in yield 5.9% on total development costs of $25 million (at the REIT's 80% interest). The Glover Rd. property is actively marketed for a tenant. The REIT now expects to complete its 325,000 sq ft Dennis Rd. expansion project in St. Thomas, ON in the first quarter of 2025. This project is being constructed for an existing tenant. The REIT earns 7.8% on capital expenditure during the construction phase, and will earn a contractual going-in yield of 9.0% on the total development costs of $46 million upon completion. The REIT will continue to prioritize unitholder distributions. The REIT believes that its normalized AFFO payout ratio peaked in the first quarter of 2024 and will improve to a more sustainable level for the balance of the year. The REIT is focused on building its industrial portfolio. As a result, the REIT is disposing its legacy retail and office properties and a group of non-core industrial buildings. The REIT no longer expects to sell its portfolio of western Canada truck terminals. Consequently, the REIT is now targeting non-core assets sales of approximately $110 million in the second half of 2024, and will use the proceeds to reduce its debt balance. Earnings Call Management of the REIT will host a conference call at 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time on Thursday August 15, 2024 to review the financial results and operations. To participate in the conference call, please dial 647-484-8814 or 1-844-763-8274 (toll free in Canada and the US) at least five minutes prior to the start time and ask to join the Nexus Industrial REIT conference call. A recording of the conference call will be available until September 15, 2024. To access the recording, please dial 1-412-317-0088 or 1-855-669-9658 (toll free in Canada and the US) and enter access code 2847948. About Nexus Industrial REIT Nexus is a growth-oriented real estate investment trust focused on increasing unitholder value through the acquisition of industrial properties located in primary and secondary markets in Canada, and the ownership and management of its portfolio of properties. The REIT currently owns a portfolio of 119 properties (including two properties held for development in which the REIT has an 80% interest) comprising approximately 13.0 million square feet of gross leasable area. The REIT has approximately 94,152,000 voting units issued and outstanding, including approximately 70,742,000 REIT Units and approximately 23,410,000 Class B LP Units of subsidiary limited partnerships of Nexus, which are convertible to REIT Units on a one-to-one basis. Forward Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking statements which reflect the REITs current expectations and projections about future results. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, estimates, intends, anticipates or does not anticipate, or believes, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the REIT to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Actual results and developments are likely to differ, and may differ materially, from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this news release. Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions that may prove to be incorrect. While the REIT anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause its views to change, the REIT specifically disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the REITs views as of any date subsequent to the date of this news release. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The factors identified above are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors that could affect the REIT. For further information please contact: Kelly C. Hanczyk, CEO at (416) 906-2379 or Mike Rawle, CFO at (289) 837-2650. APPENDIX A NON-IFRS FINANCIAL MEASURES (In thousands of Canadian dollars, except per unit amounts) Three months ended June 30, Six months ended June 30, 2024 2023 Change 2024 2023 Change FFO $ $ $ $ $ $ Net income 43,525 77,222 (33,697 ) 87,196 80,939 6,257 Adjustments: Loss on disposal of investment properties 251 807 (556 ) 251 807 (556 ) Fair value adjustment of investment properties (13,560 ) (33,031 ) 19,471 (28,743 ) (30,316 ) 1,573 Fair value adjustment of Class B LP Units (21,057 ) (25,129 ) 4,072 (31,885 ) (22,521 ) (9,364 ) Fair value adjustment of incentive units (138 ) (130 ) (8 ) (147 ) (121 ) (26 ) Fair value adjustment of derivative financial instruments 3,042 (6,400 ) 9,442 (4,449 ) (2,571 ) (1,878 ) Adjustments for equity accounted joint venture (1) 113 (158 ) 271 71 (70 ) 141 Distributions on Class B LP Units expensed 3,849 3,303 546 7,787 6,481 1,306 Amortization of tenant incentives and leasing costs 384 285 99 657 581 76 Lease principal payments (16 ) (17 ) 1 (20 ) (32 ) 12 Amortization of right-of-use assets 30 23 7 60 46 14 Net effect of unrealized f/x on USD debt and respective USD economic hedges 153 - 153 153 - 153 Funds from operations (FFO) 16,576 16,775 (199 ) 30,931 33,223 (2,292 ) Weighted average units outstanding (000s) Basic (4) 93,541 88,310 5,231 93,441 88,027 5,414 FFO per unit basic 0.177 0.190 (0.013 ) 0.331 0.377 (0.046 ) FFO 16,576 16,775 (199 ) 30,931 33,223 (2,292 ) Add: Vendor rent obligation (2) - 691 (691 ) 628 1,295 (667 ) Less: Other income (2) - (200 ) 200 - (801 ) 801 Add: Non-recurring personnel transition costs 66 - 66 326 - 326 Normalized FFO 16,642 17,266 (624 ) 31,885 33,717 (1,832 ) Weighted average units outstanding (000s) Basic (4) 93,541 88,310 5,231 93,441 88,027 5,414 Normalized FFO per unit basic 0.1780 0.1960 (0.018 ) 0.3410 0.3830 (0.042 ) (In thousands of Canadian dollars, except per unit amounts) Three months ended June 30, Six months ended June 30, 2024 2023 Change 2024 2023 Change AFFO $ $ $ $ $ $ FFO 16,576 16,775 (199 ) 30,931 33,223 (2,292 ) Adjustments: Straight-line adjustments ground lease and rent (1,206 ) (1,125 ) (81 ) (2,373 ) (2,225 ) (148 ) Capital reserve (3) (1,600 ) (1,550 ) (50 ) (3,200 ) (2,950 ) (250 ) Adjusted funds from operations (AFFO) 13,770 14,100 (330 ) 25,358 28,048 (2,690 ) Weighted average units outstanding (000s) Basic (4) 93,541 88,310 5,231 93,441 88,027 5,414 AFFO per unit basic 0.147 0.160 (0.013 ) 0.271 0.319 (0.048 ) AFFO 13,770 14,100 (330 ) 25,358 28,048 (2,690 ) Add: Vendor rent obligation (2) - 691 (691 ) 628 1,295 (667 ) Less: Other income (2) - (200 ) 200 - (801 ) 801 Add: Non-recurring personnel transition costs 66 - 66 326 - 326 Normalized AFFO 13,836 14,591 (755 ) 26,312 28,542 (2,230 ) Weighted average units outstanding (000s) Basic (4) 93,541 88,310 5,231 93,441 88,027 5,414 Normalized AFFO per unit basic 0.148 0.165 (0.017 ) 0.282 0.324 (0.042 ) (1) Adjustment for equity accounted joint venture relates to a fair value adjustment of swaps in place at the joint venture to swap floating rate bankers acceptance rates to a fixed rate and fair value adjustment of the joint venture investment property. (2) Prior to Q2 2024, Normalized FFO and Normalized AFFO include adjustments for vendor rent obligation amounts related to the REITs Richmond, BC property, which were payable from the vendor of the property until the buildout of the property was complete and all tenants are occupying and paying rent. The vendor rent obligation amount was not included in NOI for accounting under IFRS, but the estimated total amount of vendor rent obligation was recorded in other income. Normalized FFO and Normalized AFFO excluded estimated future vendor rent obligation amounts included in other income in the consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income and included the scheduled quarterly rents receivable in the form of vendor rent obligation. During the quarter ended June 30, 2024, the vendor has settled all outstanding amounts, and the property is now fully leased-up and contributed NOI of $0.9 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2024. (3) Capital reserve includes maintenance capital expenditures, tenant incentives and leasing costs. Reserve amounts are established with reference to building condition reports, appraisals, and internal estimates of tenant renewal, tenant incentives and leasing costs. The REIT believes that a reserve is more appropriate given the fluctuating nature of these expenditures. (4) Weighted average number of units includes the Class B LP Units. SAME PROPERTY RESULTS NEWARK, Del, Aug. 14, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global plant-based plastic market is on a strong upward trajectory, with anticipated sales reaching USD 5.1 billion by 2034, up from USD 1.9 billion in 2024. This remarkable growth is projected at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.2% over the forecast period from 2024 to 2034. The market, valued at USD 1.7 billion in 2023, is expected to witness a year-over-year growth rate of 7.4% in 2024. The demand for plant-based plastics is experiencing significant growth driven by increasing environmental awareness and sustainability initiatives. As industries and consumers alike seek alternatives to traditional petrochemical-based plastics, plant-based plastics offer a more eco-friendly option. These materials, derived from renewable resources like corn, sugarcane, and algae, are designed to reduce carbon footprints and reliance on fossil fuels. Several factors are fueling this surge in demand. Firstly, stringent environmental regulations and policies globally are pushing companies to adopt sustainable practices. For example, bans on single-use plastics and incentives for green technologies are encouraging the shift towards plant-based alternatives. Secondly, advancements in technology and production processes are enhancing the performance and cost-effectiveness of plant-based plastics, making them increasingly viable for a range of applications from packaging to automotive components. To Gain In-Depth Insights into the Market, Browse the Complete Report: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/plant-based-plastic-market Key Takeaways: Rapid Growth Forecast : The industry is projected to grow at a robust CAGR of 10.2% from 2024 to 2034. : The industry is projected to grow at a robust CAGR of 10.2% from 2024 to 2034. Current Market Value : As of 2023, the global plant-based plastic market was valued at USD 1.7 billion. : As of 2023, the global plant-based plastic market was valued at USD 1.7 billion. Future Valuation : By the end of 2034, the market is expected to reach USD 5.1 billion. : By the end of 2034, the market is expected to reach USD 5.1 billion. Top Growth Region : South Asia and the Pacific are anticipated to exhibit the highest CAGR of 11.5% during the forecast period. : South Asia and the Pacific are anticipated to exhibit the highest CAGR of 11.5% during the forecast period. Germany Leads European Plant-Based Plastic Market with 25% Share: Stringent Emission Regulations Drive 8.1% Growth in Sales European Plant-Based Plastic Market with 25% Share: Stringent Emission Regulations Drive 8.1% Growth in Sales Leading Companies : Major players include BASF SE, NatureWorks LLC, and Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation, among others. : Major players include BASF SE, NatureWorks LLC, and Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation, among others. Industry Expansion: With increasing demand for sustainable solutions, the plant-based plastic industry is set for significant expansion and innovation. Key Drivers of Growth in Plant-Based Plastics Sustainable Alternatives to Traditional Plastics: Plant-based plastics are emerging as a crucial component in the quest to reduce the adverse environmental impacts of conventional plastics. Derived from renewable sources such as cellulose, corn starch, and sugarcane, these materials are highly compostable and biodegradable. Their use significantly mitigates the negative effects on marine life and ecosystems caused by non-biodegradable plastics, and they contribute to lower carbon footprints by requiring less energy and releasing fewer greenhouse gases during production. Diverse Applications and Versatility: The versatility of plant-based plastics, particularly Polylactic Acid (PLA), is driving market growth. PLA, known for its biodegradability and compostability, is widely used in applications ranging from disposable tableware and medical devices to 3D printing and packaging. The materials operational properties make it a suitable replacement for traditional plastics across various sectors. Additionally, corn starch, a primary raw material, is cost-effective and easily processed, supporting the production of diverse plant-based plastic products. Rising Demand in the Food and Beverage Industry: Plant-based plastics are increasingly utilized in the food and beverage industry for packaging solutions. This includes wrappers, containers, and bottles that meet regulatory standards and address sustainability concerns. The trend towards eco-friendly packaging options is bolstering the adoption of plant-based materials, particularly for water bottles and disposable cutlery such as forks, knives, and straws. Niche Market Expansion in the Textile Industry: The textile industry is experiencing a shift towards sustainability, with plant-based plastics gaining traction as an alternative to traditional synthetic fibers. Ongoing research and innovation are focusing on developing eco-friendly materials that reduce dependency on fossil fuels and address environmental challenges. Plant-based plastics offer a solution to the persistent issue of microfiber waste, contributing to greener textile production practices. Competitive Landscape A number of well-known companies in the market for plant-based plastics are making large investments in R&D and innovation in order to expand their product lines and find new uses. To increase their consumer base, manufacturers place a high priority on customer satisfaction, product quality, and safety. Leading producers of plastic derived from plants are concentrating on creating packaging made of recycled materials and finding packaging solutions to satisfy the need for sustainability. In order to increase their resources and satisfy consumer demand, they are creating new products through the use of mergers and acquisitions. Key Players of Plant Based Plastic Industry BASF SE NatureWorks LLC Toray Industries Inc. Arkema Global Biome Bioplastics Limited. BIOTEC Plantic Technologies Ltd. Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation. FUTERRO S.A. Danimer Scientific. Eastman Chemical Company Polymateria Ltd TIPA Corp Ltd EuP Group TotalEnergies Corbion Neste Oyj Key Segments of the Plant-Based Plastic Industry By Material: The plant-based plastic industry is divided into Polylactic Acid (PLA), Bio-Polyethylene Terephthalate (Bio-PET), Bio-Polyethylene (Bio-PE), and Starch Blends. By Source: The plant-based plastic industry is segregated into Corn Starch, Sugarcane, Cassava, Beet Pulp, Cellulose, and Others (Soy, Potato, Algae). By Application: The industry is classified by Food & Beverage, Personal Care & Beauty, Healthcare & Medical, Automotive, Electronics & Electrical, and Others (Textile, Aerospace, Agriculture, etc.). By Region: Key countries of North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, South Asia & Pacific, East Asia, and Middle East and Africa (MEA), have been covered in the report. Authored by: Ismail Sutaria (Lead Consultant, Packaging and Materials) has over 8 years of experience in market research and consulting in the packaging & materials industry. Ismails strength lies in identifying key challenges faced by the client and offering logical and actionable insights to equip the clients with strategic decision-making power. Ismail has been an instrumental part of several transformational consulting assignments. His key skills include competitive benchmarking, opportunity assessment, macroeconomic analysis, and business transformation advisory. Ismail is an MBA holder in Marketing and has a Bachelors Degree in Mathematics. Have a Look at Trending Research Reports on Packaging Domain: The global plastic pail market valuation is expected to reach USD 859,308 million by 2033. The global market is likely to capture a CAGR of 4.2% during the forecast period. The recyclable plastic films market size is expected to rise to USD 39,785.0 million by 2033. The sales of recyclable plastic films are expected to record a significant CAGR of 5.1% during the forecast period. The plastic sleeve market demand is likely to surpass USD 15.4 billion, exhibiting a CAGR of 3.8% from 2024 to 2034. The global sales of plant based packaging are expected to grow at 6.7% in 2021. However, the overall ten-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) remains positive during 2021-2031. The plant based meat packaging market size is projected to be worth US$ 424.6 million in 2023. The market is likely to surpass US$ 987.0 million by 2033 at a CAGR of 8.8% during the forecast period. The global starch-based bioplastics packaging market value is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 8.7%. Owing to the advances in packaging, the market is likely to surpass a valuation of US$ 35.7 Billion through 2033. The biodegradable paper and plastic packaging market share is anticipated to reach US$ 36.8 billion by 2034. The market is further expected to surge at a CAGR of 10.1% during the forecast period 2024 to 2034. The sustainable plastic packaging market growth is expected to progress at a moderate pace, registering a CAGR of 5.9%. By 2034, the sustainable plastic packaging industry is forecasted to surpass a valuation of US$ 189.0 billion. The plastic sleeve market sales are likely to report a valuation of USD 9.8 billion in 2024. The market, by 2034, is likely to surpass USD 15.4 billion, exhibiting a CAGR of 3.8% during the forecast period. The global plastic rigid IBC market share is estimated to register a CAGR of 4.9% during the forecast period. The global market is likely to reach up to US$ 9.5 billion by 2033. About Future Market Insights (FMI) Future Market Insights, Inc. (ESOMAR certified, recipient of the Stevie Award, and a member of the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce) offers profound insights into the driving factors that are boosting demand in the market. FMI stands as the leading global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, consulting, and events for the Packaging, Food and Beverage, Consumer, Technology, Healthcare, Industrial, and Chemicals markets. With a vast team of over 400 analysts worldwide, FMI provides global, regional, and local expertise on diverse domains and industry trends across more than 110 countries. Join us as we commemorate 10 years of delivering trusted market insights. Reflecting on a decade of achievements, we continue to lead with integrity, innovation, and expertise. Contact Us: Future Market Insights Inc. Christiana Corporate, 200 Continental Drive, Suite 401, Newark, Delaware - 19713, USA T: +1-845-579-5705 For Sales Enquiries: sales@futuremarketinsights.com Website: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com LinkedIn| Twitter| Blogs | YouTube WHITEHORSE, Yukon, Aug. 14, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Victoria Gold Corp. (TSX-VGCX) (Victoria or the Company) announces today that, further to the Company's news release dated August 14, 2024, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial List) has granted an order appointing PricewaterhouseCoopers Inc. as the receiver and manager of Victoria Gold Corp. including, without limitation, all property, assets and undertakings in which the Respondent has an interest, including the real property which includes but is not limited to the Eagle Gold Mine located in Dublin Gulch, Yukon, Canada. The Company expects that the TSX will immediately suspend the common shares of the Company from trading and initiate and expedite a delisting review. About the Dublin Gulch Property Victoria Gold's 100%-owned Dublin Gulch gold property (the Property) is situated in central Yukon Territory, Canada, approximately 375 kilometers north of the capital city of Whitehorse, and approximately 85 kilometers from the town of Mayo. The Property is accessible by road year round, and is located within Yukon Energy's electrical grid. The Property covers an area of approximately 555 square kilometers, and is the site of the Company's Eagle Gold Mine. Cautionary Language and Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". Except for statements of historical fact relating to Victoria, information contained herein constitutes forward-looking information, including any information related to the HLF incident and the Company's response to the Application. Forward-looking information is characterized by words such as plan, expect, budget, target, project, intend, believe, anticipate, estimate and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions may, will, could or should occur, and includes any guidance and forecasts set out herein (including, but not limited to, production and operational guidance of the Corporation). In order to give such forward-looking information, the Corporation has made certain assumptions about its business, operations, the economy and the mineral exploration industry in general. In this respect, the Corporation has assumed that production levels will remain consistent with managements expectations, contracted parties provide goods and services on agreed timeframes, equipment works as anticipated, required regulatory approvals are received, no unusual geological or technical problems occur, no material adverse change in the price of gold occurs and no significant events occur outside of the Corporation's normal course of business. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made, and are inherently subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other known and unknown factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those described in, or implied by, the forward-looking information. These factors include the impact of the HLF incident on the Corporations business and financial condition, risks related to liquidity and credit availability resulting from the indefinite suspension of production at the Eagle Gold Mine, the outcome of the Application, the values of assets and liabilities based on projected future conditions, potential resumption of metals production, fluctuating metal prices, currency exchange rates, estimated ore grades, possible variations in ore grade or recovery rates, changes in economic model as a result of unanticipated costs associated with the HLF incident, changes in accounting policies, changes in Victoria's corporate resources, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, changes in development and production time frames, the possibility of cost overruns or further unanticipated costs and expenses, uncertainty of mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates, higher prices for fuel, steel, power, labour and other consumables contributing to higher costs and general risks of the mining industry, further failures of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, final pricing for metal sales, unanticipated results of future studies, seasonality and unanticipated weather changes, costs and timing of the development of new deposits, success of exploration activities, requirements for additional capital, permitting time lines, government regulation of mining operations, environmental risks, unanticipated reclamation expenses, title disputes or claims, limitations on insurance coverage and timing and possible outcomes of pending litigation and labour disputes, risks related to remote operations and the availability of adequate infrastructure, fluctuations in price and availability of energy and other inputs necessary for mining operations. Although Victoria has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in, or implied by, the forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained herein is presented for the purpose of assisting investors in understanding Victoria's expected financial and operational performance and Victoria's plans and objectives and may not be appropriate for other purposes. All forward-looking information contained herein is given as of the date hereof, as the case may be, and is based upon the opinions and estimates of management and information available to management of the Corporation as at the date hereof. The Corporation undertakes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking information contained herein and the documents incorporated by reference herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable laws. For Further Information Contact: John McConnell President & CEO Victoria Gold Corp Tel: 604-696-6605 ceo@vgcx.com COMPANY ANNOUNCEMENT NO. 10-2024 15 August 2024, Copenhagen, Denmark FLSmidth & Co. Group Interim Report for Q2 2024 Strong profitability across both Mining and Cement reflecting continued business improvements Highlights in Q2 2024 Growth in Mining Service order intake of 7%, whereas the significant decline in Mining Products order intake reflects market softness Mining revenue decline of 13% primarily reflects timing of the execution of certain Mining Products orders Continued progression in Mining profitability with Adjusted EBITA margin of 13.1% Cement Service order intake growth in core market clusters partly offsets impacts from de-risking and divestments Cement Adjusted EBITA margin of 9.6% reflecting strong margin execution and lower SG&A costs Continued progression on all Science Based Targets The financial guidance for the full year 2024, as set out in Company Announcement no. 9-2024 on 7 August 2024, is maintained Group CEO, Mikko Keto, commented: Our performance in the first half of the year is testament to our continued strong progression across all our key transformation activities, with additional improvements in profitability for both Mining and Cement. In Mining, we delivered an Adjusted EBITA margin of 13.1% in the second quarter of the year - the highest level in many years. We continue to see a stable and healthy service market, whereas the products market remains soft due to persisting hesitation by some customers on larger investment decisions. Our Cement business achieved an Adjusted EBITA margin of 9.6% in the second quarter of the year, demonstrating our successful efforts in simplifying its operating model and driving Service growth in our core market clusters. The largely stable cement market continues to provide good opportunities for the Service business, whereas we continue to de-risk the Products business to preserve profitability. Looking ahead, the resilience of our service-oriented business model, our continued focus on business simplification to ensure a cost-efficient operating model and our dedicated focus on strategy execution gives us great confidence that we are well on track to meet our long-term financial ambitions for both Mining and Cement. Commercial performance, Q2 2024 versus Q2 2023 Mining order intake decreased by 19% compared to Q2 2023 (decrease of 17% if excluding currency effects). Service order intake increased by 7% mainly driven by consumables and upgrades & retrofits. Products order intake decreased by 61% as a result of our general de-risking approach as well as continued customer hesitation to approve larger brownfield and greenfield expansions. No large Products orders were announced in the quarter. Service and Products comprised 82% and 18% of the total Mining order intake in the quarter, respectively (compared to 62% and 38% in Q2 2023, respectively). Cement order intake decreased by 21% compared to Q2 2023 (decrease of 16% if excluding currency effects and effects from divestments). Service order intake increased by 1% driven by spare parts and professional services within our core market clusters partly offset by upgrades & retrofits. Products order intake decreased by 53% driven in part by the continued pruning of our product portfolio as part of our de-risking strategy and the impact of divestments. Service and Products comprised 75% and 25% of the total Cement order intake in the quarter, respectively (compared to 59% and 41% in Q2 2023, respectively). The order backlog for the Non-Core Activities (NCA) segment amounted to DKK 435m at the end of Q2 2024 compared to DKK 479m at the end of Q1 2024 and DKK 1,414m at the end of Q2 2023. It remains the expectation that the segment will be fully exited by the end of 2024. Group order intake decreased by 20% compared to Q2 2023 (decrease of 18% if excluding currency effects and effects from divestments). Service order intake increased by 5% driven by higher Service order intake in Mining and a stable Service order intake in Cement. Products order intake decreased by 59% driven by lower Products order intake for both Mining and Cement. Service and Products comprised 80% and 20% of the total order intake, respectively (compared to 61% and 39% in Q2 2023, respectively). Financial performance, Q2 2024 versus Q2 2023 Mining revenue decreased by 13% compared to Q2 2023 (decrease of 12% if excluding currency effects). Service revenue decreased by 10%, primarily due to lower revenue within spare parts and professional services, driven by timing of order execution, partly offset by relatively higher revenue within consumables. Products revenue decreased by 19% driven by our de-risking strategy and timing of the execution of certain larger Products orders. Gross profit increased by 14% to DKK 1,263m (DKK 1,107m in Q2 2023) corresponding to a gross margin of 33.4% (25.4% in Q2 2023). Excluding transformation and separation costs of DKK 63m, the Adjusted EBITA margin was 13.1% in Q2 2024. Including these items, the EBITA margin was 11.5% compared to 8.6% in Q2 2023. Cement revenue decreased by 32% compared to Q2 2023 (decrease of 24% if excluding currency effects and effects from divestments). Service revenue decreased by 26% due to effects from divestments. Products revenue decreased by 40% driven in part by the continued pruning of our product portfolio as a result of our de-risking strategy and the impact of divestments. Gross profit decreased by 16% to DKK 351m compared to DKK 416m in Q2 2023. The decrease was a result of the lower revenue but was partly offset by good execution on higher-margin orders. The corresponding gross margin increased by 6.1%-points to 31.0%. Excluding transformation and separation costs of DKK 12m, the Adjusted EBITA margin was 9.6% in Q2 2024. Including these items, the EBITA margin was 8.5% compared to 4.3% in Q2 2023. NCA revenue amounted to DKK 44m. Gross profit was negative and amounted to DKK -35m, reflecting the general volatility and operationally loss-making nature of the segment. EBITA amounted to DKK -99m. Group revenue decreased by 23% (decrease of 20% if excluding currency effects and effects from divestments). Gross profit increased by 5% to DKK 1,579m, compared to DKK 1,497m in Q2 2023, corresponding to a gross margin of 31.8%. The gross margin reflects good execution of higher-margin orders as a result of our de-risking strategy, partly offset by the lower revenue. Excluding transformation and separation costs of DKK 75m, the Adjusted EBITA margin was 10.2% in Q2 2024. Including these items, the EBITA margin was 8.7% compared to 5.2% in Q2 2023. Cash flow from operating activities (CFFO) amounted to DKK 14m with negative impacts from changes in net working capital and provisions. Financial guidance for 2024 Financial guidance for 2024, as set out in Company Announcement no. 9-2024 on 7 August 2024, is maintained. The guidance reflects the ongoing business simplification and transformation efforts, continued improvement in the core Mining business, realisation of the full cost synergies from the Mining Technologies acquisition, continued profitability progress in the Cement business and the ongoing exit from the Non-Core Activities segment. Mining Cement Non-Core Activities Consolidated Group Revenue (DKKbn) ~15.5 (DKK 7.4bn) Revenue (DKKbn) 4.0-4.5 (DKK 2.3bn) Revenue (DKKm) 200-300 (DKK 94m) Revenue (DKKbn) ~20.0 (DKK 9.8bn) Adj. EBITA margin 12.5-13.0% (12.3%) Adj. EBITA margin 8.0-9.0% (8.6%) Adj. EBITA margin 10.0-11.0% (9.7%) EBITA (DKKm) Loss of DKK 200-300 (Loss of DKK 161m) EBITA margin 8.5-9.5% (8.1%) Note: Numbers in brackets represent H1 2024 results. Earnings call A presentation of the results will take place on 15 August 2024 at 11:00 CEST. Mr. Mikko Keto (Group CEO) and Mr. Roland M. Andersen (Group CFO) will comment on the report and developments in the Group. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A-session. The presentation is available at: www.flsmidth.com/reports-and-presentations. Live audio-webcast The presentation can be followed live or as replay via the internet here. If you wish to ask questions during the Q&A-session, please sign up here. After registration, you will receive phone numbers, pin codes and a calendar invite. Please note that you will receive two codes (a pass code and a PIN code), both of which are needed when dialling into the webcast. Presentation slides The presentation slides will be made available shortly before the scheduled start of the webcast at www.flsmidth.com/reports-and-presentations. Consolidated key figures Q2 2024 and H1 2024 DKK million, unless otherwise stated Q224 Q223 Change (%) H124 H123 Change (%) FY23 Order intake 4,436 5,523 -20% 9,684 11,155 -13% 21,376 - Hereof service order intake 3,556 3,388 5% 7,060 7,183 -2% 14,183 - Hereof products order intake 880 2,135 -59% 2,624 3,972 -34% 7,193 Order backlog 16,518 20,544 -20% 16,518 20,544 -20% 17,593 Revenue 4,958 6,399 -23% 9,797 12,415 -21% 24,106 - Hereof service revenue 3,229 3,833 -16% 6,359 7,515 -15% 14,236 - Hereof products revenue 1,729 2,566 -33% 3,438 4,900 -30% 9,870 Gross profit 1,579 1,497 5% 2,993 2,894 3% 6,087 Gross margin 31.8% 23.4% 30.6% 23.3% 25.3% Adjusted EBITA 506 429 18% 949 791 20% 1,919 Adjusted EBITA margin 10.2% 6.7% 9.7% 6.4% 8.0% EBITA 431 332 30% 796 567 40% 1,438 EBITA margin 8.7% 5.2% 8.1% 4.6% 6.0% Profit for the period 187 118 58% 381 202 89% 491 CFFO 14 372 n.m. -338 -32 n.m. 623 Free cash flow -89 218 n.m. -395 -210 n.m. 366 Net working capital 2,021 2,542 -20% 1,382 Net interest-bearing debt 1,227 1,214 n.m. (639) Contacts: Investor Relations Jannick Lindegaard Denholt, +45 21 69 66 57, jli@flsmidth.com Andreas Escherich Holkjr, +45 24 85 03 84, andh@flsmidth.com Therese Mollevinge, +45 41 37 16 38, tmo@flsmidth.com Media Relations Rasmus Windfeld, +45 40 44 60 60, rwin@flsmidth.com About FLSmidth FLSmidth is a full flowsheet technology and service supplier to the global mining and cement industries. We enable our customers to improve performance, lower operating costs and reduce environmental impact. MissionZero is our sustainability ambition towards zero emissions in mining and cement by 2030. We work within fully validated Science-Based Targets, have a clear commitment to improving the sustainability performance of the global mining and cement industries and aim to become carbon neutral in our own operations by 2030. www.flsmidth.com. Attachments Dublin, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Battery Energy Storage System Market by Battery Type (Lithium-ion, Advanced Lead Acid, Flow, Nickel-based), Energy Capacity (Below 100 MWh, Between 100 MWh & 500 MWh, Above 500 MWh), Connection Type, Ownership and Region - Forecast to 2029" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global battery energy storage system market is estimated to grow from USD 7.8 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 25.6 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 26.9% during the forecast period. Battery energy storage systems improve the quality of power by ensuring improved voltage and frequency regulation with minimum interruption. Besides, these systems provide power backup during disruption, save the operational cost of powering the grid, and increase the capabilities and efficiency of the grid. This report offers detailed insights into the battery energy storage system market based on battery type (Lithium-ion, Advanced Lead-acid, Flow batteries, Other batteries), Connection Type (On-grid and Off-grid) Ownership (Customer-owned, Third-Party Owned, Utility Owned), Energy Capacity (Below 100 MWh, Between 100 to 500 MWh, Above 500 MWh), Application (Residential, Commercial, Utility) and region. The report also comprehensively reviews the battery energy storage system market drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges. The report also covers qualitative aspects in addition to the quantitative aspects of these markets. Utility-owned BESS is expected to grow with a significant CAGR during the forecast period The operators of the utility owned battery energy storage systems use renewable energy sources to a greater extent to deliver a large number of units of electricity. The customers of utility-owned battery energy storage systems need to pay monthly fees based on power usage. The utility-owned energy storage companies invest in energy storage to overcome the high cost of electrical T&D by fulfilling the growing electricity demand. The battery energy storage systems help improve grid reliability, manage T&D congestion while improving T&D performance, and help avoid the purchase of additional equipment for energy storage as well as increase the lifespan of assets. Above 500 MWh energy capacity segment likely to gain a significant market share between 2024 and 2029 Battery energy storage systems with a capacity above 500 MWh exhibit high service life. The battery energy storage systems with high energy capacity can support peak shaving and valley filling in the future global energy interconnection. These systems help serve the energy demands, which can be used for peak load regulation in support of a large grid. High-energy storage systems can be used to smoothen fluctuations of large-scale clean energy generation. Large-scale battery storage systems align renewable energy production and rapidly respond to the output of wind and photovoltaic power, smoothen renewable energy generation fluctuations, and ensure real-time grid operations' safety. Utility application segment to gain the largest market share during the forecast period Public utility applications or utilities involve the electric grid, a system where the electricity generated at power plants is immediately used by the loads that are connected to it. The generation and consumption of electricity always need to match, as a mismatch can lead to voltage and frequency deviations and cause power outages or damage to equipment. In order to overcome this problem, a battery energy storage system is installed on electric grids to control the voltage and frequency deviations. The battery energy storage system is a cost-effective solution that helps substations and transmission and distribution (T&D) lines to meet the growing peak demand. North America is anticipated to gain a substantial market share by 2029 The US, Canada, and Mexico are the major countries contributing to the growth of the North American battery energy storage system market. The growth of the battery energy storage system market in North America can be attributed to the increasing demand for renewable energy storage in the residential, non-residential, and utility sectors. Furthermore, the US has ample lithium deposits that can be derived in the future to produce lithium-ion batteries. These factors are expected to drive the demand for lithium-ion batteries in the manufacturing of energy storage systems in the region. The report provides insights on the following: Analysis of key drivers (Accelerated deployment of grid energy storage systems in ongoing grid modernization projects, Adoption of lithium-ion batteries in the renewable energy sector, Renewable Energy Revolution and the Shift to a Low-Carbon Economy), restraints (High cost of installing battery energy storage systems), opportunities (Rapid adoption of battery energy storage systems in rural electrification projects worldwide, Increased demand for continuous power supply from data centers) and challenges (Difficulties pertaining to installation of battery energy storage systems in remote and isolated locations). Product Development/Innovation: Detailed insights on upcoming technologies, research & development activities, and new product launches in the battery energy storage system market Market Development: Comprehensive information about lucrative markets - the report analyses the battery energy storage system market across varied regions Market Diversification: Exhaustive information about new products, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments in the battery energy storage system market Competitive Assessment: In-depth assessment of market shares, growth strategies, and product offerings of leading players like BYD Company Ltd (China), Samsung SDI Co., Ltd. (South Korea), LG Energy Solution (South Korea), and Panasonic Corporation (Japan) among others. Key Attributes: Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 277 Forecast Period 2024 - 2029 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $7.8 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2029 $25.6 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 26.9% Regions Covered Global Key Topics Covered: Premium Insights Attractive Opportunities for Players in Battery Energy Storage System Market Battery Energy Storage System Market, by Battery Type Battery Energy Storage System Market, by Energy Capacity North America Battery Energy Storage System Market, by Application and Country Battery Energy Storage System Market, by Country Market Dynamics Drivers Increasing Installations of Battery Energy Storage Systems in Grids to Support Grid Modernization Projects Increasing Global Investments in Innovation of Grid Infrastructure Lithium-Ion Battery Scalability in Renewable Energy Sector Renewable Energy Revolution and Shift to a Low-Carbon Economy Restraints High Installation and Maintenance Costs Associated With Battery Energy Storage Systems Opportunities Increasing Opportunities in Rural Electrification Projects Worldwide Rising Demand for Power Supply from Data Centers Decline in Prices of Lithium-Ion Batteries Challenges Installation of Battery Energy Storage Systems in Remote Locations Overheating and Aging Challenges Case Study Analysis Tesla Delivered Megapacks to Gambit Energy Storage Plant General Electric to Deliver Battery Energy Storage Systems to Convergent Adoption of Battery Energy Storage Systems By Utility Provider Company ABB to Install Battery Energy Storage Systems in Philippines Exide Industries, Leclanche, and Tpddl Join Hands to Launch Grid-Connected Li-Ion Battery-Powered Community Energy Storage System Major Input Energy Sources and Recent Trends Related to Battery Energy Storage Systems Input Energy Sources Solar Panels Wind Turbines Grid Power Diesel Generators Recent Trends Related to Market Renewable Energy Sources Advancements in Battery Technologies AI and ML Microgrids Hybrid Energy Storage Systems Types of Systems for Battery Energy Storage Front-Of-The-Meter (FTM) System Behind-The-Meter (BTM) System Companies Featured BYD Company Ltd. LG Energy Solution Panasonic Samsung SDI Co. Ltd. Tesla ABB Delta Electronics, Inc. GE Vernova Hitachi Energy Ltd. Honeywell International, Inc. Johnson Controls NGK Insulators, Ltd. Siemens Toshiba Ab Volvo AEG East Penn Manufacturing Company ESS Tech, Inc. Kore Power Inc. Primus Power Solutions Saft Solaredge The AES Corporation Trinasolar VRB Energy For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/c10tbo About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment BANGOR, MAINE, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Limestone, employees can now take courses and work toward certificates and degrees at Husson University at a discounted rate thanks to an agreement between the government organization and the educational institution. The partnership allows those who work at DFAS Limestone a tuition discount on courses toward undergraduate degrees, masters degrees, certificates, customized education and internships. Were thrilled to champion the higher education and continuing education of Maines workforce. We have a long history of supporting the Defense Finance and Accounting Service in Limestone with accounting and business classes. This agreement solidifies this ongoing commitment and is a testament to our effectiveness, said Dr. Marie Hansen, dean of the College of Business. At Husson University, we provide students with the knowledge they need to help organizations in all sectors thrive. DFAS Limestone joins other notable organizations in Maine including the Maine Hospital Association, L.L.Bean, The Jackson Laboratory and Bangor Savings Bank in choosing Husson as their education partner. Those taking advantage of the partnership must first successfully apply for a certificate, a non-capped undergraduate degree, and for those who have completed a bachelors degree from a recognized, accredited institution a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. A highly-skilled workforce is essential to productivity and success in all sectors. We are looking forward to helping Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Limestone, strengthen their workforce through ongoing education, said President Lynne Coy-Ogan. Offering an array of undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees and certificates that can be taken on campus or online, the College of Business at Husson University is dedicated to providing students with an education that leads to career success. For more information about Husson Universitys College of Business visit https://www.husson.edu/college-of-business/ . ABOUT HUSSON UNIVERSITY VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ValOre Metals Corp. (ValOre; TSXV: VO; OTCQB: KVLQF; Frankfurt: KEQ0, the Company) today announced the start of a detailed ground magnetic and gamma spectrometry geophysical survey and provided an update on exploration work at the Salvador Target (Salvador) area at ValOres 100%-owned Pedra Branca Platinum Group Elements (PGE, 2PGE+Au) Project (Pedra Branca) in northeastern Brazil. Thiago Diniz, ValOres V.P. of Exploration commented: Salvador is rapidly becoming one of the main targets on our Pedra Branca property, but it was previously only covered with a regional scale magnetic survey. The new geophysical data and interpretation from the detailed ground magnetic and gamma spectrometry surveys, combined with results from the current Trado drilling and trenching programs underway, will help us delineate priority targets for future resource expansion drill programs at Salvador. Salvador Trado Auger Drilling and Trenching Programs Follow-up Trado auger drilling and trenching programs are in progress at the Salvador target, aiming at delineating PGE mineralization along a 600 m trend located north of the area drill-tested in 2023 (CLICK HERE for News Release dated July 17, 2024); Trado auger drilling has intercepted ultramafic rocks (UM) in 14 of 22 Trado auger holes drilled to date see Figure 1); auger drilling has intercepted ultramafic rocks (UM) in 14 of 22 Trado auger holes drilled to date see Figure 1); UM continuity confirmed along the 600 m of mineralized soils trend under investigation; 43 samples have been sent to lab, with initial assay results pending; Following Trado auger drilling, a trenching program commenced on August 14 th ; with approximately 200 m planned to be excavated in 4 to 6 trenches along the 600 m strike extension to the north of the area drilled in 2023; auger drilling, a trenching program commenced on August 14 ; with approximately 200 m planned to be excavated in 4 to 6 trenches along the 600 m strike extension to the north of the area drilled in 2023; Both the Trado auger drilling and trenching programs are expected to be finished by the end of August. Figure 1: Salvador Plan View Location Map, displaying Trado auger drill holes completed to date and planned trenches. Salvador Geophysical Program In addition to the Trado auger and trenching programs, ValOre engaged GSM Geoscience (GSM) to conduct a detailed ground geophysical survey, consisting of 50 line kilometres (km) of ground magnetics and gamma spectrometry, covering the entire strike-length of the Salvador target and extensions. The field work, which started on August 14th and is expected to be completed by the end of August, will be followed by a 3D inversion modeling and structural interpretation. Geophysical data collection, modeling and interpretation, combined with ongoing geochemical data from the Trado and trenching programs underway, will provide us with detailed and key information to determine priority core drill targets for future resource estimation at Salvador. About GSM Geoscience GSM Geoscience is a Brazilian company specializing in geoscience data processing and integration applied to mineral exploration. Their mission is to add value and enhance geological knowledge from geophysical data. GSM started its activities in 2015 and has major mining companies operating in Brazil as clients, being a leading company in geosciences in the country. For more information, please visit https://gsmgeoscience.com/ Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) CLICK HERE for a summary of ValOres policies and procedures related to QA/QC and grade interval reporting. Qualified Person (QP) The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with Canadian regulatory requirements set out in NI 43-101 and reviewed and approved by Thiago Diniz, P.Geo., ValOres QP and Vice President of Exploration. About ValOre Metals Corp. ValOre Metals Corp. (TSXV: VO) is a Canadian company with a team aiming to deploy capital and knowledge on projects which benefit from substantial prior investment by previous owners, existence of high-value mineralization on a large scale, and the possibility of adding tangible value through exploration and innovation. ValOres Pedra Branca Platinum Group Elements Project comprises 45 exploration licenses covering a total area of 51,096 hectares (126,260 acres) in northeastern Brazil. At Pedra Branca, 7 distinct PGE+Au deposit areas host, in aggregate, a 2022 NI 43-101 inferred resource of 2.198 Moz 2PGE+Au contained in 63.6 Mt grading 1.08 g/t 2PGE+Au. ValOres team believes the Pedra Branca project has significant exploration discovery and resource expansion potential. (CLICK HERE to download 2022 technical report* and CLICK HERE for news release dated March 24, 2022). *The 2022 Technical Report is entitled Independent Technical Report Mineral Resource Update on the Pedra Branca PGE Project, Ceara State, Brazil was prepared as a National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report on behalf of ValOre Metals Corp. with an effective date of March 08, 2022. The 2022 Technical Report by Independent qualified persons, Fabio Valerio (P.Geo.) and Porfirio Cabaleiro (P.Eng.), of GE21, commissioned to complete the mineral resource estimate while Chris Kaye of Mine and Quarry Engineering Services Inc. (MQes), was commissioned to review the metallurgical information. The Mineral Resource estimates were prepared in accordance with the CIM Standards, and the CIM Guidelines, using geostatistical, plus economic and mining parameters appropriate to the deposit. Mineral Resources, which are not mineral reserves, do not have demonstrated economic viability, and may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, marketing, and other relevant issues. Mineral Resources are based upon a cut-off grade of 0.4 g/t PGE+Au, correlated to Pd_eq grade of 0.35 g/t, and were limited by an economic pit built in Geovia Whittle 4.3 software and following the geometric and economic parameters as disclosed in the 2022 NI 43-101 Technical Report, On behalf of the Board of Directors, Jim Paterson James R. Paterson, Chairman and CEO ValOre Metals Corp. For further information about ValOre Metals Corp., or this news release, please visit our website at www.valoremetals.com or contact Investor Relations by email at contact@valoremetals.com. ValOre Metals Corp. is a proud member of Discovery Group. For more information please visit: http://www.discoverygroup.ca/ Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Although ValOre believes that the expectations reflected in its forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements have been based on factors and assumptions concerning future events that may prove to be inaccurate. These factors and assumptions are based upon currently available information to ValOre. Such statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could influence actual results or events and cause actual results or events to differ materially from those stated, anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. A number of important factors including those set forth in other public filings could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include the future operations of ValOre and economic factors. Readers are cautioned to not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release and, except as required by applicable law, ValOre does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. ValOre undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of ValOre, or its financial or operating results or (as applicable), their securities. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ff4449e8-5185-4d97-b7e4-4d5b57552708 SANTA MONICA, Calif., Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Macerich (NYSE: MAC), one of the nation's leading owners, operators and developers of major retail properties in top markets, today released its 2023 Corporate Responsibility Report, with data for the period ending December 31, 2023. This years Together for Tomorrow theme emphasizes the companys environmental sustainability, social and governance efforts in service of its mission of owning and operating thriving retail centers that bring communities together and create long-term value for shareholders, partners and customers. Our Together for Tomorrow approach to corporate responsibility, highlighted in this years report, encompasses not only our environmental leadership in our industry, but our laser focus on delivering material social and financial outcomes, said Olivia Bartel Leigh, Macerich Executive Vice President, Portfolio Operations and People. We will continue to prioritize sustainability efforts that demonstrate our stewardship of both natural resources and financial resources, as well as social initiatives that enhance the communities Macerich serves. This years report unveils new, ambitious targets that redefine Macerichs environmental goals and exceed the companys initial commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. On track for that goal, Macerich has unveiled its second-step goal: to achieve full net-zero emissions, including in its supply chain, by 2040. Highlights of Macerichs 2023 corporate responsibility engagement include: 34% percent of the portfolios energy consumption derived from clean electricity #23 on the EPA Green Power Partnership On-Site Generation list for solar generation #1 ranking in Retail, Americas/Rated A for Disclosure in the 2023 GRESB Real Estate Assessment (ninth straight year Macerich has ranked #1 in the U.S. Retail: Retail Centers sector) 2,300+ community events hosted at Macerich properties 433 unique organizations supported through volunteerism and giving Among Americas Most Responsible Companies as ranked by Newsweek To learn more about Macerichs leadership in sustainability, please review the full Macerich Corporate Responsibility Report, with data for the period ending December 31, 2023. About Macerich Macerich is a fully integrated, self-managed and self-administered real estate investment trust (REIT). As a leading owner, operator and developer of high-quality retail real estate in densely populated and attractive U.S. markets, Macerichs portfolio is concentrated in California, the Pacific Northwest, Phoenix/Scottsdale, and the Metro New York to Washington, D.C. corridor. Developing and managing properties that serve as community cornerstones, Macerich currently owns 44 million square feet of real estate consisting primarily of interests in 41 retail centers. Macerich is firmly dedicated to advancing environmental goals, social good and sound corporate governance. A recognized leader in sustainability, Macerich has achieved a #1 Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) ranking for the North American retail sector for nine consecutive years (2015-2023). For more information, please visit www.Macerich.com. Macerich uses, and intends to continue to use, its Investor Relations website, which can be found at investing.macerich.com, as a means of disclosing material nonpublic information and for complying with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Additional information about Macerich can be found through social media platforms such as LinkedIn. Reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures, including NOI and FFO, to the most directly comparable GAAP measures are included in the earnings release and supplemental filed on Form 8-K with the SEC, which are posted on the Investor Relations website at investing.macerich.com. MAC-C SOURCE: Macerich MEDIA CONTACT: Madison Chugden, Macerich, 985-789-3793, Website: http://www.macerich.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5f0ea290-cf7a-4d20-bfd7-15531bdd6df9 Dublin, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Legal Services Pricing Platform" has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. In a landmark decision, the Delaware Supreme Court has upheld a $267 million legal fee award to five law firms involved in securing a $1 billion settlement for Dell Technologies shareholders. The ruling, which underscores the complexities and high stakes of modern legal practice, reinforces the critical need for transparency and data-driven decision-making in legal pricing. As legal fees continue to reach unprecedented levels, the need for precise, transparent data on attorney rates and billing practices has never been more crucial. The recent Dell case, with its $5,000 per hour billing rate, serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of having reliable, real-time information to ensure that legal professionals can navigate the complexities of fee negotiations with confidence and fairness. The five law firms involved in this case - Labaton Keller Sucharow, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, Friedman Oster & Tejtel, Andrews & Springer, and Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd - were instrumental in securing this significant legal victory. Their combined efforts highlight the complexities of modern legal fee structures and the importance of transparency in determining fair and reasonable compensation. Introducing the Valeo Legal Services Pricing Platform: A Solution to Todays Legal Pricing Challenges In the wake of such high-profile cases, the Valeo Legal Services Pricing Platform stands out as an essential tool for legal professionals looking to make informed, strategic pricing decisions. Unlike traditional methods that often rely on generalized surveys, Valeo offers unparalleled access to real-time, transparent data sourced directly from court filings, regulatory disclosures, and other public records. This comprehensive platform provides detailed hourly rates and billing information for over 2,900 law firms and more than 20,000 companies worldwide. With features that include attorney rate comparisons, legal project management analytics, and competitive intelligence, Valeo equips law firms, corporate counsel, and consulting firms with the insights needed to stay competitive in todays legal landscape. Why Valeo Matters in Light of the Dell Ruling The Dell case highlights the significant financial implications of legal fee awards and the necessity for clear, actionable data when setting or negotiating legal fees. The Valeo platform's commitment to transparency ensures that every rate and billing practice is backed by verifiable evidence, allowing legal professionals to make data-driven decisions that are both fair and competitive. As Chief Justice Collins Seitz noted in his ruling, the potential for large fees gives lawyers an incentive to take on challenging cases. However, it also raises questions about the public perception of legal fees. Valeos platform provides the data needed to justify fee structures, ensuring that rates are in line with market conditions and legal precedents, as demonstrated in the Dell case. Join the Future of Legal Pricing Today In a time where legal fees are increasingly under scrutiny, Valeos Legal Services Pricing Platform offers a proven solution for maintaining a competitive edge. With its court-proven reliability and comprehensive data coverage, Valeo empowers legal professionals to make informed, strategic decisions that reflect the realities of todays legal market. For more information or to schedule a demo of the Valeo Legal Services Pricing Platform, please visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/kjx634 About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. TORONTO, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avicanna Inc. (Avicanna or the Company) (TSX: AVCN) (OTCQX: AVCNF) (FSE: 0NN) a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development, manufacturing and commercialisation of plant-derived cannabinoid-based products is pleased to announce that through its majority-owned subsidiary Santa Marta Golden Hemp SAS, the Company has completed the commercial export of Aureus branded products into Denmark. The commercial export of Aureus branded purified Cannabigerol (CBG), is a part of the Companys portfolio of cannabinoid active pharmaceutical ingredients, marks the 19th international market for Aureus-branded products and also marks the 22nd market for all Avicanna products. This new market entry into Denmark demonstrates the Companys expertise in navigating complex regulatory processes for its commercialization efforts internationally. Avicanna carries out its operations in compliance with all applicable laws in the jurisdictions in which it operates. About Aureus Avicannas supply chain business unit is based in Santa Marta, Colombia and provides a consistent source of cannabinoid raw materials for the global marketplace. These include active pharmaceutical ingredients and feminized seeds, for Avicannas cosmetic, medical, and pharmaceutical products, in addition to supplying the companys partners around the world. Aureus-branded products are cultivated, extracted, and manufactured by Avicannas subsidiaries in Colombia where they leverage optimal environmental conditions to produce cannabinoid active pharmaceutical ingredients economically and sustainably and include a range of extracts of CBD, THC and rare cannabinoids such as CBG. About Avicanna Inc. Avicanna is a commercial-stage international biopharmaceutical company focused on the advancement and commercialization of cannabinoid-based products and formulations for the global medical and pharmaceutical market segments. Avicanna has an established scientific platform including R&D and clinical development leading to the commercialization of more than thirty proprietary, evidence-based finished products and supporting four commercial stage business pillars. Medical Cannabis formulary (RHO Phyto): The formulary offers a diverse range of proprietary products including oral, sublingual, topical, and transdermal deliveries with varying ratios of cannabinoids, supported by ongoing patient, and medical community education. RHO Phyto is an established leading medical brand in Canada currently available nationwide to patients across several medical channels and continues to expand into new international markets. The formulary offers a diverse range of proprietary products including oral, sublingual, topical, and transdermal deliveries with varying ratios of cannabinoids, supported by ongoing patient, and medical community education. RHO Phyto is an established leading medical brand in Canada currently available nationwide to patients across several medical channels and continues to expand into new international markets. Medical cannabis care platform (MyMedi.ca): MyMedi.ca is a medical cannabis care platform formed with the aim to better serve medical cannabis patients needs and enhance the patient journey. MyMedi.ca is operated by Northern Green Canada Inc. and features a diverse portfolio of products and bilingual pharmacist-led patient support programs. MyMedi.ca also provides specialty services to distinct patient groups such as veterans and collaborates with public and private payers for adjudication and reimbursement. MyMedi.ca provides educational resources to the medical community to facilitate the incorporation of medical cannabis into health care regimens. MyMedi.ca is a medical cannabis care platform formed with the aim to better serve medical cannabis patients needs and enhance the patient journey. MyMedi.ca is operated by Northern Green Canada Inc. and features a diverse portfolio of products and bilingual pharmacist-led patient support programs. MyMedi.ca also provides specialty services to distinct patient groups such as veterans and collaborates with public and private payers for adjudication and reimbursement. MyMedi.ca provides educational resources to the medical community to facilitate the incorporation of medical cannabis into health care regimens. Pharmaceutical products (Trunerox) and pipeline: Leveraging Avicannas scientific platform, vertical integration, and real-world evidence, Avicanna has developed a pipeline of proprietary, indication-specific pharmaceutical products that are in various stages of clinical development and commercialization. These cannabinoid-based drug candidates aim to address unmet medical needs in the areas of dermatology, chronic pain, and various neurological disorders. Avicannas first indication-specific pharmaceutical drug, Trunerox, was approved Q1 2024 by the Health Authority of Colombia INVIMA as an adjuvant treatment for seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome and Dravet Syndrome in Colombia. Trunerox has not been approved as a drug in Canada by Health Canada. Leveraging Avicannas scientific platform, vertical integration, and real-world evidence, Avicanna has developed a pipeline of proprietary, indication-specific pharmaceutical products that are in various stages of clinical development and commercialization. These cannabinoid-based drug candidates aim to address unmet medical needs in the areas of dermatology, chronic pain, and various neurological disorders. Avicannas first indication-specific pharmaceutical drug, Trunerox, was approved Q1 2024 by the Health Authority of Colombia INVIMA as an adjuvant treatment for seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome and Dravet Syndrome in Colombia. Trunerox has not been approved as a drug in Canada by Health Canada. Active pharmaceutical ingredients (Aureus Santa Marta): Active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) supplied by the Companys majority owned subsidiary Santa Marta Golden Hemp SAS (SMGH) is a commercial-stage business dedicated to providing a various forms high-quality CBD, THC and CBG to the Companys international partners for use in the development and production of food, cosmetics, medical, and pharmaceutical products. The business unit also forms part of the Companys supply chain and is a source of reliable input products for its consumer retail, medical cannabis, and pharmaceutical products for globally. SOURCE Avicanna Inc. Stay Connected For more information about Avicanna, visit our website , contact Ivana Maric by email at info@avicanna.com or follow us on social media on LinkedIn , Twitter , Facebook , or Instagram . The Company posts updates through videos from the Company YouTube channel. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information and Statements This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information contained in this news release may be identified using words such as, may, would, could, will, likely, expect, anticipate, believe, intend, plan, forecast, project, estimate, outlook and other similar expressions. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Such risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to current and future market conditions, including the market price of the common shares of the Company, and the risk factors set out in the Companys annual information form dated April 1, 2024 filed with the Canadian securities regulators and available under the Companys profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The statements in this news release are made as of the date of this release. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/80297f77-e0a9-4941-ac2d-81665deaac26 Highlights of this press release: New type of high-grade gold mineralization for VG9 Target ( FIGURE 1 ): 11.2 g/t Au / 2.0 m including 20.2 g/t Au / 1.0 m 9.1 g/t Au / 1.0 m The VG9 Target mineralization begins at surface These results are found within the Larder Lake - Cadillac Fault Zone, well known for its many important mines in Canada, comprising several types of mineralization; which are found at varying distances from each other VAL D'OR, Quebec, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cartier Resources Inc. (TSXV: ECR, FSE: 6CA) (Cartier or the Company) announces results from the ongoing drill program for the Chimo Mine Project (FIGURE 2). The Project comprises the Chimo Mine and East Cadillac properties, the latter of which was acquired on April 7, 2022. Cartier began exploring of this part of the East Cadillac property on January 4, 2024. Both properties are 100% owned by Cartier and strategically located 45 km east of the Val-dOr mining camp. The high-grade gold mineralization intersected is located within the Larder Lake - Cadillac Fault Zone, recognized over a 20 km strike length of the Chimo Mine Project. The current Drill Program is currently exploring 54 targets over half (10 km) of the Project's gold discovery potential. Furthermore, this new type of mineralization is found in sedimentary rocks where gold concentrations are, for this Project, generally higher than those found in volcanic rocks. The longitudinal section of the VG9 target (FIGURE 1) illustrates the high values obtained. These results present a second type of gold mineralization for the Chimo Mine Project, demonstrating the significant potential of this Project; located over more than 20 km of the Larder Lake - Cadillac Fault Zone, commented Cartiers President and CEO. Table 1: Details of the new results Hole Coordinates UTM (m) Azimuth () / Plunge () From (m) To (m) Au (g/t) Length (m) Gold Zone Gold Structure CH24-147 333225/5320001/351 205/-74 225.0 227.0 11.2 2.0 VG9 VG Including 226.0 227.0 20.2 1.0 CH24-144 184/-60 170.0 171.0 9.1 1.0 The lengths of the mineralized intersections are expressed as measured lengths along the drill core. The estimated true widths of the mineralized intersections are approximately 70% to 85% of the reported lengths. Table 2: Details of the previous results Hole Coordinates UTM (m) Azimuth () / Plunge () From (m) To (m) Au (g/t) Length (m) Gold Zone Gold Structure CH24-94 333253/5319894/350 160/-57 42.0 44.0 7.7 2.0 VG9 VG Including 42.0 43.0 13.5 1.0 W 90-08 183/-80 59.2 61.0 14.5 1.8 Including 59.4 59.7 75.3 0.3 The lengths of the mineralized intersections are expressed as measured lengths along the drill core. The estimated true widths of the mineralized intersections are approximately 65% to 85% of the reported lengths. About the Chimo Mine Project: With a long-term gold price of US$1,750/oz and an exchange rate of CAD $1.00 = US $0.77: Positive PEA ** , after tax: NPV 5% of CA$388M and IRR of 20.8% MRE *: 720,000 ounces of gold in Indicated Resources and 1,633,000 ounces of gold in Inferred Resources Table 3: Gold Price Sensitivity, source PEA dated May 26 2023 ** * NI 43-101 Mineral Resources Estimate for Chimo Mine and West Nordeau Gold Deposits, Quebec, Canada, Vincent Nadeau-Benoit, P.Geo., Alain Carrier, P.Geo., M.Sc. and Marc R. Beauvais, P.Eng., InnovExplo Inc., August 22, 2022. ** NI 43-101 Technical Report and Preliminary Economic Assessment for Chimo Mine and West Nordeau Gold Deposits, Chimo Mine and East Cadillac Properties, Quebec, Canada, Marc R. Beauvais, P.Eng., of InnovExplo Inc., Mr. Florent Baril of Bumigeme and Mr. Eric Sellars, P.Eng. of Responsible Mining Solutions, May 29, 2023. About Cartier Resources Inc. Founded in 2006, Cartier Resources Inc. is an exploration company based in Val-dOr, Quebec, Canada. The Companys projects are located in Quebec, which consistently ranks among the worlds best mining jurisdictions. Cartier is actively advancing the development of its flagship Chimo Mine Project and exploring its other projects. The Company has significant corporate and institutional support, including Agnico Eagle Mines, O3 Mining and provincial investment funds. Quality Assurance / Quality Control For each batch of samples sent to the laboratory, Cartier inserts 5% of the number of samples in the form of certified standards and another 5% in the form of blanks to ensure quality control. The samples are analyzed at the Techni-Lab (Actlabs) laboratory in Ste-Germaine-Boule, Quebec, Canada. Samples weighing 3 to 5 kg are crushed by the laboratory to 90% passing 10 mesh (2.00 mm), then a 500 g fraction of each sample is pulverized to 90% passing 200 mesh (0.07 mm). The resulting 50 g pulps are analyzed by fire assay with an atomic absorption finish. Samples with results 1.0 g/t and < 10.0 g/t are re-assayed by fire assay with an atomic absorption finish. Results greater than or equal to 10.0 g/t Au are analyzed by fire assay with a gravimetric finish. For samples containing visible gold, a 500 g subsample of rock is analyzed by the metallic sieve method. Qualified Persons The Companys scientific and technical information in this news release was prepared and reviewed by Mr. Gaetan Lavalliere, P.Geo., Ph.D., Vice-President, and Mr. Ronan Deroff, P.Geo., M.Sc., Senior Geologist, Project Manager and Geomatician, both qualified persons as defined in National Instrument 43 101. Mr. Lavalliere approved the information contained in this press release. For more information, contact: Philippe Cloutier, P.Geo. President and CEO Telephone: 819-856-0512 philippe.cloutier@ressourcescartier.com www.ressourcescartier.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulatory services provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. FIGURE 2: Chimo Mine Project Ongoing 2024 Drill Program Photos accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ac853564-f496-4cac-ba8a-618c0e4fa97f https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d67b8546-94e2-4595-a27a-3344d0761dae https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6d4edf16-0df2-46c2-85eb-74caf1a1d04b Up to 92.0% less energy is required to produce fumed silica in one step compared to conventional industry processes Up to 99.9% less CO 2 emissions associated with the production process compared to conventional industry processes. MONTREAL, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HPQ Silicon Inc. (HPQ or the Company) ( TSX-V: HPQ , OTCQB: HPQFF, FRA: O08), a technology company specializing in the green engineering of silica and silicon-based materials is pleased to share new data from recent updated process modelization work. This work was accomplished by technology supplier PyroGenesis Canada Inc. (TSX: PYR, OTCQX: PYRGF, FRA: 8PY) (PyroGenesis) during the ongoing commissioning of HPQ Silica Polvere Inc. (HSPI) [1] Fumed Silica Reactor (FSR) pilot plant. The new data highlights the commercial and environmental impact advantages of the HSPI Fumed Silica project compared to conventional industry processes. Reducing Energy Use and Carbon Footprint in Fumed Silica Production Since the project's inception in July 2021, our working models have consistently been based on the estimate that producing 1 kg of fumed silica at commercial scale using the FSR would require between 10 and 15 kWh [2] of energy experimentally compared to 4-5 kWh theoretically based on the thermal model developed by PyroGenesis. This assumption has been the foundation of our internal technical and economic study, published on January 10th, 2024, which demonstrated the strong commercial potential of the FSR, as well as the update released on June 5th, 2024. As part of the current commissioning work, data collected from updates to the thermal model now indicate that the energy required to produce 1 kg of fumed silica at commercial scale of at least 1,000 TPY has been reduced to a range of 8 to 12 kWh [3]. This represents an additional 20% reduction in the energy requirements for the FSR project which is due to an optimized thermal efficiency of the process. The updated model indicates that HSPI FSR technology requires 92% less energy when compared to conventional processes, which typically consume between 100 and 120 kWh per kg of fumed silica produced [4]. The additional 20% reduction in energy requirements significantly enhances the environmental benefits of the FSR project. Since energy consumption and its associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions account for approximately 99% of the carbon footprint of FSR technology, this reduction is crucial. When factoring in the updated model data and considering that energy production in Quebec generates 1.7 grams of CO 2 equivalent per kWh, the HPSI FSR technology should now emit only 0.0136 kg of CO 2 per kg of fumed silica produced [5]. This represents a potential reduction of up to 99.9% in the carbon footprint compared to conventional fumed silica production processes, which typically produce between 8 to 17 kg of CO 2 per kg of fumed silica produced. [4] In mature industries like fumed silica production, improvements are typically incremental and modest in scale, said Bernard Tourillon, President & CEO of HPQ Silicon and HPQ Silicon Polvere. However, with the introduction of our FSR technology, we are poised to disrupt the market by enhancing efficiency and reducing costs, potentially altering the competitive landscape for fumed silica manufacturing. Understanding the significant CO 2 Reduction Potential of HSPI FSR in Key Markets With an annual consumption of approximately 24,000 tonnes of fumed silica in Canada [6], adopting the HSPI FSR process could result in significant reduction in CO 2 emissions of approximately 191,500 to 379,000 tonnes per year [7]. Similarly, in European countries, where 92,000 tonnes are consumed yearly [6], this process could cut emissions by approximately 734,000 to 1,453,600 tonnes annually [8]. This is equivalent to removing between approximately 45,477 to 345,817 cars from the road annually [9]. Updated Table Highlighting HSPI Disruptive Advantages The transformative potential of our FSR technology, with its ability to dramatically reduce energy consumption and emissions, is strong, added Mr. Tourillon. However, we believe that its impact will be more truly recognized once the pilot plant starts producing fumed silica materials, setting a new standard for sustainability in the industry. REFERENCE SOURCES [1] A wholly owned subsidiary of HPQ Silicon Inc. when technology supplier PyroGenesis announced its intention to exercise its option to acquire a 50% stake in HSPI in May 2024. [2] Preliminary energy consumption estimate made by PyroGenesis Canada Inc. (January 2024) [3] Updated energy consumption estimate made by PyroGenesis Canada Inc. (August 2024) [4] Frischknecht, Rolf, et al. "Life cycle inventories and life cycle assessment of photovoltaic systems." International Energy Agency (IEA) PVPS Task 12 (2020). [5] The 0.0136 Kg eq of CO 2 per Kg of Fumed Silica was calculated using Government of Canada data that indicate that in Quebec on average 1.7 g of CO 2 are generated eq per KWh. and multiplying that number by 8. https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/climate-change/pricing-pollution-how-it-will-work/output-based-pricing-system/federal-greenhouse-gas-offset-system/emission-factors-reference-values.html. [6] Sales data per regions from MarketsandMarkets 2017 " fumed silica market global forecast to 2022 . [7] The 191,500 number is derived by X 24,000 @ (8-0.0136) while the number 379,000 is derived by X 24,000 @ (17-1.2). [8] The 734,000 number is derived by X 92,000 @ (8-0.0136) while the number 1,453,600 is derived by X 92,000 @ (17-1.2). [9] USA EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator [10] The 1 Kg eq of CO 2 per Kg of Fumed Silica was calculated using Government of Canada data that indicate that in Canada on average 100 g of CO 2 are generated eq per KWh., and multiplying that number by 10 [11] The 2.5 Kg eq of CO 2 per Kg of Fumed Silica was calculated using Government of Canada data that indicate that in the rest of Canada, 150 g of CO 2 are generated eq per KWh., and multiplying that number by 15 [12] The 0.0204 Kg eq of CO 2 per Kg of Fumed Silica was calculated using Government of Canada data that indicate that in Quebec on average 1.7 g of CO 2 are generated eq per KWh., and multiplying that number by 12. https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/climate-change/pricing-pollution-how-it-will-work/output-based-pricing-system/federal-greenhouse-gas-offset-system/emission-factors-reference-values.html [13] Government of Canada [14] The Wall Street Journal article, April 18, 2023, Worlds First Carbon Import Tax Approved by EU Lawmakers [15] Cai, H., Wang, X., Kelly, J. C., & Wang, M. (2021). Building Life-Cycle Analysis with the GREET Building Module: Methodology, Data, and Case Studies (No. ANL/ESD-21/13). Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (USA). [16] Average EBITDA margins of 20% are derived from two sources, with Link #1 leading to Source #1 and Link #2 leading to Source #2 (Specialty Additives division). [17] Management has calculated the EBITDA margins for the Fumed Silica Reactor (FSR) based on data derived from third party sources and publicly available information. These figures will be updated upon completion of the pilot testing phase. The 16% range in HSPI EBITDA margins considers estimated selling prices of the material produced and estimated costs (worst case and best case) associated with producing a Kg of Fumed Silica with the FSR Cautionary Statements HSPI management plans to update and further validate the energy and carbon footprint projections as more data is collected during the ongoing pilot plant phase. About HPQ HPQ Silicon Inc. (TSX-V: HPQ ) is a Quebec-based TSX Venture Exchange Tier 1 Industrial Issuer. HPQ is developing, with the support of world-class technology partners PyroGenesis Canada Inc. and NOVACIUM SAS, new green processes crucial to make the critical materials needed to reach net zero emissions. HPQ activities are centred around the following four (4) pillars: 1) Becoming a green low-cost (Capex and Opex) manufacturer of Fumed Silica using the FUMED SILICA REACTOR, a proprietary technology owned by HPQ Silica Polvere Inc being developed for HSPI by PyroGenesis. 2) Becoming a producer of silicon-based anode materials for battery applications with the assistance of NOVACIUM SAS. 3) HPQ SILICON affiliate NOVACIUM SAS is developing a low carbon, chemical base on demand and high-pressure autonomous hydrogen production system. 4) Becoming a zero CO 2 low-cost (Capex and Opex) producer of High Purity Silicon (2N+ to 4N) using our PUREVAPTM Quartz Reduction Reactors (QRR), a proprietary technology owned by HPQ being developed for HPQ by PyroGenesis. For more information, please visit HPQ Silicon web site. About PyroGenesis Canada Inc. PyroGenesis Canada Inc., a high-tech company, is a leader in the design, development, manufacture and commercialization of advanced plasma processes and sustainable solutions which reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) and are economically attractive alternatives to conventional dirty processes. PyroGenesis has created proprietary, patented, and advanced plasma technologies that are being vetted and adopted by multiple multibillion dollar industry leaders in three massive markets: iron ore pelletization, aluminum, waste management, and additive manufacturing. With a team of experienced engineers, scientists and technicians working out of its Montreal office, and its 3,800 m2 and 2,940 m2 R&D and manufacturing facilities, PyroGenesis maintains its competitive advantage by remaining at the forefront of technology development and commercialization. The operations are ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100D certified, having been ISO certified since 1997. For more information, please visit: www.pyrogenesis.com Disclaimers: This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements containing the words "may", "plan", "will", "estimate", "continue", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "in the process" and other similar expressions which constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements reflect the Company's current expectation and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, our expectations regarding the acceptance of our products by the market, our strategy to develop new products and enhance the capabilities of existing products, our strategy with respect to research and development, the impact of competitive products and pricing, new product development, and uncertainties related to the regulatory approval process. Such statements reflect the current views of the Company with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and other risks detailed from time-to-time in the Company's ongoing filings with the securitys regulatory authorities, which filings can be found at www.sedar.com. Actual results, events, and performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements either as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This News Release is available on the company's CEO Verified Discussion Forum , a moderated social media platform that enables civilized discussion and Q&A between Management and Shareholders. Dublin, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Healthcare Market - Focused Insights 2024-2029" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Healthcare Market was valued at USD 14.33 billion in 2023, and is expected to reach USD 153.61 billion by 2029, rising at a CAGR of 48.49% The global AI in healthcare market report contains exclusive data on 40 vendors. The market is highly fragmented. Large corporations dominate the market. However, there are significant growth opportunities for new entrants. Though the market is dominated by major players, many investigational and small companies are coming into existence with innovative AI health solutions. Google Health, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Corporation, Medtronic, NVIDIA Corporation, Siemens Healthineers, Intel Corporation, Merative, and Augmedix are some of the leading companies accounting for major market share in the global AI in the healthcare market. These vendors continuously develop and invest in AI-based health tools and are expected to dominate the market with continued engagement. North America accounted for the largest market share and the fastest-growing region of global AI in healthcare. The U.S. dominates the regional market landscape due to the high advancement in healthcare infrastructure, digitalization and IoT adoption in health facilities, increasing surge of telemedicine and telehealth, and wide acceptance of technologies in healthcare management. Over 35% of North American healthcare professionals look forward to AI in healthcare services. In the US, over 38% of health professionals and patients think integrating AI in medicine and health can lead to better patient healthcare outcomes. The shift from hospital to home care delivery is increasing the adoption of telehealth/telemedicine services, accelerating AI's integration rate. The majority of healthcare professionals show a positive thumb for using AI. The use of AI by healthcare professionals has rapidly increased after the COVID-19 pandemic. MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS Emergence of New AI Startups for Healthcare AI in healthcare is an emerging trend that has led to an increased number of new startups across the global market. The emergence of new startups in the healthcare industry offers innovations, new tools, and new technologies, revolutionizing the healthcare industry landscape. Every year, many new AI startups are registered for healthcare solutions. These startups' increasing ability to treat patients remotely has become a significant factor in areas lacking medical facilities. This decade is expected to be more startups in AI healthcare. In the last decade, 12 to 15 startups were recorded annually, increasing to more than 70 to 110 new AI healthcare startups worldwide. Thus, this increasing number of new startups is expected to deliver lucrative market growth opportunities. There has been a huge increase in healthcare investor funding over the past 10 to 13 years, with over $20 billion invested in 2021 alone. It attracts many startup companies to develop new AI healthcare platforms. According to the AI Index Report 2023 by Standford University, in 2022 alone, the AI focus with the highest investment was healthcare ($6.1 billion) registered worldwide. In 2019, the total investment in healthcare AI startups was $4 billion, with over 350 deals. This sudden increase in investment in AI healthcare startups witnessed this investment, and the number of new startups will continuously increase. Furthermore, the increasing digitalization, government support, and advancement in the healthcare industry are attracting huge opportunities for AI in healthcare startups and are expected to deliver huge market growth opportunities. Most new startups come from the US, Israel, India, and Europe. Rising Automation & Robotics in Clinical Surgeries There is growing automation and robotics in the clinical field specifically targeted to surgical procedures. Continues entrance of surgical robots and associated automated procedures, reducing human errors and delivering high efficacy after the procedures. With this revolutionary factor in surgical care, surgical robots are becoming a perfect place for AI model integration to improve surgical capabilities further and reduce health workers' burden. The increasing use of AI models to automate surgical tasks has been clinically proven to increase intraoperative safety. In addition, artificial intelligence is used to enhance the field of robotics surgeries through education, automated skills assessment tools, and intraoperative feedback delivery. It led to a rapid expansion of AI in robotics surgery and is expected to hold lucrative opportunities. Shortage of Healthcare Workers and Emergence of AI The global healthcare industry is currently facing a huge shortage of health workers. In addition, this situation was exacerbated due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare settings face two major issues: a dwindling workforce and a high patient population. The World Health Organization stated there will be a shortage of more than 10 million people in the healthcare workforce by 2030. furthermore, the retirement of the aging healthcare workforce, rising demand for field professionals and specialists and their shortage, emergency cases, and associated challenges created a huge demand for advancement in healthcare infrastructure that rescued the burden. According to some studies, in 2024, around 48% of health systems will be using AI solutions to tackle health workforce challenges, as revealed by TechTarget & Health IT blogs 2023. The emergence of AI in healthcare settings is leveraging new ways to monitor the shortage of the health workforce while enhancing processes and efficiencies, backlog management, replacement of repetitive tasks, and managing unpredictable capacity demands. The increasingly widespread use of AI in healthcare settings can reduce healthcare costs by $200 billion to $300 billion. Furthermore, it can increase report analysis procedures by around 150 times compared to traditional methods. These factors significantly drive the demand for AI in healthcare. Around 55% of healthcare workers experience a huge burden. Of these, the highest burden experienced by health workers is experienced by nurses (56%) and clinical staff (55%). Based on that, these healthcare workforces stated that leveraging AI in healthcare services reduces their burnout by 70% to 90%. Moreover, AI helps to reduce administrative burden, automate documentation, increase diagnosis accuracy, augment decision support, and enhance preventive care for patient purposes. It indicates that AI is emerging as a promising tool and is expected to achieve significant growth in the healthcare industry. INDUSTRY RESTRAINTS High Installation & Integration Cost The adoption of AI technology is dramatically increasing - however, the cost of AI implementation is relatively high. AI technology comprises many solution platforms/factors, and these platforms influence cost, which has become a challenge for healthcare IT vendors. This challenging factor is mostly impacting in developing markets. With changing technological advancements, the cost of implementing AI fluctuates. The incurred expenses will vary depending on the platform the company builds. The need for a high intelligence level also decides the cost structure. Some programs are designed to perform a particular task with less human interruption. So, the level of intelligence is high, and adopting such technologies is quite expensive. Additionally, to perform operations, AI needs some data in the system, but it is more complex and costly to work on unstructured data than structured data. On the other side, some factors responsible for the high development cost of AI are data quantity, data storage capacity and format, and structured and unstructured data; furthermore, the customized demand again induced high costs, challenging the adoption of AI in healthcare sectors. KEY QUESTIONS ANSWERED: How big is the global AI in the healthcare market? Which region dominates the global AI in the healthcare market? What is the growth rate of the global AI in the healthcare market? What are the opportunities in the global AI healthcare market? Who are the major global AI players in healthcare? Key Attributes: Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 159 Forecast Period 2023 - 2029 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2023 $14.33 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2029 $153.61 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 48.4% Regions Covered Global SEGMENT INSIGHTS By Component Software & Services Hardware By Application Hospital Workflow Management Patient Management Medical Imaging and Diagnosis Drug Discovery and Precision Medicine By Technology Machine Learning Deep Learning Natural Language Processing Vision AI Other Technologies By End-user Healthcare Providers Pharma & Biotech and Medical Device Companies Payers Other End-users By Geography North America Europe APAC Latin America Middle East & Africa VENDOR LANDSCAPE Key Vendors Google Health Intel Corporation Medtronic Microsoft NVIDIA Corporation Siemens Healthineers Amazon Web Services Merative Augmedix Other Prominent Vendors CloudMedx Health BioSymetrics Corti Butterfly Network, Inc. Enlitic TEMPUS Behold.ai oxipit.ai Clarius General Vision Koninklijke Philips N.V. Stryker Shimadzu Recursion Pharmaceuticals GE Healthcare Subtle Medical Sensely InformAI Clario Owkin Binah.AI Oncora Medical Qure.ai Lunit Caresyntax Anju Software DEEP GENOMICS MDLIVE Qventus WorkFusion Salesforce LeenTaaS For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/eqq1st About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Greenridge Exploration Inc. (Greenridge or the Company) (CSE: GXP | FRA: HW3), is pleased to announce it has completed an updated technical review of the Nut Lake Uranium Project (the Nut Lake Property or the Project) located in the Thelon Basin in Nunavut. The Project covers approximately 5,853 hectares near the Northern Tip of the Yathkyed Basin, a sub-basin of the Thelon Basin (please see Figure 1). Figure 1 - Nut Lake Property Claim Map Technical Review Update Dahrouge Geological Consulting Ltd. (DGC), on behalf of the Company, completed a secondary assessment of the historical data compiled for the Nut Lake Property, building on the previous technical review detailed in the Companys news release dated April 4, 2024. The second pass performed by DGC was focused on compiling and investigating historical data for the Project, including digitizing drillhole information, georeferencing maps, and pulling data from historical reports on or near the Nut Lake Property. The highlights of this secondary assessment are listed below: Tundra Showing Historical Rock Sampling Fifteen (15) total samples with six (6) cut from trenches and nine (9) high-grade float samples 2 . Trench assayed up to 42% U3O8 in small, 6 cm wide, saw cut grab sample with four (4) samples containing >7% U3O8. Float samples assayed up to 28% U3O8. . Historical Drilling Thirty-five (35) drillholes completed on this showing, totaling 394 meters of drilling 1 & 3 . 1.54% U3O8 over 3.5 ft including 8.84% U3O8 over 0.5 ft (DDH: W-10). 1.13% U3O8 over 6.0 ft including 4.89% U3O8 over 1 ft (DDH: W-24). 1.35% U3O8 over 2.5 ft including 3.33% U3O8 over 1 ft, and including 4.72% over 0.5 ft (DDH: W-8). 1.08% U3O8 over 2.5 ft including 3.83% U3O8 over 0.5 ft (DDH: W-12B). . Figure 2 - Historical work map of the Tundra Showing on the Nut Lake Property Heartbreak Showing1 The Heartbreak showing uncovered two pitchblende fractures in an area where a swarm of biotite trachyte occurs, 200 meters to the east-southeast of the Tundra showing. The most noteworthy samples were from the Heartbreak showing which returned samples across a 3.0 and 3.5 fracture that assayed 2.11% U3O8 and 4.36% U3O8, respectively 1 . . Fracture descriptions and assay results indicate significant mineralization potential. Frost heave on the surface suggests a potential strike length for the fractures. Figure 3 - Historical work map of the Heartbreak Showing on the Nut Lake Property Lakeshore Showing Historical Rock Sampling1&4 79LLR005 - 0.32% UO, 7.01% Ni, 23.46 oz/ton Ag. 79LLR006 - 0.15% UO, 1.02% Ni, 53.16 oz/ton Ag. L-6 0.08% UO. 6349 0.07% UO, 36.3 oz/ton Ag, 3.81% Ni. 6348 0.06% UO, 58.3 oz/ton Ag, 3.06% Ni. 6263 209.8 oz/ton Ag - fracture within mafic gneiss containing native silver. 6350 186.2 oz/ton Ag - fracture within mafic gneiss containing native silver. 6352 15.48 oz/ton Ag, 2.84% Pb. 6270 4.21% Pb. Historical Drilling Four (4) drillholes completed on this showing, totaling 62 meters of drilling 4 : 0.015% U3O8 over 2 ft (DDH: Lake #3). : Figure 4 - Historical work map of the Lakeshore Showing on the Nut Lake Property 431 Dike Swarm Showing Historical Rock Sampling Outcrop samples assayed up to 0.29% U3O8 (D175) with five (5) samples >0.02% U3O8 2 . . Trenches assayed up to 1.18% U3O8 (D172) with five (5) samples >0.1% U3O8 and nineteen (19) samples >0.02% U3O8. Historical Drilling Forty-one (41) drillholes completed on this showing, totaling 2,735 meters of drilling 1&3 : 0.667% UO over 3ft including 1.627% UO over 1ft (DDH: PO-25). 0.485% UO over 4ft including 1.7% UO over 1ft (DDH: WC-5). 0.177% UO over 3ft, including 0.425% UO over 1ft (DDH: PO-18). : Figure 5 - Historical work map of the 431 Dike Swarm Showing on the Nut Lake Property 448 Anomaly Showing4 Historical Rock Sampling Outcrop samples assayed up to 0.10% U3O8. Samples from trenches assayed up to 10.39% U3O8 with nine (9) samples >1% U2O8 and twenty-four (24) samples >0.10% U3O8: Trench L3 grab sampled with 5.51% Cu and 0.45% U3O8. Historical Drilling Thirty-two (32) drillholes completed on this showing, totaling 320 meters of drilling: 0.318% UO over 0.75ft (DDH: Pitch 16). 0.433% UO over 0.25ft and 0.082% UO over 2ft (DDH: Pitch 5). 0.102% UO over 1.41ft including 0.170% UO over 0.66ft (DDH: Pitch 19). Figure 6 - Historical work map of the 448 Anomaly Showing on the Nut Lake Property SE Regional Anomalies Historical Rock Sampling Outcrop samples assayed up to 0.55% U 3 O 8 with two (2) samples >0.1% U 3 O 8 and thirteen (13) samples >0.02% U 3 O 8 1&2. Historical Drilling Twelve (12) drillholes completed in this region, totaling approximately 1,081 meters of drilling 1&3 : 0.026% U 3 O 8 over 36ft including 0.054% U 3 O 8 over 1.5ft (DDH: PO-46). 0.025% U 3 O 8 over 15ft (DDH: PO-45). 0.025% U 3 O 8 over 14.1ft (DDH: PO-44). : Figure 7 - Historical work map of the SE Regional Anomalies on the Nut Lake Property About The Nut Lake Property The Project is located approximately 55km north of the Angilak Uranium Deposit5 or 180Km southwest of Baker Lake, Nunavut in the Yathkyed Basin (a sub-basin of the prolific Thelon Basin) in Nunavut Territory, Canada. The Project consists of three contiguous mineral licences encompassing a total land area of approximately 4,036 hectares (~40km). In 1979, Pan Ocean Oil Ltd. performed an exploration program consisting of ground geophysics, geological mapping, prospecting and Winkie drilling as follow up to previous sampling with elevated uranium in dyke swarms, fractures and contacts between syenites and trachytes. The geology of the Project area consists of basal sedimentary rocks of the South Channel Formation, composed of white quartzites and pink to grey arkose and arkosic rocks. The sedimentary sequences of the lower Dubawnt Group are unconformably or disconformably overlain by volcanic rocks of the Christopher Island Formation. The Project hosts high grade vein hosted grab samples of up to 4.36% U3O8, 53.16 oz/t Ag, 1.15% Pb and 7.0% Ni. During the 1979 field season, geological mapping at a scale of 1:1,000 was completed on a major portion of the Project. This was concurrent with prospecting on, and in the immediate area of the Project. Results from prospecting were the discovery of two (41 m wide) syenite dikes and a frost heaved area of felsic gneiss with up to 3,000 cps on fracture surfaces. Two significant Uranium bearing showings were discovered, the Lake Showing and the Heartbreak Showing. The most noteworthy was the Heartbreak showing which revealed 3.0 and 3.5 samples across a fracture that assayed 2.11% U3O8 and 4.36% U3O8 respectively. The results were followed up with a radon gal survey, a VLF-EM survey and an overburden sampling program. The radon survey results showed that the response is irregular with several good highs and the VLF-EM survey showed a series of northwesterly trending anomalies. It was concluded that further drilling of the Lake Showing is recommended. The Project and surrounding proximal area have seen approximately 805ft of Winkie Drilling and 6,920ft of diamond drilling completed on it. Multiple holes intersected significant uranium mineralization, with the most noteworthy being at the Tundra Showing where Hole Winkie AX W-24 intersected 9ft of 0.69% U3O8 including 4.90% U3O8 over 1ft from 8ft depth. Additional noteworthy holes were hole P049 which returned approximately 0.20% U3O8 over a one-foot interval and hole 068 which was drilled to intersect fracture mineralization and successfully encountered approximately 0.59% over 1 foot (Pan Ocean Oil Ltd., 1979 Assessment Report #81075). The combination of historically defined anomalies and modern exploration techniques provides prime ingredients for the potential of discovering a high-grade uranium system within the Project area. The Nut Lake Property has the potential to host unconformity vein and breccia type, sygenentic and sandstone-hosted phosphatic type mineralization. Qualified Person The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed by Neil McCallum B.Sc., P.Geo., of Dahrouge Geological Consulting Ltd., who is a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. A qualified person has not done sufficient work to verify the results. The Company believes that the historical information is relevant to an appraisal of the merits of the Project and forms a reliable basis upon which to develop future exploration programs. The Company will need to conduct further exploration which will include drill testing and sampling to verify historical data, and there is no guarantee that the results obtained will reflect the historical results. References 1Source: 1979 Assessment report (number 81075) by Pan Ocean Oil Ltd. 2Source: 1978 Assessment report (number 61692) by Pan Ocean Oil Ltd. 3Source: 1978 Assessment report (number 61815) by Pan Ocean Oil Ltd. 4Source: 1980 Assessment report (number 81190) by Pan Ocean Oil Ltd. Assessment reports can be found here: https://nunavutgeoscience.ca/gateway/browseA.php 5Source: Reported by ValOre Metals Corp. in a Technical Report entitled Technical Report and Resource Update For The Angilak Property, Kivalliq Region, Nunavut, Canada, prepared by Michael Dufresne, M.Sc., P.Geo. of APEX Geosciences, Robert Sim, B.Sc., P.Geo. of SIM Geological Inc. and Bruce Davis, Ph.D., FAusIMM of BD Resource Consulting Inc., dated March 1, 2013. Note: The historical mineral resource estimate was calculated in accordance with NI 43-101 and CIM standards at the time of publication and predates the current CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (May, 2014) and CIM Estimation of Mineral Resources & Mineral Reserves Best Practices Guidelines (November, 2019). About Greenridge Exploration Inc. Greenridge Exploration Inc. (CSE: GXP | FRA: HW3) is a mineral exploration company dedicated to creating shareholder value through the acquisition, exploration, and development of critical mineral projects in North America. The Carpenter Lake Uranium Project is located in the Athabasca Basin consisting of 7 mineral claims covering 13,387 hectares across the Cable Bay Shear Zone and the Company is advancing the Project to test multiple high priority targets. The Companys Nut Lake Uranium Project located in the Thelon Basin includes historical drilling which intersected up to 9ft of 0.69% U3O8 including 4.90% U3O8 over 1ft from 8ft depth2. Additionally, the Companys Weyman Copper Project in southeast British Columbia sits on the south portion of the famous Quesnel Terrance. The Company is led by an experienced management team and board of directors with significant expertise in capital raising and advancing mining projects. On Behalf of the Board of Directors Russell Starr Chief Executive Officer, Director Telephone: +1 (778) 897-3388 Email: info@greenridge-exploration.com Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information This news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements that are not historical facts, including without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, plans, programs, forecasts, projections, objectives, assumptions, expectations or beliefs of future performance, including statements regarding the project acquisition bringing a low-risk opportunity, the Company, building a strong battery metals portfolio with low-risk opportunities that positively impact the Company and its shareholders and the Company providing an initial work plan are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the Project and its mineralization potential; the Companys objectives, goals, or future plans with respect to the Project; the Companys anticipated exploration program at the Project. These forward-looking statements reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company based on information currently available to it. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including those detailed from time to time in filings made by the Company with securities regulatory authorities, which may cause actual outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fffac19c-b7d2-4eab-bb92-329caf938e0d https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1b7c9db0-9fae-40a9-9112-a9d9fa68fcce https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c87b4117-5d1a-440c-96c7-07805c1d8bcc https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/498bafed-0f3d-4a3c-8042-baeb804f3b7b https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f8265418-cd8b-42b1-b71f-094627707e7d https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fb5a49b0-b198-4e7d-a572-858e7dac55de https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c8528c5b-8694-4901-86b2-7d825c8cd4d1 ANKARA, Turkey, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Protect Pharmaceutical Corp. (OTC: PRTT) ("Company") announces the appointment of a new CEO, restructuring of the Board of Directors, and looks to finalize the merger agreement with Karinca Logistics - www.karincalogistics.com . The Company appointed Ozgur Ozcan as CEO and Director and George Athanasiadis as Director. Further, the Company accepted the resignations of Ali Yildiz as CEO and Tatiana Aleinikov as VP of Operations. The Board restructuring and the appointment of the new CEO are the first steps to ensure a smooth transition with the merger, which should be finalized in the next few days in Turkey. Ozgur Ozcan, PRTT's CEO, stated, "This is an exciting time for the Company. I look forward to working towards our goals within the Company. I will provide shareholders with an update regarding the finalization of the merger and our pending audit within the next week. We intend to complete the process as formerly announced and file a Form 10 registration with the SEC to resume reporting standards and eventually uplist the Company to an exchange. It is also our intention to change the name of the Company to a more appropriate name for our current business." Management believes the merger of Atlantic Logistics and Karinca Logistics will solidify its regional competitive advantage and unite two (2) compelling companies into one management group. The Company expects a large growth in revenue and profitability upon finalizing the merger. About Atlantic Logistics : Atlantic Logistics strives to provide innovation in service, a business model that gives customers and partners the technology and commercial intelligence to support creative ideas. The team remains dedicated to keeping the companys systems on the cutting edge and constantly evolving business to serve our clients better. Atlantic Logistics use robust technology to track inventories, manage customs compliance, and track shipments worldwide. Atlantic Logistics is the answer to any logistics needs you might have. Atlantic Logistics transports products via land, air, and sea using trucks, ships, rail, and air, rapidly growing into a worldwide logistics company with services across Europe, Asia, South America, and Central America - www.atlantic-logistics.net . Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Except for historical matters contained herein, statements made in this press release are forward-looking statements. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, words such as "may", "will", "to", "plan", "expect", "believe", "anticipate", "intend", "could", "would", "estimate," or "continue", or the negative other variations thereof or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risk, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Also, forward-looking statements represent our management's beliefs and assumptions only as of the date hereof. Additional information regarding the factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements is available in the Company's filings with OTC Markets. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements publicly or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. For more information contact: SAN DIEGO, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP announces that purchasers or acquirers of UiPath, Inc. (NYSE: PATH) securities between December 1, 2023 and the close of trading on May 29, 2024, inclusive (the Class Period), have until this upcoming Monday, August 19, 2024 to seek appointment as lead plaintiff of the UiPath class action lawsuit. Captioned Steiner v. UiPath, Inc., No. 24-cv-04702 (S.D.N.Y.), the UiPath class action lawsuit charges UiPath and certain of UiPaths top current and former executives with violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. If you suffered substantial losses and wish to serve as lead plaintiff of the UiPath class action lawsuit, please provide your information here: https://www.rgrdlaw.com/cases-uipath-inc-class-action-path.html You can also contact attorneys J.C. Sanchez or Jennifer N. Caringal of Robbins Geller by calling 800/449-4900 or via e-mail at info@rgrdlaw.com. Lead plaintiff motions for the UiPath class action lawsuit must be filed with the court no later than August 19, 2024. CASE ALLEGATIONS: UiPath is a business automation software company. The UiPath class action lawsuit alleges that defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) UiPaths turnaround strategy had failed because fruitless investments and inconsistent execution plagued UiPaths overhauled go-to-market strategy; (ii) UiPaths AI-powered Business Automation Platform suffered from UiPaths inability to adequately scale its AI-powered tools and caused confusion among customers; and (iii) as a result, UiPath experienced significant difficulties closing and/or expanding large multiyear deals. The UiPath class action lawsuit further alleges that on May 29, 2024, UiPath announced the resignation of defendant Robert Enslin as CEO effective June 1, 2024, and the reappointment of defendant Daniel Dines as CEO. The complaint further alleges that UiPath also revealed disappointing first quarter 2025 financial results and a significant cut in its revenue guidance for fiscal year 2025. On this news, the price of UiPath stock fell more than 34%, according to the UiPath class action lawsuit. THE LEAD PLAINTIFF PROCESS: The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 permits any investor who purchased or acquired UiPath securities during the Class Period to seek appointment as lead plaintiff in the UiPath class action lawsuit. A lead plaintiff is generally the movant with the greatest financial interest in the relief sought by the putative class who is also typical and adequate of the putative class. A lead plaintiff acts on behalf of all other class members in directing the UiPath class action lawsuit. The lead plaintiff can select a law firm of its choice to litigate the UiPath class action lawsuit. An investors ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff of the UiPath class action lawsuit. ABOUT ROBBINS GELLER: Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP is one of the worlds leading law firms representing investors in securities fraud cases. Our Firm has been #1 in the ISS Securities Class Action Services rankings for six out of the last ten years for securing the most monetary relief for investors. We recovered $6.6 billion for investors in securities-related class action cases over $2.2 billion more than any other law firm in the last four years. With 200 lawyers in 10 offices, Robbins Geller is one of the largest plaintiffs firms in the world and the Firms attorneys have obtained many of the largest securities class action recoveries in history, including the largest securities class action recovery ever $7.2 billion in In re Enron Corp. Sec. Litig. Please visit the following page for more information: https://www.rgrdlaw.com/services-litigation-securities-fraud.html Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Services may be performed by attorneys in any of our offices. Contact: Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP J.C. Sanchez, Jennifer N. Caringal 655 W. Broadway, Suite 1900, San Diego, CA 92101 800-449-4900 info@rgrdlaw.com Mesa, Arizona, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aqua-Tots Swim Schools two newest locations are now open in Panyaintra-Ramintra and Gia Lam, marking the companys seventh school in Thailand and fifth in Vietnam, respectively. These new locations further the organization's ongoing mission to save lives by teaching as many children as possible how to swim. Aqua-Tots acclaimed curriculum has had parents' seal of approval for over 30 years. In 1991, Ron and Jane Sciarro founded Aqua-Tots as a way to help prevent childhood drownings in Arizona. Later joining forces with Paul and Heather Preston, the group came together to create the idea of a comprehensive, year-round, indoor swim school franchise. Our southeast Asia team is passionate about water safety, and they have been working hard to expand this year, motivated to help more families learn how to be safe in and around water, Aqua-Tots CEO Craig Wright said. Everyone wants to keep their family safe and that is what really ties us all together, no matter where in the world we are. We are fortunate to be collaborating with this amazing team and grateful for the sense of community we have found through this business. Franchise owners of the newest international schools include Krish Wilawan and Piyachat Chosriluachar of Aqua-Tots Panyaintra-Ramintra and the ASC ownership group of Aqua-Tots Gia Lam. While our franchises primary purpose is to teach swim lessons, it also serves another: generational financial stability, said Co-Founder and President Paul Preston. Because our owners invest a great deal in constructing an Aqua-Tots Swim School, we ensure that each one is wholly committed to the cause of teaching water safety. This allows owners to build a business that will last and a legacy that they can pass on to future generations, creating financial security for our franchisee families around the world for years to come. With a presence in 14 countries, Aqua-Tots Swim School provides over five million swim lessons annually. Their commitment to delivering exceptional swim instruction for children of all ages and skill levels, beginning at four months old, continues to be a top priority. Each innovative school hosts a large, 90-degree indoor pool with several swim zones. Fully stocked changing rooms featuring swimsuit dryers and baby changing tables are available for getting ready before and after swim lessons. Once children are in the pool with their instructor, parents are invited to take a 30-minute break and relax in the lobbys cozy, red armchairs while viewing their childs swim lessons. For more information, go to aqua-tots.com/location-finder/, or to learn more about franchising with Aqua-Tots Swim School, please visit aqua-tots.com/franchise-development . About Aqua-Tots Swim School Founded in 1991 and headquartered in the Phoenix area, Aqua-Tots Swim School is making waves as the largest international provider of year-round, indoor swim instruction, community outreach and drowning prevention education. Its trusted program is dedicated to children of all abilities from four months to 12 years old and features a proven curriculum used to teach more than five million swim lessons each year. Aqua-Tots is recognized in Franchise Business Reviews Top 100 Franchises for Women in 2024, Entrepreneur's Top 15 Childrens Franchises of 2023, Entrepreneurs Franchise 500, Inc. Magazine's Top 5000 and Franchise Times Top 200, Aqua-Tots has more than 160 locations in across 14 countries and is rapidly expanding, with 90 locations in development. To learn more about franchise opportunities, visit aqua-tots.com/franchise-development and for more information about Aqua-Tots or to sign up for lessons near you, visit aqua-tots.com and follow Aqua-Tots on Facebook and Instagram. ### Attachments Dublin, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Brazil Chemical Licensing Market - Forecasts from 2024 to 2029" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Brazil chemical licensing market is anticipated to demonstrate a robust growth trajectory from 2024 to 2029. With an expected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.10%, the market valuation is forecasted to rise from US$458.776 million to US$560.742 million. This growth projection is backed by an amalgamation of factors including regulatory shifts, demand across diverse industries, and strategic investments in the chemical and agriculture sectors. Developments in Brazil's legal framework, particularly with the introduction of the Brazil REACH Regulation or PL 6120/19, are set to streamline chemical evaluation, registration, and control. By aligning with international specifications such as the globally harmonized system, this legislation aims to enhance transparency and simplify the licensing procedure, significantly impacting the market in a favorable manner. Drivers of the Brazil Chemical Licensing Market The uptick in licensing within the pharmaceutical industry serves as one of the major drivers of market expansion. The sector fosters an environment conducive to the increase in licensing agreements, bolstered by regulations safeguarding patents and stimulating innovation. Coupled with Brazil's position as a leading agricultural player, which necessitates extensive input of chemical products, the market is poised for significant growth. Furthermore, Sumitomo Corporation do Brasil exemplifies key players capitalizing on Brazil's status as a top global supplier of chemical and agricultural products, underscoring the potential for direct investment and strategic partnerships that contribute to market expansion. Emerging Trends and State-Specific Growth The surge in organic chemical demand reflects the shifting consumer preference towards sustainable and environmentally friendly products, which is stimulating further market growth. Additionally, financial incentives and government policies that support sustainable practices have catalyzed this movement towards organic production. The oil & gas sector further bolsters the Brazil chemical licensing market due to increased offshore drilling activities and a flourishing refining sector. Brazil's pre-salt oil production ensuring its position among the top 10 oil-producing countries globally underscores the sector's influence on the demand for chemical licenses. The state of Sao Paulo is expected to command a significant market share throughout the forecast period, with its industrial prowess and pivotal role in the chemical industry landscape. Companies with a strong foothold in Sao Paulo, exemplified by Braskem, are contributing to the surge in demand for chemical licenses within the state. Segmentation of the Market The Brazil chemical licensing market's analysis encompasses distinguished segments based on type, application, and state. By type, the market is divided into organic and inorganic chemicals. The application segment covers oil & gas, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, and others. Geographically, the market's segmentation includes Sao Paulo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, and other states. The findings reveal a dynamic market environment in Brazil, indicative of progressive regulatory measures, an increase in licensing requirements across various industries, and heightened demand across the board. This blend of factors sets a promising trajectory for the Brazil chemical licensing market through 2029. Key Attributes: Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 80 Forecast Period 2024 - 2029 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $458.78 Million Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2029 $560.74 Million Compound Annual Growth Rate 4.1% Regions Covered Brazil Companies Featured BSC Especialidades Quimicas Chevron Philips Chemical Eastman Dow CIRS Group Lummus Technology Solvay For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/dpk373 About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment Dublin, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "United States Chemical Licensing Market - Forecasts from 2024 to 2029" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The United States chemical licensing market will reach US$3.10 billion in 2029 at a CAGR of 2.07% from US$2.80 billion in 2024. The chemical licensing market in the United States is driven by the demand from the core sectors like oil and gas, petrochemicals, and pharmaceuticals. The oil and gas production and demand are one of the highest in the world, with U.S. crude oil imports being 6,281,296 b/d (barrels per day) and petroleum exports 9,520,000 b/d (barrels per day), showing the significance of the sector. The chemical industry contributes almost a quarter of the U.S. GDP, makes 70,000 diverse products from raw materials, and distributes them to various end users worldwide. Additionally, building a new manufacturing facility can be time-consuming and expensive. Licensing existing technologies offers faster and more cost-effective ways to set up a production unit for the desired product capabilities. Licensing also allows them to expand beyond the boundaries of their expertise in proprietary technologies. Growing focus on sustainability and recyclability might positively impact the market growth. Companies are increasing their focus on the recyclability of the material. They are innovating and producing materials that are environmentally sustainable and have a clear impact. In May 2024, Dow and Freepoint came to an agreement to transform plastic waste into new products. This would significantly enhance the circular economy for plastics in North America. Further, in September 2023, Danimer Scientific and Chevron Phillips Chemical announced a collaboration to make biodegradable plastic products using polymers in a facility in Bartlesville, Okla. These advancements encourage companies to reduce waste and promote resource optimization. This altogether improves the production process of environment-friendly materials. Dependence on the oil and gas sector is anticipated to fuel the market. With the improvement in technology related to production, companies in the oil and gas sector can source innovative technologies through licensing agreements, leading them to be at the forefront of manufacturing without investing in research and development. The United States is one of the largest consumers of petroleum products, with imports of 2,047,526 b/d (barrels per day) in 2022. The United States has 20,010,000 b/d (barrels per day) of petroleum consumption (product supplied) for 2022. This demand for oil and gas products requires improved efficiency and product quality for cost efficiency. Licensing can also improve safety standards, which can be valuable for chemical manufacturers. United States Chemical Licensing Market Segmentation Analysis By application, the United States chemical licensing market is segmented into oil and gas, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, and others. The United States chemical licensing market is segmented by application into oil and gas, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, and others. Oil and gas would hold a significant portion of the chemical licensing market, as the US producing petroleum production (crude oil, natural gas liquids, renewable fuels, and processing gain) of 20,078,900 b/d (barrels per day) in 2022. US imports of petrochemical feedstocks, being 16 thousand b/d (barrels per day) in 2023, the demand from the petrochemicals sector would remain robust. With the growing chronic disease burden in the USA due to obesity and other critical lifestyle problems, pharmaceuticals will thrive in the country. Other sectors would include healthcare, food and beverages, advanced materials, cosmetics, personal care, and chemicals needed for batteries. United States Chemical Licensing Market - Geographical Outlook California and New York would hold a significant share of the chemical licensing market in the United States. California and New York would hold a significant share of the chemical licensing market. The economy of New York was as large as $1.6 Trillion in 2022, one of the major states of the USA, with several major companies. The chemical industry is the third largest manufacturing industry in the state at $14.75B. New York is the 10th largest chemistry-producing state in the nation. California has several leading players in the states as PMC Global, Inc., Dionex Corporation, Imerys Filtration Minerals, Inc., and others. Key Attributes: Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 82 Forecast Period 2024 - 2029 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $2.8 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2029 $3.1 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 2.0% Regions Covered United States Companies Featured Dow ExxonMobil Chemical Eastman Chevron Philips Chemical Sumitomo Corporation Sulzer Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Segmentation By Type Inorganic Chemicals Organic Chemicals By Application Oil and Gas Petrochemicals Pharmaceuticals Others By Province California New York Pennsylvania Ohio Others For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/fawh3a About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment BALTIMORE, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the American Urological Association (AUA), in partnership with the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), released the 2024 amendment to the Male Infertility Guideline. The purpose of this Guideline is to outline the appropriate evaluation and management of the male partner in an infertile couple. Recommendations proceed from obtaining an appropriate history and physical exam, as well as diagnostic testing, where indicated. Medical therapies, surgical techniques, and use of IUI and ART are covered to allow for optimal patient management. The 2024 amendment has introduced new evidence to support updated information on the evaluation and management of male infertility. We are excited to share this updated version of the Male Infertility Guideline. This amendment builds on the outstanding, inaugural version of the Male Infertility Guideline that was published in 2021, said Guideline Amendment Chair Dr. Robert E. Brannigan, Professor of Urology at Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine. The updated Guideline includes numerous new, important recommendations that will enhance the ability of urologists to provide optimal, state-of-the-art care for infertile males This Guideline has 54 recommendations and serves as a useful reference on effective, evidence-based care as it relates to male infertility. The Guideline amendment highlights the following: Update to a recommendation on evaluating azoospermic patients Update to a recommendation on karyotype testing Updates on which imaging modalities should or should not be used when evaluating patients A new recommendation on utilization of testicular sperm in nonazoospermic patients Updates to the WHO reference ranges for human semen characteristics A new table defining common terms in semen analysis Male infertility contributes to 50% of cases and also provides a window into male general health, said Paula Amato, MD, ASRM President. These guidelines will assist health care providers with the evaluation and management of male infertility, leading to improved male reproductive potential, offspring health and men's general health. The full Guideline is now available at: auanet.org/MaleInfertilityGuideline2024 A summary of the Guideline also appears at: Brannigan RE, Hermanson L, Kaczmarek J, Kim SK, Kirkby E, Tanrikut C. Updates to male infertility: AUA/ASRM guideline (2024). J Urol. Published online August 15, 2024. doi:10.1097/JU.0000000000004180 https://www.auajournals.org/doi/10.1097/JU.0000000000004180 About the American Urological Association: Founded in 1902 and headquartered near Baltimore, Maryland, the American Urological Association is a leading advocate for the specialty of urology, and has more than 25,000 members throughout the world. The AUA is a premier urologic association, providing invaluable support to the urologic community as it pursues its mission of fostering the highest standards of urologic care through education, research and the formulation of health policy. Attachment Dublin, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "United States Agricultural Machinery Market Forecast Report by Machinery Type, Irrigation Machinery, Tractors by Engine Power, Ploughing and Cultivation Machinery, Harvesting Machinery, Haying and Forage Machinery and Company Analysis 2024-2032" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. United States Agricultural Machinery Market will reach US$ 64.18 Billion by 2032, up from US$ 38.05 Billion in 2023, with a CAGR of 5.98% between 2024 and 2032 The primary factors expediting the growth of the global agricultural machinery market are the increasing awareness among farmers about the advantages of employing agriculture equipment and the rising demand for high-quality food throughout the United States. United States Agricultural Machinery Outlooks The term agricultural machinery describes tools used in farming operations that are specifically made to manage large-scale agricultural operations and boost production and efficiency. These devices are necessary for several phases of crop production, including planting, harvesting, and post-harvest processing. Today's agriculture relies heavily on a wide range of equipment, some examples of which are combine harvesters, plows, seeders, and tractors. In the United States agricultural machinery market, the advent of precision agriculture has underscored the significance of sophisticated machinery that integrates technology such as GPS and sensors to optimize crop management and resource efficiency. By lowering the impact on the environment, this not only increases productivity but also encourages sustainable farming methods. The development of agricultural equipment shows a persistent dedication to innovation in order to satisfy the demands of a population that is constantly growing. The landscape of contemporary agriculture is being redefined by the increasing adoption of technology by farmers and the incorporation of intelligent machinery, which promises a more robust and fruitful future for the sector. Driving Forces for Agricultural machinery market in United States Rise in average farm size American agriculture and rural life underwent a massive transformation in the 20th century. Early 20th-century agriculture was labor-intensive, taking place on numerous small, diversified farms. By the twenty-first century, a smaller number of sizable, specialized farms accounted for the majority of agricultural production. The number of farms in the United States has been decreasing due to increased productivity in agriculture and nonfarm employment opportunities. The average farm size has been increasing, reaching 445 acres in 2021. This consolidation is driven by profitability, as larger farm sizes lead to higher profitability. However, as labor costs rise, farm owners are turning to agricultural machinery to manage larger farms, which is fueling market growth. Technological Advancement The United States' agricultural methods have undergone a radical transformation due to technological innovations including sensors, automated machinery, GPS guidance systems, and data analytics. These developments have improved farming production, efficiency, and input utilization. Improvements in machinery design have also led to improvements in power, durability, and efficiency, enabling larger-scale activities with fewer laborers. Planting, spraying, and harvesting integrated systems have enhanced farm management and streamlined workflows, spurring innovation and market expansion in the agricultural machinery industry. For instance, With the acquisition of Blue River Technology, an AI start-up, the US-based agricultural machinery major John Deere started to improve the AI-based innovation process in tractors. Long term, these kinds of advancements should fuel demand for tractors with cutting-edge technology. Government Support Government support is a major factor in driving the expansion of the US market for agricultural machinery. Policies, incentives, and subsidies from the federal and state governments are intended to promote agriculture's modernization, efficiency, and sustainability. These policies sometimes entail giving farmers financial assistance or tax breaks in exchange for making capital expenditures in new equipment, embracing cutting-edge technologies, and putting into practice productivity-boosting and environmentally friendly techniques. Additionally, government-funded R&D initiatives support agricultural machinery innovation and the development of more effective and productive technology. Government agency rules and guidelines have an effect on the market as well by influencing consumer demand for equipment that satisfies particular safety and environmental requirements. Texas Agricultural Machinery Market Texas's vast and varied agricultural business depends heavily on the state's agricultural machinery market. Texas is one of the most productive states in the union for agriculture, producing an extensive range of goods, including grains, cotton, livestock, fruits, and vegetables. Large-scale Texas farms that produce a wide variety of crops are in great demand for different kinds of agricultural technology. The markets for tractors, combines, irrigation systems, sprayers, and livestock management equipment are important segments of the Texas agricultural machinery industry. In an effort to increase output and efficiency, Texas farmers are progressively implementing technology innovations like GPS-guided machinery and precision farming techniques. Adoption of modern agricultural equipment is also driven by factors like weather variability and the need for sustainable farming practices. Government support in the form of subsidies and incentives also encourages investment in new machinery, contributing to the growth and rejuvenation of the agricultural sector in Texas. Key Attributes: Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 160 Forecast Period 2023 - 2032 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2023 $38.05 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2032 $64.18 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 5.9% Regions Covered United States Key Players Analysis: Business Overview, Recent Developments, Revenue Analysis John Deere's CNH Industrial AGCO Corporation. KUBOTA Corporation. Titan Machinery Inc. CLASS Lindsay Corporation Alamo Group Inc. Machinery Type - Market breakup in 7 viewpoints: Irrigation Machinery Tractors Ploughing and Cultivation Machinery Harvesting Machinery Haying and Forage Machinery Planting Machinery Sprayer Irrigation Machinery - Market breakup in 3 viewpoints: Gravity Irrigation Miro-Irrigation Sprinkler Tractors by Engine Power- Market breakup in 3 viewpoints: Less than 40 HP 41 to 100 HP More than 100 HP Ploughing and Cultivation Machinery - Market breakup in 4 viewpoints: Cultivators and Tillers Harrows Ploughs Others Harvesting Machinery - Market breakup in 3 viewpoints: Combine Harvesters Harvesting Robots Self-Propelled Forage Harvesters Haying and Forage Machinery - Market breakup in 4 viewpoints: Mowers Balers Tedders and Rakes Forage Harvesters For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/coe4ld About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment Dublin, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "GCC Hydroponic Market Forecast Report by Type, Crop Type, Equipment, Region, and Company 2024-2032" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. GCC Hydroponic Market is expected to reach US$ 614.05 million by 2032 up from US$ 202.69 in 2023, having a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.11% from 2024 to 2032, due to the growing incorporation of hydroponics in the agriculture sector of the area. The agricultural technique known as hydroponics is efficient in addressing the environmental issues of the GCC nations. Hydroponics seeks to change the traditional farming processes in aspects of water supply and heat stress differ. It is a water-saving process and environmentally friendly method that allows growing crops, profitable all year round, but for seasonal weather conditions. Hydroponics has various benefits, one of which includes accessibility to clients in different places and at different time of the year. It can also be conducted in different environments starting from streets and ending with specifically equipped enclosed spaces. It does so whilst also encouraging local agriculture and food production, thus greatly helping the GCC region to cut down on its imports of food products. Considering the fact that the enhancement of food security and sustainability of the region is on the agenda, hydroponics is a multifunctional and rather perspective innovation in the sphere of increasing the productivity and stability of the agricultural industry. Driving Factor in the GCC Hydroponic Market Hydroponics saves water compared to conventional farming methods Hydroponics is indeed a very efficient system in GCC countries because of its efficiency in using water more than the traditional methods of farming. With this technology, maximum control in the delivery of nutrients to the crops and water can be achieved due to its effectiveness in dry regions where water is scarce. Hydroponic reduces the use of water in agriculture by as much as 90% with assurance of equal yields as it is conventionally used. This makes it particularly advantageous for areas like the GCC where sustainable agriculture practice is vital in the achievement of the food security goals besides the reduction of sizes rely on imported foods. When it comes to demand for local fresh produce in urban areas, hydroponics provide a viable and yet sustainable system of feeding growing population in an area of water deficiency. Hydroponics enables year-round local production, decreasing the reliance on imports and enhancing food security Hydroponics is an environment friendly system that promotes growth of produce throughout the year thus alleviating the dependence on imports on food security in GCC. Hydroponics is a technique of cultivating plants under controlled conditions without the use of soil. This enhances the availability of the products in the market all the year round despite the different seasons. It cuts down considerably the carbon emissive costs that are inevitably incurred when food needs to be transported a long distance and hardly depends on external sources. Therefore, depending on a particular product, the local communities are enabled to rely on the product to sort out their nutrition needs. That is why the acceptance of hydroponics could provide a much stronger and stable food supply chain that will grant people the ability to consume local and fresh foods instead of relying on imports. The consequences of this in the future years can be crucial. Population of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is expected to touch the 58.3 million people by the year 2030 and 72.3 million by 2050. The leaders in the region are keen on formulating ways to providing for the growing population. They are putting their capital in resources that can eliminate climatic disapplying to farming whereby hydroponic farming methods appear to be a solution. GCC governments actively promote and invest in hydroponic farming GCC governments have embarked on intensive promotion and investment in hydroponic farming as a sound mitigation measure to the climate and water scarcity challenges. Their objective is to bring about improvement in production of foods locally, thereby decreasing the importation of foods and improving the food security of their people. The GCC governments encourage hydroponic farming due to its efficiency in farming and it solves the aforementioned challenges. In 2023, Oman based company NKK entered into a joint venture with an American agritech firm where Oman importing hydroponic and vertical farming technology with an aim of enhancing the country's food production and in the process thereof minimizing the costs of future imports. UAE Hydroponics Market The hydroponics market in the United Arab Emirates is thriving due to the region's arid climate and scarcity of arable land. Governmental and private investments in hydroponics infrastructure have led to the cultivation of various crops, and the UAE government's support for food security has further promoted the adoption of hydroponics farming. Financial incentives and ongoing research and development programs drive the region's long-term sustainability and productivity of hydroponic agriculture. Dubai has become a leading force in the hydroponics market. Through forward-thinking agricultural strategies, Dubai has effectively addressed the challenges of arid conditions and water scarcity. The city has actively promoted sustainable and self-sufficient food production systems by utilizing innovative techniques and cutting-edge technologies. Company Analysis: Key Persons, Overview, Recent Development & Strategies, Product Portfolio, Revenue AeroFarms AmHydro Freight Farms Green Sense Farms Holdings, Inc. LumiGrow Unrivaled Brands Inc BrightFarms The Scotts Company LLC Hydrodynamics International Signify Holding Type - Market breakup in 2 viewpoints: Aggregate Systems Liquid Systems Crop Type - Market breakup in 6 viewpoints: Tomatoes Herbs Lettuce Cucumbers Peppers Others Equipment - Market breakup in 6 viewpoints: HVAC LED Grow Light Irrigation Systems Material Handling Control Systems Others Region: Market breakup into 6 viewpoints Saudi Arabia UAE Qatar Oman Kuwait Bahrain For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/fv2wdr About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. LONDON, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Tyton Partners and Ufi Ventures unveil their quarterly analysis for Q2 of 2024 in their Key Learnings from VocTech Market Activity series. This report provides a nuanced look at the evolving market dynamics post the election of the UKs new government, along with strategic insights drawn from continental Europe and North America. In the wake of the UK's recent political shift, their analysis taps into the optimism of the economic and labour market outlook, despite ongoing challenges like skills shortages across various sectors including technology, healthcare, and the green economy. Artificial Intelligence continues to be a major focal point, with recent developments indicating both disruptive potential and emerging challenges in its application within educational and workforce settings. Key Insights from Q2 2024 include: Persistent Skills Shortages: Across sectors, the demand for skilled professionals outpaces supply, particularly in emerging green technologies. AIs Mixed Impact: Developments in AI are promising yet present challenges, such as ensuring equitable access and mitigating bias. Strategic Collaborations: Increasing partnerships among stakeholders are pivotal in addressing workforce challenges. Governmental Shifts: The UK's new Labour government introduces policies that could significantly reshape the workforce development landscape. Nick Kind, Managing Director at Tyton Partners, remarks, "This quarter's findings highlight how technology and political policy are combining and colliding. As we all navigate the accelerating pace of change, our focus remains on providing actionable insights that not only respond to immediate market needs but also anticipate future trends." In conclusion, the report stresses the importance of continued innovation and adaptation in the workforce development sector. By highlighting both current challenges and emerging opportunities, Tyton Partners and Ufi Ventures aim to equip stakeholders with the knowledge to effectively navigate this dynamic field. Read Key Learnings from VocTech Market Activity Q2 2024 here. About Tyton Partners Tyton Partners is a premier strategy consulting and investment banking firm focused on the global education sector. Leveraging extensive industry experience and market insights, Tyton Partners assists clients in navigating the complexities of the education, media, and information landscapes. More information is available at www.tytonpartners.com. About Ufi Ventures Ufi Ventures invests in and supports the growth of innovative technologies aimed at improving vocational skills and outcomes. As a key player in vocational technology, Ufi Ventures aids companies in harnessing technology to create impactful educational and workforce solutions. Learn more at www.ufi.co.uk/ventures. Chicago, IL, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) is pleased to announce the appointment of Debra Weinstein, MD as its new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2025. Dr. Weinstein brings a wealth of academic medicine leadership experience to this role, with an impressive history of contributions and impact in graduate medical education (GME). She is currently Executive Vice Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Learning Health Sciences and Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School, and Chief Academic Officer for Michigan Medicine. Previously, she served as Vice President for Graduate Medical Education at Mass General Brigham (formerly Partners HealthCare) in Boston, with responsibility for more than 300 GME programs, encompassing 2,400 residents and fellows, and was an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. She was the designated institutional official (DIO) for both Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Brigham and Womens Hospitals for over a decade after serving as the MGH program director for the Internal Medicine residency. I am honored and inspired by the opportunity to lead the ACGME a critical and impactful organization that I have enormous respect for, said Dr. Weinstein. I am also excited to work together with the GME community to optimize physician education in pursuit of our shared goal of improving health. Dr. Weinsteins contributions to the field have been recognized with numerous awards, including two prestigious honors from the ACGME: the Parker Palmer Courage to Lead Award, given to DIOs demonstrating excellence in GME oversight; and the John C. Gienapp Award for Distinguished Service, honoring outstanding contributions to GME and ACGME accreditation activities. Dr. Weinstein currently serves on the Intealth Board of Directors, and previously held board positions with the ACGME and the MGH Institute for Health Professions. She has chaired the Association of American Medical Colleges Group on Resident Affairs and participated in the Institute of Medicines Committee on the Governance and Financing of GME. Notably, she led the 2011 Macy Foundation conference on GME reform and chaired two National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine workshops on GME Outcomes and Metrics. Dr. Weinstein's academic contributions include serving as Deputy Editor of Academic Medicine from 2013 to 2019 and as a member of the New England Journal of Medicines Perspectives Advisory Board from 2015 to 2023. She was the principal investigator of a $2 million Reimagining Residency grant from the American Medical Association, focusing on competency-based, time-variable GME. Her scholarly work includes nearly 100 invited presentations and more than 75 publications. Dr. Weinstein graduated from Wellesley College, where she majored in music and conducted the college orchestra. She received her medical degree from Harvard Medical School. She completed her clinical education and training in internal medicine and gastroenterology at MGH and was a 2006-2007 American Council on Education Fellow. Dr. Weinsteins distinction in the field is evidenced by her being honored with the ACGME Parker Palmer Courage to Lead and John C. Gienapp Awards, commented ACGME Board of Directors Chair Claudia Wyatt-Johnson, MA. These accolades are a testament to her exceptional leadership, and it is this leadership, coupled with her many contributions to GME, that will bring immense value to the public, the profession, and the outstanding ACGME team. ACGME Board Chair-Elect George E. Thibault, MD added, Dr. Weinsteins work at MGH, Mass General Brigham, and Michigan has ideally prepared her for her role as the ACGMEs next President and CEO. Her national recognition for contributions to GME, visionary leadership style, and extensive experience collaborating with the ACGME will be invaluable in advancing the ACGMEs Mission and work serving the American public. ### The ACGME is a private, non-profit, professional organization responsible for the accreditation of 13,066 residency and fellowship programs and the 886 institutions that sponsor these programs in the United States. Residency and fellowship programs educate close to 160,000 resident and fellow physicians in 182 specialties and subspecialties. The ACGME's Mission is to improve health care and population health by assessing and enhancing the quality of resident and fellow physicians' education through advancements in accreditation and education. Attachment Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Securities Litigation Partner James (Josh) Wilson Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses Exceeding $100,000 In Toyota To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options If you purchased or acquired securities in Toyota between June 25, 2022 and June 2, 2024 and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310). You may also click here for additional information: www.faruqilaw.com/TM. NEW YORK, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential claims against Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota or the Company) (NYSE: TM) and reminds investors of the August 23, 2024 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company. Faruqi & Faruqi is a leading national securities law firm with offices in New York, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors since its founding in 1995. See www.faruqilaw.com. As detailed below, this Complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts, about the Companys business and operations. Specifically, Defendants misrepresented and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Toyota understated its malfeasance relating to certification of its cars and issues relating to overall legal compliance; and (2) as a result, defendants statements about its business, operations, and prospects, were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. On June 3, 2024, The New York Times published an article entitled Toyota and Other Japanese Carmakers Say They Mishandled Safety Tests. This article stated, in pertinent part, that Toyota [. . .] and other top Japanese automakers said on Monday that internal investigations found they had mishandled vehicle testing on dozens of models over the past decade. Further, Toyota said it had failed to gather proper data when doing pedestrian and occupant safety tests for three models, including its popular Yaris Cross sport utility vehicle. On this news, Toyotas American Depositary Shares (ADSs) fell $5.34 per ADS, or 2.45%, to close at $212.17 per ADS on June 3, 2024. The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not. Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding Toyotas conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others. To learn more about the Toyota class action, go to www.faruqilaw.com/TM or call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310). Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, on X, or on Facebook. Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5e848124-9c14-4bab-ba13-256ecec0c433 Oakland, California, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Pacific Institute, a US-based global water think tank, today released new research revealing the significant potential for stormwater capture on public school campuses in Los Angeles (LA) County, California. This innovative study utilizes 2NDNATURE's Rainsteward tool to analyze the multi-benefits of greening schools. While focused on LA County, the reports recommendations are broadly applicable to urban school campuses nationwide, offering a blueprint for creating greener, more resilient school environments. The study, Advancing Stormwater Capture for Greener Schools in Los Angeles, estimates that the total stormwater runoff generated from LA County public school campuses is approximately 3.15 billion gallons (9,510 acre-feet) per year. Of this amount, about 2.04 billion gallons (6,190 acre-feet) per year could potentially be captured to augment water supplies and green school campuses. The study highlights a local adaptation of the Pacific Institutes national assessment launched earlier this year that estimates US Urban Areas have the potential to generate an average of 59.5 million acre-feet of stormwater runoff per year. Urban schools across the US, particularly those in under-resourced areas, are often blanketed in asphalt, creating urban heat islands with dangerously hot conditions for students and the nearby community. During heavy rains, runoff from these impervious surfaces pollutes waterways and exacerbates flooding issues in surrounding neighborhoods. Climate change is magnifying these challenges, contributing to hotter temperatures, extreme drought, and more intense flooding. This report provides crucial technical information and actionable recommendations that can help schools in LA County leverage stormwater management to create greener, cooler, and more resilient campuses, said Dr. Sonali Abraham, Pacific Institute Senior Researcher and author of the report. By harnessing this resource, schools can not only improve the learning environment for students but also enhance community resilience to climate change. Key findings from the report include: Watershed Analysis : Of the 10 major watersheds in LA County, the Upper Los Angeles River Watershed tops the list with a stormwater capture potential on public school campuses of 557 million gallons (1,710 acre-feet) per year, accounting for 27.4% of the total capture potential from public school campuses. Other notable watersheds include Upper San Gabriel River (369 million gallons/1,130 acre-feet), Lower San Gabriel River (233 million gallons/715 acre-feet), and Central Santa Monica Bay (216 million gallons/663 acre-feet). : Of the 10 major watersheds in LA County, the Upper Los Angeles River Watershed tops the list with a stormwater capture potential on public school campuses of 557 million gallons (1,710 acre-feet) per year, accounting for 27.4% of the total capture potential from public school campuses. Other notable watersheds include Upper San Gabriel River (369 million gallons/1,130 acre-feet), Lower San Gabriel River (233 million gallons/715 acre-feet), and Central Santa Monica Bay (216 million gallons/663 acre-feet). Multi-Benefit Prioritization : Using the Rainsteward tool, the study demonstrates how the multi-benefits of water supply, water quality, flood reduction, and urban heat mitigation can be used to prioritize school campuses for stormwater capture projects. When considered, these additional criteria show opportunities for students and neighboring communities to build resilience to multiple extremes through greening schools and better managing stormwater. : Using the Rainsteward tool, the study demonstrates how the multi-benefits of water supply, water quality, flood reduction, and urban heat mitigation can be used to prioritize school campuses for stormwater capture projects. When considered, these additional criteria show opportunities for students and neighboring communities to build resilience to multiple extremes through greening schools and better managing stormwater. Pollutant Reduction : Managing stormwater capture on LA County school campuses could prevent approximately 1,220 tons of pollutants from entering local waterways and the ocean each year, significantly improving water quality. : Managing stormwater capture on LA County school campuses could prevent approximately 1,220 tons of pollutants from entering local waterways and the ocean each year, significantly improving water quality. Stakeholder Engagement: The project involved extensive stakeholder engagement, incorporating insights from the Council for Watershed Health and the Los Angeles office of the Trust for Public Land. These organizations have valuable expertise and experience implementing and advocating for school greening projects in LA County. The findings in this study will result in giant steps forward in our understanding of where the more serious stormwater problems lie and more importantly, where there is the most opportunity, said Drew Ready, Senior Project Manager at the Council for Watershed Health. The report offers strategic recommendations to advance the uptake of stormwater capture on school campuses: State and local programs and policies should broaden the types of benefits and costs considered in planning decisions, requiring the assessment of multiple benefits for all stormwater projects. Strengthen partnerships between school districts and community-based organizations to maximize the impact of stormwater management efforts. Ensure programs, policies, and funding opportunities prioritize benefits to students. Provide school districts with the necessary resources and tools to proactively manage stormwater, transforming it into an asset. These findings and recommendations can inform ongoing discussions and decisions about the role of stormwater capture in supporting school greening, regional water supply reliability, water quality improvements, flood risk reduction, heat island mitigation, and resilience in LA County. # # # About the Pacific Institute: Founded in 1987, the Pacific Institute is a global water think tank that combines science-based thought leadership with active outreach to influence local, national, and international efforts in developing sustainable water policies. From working with Fortune 500 companies to frontline communities, our mission is to create and advance solutions to the worlds most pressing water challenges. Since 2009, the Pacific Institute has also acted as co-secretariat for the CEO Water Mandate, a global commitment platform that mobilizes a critical mass of business leaders to address global water challenges through corporate water stewardship. For more information, visit pacinst.org. Kuna, Idaho, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CBH Homes, Idahos leading home builder, is proud to announce the grand opening of Fossil Creek, a brand new community offering new homes in Kuna, Idaho. With its close proximity to schools, parks, outdoor activities, and other amenities, this community has a lot to offer. The Treasure Valley is invited to join CBH Homes at their Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening Event: Date: Thursday, August 15th, 2024 Time: 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm *Ribbon cutting at 5:00 pm Location: 1521 N Green Emerald Wy, Kuna, Idaho Food: Tatias Tacos Food Truck The ribbon cutting ceremony will officially launch CBH's new community, Fossil Creek. Attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy free food from Tatias Tacos food truck, meet the CBH team, tour stunning new homes, face painting and even grab some amazing CBH swag. Fossil Creek is an exciting addition to the over 50 CBH communities currently released, offering a range of beautiful and affordable homes in a prime location. With six homes released to sell starting at $424,990, buyers can also take advantage of the CBH Hot Savings Summer where they can get up to $45,000 towards extras such as closing costs, rate-buy-down and more. "The city of Kuna has so much to offer - a small town feel and its close to many city amenities, said Holly Haener, Director of Sales. We love new communities and all they offer and create. Fossil Creek will provide much needed new homes in Kuna, infrastructure, and create jobs. Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity to be a part of the grand opening of Fossil Creek . For more information, visit cbhhomes.com or contact CBH Homes directly at (208) 391-5545 for more information about new homes in Kuna at Fossil Creek. About CBH Homes: CBH Homes has been building new homes for sale in Idaho for over 32 years, and for 19 of those, CBH Homes has been Idahos #1 Builder, a Best Places to Work in Idaho, ranked #42 in the nation, and proudly working with over 26,000 happy homeowners. Cbhhomes.com RCE-923 Attachment SAN DIEGO, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Johnson Fistel, LLP , a leading stockholder rights law firm, announced that it is investigating claims on behalf of Squarespace, Inc. (NYSE: SQSP) shareholders concerning potential breaches of fiduciary duties related to the proposed sale of the Company to private equity firm Permira. On May 13, 2024, Squarespace informed the public that it has agreed to a deal with Permira, in which stockholders will receive $44.00 per share in an all-cash offer. Upon completion of the deal, Squarespace will be a private Company. Johnson Fistels investigation focuses on whether Squarespaces board failed to satisfy its duties to the Company's stockholders, including whether the board sufficiently pursued alternatives to the acquisition, and whether the board secured the best possible price for Squarespaces shares. It is particularly pertinent to note analyst projections for earnings and revenue growth, and Squarespace shares have historically traded at a much higher price. Then on August 14, 2024, Glazer Capital LLC announced that it had sent a letter to the board of Squarespace Inc., criticizing the $44.00 per share merger consideration offered by Permira Advisers for the proposed acquisition of the company as inadequate. Glazer Capital argued that industry-standard methodologies for transaction valuation analysis were omitted from the fairness opinion, leading to significant undervaluation. The firm believes that the flawed and self-serving process was designed to benefit controlling shareholders and Permira Advisers at the expense of minority shareholders. Additionally, Glazer Capital pointed out that the two companies selected by the special committee's financial advisor have appreciated more than the premium offered by Permira Advisers. Glazer Capital also stated its intention to vote against the acquisition at the upcoming Special Meeting of the company. Stockholders of Squarespace are encouraged to contact Johnson Fistel to discuss their legal rights in this matter. You can click or copy and paste the following link to join this investigation: https://www.johnsonfistel.com/investigations/squarespace About Johnson Fistel, LLP | Top Law Firm, Securities Fraud, Investors Rights: Johnson Fistel, LLP is a nationally recognized shareholder rights law firm with offices in California, New York, Georgia, and Colorado. The firm represents individual and institutional investors in shareholder derivative and securities class action lawsuits. We also extend our services to foreign investors who have purchased on US exchanges. Stay updated with news on stock drops and learn how Johnson Fistel, LLP can help you recover your losses. For more information about the firm and its attorneys, please visit http://www.johnsonfistel.com . Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Services may be performed by attorneys in any of our offices. Johnson Fistel, LLP has paid for the dissemination of this promotional communication, and Frank J. Johnson is the attorney responsible for its content. HIGHLIGHTS Novo Resources signs a Determination Wide Aboriginal Heritage Protection Agreement with the Nyamal Aboriginal Corporation covering 1,500 sq km of tenure in the East Pilbara. covering 1,500 sq km of tenure in the East Pilbara. The Agreement paves the way for Novo to commence further exploration activities at the priority Bamboo and Miralga Projects . . A heritage site avoidance survey has been completed to facilitate drill testing of the Bamboo gold trend , including orogenic and IRG targets. , including orogenic and IRG targets. Surface mapping and sampling has commenced at the Miralga Project , following up on porphyry style and intrusion related targets generated from historical data and reconnaissance work in 2021. , following up on porphyry style and intrusion related targets generated from historical data and reconnaissance work in 2021. Rock chip samples collected by Novo at Gully Washer (Miralga Project) associated with a mineralised breccia and vein array returned peak results of 14.8 g/t Au, 10,083 g/t Ag, 3.8% Cu, 28.3% Pb and 3.6% Zn 1 . (Miralga Project) associated with a mineralised breccia and vein array returned peak results of . The footwall of the mineralised gossanous outcrop at Gully Washer returned four > 2,000 g/t Ag rock chip samples along 100 m of strike1. Field photographs from exploration programs at Bamboo (left) and Miralga (right) Commenting on the latest exploration programs in the East Pilbara, Novo Executive Co-Chairman and Acting CEO Mike Spreadborough said We are pleased to have reached an agreement with the Nyamal Aboriginal Corporation and thank them for their ongoing support of Novo and our exploration endeavours on their land. The terms of this agreement attest to the strong relationship Novo has with the Nyamal People. Novo looks forward to advancing its exploration in the region, as we continue key activities across the priority Bamboo and Miralga Projects. _____________________________________ 1 Refer to Appendix 1 for assay results. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Novo Resources Corp. (Novo or the Company) (ASX: NVO) (TSX: NVO) (OTCQX: NSRPF) is pleased to advise that a Determination Wide Aboriginal Heritage Protection Agreement (the Agreement) has been signed between Novo and the Nyamal Aboriginal Corporation (NAC). The execution of this Agreement streamlines the interactions between Novo and the Nyamal People and confirms Novos commitment to open, honest and transparent dealings with the Traditional Owners of the Pilbara Region. The Agreement with NAC covers a large part of the East Pilbara District and allows Novo to conduct non ground disturbing surface works including mapping and surface geochemistry, specifically targeting the priority Bamboo and Miralga Projects. A cultural heritage site avoidance survey took place at Bamboo on 6 and 7 August 2024 to enable drill testing, with a final report expected later in the month. The Agreement also provides for compensation payments for the benefit of the Traditional Owners which are customary and in line with normal commercial terms for similar agreements of this nature. EAST PILBARA DISTRICT The East Pilbara District encompasses Novo tenements around the townships of Marble Bar and Nullagine (Figure 1) and fall within the Nyamal and Palyku Native Title Determination areas. Approximately 1,500 sq km of prospective and under explored tenure around Marble Bar is currently being advanced by mapping, geochemical surveys and geophysical/remote sensing interpretation. The large landholding comprises orogenic and intrusion-related gold targets, including porphyry / intermediate sulphidation epithermal-style targets at Gully Washer and Shady Camp West on the Miralga Project. A new target style now includes a series of sanukitoid-like intrusions which are evident along a major structural corridor trending along the Nullagine and Bamboo / Strattons projects. Unusual wire gold has been identified in proximity to one of these intrusions at Strattons. Figure 1: East Pilbara District Bamboo Strattons The Bamboo and Strattons Projects are located approximately 60 km east of Marble Bar. Regional exploration programs completed by Novo and previous explorers, have identified several gold anomalous zones within the Apex Basalt of the Warrawoona Group. The Apex Basalt is the host to orogenic gold prospects along strike, including the Bamboo Creek mining centre (Figure 2), where total historical production is estimated to be over 220,000 ounces at 8.7 g/t Au2. Figure 2: Bamboo - Strattons Projects showing mapped or interpreted intrusion targets The tenure contains a series of 1.77 Ga Bridget Suite intrusions as part of a 150 km north-northwest trend (Figure 2). Soil sampling completed by Novo has returned anomalous gold results in proximity to multiple intrusions some of which are emplaced into the otherwise unmineralised Upper Fortescue sequences, suggesting mineralisation is related to their emplacement. During field work surface gold (Figure 3) was detected in the form of wire gold in proximity to one of these intrusions. The Bridget Suite intrusions range in composition from hornblende monzogranite to quartz monzonite and associated hornblende porphyry dykes; and as such they postdate the Archean orogenic mineralisation events associated with gold deposits in the Mosquito Creek and Mallina Basins. _____________________________________ 2 Refer to the Calidus Resources Ltd (ASX: CAI) ASX news release dated 19 February 2024 available at www.asx.com.au. Novo has not conducted data verification (including as that term is defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects) in respect of the data/information set out in that news release under the JORC Code 2012 or NI 43-101. With the new Nyamal Agreement now in place, Novo intends to conduct detailed mapping and soil sampling over 2 km strike of the Apex Basalt and two Bridget Suite intrusions to identify drill targets for RC drill testing. Figure 3: Photos of fine native gold with an unusual wire-like habit, found in proximity to an intrusion at Bamboo. Cautionary Statement: Visual occurrence of surface gold cannot be taken as representative of bedrock mineralisation and no assaying of the occurrence has been undertaken. Visual estimates of mineral abundance should never be considered a proxy or substitute for laboratory analyses where concentrations or grades are the factor of principal economic interest. Visual estimates also potentially provide no information regarding impurities or deleterious physical properties relevant to valuations. Miralga Project The Miralga Project is located 30 km west of Marble Bar. The project is located on the eastern flank of the North Pole Dome where exploration in the 1970s and 1990s focussed on porphyry-style and epithermal vein-style mineralisation within the Panorama Formation. Known porphyry mineralisation is present outside of Novos tenure at Miralga Creek B (Figure 4), where Au-Ag-Cu mineralisation is associated with a stock-like Archaean porphyry, high-level dykes and epithermal veins. Geophysical and remote sensing interpretation, coupled with review of existing geochemical datasets, identified several porphyry targets on Novos tenure where some targets have seen little to no historical exploration. Anomalies were defined using airborne magnetics and radiometric surveys (particularly potassium anomalies), sentinel and satellite imagery, along with normalising base metal geochemical data from the 1970s to 1990s. Porphyry and intrusion-related targets have now been defined over 25 km strike (Figure 4). Three targets were investigated in the field, two of which require significant follow-up Gully Washer and Shady Camp West. Gully Washer is a precious and base-metal rich breccia and vein array related to a felsic porphyry stock which outcrops over 275 m and is up to 35 m width (Figure 5). Rock samples collected by Novo in 2021 returned peak results of 14.8 g/t Au, 10,083 g/t Ag (342 oz/t Ag), 3.8% Cu, 28.3% Pb and 3.6% Zn3 (results are not necessarily representative of mineralisation in the district). High-grade mineralisation is located along the flanks of the gossanous porphyry and related to a maximum six-metre-wide zone of malachite-bearing breccia on both hangingwall and footwall positions of the intrusion (Figure 6). The footwall of the mineralised gossanous outcrop returned four > 2,000 g/t Ag rock chip samples along 100 m of strike, including one sample of over 1 % Ag. _____________________________________ 3 Refer to Appendix 1 for assay results. Exploration by Novo has included a handheld Niton XRF soil grid and reconnaissance mapping which defined intense alteration zones overlapping a 1 km long NW trending Cu soil anomaly (Figure 5). The Gully Washer breccia is centered in the approximate middle of the broader Cu anomaly and alteration zone. Immediately east of Gully Washer, stream sediment sampling has yielded a peak assay of 266 ppb Au in an area with distinct color anomalism on airborne imagery (Figure 5). Figure 4: Miralga Project showing mapped or interpreted intrusion targets Additional mapping, alteration studies, and surface soil and rock chip sampling is planned for Q3 2024 to better delineate high grade mineralisation defined to date, to close off existing soil anomalism, to follow-up the highly anomalous stream sediment sample and to understand the scope of the broader intrusion related target. Figure 5: Gully Washer prospect map showing rock sample results. Figure 6: Mineralised gossan on the southern porphyry margin looking east. Sample R00988 (taken at the position of the central front sample bag) returned assays of 4.6 ppm Au, 99 ppm Ag, and 1.4% Pb4. _____________________________________ 4 Refer to Appendix 1 for assay results Shady Camp West was defined in the 1980s, with broad surface mapping, rock chip sampling and costeaning defining Cu-Au-(Mo) enriched porphyry and intense alteration of the porphyry and adjacent host basalt (AMAX Australia 1980, 1981). Information disclosed in annual exploration reports filed by AMAX Australia Limited in 19825 that are available on the Western Australian Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safetys (DEMIRS) website (WAMEX Reports), indicate that best costean sampling results include 30 m @ 631 ppm Cu and 100 m @ 461 ppm Cu, with peak assays of 1,350 ppm Cu and 0.32 g/t Au in an altered and potentially leached porphyry. Rock chip results included maximum values of 1.3 g/t Au and 12.5% Cu associated with the northern and southern margins of the rhyodacite intrusive (AMAX Australia 1980, 1981). Information disclosed in the WAMEX Reports will assist Novo with exploration targeting. Cautionary Statement: The exploration results contained in the WAMEX Reports have not been reported in accordance with the JORC Code or NI 43-101 and a Competent Person/Qualified Person has not done sufficient work to disclose the exploration results in accordance with the JORC Code 2012 or NI 43-101. It is possible that following further evaluation and/or exploration work that the confidence in the prior reported exploration results may be reduced when reported under the JORC Code 2012 or NI 43-101. Novo confirms that nothing has come to its attention that causes it to question the accuracy or reliability of the results included in the WAMEX Reports, but Novo has not independently validated those results and therefore is not to be regarded as reporting, adopting or endorsing those results. No assurance can be given that Novo will achieve similar results as part of its exploration activities at Shady Camp West. Shady Camp West was prioritised by Novo for investigation due to a large radiometric potassium anomaly extending over 2.2 km north to south (Figure 7) and discrete magnetic lows and highs associated with an intense colour anomaly on airborne imagery. Work undertaken by Novo includes rock chip sampling, grid pXRF soil sampling and reconnaissance mapping. Geological mapping identified a suite of felsic porphyries intruding mafic and intermediate volcanics. Intense alteration and associated weathering products include kaolinitic clay and limonite, with silicification around quartz vein stockworks. Indicative results from handheld Niton XRF soil sampling on 160 m x 40 m spaced E-W lines highlighted a >100 ppm coherent Cu anomaly over 1.2 km long, and open to the north, coincident with potassium alteration, magnetic complexity and maximum quartz veining (Figure 7). The pXRF readings are not verified by an independent laboratory and are not considered to be a proxy or substitute for laboratory analysis. A single orientation line of -80# soil samples which were analysed by an independent laboratory has defined a weak Au and Mo anomaly correlating with pXRF Cu anomalies, with peak results of 26 ppb Au, 3.7 ppm Mo, 100 ppm As, 250 ppm Cu and 130 ppm Zn6. Results may not be representative of mineralisation in the district. Novo intends to conduct detailed alteration and vein mapping, soil sampling and follow-up ground geophysics if warranted, to generate multi-element geochemistry data and geophysical anomalies to determine whether porphyry style mineralisation exists. This program will be conducted over several weeks in Q3 2024. _____________________________________ 5 Refer to Amax Australia Limited 1982 Shady Camp Well Prospect Final Report WAMEX Open File Data Report A11565. 6 Refer to Appendix 1 for assay results. Figure 7: Shady Camp West highlighting geophysical anomalies (left) and pXRF soil Cu geochemical anomalies (right). The potassic anomaly over 2.2 km strike partially overlaps with intense clay alteration of porphyries and host basalt (light colouration on the imagery). Coherent Cu anomalism is open and untested to the north and correlates with maximum quartz veining and weak Au and Mo anomalism in soils. ANALYTIC METHODOLOGY Rock chip samples of 1 3 kg were submitted to Intertek commercial Genalysis (Intertek) in Perth, Western Australia where they were dried and crushed to -3 mm and pulverized to 75 m or better (prep code SP64), with a > 85% pass, then assayed for Au by 50 g charge fire assay FA50/OE and for 48 elements using four acid digest MS finish (4A/MS). Elements that reported above the upper detection limit for 4A/MS were reanalysed using method 4AH/OE. A minimum of 2 CRM standards relevant for the style of mineralisation and 2 blanks were submitted per 100 samples. Soil samples were sieved to < 80 mesh and submitted to Intertek for aqua regia to analyse for 33 elements. A minimum of 2 CRM standards, 2 blanks and 4 field duplicates were submitted per 100 samples. Stream sediment samples were sieved to < 0.9 mm and submitted to Intertek where they were dried and pulverized to 75 m or better (prep code SP02), with a > 85% pass, then analysed for aqua regia for 33 elements. In addition, the samples are analysed via BLEG (Bulk Leach Extractable Gold) 500 g cyanide leach with MS finish for Au, Pt, Pd and Ag. pXRF readings of soils and rock chips were taken using a Niton XLT5 model and were used to aid field interpretation and identification of anomalous target mineralogy and pathfinder elements. The Niton pXRF instrument was calibrated daily and checked against reference material four times per 100 samples and at the start and end of each day. The Niton pXRF uses an x-ray fluorescence tube to take an immediate reading over a small surface area. It is used to obtain an indicative value of certain elements to assist with exploration targeting. The pXRF readings are not verified by an independent laboratory, are not considered to be a proxy or substitute for laboratory analysis. Results may not be representative of mineralisation in the district. Except as otherwise noted in this news release, there were no limitations to the verification process and all relevant data was verified by a qualified person/competent person (as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101) and the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (JORC 2012, Appendix 2) respectively), by reviewing QAQC performance of inserted reference material and the analytical procedures undertaken by Intertek. Authorised for release by the Board of Directors. CONTACT Investors: Mike Spreadborough +61 8 6400 6100 info@novoresources.com North American Queries: Leo Karabelas +1 416 543 3120 leo@novoresources.com Media: Cameron Gilenko +61 466 984 953 cameron.gilenko@sodali.com QP STATEMENT Mrs Karen (Kas) De Luca (MAIG), is the qualified person, as defined under NI 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, responsible for, and having reviewed and approved, the technical information contained in this news release. Mrs De Luca is Novos General Manager Exploration. JORC COMPLIANCE STATEMENT The information in this report that relates to exploration results in the East Pilbara District is based on information compiled by Mrs De Luca, who is a full-time employee of Novo Resources Corp. Mrs De Luca is a Competent Person who is a member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists. Mrs De Luca has sufficient experience that is relevant to the style of mineralisation and the type of deposits under consideration and to the activity being undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves'. Mrs De Luca consents to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on her information in the form and context in which it appears. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Some statements in this news release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Canadian and Australian securities law and regulations. In this news release, such statements include but are not limited to planned exploration activities and the timing of such. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Such factors include, without limitation, customary risks of the resource industry and the risk factors identified in Novos annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2023 (which is available under Novos profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and at www.asx.com.au) in the Companys prospectus dated 2 August 2023 which is available at www.asx.com.au. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date those statements are made. Except as required by applicable law, Novo assumes no obligation to update or to publicly announce the results of any change to any forward-looking statement contained or incorporated by reference herein to reflect actual results, future events or developments, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting the forward-looking statements. If Novo updates any forward-looking statement(s), no inference should be drawn that the Company will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements. ABOUT NOVO Novo is an Australian based gold explorer listed on the ASX and the TSX focused on discovering standalone gold projects with > 1 Moz development potential. Novo is an innovative gold explorer with a significant land package covering approximately 6,700 square kilometres in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, along with the 22 square kilometre Belltopper project in the Bendigo Tectonic Zone of Victoria, Australia. Novos key project area is the Egina Gold Camp, where De Grey Mining (ASX: DEG) is farming-in to form a JV at the Becher Project and surrounding tenements through exploration expenditure of A$25 million within 4 years for a 50% interest. The Becher Project has similar geological characteristics as De Greys 12.7 Moz Hemi Project1. Novo is also advancing gold exploration at Nunyerry North, part of the Croydon JV (Novo 70%: Creasy Group 30%), where 2023 exploration drilling identified significant gold mineralisation. Novo continues to undertake early-stage exploration across its Pilbara tenement portfolio. Novo has also formed lithium joint ventures with both Liatam and SQM in the Pilbara which provides shareholder exposure to battery metals. Novo has a significant investment portfolio and a disciplined program in place to identify value accretive opportunities that will build further value for shareholders. Please refer to Novos website for further information including the latest Corporate Presentation. Appendix 1 Surface sample results for the Miralga Project, listing elements relevant to this mineralisation style (All sample locations are GPS located on MGA_2020 zone 50.) Sample ID Type Prospect Au (ppm) Ag (ppm) Cu (ppm) Pb (ppm) Zn (ppm) Sb (ppm) Easting Northing NX1361301 Rock Chip Gully Washer 14.81 64 3,588 10,965 36,416 1,161 757,548 7,665,836 NX1361302 Rock Chip Gully Washer 1.18 125 1,692 64,918 5,504 118 757,537 7,665,839 NX1361303 Rock Chip Gully Washer 0.08 2 86 461 611 11 757,564 7,665,985 NX1361304 Rock Chip Gully Washer 0.01 3 124 768 365 11 757,523 7,665,895 NX1361305 Rock Chip Gully Washer 0.01 2 117 70 120 12 757,522 7,665,884 NX1361306 Rock Chip Gully Washer 0.03 4 159 129 968 12 757,520 7,665,843 NX1361307 Rock Chip Gully Washer 2.34 40 3,464 9,508 10,334 352 757,522 7,665,839 NX1361308 Rock Chip Gully Washer 0.13 19 366 9,870 23,730 45 757,600 7,665,876 NX1361309 Rock Chip Gully Washer 0.02 1 32 203 423 15 757,606 7,665,885 NX1361311 Rock Chip Gully Washer 0.07 131 575 596 11,812 62 757,635 7,665,874 NX1361312 Rock Chip Gully Washer 3.60 2,130 14,857 9,008 1,258 1,123 757,635 7,665,878 NX1361313 Rock Chip Gully Washer 4.02 2,409 37,718 10,857 2,241 1,474 757,636 7,665,880 NX1361314 Rock Chip Gully Washer 6.07 2,013 33,529 5,138 4,970 2,480 757,638 7,665,882 NX1361315 Rock Chip Gully Washer 0.64 173 1,659 1,995 2,437 248 757,637 7,665,884 NX1361316 Rock Chip Gully Washer 0.48 34 376 1,714 6,389 30 757,657 7,665,881 NX1361317 Rock Chip Gully Washer 2.36 88 1,517 5,158 8,653 285 757,662 7,665,881 NX1361318 Rock Chip Gully Washer 4.23 177 5,691 14,239 10,653 1,384 757,676 7,665,878 NX1361319 Rock Chip Gully Washer 0.05 188 350 6,439 702 71 757,706 7,665,879 NX1361320 Rock Chip Gully Washer 0.04 51 103 2,083 1,839 79 757,703 7,665,877 NX1361321 Rock Chip Gully Washer 0.26 28 850 2,651 5,314 151 757,699 7,665,876 NX1361322 Rock Chip Gully Washer 0.01 3 37 235 489 14 757,720 7,665,877 NX1361325 Rock Chip Gully Washer 2.85 10,083 334 283,103 287 1,774 757,726 7,665,861 NX1361326 Rock Chip Gully Washer 0.74 48 220 4,525 554 138 757,756 7,665,859 NX1361327 Rock Chip Gully Washer 0.30 130 501 2,863 1,827 413 757,667 7,665,849 NX1361328 Rock Chip Gully Washer 0.04 12 454 6,575 5,159 12 757,468 7,665,887 NX1361329 Rock Chip Gully Washer 0.01 3 122 138 181 7 757,484 7,665,888 R00986 Rock Chip Gully Washer 0.64 22 827 13,110 2,035 45 757,633 7,665,852 R00987 Rock Chip Gully Washer 0.03 7 444 1,745 2,649 10 757,630 7,665,847 R00988 Rock Chip Gully Washer 4.55 99 325 14,262 538 481 757,625 7,665,850 R00989 Rock Chip Gully Washer 0.24 20 102 3,012 122 81 757,626 7,665,851 R00990 Rock Chip Gully Washer 0.13 10 451 3,383 6,745 81 757,610 7,665,851 R00991 Rock Chip Gully Washer 0.03 5 172 1,783 3,002 15 757,607 7,665,852 R00992 Rock Chip Gully Washer 1.96 10 549 2,786 3,868 155 757,608 7,665,855 R00993 Rock Chip Gully Washer 0.07 9 150 754 1,631 22 757,594 7,665,853 R00994 Rock Chip Gully Washer 0.05 14 111 431 1,370 42 757,594 7,665,851 R00995 Rock Chip Gully Washer 0.05 14 168 1,906 4,004 40 757,594 7,665,851 R00996 Rock Chip Gully Washer 0.05 7 238 2,421 3,974 26 757,596 7,665,846 R00997 Rock Chip Gully Washer 0.35 51 303 3,789 1,918 406 757,584 7,665,839 R00998 Rock Chip Gully Washer 0.06 30 60 6,225 255 92 757,581 7,665,843 R00999 Rock Chip Gully Washer 0.09 19 70 1,516 349 43 757,561 7,665,838 R01000 Rock Chip Gully Washer 0.87 96 186 3,413 432 658 757,559 7,665,837 Sample ID Type Project Au (ppb) Ag (ppm) Cu (ppm) Pb (ppm) Zn (ppm) Mo (ppm) Easting Northing NVO-16206 Stream Miralga 2.0 0.05 65 7 70 0.3 764,097 7,662,491 NVO-16207 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 54 5 53 0.4 764,115 7,662,484 NVO-16208 Stream Miralga 2.0 0.06 73 7 84 0.7 764,154 7,662,359 NVO-16209 Stream Miralga 2.0 0.03 72 6 79 0.5 764,254 7,662,245 NVO-16210 Stream Miralga 2.0 0.03 69 5 82 0.5 764,259 7,662,234 NVO-16224 Stream Miralga 1.0 0.03 59 6 66 0.3 764,071 7,662,120 NVO-16225 Stream Miralga 1.0 0.03 70 5 88 0.5 764,094 7,662,104 NVO-16226 Stream Miralga 1.0 0.03 84 5 95 0.5 764,262 7,661,635 NVO-16227 Stream Miralga 1.0 0.03 70 6 87 0.3 764,234 7,661,276 NVO-16228 Stream Miralga 1.0 0.03 67 5 77 0.4 764,252 7,661,274 NVO-16229 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.06 55 12 74 0.7 764,379 7,661,143 NVO-16230 Stream Miralga 1.0 0.03 51 6 67 0.6 764,911 7,662,250 NVO-16231 Stream Miralga 2.0 0.03 46 6 67 0.6 764,995 7,662,439 NVO-16232 Stream Miralga 1.0 0.03 72 6 113 0.5 764,811 7,662,748 NVO-16233 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 60 6 92 0.5 764,798 7,662,770 NVO-16234 Stream Miralga 2.0 0.03 51 5 76 0.4 765,342 7,662,705 NVO-16235 Stream Miralga 2.0 0.03 70 5 80 0.4 765,363 7,662,585 NVO-16236 Stream Miralga 1.0 0.03 73 6 71 0.5 765,408 7,662,391 NVO-16237 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 102 13 101 0.5 765,419 7,662,052 NVO-16238 Stream Miralga 0.7 0.03 65 10 69 0.5 765,375 7,662,044 NVO-16240 Stream Miralga 1.0 0.03 66 6 85 0.7 765,198 7,662,795 NVO-16241 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 12 4 24 0.4 765,300 7,661,905 NVO-16242 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 19 4 42 0.5 765,161 7,661,801 NVO-16243 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 32 7 45 0.5 764,990 7,661,305 NVO-16244 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 47 9 63 0.7 764,854 7,661,227 NVO-16246 Stream Miralga 1.0 0.03 65 6 68 0.6 764,595 7,661,315 NVO-16247 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 129 4 101 0.3 759,709 7,661,134 NVO-16248 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 122 4 98 0.3 759,703 7,661,120 NVO-16249 Stream Miralga 688.4 0.03 118 6 72 0.3 759,571 7,661,257 NVO-16250 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 130 4 98 0.3 759,558 7,661,247 NVO-16276 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 119 6 114 0.3 759,438 7,661,238 NVO-16277 Stream Miralga 2.0 0.09 67 25 108 0.6 759,627 7,661,535 NVO-16278 Stream Miralga 2.0 0.05 73 29 128 0.4 759,631 7,661,516 NVO-16279 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 65 7 76 0.4 759,841 7,662,980 NVO-16280 Stream Miralga 1.0 0.05 61 7 81 0.4 759,704 7,662,924 NVO-16281 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.06 89 11 91 0.6 759,543 7,662,915 NVO-16282 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 50 9 129 0.4 759,554 7,662,891 NVO-16283 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 32 7 46 0.5 759,517 7,662,816 NVO-16284 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 65 8 72 0.5 759,599 7,663,809 NVO-16286 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 53 7 61 0.6 759,609 7,663,813 NVO-16287 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 25 9 58 0.7 759,520 7,663,530 NVO-16288 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.07 22 15 63 0.8 759,505 7,663,533 NVO-16289 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.06 64 11 94 0.4 759,108 7,662,227 NVO-16290 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.08 131 9 79 0.6 759,261 7,662,463 NVO-16291 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 67 20 136 1.0 758,070 7,663,986 NVO-16292 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 13 7 38 0.5 758,354 7,664,405 NVO-16293 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.06 86 26 107 0.6 758,352 7,664,332 NVO-16294 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 40 13 50 0.5 758,381 7,664,305 NVO-16296 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 58 15 128 0.4 758,455 7,664,248 NVO-16297 Stream Miralga 2.0 0.03 42 23 102 0.5 758,469 7,663,862 NVO-16298 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.08 91 25 163 0.9 758,271 7,663,688 NVO-16299 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.10 102 9 146 0.7 758,182 7,663,624 NVO-16354 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.13 17 62 77 0.5 758,411 7,664,874 NVO-16355 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 16 6 37 0.4 758,152 7,665,077 NVO-16356 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 21 7 48 0.6 758,083 7,665,062 NVO-16357 Stream Miralga 1.0 0.17 58 36 121 0.9 758,177 7,665,521 NVO-16358 Stream Miralga 12.0 1.12 64 128 153 0.8 758,197 7,665,623 NVO-16359 Stream Miralga 1.0 0.03 28 12 81 0.9 758,429 7,665,634 NVO-16360 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 15 9 69 0.7 758,417 7,665,636 NVO-16361 Stream Miralga 266.3 0.26 52 48 107 0.8 758,237 7,665,789 NVO-16362 Stream Miralga 0.8 0.08 108 14 131 0.6 756,641 7,667,321 NVO-16363 Stream Miralga 1.0 0.15 62 33 136 0.5 756,586 7,667,275 NVO-16364 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.16 89 23 154 0.5 757,129 7,666,582 NVO-16366 Stream Miralga 1.0 0.12 88 17 125 0.6 757,609 7,667,072 NVO-16367 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.15 147 17 131 0.7 757,636 7,667,066 NVO-16368 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.09 142 11 101 0.4 757,815 7,667,122 NVO-16369 Stream Miralga 1.0 0.16 130 18 116 0.6 757,847 7,667,106 NVO-16371 Stream Miralga 1.0 0.16 123 24 123 0.7 758,263 7,666,822 NVO-16372 Stream Miralga 2.0 0.16 132 19 133 0.6 758,265 7,666,831 NVO-16373 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.13 117 14 138 0.7 758,145 7,666,476 NVO-16374 Stream Miralga 2.0 0.06 102 10 118 0.7 758,142 7,666,465 NVO-16375 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.13 94 13 133 0.6 757,852 7,666,683 NVO-16376 Stream Miralga 0.6 0.15 74 18 118 0.6 757,843 7,666,674 NVO-16377 Stream Miralga 0.7 0.08 100 15 112 0.4 759,292 7,666,945 NVO-16378 Stream Miralga 0.6 0.11 114 18 132 0.5 759,329 7,666,908 NVO-16379 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.07 81 21 95 0.4 759,345 7,666,907 NVO-16380 Stream Miralga 1.0 0.11 81 13 107 0.4 759,106 7,666,677 NVO-16381 Stream Miralga 0.8 0.10 195 20 155 0.7 759,090 7,666,700 NVO-16382 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 28 7 38 0.6 761,662 7,655,617 NVO-16383 Stream Miralga 2.0 0.03 56 5 70 0.3 762,188 7,655,318 NVO-16384 Stream Miralga 1.0 0.03 67 7 86 0.3 762,173 7,655,332 NVO-16386 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 81 6 77 0.4 762,272 7,654,725 NVO-16387 Stream Miralga 1.0 0.03 64 6 82 0.3 761,875 7,654,682 NVO-16388 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 54 6 73 0.5 761,909 7,654,734 NVO-16389 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 39 6 57 0.5 761,529 7,655,175 NVO-16390 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 66 5 73 0.4 761,509 7,655,178 NVO-16391 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 46 6 61 0.5 761,519 7,655,247 NVO-16392 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 65 5 104 0.5 759,997 7,656,120 NVO-16393 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.06 92 8 128 0.5 759,955 7,655,795 NVO-16394 Stream Miralga 1.0 0.03 77 4 123 0.4 759,924 7,655,782 NVO-16396 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.08 85 7 107 0.5 760,264 7,655,541 NVO-16397 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 83 4 123 0.4 760,613 7,655,338 NVO-16398 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 95 9 107 0.7 760,612 7,655,366 NVO-16399 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.06 113 6 114 0.5 760,816 7,655,348 NVO-16400 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.06 86 12 98 0.4 761,162 7,655,284 NVO-16511 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 60 6 100 0.4 760,648 7,657,239 NVO-16512 Stream Miralga 2.0 0.08 58 8 110 0.4 760,634 7,657,240 NVO-16513 Stream Miralga 0.8 0.05 61 7 99 0.4 760,488 7,657,194 NVO-16514 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 36 10 66 0.5 760,563 7,656,936 NVO-16515 Stream Miralga 2.0 0.03 70 6 111 0.4 760,689 7,656,784 NVO-16516 Stream Miralga 0.5 0.03 41 5 74 0.4 760,696 7,656,803 Sample ID Type Project Au (ppb) As (ppm) Cu (ppm) Pb (ppm) Zn (ppm) Mo (ppm) Easting MGA 2020 Z50 Northing MGA 2020 Z50 H9594 Soil Shady Camp West 1.0 4 60 10 57 0.6 761,199 7,656,279 H9595 Soil Shady Camp West 1.0 3 47 8 52 0.7 761,239 7,656,279 H9596 Soil Shady Camp West 1.0 5 31 10 39 0.5 761,279 7,656,278 H9631 Soil Shady Camp West 0.5 3 164 6 39 0.4 761,479 7,656,279 H9632 Soil Shady Camp West 2.0 3 109 8 52 0.6 761,519 7,656,279 H9633 Soil Shady Camp West 0.5 3 79 8 64 0.5 761,559 7,656,279 H9640 Soil Shady Camp West 5.0 3 32 28 16 0.6 761,799 7,656,278 H9641 Soil Shady Camp West 12.0 100 83 17 36 3.7 761,838 7,656,278 H9642 Soil Shady Camp West 4.0 16 94 21 130 0.9 761,879 7,656,279 H9643 Soil Shady Camp West 1.0 5 39 8 74 0.6 761,920 7,656,279 H9644 Soil Shady Camp West 1.0 4 50 9 50 0.8 761,960 7,656,278 H9597 Soil Shady Camp West 1.0 6 73 17 44 0.9 761,320 7,656,279 H9598 Soil Shady Camp West 2.0 3 52 9 52 0.5 761,359 7,656,278 H9599 Soil Shady Camp West 2.0 3 59 8 49 0.5 761,399 7,656,278 H9630 Soil Shady Camp West 1.0 4 100 9 44 0.7 761,439 7,656,279 H9634 Soil Shady Camp West 0.5 3 54 8 41 0.5 761,599 7,656,279 H9636 Soil Shady Camp West 26.0 4 250 20 32 0.5 761,648 7,656,278 H9637 Soil Shady Camp West 13.0 4 107 22 27 0.4 761,679 7,656,278 H9638 Soil Shady Camp West 7.0 4 71 15 19 1.1 761,720 7,656,279 H9639 Soil Shady Camp West 11.0 5 105 22 26 1.0 761,759 7,656,278 H9646 Soil Shady Camp West 2.0 4 67 9 75 0.7 761,999 7,656,278 H9647 Soil Shady Camp West 0.5 3 40 24 71 0.5 762,040 7,656,279 H9648 Soil Shady Camp West 5.0 5 61 51 112 0.8 762,079 7,656,279 Visual wire gold observations (Bamboo) (All sample locations are GPS located on MGA_2020 zone 50.) Sample ID Type Project Mineral observed Visual estimate (%) Description mineral size (mm) Easting Northing N/A Detected Bamboo Native Gold N/A Wire gold 220,735 7,673,280 Appendix 2 - JORC Code, 2012 Edition Table 1 Section 1: Sampling Techniques and Data (Criteria listed in the preceding section also apply to this section.) Criteria JORC Code explanation Commentary Sampling techniques Nature and quality of sampling (e.g., cut channels, random chips, or specific specialised industry standard measurement tools appropriate to the minerals under investigation, such as down hole gamma sondes, or handheld XRF instruments, etc). These examples should not be taken as limiting the broad meaning of sampling. Include reference to measures taken to ensure sample representivity and the appropriate calibration of any measurement tools or systems used. Aspects of the determination of mineralisation that are Material to the Public Report. In cases where industry standard work has been done this would be relatively simple (e.g., reverse circulation drilling was used to obtain 1 m samples from which 3 kg was pulverised to produce a 30 g charge for fire assay). In other cases, more explanation may be required, such as where there is coarse gold that has inherent sampling problems. Unusual commodities or mineralisation types (e.g., submarine nodules) may warrant disclosure of detailed information. Rock chips samples were collected by grab sampling 1 3 kg of material which were dispatched to Intertek Genalysis, Western Australia for analysis. Sample sites were selected based to be representative on the lithology sampled, and the same sampling technique was employed at each sample site where possible. Stream sediment samples were sieved to < 0.9 mm and submitted to Intertek where they were dried and pulverized to 75 m or better and analysed using aqua regia and BLEG (Bulk Leach Extractable Gold) 500 g cyanide leach with MS finish for Au, Pt, Pd and Ag. Soil samples of 200g were collected from small pits 2 cm 20 cm depth and sieved to <80#. Analysis depends on anticipated target mineralisation and includes aqua regia for all soils. pXRF readings of soils were taken using a NITON XLT5 model and were used to aid field interpretation and identification of anomalous target mineralogy and pathfinder elements. The Niton pXRF machine was calibrated daily. Wire gold specimens were detected by hand using a Minelab GPZ 7000 metal detector. Drilling techniques Drill type (e.g., core, reverse circulation, open-hole hammer, rotary air blast, auger, Bangka, sonic, etc) and details (e.g., core diameter, triple or standard tube, depth of diamond tails, face-sampling bit, or other type, whether core is oriented and if so, by what method, etc). No drilling was undertaken. Drill sample recovery Method of recording and assessing core and chip sample recoveries and results assessed. Measures taken to maximise sample recovery and ensure representative nature of the samples. Whether a relationship exists between sample recovery and grade and whether sample bias may have occurred due to preferential loss/gain of fine/coarse material. No drilling was undertaken. Logging Whether core and chip samples have been geologically and geotechnically logged to a level of detail to support appropriate Mineral Resource estimation, mining studies and metallurgical studies. Whether logging is qualitative or quantitative in nature. Core (or costean, channel, etc) photography. The total length and percentage of the relevant intersections logged. No drilling was undertaken. Sub-sampling techniques and sample preparation If core, whether cut or sawn and whether quarter, half or all core taken. If non-core, whether riffled, tube sampled, rotary split, etc and whether sampled wet or dry. For all sample types, the nature, quality, and appropriateness of the sample preparation technique. Quality control procedures adopted for all sub-sampling stages to maximise representivity of samples. Measures taken to ensure that the sampling is representative of the in-situ material collected, including for instance results for field duplicate/second-half sampling. Whether sample sizes are appropriate to the grain size of the material being sampled. Rock chip samples were dried, crushed and pulverised (SP64) by Intertek Genalysis to create a 50 g charge, then assayed for Au (+/- Pt and Pd) by fire assay FA50/OE and for 48 elements using four acid digest MS finish (4A/MS). Stream sediment samples were dried and pulverized to 75 m or better (prep code SP02), with a > 85% pass, then analysed for aqua regia for 33 elements. In addition, the samples are analysed via BLEG (Bulk Leach Extractable Gold) 500 g cyanide leach with MS finish for Au, Pt, Pd and Ag. Soil samples required no prep and were analysed for 32 elements by aqua regia digest with MS finish (lab method AR25/MS). pXRF readings of soils were taken using a NITON XLT5 model and were used to aid field interpretation and identification of anomalous target mineralogy and pathfinder elements. The Niton pXRF machine was calibrated daily. The sampling techniques and sample size is considered appropriate for this style of mineralisation. Quality of assay data and laboratory tests The nature, quality and appropriateness of the assaying and laboratory procedures used and whether the technique is considered partial or total. For geophysical tools, spectrometers, handheld XRF instruments, etc, the parameters used in determining the analysis including instrument make and model, reading times, calibrations factors applied and their derivation, etc. Nature of quality control procedures adopted (e.g., standards, blanks, duplicates, external laboratory checks) and whether acceptable levels of accuracy (if lack of bias) and precision have been established. The rock chip sample assay methodology noted above is considered appropriate for the style of mineralisation tested. The method includes inserting 2 CRM standards and 2 blanks per 100 samples or at least one of each per sample submission. The soil and stream sample assay methodology has low level detection for gold and multi-elements and is considered appropriate for soil geochemistry for outcropping or near surface mineralisation. The method includes insertion of at least 2 blanks 2 CRM standards and 4 field duplicates per 100 samples. pXRF readings of soils were taken using a NITON XLT5 model and were used to aid field interpretation and identification of anomalous target mineralogy and pathfinder elements. This is appropriate for first pass reconnaissance and anomaly definition. The machine is calibrated daily and at least four CRMs are inserted per 100 samples and at the start and end of the day. No QAQC issues were detected. Verification of sampling and assaying The verification of significant intersections by either independent or alternative company personnel. The use of twinned holes. Documentation of primary data, data entry procedures, data verification, data storage (physical and electronic) protocols. Discuss any adjustment to assay data. Primary data was collected in the field and stored using database compatible excel templates which were then forwarded to the database manager email for upload to the Geobank (v2022.5) database, buffered through a validation portal that ensures code and primary record compliance. Geobank is a front-end UX/UI tender software platform (developed and sold by Micromine) attached to a SQL v15.1 server. Assay data were loaded from lab certificates received from the registered laboratory by an internal database manager or external database consultant, and industry-standard audit trails and chain-of-custody was adhered to. Verification included checking the data against original logs and utilising laboratory certificates. No adjustments of the assay data were made. Location of data points Accuracy and quality of surveys used to locate drill holes (collar and down-hole surveys), trenches, mine workings and other locations used in Mineral Resource estimation. Specification of the grid system used. Quality and adequacy of topographic control. All surface sample reconnaissance locations were recorded in by hand-held GPS using the GDA 2020 zone 50 co-ordinate system. Data spacing and distribution Data spacing for reporting of Exploration Results. Whether the data spacing, and distribution is sufficient to establish the degree of geological and grade continuity appropriate for the Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve estimation procedure(s) and classifications applied. Whether sample compositing has been applied. Limited rock samples are taken and are indicative of potential grade tenor. These do not indicate any continuity or scale potential. Limited stream samples are taken and provide a vector towards potential mineralisation but are not indicative of grade tenor or scale potential. pXRF soil samples at Gully Washer and Freds Well East were taken on a nominal 80 m x 40 m grid and 160 m x 20 m spacing respectively. Orientation of data in relation to geological structure Whether the orientation of sampling achieves unbiased sampling of possible structures and the extent to which this is known, considering the deposit type. If the relationship between the drilling orientation and the orientation of key mineralised structures is considered to have introduced a sampling bias, this should be assessed and reported if material. pXRF sample grids were orientated to best intersect the lithological and structural trends at right angles. Sample security The measures taken to ensure sample security. All samples are stored and managed on site by internal staff. Samples are then transported by reputable companies to a registered laboratory where they are stored in a locked facility before being tracked and processed through the preparation and analysis system at the laboratory. Audits or reviews The results of any audits or reviews of sampling techniques and data. No audits have been undertaken. Section 2: Reporting of Exploration Results (Criteria listed in the preceding section also apply to this section.) Criteria JORC Code explanation Commentary Mineral tenement and land tenure status Type, reference name/number, location and ownership including agreements or material issues with third parties such as joint ventures, partnerships, overriding royalties, native title interests, historical sites, wilderness or national park and environmental settings. The security of the tenure held at the time of reporting along with any known impediments to obtaining a license to operate in the area. The Gully Washer and Freds Well East prospects are part of the Miralga Project and are located on Exploration License E45/4922, approximately 25 km west of Marble Bar. The tenement is 100% held by Nullagine Gold Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Novo. There are no known Registered Heritage Sites within this tenement. A geological heritage site is located within the Dresser Formation and relates to Archean stromatolites. A larger reserve is planned to further expand the protection of these oldest fossils. As the geological heritage site is related to the Dresser Formation where stromatolites occur, it is not expected to impact on the remainder of the tenement prospective for porphyry mineralisation. The prospects fall under the granted Nyamal Native Title determination WC1999/008 and is subject to a land access and mineral exploration agreement with the Native Title Holders. The tenements are currently in good standing and there are no known impediments. Exploration done by other parties Acknowledgment and appraisal of exploration by other parties. In 1969 1970, Anglo American conducted a large stream sampling program comprising 1,345 samples, analysed for Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn. AMAX conducted surface sampling and costeaning during 1980 and 1981, delineating the Freds Well Creek prospect. Haoma Mining explored the district from 1998 to 2018, mostly focussing on the North Pole prospect outside of current Novo tenure, and various small barite deposits. Sipa Resources explored the current Gully Washer prospect and conducted surface rock sampling and drilled six shallow RC drill holes. Results include up to 20.7 g/t Au from rock sampling and a best of 1 m at 6.22 ppm Au from RC chips. Geology Deposit type, geological setting, and style of mineralisation. The Miralga Project is located on the eastern flank of the North Pole Dome. The North Pole monzogranite has intruded an Archean sequence of mafic to felsic volcanics and volcaniclastics and is prospective for porphyry-style and epithermal vein-style mineralisation within the Panorama Formation. Known porphyry mineralisation is present outside of Novos tenure at Miralga Creek B, where Au-Ag-Cu mineralisation is associated with a stock-like Archaean porphyry, high-level dykes and epithermal veins. Wire gold specimens were detected by hand in proximity to one of the Bridget Suite intrusions at Bamboo. Drill hole Information A summary of all information material to the understanding of the exploration results including a tabulation of the following information for all Material drill holes, including Easting and northing of the drill hole collar, Elevation or RL (Reduced Level elevation above sea level in metres) of the drill hole collar, dip and azimuth of the hole, down hole length and interception depth plus hole length. If the exclusion of this information is justified on the basis that the information is not Material and this exclusion does not detract from the understanding of the report, the Competent Person should clearly explain why this is the case. No drilling was undertaken. Data aggregation methods In reporting Exploration Results, weighting averaging techniques, maximum and/or minimum grade truncations (e.g., cutting of high grades) and cut-off grades are usually Material and should be stated. Where aggregate intercepts incorporate short lengths of high-grade results and longer lengths of low-grade results, the procedure used for such aggregation should be stated and some typical examples of such aggregations should be shown in detail. The assumptions used for any reporting of metal equivalent values should be clearly stated. No drilling was undertaken. Relationship between mineralisation widths and intercept lengths These relationships are particularly important in the reporting of Exploration Results. If the geometry of the mineralisation with respect to the drill hole angle is known, its nature should be reported. If it is not known and only the down hole lengths are reported, there should be a clear statement to this effect (e.g., down hole length, true width not known). No drilling was undertaken. Rock sample results are indicative in nature and, whilst representatively sampling the target lithology, do not contain any width or length information other than a qualitative description of the target. Diagrams Appropriate maps and sections (with scales) and tabulations of intercepts should be included for any significant discovery being reported. These should include, but not be limited to a plan view of drill hole collar locations and appropriate sectional views. Refer to the body of the release for appropriate maps and diagrams. Balanced reporting Where comprehensive reporting of all Exploration Results is not practicable, representative reporting of both low and high grades and/or widths should be practiced to avoid misleading reporting of Exploration Results. All rock sample results are reported in Appendix 1. Soil sample analytical and pXRF results are not listed here but summarised in diagrams and in the body of the release. Other substantive exploration data Other exploration data, if meaningful and material, should be reported including (but not limited to): geological observations; geophysical survey results; geochemical survey results; bulk samples size and method of treatment; metallurgical test results; bulk density, groundwater, geotechnical and rock characteristics; potential deleterious or contaminating substances. No additional data. Further work The nature and scale of planned further work (e.g., tests for lateral extensions or depth extensions or large-scale step-out drilling). Diagrams clearly highlighting the areas of possible extensions, including the main geological interpretations and future drilling areas, provided this information is not commercially sensitive. Refer to the body of the release. No Section 3 or 4 report as no Mineral Resources or Ore Reserves are reported in this Appendix Photos and charts accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/dbf1b3bd-d23b-4ccd-9371-f3501998b247 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f5e41ab5-3c97-4968-86fc-93eb00049295 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/58cc4f17-ca65-41dc-ac96-3a0a5251a446 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4af41664-e366-4578-8ad0-e3046cab57cc https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7b749f5f-4539-4f30-b3dd-8f1edd89af8c https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/961c5e62-1ce7-479e-9f7f-acb36055972d https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a700a0ec-8e9e-41e2-a34f-be25b4bd3786 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/dcc3ed88-c7e1-48a4-b3e2-b7319bb9ba88 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fc64e1a4-5575-4a39-9b44-f33774aa174d OTTAWA, Ontario, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF) is thrilled to announce the hiring of Sean Southey as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). With a strong background in conservation leadership, Southey will spearhead the organization's mission to connect Canadians with nature and restore endangered habitats. His extensive experience in international development, communications, and conservation sectors will be instrumental in advancing CWF's top priorities, including transformative education. He will officially take on his new role on Sept. 16, 2024. "During this critical time for wildlife in Canada, Sean Southey's extensive experience and deep commitment to conservation will play a pivotal role in advancing a conservation ethic which is instrumental to supporting key species and their habitats," stated Brad Leyte, President of the CWF Board of Directors. With more than 30 years of experience, Southey has served in various roles, including five years with a provincial environment ministry, 12 years with a United Nations environment team, and ongoing involvement with non-governmental organizations. Notably, he spent a decade as the President of PCI Media, a conservation NGO based in New York City. He has received more than 100 awards for his outstanding work in reaching diverse audiences with wildlife and planet-saving information. Southey's appointment as CWFs CEO follows the retirement of Rick Bates, who served 16 years with the charity leaving a significant legacy of growth and achievement. Bates expressed his congratulations to his successor, highlighting Southey's prior involvement with CWF as a volunteer member of the Advisory Board of the CWF Canadian Conservation Corps youth program. Having also worked alongside Southey on the Council for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature for the last eight years, Bates is confident in this transition and excited for the future of CWF. Southey will continue to serve as the Chair of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Commission on Education and Communication (CEC) for the next year until his term is completed. Looking ahead, CWF has outlined its key priorities for the next five years, which include advancing nature-based solutions to climate change and biodiversity loss while providing Canadians with the training and resources to inspire conservation. I am honored and excited to join CWF, said Southey, who will be based at the head office in Kanata, Ont. The work we do is so important for the people, wildlife and habitats of this beautiful country. We have much to do but I am confident that this amazing team and organization will continue to play its part in helping build a true culture of conservation across Canada. CWF extends its gratitude to all the applicants who expressed interest in the CEO position. For more information about the Canadian Wildlife Federation and its initiatives, visit CanadianWildlifeFederation.ca. About the Canadian Wildlife Federation The Canadian Wildlife Federation is a national, not-for-profit charitable organization dedicated to conserving Canadas wildlife and habitats for the use and enjoyment of all. By spreading knowledge of human impacts on wildlife and the environment, carrying out actions to conserve and restore species and habitats, developing and delivering conservation education programs, advocating for changes to government policy and programs, and co-operating with like-minded partners, CWF encourages a future in which Canadians can live in harmony with nature. For more information, visit CanadianWildlifeFederation.ca. Contacts: Heather Robison Media and Community Relations Officer heatherr@cwf-fcf.org 613-599-9594 x 212 or media@cwf-fcf.org A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f20b7ee1-bc69-4430-80b2-b26d836c9ea7 Denver, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GLOBAL) is proud to support a groundbreaking new study published in Cell Reports by researchers from its partner and Affiliate, the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome (Crnic Institute) at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, that reports important differences in oxygen physiology and red blood cell function in individuals with Down syndrome. The study is part of the ongoing Human Trisome Project, a large and detailed cohort study of the population with Down syndrome, including deep annotation of clinical data, the largest biobank for the study of Down syndrome to date, and multi-omics datasets. The Crnic Institute team first analyzed hundreds of blood samples to identify physiological differences between research participants with Down syndrome versus controls from the general population. They observed that triplication of chromosome 21, or trisomy 21, the chromosomal abnormality that causes Down syndrome, leads to a physiological state reminiscent of hypoxia, or low oxygen. They identified major changes in gene expression indicative of low oxygen availability, including induction of many hypoxia-inducible genes and proteins, as well as increased levels of factors involved in the synthesis of heme, the molecule that transports oxygen inside red blood cells. These results reveal that hypoxia and hypoxic signaling should be front and center when we talk about the health of people with Down syndrome, says Dr. Joaquin Espinosa, executive director of the Crnic Institute, professor of Pharmacology, Principal Investigator of the Human Trisome Project, and one of the senior authors of the paper. Given the critical role of oxygen physiology in health and disease, we need to understand the causes and consequences of hypoxia in Down syndrome, which could lead to effective interventions to improve oxygen availability in this deserving population. The results are remarkable, it is safe to say that the blood of people with Down syndrome looks like that of someone who was quickly transported to a high altitude or who was injected with erythropoietin (EPO), the master regulator of erythropoiesis, the process of new red blood cell formation, explains Dr. Micah Donovan, lead author of the paper. Although it has been known for many years that people with Down syndrome have fewer and bigger red blood cells, this is the first demonstration that they overproduce EPO and that they are undergoing stress erythropoiesis, a phenomenon whereby the liver and the spleen need to start producing red blood cells to supplement those arising from the bone marrow." The team discovered that these phenomena are also observed in a mouse model of Down syndrome, thus reinforcing the idea that these important physiological changes arise from triplication of genetic material and overexpression of specific genes. The fact that hypoxic signaling and stress erythropoiesis are conserved in the mouse model paves the way for mechanistic investigations that could identify the genes involved and reveal therapeutic interventions to improve oxygen physiology in Down syndrome, explains Dr. Kelly Sullivan, associate professor of pediatrics, Director of the Experimental Models Program at the Crnic Institute, and co-author in the study. The study team also investigated whether the elevated hypoxic signaling and associated stress erythropoiesis was tied to the heightened inflammatory state characteristic of Down syndrome. Although individuals with the stronger hypoxic signatures show more pronounced dysregulation of the immune system and elevated markers of inflammation, their results indicate that lowering inflammation does not suffice to reverse the hypoxic state. We will need a lot more data to understand what is causing the hypoxic state and its impacts on the health of people with Down syndrome, says Dr. Matthew Galbraith, assistant research professor of pharmacology, Director of the Data Sciences Program at the Crnic Institute, and one of the senior authors of the paper. The hypoxic state could be caused by obstructive sleep apnea (which is common in Down syndrome), cardiopulmonary malfunction, or even perhaps defects in red blood cell function. We are very excited about several ongoing clinical trials funded by the NIH INCLUDE Project for obstructive sleep apnea in Down syndrome, which we believe will be very informative. The Crnic Institute study team is already planning several follow up studies, with the explicit goal of illuminating strategies to improve oxygen physiology in the population with Down syndrome. This is another huge breakthrough from our scientists at the Crnic Institute that we hope will lead to additional treatments quickly, says Michelle Sie Whitten, president & CEO of Global Down Syndrome Foundation, a partner and an Affiliate organization of the Crnic Institute. As a mother of a brilliant 21-year-old with Down syndrome I am eager to understand how to normalize oxygen physiology safely and how that may improve the lives of millions of people with Down syndrome across the world. We are proud that GLOBALs advocacy work with Congress and with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has led to the establishment of the trans-NIH Down syndrome funding project, INCLUDE, that underwrites this and numerous other groundbreaking studies and clinical trials. About the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome The Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome is one of the only academic research centers fully devoted to improving the lives of people with Down syndrome through advanced biomedical research, spanning from basic science to translational and clinical investigations. Founded through the generous support and partnership of the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, the Anna and John J. Sie Foundation, and the University of Colorado, the Crnic Institute supports a thriving Down syndrome research program involving over 50 research teams across four campuses on the Colorado Front Range. To learn more, visit www.crnicinstitute.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter @CrnicInstitute. About the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is a world-class medical destination at the forefront of transformative science, medicine, education and patient care. The campus encompasses the University of Colorado health professional schools, more than 60 centers and institutes, and two nationally ranked independent hospitals - UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital and Children's Hospital Colorado which see more than 2 million adult and pediatric patient visits yearly. Innovative, interconnected and highly collaborative, the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus delivers life-changing treatments, patient care and professional training and conducts world-renowned research fueled by $705 million in research grants. For more information, visit www.cuanschutz.edu. About Global Down Syndrome Foundation The Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GLOBAL) is the largest non-profit in the U.S. working to save lives and dramatically improve health outcomes for people with Down syndrome. GLOBAL has donated more than $32 million to establish the first Down syndrome research institute supporting over 400 scientists and over 2,500 patients with Down syndrome from 33 states and 10 countries. Working closely with Congress and the National Institutes of Health, GLOBAL is the lead advocacy organization in the U.S. for Down syndrome research and care. GLOBAL has a membership of over 100 Down syndrome organizations worldwide, and is part of a network of Affiliates the Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, the Sie Center for Down Syndrome, and the University of Colorado Alzheimers and Cognition Center all on the Anschutz Medical Campus. GLOBALs widely circulated medical publications include Global Medical Care Guidelines for Adults with Down Syndrome, Prenatal & Newborn Down Syndrome Information, and the award-winning magazine Down Syndrome World TM. GLOBAL also organizes the Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show, the largest Down syndrome fundraiser in the world. Visit globaldownsyndrome.org and follow us on social media Facebook, X and Instagram. ### Attachment TORONTO, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Angel Capital Organization (NACO) is reaffirming its commitment to newcomer entrepreneurs and supporting the continued success of the Start-up Visa Program, amid recent changes announced by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). As of July 31, 2024, IRCC has decided not to establish new contracts with the two industry association partners that support the Start-up Visa Program, which includes NACO. The decision follows a pause in the designation of new business incubators, angel investors, and venture capital funds, as well as an ongoing review of the Program by the Department. In a statement to NACO, IRCC noted: The current pause on the designation of new business incubators, angel investors, and venture capital funds has temporarily eliminated one of the key functions previously supported by industry associations. The Department is also conducting a review of the Program, which may impact the functions required of contracted organizations going forward. Consequently, the Department has decided to operate the Program without industry associations while we further evaluate our contracting needs. Despite these changes, NACO remains dedicated to supporting the Start-up Visa Programs objectives and will continue to advocate for program improvements. Leveraging over a decade of experience as a partner with IRCC and as an architect of the Start-up Visa Program, NACO will work to enhance support for designated organizations and newcomer entrepreneurs. Furthermore, NACO will continue supporting member organizations who meet designation criteria. This includes updating IRCC on the status of their membership with NACO, providing letters of support where appropriate, and reporting on key performance data relative to their participation in the program. NACO will share this data with IRCC in the form of an annual report on the Start-up Visa Program, ensuring continued advocacy and alignment with program goals. "Newcomer entrepreneurs bring an incredible wealth of innovation, diversity, and drive to our economy. said Claudio Rojas, CEO of NACO. The Start-up Visa Program has been instrumental in positioning Canada as a global leader in entrepreneurship and innovation. We believe in the tremendous potential of this Program to attract the best and brightest from across the world. NACO remains committed to ensuring the Start-up Visa Programs continued success." About National Angel Capital Organization National Angel Capital Organization (NACO) members have invested $1.54 billion into more than 2,000 Canadian companies. Incorporated in 2002, NACO is Canadas professional association for angel investors and the only national platform for angel collectives and the innovation hubs that support Canadas entrepreneurs. NACOs national network includes 4,000 angel investors and 100 member organizations, representing Canadas most active incubators, accelerators, and angel networks. https://nacocanada.com . To schedule an interview, contact: Claudio Rojas CEO, National Angel Capital Organization Email: media@nacocanada.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/56e57e15-3f24-473b-a1b0-943281a3ec8f Cincinnati, Ohio, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Everzocial, a full-service digital marketing agency located in Ohio and California, announces its proactive vision for transforming small businesses' online presence through creative marketing solutions. The agency provides businesses with affordable agency-level services in design, communication, technology, and strategy. With a team of experts, well-versed in the tools and techniques of both digital and traditional media, Everzocial offers diverse portfolios tailored to different business needs. The agency takes pride in its ability to research business demographics, master the market, and actively engage with potential customers. For small business owners who don't have the time, money, or desire to maintain or reshape their online presence, Everzocial provides a tailored way forward. The agency specializes in web design, SEO, PPC, and social media marketing to grow businesses' revenue. They apply internet advertising techniques through a creative lens rooted in traditional advertising experience, making them stand out from the competition. "As we look back at the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is clear that businesses must have a strong online presence to survive in a volatile business environment. The pandemic decimated tens of thousands of small businesses who had little or no online presence, making it imperative for companies to take a proactive approach to marketing in order to stay competitive. As we potentially face a possible recession, having a well-established and controlled online presence is more important than ever for businesses to not only survive but thrive in today's market." says founder and CEO, Kevin Mcgrew. Everzocial uses a crawl, walk, run model with its clients, connecting to all their systems, including their social media, digital marketing, SEO, websites, and e-commerce. They put everything into a reporting system dashboard, providing clients with the visibility they have never had before. With this transparency, businesses can quickly identify areas that require attention and take necessary actions to improve their performance. In addition to providing visibility, Everzocial takes a holistic approach to marketing campaigns. They look beyond driving traffic to a website and focus on user experience and conversion rate optimization. By analyzing customer journeys and optimizing conversion rates, they can help businesses make more money with the same amount of traffic. Everzocial's model involves starting with messaging and website development before moving to traffic generation, which is split into SEO and PPC. The agency believes every website is a tree in the forest and that driving traffic is essential to growing businesses' revenue. The agency's founder and CEO, Kevin Mcgrew, describes Everzocial's offerings as "like drinking water from a fire hydrant." They provide clients with a lot of information and opportunities to improve their online presence, from developing MVPs to testing market viability to ongoing support on a retainer basis. Their tailored solutions and custom quotes ensure that clients receive what they need to succeed. Everzocial's proactive vision for digital marketing promises to transform small businesses' online presence. With affordable agency-level services in design, communication, technology, and strategy, the agency's team of experts can provide businesses with the tools they need to grow their revenue. Their transparency, holistic approach, and tailored solutions make them stand out from the competition. About Everzocial Everzocial is a full-service digital marketing agency headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, with offices in San Diego, California. The company specializes in transforming small businesses' online presence through creative marketing solutions. The agency takes a holistic approach to marketing campaigns, focusing on user experience and conversion rate optimization. Their transparent reporting system dashboard provides clients with visibility and identifies areas that require attention to improve performance. With Everzocial, businesses receive tailored solutions and custom quotes to succeed. Media contact: Name: Kevin McGrew Email: kevin@everzocial.com ARLINGTON, TEXAS, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Texas Health Resources, the health system that cares for more North Texans than any other, is expanding services in Kaufman County, including building a new full-service hospital and on-campus medical office building in Forney. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Kaufman County is growing faster than any other in the nation with Forney among the countrys fastest-growing cities. To better meet the communitys increasing needs, we are excited to offer more services and access points throughout Kaufman County, including constructing the first hospital in Forney, said Barclay Berdan, FACHE, CEO of Texas Health. With deep roots in the community, including a hospital in Kaufman that has served this community for more than 40 years, we are excited to bring additional health care for Kaufman County residents. The new hospital, to be built on 50 acres located along Highway 80, will be the first full-service acute care hospital in the city of Forney and will be designed for additional expansion for future needs. Construction is expected to be completed in 2027. The hospital will offer an emergency room, operating suites, a labor and delivery department, a variety of imaging services as well as additional services to provide the full continuum of care to the growing community. Texas Health plans to add a few hundred jobs to the Kaufman County community with the addition of the new Forney hospital. We are thrilled to welcome this facility to Forney, as it will provide our residents with top-quality healthcare right here in our city, said Forney Mayor Jason Roberson. We look forward to welcoming Texas Health Resources and the positive impact it will have on our community. While the hospital is being built, Texas Health will continue to build on our existing presence in the community, including a new medical office building on the future Forney hospitals campus. Kaufman County residents also have access to a variety of other care sites, including Quick Care video visits, which connect consumers to virtual urgent care services in minutes, Texas Health Physicians Group practices, and nearby facilities such as Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas and Texas Health Hospital Rockwall. Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Kaufman has served and invested in the community for more than 40 years and will continue to do so. Over the last several years, Texas Health Kaufman has continued to invest in care advancements including unit renovations and refurbishments, improved testing and diagnostic capabilities with the addition of 3D mammography, and other new equipment. Texas Health is also working with others to build healthier communities as evidenced by the more than $1 million in grants weve provided in Kaufman County over the last five years to address issues like mental health, social isolation and food insecurity in underserved areas. North Texas continues to flourish and as the leading health system in the market, we intend to continue investing in new ways to serve our community in Forney and beyond, Berdan said. By ushering in new access points, enhancing our existing care sites, and introducing innovative new care models, were committed to remaining the healthcare system of choice for North Texans. END About Texas Health Resources: Texas Health Resources is a faith-based, nonprofit health system that cares for more patients in North Texas than any other provider. With a service area that consists of 16 counties and more than 7 million people, the system is committed to providing quality, coordinated care through its Texas Health Physicians Group and 29 hospital locations under the banners of Texas Health Presbyterian, Texas Health Arlington Memorial, Texas Health Harris Methodist and Texas Health Huguley. Texas Health access points and services, ranging from acute-care hospitals and trauma centers to outpatient facilities and home health and preventive services, provide the full continuum of care for all stages of life. The system has more than 4,100 licensed hospital beds, 6,400 physicians with active staff privileges and almost 29,000 employees. For more information about Texas Health, call 1-877-THR-WELL, or visit www.TexasHealth.org. Attachment BURLINGTON, N.J., Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Burlington Stores, Inc. (NYSE: BURL), a nationally recognized off-price retailer of high-quality, branded apparel, footwear, accessories, and merchandise for the home at everyday low prices, will release its second quarter fiscal year 2024 results before the U.S. stock market opens on Thursday, August 29, 2024. The Company will also hold a conference call to discuss results at 8:30 a.m. (Eastern Time) that day. The U.S. toll free dial-in for the conference call is 1-800-715-9871 (passcode: 8773565) and the international dial-in number is 1-646-307-1963. A live webcast of the conference call will also be available on the investor relations page of the company's website at www.burlingtoninvestors.com. For those unable to participate in the conference call, a replay will be available after the conclusion of the call on August 29, 2024 beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET through September 5, 2024 11:59 p.m. ET. The U.S. toll-free replay dial-in number is 1-800-770-2030 and the international replay dial-in number is 1-609-800-9909. The replay passcode is 8773565. Investors and others should note that Burlington Stores currently announces material information using SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls and webcasts. In the future, Burlington Stores will continue to use these channels to distribute material information about the Company, and may also utilize its website and/or various social media sites to communicate important information about the Company, key personnel, new brands and services, trends, new marketing campaigns, corporate initiatives and other matters. Information that the Company posts on its website or on social media channels could be deemed material; therefore, the Company encourages investors, the media, our customers, business partners and others interested in Burlington Stores to review the information posted on its website, as well as the following social media channels: Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BurlingtonStores/) and X, formerly known as Twitter (https://twitter.com/burlington). Any updates to the list of social media channels the Company may use to communicate material information will be posted on the investor relations page of the Company's website at www.burlingtoninvestors.com. About Burlington Stores, Inc. Burlington Stores, Inc., headquartered in New Jersey, is a nationally recognized off-price retailer with Fiscal 2023 net sales of $9.7 billion. The Company is a Fortune 500 company and its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol BURL. The Company operated 1,021 stores as of the end of the first quarter of Fiscal 2024, in 46 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, principally under the name Burlington Stores. The Companys stores offer an extensive selection of in-season, fashion-focused merchandise at up to 60% off other retailers' prices, including womens ready-to-wear apparel, menswear, youth apparel, baby, beauty, footwear, accessories, home, toys, gifts and coats. For more information about the Company, visit www.burlington.com . Investor Relations Contacts: David J. Glick Daniel Delrosario 855-973-8445 Info@BurlingtonInvestors.com Allison Malkin ICR, Inc. 203-682-8225 CALGARY, Alberta, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Peyto Exploration & Development Corp. (TSX: PEY) ("Peyto") confirms that the monthly dividend with respect to August 2024 of $0.11 per common share is to be paid on September 13, 2024, for shareholders of record on August 31, 2024. Dividends paid by Peyto to Canadian residents are eligible dividends for Canadian income tax purposes. Shareholders and interested investors are encouraged to visit the Peyto website at www.peyto.com to learn more about what makes Peyto one of North Americas most exciting energy companies. The website also includes a monthly report, which discusses various topics chosen by the President and CEO and includes estimates of monthly capital expenditures and production. For further information please contact: Jean-Paul Lachance President and Chief Executive Officer Phone: (403) 261-6081 Fax: (403) 451-4100 info@peyto.com Certain information set forth in this document, including management's assessment of Peyto's future plans and operations, contains forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond these parties' control, including the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, volatility of commodity prices, currency fluctuations, imprecision of reserve estimates, environmental risks, competition from other industry participants, the lack of availability of qualified personnel or management, stock market volatility and ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. Peyto's actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements and, accordingly, no assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits that Peyto will derive therefrom. The Toronto Stock Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the information contained herein. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Newcore Gold Ltd. ("Newcore" or the "Company") (TSX-V: NCAU, OTCQX: NCAUF) announces the annual grant of equity incentive awards. Newcore has granted 1,690,000 stock options, 1,700,000 restricted share units and 300,000 performance share units (together the "Equity Incentive Awards") to employees, directors and executives of the Company. The stock options were granted at a price of $0.29 per share for a period of five years. The Equity Incentive Awards are subject to regulatory approval, are granted under the Companys long-term incentive plan and are subject to vesting provisions. About Newcore Gold Ltd. Newcore Gold is advancing its Enchi Gold Project located in Ghana, Africas largest gold producer (1). Newcore Gold offers investors a unique combination of top-tier leadership, who are aligned with shareholders through their 19% equity ownership, and prime district scale exploration opportunities. Enchis 248 km2 land package covers 40 kilometres of Ghanas prolific Bibiani Shear Zone, a gold belt which hosts several multi-million-ounce gold deposits, including the Chirano mine 50 kilometers to the north. Newcores vision is to build a responsive, creative and powerful gold enterprise that maximizes returns for shareholders. (1) Source: Production volumes for 2023 as sourced from the World Gold Council. On Behalf of the Board of Directors of Newcore Gold Ltd. Luke Alexander President, CEO & Director For further information, please contact: Mal Karwowska | Vice President, Corporate Development and Investor Relations +1 604 484 4399 info@newcoregold.com www.newcoregold.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until August 19, 2024 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against NIKE, Inc. (NYSE: NKE). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon. Get Help NIKE investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-nke-1/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options. About the Lawsuit NIKE and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws. On March 21, 2024, the Company released its 3Q2024 financial results, disclosing a 3% year-over-year decline in revenue in its Europe, Middle East, and Africa segment, a 3% year-over-year decline in NIKE Digital revenue, and scant quarterly revenue growth of approximately 0.4% year-over-year in NIKE Direct. On this news, the price of NIKE Class B shares fell $6.96 per share, or nearly 7%, from a close of $100.82 per share on March 21, 2024, to close at $93.86 per share on March 22, 2024. The case is City Pension Fund for Firefighters and Police Officers in the City of Pembroke Pines v. NIKE, Inc., et al., 24-cv-00974. About ClaimsFiler ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations. To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com. RALEIGH, N.C., Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SECU Foundation has furthered its support for disaster relief services in North Carolina with a $250,000 grant to The Salvation Army of the Carolinas. The funding will support its Emergency Assistance in Disaster project, enabling the non-profit to provide regional services to communities in the wake of a disaster, as well as critical social services to individuals experiencing crises. SECU Foundation is no stranger to the incredible work and arsenal of Salvation Army corps of members and volunteers ready to assist residents in every part of the state. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the non-profit received a total of $2 million from the Foundation to assist with the overwhelming need for emergency funds and community assistance. The Foundation is pleased to help support disaster preparedness for the people of our state, and providing this grant for pre-disaster funds will help with The Salvation Armys quick response and preliminary staging of critical supplies, said SECU Foundation Board Member Bob Brinson. The Salvation Army continues to be a vital resource for emergency aid to individuals and families statewide, and we are grateful for their strong leadership, passion, and dedication to serving thousands of people when its needed the most. Major disasters often attract widespread attention, prompting an outpouring of generosity from the public, said Divisional Commander of The Salvation Army of the Carolinas Lieutenant Colonel Ronnie Raymer. Yet, everyday personal crises, although less visible, devastate families in our communities. Thanks to SECU Foundation and the members of State Employees Credit Union, The Salvation Army locations across North Carolina can now help those affected by overlooked hardships and major life-changing circumstances. About SECU and SECU Foundation A not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by its members, and federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), SECU has been providing employees of the state of North Carolina and their families with consumer financial services for 87 years. SECU is the second largest credit union in the United States with $56 billion in assets. It serves more than 2.8 million members through 275 branch offices, over 1,100 ATMs, Member Services Support via phone, www.ncsecu.org, and the SECU Mobile App. The SECU Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization funded by the contributions of SECU members, promotes local community development in North Carolina primarily through high-impact projects in the areas of housing, education, healthcare, and human services. Since 2004, SECU Foundation has made a collective financial commitment of over $300 million for initiatives to benefit North Carolinians statewide. Contact: Jama Campbell, Executive Director, secufoundation@ncsecu.org A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6c9694f7-bbe8-4862-bafc-7305dbbbefe9 Perth, Aug. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- perseus mining appoints new chief operating officer Perth, Western Australia/August 16, 2024/Perseus Mining Limited (ASX/TSX:PRU) is pleased to advise that Ms Amanda Weir will be joining Perseuss senior leadership team in the role of Chief Operating Officer (COO) from 19th August 2024. Ms Weirs most recent roles included Chief Transformation Officer and Senior Vice President of Canadian Operations for Newcrest until the company was acquired by Newmont last year. Ms Weir worked on the integration of the Newcrests operations into Newmont, before assuming the role of Interim Group Head Mineral Resource Management with Newmont. Prior to her role with Newcrest, Amanda worked with Evolution Mining as General Manager Transformation & Effectiveness and spent over 9 years with BHP in various strategy, innovation and technical roles. Ms Weir has a Bachelor of Mining Engineering, a Bachelor of Applied Geology, and a Master of Mine Management. She has over 20 years of experience in the mining industry and has held executive level roles for the past nine years. Perseuss Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Jeff Quartermaine, said: We are delighted to welcome Amanda to the Perseus team, as Chief Operating Officer. Perseus is going through a significant phase of growth but maintaining our focus on the performance of our operations will be key to the ongoing success of our Company. Amanda brings a wealth of operational and technical expertise and deep knowledge of leading teams through strategic transformation in complex environments. We look forward to Amanda applying her significant skills and experience to help guide our operations through the next phase of growth. This market announcement was authorised for release by Perseuss Chairman and CEO, Jeff Quartermaine. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Jeff Quartermaine Executive Chairman & CEO jeff.quartermaine@perseusmining.com Stephen Forman Investor Relations +61 484 036 681 stephen.forman@perseusmining.com Nathan Ryan Media +61 420 582 887 nathan.ryan@nwrcommunications.com.au REGISTERED OFFICE: Level 2 437 Roberts Road Subiaco WA 6008 Telephone: +61 8 6144 1700 ABN: 27 106 808 986 WWW.PERSEUSMINING.COM VANCOUVER, August 14, 2024 - China Gold International Resources Corp. Ltd. (TSX: CGG; HKEX: 2099) ("China Gold International Resources" or the "Company") reports financial and operational results for the three months ("Q2" or "second quarter") and six months ("first half" or "six months") ended June 30, 2024. This news release should be read in conjunction with the Company's Financial Statements, Notes to the Financial Statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis ("MD&A"). For detailed information, please read the Company's Financial Statements and MD&A which are available on SEDAR's website at www.sedar.com, The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited's website at www.hkex.com.hk, the Company's website at www.chinagoldintl.com, or call the Company at +1-604-609-0598 and email to info@chinagoldintl.com. 2024 SECOND QUARTER OPERATION AND FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS Revenue f US$148.0 million up from US$73.0 million for the same period in 2023, an increase of 103%. Mine operating earnings of US$29 millionup from mine operating loss of US$6.2 million for the same period in 2023, an increase of US$35 million. Net loss of US$ million decreased by US$48 million from net loss of US$53.3 million for the same period in 2023. Cash flow from operation of US$80.9 million, compared to a negative operatingcash flow of US$73.5 million for the same period in 2023. Total gold production of 31,373 ounces compared to 36,069 ounces for the same period in 2023, down by 13%. Total copper production was 18.6 million pounds (approximately 8,454 tonnes). There was no copper production for the same period in 2023. 2024 FIRST HALF OPERATION AND FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS Revenue of US$208.5 million down by 36% from US$325.8 million for the same period in 2023. Mine operating earnings of US$17 million compared to operating earnings of US$96.6 million for the same period in 2023, down by US$78 million Net loss of US$30 million compared to anet income of US$25.3 million for the same period in 2023, down by US$56 million Cash flow from operation of US$88.1 million compared to US$54.2 million for the same period in 2023, up by US$33.9 million Total gold production of52,087 ounces, down from 89,317 ounces for the same period in 2023, a decrease by 42 Total copper production of 23.3 million pounds (approximately 10,547 tonnes)compared to44.1 million pounds(approximately 20,019 tonnes) for the same period in 2023. The decrease in production and profit was mainly attributed to the suspension of operations of the Jiama Mine following the overflow at the Guolanggou tailings pond on March 27, 2023. Operations began to gradually recommence as of December 15, 2023. The Phase II processing plant with a daily processing capacity of 34,000 tonnes resumed operations on May 30, 2024. The Phase I processing plant which had been in operation during the production ramp up phase ceased operations. About China Gold International Resources China Gold International Resources is a gold and base metal mining company incorporated in BC, Canada and operates two mines, the CSH Gold Mine in Inner Mongolia, China and the Jiama Copper-Gold Polymetallic Mine in Tibet, China. The Company's objective is to build shareholder value through growing production at its current mining operations, expanding its resource base, and acquiring and developing new projects internationally. The Company is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: CGG) and the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (HKEx: 2099). For further information on the Company, please refer to SEDAR's website at www.sedar.com, The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited's website at www.hkex.com.hk, the Company's website at www.chinagoldintl.com, or call the Company at +1-604-609-0598 and email to info@chinagoldintl.com. Cautionary Note About Forward-Looking Statements Certain information regarding China Gold International Resources contained herein may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements may include estimates, plans, expectations, opinions, forecasts, projections, guidance or other statements that are not statements of fact. Although China Gold International Resources believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct. China Gold International Resources cautions that actual performance will be affected by a number of factors, most of which are beyond its control, and that future events and results may vary substantially from what China Gold International Resources currently foresees. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration results, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. The forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The information contained herein is stated as of the current date and subject to change after that date. Copyright (c) 2024 TheNewswire - All rights reserved. Melbourne, August 14, 2024 - Kincora Copper Ltd. (ASX: KCC) (TSXV: KCC) (Kincora or the Company) is pleased to be participating in the Sharewise Webinar to be held today, Thursday August 15th, from 1:30pm Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST). President & CEO Sam Spring will provide investors and shareholders an update on Kincora's asset portfolio, partner and corporate strategy outlining recent milestones, upcoming catalysts and with the opportunity for Q&A. A copy of the presentation is available at: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2305/220005_664006_kincora_copper_participation_in_the_sharewise_webinar.pdf This webinar can be viewed live via Zoom. Registration is free and available at: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/1917231614965/WN_3nN-VZ0lRpucefIyqLI2AA A recorded copy of the webinar will be made available following the event on Kincora's website (https://kincoracopper.com/interviews/ ) and Sharewise's YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@sharewiseau ). This announcement has been authorised for release by the Board of Kincora Copper Limited (ARBN 645 457 763) About Kincora Copper Limited Kincora is dual listed on the ASX and TSX-V (ticker "KCC") and is an active explorer and project generator focused on world-class copper-gold discoveries. The company recently executed four agreements that unlock up to A$60 million in multiple year partner funding. Further new projects that offer a clear value path and targeted partnerships are proposed. Kincora's portfolio includes district scale landholdings and scalable drill-ready targets in both Australia and Mongolia's leading porphyry belts, the Macquarie Arc and Southern Gobi, respectively, and, the Company is targeting initial exposure to 10,000m of drilling in the next 6-month before ramping up to over 30,000 metres pa of drilling. For more information please visit Kincora's website at www.kincoracopper.com. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/220005 VANCOUVER, Aug. 15, 2024 - Cornish Metals Inc. (TSX-V/AIM: CUSN) ("Cornish Metals" or the "Company"), a mineral exploration and development company focused on its 100% owned and permitted South Crofty tin project in Cornwall, United Kingdom, is pleased to announce that it has released its unaudited financial statements and management, discussion and analysis ("MD&A") for the six months ended June 30, 2024. The reports are available under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) and on the Company's website (www.cornishmetals.com). Highlights for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and for the period ending August 14, 2024 (All figures expressed in Canadian dollars unless otherwise stated) Appointment of Don Turvey as Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") (news release dated August 11, 2024): Mr. Turvey appointed as CEO and an executive director of the Company effective September 1, 2024, subject to approval of a UK work visa; Mr. Turvey is an experienced mining executive with more than 40 years of experience, including successfully funding and advancing new projects and historic mines through to production. South Crofty Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") completed, validating the Project's economic viability (news release dated April 30, 2024): After-tax Net Present Value ("NPV") of US$201 million and Internal Rate of Return ("IRR") of 29.8%; Average annual tin production of over 4,700 tonnes for years two through six, totaling 49,310 tonnes over a 14-year Life of Mine ("LOM"); Total after-tax cash flow of approximately US$626 million from start of production. Commencement of second phase of refurbishment of New Cook's Kitchen ("NCK") shaft (news release dated July 10, 2024): Shaft refurbishment progressing as planned with the on-schedule installation of the Phase 2 work platform, enabling faster replacement of old shaft timbers with new steel guides; Winders and cages installed, fully commissioned and in operation, and certified to allow for safe transport of equipment and workers within NCK shaft; Rephasing shaft refurbishment improves the functionality of NCK shaft and enables larger equipment to access the mine at an earlier stage in its re-development. Mine dewatering continues with the submersible pumps and Water Treatment Plant ("WTP") operating to specifications (news release dated July 10, 2024): Water level in NCK shaft being maintained at approximately 280 meters below surface with the rate of dewatering being reduced to allow shaft refurbishment and dewatering to proceed concurrently; Treated water being discharged to the Red River continues to exceed the standards permitted by the Environment Agency. Purchase of land totaling 7.7 acres located immediately adjacent to South Crofty surface infrastructure (news release dated May 21, 2024): The purchased land removes reliance on existing right-of-passage agreements, providing the Company with direct access to all surface infrastructure as well as additional space for future site works, opportunities for potential operating cost savings, renewable energy initiatives and improved overall property security. Sale of Mactung and Cantung royalties for US$4.5 million in cash consideration (news release dated July 21, 2024): Completion of disposal of Company's royalty interests on the Mactung and Cantung tungsten projects located in Northern Canada to Elemental Altus Royalties Corp. ("Elemental Altus"). Sale of Nickel King property announced for a total consideration of up to C$8.0 million (news release dated 16 June, 2024): Entered into a binding letter of intent with Northera Resources Ltd. ("Northera") for the sale of the Company's 100% interest in the Nickel King Property for a total consideration of up to C$8 million; Initial consideration of C$100,000 received on June 14, 2024, with transfer of Nickel King Property conditional on receipt of next tranche of consideration of C$900,000 by September 2024. Samantha Hoe-Richardson joined the Board as independent non-executive director effective January 8, 2024 (news release dated January 8, 2024). As at August 13, 2024 the Company's cash position was C$7.9 million (equivalent to 4.5 million). Ken Armstrong, Interim CEO and Director of Cornish Metals, stated: "Momentum and activity levels have remained high since the start of the year as the Cornish Metals team continues to progress work plans and accomplish key milestones, particularly the completion of the Preliminary Economic Assessment of the South Crofty tin project that confirms the Project's potential to be a low-cost and long-life tin mining operation. The sale of the Company's assets in northern Canada provides near-term liquidity and demonstrates our priority and focus on advancing South Crofty towards commencement of production in 2027. We are delighted to welcome Don Turvey as CEO of Cornish Metals and we are confident that he will capably lead the Company forward to realise the best potential for our stakeholders." Review of activities Appointment of permanent CEO On August 11, 2024, the Company announced the appointment of Mr. Don Turvey as CEO and an executive director of the Company. Regulatory approval has been obtained in relation to the appointment, which is intended to be effective September 1, 2024, subject to approval of a UK work visa for Mr. Turvey, who will relocate from South Africa to Cornwall, where he will be based. Mr. Turvey is an experienced mining executive with more than 40 years of experience in the sector. He has been CEO of private, ASX and AIM-listed mining companies where he has successfully funded and taken new projects and historic mines through to production, as well as leading a number of M&A transactions. Following Mr. Turvey's appointment, Patrick Anderson will return to the position of non-executive Chair of the Board of Directors of the Company, and Ken Armstrong as non-executive director. Preliminary Economic Assessment completed for South Crofty Project The results of the South Crofty Project PEA were released on April 30, 2024, validating the Project's economic viability and potential to be a low-cost and long-life tin mining operation with a current 14-year LOM. South Crofty is expected to produce a clean, high-grade tin concentrate and to be an important tin producer in Europe, supplying into the growing demand for this critical metal that is essential for the energy transition. Key highlights from the PEA include: After-tax NPV8% of US$201 million and 29.8% after-tax IRR at base case tin price of US$31,000/tonne; Pre-production capital requirement of US$177 million; Capital pay-back period of three years after-tax; Total after-tax cash flow of US$626 million from start of production, peaking at US$82 million in second year of production; Average annual earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA") of US$83 million and 62.1% EBITDA margin in years two through six; 49,310 tonnes of tin metal in concentrate produced over a 14-year LOM Average annual tin production of over 4,700 tonnes for years two through six, equivalent to approximately 1.6% of global mined tin production; LOM average all-in sustaining cash cost ("AISC") of US$13,661/tonne of payable tin, positioning South Crofty as a low cost tin producer; Growth opportunities from additional in-mine and near-mine exploration with the potential to materially extend the mine life and increase production; and Potential to directly employ up to 320 people with permanent high-skilled and well-paid jobs and create up to 1,000 indirect jobs. Further details can be found in the news release dated April 30, 2024 and the Technical Report entitled "South Crofty PEA" prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 and filed on SEDAR+. Refurbishment of New Cook's Kitchen Shaft - second phase commenced Phase 2 of NCK shaft refurbishment is underway, following the on-schedule installation of a new double-deck equipping stage and modified main cage, providing a safe and stable work platform enabling faster replacement of the old shaft timbers with new steel buntons and guides (refer news release dated July 10, 2024). Rephasing shaft refurbishment, concurrent with mine dewatering, will improve the functionality of NCK shaft, enable larger equipment to access the mine at an earlier stage in its re-development and ensure that high health and safety standards are applied as the underground mine workings are accessed. The NCK shaft winding engines and associated winding apparatus, including the refurbished south headframe, have been fully commissioned and, following successful third-party compliance testing, have been certified for use. This system enables safe access to NCK shaft for personnel and materials as required to facilitate the shaft refurbishment works and subsequent access to the dewatered deep workings of the mine. Mine dewatering continues with the submersible pumps and water treatment plant operating to specifications. The water level in NCK shaft is being maintained at approximately 280 metres below surface and the treated water being discharged to the Red River is consistently well within the permitted standards. Shaft refurbishment and mine dewatering is anticipated to reach the 195-fathom level (approximately 350 metres below surface) in Q4-2024 and refurbishment of the 195-fathom pump station and installation of permanent pumps is scheduled to be completed in Q1-2025. Shaft refurbishment and mine dewatering are expected to be complete by September 2025. Land purchase adjacent to South Crofty surface infrastructure On May 21, 2024, the Company announced the purchase of a 7.7 acre land package situated to the south of Kerrier Way, immediately adjacent to important South Crofty surface infrastructure. The land purchase removes reliance on existing right-of-passage agreements, providing the Company with direct access to all surface infrastructure, as well as additional space for future site works, opportunities for potential operating cost savings, renewable energy initiatives and improved overall property security. Exploration drill program at Carn Brea South A 9,000-meter exploration drill program was completed at the Wide Formation target in the Carn Brea South exploration area in June 2024. The drill program was designed to test the geometry and the continuity of tin mineralization discovered by the Company at the Wide Formation target (refer news release dated January 10, 2023). The mineralization style in the Wide Formation, comprising pervasive tourmaline and quartz (termed 'blue peach'), is similar in character to that associated with No. 8 Lode, one of the most prolific tin producing lodes in the latter years of operation of the South Crofty mine. The drill program tested an area measuring 2,500 meters along strike (northeast to southwest) and 800 meters downdip (north to south). Drill results from the first six holes (refer news release dated February 4, 2024) confirm the Wide Formation structure over a 1.6km strike length, a downdip extent of at least 525 meters and thicknesses ranging from 1.8 meters - 4.8 meters. The structure remains open. Notable tin intercepts from the Wide Formation include 1.21 meters grading 0.87% Sn in CB23_004. Drilling also identified a new mineralized structure lying directly beneath the Great Flat Lode (named the "Great Flat Lode Splay"), and several high-grade, steeply dipping tin zones between the Great Flat Lode and the Wide Formation. Notable tin intercepts from the newly identified Great Flat Lode Splay include 3.38 meters grading 1.01% Sn in CB23_002. Notable tin intercepts from multiple steeply-dipping, high-grade tin zones mainly intersected between the Great Flat Lode and the Wide Formation include 3.09 meters grading 1.21% Sn in CB23_001. All samples have been submitted for analysis and final assay results will be reported when available. Sale of Mactung and Cantung royalties The Company completed the sale of its royalty interests on the Mactung and Cantung tungsten projects located in Northern Canada to Elemental Altus for a total cash consideration of US$4.5 million (refer news release dated July 21, 2024). The initial cash consideration of US$3.0 million was received by the Company on August 1, 2024 (refer news release dated August 4, 2024), with the balance of US$1.5 million due by August 1, 2025. Sale of Nickel King Property On June 16, 2024, the Company entered into a binding letter of intent with Northera for the sale of the Company's 100% interest in the Nickel King Property for a total consideration of up to C$8 million (refer news release dated June 16, 2024). Under the terms of the agreement, Northera made a non-refundable cash payment of C$100,000 on June 14, 2024. Within 95 days of signing the agreement, the Company will transfer the Nickel King Property upon receipt of a further non-refundable cash payment of C$900,000. Upon completion of a go-public transaction by Northera, resulting in a listing of securities on the TSX Venture Exchange, or other stock exchange, Northera will issue to the Company common shares in the capital of Northera having an aggregate market value equal to C$7.0 million. Appointment of Samantha Hoe-Richardson as independent non-executive director On January 8, 2024, the Company announced that Samantha Hoe-Richardson joined the Board of Directors as an independent non-executive director (refer news release dated January 8, 2024). Ms. Hoe-Richardson is an experienced non-executive director from a global mining, infrastructure and insurance background. She is currently a non-executive director of WE Soda Ltd, Assured Guaranty UK Ltd, Ascot Underwriting Limited and an independent advisor on climate change & sustainability to Laing O'Rourke. Ms. Hoe-Richardson was Head of Environment & Sustainable Development at Network Rail until 2017 and prior to that spent 16 years at Anglo American Plc, latterly as Head of Environment. She previously worked in investment banking and audit. Ms. Hoe-Richardson holds a Masters Degree in nuclear and electrical engineering from the University of Cambridge, and is also a non-practicing Chartered Accountant. Financial highlights for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and July 31, 2023 Six months ended (unaudited) June 30, 2024 July 31, 2023 (Expressed in Canadian dollars) Total operating expenses 4,561,792 2,041,551 Loss for the period 4,126,256 887,399 Net cash used in operating activities 2,281,351 1,312,999 Net cash used in investing activities 17,830,778 15,622,535 Net cash used in financing activities 96,159 723 Cash at end of the period 6,048,987 39,897,599 Increase in operating expenses impacted by higher travel and marketing expenditure arising from increased investor & media engagement and termination settlement payable to the former CEO; Expenditure of $1.7 million on new or replacement equipment for the mine, including the final payments for the permanent pumps for the underground pump station, cages and the new winders, and associated commissioning costs; Expenditure of $2.8 million on land adjacent to the surface infrastructure at South Crofty; Dewatering costs of $2.9 million for power, reagents, sludge disposal and maintenance of the WTP; Other project related expenditure of $6.1 million relating to the advancement of South Crofty, primarily relating to the ongoing feasibility study and NCK shaft re-access & refurbishment; Costs of $1.6 million incurred for the completion of the exploration program at the Wide Formation; and Cash decreased by $20.2 million to $6.0 million at the period end mainly due to ongoing development activities at the South Crofty tin project. The Company changed its financial year end from January 31 to December 31 with effect from December 31, 2023 with the result that the current period of reporting is the six months ended June 30, 2024. The comparative period of reporting is the six months ended July 31, 2023. The Company has allocated funding for near term opportunities to progress the project, the most significant being the purchase of the land located immediately adjacent to South Crofty surface infrastructure. As a consequence of pursuing these opportunities, additional financing will be required before the end of 2024. Outlook As described above, the Company is advancing the South Crofty tin project towards the start of production in 2027. By the end of December 2025, the Company's objectives are as follows: Dewater South Crofty mine and refurbish NCK shaft by September 2025; Advance basic and detailed project engineering studies; Place deposits for long lead items of plant and equipment; Commence early project works, including initial construction of the groundworks for the processing plant; and Arrange project financing in 2025. ABOUT CORNISH METALS Cornish Metals is a dual-listed mineral exploration and development company (AIM and TSX-V: CUSN) focused on advancing the South Crofty high-grade, underground tin project through to a construction decision, as well as exploring its additional mineral rights, located in Cornwall, United Kingdom. South Crofty is a historical, high-grade, underground tin mine that started production in 1592 and continued operating until 1998 following over 400 years of continuous production; The Project possesses Planning Permission for underground mining (valid to 2071), to construct new processing facilities and all necessary site infrastructure, and an Environmental Permit to dewater the mine; South Crofty is one of the highest grade tin Mineral Resources globally and benefits from existing mine infrastructure including multiple shafts that can be used for future operations; The 2024 Preliminary Economic Assessment for South Crofty validates the Project's potential (see news release dated April 30, 2024 and the Technical Report entitled "South Crofty PEA"): US$201 million after-tax NPV 8% and 29.8% IRR 3-year after-tax payback 4,700 tonnes average annual tin production in years two through six Life of mine all-in sustaining cost of US$13,660 /tonne of payable tin Total after-tax cash flow of US$626 million from start of production Tin is a Critical Mineral as defined by the UK, American, and Canadian governments; Tin connects almost all electronic and electrical infrastructure, making it critical to the energy transition - responsible sourcing of critical minerals and security of supply are key factors in the energy transition and technology growth; Approximately two-thirds of the tin mined today comes from China, Myanmar and Indonesia; There is no primary tin production in Europe or North America; South Crofty benefits from strong local community, regional and national government support. Cornish Metals has a growing team of skilled people, local to Cornwall, and the Project could generate up to 320 direct jobs. The 2024 Preliminary Economic Assessment for South Crofty is preliminary in nature and includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorised as mineral reserves. There is no certainty that the 2024 Preliminary Economic Assessment will be realised. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have economic viability. TECHNICAL INFORMATION This news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Owen Mihalop, MCSM, BSc (Hons), MSc, FGS, MIMMM, CEng, Chief Operating Officer for Cornish Metals Inc. who is the designated Qualified Person under NI 43-101 and a Competent Person as defined under the JORC Code (2012). Mr. Mihalop consents to the inclusion in this announcement of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS "Kenneth A. Armstrong" Kenneth A. Armstrong P.Geo. Engage with us directly at our investor hub. Sign up at: https://investors.cornishmetals.com/link/0PQ3be For additional information please contact: Cornish Metals Fawzi Hanano Irene Dorsman investors@cornishmetals.com info@cornishmetals.com Tel: +1 (604) 200 6664 SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP (Nominated Adviser & Joint Broker) Richard Morrison Charlie Bouverat Grant Barker Tel: +44 203 470 0470 Cavendish Capital Markets Limited (Joint Broker) Derrick Lee Neil McDonald Leif Powis Tel: +44 131 220 6939 Tel: +44 207 220 0500 Hannam & Partners (Financial Adviser) Matthew Hasson Andrew Chubb Jay Ashfield cornish@hannam.partners Tel: +44 207 907 8500 BlytheRay (Financial PR) Tim Blythe Megan Ray cornishmetals@blytheray.com Tel: +44 207 138 3204 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Caution regarding forward looking statements This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements include predictions, projections, outlook, guidance, estimates and forecasts and other statements regarding future plans and operations, the realisation, cost, timing and extent of mineral resource or mineral reserve estimates, estimation of commodity prices, currency exchange rate fluctuations, estimated future exploration expenditures, costs and timing of the development of new deposits, success of exploration activities, permitting time lines, requirements for additional capital and the Company's ability to obtain financing when required and on terms acceptable to the Company, future or estimated mine life and other activities or achievements of Cornish Metals, including but not limited to: the balance of the cash consideration due to Cornish in respect of the sale of the Mactung and Cantung royalty interests; mineralisation at South Crofty, mine dewatering and construction requirements; the development, operational and economic results of the preliminary economic assessment, including cash flows, capital expenditures, development costs, extraction rates, recovery rates, mining cost estimates and returns; estimation of mineral resources; statements about the estimate of mineral resources and production of minerals; magnitude or quality of mineral deposits; anticipated advancement of the South Crofty project mine plan; exploration potential and project growth opportunities for the South Crofty tin project and other Cornwall mineral properties, the Company's ability to evaluate and develop the South Crofty tin project and other Cornwall mineral properties, strategic vision of Cornish Metals and expectations regarding the South Crofty mine, timing and results of projects mentioned. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "forecast", "expect", "potential", "project", "target", "schedule", "budget" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could", "would" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions and includes the negatives thereof. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this news release, are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: risks related to receipt of regulatory approvals, risks related to general economic and market conditions; risks related to the availability of financing; the timing and content of upcoming work programmes; actual results of proposed exploration activities; possible variations in Mineral Resources or grade; outcome of any future feasibility studies; projected dates to commence mining operations; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents, labour disputes, title disputes, claims and limitations on insurance coverage and other risks of the mining industry; changes in national and local government regulation of mining operations, tax rules and regulations. The list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect Cornish's forward-looking statements. Cornish Metals' forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management and reflect their current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date such statements are made. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ from those described in forward- looking statements, there may be other factors that cause such actions, events or results to differ materially from those anticipated. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and accordingly readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Cornish Metals does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's beliefs, expectations or opinions should change other than as required by applicable law. Caution regarding non-IFRS measures This news release contains certain terms or performance measures commonly used in the mining industry that are not defined under International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"), including "all-in sustaining costs". Non-IFRS measures do not have any standardized meaning prescribed under IFRS, and therefore they may not be comparable to similar measures employed by other companies. The data presented is intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS and should be read in conjunction with Cornish Metals' consolidated financial statements and Management Discussion and Analysis, available on its website and on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information pursuant to Article 7 of EU Regulation 596/2014 as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 as amended. CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED INTERIM STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION (Unaudited) (Expressed in Canadian dollars) June 30, 2024 December 31, 2023 ASSETS Current Cash $ 6,048,987 $ 25,791,552 Marketable securities 2,839,060 2,665,454 Receivables 847,899 1,112,638 Prepaid expenses 561,510 591,264 Deferred financing fees 416,449 135,242 10,713,905 30,296,150 Deposits 73,209 85,954 Property, plant and equipment 27,143,216 23,788,325 Exploration and evaluation assets 64,739,056 50,050,323 $ 102,669,386 $ 104,220,752 LIABILITIES Current Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 4,714,065 $ 5,063,940 4,714,065 5,063,940 NSR liability 9,380,774 9,064,817 14,094,839 14,128,757 SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY Capital stock 128,394,652 128,394,652 Capital contribution 2,007,665 2,007,665 Share-based payment reserve 929,026 711,690 Foreign currency translation reserve 3,760,618 1,369,146 Deficit (46,517,414 ) (42,391,158 ) 88,574,547 90,091,995 $ 102,669,386 $ 104,220,752 CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED INTERIM STATEMENTS OF LOSS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS (Unaudited) (Expressed in Canadian dollars) Three months ended Six months ended June 30, 2024 July 31, 2023 June 30, 2024 July 31, 2023 EXPENSES Travel and marketing $ 233,349 $ 156,470 $ 447,487 $ 246,060 Insurance 196,444 174,626 399,507 347,056 Office, miscellaneous and rent 61,702 56,428 118,207 108,040 Professional fees 533,674 335,578 808,767 536,314 Generative exploration expense 4,513 2,626 5,704 5,233 Regulatory and filing fees 22,396 22,148 51,661 55,422 Share-based compensation 7,000 25,549 130,799 25,549 Salaries, directors' fees and benefits 743,516 344,006 2,599,660 717,877 Total operating expenses (1,802,594 ) (1,117,431 ) (4,561,792 ) (2,041,551 ) Interest income 142,888 418,910 408,554 807,294 Foreign exchange gain (loss) (9,140 ) 10,987 (28,040 ) 381,878 Gain on receipt of non-refundable deposit 91,296 - 91,296 - Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities 12,963 6,938 (36,274 ) (35,020 ) Loss for the period (1,564,587 ) (680,596 ) (4,126,256 ) (887,399 ) Foreign currency translation 977,535 (334,156 ) 2,391,472 2,629,567 Total comprehensive income (loss) for the period $ (587,052 ) $ (1,014,752 ) $ (1,734,784 ) $ 1,742,168 Basic and diluted income (loss) per share $ (0.00 ) $ (0.00 ) $ (0.00 ) $ 0.00 Weighted average number of common shares outstanding: 535,270,712 535,270,712 535,270,712 535,267,950 CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED INTERIM STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Unaudited) (Expressed in Canadian dollars) For the six months ended June 30, 2024 July 31, 2023 CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES Loss for the period $ (4,126,256 ) $ (887,399 ) Items not involving cash: Share-based compensation 130,799 25,549 Unrealized loss on marketable securities 36,274 35,020 Gain on receipt of non-refundable deposit (91,296 ) - Foreign exchange loss (gain) 28,040 (381,878 ) Changes in non-cash working capital items: Decrease (increase) in receivables 264,739 (298,864 ) Decrease in prepaid expenses 64,364 66,214 Increase in accounts payable and accrued liabilities 1,411,985 128,359 Net cash used in operating activities (2,281,351 ) (1,312,999 ) CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES Acquisition of property, plant and equipment (5,968,493 ) (8,032,282 ) Acquisition of exploration and evaluation assets (11,968,598 ) (7,561,503 ) Proceeds from disposal of mineral property 91,296 - Decrease (increase) in deposits 15,017 (28,750 ) Net cash used in investing activities (17,830,778 ) (15,622,535 ) CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES Increase in deferred financing fees (96,159 ) - Lease payments - (723 ) Net cash used in financing activities (96,159 ) (723 ) Change in cash during the period (20,208,288 ) (16,936,257 ) Cash, beginning of the period 25,791,552 55,495,232 Impact of foreign exchange on cash 465,723 1,338,624 Cash, end of the period $ 6,048,987 $ 39,897,599 Cash paid during the period for interest $ - $ - Cash paid during the period for income taxes $ - $ - CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED INTERIM STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY (Unaudited) (Expressed in Canadian dollars) VANCOUVER, Aug. 15, 2024 - Panther Minerals Inc. ("Panther Minerals" or the "Company") (CSE: PURR) (OTC: GLIOF) (FWB: 2BC) reports that the initial site visit has been completed on the Huber Heights Uranium property (the "Property"), located in northern Elko County, Nevada. The Property comprises 35 unpatented mineral claims (700 acres, 283 ha), located near the village of Mountain City. As reported previously (Press Release July 9, 2024) the Property covers known uranium prospects and showings that were discovered in the 1950s, including the Autunite and October Group prospects, and the Huber Hills Granite Ridge Prospect. The Property lies within the Mountain City Mining District, centred approximately 110 kilometres north of Elko, Nevada. As previously disclosed, the first mining activities were based on gold and silver discoveries in the late 1860s, but more recently the district was known for copper production from the Mountain City Copper Mine. Uranium was discovered in the area in 1954, with limited production between 1958 and 1963. To date, activities by contract geologists retained by the Company have comprised geologically mapping, prospecting visually and with a spectrometer, and soil and rock sampling. Field examinations have largely corroborated the historical literature (previously reported) of two types of uranium mineralization. One type of uranium mineralization occurs along vertical fractures and/or shear zones in quartz monzonite (Autunite and October prospects) associated with intense alteration. The other type of uranium mineralization is related to the contact zone between the underlying Cretaceous quartz monzonite and the overlying Tertiary volcanic sediments. Numerous areas of historic trenching were observed and several apparent adits, which are now collapsed and inaccessible. Both types of uranium mineralization tend to weather recessively due to associated alteration, and outcrop exposure is limited. Soil geochemistry, followed by geophysical surveys will be utilized to define initial drill targets. Scattered autunite (a secondary uranium mineral) has been observed on fractures in the granite, with some localized-on NNW-trending faults. Occasionally autunite mineralization (autunite is a radioactive secondary mineral resulting from the oxidation of uranium minerals associated with hydrothermal alteration) has been observed on fractures in granite, with some potentially localized along NNW trending faults. The granite is hydrothermally altered with propylitic and sericitic alteration observed locally. Company geologists are returning to the Property this month to continue additional soil and rock geochemistry, and spectrometer surveying. As reported, the Property is interpreted to cover the northwestern portion of the Mountain West Property, formerly owned and worked by Bayswater Uranium Corp. (Kilgore Minerals Co.). The Mountain West Property was explored between 1967 and 1983 by Pathfinder Resources Ltd. (owned by Cogema) and its predecessor Utah Construction and Mining Co. According to Bayswater press releases, the exploration program consisted of the drilling of 359 holes in the larger general area, and not specifically on the Property. The Company does not have any information of the drill holes on the Property. The Company is providing these historical data for informational purposes only and gives no assurance as to their reliability or relevance to the Company's proposed exploration program at the Property. The Company has not completed any quality assurance program or applied quality control measures to the historical data. "With completion of the initial site visit on our Huber Heights Property in Nevada, we are extremely pleased with the progress to date that will aid in setting up our first phase of exploration," stated Rob Birmingham, Chief Executive Officer of Panther Minerals. "We anticipate this work to lead to defining important targets throughout the Property, which will include a drill program.". Machai Agreement Panther Minerals has retained Machai Capital Inc. ("Machai") to provide digital marketing services (the "Engagement"). Machai will provide certain digital marketing services in compliance with the policies and guidelines of the Canadian Securities Exchange and other applicable legislation. Machai is a marketing, advertising and public awareness firm specializing in the mining and metals, technology and special situation sectors. It assists companies in branding, content creation and data-optimization to create in-depth marketing campaigns. Machai is able to track, organize and execute its plan through Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Marketing, Digital Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Email Marketing and Brand Marketing. The Engagement has an initial term of one month, during which Machai will receive 70,000 euros ($105,500 CAD) in cash plus applicable taxes. Machai is at arm's length to Panther Minerals, has no other relationship with the Company except pursuant to the Engagement, and neither Machai nor any of its principals own any securities of the Company. Machai can be reached at: Suneal Sandhu, Tel: (604) 375-0084, Email: suneal@machaicapital.com. Qualified Person The scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved for disclosure by Lindsay Bottomer, PGeo. Mr. Bottomer is a qualified person within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 -- Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and is a consultant for the Company. About Panther Minerals Inc. Panther Minerals is a mineral exploration company actively involved in the exploration of its North American project portfolio. The acquisition of the Boulder Creek option reflects the Company's continuing intention of pursuing advanced, high-quality prospective uranium projects that can be readily worked on and efficiently explored in a timely manner. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mr. Robert Birmingham, Chief Executive Officer For more information please visit: www.pantherminerals.ca or email info@pantherminerals.ca. The CSE and Information Service Provider have not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or adequacy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Often, but not always, forward-looking information and information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information relating to the Company and the Property. The forward-looking information reflects management's current expectations based on information currently available and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking information. Such risk factors may include, among others, but are not limited to: general economic conditions in Canada and globally; industry conditions, including governmental regulation and environmental regulation; the availability of capital on acceptable terms; the need to obtain required approvals from regulatory authorities; stock market volatility; competition for, among other things, skilled personnel and supplies; incorrect assessments of the value of acquisitions; geological, technical, processing and transportation problems; changes in tax laws and incentive programs; failure to realize the anticipated benefits of acquisitions and dispositions; and the other factors. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include: (i) adverse market conditions; and (ii) other factors beyond the control of the Company. New risk factors emerge from time to time, and it is impossible for the Company's management to predict all risk factors, nor can the Company assess the impact of all factors on Company's business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ from those contained in any forward-looking information. The forward-looking information included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties that could affect financial results is contained in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, which are available on the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca. SOURCE Panther Minerals Inc. Reno, Aug. 15, 2024 - Nevada Canyon Gold Corp. (OTC Markets: NGLD) (The "Company" or "Nevada Canyon") is pleased to announce through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Nevada Canyon, LLC, that it has amended and exercised its Option to Purchase Agreement (the "Agreement") with Target Minerals, Inc ("Target"), a private Nevada company, and acquired one-hundred percent (100%) interest of Target's one percent (1%) production royalty on the Olinghouse Project, located in the Olinghouse Mining District, Washoe County, Nevada. The Olinghouse Project is located approximately 30 miles east of Reno, Nevada. The property was operated by Alta Gold in the late 1990's and Alta completed a feasibility study in 1997. The Olinghouse Project hosts an historic geologic resource (Alta Gold Feasibility Study 1997) based on over 600 drill holes collared at 100 ft. centers. Nevada Canyon considers this historical estimate to be relevant, however a qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the estimate as a current estimate of mineral resources, and therefore it is not treating this historic estimate as current compliant mineral resources. A large portion of the Olinghouse Property remains relatively unexplored. The historical mineralized resource is open at depth and along strike. The Olinghouse Project has excellent potential to increase the current gold resources. The Olinghouse Project's current owner is Lake Mountain Mining LLC, ("LMM"), a private Nevada company. LMM is currently reviewing its financing plans for additional exploration, required permitting, economic studies and various capital expenditures towards a production restart decision in the near future. Nevada Canyon had the exclusive right and Purchase Option (see its news release issued on 12-21-2021), exercisable at any time during the Option Period at its sole discretion, to acquire one-hundred percent (100%) of a production royalty in the amount of one percent (1%) of the net smelter returns on all minerals and products produced from certain properties comprising the Olinghouse Project from Target. The Purchase Option Agreement was amended to a one-time cash payment of $1,500,000, including previous cash payments of $240,000, for full consideration of $1,740,000 in cash. The original terms of the Agreement consisted of the following: (i) cash option payments of $240,000 (ii) $2,000,000 which shall be paid by Purchaser to Vendor in either cash, or (iii) 2,000,000 common shares of Nevada Canyon, subject to certain terms and conditions. "This continues our Nevada-based royalty acquisition roll up," said Nevada Canyon President and CEO, Alan Day, "The amendment and subsequent exercise of the Olinghouse Royalty Purchase Agreement strengthens our royalty portfolio and adds another royalty with significant upside, now at a much lower cost basis. Also, as with all Nevada Canyon royalty purchases, it offers excellent leverage to gold prices. About Nevada Canyon Gold Corp. Nevada Canyon Gold Corp. is a US-based natural resource company headquartered in Reno, Nevada. The Company has a large, strategic land position and royalties in multiple projects, within some of Nevada's highest-grade historical mining districts, offering year-round access and good infrastructure in proven and active mining districts. The Company has a three-fold business model; i) mineral royalty creation and acquisition; ii) precious-metals and exploration streaming; and iii) exploration project accelerator. For further information please contact: Corporate Communications Larry Heuchert Tel: 1-888-909-5548 Ext. 2 Email: ir@nevadacanyongold.com Web: www.nevadacanyongold.com Forward-Looking Statements The information posted in this release may contain forward-looking statements. The statements contained in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. You can identify these statements by use of the words "may," "will," "should," "plans," "expects," "anticipates," "continue," "estimate," "project," "intend," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, general economic and business conditions, effects of continued geopolitical unrest and regional conflicts, competition, changes in technology and methods of exploration, delays in completing various engineering and exploration programs, and any potential results from such programs. Specifically, forward-looking statements in this news release include statements with respect to the potential mineralization and geological merits of the Company properties and various other factors beyond the Nevada Canyon Gold Corp.'s control. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those discussed in this press release. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events except as required by applicable securities legislation. Investors are advised to carefully review the reports and documents that Nevada Canyon Gold Corp. files from time to time with the SEC, including its Annual Form 10K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, Quarterly Reports and Current Reports. The Bible provides clear guidance on various aspects of human life, including sexuality. When it comes to the topic of homosexuality, the Scriptures consistently present it as contrary to God's design for human relationships. This article explores key Bible verses that address homosexuality and discusses why it is considered wrong according to biblical teachings. 1. Genesis 19:1-11 - The Story of Sodom and Gomorrah One of the earliest references to homosexual behavior in the Bible is found in the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. In Genesis 19, two angels visit the city of Sodom, and the men of the city demand to have sexual relations with them. This act of aggression is condemned, and the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah are ultimately destroyed by God as a result of their widespread sin, including sexual immorality. 2. Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 - Clear Prohibitions The book of Leviticus contains explicit prohibitions against homosexual acts. Leviticus 18:22 states, "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination." Similarly, Leviticus 20:13 declares, "If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them." These verses make it clear that homosexual acts are considered sinful and contrary to God's commandments. 3. Romans 1:26-27 - The New Testament Perspective In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul addresses the issue of homosexuality in his letter to the Romans. Romans 1:26-27 describes how people who turn away from God are given over to "dishonorable passions," including same-sex relations. Paul writes, "For this reason, God gave them up to dishonorable passions. Their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error." 4. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 - Homosexuality Listed Among Sins In 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Paul again addresses the issue, stating that those who practice homosexuality will not inherit the kingdom of God. The passage reads, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." This verse places homosexuality alongside other sins that are incompatible with a life lived according to God's will. Why Homosexuality Is Not Right According to the Bible The Bible's consistent message is that homosexuality is not part of God's plan for human sexuality. From the creation of Adam and Eve, the Bible presents marriage as a union between one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24). This design is intended to reflect the complementary nature of the sexes and to fulfill God's command to "be fruitful and multiply" (Genesis 1:28). Homosexual acts, by contrast, are seen as a distortion of this divine order. Moreover, the Bible's teachings on sexuality are rooted in the understanding that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Engaging in sexual practices that are outside of God's design is viewed as dishonoring both God and the body He has given us. Conclusion The Bible's stance on homosexuality is clear: it is considered a sin and is contrary to God's design for human relationships. The Scriptures call believers to live in accordance with God's will, which includes honoring His design for sexuality. While the message may be challenging in today's society, the Bible offers not only guidance but also hope for those who seek to live in obedience to God's Word. Outside Rolos, which opened in Ridgewood this January. Photo: Christian Rodriguez This article was featured in One Great Story, New Yorks reading recommendation newsletter. Sign up here to get it nightly. Luisas family has lived in the same apartment building on Onderdonk Avenue in Ridgewood since she was 10 years old. Now, she worries that time will come to an end. Last year, when Luisa (who asked to only use her first name) found herself working out of the apartment, she started to notice how quickly changes in the neighborhood were happening. Local property values had skyrocketed, and she says her landlord has said, many times, shes thinking about selling. If she were to put it up for sale, we would be evicted in a matter of just closing your eyes, Luisa fears. We dont have a lease, she says, so there are very real concerns that I do have. While she says theres no immediate threat to her family, shes worried that may change any day now. She spent the summer listening to the drilling and construction along Onderdonk Avenue, including for Rolos, a new restaurant from a trio of former Manhattan chefs. It was just this nightmare for me, Luisa says, because I knew what was happening. Rolos is the kind of low-fuss, New American place you might expect from four veterans of Danny Meyers Gramercy Tavern who wanted to open a casual, outer-borough dining room. Rolos sells eight kinds of pickles, pineapple-rum Negronis, homemade focaccia, fresh pasta, and containers filled with slow-braised lamb ragu. A recent review in The New Yorker said it offered a taste of New York. Howard Kalachnikoff, one of the chef-partners, calls it, Just a simple, neighborhood restaurant, focused on cooking over a wood-burning grill. The goal of opening, he explains, is to put down some roots and then see what happens after that. Pandemic dining restrictions meant Rolos opened first as a market with only takeout and delivery. A few weeks ago, the owners put out some tables, and they have a warm-weather streetery structure in the works. Eventually, Kalachnikoff imagines diners dropping in a couple of times each week, and he wants to stay in business for a long time. Ben Howell, another partner, adds, nothing would make us happier than if some of the young adults that come here now come in in 15 years with their kids, when their kids are graduating. Due to the pandemic, Rolos opened in January as a grocery store, selling everything from single-origin spices to De Cecco pasta, and takeout business. Photo: Christian Rodriguez Indeed, some neighbors dont see any drawback to the arrival of Rolos or the buildings renovation. Im not aware of any negatives, says Paul Kerzner, a 49-year member of Community Board 5. I walked into that building about a month ago when that was finished, he recalls. I was tickled to death when I saw that the graffiti was coming down and the boards that were up were coming down, and were going to get glass back again. But for others, Rolos is something more than a destination for a quiet weeknight meal. Im so excited because I like this kind of food, says Laura Duarte, who, with her siblings, opened her own restaurant, Las Chilangas, just before the pandemic hit. But the way we think about this type of restaurant opening I know the rent is going to increase so much. Katy Knight, a former community board member who was raised in the neighborhood by a single mother, says its crucial for New York to maintain affordable areas like Ridgewood: That was something I talked about at one of the first community meetings that I went to, she explains, about the way we need to preserve this kind of neighborhood if we want to see a city where there was going to continue to be a middle class, or where people who come in without money might have a chance. As another community advocate puts it, Rolos is a visible manifestation of the gentrification that threatens Ridgewoods residents. You are either for it, or youre not there is no in-between, says Raquel Namuche, who has lived in the neighborhood for 15 years and started the Ridgewood Tenants Union, or RTU, an organization dedicated to, in their own words, fighting displacement. We all want nice things, says Namuche. They just shouldnt come at the cost of working-class tenants whove made Ridgewood their home for more than a decade. The market at Rolos. Photo: Christian Rodriguez The main reason that Rolos, specifically, has gotten this much attention is because of its ties to a neighborhood real-estate developer. One of the restaurants partners is a local real-estate investor named Stephen Maharam. A former textile company heir who sold his familys company to Herman Miller for $156 million in 2013, Maharam is also an investor and business partner of local developer Kermit Westergaard, who has bought 11 buildings in the neighborhood, eight of them in an area that one resident now refers to as Kermitville. (Rolos is named after Westergaards dog.) To its critics, Rolos is simply the most prominent sign that all of Ridgewood could soon be transformed into something else, and it raises an urgent question that gets asked all too rarely: When a neighborhood is poised to undergo a big transition, what happens to the people who have been there their entire lives? Its very much a symbol of what Kermits doing in the neighborhood itself, Namuche says of the restaurant, and I think thats why people have had such a reaction to it. (Much of that reaction has played out on an online community group, where Rolos became such a frequent topic earlier this year that one member tried to divert the conversation by challenging others to post photos of food from anywhere else.) For his part, Kalachnikoff says he understands his neighbors concerns about his restaurant: Were bringing something cool and easygoing and dependable and fun and affordable to the neighborhood Im surprised there just arent more places already like that, he explains. Every individual has a right to do whatever business they do, says Adrian King, a longtime resident and the owner of Kings Juice Bar on Seneca Avenue, but he believes its disingenuous to claim development is always in the best interest of the neighborhood. Youre not from the community. You need to make yourself part of the community. Adrian King opened Kings Juice Bar in 2016. Photo: Christian Rodriguez Even though the controversy around Rolos is new, the friction regarding the new developments in the neighborhood dates back to at least 2014. That is the year that Namuche started the RTU and the year that Westergaard and Maharam bought a couple buildings, including one at 68-38 Forest Avenue. Raised on the Upper East Side, Westergaard had moved into Ridgewood some years earlier, and received some attention for his interior-design work after the New York Times wrote about his renovation of his Stockholm Street home. With the help of investors, he bought a couple neighboring houses, and then eventually a handful of other properties. At 68-38 Forest Avenue, one of the existing tenants was Maria Thompson, who lived there with her family. She remembers that, at the time, the building was kind of so-so, but that construction on the building eventually became unbearable. According to Knight, the apartment was being renovated out from under Thompson, but Westergaard says the building was clearly poorly managed and was in terrible condition, and that he worked for nearly two and a half years to resolve issues, including lead-paint violations and raccoon infestations, before deciding he had to get out the tenants. In a 2016 complaint filed with the Department of Buildings, Thompson alleges that construction caused a gas leak in her apartment. This is one of the more delicate things I lived through when I was there, she says. It allegedly took several days for the leak to be fixed, and that same year, Thompson, who lived with her husband, son, daughter, and granddaughter, was forced to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas without heat or gas in her apartment. Westergaard says that he tried to fix issues in an affordable way, but he had to come to terms with managing a building thats not safe or habitable. Thompson was eventually evicted. She tried to fight it in court, but vacated the apartment in November 2017. When asked about this, Westergaard says that he never wouldve evicted the tenants at 68-38 Forest Avenue if it were possible, calling that the one situation where I had something I wasnt able to solve. Now, Thompsons old corner has a very different feel to it than it did when she lived there. The building is home to Foret Wines, a natural-wine store; the cocktail bar Sundown, which opened in 2017; Cafe Plein Air; and the soon-to-open pizzeria Panina. Upstairs, the apartments above the new retail remained vacant until this January, when each with new kitchens and flooring rented for between $3,400 and $3,600 per month, more than double the rent that Thompson paid when she lived in the building. Maria Thompson used to live at the corner of Forest Avenue and Catalpa Avenue, what one resident now calls Kermitville Central. Photo: Christian Rodriguez I get that our apartments are on the higher end of the market on Ridgewood, Westergaard says. He explains that his goal is to buy vacant buildings in need of rehabilitation. One such building, also purchased in 2014, is 467 Woodward Avenue. When he purchased the property, Westergaard says the interiors were not salvageable, the facade was peeling off the front, and the extension was collapsing. Of course the worse condition, the better from my perspective because its just more exciting, he says. Its more of a blank slate; you can go really crazy with it. That building is now home to an upscale co-working space and a one-bedroom apartment that leased for $2,640 last summer. Along with the co-working space, 467 Woodward is also the headquarters for several companies, including Westergaards Hooper and Keap, a development and management company that gut-renovates, as well as a company called Valkyrie, a real-estate broker in which he is a minority stakeholder. Listings on Valkyries website tout Ridgewoods exciting progressive retail scene and call the area an au courant retail community undergoing unparalleled boutique development. Two spaces are advertised as benefiting from one of NYCs most rapid creative demographic shifts. Rental prices listed by Valkyrie can be twice or sometimes three times as much as other properties in the area, according to one survey by a group that was looking for a retail space in the neighborhood. Westergaard also owns three buildings surrounding the Forest Avenue structure, all of which are filled with boutique businesses and renovated apartments asking higher rent than what has been typical in the neighborhood. Most recently, on February 24, he and investors bought another building, 880 Woodward, for $2 million, a 60 percent increase over what it sold for in 2017. Its extremely problematic when you have someone like Kermit, again, who just imposes himself in our neighborhood to carry out this extremely limited vision of how he thinks Ridgewood should develop, Namuche says. It does not include me, it does not include my mom, my dad, my neighbors on this block. You know, people that are of a different demographic. It includes people who want to pay or can pay $3,000 for an apartment with marble fixtures. Westergaard and Maharam contest this characterization. Were the opposite of, How are we going to make a quick buck off the neighborhood? Westergaard says. Were investing in the long-term economic health of the neighborhood. And other tenants, both commercial and residential, speak positively of him as a landlord. In my time working with Kermit, I saw it as this guy really cared about the neighborhood, he raised his family there, and he was kind of bringing life back, says Lauren Nickou, an artist who was a tenant and employee of Westergaards. There were a lot of empty storefronts. To bring in new businesses seems like a positive thing for anyone in the neighborhood. But what happens if that investment comes as the expense of current residents who can no longer afford their homes? Janelle Jirau, who runs Slow Rise Bagels, lives in the apartment where she grew up. If she moved out, she says, she wouldnt be able to afford another place in the neighborhood. I know Ridgewood like the back of my hand, she explains. So for somebody to say, well, you have to move, lets say to, like, Corona or Elmhurst, I dont know anything there. Shes wary of anyone who stands to make money when residents have to move due to higher rent costs. You cant say you want to be a neighborhood place if youre trying to reshape the neighborhood, she contends. Are you catering to Ridgewood, or are you catering to a Ridgewood youre trying to create? Of course, not all new business owners are looking to push out current residents. The RTU has found a somewhat unlikely ally in Mike Stamatelos, who arrived in Ridgewood after leaving a high-profile financial consulting job to open a coffee shop called Porcelain. He found a space at 880 Woodward Avenue that made him excited, in part because it had been built out as a set for the Martin Scorsese movie The Irishman and didnt need as much work. He signed his lease in the spring of 2019 with Westergaard, who at the time was managing the property, enthusiastically noting the prospects of the neighborhoods changing demographics. When Mike Stamatelos opened his cafe Porcelain in 2019, he says he was very naive about gentrification in general. Photo: Christian Rodriguez Since opening that November and struggling for several months, Stamatelos says that the pandemic actually helped his own bottom line, as he reopened more quickly than other neighboring businesses. But as business picked up, he began to get involved with RTU, and as the Black Lives Matter protests formed around the country he began to recognize his own role in the areas gentrification. He had been a vocal supporter of the BLM movement, both on social media and with signage in his shops window, but it was through a conversation with Namuche that he understood a problem he hadnt thought about before. I realized we are literally just capitalizing off of this type of marketing and not really doing it ourselves, he says. I literally felt like the white guy coming from consulting, making a profit, capitalizing on social-justice issues because its a hot topic, and I just felt like shit. After that first conversation, Namuche and Stamatelos stayed in touch. Those conversations led him to see his own business as part of the problem. Specifically, Stamatelos says that he started to wonder why all of Westergaards tenants are a certain type of food-and-beverage business, appealing to a specific, often white demographic. Its basically now that Rolos is open, there is a viable case to say that this is a destination, he argues. Since the summer, Porcelain has become involved with the neighborhoods homeless outreach project, making sandwiches weekly and posting a donation menu. The more Im learning, the more I have this propensity to divest this place from the model it was built to be, he explains, which is very much rooted in a capitalist standpoint. When Stamatelos walked by Rolos in January, he admits he took issue, because they share a landlord and the restaurants pandemic shift to a market-and-cafe model. He feels they are, in essence, offering a service thats too similar to Porcelain and the other tenants a concern he outlined in an email to Westergaard: I was mostly upset they were my landlords, Stamatelos says. They had a ton of money, and they were competing with us willingly in a situation where they didnt have to. (When asked about this, Maharam responds, I feel like Mike is angry and, to some (or a great) degree is blaming Kermit and maybe me for the fact that his business is not as robust as he thinks it should be More and more restaurateurs will be coming to Ridgewood, like they go to every market that they believe has promise. This is not something new.) Maharam acknowledges the pressure that rising rents puts on businesses like restaurants and wanted to avoid that for himself and his partners at Rolos. We wanted to own the building so we didnt have to worry about knock on wood getting lucky and being successful and then finding ourselves priced out by the landlord, he explains. Namuche says this is a pattern shes seen before, having spent her life organizing housing activists around gentrification in Queens. Gentrification manifests in various ways, and it is very much a racist phenomenon, she offers. I think because of the protests last year, people have to open their eyes a little bit more and think a little bit more deeply about how housing justice is really connected to racial justice. Namuche thinks theres a better way, and the RTU has been working on a campaign for equitable development that includes getting new small businesses to hire local working-class and immigrant tenants, and a community-led rezoning plan. We could set an example for how neighborhoods develop in a way thats really equitable, in a way that could make it livable for everyone, she says. The only way were going to make a dent is if we grow a base of folks who are the most vulnerable and the actual targets. Our goal is to empower these immigrant families, working-class families, families of color. Outside Rolos. Photo: Christian Rodriguez One Great Story: A Nightly Newsletter for the Best of New York The one story you shouldnt miss today, selected by New Yorks editors. Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Vox Media, LLC Terms and Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us. Okonomi 110 Madison Ave., nr. E. 30th St. A breakfast set from Okonomis new Manhattan location. Photo: Matthew Schneier For years now, a Japanese breakfast (fish, soup, sides) at Okonomi required most Manhattanites to brave the L train. Among the Sophies choices facing hungry/hangry gourmands, this was one of the tougher ones: Salt-roasted salmon collar or the Williamsburg commute? Despite a professional obligation to do so, and a long-standing fascination with Japanese breakfasts, Ive never made it. Okonomi on Ainslie Street was a (Williamsburg) bridge too far. There were only 12 seats, besides. As of this week, deliverance is here. There are surely other places in Manhattan to secure a Japanese breakfast, but theres only one Okonomi, or there was as of Monday, there are two. Through October 27, Okonomi (and its evening counterpart, Yuji Ramen) are popping up in a narrow, concrete-and-plywood space on lower Madison Avenue, unobtrusively wedged between luxury-furniture showrooms. Even with the address readily available, I walked by it twice before I saw it. I seemed to be the only one with that issue. On its opening day this past Monday, Okonomi both locations are run with the help of Hand Hospitality now was bustling by late morning, about half-full even in a larger space: The Brooklyn locations 12 seats have expanded to 50. Light jazz was playing softly, and diners were breakfasting on teishoku sets and ramen; unlike in Brooklyn, where Okonomi owns the morning and daytime, serving breakfast, and Yuji Ramen takes over, doing ramen only, in the evenings, here both are available all day. Yuji is now offering a bacon-and-egg mazemen, or brothless ramen, as a morning sop. But I had come for the traditional breakfast, the yakizakana set. It is available sansai, with three vegetable sides ($23), or gosai, with five ($28), both of which come with a small bowl of briny, brackish, intensely flavored miso soup and natto-topped rice. The days kobashi, or vegetables, included crayon-colored carrot and radish pickles and thin, sesame-dotted strips of burdock, along with a glossy little square of omelet, soy-cured eggplant with bonito, and an avocado-green scoop of wasabi-dressed potato salad. That day, three fish were on option: a salt-roasted salmon, kombu-marinated tilefish, and miso-marinated swordfish. I chose tilefish my waitress and I agreed that you can get salmon anywhere which arrived crisp-skinned and mild-fleshed, golden in a little pool of dashi. Compared with the typical American morning food, sugared, fried, and meaty, its a welcome change. Even my own usual breakfast, in this light, seemed bizarre: fermented milk (yogurt) with sugar-preserved fruit (jam). The most important meal of the day sorted, I bounced back home, feeling light, if unrepentant. That night, I had foie gras and quail for dinner. EAT LIKE THE EXPERTS. Sign up for the Grub Street newsletter. Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Vox Media, LLC Terms and Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us. Google's parent Alphabet might have to split its businesses into different companies, according to sources that spoke to Bloomberg. The United States Department of Justice plans to separate Android and Chrome from Google, and there are talks about AdWords going independent. These are the harshest propositions discussed, but there are less severe measures to prevent Google from gaining a monopoly, including forcing the company to share more data with competitors and measures to prevent it from abusing its position. The talks in the DoJ have intensified, following a ruling from earlier this month, when Judge Amit Mehta ruled Google illegally monopolised the search engine market, paying over $2.5 billion to companies like Apple and Samsung to implements its online search and search text ads. The judge's decision was historic, as it was the first time an American company was found guilty by an American court in the past 40 years. The last time something similar happened was in the early 1980s when AT&T was found to be gaining an illegal advantage over competitors in the fixed telephone business. In 1984, it was ordered to split its services into different companies. The US authorities tried something similar with Microsoft two decades ago and failed, and now time will tell if it will succeed in pushing Google to divest Chrome, Android, and AdWords, its most lucrative businesses. Source You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Things went smoothly for students at the 24 schools that opened their doors Thursday, according to Guam Department of Education officials, but families and parents are still coping with the disruption of having more than a third of the campuses on the island closed. School was supposed to start on Aug. 8, but the numerous schools still pending a health inspection launched GDOE into a state of emergency and pushed the start of the year back for all students. There are 25 schools that have passed their health inspection, though Ordot-Chalan Pago Elementary School just passed this week and will open Friday. Some 16 uninspected schools wont open until Aug. 22, and many of those students wont be back to their own campuses by then. Jade Cruz, 25, of Dededo, said she's fortunate to have both her school-aged kids back to class Thursday, and said she's excited to have them there. She has two boys attending Wettengel Elementary School, one of the 25 GDOE schools with a valid sanitary permit. The younger of the pair started his first day of kindergarten with no hiccups, Cruz said. Everythings good. Hes been excited to go to school since we told him last week, she said, though the excitement had to be put on hold for about a week due to the delayed school year. For Cruz, the delay actually bought her a little extra time to enroll the kids. Wettengel acting Principal Christine Losbanes said the setback gave staff more time to prepare, and let teachers front load all their professional development days. The campus was even better for the kids to come in, she said. The Dededo elementary school passed its health inspection last November with a grade of C, and Losbanes said they're ready to pass again this November. This is gonna be the start of something great, Losbanes said of the new school year. Frustrating But for parents like Fred Farguson, GDOEs state of emergency has not been favorable. Farguson has three kids enrolled in GDOE: one each in elementary, middle, and high school, and all of them on totally different schedules because of the closures seen at the start of the school year 2024-2025. The father from Dededo was up early Thursday morning to drop his son Tristain off for his first day of kindergarten at Wettengel, a little after 7 a.m. Hes pretty independent, dad said, positive about the first day of school. But Fargusons older son, Francis, attends Simon Sanchez High School, where he starts class around noon and doesnt get home until the evening hours. On Thursday, John F. Kennedy High School was one of only two high school campuses in the district to open its doors. The other was Tiyan High School. JFK students, who started getting to class before the sun came up, streamed out around 11:30 a.m. to make room for the Sanchez Sharks that were coming in as part of the ongoing double session between the two schools. And the trouble doesnt end there for dad Farguson, as his daughter is a student at Vicente S. M. Benavente Middle School, and did not even start class on Thursday because her campus is still without a sanitary permit. With no one else to take his kids to class, he said he had to call out of work on Thursday. My work, they wanted me there, he said, but when faced with the choice, I picked my kids education. The situation and uncertainty were frustrating, he added. You need a job to support yourself, but then at the same time, I gotta be there for my kids, and Im the only one that can drive them to school until I figure out whats going on," he said. Son Francis Farguson said the double session schedule for Sanchez was not great, and he now had classmates transferring to other districts to avoid it. But he said, Me? I have a lot of friends I can hang out with, so it didnt make a difference. The junior said he missed class, and at 16, hed soon have a license and be able to drive himself around. Not desirable Education Superintendent Erik Swanson acknowledged that the situation was not desirable and that it had been four years since the island had seen a normal school schedule, due to COVID-19, Typhoon Mawar, and now delayed health inspections. GDOE was working to make the new schedule as usable as possible, Swanson said, though the one thing I know is, one size does not fit all. The expectation that parents can have is that were working really hard to get back to a normal daily schedule before the end of semester, so all the kids are in their home school, he told the media at an education update Thursday afternoon. Swanson said GDOE now had an outpouring of community support, ranging from businesses to parents and parent-teacher organizations helping to get schools ready to open. Moving forward and barring another uncontrollable, calamity the disruptions that have colored the start of the school year would be seen less and less, according to the superintendent. He set a target this week of having every kid back in their own campus by Sept. 30. As for those that opened Thursday, the indications that I saw is that everything was going very well, Swanson said. The kids know the routines, everythings going smoothly, everythings working right, and (there are) a lot of happy, happy folks, he added. The Guam Waterworks Authority has shrunk its planned water rate increases by a good amount but residents will still see significant increases if the utilitys five-year rate plan is approved. Earlier plans to raise rates by a total of 71% over the next five years have since shrunk to about 58% during that same time, according to GWA General Manager Miguel Bordallo, and the projected rate increase could be lower still. Implementing the full 71% hike would have resulted in most GWA customers paying between $34 and $63 more per month on water by fiscal 2029. The Public Utilities Commission will have the final say over just how much GWA can raise its rates. A decision from the commission is expected by the end of September. PUC hosted the first of three public hearings on the rate increases Tuesday night at the GCIC building, but no one showed up to testify. There are two more public hearings on GWAs rate increase application at 6:30 p.m. on the following days: Wednesday, Aug. 14, at Dededo Senior Citizens Center Thursday, Aug. 15, at Asan Community Center Bordallo did give the Pacific Daily News an update on rate increase plans on Tuesday. GWA needs to borrow money to start about $898 million worth of water and wastewater system upgrades in the next five years. Rates will have to go higher, so that the utility can cover up front costs and debt service payments. Though rate increase plans were higher at the start of the year, senators have since approved GWA to go after a more cost-effective short-term financing scheme for the upgrades through Public Law 37-103. Bordallo said the Guam Economic Development Authority has provided some information from lenders about what kind of financing GWA might be able to avail of, and the rate increase models have been adjusted accordingly. GWA continues to work with consultants from the PUC to figure out what the final five-year rate increase schedule would look like. Weve just completed a full week of meetings with their consultant...to evaluate if there are other adjustments that can be made to the financial plan to lower those rates even further, Bordallo said. The general manager said he anticipates the 58% increase over five years will still be lowered by the time the PUC reviews GWAs rate request in September. Bordallo said the increase for the first year, fiscal 2025, will likely come down significantly, and increases may be spread out for a smoother rate slope. Heres what kind of increases customers can expect, in the latest projection from GWA: Fiscal 2025: 23% Fiscal 2026: 9.5% Fiscal 2027: 8.5% Fiscal 2028: 8.5% Fiscal 2029: 8.5% Total by fiscal 2029: 58% Lawsuit could raise rates Though GWA is working alongside the PUC to try and keep rates down, an ongoing court dispute over land GWAs Northern District Wastewater Treatment Plant sits on could cause rates to go up higher, Bordallo said. GWA and construction company Core Tech International are embroiled in a suit and countersuit over the treatment plant land. Core Tech asserts its ownership over the plant land, and is seeking some $220 million worth of back-rent and damages from GWA. GWA and GovGuam have been fighting to get the court to revoke certificates of title that Core Tech holds for the property, and proceedings are ongoing before the Superior Court of Guam. The rate plan GWA has laid out does not account for any damages the utility could be ordered to pay to Core Tech, Bordallo said Tuesday. But it will definitely impact the rates if a decision is made during the five year period, he said. What exactly that impact on rates will look like is all dependent on what happens in court. The $220 million Core Tech seeks in damages is nearly double the $122 million GWA anticipates to bring in through water and wastewater revenue in fiscal 2024, according to court documents. GWAs attorneys have argued that making that substantial payment to Core Tech would require water rates for customers to triple, raising the average monthly payment for a customer in fiscal 2026 from $98.37 per month to $281.61 per month. Bordallo said that figure is theoretically based on what GWA would have to do if its required to pay the full settlement in one year, but the outcome of the case remains uncertain. We know the claim is above $200 million in damages and fast rents, and then there will be an ongoing effect for rents going forward, which is an added expense that we dont have right now, he said. Basically all the money GWA generates right now goes to operational expenses, debt service, and some capital improvement work, according to Bordallo. None of it is planned to go into Core Techs pocket, right? So if we had to double or triple the rates in a single year, everything extra would go to that, he added. Haiti - Politic : Round table between the Eminent Personalities Group and the Commander of the MMSS On Tuesday, August 13, 2024. Kenny Anthony, EPG Coordinator and former Prime Minister of Saint Lucia and Mr. Bruce Golding, Former Prime Minister of Jamaica, led a delegation of seven team of Eminent Persons and the Bahamas for a round table meeting with Force Commander Senior Assistant Inspector General of Police Godfrey Otunge, Multinational Security Support Mission (MSSM). Others in attendance included: Ambassador Director General Jerusa Ali, Ambassador Colin Granderson, Special Advisor on Haiti to the CARICOM Secretary-General, Ms. Elizabeth Solomon, Assistant Secretary-General (Foreign and Community Relations, CARICOM Secretariat) Ms. Anna Lisa Jones-Reis, Officer, Foreign and Community Relations, CARICOM Secretariat, and Captain Chapell Whyms-Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Eminent Person's main agenda was to understand how MSSM had taken off and some of the challenges and teething problems that needed to be addressed to enable other contributing countries to send their personnel to Haiti for the Mission. They reiterated their commitment to seeing the Mission succeed since Kenya had taken a bold step in leading and deploying her officers to Haiti. hey appreciated the steps and measures the Mission had taken to work in tandem with PNH to recapture some of the critical infrastructure. They promised to catalyze the deployment of other contributing countries, especially from Caricom. They regretted the slow delivery of essential equipment and vehicles https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-42951-haiti-flash-weapons-ammunition-and-armored-vehicles-arrive-as-reinforcements.html Otunge thanked the delegation for the timely meeting and brought them to speed with the pre-deployment status that the Mission was still undertaking. He stressed the rationale behind the creation of Forward Operating Bases (FOB) and the need to have helicopters for the Mission. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-42951-haiti-flash-weapons-ammunition-and-armored-vehicles-arrive-as-reinforcements.html HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Diplomacy : The real reason for Haiti's absence at Abinader's inauguration (Official) Haitian Chancellor Dominique Dupuy puts an end to speculations circulating about Haiti's refusal to participate in the inauguration ceremony on Friday, August 16, 2024 of Dominican President Luis Abinader, who is in his second term. The reason is the closure on September 11, 2023 by the Dominican Republic of the airspace between the two countries following the conflict related to the construction of an irrigation canal in Haiti with a water intake on the Massacre https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-40478-haiti-flash-the-dominican-government-announces-measures-and-issues-an-ultimatum-to-haiti-canal-river-massacre.html Although informed by the Dominican Republic that this ban did not concern diplomatic and humanitarian flights, Chancellor Dupuy responded that "the Haitian authorities do not want to benefit from a privilege to which the Haitian people do not have access" and reiterated to her Dominican counterpart Roberto Alvarez the position of the Haitian authorities demanding the total reopening of the airspace without being limited to exceptions and without negotiations. However, in "diplomatic language", Prime Minister Cornille and President Edgar Leblanc Fils of the Transitional Council informed President Abinader "of their inability to leave Haiti, given the multiple urgent obligations related to the national situation." Nevertheless, Haiti will be represented at this ceremony by its charge d'affaires from the Haitian Embassy in Santo Domingo... Dominican Chancellor Roberto Alvarez regrets this absence of the Haitian authorities which, according to him, would have been a good opportunity to relaunch the binational dialogue. See also : https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-42983-icihaiti-diplomacy-investiture-of-president-abinader-haiti-represented-or-not.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-40478-haiti-flash-the-dominican-government-announces-measures-and-issues-an-ultimatum-to-haiti-canal-river-massacre.html HL/ S/ HaitiLibre Haiti - History : Message from Lesly Conde on the occasion of the 233rd anniversary of the Bois Caiman Congress Wednesday, August 14, 2024, as part of the celebration of the 233rd anniversary of the Bois Caiman Congress, Lesly Conde, Former Consul General of Haiti in Chicago (August 2004 - May 2018) delivered a message of reflection that we invite you to read and share. Message from Lesly Conde : "Dear compatriots and friends everywhere, I am more pleased and more enthusiastic every year as I find myself in your company to commemorate the anniversary of his highly significant event in our history. We purposely stay away from the interpretation given by our history books to the formidable gathering that was hosted on the night of the 14th to the 15th of August 1791 by Bookman at Bwa Kayiman. Instead of saying that it was a black magic ceremony during which african rites were practiced instead of the christian rites taught by the french masters, we prefer to speak about an extraordinary historical congress that deserves a better place in world history. August is a very important month in our country's history. In the night of August 14, 1791, while slavery was shining in all its brutality, an event happened in the rich colony of Saint-Domingue. That event signaled the beginning of the end of a world order based on the cruel exploitation of humans by humans. Three centuries of physical and psychological abuses had not succeeded in destroying the spirit of those men and women members of the black race who had in common the language of human dignity, the love of freedom. This gigantic event to which some historians still refer as "Ceremony of Bwa Kayiman" deserves to be seen as the first steps of an important revolution that the world still insists on ignoring. One of the main organizers of the Congress was Boukman. That english name confirms to us that he was a slave brought from the neighbouring island of Jamaica. Quite likely initiated to Islam from his native Africa, he was often seen with his Quran. That is where the name Book Man comes from. He was the imam, and the historic meeting took place in the woods near his home (Bwa Kay Imam). The fact that our first historians emasculated our heroes, and minimized their exploits, is nothing surprising. That sort of thing is expected to happen when the detractors of a nation write its history. This world that claims to be so in love with the ideals of liberty and justice, should join us every year in celebrating this courageous gathering as a declaration of love to universal freedom, freedom for every human. Today, it is hard to believe that a nation resulting from so much bravery, deserves to be so mercilessly humiliated in its 218th year of existence. We will, above all, not say that our ancestors were brave enough, proud enough and determined enough to organize the important Bwa Kay Imam Congress, were not prepared for freedom. Our country is still at the heart of a struggle for justice and democracy in a world which is totally hostile or indifferent. We are clinging to our right to survive with dignity, and on our own terms. That is the spirit of the Bwa Kay Imam Congress. Today, we salute the historic Bwa Kay Imam Congress as the first genuine universal declaration of human rights." See also : Message from Lesly Conde 2024: https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-42670-icihaiti-father-s-day-message-from-lesly-conde.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-42423-haiti-mother-s-day-message-from-lesly-conde.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-42158-haiti-national-diaspora-day-message-of-reflection-from-lesly-conde.html https://www.haitilibre.com/article-42158-haiti-journee-nationale-de-la-diapora-message-de-reflexion-de-lesly-conde.html 2024 : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-42061-haiti-221st-of-thedeath-of-toussaint-louverture-message-of-reflection-from-lesly-conde.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-42012-haiti-easter-2024-reflection-message-from-lesly-conde.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41981-haiti-holy-week-message-of-reflection-from-lesly-conde.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41944-haiti-international-day-of-la-francophonie-message-of-reflection-from-lesly-conde.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41837-haiti-social-international-women-s-day-message-of-reflection-from-lesly-conde.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41575-haiti-black-history-month-message-of-reflection-from-lesly-conde.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41414-haiti-14th-of-the-2010-earthquake-message-from-lesly-conde-video.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41336-haiti-220th-anniversary-of-independence-message-of-reflection-from-lesly-conde.html Message from Lesly Conde 2023 : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41316-haiti-social-new-year-s-message-from-lesly-conde-2024.html Message from Lesly Conde 2022 : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-38451-haiti-christmas-end-of-year-message-from-lesly-conde.html Message from Lesly Conde 2021 : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35584-haiti-social-wishes-from-lesly-conde-on-the-occasion-of-the-new-year.html HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... Kenyan agent treated in DR A Kenyan agent who is part of the Multinational Mission for Security Support in Haiti was treated (in all discretion) at the Center for Advanced Medicine and Telemedicine Diagnostics (Cedimat) in the Dominican Republic, after being shot during a clash with armed gangs in Haiti. He was released from the hospital on August 5 and has since resumed his duties in Haiti. The information was confirmed by the Dominican Ministry of Defense. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-42713-haiti-politic-dominicans-will-support-the-mission-in-haiti.html PNH : Normil Rameau, receives a delegation from the INL Wednesday, August 14, 2024, Normil Rameau, the Director General of the National Police of Haiti (PNH) accompanied by members of his cabinet, received a visit from a delegation from the Office of "International Narcotics & Law Enforcement" (INL). This meeting is part of the prospects for collaboration between the Police Institution and the organizations of the American Embassy in Haiti in order to facilitate better collaboration in the execution of the tasks of different entities in matters of national security. 3rd anniversary of the earthquake in the Southern Peninsula "It has been three years since a terrible earthquake [7.2 on the Richter scale] struck the southern peninsula of the country and its surroundings https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34479-haiti-flash-magnitude-72-earthquake-in-the-nippes-updated-10am.html Beyond the human and material toll, the inhabitants of the Southern region still remember the memories of this deadly disaster. Today, I want to tell them that the Government has not forgotten them and will do everything possible to ensure effective recovery. 'Nou pap janm bliye'..." Prime Minister Garry Conille See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34496-haiti-flash-the-toll-is-increasing-724-dead-international-aid-is-arriving.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34488-haiti-flash-more-than-300-dead-nearly-2-000-injured-very-significant-material-damage-provisional-assessment.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34479-haiti-flash-magnitude-72-earthquake-in-the-nippes-updated-10am.html Back to school Ronald Joseph, Director General of the National Education Fund (FNE) indicated that 10,000 benches will be available for the start of the 2024-2025 academic year, and that 52 school construction sites are underway, particularly in the South, Grand'Anse and Nippes regions. Among them, 17 schools are completed and ready for inauguration. Port-de-Paix : Inauguration of the North-East University Hospital Earlier this week, Dr. Carl Francois, Director General of the Office of Work Accident, Sickness and Maternity Insurance (OFATMA), in the presence of Georges Wilbert Franck, Minister of Social Affairs and Ku Wen-Jiann, Ambassador of Taiwan (Republic of China), inaugurated the North-East University Hospital in Port-de-Paix, built with the support of Taiwan. The center is built on an area of 5,130 m2 and has 120 beds. It offers basic services in internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery, obstetrics-gynecology, as well as other services such as ophthalmology, urology, dermatology, orthopedics, dental clinic and radiology. BNC : New Board Ms. Kethleen Florestal, the Minister of Economy and Finance and Ronald Gabriel, the Governor of the Bank of the Republic of Haiti (BRH) installed this week a new board of directors at the head of the National Credit Bank (BNC). The board of directors includes: Pierre Andre Agelus, Pascale Valembrun Desinor and Evens Jerome. https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-42986-haiti-news-zapping.html HL/ HaitiLibre (CNBC) Starbucks offered incoming CEO and Chair Brian Niccol a pay bump and hefty one-time awards to lure him from his prior role as chief executive at Chipotle Mexican Grill. Niccol officially takes the reins at the embattled coffee chain on Sept. 9. As CEO, hell be tasked with turning around the companys slumping sales, improving customers experience inside stores and figuring out what to do with its struggling China business. To read this article: The societal debate about immigration, in particular, has given pause to a number of international technology experts working in the country, with as many as 89 per cent of the survey respondents describing the debate as worrying. FINLAND faces an uphill battle to attract international talent, indicates a survey by Academic Engineers and Architects in Finland (TEK) and the Union of Professional Engineers in Finland (IL). A little over half, or 52 per cent, of the participants said they would recommend the country as a place to live and work to others, whereas 81 per cent estimated that it was unlikely that the country would be a better place for migrants in five years time. Altogether 1,000 English-speaking members of the two unions responded to the survey. Most of the respondents are employed in an expert capacity on a permanent basis and have resided in the country already for several years. Forty per cent of them had moved to the country for work, 38 per cent for studies and 18 per cent for family reasons. Less than a quarter, or 23 per cent, of respondents had been unemployed in the past 18 months. The situation is unsustainable, Juhani Nokela, the director of public affairs at TEK, stated in a press release on Tuesday. Finland is driving out the very people who are creating future economic growth here. Its pointless for decision-makers to make fine speeches if the international experts living here see the reality as so chilling. The survey is not the first to cast doubt over the countrys ability to appeal to skilled labour amid growing competition. In July, Finland came in third to last in a survey of the expat experience in 53 countries around the world representing a collapse of 35 spots from the previous iteration of the survey by Internations, Expat Insider. The erosion of the country image has stirred up concerns among employers. The Technology Industries of Finland has warned that Finland will pay a high price for the adoption of increasingly anti-immigration policies. Maria Jauhiainen, a lawyer at IL, on Tuesday reminded that the global competition for skilled labour is intense. You cant take part in it by eyeing foreigners suspiciously from your cabin. The ability to attract and recruit international experts is key, she emphasised. Finland does also have traits that drew praise from international technology experts, highlighted IL and TEK. For example, most of the survey respondents stated that they feel equal at the workplace with native-born employees and over two-thirds that they are well integrated to life in Finland. Employees who have a family and work in senior positions were more likely to consider themselves well integrated to society. While 54 per cent of respondents said they intend to stay permanently in Finland, 35 per cent stated that they will probably move elsewhere later and 6 per cent that they plan to move elsewhere as soon as possible. Finland offers a great environment for children in terms of safety, activities and quality education, elaborated one respondent who is planning on staying permanently. I feel that I have the same values as people in Finland. I also value the environment, security and respect for human rights, commented another. Current government proposals are unwelcoming for immigrants, regardless of their education and skills, explained one respondent who is planning to leave as soon as possible. Poor economic situation, very limited career development prospects, said another. On the other hand, over 40 per cent of respondents reported that they have experienced discrimination in recruitment, with their would-be employers rejecting them on grounds that they do not have sufficient Finnish skills or that the Finnish labour market does not value experience or qualifications obtained abroad. Experiences of discrimination were common especially for people from Asia and Africa. Almost half, or 47 per cent, of respondents have a post-graduate university degree in engineering, 14 per cent a bachelor degree in engineering, 10 per cent a university degree in another field and 12 per cent a doctorate degree. Four in ten of respondents had obtained their degree in Finland. A good command of English should be enough to get started on finding a job. Employers must offer Finnish language teaching, which is the best way to integrate into Finland. The use of anonymous recruitment would also certainly reduce unconscious discrimination, listed Nokela. The survey respondents represent over 70 nationalities, the largest nationality groups being Russians, Indians and Iranians. Over 60 per cent of them are based in the capital region and 15 per cent in Hame or Pirkanmaa. Aleksi Teivainen HT A PAINTER who has lived in Italy for almost 18 years is returning to England to exhibit her work. Nicola Mountney, whose paintings are influenced by Asian art, will be staging A Moment in Time at the Old Fire Station Gallery in Henley next week. Im looking forward to coming, she says. This is the first time Ive had an exhibition in Henley. My closest friend lives in Knowl Hill, so thats where I shall be staying. My family are in Norfolk, not far from Norwich, and I have quite a lot of friends in Suffolk, round Aldeburgh way, so I do most of my exhibitions there. Nicola, 63, was born in London and lived there for many years. She trained as a classical dancer, then spent 20 years working for a company that specialises in making period costume for film and television. I used to put on exhibitions of iconic costumes throughout Europe and the USA, she says. Then I decided, in a totally mad moment, to sell my house in north London and move to Italy to run a Buddhist retreat centre. I became very involved in Tibetan Buddhism and doing thangka painting. It just means scroll painting you know, like you see those big paintings of Buddhas with a sort silk brocade surround. There isnt any artistic freedom in that. Its all very regimented and technical but thats where I learnt my painting skills. Nicola is inspired by the Chinese blue-green landscape style known as Shan shui that began to develop in the 5th century. She developed her own style of painting with a strong emphasis on precision, colour and detail, but moving away from the firm guidelines she had learned. Her frequent travels in India and Nepal has led her to create a fusion of East and West, which form the basis of much of her work. Nicola says: When I paint, Im not striving to present something that I have seen but rather what I have thought. The paintings are not an open window for the viewers eye but the viewers mind. Mostly I use gouache. Ive taken those Asian painting skills and Ive created something that, as far as I know, is unique but has a very obvious connection with Asia. She moved to Italy with her young son, Henry, in 2006. Nicola recalls: We sold our house in Muswell Hill and bought this huge house, Casa Nicola, in Tuscany and we ran courses from there and it was really successful. It is a beautiful, medieval house in a village in the Montagna Pistoiese. I dont live in it now as I rent it out for holidays and also for people that want to run a painting course, or yoga or somehing. Its a really good place for a big group that want to run some kind of course. I live in a city called Pistoia which most people havent heard of. Its halfway between Lucca and Florence. I spend my time between running Casa Nicola and painting in Pistoia. Henry is studying art at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence. Nicola says: I bring the paintings to England because I have family and friends there and I have the paintings framed there. I am exhibiting at the Old Fire Station Gallery with a friend of mine, Simon Cavelle. We have very different styles but I think they complement each other. We havent exhibited together before but we thought it would be nice. Hes doing quite large abstracts but he also does charcoal, wildlife and that sort of thing and theyre really nice. Simon, from London, has been drawing and painting professionally for more than 30 years. He spent his childhood in Sudan and has Sri Lankan and Yorkshire heritage. He used to be in the Household Cavalry, breaking in and training horses. Simons work ranges from charcoal wildlife, old master classic cars, houses and yachts to large-scale textured abstract canvases. He is fascinated by light, texture and colour. A Moment in Time is at the Old Fire Station Gallery, 52 Market Place, Henley, from Thursday to Tuesday, August 15 to August 20, from 10am to 5pm daily. There will be paintings, prints and cards for sale and the artists will be on hand to discuss their work. For more information, visit www.nicolamountney.com or www.pavilionart.com A NEW minor surgery procedure is now being offered at Townlands Memorial Hospital in Henley. The Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust will be carrying out carpal tunnel surgery using the hospitals minor operations facilities. The procedure has been introduced to improve the number of services closer to home for patients. Several patients have already had the procedure at the hospital. Carpal tunnel release is a minor wrist operation used to treat and potentially heal the painful condition known as carpal tunnel syndrome and is usually performed at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading. The initiative is expected to reduce patient waiting lists by increasing the number of surgeries performed in the area. It is also hoped the number of patients needing to travel to the Royal Berks is reduced. Natasha Picardo, consultant hand surgeon, said: We are really pleased to be able to offer this service at Townlands as it makes a real difference to patients locally. By having the carpal tunnel surgery under minor ops at a local hospital like Townlands it significantly streamlines the patient journey as they dont require preoperative assessments. On the day of surgery they can be admitted and discharged much faster, as well as having a session with our clinical staff on how to manage after the operation. The trust said moving minor operations to community hospitals such as Townlands will help reduce the demands on theatre space and provides a more accessible option for patients. This comes four weeks after a public meeting was held at Henley town hall where residents expressed their fears about the future of Townlands. They accused health chiefs of not being straight about the future of services at the 16million health campus after a staffing shake-up. The Henley Standard revealed in June that consultant cover for the rapid access care unit at the hospital has already been withdrawn and a consultant who was sub-contracted from the Royal Berks did not have their contract renewed while another retired with no plans to replace them. GPs who provide medical cover were also asked to agree new contracts which would require more weekend working and providing cover at other hospitals in the county at short notice. The Bell and Hart surgeries in Henley have also been told that while there is no directive to make savings, the trust wants to improve use of resources and provide more cover by senior staff. Doctors are worried that this could amount to managing decline but the Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the services at Townlands, has denied this, saying that if services are changed, the public will be engaged. However, there was no public consultation before seven NHS-funded and operated care beds were removed from the neighbouring Chilterns Court care centre in December. That decision was taken by Oxfordshire County Council and the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board, which wanted to encourage patient care at home. New Henley MP Freddie van Mierlo has written to Health Secretary Wes Streeting asking him to revisit the decision so a consultation on the care beds can be carried out. The Henley Society, a conservation group, has also written to the minister asking him to intervene, which has also been sent to the Henley Standard. Chairman Geoff Luckett wrote: You will be aware that the previous government brought about changes to the NHS and in particular the abolition of clinical commissioning groups and their replacement with integrated care boards. One of its early decisions was to remove seven step-down beds from Chilterns Court, Henley. This was done without discussion with any local interested groups, including our two GP surgeries, which assure us that the beds were used to capacity. This decision means that patients leaving hospital, and in need of support, are often taken to facilities far removed from Henley such as Burcot. We have heard of patients being taken as far as Swindon, almost 50 miles distant, an hour and a half by car, putting them out of easy reach of their relatives and loved ones. We therefore repeat the request to you to similarly call in this case and we look forward to hearing that you have been able to do so. When the beds were commissioned, they were to support the four beds in the rapid access care unit at hospital next door. These beds were closed in 2021 only after consultation with key stakeholders. However, there was no consultation when it was decided to scrap the Chilterns Court beds. (JTA) - TEL AVIV - As she read the news about a looming attack from Iran and its proxies, Adi Tamir faced a series of dilemmas: Should she go ahead with her weekend vacation on the banks of the Jordan River? Living in a town near Israel's northern coastline - well within reach of Hezbollah's rockets - should she leave her house at all? She settled on a compromise: She wouldn't go on the vacation to Israel's border with Jordan - but she also wouldn't remain hunkered down at home. "I'm not going to play with destiny to that degree," she said about her vacation plans. "But I am going out," she ad... (JNS) The United Nations announced Aug. 5 that nine staff members of the scandal-plagued UNRWA organization may have been involved in the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks in southern Israel, as its internal investigation into Israeli allegations came to a close. The U.N. Internal Oversight Services handled the months-long fact-finding investigation in the wake of Jerusalems stunning allegations that a number of UNRWA employees had taken part in the atrocities of Oct. 7. The contention had led to 16 countries suspending assistance to UNRWA, the U.N.s Palestinian-only aid and social-services... (JTA) J.D. Vance, the Ohio senator who is Donald Trumps running mate, said he feels bad that Josh Shapiro, the Jewish Pennsylvania governor who was in contention to be Kamala Harris running mate, has to run from being Jewish to get the job. Harris, the vice president who is the Democratic presidential nominee, on Tuesday named Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. Shapiro was in the top two or three in contention and was also subject to a campaign from the progressive left to keep him off the ticket because of his views on Israel. I genuinely feel bad that for days, maybe weeks... Starting in September, the Jewish Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce a new opportunity for professionals to connect and grow their networks. Held on the first Tuesday of every month from September through December, the Chamber will host a free monthly networking breakfast at One Senior Place in Altamonte Springs. The event will begin promptly at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 9:30 a.m. The breakfast gatherings aim to bring together members of the Jewish community and beyond, offering a relaxed and welcoming environment for business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals to meet, exchange idea... (JNS) - A medical opinion submitted in the case of the Hamas terrorist who was allegedly raped at the Israel Defense Forces' Sde Teiman detention center suggests that the IDF reservists suspected of attacking him could be innocent, Israel's Channel 14 News broadcaster reported on Thursday. The expert opinion-written by Professor Alon Pikarsky, director of general surgery at Jerusalem's Hadassah-University Medical Center and a board-certified general surgeon specializing in colorectal surgery-was revealed during a closed hearing at the Beit Lid military court, the report said. "Since there was... (JTA) On Oct. 9, as the toll of Hamas attack on Israel was still being tallied, Tim Walz stood before a room of Jewish Minnesotans and condemned the invasion of two days earlier. If you did not find moral clarity on Saturday morning, and you find yourself waiting to think about what you needed to say, you need to reevaluate where youre at, the governor said at the event, which was co-hosted by the local Jewish Community Relations Council. Those words resonated with Steve Hunegs, the JCRCs executive director. He also said they tracked with Walzs record. Hes a presence and well familia... (Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies. via JNS) On May 15, 2024, the Israel Defense Forces announced that a Hezbollah drone had hit the Israeli Air Force facility that operated the Sky Dew High Availability Aerostat System. This strike was unusual in that it took place far from the Israel-Lebanon front. It drew Israels attention, and not only because it represented a gradual escalation in the reaction equation. The fact that the aircraft accurately hit its target was not, in itself, the worst aspect of the incident. Hezbollahs precision strike capabilities are unfortunately not new.... Aug. 17-18, Florida Kids & Family Expo Join the Holocaust Center from 10 a.m. 5 p.m. at the 9th Annual Florida Kids & Family Expo on Aug. 17 & 18 at the Orange County Convention Center, 9800 International Dr., Orlando. The Holocaust Center will be part of the largest kids and family expo in the United States. The Center will present the all-new VR tour of Anne Franks annex and Holocaust Center educators will be on hand to chat with. Sept. 14, Holocaust Center Benefit Concert Opera Orlando will present the premiere of Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezin, 7:30 p.m. 9:30 p.m. in Steinmet... (JNS) A squadron of United States Air Force F-22 Raptor stealth fighter jets arrived in the Middle East on Thursday to mitigate the possibility of regional escalation by Iran or its proxies, the U.S. military confirmed. In an earlier statement, U.S. Central Command, the geographic command responsible for the Middle East, Central Asia and parts of South Asia, said that the planes were dispatched to address Tehrans anticipated attack. The statement, which was shared on X, was modified to read mitigate some 30 minutes after it was first posted online, JNS has confirmed. Israels Security... Israeli company installs water-generation machine in Vatican City (JNS) Watergen, an Israeli company specializing in water-generation technology, has installed one of its machines at the Office of Papal Charities in Vatican City. The machine, which produces clean drinking water from the air, will provide Cardinal Konrad Krajewski and his team with a sustainable water source on-site. The installation reflects a shared commitment to addressing global water scarcity. Krajewski, who leads the office with a focus on humanitarian aid, will benefit from this new water source, which aligns with the... (JTA) WASHINGTON The White House condemned as inflammatory a pledge by Missouri Rep. Cori Bush to AIPAC that she would tear your kingdom down, implying that heated rhetoric like hers could inspire political violence. Bush, a member of the Squad, the group of far-left Democrats that is harshly critical of Israel, lost a costly primary on Tuesday to St. Louis County prosecutor Wesley Bell. Political action committees allied with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee spent more than $9 million against Bush, making the election the third this cycle in which they have supported suc... (JNS) With the dramatic assassination of Hamas political chieftain Ismail Haniyeh while a guest of Ayatollah Khamenei in Tehran; preceded by the assassination 12 hours earlier of Hezbollah kingpin Faud Shakr in Beirut; the confirmation of the death of Hamas military strategist Muhammad Deif from Khan Younis; the death of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps commander Amir Hajizadeh near Damascus; and the attack on the Houthi stronghold at the port of Hodeida, Yemen, the world has learned that there are no limits to the long arm of Israeli intelligence. This is Israel stepping up to th... This week, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declared the mpox clade I outbreak a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security, and the World Health Organization (WHO) declared this outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The United States government supports those declarations. The United States will continue to work closely with African governments, Africa CDC and WHO to ensure an effective response to the current outbreak and to protect the health and lives of people of the region. In 2022, the world experienced a global outbreak of clade II mpox, which led to more than 95,000 cases across 115 non-endemic countries. Clade I mpox tends to cause a higher number of severe infections and have a higher mortality rate than clade II mpox. The evidence for clade I mpox clinical outcomes is based primarily on data from endemic countries, particularly DRC. We expect it would cause lower morbidity and mortality in the United States than in the DRC. DRC is currently experiencing the largest number of annual suspect cases ever recorded and the disease has now been identified in several neighboring countries where mpox (clade I or clade II) has not been found in the past. U.S. Government Partnership on the Mpox Response The United States Government has been closely monitoring the spread of clade I mpox in the DRC and neighboring countries since 2023, and we have been working closely with the Government of DRC, as well as regional and global health partners to reduce the impact of this outbreak and safeguard public health. U.S. government support for the mpox response also builds on our robust, longstanding health partnerships with DRC and throughout Africa, which have helped combat infectious diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria for over 20 years. In fiscal year 2023, the United States allocated more than $2.65 billion in bilateral health funding in Central and Eastern Africa. This response also builds on a longstanding partnership on global health security between DRC and the United States. In addition to ongoing health support, in the last few months the United States has provided an additional $17 million USD to support clade I mpox preparedness and response efforts in Central and Eastern Africa. The funding has enabled stronger surveillance, risk communication, and community engagement, as well as needed laboratory supplies and diagnostics, clinical services, and vaccine planning. Vaccination will be a critical element of the response to this outbreak. To support this effort, the United States is donating 50,000 doses of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved JYNNEOS vaccine to DRC. The United States is working with other countries, WHO, and international partners to encourage donations that support vaccine efforts and address challenges to vaccine delivery. Mpox Preparedness for the United States The risk to the general public in the United States from clade I mpox circulating in the DRC is very low, and there are no known cases in the United States at this time. Due to efforts over the last nine months, the United States is well prepared to rapidly detect, contain, and manage clade I cases should they be identified domestically. The United States has a robust surveillance system in place, including through clinical testing and wastewater analysis. We continue to encourage those at high risk to get vaccinated with the JYNNEOS mpox vaccine, which has been demonstrated to be safe and highly effective at preventing severe disease from mpox. Those who have already had clade II mpox or are fully vaccinated against mpox are expected to be protected against severe illness from clade I mpox. CDC has issued an updated Health Alert Network advisory urging clinicians to consider clade I mpox in people who have been in DRC or neighboring countries in the previous 21 days; clinicians are also asked to submit specimens for clade-specific testing for these patients if they have symptoms consistent with mpox. Given the geographic spread of clade I mpox, the U.S. CDC issued an updated Travel Health Notice on Aug. 7, 2024, recommending travelers to DRC and neighboring countries practice enhanced precautions. By Mohamed Ezz and Emma Rumney Brewers tap growth of zero-alcohol beers in Middle East CAIRO/LONDON, - Egyptian Mohannad Abdelazeem, 35, doesn't drink alcohol. But he does consume three or four cans per day of Moussy and Fayrouz - alcohol-free beers. Brewers including Carlsberg and Anheuser-Busch InBev say interest is growing in such booze-free brews across the Middle East and North Africa, presenting opportunities in a region with some of the lowest alcohol consumption rates globally. Reuters spoke to eight Egyptian consumers, shopkeepers or cafe owners - including Abdelazeem - who said they or their customers have recently switched to non-alcoholic beers, ditching U.S. soft drinks brands like Pepsi and Coca-Cola because they see them as supportive of Israel following its bombardment of Palestine. PepsiCo, which acquired Israel-based SodaStream in 2018, and Coca-Cola did not respond to a request for comment. There is also a broader shift in consumer tastes underway, some executives say. AB InBev has seen demand for zero-alcohol brews rising among locals in some Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia, according to Jason Warner, its CEO for Europe and the Middle East. Sales to tourists and expatriates have also grown. AB InBev launched its flagship alcohol-free beer Corona Cero in Saudi Arabia in the first quarter. Announcing the planned launch in September 2023, Brian Perkins, AB InBev's head of Western Europe, said Corona Cero offered "new frontiers of growth and brand building in expansion markets". Abdelazeem, a genetics researcher, said he used to drink seven or eight cans of Pepsi or Coca Cola every day, but worried about its health impacts. He sees drinks like Carlsberg's Moussy as being good for digestive health and preventing kidney stones, adding his whole family had now made the switch. "Honestly, we like it even more given its health benefits," he said. Moussy is made by avoiding alcoholic fermentation, instead of by removing alcohol afterwards as is common with many non-alcoholic beers. Carlsberg refers to Moussy as a non-alcoholic beer, though it is marketed as a malt beverage in Egypt, where it has been sold for 30 years. While Carlsberg said growing interest in zero-alcohol brews presented an "opportunity" in the Middle East and North Africa, they were unlikely to make any substantial contribution to revenues any time soon. "Culturally it is going to take time for people to be comfortable with the notion that it is a beer," CEO Jacob Aarup-Andersen told Reuters in an interview earlier this year. Carlsberg's teams were working to develop markets in the region, but this was a long-term endeavour, he added. AB InBev is focused on appealing to existing beer drinkers, who currently drive zero-alcohol sales globally, executives told Reuters. It sees demand for non-alcoholic beer in the Middle East mostly concentrated in international venues like hotels and western restaurants. While trends in cosmopolitan cities tend to spread over time, AB InBev had no plans to try to drive uptake, Warner said. Heineken's net revenue grew by upwards of 40% in Egypt in the first half of this year, in part thanks to sales of Fayrouz. The company does not break down its results by country and declined to provide further details. "PIVOTAL PERIOD" Non-alcoholic beers remain a small part of brewers' revenues, but are increasingly central to strategy as they offer growth. So far, that has mostly been driven by expanding the opportunities for existing drinkers to sip on beer brands, such as during working lunches. The executives' comments, however, indicate potential for zero-alcohol brews to recruit new customers in nations with large populations that brewers have barely penetrated to date. While all brewers operate in the Middle East and North Africa, their beer sales in many countries are focused on a niche market of travellers and expatriates - which is growing as tourism increases. Brands like Carlsberg's Moussy and Heineken's Fayrouz, by contrast, have targeted the local population. Carlsberg commenced local production of Moussy in Egypt in 2023, and has also built a local sourcing hub in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where it says Moussy and another Carlsberg brand Holsten hold over 50% of the zero-alcohol beer market. It has developed new flavours, including lemon and mint, a popular taste locally. "We are at a pivotal period in the Middle East where local preferences and aspirations are changing rapidly," said Alexander Hauberg-Jensen, Carlsberg's vice president for Middle East & Africa. Carlsberg, which sells soft drinks as well as beers, plans to expand its portfolio to include other non-alcoholic beverages, he said. AB InBev's chief marketing officer Marcel Marcondes said the company was not making any specific effort to grow in Middle Eastern markets, which are not a priority and where it does not advertise. The company works to ensure product is available to meet demand and provide partners with tools to serve its drinks well, such as glassware, Warner added. CULTURAL BARRIERS Even indirect promotion of alcohol is prohibited in Gulf nations, including the United Arab Emirates, and it is unclear if advertising a zero-alcohol version of an otherwise alcoholic brand would class as such, said David Yates, Partner and Head of Digital & Data at corporate law firm Al Tamimi & Company. Companies would have to consult carefully with authorities to understand what marketing, if any, is permitted, and even then risk offending conservative consumers, he added. Any significant cultural shift is generations away, said Laurence Whyatt, analyst at Barclays, adding the brand awareness and pursuit of moderation that drive zero-alcohol sales elsewhere do not exist in regions where most do not drink. "I'm not holding my breath," he said. In some countries, zero-alcohol brews are growing for different reasons, such as in Egypt where they are perceived to be good for digestion, said Alexandra Molokova, research analyst at market research firm Euromonitor International. This presents an opportunity for brewers but they need to adapt their strategies and pricing to reflect these differing motivations, added Susie Goldspink, Head of No- and Low-Alcohol Insights at beverage market research firm IWSR. Most customers in the region would otherwise be drinking a soft or hot drinks - far cheaper than the alcoholic beers brewers usually price in line with, she said, adding well-known brands like Moussy have the upper hand. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. A woman in Bengaluru took to social media and said that her husband has been missing from last few days. She also alleged that police are not responding in a favorable way and complained that they are not investigating the case on priority. Bengaluru woman takes to social media to find her missing husband, police launch search ops Also Read - Karnataka landslide: Navy divers commence search for missing Kerala lorry driver On August 11, in a self-recorded video, the woman said, My husband, Vipin Gupta has been missing and his phone is switched off. When I approached police, they said that he might have gone for a biking trip and asked me to wait for his return. I asked them to file an FIR but they initially denied to do so. She further said that she met the Bengaluru north east DCP and claimed that the latter screamed at her. I met the DCP and he listened to my problem. When he enquired with the other officer, he was told that my husband goes on a biking trip to Goa every year. He then screamed at me and asked me not to teach their job. I was told to meet another officer. Also Read - PM Narendra Modi's first reaction to Kolkata rape-murder: Instill fear of punishment The woman further said that she suspects a kidnap of her husband by a second-hand iPhone buyer. Last month, a second-hand iPhone buyer visited my home to buy our iPhone. He told my husband to contact him if he ever needs an iPhone. My husband might have contacted him and I suspect the kidnap of my husband. I request police to help me out, she added in the video. However, police said that an FIR has been filed and the investigation is on. We registered FIR and investigation is going on. We spoke to the compliant also and we are doing our best to trace her husband, said Bengaluru police in a statement. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said Karnataka stands third in the country by drawing 54,427 crore Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) during 2023-24. He said the state government has taken up multidimensional programmes in the areas of industry, agriculture, infrastructure development, and education to accelerate economic growth, besides the implementation of welfare programmes. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah (PTI) The Chief Minister was delivering his address on the occasion of 78th Independence Day, after hoisting the national flag at the Manekshaw Parade Ground here. He noted that MoUs (memorandum of understanding) have been signed with 13 industries, which will bring in investments worth 42,915 crore and is expected to create around 22,600 jobs. The government has approved 591 investment projects through single window committees during 2023-24, he said adding this will result in a flow of 84,232 crore investment and employment generation for 1,56,986 people. Also Read - Karnataka landslide: Navy divers commence search for missing Kerala lorry driver "During 2023-24, our state stood first in exports, with a value of USD 1,66,545 Million. The growth is 5.20 per cent compared to previous year." On the Global Investors Meet- Invest Karnataka 2025 to be held in 2025, Siddaramaiah said preparations are in full swing and investors are invited by holding roadshows across the country and the world. The state government has drafted the Karnataka Clean Mobility Policy 2024-29 aimed at attracting Rs. 50,000 crore investments within the clean mobility vehicle sector and creating approximately one lakh new jobs, he said. Also Read - Bengaluru woman takes to social media to find her missing husband, police launch search ops The policy is now in its final stage of approval. In his speech, the Chief Minister further said a 'Skill Advisory Committee' has been established to provide skill training that matches the demand in the IT and BT sectors. "The committee has submitted a detailed plan for courses aligned with industry needs, and steps will be taken to impart these skills." Good infrastructure and transportation connectivity are accelerators for economic growth, he said, in this regard, 1,917 KM of state highways, 2,502 KM of district main roads, and 150 bridges will be constructed in the current year. Pointing to the government's "Brand Bengaluru" initiative, the CM said it is being implemented to transform the state capital into a world-class city. It is intended to take up long-term infrastructure development plans for the city through innovative Integrated Financial model with at least 48,686 crore. "Our government has made a strong resolve to implement the Peripheral Ring Road project in an effort to reduce traffic congestion (in Bengaluru)." To expedite the implementation of the state's irrigation projects, Siddaramaiah said a larger budget allocation has been made this time. Under the Yettinahole Project, 855.02 crore has been spent so far this year. Regarding floods due to monsoon showers in parts of the state, Siddaramaiah said he has personally visited the flood-hit districts and Ministers have also managed the situation by camping in district headquarters. "I have directed officials to provide relief for the loss of human lives, livestock and damaged houses. It has been decided to allocate houses along with Rs. 1.2 lakh compensation for those lost houses." Stressing that maintaining a balance between development and the environment is essential, he said, in this regard, 1,351 villages in 250 Gram Panchayats located in Chikkamagaluru, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Kodagu, Shivamogga, and Hassan, within the Western Ghats, have been identified by Geological Survey of India, as prone to landslides. To prevent landslides in these areas, mitigation measures will be undertaken at a cost of 100 crores in collaboration with the Geological Survey of India and the National Institute of Rock Mechanics (NIRM). On human-wildlife conflict, the CM said, to address this effectively, the government has initiated the construction of 120 km of railway barricades since it came to power. "Additionally, 7 elephant task forces and 2 leopard task forces have been established. Recently, an international conference on preventing human-elephant conflicts was successfully held in Bengaluru," he said. The Capital on Thursday recorded its 13th consecutive day of rainfall, the longest streak of rainy days the city has seen for at least the past 13 years, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data. On Thursday, the Safdarjung weather station, which is considered representative of Delhis weather, recorded trace rainfall, continuing a streak that started on August 3. (RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO) The record is based on the earliest year, 2011, from when the IMD began keeping detailed daily rainfall data. Since that year, the longest streak was of 11 days, recorded in September 2021, August 2012 and August 2013, until it was broken this year and officials say the streak will get longer. Rain is likely for the next six days, with light rain to be recorded in parts of Delhi. Isolated parts may also receive moderate rain, an IMD official said. On Thursday, the Safdarjung weather station, which is considered representative of Delhis weather, recorded trace rainfall, continuing a streak that started on August 3. In previous years, the next longest rainy-day streak was of nine days in July 2016, August 2020 and September 2018. It rained on eight consecutive days in July 2013 and July 2015. Between August 1 and August 15 this year, Delhi recorded rain on all days, barring August 3. IMD counts rainfall for a 24-hour period between 8.30am on consecutive days. IMD scientist RK Jenamani said that the monsoon trough has remained close to Delhi-NCR this month, keeping constant moisture centred on the region. We cannot say it is unusual, but certainly, we have seen the trough remain around Delhi-NCR since early August and that keeps bringing light to moderate rain, he said. Last August, Delhi clocked 11 rainy days in total, with four consecutive days of rain. In 2022, 16 rainy days were recorded in the entire month, but with only three consecutive days. In 2021, 10 rainy days were recorded, four of them being consecutive, and in 2020, there were 18 rainy days August, nine of which were consecutive. August is Delhis rainiest month --- the last longest streak of 11 days occurred in this month (in 2012 and 2013) on two of the three occasions before. The monsoon sets in around late June and early July, with rain activity peaking in August before tapering off in September. In comparison, the monsoon trough largely remained away from Delhi-NCR in June and July, interspersed with heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in short spells. In June, Delhi recorded 243.4mm of rainfall, of which 228.1mm was recorded in a spell of extremely heavy rainfall on June 28. In July, Delhi recorded 203.7mmof rainfall, most of which was a cumulative of light to moderate rain spells. In the 24-hour period between July 31 and August 1, 107.6mm of rainfall was recorded, but this accounted towards the August count (since much of it began after 8.30am on July 31). In the first half of August, Delhi has recorded 224.3mm of rainfall, which is just short of the monthly average of 233.1mm. August has surpassed its monthly average only three times since 2011 in 2012 (378.8mm), in 2013 (321.4mm) and in 2020 (237mm), according to IMD data. Till 2012, La Nina conditions affected the monsoon, with mostly neutral conditions in 2013. Mahesh Palawat, vice president at Skymet said La Nina conditions were certainly helping such rain in August, adding the monsoon trough has not pulled away either, like it usually does in August. Over the last several years, we have seen low-pressure areas develop over the Bay of Bengal, which pulls the trough away from Delhi-NCR, towards Central India. Thus, we normally see one or two good spells of rain, with the trough mostly away. This time around, with La Nina and no such low pressure area, the trough has persisted in this region, he said. On Thursday, Delhis maximum temperature was 34C, which was around the normal anddown from 35.4C recorded a day earlier. The minimum temperature was 27.2C, a degree above the normal and up from 26.6C recorded a day earlier. The incessant rain also helped Delhis air quality, which remained satisfactory for a 19th consecutive day. The 24-hour average stood at 79 (satisfactory) on Thursday, around a similar reading of 71 (satisfactory) recorded a day earlier. The last time Delhi had a longer streak of satisfactory air days was in September 2021, at 20 days. The much-loved Mama Tea Stall opens at eight in the morning daily, here in Gurugrams Sector 14 market. Yesterday it didnt. Dont worry, it hasnt shut down. Owner Devendra Yadav was celebrating Independence Day. He opened his stall two hours later, the national flag hoisted at four different places across the establishment. Being a popular tea place, the 15-year-old Mama Tea Stall naturally needs no introduction, but have you tried these lesser-known chai stalls of Gurugram? Jai Maa Sheetla Guptaji Tea Stall in Sector 12 is administered by Poonam with husband Arjun. (HT Photo) Jai Maa Sheetla Guptaji Tea Stall (see photo, snapped some winters ago) in Sector 12 is administered by Poonam with husband Arjun. The couple refer to each other as your uncle and your aunty. The stalls uncle frequently makes rounds of nearby shops to deliver chai to regular clients. Currently, both are down with fever and resting at home. The stall is functioning intermittently. It will operate smoothly as soon as they recover. The unnamed chai stall on New Railway Road was founded by Shesh Nath, who arrived many years ago from eastern UPs Gorakhpur. The wooden khoka, or shack, is severely discoloured into many shades of brown. The shelves tend to be stacked with beedi packs, along with a couple of cheeka, the wiry metallic stand used for delivering the chai glasses. The customers sit on a long bench, and gaze at the traffic outside. This chai stall in Jyoti Market was founded by Sooraj after he retired as a fauji more than 20 years ago. The counter is perennially crowded with tea kettles, tiny chai glasses, and biscuit jars. There are tables and a small TV too. This chai stall in Apna Bazar is among the market buildings longest surviving establishments. Middle-aged Manveer arrived in the Millennium City as an ambitious boy from his Uttarakhand village, dreaming of changing my life and building my own house in this city. He started as a compounder in a medical clinic and later, following the advice of friends, founded this stall. Being a first floor establishment, it hosts a panoramic view of the market. This chai stall in Ashok Vihar Phase II is so small and its ceiling is so low that it is difficult to spot the elderly Kamlesh standing behind the counter. The stall originally belonged to another person and fell into her hands after a series of events, one of which was her husbands death. The area has scores of machine workshops, whose workers respectfully address Kamlesh either as bua or aunty. As Delhi minister Kailash Gahlot unfurled the Tricolour on Thursday during the Capitals Independence Day event, one community in particular was in attendance just to cheer him on: hundreds of people from Jat-dominated villages of Najafgarh and Palam were present to see a leader from their community lead the citys celebrations. On Thursday, hundreds of Jats at Chhatrasal stadium said Kailash Gahlot unfurling the flag was a moment of pride for the community. (PTI) Gahlot is the first Jat leader to unfurl the flag at the state-level August 15 event since former chief minister Sahib Singh Verma in 1998. The Delhi governments Independence Day celebrations are organised at Chhatrasal stadium in north Delhi. Usually, it is the chief minister who unfurls the flag, but this year, CM Arvind Kejriwal is in jail in connection with alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy 2021-22. Kejriwal nominated Atishi, who is in charge of 12 ministries, to take his place, but the Tihar administration censured the CM for sending the letter ostensibly in contravention of prison rules, and lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena later nominated Gahlot to unfurl the flag. On Thursday, hundreds of Jats at Chhatrasal stadium said that Gahlot unfurling the flag was a moment of pride for the community. We have come from Najafgarh to witness this historic occasion. A member of our community is unfurling the national flag here, it is a moment of great pride for us. Hundreds of people arrived to witness the function. A large number of people from Najafgarh, Palam, and other areas attended, said Randhir Singh Solanki, from Bapraula village in Najafgarh. Karan Singh, from Palam Dichau village, said that the community is not concerned with the controversy that led to Gahlot being picked to unfurl the flag. We are just proud that a member of our community was given the honour, Singh said. The 78th Independence Day was celebrated with great enthusiasm and patriotic fervour in Gautam Budh Nagar and Ghaziabad on Thursday. In Gautam Budh Nagar, the day began with a flag hoisting ceremony at the district collectorate where district magistrate Manish Kumar Verma unfurled the Tricolour. A Tricolor march in Noida on Thursday. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo) The main event was held at Panchsheel Balak Inter College, Sector 91, Noida, where Uttar Pradesh minister of higher education Yogendra Upadhyay unfurled the Tricolour, followed by a Tricolour rally that was flagged off amid patriotic slogans and cheers from students and staff of the college. The Gautam Budh Nagar DM and other administrative officials were also present. Today, we are celebrating the 78th Independence Day, which has been made possible by the sacrifice of those who laid down their lives in the service of the nation. We should never forget their sacrifices and follow the path shown by them to take the country forward on the path of development so that all citizens of the country can get political, economic, and judicial freedom, said Upadhyay. He also planted a sapling on the college premises and inaugurated a grand cultural programme in the auditorium that featured patriotic cultural performances by students. At an event organised by Dharm Public School in Greater Noida, students presented a patriotic cultural programme following which the DM felicitated the students for their performance. A grand discussion session was also organised to commemorate the sacrifices of those who laid down their lives in the service of the nation. In his address, DM Verma said, We are celebrating the 78th year of our countrys independence in the form of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and various programmes have been organised to create awareness and instil the feeling of patriotism among the citizens. On this occasion, all administrative officials, employees, and departmental officials should take a pledge to work with more dedication to ensure political, economic, and judicial freedom for all citizens of India. We should all work together to eradicate social evils. The flag-hoisting ceremonies were also held at the Police Lines, Vikas Bhawan, Noida, Greater Noida authority and other government offices, residential societies, markets, schools, colleges, and non-government organisations. At the Police Lines, Gautam Budh Nagar police commissioner Laxmi Singh commemorated the sacrifices of freedom fighters and praised their efforts. She felicitated police officers and encouraged them to work with dedication towards their duties. A 2,000-feet-long and 10-feet-wide Tricolor procession was taken out by BJP functionaries, social organisations and school students from Gate 4 of the Noida Stadium, through DM Chowk, and Atta till Nithari. Residential welfare associations (RWAs), NGOs, and residents also participated in the celebrations at their offices and multiple residential societies. Large national flags were hoisted at public places, and facade lightings were changed to the Tricolour colours to mark the day. An event was organised at Omaxe The Forest Spa in Noida Sector 93B where the programme began with hoisting of the Tricolour by the societys president, Ajay Goel. The chief guests included Sanjay Khatri, ACEO, Noida authority, Dr DK Gupta, owner of Felix Hospital, and his wife Dr Rashmi Gupta. A parade band and patriotic songs performed by children were also organised. The societys permanent residents who had previously served in senior positions in the Army were also honoured. The ACEO felicitated the societys senior citizens, Shyam Modi and Shanti Prasad Agarwal, for their contributions. Similar programmes were organised in residential complexes, and government offices and educational institutions in Ghaziabad district to celebrate the 78th Independence Day. Ghaziabad district magistrate Indra Vikram Singh, following the hoisting of Tricolour at the district collectorate, joined a programme at the Mahatma Gandhi Auditorium. Addressing the program, the DM said, We should be proud to be citizens of a secular democratic India. It is our duty to respect the freedom achieved through the sacrifices of freedom fighters and their work towards making our country a developed nation. The Noida police has arrested a 30-year-old man for allegedly assaulting and robbing a cab driver earlier with month, officials said on Thursday. The main accused in the case, a trainee sub inspector, was dismissed from duty and arrested after the case came to light earlier this month. The case has also led to the shunting of multiple senior police officials for alleged inaction, officials added. HT Image The accused was identified as Ashish Awasthi, a resident of Greater Noida West, who owns a car rental service company. He was arrested near the Uttar Pradesh-Nepal border on Wednesday by the Noida Police and a Verna car with Delhi registration plates was recovered from his possession. He was on the run for several days after the arrest of trainee SI Amit Mishra. The two had allegedly assaulted and robbed a cab driver, Rupesh Tomar, on August 2 near Gaur City in Greater Noida West, said Shakti Mohan Avasthy, deputy commissioner of police, Central Noida. On August 2, Tomar was allegedly stopped by Mishra and few others near Gaur City, where he had come to drop a passenger. According to the cab drivers complaint, the trainee SI Mishra and his associate Awasthi beat him and took away 7,000 cash from him. Tomar claims to have visited multiple police outposts and stations to complain, but no action was taken. Finally, on August 5, he submitted a written complaint to Noida police commissioner Laxmi Singh, who ordered an investigation. On August 7, following an investigation in the matter, the trainee officer, Mishra, was removed from his post and arrested along with two others. At the same time, former DCP Suniti and two other senior officials were relieved of duty for not acting on the matter. The suspects were booked under sections 309 (4) [Robbery], 352 [intentional insult] and 61 (2) [criminal conspiracy] of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita, said DCP Avasthy. Three people were killed and nine were severely injured after their Maruti Suzuki Eeco rammed into a stationary truck that was parked on the fast lane of the Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE) in Greater Noida in the early hours of Thursday, police said. The truck driver has been arrested for causing death by negligence. The truck driver has been arrested. (HT Photo) The incident took place at 12.30am at the 70km point of EPE, two to three kilometres away from the toll plaza. The van was taking 12 people who work at a stitching factory in Panipat, Haryana, to their home in Badaun, Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile, the truck was transporting goods iron material from Ghaziabad to Rajasthan when a hard iron object fell out of the vehicle. The driver halted the vehicle in the fast (overtaking) lane and stepped out to pick up the fallen object. The speeding van rammed into the parked truck with such intensity that it was completely mangled in the impact, said police. Highway patrolling vehicles received information from a passerby about the accident, after which we sent a police team to the spot. After a two-hour-long rescue operation using a crane, we managed to rescue the injured and rushed them to nearby hospitals, where two Akram, 24, and Satish, 24 (all single names) were declared brought dead while one Netrapal, 60, succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment, said Kumar. Van owner Vagesh, 30, and Netrapals wife Rajeshwari, 55, are critically injured and undergoing treatment at a hospital in Greater Noida, while Vivek, 22, Rajnesh, 24, Sadiq, 23, Evran, 24, Devraj, 18, Arvind, 32, and Gajram, 27, are said to be out of danger, he added. A case under Sections 106 (1) (causing death by negligence), 125 (B) (act endangering life or personal safety), and 281 (rash driving) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita was registered against the truck driver at Dadri police station on Thursday, and he was taken into custody, said Amit Pratap Singh, assistant commissioner of police, Greater Noida. The truck driver was identified as Mukesh (single name), a resident of Ghaziabad. Relatives of the deceased, Satish, said they learned about his death at 9am. Our calls to Satish to check his whereabouts went unanswered Thursday night. The call was finally answered by a police officer at 9am. He informed us about the accident and sent us a photo of the dead body, after which we identified Satish, said Satishs brother Saurabh Kumar. He added, Satish got married three years ago and is survived by his wife and one-year-old son. He joined the factory in Panipat two months ago. A district and sessions court in Surajpur sentenced two brothers to life imprisonment for murdering their cousin brother in 2021 in Greater Noida, prosecuting officials said on Thursday. he police registered a case under sections of murder and attempt to murder and arrested the brothers from their Fatehpur house on December 21, 2021, said the official. (Representational image) Anil, 28, and Sunil, 30, killed Raju, then 24 years old, over his alleged relationship with their sister, Roma, then 22 years old, they added. The deceased and convicts were residents of Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh. The murder took place after Roma and Raju left home on December 19, 2021, said Nitin Tyagi, additional district government counsel (ADGC), who is the prosecuting official in the case. They were travelling to Delhi via Noida in a bus when they were stopped by Anil and Sunil at Pari Chowk in Greater Noida, he added. The brothers lived in a rented accommodation in Surajpur. They reached Pari Chowk when they received information that their sister had left home with Raju. At Pari Chowk, the brothers met them and took them to an isolated location in a park on the pretext of discussing the issue. There they attacked them with bricks and stones. Both Roma and Raju sustained critical injuries, and the brothers fled, assuming they were dead. Hours later Roma regained consciousness and managed to inform police with the help of a passerby, he said. Roma and Raju were rushed to a private hospital where Raju was declared dead. The police registered a case under sections of murder and attempt to murder and arrested the brothers from their Fatehpur house on December 21, 2021, said the official. During their interrogation, Anil and Sunil admitted to the murder and revealed they had taken Rajus mobile phone and 2,550 from him, hiding them at their rented accommodation in Surajpur. The police recovered the phone and cash from the stated location, said Tyagi. During the trial, Roma testified that their families and local villagers strongly opposed her relationship with Raju. This is why she and Raju left home and came to Greater Noida. This is also the reason why they attacked her and Raju, said the prosecutor. Rajus father, Juggi Lal, also told the court that Anil and Sunil were responsible for his sons death. Anil and Sunil had made threats when Raju and Roma left the village. I also believe they killed my son, he told the court. Dr Rohit Tyagi, who conducted the medical examination of the deceased, said, The deceased had multiple abraded contusion on face and body. His nose was broken...he had a wound on his chin and abrasion on neck and head. The cause of death is due to blood loss following injuries, he told the court. The defence lawyer, Mubeen Khan, argued that Anil and Sunil were wrongfully framed and should be acquitted due to a lack of evidence. However, the court relied on the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses and the medical evidence to deliver its verdict. Rajesh Kumar Mishra, additional district and sessions judge, found the brothers guilty and convicted them on August 13. They were sentenced on August 14. The court ruled, Anil and Sunil are sentenced to life imprisonment under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code, ten years of imprisonment under Section 307 (attempt to murder), and three years of imprisonment under Section 201 (causing disappearance of evidence). The court also imposed a fine of 35,000 on each accused and said that all sentences would run concurrently. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that 75,000 new seats will be created in medical colleges in India in the next five years. The announcement was made during his Independence Day speech at Red Fort. PM Modi announces 75000 new seats in medical colleges in India in next 5 years(Arvind Yadav/Hindustan Times) While addressing the nation, PM Modi said, Even today, children, mostly belonging to the middle class, are going abroad for medical education. They spend lakhs and crores on medical education abroad. Every year around 25000 youths move to other nations for medical education. Some students move to such countries, which makes me worry a lot. So, we have decided that in the next five years, 75,000 new seats will be created in medical colleges in India. Viksit Bharat 2047 should also be 'Swasth Bharat' and for this, we have started Rashtriya Poshan Mission." Independence Day 2024: Tips and speech ideas to draft a memorable speech for your I-Day school function He added that his government has increased the number of medical seats to about 1 lakh in the last 10 years. The Prime Minister further said that his government wants to build such an education system in the country so that youngsters need not have to go abroad for studies. He said that he wants more foreign students to come to India and study. (With inputs from PTI) Actor Alia Bhatt has expressed shock and outrage over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata. Taking to Instagram on Wednesday night, Alia shared a note about the horrific incident. In the post, Alia raised concern over the safety of women. (Also Read | Richa Chadha requests CM Mamata Banerjee for swift justice in Kolkata trainee doctor rape-murder case) Alia Bhatt and Parineeti Chopra have spoken about the Kolkata rape-murder incident. Alia pens note on Kolkata rape-murder Alia wrote, "Another brutal rape. Another day of realisation that women are not safe anywhere. Another horrific atrocity to remind us that it's been over a decade since the Nirbhaya tragedy, but still nothing much has changed." She also shared statistics from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2022 report. She added, "How are all of us as women supposed to feel? How are we supposed to go to work or go about our daily lives with this playing on our minds. This horrific incident has once again reminded us that women disproportionately bear the weight of ensuring their own safety." The actor continued, "Despite the many crimes and all the women who have suffered, there is no real recourse or hope that things will change. We could not save this young woman, but we can try to prevent it from happening again. My request to the powers that be-- FOCUS on the safety of women in FOCUS on creating safe spaces and increase all avenues of protection; FOCUS on the why. The writing is on the wall, that there is something fundamentally wrong with the way our society currently functions." "These repeated inhuman acts towards women prove that there is something wrong at a root level, and unless we dig deep and uproot the cause, nothing is going to change. Dont tell women to change their pathchange the terrain. Every woman deserves better, she concluded. Parineeti, Vijay, Ayushmann react to incident too Actor Parineeti Chopra re-shared a post speaking about the crime on her Instagram Stories. She wrote, "If it is too difficult for you to read, imagine what it was for her. Disgusting. Horrific. Hang him by his b***s." Posting a video on Instagram, actor Vijay Varma wrote, "At least, protect our protectors." Actor Ayushmann Khurrana penned a heart-wrenching poem on women's safety. Taking to his Instagram account on Wednesday, Ayushmann shared a video reciting the poem, which reflected the pain and fear many women feel in today's society. A part of his poem read, "Main bhi bina Kundi lagakar soti, Kaash main bhi ladka hoti, Jhalli banke daudti udti, Saari raat doston ke saath phirti, Kaash main bhi ladka hoti..." (I would sleep without locking the door, I wish I were a boy. Carefree, I would run and fly, Roaming with friends all night, I wish I were a boy...)." What happened in Kolkata The post-graduate trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. The family has alleged that the victim was raped and murdered. In a strong display of support, doctors across the nation continue to protest, demanding justice for the victim. Blake Lively's dramatic transformation from Hollywood darling to outspoken critic has sparked a row of controversy. The actress recently found herself in the crosshairs of public opinion following explosive claims of being "fat-shamed" by her It Ends With Us co-star, Justin Baldoni. This comes after the actress received a barrage of criticism after her approach to promoting the film dealing with heavy themes of domestic abuse was dubbed tone-deaf and insensitive. But that might not be the full story. Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively have multiple intimate scenes in It Ends With Us Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni's feud explained The on-set tension between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni during the filming of "It Ends With Us" is undeniable. But, as TMZ was informed Baldoni might not be the whole villain. A disagreement popped up during a scene where Baldoni had to pick up Lively. Before they started filming, he talked about her weight with his trainer, which really bothered Lively, especially since she had just had a baby with hubby Ryan Reynolds. Additionally, Lively expressed discomfort with a kissing scene, claiming Baldoni stretched the intimate moment, making her feel uncomfortable. Also read: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could lose Royal titles after family prepares for While the public has largely rallied behind Lively, there's a growing undercurrent of support for Baldoni among the film's crew. Things got heated when it came out that Lively decided to make her own version of the movie. Since Baldoni was not just the director but also the main actor, this decision showed there was a big creative disagreement. Despite Baldoni's creative job with the project, Lively, who is also a producer, brought in her own editor and even involved her husband, Ryan Reynolds, to make last-minute script changes. Blake Lively faces backlash over Justin Baldonis row While the initial uproar stemmed from a promotional interview that went southpossibly because the public only saw the first half, which was enough to fuel tension, while the second half was overlookedthe situation worsened when claims surfaced that Lively felt uncomfortable with her co-star. Im not siding with a man who hired Johnny Depps lawyer what if I told you that you dont have to side with him, but you can also admit Blake causing a stir over THIS is weird, a social media user wrote. Listen I know talking about a Womans weight is a no no but for those of us with real back issues.I could cough/sneeze too hard and throw my back out I take a min and assess the situation before I lift ANYTHING, another said. Blake doing all that for This, for a man prioritising his health, that's weird af. Also read: Blake Lively breaks silence after facing backlash for It Ends With Us publicity Just another Hollyweird millionaire promoting her beauty line, bragging she's married to deadpool and how they re-wrote a scene and then refused to sit in the same theatre as Baldoni the director, for a premiere, one more added. I read on another site that she hired her own crew to edit the film to her liking and attempted to get the powers that be to release her cut in theaters rather than the directors. If even a word of that is true she should be sued, another quipped. Blake Lively and promotional interview controversy Blake Lively's trip around the country promoting "It Ends With Us" has been a total buzz. A video from a recent interview has exploded online, getting a lot of flak for how casually she answered a deep question. The chat with Jake Hamilton was all about how the movie might affect people. "It Ends With Us" is about Lily (Lively) who falls for a smooth-talking neurosurgeon (Baldoni) who ends up being abusive. In the now-viral video, Hamilton throws out a serious question about what the movie is trying to say, but Lively just goes off on a tangent about sharing her location and astrology, making some people think she didn't take the movie's serious issues seriously. While she did offer a more serious answer later in the interview, the initial response dominated the conversation. This incident follows other instances of Lively facing criticism for her approach to promoting the film including the London premiere where she said: This movie covers domestic violence but whats important about this film is that she is not just a survivor and not just a victim, Lively told BBC. While those are huge things to be, theyre not her identity. Shes not defined by what someone else did to her or an event that happened to her. Blake Lively is turning up the volume on her Taylor Swift fandom as she tries to shift focus away from the ongoing backlash surrounding her film, It Ends With Us. As the internet continues to criticise the actress over recent claims aimed at her co-star Justin Baldoni, Lively recently attempted to shift the spotlight by passionately defending Swift's iconic song 'Love Story' during a radio interview and was seen praising her bestie. Blake Lively reacts to Taylor Swift's Eras Tour shows cancelled in Vienna over terror threats Blake Lively gushes over Taylor Swifts Love Story Blake Lively proved she's Taylor Swift's number one fan when she unleashed her inner fan girl during a radio interview. During a game of "Unpopular Opinion," at BBCs Radio 1 Breakfast, a caller dared to suggest ditching Love Story from the Eras Tour setlist and replacing it with another fierce choice. The song has been a top priority in all of Swift's concerts, but some people now think its time to say goodbye and hype up some new songs. However, the actress didnt seem convinced by the suggestion at all. Lively didn't just disagree; she went full-on protective bestie, delivering a mic-drop-worthy defence of Swift's classic. Thats rough, the Gossip Girl star answered. You just hate happiness or joy? Or just your ears? You dont like your ears? she added according to Page Six. Also read: Blake Lively doing all that over this? Fans argue if Justin Baldoni is real villain in It Ends With Us BTS drama Blake also expressed a wish for Taylor Swift to perform for "47 hours straight so that every song could be played at all times." Given the usual length of Swift's shows, which are typically around 3 to 3.5 hours, this seems quite ambitious. "So my unpopular opinion is that I want it allyes, every song," she added. Whats the setlist? Yes. Blake Lively and Justin Baldonis controversy Amid the turbulent waters of her own career, the actress has found solace (and perhaps a distraction) in showering her bestie with endless praise. The actress has found herself embroiled in a public feud with her It Ends With Us co-star and director, Justin Baldoni. Also read: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce wont get married until they agree on agreement safeguarding their... Reports of a strained relationship between the two have been circulating, with sources alleging creative differences that turned into a full-blown rift. These tensions reportedly led to two separate cuts of the film. The situation reached a boiling point when Baldoni hinted at stepping down as director for a potential sequel, seemingly confirming the rumours of a fractured relationship. But thats not all. Reportedly, the Gossip Girl alum also shared how Baldoni made her feel uncomfortable about her postpartum body by inquiring about her weight with her trainer. Additionally, she described a prolonged kiss that she found rather strange and unsettling. US actress Gena Rowlands was nominated for two Oscars and delivered memorable, heartfelt and often troubling performances. Here are five of her best: Gena Rowlands: five key films In this low-budget, critically acclaimed Western, Rowlands is a loyal friend in love with a noble cowboy who is resisting the modern world, played by Hollywood titan Kirk Douglas. Rowlands only appears in a few scenes, but her performance had an immediate impact. "I'd never seen anyone that beautiful with a certain gravitas. It was particularly unique in that time, when many women were trying to be girlish," said actress Mia Farrow in 2015, quoted in Elle magazine. "Gena did none of that. There was a directness not that she wasn't fun and didn't smolder but it came from a place that was both genuine and deep," Farrow said. Nominated for three Oscars, this domestic drama directed by independent US filmmaker John Cassavetes Rowlands's husband follows four people over a night of drinking in which painful tensions about an unravelling marriage emerge. Rowlands reveals a great range of expression and emotion in the film, which is shot mostly close-up and appears unscripted but was in fact carefully written. In arguably her greatest role, Rowlands is at her most subtle and moving as the loving and vulnerable housewife and mother, Mabel, who slowly descends into heartbreaking madness. She was nominated for an Oscar and won a Golden Globe, the film remaining a classic of devastating emotional force. "The performance is as startling today as it was in 1974," says a 2015 article on the website of acclaimed US critic Roger Ebert. "It is the kind of performance that raises the bar for everyone else. It shows the enormous gap between skill and genius." As an aging actress trying to mount a play with an equally troubled co-star, Rowlands offers a lesson in how to handle the role of an alcoholic with integrity, tragedy and even some humor. She was "at her most radiant", wrote The New York Times in 1991 about the film in which she is again directed by Cassavetes, to whom she was married for more than 30 years. "Miss Rowlands, as she has shown in other films directed by her husband, can be incomparably funny while coming apart at the seams," the paper said. Having fun as a gangster's high-heeled wife saddled with the guardianship of a young orphan called Phil, Rowlands won a second Oscar nomination for her role in one of Cassavetes' last films before his death. The British Film Institute on its website celebrated "another eye-popping performance," referring to Rowlands's typically intense and passionate presence on screen. She "has a lot of talent and realises it with gusto in 'Gloria', whether she is gunning down a hood at point-blank range or taking Phil to a cemetery... to say farewell to his parents," The New York Times reported on its release. eab/br/jgc/aha THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. Multiple people have been arrested over the death of Friends actor Matthew Perry, reports revealed on Thursday, August 15. FILE - Matthew Perry poses for a portrait on Feb. 17, 2015, in New York. Authorities are investigating the death of Perry and how the beloved actor received the anesthetic ketamine, which was ruled a contributing factor in his death. Los Angeles Police Capt. Scot Williams told the Los Angeles Times Tuesday, May 21, 2024, that detectives were looking into why the Friends star had so much ketamine in his system when he died in October.(Brian Ach/Invision/AP) The 54-year-old Hollywood star was found dead in a hot tub at his Pacific Palisades home in Los Angeles on October 28, 2023. Early reports suggested that he'd passed away due to the acute effects of ketamine. While NBC first broke the news on Thursday that an arrest was made in Southern California after the Los Angeles police department said it was doing its best to figure out how the actor had obtained the anaesthetic with psychedelic properties, TMZ soon expanded that many people, including at least one doctor and several drug dealers, had been taken into custody. UPDATE: So far, five individuals have been accused of taking advantage of the actor's addiction. Jasveen Sangha (41), allegedly known as The Ketamine Queen, and Dr Salvador Plascencia (42), a licensed medical doctor, known as Dr P, are the lead defendants in the case. They are expected to be arraigned later Thursday. Three others charged in the case are Perry's live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa (59) - admitted to administering the drug on the day the actor died; Dr Mark Chavex (54), another licensed medical doctor involved in the case who acknowledged to have sold the drug to Plascencia; and Eric Fleming (54) - admitted to distributing the drug that killed Perry. These defendants took advantage of Mr. Perry's addiction issues to enrich themselves," US attorney Martin Estrada said during a press briefing. They knew what they were doing was risking great danger to Mr. Perry, but they did it anyway. Estrada also noted that Perry fell back into addiction, and these defendants took advantage to profit for themselves. More on Matthew Perry's overdose death Officials told the outlet that multiple law enforcement agencies had "executed search warrants and seized computers, phones, and other electronic equipment during their investigation to uncover who supplied Perry with the prescription medication that ultimately led to his demise in October. Also read | Another LA celebrity home burgled: Love Island alum robbed of $1.2 m in 6 minute raid The 17 Again actor had been receiving ketamine infusion therapy for anxiety and depression. His last treatment was reportedly scheduled for a week and a half before he passed away, implying that the ketamine Perry ingested at the time of his death was not legally prescribed. The outlet also informed that Perry's system consisted of the same level of the drug that is used for general anaesthesia in surgery. TMZ's sources further revealed that the search warrant outed numerous text messages mentioning Perry and the ketamine he'd reportedly asked for. The text chains also highlighted what these individuals were doing to get the drug to him and the price the Hollywood star would pay for it. UPDATE: I wonder how much this moron will pay, Plascencia allegedly wrote in a text messages, as per ABC News. The doctor also wanted to be Perry's go-to for drugs. Additionally, Estrada claimed, Plascencia understood the danger of what he was doing, as he allegedly told another patient that the Friends actor was spiraling out of control with his addiction. Nevertheless, he offered he offered the drug to Perry. Also read | Blake Lively telling people Justin Baldoni fat-shamed, kissed her for too long while filming It Ends With Us: Report Authorities also seemed to have found other celebrities tied to the Hollywood drug scene during their investigation. While they reportedly got a search warrant for Brooke Muller, Charlie Sheen's ex, she doesn't appear connected to the recent arrests. Muller had been in a treatment centre with the Friends actor. At the time of Perry's death ruled an accident, an autopsy report stated, At the high levels of ketamine found in his postmortem blood specimens, the main lethal effects would be from both cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression. The LAPD and Drug Enforcement Administration said in May that they had joined forces on the criminal investigation to dig deeper into the causes of the drug overdose. Perry had openly discussed his issues with addiction, which reportedly began at age 14. He also claimed his substance abuse problem was exacerbated during his time as Chandler Bing on the NBC hit series. However, the actor is said to have been 19 months sober at the time of his death. The medical examiner also claimed no illicit drugs were discovered at his house. Rust director Joel Souza has given his first interview since he was shot on set in October 2021 by actor Alec Baldwin. Talking to Vanity Fair, the director spoke about the experience and shared his opinion on the actors involuntary manslaughter charge. Heartbreakingly, he also shared that he hoped he didnt wake up the next morning due to pain. (Also Read: Events leading to Alec Baldwin 'Rust' shooting trial) File photo of director Joel Souza testifies in the trial against Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed in March.(AP) Theres no relationship Joel was asked if he had an opinion on Alec being charged with involuntary manslaughter. He said, Does it matter if I think its fair or not? There is an argument that says, if he checks it and starts fiddling around with it, hes creating a safety issue. And then there is another thing that says, its common sense, Jesus Christ. Be careful with this goddamn thing. So I dont know anymore, to be honest with you. The charges got filed. Thats what they decided to do. Was he overcharged? I dont know. Despite his injury, he returned to set to complete rest of the films shoot. When asked if he shared a relationship with Alec then, he said, Getting through it was tough. We got through it. I got the performance I wanted. Were not friends. Were not enemies. Theres no relationship. Joel also said it was bizarre to have been shot by Alec because he remembered watching The Hunt For Red October (1990) in theatre as a kid and thought, Hey, that guysomeday Rust shooting The shooting occurred on set in 2021 when Alec accidentally fired a prop gun that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and seriously injured Joel. The director was standing behind the cinematographer and directing a scene when the gun fired. It hit Halyna in the chest and struck Joel in the shoulder. The director described it as being kicked by a horse. Rusts shooting was wrapped up in March this year and is yet to get a release date. US actress Gena Rowlands, whose six-decade career garnered Oscar nominations and other acclaim, died Wednesday at age 94. The humour and heartache of Gena Rowlands No official cause of death was immediately given, but her son Nick Cassavetes said earlier this year she had been battling Alzheimer's disease for five years. The Oscar-nominated performer brought her deep range of emotion and expression to a number of original and moving films that are considered classics of US independent cinema, most shot by her late husband, John Cassavetes. For three decades starting in the 1960s, the couple formed an enchanting and explosive on-screen partnership that explored themes of passion and self-destruction against a backdrop of alcohol and infidelity. In what many consider her finest role, Rowlands captured to devastating effect a descent into mental illness in 1974's "A Woman Under the Influence," bringing her the first of two Oscar nominations. "Incapable of an unreal moment," said Woody Allen of the actress, whom he cast in his 1988 film "Another Woman." "Whatever I say about Gena isn't enough because she's so incredible," said Winona Ryder, quoted in the LA Times in 1992 when the two co-starred in Jim Jarmusch's "Night on Earth." "There's a nobility, strength and class to her work that nobody else holds a candle to, and she's so beautiful you just kind of marvel at the way she moves." From her earliest work there were shades of Marilyn Monroe in Rowlands the blonde hair in a wavy bob, the arresting on-screen beauty, and the undertone of sadness and vulnerability in her performances. But she always challenged the idea of women as objects of desire in her performances and came of age as Monroe went through her own struggles, finally ending with her suicide in 1962. "She can just play. Give her anything and she'll always be creative. She doesn't try to make it different she just is," said Cassavetes in a 2001 interview collection. "Gena is very dedicated and pure. She doesn't care if it's cinematic, doesn't care where the camera is, doesn't care if she looks good doesn't care about anything except that you believe her." Rowlands was born on June 19, 1930, in Cambria, Wisconsin, into a cultured middle-class family. Her father was a state senator and her mother was a painter and occasional actress. She enrolled in New York's American Academy of Drama and in 1953 met Cassavetes, a fast-talking and exuberant Greek-American. A year later they were married. It was their collaboration that generated her stand-out performances, the highlight arguably being "A Woman Under the Influence," which also brought an Oscar nomination for Cassavetes as director. Rowlands was captivating as housewife Mabel, who descends into madness after years of quiet, complicated dominance by her hardworking and silent husband, played by Peter Falk. In a rare moment of defiance, and one of Rowlands's most memorable scenes, Mabel fights back, rising at the table after a meal of spaghetti with friends and family, pleading to everyone to stand up for her just this one time. The room is silent, and soon Mabel is institutionalized. When she emerges she is a shadow of her former, vivacious self. The impact of the film and Rowlands's performance "has resonated throughout the American cinema ever since," said The New Yorker in 2013, citing Martin Scorsese and Spike Lee as two Hollywood figures under her influence. One of her last films with Cassavetes was the more irreverent "Gloria," a 1980 gangster comedy about a woman on the run from the mob, in high heels, wielding a revolver and with a small child in tow. Taking on the role with evident glee, in turns self-mocking and entirely convincing, Rowlands earned a second Oscar nomination and the film was awarded the top prize at the Venice Film Festival. In 1989, Cassavetes died from liver failure after years of alcoholism. Rowlands continued to make films and also worked in television, winning four Emmys. She and Cassavetes had three children, all of whom have gone on to have careers in film and television. Her son Nick directed her in "The Notebook" alongside Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams in 2004. In 2012, she married her second husband, retired businessman Robert Forrest, and in 2015 was awarded an honorary Academy Award, the same year she retired from acting. eab/br/jgc/aha This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. Bengali actors Mimi Chakraborty, Riddhi Sen, Arindam Sil, and Madhumita Sarcar joined a protest held in Kolkata over the horrific RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape and murder incident. Several pictures of the actors emerged on social media platforms. (Also Read | Alia Bhatt, Parineeti Chopra, Ayushmann express shock over rape-murder of Kolkata doctor: Women aren't safe anywhere) Mimi Chakraborty and Subhashree Ganguly joined protests. Actors join Kolkata protest Trina Saha, Rwitobroto Mukherjee, Subhashree Ganguly, and Parno Mittra, among others, also joined the protest. Several pictures of the actors emerged on social media platforms. Arindam Sil, among others, was also part of the protests. Taking to Instagram on Thursday, Mimi shared several videos and a picture from the protest. She wrote, Justice delayed is justice denied. Today my city of joy cried in its every corner as we failed as humans, every lane roared for Justice. And I would like to repeat my tweet again 'Punishment should be such that next time even thinking of a henious crime like this gives you shiver down the spineNO MERCY PLEA'. Mimi, Riddhi, Trina pen notes On his Instagram Stories, Riddhi Sen wrote, "Do not go gentle in that goodnight. rage, rage against the dying of the light." Subhashree, Madhumita and Parno also posted clips from the protest sites on their Instagram Stories. Trina shared a video as people shouted, "We want justice." She wrote, "We Demand Severe Punishment IMMEDIATELY." Rwitobroto posted a video of the people singing and penned a long note in Bengali. About Kolkata rape-murder case On August 9, a postgraduate trainee doctor was raped and murdered at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata while on duty last week. She was found dead in the seminar hall of the Kolkata hospital in the morning. This incident has triggered a nationwide protest by doctors and medical fraternities. A civic volunteer has been arrested in connection with the crime. The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday ordered the transfer of the probe into the case from the Kolkata Police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Manorathangal review: Renowned Malayali award-winning author-screenwriter MT Vasudevan Nair is considered a writing phenomenon due to his stories which combine the different aspects of life and diverse human emotions ranging from love to suffering set in Kerala. The 91-year-old author has penned many outstanding short stories and novels and the Manorathangal anthology (Zee5) presents us with nine episodes of his stories starring some of the most popular talents in the Malayalam film industry. Also read: Manorathangal trailer: Kamal Haasan, Mammootty, Mohanlal, Fahadh Faasil star in Malayalam anthology. Watch Manorathangal will release on August 15. Kamal Haasan introduces the series and talks about MT Vasudevan Nair, or MT as he is known, and how much his stories have influenced his life. In fact, Kamal Haasan starred in the 1974 Malayalam film, Kanyakumari, which was written by MT Vasudevan Nair, and he tells us this film became a turning point in his career as he went on to win his first Filmfare Award for this film. The plot Each of the nine stories/ episodes (each episode is around 45 minutes) have been directed by different directors and the two top stars of Malayalam cinema Mammootty and Mohanal are also part of this series. While Mammootty stars in Kadugannawa Oru Yathra Kurippu (Kadugannawa: A Travel Note) directed by Ranjith, Mohanlal is seen in Ollavum Theeravum (Ripples and the River Bank) directed by Priyadarshan. Kadugannawa Oru Yathra Kurippu is a story set in 1994 that transcends borders where Mammootty plays a journalist who goes in search of his sister who was brought home as a child by his father who was working in Sri Lanka. This story is inspired by MTs own visit to Sri Lanka when the country was undergoing turmoil. Mammootty essays the role of journalist Venugopal to perfection which involves a lot of reflection, poise and flashbacks to a childhood that was fraught with gossip and some mystery. As for Mohanlal, he essays the role of Baputty, a Muslim trader, who falls in love with a friends sister, Nabeesa (Durga Krishna). Shot in monochrome, Ollavum Theeravum, is stunning thanks to the layered performances by Mohanlal and Durga Krishna. The director introduces colour in one shot that not just epitomizes love but also the impending danger (problem) ahead. Does their love blossom or fail? Essence of human relationships poetically Moving on to Sherlock directed by Mahesh Narayanan, Fahadh Faasil (Balu) stars in this episode which is the story of a young Malayali man who goes to Canada and focuses on the issues that immigrants face. Balus sister lives in Canada and she calls him over as she is alone as her husband now has moved cities for work. Her companion is Sherlock, a cat and Balu joins them. MT cleverly takes us through the lost cultural values and disorientation Balu feels when he arrives from a small town to this large modern city where he feels trapped. Kaathalkattu (Sea Breeze), starring Indrajith Sukumaran and Aparna Balamurali, and Kazhcha (Vision) starring Parvathy Thiruvothu, showcase the patriarchy and the conflicts and contrasts between the traditional and modern. If in Kaathalkattu directed by Rathish Ambat, its about a married man who wants to escape the humdrum life to pursue a romantic fantasy, in Kazhcha directed by Shyamaprasad, its about Sudha, a married woman, who wants to pursue her passions and also pursue her true love. Numerous characters from MTs novels are about the lonely individual against society and Sudha here is one of them. Even in Vilpana (Sale) directed by Aswathy Nair, MT Vasudevan Nairs daughter, we find how women are suppressed and oppressed due to patriarchy. Mrs Gita Parekh (Madhubala) realises that everything in life is for sale and has a price tag and she finds no meaning to her life. Does Sunil Das (Asif Ali) save her? Shilalikhitam (Inscriptions) directed by Priyadarshan, features Biju Menon in the lead as Professor PKG Nair. We see how people tend to change once they leave their village and how relationships are maintained more for convenience. Do we become inhumane and selfish when we leave behind our roots? The man versus nature debate is one we have had for centuries and in Abhayam Thedi Veendum directed by Santosh Sivan, this is the crux. Siddique returns to his village and asks for a small place to rent. What happens to this lonely old man? This story reminds us that all of us on earth are just tenants and can leave any day thanks to the cycle of life and nature. Finally, in Swargam Thurakkuna Samayam (When Heavens Doors Open) directed by Jayarajan Nair, we see an ensemble cast including Indrans, Nedumudi Venu, Kailash and others. This episode takes us through how parents, who give their all to bring up their children, are abandoned in their last days as their children are busy with their own lives. Has the parent-child bond become transactional today? Where has the love gone? Director Priyadarshan has only directed two episodes in this anthology but is also the showrunner for Manorathangal. One must laud him for helping get on board some of the best talent in the Malayalam industry in terms of actors and directors and technicians as well. Each of the episodes is beautifully recounted with excellent performances and technically, the cinematography and music are top-notch. Santosh Sivan is the DOP for his episode as well as Priyadarshans Mohanlal monochrome episode where his work is remarkable. Nimish Ravis work in Shilalakitam and Kazhcha and Nikhil S Praveens work in director Jayarajan Nairs episode are also superb. MT Vasudevan Nairs Manorathangal is a slowly paced social commentary on life and the nine stories here capture the essence of not just the writers oeuvre but also of beauty and nuances of Kerala village life, complex relationships and modern influences really poetically. Manorathangal is truly a breath of fresh air in a world filled with mayhem and chaos dont miss it. Since Independence, India has made remarkable strides in improving healthcare accessibility and availability, significantly reducing mortality rates and enhancing overall well-being (arogya). National initiatives have effectively controlled deadly diseases, boosting life expectancy from 32 years in 1947 to 70.19 years in 2022, marking a 100% increase over 75 years. Since 2014, the health sector in India has shown exponential improvement under Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modis leadership. Today, India is at the forefront of global health care transformation, propelled by substantial investments and a steadfast commitment to enhancing health care access and affordability. Economic growth, supportive government policies, robust pharmaceutical manufacturing sector, and expanding middle class have been pivotal in transforming India into a rapidly evolving health care hub. Healthcare (Photo:Fortis Healthcare) The Arogya Bharat initiative, part of Ayushman Bharat, focuses on establishing Health and Wellness Centers (HWCs) and implementing the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY). HWCs provide comprehensive primary health care, including maternal and child health, management of non-communicable diseases, and mental health support, easing the burden on higher-level facilities. PM-JAY, the worlds largest health insurance scheme, offers up to 5 lakh per family annually for secondary and tertiary care, reaching 56% of eligible beneficiaries and providing free treatment to millions. India's National Health Mission (NHM) since 2013 has enhanced health care delivery by improving immunization, maternal health outcomes, and disease control. Initiatives like the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP), Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI), National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), and National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) further demonstrate India's commitment to enhancing health care accessibility, affordability, and quality nationwide. India is rapidly emerging as a global leader in health care R&D innovation, significantly contributing to global health by making critical medicines affordable and accessible. The country ranks third worldwide as a producer of drugs and pharmaceuticals by volume, exporting to around 200 countries/territories. Through cutting-edge research and development, India is discovering new drugs and ensuring that essential medications are within reach for diverse populations. The Indian pharmaceutical industry is a powerhouse in vaccine production, supplying 62% of the global demand. It is a leading supplier of vaccines for diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus (DPT), Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) used primarily against tuberculosis, and measles. Notably, at least 70% of the World Health Organizations (WHO) vaccines, as per the essential immunisation schedule, are sourced from India, highlighting the countrys crucial role in global health initiatives. Additionally, India has made significant contributions to Ayush medicine alongside allopathic medicine. India's pharmaceutical exports, averaging $2-3 billion monthly, underscore its significant economic impact. The nations commitment to affordable drug development and expansive global distribution has positioned it as a key player in international health care. By continually enhancing its R&D capabilities, India is driving innovations that improve health outcomes and ensure that critical medicines are available to populations worldwide, fostering a healthier future for all. India's digital health landscape is transforming health care delivery through technological advancements and government initiatives like the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM). Launched in 2020, NDHM aims to provide every Indian with a unique health ID and access to their health records, improving efficiency, effectiveness, and transparency. Telemedicine platforms such as eSanjeevani have expanded access to health care, allowing patients in remote areas to consult with doctors virtually. This has enhanced the healthcare ecosystem, increased efficiency, and improved doctor-patient connectivity. Digital health tools have also facilitated better Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) maintenance. We are also driving innovations in diagnostics, medical devices, health management systems, and mobile health applications. The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and big data is pivotal in disease prediction, early diagnosis, personalised treatment plans, and optimising healthcare resources, leading to improved patient outcomes and operational efficiency. The health care sector in India is increasingly becoming a significant source of employment, providing opportunities across various domains such as health care services, pharmaceuticals, medical technology, and research. With a current workforce exceeding six million in 2024, the sector anticipates adding over 6.3 million new jobs by 2030. This growth is driven by an increasing population and health care demands, support roles for doctors, nurses, technicians, pharmacists, health care administrators, and researchers. The rise of health care startups and technological advancements further boosts employment in fields like telemedicine, health analytics, and digital health solutions. This growth not only addresses the country's health care demands but also contributes to economic development by generating employment opportunities at various skill levels, from frontline health care workers to highly specialised medical professionals and researchers. There is great potential to harness Indias capabilities further in healthcare. Under the Union minister for health and family welfare, JP Nadda, the sector is set to see some remarkable initiatives. This year, along with a 12.59% increase in the health ministrys budget to 90,658.63 crore and 3,200 crore allocated to the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission, a complete exemption of tax duty on three vital cancer medicines has also been announced. As way forward, addressing the shortage of health care professionals through training programmes and incentivising service in underserved areas is critical. Strengthening regulatory frameworks and implementing accreditation systems will ensure consistent quality of care across public and private health care providers. Investing in health care research and promoting innovation will be pivotal in addressing emerging health challenges, and raising collaboration between academia, industry and government to drive medical advancements. Expanding health insurance coverage and enhancing existing schemes like PM-JAY will provide comprehensive financial protection against all health expenses, reducing the economic burden on families. India's health care sector stands poised for continued growth and transformation, driven by a commitment to innovation, accessibility, and affordability. With sustained efforts and collaborative initiatives, India is set to consolidate its position as a global leader in healthcare excellence, ensuring a healthier and more prosperous future for its citizens and beyond. This article is authored by Tuhin A Sinha, national spokesperson, Bharatiya Janata Party, New Delhi. Triptii Dimris excitement for Independence Day, stems not just from the nostalgia it evokes, but also from the promise of a better tomorrow. In an exclusive shoot with HT City, the actor shares that the day is attached to the feeling of fulfilment. Triptii Dimri celebrates Independence Day 2024| Location courtesy: Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach(Satish Bate) As India celebrates its 78th Independence Day today, Triptii says independence is to live your life the way you want. I am glad people can express themselves through social media and other mediums, that they are voicing their opinions; thats where independence lies for me. You can say what you want and live the life you want without thinking about what others would say about your decisions, explains the actor who was recently seen in Bad Newz. Triptii Dimri on I-Day celebrations(Satish Bate) Triptii, who has been labelled Indias national crush, notes that Indias young guns are so well-informed and educated. Young people today are very opinionated and have something to say about everything. This is important, as the youngsters of today are the leaders of tomorrow. I am glad they are taking their voice seriously and dont shy away from speaking up when needed. They believe that what they say holds meaning, is important and brings change and it does, she adds. Whats the one thing she hopes people can find freedom from? Fear of judgement, replies the 30-year-old. It is also very personal to me, as I am fearful of people judging me. It holds true for a lot of people, yet having said that, I want to add, if you follow your heart and do things the way you want to, then you dont have to be scared of anything, she elaborates, adding, I have to think twice before I post anything on social media, as I dont know how people will perceive it. Thats why I want freedom from judgement. Everyone has the right to present their opinions, but sometimes when you post something and it is taken in the wrong way, it breaks your heart. You cant explain everything to everyone. Triptii Dimri recalls childhood I-Day memories(Satish Bate) The Laila Majnu (2018) and Animal (2023) actor talks about how she celebrates Independence Day, Triptii says, When at home, I watch the festivities, flag hoisting and patriotic performances on TV. We also wait for the Prime Ministers speech at Red Fort, she tells us, adding that she has wonderful memories of celebrating I-Day while growing up. I still feel the same excitement [about I-Day] I had as a kid. Every year, our school would have many cultural events where everyone participated, won prizes and went home with goodies. Back home, my dad was the head of our [residential] society in the Air India colony, Vasant Vihar, Delhi. He used to organise functions with themes and games for every age group. Now that we have moved out, we [fondly] remember those celebrations that made us feel like a part of the community; they bring a smile to my face. That is something I miss even today, Triptii concludes. Actor Rimi Sen, who grew up in Kolkata, expresses grave concern over the recent alleged rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in her hometown. Sen has called for stricter legal measures, insisting that the perpetrator should face the death penalty. "I think isko death penalty milna chahiye, iss aadmi ko, jo bhi responsible hai. Stricter laws se bhi zyada stricter punishment honi chahiye ke log dare aisi harkat karne ke pehle (I believe that this person deserves the death penalty. The punishment should be so severe that it deters others from committing a such heinous acts)," Sen asserts. Rimi Sen speaks out against the recent Kolkata rape case. The 42-year-old actress, known for her work in Bengali films such as Sajani and Swapner Din, argues that lenient punishments embolden criminals. She advocates for India to adopt a system similar to Dubais, where capital punishment is imposed on rapists. Also Read: Influencer trolled for tone-deaf video on Kolkata rape-murder case. Her response "India ko Dubai jaisa rule follow karna chahiye. We lack them (stricter laws and punishments) because here, power games and connections often help people get out of such situations. No matter how much we protest, things will not change," she laments. Aparns Sen joined the protest in Kolkata. Several film personalities, including Prosenjit Chatterjee, Manushi Chhillar, Ayushmann Khurrana and Alia Bhatt, have voiced their outrage on social media. Filmmaker and actor Aparna Sen, Mimi Chakraborty, Subhashree Ganguly, and Riddhi Sen among others have even joined the protestors on the streets in Kolkata. However, Sen emphasises that the issue goes beyond celebrity outrage. "Sirf celebrity nahi, sab logo ko raastein pe utar jana chahiye. There is no point in protesting for a photo op. If all doctors go on strike, imagine how much suffering will ensue," she ends. In today's era of the ''glocal', no experience is really out-of-reach. What usually does happen however, is a dilution of the same's authenticity. While this does ensure that more eyes and mouths take to the experience, the uniqueness of the same begins to be lost. Today's star of the show, the delectable Parsi cuisine, has somehow managed to skip the queue on this. Stepping into a Parsi eatery today, however big or however small, feels like being part of a time capsule and appreciably so. And it has always felt this way. Tracing the rich culinary influences of Parsi food, this Navroz(Photo: Swati Sani) On the special occasion of Navroz then, let's take a look at the journey of this fusion cuisine and what sets it apart. Fusion is the foundation of Parsi food Parsi food has made its home in India after travels that have led it to steep itself in multiple waves of cultural and geographical influences. What we see on a typical Parsi menu today then, is actually a reflection of the evolving gastronomic experiences of the generations past. Parsi food at its core marries together the rich culinary traditions of Persian and Indian cooking, something which has been the product of a painful yet gainful past for the community, dating back to the 7th century. Dr. Rukshana Billimoria in her study, A Unique Odyssey of Parsi Cuisine: from Persia to Mumbai, establishes how Persians escaping the rampant religious persecution in their then-homeland, were granted permission to establish their Zoroastrian community in India by a Hindu prince. Parsis a descendant version of the term 'Persians' found themselves establishing their base largely along the western coast of the country, namely in places like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Goa. Dr. Billimoria's study asserts not just Persian and Indian influences, but also British and Portuguese inspirations in what makes Parsi cuisine stand out. A map depicting the trajectory of Parsi settlement in India(Photo: Zoroastrians.net) Persian kebabs, flatbreads and pilaf (pulao) were over decades, integrated with the saucy, spicy curries and gravies Indian cuisine stands deliciously templated by. Incidentally, Persians were largely vegetarian till they took to meat as a survival tactic. Today, the layman sees Parsi food as a cuisine largely built around creamy eggs and meat not just boti but also the bheja-kaleji-bukka though vegetables also find a place of honour in several of their delicacies. As a matter of fact, fish-based dishes such as Patra Ni Machchi and Saas Ni Macchi, only emerged after the Parsis established themselves in India owing to Iran being a dry to semi-arid country. Saas Ni Macchi(Photo: YouTube/Sanjeev Kapoor) As British Raj commenced in India, Caucasian influences largely made itself evident in the dessert profile of Parsi food. Take the Lagan Nu Custard for instance, which is an improvisation on the English custard dessert via the staple addition of dry fruits. The same holds true for Chapat, which for all practical purposes is a pancake served with tea. So very English, but still uniquely Parsi. Lagan Nu Custard(Photo: YouTube/Sanjeev Kapoor) Simplifying the 'khaatu-meetho-teekho' dynamic Khaatu-meetho-teekho these are the three interwoven cornerstones of the Parsi palette. The ample usage of vinegar, jaggery and barberry are the key contributors to the 'khaatu' and the 'meetho'. The 'teekho' on the other hand is honoured through a heavy reliance on spices, some mainstream and others, quite niche. An absolute staple here are the spice mixes. While Parsi dhana jeera is a blend of coriander seeds and cumin seeds only, Parsi garam masala blends cloves and cinnamon with nutmeg and black peppercorns being optional. Dried rose petals(Photo: SPICEography) The iconic Parsi Dhansak masala, unlike its specific name, is actually used for a plethora of dishes and combines vegetable oil, chillies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, turmeric, cinnamon, bay leaves, cloves, black peppercorns, mace, black mustard seeds and poppy seeds a master spice blend if you will. Following close on its heels is the Parsi Sambhar masala, wildly different from the typical flavour understanding of sambhar. Also being added to the well-known Dhansak, the Parsi Sambhar masala is a blend of black mustard seeds, chilli powder, cinnamon, black peppercorns, cloves, turmeric, fenugreek seeds and sesame oil. Parsi Bhonu(Photo: YouTube/Sanjeev Kapoor) Zafferan (saffron), Zard Chubeh (turmeric), Gol Ab (rose water) and Shambalileh (fenugreek) are among the more 'mainstream' spices used in Parsi cooking while Nanaa (dried mint), Somagh (sumac), Limoo Amani (dried limes), Rob-e-Anar (pomegranate molasses) and Kashk (dried buttermilk) make for the more niche picks. Advieh or Persian mixed spice, comprising of nutmeg, rose petals, cumin, cardamom, coriander, cinnamon and black pepper is also a staple when it comes to the typical Parsi spice lineup. The absolutely avid use of coconut as the base flavour and dry fruits for garnishing, is as signature as it gets. Advieh or Persian spice mix Decoding the Dhansak If there is anything to take away here, it is that Parsi food is so much more than just Dhansak. That being said, the meaty, hearty, flavourful concoction is synonymous with the idea of a Parsi meal. Dhansak essentially represents the best of all the worlds combining the magic of lentils (the 'dhan'), vegetables (the 'sak'), with mutton, stewed in a deeply layered, rich gravy. This is traditionally served with caramalised brown rice and a refreshing Kachumbar salad. Dhansak(Photo: Simply Bhonu) As exciting as this sounds, you may be surprised to know that the cultural context of the Dhansak is actually grim. The dish is reserved for the fourth day of mourning, after a loved one's passing. Other sources also link Dhansak as the primary item of sacrifice during the 'gambhar', which referred to celebratory, communal dining in honour of the changing seasons. As you prepare to feast on your most loved Parsi delicacies, we wish everyone a blessed Navroz! Whether in chic sarees or red carpet gowns, Taapsee Pannu's wardrobe is a reflection of her bold personality. As she marks her birthday month this August, Pannu, in an exclusive shoot with HT City Showstoppers shares insights into what drives her unique approach to fashion and films. Taapsee Pannu exudes old Hollywood glamour in this dusty pink gown from Maison Tai. The strapless gown has been further spruced up with a pearl neckpiece and a rosette hair pink to complete the look. Elegance over fleeting trends Speaking about her approach to fashion, Pannu wants to be a specialty restaurant instead of a buffet, striving for classic elegance over fleeting trends. I don't believe in being the trend or people pleaser. I am not everybody's cup of tea. I am an acquired taste and not a trend. I aim to be that classic who will be relevant for years to come, she says, adding she detests herd mentality, and values individual decision-making and authenticity over following trends. "I am really bad at keeping up with trends because by the time I learn about a trend and try to incorporate it, it fades away, so then I have to catch up on the next trend. I will always be running [after trends], hence I stay safe and stick to following classics and what I personally like looking at or looking good in, says the 37-year-old. Also Read: HT City Exclusive | Taapsee Pannu: My success is not a fluke, I worked really hard and pushed myself every single day Looking every inch the temptress, Taapsee oozes oodles of oomph in an ivory-hued, slinky robe from Asha Gautam. Photographer: Priyank Nandwana Creative director and producer: Shara Ashraf Prayag Fashion direction and styling: Amandeep Kaur Production: Akash Bhatnagar, Zahera Kayanat, Shweta Sunny Styling team: Ria Rawlani and Kareena Mishra Wardrobe: Asha Gautam Talent coordination: Monika Rawal Location courtesy: JW Marriott Juhu, Mumbai PR agency: Spice Social Furthermore, Pannu tells us that her style is a blend of classic chic and personal comfort, with a wardrobe that includes favourites from Dior and Alexander McQueen, as well as local Indian designers like StyleMati and Suta. Emphasising comfort over trendiness, she explains, Fashion has evolved over the years for you to feel okay about doing this (prioritising comfort). Years back, people probably struggled to match up to trends and it wasn't okay to be left behind. But today I feel that their individual selves have evolved so much, they have become more aware about their individuality. She adds, When I wear something, I am not doing it because it's trending, am doing it because I like it. It's a simple fundamental rule for me. Even during lockdown, I would dress up for myself because I want to feel confident and good. You actually make a fashion statement when you wear what you want to and your personality shines through it. Her passion for fashion also reflects in the way she voices her opinion and gives suggestions, and completely owns this photoshoot. I just aim to feel nice about what I am wearing and not what I see in the mirror. I am always there to reason out and present my views as to why I think a certain way and why not, she notes. Stating she values the creative process, Pannu adds, I would want to do it with full heart, it is not a brain dead activity, I love my job. Also Read: Taapsee Pannu birthday special: Celebrating the Sardarnis Delhi connect, from gorging on chole bhature to metro rides Balancing fashion with films While her style remains a focal point, Pannus career is also thriving. The back-to-back release of Khel Khel Mein and Phir Aayi Haseen Dilruba represents a significant moment for her. About the timing of the releases, she says, It is very weird to see them come out at a one week gap. No actor wants an overlap in terms of releases, but these things are not really in my hand. I am looking at the glass half full as one is on OTT and the other one is in the theatres, it's a birthday gift for me. A memorable birthday Pannus birthday celebrations were notably unique this year. Instead of a traditional party, she chose to experience the Olympic Games in Paris. My birthday plans were pretty simple. I was in Paris to watch the Olympics live, I had never seen that before. I celebrated by cheering for our team and watching them play live. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity, she ends. With Parsis dressed to the nines today for Parsi New Year, also known as Navroz, their traditional Gara embroidery is a testament standing the test of time. Parsi fashion designer Ashdeen Z Lilaowala says, Gara is all about flora and fauna. The Zoroastrians and Parsis have always had a reverence for Nature, hence the attraction to the technique, full of birds and flowers. The floral motifs is done with a realistic and artistic flair, that showcases the beauty of flowers like roses, chrysanthemum, peonies, marigold, and more. Parsi Gara sarees have stood the test of time(Photos: Instagram) Katrina Kaif in a red Gara saree (Photo: Instagram) Legend says that Gara came to India in the 19th century when the Parsis travelled to China to trade in opium and cotton. Lilaowala shares, They discovered these beautiful embroideries in China and thought why not get it for their wives. Slowly, it became a business and the many families living in Shamiandao Island, Kanton Island and various other islands traded in Gara sarees and sent designs to India. It became popular but due to independence, it lost its sheen. With fashions cyclical nature, chiffons and georgettes came in the 80s, so it saw a revival. Natasha Poonawalla dons a black Gara saree with a corset(Photo: Instagram) Scherezade Shroff Talwar in a blue Gara saree For Parsi YouTuber and fashion blogger Scherezade Shroff Talwar, her two Gara sarees (one from a designer brand and the other passed down by her aunt) hold a special place in her heart. She says, Both the sarees are completely different yet special pieces, and the handwork done on them is beautiful. Its something that you have for years and want to pass down to the next generation. Shilpa Shetty Kundra pairs a red Gara saree with a peplum blouse(Photo: Instagram) How has the craft struck a balance between staying traditional and modernising over the years? He answers, We experiment with new fabric, colourways and with a certain motif. Weve also blended it with Kanjeevaram and bandhani stripes for a contemporary twist. Natasha Patel in a black Gara saree styled with a strapless blouse While Parsis have been donning it the Gujarati way with the pallu left long, Parsi fashion and beauty content creator Natasha Patel suggests, Style it with a contrasting blouse for mix of a modern yet elegant appeal. Mix it up with silver and gold or Indian style jadau pieces. But, never wear things that take away or distract from its intricacy. Expressing concern about the security of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during his Independence Day speech that he hoped the situation in the neighbouring country would become normal soon. India, Modi said, always wants its neighbours to walk on the path of prosperity and peace. (PTI photo) This was the second time in a week that Modi has raised the issue of ensuring the security of Bangladeshs minority communities since the ouster of the administration of former premier Sheikh Hasina and the setting up of an interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. As a neighbouring country, I can understand the concern regarding whatever has happened in Bangladesh. I hope the situation there becomes normal soon, he said while addressing the nation from the Red Fort. In particular, the concerns of 140 crore Indians that the security of Hindus and minorities there is ensured, he said, speaking in Hindi. Also Read:India needs secular civil code: 10 quotes from PM Narendra Modis Independence Day 2024 speech India, Modi said, always wants its neighbours to walk on the path of prosperity and peace. We are committed to peace, we have a culture [of peace]. In the days to come, we will continue to wish well for Bangladesh in its journey towards development because we are people who think about the well-being of humankind, he said to the gathering that included external affairs minister S Jaishankar and envoys of several countries. Modi had first raised the status of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh when he extended his best wishes to Yunus after his swearing-in on August 8. In a message posted on X, Modi said: We hope for an early return to normalcy, ensuring the safety and protection of Hindus and all other minority communities. India remains committed to working with Bangladesh to fulfill the shared aspirations of both our peoples for peace, security and development. There have been reports of attacks on the homes, businesses and places of worship of the Hindu community in different parts of Bangladesh since Hasina stepped down on August 5 and fled to India. About five Hindus, including a policeman, have died in these attacks and several others injured, according to reports in the Bangladeshi media. Yunus visited Dhakeshwari Mandir, Dhakas most important Hindu shrine, this week and met leaders of minority communities to assure them that the interim government is committed to protecting the democratic and constitutional rights of all people. He has also said authorities will take action against all those responsible for acts of violence and vandalism. On Wednesday, Bangladeshs de facto foreign minister Touhid Hossain raised with Indian envoy Pranay Verma what he described as the highly exaggerated media campaign in India about developments in Bangladesh. He said the interim government is committed to the peaceful coexistence of different communities, including minorities. Modis Independence Day address was largely devoid of references to foreign policy issues, though he said the worlds way of looking at India has changed. He also acknowledged that India is facing countless challenges, both within and outside. As we become stronger and our influence increases, the challenges too will increase. The challenges outside will increase but I want to tell everyone that Indias progress does not come with crisis for anyone, he said. We are the land of the Buddha, war is not our path and because of this, the world shouldnt be concerned about Indias progress, he said. I assure the world community that you should understand Indias traditions and its history of thousands of years, dont think of us as a crisis. The banned militant outfit United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) (Independent) on Thursday claimed to have planted bombs at 24 locations across Assam, triggering a massive search operation by security forces. Guwahati: Security personnel at the spot after a suspected Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was recovered on a road to Gandhi Mandap, in Guwahati, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024.(PTI) In an email sent to media houses, the anti-peace talk faction of ULFA asserted that the bombs failed to detonate due to "technical failure" and urged public cooperation in defusing the explosives. While it provided details for 19 specific locations, the outfit said the locations of five more explosives could not be ascertained. Read: Assam army camp attack: NIA charge sheets ULFA(I) chief, 5 others The Assam Police swung into action, deploying bomb disposal squads, metal detectors, and sniffer dogs to all the locations identified in the email. "Bomb disposal squads, metal detectors and sniffer dogs have been dispatched to every location. So far we have not got any information on recovery of bombs," a senior officer at Assam Police headquarters said. Of the 24 locations named by ULFA(I), eight are in Guwahati, including an open field at Last Gate in Dispur, near the official residences of Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and other ministers. Other areas mentioned in the email include Satgaon Road near the Army cantonment in Narengi, as well as Ashram Road, Panbazar, Jorabat, Bhetapara, Maligaon, and Rajgarh. Read: Assams Silchar medical college withdraws controversial advisory on female staff While the police couldn't find any suspicious objects at six locations, they recovered two IED-like objects in Panbazaar and Gandhi Basti. We thoroughly searched eight locations. Out of these locations, we could not find any suspicious objects in six of them, however, in Panbazaar and Gandhi Basti, we found two IED-like objects, Guwahati Commissioner of Police Diganta Barah told reporters. Sivasagar, Dibrugarh, Lakhimpur, Nagaon, Nalbari, Tamulpur, Tinsukia and Golaghat districts were also named by ULFA(I) in its list of 24 locations. Police have closed all roads in and around the places mentioned in the mail. Senior police officials have rushed to all the places and are monitoring the search operations. With PTI inputs Independence Day 2024: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, August 15, broke the record of his immediate predecessor Manmohan Singh by hoisting the national flag from the ramparts of the Red Fort for the 11th consecutive time on Independence Day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi with children at Independence day at Red Fort in New Delhi on Thursday. (Arvind Yadav/HT) With this, Narendra Modi has become the prime minister to hoist the Tricolour for the third highest time. The record lies with first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru who did the honours 17 times from 1947 to 1964. Speaking on the 78th Independence Day of India, Modi touched upon a number of domestic and international issues, including the current Bangladesh political crisis. It was Modi's longest Independence Day speech at 98 minutes. Modi's Independence Day speeches average at 82 minutes longer than any other prime minister in India's history. His longest I-day speech before Thursday was 96 minutes in 2016 while his shortest speech was in 2017 when he spoke for around 56 minutes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi speech: Key takeaways Guwahati: The Assam police on Friday launched a massive search operation after the United Liberation of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I), a banned insurgent organisation, claimed they had placed 24 bombs across the state on independence day, officials said. Assam police recover bomb-like items at many places (Twitter Photo) Officials said that during the searches, which were carried out by bomb squads, several bomb-like items were recovered, adding that no blasts occurred at any place. According to the police, the outfit purportedly sent an email to several media houses, after which the news became public, creating panic among the people. In the email, the outfit mentioned the areas where the so-called bombs were placed, said police. It named two locations in Sibsagar and Lakhimpur, one in Lakuwa, Dibrugarh, Laluk, Borghat, Nagaon, Nalbari, and Tamulpur, and eight locations in Guwahati. The outfit stated that bombs were placed at five other places in Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, and Sarupathar but did not specify their exact locations. However, it asserted that the bombs did not explode due to technical failure. According to a statement from ULFA-Is publicity wing, the blasts were scheduled to take place between 6am and 12pm on independence day, but it did not happen due to technical failure and urged the public to find the bombs and deactivate them. In a post on X, Assam police chief GP Singh said that at two places in Guwahati, suspicious articles were found by the bomb disposal squad. He added that these articles did not have ignition devices. The substance inside is being sent for forensic/chemical examination. He added that similar articles were recovered from Lakhimpur, Sibsagar, Nalbari, and Nagaon, which have been safely disposed of. Investigations have been initiated into the recoveries, added Singh. Patna, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday said the NDA government in the state has now fixed a new target of providing 12 lakh government jobs to youths by next year. Bihar govt has fixed target of providing 12 lakh govt jobs: Nitish Kumar Soon after hoisting the tricolour at the Gandhi Maidan here, Kumar said, "Bihar is moving ahead with high growth rate and development. It will go ahead with inclusive development in the coming years. Earlier, we had promised to provide 10 lakh government jobs to our youthsbut now our government has fixed a new target of providing 12 lakh government jobs to youths before the 2025 assembly polls. The state government is working in this direction, the chief minister said. "Under its 'Saat Nischay Part-2' scheme, the state government fixed a target of providing 10 lakh jobs and creating employment opportunities for 10 lakh people. The scheme was launched in 2020around 5.16 lakh people have already been given government jobs under this scheme and a process has been completed for providing 2 lakh more government jobs," Kumar said. The state government has also surpassed its target of creating employment opportunities for 10 lakh people, with more than 24 lakh opportunities already established, said the CM. By next year, 10 lakh more employment opportunities will be created, he said. The CM slammed opposition leaders for taking credit for providing employment while sharing power with him. He said, "Nowadays some people keep making statements that no recruitment used to take place and they had started doing recruitment. But I want to tell you that it was my initiative to give 10 lakh jobs and we are working on it". Further on the special package recently announced by the Centre for Bihar, Kumar said, "I have continuously spoken about special category status or special package for Bihar. Now the Central government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a special package for Bihar for several developmental and infrastructure projects in sectors like road construction, industries, health, tourism etc. We are thankful to Modi Ji for this special package announced for Bihar." On the law and order situation in the state, Kumar said his government would prefer the path of development and also ensure that the rule of law continues to prevail in each and every part of the state. "We work to maintain mutual love and harmony among people of different communities and social groups, without any prejudice, to take the state forward on the path of development. Rule of law prevails in the statethis is the top priority of the government. To improve law and order strength of force has been increased. Now the strength of Bihar police will be increased by 2.27 lakh", said the CM. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. Mamata Banerjee on Thursday claimed certain political parties were behind the mob attack at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, where doctors are protesting the August 9 rape and murder of a junior doctor. Kolkata, India - Aug. 5, 2024: Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee during inaugiration of 'Vanamahotsov 2024' at the lawn of West Bengal Legislative Assembly House in Kolkata, India, on Monday, August 5, 2024. (Photo by Samir Jana/ Hindustan Times) The West Bengal chief minister also stated that she has no complaints against the striking medics. Police are looking into the matter. I don't have any complaints against the students or the agitating doctors. But there are certain political parties trying to foment trouble. If you go through the video (of the attack), you will get to see what happened, she told reporters, according to PTI. According to India Today, Banerjee specifically named opposition BJP and Left as having orchestrated the violence. I saw flags of the Left and BJPthe way they attacked the police. One of my officers-in-charge was missing for one hour. Later, he was found wounded. But the police did not list the patients. They did not use force. We have done a lot of aandolan (agitation) and never done things like that inside hospital, it quoted the Trinamool Congress supremo as saying. Banerjee's statement came a day after she alleged that the opposition was trying to capture power in West Bengal through Bangladesh-like protests in the RG Kar case. On August 5, Sheikh Hasina was ousted as Bangladesh's prime minister following a month-long student-led uprising against her. The midnight attack on the RG Kar Hospital unfolded shortly after women in Kolkata and other cities of West Bengal, participated in a Reclaim the Night protest over the trainee medic's rape and murder. The case is being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on directions of the Calcutta high court, which transferred the investigation to the federal agency from Kolkata Police. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday urged the state governments to take crimes against women seriously and ensure prompt punishment for the culprits. PM Modi said the action against perpetrators of crime against women need to be publicised so that it acts as a deterrent. (PTI photo) The development comes at a time when there is nationwide outrage over the rape and murder of a Doctor in Kolkata. Addressing the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort on 78th Independence Day, PM Modi said the action against perpetrators of crime against women need to be publicised so that it acts as a deterrent. We will have to think seriously about the atrocities against women there is outrage in the country, and I can feel this outrage. The country, society and state governments need to take crimes against women seriously. There should be quick investigation and punishment for the guilty should be prompt without any delay so that they is confidence in society, he said in an apparent reference to the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital incident in Kolkata, which is now being investigated by a 25-member special team of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Also Read:Independence Day 2024: Prime Minister Narendra Modi exhorts 140 crore Indians to work for Viksit Bharat 2047 Emphasising that there is a need to instil the fear of punishment in those involved in such crimes, the PM said When such incidents happen, it is discussed at length but when the perpetrators are brought to the books, there is very little discussion. We need to speak about the punishments so that those who commit these offences fully understand the serious consequences, including severe penalties such as hanging. The body of a postgraduate trainee, who was allegedly raped and murdered inside a seminar hall of the state-run RG Kar hospital, was found on Friday morning. A civic volunteer, Sanjay Roy, was arrested in connection with this on Saturday. The case snowballed into a major issue across the country with junior doctors and interns across West Bengal resorting to cease work, protesting the incident and demanding adequate protection for hospital staff. On Wednesday, a 25-member CBI team headed by additional director Sampat Meena reached Kolkata to investigate the rape and murder of doctor. The team, officials said, will remain stationed in Kolkata till the case is completely solved. The team is comprised of five forensic experts and AIIMS doctors. BJP's Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the West Bengal assembly, on Thursday sought deployment of central paramilitary forces at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, following the mob attack at the Kolkata-based institute. Kolkata, India - Aug. 15, 2024: A senior nurse break down in tear after looking the vandalism by unidentified mob at Emergency department in RG Kar Medical College & Hospital shortly after midnight 'Reclaim the Night' protest against rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata, India, on Thursday, August 15, 2024. (Photo by Samir Jana/ Hindustan Times) In a letter to Union home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, he claimed that goons sent by the state's Trinamool Congress government, attacked the hospital to destroy evidence of last week's rape-murder of a trainee doctor, an incident that has led to protests by the country's medical fraternity. The WB Govt and @KolkataPolice have turned RG Medical College and Hospital into a stinky quagmire by firstly allowing culprits to establish their fiefdom of crime and now allowing TMC goons to stomp upon the whole premises to destroy evidence (whatever was left of it) and scare the protesting Doctors, Adhikari wrote on X (formerly Twitter) along with a screenshot of his letter. The former Trinamool member further stated that in a display of perversity, the unruly mob also tried to enter the girls' hostel at midnight when the policemen took refuge inside the toilets. I have written to the Hon'ble Home Secretary; Ministry of Home Affairs; Shri Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Hon'ble Director, Central Bureau of Investigation regarding the vandalism that took place at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital and requested them to deploy Central Armed Paramilitary Forces to prevent further destruction of evidence at R G Kar, he added. The vandalism unfolded shortly after women in Kolkata and other cities of West Bengal, at 11:55pm on Wednesday, the eve of India's 78th Independence Day, held a Reclaim the Night protest against the rape-murder of the medic. On directions of the Calcutta high court, the CBI is probing the case, taking over over from Kolkata Police. Giving example of crisis-hit Bangladesh, Chief Justice of India (CJI), Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, on Thursday asserted that the unrest in the neighbouring nation, is a clear reminder of how important liberty and freedom are. CJI DY Chandrachud (File Photo/ANi) The Chief Justice was addressing a gathering on the 78th Independence Day. We chose in 1950, the uncertainty of freedom, and what is happening today, say, in Bangladesh, is a clear reminder of how precious liberty is for us. It is very easy to take freedom and liberty for granted, but it is important to understand the past stories to remind us how important these things are, he said in Delhi. Last week, Bangladesh plunged into a political crisis as then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina resigned following a month-long student-led uprising against her. She is in Delhi, having arrived there on the day of her ouster; in Bangladesh, the interim administration of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, is struggling to end targeted attacks on Hindus and other minorities that began with the forced exit of Hasina. CJI Chandrachud, meanwhile, called Independence Day, an occasion to honour the commitment of who lives life to make it greater and who is working to make it greater. "This morning, I was reading a beautifuly written piece by noted Karnataka vocalist Chitra Sri Krishna and the title of the piece is Songs of Freedom. The idea of liberty is woven into the fabric of Indian poetry," he added. Further, the CJI paid tributes to lawyers who gave up their legal practices to join the freedom movement, naming Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, Jawaharlal Nehru, Alladi Krishnaswamy Iyer, Govind Vallabh Pant, Devi Prasad Khaitan, Sir Syed Mohammed Saadullah, and others. (With ANI inputs) Udupi , A bust of freedom fighter M D Adhikari, who was also a farmer and leader of the cooperative movement, was unveiled at a village school in Padukuduru in Hebri taluk here, to revive his legacy. Senior Congress leader and former chief minister of Karnataka M Veerappa Moily unveiled the bust. Hailing M D Adhikari as a leader with great qualities, he said, adding that his nationalistic spirit will continue to inspire the people of this region forever. Adhikari was inspired by the freedom movement and was jailed during the Quit India movement. "He was brutally beaten up for making a fiery speech in Mangaluru city. He got head injuries and was sent to Alipur Jail in Bellary . A farmer by profession, he plunged into the Quit India movement in 1942 having been inspired by the movement started by Mahatma Gandhi," his daughter Jayalakshmi told PTI. Since he was a polyglot, his mastery of four languages made him a popular speaker all over the Dakshina Kannada district, which was a part of the Canara district in those days, she recalled. "But soon he got disillusioned with the Congress party and followed the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and took up the co-operative movement and promotion of Hindi. After Independence, he carried on with his work in popularising farming, and he was perhaps one of the first freedom fighters to promote the youth empowerment movement in the state," she said, adding that the injuries he suffered during the brutal attack by the police took a toll and he died when he was just 61 years old. Hailing from the Jain community, Adhikari was made the administrator of the Varanga lake Basadi properties by the Hombuja Jain Mutt. Reflecting on his selfless service, Devendra Kirti Bhattraka swamiji of Hombuja Jain Mutt said under his guidance the local farmers of Varanga have prospered in agriculture and farming practices that he promoted. Jayalakshmi recalled that her father was ably supported by her mother Kamalavati Adhikari, also a freedom fighter. "Hailing from a well-known family of Puttur, Kamalavati was married to my father when she was 17, and had ]first son when she was 18. When she came to know Mahatma Gandhi was coming to Puttur town, she went to the public meeting where she, along with many other women activists of the town, was beaten up and sent to Vellore jail in Tamil Nadu, where she was imprisoned for over six months," she said. Freedom fighter M D Adhikari's bust unveiled Kolkata doctor rape-murder case: West Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose on Thursday, August 15, visited RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata to take stock of the situation following vandalism by unidentified miscreants on post-midnight. Ananda Bose spoke to the agitating junior doctors at the medical establishment where the body of a postgraduate trainee doctor was found on August 9. West Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose visits the emergency department of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital after unidentified miscreants vandalised a portion of the hospital amid midnight protests by women in various parts of West Bengal against the alleged rape and murder of a post graduate trainee doctor, in Kolkata, Thursday. (PTI) Meanwhile, a team of the Central Bureau of Investigation, which took over the Kolkata doctor's rape-murder case, visited the victim's residence in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas and recorded statements of her parents. Watch the video here: In the afternoon, the nursing staff, who have been protesting against rape and murder of the trainee doctor, gheraoed the principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital demanding security and answers from him. On Wednesday midnight, a mob entered the RG Kar hospital campus vandalised the site of the protest and attacked vehicles and public property, forcing security officials to disperse the mob. Kolkata doctors rape-murder: Latest updates on the protest and the case After meeting the protesting doctors, CV Ananda Bose said, I am with you and we will work together to solve this. I assure you justice. My ears and eyes are open. Watch the video here: The governor also inspected the emergency department of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, where vandalism took place the previous night. What I saw, what I heard, what I was told and what is reported. The incident which took place here is shocking, shattering and deplorable. It is a shame for Bengal and India and humanity This is the greatest degeneration we have seen around us. The custodians of law have themselves become conspirators, he said at press conference. A section of the police is politicised and criminalised. This rot has to end...The government is responsible for this. The first responsibility lies with the government. We want security so that when you go to work at night you are safe...It is nothing but a bloodbath going on, he added. When students asked him about the actions of the mob that vandalised the medical college premises Bose said, Let me go to the police and take stock of the situation, I will discuss it with you and get your opinion and then only we will take action. Earlier on Thursday, Kolkata Police clarified that the crime scene of the brutal rape and murder of a junior doctor at the RG Kar Medical College had not been disturbed during the mob vandalism that broke out late on the night of August 14. A final year MBBS student from Kolkata, Anupam Roy, had on Thursday accused the mob of indulging in deliberate vandalisation and sought the support of the public for extending support to ensure a secure environment for doctors. According to the police, a group of nearly 40 people, allegedly disguised as protestors, entered the hospital premises, vandalised property and pelted stones at police personnel prompting them to fire teargas to disperse the mob. A police vehicle and a few two-wheelers at the spot were also damaged in the incident, they said. (With inputs from agencies) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day speech on Thursday, stressed policies to scale up urban infrastructure and ease of living with modern amenities, which are essential to achieve the goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047, the centennial year of Indias freedom from colonial rule. PM Modi said his government had taken major steps to boost infrastructure in the country in the last ten years. (ANI photo) Delivering his customary speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort, the PM spoke of enhancing the quality of life in urban areas through regular assessments and improvements in infrastructure and services. The middle class naturally expects quality of life. They give a lot to the nation. The country also has responsibility to ensure they dont face bureaucratic hurdles, said PM Modi. Outlining his vision for a developed-country status, Modi said one of the aspects of development is that there should be minimum interference in peoples life by the government. Where there is no need, the government should not interfere. Where people expect governments action, it should be effective. With new opportunities arising in India, I can confidently say that two key developments have accelerated our progress -- the creation of modern infrastructure and ease of living, he said. Modi said his government had taken major steps to boost infrastructure in the country in the last ten years. We have also given priority to ease of living, the PM said, adding that the government had built 40 million houses in the last decade and 30 million more were going to be constructed. Also Read: Modi urges political parties to help realise one nation, one election goal Pushing the governments rural and urban housing programmes, the cabinet on August 10 had given its nod for 30 million additional houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (PMAY). Of the 30 million houses, 20 million will be constructed in rural areas under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) and 10 million under the PMAY-Urban. The department of rural development will implement the PMAY-G between FY 2024-25 and 2028-29. Financial assistance will be provided for construction of houses at existing unit assistance of 1.20 lakh in plain areas and 1.30 lakh in northeastern states and the hilly states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the recent Union budget targeted raising the capital expenditure of the government by 11.1% to 11.11 lakh crore for the fiscal year starting April 1. The countrys growth has been largely driven by government capex in the last few years. The ratio of capex-to-GDP, which rose to 3.3% for FY24, is now to be 3.4% in the current financial year. Indias capex in FY21 and FY22 stood at 4.1 lakh crore and 5.9 lakh crore. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) in its latest forecast issued a rain warning for multiple states for this week, including Delhi, Kerala, Odisha, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. IMD said in its bulletin that light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms will continue in Delhi and NCR regions till August 21. Security person on Alert during the rain at Kartavya Path in New Delhi, India, on Thursday, August 15, 2024. (Photo by RAJ K RAJ / Hindustan Times)(RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO) While there is no colour code warning issued for the next two days, the weather agency issued a yellow alert in the national capital from August 18 to 20. Meanwhile, rain intermittently lashed parts of Delhi on August 15 as the Independence Day celebrations kicked off in Old Delhi's Red Fort in the morning. Areas in Delhi such as Lodhi Road and Safdarjung saw waterlogging and traffic congestions throughout the day. The IMD predicted heavy rainfall in parts of Kerala and sounded an orange alert in two districts Wayanad and Kozhikode for tomorrow. Yellow alerts have been issued for the remaining 12 districts of Kerala for tomorrow. The weather forecasting agency said the state would receive heavy rainfall between August 15 to 19 due to a cyclonic circulation over the Southeast Arabian Sea and South Kerala coast. It warned against venturing into the sea for fishing activities in the Kerala-Lakshadweep-Karnataka coastal region from August 15 to 19, citing chances of strong winds and bad weather conditions. The Kerala government had earlier claimed that the IMD failed to predict the extreme rainfall that triggered the landslides in Wayanad on July 30. The heavy flooding and landslides in Wayanad led to large-scale loss of lives and major damage to properties. A 'red' alert was issued for Lakshadweep, warning of extremely heavy rainfall (more than 20 cm in 24 hours), expected to continue for the next few days. IMD also said that light rain with gusty winds is expected in Odisha due to a potential low-pressure formation in the Bay of Bengal. It further warned fishermen to avoid venturing into the sea till Saturday, August 17. Earlier, the weather agency predicted that heavy rains will lash parts of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand till August 15, after which light to moderate rain will continue in the states till the weekend. In a press release, IMD said, Fairly widespread to widespread light-moderate rainfall with isolated heavy rainfall very likely over Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, and East Uttar Pradesh during 10th-16th. Nadia , An all-women unit of the Border Security Force made a maiden gesture and handed over sweets and exchanged greetings with lady BGB personnel of Bangladesh at the front in West Bengal as part of the traditional Independence Day celebrations held along the international border. In a first, all-women India, Bangladesh border troops exchange I-Day greetings The first-ever women border guards exchange took place near the Gede border post of the BSF in the said district even as a "high alert" continues all along this over 4,000 km front following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government less than a week back. The six-member BSF team, dressed in ceremonial regalia, belonged to the 32nd battalion of the force deployed in the area to guard the international boundary in Nadia district. The personnel are of the constable rank, officials told PTI. The Border Guard Bangladesh women team that participated in the traditional ceremonial event held in the morning is affiliated to the 6th battalion of the Bangladeshi force deployed under the Darshana border post of the neighbouring country. "The exchange of greetings and sharing of sweets symbolises mutual respect and camaraderie between the two border forces. It is a tradition which the women personnel have performed for the first time," 32nd battalion BSF Commandant Sujeet Kumar said. He said the two sides shook hands and wished for continued prosperity of their respective countries with a commitment for having strong bilateral ties between them. A senior officer said the exchange of sweets and pleasantries between the the two forces traditionally takes place during the national festivals of the two countries like Independence Day and Republic Day apart from big festivals like Deepawali and Eid. This is, however, the first time an all-women team performed the gesture anywhere along this 4,096 km-long international boundary that runs across five states on India's eastern flank including over 2,200 km in West Bengal. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. New Delhi: In his soon-to-be released memoir, Congress leader and former union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde has reignited the controversy over one aspect of the hanging of Parliament terror attack conspirator Afzal Guru in 2013. Confirming what Gurus family has alleged all along , the minister writes that the Congress-led UPA government erred in delaying the news of Gurus impending execution to his family, thereby denying them a last meeting. Shinde, however, puts the blame on his home secretary, RK Singh, who later went on to become a union minister in the Bharatiya Janata Party government between 2014 and 2024, for this error. Congress leader and former union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde Singh expressed surprise at the ministers claim. Its strange that the home minister doesnt know the procedure, he said . The intimation is given by the prisons department in Delhi government. It was duly sent over the phone. It may have been late but as far as I know it was sent by Tihar prisons department. Guru was convicted for his role in the 2001 Parliament attack where 14 people died. While Guru denied having a hand and filed several clemency petitions, he was hanged in secrecy in February, 2013 and buried in the Tihar Jail complex. In his book Five Decades of Politics published by Harper Collins, Shinde writes: Still, I have an admission to make: The Union home secretarys office was late in informing Afzals family. This lapse, due to the home secretarys departments laxity, meant that his family could not meet him for one last time. But this much I can say: as far as I was concerned, there was no personal or emotional involvement in the execution. The 240-page book by Shinde along with journalist Rasheed Kidwai, traces his journey from a sub-inspector in Maharashtra CID to the minister in charge of internal security. Incidentally, Shinde mentions only Sonia Gandhi for appointing him as home minister in Manmohan Singhs cabinet in 2012. He writes, I had been the Union power minister for over six years when Sonia-ji called me one day. You have to take charge of the home ministry, she told me. Shindes term also coincided with the UPA government blaming what it termed saffron terror for incidents such as the Samjhauta express attack and the Mecca Masjid blast. Shinde points out how RK Singh backed him in the usage of the term saffron terror. He writes in the book, I vividly recall that shortly after I spoke at Jaipur, Singh was quoted as seconding my view on saffron terror. He adds that Singh who joined the BJP after his retirement, subsequently changed his views. Some of the accused did have RSS links but I was very categorical that you cannot have saffron or Hindu terror. Independence Day 2024 LIVE updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hoisted the national flag and delivered his 11th consecutive speech to the nation from the Red Fort on the occasion of 78th Independence Day. The theme of this years celebration, Viksit Bharat @ 2047, aims to propel the country towards becoming a developed nation by 2047....Read More The ceremony at the Red Fort began with Prime Minister Modi being received by senior government and military officials, followed by an inspection of the Guard of Honour, which this year was coordinated by the Indian Navy. A symbolic moment followed when the prime minister hoisted the national flag, accompanied by a 21-gun salute by the 1721 Field Battery, using indigenous 105mm Light Field Guns. This year, around 6,000 special guests representing diverse sections of Indian society, including youth, tribal communities, farmers, women, and beneficiaries of various government schemes, have been invited to witness the ceremony. Also Read | 4 Kirti Chakras, 18 Shaurya Chakras in I-Day honours list According to the police, over 10,000 security personnel, including Delhi Police and paramilitary jawans, have been deployed at the Red Fort and at other crucial locations in the national capital. Snipers, elite SWAT commandos, kite catchers and sharpshooters are stationed at strategic locations for the security of the prime minister and other VVIP guests. Bomb disposal staff have been carrying out checks at the the nearby vicinity of Red Fort along with the dog squad. Notably, 13 remote villages in Chhattisgarh's Maoist-hit Bastar region will witness hoisting of the national flag for the first time due to the presence of security forces. The establishment of security camps in these villages has enabled the safe celebration of the national festival in areas previously dominated by left-wing extremism. Also Read | Independence Day 2024: 20 iconic slogans, inspiring quotes by freedom fighters Earlier this week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to citizens to hoist the national flag at their homes as part of the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign on Independence Day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his 11th consecutive address to the nation on the occasion of India's 78th Independence day, gave the longest speech by an Indian prime minister yet. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the nation from the Red Fort on 78th Independence Day, in New Delhi giving his longest speech yet (PTI) The 98 minute speech surpassed his previous record of 96 minutes in his 2016 speech. His shortest speech was 56 minutes in 2017. Modi's Independence Day speeches average at 82 minutes longer than any other prime minister in India's history. Before Modi, Jawaharlal Nehru had the longest speech at 72 minutes. Former PM Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi gave the shortest speeches on record at 14 minutes in 1954 and 1966, respectively. In his 98 minute long speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi touched on the theme of this year's celebrations - Viksit Bharat 2047. He said, For Viksit Bharat 2047, we invited suggestions from the countrymen. The many suggestions we received reflect the dreams and aspirations of our citizens. When the people of the nation have such big dreams, it takes our self-confidence to newer heights and we become more resolute. PM Modi also spoke about the issue of women's safety in light of the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in a hospital in Kolkata. The country, society, State Governments will have to take this seriously. Speedy investigation of crimes against women, those executing these monstrous deeds be awarded strict punishment at the earliest - this is important to instill confidence in society, he said. Declaring this as a golden era for the country, the Prime Minister outlined several plans for development across sectors, economic reforms and hopes for the youth of the country. From dealing with natural disasters to a secular civil code to maternity leave for working women, PM Modi touched on various issues of national importance. He also took a dig at the opposition by saying, We are moving forward with resolution but there are some people who cannot see progress or think of India's good unless it benefits themThe country needs to protect itself from this handful of pessimistic people. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the nation on the 78th Independence Day from the ramparts of the iconic Red Fort, said his dream of making India a developed nation by 2047 is a reflection of the resolve and dreams of the country's 140 crore people. Independence Day 2024: Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rajghat. (Youtube) "Viksit Bharat 2047 are not mere words, they are a reflection of the resolve and dreams of 140 crore people...We are capable of making India a developed nation by 2047 with our resolve," PM Modi said in his first Independence Day address of his third government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the current population of the country carries the blood of 40 crore people of India who had uprooted the colonial rule. He said if 140 crore people come together in one direction, India can easily become a developed nation by 2047. "We are proud that we carry the blood of the 40 crore people who uprooted the colonial rule from India...Today, we are 140 crore people, if we resolve and move together in one direction, then we can become 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047 by overcoming all obstacles in the way," PM Modi added. PM Modi also remembered the sacrifices of freedom fighters who led India's Independence movement. Also read: Independence Day 2024: Narendra Modi becomes 3rd PM to deliver 11 speeches after Nehru, Indira Gandhi "The country is indebted to freedom fighters, it is a day to remember their sacrifices," he said. "Today is the auspicious day when we celebrate and salute those who sacrificed their lives for the country and its freedom... Those 'Azadi Ke Deewane' made us fortunate to celebrate this Independence Day," he added. PM Modi raises concerns about calamities Prime Minister Narendra Modi also raised concerns about the spate of natural calamities that hit several parts of the nation this year. "This year and for the past few years, due to natural calamity, our concerns have been mounting. Several people have lost their family members, property in natural calamity; nations too have suffered losses. Today, I express my sympathy to all of them and I assure them that this nation stands with them in this hour of crisis," PM Modi said. PM Modi talks about reform, Vocal for Local PM Modi said his government brought on big reforms on ground. "Earlier, people wanted change but their aspirations were not paid heed to; we brought about big reforms on ground. Our commitment to reforms not for temporary applause or due to compulsions, but has resolved to strengthen the country," he added. PM Modi also lauded his government's brain child, the Vocal for Local campaign. "We gave the mantra for 'Vocal for Local'. Today, I am happy that Vocal for Local has become a new mantra for the economic system. Every district has started taking pride in its produce. There is an environment of 'One District One Product'," he said. With inputs from PTI, ANI Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that India has reassured the world about climate action by becoming the only G20 nation to achieve nationally determined contributions under the Paris Agreement, which marked the beginning of a shift towards it, much ahead of the deadline. Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (PTI) He called climate change a huge worry for the global community and said India was addressing it through proactive actions not just words. We are moving forward to a net zero future...a renewable energy future. We will show with our actions, Modi said in his address from the ramparts of the Red Fort after unfurling the national flag for the 11th time on Independence Day. He reiterated India will achieve its goal of installing 500 GW of non-fossil-based capacity by 2030. It is a huge target. The world looks at us with surprise because of our ambitious goal. We will achieve this. It will ensure a bright future for our kids, Modi said. India has a goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2070. The International Energy Agency said in January that there was a real chance that countries that signed off on tripling global renewable energy capacity by 2030 at the COP28 climate conference in 2023 will do so. It pointed out that India was expected to meet its goal of installing 500 GW of non-fossil-based capacity by 2030 through a set of actions that will bolster renewable energy generation. IEA said India is forecast to add 205 GW over 2023-2028, doubling 2022s cumulative installed capacity, making it the worlds third-largest market for renewables. Modi said electric vehicles are in demand and India is working on making a Green hydrogen mission global hub. It is being implemented with great speed. We are trying to move towards renewable energy. This will help us address climate change but it will also create huge opportunities for green jobs. We wish to seize that opportunity, he said. Modi echoed concerns over increasing natural disasters over the last few years at the beginning of his speech days after landslides in Keralas Wayanad left over 230 people dead on July 30. Heavy rains have led to flooding in states such as Assam. This year and over the last few years, we all are becoming more worried due to the natural disasters, said Modi. Several people have lost their family members, property in natural calamity...nation has suffered losses. I assure them that this nation stands with them in this hour of crisis, he said. India is celebrating its 78th Independence Day on Thursday, August 15. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will begin the celebrations by hoisting the national flag at the iconic Red Fort in Delhi, followed by an address to the nation. This will be Narendra Modi's 11th consecutive Independence Day speech as the prime minister. A grand parade will also be held showcasing India's military prowess, cultural diversity, and technological progress. Follow LIVE updates Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation from the historic Red Fort on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day in New Delhi(Hindustan Times) New Delhi: In his 98-minute Independence Day speech delivered on Thursday morning from the Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi captured the strides made by India to further self-reliance in the critical defence manufacturing sector and how the country had gradually transformed itself from being an importer of military hardware to an exporter. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation from the Red Fort in New Delhi on 78th Independence Day (PTI Photo) I am elated to say that our defence sector, which was dependent on importing even small items, has gradually emerged and is establishing itself as an exporter and manufacturer of defence equipment, Modi said in his 11th consecutive Independence Day address, one of his longest. The PM used notes to deliver his customary address instead of the teleprompter. Intermittent drizzle during the function saw the invitees, including top three-star military officers, slip in and out of disposable raincoats made available at the venue. Umbrellas are among the items that are not allowed for security reasons. Modis comments came at a time when military exports have risen sharply and imports have dropped on the back of policy initiatives and reforms during the last 10 years, and the country is on course to achieve an annual defence export target of Rs.50,000 by 2028-29. The PM praised the military for its role in pushing the self-reliance drive. I am deeply grateful to our defence forces...They have shared a list of defence items that they have resolved not to import. We should learn true patriotism from our armed forces. With this spirit, we are becoming self-reliant in the defence sector. Modi was referring to a series of positive indigenisation lists published by the defence ministry to ban the import of different types of weapons, systems, ammunition, and critical sub-systems and components over the next four to five years. India has taken a raft of measures to boost self-reliance in the defence manufacturing sector. Apart from the phased import bans, these steps include creating a separate budget for buying locally made military hardware, increasing foreign direct investment (FDI) from 49% to 74%, and improving ease of doing business. We were earlier in the habit of questioning any increase in the defence budget. No one ever tried to find out where the funds were utilised. The budget was spent on importing military hardware, he said. Indias defence exports stood at Rs.6,915 crore during April-June 2024, data shared by the defence ministry last week showed. This was 78% higher than Rs.3,885 crore for the corresponding period in financial year 2023-24. In April, the defence ministry announced that Indias defence exports grew 32.5% in 2023-24 and crossed Rs.21,000 crore for the first time as the country remained focused on boosting the indigenous defence manufacturing sector as well as military exports. The value of exports in 2023-24 was 32.5% more than that in the preceding year, when it was 15,920 crore. Defence exports have grown 31 times in the past 10 years, official data shows. India exports military hardware to around 85 countries, with around 100 local firms involved in the effort. The hardware includes missiles, artillery guns, rockets, armoured vehicles, offshore patrol vessels, personal protective gear, radars, surveillance systems, and ammunition. In his speech, the PM also touched upon the 2016 surgical strikes in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and the 2019 air strikes into the neighbouring country to highlight the Indian militarys capabilities. Both strikes were a direct military response to Pakistan-backed terror strikes in Jammu and Kashmir. There was a time when the country was a victim of terror attacks, but now its bold and strong, with the armed forces giving a befitting reply to anyone who tries to harm the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of the country, the defence ministry statement said, quoting from the PMs speech. He asserted that the nation is proud of its brave soldiers who selflessly serve the motherland, it added. New Delhi: Since even before Indias independence, the Parliament Street police station has earned the moniker of possibly being the most famous police station in the country. Located on Sansad Margjjust down the road from the old Parliament complexthis is the police station where protesting politicians and political demonstrators are often detainedmaking it Indias political police station. The Parliament Street Police Station, as seen in 1972, is currently in need of repairs (HT Photo) In 2022, to honour freedom fighters such as Bhagat Singh and Mahatma Gandhi, the facade of the century-old structure was decorated with LED lights and posters of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh possibly the most famous of the hundreds of high-profile detainees ever held at the police station. The building of the police station is classified as a Grade 2 heritage structure, which means that it is a structure of local/regional importance and possesses historical significance. But with wide cracks visible across its white walls, along with patches of water damage, which has combined with a lack of ventilation to start buildup of mould, the interiors of the building lie in a shocking state of disrepair. The deterioration is also not just cosmetic; the buildings structural integrity and safety are a major concern, according to Delhi Police officers. Despite its storied past, the police stations repairs and restoration are tangled in red tapethe structure falls under the jurisdiction of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), and only the civic bodys heritage conservation committee can assign its maintenance. The police station does fall in our area, but we only get information if a major revamp or structural change is being done. We allow other authorities to do smaller work by themselves, according to an NDMC spokesperson. Police officers posted at the station said they have submitted written requests to seniors about addressing the disrepair of the building. A letter was then sent to Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) in February to conduct a survey and make a report, the officer said, on condition of anonymity. Vijaya Amujure, director at INTACHs architecture heritage division, said her team made a preliminary report in February and approached senior police officials to take necessary action for the conservation of the building, but there has been no forward movement since. According to police, the report received mentions multiple observations about the buildings water seepage problem, the moulds, the covered up corridors, and how many areas have limited ventilation. Delhi Police spokesperson Suman Nalwa said, No such proposal has been finalised yet. All options are open at the moment. Beginnings in the British Raj The Parliament Street police station was built in 1913 and originally served as a residential area for security personnel to protect Raisina Hill, which then comprised the Viceroys residence and the imperial secretariat. It was only in 1920 that the structure was converted into a fully functional police station, with offices and a lockup, said police. One of the oldest police stations in the city, the landmark structure today comprises three sections. The first, located at the front, has the offices of the New Delhi police district deputy commissioner of police and assistant commissioner of police. Behind this is a two-storeyed police station with offices and a central courtyard. The third section is at the back of the building and comprises a campus area for the 5th battalion of the Delhi Armed Police, with rooms for personnel. The first FIR lodged at the police stationwritten in Shikasta Urduwas in December 1913, on the complaint of a person named Zuman Bela who alleged theft of an overcoat, a pair of trousers, and socks. Over time, however, the police stations proximity to corridors of power has meant that many of the people apprehended here are political detainees. Historian Sohail Hashmi said the Parliament Street police station gained popularity as most political protests in Delhi would be staged at Rafi Marg, and police always brought detainees to this police station. Perhaps the two most famous detainees at the police station were Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt, who were detained here after the bombing of the assembly on 8 April, 1929. Till the late 1980s, a court used to be located next to the police station. All those detained would be taken to court directly from the police station, he said. Hashmi said he, too, was detained at the police station during the Emergency in 1975 and was picked up from Jawaharlal Nehru University. I remember Bharath Raj Muthukumar (who later became an IFS officer and was posted as the ambassador to Belarus, Azerbaijan, and Tajikistan) was also detained during the emergency, he said. In 1978, when the then Shah of Iran Mohammed Reza Pahlavi came to India for the first time, hundreds of Iranian students in India staged a protest against him near Parliament and were all detained at the Parliament Street police station. This is also the police station where the July 2001 assassination of gangster-turned MP Phoolan Devi was investigated. Her gold bangles and a wooden bed are still case property/evidence at the stations maalkhana (evidence warehouse). The pressing need for conservation While the police station is closely intertwined with the history of pre- and post-Independent India, more than a century since it was built, the landmark structure is now facing a dire need for restoration. ACP Rajendra Singh Kalkal, the former in-charge of the Delhi Police museum, said that seepage is a major problem in the building. Theres also some minor damage to walls, and the building needs waterproofing, he told HT. The inner walls of the station also show signs of damage. This is because of the rains this year. Theres always a seepage problem in some offices. The problem with our police station is that we have files that are crucial to ongoing cases, in addition to electronic equipment that too is very important. Sometimes, the rainwater also damages our furniture, said the police officer quoted above. During a spot check on June 20, HT found that many of the inner walls have developed cracks around the ceiling and the edges. A quick look inside an officers office revealed white walls with prominent water marks and mould. At other places, the paint had peeled off, and several walls were missing entire chunks. Multiple rooms inside the police station also showed signs of seepage. There were also issues of limited ventilation in spots where furniture or files were stacked up near the windows or entry/exit points. INTACHs Amujure said her team, in their initial report, flagged several issues to the New Delhi police district. There were issues with ventilation as the station has been expanded and more things have been put by the police over time. The corridor seems blocked. There are also waterproofing issues. All these have been flagged since the building has not been repaired in a few years. We will wait until the other parties involved decide on something, she said. The Congress party on Thursday intensified its attack on the ruling BJP after Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, was seated in the back row at Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort on Thursday. New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi with the Paris Olympics 2024 medal-winning contingent and others during the 78th Independence Day celebration at the Red Fort, in New Delhi, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024.(PTI) In a social media post on X, Congress's media and publicity department head Pawan Khera wondered whether Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was taking revenge for getting cornered by Rahul Gandhi on the Agniveer issue. Or is it the typical small mindedness of @PMOIndia? Khera said. I clearly remember BJP leaders were made to sit in the front or the second row when UPA was in power. Anyway, the more you show your smallness towards Rahul ji, the larger the space he occupies in the hearts of the people, the Congress leader added. Rahul Gandhi was seated in the fifth row and, according to a PTI report, LoP Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge was also allotted the seat next to him but the Congress president didn't attend the function. This seating arrangement has sparked outrage within the Congress, with leaders accusing the BJP of disrespecting democratic traditions. Read: BJPs hate-filled politics divided country; oppn oxygen of democracy: Kharge The visuals from the Independence Day event showed Gandhi, who has a rank equivalent to a cabinet minister, sitting in the second last row, even behind the Olympic medallists who were invited as special guests. Union ministers Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, Nirmala Sitharaman, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and S Jaishankar were among those seated in the front row. Govt response "The Defence Ministry followed the protocol table of precedence. This year, it was decided to honour the Olympic winners," ANI quoted Defence Ministry sources as saying. Rubbishing the clarification, Congress spokesperson Shupriya Shrinate said, A foolish statement has come from the defence ministry that 'this was done as we wanted to honour Olympians'. They should be honoured and so should Vinesh Phogat, but did Amit Shah, J P Nadda, S Jaishankar and Nirmala Sitharaman, not want to honour them? Read: India has made strides to further self-reliance in defence: Modi Shrinate said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a person with a "petty mindset" and he keeps on giving proof. "It is futile to expect big things from small-minded people. Narendra Modi certainly showed his frustration by making Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi sit in the fifth row during the Independence Day celebrations, but this did not make any difference to Rahul Gandhi and he will keep raising issues of the people as he has been doing," Supriya Shrinate said in a video statement on X. "However, it shows that you and your government do not have any respect for democracy, democratic traditions and the Leader of Opposition," she added. Congress leader Vivek Tankha said in a post on X, "Why is MoD (Ministry of Defence) acting so petty!! Rahul Gandhi, the LoP Lok Sabha, seated on 4th row. LoP is higher than any Cabinet minister. He is next to prime minister in Lok Sabha." "Rajnath Singh ji , you can't allow MoD to politicise national functions!! Not expected from you Rajnath ji," he added. Karnatakas finance department on Wednesday directed all state government departments, public sector undertakings, boards, corporations, local bodies, universities, and other state-run institutions to close their accounts with State Bank of India (SBI) and Punjab National Bank (PNB). The directive, issued by Finance Secretary PC Jaffer, sets a deadline of September 20 for compliance. The order alleged that two major incidents of financial irregularities involving these banks had led to the decision. One case involved the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB), which had deposited 25 crore in a fixed deposit at PNBs Rajajinagar branch on September 14, 2011. (Mint) The order alleged that two major incidents of financial irregularities involving these banks had led to the decision. One case involved the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB), which had deposited 25 crore in a fixed deposit at PNBs Rajajinagar branch on September 14, 2011. Upon the deposits maturity, PNB reportedly released only 13 crore, leading to a decade-long legal battle. The other case pertained to the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), which had invested 10 crore in a fixed deposit at the erstwhile State Bank of Mysore, now merged with SBI. It was alleged that the deposited amount was fraudulently adjusted against loans taken by a private company using forged documents, and recovery attempts have been unsuccessful. The finance departments order stated: The Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board deposited 25 crores in a fixed deposit for a one-year term at the Punjab National Bank, Rajajinagar branch, through a cheque on 14.09.2021. In return, the bank issued two fixed deposit receipts, one for 12 crore from another branch of the same bank in Sankari Bank, Salem, and another for 13 crore. After the maturity of the term, the 13 crore deposit was encashed. However, due to an alleged fraud involving the bank officials in connection with the second deposit, the bank has not refunded the amount to date. The order further stated: The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board had invested 10 crore in a fixed deposit at the then State Bank of Mysore, Avenue Road, Bangalore, in August 2013. Before the term matured, the amount related to the said deposit was adjusted by the bank officials towards a loan for a private company using fake documents. Despite correspondence and meetings with the bank regarding this fraudulent case, the bank has refused to refund the money. These cases have been criticised in reports by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) and have been repeatedly discussed in the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). The committee has recommended that all state government departments withdraw and refrain from making further deposits in SBI and PNB branches, the report added. Further, offices, public enterprises, corporations, boards, local bodies, universities, and other institutions under the administrative control of your department are instructed to close all deposits and other accounts held in all branches of State Bank of India and Punjab National Bank, and to submit confirmation along with details of deposits and accounts in the attached format to the Deputy Secretary, Finance Department, Budget and Resources Section, by 20.09.2024, the order read. The order has added fuel to the ongoing political controversy between the Congress-ruled Karnataka government and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), particularly in the wake of the alleged money transfer scam involving the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Ltd. This controversy intensified after one of the corporations officials allegedly died by suicide on May 26, leaving behind a note that implicated unauthorised transfers of 187 crore, with 88.62 crore allegedly moved to various accounts, including those of IT companies and a Hyderabad-based cooperative bank. State BJP spokesperson Ashok Gowda said the state government does not have any commitment towards bringing down corruption in the state. He said: Karnataka governments move appears to be a reaction aimed at penalising centralised banks. Up until the late 1980s, all accounts were maintained with the State Bank of Mysore (SBM). Subsequently, a policy shift allowed accounts to be opened with other banks, which was a reasonable change. However, the issue now is that departments are spreading their accounts across multiple banks. Earlier in June, the finance department had requested details of these accounts from various departments, but compliance has been lacking. This suggests a lack of genuine commitment from the Karnataka government towards addressing and reducing corruption, he added. In reponse, Congress spokesperson Nisam Fauzdar described the order as an effort to streamline operations. This is a simple process of streamlining operations. However, it is important to note that the Congress does not issue administrative directives to the government. The decisions in this matter are made by the chief secretary and the principal secretary of finance, who are responsible for these calls, and they have acted accordingly, he said. Public works department (PWD) minister Satish Jarkiholi on Wednesday ignited a debate by suggesting that Karnatakas guarantee schemes should be revised to ensure that only economically weaker sections benefit, potentially saving the state exchequer an estimated 10,000 crore annually. During a media interaction in Bengaluru, Jarkiholi said that the intention behind the guarantee schemes is to uplift the poor, not to provide benefits to the wealthy. (HT Photo) During a media interaction in Bengaluru, Jarkiholi said that the intention behind the guarantee schemes is to uplift the poor, not to provide benefits to the wealthy. I am not advocating for the discontinuation of these schemes. However, theres a growing concern that these benefits should be targeted towards those in need, rather than the affluent. This sentiment is being echoed in various social circles, from hotels to workplaces, he said. He further said that even government employees have signed up for these schemes though it is widely believed that they should not qualify for such benefits. Jarkiholi, a close confidant of chief minister Siddaramaiah, noted that the opposition parties are also questioning the rationale behind providing these benefits to wealthier people and are urging the government to focus exclusively on those who are economically disadvantaged. Earlier this year, Siddaramaiah, who also holds the finance portfolio, while presenting the state budget announced 1,20,373 crore for welfare programmes, of which a whopping 43% ( 52,000 crore) was set aside for the five guarantee schemes Shakti, Gruhajyoti, Gruha Lakshmi, Yuvanidhi and Anna Bhagya. These schemes were part of the Congress poll promises that ensured a thumping victory for the part in the 2023 Assembly elections. Addressing concerns about the possible impact of revising these schemes on the governments popularity, Jarkiholi clarified, There is no talk of scrapping these guarantees. Such decisions require deliberation at the Cabinet and legislative party levels, not at an individual level. Minister for large and medium industries and infrastructure MB Patil echoed Jarkiholis sentiments, expressing support for limiting the benefits to BPL families. With 82% of our states population falling under BPL, it makes sense to ensure that they are the primary beneficiaries, Patil stated. He also acknowledged the need for a comprehensive review of the schemes, suggesting that the government would take appropriate measures in due course. Home minister G Parameshwara, however, refrained from commenting, saying that such decisions should be made collectively in cabinet meetings to avoid creating confusion. Individual opinions hold little weight in this matter; it must be decided at the cabinet level, he said. Forest, ecology and environment minister Eshwar Khandre said that there wont be any changes in the guarantee schemes and it would continue as it was right now. More than one crore families have come out of the poverty line. Guarantee schemes are helping to eradicate poverty in the state, he said, adding that it has boosted the purchasing power of the people and the states economy had improved due to these schemes. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has assured that the schemes will continue, he said. The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) latched onto Jarkiholis statement. BJP state chief B Y Vijayendra said the state government is unable to take the burden of freebies as it has no money to do it. In this background, it should not be surprising if the Congress leaders, who have raised objections against the guarantees through the Ministers, not only try to curtail these guarantees but stop them altogether, he said in a post on X. Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka assembly R Ashoka said these five guarantees were bound to meet such a fate as they were introduced by the Congress government without guaranteeing financial resources. A section of Congress MLAs have said in recent times that because of the guarantees, there is a funds crunch for taking up development works in their constituencies. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an 'orange' alert in Kerala's Wayanad district, warning of heavy rainfall for Thursday, August 15. Houses got partially submerged in mud and sludge following landslide in Wayanad on July 30.(ANI) The weather department predicted heavy rainfall (7 cm to 11 cm in 24 hours) to very heavy rainfall (12 cm to 20 cm in 24 hours) in one or two places in Ernakulam, Thrissur, and Kannur on Wednesday, and in Kozhikode and Wayanad on Thursday. The warning comes weeks after massive landslides, triggered by heavy rain, had killed at least 229 people on July 30. About 130 persons continue to remain missing. The Kerala government had earlier claimed that the IMD failed to predict the extreme rainfall that triggered the landslides in Wayanad. However, the IMD had refuted the allegations, with its chief, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, saying the weather department regularly issued forecasts for significant rainfall activity along the west coast of India and had issued a red alert for Kerala early in the morning on July 30. The IMD chief had also said that an orange warning means be prepared for action and one should not wait for red warnings. Wayanad landslides: Scientists point to climate crisis A rapid analysis of the July 30 disaster by scientists indicates that bursts of rain made 10% heavier due to the climate crisis, and a 62% reduction in forest cover that has increased the susceptibility of slopes was likely to have triggered the landslides in Wayanad. While the scientists highlighted the limited nature of studies in the region, analysis found the role of climate crisis and change in land-use patterns over the years was undeniable. Also Read | Rahul Gandhi demands special package for landslides-hit Wayanad The landslides that killed hundreds of people in Wayanad, northern Kerala were triggered by a burst of rainfall that was made about 10% heavier by human-caused climate change, the analysis by World Weather Attribution, an international collaboration of scientists who analyse the influence of climate change on extreme weather events, said. Congress general secretary Deepa Dasmunshi claimed on Thursday that the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital's trainee doctor was gang-raped. Students join other protesters in a midnight rally protesting against the murder of a 31 year old post-graduate trainee.(AP file photo) "It is true that what happened at RG Kar (rape-murder of a woman PG trainee doctor) is very sad. It is reality that this is not the first time that such an incident has happened in Bengal. After Mamata Banerjee government came to power, from Park Street to one after the other - several such incidents have taken place. This is a very shocking thing. 150 grams (mg) of semen - it is not a case of 1-2 men, it is obvious that it is a gang rape," she said. She claimed "TMC goons" ransacked the hospital on Wednesday night. The (state) government is silent but it should be open to the public...Mamata ji says that a CBI investigation will happen later. What will the CBI do by going there after all the evidence gets erased? Truth should come out before everyone. Yesterday, TMC goons went in. TMC workers have accumulated so much wealth and where that money comes from, nobody knows. They consider everything their property. Zamindari has now been abolished, but they consider it to be their area and that they can do anything arbitrarily. This 'dadagiri' will not work. They will have to face the truth. Mahila Congress has taken to the streets and is protesting continuously...We want the truth to come out and the perpetrators be given strict punishment...Mamata ji should understand that we are not speaking against her. We are speaking against her rule, her process of running the government...If we are speaking issue-wise, it is not against Mamata ji, it is against the issue, she added, per ANI. Congress leader Supriya Shrinate claimed the local administration tried to cover up the crime. "The incident was extremely unfortunate. What happened with the woman doctor has raised a big question. Where are women, half the population of the country, safe?... What is happening with women in this country? Why did the local administration try to cover up the crime? The violence we saw yesterday is unacceptable and it is not the answer to anything," she added. BJP demands Mamata Banerjee's resignation The BJP, meanwhile, asked Mamata Banerjee to quit over the vandalism at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. "When peaceful citizens of West Bengal took to the streets, vicious thugs, in a premeditated strike, ransacked RG Kar Hospital, leaving chaos and injuries in their wake," the BJP said in an X post. The vandalism took place amid midnight protests by thousands of women in various parts of the state against the alleged rape and murder of the doctor in the seminar hall of the hospital. "Where was Kolkata Police during this brutal assault? Hiding in the shadows, only to emerge after the damage was done. This is a gross dereliction of duty! Instead of owning up to their failure, they have the audacity to scapegoat the movement and the media," the BJP said. Kolkata rape-murder: What did the post-mortem report say? The doctor was found murdered inside the seminar hall of the hospital. The autopsy confirmed that she was sexually assaulted. The report indicated that she suffered multiple penetrations, which means -- according to a doctor -- more than one person could be involved in the crime that has triggered outrage across the nation. "The autopsy report is proof of the brutality she had to encounter, the presence of more than one person, and that she was sexually assaulted more than once. This is bestiality at its worst," Dr Subarna Goswami, a former student of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, told PTI. With inputs from PTI, ANI Kolkata news highlights: A large group of unidentified men stormed into Kolkatas RG Kar Medical College and Hospital around 12.40am on Thursday and destroyed hospital property at rampant in the middle of the junior doctors ongoing agitation against the August 9 rape and murder of a post-graduate trainee doctor. The incident took place while midnight protests named Reclaim the Night were being held by women against the horrific rape-murder of the doctor at the hospital....Read More Kolkata Police said 40 people, allegedly disguised as protestors, entered the hospital premises, vandalised property and cars, and pelted stones at the police. BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari alleged that the vandalism was carried out by "TMC goons" sent by chief minister Mamata Banerjee. The protests were a reaction to the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata while on duty. The body of the 31-year-old woman was found on August 9 in the seminar hall of the hospital. Kolkata police commissioner Vineet Goyal blamed the media for the mob attack on August 15, alleging that what happened was the result of 'wrong and malicious media campaign'. He said rumours about the main accused having political connections spread by the media had caused anger which led to the outburst. He added that the police could not arrest someone based on hearsay and asked for patience. We have not done anything wrong... Because of this malicious media campaign, people have lost trust in Kolkata police, the commissioner said. The father of the deceased trainee doctor, who was raped and murdered in the hospital she worked at, has revealed what his daughter wrote in her last diary entry. He told a channel in an interview that his daughter was a studious person who would study 10-12 hours every day to achieve her dreams. In her last diary entry, she revealed what she aspired to do in her life. Medical students shout slogans and hold posters as they protest the rape and murder of a young medic from Kolkata.(AFP) According to her father, the victim wrote in her last diary entry that she wanted to become a gold medalist in her MD course by topping the exams, showing her dedication towards her goals in life and towards the medical profession. She made the diary on the day of her death before leaving for her night shift in Kolkata's RG Kar hospital, reported India Today. He told the channel that their life had now been shattered. He described his daughter as a hard-working student. He said she fought a lot to achieve her goal of becoming a doctor and the family made several sacrifices to raise her. He said he is hopeful of getting justice. He said nothing can fill the void but he will get some solace if the culprit is punished. The family was first told that the woman had committed suicide. However, it was later revealed that she was raped before being murdered. The woman was resting at the seminar hall of the hospital after taking meals with her colleagues. The incident took place between 3 am and 5 am, according to the autopsy. The report said she had been bleeding from mouth, eyes and private parts. The report also mentioned a deep wound in her private parts suggesting genital torture. Her throat's cartilage was broken because she was throttled before being smothered to death. Many other injuries were also found on her body. The police have arrested a civic volunteer for the crime. The Central Bureau of Investigation has take over the probe. A mob barged into the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata and assaulted doctors who were protesting against the rape and murder of a doctor, and vandalised property and vehicles. MBBS student Anupam Roy, an eyewitness to the mob attack, said the mob's act was deliberate with the clandestine motive of ending their agitation. Kolkata doctor rape and murder: Unidentified miscreants entered the premises of the state-run hospital shortly after midnight on Thursday and vandalised portions of the medical facility.(PTI) Yesterday we were having a peaceful protest, we had planned to arrange a rally of female nurses, doctors and students. When we were getting ready to start the rally, a huge mob came. We requested them to continue their rally and not try to interfere here as there are female protestors. Then the mob tried to get into our protest, shockingly there used to be a lot of police when protests used to happen but when the mob arrived, there were only a few police personnel present at the spot, the final year MBBS student said. On Wednesday night, a mob entered the RG Kar hospital campus and vandalised the protesting site, vehicles, and public property, forcing security officials to disperse the mob. Also read: PM Narendra Modi's first reaction to Kolkata rape-murder: Instill fear of punishment Roy claimed the police said they had orders to act. "When the mob entered we took our female protestors to the medical college. We were continuously requesting the mob to not enter here. We requested the police to deploy more force. We called DC but he did not pick up the phone. Police were silent saying that they had no orders," he added. He claimed the mob wanted to break the protest in a targeted and organised way. "When the mob entered we ran to look for the safe places to hide. The mob vandalised everything. They did not stop there. The mob just came to break the protest in a targeted and organised way," he said. Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee asked the police to identify and arrest those responsible for the violence. Meanwhile, nurses protested against vandalism at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on Thursday morning. The mob carrying sticks and rods damaged the Emergency ward, its nursing station and medical store, besides a section of the Out Patients Department (OPD). Several CCTV cameras were also destroyed. One of the doctors said protesters were also assaulted. "The goons entered the campus and beat up agitating doctors. This was an attempt to break our morale so that we back out from the protest. But such incidents have only strengthened our resolve to fight till the end," said one of the protesting doctors. He alleged that the vandalism took place even as police personnel were present. Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal, meanwhile, claimed "a malicious media campaign" made the situation worse. "What have the police not done to crack this case? But there has been a malicious media campaign that has been going on," he said. A PG trainee doctor was raped and murdered inside the hospital when she on night duty. A civic volunteer has been arrested for the crime. The CBI on Wednesday took over the protest. With inputs from PTI, ANI The special crime branch of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Kolkata summoned five doctors on Thursday for interrogation in connection with the rape and murder of a post-graduate trainee last week. CBI officials arrive to meet the family members of the post graduate trainee doctor who was allegedly raped and murdered at Kolkata's R G Kar Medical Hospital, in North 24 Parganas, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024.(PTI) The crime branch team also questioned the officer-in-charge of Tala police station, which has jurisdiction over the area where the incident took place. Abhijit Mondal, the officer-in-charge at Tala police station, was seen arriving at the CBI special crime branch office earlier today, intensifying the focus on the local polices role in the case. A large group of unidentified men stormed into the hospital around 12.40 am in the middle of the junior doctors ongoing agitation. The attackers vandalised the emergency department and nursing station and did not spare the medicines stores. They also damaged CCTV cameras and ransacked a stage where junior doctors had been demonstrating since August 9. The police resorted to lathi-charge and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the mob. TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee condemned the vandalism at RG Kar as exceeding "all acceptable limits," urging Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal to arrest everyone responsible "within the next 24 hours, regardless of their political affiliations." Read: Doctors resume strike after mob attacks Kolkata hospital, BJP calls for protest Nine persons have been detained for their alleged involvement in the incident. Goyal said an investigation is underway and mentioned that a "malicious media campaign" might have exacerbated the situation. "My men have also been injured in the attack... What have police not done to crack this case? But there has been a malicious media campaign that has been going on," he said. A mobile forensic unit from the West Bengal Police arrived at the hospitals emergency ward on Thursday to gather evidence. Read: Congress claims 'it was gang rape'; BJP asks Mamata Banerjee to quit West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said that those who vandalised RG Kar Hospital were not connected to the student movement. They are outsiders. I have seen as many videos, I have three videos as I can see, in which some people are holding national flags, they are BJP people, and some are DYFI are holding white and red flags, she alleged. Banerjee also commended the police for their restraint during the chaotic event. Yesterday, the police were also attacked...Police were attacked... I would like to congratulate them that they did not lose patience, they did not hurt anyone, she added. Governor Bose visited the hospital on Thursday afternoon to assess the situation and spoke with agitating doctors. "Yesterday's vandalism is a shame to civil society. It's a shame to all of humanity that young girls are not protected. This bloodbath cannot be allowed anymore. This must stop," Bose told reporters. He added, "I am with you and we will work together to solve this. I assure you justice. My ears and eyes are open." The Indian Medical Association (IMA) announced on Thursday night that there will be a nationwide withdrawal of services on August 17 for 24 hours, in protest against the rape and murder of the trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, as well as the hooliganism unleashed on the protesting doctors on the eve of Independence Day. According to the statement released by the medical body, services provided by doctors of modern medicine will be unavailable from 6 am on August 17 to 6 am on August 18, with the exception of essential services. Medical professionals and students participate in a silent march as they condemn the rape and murder of a doctor, in Kolkata on August 15, 2024. (AFP) After the brutal crime in RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata and the hooliganism unleashed on the protesting students on the eve of Independence Day, the Indian Medical Association declares nationwide withdrawal of services by doctors of modern medicine from 6 am on Saturday i.e 17th of August to 6 am Sunday 18th of August, for 24 hours. All essential services will be maintained. Casualties will be manned. Routine OPDs will not function and elective surgeries will not be conducted. The withdrawal is across all sectors where modern medicine doctors are providing service. IMA requires the sympathy of the nation with the just cause of its doctors, IMA's press release, according to ANI, read. On August 9, a post-graduate trainee doctor was discovered dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. A civic volunteer was arrested the day after the crime. In connection with the rape and murder of the trainee, the special crime branch of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Kolkata summoned five doctors for questioning on Thursday. The crime branch also interrogated the officer-in-charge of Tala police station, which oversees the area where the incident occurred. What happened during Reclaim the Night protest? The vandalism occurred during widespread protests by women across the state as part of the Reclaim the Night campaign in West Bengal on midnight of Wednesday, which was sparked by the horrific incident involving the deceased doctor. Around 12.40 am, a large group of unidentified men stormed the hospital amid the ongoing agitation by junior doctors. The attackers vandalised the emergency department, nursing station, and medicine stores, even damaging CCTV cameras and ransacking the stage where junior doctors had been demonstrating since August 9. To disperse the mob, police resorted to a lathi charge and fired tear gas shells. Nine people have been detained for their alleged involvement in the incident. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said those responsible for RG Kar Hospital's vandalism were not connected to the student movement. Kolkata doctor rape-murder: Thousands of women on Wednesday night took to streets across West Bengal to protest the gruesome rape and murder of a junior doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. Rimjhim Sinha graduated from the Presidency University in Kolkata.(Facebook/ Rimjhim Sinha) The 'Reclaim the Night' campaign, which gained momentum through social media, began around 11:55pm, aligning with Independence Day celebrations, and spread across key areas in both small towns and big cities, including several landmarks in Kolkata. Follow LIVE updates here. The protests, however, were marked by violence at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital where unidentified mob stormed into the emergency ward and vandalised it. The body of the doctors was inside a seminar hall of the hospital. An unrest was also reported at Mandirtala in Howrah district, where the protestors came face to face with members of the ruling Trinamool Congress during their Freedom at Midnight celebrations, according to PTI. Rimjhim Sinha, who took the initiative of Reclaim the Night, described the event as a new freedom struggle for women, symbolised by a viral poster of a red hand holding a crescent moon. Who is Rimjhim Sinha? Kolkata rape-murder case: Unidentified miscreants entered the premises of state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata shortly after midnight on Thursday and vandalised portions of the medical facility, where the body of a woman trainee doctor was found last week, police said. News agency ANI shared RG Kar Medical College and Hospital visuals showing the damaged protest site, vehicles, and public property. The miscreants stormed into RG Kar Medical College and Hospital around 12.40am and destroyed hospital property at rampant in the middle of the junior doctors ongoing agitation against the August 9 rape and murder of a post-graduate trainee doctor that the Central Bureau of Investigation started probing on Wednesday. Spurred by the 'Reclaim the Night' campaign, which gained momentum through social media, the protests began at 11.55pm, aligning with Independence Day celebrations, and spread across key areas in both small towns and big cities, including several landmarks in Kolkata. Students join other protesters in a midnight rally protesting against the murder of a 31 year old post-graduate trainee demanding proper investigation in Kolkata, India, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. (AP) Several policemen injured by brickbats during the incident. Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal, who reached the spot around 2am, directly blamed social media posts and rumours for the violence. According to the police, a group of nearly 40 people, allegedly disguised as protestors, entered the hospital premises, vandalised property and pelted stones at police personnel prompting them to fire teargas to disperse the mob. A police vehicle and a few two-wheelers at the spot were also damaged in the incident, they said. We have an adequate number of personnel posted outside the hospital, and they have been instructed to tackle the situation accordingly, news agency PTI quoted a senior officer of Kolkata Police as saying. Trinamool Congress general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee said he spoke to Vineet Goyal and urged him to ensure that every individual responsible for todays violence is identified, held accountable, and made to face the law within the next 24 hours, regardless of their political affiliations. The hooliganism and vandalism at RG Kar tonight have exceeded all acceptable limits. As a public representative, I just spoke with CPKolkata, Abhishek Banerjee said in a post on X. "The demands of the protesting doctors are fair and justified. This is the minimum they should expect from the government. Their safety and security must be prioritised," Banerjee said. BJP leader and leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari alleged that the vandalism was carried out by "TMC goons" sent by party supremo Mamata Banerjee. "Mamata Banerjee has sent her TMC goons to the apolitical Protest Rally near RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. She thinks that she is the most shrewd person in the whole world and people won't be able to figure out the cunning plan that her goons appearing as protestors would mix with the crowd and carry out vandalism inside the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital," Adhikari said in a post on X. A postgraduate trainee doctor was raped and murdered at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata while on duty last week. The semi-naked body of the 31-year-old woman was found on August 9 morning in the seminar hall of the government-run hospital in the West Bengal capital. A civic volunteer, Sanjoy Roy, was arrested in connection with the crime. The Calcutta high court on Tuesday ordered the transfer of the probe into the case from the Kolkata Police to the CBI. News agency ANI shared RG Kar Medical College and Hospital visuals showing the damaged protest site, vehicles, and public property. In Mandirtala, Howrah district, unrest continued as protesters took over a stage set up by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) for its Freedom at Midnight event. The demonstrators disrupted the celebration, using the stage to voice their demands and amplify their call for justice. Reclaim the Night Thousands of women from diverse backgrounds took to the streets across West Bengal at midnight on Wednesday to protest the brutal rape and murder of a doctor on duty at a Kolkata hospital last week. Inspired by the Reclaim the Night campaign, which gained traction via social media, the protests commenced at 11.55 pm, coinciding with Independence Day celebrations. The demonstrations spread to key locations in both small towns and large cities, including several prominent spots in Kolkata. As night fell, the streets were filled with chants of We Want Justice, reflecting the collective anger and grief of women from all walks of life students, professionals, and homemakers united in their demand for accountability and an end to violence against women. Political party flags were prohibited, but flags from marginalised communities, including LGBTQ groups, were prominently displayed. At Biswa Bangla Gate in New Town, approximately 8,000 people carrying candles and holding moving posters created a powerful display of light and resolve. Crowds gathered across various locations, including Jadavpur 8B Bus Stand, College Square, Naktala Nabapally, New Town Biswa Bangla Gate, Behala Sakher Bazar, Shyambazar Five Point Crossing, Academy of Fine Arts, and Nagerbazar. Similar scenes of solidarity and protest were seen in Sreerampore, Chunchura, Santiniketan, Krishnanagar, Bardhaman, Siliguri, Barasat, Barrackpore, Rajarhat-Newtown, Cooch Behar, and Jalpaiguri. (With PTI inputs) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called for a secular civil code, underlining it was the need of the hour. Speaking from the ramparts of the Red Fort after unfurling the national flag for the 11th time on Independence Day, he underlined the importance of doing away with discriminatory communal civil code. Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (PTI) Modi said that the time has come for a secular civil code to replace the existing communal civil code to reflect the spirit of the Constitution and observations of the Supreme Court on the common set of laws. ...the communal civil code that existed for the last 75 years and created divisions based on religion will have to go, he said. He said the Supreme Court has on several occasions spoken on the issue of a common civil code. There have been many decisions... there is a big section in the country... and there is truth in it... that the existing code creates discrimination, he said. He said the country should follow what the Constitution asks us to do and what the Supreme Court has asked us to do and what was the dream of the Constitution framers. There should be extensive debate on the issue. Everyone should put forth their views and there should be no place for laws that divide the country and become the basis for dividing people based on religion, he said. Top Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders including Modi and Union home minister promised to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) nationally along the lines of Uttarakhand during the campaign for the 2024 national polls. UCC refers to a common set of laws for personal matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, and succession for all citizens. Constitutions Article 44, one of the directive principles of state policy, advocates UCC. But respective religion-based civil codes have governed personal matters since independence. The UCC implementation has been on the agenda of the BJP and its ideological mentor the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. The BJP has for years promised the implementation of a common civil code for all people irrespective of their faith. In July last year, Modi endorsed the UCC in his address to BJP booth workers in Madhya Pradesh. He said Muslims were being misled in the name of UCC. These days, people are being provoked by the UCC. You tell me, if there is one law for one person in a home, and another law for another person, can that house function? he asked. Many opposition parties, activists, and communities oppose UCC, which is perceived by some as a ploy to erase minority practices and rituals. Several tribal communities and sects within the larger Hindu faith also oppose a common code. In its manifesto for the 2024 national polls, the Congress said it would encourage reform of personal laws with the participation and consent of the communities concerned. In February, Uttarakhand became the first state to pass a law for UCC. Muslim bodies have challenged the law in the Uttrakhand high court. Other BJP-ruled states such as Assam have promised to implement UCC, one of the three ideological promises of the ruling party. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday set an ambitious vision for Indias future in the 78th Independence Day address, outlining a series of futuristic goals to shape the countrys growth, drive innovation, and position it as a global leader across sectors. Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (PTI) He spoke from the ramparts of Red Fort about fulfilling the idea of Ease of Living on a mission mode, enhancing the quality of life in urban areas through systematic assessments and improvements in infrastructure and services. Modi called for the revival of the ancient spirit of Nalanda University, which was set up in the fifth century and attracted students from across the world, positioning India as a global education hub by promoting higher learning and research. In June, Modi inaugurated the new campus of Nalanda University close to the site of the ancient ruins of the Buddhist centre of learning in Bihar. The university was established in 2010 through an act of Parliament. Modi reiterated Indias ambition to become a global leader in semiconductor production to reduce dependency on imports and enhance technological self-sufficiency. He referred to the Budget 2024 and highlighted initiatives announced in it to train Indias youth and become the worlds skill capital. Modi, who made his first Independence Day address of his third term and 11th overall, envisioned transforming India into a global manufacturing hub, leveraging its resources and skilled workforce. He praised Indias indigenous design capabilities and called for production to cater to both domestic and international markets, coining the phrase Design in India, Design for the World. Modi called for leveraging Indias rich ancient legacy and literature to boost Made in India gaming products. He asked Indian professionals to lead the global gaming market, not just in playing but also in producing games. Modi said Indian games should make their mark worldwide. Modi emphasised the importance of green jobs in Indias efforts to combat climate change. He added that Indias focus is now on green growth and jobs, which will generate employment opportunities while contributing to environmental protection. Modi reiterated Indias commitment to becoming a global leader in green hydrogen production and creating sustainable employment opportunities in environmental conservation and renewable energy sectors. He said India must tread the path of Swasth Bharat or healthy India to achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat (developed India) by 2047. Modi added this began with the launch of Rashtriya Poshan Abhiyan focussed on the nutrition of adolescent girls, pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children aged up to six. Modi asked state governments to establish clear policies to attract investments, offer assurances of good governance, and ensure confidence in the law and order situation. He spoke on Indias aspiration to be recognised for its commitment to quality. He added that Indian standards should aspire to become international benchmarks. Modi reiterated Indias ambitious goal of achieving 500 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030. He noted that India has been the only country among the G20 nations to meet its Paris Accord goals. Modi announced plans to add 75,000 new medical seats in the next five years to enhance the countrys medical education capacity and address the growing demand for healthcare professionals. Modi called for bringing 100,000 youth into the political system, specifically those with no history of politics in their families to fight the evils of nepotism and casteism and inducting fresh blood into Indias polity. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday urged political parties to help realise the goal of one nation, one election, underlining frequent polls were a hurdle to Indias progress. He referred to extensive consultations across the country on the issue and said all political parties have given their views. Modi said former President Ram Nath Kovind-led panel that studied the one nation, one election proposal has submitted an excellent report. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inspecting the guard of honour to mark the 's Independence Day. (AFP) Frequent elections are creating hurdles in the progress of the nation. It has become easy to link any scheme or initiative with elections. There are elections somewhere every three to six months. Every work is linked to elections, Modi said in his address from the ramparts of the Red Fort after unfurling the national flag for the 11th time on Independence Day. He added the nation has to come forward for one nation, one election. Modi asked the parties to ensure that national resources are used for the common man. We have to come forward to realise the dream of one nation one election. One nation, one election was one of the key promises in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)s manifesto for the 2024 national elections. In March, the Kovind panel recommended a legally tenable mechanism to restore simultaneous elections six months after the government constituted it. The panel was mandated to study the existing framework and recommend amendments to the Constitution, the Representation of the People Act, etc needed for synchronised polls. The panel recommended simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and the assemblies as the first step. It then suggested the elections to municipalities and panchayats be synchronised with those for Lok Sabha and assemblies. This was proposed to be done in a way that polls to local bodies are held within 100 days of those to Lok Sabha and assemblies. The panel said implementing step one does not need ratification by the states. The committee recommended an amendment to the Constitution to introduce the concepts of full and unexpired terms. It said the election held in case a House is dissolved sooner than its full term would be considered a mid-term poll. The panel added election held after the expiry of five years would be a general election. Simultaneous polls shall mean general elections for constituting the Lok Sabha and all the state assemblies together, it said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday reiterated that his government abolished archaic laws that sent people behind bars over trivial issues and then changed it to provide Nagrik ko Nyaya (justice to citizens). The 3 new criminal laws are Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam. (PTI Photo) In his Independence Day speech to the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort, the prime minister added that the government has abolished around 1,500 laws to reform the criminal justice system. We have prioritised justice over punishment by abolishing 1,500 laws. All those laws that sent people to jails for trivial issues have been ended. The new criminal laws have reformed the criminal justice system and strengthened the feeling of Nagrik ko Nyaya, he said as the country celebrates the 78th Independence Day. Also Read:Independence Day 2024 LIVE updates: PM Modi calls for secular civil code in India Three new criminal laws - Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) - have replaced the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and Indian Evidence Act, the British-era laws that formed the basis of the criminal justice system in India /for over 150 years - from July 1 this year. Police and central agencies across the country now register cases under new laws. China's high-quality development and high-level opening-up inject certainty to a world plagued by challenges including weak economic recovery and frequent regional conflicts, an Indonesian diplomat said. Parulian George Andreas Silalahi, minister at the Indonesian embassy in Beijing, has followed the developments of the third plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee, which decided to comprehensively deepen reform and opening-up and outlined over 300 reform measures to be implemented in the next five years. "I think every country is really watching and eager to see what are the outcomes of the third plenum and what we have learned so far is that continued reform and opening-up plans are being rolled out and would be carried out effectively," he said. "It is a positive sign, which shows stability and certainty of China's policies, especially nowadays when the global economy is very vulnerable and sensitive because of the non-economic issues such as conflicts in several areas," he added. Silalahi spoke highly of moves by China to share its development dividends with other countries so as to achieve common development. Taking the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway as an example, he said the railway has transported four million passengers, reflecting positive response from the public to the Southeast Asia's first high-speed train. "It is very promising how the two countries can really complement each other with a high-tech and big project like that," he said. Silalahi also underlined the mutually beneficial nature of trade and economic ties between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, of which Indonesia is a member. "We see China as a big market and a big producer in global supply chain and in return, ASEAN, with an area of over 600 million people, is also a big economy neighboring China," he said. China and ASEAN have been each other's largest trading partners for four consecutive years with bilateral trade soaring to $702.3 billion last year. Noting that 2024 has been designated as the ASEAN-China Year of People-to-People Exchanges, he said countries need to avail of this opportunity and go deeper to promote cultural exchanges to further nurture profound partnership between the two sides. He mentioned the China-proposed Global Civilization Initiative, saying some of its ideas, for example, championing dialogue and mutual learning among civilizations, resonate with those of Indonesia. "In my country, there is a proverb saying If you don't know someone, how can you love someone?' We have to understand each other, and hopefully we can respect each other and then we have an everlasting relationship," he said. The time has come for India to demand a secular civil code because laws based on religion that foster discrimination have no place in a modern society, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday, making his strongest pitch yet for a contentious idea that has animated the nation since before Independence but never come to fruition. Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets the gathering at Red Fort in Delhi on Thursday. (PTI) In his 11th Independence Day address, his longest yet at 98 minutes, Modi called for simultaneous state and national elections, swifter punishments for crimes against women, elaborated on his vision for a Viksit Bharat (developed India) by 2047, the centenary of the countrys Independence, and expressed concern about the attacks on minorities in Bangladesh. He also hailed his governments efforts in expanding welfare schemes, boosting innovation and the capacity of Indias young, achieving climate goals, and removing economic and legal fetters shackling the lives of the middle class. Laws that divide our nation based on religion and foster discrimination have no place in modern society. Therefore, I assert that it is time for the country to demand a secular civil code, Modi said from the ramparts of the Red Fort, the customary dias for the Prime Ministers Independence Day address. After 75 years of a communal civil code, it is crucial to move towards a secular civil code. Once this shift takes place, it will eliminate religious discrimination and will bridge the gap felt by ordinary citizens, he added. UCC refers to a common set of laws that will subsume customary laws across faiths and govern issues such as marriage, divorce, inheritance and maintenance. Part of the troika of core ideological goals of the BJP, UCC was among the partys poll promises in the 2024 general elections. The BJP-ruled state of Uttarakhand was the first state to legally enact UCC in the state earlier this year, though the new code is yet to be fully implemented. Modi has pitched for UCC before, most prominently in a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) meeting last year in the run-up to the general elections. But this was his strongest endorsement yet of an issue that is part of the directive principles of state policy of the Constitution but is politically controversial. It also marks the first time that he has termed the current maze of faith-based personal laws as communal. Modi said that the Supreme Court had repeatedly addressed the issue. Numerous orders have been issued, reflecting the belief of a significant portion of our population and rightly so that the current civil code resembles a communal civil code, one that is discriminatory. As we celebrate 75 years of the Constitution, we must hold extensive discussions on this subject as the Supreme Court advocates for this change. And it is our collective responsibility to realise the vision of the framers of our Constitution. We should welcome diverse opinions and perspectives, the PM said. UCC has been among the most hotly debated issues in India since before independence. The question triggered animated discussion in the Constituent Assembly, before the framers of Indias founding document chose to place it among the non-justiciable directive principles of state policy. But UCC, along with removal of Article 370 in Kashmir and the building of a Ram Temple, remained at the forefront of the BJPs ideological agenda for decades. Article 370 was effectively abrogated in 2019, and the Ram temple was consecrated in January this year. In his speech, Modi also spoke about the importance of syncing elections, another pet project of his government, and claimed that frequent elections were becoming a hindrance to the countrys progress and creating obstacles. Today, it has become easy to link any scheme with elections, because elections are happening somewhere in the country every three or six monthsevery scheme is coloured by the hue of elections, he said. He urged political parties to come forward and make simultaneous elections a reality. The country needs to come forward to embrace the concept of One Nation, One Electionfor the progress of Bharat and the maximum utilisation of its resources for the common people, he said. From the first elections in independent India in 1952 until 1967, elections were held simultaneously across the country. But since the Lok Sabha and state assemblies can be dissolved before their tenures end, the state and national elections came to be held at different times after that. Several committees, including a parliamentary panel, the Law Commission, the Niti Aayog and the Election Commission of India, have studied simultaneous polls in the past, backing the idea but flagging logistical concerns. A high-level committee led by former president Ram Nath Kovind last year unanimously backed simultaneous polls across national, state and local tiers and called for a raft of constitutional amendments to achieve the goal, potentially setting the stage for the far-reaching but controversial reform that can reshape the worlds largest democracy. In what was his first independence day speech after the 2024 polls, Modi outlined his vision for a Viksit Bharat by 2047 and compared the years leading up to the centenary of Indias independence with the freedom movement. We are proud that we carry the blood of 40 crore people who had uprooted colonial rule from India. Today, we are 140 crore people, if we resolve and move together in one direction, then we can become Viksit Bharat by 2047 by overcoming all obstacles in the way, he said. Modi said he intended to work 24x7 for 2047, and said the country was committed to moving forward with a firm resolution by overcoming obstacles, hurdles and challenges.There was a time when people were ready to sacrifice their lives for the nation and we achieved freedom. Today is the time to live for the nation and such a resolve could lead to a prosperous nation, he said. The PM spoke about key demographics such as women, the young, farmers and marginalised castes, and hailed his governments welfare outreach. The forward strata of society did not face such lack of amenities. It is the Dalits, the marginalised people, the exploited segment, the tribal brothers and sisters, people who dwell in slums and shackles, it is they who are devoid of such basic necessities. We made efforts to fulfil many such basic needs and the benefits of the results have been received by all members of the society, he said. Womens safety formed a key node of his speech, coming against the backdrop of sweeping protests across India against the brutal rape and murder of a young doctor at one of Kolkatas top government hospitals. The outrage is visible in the nation and among the citizens. I can feel this outrage. The states, society and the nation have to take serious cognisance of this malefaction. Crimes against women should be investigated without any delay. Those committing such demonic acts must be booked prima facie to reinstate the trust on the government, judiciary and civil society, he said. I feel that it is very important to create this fear. He also mentioned the tumult in Bangladesh, where long-serving premier Sheikh Hasina was unseated last week by a student protest, and condemned crimes against Hindus and minorities. The primary concern of our 140 crore citizens is to ensure the safety of Hindus, the minorities in Bangladesh. Bharat has always desired that our neighbouring countries pursue a path of contentment and peace, he said. Hasina is currently in India. Modi said that the government was deeply committed to major reforms, and aimed to set the country on the path of progress. We need to focus on two more advancements which have catapulted our economic growth and development. First is the development of modern infrastructure in which we have grown leaps and bounds. Second is Ease of Living. The common people should also have access to an affordable dignified lifestyle and basic amenities, he said. He spoke of the strides in education, improving the standards of living, and skilling young people. Our aim is to accelerate progress in every sector, focusing on three key areas. Firstly, we must create new opportunities across all sectors. Secondly, we should work towards strengthening the supporting infrastructure required for evolving systems. And thirdly, we must prioritise and enhance the basic amenities for our citizens. These three aspects have fostered an aspirational society in Bharat, resulting in a society that is brimming with confidence. The Prime Minister also underlined the importance of health. A Viksit Bharat of 2047 must also be a healthy Bharat. To ensure this, we must focus on the nutrition of children starting today as they are the first generation of a developed Bharat. Independence Day 2024: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday slammed the culture of patronage and "termite" of corruption, saying that some people glorify it but he will persevere against them. Independence Day 2024: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the nation from the Red Fort on 78th Independence Day in New Delhi on August 15. (PTI) Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Independence Day, Modi expressed concern over corruption and its glorification, describing it as a major issue for the society. "Every citizen of this country has been troubled by the termite of corruption," Modi said, adding, corruption erodes public trust and hinders national progress. "I know I have to pay a price for this battle, my prestige may be at stake, but national interests are more important than personal prestige," he said. The PM said, "Can one imagine that in our country, despite having such a great Constitution, some people are openly glorifying corruption?" He said that in the past, citizens had to endure a "mai-baap" culture, pleading with the government for every necessity. "Unfortunately, people had to endure this system. Today, we have transformed this governance model," Modi said. In an indirect reference to the Kolkata doctor rape and murder horror, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called for strict punishment for those who execute these monstrous deeds. In his 11th address to the nation from the ramparts of the iconic Red Fort on Independence Day, PM Modi said state governments need to take crimes against women seriously and instill the fear of punishment in these criminals. Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets the gathering at the Red Fort after hoisting the national flag on 78th Independence Day.(PTI) "I would like to express my pain once again, from the Red Fort today. As a society, we will have to think seriously about the atrocities against women that are happening - there is outrage against this in the country. I can feel this outrage. The country, society, and state governments will have to take this seriously. Speedy investigation of crimes against women, those executing these monstrous deeds need to be awarded strict punishment at the earliest - this is important to instill confidence in society," PM Modi said. Without directly mentioning the grisly crime, PM Modi said extensive discussions on those receiving punishment should be held so that criminals understand that crimes against women lead to hanging. Also read: Independence Day 2024: Prime Minister Narendra Modi exhorts 140 crore Indians to work for Viksit Bharat 2047 "I would also like to say that when rapes and incidents of atrocities on women occur, it is widely discussed. But when a person of such a monstrous tendency is punished, it is not seen in the news, but restricted to a corner. It is the need of the hour, that extensive discussion on those receiving punishment be held so that those committing this sin understand that this leads to hanging. I think it is very important to instill this fear," he added, per ANI. Also read: Kolkata doctor rape-murder: Autopsy reveals multiple penetrations; doctor says proof of presence of more than one person Doctor raped, murdered in Kolkata's state-run hospital A postgraduate trainee doctor was murdered last week inside the hospital she was working in. The shocking incident took place in a state-run hospital in Kolkata. Also read: Kolkata rape-murder: 'Reclaim the Night' protest turns violent as mob vandalises RG Kar hospital, pelt stones at cops The woman had gone to rest in the seminar hall of the hospital during her night shift. Her colleagues found her body the next day. The woman was raped and beaten to death. According to her post-mortem report, there was a deep gash in her private parts, suggesting genital torture. Her throat's cartilage was found crushed, and blood was oozing out of her eyes, mouth and private part. The CBI has taken over the probe. New Delhi: In his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi indirectly told Indias adversaries that the rise of Bharat was not a threat to world peace and order so they should desist from targeting his country. He, however, made it emphatically clear that even though these adversaries (state and non- state players) will at best delay India's rise due to their machinations, India is ready to counter this challenge. Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Red Fort in Delhi. On the 78th Independence Day, PM Modi hinted at the deteriorating global environment and raised concern over violence against Hindus and other minorities after Islamists coup in Bangladesh. He said that India was not only facing challenges from within but much more from outside, hinting at non-state players throwing money in return for creating instability and communal disharmony in India. We are a land of Buddha, not a land of war, he said, while stating that the rise of Bharat will be best for the globe as India has never advocated war or violence or exported them to any part of the world even when Bharat was a developed country. PM Modi on Indian economy While PM Modi said that he was committed to making India the third biggest economy in the world after US and China, he also indicated concerns over global adversaries/nay-sayers in India as if he was expecting that rise of India will be contested and efforts will be made through third parties to exploit the communal and caste lines in the country. He took on the pessimists within the country, who according to him, did not have a good word to say on Indias rapid success in the past 10 years. Clearly PM Modi is worried about global instability with Iran on the verge of attacking Israel directly and through its terror proxies in Lebanon, Yemen and Gaza. With the Ukraine war far from over, PM Modi and his national security planners are also seeing the rise in cross-border terrorism from Pakistan in Jammu sector as well as deliberate instigation by western powers to Khalistani forces in Canada, US and UK, which is having serious ramifications in Punjab and in the north. It is the Anglo-Saxon powers along with Pakistan who are pushing the patriotic Sikh community towards radicalization particularly in Canada and UK for vote-bank politics. By mentioning surgical strikes and Balakot strikes, PM Modi has not only praised the Indian security forces but also hinted at retaliation against terrorism directed against India. New Delhi: Reforms are necessary to take India forward and make the leap to a developed-country status by 2047, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday, delivering his 11th consecutive Independence Day speech from the Red Fort. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort for Indias 78th Independence Day on August 15, 2024 (HT Photo/Arvind Yadav) In his 98-minute speech, Modi stressed reforms at every level of the countrys governance structures, from the centre to grassroots, and changes that encompass all sectors of Asias third-largest economy. Modi said the country was on a path to all-round development on the back of modernisation of all sectors in the economy and by incorporating global best practices, along with improvements of peoples quality of life. We aim to advance in line with our countrys unique conditions while adopting the best practices from around the world. Every sector requires modernization and innovation, with an emphasis on integrating technology, said the PM. If 1.4 billion citizens set out with a resolution, determine a direction and march forward step by step, shoulder to shoulder, the country will achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat (developed nation) by 2047, Modi said. The World Bank currently categorises India as a lower-middle income economy, a classification for countries with a gross national income per capita of between $1,086 and $4,255. I want to assure the citizens of the country that our commitment to reforms is not limited to the editorials of pink papers. Our commitment to reforms is not for a few days of applause. Our process of reforms is not driven by compulsion but by the intention to strengthen the nation. The prime minister exhorted states and multi-tier local governments, such as panchayats and municipalities, to initiate at least two reforms a year. If each of you undertakes just two reforms per year at your level, reforms that directly benefit the common man, I am not asking for much, my friends. Whether its a panchayat, a state government , or any department, simply implement two reforms a year and put them into practice. The government is pushing reforms in the manufacturing sector because it is crucial for generating jobs for Indias burgeoning work force and to address unemployment, Modi said. India needs to create 7.85 million non-farm jobs every year until 2030 to absorb its growing workforce amid new challenges like artificial intelligence (AI), the governments Economic Survey 2023-24 has projected. The production-linked incentive scheme has been a great success, the prime minister said, adding FDI reforms have also given the country significant strength. India, he said, was on the path to being a global manufacturing hub on the strength of its manufacturing sector. The prime minister also stressed the need to modernise the agriculture sector, which provides livelihood to nearly half the population and accounts for 18% of the countrys GDP. It has become very necessary to transform the agriculture sector, he said. The government has been helping farmers and working continuously to transform agriculture, the PM said, highlighting the farm economy as one of the pillars of the economy. Farmers are being given drones and new technologies along with value addition to their produce. End-to-end marketing facilities have been arranged so that there is hand-holding at every stage. Modi also talked about soil degradation from the use of agricultural chemicals and his governments push for natural farming. Organic food is a need. We can become the organic food basket of the world. Modi said a reformed banking sector had helped to formalize the economy and cater to the banking needs of the poor and middle class. The prime minister assured the governments commitment to big reforms. Pointing to increased economic opportunities, Modi said, Today, many big companies of the world want to invest in India. Most people who are seeking a meeting with me in my third term are investors. Investors from all over the world want to come and invest in India. The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to both Telangana government and the state governor on a petition challenging the governors refusal to nominate Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leaders Dasoju Sravan and Kurra Satyanarayana as members of the state legislative council under the governors quota. A SC bench of justice Vikram Nath and justice PB Varale sought the response from the state government and the Raj Bhavan secretary on the petition filed by Sravan and Satyanarayana, questioning the state governments decision to appoint two other leaders former Osmania University professor Prof M Kodandaram and senior journalist Amer Ali Khan as MLCs in their place. (ANI) A SC bench of justice Vikram Nath and justice PB Varale sought the response from the state government and the Raj Bhavan secretary on the petition filed by Sravan and Satyanarayana, questioning the state governments decision to appoint two other leaders former Osmania University professor Prof M Kodandaram and senior journalist Amer Ali Khan as MLCs in their place. Sravan and Satyanarayana also challenged the state high courts order of March this year not to issue a direction to the governor for their appointment. Though the high court had quashed former governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajans orders, rejecting their appointments, it had not issued any positive direction in their favour. The high court in the same judgment had also quashed the recommendations made by the Congress government in January this year for appointment of M Kodandaram and Amer Ali Khan as MLCs. Arguing on behalf of the BRS leaders, senior advocate Kapil Sibal said they were entitled to a mandamus against the governors refusal to appoint them to the state legislative council. The SC bench, however, said any appointment made would be a subject matter of this petition. In August last year, the then BRS government led by chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao recommended the names of Sravan and Satyanarayana for the MLC posts under governors quota. However, after sitting over the file for over a month, Tamilisai sent back the file in September, rejecting the nominations on the ground that they have political and corporate affiliations. The two BRS leaders moved the high court in December, questioning the governors decision to reject their nominations for the MLC posts. The high court which heard their petitions, ordered a status quo and directed that the government and the governor come up with a gentlemans agreement. Meanwhile, the new Congress government led by A Revanth Reddy on January 25 recommended the names of Kodandaram and Amer Ali Khan and the governor issued another notification nominating them as MLCs under governors quota. Sravan and Satyanarayana challenged the same in the high court, praying to suspend the notification and also implead the subsequent nominees. They contended that despite the orders of the high court to maintain the status quo based on a gentlemans agreement, the governor nominated new candidates to fill up the post as MLCs. The governors counsel argued that the new government rescinded the earlier order and made fresh recommendations. The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed states to impose taxes on minerals and land holding minerals, effective from April 1, 2005, a windfall for mineral-rich states in the country but a blow for mining companies, which now face the prospect of hefty financial liabilities due to the retrospective application of these taxes. Industry executives have said this could cost the industry 1.5 lakh crore to 2 lakh crore, and the Union government told the court that public sector undertakings would face a 70,000 crore-odd hit. A nine-judge bench laid down specific conditions regarding the applicability of its July 25 ruling, which affirmed the legislative competence of states to levy taxes on minerals and mineral-bearing land in addition to the royalty imposed by the Centre. (ANI) A nine-judge bench laid down specific conditions regarding the applicability of its July 25 ruling, which affirmed the legislative competence of states to levy taxes on minerals and mineral-bearing land in addition to the royalty imposed by the Centre. The verdict was rendered by 8-1 majority. Bringing clarity to the potential financial implications for states and industries alike, the bench led by Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud ordered that states can impose levies with effect from April 1, 2005, marking the financial year following the Kesoram judgment of 2004. It ordered that the mining companies will be required to make payments to the states over the next 12 years, commencing from April 1, 2026, a windfall for states such as Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. The states cannot impose penalties or additional interest for past demands, the court said, offering some relief to the mining sector facing potentially massive financial obligations in the wake of the latest order. While delivering its order, the bench rejected the request of the Centre and the mining companies that the July 25 judgment should be given prospective effect in the wake of serious repercussions of the judgment on the financial health of several public sector firms as well as the mining sector in general. According to the bench, granting prospective effect to its July 25 ruling would mean virtually invalidating state laws on the subject and making the states liable to refund all amounts collected under those legislations. It would be iniquitous to apply the decision prospectively in cases of taxing statutes, which the court held, are incidences of sovereignty. This would not be a constitutionally just outcome, said the bench. Instead, the court held that a pragmatic solution to reconcile the financial interests of the states and the assesses can be achieved by proscribing the states from demanding levies for the period before the Kesoram judgment. Furthermore, equities will be balanced if the state governments waive the outstanding interest accrued on the principal due from the assesses, it noted. The Supreme Courts decision to choose the financial year following the Kesoram judgment of 2004 as the cut-off for the retrospective imposition of state levies on minerals and mineral-bearing land is rooted in the significant legal principles established by that judgment. In the Kesoram judgment, a five-judge bench affirmed the states authority to impose levies on minerals and mineral bearing land. In ruling so, this judgment clarified a seven-judge bench verdict in the India Cements case in 1989 which had held in favour of the Centres exclusive authority to impose levies under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act). The nine-judge bench judgment on July 25 upheld the Kesoram judgment while setting aside the ruling in the India Cements case. By selecting the financial year starting April 1, 2005, as the cut-off, the Supreme Court aimed to create a clear and reasonable temporal boundary that aligns with the legal precedent set by the Kesoram judgment in 2004. The court order on Wednesday comes as a financial boon for states such as Jharkhand, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan that had enacted laws on mineral taxation, allowing them to recover substantial sums from mining companies. But it is likely that the decision to allow retrospective application might also lead to a wave of litigation. At the legislative level, the ruling could also open the door for potential amendments to the MMDR Act by the central government. Given that the current Act does not limit states power to tax mineral rights, the Centre may consider revising the legislation to recalibrate the balance between state and central authority. Such amendments could introduce specific limitations or conditions under which states can impose levies on mineral resources, or even complete prohibition, to ensure uniformity across states. The Wednesday order by the court followed the landmark ruling on July 25 when the Constitution bench ruled by 8-1 majority that royalty charged on mining is not a tax, but a form of contractual payment made by the miners to the Centre for the extraction of minerals. This distinction, the court said, allows states to impose an extra levy and surcharge on such mineral rights, providing them with an additional source of revenue. The majority opinion was supported by justices Hrishikesh Roy, Abhay S Oka, JB Pardiwala, Manoj Misra, Ujjal Bhuyan, Satish Chandra Sharma and Augustine George Masih, with justice BV Nagarathna dissenting. Justice Nagarathna held that the Centre holds the exclusive right to tax mineral rights across the country. The July 25 verdict stemmed from two conflicting rulings of the Supreme Court. In 1989, a seven-judge bench ruled in the India Cements case that the Centre held primary regulatory authority under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act) and that states could collect royalties but not impose additional taxes or cess on mining and mineral development. However, a five-judge bench in 2004, while hearing a similar dispute in the Kesoram case, noted a typographical error in the 1989 judgment, clarifying that royalty is not a tax but cess on royalty is a tax. Given these conflicting rulings, a nine-judge bench was set up to deliver an authoritative verdict. Marking a significant shift in the financial autonomy of states regarding mineral resources, the nine-judge bench by 8-1 held that states possess the legislative competence to levy taxes on minerals and mineral-bearing land, in addition to the royalty imposed by the Centre. Authored by the CJI, the majority judgment highlighted that while parliament and the Centre have the constitutional authority under the Union List to impose limitations on states power to tax mineral rights, the MMDR Act does not restrict states authority in this regard. Therefore, the states power to tax remains unaffected unless explicitly limited by Parliament. The ruling also clarified that the states right to tax mineral-bearing land, which falls exclusively under state jurisdiction, remains outside the purview of Parliaments power to limit states taxation authority on mineral rights. On that day, the Union government, along with a batch of mining companies, argued that the judgment should be applied prospectively to prevent confusion, legal challenges and associated administrative burdens. Conversely, the Jharkhand government advocated for retrospective application, prompting the bench to schedule a detailed hearing on July 31 to resolve the issue. During the hearing on July 31, solicitor general Tushar Mehta (SG), appearing for the Centre, underscored the potential economic impact of the ruling, noting that mineral development is critical to various industries, including electricity generation, which heavily relies on coal. He expressed concerns that the retrospective application of the ruling could lead to a cascade of price increases across sectors, ultimately burdening consumers. The SG further highlighted that public sector undertakings (PSUs) could face liabilities running into thousands of crores, potentially three times the net worth of some companies. As Mehta warned against the far-reaching consequences of a retrospective application, the bench agreed to consider the SGs suggestion that neither the states should pursue retrospective levies, nor should entities that have paid under the old regime seek refunds, as a possible middle ground. Senior advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Mukul Rohatgi, Harish Salve and Arvind Datar, appearing for a host of mining companies, agreed with the Centres suggestion -- no recoveries, no refunds. The lawyers pressed that certainty in law is paramount and that after the companies and their contracts premised their obligations based on the previous position, altering them three decades later would prove severely counter-productive. But senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, representing Jharkhand, on July 31 argued against prospective application, asserting that it would undermine the validity of state laws upheld by the court. He emphasised the need to balance the financial burden on industries by staggering or adjusting the interest component while ensuring states can recover what is due. It will be travesty of justice if this court were to say that the 1989 judgment in the India Cements will operate until yesterday while the nine-judge bench has affirmed the 2004 ruling in the Kesoram Industries Ltd. Let us not forget that this court has now ruled in favour of fiscal federalism, argued Dwivedi. He added that instead of making the judgment prospective, the court ought to lighten up the financial burden on the industries by tackling the interest component, which could be more than the principal amount, given that the case remained pending for over two decades. According to Dwivedi, one way to mitigate the burden on the industries was to keep the cut-off date for states to impose tax on mineral rights as January 15, 2004, when a five-judge bench in the Kesoram case ruled in favour of the states. While reserving its order on July 31, the bench agreed to consider whether to set a cut-off date, such as the 2004 Kesoram judgment, to limit the retrospective impact. We have to bring clarity, the court had said while reserving its order in the matter. KOHIMA: Kezhaleo Rulho doesnt shy away from disputes. One of the biggest contractors in Nagaland, the 37-year-old oversees a maze of men and machines undertaking infrastructure work ranging from building roads and bridges to government buildings. On his contact sheet are top politicians and government officials as well as separatist leaders who have all to be kept in good humour in the restive border state. Disagreements about payments and deadlines are common, as are flared tempers and eventual compromises. The Naga movement started before independence, led by the Naga National Council (NNC). (HT photo sourced) But July 13 was different. That day, as his phone started buzzing, Rulho knew something was wrong. His phone was flooding with messages from friends and family, all worried about his safety, all advising him to seek safety. The reason -- an irate separatist group, the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-K/Khango), had issued him a death threat for not complying with what the outfit called non-cooperation from the contractor. The caller, who identified himself as Mr Max of NSCN-K/Khango said he had only contributed 5 lakh as tax for five projects in Nagaland and later challenged the government. Over the next four days, Rulho tried to contact the person but his line was off. When Mr Max called back Rulhos site engineer on July 20 and gave him a deadline of one more day, Rulho called back immediately, and was threatened to either pay the tax within 15 days or meet the death penalty/capital punishment. Such illegal tax demands from separatist outfits are common in Nagaland where unbridled collections and coercion by Naga nationalist and separatist groups have skirted the line between taxation and extortion for decades. But as Rulho went into hiding, something shifted in the northeastern state of two million. Community bodies came out in rare defiance, organising strikes and protests that pushed back against the tax demands. Even the state government condemned the threat. The State Government vehemently condemns the recent sequence of events involving NSCN Khango where a death threat/capital punishment was issued to K. Rulho, proprietor of M/S KKB Rulho, a statement from deputy chief minister Yanthungo Patton said. The unprecedented protests, the first in almost a decade, are attempting to shake up an uneasy status quo in a state where separatist demands predate independence, and where revenue demands by many militant groups blight both ordinary life and the rule of law. A long history of nationalism, and its connection with levies The Naga movement started before independence, led by the Naga National Council (NNC). The first written document citing self-determination of the Nagas dates back to 1929 when the imperial Simon Commission came to India. In 1947, the Naga leaders declared independence a day before India, seeking exclusion from the Indian Union and birthing a violent agitation. Nagaland state was created in 1963. Taxation can be traced back to an erstwhile house tax in Naga villages levied by NNC which was then the only group leading the movement. Nagas willingly paid and even provided the fighters with rations and supplies, said K Angami, a political analyst. Subsequently, ideology and leadership issues cleaved the movement, and with the passage of time, the house tax token was shifted to commercial establishments which were more lucrative, he added. And with it, came the fear. Naga nationalism started with good intent. In the early days, our people shared with the national workers what we had, and we used to have deep respect for them. But today, we are wary of them, said Dr. Khekugha Muru, president of Confederation of Nagaland Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Today, Nagaland has 26 rebel groups, out of which five have currently negotiated ceasefire with the Government of India. Each of these groups runs a parallel government of sorts and levies taxes on residents. These taxes, also called voluntary contributions are collected supposedly for the sustenance of the outfits, but also function, according to K Angami, as modes of extortion especially of the business community. Such illegal taxation is prevalent across the Northeast but in states such as Assam, Manipur and Meghalaya, the phenomenon is limited to some pockets. In Nagaland, everyone has to pay, though the government doesnt acknowledge it. Nagaland government does not support, and is fully against any illegal taxation or forcible collection by any group or entity or individual in the state, home commissioner Vikieyie Kenya said. In 2013, a peoples movement called Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) was formed by members of different communities and backgrounds to protest against the rampant taxation by armed groups. ACAUT garnered the support of the public and taxpayers but the movement fizzled out after some of its leaders joined electoral politics in the recent years. After a decade, the protests are swelling again. Despite the might of the Khango Konyak-led Khaplang faction of the NSCN -- it is one of the five NSCN factions in a ceasefire agreement with the Government of India -- people have hit the streets. The Angami Youth Organization (AYO) openly denounced the death threat and announced an indefinite non-cooperation with the militant group. The youth body also immediately recalled all members of its community associated with the group. It is one of the major tribes in the state. The NSCN-K (Khango) hit back, accusing AYO of supporting the actions of the contractor without substantive understanding or assertion of facts regarding the matter. On August 6, undeterred by the incessant downpour, local communities from different districts amassed in the heart of Kohima town, clad in their respective tribal attire in solidarity with a public rally called by AYO. The crowd of more than a thousand people from various communities was unprecedented for Nagaland. AYO submitted a memorandum to governor La Ganesan, asking the central government to enforce the ceasefire rules that prohibits any extortion in the name of donations and confines armed cadres to designated camps. Angami Youth Organisation is a civil organisation, but we will not hesitate to protect our people at any cost. However, we firmly believe in the responsibility of the government to protect the well being of its citizens and we trust that the government will take all necessary actions, the memorandum said. An intricate process of collecting taxes from businesses The collection of illegal tax is an intricate process. The armed groups collect revenues through their respective finance departments by way of giving out information slips and the amount quoted by the cadres. A Kohima-based contractor told HT on the condition of anonymity that the transportation of transit goods are charged right from the states border with neighbouring Assam. For every truckload, we pay a common dalal (middleman) of the groups that are operational in Dimapur area an amount of Rs.30,000-40,000, depending on the value of goods that are being transported, said the contractor. He said most contractors try to recover the loss by enhancing the rates of services and products. Locals said that the illegal taxation is collected at different levels in the state. In residential areas, it is mainly done through local trade unions who mediate between small traders and different groups by collecting a certain uniform amount (between 5,000 to 10,000) and distribute equally to the militant groups. For business people including transporters, it is through information slips or a demand note submitted by cadre of the armed groups. The information slip demand could be anything between 10,000 to 50,000. The slip is normally signed by an officer in-charge of finances of the group, a local businessman who had recently received a demand slip of 10,000 said. Each group has appointed armed tax-collectors who take the money in cash annually, usually around June-July. Peter Rutsa, a local business owner, said that rampant illegal taxation led to spike in the prices of goods and had a negative impact on trade and commerce, leading to some business establishments closing down as they were not able to meet the money demand. The illegal taxation is causing divisions between the Nagas who support the groups and those who are fed up of paying multiple groups in the name of Naga nationalism, he said. Rutsa said different people deal with the demands differently. There are those who plead, those who insist and then those who threaten; I deal with them differently but at the end, there is always the bargaining (almost like doing business) and I make it a point to handover a voluntary donation and not a demanded amount, Rutsa said. He added that paying ensures no harassment to employees, physical disruptions to work and end to persistent telephonic calls seeking money. Locals say the quantum of taxation increased manifold after the ceasefire in 1997 between the Government of India and the Isak-Muivah-led NSCN (NSCN-IM) which gave cadre had the liberty to move around freely with arms without much restriction. The government of India, state government and the Ceasefire Monitoring Group/Ceasefire Supervisory Board (CFMG/CFSB) is well aware about the rampant illegal taxation but the will to act upon it or to rein in the recalcitrant cadres have been totally absent, said a youth leader who did not wish to be named. No choice but to pay, say local residents To understand how ordinary people dealt with the illegal demands, HT spoke to several local businessmen, who said they have no choice but to pay. Its better to pay than to get in trouble and deal with underground groups, said a local, requesting anonymity. Data from the state police headquarters show that there have been a total 32 cases of underground extortion registered across the state since January this year, in which 35 cadres from 10 different factions were arrested. However, police say conviction is low as people refuse to appear in court as witnesses, mainly due to fear, and the accused are often let off. In September 2023, the police launched a mobile application to combat extortion and drug menace by allowing citizens or victims to register complaints or give information. However, it was learnt that due to issues relating to awareness and fear of confidentiality, the response from the public has been low. There is neither lack of will, nor capability in Nagaland Police. However, the public has to come forward too. It takes two hands to clap - police and public, director general of police Rupin Sharma said. Merely catching the culprits is not enough - bringing them to book and successful prosecution and punishment is important and for that we need evidence and most importantly witnesses/complainants. That is where we need public to cooperate. On our part we shall ensure secrecy and confidentiality of complainants, witnesses and also informers to help us in the endeavour, the state police chief said. Facing public outrage, the government has attempted a crackdown. WHAT minister KG Kenye SAID any acts of threat or coercion, whether by factions in ceasefire or otherwise, are criminal offences and would be dealt with according to the law. The state government will ensure peace and tranquillity in Nagaland which is essential for economic development and prosperity, he added. Last week, the ceasefire monitoring group/ceasefire supervisory board (CFMG/CFSB) chairman lieutenant general (retired) Amarjeet Singh Bedi told journalists that his office took suo motu cognisance of the matter and the NSCN-K (Khango) group will be held accountable to provisions of ceasefire ground rules. He said the outfit had communicated that it functions purely on voluntary contributions and their statement to apprise the contractor in question on certain provisions of the outfits constitution was misinterpreted as capital punishment threat. Will this moment last? Senior journalist Temjen Anichar said the people protest may highlight the issue momentarily but it wont succeed until the Naga political issue is resolved. As much as wed want it to succeed, past precedence serves us a sobering dose of reality, he said. The issue of a death threat/death penalty was brought to the knowledge of the AYO office on July 21. Accordingly, the AYO, with its main motive to protect its land and its people, decided to take up the case in order to protect one of its members whose life has been threatened for no valid reasons, but for not meeting the taxation demands of the NSCN-K Khango group, says Neidilhoutuo Sechu, AYO general secretary. He expressed that other communities coming together with AYO in one voice to denounce the burden of illegal unabated taxation and threats to public exhibits hope for a more unified and prosperous society. A senior Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader was hacked to death allegedly by his rivals at Hosuru village in Pattikonda block of Andhra Pradeshs Kurnool district in the early hours on Wednesday, a police officer said. Kurnool superintendent of police (SP) Garikapati Bindu Madhav said that the incident took place when Srinivasulu was going to his fields at around 6 am. (HT Photo) The officer identified the deceased as Vakiti Srinivasulu (45), former sarpanch of the village and a close follower of Pattikonda MLA KE Shyam Babu. Kurnool superintendent of police (SP) Garikapati Bindu Madhav said that the incident took place when Srinivasulu was going to his fields at around 6 am. The assailants threw chilli powder in his eyes and attacked him indiscriminately with rods and sickles on his head and neck, leading to his death on the spot, the SP said. Soon after coming to know about the incident, deputy superintendent of police Srinivasa Reddy and inspector of police Jayanna rushed to the spot and inspected the scene of offence. The police found some beer bottles closer to the spot, indicating that the accused had planned the murder well in advance, the SP said. According to the officers, a tense atmosphere prevailed in the area following which police personnel were deployed to maintain the law-and-order situation. We are investigating the murder from all angles including the possibility of a family dispute or a political rivalry in the village, Madhav said, adding that special teams had been formed to investigate this murder and an investigation was taken up. Condemning the brutal murder of Srinivasulu, the TDP MLA from Pattikonda said the deceased was his close follower and had actively worked for the partys victory in the recent assembly elections. Suspecting the role of the YSR Congress Party workers in the murder, Shyam Babu demanded the police to identify the perpetrators and arrest the accused involved in the murder at the earliest. He consoled the family members of the deceased. TDP general secretary and state education minister Nara Lokesh also strongly condemned the brutal killing of Srinivasulu, allegedly by the YSRCP mobs. They had killed him because he had played a key role in the victory of the TDP in the recent elections. Despite being rejected by the people, Jagan (YSRCP president)s gang is committing such atrocities without changing their old ways, he alleged. Stating that the tolerance of the TDP should not be mistaken as incompetence, Lokesh said: The TDP-led NDA alliance will crack the whip against those resorting to such unlawful acts. The TDP extends solidarity to the bereaved family. In response, the YSRCP refuted the allegations made by the TDP leaders, including Lokesh, with regard to the Pattikonda murder. It is shameful on the part of Lokesh to utter lies with regard to the murder of a TDP workers, when the police themselves said there was no scope for any political murders in the village, the party said in a statement on X. The opposition party said despite being in a responsible position of the cabinet minister, it was atrocious that Lokesh sought to blame the YSRCP workers for the murder. He has proved to be a born liar, the YSRCP said. Dhaka: The Bangladesh police are back on the streets of Dhaka following the return of a semblance of normalcy, but Mahfuzul Islam, a local resident, continues to restrict his daily home to office travel by bus. People gather in front of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) headquarters during a rally in Dhaka, Bangladesh (AP Photo) As establishments across the city of more than 20 million gradually reopen this week after the violence and law and order vacuum that followed the ouster of former premier Sheikh Hasinas regime on August 5, Islam decided it was safe to commute from Mohakhali to his office in the Bangla Motor area of Dhaka. After getting off a bus on Thursday morning, Islam ordered a cup of tea at a roadside stall before heading to his office. The 40-year-old said the situation in Dhaka appeared to be getting better. I do not have any affiliation with a political party, but I am still anxious about the prevailing situation. Nowadays, I do not go anywhere except home and office, he said. After failing to suppress weeks of protests by the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, Hasina directed police to crack down on demonstrators. More than 300 people were killed before she was forced to quit and flee to India, hours before protesters entered her official home. More than 200 others were killed and many more injured in violence that followed the abrupt collapse of Hasinas government, much of it directed against supporters and workers of her Awami League party. An interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus assumed office on August 8 but Dhaka witnessed a period of turmoil amid a power vacuum for almost three days, marked by attacks on police stations, business establishments, and government buildings. Many residents are still nervous about the political and security situation. With reports still coming about the targeting of homes, offices of political parties, and places of worship in some parts of the country, a sense of deep unease lingers. The major opposition partiesthe Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islamihave stepped up political activities with the former holding rallies in Dhaka. In the absence of traffic police in Dhaka for several days after the fall of the former government, students who had spearheaded the protests were seen managing the flow of cars on the busy streets of the capital city. Now, traffic police personnel are manning the main intersections and a few students can be seen assisting them. A strong police contingent has been deployed to guard the 7th-century Dhakeshwari temple in Dhaka, the most important Hindu temple in Bangladesh, following attacks on places of worship of the minority community at different places across the country. The citys metro rail system is scheduled to recommence operations on August 17. Authorities shut down operations on July 19 amid the protests after two metro stations were attacked and vandalised. Educational institutions are set to reopen on Sunday. Malls and shops across Dhaka city are open but owners said the footfall remains low. Mahtab Uddin, a trader in the Nilkhet area, said he was happy the that interim government led by Yunus, 84, was at the helm of affairs. He also said he was happy he did not have to give in to extortion demands from anyone now. If you didnt give in to extortion by a representative of the local leader of the Awami League, you couldnt sit here and do business, he said. After a 28-day pause due to the protests and disturbances across the country, intercity train services resumed on Thursday. Services were stopped after acts of vandalism and arson on certain trains on July 18. However, passenger and freight train services between Bangladesh and India remain suspended; Maitree Express, Bandhan Express, and Mitali Express are the main cross-border passenger trains. Bangladesh Railway director general Sardar Shahadat Ali told HT that the resumption of cross-border train services depends on clearance from India. There were some Indian freight trains that came to Bangladesh, and the wagons were unloaded. We want to send the wagons back but they arent taking them. They are saying they havent got clearance from their external affairs ministry, Ali said. A man was arrested for allegedly raping and killing a nurse in Uttarakhand while she was returning home from the hospital two weeks ago. The horrific incident took place in Uttarakhands Udham Singh Nagar district, reported The Indian Express and the accused was arrested on August 14. Protestors demand justice for junior doctor who was raped in Kolkata (Photo by DIBYANGSHU SARKAR / AFP)(AFP) The nurse worked at a private hospital in Nainital and her body was found in an empty plot in Uttar Pradeshs Rampur district. The incident took place on July 30, the report said. The accused in the case, Dharmendra Kumar, belongs to Bareilly and is a daily wage labourer. Kumar allegedly sexually assaulted and murdered the nurse while she was heading home from the hospital. On July 31, the victim's sister filed a missing person report with the local police after she did not come home the previous night. The nurse's body was found by the police on August 8. According to the police, the accused first dragged her to the bushes where he raped her and strangled her to death. He then robbed her, took her jewellery, and fled. The police arrested the man from Rajasthan after they tracked the victim's phone to the location. The accused is a (drug) addict and does not know the woman. On the day of the incident, he saw the woman going alone. As per our information, he stopped the woman, who fought back fiercely. She was, however, overpowered and strangled her to death. He also sexually assaulted her. After the murder, he took the womans belongings and escaped, SSP Manjunath T C told Express. This comes as the healthcare community called a strike after a junior doctor was raped and murdered on the premises of the RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata on August 9. Opposition leaders and doctors' associations alleged a cover-up by the Kolkata Police as the parents of the victim were initially informed that their daughter committed suicide. Union minister and West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar blasted the state police and Trinamool Congress government after a mob attacked and vandalised the RG Kar Medical College at midnight on August 14. Majumdar alleged that doctors inside the hospital were thrashed by a mob as the police stood by silently. Damaged medical equipments in the emergency room after unidentified miscreants vandalised a portion of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital amid midnight protests by women in various parts of West Bengal against the alleged rape and murder of a post graduate trainee doctor, in Kolkata, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. (PTI Photo)(PTI) Majumdar said a mob of around 2000-2500 people entered the premises and assaulted doctors. Meanwhile, nurses from the RG Kar Medical College alleged that the mob attempted to destroy evidence from the seminar hall of the college, where a junior doctor was raped and killed on August 9, a charge denied by the police. "There is no law and order in West Bengal. 2000-2500 goons barged into the medical college late at night. Doctors were beaten up and threatened, the police remained silent. If a state government is unable to maintain law and order in its capital, then it has no right to remain in power...Attempts were made to destroy evidence...I will reach the RG Kar Medical College tomorrow and protest," the BJP leader said. While eyewitnesses claimed that the mob vandalised the part of the college where the heinous incident took place, Kolkata Police said in an official statement that the crime scene was not disturbed during the mob attack. Doctors and healthcare workers were protesting peacefully outside the hospital when a mob attacked the protestors and entered the premises, a final-year MBBS student told PTI. After the midnight attack, the Federation of Resident Doctors Association India (FORDA) announced that they would resume their strike until their demands were met. The organisation had earlier called off the doctors' strike after assurance from the health ministry that their demands would be considered and discussed. Earlier, Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee said, "The hooliganism and vandalism at RG Kar tonight have exceeded all acceptable limits." The TMC leader urged the Kolkata Police to arrest the vandals in the next 24 hours. On August 9, a post-graduate trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The victim's family has alleged that she was raped and murdered. This incident has triggered a nationwide protest by doctors and medical fraternities. August 15, 1947. India gained independence from the British rule but Goa Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu were still Estado da India (Portuguese states of India). It had been 437 years since Afonso de Albuquerque captured Goa as the first Portuguese territorial possession in Asia in 1510. As India celebrated its tryst with destiny, Goa joined the celebrations and the war cry for its freedom from the Portuguese gained momentum. On August 15, 1947, India gained independence from the British rule but Goa Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu were still Estado da India (Portuguese states of India).(Photo by Naveed Ahmed on Unsplash) And the headlines were: The New York Times: India and Pakistan become nations; clashes continue. The Washington Post: India achieves sovereignty amid scenes of wild rejoicing (a two-column report). Chicago Daily Tribune: Mountbatten new Governor of Hindu India. Punjab riots rage on; 250 dead (one-column report). ALSO READ: Happy Independence Day 2024: Best wishes, Facebook messages, quotes, SMS, images, WhatsApp status to share on August 15 The Daily Telegraph: India is now two dominions. Power transferred at night. Earldom conferred on Lord Mountbatten. A Vida (a Portuguese newspaper published from Goa): A Vida. A emancipacao da India (The emancipation of India) O Oriente(Portuguese newspaper dated August 16, 1947): O Oriente A Independencia da India: No limiar duma nova era (Indias Independence: On the threshold of a new era) A Voz da India (Portuguese newspaper): A Voz da India A Independencia da India: A Indian Livre (Indias Independence: A free India). The run-up to the Independence Day August 12, 1947: While India prepared for independence and transfer of power on August 15, 1947, Goa was busy welcoming Fernando de Quintanilha Mendonca Dias, the new in-charge of the Portuguese government in India. This was an interim arrangement because India and Portugal did not have diplomatic ties and British General Manager of the Port of Mormugao served as the Honorary British Consul in Goa. But Pandit Nehru had other plans. Barely three days after Mendonca Dias assumed office, Mirza Rashid Ali Baig was deemed the Consul General of India in Goa. Mirza Baig had served the British Indian Army but had resigned later. He was the inaugural Consul-General for India in the French Establishments in India at Pondicherry and was married to Tara Ali Baig, a writer and social reformer and the first Asian woman President of the International Union for Child Welfare in Geneva. Newspaper column. August 13, 1947: As the Consul General of India, Mirza Baig issued an open invitation for people to join the independence day festivities in Altinho, Panjim. August 14, 1947: O Heraldo, Goas oldest newspaper (founded in 1900), carried a one-column front page report about the Prime Minister of Indonesia sending a congratulatory telegram to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Mohammad Ali Jinnah from the Indonesian people on its independence. Other news in OHeraldo included report about the Mayor of Bombay throwing an austere banquet and news of the government releasing all political prisoners. Nehrus telegram to the Consul of India in Goa: Nehrus telegram to the Consul of India in Goa. A Vida newspaper carried the Portuguese translation of the text of Pandit Nehrus telegram to the Consul of India in Goa. It read: On this day when India conquers independence, I send my requests to you and your compatriots and their intermediary that our Independence brings responsibilities and care, but we have to face the future with energy, confidence and faith in India's destiny and, in the full hope that everyone Indian, whatever his position or the field of his activity, or wherever he is, will give the best of his or her service to India. Jai Hind. August 15, 1947: Nearly 800 local Goans gathered at the Consulate office in Altinho before the formal unfurling of the tricolour at 9.30 am. This group did not include the government servants but the medicine and pharmacy students, with the distinguished surgeon and professor. Dr. Batista de Sousa were present. The Portuguese government had permitted the hoisting of the Indian flag as long as the Portuguese flag was also full mast. A group of men sang Vande Matram and Jana Gana Mana. They were photographed in a group and Jai Hind, Mahatma Gandhi ki jai and Pt. Nehru ki jai thundered through the air. Mr Baig also read a message from Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Small Indian national flags were distributed as a souvenir. Later a procession was taken out in Panjim but the crowd was dispersed with a lathi charge. In Agacaim village, nearly 300 Goans took out a procession announcing the advent of the era of freedom in India. In Canacona, the revellers were dispersed forcibly by the police. Though there was the fear of police intervention, locals went out in the streets to celebrate and Christians engaged priests to say masses in churches. Sensing the patriotic fervour, the Portuguese reluctantly issued a police order permitting locals to hoist the Indian national flag atop buildings with the strict clause that Portuguese flag had to be also flown at full mast. On August 3, 1947, Ram Manohar Lohia had announced that Goa's independence would not coincide with Indian independence and that the Goans would have to continue their struggle, "not just for civil liberties, but for freedom itself. It would take another 14 years before Goa was liberated from Portuguese rule and became a part of the Indian territory. Now, Goa Liberation Day is celebrated on December 19, in commemoration of the Indian armed forces liberating Portuguese-ruled Goa in 1961. ALSO READ: Independence Day 2024: Speech ideas for children for school celebrations Pataleo: The must-eat sweet on August 15: Pataleo has nothing to do with freedom, it is a traditional Goan sweet made on August 15 for the feast of the Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary. Pronounced Pathayo, the pataleo (also known as patoli and patole) is prepared using rice flour, coconut, jaggery, ghee, powdered cardamom, salt and turmeric leaves. Soaked rice is ground into a smooth batter, spread over turmeric leaves, filled with freshly grated coconut and jaggery stir-cooked in ghee and then wrapped into a tidy parcel and steamed. Earlier this year, international pop icon Ed Sheeran made local news following his appearance on Netflixs The Great Indian Kapil Show. Sheeran, who was touring the country, appeared as his usual dressed-down self, sporting a black t-shirt and black trousers not drawing any attention. What did draw attention was what occupied his wrist an Devanagari Baagh watch made by the Jaipur Watch Company. Sheeran had opted to wear the watch, which featured a Japanese Miyota movement retrofitted into a 1947-issue one rupee coin, instead of the Audemars Piguet he wore onto the shows set. It was a moment of reckoning for Indias independent watchmakers. Discover the independent watchmakers of India leading a horological renaissance(Instagram) Meet the Independent Watchmakers of India Founded eleven years ago, the Jaipur Watch Company is at the vanguard of niche Indian watchmakers tapping into the Indian aesthetic while also offering bespoke craftsmanship at a far more affordable price point. Jaipur Watch Company made a name by offering a series of coin-based watches making it its aesthetic mainstay while also tapping into the works of Indian artists like Raja Ravi Verma and displaying them on a horological canvas. Its founder Gaurav Mehta categorises the brand as a bridge-to-luxury. Something that is unique and mechanically complex enough to fall out of the confines of affordable FMCG brands and yet, be more affordable than high-end Swiss watchmakers who charge a premium for brand equity. The Jaipur Watch Company is far from the only upstart. Based out of Bengaluru, the birthplace of Indian horology, is a watch company that serves as the spiritual successor to HMT watches Independent Indias first horological start-up, which was founded in Bengaluru in 1963. The Bangalore Watch Company, founded by Nirupesh Joshi and Mercy Amalraj, the brand has a more modern aesthetic, powered by a Swiss automatic movement instead of a Japanese one. Its founders, who grew-up on HMT watches, cite the brand as a major influence. The one common attribute among all brands is the use of stainless steel cases, leather straps and sapphire crystals all of which now have a functional supply chain ecosystem within the country. However this wasnt always the case. When I started 11 years ago, there was no supply chain to speak of, says Mehta, who recently raised 2.4 crore in funding and intends to expand the brands retail network with the funds. People attribute our success to the absence of any local competition, but the fact is there were no clients either. The whole supply chain was broken. There were no retailers. Today, at least 40% of my sales come through Instagram says Mehta, adding that today there is a thriving supply chain for stainless steel cases, dial covers, leather straps and metal bracelets. Another common attribute shared between the likes of the Jaipur Watch Company, the Bengaluru Watch Company and relatively younger watch brands like Horpa, is the use of an imported automatic movement, either Japanese (Miyota, Seiko etc) or Swiss in origin (ETA). For any watchmaker worth its salt, the natural progression involves manufacturing an in-house movement. However, watchmakers like Mehta have no immediate plans of delving into the movement manufacturing space. The reason is scale. There is a big Indian watch brand that recently introduced an automatic movement. When I saw the pricing, I realised that for us, this isnt the right time to introduce an in-house movement. If theres no scale theres no profitability. If I can do a million movements a month, then I can compare that price point to a Japanese movement manufacturer. In India were not at that scale where we can consume a million movements. Mehta is referring to the introduction of an in-house movement by Indian watchmaker Titan, a longtime purveyor of mass market quartz-powered watches, which has launched its own automatic watches at a scarcely believable price point of 10,000. We are looking at introducing new complications though, not in-house made, but outsourced For watchmakers like Jaipur Watch Company and the Bangalore Watch Company, the USP lies in aesthetic, craftsmanship and in the formers case a slice of Indian history. Among its mainstays is a series of watches with vintage Indian postage stamps on the dial. These, along with other collections have found an audience both in India and outside it. We now sell about 7-8 pieces per week overseas says Mehta. Most of their overseas buyers belong to the Indian diaspora, but roughly 30% buyers from Singapore, Australia and the US belong to various ethnicities wanting to own a watch thats truly Indian. Mehta also states that a lot of buyers in India are fledgeling watch collectors looking for an accessible, automatic timepiece. But there are also well-heeled clients with an array of expensive Swiss watches, who want something unique.With most of the consumer base over the age of 30, Mehta is yet to tap into a growing demographic of young watch buyers which opt for affordable wearable tech (aka smartwatches) falling under 10,000. Brands like Fit-Bit, Noise and Boat occupy the lions share of the wearable tech market (over 60%), edging out incumbents like Apple and Samsung, which for a few years, had the field all to themselves. Now the market is flooded with new, unknown brands offering basic smartwatch functionality at very low price points. However, Mehta attests that, given his brands price point (upwards of 40,000) the average smartwatch buyers interests do not overlap. So many low-priced smart watches are available. so definitely there is an impact on the sub 10k segment of the watch industry. But when you go above the 10k category, I dont think theres much of an impact. People have stopped wearing smartwatches for formal events and special occasions. And four years back it wasnt the case Mehtas competition came from low-cost watchmakers offering a sort of faux aesthetic of haute horology, at a low price point. International brands like Daniel Wellington, which essentially sell low-cost quartz powered watches at price points exceeding 15,000, offer little value in terms of mechanical sophistication, or material superiority. Thanks to connoisseurs and experts on Instagram there is a lot more brand awareness. People know which avenues to look toward for high-value products. As a result our sales have increased four times in the last three years. Neeraj Chopra reportedly suffers from inguinal hernia the condition that affected his performance in the Paris 2024 Olympics. Neeraj bagged the silver medal this year with the javelin throw of 89.94m - his personal best. However, Neerajs performance was affected by his injury. Neeraj confessed that it is time for him to address the condition with proper treatment, as suggested by the doctors. Neeraj Chopra suffers from inguinal hernia.(Instagram/@neeraj____chopra) In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Vinaykumar Thati, General and Advanced Laparoscopic Surgeon at Wockhardt Hospitals Mumbai Central, explained the condition. A hernia is the abnormal exit of tissue or organ, such as the bowel or momentum, through the wall of the cavity in which it normally resides. Here we are talking about groin hernia which can be inguinal or femoral. Inguinal hernia is the most common type of groin hernia seen practically by surgeons. The lowermost part of Anterior abdominal wall has an inguinal canal on either side carrying testicular vessels and spermatic cord structures from abdomen to testes in males. this area is the potential site for formation of two common types of Inguinal hernias known as Direct or Indirect Inguinal hernia, said Dr Vinaykumar Thati. ALSO READ: All about Neeraj Chopra's diet: From snacks to cheat meals to fitness routine, know how the Olympian keeps fit Inguinal hernia: Symptoms Inguinal hernias can be present at birth also and their incidence increases with ageing. The most common symptom noted by patients or caretakers is a bulge in the groin area which reduces by lying down. As time advances, the bulge can grow in size and it can give a dragging pain or even groin or abdominal pain. When the bowel or momentum as a content in hernia does not reduce or if there is severe groin or abdominal pain it is a warning sign for emergency treatment. Inguinal hernia: Causes Constant straining of the abdominal wall due to chronic cough, constipation and straining while passing urine due to prostate enlargement in males are some of the causes of inguinal hernia. ALSO READ: Neglecting hernia can be dangerous: Know the complications Inguinal hernia: Treatment Treatment for Groin hernias is Purely Surgical. There is absolutely no medicine anywhere in the world to treat hernias. One big advancement for treatment of Groin hernias that has occurred in past 15 years is the ability to treat it with Minimal invasive surgery called as Laparoscopic or Robotic groin hernia treatment which causes minimal pain and aids early recovery, explained Dr Vinaykumar Thati. Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition. During parenting, we often come across situations where we may start to lose our cool. However, for the ones who ditch the anger and find the fun twist in it, it helps them to become better parents. Children may throw tantrums or bring their problems to us repeatedly the way we handle them and teach them the path to find solutions, helps them to become better individuals. The power of dad jokes is immense, after all. A study concluded recently that funny parents raise healthier and happier children. It helps in teaching cognitive flexibility, relieving stress and promoting the idea of finding creative solutions to problems. (Pexels) ALSO READ: Parenting tips: Unique ways to read to children at every stage How is humour effective in parenting? In a media release, Dr. Benjamin Levi, professor of pediatrics and humanities at Penn State College of Medicine and senior author of the study stated that humour is an important ingredient in parenting. It helps in teaching cognitive flexibility, relieving stress and promoting the idea of finding creative solutions to problems. The study was conducted in 312 individuals between the ages of 18 and 45. They were asked about their experiences of being brought up in their homes where humour was an important element. Some said that their parents used humour to bring them up, while others stated that they consciously use humour in their own styles of parenting. ALSO READ: 7 essential healthy parenting habits for raising happy and well-adjusted children Findings of the study: The striking finding in the survey was the relationship between humour and quality of the relationship shared between the parent and the children. People who stated that their parents used humour in their parenting of them, 50.5% said that they have a good relationship with their parents. 44.2% said that they think their parents did a good job bringing them up. Lucy Emery, the studys first author and a pediatrics resident at Boston Childrens Hospital drew the similarities between the use of humour in business relationships. She stated that in business, use of humour can smash hierarchies and create better collaborative environments. While parenting and business are different spaces, humour can help in diffusing tension, removing hierarchy and make parents more approachable for children, further cementing their relationship. ALSO READ: 3 habits of present parents to foster healthy parenting By Kenrick Cai HT Image SAN FRANCISCO - Google parent Alphabet said on Thursday it was expanding its AI-generated summaries for search queries to six new countries, just two months after it rolled back some capabilities following a problem-riddled launch. The search giant made AI Overviews - which are displayed atop a search results page before traditional links to the Web - available to all U.S. users in May after spending one year trialing a limited earlier version. The feature was widely panned after screenshots of factually inaccurate answers circulated across the internet, such as a pizza recipe that listed glue as an ingredient and an answer claiming that former U.S. President Barack Obama is Muslim. Google acknowledged the "odd and erroneous overviews" and announced updates to the product in a blog post in late May. These updates added restrictions to which queries would display AI answers and curbed user-generated content from websites like Reddit from serving as source material for answers. "I have enough evidence to say that quality is only improving," Hema Budaraju, a senior director of product at Google told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday. She pointed to data Google collects internally, which showed that users with access to the feature reported higher levels of satisfaction and searched for longer queries than users who did not. AI Overviews is now coming to the Brazil, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico and Britain, in local languages such as Hindi and Portuguese. Google is also adding hyperlinks to the feature. Websites will be displayed to the right side of the AI-generated answer. The company is also internally testing a further update that would add links directly within the text of the overview. The updates come amid concerns voiced by the media industry about the possibility of losing out on referral traffic from consumers who clicked through to publishers' websites. Budaraju said the new update would have a "three-way benefit" for Google, consumers and publishers. Last week a U.S. judge ruled Google had an illegal monopoly on search, clearing the way for a trial that could force the breakup of Alphabet. AI advances from rivals like Microsoft-backed OpenAI could pose an even bigger threat. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. A Ludhiana man claims money was deducted from his FASTag while he was chilling at home. Sunderdeep Singh, CEO of Prinspire Technologies, shared a screenshot of the message he received informing him that 220 had been deducted from his account at a toll plaza in Punjab. Sunderdeep Singh urged FASTag authorities to rectify the mistake. FASTag is a device that uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for making toll payments electronically. It is fixed to the windshield of a vehicle and linked to a prepaid account. In Singhs case, money was deducted from his FASTag account even though he had not crossed the toll booth. Money is deducted when I am chilling at home and havent even travelled to that route this month. Whats going on? the Ludhiana-based CEO asked on the social media platform X. The screenshot he shared shows that 220 were deducted as toll at Ladowal Toll Plaza on 14th August. Singh claims that he had not been near that route for days as he demanded an explanation from FASTag authorities. Not an isolated incident The comments section of his X post, filled with similar complaints from people across the country, reveal the drawbacks of relying solely on this technology. Happening with us since the past 1 year. Some other car is using our car registration number. All their challans and fast tag deductions are directed to us. After countless police station and bank branch visits, we have started considering it as a separate house expense, wrote X user Sidharth Gupta. A person named Prakash claimed that his FASTag was charged in Andhra Pradesh while his car was in Gujarat. Chennai man Narayanan Hariharan said he had raised a dispute after a similar incident. Meanwhile, X user Balamurukan claimed he had to make several phone calls and share photos of his car after facing the same issue. FASTag authorities respond FASTag NETC responded to Sunderdeep Singh and urged him to report the incorrect deduction to his bank. Hi, please get in touch with the issuing bank's customer service desk to report the incorrect deduction issue. They will review your complaint and raise a chargeback for the incorrectly deducted fare based on its merit. Thank you, the account replied. Singh's post has been viewed over half a million times on X. A Chinese woman had to be escorted off a plane after she refused to store her designer bag under the seat in front of her, as is the rule in most flights. The womans refusal to put her Louis Vuitton bag on the floor caused a delay of one hour, and passengers applauded when she was kicked off the flight, reported South China Morning Post. A Chinese woman refused to store her Louis Vuitton bag on the floor of the airplane (Representational image) The incident went viral after a co-passenger shared a video on the Chinese social media platform Douyin, where it has racked up over 4 million views. The passenger who shared the video on social media said the unnamed woman was sitting in the economy class of a China Express Airlines flight. She was requested to put her Louis Vuitton bag under the seat in front of her. However, the woman insisted on keeping the bag next to her. The incident occurred at an airport in the Chongqing municipality of China on August 10. The womans refusal led to a long delay for other flyers, who were only too happy to see her off the plane. Reports suggest that the flight was already departing and had to return to the boarding gate so the unruly flyer could be escorted off. Fair or not? China Express Airlines refused to comment on the incident or share the passengers identity. However, the video led to mixed reactions on Chinese social media. While some users criticised the woman for holding up the flight and inconveniencing other passengers, others said they understood her reluctance to put an expensive designer bag on the floor and said a middle ground should have been reached rather than kicking her off the plane. The flight attendant could have offered her a bag to put her handbag in. Is it really necessary to waste an hour and kick her off the plane? one Douyin user asked. The flight attendant did not insist on the rule for nothing. The woman should value her safety and that of other passengers rather than the bag, another countered. Independence Day 2024: Today, India celebrates its 78th Independence Day. This day falls annually on August 15, and the entire nation comes together to commemorate the historical moment of gaining freedom in 1947 from British rule. On this day, people also remember the freedom fighters who gave their lives to break the shackles of the British salivary. Expectedly, people take to social media to show how they are celebrating the day and among them is an author. A few hours before Independence Day, he posted a video showing him playing two versions of the Indian National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana, using a guitar and a harmonica. The image shows author Arun Krishnan playing beautiful renditions of the National Anthem using guitar and harmonica. (X/@ArunKrishnan_) On the eve of our #IndependenceDay2024 , here are two versions of our National Anthem -- One on the guitar, and the other on the harmonica. Dedicated to all those who defend us! author Arun Krishnan wrote as he shared two videos. Take a look at the post by the author here: The video, since being shared a few hours ago, has gathered more than 7,800 views. Additionally, it has also accumulated nearly 200 likes. People posted varied comments while reacting to the share. How did X users react to these renditions of the National Anthem? Excellent rendition in both. I also noted that you stood when playing. Hats off! wrote an X user. Another added, Harmonica is beautiful. A third expressed, Beautifully played. A fourth commented, Wow, I loved the harmonica version even more. You are blessed by Ma Saraswati in more ways than one. Vande Matram. About the author: Dr Arun Krishnan has studied in various parts of the world, including India, the USA, Singapore, and Japan. He has an engineering degree and a doctorate. Before publishing The Battle of Vathapi Trilogy, he worked in different sectors, such as IT, bioinformatics, computational biology, and HR analytics. What are your thoughts on this authors harmonica and guitar versions of the Indian National Anthem? Did the videos leave you impressed? Kim Jong Un appears to have added another luxury car to his fleet despite United Nations sanctions on the import of luxury goods to the country. The North Korean leader was seen standing near a Mercedes Maybach GLS 600 in photographs released by state-controlled media. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks during a visit to the flood-affected area of Uiju County, North Pyongan Province, North Korea, in this photo released August 10, 2024.(KCNA via REUTERS) According to The Independent, the latest model of Mercedes-Benz SUV was seen rolling out of Kim Jong Uns armoured train on August 9. The supreme leader of North Korea had used the special train to visit flood-hit areas of Uiju County in North Phyongan. Kim Jong Un was seen standing next to the Mercedes Maybach GLS 600 as he addressed the public from the train. The luxury SUV is presumed to be the top-class model that was launched in South Korea in April. Its price tag starts at $175,500 and can go up to $227,400 ( 1.9 crore approximately). The 40-year-old politician has a fleet of luxury cars at his disposal. His collection includes a Rolls Royce Phantom, Mercedes-Maybach S600 Guard, fifth-generation US-made Cadillac Escalade, and a Lexus armoured vehicle, among others. This despite the fact that North Korea is banned from procuring luxury goods, including automobiles, by the United Nations. Under UN resolutions, first enacted in 2006 after Pyongyang carried out underground nuclear tests, exports of luxury cars and other high-end items to North Korea are banned, reported ANI. In June this year Putin on a rare overseas trip since he launched the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 visited Pyongyang and the two leaders were seen cruising around the North Korean capital in a Russian-made Aurus limousine as per media reports. In March this year the North Korean leader took his first ride in the luxury car that was gifted to him by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Al Jazeera reported. (With inputs from ANI) YouTuber Dhruv Rathee came under fire for revealing the name of the Kolkata rape-murder victim. He also faced criticism earlier after reportedly deleting an X post on the horrific incident. YouTuber Dhruv Rathee's post on Kolkata doctor Rape-Murder case has gone viral. (File Photo) According to the Free Press Journal, the influencer and activist shared "Justice For Nirbhaya 2" on X but later deleted it. This caused people to criticise him, alleging that he deleted the post as he was afraid of the ruling government of West Bengal. What did Dhruv Rathee say about the deleted post? The YouTuber, while replying to an X user, shared why he deleted the post. Because some people pointed out that it was insensitive to call (name hidden) as Nirbhaya2. I thought over it and felt that they were right. he wrote. However, he came under fire once again after he mentioned the name of the victim in a hashtag while sharing about the incident. The rape-murder case in West Bengal is heartbreaking. It exposes the inhumane working conditions for doctors, the lack of their safety and the miserable state of law and order in West Bengal. Hope CBI does a fast track trial and gets justice (sic), he wrote on X, adding a hashtag containing the victim's name. Dhruv Rathee's post on Kolkata rape-murder. (Screengrab) How did social media react? People were quick to point out how he shouldnt name the victim. Prashant Umrao, an advocate, wrote, When the Rape victim is dead or of unsound mind the name of the victim or her identity should not be disclosed even under the authorisation of the next of the kin. - #SupremeCourt. Several people also asked him why he deleted his previous X post. The tragic rape and murder of the female trainee doctor at Kolkatas R G Kar Medical College and Hospital shook the nation. Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer, is the prime accused in this heinous crime. Allegedly, he is a repeat offender with a history of violence against women. IT giant Cognizant has found itself in the eye of social media outrage after one of its job postings for freshers went viral. The job listing was for candidates from the 2024 graduating batch in IT. What irked people is the salary listed on the job postingits 252,000 per annum. While most people spoke against it, a few supported the offer. Amid those, a post by an entrepreneur deafening the amount offered to the freshers has captured peoples attention. An entrepreneurs post defending Cognizant's 2.5 LPA offer has sparked chatter on X. (File Photo, X/@Vatsal_Sanghvi) It all started with a post by X page Indian Tech & Infra. "Cognizant has announced an exciting off-campus mass hiring drive, welcoming applications from candidates belonging to the 2024 batch. Application deadline - August 14. Package - INR 2.52 LPA, they shared. Quoting the X post, entrepreneur Vatsal Sanghvi listed reasons for supporting the job listing. He also questioned the quality of the freshers, adding that 20k/mo is overspending. In his post, Sanghvi added that the freshers dont know how to communicate, code, or behave professionally. He also added, It is an open market. Dont apply if you dont think its fair . But you know what - we as a country want free money and the ones sitting in plush offices have an opinion on everything without having an iota of an idea about the ground reality, he added and concluded his post. Take a look at the share here: His post didnt sit well with most people, who slammed the entrepreneur for defending Cognizant's job offer. What did X users say about the post: It's not a fresher problem; it's your skill issue that makes you unable to find good quality freshers with growth potential, wrote an X user. And the quality of the CEO is worth 186 crores, right? added another, referencing the salary of Cognizant CEO Ravi Kumar Singisetti. Instead of complaining about the quality of freshers, why dont the companies plan on training them in college itself? Some weekend refresher courses. Have an exclusive tie-up with a few colleges and run your plan there free of cost. It will be a win-win for everyone, asked a third. A fourth person expressed, I challenge you to live with 20k in Bengaluru for three months and then talk, there is something called dignity of labour, minimum wages... Nothing is applicable, it seems! According to LinkedIn, Vatsal Sanghvi is an alum of Bits Pilani and used to work at Flipkart. In 2023, he founded his tech company, 1811 Labs. He also has a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Level 1 certificate. Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant were spotted jewellery shopping in Panama while on their honeymoon. A video shared on Instagram shows the newlyweds at a jewellery store, where they happily posed with staff members. Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant in Panama.(Instagram/@ambani_update) Radhika Merchant was the picture of vacation-casual in a striped t-shirt, white trousers and tousled beachy waves. She kept her look simple with no jewellery. Anant Ambani was seen wearing a tropical print shirt that is quickly becoming his signature style. Take a look at the video below: Anant Ambani is the younger son of Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani and his wife Nita Ambani. He married Radhika Merchant in a lavish wedding in Mumbai on July 12. The wedding and pre-wedding festivities in Mumbai were preceded by a three-day bash in Jamnagar and a luxury cruise with stops across the Mediterranean. The newlyweds have had a packed schedule post their wedding too. After tying the knot on July 12, they flew down to Jamnagar, where the Ambani family owns a sprawling estate that served as the venue for their first pre-wedding celebration. Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant then joined the Ambani family in Paris and attended some Olympic events before leaving for their honeymoon. On August 1, the couple reached the Central American country of Costa Rica which is renowned for its natural beauty and biological diversity. They reportedly stayed at a Four Seasons resort called Casa Las Olas, where prices go up to $23,000 for a night. After Costa Rica, Radhika Merchant and Anant Ambani were spotted in Panama, another Central American country known for its beautiful beaches, rainforests and historic settlements. The couple has been photographed out and about several times in Panama - they were seen visiting a temple, enjoying frozen yogurt and meeting the President of Panama, Jose Raul Mulino, and his partner, Maricel Cohen de Mulino, while on their honeymoon. Latest visuals show that Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant also made time for jewellery shopping. With Gaza largely in ruins after more than 10 months of war, the Hamas-run territory's health ministry has struggled to count the death toll, which on Thursday surpassed 40,000. 40,000 and counting: the struggle to keep track of Gaza deaths Israel has repeatedly questioned the credibility of the daily figures put out by the ministry and US President Joe Biden did so too in the early stages of the war. But several United Nations agencies that operate in Gaza have said the figures are credible and they are frequently cited by international organisations. Two AFP correspondents witnessed health facilities enter deaths in the ministry's database. Gaza health officials first identify bodies by visual recognition from a relative or friend, or by recovering personal items. The deceased's details, including name, gender, birth date and ID number, are then entered in the health ministry's digital database. If bodies are unrecognisable or unclaimed, staff record the death under a number, noting all available information. Any distinguishing marks that may help with later identification, whether personal items or a birthmark, are collected and photographed. Gaza's health ministry has outlined its procedures for compiling the death toll. In public hospitals under the direct supervision of the territory's Hamas government, the "personal information and identity number" of every Palestinian killed during the war are entered in the hospital's database as soon as they are pronounced dead. The data is then sent to the ministry's central registry on a daily basis. For deaths in private hospitals and clinics, information is recorded on a form that must be sent to the ministry within 24 hours to be included in the central registry, a ministry statement said. The ministry's "information centre" then verifies the entries to "ensure they do not contain any duplicates or mistakes", before saving them in the database, the statement added. Gaza residents are also encouraged by Palestinian authorities to report any deaths in their families on a designated government website. The data is used for the ministry's verifications. The ministry is staffed with civil servants that answer to the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority as well as to the Hamas government in Gaza. An investigation conducted by Airwars, an NGO focused on the impact of war on civilians, analysed the data entries for 3,000 of the dead and found "a high correlation" between the ministry's data and what Palestinian civilians reported online, with 75 percent of publicly reported names also appearing on the ministry's list. The study found that the ministry's figures had become "less accurate" as the war dragged on, a development it attributed to the heavy damage to health infrastructure resulting from the war. For instance, at southern Gaza's Nasser Hospital, one of the few still at least partly functioning, only 50 out of 400 computers still work, its director Atef al-Hout told AFP. Israeli authorities frequently criticise the ministry's figures for failing to distinguish between combatants and civilians. But neither the army nor Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu deny the scale of the overall toll. The press office of Gaza's Hamas government had previously estimated that nearly 70 percent of the roughly 40,000 dead are women or children . Several UN agencies, including the agency in charge of Palestinian refugees , have said the ministry's figures are credible. "In the past the five, six cycles of conflict in the Gaza Strip these figures were considered as credible and no one ever really challenged these figures," the agency's chief Philippe Lazzarini said in October. A study by British medical review The Lancet estimated that 186,000 deaths can be attributed to the war in Gaza, directly or indirectly as a result of the humanitarian crisis it has triggered. The war in Gaza was triggered by Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,198 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. bur-str-crb/lba/jd/kir/dv This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. Bangladesh's de-facto foreign minister Mohammad Touhid Hossain said on Thursday that the government will soon enough decide on the extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as cases against her continue to mount. Hasina fled to India earlier this month amid violent protests against her government. Bangladesh's former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. (AFP) In an interview with Reuters, Hossain said he did not want to speculate, but added that Hasina was facing "so many cases". He further said that the ultimate decision to pursue the extradition of the former PM is up to the country's home and law minister. He said this creates an embarrassing situation for neighbouring India as Hasina continues her stay in New Delhi while exploring options for seeking political asylum. "That creates an embarrassing situation for the Indian government," Hossain said, adding India "knows this and I am sure they will take care of it". He did not elaborate. According to Reuters, India's external affairs ministry made no comments in this regard. Hossain is the adviser on foreign affairs in the interim government led by Nobel laureate Mohammed Yunus. Sheikh Hasina, along with other members of her party Awami League, has been named in two murder cases in Bangladesh. She fled the country on August 5 amid violent riots and protests across the country, that led to the deaths of over 300 people. Ataur Rahman, deputy director of the investigation cell of International Crimes Tribunal, a domestic court, said it had launched a third case - an investigation against ten people, including Hasina, for murder, torture and genocide during the period of the protests. After Hasina fled Dhaka, protestors targeted her party leaders' residence and attacked people and monuments associated with Awami League. Local media reports said that multiple party leaders were assaulted and beaten to death by angry mobs. At least three of Hasina's former ministers and advisers have already been arrested in Bangladesh. In her only statement since her ouster, Hasina has demanded a probe into the killings and vandalism during the protests. She has not commented on the charges against her. Meanwhile, her son Sajeeb Wazed earlier said that Hasina would not be returning to politics in Bangladesh, and she only fled the country and resigned from her post after repeated requests from her family. (With inputs from Reuters) Dhaka: The Awami League partys efforts to commemorate the assassination of former president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Dhaka were thwarted on Thursday, even as a top official said Bangladeshs interim government will decide on seeking former premier Sheikh Hasinas extradition from India. Protesters hold national flags as they march to block the house of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangabandhu the first president of independent Bangladesh and father of ousted ex-premier Sheikh Hasina, on Thursday, to mark the anniversary of his assassination. (AFP) A large number of men armed with sticks were seen standing at intersections and roads leading to the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Museum at 32, Dhanmondi Road, which was vandalised and set ablaze after Hasina stepped down and fled to India on August 5. These men barred Awami League supporters and others from gathering at the museum to mark the anniversary of the death of Rahman, considered the father of the nation for his role in the liberation war of 1971. Several people were reportedly beaten up for coming to the area while at least 10 people were handed over to police. The Awami League observes National Mourning Day on August 15, but the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus cancelled the national holiday instituted by the previous administration. Bangladesh Police erected barricades on roads near the museum and students and activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) were seen checking for Awami League supporters. Personnel from the army and paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) were also deployed in the area to beef up security. Mujibur Rahman was assassinated along with his wife, his brother, four sons and two daughters-in-law by a group of army officers at his residence at 32, Dhanmondi Road in 1975. Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana survived as they were in Germany at the time. In a message issued through her son on Tuesday, Hasina, currently at an undisclosed location in India, had called on people to observe the National Mourning Day. Meanwhile, Bangladeshs de facto foreign minister Touhid Hossain told Reuters on Thursday that the interim government will decide whether to ask India to extradite Hasina as cases rise against her, including murder accusations. He said he didnt want to speculate but noted Hasina was facing so many cases. If the home and law ministries decided, we have to ask for her...return to Bangladesh, Hossain said. That creates an embarrassing situation for the Indian government, he said, adding that India knows this and I am sure they will take care of it. He didnt elaborate. There was no immediate response from Indian officials to Hossains remarks. Hasina and members of her Cabinet have been named in two murder cases. Ataur Rahman, deputy director of the investigation cell of the International Crimes Tribunal, a domestic court, said a third case had been launched against 10 people, including Hasina, for murder, torture and genocide during recent protests. BNPs student wing Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal organised a demonstration at Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka on Thursday to demand the trial of Hasina for her alleged role in the killing of students and citizens. The Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir gathered at Shahbagh to ensure that the Awami League could not cause any untoward incident. In a separate development, the interim government is expected to be expanded with the inclusion of at least two advisers on Friday, people familiar with the matter said. The presidents press secretary, Joynal Abedin, told HT the swearing-in of the new members will be held at 4pm on Friday but he didnt say how many new faces will be included. Yunus was sworn in along with 16 advisers on August 8. By Andrew MacAskill China resubmits application to build contested big embassy in London LONDON, - China has resubmitted plans to build a new large embassy in London, a contested project that could test how the new Labour government handles relations with the world's second largest economy after years of diplomatic tensions and disputes. Beijing sent a new planning application to Tower Hamlets council to build the embassy near the Tower of London last month, almost two weeks after the new government took power on July 5, according to documents on the council's website. The planning documents said the council's decision to reject the proposals in December 2022 on security grounds and the impact on residents was "without merit" and had "no basis in planning policy". China missed a deadline last year to appeal against the decision when there were tensions with the then-Conservative Party-led government over suspicions about Chinese cyber-espionage and human rights. But China always had the option to resubmit a fresh application. Although the planning application will initially be handled by Tower Hamlets council, the national government could get involved if the proposal is rejected again and China appeals. The council said that its planning team was reviewing the application but that it is too early to say when a decision will be made. The Chinese embassy in London said its "resubmitted plan and design proposal for the new embassy building fully takes into account the requirements of the UK's building planning policies and the views of all relevant parties," in a statement. China has accused Britain of exaggerating allegations about Chinese spies and cyberattacks. Labour under Prime Minister Keir Starmer has prioritised strengthening post-Brexit relations with the European Union, but has said it will carry out an audit of the bilateral relationship with China to understand and respond to the challenges and opportunities Beijing poses. China first announced plans to build a new London embassy in 2018 in keeping with its increasing diplomatic clout, buying land on the former site of the Royal Mint - the maker of British coins - for about 250 million pounds . The embassy would be China's biggest diplomatic legation in Europe and almost twice the size of its one in Washington. This led some British politicians and security officials to warn that a bigger embassy and more Chinese diplomats could make it easier to increase the number of spies in the country, officials told Reuters. Chinese officials in return have expressed frustration to the British government over its failure to help secure planning permission at official-level meetings, people involved in those talks have said. Earlier this year, British and Chinese officials held at least one meeting to discuss the dispute, the people said. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. Sweden reported its first mpox case on Thursday, a day after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the infection a global public health emergency. With this, Sweden has also become the first country outside the African continent to report the more contagious strain of mpox virus. Patient showing his hand with a sore caused by an infection of the monkeypox virus in Lima, Peru.(AFP / File) "A person who sought care" in Stockholm "has been diagnosed with mpox caused by the clade I variant. It is the first case caused by clade I to be diagnosed outside the African continent," Sweden's Public Health Agency said in a statement. The patient is believed to have contracted the virus during a visit to a region in Africa currently experiencing a major outbreak of mpox clade I, according to state epidemiologist Magnus Gisslen. "The fact that a patient with mpox is treated in the country does not affect the risk to the general population, a risk that the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) currently considers very low," Gisslen said in a statement. Mpox outbreak: Symptoms, preventions. Why has WHO declared it global health emergency? Explained On Wednesday, the WHO declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years, following an outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo that has spread to other countries. "The emergence of a new clade of mpox, its rapid spread in eastern DRC, and the reporting of cases in several neighbouring countries are very worrying, WHO director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news conference. On top of outbreaks of other mpox clades in DRC and other countries in Africa, its clear that a coordinated international response is needed to stop these outbreaks and save lives, he added. What is the Mpox strain spreading in Central Africa: All you need to know about this transmissible disease The UN health agency declared it a global public health emergency on the advice of the International Health Regulations (IHR) Emergency Committee of independent experts. Last week, the WHO invited manufacturers of mpox vaccines to submit an expression of interest for Emergency Use Listing (EUL) amid a worrying surge in cases in Africa. The new viral strain, which first emerged in September 2023, has for the first time been detected outside DRC. What is mpox? Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral disease primarily spread through close contact with an infected person or animal. This can include direct contact with body fluids, skin lesions, respiratory droplets, or contaminated materials like bedding. The virus can also be transmitted from animals to humans, typically through a bite, scratch, or direct contact with the animal's bodily fluids. Symptoms The symptoms of mpox usually appear within 5 to 21 days after exposure and can include fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, swollen lymph nodes, chills, exhaustion. People with mpox get a characteristic rash that often begins on the face before spreading to other parts of the body. The rash typically goes through several stages, including macules, papules, vesicles, pustules, and finally crusts, which eventually fall off. According to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a person with mpox can spread the virus to others from the onset of symptoms until the lesions have completely healed, the scabs have fallen off, and a fresh layer of skin has formed underneath. The infectious period usually lasts 2 to 4 weeks. With inputs from agencies Kathmandu, The Indian Embassy in Nepal on Thursday disbursed dues worth Nepali 55 million to the widows and next of kin of deceased Gorkha soldiers who served in the Indian Armed Forces as it celebrated India's 78th Independence Day. Indian envoy to Nepal disburses dues, benefits worth millions to next of kin of Gorkha soldiers on Independence Day The celebrations at the embassy began with the hoisting of the national flag by India's Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava who at the ceremony, apart from dues, also handed over Nepali 125.5 million, covering benefits under the Army Group Insurance programme, to the widows and next of kin of 107 deceased members of the Indian Armed Forces. The Nepali 125.5 million payment under the AGI programme included death-in-service benefits, extended insurance benefits, and AGI maturity payments for 2024, an Indian Embassy statement said. Apart from the monetary benefits, the embassy also gave a blanket to each of the widows and next of kin of Gorkha soldiers who died while serving in the Indian Army. The event was marked by playing the video address to the nation by President Droupadi Murmu where she highlighted the progress made by India in various fields in the past 77 years and paid tribute to freedom fighters who laid their lives for the independence of India. The Embassy also gifted books worth more than Nepali Rs. 3 million to 21 educational institutions and libraries across five provinces of Nepal. The programme, attended by members of the Indian community in Nepal and friends of India apart from Embassy staff and their families, also featured recitation of patriotic songs and dance performances by teachers and students of Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre of the Embassy and Kendriya Vidyalaya in Kathmandu. Keeping with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for 'Ek Ped Ma Ke Naam', the Embassy here also organised various programmes for planting saplings. During his visit to Nepal, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on August 11 planted a sapling of Nili Gulmohar tree in the Indian Embassy complex. Similarly, Ain Bahadur Shahi Thakuri, the Nepali Minister for Forests and Environment, also planted a Nili Gulmohar sapling at the Indian Embassy premises in Lainchaur, Kathmandu, in memory of his late mother Tara Devi Shahi as part of the 'Ek Ped Ma Ke Naam' campaign. In alignment with the Ek Ped Ma Ke Naam initiative, the Ambassador, other officials, and their families planted 78 saplings at the Embassy premises to celebrate Indias 78th Independence Day. "This effort was part of our commitment to enhancing environmental sustainability," the statement said. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. * New round of Gaza ceasefire talks begins in Qatar Spy chiefs in Doha for fresh Gaza talks * Mediators to consult Hamas negotiators * Gaza agreement seen as key to avoiding broader war By Andrew Mills, Nidal al-Mughrabi DOHA/CAIRO, - A new round of Gaza ceasefire talks was underway in the Qatari capital Doha on Thursday afternoon, an official briefed on the meeting told Reuters, with Israel's spy chief joining his U.S. and Egyptian counterparts and Qatar's prime minister for the closed-door meeting. The talks, an effort to end 10 months of fighting in the Palestinian enclave and bring 115 Israeli and foreign hostages home, were put together as Iran appeared on the point of retaliating against Israel following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31. With U.S. warships, submarines and warplanes dispatched to the region to defend Israel and deter potential attackers, Washington is hoping a ceasefire agreement in Gaza can defuse the risk of a full-out wider regional war. Hamas officials, who have accused Israel of stalling, did not join Thursday's talks. However mediators planned to consult with Hamas' Doha-based negotiating team after the meeting, the official briefed on the talks told Reuters. Israel's delegation includes spy chief David Barnea, head of the domestic security service Ronen Bar, and the military's hostages chief Nitzan Alon, defence officials said on Wednesday. CIA Director Bill Burns and U.S. Middle East envoy Brett McGurk represented Washington at the talks, convened by Qatari prime minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, with Egypt's intelligence chief Abbas Kamel also in Doha. Israel and Hamas have each blamed the other for failure to reach a deal but in the run-up to Thursday's meeting, neither side appeared to rule out an agreement. A source in the Israeli negotiating team said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has allowed significant leeway on a few of the substantial disputes. Gaps include the presence of Israeli troops in Gaza, the sequencing of a hostage release and restrictions on access to northern Gaza. In the lead-up to Thursday's talks, Hamas, which rejects any U.S. or Israeli intervention in shaping the "day after" the war in Gaza, told mediators that if Israel made a "serious" proposal that is in line with Hamas' previous proposals the group would continue to engage in negotiations. Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters on Thursday that the group is committed to the negotiation process and urged mediators to secure Israel's commitment to a proposal Hamas agreed to in early July, which he said would end the war and required a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. Even as negotiators arrived in Qatar, fighting continued in Gaza, with Israeli troops hitting targets in the southern cities of Rafah and Khan Younis. After months of a war which has laid waste to Gaza, killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials, and driven almost all of its 2.3 million population from their homes, there was a desperate desire for an end to the fighting. "Enough is enough, we want to get back to our homes in Gaza City, every hour a family is getting killed or a house getting bombed," said Aya, 30, sheltering with her family in Deir Al-Balah in the central part of the Gaza Strip, where hundreds of thousands have sought refuge from the fighting. "We are hopeful this time. Either it's this time or never I am afraid," she told Reuters via a chat app. In Tel Aviv, families of some of the hostages protested outside the headquarters of Netanyahu's Likud party. "To the negotiating team - if a deal is not signed today or in the coming days at this summit, do not return to Israel. You have no reason to return to Israel without a deal," said Yotam Cohen, whose brother Nimrod Cohen is a hostage in Gaza. The hostages were taken in the Hamas raid on southern Israel on Oct 7 in which the militants killed some 1,200 people, triggering the war in the Palestinian enclave. SEVERE RESPONSE In a statement Hamas issued late on Wednesday jointly with some smaller factions, it reaffirmed the outstanding demands the factions wanted a ceasefire agreement to achieve. The group said negotiations "should examine mechanisms to implement what was agreed upon in the framework deal submitted by mediators that would achieve a comprehensive ceasefire, a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces, breaking the siege, opening crossings and reconstruction of Gaza as well as reaching a serious hostages/prisoners deal." Iran's threat of a response to the killing of Haniyeh has added extra gravity to the talks. Three senior Iranian officials have said that only a ceasefire deal in Gaza would hold Iran back from direct retaliation against Israel. But a possible escalation from the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement in southern Lebanon is also weighing on the outlook. Following a missile strike that killed 12 youngsters in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on July 27, Israel assassinated Hezbollah's senior military commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut, prompting vows of retaliation from the movement. Israel and Hezbollah have been exchanging regular fire for months but the exchanges have been kept within tacitly understood red lines that risk being erased if the conflict escalates. Israel has neither confirmed or denied its involvement in Haniyeh's killing. The U.S. Navy has deployed warships and a submarine to the Middle East to bolster Israeli defences. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. Veteran anti-whaling campaigner Paul Watson, detained in Greenland pending an extradition request from Japan, has spent decades battling harpoonists and seal hunters in spectacular high seas confrontations. Paul Watson: eco-warrior on the high seas For years a bete noire of Japan, one of the last three countries along with Iceland and Norway to practise commercial whale hunting, Watson was arrested on July 21 in Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory. The 73-year-old American-Canadian was arrested under an Interpol "red notice" issued by Japan. On Thursday a Greenland court holds a hearing to decide whether to extend his detention pending the request. Brigitte Bardot, the French screen legend turned animal rights activist, rushed to his defence, telling the daily newspaper Le Parisien that the Japanese government had "launched a global manhunt" against Watson, who was "caught in the trap". Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, where Watson has lived for the past year, also pressed Danish authorities not to extradite the campaigner, according to his office. Watson devoted himself to saving marine life in 1977, forming what would become the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. He was dismissed from the group in 2022 after infighting, which he said left a bitter taste. Some branches of the association, including that of France, continue to support him. Before then he had spent time with the Canadian Coast Guard and Norwegian and Swedish merchant marine ships. Over the years he has become a familiar face in the media, appearing in the reality TV series "Whale Wars" and gaining notoriety for his innovative, direct-action tactics: chasing, harassing, scuttling and ramming illegal whaling and fishing vessels. "We are pirates of compassion hunting down and destroying pirates of profit," Sea Shepherd's website quotes him as saying. He uses acoustic weapons, water cannon and stink bombs against whalers. Employing these methods, he has sunk more than a dozen boats and raided just as many. As a campaigner, he has drawn on his degree in communications, galvanising support and funding from stars including longtime patron Bardot, Sean Penn, Pierce Brosnan and Pamela Anderson. Born in Toronto in 1950, the eldest of seven children, Watson grew up in a fishing village in New Brunswick in eastern Canada. He lost his mother when he was 13 and two years later he left home after falling out with his father. His passion for whales was sparked in 1975, he says, when he was caught in a standoff with Soviet whalers and looked a dying whale in the eye. "If we cannot save the whales, turtles, sharks, tuna, and complex marine biodiversity, the oceans will not survive," he said in a web interview in 2017. "And if the oceans die, humanity will die, for we cannot survive on this planet with a dead ocean." Over 45 years, the intrepid captain has carried out spectacular operations from Siberia to Iceland, Norway, the Faroe Islands and Japan. With his crews he has saved thousands of whales and spotlighted the illegal activities of whalers. In 2010 Sea Shepherd clashed violently with Japanese boats, leading to the sinking of the organisation's high-tech superboat Ady Gil in the remote Southern Ocean. Tokyo has accused him of causing injury and damage to one of its whaling ships in the Antarctic in 2020. He regularly says in interviews "we've never injured anybody". At the time, Japanese ships hunted whales in the Antarctic and North Pacific for what it said were scientific purposes. The white-bearded father of three claims in his biography to have co-founded Greenpeace in 1972 but said he parted ways with the group over arguments about protest tactics. His ex-allies and the Japanese government label him an "eco-terrorist" because of his radical tactics. He was detained for several months in the Netherlands in 1997 and lived in exile on the high seas from 2012 to 2014. His next battle is in court. He was arrested on the John Paul DeJoria in Greenland as the ship was headed to "intercept" Japan's new whaling factory vessel in the North Pacific, his foundation said. bur/jmy-lam/eab/smw/imm This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. Pressure built for a Gaza ceasefire to be agreed at talks set to resume Thursday in Qatar to avert a wider war involving Iran, after months of fighting between Israel and Hamas militants. Pressure for deal builds ahead of new Gaza truce talks In a veiled warning to Iran, Hamas and Israel, United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani on Wednesday said "no party in the region should take actions that would undermine efforts to reach a deal," the US State Department said. In a telephone call, the two discussed "efforts to calm tensions in the region and the importance of finalising a ceasefire in Gaza," it said. US, Qatari and Egyptian mediators have invited Israel and Hamas for negotiations aimed at ending a war that the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says has killed nearly 40,000 people in the Palestinian territory. The conflict has already drawn in Iran-aligned groups from Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq and Syria. In Beirut on Wednesday, visiting US envoy Amos Hochstein told a news conference that he and Lebanon's parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri agreed "there is no more time to waste and there's no more valid excuses from any party for any further delay". Berri is an ally of Lebanon's Hezbollah movement which has exchanged near-daily fire with Israeli forces in what Hezbollah says is support for Hamas. Hochstein said a deal in Gaza "would also help enable a diplomatic resolution here in Lebanon and that would prevent an outbreak of a wider war." He added: "We have to take advantage of this window for diplomatic action and diplomatic solutions. That time is now." According to a United States source familiar with the Doha meeting, CIA director William Burns is scheduled to take part. Israel confirmed it would attend, though it remained unclear if Hamas, whose October 7 attack on Israel triggered the war, planned to participate. Mediation efforts have repeatedly stalled since a week-long ceasefire in November when militants released dozens of Israeli and foreign hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. Hamas officials, some analysts and critics in Israel have said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sought to prolong the fighting for political gain. Israeli media this week quoted Defence Minister Yoav Gallant as privately telling a parliamentary committee that a deal to release hostages still held in Gaza "is stalling... in part because of Israel." Netanyahu's office hit back, accusing the minister of adopting an "anti-Israel narrative" and saying Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar is "the only obstacle to a hostage deal." A Hamas official said the Islamist movement was "continuing its consultations with the mediators". Hamas had demanded the implementation of a framework that US President Joe Biden laid out on May 31, instead of holding more talks. US news website Axios, citing US officials, reported that former president Donald Trump, who is seeking re-election, spoke with Netanyahu on Wednesday and discussed the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal. The latest mediation push follows the July 31 killing of Hamas political leader and truce negotiator Ismail Haniyeh during a visit to Tehran. His killing sent fears of a wider conflagration soaring. Iran and its allies in the region blamed Israel and vowed retaliation. Israel has not claimed responsibility for the attack. Western leaders have urged Tehran to avoid attacking Israel over Haniyeh's killing, which came hours after an Israeli strike in Beirut killed a senior Hezbollah commander. Asked whether a ceasefire agreement in Gaza could stave off an Iranian attack on Israel, Biden said: "That's my expectation". A spokesman for Netanyahu told AFP that the heads of the Mossad spy agency and Shin Bet internal security service would attend the Doha talks. Qatar was "working to ensure that there is Hamas representation as well", State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters. Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attack on southern Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,198 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures. Militants also seized 251 people, 111 of whom are still held captive in Gaza, including 39 the military says are dead. Israel's retaliatory military offensive in Gaza has killed at least 39,965 people, according to Gaza's health ministry, which does not provide a breakdown of civilian and militant deaths. In Lebanon's south, the health ministry reported two people killed in separate Israeli strikes. Hezbollah said two of its fighters were killed, and the Israeli military said its air force had "struck Hezbollah military structures". In Gaza, where almost the entire population is displaced and much of the territory's housing and other infrastructure destroyed, relatively few incidents were reported on Thursday. In the most deadly bombing, rescuers said air strikes killed three people in Gaza City. Israel's military said troops killed around 20 militants in Rafah, southern Gaza. On Wednesday, dead and wounded including bloodied children arrived at Nasser hospital in the southern city of Khan Yunis after an Israeli strike. "I was not pro-Hamas but now I support them and I want to fight," one grieving man shouted. burs-it/dr This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. The bloodiest ever Gaza war which broke out more than 10 months ago has taken an appalling human toll. Ten months of bloodshed: the Gaza war in numbers At least 40,005 people have been killed in the besieged Palestinian territory in Israel's retaliatory campaign for the October 7 attack which triggered the war, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run Palestinian territory. It does not provide a breakdown of civilian and militant casualties. The unprecedented Hamas raid on southern Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,198 Israelis and foreigners, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. While Hamas has refused to say how many fighters it has lost, the Israeli military said it had killed and apprehended around 14,000 militants as of July 16. Among the militants killed until July 16 were six brigade commanders, more than 20 battalion commanders, and around 150 company commanders, the military said. Like many of the casualty figures from the war, this is impossible to confirm independently. According to the International Institute of Strategic Studies, Hamas's armed wing, the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, had between 15,000 and 20,000 fighters. Israel's Institute for National Security Studies cites 15,000 but underlines that Arab media spoke of 40,000. - Israeli losses - Around one-third of those killed in Israel on October 7 and in the two subsequent days of violence were members of the security forces 306 soldiers, 60 police officers and 10 members of the Shin Bet internal security service, Israel said. Seventy-nine of those killed during the attack were foreigners, mostly Thai workers. The Israeli army says 690 troops have died since the war began, 20 of those in friendly fire. Out of the total, 330 have been killed in the Gaza military campaign since Israel launched its ground operations in the territory on October 27, the army said. At least 18 Israelis soldiers and civilians, including Jewish settlers have been killed in violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank since the Gaza war began. Twenty-six civilians and 22 Israeli soldiers have died in the north in Hezbollah rocket and missile attacks from Lebanon. Of the 251 Israeli and foreign hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7, 111 remain in Gaza, of whom the military says 39 are dead. During a one-week truce in November, militants released 105 hostages in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners, while bodies of 24 hostages have been returned to Israel since the war began. The Israeli military has called up 300,000 reservists, 17 percent of them women, since the war began. In addition to the deaths in Gaza, attacks by Israeli soldiers and settlers in the occupied West Bank have killed at least another 632 Palestinians, according to an AFP tally based on data provided by the Ramallah-based health ministry. Israel said that until July 16, it had struck around 37,000 targets in Gaza from the air since the war began. It said it hit more than "25,000 terrorist infrastructure and launch sites" during that period. Israeli fire since October has killed 570 people in Lebanon, mostly Hezbollah fighters but at least 118 civilians as well, according to an AFP tally. Hezbollah announced that more than 370 of its fighters have been killed. Fighters from other groups in Lebanon including Hamas and the Hezbollah-allied Amal movement are also included in the total. The cross-border fire has displaced tens of thousands of people in southern Lebanon and northern Israel. At least 25 Hezbollah fighters have been killed in Israeli strikes in Syria, according to an AFP tally, with seven Iranian Revolutionary Guards killed in a strike on Damascus in April. Last week, Israel said at least 7,500 rockets have been fired over the border from Lebanon since the war erupted. burs-fg/jd/th/it This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. After a landmark East-West prisoner exchange this week, Russia still has a number of Western and dual nationals in its jails. The Westerners still held in Russian prisons Here are the most high-profile cases. This dual US-Russian citizen was sentenced on Thursday to 12 years in prison for "treason" after allegedly donating a little over $50 to a pro-Ukraine charity. Karelina, a ballet dancer and spa worker, living and working in Los Angeles, was arrested in January while on a visit to Russia. She pleaded guilty in court, her lawyer said. This 48-year-old French national working with the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, a Swiss-based conflict mediation non-profit, was detained on June 6 in Moscow. He has been remanded in custody pending trial. He is accused of failing to declare himself as a "foreign agent" and gathering military information that could be used against Russia by foreign states, an offence punishable by up to five years in jail. Russia in the past has used the law to target Kremlin critics, but not usually foreign citizens. The US soldier was sentenced in June to three years and nine months in prison by a court in the far eastern city of Vladivostok, for having threatened to kill his girlfriend and for stealing from her. The soldier was visiting a Russian woman he had met and dated while serving in South Korea. He was accused of beating her and stealing 10,000 rubles, around $113. This American teacher at the Anglo-American School of Moscow, born in 1959, was reportedly detained in August 2021 for attempting to bring in 17 grams of cannabis and cannabis oil which he said was for medical purposes. He was convicted of "large-scale" drug smuggling in June 2022 and sentenced to 14 years in prison. A former US paratrooper, Michael Travis Leake, was detained in June 2023 and sentenced to 13 years in prison in July this year for selling illegal narcotics. CNN reported that Leake, who fronted a Moscow-based rock band called Lovi Noch, had lived in Russia for many years. The American was found guilty in 2022 of attacking a policeman while drunk in the western city of Voronezh and sentenced to four years and six months in prison. He pleaded guilty but claimed that prison guards had poisoned him with radioactive materials. His sentence was later reduced to three and a half years on appeal. In June this year he appeared in court on new charges of allegedly punching prison guards and an investigator. This US-Russian man was jailed for three and a half years in June over social media posts allegedly mocking a patriotic ribbon associated with the Soviet army's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, which is also a key part of the Kremlin's patriotic narrative. Malev, who was placed in pre-trial detention in December 2023, was found guilty of "rehabilitating Nazism". The court said that Malev, who had been working as a security guard in New York, pleaded guilty to the charge. bur/db This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. Toronto They wont have a vote in the 2024 US Presidential election, but a large number of Canadians have a favourable view of Vice-President and Democratic Party nominee Kamala Harris and are hopeful that she will emerge victorious this November. Democratic presidential candidate and US Vice-President Kamala Harris attends a campaign event at University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (REUTERS) According to a new survey from the Canadian non-profit public polling agency Angus Reid Institute (ARI), two-thirds of those surveyed, 64%, hold favourable views of the current Vice-President while half, 50%, say they are hopeful when they consider the prospect of her winning the election in November. The most commonly chosen words Canadians would use to describe Harris: strong (40%) and inspiring (35%). Another term that is applied in the context of the American Presidential election is relieved as Canadians consider Harris potentially stepping into the White House as President, ARI stated. That flows from the negative opinion Canadians have of former US President and Republican Party nominee Donald Trump. Over three-quarters, or 76%, hold an unfavourable view of Trump. Of course, if Harris were to win, shell make history as the first woman to lead the United States, not to mention the first person of Indian-American heritage as well as the first African-American woman. Gender can be a factor, as per the Canadians polled, as they overwhelmingly believe it is easier for men to get elected to high political office (73%) than say gender plays no role in elections (22%). Though Canadians generally favour Democrats over Republicans, Harris enjoys more positivity than Hillary Clinton, the party nominee in 2016 did. An ARI poll in September that year, 55% of those surveyed either disliked her or disliked her very much. ARI noted, Though measured on a different scale, Harris clearly generates more positive views. Harris Canadian connection may help with the better perception, as she came to Montreal aged 12, with her mother Shyamala Gopalan, who had been employed at the Lady Davis Institute of Montreals Jewish General Hospital, the agency Canadian Press reported in July. She attended the Westmount High School in the city in the province of Quebec between 1978 and 1981. KYIV, - Ukraine said there was no sign Russian military pressure was receding along the eastern front inside its borders on Thursday, more than a week after its incursion into Russia, and reported the heaviest fighting in weeks near Pokrovsk. Ukraine reports heavy fighting on eastern front after Russia incursion Ukraine launched a major assault into Russia's Kursk region on Aug. 6, carving out a strip of land in what military analysts have said is, in part, an attempt to divert Russian reserve forces to act as reinforcements. Military spokesman Dmytro Lykhoviy said Russia had moved some troops from Ukraine's occupied south to other areas, but that it had not constituted a big redeployment for now. "No significant changes in the size of the group were detected, and the number of the personnel is not changing enough to indicate any differences or weakening in ... hostilities," Lykhoviy said on national television. Serhiy Tsehotskiy, an officer with the 59th Motorized Brigade, said there had been no letup in Russian pressure in the partially-occupied Donetsk region where Russia has concentrated its attacks for months. "The enemy, despite what is happening on the territory of Russia, is still... keeping the bulk of its troops in this direction and trying to achieve success," Tsehotskiy said on national television. Russian forces had used all its available reserves in the eastern Donetsk region and had "truly pressured" Ukraine there, he said. The Ukrainian military's General Staff said there had been 58 battles between Kyiv and Moscow's forces on the front near the Kyiv-controlled logistics city of Pokrovsk, the most it has reported on any single day this month. DeepState, a popular Ukrainian military blog, reported Russian advances in the villages of Zhelanne and Orlivka on Ukraine's eastern front late on Wednesday. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. Dhaka, A team of UN experts will visit Bangladesh next week to investigate the killings of the protesters ahead of and in the aftermath of Sheikh Hasinas resignation as the prime minister last week, it was announced on Thursday. UN team to visit Bangladesh next week to probe killings of protesters during students agitation This will be the first time the UN is sending a fact-finding mission to Bangladesh since its independence in 1971 to investigate widespread human rights abuses in the country, according to a UN official, said a post on X by the Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh. Muhammad Yunus took oath as the Chief Adviser of the interim government on August 8, days after Sheikh Hasina's government collapsed and she fled to India on August 5 amid violent protests over quota reforms for government jobs. The United Nations is sending a UN fact-finding team next week to probe atrocities committed during the Student Revolution in July and early this month. UN human rights chief Volker Turk announced the move when he called Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus late Wednesday, the Chief Adviser of Government of Bangladesh said in a post on X, the handle for which is run by Yunus office. Bangladesh descended into chaos last week after Hasinas departure while the Army stepped in to fill the power vacuum on August 5. Before that, the anti-government protests had killed more than 500 people since mid-July. Meanwhile, Turk assured his support and said an inclusive, human rights-centred approach will ensure the transition succeeds. Volker Turk in a post late on Wednesday night said, Promising phone call with @ChiefAdviserGoB Muhammad Yunus. I assured him of @UNHumanRights Office's solidarity with the people of #Bangladesh & our support to the interim govt at this pivotal time. An inclusive, human rights-centred approach will ensure this transition succeeds. Earlier on Wednesday, after his phone call with Turk, Yunus had posted: The UN human rights chief, @volker_turk has made a phone call to Bangladesh Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday. A team of UN experts would soon visit the country to investigate [the killings]," Volker Turk told Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus today during a phone conversation. Yunus said in a connecting post on X: The UN rights chief said a UN-led investigation will be launched very soon to probe the killing of the protesters during the Student Revolution. Human rights will be the cornerstone of his administration and the protection of every citizen is the top most priority of the government, Yunus, who has sought UN cooperation to uphold human rights, said. The Chief Adviser thanked him and his long-time friend Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, for supporting the Bangladesh students revolution and championing their rights during unprecedented and devastating killings of student protestors, Yunus said in the series of posts. Meanwhile, a complaint was filed on Wednesday with the investigation agency of Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal against Hasina and eight others, accusing them of committing genocide and crimes against humanity during the mass movement of the students against her government. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. Columbia University President Minouche Shafik announced her resignation on Wednesday, reported CBS News. (FILES) Bank of England Deputy Governor Nemat Shafik speaks during a discussion on Fortifying the Global Financial Safety Net(AFP) The announcement comes months after she faced criticism for how she handled on-campus protests in reaction to the Israel-Hamas conflict. In an email to students and faculty members, Shafik wrote, "I write with sadness to tell you that I am stepping down as president of Columbia University effective August 14, 2024. I have had the honor and privilege to lead this incredible institution, and I believe that-working together-we have made progress in a number of important areas. However, it has also been a period of turmoil where it has been difficult to overcome divergent views across our community." Shafik made the announcement a month before the new semester starts. Columbia's fall semester begins September 3. "This period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in our community. Over the summer, I have been able to reflect and have decided that my moving on at this point would best enable Columbia to traverse the challenges ahead. I am making this announcement now so that new leadership can be in place before the new term begins," she wrote in her email, announcing the resignation. Shafik, who is a British-American, went on to state that the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom has invited her to head a review of the government's approach to international development, allowing her to return to the UK Parliament's House of Lords, reported CBS News. "I am very pleased and appreciative that this will afford me the opportunity to return to work on fighting global poverty and promoting sustainable development, areas of lifelong interest to me," Shafik wrote. According to Columbia's website, Katrina Armstrong has been named as the interim president. In April, Shafik spoke before Congress as part of a countrywide hearing on antisemitism on school campuses, according to CBS News. Members of Congress, notably North Carolina's Virginia Foxx and Utah's Burgess Owens, chastised her for reportedly condoning intolerance towards Jewish students at the university. The surge in protests across US campuses stemmed from heightened tensions following Hamas' attack on southern Israel on October 7 and the prolonged Israeli military campaign in Gaza, resulting in staggering casualties there, which included children as well. The recent wave of demonstrations gained momentum nearly two weeks prior, sparked by Columbia University President Minouche Shafik's contentious testimony before a US congressional committee. Critics accused Shafik of prioritizing lawmakers' interests over those of the university's students. (ANI) By Jonathan Allen and Kanishka Singh Columbia University president resigns in wake of campus protests over Gaza war NEW YORK, - Columbia University President Minouche Shafik resigned on Wednesday, nearly four months after the university's handling of campus protests over Israel's war in Gaza drew criticism from pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian sides alike. Shafik, who cited the toll the campus turmoil took on her family, becomes the third president of an Ivy League university to step down in the wake of campus protests over Gaza. She said she made the announcement now so new leadership could be in place before the new term begins on Sept. 3, when student protesters have vowed to resume protests. "It has... been a period of turmoil where it has been difficult to overcome divergent views across our community. This period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in our community," Shafik said in a statement. The university announced Katrina Armstrong, dean of Columbia's medical school, would serve as interim president. Armstrong said in a statement she was "acutely aware of the trials the University has faced over the past year." Columbia was rocked in April and May as protesters occupied parts of the New York City campus in opposition to Palestinian civilian deaths in Gaza, resulting in hundreds of arrests. The demonstrators denounced Shafik for calling police onto campus to halt the demonstrations, while pro-Israel supporters castigated her for failing to crack down sufficiently. Students with Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a group behind the protests, welcomed the resignation but said it should not become a distraction from their efforts to have Columbia divest from companies that support Israel's military and its occupation of Palestinian territories. "We hope that Columbia will finally appoint a president that will hear the students and faculty rather than appeasing Congress and donors," said Mahmoud Khalil, one of the group's lead negotiators with the school's administration. Republican U.S. Representative Elise Stefanik, a critic of university leaders in congressional hearings over Gaza protests nationwide, called Shafik's resignation "overdue" on X because of what she called failure to protect Jewish students. Two other Ivy League presidents have resigned after facing congressional critics. Liz Magill of the University of Pennsylvania stepped down in December 2023 and Claudine Gay of Harvard quit a month later. Shafik, an Egyptian-born economist who holds British and U.S. nationality, was previously deputy governor of the Bank of England, president of the London School of Economics and deputy managing director at the International Monetary Fund. After leading Columbia for little more than a year, Shafik said she would return to the British House of Lords and chair a review of the government's approach to international development. Her position at Columbia was undermined when pro-Palestinian protesters set up dozens of tents on the main lawn. On April 18 she took the unusual step of asking New York police to enter campus, angering rights groups, students and faculty, after encampments were not cleared voluntarily. More than 100 people were arrested and the tents removed, but within days the encampment was back in place. The university called police back in on April 30, when they arrested 300 people at and near Columbia and the City College of New York. Some protesters were injured in the arrests. The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered on Oct. 7 when Palestinian fighters from Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's subsequent assault on the Hamas-governed enclave has since killed nearly 40,000 Palestinians, according to the local health ministry, while displacing nearly the entire population of 2.3 million, causing a hunger crisis and leading to genocide allegations at the World Court that Israel denies. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. THOMSON, Ga. The mayor of a small Georgia town has been indicted on charges that he illegally left a bottle of gin in a ditch for a state prison work crew. Georgia mayor faces felony charges after investigators say he stashed alcohol in ditch for prisoners Thomson Mayor Benjamin Benji Cary Cranford was indicted on Wednesday and arrested by Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents. He faces felony charges of furnishing prohibited items to inmates and attempt to commit a felony. The indictment issued Wednesday in McDuffie County Superior Court says that the 52-year-old Cranford drove to a store on June 3, bought a bottle of Seagram's Extra Dry Gin and left it in a ditch along Georgia 150 in Thomson in the path of a work crew of state prisoners from the Jefferson County Correctional Institution. Thomson police on June 6 asked the GBI to investigate the claim that Cranford gave alcohol to inmates, GBI said. Agents arrested Cranford at Thomson City Hall after a city council meeting and led him away in handcuffs, WRDW-TV reported. Cranford didnt answer questions from reporters after he was released from the McDuffie County Jail Wednesday on $5,000 bail. Court records didn't list a lawyer for Cranford as of Thursday, and he has not yet appeared before a judge. Other city officials declined comment. As we understand the charges in this case are not related to Mr. Cranfords duties as an elected official, we do not have a comment, said Jason Smith, the local community development director who serves as a city spokesperson. Cranford could face suspension from office until the charges are resolved if a panel recommends to Gov. Brian Kemp that the charges harm Cranford's ability to act as mayor. Some other officials have been suspended when they faced felony charges that were not directly related to their office. Cranford won election last year, beating 12-year-incumbent Kenneth Usry. A paving contractor before he was elected, Cranford later settled a lawsuit that alleged he had tried to hide assets from a bonding company that was on the hook to pay some of the companys debts. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. Jordan Chiles' battle to take her bronze medal at the 2024 Olympic Games has taken a dramatic turn as the United States has accused the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) of treating her case in an incredibly incorrect manner. Jordan Chiles has officially been stripped of her Olympic bronze medal following a court ruling on Saturday(REUTERS) This development follows CAS's decision to uphold Romania's victory and deny Team USA another medal in Paris. Ana Barbosu had initially earned bronze before the United States challenged Chiles' difficulty being scored too low after her 540 degrees mid-air split in the floor exercise final. USA Olympic Committee contests CAS' decision, alleges mishandling According to the USA Olympic Committee (USOPC), CAS sent an email to incorrect individuals at the American organisation to inform them of the actions being taken against Chiles. USOPC stated that notifications were given to incorrect email addresses and that the CAS took around 3 days to get in touch with its general counsel, Chris McCleary, after Romania made its plea over Chiles' score, they said in a statement obtained by the USA Today. The USOPC strongly contests the CAS decision due to significant procedural errors. From August 6-9, CAS sent crucial communications to erroneous email addresses at USOPC and USAG, an error not corrected until Aug. 9 - three days after filing, two days past the deadline to submit objections and less than 24 hours before the hearing. It continued, saying, the CAS' action deprived the US authorities of sufficient time to acquire relevant evidence or to respond constructively. The US body further claimed that new evidence supports their objection, including mishandlings by CAS and administrative errors by FIG (The International Gymnastics Federation), which they were unable to bring up at the time due to urgent hearing. Stating that they were not given a significant chance to be heard, they are dedicated to pursuing an appeal to guarantee Jordan Chiles gets the credit she deserves. Our pursuit of truth in this matter remains unwavering, it added. Notably, Hamid G. Gharavi, the penal head who determined that Chiles should forfeit her medal in favor of Barbosu, has served the Romanian government for a decade. CAS hits back at US authorities The fumed CAS clapped back at the US authorities earlier on Wednesday. The CAS denounced the outrageous statements made in some US media outlets that the panel, and especially its chairman, was prejudiced due to their nationality or other professional obligations. It mentioned that all parties were content with having their case considered by this panel since none of them opposed any of panel members during the proceedings. Any subsequent criticism is without foundation or merit. The devastated USA Gymnastics has announced that it would challenge the decision by filing an appeal with the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland. Meanwhile, Chiles has remained quiet since the verdict came out on Saturday, announcing on Instagram with broken hearts emojis that she would like to stay away from social media for sometime. Kate Middleton reportedly contacted Meghan Markle following the explosive allegations of racism levelled against the royal family including her. The Duchess of Sussex had claimed that a senior royal expressed concerns about the skin tone of their kid Archie, during her and Prince Harry's Oprah interview. The revelation ended up becoming a major point of rift between the two families. It's believed that the Princess of Wales was the one who suggested trying to calm things down after Omid Scobie's book name-dropped the infamous royals. Kate Middleton-Meghan Markle: Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle are seen. (File) Kate Middleton contacted Meghan after racist royal row Last year, royal author Omid Scobie in his Endgame alleged that Kate Middleton and King Charles were among the notorious royal racists. According to a recent source, Princess Kate subsequently contacted Meghan Markle to discuss the controversy. Also read: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could lose Royal titles after family prepares for "Shortly after the books allegations came out, Kate reached out to Meghan to clear the air, an insider told In Touch Weekly. According to the source, King Charles was the one who asked the Princess of Wales to become his peacemaker after William's refusal." She agreed because, when it comes to the royal family, Kate has always taken her duties seriously she does what she is told. Racist accusation continues to tarnish royal reputation Despite the alleged call between the Royal princesses, it is said, "This feud has gotten so unseemly and out of hand, its starting to overshadow his (Charles) reign and the entire monarchy. He wants to heal the rift once and for all." Also read: Prince Harry and Meghans Chief of staff resigns in just 3 months ahead of Colombia trip: Report In 2021, Meghan suggested that Archie didn't get royal privileges because of his African American heritage. "In those months when I was pregnant, all around this same time ... so we have in tandem the conversation of He wont be given security, hes not going to be given a title and also concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when hes born," Meghan said at the time. However, he wouldn't have received these privileges anyway because of a rule set by King George V in 1917. After the revelation upset the royals, Scoobie reversed his stance, claiming he did not name the alleged "royal racists" in an early book version. He noted that the initial text sent to a Dutch publisher was meant to be updated. However, it was later reported that this manuscript included Charles and Kates names. The names of the royals were there in black and white, I did not add them, she said. I just did what I was paid to do, and that was translate the book from English to Dutch, the translator Saskia Peters said as per OK magazine. The royal family responded, stating, "The issues raised, especially regarding race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken seriously and will be addressed privately." Mark Cuban and Elon Musk exchanged jabs after the Shark Tank star accused the Tesla CEO of manipulating X's algorithm to display information as per his personal preferences to influence the election. Musk hit back at Cuban and responded with the poop emoji. Mark Cuban, an enthusiastic user of X, responded a few minutes after Tesla CEO's diss. Instead of saying anything, the business owner replied with three heart-hand emojis.(X/AP) Appearing for an interview with Jon Stewart on Comedy Central's The Daily Show, which aired on Monday, Cuban talked about Musk. He told Stewart that Musk has modified the algorithms to fit his personal taste after acquiring X, the former Twitter platform, in 2022. Commenting on Musk's influence, Cuban remarked, When you go on X, you see a preponderance of right-leaning people. Stewart retorted that he frequently encounters these types of profiles on the platform, despite the fact that he has never clicked on any of these f****** things. That's how algorithms operate, remarked Cuban, adding that writing an algorithm gives a person the ability to specify the parameters of what you want to see happen. Continuing his tirade against Musk, he went to claim that the X owner has done such thing. He, however, mentioned that things are different on other platforms. According to him, only 20% of American adults use X, meaning that the remaining 80% do not. After seeing a video clip of the remarks posted on X on Wednesday by the user @WesternLensman, Musk said, That was hilarious laughing emoji. Unlike the other platforms, our algorithm is open source! And if you interact and argue with 'right wing' accounts, which Cuban does a lot, the algorithm will assume that's what you *want* to do and give you more of it lmao, he added. Also Read: Trump reveals why he sounded 'different and strange' during Elon Musk interview Elon Musk blasts Mark Cuban Musk went one step farther when he reacted to the video's poster, who wrote, So X must be attacked and destroyed. Musk surprisingly said, exactly, but added Mark Cuban is a giant [poop emoji] in human form. Cuban, an enthusiastic user of X, responded a few minutes after Musk's remarks. Instead of saying anything, the business owner replied with three heart-hand emojis. This comes days after Cuban confronted Musk on X about matters pertaining to freedom of speech and the repression of truths. On The Daily Show, Cuban talked about the political influence of Musk, who endorsed Donald Trump. On the other hand, the Shark Tank star has openly declared his support for the Democrat candidate. The future of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's royal titles hangs in the balance as the Royal Family gathers at Balmoral Castle for crucial 'future talks.' The annual summer retreat has been transformed into a strategic summit where the monarchy is expected to chart its course for the next decade. As the Sussexes have distanced themselves from royal duties and launched critical yet scathing remarks against the UK family, speculation is mounting about potential changes to their roles and titles within the institution. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle ripped over decision to visit Colombia (Photo by Kola SULAIMON / AFP)(AFP) Prince Harry and Meghans titles at risk "The Royal Family is meeting at Balmoral to discuss various issues, including the Duke and Duchess of Sussex," an insider told the Daily Express. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have once again been excluded from a major royal gathering, and the snub has reportedly left them 'surprised' but not 'shocked,' as they likely anticipated it. "What people don't realise is that the Balmoral gathering isn't just a summer holiday," the insider added." Also read: Tim Walz picks CBS for vice presidential debate day against JD Vance only if he Not only will Harry and Meghan's tours and upcoming trip to Canada be on the agenda, but their titles and peerages will also be up for discussion," they continued. The estranged royals are soon to embark on their Columbia tour after touring Nigeria in May, where they were criticised for their royal-styled outing despite not working as senior royals. Why is the Balmoral talk so important for Royals? The family also participates in pre-arranged meetings where they discuss the family's current position and how they can best prepare for the future, the source disclosed. Also read: Prince Harry and Meghans Chief of staff resigns in just 3 months ahead of Colombia trip: Report Last year was very much about honouring the Queen as it was the King's first time hosting the gathering since her death, but this will be about how the family can best move forward without the Sussexes, they added. The source reflected on major changes, noting that with William advancing to the position of Prince of Wales and taking on major decisions alongside his father, any attempt by the working royals to strip the Sussexes of their titles could lead to 'a lot of unnecessary problems' if implemented. Its not just about pride or hurt feelings; there are very ugly repercussions for them when this constant narrative that theyre family outcasts keeps getting fed, another insider claimed earlier regarding the Sussexes' reaction to the brutal snub. What will happen if Harry and Meghan are stripped of their royal titles? While the couple were stripped of their HRH styles following their decision to step back from royal duties, their Dukedoms and other titles remain intact. However, sources suggest that King Charles III could potentially remove the Sussexes' Prince and Princess titles, a move that would require less complex legal proceedings. Stripping them of their Dukedoms, on the other hand, would be a far more complicated process, necessitating an Act of Parliament. Their children, Archie and Lilibet, who currently hold the titles Prince and Princess, could also see their titles revoked if the family decides to take such drastic measures. American fast food giant Subway has called for an emergency meeting amid a sales crisis. The multinational franchise initiated this meeting with its 19,000 eateries all over North America. As reported by The New York Post, Subway shops have incurred negative changes in their profits and sales. Subway faces Sales Drop(AFP) What went down? In April 2024, Subway sold its franchisee to Roark Capital, which manages and owns Cheese Factory, Dunkin, Baskin Robbins, Arbys and more. Subway, a recent addition to Roark Capital, had been sold for $9 Billion to the company. Due to recent setbacks, Subway has informed all franchisees that they must restructure plans and reveal strategies to revive customer traffic and win back lost market shares. In its recent invite to its franchisees, Subway noted, The conference is essential. Additionally, the invite urged, Join us to discuss the state of the industry and an update on our business. A Subway franchisee with nearly 20 stores has opened up about the situation at hand, as reported by The Post. A spokesperson mentioned that his same-store sales have dropped by 5% to 10% in these few weeks, which is reportedly more than 2023. For this, he has blamed Subways recent price promotions and discounts, which have led to a significant decrease in customer traffic. They are doing crazy coupons, he emphasised, Our gross sales are not even at 2012 levels, and profit then was five times what it is today. Subway was also criticised for charging $6.99 for any sub while they are $11 on the menu and offering three sandwiches for $17.99. Also Read | Furious NY mom claims Burger King meal for daughter, 4, had blood all over it, company responds What has been reported about the sales? Even though reports claim that Subway does not disclose its national sales information, the outlet reported that about 1,000 Subways in the Eastern US region saw a weekly drop in sales of 8.7% between June 25 and July 16. Restaurant consultant John Gordon also claimed that the meeting seems very unusual. He also reported that same-store sales had dropped by 10% in Subways all over the West Coast and East Coast. In Los Angeles and San Diego, same-store sales dropped by 8%, and in Southern California suburbs, sales flattered between 2% and 5%. Also Read | French Fry Day: Chicken tenders to mozzarella sticks, fry-shaped foods to munch on with the classic What seems to be the problem? Last year, Subway announced that its sales in North America were up by 5.9%, in contrast to the current year when sales have significantly lowered. Discounting of best-selling products has been named the culprit in this situation. There seems to be no way to make up for the lost profit. Subway had reportedly hoped to increase traffic by offering a foot-long hot dipper snack for $3 in June, anticipating increased store sales. However, sources claimed they have not been selling enough of the product. In the previous year, Subway stores offered Sidekicks like foot-long cookies, pretzels, and churros, which boosted sales regardless of a 1.7% decrease in customer traffic. However, the trick seems to have failed to produce the same results this year, and customers are not charmed by this scheme any longer. Now, Subway has fallen short of money. The company, which has sold itself,f to Roark, only earns through the 8% royalty fees from its franchises. The Post reports they can no longer allow a decline in earnings since they face interest payment on their debt following their recent sale to Roark Capital. It is indeed a tough time for the beloved fast-food chain, and the emergency meeting seems to be the only escape from their dreadful failure. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has officially secured CBS as the platform for an upcoming vice presidential debate against JD Vance. The highly anticipated showdown is set to take place on October 1. For the unversed, both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris will lock horns on ABC on September 10 after the Republican nominee initially refused to debate on the network. Tim Walz finally responds to JD Vances allegations of stolen valour (REUTERS/Ringo Chiu, REUTERS/Umit Bektas/File Photo) However, the VP event will only proceed if Vance confirms his attendance. As the political landscape heats up, all eyes are now on whether the Ohio senator will show up for the debate. Tim Walz picks VP debate day against JD Vance Harris for President has accepted CBS invitation to a Vice Presidential Candidate Debate on October 1. Governor Walz looks forward to debating JD Vance if he shows up, stated a Harris campaign official. Not long ago, the Democratic nominee selected Tim Walz as her running mate, and the two have been actively participating in rallies together. CBS reportedly offered debate slots on September 17, September 24, October 1, and October 8, with Walz confirming his acceptance of the October 1 date on X. Also read: Kamala Harris and running mate Tim Walz to begin Pennsylvania bus tour on Current surveys indicate a tight race between Harris and Trump in key American regions, with voters split on their choice for the White House. On the other hand, Vances campaign has made it clear that the Ohio senator is ready to debate his opponent; however, an official confirmation from his side to debate Walz on October 1 is still awaited. See you on October 1 JD The Harris running mate, who has faced numerous allegations from JD Vancesuch as accusations of "stolen valour" during a recent campaign in Michiganhas expressed eagerness to engage in the upcoming debate. Walz earlier stated, "I can't wait to debate the guyassuming he's willing to get off the couch and actually show up." He added, "JD Vance shares Donald Trumps dangerous and backward agenda for this country. Also read: Kamala's '34' Attack On Trump; Tim Walz Accuses Ex-President Of 'Trying To Steal' | US Election CBS had initially proposed holding the debate in late July or early August, but these dates were scrapped due to increased pressure on Biden to step down. This led to his departure and Kamala Harris being chosen as the Democratic candidate for the upcoming presidential election. Tim Walz responds to JD Vances allegations I firmly believe you should never degenerate another persons service record, Walz slammed Vance while speaking to members of the AFSCME public-sector union in Los Angeles recently. To anyone brave enough to put on that uniform for our great country, including my opponent, I just have a few simple words: thank you for your service and sacrifice, he said as per NY Post. JD Vance earlier accused Tim Walz of "stolen valour" during a recent Michigan campaign, questioning Walzs military service and challenging his stance on weaponry. Vance asked, When were you ever in war? In a surprising U-turn, Donald Trump has positioned himself as Joe Biden's staunch supporter following months of criticism of the incumbent President. Donald Trump charged that Kamala Harris, the US VP and newly announced Democratic Party presidential nominee, was treating Biden with disdain in the White House.(AP) Launching an assault on the Democratic Party and Biden's former allies, Trump claimed on his Truth Social platform that Biden was being mistreated by the Democratic Party and his former allies, alleging that they stole presidency from him. As he should be, he is an angry man, Trump wrote. Trump based his assertion on reports that Biden received an invitation to deliver a speech at the Democratic National Convention on Monday. Addressing his supporters at Wednesday rally in North Carolina, Trump mentioned that it was the least busy night of the event, which typically includes B-list speakers. He further charged that Kamala Harris, the US VP and newly announced Democratic Party presidential nominee, was treating Biden with disdain in the White House. Kamala Harris wants NOTHING TO DO WITH CROOKED JOE BIDEN. They are throwing him out on the Monday Night Stage, known as Death Valley, he wrote. Targeting former President Barack Obama and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the GOP presidential leader stated that angry Biden now hates both of his Democratic allies more than him. He now HATES Obama and Crazy Nancy more than he hates me! He is an angry man, as he should be. They stole the Presidency from him It was a Coup! Also Read: Barron Trump's net worth and inheritance revealed as dad Donald considers him an asset to Biden blames Pelosi and Democrats over withdrawal from race Despite his reluctance to withdraw from the presidential campaign following concerns raised by members of his own party members regarding his mental state, Biden stepped down from the White House race and endorsed Harris. Earlier this month, Biden clarified that he resigned under pressure and not voluntarily, putting the blame squarely on Pelosi and a few of his senior Democratic colleagues. He also made it apparent that there was no life-threatening medical condition and that the battle with Trump was very close when he was asked to step down. Trump is expected to hold a press conference at his estate in New Jersey on Thursday. By Gerry Doyle U.S. Navy's newest air-to-air missile could tilt balance in South China Sea SINGORE -The U.S. Navy's deployment of new extremely long-range air-to-air missiles in the Indo-Pacific could erase China's advantage in aerial reach, experts say, part of an intensifying focus on projecting power amid high tensions in the region. The AIM-174B, developed from the readily available Raytheon SM-6 air defence missile, is the longest-range such missile the United States has ever fielded and was officially acknowledged in July. It has three key advantages: it can fly several times farther than the next-best U.S. option, the AIM-120 AMRAAM; it does not require new production lines; and it is compatible with the aircraft of at least one ally, Australia. Crucially, a weapon such as the AIM-174B, which can attack aerial targets as far away as 400 km , outranges China's PL-15 missile, allowing U.S. jets to keep threats farther from aircraft carriers, and safely strike "high-value" Chinese targets, such as command-and-control planes. "The United States can ensure the safety of their important assets, such as carrier groups, and launch long-range strikes on PLA targets," said Chieh Chung, a researcher at a Taipei-based thinktank, the Association of Strategic Foresight, using an abbreviation for the People's Liberation Army. The West has not easily been able to do that until now. The AIM-120, the standard long-range missile for U.S. aircraft, has a maximum range of about 150 km , which requires the launching aircraft to fly deeper into contested territory, exposing aircraft carriers to greater danger of anti-ship attacks. Any type of South China Sea conflict, within the so-called First Island Chain, which runs roughly from Indonesia northeast to the Japanese mainland, means the U.S. Navy would operate within few hundred kilometres of its Chinese adversary. Supporting Taiwan in an invasion would pull the Navy in even closer. The AIM-174B changes that equation, keeping PLA carrier-hunting aircraft out of firing range and even endangering their planes attacking Taiwan, Cheih said. That increased the likelihood the United States would get involved in a major conflict in the region, he added. "The big thing is that it lets the United States push in a little bit further" into the South China Sea during a conflict, said a senior U.S. defence technical analyst, who declined to be identified because the matter is a sensitive one. "And it's going to potentially change Chinese behaviour because it's going to hold large, slow, unmanoeuvrable aircraft at greater risk." RANGE ADVANTAGE For decades, the United States' advantage in stealth fighters, first with the F-117 and then with the F-22 and F-35, meant that missiles such as the AIM-120 were all that was needed. The U.S. military also leaned into developing the AMRAAM as a cheaper alternative to a new missile, drastically improving its performance over decades, said Justin Bronk, an airpower and technology expert at London's Royal United Services Institute. The SM-6 is estimated to cost about $4 million each, says the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, while an AMRAAM costs about $1 million. European nations, which lacked access to stealth technology until recent years, developed the ramjet-powered Meteor missile, with a range of 200 km , produced by MBDA. MBDA did not respond to a request for comment. The advent of Chinese stealth aircraft such as the J-20, and more important, the PL-15 missile it can carry internally - with a range of 250 km or more - eroded the U.S. edge, said Kelly Grieco, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center. Now a stealthy Chinese aircraft could theoretically spot non-stealthy U.S. aircraft and shoot them down well outside the range where they could even fight back, she said. Even U.S. stealth aircraft might be forced to fly dangerously close to fire their missiles. "If a Chinese fighter can outrange an American fighter, it means they can get the first shot," she said. "Its hard to outrun something that's travelling at Mach 4." The AIM-174B was developed to quickly address that need. The secretive Lockheed Martin AIM-260, a separate U.S. Air Force program to develop an extremely long-range air-to-air missile small enough for stealth aircraft to carry internally, has been in development for at least seven years. Lockheed Martin declined to comment on the project. China is developing missiles with longer range than the PL-15, Bronk said, but the radar of launching aircraft may be unable to spot targets at such distances. "If you go too big and too heavy with the missiles, you end up trading off fuel" for the aircraft, he added. AVAILABILITY Using Raytheon's SM-6, originally designed for a ship-launched air defence role, means production lines are already available. Funding has already been earmarked for more than 100 SM-6 missiles a year. Raytheon declined to comment on how many AIM-174Bs would be produced or if existing SM-6s would be converted. So far it has only been shown on U.S. Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft, which are operated by the U.S. and Australian militaries. The United States sees Australia as a crucial ally and location for projecting power into the South China Sea, and is investing hundreds of millions of dollars in military infrastructure there. Australia's defence ministry said it "works closely with the U.S. to understand capability options available for Australian consideration". The U.S. Defense Department referred questions about the AIM-174B to the U.S. Navy. The Navy said the missile was "operationally deployed" but declined to comment on whether it would be supplied to allies, whether it would be integrated onto other aircraft, and how many AIM-174Bs it wanted each year. The versatility of the SM-6, which has also been used to hit ships, land targets and missiles, opens up possibilities beyond the AIM-174B, said Peter Layton, a defence and aviation expert at the Griffith Asia Institute. For instance, if fitted with an anti-radar seeker, it could attack and disrupt surface-to-air missile batteries from extremely long range. For now, though, adding the AIM-174B to the U.S. Navy's arsenal, even if not yet in large numbers, changes the calculus of a regional conflict, the senior technical analyst said. "If this is enough to push aircraft way back, then you don't need many," the analyst added. "Because the threat has caused the adversary to change their behaviour ... It makes a South China Sea scenario easier." This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. A third person is set to be executed by nitrogen gas, Alabama authorized Wednesday, months after becoming the first state to put a person to death with the previously untested method. The Alabama Supreme Court granted the state attorney generals request to authorize the execution of Carey Dale Grayson, one of four teenagers convicted in the 1994 killing of Vickie Deblieux in Jefferson County. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey will set Graysons execution date.(AP) The Alabama Supreme Court granted the state attorney generals request to authorize the execution of Carey Dale Grayson, one of four teenagers convicted in the 1994 killing of Vickie Deblieux in Jefferson County. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey will set Graysons execution date. In January, the state put Kenneth Smith to death in the nations first nitrogen gas execution. A second execution using the protocol is set for Sept. 26 for Alan Eugene Miller. Miller recently reached a lawsuit settlement with the state over the execution method. Alabama and attorneys for people in prison continue to present opposing views of what happened during the first execution using nitrogen gas. Smith shook for several minutes on the death chamber gurney as he was put to death Jan. 25. While Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall described the execution as textbook, lawyers for inmates said it was the antithesis of the states prediction that nitrogen would provide a quick and humane death. Grayson has an ongoing lawsuit seeking to block the state from using the same protocol that was used to execute Smith. His attorneys argued the method causes unconstitutional levels of pain and that Smith showed signs of conscious suffocation. We are disappointed that the Alabama Supreme Court has authorized the setting of an execution date before the federal courts have had a chance to review Mr. Graysons challenge to the constitutionality of Alabamas current nitrogen protocol, and before Mr. Grayson has had an opportunity to review any changes to the protocol brought about by the recent Alan Miller settlement, Matt Schulz, an assistant federal defender who is representing Grayson, wrote in an email. Earlier this month, Miller reached a confidential settlement agreement with the state to end his lawsuit over the specifics of the states nitrogen gas protocol. A spokesperson for the Alabama Department of Corrections declined to comment on whether the state is making procedural changes for Miller. The state has asked a judge to dismiss Graysons lawsuit, arguing that the execution method is constitutional and that his claims are speculative. Marshalls office did not immediately comment on the court setting the execution date. Grayson was charged with torturing and killing Deblieux, 37, on Feb. 21, 1994. Prosecutors said Deblieux was hitchhiking from Tennessee to her mothers home in Louisiana when four teenagers, including Grayson, offered her a ride. Prosecutors said they took her to a wooded area, attacked and beat her and threw her off a cliff. The teens later mutilated her body, prosecutors said. Grayson, Kenny Loggins and Trace Duncan were all convicted and sentenced to death. However, Loggins and Duncan, who were under 18 at the time of the crime, had their death sentences set aside after the U.S. Supreme Court in 2005 banned the execution of offenders who were younger than 18 at the time of the crime. Grayson was 19. The fourth teenager was sentenced to life imprisonment. Schulz noted that Alabama, in a 2004 Supreme Court brief opposing an age cutoff for the death penalty, wrote that it would be nonsensical to allow Grayson to be executed but not the codefendants whom the state described as plainly are every bit as culpable if not more so in Vickies death and mutilation. The state was seeking to allow all the teens to be executed. Lethal injection remains Alabamas primary execution method but gives inmates the option to choose the electric chair or nitrogen gas. Grayson had previously selected nitrogen gas as his preferred execution method, but that was before the state had developed a process to use it. Moscow/Paris, Leaders from across the world, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin, greeted India's leadership and the people of the country as it celebrated its 78th Independence Day on Thursday. World leaders, including Macron and Putin, greet India on its Independence Day While most of the leaders from the South Asian neighbouring countries invoked enduring friendship rooted in history and strengthening of bilateral relations when they greeted their counterparts, presidents and prime ministers from other regions spoke about strategic ties and regional ethos. French President Macron, in his message on X, said he remembers the warm welcome during his visit to India in January and that he is looking forward to working with my friend @NarendraModi on achieving the ambitious goals we have set for our strategic partnership. Russian President Putin sent a message of greetings to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of India's Independence Day. We attach great importance to the relations of a particularly privileged strategic partnership with India. I am confident that the consistent implementation of the agreements reached following our recent talks in Moscow will contribute to the further development of multifaceted Russian-Indian cooperation, Putin said in a statement. According to the Russian president, this undoubtedly meets the interests of the friendly peoples of the two countries and is in line with the consolidation of security and international stability. Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted on X: "India enjoys well-deserved authority in the world arena, playing a major constructive role in international affairs. We cordially congratulate our Indian friends on Independence Day!" Posting a picture of herself and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni said on X: "On the occasion of the 78th Independence Day, I would like to express my heartfelt wishes to the people of India, and especially to the many Indians who follow this page. Italy and India share an ever-stronger bond, and I am confident that together we will achieve great things. Our strategic partnership is an important pillar for the future." Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said his country stood with India in its celebrations and valued its diversity and unity. As India marks its 78th Independence Day today, I extend heartfelt wishes to my dear friend @DrSJaishankar and the people of India," Katz wrote on X. Israel stands with you in celebrating this special occasion, valuing the strength, diversity, and unity of this great nation, the Israeli Foreign Minister emphasised, writing the same message in Hindi as well. David Lammy, UK's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Commonwealth, congratulated "the people of India and Indians around the world on the 77th anniversary of independence" and said on X: "In Delhi, I saw the strength of the UK-India living bridge. Together we will boost investment, create jobs and address future challenges together in the years ahead." Prime Minister of UAE Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said India's celebration of its 78th Independence Day was a "testament to the nation's incredible developmental journey". "As we celebrate this significant milestone, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to my friend @narendramodi, Prime Minister of India, and the Indian people." "The UAE remains dedicated to reinforcing our friendship, advancing our bilateral cooperation, and fostering strong bonds across all facets of our enduring partnership. Wishing our Indian friends a joyous Independence Day," he added in his message on X. Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli took to X to write: Warm congratulations to Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji and the people of India on 78th Independence Day! May this day strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between our nations. Looking forward to advancing Nepal-India relations. Nepals Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Arzu Rana Deuba too took to X to say, On the occasion of the 78th Independence Day of India, I wish to extend warm greetings and felicitations to His Excellency @DrSJaishankar and the friendly people of India. May the ties of friendship and cooperation between Nepal and India continue to strengthen. Wishing peace, prosperity, and progress to the people of India, she said with the hashtag #NepalIndiaRelations. Tagging @narendramodi and @PMOIndia handles, Bhutans Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay said on X, Wishing the government and people of India a very happy Independence Day! May the special friendship between Bhutan and India grow ever stronger. Fresh from last weeks visit by Jaishankar to his country to reset India's bilateral ties with the Maldives, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu said on X: On the occasion of Indias Independence Day, I extend heartfelt congratulations to President @rashtrapatibhvn, Prime Minister @narendramodi, and the people of India. Our enduring friendship, rooted in history, has evolved to foster prosperity and development in the Maldives and the region. As we look to the future, I am confident that our partnership will continue to strengthen, driving mutual prosperity and shared goals, he added. Muizzus cabinet colleague and Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer extended warm greetings and best wishes to Jaishankar, the Government, and the friendly people of India on the jubilant occasion of Independence Day. Wishing for continued peace, progress and prosperity for the people of India and a stronger and vibrant bilateral partnership between #Maldives and #India, he said in a post on X. M U M Ali Sabry, Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka sent warm wishes to Jaishankar, and the government and people of India and said, I am confident that the excellent bilateral ties between our nations will continue to strengthen in the years to come. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Mauritius Prime Minister in his greetings posted on X sent warmest congratulations to Modi and the people of India and wished Long live the vibrant and ever flourishing Mauritius Bharat relationship. Mauritius Minister for Foreign Affairs Maneesh Gobin said: On this day we honour the enduring ties that unite our nations. Together, we grow stronger. He also used Hindi slogans of Jai Bharat and Jai Mauritius signifying victory while posting the greetings on X. Predicting a bright future for US-India strategic relations, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that the two countries share a deep bond, which is founded on their shared commitment to democracy, freedom, and human dignity. Congratulating the people of India ahead of the country's Independence Day, Blinken said in a statement: On this momentous day, we celebrate the rich and diverse history of the Indian people and the bright future of US-Indian relations. Singapores Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan said he looked forward to building on our close and longstanding relations with the 60th anniversary of Singapore-India ties next year. Bagher Kani, acting Foreign Minister of Iran, Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs Senator Penny Wong, Ararat Mirzoyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, and several other leaders too wished Modi, Jaishankar and/or the government and people of India. Maldives former president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, head of the main opposition Maldives Democratic Party and former Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid too sent over their greetings. As India moves toward its goal of #ViksitBharat, we remain grateful for all the support India has extended to the Maldives and the security and wellbeing of the Indian Ocean region. May the ties of friendship that have existed between the peoples of India and Maldives since ancient times long endure. Apart from the personal messages from the leaders, the respective Ministry of Foreign Affairs of several countries wished India from their official X handles. These included Egypt, Ukraine, Malaysia, Bulgaria, Serbia, North Macedonia, Iran, Armenia, Georgia, Cyprus, Estonia, Oman, Romania, Iceland and Latvia. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. Ukrainian fighters, employing some DIY know-how, salvaged parts from wrecked electric vehicles, including a hydrogen fuel tank from a Toytoa Mirai, to fashion a make-shift small hydrogen bomb into a ground drone to attack a Russian position, according to a report. The 116th mechanized brigade, also kown as the Khorne Group, assembled the bomb during a counteroffensive last month in Vovchansk, in northeastern Ukraine, where Russian troops had taken cover in an old factory overlooking the town, according to Euromaidan Press.com. With the Russian forces holed up in the heavily fortified structure and Ukrainians lacking guided bombs to attack the plant because of a shortage of military aid and the ineffectiveness of regular drones, they had to come up with other solutions. "They salvaged parts from wrecked civilian electric cars to create drones and bombs. Batteries and alternators from electric vehicles like Teslas were repurposed as power sources for drones, helping to sustain the Ukrainian drone force," the report said. The Ukrainian fighters manufactured a bomb built from the "fully loaded hydrogen cell" from the Toyota Mirai, which weighed more than 400 pounds. The Mirai gets its power by transferring H2 from a high-pressure container into a fuel cell, according to Interesting Engineering. "The hydrogen composition of the bomb enabled it to generate powerful blast waves, fireballs, debris, and mushroom clouds," the report said. "Since drones were compromised by electronic warfare and the bomb was too heavy for aerial drone delivery, the Ukrainians opted to use a remotely operated ground drone to transport the bomb to the Russian positions," it added. The Ukrainians sent the tricked-out vehicle carrying the bomb along a partially destroyed bridge to a spot near one of the plant's buildings and detonated it, "resulting in a powerful explosion that caused significant structural damage." Video of the blast was posted online by Ukrainian forces. Russian forces were initially forced to abandon the building before sending more troops to the facility to ensure it didn't fall into Ukrainians' hands. With the Russians focused on the plant, the Ukrainians exploited defensive gaps in the town to capture streets that were used as a key supply route. Tim Walz said that when Vice President Kamala Harris called to ask him to be her running mate, he didn't answer it because he didn't recognize the caller ID, allowing it to go to voicemail. The Harris campaign posted a conversation on X between her and the Minnesota governor on Wednesday recalling how she reached out to him to offer him the vice president slot. "I called you, Tim. I called you, Tim. You didn't answer, Tim," Harris said. "Yes. I know. I know," Walz responded. She asked: what happened? "The most important call of my life. It popped up and we didn't recognize the caller ID and it went to, uh, it went to voicemail," Walz said. The video then showed Harris getting a recorded message. "Hi, this is Tim. I'm not able to answer the phone." Harris left a voicemail: "Hey Tim, it's Kamala. I really want to talk to you!" Iranian police allegedly shot a 31-year-old woman who resisted having her vehicle seized over a violation of Iran's headscarf law for showing her hair in public while driving. Arezou Badri, a mother of two, is now unable to walk and is confined to a hospital bed, according to the Associated Press. Authorities are holding Badri at a police hospital in Tehran under tight security and have restricted family visitation to prevent them from taking photographs of her. Arezou Badri, 31 years old, mother of two from Iran, was admitted to Vali Asr Hospital in Tehran. She was shot in the spinal cord by the Islamic Republic's Morality Police. Her crime was not covering her hair. He's been paralyzed from waist down. #IRGCterrorists #_ pic.twitter.com/EhM5HZJSvD ATARI (@ATARI1990001) August 14, 2024 The shooting occurred on July 22 around 11:00 p.m. along a coastal road in Iran's northern Mazandaran province. Badri was reportedly driving home from a friend's house with her sister. Iran's state-run IRNA news agency quoted police Col. Ahmad Amini, who said patrol officers had ordered a vehicle with tinted windows to stop, but the driver disregarded the warning. There was no mention of a hijab violation or an impound notice. Human rights activists in Iran, who spoke to witnesses, allege that officers initially fired at the car's tires and that when Badri kept driving, they then shot into the vehicle, piercing her lung and damaging her spine. Badri's shooting came two years after 22-year-old Mahsa Amini was killed while in police custody, igniting nationwide riots over women's rights and the country's hijab law. As the September 16 anniversary of Amini's death nears, Iran's new reformist president, Masoud Pezeshkian, has pledged to ease the enforcement of the headscarf law. However, news of Badri's shooting and a recent video showing an Iranian girl being manhandled in the streets of Tehran indicate that the threat remains. "They have elevated it to the most serious crime, where the police are basically allowed to shoot to kill," said Hadi Ghaemi, executive director of the New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran. "That's really a war on women." Hashem Younis Hashem Hnaihen, 43, a Jordanian national, was arrested for allegedly attacking a Florida energy facility over its perceived support of Israel. At his detention hearing on Wednesday, Hnaihen was ordered to remain in custody pending trial amid charges of four counts of threatening to use explosives and one count of destruction of an energy facility. "We allege that the defendant threatened to carry out hate-fueled mass violence in our country, motivated in part by a desire to target businesses for their perceived support of Israel," said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. Hnaihen reportedly began targeting and attacking businesses in the Orlando area for their support of Israel in June 2024. Wearing a mask, Hnaihen smashed the glass front doors of businesses and left behind "warning letters" in the middle of the night. His letters, which were addressed to the United States government, outlined a series of political demands and threatened to "destroy or explode everything here in whole America. Especially the companies and factories that support the racist state of Israel." Toward the end of June, the suspect broke into a solar power generation facility in Wedgefield, Florida, and spent hours systematically destroying solar panel arrays, causing more than $700,000 in damage. Following a multiagency effort, law enforcement identified Hnaihen and arrested him on July 11, shortly after another "warning letter" threatening to "destroy or explode everything" was found at an industrial propane gas distribution depot in Orlando. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each threat offense and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the destruction of an energy facility offense. At their first joint appearance since President Biden withdrew from the 2024 race, he and Vice President Kamala Harris received enthusiastic cheers during an event focused on lowering prescription drug prices. The gathering, held at Prince George's County Community College in Maryland, highlighted their administration's efforts to negotiate reduced costs for key Medicare medications, a move that aims to save enrollees $1.5 billion annually by 2026. The event showcased the partnership between Biden and Harris, with the president praising Harris as a key player in their shared achievements. According to NBC News, the event also marked a significant moment as both leaders reflected on their collaboration while transitioning into the next phase of Harris's campaign. During the event, Harris commended Biden's work in securing more affordable health care, emphasizing how his leadership has impacted millions of Americans. The audience chanted "Thank you, Joe!" as Harris acknowledged the president's contributions to healthcare reform. Biden, in return, lauded Harris's leadership, predicting she would be an exceptional president. In an agreement announced earlier that day, the Department of Health and Human Services secured a deal to lower costs on 10 frequently prescribed medications under Medicare, marking a milestone in their broader efforts to tackle high drug prices. Biden stressed the importance of continuing to challenge large pharmaceutical companies, vowing to maintain pressure and protect American consumers. This appearance comes as Harris gears up to reveal her own economic platform in North Carolina, with a focus on addressing rising costs for everyday Americans. As reported by ABC News, Harris's campaign is expected to propose a federal ban on corporate price-gouging in the food and grocery sectors, further highlighting the administration's commitment to consumer protection. Driftwood Hospitality Management (DHM) proudly announces the completion of an extensive multimillion-dollar renovation for the Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront, a 295-key flagship property in the heart of Florida's Space Coast. The transformative project showcases DHM's commitment to providing an unparalleled guest experience in one of the nation's most beloved beach destinations. The renovations, encompassing seven floors and more than 10,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, draw inspiration from Cocoa Beach's natural beauty and vibrant surf culture. Guests will be greeted by a refreshed lobby featuring sandy hues and ocean-inspired artwork and invited to relax in the newly renovated guest rooms featuring soothing blue tones and local surfing photography. Renovated by Hospitality Project Advisors, an award-winning project management and consulting firm based in Palm Beach, Florida, the Hilton Cocoa Beach features modern property-wide updates from DHM's growing Lifestyle Division. With recent works including the Hotel Rumbao in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the Scottsdale Resort and Spa Curio Collection in Scottsdale, Arizona, and the Houston Hotel Vesper - Tribute by Marriott in Houston, Texas, the firm's Lifestyle Division has exceeded brand expectations in every hotel managed, with the Hilton Cocoa Beach as its latest example. In addition to the aesthetic updates, the hotel has introduced new amenities and experiences. The beachfront dining venues, Waves Craft Bar & Kitchen and Castaways Beach Bar, have been refreshed with new menus featuring coastal cuisine and handcrafted cocktails. The pool area has also been redesigned, fire pits, and a surf-inspired lounge. Hotel website Graduate Princeton transforms a historic 1918era student dormitory into a 180key boutique hotel, doubling the total hotel rooms in town. Graduate by Hilton, the global hospitality company's university-anchored hotel brand, announced the opening of Graduate Princeton today. Located on historic Nassau Street in the heart of downtown, directly opposite campus, Graduate Princeton boasts 180 guest rooms and a signature restaurant, Ye Tavern. Paying homage to the town's rich history, architecture, and design, the opening marks the first new hotel to open in Princeton in nearly 90 yearsand only the second hotel in its historic downtown, nearly doubling the number of available hotel rooms in town. "When we started Graduate ten years ago, Princeton was at the top of our list," said Ben Weprin, founder, Graduate Hotels, and founder & chief executive officer, AJ Capital Partners. "The history, the heritage, the backdrop, the charm, the sophistication it's just the idea of what somebody envisions college looks like in America." Weprin's firm, AJ Capital Partners, has meticulously restored, modernized, and expanded the 1918-era, Colonial Revival-style former university dormitory in partnership with architecture firm Stonehill Taylor. Today, Graduate Princeton is a contemporary collegiate-inspired hotel with 6,000 square feet of public space, 180 guest rooms, and a signature bar and restaurant - all designed in the brand's characteristic hyper-local, vibrant style. "Graduate Princeton provides a welcoming environment for guests to discover the traditions, history and hidden gems that make it one of the most popular university towns in the country," said Kevin Osterhaus, president, Global Lifestyle Brands, Hilton. "Continuing our reputation for delivering top-tier hospitality, Graduate Princeton is a stellar example of how the brand honors the unique stories of these neighborhoods and celebrates the passion and nostalgia that guests and fans feel when stepping through the doors of our hotels." Graduate Princeton's interior design invites guests to immerse themselves in the local culture, lore, and traditions. Visitors will discover subtle references to the university and the town's 275-year history throughout the hotel's public spaces and guest rooms. Nods to influential alumni, local architecture, and storied traditions synonymous with the Princeton student experience inform every detail of the Graduate Princeton's design. Upon entering Graduate Princeton's Gothic-inspired lobby, guests are greeted by a hand-carved wooden reception desk flanked by four wooden statues of the school's beloved mascot, the Tiger. Floor tiles rendered in Princeton's signature orange and black anchor the two-story library-like lobby, lined with thousands of books and a collection of colorfully embroidered vintage Reunions Jackets a token received by alumni at their 25th Reunion. A 30-foot carved wooden study table, a staple in every Graduate, is reminiscent of the historic libraries on campus and serves as a place for visitors and students to study, gather, and connect. The names of Princeton's storied eating clubs are painted in gold leaf on the library bookcases that frame the space. On the opposite end of the lobby is Ye Tavern, Graduate Princeton's signature bar and restaurant, named after a storied 1930s-era bar that once occupied the site. Ye Tavern takes design cues from its namesake: an intricately carved wooden barrecalling the lancet windows found throughout campusis a focal point of the space. Stone-topped banquets weave through the center of the space, punctuated by leather-top tables. Evoking a sense of nostalgia and tradition, Ye Tavern will serve up pre-prohibition era cocktails, classic American entrees, regional fare, and grab-and-go offerings throughout the day in a cozy, welcoming atmosphere. In the guest rooms, references to the university's emblematic color palette are carried through, with orange-and-white seersucker drapes complemented by an apricot-hued carpet. Bedside lamps inspired by the Revolutionary War-era cannon buried behind Nassau Hall sit beside a bespoke, custom wood-carved bed frame featuring hand-drawn illustrations referencing the University's annual Cane Spree Princeton's first organized intramural event dating back to the 1860s. Framed artwork above the desk in every guest room references the storied traditions of the University. Guest bathrooms feature custom wallpaper inspired by the campus' renowned arboretum, paired with a framed sketch by Albert Einstein, a reference to his time working for Princeton's Institute for Advanced Study, and the unparalleled intellectual legacy that followed. Graduate Princeton is part of Hilton Honors, the award-winning guest loyalty program with nearly 190 million members for Hilton's 24 world-class brands. The hotel is celebrating its opening with a special promotion, offering up to 1,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points per night for stays at Graduate Princeton from Aug. 1, 2024 through Feb.1, 2025. This offer is valid for reservations made directly through Hilton's booking channels, including Hilton.com and the Hilton Honors app. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of points and money to book a stay, an exclusive member discount that can't be found anywhere else and free standard Wi-Fi. To join, visit HiltonHonors.com. For more information on Graduate Princeton and to book your upcoming stay, visit www.hilton.com/en/hotels/pctgpgu-graduate-princeton/. Hotel website Hotel GrandBach Kyoto Select welcomes back US Business and Leisure travelers for its Grand Reopening in September 2024 and to experience unique inspirational design centered around relaxation and wellness. Named after music composer Johan Sebastian Bach and located in the heart of the bustling shopping area of Shijo-Kawaramachi in Kyoto, Japan, music fills the air around the GrandBach hotel and in the rooms creating an aura of healing and wellness. While many hotels in Kyoto offer bed types only up to the queen size, Hotel GrandBach Kyoto Select has significantly increased the number of rooms with king-size beds catering to American guests. The "Magdalena" Bar and Lounge gets its name from Bach's beloved wife. Across 116 rooms guests enjoy the space and hospitality to experience healing and harmony with nature. The Green House Group launched its own brand "Hotel GrandBach," which debuted in Shijo, Kyoto in 2014. Since then, it has expanded to locations in Atami (2016), Sendai, and Ginza (2021), with a total of four locations across Japan as of August 2024. The ethos of "Hotel GrandBach" is to "offer relaxing and luxurious experiences through our one-of-a-kind cuisine and signature music." Guests are welcomed with the music of Bach, and a serene environment combined with meticulous hospitality creates a relaxing atmosphere. Emphasizing quality ingredients, meals crafted by nutritionists and chefs represent a new form of hotel dining, pursuing both deliciousness and wellness. Hotel website Christian Clerc, an accomplished hospitality industry leader with more than three decades of operations and management experience at some of the most esteemed global luxury hotel brands, has been named President and CEO of Auberge Resorts Collection . Clerc succeeds former President and CEO Craig Reid, who is retiring after 10 years at the helm of the company. Clerc's appointment is effective September 1, 2024, and he will be based out of Auberge's Bethesda, MD, office. Clerc previously served as Global President at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, a position he held between 2016 and 2022. In this role, he was responsible for leading all aspects of the company's hotel and residential business globally, overseeing 127 hotels, 51 residential properties, more than 50 properties under development, and 50,000 employees across 47 countries. During his tenure, he prioritized company culture, product excellence, and global expansion, and introduced new lines of business as part of the company's strategic agenda. "Christian is a dynamic and admired leader in the hospitality industry. His proven approach to luxury customer experiences synergizes perfectly with our vision for Auberge, as we continue to build our highly sought after brand," said Dan Friedkin, Chairman and CEO of The Friedkin Group and Chairman of Auberge Resorts Collection. "He has a unique perspective on what a luxury hospitality brand should be and deep expertise in delivering curated experiences at one-of-a-kind properties that exceed the expectations of the world's most discerning travelers." Before assuming responsibility for global operations at Four Seasons, Clerc served as President, EMEA, from 2014 until 2016, overseeing the company's operations in the region. Previously, he led the iconic Hotel George V in Paris with regional responsibility for Southern Europe and held various GM and Regional VP positions throughout the Americas prior to that. After leaving Four Seasons in 2022, Clerc engaged in a variety of projects, including serving on the board of Artemis RE Partners, assuming the position of Chairman of the Board of duPont Registry Group, a luxury automotive and motorsport ecosystem, and advising on global luxury development projects. "I am thrilled to join the Auberge team," said Clerc. "It's an honor to have a role in furthering Auberge's well-earned reputation for creating unique and authentic experiences. I look forward to working closely with our talented team and our strategic partners to continue pursuing this vision of building the leading brand in luxury hospitality." The Danna Langkawi Resort & Beach Villas, an esteemed member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, is thrilled to announce the appointment of Aditya Shamsher Malla as its new General Manager, effective August 2024. Aditya, a highly regarded hospitality professional, brings a wealth of experience and a strong commitment to excellence, making him an invaluable addition to The Danna team. Aditya is a seasoned professional with over three decades of extensive experience in the hospitality industry. His illustrious career spans various high-profile roles, including operating, pre-opening, renovating, converting, repositioning, and relaunching branded hotels. Aditya has successfully led teams across diverse destinations, both leisure and business, and has been instrumental in cultivating service-led, values-driven cultures. Aditya has worked with some of the most prestigious brands, including Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, Taj Luxury Hotels, Shangri-La, Hyatt Regency, The Westin, Marriot International, and Hilton. He has spearheaded sales and marketing efforts for some of the finest luxury and MICE hotels and delivered operational excellence as General Manager. Most recently, he served as the General Manager in Indonesia, transitioning it to full service following acquisition and conversion from Accor. His educational background includes advanced courses in strategic leadership and management from esteemed institutions, including the Indian School of Business and IIM Bengaluru. He is an alumnus of Delhi University, graduating with honours in Economics, and holds a PGDM in Human Resources from IMT Ghaziabad. PHUKET, THAILAND Phuket Hotels Association, the non-profit organisation of hoteliers focused on creating a positive future for Phuket, and C9 Hotelworks, the award-winning hospitality consultancy, have confirmed the final line-up of speakers and moderators for this years edition of Mind the Gap: Women & Diversity in Hospitality, including some of the industrys most inspiring female executives, entrepreneurs and diversity leaders. It can now be revealed that Pranapda Phornprapha Chirathivat, Founder of Dragonfly360, a regional platform designed to promote gender equality in Asia, will take centre stage at the event, with a talk on The Power of Transforming Lives Through Simple Actions. Khun Pranapda, who is also President of Siam Music Yamaha, is a pioneering figure in Thai business. Through Dragonly360, which she founded in 2019, she tells the stories of those courageous people who are at the forefront of social, economic, and cultural change, striving to break down the barriers that women encounter in every aspect of life, work and business. Khun Pranapda is the latest in a series of top-level speakers to be confirmed at Mind the Gap. This stellar line-up also includes Anchalika Kijkanakorn, Founder & Managing Director of AKARYN Hotel Group, Max Simpson, Founder & CEO of Steps, Christina Ho, an airline pilot and TEDx speaker, and Kirsten Fletcher, Australian Consul-General in Phuket. Also revealing their insights will be Nikki Phinyapincha, Founder of TransTalents Consulting Group, Patteera Maneesri, Vice President of HR & Brand Culture at S Hotels & Resorts, Naureen Ahmed, Founder of Inspiring Women in Hospitality, Papungkron Numprasit, F&B Instructor & Supervisor at Dusit Thani College, David Boucher, CEO of Bumrungrad International Hospital Phuket, and Paul Hawco, Global Director of Integrated Wellbeing at Banyan Group. Two highly respected moderators can also now be announced. Viona Zhang, Deputy Managing Director of C9 Hotelworks, and Sumi Soorian, Senior Advisor of Phuket Hotels Association, will use their tact and acumen to guide the discussion topics and glean important information from delegates, including a panel discussion led by Emma Gray, Vice President Marketing and Business Development at Delivering Asia Communications as moderator. This is an insightful panel discussion will also glean the views of three highly successful Female Leaders in the Restaurant Industry: Samantha Haberli, Founder of Earth House Bangkok, Atchara Wongthai Palleros, Wine Training Manager & Sommelier at Tops Wine Cellar, and Tipaporn Phianthong, Corporate Chef for Saffron (Specialty Restaurant from Banyan Group, Worldwide). I am excited to join Mind the Gap, which focuses on a subject that is very close to my heart. Throughout my career in the music, fashion and automotive sectors, I have witnessed and experienced the challenges that so many women face. I look forward to meeting other like-minded people as we strive to empower women to shatter the glass ceiling and maximise their incredible potential. Khun Pranapda Mind the Gap is co-organised by the Phuket Hotels Association and C9 Hotelworks, who would like to thank SAii Laguna Phuket for being such a gracious partner and host. The event is proudly sponsored and supported by several diversity-conscious organisations, such as Australian Consulate-General Phuket, Dragonfly360, BH21 Pte Ltd., Vivaree, DKSH, and Vitalife. Our continued supporters are Delivering Asia Communications, AMCHAM, SAii Laguna Phuket, QUO, The Thaiger and BrandTD. Empowering women and embracing diversity isnt just about making a difference in the industryits about transforming it. When we lift each other up and champion inclusivity, we dont just open doors; we build bridges to a brighter, more innovative future for everyone in hospitality. Kirsten Fletcher, Australian Consul-General in Phuket Staged at SAii Laguna Phukets Similan Ballroom on Saturday 31st August 2024, Mind the Gap: Women & Diversity in Hospitality is open to everybody regardless of gender working in the hospitality, tourism, restaurant, travel technology, wellness, human resources, and service sectors, who want to create a positive future for their business and industry. Given the importance of the subject, the organisers have waived any admission fees, to secure your seat please register here www.eventbrite.com/e/mind-the-gap-tickets-924164810827. The following day on Sunday 1st September 2024, delegates will be invited to attend interactive wellness classes at the Banyan Spa & Wellbeing Academy. To learn more about the Phuket Hotels Association, please call +66 (0) 8 9645 2576, email [email protected], or visit www.phukethotelsassociation.com. The Washington, D.C., chapter of the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International today invited hospitality professionals from throughout the metropolitan area to attend its annual State of the Industry program Aug. 22 at the Hilton Washington DC National Mall The Wharf. The program, designed to help area hospitality sales, marketing and revenue-management professionals prepare their plans and budgets for 2025, will feature Jessica Carey, Knowland vice president, customer operations; Chris Ely, Global Business Travel Association director, research; Michele Gordon, Amadeus vice president, sales business intelligence; Robin McClain, Destination DC chief marketing officer; Adrienne Weil, American Hotel & Lodging Association senior vice president, member engagement & services; and Kristi White, Groups360 vice president, reporting, data & analytics. The State of the Industry event will be hosted by Hilton Washington DC National Mall The Wharf and cosponsored by Amadeus, AH&LA, Tambourine, Booking.com, Bridge Badge, Destination DC, GBTA, Knowland, Groups360 and RDR PR LLC. Registration and a networking reception will begin at 4 p.m. The cost is $95 for HSMAI Washington DC members and $135 for nonmembers. Click HERE to register. HSMAI Washington DC Announces State of the Industry Program Source: HSMAI The State of the Industry is our most popular program of the year, said Christopher Zindash, HSMAI Washington DC president and Amadeus regional vice president, north central hospitality. Panelists will present the facts, figures and insights that DMV hospitality professionals need to prepare plans and budgets for 2025. Zindash added that Bridge Badge will supply electronic badges to help attendees connect and network with industry colleagues. Each attendee is asked to bring a new backpack appropriate for middle school for donation to at-risk DMV pupils who face returning to school without the necessary supplies. ITB Asia announces 2024 conference theme as Innovating for Tomorrow: Strengthening Future Resilience in Travel and Tourism. The conference spans over 3-days from 23 25 October at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre in Singapore, alongside MICE Show Asia and Travel Tech Asia. Across three stages, renowned industry experts, including notable figures from Almaty Tourism Bureau, Booking.com, Croatian National Tourist Board, Dubai World Trade Centre, FCM Meetings & Events, Live Group, MG Group, Skyscanner, Tripadvisor and World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), will explore, debate and discuss the latest insights revolutionising the travel and tourism sector. Berlin/ Singapore As the travel industry continues to evolve at an unparalleled pace, the ITB Asia Conference 2024, running from 23 25 October in Singapore, provides the key platform to stay on the cutting edge and shape a resilient and dynamic future for global travel and tourism. Under this years theme Innovating for Tomorrow: Strengthening Future Resilience in Travel and Tourism", the agenda of the three-day conference comprises ground-breaking knowledge and insights across three focused tracks on how to adapt to changing consumer expectations, improve operational efficiency and create more sustainable and immersive experiences. ITB Asia Conference is where tourism leaders gather to take the pulse of the future and discuss trends on business continuity and resilience. ITB Asia is jam-packed and full of energy, celebrating the vibrant travel and tourism scene with its cultural and destination showcases, complemented by a seamless B2B business meetings scheduler, says Joyce Wang, Executive Director of Messe Berlin Asia Pacific, the organiser of ITB Asia, MICE Show Asia and Travel Tech Asia. The most pressing topics critical to the future of MICE, corporate travel, leisure travel, and travel technology will be discussed by a line-up of high-calibre international speakers to strengthen the industry's resilience and pave the way for the future. Opening Keynote of ITB Asia 2024 The opening keynote on Day One, 23 October, will feature a keynote speech from Liz Ortiguera, Managing Director Asia-Pacific and Sr Advisor to CEO, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), titled Global Trends for Sustainable Travel and Tourism. Attendees will gain an economic outlook on the travel and tourism industry in Asia-Pacific, as well as global and regional trends that are influencing the sectors transition towards a more sustainable future. Those seeking insight into the transformative impact of technology in the industry will benefit from the keynote speech, Navigating the Future of Travel: Embracing Technological Innovation, delivered by Kevin Goh, Chief Executive Officer, Lodging, CapitaLand Investment Limited and Chief Executive Officer, The Ascott Limited. Technology is a catalyst that shapes the future of tourism, with the ability to transform the traveller experience, operational efficiency and sustainability. As Ascott charts our course towards global leadership in hospitality, we see technology as crucial to enhancing our productivity and service standards. To continue leading in innovation, we must foster a culture that not only embraces technological advancements but also empowers our workforce to fully harness these innovations. This approach will pave the way for a transformative future in travel, where technology and human expertise converge to deliver unparalleled experiences., says Kevin Goh, Chief Executive Officer, Lodging, CapitaLand Investment Limited and Chief Executive Officer of The Ascott Limited. ITB Asia - Knowledge Theatre The Knowledge Theatre will present leading C-suite and industry experts who will share their expertise on how to tackle overtourism to enhance the guest experience, provide inspiration on how to move towards a sustainable and responsible future, explore how to enhance travel experiences through tours and activities, and discuss how to navigate the future of travel experiences. Ananth Ramchandran, Head of Advisory & Strategic Transactions, Hotels & Hospitality, Asia, CBRE, will provide strategies for delivering authentic experiences to travellers and growth strategies for sustainable transformation in the session "Adapt and Pivot: Delivering Authentic Experiences While Prioritising Sustainable, Inclusive and Resilient Growth". A series of talks by national tourism organisations (NTOs) from around the world titled NTOs Talks: Crafting Luxury Escapes Strategies in Attracting Travellers to Luxury Destinations and NTOs Talks: Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the World promises to inspire with innovative approaches and valuable insights into the dynamic landscape of luxury travel marketing as well as discover new perspectives on global travel with unveiling of the hidden gems, cultural wonders, and natural splendours around the world. Attendees can expect thought-provoking takeaways from Franka Gulin, Director, Croatian National Tourist Board, and H.E. Francisco Tenya Hasegawa, Ambassador, Embassy of the Republic of Peru in Singapore. Chew Hang Song, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Frasers Hospitality and Peter Koh, Regional Chair, GBTA APAC Conference Working Group will delve into the dynamic evolution of extended stay experiences in a fireside chat titled: Hospitality Reinvented: The Evolution of Extended Stay Experiences. MICE Show Asia At MICE Show Asia, the leading conference for MICE & Corporate Travel, this years rich agenda will feature insights into the topics of sustainability in long-term event planning, the transformative impact of AI and digital innovation, the integration of experiential experiences at events, and more. Attendees who want to keep abreast of the latest trends in the MICE industry will find what they are looking for in Trends vs Reality: A Global Look at Whats Ahead in Our Industry with Content, Events, and Experiences. Led by Taylor Smith, VP, Executive Creative Director, BCD Meetings & Events, and Sanjay Seth, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, BCD Meetings & Events, they'll cover trends such as storytelling, experiential immersion, AI and sustainability. The ways in which the power of data can help enhance the attendee experience while ensuring that all event objectives are met will be addressed by Qinxin Khoo, Head of Asia Pacific, Live Group, in the session "Data-Powered Personalisation: How to Enhance the Attendee Experience". Generative AI, cloud-native micro-platforms, and Web 3.0 are transforming the industry at a rapid pace how these technologies can revolutionise travel management and enhance the traveller experience will be revealed by David Hughes, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Uniglobe Travel International, in his session Building a Travel Programme Fit for the Future. Travel Tech Asia The premier travel technology conference, Travel Tech Asia, will highlight key digital trends, including the role of technology in the future of tourism and its transformative impact on the future of travel, overcoming the challenges of travel tech adoption, the role of artificial intelligence in the travel landscape and the transformation of travel in the era of mobile, data and AI. In the session titled Beyond Conventional Transactions: Strategies for Unleashing the Full Potential of Mobile Payments, Amy Read, Vice President of Innovation, Sabre Corporation, and Sean Seah, Senior Vice President Strategy, Technology and Innovation, Langham Hospitality Group, will share strategies for leveraging the full potential of mobile payments and provide insights into the latest trends in payment innovation in the hospitality sector. Attendees seeking to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to cutting-edge technology will discover the disruptive innovations that are transforming the travel industry in the session Superapps: The Unstoppable Force Redefining Travel Distribution. From frictionless bookings to hyper-personalised experiences to superapps Brett Henry, President Director, MG Group, and Kei Shibata, Co-Founder & CEO, Venture Republic & Trip 101, will reveal the unmatched opportunities that await the industry. Digital Transformation in Travel: Navigating the New Ecosystem for Seamless Journeys is the title of the session led by Sidne Yeo, Asia Head, Lufthansa Innovation Hub, and Anna Schneider, Senior Research and Intelligence Analyst, Lufthansa Innovation Hub, who will deliver useful insights into the emerging trends, key areas attracting corporate investments, and the influence of Asia seen through corporate innovation endeavors. Strategic Partners: High-Profile Conference Partners Underline Strong Industry Commitment This years conference welcomes several new and long-standing conference partners in the travel, tourism and MICE sector including Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), Global Destination Sustainability Movement, Global MICE Collaborative, STR, Tourism Economics and World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF). These strategic conference partnerships further facilitate knowledge exchange and ensure the delivery of cutting-edge, up-to-date data, knowledge, and trend analysis, which will prove beneficial to attendees across all three conference stages: Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA): Day Two, 24 October 3.30 p.m. 5 p.m., Knowledge Theatre. The session will demonstrate how adventure travel can be employed as an effective instrument for the advancement of sustainable tourism practices. Global Destination Sustainability Movement: Day One, 23 October 2.30 p.m. 3.30 p.m., Knowledge Theatre, Day Two, 24 October 10.30 a.m. 11.30 a.m., MICE Show Asia Theatre. Jessica Vandy, Asia-Pacific expert in regenerative tourism, will highlight the gap between potential and reality in sustainability practices, focusing on co-creating a path of radical collaboration for regional and global transformation. Global MICE Collaborative: International Association of Exhibitions & Events (IAEE): Day One, 23 October 12 p.m. 12.30 p.m., MICE Show Asia Theatre; Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE): Day Two, 24 October 1 p.m. 1.30 p.m., MICE Show Asia Theatre; Meeting Professionals International (MPI): Day Two, 24 October 2 p.m. 2.30 p.m., MICE Show Theatre. The Global MICE Collaborative will provide industry updates and insights from the meetings outlook, key trends in incentive travel, and cover strategies in the business of exhibitions. STR: Day One, 23 October 3.30 p.m. 4 p.m., Travel Tech Asia Theatre; Day Two, 24 October 12.30 p.m. 1 p.m., Knowledge Theatre. The sessions will examine how new markets compare to established favourites and provide an in-depth analysis of Southeast Asia's hotel market performance across different segments, from budget to luxury. Tourism Economics: Day One, 23 October 10.30 a.m. 11 a.m., MICE Show Asia Theatre; Day Two, 24 October 11 a.m. 11.30 a.m., Knowledge Theatre. During the sessions, Tourism Economics provides insights on the travel outlook for the APAC region, covering shifts in traveller demographics, the future of business and MICE travel, economic trends driving travel demand, and industry challenges and opportunities. World Tourism Cities Foundation (WTCF): Day Two, 24 October 2 p.m. 3 p.m., Knowledge Theatre. The session will examine concepts in the cross-border tourism market and innovative strategies to enhance outbound and inbound tourism from tourism cities, along with its effects on Asia-Pacific tourism. For further information on ITB Asia 2024 events and conferences, visit itb-asia.com or view the speaker list and conference agenda. To obtain an all-access trade visitor pass at an early bird rate and access to all conference sessions, please visit Trade Visitor Registration. About ITB Asia ITB Asia, Asias leading travel trade show, is organised by Messe Berlin Asia Pacific and supported by the Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau. The annual B2B trade show and convention will feature hundreds of exhibiting companies from the AsiaPacific region, Europe, the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East, covering not only the leisure market, but also MICE and corporate travel. Exhibitors from every sector of the industry, including destinations, airlines and airports, hotels and resorts, theme parks and attractions, inbound tour operators, inbound DMCs, cruise lines, spas, venues, other meeting facilities, and travel technology companies are expected to attend. ITB Asia is the premier meeting place for the travel trade industry to forge new partnerships and strengthen existing business relationships with the most important players in the region. About ITB Global Brand Family For more than 50 years the name ITB has stood worldwide for the travel industry knowledge 365 days a year, networking and trendsetting events - in a virtual, in-person or hybrid format alike. As the travel industry resurges, the ITB brand family is among the first to come back to offering on-site in-person events. ITB India will be held in Mumbai from September 11 to 13, 2024, followed by ITB Asia in Singapore from October 23 to 25, 2024, covering the broader regional market. ITB Berlin, the worlds leading B2B trade show for the travel industry, will take place in Berlin from March 4 to 6, 2025. ITB China, the premier marketplace for Chinas travel industry, is scheduled for 27 to 29 May 2025, in Shanghai. As one of the HSMAI Region Europe important strategic priorities for the coming years is to inspire the next generation of leaders in the hospitality industry, we are thrilled to announce the launch of the HSMAI Europe Commercial Career Start Program, a new and ambitious initiative designed to attract and develop promising young talent in the commercial field within the hospitality industry. Program Overview The HSMAI Europe Commercial Career Start Program is specifically crafted to facilitate a smooth transition for final-year students and recent graduates from academia into the hospitality job market, focusing on key areas such as sales, revenue, and marketing. The program is built around: Career Compatibility: Participants learn what it means to work in sales, revenue, and marketing within the hospitality industry. Participants learn what it means to work in sales, revenue, and marketing within the hospitality industry. Knowledge & Skills: Essential practical knowledge and skills for entry-level roles. Essential practical knowledge and skills for entry-level roles. Career Kickstart: Preparation for launching their careers. Key Details: Start Date: March 2025 March 2025 Duration: 4 months 4 months Tracks: Sales, Revenue, Marketing Sales, Revenue, Marketing Content: Practical, up-to-date, entry-level Participant Profile: Hospitality/Hotel/Business school/University students/recent graduates in Europe Final-year students/ Recent graduates with no work experience in the commercial field in the industry Ready to start their careers in the hospitality industry in sales, revenue or marketing (upon successful completion of the program) Why should you support this program? This initiative not only helps students/recent graduates transition smoothly into the industry but also provides your company with an amazing opportunity to attract fresh graduates. Partner companies will contribute to shaping the program content, ensuring it covers relevant topics to better prepare graduates for roles within your organisations. By partnering, you'll save time and money on attracting, recruiting and training as participants will already possess the essential knowledge and skills needed for entry-level positions. Join us in shaping the future of the hospitality industry by supporting this crucial program! If you would like to support or learn more about the program, please, contact Yana Kyrylyuk (Program Manager) at [email protected] for more information for both hospitality companies and vendors. Together, we can inspire and prepare the next generation of hospitality professionals! Next month the Future You will take place in the Netherlands. This is another opportunity for you to reach out for new talents. Please make sure you have representatives from local and/or your head office to represent your brand. Read more here New York, NY and Atlanta, GA M3, LLC ("M3"), voted the number-one hospitality accounting software in North America, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement for a majority investment from Blackstone Growth and affiliated funds (collectively "Blackstone"). The investment will help to accelerate the company's growth by enhancing new product expansion and supporting the adoption of M3's software, which enables hotel operators to run more efficiently and effectively. AAHOA, representing nearly 20,000 hotel owners and 60% of hotels across the United States, will make its first ever strategic investment alongside Blackstone. Founded in 1998 by hospitality industry veteran John McKibbon to address the accounting needs of his own family's hotel management company, M3 has grown into a leading hospitality-focused back-office accounting software platform that serves as the system-of-record for financial data for more than a thousand hotel operators and management companies today. It currently offers technological solutions including accounting, labor management and business intelligence to more than 8,000 properties across North America. M3 has ranked as the nation's number-one hotel accounting software and financial reporting provider by HotelTech Report for the past four years. John McKibbon, Founder of M3, said: "Blackstone's background in hospitality made them the natural choice as our first equity partner. Together, we look forward to propelling our innovation and growth to best serve our customers in an era of continued technological advancement." Ramzi Ramsey, a Managing Director at Blackstone, said: M3 has become a leading finance and accounting software platform for countless independent and family owned hotel operators, as well as some of the largest hotel management companies, that have relied on its technology to support the professionalization and scale of their businesses. As M3's first institutional capital partner, we're excited to harness Blackstone's deep expertise and network within the real estate and technology sectors to help enhance its product offering to better serve new and existing companies as M3 continues to grow." Allen Read and Casi Johnson, CEO and President of M3, said: For over 25 years, M3 has been focused on delivering a comprehensive solution while providing world class support to our customers. We remain steadfast in our commitment to serving our customers and are thrilled to partner with Blackstone to continue to scale our vision, team, and culture." Kevin Chang, a Principal at Blackstone, said: M3 has built an enviable market position thanks to its robust technology and customer-centric approach. We are eager to build upon this strong foundation and support M3 in its next phase of growth and expansion in the broader hospitality market." Miraj S. Patel, AAHOA Chairman, said: "AAHOA is excited to make its first strategic investment alongside Blackstone, a move that will significantly benefit our members and the entire hospitality industry. This partnership with M3 will bring AAHOA Members access to advanced technology and innovative solutions that can enhance operational efficiency and drive growth. We are committed to empowering our members with the tools and resources needed to succeed in an evolving market, and this collaboration marks a pivotal step toward achieving that goal." Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Carlton Fields, P.A., served as legal counsel to M3 and Houlihan Lokey has provided certain assistance to M3 in connection with the transaction. Evercore served as exclusive financial advisor to Blackstone and Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as legal counsel to Blackstone. About M3 Built by hoteliers exclusively for hoteliers, M3 is a robust cloud-based financial platform and services company serving over 8,000 properties across North America's hospitality industry helping drive cost savings, revenue enhancement, and business insight. After over 25 years in business, M3 touts a 95 percent customer retention rate. Used by over 1,000 management groups and owner-operators and hotels of all sizes, the platform works seamlessly with other key systems and tools in the hospitality industry. It offers robust accounting and financial analysis across entire portfolios with optional operations and time management features. M3's Professional Services team provides on-demand accounting and bookkeeping support for hotels and portfolios of any size by offering a full range of customized accounting solutions that can scale with a hotelier's needs. Privately held and employee-owned, M3 continues to constantly enhance products and services with regular releases and updates. "M3", "CoreSelect", "M3 Concierge", and "Accounting Core" are all trademarks owned by M3; all other marks are owned by their respective owners. For more information, visit www.m3as.com. About Blackstone Blackstone is the world's largest alternative asset manager. We seek to deliver compelling returns for institutional and individual investors by strengthening the companies in which we invest. Our more than $1 trillion in assets under management include global investment strategies focused on real estate, private equity, infrastructure, life sciences, growth equity, credit, real assets, secondaries and hedge funds. Further information is available at www.blackstone.com. About AAHOA AAHOA is the largest hotel owner's association in the world, with Member-owned properties representing a significant part of the U.S. economy. AAHOA's 20,000 members own 60% of the hotels in the United States and are responsible for 1.7% of the nation's GDP. More than 1 million employees work at AAHOA Member-owned hotels, earning $47 billion annually, and member-owned hotels support 4.2 million U.S. jobs across all sectors of the hospitality industry. AAHOA's mission is to advance and protect the business interests of hotel owners through advocacy, industry leadership, professional development, member benefits, and community engagement. Crafting a unique employer brand for today's talent market - Image Credit Walls.io on Unsplash In todays competitive job market, employer branding has become an essential strategy for attracting and retaining top talent. However, many managers still dont know what exactly constitutes a strong employer brand. Is it down to company culture, work-life balance, benefits and compensation, or is there some other secret sauce that makes an employer desirable? To find out what makes an employer brand truly effective, we consulted with industry experts and entrepreneurs who have devised proven strategies for creating a unique and strong employer brand. From their experience and diverse roles in renowned companies, and their deep understanding of marketing, management, sales, and corporate culture, these contributors provide valuable insights that can guide you and your organization through your employer branding efforts. Well-being and self-leadership Nicole Wiggenhauser, Head of Marketing & Communications at Oberwaid, emphasizes that employer branding is an important part of their healthy management approach and corporate culture. As a four-star hotel and specialized medical clinic in Switzerlands St. Gallen region, Oberwaid prioritizes a health-focused environment that encourages employees to take proactive steps for their well-being. This vision is incorporated into their leadership principles, which focus on three key areas: 1. Self-Leadership: Employees are encouraged to act responsibly and honestly and look out for their own interests to lead effectively. 2. Team Leadership: Focus on valuing, helping, and encouraging team members, fostering open communication, constructive feedback, and inspiring a sense of purpose. 3. Corporate Leadership: Prioritizing sustainable goals and profits while centering healthy experiences in all actions. Oberwaid also places a strong emphasis on cultural and team development through various events and interdisciplinary exchanges. The company offers attractive employee benefits, such as partner programs, free parking, customized leadership and health program (BGM), and discounts to further show appreciation for their staff. Additionally, they give employees opportunities to grow and innovate through continuous training and development Employer branding or the development of an attractive employer brand is not an end in itself at the Oberwaid but is an essential component of a healthy management and corporate culture in all areas. Nicole Wiggenhauser, Head of Marketing & Communications at Oberwaid Transparency and positivity Insa Thalau, Head of Management Workshops & Seminars at EHL Hospitality Business School, highlights the critical role of transparency within a company and the importance of providing employees with the opportunity to voice their opinions. She believes that positive employee management and development contribute significantly to a positive working environment and culture. Insa, with her expertise in management training, offers some deep insights for creating a transparent and positive work environment. Transparency in the company and the opportunity to express one's opinion are fundamental. Positive employee management and development create a positive working environment and culture Insa Thalau, Head of Management Workshops & Seminars at EHL Clear values and benefits Benjamin Fiedler, Assistant Director of Sales at Sunstar Swiss Hotel Collection, underscores the importance of clear corporate values, attractive benefits, career development opportunities, and a positive working environment in strengthening employer branding. The companys job portal is a great example of how this corporate philosophy looks in practice, as it clearly shows how they embrace the unique qualities of their team members and offer enticing benefits. To sum it all up, Benjamin, with his extensive experience at Sunstar, shares how these factors must be genuinely embraced and practiced by all employees to be effective: At Sunstar, we focus on clear corporate values, attractive benefits, career development, and a positive working environment. These factors make us an attractive employer, but the key is that these initiatives must be genuinely embraced and practiced by all employees Benjamin Fiedler, Assistant Director of Sales at Sunstar Swiss Hotel Collection Strong employer branding messages Tobias Wolf, Online Marketing Manager at Sunstar Hotels, advocates creating a strong employer brand by showing the authentic embodiment of company values and providing tangible benefits. He emphasizes the importance of making career advancement possible, and supporting, encouraging, and challenging employees to create a genuine and attractive employer brand. His observations, based on his role in online marketing, highlight the foundations of a strong employer brand. Authentic living of values, offering real benefits, making things possible, supporting career growth, encouraging personal development, and offering challenges these are the foundations of a strong employer brand Tobias Wolf, Online Marketing Manager at Sunstar Hotels One way that the company implements this branding strategy is through the collection of insight stories in the form of testimonials from current employees. Through these stories, prospective employees can get a picture of what its like working for the company and the advantages and culture that awaits them therein. Authenticity and living values Both Claudia Pronk, General Manager at Nira Alpina, and Alain Packes, General Manager at Hotel RAMADA Regina Titlis, stress the importance of authenticity. Claudia simply states, "Being authentic," while Alain elaborates on the need for authenticity and a living corporate philosophy. Their views, drawn from their positions as general managers, illustrate how authenticity must permeate every aspect of the companys operations and culture. An authentic and lived corporate philosophy is essential. Authenticity must permeate every aspect of the companys operations and culture. Alain Packes, General Manager at Hotel Ramada Regina Titlis In practice, a successful company with a strong employer branding approach will tend to have rituals and routines that initiate employees into the company culture and promote the company values. This approach is reflected in the policies and expectations that apply to all managers and workers in the corporate culture, such as: Commitment to customer satisfaction and employee wellbeing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies Accountability and honesty from management and staff Consequently, the corporate culture isnt just about words on paper, its a living, breathing ecosystem. The strong employer brand is one that prioritizes strong company values and authenticity in its people and policies that aim for putting people first. Creating a distinctive employer brand requires a comprehensive approach that combines excellence, transparency, authentic values, and tangible benefits. As these industry professionals have shared, its not just about implementing policies and procedures but deeply embedding these principles into company culture and day-to-day practices. By doing so, organizations can attract and retain top talent, creating a more efficient and healthy work environment. Contributors Nicole Wiggenhauser, Head of Marketing & Communications, Oberwaid Insa Thalau, Head of Management Workshops & Seminars, EHL Hospitality Business School Benjamin Fiedler, Assistant Director of Sales at Sunstar Swiss Hotel Collection Tobias Wolf, Online Marketing Manager, Sunstar Hotels Claudia Pronk, General Manager, Nira Alpina Alain Packes, General Manager at Hotel RAMADA Contact Veronika on LinkedIn. This article originally appeared on EHL Insights. Recently, the 13th Automechanika Kuala Lumpur was held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre in Malaysia. As a key overseas exhibition for the "Anhui Goes Global" initiative, the provincial Department of Commerce organized over 20 representative automotive parts companies, including Zhongtian Petrochemical, Kamaike, and Hefei Nuozheng, to participate. During the exhibition, Anhui's participating companies actively showcased their latest products, technologies, and solutions, engaging in in-depth exchanges and cooperation discussions with buyers, industry peers, and professionals from around the world. The atmosphere was vibrant, with frequent business connections. Anhui exhibitors successfully reached cooperation intentions with numerous clients and signed sales contracts, with a total order value exceeding 12 million yuan. The participating companies expressed that through group exhibitions, discussions, and cooperation, they further consolidated and expanded their overseas market share and influence, deepening their confidence and expectations for entering the Southeast Asian market. While securing orders, they achieved a "dual enhancement" of their international impact and brand presence. Since the beginning of this year, relevant departments in Anhui Province have organized over 2,000 companies to participate in the "Anhui Goes Global" initiative, planning to attend more than 40 well-known exhibitions both domestically and internationally, while increasing financial support for small and medium-sized enterprises participating in overseas exhibitions. Source: Anhui Daily JLL welcomes Tony Muscio as Senior Managing Director, leading the Western regions investment sales and advisory efforts JLLs Hotels & Hospitality group announced today that Tony Muscio will be joining as a Senior Managing Director for its JLL Hotels & Hospitality group, leading the Western region. With over 20 years of experience in the real estate industry, including 18 years at JLL, Muscio brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his new role. Specializing in the sale of luxury resorts and trophy hotels, Muscio has been involved in over $12 billion worth of hospitality transactions over the course of his career. Based out of JLLs Los Angeles office, Muscio will report to Kevin Davis, Americas CEO for Hotels & Hospitality, and will work closely with Jeff Bramson and Jeff Sause, who co-head JLLs Los Angeles Capital Markets team. "We are thrilled to welcome Tony back to JLL to lead our Western region," said Davis. "Tonys appointment is a commitment to growing our business in California, Hawaii, Arizona and Colorado, which are among the largest hospitality markets in the country. His leadership and expertise will play a pivotal role in driving business with our largest clients in this key region. Im extremely excited to welcome Tony back." Muscios career started at PKF Consulting, where he conducted hotel feasibility studies and appraisals. He later joined JLL in 2004, where he spent nearly two decades, most recently as a Managing Director in the Hotels & Hospitality Group, covering the West Coast and working on some of the largest sales in the region, including the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora, Montage Beverly Hills (now The Maybourne Beverly Hills) and the recapitalization of Sunset Tower Hotel. Muscios latest role was as a Managing Director at KBC Advisors. "Im thrilled to rejoin JLL and take on the role of leading JLL Hotels & Hospitality Groups Western region," said Muscio. "I look forward to leveraging my experience and expertise to create value for our clients and help shape the future of the hotel and hospitality sector." Muscio holds a bachelors degree from Cornell Universitys School of Hotel Administration, where he is also a recurring guest lecturer. JLLs Hotels & Hospitality Group has completed more transactions than any other hotels and hospitality real estate advisor over the last five years, totaling $83 billion worldwide. The groups 370-strong global team in over 20 countries also closed more than 7,350 advisory, valuation and asset management assignments. Our hotel valuation, brokerage, asset management and consultancy services have helped more hotel investors, owners and operators achieve high returns on their assets than any other real estate advisor in the world. Hailing from Pau, a picturesque commune nestled by the Pyrenees, Julien Labays embarked on a journey that would eventually lead him to a distinguished career in hospitality. Labays found his calling gradually, drawn by an innate sense that hospitality was where he belonged. With over two decades of experience, Labays celebrates a significant milestone as he assumes the role of Resort Manager at Rosewood Baha Mar in The Bahamas. In this new position, Labays will collaborate closely with Managing Director Monica Ortiz, with a special focus on elevating the guest experience across all areas of the resort to meet Forbes Five-Star standards. Reflecting on his journey, Labays recognizes that his family's influence was instrumental in shaping his character and instilling a deep desire to servequalities that have become the cornerstone of his successful career. His professional path, enriched by roles at prestigious hospitality brands such as Sofitel, The Setai, and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, has been defined by countless meaningful acts of service, each contributing to the positive impact he has made in the industry. With a background in luxury hospitality, including his role as Director of Hotel Operations at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows and Regional Director of Food & Beverage Operations at The Setai Miami Beach, Labays arrived in Nassau with high expectations. What he encountered on his first day, however, surpassed them alla profound sense of authenticity. "Bahamians are inherently warm and welcoming," says Labays. "Their hospitality isn't just a job; it's who they are. Guests can sense the difference between mere politeness and genuine care, and that's what sets Rosewood Baha Mar apart. It's luxury that feels like a home away from home." "We're thrilled to welcome Julien to Rosewood Baha Mar," said Managing Director Monica Ortiz. "He brings a wealth of expertise and a deep understanding of what makes this place truly special for our guests. Our aim is to create a lifestyle for our discerning visitors, and that can only be achieved with a passionate leader to support a team like the one Julien is now working with." As he settles into his new role, Labays is eager to make a lasting impact. A longtime admirer of the Rosewood Hotel Group, he holds Sonia Cheng in high regard for her visionary approach to modern luxury lifestyle, which emphasizes a deep connection to local culture and history. For Labays, what truly defines the Rosewood experience in The Bahamas is the people. He is thrilled to work with a primarily Bahamian team, complemented by colleagues from more than seven different countrieseach an expert in their fieldreflecting the diversity of the clientele at Rosewood Baha Mar. Labays is excited to nurture the next generation of hospitality leaders, recognizing in them the same genuine desire to serve that has been the cornerstone of his own successa quality he attributes to his upbringing. "We've assembled an outstanding team here, and I'm excited to work closely with our entire team to craft unforgettable experiences for our guests at Rosewood Baha Mar," Labays remarked. "The most rewarding part of this industry is the genuine gratitude from guests," says Labays. "Hospitality is, at its core, people taking care of people." Williamstown Select Board Seeks Applicants to Fill Vacancy WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. The Select Board on Monday issued a call for volunteers to occupy an upcoming vacancy on the five-person panel. By a unanimous vote, the board set a Sept. 9 deadline for residents to submit a "government engagement" form and any accompanying materials for consideration. The board then plans to hear from applicants in open session and potentially vote on a replacement at a special meeting on Sept. 16. The successful applicant will serve in the seat being vacated by Andrew Hogeland until the May annual town election, when the appointee will be able to run to serve the remaining year left on Hogeland's term, which expires in spring 2026. At Monday's meeting, the board members weighed the pros and cons of appointing an interim member versus holding a special election, as allowed under Massachusetts General Law. The appointment mechanism is enshrined in the town charter and is a legal alternative to the MGL Chapter 41, which reads, in part, that in event of a vacancy, Select Boards "may call a special election to fill the vacancy and shall call such election upon the request in writing of two hundred registered voters of the town." Town counsel advised the board that the town charter, which is approved by the state Legislature, provides Williamstown with an exception to the special election rule. Select Board members Randal Fippinger and Stephanie Boyd each made arguments for holding a special election. Fippinger began the conversation by suggesting a town ballot could be added when the town goes to the polls for the November general election. "I'm less in favor of having us appoint someone," Fippinger said. "I'd rather have the town appoint someone for this position." Boyd argued that the procedure spelled out in the charter does not prevent the town from following the course laid out in state law and that holding a special election would make Williamstown more consistent with other towns in the commonwealth. The city of North Adams, however, has appointed vacant council seats several times in recent years. "I'd like to know more about the implications of a special election," she said. "Right now, I'm thinking leave it vacant [until May's annual election] or do a special election." Chair Jane Patton was strongly against the former option, leaving the seat vacant, noting the number of times board members have been divided on issues even on occasions when members in the minority ultimately voted with the majority and suggesting that a four-person board could be stalemated on decisions in the months between Hogeland's departure and the spring election. As for the implications of a special election, Menicocci told the board that the process is not as simple as it may appear. Given the pressures of a state primary in September and a potentially volatile general election two months later, Menicocci characterized a special election as a "heavy lift" for a town clerk's office already operating with the full-time clerk on leave. "You're in crunch time now," Menicocci said of the process leading to the fall's elections. "Adding something now would be super challenging for staff at the expense of them as well as the town in terms of any money we'd have to put out." Boyd noted that the Select Board has not had to employ the appointment mechanism for a Select Board vacancy in recent memory. Patton countered that the board numerous times in her tenure has had to make appointments to fill vacancies on the Planning Board, Mount Greylock Regional School Committee and, most recently, the Milne Library Board of Trustees. She argued that the voters who elected the four remaining members of the Select Board [Hogeland has stated he will not vote on his replacement] to act in accordance with the charter, which itself recently was subject to an 18-month review by an ad hoc town committee. Hogeland himself, who mostly stayed out of the debate, was asked by his colleagues for his thoughts. "There are good merits all around," Hogeland said. "I'm inclined to do the appointment thing. I think [a special election] does make it complicated without necessarily giving a better result. "For a tie-breaker, I really defer to town staff. Everything we might take credit for [on the board] is really done by those guys. Give 'em a break." Hogeland also pointed out that he has not formally submitted his resignation, a step that needs to happen before the Select Board can call a special election. That fact might have thrown off the timeline for getting candidates nominated and on the ballot in time for a November vote. In the end, Boyd and Fippinger joined their colleagues in settling on an appointment process. Jeffrey Johnson suggested that a Sept. 9 deadline for applications would give the board members time to meet with any applicants one-on-one prior to casting a vote whether that vote comes at the Sept. 16 meeting or the regularly scheduled Sept. 23 meeting. Monday's Select Board meeting began with an opening statement by Patton that focused on her gratitude to Hogeland for his years of service to the town. "Andy has been a steadying, calm, hard-working, knowledgeable presence on this board for all of these years," Patton said. "He is reasonable, sometimes to a fault and by that I mean, that's when he doesn't agree with me. Then I don't think he's reasonable. The good news is, that didn't happen very often. Or, when we did not always immediately see eye to eye, Andy showed great restraint and respect in how he would speak to others regarding his point of view and was able to eloquently and elegantly, with an enormous amount of knowledge, convey his thinking in a way that you often found yourself persuaded for all of the right reasons." "I wouldn't have made it through without him. I'm grateful for your mentorship, your stewardship, your professionalism and your friendship." Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the The Life Cinematic email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Danny DeVito, Carrie Coon and Amy Sedaris are among the actors paying tribute to A Woman Under the Influence star Gena Rowlands, who has died aged 94. Rowlands, a three-time Emmy-winner, is being celebrated for her career-defining portrayals of nuanced, strong and troubled women, such as her Oscar-nominated role in the 1974 film A Women Under the Influence, as well as movies Minnie and Moskowitz (1971), Opening Night (1977), and Gloria (1980). Her bold portrayal of complex women is being remembered as groundbreaking given that these characters were particularly rare in American cinema of that period. DeVito was among the Hollywood stars to pay tribute to the late actor, penning a simple message with the words: Gena, love, alongside a love-heart emoji and another emoji with an upset expression. Gone Girl actor Carrie Coon expressed her disappointment at the media coverage that focussed on Rowlands role in the 2004 romance film The Notebook, rather than her earlier movies that shaped cinema history. We lost Gena Rowlands one of the greats but also our dignity, as headlines trumpet: actress from The Notebook, wrote Coon. The Mandalorian actor Amy Sedaris shared a moving message on her Instagram page, alongside images of Rowlands in various movies, including stills from A Women Under the Influence. Rest in peace Gena Rowland, wrote Sedaris. No one comes close. No one. Very sad. #spiritinthesky. Gena Rowlands and her former husband, film director John Cassavetes ( Getty Images ) Also paying tribute to the star was This is Spinal Tap actor Michael McKean who called Rowlands simply irreplaceable. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free One fan remembered Rowlands as one of the greats and shared a clip of their favourite movie scene of all time, which features the moment Rowlands character, Mabel Longhetti, meets her children off of the bus in A Women Under the Influence. Mabel is seen looking stressed before the yellow bus pulls up and she starts jumping up and down at the sight of her children. When she greets them, she pounces at the doors opening and embraces her children before they run home together. That moment in A Woman Under the Influence when Gena Rowlands picks her kids up at the bus, wrote the fan. Probably one of my favourite portrayals of motherhood onscreen. I love all her mom scenes so much, I have them saved on my phone. Another fan called Rowlandss death devastating. Rowlands photographed in 1968 ( Getty Images ) Gena Rowlands was an actor of a different calibre. So much of what she did had a profound effect on me and so many others. Her monologue in Minnie and Moskowitz (1971) is forever on my mind. Rest in peace, dear Gena, said someone else. Born in 1930 in Madison, Wisconsin, Rowlands studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1953, where she met her husband, the director John Cassavetes, who was also a student there. They were married within a year and both worked as actors on stage and screen. Cassavetes put Rowlands in more than 10 of his movies when he became a successful director. Rowlands made her Broadway debut opposite Edward G Robinson in 1956 in Paddy Chayefskys Middle of the Night. Despite much of Rowlands success coming from her husbands films including A Woman Under the Influence and Gloria she maintained a her career on screen after Cassavetes death in 1989, and starred in TV dramas such as Thursdays Child and The Betty Ford Story. It was her son, Nick Cassavetes, who directed the Ryan Gosling romance film The Notebook. In it, she played an older version of Rachel McAdams, who has Alzheimers and later dies. Nick revealed earlier this year that while Rowlands had been diagnosed with the same disease. I got my mom to play older Allie, and we spent a lot of time talking about Alzheimers and wanting to be authentic with it, and now, for the last five years, shes had Alzheimers, he said at the time. Shes in full dementia. And its so crazy we lived it, she acted it, and now its on us, he said. Rowlands died on Wednesday (14 August) at home in Indian Wells, California, surrounded by loved ones. Her son Nick confirmed the news. She is survived by her husband, Robert Forrest, and three children from her marriage to Cassavetes: Nick, Alexandra, and Zoe. Sign up to Roisin OConnors free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music Get our Now Hear This email for free Get our Now Hear This email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Roisin OConnors email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} British hip-hop duo Rizzle Kicks have announced that they are reforming to release new music. The group, comprising Jordan Stephens and Harley Alexander-Sule, both 32, released two albums, Stereo Typical (2011) and Roaring 20s (2013), both of which peaked at No 5 on the UK charts. Stephens and Alexander-Sule released their final record as a duo in 2015, a cover of Summertime by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, and have not recorded together since. However, in an announcement shared on social media yesterday (14 August), Rizzle Kicks declared that they were back, and teased the release of new music. Were back, wrote the band on Instagram, alongside a video of Stephens and Alexander-Sule sitting on a sofa together. Fans of the group reacted enthusiastically to the news on social media, with one person writing: I have waited 10 years for this very day. I have waited for this for SO long, commented another. SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP MY CHILDHOOD IS BACK, someone else remarked, while another person quipped: This wasnt on my 2024 bingo card but Im not sad about it. Rizzle Kicks ( Rizzle Kicks ) Throughout the duos original run, Rizzle Kicks were best known for songs such as Down with the Trumpets and Mama Do the Hump. After disbanding, Stephens and Alexander-Sule continued to release music and perform independently of each other. Stephens has released music under the moniker Wildhood, as well as under his own name. His debut solo album, Let Me Die Inside You, was released in 2022. Enjoy unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up Enjoy unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up Alexander-Sule has recorded under the name Jimi Charles Moody. Both musicians have also enjoyed careers as actors, with Alexander-Sule appearing as a gang leader in The Guvnors and in the ITV crime series Unforgotten. Stephens, meanwhile, has starred in the E4 drama series Glue, and in the Netflix series Feel Good, alongside creator-star Mae Martin. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Five people have been arrested and charged with providing Friends star Matthew Perry with the ketamine that killed him last October, authorities said on Thursday. At a press conference, US Attorney E. Martin Estrada said the suspects include Perrys personal assistant, two doctors, and a North Hollywood woman known as the Ketamine Queen. According to an indictment unsealed in Los Angeles federal court, Perrys assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, and an acquaintance of Perrys, Erik Fleming, worked with two doctors, Salvador Plasencia and Mark Chavez, to procure large quantities of ketamine for Perry in the period leading up to his overdose death. However, Ketamime Queen Jasveen Sangha is charged with supplying Perry with the ketamine doses that ultimately caused his demise, Estrada said. Plasencia saw Perry, 54, as a cash cow, the indictment suggests, citing text messages he sent to Chavez about a month before the actors death. I wonder how much this moron will pay, he wrote in one. Lets find out, he wrote in another. open image in gallery I wonder how much this moron will pay, one doctor who allegedly supplied Perry texted another. Lets find out. ( Getty Images ) In a third text to Chavez, Plasencia described meeting Perry as like a bad movie. Plasencia administered ketamine to Perry at times, in one visit shooting him up with 360 milligrams of the drug over the course of an hour, the indictment states. Plasencia also taught Iwamasa how to inject Perry with ketamine, leaving the drug and a supply of syringes behind for him in exchange for $4,500, according to the indictment. At the beginning of October 2023, the indictment says Iwamasa texted Plasencia an order for eight vials of ketamine, referring to them as 8 bottles of dr pepper. On October 12 last year, Plasencia injected Perry with a large dose of ketamine that unexpectedly caused the actor to freeze up, and spiked his blood pressure, rattling the doctor, according to the indictment. When Plasencia began having supply issues, Perrys go-betweens branched out to Sangha, who said she had a master chef cooking up ketamine for her, the indictment states. And since Perry bought a lot of her product, Sangha provided him with ketamine lollipops as an add-on, the indictment states. In the days leading up to Perrys death, Iwamasa administered at least 15 shots of ketamine to him, all of which were supplied by Sangha, according to the indictment. It says Iwamasa gave Perry the final three doses of ketamine purchased from Sangha, using needles provided by Plasencia, on October 28, 2023, the date the actor was found dead in his hot tub. open image in gallery The actor played Chandler Bing on the hit sitcom Friends ( Channel 4 ) Later that same day, the indictment says Sangha messaged Fleming on Signal, writing: Delete all our messages. Law enforcement agencies executed search warrants and seized computers, phones and other electronic equipment to determine who was responsible for the supply of the drug which led to the actors overdose. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free After a medical examiner ruled his death an accident last year, Perrys passing was considered a closed case. But almost seven months later an investigation, at both federal and local level, had been opened into who supplied the Friends actor with the ketamine which caused his death. The investigation into how Perry came to have so much ketamine involved the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), and the US Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the LAPD confirmed in May. open image in gallery Tributes poured in from his co-stars on the show who were utterly devastated by the loss ( NBC ) An early toxicology report in December 2023 confirmed that Perry had died from acute effects of ketamine, which caused him to drown in the heated waters. Sources close to the actor said he was undergoing ketamine infusion therapy to treat depression and anxiety. His autopsy, released in December, found that the amount of the drug in Perrys blood was in the range used for general anesthesia during surgery. Yet his last infusion therapy was one and a half weeks before his death. The coroner noted that the ketamine in Perrys system could not be from that infusion therapy, since ketamines half-life is three to four hours, or less. The showbiz world was plunged into sadness when Perrys death was revealed last year. The star had played Chandler Bing, a character known for his dry and witty retorts. open image in gallery Mourners gathered outside Matthew Perrys Los Angeles home after his October 2023 overdose death ( AP ) Following the news, his five co-stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer and Lisa Kudrow released a joint statement asking for time to process this unfathomable loss. They wrote: We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family. There is so much to say, but right now were going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss. In time we will say more, as and when we are able. For now, our thoughts and our love are with Mattys family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The brutal rape and murder of a resident doctor during her 36-hour shift at a prominent state-run hospital in eastern India has led to an outbreak of protests and calls for a nationwide strike. Hospital services across India have been disrupted as hundreds of thousands of doctors, nurses, and other medical staff launched an indefinite strike. Protesters demanded justice for our didi [elder sister] outside the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata where the 31-year-old postgraduate trainee was found dead. The Independent spoke to doctors who unanimously agreed that the facility lacked safety measures for medical workers. The demonstrations ensued last week after the resident doctor was found dead inside a seminar hall of the hospital on Friday. An autopsy later confirmed she had been sexually assaulted. open image in gallery Doctors and students at RG Kar hospital in Kolkata protest against the rape and killing of a doctor ( The Independent/Alisha Rahaman Sarkar ) She was very close to me taught me most of the work I know today, a student at the medical college, who did not want to be named, told The Independent. I was working in the same department as an intern last year where she was found dead. This could happen to any of us in the future due to lack of security measures, she said. We want the hospital authorities to take responsibility. What are they hiding? The local police arrested a civil volunteer associated with the Kolkata Police, Sanjay Roy, and remanded him to 14 days of custody. The suspect has been charged with rape and murder. The protesting doctors in Kolkata and elsewhere have called for an unbiased investigation into the killing, the resignation of all responsible hospital authorities, adequate security for all medical staff, and speedy ratification of a healthcare protection law. open image in gallery Protest against rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata swells into nationwide agitation ( The Independent/Alisha Rahaman Sarkar ) The victim was last seen after midnight on 9 August before she went to a third-floor seminar hall of the pulmonology department in the emergency building of the hospital during her 36-hour on-call duty. Her partially naked body with visible marks of abuse was discovered by fellow students after 7am (local time) on Friday, who informed the police. The victims family alleged they were initially informed by a senior police official over the phone that their daughter had died by suicide. We want justice for our daughter. She did not deserve this. We want the truth to come out, the father told The Telegraph Online. The local police expanded their investigation into the suspected rape and murder to include resident doctors, hospital staff, and the assistant superintendent, who made the first call to the victims parents. We are absolutely transparent as far as this is concerned. We have nothing to hide, Kolkata police commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal told reporters amid allegations of evidence tampering. A 24-year-old nursing student, who has been part of the demonstration since Friday, said the protest was for seeking justice for the junior doctor and for safety of all the present and future healthcare workers. There is nobody protecting the people who save lives in this country. This should have never happened, Jhanvi Pandey told The Independent. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has set a deadline for the city police to complete the investigation by 17 August, failing which it would be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), a federal investigative agency. If they fail [police] to complete the probe by Sunday, because of insider involvement, we will not keep the case with us, she said after visiting the bereaved parents. open image in gallery The emergency building of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital ( The Independent/ Alisha Rahaman Sarkar ) Sandip Ghosh, the principal of the medical college, resigned following public outrage over his remarks. He reportedly said: It was irresponsible of the girl to go to the seminar hall alone at night. The pan-India doctors strike was in response to a call by the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (Forda) in solidarity with the agitation in Kolkata. The resident doctors association of the RG Kar Medical College ceased work on the emergency services last week. The federation demanded the implementation of the central healthcare protection act, which prohibits acts of violence against healthcare service personnel including doctors, nurses, para-medical workers, medical students, and ambulance drivers. The strike is in response to a tragedy that has never happened in the history of the medical profession in India. It is not that we want to do it but the situation demands we set an example that the doctors can also take to the streets, Aviral Mathur, president of Forda, told The Independent. Dr Mathur said the association has received overwhelming support, with doctors and healthcare professionals of all levels across the nation joining the strike. The protest is expected to swell on Tuesday with more states participating. We demand that the investigation of the RG Kar Medical College should be done by an unbiased central agency, and the family of the victim should get due compensation, he said, adding that the too far Sunday deadline raised the risk of evidence tampering. If there have been allegations of investigation getting botched up, swapped or tampered with, then there will be sufficient window. open image in gallery Patients forced to return from RG Kar Medical College and Hospital ( The Independent/ Alisha Rahaman Sarkar ) The doctors strike has left thousands of low-income patients in distress across state-run hospitals. Shyamal Guha, 78, was one such patient at the RG Kar hospital, who was made to return after spending more than two hours in the ambulance at the hospital. My father had a heart attack yesterday, now due to more complications the hospital asked us to move him here. They are now refusing to take him to the emergency room. If this continues, he will die, Mr Guhas son, Pradip, said. While a series of ambulances made their way into the hospital premises, the patients inside the vehicle were forced to wait for hours and eventually return to find another hospital. It is 4.30pm and RG Kar is the third hospital to have refused me treatment, said a woman in anguish. Dr Mathur said the strike was not called in haste without considering the patients. Our profession is such that some patients will be left unattended but we have tried our best to continue emergency services, he added. A survey by the Indian Medical Association in 2015 found that 75 per cent of doctors in India faced some form of violence, with 12 per cent being physical assault. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Tens of thousands of women took to the streets across India on Wednesday night in protest over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at a prominent state-run hospital in West Bengal. The largest of the protests took place in Kolkata itself, where women armed with placards, candles and the Indian national flag ushered in the countrys 78th Independence Day at midnight by demanding justice for the killing of the 31-year-old female resident at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The doctor cannot be named due to Indias laws protecting the identity of rape victims, even in death. Her partially naked body was discovered by students last Friday morning, with an autopsy later confirming she had been sexually assaulted. Women at the Reclaim the Night protest told The Independent that they wanted swift justice for the victim some are calling for the perpetrator or perpetrators to be given the death penalty but also a wider reckoning on violence against women and the safety of doctors in the country. Riya Banerjee, a 22-year-old student, said she had walked more than 5km to take part in the protest after roads became impassable for traffic, as it was important for everyone to step out of their comfort [zone] and raise their voices. We want justice for [the victim], she said. We want to reclaim public space. Why should we live in fear of being abused by men? The doctors murder has dominated the national political conversation in India this week, triggering a nationwide doctors strike and similar protests on Wednesday night in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune and even New York. Prime minister Narendra Modi addressed the matter in his Independence Day address on Thursday, calling for stricter punishments for crimes against women. As a society, we have to think about the atrocities being committed against our mothers, daughters and sisters. There is outrage against this in the country. I can feel this outrage, he said. One suspect has been arrested in the case, a civil volunteer named Sanjay Roy, who is associated with the Kolkata Police. The case has since been taken over by the federal Central Bureau of Investigation amid calls for an unbiased and transparent inquiry into the crime. More protests were planned for Friday, as the indefinite doctors strike takes its toll on non-emergency medical services at government hospitals across the country, affecting many thousands of patients. The national Federation of Resident Doctors Association, a major union, is demanding a full and unbiased investigation, compensation for the victim, and the implementation of a new law specifically targeting acts of violence against healthcare workers. Not any more, shouted Debjani Roy, who joined the protest at College Square in Kolkata with her two young daughters. They needed to witness the protest so that when they grow up, they are able to hit back at any man who dares to harass them, she said. open image in gallery A protest takes place in Kolkata following an alleged rape and murder incident at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital ( EPA ) At midnight, the chanting of slogans faded as the national anthem was sung in unison. The cries for justice reverberated again a few minutes later. open image in gallery Medical professionals and activists hold posters and wave the flag of India as they take part in a midnight protest ( AFP via Getty ) The peaceful protests were marred later in the night by a mob of men who broke through the police barricade outside RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, vandalising the protest venue and ransacking the emergency ward. open image in gallery Families with children took part in the demonstrations ( EPA ) We were preparing to take out a rally, when out of nowhere dozens of men barged in and started assaulting whoever they could see, a resident doctor, who did not wish to be named, told The Independent. We ran inside the hospital to save ourselves. They were out for blood. She said members of the mob broke in through buildings and entered the womens hostel on the hospital campus. Every room of the emergency ward, which is where the crime took place, was ransacked, with medical equipment destroyed and beds overturned. Kolkata Police fired teargas to disperse the protesters and detained several men from the crowd, though they are yet to comment on either their identity or the suspected motive behind the attack. The mob was tearing wires to snap the electricity with their bare hands. They had rods and swords and came charging towards the police, an officer with Kolkata Police told The Print. There were patients undergoing treatment and the force saved them on priority. open image in gallery Damage caused to the emergency ward at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital ( AFP via Getty ) A video shared on social media showed the mob breaking down a police barrier at the entrance of the government hospital. A person could be heard repeatedly begging them: Dont do this. Kolkata Police commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal blamed the mob attack on a motivated media campaign that painted the Kolkata Police in a very poor light. Unfortunately this incident would not have happened if this kind of malicious campaign was not being run by the media, he told reporters. open image in gallery The emergency ward of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital was vandalised by a mob of men ( AFP via Getty ) I am telling you from the core of my heart and every member of my team, that we have never tried to save [those who are guilty]. Rahul Gandhi, leader of the opposition in parliament, said in a statement that he saw an attempt by some state government officials to protect the suspects rather than punish them. Mr Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has called on West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee to resign over the situation in her state. Ms Banerjee on Wednesday asked the doctors to end their protest and return to work. Give the death penalty to those who are actually responsible for the crime, but innocents should not be punished, said Ms Banerjee, the only serving female chief minister in India. On Thursday some junior doctors returned to the hospital, still fearful after Wednesday nights attack. This protest will not stop till the culprits are hanged, the resident doctor said. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Thousands of people in Japan have been ordered to evacuate and hundreds of flights and trains have been cancelled as typhoon Ampil bears down on Tokyo. The widespread disruptions come as Japan is celebrating the Obon holiday week when millions of people return to their hometowns. Ampil, which is expected to reach waters near Tokyo by Friday evening, is the seventh typhoon of 2024 to hit Japan. It is packing sustained winds of 162kph and moving north at 15kph, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Although Ampil is not expected to make landfall and may weaken to a tropical storm by Sunday, authorities have issued evacuation orders and warnings in anticipation of dangerous conditions. The typhoon is expected to pass close to the Tokyo region, home to almost 40 million people, on Friday and move towards the Pacific coast. Typhoon Ampil headed toward Tokyo ( Japan Meteorological Agency ) Thousands evacuate amid windy conditions In Fukushima prefecture, more than 320,000 residents of Iwaki city were ordered to evacuate to 30 designated shelters such as school gymnasiums and community centers. Similar evacuation warnings were issued for at-risk areas in the cities of Asahi and Mobarashi in Chiba prefecture, located east of Tokyo. As Friday progressed, Tokyo experienced drizzly and windy conditions, although the citys streets were relatively quiet due to the Obon summer holiday period and the stormy weather. Despite the typhoon, stores in the capital remained open, though officials have urged residents to avoid rivers, beaches, and other potentially hazardous areas. Shuichi Tachihara, chief forecaster at the Japan Meteorological Agency, warned of extremely fierce winds and extremely fierce seas as Ampil continued its path northward. On the island of Hachijojima, south of Tokyo, residents were seen boarding up windows as the typhoon passed the Hachijo island group by midday Friday. Thousands stranded as typhoon bings travel disruptions Japan Airlines has cancelled 191 domestic and 26 international flights, some of which were scheduled to arrive or depart from Tokyos Haneda airport on Friday. All Nippon Airways announced the cancellation of 280 domestic flights on Friday, which it said would affect about 60,400 passengers scheduled to fly to regions such as Osaka, Fukuoka and Okinawa. Approximately 90,000 travelers were affected by the cancellations, according to Japanese media reports. Central Japan Railway cancelled all Shinkansen bullet train services between Tokyo and Japan's industrial heartland of Nagoya on Friday. Rail services on the Tohoku, Yamagata and Joetsu Shinkansen lines were operated on a reduced service from 11am on Friday. Tokyo Disneyland, which typically remains open until 9pm local time, closed early at 3pm. Yamato Transport, responsible for delivering packages for Amazon and other online retailers in Japan, suspended all deliveries in Tokyo and nearby regions for Friday and Saturday. The weather agency warned residents in eastern regions to be highly vigilant against storms, high waves, heavy rains and possible landslides. "We urge the public to stay informed about evacuation advisories and take early steps to seek safety," disaster management minister Yoshifumi Matsumura said at a regular briefing. In a rare advisory, Japans Coast Guard asked large vessels to evacuate Tokyo Bay and to avoid venturing out into the sea. Japan is bracing for Ampils arrival less than a week after Storm Maria lashed the country with intense rainfall, prompting the evacuation of thousands of residents. Footage from NHK public television shows muddy waters flooding rivers in towns like Iwaizumi, where a 2016 typhoon claimed nine lives. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Rob Lowe has reflected on the infamous leak of his 1988 sex tape, and how it changed his life for the better. The 60-year-old actor, whos been sober for more than 30 years, spoke candidly about how he quit drinking during an interview with People published on August 15. He acknowledged that the decision to get sober came over three decades ago, after his now-infamous sex tape, which featured him and two young women, was leaked to the public. He recalled the scrutiny he faced after the incident and how it ultimately encouraged him to look at his life from a different perspective. [The fallout] definitely changed my life at the time, and, in hindsight, I realized it was another step that led me to recovery and reevaluating my life, Lowe said. But the thing that really changed me was not being able to show up for my family and myself. After his rise to fame in the 1980s, Lowe entered his partying days and started drinking while still in his teens. In 1988, the night before the Democratic National Convention, he recorded the video of himself with two females, one of whom was 16, at a hotel in Atlanta, Georgia. Although he was involved in a lawsuit with the mother of the 16-year-old, he made it clear that he did not know the girl was underage. To avoid criminal charges, he agreed to do 20 hours of community service, according to CBS News. The Outsiders star has previously reflected on the fallout of the sex tape leak. During an appearance on SiriusXMs The Jess Cagle Show in 2019, Lowe poked fun at how he didnt make any money off a sex tape like everybody else does now. However, he then acknowledged how the incident encouraged him to get sober. Its one of the reasons why I got sober. I woke up one day and I was like, What am I doing with my life, Lowe explained. Im 29 years in and like people talk, but its the best thing that ever happened to me. He also explained how his sobriety journey shaped his relationship with his family, as he shares his now-adult children Matthew, 31, and John, 29 with his wife Sheryl Berkoff. Sober got me married. Ive been married 29 years and I have two great sons. I dont think any of that happens without going through that scandal, he said. open image in gallery Actor Rob Lowe and wife Sheryl Berkoff attend LA premiere of Netflixs Unstable with sons Matthew Edward Lowe and John Owen Lowe ( Getty Images ) Elsewhere in his interview with People, Lowe reflected on another low point in his life in 1990 ignoring his mothers phone call for help when his grandfather had a heart attack. I remember like it was yesterday: My mom telling me [on the answering machine] to pick up, pick up because my grandpa had had a heart attack. I couldnt deal with it in the state I was in, and I needed to go to sleep to wake up so I could deal with it, he explained, recalling how he turned to drinking tequila during the difficult moment. He took that as his final sign to stop drinking. Who doesnt keep a bottle of Cuervo Gold by their bedside table? That was the final wake-up call. Ive been sober ever since, Lowe added. The actor acknowledged that when he entered rehab, he was so ready to move on from his hard-partying days and it was relieving for him to do so. It was scary, [but] I learned the tools to change your life if you have the self-honesty to do it, he said. I felt, Oh, okay, Im not alone. Im not crazy. For Lowe, there was one important thing he kept in mind throughout his sobriety journey. Getting sober was an incremental decision, the St. Elmos Fire star said. Its baby steps until youre ready. You cant do it until youre really, ready. If you or someone you know is suffering from alcohol addiction, you can confidentially call the national alcohol helpline Drinkline on 0300 123 1110 or visit the NHS website here for information about the programmes available to you. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Sofia Vergara has responded to ex-husband Joe Manganiellos claims that their marriage didnt end because of their differing opinions on having children. The former couple announced their split in July 2023 after seven years of marriage. The Modern Family alum told Spanish newspaper El Pais that their split had stemmed from the Magic Mike actor wanting a child, while she did not. Manganiello later disputed that claim in a July interview with Mens Journal. Speaking to Variety, the Americas Got Talent judge clarified that she wasnt completely sure how accurate her ex-husbands statements actually were. At the end of the day, you never even know if thats what he said for real, she told the outlet on August 14. Ive read a lot of things that Ive said that Im like, Huh? What am I gonna do, call him? I dont know if he even said that. In his interview with Mens Journal, Manganiello said that the couple did not break up over children, despite media speculation. Theres been a lot said in the press about me wanting a family. Thats simply not true, he told the outlet last month. We did try to have a family for the first year and a half, he explained. And we had a huge conversation right out of the gate during the first month we dated. open image in gallery Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello announced their decision to divorce in July 2023 ( Getty Images ) I said, If youre done with kids, then I understand. Just tell me, and Ill know what this is, and thats OK. But that wasnt the case with her, the actor continued. And I swore to her that I would never leave if it didnt work out. And I didnt. Despite the True Blood actor admitting that he did want children, he noted that he and Vergara instead grew apart. Its because two people grew apart, and sometimes that happens, Manganiello shared, adding: To be painted as if I had some sort of midlife crisis, and after nine years, turned to somebody and gave them an ultimatum of, Do this potentially unhealthy thing to your body, or else Im gone? Thats never who I was. Meanwhile, Vergara initially told El Pais that the two had conflicting opinions about children. My marriage broke up because my husband was younger; he wanted to have kids and I didnt want to be an old mom, she told the outlet. The Griselda actor is already a mother to her 32-year-old son, Manolo Gonzalez Vergara, from a previous marriage. Vergara maintained that would rather be a grandmother instead of a mother. I feel its not fair to the baby, she continued. I respect whoever does it, but thats not for me anymore. I had a son at 19, who is now 32, and Im ready to be a grandmother, not a mother. Im almost in menopause; its the natural way of things, she added. When my son becomes a dad, let him bring the baby to me for a while and then Ill give it back to him and go on with my life; thats what I have to do. Vergara is currently dating Justin Saliman, an orthopedic surgeon at Cedars-Sinai and founder of OutcomeMD. Meanwhile, Manganiello is dating actor Caitlin OConnor. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A court in Greenland ruled Thursday that veteran environmental activist and anti-whaling campaigner Paul Watson must remain in custody as authorities consider Japan's request for his extradition, police said. The court ruled that Watson must remain in detention until Sept. 5 to ensure his presence in connection with a decision on extradition, Greenland police said in a statement, adding that Watson has appealed the decision to Greenland's High Court. 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 last month on an international warrant issued by Japan when his ship docked in Nuuk, Greenlands capital. Japans government then asked Danish authorities to hand over Watson so he could be tried in Japan. Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark. Japans coast guard sought his arrest over an encounter with a Japanese whaling research ship in 2010 when he was accused of obstructing the crews official duties by ordering the captain of his ship to throw explosives at the whaling ship. Japans government argues whale meat is part of Japans food culture and supports the sustainable use of whales. Japan withdrew from the International Whaling Commission in 2019 and has since resumed commercial whaling within its exclusive economic zone. 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. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida vowed to step up his countrys effort to defend a rules-based international order in a peace pledge made Thursday on the 79th anniversary of Japan's defeat in World War II. We will never again repeat the tragedy of war and will stick to the countrys postwar pacifist resolve, he said at a solemn ceremony at the Budokan hall. In the world where tragic battles have persisted, Japan will continue its effort to maintain and strengthen the rules-based, free and open international order and endeavor to resolve difficult global issues, Kishida said. Kishida noted the more than 3 million Japanese killed, the destruction and the lives lost from bloody ground battles on Japan's southern island of Okinawa, fire-bombings across Japan, and the atomic attacks on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. He did not mention or apologize for Japanese aggression across Asia or millions of lives lost there. The omission follows a precedent set by then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in his speech 2013, a move critics call a whitewashing of Japans wartime atrocities. Earlier Thursday, three of Kishida's ministers, including Defense Minister Minoru Kihara, prayed at the Yasukuni Shrine seen by Asian neighbors as a symbol of militarism. The controversial shrine honors convicted war criminals among about 2.5 million war dead. Victims of Japanese aggression, especially China and the Koreas, see visits to the shrine as a lack of remorse, and visits by defense officials are considered especially controversial. Kihara is the first serving defense chief to pray at the shrine on the anniversary since then-Defense Minister Nobuo Kishis 2021 visit. Kishida abstained from praying at the Yasukuni Shrine just a block away and sent a religious ornament instead. Emperor Naruhito, who also attended the ceremony, repeated his deep remorse over Japans actions during the war that was fought in the name of the wartime emperor Hirohito, his grandfather. Kishida accelerated Japans military buildup and spending as the country further deepens military cooperation with the United States and their Indo-Pacific partners in the face of growing threats from China and North Korea. Kishida, who took office in 2021, announced Wednesday that he plans to step down after his governing party leadership vote in September. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A Ukrainian drone attack on Russian air bases damaged at least two hangars and other areas, satellite images analyzed by The Associated Press on Thursday show. Images taken Wednesday by Planet Labs PBC analyzed by the AP show that two hangars at Borisoglebsk Air Base had been struck, with a field of debris seen around both. It was not immediately clear what purpose the hangars served. There also appeared to be damage potentially done to two fighter aircraft at the base. Separately, at Savasleika Air Base, one burn mark could be seen on the apron in images Wednesday, though there was no apparent damage visible to the fighter jets and other aircraft there. Kursk acting Governor Alexei Smirnov on Thursday ordered the evacuation of the Glushkovo region, about 45 kilometers (28 miles) northwest of Sudzha, where heavy battles are taking place, as Ukraine's daring incursion into the bordering Kursk region entered its second week. The evacuation order suggests Ukrainian forces are gradually advancing toward the area. Russia also declared a federal-level state of emergency in the Belgorod region. A regional-level state of emergency had been declared a day earlier in Belgorod, and the change in status suggests officials believe the situation is worsening and hampering the regions ability to deliver aid. Residents who suffer severe health damage will be eligible to receive payments of up to 600,000 rubles ($6,600). Those who experience a loss of property are eligible for up to 150,000 rubles ($1,700), Russias Emergencies Ministry said. Ukraines chief military officer, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi declared that Ukrainian forces have taken 1,000 square kilometers (about 390 square miles) of the Kursk region. That claim couldnt be independently verified. The contact lines in Kursk have remained fluid, allowing both sides to maneuver easily unlike the static frontline in eastern Ukraine where it has taken Russian forces months to achieve even incremental gains. Russian military bloggers have claimed that Russian reserves arriving in the region have stemmed Ukrainian advances, but they also noted that Ukrainian small mechanized groups have continued to probe Russian defenses. Speaking to reporters at the U.N. on Wednesday, Russias Deputy U.N. Ambassador Dmitry Polyansky dismissed Syrskyis claim of having gained 1,000 square kilometers of the Russian territory. Whats happening in Kursk is the incursion of terrorist sabotage groups, so there is no front line as such, Polyansky said. There is an incursion because there are forests that are very difficult to control. He said Ukrainian troops in the forests will be singled out and eliminated within a very brief period of time. Polyansky called the Ukrainian incursion an absolutely reckless and mad operation, and said Ukraine's aim to force Russia to move its troops from eastern Ukraine is not happening because we have enough troops there. ___ Associated Press journalist Jim Heintz contributed from Tallinn. Edith M. Lederer contributed from the United Nations. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} As wildfires scorched swaths of land in the wine country of Sonoma County in 2020, sending ash flying and choking the air with smoke, Maria Salinas harvested grapes. Her saliva turned black from inhaling the toxins, until one day she had so much trouble breathing she was rushed to the emergency room. When she felt better, she went right back to work as the fires raged on. What forces us to work is necessity, Salinas said. We always expose ourselves to danger out of necessity, whether by fire or disaster, when the weather changes, when its hot or cold. As climate change increases the frequency and intensity of wildfires around the world, a new study shows that farmworkers are paying a heavy price by being exposed to high levels of air pollution. And in Sonoma County, the focus of the work, researchers found that a program aimed at determining when it was safe to work during wildfires did not adequately protect farmworkers. They recommended a series of steps to safeguard the workers' health, including air quality monitors at work sites, stricter requirements for employers, emergency plans and trainings in various languages, post-exposure health screenings and hazard pay. Farmworkers are experiencing first and hardest what the rest of us are just starting to understand," Max Bell Alper, executive director of the labor coalition North Bay Jobs with Justice, said Wednesday during a webinar devoted to the research, published in July in the journal GeoHealth. "And I think in many ways thats analogous to whats happening all over the country. What we are experiencing in California is now happening everywhere. Farmworkers face immense pressure to work in dangerous conditions. Many are poor and don't get paid unless they work. Others who are in the country illegally are more vulnerable because of limited English proficiency, lack of benefits, discrimination and exploitation. These realities make it harder for them to advocate for better working conditions and basic rights. Researchers examined data from the 2020 Glass and LNU Lightning Complex fires in northern California's Sonoma County, a region famous for its wine. During those blazes, many farmworkers kept working, often in evacuation zones deemed unsafe for the general population. Because smoke and ash can contaminate grapes, growers were under increasing pressure to get workers into fields. The researchers looked at air quality data from a single AirNow monitor, operated by the Environmental Protection Agency and used to alert the public to unsafe levels, and 359 monitors from PurpleAir, which offers sensors that people can install in their homes or businesses. From July 31 to Nov. 6, 2020, the AirNow sensor recorded 21 days of air pollution the EPA considers unhealthy for sensitive groups and 13 days of poor air quality unhealthy for everyone. The PurpleAir monitors found 27 days of air the EPA deems unhealthy for sensitive groups and 16 days of air toxic to everyone. And on several occasions, the smoke was worse at night. Thats an important detail because some employers asked farmworkers to work at night due in part to cooler temperatures and less concentrated smoke, said Michael Mendez, one of the researchers and an assistant professor at University of California-Irvine. "Hundreds of farmworkers were exposed to the toxic air quality of wildfire smoke, and that could have detrimental impact to their health," he said. There wasnt any post-exposure monitoring of these farmworkers. The researchers also examined the county's Agricultural Pass program, which allows farmworkers and others in agriculture into mandatory evacuation areas to conduct essential activities like water or harvest crops. They found that the approval process lacked clear standards or established protocols, and that requirements of the application were little enforced. In some cases, for example, applications did not include the number of workers in worksites and didn't have detailed worksite locations. Irva Hertz-Picciotto, a professor of public health sciences at the University of California-Davis who was not part of the study, said symptoms of inhaling wildfire smoke eye irritation, coughing, sneezing and difficulty breathing can start within just a few minutes of exposure to smoke with fine particulate matter. Exposure to those tiny particles, which can go deep into the lungs and bloodstream, has been shown to increase the risk of numerous health conditions such as heart and lung disease, asthma and low birth weight. Its effects are compounded when extreme heat is also present. Another recent study found that inhaling tiny particulates from wildfire smoke can increase the risk of dementia. Anayeli Guzman, who like Salinas worked to harvest grapes during the Sonoma County fires, remembers feeling fatigue and burning in her eyes and throat from the smoke and ash. But she never went to the doctor for a post-exposure health check up. We don't have that option, Guzman, who has no health coverage, said in an interview. If I go get a checkup, I'd lose a day of work or would be left to pay a medical bill. In the webinar, Guzman said it was sad that vineyard owners are only worried about the grapes that may be tainted by smoke, and not about how smoke affects workers. A farmworker health survey report released in 2021 by the University of California-Merced and the National Agricultural Workers Survey found that fewer than 1 in 5 farmworkers have employer-based health coverage. Hertz-Picciotto said farmworkers are essential workers because the nation's food supply depends on them. From a moral point of view and a health point of view, it's really reprehensible that the situation has gotten bad and things have not been put in place to protect farmworkers, and this paper should be really important in trying to bring that to light with real recommendations," she said. ___ The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of APs environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Tiers of graves are stacked deep underground in a bloated Gaza cemetery, where Sadi Baraka spends his days hacking at the earth, making room for more dead. Sometimes we make graves on top of graves, he said. Baraka and his solemn corps of volunteer gravediggers in the Deir al-Balah cemetery start at sunrise, digging new trenches or reopening existing ones. The dead can sometimes come from kilometers (miles) away, stretches of Gaza where burial grounds are destroyed or unreachable. The cemetery is 70 years old. A quarter of its graves are new. The death toll in Gaza since the beginning of the 10-month-old Israel-Hamas war has passed 40,000, according to the territorys Health Ministry. The small, densely populated strip of land is now packed with bodies. They fill morgues and overflow cemeteries. Families, fleeing repeatedly to escape offensives, bury their dead wherever possible: in backyards and parking lots, beneath staircases and along roadsides, according to witness accounts and video footage. Others lie under rubble, their families unsure they will ever be counted. One large cemetery A steady drumbeat of death since October has claimed nearly 2% of Gazas prewar population. The count by the Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza does not distinguish civilians from militants. Health officials and civil defense workers say the true toll could be thousands more, including bodies under rubble that the United Nations says weighs 40 million tons. It seems, Palestinian author Yousri Alghoul wrote for the Institute for Palestine Studies, that Gazas fate is to become one large cemetery, with its streets, parks, and homes, where the living are merely dead awaiting their turn. Israel began striking Gaza after Hamas-led militants stormed across the Israeli border on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking some 250 others hostage. Israel seeks Hamas destruction and claims it confines its attacks to militants. It blames Hamas for civilian deaths, saying the militants operate from residential neighborhoods laced with tunnels. The fighting has killed 329 Israeli soldiers. Even in death, Palestinians have been displaced by Israels offensives. Palestinians move corpses, shielding them from the path of war. Israels military has dug up, plowed over and bombed more than 20 cemeteries, according to satellite imagery analyzed by investigative outlet Bellingcat. Troops have taken scores of bodies into Israel, searching for hostages. Trucked back to Gaza, the bodies are often decomposed and unidentifiable, buried quickly in a mass grave. Israels military told The Associated Press that it is attempting to rescue hostage bodies where intelligence indicates they may be located. It said bodies determined not to be hostages are returned with dignity and respect. Haneen Salem, a photographer and writer from northern Gaza, has lost over 270 extended family members in bombardments and shelling. Salem said between 15 and 20 of them have been disinterred some after troops destroyed cemeteries and others moved by relatives out of fear Israeli forces would destroy their graves. I dont know how to explain what it feels like to see the bodies of my loved ones lying on the ground, scattered, a piece of flesh here and bone there, she said. After the war, if we remain alive, we will dig a new grave and spread roses and water over it for their good souls. Honoring the dead In peacetime, Gaza funerals were large family affairs. The corpse would be washed and wrapped in a shroud, according to Islamic tradition. After prayers over the body at a mosque, a procession would take it to the graveyard, where it would be laid on its right side facing east, toward Mecca. The rituals are the most basic way to honor the dead, said Hassan Fares. This does not exist in Gaza. Twenty-five members of Fares' family were killed by an airstrike on Oct. 13 in northern Gaza. Without gravediggers available, Fares dug three ditches in a cemetery, burying four cousins, his aunt and his uncle. Survivors whispered quick prayers over the distant hum of warplanes. Those who died early in the war might have been the lucky ones, Fares said. They had funerals, even if brief. Nawaf al-Zuriei, a morgue worker at Deir al-Balahs Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, is on the front lines of the rush of dead. Workers cover the damaged bodies in plastic to avoid bloodstains on white shrouds. We wipe the blood off the face so its in a suitable state for his loved ones to bid him farewell, he said. Following Israeli troop withdrawals, dozens of bodies are left on streets. With fuel scarce, workers collecting the dead fill trucks with corpses, strapping some on top to save gas, said civil defense official Mohammed el-Mougher. Headstones are rare; some graves are marked with chunks of rubble. When a corpse remains unidentified, workers place a plastic placard at the grave, bearing the burial date, identification number and where the body was found. Searching for lost loved ones The uncertain fate of relatives' bodies haunts families. Mousa Jomaa, an orthopedist who lives in al-Ram in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, has watched from afar as the war claimed 21 relatives in Gaza. Jomaas cousin Mohammed was killed in an Israeli airstrike early in the war while operating an ambulance in southern Gaza and was buried in Rafah, away from the familys home in central Gaza. The cemetery was damaged in a later offensive. Theres no sign of Mohammeds body, Jomaa said. A strike in December then destroyed Jomaas uncles house, killing his aunt and her children, 8-year-old Mira and 10-year-old Omar. Jomaa's uncle, Dr. Hani Jomaa, rushed home to search the rubble. Before he could find Mira's body, a strike killed him too. Because her body has not been recovered, Mira has not been counted among the dead, said Jomaa, who showed a photo of the young girl standing beside her brother, with a rainbow handbag matching her barrette. In July, an Israeli tank killed two more cousins, Mohammed and Baha. Bahas body was torn apart, and the shelling made it too dangerous to collect the remains for weeks. Jomaa said that come the end of the war, he plans to visit Gaza to search for Mira's remains. Smashed graves and cemeteries off-limits Israeli evacuation orders cover much of Gaza, leaving some of the largest cemeteries off-limits. Jake Godin, a Bellingcat researcher, has used satellite imagery to document destruction to more than 20 cemeteries. Sandy, bulldozed expanses appear where some cemeteries once stood. Gaza Citys Sheikh Radwan graveyard is cratered. In Gaza's Eastern Cemetery, roads carved by heavy vehicles bury headstones under tire tracks, he said. Anywhere the (Israeli military) is active, they bulldoze and destroy the ground without regard to cemeteries, Godin said. The military told the AP it does not have a policy of destroying graves. The unfortunate reality of ground warfare in condensed civilian areas" can result in harm to cemeteries, it said, adding it found Hamas tunnels underneath a cemetery east of the southern city of Khan Younis. Mahmoud Alkrunz, a student in Turkey, said his father, mother, two brothers, sister and three of his siblings children were buried in the Bureij refugee camps cemetery after Israel bombed their home. When Israel withdrew from Bureij in January, the graves were found unearthed. Alkrunz fainted when his uncle delivered the news. We dont know what has happened to the bodies, he said. ___ Frankel reported from Jerusalem. AP correspondent Jack Jeffery in Ramallah, West Bank, contributed. ___ Follow APs war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The mother of a Romanian suspect accused of placing an 11-year-old girl in a headlock and stabbing her repeatedly in Londons Leicester Square has said she is deeply sorry for what happened to the young victim. Ioan Pintaru, 32, allegedly launched the random assault outside the LEGO store, attacking the young Australian tourist with a steak knife while her mother screamed for help. Speaking to the MailOnline from Pintarus hometown of Pucioasa, around 65 miles from Bucharest, Magda Girla said: Please send this message to everybody, Im deeply sorry for what happened to that little girl. I suffer together with her mother and I cant describe the pain Im in. Im also a mother and I understand what she must be going through. Police officers at the scene in Leicester Square (James Manning/PA) ( PA Wire ) She added that her son, who she last spoke to on Monday morning before the attack, had worked as a long-distance lorry driver and had moved to England around six years ago. After being injured in a road traffic incident, he had been forced to search for a new employer, with the court hearing that he had been homeless at the time of the incident. During his appearance at Westminster Magistrates Court this week, prosecutor David Burns said the 34-year-old woman and daughter were in Leicester Square as tourists when a man approached the girl, placed her into a headlock, hes then stabbed her eight times to the body. She was wounded in the face, shoulder, wrist and neck area and has required plastic surgery. The girls mother was initially thought to have also been hurt but blood from her daughters injuries had been mistaken for injuries of her own, the Metropolitan Police said. Security guard Abdullah, 29, intervened and stopped the attack (Eleanor Cunningham/PA) ( PA Wire ) Officers said there was no suggestion the incident was terror-related or that the victims and suspect knew one another. A security guard named Abdullah has since been praised for his bravery after he jumped on the suspect and disarmed him, restraining him in place until the emergency services arrived. Detective Chief Superintendent Christina Jessah said: This is a horrific incident and our thoughts are with the victims and their family. We will continue to provide support to them over the coming days and weeks. I would like to pay tribute to the members of the public, including staff from local businesses, who bravely intervened in this incident. They put themselves at risk and showed the best of London in doing so. Pintaru was remanded in custody and will next appear at the Old Bailey on September 10. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Two Just Stop Oil protesters have pleaded not guilty to criminal damage after two private jets were sprayed with orange paint at Stansted Airport. Jennifer Kowalski, a 28-year-old from Dumbarton, and Cole Macdonald, aged 22 and from Brighton, appeared before Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday. Both defendants pleaded not guilty to charges of causing criminal damage and interfering with national infrastructure. Two Just Stop Oil protesters appeared in court on Thursday ( Just Stop Oil/PA ) They were both granted bail ahead of a trial at the same court which is scheduled from September 2025, with conditions including that they do not go within a mile of an airport except whilst on moving public transport. They are alleged to have used angle grinders to break through an airport fence at around 5am on 20 June, 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. The aircraft were owned by Prudential Insurance and by an investment group, according to charges read to the court. Essex Police previously confirmed that the private jet of pop star Taylor Swift which Just Stop Oil said had landed at Stansted mere hours before was not at the airport at the time. Judge Mary Loram KC set a pre-trial review hearing for 26 August next year, with the trial due to start the following month and expected to last three to four days. Additional reporting by PA For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A rioter who went viral after looting a number of shops including a Lush cosmetics store in Hull has received one of the longest sentences after weeks of violent disorder. John Honey, 25, was pictured wearing a distinctive St Georges Cross T-shirt and carrying boxes of bathbombs when the store was ransacked on 3 August, before also stealing goods from O2 and Shoezone. As well as participating in the ransacking of the high street, he was part of a baying mob that forced three Romanian men from their BMW, leaving them terrified. Honey has been jailed for over four years for taking part in the violent disorder (Humberside Police/PA) ( PA Media ) A court heard the driver of a BMW was left in fear for his life when more than 100 angry men descended on him and his two cousins and attempted to drag them from their vehicle during 12 hours of racist, hate-fuelled mob violence in the city on August 3. The man said he was punched in the head, and one person tried to hit him with a metal bar. In footage of the incident, the three terrified occupants of the car could be seen getting out with their hands raised in a gesture of surrender before fleeing to a nearby hotel, the court heard. Honey had pulled open the passenger door while David Wilkinson, 48, was seen damaging the windscreen of the vehicle. He has now been jailed for 56 months after previously pleading guilty to violent disorder and three charges of burglary at Lush, the O2 and Shoezone. A manager at Lush said the incident had massively impacted staff ( X/Twitter ) Video footage played to the court showed him carrying on of the Lush branded bags and filling it with products, with the manager saying the incident had massively impacted the staff. A previous sentencing hearing that had been due to take place earlier this week was adjourned after it emerged Honey had asked a prison probation officer if he wanted his autograph because he was famous. During Fridays hearing, the judge was informed that Honey had developmental issues due to a difficult start to life. Judge John Thackray KC told Honey: Im not going to hear any evidence about comments which you may or may not have made in the prison setting. Im not going to give them any relevance. If your defence say that there is now genuine remorse, Ill accept that submission. He also admitted racially aggravated criminal damage over the BMW incident, and to damaging nine other cars during an attack on a garage. David Wilkinson, 48, has been jailed for six years for his role in the Sunderland riots (Humberside Police) ( PA Media ) Also jailed on Friday was Wilkinson, who received a six year sentence after playing a prominent role in the riots, which saw him spitting, throwing missiles and pushing wheelie bins towards police officers. In the same garage attack, he was seen trying to set fire to a bin on top of a pile of tyres which were already alight, sending plumes of black smoke into a workshop where a group of people were sheltering. Four men who took part in a barrage of verbal and physical abuse towards police during the riots were also locked up at the same court. Also jailed today for two years and two months was Paul Williams, a 45-year-old man who was at the forefront of an orgy of mindless destruction, violence and disorder in Sunderland. During the rioting, he was seen throwing metal fencing and a can of beer at police before taking his shirt off and shouting put your shields down and lets go, lets f****** go. Lisa Bishop was jailed for 26 months after admitting violent disorder ( Avon and Somerset Police ) A mother-of-five who was part of a terrifying mob outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in Bristol has also been jailed for 26 months after throwing a can and shouting verbal abuse. Lisa Bishop, 38, was in a prominent position outside the Mercure hotel, which left police officers overwhelmed as they struggled to maintain order. A second riot charge has been brought by police as violent disorder suspects across the country await news on whether they will be accused of the more serious offence. Northumbria Police said on Friday that Kieran Usher had become their second suspect to be charged with riot, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The 32-year-old appeared at South Tyneside Magistrates Court on Friday, where prosecutors said he had acted in an aggressive manner towards police officers and threw missiles at them during the unrest. It followed the forces announcement that a 15-year-old boy had been charged with the more serious offence after having previously pleaded guilty to violent disorder and burglary on Saturday. Within 10 minutes its over. Another fate is sealed. The process is simple and already repetitive: the defendant, this time wiry apprentice electrician Declan Dixon, 22, wearing prison-issue grey tracksuit bottoms, is brought up from the cells to court number 7. As the charges are read violence disorder, possession of cocaine he bows his head. A weary defence lawyer makes a case for bail Dixon, who pleaded guilty to all offences, would like, he says, to visit his mum in Wigan, to say goodbye. Dixon cuts a pitiful figure standing in the dock, which is covered with a thick layer of dust. He nods earnestly in the direction of the judge as the appeal is made. He accepts hes going to jail, his lawyer explains to the court, because hes been seen on TV taking part in the Hartlepool riots on 31 July. But, just like the scores of others shuffling through the court this week pleading for a break, he finds that the judge is unwilling to pander. Dixon leaves the courtroom and is escorted back to the cells to await sentencing. Others are receiving 20 months for similar offences committed during the riots that spread across the country earlier this month. The chances of him sitting in his mums kitchen any time soon are slim. The backdrop to this sorry scene is Teesside Magistrates Court, an antiquated building close to a downtrodden city centre. The riots that erupted across the country on 29 July might have been quashed for now, but here the process of delivering justice has only just begun. More than 50 people have been hauled before a judge here in the past week; on 6 August, 27 were dealt with in one day. Its a snapshot of a grim wider picture. The police have now arrested more than 1,000 people involved in the racially motivated violence that began at the end of last month. On Tuesday, the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) confirmed that 575 people had been charged, and warned that there were hundreds more to come in a crackdown that is likely to last for weeks to come. The violence being documented in the courts has in some cases been unprecedented and grotesque. In Rotherham this week, a 60-year-old man was sentenced to two years and eight months for his part in the terrifying violence that took place outside a hotel used to house asylum seekers. Over in Chester, a 53-year-old woman who lived a quiet, sheltered life was jailed for 15 months after she admitted posting a threatening Facebook message that stated: Dont protect the mosques, blow the mosque up with the adults in it. Middlesbrough has also seen cases that have become synonymous with the heinous disorder that began in the days that followed the stabbing of three young girls at a dance studio in Southport. Some of those who have appeared in court in relation to the recent unrest ( Police/CPS/PA ) Last week, Stacey Vint was sentenced to 20 months in prison for pushing a burning wheelie bin into a row of police officers. On Monday, Thomas Rogers appeared here, too. He was described as the idiot with a hoover by the landlord of a house the 22-year-old smashed up with a vacuum cleaner. The court heard that he threw bricks at police officers and told them that he hoped their children would be raped as he was taken into custody after the riots on 4 August. His young defence lawyer, Tabitha Buck, told the court that Rogers was overwhelmed by the stabbings in Southport, and by what he says is a lack of reaction from the police. The cases keep on coming in the courtroom, horrific Islamaphobic slurs are read out in monotone as cases are set out, and lawyers wrangle over video replays of defendants shouting We want our country back. Those sat in the dock hear their words read back to them. Adrenaline-fuelled bravado now drained, some defendants look mildly ashamed, at least while in front of a judge. The majority I see plead guilty, meekly accepting their involvement and the punishment to come. Demonstrators clash with police officers during an anti-immigration protest in Rotherham on 4 August ( Reuters ) In the public gallery, however, its sometimes not so quiet. Members of one family, who have come to get a glimpse of their 18-year-old grandson emerging from custody, are visibly upset. This doesnt happen to families like ours, they say as the five-minute hearing ends. Were a good family. There are small gatherings of people waiting outside on the court steps, too, and a few low-key disturbances have happened inside the court. There was a report of one guy shouting from the public gallery, says Paul Doney of the CPS. Hes now been charged for his own involvement in the riots. Its mostly the same sort of people sitting in the public gallery, Im told; people wearing tracksuits and flip-flops to court those who know their way around already, says Alex Storey, a reporter for the local North News and Pictures. He was on the front line of the riots across the North East, which hit Hartlepool, Sunderland and Middlesbrough in quick succession. Since then hes been talking to victims, and sitting on countless press benches in courts across the region. Its been 12 years since I too was a local news reporter on this beat, but Teesside Magistrates Court is exactly as I remember it. The late-1980s turquoise flooring; polystyrene squares that cover the ceiling between strip lighting; the squarks of seagulls outside comically echoing in clinical corridors. In the courtrooms, magistrates sit at worn desks. Opposite the plastic blue seats in the public gallery, graffiti is etched into the wooden balcony railings. Rotherham was the scene of terrifying violence earlier this month ( Getty ) The time warp extends to the town itself. I notice only small changes, and none for the better. The public library opposite the courts now has boarded-up windows. Shops that once dominated the high street, such as Debenhams and House of Fraser, are today dormant and decaying, and there are empty and half-empty baggies of drugs scattered on the paths. The fountain outside the Crown Court, in the regenerated university area, has been shut off due to a rat problem, Im told. Theres no levelling up here, no matter what they tell you, a court usher says as we chat in the foyer. Thats the problem. The area has a long, deeply entrenched history of neglect. The once thriving steelworks felt the sharp end of Margaret Thatchers policy of privatisation in the late 1980s, as a 170-year-old industry that, despite several sales and attempts to save it, has since seen nothing but decline. The final closure, in 2015, led to a 13 per cent rise in unemployment mainly among predominantly white, working-class men over the age of 50. Out of work, many were consigned to the benefits system. Multigenerational unemployment, along with a mood of resentment and frustration, was left to fester by governments of both colours. Earlier this year, a report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation showed that Middlesbrough had the highest rate of child poverty in the North East almost half. Boarded-up shops in Rotherham are a sign of the entrenched neglect experienced by many towns in northern England ( Getty ) The other cases in court this week add to the picture of a town trapped in a downward spiral, where opportunities are few and people to blame are many. One case includes a woman facing a charge for a 13.15 theft from Morrisons because she was hungry, a defence lawyer tells the court. Theft related to drug use is a common theme. I sit with Leanne, from Hartlepool, as she waits nervously for her partner, who has been on remand for eight weeks for common assault. She says his crime was related to complex mental illness yet hes been waiting for two years for therapy. Things are hard, she says, quickly adding that neither her partner nor any of her family had anything to do with the riots. Its scary, she continues. Im scared to let my kids out. I dont want them to grow up like this. Im scared for myself, even. Take a 10-minute walk from the courts, and its clear why. Garnet Road an area just off the city centre, where theres a large Asian community was decimated during the riots, Storey says. Cars have been smashed, front windows have been smashed. Vehicles were also set alight, and curtains ripped from front rooms to be used as tinder. We thought the court was a goner, one usher tells me. They came right past. All the university buildings [five minutes walk away] were smashed up, too. The court survived, but its now being put through its paces by prime minister Keir Starmers rapid sentencing plan. In full swing in Teesside and across many other deprived northern towns, it seems to be working, albeit aided by a significant amount of elbow grease from exhausted court employees. Many rioters are being sentenced within four days of their plea hearing, a process that Doney tells me would usually take around four weeks. Riot police push back anti-migration protesters past a destroyed bus stop outside the Holiday Express Hotel in Rotherham ( Getty ) Starmer wanted the courts open 24 hours well he nearly had that last night, a security guard at the magistrates court tells me. He finished work at 11.55pm the night before; the van drivers, ferrying prisoners between cells, didnt get off until 3am, he says. Theres nowhere to take the prisoners. Everywhere is full. So far, UK courts such as this one have sent a robust message that racism and violent disorder wont be tolerated. For now, the rioters are off the streets, many beginning fair, hefty sentences in overcrowded prisons or languishing in full-to-the-brim police custody. But these short hearings cant give answers to why the story is unlikely to end there. Theyre all looking for someone to blame, a man in his mid-fifties, who doesnt want to be named, tells me outside the court. It was inevitable. People are p***** off for the wrong reasons, or with the wrong people, like, but theyre p***** off. They dont trust the government or the media. They think its all someone elses fault. You can remove the thugs from the street, hes essentially saying, but the conditions remain for misguided anger to froth over into violence once more. Today, locals in the surrounding streets are busy trying to fix things up and erase some of the damage caused to their community. The lists for court hearings are still growing in Middlesbrough, as they are in neighbouring Newton Aycliffe, and further north in South Tyneside, Sunderland and Newcastle. Theyll keep coming, Doney says. And the pressure on the court officials, prison staff and police will keep building. But, however busy the justice system will be for the foreseeable future, the real work for those taking stock hundreds of miles away in Westminster is just beginning. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A 15-year-old boy has become the first person to be charged with riot in a surprising decision, which could carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, as law enforcement clamps down on suspects. The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at South Tyneside Youth Court on Thursday, after already pleading guilty to violent disorder and burglary in Sunderland. Riot charges can carry double the sentencing of the violent disorder other rioters have been convicted of - up to 10 years. It is understood that riot charges are something the CPS is considering introducing nationally and not just in the north-east of the country. A senior officer at Northumbria Police said if an individual may have been involved in further criminality, they will be brought before the courts again and charged with the most serious offence possible. Assistant Chief Constable Alastair Simpson said: I hope this sends a really strong message that, no matter how old you are, if you took part in the recent appalling events in Sunderland, you will face really serious charges. However, the teenagers defence lawyer said the situation doesnt sit comfortably with me, professionally or personally, while the judge described it as an unusual situation. His case has now been adjourned until 2 September so that his lawyer can discuss the evidence with him. Tom Neblett, jailed over Southport unrest ( Merseyside Police ) Also making an appearance in the courts today was a man who played a leading role in the violence that broke out in Southport, who was jailed for 30 months after throwing bricks towards officers and climbing on top of a white van. Tom Neblett, 20, had been part of a mob that descended on a mosque near the scene of a triple stabbing in Hart Street, that saw three young girls killed at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class. Elsewhere on Thursday, a man motivated by racial hatred who punched and kicked a black man in the face during disorder in Manchester was jailed for three years and two months at the citys crown court. Prosecutors said father-of-two Joseph Ley was the first to instigate physical violence against the man, with his defence team telling the court that the 30-year-old thought he was attending an event to celebrate British culture. Joseph Ley was jailed for over three years for insitigating physical violence At the same court, a man who threw bricks at police outside a hotel housing asylum seekers was jailed for two years and 10 months. Paul Smith, 21, was sentenced for violent disorder following unrest outside the Holiday Inn hotel in the city on July 31. Another man, who carried out a spinning kick against a shop window during disorder in Manchester, was jailed for 20 months. The longest jail sentence so far is three years and four months, handed to Gareth Metcalfe, 44, of Southport, who pleaded guilty to violent disorder and was sentenced by Liverpool Crown Court. A jail term of 38 months was given to Tyler Kay, 26, of Northampton, who was sentenced by Northampton Crown Court for publishing written material to stir up racial hatred. The shortest jail sentences so far are two months, handed to Lee Dunn, 51, for sending offensive messages; and James Nelson, 18, of Horwich in Bolton, for criminal damage to property valued under 5,000. Elsewhere, at Chester Crown Court, a 53-year-old woman who lived a quiet, sheltered life was jailed for 15 months after she posted an online message saying: Blow the mosque up with the adults in it. Julie Sweeney sent the comment on August 3 to a local community Facebook group from her home in Church Lawton, Cheshire, which was later reported to the police. In Sheffield, a 60-year-old man who pulled a police officer to the ground and grabbed a riot shield as the officer was trying to protect another hotel housing asylum seekers, was jailed for two years and eight months. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A-level results day has arrived, as thousands of student across the country find out their grades and begin to make plans for their futures. And while some will be elated that they have secured what they had hoped, others will inevitably be disappointed with their results. This is normal, and happens every year. The latest data shows that nearly 80 percent of students dont acheive their predicted grades at A-level. But its important to remember that there are many things you can do about it. From studying your preferred subject elsewhere, to taking a different path entirely, there are a wide variety of choices open to A-level students on results day. While its understandable to be disappointed if you didnt get the results you were hoping for, its important to take stock and make the plans you need to. Remember that your sixth form or college will be there for any advice you need, alongside friends and family. Here are all the options available to you if you dont get the A-level grades you were hoping for: If you want to continue studying If you still want to study at one of your preferred university choices, its worth talking to them to see if they will still offer you a place. Speak to your school or college first for some guidance, if you were just a grade or two away, it may still be possible. Clearing For those who just missed out on their preferred choices, there are still loads of great courses available to them. More than 30,000 courses are offered through clearing, with around 75,000 students taking places on them last year. These will be located in universities across the country, offer virtually every subject and be available at both Russell Group and non-Russell Group universities. You can look on the Ucas website to find out what courses are out there. When looking at these courses, make sure you check the entry requirements to see if they grades you got match (or are fairly close). Then its time to call up the university, with many having dedicated clearing hotlines, to talk about getting a place on the course. Resit or review If youre not happy with your A-level results, you are able to resit exams in the Summer. Be aware that you may have to pay for this, and it is unlikely you will be able to resubmit coursework. Speak to your sixth form or college to see what you can do. You can also submit your A-level results for a review. Again, this could cost money and there is no grade protection, meaning your mark could go down as well as up. Your sixth form or college will be able to advise you best on this. Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) HTQs are job-focused qualifications that may be a good alternative for you to the three-year university degree. They were introduced in 2022, with subjects including construction, health, business and education. The government says they are a good choice for people who want to study a job-based qualification and secure a direct route into employment. Like a university degree, they can be studied full-time or part-time, and can be funded by student loans if lasting over a year. If you want to start working Going to university is by no means the only route to success. In fact, only around 35 per cent of 18-year-olds enter higher education every year. For those who want to start working after their A-levels, there are many options available. One of these would be to start applying for jobs. There are endless roles available, many not asking for qualifications higher than A-levels. But it might all feel a little initimidating to some taking their first steps into the world of work. Fortunately, there are schemes to help you on the job ladder too. Apprenticeships There are around 670 apprenticeships available to young people in the UK. These include degree apprenticeships, which will give you an undergraduate or masters degree on completion. These are available in nursing, engineering, law, science and from this year becoming an NHS doctor. Rather than asking for fees, apprenticeships allow you to get paid for the work you do alongside the training you receive. You can search for whats available on the Ucas wesbite. School leavers scheme These are programmes offered by companies targeted directly at school leavers. Like an apprenticeship, they allow a young person to start working whilst learning on the job. Each scheme is created by individual companies, so its worth checking if somewhere youd like to work offers a school leavers scheme. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A-level students are celebrating an increase in top grades this year with almost one in 10 awarded an A* but inequalities have widened between private and state schools, and boys and girls. Hundreds of thousands of pupils received their A-level results on Thursday morning, with more than a quarter (27.8 per cent) awarded an A or A* grade a rise of 0.6 percentage points on last year. Excluding the pandemic years, it is the highest proportion of A* grades awarded since they were first handed out for A-levels in 2010. But the overall pass rate the proportion of entries graded A* to E has fallen to 97.2 per cent this year, which is lower than last year (97.3 per cent) and the pre-pandemic year of 2019 (97.6 per cent). The latest statistics also show that the attainment gap between independent schools and comprehensives in England has widened. Some 49.4 per cent of independent school candidates scored A or above in all subjects, compared to 22.3 per cent at comprehensive schools a gap of 27.1 percentage points, the Ofqual figures show. Last year, the gap was 25.4 percentage points, while in 2019 it was 24.8 percentage points. Chris Zarraga, director of Schools North East, a charity representing 1,150 schools in the region, said the widening attainment gap was a complex story in which the most disadvantaged children have been hit the hardest by the cost of living crisis and the Covid pandemic. He said: I dont think it is a teaching issue. The state school system has many highly-skilled teachers, the issue is that before they get to the teaching there is a myriad of other issues they have to deal with which have nothing to do with the curriculum, exams or education. He added: Services around schools dealing with the impact of all those things have virtually crumbled under the demand and have left schools to fend for themselves. Elsewhere, Steve Chalke, who founded the Oasis Community Learning academy trust which has 54 schools, said independent schools benefited from smaller class sizes which were obviously going to lead to better results. He added: I think it [the attainment gap] is because of the amount of money available for the private school sector compared to the state school sector Education secretary Bridget Phillipson has promised to break down these barriers to opportunity and improve childrens life chances regardless of their background. She said students across the country should be be incredibly proud of what they have achieved in the face of huge disruption in recent years as well as inequality that goes hand in hand with young peoples backgrounds. Boys pulled further ahead of girls in securing the very top A* grades, with 9.5 per cent picking up an A*, compared to 9.1 per cent of girls. That gap has grown from a 0.3 percentage point margin last year. But across all grades, girls continued to outperform boys, boosted by a better performance in assessments rather than exams. Figures also show an ongoing attainment gap between north and south within England, with London pulling ahead of other regions. Iain Mansfield, head of education at Policy Exchange and a former adviser in the Department for Education, said school closures during the pandemic were partly to blame for inequalities, because of worsening mental health and widespread absence rates. He accused the previous government of having thrown social mobility under a bus to protect a group of people who were not at risk. Before the pandemic, you saw the attainment gap get steadily narrower for almost a decade, largely as a result of school reforms, he said. But during the pandemic, the poorest were hit worst. Both political parties were to blame here: the Conservatives should never have closed schools for as long as they did and Labour were calling for schools to be closed for longer. So there is a gross mutual culpability for that. The cohort of students who are receiving their A-level results were in year 9 when schools closed due to the pandemic ( PA Wire ) Mr Mansfield said ministers should aim to tackle the culture of non-attendance seen in schools since Covid-19, as well as aiming to increase the number of teachers in the classroom. Labour has pledged to end the VAT exemption for private schools to raise an estimated 1.6bn, which the party said would be used to hire 6,500 teachers in the state sector. Ms Phillipson said the plan is aimed at driving high standards in our state schools. But Mr Mansfield described Labours plan to tax private schools as a red herring, warning that the effect may only be marginal as a result of parents taking their children out of the private sector. Instead, he said schools should focus on incentives to retain teachers. All the evidence shows that one of the biggest things that matters for a child is not money, its about having a good teacher in the classroom and it would help if we can do more to get more teachers into the profession and crucially stop them leaving, he said. Joe Seddon, CEO of Zero Gravity, a tech platform helping low-opportunity students into top universities, called for a serious overhaul in the university admissions system, saying it is stacked against students from low-opportunity backgrounds. He said: When it comes to university admissions, students from underperforming state schools have their grades compared to those from elite schools without any context about the challenges theyve faced. How can universities judge potential if they have no sense if students achieved the same outcome from different starting points? Meanwhile, Erica Holt-White, a senior research and policy officer at the Sutton Trust, acknowledged that putting more teachers into the state sector would help to narrow the gap, but also called for the government to put more funding into tutoring programmes. An arm of the National Tutoring Programme (NTP) set up to help poorer pupils with pandemic lost learning was axed this year due to low demand. She said that schemes like the NTP can really support students in state schools, adding: "I think theres a wide range of things that need to be done, and any boost to funding is the right way forward. Boosting teacher recruitment is great, but again, looking at things like tutoring is another way to make a good investment in education." The total number of students accepted onto UK degree courses has risen by 3 per cent on the same point last year, with 425,680 taking up places so far, initial figures from Ucas show. Ucas said 82 per cent of all applicants have gained a place at their first choice university or college, which is up from 79 per cent last year. The education secretary said there are plenty of opportunities for those students who fall short on results day ( Sky News ) But Ms Philipson said there are plenty of opportunities for those students who fall short on results day. She said: For those young people who get what they need and move on to their destination of choice, thats brilliant. For those who perhaps fall slightly short, there are lots of options out there. There are lots of people that can be there to provide advice and support, whether thats the school or college, Ucas through clearing, or the National Career Service. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Migrants trapped on a sinking dinghy in the Channel sent a desperate SOS voice note to a French charity, according to an investigation into the tragedy that claimed the lives of eight people. The report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) reveals that a French charity, Utopia 56, first raised the alarm with the coastguard after it received a WhatsApp voice note just before 2am on 14 December 2022 from someone on the boat. It said: Hello brother, we are in a boat and we have a problem, please help. We have children and family in a boat and water come in the boat and we do not have anything for the children safety. Please help bro. Please, please, please, we are in the water. We have a family. The investigation found that the occupants of the dinghy could only raise the alarm by mobile phone. The sound of someone crying loudly and the sound of an engine could be heard in the background, the MAIB said. It concluded that the desperate migrants, who were all male and between the ages of 13 and 35, must have lied about children and family being in the dinghy in an attempt to hasten their rescue. Migrants are rescued from a collapsing dinghy in the Channel on 14 December 2022 ( BBC ) An estimated 47 migrants were plunged into the freezing water of the Channel about three and a half hours into the crossing, after a loud bang signalled a problem with the inflatable boat and water started to flood in. A rapid deterioration began at around 3am, with the rescue taking place not long after, according to the report. The floor of the boat effectively collapsed and refugees struggled to stay on board. Footage captured during the incident showed migrants attempting to escape into a UK fishing vessel that had spotted the boat and gone to help. Emergency services rushed to the area and recovered people from the water. The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre at Dover was informed at 2.13am that the migrant boat was in distress, via an email from the French charity. The MAIB report found that the occupants of the boat were all male and aged between 13 and 35. They were refugees from a number of countries, including Afghanistan, Sudan, India, Uzbekistan and Albania. At least eight migrants died in the tragedy, with the bodies of four victims recovered and the others lost at sea. The MAIB report reveals that only one of the four bodies has been identified and returned to the victims family. The sinking of a migrant boat in the Channel in December 2022 claimed at least eight lives ( PA ) The investigation concluded: The inflatable boat was wholly unsuitable and ill equipped for the crossing attempt and the occupants only method of raising the alarm was via mobile phone. The MAIB report described how the transom, the wooden wall at the back of the dinghy, was constructed of three sheets of plywood that had been glued and stapled together. It continued: The fabric floor panel was glued to the tubing and transom and secured in various places with masking tape. The boat was of particularly poor build quality in comparison to other examples that had previously been recovered and examined. The small boat was particularly poorly built compared to other dinghies used to cross the Channel ( Maritime Accidents Bureau ) It found that while some buoyancy aids had been placed in the boat before launch, there were not enough and they were of poor quality, with many missing buckles. The sea water temperature at the time was 11C, which would have caused the migrants to experience cold water shock when the boat failed. The MAIB concluded that the majority of the migrants survived because of the close proximity of the fishing vessel. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Extinction Rebellion (XR) are planning to occupy Windsor Castle for three days of mass protest across the royal grounds, it can be revealed. Climate activists are expected to march en masse down The Long Walk, the two-mile-long avenue leading up to the castle, on Friday 30 August, in an occupation dubbed Upgrade Democracy. The plan, which police say they are aware of but the council insists does not have permission, will see activists create a diversion using the red-robed troupe of performers who are often seen at their demos, which would then allow members of the group to break into the castle grounds. A Zoom meeting recording was posted online in which they detailed their plans. In it, the group discuss how a camp will be set up just below the castle walls with permission granted by the police and council. Thames Valley Police told The Independent it was aware of the planned occupation but added that it would not tolerate criminal behaviour. However, a council spokesperson insisted the group does not have permission. The group hope the publicity from storming the castle will help boost their profile and enhance their demands for a citizens assembly to be established to tackle the climate crisis. XR demonstrators outside the Shell Building in London ( PA ) XR also said they would not be targeting an individual but the system as they demand immediate action and a ban on fossil fuels. In a statement on their website, they said that King Charles clearly understands the plight of the planet and the urgent need for society to change course. However, the MailOnline has claimed that an investigator who posed as an activist has uncovered plans to trespass inside the castle. They claimed to have listened in on a meeting where members of the climate action group revealed that the parade down The Long Walk is a distraction for a break-in. The report by the investigator says: This will be a choreographed distraction to allow other activists to attempt to mass trespass into restricted areas of Windsor Castle grounds. Should this be prevented or dispersed online chatter suggested targeting local businesses that serve high-net-worth individuals as secondary targets. Several high-end hotels were mentioned as part of this list. So those in the local area should be vigilant. In the recording posted on YouTube, they explained plans on the Saturday to deliver an amazing pink post box filled with letters from activists that will be delivered to the castle gates with a colourful ceremony and poignant speeches. The council has indicated that the group do not have permission to carry out the protest at Windsor Castle ( PA ) On Sunday, there will be an occupation in an area in front of Windsor Castle for the another world is possible action. They said the aim is to create a positive, vibrant, multi-faceted showcase all accessible to the public. The group is demanding: Better at all levels; from the head of state to local councils but our central demand is for a Citizens Assembly on Climate and Ecological Justice, which is needed more urgently now than ever before. Thames Valley Police said in a statement that it is aware of a planned demonstration in Windsor from 30 August until 1 September. We have been in contact with the organisers and are working closely with partners to put a comprehensive plan in place to facilitate peaceful protest and ensure the safety of all those in attendance and other members of the public. We will not tolerate criminal behaviour and those choosing to commit offences can expect to be dealt with swiftly and robustly. A council spokesperson said: While we recognise Extinction Rebellions central message on addressing the climate emergency, and respect the right for peaceful protest, we have a responsibility to ensure that any proposed event is planned appropriately and consider any impact on our residents and businesses. We have engaged with the organisers and made it clear that their advertised plan for a festival and overnight camping in Home Park does not have permission. They have accepted this, and we expect them to amend their plans. We will continue to monitor the situation with our partners and take action to protect our assets where needed. The Crown Estate has been contacted for comment. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A former chief inspector of prisons has urged the Labour government to abandon Tory plans for new prisons - spending the money on crime prevention and rehabilitation instead. Nick Hardwick, now a professor of Criminal Justice at Royal Holloway University, wants a radical rethink on how to save the justice system. Before the general election, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood had said the party would use emergency powers to provide 14,000 extra prison spaces. It followed delays in the Tory plan to expand the creaking prison system, with just 6,000 out of the targeted 20,000 places by the mid-2020s having been created. Labour has so far announced an early release scheme that will see around 5,500 prisoners freed at the halfway point of their terms in September and October. Nick Hardwick, the former HM Chief Inspector of Prisons from 2010 to 2016, is uring the Labour government to spend less on new prisons, and more on rehabilitation ( FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA ) However, the pressure on prisons has further increased with the jailing of rioters convicted for their part in the recent nationwide unrest. But rather than building more prisons to cater for extra inmates and ease the pressure, Mr Hardwick, the former HM Chief Inspector of Prisons from 2010 to 2016, said the money would be better spent elsewhere. Mr Hardwick, who was also a former head of the Parole Board, told The Guardian: Labour have said they were going to spend billions, literally billions, on new prisons. But if they bought themselves a bit of time, would it be better to reinvest that money in trying to stop people going into prison in the first place working in schools, in health, in mental health? You could ask people: do you want people to go to prison for a few months longer at a cost of billions of pounds, or spend that money on hospitals and schools? Back in January, Mr Hardwick made similar comments in an interview and an editorial written for The Independent. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the Labour government would expand the prison system by 14,000 places in England and Wales (Lucy North/PA) ( PA Wire ) He said: The reason for the increase in the prison population is not that we are sending more people to prison but that we are sending people to prison for longer. If you think of it like a bath, the water is coming in at the same rate but the outflow is blocked, so the bath fills up and simply scooping some of the water out does not solve the fundamental problem. He told The Guardian that the average custodial sentence had risen from 18 months in 2013 to 23 months in 2023. He said that by building more jails, prisoners would spend more time inside which was unlikely to act as a deterrent to crime. He added: I dont think its a good way to spend money to build big new prisons. We are spending billions on an untested model that we dont know works. A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: This government is committed to addressing the crisis in our prisons, and ensuring our jails make better citizens, not better criminals. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A young Afghan refugee who earned a university scholarship after fleeing the Taliban three years ago and arriving in the UK on a small boat has never felt more welcome despite riots targeting asylum hotels. Sam Pordale, 24, was born in Nimruz Province in south Afghanistan, where his family members worked closely with the government, making his family a target for the Taliban. Following the fall of the capital Kabul on August 15 2021, Sam embarked on a horrendous nine-month journey to the UK, enduring humiliation and abuse from people smugglers as he travelled through Iran, Turkey, Italy and France before arriving on a small boat in April 2022. Arriving in the UK, the Government placed Sam in a hotel for asylum seekers in the West Midlands before he found support with the British Red Cross and connected with the University of Warwick, where he was eventually accepted on a scholarship as a politics and international studies student. Sam travelled through Iran, Turkey, Italy and France before reaching the UK (Collect/PA Real Life) He has since become an advocate for the education of other asylum seekers, earning him an invite to undertake an internship at the Tony Blair Institute and meet with the former prime minister, as well as recognition on The Big Issues 100 Changemakers of 2024 List. Reflecting on the dramatic changes to his life over the last three years, Sam told PA Real Life: I never thought I would be here, it was never part of the plan, it feels like a dream. Once I got to university, everything was opened up for me it was amazing how it all happened in less than a year. Of the recent riots in the UK, where hotels housing asylum seekers were targeted, Sam said he initially did not wish to go out but added his feelings changed once he saw others coming out in support of refugees through counter demonstrations and anti-fascist protests. In the beginning, I had the same feelings as I had in Afghanistan, like youre scared to go out, youre not allowed to go out, he said. Sam said it feels like a dream to be in the UK (Collect/PA Real Life) I felt as though Im not accepted here in the UK but seeing people going out to protect the hotels, for me, that was amazing to see. Ive never felt more welcome once I saw people standing up for people they dont know. With the counter demonstrations, it felt as though Im part of this and I am accepted here, regardless of who I am and who I used to be before. Reflecting on his journey to the UK, Sam recalled being in Kabul International Airport three years ago in his attempt to flee the country following the Taliban takeover, saying it was a mess. When I got to the airport, it was a mess, and the Taliban were everywhere, Sam said. They were specifically looking for people working within the government. Sam in Afghanistan (Collect/PA Real Life) Fearing he would be caught, Sam ran away from the airport, where he took a car away from the area. Sam said he returned to Nimruz Province where someone he knew contacted a people smuggler, who put him in the luggage hold of a minivan late one night to cross the border to Iran. After making the three-day journey to reach Turkey, Sams permit to remain in the country was set to expire so he sought passage by another people smuggler to Europe. Following one failed attempt at leaving Turkey in January 2022, where he was caught at the border of Bulgaria and sent back, Sam said he managed to find a route to Italy via a six-day boat ride from Istanbul across the Mediterranean Sea. We were all sitting pressed against each other, we couldnt pull our heads up because there was someone sitting there, it was horrendous, he said. Sam is an advocate for the education of other asylum seekers (Collect/PA Real Life) Sam said the food on the boat was all gone by the third day and once it neared Italy it started sinking and those onboard had to be rescued by the coastguard. After being quarantined for seven days due to Covid-19, Sam said he was sent to a refugee camp in Palermo. He said the camp in Sicily was a scary place as he felt as though the people there hated refugees so as an English speaker he decided to head for the UK. Sam bought a ticket to travel via train from Palermo to Milan, before taking a mixture of buses and trains to get to France, but said when he reached Dunkirk, that was when the real humiliation came. I had to sleep outside and every night for 10 days, we would try to get on a boat but we would fail, he said. Sam during his time in Dunkirk, France (Collect/PA Real Life) The people smugglers would beat everyone with a stick and at that time, I had lost a lot of weight because I didnt have any food I had to beg for food. Sam said he eventually managed to cross the English Channel in a small boat before being processed and sent to a hotel for asylum seekers in the West Midlands. He reached out to the British Red Cross for support where he was given clothes, shoes and toiletries and he was soon scouted for a volunteer job with the organisation as he spoke English well. The hotel felt like a prison, thats why I used to walk for two hours and 40 minutes each way to the Red Cross to volunteer just to get out of the hotel, he said. Sam returned to the hotel where he stayed as an asylum seeker to teach English and run workshops for refugees (Collect/PA Real Life) At the time, Sam said a professor at the University of Warwick was doing research into the issues asylum seekers face, with his manager at the Red Cross putting his name down to be interviewed. If he hadnt done that, I wouldnt be where I am now, Sam said. At the time, Sam was transferred to another part of the UK to temporary accommodation, where he connected with a charity called Talent Tap, who focus on internships and work experience. Through this, Sam was able to undertake an internship at the Tony Blair Institute, where he was able to meet Sir Tony which he said was something out of a dream. With further support from an organisation called Refugee Education UK, Sam was given a chance to apply for a place at the University of Warwick having to write an essay and undertake an interview. At the time, he struggled to access WiFi and a laptop, with a charity called Screen Share UK providing him with support. Sam said everything opened up for him when he got to university (Collect/PA Real Life) He was able to secure a place to study a three-year course for politics and international studies, starting in September 2023, aiming to focus on international development in the future. It just shows that if there is support available, asylum seekers have the same chance as everyone else, they can do the same thing as everyone else, he said. Sam volunteers with different charities to advocate for refugees and he was named on The Big Issues 100 Changemakers of 2024 List. One of the amazing things here in the UK, the charities that supported me, for example Refugee Education UK, Im now part of their youth advocacy groups to advocate for access to education, he said. Sam also volunteers with Warwick Student Action for Refugees, where he is able to teach English to asylum seekers as well as working with other universities and organisations to create open days for refugees. When I went to (go) back as a teacher to the same hotel where I stayed as an asylum seeker, they were amazed to see me and when I told them my story, they were inspired. Some even applied to universities and a few managed to get a place. Sam added: I think everyone deserves a second chance, what really is important is that everyone has a different life story, everyone has been through a lot. No one wants to be a refugee, I was ashamed of being a refugee when I came here to the UK, but its not something people are born with, this is a condition people are forced into. What we can do is try to support them to go onto the next part of their lives. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Labours education secretary has confirmed that the government does not plan to lift visa restrictions imposed on international students by the previous Conservative administration. The restrictions, introduced in January, bar most overseas students from bringing family members to the UK. Bridget Phillipson was asked in an interview with Sky News whether the visa rules should be reversed. She responded: We dont intend to change that. The cabinet minister praised the tremendous contribution international students make to the country, both economically and in local communities. She said: In economic terms, into where it comes to the communities where they will come and live, Sunderland where Im a member of parliament we have lots of students that come from around the world, often as postgraduate students, that study and make a contribution. But its also a big part of our reach around the world, the impact that we can have as a country, the business links, the trading links, the opportunities and the bridges that we build between nations. Universities have reported a sharp decline in applications from international students, following the introduction of the measures. The governments recent review of the graduate visa route, which allows international students to work in the UK for two to three years after their studies, has fueled concerns that more restrictions could be on the horizon. In a joint letter to the home secretary Yvette Cooper, university groups including BUILA and the Russell Group cautioned that the additional restrictions could undermine the higher education sector, one of the countrys most successful export industries. They argued that the current visa rules are damaging the UKs reputation as a premier destination for international students. The Home Office recently reported an almost 80 per cent reduction in the number of dependents accompanying international students to the UK. More than 26,000 fewer student visa applications were made between January and March 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, according to the report. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Former Conservative minister Therese Coffey, a close ally of former prime minister Liz Truss, applied for a senior job in the Treasury after being defeated in her constituency at the general election. Ms Coffey, who served as Ms Trusss deputy prime minister, tried to become the UK director at the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development (EBRD) but was rejected from the role. The Treasury oversees the application process, with chancellor Rachel Reeves ultimately deciding who is appointed to the position. The environment secretary backed the support of a herbicide which some studies have suggested could be harmful to wildlife (Jonathan Brady/PA) ( PA Wire ) The job, which has a 183,400 annual salary, is considered a director-level role in the department. The EBRD, a development bank that gives loans to companies, was set up in 1991 during the collapse of the Soviet Union to promote market economies in eastern Europe. The role was advertised by the Treasury on LinkedIn in July. The job description said it would involve representing the UK and promoting the UKs interests at the EBRD board in a credible and effective manner. The successful applicant would work with Treasury policy teams and the Foreign Office to devise and implement a proactive strategic agenda for UK priorities. Ms Coffey told The Telegraph: It was an interesting role. I thought I would apply given my experience in government on international work. I have dealt with these sorts of banks before. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has told global investors Britain is open for business (Lucy North/PA) ( PA Wire ) The former minister was at the top of Ms Trusss government when her disastrous mini-budget was announced, causing mortgages across the UK to skyrocket. The Bank of England was forced to intervene to buy long-dated UK government bonds in order to calm turmoil in financial markets. Just this month, Ms Reeves publicly criticised Ms Trusss time in office, saying: Millions of people are still paying the price for Liz Trusss disastrous mini-Budget. That is why Im taking the difficult decisions now to fix the foundations of our economy, so we can rebuild Britain and make every part of our country better off. The EBRD is owned by 73 countries, including the UK, and the chancellor is effectively a senior representative for the UK. Each of the 73 countries has its own delegate to the EBRD. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} An outbreak of mpox has been declared a public health emergency in Africa with fears the virus may spill across international borders. Scientists from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) say they are alarmed by the speed at which a new strain of the highly infectious illness, previously called monkeypox, has been spreading. It is passed on through close contact with infected people, including via sex, with the latest outbreak in the continent beginning with the spread of an endemic strain known as Clade 1. The United Nations health agency said there have been more than 14,000 cases and 524 deaths this year, which already exceeds last years figures. So far, more than 96% of all cases and deaths are in the Democratic Republic of the Congo but it has spread to neighbouring countries and been detected in at least 13 African nations. Compared with the same period last year, the CDC said cases are up 160% and deaths have increased by 19%. The World Health Organisation said mpox was recently identified for the first time in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda with all of those outbreaks linked to Congo. A laboratory nurse takes a sample from a child declared a suspected mpox case ( Reuters ) Mpox is related to smallpox with similar symptoms but a more severe rash. Patients usually start with a fever, sore muscles, swollen lymph nodes and headaches. Generally, a distinct bumpy rash begins to develop after one to three days in more severe cases. Unlike previous outbreaks, the lesions with Clade 1 are less visible meaning it is harder to spot and easier to spread. Previously there was cross-immunity from smallpox jabs which are up to 85 per cent effective against monkeypox, but those immunisations stopped 40 years ago. A 2019 meeting at the Chatham House think tank in London suggested that an unintended consequence of smallpox eradication could be that emergent or re-emergent human monkeypox might fill the epidemiological niche vacated by smallpox. Africa CDC head Jean Kaseya warned the disease could spiral out of control if immediate steps were not taken to contain the current outbreak. He said: This declaration is not merely a formality. It is a clarion call to action. It is a recognition that we can no longer afford to be reactive. We must be proactive and aggressive in our efforts to contain and eliminate this threat. Three vaccines exist but only people at risk or who have been in close contact with an infected person are usually eligible. Dr Kaseya said there were plans to secure about 10 million doses to limit the spread of the disease in Africa, but they may not reach the country for months. Congos regulators approved the use of the vaccines domestically in June, but the government has not requested any doses from either the manufacturers or governments like the United States looking to make donations. Reuters contributed to this report. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Minouche Shafik, the embattled president of Columbia University, is resigning, the prominent economist announced in an email to the university community. The decision follows a year of on-campus chaos over protests related to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Over the summer, I have been able to reflect and have decided that my moving on at this point would best enable Columbia to traverse the challenges ahead, Shafik wrote on Wednesday. I am making this announcement now so that new leadership can be in place before the new term begins. It has also been a period of turmoil where it has been difficult to overcome divergent views across our community, she added. This period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in our community. Shafik, an economist who served in high-level positions at the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and Bank of England, took the position in July 2023. The year-long tenure was defined by her response to protests over the Israel-Hamas war, which included allowing multiple New York Police Department operations on campus to crack down on students occupying a central quad and a building at the Ivy League university. Since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, the campus has been home to non-stop controversy, including an attack against an Israeli student, the suspension of two student groups critical of the Israeli war effort, a professor being accused of condoning Hamas terrorism, and the university coming under investigation from the U.S. Department of Education over claims of anti-Palestinian discrimination. NYPD officers in riot gear break into a building at Columbia University, where pro-Palestinian students are barricaded inside a building and have set up an encampment, in New York City on April 30, 2024 ( AFP via Getty Images ) Most recently, three top deans resigned last week, after being caught during a May campus forum on antisemitism sharing disparaging text messages that university officials described as antisemitic. In the aftermath of the protests, Shafik was one of a number of high-profile university presidents hauled before Congress for questioning, where House members, particularly Republicans, accused Ivy League leaders of tolerating antisemitism. Police look on during pro-Palestinian demonstrations at The City College Of New York (CUNY) as the NYPD cracks down on protest camps at both Columbia University and CCNY on April 30 2024 ( Getty Images ) In the last nine months, the presidents of fellow Ivies like Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania have also resigned, facing intense scrutiny from Jewish and pro-Palestinian student groups, civil rights advocates, conservatives in Congress, and high-profile business figures like hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman. Katrina Armstrong, CEO of Columbia University Irving Medical Center, will serve as interim president. Shafik has said she will return to work with the UK House of Lords after her departure. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Investigators seized a massive shipment of methamphetamine weighing 2,585 pounds that was hidden among boxes of celery at a Georgia farmers market, the Drug Enforcement Agency announced. The drugs, worth an estimated $3.2m, constitute the largest bust in the history of the DEAs Atlanta office. This is a significant and unbelievable amount of drugs to be shipped at one time and to a destination this far from the border, Robert J. Murphy, special agent in charge of the DEA Atlanta Division, said in a statement. It also shows the confidence of the cartel behind this. Officials got a tip that a shipment of drugs was coming across the border in a 16-wheel truck and intercepted the meth at Clayton Countys Atlanta State Farmers Market on August 8. "Most of these kind of seizures happen on a border or port of entry, and were several states away from a border," Murphy said at a press conference after the seizure. Two police cars sit parked by a load of seized methamphetamine found at the Atlanta State Farmers Market on August 8, 2024. ( DEA ) Obviously, we threw away the celery, he added. That didnt make it to the store. Police have arrested a Mexican national, Jesus Martinez Martinez, 40, in connection with the case. Hes been charged with trafficking meth and is being held in DeKalb County jail without bond, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Officials vowed to go after people using the food supply chain to move drugs. "It is the produce terminal for the United States and if drugs are moving through there, there is a possibility of contamination, and we know that, so its important we keep our consumers safe," Georgia Department of Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper said after the bust. "Were sending this message loud and clear to those who want to use agriculture as a means to an end, as a cover for criminal activityyou will be caught; you will be prosecuted, and you will go to prison. Investigators continue to investigate how the drugs made it to Georgia. News of the Georgia bust follows another high-profile drug discovery. Boaters off the coast of Florida found a 56-pound package of cocaine worth $625,000 that had been in the water so long it was covered in barnacles. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A man in Canton Township, Michigan, allegedly shot and killed his neighbor because the man's daughter touched his mulch. Nathan Morris, 35, was killed just before noon on Saturday. "On Saturday, while taking a stroll with his family in his neighborhood, his daughter touched the mulch of one of the neighbors," according to the Michigan GOP in a statement by RNC National committeewoman Hima Kolanagireddy. "The neighbor took a gun out and started threatening the family. Nathan sent his family home and said that he would try and diffuse the situation, but instead was shot and killed." According to the state GOP, Morris who worked as an engineer at the Ford Motor Company "got involved in politics when Ford mandated Covid-19 vaccines," and ran for the Canton School Board "to make schools safe for his daughters." Morris served as the secretary for the 6th Congressional District Republican Committee, according to the Michigan GOP. Nathan Morris, 35, with his wife and children ( courtesy of St Michael Lutheran Church of Canton ) Police were called out to respond to the altercation between neighbors, and found Morris lying in the street with a gunshot wound. First responders transported Morris to a hospital, where he later died. While police were treating Morris, Devereaux Christopher Johnson, 47, the suspect, barricaded himself in his home. He eventually surrendered to police without further incident. Johnson was taken into custody and was arraigned on Monday. He has been charged with first-degree murder, and has entered a not guilty plea. Johnson is currently being held without bond. During his arraignment, the presiding judge requested a competency exam to determine the state of Johnson's mental health. "This was a senseless act of violence toward the victim," Canton Police Chief Chad Baugh said during a press conference after the shooting. "The Canton Police Department sends our deepest condolences to the victim's family, and to the neighbors who may have witnessed this tragic event." A friend of Morris, Edward McCall, told Fox 2 Detroit that the shooting was "monstrous." "The triviality of it is just completely shocking to me. I've seen the movies. I've heard the songs over the years, decades of just people being killed for trivial reasons, and this is the bottom of the bottom for me," he said. McCall has organized an online fundraiser for the family that has already gathered more than $38,000 in donations. St Michael Lutheran Church of Canton, where Morris and his family attend, has also organized to help the family in the wake of the shooting. "The outpouring of generosity of the campaign has been far beyond our expectations. We set a goal of $25,000 as a reach goal, and the community has responded overwhelmingly and smashed through it on the 12th of August," McCall wrote on the fundraiser, noting that the goal was raised to $50,000 after reaching its first goal. "This fund remains a result of your generosity, and all of the money, less the standard GiveSendGo fees, will go to the family." The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A Florida man has been charged with second-degree murder after allegedly shooting another driver in a dispute over a handicapped parking space, shortly after telling him Your day is coming. Richard Minor, 66, became agitated and confrontational after Jonathan Lee Arias, his wife and their friend, arrived at Harts Landing fishing pier in Sarasota and parked in the space. Minor a left-leg amputee questioned whether Arias was disabled according to the probable cause arrest affidavit obtained by Law and Crime. A further back-and-forth between the two men resulted in Arias being sprayed with bear spray, and then shot, the report stated. The incident occurred shortly after 2:30 pm on August 3. According to the affidavit, after their initial exchange, Minor continued to antagonize Arias from a distance. After 15 minutes of alleged harassment from Minor, Arias and those he was with packed up their fishing gear to leave. Arias began to drive away but headed in the wrong direction which caused Minor to degrade Arias, per Law and Crime, at which point he got out of his truck and walked toward Minors passenger side door. Richard Minor, 66, is accused of shooting another driver at Harts Landing Fishing Pier on August 3, following a dispute over a handicap space ( Sarasota County Jail ) According to the affidavit, Arias asked Whats your problem to which Minor responded, Ill show you my problem. Arias reportedly asked if Minor had mental issues and Minor responded, Your day is coming. Minor then sprayed bear spray at Arias through the open window, according to the affidavit. The victim then walked around to the drivers side door when Minor allegedly fired multiple shots striking Arias. Witnesses said Minor fired about seven or eight shots, according to police. Arias wife and friend ran to help him, but Minor allegedly pointed a gun at both of them, telling Arias wife Get out of my face, b****. The alleged incident took place at Harts Landing Fishing Pier in Sarasota, Florida, on August 3 ( Google Maps ) Officers from the Sarasota Police Department arrived at the scene to find Arias on the ground and Minor in his car with his hands on the steering wheel and a gun on his right leg. Arias was taken to hospital but was pronounced dead. Minor reportedly told cops that he had been drinking and that people often park illegally in disabled spaces. He added that Arias had told him Ill f*** you up after he questioned him. Minor was charged with one count of second-degree murder and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He pleaded not guilty and remains in the Sarasota County Jail on no bond, according to court records. His next court date is scheduled for September 13. The Independent has reached out to the Sarasota Police Department for further information on the incident. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A handgun belonging to Christopher Dorner, a former police officer who went on a fatal 2013 rampage, turned up when investigators searched a Beverly Hills residence in connection to the robbery of a $1m watch. The bizarre coincidence took place after two suspects from South America were accused of stealing a Patek Philippe timepiece from a man dining with his family on the patio of the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on August 7. Three days later, authorities found a gun registered to Dorner while searching an Airbnb where the suspects were thought to have stayed. Dorner, a former Los Angeles cop, went on a murder spree in which four people were killed in 2013. He later died in a standoff with police in Californias San Bernardino Mountains. Colombia national Jamer Mauricio Sepulveda Salazar, 21, and Jesus Eduardo Padron Rojas, 19, of Venezuela were taken into custody on August 10 in connection with the robbery after being stopped in a car. Salazar was booked on one count of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Meanwhile, Rojas has been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery. Its not known how the gun became in the mens possession, according to KABC. We were very surprised to find out about that gun, and were still investigating how that gun came into these defendants possession, Assistant US Attorney Jena MacCabe told KABC. The luxury watch hadnt been the first linked to the suspects. Their car, a Chevrolet Equinox, was linked to the robbery of a $30,000 Rolex also in Beverly Hills before they allegedly stole the Patek Philippe accessory. The men are currently in custody and will appear in court to be arraigned next month. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Police in Indianapolis are investigating after a retired reserve police officer shot his two teenage daughters and his wife, killing her, before taking his own life. Thomas Joseph Nolan, 43, and his 41-year-old wife Ashley L Nolan were found dead at their home on Watersonway Circle on Monday in what investigators believe was a domestic-related murder-suicide, according to Indianapolis Metropolitan police. The two teenage girls were found injured and were transported to a local hospital where a police spokesperson said one teen was in stable condition and the other was in critical condition. Police were responding to a domestic disturbance report just before 9pm when one of the officers heard at least one gunshot coming from the house. They rushed into the house where they found the two teenagers with gunshot wounds. Thomas Joseph Nolan, 43, and his 41-year-old wife Ashley L. Nolan were found dead at their home on Watersonway Circle in Indianapolis ( WTHR ) Both adults, who police identified as the girls parents, were found in the backyard along with a firearm believed to have been used in the shooting. The Marion County Coroners Office ruled Thomas Nolans death an apparent suicide and Ashley Nolans death a homicide. Nolan, who started his career with the Marion County Sheriffs Office as a reserve deputy in 2003, retired in May after 21 years of service. He also worked as a resource officer for the Perry Schools Police Department until September 2017, according to a Perry Township school spokesman. Family told 13News that Ashley Nolan was a loving mother and daughter who loved the Lord and also had a kind word and a smile on her face. The couples daughters are students at PerryTownship Schools, which released a statement following the shooting. We are deeply saddened and disturbed to hear about the tragic incident that happened Monday night. Although we are limited on what we can say, due to the ongoing investigation, we wanted to express condolences to our students who were directly impacted, the district said. We ask that you join us in keeping the students and their family in your thoughts and prayers. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A CEO in Colorado is facing a felony assault charge after he was captured on video appearing to attack a 15-year-old boy and tossing him onto the floor of an In-N-Out Burger. The teen reportedly accidentally spilled water on the man's wife while he was messing around with his friends, according to local police. The juvenile male approached her table to apologize when an adult male accompanying the woman suddenly grabbed him, placed both hands around the front and back of his neck, pulled him down to the table and threw him backward onto the floor, Loveland police said in an arrest report. The incident happened on August 4. The man and his wife left the restaurant before police arrived, but witnesses identified him, after which police issued a no-bond arrest warrant. Lucas Kalisher, 55, then turned himself in to police just after 10:30pm on August 13. Kalisher has been charged with a felony, second-degree strangulation, and a misdemeanor count of child abuse, according to the New York Post. Lucas Kalisher, 55, appears to attack a 15-year-old boy at an In-N-Out Burger in Loveland, Colorado ( Domonique Alire/ Facebook ) He was arraigned on Wednesday. Witnesses at the In-N-Out Burger were watching in shock. In the video capturing the attack, one witness can be heard objecting, noting that the older and larger man was "picking on a kid." Kalisher is the CEO of Summit Source Funding, a private equity firm. Since the incident, he has removed his Facebook profile and his LinkedIn page. The Loveland Police issued a statement of gratitude to the public following the incident, as witnesses provided critical details leading to Kalisher's identification. The Loveland Police Department is very appreciative of the assistance we received from the community during this investigation. This is a perfect illustration of our new Vision Statement: ONE Community, ONE Police Department, ONE Team, Loveland Police Chief Tim Doran said in a statement. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} An Iowa man is facing murder charges for shooting his father in the face during an argument about the sons stinky feet, police said. David Carpenter, 48, was arrested Sunday in the front yard of his Burlington, Iowa, home after telling police about the shooting. During interviews with police, Carpenters father, William, who had non-life-threatening injuries, reportedly told officers he and his son got into an argument when he said the younger man had stinky feet. A mugshot of David Carpenter, an Iowa man who allegedly shot his father in the face on August 11 in a dispute over smelly feet. ( Burlington police ) The argument escalated, and Carpenter allegedly told police he went to retrieve his gun when he thought he heard his father threaten to shoot him. The 48-year-old returned with the weapon, aimed it at his father and accidentally pulled the trigger, according to arrest documents obtained by KWQC. David Carpenter has been charged with attempted murder and child endangerment, as two minors were allegedly inside the home during the shooting. Hes being held in Des Moines County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court on August 21. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Scott Peterson has broken his silence for the first time since being convicted of murder to reveal his version of what happened during his pregnant wife Laci Petersons final hours. In a jailhouse interview from Mule Creek State Prison in California, featured in Peacocks upcoming documentary series Face to Face with Scott Peterson, the convicted killer yet again insisted he is innocent in the killings of his wife, 27, and their unborn son, Conner, and details what he remembers of the day she went missing. Laci was eight months pregnant when she vanished on Christmas Eve 2002. The bodies of her and her unborn child washed up on a shore four months later. Peterson reported her missing after he claimed he returned from a solo fishing trip and fond their Modesto, California, home empty and their dog loose in the backyard with its leash still attached. In the new interview his first public comments in two decades Peterson said he remembers Lacis smile from that day as he tries to relish what he claims were their last moments together. I would see Laci smile when she would do her hair on the morning of the 24th, and the way we would share a bowl for cereal because we were too lazy to do two bowls, he said. Peterson also spoke out for the first time about the affair he was having in the lead-up to Lacis disappearance and murder. Its horrible, he said. Scott Peterson on a call from prison, as seen in the trailer for Face to Face with Scott Peterson ( Peacock ) I was a total a**hole to be having sex outside our marriage, he added, according to People. Peterson had been having an affair with 27-year-old massage therapist and mother-of-one Amber Frey prior to Lacis death. Frey came forward to police when she learned about Lacis disappearance in the news and realized that the missing womans husband was the man she thought was her boyfriend. She told police Peterson claimed he was never married when they began dating, then changed his story to being a widower. Sometime after Laci went missing, he then told her his wife was alive and pregnant but had gone missing. Frey has also spoken out for the first time in new Netflix documentary American Murder: Laci Peterson. The series also includes clips of secretly-recorded, never-before-heard phone calls between her and Peterson. Laci Peterson disappeared from the couples home in Modesto, California, on 24 December 2002 ( Netflix ) So what do you want to be together with me? asks Frey in one of the recordings played in the docuseries. For the rest of our lives I think we could care for each other, Peterson replies. Peterson had claimed Laci had taken their dog for a walk when he went fishing and that she never returned. He quickly became a suspect and, after Laci and Conners bodies were discovered in April 2003, he was arrested near San Diego and charged with murder. He had dyed his dark hair blonde and was carrying survival gear, viagra tablets and $15,000 in cash, according to authorities. Amber Frey in 2004 leaving the San Mateo Superior County Courthouse during Scott Petersons trial ( Getty Images ) Peterson was convicted in 2004 and initially sentenced to death but later resentenced to life in prison without parole. Now, Peterson continues to claim his innocence, with his case recently taken up by the Los Angeles Innocence Project. In his interview with Peacock, he also revealed his regret that he didnt testify at his trial. If I have a chance to show people what the truth is, and if they are willing to accept it, it would be the biggest thing that I can accomplish right now because I didnt kill my family, he said. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The widow of a soldier who was tied up with zip cables and shot dead five years ago has now been charged with his murder. Jacob Bishop, a father and Tennessee Army National Guard soldier, was discovered at his home in Lenoir City, Loudon County in Tennessee, by his mother back on October 1 2019. He had just returned from a year-long deployment to Poland. Over the years that followed, no arrests were made. Then, on Tuesday, Loudon County Sheriff Jimmy Davis announced that Bishops widow, 39-year-old Amanda James Bishop, and her distant cousin, 39-year-old Eric Austin Byrd, had been arrested and charged with first-degree murder. Investigators believe that the murder was motivated by a heated custody battle over the Bishops seven-year-old daughter. Jacob Bishop, a father and Tennessee Army National Guard soldier, was found dead at his home in Loudon County in Tennessee by his mother in 2019 ( Handout ) Davis said at a press conference: They were going over a heated custody battle over their child and we believe this is what sparked the animosity between the two and eventually led to his murder. The widow was always a top suspect, the sheriff said, saying that in a case like this you always look at the spouse or ex spouse, so she was right up there at the top of the list. While the sheriffs department had been working tirelessly for five years to crack the case, he said the investigation had faced numerous challenges. Advancements in technology and new evidence finally allowed them to arrest the two suspects. Now, Amanda Bishop and Bryd are behind bars, being held at Loudon County Detention Center with their bond set at $1m each. Father-of-two Bishop, who had another child from a previous marriage, was described by his loved ones as a man who loved his family and was proud to serve. Amanda James Bishop, 39, has been arrested and charged with the murder of her husband, soldier Jacob Bishop, five years on from his death ( Loudon County Sheriffs Office ) His brother, Josh Bishop, told WATE that there was kind of a relief in a sense that arrests had finally been made. But at the same time, it doesnt change nothing. I still dont have my brother. My mom still doesnt have her son, he said. Really, what I want is for his kids to know about their dad. Theres a seven-year-old girl that not only lost her father but lost her mother too. Eric Austin Bryd, along with his distant cousin Amanda James Bishop, has been arrested and charged with murder ( Loudon County Sheriffs Office ) He thanked the police from the bottom of my heart: We want to thank every single one of them for that. They got them they got them. Sheriff Davis added: This case has remained a top priority for our office, and I commend the relentless efforts of our detectives and partner agencies who have worked tirelessly to bring those responsible to justice. We hope that these arrests bring some measure of peace to Jacob Bishops family and all those affected by this senseless tragedy. Bryd and Bishop are due to appear in court next on August 19. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A woman was arrested after she got into a shouting match with an Applebees manager over the exact terms of an "all you can eat" deal, according to police. Shawneesha Cobbs, 28, and members of her family were visiting an Applebees in Indiana earlier this month and decided to order an all you can eat meal. Just before 8:40pm, police in Portage, Indiana were called to the restaurant to assist with a reported disturbance. When they arrived, they found several people having a loud argument inside the restaurant. Shawneesha Cobbs, 28, was arrested for disorderly conduct related to her alleged disruptive actions at an Indiana Applebees ( Getty Images ) A woman who spoke to police said that she, Cobbs, another man, and several children had been fighting with the manager of the Applebees over the terms of the restaurant's all you can eat deal. The group believed that if one member of the party ordered the $15.99 deal, they could just continue asking for food until their entire group had enough to eat. The manager explained to the group that was not how the deal worked, and that any person receiving food from the all you can eat menu had to pay the $16, Fox32 reports. That started an argument between the diners and the manager. The diners accused the manager of being unprofessional and claimed that the menu did not make it explicit that the deal was a per person deal and not per party. Cobbs reportedly tried to emphasize this point by giving a menu to a Portage police officer to review. The officer spotted the part of the menu that specified that the Applebees deal was "per person" and pointed it out to Cobbs. While this was happening, a couple went to leave the restaurant. Cobbs noticed them and reportedly made it clear that there had been some prior confrontation between her party and the exiting couple. After she began yelling at the couple, police tried to calm Cobbs and warned her she was becoming loud and disorderly. This prompted a woman from Cobbs' group to try to calm her down, which reportedly did not work. Police allege that Cobbs continued to act disruptive and was warned she would be placed under arrest if she did not calm down. She apparently did not calm down, and was ultimately arrested and transported to the Porter County Jail on charges of disorderly conduct. The rest of Cobbs' group covered their bill. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Watch as the US Attorney for Los Angeles and Los Angeles DEA officials spoke at a news conference on Thursday, 15 August, after an arrest was made and multiple people were charged over the death of Matthew Perry. The arrest was made in Southern California on Thursday following the accidental overdose death of the Friends actor, law enforcement sources told NBC News. Law enforcement agencies have executed search warrants and seized computers, phones and other electronic equipment to determine who was responsible for the supply of the drug which led to the actors overdose. Perry, 54, was found unresponsive in a hot tub by first responders attending his Pacific Palisades home on 28 October 2023. The actor was pronounced dead at the scene. A medical examiner ruled his death an accident last year and his passing was considered a closed case. However almost seven months later an investigation, at both federal and local level, was opened into who supplied the actor with the ketamine that caused his death. The investigation into how Perry came to have so much ketamine involves the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), and the US Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the LAPD confirmed in May. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A new poll shows some baby boomers and members of the Silent Generation are switching allegiances from former President Donald Trump to Vice President Kamala Harris. The Emerson College poll released Thursday shows voters over 70 backing Harris over Trump 51 to 48 percent. Thats a small but positive shift for Harris, as last month, 50 percent of the group supported Trump while 48 percent backed President Joe Biden, who dropped out of the race and endorsed Harris last month. The group includes some baby boomers, who were born between 1946 and 1964, and the Silent Generation, born between 1925 and 1945. Older voters had so far this cycle remained in Trumps column, carrying on a long-standing tradition among seniors to support the Republican Party. The party has won voters over the age of 65 in every presidential election since 2000. In 2020, about 52 percent of voters in that age category voted for Trump, Newsweek noted. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris gives remarks alongside U.S. President Joe Biden at Prince Georges Community College on August 15. Older voters are now backing her over Trump ( Getty Images ) But that trend could now be changing. In May, a New York Times/Siena College poll found Biden leading among older voters against Trump, 48 to 45 percent. The executive director of Emerson College Polling, Spencer Kimball, said in a press release on Thursday that Likely voters under 30 have shifted toward Harris by nine points, 56 percent of whom supported Biden, 65 percent now support Harris. Voters over 70 also support Harris over Trump, 51 percent to 48 percent last month they broke 50 percent to 48 percent for Trump. Independents break for Harris, 46 percent to 45 percent, flipping since last month when likely independent voters broke for Trump 45 percent to 44 percent, he added. As many as 93 percent of voters said they were extremely or very motivated to vote in the election on November 5. Kimball noted that the share of Black voters who are very or extremely motivated to vote went from 80 to 91 percent over the course of the last month. Fifty-one percent of voters said they have a positive view of Harris, while 49 percent said they have an unfavorable view. Those same numbers for Trump were 45 percent favorable and 54 percent unfavorable. When it comes to Harriss running mate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, 39 percent of voters have a favorable view. The same number has a favorable view of Trumps number two, Ohio Senator JD Vance. But 49 percent of voters have an unfavorable view of Vance while only 39 percent have an unfavorable view of Walz. The Emerson College poll was conducted between August 12 and 14 and included 1,000 registered voters. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A leader of Project 2025 told undercover reporters that Donald Trump is very supportive of their work despite the former president publically distancing himself from the conservative policy agenda. An undercover journalist and a paid actor from the Centre for Climate Reporting pretended to be relatives of a wealthy donor when they set up a meeting with Russell Vought at a five-star hotel in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, DC, last month. Vought headed the Office of Management and Budget during the second half of Trumps first term and has been tipped as a possible chief of staff in a second Trump administration. Project 2025 consists of roughly 900 pages of reports that the Heritage Foundation think tank aims to have turned into policy in a future Republican administration. Think tanks in Washington often write up policy ideas hoping that they may become legislation. It includes proposals for shutting down the Department of Education and federal limits on abortion. Democrats have used the plans to attack the Trump campaign and convince voters that his agenda is more conservative than they may think. Trump has claimed to know nothing about the project and has attempted to distance himself from it, but Vought told the undercover people it is different behind the scenes. Hes been at our organization, hes raised money for our organization, hes blessed it, Vought told the reporter during the undercover discussion. I remember walking into our last day in office and told him what I was going to do. So, hes very supportive of what we do. Russell Vought speaks to an undercover reporter and a paid actor from the Centre for Climate Reporting. He discussed the Project 2025 plan and its connection to Republican nominee Donald Trump. ( Screenshot / Centre for Climate Reporting ) There are people like me that have his trust that will be able to get it to him in whatever position were at, Vought said. The relationships will be there. The trust level will be there. Hes running against the brand. He is not running against any people he is not running against any institutions, he added. Its interesting, hes in fact not even opposing himself to a particular policy. Vought described his own think tank, the Center for Renewing America, as the Death Star. The center has been running Project 2025 alongside the Heritage Foundation. He added hes in charge of the drafting of hundreds of executive orders, regulations and memos to push the projects right-wing agenda. Part of the plans is the largest deportation in history, which Trump has also promised to push through. It also includes a suggestion to use the military against Americans to suppress possible large protests in an effort to put an end to multiculturalism. George Floyd obviously was not about race. It was about destabilizing the Trump administration, Vought said. But many of these documents will not see the light of day, according to Vought and one of his aides, who was also secretly recorded by the reporter. The documents are set to be shared with transition team members to avoid having them be requested by reporters via the Freedom of Information Act, which enables the public to request documents and information from the government. Micah Meadowcroft, the think tanks research director, told the reporters, I have colleagues who officially work for [the think tank], but like 35 out of their 40-hour work week is Project 2025 stuff. Its a big, fat stack of papers that will be distributed during the transition period, but not as part of the transition. Because obviously, you want as little of it to be FOIA-able as possible, he added. The goal is to familiarize all the transition team people with these plans. But you dont actually send them to their work emails, Meadowcroft said, adding Id say probably a quarter to a third of staff, myself included, if there is a second Trump administration, would go in. Trump has tried to distance himself from Project 2025, but its creator told undercover reporters about the connection. ( AP ) Vought noted that it would be difficult to ban abortion without severe electoral consequences. But he added he would want to block funding for Planned Parenthood and fetal tissue research. An important part of Project 2025 is handing more power to the president and restricting the independence of agencies, including the Department of Justice. Eighty percent of my time is working on the plans of whats necessary to take control of these bureaucracies, Vought told the reporter. They then asked Vought what role he would want in a second Trump term. I want to be the person that crushes the deep state. I think theres a lot of different ways to do that, he said. The Independent has contacted the Center for Renewing America and the Heritage Foundation for comment. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} JD Vance agreed with the notion that raising grandchildren was the whole purpose of the postmenopausal female, an unearthed 2020 podcast shows. Vance also seemed to concur when the host suggested that having grandparents help raise children was a weird, unadvertised feature of marrying an Indian woman. It's the latest in comments from the Republican nominee for vice presdident about women and "traditional" roles that have drawn ire. Vance has faced intense criticism in recent weeks for previous sexist comments, including his remarks about "cat ladies." Now, his appearance on ThePortal podcast with host Eric Weinstein in April 2020 has been thrust back into the limelight Vance spoke about his wifes Indian family, noting that they emigrated to the US about a year before his wife, Usha Vance, was born. He said at the time, her parents were devoted to Usha and their grandchild as well as to future grandchildren. The couple has three children, born in 2017, 2020 and in 2021. You can sort of see the effect it has on him to be around them like they spoil him, he said of his first child. There's sort of all the classic stuff that grandparents do to grandchildren, but it makes him a much better human being to have exposure to his grandparents. He added: And the evidence on this is like super clear. Thats the whole purpose of the postmenopausal female in theory, Weinstein said at the time. Yes, Vance replied. Newly unearthed audio shows Republican vice president nominee JD Vance agreeing with the idea that the purpose of a postmenopausal woman is to raise grandchildren. ( REUTERS ) Vance spokeswoman Taylor Van Kirk told The Independent, The media is dishonestly putting words in JDs mouth - of course he does not agree with what the host said. JD reacted to the first part of the hosts sentence, assuming he was going to say: thats the whole purpose of spending time with grandparents. Its a disgrace that the media is lying about JD instead of holding Kamala Harris accountable for her policies that caused sky high prices for groceries and everyday necessities, a disaster at the southern border, and a historic drug overdose epidemic. When your child was born, did your in-laws, and particularly your mother-in-law, show up in some huge way? Weinstein asked Vance. She lived with us for a year, former President Donald Trumps running mate noted. I didn't know the answer to that. So that's a weird, unadvertised feature of marrying an Indian woman, Weinstein responded. Its in some ways, the most transgressive thing I've ever done against sort of the hyper-neo-liberal approach to work and family, Vance said. My wife had this baby seven weeks before she started the clerkship, [shes] still not sleeping any more than an hour and a half in a given interval. And her mom just took a sabbatical. She's a biology professor in California, just took a sabbatical for a year and came and lived with us and took care of our kid for a year. He added that it was painfully economically inefficient. Why didn't she just keep her job, give us part of the wages to pay somebody else to do it? he asked. That is the thing that the hyper-liberalized economics wants you to do. The economic logic of always prioritizing paid wage labor over other forms of contributing to a society is to me ... a consequence of a sort of fundamental liberalism that is ultimately gonna unwind and collapse upon itself. It's the abandonment of a sort of Aristotelian virtue politics for a hyper-market-oriented way of thinking about what's good and what's desirable, he added. If people are paying for it and it contributes to GDP and it makes the economic consumption numbers rise, then it's good, and if it doesn't, it's bad ... that's sort of the root of our political problem. Van Kirk told The Independent that JD was complementing the selflessness of his mother-in-law for being willing to help care for her grandchildren. Millions of grandparents across our country do the same every day. EEUU-ELECCIONES-VANCE-PERFIL ( AP ) The Director of Rapid Response for Kamala Harris, Ammar Moussa, wrote on X: Im sorry - who is out here just out here talking about the postmenopausal female and their role in society? Democratic Illinois Congressman Sean Casten added: Are you a post-menopausal woman? Did you quit your job to look after your grandkids? Because if you didnt, you are not meeting your whole purpose according to JD Vance. Vance has faced criticism for a number of unearthed comments from his past, most notably telling Fox News host Tucker Carlson in 2021 that the US was being run by a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that theyve made, and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable, too. Its just a basic fact you look at Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, AOC [Alexandria Ocasio Cortez] the entire future of the Democrats is controlled by people without children, he said. And how does it make any sense that weve turned our country over to people who dont really have a direct stake in it? Harris has two stepchildren and Buttigieg, the transportation secretary, adopted twins in August 2021. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} JD Vance has finally committed to two vice presidential debates on CBS News and CNN against his Democratic rival Tim Walz. The Republican candidate initially refused to commit to a debate yesterday after CBS News sent the two vice presidential candidates four suggested dates and Walz defiantly responded with: See you on October 1. Hours later, on Thursday morning, Vance confirmed he had since accepted the CBS News debate on October 1 and also an additional debate with CNN on September 18. Responding to Walzs post on X, he hit back at his rival: The American people deserve as many debates as possible, which is why President Trump has challenged Kamala to three of them already. Not only do I accept the CBS debate on October 1st, I accept the CNN debate on September 18th as well. I look forward to seeing you at both! Neither Walz or Kamala Harriss campaign have yet responded to Vance over the CNN debate. The Independent has contacted Walzs campaign for comment. Should Walz commit to the CNN debate this would mark the first time in American history that there has been more than one vice presidential debate in an election cycle. The debate saga echoes that of Vances running mate Donald Trumps recent back-and-forth with Harris over their first presidential debate which is now slated for September 10. JD Vance has so far refused to commit to the debate on CBS News with Tim Walz ( REUTERS ) On Wednesday, CBS News invited Walz and Vance to participate in a debate in New York City, offering them four dates: September 17, 24, October 1 and 8. Walz was quick off the mark to confirm he is up for the debate and picking a date, posting on X: See you on October 1, JD. However, Vance shirked making a quick commitment. When Vance was asked on Wednesday night if there was any doubt he would be there on October 1, he skirted around the subject to Fox News host Laura Ingraham. The Republican candidate said that he strongly suspected he would attend but claimed he first wanted assurances from CBS News on the debate format before committing to what he described as a fake news media garbage debate. We want to actually look at the debates, look at the moderators, talk about the rules a little bit. CBS reached out to us literally three hours ago, I was landing from a rally at a press conference in Michigan, he said. I strongly suspect were going to be there on October 1 but were not going to do one of these fake debates where they dont actually have an audience there, where they dont actually set the parameters in a right way where you can have a good exchange of ideas. He added: In other words were not going to walk into a fake news media garbage debate. Were going to do a real debate and if CBS agrees to it, then certainly well do it. A statement from the Harris campaign responded saying: Harris for President has accepted CBS invitation to a Vice Presidential Candidate Debate on October 1. Governor Walz looks forward to debating JD Vance if he shows up. Vances initial reluctance to commit to a debate comes after Trump previously refused to commit to debating Harris before ultimately agreeing, while throwing an additional Fox News event into the mix. In May, campaigns for Trump and President Joe Biden agreed to a debate on September 10 with ABC News. After Biden withdrew his re-election campaign and Harris replaced him at the top of the Democratic partys ticket, the vice president agreed to debate Trump on the same date. But, with the prospect of facing Harris not Biden, Trump then backed out of the ABC News debate and, instead, said he planned to debate her on Fox News. He wrote on Truth Social: I have agreed with FoxNews to debate Kamala Harris on Wednesday, September 4th. The Debate was previously scheduled against Sleepy Joe Biden on ABC, but has been terminated in that Biden will no longer be a participant, and I am in litigation against ABC Network and George Slopadopoulos, thereby creating a conflict of interest. The Harris campaign refused to accept the Fox debate and accused Trump of running scared. Donald Trump is running scared and trying to back out of the debate he already agreed to and running straight to Fox News to bail him out, the campaign said. After some back and forth, Trump backed down and the stage has been set for the pair to debate on September 10 on ABC News as originally planned. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Vice President Kamala Harris will go head-to-head with Donald Trump in less than a month as Americans cast their votes in the 2024 election. A new set of polls from the New York Times finds that Harris is leading by a thin margin, but also, that she represents change to the public more than Trump. In another twist, it has recently been a tumultuous period for Florida in the presidential race. With multiple polls showing a dwindling Trump lead with Harris just 2 points behind, the latest NYT poll has reversed expectations, once again putting Trump ahead by a mile. While one new poll suggests that many Republicans may vote Democrat next month, how will Harris and Trump fare in November? Harris has a 2.6-point lead over Trump in the latest average of national polls, collated by FiveThirtyEight. On average, Harris has been marginally ahead of Trump in national polls for several weeks. The latest polls from the New York Times/ Siena College have Harris ahead by 3 points, at 49 per cent and Trump at 46 per cent. The nationwide poll of 3,385 voters shows the most positive result for Harris since she entered the race, but is still within the 2.4 margin of error and represents a highly competitive race. Most interestingly, the candidates are both promising change, but Trump has typically had more success in developing that reputation than Harris. Yet this poll shows that Harris is now more likely to represent change (46 per cent) than Trump (44 per cent). In particular, 52 per cent of women view Harris as representing change, while 52 per cent of men feel the same about Trump. Unstable polls in Florida There was a flurry of interest around polls in Florida in the past few weeks, with Harris appearing to encroach on Trumps lead in his home state. In particular, figures from the historically Republican pollster RMG Research showed Trump with 50 per cent of the vote and Harris with 48 per cent in Florida, which is home to Mar-a-Lago and several key Republicans. However, this mornings polls from the New York Times show Trump ahead by a strong +13 points in the sunshine state, at 55 per cent to Harriss 41 per cent. Though this is out of line with several recent polls in the state, New York Times analyst Nate Cohn suggests that this poll is not an outlier, saying: Mr Trump [excels] in states where Republicans performed well in the 2022 midterm elections as they did in Florida. As a result, this poll is not the usual outlier. If Florida becomes more solidly Republican in 2024, it suggests that the upheaval during and after the pandemic has had a lasting effect on American politics. Vance wins the VP debate and a popularity boost Last weeks debate between Ohio senator Vance and Minnesota Governor Walz turned expectations on its head; with betting markets and pre-polls eyeing Walz as the presumed winner. Not only did Vance win the debate, but his performance appears to have done wonders for his public perception, which had been suffering for months. Our analysis before the debate found that Walz led Trump, Vance, and even Harris in terms of favorability. Vance received an +11 point boost in favorability from last weeks debate, according to the latest poll from YouGov. This leaves Vance in a neutral position, while voters had an overall 11 per cent unfavorable opinion of him before the debate. Most interestingly, Vance improved his favorability by an astonishing +19 points among Democrats. Although, overall, he is still at a net 52 per cent negative score among this group. Walz also received a more modest 3-point boost, reaching 15 per cent favorability in YouGovs poll. Although Walzs performance was not debate-winning, he is still the most-liked candidate, and he even improved his favorability among independent voters following the debate. Among his own party, though, he lost approval from 7 per cent of voters, still ending up at a net-positive position of 72 per cent favorability with Democrats. Snap polls following the debate show that viewers were split on both candidates and Vance came out a few points ahead. A CBS/YouGov poll found that 42 per cent of viewers considered Vance the debate winner, compared to 41 per cent for Walz. However, Walz did emerge as more in touch with the average American, and more likely to share voters vision for America. For the full post-debate polling analysis, click here. Key issues for voters Regardless of political affiliation, the economy is the most important issue impacting how people will vote in this election. A poll from Redfield & Wilton Strategies, of 2,500 US adults up to September 26, shows that abortion is considered the second most important issue, for 37 per cent of voters, followed by immigration at 34 per cent. For Trump voters, however, these priorities are flipped. Over half (57 per cent) of Trump voters view immigration as one of the biggest issues, amid border security tensions and recently debunked claims from Trump and Republicans about Haitian migrants. Interestingly, healthcare and abortion are tied as the next most important issues for Trump voters at 23 per cent each. Though Trump has advocated for overhauling Obamacare, with unsuccessful attempts during his presidency, he was unable to outline an alternative healthcare policy at the September presidential debate. Meanwhile, abortion is front and center for Harris voters (55 per cent), with Harris herself critical of abortion bans, following the overturning of Roe v Wade. Healthcare is also a top priority for Harris voters (40 per cent), followed by housing (23 per cent). Battleground states Recent polls from the swing states by Bloomberg/Morning Consult have Harris ahead by +3 points on average, ranging from neck-and-neck with Trump to a +7 point lead. The poll of more than 6,000 registered voters in the swing states was conducted from September 19-25, with margins of error ranging from 1 to 4 per cent in each state. In Pennsylvania, which hosted the first Harris-Trump presidential debate, Harris has seen her lead increase from +4 points to +5 points since August. The state had previously been leaning towards Trump when President Joe Biden was on the Democratic ticket. Harris has the strongest 7-point lead over Trump in Nevada, with 52 per cent of the vote to 45 per cent. In Georgia, the two candidates are tied at 49 per cent each, while Harriss 5-point lead in Wisconsin has shrunk to 3 points ahead of Trump. Harris is also 3 points ahead in Michigan and Arizona and 2 points ahead in North Carolina. While the economy remains the top issue for swing-state voters, the perceived competency gap is shrinking: 45 per cent of swing-state voters think Harris can better handle the economy, slightly behind Trump at 49 per cent. Who will vote? A YouGov/Economist poll has Harris with a three-point lead among registered voters, at 47 per cent and Trump at 44 per cent. The poll shows a wide 25-point margin for Harris among young voters, aged 29 and under. However, according to the same poll, the younger generations are also the least committed to voting, with 13 per cent of the 18-29-year-olds surveyed saying they will maybe vote, while 3 per cent will not vote or are still unsure. This amounts to 16 per cent who are on the fence or not voting, higher than any other age group, and higher than the average of 9 per cent. Just 65 per cent of the 18 to 29-year-olds polled said they would definitely vote in November. This is in comparison to 77 per cent of 30 to 44-year-olds, 85 per cent of 45 to 64-year-olds, and 94 per cent of the 65+ age group. Though the numbers may seem dismal, and represent a degree of hesitancy among younger voters, the overall picture is significantly more engaged than in 2020. The same YouGov/Economist poll at this stage in the 2020 presidential election showed that nearly a third of young people (27 per cent) were not committed to voting in November, with 10 per cent maybe voting and 17 per cent definitely/probably not voting. Arizona: key issues In Arizona a historically Republican state that has 11 electoral college votes and flipped for Biden in 2020 polls have shown inconsistent leads for both Harris and Trump. The Trump campaign has made frequent stops in the state over the summer. In a state that borders Mexico, one in five (19 per cent) of Arizona voters say that immigration is the most important issue affecting their vote, according to the same poll. This is second to the economy, which is the number one issue impacting voters statewide and nationwide. The majority (51 per cent) of Arizona voters believe that Trump is better equipped to handle the top issues, which has flipped since August when Harris was slightly more trusted. This indicates that, despite the overall enthusiasm for Harriss debate performance, Arizona voters may favor Trump and his approach to key issues. As a generally Republican state, this is unsurprising. Make sense of the US election with The Independents experts in our exclusive virtual event Harris vs. Trump: who will make history? Reserve your space here. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} American, Israeli, Egyptian and Qatari negotiators have convened in Doha, Qatars capital, for talks which the Biden administration hopes will finally lead to a ceasefire in the nearly year-old Israeli war against the militant group. White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby told reporters on Thursday that the negotiations were just starting as of 10:20 am Eastern Time and suggested that they could continue through Friday. Kirby also said the framework for a hostage and ceasefire deal proposed by the Biden administration has been generally accepted by all sides. Our team is, is hoping for some constructive talks here today ... we expect that those talks will continue into tomorrow, he said. Where the gaps are [is] in the execution of the deal, the individual muscle movements that go with putting the deal in place. The negotiations are the first such talks since Israel assassinated Ismail Haniyeh, the groups political leader and lead negotiator, by way of a hidden bomb that exploded in a Tehran guest house where he was staying. The White House spokesperson repeatedly declined to get into the details of what was being discussed at the Doha talks, citing a need to protect the integrity of the negotiations. The way negotiations work is that you start with some text on a piece of paper, and both sides work on that text. Usually both sides make amendments to that text, cycle it back around again. You have some more discussions about the amendments. That leads to even more discussions and on and on you go, and both sides have had the opportunity look at the texts that either side recommended and make amendments and changes and suggestions as negotiations pursued, he said. And here we are today with essential framework being agreed to, and negotiating on on the details. So Im just not going to get into the business of saying on this date, this person or this side added this or took that out or wanted to change that. This is the business of negotiating. And the last thing Im going to do is prejudice that process by getting into the details. In the weeks since the assassination of Haniyeh, Hamas has named Yahya Sinwar, the leader of the groups armed wing and the mastermind of the October 7 terror attacks that prompted the retaliatory Israeli war effort, as his replacement. But Kirby said Sinwar, who is understood to be hiding somewhere in Gaza, will not directly participate in the talks. He explained that mediators in Doha would have discussions, then mediators would communicate with Hamas leaders, who would in turn communicate directly with Mr Sinwar for for final answers. So the process that is playing out in Doha, very much, in keeping with the process that has played out in the past, he said. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Independent presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr has reportedly reached out to Kamala Harris offering to suspend his campaign and endorse her in exchange for a job in her potential future administration an offer very similar to one he recently made to her opponent Donald Trump. RFK Jrs appeal to the Democratic ticket occurred last week, according to The Washington Post and CNN, citing a source from each campaign. But, the Kennedy dynasty heir appears to have been swiftly rebuffed, with Harriss campaign so far ignoring the request for a meeting. Harriss spokesperson Matt Corridoni said on Wednesday: No one has any intention of negotiating with a MAGA-funded fringe candidate who has sought out a job with Donald Trump in exchange for an endorsement. RFK Jr had previously called Trump in the wake of the former presidents assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally in July and just before the Republican National Convention to float the possibility of a cabinet-level position or other senior role related to health and medical issues should the GOP nominee win Novembers election. No deal was ultimately made as Trumps team was reportedly concerned about the optics of a quid pro quo. In leaked audio of their call, the former president is heard telling RFK Jr: Anyway, I would love for you to serve. I think it would be so good for you and so big for you. And were gonna win were gonna win were way ahead of the guy, he said referring to President Joe Biden, before he stepped aside from the race. Independent presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr arrives at the Albany County Courthouse in New York on Wednesday August 7 2024 to fight a lawsuit arguing he falsely claimed to live in the state. He was struck from the ballot in the state days later ( Hans Pennink/AP ) Not long after RFK Jrs appeal to Trump was reported, The New Yorker revealed a text exchange where the independent candidate once referred to the former president as a potential sociopath, a terrible human being and the worst president ever. Earlier in the election cycloe, RFK Jr was feared as a serious spoiler candidate who threatened to peel crucial votes away from both the Democratic and Republican tickets. But the vaccine sceptic has failed to gain major traction in polls, with his campaign haunted by the re-emergence of embarrassing stories from his past about brain worm infestations and rumored barbecued dogs, culminating in an revelation that he once left a dead bear cub in Central Park. Disowned politically by many members of his famous family, RFK Jr has also faced an accusation of sexual assault, which he claimed to have no memory of in a texted apology to his accuser. This week, he was struck from the ballot in New York over a sham claim that he lived in the state wiping out his hopes of appearing on the ballot in all 50 states. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The man wanted in connection to a break-in at a Trump campaign office in Virginia has now been identified, according to authorities. Toby Shane Kessler, 39, of no fixed address, has been charged with burglary and a warrant issued for his arrest, the Loudoun County Sheriffs Office said in a media release. The sheriffs office said that Kessler has a history of criminal behavior and appears to have been in the Washington metropolitan area since at least 2018. Members of the public are asked to contact police with any sightings. Kessler is accused of breaking into the Ashburn office at around 8.11pm on August 11, with investigators determining that he forced his way into the building through a back door and spent a brief period of time inside before leaving. While the investigation is still ongoing, the suspect appeared to leave nothing behind, and it is still unclear if he took anything from the premises. Toby Shane Kessler, 39, has been charged with burglary for allegedly breaking into a Trump campaign office in Virginia ( Loudon County Sheriffs Office ) Surveillance footage had captured a man wearing a backpack and dark clothing entering the office, which is located in a suburban office park around 30 miles west of downtown Washington DC. The office is being leased by the Trump campaign and also serves as the headquarters for the Virginia 10th District Republican Committee. Anyone who believes they know the suspect, witnessed the burglary, or has any other information is asked to contact Detective Franks at 571-918-1869. The burglary came as the FBI announced it had launched an investigation into the alleged hacking of the Trump and Biden-Harris campaigns and the release of sensitive documents. Hackers targeted three Biden-Harris campaign staffers as well as Trumps former adviser, Roger Stone, a source told NBC News. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump has watched a video clip of the attempt on his life at a Pennsylvania rally over and over again, leading to fears that he may be suffering from PTSD, according to a report. The former president has viewed the seven-second clip, in which his right ear was grazed with a bullet, multiple times an act which has not helped a reported mental spiral brought on by Joe Bidens decision to drop out of the 2024 race. Hes been watching that seven-second clip of how close he was to getting shot right in the headover and over and over again, the Republican close to the campaign told Vanity Fair. He may actually legit have PTSD. A campaign official confirmed that the shooting continues to weigh on Trump, with an official adding: hes been through a lot. The Independent has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment on the claims made by the sources about the former presidents behavior. The former president has viewed the seven-second clip, in which his right ear was grazed with a bullet, multiple times, according to a Republican source close to his campaign ( AP ) Concerns about Trumps mental wellbeing come as donors and allies have urged him to stay on message during his rallies, and stay away from conspiracy theories that stunt his ability to tackle the wave of momentum of Kamala Harris campaign. The Republican close to the Trump campaign told Vanity Fair that the former presidents recent run of appearances and subsequent gaffes felt like he was choosing to lose. Allies of Trump see his conspiratorial messages and insults based on race as anything but productive. They want him to focus his attacks on policy issues, such as immigration and the economy, rather than personal attacks against Harris. During a bizarre and combative interview with the National Association of Black Journalists in Chicago, the former president accused Harris of hiding her racial identity, prompting fierce backlash. During a panel of the National Association of Black Journalists convention in Chicago, the former president accused Kamala Harris of hiding her racial identity prompting fierce backlash ( Reuters ) At a press conference at Mar-a-Lago, the purpose of which was unclear, Trump also baselessly claimed that his crowd during his rally ahead of the January 6, 2021 insurrection was comparable to that of Martin Luther King Jrs during the March on Washington in 1963, drawing consternation online. The former president has begun to share rightwing conspiracy theories, such as that nobody attended Harris recent rally in Michigan, despite videos and photos showing thousands of people at a Detroit airport. Former Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy appeared on Fox this week, arguing that Trump must Stop questioning the size of her crowds and start questioning her position. One source told CNN that Trump is in a spiral and that he needs to snap out of it. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The Trump campaign has reportedly hired long-time Trump adviser Corey Lewandowski as it seeks to regain momentum in the face of the Harris campaigns growing lead in the polls. Lewandowski, the manager of the 2016 Trump campaign, will come on to advise senior leadership, alongside other hires such as Alex Pfeiffer and Alex Bruesewitz, both former officials at the Trump-aligned PAC MAGA Inc, Politico reports. As we head into the home stretch of this election, we are continuing to add to our impressive campaign team, Trump co-campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita said in a statement to the outlet. Corey Lewandowski, Taylor Budowich, Alex Pfeiffer, Alex Bruesewitz, and Tim Murtaugh are all veterans of prior Trump campaigns and their unmatched experience will help President Trump prosecute the case against Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, the most radical ticket in American history. Corey Lewandowski speaks with reporters in the spin room before the presidential debate between President Joe Biden and Republican presidential candidate President Donald Trump. He is now set to rejoin the Trump campaign, despite being fired from previous campaigns. ( AP ) The Trump team previously sought to put distance between itself and Lewandowski, a longtime adviser to the former president, after he was accused of pursuing unwanted sexual advances against a major donor during a charity event in Las Vegas in 2021. Trashelle Odom accused Lewandowski of being verbally and physically aggressive and forceful, touching her leg and buttocks, using graphic language, and stalking her during the event. Lewandowski was charged with misdemeanor battery, but cut a deal with prosecutors in 2022, where he did not admit guilt to any crime and got the charges dismissed in exchange for receiving eight hours of impulse control counseling, serving 50 hours of community service, avoiding further criminal charges for a year, and paying a $1,000 fine. The allegations prompted some in the MAGA orbit to cut ties with Lewandowski, including South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem. Corey Lewandowski will be going on to other endeavors and we very much want to thank him for his service. He will no longer be associated with Trump World, Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich said in a statement at the time. The Trump campaign, which once looked poised to trounce the Democrats when Joe Biden was still on the ticket, has struggled in recent weeks to counter the enthusiasm for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Jimmy Fallon thinks Donald Trump wishes he had signed a prenup with JD Vance amid swirling reports that the former president regrets choosing him to join him on the Republican ticket. On Wednesday nightsTheTonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the host pointed to the latest revelation that Trump is reportedly furious at his campaign staff for letting him make what he now thinks was a terrible decision. This is why I always sign a pre-nup, Fallon joked as Trump. The comedian also sheepishly mimicked the lisp Trump seemed to have developed during his lacklustre Monday night interview with Elon Musk on X Spaces, earning him some hearty laughs from the audience. Two former aides have claimed Trump is hunkering down at Mar-a-Lago and spending his time blaming campaign staffers for letting him choose Vance as his vice presidential pick, according to The Daily Mail. Chris LaCivita, senior advisor to Trumps campaign, denied those claims in a Fox News Radio interview claiming in true Trump style that it was nothing more than fake news. They talk two, three times a day at least, the political consultant said. JDs been fantastic in terms of laying the wood to Walz and Kamala Harris. Hes been out campaigning. Hes been a great partner. Also jumping on reports that Vance is dragging the ticket down was Stephen Colbert, who roasted the Republican running mates on Wednesday nightsThe Late Show. Jimmy Fallon thinks Trump should have signed a prenup before settling on JD Vance as his running mate ( The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon ) Vance is so unpopular even Trump apparently doesnt like him, he joked, before going on to point out one moment where Trump especially threw his own vice presidential pick under the bus. The Republican candidates have been struggling to shake off a weird tagline, first coined by Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz in his first speech as Harriss running mate. When Trump was asked about this label, he pushed it onto Vance. Not about me. Theyre saying that about JD, Trump replied. Playing the clip, Colbert joked to laughter from his audience: Nice teamwork there. That reminds me of the end of Thelma and Louise, he continued, before playing an edited clip of the iconic final scene of the film in which the two young women drive off a cliff together to escape being captured by police. In Colberts edited version of the cult classic, one of the women, presumably the Trump of the pair, pulls a parachute, saying: Psych! See you weirdo! The late-night treatment comes at a time when Trump is said to be in a downward spiral over Harris pulling away from him in the polls. On Thursday, Trump will hold yet another press conference his second in seven days at one of his clubs: this time his Bedminster club in New Jersey. The first, at Mar-a-Lago last week, proved to be an unremarkable and rambling speech where he aired a string of lies and his usual grievances against his political rivals. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump announced Wednesday morning that he would host a press conference this week his second in seven days, after a previous one said little of substance. The Republican nominee for president has called to meet the press on Thursday at his Bedminster club in New Jersey, hoping to avoid a slew of negative headlines that followed last weeks, where he repeated previous lies and offered nothing new. The announcment comes as he was in North Carolina attempting to head off what appears to be a Kamala Harris surge that has put a number of red-leaning swing states back into sudden contention. Trump, now almost one month out from the GOP convention, once planned to storm through the rest of the summer pummeling ex-opponent Joe Biden all the way, riding on a wave of support buoyed by a shocking assassination attempt and the four-day Trumpfest that was the GOP convention in July. Instead, he enters mid-August facing a massively shaken-up campaign. Biden is no longer his opponent, having dropped out and endorsed his vice president, while Harris has roundly consolidated the Democratic field and is heading into her own partys convention with a Democratic Party more unified than it has been at any time through the past two presidential election cycles. Her selection of Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota, as her running mate has only furthered to fuel her momentum as the affable midwestern politician has fallen into the role of attacking Harriss opponents, Trump and running mate JD Vance, with ease. Donald Trump held a press conference one week ago at Mar-a-Lago, in the hopes of regaining the national spotlight and providing a positive boost of momentum for his campaign. It didnt work. ( Getty Images ) Now, as Trump plots his second attempt to regain a positive national spotlight (or at least transfer some negative attention to Harris). The ex-president rallied on Wednesday in North Carolina, a state where he won in the past two elections but now sees Harris gaining and cutting his polling lead down to single digits. He also clearly had hoped to recapture some momentum with a flashy interview advertised on Twitter/X with the sites Trump-endorsing CEO, Elon Musk but technical difficulties and a lack of focus in the interview led to the appearance being widely panned. Trumpworld sources were radio silent on Wednesday as the Bedminster presser loomed ahead. Reports from Trump insiders have indicated for days now that the ex-president is privately panicking over the sudden plunge in his polling, or what could more accurately be described as Harris rocketing back into competition. On CNN on Tuesday, Mar-a-Lago whisperer Maggie Haberman of the New York Times reported that the reality of running against a Black woman has stymied Trump, who has found himself unable to find an attack that lands effectively. She is a woman, and she is a Black woman. And both of those factors have proven very challenging for him in the past, Haberman opined. He has seemed to really struggle with women opponents, women critics, and particularly Black women who are critics. On Wednesday, Trumps problems with women voters appeared on the verge of growing even worse. New audio from 2020 obtained by Heartland Signal, a left-leaning news outlet, depicted Vance telling a radio host that the only purpose of women after hitting menopausal age was to provide support for child-rearing. The ex-president is likely to face questions about this latest audio on Thursday as well as the ongoing campaign by Democrats to characterize his running mate as weird and on the extremes of social conservative viewpoints. Trump, in private conversations, has been seen to chafe at the label and defensively claim that Democrats are only leveling it at Vance, not him. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A British judge who was condemned for upholding the conviction of pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong has quit a top media freedom panel. David Neuberger, who is paid 40,000 to sit as an overseas non-permanent judge on Hong Kongs top court, has withdrawn as chair of the high-level panel of legal experts that advises the Media Freedom Coalition (MFC) advocacy group, an international NGO. His resignation comes just days after voting to uphold a 14-month jail sentence for 76-year-old Beijing critic Mr Lai, who is a British citizen. Lord Neuberger said it was undesirable that his work as an overseas judge in Hong Kong would distract from the mission of the MFC which includes 51 countries and resigned in a letter released on Thursday. In the letter, Lord Neuberger said: I have now concluded that I should go now, because it is undesirable that focus on my position as a non-permanent Judge in Hong Kong should take away, or distract, from the critical and impactful work of the High Level Panel. It has been an enormous privilege and pleasure to work with so many intelligent, committed, and interesting people on such an important cause. But human rights groups have hit out at the decision. He is choosing the court of Hong Kong over media freedom and integrity. We do not applaud Lord Neubergers resignation, Mark Sabah of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation said. It is absolutely astonishing that Lord Neuberger has chosen to remain on the Hong Kong Courts overseeing an appeal of British citizen, Jimmy Lai, and other pro-democracy activists, rather than step down. Beijing critic Jimmy Lai faces a life sentence under Chinas national security law ( Getty Images ) On Monday, the former Supreme Court judge voted to uphold the conviction of Mr Lai who supported anti-Beijing protests in 2019 and has been locked up for four years during a Beijing-led crackdown on dissent. Former Hong Kong governor Chris Patten told The Independent on Tuesday that it was obvious the case Lord Neuberger upheld was an act of vengeance by the city-states government. Mr Lais son, Sebastien, said that time is not on our side to save his father, particularly given his age. Mr Lai was jailed in 2021 for taking part in a pro-democracy rally, and faces a life sentence on separate national security charges described as politically motivated by Amnesty International. Lord Neuberger told The Independent earlier this week that he would not comment on the Lai judgment as it had to speak for itself. He has previously vowed to stay on as a judge and said he would support the rule of law the best I can. The Independent has reached out for comment from Lord Neuberger over his resignation from the Media Freedom Coalition. More than 1,800 political prisoners have been detained in Hong Kong in a crackdown since mass pro-democracy protests in 2019. The Independent has campaigned for Jimmy Lais release ( . ) Two British judges quit Hong Kongs Court of Final Appeal in June and warned the territory was slowly becoming a totalitarian state with the rule of law profoundly compromised. Mr Lais appeal centred on the questions of whether his conviction was proportionate to fundamental human rights protections set out in a pair of non-binding decisions by Britains Supreme Court known as operational proportionality. But Lord Neubergers judgment said the British courts decisions should not be followed in Hong Kong as there is a difference between the legal frameworks for human rights challenges in the two jurisdictions. British judges have sat on the Hong Kongs Court of Final Appeal since 1997 on a non-permanent basis as part of an agreement when the city was handed back to China by the UK. The judges are all retired from their UK roles. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} More than 100 Liberal party candidates will be unable to run for local elections in Australia due to a disastrous administrative error from the party. The party missed a key deadline to file paperwork for the New South Wales council election, automatically ruling out scores of candidates including some long-serving and well-known politicians from the running. Not a single candidate for the party was registered before the Wednesday deadline in seven local government areas for the elections being held next month, drawing widespread criticism. The states party director Richard Shields has apologised, blaming the failure to complete paperwork in time on "limited resources". With the secretariat resources that we had available, unfortunately, we were unable to nominate in all of the local government areas that were put forward by the state executive," Mr Shields said in a statement. "The status of nominated Liberal candidates will be communicated upon confirmation from the NSW Electoral Commission. On behalf of the secretariat, I would like to apologise to Liberal-endorsed councillors that were not nominated and to the party membership more broadly." File: Scrutineers count postal votes at the Gordon counting centre in on 5 July 2016 in Sydney, Australia ( Getty Images ) The party members learnt yesterday about the missed deadline, which leaves 12 Sydney council seats without Liberal candidates. NSW Liberal leader Mark Speakman has demanded Mr Shields resignation. "Our party administration has let the candidates, the party members and the general public down," Mr Speakman said. "I am disappointed, indeed Im furious, on behalf of those candidates who have missed out, including sitting councillors. "Unfortunately, in these circumstances, the state director has to fall on his sword. He is the chief executive who runs the organisation. He is the chief who is responsible. He has to fall on his sword." Lashing out at Mr Shields for failing to undertake basic administrative process, he said: If you dont have the adequate resources, you let candidates know and they can lodge their nominations themselves. Lane Cove mayor Scott Bennison blamed internal politics at head office for the missed deadline. Its just absolutely hopeless, Mr Bennison said on the 2GB radio station, as he expressed his exasperation at being passed over for a candidacy in favour of a 22-year-old political staffer. "Its the internal politics in head office, that just delays the preselection of candidates, said the mayor, who resigned two days ago. According to Sky News, the full list of candidates is likely to be made available on Thursday by 2pm. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Two French pilots are feared dead after their fighter jets crashed in mid-air near the north-eastern town of Colombey-les-Belles, military authorities said. Although one pilot safely ejected and was found uninjured, a search operation is underway for two others who remain unaccounted for. The regional prefecture is appealing to members of the public to come forward with any sightings or information. The cause of the accident was not immediately clear. Announcing the deaths of the two pilots, president Emmanuel Macron said: We learn with sadness the death of Capt Sebastien Mabire and Lt Matthis Laurens in an air accident in a Rafale training mission. The nation shares the grief of their families and brothers in arms at airbase 113 in Saint-Dizier. French gendarmes and French military vehicles stand beside the forest in Autreville, eastern France, on 14 August 2024, following a crash between two French military Rafale jets ( AFP via Getty Images ) French armed forces minister Sebastien Lecornu wrote on X: "One of the pilots has been found, he is safe and sound. The search is still ongoing. "We thank our armed forces as well as to the gendarmes mobilised in the search and in securing the area." A local resident called Laetitia described witnessing the crash, telling Express: I was eating, a plane flew over me, it was heading north, there was like an explosion and it caught fire. A helicopter from the French Air Force takes part in a search operation in Autreville, eastern France following a crash between two French military Rafale jets ( AFP via Getty Images ) "It fell on the woods, it crashed, near the Colombey-les-belles road. I only saw a plane. It made a huge black cloud." Patrice Bonneaux, deputy mayor of Colombey-les-Belles, told AFP: We heard a loud noise, around 12.30pm [on Wednesday]. It was a strange noise, a percussive sound. I assumed that two planes had collided, but we didnt believe it. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Ukraine's shock incursion into Russias Kursk border region was a gamble for military commanders, who committed their limited resources to a risky assault on a nuclear-armed enemy with no assurance of success. After the first signs of progress, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy broke his silence and spelled out Kyivs daily advances to his war-weary public. By Wednesday, Ukrainian officials said they controlled 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles) of enemy territory, including at least 74 settlements and hundreds of Russian prisoners of war. This image released by Maxar Technologies shows a trench being built southeast of Lgov, west of Kursk ( Maxar Technologies ) But a week after it began, the overall aim of the daring operation is still unclear: Will Ukraine dig in and keep the conquered territory, advance further into Russian territory or pull back? What is clear is that the incursion has changed the battlefield. The shock of Ukraines thunder run revealed chinks in the armor of its powerful adversary. The attack also risked aggravating Ukraines own weaknesses by extending the front line and committing new troops at a time when military leaders are short on manpower. This image released by Maxar Technologies shows a trenchline southeast of Selektsionnyi, Russia, Monday Augusy 12 ( Maxar Technologies ) To conduct the Kursk operation, Kyiv deployed battalions drawn from multiple brigades, some of which were pulled from the hottest parts of the front line, where Russias advance has continued unabated. So far, Moscows overall strategic advantage is intact. The stretching of the front line for us is also stretching the front line for the enemy," said the commander of the 14th Regiment of Unmanned Drones, who uses the call sign Charlie, after he participated in the opening stage of the offensive. Only we have prepared for this operation in detail. The Russians were not prepared for this operation at all. As the offensive enters its second week, Ukrainian forces are pushing out in several directions from the Russian town of Sudzha. This image released by Maxar Technologies shows defensive trenches that have been built near Lgov and parallel to the E38 highway, west of Kursk, Images from the battlefield showing columns of destroyed Russian weaponry are reminiscent of Ukraines successful counteroffensives in 2022 in Kherson and Kharkiv. The photos are also a boon to national morale that deflated after the failed 2023 summer counteroffensive and months of recent territorial losses in the east. But some analysts are reserving judgment on whether the Kursk region is the right theater to launch an offensive. Estimates of the number of troops operating there range from 5,000 to 12,000. A map of Kursk: Within a week, Ukraine claimed to have captured almost as much Russian land in Kursk as Russian forces took in Ukraine in the last seven months, according to the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank. Russian authorities acknowledged the Ukrainian gains but described them as smaller. Even so, they have evacuated about 132,000 people. Hundreds of Russian prisoners were blindfolded and ferried away in trucks in the opening moments of the lightning advance. They could be used in future prisoner swaps to free thousands of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians in captivity. A Ukrainian armoured military vehicle drives past a burning car on a road near the border with Russia ( AFP via Getty Images ) On Wednesday, Ukrainian human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said the fighting in Kursk had lead his Russian counterpart, Tatyana Moskalkova, to initiate a conversation about prisoner swaps, the first time such a request has come from Moscow. Politically, the incursion turned the tables on Russia and reset the terms of a conflict in which Ukraine increasingly seemed doomed to accept unfavorable cease-fire terms. The strike was also a powerful example of Ukrainian determination and a message to Western allies that have dithered on allowing donated weapons to be used for deeper strikes inside Russian territory. The assault has shown that the fear of crossing Russian red lines that could lead to nuclear escalation "is a myth, and that Ukraines battle-hardened military remains a formidable force, wrote Taras Kuzio, a professor of political science at the National University Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. Presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak suggested that the incursion may also strengthen Kyivs hand in future negotiations with Russia. Occupying part of Russian territory ahead of any cease-fire talks may give Ukraine some leverage. Though the fighting continues, the territory currently under Ukrainian control is, by itself, of little economic or strategic value. There is some important gas infrastructure in the area, but its usefulness is likely to be limited other than as a minor bargaining chip. Ukrainians have also cut a railway line running from Lgov to Belgorod, said Pasi Paroinen of the Black Bird Group, a Finland-based open-source intelligence agency that monitors the war. Major military bases are far from the current area of operations, and Ukrainian advances are expected to slow as Russia sends in more forces. This image released by Maxar Technologies shows a trench from Selektsionnyi to Lgov Ukrainian officials have said they do not intend to occupy Kursk, but they may seek to create a buffer zone to protect settlements in the bordering Sumy region from relentless Russian artillery attacks and to block supply lines to the northeast. Forcing Russia to deploy reserves intended for other parts of the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line was the minimum aim, said Charlie, the commander. But so far, Moscows focus in the Donetsk region has not changed. Some Ukrainian troops were pulled from those very lines, where manpower shortages were a key factor that contributed to territorial losses this year. In the strategically significant Pokrovsk area, which is the main thrust of Russias offensive effort, soldiers have seen few improvements since the Kursk incursion. Nothing has changed, said a soldier known by the call sign Kyianyn. If anything, I see the increase in Russian offensive actions. But the Kursk operation "showed they cant defend their own territory, he said. All of us are inspired here. Many of our soldiers wanted to go to Kursk and push them straight to the Kremlin. Targeting Russias Northern Grouping of Forces, which feeds the Kharkiv front, is a key goal, said Konstantin Mashovets, a Ukrainian military expert. Some Russian units have reportedly moved from Vovchansk in Kharkiv. In the south, a small number of Russian units were redeployed from the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, said Dmytro Lykhovii, the spokesman of the Tavria operational group. But that hasnt affected Russian attacks. "We even see an increase in (Russian) activity, Lykhovii said. Ukrainian servicemen operate an armoured military vehicle on a road near the border with Russia ( AFP via Getty Images ) The Kursk operation has also served to draw attention away from the eastern front, where tens of thousands of Ukrainians have been killed and wounded, and where the Ukrainian military has struggled to repair cracks in its defenses. Most territorial losses in June and July were recorded in the Pokrovsk area, which is near a logistics hub, with fighting intensifying near the towns of Toretsk and Chasiv Yar. Russian forces dialed up those attacks to capitalize on troop fatigue and shortages. On many occasions, the losses were the result of poorly timed troop rotations and blunders that cast doubt about the overall strategy of the Ukrainian military's General Staff. There is no way Russia will stop its actions in the parts of the front line where they are tactically succeeding, Mashovets said. There, they will push and squeeze until their last man is standing, no matter what." But the push into Kursk might force the Kremlin to pull reserves "from the parts of the front line that are of secondary importance. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Ukrainian forces have captured hundreds of square miles of territory inside Russia in one of the most significant incursions into Russia since the Second World War. Thousands of Ukrainian troops smashed over the border from Ukraines Sumy region into the neighbouring Russian Kursk region on 6 August. Since then, Kyivs forces have claimed to have taken more land in a fortnight than Russia has in Ukraine during this entire calendar year. While the ground offensive appears to be slowing down, with Russian forces moving several thousand troops from less hot areas on the frontline in Ukraine, Kyivs air force have started destroying Moscows vital military supply lines, suffocating the troops still defending the area in Kursk. How much territory has Ukraine taken in Russia? View more The numbers vary. Calculating territory taken during an incursion that ebbs and flows is difficult. Ukraines army chief Colonel General Oleksandr Syrksyi claims his forces have captured almost 445 square miles (1,150 sq kilometres) of land in Kursk, while they have also set up a military commandants office in the occupied part of the region. For context, that is nearly three times the amount of territory they retook in occupied Ukraine during their three-month counteroffensive last summer, according to estimates. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a US-based think tank that tracks developments on the frontline, offers a more conservative estimate of around 300 square miles (800 sq km). Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, meanwhile, said last week that Kyivs forces were pushing one to two kilometres further all along the new frontline. The attack, which appears as a bulge into mainland Russia, is around 37 miles wide and almost 17 miles deep. Could Ukraine take more territory? View more Last Friday, Ukraines air force destroyed the first of three bridges on the Seym River to the west of the Ukrainian troops in Kursk. On Saturday and then Sunday night, they destroyed the two other permanent bridges in that area, leaving Russian troops in the southern half of the Glushkovsky district, which is bisected by the Seym, effectively trapped between the river, the Ukrainian border and Kyivs forces in front of them. The aviation of the Air Force continues to deprive the enemy of logistical capabilities with accurate air strikes, which significantly affects the course of hostilities! air force commander Mykola Oleschuk wrote on Sunday morning. Recent drone footage from a Ukrainian brigade also suggests that Kyiv is now using first-person view (FPV) drones to destroy the makeshift Russian pontoon crossings erected in the days since the targeted strikes on the bridges. The Centre for Defence Strategies, a Ukrainian security think tank, wrote that this indicates that the objective [of Ukrainian forces] is to take control of a portion of Kursk Oblast south of the Seym River. Should they take this area, they would almost double the territory they currently control. How many troops are involved? Ukrainian servicemen guard an area at a destroyed border crossing point with Russia ( AFP via Getty Images ) A Ukrainian colonel who asked not to be identified to speak openly about sensitive issues told The Independent that around 8,000 soldiers were involved in the incursion. Thousands more Ukrainian soldiers were ready to enter the fray, he said. He claimed, in comments that were mirrored by multiple Ukrainian officials, including Mr Zelensky, that the troops were planning to hold their positions to create a buffer zone. Most simply, this zone would put more distance between Russian forces and Ukrainian civilians, reducing, though not halting completely, Moscows ability to fire artillery and missiles over the border. It would also prevent another Russian cross-border assault of their own like the one into the nearby northeast Ukrainian region of Kharkiv in May, which brought the countrys second largest city - with a population of around 1.3 million people - roughly within artillery range of Russian forces. How many Russian civilians have been evacuated? Volunteers sort a humanitarian aid for residents of Kursk region at the humanitarian collection point 'Moscow Helps' in Moscow, Russia ( EPA ) Russian officials say nearly 200,000 civilians have been evacuated from the Kursk region and the neighbouring Belgorod area. Ukrainian forces have not entered Belgorod but a state of emergency has been declared and local officials say Ukraine has launched aerial attacks on the area. Authorities in the Kursk region decided late on Wednesday night to evacuate another district, Glushkov, as Ukrainian forces continue to advance forwards. The district directly borders Ukraine and has a population of about 20,000 people. Regional governor Alexei Smirnov said on the Telegram messaging app that police and other state bodies would coordinate the evacuation process. Have Ukraine captured Russian soldiers? Mr Zelensky this week claimed one of the goals of the incursion was to replenish an exchange fund of Russian prisoners of war. Thousands of POWs from both sides have been swapped throughout the course of the war in Ukraine, with exchanges taking place roughly every few months. Private and public estimations of how many Russian soldiers have been captured during this incursion differ significantly. Mr Zelensky has suggested around Ukrainian troops have taken roughly 100 PoWs; the Ukrainian colonel claimed the true figure was closer to 2,000. Footage has, however, showed blindfolded men that appear to be Russian soldiers being escorted through the Ukrainian Sumy region in the back of a military pick up. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Hundreds of student protesters and political activists in Bangladesh, armed with bamboo sticks, iron rods and pipes, on Thursday, assaulted supporters of the ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and prevented them from reaching the previous house of her father and assassinated independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the capital. The house in Dhakas Dhanmondi area was turned into a museum to showcase narratives and other objects about a military coup on Aug. 15, 1975, when Rahman was assassinated along with most of his family members. The house, now called Bangabandhu Memorial Museum, was torched by the protesters hours after Hasinas downfall on Aug. 5 following an uprising during which more than three hundred people were killed. Rahman is fondly called Bangabandhu or, a friend of Bengal. Thursday is the anniversary of Rahmans death, and Hasina, now self-exiled in India, urged her supporters to commemorate the day by paying respect to Rahman. Previously, Aug. 15 was a public holiday and was observed as a national mourning day by Hasinas administration. But that has been canceled by an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus following the ouster of Hasina, who survived in 1975 along with her younger sister because they were visiting Germany in 1975. On Thursday, the protesters attacked Hasinas supporters who attempted to get to the site. They manhandled many and checked the visitors phones and identity cards while threatening journalists for filming the incidents at the scene, witnesses said. Another group of protesters on Thursday chanted Naraye Takbeer, Allahu Akbar or, Allah is Great, Shout of Allah is Great as they marched through streets in the area where the museum site remained blocked with barbed-wire fences. The protesters, who arrived at Rhaman's house first on Wednesday, attacked a prominent actress, as she along with dozens of Hasinas supporters reached there to light candles as part of the commemoration. Overnight, they held a party using loudspeakers and playing songs as they danced outside the museum, which was set on fire during the anti-government demonstrations earlier this month. Videos of the party went viral on social media. The protesters said they were out to stop the gathering of Hasinas supporters as they could attempt to create chaos in the name of commemoration. Sarjis Alam, a key organizer of the student protests, said Thursday that they would continue to demand the trial of Hasina as he led a rally in Dhaka's Shahbagh area. Asked about the harassment of journalists by the students and other activists outside the museum, he said he would inquire about that but gave no details. In the past, big gatherings took place on the premises of the museum, seen by many as a source of inspiration. Hasina had asked supporters earlier this week to pray for the salvation of all souls by offering floral garlands and praying outside the museum, in her first public statement since her fall. With no police in sight, the chaos remained in Bangladesh's capital throughout Thursday. Sam Jahan, a video journalist for Reuters, protested against the harassment by the protesters, in a Facebook post. It is fair enough what you, the political activists, student protesters want to achieve, politically. But when you try to stop my rolling camera, resisting the freedom of the press and when you manhandle my colleagues, I will speak up, Jahan wrote in the post. The country's leading English-language Daily Star newspaper reported that their journalists faced trouble at the scene, and they were forced to delete photos and videos. Mujib Mashal, South Asian bureau chief of The New York Times, in a video post on social media platform X said that it was a complete mob rule. The victims of yesterday are perpetrators of today; men armed with clubs and pipes (many identified themselves as BNP and Jamaat) thrashing and chasing away anyone they suspect of being Awami League, he said. The protesters have been demanding trial of Hasina for the killings during weeks-long violence and cases have already been filed against her and other close party colleagues and top police officials. More than 300 people were killed in unrest that started in July with protests against a quota system for government jobs that later morphed into a movement against what was considered Hasinas increasingly autocratic administration. The uprising eventually forced Hasina to leave office and flee to India, ending her 15-year rule. Yunus took over as the interim leader. Sixteen people, including two student protest leaders and others, drawn mainly from civil society, have been included in the interim Cabinet. He chose the new Cabinet members after talks between student leaders, civil society representatives and the military. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} British tanks have been used to force back Vladimir Putins troops during Ukraines audacious incursion into Russia. Defence chiefs have hailed the contribution of Challenger 2 tanks, saying they are playing a crucial role in Volodymyr Zelenskys startling tactic of using troops on Russian soil after years of defensive combat. It is the first time UK tanks operated by Ukrainian troops have been used in combat on Russian territory, and comes as the incursion into the Kursk region expands as it enters a second week. Mr Zelensky said on Thursday that his troops have full control of the Russian town of Sudzha. It is the largest town Ukraine has seized so far in the war, with a population of around 5,000, and it is home to a measuring station for Russian natural gas that flows through pipelines to Europe. Ukrainian personnel stand on a Challenger 2 tank during training at Bovington Camp, near Wool, Hampshire ( Reuters ) Former defence secretary Sir Ben Wallace hailed the use of British equipment at the forefront of enabling Ukraine to defend itself from [Mr Putins] illegal invasion. He was optimistic about the impact the tanks will have, saying: If the weapons we supply make a difference in protecting their self-defence, Britain should be satisfied that they are being used. Sir Malcolm Rifkind, who served as defence secretary under John Major, said the move could be critical for Ukraines confidence as well as an enormously invaluable asset on the battlefield. He said Ukraine is making it clear that Russia must expect to experience the same sort of suffering and the same sort of damage to their infrastructure as the Ukrainians have been subjected to for two years. If it is a land battle, covering large areas of space, then these tanks are enormously invaluable, Sir Malcolm said. If they were not useful, the British army would not be having them. Sir Ben said that the use of British weapons on Russian soil was inevitable and that Ukraine should be legitimately allowed to go after [any] infrastructure and enablers that are prosecuting [Mr Putins] illegal invasion. It is inevitable that these things were going to be integrated into [Ukraines] military units and that they were going to be used. If Russia is using fuel depots or command posts just over the border [in Kursk], they are legitimate targets under international law, he said. During his time in government, Sir Ben gave permission for Ukraine to hit targets inside Russia using all weapons supplied to it, with the exception of long-range Storm Shadow missiles. Ukraine has repeatedly called for unrestricted use of Storm Shadows to hit targets deep inside Russia. Defence secretary John Healey told the BBC that the UK was having intense discussions on the subject, but gave no details. On the issue of using Storm Shadows which have a potential range of hundreds of miles inside Russia, Sir Ben said it would be difficult for Britain to authorise without sign-off from other allies. The use of Storm Shadows is not entirely independent from other nations capabilities, he said. With missiles, all missiles, you have to use data, GPS, intelligence, targeting etc. That means that sometimes the use of missiles like Storm Shadows is more collaborative than Ukraine being able to unilaterally use them. He added: You might want to say to Ukraine, Yeah, you can use them, but if country B says they cannot use their equipment, then you cant use them, he added. View more The Ministry of Defence did not deny that Challenger 2 tanks have been used in Kursk, but said it would not comment on operational matters. A UK source confirmed that the tanks have been used, but it is still unclear exactly how many and when. There has been no change in UK government policy: under Article 51 of the UN Charter, Ukraine has a clear right of self-defence against Russias illegal attacks that does not preclude operations inside Russia, a spokesperson said. We make clear during the gifting process that equipment is to be used in line with international law. A Ukrainian military source also told The Independent that they believe Challenger 2 tanks have been used in Kursk, with Ukraines 82nd Air Assault Brigade, the unit that has been using the British battle tanks since last year, operating in the Russian region. The source added that they would be being used alongside weapons and vehicles supplied by other Western partners. American Bradley and Stryker armoured vehicles are being used in the operation, and I believe also Challengers have been used nearer the border, while the majority are Ukrainian Soviet-era tanks and other armoured vehicles, the source said. We have abided by any restrictions, because we know if we break our word, we may lose our allies support, they added. Ukrainian service personnel operate an armoured military vehicle on a road near the border with Russia, in the Sumy region of Ukraine ( AFP via Getty ) Ukraines top commander said on Thursday that Kyiv had also established a commandants office in the occupied part of Kursk, from where forces were still advancing seizing up to 1.5km (0.93 miles) in 24 hours. Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi said Ukrainian forces had taken over 82 settlements since the start of the incursion, and a total area of 440 square miles (1,150 sq km). The Institute for the Study of War, a US-based think tank, has put the area closer to 800 sq km. Kursks acting governor, Alexei Smirnov, ordered the evacuation of the Glushkovo region, about 28 miles northwest of Sudzha. Meanwhile, a source in the Security Service of Ukraine told reporters that special forces had captured a group of more than 100 Russian soldiers. The 102 servicemen of Russias 488th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment and its Akhmat unit are the largest group of soldiers to be captured in one go since Russia launched its invasion in 2022. They captured and cleared a sprawling, concrete and well-fortified company stronghold from all sides with underground communications and personnel accommodation, a canteen, an armoury and even a bathhouse, the source said. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A US-Russian ballerina has been jailed for 12 years in Russia after donating $51 (40) to a charity supporting Ukraine. Ksenia Karelina was arrested in Yekaterinburg in February after returning to Russia to visit her family. She pleaded guilty in her closed trial last week. Prosectuors had sought a 15-year jail term which her lawyer, Mikhail Mushailov, said was too severe for the nature of her infraction, and argued her cooperation in the investigation should earn her some good will in the court. On Thursday, it emerged she had been handed a 12-year sentence to serve out in a general regime penal colony in Russia. Karelina obtained US citizenship in 2021 after marrying an American and moving to Los Angeles, where she worked at a spa. Russias FSB security service claimed she proactively collected money in the interests of one of the Ukrainian organisations, which was subsequently used to purchase tactical medical supplies, equipment, weapons, and ammunition for the Ukrainian armed forces. Karelina celebrating her US citizenship in 2021 ( Ksenia Karelina via Facebook/First Department ) Karelina had gone on holiday with her partner Chris Van Heerden to Istanbul earlier this year. Van Heerden then returned to the US, while Karelina traveled onto Russia to see her family. There, she was arrested for treason after she transferred $51.80 from her American bank account to the account of Razom for Ukraine, a New York-based charity, on the day that Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The charity previously said it was appalled by her arrest. Its website says it supports a range of humanitarian projects including the supply of first aid kits, wood stoves, generators, radios and vehicles to frontline Ukrainian medics. It also helps Ukrainian children and vulnerable communities affected by the war, including by providing food, shelter, psychological support and clean water. Since her arrest, Karelinas partner has been campaigning for her release. I believe America will bring her back to me, Van Heerden told CNN earlier this year. He told the Los Angeles Times in February that he had feared it might be dangerous for her to go onto Russia on her own with everything going on with the war in Ukraine, but she reassured me that she was Russian and that everything would be fine. Ksenia Karelina, 33, pictured at the beginning of her trial ( SOTAvision / Telegram ) So, for her birthday in December, I bought her a ticket. She was so excited. Now, I am hitting myself over the head about it. Her conviction and sentencing comes just weeks after the US and Russia completed a massive prisoner swap involving 24 people following many months of negotiations and concessions from other European countries. Among those released was Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich who was also arrested on espionage charges while he was visiting Yekaterinburg. It was the largest prisoner swap between the two nations in post-Soviet history but several Americans remain behind in Russian prisons, including Karelina. Her lawyer told reporters last week that once a verdict was reached her legal team would begin working toward including her in a future prisoner swap. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} More than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Israel and Hamas began fighting last year, the territorys Hamas-ran health ministry said. Israels offensive has also wounded 92,401 people and displaced over 85 per cent of the population from their homes, the ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said. It does not distinguish between civilians and militants in its toll. The announcement came during yet another push from international mediators to broker a cease-fire in the war, now in its 11th month. The conflict began on 7 October after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people most of them civilians and dragging roughly 250 hostages to Gaza. It comes as international mediators were set to hold a new round of talks Thursday aimed at halting the conflict. Over 85 per cent of Gazas population has been displaced since Israels offensive began last October ( AP ) The United States, Qatar and Egypt were to meet with an Israeli delegation in Qatar. Hamas has not said whether it will participate, accusing Israel of adding new demands to the agreement. The mediators have spent months trying to hammer out a three-phase plan in which Hamas would release scores of hostages captured in the 7 October attack in exchange for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Both sides have agreed in principle to the plan, which President Joe Biden announced on 31 May. But Hamas has proposed amendments and Israel has suggested clarifications, leading each side to accuse the other of making new demands it cannot accept. Hamas has rejected Israels latest demands, which include a lasting military presence along the border with Egypt and a line bisecting Gaza where it would search Palestinians returning to their homes to root out militants. Meanwhile, the US defence secretary Lloyd Austin said last week that navy cruisers and destroyers which can shoot down ballistic missiles as well as fighter jets, would be deployed to the region to support Israel. US defence secretary Lloyd Austin said last week that navy cruisers were sent to the region. Pictured: USS Abraham Lincoln ( US NAVY/AFP via Getty Images ) It comes after Iran vowed to exact harsh punishment on Israel following the suspected assassination of Hamass chief Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in a blast in Tehran on Thursday. The death of the 62-year-old came just hours after Israel claimed it had killed top Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in an airstrike in Beirut, Lebanon, in the same week. Gazas Hamas and Hezbollah (which controls southern Lebanon) form part of Irans so-called axis of resistance which opposes Western and Israeli influence in the region. Israel has not claimed responsibility for Haniyehs death, but officials have previously warned they would target all Hamas leaders responsible for the 7 October attack on southern Israel that triggered Israels war in Gaza. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A new round of Gaza ceasefire talks has started in Qatars capital Doha as the death toll in the Palestinian enclave moves past 40,000. Israels spy chief, the head of the CIA and his Egyptian counterpart plus Qatars prime minister are involved in the talks. Hamas will not join the behind-closed-door discussions directly, but mediators Egypt and Qatar plan to consult with them afterwards. After 10 months of war and multiple stalled attempts to end the bloodshed and release more than 100 Israeli and foreign hostages still being held in Gaza, the latest talks have been given an added gravity by fears of a revenge attack by Iran on Israel. Iran has threatened a response to the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran late last month. Some Iranian officials have suggested that only a ceasefire deal in Gaza would hold Iran back from direct retaliation. But a possible escalation from Iranian-backed Hezbollah across the Israel-Lebanon border with Israeli having killed a senior Hezbollah commander hours before the assassination of Haniyeh is also weighing on the meeting, with deep concerns over the threat of a wider regional war. There is significant international pressure to make these talks fruitful. White House national security spokesperson John Kirby cautioned that they were unlikely to produce an agreement on Thursday and would probably continue on Friday. The Independent understands that one of the biggest sticking points to a deal is the Israeli withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor which runs along the border between Gaza and Egypt and the return of displaced people to the north of Gaza. Israel wants control over the corridor and the movement of people between the north and south. Mr Kirby told reporters that negotiators were focused on narrowing the gaps and implementing the framework agreement, which he said had been generally accepted by both sides. The remaining obstacles can be overcome, and we must bring this process to a close, he said. Todays a promising start. It was reported in the days before the talks that Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu had allegedly added new conditions to the framework agreement, an accusation staunchly denied by Mr Netanyahus office. In return, Israel has accused Hamas of seeking to scupper the talks by demanding changes. Mustafa Barghouti, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council and head of the Palestinian National Initiative, said the success of the talks depends on whether Netanyahu wants a deal or not and whether the US has the guts, the ability and the will to pressure Netanyahu to accept a ceasefire deal without making new changes. Accusing the Israeli PM of thinking only about himself and his political career, Mr Barghouti spelled out the consequences of failing to reach a deal. The issue is very serious, he said. Not only because no ceasefire will mean more people being killed and injured [but] if there is no deal this could drag [us] into a regional war. As the negotiators arrived in Qatar, fighting continued in Gaza, with Israeli troops hitting targets in the southern cities of Rafah and Khan Younis. Palestinian health officials said on Thursday that more than 40,000 people had been killed in the bombardment of Gaza by Israel. The UNs human rights chief, Volker Turk has said it marked a grim milestone. Palestinian health officials say the true toll is likely thousands higher, since many bodies are believed to remain buried under the rubble of buildings destroyed in airstrikes. The war in Gaza was triggered by a Hamas attack inside Israel during which around 1,200 people were killed and another 250 taken hostage. Israel says 111 of the captives have not been released, including the bodies of 39. The hostages include 15 women and two children under the age of five. The vast majority of Gazas 2.3 million people have been forced to leave their homes, some fleeing multiple times across the territory to escape ground offensives. During the war, thousands within Israel and in southern Lebanon have also been displaced. Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the IndyTech email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Amazon says it will be delivering packages by drones in the UK by the end of the year. The online shopping giant has been chosen for a trial to expand drone use in the UK and says they will be delivering small packages within an hour of an order being placed. The retailer is one of six organisations selected by regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to trial beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone flights, which mean operators will not be required to maintain physical sight of the flying gadgets. It already offers drone deliveries in the US, in Lockeford, California and College Station, Texas. The drones will be able to fly out to about 12 kilometres from their base, which will be located in one of the UKs fulfilment centres The company intends to expand the rollout, Amazons head of Prime Air told The Independent last year that there is a mapped-out plan to open more facilities over time. The new MK30 Prime Air drone is seen in a truck at a loading bay at the BFI1 Amazon Fulfillment Center in Sumner, Washington ( M. Scott Brauer ) The other projects chosen by the CAA to trial BVLOS flights involve inspecting offshore wind farms, the National Police Air Service, air traffic control provider Nats, flights from Scottish archipelago Orkney, and delivering emergency medical supplies. The regulator said all the schemes will use advanced technologies for navigation, control and the detection of other aircraft. CAA director of future of flight Sophie OSullivan said: These innovative trials mark a significant step forward in integrating drones safely into UK airspace. By supporting projects ranging from consumer deliveries to critical infrastructure inspections, we are gathering essential data to shape future policies and regulations. Our goal is to make drone operations beyond visual line of sight a safe and everyday reality, contributing to the modernisation of UK airspace and the incorporation of new technology into our skies. Amazon Prime Air vice president and general manager David Carbon said: Its crucial for operators like us to have clear regulatory requirements in order to bring and scale new technologies, such as drone delivery, to customers in the UK. We appreciate the CAAs effort to partner with us to help bring clarity to the regulations that support commercial drone delivery. Amazon expects to launch its Prime Air service in the UK by the end of the year, delivering small packages within an hour of an order being placed. Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy More than 100,000 homes and businesses in the Highlands will benefit from ultrafast broadband thanks to a further 10 million investment in the network. The publicly-owned Scottish National Investment Bank (SNIB) says its latest investment in Highland Broadband will help tackle digital inequality across the Black Isle, Great Glen and Cairngorms. The banks previous investments, of 20 million in 2021 and 20 million in 2023, enabled Highland Broadband to install superfast broadband networks in areas of East Lothian, Stirlingshire, Fife and the Highlands north of Inverness. Highland Broadband, a company which aims to bring ultrafast full-fibre broadband to rural and semi-rural communities across Scotland, estimates half-a-million premises across the country still lack access to gigabit-capable broadband networks. The Highlands and islands face unique connectivity challenges, but we view overcoming these barriers as essential for providing what should be a basic service for everyone in Scotland Gavin Rodgers, Highland Broadband The company, which is part of Lothian Broadband Networks Limited, says it plans to connect as many of these as possible over the next few years. Its chief executive Gavin Rodgers said The Highlands and islands face unique connectivity challenges, but we view overcoming these barriers as essential for providing what should be a basic service for everyone in Scotland. The banks continued support has enabled us to accelerate our plan to connect these regions, which ultimately helps reduce place-based inequality in areas such as education, employment and healthcare. According to SNIB, before Highland Broadband started work in 2015 less than 1% of premises from Inverness to the north of Scotland, the Black Isle, and on the east coast had access to a gigabit-capable network. It says this has now improved to around 80%, with the company expecting to reach 98% coverage by the end of 2024. open image in gallery Highland Broadband Andy Clapp, SNIB executive director, said: Our support of Highland Broadbands multi-year effort to connect all parts of Scotland aligns with one of our core missions to increase equality through improving spaces. The installation of gigabit capable networks, which so many of us take for granted, is already having a real-world impact thats strengthening the threads of Highland communities. Pastor Robert Adair of the Alness Baptist Church was one of those who benefited when the network was installed in the town of Alness, near the Cromarty Firth. It enabled his church to extend its outreach by streaming its weekly services and reaching people through social media. He said: For us, its about being better connected with the wider community and not just hidden behind four walls. We want to be out there engaging with people and building relationships. The new broadband enables us to do all of this and more, and we really feel like were making a difference. The Scottish National Investment Bank, established in 2020, provides long-term investments to businesses and projects in Scotland to support the development of a fairer and more sustainable economy. The bank is a cornerstone investor in Highland Broadband, which is also supported by the UK Governments Project Gigabit Voucher Scheme. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Get Simon Calders Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Kathy Pafunda is reading books and perusing maps to plan a Norway getaway next summer, following visits over the last two years to cool-weather destinations Alaska, Utah, Minnesota and Iceland. We like to escape during the summer months, especially when going outside feels like taking an unpleasant bath, said the retired 69-year-old audiologist, who lives in Tampa. Florida is hideous right now. Wildfires and heat waves this summer have pushed more travelers to take coolcations, as the industry has started calling them, to northern Europe and Alaska to beat the heat. The worlds hottest day on record was 22 July, and some scientists say 2024 could surpass 2023 as the hottest year. Travel companies have noticed. Cruise operators, hotel companies and airlines are adding trips and accommodations to meet rising demand for temperate destinations. Norwegian Air said in July it has established 10 new routes between northern Norway and European cities. open image in gallery Tourists swimming in the Blue Lagoon hot pool on the Reykjanes Peninsula on Iceland. ( Atlas Photography ) We are enthusiastic about the growing interest in northern destinations from Europe, said Geir Karlsen, Norwegian Air CEO on a quarterly call. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings announced in July 13 new itineraries aboard six ships across Alaska, Canada and New England for summer 2026. Royal Caribbean Group said on a quarterly call that it increased its Alaska capacity this summer. The impact of climate on the travel industry is very gradual as opposed to causing a company to make a major shift, said Truist equity analyst Patrick Scholes. But companies are gradually adapting, some faster than others. Domestic air arrivals to Alaska this summer increased 10 per cent year-over-year, driven by a 30 per cent increase in arrivals from Dallas, Texas, according to flight-ticketing data firm ForwardKeys. Texas residents have sweltered in hot conditions since May. The numbers of plane tickets issued as of June for international arrivals in Norway, Ireland and Sweden this summer are up by 19 per cent, 13 per cent and 11 per cent, respectively, year-over-year, ForwardKeys said. Accommodation is also seeing the shift. Vacation-rental company Airbnb recorded a 15 per cent year-over-year increase in searches for summer stays in Norway, Sweden and Alaska during the first half of 2024. Luxury-travel agency Virtuoso said its bookings this summer for Canada jumped 20 per cent year over year. Hyatt plans to double the number of its hotels in Canada by the end of 2026, as Toronto and Montreal see heightened summer travel. open image in gallery Planning a holiday on the slopes? Rising demand for cooler destinations, however, has not dented warm-weather travel. Southern European destinations remain very attractive, said Olivier Ponti, director of analytics at ForwardKeys. International arrivals in June in southern Europe increased 8 per cent year over year, he said. UK travelers are still looking to warm Mediterranean destinations, but the shoulder seasons of spring and autumn are becoming more appealing, said Sean Tipton, spokesperson for UK travel agent group ABTA. People are traveling earlier and later in the year, in part because August is too hot for them, Tipton said. Italys hotel occupancy in March and May roughly doubled compared with the same months in 2019, said travel analytics firm Key Data. While the extended travel season is thinning crowds in hot spots during summer, it may mean residents must deal with tourists year-round, said Melanie Brown, Key Datas director of data insight. Theres traffic year-round in destinations where there used to be traffic for nine weeks, she said, citing Colorado as an example. open image in gallery Firefighters attempt to extinguish a wildfire in the Ano Souli region in Attica, on August 12, 2024 ( AFP via Getty Images ) With a longer season, travel companies may struggle to find enough workers in a tight labor market, Brown said. Virtuoso said its summer Greece bookings are down 17 per cent year over year. Business is still strong there, just not as robust as last summer, said Virtuoso vice president Misty Belles. Yannis Hatzis, president of Greeces hoteliers federation, said high-end accommodations have taken a hit. From January to May, foreign arrivals to Greece were up nearly 21 per cent but arrivals from the United States fell 19 per cent year over year in May, according to the Bank of Greece. Greece recorded its hottest June and July, according to the research institute National Observatory of Athens, as wildfires forced thousands of people to flee their homes. Apprentice star Thomas Skinner has issued a warning to parents after his baby daughter was rushed to hospital. The businessmans youngest daughter Roma was rushed to hospital on Wednesday (14 August), after having a seizure. The entrepreneur posted a video to his X, formerly Twitter account, warning parents of what to do if a child suffers a febrile convulsion. Skinner said: As a parent, I can honestly say its the scariest thing Ive seen because I thought I was going to lose my daughter this afternoon. The streaming generation is trading Spotify for cassette tapes in the latest attempt to bring back retro items. But despite Gen Zs obsession with all things vintage from flip phones to Y2K fashion reboots the integration of old technology is proving difficult even for the tech savants. I struggled a little bit, 26-year-old Amy Campbell, who purchased Kacey Musgraves album on a cassette tape this year, told the Wall Street Journal. The Illinois resident borrowed her mothers cassette player but found it confusing to use. She didnt understand how to insert the tape or shuffle through songs. Cassettes became nearly obsolete after the CD boom and the introduction of streaming services, but now Gen Z is trying to bring it back. Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed more weapons for Ukrainian forces as Kyiv continues its strikes into Putins airfields. The Ukraine President confirmed he met with government officials on Wednesday (14 August), to discuss support for military actions in the Kursk region. In a video message posted to X, formerly Twitter, Zelensky said: Our Ukrainian drones are working exactly as needed. However, there are things that drones alone cannot achieve, unfortunately. We need other weaponsmissile systems. The president then confirmed more weapons will become available for troops. Donald Trump and other Republican figures have been falsely alleging that the Biden/Harris administration is allowing migrants to enter the US illegally and enabling them to vote in an effort to secure Democratic victories. Thats why they are allowing these people to come in, people that dont speak our language; they are signing them up to vote, Trump claimed earlier this year. Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson echoed this, stating, They want to turn these people into voters. However, there is no evidence to support these claims. Trump did the same while campaigning against Hillary Clinton in 2016. They are letting people pour into the country so they can go and vote, he claimed before his eventual victory. Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Health Check email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The World Health Organisation on Wednesday declared mpox a global health emergency in response to the growing number of cases both in Africa and other continents. Mpox belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox but causes milder symptoms like fever, chills and body aches. People with more serious cases can develop characteristic lesions on the face, hands, chest and genitals. Formerly known as monkeypox, the virus that was first identified by scientists in 1958 when there were outbreaks of a pox-like disease in monkeys. The name was changed to mpox because it is inaccurate, with scientists suggesting that the virus may have actually originated from rodents. This week WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the emergence and spread of a new variant of mpox as very worrying. Its clear that a coordinated international response is essential to stop these outbreaks and save lives, he said, as he raised concerns about the viruss spread across international borders. The first case to reported outside of Africa was discovered in Sweden, with officials in Thailand also seeking on Wednesday to determine the strain of an mpox case in a European man who arrived from Africa the previous week. More than 17,000 mpox cases and 524 deaths have been reported in Africa this year alone, with more than 96 per cent of fatalities reported from the Democratic Republic of Congo. This is the second time in two years that the WHO has expressed deep concern about the virus, which first seized global attention in 2022. The WHOs emergency declaration is aimed at spurring donor agencies and countries into action. But the global response to previous declarations has been mixed. This photo supplied by MSF (Doctors Without Borders) dated 31 May 2023, shows health workers educating children on the symptoms of the mpox disease in Goma, Congo ( AP ) Africa CDC director general Dr Jean Kaseya said his own agencys declaration of a public health emergency was meant "to mobilise our institutions, our collective will and our resources to act swiftly and decisively." He appealed to Africas international partners for help, saying that the escalating caseload in Africa had largely been ignored. "Its clear that current control strategies arent working and there is a clear need for more resources," said Michael Marks, a professor of medicine at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. "If a (global emergency declaration) is the mechanism to unlock these things, then it is warranted," he said. Heritier Bwira, a Congolese health worker guides relatives and patients discharged on the hygienic measures to follow after recovering from Mpox ( Reuters ) For decades most human cases of mpox were seen in people in central and West Africa who had close contact with infected animals. The WHO declared its first mpox emergency in 2022 when the virus was confirmed to spread via sex for the first time, triggering outbreaks in more than 70 countries across the world that had never previously reported cases. Cases plunged dramatically after a sustained campaign to deliver vaccines. However, it remained endemic to certain parts of Africa where the vaccines could not be delivered. The number of cases this year has jumped dramatically, already exceeding last years figure. Last week, the Africa CDC reported that mpox has now been detected in at least 13 African countries. Compared with the same period last year, the agency said cases are up 160 per cent and deaths have increased by 19 per cent. Earlier this year, scientists reported the emergence of a new form of mpox in a Congolese mining town that can kill up to 10 per cent of people and may spread more easily. Unlike in previous mpox outbreaks, where lesions were mostly seen on the chest, hands and feet, the new form of mpox causes milder symptoms and lesions on the genitals. That makes it harder to spot, meaning people might also sicken others without knowing theyre infected. During the global outbreak of mpox in 2022, gay and bisexual men made up a large majority of cases and the virus was mostly spread through close contact, including sex. This undated image provided by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases shows a colorized transmission electron micrograph of mpox particles (red) found within an infected cell (blue), cultured in the laboratory that was captured and color-enhanced at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility ( AP ) Although some similar patterns have been seen in Africa, children under 15 now account for more than 70 per cent of the mpox cases and 85 per cent of deaths in Congo. Ahead of its emergency meeting, Mr Tedros said officials were dealing with several mpox outbreaks in various countries with "different modes of transmission and different levels of risk." "Stopping these outbreaks will require a tailored and comprehensive response," he said. The WHO said mpox was recently identified for the first time in four East African countries: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. All of those outbreaks were linked to the epidemic in Congo. This is an outbreak that has been simmering and festering and expanding over the course of a year now, Gregg Gonsalves, a Yale School of Public Health epidemiologist who has advised the WHO on mpox, was quoted as saying by the Washington Post. Im not quite clear why they took so long to do it, he added referring to the emergency declaration. Now that its done, we need to move quickly to ensure DRC gets all the requisite tools they need to combat the outbreak. One person in Sweden has been diagnosed with mpox caused by the clade I variant, marking the first such case outside Africa. There are two distinct clades of the mpox virus: Clade I and Clade II. Clade II was responsible for the global outbreak that began in 2022. Clade I is considered more severe and is classified as a high consequence infectious disease. According to the public health agency of Sweden, the individual contracted the virus during a stay in a part of Africa experiencing a major outbreak of clade I mpox. Clade I is more likely to cause severe disease and higher mortality than clade IIb the variant previously found in Sweden. Although the risk to the general population remains very low, the public health agency said the authorities are closely monitoring the situation. Sweden has measures in place for infection control and no additional steps are needed at this time, it added. MPXV a virus related to smallpox causes a rash illness that can range from mild and localised to severe and widespread. Reuters reported on Friday that China will monitor people and goods entering the country for mpox over the next six months, following the declaration by the World Health Organisation that the virus is again a global health emergency. Individuals from countries with mpox outbreaks who have had contact with cases or show symptoms are required to report to customs. Vehicles and goods from affected areas should be sanitised. China classifies mpox as a Category B infectious disease, allowing for emergency measures during outbreaks. The global health agency has released $1.45m from its emergency fund to assist surveillance, preparedness and response activities to contain the spread of virus, but would need up to $15m to ramp up the system effectively. Planning permission has been given for a new facility in Goatstown despite objections from some local residents The looming commercial funeral home battle in the south Dublin suburb of Goatstown between the two family-owned main players in Dublins lucrative funeral market has taken a fresh twist. This follows Fanagans Funeral Directors securing the planning green light for its planned funeral home at 6 Willowfield Park, Goatstown, Dublin 14. The planning permission for Fanagans follows only weeks after Massey Bros confirmed it is to open its 10th branch in Dublin, beside well-known publican, Charlie Chawkes The Goat Bar and Grill, in Goatstown. Fanagans had objected to Mr Chawkes funeral home planning application, claiming there was no local need for an additional funeral home for the Goatstown area. However, with the planning granted for Fanagans Funeral Directors application, it will now result in two new funeral homes for the area. Fanagans opted not to appeal Mr Chawkes council grant of permission to An Bord Pleanala, which at the very least may have delayed the project for up to one year due to a current backlog at the appeals board. Asked to comment on the Fanagans grant of permission, Mr Chawke said: There should be enough business for both. Time will tell. Mr Chawke said Massey Bros is very close to opening its funeral home beside his Goat bar. The new Fanagans funeral home is to operate as an adjunct to the Fanagans premises in Dundrum. The council has granted planning permission to Fanagans despite the opposition of a number of local residents. In his objection, Willowfield Park resident Michael Doyle told the council: The area is well served by existing funeral homes with a new funeral home planned to open at the Goat site less than one minute drive from the proposed site at 6 Willowfield Park. Mr Doyle said that Fanagans operate a funeral home in Dundrum, located just under 1km from the proposed site at 6 Willowfield Park, effectively serving the same catchment area proposed for this application. He said that Fanagans premises in Dundrum, in combination with the proposed new facility at the nearby Goat site, meet the funeral service requirements of the community. Mr Doyle told the council that no evidence has been provided to justify the implied local need for an additional funeral home in this location. He added: We contend that the application for a new funeral home at Willowfield is an attempt by Fanagans to head off competition in the area from a new funeral service provider. There is no local need for a new funeral home in the area. Mr Doyle said that the proposed funeral home is unsuitable for the area. This location which is opposite residential housing and surrounded by businesses is not compatible with the type of operations typically associated with a funeral home, he said. Another Willowfield resident, John English, echoed the concerns of Mr Doyle. He said he could not see any justification whatsoever for another funeral home in the Goatstown area. Mr English says the proposal will have a negative impact on residents, many of whom have young families and have recently moved into the area. Fanagans declined to comment. Third parties have the option of appealing the decision to An Bord Pleanala. Drinks group C&C has reported group earnings in its financial year to date are in line with expectations despite poor weather in June. In an update shared ahead of the groups AGM today, C&C said it remains confident of achieving its earnings expectations for the full year, which is set to end next February. The group will also commence the second 15m tranche of its share buyback programme at the start of September. C&C previously announced it intends to return at least 150m to shareholders over the next three financial years ending in February 2025, 2026 and 2027. A previous share buyback scheme, which began on March 1, has been completed. The directors have also proposed a final dividend of 3.97 cent per share, which is subject to shareholder approval at todays meeting. C&C has appointed IDA chair Feargal ORourke as an independent non-executive director. The group reported the move comes as part of the boards ongoing programme of refreshment and renewal. This is separate from the groups recent engagement with Engine Capital, it added. Engine Capital, which owns just under 5pc of beer and cider maker C&C Group, called for a sale of the business in June. In a letter to the groups board, Engine Capital called on the Bulmers maker to explore strategic alternatives for the company. The activist investor described C&C Group as a perennial underperformer, adding that its current trading valuation is entirely disconnected from the strategic value of its assets. Earlier this month, C&C made a deal with Engine Capital to appoint a new non-executive director with capital markets expertise to its board from an agreed list. Following the agreement, Engine Capital said it would withdraw the two nominees it had planned to put forward for election at todays meeting. It added that it would agree to all resolutions at the meeting. C&C, which has manufacturing operations in Co Tipperary, owns Bulmers, Magners and Tennents, as well as brands such as Five Lamps and Orchard Pig. The group exports its Magners and Tennents brands to over 40 countries. The company reported a pre-tax loss of 111m for the year to the end of February, plunging from a profit of 52m the prior year. It reported weaker demand for cider in Britain but success from Tennent's and Bulmers here. It will also publish a half year trading update next month. Sceptics had long warned that artificial intelligence-related stocks were in a bubble and now that some of the froth has come off, bullish investors see an opportunity. Non-fiction Considered by Yeats and Joyce as Irelands first national poet, Mangans reputation outside of academia has sadly waned in the popular imagination to such an extent that he has become the ghostly figure of Irish letters he once described himself as in his own poems. Art: What Lies Beneath Whats in a name? Not enough in some cases. Polymath Brian ODoherty was so unsettled by the political situation in Ireland in 1972 that he changed his name to Patrick Ireland. ODohertys gesture was in protest against the Bloody Sunday killings on January 30, 1972, when 13 unarmed civilians were shot dead by the British Army in Derry. Born in Ballaghaderreen in 1928, ODohertys impressive CV spells Renaissance man. In 2018, he said, I always found multiplicity available to everybody and greatly unused by everybody. I deeply believe people are capable of much more than the role they assign to themselves. There is much more that people can do. A TY student from Tipperary has invented Tankit, a portable manhole cover to help farmers focus on spreading slurry without worrying about people falling into the pit At just 16, Sean Brett has already spent hours outside of school hours wondering how to make his familys farm more safe. So much so, that he spent his time as a TY student inventing Tankit a portable manhole cover for slurry pit manholes. My dad rents land far away from our sheds. So he would be drawing the slurry long distance this means that while he was gone, the slurry pit would be left opened. My little sister is nine and we have a golden retriever who could easily fall into that hole by accident, so it would go through my mind all the time that we were never really safe, says Sean. Worker reportedly found handgun in changing room of clothes store A detective garda who allegedly left a handgun in the changing room of a clothes shop has provided security for a senior cabinet member. A disciplinary investigation has been launched into the incident in which the personal-protection detective allegedly left an official firearm in a Dublin city centre store while shopping. The Irish Independent has learnt that the detective, who works in a unit tasked with guarding government ministers, was on duty on the day of the alleged incident in a Ted Baker shop on Grafton Street this week. The temporary loss of the handgun is being treated as a serious matter by senior gardai, who are trying to establish the circumstances. It is understood the detective has been stood down from close-protection duties while the disciplinary investigation is carried out. Gardai confirmed a senior garda officer is conducting a disciplinary investigation into this matter. Today's News in 90 Seconds - August 15th It is believed the armed officer was shopping in Dublin city centre on Monday and used the changing room while in a Ted Baker store. The officer then left the shop, and when a staff member later entered the dressing room they found a handgun inside. Read more Garda detective allegedly left firearm in Dublin city centre store changing rooms while out shopping Local gardai were notified and the detective, who in the meantime had realised the firearm was missing, returned to the store to retrieve it. Garda HQ was made aware of the incident, which is now being investigated. A source said: Staff noticed the gun and, thankfully, notified gardai straight away. The outcome could have been a lot different if the weapon was picked up by the wrong person. There are protocols around booking in your weapon when tending to personal matters while on your working tour, and this will be one aspect looked at. The garda watchdog carried out a public interest inquiry after a sub-machine gun was found on a Dublin street Every government minister is afforded protection by an armed detective, who acts as their driver and bodyguard. Previously, only taoisigh, tanaisti, attorneys general and justice ministers received a garda protection officer. In 2022, this was expanded to include other members of the Cabinet due to an increase in threat levels. In a separate incident relating to the temporary loss of an official firearm in July 2018, the garda watchdog carried out a public interest inquiry after a sub-machine gun was found on a Dublin street. It was found by a member of the public on Harcourt Street and handed in to a garda station. The Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (Gsoc) found the weapon had been properly placed in the boot of a garda car, which had opened as the vehicle exited the garda station and mounted a ramp. Gsoc ruled in a report the following year that the two officers involved should not face sanctions. The Irish Independent made efforts to contact Ted Baker. Aontu leader Peadar Toibin said cancer care during the Covid crisis needs to be front and centre in the inquiry. Photo: Colin O'Riordan The National Cancer Registry Ireland has said there was a huge drop in diagnoses between 2020 and 2021, probably caused by Covid lockdowns. There were 42,808 caner detections in 2019, but that dropped to 38,120 the following year. That decrease will form a major part of the Covid-19 inquiry, which is to be established next month. Detections bounced back the following year to 44,376, figures provided to Aontu leader Peadar Toibin in a parliamentary question response show. Diagnoses of some cancers more than doubled in 2021 when compared with 2020, the first year of the pandemic, new figures have shown. Bone cancer, larynx and oral cavity malignancies doubled, while breast cancer diagnoses rose from 292 in 2020 to 500 a year later an increase of 70pc. Cervical cancer detections went from 2,241 in 2020 to 3,442 a year later, a rise of more than half. Figures for 2022 are still being compiled, but will almost certainly show a continued increase in detections. An unknown number of people died due to delayed cancer diagnoses during the pandemic. The massive dip in cancer diagnosis in the first year of the pandemic is deeply concerning, Mr Toibin said. We have to remember that for much of the pandemic there were cancelled hospital appointments and paused cancer screening. This has had disastrous consequences on the health of the nation. We know obviously that with cancer, early detection and timely treatment are key to survival. Non-Covid mortality during the pandemic and in the years which followed now needs to be a big part of the focus of the Covid inquiry, which is supposed to be put in place next month. Thankfully, more people who get cancer are now experiencing better treatment outcomes Mr Toibin said he would seek a progress update on the inquiry when the Dail resumes next month. The suspension of cancer health care during the Covid crisis needs to be front and centre in the upcoming inquiry, he added. Meanwhile, Fianna Fail senator Catherine Ardagh said cancer survivors deserve to be treated fairly when accessing financial products like mortgage credit, health insurance or travel insurance. She made the comments following the publication of research in The Lancet that showed up to five million cancer survivors in Europe are being denied basic financial services. In Ireland, cancer survivors must declare their previous diagnosis to financial institutions, even if they have been medically declared cancer-free. Ms Ardagh said: There are very few people in Ireland that have not been touched by cancer in the cruel and horrible way it touches people. Thankfully, more people who get cancer are now experiencing better treatment outcomes. However, this latest research shows how cancer survivors face difficulties in getting back to the normalities of life, even after the most positive treatment outcome. Part of getting back to normal is having the opportunity to access financial products in a fair way. However, when you have had a cancer diagnosis, obtaining products like life assurance becomes much more difficult due to the need to declare the diagnosis to financial institutions. This has to stop. The financial system must show common decency and fair access to cancer survivors. The HSE has appealed to those attending Electric Picnic this weekend to surrender drugs to special surrender bins for testing. Festival-goers can seek information and support on drug use and surrender drugs for "back of house" checking, which will help to detect high-risk drugs. The drug harm reduction services at Electric Picnic this year are part of the HSE Safer Nightlife Harm Reduction Programme. Two tents will provide support on-site delivered by more than 50 HSE-trained volunteers wearing purple and pink high-vis vests. There will be two additional surrender bins located at medical spaces where people can deposit drugs for analysis. An on-site lab for drug checking will provide real-time results to help inform the harm reduction interventions. The HSE drugs.ie tents can be found in the Main Arena and the Jimi Hendrix Campsite on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 9pm. Minister for Public Health Colm Burke is encouraging "anyone who is considering using drugs at Electric Picnic and other festivals to engage with the HSE Safer Nightlife Programme and the volunteers". While it is always safer not use drugs, it is important from a public health perspective that we reduce the risks for those who chose to do so," he said. "We know that ongoing changes in the drug market present additional risks. "I strongly believe that we need to deal with drug use as a public health issue and give my full support to this targeted harm reduction initiative, which is now in its third year," he added. Meanwhile, the HSE Emerging Drug Trends Project Manager Nicki Kileen said the current drug market is "more dangerous than ever before". MDMA pills, powders and crystals are more potent, making it easier to take too much without knowing, which can lead to drug emergencies," she said. A number of deaths caused by MDMA may increase this year, Ms Kileen has warned. "We are aware that MDMA now ranges between 140mg 240mg of MDMA. In general, MDMA over 125mg is considered a higher risk of causing an MDMA emergency. "This means that taking one pill or small volumes of powder could be extremely risky. "Another concerning trend is that powders are being added to drinks, which we expect to become more common. "Ketamine use has greatly increased and many people are not aware of its short and long-term effects," she said. Ms Kileen added the HSE tents at Electric Picnic are "safe spaces to surrender drugs", and they're not monitored by An Garda Siochana. "The more samples you submit, the better we can understand the national market - your contribution will not only help keep you safe but others too," she added. The HSE advised that the risks from using drugs increase based on individual factors, such as physical and mental health. They also said the signs of the emergency could be various, including a headache, pain in arms and legs or overheating. Speaking at the Electric Picnic, the HSE National Clinical Lead in Addiction Services Prof Eamon Keenan said: "Following very recent drug market changes, drug monitoring has become established as an important tool to help reduce harms among people who use drugs." "We recently saw the value of this approach following the emergence of potent synthetic opioids and how, through back of house analysis, we could detect and rapidly respond to an emerging drug threat. "Similarly, this service can help us detect dangerous substances at events," he added. The Prison Officers Association (POA) has written to Justice Minister Helen McEntee in the wake of suspected overdoses at Portlaoise Prison, warning that the prison system is on the brink of collapse. In a letter to Ms McEntee, the POA described the hospitalisation of almost a dozen inmates due to suspected drug overdoses as part of the ongoing crisis across the prison estate. As you are fully aware, the POA have warned for some considerable time that a serious incident would inevitably occur this year if no action was taken, the letter said. We now have a second major incident involving illegal drugs in our prisons in three weeks. The extent of the overdoses at Portlaoise Prison has been overwhelming in severity. Unfortunately, we have been warning about this crisis for over two years and we have had to write to you on four separate occasions for a meeting in recent times. The POA outlined a series of previous incidents in relation to the prison system, including a recent attempt to burn down a prison officers home. The letter also described drones delivering fireballs containing drugs, mobile phones and weapons into prisons on an almost daily basis. It added: Prisons are chronically overcrowded, with the highest numbers ever recorded in custody. Hundreds of prisoners are out on temporary release. The POA said that despite its members best efforts, no significant action has been taken to address the issue in Irish prisons. When you consider that not a single meaningful measure has emerged from your office to deal with this crisis and all proposals put forward by the POA have been rejected, it is difficult to see a way forward to the serious challenges that lie ahead for our members on the front line, the POAs letter to Ms McEntee added. The POA described the situation as an emergency and appealed to the minister for an inclusive approach in addressing the current issues. You must be aware at this juncture that the prison system is on the verge of collapse if no action is taken, the letter said. As always, the Prison Officers Association and its members are here to support and help navigate a way through this plight, but we must be afforded an opportunity to give our views and to have them listened to by you and your officials in order to achieve a successful outcome for all stakeholders. A spokesperson for Minister McEntee said: The Government has made significant capital funding available to the Irish Prison Service in order to enhance the existing prison infrastructure and to provide additional capacity. The Minister has announced plans to deliver additional prison accommodation for over 1,100 people between 2024 and 2030. This will be one of the largest and fastest ever expansions of the prison estate. Dublin pub Hartigans was served a closure notice after rodent carcasses and droppings were found on site in an inspection by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI). This comes as 16 enforcement orders were served on food businesses in July, with 12 premises being handed closure orders. Hartigans has since reopened as the order, which was served on July 22, was lifted just over a week later. The FSAI inspection report for the pub stated that food and drink served in Hartigans ran the risk of being unfit for human consumption, due to the fact that adequate proceedings were not in place to control pests. In the report, details show that there were multiple holes and gaps in walls across the premises. Rodent droppings, both old and new, were noted in the room adjacent to the keg store, as well as rodent carcasses found in a snap trap. A rodent leg was found by the inspector in a snap trap in the drink store. Most of the closure notices served last month have since been lifted, and the majority of businesses have since reopened. The exception to this is the Boba Bar on Parnell Street, Dublin, which had an active cockroach infestation at the time the notice was served on July 23. Moving and dead cockroaches were visible on the floor, fridges, and beneath food preparation areas, according to the FSAI inspection report. The business was described in the report to be in a dirty condition, with unclean floors collecting food debris, dirt and grease, showing a lack of effective or routine cleaning. Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive at the FSAI, said that the multiple violations demonstrate a total disregard for food safety requirements. Filthy premises, unsafe food storage and inadequate pest control measures are once again the primary reasons for this months Enforcement Orders, she said. Dr Byrne continued that the violations highlight the ongoing failure of some food businesses to maintain basic, consistent cleaning practices, and this failure poses a significant risk to public health. Food businesses have a legal responsibility to ensure the safety of the food they produce, distribute or sell by maintaining proper storage temperatures, ensuring staff are properly trained, having stringent hygiene practices and ensuring their food businesses are fully pest proofed. Achieving a strong food safety culture requires continuous and consistent training for all team members, Dr Byrne said. Further reasons for the serving of some of the enforcement orders include food with expired, missing or altered use-by dates, food that was not thawed safely, and equipment like meat slicers being found congealed with fat and stale food debris. Details of the food businesses served with Enforcement Orders are published on the FSAIs website at www.fsai.ie. A housing charity has called on students to be aware of scams when paying deposits for accommodation, as Gardai also warn fraudsters as the new academic year approaches. Threshold has launched its annual Scamwatch campaign in partnership with the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) and the Irish Council for International Students (ICOS) to raise awareness around increasing scams. Thereshold is encouraging incoming students to report suspicious advertisements for accommodation. With over 250,000 students expected to return to college, and over 100,000 living in private rented accommodation, students are at risk the organisation says. Threshold has offered a number of tips for students to avoid scams ahead of the academic year. They advise students to inspect the property in person, ask for a contract, seek advice, dont share personal information online, be aware of red flags and dont use unsecured methods of payment. Thresholds campaigns officer Cat Clark is encouraging students to contact the charity if they fall victim to a potential scam. With so many students entering the rental market for the first time this September, we are urging those who come across suspicious adverts to reach out to Threshold so that our team can provide support, and potentially prevent many students and other renters falling victim to scams, she said. We continue to see students come to us with queries relating to scams, and thankfully, our advisers have managed to prevent a number of clients avoid scams, saving them significant financial loss. Executive director of ICOS Laura Harmon said that international students are particularly vulnerable to falling prey to scams as English may not be their first language. Due to this language barrier, our research has found that more than one in four international students use group chats and social media pages to find accommodation, where scams are particularly prevalent and as a result, are more likely to fall victim to an accommodation scam, she said. She said the body had carried out a survey and found that 13pc of over 800 participants had fallen victim to an accommodation scam with only 11pc reporting this to authorities. We would urge students who are coming to Ireland for the first time to contact Threshold for support if they are unsure about a property, she said. USI vice president for welfare Niamh Doherty said that the shortage and high cost of accommodation is making some students an easy target. We know it can be especially hard for first years and international students, who dont have as much time to get their accommodation sorted. It is even harder when there is such a shortage of accommodation, and everything is so expensive, she said. Students can get desperate, and it can be really easy to fall victim to scams, so we hope this campaign can guide them on what to look out for and how to spot a scam if they encounter one. USI advises everyone looking for student accommodation to look at the dedicated Threshold webpage and to reach out to USI or your local students union, if you need help or support on this or any issue. Thresholds helpline is open Monday to Friday, 9am-9pm at 1800 454 454, with webchat at www.threshold.ie/get-help/ for any renter in need of advice or support. Thereshold also has a dedicated page at https://threshold.ie/advocacy-campaign/scamwatch/ A woman in her 50s has been arrested over the alleged harassment of Taoiseach Simon Harris at his family home in May. The woman was detained this morning and is being held at a garda station in Co Wicklow. She is the second person to be arrested in connection with the incident at Mr Harriss home in Greystones on May 2. Protesters gathered outside the home as Mr Harriss children were preparing for bed. The incident came days after Mr Harris had criticised protests outside politicians homes as downright thuggery. The Taoiseach lives with his wife and two small children in a housing estate in the Co Wicklow town. More than a dozen people were part of a group who gathered at his home, holding banners with slogans including close the borders, house the Irish first and Eire will no longer run by EU puppets. Today's News in 90 Seconds - August 16th Images of the demonstrators outside the Taoiseachs house were posted on social media, but their faces were blurred. I have a very clear view in relation to this, whether its me, whether its an opposition politician, whether quite frankly, anybody. I always think peoples families and peoples homes should be out of bounds, Mr Harris said at the time. It was bedtime for my kids when this situation arose. I dont think its appropriate. A garda statement said: This morning, Thursday 15 August 2024, gardai arrested a woman for alleged offences contrary to Non-Fatal Offences against the Person Act, as part of ongoing investigations into the alleged harassment of an elected representative on 2 May 2024. The woman, aged in her 50s, is currently detained at a garda station in County Wicklow under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984. An Garda Siochana has no further comment at this time. Ireland on a shoestring: I dont think anything beats living out of a van with your best friends Seasoned travellers say they saved almost 3,000 on hotels and visited far more places than they would have had they taken a conventional holiday 670 Irish adventure in hire van for three friends, who beat high cost holiday Laura Lynott Thu 15 Aug 2024 at 03:30 Three friends have revealed how they managed to save almost 3,000 on hotels by touring Ireland in a hired Transit van. How does the prospect of a year of unlimited flights within Europe and as far as the Maldives for a flat fare of 9.99 per hop sound? Well, if youre tempted, you have until midnight tonight (Thursday, August 15) to sign up for the Wizz Air all you can fly deal in return for a payment of 499 miss the deadline and the same deal will cost 100 more. The offer is effectively a standby deal: you can only book your flight 72 hours ahead and, as you may imagine, a fair number of terms and conditions apply. Is the idea of unlimited standby flights new? No. They were big in the 1990s, in the US at least. You paid around 350 to Delta or Northwest and flew around America and even Canada on a shoestring for a month. Like the new deal with Wizz Air, it was a standby ticket but it was also completely free. You would turn up, show your ticket and step on board if there was at least one empty seat. The Wizz Air All you can fly deal is rather different. You pay the upfront fee of 499 by midnight on August 15, which works out at 41.58 per month. From August 16 onwards the fee rises to 599. For each flight you book online a maximum of three days ahead, and you must pay a flat fee of 9.99 for each flight. Even so, once youve made the down payment, 9.99 per flight sounds an amazing deal? Yes. The deal extends across almost all the Wizz Air network, which extends far and wide: North to Reykjavik in Iceland and Tromso in Norway East to Almaty in Kazakhstan and Samarkand in Uzbekistan South to Oman and the Maldives West to Madeira and the Canary Islands Reaching some of those is a bit of a stretch: to get from Luton to the Maldives you will need to fly to somewhere in eastern Europe, then to Abu Dhabi and onwards to the Maldives. Then theres the fact that Wizz does not yet fly from any airports on the island of Ireland. Under the scheme you can take up to three flights a day, however theoretically over 1,000 in a year. The 9.99 fee stays the same as long as you dont want a pre-assigned seat, any baggage bigger than a small backpack or anything to eat or drink on board. All of those are extras. Are seats available on every flight? No and be warned that even if seats are still on sale to the public, theres no guarantee you will be able to avail of the deal. Wizz Air wants this offer to help it fill seats on flights that the airline knows it will never completely fill. Wizz is being coy about availability, saying: The provision of flight tickets depends on a number of internal and external factors These factors include, but not limited to the a) number of total registered members of Wizz All you can fly, b) number of overall passengers with booking to the given flight, and the c) seat capacity of the given flight. Any other catches? The big one is: most of us want to go there and back when we travel. But you can only book 72 hours ahead. So for a one-week holiday, halfway through youd need to be searching for a seat on a flight home. The airline says: If there is no return flight available due to seat unavailability ... you can book a flight using the regular booking process. The deal works better for a short weekend trip, because you should be able to book both legs with the deal. Other issues: You can buy today but youll need to wait until September 25 for your first flight. If substantial disruption occurs (such as the UKs air-traffic control meltdown last August bank holiday), seats will evaporate. The deal is not available for Italian domestic flights such as Milan or Venice to Sardinia or Sicily. Are you a buyer? No one likes a cheap ticket more than I do, but I am not tempted. I typically fly around half-a-dozen times a year with Wizz. Assuming I could get on every one of those six flights with my standby pass, I would be paying 475 a hefty 79 per trip. The Wizz Air network overlaps substantially with other airlines British Airways, easyJet and Ryanair. So I might be able to double the number of flights to 12. Each of that dozen would cost 44 with the airpass. That figure is pretty close to the average I pay for Ryanair. I prefer to maintain the flexibility to choose the optimum flight time rather than restrict myself to a single carrier. So who would it suit? Frivolous flyers who have time on their hands. For those who want to explore Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia, and for whom the burden of being unable to book the desired flight is not too heavy, the prospect of a year in the skies may well be tempting. People lucky enough to live near Luton, Wizz Airs main UK base; reaching the airport will add extra cost. Travellers who regularly commute on routes with relatively high frequency. Twice a month for a year is potentially 48 flights. Add on the 9.99 charge for each flight, and you are still paying less than an express rail ticket from London to Luton or Gatwick. If you have two homes, then the problem of luggage will evaporate, too. Unlimited flying seems extremely damaging for the environment? As long as the passenger is occupying a seat that would otherwise be empty which is Wizz Airs firm plan the marginal impact is the small amount of fuel burnt to fly the extra weight of the person and their baggage. So it is less damaging than buying a ticket normally, which creates demand and informs airlines decisions about future flight planning. Lobna al-Azaiza, a Palestinian pediatrician who provides free medical services to displaced Palestinians, views her house which was destroyed in an Israeli strike, in Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza. Photo: Reuters Within the next 24 hours there is a grim expectation that the death toll in Gaza will pass the unconscionable toll of 40,000. This means the heartbreak of several thousand more children left without their parents, and parents without their children. All will have lost everything, all at once. Any remote prospect of a circuit-breaker in this tragic chain reaction must be seized upon. Washington has said it expects that Gaza ceasefire talks will go ahead. US secretary of state Antony Blinken had been set to hold discussions in Qatar but there were reports last night that he had postponed his visit due to escalating tensions with Iran. Tel Aviv had signalled that it would send a delegation to finalise the details of the agreement proposal. However, Hamas is demanding a workable plan to implement the proposal presented by US president Joe Biden in May rather than more talks. The whole world is watching for the slightest indication that we are moving beyond political theatre into a phase of mature statesmanship. But the omens are not good. Of course there has been suffering enough to more than disarm all hostility, but prospects of any breakthrough are as bleak as ever. More rockets have been fired at Israel, while Tel Aviv, though paying lip service towards working on an end to the war, has in recent weeks stepped up its assaults in Gaza. Airstrikes and assassinations are not the best way to demonstrate serious intent in seeking a settlement or establishing trust. Many critics believe Israels prime minister Benjamin Netanyahus motivations are more about maintaining his hold on power and his personal survival, rather than the security of his nation and stability of the region. Philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli counselled: The best fortress which a prince can possess is the affection of his people. But the climate is not one for reaching reconciliation or compromise. Tensions have soared since Iran accused Israel of assassinating Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran two weeks ago. The Iranian foreign ministry has condemned European leaders for urging Tehran not to attack Israel. The Islamic republic remained resolute in defending its security and would not seek anyones permission to exercise its legitimate rights to respond to being attacked. This followed appeals from the UK, France and Germany to refrain from attacking Israel. Since October 7, we have seen the agony and anguish that result from pursuing patterns of retaliation and revenge. With US aircraft carriers and submarines now moored off Israel, the region is bracing for the worst. A breakthrough bridging proposal to allow the implementation of Washingtons framework agreement has been spoken of. Yet the threats and counter-threats go on. If you constantly prepare for war, and merely pay lip service to peace, war is what you will get. In Gaza, meanwhile, a horizon of death and despair expands daily. What is the next big thing in tech? Is it AI? Is it Apples Vision Pro? Or might 2024 be the most boring year for tech ever? Producer, JJ Clarke, joins Adrian on this weeks episode of The Big Tech Show to discuss what might be techs blandest year. Adrian kicked off the conversation by discussing how almost all of the tech releases this year have stalled, flopped or simply underwhelmed. The tech editor spoke about the lack of innovation witnessed in the releases of the Apple Vision Pro, Samsungs Galaxy Ring and ChatGPT. He described users being delighted with these products for about ten days and then it gets resigned to the shelf. The tech releases lacked any sort of wow-factor, according to the technology writer. You can listen to the full episode here on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts. Cllr Ken O'Flynn (Independent Ireland) will open a constituency office in Mallow on Saturday, September 7. Independent Ireland councillor Ken OFlynn will hold a grand opening for his new constituency office in Mallow next month. The councillor for the Cork City North East Ward will officially open his office in Mallow on Saturday, September 7 at 2pm. The constituency office will be located in Deal Yard Lane which is across from the Hibernian Hotel in Mallow. The special guest on the day will be the leader of Independent Ireland Michael Collins who will officially open the new office. Deputy Collins is a TD for the Cork South West constituency. Cllr OFlynn has extended a big welcome for everyone to join him and his team on the day. Refreshments will be served and music will be provided by Johnny Bongos. Cllr OFlynn who has served on Cork City Council for 16 years joined the Independent Ireland party earlier this year having formerly served in Cork City Hall as both an Independent councillor and as a member of Fianna Fail. Cllr OFlynn is the party spokesperson on Urban Affairs and will be running for the party in the general election in the Cork North Central constituency. Mallow town which is currently in the Cork East constituency was moved into the Cork North Central constituency following the publication of the Electoral Commission Constituency Report last year which split the town from the rest of North Cork and its rural hinterland. Buttevant, Doneraile, Newtwopothouse and Ballyclough have also been transferred to Cork North West. Ballincollig will also be included in the Cork North Central constituency after being transferred from Cork North West. The current TDs in the Cork North Central constituency are Mick Barry (People Before Profit-Solidarity), Colm Burke (Fine Gael), Thomas Gould (Sinn Fein) and Padraig OSullivan (Fianna Fail). The Electoral Commission also recommended creating four new constituencies nationally and increasing the number of TDs by 14 after the next general election. This will bring the total number of TDs to 174. Cork will gain two TDs, up to 20 deputies from 18. One additional representative has been allocated to Cork North Central and Cork South Central. Both Cork North Central and Cork South Central will see an increase in their political representative as their constituencies move from a four-seater to a five-seater. Fianna Fail will hold their selection convention for the Cork North Central constituency on Monday, August 26. Mallow based councillor Gearoid Murphy has been nominated to contest his partys selection convention. Cllr Murphy will contest the convention alongside sitting TD Padraig OSullivan, Cllr Colm Kelleher from Ballincollig and Cllr Tony Fitzgerald from the northside of Cork City. Cllr Kelleher and Cllr Fitzgerald have both previously served one-year terms as the Lord Mayor of Cork. A local said residents are worried that services could be stressed and that far-right groups could threaten to burn the towns former hotel All was quiet outside the Wallis Arms Hotel on Wednesday afternoon. Photo by John Tarrant There is extreme concern and anger in Millstreet with the news that the Government plans to use The Wallis Arms Hotel on Main Street to accommodate International Protection Applicants (IPAs) and potentially use it as a dedicated location for people seeking international protection in the future. Aine Collins, a former Fine Gael TD who is chairperson of Millstreet Community Council, told The Corkman there is upset amongst local residents who think the addition of more IPAs to the areas population of around 1,750 could put huge pressure on local GP services and amenities. Aine said locals feel the community is hosting its fair share of IPAs and Ukrainian refugees, with hundreds currently accommodated between centres at the Green Glens Arena and Drishane Castle. She added that over the last 16 years, the community has provided a home for thousands of IPAs and it was one of the first towns in Ireland to welcome over 300 Ukrainians. The former Cork North-West TD said locals were shocked when the Billy Sheahan-owned Wallis Arms, the towns only hotel, suddenly closed for business and went up for sale in June (on Tuesday, the propertys selling agent said it was still for sale). Since then, the property has hosted Ukrainian refugees. Residents had hoped the seven-bedroom property would be bought and return to operating as a hospitality business and there is now a lot of unhappiness because it appears the premises will not be reopened as a hotel. There is extreme concern and anger in the community, Aine said. There has been no communication from the International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS). Its the only hotel in the town and is a huge part of the fabric of the community. The community council chairperson said that since the hotel has closed, locals have nowhere to go to for a meal or drinks after a funeral and there is nowhere in the town that can host events like GAA and camogie socials. Aine said the council has been in communication with local TDs and councillors and contacted IPAS and the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic OGorman. She said there are plans to hold a public meeting regarding the hotel becoming an accommodation centre for IPAs. John OSullivan, a local mechanic who ran for Sinn Fein in this years Local Elections, told The Corkman there is genuine anger about the plans to use the historic Wallis Arms as a centre for IPAs amongst local residents, who feel their perspectives have been ignored. There was no discussions with the community. Everybody was in the dark about it, John said. The Sinn Fein member said he thinks people who are concerned about the swift influx of more people into the community have valid opinions. He said the plan to accommodate IPAs at the hotel, which he believes is not suitable to host families, marks another nail in the town and for rural Ireland. Millstreet is at capacity, we dont have the doctors and services to take on more people, John said. You cant expect to add more and more and more and expect the situation to take care of itself, its not going to happen. Its a crying shame in a place like Millstreet, which has had immigrants since the late nineties. They have always assimilated since they came in and we never had an issue in the community. This has changed things, I think people are fed up with being left in the dark about it. People are very, very angry about it. The community should at least be listened to. Then if there is alterations to be made or more suitable places for them then very good. John said people are also worried about far-right groups coming to Millstreet and threatening to burn the hotel, which is creating tension and a bit of anxiety. The Millstreet resident said he has huge sympathy for people coming to Ireland to escape war but Irelands refugee system needs to be organised better. He said accommodation centres should be run by the Government, which needs to better enforce its rules for asylum seekers. Fermoy Community Hospital recently celebrated cultural diversity in the workplace. Pictured are: Anuja Rose; Lisa Harrington, Meenukutty Jospeh; Joma Jacob; Marie Hayes, Minu Rose Ken; Pooja Zacharis. Also included are Midhun Baby and Sujeeva Mahesan. Pic: Brian Lougheed. Fermoy Community Hospital celebrated cultural diversity in the workplace on Wednesday, August 14 with a series of exciting events. Staff members of Fermoy Community Hospital joined together to share and celebrate their cultures. The day was marked with demonstrations of dancing, costumes and make-up, samples of Indian Food, an Indian cookery demonstration, and a display of floral artwork prepared by staff at the hospital entrance. Flags and decorative art prepared by hospital residents in their activity groups were also displayed on the walls. There are 11 different nationalities represented among the staff at Fermoy Community Hospital ranging from India, Brazil, Portugal, Philippines, Kenya, Nigeria, Spain, UK, Slovakia, South Africa and Ireland. The staff are employed in roles such as managers, nurses, health care assistants, multi task attendants and cleaners. Marie Hayes, Director of Nursing at Fermoy Community Hospital said the occasion presents a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the culture of their colleagues. This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the rich cultures of our colleagues and to enjoy their customs in their home from home. Sharing these traditions amongst our staff and residents builds mutual understanding and respect. Gabrielle OKeeffe Head of Health and Wellbeing with Cork Kerry Community Healthcare said: Cork Kerry Community Healthcare places a priority on promoting staff health and wellbeing. This initiative is a wonderful example of how staff can support each other in engaging and creative ways. We are so fortunate to have such a rich cultural diversity across our services, said Jackie Daly, Head of Older Persons Services at Cork Kerry Community Healthcare. I congratulate all involved in this celebration in Fermoy Community Hospital. Minu Ken, Clinical Nurse Manager 1 who led the project in Fermoy Community Hospital added: I believe days like this bring a very high positive impact amongst participants, residents and visitors. It will increase harmony at work, as it can help to build a dynamic and vibrant social fabric at work. This initiative was funded through the 2024 RENEW Arts Project: Celebrating Culture Diversity through the Arts for Staff Health and Wellbeing. This creative project is one of many being delivered through HSE Cork Kerry Community Healthcares Health Promotion and Improvement Department Arts and Culture Portfolio. Stressed families face prospect of re-applying for loans as they wait to get keys to new homes The affordable homes at Hayestown in Rush, Co Dublin, which have been hit by months of delays Families due to move into affordable housing in north county Dublin fear they will need to re-apply for loan offers due to delays in receiving the keys to their new homes. A total of 52 new homes are included under the scheme in the eagerly awaited Hayestown estate in Rush, Co Dublin. This project, part of the Governments affordable housing scheme, is being delivered in partnership with Manley Construction and Fingal County Council. Although some families were initially told their homes would be ready in January, more than six months later, they still havent been given a move-in date. The 52 houses were listed for sale through the affordable housing scheme in May last year. The scheme is intended to assist workers who are priced out of the property market by offering homes at a reduced price, with the State taking an equity share in the property. Applications for the two- and three-bedroom houses opened in mid-June last year, with prices ranging from 228,000 to 299,500, providing discounts of up to 22pc on market value. Those interested in purchasing a two-bedroom home could have a maximum income of just under 60,000, while applicants for the three-bedroom homes could earn up to 72,000. Aisling Shanley was among those originally supposed to move into her new house in March. However, that date was then moved to June, and she has now been told her home will possibly be ready by September or October. When she was finally allowed to inspect the house in May, it was far from ready for occupancy, with wires hanging off the wall, and the boiler was sitting in the middle of the kitchen. Ms Shanley said while she understands that delays happen, she feels communication could be improved. I understand that this is life, and delays happen, but telling me in May, youll be in by June, and here we are in August, well its distressing, she said. They sent us an email last week to give us an update claiming there were delays from ESB networks. She added that while she is renting a home in a neighbouring town, she feels she is wasting money on rent that she could be paying toward her mortgage. One other hopeful incoming resident, a single parent of two young children, said their home had an expected delivery date of June. They are being forced to stay with family as they await completion. Only a couple of weeks ago, I was told that the houses would be complete by September, but having done a drive-by, theres no chance they will be finished by then. Im a single parent of two young children, so I am very grateful for this opportunity through the affordable housing scheme. Without it, I wouldnt be able to buy a house. However, my loan offer is going to expire soon, and Im going to have to reapply, which is a massive concern, they added. I just feel very bad for my parents in this situation. Theyre in their 60s, its their house, and they have no freedom. At the moment, its a very overcrowded house. Social Democrats councillor Paul Mulville, who represents the Rush-Lusk area, told the Irish Independent he had contacted the Chief Executive of Fingal County Council about the delays. Upon hearing that some families had to re-apply for mortgage approval while others are facing eviction from their rental homes, he called it nothing short of a scandal. A spokesperson for Fingal County Council said there had been strong engagement by the council with the contractor and all utility providers, including ESB Networks, to expedite the completion of the Hayestown homes. We continue to encourage the developer to complete the scheme as soon as possible, update the purchasers on expected timelines, and advise when they will be in a position to complete the sales, they added. A spokesperson for ESB Networks said its connection policy sets out that it aims to complete connections to customers within 12 weeks, provided theres no significant additional works required. ESB Networks requires that associated works on the contractor side include completed certifications before we can safely energise connections. Once we receive the correct certs and registrations, we prioritise making these connections live. In terms of this connection, ESB Networks met on site with the developer in mid-June to discuss with them outstanding works/snags required on their side. ESB Networks completed energisation at the site substation on schedule last Thursday, August 8. However, we informed the developer that final snags were required on their side to safely make the final connections to individual homes live. We continue to liaise with the developer and once these remaining works are complete, we can expedite final connections to the homes. To be clear, there has been no delay to this connection on ESB Networks side. A spokesperson for Irish Water said it is in constant communications with the developer to ensure it can support delivery of relevant water services. They are planning to chlorinate the internal site water network next week, they said. Following these works by the developer, the final tie-in to the public water network can be made by Uisce Eireann (via our Connections Contractor). Our contractors who complete this work are ready to go. Uisce Eireann has continually engaged with the developer and their agents in order to deliver water/wastewater connections here as per the developers programme. Our delivery team are aware of the criticality of connecting the development to the water network, following the internal chlorination works. Manley Homes has been contacted for comment. A tourist has been seriously injured in an accident involving a pony and trap at the world-famous Gap of Dunloe. Gardai and emergency services attended the scene following the accident involving a pony and trap on Wednesday, August 14 at 12.50pm The full details of the accident are not yet known but an investigation is underway. Gardai confirmed that the accident involved a horse drawn cart at the popular Kerry tourist site. A female passenger (40s) was conveyed to University Hospital Kerry for treatment for injuries believed to be serious but non-life-threatening, Gardai have confirmed. No other injuries were reported at this time. The Gap of Dunloe is visited every summer by thousands of tourists who take pony and trap trips through the valley. In 2018 two American tourists were killed in a freak accident during a pony and trap trip at the Gap of Dunloe, which shocked the entire community. Rosalyn Joy Few (64) and Normand Larose (62), died on only the second day of their Irish holiday, after the pony slipped, resulting in the animal, the trap and the tourists being catapulted into a ravine at the famous tourist location, their inquest in 2019 heard. Cathaoirleach of Killarney Municipal District Cllr Maura Healy-Rae has said that she hopes all those involved in the incident are recovering. Today's News in 90 Seconds - August 15th John Downing: Could Mary Lou McDonald be the next Michael Noonan? Voters reaction to Budget 2025 will tell us if weve learnt boom lessons Trudi Power, Verona Murphy TD and Kevin Dundon at the launch of the Fleadh Food Hall in the Wexford United Presbyterian and Methodist Church, Anne Street on Thursday. Pic: Jim Campbell Sharon McCracken, Mollie McCracken, Annabel McCracken and Liz Cummins at the launch of the Fleadh Food Hall in the Wexford United Presbyterian and Methodist Church, Anne Street on Thursday. Pic: Jim Campbell Pictured at the launch of the Fleadh Food Hall in the Wexford United Presbyterian and Methodist Church, Anne Street on Thursday were Minister James Browne TD, Trudi Power (Chairperson), Cllr Pip Breen (Cathaoirleach Wexford County Council), Liz Hore (Director of Services, Wexford County Council), Kevin Dundon, Senator Malcolm Byrne. Pic: Jim Campbell At the launch of the Fleadh Food Hall in the Wexford United Presbyterian and Methodist Church, Anne Street on Thursday were Eric and Amanda Mellander. Pic: Jim Campbell Aodhan, Siobhan and Naoise Kirwan at the World Record for the largest group playing tin whistles over a continuous 5-minute period in Chadwick's Wexford Park on Thursday. Pic: Jim Campbell Pauline and Niamh Hoey attended the All Ireland Senior Ceili Band Final at The Wexford Credit Union Dome in Clonard on Sunday. Pic: Jim Campbell Laura Kelly, Brian Kelly, Mick Connick, Patricia Connick, Davin Larkin, Cath Larkin and Anastasia Murray at the All Ireland Senior Ceili Band Final at The Wexford Credit Union Dome in Clonard on Sunday. Pic: Jim Campbell Chris Thornton, Marie Gaul, Breda Fowler and Ned Whelan at the All Ireland Senior Ceili Band Final at The Wexford Credit Union Dome in Clonard on Sunday. Pic: Jim Campbell Padraig Byrne, Jane Byrne, Josie Mullane and Mike Mullane at the All Ireland Senior Ceili Band Final at The Wexford Credit Union Dome in Clonard on Sunday. Pic: Jim Campbell Cyril Wheelock and Janet Whitney at the launch of the Fleadh Food Hall in the Wexford United Presbyterian and Methodist Church, Anne Street on Thursday. Pic: Jim Campbell Craig Glenday, Editor in Chief of the Guinness Book of Records, with the local committee at the World Record for the largest group playing tin whistles over a continuous 5-minute period in Chadwick's Wexford Park on Thursday. Pic: Jim Campbell Maire NI Churraoin and Ian Buckley were at the All Ireland Senior Ceili Band Final at The Wexford Credit Union Dome in Clonard on Sunday. Pic: Jim Campbell Kathleen Hughes, Frances Healy, Kay Collins and Rose Healy attended the All Ireland Senior Ceili Band Final at The Wexford Credit Union Dome in Clonard on Sunday. Pic: Jim Campbell Members of the Craanhill Ceili Band from North Wexford performing on stage at the Gig Rig on Thursday evening during the Fladh Cheoil na hEireann in Wexford town. Pic: Jim Campbell Maxim Custit, Ian Mernagh, Pauline Dunne and Nicholas Dunne at the launch of the Fleadh Food Hall in the Wexford United Presbyterian and Methodist Church, Anne Street on Thursday. Pic: Jim Campbell Trudi Power, Cllr Pip Breen (Cathaoirleach Wexford County Council) and James Browne TD at the launch of the Fleadh Food Hall in the Wexford United Presbyterian and Methodist Church, Anne Street on Thursday. Pic: Jim Campbell Andrew, Geraldine and Richie Mahoney at the World Record for the largest group playing tin whistles over a continuous 5-minute period in Chadwick's Wexford Park on Thursday. Pic: Jim Campbell Pictured at the World Record for the largest group playing tin whistles over a continuous 5-minute period in Chadwick's Wexford Park on Thursday were Ben Beary, Luke Furlong Bradley, Caitlin Furlong Bradley and Alex Furlong. Pic: Jim Campbell Evie Doyle from Bree, a member of the Wexford Academy of Irish Dancing performing during the Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann in Selskar. Pic: Jim Campbell Richie and Geraldine Mahoney enjoyed the All Ireland Senior Ceili Band Final at The Wexford Credit Union Dome in Clonard on Sunday. Pic: Jim Campbell The beartla O Flataeta Ceili Band were the winners of the All Ireland Senior Ceili Band Final at The Wexford Credit Union Dome in Clonard on Sunday. Pic: Jim Campbell Leigh Kelly, Felix Oster and Tanya O'Brien were at the launch of the Fleadh Food Hall in the Wexford United Presbyterian and Methodist Church, Anne Street on Thursday. Pic: Jim Campbell Luke and Tadhg Murphy at the World Record for the largest group playing tin whistles over a continuous 5-minute period in Chadwick's Wexford Park on Thursday. Pic: Jim Campbell Nicola O'Leary, Clara Doran, Reailtin Doran and Michaela Kavanagh from Ferns entertaining the visitors on the quays during the Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann in Wexford town. Pic: Jim Campbell Photographer Jim Campbell was on hand to capture all of the action at Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann, including the launch of the Fleadh Food Hall, the All Ireland Senior Ceili Band Final, various gigs around the town and the Guinness World Record for the largest group playing tin whistles over a continuous five-minute period in Chadwicks Wexford Park on Thursday. Facility was due to close for fortnight for summer break SERVICE users of the Healthy Living day care centre in New Ross have received positive news after a decision to close the facility for a fortnight this month has been overturned. Some residents had expressed their upset that the facility was to close for two weeks in August, in a letter sent to Cllr Michael Sheehan, seen by this newspaper. The HSE confirmed the decision, saying it is common practice nationally for such day care centres to close for a few weeks every summer. "There are several stand-alone features on the HSEs campus in New Ross, e.g. the Health Centre, Ambulance Station, New Haughton Hospital and the adjacent Community Hospital. Another such stand-alone facility is the Healthy Living Centre building. There are no beds and no residents in Healthy Living Centre building, which houses day services only. Cllr Michael Sheehan took up the case and has expressed his delight that the centre will remain open, as otherwise carers and patients many of whom suffer from dementia would have been majorly inconvenienced over the fortnight. The Head of Service Older Persons section of the HSE in the south east wrote to Cllr Sheehan in early August, saying: The day centre would have traditionally taken a summer break pre-Covid but have had two nurses on staff for the last two years so were able to maintain the service without a break. "A concerted effort has been made to support the attendees of the day centre and I am pleased to confirm that a nurse has become available for redeployment from another county to the day centre for the next two weeks so we will be able to remain open. Unfortunately, we have not been able to source a replacement driver for the mini bus but we are working with families to try find solutions and supports relating to transport. Peg Sinnott pictured at the launch of the Fleadh Food Hall in the Wexford United Presbyterian and Methodist Church, Anne Street on Thursday. Pic: Jim Campbell Event director with The Wexford Food Producers Network Stacey Williams, presenting Tanaiste Micheal Martin with a hamper of local Wexford produce at the Wexford Fleadh Artisan Food Hall at the Wexford Presbyterian Church on Wednesday at the 2024 Fleadh Cheoil. The Wexford Food Producers Network making a special presentation to An Taoiseach Simon Harris on The Quay, Wexford, during his visit to the 2024 Fleadh Cheoil. Photo: Terry Byrne. Trudie Power (Chairperson) made a presentation of hampers to Minister James Browne TD and Kevin Dundon at the launch of the Fleadh Food Hall in the Wexford United Presbyterian and Methodist Church, Anne Street on Thursday. Pic: Jim Campbell Thousands of people dipped into the newly renovated Wexford Presbyterian Church on Anne Street in Wexford to enjoy the best of Wexford produce at the Wexford Food Family hall. Tanaiste Micheal Martin spent around an hour enjoying the food and chatting with people, and Taoiseach Simon Harris didnt leave empty handed, having been presented with a hamper of Wexford goodies by event director Stacey Williams of Wexford Food Family. Minister of State for the Department of Justice James Browne TD and Wexfords Finest Food Ambassador chef Kevin Dundon joined forces to officially open the Wexford Fleadh Artisan Food Hall as part of the 2024 Fleadh Cheoil on Thursday. Mr Browne spoke about the importance of Wexford food production as a key driver to the local economy. The junior minister acknowledged Wexford County Council and Wexford Local Enterprise Office for their role in supporting the growth of the food sector in Wexford. He congratulated the Wexford Food Producers Network for creating this bespoke event which he said was a wonderful showcase of Wexford food to the 700,000 visitors that travelled from across the island of Ireland and overseas to the 2024 Fleadh Cheoil in Wexford. Celebrity chef, author of several cookbooks and managing director of Dunbrody House and Cookery School, Kevin Dundon took to the stage to congratulate the Wexford Food Producers Network on the success of this event. Mr Dundon spoke about the abundance of incredible food produce being made in Wexford and in particular identified the fact that our coastal location has a huge impact on this. He highlighted an example of the recently launched Wexford Sea Salt, which is produced from the coastal waters off Cahore Point and solar evaporated to produce a mineral rich sea salt. This event was hosted by the Wexford Food Producers Network with support from Wexford County Council and Wexford Local Enterprise Office. Ms Williams said more than 2,000 per day attended the hall, adding that it looked fantastic after three months of renovation works by the food producers and Co Wexford businesses. Its now usable for civic occasions and other events, she said. Having been founded by a man from Co Wexford, the Pioneer Association is celebrating its 125th anniversary with a special Mass at Our Ladys Island on Saturday, August 17 at 7.30 p.m. The celebrant and homilist will be the Central Spiritual Director of the Pioneers, Fr Robert McCabe. Prayers will be included for families who are living under a shadow of addiction, for those who value the Serenity prayer or who wish to explore the Pioneer pledge. The Pioneers were founded by Fr James Cullen SJ in 1898. Born in New Ross in 1841, he was ordained in 1864 and appointed curate in Wexford where he introduced the Christmas crib. In 1866 he was one of the founders of the House of Missions in Enniscorthy. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1881 and after studies in Belgium returned to Dublin. There he and four lady associates, Mrs. A Egan, Mrs. M L Bury, Mrs. A M Sullivan and Miss L Power, founded the Pioneers Association on December 28, 1898 in the Church of St. Francis Xavier. PTAA membership in the early days was limited to women. Men were first admitted in 1899. Fr. Cullen remained in Dublin until his death in 1921. Please contact Fr McCabe on prayer@pioneers.ie for further information. The announcement that Bolt were to launch the countrys first e-scooter rental scheme in Wexford on Thursday came as somewhat of a surprise to some local representatives. While the roll-out of Bolt e-bikes around town has been a huge success, in the early days of the project local councillors expressed their distaste for e-scooters and a preference for bikes. In recent times, concerns around e-scooters have grown further. Over the last couple of months, teenagers in Waterford and Kilkenny have died following accidents involving e-scooters. Just a couple of months ago, across the border in Waterford, two teenagers lost their lives following an e-scooter crash the latest in a growing list of accidents and fatalities. Meanwhile, there have been very few, if any, serious incidents recorded since the Bolt e-bikes were rolled out in Wexford just over a year ago. In that first year, the 80 Bolt bikes saw 36,981 journeys from 45 different pick-up points covering 87,854km, with the average journey being 2.5km. It was off the back of this success that Bolt have decided to expand their offering to e-scooters, making around 50 of them available for public use, but its not the expansion that some local representatives were hoping for. One of the biggest advocates in getting Bolt into Wexford town, Cllr Leonard Kelly said: I would much rather that bolt had prioritised bike stands and an expansion of their current offering out to areas such as Castlebridge and Barntown. "I didnt push for scooters to be introduced, but I just hope that they will be used in the correct way. If they are, Id imagine it would be a huge success, but ensuring that they are used in the correct and safe way is a massive thing. L/r; Mary Flynn Sports Active, Colin Gibbon (WWETB). Claire Goodwin (Wexford Co Council), Annette Dupuy (Healthy Wexford), Cllr Leonard Kelly, Ann Marie Laffan (Wexford Co Council), Patrick Rochford (Sustainable Energy Wexford Town) and Aisling Dunne of Bolt Bikes Chief among the concerns are safety. New regulations governing the use of e-scooters commenced back in May. Bolt says that their e-scooters will be limited to 20km/h, will have to be parked in mandatory parking locations and can only be used by people over the age of 18. To prevent their use while the user is drunk or impaired by any other substance, the Bolt app has a cognitive test that measures their reaction time between 10pm and 5am. The e-scooters also have a built-in tandem riding prevention system to stop more than one person from riding the device at the same time. "Given the setup we have here in Wexford, its probably inevitable that were going to see these scooters on footpaths, Cllr Kelly said. I know these scooters are meant to be for over 18s, but youngsters always find a way around these things. I think there needs to be training and enforcement to ensure everyone is safe. There were further concerns that the correct use of e-scooters would add another thing to the long list of things that gardai would end up having to police in town, with resources already being stretched. In advance of attending the official launch of the trial, Mayor of Wexford George Lawlor made no secret of his concerns around e-scooters. "Im not a fan of it, he said bluntly. I dont believe it will work, but well see how the trial goes. I think cities like Paris and Melbourne have banned e-scooters. "I think aesthetically theyre not a good thing and I dont think the obvious safety issues have been addressed to a strong enough degree. "As things stand, I cant see this going beyond the trial. But I am willing to put my own prejudice to one side and see the outcome of the trial. Cllr Lawlor echoed Cllr Kellys preference for further investment in the Bolt bikes network around Wexford town and stretching out to satellite villages and he also felt the topic shouldve been brought to elected members of the Wexford Borough District for discussion before the trial proceeded. Wicklow Green TD Steven Matthews dug up an interesting story as we head into Heritage Week, of how he worked to save a 170-year-old water services inspection chamber cover in Bray. While one mans manhole cover is, well, still one mans manhole cover, this was no ordinary manhole cover, as it was linked to the oldest inspection chamber in the town, dating from 1852 when the Vartry water supply came to Bray. So it is an important piece of local heritage which has now been rescued. Deputy Matthews explained his reasons for saving the piece of social history from the scrapyard. The Victorian Vartry water services came through Church Terrace in Bray and this cover was the last of its kind, he said. We knew it was there, but it was best protected by not drawing any attention to it. However, following a chance encounter with Brian White of the Bray Historical Society, we visited the location and noticed that the cover had been recently damaged and cracked. I expected that any heavy vehicle parking on the cover would destroy it, so I immediately contacted Irish Water, our Bray District Engineer and the Heritage Officer in Wicklow County Council. I put forward an unusual request to save this piece of our heritage to Irish Water. I wanted the 172-year-old cover and frame carefully removed in one piece and kept safe after removal, he explained. To their credit, the Council and Irish Water worked together, and we now have this piece of Bray industrial heritage safely set aside. We are considering where best to display this item and it has been suggested that in the soon-to-be refurbished Ballywaltrim Library may be a good spot to display it, with an explainer of the Vartry Water works and how important it was, and still is, to north Wicklow. Ballywaltrim was where the Vartry reservoir storage tank was installed so the library site is quite apt, he continued. Prior to this, the Bray Town Reservoir was located on the Herbert Road near Ardmore Studio. It provided water to the houses on the Herbert Road, Quinsborough Road and the Railway Station. "When the Vartry Reservoir at Roundwood was built in 1860 to supply the city of Dublin with fresh clean water via the Stillorgan Reservoir, the Bray Town Commissioners took a feed from the supply pipe. The Reservoir at Roundwood was under the control of Dublin Corporation and that is why you can see Dublin Corporation drain covers on the Herbert Road, Bray. "The construction of the Herbert Road dates to 1862. Just off the Herbert Road is Church Terrace and a local builder, Bernard Brady, was given the task of supplying water to these cottages. He got his own drain covers made with his name inscribed. As Heritage Week is in full flow, Deputy Matthews wants to draw attention to these often hidden things and places that go amiss in our everyday lives. There is a lot of heritage in our town, he said, some of it right before your eyes but slightly hidden or dilapidated so it may go unnoticed. I have many small projects like this on my list to do and if you have any ideas, please get in touch with me, he concluded. If you want to learn more about the history and heritage in Bray, the Bray Cualann Historical Society, founded in 1977, is actively recording the history of the town. It meets on the third Thursday, from January to May, and following a break for the summer, resumes from September to November, in the Royal Hotel at 8pm. Meetings include talks from guest speakers. Couples living in Wicklow with a combined income of 107,000 and a 10pc deposit face shortfalls of up to 78,000, meaning new three-bed homes that will come on-stream in the county will be totally out of reach. It comes as the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI) said that 77pc of its agents believe prices are increasing up from 43 per cent last year with almost half of SCSI members believing the key factor influencing house prices over the next 12 months will be the supply of new housing. The survey examined a scenario where a couple with a combined income of 107,000 and a 10pc deposit saved are looking to buy their first home, a three-bed semi-detached house, across five counties outside Dublin Cork, Galway and the three most popular Leinster commuter belt counties, Wicklow, Meath and Kildare. According to these scenarios, the couple will afford to buy in only one of the five locations, Cork, and only then with the support of the First Home Scheme and the help-to-buy grant, which can only be used when buying new homes. It said that in Wicklow and Kildare, the two most expensive counties to buy a house in Ireland, couples will face shortfalls of 78,000 and 65,000 respectively. Gerard OToole, Vice President of the SCSI, said the clear message from the report was the urgent need to increase supply. He pointed to the widening affordability gap, which is a real concern, as a case study couple from last year could buy in three locations cited in the survey without the support of the First Home Scheme. Last year our case study couple could buy in three locations without the support of the First Home Scheme (FHS). This year a new home is only affordable in one and that is with FHS support, so the widening affordability gap is a real concern. While buyers with savings should be able to overcome the gap in Meath and Galway, new three-bed homes in Wicklow and Kildare remain totally out of reach for people on these salaries, he said. In addition, there are thousands of people on lower salaries who will not be able to buy and will require support. He added: "This years report included an affordability scenario for a two-bed terraced house in all five locations and the picture here was a great deal more positive with the affordability gap met in four locations without recourse to FHS while in Wicklow it was met with the support of FHS. Meanwhile, when it comes to renting, the outlook is also decidedly grim for young couples and families on average salaries, where rent can take up as much as 51pc of the income. For the first time, this years SCSI report included a rental affordability analysis for a family renting a three-bed semi or two-bed terraced home in the same five counties. For three-beds, rents ranged from 2,139 in Meath to 2,475 in Wicklow. Including reasonable living expenses of 3,504 for the family of four, this means that the estimated total expenses for a family renting in Wicklow would be 5,979. Rents for a two-bed terraced house averaged 2,061 in Wicklow. Including living expenses, this means that estimated total expenses for a family of four in Wicklow it would be 5,565. These figures show just how challenging it is for a family to rent a home in Ireland and the minimum salary level required. In Meath, for the family renting a three-bed semi, the rent comprises 38pc of total living expenses, while in Wicklow, it comprises 41pc. "For a family renting a two-bed terraced house in Galway and Wicklow, the figures are 33pc and 37pc, respectively. It is generally accepted that spending more than 30pc of income on rent is an overburden and makes renting unaffordable, Mr OToole said. Anne Hanks, founder of Rathvilly Community First Reponders with the defibrillator that saved her life. Anne Hanks, founder of Rathvilly Community First Reponders with the defibrillator that saved her life. Rathvilly First Responders have appealed to residents in Baltinglass, Kiltegan and Hacketstown to join their group, and offered them support to set up new local groups, to cut down on emergency response times. As well as responding to emergencies from the east Carlow village and its townlands, Rathvilly First Responders seven-kilometre radius of coverage also encompasses Baltinglass, Kiltegan and Hacketstown, with the majority of all calls they receive emanating from west Wicklow. With no dedicated responder groups or active volunteers in these areas, Rathvilly First Responders often have to travel over ten minutes to reach people in life-or-death situations, prompting the push to recruit and train new volunteers, while potentially kick-starting dedicated groups in their respective areas. As Rathvilly First Responder Aisling Maher explained, particularly in the case of a cardiac emergency, every second is vital, with the recruitment drive potentially shaving minutes off response times. In Rathvilly First Responders, we cover a seven-kilometre radius from the centre of Rathvilly, so it brings us right into Baltinglass, and the same in Kiltegan, and were just on the edge of Hacketstown as well, Aisling said. Id say that most calls we get here in Rathvilly are from Baltinglass (even Baltinglass Community Hospital at times) and Kiltegan, and while well go anywhere we are called to inside the radius, we are hoping to branch into these areas to get people that are more local so the response times are quicker. Some of these areas could take us 11 or 12 minutes to get to, so the quicker someone is there, the better. The thinking was, if people from those areas wanted to get involved with us, see what it entails, and either they could set up their own groups with our help, or we could have a bigger Rathvilly group, with more locals from Hacketstown, Baltinglass and Kiltegan. Although Hacketstown had a group pre-pandemic, the west Wicklow areas have never had a dedicated first responders group, she added. There has never been a group in Baltinglass, although it does have a couple of AEDs (automated external defibrillators), then Kiltegan has a couple of AEDs, but no group either. We held an information evening recently that had a good response, with more people reaching out after seeing the Facebook post. Well be holding another one in September, when people are back from holidays and settled down. I suppose one thing that might put people off volunteering is because they think there is a huge time commitment, but the training course can be completed over two evenings. We dont actually run rotas here in Rathvilly, and we all get the same texts from the National Ambulance Service when there is a cardiac arrest, someone with chest pains, breathing problems, choking or someone who has had a stroke. We felt that was a lot easier than doing a rota system, especially as, sometimes you might get three calls in one day, then you might not get a call for six weeks. In 2013, Aisling helped found Rathvilly First Responders after her mother had a cardiac arrest at home in front of her. Fortunately, the quick-thinking daughter raced to the local GAA club to get an AED and ended up saving her mums life. Reflecting on the terrifying event, Aisling said that having more AEDs in Baltinglass, Kiltegan and Rathvilly, and people trained to maintain and operate them, would be key to providing comprehensive coverage and saving as many lives as possible. After my mothers cardiac arrest, she was given a free defibrillator by the company that supplied the one at the GAA club, and, a year later, it was installed in the village here in Rathvilly, and has gone on to save lives, raise the profile of the group and inspire people to fundraise for us, she said. Thats how our first responders group got started, and we now have nine defibs in the area, so I think we are one of the most heavily populated areas for AEDs in the country. We are very fortunate here in Rathvilly that, over the last 10 years, we have trained over 100 people in the village and the townlands on how to use the AEDs and do CPR. The response in our townlands has been immense. One community raised money for an AED within two days of contacting us, while another set up a GoFundMe and got the funds together in 24 hours. If we can replicate these successes in Baltinglass, Kiltegan and Hacketstown, and rally locals around this common goal, it will make our towns and villages on both sides of the Carlow-Wicklow border safer places to live. Meet the Wicklow man working to restore a graveyard with a presidential legacy Annamoes Mervyn Taylor aims to revitalise a prestigious graveyard in time for a gathering to mark a milestone Mervyn Taylor at work in Derralossary Church, Roundwood. David Medcalf Wicklow People Thu 15 Aug 2024 at 05:00 This is an important site. Mervyn Taylor said this several times as he returned recently to the place where he received much of his early education, to the place where his family used to worship. Derralossary may indeed be an important site, but even he has to admit that the current state of the place does not reflect its status as last resting place of a fondly remembered President. Raygun competes during the Breaking B-Girls Round Robin Group B battle between Logistx and Raygun on Day 14 of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at La Concorde. (Photo by Harry Langer/DeFodi Images via Getty Images) Australian breakdancer Rachael Gunn, known as Raygun, called the response to her Paris 2024 Olympics performance devastating after she was widely criticised following her debut at the Games. The 36-year-old, who is a university lecturer in Sydney, lost all three of her round-robin contests by a combined score of 54-0 and was ridiculed on social media. And Gunn has since spoken candidly about the abuse she received. Speaking in an Instagram video, she said: "I really appreciated the positivity and Im glad I was able to bring some joy into your lives thats what I hoped. "Well, I went out there and I had fun I did take it very seriously. I worked my butt off preparing for the Olympics and I gave my all. Truly. "And Im honoured to have been a part of the Australian Olympic team; to be a part of breakings Olympic debut." After Gunns performance, a petition was created calling for an apology from the athlete and Australias Olympic chef de mission Anna Meares. It has been signed more than 50,000 times and derides Gunn and Meares for "attempting to gaslight the public and undermining the efforts of genuine athletes". Gunn defended herself after claims she was not of the required standard to compete at the Olympics. "Bit of a fun fact for you: there are actually no points in breaking," she said. "If you want to see how the judges scored me compared to my opponents, you can actually see the comparison percentages across the five criteria on Olympics.com, external all the results are there. "Id really like to ask the press to please stop harassing my family, my friends, the Australian breaking community and the broader street dance community. "Everyone has been through a lot as a result of this, so I ask you to please respect their privacy." Blind lawyer Michael Smith (left) will be tethered to his boss, Jack Stacy (right) for 24 hours as they take on 24 mountain peaks for charity (Jonathan Brady/PA) A blind lawyer and his boss are aiming to complete 24 mountain peaks in 24 hours to show he can push his body to the limit like everyone else can. Michael Smith, 33, from Finsbury Park in north London, will be tethered to his work colleague, Jack Stacy, 38, who lives in London Bridge, for 24 hours as they take on the challenge while raising 150,000 for SeeAbility, a charity offering support for those who live with sight loss or those who have a learning disability or autism. A-level top grades rise on last year and remain above pre-pandemic levels Hundreds of thousands of students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland received their A-level grades on Thursday Girls continued to outperform boys at A* and A but the gender gap has narrowed again this year (PA) Eleanor Busby, Alison Kershaw and Ian Jones Thu 15 Aug 2024 at 10:56 The proportion of A-level entries awarded top grades is up on last year and remains above pre-pandemic levels, national figures show. The mother of a Romanian suspect accused of placing an 11-year-old girl in a headlock and stabbing her repeatedly in Londons Leicester Square has said she is deeply sorry for what happened to the young victim. Two German airports have temporarily suspended flights on Thursday morning after climate activists breached the airfields as part of a larger protest targeting four airports nationwide. The Last Generation campaign group said in a statement that activists had stopped or reduced traffic at the Berlin, Cologne-Bonn, Nuremberg and Stuttgart airports and published pictures of activists with their hands glued to the tarmac. Kyiv plans to open humanitarian routes for Russian civilians to flee Ukraines forces advanced further into Russias Kursk region yesterday as Kyiv said the territory would serve as a buffer zone to protect its border areas from Russian attacks. Kyivs surge into Russian territory last week caught Moscow by surprise and has, for now at least, changed the mood of a war in which the Russian forces that began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 had been grinding out steady gains all year. U.S.-Russian dual national Ksenia Khavana has been convicted of treason in a Russian court and sentenced to 12 years in prison on charges stemming from a $51 donation to a charity aiding Ukraine. Khavana, identified by Russian authorities by her maiden name of Ksenia Karelina, was arrested in the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg in February and pleaded guilty in a closed trial last week, news reports said. Blow to hopes of peace as Hamas says it will stay out of latest round of talks Iran has said only a ceasefire will prevent revenge attack on Israel Palestinian children stand at the site of an Israeli strike on a house in Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. Photo: Reuters Nidal Al-Mughrabi Thu 15 Aug 2024 at 03:30 Hamas said yesterday it would not take part in a new round of Gaza ceasefire talks slated for today in Qatar, dimming hopes for a negotiated truce that Iranian sources say could hold back an attack on Israel by Tehran. LATEST | New talks aimed at stopping Israel-Hamas war take place today An Israeli delegation is meeting with officials from the US, Qatar and Egypt, although it is not known whether Hamas will be present Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the state memorial for Zeev Jabotinsky, at Mount Herzl Military Cemetery in Jerusalem (Naama Grynbaum/AP) Tia Goldenberg Thu 15 Aug 2024 at 11:27 International mediators are set to hold a new round of talks on Thursday aimed at halting the Israel-Hamas war and securing the release of scores of hostages. Israel said its forces had hit Palestinian militants in Tamoun in the occupied West Bank yesterday while Hamas said its fighters were engaged in fierce clashes with Israeli forces in nearby Tubas city. Violence in the West Bank has escalated since the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas broke out last October, with more Israeli raids, Jewish settler violence and Palestinian street attacks. Hamas has claimed more attacks there in recent days. Five people have been charged in connection with actor Matthew Perrys death from an accidental ketamine overdose last October, United States Attorney Martin Estrada told a press briefing. One of the defendants, Salvador Plasencia, a medical doctor known as "Dr. P", who is one of five defendants charged in relation to the actor's death, allegedly said in a text: I wonder how much this moron will pay". Image courtesy: X/Narendra Modi New Delhi/IBNS: Young Liu, the chairman of iPhone contract manufacturer Foxconn, on Wednesday (Aug 14) met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed the Taiwanese tech company's investment plan in India. After the meeting, PM Modi said in a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), "Wonderful to meet Mr. Young Liu, the Chairman of Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn). I highlighted the wonderful opportunities India offers in futuristic sectors." "We also had excellent discussions on their investment plans in India in states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh," the Prime Minister added. In July last year, Foxconn chief Liu visited India to attend the Semicon India conclave where he met Narendra Modi. On the eve of the 75th Republic Day this year, Young Liu was conferred Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award in India. Foxconn is estimated to employ 40,000 people in India, while the tech giant's total investment in the country is estimated to be in the range of $9-10 billion, according to reports. The worlds largest electronics contract manufacturer is in the process of expanding its iPhone production facility, setting up a chip plant in a joint venture with India's HCL Group, an electric vehicle manufacturing unit and an Apple Airpods plant, as per reports. Photo courtesy: Pixabay Mumbai: Vedanta group firm Hindustan Zinc Ltd (HZL) is reportedly planning a special dividend payout of Rs 8,000 crore to its shareholders in the current fiscal, media reports said. HZL's board is expected to meet on Tuesday to review and approve the special dividend for this fiscal year. This special dividend will be in addition to the regular annual dividend of around Rs 6,000 crore that HZL typically distributes. The payout will not only benefit the government but also the promoter, Vedanta Ltd, which holds a roughly 65 percent stake in HZL. Vedanta is expected to receive around Rs 5,100 crore from this dividend, which it may use to further reduce its debt. "Of this, around 30 per cent or Rs 2,400 crore may go to the Centre contributing to its non-tax revenues for the fiscal," sources were quoted as saying by PTI. The move follows the National Company Law Tribunal's (NCLT) approval to transfer Rs 10,383 crore of general reserves to its retained earnings. Vedanta plans to sell up to a 3.31 percent stake in Hindustan Zinc Ltd (HZL) via an Offer for Sale (OFS) from August 16 to 19, with a floor price set at Rs 486 per share. HZL has shown steady growth in sales volumes and maintained balanced capital expenditure, resulting in a solid track record of generating cash flows. The company expects this upward trajectory to continue, as detailed in a scheme of arrangement filed with the NCLT, projecting ongoing cash flow growth in the coming years. In the fiscal year ending March 2024, HZL paid out a total dividend of Rs 5,493 crore, with the government receiving Rs 1,622 crore for its 29.5 percent stake. The previous fiscal year saw a record Rs 32,000 crore dividend payout, with the government receiving Rs 9,500 crore. During the June quarter, HZL's market capitalization more than doubled, adding Rs 1.6 lakh crore and reaching its highest-ever market cap of Rs 3.4 lakh crore. The Rs 6,500 crore OFS will launch on Friday, auctioning over 120 million shares for non-retail investors, with the remaining 13.4 million shares, valued at Rs 650 crore at the base price, set for sale on Monday. HZL shares ended Wednesday at Rs 573, down 1.3 percent, with the floor price set 15 percent below the last close. Investors are required to place bids above the floor price in the OFS. Citibank and JM Financial are managing the share sale, with Vedanta looking to divest 3.17 percent of its 64.92 percent stake in HZL. Photo Courtesy: Avishek Mitra/IBNS Tens and thousands of women and men shouting slogans took over the streets of Kolkata and gathered in different corners of West Bengal on Wednesday late night to demand justice for the trainee doctor who was raped and murdered in state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, triggering a nationwide outrage. The protest in Kolkata, titled 'Reclaim The Night', began at 11.55 pm before the Independence Day midnight and continued for hours as thousands took to the streets demanding justice, freedom and safety of women at workplace. Without holding any political flag, people sang and articulated themselves in other forms. Their anger against administration and resolve to fight back was palpable. The slogan "We Want Justice" rented the air at the crack of Independence Day night as peaceful protesters marched through the streets of the city which was shocked by the grisly rape and murder of the junior doctor during her night shift at the RG Kar Hospital last week and the alleged attempts for a cover-up and discovery of a bigger rot in the system. Women blew conch shells from homes and on the streets sounding the bugle of a movement against sexual violence. The case was handed over to the federal investigating agency CBI at the order of the Calcutta High Court despite the city police making an arrest of a civic volunteer as the main accused amid suspicion that there were more people behind the brutal crime. The protest was simultaneously staged across the nation with New Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, among other cities, joining the stir. Indians, especially Bengalis, living in different parts of the world also staged protests as reports poured in from places like Toronto. We want justice rents Kolkata and Bengal air as men and women reclaim the night demanding justice for RG Kar trainee doctor brutally raped and murdered last week. #rgkar #justiceformoumita #JusticeForDoctor pic.twitter.com/VcgSkuQnZ4 India Blooms (@indiablooms) August 14, 2024 Researcher Rimjhim Sinha, who first initiated the protest through a social media post, said at one of the largest gatherings in south Kolkata's Jadavpur: "This protest is a platform to express our hearts and to think independently. We will do constructive criticism of the problem. We want justice for the victim. However, we are also demanding a structural change in the country." "Today is also the night for women to celebrate their freedom," she said while addressing the gathering at Jadavpur 8B Bus Stand depot outside the Jadavpur University. Several Tollywood celebrities, many of them critics of the Mamata Banerjee government and many known to be close to power, also joined the protest. Actors and filmmakers like Subhasree Ganguly (whose husband Raj Chakraborty is a ruling Trinamool MLA), Arindam Sil, Sudipta Chakraborty, Bidipta Chakraborty, Chaiti Ghoshal, Roopa Ganguly, Parno Mittra, joined the rally in Jadavpur where the crowd was seen walking from 8B Bus Stand to Jadavpur Police Station, demanding a safer city for women and justice for the victim. Also Read: LIVE BLOG: Relcaim The Night: India's largest anti-rape people's protest churns Kolkata and Bengal Similar protests were seen in the Academy of Fine Arts and Behala where a large number of people gathered demanding justice. Speaking to IBNS, Sunita Kar, a social activist, said: "Women have gathered in different corners of the city today to ensure they can move around the city peacefully and fearlessly. We also want justice for the female doctor." A Take Back the Night was first staged in the US city of Philadelphia in 1975 when microbiologist Susan Alexander Speeth was stabbed to death when she was returning from her work at night. Meanwhile, reports of protests by Bengali diaspora poured in from abroad in cities like Toronto in Canada and New York (Times Square) in the US. The Bengali diaspora at Masseygrove Park in the west end of the city of Toronto protested against the West Bengal governments complete disregard for women safety. Protest started in Times Square,USA at midnight against the heinous crime that happened at RG Kar The matter is so serious that its getting attention across the world, Every citizen of our country should stand with the victim and show support of any form.#KolkataDoctorDeath pic.twitter.com/aOIgh8Reft Manish Aman (@manish__aman) August 15, 2024 Vandalism at RG Kar Hospital While the city was witnessing an unprecedented demonstrations led by women, a massive vandalism occurred at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, the medical institute where the PG trainee doctor was found raped and murdered under mysterious circumstances. According to local media, the Emergency department of the hospital was ransacked by miscreants who suddenly barged into the premises and resorted to violence amid a peaceful protest. The agitating doctors fled the scene while media personnel were attacked. The miscreants vandalised the stage where the doctors' protest was taking place. They even overturned the police vehicles turning the area into a battleground. Some police personnel also received injuries. The police had to resort to using tear gas to disperse the crowd. Vulture Politics, says a cornered Mamata Banerjee West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is facing the ire of the people, Wednesday said the state police will assist the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in all manners to ensure the highest punishment for the perpetrators but was quick to slam the opposition parties for 'indulging in vulture politics.' Speaking at an event in Kolkata, Banerjee said her government was prompt in intervening in the RG Kar incident and ensured that correct steps were being taken for a thorough investigation. "What didn't I do? The moment I heard about the crime, I was in constant communication with the Police Commissioner as I was in Jhargram. On return, I visited the family members and assured them that the highest punishment would be awarded to the perpetrator. We arrested the culprit within 12 hours," she said. The State Police will assist the CBI in every possible manner to ensure that all those involved are brought to justice, she said. She affirmed her continued support towards the family of the victim and called for capital punishment to be meted out to the culprit. However, the Bengal Chief Minister did not spare the Opposition Parties and lashed out at them for organising protests and criticising her government over the handling of the investigation. "Instead of praying for the departed soul, offering support to the victim's family in their hour of need, or taking a collective stand against social malice, the Opposition Parties have been indulging in vulture politics. Those who politicise such tragedies have no moral compass," Banerjee said. "I have no lust for power. I want to work towards justice till my last breath. CPI(M), BJP are trying to organise Bangladesh-like protests to capture power in West Bengal," the Trinamool Congress supremo said as she referred to Sheikh Hasina's ouster from Bangladesh following violent protests. Ex-Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina and her government were ousted from power recently amid violent protests which were first initiated by students against a quota system in the government jobs but later turned into a massive demonstration against the former rulers. The RG Kar horror The trainee doctor was raped and murdered at the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, which is located in North Kolkata's Belgachia area. She was found in a half naked state with multiple injuries in the whole body from neck and eyes to private parts. The parents were initially told by the hospital that their daughter committed suicide. One person, a civic volunteer, has been arrested in connection with the case but protesting students suspect more people are involved in the crime. The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday ordered controversial RG Kar principal Dr. Sandip Ghosh, who was appointed as the principal of Calcutta National Medical College within hours of his resignation as the head of RG Kar Medical College, to go on a long leave, coming down heavily on the role of the state government in trying to protect him. Toronto based Bengali Tanusree Dasgupta speaks out on the prevailing situation in West Bengal in the wake of a doctors grisly rape and murder #JusticeForDoctor #RGKAR #KolkataDoctor pic.twitter.com/FcnmFG6Gmr India Blooms (@indiablooms) August 15, 2024 (Reporting by Supriyo Hazra/Souvik Ghosh/Deepayan Sinha/Paraj Chakraborty. Images by Avishek Mitra/IBNS) Photo courtesy: PIB New Delhi/IBNS: In a veiled attack on the Mamata Banerjee government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the state governments should take crimes against women seriously and must be probed in a quick time, amid the huge uproar over the rape and murder of a 31-year-old lady trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and the alleged cover-up by the administration. The Prime Minister made the remark during his address on the occasion of 78th Independence Day of India. Modi said, "I want to express my pain from the Red Fort today. We have to think seriously. There is anger among the general public towards the atrocities being committed against our mothers, sisters and daughters. "The country, society and our state governments have to take this seriously. Crimes against women should be investigated as soon as possible. Those who commit heinous acts should be given severe punishment as soon as possible, this is necessary to create trust in the society." The trainee doctor was raped and murdered at the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, which is located in North Kolkata's Belgachia area. She was found in a half naked state with multiple injuries in the whole body from neck and eyes to private parts. The parents were initially told by the hospital that their daughter committed suicide. One person, a civic volunteer, has been arrested in connection with the case but protesting students suspect more people are involved in the crime. The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday ordered controversial RG Kar principal Dr. Sandip Ghosh, who was appointed as the principal of Calcutta National Medical College within hours of his resignation as the head of RG Kar Medical College, to go on a long leave, coming down heavily on the role of the state government in trying to protect him. The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday snubbed the Chief Minister's deadline and handed over the case to the CBI, which will probe into the matter under the monitoring of the judiciary. The accused civic volunteer was on Wednesday handed over to the CBI by police. Photo Courtesy: File photo by Sean D Silva via Wikimedia Commons Mumbai/IBNS: An Air India flight to London, which departed from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM) in Mumbai on Wednesday (Aug 14) morning with 354 people on board, returned to the city after the pilot-in-command reported "pressurisation issue" in the cabin, according to sources. The Boeing 777 aircraft landed safely at the airport, as per reports. Sources said the flight (AI-129) departed from Mumbai international airport at 8:36 am and returned to the city at around 11:30 am. Air India, in a statement, said, "The flight operating from Mumbai to London made an air-return to Mumbai due to a technical issue. The aircraft landed safely at Mumbai for precautionary checks." The Tata Group-owned airline said that it had made alternative arrangements to fly the passengers to their destination. Air India added that it had offered full refunds on cancellation and complimentary rescheduling to another date, if so desired by passengers. Photo courtesy: Screenshot grab from X post Kolkata/IBNS: West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Thursday visited Kolkata's RG Kar College and Hospital after miscreants vandalised the Emergency Building amid massive anti-rape march by women and men across the state last night in the backdrop of the rape and murder of a 31-year-old lady trainee doctor. Bose entered the Emergency Building, took stock of the situation and interacted with the protesting students on the site. "You will get justice. I have come here to listen to you personally. I am with you. We will fight it out and we shall overcome. We will not allow these ghastly things to be done," the Governor told the protesting students. Some miscreants suddenly entered the Emergency building and resorted to violence, as per local media reports. The agitating doctors had to flee owing to the sudden clashes. Media personnel were attacked. The miscreants vandalised the stage where the protest was taking place. They even overturned the police vehicles. Some police personnel also received injuries. The police had to resort to using tear gas to disperse off the crowd. The situation turned grim amid the massive protest organised called 'Relcaim The Night' to seek justice over the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee lady doctor at Kolkata's state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and its alleged cover-up that triggered a tsunami of anger against the authorities. Women and men across West Bengal took to the streets on the eve of Independence Day. As people started gathering in protest points across Kolkata from Jadavpur to Behala and Academy of Fine Arts, the outcry for justice grew loud. At home, people are blowing conch shells at the same time to register their protest against the authorities. Photo courtesy: Screenshot grab from X post Kolkata/IBNS: West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has assured students, who are protesting against the rape and murder of 31-year-old lady trainee doctor, of justice after hundreds of miscreants vandalised the hospital displacing the agitators last night. Bose entered the Emergency Building, took stock of the situation and interacted with the protesting students on the site. "You will get justice. I have come here to listen to you personally. I am with you. We will fight it out and we shall overcome. We will not allow these ghastly things to be done," the Governor told the protesting students. Some miscreants suddenly entered the Emergency building and resorted to violence at a time thousands of women and men took the streets across West Bengal and outside demanding justice for the RG Kar case. The agitating doctors had to flee owing to the sudden clashes. Media personnel were attacked. #JUST IN| #WestBengal Governor Dr. CV Ananda Bose visits RG Kar Medical College & Hospital & meets the doctors who were attacked yesterday by an irate mob. pic.twitter.com/Kt7qPGG578 Pooja Mehta (@pooja_news) August 15, 2024 The miscreants vandalised the stage where the protest was taking place. They even overturned the police vehicles. Some police personnel also received injuries. The police had to resort to using tear gas to disperse off the crowd. The situation turned grim amid the massive protest organised called 'Relcaim The Night' to seek justice over the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee lady doctor at Kolkata's state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and its alleged cover-up that triggered a tsunami of anger against the authorities. Women and men across West Bengal took to the streets on the eve of Independence Day. As people started gathering in protest points across Kolkata from Jadavpur to Behala and Academy of Fine Arts, the outcry for justice grew loud. At home, people are blowing conch shells at the same time to register their protest against the authorities. Toronto/Canada: Amid widespread outrage over the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkatas RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, calls for justice have also emerged from as far as Toronto, Canada. Several members of the Bengali diaspora gathered at Masseygrove Park in the west end of Toronto and protested against the incident. The agitators alleged that the West Bengal Government has shown complete disregard towards barbarity against women and vulnerables. On Wednesday night, the women in Kolkata and across the country had organised a vigil titled "Women, Reclaim the Night". The 31-year-old trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered at the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, which is located in North Kolkata's Belgachia area. Her body was last Friday and an autopsy report, which had put the time of death between 3 and 5 am, revealed that several injuries were inflicted on her before she was smothered to death. One person, a civic volunteer, has been arrested in connection with the case but protesting students suspect more people are involved in the case. An alumnus of RG Kar Medical College, who participated in the protest, expressed shock and horror over the incident. As an alumnus of RG Kar, I hang my head in shame over what has happened there. The outrage I feel is beyond words. If I had been in Kolkata, I would have considered sending my daughters to medical school, but now Im forced to question if I could. The torture she endured before her death was inhuman and unimaginable. Even animals are better. The police have arrested one man, but he is a scapegoat. The real perpetrators are still at large. One of the protest organisers, who runs an immigration service firm, said a large number of people from the Bengali diaspora gathered within just a few hours of notice, without any prior planning. Do you know why so many people responded to the call today? Because what is happening in our home state of West Bengal is shaking all of us to the core. The incident at R.G. Kar seems to have crossed all limits of tolerance. That's why, regardless of gender, this has created a wave not just in India, but across the world. Today's protest is not just for women, but against all the moral degradation in society," she said. Toronto based Bengali Tanusree Dasgupta speaks out on the prevailing situation in West Bengal in the wake of a doctors grisly rape and murder #JusticeForDoctor #RGKAR #KolkataDoctor pic.twitter.com/FcnmFG6Gmr India Blooms (@indiablooms) August 15, 2024 The parents of the trainee doctor told the Calcutta High Court that forensic reports revealed 150 mg of semen was found in her body, clearly indicating that she had been gang-raped. "No step taken to arrest any other offenders while the evidence clearly indicates that their daughter was the victim of a gang rape and murder, a crime that could not have been committed by one person alone," the parents' petition said. Photo courtesy: Screenshot grab from Facebook video of Mamata Banerjee Kolkata/IBNS: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday blamed the DYFI and Bharatiya Janata Party for the vandalism which was carried out by miscreants at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital last night. Speaking to reporters after visiting Raj Bhavan, Banerjee said, "As far as I have received information, I am not blaming students but some outsider political people- DYFI and BJP- who want to create anarchy in Bengal." "The ones who vandalised are outsiders. They are not related to the students' protests." Some miscreants suddenly entered the Emergency building and resorted to violence at a time thousands of women and men took the streets across West Bengal and outside demanding justice for the RG Kar case. The agitating doctors had to flee owing to the sudden clashes. Media personnel were attacked. The miscreants vandalised the stage where the protest was taking place. They even overturned the police vehicles. Some police personnel also received injuries. The police had to resort to using tear gas to disperse off the crowd. The situation turned grim amid the massive protest organised called 'Relcaim The Night' to seek justice over the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee lady doctor at Kolkata's state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and its alleged cover-up that triggered a tsunami of anger against the authorities. Women and men across West Bengal took to the streets on the eve of Independence Day. Nine people have been arrested by police so far in connection with the vandalism. Referring to the rape and murder case which is now under the CBI probe, Banerjee said rape is a "social disease". Adding to that, the Chief Minister said she doesn't believe in victimising innocent people for the sake of speedy investigation. "Death is very unfortunate. We can't support such an incident. It's a social disease. Such incidents happen across the country. It's a big crime. Capital punishment is the most appropriate punishment for such crimes. Having said that, no innocent person should be victimised just for the sake of speedy investigation." Photo courtesy: Videograb from @RDA_UP New Delhi/IBNS: The vandalism at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata where a trainee doctor was brutally raped and murdered last week, has prompted a key doctors' body to resume its strike with "renewed resolve" just two days after it decided to call it off. On Tuesday, the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) called off its strike - which began on Monday, three days after the rape and murder of the 31-year-old trainee doctor - after a meeting with Union Health Minister JP Nadda. The organisation had said Nadda had assured to meet all demands including the one seeking an assurance that the Central Healthcare Protection Act would be passed to curb attacks on medical personnel. The decision had caused disappointment among resident doctors' associations (RDAs) of several other hospitals, including that of the premier All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi, which had said that the strike would go on. The resident doctors' association of Safdarjung Hospital had even gone on to say that it was no longer associated with FORDA. Reversing its decision on Thursday, FORDA said it was "shocked and anguished" by the violence at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, and acknowledged that its earlier call had caused "distress". In a statement, FORDA said, "In light of the recent troubling events at RG Kar Medical College, the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) addresses our colleagues, the medical community, and the public with renewed resolve... We acknowledge that our earlier decision to call off the strike, made in good faith based on assurances from the Ministry, has caused distress and disappointment within our community. We accept responsibility for this and understand the widespread discontent it has caused." "The events that have unfolded since, particularly the violence last night, have shocked and anguished us all. This represents a dark chapter for our profession, We strongly condemn the Union Ministry and State Government for their failure to honour their commitments and ensure the safety of healthcare professionals during this crisis," it said. Announcing that it would resume the strike immediately, FORDA said it is developing a plan of action with other RDAs. "The events of the past few days have reinforced our commitment to our rights, our dignity, and the future of our profession. This is a pivotal moment. We must stand firm, united, and resolute in our struggle for justice and the respect we deserve," it asserted. The Lucknow chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), which is the largest association of doctors in the country, said its members will wear black badges on Friday to register their protest against the horrific rape and murder as well as the attack on the hospital. "We demand from the central government to make a stringent law for violence against doctors and hospital staff at the earliest. Every doctor's security under a safe environment should be the responsibility of the government," a statement issued by IMA Lucknow said. "On 16th August 2024, we will all wear black badges on duty as a mark of protest against such a brutal and heinous crime and to show solidarity towards the family of the victim," it added. Some miscreants suddenly entered the Emergency building and resorted to violence at a time thousands of women and men took the streets across West Bengal and outside demanding justice for the RG Kar case. The agitating doctors had to flee owing to the sudden clashes. Media personnel were attacked. The miscreants vandalised the stage where the protest was taking place. They even overturned the police vehicles. Some police personnel also received injuries. The police had to resort to using tear gas to disperse the crowd. The situation turned grim amid the massive protest organised called 'Relcaim The Night' to seek justice over the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee lady doctor at Kolkata's state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and its alleged cover-up that triggered a tsunami of anger against the authorities. Women and men across West Bengal took to the streets on the eve of Independence Day. Nine people have been arrested by police so far in connection with the vandalism. Referring to the rape and murder case which is now under the CBI probe, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said rape is a "social disease". Adding to that, the Chief Minister said she doesn't believe in victimising innocent people for the sake of speedy investigation. Speaking to reporters after visiting Raj Bhavan, Banerjee said, "As far as I have received information, I am not blaming students but some outsider political people- DYFI and BJP- who want to create anarchy in Bengal." "The ones who vandalised are outsiders. They are not related to the students' protests." Photo Courtesy: Pixabay Guwahati: The Assam Police conducted extensive searches throughout the state on Independence Day, following claims by the banned militant group ULFA(I) that they had planted explosives in 19 locations. Assam's Director General of Police stated that "suspicious items" were discovered in several areas, including Guwahati. Although these objects contained circuits and batteries, no ignition devices were found. While no suspicious items were located at six of the sites, two IED-like devices were recovered in Panbazaar and Gandhi Basti. Assam Police has carried out extensive searches throughout the State today for Explosive devices. At two places in Guwahati suspicious articles were found which were opened by Bomb Disposal Squad of Police. These articles do not have ignition device inside through some circuits GP Singh (@gpsinghips) August 15, 2024 We thoroughly searched eight locations. Out of these locations, we could not find any suspicious objects in six of them, however, in Panbazaar and Gandhi Basti, we found two IED-like objects, Guwahati Commissioner of Police Diganta Barah as quoted as saying by PTI. The ULFA(I) named several districts, including Sivasagar, Dibrugarh, Lakhimpur, Nagaon, Nalbari, Tamulpur, Tinsukia, and Golaghat, among the 24 locations where they claimed to have planted explosives. In response, police have cordoned off all roads around the listed areas. Senior police officials have been deployed to oversee search operations. The police action followed a Thursday statement from ULFA(I), claiming bombs had been planted in 19 locations across Assam but failed to detonate due to a "technical error." The group said the bombs were intended as a protest against Independence Day celebrations. Photo courtesy: RG Kar official website/Pixabay Kolkata/New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation's Kolkata office summoned five doctors and hospital staff for questioning in the RG Kar Hospital rape and murder case. The police's forensic experts were at the hospital on Thursday to investigate the vandalism that happened last night amid the massive anti-rape people's protest across West Bengal. Meanwhile, Suhrita Pal, the newly appointed principal of the medical college, lost her cool after protesting doctors mounted pressure on her to take action against the midnight mob attack. "If you can't trust me for one hour then send me home also. I need one hour to do some official work. You need to believe me, I won't go. You have to believe me. If you can't believe me then don't expect anything from me," she said. Late last night, when neighbourhoods across Bengal were witnessing massive gatherings by women to protest against the heinous rape and murder, miscreants vandalised the stage emergency building of the RG Kar Hospital where the crime took place. They even overturned the police vehicles and attacked vehicles, damaging public property. Police had used teargas shells to disperse the mob. Several police officers were injured in the clash. While it is not yet clear who is behind the mob violence, Leader of the Opposition, BJP's Suvendu Adhikari, has alleged that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sent "goons" of the Trinamool College to disrupt the apolitical protest rally near the hospital. Mamata Banerjee has sent her TMC goons to the apolitical Protest Rally near RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. She thinks that she is the most shrewd person in the whole world and people won't be able to figure out the cunning plan that her goons appearing as protestors would pic.twitter.com/1CPI2f1KUr Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) August 14, 2024 Earlier, Mamata Banerjee blamed the DYFI and Bharatiya Janata Party for the vandalism at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital last night. "As far as I have received information, I am not blaming students but some outsider political people- DYFI and BJP- who want to create anarchy in Bengal," she said. "The ones who vandalised are outsiders. They are not related to the students' protests." Abhishek Banerjee, Trinamool Congress general secretary and Number 2 in the party, said the hooliganism and vandalism at RG Kar tonight "exceeded all acceptable limits". "As a public representative, I just spoke with @CPKolkata, urging him to ensure that every individual responsible for today's violence is identified, held accountable, and made to face the law within the next 24 hours, regardless of their political affiliations. The demands of the protesting doctors are fair and justified. This is the minimum they should expect from the government. Their safety and security must be prioritised," Banerjee said in a post on X. The hooliganism and vandalism at RG Kar tonight have exceeded all acceptable limits. As a public representative, I just spoke with @CPKolkata , urging him to ensure that every individual responsible for todays violence is identified, held accountable, and made to face the law Abhishek Banerjee (@abhishekaitc) August 14, 2024 Nine people have been arrested by police so far in connection with the vandalism. Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is now investigating the rape and murder case that has shaken the nation. The central agency took over the investigation after the Calcutta High Court noted that Kolkata Police had made no significant progress in the case and transferred the case. The parents of the victim had filed a petition, seeking a probe monitored by the court to ensure evidence is not tampered with. Photo courtesy: Kriti Sanon Instagram/Pixabay/RG Kar Website Mumbai/IBNS: In her Independence Day post, Bollywood actor Kriti Sanon did not "feel like wishing" with a "heavy heart and angry soul" over the heinous rape and murder case of a 31-year-old trainee doctor in Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. "While we celebrate our 78th year of Independence and feel proud on how far we've come as a country globally.. it breaks my heart to see the terrifying reality that women are still not Safe in their own country. There is absolutely no fear in the people who commit these in humane acts." She even raised questions like "Are we really free when our basic safety is in question?" "And even today, its the woman being blamed for being a victim!!! Unless there is faster justice, severe punishments and more importantly better upbringing, nothing is gonna change, Are we really FREE when our basic safety is in question??" Earlier, Bollywood star Kareena Kapoor Khan joined other tinseltown celebrities in expressing anguish over the gruesome crime. In an Instagram post, Kareena wrote, "12 years later, the same story, the same protest. But we are still waiting for change." Bollywood actors Alia Bhatt, Parineeti Chopra, and Ayushmann Khurrana among others have voiced their anguish over the incident too. Photo Courtesy: Central Bank of Iran's headquarters Bank Markazi Tower. File photo from Wikimedia Commons/GTVM92 Tel Aviv/IBNS: A massive cyber attack targeted the Central Bank of Iran and other Iranian banks on Wednesday (Aug 14) amid ongoing tension in the Middle East, according to a report in the Saudi-affiliated Iran International. The cyber attack, which is reportedly to be one of the largest hacks in the Islamic Republic's history, reportedly caused major disruptions to the Iranian banking system. The report by the London-based anti-regime outlet said the attack was prominently highlighted in Hebrew media. "The Iranian regime has been trying to cover up the attack for several hours," Iran International's Israel correspondent Babak Itzhaki was quoted as saying by Israel's Channel 12. Itzhaki claimed hackers have obtained bank details and credit card details of millions of Iranians. Highlighting that there is no official response from the Iranian government to the report yet, the journalist told Channel 12 that he was anticipating a denial by the regime. Photo Courtesy: Rownak Shahriar Ruhan/Wikimedia Commons/4.0 International Dhaka: A team of UN experts is scheduled to visit Bangladesh next week to investigate the deaths of protesters before and after Sheikh Hasina stepped down as prime minister last week, according to an announcement made on Thursday. This is the first time since Bangladesh's independence in 1971 that the UN is dispatching a fact-finding mission to probe widespread human rights violations in the country, a UN official said in a post shared on X by Bangladesh's Chief Adviser. Muhammad Yunus was sworn in as Chief Adviser of the interim government on August 8, just days after Sheikh Hasina's administration collapsed, and she fled to India on August 5 following violent protests related to government job quota reforms. "The United Nations is sending a UN fact-finding team next week to probe atrocities committed during the Student Revolution in July and early this month. UN human rights chief Volker Turk announced the move when he called Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus late Wednesday," the Chief Adviser of Government of Bangladesh said in a post on X, the handle for which is run by Muhammad Yunus' office. Bangladesh plunged into turmoil last week following Sheikh Hasina's resignation, prompting the Army to step in and take control on August 5. Prior to this, anti-government protests had resulted in over 500 deaths since mid-July. In the meantime, Volker Turk expressed his support, emphasizing that an inclusive approach focused on human rights is essential to ensuring a successful transition. Volker Turk in a post late on Wednesday night said, "Promising phone call with @ChiefAdviserGoB Muhammad Yunus. I assured him of @UNHumanRights Office's solidarity with the people of #Bangladesh & our support to the interim govt at this pivotal time. An inclusive, human rights-centred approach will ensure this transition succeeds." Promising phone call with @ChiefAdviserGoB Muhammad Yunus. I assured him of @UNHumanRights Office's solidarity with the people of #Bangladesh & our support to the interim govt at this pivotal time. An inclusive, human rights-centred approach will ensure this transition succeeds. pic.twitter.com/QV9xxDmp80 Volker Turk (@volker_turk) August 14, 2024 Earlier on Wednesday, after his phone call with Turk, Yunus had posted: "The UN human rights chief, @volker_turk has made a phone call to Bangladesh Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday." "A team of UN experts would soon visit the country to investigate [the killings]," Volker Turk told Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus today during a phone conversation. Muhammad Yunus said in a connecting post on X: The UN rights chief said a UN-led investigation will be launched very soon to probe the killing of the protesters during the Student Revolution. The UN human rights chief, @volker_turk has made a phone call to Bangladesh Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday. Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh (@ChiefAdviserGoB) August 14, 2024 Muhammad Yunus stated that human rights will serve as the foundation of his administration, with the protection of every citizen being the government's highest priority. He has also sought the UN's cooperation to safeguard human rights in the country. "The Chief Adviser thanked him and his long-time friend Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, for supporting the Bangladesh students' revolution and championing their rights during unprecedented and devastating killings of student protestors," Muhammad Yunus said in the series of posts. A complaint was lodged on Wednesday with the investigation agency of Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal, accusing Sheikh Hasina and eight others of genocide and crimes against humanity in connection with the student-led mass movement against her government. The Indian-Malayalam language film Pazhanchan Pranayam is all set to release on OTT. With actors like Rony David and Vincy Aloshious in the main roles, the Pazhanchan Pranayam OTT release has been fixed for August 16 on the OTT platform Saina Play. The film by director Bineesh Kalarikkal was released last year in theatres and is said to be a romantic drama. Here's the trailer for the film: Plot Pazhanchan Pranayam is about a man who is in his forties and still single. The film revolves around his struggle to find a life partner for himself as he faces too many rejections from women. The story of the light-hearted film progresses when his father's caretaker takes entry into his life. Further in the story, the man named Mohan takes a break from his teaching career to take care of his father. Pazhanchan Pranayam is a film that will also talk about a few social norms and teach a life lesson too. Cast and crew Dream Big Films distributed the film in 2023. The cinematography was handled by Amosh Puthiyattil and edited by Arun Raghav. The film is directed by Bineesh Kalarikkal. It is produced by Vaisakh Ravi and Stanley Joshua under Ithihasa Movies. Satish Raghunathan has done music for Pazhanchan Pranayam. Also Read: OTT releases this week: New movies and web series you can watch on Independence Day long weekend Some of the actors in the lead roles are: Vineeth Kumar, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Dhyan Sreenivasan, and Manoj K. Jayan, among others. Pazhanchan Pranayam had a decent run at the theatres last year. Now that the Malayalam film is set to debut on OTT, let's see how it will impress the online audience. For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. Living abroad often sounds temptingbetter quality of life, improved work conditions, and cleaner air. But is it really better than staying in India? That is the question a 23-year-old IT worker in India, making 1 lakh a month, asked - if moving abroad might offer a better life. This question sparked a discussion on whether life in India or abroad is better, a debate that many others in similar situations might find valuable. A 23-year-old IT employee from India, earning around 1 lakh per month, shared on Reddit that despite a decent salary, they feel inadequate. "This is an IT employee from India who is 23 and earns approximately 1 lakh per month. I think I earn pretty well but I still I have an inferior feeling in myself that I am not doing well. This is because I see my friends doing higher studies in abroad and their stories and posts makes me jealous to be honest. Is staying in India inferior to settling in abroad," the individual posted on Reddit. They also mention that even if they study more and advance their career in India, the infrastructure and living standards might not match those abroad. "I don't wish to go to other countries and study leaving a good job and all other things here but the social pressure is making me feel inferior," they add. In the comments, many people highlighted the negative aspects of social media. One person mentioned, "I've been off insta my entire 4 years of college, used to have a private id but deactivated it last year. So much peace, I don't know what's going on in whose life and so there's no comparison or whatsoever." Credit: Unsplash Another comment read, "Social media is designed to give you fomo [fear of missing out]... Jealousy is the bread and butter of insta... Do a Risk analysis and you might figure out if its really worth it for you... Higher studies abroad do have their own benefits but they come at a significant cost... Everyone wants to show off and hide the struggles." Someone else said, "Standard of living I get, but going abroad just because your friends are posting on Instagram is lame to be honest." Credit: Country Living Magazine Another commenter highlighted the challenges of settling abroad. They pointed out that while exploring the world and finding personal peace is a valid choice, it's important to be practical. Moving abroad involves hefty university fees and often requires taking low-paying jobs initially. After significant effort, finding a good job can lead to further struggles with work permits and competitive permanent residency processes. Even if you obtain residency, high taxes, expensive insurance, and long wait times for medical appointments can be significant hurdles. Over several years, you may achieve some stability, but the high cost of living and other financial pressures might leave you with little savings. They noted, "Life is good abroad but pls get ready for the struggle! If you land there at a good income job, still the struggle I described above is inevitable." What's your opinion on this? For more information on exams, results and careers, please visit Indiatimes Education. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) data reveals that in 2023, a total of 1,318,955 Indian students went abroad to study in 68 different countries. Among these, 351,106 students chose the USA, making it the second most popular destination after Canada. On August 6, US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti took to X to share a video encouraging students to attend the 'EducationUSA' fairs happening across India for the 2024 season, highlighting the educational opportunities available in the USA. Check out Garcettis's post here: Students and parents, Im thrilled to invite you to our #EducationUSA Fairs, which are taking place all over India this month. This is your chance to meet representatives from more than 80 U.S. universities and learn about admissions, scholarships and much more. Register now to pic.twitter.com/FUF4Sndwei U.S. Ambassador Eric Garcetti (@USAmbIndia) August 6, 2024 But, an Indian engineer has given a stark warning: "Please don't come to #USA Your dreams will be shattered." This statement, which has gone viral, has a number of points to back it up with. Highlighting the green card backlog, X user Suren, who himself is settled in Texas, USA, posted: Please don't come to #USA. These are lies. Don't believe me? Talk to anyone who came here to study in the last decade. - Your dreams will be shattered. - There is no future after your education is over. - Your entire career will be chasing #H1B visas. - Green cards for Indian https://t.co/EJ1XRa74mJ Suren (@TheSurenk) August 8, 2024 He highlights a stark reality: having an 'international degree' does not guarantee automatic success in jobs, investments, or opportunities. The struggles and challenges are present everywhere. "Yes if you get a job, we can make obviously more money but after sometime it really won't matter," he adds. Unfortunately, the reality is that - just because we have an ***international degree*** jobs/investments/opportunities wont fall in our hands. The struggles, challenges are everywhere. Yes if you get a job, we can make obv. more money but after sometime it really wont https://t.co/v8gn3JEN02 Suren (@TheSurenk) August 11, 2024 He shared another statistic: that "out of the 350,000, not more than 30,000 will get H1B per year. Rest will have to go back to India under huge education loan debt. Out of the 30,000 who are coming in now, almost nobody will get a green card in their lifetime. They would be trapped under visa renewals and dropbox appointments." Parents, Students, Those thinking to leave their job (go on student visa) these are the facts https://t.co/DF4sGMzzDX Suren (@TheSurenk) August 11, 2024 People shared a range of opinions in the comments: Credit: X In light of these insights, it's clear that while studying abroad offers opportunities, it also comes with significant challenges and uncertainties. What is your opinion on this? For more information on exams, results and careers, please visit Indiatimes Education. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday confirmed that India is making preparations to become the host of the Olympic Games in 2036. In his address to the nation from Delhi's iconic Red Fort on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day, PM Modi described it as a 'dream of India'. India preparing to host Olympics "India organising the G20 Summit on a large scale has proven that India has the capability to organise large-scale events... It is the dream of India to host the 2036 Olympics; we are making preparations for that," PM Modi said in his speech. CREDIT: PIB Multi-sport games hosted by India So far, the largest multi-sport games India has hosted are the Asian Games in 1951 and 1982, and the 2010 Commonwealth Games. All three were hosted in the national capital, New Delhi. Also read: India 'Seriously' Considering 2036 Olympic Games Bid Who could host Olympics in 2036 Los Angeles will host the next Olympics in 2028, followed by Brisbane, in Australia, in 2032. With Europe, America, and Australia having already hosted the Olympic Games, an Asian country is likely to emerge as the host in 2036. Apart from India, Saudi Arabia and Qatar are also likely to throw their hats into the ring to host the 2036 Olympics. Prime Minister @narendramodi greets the NCC/NSS cadets as part of the 78th Independence Day celebrations and indulges in an animated conversation with the young buds of India. #IndependenceDay2024 pic.twitter.com/0WoNfc9WEP PIB India (@PIB_India) August 15, 2024 Also read: Indians share hilarious takes on which Indian city could potentially host the 2036 Olympics Modi congratulates Indian Olympic team In his Independence Day speech, PM Modi also hailed the Indian Olympic contingent, who were in attendance. CREDIT: PIB "Today, we also have with us the youth who made the Indian flag fly high in the Olympics. On behalf of 140 crore countrymen, I congratulate all our athletes and players," Modi said. He also conveyed his best wishes to the Indian Paralympic contingent who will compete in the Paris Paralympic Games 2024. CREDIT: PIB "In the next few days, a huge contingent of India will leave for Paris to participate in the Paralympics. I extend my best wishes to all our Paralympians," the Indian PM said. For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. India is celebrating the country's 78th Independence Day on Thursday, with a festive mood across the nation. But did you know that August 15 was not supposed to be the day that India became independent from nearly two centuries of British rule? CREDIT: AP Independence for India by June 30, 1948 Yes, that is right! The original plan for India's independence from the British was by June 30, 1948. But it was preponed by 14 months, in what can be described as an act of desperation. It all began with the end of World War II, which drained the resources of Britain, like most other countries, forcing it to let go of its colonies in Asia and Africa. On February 20, 1947, the then-British Prime Minister Clement Attlee announced that Britain would grant full self-governance to India by June 1948. CREDIT: BCCL 'There would be no power left to transfer' While no date was set for the transfer of power to Indians, Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, was tasked to draw out a plan. However, due to rising tensions between the Congress and the Muslim League, Mountbatten feared that things could go out of control if the transfer of power was not expedited. Also read: Celebrate 78th Independence Day: 45+ Inspirational quotes and powerful slogans by Indian freedom fighters According to C. Rajagopalachari, the last Governor-General of India, if Mountbatten had waited until then, there might not have been any power left to transfer. CREDIT: BCCL Why Mountbatten chose August 15 So it was decided that the British would leave the Indian subcontinent before the June 30, 1948 deadline. This left Mountbatten to come up with another day for the transfer of power, and he chose August 15. That is because the date had a historic and personal significance for Mountbatten. Two years ago, on August 15, 1945, Japan surrendered to the Allied Powers led by Britain in World War II, in which Mountbatten played a key role. Thus the day was chosen, and with the partition of the subcontinent, Pakistan was granted independence on August 14, and India became independent on August 15. For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday declared mpox a global public health emergency as cases of the viral infection continue to spread, especially across African countries. The current outbreak is caused by a new strain of the virus that is spreading quickly along the eastern border of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is the most dangerous yet, says the WHO. "Today, the Emergency Committee met and advised me that in its view, the situation constitutes a public health emergency of international concern. I have accepted that advice"-@DrTedros #mpox https://t.co/yy4JsGgUXy pic.twitter.com/MHx2caxAhd World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) August 14, 2024 CREDIT: AP Mpox spreading across Africa According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, thirteen countries across the continent have reported mpox cases in 2024. Over 17,000 suspected mpox infections and more than 500 deaths have been reported in Africa this year, which is an increase of 160% compared to the same period last year. The detection and rapid spread of a new clade of mpox in eastern DRC, its detection in neighbouring countries that had not previously reported mpox, and the potential for further spread within Africa and beyond is very worrying, Director-General of WHO, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said. Also read: Explainer: How Is This Mopox Outbreak Different From Earlier Ones Mpox decalged health emergency for second time This was the second time in two years the WHO has declared mpox a global health emergency. For the second time in two years, @WHO has declared #mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. This time, following an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has spread to several countries in the WHO African Region. The first time an mpox PHEIC was pic.twitter.com/mJ877NbVxc Hans Kluge (@hans_kluge) August 14, 2024 The first time was in 2022, when cases of mpox were also reported from Europe and North America. CREDIT: AP What is Mpox aka Monkeypox Mpox, which was previously called monkeypox, is a viral infection caused by the monkeypox virus. For decades, the spread of mpox was limited to central and western Africa. WHO officially dropped the name monkeypox to avoid racial stigmatisation around the infection. How does Mpox spread Mpox can spread between people through close contact with infected people, including via sex. Mpox can also spread from the environment to people via things and surfaces that have been touched by a person with mpox. It can also be transmitted from infected animals to people who have contact with them. What are the symptoms of Mpox Mpox can cause a range of signs and symptoms including a rash which may last for 24 weeks. This may start with, or be followed by, fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen glands. While some people have less severe symptoms, others may develop more serious illness and need care in a health facility. Those typically at higher risk of more severe symptoms include people who are pregnant, children and people who are immunocompromised. CREDIT: AP Treatment of Mpox An antiviral that was developed to treat smallpox (tecovirimat) was approved in January 2022 by the European Medicines Agency for the treatment of mpox under exceptional circumstances. Vaccines for Mpox Mpox is preventable with vaccination and there are currently three vaccines -- MVA-BN, LC16, and OrthopoxVac that have also been approved. CREDIT: AP However, according to WHO, only people who are at risk should be considered for vaccination. For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. Who can resist the appeal of a delicious treat? Cheesecakes, with their creamy texture and rich flavour, are among the world's most popular desserts. Even this classic treat has not escaped the recent trend of strange food combos. Cheesecake topped with baked beans. Yes, you read it correctly. This unexpected coupling has left social media users both surprised and perplexed. While some thought it completely unpleasant, others wondered how someone could come up with such a mismatch. Who created the unexpected combination on social media? Calvin Lee, a Singapore-based content creator, appears in an Instagram video putting baked beans straight from a can onto a cheesecake. "Let's try Baked Beans Cheesecake," the overlay text stated. Lee takes a bite of this strange concoction and is quite pleased with the taste. He believes that the acidic sweetness of the baked beans contrasts well with the creamy richness of the cheesecake. He even suggests to the audience that this unusual mix is worth trying. Credit: Instagram | Man says this unusual mix is worth trying The caption accompanying the video reads, New York Style Cheesecake + Baked Beans! How did people on the internet react? The video, which was posted only three days ago, has swiftly acquired traction online, garnering over 25,000 views and eliciting a flurry of emotions. Social media users swarmed the comment section with their comments, with many expressing surprise at the unusual culinary pairing. Here's what people said. Credit: Instagram Also read: Recipe Ideas: Try This Refreshing No-Bake Vanilla Cheesecake For Quick Dessert Bliss What do you think about this? Tell us in the comments. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral follow Indiatimes Trending. An AI-generated video of Elon Musk and Donald Trump dancing to the popular Bee Gees song 'Stayin' Alive' has thrilled the Tesla CEO. Mike Lee, a US Senator from Utah, initially posted the 36-second movie on X, and Musk tweeted it on August 14 with the caption: "Haters will say this is AI." What video did Elon Musk share? Haters will say this is AI pic.twitter.com/vqWVxiYXeD Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 14, 2024 The footage appeared days after Elon Musk's conversation with the Republican presidential contender, which was livestreamed on X and delayed by almost 40 minutes owing to a technical fault. As for Musk and Trump's AI film, you could find yourself watching it on repeat because it is so wonderful. Musk and Trump, dressed in pristine suits, danced enthusiastically in perfect synchronization. Watch the video, which has now received over 80 million views. Why are Elon Musk and Donald Trump linked together? Elon Musk endorsed Donald Trump in July, just days after the former US President escaped an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. During their August 13 interview, Trump expressed a variety of grievances, personal insults, and audacious statements, while Musk provided subtle nods of support. Prior to the interview, Donald Trump returned to X, leaving his Truth Social behind for the first time in nearly a year. How did people on the internet react? Here's how people reacted to the video. this is real i was there when they filmed it sophie (@netcapgirl) August 14, 2024 I expect to see this on Inauguration Day Gunther Eagleman (@GuntherEagleman) August 14, 2024 The American Dream Team pic.twitter.com/VqpxhcIKGe Julia (@Jules31415) August 14, 2024 Another AI video went viral on X featuring many personalities, including Narendra Modi. Check the viral video here. Hilarious Don't miss PM Modi after 1:17 pic.twitter.com/xwykoSUf30 Mr Sinha (@MrSinha_) August 13, 2024 What do you think about this? Tell us in the comments. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral follow Indiatimes Trending. Today marks India's 78th Independence Day. This day is observed every year on August 15, and the entire country joins together to commemorate the historical moment of independence from British rule in 1947. On this day, people also remember the independence fighters who dedicated their lives to break the bonds of British rule. Expectedly, many flock to social media to demonstrate how they are celebrating the day, and one of them is an author. Author's rendition of National Anthem goes viral On the eve of our #IndependenceDay2024 , here are two versions of our National Anthem -- One on the guitar, and the other on the harmonica. Dedicated to all those who defend us!#BharatMataKiJai #JaiHind pic.twitter.com/Pck1BPxxm4 Arun Krishnan (@ArunKrishnan_) August 14, 2024 A few hours before Independence Day, he tweeted a video of himself playing two renditions of the Indian National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana, on a guitar and a harmonica. Dr Arun Krishnan has studied in a variety of countries, including India, the United States, Singapore, and Japan. He holds an engineering degree and a doctorate. Before producing The Battle of Vathapi Trilogy, he worked in a variety of fields, including information technology, bioinformatics, computational biology, and human resource analytics. On the eve of our #IndependenceDay2024 , here are two versions of our National Anthem -- One on the guitar, and the other on the harmonica. Dedicated to all those who defend us! author Arun Krishnan wrote as he shared two videos. The video has received over 7,800 views since it was shared a few hours ago. Additionally, it has received approximately 200 likes. Other renditions of National Anthem that are going viral Suhel Seth, an entrepreneur and journalist, praised the Taj Mahal Hotel in New Delhi on Monday for its initiative to present the Indian National Anthem in sign language. Suhel praised the video in a message on X (previously Twitter), saying it 'touches the soul like never before'. The video, which shows hotel staff performing the National Anthem in sign language, has received a lot of attention and acclaim. On the eve of India's 78th Independence Day, Grammy-winning composer Ricky Kej debuted a stunning new version of the Indian National Anthem, featuring an extraordinary collaboration of performers and a Guinness World Record. Kej announced the release of the anthem on social networking site X, writing, "Honored to share my epic rendition of our National Anthem of India (Bharat). Featuring top legendary Indian musicians - a 100 piece British Orchestra and a choir of 14000 tribal children! We even won a Guinness World record :-) Please share, watch, use, but with respect." This rendition features prominent classical musicians from both North and South India, including Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, Amaan & Ayaan Ali Bangash, and Rahul Sharma. Honored to share my epic rendition of our National Anthem of India (Bharat). Featuring top legendary Indian musicians - a 100 piece British Orchestra and a choir of 14000 tribal children! We even won a Guinness World record :-) Please share, watch, use, but with respect :-) It pic.twitter.com/7XASJZ8hxC Ricky Kej (@rickykej) August 14, 2024 Also read: Grammy Winner Ricky Kejs Rendition Of National Anthem Is So Good Even PM Modi Has Praised It What do you think about this? Tell us in the comments. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral follow Indiatimes Trending. India is commemorating its 78th Independence Day, which marks its independence from British domination. People are also turning to social media to share their celebrations, including the US Embassy in India. The members posted a video in which they greet everyone on this auspicious day in 22 different languages. Watch the viral video of the US Embassy wishing India Did you know the Indian Constitution defines 22 scheduled languages? All of us at Embassy New Delhi and the consulates in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai couldnt decide which language to use to express our excitement about Indian Independence Day, so we just used them pic.twitter.com/8ZztmfEsHx U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) August 15, 2024 Did you know the Indian Constitution defines 22 scheduled languages? All of us at Embassy New Delhi and the consulates in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai couldnt decide which language to use to express our excitement about Indian Independence Day, so we just used them all! From every corner of the United States to every corner of India Happy Independence Day! reads the caption to the video. Which languages did the video feature? The eighth schedule of the Indian Constitution includes 22 languages: Assamese, Gujarati, Hindi, Bengali, Kashmiri, Kannada, Manipuri, Konkani, Malayalam, Nepali, Oriya, Marathi, Telegu, Urdu, Bodo, Punjabi, Tamil, Sindi, Sanskrit, Dogri, Maithili, and Santhali. Of the 22 languages, 14 were originally listed in the Constitution, with the others added later. There is also a call for the introduction of 38 other languages. Some include Bhojpuri, English, Pali, Tulu, Kok Barak, and others. With over 10,000 views, the share has also received nearly 200 likes. It's also been retweeted multiple times. Here's how other Embassies wished India Happy Independence Day India Today we honour the sacrifice and commitment to freedom of those who fought for Indias independence. The embassy staff dressed up in the colours of the Indian tri-colour to mark the 78th Independence Day La na Saoirse sona India pic.twitter.com/Up8AmeC2Fx Irish Embassy India (@IrlEmbIndia) August 15, 2024 Members of the Indian diaspora in South Korea enthusiastically participated in the celebrations of 78th Independence day at the Indian Embassy in Seoul. Ambassador Amit Kumar hoisted the Tricolor and read Honble Presidents Address to the Nation. This was followed by pic.twitter.com/0piJ3sdT8I India in ROK (@IndiainROK) August 15, 2024 Happy Independence Day, India! Warmest greetings to all our Indian friends in & celebrating 78th Independence Day. We cherish our strong and long standing bilateral relationship with India. #StrongerTogether #Happy_Independence_Day #IndiaNetherlandsFriendship pic.twitter.com/3RfhoCznAr NL Embassy India (@NLinIndia) August 15, 2024 Also read: Independence Day 2024: Author wins heart after performing National Anthem on guitar & harmonica What do you think about this? Tell us in the comments. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral follow Indiatimes Trending. Tarun Mehta and Swapnil Jain, both alumni of IIT Madras, are the founders of Ather Energy, an electric two-wheeler company that has recently become a unicorn. Their company, founded in 2013, is now valued at about USD 1.3 billion (Rs 10,910 crore). About the Founders: Tarun Mehta and Swapnil Jain Tarun Mehta: Background and Role Credit: Fortune India Tarun Mehta graduated from IIT Madras with a dual degree in Engineering Design in 2012. He left his job at Ashok Leyland to focus on developing battery packs and co-founded Ather Energy with Swapnil Jain in April 2013. As the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ather Energy, Tarun Mehta leads the companys strategic direction and works closely with his team to ensure high standards in vehicle development. Swapnil Jain: Background and Contributions Credit: Fortune India Swapnil Jain, who also graduated from IIT Madras with a degree in Engineering Design, is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Ather Energy. Swapnil plays a key role in establishing the companys technology strategy and managing daily operations to build a strong engineering team and culture. His contributions are vital to Ather Energys success and innovation. Achievements and Recognition Tarun Mehta and Swapnil Jain have gained recognition for their achievements. They were featured on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2018 and the Fortune 40 Under 40 list in 2017 and 2019. Their innovative work in electric vehicles has made a significant impact on the Indian auto industry, establishing Ather Energy as a major player in sustainable transportation. Ather Energys Journey to Unicorn Status Credit: India Today Athers founders, Tarun Mehta and Swapnil Jain, began their research on lithium-ion batteries while at IIT Madras. Frustrated with the quickly degrading batteries in electric scooters, they aimed to develop a better solution. After college, Mehta worked at Ashok Leyland and Jain at General Motors. However, they both left their jobs in 2013 to focus on creating a new lithium battery for electric scooters. Their old college, IIT Madras, supported them with a Rs 5 lakh research grant, and later, V Srinivasan, an IIT Madras alumnus and founder of the big data firm Aerospike, also backed their venture. Ather Energy is among the top four electric scooter manufacturers in India along with Ola Electric, TVS and Bajaj Auto, and has grown rapidly in the electric vehicle market. According to an Economic Times report, the company recently raised USD 71 million (Rs 587 crore) in a new funding round led by the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF). This new investment has boosted Ather Energys valuation to USD 1.3 billion, officially making it a unicorn startup. A unicorn is a privately held company valued at over USD 1 billion. So far, Ather Energy has sold more than 1.73 lakh electric scooters and is supported by major investors like Hero MotoCorp, Tiger Global, and GIC. Ather Energy reported a consolidated revenue of Rs 1,753 crore for the financial year 2024, which was 1.7 percent lower compared to the previous year. Previous key funding rounds: Since the end of 2023, Ather Energy has been securing multiple rounds of funding. In May 2024, Ather raised Rs 286 crore ($34 million) through a combination of debt and equity, mainly from venture debt and co-founders. Stride Ventures invested nearly Rs 200 crore through debentures. Co-founders Tarun Sanjay Mehta and Swapnil Jain each contributed Rs 43.28 crore through Series F preference shares. In September 2023, Hero MotoCorp, an existing shareholder, announced it would invest Rs 550 crore in Ather Energy. In October 2022, Ather Energy raised $50 million (Rs 419 crore) in equity funding, led by Caladium Investment Pte Ltd and supported by Herald Square Ventures, backed by Navam Capital. The story of Tarun Mehta and Swapnil Jain, from their time as IIT Madras graduates to becoming founders of Ather Energy, highlights their entrepreneurial spirit and commitment. Their companys rise to unicorn status reflects their vision and dedication in transforming the electric scooter market in India. For the latest and more interesting financial news, keep reading Indiatimes Worth. Click here Join us on Saturday, August 24 for an important film + Q&A at 6:30PM PDT in San Jose! The latest film from @zeteo - Israel's Reel Extremism - is an examination of Israel and its society after many months of violence, seen initially through the prism of viral social media posts - and exclusive interviews with the soldiers behind them. These posts, some shared millions of times, show soldiers humiliating bound Palestinians, ransacking their homes, and joking as they detonate schools and places of worship. The award-winning team behind the film traveled to interview some of these soldiers, who proudly defended themselves and their videos, some expressing callous disregard for Palestinians in Gaza. Through additional interviews with Israeli radical groups, politicians, and media figures, the film reveals Israeli Jewish society gripped by a vengeance and hate that puts into question any possibility for peace.Watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9xXGqPkIYk We will be joined by a Palestinian social and political activist born and raised in Nazareth. Maha is active in the field of human rights and decolonization, and is an advocate for Palestinian prisoners' rights. She will join for a Q&A to discuss the state of Palestinian prisoners and some of the on-going legal efforts to uphold international law.RSVP: https://bit.ly/reel-extreme $5-15 donation suggested per person, and all profits will go to @sameerproject who is providing tents and funds to displaced families in Gaza.Sponsored by Al-Awda Bay Area, Arab American Cultural Center of Silicon Valley, San Jose Peace & Justice Center, San Jose Against War, SJSU Peoples University 4 Gaza, and If Americans Knew Greece is currently grappling with severe water shortages impacting both its islands and mainland. A report by public broadcaster ERT highlighted the escalating crisis, exacerbated by prolonged drought and a surge in water demand. The situation has resulted in a state of emergency being declared in numerous regions across the country. The Aegean island of Serifos has been under a water emergency for four consecutive months, underscoring the severity of the situation. In the North Aegean, Thasos is actively drilling new wells to address the escalating demand, while Agathonisi in the Dodecanese is heavily reliant on costly desalination units. Crete is also witnessing a dire situation, particularly in Platanias, Hania, where emergency conditions have been implemented due to the critical need for irrigation water to support local agriculture. Mainland Greece is not spared from the crisis. The municipality of Polygyros in Central Macedonia has made an urgent plea to residents and visitors to exercise water conservation and refrain from wasteful practices. In response to the deepening water crisis, scientists are advocating for more cost-effective and environmentally sustainable water management solutions. With at least 14 areas across Greece already declared in a state of emergency, the government faces mounting pressure to implement long-term solutions to avert future crises and ensure a secure water supply for all affected regions. iefimerida.gr Greece's tourism industry is set to reach new heights in 2024, with an estimated 33 million visitors projected to arrive in the country. The allure of Greece's year-round appeal, especially the easily accessible islands with airports, continues to draw travelers from around the globe. Recent data from the UK's National Statistics Office shows that Greece now accounts for 5% of British travel , highlighting its growing popularity.The country's picturesque islands, stunning beaches, and glamorous celebrity hotspots, often featured on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, have amplified its allure, especially during the summer months. The bustling activity on Greece's islands, offering a blend of natural beauty, luxury experiences, and vibrant online presence, underscores the nation's increasing popularity as a tourist destination. With visitor numbers steadily rising, 2024 is on course to solidify Greece's position as a premier travel choice for those seeking both adventure and relaxation. iefimerida.gr The church was built on the top of a volcanic rock that is 40 meters high, where a Genovese fortress built in late Byzantine years used to be. The present form of the church is dated to the mid-19th century. Access to the church is by climbing 114 steps The Benue State Education Quality Assurance Agency (BEQA), on Wednesday, expressed concern that only 150 of the states 6,000 private schools are certified. Terna Francis, Director General of BEQA, made this announcement during a meeting with key stakeholders at the Agencys headquarters. Advertisement The meeting, attended by Ternongo Mede, General Manager of the Benue State Urban Development Board, and Emmanuel Agema, Chairman of the Board of Internal Revenue Service (BIRS), was held in response to plans to close unapproved schools and demolish substandard structures. Francis emphasised that the meeting was an important part of his ongoing efforts to raise the states standards and engage educators. READ ALSO: Reps Withdraw Bill Seeking Imprisonment Of Nigerians Refusing To Recite New National Anthem, Pledge He pointed out that, of the over 6,000 private schools in Benue, only about 150 are fully certified. He also highlighted the significant issue of schools failing to renew their registrations with BIRS for years. The Director General condemned the state of many dilapidated school structures, deeming them unfit for effective learning. He announced that, From September, all school buildings must undergo integrity tests, and only those that meet the required standards will be permitted to operate. Additionally, Dr. Francis revealed that new schools must now obtain clearance from the Urban Development Board before BEQA grants final approval. Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Jalal Arabi, and the Commissions Secretary, Abdullahi Kontagora, are in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). According to report, they are in EFCCs custody over the alleged mismanagement of the N90 billion 2024 Hajj subsidy, In a document sighted on Wednesday, the anti-graft agency said, A total of SR314,098 was recovered, from the NAHCON chairman and other ranking officials. Advertisement The EFCC said its investigation revealed that from the N90 billion Hajj subsidy, Arabi, fraudulently overpaid himself and others the necessary operational cost. Also according to the document, the approved 2024 Hajj operational cost for the Chairman/CEO, Commissioners, Secretary and Directors/Chief of Staff in the 2024 budget are stipulated as $4,250, $12,750, $3,825 and $15,300, respectively. The chairman fraudulently overpaid himself, the commissioners, secretary and directors for the 2024 hajj operational cost. The chairman was entitled to SR15,929 but he got SR50,000; three commissioners who were meant to get SR 15,929 each received SR 40,000 each. The secretary got SR 30,000 instead of SR14,336. Directors/Chief of Staff received SR 30,000 instead of the SR2,550 they were entitled to. The total of SR314,098 were recovered from all of them. The anti-graft agency had first grilled Arabi for hours on July 29 and released him on bail. READ ALSO: 1,301 Pilgrims Died During 2024 Hajj Saudi Arabia Also, last week Wednesday, some top officials of the Hajj commission were arrested by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission over alleged mismanagement or diversion of the N90bn subsidy. On Wednesday, a source in the EFCC disclosed that the NAHCON Chairman was taken in again on Wednesday for questioning and was detained. The Secretary and Chairman of the commission are in our custody and are facing serious interrogations on the N90bn subsidy, among other allegations, the source said anonymously. A document revealed that SR 8,614,175.27 cash withdrawal out of the N90 billion released by the Federal Government to the commission is yet to be accounted for by NAHCON. The document partly read, The sum of N90bn was released by the Federal Government of Nigeria to the National Hajj Commission to subsidise the 2024 Hajj Operations by the Federal Government of Nigeria. The total sum of N1, 764,705,937.62 was deducted by the Central Bank of Nigeria as bank charges. The sum of N88, 235,294,063.72 was subsequently converted into United States dollars at the rate of N1,416.13, which amounted to USD 62,307,164.48 and thereafter transferred into NAHCON British SAAB Account in Saudi Arabia. The sum of USD 62,307,164.48 was converted to Saudi Riyal at the rate of N3,748, which amounted to the sum of SR 233,527,252.47. That the opening balance of the IBAN-E track for 2024 Hajj activities was SR 19,813,810.89 and has an inflow of SR 485,000,000.00 from NAHCON with a closing balance of SR 78,985,266.03. That the closing balance is inclusive of the SR20,637,908.23 refunded from the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah Saudi Arabia. That the total sum of SR 22, 815,367.74 was withdrawn cash from the British SAAB account by one Abubakar Muhammed Lamin in Saudi Arabia during the 2024 Hajj operation. The expected cash payment for services and allowances to staff and stakeholders is SR 14,905,910.47. That the total sum of SR 8,614,175.27 cash withdrawal is yet to be accounted for by NAHCON. The Delta State Police Command has announced the arrest of eight individuals accused of being criminal elements causing mayhem in the state. The commands spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe, confirmed the arrest in a post on his official X on Wednesday. According to him, three of the eight individuals were caught for kidnapping, while five were apprehended for cultism. Advertisement According to the PPRO, one of the accused kidnappers was shot and killed following a gun duel with command officers. READ MORE: Multi-Vehicle Crash On Lagos-Ibadan Expressway Leaves 16 Dead, 17 Injured The post reads, Three suspected kidnappers were arrested six months after they kidnapped a man and collected a ransom of over #5,000,000. The victim never gave up, he reported to the police and we have been on their trail since then. Similarly, in Ughelli, a revolver pump action gun, two Beretta pistols, and one pump action gun were recovered. One of the suspected kidnappers died during the gun duel, and Five suspected cultists were arrested. The command will continue to look after these criminals and ensure that the state is safe for all. SEE POST: The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) says it will be a grave mistake for the Federal Government to ignore the problems that led to the #EndBadGovernance protest. Nigerians held a nationwide protest against economic hardship from August 110. The protesters demanded a return to the petrol subsidy regime, food security, and fiscal discipline, among others. Advertisement In a Wednesday statement, Tukur Muhammad-Baba, the ACFs spokesperson, said the nationwide protest against hunger and poor leadership was largely fueled by the selfish and corrupt behaviour of those in power. Muhammad-Baba asked the government officials to adopt modest habits and responsibly manage public funds to ease the nations economic struggles. The existential conditions of citizens, ostensibly, the rationale behind the protests are dire and need urgent attention; and it will be a grave mistake to ignore this. Far too many citizens lack education, access to health facilities, economic opportunities, and basic necessities to live comfortable, unbearable lives. READ ALSO: Call For Coup By Protesters Undemocratic Afenifere Confounding the dire living conditions has been the challenge of insecurity in the country, the statement reads. The ACF asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to follow through on his commitment and launch a nationwide dialogue to address the countrys pressing issues. Such consultations ought to be well-organised and purpose-driven to include representatives of the people, community-based organisations, interest groups, professional and trade associations, regional interest groups, and religious clergy. Robust and dynamic engagement between citizens and government, including representatives of the people, on the direction of public policies. The entrenchment of the principles of accountability and good governance by government at all levels. The reinvigorated and robust anti-corruption drive by local, state and federal governments, the forum said. The forum lauded the Russian embassys prompt clarification of non-involvement in the protest and also condemned the looting and destruction of public and private properties by hoodlums. The ACF also offered sympathies to families who suffered losses during the protest. A motorist was apprehended on Tuesday by Libyan authorities in the Bishr district for trying to smuggle six Nigerian women without documentation. Migrant Rescue Watch, a migrant monitoring NGO, announced this in a post on its official X handle on Wednesday. According to the post, the nabbed driver, who in a bid to avoid arrest, claimed during a routine police check, that the women were family members. Advertisement READ MORE: Anambra Govt Arrests 30 Minors, Adults In Cracks Down On Child Begging Syndicates However, officials saw through the ploy and arrested both the driver and the six women. The statement said, Libya 05.08.24 Police patrols arrested in the Bishr area of a Libyan driver for an attempted smuggling of 6 undocumented female #migrants of Nigerian nationality. The driver claimed that the female passengers were his family. All transferred to the Bishr Police Dept. for legal action. SEE POST: The Ogun State Police Command has alerted members of the public about a notorious one-chance gang operating within the Sagamu, Ijebu Ode to Mowe Expressway. The commands spokesperson, Omolola Odutola, raised the awareness on Thursday in a statement posted on her X handle. Odutola noted that the command had received multiple reports from residents, including an incident where a victim was robbed at gunpoint of 700,000 after entering a vehicle from Kajola on Wednesday. Advertisement The spokesperson while warning traders and business owners not to risk traveling with huge cash, advised commuters to record and send a video to the police media if they are unsure about a boarded vehicle. Odutola said: The Ogun State Police Command has become inundated with complaints of a notorious gang operating within Sagamu, Ijebu Ode to Mowe. READ MORE: Ogun Police Nab Four Suspected Cultists Over Killing Of Hairstylist Commuters on that axis, make a video of your next trip and upload it to police media when in doubt of the vehicle. Please alert our traders, and business owners not to risk traveling with huge cash. Today, N700,000 was transferred from a victim, who joined from Kajola and at gun point they drove her into a street and made the transfer into a POS machine. Investigation is ongoing. The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Jigawa State has retrieved the bodies of two individuals who drowned in a pond. The incident occurred in BirninKudu Local Government Area. According to a statement issued Wednesday by the commands Public Relations Officer, Badaruddeen Tijjani, the terrible occurrence involved two victims: Abubakar Alhaji, 20, and Abubakar Abdullahi, 25. Advertisement He claimed that the men drowned while trying to cross the pond on their way to a market in Waza village. The unfortunate incident occurred on Monday, at about 1100hrs, Tijjani stated. CSC Muhammad Garba, the NSCDC Divisional Officer in Birnin kudu, said that the unit received a distress call from local people around 1130hrs. READ MORE: Multi-Vehicle Crash On Lagos-Ibadan Expressway Leaves 16 Dead, 17 Injured NSCDC officials, together with divisional disaster management authorities, were quickly deployed to the location to conduct a rescue operation. With the assistance of the community members, we were able to recover the bodies of the two victims after about 48 minutes of search and rescue efforts, Tijjani said. The corpses were then sent to a health facility in Waza, where they were turned over to the victims families. Both men have since been interred according to Islamic customs. Muhammad Danjuma, the NSCDC Commandant in Jigawa State, extended his condolences to the bereaved families and advised parents to take extra precautions during the rainy season, stressing that ponds and rivers in the area have become severely over-flooded. Microsoft has released Visual Studio 2022 v17.11, an update to the flagship IDE that brings enhancements to code reviews and to the GitHub Copilot AI coding assistant. The company also unveiled Visual Studio 2022 v17.12 Preview 1, the first preview of the planned next version of the IDE that features .NET 9 support. Visual Studio 2022 v17.11 and the Visual Studio v17.12 preview were introduced August 13 and are downloadable from the Visual Studio website. With the Visual Studio v17.11 release, improvements to code review workflows make it easier to spot potential issues and collaborate with teammates, Microsoft said. Users will find it easier to view GitHub and Azure DevOps pull request comments directly in their working file in Visual Studio, without switching contexts to the browser. Anna Dhody, the former curator of the Mutter Museum, in Elkins Park, Philadelphia, July 15 2024. She is shown here with antique instruments used for bleeding patients. Read more Curator Anna Dhody is used to people associating her with the Mutter Museum, where she has been the face of the macabre medical history collection that contains more than 6,600 anatomical specimens. But a few months ago, she quietly left her post to begin a new chapter launching her own nonprofit, the Dhody Research Institute. Dhodys new initiative will collaborate with institutions and private collections across the U.S. to conduct scientific research on historical medical collections like studying centuries-old samples of smallpox vaccines for insights into modern-day medicine and promoting STEM engagement through educational videos. Not unlike the museum she curated, her Dhody Research Institute will aim to serve a broad audience serious scientists, interested laypeople, students, and folks in-between. Advertisement Its for anybody whos open to learning more about science and the history of medicine, said Dhody, who intends to collaborate globally. I want to make sure the content we put out is suitable for all demographics. I think thats important. I want to make sure the content we produce is accessible, relatable, informative, and entertaining. Her announcement comes after nearly two years of silence following a publicly turbulent transition in Mutter leadership. The museum that once embraced a disturbingly informative motto abruptly shifted gears, scrubbing much of its online presence, including hundreds of educational, occasionally cheeky videos that Dhody led. Those made her a beloved figure among Mutter fans for almost 20 years. Now shes coming out from the storage room with big plans to continue doing the research and educational work she says is no longer welcome at the Mutter. I wasnt in alignment with what leadership wanted to do, and thats fine. When you disagree about things, you either have the option of staying put, dealing with it, and moving on, or you could leave and do something else. Thats what I decided, said Dhody. Im never going to be able to fully extract myself from [the Mutter]. Im going to have that legacy, and Im just going to lean into it. The Mutter years A forensic anthropologist by trade, Dhody first visited the Mutter when she was 7. Before joining the Mutter in 2004, she was an osteologist at Harvard Universitys Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. Dhody became curator of the Mutters unique collection in 2007, spearheading exhibits that showcased older specimens while working with people who donated their own organs and skeletons. (Dhody herself donated a kidney stone.) During her tenure, the Mutter expanded its audiences in-person and online, with visitorship reaching 130,000 a year and a quirky YouTube channel of some 450 videos earning more than 13 million views. Dhody was the driving creative force behind educational series like Whats on the Curators Desk? where she would explain the story and science behind a jar of skin, an enlarged gallbladder, or a curious historical medical instrument. Dhody didnt just stop at uncovering history: She saw the potential for the Mutters collection to contribute to cutting-edge research that could advance the understanding of diseases and vaccines today including COVID-19. In 2014, Dhody and a team of scientists studied pieces of intestines from six people who died of cholera in the mid-1800s. The DNA they analyzed provided clues to how bacteria evolved into new strains of the disease. That effort led Dhody and Mutter leadership to create a research arm of the museum, called the Mutter Research Institute. Dhody was its director, seeking out research collaborations with other scientists and institutes around the world. READ MORE: Donors who planned to leave their remains to the Mutter are left in limbo amid museum changes Another Mutter Research Institute project came through sheer luck: Robert Hicks, former Mutter director who is now on the board for Dhodys institute, unexpectedly found smallpox vaccination kits dating back to the Civil War in 2020. Dhody sent them to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where scientists studied the history of that vaccines development to better inform the creation of the COVID-19 vaccine. Dhody also petitioned the CDC for permission to send some samples across the border to Canadas McMaster Ancient DNA Centre, where they managed to extract DNA from the roughly 160-year-old artifacts. That was the first time, I believe, that this type of genetic material was successfully obtained from a nonbiological source, said Dhody. It was amazing that we actually got viable DNA. That happened because of this interdisciplinary research that we do. Over the next two years, the museum and its parent organization, the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, brought in new leaders museum director Kate Quinn and CEO Mira Irons as it rebounded from the COVID-19 shutdown. There was a distinct shift in tone and approach, particularly around the human remains in the collection. Quinn removed nearly all of the Mutters YouTube channel, shut down online exhibits, and instructed staffers to delete any images of human remains from the website. Quinn has since initiated a large-scale audit of the museums entire collection, including the two-year initiative Postmortem that has invited the publics feedback on questions of consent and ethics on human remains at the Mutter, most of which were obtained in the 19th century, including from doctors but also through unethical means like grave robbing. Her efforts led to an uproar from Mutter fans in Philadelphia and beyond who worry the museum will be stripped of its unique character. Why Dhody left During much of the Mutters transition, Dhody was on medical leave. When she returned, things were very different. Nobody communicated with me about anything. I was really kind of shuttled off to the sidelines, she said. Thats fine, that was their choice, but it made me really want to kind of be my own boss and be able to do the kind of research I wanted to do. Dhody says museum leadership dissolved the Mutter Research Institute because they were not interested in continuing that work. (Quinn disputed that the institute was dissolved, writing in an email: Anna was the driving force behind the Institute, and with her departure its activities have been paused.) The former curator was also absent from town halls for the museums Postmortem project. While she agrees that some museum displays need to be reevaluated, Dhody was not part of the human remains committee that Quinn organized to lead the initiative and assess the collection. She said she was not asked to participate, but she hopes they talk to scientists who have studied the collection. We had no intention to exclude her from the process. On the contrary, Postmortem has not concluded, and we would welcome her participation at any time, said Quinn. Dhody said shes happy to accept the invitation but is also ready to move on from the Mutter. In addition to the Dhody Research Institute, she is working on a memoir about her years at the museum and planning an informational TV series focused on death through medical, legal, economic, and cultural perspectives. Shes excited to be back in front of the camera, too: The first video in the Dhody Research Institutes new series Whats That For? showcases the private collection of an ob-gyn doctor in Cherry Hill.The collection includes a contraceptive sponge, which shell use to talk about a group called the Dainty Maids. In the 1950s, these women went door-to-door selling feminine hygiene products while secretly delivering contraceptives. Im not afraid to have these uncomfortable conversations Its very important to be frank, said Dhody. Thats one of the great things about owning your own research institute you can decide what you want to put out there. Shes brought along former Mutter staffers like videographer Jonah Stern and college fellow Marianne Hamel, who has joined the Dhody Research Institutes board. The DRI hopes to fill the void [left by the Mutter] in interdisciplinary research using historical medical collections and in science communication to the general public, said Hamel. Im hoping that Annas fans from YouTube and social media will follow the DRI, because I think theyll find what theyve been looking for there. Dhody is looking forward to interviewing authors of medical histories and presenting that information, as well as opening her viewers to medical museum collections from around the world. Its going to be really fun, she said. Wawa broke ground on its first West Virginia location on Wednesday. The store will be located at Route 51 Bypass Near Route 11 in Inwood. Read more Wawa is expanding into West Virginia a state that already hosts competitor Sheetz locations. The convenience store chain broke ground on its first location in the state Wednesday. We are excited to start construction on our first West Virginia store and look forward to our first grand openings in early 2025 when we can begin serving this wonderful community, vice president of real estate for Wawa John Poplawski said in a statement. Advertisement The companys first store in West Virginia is in Inwood, and initial expansion plans in the state include opening three to five new stores in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties in the next five years. The new stores are expected to employ about 35 at each location. The move into West Virginia comes as Wawa is in the midst of an expansion. This year, the company is celebrating 60 years in business and has said it will open over 70 stores in 2024. Some of those stores are planned for Alabama, Georgia, and North Carolina, new states for the company. Wawa is also pursuing growth in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana, and plans to have 160 stores in those states in eight to 10 years, the company announced in 2023. Wawa has also been diversifying its store offerings, including opening its first drive-through during the pandemic. Last year, the company also began testing a digitally focused store at its Drexel University location. It launched with no products on shelves to choose from, and customers needing to order items from a touch screen. While Wawa pursues expansion beyond Pennsylvania, several stores in Philadelphia have shuttered in recent years. Since 2020, six locations have closed in Center City, with safety and security challenges cited in 2022 for two of the closures. In March, The Inquirer reported that another Wawa location was closing near the Rodin Museum, and a spokesperson for the company said they had not been offered a lease renewal at the site. Wawa got its start in 1964 selling dairy products as Wawa Food Market, and today has more than 1,060 stores operating in eight states and Washington, D.C. The company aims to have nearly 2,000 stores by 2030, and an employee of the company has also said Wawa wants to eventually have a store in every state. Columbia University President Minouche Shafik resigned Wednesday, following mounting concerns over her handling of antisemitic complaints on campus and the recent resignation of three deans who were forced out of their positions over text messages that Shafik said touched on antisemitic tropes. Shafik, an economist and former president of the London School of Economics who led Columbia for just over a year, is the third Ivy League president to resign in the wake of unrest over antisemitism. Advertisement University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill resigned in December after bipartisan criticism of her congressional testimony on the universitys policies in dealing with antisemitism. Harvard President Claudine Gay who testified on the same panel, resigned in January. All three presidents were on the job less than two years. READ MORE: Penn president Liz Magill has resigned following backlash over her testimony about antisemitism In her resignation letter to the Columbia community, Shafik cited a period of turmoil where it has been difficult to overcome divergent views across our community. This period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in our community, Shafik wrote. Over the summer, I have been able to reflect and have decided that my moving on at this point would best enable Columbia to traverse the challenges ahead. Katrina Armstrong, CEO of Columbia University Irving Medical Center, will step in as interim president, the university said. She also is executive vice president for Health and Biomedical Sciences and dean of the Faculties of Health Sciences and Medicine and the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. When Magill stepped down at Penn, J. Larry Jameson, executive vice president of the University of Pennsylvanias health system and its medical school dean, stepped in as interim president. Penn announced in June that he would remain interim through the 2026 academic year. Shafiks resignation comes less than three weeks before the start of Columbias fall semester and as other colleges locally and nationally prepare for the return of the students and expected protests over the Israel-Hamas war in the Middle East. Shafiks departure also signals the high political stakes surrounding the contentious debate in the United States where the nations role in the overseas conflict has emerged as a top issue in the 2024 election. Pro-Palestinian encampments at Columbias New York campus last spring kicked off a slew of similar tent protests at campuses nationally, including at Penn, Swarthmore, Bryn Mawr, Haverford, Drexel, and Rutgers. In some cases, including Penn, universities called in police to disband the encampments and students were arrested. At Columbia, students and other protesters barricaded themselves in an academic building, prompting Shafik to call in police for which she was criticized. Several hundred were arrested. She later also faced criticism for her testimony before the same congressional committee where Magill and Gay appeared. It has been distressingfor the community, for me as president and on a personal levelto find myself, colleagues, and students the subject of threats and abuse, she wrote. As President Lincoln said, A house divided against itself cannot stand we must do all we can to resist the forces of polarization in our community. READ MORE: Philly Police have cleared Penns Pro-Palestinian encampment and arrested 33 protesters Three Columbia deans, Susan Chang-Kim, Cristen Kromm and Matthew Patashnick were removed from their posts in July after their texts during a discussion about Jewish life on campus were made public. The texts were first reported by The Washington Free Beacon, a conservative website, and then released by the congressional committee. Drexel President John A. Fry, left, and Interim President Denis O'Brien discuss the transition in leadership as Fry prepares to depart for a new job as president of Temple University. Read more Its not the first time that John A. Fry and Denis P. OBrien will be passing the leadership baton. The two worked together in 2016 when OBrien, former president of Exelon Utilities, was on his way out as chair of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia, and Fry, president of Drexel University, was on his way in. Advertisement Now, Fry is the one heading out, slated to cross town and become president of Temple University on Nov. 1 after a 14-year tenure at Drexel. And OBrien, who had been a member of Drexels board of trustees, will take the helm. OBrien was named interim president last month, and the two have been working together, meeting individually and with teams. READ MORE: Drexel names Denis OBrien interim president; John Fry to start as Temples president Nov. 1 Denis has been in the office every day for a month now, Fry said, noting that they have separate offices in the presidential suite across from each other. Feels like a year, OBrien said, sitting across from Fry in a Drexel conference room earlier this week. Has it only been a month? The private West Philadelphia university is amid big projects, including a merger with Salus University, a plan to convert from a quarter to a semester system among a larger academic restructuring and implementation of an agreement with the U.S. Department of Educations Office of Civil Rights to improve Drexels handling of antisemitism complaints. READ MORE: As Drexels John Fry gets voted in as Temples next president, heres what he plans to do OBrien, a Newtown Square resident who has been on Drexels board for more than two decades and worked for Exelon and affiliated companies for more than 37 years, said he is planning to keep those efforts going, as the university searches for its next president. John has a great playbook and weve got a lot of really significant and important initiatives all teed up and underway, said OBrien, 64, who noted that he will not be a candidate for the permanent job. And so my strategy is not to reinvent anything but just take those things forward as fast as we possibly can. John and I have known each other a long time. I feel like were going to have a great handoff and great continuity. OBrien was on the search committee when Fry was hired, and has served on the trustees executive committee and chaired its buildings and property committee, overseeing major projects including Schuylkill Yards a multibillion dollar development carried out in partnership with Brandywine Realty Trust that transformed parking lots and industrial buildings between Drexels campus and 30th Street Station. OBrien is not drawing a salary in his interim role. Frys total compensation in 2022 was about $2.2 million, with a base salary of more than $886,000. Drexel on enrollment, finances in a challenging environment Frys departure also comes as Drexel, like many other universities, is facing a budget crunch, with net tuition revenue down and enrollment still uncertain for the fall in part because of ongoing problems with federal financial aid forms. Both Fry, 64, and OBrien acknowledged that cost adjustments or reductions will be necessary, but did not elaborate when asked whether that could include staff cuts. Higher education is somewhat challenged now, OBrien said, pointing to recent college closures locally, including University of the Arts and Cabrini University. Drexel is going to have some of the same challenges. And its going to have some financial challenges that were going to have to really work through to make sure our revenue structure and cost structure are in the right place. Fry declined to release Drexels projected enrollment figures for the fall, saying it was still too early with the start of the quarter a month away and ongoing impact from snags in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Its jumping around in all sorts of ways that we havent experienced before, he said. Enrollment stood at 21,700 last school year, down 10% from 2017, a significant drop but not as much of a percentage decrease as Temple, La Salle and some other schools have experienced in recent years. On the positive side, the university has lost fewer students this summer, known as melt, than in previous years, and nearly 90 students from the University of the Arts have put down deposits to enroll, Fry said. The school also will expand 1,200 students with the addition of Salus, he said, and its medical school branch campus in Reading is full; there are plans to open another one in Atlantic City. But with a better economy, graduate student enrollments have softened as people find it more lucrative to go into the job market than go back to school, Fry said. That, in part, has driven a decline in Drexels net tuition revenue, Fry said. In 2023, it stood at $610 million $17 million less than it was in 2015. Fry said hes still hopeful that Drexel will hit its enrollment targets, but wont really know until official numbers are gathered six weeks after the semester starts. Enrollment isnt the only thing causing a budget crunch. Some of the cash flow challenges have to do with medical malpractice settlements, which dont ever come planned, Fry said. Because we were involved at Hahnemann Hospital, those are trailing lawsuits. They follow us to this very day. ... Some of these cases are over 10 years old. Hahnemann was the teaching hospital for Drexels School of Medicine. It closed in 2019. Drexel, Fry said, finished fiscal year 2023 with a positive operating margin. He declined to release results for this year, explaining that the numbers were in auditing and wouldnt be available until October. Fry pointed out that the university has weathered financial changes in the past, including the impact from the pandemic and the abrupt closure of Hahnemann, both of which forced financial belt-tightening. Colleges also are having to cope with increased competition, a decline in high school students and pressures from national and world events, including Hamas Oct. 7 attack on Israel and the subsequent military response in Gaza. This environment is only going to continue to be tumultuous for all universities, Fry said. Drexel has sought to bolster its endowment, which is now in excess of $1 billion. Leases of land for the development of Schuylkill Yards already added $108 million to the endowment and $70 million more is expected, Fry said. But, he said, its not close to exceptionally well-endowed institutions like Penn, which really insulates institutions from a lot of what were talking about. The University of Pennsylvanias endowment exceeds $21 billion. Always available for a consult OBrien got his bachelors degree in industrial engineering from Rutgers University-New Brunswick and an MBA from Drexel. He is married and has three grown children, one of them a Drexel graduate and one still in college, a sophomore at Pennsylvania State University. An Eagles season ticket holder, he grew up in Havertown and lived there most of his life, before recently relocating to Newtown Square. Fry, who will depart Drexel on Sept. 30, said he will take October off before joining Temple. During that time, he said, he plans to settle into his new 18th-century house in Newtown Square and prepare it for entertaining Temple guests. But he said he will continue to be available for consultation as OBrien needs. My commitment and loyalty to Drexel will never end, Fry said. OCEAN CITY, N.J. After Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian announced that this season would be the last for his familys beloved Wonderland Pier, shock and sadness spread throughout the Shore. No more toddlers riding the old fire engines or boat rides, no more Wacky Worm Ride or Moby Dick or Tilt-a-Whirl. People took to Facebook to try to save the place, or part of it. Whatever happens, the skyline NEEDS that Ferris wheel, wrote Sue McElwee. Advertisement Many wondered: What is to become of the boardwalk landmark? Currently owned by developer Eustace Mita, whose desire for a first-class hotel is well-known, the property is listed in Cape May County property records as having a tax assessment as $12,712,800. Mounting debts In some corners of Ocean City, some people were less surprised, noting the deteriorating condition of some rides, the curtailed hours, and the recent financial history of Wonderland. In January 2021, the amusement park nearly went to sheriffs sale before Mita, the owner of the Icona Resorts, intervened. The amusement park in various forms has been in the Gillian family for 94 years. On Friday, Gillian wrote that Wonderland was no longer a viable business. Gillian also has notable financial problems, both personal and related to the business, including IRS and New Jersey tax liens. And, two prominent Ocean City developers, Scott Halliday and Eustace Mita, held mortgages for Gillian on personal residences: Halliday for $620,000 and Mita for $1 million. Mita is the hotel-coveting developer who has been in Ocean City for decades. In early 2023, he proposed a $150 million hotel on city-owned land next to the pier (which Mayor Gillian opposed). He now owns the Wonderland Pier land, having spent $10 million to bail out Gillian from the looming 2021 sheriffs sale. Eight million went to pay off Gillians unpaid mortgage debts to First Priority Bank. Much of this has been the subject of local mayoral elections, as candidates tried to unseat Gillian. The most recent race, in 2022, saw him winning reelection to a fourth term over Councilman Keith Hartzell, who warned that Wonderland Pier was vulnerable to future development. After the announcement of the closing, Hartzell said he was hopeful that Mita might incorporate rides in any future development. He cautioned that any hotel with more than 100 rooms could find a path to alcohol that would use state law to circumvent the dry towns local ordinances. I think the park fell into disrepair, and I dont know why it fell into disrepair, Hartzell said. I think [Mita] firmly believes the town needs a hotel, Hartzell said. At the same time, it needs an amusement park. Ocean City hates change. This is a devastating blow of change. Citing what he called the mayors dire financial situation, David Breeden, president of the Fairness in Taxes citizens group, called the situation leading up to the closure a ticking time bomb. If you have been paying attention, the closing of Gillians Wonderland Pier should have come as no surprise, Breeden said, in an e-mailed statement. Frankly, the question is how was Mayor Gillian able to juggle the financial balls for so long, he said. [B]ut we know the answer to that question and its because of the generosity of his developer friends. Gillian did not respond to several messages from a reporter, nor did developer Halliday. Mita has been open about the mortgage and the bailing out of Wonderland. He said Friday he was as surprised as anyone when Gillian made the decision to pull the plug on Wonderland. Liens, mortgages, and lawsuits Among Mayor Gillians transactions cited by critics over the years: There was a failed amusement park venture in Sea Isle City, built with $2.5 million of Gillian company money and closed after five years, buffeted by damage from Hurricane Sandy and an ill-considered emphasis on rides for little kids in Sea Isle. In 2009, the year the park opened, Jay Gillian and his wife, Michele, borrowed $1.5 million from the First Bank of Sea Isle, and are still in litigation over the remaining $525,000 owed on the mortgage. In 2022, in correspondence with the Bank of Sea Isles attorneys, filed in the court records, Gillian attorney Michael Bohrer states that the Gillians are unable to make a $705,000 requested payment. It is my hope that First Bank is not so insensitive so as to cause irreparable damage to the reputation of two of Ocean Citys most prominent public figures, Bohrer wrote, as well as causing loss of income to the employees of Wonderland who depend on their wages to meet their day-to-day living expenses by pursuing formal collection efforts against the Gillians. A trial date on the remaining half-million owed is scheduled for Aug. 29. The near-sheriffs sale of the Wonderland property, averted in 2021, when developer Mita bought it for $10 million, $8 million of which went to pay off debt. Gillians then leased the property to operate Wonderland. Mita said Friday the ownership of the rides themselves was split. Meanwhile, Gillians latest reelection, in 2022, was financed with a $106,000 cash donation from himself, according to election finance records. There were two tax liens filed against Gillian: one in 2023 by the state of New Jersey for $973,000, and one in 2024 by the IRS for $955,000. Two prominent developers in Ocean City, Halliday and Mita, the latter the current owner of the property at 600 Boardwalk, held the mortgages on personal properties of Gillians. Both developers routinely seek permission from Ocean City government for various projects. Gillian publicly opposed Mitas past proposal for a Boardwalk hotel. Hallidays OC Boardwalk Ventures LLC company held a $620,000 mortgage on a property at 30 E. Aberdeen Rd. That mortgage was paid off in 2023, when Gillian and his wife, who is head of Ocean Citys Chamber of Commerce, sold to Edward Hazzouri, chairman of a prominent lobbying firm in Philadelphia. The sale price was $3.05 million. Mita then provided a $1 million mortgage for the Gillians home in the Ocean Reef Condominium Association. Halliday also provided a mortgage for this property, for $69,000. A house owned by Gillians mother, Jean M. Simpson (Simpson was divorced from Gillians father, Roy, and remarried to Dave Simpson, whose family owns Playlands Castaway Cove, the other amusement park on the boardwalk), was acquired by the Gillians in 2011 for $1. Two years later, the couple sold the property to the developer Halliday for $1.5 million. Less than two months later, Halliday resold the property for $2.2 million to the property owner next door. Mita says he will take the next six months to figure out whats next for the landmark Wonderland property. Most in town assume he still wants to build a hotel, which would require zoning changes from the city and other permissions. Ocean City has a mayor-council form of government, with the mayor running the administrative side, making departmental appointments and serving on the planning board (seven of whose members he also appoints). The City Council votes on ordinances and appoints zoning board members. Breeden questioned the propriety of Gillians financial entanglements with Halliday and Mita. He noted that the developer who provided the $1 million mortgage to Mayor Gillian is the same developer that has publicly stated numerous times that they want to build a boardwalk hotel that is currently not permitted under the citys existing zoning laws and inconsistent with the citys master plan. Only in the political world could such relationships be considered proper and appropriate, Breeden noted. File photo of the gateway to Sea Isle City's Fish Alley. (ED HILLE / Staff Photographer ) Read more A fire caused significant damage Wednesday evening at a restaurant in the popular Fish Alley section of Sea Isle City in Cape May County. A photo posted on social media showed firefighters battling the fire at Casa Taco, which is located at 4210 Park Rd. CBS3 posted a video online of flames shooting out of the building, which also contains a pizza and cheesesteak shop, and reported that the fire had been declared under control. Advertisement No injuries were reported. Police and fire officials in Sea Isle City could not be reached for comment. The nearby Oar House Pub was briefly evacuated because of its proximity to the fire, which started at Casa Taco around 5 p.m., said Amy Cossaboone, the manager at Oar House. Fish Alley is a popular Shore destination, with establishments like Oar House, where Fox 29 traffic anchor Bob Kelly is a frequent emcee, and Mikes Seafood. Former labor leader John Dougherty arrives at the federal courthouse in Reading on July 11. Read more Federal prosecutors on Thursday said they will not retry former Philadelphia labor leader John Dougherty on extortion charges, ending the last lingering legal threat he faced just weeks before he was set to report to prison. Lawyers for the government offered little explanation for their decision in a four-page court filing, which came months after a jury failed to reach a verdict in the case and five weeks after a judge sentenced Dougherty to six years behind bars for his separate convictions on bribery and embezzlement charges. Advertisement However, prosecutors said, they do intend to retry Doughertys nephew Greg Fiocca, who stood trial alongside his uncle earlier this year. Reached Thursday, Dougherty declined to discuss the decision to drop the case. His attorney, Greg Pagano, responded with a blunt text message. John Dougherty should never have been indicted in that case in the first place, he said. Rocco Cipparone, a lawyer for Fiocca, said hed hoped prosecutors would have also reconsidered trying again for a conviction against his client. But, he added: The government makes its decisions for its own reasons, and were prepared to move forward and try the case. The governments withdrawal of the last remaining case against Dougherty a once-towering union boss who built Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers into the most powerful force for organized labor in the state brings to a close a protracted, eight-year legal war between him and the federal government. By the time his extortion trial began in April, hed already been convicted in two earlier cases a bribery trial involving former Philadelphia City Councilmember Bobby Henon and a $600,000 embezzlement case involving six other union officials and allies. He was sentenced to six years in prison on those charges last month and is scheduled to turn himself in Sept. 4. READ MORE: I am guilty: John Doughertys stunning statements at sentencing delivered an about-face few had predicted Prosecutors contended that Dougherty and Fiocca had also extorted a contractor whod docked Fioccas pay and threatened to fire him for poor job performance amid the 2020 construction of the Xfinity Live! Casino and Resort in South Philadelphia. Fiocca, they said, flew into a rage, slapping one of his bosses, choking him, throwing him onto a table, and spitting on him twice. Witnesses testified that when Dougherty found out about the blow-up he took his nephews side. They told jurors he floated the idea of pulling all Local 98 workers from the job site and frustrating the contractors future efforts to land work in Philadelphia unless Fiocca remained on the job. But defense lawyers stressed throughout the eight-day trial that Dougherty never followed through on those threats and that it was legal for labor leaders to make certain threats to advance union interests. That latter argument appeared to hold sway with the jury. Members of the panel offered no explanation in court for their inability to reach a verdict during 11 hours of deliberations before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl declared a mistrial in the case. But one juror told The Inquirer afterward that, aside from a lone holdout, the rest of the panel was ready to acquit both men. READ MORE: Inside the Johnny Doc jury room: All but one juror voted to acquit the labor leader in extortion case, panel member says Several of us thought it didnt feel like a strong case, said the juror, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to shed light on the panels confidential discussions. A lot of the prosecutions case seemed to be about Fiocca being a terrible worker, and we were all, like, Well, its not illegal to be a bad worker. Opposing views on the strength of the case also influenced the governments deliberations on whether to retry it. In the aftermath of the mistrial, some believed that having secured two previous convictions against Dougherty and a six-year prison sentence the prosecution team had achieved justice and that a retread of the third trial was unnecessary. READ MORE: John Dougherty extortion trial: Day-by-day updates Others, meanwhile, urged to push forward with a retrial, believing the case was still winnable with a different jury, according to three sources familiar with those discussions. Dropping it entirely would mean Fiocca would not be held accountable for his alleged crimes, they said. Cipparone, Fioccas lawyer, said Thursday he doesnt expect the witnesses or evidence against his client to change drastically before the Sept. 16 date the court has set for the retrial. I already know exactly what the witnesses are going to say, he said. And as the prior jury saw, there are warts on the governments case, and we hope to bring those out again. Running on the so-called politics of joy, the vice president subbed in when the unpopular incumbent POTUS shocked the nation by deciding not to run captured the nomination without winning a single competitive primary. Out in the streets of Chicago, thousands of anti-war protesters marched into a line of police determined to keep them away from the convention hall. Inside the arena, Democratic elites worked to keep rebel delegates from disrupting the show while a law and order Republican prepared to take advantage. Yup, the comparisons between the mother of all political confabs 1968s Democratic National Convention at Chicagos long-demolished International Amphitheater, marked by violence and nonstop chaos and the 2024 DNC that opens Monday at the United Center are almost too easy. Dig deeper, though, and the analogies dont really work. Advertisement The woman of the hour, vice president and already certified nominee Kamala Harris, is nothing like the sometimes awkward Hubert Humphrey, whose Happy Warrior shtick wouldnt have worked on TikTok, even without the world of trouble in 1968 that kept his politics of joy grounded. Unlike the hundreds of delegates who screamed 56 years ago for an end to the Vietnam War, just 30 or so uncommitted delegates are hoping to raise a ruckus around Gaza. Rather than mayhem, Team Harris hopes Chicago will provide the exclamation point on one of the most stunning reversals of fortune in American political history. In 1968, protesters who massed outside downtowns Conrad Hilton Hotel, where candidate Humphrey was staying, chanted that the whole world is watching as cops in baby-blue helmets clubbed them and fired off tear gas. Thats because the whole world pretty much was watching an event when the future of America was on the line and no one could predict what would happen next. The Nielsen TV rating of 28.5 (percentage of households) for the 1968 DNC was nearly double last months 14.3 rating for Donald Trumps Republican National Convention acceptance speech in Milwaukee. The Democrats real problem in 1968 was that their convention was too exciting. Harris biggest worry for next week should be that it might be too boring. After all, how could anyone top the drama of the last two months, which started with President Joe Bidens campaign-ending botched debate in Atlanta, the failed assassination attempt on Trump, the GOPs cult-like gathering in Milwaukee, the lightning bolt drama of Harris replacing Biden, and the explosive catharsis from approving Democrats, which only grew with the somewhat surprising pick of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate? A flurry of new polls is showing that the massive vibe shift around the Harris/Walz ticket coupled with Trumps slurred, conspiratorial failure to come up with a strategy to counter it has turned the key swing states from Pennsylvania to North Carolina by as many as 8-10 points in her direction. Its been largely a triumph of branding the vague promise of freedom on popular issues like reproductive rights over substance. Can Harris sustain that kind of momentum without a more detailed platform of what shed actually do as president, and how it might look different from Biden? Or should she use Chicago as a grand opportunity to fill in some of the blanks? Theyve done a great job on the way there, which makes her job easier, Larry Sabato, the veteran University of Virginia historian who watched that 1968 convention with other politically precocious high school buddies, told me this week. His advice to Harris is to keep her message uplifting and nonspecific and to resist the growing media demands for an unscripted news conference. Getting pushed into a press conference helps Trump, and it helps the press, Sabato said. The one person it doesnt help is Kamala Harris. Whether Harris gets more specific is a big question looming over Chicago, but its not the only one. Here are four key ones: 1. No, seriously, what is her policy? Its not surprising given the abrupt way she was handed the nomination, but Harris who doesnt even have a policy tab on her campaign website has promised voters a future-focused presidency with few, if any, insights on what that future would look like or how it would differ from the last four years under Biden. Since July, her campaign has gotten more specific on what she does not support the fracking ban and Medicare for All plans she backed in 2019 than what she does now endorse. That has to change, and it already is. A speech Friday in the key swing state of North Carolina has promised to address economic concerns, including corporate price gouging, and is likely to feature some breaks from Biden without broadly dissing his fiscal policies. Her DNC acceptance speech next week, typically the most-watched event of the convention, will probably include lots of personal bio and stirring uplift, but will it offer any bold new ideas on policy? READ MORE: America will never be the same after Milwaukees tent revival for the cult of Donald Trump | Will Bunch 2. Chaos in the streets? Protests at Julys RNC in Milwaukee largely fizzled (historically, leftists protest Democrats more than Republicans ... go figure), but thousands are expected to march next week in Chicago for a variety of mostly progressive causes, but mainly to urge Biden, Harris, and their fellow Democrats to dial back support for Israel in its lethal and ongoing campaign in Gaza, which has been blamed for 40,000 deaths, largely civilians. The two biggest marches, on constrained routes barred from passing the United Center, go off on Monday and Thursday. Many have pointed out that Chicagos current progressive mayor, the pro-justice-reform Brandon Johnson, is the polar opposite of notorious 1968 mayor Richard J. Daley, a cheerleader for that years police crackdown. But America is a much more militarized and on-edge police state today than it was a half-century ago, and the martial culture of rank-and-file cops hasnt changed as much as the transition in City Hall. The potential for massive disruptions which would instantly become fodder for the GOP, especially in the era of iPhone videos definitely exists. 3. Chaos in the hall? The Democrats goal of a four-day pro-Harris love fest inside the United Center faces one small problem: the election last spring of about 30 delegates mostly from Minnesota and Michigan, with large Arab American populations running on uncommitted slates to not support the current ticket, but to press their demands for a cease-fire in Gaza and at least a temporary halt in U.S. weapons sales to Israel. This small group will urge the Democrats to adopt a platform that is more favorable to the Palestinian cause, and many expect the uncommitted faction to raise a ruckus if they feel the crisis in the Middle East is being ignored. It seems silly to worry about such a small sliver of dissidents when compared to the large anti-Vietnam War faction that sang We Shall Overcome in 1968, or even the sizable group of boisterous and sometimes disruptive Bernie Sanders supporters in Philadelphia in 2016. It reveals the obsession of party leaders with complete control, which brings us to ... 4. Will America be bored to tears? Every statement from the Harris/Walz campaign stresses its focus on the future, so its interesting in that context that what little we know about next weeks schedule is that speakers will include a likely emotional valedictory from Biden as well as Barack Obama and Bill and Hillary Clinton. I get it. Its a powerful contrast with last months RNC, which shunned past luminaries like George W. Bush in favor of the low-wattage star power of Hulk Hogan and Kid Rock. On the other hand, are the young voters so critical for deciding this election excited to hear from Hillary Clinton and other ghosts of politics past? What is more remarkable: How few people watch these four-day infomercials disguised as political conventions compared to the 1960s, or that anyone still watches at all? For what its worth, Team Harris seems to get this. The campaign is placing a special emphasis on chopping up the best bites of Chicago and repackaging them in 30- or 60-second pieces on TikTok, Instagram, or the other places where young persuadables actually watch. A four-day festival of content creation? Why not? America said goodnight David, goodnight Chet, and goodbye to Uncle Walter a long time ago. What will matter most from Chicago is what pops up on your iPhone: Beyonces Freedom, or tear gas. The whole world is clicking. READ MORE: SIGN UP: The Will Bunch Newsletter Chef Donte Precia (crouching front left) with culinary students from Murrell Dobbins Career and Technical Education High School who traveled with him to Italy to experience that nation's cuisine. The students raised funds by cooking for events to finance the trip. Read more When I enrolled in high school, college prep was the only option. Vocational education was seen as less than but that was way before university costs began skyrocketing. Over the years, I, like many other Americans, have become less convinced about the value of a four-year degree, particularly for certain majors. Advertisement Its refreshing to see that theres an increase in young people opting for careers in the trades such as carpentry. The Toolbelt Generation, as the Wall Street Journal recently called young people choosing trade schools over college, is becoming more of a thing. So when I heard an instructor at Murrell Dobbins Career and Technical Education High School in North Philadelphia was raising money to take his culinary arts students on an all-expenses-paid trip to Italy, I was thrilled. Dobbins is a big public high school with the same safety concerns that plague other schools in Philadelphia. Its not often you hear of vocational students getting opportunities like a trip of a lifetime. We need more of this. After they returned, the instructor, Donte Precia, invited me to stop by the school for lunch and to hear about their adventure abroad. I walked in expecting sandwiches and chips. Instead, lunch was served inside the Flame and Steel Restaurant located on the third floor of Dobbins imposing eight-story, Moderne-style building. The cooks and servers were all recent graduates of the schools culinary arts program. I watched as a smiling young woman, dressed in black pants and a white shirt, approached and placed a knife and fork in front of me before disappearing back inside the schools professional-grade kitchen. For starters, they put out a cheese and veggie platter, followed by cannellini bean soup. (The students tasted it for the first time in Italy, but adapted it since some of them dont eat pork.) Next up was frutti di mare seafood atop a bed of penne and grilled eggplant with a balsamic glaze. They even baked homemade cookies. Since I wasnt watching, I assumed Precia had cooked everything, but he corrected me. I give out the instructions, he said. The students follow the instructions, and they make the food. Precia got the idea to take his culinary arts students abroad on Thanksgiving 2022, after his niece, who attended Carver High School of Engineering and Science, told him about a school trip to Germany. He told me, I said, If E&S can go to Germany, my kids can go overseas, too. Originally, they set their sights on Paris. But that idea got scratched because of the Summer Olympics. To pay for it, Precia and students catered various events for the School District of Philadelphia, the police department, and other city offices, earning roughly $1,500 to $2,000 per event. They raised around $19,000 in about five months but still needed $14,000. So, Precia asked his daughter, Donyia, to create a TikTok video about their fundraising efforts, which went viral. In just a few days, they raised $24,000. Not only did he have enough to fund the trip, Precia also was able to give out a few $1,000 scholarships, pay tuition for four students to attend a summer program at Walnut Hill Colleges summer program for high school juniors, and also gift 19 graduating seniors with chef supplies. The experience really opened the eyes of the six young people selected for the 10-day trip abroad. For Damiya Scott, 18, it was her first time out of the country. She marveled at how even a fresh tomato tasted different: Its a fresher dining experience. It opened Precias eyes, as well. Hes thinking even bigger now. Precia hopes to purchase a 59-foot mobile kitchen at a cost of around $175,000 that can be driven to the annual Roots Picnic and other local events. He also wants to raise enough funds to take 10 students to Spain and Portugal during the summer of 2025. In the process, he wants to spread the word about what Dobbins students can do, in hopes that students who might have chosen to attend Central High School and Girls High School will consider enrolling. In addition to culinary arts, Dobbins offers 12 career and technical programs including cosmetology, fashion design, biomedical technology, and digital media production. Not everyone plans on going to college, nor should they. Precia pointed out, I believe that when you have a CTE education, thats something that you can fall back on. Im a big proponent of teaching young people marketable skills. I like it even better when students dont have to go into debt to learn. With the skills these culinary arts students have already learned, the world can be their oyster and they shouldnt have too much trouble figuring out how to shuck it. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks at a campaign event at Temple University's Liacouras Center on Aug. 6, 2024. Read more Vice presidential nominees Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. JD Vance have agreed to debate on Oct. 1. CBS News will host the debate in New York City. The network initially gave the candidates four date options: Sept. 17, Sept. 24, Oct. 1, and Oct. 8. Advertisement Harris for President has accepted CBS invitation to a Vice Presidential Candidate Debate on October 1. Gov. Walz looks forward to debating JD Vance if he shows up, A Harris campaign official said in a statement. Vance, an Ohio Republican, agreed to the Oct. 1 in a post on X Thursday and proposed a CNN debate on Sept. 18. The American people deserve as many debates as possible, which is why President [Donald] Trump has challenged Kamala [Harris] to three of them already, Vance wrote. During an interview on Fox News Wednesday night, Vance told host Laura Ingraham he is certainly going to debate Walz, a Democrat, and would like to do more than one event, but didnt immediately commit to debate Walz on CBS on Oct. 1. [W]ere not going to do one of these fake debates where they dont actually have an audience there, where they dont actually set the parameters in the right way where you can have a good exchange of ideas, Vance said Wednesday. In other words, were not going to walk into a fake news media garbage debate. Vice President Kamala Harris and Trump will meet for their first presidential debate on Sept. 10. The debate, hosted by ABC, will be the first time Harris and Trump go head-to-head since she became the nominee. After recommitting to the ABC debate, Trump said it would be held in Philadelphia at Independence Hall, but the network has yet to confirm the venue or location for the event. Trump proposed two other debates to Harris one on Fox News on Sept. 4 in front of an audience and another on NBC on Sept. 25. The Harris campaign told ABC News last week she would not debate Trump on Sept. 4 on Fox and any future debates are contingent on the former president showing up to the Sept. 10 event, adding that shes willing to discuss any future dates. Left: New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy delivers his budget address in February 2020. Right: George Helmy, Murphy's former chief of staff. Read more New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy will appoint his former top adviser, George Helmy, to be the next U.S. senator from the state, according to reports from CNN and other outlets. Helmy will replace longtime Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez, who is resigning later this month following a federal bribery conviction. Helmy will serve the remainder of Menendezs term through January. Advertisement Murphys office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the reports Thursday. Menendez announced in July that hed step down after a cascade of his colleagues in the Democratic-controlled Senate called on him to resign and initiated a review process that could have led to his expulsion. That came just days after the senator was convicted of acting as a foreign agent and of selling the powers of his office in exchange for gifts such as cash, gold bars, and a Mercedes. Following the conviction, Menendez maintained his innocence and said he will appeal. Helmy, currently an executive vice president at RWJBarnabas Health, was Murphys chief of staff from 2019 to 2023, overseeing the states responsive to the coronavirus pandemic. Prior to working for Murphy, Helmy worked for two Democratic senators from New Jersey he was a staffer under both U.S. Sen. Cory Booker and the late U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg. Booker, who was in Philadelphia for a campaign event Thursday, said he is thrilled with the choice, noting Helmys experience in both New Jersey and Washington. If you want somebody to come in there for roughly 100 days who knows the office inside and out, who knows New Jerseys priorities inside and out, then theres inarguably probably nobody better than George Helmy, Booker said. He knows what it is to run a Senate office, and then he was the chief of staff to the governor. So talk about somebody who knows Jerseys priorities. Helmy will act as a caretaker for the seat until a replacement is chosen in the November general election, and that person will take over the seat in January. U.S. Rep. Andy Kim, a three-term Democrat who represents parts of South Jersey, will face Republican Curtis Bashaw, a developer from Cape May County. Menendez also filed paperwork to run as an independent. Polls show he is unlikely to win, but some Democrats worry his presence on the ballot could make the race between Kim and Bashaw unexpectedly tight. Murphy reportedly considered a handful of Democrats to fill the vacancy. Some suggested Murphy should tap Kim and give the Democrat the benefit of running as an incumbent in November. Kim is currently a member of the U.S. House, where Republicans hold a narrow majority. Some party insiders also suggested Murphys wife, Tammy Murphy, could fill the role she ran for the seat in the Democratic primary but dropped out. However, Tammy Murphy released a statement shortly after Menendezs resignation saying she would not consider an appointment. Judge Patrick Dugan, a former candidate for Pennsylvania Superior Court, attends the United Democratic Spring Dinner at the Sheetmetal Workers banquet hall in May 2023. He is considering running for Philadelphia district attorney. Read more At least a half-dozen Philadelphia political figures are considering waging a primary challenge against District Attorney Larry Krasner next year, including a former president judge of the citys Municipal Court system. The Democratic primary is still eight months away, and contenders considering it now could wait to announce their campaigns or may forgo a run entirely. Advertisement But the early interest in the district attorneys race from a handful of Democrats including two former City Council members and a state representative underscores the degree to which Krasner, a national leader of the progressive prosecutor movement, is a uniquely polarizing figure. Sources told The Inquirer in April that Krasner intends to seek a third term, and the prospect has his detractors casting about for challengers. Some Democrats are rallying behind Municipal Court Judge Patrick F. Dugan, who last year unsuccessfully ran for Superior Court. Dugan has talked with power brokers about a potential run and may enter the race after the presidential election this fall, according to sources with knowledge of his thinking. Sitting judges are barred from publicly engaging in politics, meaning that Dugan would need to resign as soon as he formally announced his campaign. The judge did not return a request for comment. READ MORE: Philly DA Larry Krasner is running for a third term, sources say Other names have also been floated, including former City Councilmember Derek Green, State Rep. Jared Solomon, and attorney Keir Bradford-Grey, the former head of the public defenders. Former prosecutor Carlos Vega, who unsuccessfully challenged Krasner four years ago, has said he may run again, and failed Republican mayoral candidate David Oh said hes open to it. Krasner would not confirm his intention to seek reelection, saying in an interview that he will make an announcement one way or another closer to the new year. Of his potential challengers, Krasner said: The district attorneys job is incredibly important, and I can certainly understand why people would want the job I currently have. Dugan, 64, appears to be already garnering support. A business manager for a local union, who spoke on condition of anonymity as to not jeopardize the judges ethical standing, said he offered to help Dugan pick up endorsements within the politically influential building trades unions. Hes as serious as a heart attack, the union official said of Dugans intention to run. If he makes his move, Im 100% behind him, and I know a lot of other people would be, too. A series of campaign-styled domain names including judgeduganforda.com and duganforphillyda.com have been registered online. Union leaders and political consultants are already circulating talking points about his credentials: Bronze Star-decorated military service, deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq, and 17 years on the bench in Municipal Court, where he recently served a four-year term as president judge. Those talking points also suggest that Dugan could make dysfunction in Krasners office a key issue in his potential campaign, casting the judge as a stronger advocate for crime victims. A Northeast Philadelphia resident, Dugan holds close relationships with Democratic leaders from Northeast Philadelphia and formerly worked as a staff attorney under ex-Councilmember Rick Mariano. Both have long been associated with Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, one of the most politically powerful unions in the state. When and whether Dugan resigns and publicly commits to the race remains unclear. Candidates in competitive municipal primaries tend to launch campaigns well before the end of the year, as it gives them extra time to fundraise. The city enforces strict annual limits on political contributions. The judge would be the first serious contender to launch a bid against Krasner, who took office in 2018 during a reformist wave and was lauded by progressives for his approach to criminal justice. Krasner has fought to reduce mass incarceration and supervision, decriminalize some low-level offenses, and overturn wrongful convictions. But his tenure has been beset by near-constant criticism. READ MORE: DA Larry Krasner files suit to quash states special SEPTA prosecutor as unconstitutional Republicans in the State House tried to impeach him last year. Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro stripped his prosecutorial jurisdiction over crime on SEPTA in May. And his critics are as vocal as ever, saying he targets police officers for prosecution, fails to adequately support crime victims, and oversees an office with a low conviction rate on gun cases. Democratic voters rejected the anti-Krasner frenzy in 2021, reelecting him by an overwhelming margin over Vega, a former homicide prosecutor who ran on a tough-on-crime platform. Vega who had been fired by Krasner and unsuccessfully sued him for discrimination said Wednesday that he would run again if no other viable candidate emerged. The only thing that would prevent me from putting my hat in the ring is if I saw there was a better candidate who had a definite chance of winning, he said. Then I would put on my supporter hat. Some of Krasners other critics have reasoned that a woman of color with trial experience would be best positioned to unseat him next year, pointing to Bradford-Grey. She has also been rumored as a possible challenger, after finishing fourth in the crowded statewide primary for attorney general in April. She declined to comment Wednesday. Several other contenders are still weighing whether to jump in the race, including Green, who unsuccessfully ran for mayor last year and confirmed in April that hes thinking about a bid for district attorney. He declined to comment further. Sources said Solomon, who represents parts of Northeast Philadelphia and ran unsuccessfully for state attorney general, has also expressed interest in the race. Solomon has been a vocal critic of Krasner, whom he has described as woefully inadequate. Solomon said this week that he is focused on pushing forward with Gov. Shapiros agenda in the House and expanding the Democratic majority. Oh, another former Council member who ran a long-shot mayoral campaign as a Republican in deep-blue Philadelphia last year, said he has also been approached about running in the Democratic primary. Once a practicing attorney, Oh worked as an assistant district attorney for three years before he entered politics. He said another Oh campaign is far from certain. Im very open, as in open to anything, and people have thrown different things at me, Oh said. But theres no real intention there. Its easy for people to say run for something, but the whole process is very involved. Staff writers Samantha Melamed and Ellie Rushing contributed to this article. The sanctuary floor at 1345 E. Susquehanna Ave. in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. Read more Fishtown was already evolving fast when photographer Dominic Episcopo moved into a majestic stone church building on East Susquehanna Avenue in 2004. Dumpsters were in front of nine houses being renovated up and down the street, said Episcopo, the husband of Dawn Episcopo, a hair and makeup artist. Advertisement The couple live, work, and are raising their son, Enzo, 14, in the mid-19th-century Siloam Methodist Church, which was vacated in the 1980s. The property at 1345 E. Susquehanna Ave. was officially listed for sale at $3.5 million on Aug. 17, said Dominic Fuscia, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Realty. The listing was first reported by the Philadelphia Business Journal. With 17,000 square feet of space on four levels, the building stands on nearly a quarter-acre of land one of the largest residential lots in Fishtown. There also are two rental apartments in the building. Its a piece of history, Fuscia said. Its not a typical building you come in and renovate. Nor is Fishtown the typical working-class Philadelphia rowhouse neighborhood it was for much of the 20th century. In 2006 when I moved in it was obvious Fishtown was growing, and for people who had a vision, it was exciting, said Dawn Episcopo. But some people didnt know what Fishtown was or where it was. It just wasnt on the map, she said. Now everybody wants to be here. Its like an artists colony, but not in a snobby way. READ MORE: Harrietts Bookshop owner Jeannine A. Cook purchases her Fishtown building A few steps from the Episcopos front door, a 50-room, $299-a-night boutique hotel called Anna & Bel opened in the former Penn Asylum for Indigent Widows & Single Women building on Aug. 7. READ MORE: New Fishtown hotel is set to open soon with an outdoor pool Im optimistic the church wont be redeveloped with multiple residential units, Fuscia said, adding that a catering hall or event space could be among potential uses. A continuous work in progress After Dominic Episcopo bought the church for $400,000, he began to reconfigure living and working areas, with an eye toward respecting the architecture and honoring the building. He repurposed doors, marble, and other materials salvaged from churches undergoing demolition in other parts of the city, among them St. Boniface in Norris Square. He also had a new roof and rooftop solar panels installed. The building was a creative space in every sense, he said a place to be curated as a piece of architecture and a showcase for photographs that display his and Dawns talents. The Episcopos said their decision to sell had less to do with the Fishtown market than their needs as a family and their evolution as artists. I used to do so many of my shoots in here, but now Im always going on location, said Dominic. Earlier in his career, he photographed rock bands portraits of the four members of Sonic Youth command one wall but these days he is focusing more on food and lifestyle. Hes also a collector of meat cleavers and other utilitarian objects. This place is as special as it seems, he said. Its become a part of me. Said Dawn Episcopo: I feel really good about whats ahead. Living here has been an incredible experience, and Fishtown has been a really great experience. We might even end up staying in Fishtown. The CEO said he would like consumers to better understand their covers, particularly in the retail sector, but thought mandated definitions could be too restrictive on insurers. The decisions we make on where to live and invest in the future should use the best available data and modelling, and we need governments to invest in these critical inputs, he added. Were confident [Johnston] will drive our growth in the Asia-Pacific region, he said. I am also very pleased to be in a position to be able to promote from within and utilise the deep experience and talent that both Martyn and Matthew offer. Financial performance reports for the first half of 2024 show these businesses earned revenue of $535 million, with an adjusted net income of $45 million, and held statutory capital and surplus of $255 million. The health and benefits segment accounts for 4% of Allstates total revenue, bringing in $243 million in adjusted net income over the past year. China to launch trial operations of service-oriented social assistance Xinhua) 08:05, August 15, 2024 A staff member takes care of a senior resident in a wheelchair at a social welfare center in Hanshou County of Changde City, central China's Hunan Province, June 20, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan) BEIJING, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- China will launch a series of trial operations of service-oriented social assistance across the country, according to a work plan released by the country's Ministry of Civil Affairs and Ministry of Finance. By releasing the plan, the country aims to transfer its model of social assistance from being purely material-based to including both material assistance and services. During the trial operation, relevant authorities ought to focus on the most pressing problems encountered by the people, and provide those who are financially challenged with nursing, care and other services that address their needs, read the plan. The plan proposed a number of tasks, including establishing an assessment system of service-oriented social assistance demands, drafting lists of social assistance services, coordinating all sources to ensure ample supply of such services, and setting up mechanisms ensuring the funding of services, among others. Developing service-oriented social assistance is an important part of China's drive to perfect its tiered and classified social assistance system, and is featured in the country's outline for national economic and social development in the 14th Five-Year Plan Period (2021-2025). (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) The adjusted combined operating ratio for the period stood at 86.5%, reflecting the impact of significant loss events that occurred mainly in the first quarter of the year. This ratio had a slight increase from 84.8% in the first half of 2023, indicating the financial repercussions of these industry events. With almost two decades of experience in the insurance industry, Christofer has been an integral part of Chubb since 2013, starting as an assistant vice president and New York regional manager for primary construction. Over the past decade, Christof has consistently advanced within the company, taking on increased responsibilities, including the leadership of REH in December 2022. As we mark our first anniversary as a public company, we are proud to have built a strong team, who are focused on realizing the value of our business. Our position as a market leader focused on short-tail specialty lines is enabling us to deliver attractive growth and create value for our shareholders, he said. We are well positioned to quickly respond to market conditions and continue to leverage our lead positioning to capitalize on attractive rates, terms, and conditions. In tandem with underwriting, active capital management remains a cornerstone of our strategy and to that end, we are pleased to announce our Board has approved a new share repurchase program of $200 million. In what remains one of the best markets we have seen in recent history, I am excited for the opportunities we see ahead. Jim Miller, chief sales and marketing officer at FIRST, said that the company is excited to welcome Butler and Cole. He highlighted their extensive sales experience as a valuable asset in FIRSTs ongoing efforts to grow its presence in the West and Southeast regions. The National Transportation Safety Board, which has jurisdiction over pipelines, is investigating a natural gas explosion at a home in Bel Air, Maryland, that killed two people, the agency said Monday. Meanwhile, state officials have identified the two people who died, and the state fire marshals office said they are focusing on accidental causes because there is no evidence of criminal activity. Ray Corkran Jr., the 73-year-old homeowner, died in the Sunday morning explosion, officials said. Jose Rodriguez-Alvarado, a 35-year-old contracted utility employee with Baltimore Gas and Electric, also died, the state fire marshals office said. Jennifer Gabris, an NTSB spokesperson, confirmed that NTSB pipeline investigators were on the scene Monday in Bel Air, a town about about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northeast of Baltimore. Deputy state fire marshals and agents with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have concluded their on-scene investigation and turned the scene over to insurance representatives, the fire marshals office said. Crews have already begun cleaning up the copious debris strewn throughout the neighborhood, and restoration companies are beginning to make repairs to nearby homes, the fire marshals office said in a news release Monday. Investigators will now focus on reviewing the evidence and data they collected on Sunday, the fire marshals office said. That includes gas and electrical piping, interviews, video surveillance and data from BGE. While the explosion remains under investigation, there is no evidence of criminal activity, and they will continue to focus on accidental causes, the fire marshals office said. Firefighters were called to the area around 6:40 a.m. Sunday for a report of a gas leak and an outdoor odor of gas. As firefighters were approaching, they began receiving calls that the house had exploded. Two utility workers were in the area to work on a reported electrical issue at the time. A woman in a house next door was treated for injuries on the scene. Neighbors in the vicinity reported a variety of damage to their homes from the explosion. Twelve families were displaced. Our hearts are broken for the two victims and their families. Our team of highly qualified investigators and our partners at ATF are dedicated to providing an answer that will lead to safer communities, said Acting State Fire Marshal Jason M. Mowbray. A tragedy of this size is heart-wrenching for Maryland. More than 60 first responders came to the scene from multiple agencies. Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Maryland Typhoon Ampil grazed Japans main island of Honshu on Friday, prompting cancellations of flights and trains in the middle of the countrys peak summer holiday season. Japan Airlines Co. and All Nippon Airways Co. canceled some 90 international flights, impacting more than 15,000 passengers. The two carriers also scrapped about 560 domestic routes, disrupting roughly 104,000 travelers who were looking to fly to destinations such as Okinawa, Osaka and Fukuoka. Flights will continue to be impacted through Saturday, they added. The weather agency had warned residents to stay indoors and be aware of water hazards and companies urged employees to work from home or return home early. The typhoon was categorized as a severe tropical storm. The Japan Meteorological Agency urged residents to be careful of high waves, landslides, flooding of low-lying areas and rising or overflowing rivers in eastern Japan. It issued heavy rain and storm warnings for Tokyo. Commercial facilities in and around the capital were also hit. Ueno Zoo decided to close while Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea shortened operating hours and suspended parades. About 2,000 households suffered power outages in Chiba and other prefectures near Tokyo, according to TEPCO Power Grid Inc. Door-to-door parcel delivery company Yamato Transport Co., meanwhile, said that deliveries will likely be delayed through Saturday due to traffic disruptions. Tokyos Haneda Airport was less congested on Friday than usual with some travelers stranded due to flight cancellations. My flight was at 8 a.m. and I came to the airport to find a solution but Air China declined to speak to me, said Luca Perini, 33, who had planned to depart for Rome and couldnt find a way to reschedule. I am stuck. Lingering effects from the tropical storm are seen lasting through Saturday. JAL said it will cancel six international flights and 36 domestic flights, affecting some 7,000 people in total. ANA, meanwhile, will cancel two international and 32 domestic flights, which will affect about 2,500 people. Some foreign airlines operations were also impacted. Korean Air Lines Co. said 12 of its flights between Japan and South Korea will be suspended on Friday and Saturday. Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. said that its Japan flights are currently operating normally. Customers are strongly advised to check the latest flight information on our website before their departure, a company corporate affairs official wrote via e-mail on Thursday. Bullet train services between Tokyo and Nagoya were halted according to Central Japan Railway Co., while operations between Shin-Osaka and Nagoya were also reduced. Severe delays may occur on Saturday, the firm said. East Japan Railway Co., which operates bullet trains to Aomori, Akita and Kanazawa, said it was planning to resume normal bullet train operations on Saturday. East Nippon Expressway Co., which manages expressways in the Kanto region and Hokkaido, warned that some roads may be shut from Friday through Saturday, and asked travelers to reconsider their plans. Japans top power producer Jera Co. said it temporarily halted the unloading of vessels while ships have dispersed away from Tokyo Bay, following guidance from the Japan Coast Guard. Photograph: A passenger aircraft taxies on a runway at night at the Kansai International Airport in Izumisano City, Osaka, Japan. Photo credit: Buddhika Weerasinghe/Bloomberg Copyright 2024 Bloomberg. Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Tech Aviation Japan This edition of International People Moves details appointments at the insurers Markel and QBE. A summary of these new hires follows here. Markel Taps QBEs Smith to Lead Marine & Energy Liability Team, Intl Specialty Markel, the insurance operations within Markel Group, announced the appointment of Grant Smith as director, Marine & Energy Liability, International Specialty, with immediate effect. Smiths appointment is the latest in a move to enhance Markels international specialty underwriting capabilities and expertise, following the launch of its International Specialty practice last December. In his new role, Smith will lead the Marine & Energy Liability team across Markels International Wholesale business. He will be responsible for driving sustainable, profitable growth initiatives that align with Markels long-term strategic vision, aiming to expand market share and further establish Markel as a market leader in marine and energy liabilities. He will also focus on strengthening relationships with key stakeholders and developing and nurturing existing underwriting talent. Smith will be based in London and report to Tom Hillier, managing director, International Specialty, at Markel. Smith has extensive knowledge of the liability insurance market, having spent more than 17 years of his career working in various underwriting and leadership positions across this class of business. He joins Markel from QBE, where he was most recently portfolio manager specialty, QBE European Operations (a role he held since 2014), with responsibility for managing an extensive portfolio of international marine business, including liability, hull and protection and indemnity classes. Prior to joining QBE as a marine & energy liability underwriter in 2011, Smith had spent five years working in various underwriting roles across marine and aviation at Travelers. When we established the Specialty practice within our International Wholesale business last year, we set out ambitious goals for our Marine & Energy Liability team, centered on the delivery of sustainable, profitable growth and establishing ourselves as a leader in the market in terms of underwriting and service, said Hillier. Im therefore delighted to welcome Grant on board to lead our Marine & Energy liability team. Im confident his background and experience will position him to lead the team to deliver on our ambitious goals for this class of business and provide a superior service proposition to our clients and brokers. *** QBE Promotes Lascelles as Director of Underwriting, Marine and British Marine QBE has appointed Simon Lascelles appointed to the role of director of Underwriting, Marine and British Marine. Lascelles was previously portfolio manager for Cargo, International Markets, and has been with QBE for 10 years. His role will encompass both Marine and British Marine. Lascelles started his new role on Monday, Aug. 12, 2024. Prior to QBE, Lascelles worked as a cargo broker at Marsh for more than three years and also worked at the broker Aon. Topics Liability Excess Surplus Underwriting The energy company at the center of a $60 million bribery scheme in Ohio will pay $20 million and avoid criminal charges as part of a deal with state prosecutors to resolve its role in the scandal. Akron-based FirstEnergy Corp. announced the deal Tuesday, a day after it filed the agreement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. It calls for the company to cooperate with the ongoing investigations being conducted by the state attorney general and the Summit County prosecutors office and also settles FirstEnergys involvement in a civil lawsuit filed by the attorney general in 2020. FirstEnergy will pay $19.5 million to the attorney generals office within five business days and will pay $500,000 for an independent consultant to review and confirm unspecified changes and remediation efforts made by the company. Two fired FirstEnergy Corp. executives were indicted in April as part of the long-running investigation into the scheme that has already resulted in a lengthy prison sentence for a former state House speaker. Former FirstEnergy CEO Chuck Jones and former FirstEnergy Services Corp. Senior Vice President Michael Dowling were charged in relation to their alleged roles in the massive corruption case. Both men have denied any wrongdoing. Another man charged alongside them, former Public Utilities Commission of Ohio Chairman Sam Randazzo, had pleaded not guilty in both federal and state courts before dying by suicide at age 74 in April. Jones and Dowling were fired in October 2020 for violating company policies and code of conduct. Former House Speaker Larry Householder was sentenced in June 2023 to 20 years in prison for his role in orchestrating the scheme, and lobbyist Matt Borges, a former chair of the Ohio Republican Party, was sentenced to five years. Federal prosecutors have said those involved in the scheme used the $60 million in secretly funded FirstEnergy cash to get Householders chosen Republican candidates elected to the House in 2018 and then to help him get elected speaker in January 2019. The money was then used to win passage of the tainted energy bill, House Bill 6, and to conduct what authorities have said was a $38 million dirty-tricks campaign to prevent a repeal referendum from reaching the ballot. FirstEnergy admitted to its role in the bribery scheme as part of a July 2021 deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice. The company agreed to pay $230 million in penalties and to accomplish a long list of reforms within three years in order to avoid being criminally prosecuted on a federal conspiracy charge. Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Ohio Zurich Promotes Nolan to Head of Surety in US Zurich North America, headquartered in Schaumburg, Illinois, has promoted Chris Nolan to head of surety in U.S. national accounts. Nolan, who is based in New Jersey, succeeds Bob Murray, who retired in June. Nolan now oversees both contract and commercial surety. Nolan previously was head of large contract surety at Zurich. He joined Zurich in 2022 from Berkley Surety, where he served as chief risk officer and head of commercial surety. He began his career as an underwriting trainee at Chubb, where he advanced to senior underwriting officer. Everest Names Zink Head of Specialty Underwriters Everest Insurance, the insurance division of Everest Group, Ltd., headquartered in Warren, New Jersey, named Brian Zink senior vice president and head of Everest Specialty Underwriters (ESU) and U.S. Financial Lines. Zink joins Everest from Zurich where he was head of financial lines for the companys U.S. national accounts, also serving as head of management liability domestically. Prior to that, Zink held a variety of financial lines leadership positions with Beazley Group and The Hartford. Topics USA Excess Surplus Underwriting Johnson & Johnson was twice blocked in New Jersey from getting bankruptcy protection from one of its units to resolve billions of dollars in cancer claims tied to baby powder use. For its third try, the company is eyeing Texas, home to what are widely considered more business-friendly courts. The third Chapter 11 bid including a $6.5 billion settlement offer will likely land somewhere in the Lone Star State after judges in New Jersey concluded that thousands of cancer lawsuits didnt pose enough financial distress to justify bankruptcy protection. The company outlined its plans in public disclosures to claimants last month. By shifting the case outside its home base in New Jersey, critics say J&J is joining the growing list of companies seeking more-favorable venues for an edge in court. The maneuver, known as forum shopping, is legal and can be an effective way to get the case in front of a judge that could be more inclined to side with the company. Its a blatant case of forum shopping, said Robert Lawless, a University of Illinois law professor who teaches about the US bankruptcy system and its effects on consumers. I dont blame J&Js lawyers for trying different strategies to advance their clients interest. Its up to the judges to resist. Forum Shopping Business-friendly Texas has become a popular option for litigants frustrated with courts in other states. Billionaire Elon Musk moved electric-car-maker Tesla Inc.s incorporation to Texas this year after a Delaware judge threw out his record $56 billion compensation plan. Although Texas is the anticipated venue of any prepackaged Chapter 11 case, a final determination has not and will not be made until the final vote count is certified by the claims administrator, said Erik Haas, J&Js worldwide vice president of litigation. Read More: J&J Gets Plaintiff Backing for $6.5 Billion Baby Powder Accord J&J has said its talc-based powders never caused cancer and that it appropriately marketed its baby powder for more than 100 years. Last year, the company discontinued the talc-based version of the product and replaced it with a cornstarch-based substitute. In July, a federal appeals court rejected the second attempt by a J&J unit to get bankruptcy protection in New Jersey. The court concluded that it failed to prove a realistic possibility of financial distress posed by baby powder litigation because it was backed by J&J. The health-care company reported a revenue of $85.2 billion in 2023. Texas Two Step J&Js efforts to use the bankruptcy system in a place other than where its headquartered involve a controversial move, known as the Texas Two Step filing. It allows the company to confine liability to a unit set up specifically to resolve tens of thousands of baby powder lawsuits. Last year, J&J moved the unit to Texas, in preparation for its third attempt to resolve the cases in bankruptcy court. Critics say the maneuver unfairly allows profitable companies to trap mass-tort cases in bankruptcy court, forcing victims to accept less-than-robust recoveries. Koch Industries and its Bestwall unit used it to confine lawsuits blaming the building-supplies maker of selling goods tainted with asbestos, a carcinogen. The US Supreme Court recently declined to hear an appeal by victims who opposed the bankruptcy move. In 2017, Koch argued it was unfairly facing 70-80% of all lawsuits tied to mesothelioma caused by asbestos even though its product, a joint compound that contained asbestos sold by Bestwall, amounted to less than 2% of the market for that product. Read More: Bipartisan Bill Aims to Deter Texas Two-Step Bankruptcy Tactic A bipartisan group of US lawmakers recently proposed a bill to crack down on the Texas Two Step, unless a company can prove it faces true financial distress and has the right to invoke bankruptcy protection. Third Attempt The J&J units third attempt in bankruptcy court will have another new feature along with the venue change. The company has secured the support of more than 75% of claimants who blame the companys former talc-based version of baby powder for causing a variety of cancers although the tally hasnt yet been announced as certified. Under Chapter 11 rules, J&J needed to cross that level of support so a bankruptcy judge can quickly approve the units settlement plan, which offers $6.5 billion to resolve all current and future ovarian and gynecological cancer suits related to its baby powder. Some legal experts argue the support of claimants wont alter the outcome and that J&Js third attempt will likely fail. Melissa Jacoby, a University of North Carolina law professor and bankruptcy expert, said earlier this year the chances of success should be zero. But Samir Parikh, a Wake Forest University law professor who teaches about bankruptcy issues, said the process could still create a fair settlement for talc victims. Some have been waiting years on compensation for their injuries or their loved ones death. This case has been filled with twists and turns, Parikh said. It seems like the finish line is in sight. Copyright 2024 Bloomberg. Topics Texas PECOS COUNTY, Texas On a sprawling ranch in Pecos County in late July, oil well control specialist Hawk Dunlap used a backhoe to uncover an abandoned or so-called zombie well that had sprung back to life despite being plugged just over a year earlier, hissing gas and bubbling toxic water into the dry Texas dirt. Dressed in bright red coveralls and a silver hard hat, Dunlap hopped off the machine and into the hole to clear awayremaining soil with a shovel, and then picked up a brittle chunk of cement that was part of the casing meant to keep fluids and gases underground. He crushed the cement into dust with a light squeeze of his fingers as the Briggs family, who own the ranch, formed a circle around him. This was not plugged properly, Dunlap said. This is the work of the three stooges of the Railroad Commission. The Railroad Commission (RRC) is the regulatory body that, despite its name, oversees oil and gas operations in Texas. And Dunlap, a three-decade veteran of oil fields around the globe, has become one of its most vocal critics. Armed with a portable gas detector and mobile phone, Dunlap has spent much of the last two-and-a-half years documenting a flurry of oil well blow-outs and leaks across West Texas at the behest of landowners, in an epidemic he says is being caused by low-quality plugging jobs left behind by operators and their contractors and approved by the RRC. He and his partner Sarah Stogner, an oil and gas lawyer who documents their work on social media, say they have now recorded over 100 leaking legacy or orphan wells with no responsible owner, which were listed in RRC records as properly plugged, including the one at the Briggs Ranch in Pecos County. Reuters reporting in West Texas, along with interviews with landowners and experts and a review of RRC records show why the state regulator is under increased pressure to step up its oversight. The added scrutiny comes at a time when over the last two years, more and more abandoned wells have started to spill or even gushed geyser-like, formed salt and chemical-laden lakes or caused sinkholes. Making matters worse is the rising pressure pushing up from beneath the ground due to the billions of gallons of wastewater injected back into reservoirs for disposal in latest fracking-led drilling boom in the Permian basin, the largest U.S. oilfield. That pressure, Dunlap says, likely causes the badly plugged wells to burst. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it would investigate whether to revoke the RRCs permitting authority for waste disposal wells after Texas watchdog group Commission Shift filed a federal complaint alleging mismanagement. RRC spokesperson Patty Ramon said the EPA has not yet contacted them to launch the review, and noted the agency previously commended its underground injection program. We will assist them with any input if they do, Ramon said. Faced with the rising number of calls from worried landowners, Dunlap is running a long-shot campaign to win one ofthe three RRC seats as a libertarian this autumn, hoping to change the organization from within. Its about seeing that things are done right and not letting oil companies run over the citizens of Texas just because they produce oil and gas and pay some royalties, he told Reuters. Among the changes he would like to see: quicker and better quality plugging of wells, accountability for the oil companies who left them behind, and a new name for the Railroad Commission to make clear it regulates the oil industry. I spent 27 years roaming the Earth lauding the fact that Texas does it bigger and better than everybody else. So you have to understand that when we started excavating and investigating it was, quite a bit of a gut punch for me, said Dunlap, who has worked in 103 countries. PERFECT STORM Without a solvent owner of record, the responsibility of plugging these orphan wells falls on the RRC, which plans to plug 2,000 wells this year with state funds. While the RRC has documented over 8,500 inactive or unplugged orphan wells in Texas, experts estimate there are thousands more undocumented, the legacy of more than a century of drilling, that are not eligible for closure funding. Meanwhile, oil drillers working new wells in the Permian overlying Texas and New Mexico are accumulating around 24million barrels daily of produced water the salty mixture that comes up alongside oil and gas, according to Laura Capper with energy advisory EnergyMakers. Between 40-55% of this water is injected in local disposal wells, with much of the rest reused for oil operations, she said. On top of concerns of produced water laden with chemicals like radium and boron threatening local aquifers and vegetation, all the drilling, pumping, and reinjection is causing the earth to rise and subside in places and triggering quakes, landowners and activists say. It is this perfect storm in the Permian with all this produced water, earthquakes and orphan wells, said Adam Peltz, director of the Environmental Defense Funds Energy Program. Deep injections of wastewater have triggered earthquakes, which has led to the RRC restricting new drilling permits insome areas. Shallower injections, however, overpressure the subsurface, causing poorly plugged wells to leak or blow. The RRC pushed back on the assertion that the problem is widespread. There is little evidence of a widespread occurrence of previously plugged wells leaking, Ramon said, adding that commission inspectors put high-risk, high-priority wells at the top of their plugging list. In 2022, Texas received a $25 million initial grant from the bipartisan infrastructure laws Orphaned Well Program to address the issue. It got another $80 million in January but with strings attached: use of the money requires the RRC to measure the amount of methane and other gases leaking from plugged wells before and after plugging. The RRC has estimated that it will need over $481 million total to plug its wells. Ramon said the RRC has used up the first tranche of federal funds and begun to tap into the larger tranche, in addition to its state orphan well funds. She said the agency is complying with federal requirements. ONLY GETTING WORSE Meanwhile, scientists have been firming up the link between wastewater injection and erupting wells. A paper published in July by Geophysical Research Letters by researchers from Southern Methodist University, for example, showed that a massive orphan well blowout in Crane County, Texas, in 2022 was caused mainly by wastewater injection taking place several miles away. The RRC is also investigating the link but has not yet published a conclusion. It shut in two saltwater disposal wells after a series of earthquakes just northwest of Pecos County in the last week of July. Back in Pecos County on the 800-acre (320-hectare) Briggs ranch that has 30 abandoned wells last productive in the 1980s, Laura Briggs said things have only been getting worse. Less than one week after Dunlap dug up the previously plugged well on the property, a separate old leaking well lessthan 1,000 feet (300 m) from her house and animal pens suddenly had an explosive blowout of produced water. Briggs gas monitor showed high levels of toxic hydrogen sulfide. Its been leaking for a year. Ive reported it to the commission multiple times, she said. But it has to leak like this before the Railroad Commission will respond. In early August, a vacuum truck arrived at the ranch to start hauling away the fluid streaming out of the well as it pooled up near her livestock. Its going to suck up whats coming out of that well, she said about the truck. Then hes going to take it off and dump it into a saltwater disposal well, which is why these wells are leaking. (Reporting by Valerie Volcovici; Additional reporting by Adrees Latif and Evan Garcia; Editing by Richard Valdmanis and Marguerita Choy) Topics Texas Energy Oil Gas Florida property insurers considering the expanded use of binding arbitration to settle claims disputes may want to ponder a recent arbitration move by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts: An answer to a lawsuit against Disney, which has made headlines on both sides of the Atlantic, contends that a five-year-old trial subscription to a Disney streaming service mandates that wrongful death claims must be arbitrated outside a courtroom. In the filing in Orange County, Florida, Disney argues that arbitration would help it avoid heavy litigation costs. The lawsuit was filed by the husband of a woman who died in 2023 from an allergic reaction to food served at a Disney-affiliated restaurant. Orange County court records were not available online Wednesday. But the Law&Crime news site provided a download of the complaint and of Disneys motion to compel arbitration. The lawsuit complaint argues that the woman, Kanokporn Tangsuan, had a severe allergy to dairy and nuts. When the family visited Disney World last year, they chose to eat at Raglan Road Irish Pub, within the Disney Springs complex, because of its allergen-free pledge. Disney Parks leases the property to the restaurant company, court filings show. The woman, a medical doctor in New York, repeatedly asked service staff if the food could be made allergen-free. The staff assured them several times that it would be. But after finishing her meal, Tangsuan returned to her hotel room, began having trouble breathing and collapsed. She later died of what the lawsuit said was anaphylaxis from an allergic reaction to the food. The husband, Jeffrey Piccolo, filed suit against Disney and the restaurant earlier this year. A hearing is set for October. Disney attorneys did not respond to requests for comment from National Public Radio and other news organizations that reported on the case. In its motion to have the suit dismissed, Disney attorneys argued that in 2019, Piccolo had signed up for a trial subscription to Disney+, a video streaming service. The fine print in the subscriber agreement notes that any dispute between you and us, except for small claims, is subject to a class action waiver and must be resolved by individual binding arbitration, Disneys court filing explained. Similar language may have been included in an agreement when Piccolo purchased tickets for the Disney theme park. Piccolos attorneys, in court filings, called Disneys legal argument preposterous, approaching the surreal, and fatally flawed. Disney is trying to deprive the family of its right to a public jury trial, the lawyers said. Even assuming that Ms. Tangsuans Estate is bound by the arbitration provision in the Disney+ Subscriber Agreement with Mr. Piccolo, the terms of the agreement make it clear that Mr. Piccolo was only potentially agreeing to arbitrate claims concerning the Disney+ streaming service, reads the lengthy response to the motion to compel arbitration. The Disney+ Subscriber Agreement on its face establishes that there was no agreement to arbitrate injury claims against other Disney entities. The Tangsuan family is represented in part by Miami attorney Raoul Cantero, a former Florida Supreme Court justice who has been involved in other major lawsuits that could impact insurance settlements. Photo: The Ragland Road Irish Pub at Disney Springs (Adobe stock images). Hundreds of people were allowed to return home this week after being forced to flee a wildfire west of Reno that also shut down Interstate 80 along the California-Nevada line. About 170 firefighters continued to work to secure the perimeter and snuff out hot spots near Verdi, a town 11 miles from downtown Reno. One home was destroyed by the fire that broke out Sunday evening and quickly burned through about one square mile of brush and timber. No one was seriously injured. The Nevada state fire marshal is continuing to investigate the cause of the fire that started near the Gold Ranch exit of I-80 along the Truckee River about 2 miles from the California line and 13 miles west of Reno. Evacuation orders or warnings were issued for about 400 homes threatened by the flames Sunday night into Monday. As many as 27,000 Nevada Energy customers didnt have power at one point Sunday night after the utility shut off electricity as a precaution. But by Tuesday it had been restored to all but about a dozen. More than 300 firefighters who worked through Monday into Tuesday were able to secure the fire lines and will continue to conduct mop-up operations, the federal interagency fire team led by Commander Brad Milam said in a statement. Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Catastrophe California Natural Disasters Wildfire Two restaurants in Dublin city owned by celebrity chef Dylan McGrath are set to close with customers being told that business is simply not sustainable anymore. The restaurants which are due to close immediately are Brasserie Sixty6 and Rustic Stone, both of which are located on South Great Georges Street. Customers who attempt to book a table at either of the restaurants are now met with a message that reads: Unfortunately, after many successful years, we've made the very difficult decision to close our Brasserie Sixty6 and Rustic Stone Venues. Both have been very successful restaurants in Dublin City for a long time, but the time has come where we have decided it's simply not sustainable anymore. The message goes on to say if a customer has an existing booking coming up, they will be contacted in the coming days. Mr McGraths Fade Street Social restaurant will continue to operate as usual. In May, it was reported that the company behind Rustic Stone Prime Steak Ltd posted profits of 2.75m last year mainly as a result of debt writedowns. This was after posting losses of nearly 900,000 the prior financial year. The company went through the Small Company Administrative Rescue Process (SCARP) which allows firms to restructure their debts and continue to do business. This comes following figures by the Restaurants Association of Ireland which showed that more than 570 restaurants, cafes, and other food businesses have permanently shut their doors since last September. The Restaurant's Association of Ireland (RAI) has published new data that reveal the extent of closures across the sector amid rising business costs and the end of the temporary Vat reduction for the sector. A total of 45 restaurants, cafes, and other food-led businesses ceased trading in July alone, according to the RAI. Many farmers are "giving serious consideration" to leaving the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES), Ireland's flagship agri-environment scheme. The Irish Farmers' Association has said it is receiving "more and more calls from frustrated farmers" with concerns related to the scheme. The association's hill farming chairman Caillin Conneely has urged Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue "to intervene and quickly remove whatever obstacles are withholding balancing ACRES payments to hill farmers and those in ACRES co-operation zones". "Many are giving serious consideration to leaving the scheme altogether. The scheme has fallen flat on its face," Mr Conneely said. Cashflow is becoming more and more an issue on farms. Farmers need their ACRES payments today. We were told it was coming in May, then June, and more recently all would be sorted before end of September. The goalposts keep moving. "Its just not good enough, and the timeline of backlog clearances doesnt inspire confidence either. Over 10,000 farmers are still waiting on their balancing payments, and not many were paid in the last month." Calamity Mr Conneely said that farmers entered the scheme "in good faith", and invested in planners and environmental actions. However, many now "find themselves not knowing where they stand, when they will get paid, or even if they have to pay back money". The scoring seems to be extremely harsh on many commonages too, compounded by 100m exclusions around turbary activity," he continued. "Given the calamity that is ACRES thus far, maximum flexibility should apply. The exclusion zone should be considerably reduced. We will be engaging with the department seeking an urgent meeting of the Charter Monitoring Committee to get greater clarity and a speedy resolution." Film: Alien: Romulus General release The seventh instalment of the Alien franchise stretching back 45 years, Alien: Romulus is directed by Fede Alvarez, also responsible for the 2013 'reimagining' of the Evil Dead. David Jonsson as Andy in Alien: Rolulus, which is in cinemas now. Set between the events of Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986), Alien: Romulus finds a group of young space colonisers scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station when they come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe. Festival: Electric Picnic August 16-18, Stradbally, Co Laois Taking place two weeks earlier than usual, Electric Picnic features a wide-ranging bill for the 20th anniversary of the festival. The standout names are Sundays headliners Kylie Minogue and Raye, with the Wolfe Tones earlier in the day looking to reprise their awesome show from last year. Calvin Harris and Noah Kahan also play over the weekend. Comedy: Garron Noone August 21, Cyprus Avenue, Cork The up-and-coming Mayo man is different things to different people, speaking truth to certain powers on his TikTok account (follow him, he's delicious) and also not too shabby at guitar, having busked in a previous guise. Garron Noone: Returns to Cyprus Avenue in Cork on August 21. Hes sold out Cyprus Avenue before and his star is one of the brightest among Irelands entertainers in 2024. Gig: Flywheel and California Businessman August 16, Lee Rowing Club Magic Nights by the Lee, from promoters the Good Room, runs at the Lee Rowing Club throughout August. John Spillane and Reggie are there on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, but the Cork musos will likely be out in force for Friday nights show. Flywheel are a five-piece psychedelic-pop band formed in Cork in 1994 and released the cult classic album She a couple years later, before breaking up. California Businessman are only five years into their career but are hitting all their targets, and with an album on the way. Heritage: Cork Heritage Open Day Various venues, August 17 Organised by Cork City Council, over 40 of Corks landmark buildings will open their doors to the public on Saturday. They include City Hall, the Opera House, the courthouse on Washington St, and Murphys Brewery on the northside. Guided tours will take place of streets and areas such as Douglas St, Jewtown, the Middle Parish, and the Coal Quay. Looking out over the expanse of Lough Neagh, it is hard to believe this is a lake and not a sea. On a clear day, land on the far side is just about visible as a rim of distant blue hills. The largest lake on the island of Ireland and in the UK (by surface area), Lough Neagh boasts a surface area of almost 400 square kilometres and supplies drinking water to 40% of Northern Irelands population. I feel a special affinity with Lough Neagh as my grandmother grew up near its shores, her family from a long line of farming folk whose lives were entwined with the life on the lake. Before them, the lake was famously bountiful since the days of the very first people known to have settled on this Island. Now, as then, swans can be seen paddling on the water. In a month or two, whooper swans will arrive from summer breeding grounds in Iceland. Wintering geese from Greenland will also return to spend the winter here, as they have been doing for many thousands of years. Other waterbirds depending on the Lough include stunning looking tufted duck, goldeneye, mallard, moorhen, pintail, crested grebe, shovelers and widgeon. Ducks swimming though Blue Green Algae concentrations on the shores of Lough Neagh in County Antrim. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire In fact, the wildlife of Lough Neagh is so rich that it has been designated as a globally important wetland under the international Ramsar convention; a Special Protection Area (SPA) under the European Birds Directive; and Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) under UK environmental legislation. These designations are a recognition of the richness of the habitats here as well as instruments to protect and maintain the environmental integrity of sites such as these. In recent years, despite the legal protections, things have gone very wrong for the lake. In the water, rich webs of underwater invertebrates include the nymphs of caddis flies and mayflies, dragonflies and an array of water beetles have all been severely impacted by dredging and pollution. These are the food for pollan, trout and eel. But because of illegal sand extraction, on an enormous scale, combined with water pollution, these food webs have been collapsing. Lough Neagh now has approximately 100,000 fewer wintering birds than were there 20 years ago. Eel in particular are synonymous with Lough Neagh. The abundance of eel in the lake was one of the reasons cited for the City of London to finance the Plantation of Ulster more than 300 years ago. European eel is now a critically endangered species, and their population in Lough Neagh has also plummeted in recent decades. Lough Neagh's eel population has plummeted in recent decades. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire After years of gradual decline, things took a dramatic turn in the summer of 2023. High temperatures and accumulated pollutants sent the lake over a tipping point, and almost overnight, the lake turned in to an expanse of smelly green sludge. Years of excess of nitrogen and phosphorous from intensive farming and ineffectively treated sewage, combined with rising temperatures, had accumulated and triggered algal blooms across the lake that suddenly began to grow at an exponential rate. When the green slime takes over, it sucks up most of the oxygen in the water, making survival impossible for invertebrates, waterbirds, otters and all the other aquatic creatures who need oxygen in the water. As a result, Lough Neagh is rapidly becoming an ecological dead zone. It is not only the ecological integrity of the lake that has led to the public outcry since 2023. More than a thousand locals who swim regularly in Lough Neagh have been unable to continue swimming. The water is potentially lethal for dogs. Fisheries have collapsed. Hydrogen sulphide and methane gas produced by the algal blooms are acutely harmful to human health. Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir speaks to media following a meeting with stakeholders at Lough Neah, after the publication of the Lough Neagh Action Plan which was agreed in July 2024. PA Photo. The action plan was developed in an attempt to deal with the various environmental issues at the Lough. Picture: Jonathan McCambridge/PA Wire In July, the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs responded to the crisis by publishing a Lough Neagh Report and Action Plan [exa.mn/jit], although the ambition of the plan has been widely criticised and many are now calling for a new, independent NI Environment Agency with greater power to address the many facets of this crisis. Friends of the Earth NI has called for a multi-departmental emergency response plan for Lough Neagh and funding to ensure it is delivered. To reverse the damage, all nutrient inputs coming from the wider catchment need to be addressed. The primary source of nitrogen and phosphorous is agriculture (at about 62%). Intensive dairy farming and a high number of pig and poultry units have all been loading pollution in to the catchment, most of which ends up in the lake. The Lough Neagh report notes that there have been "decades of pollution by nutrients from agriculture, wastewater, septic tanks and industrial processes". According to campaigners, County Antrim, which has a human population of 650,000, has 20 million farm animals living in cages. The waste generated by these factories is a major source of pollution. Untreated sewage and wastewater is also a major problem across Northern Ireland. According to NI Water, the agency with responsibility for licencing waste outflows, raw sewage and untreated trade effluent spill have entered the lake on 25,000 occasions each year, an average of 68 spills per day. Protesters say 'Factory farming is killing Lough Neagh' At a community event last weekend, held near the shores of the Lough, local and national community campaigners and climate activists called out what they say is an inadequate response from local councils and State agencies to address the crisis. The Save Lough Neagh Coalition and a group called Sli Eile staged a protest to highlight what they say is the major contribution of chicken factory farming to the ecological collapse. Moy Park, owned by Brazilian agri-food giant JBS and Pilgrim's Pride Corporation, has several factories within the Lough Neagh catchment. However, a recent BBC Spotlight investigation acknowledged that theres no single farm or sector responsible". A Moy Park spokesperson noted that: "The Moy Park factory trade effluent discharge referenced in the BBC programme is strictly controlled with initial treatment on site, followed by further treatment at NI Water wastewater treatment works before NI Water finally discharge the treated waste to any watercourse. NI Water receive an increased fee for any onward treatment that they carry out at the waste treatment works to ensure the water is safe before NI water release it from their treatment facility into any watercourse." A Moy Park spokesperson said: "Scientists have identified a number of drivers behind the algae blooms on Lough Neagh; it is a complex issue not specifically linked to any one sector. For its part, the poultry industry is highly regulated with strict limits set for waste water quality at all NI facilities. Moy Park undertakes regular review, testing and monitoring of all trade effluent discharges. We are continuing to work with the regulator on measures to further improve facility wastewater quality and lower the associated cost of trade effluent treatment, as well as to enhance nutrient management across our wider Northern Irish poultry supply chain." Major changes will be needed if Lough Neagh is to be restored to anything like its former bounty. Policies that have led to its demise must be overhauled. As the biggest lake in these islands, assistance from the Irish government to help the recovery of the lake will not go astray. With immediate action, it will likely take 20 years before the water returns to good quality and the wildlife recovers. But in the long scheme of the life of the Lough, this is well worth the wait. By mid-century, grandmothers might recount the years of sludge to disbelieving youngsters, as they venture out to swim in and enjoy the bounty of the Lough. Couples are facing long waits in getting a consultation to go through State-funded fertility treatment, with the delays potentially threatening their chances of starting the family. Experts say any delay in treatment is a real issue when it comes to fertility, yet figures provided to the Irish Examiner show some couples are having to wait nine months to get a consultation. That is three times the wait detailed on the HSE website. Those who are eligible for the scheme are referred to one of six fertility hubs, three of which are located in Dublin. The strict eligibility criteria states, among other requirements, that couples must be in a relationship for at least a year and have previously undergone no more than one previous IVF cycle. Women must be aged 40 or younger and have a BMI of 18.5 - 30. Once a couple is referred to a fertility hub by their GP, they must complete a detailed health questionnaire before undergoing a suite of fertility-related investigations. The HSE says these tests will ordinarily take place within six weeks of receiving the completed forms. Some couples may be treated in the fertility hub through surgical or medical management, while those requiring advanced fertility treatment will be referred to a consultant with these appointments aimed to be provided within six to eight weeks. A patient must be seen by a consultant before they can be referred to a private clinic for IVF treatment. While the HSE says there is no "average" wait time as every person will be different, its website says it can take up to three months to be seen by a specialist in a fertility hub. However, when the Irish Examiner queried the current wait times, the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin said it currently has a nine-month wait to see the consultants at the fertility hub. The National Maternity Hospital in Dublin quoted a wait of up to four months while the Coombe said the waiting period is currently around four to four and a half months. The hub located at Cork University Maternity Hospital said many couples will be seen by a consultant within between four to five months with a maximum wait time of six months. The Nenagh Hospital hub was unable to provide a wait time for the full process but said the wait from referral to a consultant and the first appointment is up to two months. Galway University Hospital reported a three-month wait. The National Infertility Support and Information Group (NISIG) said it has seen a rise in the number of people contacting them stressed and frustrated due to the unexpected delays in treatment. The significant disparities in the system less than a year into the scheme which is in its first very focused phase, is a cause for concern, said NISIG chairwoman Catriona Fitzpatrick. Any delay in treatment is a real issue when it comes to fertility, which all those involved in delivering the service will be aware of. The HSE told the Irish Examiner that it is aware of some delays to original access times and said it is working with all six hubs to resolve any issues, including challenges in recruitment. It said there was an anticipated higher level of referrals in the early months as the service was new but it expects the monthly number of referrals to stabilise leading to improved access times. Approximately 2,000 people have been referred by a GP to the six regional hubs since applications opened in September 2023. Of these, over 700 patients have been referred to one of the HSE approved Assisted Human Reproduction (AHR) private providers. The recent passing of the AHR Act has allowed for a widening of the criteria meaning that there is likely to be an increase in the number of people seeking to avail of the scheme. Concerns were raised last year that funding may need to be increased for the programme to keep up with the demand. For the initial three-month period of the scheme, 10 million was allocated in the Budget with a further 20 million provided in Budget 2024 for the period of January to August. The HSE said that full year allocation for the service on an ongoing basis is 30 million per annum. Ms Fitzpatrick said those hoping to avail of the scheme will be hoping to see an increase in funding in October's Budget. The situation has reached a point where people who meet all of the criteria for public funding are choosing to go to a private clinic. That really undermines the whole premise for introducing public funding in the first place. "We don't want to see people having to make choices such as taking out a loan, when they are eligible for publicly funded treatment." One in six heterosexual couples experience fertility problems with infertility designated as a medical condition by the World Health Organization. The most affordable option for an IVF cycle in Ireland privately is around 4,000 with most paying around 6,000. Modified cars and vans stashing drugs or other contraband for organised crime are now "driving around any town in the country" and are being seized by gardai almost weekly. Many of these regular-looking vehicles have "specialised deep concealments", some with hydraulic entry points, head of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) Detective Chief Superintendent Seamus Boland said, and these vehicles can be evidence of someone facilitating organised crime. Were seizing almost on a weekly basis in our investigations regular vehicles driving around Dublin, driving around Limerick, driving around any town in the country which have specialised deep concealments, some which are very difficult to access, some with hydraulic entry points as well which are all used to conceal," Mr Boland said. The possession of such a vehicle in itself can be deemed to be evidence of someone facilitating organised crime. Thats how organised crime gangs are adapting all the time and its up to us to stand up to that challenge. Drugs are now often concealed in cavities in cars or in vehicles modified to smuggle contraband, a garda source in Cork said. Certain areas of vehicles can be the flavour of the month for stashing drugs in which all operational police would be aware of, they said. It could be anything from internally in the car or in the engine compartment or even underneath like in areas where the spare wheel is kept. Or in the doors and wings of cars. Every time we have a seizure and a new area is identified its communicated around [gardai]. It can be specially modified or stashed in an area like behind vents. They use cavities or hollow out areas and cover it in a panel. It can be concealed somewhere where no odours are coming out.". More than 33m worth of drugs were seized at ports in the past week. An X-ray scanner and detector dogs were important in uncovering these seizures which were deep concealments in freight Acting Director General of the Revenue Customs Service Ruth Kennedy said. Meanwhile, 11 prisoners in Portlaoise Prison were hospitalised with suspected overdoses potentially linked to synthetic opioids like nitazenes. European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) principal programme manager Michael Evans-Brown told the Irish Examiner that combatting the production and use of synthetic opioids like nitazenes was a game of cat and mouse between regulatory bodies and producers. The EUDA operates an early warning system for new psychoactive substances (NPS) like nitazenes which may be highly dangerous but so new that they are not yet banned or controlled under legislation or regulations. Nitazenes first appeared to the agency in 2019 and have steadily increased in number and availability in Europe since, with particular growth since 2022, Mr Evans-Brown said. We've seen quite a noticeable increase in availability and incidents involving nitazenes including non-fatal and fatal poisonings in Europe. "The agency is currently monitoring 20 nitazenes which have appeared since 2019 and seven of those so around 35% were actually identified for the first time in 2023." Nitazenes are mostly manufactured by chemical companies in China, and are then imported into Europe and sold on the darknet or surface web or by street dealers, he said. And these NPS, by their definition, are substances that are not controlled under international drug laws. So in most countries, these substances are not controlled [banned] so it wouldn't be illegal to produce them in a particular country unless they fall under other types of regulation. And when one substance is banned or controlled, a slight chemical tweak can allow manufacturers to circumvent the ban anyway. In some cases, even before the control measures come in, producers already have a legal variant of the drug ready to sell or already being sold on the market," Mr Evans-Brown said. Two people have been arrested following a seizure of cocaine worth 140,000 in Limerick City. The seizure occurred on Wednesday evening after gardai stopped a vehicle on the city's southside and searched it. The operators of Kinsale's Perryville House have appealed a recent decision of Dublin City Council to reject their planning application to develop a new boutique hotel in a listed Georgian building near Dublin city centre. The Kilcolman Partnership, which is owned by the Corcoran family, has lodged an appeal with An Bord Pleanala to try and secure planning permission for the change of use of a building at the junction of Lower Baggot Street and Herbert Place to develop a seven-storey, 30-bedroom hotel. The company is seeking to demolish an existing side extension to the building and construct a new seven-storey extension as well as make some internal alterations to the main building. In refusing planning permission for the proposed boutique hotel, Dublin City Council said by virtue of its scale, bulk, height and design that it would detract from the setting, character and appearance of the protected structure and the Georgian Conservation Area. Council planners said it would also be contrary to the stated provision of the Dublin City Development Plan 2022-2028 to encourage the establishment of sustainable, residential communities throughout the city. The Corcoran family bought the property last year for 3.5m with the intention of operating it as a family-run boutique hotel. The Kilcolman Partnership says use of the rooms in the building as an office or apartment would be inappropriate, while arguing the proposed height of the extension is not significantly higher than the existing streetscape. In planning documents, the Corcoran family said the concept of operating a hotel of exceptional quality in Dublin was a long time in the making. They claimed it had taken them 10 years to find a city centre landmark building with outstanding potential. View of the proposed hotel from Baggot Street Bridge. The family confirmed the proposed hotel would have a deliberate policy of only serving food and drink to residents. They stated they planned to serve breakfast of exceptional quality as well as afternoon tea and light snacks but would not be serving lunch or dinner due to the presence of several good quality restaurants in the immediate vicinity. In appeal documents, the Kilcolman Partnership stressed the preservation of the building was of paramount importance to it. The Corcorans said they proposed to cater for high net worth individuals seeking exceptional quality accommodation. The plans by the Kilcolman Partnership have faced several objections from a number of groups and individuals. An Taisce claimed the plans for the hotel would fundamentally change the corner site from how it has existed since Georgian times by constructing two modern blocks within the curtilage of the protected structure. The Irish Georgian Society claimed the proposed loss of original built fabric is excessive and can be avoided. A ruling on the case by An Bord Pleanala is expected towards the end of the year. Tributes have been paid to a farmer (64) who died in an accident with a bull on his farm on Tuesday, August 13. Bobby Richardson, Killeenagarriff, Lisnagry, Co Limerick, suffered fatal injuries after being attacked by a bull on farmland at Lisnagry. Locals said Mr Richardson was an "absolute gentleman who would do anything for any of his neighbours". One friend wrote: "Bobby was a great man and a great neighbour, always available to help. Only a few weeks ago he was, as always, a very great help digging my father's grave. He is survived by his wife Joan, sons Henry and Martin, daughter Brid and their partners Martina, Sinead and Harry. His remains will repose at his son Martins home on Friday, August 16, from 4pm onwards. His requiem mass will take place on Saturday, August 17, from 11.30am at St Patrick's Church, Ahane, and the burial will take place afterwards in Killeenagarriff Cemetery. A garda spokesperson said: "Gardai in Castleconnell are investigating the death of a man in his 60s following an incident on a farm. "Gardai were alerted this morning (August 13th) after the mans body was discovered on farmland. The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) attended the scene and are conducting their investigation. A HSA spokeswoman said that the HSA are aware of this incident and have launched an investigation. No further information is available at this time. The HSA recorded 16 farm-related deaths in Ireland in 2023, an increase of four on 2022 figures, with half of those killed on farms last year aged 65 or older. A public meeting is set to go ahead in West Cork next week to discuss recurring problems with the quality of bathing water as two popular beaches were reopened for swimming on Thursday. Cork County Council confirmed the 'do not swim notices' which were imposed on Owenahincha and Warren Beach near Rosscarbery this week have been lifted after tests showed the water quality at both beaches "is now at excellent status". The decision made to re-open both beaches was made based on solid scientific data from Cork County Councils accredited laboratory in Inniscarra, as well as on the professional advice from its staff, and from colleagues in the HSE," it said. When water quality is affected at Co Cork beaches, the council may have to take steps to advise or prohibit the public from entering the bathing waters. This is done for the purposes of public health, the protection of which is our top priority. However, the council also recognises that the many beautiful beaches along our coast are of vital importance to the local communities and to local business. This is why the council makes every effort to determine as soon as possible when a bathing water is again safe to use. But Fianna Fail TD for Cork South West Christopher OSullivan said he planned to proceed with a public meeting on the water quality issue next week. High levels of bacteria The council closed both popular beaches to swimming after high levels of bacteria were found in the bathing water. Photographs show suspended solids clearly visible in the water, which had turned a murky brown. Warren Beach near Rosscarbery experiences ongoing water quality issues. Picture: Andy Gibson Signs at the beaches advised bathers, especially those with open wounds, those who are pregnant, or those with a weakened immune system, to avoid swimming, and if they did, to reduce the risk of illness by taking precautions including avoiding swallowing or splashing the water and washing their hands before handling food. Locals and tourists voiced their anger and concern about the recurring water quality issues in the area, with some blaming the Uisce Eireann wastewater treatment plant in Rosscarbery, and others blaming run-off from agricultural land. One tourist said: What's the point of visiting a seaside town if you can't go to the beach? Such a shame for the local businesses as well. This has been an ongoing issue for the last few years. There was a big meeting a few years ago in the Celtic Ross [hotel] with lots of politicians there and nothing has changed. Mr OSullivan said while nitrates must be reduced, and farmers must be part of the conversation, the Rosscarbery water qualities issues were linked to the local water water treatment plant, and he said it was no coincidence that water quality at beaches either side of the plant was being affected. There is just as intense dairy farming activity in Courtmacsherry and Clonakilty but we arent seeing the beaches there suffering the same problems, he said. Sewage plume The plant was the centre of a probe in August 2022 after lifeguards at Warren Beach and members of the public reported what was potentially a sewage plume in the bathing water. An EPA report shows following an investigation by the council, there was no apparent spillage or discharge of sewage from the plant, but Uisce Eireann was required to review the desludging frequency at the plants two septic tanks, to install appropriate screening at the inlets, and to confirm whether the plant was meeting the design criteria for primary treatment. It was also recommended the plant be prioritised for required upgrades to meet the emission limit values specified in its discharge licence, the EPA report said. However, the plant, which is listed as an amber facility one with limited spare capacity is not listed for upgrade. The meeting is due to go ahead at the Celtic Ross Hotel next Thursday, August 22. This week, for the first time, the students unions of the five biggest colleges in Dublin took to the streets to ask homeowners a simple question: room for one more? Often referred to as digs, the student leaders, myself included, were asking people to register any spare rooms with their students unions. Armed with thousands of leaflets, we targeted Dart stations, shopping streets, and Luas stops in a last-ditch effort to find our students somewhere to live during their studies. Digs, however, leave students with little-to-no protections, resulting in many college-goers thrown out at a moments notice so why are students unions trying to promote such a precarious scheme? Frankly, for many students, it is digs or drop out. Decades of privatisation and exploitation of our housing market by successive governments have led to students being exploited by the rental market. Governments who have facilitated this failed experiment, for some reason, keep using the same measures and keep expecting different outcomes. A huge 83% of student accommodation in Dublin is privately owned, with 90% of that costing way over 10,000 for an academic year. This is not a system that has gotten out of hand, but instead, a perfect example of what happens when landlordism and capital gain are prioritised over all else. Just under 80 TDs and seanadoiri are landlords, participating in the system. Jenny Maguire: 'Students are forced to commute for hours every day from across the country to get an education.' The government has created winners and losers for almost everything in our society, and the majority of students are finding out they will never be winners. Our students unions are raising alarm bells every year, but nothing is changing and the most vulnerable are paying the price for it. The issue is not just private accommodation, however. To no surprise, 90% of students at my university of Trinity College Dublin find the accommodation offered unaffordable (presumably the other 10% filled out their surveys from a golden bath filled with champagne). The price gap between university and privately-owned accommodation is closing, with the recently opened Printing House Square accommodation in Trinity putting students back over 10,000. This, however, is being incentivised by government policies. According to the Irish Universities Association, there is a gap of over 260m in funding for the sector, and the reality is that the bill is being passed right on to students. Places of learning are being forced into commercialisation and becoming businesses, and the welfare of students is being sacrificed to facilitate this. Our universities are no longer home to the brightest minds changing the world theyre home to large real estate companies with an increasingly insignificant academic wing. What do these issues mean for students? Homelessness. Dropping out. Mental health deterioration. In the University of Galway, 92 out of 300 students who deferred their studies did so because they had nowhere to live. Students are forced to commute for hours every day from across the country to get an education. It's important to note that students lose out on much more than academic achievement. The accommodation and cost-of-living crisis has created a tiered student experience. If you have to travel for hours, are reliant on a dysfunctional transport system, are working 20+ hours a week all while suffering from lack of academic and welfare support how are you possibly meant to experience the so-called best years of your life? College is not just about academics. It is about finding yourself. Learning who you are independent of the confines of secondary school and the family home. Youre supposed to experience new things and join clubs and societies. This student experience is increasingly the exception to the rule, leaving students divided along class lines across our apparently great higher level sector. This is a status quo that I and students can not and will not accept. I will not accept students sleeping in cars. I will not accept vulture funds and neoliberal policies destroying this country. We stand out and beg people to rent a room because we believe in a better option for students than suffering. This is a belief we must share for us all. We must all come together and reject the privatisation of all that was once good in this country. We must all come together and recognise that our enemy is not the refugee seeking a better life, it is the wealthy that gain from our suffering. Our struggle for an Ireland that works for us all may only come about when we stop fighting each other, and instead, reach out a hand and march as one. And also just build some publicly owned purpose-built student accommodation, good god. Columbia University President Minouche Shafik resigned on Wednesday, nearly four months after the university's handling of campus protests over Israel's war in Gaza drew criticism from pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian sides alike. Shafik, who cited the toll the campus turmoil took on her family, becomes the third president of an Ivy League university to step down in the wake of campus protests over Gaza. She said she made the announcement now so new leadership could be in place before the new term begins on September 3, when student protesters have vowed to resume protests. "It has... been a period of turmoil where it has been difficult to overcome divergent views across our community. This period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in our community," Shafik said in a statement. The university announced Katrina Armstrong, dean of Columbia's medical school, would serve as interim president. Armstrong said in a statement she was "acutely aware of the trials the University has faced over the past year." Columbia was rocked in April and May as protesters occupied parts of the New York City campus in opposition to Palestinian civilian deaths in Gaza, resulting in hundreds of arrests. The demonstrators denounced Shafik for calling police onto campus to halt the demonstrations, while pro-Israel supporters castigated her for failing to crack down sufficiently. Students and pro-Palestinian activists face police as they gather outside of Columbia University to protest the university's stance on Israel on April 18, 2024 in New York City Students with Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a group behind the protests, welcomed the resignation but said it should not become a distraction from their efforts to have Columbia divest from companies that support Israel's military and its occupation of Palestinian territories. "We hope that Columbia will finally appoint a president that will hear the students and faculty rather than appease Congress and donors," said Mahmoud Khalil, one of the group's lead negotiators with the school's administration. Republican US Representative Elise Stefanik, a critic of university leaders in congressional hearings over Gaza protests nationwide, called Shafik's resignation "overdue" on X because of what she called failure to protect Jewish students. Two other Ivy League presidents have resigned after facing congressional critics. Liz Magill of the University of Pennsylvania stepped down in December 2023 and Claudine Gay of Harvard quit a month later. Shafik, an Egyptian-born economist who holds British and U.S. nationality, was previously deputy governor of the Bank of England, president of the London School of Economics and deputy managing director at the International Monetary Fund. After leading Columbia for little more than a year, Shafik said she would return to the British House of Lords and chair a review of the government's approach to international development. Her position at Columbia was undermined when pro-Palestinian protesters set up dozens of tents on the main lawn. Pro-Palestinian protestors chant near an entrance to Columbia University on April 30, 2024 On April 18 she took the unusual step of asking New York police to enter campus, angering rights groups, students and faculty, after encampments were not cleared voluntarily. More than 100 people were arrested and the tents removed, but within days the encampment was back in place. The university called police back in on April 30, when they arrested 300 people at and near Columbia and the City College of New York. Some protesters were injured in the arrests. The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered on October 7 when Palestinian fighters from Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's subsequent assault on the Hamas-governed enclave has since killed nearly 40,000 Palestinians, according to the local health ministry, while displacing nearly the entire population of 2.3 million, causing a hunger crisis and leading to genocide allegations at the World Court that Israel denies. Hundreds of student protesters and political activists in Bangladesh armed with bamboo sticks, iron rods and pipes have assaulted supporters of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina. The clashes on Thursday prevented them from reaching the previous house of Ms Hasinas father and assassinated independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the capital Dhaka. The house in the Dhanmondi area was turned into a museum to showcase narratives and other objects about a military coup on August 15, 1975, when Mr Rahman was assassinated along with most of his family members. The house, now called Bangabandhu Memorial Museum, was torched by the protesters hours after Ms Hasinas downfall on August 5 following an uprising during which more than 300 people were killed. Mr Rahman is fondly called Bangabandhu or, a friend of Bengal. Military and paramilitary personnel stand guard as protesters block the road in front of the former residence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (Rajib Dhar/AP/PA) Thursday is the anniversary of Mr Rahmans death and Ms Hasina, now self-exiled in India, urged her supporters to commemorate the day by paying respect to her father. Previously, August 15 was a public holiday and was observed as a national mourning day by Ms Hasinas administration That has been cancelled by an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus following the ouster of Ms Hasina, who survived in 1975 along with her younger sister because they were visiting Germany. On Thursday, the protesters attacked Ms Hasinas supporters who attempted to get to the site. They manhandled many and checked visitors phones and identity cards while threatening journalists for filming the incidents at the scene, witnesses said. Another group of protesters on Thursday chanted Naraye Takbeer, Allahu Akbar or, Allah is Great, Shout of Allah is Great as they marched through streets in the area where the museum site remained blocked with barbed-wire fences. The protesters, who arrived at Ms Rhamans house first on Wednesday, attacked a prominent actress as she along with dozens of Ms Hasinas supporters reached there to light candles as part of the commemoration. A protester carries the Bangladesh flag as he and others block the road in front of the former residence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (Rajib Dhar/AP/PA) Overnight, they held a party using loudspeakers and playing songs as they danced outside the museum, which was set on fire during the anti-government demonstrations earlier this month. The protesters said they were out to stop the gathering of Ms Hasinas supporters as they could attempt to create chaos in the name of commemoration. Sarjis Alam, a key organiser of the student protests, said on Thursday they would continue to demand the trial of Ms Hasina as he led a rally in the Shahbagh area. Sam Jahan, a video journalist for Reuters, protested against the harassment by the protesters, in a Facebook post. It is fair enough what you, the political activists, student protesters want to achieve, politically. But when you try to stop my rolling camera, resisting the freedom of the press and when you manhandle my colleagues, I will speak up, Jahan wrote in the post. The countrys leading English-language Daily Star newspaper reported that their journalists faced trouble at the scene and they were forced to delete photos and videos. The protesters have been demanding trial of Ms Hasina for the killings during weeks-long violence and cases have already been filed against her and other close party colleagues and top police officials. More than 300 people were killed in unrest that started in July with protests against a quota system for government jobs that later morphed into a movement against what was considered Ms Hasinas increasingly autocratic administration. The uprising eventually forced Hasina to leave office and flee to India, ending her 15-year rule. Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) The Times of Israel reported that a schism is brewing on the Israeli right wing. The Ultra-Orthodox object to Jews praying at the Temple Mount on the grounds that it is the holy site of the Second Temple and for Jews to pray there before the Messiah comes is impious and defiles holy land. The official Israeli Rabbinate also holds this stance. On Tuesday, Jewish Power leader Itamar Ben-Gvir led a group of Israelis in storming the Temple Mount, the third holiest shrine of the Muslims. Video emerged of them praying there. The provocation was denounced by United Torah Judaism, a small Ultra- Orthodox party that is in coalition with the current Likud government. Some UTJ members are threatening to pull out of Netanyahus coalition government over the issue, saying that praying at the Muslim worlds third holiest shrine was bound to worsen relations with Israels neighbors and the worlds 1.8 billion Muslims. The controversy between the Ultra-Orthodox and fascist wings of Judaism comes on top of a building crisis between the ultra-Orthodox community and the Netanyahu government over the conscription of the Ultra-Orthodox into the Israeli army. Israel-Hamas war: Israeli minister Ben-Gvir leads hundreds of Jews to Al-Aqsa mosque | WION Original Video I wrote on another occasion: Americans who read about Muslims in Jerusalem may be confused. Many will know from the Old Testament about Jerusalem as the capital of the ancient kingdom of Judah and so will think an Israeli claim on the city is a historical revival. And, of course, they will know of Jesuss relationship to the city where he was tried by the Roman prefect and executed for political sedition in the Roman manner, by crucifixion. So what are the Muslims doing there? you may ask. Very briefly: The Prophet Muhammad (d. 632) is believed by Muslims to have journeyed to Jerusalem and to have ascended from the site of the al-Aqsa complex up to heaven, from which he returned to continue his prophetic mission. I argued in my book, That we may conclude from the Quran and the account of Jacob of Edessa that Muhammad likely did visit Jerusalem on a trading journey in 617 or 618, when it was under the rule of the Iranian Sasanian Empire, and had a mystical experience there at the Temple Mount, which was then abandoned. After the Romans destroyed the Temple in 70 AD they gradually banned Jews from living there. At first they built pagan temples in the city, but after Constantine they built the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and made it a Christian city. Iran conquered it in 614 and held it until early 630. After the Prophets death in 632, the Eastern Roman Empire tried to reassert itself in Palestine (that was what they called it). There is some indication that Jews were persecuted, for having tilted to the Iranian side during the war. The Miaphysite Christian majority may also not have been happy about the reimposition of Chalcedonian rule. There may have been uprisings among local Arabs. Somehow the second Muslim vicar of Muhammad, the Commander of the Faithful Umar ibn al-Khattab, got drawn into these struggles, and his armies conquered Jerusalem and the Near East, detaching them from the Eastern Romans. Umar built a small structure on the Temple Mount that later Umayyad kings expanded into the al-Aqsa Mosque, finishing it in 705. Muslims then ruled Jerusalem, and considered it holy, from 636 until 1917, with the exception of a period of less than a century during the Crusades, 1099-1187 and 1243-1244. Most Jews and Christians in the area over time converted to Islam (and usually quite voluntarily). Muslims ruled Jerusalem far longer than Jews did, in history. Israel conquered East Jerusalem and occupied it in 1967. By Amin Saikal, Australian National University | (The Conversation) This week marks the third year since Americas retreat from Afghanistan and the Talibans return to power. The United States had intervened in Afghanistan in response to the September 11 2001 terror attacks by al-Qaeda. The aim was to combat international terrorism and chart a new global order to make the world safer and more secure. Yet, as I argue in my new book, How to Lose a War: The Story of Americas Intervention in Afghanistan, the world today is arguably more conflict-ridden and polarised than during the Cold War. It potentially stands on the edge of yet another world war. Americas goals and failures Backed by its NATO and non-NATO allies, as well as extensive global sympathy, the key US objectives in Afghanistan were: eliminate al-Qaeda dismantle the Talibans ultra-extremist regime as the protector of al-Qaeda help change Afghanistan so it would never again become a nest of international terrorism. Success in Afghanistan was intertwined with two other broader US foreign policy goals under the presidency of Republican George W. Bush the global war on terrorism and promoting democracy. Both of these were means to bring change to the Middle East and indeed the wider world in accordance with the interests of the US as the sole post-Cold War superpower. Ultimately, the US could not achieve any of these objectives. At first, it prevailed militarily in toppling the Taliban government and dispersing al-Qaeda, with assistance from the anti-Taliban Afghan forces. But the respective leaders of both groups, Mullah Mohammad Omar and Osama bin Laden, and their main operatives escaped to Pakistan. The Taliban swiftly regrouped. And with Pakistans support and its continuing alliance with al-Qaeda, it mounted an insurgency beyond the expectations of the US and its allies, including the fledgling Afghan government in Kabul. The US had not originally intended to stay in Afghanistan for more than a few years. But its failure to decapitate al-Qaeda in the early days of its intervention resulted in a US hunt for bin Laden that took a decade. It also led to Americas deepening involvement in the difficult task of state-building in a highly socially divided and traditional Afghanistan. Without ensuring Afghanistan was firmly placed on a stable, secure and democratic trajectory, the Bush administration invaded Iraq in 2003 on the false premises that the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein collaborated with bin Laden and possessed weapons of mass destruction. Iraq was prioritised over Afghanistan. This resulted in a shift of important intelligence and military assets from the latter to the former. In the absence of a well-thought-out plan of action about how to bring peace to Afghanistan and Iraq, the US found itself entangled in two unwinnable wars. This left it with little choice but to bow out of Iraq by the end of 2011 and Afghanistan by August 2021, without achieving its original objectives. It also left behind two broken countries. Iraq is still struggling to recover. Afghanistan is in a mess under the Taliban. The Afghanistan defeat could not be any less humiliating for the US than its devastating Vietnam War five decades earlier. Sky News Australia Video: Taliban hold humiliating parade three years after returning to power in Afghanistan The Talibans extremism The Talibans 2.0 minority tribal government has proven to be as dreadfully extremist and discriminatory as its previous reign of terror from 1996-2001. It has professed a self-centred and self-serving version of Islam, which is not practised anywhere else in the Muslim world. Women are stripped of all basic rights (including to education and work). Any form of opposition is brutally suppressed. Other minorities, along with remnants of the previous US-backed regime, are punished daily. Many have been murdered. The group has transformed Afghanistan into a protective enclave for al-Qaeda and several other similarly minded groups. These include the Pakistani Taliban (Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP) and the Islamic StateKhorasan Province (ISKP). A new survey by the UN Mission in Afghanistan shows only 4% of respondents wanted the Taliban to be recognised internationally. The groups lack of domestic legitimacy is paralleled by its pariah status in the global community. Yet the group has been able to consolidate power in Afghanistan and stave off outside pressure, having taken advantage of regional and major power geopolitical rivalries and ambitions. A more unstable world The Talibans re-empowerment has significantly inspired and emboldened like-minded groups in many parts of the Muslim world, such as the TTP and ISKP. And the US defeat in Afghanistan has heartened Americas chief adversaries Iran, Russia, China and North Korea. Washingtons iron-clad commitment to ensure Israels security and its inability to end the devastating Gaza war have further stirred radical forces in the Muslim world and boosted Americas foes. The related growing tensions between Israel and Iran, as well as with Tehrans allies (most importantly Hezbollah in Lebanon), have seriously imperilled the cause of stability and security in a traditionally volatile region. A potential Israel-Iran war could drag the US in to defend Israel, with Russia and China supporting Iran. This is not a scenario about which the Middle East and the world can be sanguine. Amin Saikal, Emeritus professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Australian National University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 15, 2024) - European Energy Metals (TSXV: FIN) (FSE: W28) ("European Energy Metals" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it submitted applications for five new Exploration Licenses (ELs) adding to its extensive land holdings in Finland. Five new EL applications covering 10,220 hectares (ha) were recently submitted to Finnish regulators. The new Els cover geological terrane considered highly prospective for Lithium-Cesium-Tantalum (LCT) Pegmatites in the Kaustinen region of Central Finland. The new Els augment the company's existing Nabba and Nabba 2 ELs with total EL holdings now at 15,770 ha (see Figure 1 below). The new licenses are largely contiguous with Sibanye-Stillwater/Keliber (SK) licenses, which host several LCT spodumene-pegmatite deposits with published resources of approximately 17 million tonnes grading 1% Li2O (SSK annual reports; Geological Survey of Finland). SK is currently constructing a complete lithium supply chain complex including a centrally located spodumene concentrator mill near Kaustinen which SK intends to truck ore to from several different deposits. The Company's licenses are within one kilometre of several known lithium rich spodumene-pegmatite deposits and within one kilometre from SKs spodumene concentrator plant. Figure 1: Finnish Exploration Licenses and Tenements Lithium Exploration Program The 2024 field program has been underway since late May and includes data compilation, detailed prospecting, geological mapping, selective trenching, ground magnetic geophysics and Base-of-Till (BoT) sampling to identify and refine targets for diamond drilling in the fall. Field crews have begun following up on the results of the 2023 exploration program where widespread lithium-rich, spodumene-bearing pegmatite mineralization was discovered. During the 2023 exploration program, crews identified multiple occurrences of lithium bearing spodumene pegmatite mineralization on the underlying Nabba Exploration Reservation, which has now been converted to an EL. The highlight was the discovery of the Kyrola Prospect, an 850m long by 110m wide spodumene-bearing pegmatite boulder field, where 49 rock chip grab samples assayed from 3.84% Li 2 O to 0.003% Li 2 O, with 15 of the 49 samples returning grades in excess of 0.50% Li 2 O (Li 2 O = lithium oxide). The extent of the boulder field is constrained only by low-lying overburden covered areas and farm fields. The mean assay of these samples was 0.53% Li 2 O. Fifteen samples assayed greater than 0.50% Li 2 O, eleven assayed greater than 1.00% Li 2 O, four assayed greater than 2.00% Li 2 O and one assayed greater than 3.00% Li 2 O. The boulders are generally angular and range in size from small hand size cobbles up to +1.5m in diameter. Jeremy Poirier, the Company's Chief Executive Officer, commented, "The expansion of our exploration licenses allowed for more significant exploration to test and define the subsurface extent of widespread mineralization identified on surface. In conjunction, our 2024 exploration program is designed to advance these projects and areas to a drill definition stage. The prospectivity of our tenements is highlighted by the proximity to other significant known deposits in addition to Keliber's lithium concentrator currently under construction." About European Energy Metals Corp. European Energy Metals Corp. is a junior mining company primarily focussed on the Lithium-Cesium-Tantalum Finnish Pegmatite Project in central Finland. Governing bodies in Europe and Finland are legislating environmentally friendly and energy independent laws and policies. One of the key components is access to REE and, specifically, lithium. The Company's concessions are located within 15 kms of the Keliber mine and production complex, currently under construction and expected to begin production in H2 2025. The Company cautions the presence of lithium mineralization on Keliber's properties is not necessarily indicative of similar mineralization on the Company's mineral reservations. An estimated 600 million investment by Keliber's parent company Sibanye-Stillwater Limited (NYSE:SBSW) in partnership with the Finnish Minerals Group (www.mineralsgroup.fi) is underway in the Kautinen Region and will see the development of open-pit and underground mining from several deposits, construction of a central spodumene concentrator plant and a lithium hydroxide chemical plant at tidewater in Kokkola. When completed, this complex will comprise a complete hard-rock spodumene pegmatite lithium supply chain (source: www.sibanyestillwater.com). The Company also has several 100 percent owned precious metals projects in Northern Finland. They are located in the Paleo-Proterozoic Greenstone Terrane of Northern Finland comprised of multiple greenstone belts including the CLGB which hosts world-class gold (eg Kittila Deposit, owned by Agnico Eagle and Ikkari Deposit, owned by Rupert Resources) and base metal deposits (eg Kevitsa owned by Boliden and Sakatti owned by Aglo-American). The belt's potential is also suggested by the presence of several major mining companies in the belt. The belt has very recently garnered significant interest following an offer from Rupert Resources to buy B2Gold's 70% interest in a Joint Venture between B2Gold and Aurion Resources which lies adjacent to Ruperts Ikkari Deposit, for $102 million. The joint venture ground is strategic to Ruperts proposed development of the Ikkari Deposit but is also host to numerous gold prospects along a structural corridor that extends >125 km. QA/QC Statement Mike Basha, P.Eng., P.Geo. (NL), VP Exploration of European Energy Metals Corp., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has approved this press release. Samples were submitted to ALS Laboratories in Sodankyla Finland. ALS inserted internal standards, blanks and pulp duplicates within each sample batch as part of their own internal monitoring of quality control protocols. European Energy Metals monitors precision and bias performance by inserting certified lithium standards (OREAS 750 and OREAS 753) as well as blanks into each batch submitted to ALS at a rate of 1:25. The major element oxides and trace elements including Li, Cs, Ta and Be were analysed by ALS analytical package ME-MS89L + B-MS89L involving digestion by Na2O2 fusion followed by ALS's super trace ICP-MS methodology. QAQC results to date do not indicate any analytical accuracy issues with all standards returning values Li values within 3 standard deviations of their certified mean and blanks returning expected values. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking information is typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. Such statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the future results of operations, performance and achievements of the Company, including the presence of lithium or gold mineralization at, and the exploration and development potential of, the Company's properties, as well as the timing and costs of any future exploration at the properties. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurances that such expectations will prove to be correct. All such forward-looking information is based on certain assumptions and analyses made by the Company in light of their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors management believes are appropriate in the circumstances. This information, however, is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from this forward-looking information include unexpected costs of any anticipated work programs and the ability to fund such unexpected costs, required approvals in connection with any work programs and the ability to obtain such approvals, risks inherent in exploration as well as those described under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties" in the Company's most recently filed MD&A. The Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or revise the forward-looking information contained in this news release, except as required by law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 15, 2024) - K2 Gold Corporation (TSXV: KTO) (OTCQB: KTGDF) (FSE: 23K) ("K2" or the "Company") today announced that, further to its news release June 18, 2024 regarding its non-brokered private placement financing of up to 15,000,000 units (the "Units") at a price of $0.10 per Unit for gross proceeds to the Company of up to $1,500,000 (the "Offering"), it has closed the first tranche ("First Tranche") of the Offering. Under the First Tranche, the Company has issued 9,500,000 Units for gross proceeds of $950,000.00. Each Unit will consist of one common share (a "Share") in the capital of the Company and one non-transferable common share purchase warrant (each whole common share purchase warrant being a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will be exercisable to acquire one Share at a price of CDN$0.30 per Share for a period of 12 months from the date of issuance subject to an acceleration clause. If the 10-day volume-weighted average trading price of the Shares as quoted on the TSX Venture Exchange is equal to or greater than $0.35 at the close of any trading day, then the Company may, at its option, accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants by issuing a press release (a "Warrant Acceleration Press Release") announcing that the expiry date of the Warrants shall be deemed to be on the 30th day following the issuance of the Warrant Acceleration Press Release (the "Accelerated Expiry Date"). All Warrants that remain unexercised following the Accelerated Expiry Date shall immediately expire and all rights of holders of such Warrants shall be terminated without any compensation to such holder. K2 intends to use the net proceeds raised from the Offering to complete the EIS permitting for the company's Mojave Gold project located in Inyo County, California, USA, as well as exploration and general working capital. The Company will pay finders fees in compliance with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable securities legislation, to arm's length finders in connection with subscriptions from subscribers introduced by them, totaling $41,700.00 and 417,000 warrants exercisable for 12 months from the date of issuance to acquire common shares of the Company at an exercise price of $0.30 per share. Finders Warrants have the same terms as the Unit Warrants. Insiders of the Company acquired an aggregate of 950,000 Common Shares in the Offering, which participation constituted a "related party transaction" as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). Such participation is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 as neither the fair market value of the securities acquired by the insiders, nor the consideration for the securities paid by such insiders, exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization. As required by MI 61-101, the Company advises that it expects to file a material change report relating to the Offering less than 21 days from completion of the Offering, as the nature of the related party transaction is relatively immaterial, and was not necessary to complete the Offering, and can generally be considered reasonable in the circumstances. Closing of the Offering is subject to certain customary conditions, including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals and acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange. All securities issued under the Offering will be subject to a statutory hold period of four month hold period in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws. There are no material facts or material changes regarding the Company that have not been generally disclosed. Extension of the Non-Brokered Private Placement Further to the Company's news release dated June 18, 2024, the TSX Venture Exchange has granted an extension to the deadline for filing final documentation for the private placement to September 3, 2024. About K2 Gold K2 is a proud member of Discovery Group and currently has projects in Southwest USA and the Yukon. The Mojave Project is a 5,830-hectare oxide gold project with base metal targets located in California. Multiple previously recognized surface gold targets have been successfully drilled in the past, most notably by Newmont and BHP. Since acquiring the property, K2 has completed geochemical and geophysical surveys, geologic mapping, LiDAR, a WorldView 3 alteration survey, and successfully completed a 17-hole RC drill program focused on the Dragonfly and Newmont Zones. Highlights from K2's drilling program include 6.68 g/t Au over 45.72m from surface at the Dragonfly Zone, and 1.69 g/t Au over 41.15m from 44.20m depth at the Newmont Zone. The Wels Project lies approximately 40km east of the community of Beaver Creek and 60km south of Newmont Goldcorp's Coffee deposit discovered by Kaminak Gold Corporation (formerly a Discovery Group company prior to its acquisition by Goldcorp-Newmont). Both the Coffee project and the Wels project lie within the Tintina Gold Belt, share similar characteristics, and are host to structurally controlled gold mineralization within intrusive rocks exhibiting multiple trends of mineralization. K2's 2023 Reverse Circulation drilling program at the Wels Project intersected gold in every drill hole, including the discovery of a new mineralized corridor at the Saddle South target. The Wels land position consists of 350 contiguous quartz claims covering 7,200 hectares and lies within the traditional territory of White River First Nation. The Si2 Gold Project is located in Esmeralda County, approximately 60km northwest of Tonopah, Nevada, and 20km northwest of Allegiant Gold's Eastside deposit (1.4Moz Au, 8.8 Moz Ag). The project is road accessible and consists of 118 BLM lode claims covering 986 Ha, 65 of which are under option from Orogen Royalties Inc. (TSXV: OGN). The claims cover an 8 km2 area of steam heated alunite-kaolinite-buddingtonite alteration within a sequence of felsic to intermediate volcanic rocks displaying brecciation and strongly anomalous mercury. K2's 2023 diamond drill program at the Si2 Project confirmed that the system is gold bearing. The project was initially identified using the same methods, and by the same exploration team that identified AngloGold Ashanti's 4.22 Moz Au Silicon project1 near Beatty, Nevada, and was staked based on its strong geological similarities to Silicon. 1https://reports.anglogoldashanti.com/22/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/AGA-IR22.pdf K2 is committed to transparency, accountability, environmental stewardship, safety, diversity, inclusion, and community and indigenous engagement. K2 Gold Corporation is a member of Discovery Group based in Vancouver, Canada. For more information please visit: discoverygroup.ca. Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performance, prospects, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the exploration program at Si2, Wels, and Mojave, including results of drilling, and future exploration plans at Si2, Wels, and Mojave. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, variations in the nature, quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located, the Company's inability to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required for its planned activities, and the Company's inability to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies. The reader is referred to the Company's public disclosure record which is available on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca). Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. Except as required by securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. No securities of the Company have been or will, in the foreseeable future, be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. TORONTO, Aug. 14, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd. (TSX:WDO, OTCQX:WDOFF) (Wesdome or the Company) today announced its results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024 (Q2 2024 and H1 2024) and for the three and six months ended June 30, 2023 (Q2 2023 and H1 2023). Preliminary operating results for Q2 2024 and H1 2024 were disclosed on July 9, 2024. Management will host a conference call tomorrow, Thursday, August 15 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss this quarters results. All amounts are expressed in Canadian dollars unless otherwise indicated Q2 2024 Highlights Consolidated gold production was 44,035 ounces at cash costs per ounce 1 of $1,286 (US$940) and all-in sustaining costs (AISC) per ounce 1 of $1,977 (US$1,445). of $1,286 (US$940) and all-in sustaining costs (AISC) per ounce of $1,977 (US$1,445). Net income increased to $29.1 million, or $0.19 per share, an increase of $34.1 million from the corresponding quarter in 2023 and $18.4 million from the first quarter of 2024. Cash margin 1 increased to $76.2 million or by more than 2.5 times relative to the prior year quarter mainly due to an increase in ounces sold, a higher average realized gold price and lower cash costs. increased to $76.2 million or by more than 2.5 times relative to the prior year quarter mainly due to an increase in ounces sold, a higher average realized gold price and lower cash costs. Operating cash flow was $57.1 million, or $0.38 per share 1 , $43.1 million higher than the corresponding period in 2023 mainly due to the higher cash margin. , $43.1 million higher than the corresponding period in 2023 mainly due to the higher cash margin. Free cash flow 1 of $28.4 million was $33.7 million higher than the corresponding period in 2023 mainly due to higher operating cash flow partially offset by an increase in capital expenditures. of $28.4 million was $33.7 million higher than the corresponding period in 2023 mainly due to higher operating cash flow partially offset by an increase in capital expenditures. Available liquidity of $200.7 million includes $50.7 million in cash and $150.0 million of undrawn capacity available under the Companys revolving credit facility. Anthea Bath, President and CEO, commented: The second quarter marked a breakthrough with records set in terms of safety, production, and free cash flow, which allowed for the repayment of the remaining balance on our revolving credit facility. Our company is now well positioned as a Canadian growth platform with two high-grade profitable mines and a debt-free balance sheet. The highlight of the quarter, and a milestone for Wesdome, was the mining and processing of high-grade Kiena Deep ore from the 129-level horizon at Kiena. The step-change increase in production substantially reduced the sites all-in sustaining costs by over 60% relative to the first quarter, putting Kiena on track to achieve its annual guidance. At Eagle River, steady development rates together with positive grade reconciliation position our long-running Ontario operation to deliver on its targets. With both operations running well, we are focused on strategic initiatives that will fully leverage the spare capacity of our processing infrastructure and position Wesdome for long-term sustainable growth. By executing Wesdomes largest self-funded exploration program and advancing the Presquile ramp, we are validating our commitment to enhancing our organic growth pipeline at both assets. Complementing ongoing exploration success, we expect to create additional value through continued optimization of our mine plans and cost management. Based on strong performance from our operations through the first half of 2024, we are confident we will deliver on our full-year production and cost guidance. Consolidated Financial and Operating Highlights Q2 2024 Q2 2023 H1 2024 H1 2023 Financial results Revenue2 127,799 84,555 228,721 161,256 Cost of sales 74,110 84,048 152,789 145,466 Cash margin1 76,239 28,722 122,863 63,130 EBITDA1 67,863 22,020 108,538 48,144 Net income (loss) 29,135 (5,014) 39,843 (5,359) Net income (loss) per share 0.19 (0.03) 0.27 (0.04) Adjusted net income (loss)1 29,135 (5,014) 39,843 (1,757) Adjusted net income (loss) per share1 0.19 (0.03) 0.27 (0.01) Operating cash flow 57,083 13,979 103,585 19,099 Operating cash flow per share1 0.38 0.09 0.69 0.13 Net cash (used in) from financing activities (29,330) 49 (39,499) 9,737 Net cash used in investing activities (25,308) (17,021) (54,760) (39,954) Free cash flow1 28,437 (5,279) 47,885 (24,876) Free cash flow per share1 0.19 (0.04) 0.32 (0.17) Operating results Gold produced (oz) 44,035 30,992 77,357 59,360 Gold sold (oz) 40,000 32,000 75,700 62,000 Average realized gold price1 ($/oz) 3,192 2,640 3,018 2,598 Average realized gold price1 (US$/oz) 2,333 1,966 2,221 1,928 Per ounce of gold sold1 Cost of sales ($/oz) 1,853 2,627 2,018 2,346 Cost of sales (US$/oz) 1,354 1,956 1,486 1,928 Cash costs1 ($/oz) 1,286 1,743 1,395 1,580 Cash costs1 (US$/oz) 940 1,298 1,027 1,172 AISC1 ($/oz) 1,977 2,238 2,095 2,111 AISC1 (US$/oz) 1,445 1,666 1,542 1,567 Financial Position Cash 50,697 22,067 50,697 22,067 Working capital 31,204 (2,914) 31,204 (2,914) Total assets 644,288 601,320 644,288 601,320 Current liabilities 64,398 73,690 64,398 73,690 Total liabilities 172,407 173,862 172,407 173,862 Notes: 1 Refer to the section in this press release entitled Non-IFRS Performance Measures for the reconciliation of these non-IFRS measurements to the financial statements. 2 Revenues include insignificant amounts from the sale of by-product silver. Eagle River Ontario Eagle River Operating Results Q2 2024 Q2 2023 H1 2024 H1 2023 Ore milled (tonnes) Eagle River 52,552 64,672 104,184 112,805 Mishi 6,150 Total ore milled 52,552 64,672 104,184 118,955 Head grade (grams per tonne, "g/t") Eagle River 11.8 11.4 13.6 12.3 Mishi 0.0 2.3 Total head grade 11.8 11.4 13.6 11.8 Average mill recoveries (%) Eagle River 96.3 96.5 96.7 96.7 Mishi 72.5 Total gold recovery 96.3 96.5 96.7 96.4 Gold production (oz) Eagle River 19,272 22,845 44,171 43,004 Mishi 332 Total gold production 19,272 22,845 44,171 43,336 Gold sold (oz) Eagle River 17,500 22,500 44,860 46,159 Mishi 341 Total gold sold 17,500 22,500 44,860 46,500 Production costs per tonne milled1 596 503 584 474 Costs per oz sold ($/oz) Cost of sales 2,276 2,104 1,938 1,855 Cash costs1 1,695 1,526 1,410 1,353 All-in sustaining costs1 2,545 2,019 2,006 1,859 Costs per oz sold (US$/oz) Cost of sales 1,663 1,567 1,427 1,377 Cash costs1 1,239 1,136 1,038 1,004 All-in sustaining costs1 1,860 1,504 1,477 1,380 During Q2 2024, Eagle River produced 19,272 ounces of gold as compared to 22,845 ounces in Q2 2023 primarily due to a 19% decrease in throughput in part due to a maintenance shutdown during the last week of June which drove lower tonnage. For the first six months of 2024, driven by a 15% increase in head grade, Eagle River produced 44,171 ounces of gold as compared to 43,336 ounces in H1 2023, which included the processing of the Mishi stockpile. Eagle River head grade in H1 2024 was 13.6 g/t compared to 11.8 g/t in H1 2023. In Q2 2024, Eagle River generated $55.9 million in revenue from the sale of 17,500 ounces of gold compared to $59.1 million from the sale of 22,500 ounces in Q2 2023. Revenue decreased by 5% compared to Q2 2023 primarily due to lower ounces sold partially offset by a higher average realized Canadian dollar gold price. In H1 2024 Eagle River generated $133.4 million in revenue from the sale of 44,860 ounces of gold as compared to $120.2 million from the sale of 46,500 ounces in H1 2023. Revenue increased by 11% compared to H1 2023 due to the higher average realized Canadian dollar gold price partially offset by lower ounces sold. Cost of sales in Q2 2024 was $39.8 million, a decrease of 16%, compared to the corresponding period in 2023 primarily due to a $6.0 million increase in inventory levels and a $2.9 million decrease in depreciation expense driven by a 19% decrease in throughput. Cost of sales H1 2024 was higher by 1% compared to H1 2023. In Q2 2024, cash costs per ounce of gold sold were $1,695 (US$1,239), an increase of 11%, compared to $1,526 (US$1,136) in Q2 2023 primarily due to a decrease in ounces sold. Cash costs per ounce of gold sold in H1 2024 were $1,410 (US$1,038), an increase of 4%, compared to $1,353 (US$1,004) in H1 2023, primarily due to lower ounces sold. In Q2 2024, AISC per ounce of gold sold were $2,545 (US$1,860), a 26% increase, compared to $2,019 (US$1,504) in Q2 2023, primarily due to lower ounces sold and higher sustaining capital expenditures. AISC per ounce of gold sold in H1 2024 were $2,006 (US$1,477), an increase of 8%, compared to $1,859 (US$1,380) in H1 2023, primarily due to lower ounces sold and higher operating costs and sustaining capital expenditures. In 2024, Eagle River is expected to produce 80,000 to 90,000 ounces, with production in the second half of the year expected to be similar to the first half of the year, at cash costs per ounce of $1,275 to $1,425 and AISC per ounce of $2,050 to $2,250 (US$1,550 to US$1,700). Eagle Rivers 2024 anticipated gold production is in-line with the prior year, as contribution of tonnes and ounces is expected to shift away from 720F Falcon Zone and towards 300 Zone at depth. Kiena Mine Quebec Kiena Operating Results Q2 2024 Q2 2023 H1 2024 H1 2023 Ore milled (tonnes) 57,669 51,824 103,013 94,148 Head grade (g/t) 13.5 5.0 10.1 5.4 Average mill recoveries (%) 99.0 97.7 98.8 97.8 Gold production (oz) 24,763 8,147 33,186 16,024 Gold sold (oz) 22,500 9,500 30,840 15,500 Production costs per tonne milled1 391 379 424 430 Costs per oz sold ($/oz) Cost of sales 1,520 3,857 2,130 3,810 Cash costs1 967 2,257 1,374 2,261 All-in sustaining costs1 1,536 2,755 2,223 2,868 Costs per oz sold (US$/oz) Cost of sales 1,111 2,873 1,568 2,827 Cash costs1 707 1,681 1,011 1,677 All-in sustaining costs1 1,123 2,052 1,636 2,128 During Q2 2024, the Kiena mine produced 24,763 ounces of gold as compared to 8,147 ounces in Q2 2023 primarily due to a 170% increase in head grade due to the ramp-up in mining of high-grade Kiena Deep ore from the 129-level horizon in mid-April and an 11% increase in throughput. Kienas head grade increased to 13.5 g/t in Q2 2024 from 5.0 g/t in Q2 2023. Gold recovery increased to 99.0% from 97.7% in the corresponding period in 2023. In Q2 2024, the mill processed 57,669 tonnes throughput as compared to 51,824 tonnes in Q2 2023. In H1 2024, Kiena produced 33,186 ounces of gold as compared to 16,024 ounces in H1 2023 primarily due to an 88% increase in head grade and a 9% increase in throughput. Head grade at Kiena increased to 10.1 g/t in H1 2024 from 5.4 g/t in H1 2023. The rate of gold recovery increased to 98.8% from 97.8% in the corresponding period in 2023. In H1 2024, the mill processed throughput of 103,013 tonnes compared to 94,148 tonnes in H1 2023. In the second quarter Kiena began processing higher grade material from the new 129-level horizon of Kiena Deep, which is expected to continue over the balance of 2024. In Q2 2024, Kiena generated $71.8 million in revenue from the sale of 22,500 ounces of gold as compared to $25.4 million from the sale of 9,500 ounces in Q2 2023. Revenue increased by 182% compared to Q2 2023 due to higher ounces sold and a higher average realized Canadian dollar gold price. In H1 2024, Kiena increased revenue to $95.1 million from the sale of 30,840 ounces of gold, an increase of 132% compared to $40.9 million in revenue from the sale of 15,500 ounces in H1 2023. Revenue in H1 2024 increased due to higher ounces sold and a higher average realized Canadian dollar gold price. Cost of sales in Q2 2024 was $34.2 million, a decrease of 7% over the corresponding period in 2023 primarily due to a $2.9 million decrease in inventory levels and a $2.8 million decrease in non-cash depletion and depreciation resulting from an increase in inventories partially offset by a $3.2 million increase in mine operating costs, which was due to 11% higher throughput. Cost of sales in H1 2024 was $65.7 million, 11% higher than the corresponding period in 2023 primarily due to an increase in the aggregate mine operating costs as a result of a 9% increase in throughput. Cash costs per ounce of gold sold in Q2 2024 were $967 (US$707), a decrease of 57% compared to $2,257 (US$1,681) in Q2 2023 primarily due to a 137% increase in ounces sold. Cash costs per ounce of gold sold in H1 2024 decreased by 39% to $1,374 (US$1,011) compared to $2,261 (US$1,677) in H1 2023 primarily due to a 99% increase in ounces sold partially offset by higher aggregate mine operating expenses due to increased throughput. AISC per ounce of gold sold decreased by 44% in Q2 2024 to $1,536 (US$1,123) from $2,755 (US$2,052) in Q2 2023 primarily due to an increase in ounces sold partially offset by an increase in sustaining capital expenditures. AISC per ounce of gold sold decreased by 22% in H1 2024 to $2,223 (US$1,636) from $2,868 (US$2,128) in H1 2023 primarily due to a 99% increase in ounces sold partially offset by an increase in sustaining capital expenditures. Kienas 2024 guidance is for 80,000 to 90,000 ounces with production expected to be backend-weighted in the second half of the year, at cash costs per ounce of $875 to $975 and AISC per ounce of $1,475 to $1,625 (US$1,100 to US$1,225). Higher annual production levels reflect a declining production contribution from the Martin Zone relative to higher grade ore from the Kiena Deep 129-level horizon. Overall development performance subsequent to quarter end has met internal expectations, with higher grade ore expected to continue to be processed in the second half of the year. Exploration Updates Development and Drilling This years exploration program at Eagle River is prioritizing the expansion of the existing resource base of known zones and identifying targets near existing infrastructure. Eagle Rivers budget for underground exploration is nearly $10 million and includes expansion, infill and delineation drilling. Recent drilling results at Eagle River underscore the prospectivity across this asset, particularly as the high grade 6 Central Zone continues to expand down-plunge to the east, and the continuity and extension potential of the Falcon 311 and 300 zones is now being confirmed in follow-up drilling. The 6 Central Zone, discovered in 2023, is located close to existing infrastructure and at relatively shallower depths of 600 to 750 metres. The 6 Central Zone has been delineated 180 metres in plunge and 145 metres on strike based on a 3D model completed in 2023. Drill results to date have been promising, extending the zone down-plunge by 150 metres to the east and 100 metres along strike. Recent drilling returned 93.7g/t Au over 3.0 m core length (59.7g/t Au capped, 2.6 m true width), including 339.4 g/t Au uncut over 0.4 m core length. Based on drilling to date, the Falcon 311 Zone has been delineated to extend at least 250 metres along plunge and nearly 115 metres along strike. Drilling continues to confirm the potential for the zone to expand down plunge and potentially extend to surface, similar to the adjacent Falcon 7 Zone discovered in 2019. One hole returned 33.0 g/t Au over 5.0 m core length (31.8 g/t Au capped, 3.5 m true width). With development platforms recently installed at the 1201-level, underground drilling has focused on infill drilling and to test areas down-plunge of 300 Zone that were not previously accessible. Recent infill drilling returned 39.7 g/t Au over 8.7 m core length (32.5g/t Au capped, 6.6 m true width), including 275.1 g/t Au uncut over 0.3 m core length. Surface Exploration Initial surface drilling within the volcanic rocks 150 metres east and down dip of the previously mined 2 Zone intersected altered volcanic rocks with quartz veining and VG. One previously drilled hole returned 233.0 g/t Au over 0.4 metres. Current drilling is designed to test volcanic rocks east of the mine diorite having similar potential to the Falcon zones previously discovered west of the mine diorite proximal to the historic 2 Zone. Kiena Development and Drilling Over the past several years, underground drilling has been focused on exploration to test sectors proximal to the Kiena Deep A Zones, which now extends continuously from 1,100 m to approximately 2,000 m below surface and remains open at depth. As part of this exploration focus, early success discovered the Footwall Zones. Then in 2022, exploration confirmed the presence of the South limb in the folded Kiena Deep A Zone at depth, and also intersected two new zones in the hanging wall basalt. These new basalt zones all occur below an observed bend or steepening in the plunge of the Kiena Deep A Zone. As the main ramp at Kiena Deep progresses towards the 136-level by year end, additional drill platforms are being established to facilitate drilling in previously discovered but not fully explored zones. Initial drilling at both the Footwall and South Limb zones is being used to better define the high-grade mineralization with a view to converting existing Inferred Resources to the Indicated category. Drilling is also expected to continue to build upon our early success and aim to expand and extend the known size of these zones. Growth in resource inventory in these areas has the potential to increase ounces per vertical metre and thereby provide opportunities for operational flexibility and increasing production from each level. Additional drill platforms at depth will also provide an opportunity to test the previously discovered Hanging Wall Zone in the Basalt as well as follow up on areas northeast of Kiena Deep for a parallel structure. The Wish area has remained underexplored until 2024. Initial reconnaissance drilling in 2024 approximately one kilometre east of the Kiena mine from the existing 33-level development has intersected narrow, high grade gold mineralization from quartz veining within a horizon of competent basalt, in contact with sheared ultramafic rocks. These results, combined with historic hole 4344 (65.5 g/t Au over 1.0 m core length), have identified gold mineralization proximal to the contact over 300 metres along strike. Follow-up drilling is ongoing in this area to provide an initial assessment of the size and potential continuity of the mineralization. Furthermore, as 33 level development is currently being rehabilitated further east of this zone, we expect to have more optimal drilling platforms available from the eastern side of the interpreted zone in the second half of 2024. Currently, we are seeing immediate returns from this stepped-up effort at Kiena, with results that are not only expanding and defining existing zones at Kiena Deep, but also identifying potentially significant gold mineralization in historically underexplored areas like the Wish area from the 33-level. Kienas budget for underground exploration is nearly $10 million and includes expansion, infill and delineation drilling. Surface Exploration Drilling The excavation of an exploration ramp from surface to access the near-surface Presquile Zone has been underway since Q4 2023. Drilling is expected to commence in the coming months to identify additional zones of mineralization that could be mined with the Presquile ramp development. Barge drilling at Dubuisson commenced in July 2024. Management and Board Changes The Company announces changes to its management and board composition. Frederic Mercier-Langevin will be stepping down as Chief Operating Officer effective September 30, 2024 for personal reasons. In addition, independent director and audit committee chair Charles Main has indicated he will be retiring from the industry and has stepped down from the Board as of the end of day today. Ms. Bath commented, I have had the pleasure of working with both Fred and Charles for just over a year, and their experience and expertise will be truly missed. Under Freds leadership, we recorded marked improvements in safety performance while delivering on our operational commitments and guidance. During his tenure, Fred also developed a strong technical team, which is well positioned to execute on our strategic plans. Charles has been a highly respected member of our board since 2017, bringing with him decades of invaluable expertise in industry, accounting, tax, and finance. His deep knowledge and strategic insights have been crucial in guiding the company through a significant period of growth and transformation. We greatly appreciate his dedication and the pivotal role he has played in our continued success. On behalf of the Board and everyone at Wesdome, I would like to express our gratitude to Fred and Charles for their many contributions to Wesdome and wish each of you all the best in the future. With respect to both roles, the Company is conducting a search for qualified candidates to ensure the continued adherence to Wesdomes standards of operational excellence and financial discipline. Q2 2024 Conference Call and Webcast Management will host a conference call and webcast to discuss the Companys Q2 2024 financial and operating results. A question-and-answer session will follow managements prepared remarks. Details of the webcast are as follows: Date and time: Thursday, August 15, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. ET Participant registration: https://register.vevent.com/register/BI2bc416f598494ba087c522f097da6d5a Click on the link above and complete the online registration form. Upon registering you will receive the dial-in info and a unique PIN to join the call as well as an email confirmation with the details. Webcast link: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/arvjmvq8 Notes: Pre-registration is required for this event. It is recommended you join 10 minutes prior to the start of the event. The webcast can also be accessed under the news and events section of the Companys website. The financial statements and management discussion and analysis will be available on the Companys website at www.wesdome.com and on SEDAR+ www.sedarplus.ca. About Wesdome Wesdome is a Canadian-focused gold producer with two high grade underground assets, the Eagle River mine in Ontario and the Kiena mine in Quebec. The Companys primary goal is to responsibly leverage this operating platform and high-quality brownfield and greenfield exploration pipeline to build Canadas next intermediate gold producer. For further information, please contact: Raj Gill, SVP, Corporate Development & Investor Relations Trish Moran, VP, Investor Relations Phone: +1 (416) 360-3743 E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Responsibility for Technical Information The technical and scientific information relating to exploration activities disclosed in this document was prepared under the supervision of and verified and reviewed by Frederic Langevin, Eng, Chief Operating Officer of Wesdome, and Michael Michaud, P.Geo., Exploration and Resources Consultant for Wesdome (formerly Senior Vice President, Exploration and Resources of Wesdome until July 11, 2024), and each a "Qualified Person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Data verification involves data input and review by senior project geologists at site, scheduled weekly and monthly reporting to senior exploration management and the completion of project site visits by senior exploration management to review the status of ongoing project activities and data underlying reported results. All drilling results for exploration projects or supporting resource and reserve estimates referenced in this document have been previously reported in news release disclosures by the Company and have been prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. The sampling and assay data from drilling programs are monitored through the implementation of a quality assurance - quality control (QA-QC) program designed to follow industry best practice. Forward Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking information which involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as plans, expects, is expected, budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates, or believes or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this press release and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements or information contained in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements or information with respect to the Companys expectations around: production, costs and expenses, processing, grade and recoveries; production and free cash flow generation in 2024 and 2025; the success, potential and objectives of its exploration programs; the Companys future growth and value creation; the achievement of production and cost guidance and the price of gold and other commodities. Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. We have made certain assumptions about the forward-looking statements and information, including assumptions around economic parameters relating to our mineral reserves and mineral resource estimates described herein. Even though management believes that the assumptions made, and the expectations represented by such statements or information, are reasonable in the circumstances, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statement or information will prove to be accurate. Many assumptions may be difficult to predict and are beyond the Companys control. Furthermore, should one or more of the risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements or information. These risks, uncertainties and other factors including those risk factors discussed in the sections titled Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information and Risks and Uncertainties in the Companys most recent Annual Information Form. Readers are urged to carefully review the detailed risk discussion in our most recent Annual Information Form which is available on SEDAR+ and on the Companys website. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements or information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances, managements estimates or opinions should change, except as required by securities legislation. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Non-IFRS Performance Measures Wesdome uses non-IFRS performance measures throughout this news release as it believes that these generally accepted industry performance measures provide a useful indication of the Companys operational performance. These non-IFRS performance measures do not have standardized meanings defined by IFRS and may not be comparable to information in other gold producers reports and filings. Accordingly, it is intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. The non-IFRS performance measures include: Average realized price of gold sold Cash costs per ounce of gold sold Production costs per tonne milled Cash margin All-in sustaining costs Free cash flow, operating cash flow per share and free cash flow per share Adjusted net income (loss) and adjusted net income (loss) per share EBITDA Average realized price per ounce of gold sold Average realized price per ounce of gold sold is a non-IFRS measure and does not constitute a measure recognized by IFRS and does not have a standardized meaning defined by IFRS. Average realized price per ounce of gold sold is calculated by dividing gold sales proceeds received by the Company for the relevant period by the ounces of gold sold. It may not be comparable to information in other gold producers reports and filings. In 000s, except per unit amounts Q2 2024 Q1 2024 Q4 2023 Q3 2023 Q2 2023 Q1 2023 Q4 2022 Q3 2022 H1 2024 H1 2023 Revenues per financial statements 127,799 100,922 102,221 69,696 84,555 76,701 75,035 61,823 228,721 161,256 Silver revenue from mining operations (126 ) (134 ) (73 ) (77 ) (70 ) (86 ) (60 ) (54 ) (260 ) (156 ) Gold revenue from mining operations (a) 127,673 100,788 102,148 69,619 84,485 76,615 74,975 61,769 228,461 161,100 Ounces of gold sold (b) 40,000 35,700 37,620 27,000 32,000 30,000 31,500 27,500 75,700 62,000 Average realized price gold sold CAD (c) = (a) (b) 3,192 2,823 2,715 2,579 2,640 2,554 2,380 2,246 3,018 2,598 Average 1 USD CAD exchange rate (d) 1.3684 1.3488 1.3619 1.3414 1.3428 1.3525 1.3578 1.3056 1.3586 1.3477 Average realized price gold sold USD (c) (d) 2,333 2,093 1,994 1,923 1,966 1,888 1,753 1,720 2,221 1,928 Cash costs per ounce of gold sold Cash cost per ounce of gold sold is a non-IFRS performance measure and does not constitute a measure recognized by IFRS and does not have a standardized meaning defined by IFRS, as well it may not be comparable to information in other gold producers reports and filings. The Company has included this non-IFRS performance measure throughout this document as Wesdome believes that this generally accepted industry performance measure provides a useful indication of the Companys operational performance. The Company believes that, in addition to conventional measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, certain investors use this information to evaluate the Companys performance and ability to generate cash flow. Accordingly, it is intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. The following table provides a reconciliation of total cash costs per ounce of gold sold to cost of sales per the financial statements for each of the last eight quarters: In 000s, except per unit amounts Q2 2024 Q1 2024 Q4 2023 Q3 2023 Q2 2023 Q1 2023 Q4 2022 Q3 2022 H1 2024 H1 2023 Cost of sales per financial statements 74,110 78,679 78,506 71,450 84,048 61,418 61,997 56,294 152,789 145,466 Depletion and depreciation (22,550 ) (24,381 ) (23,861 ) (23,987 ) (28,215 ) (19,125 ) (13,428 ) (11,464 ) (46,931 ) (47,340 ) Silver revenue from mining operations (126 ) (134 ) (73 ) (77 ) (70 ) (86 ) (60 ) (54 ) (260 ) (156 ) Cash costs (a) 51,434 54,164 54,572 47,386 55,763 42,207 48,509 44,776 105,598 97,970 Ounces of gold sold (b) 40,000 35,700 37,620 27,000 32,000 30,000 31,500 27,500 75,700 62,000 Cash costs per ounce of gold sold (c) = (a) (b) 1,286 1,517 1,451 1,755 1,743 1,407 1,540 1,628 1,395 1,580 Average 1 USD CAD exchange rate (d) 1.3684 1.3488 1.3619 1.3414 1.3428 1.3525 1.3578 1.3056 1.3586 1.3477 Cash costs per ounce of gold sold USD (c) (d) 940 1,125 1,065 1,308 1,298 1,040 1,134 1,247 1,027 1,172 Production costs per tonne milled Mine-site cost per tonne milled is a non-IFRS performance measure and does not constitute a measure recognized by IFRS and does not have a standardized meaning defined by IFRS, as well it may not be comparable to information in other gold producers reports and filings. As illustrated in the table below, this measure is calculated by adjusting cost of sales, as shown in the statements of income for non-cash depletion and depreciation, royalties and inventory level changes and then dividing by tonnes processed through the mill. Management believes that mine-site cost per tonne milled provides additional information regarding the performance of mining operations and allows Management to monitor operating costs on a more consistent basis as the per tonne milled measure reduces the cost variability associated with varying production levels. Management also uses this measure to determine the economic viability of mining blocks. As each mining block is evaluated based on the net realizable value of each tonne mined, the estimated revenue on a per tonne basis must be in excess of the production cost per tonne milled in order to be economically viable. Management is aware that this per tonne milled measure is impacted by fluctuations in throughput and thus uses this evaluation tool in conjunction with production costs prepared in accordance with IFRS. This measure supplements production cost information prepared in accordance with IFRS and allows investors to distinguish between changes in production costs resulting from changes in production versus changes in operating performance. In 000s, except per unit amounts Q2 2024 Q1 2024 Q4 2023 Q3 2023 Q2 2023 Q1 2023 Q4 2022 Q3 2022 H1 2024 H1 2023 Cost of sales per financial statements 74,110 78,679 78,506 71,450 84,048 61,418 61,997 56,294 152,789 145,466 Depletion and depreciation (22,550 ) (24,381 ) (23,861 ) (23,987 ) (28,215 ) (19,125 ) (13,428 ) (11,464 ) (46,931 ) (47,340 ) Royalties (1,200 ) (1,342 ) (1,267 ) (1,029 ) (1,172 ) (998 ) (1,172 ) (766 ) (2,542 ) (2,170 ) Bullion and in-circuit inventory adjustments 3,471 (2,267 ) (3,908 ) 384 (2,526 ) 2,524 1,288 (3,518 ) 1,204 (2 ) Mining and processing costs, before inventory adjustments (a) 53,831 50,689 49,470 46,818 52,135 43,819 48,685 40,546 104,520 95,954 Ore milled (tonnes) (b) 110,221 96,976 104,318 102,504 116,496 96,607 109,725 71,954 207,197 213,103 Production costs per tonne milled (a) (b) 488 523 474 457 448 454 444 563 504 450 Cash margin Cash margin is a non-IFRS measure and does not constitute a measure recognized by IFRS and does not have a standardized meaning defined by IFRS, as well it may not be comparable to information in other gold producers reports and filings. It is calculated as the difference between gold sales revenue from mining operations and cash mine site operating costs (see Cash cost per ounce of gold sold under this Section above) per the Companys Financial Statements. The Company believes it illustrates the performance of the Companys operating mines and enables investors to better understand the Companys performance in comparison to other gold producers who present results on a similar basis. In 000s, except per unit amounts Q2 2024 Q1 2024 Q4 2023 Q3 2023 Q2 2023 Q1 2023 Q4 2022 Q3 2022 H1 2024 H1 2023 Gold revenue from mining operations (per above) 127,673 100,788 102,148 69,619 84,485 76,615 74,975 61,769 228,461 161,100 Cash costs (per above) 51,434 54,164 54,572 47,386 55,763 42,207 48,509 44,776 105,598 97,970 Cash margin 76,239 46,624 47,576 22,233 28,722 34,408 26,466 16,993 122,863 63,130 Per ounce of gold sold (Canadian dollar): Average realized price (a) 3,192 2,823 2,715 2,579 2,640 2,554 2,380 2,246 3,018 2,598 Cash costs (b) 1,286 1,517 1,451 1,755 1,743 1,407 1,540 1,628 1,395 1,580 Cash margin (a) (b) 1,906 1,306 1,264 824 897 1,147 840 618 1,623 1,018 All-in sustaining costs All-in sustaining costs (AISC) include mine site operating costs incurred at Wesdome mining operations, sustaining mine capital and development expenditures, mine site exploration expenditures and equipment lease payments related to the mine operations and corporate administration expenses. The Company believes that this measure represents the total costs of producing gold from current operations and provides Wesdome and other stakeholders with additional information that illustrates the Companys operational performance and ability to generate cash flow. This cost measure seeks to reflect the full cost of gold production from current operations on a per-ounce of gold sold basis. New project and growth capital are not included. In 000s, except per unit amounts Q2 2024 Q1 2024 Q4 2023 Q3 2023 Q2 2023 Q1 2023 Q4 2022 Q3 2022 H1 2024 H1 2023 Cost of sales, per financial statements 74,110 78,679 78,506 71,450 84,048 61,418 61,997 56,294 152,789 145,466 Depletion and depreciation (22,550 ) (24,381 ) (23,861 ) (23,987 ) (28,215 ) (19,125 ) (13,428 ) (11,464 ) (46,931 ) (47,340 ) Silver revenue from mining operations (126 ) (134 ) (73 ) (77 ) (70 ) (86 ) (60 ) (54 ) (260 ) (156 ) Cash costs 51,434 54,164 54,572 47,386 55,763 42,207 48,509 44,776 105,598 97,970 Sustaining mine exploration and development 15,492 15,942 10,190 9,683 9,024 8,484 7,179 5,134 31,434 17,508 Sustaining mine capital equipment 5,250 4,275 6,779 10,360 1,598 3,200 5,585 2,232 9,525 4,798 Tailings management facility 210 256 342 15 12 2 1,597 3,692 466 14 Corporate and general 5,972 3,969 5,955 4,707 4,007 3,662 2,309 2,918 9,941 7,669 Less: Corporate development (14 ) (50 ) (276 ) (161 ) (210 ) (31 ) (72 ) (87 ) (64 ) (241 ) Payment of lease liabilities 754 909 780 1,208 1,410 1,784 2,167 2,300 1,663 3,194 AISC (a) 79,098 79,465 78,342 73,198 71,604 59,308 67,274 60,965 158,563 130,912 Ounces of gold sold (b) 40,000 35,700 37,620 27,000 32,000 30,000 31,500 27,500 75,700 62,000 AISC (c) = (a) (b) 1,977 2,226 2,082 2,711 2,238 1,977 2,136 2,217 2,095 2,111 Average 1 USD CAD exchange rate (d) 1.3684 1.3488 1.3619 1.3414 1.3428 1.3525 1.3578 1.3056 1.3586 1.3477 AISC USD (c) (d) 1,445 1,650 1,529 2,021 1,666 1,462 1,573 1,698 1,542 1,567 Free cash flow and operating and free cash flow per share Free cash flow is calculated by taking net cash provided by operating activities less cash used in capital expenditures and lease payments as reported in the Companys financial statements. Free cash flow per share is calculated by dividing free cash flow by the weighted average number of shares outstanding for the period. Operating cash flow per share is a non-IFRS measure and does not constitute a measure recognized by IFRS and does not have a standardized meaning defined by IFRS. Operating cash flow per share is calculated by dividing cash flow from operating activities in the Companys Financial Statements by the weighted average number of shares outstanding for each year. It may not be comparable to information in other gold producers reports and filings. In 000s, except per share amounts Q2 2024 Q1 2024 Q4 2023 Q3 2023 Q2 2023 Q1 2023 Q4 2022 Q3 2022 H1 2024 H1 2023 Net cash provided by operating activities per financial statements (c) 57,083 46,502 37,176 45,076 13,979 5,120 10,267 12,945 103,585 19,099 Sustaining mine exploration and development (15,492 ) (15,942 ) (10,190 ) (9,683 ) (9,024 ) (8,484 ) (7,179 ) (5,134 ) (31,434 ) (17,508 ) Sustaining mine capital equipment (5,250 ) (4,275 ) (6,779 ) (10,360 ) (1,598 ) (3,200 ) (5,585 ) (2,232 ) (9,525 ) (4,798 ) Tailings management facility (210 ) (256 ) (342 ) (15 ) (12 ) (2 ) (1,597 ) (3,692 ) (466 ) (14 ) Capitalized development, exploration and evaluation expenditures - - - - - - (4,284 ) (5,550 ) - - Mines under development capital equipment - - - - - - (13,958 ) (17,230 ) - - Growth mine exploration and development (4,344 ) (4,203 ) (4,154 ) (4,111 ) (4,316 ) (4,360 ) (919 ) - (8,547 ) (8,676 ) Growth mine capital equipment (2,596 ) (1,469 ) (7,132 ) (7,485 ) (2,898 ) (6,687 ) (5,668 ) - (4,065 ) (9,585 ) Purchase of mineral properties - - - - - (200 ) - - - (200 ) Funds held against standby letters of credit - - - (1,542 ) - - (519 ) - - - Payment of lease liabilities (754 ) (909 ) (780 ) (1,208 ) (1,410 ) (1,784 ) (2,167 ) (2,300 ) (1,663 ) (3,194 ) Free cash flows (a) 28,437 19,448 7,799 10,672 (5,279 ) (19,597 ) (31,609 ) (23,193 ) 47,885 (24,876 ) Weighted number of shares (000s) (b) 149,548 149,068 148,965 148,952 148,001 144,463 142,782 142,487 149,308 146,242 Per Share data Operating cash flow (c) (b) 0.38 0.31 0.25 0.30 0.09 0.04 0.07 0.09 0.69 0.13 Free cash flow (a) (b) 0.19 0.13 0.05 0.07 (0.04 ) (0.14 ) (0.22 ) (0.16 ) 0.32 (0.17 ) Adjusted net income (loss) and adjusted net income (loss) per share Adjusted net income (loss) and adjusted net income (loss) per share are non-IFRS performance measures and do not constitute a measure recognized by IFRS and do not have standardized meanings defined by IFRS, as well both measures may not be comparable to information in other gold producers reports and filings. Adjusted net income (loss) is calculated by removing the one-time gains and losses resulting from the disposition of non-core assets, non-recurring expenses and significant tax adjustments (mining tax recognition and exploration credit refunds) not related to current periods income, as detailed in the table below. Wesdome discloses this measure, which is based on its financial statements, to assist in the understanding of the Companys operating results and financial position. In 000s, except per share amounts Q2 2024 Q1 2024 Q4 2023 Q3 2023 Q2 2023 Q1 2023 Q4 2022 Q3 2022 H1 2024 H1 2023 Net income (loss) per financial statements 29,135 10,708 2,420 (3,248 ) (5,014 ) (345 ) (3,527 ) (3,899 ) 39,843 (5,359 ) Adjustments for: Impairment of investment in associate - - - 900 - 2,700 - - - 2,700 Retirement costs - - - - - 2,102 - - - 2,102 Total adjustments - - - 900 - 4,802 - - - 4,802 Related income tax effect - - - (225 ) - (1,200 ) - - - (1,200 ) - - - 675 - 3,602 - - - 3,602 Adjusted net income (loss) (a) 29,135 10,708 2,420 (2,573 ) (5,014 ) 3,257 (3,527 ) (3,899 ) 39,843 (1,757 ) Weighted number of shares (000s) (b) 149,548 149,068 148,965 148,952 148,001 144,463 142,782 142,487 149,308 146,242 Per share data Adjusted net income (loss) (a) (b) 0.19 0.07 0.02 (0.02 ) (0.03 ) 0.02 (0.02 ) (0.03 ) 0.27 (0.01 ) EBITDA Earnings before interest, taxes and depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) is a non-IFRS financial measure which excludes the following items from net income (loss): interest expense; mining and income taxes and depletion and depreciation expenses. The Company believes that, in addition to conventional measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, the Company and certain investors use EBITDA as an indicator of Wesdomes ability to generate liquidity by producing operating cash flow to fund working capital needs, service debt obligations and fund capital expenditures. EBITDA is intended to provide additional information to investors and analysts and do not have any standardized definition under IFRS and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. EBITDA excludes the impact of cash costs of financing activities and taxes, and the effects of changes in operating working capital balances, and therefore are not necessarily indicative of operating profit or cash flow from operations as determined under IFRS. Other producers may calculate EBITDA differently. The following table provides a reconciliation of net income in the Companys financial statements to EBITDA: Arras Minerals is a first-mover into one of the most mineralogically endowed countries in the world: Kazakhstan. The Company is focussed on copper-gold projects in an under-explored, yet proven porphyry belt in northeastern Kazakhstan... LEARN MORE The Korea Broadcasting System (KBS), the national public broadcaster in South Korea, is facing significant criticism after airing the opera Madame Butterfly on August 15, Korea's National Liberation Day. Many viewers expressed their anger, describing the broadcast as "anti-nationalist." The controversy began when KBS1 aired Giacomo Puccini's opera at midnight, marking the start of the day commemorating Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule in 1945. Madame Butterfly is set in Japan in the early 1900s and tells the tragic story of a Japanese woman who marries an American naval officer, who later abandons her. "Mrs. Butterfly" aired on KBS. Photo | KBS1 Particularly contentious was the use of "Kimigayo," Japan's national anthem, during the opera's wedding scene. Korean viewers quickly noticed this and expressed their outrage on social media and KBS's online community board. Numerous commenters on the board accused the broadcaster of being "pro-Japanese" and "anti-nationalist." Some users even labeled KBS as "JBS," implying a pro-Japanese bias. Others questioned the appropriateness of airing a performance steeped in Japanese culture on a day meant to celebrate Korea's independence from Japanese rule. READ ALSO: Yoo Ah In & Kim Sae Ron Banned From KBS - What Happened? One user commented, "Why would Koreans want to watch an opera set in Japan with all the characters wearing kimonos on the day we're supposed to celebrate being liberated from the Japanese colonizers?" Another person suggested, "The surest way to bring these suckers down is to boycott everything they're advertising on the channels." The criticism extended beyond the opera broadcast. Viewers were also upset about a KBS weather report that aired on the same day, in which the South Korean flag was mistakenly shown upside down, further fueling allegations of disrespect. Adding to the controversy, at 11:10 p.m., KBS1 aired a program titled "The Origin of Miracles." Critics claimed that the documentary, which focused on South Korea's first president, Syngman Rhee, portrayed the controversial leader in a positive light. Rhee was accused of corruption and political abuse during his tenure, and many argued that it was inappropriate to air such content on National Liberation Day. Source As of now, over 10,000 people have signed petitions calling for KBS to be held accountable for its programming choices on this significant national holiday. The broadcaster has not yet issued a statement in response to the growing public outcry. ALSO READ: Old Wounds Reopened: K-Netz Blast Kim Seon Ho Amid Reunion Rumors with Bae Suzy We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Thursday, August 15, 2024 - The heartbroken family of a 15-year-old girl who drowned to d3ath has been thrown into mourning. According to Mail Online, Holli Smallman was playing on the banks of the River Seven when a group of teenagers went in during the recent warm weather and vanished under the water. She was in the 220-mile long River Severn at Welshpool, mid-Wales, when she went missing last Friday and her body was found three hours later. Her family paid tribute to 'loving and caring' Holli who they said lived a life 'full of song and dancing' and warned of the dangers of entering the water. Holli's family said: 'We are so heartbroken and would never want any other family to go through the pain that we are going through. 'The dangers of water have been brought home in a way that no one can imagine and we plead with children and parents to take the utmost care when near open water.' They said: 'We wish to express how heartbroken we are by the tragic passing of our loving and caring girl Holli. The overwhelming grief and heartache devastates us all.' Her loved ones said she was a 'beloved sister, daughter, and granddaughter' as well as a 'popular pupil at Welshpool High School' and the local army cadets. They added: 'Holli was fun-loving and lived a life full of song and dancing, had an infectious joy for life and her positive and lovable cheeky nature made an impact on everyone she ever met. 'She had her whole life ahead of her and there will be a hole in our lives that will never heal, and we will never forget the amazing person that Holli was. 'She loved her family, and she loved her friends and showed that every day. 'We are all so overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and kindness shown to us as a family and we thank you all for the messages and gestures made to us from everyone in the community. We have seen your messages which have meant so much to us. 'We also have in our hearts and minds the friends who were with Holli that tragic day. The support and compassion shown to us from the community, we extend to them in this unimaginable time, and they are all in our thoughts.' 'We also want to express our heartfelt thank you to all of the emergency services and rescue teams who did all they could to help Holli on that evening and the NHS staff at Telford who have been so supportive.' Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed the teenager recovered was Holli Smallman from Welshpool after a multi-agency search. A spokesperson said: 'Specialist officers are supporting the family and our thoughts remain with them at this difficult time.' Town councillor Alison Davies, who is also a governor at Welshpool High School, said: 'On behalf of all the governors, we're very, very saddened by this news. 'It's tragic. I say that as mother and grandmother. The loss of a child is always tragic, but this was a very sad accident when a group of teens were playing in a river. 'People have known her and her family for a long time. Things will never be the same to those whom she was close. 'In small communities like this it really does hit a bit harder because everybody is probably closer.' Thursday, August 15, 2024 - A 23-year-old woman, Bongiwe Praise Magwaza, has been sentenced to 39 years imprisonment for the m8rder of her boyfriend, police sergeant Kgopotso Ntsana,36, in South Africa. Magwaza was sentenced in the Johannesburg High Court on Wednesday, 14 August 2024. The sentences are as follows: Count 1 Murder: 20 years Count 2 Unlawful Possession of Firearm: 7 years Count 3 Unlawful Possession of ammunition: 5 years Count 4 Defeating the end of justice: 7 years She was also declared unfit to possess a firearm. Ntsana was stationed at Elsburg police station, in Germiston, City of Ekurhuleni when he was shot dead by his cheating girlfriend. Following an investigation by the Hawks Serious Organised Crime team and insurmountable evidence presented at court, Magwaza was found guilty as charged on four counts, murder, possession of unlicensed firearm & ammunition and defeating the ends of justice. She was convicted on Monday, 01 July 2024. The unyielding Hawks investigation has shed light on what transpired on the fateful night Sergeant Ntsana lost his life. According to Warrant Officer Thatohatsi Mavimbela, the Gauteng spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, on Friday, 02 December 2022, at about 22:30, the couple had an argument at their shared residence in Leomakalapa next to Windmill Park Estate in Boksburg. The argument escalated to a scuffle which resulted in Magwaza stabbing the deceased with a pair of scissors multiple times. Magwaza then took the deceaseds firearm from where it was kept and shot him on his head at point-blank range, Mavimbela said. She then placed the firearm next to the deceased in an effort to make it seem like he had committed suicide. She left the residence and spent a night at her other boyfriends place in Germiston. On her return to the house the next day, she informed the neighbours that her boyfriend apparently killed himself. Authorities were alerted and attended to the scene. An inquest docket was registered at Dawn Park police station pending preliminary investigation. Blood spatter experts and photographers were called to examine the scene. The crime scene reconstruction experts visited the scene on Monday, December 5. At that stage, Magwaza had been detained at Boksburg police cells on charges of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH), while the probe into the death of the police officer was ongoing. Magwaza was detained after she indicated that she stabbed Ntsana, but denied killing him. The case was not placed on the court roll on December 6, 2022, owing to insufficient evidence. Captain Sizwe Sibeko from the Hawks National Priority Violent Crimes (NPVC), swiftly picked up Magwaza from the cells before she could be let go. This followed a forensic factual report that ruled out suicide as the cause of death due to inconsistencies discovered after the crime scene was reconstructed," he said. Magwaza was then charged with murder. She subsequently appeared before the Boksburg Magistrates on December 7. The court eventually granted her R1,000 bail in January 2023 following numerous appearances. The bail was revoked on November 22, 2023, and she was referred to Sterkfontein for mental evaluation after she started acting erratic. "The facility declared her fit to stand trial and she has been in custody ever since, culminating in her recent sentencing proceedings which started on Monday, August 12, said Mavimbela. Thursday, August 15, 2024 - The National Police Service (NPS) has been dealt a major blow after the High Court directed that police officers concealing their identities, registration numbers of their vehicles, and their service numbers must not be allowed during public protests. Making the ruling on Wednesday, High Court judge Bahati Mwamuye directed that pursuant to a petition by the Law Society of Kenyas CEO Florence Wairimu Muturi, the conservatory orders were issued on the Inspector General of Police against deploying unidentified officers to deal with protestors. A conservatory order be and is hereby issued requiring the 5th Respondent (National Police) to ensure full compliance with Paragraph 10 of the Sixth Schedule to the National Police Service Act in terms of ensuring that all uniformed Police Officers or persons acting under the direction, control, or in support of the National Police Service shall at all times affix a nametag or an identifiable service number in a clearly visible part of their uniform when engaging with, providing security for, or in any way dealing with any person(s) who is or is planning on assembling, demonstrating picketing, or petitioning; and they shall not remove or obscure the same, Justice Mwamuye stated. Similarly, Justice Mwamuye ordered that if plain-clothes police officers are deployed to maintain order, they must not wear any garments that obscure their faces or make them unidentifiable. Mwamuye also indicated that the Inspector General of Police was instructed to ensure that no police officer or any other persons acting under the direction, control, or in support of the NPS takes any action to obscure the identification, registration, or markings of any motor vehicle being used when in any way dealing with persons who are planning on assembling, demonstrating, picketing or petitioning. The Kenyan DAILY POST Thursday, August 15, 2024 - A 55-year-old Chinese national, Dai Pengfei, has been sentenced to 30 days in prison for operating a drone without the required license. Pengfei appeared before the Masvingo Magistrates' Court, where he faced charges related to the unauthorised use of a drone. The incident occurred on August 9, 2024, at Nyika Growth Point in Bikita, where Pengfei was spotted by police officers flying a drone approximately 15-20 meters above roof level. When asked to produce a permit authorising him to operate the drone, Pengfei was unable to do so, leading to his immediate arrest. The court subsequently handed down a sentence of a fine of US$200 or 30 days in jail. Thursday, August 15, 2024 - Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has warned newly appointed Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi against implementing International Monetary Fund (IMF) conditions. In a statement on Wednesday, Atwoli expressed concern that strict adherence to IMF conditions could negatively impact Kenya's economy, particularly affecting citizens' and workers' livelihoods. Atwoli pointed out that past experiences have shown the detrimental effects of blindly following IMF advice. The organization cited former President Mwai Kibaki's regime, which took a balanced approach to IMF recommendations while keeping citizens' welfare as a top priority. According to COTU (K), implementing 100% of the IMFs economic and financial adjustments without considering the local context and needs would likely result in failure. "It is the position of COTU (K) that if the new National Treasury Cabinet Secretary adopts a rigid approach and implements 100% of the IMFs economic and finance adjustments advice, then such an approach will not succeed," Atwoli said on Wednesday. The Kenyan DAILY POST Thursday, August 15, 2024 - Thailands Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin has been removed from office after a court ruled he had violated the constitution, in a shock decision. The verdict comes a week after the same court dissolved the countrys popular progressive Move Forward Party, which won the most seats in last years election, and banned its leaders from politics for 10 years. The Constitutional Court in Bangkok ruled Wednesday, August 14 that Srettha, a real estate tycoon and relative political newcomer, had breached ethics rules by appointing a lawyer who had served prison time to the Cabinet. Five of the courts 9 judges voted to dismiss Srettha and his Cabinet, ruling that the prime minister was well aware that he appointed a person who seriously lacked moral integrity. A new government must now be formed, and the ruling Pheu Thai-led coalition will nominate a new candidate for prime minister, which will be voted on by the 500-seat parliament. Speaking to reporters after the decision, Srettha said he performed his duty as prime minister as best he could and said he accepts the verdict. He added that he was unsure whether the next government would continue with his policies. Over the past twenty years, dozens of lawmakers have faced bans, parties have been dissolved and prime ministers have been overthrown in coups or by court decisions The case against Srettha was filed in May by a group of 40 military-appointed former senators, who sought to remove him from office due to the Cabinet appointment of Pichit Chuenban, a close aide to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Pichit was jailed for six months in 2008 for contempt of court after trying to bribe Supreme Court officials in a land case involving Thaksin. Srettha has denied wrongdoing and has said Pichit, who has since resigned, was properly vetted and the party followed proper procedures. Thursday, August 15, 2024 - Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya reportedly flew out of the country in the company of his girlfriend Mary Biket to celebrate his recent appointment to the Cabinet. A latest social media update by Mary reveals that they are in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul is one of the worlds top tourist destinations. Its breathtaking architecture, lively culture, and rich history attracts tourists from different countries across the world. Oparanya is still in the celebratory mood even as his fellow Cabinet Secretaries hit the ground running. Immediately after he was sworn in, he hosted a big party at his Karen residence and now, he is busy globetrotting with his girlfriend. See her social media update. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Thursday, August 15, 2024 Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka has challenged ODM Leader Raila Odinga to decide whether he is with Kenyans or against them after betraying Azimio by joining President William Rutos Government. In a statement, Kalonzo noted Kenyans are wise enough to determine the leaders working for their interests. HakunaWajingaKenya; you are either for the people of Kenya or against them! Its as simple as that! he said. The former Vice President asked Kenyans to stand firm, especially at this time of uncertainty. There will be a lot of lies, but you will see what God will do, he said. Alluding to the state of the nation, Musyoka said that he and others had been in a mortuary and seen Kenyans whose bodies were riddled with police bullets. He added that they had also visited the injured at hospitals. We cannot pretend all is well. #HakunaWajingaKenya, youre either with Gen Z and the people of Kenya or against them. Its as simple as that, he said. The Kenyan DAILY POST Thursday, August 15, 2024 - COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli has warned the newly appointed Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi to tread carefully with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), or else he risks messing up the country like his predecessor Njuguna Ndungu. This comes after Mbadi held a meeting with the IMF Representative in Kenya, Selim Cakir. The meeting took place ahead of the anticipated disbursement of over Ksh181 billion from the IMF. In a statement, Atwoli cautioned Mbadi not to follow IMF's advice blindly as the advice could lead Kenya down a perilous path, exacerbating the financial strain on ordinary citizens. According to Atwoli, this financial injection comes with strings attached and the potential implications of these conditions could be devastating for the countrys economy. Following the IMF's advice without scrutiny has led to adverse effects on the citizenry and workers, Atwoli stated, cautioning Mbadi to balance the IMF interest against the welfare of Kenyan citizens. He asserted that such a balanced approach is necessary to prevent economic policies from becoming a burden on the population. The veteran trade unionist further warned that IMF conditionalities often involve harsh austerity measures, including increased taxation, which could trigger widespread social unrest. IMF conditionalities often involve measures that place undue financial strain on the citizenry, primarily through increased taxation and so-called austerity measures, Atwoli stated. He cautioned that these actions not only lead to social unrest but also ignite demonstrations as citizens grapple with the negative impacts on their livelihoods. In a strong message to Mbadi, Atwoli advised that the new Treasury CS should approach IMF conditionalities with caution and a deep understanding of their potential impact on ordinary Kenyans. The far we stay away from the IMF and its accomplices, the better for this country, Atwoli stated. The Kenyan DAILY POST Thursday, August 15,2024 - Jubilee Party Secretary General, Jeremiah Kioni, has dismissed claims by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga that it is former President Uhuru Kenyatta who urged him to have a handshake with President William Ruto.. Kioni, who addressed the press on Wednesday, dismissed Odinga's claims, accusing him of trying to drag Uhurus name through the mud after making the controversial decision to work with President Ruto. He cited the past letter by Kenyatta where he mourned the loss of Kenyans killed during the protests and urged elected leaders to listen to their constituents, saying that in the same way, the ex-president was against Ruto's regime and its policies. "Uhuru Kenyatta's position is that you cannot join a government that is bent on causing all the havoc that it has caused Kenyans. "Killing them, abducting them, removing all the social support system that was there through budgeted corruption where we can see wastage of resources...this is not a government to join but one that we should be working to remove as provided for in the Constitution," Kioni said. "If you want to know his thinking, his position, and why you should be careful about what Raila said yesterday, and what I hold to be untrue and not accurate, then you know what Raila said was misleading, Kioni added. The Kenyan DAILY POST Thursday, August 14, 2024 - In 2018 when Ruto was the Deputy President, he went to Kajiado County for a development tour, where he laid a foundation for the construction of Olkejuado University of Applied Technology. 6 years down the line, the project has not started, despite Ruto promising the residents that the University will be completed within the shortest time possible. Political activist Morara Kebaso visited the site and discovered that the land where the University was to be constructed has been turned into a grazing field. This comes even after Ruto continues to launch more projects across the country. Most of the projects stall after laying the foundation and taking photos for public relation stunts. Watch the video. At Olkejuado University in Kajiado. Machozi. Machozi. @WilliamsRuto tangu 2018 hadi saa hii si ni mchezo nani? pic.twitter.com/ejHCCKFK6z Morara Kebaso Snr (@MoraraKebasoSnr) August 14, 2024 Ruto launched the project in 2018 and tweeted about it. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Thursday, August 15, 2024 - A potential feud is brewing over the vast fortune of late Austrian entrepreneur Richard Lugner, who passed away at the age of 91 on Monday at his villa in Vienna. Lugner, widely known for his lavish lifestyle and for escorting celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton to high-profile events, left behind a complex legacy that could spark a fierce battle among his heirs. Lugner, who married his sixth wife, Simone Reilaender, just two months ago, had declared that she would become the "sole boss" of his business empire upon his death. However, the billionaire also included his four children and Simone in his will, setting the stage for a possible legal tussle over his estate. Sources close to the family have indicated that a major dispute may be imminent, with questions surrounding who will inherit the rights to live in Lugner's villa and control his extensive business interests. "There will be a huge tussle over the inheritance," a source told German tabloid Bild. "Who will have the right to live in the villa? Who will get what from the foundations? The properties are not bad either." The source also suggested that Christina Lugner, Richard's fourth wife, is determined to secure a substantial portion of the inheritance for her daughter, Jacqueline. "Christina Lugner will fight with all means to ensure that Jacqueline gets as much as possible," the source claimed. Christina Lugner, who had earlier expressed her grief over Richard's passing, told Austrian media that she and her daughter would work to preserve Richard's legacy. "Our daughter Jacqueline will do everything in her power to ensure that Richard's legacy is preserved and that everything is implemented as Richard wished," she said. Despite the looming legal battle, Christina also shared moments of reflection and mourning, saying, "We're hugging and crying. Then we're telling funny stories from the past. That's how we balance it out." Richard Lugner's final months were marked by serious health issues. In June, he was rushed to the hospital with crippling back pain, which he dismissed as a result of a tough bike workout. However, a month later, on July 12, he was admitted to Vienna General Hospital with a ruptured heart valve. Surgeons discovered that his mitral valve was leaking, causing blood to flow in the wrong direction around his body. Lugner, ever the planner, had already made arrangements for his funeral, revealing that he had even ordered his gravestone. "I wanted to have everything arranged. My heirs should know what to do," he said. Lugner's marriage to actress Simone in June was a star-studded affair in Vienna. Despite their 49-year age difference, Simone made it clear that it didn't hold them back on their wedding night, boasting to local media, "We had a very long wedding night. Longer than the wedding day." Simone now runs his Vienna shopping mall. With his passing, the fate of Lugner's fortune and the impending family feud will undoubtedly be closely watched as his heirs prepare for what could be a prolonged legal battle. Thursday, August 15, 2024 - Ghanaians have taken to the streets to celebrate as a DNA test proved a male teacher is not the father of his students child. Eric Dwamena, a Ghanaian teacher who was falsely accused of fathering a students child, has been exonerated following a DNA test that confirmed he is not the father. The accusation made approximately a year ago, led to Dwamenas arrest and forced him to pay GHC 20,000 under duress to avoid imprisonment. Throughout the ordeal, Dwamena steadfastly maintained his innocence and pursued justice. He sought help from Oyerepa FM, which facilitated the DNA test that ultimately cleared his name. The DNA results have sparked widespread jubilation among Dwamenas supporters, who have taken to social media to celebrate his vindication. Many are now calling for the return of the money he was coerced into paying and are demanding legal consequences for those who falsely accused him. Watch the video below 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 Thursday, August 15, 2024 - Head of Public Service and Chief of Staff, Felix Kosgey, has instructed the newly appointed cabinet secretaries to demonstrate loyalty to President William Ruto, the leader of the government. During an induction at the National Defence University of Kenya in Karen, Kosgey told the cabinet secretariesespecially those from the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM)that they were part of an army with only one general, the country's commander-in-chief, William Ruto, and emphasized that loyalty to him was both unconditional and mandatory. This came only hours after Cooperatives and MSMEs CS Wycliff Oparanya indicated that in the event he was directed to carry out unpopular policies, he would not oblige. They were also inducted on safeguarding the national interests, the machinery of State, the mechanics of parliamentary engagement and the tenets of effective communication and branding. The trainers, who included senior government officials and security operatives, instructed the cabinet secretaries on how to conduct themselves in public, their posture, and their stance on various issues such as foreign relations and security matters. When Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua took to the podium to close the induction ceremony, he reminded the CSs that they were soldiers in an army that had only one general; President William Ruto. The Kenyan DAILY POST Thursday, August 15, 2024 - Kenyans on social media have called on President William Ruto to sack Education Principal Secretary Dr. Belio Kipsang after former Treasury Cabinet Secretary Prof. Njuguna Ndungu revealed how the Ministry of Education has been embezzling public funds through ghost students and schools. In a 19-minute speech during the handover of the Treasury docket to newly appointed CS John Mbadi on Monday, Ndungu acknowledged the existence of ghost schools that have been receiving government funding. The economic professor also criticized the funding formula for basic learning institutions and universities, describing it as broken and in need of urgent review. Ndungu's revelation, coming after 22 months of overseeing capitation allocation to schools, is a major indictment of top ministry officials led by Kipsang, who have failed to address these challenges over the years. Now Kenyans have asked the President to fire Kipsang, accusing him of bein behind the rot at the crucial docket. The Kenyan DAILY POST Thursday, August 15, 2024 - A mother from Northern California was mauled to death by dogs on a walking trail where a pack of 25 Great Danes was running loose, police said. The badly bitten body of Davina Corbin, 56, was discovered by a neighbour on the street just before 2 a.m. Thursday morning last week, the Butte County Sheriffs Office said. Corbins body had numerous bite marks and injuries and her clothing was covered in DNA matching domestic dogs. A medical examiner determined her cause of death was a domestic dog attack, according to the office. She was found in front of a home on the trail where 25 Great Dane dogs were roaming around free, the police said. Police obtained a search warrant and spent the entire day capturing the loose dogs who were placed in the custody of Butte County Animal Control. The DNA of the animals will be compared to the DNA collected on Corbins clothing and body to determine which dog or dogs attacked her, the sheriffs office said. Corbin's neighbours called her untimely death a tragedy that was 100% preventable. Max Heckler, said he and other neighbors have reported the dogs to Butte County Animal Control on multiple occasions. Nothings been done about it until now, he told local station KCRA. Wait until somebody gets killed by those dogs. Thats a tragedy that should have never, ever have happened, ever. He said he narrowly escaped the large dogs once. The Great Danes, they come across the road here at me, Heckler said. I jumped in the car and left. What Im saying is animal control is just as much at fault about that death as them dogs. They didnt do anything about any of this, he told the news station. That is what Im mad about. That lady should have never died. Thursday, August 15, 2024 - Renowned political analyst, Prof. Mutahi Ngunyi, has admitted that former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka is becoming stronger and may jeopardize President William Rutos re-election in 2027. Kalonzo, who is technically the Azimio One Kenya Alliance leader after former Prime Minister Raila Odinga joined the government with his party ODM, has been crisscrossing the country preaching the opposition gospel. The Wiper Democratic Movement is drawing large crowds in areas such as the Mt. Kenya region, prompting some state functionaries, like Mutahi, to discuss strategies for countering the influence of the man from Tseikuru. In a post on X on Tuesday, Ngunyi advised Ruto to appoint former Kitui County Governor Charity Ngilu to his cabinet in order to counter the resurgent Kalonzo Musyoka. Some musings. To WEAKEN Kalonzo, Maybe Ruto should appoint Charity Ngilu as CS Gender. "This replaces the FIRED Kamba CS Malonza. And it gives Ruto two of the Kamba bigwigs - Ngilu and Alfred Mutua. Good idea? Mutahi Ngunyi wrote. The Kenyan DAILY POST Thursday, August 15, 2024 Kenyans should brace themselves for economic challenges as things are expected to worsen following the latest move by newly appointed Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi. This is after Mbadi, together with his Principal Secretary Dr. Chris Kiptoo, met with International Monetary Fund (IMF) representative Mr. Selim Cakir at the Treasury Building, ostensibly to beg for more loans to help them steady the dwindling Kenyas economy. The IMF continues to play a crucial role in supporting Kenya's economic stability and development, IMF representative to Kenya Selim Cakir stated after the meeting. This comes even as Kenyans have warned Mbadi not to trust the IMF, accusing it of giving Kenya loans with stringent conditions which have led to increased taxes and a high cost of living. Led by COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli, the leaders have also cautioned Mbadi not to implement IMF conditionalities blindly. It shouldnt be lost on us that the IMF and World Bank were among the reasons Gen Zs went to the streets to protest, forcing President William Ruto to drop the draconian Finance Bill 2024, which had all the imprints of the IMF and World Bank in it. The Kenyan DAILY POST Thursday, August 15, 2024 - It is now emerging that Raila Odingas elder brother Oburu Odinga snatched a woman from his son Jaoko. According to blogger Aoko Otieno, Oburu sired twins with the woman. Jaoko Oburu is Senator Oburus firstborn son but he prefers to live a private life despite being a member of the larger Odinga Family that has dominated the political scene for decades. Jaoko works in Siaya County Government where he is the Roads and Public Works Executive. Check out Aokos tweet spilling the beans about Oburu Odingas alleged affair with his sons lover that resulted in the birth of twins. The Kenya DAILY POST. Thursday, August 15, 2024 Kenyans are set to continue paying high fuel prices despite President William Ruto appointing former Prime Minister Raila Odingas ODM expert Opiyo Wandayi to head the Energy and Petroleum Ministry. This comes after the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) retained the same high rates for July to be used in August, contrary to Kenyans' expectations that prices would drop with Wandayi now in charge of the docket. The latest review by EPRA retains the prices of Super Petrol at Ksh188.84 per litre in Nairobi, and Diesel at Ksh171.60, while Kerosene will cost Ksh161.75 per litre. Just last month, the Government increased the RML from Ksh18 to Ksh25 per litre for both petrol and diesel, a move that added Ksh7 per litre to fuel costs. This hike, combined with the lingering effects of the now-nullified Finance Act 2023, which had doubled the VAT on fuel from 8 per to 16 per cent, has kept fuel prices high. The Kenyan DAILY POST Thursday, August 15, 2024 - Former Police Spokesperson Charles Owino has dismissed the ruling by High Court Judge Bernard Mwamunywe, which orders police dealing with protesters not to hide their facesa practice that had been common during the five weeks of Gen Z protests that nearly destabilized President William Rutos regime. In an interview with one of the local TV stations on Thursday, Owino who is currently the chairman of the Council of the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication (KIMC), differed with the Judge, saying there is no way the Directorate of Criminal Investigations(DCI) sleuths can operate without unmarked cars and hiding their faces. Operating in unmarked vehicles and wearing plain clothes is the standard procedure for DCI. You cannot stop the DCI from operating the way they operate. You cannot ask them to put on a uniform when they are used to operating in civilian clothes. If there are criminals entrenched, then it calls for DCI officers at times to get involved in supporting the persons managing riots to maybe pick individuals who could be criminals in these teams, Owino said Owino further stated that the DCI officers cannot be stopped from using unmarked vehicles in their daily operations. You may not say DCI officers cannot get involved in such operations if need be, and in those cases, they will use unmarked cars, they will not have uniforms because those are their standard procedures, he said. The Kenyan DAILY POST Thursday, August 15, 2024 Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has broken his silence after former Prime Minister Raila Odinga claimed that Kenyatta was the one who urged him to arrange a handshake with President William Ruto to quell the Gen Z protests. In a statement yesterday, Uhuru, through Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni, dismissed Railas allegation, terming them as untrue. He noted that Uhurus position is that members of the Opposition cannot join the current Kenya Kwanza administration. He wondered why Raila would make such a lie just to remain relevant politically. Uhuru Kenyattas position is that you cannot join a government that is bent on causing all the havoc that is caused on Kenyans, killing them, abducting them, removing all the social support systems that were there and wastage of resources. This is not a government to join, it is actually a government that we should be working to remove as provided for in the constitution, Kioni stated. The Jubilee Secretary-General noted that Uhuru communicated to Kenyans through his letter of June 25 and that is his thinking. Uhuru did communicate to Kenyans through his letter on the 25th of June if you want to know his thinking, his position, and why you should be careful about what Raila said and what I hold to be untrue, then you will know that what Raila said in Elgeyo Marakwet was misleading, the former Ndaragwa MP added. On Tuesday, Raila said that Uhuru asked him to talk to President Ruto to calm the country during the nationwide Gen Z-led protests. The former Prime Minister also mentioned that the former Head of State told him to find solutions to the issues that were being raised by Gen Z. The Kenyan DAILY POST Thursday, August 15, 2024 Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni has lambasted ODM Leader Raila Odinga for lying to the public about his controversial deal with President William Ruto. This is after Raila claimed that former President Uhuru Kenyatta urged him to engage with Ruto and form a broad-based government with him in order to neutralize anti-government protests that were led by the Gen Zs. However, addressing the media yesterday, Kioni accused Raila of attempting to tarnish Uhurus reputation to justify his greed after joining Rutos government. He criticised Raila for intentionally dragging Uhurus name into the controversy as a means of deflecting blame from his own controversial decision to work with the Kenya Kwanza regime. Kioni noted that Railas move to form a broad-based government was a mistake, driven by the declining popularity of his own position among Kenyans. Dragging other peoples names through the mud does not absolve you of your own poor decisions, Kioni said. When you make a mistake, its important to own up to it rather than shifting the blame. According to the former Ndaragua MP, Raila has a history of misleading the public for personal advantage. He cited the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) report, accusing Odinga of failing to keep the Azimio team fully informed while engaging with the government behind closed doors. The Kenyan DAILY POST Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! Join radiation oncologists Shannon MacDonald and Sean McBride as they delve into the evolving landscape of telemedicine in oncology. They discuss the significant improvements telemedicine brought during the COVID-19 pandemic, the challenges and legal barriers now faced with cross-state telemedicine, and how these restrictions impact patient care, particularly for those in rural areas or who frequently travel. With a focus on potential legislative changes and ethical considerations, Shannon and Sean offer their expert perspectives on how we can shape a more accessible and equitable future for cancer care. Shannon MacDonald is a radiation oncologist specializing in proton therapy, pediatrics, sarcoma, and skull base tumors. She pioneered the use of proton therapy for locally advanced breast cancer. She can be reached on X @shannonmacdonmd and Instagram @shannon_mcdonald18. She practices as Mass General Brigham, Boston, MA. Sean McBride is a radiation oncologist. They discuss the KevinMD article, Why saving interstate telehealth should matter to you. Our presenting sponsor is Nuance, a Microsoft company. Do you spend more time on administrative tasks like clinical documentation than you do with patients? Youre not alone. Clinicians report spending up to two hours on administrative tasks for each hour of care provided. Nuance, a Microsoft company, is committed to helping clinicians restore the balance with Dragon Ambient eXperience or DAX for short. DAX is an AI-powered, voice-enabled solution that helps physicians cut documentation time in half. DAX Copilot combines proven conversational and ambient AI with the most advanced generative AI in a mobile application that integrates directly with your existing workflows. DAX Copilot can be easily enabled within the workflow of the Dragon Medical application to bring the power of ambient technology to more clinicians faster while leveraging the proven and powerful capabilities used by over 550,000 physicians. Explore DAX Copilot today. Visit https://nuance.com/daxinaction to see a 12-minute DAX Copilot demo. Discover clinical documentation that writes itself and reclaim your work-life balance. VISIT SPONSOR https://nuance.com/daxinaction SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended GET CME FOR THIS EPISODE https://www.kevinmd.com/cme Im partnering with Learner+ to offer clinicians access to an AI-powered reflective portfolio that rewards CME/CE credits from meaningful reflections. Find out more: https://www.kevinmd.com/learnerplus A section of artistes is calling for the establishment of a standalone ministry dedicated to arts, culture, and creative industries. During a stakeholder engagement with the Uganda National Cultural Centre (UNCC) at the National Theatre in Kampala, artists argued that this dedicated ministry would allow the government to allocate sufficient time and resources for the sectors development. Peter Ojede, the Executive Director of the Uganda National Cultural Centre, acknowledged the need for reform, stating that the UNCC Act requires updating to better serve the needs of contemporary artistes. It is time to have an independent ministry of culture because the art and culture industry is big in terms of its role. Artistes are a big source of economic activity and they contribute to GDP so they say this is huge enough to be a ministry by itself, he said. Professor Opio Okaka, Chairperson of the UNCC Board of Trustees, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the significant potential of arts and culture to contribute to national development and suggesting that an independent ministry is necessary to fully harness this potential. The Director of Public Prosecutions has ordered the trial of an 18-year-old man for allegedly defiling a 3-year-old girl. Robert Aziki was committed to the High Court for trial by Buganda Road Court Chief Magistrate Ronald Kayizzi. State Attorney Ivan Kyazza informed the court that police investigations were complete and presented committal papers signed by the DPP on August 12. Prosecution alleges that on the night of July 23, 2023, at Arua Park in Kampala Central Division, the accused sexually assaulted the juvenile. The DPP intends to prove that the victims mother left her child sleeping on the veranda of a building called Nyumbakubwa while she sold tea at Arua Park on Wilson Road. At around 2:00 AM, the mother found the victim crying and discovered the accused covered with a bedsheet, the victims legs apart, and her panties missing. The mother identified the accused as a casual laborer she knew. The accused claimed he did it because the mother had sold his shoes. Evidence indicates that the accused had previously defiled the victim but was forgiven by the mother. BY REUTERS South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol offered on Thursday to establish a working-level consultative body with North Korea to discuss ways to ease tension and resume economic cooperation, as he laid out his vision on unification of the neighbours. In a National Liberation Day speech marking the 79th anniversary of independence from Japans 1910-45 colonial rule after World War Two, Yoon said he was ready to begin political and economic cooperation if North Korea takes just one step toward denuclearisation. Yoon used the speech as a chance to unveil a blueprint for unification and make a fresh outreach to Pyongyang, following his governments recent offer to provide relief supplies for flood damage in the isolated North which he said had been rejected. But a unified Korea appears a distant prospect to most people on both sides of the border. Relations between the neighbours have been at their lowest in decades as the North races to advance its nuclear and missile capabilities and takes steps to cut ties with the South, redefining it as a separate, hostile enemy state. At the start of the year, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called South Korea a primary foe and said unification was no longer possible. Yoon said launching the inter-Korean working group could help relieve tensions and handle any issues ranging from economic cooperation to people-to-people exchanges to reunions of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War. We will begin political and economic cooperation the moment North Korea takes just one step toward denuclearisation, he said at a ceremony in Seoul. Dialogue and cooperation can bring about substantive progress in inter-Korean relations. The speech came amid a dispute with opposition lawmakers over Yoons appointment of what they view as a pro-Japan, revisionist former professor to oversee a national independence museum, another sign of political polarisation and divided opinions over Yoons efforts to ramp up security ties with Tokyo. Major independence movement groups which had for decades co-hosted the annual National Liberation Day events with the government held a separate ceremony for the first time in protest over the professor, joined by opposition lawmakers. Yoons office has said there are misunderstandings about the appointment, and was seeking ways to resolve them. Yoon, in the speech, also raised the idea of a plan to launch an international conference on North Koreas human rights and a fund to promote global awareness on the issue, support activist groups, and expand North Korean residents access to outside information. It is important to help awaken the people of North Korea to the value of freedom, he said, calling for freedoms in the South to be extended to the frozen kingdom of the North. If more North Koreans come to recognise that unification through freedom is the only way to improve their lives and are convinced that a unified Republic of Korea will embrace them, they will become strong, friendly forces for a freedom-based unification. A CLANE artist and her company GlassEye is helping to redefine contemporary art in London by using technology to allow visitors enjoy an 360-degree journey into the evocative art of Alex and Allyson Grey. Janet Beck is the founder and CEO, and she uses immersive technology to bring traditional paintings to life in London. Glasseyes innovative use of new-age animation and extended reality (XR) techniques is at the forefront of this collaboration, and the experience features mesmerising installations, dynamic animations, and serene meditation spaces designed to engage the senses and evoke deep contemplation. Janet describes her teams involvement in transforming these multi-layered paintings into an immersive narrative. Collaborating closely with Alex and Allyson, we crafted a 12-minute visual journey that intertwines their work, taking viewers through 'The Progress of the Soul', she explained. Our goal was to connect audiences with the artwork, transporting them into another dimension through the movement of visuals, the sound of audio, and the reflections of mirrors. Raised in Clane, Janet Becks passion for art was evident from a young age. After studying fine art at the National College of Art and Design and Ulster University, she honed her craft in Thomastown, Co Kilkenny. Janet is helping to bring traditional paintings to life Her early career blended artistic exploration with entrepreneurial drive, leading to the establishment of Glasseye, and today, Janet leads a team of 12 people based in Thomastown, Dublin, Belfast, and Spain, and her firm has received significant support from the Local Enterprise Office. I remember creating a CD-ROM for the then Kilkenny Enterprise Board, and they were my first clients, said Janet. This latest project with Alex and Allyson Grey came about because of the success of the immersive experience The Summer Palace we developed for Outernet in London. We used digital technology and AI, as well as traditional software to create a montage of movement. We told a story from the paintings of Alex and Allyson Grey and it was a massive privilege and honour to be able to do this. The experience represents the fusion of traditional art and cutting-edge technology, and by integrating the Greys' iconic style with new-age techniques, Glasseye has created this experience. Kildare women A smash hit play written by Kildare natives will take to the stage this month. For a limited run, the smash hit play with music ARE YA DANCIN? A Showband Story, written by Naas natives Carol Gleeson & Helen Spring, makes its highly anticipated national debut at 3Olympia Theatre this summer from Tuesday 27 August to Saturday 31 August (including matinees). This beautiful Irish tale, which also stars Paul Mescals father Paul Snr, offers a snapshot in time when Ireland was finally starting to find its voice and when showband music was the revolutionary language of the people. Helen Spring and Carol Gleeson who star alongside Sean Mac Mathuna who plays Tommy O'Neill in the forthcoming show ' Are Ya Dancin'? Set in Donegal, in the golden era of music, the story follows Tommy ONeill who finds himself at the helm of an up-and-coming showband. As his star rises, he struggles both professionally and personally against the restrictive societal backdrop of 1960s Ireland. A tale of both joy and heartache, get ready to join Tommy on his rollercoaster journey and witness the music, magic and the glory of the past through the knockout songs of the sixties and revel in a host of hilarious and memorable characters. Sean Mac Mathuna who plays Tommy O'Neill alongside Paul Mescal who plays Seamie McDaid in the forthcoming show ' Are Ya Dancin'? Showcasing a LIVE seven-piece band and boasting an impressive thirty-plus cast, this theatrical spectacle is steeped in nostalgia which will, for some, bring back memories of their dancing days whilst reigniting the wonder of those live dancehall bands. Musical numbers include hits such as The Hucklebuck, Rock Around the Clock, If I Could Choose, Im a Believer, Hit the Road Jack and From the Candystore among many more. Paul Mescal who plays Seamie McDaid in the forthcoming show 'Are Ya Dancin'? Featured in the front-line cast are writers/producers Carol Gleeson and Helen Spring in the roles of Mary McDaid and Sarah Harte. Sean MacMathuna dazzles in the lead role as Tommy ONeill, expertly supported by actors Kevin Reade as Jim Brennan and Bronwyn Andrews as Annie Brennan. Alongside an array of exceptional Irish talent from around the country, the production also sees the original Paul Mescal tread the boards as disgruntled bar owner Seamie McDaid in what is sure to be a memorable summers night out. Tickets priced from 21.50 including booking fee & 1.50 restoration levy are on sale from www.ticketmaster.ie. To mark Heritage Week 2024, Newbridge Business Centre is honouring its most famous resident, the pioneering Irish scientist Dame Kathleen Lonsdale (1903 -1971) with an exhibition celebrating her life and significant contribution to the science community. The exhibition, running for its second year, will take place at the birthplace of the ground-breaking crystallographer, Charlotte House in Newbridge town centre. The exhibition is open to the public from 19-23 August from 12-3pm daily. Newbridge Business Centre welcomes visitors to learn more about the remarkable scientist and tour her former home, a historic local landmark, now transformed into a state-of-the-art business centre and co-working hub. Dame Kathleen Lonsdale was a trailblazing scientist who left an indelible mark on the scientific and social community. Born in 1903 in Charlotte House, Kathleen was the youngest among ten children of postmaster Henry Yardley. She made considerable contributions as a crystallographer and applied her expertise to medical solutions. In 1945 she became the first woman elected to the Royal Society of London. Kathleen's impact extended far beyond the scientific community. During World War II, she refused to register for Civil Defence duties and consequently was committed to Holloway prison for one month in February 1943. Her experiences there inspired her to become an advocate of prison reform. She also actively campaigned to put an end to armed conflict. Her work in crystallography paved the way for countless scientific discoveries. Sinead Smyth (NBC) and Gabriel McGinley MRIAI Project Architect, Fitzgibbon McGinley Architects at the unveiling of the Kathleen Lonsdale exhibition for Heritage Week Kathleens pioneering spirit lives on in Charlotte House, which now operates as a state-of-the-art business centre. The renovation by Martin and Aine Cooper has brought the heritage building into the modern era as a contemporary co-working space, designed to address two modern-day problems: workplace isolation and the evolving cyber threat landscape. Today, Newbridge Business Centre (NBC) is a cutting-edge co working digital hub and one of Irelands most cyber-secure work facilities. Calling it the third workspace solution NBC was designed for professionals and companies that wish to bridge the gap between working from home and the office. The centre offers private offices, meeting rooms and hot desk facilities plus a media room and roof terrace. We are proud of Kathleen Lonsdales heritage and her connection with Newbridge Business Centre, Martin said. We wanted to create a state-of-the-art facility for companies and professional people to work in a comfortable environment with top-tier cybersecurity, IT infrastructure and amenities yet stay true to the buildings heritage." He added: We worked closely with the conservation architect, Gabriel McGinley and the Architectural Conservation Office at Kildare (Co) Council, to maintain the integrity of the building and as many original features as possible. Paying homage to Kathleen, we feature the crystal she discovered in every room and in our company logo. During Heritage Week, we hope people will come to learn more about her life and the history of the building. The NBC team welcome visitors to Charlotte House to learn more through a photographic exhibition, video and self-guided tour from Monday 19 to Friday 23 August between 12 and 3pm. For more information, visit: www.newbridgebusinesscentre.ie. A woods in Kilkenny is the fourth-most visited Coillte Park (non-ticketed) according to figures published today. Jenkinstown Woods drew 89,610 visitors in 2023. Rossmore Park in Monaghan continuse to be ranked number one with 357,834 visitors in 2023. The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys, today announced funding of 3 million to develop and upgrade visitor and recreational amenities at Coillte Forest Parks across Ireland. The investment is part of a strategic partnership between the Department of Rural and Community Development and Coillte to maintain and manage existing trails in Coillte forests, and to develop new recreation opportunities. The funding will be used to deliver a range of projects such as new walking trails, carpark improvements, installation of footbridges and new toilet facilities. READ MORE LOCAL NEWS HERE Speaking at Rossmore Park, Minister Humphreys said: Adventure tourism continues to go from strength to strength in Ireland. People want to be out and about enjoying our great outdoors whether its our beaches, lakes, mountains or of course our wonderful forests. We have seen a huge surge in visitor numbers to our forest parks in recent years and I want to see that continue. Im delighted that my Department is working collaboratively with Coillte so that we can upgrade and improve the experience for visitors. If you want to take a break and get some peace and quiet there is nothing quite like a walk in the forest. There are so many hidden gems on our doorstep in Ireland and I would encourage people to get out and explore them. Imelda Hurley, Coillte CEO said: We are delighted to continue our partnership with the Department of Rural and Community Development and this important funding will enable us to further enhance the experience for visitors to our recreational forests across the country. As Irelands largest provider of outdoor recreation, were delighted to welcome an estimated 18 million visits to our recreational areas from across Ireland and indeed, further afield. Getting out in nature has proven positive benefits for peoples wellbeing and we look forward to further developing our recreational amenities for everyone to enjoy. Gardai have moved to deny false claims that it has been involved in an operation to secretly move international protection applicants onto the Thornton Hall site in north Dublin. In a statement, issued this Wednesday night, a spokesperson confirmed that members of the force were deployed to assist the International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) and contractors to enter the site "for the purposes of lawful employment" earlier in the day. Local Gardai continue to maintain a presence and continue to engage with those gathered peacefully at the location, and are facilitating access to and from the site. The statement adds that An Garda Siochana is "aware of misinformation, disinformation and fake news" in relation to the current activity taking place on the Thornton Hall site which has been earmarked to accommodate more than 400 asylum seekers by the end of November. "While it is the responsibility of IPAS to issue specific details about IPAS centres, An Garda Siochana can confirm that it has not been involved in secretly moving international protection applicants onto this site nor are there any such applicants currently on site," said a spokesperson. A woman who was arrested close to Thornton Hall has since been charged with public order offences. She is due to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice Dublin on Thursday. "Local gardai continue to maintain a presence and continue to engage with those gathered peacefully at the location, and are facilitating access to and from the site. Any garda response in relation to evolving events is in keeping with a community policing model and graduated policing response taking into account relevant legislation and public safety," said a spokesperson. The Herald reports: Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has signed Kim Dotcoms extradition order, meaning New Zealand will almost certainly deport him to the United States. German-born Dotcom moved to New Zealand in 2010. He has been facing potential extradition since 2012 when he was arrested as part of a global sting. The US Justice Department pressed charges against Dotcom, including criminal copyright infringement, money laundering, racketeering and wire fraud. Ive lost track of how many court cases there has been, but am not surprised with the decision. It doesnt mean Dotcom is guilty, it means he will face trial. He does have a defence which is plausible, but it will come down to the facts and intent. It was in November 2020 that the Supreme Court ruled he could be extradited. Im surprised it took so long for a Minister to sign an extradition order. Maybe previous Ministers didnt want to do it. Share this: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit WhatsApp More Pinterest Print Tumblr GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC reduced its stake in International Business Machines Co. (NYSE:IBM Free Report) by 7.2% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 7,907 shares of the technology companys stock after selling 616 shares during the period. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLCs holdings in International Business Machines were worth $1,368,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Desjardins Global Asset Management Inc. grew its stake in International Business Machines by 1.4% in the 4th quarter. Desjardins Global Asset Management Inc. now owns 3,940 shares of the technology companys stock worth $644,000 after acquiring an additional 54 shares in the last quarter. Arden Trust Co grew its stake in International Business Machines by 2.8% in the first quarter. Arden Trust Co now owns 1,973 shares of the technology companys stock worth $377,000 after purchasing an additional 54 shares in the last quarter. Calamos Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in International Business Machines by 2.8% during the 4th quarter. Calamos Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,007 shares of the technology companys stock worth $328,000 after purchasing an additional 55 shares during the period. CVA Family Office LLC increased its stake in shares of International Business Machines by 3.3% during the second quarter. CVA Family Office LLC now owns 1,796 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $311,000 after buying an additional 57 shares during the period. Finally, Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC grew its holdings in International Business Machines by 0.8% during the 4th quarter. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC now owns 7,528 shares of the technology companys stock worth $1,309,000 after acquiring an additional 58 shares in the last quarter. 58.96% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get International Business Machines alerts: International Business Machines Stock Performance NYSE IBM traded up $1.33 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $192.32. The stock had a trading volume of 1,893,598 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,368,021. The stock has a market cap of $176.67 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.68, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.24 and a beta of 0.71. International Business Machines Co. has a 52-week low of $135.87 and a 52-week high of $199.18. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $179.64 and a 200 day moving average of $180.86. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.20, a quick ratio of 1.08 and a current ratio of 1.12. International Business Machines Announces Dividend International Business Machines ( NYSE:IBM Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 24th. The technology company reported $2.43 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.16 by $0.27. International Business Machines had a net margin of 13.52% and a return on equity of 40.59%. The business had revenue of $15.77 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $15.62 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.18 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 1.9% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts predict that International Business Machines Co. will post 10.06 earnings per share for the current year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 10th. Investors of record on Friday, August 9th will be given a dividend of $1.67 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 9th. This represents a $6.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.47%. International Business Machiness dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 75.65%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several brokerages have recently weighed in on IBM. The Goldman Sachs Group began coverage on shares of International Business Machines in a research report on Monday, June 24th. They issued a buy rating and a $200.00 price target for the company. BNP Paribas began coverage on International Business Machines in a research report on Thursday, May 2nd. They set an underperform rating and a $145.00 price objective on the stock. UBS Group boosted their target price on shares of International Business Machines from $125.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock a sell rating in a report on Monday, April 22nd. BMO Capital Markets raised their target price on shares of International Business Machines from $190.00 to $210.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. Finally, Wedbush upped their price target on International Business Machines from $140.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, April 25th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $184.93. View Our Latest Analysis on International Business Machines International Business Machines Company Profile (Free Report) International Business Machines Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides integrated solutions and services worldwide. The company operates through Software, Consulting, Infrastructure, and Financing segments. The Software segment offers a hybrid cloud and AI platforms that allows clients to realize their digital and AI transformations across the applications, data, and environments in which they operate. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IBM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for International Business Machines Co. (NYSE:IBM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for International Business Machines Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for International Business Machines and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC decreased its position in Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL Free Report) by 6.0% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 33,606 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 2,148 shares during the period. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLCs holdings in Aflac were worth $3,001,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Jaffetilchin Investment Partners LLC raised its stake in shares of Aflac by 1.7% during the 1st quarter. Jaffetilchin Investment Partners LLC now owns 7,254 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $623,000 after buying an additional 121 shares during the last quarter. Burns Matteson Capital Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Aflac by 4.1% during the 2nd quarter. Burns Matteson Capital Management LLC now owns 3,077 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $275,000 after buying an additional 121 shares during the last quarter. Flputnam Investment Management Co. raised its stake in shares of Aflac by 0.5% during the 4th quarter. Flputnam Investment Management Co. now owns 25,031 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $2,065,000 after buying an additional 122 shares during the last quarter. ICA Group Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Aflac by 4.3% during the 4th quarter. ICA Group Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,974 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $245,000 after buying an additional 122 shares during the last quarter. Finally, TKG Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Aflac by 0.5% during the 1st quarter. TKG Advisors LLC now owns 24,536 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $2,107,000 after buying an additional 122 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 67.44% of the companys stock. Get Aflac alerts: Aflac Price Performance AFL stock traded up $0.64 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $102.37. The stock had a trading volume of 1,732,683 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,228,670. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $92.44 and its 200 day simple moving average is $86.50. The company has a current ratio of 0.10, a quick ratio of 0.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29. The company has a market cap of $58.17 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.23, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.76 and a beta of 0.95. Aflac Incorporated has a 52-week low of $72.78 and a 52-week high of $104.90. Aflac Announces Dividend Aflac ( NYSE:AFL Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 31st. The financial services provider reported $1.83 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.60 by $0.23. The company had revenue of $5.14 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.10 billion. Aflac had a return on equity of 16.22% and a net margin of 28.35%. The firms revenue for the quarter was down .7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.58 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Aflac Incorporated will post 6.48 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 2nd. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, August 21st will be paid a $0.50 dividend. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.95%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, August 21st. Aflacs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 22.08%. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of equities analysts have weighed in on AFL shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on Aflac from $80.00 to $83.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 2nd. Truist Financial lifted their price objective on Aflac from $82.00 to $100.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Friday, August 2nd. Bank of America raised their target price on Aflac from $105.00 to $108.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, August 1st. UBS Group lifted their price target on Aflac from $84.00 to $109.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group cut their price target on Aflac from $84.00 to $83.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research note on Friday, June 28th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Aflac presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $90.62. Get Our Latest Research Report on Aflac Insiders Place Their Bets In other Aflac news, Director Charles D. Lake II sold 22,378 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $87.47, for a total value of $1,957,403.66. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 61,522 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,381,329.34. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other Aflac news, Director Thomas J. Kenny sold 2,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.94, for a total value of $197,880.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 18,158 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,796,552.52. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Charles D. Lake II sold 22,378 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $87.47, for a total value of $1,957,403.66. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 61,522 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,381,329.34. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.90% of the companys stock. Aflac Profile (Free Report) Aflac Incorporated, through its subsidiaries, provides supplemental health and life insurance products. The company operates through Aflac Japan and Aflac U.S. segments. The Aflac Japan segment offers cancer, medical, nursing care, work leave, GIFT, and whole and term life insurance products, as well as WAYS and child endowment plans under saving type insurance products in Japan. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AFL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Aflac Incorporated (NYSE:AFL Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Aflac Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Aflac and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. PGGM Investments trimmed its stake in shares of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE:YUM Free Report) by 7.0% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 117,156 shares of the restaurant operators stock after selling 8,881 shares during the period. PGGM Investments holdings in Yum! Brands were worth $15,518,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Yum! Brands by 24.0% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 29,012,969 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $4,022,648,000 after acquiring an additional 5,607,517 shares in the last quarter. Capital World Investors grew its holdings in Yum! Brands by 23.7% during the 1st quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 18,121,611 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $2,512,561,000 after purchasing an additional 3,470,883 shares in the last quarter. Capital International Investors lifted its holdings in Yum! Brands by 10.2% in the 1st quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 14,669,356 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $2,033,906,000 after buying an additional 1,362,813 shares in the last quarter. Sustainable Growth Advisers LP boosted its position in Yum! Brands by 2.1% in the 1st quarter. Sustainable Growth Advisers LP now owns 5,939,663 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $823,534,000 after buying an additional 121,285 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Norges Bank purchased a new position in Yum! Brands in the 4th quarter valued at about $331,831,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.37% of the companys stock. Get Yum! Brands alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of brokerages recently commented on YUM. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price target on Yum! Brands from $135.00 to $130.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a report on Monday, July 22nd. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price target on shares of Yum! Brands from $133.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research note on Thursday, May 2nd. Robert W. Baird upped their price target on shares of Yum! Brands from $150.00 to $154.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, August 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on shares of Yum! Brands from $132.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Monday, June 3rd. Finally, Citigroup cut their target price on shares of Yum! Brands from $166.00 to $162.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, April 23rd. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $145.00. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Yum! Brands news, insider Scott Catlett sold 8,234 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $137.79, for a total value of $1,134,562.86. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 29,159 shares in the company, valued at $4,017,818.61. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In other Yum! Brands news, insider Scott Catlett sold 8,234 shares of Yum! Brands stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $137.79, for a total value of $1,134,562.86. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 29,159 shares in the company, valued at $4,017,818.61. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, CEO David W. Gibbs sold 6,961 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, July 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $131.02, for a total value of $912,030.22. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 162,381 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $21,275,158.62. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 99,301 shares of company stock worth $13,603,431 over the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.31% of the companys stock. Yum! Brands Price Performance Shares of YUM traded down $0.33 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $137.26. 1,267,872 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,988,824. The firm has a market capitalization of $38.66 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.34, a P/E/G ratio of 2.09 and a beta of 1.07. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $132.67 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $135.36. Yum! Brands, Inc. has a twelve month low of $115.53 and a twelve month high of $143.20. Yum! Brands (NYSE:YUM Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 6th. The restaurant operator reported $1.35 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.33 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $1.76 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.80 billion. Yum! Brands had a net margin of 21.96% and a negative return on equity of 18.90%. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.41 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Yum! Brands, Inc. will post 5.62 EPS for the current year. Yum! Brands announced that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock repurchase plan on Wednesday, May 15th that permits the company to buyback $2.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization permits the restaurant operator to repurchase up to 5% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are generally an indication that the companys leadership believes its shares are undervalued. About Yum! Brands (Free Report) Yum! Brands, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, develops, operates, and franchises quick service restaurants worldwide. The company operates through the KFC Division, the Taco Bell Division, the Pizza Hut Division, and the Habit Burger Grill Division segments. It also operates restaurants under the KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and The Habit Burger Grill brands, which specialize in chicken, pizza, made-to-order chargrilled burgers, sandwiches, Mexican-style food categories, and other food products. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding YUM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE:YUM Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Yum! Brands Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Yum! Brands and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. By Park Jin-hai David Reiland, artistic director of the Korea National Symphony Orchestra (KNSO) since 2022, participated in the orchestra's International Academy program for the first time. The Belgian, who has served as a guest conductor for many orchestras in Europe and operated similar programs, noted that this multicultural, collaborative program is crucial for talented young musicians. "Young Korean musicians have an extraordinary work ethic. Their ability to process information, handle pressure and improve rapidly is truly impressive. It's just amazing when you see how these Korean musicians (are) able to fix all the things and improve within one, two minutes or five minutes maximum. Korea's soft power is evident in this, and Europe can learn a lot from this approach. While Europe has a rich musical history and culture, Korea represents the future with its ability to adapt to the modern world and innovate," he said during an interview with The Korea Times at the Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul, Tuesday, before the first orchestra rehearsal led by him. "It's equally important for Western musicians to connect with this brilliant young generation. They can learn new techniques and perspectives. Both Korean and Western musicians can learn from each other. It's about finding a balance and understanding that there's no single right way. This kind of exchange is crucial for personal and professional growth." Reiland explained that the term "espressivo," meaning to be performed in an expressive manner, can vary significantly in its interpretation between cultures. For instance, Asian musicians interpret it as a cue to produce a softer sound, while Western musicians play actually with more passion. This program encourages both groups to reflect on and find a balance between these differing approaches. Upon this year's new addition of chamber music masterclasses, the Belgian conductor said it aims to train listening and musical intuition necessary for exceptional orchestral performance. He said the skills honed in the intimate setting of chamber music are essential for achieving a high level of musical expression in the larger orchestral context. "Orchestra members play chamber music almost every day. This close collaboration with colleagues fosters a special energy that carries over into orchestral performances," Reiland said. "We often say in chamber music, we play with our ears and in the orchestra, we play with our eyes. I believe developing a keen sense of hearing is so crucial, especially in our visually oriented society." Reiland said today's younger generation plays fantastically, and their virtuosity and mastery of their instruments are amazing. However, he believes it's his and older generations' responsibility to help them reconnect with the rich cultural heritage of music, saying his job is "transforming these small, black symbols into emotions." "They can play anything, but how do they differentiate their interpretations of Mozart and Brahms, for instance? The essence of music, its cultural depth, is often overlooked. We need to emphasize that while technical proficiency is crucial, understanding the composer's message is equally important. The music of the 19th century may seem distant, but it's a foundational element for all musicians. To truly appreciate music, one must connect with its historical context, diverse cultures and emotional depth." The director, who has been taking on many other projects to expand classical music appreciation by drawing in younger generations, says the sound is a "physical experience on your skin," urging unknowing ears to just try to attend any music concert. "Did you ever experience the sound of 80 musicians on your skin in your body? The feeling is something that any CD listening cannot give. The music gives you a breathless feeling that you share almost at the same time with all these people without saying a word," he said. "(A) bad case of it has been Adolf Hitler in Germany, he used the music for his huge meetings. You had more than 5,000 people feeling this proud at the same time, just because of the music. Music gives you this feeling. When you attend a rock, pop concert and (the) music starts, everybody has the same feeling just because of the sound. It's an amazing experience. But when it's live, it's way stronger." By Park Han-sol From the 15th-century Hangeul manuscript Hunminjeongeum Haeryebon to Shin Yun-boks iconic Portrait of a Beauty, celebrated Korean treasures from the Kansong Art Museums collection have been given a new lease on life as immersive media art. At the exhibition When the Clouds Clear, the Moon Shines, the Wind Blows, and the Stars Shine, running through April 30, 2025, at Dongdaemun Design Plaza, 99 historic masterpieces, including state-designated national treasures, have become the stars of eye-catching digital showmanship for the first time in the museums history. In Korea and around the world, an overwhelming number of immersive media art shows focus on Western intellectual property, like the works of Van Gogh and Gauguin. Yet, Korea also boasts a wealth of cultural treasures and technological capabilities, museum director Chun In-keon said. This project partially stemmed from the question, Why arent we creating something that reflects our own cultural assets? Brought to life by teams of commercial directors, musicians, media artists and perfumers, the show spans eight expansive rooms equipped with wall-filling screens, motion graphics and lidar technology to put an interactive twist on the countrys heritage. No. of foreign workers expected to surpass 1 million this year By Jun Ji-hye Financial authorities and insurance companies in Korea are swiftly expanding services for international customers in response to the rapid growth of the foreign population, driven by an increase in the number of migrant workers. To support this initiative, authorities are urging local insurers to produce brochures in multiple languages and to enhance their customer service teams with multilingual staff. The decision was made during a meeting of the Financial Services Commission (FSC), the countrys top financial regulator, Aug. 8, where measures were discussed to improve insurance products in response to demographic changes, such as a low birthrate, aging population and an increasing number of foreign residents. Both the authorities and the industry recognize the necessity to broaden their outreach to foreign residents. The number of foreign nationals residing in the country for work and other purposes has been steadily rising, yet their insurance subscription rate remains low, highlighting a substantial market opportunity. Following the decision made during the FSCs meeting, insurance firms are focused on enhancing existing products and creating new, specialized offerings tailored for foreign customers. They will improve guidance services for migrant workers on mandatory accident insurance and travel insurance, addressing criticism about inadequate guidance materials and consultation services. The firms plan to publish brochures in languages such as Chinese and Vietnamese and establish support teams fluent in foreign languages. They will also introduce a system that allows for the recognition of an applicants driving history by submitting documents like proof of overseas auto insurance, which could lead to reduced insurance premiums. According to Statistics Korea, the number of foreign workers in the country reached 923,000 by the end of last year, an increase of about 80,000 from 2022, setting a new record. This year, the foreign workforce is expected to exceed 1 million. The statistics agency also reported that non-Korean residents who had been in the country for three months or longer numbered 1.65 million in 2022, representing 3.2 percent of the total population of 50.02 million. This figure is projected to increase to approximately 7 percent by 2042. In contrast, the insurance subscription rate among residents from abroad remains low. According to the Korea Insurance Development Institute, 694,000 non-Korean residents had at least one type of insurance, such as life or auto insurance, as of 2022. This results in an insurance subscription rate of 41.1 percent, which is less than half of the 86.4 percent rate among Korean nationals. Given that the increase in the foreign population is an inevitable trend, efforts to develop insurance products tailored for foreigners is essential, an official at a major insurance firm in Seoul said. But concerns exist over possible improper sales practices, where financial institutions may fail to provide thorough explanations of product details. Domestic insurance products often feature more long-term coverage options and detailed terms compared to those abroad, making it challenging to fully communicate these aspects to residents from abroad. Relatively short payment periods could also become a barrier to increasing insurance subscriptions among foreign customers. While some residents from abroad may have long-term residency due to factors such as marriage to a Korean, many others return to their home countries after a short stay. Shorter insurance periods result in higher monthly premiums, making such plans less appealing to these individuals. Regarding this, an official at another insurance firm said, Various institutional support measures should be considered. Korea's travel-related account recorded its largest deficit in six years during the first half of this year, driven by a surge in overseas travel, data showed Thursday. The country posted a travel account deficit of $6.48 billion for the first six months of this year, the highest since 2018, when it reached $7.83 billion, according to data from the Bank of Korea and the Korea Tourism Organization. The deficit came as Korean nationals spent $14.3 billion on overseas travel from January to June, far outpacing the $7.84 billion spent by foreign visitors in Korea. This half-year travel account deficit had decreased to $2.9 billion in 2019 and remained relatively low at $3.5 billion in 2021 and 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it rebounded to $5.8 billion in 2023 as virus-related restrictions were eased. In the first half of this year, 14.02 million Koreans traveled abroad, while 7.7 million foreigners visited Korea. (Yonhap) By Kim Ji-soo A perspective is like a compass. It cannot be bought, but is developed and refined over time. Jean Chung's identity as a Korean woman from a former colonized country shaped her passion for photography. As a photojournalist focused on violence against women and gender equality amid conflict, she aimed to use her unique perspective to capture images that convey empathy for vulnerable communities. This perspective was likely shaped during her year in Afghanistan from 2006 to 2007, a period of relative freedom for women and children following the Talibans departure from Kabul. The Talibans return to power on Aug. 15, 2021, coincidentally Korea's Independence Day, marked a stark reversal of those gains. "Koreans who experienced colonization and war naturally develop a deep empathy for the oppressed. I aimed to capture the nuanced perspective that a Korean woman from a formerly colonized nation can offer, reflecting a profound connection with the oppressed," the 53-year-old said. Looking back, it was a gamble in her life she bought a one-way ticket to Afghanistan, seeking deeper answers about her photojournalism career after graduating from Missouri Graduate School of Journalism and working six years for The Korea Times in New York before returning to Seoul. Twenty-two photos out of the tens of thousands she took during that year is on exhibit at Kote Gallery through Aug. 20 in Insa-dong, Seoul. Her new book, "When Afghans Took a Breath of Freedom: A Photojournalist's Journey in the Country from 2006 to 2007," is also be available at the exhibit. Since publishing her first essay book, "A Photographer in Kabul," and two others in Korean, she had been eagerly anticipating the release of this photo-intensive book. "Dusty winds swirled on a dirt road from the airport. Rows of men on the sidewalk wearing scarves and shalwar-kameeze tried to approach the car I was riding in as they mildly shook a bundle of phone cards and a wad of Afghani bills in their hands ... I didn't see any women on the street. This was my impression on my first day after arriving in Kabul on Aug. 17, 2006," she wrote in the preface. She spent her time walking with a translator throughout Afghanistan, capturing the daily lives of its people. "It is hard to walk alone as a woman, and you need a translator anyway for the work," she explained. She traveled across Afghanistan to take photos in both summer and winter, making the most of her time there. "I took tens of thousands of photos, thinking that I might never be here again," she said. South Koreans were ordered to leave the country following the kidnapping of 23 people from the Asian country in 2007. When asked if she had seen images of Afghans at Kabul airport desperately trying to flee after the Taliban recaptured the city on Aug. 15, 2021, she responded affirmatively. She however did not feel a strong urge to capture those moments. "I know how chaotic it was. (But) I am also still a little traumatized by the crowd situation in Afghanistan," she said. Chung said her quest to go to Afghanistan began with a desire to understand what drove people to commit such acts of violence and sacrifice their lives and those of others following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. She had pondered this question during her graduate studies in Columbia, Missouri, and sought answers by traveling to the West Bank, Iran, and the Gaza Strip before finally heading to Afghanistan. Asked about what stood out most to her during her stay in Afghanistan, she said it was photographing girls at an elementary and middle school in the Panjshir Valley in northern Afghanistan. "The area was not so conservative, but there were people who still did not like girls receiving education. A small bomb exploded on a school compound, partially damaging it. But the girls risked their lives to attend school and spend time with friends, which are activities that are taken for granted in South Korea. Even the female teachers came. I was so proud of them," Chung said. In her new book, which includes over 200 photos, Chung highlights the sharp decline in literacy rates during the Taliban's rule from 1996 to 2001 45 percent for men and just 17 percent for women. The book also features images of kite-flying and bodybuilding men competing in the Mr. Kabul Contest at Ghazi Stadium in Kabul, a venue previously used by the Taliban for public executions. Since leaving Afghanistan, Chung has continued her work in Africa, focusing on women's rights and the impact of war and conflict. She traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda, and Sierra Leone, addressing issues such as maternal mortality Sierra Leone having the highest rate globally and Afghanistan the second highest. Her coverage of maternal mortality in Afghanistan earned her the Grand Prix at the CARE Humanitaire Reportage in Perpignan, France, in 2007. In 2008, she received the inaugural Pierre & Alexandra Boulat Award in Perpignan for her photo series on sexual violence in the DRC. "Those recognitions were one of the best moments in my life," she said, that allowed her to work in Africa and also now in South Korea. She also works to bridge solidarity between women in Africa and Korea. "I'm pleased that donations from Korean women have consistently supported African women in need, an effort often overlooked by the Western press." In 2014, she revisited the DRC, and in the ensuing years went onto Uganda and Nigeria before the COVID-19 pandemic blockaded much of the world. "I believe we need more voices and stories of the oppressed and vulnerable from photographers who come from formerly oppressed and colonized nations. Out in the field, most photographers are from France, Italy, the United States, Japan countries with colonial histories and they are predominantly male," she said. Asked why she chose such a challenging path, Chung admitted she occasionally reflects on it herself. Graduating from prestigious institutions like Seoul National University, New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and Missouri School of Journalism, Chung is not from a generation that directly experienced the oppression, forced labor, sexual slavery, or wars that Korea endured in the past. Yet she remains close enough to the generations that did. "If a person wanted to live a comfortable life, they surely would not live as I do. But it was my passion for photography." A passion for creating impactful photos drives her, but it's the empathy in her work that stands out. "I want to produce images that truly touch people's hearts, both visually and socioeconomically. My goal is to create photographs that reflect history and provide aesthetic pleasure to viewers," she said. Now, she is turning her focus to photo stories on women's rights within South Korea. She expressed that if Korean unification were to happen, she would have meaningful work ahead. For the exhibit, she plans to invite one or two families who fled Afghanistan in August 2021 and have since settled in South Korea. Some of the proceeds from her new book will be donated to NGOs, including Amnesty International. By Kim Hyun-bin A Beijing-based travel agency specializing in North Korea tours announced Wednesday that tours to North Korea will resume in December, starting with the Samjiyon area near Mount Paektu. The North partially opened its borders last year following a years-long closure since early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has invited some tour groups from Russia, but other international tourists have not been welcomed back so far. Koryo Tours disclosed the news on its website, saying, "(We are excited) to announce that tourism to Samjiyon and potentially the rest of the country will resume in December 2024." The agency said the information was confirmed by its local partners in North Korea. "We have compiled a list of information on the North Korean border opening and will keep it updated with new information and any changes as we are told them," it said. The announcement follows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's visit to Samjiyon in July, where he highlighted plans to boost international tourism. North Korean state media quoted Kim as saying that in the near future, the Mount Paektu area will become a destination where foreign travelers will find unique attractiveness. Koryo Tours, which has organized North Korea tours for over 30 years, had to suspend its tours there when the pandemic prompted the closure of the country's borders. Parents urged not to send ill children to school By Jung Min-ho After dropping its mask mandate in all settings including hospitals in May, the government is now urging the public to wear masks again amid a surge in COVID-19 cases. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) released its guidelines, Thursday, as part of its renewed efforts to contain the disease, saying mask-wearing in crowded indoor areas would help limit its transmission. The agency added that wearing masks would be particularly advisable for people deemed to be more vulnerable to the risk of developing severe symptoms: older adults and those with underlying medical conditions. Employees at and visitors to medical and other high-risk facilities for infection are advised to wear masks, and workers showing symptoms of respiratory disease are advised to be suspended (temporarily) from duties, the KDCA said. This comes as the number of COVID-19 patients is rising rapidly. Its data shows the number of people admitted to 220 designated hospitals across the country for the disease is projected to reach 1,357 in the second week of August from 226 in the third week of July the highest figure since the government fully shifted to an endemic approach to the disease back in May. Age appears to be a major factor in the infection and severity rates of COVID-19. More than 69 percent of them are aged 65 or older, followed by those aged between 50 and 64 (18.2 percent). Officials anticipate the figure will likely continue to rise in the coming weeks as students and many workers return to their regular duties after the summer break, which typically spans from mid-July to late August. In an effort to reduce the spread of the virus among students, the Ministry of Education will urge parents nationwide not to send their children to school if they exhibit COVID-19 symptoms. The ministry also plans to implement education programs for students to learn more about infectious diseases and how to stay safe from infection. Yet health authorities have called for a measured approach to dealing with the latest COVID-19 wave, saying strict pandemic rules such as universal masking and quarantines are not under consideration. After a meeting held with other government departments and agencies on Wednesday, KDCA Commissioner Jee Young-mee said the fatality and severity rates of the new KP.3 variant, which is mainly responsible for the current spread, suggests that there is no need for alarm. This (KP.3) is very different from the cases we saw during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. She added that the variant has a fatality rate of about 0.05 percent. Jee noted that her agency will concentrate its resources on protecting those who are the most vulnerable, through medicines and vaccines. KP.3 is an Omicron subvariant accounting for nearly 50 percent of new cases in the country, according to the latest data. In an effort to contain the current and future spread of COVID-19, the agency said it will also conduct a mass vaccination program in October with vaccines known to be effective for KP.3 and other variants derived from JN.1. Details of the vaccination program will be announced next month. Officials are now working to secure the newest COVID-19 medicines and vaccines for people in Korea. By Kim Hyun-bin Korea's National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik met with Kazakhstan's Ambassador to Korea Nurgali Arystanov to discuss strengthening bilateral ties and expanding cooperation across various sectors on Monday. During the meeting, Woo highlighted the significance of 2024 as the 15th anniversary of the strategic partnership between Korea and Kazakhstan. "This year marks a milestone in our relationship," Woo said, "I hope our two countries will continue to collaborate closely, not only to deepen our bilateral ties but also to enhance relations between Korea and Central Asia." Woo emphasized Kazakhstan's importance as Korea's largest trading partner and investment destination in Central Asia. He requested Kazakhstan's support in helping Korean companies expand their activities in key sectors, including automotive, energy and infrastructure. The discussion also touched upon the repatriation of the remains of Gen. Hong Beom-do, a prominent Korean independence fighter, which took place in 2021 during Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's visit to Korea. Woo described the event as a significant moment in the countries' relationship, reinforcing the "special bond" between the two nations. He also expressed satisfaction with the progress of a follow-up project, the establishment of an IT department at Kyzylorda State University, which he had actively promoted. Arystanov thanked Korea for its ongoing efforts to enhance bilateral cooperation. The ambassador also sought continued support for the development of the IT department at Kyzylorda State University. Arystanov also extended an invitation to Woo to visit Kazakhstan, coinciding with the 2nd Korea-Central Asia Parliamentary Speakers' Summit, scheduled to take place in Turkmenistan later this year. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday congratulated South Korea on marking the Korean Peninsula's liberation from Japan's 1910-1945 colonial rule, reaffirming the two nations' "ironclad" alliance. In a statement, Blinken said, "On behalf of the Government of the United States of America, I extend a heartfelt congratulations to the Republic of Korea on this joyous and celebratory National Day," referring to South Korea by its official name. "We commemorate our two great countries' enduring friendship and the founding of your republic, which has grown into a beacon of democracy and enabled prosperity for millions of people," Blinken said. "Seventy-one years later, the United States remains firmly committed to our ironclad Alliance with the Republic of Korea. Together, we will continue to work side-by-side, upholding our shared values of international peace and stability, human rights, and individual liberties." (Yonhap) Korea's foreign ministry expressed "deep regret" Thursday that Japanese political leaders, including Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, sent offerings or paid visits to a war shrine, a symbol of Japan's militaristic past. The statement came after visits by the Japanese ministers to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors Japanese war dead, including 14 Class A criminals convicted by the Allies in trials that followed World War II. "The government expresses deep disappointment and regret that Japan's responsible leaders again sent offerings or paid visits to the Yasukuni Shrine that beautifies Japan's past war of aggression," the ministry said in a statement. "We urge the responsible leaders of Japan to squarely face up to history and show through action a humble reflection and genuine repentance for the past." Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara was among the officials who visited the shrine, prompting Seoul's foreign ministry to summon Taisuke Mibae, deputy chief of mission at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, to strongly protest the visit. It marked the first time in three years for a sitting Japanese defense minister to visit the shrine. "(We) cannot but deplore the anachronistic act," a foreign ministry official said. The defense ministry also called in a defense attache at the Japanese Embassy to strongly protest Kihara's visit to the shrine, it said, noting that it goes against the two countries' efforts to develop future-oriented relations. (Yonhap) By Jack Greenberg Between 1897 and 1938, 74 single women were sent as missionaries to Korea by the women's organizations within the Methodist Episcopal Church (South). Josephine Eaton Peel (1853-1920) was the first among them to set foot on this land. Born in the town of Waco, Texas, to Bryant Lorenzo Peel, a minister of the church, little information has been recorded concerning her early years. She became "Mrs. Campbell" upon marrying Rev. Alonzo M. Campbell, with whom she would have a son and daughter. However, tragedy struck in 1885 when her husband died from illness, followed by her children just a short time later. Only 33 years old and having already experienced such misfortune, Campbell enlisted as an overseas missionary. She was dispatched to China and served at mission hospitals in Shanghai and Suzhou for the next decade. In 1895, the church made the decision to enter Korea. Bishop E.R Hendrix and Dr. C.F. Reid, who had been working in China, arrived first with the help of the nobleman Yoon Chi-ho, who in that year returned to political office as vice minister of education. By 1897, the church sent Campbell to Korea as it was especially keen to spread the gospel to local women and girls. Campbell invited Dora Yu, one of China's first cross-cultural missionaries, to join her as she had become something of a daughter to her. As her church's first woman missionary in Korea, Campbell was at the forefront of evangelistic activities involving women. She practiced medicine, preached the gospel and trained indigenous Koreans to work as Bible women. Campbell was also involved in establishing mission stations in places including Wonsan, Chuncheon, Gaeseong and Cheorwon. Perhaps her greatest legacy is the Baehwa Girls' School (originally the Carolina School), which she founded in 1889. The school moved in 1915 to its current location at Pirundae-ro in Jongno District. The house where Campbell lived during her years in Seoul is one of the few Western-style residences in the city to have survived until the present day. On July 17, public access to the property became possible once again. For years, the iron gates had been locked up tight as legal battles played out over the redevelopment of Sajik-dong District 2, where it is located. Redevelopment of this area was first promoted in 2005, and an implementation plan was approved in 2012. The presence of Campbell's house was one of the main obstacles to proceeding with the project. The plan was eventually suspended during the mayorship of Park Won-soon on the grounds of the house's heritage value and cultural significance. After it was transferred from private ownership to the area's redevelopment association, the Campbell property was purchased by the Seoul Metropolitan Government in November 2017 for 23.5 billion won. The two buildings on the site were then registered as an architectural asset in 2019. They are presumed to have been built in the early 1900s and were renovated to their current appearance in 1948. While it had been common for missionary residences to have been constructed using red brick, these buildings uniquely use granite stones. Visitors to the property might be surprised to find that Campbell's name is no longer attached to it, nor is it mentioned on the informational labels inside the one restored building. The space has been reborn as a "beotjib," a place for citizens to gather. Additionally, it accommodates a memorial hall previously at Yejang-dong near Mount Nam, dedicated to Udang Lee Hoe-yeong (1867-1932). Ironically, Lee was a descendant of mid-Joseon official Lord Oseong (Lee Hang-bok, 1556-1618), whose historic house was located on the current site of the Baehwa School. Lee Hoe-yeong, however, is especially remembered as an independence hero who founded the Shinheung Military Academy, a forerunner to the Korea Military Academy. Lees was one of five busts located at the Korea Military Academy in northeastern Seoul that the Yoon Seok Yeol administration planned to relocate last August until public criticism erupted. Ahead of the National Liberation Day on Aug. 15, Lee Jong-chan, Lees grandson and head of the Heritage of Korean Independence, suggested his organization would split from the governments official event over the appointment of the Independence Hall of Koreas new director. On the ground floor of the old residence is a lounge with seating and beginning at the staircase to the second level is a humble exhibit about the exploits of Lee and his five brothers. A few of Lees paintings and personal effects are on display. From the hillside property, which is still overgrown and unkempt, there is a clear view of Cheong Wa Dae, the former presidential office, as well as the Baehwa School in the distance. The public will be able to visit freely after the official opening of the memorial hall on Sept. 11, which is the date the three separate provisional governments of Korea (in the Russia Maritime Province, Seoul and Shanghai) unified in 1919. The Lee Hoe-yeong Memorial Hall is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day except Monday. Visit leehoeyeong.com for more information. Jack Greenberg is a recipient of the Global Korea Scholarship, currently pursuing a master's degree at Korea University's Graduate School of International Studies. He is interested in the history of Korean housing and urban development and documents the changing cityscapes across the country in his free time. Follow @jackwgreenberg on Twitter. South Korea to hold massive military parade on Armed Forces Day for 2nd consecutive year By Lee Hyo-jin The government's plan to hold a large-scale military parade in downtown Seoul on Oct. 1, Armed Forces Day, for the second consecutive year is drawing mixed reactions from the public. Some view it as a necessary demonstration of military strength amid North Korea's escalating threats, while critics question whether such displays of military might often associated with authoritarian regimes will convey the intended message effectively. According to the Ministry of National Defense, Wednesday, the parade is scheduled to take place in central Seoul on the afternoon of Oct. 1 to mark the 76th anniversary of the founding of South Korea's armed forces. This follows a commemorative ceremony in the morning at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. The parade route, spanning from Sungnyemun Gate to Gwanghwamun Square, will feature a variety of air force and ground equipment. It will also include marching units, including South Korean troops, the U.N. honor guard and the U.S. Eighth Army which is stationed in the South, as well as members of the public including high school students. This marks the second military parade under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, following last years event, which had been the first such parade in a decade. The event highlighted the nation's key defense assets and featured more than 3,700 service members, including over 300 U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) personnel. The budget for this year's parade and related events is estimated at nearly 8 billion won ($5.87 million), according to the defense ministry, down from 10 billion won spent last year. Public reactions to the planned parade have been mixed. A Seoul resident in his 40s, surnamed Kang, who attended last year's parade with his family, found it quite impressive and believed such events could foster pride in the military. "But Im not planning to go again this year. Once was enough," Kang told The Korea Times. "I dont really see why taxpayer money should be spent to have tanks rolling down the streets. It just seems to remind people that we are technically still at war with North Korea," said a 31-year-old office worker in Gwanghwamun, surnamed Kim. She added that last year's military ceremony, which took place in the rain, caused traffic chaos and blocked streets. Another Seoul resident in his 50s, surnamed Kim, said, My son is in the Army, and I believe the money spent on these parades would be better used to improve the welfare of the troops. I also dont think that the soldiers, who are already burdened with daily training, should be mobilized for public displays. The National Assembly Budget Office has raised concerns about the expanding scale of the defense ministry's expensive events. In its 2023 fiscal year settlement report, the Assembly highlighted that "the defense ministry has been increasing the frequency of large-scale events since 2022, raising concerns about potential budget waste," and suggested reevaluating the frequency of these ceremonies. Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University's Institute for Far Eastern Studies, commented that holding military events showcasing weapons might seem outdated in the eyes of the public. "In the digital era, where the worlds militaries are increasingly focused on advanced software rather than conventional weapons, showcasing hardware equipment could be seen as outdated. The government's intention appears to be demonstrating its commitment to achieving peace through strength, but whether this message will resonate with the public remains to be seen," he said. Lim also noted that large-scale parades featuring tanks and fighter jet flyovers are often associated with authoritarian regimes. China hosts several military parades each year, with the largest being the National Day parade, which celebrates the establishment of the communist government on October 1, 1949. Russia holds its annual Victory Day parade in May, commemorating the Soviet Unions victory over Nazi Germany in 1945. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un also frequently uses military parades to showcase the isolated state's weapons capabilities. "The government should clarify how South Korea's parade differs from those in its implications," Lim said. It is unusual for the South Korean government to hold a massive military parade for the second consecutive year, marking the first time this has occurred since the military regime in the 1980s, when such events were held annually. The previous Moon Jae-in administration did not hold any major military parades, reflecting the more amicable atmosphere with Pyongyang at the time. The conservative Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye administrations each held one parade, in 2008 and 2013, respectively, under a presidential decree stipulating that a military parade has to be staged every five years. "The upcoming event is expected to demonstrate the overwhelming power of our military both domestically and internationally, while also enhancing public awareness on national security and boosting the morale of service members," a defense ministry said. In response to questions about the decision to hold the event two years in a row, the official said, "Similar to how companies report their business performance, the parade is an event to showcase the nation's defense capabilities to the public." The defense ministry explained that staging the major military display is not unusual, noting that several OECD countries, including France, hold annual military parades. According to data provided by the ministry, nine out of 37 OECD countries, including France, Belgium, Turkey and Spain, hold annual military parades, while 12 nations, such as the United Kingdom, hold smaller-scale events. Bangladeshi man seeks compensation for illness acquired while working at factory here By Kim Se-jeong When Ajit Roy first arrived in Korea in 2011, he was already overqualified with a bachelors degree in chemistry and aspired to become a medical doctor. But he needed money to support himself and his girlfriend back home in Bangladesh. He went back in 2016 only to be devastated by the news that his girlfriend had left him. In 2018, he came back to Korea to work again. His plan was to return home after two years and find a job there as a civil servant. But with the outbreak of COVID-19, he had to change his plan. In February 2021, Roy started to work at an agricultural machinery factory in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province. What was supposed to be his last job in Korea, however, hit him hard and in unexpected ways, and now hes sick with a permanent lung problem. Roy is one of many recruited by the Korean government through the Employment Permit System on the E-9 visa, under which workers usually work in factories or farms that are considered dangerous and dirty and often shunned by Koreans. Almost 1 million workers have arrived in Korea through the scheme during the last 20 years. Abuse, no protection At the company, workers assembled parts into finished agricultural machinery. Roys main task was polishing metal parts with a grinder. I started working at 8:30 a.m. and stayed on until 9-10 p.m., Roy said. I also worked on Saturdays. Exposure to dust and metal particles was unavoidable, yet the company provided only a single cotton mask, rather than a dustproof one, for protection. About four to five months into his job, he began noticing that he was frequently coughing. He also had more sputum and it was black. Concerned about his health, Roy asked for dustproof masks, but his boss accused him of asking for too much. Roy asked for a day off to see a doctor, but his boss didnt allow him, adding that Roy was being a hypochondriac. In September 2021, he had a health check-up sponsored by the company he had also had one when he started the job and it was clear. He didnt hear anything about the results from the boss and forgot about it. However, it turned out that the doctor mentioned a lung problem but the employer failed to notify him. Roy learned of this only when he was collecting documents to file for workers' compensation. Soon after, he began to have trouble breathing. "I always felt like I didnt have enough air. My dormitory was on the second floor in the factory building, but I couldnt walk up the stairs without stopping, he said. In November, he managed to see a doctor in Anseong. In December, he went to Samsung Medical Center in Seoul where he was diagnosed with interstitial lung disease, a permanent condition in which the lungs ability to carry oxygen diminishes due to scar tissue. As he was preparing for a biopsy at Samsung Medical Center, he needed a guardian to sign the papers. I called my boss and asked him for help. He refused, he said with tears in his eyes. He posted a message on a Facebook group asking for help and a fellow Bangladeshi man in Korea showed up to help him. Certain that his work was to blame, Roy filed for compensation with the Korean Workers Compensation and Welfare Service, a government agency. "I was always healthy. That is evident in the result of the first health test conducted at the beginning of my employment," he said. As soon as he applied for the compensation, his boss called him in. In the boss office, Roy was threatened for almost three hours to cancel his compensation request. The company also terminated his employment contract. Compensation request rejected, new appeal under review Roy waited over a year to hear back from the agency, which ultimately rejected his compensation request. This is a total injustice, Roy said. In the assessment paper, the review committee cited the fact that he was a smoker as a reason for the refusal. Also, it stated that nine months of exposure was too short to prove that metal particles and dust were the direct cause of the disease. Professor Kim Hyun-joo from the Occupational and Environmental Medicine Department at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital in Seoul disagreed with the assessment paper. Considering the usual smoking habits of a pack a day in the age group of Roy, it cannot be concluded that this habit contributed more to the development of the disease than being exposed for nine hours a day over nine months to various types of dust, including metals and silica, without a proper dust mask, she told The Korea Times in a written interview. She had written a medical opinion for Roy when he filed for the compensation. As for the exposure level, the professor responded, the judgment that the exposure level was low appears to be based solely on the employer's statement. During the committee members' inspection of Roys workplace, the employer told them that the grinding and sanding work had made up only 5 percent of Roys job, contradicting Roys statement that grinding and sanding were his main tasks. Kim Dal-sung, a pastor and activist advocating for the rights of migrant workers, said Roys case is a prime example of the failing Employment Permit System that allows business owners to treat workers as disposable goods. This employment scheme doesnt work because it gives the employers so much power over the workers, Kim said in a recent interview. How can you ask for better treatment when you know that he can fire you anytime? Roy appealed his case and is waiting for the result. Kim hopes a new reviewing committee can focus more on reasonable likelihood. When it comes to occupational disease judgment, reasonable likelihood should be considered enough, instead of requiring a clear medical causal relationship. To make matters worse, Roys E-9 visa expired in May this year, leaving him without medical insurance and unable to receive treatment for his lung condition and other complications. He is currently on a G-1 visa, which grants him the ability to stay in the country until the compensation case is resolved. He is adamant that he will continue to fight for his treatment. He is planning to stage a protest in front of the labor ministry if his health allows him to do so. "If I don't get the compensation, I won't be able to receive any treatment (in Korea). My only hope is to live a bit longer, and without the compensation, that won't be possible," he said. Independence fighter groups and opposition party lawmakers boycotted the government's Liberation Day ceremony Thursday to separately commemorate the holiday in protest over the appointment of the new head of a national independence museum. The Heritage of Korean Independence (HKI), a state-funded association of independence fighters and their descendants, held the separate ceremony at Hyochang Park in central Seoul, joined by other independence activist groups and opposition party lawmakers. It marked the first time independence-related groups held a separate Liberation Day ceremony from the government-organized one. The move came as the groups and opposition parties have called for the resignation of Kim Hyoung-suk, the newly appointed president of the Independence Hall of Korea, accused of holding pro-Japanese views. "Recently, distortions of the truth and base historical perceptions stained with pro-Japanese views have spread, placing our society in confusion," HKI chief Lee Jong-chan said at the ceremony. "The HKI could not just watch this regression and damage to history." The HKI has accused Kim of being a "New Right" figure who calls for designating Aug. 15, 1948, when South Korea's government was established, as national foundation day. Lee argued that creating a national foundation day would undermine the history of Korea's independence movement and legitimize Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea. Kim's past remarks alleging Korea came into being when its government was established in 1948 led to suspicions his appointment was a precursor to designating the date as national foundation day, despite the government's repeated denials. The question of when Korea came into being has long been a subject of ideological debate, with some arguing it was April 11, 1919, when a provisional government was established during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula. Korea achieved independence from Japanese colonial rule on Aug. 15, 1945, following Japan's surrender in World War II. The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and other minor parties also boycotted the government ceremony, with Rep. Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the DPK, and Rep. Cho Kuk, leader of the minor Rebuilding Korea Party, attending the HKI event. In the afternoon, other civic groups that boycotted the government's ceremony held another event to honor independence activists at Hyochang Park. Opposition party politicians also took part in the event, including Rep. Cho and his party's floor leader, Rep. Hwang Un-ha, along with DPK lawmaker Rep. Kim Yong-man. After the ceremony, the participants staged a 3-kilometer march from the park to the premises of the presidential office in central Seoul. Meanwhile, the presidential office defended the government's ceremony amid criticism that it was an incomplete event due to the boycotts by the independence-related groups and opposition parties. "The HKI is not the only subject of the independence movement and liberation," a presidential official said. "We do not see the Liberation Day ceremony as being damaged just because a certain organization did not attend over a personnel complaint." (Yonhap) President Yoon Suk Yeol unveiled a vision for unification with North Korea on Thursday, pledging to expand outside information in the reclusive nation and proposing an official dialogue channel that can "take up any issue." Yoon made the remark in an address marking Liberation Day, which celebrates the 1945 end of Japan's colonial rule, saying, "Complete liberation remains an unfinished task" as the Korean Peninsula still remains divided. "The freedom we enjoy must be extended to the frozen kingdom of the North, where people are deprived of freedom and suffer from poverty and starvation," Yoon said. "Only when a unified free and democratic nation rightfully owned by the people is established across the entire Korean Peninsula will we finally have complete liberation." Yoon laid out three key tasks for unification: defending freedom in South Korea from fake news and other destabilizing elements, bringing about changes in North Korea through human rights improvements and outside information, and strengthening cooperation with the international community. He also proposed "a working group" between the two Koreas to discuss ways to ease tension, resume economic cooperation and increase exchanges. "This body could take up any issue, ranging from relieving tensions to economic cooperation, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and disaster and climate-change responses," he said. "We will also be able to discuss pending humanitarian issues, such as separated families and South Korean prisoners of war, abductees and detainees still kept in the North." Yoon urged the North to respond to the proposal, saying dialogue and cooperation can bring about substantive progress in inter-Korean relations. Among the plans outlined was the expansion of North Koreans' "right of access to information" to help awaken the outside world. "Testimonials from numerous North Korean defectors show that our radio and TV broadcasts helped make them aware of the false propaganda and instigations emanating from the North Korean regime," Yoon said. "If more North Koreans come to recognize that unification through freedom is the only way to improve their lives and are convinced that a unified Republic of Korea will embrace them, they will become strong, friendly forces for a freedom-based unification," he said, referring to South Korea's official name. He reiterated his commitment to the "audacious initiative" unveiled two years ago, which calls for offering massive assistance to help the impoverished North rebuild its economy in return for denuclearization steps. "We will begin political and economic cooperation the moment North Korea takes just one step toward denuclearization," he said. Nuclear negotiations between the North and the United States have remained stalled since the 2019 Hanoi summit between then U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ended without a deal. Yoon's dialogue proposal comes amid heightened tensions following North Korea's sending of trash-carrying balloons across the border in a tit-for-tat move against South Korean civic groups' sending balloons carrying propaganda leaflets criticizing North Korean leader. In June, South Korea resumed propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts near the border with North Korea for the first time since January 2016. The presidential office said it will seek ways to inform North Korean people in various ways with "more colorful and interesting content" without too much emphasis on ideological and political aspects. "While loudspeakers and propaganda leaflets may have some effect, we do not intend to overly rely on such analog methods, especially when they heighten inter-Korean tensions," a senior presidential official told reporters. "As North Korea is already undergoing a process of digitalization, we believe there are multiple ways for North Korean residents to access the outside world." Yoon said the South will establish a North Korea Freedom and Human Rights Fund to actively support nongovernmental activities that promote freedom and human rights in the country while continuing to try to provide humanitarian aid to the North. "We offered relief supplies for flood victims in North Korea, making clear that our government has no intention of turning a blind eye to the North Korean people's suffering," he said. "Even though the North Korean regime rejected our offer yet again, we will never stop making offers of humanitarian aid." South Korea's Red Cross has offered to provide humanitarian aid to North Korea over damage from the recent downpours in its northern border areas, but Kim Jong-un pledged to take care of flood victims without outside help. Prospects of inter-Korean talks remain dim as Kim has called South Korea "an invariable principal enemy" and signed a "comprehensive strategic partnership" treaty with Russia in June, which includes a mutual defense clause. (Yonhap) President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday paid his respects at the grave of former first lady Yook Young-su, the assassinated wife of ex-President Park Chung-hee, on the 50th anniversary of her death, the presidential office said. Yoon, accompanied by first lady Kim Keon Hee, visited the grave at Seoul National Cemetery in southern Seoul a day after making a phone call to former President Park Geun-hye, Yook's daughter, to express his condolences, according to presidential spokesperson Jeong Hye-jeon. Yook was killed in 1974 in a bungled assassination attempt on her husband by a pro-Pyongyang, ethnic Korean man from Japan. "We still remember first lady Yook who served as the benevolent mother of the people," Yoon wrote in a visitor's book at the cemetery. During his phone talks with Park, Yoon discussed her health and also requested she visit his residence when the weather cools, saying he would like to ask her for advice on state affairs, according to Jeong. (Yonhap) The following is the full text of a speech given by President Yoon Suk-yeol to mark the 79th Liberation Day on Thursday. Address by President Yoon Suk Yeol on Korea's 79th Liberation Day My fellow citizens, our 7 million compatriots overseas and our 26 million North Korean brethren, Today, we mark the 79th Liberation Day. We pay tribute to our fallen forebears and patriots who dedicated their lives to our country's independence and express our deepest gratitude to their bereaved families. From the day our sovereignty was wrested away from us up to the present, our people have written truly great chapters in history. And the fundamental value that runs through this great journey is freedom. The fruit of our struggle for freedom was our liberation. Even in the bleakest of times, when our sovereignty was lost, our people did not give up. The March First Independence Movement confirmed our shared aspiration to build a free nation rightfully owned by the people. With this yearning as a catalyst, we founded the Provisional Republic of Korea Government in Shanghai and carried out various independence movements at home and abroad. On the home front, we worked tirelessly to gain power through education and culture. On foreign soil, we never ceased efforts to regain our independence through diplomacy and armed resistance. Even after liberation in 1945, our struggle for freedom continued. In 1948, we enacted a free and democratic constitution and established the government of the Republic of Korea on this land. The constitutional spirit of freedom, democracy and a market economy which has been upheld since the enactment of the Constitution, has served as a foundation for the abundance and prosperity we now relish. When the Korean War broke out with North Korea's invasion of the South, we fought and spilled blood, alongside liberal democracies, in defense of freedom. Our collective hard work to safeguard and advance the value of freedom resulted in our achievement of industrialization, the Miracle on the Han River and democratization. Now, beyond having accomplished remarkable economic growth, the Republic of Korea has emerged as a global pivotal state and a global cultural powerhouse. Nothing could stop our vigorous strides toward freedom, be it the imperialists' plundering of our sovereignty, the division of our nation, or war. However, complete liberation remains an unfinished task for us. Lying ahead is a crucial historic challenge that must be addressed: unification. In 1919, we, the people of Korea, began the struggle to build a free and democratic country which truly belongs to us on our Peninsula. The fall of Imperial Japan in 1945 brought us liberation, but as long as the state of division persists, our liberation will remain incomplete. The freedom we enjoy must be extended to the frozen kingdom of the North, where people are deprived of freedom and suffer from poverty and starvation. Only when a unified free and democratic nation rightfully owned by the people is established across the entire Korean Peninsula will we finally have complete liberation. Today in line with my presidential responsibility to seek peaceful unification based on freedom and democracy as mandated in the Constitution I declare our unification vision and strategy to our citizens, the people of North Korea and the international community. My fellow Koreans, The future of the unified Republic of Korea that we envision is clear. A country full of happiness where people's freedom and safety are guaranteed; a strong and prosperous country soaring through creativity and innovation; a country that contributes to global peace and prosperity while spearheading international harmony and development this is the future of a unified Republic of Korea. Today, I would like to spell out our tasks for moving toward a unified Republic of Korea. We have three key undertakings: First, we have to ensure that our people firmly possess the values and capabilities needed to pursue freedom-based unification; second, we need to change the minds of the North Korean people to make them ardently desire a freedom-based unification; and third, we have to stand in solidarity with the international community. More than anything else, we ourselves need to believe more strongly in the value of freedom. Only by firmly defending our freedom can we become the leading force driving free and democratic unification. For all of us to live as free individuals and coexist in freedom, the prerequisites are a sense of responsibility, consideration for others, order and norms. A self-indulgent and irresponsible disregard for order and norms must not be confused with freedom. Even more importantly, we must not be swayed by false propaganda and pseudo-logic intended to undermine free societies. False propaganda based on so-called "fake news" and pseudo-logic are terrifying lethal weapons that are being used to disrupt free societies. Generating fake news has now become a large-scale industry. Pseudo-intellectuals package and circulate fake news as a commodity and became vested interest groups themselves. These pseudo-intellectuals and demagogues have failed to present the proper values and vision to which we should truly aspire. They simply cannot. Their strategy is to destroy the values and order of a free society by deluding people; they resort to this strategy because their false propaganda would fail to work as intended if their real goals were exposed. They are only bent on dividing people through instigation and fabrication and reaping rewards from the division they sow. They are the anti-freedom, anti-unification forces that are blocking our march forward. As the knowledge industry grows exponentially through advances in the digital and cyber industry, dark forces of instigation are attempting to exploit it. In order to safeguard our freedom-based value system against these forces, our people must be armed with the power of truth and fight back. Freedom must be secured through struggle; it never comes about as a matter of course. The government and I will do everything possible to defend the value of freedom in our society. We will do all we can to ensure that businesses can perform at their fullest potential under private sector-led market principles and create many quality jobs so that our people can enjoy more employment opportunities and chances to engage in economic activities. We will further accelerate the education, labor, pension and healthcare reforms needed to make our society fairer and more sound. We will expand welfare programs that are tailored to provide intensive support to those in need and attend to their lives more compassionately, thereby protecting and expanding freedom for all of our people. In this way, we will ensure that the value of freedom grows deeper roots within our society and that our people are protected from false instigation spread by dark forces. Only when our people are strongly armed with the value of freedom and a sense of responsibility can we take the lead in pushing for a freedom-based unification of the Korean Peninsula. Notably, we will provide a forward-looking "cutting-edge, on-site education program on unification" so that our young people and future generations can anticipate and dream of such a freedom-based unification. We will make it possible for them to experience in advance the opportunities and changes to be brought about by unification within a virtual space. Second, we must undertake the task of bringing about changes and helping the people of North Korea with deep compassion so that they have a strong desire for unification based on freedom. We must be more proactive when expanding the value of freedom to the North and induce substantive changes. Above all, we will take a multifaceted approach to substantially improve human rights in North Korea. We must accurately inform our own citizens and the international community of the truth about the tragic human rights situation in North Korea. That is why our government published an annual "Report on North Korean Human Rights" for the first time since I took office. Going forward, we will go into greater detail and share the report more widely with the world. In cooperation with NGOs at home and abroad, friendly countries and international organizations, we will make North Korea's human rights abuses more widely known and continue to urge relevant improvements. We will push for an International Conference on North Korea's Human Rights and expand the discourse on North Korean human rights in all directions. We will establish a North Korea Freedom and Human Rights Fund to actively support nongovernmental activities that promote freedom and human rights there. We will also continue to provide humanitarian aid to help guarantee North Koreans' right to life. On August 1, we offered relief supplies for flood victims in North Korea, making clear that our government has no intention of turning a blind eye to the North Korean people's suffering. Even though the North Korean regime rejected our offer yet again, we will never stop making offers of humanitarian aid. We will actively push humanitarian aid, including food and healthcare, for vulnerable segments of North Korea's population, including infants, women, the elderly and people with disabilities. It is also important to help awaken the people of North Korea to the value of freedom. Testimonials from numerous North Korean defectors show that our radio and TV broadcasts helped make them aware of the false propaganda and instigations emanating from the North Korean regime. If more North Koreans come to recognize that unification through freedom is the only way to improve their lives and are convinced that a unified Republic of Korea will embrace them, they will become strong, friendly forces for a freedom-based unification. In particular, we need to instill in North Korea's future generations the dream and hope of a unification through freedom. We will expand the "right of access to information" so that North Koreans will be able to use various channels to secure a variety of outside information. It is also important to warmly embrace the North Korean defectors; they can be likened to "the first buds of unification." The government held an inaugural ceremony on July 14 after designating it as North Korean Defectors' Day. This demonstrated the government's unwavering commitment to protecting and supporting North Korean defectors. The government will make sure that North Korean defectors are properly protected and invited to play a role in enhancing our ability to achieve unification. North Korean defectors have experienced life in both Koreas. We will actively reflect their know-how and knowledge when establishing and implementing unification policies. We will ensure that they will serve as valuable assets in ushering in the future of a unified Republic of Korea. In tandem with these efforts, we will keep the door to inter-Korean dialogue wide open. Inter-Korean dialogue should not be merely a political spectacle but rather serve as a substantive opportunity to discuss, for instance, a guarantee of peace for our people and North Korea's and ways to improve their lives. Today, I propose that authorities from both Koreas establish "Inter-Korean Working Group." This body could take up any issue ranging from relieving tensions to economic cooperation, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and disaster and climate-change responses. We will also be able to discuss pending humanitarian issues such as separated familes and South Korean prisoners of war, abductees and detainees still kept in the North. As clarified in the "Audacious Initiative" that I unveiled on Liberation Day two years ago, we will begin political and economic cooperation the moment North Korea takes just one step toward denuclearization. Dialogue and cooperation can bring about substantive progress in inter-Korean relations. I urge North Korean authorities to respond to our proposal. Finally, we need to stand in solidarity with the international community. Just as our division was the result of international politics, it will be difficult to achieve unification on our own. Our unification is a significant undertaking to spread the universal values of freedom and human rights and has a direct bearing on world peace and the prosperity of humanity. We must make sure that the international community is convinced that a unified Republic of Korea will be a country that contributes to peace and prosperity around the world. We must contribute to the international community responsibly and cooperate with it as we push ahead with unification policies. In my keynote speech at the United Nations General Assembly last year, I announced that Korea will play a leading role in and contribute to narrowing the development, climate and digital divides that exist between countries. Since my inauguration, we have boldly increased our Official Development Assistance budget by more than twofold. Korea has been at the forefront of discussing international norms on climate change issues, having taken the initiative in launching the Carbon-Free Alliance. We are also taking the lead in establishing new digital norms within the international community, for instance, by cohosting the AI Seoul Summit. By building upon these contributions and roles, we will work harder to garner the international community's support for freedom-based unification. To this end, we will create the International Korean Peninsula Forum together with like-minded countries. We will strive to build a consensus on our unification while strengthening the solidarity of freedom with our ally and friendly countries. My fellow Koreans and North Korean brethren! In a unified Republic of Korea, we will enjoy more freedom and a greater range of opportunities. Furthermore, achieving this will bestow a blessing upon the whole of humanity. The government and I will make 2024 the first year of advancing toward a "free, peaceful and prosperous unified Republic of Korea." My fellow Koreans, The Republic of Korea's journey of taking on challenges and gaining achievements has established a shining record in modern human history and has resonated widely. In its August 1 report "The Middle-Income Trap," the World Bank referred to the Republic of Korea as a "growth superstar" and it noted that the history of our growth is "required reading for policymakers in any middle-income country." This report mentioned Korea as many as 100 times and introduced in detail the secrets of our success: "investment, technology infusion and innovation." Last year, Korea's per capita income surpassed Japan's for the first time and is expected to reach $40,000 by 2026. In the first half of this year, the export gap between Korea and Japan hit a historic low of US$3.5 billion. As confirmed by Korea's outstanding achievement of placing eighth in the Paris 2024 Olympics medal count, our young people are not afraid to take on challenges and are energetically moving forward toward the future. Countries around the world are trying to follow in the footsteps of the Republic of Korea. However, we cannot afford to be content with this. We must become stronger in order to move toward a unified Republic of Korea. We must achieve greater historical progress by facing up to the internal and external challenges that threaten our freedom. My fellow Koreans, Let us continue marching onward! Let us join hands and vigorously advance toward a greater Republic of Korea, a unified Republic of Korea! Thank you. (Yonhap) Opposition parties, descendants of freedom fighters boycott gov't event By Lee Hae-rin Korea ended up seeing two separate Aug. 15 Liberation Day events, Thursday, as civic groups and opposition parties boycotted a government-organized ceremony and held their own to protest the appointment of a new director of the Independence Hall of Korea, whom they accuse of being a pro-Japan figure. This division marked an unprecedented split in the nation's long history of commemorating Koreas liberation from Japanese colonial rule (1910-45). The Heritage of Korean Independence (HKI) and civic groups, including descendants of independence fighters, hosted their own ceremony at the Kim Koo Museum and Library in Seouls Yongsan District. Recently, widespread distortion of the truth and flawed historical perspectives tainted by pro-Japanese views have created significant confusion in our society," Lee Jong-chan, the head of HKI, said at the ceremony, apparently referring to Kim Hyoung-suk, the newly appointed head of the Independence Hall of Korea, who has faced allegations of justifying Japans colonization of Korea in lectures and speeches. "We needed to demonstrate the resolve of our members as part of our unwavering effort to safeguard our historical consciousness and identity, Lee said. Over 350 people from the civic society, including descendants of independence activists, attended the event. Around 100 lawmakers from the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), along with members of the minor opposition Rebuilding Korea Party and the Basic Income Party, opted to participate in this event rather than the governments official celebration. Rep. Park Chan-dae, the acting chairman of the DPK, criticized both the government and its appointment of the Independence Hall of Korea head. "The history of the struggle for independence is being denied, and the identity of the Republic of Korea is being undermined at its core due to the historical coup d'etat being perpetrated by the Yoon Suk Yeol administration," he said. The leaders of the DPK also paid tribute to the grave of independence activists in Hyochang Park, while the leaders of the Rebuilding Korea Party held a press conference at Gwanghwamun Square calling for the withdrawal of Kims appointment. National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-sik, a former member of the DPK, also skipped the government-hosted ceremony and visited Seoul National Cemetery to pay tribute to the independence movement. This marked the first time a National Assembly speaker, who is second in rank after the president in the state hierarchy, has refused to attend a government-organized Liberation Day event. Meanwhile, the government held an official ceremony at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul. Over 2,000 people, including ruling People Power Party (PPP) members, foreign diplomats, and some descendants of independence fighters attended the ceremony. From the usurpation of national sovereignty to the present day, our people have written a great history, Yoon said in a congratulatory speech. Our liberation was the fruit of our struggle for freedom. The rival parties engaged in a blame game over the split in the Liberation Day observances. PPP Chairman Han Dong-hoon called the situation "very regrettable." "(Opposition party members) may have different opinions on Kim's appointment. But the Liberation Day ceremony is an event that all people should celebrate," he said. Han Ji-ah, a PPP senior spokesperson, also said in a commentary that opposition figures who were absent in the celebration "are preoccupied with political agitation that fosters conflict and division." An official at the presidential office also expressed regret over the situation. "On Liberation Day, a day when all citizens should celebrate our freedom together, the actions of the political sphere that impose a pro-Japanese narrative and use it to sow division among the people are detrimental to the national interest," the official said. In contrast, the DPK's acting chairman criticized Yoon and said, The president is governing the country based solely on a flawed ideology, leading to division within the nation. New vision seeks to infuse NK residents with desire for freedom By Anna J. Park President Yoon Suk Yeol said Thursday that the government will work to provide North Korean residents with more information about the outside world as part of South Korea's revised doctrine on unification. Although he also suggested dialogue and cooperation with the North, the doctrine primarily focuses on strategies to challenge the Kim Jong-un regime and influence its residents a stance which is likely to provoke stronger resistance from the regime rather than fostering acceptance of the dialogue offer. Yoon announced the "Aug. 15 Unification Doctrine," a revised inter-Korean unification vision that updates the earlier doctrine announced in 1994. He revealed this vision during his Liberation Day speech, stating that despite gaining independence from Japanese colonial rule (1910-45), "complete liberation remains an unfinished task" as long as the Korean Peninsula remains divided. A key pillar of Yoon's unification doctrine is its strong emphasis on inducing change within the Kim regime and the people of North Korea. The goal is to cultivate a strong desire for unification among North Koreans, based on the principles of freedom. "We must be more proactive in extending the value of freedom to the North and drive substantial changes. Above all, we will adopt a multifaceted approach to significantly improve human rights in North Korea. It is crucial to accurately inform our own citizens and the international community about the harsh realities of the human rights situation in North Korea," Yoon said during the ceremony. For this change, Yoon emphasized the importance of awakening North Korean people to the value of freedom, indicating that the government will continue its propaganda campaign using various tools. "We will expand the right of access to information so that North Koreans can utilize various channels to obtain a broad range of outside information," he said. Yoon also pledged to establish a North Korea freedom and human rights fund to actively support nongovernmental efforts that promote freedom and human rights in the North. A senior presidential office official explained that the fund is intended to officially support private organizations in openly discussing North Korea's human rights issues. The official noted that this fund should be viewed separately from the activities of some North Korean defector groups that send balloons carrying anti-regime propaganda leaflets. The president said his government will continue efforts to improve North Korea's human rights, including hosting an international conference on the issue. The administration aims to broaden the discussion on North Korean human rights through extensive cooperation with NGOs both domestically and internationally, as well as with other countries. Yoon also urged North Korea to establish a working-level dialogue channel promptly to address matters affecting the two Koreas. "We will keep the door to inter-Korean dialogue wide open. Such dialogue should not be merely a political spectacle but should instead provide a substantive opportunity to discuss, for example, guaranteeing peace for our people, improving North Korea's situation, and enhancing the lives of all involved," Yoon said. The president stressed that the two Koreas can "immediately begin political and economic cooperation the moment North Korea takes just one step toward denuclearization," urging the North to respond to the proposal. He proposed that the two Koreas establish an "Inter-Korean Working Group" to address various issues, including the easing of tensions, economic cooperation, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, as well as responses to disasters and climate change. Lastly, Yoon stressed that South Korea will play a responsible role in the international community and collaborate with global partners as it pursues its unification policies. "Our unification is a significant undertaking to spread the universal values of freedom and human rights and has a direct bearing on world peace and the prosperity of humanity. We must make sure that the international community is convinced that a unified Republic of Korea will be a country that contributes to peace and prosperity around the world," he said. By Andrew Hammond As Democrats prepare for their forthcoming presidential convention in Chicago, Vice President Kamala Harris has made the most important decision of her career so far. She has momentum in the race against Donald Trump, but this could falter if question marks surround her surprise choice of running mate for Novembers big contest: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. The choice of Walz may be unusually important in historical terms, not least given that she is bidding to shatter the glass ceiling and become the first ever US woman president with a mixed track record in office so far. This context challenges the traditional view of the vice presidential office which was summarised by John Nance Garner, who held the post from 1933 to 1941 under then- president Franklin Roosevelt, who asserted that vice-presidents never get to go anywherethe office is not worth a bucket of warm spit. Fast forward to today, however, and Walz (a veteran former U.S. Army non-commissioned officer) may potentially wield major influence in the White House from next year should the Democratic ticket win. Despite Harris being vice president for three and a half years, she would have a big learning curve in the top job, and is relatively untested in the international arena. Moreover, the vice-presidency has assumed more power and resourcing in recent decades with recent holders of the office, such as Joe Biden, Dick Cheney and Al Gore, amongst the most influential in history. The power enjoyed by these three, especially, reflects not just their own strong experience and relationships with Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton respectively. It also is a function of the increased status of the vice presidency which, as well as being reflected in larger staff budgets, also includes greater proximity to the centre of power through a West Wing office in the White House; weekly one-on-one meetings with the president; and authority to attend all presidential meetings. In addition, the office has become perhaps the single best transitional step to the presidency, as Biden exemplifies, and potentially Harris too if she wins in November. Whether or not Harris wins, her running mate Walz will now gain national prominence in the next three months and could be on a potential fast track to enter the Oval Office at the election themselves either in 2028, or potentially in the 2030s. Since 1960, four sitting vice-presidents (Richard Nixon in 1960, Hubert Humphrey in 1968; Walter Mondale in 1984; and Gore in 2000) won their respective partys presidential nomination but then lost the election. Meanwhile, three vice-presidents have been elected president (Nixon in 1968, George H.W. Bush in 1988, and Biden in 2020). So the next vice president has an out-sized chance of assuming the top job eventually, by one means or another. History underlines the crucial role that vice presidents stepping up in this way have played. Harry Truman perhaps exemplifies this best: he was vice president from just January to April 1945 before assuming the presidency after Roosevelt died at the age of 62. Within weeks of assuming office, Truman made several highly consequential, controversial decisions, including the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August. In this context, the electoral stakes have grown -- in the nuclear age -- of not selecting a deputy who is perceived to be capable of assuming office effectively upon the incumbents unanticipated death or incapacity. Take the example of the 2008 election when Republican nominee John McCain, then 71, made the decision to select Sarah Palin who was -- ultimately -- widely viewed at the time as too inexperienced and gaffe-prone to become a heartbeat away from the presidency. While Harris is younger than McCain was in 2008, she is relatively untested on national security issues. So she needed to pick a strong, experienced candidate who could also balance the Democratic ticket to appeal to a wider swath of voters, and that is why she mainly considered a list of white, male candidates in swing states across the nation. It appears the choice was far from easy for Harris. To be sure, Pennsylvania is widely seen as the key swing state for Democrats to win, which helped her make the choice of Walz who now joins her on a tour of battleground states such as Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada. Taken together, this is why the Walz choice for vice-presidential running mate really matters. If Harris is perceived to have picked well, her candidacy could gain significant further momentum, however, this may evaporate if her choice is widely questioned later in the campaign. Andrew Hammond is an Associate at LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics. Korean carriers report 14,820 cases of turbulence By Ko Dong-hwan The government has introduced new regulations aimed at protecting the country's carriers from the growing threat of severe air turbulence, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, Thursday. The measures were introduced in response to a rise in flight accidents caused by turbulence globally. The most recent incident involved a Korean carrier in May, where 12 passengers on Tway Airlines sustained either serious or minor injuries. The ministry has introduced four new measures developed with input from experts across the aviation industry, academia, and research fields. The authority will first expand data sharing between the countrys state-run and private meteorological agencies and airlines. This will provide pilots with real-time information about existing turbulence, allowing for better-informed flight decisions. Private meteorological data services, such as International Air Transport Association (IATA) Turbulence Aware and Weather Service International Total Turbulence Automated Alerting (WSI-TTA), will be made accessible to all flights, including low-cost carriers (LCCs). To keep pilots better informed, the ministry will also expand the availability of its Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) to more pilots. Additionally, a new aviation meteorological information-sharing platform will be introduced in collaboration with the countrys Aviation Meteorological Office. Another measure focuses on training pilots and flight attendants to respond better to turbulence during flights by regularly offering seminars and workshops for flight crew. To improve passenger awareness of turbulence, the ministry will mandate that airlines make more frequent cabin announcements regarding turbulence. Additionally, the authority will tighten guidelines for ensuring passenger safety by limiting in-flight food services during landing and requiring that seat belts remain fastened at all times. The ministry will also request that member states of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) share their collected turbulence data. This collaboration aims to enhance global monitoring of turbulence threats. Representatives of 193 ICAO member countries will meet in August and October this year to discuss improvements to the global air navigation system. Korean airlines reported 14,820 instances of turbulence in the first half of this year, marking a 78 percent increase compared to 2019. During this period, turbulence was the cause of seven out of every 10 aviation accidents. Turbulence has increasingly contributed to aviation accidents globally. In the past three years, turbulence was responsible for 111 accidents, which constitutes 61 percent of the total aviation accidents during that period. This rate is higher compared to the past decade, where turbulence accounted for 421 out of 792 aviation accidents, or 53 percent. This year has already seen 15 turbulence-related accidents resulting in at least one victim. The first fatal incident occurred on May 21 aboard a Singapore Airlines flight traveling from London to Singapore, where one person died and 71 others were injured. The most recent accident took place on July 2, when 30 passengers on an Air Europa flight were injured. Prior to that, on May 19, a Tway Airlines flight experienced turbulence that resulted in two serious injuries and 10 minor injuries. Additionally, on May 26, a Qatar Airways flight reported injuries to six passengers and six cabin crew members. By Nam Hyun-woo Mobile carriers LG Uplus and KT are facing increasing concerns about their electric vehicle (EV) charging businesses following a widely publicized fire involving a Mercedes-Benz electric sedan, which has fueled negative customer sentiment toward EVs. Concerns over EV safety are growing quickly among drivers in Korea following the fire at an apartment complexs parking garage in Incheon on Aug. 1, which burned over 100 vehicles and damaged the building. A growing number of apartment complexes are banning EVs from parking underground, while a number of government complexes also moved their EV charging stations aboveground. Rising nationwide fears about EVs are also casting a shadow over telecom companies, which have been exploring EV charging as a new revenue source. During its earnings call for the second quarter on Aug. 7, LG Uplus unveiled its goal of becoming one of the countrys top three EV charging companies by 2027 through LG Uplus VoltUp, a joint venture with Kakao Mobility. LG Uplus and Kakao Mobility will each chip in 25 billion won ($18.4 million) (into VoltUp) to secure investment resources, LG Uplus Chief Financial Officer Yeo Myung-hee said. This will enable agile and effective operation of the company under an independent decision-making structure. Established in June, VoltUp now has 10,700 standard chargers across the country, lagging behind early players such as GS Chargev with 61,000 and Everon with 38,000. The company plans to quickly expand its charging network and distinguish its services from rivals through integration with Kakao Mobility, the leading mobility platform in Korea. KT is also pursuing a number of projects related to charging EVs. Since 2015, KT has been working with Hyundai Motor and other companies to expand charging infrastructure at key locations nationwide by utilizing the carriers unused urban properties. KTs payment and settlement subsidiary Smartro has collaborated with EV charging platform company Tardis Technology and released a standard charger in March enabling credit card payments. In June, KT also signed a business agreement with EV Parking Service to launch a comprehensive charging solution for electric buses. Against this backdrop, the recent parking garage fire is casting a cloudy outlook on mobile carriers EV charging businesses, as overall consumer sentiment toward EVs has dampened. Car industry officials anticipate that the current stagnation regarding EV demand will likely continue in the wake of the fire, as consumers are expressing growing fears over EV safety. Reduced subsidies and strengthened regulations on charging infrastructure are also expected to follow. The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to complete revisions to its building guidelines by October to require new facilities and buildings to install charging stations aboveground. This is leading to speculation that parking EVs and installing charging stations underground may soon be prohibited. If regulations require charging stations to be installed aboveground, companies will have to shoulder greater costs to secure spaces for stations, and this may bring a contraction in the overall charging service market, a car industry official said. A full prohibition may be difficult for now, but the situation could change rapidly if this becomes a matter of politics. Unlike LG Uplus and KT, top mobile carrier SK Telecom has withdrawn from the EV charging business. Its subsidiary, SK Broadband, handed over all of its EV charging businesses to GS Chargev in March. Municipalities expect battery materials firm to increase investments By Park Jae-hyuk Expectations are rising that EcoPro will boost investments in the battery materials sector following the release of its founder from jail on Thursday, thanks to a special presidential pardon granted on the occasion of Aug. 15 Liberation Day. Lee Dong-chae, the founder and former chairman of the company, was set free about a year and three months after he was sentenced to two years in prison last year on charges of insider trading in 2020 to 2021, which allowed him to make 1.1 billion won ($809,000) in illicit profits. Although EcoPro has remained silent on the timing of his return to management, Lee is expected to resume overseeing the companys operations soon to offset deteriorating earnings and falling stock prices of affiliates. EcoPro, the group's holding company, reported a significant loss in the second quarter, with an operating loss of 54.6 billion won. EcoPro BM, which produces cathode materials, saw a 96.6 percent year-on-year decrease in second-quarter operating profit to 3.9 billion won. EcoPro Materials, the groups precursor production unit, shifted to red, posting a 3.7 billion won operating loss. The stock prices of these companies also fell sharply during Lee's absence, prompting EcoPro CEO Song Ho-jun to apologize to shareholders at a general meeting in March. Following the founders pardon, all our employees will make every effort to secure future growth engines for the secondary battery business, an EcoPro official said Tuesday. Mayor Lee Kang-deok of Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, where EcoPro affiliates operate factories, welcomed the pardon with anticipation that Lee's return will stimulate significant investments and job creation in the city. We expect EcoPro to play a major role in leading the global secondary battery market, the mayor said Tuesday. When the EcoPro founder was in jail, Pohangs businesspeople and residents submitted petitions to the presidential office, requesting a special pardon for him. Pohang hopes that he will spearhead EcoPros investment of over 2 trillion won in the city over the next five years, as the investment plan has been delayed due to the leadership vacuum at the company. Cheongju in North Chungcheong Province, home to EcoPros headquarters, also expects the founders return to add momentum to a 300 billion won project to build an R&D center in the city. However, it remains to be seen whether EcoPro will resume investments in the near future, considering the companys recent decision to join the trend of battery firms slowing down expansions to cope with decelerating global demand for electric vehicles (EVs). We are considering lowering our production capacity in the medium to long run and slowing down our planned investments, EcoPro BM Vice President Kim Jang-woo said during a conference call on second-quarter earnings, July 31. Major companies in Korea saw their second-quarter operating income more than double from a year earlier, driven by strong performances in the semiconductor sector, a corporate tracker said Thursday. The combined net profits of the 334 companies out of Korea's top 500 companies by sales reached 59.4 trillion won ($43.6 billion) for the April-June period, up 107.1 percent from 28.7 trillion won a year ago, according to CEO Score. Their total sales increased 7 percent on-year to 779.5 trillion won from 728.6 trillion won over the cited period. The corporations cover those that have disclosed their quarterly financial statements for the first quarter as of Wednesday. The country's two leading chipmakers, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, led the overall increase for the second quarter on rising demand for AI semiconductors, such as high-bandwidth memory (HBM) from U.S. tech giants like Nvidia. Samsung Electronics, the world's largest memory chipmaker, posted 10.4 trillion won in operating profit for the three-month period ending June, soaring from 668.5 billion won a year earlier. This solidified its position as the company with the highest quarterly operating profit in Korea. SK hynix's operating profit amounted to 5.5 trillion won for the second quarter, turning from an operating loss of 2.9 trillion won a year earlier. As a result, SK hynix moved into second place in terms of operating profit, surpassing automotive giants Hyundai Motor and Kia, which reported operating profits of 4.3 trillion won and 3.6 trillion won, respectively. On the other hand, SK On, a battery manufacturing unit under SK Group, marked the biggest operating loss of 460.2 billion won during the period amid declining global demand for electric vehicles. The chemical sector also faced difficulties, with Lotte Chemical and Hanwha Solutions recording operating losses of 111.2 billion won and 107.8 billion won, respectively. (Yonhap) 2nd-quarter exports account for over 78 percent of sales By Ko Dong-hwan Samyang Foods has shown an earnings surprise in the second quarter, registering an operating profit during the first half of this year and outrunning its two rivals, Nongshim and Ottogi, according to the food company Wednesday. The performance has hinted that Samyang, which has remained at No. 3 in the country's instant noodles market, might overtake the others with the growing overseas sales of its signature brand Buldak. Samyang, in the second quarter, registered 424.4 billion won ($311.8 million) in sales and an operating profit of 89.4 billion won. Exports accounted for 332.1 billion won of the sales. Based on the figures, the company registered 810.1 billion won in sales (621.1 billion won from overseas) and an operating profit of 169.5 billion won in the first half of this year. This was a 149.6 percent year-on-year increase from last year's 67.9 billion won operating profit. The first-half earnings this year are even higher than the entirety of 2023. Samyang's robust performance derived from the popularity of Buldak instant noodle products overseas. Most of the brand's overseas sales came from the United States. With its American subsidiary Samyang America, the company registered $71.4 million in sales in the country in the second quarter alone, a 125 percent jump compared to the previous year. Carbonara Buldak led sales in the country, according to the company. Europe has become another rising market for Samyang. About 19 percent of the company's exports headed to the region during the first six months of this year. The figure grew from 6 percent in 2019 to 15 percent last year. To secure its market share in the region, the company has established its European subsidiary in North Holland, Netherlands. "Unlike the past when our exports were concentrated in Asia, the U.S. and Europe are now leading our exports," a Samyang official said. "And we've established our local bases in all those regions to increase our market shares there." Nongshim and Ottogi, the country's No. 1 and No. 2 instant noodle makers, respectively, have posted weaker earnings than Samyang during the same period. Nongshim registered 1.733 trillion won in sales and an operating profit of 105.1 billion won during the first half of this year. Sales jumped by 2.1 percent, and the operating profit dropped by 10.6 percent from last year. Ottogi registered 1.743 trillion won in sales and an operating profit of 134.8 billion won during the same period. Both figures increased respectively by 1.9 percent and 3.8 percent from last year. Both companies have been relying more on domestic sales than exports. Ottogi's exports last year registered 332.5 billion won, just 10 percent of its annual sales of 3.454 trillion won. The strategies ended up generating hefty costs for domestic advertising and other fixed fees as well as expenses for domestic operations. "While our instant noodle, home-meal-replacement and sauce products saw rising sales this year, the costs for advertising and other operating expenses increased as well, causing our second-quarter earnings to drop," an Ottogi official said. The company's second-quarter operating profit stood at 61.6 billion won, a 4.6 percent fall from last year. While Nongshim's signature brands, such as Shin Ramyun and Chapagetti, are popular in foreign countries, Ottogi doesn't have any such hit brands. Ottogi last week submitted its new English brand name, Otoki, to the Korean Intellectual Property Office to better promote itself to global consumers with an easier name to pronounce. Premium foreign coffee brands flock to Seoul By Ko Dong-hwan A Korean influencer has shared his experience visiting the countrys first Bacha Coffee shop and tasting its coffee, which generated buzz for charging 1.4 million won ($1,000) per 100 grams of beans. Kim Bo-kyem posted on Tuesday a short clip on his YouTube channel Bokyem TV in which he visited the store in central Seoul and purchased a takeout cup of coffee dripped from Paraiso Gold Coffee beans, of Brazilian origin and the most expensive beans available at the shop. Kim, apparently visiting the shop for the first time, shared glimpses into how the venue looked like a smaller version of a British royal palace, how he had to fill out a form to order and how the shop was being monitored by in-house security guards. When he asked a clerk if anyone had bought Paraiso Gold coffee here before, the clerk said no. The two-story shop, which opened in Seouls Cheongdam-dong area on Aug. 1, is the first Bacha Coffee location in Northeast Asia and the 24th worldwide. The shop sells a takeout cup of Paraiso Gold coffee for 200,000 won. The cheapest coffee is 16,000 won for a pot of 350 milliliters. For tasting it while seated inside the Coffee Room on the second floor of the shop where patrons can also dine in for desserts, brunch, entrees and wine in a fully serviced environment the same coffee costs 480,000 won for 350 milliliters. Saying he made a rare commitment to splurge on the controversial coffee, Kim took the coffee served in a paper tray alongside a sugary confectionary stick, a wooden spoon and cream out the front door and tasted it right away. The aroma feels like a really mild scent from Febreze, Kim said after the first sip, referring to a popular air freshener brand. Taking a second sip and pondering for a few seconds, he judged the taste. It tastes like a Mega Coffee with mild strength, he said with a widening smile, referring to the countrys biggest low-cost coffee franchise brand. Well, that was something I never expected. The clip has attracted over 950,000 views and over 29,000 likes as of Thursday. Premium coffee brands flock to Seoul Lotte Department Store opened Bacha Coffees first flagship store in Seouls Cheongdam-dong area after its CEO Chung Joon-ho in September acquired an exclusive license for distributing and franchising the brand here. To make the deal, Chung flew to Singapore, where V3 Gourmet, which runs the coffee brand, is based. Chung then started selling Bacha Coffee products online in April. Starting with the Cheongdam store, Lotte plans to expand Bachas franchise by opening the second shop in Lottes main department store in downtown Seouls Myeong-dong area within this year and another one in Jamsil area early next year. Bacha, a Moroccan premium coffee brand that has been selling in Marrakech since 1910, isnt the only foreign premium coffee brand that has recently launched a business here. Intelligentsia, one of the three biggest specialty coffee makers in the United States, opened its second shop in Shinsegae Department Stores main location in central Seoul in July. This follows the brands first Korean store in central Seouls Seochon area, which opened in March. No Coffee, originating from Japans Fukuoka and famous for a black latte, opened its first shop in Seoul in April. Ralphs Coffee, a refreshment arm of global fashion company Ralph Lauren, has begun searching for baristas here for its first shop in Korea, while Norwegian coffee company Fuglen earlier this month opened a social media channel and announced it is looking for a location here. Read More Tim Hortons hit for 'overcharging' Korean consumers Coffee companies around the world are flocking to Seoul because Korea has proven to be the worlds third-biggest coffee market behind China and the United States. According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the countrys coffee market in 2022 was valued at over 3.17 trillion won, a 23 percent jump from 2018. In 2022 the average person in Korea drank 405 cups of coffee, more than double the global average of 152. China's factory output slowed for a third straight month in July, showing the recovery in the world's second-largest economy was losing steam, although the battered consumer sector perked up slightly as stimulus targeting households took effect. A mixed batch of data on Thursday pointed to a patchy start to the second half for the $19 trillion economy and gave policymakers continued cause for concern following dismal export, prices and bank lending indicators earlier this month. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed industrial output grew 5.1 percent from a year earlier, slowing from the 5.3 percent pace in June and below analysts' forecasts for a 5.2 percent increase. In contrast, retail sales rose 2.7 percent in July, quickening from a 2.0 percent increase in June and beating expectations for growth of 2.6 percent. Overall, analysts say the data steps up the urgency for policymakers to roll out more support measures aimed at consumers instead of pouring funds into infrastructure. "Economic momentum appears to have stabilized somewhat last month, with a pick-up in consumer spending and servicing activity largely offsetting a slowdown in investment and industrial production," said Julian Evans-Pritchard, head of China economics at Capital Economics. "With the government ramping up policy support, we think a modest recovery could take hold over the coming months." Chinese leaders last month signalled they would give greater consideration to a new economic playbook and focus stimulus at consumers rather than infrastructure and manufacturing. The state planner last month said about 150 billion yuan ($20.97 billion) raised through special debt issuance this year would subsidize a consumer goods trade-in program. "Consumer demand continued to recover, as policies to expand domestic demand and promote consumption gained traction," said Liu Aihua, an NBS spokesperson. No respite Weighing heavily on consumer spending has been a bruising slump in the property sector over the past three years. With 70 percent of Chinese household wealth held in real estate, a sector that at its peak accounted for a quarter of the economy, consumers have kept their wallets shut tight. There were few signs of prospects improving with separate data on Thursday showing China's new home prices fell at the fastest pace in nine years in July, as supportive policies failed to restore confidence in the struggling sector. Further signs of depressed demand were evident in the Asian giant's commodities usage with China's oil refinery output for the month down 6.1 percent from a year earlier and crude steel output falling for a second month. Fixed asset investment expanded 3.6 percent in the first seven months of 2024 year-on-year, but also missed expectations for a 3.9 percent rise and slowed from the 3.9 percent growth in the January to June period. Analysts have broadly welcomed support targeting consumer spending but warn other policy levers will need to be pulled to put the economy on an even keel. Calls for more growth boosting measures have dogged officials ever since a widely expected post-pandemic recovery failed to materialize in 2022. While the government is still targeting growth of around 5 percent this year, analysts are concerned the world's production powerhouse has entered a prolonged economic malaise similar to Japan's in the 1990s. That suggests bolder reforms may be needed to revive growth. On Thursday, the central bank injected cash through a short-term bond instrument and said it would conduct an rollover of its medium-term lending facility (MLF) later this month as it extends liquidity support to the financial system. China's central bank at a meeting earlier this month said it would step up financial support to the broader economy and efforts would be directed more at consumers to spur consumption. But with domestic demand so weak and the outlook unclear, households and businesses are in no rush to borrow, suggesting other changes may be needed. "The data shows that the economy has gotten off to a weak start in the second half of the year, and it is expected that the probability of replacing MLF with a RRR cut will increase, but key to maintaining 5 percent economic growth remains the arrival of fiscal spending," said ANZ China market economist Xing Zhaopeng, referring to the central bank's reserve requirement ratio. (Reuters) Times Staff Writer John Cassavetes, the innovative film maker deeply admired by some but scorned by others for such off-center movies as A Woman Under the Influence and Faces, died Friday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. He was 59. Actress Gena Rowlands, to whom he had been married since 1958 and who had starred in most of his films, was with him when he died about 10 a.m., said his publicist, Esme Chandlee. Chandlee said Cassavetes died from complications of cirrhosis of the liver. She said he had been in poor health for three years. Advertisement Cassavetes, who once called himself a professional actor and an amateur director, was a method actor known for such roles as the ambitious actor-husband in Rosemarys Baby, the 1968 film that starred Mia Farrow. He also appeared with Rowlands, Susan Sarandon and Molly Ringwald in Tempest, Paul Mazurskys film adapted from the Shakespeare play. Chandlee said Cassavetes was one of the few ever nominated for Academy Awards in three categories--for best writer for his screenplay Faces (1968), for best supporting actor in The Dirty Dozen (1967) and for best director for his film A Woman Under the Influence (1974). Advertisement The last film, Chandlee said, was Cassavetes most commercial effort and the favorite of both Cassavetes and Rowlands, its star. Chandlee quoted the director as saying he had seen it 30 times and could not look at it any more because it was too powerful an experience. In a 1980 interview, Cassavetes said: I always feel left out of most movies. They have nothing to do with me. He added that he felt he and his associates had made a difference in movie making. I dont think films are the same as when we started out, he said. Cassavetes certainly was not shy about his own work. I would put my pictures up against anybodys in this world, he said in the interview. Certainly in my own day I bow to no one. I dont think theres another director in the world who works harder to make better films than I do. Advertisement 1960 Directing Debut After acting in films and on television since 1953, he turned to directing with the experimental Shadows in 1960, about a black girl living in New York with her two brothers. Shot on a shoestring ($40,000), Shadows had no script and was improvised by a cast of Cassavetes proteges. It was grainy and crude, but it won the Critics Award at the 1960 Venice Film Festival and gained Cassavetes an immense amount of recognition in Europe as a pioneer of realism in American films. Cassavetes then directed two unsuccessful Hollywood films, Too Late Blues with Bobby Darin and A Child is Waiting with Judy Garland and Burt Lancaster, before writing, producing and directing his second independent film, Faces, a study of the marriage of two people unable to communicate with each other. Like Shadows, it was shot in black-and-white 16-millimeter, then blown up to 35-millimeter. It had a script, but Cassavetes allowed his actors to do a lot of improvising. Rowlands was one of the stars of Faces. It captured five awards at the 1968 Venice Film Festival and three Oscar nominations. Reviewer Alex Ross, writing in Macleans magazine, called it the longest, most ambitious, most brilliant home movie ever made. A Los Angeles Times writer, on the other hand, called it an Excedrin headache, a too-long, strident, self-indulgent, raw but emotionally lucid look at a marriage no more misshapen than most but fraught with all the signal existential terrors of modern life. Advertisement In 1969, Cassavetes filmed Husbands, which he wrote and directed. It starred Peter Falk, Ben Gazzara and Cassavetes himself. It dealt with three men who drunkenly face their own mortality when a friend dies. Rebellious Perversity Falk told a reporter at that time that Cassavetes has a rebellious perversity, but its an intelligent rebellious perversity . . . Hes healthy . . . the healthiest man I know. Cassavetes also directed such films as The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976), Opening Night (1978), Gloria (1980) and Big Trouble (1985). He was seen as an actor in 20 films, including Taxi (1953), Affair in Havana (1957), The Killers (1964), If Its Tuesday, It Must be Belgium (1969), The Fury (1978) and Brass Target (1978). Cassavetes, born in New York City, was a son of Greek immigrants. He was a film buff as a boy and studied acting at the New York Academy of Dramatic Arts. He finally landed a bit part in the film Taxi and won the lead as a brooding young bullfighter in a dramatic vignette on an Omnibus television show. That role led to others on Playhouse 90, Studio One, Kraft Theatre, Alcoa Theatre and others. He and Rowlands have three children: Nicholas, Alexandra and Zoe. Private funeral services will be held Monday at Westwood Memorial Park. Health officials have revealed that Pennsylvanias first case this year of a potentially serious tickborne disease has been identified in a child who was hospitalized from it. The Allegheny County Health Department said Tuesday that the child, who is now recovering at home, tested positive for the Powassan virus, which is spread through the bite of the blacklegged tick that also spreads Lyme disease. In a statement, the health department said the child, who lives in northern Allegheny County, experienced fever and other symptoms. No other information on the child was released. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people with Powassan virus can develop high fevers or neurologic diseases such as meningitis (inflammation of brain membranes and the spinal cord) or encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). No vaccines or medicines prevent or cure Powassan, which is typically treated with rest, fluids and pain medications. The incubation time for symptoms to develop can range from a week to a month from the time of the tick bite, said the CDC. Early symptoms can include fever, headache, vomiting and body weakness. Severe symptoms can include confusion, loss of coordination, difficulty speaking and seizures. About 10% of those who develop a severe case of Powassan die while half of those who survive have long-term health problems such as headaches, loss of muscle mass and strength and memory problems, according to the CDC. The Allegheny County Health Department said the state Department of Environmental Protection and the countys Vector Control Program are working together on an enhanced tick surveillance plan for the northern Allegheny County area. Powassan virus was found in a small percentage of ticks from the area in 2021 and 2023, the health department said. The health department said Powassan is a rare condition but infection reports are increasing mainly in the northeast United States and Great Lakes region. A long-shuttered stretch of Route 611 deemed critical to Portland and Delaware Water Gap will reopen in eight to 10 weeks, according to Pennsylvania state Sen. Lisa Boscola. Boscola, who represents residents in both boroughs straddling the border of Northampton and Monroe counties, said in an alert to constituents that construction was scheduled to start Wednesday on the project. With one of the most recognisable names in the world and a net worth of an estimated $1.7bn (1.5bn), Kim Kardashian would not be used to rejection. However, Hollywood-actor Dominic West revealed that his mother-in-law, Olda FitzGerald of Glin Castle, did just that and rejected the Kardashians request to stay at the west Limerick landmark in 2014. Kardashian had no choice to honeymoon at Laois's beautiful Ballyfin House instead. Dominic let slip on the Travel Secrets podcast that the billionaire was refused entry to Glin Castle. The castle is owned by Dominic and his wife, Catherine FitzGerald. He said: Limerick is a great county and were on the North Kerry border, on the banks of the River Shannon, so its really beautiful. She [Kim] rang up my mother-in-law and said: Can we come and stay at Glin? Laughing telling the story, Dominic said: She [Olda] said, Im sorry, were closed. When Olda told Catherine and Dominic about the phone conversation, they were stunned, and said: Who? You said what?. Kim had seemingly been looking to honeymoon in Ireland and more specifically, Limerick, with now ex-husband, Kanye West. Dominic said that the then-newlyweds had no choice but to opt for the beautiful five-star hotel in Co Laois instead. Ballyfin Hotel is based on Glin and was owned by a wonderful American man, who bought it and restored it on the advice of my wifes father, Dominic said about the Kardashian/Wests second choice of honeymoon destination in Laois. I'm not sure they had a great time. They went and watched a film in Portlaoise town, which isnt really glamorous, Dominic said. Glin Castle was taken over by Dominic and Catherine after her father, Desmond, the last Knight of Glin, died in 2011. An annual open-day for the public to take a tour guide of the castle is taking place on Sunday, August 25. Tickets are 10 and will be available to purchase at the gates. A spokesperson for Irish Rail has asked Electric Picnic goers to avoid littering at Portlaoise train station while travelling to the festival. " With Electric Picnic on this weekend and additional customers travelling through the station, we will have additional resources in place to ensure customers are assisted to and from Electric Picnic, and the station is maintained to the required standard," a spokesperson said. "At all times, we would urge those using the station to use the bins provided and help us all maintain cleanliness in the station and town." With 75,000 attendees set to arrive in Stradbally, Portlaoise train station will be used by many commuters. When recent reported incidents of littering at Portlaoise train station were inquired upon, a representative said: "We have a regular cleaning regime at Portlaoise, and we do not have a recurring litter issue. We did have a short term staffing issue in July which may have impacted cleaning in the evenings but this has now been resolved." There have been past reports of littering at Portlaoise train station, which showed incidents of littering in An Taisce's IBAL Anti-Litter League survey at the start of 2024. The report said: "The overall impression at the exterior of the train station was of an area which lacked a thorough cleaning, particularly in various corner locations. Some items were food related, along with cigarette butts. There were no visible litter bins / cigarette butt units. "There was a virtual absence of litter along the station platform and within the waiting room. This area is well served by litter bins. All aspects of the station were in good order." In 2023, An Taisce's IBAL Anti-Litter League survey said: "There were too many sweet papers / food related items and cigarette related items e.g., butts, packaging and vaping devices, for the top litter grade. With a little more care on behalf of the users this could easily be achieved." Only one of the 11 Portlaoise Prison inmates who fell ill from suspected overdoses remains in hospital in Portlaoise. Its understood the man remains in the Intensive Care Unit(ICU) where he is responding well to treatment. He is expected to leave the ICU later today. The other ten Portlaoise Prison inmates have returned to the prison. Irish Prison Service authorities are liaising with An Garda Siochana in relation to the incident. Gardai are continuing to examine toxicology reports and analysing a substance from the prison in an effort to determine what substance was responsible for the suspected mass overdose. Earlier today a senior garda said the exact ingredients of what caused that incident in the prison have not yet been identified. The 11 Portlaoise Prison inmates were rushed to the Midlands Regional Hospital, Portlaoise on Tuesday following the suspected mass overdose. The incident occurred just a month after the IPS issued a nationwide drug alert for prisons in relation to a synthetic opioid drug called Nitazene which had been connected to a number of overdoses in prison as well as one death. The official route has been announced for Cannonball 2024. The action-packed supercar spectacle, is set to roll on September 6 to September 8 with proceeds in aid of The Jack and Jill Childrens Foundation. Cannonball, fuelled by milesPLUS from Circle K, is the largest organised road trip in Europe. According to a spokesperson for the event: "The event has already raised 1,638,432 for Irish charities to date and brings a unique and inimitable electric atmosphere to host towns all over the country making it a widely-anticipated free family event for spectators. "On Thursday September 5, the Cannonball crew will roll into Johnstown Estate, Enfield to get set for another adrenalin fuelled supercar spectacle. "Cannonball drivers are due to start arriving from 6pm providing an opportunity for spectators to view their cars and be captivated by this enviable fusion of engineering excellence and breathtaking design. "The brand-new Lamborghini Revoulto will be unveiled in Ireland for the very first time in the brand-new Conference Centre and this year the sky is the limit for Cannonball as helicopters circle overhead." They continued: "On Friday, September 6, at 10am, the gleaming convoy will depart Johnstown Estate and will blaze a trail to Kilkenny for a lunch stop at the Lyrath Estate Hotel. "The cars will fuel up at 4pm at Circle K Gorey M11 and then on to the first finish line on Wexford Quay Front on Friday evening at 6.30pm where the cars will be on display. "On Saturday, September 7, the convoy will leave Wexford at 10am and arrive at Circle K M9 Service area in Kilcullen at 11am to fuel up and then travel to Powerscourt Hotel Resort in Enniskerry for Lunch at 1pm. "The Saturday finish line for Cannonball 2024 is at Salthill, County Galway at 6pm where the drivers will have their second overnight pitstop. "On Sunday, September 8, the supercars will leave Galway at 11am and then fuel up at Circle K M6 Athlone at noon before taking lunch in Mohill, County Leitrim at Lough Rynn Castle Estate at 1pm." "The big dramatic final finish line for Cannonball 2024 is in Trim, County Meath at 5pm, which will be a spectacular show," the spokesperson concluded. This year the official charity of Cannonball is The Jack and Jill Children's Foundation - an Irish childrens charity based in Kildare which funds and provides up to 100 hours per month of in-home nursing care, respite support and end-of-life care for children from birth to six years of age with severe learning disability often associated with complex medical needs. There are currently 416 children under the care of Jack and Jill in communities right across the country and the charitys mission is to empower parents to care for their child at home, because there is no care like home care for a Jack and Jill child. DONATION CAMPAIGN This year in addition to all of the fundraising activities on Cannonball throughout the weekend including the exciting new 'Cannonball Fundraising Grand Prix', Circle K are running a nationwide campaign entitled, 'When you fill, support Jack and Jill' and 1 cent from every litre of miles and milesPLUS fuel sold at Circle K will be donated to the Jack and Jill Childrens Foundation. Deirdre Walsh, CEO of Jack and Jill, said: "There are so many ways people can get involved in this brilliant fundraiser to support Jack and Jill families in their local community, whether its showing up along the route and popping a few Euro in our collection buckets, volunteering to help our fundraising effort, supporting our exciting inaugural 'Cannonball Fundraising Grand Prix' or simply, filling up at your nearest Circle K. "Every cent makes a difference." She added: "A massive thank you to our friends in Cannonball Ireland and Circle K for this wonderful opportunity!" The spokesperson for Cannonball further said about the event: "Cannonball offers spectators a unique opportunity to witness the world's most prestigious and sought-after supercars up close and enjoy the unique festival atmosphere that Cannonball is renowned for. "The Brazilian Dancers, giant screens, music and fanfare brings all the glamour of carnival and live DJs, bands and festivals in host towns with lots of free samples from our partners and delicious mouthwatering pizza slices from Apache Pizza get the party started. "The Cannonballers and celebrities in colourful costumes add to the melee. From Catwoman to Wonder Woman, Shreck to Gru, Minions to Marios, Cheerleaders to Charlies Angels, Batman, The Joker and more, it is a totally unique free family day out." "This year, organisers are also calling on spectators to dress up in fancy dress with prizes for Best Dressed," they concluded. BACKGROUND TO CANNONBALL Cannonball was founded by Kildare businessman Alan Bannon and the benefit to the host towns for this event is estimated at 2,567,000 per year. Cannonball is fuelled by milesPLUS from Circle K as the main headline Sponsor for 2024. milesPLUS is Circle Ks premium fuel which delivers increased power and acceleration for a superior driving experience. miles and milesPLUS is Irelands only AA quality approved fuel and is only available at Circle K. The Tour Sponsor this year is Apache Pizza and Cannonball official partners include Monster Energy, Jade Insurance, Karl Goodwin Motors, AB Signs and Majestic Ireland Road Trips. See cannonball.ie for all details. The official route for Cannonball 2024. Picture supplied by Helen O'Dwyer. With one of the most recognisable names in the world and a net worth of an estimated $1.7bn (1.5bn), Kim Kardashian would not be used to rejection. However, Hollywood-actor Dominic West has revealed that his mother-in-law, Olda FitzGerald of Glin Castle, did just that and rejected the Kardashians request to stay at the west Limerick landmark in 2014. Dominic let slip on the Travel Secrets podcast that the billionaire was refused entry to Glin Castle. The castle is owned by Dominic and his wife, Catherine FitzGerald. He said: Limerick is a great county and were on the North Kerry border, on the banks of the River Shannon, so its really beautiful. She [Kim] rang up my mother-in-law and said: Can we come and stay at Glin? Laughing telling the story, Dominic said: She [Olda] said, Im sorry, were closed. READ ALSO: Here is the latest weekend weather forecast for Electric Picnic When Olda told Catherine and Dominic about the phone conversation, they were stunned, and said: Who? You said what?. Kim had seemingly been looking to honeymoon in Ireland and more specifically, Limerick, with now ex-husband, Kanye West. Dominic said that the then-newlyweds had no choice but to opt for a five-star hotel in Co Laois instead. Ballyfin Hotel is based on Glin and was owned by a wonderful American man, who bought it and restored it on the advice of my wifes father, Dominic said about the Kardashian/Wests second choice of honeymoon destination in Laois. I'm not sure they had a great time. They went and watched a film in Portlaoise town, which isnt really glamorous, Dominic said. Glin Castle was taken over by Dominic and Catherine after her father, Desmond, the last Knight of Glin, died in 2011. An annual open-day for the public to take a tour guide of the castle is taking place on Sunday, August 25. Tickets are 10 and will be available to purchase at the gates. KLDiscovery Closes Transaction to Significantly Strengthen Long-Term Financial Foundation and Support Continued Growth KLDiscovery Inc. ("KLDiscovery" or the "Company"), a leading global provider of electronic discovery, information governance, and data recovery technology solutions, today announced that it has closed a value-enhancing deleveraging transaction with its convertible debenture holders, term loan lenders, revolving credit facility lender, and largest shareholder. This strategic step significantly reduces the Company's long-term debt and strengthens its financial position, further enhancing KLDiscovery's ability to deliver for its clients and partners. "The successful completion of this transaction marks a significant milestone in KLDiscovery's journey to help our clients solve their most complex data challenges. With the new capital structure now in place, the Company is well-positioned to reach new heights and continue delivering innovative solutions for our customers," said Chris Weiler, Chief Executive Officer of KLDiscovery. "I extend my sincere appreciation to our capital partners for their steadfast support along the way. We are excited to leverage this momentum in collaboration with our team, driving forward our vision to solidify KLDiscovery's leadership in the eDiscovery space." As contemplated by the previously announced transaction agreements, KLDiscovery's outstanding convertible notes have been cancelled and exchanged for new shares representing approximately 96% of the Company's outstanding common equity and the maturity of the Company's term loan has been extended to August 2027. In addition, at the closing of the transaction, KLDiscovery received $50 million of second lien secured financing which was used to repay a portion of the Company's first lien secured debt, a portion of the amounts outstanding under the revolver, and pay transaction expenses. The closing of this transaction reflects the continued strong support of KLDiscovery's capital partners, who are confident in the Company's prospects and business strategy. Kevin Griffin, Chief Executive Officer & Chief Investment Officer of debenture holder MGG Investment Group, said, "KLDiscovery is on a strong trajectory with enhanced financial flexibility. We are confident in KLDiscovery's innovative technology, dedicated team, and business strategy, and look forward to the Company's continued growth and evolution." Advisors Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP served as legal counsel, Guggenheim Securities, LLC and AlixPartners served as financial advisors, and C Street Advisory Group served as strategic communications advisor to the Company. Morrison & Foerster LLP served as legal counsel and Lazard served as investment banker to the debenture holders. About KLDiscovery KLDiscovery provides technology-enabled services and software to help law firms, corporations, and government agencies solve complex data challenges. With offices in 26 locations across 17 countries, KLDiscovery is a global leader in delivering best-in-class data management, information governance, and eDiscovery solutions to support the litigation, regulatory compliance, and internal investigation needs of clients. Serving organizations for over 30 years, KLDiscovery offers data collection and forensic investigation, early case assessment, data processing, application software and data hosting for web-based document reviews, and managed document review services. In addition, through its global Ontrack data management business, KLDiscovery delivers world-class data recovery, disaster recovery, email extraction and restoration, data destruction, and tape management. KLDiscovery has been recognized as one of the fastest growing companies in North America by both Inc. Magazine (Inc. 5000) and Deloitte (Deloitte's Technology Fast 500), and CEO Chris Weiler was a 2014 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Yeartm. Additionally, KLDiscovery is a Relativity Certified Partner and maintains ISO/IEC 27001 Certified data centers around the world. Visit www.kldiscovery.com to learn more. Forward Looking Statements This press release includes "forward looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical facts, including, without limitation, statements regarding the benefits of the transaction, the Company's leadership in the eDiscovery space, the support of the Company's capital partners, the Company's ability to deliver innovative solutions, and Company growth and evolution, are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, the words "estimated," "expects," "anticipates," "forecasts," "believes," "may," "will," "should," "future" and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions, results or events, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside KLDiscovery's management's control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Important factors, among others, that may affect actual results or outcomes include: consequences of KLDiscovery's substantial levels of indebtedness; KLDiscovery's potential failure to comply with privacy and information security regulations governing the client datasets it processes and stores; KLDiscovery's ability to operate in highly competitive markets, and potential adverse effects of this competition; risk of decreased revenues if KLDiscovery does not adapt its pricing models; the ability to attract, motivate and retain qualified employees, including members of KLDiscovery's senior management team; the ability to maintain a high level of client service and expand operations; potential issues with KLDiscovery's product offerings that could cause legal exposure, reputational damage and an inability to deliver services; KLDiscovery's ability to develop and successfully grow revenues from new products such as Nebula, improve existing products and adapt its business model to keep pace with industry trends; risk that KLDiscovery's products and services fail to interoperate with third-party systems; potential unavailability of third-party technology that KLDiscovery uses in its products and services; potential disruption of KLDiscovery's products, offerings, website and networks; difficulties resulting from KLDiscovery's implementation of new consolidated business systems; the ability to deliver products and services following a disaster or business continuity event; disease or similar public health threat, such as COVID-19; potential unauthorized use of our products and technology by third parties and/or data security breaches and other incidents; potential intellectual property infringement claims; and the ability to comply with various trade restrictions, such as sanctions and export controls, resulting from KLDiscovery's international operations. These risks and other factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of KLDiscovery's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities Exchange Commission ("SEC") and any other reports KLDiscovery files with the SEC, could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements made by KLDiscovery or on its behalf. Given these risks and uncertainties, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results or outcomes. All statements speak only as of the date made, and unless legally required, KLDiscovery undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. 14 august 2024 at 16:05 News published onand distributed by: Ooma to Attend the 2024 Gateway Conference Ooma, Inc. (NYSE: OOMA), a smart communications platform for businesses and consumers, today announced the following conference participation: What: 2024 Gateway Conference, presentation and investor meetings produced by the Gateway Group When: Presentation at 2:30 p.m. Pacific time on September 4, 2024, with meetings throughout the day Who: Ooma CEO Eric Stang and Ooma CFO Shig Hamamatsu Where: The Four Seasons Hotel, San Francisco The presentation will be webcast as live audio and available for replay for 90 days from the Events & Presentation page of the Investor Relations section of Ooma's website, https://investors.ooma.com/news-events/events-presentation/. For additional information, to request an invitation, or to schedule a one-on-one meeting, please email [email protected]. About The Gateway Conference Set against the backdrop of the Four Seasons Hotel in San Francisco, the Gateway Conference offers a unique stage for both public and private companies to introduce their stories to new audiences. Celebrating 25 years of fostering impactful industry connections, this year's conference embodies Gateway's mission of connecting leading growth-stage companies with prospective investors, analysts, partners, and other capital markets constituents. The event offers attendees an exclusive look at a diverse array of companies across sectors such as technology, cleantech, consumer, industrials, financial services, and healthcare. Through presentations and one-on-one meetings, investors and analysts will have exclusive access to senior company executives from over 100 private and public companies. About Gateway Group Gateway is a leading financial communications and digital media advisory firm specializing in assisting emerging growth companies for over 25 years. We work with businesses at various stages of corporate development, from private startups to public enterprises. Our team of experts offers decades of experience in all facets of corporate communications, including investor relations (IR) and public relations (PR), as well as cutting-edge digital media services such as branding & creative, web development, and social media. Gateway clients are industry leaders in technology, consumer, industrials, finance, business services, and more. To learn more about Gateway Group, our offerings, or how we can help meet your communications needs visit gateway-grp.com or connect with us on LinkedIn. About Ooma, Inc. Ooma (NYSE: OOMA) creates powerful connected experiences for businesses, consumers and service providers, delivered through smart cloud-based communications platforms and services. For businesses of all sizes, Ooma offers advanced voice and collaboration features including messaging, intelligent virtual receptionists and video meetings. Ooma's all-in-one replacement for analog phone lines helps businesses maintain mission-critical systems by moving connectivity to the cloud. For consumers, Ooma's residential phone service provides PureVoice HD voice quality, advanced features and integration with mobile devices. Learn more at www.ooma.com or www.ooma.ca in Canada. 14 august 2024 at 16:20 News published onand distributed by: Grocery TV Recognized on Inc. 5000 List of Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America for the Second Year in a Row NEW YORK, Aug. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Grocery TV, an in-store retail media network, today announced its ranking of No. 1233 (No. 106 in Texas) on the 2024 Inc. 5000 for the second year in a row. The Inc. 5000 recognizes the fastest-growing private companies based on revenue and headcount growth. "2024 has been an inflection point in our company history," said Marlow Nickell, co-founder and CEO. "The demand for in-store retail media is rapidly growing as retailers and brands are increasingly seeing this channel as a core part of their strategy." In the last couple of years, Grocery TV has become the leading in-store retail media platform for grocery. The company expanded its product offering to support any digital touchpoint in the grocery store including entrance and pharmacy. Their end-to-end solution helps retailers easily manage and monetize these digital touchpoints, while giving brands the opportunity to target their audience where they shop. From 2020 to 2023, Grocery TV saw a 420% increase in revenue. Simultaneously, they grew their network to nearly 5,000 grocery stores and over 100 retailers including Cub, ShopRite, and Winn-Dixie. As in-store retail media has grown traction, they've also played a role in defining benchmarks for the industry. Earlier this year, they published a meta-study, which demonstrated that on average, CPG brands achieved a 14% sales lift when advertising on their network. As the business has grown, Grocery TV has been steadfast in honoring its core values of transparency, ownership, growth, and partnership. They are particularly known for transparency, which plays out in their open salaries and leveling guides. "Our core values play a large role in both broader decision making and day-to-day work," said Courtney Branson, VP of People. "Over the last couple of years, transparency and partnership in particular have allowed us to move quickly in an emerging industry, establishing trust with our partners and team." For complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, location, and other criteria, go to www.inc.com/inc5000. About Grocery TV Grocery TV is the leading in-store retail media platform in U.S. grocery, powering nearly 5,000 stores. They currently work with over 100 retailers including ShopRite, Smart & Final, and Winn-Dixie to manage their in-store retail media network, elevate their shopper experience, and generate incremental revenue. Brands leverage Grocery TV to reach nearly 1 in 4 Americans in brick-and-mortar grocery stores and engage shoppers at key moments throughout their store visit. Grocery TV makes it easy for brands and retailers to launch and manage digital advertising campaigns throughout the grocery store through their Content Management System (CMS) as well as integrations with all major DSPs. For more information, please visit www.grocerytv.com. Please reach out to Ashley Nickell ([email protected]) for press inquiries. More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Methodology Companies on the 2024 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2020 to 2023. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2020. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent?not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies?as of December 31, 2023. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2020 is $100,000; the minimum for 2023 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to four decimal places. About Inc. Inc. Business Media is the leading multimedia brand for entrepreneurs. Through its journalism, Inc. aims to inform, educate, and elevate the profile of our community: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters who are creating our future. Inc.'s award-winning work achieves a monthly brand footprint of more than 40 million across a variety of channels, including events, print, digital, video, podcasts, newsletters, and social media. Its proprietary Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since its launch as the Inc. 100 in 1982, analyzes company data to rank the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The recognition that comes with inclusion on this and other prestigious Inc. lists, such as Female Founders and Power Partners, gives the founders of top businesses the opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. For more information, visit www.inc.com . SOURCE Grocery TV 14 august 2024 at 16:56 News published onand distributed by: VERSES Announces NRI Transitions to GENIUStm VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 14, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VERSES AI Inc. (CBOE:VERS) (OTCQB:VRSSF) ("VERSES" or the "Company"), a cognitive computing company developing next-generation intelligent software systems, today announced that third party logistics company NRI USA, LLC ("NRI") will be upgrading to the GENIUS Beta program. "NRI was an early adopter of our offerings and saw the vision of what our intelligent software can provide. Since we entered into a commercial agreement with them, our business model has evolved from an industry specific bespoke offering, to that of our current flagship platform offering, GENIUS. So naturally it makes sense to transition our relationship onto the GENIUS platform," said Gabriel Rene, CEO of VERSES. "It was great utilizing the early capabilities of Wayfinder but we need more than just routing capabilities. The 3PL and supply chain industry is more complex than ever and at times very unpredictable. The ability to apply our vast amounts of data to GENIUS' reasoning capabilities is extremely exciting for our business. This will be a foundational element for when the more advanced Genius capabilities are released in the future, " said Pete McKenna, CEO of NRI. Due to the change of platform and the structure of the GENIUS offering, the existing SaaS contract dated August 25, 2021 is being voided by both parties and no further obligations are required on behalf of either party in respect of the SaaS contract. The two companies intend to enter into a new contract for GENIUS on terms being negotiated by the parties. About VERSES VERSES is a cognitive computing company building next-generation intelligent software systems modeled after the wisdom and genius of Nature. Designed around first principles found in science, physics and biology, our flagship product, GENIUS tm, is a toolkit for developers to generate intelligent software agents that enhance existing applications with the ability to reason, plan, and learn. Imagine a Smarter World that elevates human potential through technology inspired by Nature. Learn more at verses.ai , LinkedIn and X . On behalf of the Company Gabriel Rene, Founder & CEO, VERSES AI Inc. Press Inquiries: [email protected] Investor Relations Inquiries U.S., Matthew Selinger, Partner, Integrous Communications, [email protected] 415-572-8152 Canada, Leo Karabelas, President, Focus Communications, [email protected] 416-543-3120 Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements When used in this press release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. Although VERSES believes, in light of the experience of their respective officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate, that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and information in this press release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the parties can give no assurance that such statements will prove to be correct. The forward-looking statements and information in this press release include, among other things, the statement regarding the Company and NRI expecting to enter into a new contract. There are risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied various material assumptions.. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause VERSES actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements and information. Such factors include, among others: the ability of the Company to negotiate a new commercial agreement with NRI. The Company undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of its securities or its financial or operating results (as applicable). Additionally, forward-looking statements involve a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks include, without limitation: the risk that the Company will be unsuccessful in negotiating a new commercial agreement with NRI. VERSES cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on VERSES' forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. VERSES has assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. The forward-looking information contained in this press release represents the expectations of VERSES as of the date of this press release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. VERSES does not undertake to update this information at any particular time except as required in accordance with applicable laws. 14 august 2024 at 18:35 News published onand distributed by: Sales Tax Software Market to Reach $17.2 Billion, Globally, by 2033 at 9.5% CAGR: Allied Market Research The global sales tax software market is experiencing growth due to several factors such as the shift towards automation and integration, increase in demand for streamlined tax processes, and surge in demand for IoT devices. NEW CASTLE, Del., Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Sales Tax Software Market by Solution (Consumer Use Tax Management, Tax Filings and Others), Deployment Mode (On-Premises and Cloud), and Industry Vertical (BFSI, Transportation, Retail, IT and Telecom, Healthcare and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2024-2033". According to the report, the sales tax software market was valued at $6.9 billion in 2023, and is estimated to reach $17.2 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 9.5% from 2024 to 2033. Prime determinants of growth The sales tax software market is gaining traction due to the shift towards automation and integration, driven by rise in demand for streamlined tax processes and availability of cloud-based solutions at competitive prices. These factors are fostering growth in the market, with focus on simplifying tax calculations, management, and reporting through advanced software solutions like consumer use tax management and tax filing. Moreover, the market is witnessing rise in demand for IoT devices, further propelling the adoption of sales tax software to enhance operational efficiency and accuracy in tax-related tasks. On the contrary, growing emphasis on regional integration and harmonization of tax legislation, with rise in demand for accessible and cost-effective platforms is expected to provide lucrative growth opportunities to the sales tax software market. Request Sample Pages: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/4215 Report Coverage and Details Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2024?2032 Base Year 2023 Market Size in 2023 $6.9 billion Market Size in 2032 $17.2 billion CAGR 9.5 % No. of Pages in Report 254 Segments Covered Solution, Deployment Mode, Industry Vertical, and Region. Drivers Shift towards automation and integration Increase in demand for streamlined tax processes Surge in demand for IoT devices Opportunities ? Growing emphasis on regional integration and harmonization of tax legislation Restraint ? Substantial initial investments and the need for specialized skill sets Buy this Complete Report (254 Pages PDF with Insights, Charts, Tables, and Figures) at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/sales-tax-software-market/purchase-options Segment Highlights By solution, the consumer use tax management is expected to dominate the market during the forecasted period. The consumer use tax management segment is driven by the growing need for businesses to accurately track and report consumer use taxes, which are often overlooked or underreported. Sales tax software solutions that offer robust consumer use tax management capabilities enable companies to automate the calculation, reporting, and filing of these taxes, ensuring compliance and reducing the risk of penalties. By deployment mode, the on-premises segment is driven by the preference of some organizations, particularly larger enterprises, to maintain control over their tax data and infrastructure. On-premises solutions offer customization options and integration with existing systems, making them appealing to businesses with specific requirements or concerns about data security and privacy. On the basis of industry vertical, the retail segment is dominating the market due to the high volume of transactions and the complexity of sales tax calculations in the industry. As e-commerce continues to grow, retailers require efficient and accurate sales tax software to manage their tax obligations across multiple jurisdictions and channels. The adoption of sales tax software helps retailers streamline their tax processes, reduce errors, and ensure compliance with evolving regulations. Regional Outlook The growth of the sales tax software market in North America is primarily driven by the region's high levels of transaction quantities and values, leading to complex tax filing processes. The presence of numerous tax software providers such as Avalara, Sage Group Plc, Thomson Reuters Corp, and Xero Ltd. offers advanced solutions for efficient and error-free tax filing. In addition, rise in adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions among businesses and individuals fuels the demand for AI-based tax software solutions, further propelling the market growth in North America. However, in Asia-Pacific, the growth of the sales tax software market is fueled by the region's focus on smart city projects and government initiatives that necessitate efficient tax management solutions. Rise in adoption of sales tax software in smart city programs and city surveillance projects is a key driver. Moreover, the presence of many third-party sellers and system integrators in the region, coupled with the rapid demand for sales tax software across various industries, including BFSI, transportation, retail, healthcare, and manufacturing, contributes to the market growth in Asia-Pacific. Enquiry Before Buying: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/4215 Major Industry Players APEX Analytix, LLC Avalara Inc. Intuit Inc. LumaTax, Inc. Ryan, LLC Sage Intacct, Inc. Sales Tax DataLINK Sovos Compliance, LLC Thomson Reuters Vertex, Inc. The report provides a detailed analysis of these key players in the global sales tax software market. These players have adopted different strategies such as new product launches, collaborations, expansion, joint ventures, agreements, and others to increase their market share and maintain dominant shares in different regions. The report is valuable in highlighting business performance, operating segments, product portfolio, and strategic moves of market players to showcase the competitive scenario. Recent Development In April 2023 , Taxually, one of the leading European cloud-native VAT software providers, announced that California -based LumaTax joined its family of Enterprise-grade automated tax software solutions. This acquisition enables Taxually to accelerate growth globally across both Enterprise and E-commerce segments and to further expand its leading indirect tax product suite. , Taxually, one of the leading European cloud-native VAT software providers, announced that -based LumaTax joined its family of Enterprise-grade automated tax software solutions. This acquisition enables Taxually to accelerate growth globally across both Enterprise and E-commerce segments and to further expand its leading indirect tax product suite. In April 2021 , Intuit ProConnect, from Intuit Inc., announced its partnership with Practice Ignition (PI) to increase productivity for tax professionals. Practice Ignition, an automated proposal and payment management software that eliminates administrative tasks, works in tandem with Intuit professional tax products, allowing for a better end-to-end workflow for tax professionals. AVENUE- A Subscription-Based Library (Premium on-demand, subscription-based pricing model): AMR introduces its online premium subscription-based library Avenue, designed specifically to offer cost-effective, one-stop solution for enterprises, investors, and universities. With Avenue, subscribers can avail an entire repository of reports on more than 2,000 niche industries and more than 12,000 company profiles. Moreover, users can get an online access to quantitative and qualitative data in PDF and Excel formats along with analyst support, customization, and updated versions of reports. Get an access to the library of reports at any time from any device and anywhere. For more details, follow the link: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/library-access About Us: Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Wilmington, Delaware. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports Insights" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies, and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Contact: David Correa 1209 Orange Street, Corporation Trust Center, Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware 19801 USA. Int'l: +1-503-894-6022 Toll Free: +1-800-792-5285 UK: +44-845-528-1300 India (Pune): +91-20-66346060 Fax: +1-800-792-5285 [email protected] Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/636519/Allied_Market_Research_Logo.jpg 15 august 2024 at 02:00 News published onand distributed by: Shenzhen's Futian Encourages Public Attention and Engagement in Urban Wildlife Conservation SHENZHEN, China, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A gigantic yet gentle Bryde's whale encounters a massive ship in coastal waters; Chinese pond herons and common moorhens extend the natural cycle of life in a lotus pond in a park; and fish swim freely while gulls soar alongside egrets in Shenzhen Bay... On August 15, China's second National Ecology Day, Shenzhen's Futian District hosted the event "Vibrant Life in the Beautiful Futian: Wild City Residents: A Shenzhen Story Fans' Expedition in Futian 2024," guiding citizens to peek at the everyday lives of the wild animals living in the city. Wild City Residents: A Shenzhen Story is an ecology-themed documentary co-produced by the Futian District Convergence Media and Cybersecurity Information Center and a renowned documentary producer from Shenzhen. The documentary series offers viewers a glimpse into the reproduction and life stories of over 20,000 wild animal populations across more than 1,000 parks in Shenzhen, touching audiences' hearts with its portrayal of the harmonious and intricate relationship between humanity and nature. Deng Kangyan, the acclaimed documentary producer behind the series, described Wild City Residents: A Shenzhen Story as a "billboard" crafted by the countless species living in Shenzhen, inspiring viewers to reflect more deeply on the enduring theme of sustainable development between humanity and nature. In Shenzhen, the green development philosophy is being woven into the fabric of urban development, paving the way for a sustainable future. The poetic dwelling of "wild city residents" in Shenzhen epitomizes the city's commitment to green development. This megacity is home to over 20,000 species in bays, mountains, lakes, and parks, alongside its human residents. Of these species, more than 140 are under special state protection. Shenzhen has been an innovator in advancing ecological civilization. Earlier this year, the completion of the Meilin Mountain-Yinhu Mountain Ecological Corridor (Kunpeng Trial No. 1 Bridge) captured widespread attention. The bridge not only connects the greenways in Yinhu Mountain and Meilin Mountain but also serves as a vital corridor for wildlife migration. According to officials from the Futian Management Bureau of the Ecology and Environment Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality, the Kunpeng Trial No. 1 Bridge integrates a pedestrian path with an ecological corridor designed to protect wildlife. It is part of Shenzhen's "Mountain-Sea Vistas" initiative and the "Five Parks Link" project, which connects Meilin Mountain Park, Yinhu Mountain Park, Bijia Mountain Park, Central Park, and Lianhua Mountain Park. Through efforts such as the "landscape humidifying system" and habitat replication, the largest ecological isolation zone in Shenzhen's Central Mountains has been successfully "re-bridged". Data from the Urban Administration and Comprehensive Law Enforcement Bureau of Futian District reveals that since the beginning of this year, wildlife cameras have captured over 240 crossings of the corridor bridge by wild animals, including leopard cats and wild boars. Additionally, red-bellied tree squirrels and maritime striped squirrels, long separated on opposite sides of Bijia Mountain and Lianhua Mountain, have finally been able to "reunite." As Shenzhen's eco-environment continues to improve, Futian District receives black-faced spoonbills for wintering every year. The district has also seen the reappearance of other species under special state protection and rare species, including the small Indian civet, Eurasian otter, leopard cat, yellow-breasted bunting, Chinese spot-billed duck, and Malayan night heron, as well as the cycad population in the Xianhu Lake. Source: The Futian District Convergence Media and Cybersecurity Information Center 15 august 2024 at 02:35 News published onand distributed by: Sable Announces Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sable Resources Ltd. ("Sable" or the "Company") (TSXV: SAE | OTCQB: SBLRF) is pleased to announce that it has filed all materials for the Company's upcoming Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders (the "Meeting") that is scheduled for Thursday, September 5, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. (Vancouver time). Full details of the matters to be voted on at the Meeting can be found in the Management Information Circular under the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. At the Meeting, shareholders will be asked to elect a slate of directors that will include three new directors ? Mary Little, Andres Perez and Robert Shaw. Current directors Tom Obradovich, Brent Gilchrist, Terry Harbort, Jonathan Rubenstein and Andres Tinajero will not be standing for re-election. These changes to the board of directors will bring more diversity to the Sable board, as well as strong Latin American, ESG and technical experience, which are key to supporting Sable's ongoing exploration strategy in the Americas. Dr. Ruben Padilla, President and CEO of Sable stated: "The Company wishes to thank the directors that are not standing for re-election for their contributions to the Company and to wish them the best in their future endeavors. The addition of the new director nominees will bring a good balance between business, legal, corporate responsibility and technical knowledge and expertise to the board. Mary's impressive mix of technical knowledge and corporate expertise, extensive network, and experience in international business development will undoubtedly bring invaluable insights to our team. Andres' understanding of legal processes, community relations and permitting requirements for successful mineral exploration and development will be a tremendous asset to the Company. Robert brings strong expertise backed by years of exploring and discovering ore deposits, and funding successful exploration companies in different countries of the Americas. We believe that these nominees, along with myself and Barry Quiroz, will strengthen the Sable board to increase our chances of success in mineral exploration and consequently shareholders' value creation." New Director Nominees Mary Little Mary Little has over 25 years of experience in the exploration and evaluation of epithermal precious metals deposits, porphyry and sediment-hosted mineral environments, including 15 years based in Latin America. Mary was the founding CEO of Mirasol Resources Ltd., a precious metals exploration company focused in Latin America, where she led Mirasol's growth as a prospect generator and its corporate development activities from 2003 to 2014. Prior to this, she held exploration and leadership positions such as business development manager and country manager for major mining companies, including Cyprus Amax, WMC Ltd. and Newmont Exploration. Mary serves as a board member of Capella Minerals Ltd., Pure Energy Minerals Limited, Sandstorm Gold Royalties Ltd. and Tinka Resources Limited, and on the Council of the Society of Economic Geologists. She holds a Master of Science degree in Earth Sciences from the University of California and an MBA from the University of Colorado. Andres Perez Andres Perez has over 18 years of experience as a lawyer specializing in mining law in Mexico. He is the founding Partner and Chairman of Molina, Hanff & Perez-Howlet, SC, a law firm specializing in mining law since 2006 and former Director of Contracts and Procedures with the Office of the Attorney General of the Republic of Mexico and Advisor to the Chief Official of the Officer of the Attorney General of the Republic of Mexico. He holds a Masters degree in Public Administration and Public Policies from the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, Mexico, a Masters in Administration from the University of Chihuahua, Mexico and a Law Degree from the University of Chihuahua, Mexico. In addition to his legal practice, Andres has served on City Council of the City of Chihuahua as President of the Finance and Planning Commission and as Deputy counselor of the State Electoral Institute of Chihuahua and he was a Substitute of Federal Congressional LVIII Legislature and as an Advisor of the Chihuahua State Government. Robert Shaw Robert Shaw holds a Master of Science in Economic Geology from the University of Alberta (1990) and has accumulated over 35 years of mineral exploration experience throughout the Americas. With Gold Star Resources/Cambior Inc., he worked with the generative and development teams at Omai (Guyana) and Gros Rosebel (Suriname). He was a founding member and Exploration Manager with Metallica Resources Inc. (Cerro San Pedro, Mexico; Gramalote, Colombia; Mara Rosa, Brasil; El Morro-La Fortuna, Chile). In Peru he was co-founder of Compania Minera Phosphex, responsible for re-discovery of the giant Mantaro phosphate deposits (Sprott Resource Corp.-Stonegate Agricom). With AngloGold Ashanti he served as Chief Geologist, Colombia and Consultant for the Americas, and was a formulative member of the generative team which identified and advanced numerous projects including Gramalote, La Colosa and La Quebradona, which presently contain drill indicated resources exceeding 40 million ounces of gold. He also served as Editor and lead author for a major Springer Nature volume (2019) describing the geology, tectonics and metallogeny of the northern Andean region. Most recently, Robert has served as co-founder and director of the Western Canada Greenfields Group and Monteoro Minerals Ltd., private companies dedicated to generative greenfields exploration throughout North and South America. ABOUT SABLE RESOURCES LTD. Sable is a well-funded junior grassroots explorer focused on the discovery of Tier-One new precious metal and copper projects through systematic exploration in endowed terranes located in favourable, established mining jurisdictions. Sable's focus is developing its large portfolio of new Greenfields projects to resource level. Sable is actively exploring the San Juan Regional Program (163,969 ha) incorporating the Don Julio, El Fierro, and Los Pumas Projects in San Juan Province, Argentina; and the Mexico Regional Program (1.6Mha in application, 26,373ha titled) incorporating the Vinata and El Escarpe projects. For further information, please contact: Ruben Padilla, President & CEO at [email protected] or +1 (520) 488-2520 Related link: sableresources.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider, as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on Sable's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. Although such statements are based on reasonable assumptions of Sable's management, there can be no assurance that any conclusions or forecasts will prove to be accurate. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof, and Sable is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. 15 august 2024 at 07:00 News published onand distributed by: Alpenglow Biosciences and Partners Secure a Total of $24M for Development of Alpenglow's 3D Spatial Pathology Platform Alpenglow Biosciences, a leading 3D spatial biology company, was recently awarded contracts from Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and secured additional investment to further its clinical product development. ARPA-H Precision Surgical Interventions contract ARPA-H has awarded Jonathan T.C. Liu, Ph.D., University of Washington Professor and Scientific Co-Founder of Alpenglow Biosciences, a groundbreaking contract to develop a platform technology for precision tumor removal. The five-year ARPA-H contract (up to $21M) is part of the Cancer Moonshot initiative spearheaded by the Biden administration. Alpenglow, alongside elite academic medical centers, is set to transform the fight against cancer with its innovative AI-driven 3D Spatial Biology platform. Alpenglow will be partnering with the Liu Biophotonics Lab at University of Washington, the Mahmood AI Lab at Harvard & Mass General Brigham, and Vanderbilt University Medical Center to develop a breakthrough technology for surgical oncology. The platform aims to provide near real-time, high-resolution 3D imaging to identify tumor margins with unprecedented accuracy. This revolutionary approach promises to minimize the need for repeat procedures and markedly improve patient outcomes. The contract also includes support for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory strategy and reimbursement through the Project Accelerator Transition Innovation Office (PATIO) program. NIH SBIR Phase II contract The NIH has awarded Alpenglow a $2M Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract to further its development of prostate cancer diagnostics in collaboration with CorePlus, a leading digital pathology laboratory based in Puerto Rico. As part of the contract, Alpenglow will develop 3D pathology AI tests using prostate core biopsies. These diagnostic tests will meet an urgent clinical need by providing clinicians with more accurate prognostic and predictive information to guide the care of prostate cancer patients, a disease affecting 200,000 Americans each year. The tests will leverage Alpenglow's unique 3D microscopy data, which offers superior predictive power compared to slide-based digital pathology or sequencing assays. In combination with cutting edge AI algorithms, these 3D pathology assays will give clinicians a highly effective tool to guide treatment of prostate cancer patients. Investing in the Alpenglow Auroratm difference On top of these contracts, Alpenglow received $1M in additional investment led by Dynamk Capital and Paul McEwan to further develop its Auroratm platform for tissue-to-insights solutions leveraging 3D spatial biology. Dr. Nicholas Reder, CEO and Co-Founder, said, "The Alpenglow Auroratm platform is a paradigm shift. Its rapid imaging and AI-driven analysis are poised to redefine predictive diagnostics and intraoperative care, cementing our position at the vanguard of disruptive technology in pathology." Steve Pemberton, Senior Vice President of Commercial Development, added, "We're taking pathology from the microscope slide to the digital age. Our platform's 3D, digital, and AI-enhanced capabilities will usher in a new era in clinical assessment of tissue." This investment will accelerate Alpenglow's current success in 3D tissue assessment with the 3D Derm Scoretm and 3D Immuno-Oncology (I-O) Scoretm. Both products are currently available for research use only and are available for use in clinical trials to accelerate drug development for biopharma customers. Earlier this year, Alpenglow announced a $50,000 research grant to identify novel applications for its 3D I-O Score and received dozens of applications from leading research groups around the world. A key inflection point for Alpenglow Biosciences Alpenglow Biosciences, established in 2018 and bolstered by a decade of pioneering academic research in the Liu Lab, is leading a 3D revolution in pathology. "Others see the challenge in pathology as digitizing glass slides," Dr. Reder remarked, "at Alpenglow we envision moving beyond a single slide to the whole tissue, unlocking all of the crucial information in tissue samples to usher in a 3D AI-driven future." The new funds from ARPA-H, NIH, and investors underscores the federal government's confidence in Alpenglow Biosciences to commercialize its promising 3D pathology platform from a biopharma research technology to high impact clinical assays. The future of pathology is 3D, and with these funds, a revolution in the way we understand biology and treat disease is accelerating even faster. To learn how 3D spatial biology can change the way you understand pathology, contact us today. About Alpenglow Biosciences: Alpenglow Biosciences, a leader in 3D Spatial Biology, is on a mission to elevate the standard of care with its Auroratm platform. By integrating non-destructive 3D imaging and AI, Alpenglow is not just on the cutting edge?it's creating it. With the goal of improving the lives for millions of patients, Alpenglow is the company to watch for elevating pathology to new heights. See what you've been missing at alpenglowbiosciences.com. 15 august 2024 at 07:05 News published onand distributed by: Vortex Energy Announces Commencement of Second Phase of Drilling at the Third Core Well at the Robinsons River Salt Project VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vortex Energy Corp. (CSE: VRTX | OTC: VTECF | FRA: AA3) ("Vortex" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the completion of the first phase of drilling of the third well at the Robinsons River Salt Project (the "Property"), located near Stephenville, Newfoundland & Labrador, and the commencement of the second phase of drilling. The drilling is being conducted by Forage FTE Drilling ("FTE") and Major Drilling International, Inc. ("Major Drilling") under the support and oversight of the Company's consultant partner, RESPEC Consulting Inc. ("RESPEC"), a leader in the design, development, and operations of underground cavern storage. As part of the first phase of drilling, FTE drilled using reverse flooded dual rotary drilling and casing to 327 meters. Major Drilling has commenced the second phase of drilling from 327 meters to approximately 1,000 meters using diamond drilling. The objective of the drilling is to confirm the depth of the salt structures and attain the geological and geochemical properties of the salt and non-salt rocks. In addition to the testing and data collection that RESPEC will complete on any core samples generated from drilling, the Company will also provide any such core samples to the University of Alberta for hydrogen testing and sampling. On April 29, 2024, Vortex's collaboration with the University of Alberta received Alberta Innovates Funding totaling $1.2 million for the project titled "Field Trial of Hydrogen Storage in Canadian Domal and Bedded Salts". Paul Sparkes, Chief Executive Officer, commented, "We are pleased to have completed the first phase of drilling and to move forward with the commencement of the second phase of drilling at the third core well. Vortex worked extensively with RESPEC and the drilling contractors to design a more comprehensive and robust drill program for the third well which we believe will result in the best chances of exploration success. We are looking forward to completing the drilling of the third core well and commencing testing on any core generated." About Vortex Energy Corp. Vortex Energy Corp. is an exploration stage company engaged principally in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in North America. The company is currently advancing its Robinson River Salt Project comprised of a total of 942 claims covering 23,500 hectares located approximately 35 linear kms south of the town of Stephenville in the Province of Newfoundland & Labrador. The Robinson River Salt Project is prospective for both salt and hydrogen salt cavern storage. The company is actively evaluating technologies to efficiently store hydrogen or energy in salt caverns. Vortex Energy Corp. also holds the Fire Eye Project, which is located in the Wollaston Domain of northern Saskatchewan, Canada. On Behalf of the Board of Directors Paul Sparkes Chief Executive Officer, Director +1 (778) 819-0164 [email protected] Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company's current beliefs or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. In particular, this press release contains forward-looking information relating to, among other things, the Company's exploration plans at the Project, including the planned drilling at the Project, the aim and objectives of the drilling and the generation of drill core from drilling that may be analyzed by the Company, RESPEC and the University of Alberta; and the Company's belief that the design of the current drill program being undertaken at the Project will address the geological challenges encountered during the drilling of hole one and two. Various assumptions or factors are typically applied in drawing conclusions or making the forecasts or projections set out in forward-looking information, including, in respect of the forward-looking information included in this press release, assumptions regarding the Company's ability to execute on its drilling program, including that it will be successful in carrying out the planned drilling and that such drilling will yield the expected information and the desired outcomes. Although forward-looking information is based on the reasonable assumptions of the Company's management, there can be no assurance that any forward-looking information will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include, among other things, the risk that exploration at the Project does not proceed in the manner and on the timeline currently contemplated, or at all; risks inherent in the exploration and development of mineral deposits, including risks relating to receiving requisite permits and approvals, changes in project parameters or delays as plans continue to be redefined, that mineral exploration is inherently uncertain and that the results of mineral exploration may not be indicative of the actual geology or mineralization of a project; and that mineral exploration may be unsuccessful or fail to achieve the results anticipated by the Company, including as a result of factors beyond the Company's control, such as geological conditions. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof, and the Company not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) has not reviewed, approved, or disapproved the contents of this ?press release.? 15 august 2024 at 08:00 News published onand distributed by: CEL-SCI Corporation Reports Third Quarter Fiscal 2024 Financial Results CEL-SCI Corporation (NYSE American: CVM) today reported financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2024, as well as key recent clinical and corporate developments. Clinical and Corporate Developments include: In July 2024, following the end of the third fiscal quarter, CEL-SCI reported the results of a bias analysis. The bias analysis, a standard process to ensure a trial's findings are reliable, was conducted in preparation for CEL-SCI's upcoming confirmatory Registration Study. This study will enroll 212 patients representing the target population for which Multikine had a 5-year survival of 73% vs. 45% in the control group. Detailed data on parameters including patient age, sex, race, tumor locations, and staging demonstrated balance between the treatment and control arms. No bias helping Multikine was found, supporting confidence that Multikine is the reason for the large increase in patient survival. CEL-SCI received the go-ahead from the FDA for its confirmatory Registration Study of Multikine in the treatment of head and neck cancer based on strong safety and efficacy data from the completed Phase 3 study which enrolled 928 patients. The FDA agreed with the pre-surgical selection of patients most likely to benefit from Multikine?those with newly diagnosed advanced primary head and neck cancer with no lymph node involvement (determined via PET scan) and with low PD-L1 tumor expression (determined via biopsy). In this target population in the Phase 3 study, Multikine demonstrated a 5-year survival of 73% vs a 45% survival in the control patients as well as a hazard ratio of 0.35. Dr. Eyal Talor, CEL-SCI's Chief Scientific Officer, delivered a presentation titled "Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy for Head and Neck Cancer: Low Tumor PD-L1 Expression - IT-MATTERS ? RCT" at the International Drug Discovery Science & Technology (IDDST) 20th Annual Congress in Budapest, Hungary. Highlights of the presentation include: Multikine significantly increases overall survival in patients with low levels of tumor cell PD-L1 expression in contrast to approved checkpoint inhibitors 73% survival for Multikine vs 45% in the control arm at 5 years Statistically significant log rank p = 0.0015 5-year risk of death cut in half from 55% to 27% Hazard ratio = 0.35 (95% CIs [0.19, 0.66]) The presentation may be accessed on CEL-SCI's website at the following LINK CEL-SCI strengthened its Board of Directors with the addition of Mario Gobbo and the appointment of Robert Watson as Chairperson of the Board. Mr. Gobbo has nearly 40 years of banking and corporate finance experience in healthcare and energy. Mr. Watson brings extensive expertise in capital formation strategies and partnerships, having negotiated over a half dozen exits and more than $750 million in capital transactions including IPOs, secondary offerings, and debt instruments. Key opinion leader, Dr. Giovanni Selvaggi, joined CEL-SCI as a Clinical Advisor. Dr. Selvaggi, who has brought several oncology drugs to market, is a US-based drug developer, cancer researcher, and strategic advisor to big pharma and early-to-late-stage biotech companies. He joins several other top-tier physician consultants and head and neck cancer key opinion leaders who are advisors to CEL-SCI. "We achieved significant and critical milestones in the third fiscal quarter including receiving the FDA's green light on our confirmatory Registration Study of Multikine to address a vast unmet need in treating newly diagnosed head and neck cancer. Our data is so strong, and now further validated by the bias analysis, that the FDA has agreed to a 212-person study," stated CEL-SCI CEO, Geert Kersten. "We believe, as do independent statisticians, that the Registration Study is highly likely to succeed because it aims to confirm prior findings which showed excellent survival benefit." Financial Results Research and development expenses were $4.7 million during the three months ended June 30, 2024, compared to $5.7 million for the three months ended June 30, 2023. General and administrative expenses in the three months ended June 30, 2024 were $2.0 million compared to $2.5 million in the three months ended June 30, 2023. Following the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2024, on July 29, 2024, CEL-SCI closed on an equity fundraise of $10.85 million. About CEL-SCI Corporation CEL-SCI believes that boosting a patient's immune system while it is still intact should provide the greatest possible impact on survival. Multikine is designed to help the immune system "target" the tumor at a time when the immune system is still relatively intact and thereby thought to be better able to mount an attack on the tumor. Multikine (Leukocyte Interleukin, Injection), a true first-line cancer therapy, has been dosed in over 740 patients and received Orphan Drug designation from the FDA for neoadjuvant therapy in patients with squamous cell carcinoma (cancer) of the head and neck. Multikine significantly extended life in its target patient population demonstrating a 73% survival rate with Multikine vs. only 45% without at 5 years after treatment. Based on this very strong data, the FDA agreed to CEL-SCI's target patient selection criteria and gave the go-ahead to conduct a small, focused, confirmatory Registration Study which will enroll 212 patients. CEL-SCI will enroll newly diagnosed locally advanced primary head and neck cancer patients with no lymph node involvement (determined via PET scan) and with low PD-L1 tumor expression (determined via biopsy), representing over 100,000 patients annually. The Company has operations in Vienna, Virginia, and near/in Baltimore, Maryland. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. When used in this press release, the words "intends," "believes," "anticipated," "plans" and "expects," and similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include an inability to duplicate the clinical results demonstrated in clinical studies, timely development of any potential products that can be shown to be safe and effective, receiving necessary regulatory approvals, difficulties in manufacturing any of the Company's potential products, inability to raise the necessary capital and the risk factors set forth from time to time in CEL-SCI's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to its report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2023. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the result of any revision to these forward-looking statements which may be made to reflect the events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. * Multikine (Leukocyte Interleukin, Injection) is the trademark that CEL-SCI has registered for this investigational therapy. This proprietary name is subject to FDA review in connection with the Company's future anticipated regulatory submission for approval. Multikine has not been licensed or approved for sale, barter or exchange by the FDA or any other regulatory agency. Similarly, its safety or efficacy has not been established for any use. CEL-SCI CORPORATION CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS NINE MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2024 AND 2023 (UNAUDITED) 2024 2023 Operating expenses: Research and development $ 13,684,204 $ 17,203,823 General and administrative 6,547,866 6,804,729 Total operating expenses 20,232,070 24,008,552 Operating loss (20,232,070 ) (24,008,552 ) Interest expense, net (571,102 ) (493,522 ) Other expense (7,801 ) (61,525 ) Net loss (20,810,973 ) (24,563,599 ) Modification of warrants (659,456 ) (171,552 ) Net loss available to common shareholders $ (21,470,429 ) $ (24,735,151 ) Net loss per common share ? basic and diluted $ (0.42 ) $ (0.57 ) Weighted average common shares outstanding ? basic and diluted 51,479,454 43,761,395 CEL-SCI CORPORATION CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS THREE MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2024 AND 2023 (UNAUDITED) 2024 2023 Operating expenses: Research and development $ 4,703,160 $ 5,727,789 General and administrative 1,967,075 2,453,968 Total operating expenses 6,670,235 8,181,757 Operating loss (6,670,235 ) (8,181,757 ) Interest expense, net (190,705 ) (181,670 ) Other income (expense) 4,382 (3,854 ) Net loss (6,856,558 ) (8,367,281 ) Modification of warrants (659,456 ) - Net loss available to common shareholders $ (7,516,014 ) $ (8,367,281 ) Net loss per common share ? basic and diluted $ (0.14 ) $ (0.19 ) Weighted average common shares outstanding ? basic and diluted 53,994,384 44,254,363 15 august 2024 at 08:05 News published onand distributed by: Aspen Aerogels, Inc. Announces New Appointment to its Board of Directors NORTHBOROUGH, Mass., Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Aspen Aerogels, Inc. (NYSE: ASPN) ("Aspen" or the "Company"), a technology leader in sustainability and electrification solutions, today announced the appointment of Cari Robinson to its Board of Directors ("Board"). Ms. Robinson was also appointed to the Audit Committee and the Nominating, Governance and Sustainability Committee of the Board. Ms. Robinson, 61, currently serves as Senior Managing Director at August Strategic Communications, a strategic communications and crisis advisory firm, where she advises clients on matters in areas including reputation management, crisis management, litigation and investigations, and cybersecurity and data breach incident response. Ms. Robinson is also the founder of Black Dog Advisory, LLC, a consulting firm providing services in connection with organizational transformation, risk, governance, cybersecurity preparedness, compliance and regulatory issues. Previously, Ms. Robinson served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Revlon, Inc., where she oversaw Revlon's worldwide legal affairs, including physical security, acquisitions and divestitures, capital markets and restructuring, corporate governance, compliance, regulatory matters, marketing, intellectual property, licensing, human resources matters, commercial transactions, litigation, and global privacy and security. During her tenure, Ms. Robinson led Revlon through a series of complex refinancings, capital markets transactions, restructuring and reorganization activities, and the successful resolution of numerous litigation, regulatory, compliance and financial controls matters. Ms. Robinson also helped design and implement Revlon's compliance, securities, governance, data privacy, cybersecurity, ESG and ERM programs, reducing the company's financial, legal and reputational risk worldwide. Prior to her tenure at Revlon, Ms. Robinson served in several positions at the International Business Machines Corporation ("IBM"), including as Associate General Counsel, Corporate Litigation, and as Vice President, Assistant General Counsel, Investigations & Cybersecurity, where she established and led a global team responsible for handling internal investigations, regulatory matters, cybersecurity incidents and data breaches. In that role, she also advised senior management and business leaders on risk, strategy, and corporate governance issues and partnered with the compliance team on internal investigative, governance and policy matters, training and education. As a senior executive in IBM's Litigation Department, Ms. Robinson developed and led a progressive global support team and effected cost and transformation measures that yielded substantial long-term savings and sustained growth. In that role, Ms. Robinson also managed worldwide corporate litigation matters, including the defense and successful resolution of 100+ million-dollar lawsuits in areas ranging from commercial contract disputes to intellectual property enforcement to securities class actions to sensitive employment disputes, and the resolution of prelitigation disputes across all areas of IBM's business. Ms. Robinson was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York, where she investigated and prosecuted scores of federal criminal matters and tried cases and argued appeals before the federal courts. She began her career as an associate at the law firm of Davis Polk & Wardwell. Ms. Robinson received her Bachelor of Arts in English from Vassar College and her Juris Doctor from Emory University School of Law. "Cari's extensive corporate leadership background, marked by sharp strategic thinking and a keen business sense, will be a significant asset to Aspen and its Board. Her ability to navigate complex risks and lead with clarity and foresight will help drive our organization forward," said Donald R. Young, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. "Aspen's Board is built to provide strong oversight and stewardship, following best-in-class corporate governance practices. As our evolving business continues to grow, we are committed to incorporating additional value-add elements into our leadership pipeline, including diversity and rich subject matter expertise across both our executive management team and our Board of Directors. I, along with the rest of the Board members, am excited to welcome Cari and her complementary skillset, which will bring a fresh perspective, new ways of thinking, and thoughtful collaboration to our team." Ms. Robinson commented, "It is a privilege to join Aspen and serve alongside this accomplished Board of Directors. I anticipate playing an active role on the Board, as well as on the Audit Committee and the Nominating, Governance and Sustainability Committee, to contribute to the realization of Aspen's full potential across various markets and industries." About Aspen Aerogels, Inc. Aspen is a technology leader in sustainability and electrification solutions. The Company's aerogel technology enables its customers and partners to achieve their own objectives around the global megatrends of resource efficiency, e-mobility, and clean energy. Aspen's PyroThin products enable solutions to thermal runaway challenges within the electric vehicle ("EV") market. Aspen Battery Materials, the Company's carbon aerogel initiative, seeks to increase the performance of lithium-ion battery cells to enable EV manufacturers to extend the driving range and reduce the cost of EVs. The Company's Cryogel and Pyrogel products are valued by the world's largest energy infrastructure companies. Aspen's strategy is to partner with world-class industry leaders to leverage its Aerogel Technology Platform into additional high-value markets. Aspen is headquartered in Northborough, Mass. For more information, please visit www.aerogel.com . SOURCE Aspen Aerogels, Inc. 15 august 2024 at 08:30 News published onand distributed by: Promoting Production Circularity With a Powerful Partnership in Denmark NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 / "One man's trash is another man's cash." Do you know this saying? Well, take the statement to a higher level and add an industrial, private-public set-up: then you will get an idea of what the Kalundborg Symbiosis is. The Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Denmark production site is now part of this partnership to promote sustainability and a more circular approach to production. In the Kalundborg Symbiosis, the city's biggest industrial companies work together across sectors to share excess energy, water, and materials, so less goes to waste. As public and private companies are physically connected, one company's surplus of resources adds value to another. Today, more than 20 different streams of excess resources flow between the companies, creating a symbiosis of resource exchange, adding more resilience and profit to the partners. As a local industrial player in Kalundborg, our production site Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Denmark is an important partner for the Kalundborg Symbiosis. The symbiosis is a partnership between public and private companies aiming to use fewer resources and take a more circular approach to production. While Kalundborg is located in a small corner of West Zealand, about 90 minutes' drive from Copenhagen, the symbiosis is a globally inspiring example of ways to achieve more sustainability. Established in 1972, the symbiosis offers 50 years of experience. Saving money and minimizing waste Ole Jrgensen, Site Director, Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Denmark, explains why we are joining the partnership: "Together with the leadership team, I'm thrilled that we are now part of Kalundborg Symbiosis. It does make sense to be in a local partnership, where we can share and reuse resources, thus saving both money and minimizing waste. Another pleasing point is that we can tap into a professional network in the field of sustainability to connect even better with key profiles in our local community. This also allows us to become more visible to new potential employees and business partners." Sharing excess water, energy, and materials Including Boehringer, the Kalundborg Symbiosis now has 20 public and private companies (status: 2024). All follow the main principle of the Symbiosis: one partner's waste becomes another partner's resource. Collaboration and knowledge sharing is key. "Joining the Symbiosis allows us to work together with other companies across sectors to share excess energy, water, and materials, so waste is minimized. It is a tangible example of how we in Denmark are striving to be more sustainable and recycle resources, and thus implement our sustainability strategy," Jrgensen says, adding, "We are motivated to become more green and to recycle as many resources as possible - and the Symbiosis aligns with this ambition." A true win-win situation Currently, there is one specific type of waste from discarded Bovikalc (an oral calcium supplement for dairy cows) that can possibly be absorbed in another company's raw material - or used in fertilization. "For obvious reasons, it is meaningful to let others benefit from our waste instead of paying a fee to the local environmental authorities for getting rid of production waste materials," Jrgensen explains. "The circular approach is a greener and better way of production." Boehringer is aiming to become carbon neutral in company operations by 2030 by reducing and minimizing emissions, a goal that is shared with the Kalundborg Symbiosis. ----- Find out more about Boehringer Ingelheim's global sustainability initiatives, ranging from creating more sustainable healthcare solutions and community engagement with impact to environmental stewardship in Imagine: our sustainability story hub. ----- These collaborative partners of the Kalundborg Symbiosis work together to share resources for mutual benefit. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Boehringer Ingelheim on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Boehringer Ingelheim Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/boehringer-ingelheim Email: [email protected] SOURCE: Boehringer Ingelheim 15 august 2024 at 08:45 View the original press release on accesswire.comNews published onand distributed by: IEEE Standards Association (IEEE SA) Earns Accreditation from the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) to Develop National Standards of Canada IEEE Standards Association (IEEE SA), the global, consensus-building standards development organization (SDO) of IEEE, the world's largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for humanity, announced today that it has received accreditation from the Standards Council of Canada (SCC). IEEE SA's entry into SCC's network of accredited SDOs begins the collaboration between SCC and IEEE SA to deliver global standards and related solutions to better serve the needs of customers, organizations, and policy-makers in Canada. SCC's accreditation sends a clear message that stakeholders can rely on IEEE global standards and the integrity of processes by which they are developed. As an SCC-accredited SDO, IEEE SA can submit IEEE standards to SCC for adoption as National Standards of Canada. Standards help ensure that the technology society relies on functions safely, securely, and sustainably. IEEE SA has a rich history of delivering solutions that impact technological innovation, interoperability, and expansion of global markets and consumer choice. "The IEEE SA is a trusted global partner whose standards benefit humanity. Its open, collaborative environment offers a multitude of pathways to achieve technically sound and implementable outcomes that help address market needs as well as societal ones. The recent SCC accreditation is another example demonstrating the trust the world places in us, our standardization environment, our communities, and our standards," said Alpesh Shah, Managing Director, IEEE SA. "We look to continue to uphold that trust as we further enable SCC's aims to improve the lives of people living in Canada through the Canadian Standardization Ecosystem." "We are excited to welcome IEEE SA as our newest SDO," said Elias Rafoul, SCC Vice-President, Accreditation Services Branch. "Canada's standardization system will benefit greatly from their vast expertise in autonomous and intelligent systems, connectivity and telecom, energy, health care and life sciences, and mobility." SCC works with a vast network of partners nationally and around the world, acting as Canada's voice on standards and accreditation on the international stage, while also serving as Canada's leading accreditation organization. Jim Matthews, President of IEEE SA, said: "Like IEEE SA, SCC is a leader in innovation, working strategically to tackle some of the world's greatest challenges. From fighting climate change to embracing digital transformation, SCC is driving real-world solutions. They are wholeheartedly committed to helping stakeholders in Canada succeed on a global scale. This is a mutually collaborative relationship benefitting IEEE SA and SCC." "Collaboration is at the heart of standardization," said Chantal Guay, CEO of Standards Council of Canada. "We are delighted to have IEEE SA join our network of accredited SDOs, which fosters trust in the systems, products and services that benefit industry, government and consumers." About the IEEE Standards Association IEEE Standards Association (IEEE SA) is a collaborative organization where innovators raise the world's standards for technology. IEEE SA provides a globally open, consensus-building environment and platform that empowers people to work together in the development of leading-edge, market-relevant technology standards, and industry solutions shaping a better, safer and sustainable world. About IEEE IEEE is the world's largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. Through its highly cited publications, conferences, technology standards, and professional and educational activities, IEEE is the trusted voice in a wide variety of areas ranging from aerospace systems, computers, and telecommunications to biomedical engineering, electric power, and consumer electronics. Learn more at https://www.ieee.org. About The Standards Council of Canada Since 1970, the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) has helped make life safer, healthier, more prosperous and sustainable for people, communities and businesses in Canada through the power of standardization. SCC works with a vast network of partners nationally and around the world, acting as Canada's voice on standards and accreditation on the international stage, including as a member of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). As the country's leading accreditation organization, SCC creates market confidence at home and abroad by ensuring conformity assessment bodies meet the highest expectations. In all these ways, SCC opens a world of possibilities. 15 august 2024 at 09:10 News published onand distributed by: Air Canada Vacations Invites Canadians to Share Their Vacation Mood MONTREAL, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Air Canada Vacations is thrilled to announce the launch of its ?Vacation Mood' fall/winter brand campaign. The social-first campaign was designed to put Canadian travellers at the forefront by inviting them to share their vacation mood on social media with the hashtag #MyVacationMood and tagging @aircanadavacations for a chance to be featured on Air Canada Vacations' social channels. The campaign aims to create a travel community of real people on real vacations, exchanging and sharing unique travel experiences. "We want to inspire Canadians to dream about their next vacation by inviting them to have a voice in our campaign," said Nino Montagnese, Vice President at Air Canada Vacations. "By creating authentic, emotional connections through travel, we celebrate the way it makes us feel and brings us together." The campaign, which runs from August 15 ? September 8, 2024, includes digital and social media, a ?My Vacation Mood' contest, and out-of-home media placements in key cities across the country, each depicting a series of playful vacation moods and moments. "When you consider that travel planning is often inspired by social media and recommendations from friends and family, it seemed like a natural fit to ask Canadians to share their vacation moods so that others can discover new adventures, destinations, and unique travel experiences," said Selma Filali, Senior Director of Marketing & E-Commerce at Air Canada Vacations. The campaign also unveils Air Canada Vacations new 2024/2025 Digital Sun Guide that features a curated collection of all-inclusive travel packages and sun getaways. With over 600 options to choose from, Canadians looking to escape the cold are sure to find the perfect destination to suit their travel style and budget. To celebrate the launch, Air Canada Vacations is also inviting Canadians to enter for a chance to win a one-week, all-inclusive trip to the beautiful Riviera Maya, known for its lush landscape and stunning beaches. Complete contest details here. About Air Canada Vacations: Air Canada Vacations is a leading travel expert that has been delivering unparalleled travel moments to Canadians for close to 50 years. A repeat recipient of the Consumer's Choice Award, the tour operator offers tailored vacation packages and cruises that fit each traveller's individual needs. With convenient connectors from several Canadian cities and a wide array of destinations across Mexico and the Caribbean, Central and South America, Europe, Canada, the USA, Asia, Australia and Dubai, Air Canada Vacations packages include flights on board Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge and the ability to earn and redeem Aeroplan Points. To learn more about making your dreams travel, visit www.aircanadavacations.com. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/69967b8e-4b9c-42da-97ad-c3d88662aa3c For more information, interviews, or high-resolution images, please contact: [email protected] | https://vacations.aircanada.com/? 15 august 2024 at 10:00 News published onand distributed by: Nemat Shafik, then president of Columbia University, at a hearing in the House of Representatives, in Washington, April 17, 2024. DREW ANGERER / AFP And that makes three: After Harvard's Claudine Gay and the University of Pennsylvania's Elizabeth Magill, it was Nemat Shafik's turn to tender her resignation as president of Columbia University, on Wednesday, August 14. The three recently appointed women did not survive the pro-Palestinian outpouring from students and some faculty on their campuses and the backlash from resolutely pro-Israeli major donors and the Republican Party. Shafik, 61, stepped down immediately. "This period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in our community," explained Shafik, who goes by the nickname "Minouche," in a letter to the Columbia academic community. "Over the summer, I have been able to reflect and have decided that my moving on at this point would best enable Columbia to traverse the challenges ahead." She added that she had accepted a position with the British foreign secretary to lead an evaluation of the government's approach to international development. "Minouche has contributed so much to the Columbia community in an extraordinarily challenging time," the school's board co-chairs wrote in a statement, adding, "While we are disappointed to see her leave us, we understand and respect her decision." Republican Representative for New York Elise Stefanik, who led the Congressional hearings on universities' handling of pro-Palestinian protests, was jubilant on X on Wednesday evening. "THREE DOWN, so many to go. As I have said consistently since her catastrophic testimony at the Education and Workforce Committee hearing, Columbia University's President Minouche Shafik's failed presidency was untenable and that is was only a matter of time before her forced resignation. After failing to protect Jewish students and negotiating with pro Hamas terrorists, this forced resignation is long overdue. We will continue to demand moral clarity, condemnation of antisemitism, protection of Jewish students and faculty, and stronger leadership from American higher education institutions," wrote Stefanik. Accused of breaking a taboo It all happened in April, at the height of the Gaza solidarity movement on campuses. Shafik was put to the test at a hearing conducted in the House of Representatives by Trump-supporting Stefanik, following in the footsteps of her Harvard and Pennsylvania colleagues, in December 2023. Anxious not to repeat the mistakes of her peers, Shafik gave pledges. Asked by Stefanik whether calling for the genocide of the Jews violated their university's bylaws, the Harvard and Penn presidents had replied that it "depended on the context." Shafik, determined not to make her colleagues' mistake, asserted that "yes," it violates it. You have 61.94% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only. Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein waits to speak at a board of elections meeting at City Hall in Philadelphia, October 2, 2019. MATT ROURKE / AP An employee of the Democratic National Committee filed a complaint Wednesday, August 14, seeking to remove the Green Party's presidential candidate from the ballot in Wisconsin, arguing that the party is ineligible. It's the latest move by the DNC to block third-party candidates from the ballot. Democrats are also seeking to stop independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in several states. The Green Party's appearance on the presidential ballot could make a difference in swing state Wisconsin, where four of the past six presidential elections have been decided by between 5,700 votes and about 23,000 votes. Jill Stein is expected to officially become the Green Partys presidential nominee at its national convention, which begins Thursday. The last time Stein was on the ballot in Wisconsin for the Green Party was in 2016, when she got just over 31,000 votes more than Donald Trump's winning margin that year of just under 23,000 votes. Some Democrats blamed Stein for helping Trump win the state and the presidency. The bipartisan elections commission in February unanimously approved ballot access for the Green Partys presidential nominee this year because the party won more than 1% of the vote in a statewide race in 2022. Green Party candidate Sharyl McFarland got nearly 1.6% of the vote in a four-way race for secretary of state, coming in last. But the complaint filed with the commission by a DNC employee alleges that the Green Party can't nominate presidential electors in Wisconsin, and without them they are forbidden from having a presidential candidate on the ballot. Tight races in key states State law requires that those who nominate electors in October be state officers, which includes members of the Legislature, judges and others. They could also be candidates for the Legislature. The Green Party does not have anyone who qualifies to be a nominator, and therefore can't legally name a slate of presidential electors as required by law, the complaint alleges. Because the Green Party could have mounted write-in campaigns for legislative candidates in Tuesday's primary, but did not, the complaint could not have been brought any sooner than Wednesday, the filing alleges. "We take the nomination process for President and Vice President very seriously and believe every candidate should follow the rules," Adrienne Watson, senior adviser to the DNC, said in a statement. "Because the Wisconsin Green Party hasnt fielded candidates for legislative or statewide office and doesnt have any current incumbent legislative or statewide office holders, it cannot nominate candidates and should not be on the ballot in November." This is not the first time the Green Party's ballot status has been challenged. In 2020, the Wisconsin Supreme Court kept the Green Party presidential candidate off the ballot after it upheld a deadlocked Wisconsin Elections Commission, which couldn't agree on whether the candidates filed proper paperwork. Read more Subscribers only Kamala Harris chooses Tim Walz as running mate in hope of winning over Great Lakes region voters Not the first challenge This year, in addition to the Republican, Democratic and Green parties, the Constitution and Libertarian parties also have ballot access. The commission is meeting on Aug. 27 to determine whether four independent candidates for president, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Cornel West, met the requirements to appear on the ballot. The DNC employee asks that the commission also consider its complaint at that meeting as well. There are signs in some swing states, including Wisconsin , that those behind third-party candidates are trying to affect the outcome of the presidential race by using deceptive means and in most cases in ways that would benefit Trump. Their aim is to to offer left-leaning, third-party alternatives who could siphon off a few thousand protest votes. The latest Marquette University Law School poll conducted July 24 through Aug. 1 showed the presidential contest in Wisconsin between Democrat Kamala Harris and Trump to be about even among likely voters. Stein barely registered, with about 1% support, while Kennedy had 6%. The complaint was filed by David Strange, deputy operations director in Wisconsin for the DNC. Emmanuel Macron at the G7 summit in Savelletri, Italy, June 14, 2024. TIZIANA FABI / AFP How do you commemorate a piece of shared French and African history at a time when Paris's policy on the continent is being challenged? That is the dilemma facing French President Emmanuel Macron at the Provence landing ceremonies scheduled for Thursday, August 15, at Boulouris and off the coast of Toulon in southern France. To celebrate the 80th anniversary of this operation, dubbed "Dragoon," the second act after the Normandy landings on June 6, 1944, which led to the liberation of France, the Elysee Palace wanted to display a "very high level of African participation." The majority of the 250,000 or so soldiers in this "B army," led by General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny (now known as the "First Army"), came from the colonies. On Wednesday, French authorities announced the participation of five African heads of state: Paul Biya of Cameroon, Azali Assoumani of the Comoros, Faure Gnassingbe of Togo, Faustin-Archange Touadera of the Central African Republic and General Brice Oligui Nguema, the president of the Gabonese transition. Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Guinea, Magadascar, Senegal and Tunisia are expected to be represented at ministerial level. While most French-speaking African countries will be present at this commemoration, where it is customary for the French president to honor the contribution of African tirailleurs [indigenous troops in the French army during colonization] to the liberation of France from the Nazi yoke, the level of their participation remains below that of the 70th anniversary. On August 15, 2014, 12 African presidents made the trip alongside former president Francois Hollande, and a total of 19 states were represented. Read more Subscribers only French army works on finishing touches of reorganization in Africa Regaining the upper hand But since then, in many countries of the former French sphere of influence, Hollande's successor Macron has been confronted with a powerful sovereigntist wave, fanned by the rise of protest against France's African policy. The Elysee resident's commitment to issues of remembrance, one of the main thrusts of his African policy since his first term in office, has suffered as a result. Heads of state on the continent are now daring to show that they are regaining the upper hand vis-a-vis the former colonizer. Macron can, however, count on the presence of one of France's oldest allies in Africa. The oldest of the invited heads of state, Cameroon's President Biya, aged 91 with 41 years in power, is due to deliver a speech on Thursday morning from the Boulouris military cemetery, where lie the bodies of 464 soldiers killed during the liberation of France via the shores of Provence. Macron and his counterparts are then due to travel to Toulon where they will attend a re-enactment of the landings on the beaches of Le Mourillon aboard the amphibious helicopter carrier Dixmude. You have 59.64% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only. MAYOR John Moran has declared an ownership or interest in nine properties across Ireland. The information is revealed as part of a declaration made by the first citizen, which he has decided to make publicly available in the interests of transparency. All politicians must fill in a form like this, which is available publicly from the body which they serve, be it council or the Oireachtas. Mayor Moran made his declaration available to everybody online, without the need for people to visit the council buildings to view it. READ MORE: Broadford focus on eco tourism offering And he has called on other local councillors to do likewise so Limerick can lead in transparency. He listed nine homes in his declaration, spread across Limerick and Dublin. Mayor Morans main residence is listed as being in Raheen. But his principal residence, according to the declaration will soon change to an address in the citys Georgian Quarter. He has a home in Chapelizod, just outside Dublin city centre, used for when working in the capital. Meanwhile, a number of other properties are being rented to tenants , with one set to be sold. The directly elected mayor also disclosed that he also owns, and in some cases rents out, properties in France and New York, but did not detail these further. Elsewhere, he revealed he is the sole shareholder of a consulting and investment firm RHH International. This will continue to operate on a limited basis following his mayoral election. The firm has consultation contracts with engineering firm Taklumi, Direct Route, which operates the Limerick Tunnel, and Grid Finance, which provides loans to business. Mayor Morans declaration also showed RHH International also had consulting contracts with Nautilus, which is seeking to build a floating data centre in Limerick, and the Paris-based investment firm Meridiam. These deals, he said, were terminated in 2023 to avoid any sense of potential conflicts. Mayor Moran also disclosed that he holds, or has held in the recent past, a number of directorships. Among these are an apartment owners management company in New York, a former restaurant in Cordes, in France, and a building materials company in Dublin. Hes added he is in talks to end, or reduce the number of directorships he has in the months to come. Ryanair is celebrating over 20 million passengers through Shannon Airport since it began operations to and from the Mid-West airport in 1987. Ryanair was the first low-cost airline to operate from Shannon and over the past 37 years, it has invested heavily in the region, including its three Shannon-based aircraft, which saw an investment of over 300 million, supporting over 1,250 local jobs. The airlines state-of-the-art maintenance facility, opened in 2022, saw a further 10 million investment as well as the creation of 200 high-skill local jobs. "We are delighted to celebrate over 20 million Ryanair passengers through Shannon Airport," Ryanairs Head of Communications, Jade Kirwan said. "This significant milestone showcases Ryanairs continued growth and investment at Shannon, where Ryanair has operated proudly since 1987, delivering growth, investment, and jobs for the mid-west. Read Also: Shannon Airport shortlisted for two awards "We look forward to carrying millions more passengers on Ryanairs low-fare flights to/from Shannon over the years to come. When Ryanair first came to Shannon Airport, it operated a single route to London/Luton. Today, Ryanair and Shannon Airport provide essential connectivity for passengers to 26 destinations across 10 countries in Europe. This summer alone, Ryanair are operating over 90 weekly flights from Shannon Airport to 26 destinations in Europe. Welcoming the 20 million Ryanair passengers milestone, Mary Considine, CEO of The Shannon Airport Group said: Reaching over 20 million passengers is an extremely impressive result and, we would like to congratulate Ryanair on this remarkable milestone. "It is a testament to the exceptional service, dedication, and commitment that Ryanair consistently delivers to travellers. We have forged a strong partnership with Ryanair, built on our shared commitment to providing essential business and leisure connectivity for passengers in this region and beyond to destinations across Europe and the UK," she continued. Over the years, Ryanair has demonstrated its commitment to Shannon. In 2022 they opened their first aircraft heavy maintenance facility in Ireland with an investment of 10 million going into Shannon Airport. "We are immensely proud to support such a distinguished partner in connecting communities, supporting the regional economy and employment, and enhancing the travel experience for millions and we are excited to continue working closely with them as we aim for further milestones in the future," Ms Considine concluded. Clare County Council have received approval to submit a planning application for a much needed flood relief scheme for Kilkee. Kieran ODonnell, Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW) announced that his office has given the approval for the council to submit the application. Minister ODonnell said he wished to "acknowledge the support from the Kilkee community that was valuable to inform the design of a scheme for its town, which will protect the 134 properties including 118 residential and families at risk from flooding. Kilkee experiences regular flooding due to the Victoria Stream overflowing its banks. In 2018, following the Governments introduction of Flood Risk Management Plans, Clare County Council with funding from the OPW appointed JBA engineering and environmental consultants to design a flood relief scheme for Kilkee. Read Also: Shannon Airport shortlisted for two awards The scheme design for Kilkee consists of the construction of new flood defence walls, embankments, box culverts and open channels along the Victoria Stream and Well Stream, combined with a channel diversion and the creation of flood water storage areas along the Victoria Scheme. The approval is the outcome of very detailed engineering analysis, environmental assessments and engagement with the public on the sources of flooding from Kilkees rivers and streams, including the Victoria, Well and Atlantic Streams and the options to protect the town. This is the first of two planned schemes for Kilkee and work is separately continuing on design for a scheme to manage the risk from coastal flooding in the town, Minister ODonnell said. "Flood Relief Schemes are already in place in Ennis, protecting some 2,000 properties and Sixmilebridge. "A 5m flood relief scheme at Springfield is nearing completion and will protect 21 properties. Flood relief schemes are also being progressed for Shannon Town, with planning application expected in the first half of 2025. "Clare County Council is preparing tenders to employ technical engineering and environmental services to progress flood relief schemes for Bunratty and Kilrush," Minister ODonnell concluded. The cost of constructing the proposed scheme will be met from the Governments commitment to managing Irelands flood risk through the 1.3bn for flood relief measures set out in the National Development Plan. THE LIMERICK farmer who tragically died following a bull attack will be laid to rest on Saturday. The late Bobby Richardson, of Killeenagarriff, Lisnagry has been fondly remembered as "a pure gentleman" following his untimely passing on Tuesday morning. He is sadly missed by his loving wife Joan, sons Henry and Martin, daughter Brid and their partners Martina, Sinead and Harry, grandson Harry and granddaughter Winnie, brothers George and Noel, sisters Mary, Rebecca and Teresa. brothers in law, sisters in law, nephews, nieces, cousins, neighbours, relations and friends. Reposing at his son Martins home (V94 KF2C) on Friday, August 16 from 4pm onwards. Arriving on Saturday to St Patricks Church, Ahane, for Requiem Mass at 11.30am. Burial afterwards in Killeenagarriff Cemetery. Many have expressed their sympathies to the Richardson family on RIP.ie following their tragic loss of Bobby. "So sorry to hear the devastating news of your dear Bobby's passing. We are all heartbroken for you. Words cannot express the sadness we feel for you all. May you get strength from each other to get through the dark days ahead. The bed of heaven to his gentle soul," wrote one. Former councillor John Egan, from nearby Murroe and a fellow farmer, expressed his condolences to the Richardson family on Bobby's passing. One man said he worked with Bobby in a number of places and he was "a pure gentleman". Another mourner wrote "Bobby was a kind, gentle soul and will be fondly remembered in our community". May he rest in peace. A FRESH planning application could be made for a campsite in West Limerick. It comes with a meeting being sought over the refusal of plans to retain a caravan park and campsite in West Limerick. Fine Gael councillor Liam Galvin is seeking the meeting between local authority planners, the applicant Jason Carmody and his agent. It comes after planners denied Mr Camody permission to keep operating his business, Limerick Campsite and Aire located just outside Feenagh. READ MORE: Company reveals plans to open new office in Limerick The businessman, who is chairman of the Irish Motorhome Working Group, acknowledged he did not initially seek permission from council to develop and open the park. It meant he had to apply to council for what is known as retention permission. But, as revealed by Limerick Live last week, this was refused, and now Mr Carmody says he will shut down the park by September 1 next. However, Cllr Galvin, who is a supporter of the park in Feenagh is now seeking a meeting which, he believes, could pave the way for Mr Carmody making a fresh planning application to council. He was critical of the local authority for not seeking further information during the planning process, a move which he believes, could have brought about a positive solution for the campsite owner. Further information requests are a common part of the planning permission process in Ireland. They occur when a planning authority seeks more details about a proposed development to assist in the decision-making process. I want to sit down and find out, if this development can be achieved, lets achieve it. If not, it is fine, Cllr Galvin told the Limerick Leader. A number of local residents had written to council expressing concern over the development. One person wrote they had experienced an increase in noise, traffic and littering. They also alleged they had witnessed dog fouling. Another pointed to a lack of public water supply in the area and the fact breeding buzzards have been reintroduced to the area. Cllr Galvin said: I dont blame the public for objecting. They want to get it right. How can the council turn around and refuse an application without sending out a request for further information to give the guy a chance to get it right? The bottom line is a new application is more than likely going to have to go in, said the councillor. Cllr Galvin repeated his view that he feels the campsite is a positive development for the community. Any development in West Limerick which will improve the fortunes of small businesses, I am all for it, he concluded. WITH one of the most recognisable names in the world and a net worth of an estimated $1.7bn (1.5bn), Kim Kardashian would not be used to rejection. However, Hollywood-actor Dominic West revealed that his mother-in-law, Olda FitzGerald of Glin Castle, did just that and rejected the Kardashians request to stay at the west Limerick landmark in 2014. Dominic let slip on the Travel Secrets podcast that the billionaire was refused entry to Glin Castle. The castle is owned by Dominic and his wife, Catherine FitzGerald. He said: Limerick is a great county and were on the North Kerry border, on the banks of the River Shannon, so its really beautiful. She [Kim] rang up my mother-in-law and said: Can we come and stay at Glin? Laughing telling the story, Dominic said: She [Olda] said, Im sorry, were closed. READ MORE: Mediaeval magic awaits as Limerick castle gates open to all for one day only When Olda told Catherine and Dominic about the phone conversation, they were stunned, and said: Who? You said what?. Kim had seemingly been looking to honeymoon in Ireland and more specifically, Limerick, with now ex-husband, Kanye West. Dominic said that the then-newlyweds had no choice but to opt for a five-star hotel in Co Laois instead. Ballyfin Hotel is based on Glin and was owned by a wonderful American man, who bought it and restored it on the advice of my wifes father, Dominic said about the Kardashian/Wests second choice of honeymoon destination in Laois. I'm not sure they had a great time. They went and watched a film in Portlaoise town, which isnt really glamorous, Dominic said. Glin Castle was taken over by Dominic and Catherine after her father, Desmond, the last Knight of Glin, died in 2011. An annual open-day for the public to take a tour guide of the castle is taking place on Sunday, August 25. Tickets are 10 and will be available to purchase at the gates. Live cockroaches and congealed fat on kitchen equipment, altered use-by-dates and a rodent carcass in a trap are just some of the reasons for closure orders served on food businesses last month. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) today reported that a total of 16 Enforcement Orders were served on food businesses during the month of July for breaches of food safety legislation. The Enforcement Orders were issued by Environmental Health Officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE). Three Closure Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on premises around Dublin city, while nine Closure Orders were served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on premises in Roscommon, Dublin and Tipperary. Six of the Closure Orders, on a number of food businesses on the Fonthill road in Clondalkin, county Dublin, were due to evidence of ongoing cockroach activity. Other reasons for the enforcement orders included live cockroaches found in equipment and on traps in the kitchen area; multiple holes and gaps in the walls along with rodent droppings; a rodent carcass in a snap trap and failure to implement adequate pest control measures. Failure to implement an appropriate food safety culture; food with either expired, missing or altered use-by dates; food not thawed safely; food items stored at unsafe temperatures; inadequate regular and thorough cleaning throughout the premises; equipment like meat slicers congealed with fat and stale food debris; continuous failure to maintain consistent cleaning standards and filthy cleaning equipment and cleaning cloths were also among the reasons given. Three Prohibition Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on premises in Cork and Louth, while one Prohibition Order was served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on a butchers in Dublin. Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI, emphasised that compliance with food safety and hygiene regulations should be of the highest priority for all food businesses. Filthy premises, unsafe food storage and inadequate pest control measures are once again the primary reasons for this months Enforcement Orders," she said. "These violations demonstrate a total disregard for food safety requirements and highlight the ongoing failure of some food businesses to maintain basic, consistent cleaning practices, and this failure poses a significant risk to public health. "Food businesses have a legal responsibility to ensure the safety of the food they produce, distribute or sell by maintaining proper storage temperatures, ensuring staff are properly trained, having stringent hygiene practices and ensuring their food businesses are fully pest proofed," Dr Byrne continued. Details of the food businesses served with Enforcement Orders are published on the FSAIs website at www.fsai.ie. Closure Orders and Improvement Orders will remain listed in the enforcement reports on the website for a period of three months from the date of when a premises is adjudged to have corrected its food safety issue, with Prohibition Orders being listed for a period of one month from the date the Order was lifted. A Sinn Fein TD has accused Government minister Peter Burke of watching a lot of Donald Trump after the Fine Gael TD claimed that Ireland has record levels of home ownership. Pearse Doherty, the partys finance spokesperson, said home ownership rates in Ireland have been falling. It comes as a Savills report found that population growth in Ireland exceeded the delivery of new homes by almost four to one. The new analysis by Savills found that Ireland is an outlier in the severity of its housing supply challenge. Looking at population growth in comparison with housing delivery between 2015 and 2023, the analysis shows that 3.8 people were added to the population for every one new unit of housing delivered, a ratio of nearly four to one. It said this is by far the worst among the countries analysed and 14% higher than the next worse country, Spain, which saw 3.4 new people per one new unit delivered, followed by Canada with a ratio of 2.9. Irelands ratio was 80% worse than that of the UK (2.1 ratio) and double that of Australia (1.9 ratio). On Thursday morning, Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke said homebuilding is at record levels. However, Mr Doherty said the Savills report is nothing new. Every day were hearing another story in terms of the failures of this government in relation to housing, whether its house prices that are running away, whether it is students that are forced to take to the streets and handing out leaflets hoping that they have a place to live during their academic year, the Donegal TD said. The unaffordability issue has got worse in the last year, from another report yesterday, and again another report today showing that home ownership is a serious issue. Were not keeping in line with population growth. I heard Peter Burke today. Hes obviously been watching a lot of Donald Trump over the last while because hes taking from his playbook. He claimed in modern Ireland that we have record levels of home ownership. Home ownership under this government has been falling and that is a fact. The reports are saying very, very clearly whats happened here. The amount of homes that are being built is not at the magnitude or the scale that is required in relation to dealing with the crisis that we have. The number of homes that are coming on to the market are a fraction of those that are being built in any given year, because obviously there is a large part of the build-to-rent sector which has been part of that, and other sectors as well. What we need is a step change, as the (Housing) Commission said. And that step change is a change in government. I have no faith whatsoever that this government will be able to handle this issue. We have 13 years in government, and weve come through boom and bust, we have billions of euro surplus, and still every single year, this crisis gets worse, gets deeper. Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe was critical of Mr Dohertys comments. He said: The rhetoric from Sinn Fein only seeks to underline the fact that while they may be strong on rhetoric, they are short on credible plans and short on explanations regarding how they would pay for those plans. He added that the Government is aware of the importance of building more homes and increasing supply. We have seen, since the government was formed, over 110,000 homes have either been built or been completed, the Fine Gael minister added. We have, over the last 12 months, 50,000 homes at the moment that are in various different stages of being built. But we know we need to build more. We know that our country needs more homes, that it needs more homes to cope with a country and a population that continues to grow, and that is what we are doing. We have Housing For All. We have a plan that, while it has been successful in delivering more homes, we also know, and the report today reminds us of the fact that more homes will be built and need to be built, and thats what the government is committed to doing. Kochi: Homegrown SUV maker Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) is betting on the mass appeal of the Thar Roxx, a new five-door version of the off-roader Thar, to outshine top-selling mid-sized SUVs like the Hyundai Creta, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, and Kia Seltos. The kind of tech we are bringing at 12- 15 lakh is going to get customers used to this technology. The Thar, which has traditionally been recognized for its rugged off-road capabilities and distinctive boxy design, is now being repositioned as a more mainstream offering. The five-door iteration brings significant upgrades in features and technology, and is built on a new platform that aims to attract a broader audience. Also read | Can bring in a hybrid in a 'reasonable' time frame if market demands: M&M For us, the one important thing in creating a moat is volume scale; so, everything we are doing is with a view to make sure we have volume momentum," said Rajesh Jejurikar, MD & CEO, auto & farm sectors, Mahindra & Mahindra, at the launch of the Thar Roxx in Kochi on Thursday. Bringing cost efficiency Jejurikar explained that volumes bring cost efficiency, better supplier involvement, and motivated dealers and teams. It's because we are able to show credibility to suppliers that when they are investing for us, there is a high chance they are able to make money," he said. The kind of tech we are bringing at 12- 15 lakh is going to get customers used to this technology." M&M officials said that the company is the leader in the segment of SUVs priced above 12.5 lakh ex-showroom. This segment commands 45% market share of all SUV sales in India, with M&M having 27%. The company is aiming for the Thar brand to become the best-selling SUV brand in the 12.5 lakh-and-above price bracket over the next three to five years. Mass-market contender The Thar Roxx will complete its arc from being a niche off-road product that kickstarted Mahindra's new SUV lineup in 2020 to becoming a mass-market contender, widening its appeal among car buyers. The attempt has been to make what may seem a body-on-frame vehicle monocoque-like," Jejurikar said. The refinement and drive quality of the Thar is like any mainstream, non-body-on-frame SUV. That disruption was critical to this becoming a mainstream product." The first wave of born electric vehicles will see EV adoption in this country go up, despite the infrastructure challenge, which will take another 1-2 years to develop While the Thar Roxx will be M&M's last major internal combustion engine (ICE) intervention this year, the company's next focus will be on its BEV (battery electric vehicle) portfolio, which is set to hit the market early next year. The automaker said it will continue to remain aggressive with its EV plans despite the recent lull in demand for the technology. The first wave of born electric vehicles will see EV adoption in this country go up, despite the infrastructure challenge, which will take another 1-2 years to develop," Jejurikar said. Veejay Nakra, president, auto division, M&M, added, EV adopters at the moment are the ones who are buying purely on economics. The country is yet to see the first wave of born electric vehicles and the benefits that come with it, and what else it has to offer." Mahindra has launched the Thar Roxx at a starting price of 12.99 lakh for the petrol manual transmission and 13.99 lakh for the diesel manual transmission. The company will begin deliveries in the run-up to the Dussehra festival in October, with a capacity to ship out 9,500 units per month of the SUV from a flexible production line that manufactures both the three-door Thar and the five-door Thar Roxx. Gujarat Fluorochemicals Q1 Results Live : Gujarat Fluorochemicals declared their Q1 results on 13 Aug, 2024. The company's topline decreased by 2.75% YoY, while its profit saw a significant decline of 46.31% YoY. Despite the annual downturn, the revenue for this quarter grew by 3.79% compared to the previous quarter, and the profit increased by 6.96% QoQ. The company's Selling, General & Administrative (SG&A) expenses have also seen an upward trend, rising by 17.11% quarter-on-quarter and increasing by 12.24% year-over-year. This has impacted the company's overall profitability. Operating income for Gujarat Fluorochemicals was up by 14.3% QoQ but has decreased by 37.7% YoY, reflecting the challenging market conditions and increased operational costs. The Earnings Per Share (EPS) for Q1 stood at 9.82, representing a 46.38% decline year-over-year. This indicates a significant drop in shareholder value compared to the same period last year. In terms of stock performance, Gujarat Fluorochemicals has delivered a 1.01% return over the last week. However, the company has posted a -3.47% return over the last six months and a -9.56% year-to-date return, reflecting investor concerns. As of now, Gujarat Fluorochemicals has a market capitalization of 36,751.42 Cr. The stock's 52-week high and low stand at 3,920 and 2,476, respectively. Regarding analyst recommendations, out of the 11 analysts covering the company as of 15 Aug, 2024, 1 has given a Strong Sell rating, 2 have given a Sell rating, 5 have given a Buy rating, and 3 have given a Strong Buy rating. The consensus recommendation as of 15 Aug, 2024, remains to Buy the stock, indicating a positive outlook among the majority of analysts despite the recent financial performance challenges. Gujarat Fluorochemicals Financials Period Q1 Q4 Q-o-Q Growth Q1 Y-o-Y Growth Total Revenue 1176 1133.03 +3.79% 1209.26 -2.75% Selling/ General/ Admin Expenses Total 103 87.95 +17.11% 91.77 +12.24% Depreciation/ Amortization 85 81.15 +4.74% 65.52 +29.73% Total Operating Expense 1007 985.17 +2.22% 938 +7.36% Operating Income 169 147.86 +14.3% 271.26 -37.7% Net Income Before Taxes 149 141.02 +5.66% 268.95 -44.6% Net Income 108 100.97 +6.96% 201.15 -46.31% Diluted Normalized EPS 9.82 9.19 +6.84% 18.31 -46.38% Eric Schmidt, ex-CEO and executive chairman at Google, said his former company is losing the artificial intelligence race and remote work is to blame. Google decided that work-life balance and going home early and working from home was more important than winning," Schmidt said at a talk at Stanford University. The reason startups work is because the people work like hell." Schmidt made the comments earlier at a wide-ranging discussion at Stanford. His remarks about Googles remote-work policies were in response to a question about Google competing with OpenAI. Video of the talk was posted this week by Stanford Online, a division of the university which offers online courses. Google, a unit of Alphabet, and a representative for Schmidt didnt respond to requests for comment. He joins a long list of corporate leaders, including JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and Tesla CEO Elon Musk who have complained about work-from-home policies, saying they make companies less efficient and less competitive. Dimon said in an annual letter a few years ago that people in the upper ranks cannot lead from behind a desk or in front of a screen." Musk has said workers need a minimum of 40 hours in the office per week." Companies have sometimes struggled to get employees back in the office, citing long commutes and caregiving duties. In some cases, employees have pushed back against the mandates. The former Google CEO told the students that in-office work was necessary to succeed in a hypercompetitive startup environment. If you all leave the university and go found a company, youre not going to let people work from home and only come in one day a week if you want to compete against the other startups," Schmidt said. Google has been playing defense on AI ever since OpenAI launched ChatGPT in late 2022. The company stumbled earlier this year with the release of its Gemini chatbot, which was met with criticism that it was biased. The company has beefed up Gemini and will offer it on the companys four new Pixel phones. It features an improved humanlike voice assistant with natural conversation skills. Google has gotten stricter about employees time in the office. Last year, it started including office attendance as a factor in annual performance reviews. In 2022, the company said employees would be back to the office three days a week. Write to Joseph De Avila at joseph.deavila@wsj.com New Delhi: The Union law ministry has commissioned a study of the legal frameworks in top international commercial centers as part of its efforts to position India as a global arbitration hub. It has another reason for this ambitious exercise: to cut legal costs for Indias biggest litigantthe government. The ministry is looking to address challenges in Indias arbitration system and improve the execution of arbitral awards, or out-of-court settlements, two officials said, declining to be identified. We are looking at other countries global commercial hubs in this research," one of them said. Executing arbitral awards requires court intervention. In Singapore, once an arbitral tribunal passes an award, the beneficiaries have to move a local civil court to ensure that the award is enforced. The key difference between India and global arbitration hubs like Singapore and the UK lies in insufficient support from the domestic legal system for enforcement procedures following arbitration, such as appointing receivers and auctioning assets. Also, Indian courts already have more than 50 million lawsuits pending, as per data from the National Judicial Data Grid. Also read | Arbitration pros resist govt.'s advisory favouring mediation over arbitration The law ministrys efforts to expedite the enforcement of arbitral awards are expected to significantly benefit the government, which is included as a party in a considerable number of arbitration proceedings. Law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal initiated the national litigation policy in June soon after taking office. This policy, which is a survey of the Union governments exposure to litigation, is the first step in reducing legal costs for the government, as Mint reported. The Union government has issued an advisory to all arms of central and state administrations and public sector enterprises to avoid arbitration in procurement contracts where the disputed amount is over 10 crore. This advisory, which has received pushback from arbitration professionals, was aimed at reducing the governments costs in enforcement of contracts since arbitration is too expensive and time-consuming. Court-related delays Another challenge in expediting the execution of arbitral awards in India lies in the quality and availability of assets tagged in the proceedings. While the arbitration proceedings can take place anywhere in the world, the assets involved in the process are located in specific countries. Indian assets are often tied up in other litigation, which can often delay the execution of the arbitral award," said Gauhar Mirza, partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, a tier-1 Indian law firm. The execution of arbitral awards in jurisdictions like the US, the UK and even the UAE is comparatively better because legal matters are disposed of faster there." Another hurdle in streamlining the domestic arbitration process lies in interference from courts in Indias out-of-court dispute resolution process. Also read | The Judiciary has given India a better chance to emerge as an arbitration hub Parties often delay arbitration proceedings by initiating court proceedings before or during arbitral proceedings, or at the enforcement stage of the arbitral award," stated a 2017 report by a committee chaired by former Supreme Court Justice B.N. Srikrishna. The high pendency of litigation before Indian courts means that arbitration-related court proceedings take a long time to be disposed." The Union law and justice ministry did not reply to queries emailed on Wednesday. Multiple attempts at streamlining To be sure, Indias arbitration ecosystem, among other elements, had bolstered the countrys ranking in ease of doing business from 100 in 2018 to 77 in 2019, as per the World Banks now-discontinued Doing Business Report. The Union government has sought to speed up the arbitral process by amending the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, the countrys code on arbitral proceedings, thrice since it was passed in 1996, with the latest amendment in 2021. The amendments, after numerous expert suggestions, aimed to reduce court-related delays in executing arbitral awards due to frivolous or fraudulent reasons, as per a Rajya Sabha disclosure. A panel led by former law secretary T.K. Viswanathan has proposed arbitration reforms to speed up the process of enforcement of arbitral awards and align Indias arbitration process with global standards. Aachi Masala, the iconic Chennai-based food brand, is in talks with private equity firm India Resurgence Fund (IndiaRF), backed by Piramal Enterprises and global private equity major Bain Capital, to raise $80-100 million, three people familiar with the matter told Mint. If finalised, the deal would mark the first external funding for Aachi, which has bootstrapped its success for nearly three decades. The talks are in advanced stages but are taking some time to close as the investment firm is still conducting due diligence procedures which is taking longer than anticipated due to Aachis complex business model," one of the people cited above said. The funds will fuel Aachi's national expansion ambitions, propelling it beyond its South Indian stronghold, said another person cited earlier. While IndiaRF did not respond to Mints request for a comment, Aachi denied the ongoing discussions. Read this | Post spices controversy, FSSAI cancels manufacturing licences of 111 spice firms Founded in 1995 by AD Padmasingh Isaac, Aachi has established itself as a household name, offering a wide range of South Indian staples including spices, masalas, pickles, and ready-to-eat mixes. The company has demonstrated robust financial performance, with revenues climbing from 1,633 crore to 2,017 crore in FY23, while profit increased to 22.2 crore from 8.75 crore in FY22, documents sourced by research platform Tofler showed. A spicy battleground The Indian spice market is intensely competitive, with regional players like Sakthi and ITC-backed Sunrise, Goldiee and Catch, and national giants such as MDH and Everest, all vying for dominance. Aachi has attracted interest from multiple investors over the years. Last year, Tata Consumer Products and Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting reportedly considered acquiring a stake in the company for approximately 1,000 crore, according to media reports. The sector has seen a surge in deal-making activities, driven by changing consumer behaviours and increased culinary experimentation. In 2022, FMCG major Dabur India acquired a 51% in Badshah Masala in a 587.52-crore deal, marking its entry in the fast-growing spices and seasoning category, Mint had reported. Bengaluru-based Lal Sweets recently sought to raise about $40 million from private equity investors, including the Motilal Oswal Group, at a valuation of $175 million, Mint reported last month. Similarly, Chennais Adyar Ananda Bhavan was reportedly looking to secure 1,000-1,200 crore by diluting a 35% stake, according to Economic Times. A 2021 report by Avendus highlighted the dominance of regional players in the spices market, a category where multinational companies struggle due to local taste preferences. National brands often adapt their products to cater to regional tastes. The report also noted that major players in the spices segment are increasingly focusing on blended spices to build brand loyalty and achieve higher margins. Additionally, there is a growing adoption of international spice blends, such as Schezwan and Italian herbs, alongside a rising demand for dish-specific masalas and convenience-based products in the ready-to-cook segment. Also read | Indian spices: the bitter taste of global scrutiny According to research firm IMARC Group, the Indian spices market reached 1.80 trillion in 2023, with projections to grow to 4.70 trillion over the next eight years, driven by increasing demand in the food and beverage sector and the introduction of new spice blends. Mahindra Thar Roxx Launch: Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) has officially launched the highly anticipated Thar Roxx on August 15 (Independence Day), marking a significant milestone in the company's SUV lineup. Pratap Bose, Mahindra Group's Chief Design & Creative Officer, highlighted the distinctive design features of the Thar Roxx during the event to unveil the SUV. These elements are expected to give the vehicle a unique identity in the segment. M&M CEO Rajesh Jejurikar expressed optimism about the company's future in the premium SUV market. He stated that Mahindra has the potential to lead the over 12.5 lakh SUV segment within the next three to five years, signalling the company's ambitious growth plans. The Thar Roxx enters the market with competitive pricing for its entry-level models. The MX 1 petrol variant is priced at 12.99 lakh, while the diesel version starts at 13.99 lakh (ex-showroom). Pricing details for higher-end variants are scheduled to be announced tomorrow. Also Read | 3 Auto launches to watch out for this Independence Day 2024: Check the list One of the standout features of the Thar Roxx is its panoramic sunroof, which M&M claims is the largest in its class. This feature is expected to enhance the interior ambiance and appeal to buyers seeking a premium driving experience. The timing of the launch is noteworthy, as it coincides with the third anniversary of the second-generation Thar's introduction on August 15, 2021. Prospective buyers can reserve their Thar Roxx starting today through Mahindra's official website or at authorised dealerships nationwide. The company has announced that deliveries are expected to commence next month. Mahindra Thar Roxx features The MX1 is powered by Mahindras 2.2-liter diesel engine, which generates 148 horsepower and 330 Nm of torque, as well as a 2.0-liter petrol engine, producing 158 horsepower and 330 Nm of torque. Both powertrains are mated to a six-speed manual transmission, driving the rear wheels. Starbucks has announced a substantial compensation package for its incoming CEO, Brian Niccol. The coffee giant is set to provide Niccol with an estimated total compensation of $113 million, signalling the high cost of attracting top-tier talent for corporate turnarounds, as per a Fortune report. The 50-year-old executive's package includes a $10 million sign-on bonus and a $75 million equity grant. Starting in fiscal 2025, Niccol could receive an additional annual grant worth up to $23 million. These incentives are on top of his $1.6 million annual salary and a performance-based cash bonus ranging from $3.6 million to $7.2 million, the report added. Also Read | Kalpataru files draft papers for IPO with SEBI Notably, Niccol's offer letter includes unique accommodations. He won't be required to relocate to Starbucks' Seattle headquarters, though he has agreed to commute when required. The company will cover temporary housing costs in Seattle and provide a personal chauffeur. Additionally, Starbucks will establish a small remote office in Newport Beach, California, where Chipotle Mexican Grill, Niccol's previous employer, is based, as per the report. Also Read | SBI increases lending rates by 10 bps across tenures effective August 15 A Starbucks spokesperson defended the compensation package, stating: Brian Niccol has proven himself to be one of the most effective leaders in our industry, generating significant financial returns over many years. His compensation at Starbucks is tied directly to the company's performance and the shared success of all our stakeholders. We're confident in his ability to deliver long-term, enduring value for our partners, customers and shareholders, as quoted by Fortune. Niccol replaces Laxman Narasimhan, who led Starbucks for 17 months during which the company's share price declined by 23.9%, resulting in a $32 billion market cap loss, as per Fortune. Also Read | Why the new Starbucks CEO is worth $18 billion The new CEO's impressive track record at Chipotle, where he oversaw an 800% stock price growth and a nearly seven-fold increase in profits over six years, appears to be the driving force behind Starbucks' generous offer, as per Fortune. New Delhi: A gift from India's first prime minister to a then-friendly China has come back to bite the former. China's exports of mangoes, including Indian varieties such as Dasheri, Chausa, Alphonso, and Langra, have been higher than India's own exports for at least two successive years for which data is available. Some of these Chinese exports of Indian mangoes find their way into India as well. Pertinently, India produces 40% of the world's mangoes, the most by any country, but it also has a large domestic consumption market. China exported mangoes, fresh or dried, worth $59.43 million in 2023, according to data shared by the Chinese Embassy in India, quoting the country's customs statistics. The embassy did not provide any further details in its response to Mint's queries. Behind China The same year, Indias mango exports were $55.94 million, or 6.24% lower than China's, according to data from the commerce ministry. The previous year, in 2022, the difference was even higher. China's mango exports that year were valued at $61.91 million, while Indias exports stood at $45.76 million. This places China as a significant player in the global mango export market, though it still lags top exporters like Mexico and Peru. However, Indian mango growers, exporters, and trade bodies are hopeful of a trend reversal in 2024, with the country already having exported fresh mangoes worth $49.55 million in January-May 2024, which is more than what it exported in the full year of 2022. Reacting to the development, a senior government official, who wished not to be named, said, The trade data of June and July is under evaluation and given the trend, our performance will be much better than anyone else." The official also pointed to Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Agency (APEDA) and said the agency should have verified the Indian-like mango varieties being exported from China and flagged the issue with concerned officials for further guidance. The APEDA is an arm of the commerce ministry responsible for the export of fruits and vegetables. Queries emailed to commerce ministry remained unanswered till press time. The genesis and the impact Mangoes were largely unknown in China until the 1960s, except in a few southern regions. According to declassified documents from the ministry of external affairs, as part of India's mango diplomacy initiated in the 1950s by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, New Delhi had sent eight mango saplings to China as a gift to then Chinese Prime Minister Zhou Enlai. The gift included three saplings of Dasheri, two each of Chausa and Alphonso, and one sapling of Langra. Today, industry players say China has developed huge expertise over these varieties on its own soil. Indian-like varieties of Alphonso, Kesar, and Langra are cultivated in southern provinces like Hainan and Guangdong, where the climate is favourable for mango cultivation. In China, varieties like Dasheri, Husnara, and Hapus (Alphonso) have been developed and some of it even exported to India," Shahid Khan, owner of Royal Farms in Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh told Mint over phone. "Also, varieties like Totapari and Kesar are part of China's mango exports." Khan manages a 71-acre mango farm within the mango belt of 1,716 acres in Meerut district. Also read | The perfect dessert combination of mango and chocolate Khan points out that use of banned chemicals and pesticides by mango growers in India disqualifies our mangoes for export, which is a concern. Besides China, many of India's popular mango varieties are also grown in Pakistan and Bangladesh. These varieties are often identified as products from these countries in the international market, which is a concerning trend, he said. The Fazli variety, which is Indias GI-tagged variety, is being grown in Bangladesh, while Langra, Chausa, and Rataul are grown in Pakistan, said Khan, who is in the mango business for decades. We should have been the leaders in the mango export market, given that we are the original cultivators of about 1,400 mango varieties. However, due to our own negligence, we are lagging behind and losing ground to other countries that are capitalizing on our varieties," Khan said. Another mango grower, Batuksinh Jadeja, owner of Shree Ashapura Farm & Nursery in Kutch, Gujarat, said that production and exports of mangoes from India can further improve if the government facilitates cargo transport. Transport remains a major challenge for small farmers. If the government provides testing and other facilities in Kutch, we will be able to compete with China in mango exports," he said. Kutch is known for growing the Kesar variety of mango. Jadeja, who exports mangoes to Oman, Australia, the US and EU, highlighted that there is no irradiation facility in Kutch. We practise organic farming, and our mangoes undergo over 280 tests. We manage a 300-acre mango farm with 45,000 plants and export 350 tonnes per season while also supplying locally," the Gujarat mango trader said. The fiscal numbers In FY24 terms, Indias mango export stood at $60.16 million, which is highest in the past five years. Mango exports, which were valued at $56 million in FY2019-20, dropped to $36 million in FY2020-21 due to pandemic-related restrictions. However, they rebounded to $44 million in FY22 despite ongoing trade impacts from covid-19 restrictions and further increased to $49 million in FY23. As per a National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) report, the peak season for mangoes in India is April, May, and June, while February, March, and July are considered lean months for the harvest. Comparatively, peak season for mangoes in China falls between June and August. During this period, domestic mangoes are harvested and widely available in the markets for exports and domestic consumption. India's diverse climate supports the cultivation of a wide range of fresh fruits and vegetables. According to the National Horticulture Database (second advance estimates), India produced 112.62 million metric tonnes of fruits and 204.96 million metric tonnes of vegetables during the 2023-24 period. Fruits were grown on 7.04 million hectares, while vegetables were cultivated on 11.11 million hectares. The major mango-growing states in India are Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Telangana, and West Bengal. Uttar Pradesh leads in mango production, accounting for 25.76% of the total production and achieving the highest productivity in the 2023-24 period, according to the 2nd Advance Estimate. Major export destinations for mangoes in FY24 include the UAE, UK, US, Kuwait, and Qatar. As many as 27.8% of undergraduate (UG) medical students and 15.3% of post graduate students (PG) suffer from mental health disorder, says a survey conducted by Indias apex medical education regulator. Of the 37,962 participants surveyed by the the National Medical Commission (NMC), 16.2% UG students and 31.23% PG students have suicidal ideas. The reasons for such mental health disorders include the pressure of paying educational loans and debt (32.7%), students facing ragging (18%), sub-par hostel facilities (41.6%), and lack of privacy (33.7%). The regulator a formed a task force to suggest remedial measures. It conducted an online survey to understand the mental health status of medical students and faculties. A total of 25,590 UG, 5,337 PG and 7,035 faculty members responded to the online survey. Mental health status of UG students As far as UG students are concerned, mental health conditions have been diagnosed in 7,115 (27.8%) of them, with 3,780 (14.8%) having one condition, 1,851 (7.2%) having two, and 1,045 (4.1%) having three conditions. Thoughts of self-harm or suicide in the last 12 months were reported by 4,139 (16.2%) students, with 1,305 (5.1%) seeking professional help. Faculty or mentors are seen as extremely unsupportive" by 4,664 (18.2%). Mental health status of PG students Among PG students, 1,667 (31.23%) disclosed experiencing suicidal ideas. Moreover, 564 (10.57%) PG students indicated making plans to attempt suicide within the last year. Additionally, 237 (4.44%) PG students admitted to attempting suicide in the past year. Around 2,486 (9.7%) UG students confirmed ragging experiences. A significant number of PG students 930 (18%) also reported that the problem of ragging was still there and hurt them. A total of 1,425 (27%) reported experiencing harassment from senior PG students in clinical settings, while 1,669 (31%) reported similar experiences from faculty as well as senior residents. A relatively high 42% of students are uncomfortable seeking help, highlighting barriers such as stigma or lack of trust in the available services, which NMC said must be addressed to ensure all students can receive the support they need. In India,171,000 suicides were recorded in 2022 and a suicide rate of 12.4 per 100,000 population as per the National Crime Record Bureau Report 2023. There have been escalating mental health issues and increasing suicide rates in higher educational institutions. In the past five years, 122 medical students (64 undergraduate and 58 postgraduate students) have died by suicide as reported by the NMC, which means an estimated 25-26 medical student committed suicide every year. Experts said that mental health illness in doctors is not new, but is only being talked about now due to awareness. Health of a healer is important and hence mental health of doctors should be taken care of. Ultimately, these medicals students are going to become future doctors. They should prioritize their health before the patients health. However, there used to be lot of stigma attached and lack of awareness. In past too, this issue was persistent, but nobody used to talk. Today awareness has increased, people want to talk about it, number of suicide deaths and mental health issues in doctors have increased. This could be due to academic challenge, stressful environment, interpersonal difficulties, poor coping mechanism, social media etc, said Dr Rajesh Sagar, Professor of Psychiatry Department at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS-Delhi). Task force recommendations The NMC-appointed task force has recommended medical colleges put in place policies for creating a safe working environment for medical students including a gate-keeping programme to identify high-risk individuals, limiting the workload to 72 hours per week, helping students get at least seven hours of daily sleep, fair and unbiased grading systems, setting up an e-complaint portal at NMC, anti-ragging measures, awareness campaigns, counselling services, staff/students clinic, abolishing bond policy etc. For students with mental illness and attempted suicide, the college has to create supportive and inclusive environment, it said. The head of psychiatry is tasked with evaluating whether a student's mental health condition may compromise patient care in a clinical setting or pose a direct threat to the student's own safety. Also Read: Private medical colleges may see an influx of students after NEET controversy Provide Accessible Mental Health Services, constitution of a mental health and wellbeing committee, support academic and maintaining confidentiality. Fitness to Practice Protocol for medical student with mental illness," said the report. MUMBAI : As the nation celebrates Independence Day, a surge in travel enthusiasm has gripped well-to-do Indians. The extended holiday weekend has sparked a travel frenzy, with bookings for both domestic and international destinations witnessing a significant rise. This year, Independence Day on Thursday, followed by Raksha Bandhan on Monday, offers a perfect escape for travellers. Our latest data reveals a robust demand for travel during the Independence Day long weekend, with a strong sentiment for domestic destinations," said Anuj Rathi, chief business and growth officer at online travel agency Cleartrip. Destinations like Puducherry, Udaipur and Munnar have witnessed a phenomenal surge in hotel bookings for the Independence Day weekend, with increases of 760%, 441% and 321%, respectively, compared to average bookings in the previous three weeks, data sourced from Cleartrip showed. Other popular choices include Ooty, Goa, Jaipur and Lonavala, all recording substantial booking growth. Indians are travelling like never before, and our data indicates that they are maximizing every opportunity and converting them into mini-cations," said Rajeev Kale, president and country head, holidays and MICE, Visa at Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. Domestic and closer-to-home destinations are seeing increased interest, not just from families or multigenerational families, but also from our young professionals or millennials and couples segments." Flight bookings soar Airlines have witnessed a significant spike in flight bookings, even for international travel. Bookings for international gateways like Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Singapore and Bali spiked by 56.8%, 34.7%, 33.6% and 15.6%, respectively, compared to the previous four weeks, showed the Cleartrip data. Also Read: 7 essential travel tech items to pick for your next trip On the other hand, Jaipur and Udaipur emerged as the most popular domestic destinations with bookings rising by 73% and 63%, respectively. Some easy-visa destinations were also on the travellers bucket list. Short-haul and easy-visa destinations such as Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Dubai-Abu Dhabi, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Bhutan and Vietnam are topping our online searches," said Kale. That said, flight fares on some sought-after routes took passengers on a wild ride because of the Independence Day rush. For instance, on 9 August, the lowest ticket price for the same-day Delhi-Goa flight was 6,160. It shot up to 9,147 for a 14 August flight and fell sharply again to 5,604 for a 23 August flight. Similarly, the lowest ticket price for a 9 August Bengaluru-Goa flight was 3,989, for a 14 August flight 5,705 and for a 23 August flight 3,898. Will this revive domestic tourism? Experts sound optimistic. The notable rise in flight bookings to destinations like Jaipur, Udaipur, and Leh reflects a strong desire to travel, despite the marginal increase in airfares. The sustained interest in travel indicates a larger trend for exploration among Indian travellers," noted Rathi. Besides, the countrys domestic travel industry is already making a strong comeback, almost reaching pre-covid levels. Domestic tourist arrivals, which plummeted to 610 million in the pandemic-hit year of 2020 after reaching 2.32 billion in 2019, have rebounded to 2.51 billion in 2023, showed government data. However, investor sentiment for tourism-related stocks remains patchy. Stocks belonging to the Nifty India Tourism Index saw mixed fortunes during the past week and month. While three stocks gained, 15 declined. Safari Industries India led with a 6.7% weekly and 12.1% monthly surge. Jubilant Foodworks followed with 5.2% and 9.8% gains, respectively. However, Lemon Tree Hotels recorded a 17.1% weekly and 21.7% monthly decline. EIH and Chalet Hotel were also hit, falling 2.2% and 3.8% during the week, and 12.1% and 6.2% over the month, respectively. Good news for hospitality sector The surge in demand is expected to benefit the hospitality sector, especially the luxury segment, which is roaring back to life with occupancy rates and average room rates skyrocketing in the two years since the pandemic. Most importantly, this reflects the lifestyle changes of the consumers who are not price-sensitive and are willing to upgrade for differentiated experiences," noted a Nirmal Bang report. Encouraging macros, coupled with sector tailwinds, we believe, should enable the hospitality industry to grow both in terms of occupancy and rates," it added. The report also highlighted that branded hotel supply in the top eight cities grew at a compounded annual growth of a mere 2% between 2017-18 and 2022-23, and even future supply is expected to grow at nearly 4% compared to a demand of 8% over the next five years in these cities. Shuja Asrar contributed to this story. Kalpataru Ltd, the Mumbai based real estate developer, has filed its Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) with capital market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to raise funds via initial public offering (IPO). Kalpataru IPO comprises a fresh issue of equity shares worth 1,590 crore of face value of 10 each, according to the DRHP. The company proposes to utilize the net proceeds towards repayment or pre-payment of certain borrowings and general corporate purposes. Mint had in 2023 first reported about Kalpataru Ltd's plan to file draft IPO papers with Sebi. Kalpataru is an integrated real estate development company in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) with presence across all micro-markets in the MMR. It is involved in all key activities associated with real estate development, including the identification and acquisition of land, planning, designing, execution, sales, and marketing of their projects. ICICI Securities, JM Financial and Nomura Financial Advisory and Securities (India) are the Book Running Lead Managers for the Kalpataru IPO and Link Intime India is the IPO registrar. About Kalpataru Kalpataru Ltd is the fifth largest real estate developer in the MCGM area in Maharashtra and the fourth largest developer in Thane, Maharashtra in terms of units supplied from the calendar years 2019 to 2023, according to a report by ANAROCK. As of March 31, 2024, Kalpataru (together with its Promoters) had a total of 113 completed projects aggregating to more than 24.10 msf of Developable Area. Its ongoing projects comprised approximately 22.02 msf of Developable Area. The companys forthcoming projects comprised approximately 19.93 msf of developable area, and are expected to launch across the Financial Years 2025, 2026 and 2027 in various phases, the company said in a release. The majority of the Kalpatarus projects are located in the MMR and Pune, Maharashtra and has two ongoing projects in Hyderabad, Telangana and Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Mofatraj Munot and Parag Munot are the promoters of Kalpataru Ltd. Vedanta group company Hindustan Zinc Ltd (HZL) is planning a special dividend payout of 8,000 crore to its shareholders in the current fiscal year. HZL's board is expected to meet on Tuesday to discuss and approve this special dividend payment, according to PTI report. "Of this, around 30 per cent or 2,400 crore may go to the Centre contributing to its non-tax revenues for the fiscal," sources were quoted as saying by PTI. The decision comes after the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) approved the transfer of 10,383 crore from general reserves to retained earnings. This special dividend will be in addition to the regular dividend of approximately 6,000 crore that HZL distributes annually. Besides the government, the special dividend will benefit the promoter Vedanta Ltd, which holds about a 65% stake in HZL and will receive around 5,100 crore, potentially to further reduce its debt. Vedanta to offload 3.31% stake in HZL Vedanta is also planning to sell up to a 3.31% stake in HZL through an Offer for Sale from August 16 to 19, with a floor price set at 486 per share. HZL has enjoyed consistent sales volume growth and balanced capital expenditure, which have contributed to a strong track record of generating cash flows. In its scheme of arrangement filed with the NCLT, the company expressed confidence that this growth trajectory will continue, and its operations will keep generating incremental cash flow in the coming years. For the financial year ended March 2024, Hindustan Zinc paid a total dividend of 5,493 crore, with the government receiving 1,622 crore for its 29.5% stake in the company. In FY22-23, the company set a record by paying out a dividend of around 32,000 crore, with the government receiving a substantial 9,500 crore. Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway has once again captured the attention of investors with its latest portfolio adjustments in the June quarter. According to a recent post on X (formerly Twitter) by financial analyst Andrew Lokenauth, Berkshire Hathaway has $280 billion invested across 41 stocks. Key Changes The most significant change in Berkshires portfolio was a surprising 49.33 percent reduction in its stake in Apple Inc. Despite this sizable sell-off, Buffett still holds a substantial 400 million shares in the tech giant, valued at a staggering $84.25 billion. Apple has long been one of Berkshires cornerstone investments, making this reduction a notable shift in strategy. In addition to Apple, Berkshire Hathaway also trimmed its positions in several other major companies. He has also reduced his weights in Capital One Finance by 21.27 percent, Floor & Decor Holdings by 16.78 percent, T-Mobile US by 10.87 percent, Louisiana-Pacific Corp by 9.6 percent, Chevron Corp by 3.55 percent, Liberty Media Corp. Series C Live by 1.93 percent and Liberty Media Corp. Series A Live by 1.29 percent. These adjustments suggest a more cautious approach by Buffett, possibly in response to broader economic concerns and rising valuations. While some positions were reduced, Buffett also increased his stakes in several companies, showing confidence in these investments moving forward. The most significant increase was in Sirius XM Holdings, where Berkshire raised its stake by an impressive 262.24 percent during the June quarter. Also Read | 6 key lessons from Warren Buffett for retail investors Additionally, increases were made in - Liberty Sirius XM Series A by 7.41 percent, Liberty Sirius XM Series C by 6.9 percent, Chubb Limited by 4.28 percent, and Occidental Petroleum by 2.93 percent. These moves indicate Buffett's continued belief in the long-term potential of these companies, particularly in the media and insurance sectors. Berkshire Hathaways latest disclosures also revealed new, albeit small, stakes in the cosmetics retailer Ulta Beauty and the aerospace firm Heico. These additions reflect Buffetts strategy of diversifying into sectors with strong growth prospects, even as he remains cautious overall. Apart from these key changes, Buffetts portfolio continues to include long-held positions in some of the worlds most recognized companies, such as Bank of America, American Express, Coca-Cola, Kraft Heinz, Moodys Corp, Citigroup, Kroger, Verisign, Visa, Amazon, Mastercard, and Jefferies. Also Read | Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway holds stake in THESE companies These moves highlight Buffetts ongoing balancing actreducing exposure to certain high-performing stocks while increasing stakes in others that he believes hold significant long-term value. As always, the Oracle of Omahas decisions provide valuable insights for investors worldwide, especially in uncertain economic times. Recently, Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway recently increased its cash position to 25 percent of total assets in the June quarter, a level not seen since 2005. By the end of June, the conglomerate's cash and cash equivalents surged to an unprecedented $276.9 billion. This accumulation followed the notable reduction in holdings suggesting that rising asset prices have made it more challenging to find attractive investment opportunities. During Berkshire Hathaway's Annual General Meeting (AGM) in May, Warren Buffett expressed a cautious approach to equity investments, stating he wasn't eager to buy more unless the opportunities presented very little risk and could yield significant returns. In Stree, the small town of Chanderi is haunted by a female demon who only targets men. In Amar Kaushiks sequel to his 2018 horror-comedy, the situation is reversed. The demon this time is male; his victims are women, the independent kind. This new scenario doesnt have the same bite. A town with women who can wander after dark without fear of harm or male censure is satire. A town with women persecuted for wanting basic freedoms is just India. Nevertheless, Stree 2 is one of the most enjoyable Hindi films Ive seen this year. Though I liked the first film, and Kaushiks second film in the same universe, Bhediya (2022), I was skeptical going in that this would match up. We dont do sequels well, I told myself, and its been a while since Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi or Shraddha Kapoor have done anything exciting. But the packed Independence Day eve hall was clearly there for a good time, and I found my defenses melting when Kaushik dumps a whole lot of exposition into a Ramleela-style stage production summing up the events of the first film. By the time an immaculately stupid Disha Patani joke was tossed out, I was laughing as hard as everyone else. Kaushik has tapped into homegrown horror traditions (an avenging witch in Stree; a tree sprite in Munjya, a 2024 sleeper hit he produced) but also Hollywood-derived ones (werewolves in Bhediya). Stree 2 also uses a foreign prototype for its monsterthe headless horseman from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. But Kaushik innovates by jettisoning the horse and having Sarkata carry his severed head around. In addition, the heada lurid, grinning mug with bulging eyes straight out of Aahatcan fly around, scouting for victims and attacking them. It starts with Rudra (Tripathi) receiving a few tattered pages in the post about a village legend involving a beheaded man. Then the pampered, protein shake-drinking girlfriend of Bittu (Aparshakti Khurana) is kidnapped from her bed. Other single women in the town have gone missing too, and so the old gang assembles to fight another monster. After his possession in Stree and a traumatic vacation in Bhediya, Jana (Abhishek Banerjee) has tried to put some distance between himself and Chanderi, but is dragged back from Delhi. Vicky (Rao), still a virgin mooning over the mysterious spirit (Kapoor) who stole his heart and then vanished, is asked to take the lead, given his somewhat undeserved reputation as a demonslayer. Amar Kaushiks comedies proceed at a Hawksian pace; I found myself missing jokes because I was still laughing at earlier ones. He slips in lines that wouldnt work if they were delivered slower; when Kapoors ghost girl turns up, an overjoyed Vicky blurts, Tumhe kitna yaad kiya dil se, haath se (I thought about you constantly with my heart, my hand). These are also great hangout films. I could spend hours just listening to Vicky and Bittu lob insults at each other and watching Rudra behave like a calm Hindi dictionary, just like I sometimes wish Bhediya was two hours of Bhaskar, Jana and Jomin bickering and getting high in the forest. Like the exposition song at the start, Kaushik and writer Niren Bhatt, a frequent and key collaborator, find ways to deliver stock situations with a winkor a touch of class. Theres a point in the second half when you know, even before you know, that an item number is coming. The film has already laid the groundwork with a stray mention of Shama. Now, Rudra takes the boys to meet her, to request her to dance (of course he calls it nritya) in a haunted town with a monster who abducts independent women. The scene is courtly and affecting, soundtracked with Pyar Diwana Hota Hai (Shama kahe parwane se), beautifully played by Tripathi, briefly transformed into a romantic hero. It lasts only a few minutes but shows how skillfully Kaushik can blend tones even while negotiating commercial imperatives. It doesnt all land. When Sarkata turns the towns men into patriarchal zombies, the film cant find anything interesting to do with this; an overly conservative male population barely registers as satire. The big fight at the end with Vicky, the ghost, Sarkata and a few other monsters looks dreary and strains the CGI the longer it goes on. Rao is a less malleable actor than he was in 2018, though hes still funny, never more so than when he sings Remas Calm Down with his whole body while straddling a motorbike (Kapoor, as befits a ghost, leaves few traces of having been there). Welcome to the Republic of Loca Loka reads the welcome message on the website of newly-launched tequila brand, Loca Loka. The line sounds like something out of Tamil filmmaker Lokesh Kanagarajs Lokiverse. And youd be forgiven to think that there is something filmy about it considering the brand has actor and producer Rana Daggubati and music composer Anirudh Ravichander as partners, along with Harsha Vadlamudi, entrepreneur and MD of brewery chain, Ironhill India. Launched on 24 July, the tequila brand, an amalgam of Mexican and Sanskrit words that mean Crazy World, is close to a month old. And it's this excitement of bringing a new product out into the worlda tequila, no lessthat comes through as I interview the three partners over a video call. Among casual banter punctuated with laughter, the trio talk about their entrepreneurial journey, their decision to launch the brand in the US first, and their favourite way to have tequila. Edited excerpts: Q. For a new brand, it's rather ambitious that you are launching Loca Loka in the US first. Why? Rana Daggubati: We want to compete with the entire world. Now, how much would we have been able to accomplish if wed just launched here? Also, with tequila being prevalent globally, we think going through a mature market like the US will offer a young brand like ours a greater learning curve than anything else will. Harsha Vadlamudi: There are a couple of practical considerations too. For one, theres the GI tag issue where a spirit made from agave can only be called tequila if its made in Mexico. Also,when you consider logistics, it takes only two weeks to transport the manufactured product from Mexico to the US while itd take around two months to transport it to India. Also read: How the wine menu is planned for flights Q. What do you enjoy most about being an entrepreneur? What have been some interesting lessons from this entire experience? Rana Daggubati: What I enjoy most is the opportunity to be a part of different industries that I am passionate about and shape cultural trends. It allows me to channel my skills into new ventures beyond the screen and create something from scratch, much like developing a character. I have seen how alcohol has transitioned from a taboo to a staple of popular culture. When Harsha presented the opportunity to build a global brand, I was immediately in. The fusion of Mexican and Indian culturesboth rich with ancient celebrationshas been thrilling. Its been a fun challenge to merge these cultures into something unique. Anirudh Ravichander: When Harsha came up with this whole idea, and of course Rana, I joined late. Ive observed a notable surge in tequilas popularity within my social circle, so, I thought this was a perfect entrepreneurial start. Personally, it taught me how to honour tradition while pushing creative boundaries. Harsha Vadlamudi: What I enjoy most about being an entrepreneur is the opportunity to bring visionary ideas to life. Its exhilarating for me to see a concept evolve from an idea into a tangible product that people can access globally. I believe when the right people come together with the right intention, things will fall into place. (From left) Anirudh Ravichander, Harsha Vadlamudi and Rana Daggubati. Q. Who among the three of you is the practical mind when it comes to making decisions? And who is the creative one? Harsha Vadlamudi: Among the three of us, Rana is the creative mind. Anirudh and Rana collaborated on the branding and their vision aligned perfectly. The entire process involved coming up with 4-5 iterations of names. I found it rather rigorous. I think the number game is a lot easier than the creative game. Rana and I have focused on product development where we have combined both our experiences to come up with a global product line. Rana Daggubati: It has been a good year-and-a-half in terms of putting the idea of Loca Loka together. We are all storytellers in a way and this is our labour of love. I would say Harsha is the numbers guy. He owns some of the best restaurants and breweries in Hyderabad and knows the business in and out. Collaborating with him to get the product just right has been an insightful experience. Anirudh is one of the coolest musicians I know, and he brought a lot of energy as well as insight into the creation. Anirudh Ravichander: All of us come from different worlds of fusion and we wanted to create something celebratory and fun. Were integrating the brand with a concert tour across multiple cities in the US after the launch. It has been very stimulating creatively for me because I get to elevate the brand through music, either by creating specific pieces for it or incorporating it into my US tours. Q. Let's talk about food. What are the Mexican dishes that you like. And since you are travelling to Mexico now, what are you looking forward to trying? Anirudh Ravichander: The burrito bowl is my favourite Mexican dish. The thought of savouring a true, traditional burrito bowl in its homeland is something I'm really excited about! Rana Daggubati: Enchiladas and burritos are some of my favourite Mexican dishes. Q. In India and internationally, what are some of your favourite bars? Rana Daggubati: The Roger Room in LA, Harvard and Stone in LA, Bastian in Mumbai and (ofcourse) Ironhill India, Bengaluru. Q. As a shot or a cocktail, how do the three of you enjoy your tequila? Harsha Vadlamudi: I like having my tequila with some sparkling water like Perrier added to it. Rana Daggubati: I enjoy my tequila with lots of ice and some lime. As soon as you enter the new textile gallery in Delhis National Crafts Museum & Hastkala Academy, a framed 168x100cm piece of kantha embroidery catches the eye. A sensor-based light throws its incredible uniqueness into focus. Dating back to the 1800s, cotton threads from discarded saris have been used on a fawn-coloured quilted surfaceoutlined with typical kantha floral border and paisley motifs in four cornersto show symbols of 19th century Kolkata: European-style playing cards, sahibs and memsahibs, chandeliers, the Virgin Mary, medallions of Queen Victoria, memorial busts of Marwari seths, a facade of Universal Medical Hall, and scenes from Hindu mythology where lord Shiva looks like a Madonna in a European painting and Ram and Lakshman, young European boys. Creepers, dragonflies and butterflies fill the spaces between the characters, all embroidered with such fine black thread that it seems to have been drawn with ink. This work is the first reflection of modernity or modern life in Indian textiles, making it a valuable piece in Indias textile history," cultural and art historian Jyotindra Jain says. Before this, we only saw the usual motifs of flowers, fruits and mythology in the most typical sense." Jain, along with Sunil Sethi, the president of Fashion Design Council of India, has curated the gallery, which was inaugurated earlier this month. Featuring 162 objects from the archives of the Crafts Museum, the gallery is a walk through the past and present of India through textiles. These exhibits were chosen out of 2,500 pieces to show how our textiles continue to be living traditions," says Sethi. Every three months, we plan to introduce a different weave, or show how a designer has used a certain embroidery in a contemporary way." The first gallery section includes wall hangings with Punjabs colourful phulkari embroidery, cholis with kaanchi (mirror embroidery) from Gujarat, brocade on quilt covers and saris, tie-and-dye odhanis, Naga shawls, jamdanis, telia rumal from Andhra Pradesh and batik rumal from West Bengalall introducing the viewer to ancient textiles starting from the 18th century. (Unlike painting, when it comes to textiles, something that belongs to 18th century is considered ancient, because cloth is more delicate and tends to perish faster.) Then the gallery takes a turn into the modernisation of traditional textiles, highlighting pieces from the Vishwakarma exhibitions, led by the late Martand Singh from the 1970s onwards. These shows were a series of seven textile art and history exhibitions from 1982-92 that documented the introduction of design to crafts communities. Before this, the crafts were guided by only tradition, and had come to a dead end," says Jain. With the introduction of design, the crafts got a new lease of life." This development is explored further in the third section, which showcases works by contemporary designers. Like Payal Jains 15 installations that merge materials like metal, wood, paper and bamboo with textiles, embroidery and surface ornamentation, all bringing home the point that India is the only country where traditional embroideries and textiles continue to be living traditions. Yet, India has only handful of museums or galleries dedicated to textiles. We didnt believe in museums till a few years ago; its a very Western concept. Plus, theres no patronage in India. Some of our best ancient textiles have gone to the UK and US; and they continue to buy," explains Jain. Indian Textiles Gallery II, Tradition and Innovation, is open at National Crafts Museum & Hastkala Academy, Delhi, from 11am-6pm. Actress Gulshanara Khatun has stirred controversy on social media for her remarks after the tragic death of a postgraduate trainee doctor, who was allegedly raped and later found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. Kolkata doctor rape case LIVE updates Taking to Facebook, she wrote, Yes I Believe that "ALL MEN ARE POTENTIAL RAPISTS"... I Repeat... I shout.... Feel free to unfriend yourself... In her post, she agreed with and shared a blog written by Annette in Africa, who expressed her views "All men are potential rapists." Khatun in her post also added, AS ALREADY STARTED GETTING RAPE THREAT and CALLS FROM (GOOD FRIENDS) ADDING...A rapist is a man. A 'male' is not a rapist." However, her comments sparked outrage and many from the fraternity itself slammed her for her comments. Digital Creator Indrajit Lahiri commented saying, While I strongly condemn what has been done, lady, this statement of yours is so very wrong on so so many grounds. Now, I say... feel free to unfriend/ troll/ curse me, if you or anybody wishes. Actress Rupanjana Mitra added, This statement of yours shows your anger which must be having a history of your own!! Kintu tai bole tumi eta bolte parona. Wishing you a speedy recovery! Actor Monojit Roy, Gulshanara Khatun Not all men are rapists; in fact, men can also suffer from humiliation and sexual assault, just like women. Unfortunately, in our country, the legal system often seems to favor women, leaving men without the same level of protection or support. This imbalance is further reflected in our media, where male abuse is frequently dismissed or portrayed as a joke. It's crucial that we recognize the need for equal legal protection and societal support for all victims, regardless of gender. (Bloomberg) -- Autodesk Inc. continued to use a controversial sales strategy after promising investors it would stop and ignored internal warnings about the risks of doing so, according to previously unreported internal documents. The yearslong strategy involved offering discounts to certain corporate customers willing to pay up front for large multiyear contracts. In an effort to provide more predictable cash flow and wean itself off of the discounts, the engineering software company in 2021 pledged to halt the practice. But Autodesk kept doing it in an effort to meet financial targets, according to the documents, which were reviewed by Bloomberg. The company counted on the upfront payments to boost cash flow, the documents show. Employees considered the practice risky because the discounts and other concessions reduced long-term revenue, boosted the chance of mistakes in financial modeling and made it harder for salespeople to do their jobs, the documents said. An Autodesk spokesperson said the companys use of upfront billing continues to decrease, but wont end entirely as we consider customer preferences and our presence in emerging countries. She noted that an internal investigation resulted in no changes to any financial statements. The accounting issues first came to light in April, when the company delayed its annual financial disclosures and said it was opening a review of processes related to free cash flow and operating margins. In May, the company announced it was replacing Debbie Clifford as chief financial officer. The following month, activist hedge fund Starboard Value LP said it had taken a stake and began pushing for board changes over concerns about how Autodesk was handling the accounting probe. Employees warned executives about the strategic risk in early 2022, but the company continued to book such deals at least until the fiscal year ending in January 2024, according to the documents. Some of the deals were approved by Chief Operating Officer Steve Blum, the documents show. Autodesk has offered similar discounts to smaller customers and has said it will phase out those offerings later than discounts for corporate customers. For More: Autodesk CFO Replaced After Internal Accounting Investigation Autodesks accounting probe concluded in May, with the board deciding to remove Clifford as CFO. The company said it had provided related documents to the US Securities and Exchange Commission and US Justice Department. Starboard has urged the board to consider replacing Chief Executive Officer Andrew Anagnost and said the company is asking shareholders to accept a complete lack of consequences and accountability for the accounting issues. The hedge fund, led by CEO Jeff Smith, unsuccessfully sued to reopen Autodesks board nomination window, saying the company had purposely hidden the probe until after it had closed. Autodesk has said management and the board met with Starboard multiple times. Autodesk is taking decisive actions to drive growth, enhance margins and deliver strong free cash flow, and our business has momentum, as evidenced by our strong first-quarter results, the spokesperson said. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com Gaza news: Newly born twins were killed by an Israeli strike when their father went out to get their birth certificates. Mohammed Abu Al-Qumsan had just picked up birth certificates for his newly-born twins when he found out they had been killed, along with his wife and her mother, by the strike on the Gaza apartment where they were sheltering, reported news agency Reuters. He waved the laminated documents as a man held him while he wept at the morgue where their bodies were brought, the report said. "My wife is gone, my two babies and my mother-in-law. I was told it's a tank shell on the apartment they were in, in a house we were displaced to," Reuters report said, quoting Abu Al-Qumsan, 31, as he recalled the devastating phone call. I did not get the chance to celebrate their arrival. Their clothes are new, they did not wear them, he says, also showing a half-full pack of nappies. Also Read | Israels Rating Cut by Fitch as Gaza War Seen Lasting Into 2025 Asser and Ayssel, a boy and a girl, were wrapped in white clothes as they were carried by their father and others. This has become a common sight in Gaza, where Israel's land and air campaign has put hundreds of thousands of people regularly on the move in search of shelter. It has been 10 months since the Gaza war erupted and measures such as air strikes, artillery shells and severe shortages of medicine, food and clean water have brought one of the world's most densely populated places to its knees. Also Read | US prepares for potential attacks on Israel this week amid Middle East tensions "Today, it was registered in history that the occupation army targets newborn children who are barely four days old, twins along with their mother and grandmother," Reuters reported quoting hospital doctor Khalil al-Daqran. Israel however claims that it goes to great lengths to avoid civilian casualties and accuses Hamas of using humans as shields. The Palestinian Iranian-backed militant group started the conflict in an October 7 cross-border raid on Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking over 250 hostage, the report said. According to the report, Israel retaliated with airstrikes and attacks that have killed almost 40,000 people and wounded more than 92,000 and devastated the region. Google Doodle Today, on August 15, is celebrating India's Independence Day 2024 with a architecture-themed Doodle. The Doodle has been illustrated by Vrinda Zaveri. It celebrates Independence Day in India. Google decribes India's Independence Day as a celebration of getting freedom from tyrannical British rule and exploitation of India. Following nearly two centuries of tyrannical rule under the British colonizers, from the East India Company, who exploited India for various of her assets, the citizens sought independence, Google post said. Google acknowledged prominent freedom fighters who strived for India's independence. Notable leaders The people of India strongly desired self-governance and sovereignty after nearly two centuries of inequality, violence, and lack of fundamental rights. Led by prominent figures like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Subhas Chandra Bose, the Indian independence movement was made possible through civil disobedience. The perseverance and sacrifices of the countrys freedom fighters paid off, it said. While describing the festivities for day Google said, on Independence Day, many attend flag-raising ceremonies, parades, musical performances, community rallies, and more to celebrate. Homes, buildings, streets, and cars are decorated with the saffron, white, and green national flag as seen in todays artwork. Millions of citizens sing the Indian national anthem, Jana Gana Mana ( ), throughout the festivities as well. Happy Independence Day India! The theme for this year's Independence Day is Viksit Bharat, to symbolise the vision of a developed nation by the year 2047. The theme tries to show the government's commitment to transform the nation into a developed nation by 2047, the 100th year of independence from the colonial rule. As the nation mourns the rape and murder of the trainee doctor at a Kolkata hospital, the father of the deceased shared his daughter's last diary entry. In an interview with a news channel, he shared that the victim was studious, and her last diary entry revealed what she aspired to do in her life. Before leaving for her night shift at RG Kar Medical College on the fateful night, the victim made her last diary entry, which showed her dedication to her goals and the medical profession. According to India Today, citing her father, the 31-year-old victim wanted to top her MD course and achieve a gold medal in it. Our life has now been shattered, he told India Today. The victim's father described his daughter as a hard-working student, telling the news channel that she fought a lot to achieve her goal of becoming a doctor and that the family made several sacrifices to raise her". Also Read | Mob tries to destroy crime scene at RG Kar Medical College, 9 arrested Hopeful of justice, he said nothing could fill the void, but it would be some solace if the culprit was punished. Initially, the family was told that their daughter had committed suicide. However, later, it was revealed that she was raped before being murdered. The victim was resting in the seminar hall of the hospital at the time of the incident, which took place between 3 am and 5 am, according to the autopsy. She had been bleeding from mouth, eyes and private parts, the report said adding that there was a deep wound in her private parts which suggests genital torture. The cartilage of her throat was also broken because she was throttled before being smothered to death. Several other injuries were also found on the victim's body. Also Read | Kolkata doctor rape case: Eyewitnesses recount RG Kar rampage horror A civic volunteer was arrested in connection with the crime the next day. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken over the probe. Independence Day Speech: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15 called for discussions on the country's Uniform Civil Code, saying it needs to be secular and not discriminatory. There should be discussions on the Uniform Civil Code. The present civil code appears to be communal. India needs a secular civil code. It is need of hour to have a secular civil code and do away with discriminatory communal civil code, he stated. Supreme Court has held discussions regarding Uniform Civil Code again and again, it has given orders several times. A large section of the country believes and it is true, that the Civil Code that we are living with is actually a Communal Civil Code in a way...I would say that it is the need of the hour to that there be a Secular Civil Code in the country...only then would we be free of the discrimination on the basis of religion he added. Also Read | Independence Day 2024 Live: PM Modi leaves from Red Fort Speaking from the Ramparts of the Red Fort after hoisting the National Flag on the occasion of India's 78th Independence Day celebrations, Modi addressed the country and outlined his government's goals and policies. Viksit Bharat 2047 Modi hailed the Viksit Bharat 2047 dream in his 11th Independence Day speech. 'Viksit Bharat 2047' are not mere words, they are reflection of resolve and dreams of 140 crore people. We are capable of making India developed nation by 2047 with our resolve, he stated. Also Read | Independence Day 2024: PM Modi hails banking sector reforms Adding, We gave the mantra for 'Vocal for Local'. Today, I am happy that Vocal for Local has become a new mantra for the economic system. Every district has started taking pride in its produce. There is an environment of 'One District One Product'... Path of reforms chosen by us has become a blueprint for growth and not just for debate clubs, PM Modi said. He called for making India the third-largest economy in the world soon. He also hailed the Indian government's banking sector reforms and focus on the skill development of youth. On Govt Reforms We were given a huge responsibility and we introduced major reforms on the ground...I would like to assure the countrymen, our commitment to reforms is not limited to pink paper editorials, Modi added. The new head of RG Kar Medical Colleges chest department, Arunava Dutta Chowdhury, said on Wednesday it was "wrong" to tell the parents of the Kolkata murder victim's parents that the trainee doctor had died by suicide. He was quoted by the Times of India as saying, I was not present when the call was made so I dont know what had prompted him [assistant superintendent] to say that." "But it was not right. The hospital authorities should have filed an FIR, he was quoted as saying. An assistant superintendent of the hospital had reportedly called the womans parents and informed them that their daughter had died by suicide. It was later reported that the woman was allegedly raped and murdered. She had several injury marks on her body Chowdhury said he got the contact number of the womans parents number and shared it with a woman assistant superintendent. But she did not make the call. It was Dwaipayan Biswas, another assistant superintendent, who called them, recalled Dutta Chowdhury. A According to the Times of India report, Biswas has been questioned by the police. Also Read | Kolkata doctor rape-murder: 9 arrested for violence at RG Kar Medical College Chowdhury said he was not the first to see the body. "I came to know about it after I reported for work. The seminar hall was cordoned off by police by then, he added. Kolkata doctor murder case: What we know so far The 31-year-old woman trainee doctor was found dead, reportedly in a half-naked condition, in the seminar room of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. Parents and relatives of the victim claimed that they received a call in the morning informing them about their daughter's "suicide". However, the autopsy report of the woman doctor indicated multiple penetrations and injuries to several parts of the body. "There were multiple external injuries, including on the lower and upper lips, nose, cheeks and lower jaw," said the report. It revealed that The time of the death could be between 3 am and 5 am. Dr Subarna Goswami, a former student of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, who went through the report, claimed that it indicated multiple penetrations. "The autopsy report is proof of the brutality she had to encounter, the presence of more than one person, and that she was sexually assaulted more than once. This is bestiality at its worst," he told PTI. A police volunteer was subsequently arrested in connection with the crime. The Calcutta High Court ordered immediate transfer of the investigation into the crime to the CBI from the Kolkata Police on August 13. Amid the uproar and protest over the brutal rape and murder of a young female doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar hospital, a key doctors' organisation said that it had resumed its strike only two days after it decided to call it off. Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee assured that stringent action will be taken against the accused. Here are the top developments: Amid protests over the brutal rape and murder of a young female doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar hospital, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee assured that stringent actions will be taken against the accused and added f the culprit is hanged then only people will learn a lesson from it. Meanwhile, she accused opposition political parties of being behind the vandalism at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital here. Banerjee while speaking to media said, As far as the information I have, I will not blame the students... The incident is very unfortunate, we still say that they should be hung... We have given all the documents, till the time our police were investigating, nothing was leaked... My and the people of Bengal's condolences are with the victim's family... This is a very big crime, and the only punishment for it is that the accused should be hung, if the culprit is hanged then only people will learn a lesson from it but no innocent should be punished, she adds. Around midnight, a group of around 40 people, posing as protesters, entered the hospital, vandalising the emergency department, nursing station, and medicine store, while also damaging CCTV cameras and ransacking a stage where junior doctors had been demonstrating since August 9. Police have so far detained nine persons for their alleged involvement in the incident. The BJP criticised police for failing to protect the protesting doctors and prevent the vandalism, demanding that the army be deployed if the TMC government cannot control the situation. All you need to know about Reclaim the Night protest The vandalism took place amidst widespread protests by women across the state in response to the "Reclaim the Night" campaign, rallying against the horrific incident involving the deceased doctor. The young woman doctor, whose body was found on August 9, was allegedly raped and murdered while on duty. A civic volunteer was arrested the following day in connection with the crime. The vandalism triggered strong reactions from various quarters. Nurses at the hospital staged protests against the violence, demanding enhanced security measures. "Such hooliganism inside a hospital is unacceptable," one protesting nurse said. The Kolkata Police on Thursday arrested nine people after a group of nearly 40-50 miscreantsunder the garb of protests allegedly stormed the premises of state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital late on Wednesday night and vandalised the portions of the medical facility where the semi-naked body of a 32-year-old trainee doctor was found last week. The police, however, said the crime scene of the alleged brutal rape and murder case was intact. The incident took place amid midnight protests by women under the 'Reclaim the Night' campaign against the brutal murder of the lady doctor at the state-run hospital. The police fired tear gas and resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the mob. Some police officers were injured in the violence. A police vehicle and a few two-wheelers were also damaged in the incident. The arrests came within hours of Trinamool Congress's Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee demanding action within 24 hours. "The hooliganism and vandalism at RG Kar tonight have exceeded all acceptable limits. As a public representative, I just spoke with @CPKolkata [Kolkata Commissioner of Police], urging him to ensure that every individual responsible for todays violence is identified, held accountable, and made to face the law within the next 24 hours, regardless of their political affiliations," Abhishek Banerjee said in a post on X. Kolkata RG Kar Hospital vandalised: Latest developments West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose visited RG Kar Medical College and Hospital to take stock of the situation following vandalism by unidentified miscreants. He spoke to the agitating junior doctors and inspected the Emergency Department, where vandalism took place the previous night. Its shocking and shattering. Its a shame for Bengal, India, and humanity that we cannot protect our daughters, sisters, and mothers, West Bengal Governor Bose said West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has opened an 'Abhaya Home' where doctors who are feeling insecure could stay "until they get back the confidence to move around freely in West Bengal". The governor's office has also opened an 'Abhaya Portal' where any doctor or common people who are feeling distressed could call and seek assistance. The Kolkata Police have arrested 9 people in connection with the violence inside the RG Kar Medical College. The police have also recovered several CCTV footage, and they are being examined thoroughly, India Today reported, citing sources. Also Read | Kolkata doctor rape case: Eyewitnesses recount RG Kar rampage horror The police clarified that the crime scene of the alleged brutal rape and murder of the woman doctor at the RG Kar Medical College had not been disturbed during the mob vandalism. In a post on 'X', the Kolkata Police said, The crime scene is the seminar room and it has not been touched. Don't spread unverified news. We will initiate legal action for spreading rumours. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) slammed the vandalism at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and said the authorities have once again failed to maintain law and order when the Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the alleged rape-murder case is underway. The IMA further said the mob attack was a bid to target young medical students protesting against the murder of the trainee doctor. Suhrita Pal, the newly appointed principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, said she doesn't know anything about the people who initiated vandalism at the hospital. "If you know anything, please tell me. I don't know anything about them," she added. The mob deliberately vandalised the area, an MBBS final-year student told ANI. "When we were getting ready to start the rally, a huge mob came. We requested them to continue their rally and not try to interfere here as there are female protestors. Then the mob tried to get into our protest, shockingly there used to be a lot of police when protests used to happen, but when the mob arrived, there were only a few police personnel present at the spot,' he said. The CBI team visited the victim's residence on Thursday. The agency will also visit RG Kar Hospital later in the day to check if the area that they had sealed was affected due to the vandalism. Nurses of the RG Kar Medical College on Thursday protested against the vandalism hours after a mob of miscreants ransacked a part of the medical establishment where the woman doctor was found dead last week. Nurses demanded proper security on the premises. "Such hooliganism inside a hospital is unacceptable," one of the protesting nurses said. A woman recalled the horror of the Friday morning when the news of a 31-year-old woman doctor's death was broken to her parents in Kolkata. "It was around 10:30 [am] on August 9 when my neighbours [the parents of the Kolkata rape-murder victim] ran to me and said 'sab kuch khatam ho gya'," the woman, who is reportedly the deceased's relative, said. While sharing the ordeal in a broken voice, the relative claimed that the victim's mother said she received the information that her daughter died by suicide. She didn't mention who gave this information to the parents. This was just the beginning of the horror they would witness in the next few hours. Also Read | Kolkata plans mass protest against rape-murder of RG Kar doctor Speaking to Lallantop, the relative said the parents pleaded before the hospital authorities to show them their daughter's face. But they were made to wait for three hours, she claimed. "After three hours, they allowed the father to go inside and see her body," she said. Relative describes horror The relative said the father clicked a picture of the crime scene. She described the image as: "Bacchi ke shareer par koi kapda nahi tha, paer dono right angle par mila gya...ek paon bed ke is taraf, ek paon bed ke is taraf mila gya. jab tak pelvic girgle nahi tootata hai, is tarah do paon ko nahi cheera jaa skta hai...chashme to koota gya jiske wajah se aankhon se khoon nikal gya....gala daba kar mara gya...ye pura post-mortem report me viral hua hai..." Her statement can be translated to: She had no clothes on her body. Her legs were 90 degrees apart...one on one side of the bed and other on the side of the bed...the legs cannot be torn apart like this unless the pelvic girdle breaks, which means she was torn apart. Her specs were broken, and there were shards of glass in her eyes. She was choked to death. I am not making this up. This has been proven in the post-mortem too... The incident reportedly took place on August 9, 2024. The woman's body, allegedly in half-naked condition, was found in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata in the wee hours of August 9. 5 questions Kolkata murder case raises: Several questions in the Kolkata rape and murder case have been raised as the investigation gets handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) from the Kolkata Police. Some of them are: 1: Why was the rape-murder incident declared a "suicide" initially when injuries were visible all over the body? The Kolkata Police said on Wednesday that the reports of police informing the family about a "possible suicide are false. The family confirmed the call did not come from KP". Meanwhile, the parents of the victim in their writ petition before the Calcutta High Court said the Assistant Superintendent of the RG Kar Medical College & Hospital had informed the petitioners that their daughter had committed suicide on the hospital premises. Besides, reports claimed that the initial post-mortem said there was bleeding from both eyes and mouth and injuries over the face and nails. "She also has injuries in her belly, left leg... neck, in her right hand, ring finger and... lips" news agency PTI reported. She reportedly had bite marks as well. So, when there were visible injuries on the body, how was it declared a suicide? This also leads to another question: 2. Was permission sought to use seminar room? Arunava Dutta Chowdhury was quoted by the Times of India as saying, "A written permission is needed to use the [seminar] hall after working hours but Im not aware if it was taken." According to the report, the seminar hall is supposed to be locked by 8.30 pm. Chowdhury said the keys of the hall were with the floors nursing superintendent. 3. Was there a cover-up? Why were the police informed about the incident late? The "suicide" claim has sparked speculations about whether authorities tried to cover up and wanted to save somebody from the clutches of the law. During a hearing in the Calcutta High Court, the West Bengal government's counsel said that the police outpost at the medical college and hospital received information about the incident at 10.10 am, when the body might have been there since morning. "At 10:30 a.m. the local police viz. Tala Police Station was informed," the court shared details. 4. Are there more than one culprit? Was it a gang rape? The Kolkata Police arrested and handed over the key suspect, Sanjoy Roy, to the CBI on Wednesday. However, Dr Raja Dha told the Mojo story that this might be the crime committed by multiple individuals, keeping in view multiple fractures and pelvic bone injuries. "I think there'll be two or more for sure...," he said in an interview. Hours later, in a petition, the parents reportedly suspected a "gang rape", saying that the "autopsy found 150 mg of semen in the victim's body, lending credence to the family's allegation of a gang rape. 5. Evidence tampered? Reports circulated on Wednesday about a "sudden construction" being carried out around "20 metres" away from the site where a resident doctor was raped and murdered. Left-wing groups and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have accused authorities at the RG Kar hospital of attempting to tamper with evidence related to the Kolkata rape and murder case, under the guise of "renovation". Meanwhile, News 18 reported that the protesting doctors sought accountability for potential evidence loss due to changes in the crime scene. Kolkata doctor rape case: Unknown miscreants disrupted the peaceful midnight protest against the brutal murder and rape of a trainee doctor at a government-run hospital in West Bengal's capital after midnight on Thursday. Unknown hooligans stormed into RG Kar Medical College and vandalised the protesting site, vehicles, and public property, forcing security officials to disperse the mob. Several videos of the unknown miscreant attempting to create chaos in the protest have been making the rounds on the internet. The midnight protests began at 11:55 pm across key areas in small towns and big cities, including parts of Kolkata, as a part of the 'Reclaim the Night' campaign, which gained momentum through social media. Kolkata RG Kar doctor murder and rape case: Top 10 things about midnight protest -Nearly 40 people, masquerading as protestors entered into the hospital premises. Before anyone could understand, they began destroying the property and pelting the police personnel with stones. The police retaliated with tear gas shells to disperse the crowd, reported PTI citing police. -The miscreants were carrying sticks, bricks and rods, and they even destroyed the Emergency ward, the hospital's nursing station, the medical store, and even a section of RG Kar Hospital's Out Patients Department (OPD) ward. -The hooligans also destroyed the CCTV cameras in and around the area. They also ransacked a stage where the junior doctors were demonstrating since August 9 evening following the death of the physician, reported PTI. -A police vehicle was overturned and several two-wheelers parked there were also damaged in the incident, and some police officers suffered injuries. -One of the videos from the protesting site captured masked miscreants breaking chairs and vandalising college properties amid a protest at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata. -Another social media user shared a video and claimed that miscreants were brought in trucks to the protest site to create chaos amid the protest against the alleged murder and rape of an on-duty trainee doctor in Kolkata. Mint could not independently verify the authenticity of the videos. -"The goons entered the campus and beat up agitating doctors. This was an attempt to break our morale so that we back out from the protest. But such incidents have only strengthened our resolve to fight till the end," PTI quoted one of the protesting doctors. -Miscreants tried to get into the peaceful Reclaim the Night protest march despite repeated requests from the protesting medical students, a final year MBBS student from Kolkata Anupam Roy told ANI. The violent mob attacked the protest site despite the presence of police personnel. -Shockingly there used to be a lot of police when protests used to happen but when the mob arrived, there were only a few police personnel present at the spot, the final year MBBS student told ANI. -Day after the violent mob attack on RG Kar college protest site, Kolkata Police on Thursday issued a clarification that the crime scene of the rape and murder of a junior doctor was not disturbed during the attack. The crime scene is the seminar room and it has not been touched. Don't spread unverified news. We will initiate legal action for spreading rumours, Kolkata Police wrote in a post on X. -The incident received severe backlash from BJP, Congress, and TMC leaders. Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee said, "The hooliganism and vandalism at RG Kar tonight have exceeded all acceptable limits." Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar on Thursday expressed his lack of interest in contesting the upcoming Assembly election from the Baramati constituency and hinted that his son Jay Pawar might replace him at the Assembly seat. The NCP leader, who is currently on a state-wide 'Jan Samman Yatra' to promote schemes launched by the state government, said that it was for his party to decide whether his son, Jay, would contest in his place from the Baramati Assembly constituency. Also Read | Ajit Pawar says made mistake by fielding wife against sister Sule in LS polls "It's democracy. I am not much interested in it because I have been part of 7-8 elections. If people and party workers think in such a way, then the parliamentary board should think about it. If the parliamentary board and the local party workers want it then we are ready to do it," the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister said. It is important to note that the Baramati Assembly seat is considered a stronghold for Ajit Pawar as the NCP leader was re-elected from the Assembly constituency in 1995, 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014, and 2019. Earlier on Tuesday, the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister said that he made a huge mistake by fielding his wife, Sunetra Pawar, against his cousin Supriya Sule from Baramati in the Lok Sabha elections 2024. The Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister told Marathi news channel Jai Maharashtra in an interview that one should not allow politics to enter one's home. "I love all my sisters. One shouldn't allow politics to enter homes. I made a mistake in fielding Sunetra against my sister. This shouldn't have happened. But the parliamentary board (of NCP) made a decision. Now I feel it was wrong," Pawar said. In the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year, the NCPpart of the ruling Mahayuti Alliancefielded Sunetra Pawar against the NCP(SP) president's daughter, Supriya Sule, from Baramati. Sule defeated Sunetra by 1.5 lakh votes. She won the Baramati seat for the fourth successive time with a vote share of 51.85%. However, Sunetra was later elected to the Rajya Sabha. PM Modi Independence Day 2024 speech: In his 11th Independence Day speech from Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed Independence Day 2024's theme of Viksit Bharat at 2047 and urged 140 crore Indians to resolve to make India a developed nation and transform it into the third largest economy in the world. Addressing the nation from Red Fort, PM Modi also praised the Indian government's focus on reforms in the banking sector and the skill development of youth. He also underlined the significance of lakhpati didi, world-class educational universities, skill development for the young population, Atmanirbhar Bharat, Bharatiya Nyay Vyavastha, capacity building for natural disasters, global promotion of Ayurveda, etc. Here are the top ten highlights from PM Modi's Independence Day 2024 speech. PM Modi's Independence Day 2024 speech: Top highlights 'If 40 crore people can break shackles of slavery to gain freedom, just imagine what can be achieved by resolve of 140 crore people: PM Modi. We are capable of making India developed nation by 2047 with our resolve: PM Modi in his address on Independence Day. People have given many suggestions to make India developed by 2047, including making nation manufacturing hub, seed capital: PM Modi. We are capable of making India developed nation by 2047 with our resolve: PM Modi in his address on Independence Day. While praising the government's initiative of ensuring water availability for everyone, PM Modi said, Jal Jeevan Mission has reached 15 crore beneficiaries People want 'shri anna (millets)' to reach every dining table of world as super food. When country's armed forces carry out surgical and air strikes, every Indian is filled with pride. Earlier, people wanted change but their aspirations were not paid heed to; we brought about big reforms on ground. Our commitment to reforms not for temporary applause or due to compulsions, but has resolve to strengthen country Ten crore sisters have joined women self-help groups and are becoming economically independent. Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday as India marked 78 years of Independence. The missive comes mere weeks after a Modi-Putin meeting in Moscow for the annual India-Russia summit. "We attach great importance to the relations of a particularly privileged strategic partnership with India. I am confident that the consistent implementation of the agreements reached following our recent talks in Moscow will contribute to the further development of multifaceted Russian-Indian cooperation. This undoubtedly meets the interests of our friendly peoples and is in line with strengthening international stability and security." Putin said. The Russian leader said that India had earned high authority on the world stage over the past 77 years. He also lauded the country for securing generally recognized success in the socio-economic, scientific-technical and many other spheres. Also Read | Melodi memes surface as Giorgia Meloni wishes PM Modi on Independence Day Leaders from across the world including French President Emmanuel Macronand Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu shared messages for India on Thursday as the country celebrated its 78th Independence Day. On the occasion of the 78th Independence Day, I would like to express my heartfelt wishes to the people of India, and especially to the many Indians who follow this page. Italy and India share an ever-stronger bond, and I am confident that together we will achieve great things. Our strategic partnership is an important pillar for the future, wrote Italian PM Giorgia Meloni on X. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the national flag on Thursday at the Red Fort in the national capital for the 11th consecutive time on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day. His 98-minute-long address the longest ever Independence Day speech by an Indian PM touched upon a range of issues from Viksit Bharat by 2047 to secular civil code and atrocities against women. The uproar, protests and anger against the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old woman PG trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Hospital is gaining momentum across the country. Doctors, residents, students and women organisations have united to raise their demands of justice for victims and safety for them in the country. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 15 August spoke regarding the issue. With all these things happening in India, Uttarakhand police on Wednesday have arrested a person in the alleged rape and murder of a 33-year-old nurse. On 30 July, she went missing from Udham Singh Nagar district's Rudrapur. According to report by News18, the victim was resident of Gadarpurs Islamnagar and worked as a nurse at Nainital's private hospital. She used to live with her 11-year-old daughter in Bilaspur Colony. On 31 July, victim's sister filed a missing persons reported Rudrapur police station, following the the probe began. But, the victim's body was found in an empty plot in Uttar Pradeshs Dibdiba area a week later. It was then sent for post mortem. Raped, killed and then robbed: Reports say that the victim was first taken to bushes where she was raped, then strangled her to death by accused Dharmendra from Rajasthans Jodhpur. He then robbed her jewelry and fled from the scene. Accused caught: Probing the case, the police checked the CCTV camera footage to find out the last known whereabouts of the victim travelling in a tempo from Indra Chowk in Rudrapur. The stolen mobile phone led the police to Dharmendra location. Dharmendra revealed he attacked the nurse while he was on his way inside the Basundhara Apartment at Kashipur Road. Though he only the intention of robbery, but as soon as he found a vacant spot, she took her there and raped, followed by murder. He accepted to have fled the spot with the money and jewelry kept in her purse after killing her. Reacting to the incident, senior Congress leader Pawan Khera wrote on X, Whats wrong with us as a country? Even as we are grappling with the inhuman brutality with which the lady doctor was raped and killed in Kolkata, now we have this report of a rape and brutal murder of a nurse in Uttarakhand. Here's the tweet: An unidentified mob of dozens stormed the premises of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, where a resident doctor was allegedly gang-raped and murdered, shortly after midnight on Thursday, August 15 and vandalised portions of the medical facility. The mob also pelted stones at the police personnel deployed at the RG Kar hospital, prompting them to fire tear-gas shells to disperse the crowd. According to the police, a group of around 40 people, reportedly posing as protestors, stormed the premises, vandalised property and hurled stones at police officers. In response to this, the police were forced to use tear gas to disperse the crowd. During the incident, the mob vandalised the Kolkata Police patrol car. The driver of the car, Badyu Jamaan, Kolkata Police, said, The crowd came suddenly and damaged the car. A brick hit me on my back when I was standing by the side of my car. While speaking to reporters on the incident, a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Hasan Mushtaq said, We were to leave at 11 PM for a protest march (from the protesting site). But, there was a group of people outside the campus, they were raising the slogan - 'We want justice', but they weren't moving. The mob turned angry and they were trying to enter the campus. Suddenly, they started coming and vandalising. We have already asked our female team to leave and as they leave the mob broke the barricade and entered and we have to escape to save our lives. Even though we are doing everything peacefully, they came from outside and have done this... Trinamool Congress general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee said that he spoke to Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal and urged him to "ensure that every individual responsible for todays violence is identified, held accountable, and made to face the law within the next 24 hours, regardless of their political affiliations". "The hooliganism and vandalism at RG Kar tonight have exceeded all acceptable limits. As a public representative, I just spoke with CPKolkata," he said in a post on X. "The demands of the protesting doctors are fair and justified. This is the minimum they should expect from the government. Their safety and security must be prioritised," Banerjee said. However, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari who shared the video of the miscreants, alleged that Mamata Banerjee had sent her TMC goons to the apolitical Protest Rally. He wrote, They were given safe passage by the Police, who either ran away or looked the other way so that these lumpens would enter the hospital premises and destroy areas containing crucial evidence so that it doesn't get picked up by the CBI." He then questioned, "Why would someone who has come to show solidarity would destroy the Epicenter of the Protests? Lastly the protests happened peacefully across the State, why violence erupted at RG Kar only? Kolkata rape-murder case: YouTuber and Influencer Dhruv Rathee faced criticism after disclosing the name of the victim in the case involving the raped and murdered RG Kar Hospital doctor. On August 9, a post-graduate trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The victim's family has alleged that she was raped and murdered. This incident has triggered a nationwide protest by doctors and medical fraternities. Coming back to Rathee, earlier, he had posted a tweet saying, "Justice For Nirbhaya 2" on X. He later deleted the tweet, prompting criticism on social media and allegations were made that he might be afraid of the West Bengal government. To clarify his stance, he stated, Because some people pointed out that it was insensitive to call (name hidden) as Nirbhaya2. I thought over it and felt that they were right. However, in another tweet, he went and revealed the name of the victim in a hashtag. In the tweet, he wrote, The rape-murder case in West Bengal is heartbreaking. It exposes the inhumane working conditions for doctors, the lack of their safety and the miserable state of law and order in West Bengal. Hope CBI does a fast-track trial and gets justice (sic) #JusticeFor(name hidden). Though users on X praised him for raising the issue, an Advocate-on-Record at the Supreme Court of India, Prashant Umrao criticised Rathee. He argued that disclosing the victims name is inappropriate when the victim is deceased or unable to consent, even with family authorisation. He wrote, When the Rape victim is dead or of unsound mind the name of the victim or her identity should not be disclosed even under the authorisation of the next of the kin. (Bloomberg) -- The Canadian government has denied an arbitration request by Canadian National Railway Co., increasing the likelihood of a nationwide work stoppage by thousands of its unionized workers. Labor Minister Steven MacKinnon told the railway and the union, Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, they have a shared responsibility to try to negotiate a new contract, according to his letter sent to the companys representative. He essentially rejected the rail companys call to use the ministerial powers to avert a potential job action that may begin as early as next week. Teamsters Canada agrees with Minister MacKinnon: agreements are within reach at the bargaining table, the union said in a statement. It bears repeating that the main sticking points at the bargaining table are company demands, not union proposals. Canadian National has already begun a phased shutdown of its rail networks, beginning with shipments of hazardous materials ahead of the expected work stoppage. The Montreal-based rail company said the union has rejected all offers and has not proposed a single counteroffer. Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd., which has so far failed to reach an agreement with the same union, has also halted shipments of toxic goods and temperature-controlled products such as vegetables, according to a document sent to its customers. All stakeholders want an end to this needless uncertainty as rapidly as possible so that we can continue serving the North American economy, Canadian Pacific said in a statement. Both companies said their gradual shutdown would ensure hazardous and vulnerable shipments arent stranded if a settlement isnt reached by Aug. 22. Theyve said they will lock the workers out if theres no agreement by then. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com A Chinese couple recently reunited with their son 37 years after he was given away by his paternal grandmother due to financial reasons, as reported by the South China Morning Post. The report mentioned that the third son of the family was born to a woman in Weinan, Shaanxi province, in 1986. However, as the family was too poor to raise another child, the grandmother arranged for him to be adopted by a guy called Zhao just one day after he was born. In a shocking incident, the report further claimed that the parents of the child were unaware of the grandmother's decision to give him away. They only knew that Zhao was from Shandong province in eastern China. Independence Day 2024 Live Regarding whether the grandmother received payment for giving away the child, the report noted that the exact amount Zhao paid her is unclear. However, the couple longed for their son and so after the grandmother passed away, Li and his wife spent 30 years searching for their son. Their long wait ended in February this year when the Ministry of Public Securitys database confirmed that their blood samples matched those of a man named Pang residing in Shandong province's Zaozhuang city, as reported by SCMP. Kolkata doctor rape case LIVE updates The couple were able to find their son with the help of a DNA database that the Chinese police had created in 2009. SCMP report mentioned that this database was created by collecting blood samples from families of missing children and adoptees searching for their biological parents. Also Read | Chinas steel industry in trouble as property market woes hit demand Independence Day 2024: Videos by London-based musician and busker Vish posted on the social media platform Instagram have generated much buzz and goodwill among netizens amid India's 78th Independence Day celebrations. Posted during the week amid violent riots in the UK against minorities and immigrants, the video show Indians and Pakistanis singing Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack Jai Ho and AR Rehman's rendition of Vande Mataram together on a London street. Musician Vish can be seen with a standing mike in the middle of a crowd dressed in white, with many in the audience carrying the tricolour, the Union Jack (UK's narional flag), and Pakistan's national flag. When Indians & Pakistanis sing together in London Jai Ho, read the caption of one post, adding, Lets share this video to spread love and unity. We need each other in these hard times. The post has 6.1 million views as of 12.25 pm on August 15. A second post with Vande Mataram performance acknowledged the violence across the UK in the caption, saying, In the midst of all these riots in London we still managed to get Indians & Pakistanis sing together for 78th Independence Day. The post has 4.6 million views as of 12.25 pm on August 15. Vish also posted a third video from the same event where the crowd joins him in singing 'Teri Mitti' from the Bollywood movie Kesari. This one has 149,000 views as of 12,25 pm on August 15. Also Read | PM Modi calls for discussions on Uniform Civil Code in I-Day speech Netizens Hail Unity "What a metaphor... divided by Britishers ...united in London..." said a commenter, and another echoed the sentiment, adding, "Divided by UK, United in UK". "Without our own united front we are nothing. Our shared heritage is the richness that ties us together," said another. "Got goosebumps," was one reply. Many also simply stated "Proud to be Indian" and responded with the tricolour emoji in the comments. "Check the comraderie music can bring! Pls bring more hearts together and spread love. Jai ho!!" said one more commenter. Choruses of "Happy Independence Day!" also filled the videos' comments section. Italian leader Giorgia Meloni shared a message for Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday as India celebrated Independence Day. The Italian PM had previously made waves for her camaraderie with Modi during international events and bilateral meetings. On the occasion of the 78th Independence Day, I would like to express my heartfelt wishes to the people of India, and especially to the many Indians who follow this page. Italy and India share an ever-stronger bond, and I am confident that together we will achieve great things. Our strategic partnership is an important pillar for the future, she wrote in Italian on X. Grateful for your Independence Day wishes, PM @GiorgiaMeloni. May the India-Italy friendship keep growing and contributing towards a better planet, came the response from Modi. Much has been said about the easy camaraderie between Modi and Meloni since she took over the reins of the Italian government in 2022. Social media has been flooded with memes and videos (often AI generated) dedicated to the fictional relationship between the two leaders. The duo had also sent the internet into a tizzy earlier this year after posting a selfie of the Melodi team during Modi's visit to Italy for the G7 summit. They appear to enjoy a close public friendship and were also seen interacting animatedly during the G20 summit in India last year and the COP28 climate talks in Dubai. Also Read | Meloni Toying With New Attempt to Get Cash From Italy Banks Photographs of the two leaders together have been shared widely on social media platforms and the hashtag Melodi trends every time the two leaders interact or share a stage. AI-generated videos watched by millions have even gone as far as to show Modi crooning love songs every time Meloni appears with a political leader other than him. The situation has also prompted criticism with many insisting that it was demeaning and misogynistic to view the Italian leader in such a manner. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the national flag on Thursday at the Red Fort in the national capital for the 11th consecutive time on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day. It was the kind of outlandish scheme that might bubble up in a bar around closing time. In May of 2022, a handful of senior Ukrainian military officers and businessmen had gathered to toast their countrys remarkable success in halting the Russian invasion. Buoyed by alcohol and patriotic fervor, somebody suggested a radical next step: destroying Nord Stream. After all, the twin natural-gas pipelines that carried Russian gas to Europe were providing billions to the Kremlin war machine. What better way to make Vladimir Putin pay for his aggression? Just over four months later, in the small hours of Sept. 26, Scandinavian seismologists picked up signals indicating an underwater earthquake or volcanic eruption hundreds of miles away, near the Danish island of Bornholm. They were caused by three powerful explosions and the largest-ever recorded release of natural gas, equivalent to the annual CO2 emissions of Denmark. One of the most audacious acts of sabotage in modern history, the operation worsened an energy crisis in European assault on critical infrastructure that could be considered an act of war under international law. Theories swirled about who was responsible. Was it the CIA? Could Putin himself have set the plan in motion? Now, for the first time, the outlines of the real story can be told. The Ukrainian operation cost around $300,000, according to people who participated in it. It involved a small rented yacht with a six-member crew, including trained civilian divers. One was a woman, whose presence helped create the illusion they were a group of friends on a pleasure cruise. I always laugh when I read media speculation about some huge operation involving secret services, submarines, drones and satellites," one officer who was involved in the plot said. The whole thing was born out of a night of heavy boozing and the iron determination of a handful of people who had the guts to risk their lives for their country." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky initially approved the plan, according to one officer who participated and three people familiar with it. But later, when the CIA learned of it and asked the Ukrainian president to pull the plug, he ordered a halt, those people said. Zelenskys commander in chief, Valeriy Zaluzhniy, who was leading the effort, nonetheless forged ahead. The Journal spoke to four senior Ukrainian defense and security officials who either participated in or had direct knowledge of the plot. All of them said the pipelines were a legitimate target in Ukraines war of defense against Russia. Portions of their account were corroborated by a nearly two-year German police investigation into the attack, which has obtained evidence including email, mobile and satellite phones communications, as well as fingerprints and DNA samples from the alleged sabotage team. The Germany inquiry hasnt directly linked President Zelensky to the clandestine operation. Gen. Zaluzhniy, now Ukraines ambassador to the United Kingdom, said in a text exchange that he knows nothing of any such operation and that any suggestion to the contrary is a mere provocation." Ukraines armed forces, he added, werent authorized to conduct overseas missions, and he therefore wouldnt have been involved. A senior official of the main Ukrainian intelligence service, SBU, denied his government had anything to do with the sabotage, and said that Zelensky in particular did not approve the implementation of any such actions on the territory of third countries and did not issue relevant orders." Putin has publicly blamed the U.S. for the attacks. A senior Russian diplomat in Berlin echoed that claim, and said the German investigation findings were fairy tales worthy of the Brothers Grimm." In June, Germanys federal prosecutor quietly issued the first arrest warrant in the case for a Ukrainian professional diving instructor for his alleged involvement in the sabotage. The German investigation is now focusing on Zaluzhniy and his aides, people familiar with the probe say, although they have no evidence that could be presented in court. The findings could upend relations between Kyiv and Berlin, which has provided much of the financing and military equipment to Ukraine, second only to the U.S. Some German political leaders may have been willing to overlook evidence pointing to Ukraine for fear of undermining domestic support for the war effort. But German police are politically independent and their investigation took on a life of its own as they pursued one lead after another. An attack of this scale is a sufficient reason to trigger the collective defense clause of NATO, but our critical infrastructure was blown up by a country that we support with massive weapons shipments and billions in cash," said a senior German official familiar with the probe. Following the May 2022 pact between the businessmen and the military officers, it was agreed that the former would finance and help execute the project, because the army had no funds and was increasingly relying on foreign financing as it pushed back against the onslaught of its gargantuan neighbor. A sitting general with experience in special operations would oversee the mission, which one participant described as a public-private partnership." He would report directly to the head of Ukraines armed forces, the four-star Gen. Zaluzhniy. Within days, Zelensky approved the plan, according to the four people familiar with the plot. All arrangements were made verbally, leaving no paper trail. But the next month, the Dutch military intelligence agency MIVD learned of the plot and warned the CIA, according to several people familiar with the Dutch report. U.S. officials then promptly informed Germany, according to U.S. and German officials. The CIA warned Zelenskys office to stop the operation, U.S. officials said. The Ukrainian president then ordered Zalyzhniy to halt it, according to Ukrainian officers and officials familiar with the conversation as well as Western intelligence officials. But the general ignored the order, and his team modified the original plan, these people said. The general tasked with commanding the operation enlisted some of Ukraines top special-operations officers with experience in orchestrating high-risk clandestine missions against Russia to help coordinate the attack. One of them was Roman Chervinsky, a decorated colonel who previously served in Ukraines main security and intelligence service, the SBU. Chervinsky is currently on trial in Ukraine for unrelated charges. In July, he was released on bail after over a year in detention. Reached after his release, he declined to comment on the Nord Stream case, saying he wasnt authorized to speak about it. In a subsequent broadcast interview, he said that the sabotage had two positive effects for Ukraine: It helped loosen Russias grip on the European countries supporting Kyiv, and it left Moscow with only one main avenue for channeling gas to Europe, pipelines traversing Ukraine. Despite the war, Ukraine collects lucrative transit fees for Russian oil and gas estimated to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars a year. Chervinsky and the sabotage team initially studied an older, elaborate plan to blow up the pipeline drafted by Ukrainian intelligence and Western experts after Russia first invaded Ukraine in 2014, according to people familiar with the plot. After dismissing that idea due to its cost and complexity, the planners settled on using a small sailing boat and a team of sixa mix of seasoned active duty soldiers and civilians with maritime expertiseto blow up the 700-mile-long pipelines that sat more than 260 feet below the seas surface. In September 2022, the plotters rented a 50-foot leisure yacht called Andromeda in Germanys Baltic port town of Rostock. The boat was leased with the help of a Polish travel agency that was set up by Ukrainian intelligence as a cover for financial transactions nearly a decade ago, according to Ukrainian officers and people familiar with the German investigation. One crew member, a military officer on active duty who was fighting in the war, was a seasoned skipper, and four were experienced deep-sea divers, people familiar with the German investigation said. The crew included civilians, one of whom was a woman in her 30s who had trained privately as a diver. She was handpicked for her skills but also to lend more plausibility to the crews disguise as friends on holiday, according to one person familiar with the planning. The skipper took a short leave from his unit, which had been fighting on the front in the southeast of Ukraine, and his commander was kept in the dark, according to two Ukrainians familiar with the plot. Ukraine has a long history of training top civilian and military divers. A naval base on the Crimean Peninsula in the past trained deep-sea divers for the purposes of sabotage and demining. It also kept combat dolphins trained to attack enemy divers and blow up ships, according to two senior Ukrainian officers. The base was taken over by Russia after it occupied Crimea, and some of its staff moved elsewhere in Ukraine. Armed only with diving equipment, satellite navigation, a portable sonar and open-source maps of the seabed charting the position of the pipelines, the crew set out. The four divers worked in pairs, according to people familiar with the German investigation. Operating in pitch-dark, icy waters, they handled a powerful explosive known as HMX that was wired to timer-controlled detonators. A small amount of the light explosive would be sufficient to rip open the high-pressure pipes. Spending 20 minutes at that depth requires around three hours of decompression, and the person must then refrain from diving for at least 24 hours or risk serious injury. Inclement weather forced the crew to make an unplanned stop in the Swedish port of Sandhamn. One diver accidentally dropped an explosive device to the bottom of the sea. The crew briefly discussed whether to abort the operation due to the bad weather but the storm soon subsided, two people familiar with the operation said. Witnesses on other yachts moored in Sandhamn noted that the Andromeda was the only boat with a small Ukrainian flag hoisted on its mast. In the wake of the attack, which took out three of the four conduits forming the pipelines, energy prices surged . Germany and other nations scrambled to nationalize energy companies that handled Russian gas but collapsed after the pipelines were destroyed. Even today Germany is paying around $1 million a day alone to lease floating terminals for liquefied natural gas or LNG, which only partly replaced the Russian gas flows channeled by Nord Stream. Germany, Denmark, Sweden and the U.S. , among others, sent out warships, divers, underwater drones and aircraft to investigate the area around the gas leaks. Zelensky took Zaluzhniy to task, but the general shrugged off his criticism, according to three people familiar with the exchange. Zaluzhniy told Zelensky that the sabotage team, once dispatched, went incommunicado and couldnt be called off because any contact with them could compromise the operation. He was told its like a torpedoonce you fire it at the enemy, you cant pull it back again, it just keeps going until it goes boom, " a senior officer familiar with the conversation said. Days after the attack, in October 2022, Germanys foreign secret service received a second tipoff about the Ukrainian plot from the CIA, which again passed on a report by the Dutch military intelligence agency MIVD. It offered a detailed account of the attack, including the type of boat used and the possible route taken by the crew, according to German and Dutch officials. The Netherlands built deep intelligence-gathering capacity in Ukraine and Russia after Russian-backed paramilitaries downed a Malaysia Airlines flight originating from Amsterdam over eastern Ukraine, two Dutch officials said. Due to rules governing the sharing of classified intelligence, German police investigating the case werent allowed to see the Dutch report that linked Zaluzhniy and the Ukrainian military to the attack, but they were made aware of it by intelligence officials. German investigators questioned dozens of potential witnesses, scanned the bottom of the sea around the blasts and sifted through masses of data including digital communication, travel records and financial transactions. They had one lucky break. In rushing to leave Germany, the sabotage crew neglected to wash the Andromeda, allowing German detectives to find traces of explosives, fingerprints and DNA samples of the crew. Investigators later identified their mobile phone numbers and their Iridium satellite phone. That data allowed them to reconstruct the entire journey of the boat, which moored in Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Poland . U.S. authorities sought a court order to obtain from Google the emails a Ukrainian businessman used to lease the boat, and handed them over to the Germans. That Ukrainian businessman had contacted a number of boat rental firms in Sweden as well as in Germany, starting from mid-May 2022. Investigators then analyzed all mobile phone traffic in the areas where the boat was located, trawling through thousands of connections to distill the relevant data. At one point they were startled to find out that thousands of German mobile phones were active in the tiny Swedish port of Sandhamn, which was nearly empty at the time the boat was sheltering there from a storm. It later emerged that a vast cruise ship belonging to a tourist operator passed by and the phones of German passengers briefly linked up with the local cellular mast. They struggled at one point to secure the cooperation of Polish authorities despite the fact that the saboteurs used Poland partly as a logistical base and stopped in the Polish port of Kolobrzeg. A port official suspicious of the yachts crew alerted police. Polands border guard checked the identification of the crew, who produced passports from European Union members. They were allowed to continue sailing north, where they laid the rest of the mines, people familiar with the investigation say. The entire port was covered by extensive video surveillance, they found. However, despite a history of close cooperation between Warsaw and Berlin in police matters, Polish officials initially refused to hand over the CCTV footage of the port. This year, they told their German colleagues that the footage had been routinely destroyed shortly after the Andromeda departed. The Polish internal security agency ABW told the Journal that no such footage exists. By November 2022, German investigators believed Ukrainians were behind the explosion. Earlier this year, Zelensky ousted Zaluzhniy from his military post, saying a shakeup was needed to reboot the war effort. Zaluzhniy, who has been viewed domestically as a potential political rival, was later appointed Ukraines ambassador to the U.K., a position that grants him immunity from prosecution. In June, German officials issued a confidential arrest warrant for a Ukrainian citizen who the Germans believe was one of the crew members. According to people familiar with the investigation, a van driving the Ukrainian sabotage team from Poland into Germany in 2022 was snapped by a German speed camera, and the man, a diving instructor living with his family near Warsaw, was in the photo. Authorities in Poland didnt act on the warrant. The instructor is believed to have since returned to Ukraine. Polands failure to arrest him is a major blow to the German probe, because he and other suspects have now been tipped off and will avoid travelling outside Ukraine, people familiar with the investigation said. Ukraine doesnt extradite its own citizens. Ukrainian officials who participated in or are familiar with the plot believe it would be impossible to put any of the commanding officers on trial, because no evidence exists beyond conversations among top officials who were, at least initially, all in agreement about wanting to blow up the pipelines. None of them will testify, lest they incriminate themselves," one former officer said. 2024 dow jones & co. inc. Oil pushed higher after a two-day drop as jitters surrounding a potential Iranian attack on Israel and a strong US economic reading overshadowed persistent demand fears. West Texas Intermediate soared to over $78 a barrel after falling more than 3% over the previous two sessions. White House spokesman John Kirby told reporters that he doesnt expect newly initiated Gaza cease-fire talks to reach a deal on Thursday. Crudes advance was also aided by gains in equities, after the latest reading on US retail sales underscored the strength of the worlds largest economy. Traders are largely focused on whether Iran will retaliate against Israel for the killing of a senior Hamas leader on its soil. Israel today began talks with international mediators about a proposed deal to pause the more than 10-month-old war in Gaza, but slow progress left crudes risk premium intact. In China, apparent oil demand fell 8% from a year ago in July, government data showed, exacerbating the downbeat mood in Asias biggest economy. Earlier this week, figures from the US Energy Information Administration showed an increase for the nations crude stockpiles. That was partially offset by WTIs prompt-spread strengthening to $1.21, meaning traders perceive supply to be tight as inventories at the vital storage hub in Cushing, Oklahoma, continue to slide. As the summer driving season winds down in the Northern Hemisphere, demand for oil typically weakens, according to Jay Hatfield, chief executive officer of Infrastructure Capital Advisors. But steep seasonal declines sometimes see the commodity rallying back, this time with Middle East tensions serving as a catalyst, he added. And then, the momentum trade kicks in. Crude has slipped 6.7% from its high last month, weighed down by a poor outlook for consumption in China, with gasoline demand in the Asian nation dragged down by growing use of cleaner fuels. To get Bloombergs Energy Daily newsletter into your inbox, click here. With assistance from Alex Longley and Yongchang Chin. A day after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared increasing spread of Mpox in Africa a global health emergency, Sweden on Thursday registered the first case. "A person who sought care" in Stockholm "has been diagnosed with Mpox caused by the clade I variant. It is the first case caused by clade I to be diagnosed outside the African continent," AFP quoted Sweden's Public Health Agency as saying. "The person was infected during a visit to "the part of Africa where there is a major outbreak of Mpox clade I," state epidemiologist Magnus Gisslen said in the statement. Gisslen said that the patient has received care. The agency added that Sweden "has a preparedness to diagnose, isolate and treat people with Mpox safely." The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday declared the Mpox surge in Africa a global public health emergency. Also Read | Key facts about mpox virus and how it is transmitted The Director General of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said, that a public health emergency of international concern is the highest level of alarm under international health law. Also Read | WHO confirms renaming monkeypox to MPOX An Mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed 548 people since the start of the year, said another report. "According to the latest epidemiological report, our country has recorded 15,664 potential cases and 548 deaths since the beginning of the year," reported AFP quoting Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba. The most affected provinces are South Kivu, North Kivu, Tshopo, Equateur, North Ubangi, Tshuapa, Mongala and Sankuru, Kamba said. The US Department of Health said on Wednesday it would be "donating 50,000 doses of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved JYNNEOS vaccine to DRC". "Vaccination will be a critical element of the response to this outbreak," it said in a statement. Also Read | What are common Mpox symptoms and what to do if you get infection Mpox, once known as monkeypox, is a viral infection closely related to smallpox. Initial symptoms include a fever, headache, swelling of the lymph nodes and muscle ache. A typical rash follows, mainly on the face, hands and feet. Ukrainian forces said they accepted the surrender of the largest single group of Russian soldiers since the start of the war more than two years ago, as Kyivs military claimed to continue expanding its cross-border incursion. A Ukrainian Security Service unit operating in Russias Kursk region took 102 Russian servicemen as prisoners-of-war, according to a person with knowledge of the operation, who asked not to be identified because the matter is sensitive. The Russians were captured Wednesday in a sprawling underground complex, and had ample stocks of ammunition and supplies, the person said. Russia hasnt commented. Ukraine now controls 1,150 square kilometers of Russian territory, including 82 villages and towns, since the incursion that began 10 days ago, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi told President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a video report posted on Zelenskiys Telegram channel Thursday. The claims couldnt be independently verified. The Ukrainian move into Russia is the latest challenge to efforts by the US and other nations supporting Ukraine to restrict the use of their weapons in Russia except for limited self-defense purposes. The fact that Ukraine has now been able to use not just US, but an array of Western-supplied equipment, in this operation shows that anyone who thought that there was a hard red line at Ukraine striking into Russia had talked themselves into that red line and in reality, it didnt exist, said Chris Miller, a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Zelenskiy said Ukraine has set up a military command post in the Kursk regional town of Sudzha, which Syrskyi said would be used to maintain public order and provide for the basic needs of the local population. The president praised Ukraines troops in the region for replenishing the exchange fund for prisoner swaps in his regular video address on Wednesday. Russian officials have already contacted Ukraine about a possible prisoner exchange, Dmytro Lubinets, the parliamentary human rights commissioner in Kyiv, said in televised comments Wednesday. He declined to give details, including on the total number of servicemen whove been captured. Russian human rights ombudsman Tatiana Moskalkova, who represents the Kremlin in negotiations on prisoner swaps, didnt immediately respond to a request to comment. Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov held talks with military officials on ensuring the security of the population in border regions, the Defense Ministry in Moscow said in a post Thursday on Telegram. Belousov discussed measures to ensure the integrity and inviolability of the Belgorod region, which neighbors Kursk, against Ukrainian attacks, saying hed personally monitor their implementation, according to the statement. The authorities in Moscow declared a federal state of emergency in Belgorod on Thursday. Regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said it was facing repeated drone attacks and shelling from Ukrainian forces. Fighting continues in eastern Ukraine where Russian forces are advancing to within 10 kilometers of the Donetsk region city of Pokrovsk. The head of the local administration, Serhii Dobriak, urged residents to leave, saying in a video on its website that the situation is only getting worse in the city thats an important logistics hub in the region for Ukraine. With assistance from Courtney McBride. The White House on Thursday walked back President Joe Bidens apparent suggestion that Venezuela hold a new election after the comment prompted questions about the US position on a July vote that it has consistently said Nicolas Maduros regime rigged. Biden was asked as he exited the White House to board his Marine One helicopter for an afternoon event in Maryland whether he supported new elections in Venezuela, and he responded I do. But the scene was chaotic, with reporters shouting other questions and cast members from the long-running TV drama, The West Wing - including fictional President Jed Bartlet, otherwise known as the actor Martin Sheen - on hand. A spokesperson for the White Houses National Security Council said Biden intended to speak to the absurdity of Venezuelan President Maduro failing to come clean after claiming victory in the July 28 vote, with data suggesting that opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez prevailed. It is abundantly clear that Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia won the most votes, White House National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett added in a message posted to social media. We call for the will of the people to be respected and for discussions to begin on a transition back to democratic norms. Still, Bidens original comments echoed some leaders in the region, including Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who have suggested the possibility Venezuela could hold fresh elections. That stance was seen as more forgiving than other regional powers like Argentina that have recognized Gonzalez as president-elect, as well as three weeks of US calls for countries to acknowledge his victory. Lula on Thursday said that Maduro owes the world an explanation about what happened in Venezuelas election, and that the ongoing dispute over the outcome has caused relations between Brasilia and Caracas to deteriorate. Earlier: Lula Warns Maduro Brazils Ties With Venezuela Are Worsening Maduro, the incumbent socialist, says that he defeated his opposition rival by about 1 million votes in the disputed election, the result announced by Venezuelas National Electoral Council. Maduro earned 52% compared to 43% for Gonzalez, according to the councils tabulation of 97% of ballots cast. But Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who was banned from running, has accused Maduro and his allies of fraud. She says her party has compiled results from witnesses and a network of citizen observers that show Gonzalez, her stand-in candidate, received nearly 70% support. Maduro has called for Machado and Gonzalez to be jailed for fomenting protest. He has already arrested 2,400 people, including protesters, and promised to send them to maximum-security prisons for 30 years, the same sentence doled out to murderers. More than a dozen media workers have been deported, according to the countrys union for journalists. Bharti Enterprisess acquisition of a 24.5% stake in BT (formerly British Telecom) from embattled Franco-Israeli tycoon Patrick Drahi is being seen as Sunil Mittals Jaguar Land Rover moment. The Tata Group acquired the iconic JLR (which, like BT, was formerly state-owned) from Ford Motor Company for $2.3 billion on a cash-free, debt-free basis in 2008. Now, Bharti is set to become the largest investor in BT, with just under a blocking stake. Someone who has a blocking stake in a company owns enough of its shares to prevent other companies from buying or controlling it. The mild-mannered Mittal understands the telecom sector well. With 400 million subscribers, Bharti Airtel is Indias second-largest telecom operator after a price war kicked off by Mukesh Ambani in 2016 edged out other rivals. Ambani and Mittal are being credited with conducting one of the worlds quickest 5G rollouts in India. Also read: After BT, Bharti may consider more opportunities in Europe Mittal also understands BT, given the long relationship between the two companies. BT held a 21% stake in Bharti Airtel and two board seats between 1997 and 2001. He also spends considerable time in the UK, where two of his children live. No takeover on the cards Is this really Mittals JLR moment, though? For now, a full takeover doesnt seem to be on the cards. Mittal is not taking a board seat at BT, and has said he has no intention of making a formal bid to acquire the company. We have not asked for any board seat, we have not even applied our mind to that," he told the British financial press. The terms of the Bharti-BT deal have not been disclosed but what is known is that under British rules, a full takeover could be challenged by regulators, according to a Financial Times report. Remember, BT retains roughly three-quarters of the UK telecoms infrastructure through a subsidiary. In fact, the two-step transaction was completed after Bharti secured regulatory clearances, including a UK security clearance, which some newspapers say was undertaken voluntarily. Also read | BT to expand India hub, develop premium 5G use cases: CDIO Harmeen Mehta BT is of course excited about the new, friendlier investor stepping in for the aggressive Drahi, who has built his empire on debt-powered deals and is now under pressure to sell his assets after running out of credit. Before Mittal stepped in, the risk was that Drahi would dump his BT stock in the market. The stock has recovered since Allison Kirby became CEO in February, but it remains 15% below where it was 15 years ago. Drahi has sold his stake to Bharti at a 900-million loss, and its likely to prove a good investment by the Indian company. Kirbys plan to cut costs by 3 billion and investments in building a fibre network should start paying off soon, improving BTs valuation. Incidentally, BTs head of digital Harmeen Mehta previously worked at Bharti, and Kriby is reported to have pushed hard to secure the deal. British consumers, too, have something to look forward to, given Bhartis reputation for cost-competitiveness in India and parts of Africa. Sunil Mittal, KBE Mittals links with the British political establishment are growing, too. Earlier this year he became the first Indian citizen to receive an honorary knighthood under the reign of King Charles III, for services to UK-India business ties. He had previously called on the Indian and British governments to close their stalled free trade deal, and met foreign secretary David Lammy, and business secretary Jonathan Reynolds to push for this. He also met Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other cabinet ministers after Labours recent victory. Also read: Airtel shifts focus, to exit non-core biz for digital growth, says Sunil Mittal Mittals other British interests include the opulent Gleneagles hotel and resort in Scotland, and the less-upscale Hoxton hotel chain, which is run by his son-in-law Sharan Pasricha. Bharti also holds a controlling stake in satellite venture OneWeb following a joint effort to rescue the space-internet pioneer from bankruptcy. The investment in BT will elevate Mittals profile significantly, but his long-term ambition for the company remains shrouded in mystery. No consumer durable purchase is a more powerful marker of upward mobility than car ownership. Air conditioners, washing machines, etc, tend to be utility purchases. The car one owns, in contrast, is not just far more publicly visible, it is a status symbol in India. Cars cost much more than other durables and they are seen as indicators of prosperity. In the absence of credible data on household income levels in India, especially among the well-off, patterns of car ownership (which also includes jeeps and vans) offer clues of relative earnings and wealth. It can also be used to understand differences in income levels among people working in different sectors of the economy, and across major Indian states. In 2022-23, 6.7% of Indian households owned one or more cars, according to our estimates based on data from the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey; 3.7% of rural households owned a car, while urban car ownership was 13.2%. The survey does not ask the number of cars owned. Among agricultural households, whose earnings are mainly from farming and other primary-sector sources, only 3.3% had cars. For those earning most of their livelihood from the industrial sector (including manufacturing and construction), the figure was 6.2%, and for households receiving most of their income from services, it was nearly 9%, the most among the three broad sectors. According to the same survey, 35.5% of Indian households were agricultural and around 11% industrial, while 53.5% were service households. Also, 72% of all car owners were service households, well above the sectors share in total employment. In general, this pattern suggests higher income levels in services than in the rest of the economy. Note that higher pay scales also allow people to take car loans to fund their purchases. There is one caveat, though. The survey does not allow us to segregate cars purchased in peoples individual capacity but used for business purposes, such as cab services, or vice-a-versa (cars purchased on business accounts but for personal use). Among Indias major states, a higher proportion of service households own a car than industrial households, except in Odisha. Kerala, by far, is the leader, with around 27% of service households owning a car. Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab and Maharashtra follow. In Karnataka, only 11% of service households have a car, which suggests a low share of infotech and IT-related-services jobs in the states overall pie of service employment and also greater income inequality. There is higher variability in car ownership among agricultural households across states. A much lower proportion of agricultural households own a car than industrial households, except in Punjab and Haryana. Punjab is also the only major state where a larger proportion of agriculture households own a car than service households. Every fourth agriculture household owns a car in Punjab, while it is less than one in seven among service households. In Kerala, every fifth agricultural household has a car. In addition to prosperous farming sectors, these states have higher remittance inflows, which may aid in the purchase of cars. If farming households own cars, their earnings even on an individual basis are likely to be above the minimum personal income tax threshold. Farm income, though, is currently exempt from this tax. Rich farmers also benefit from a variety of agricultural subsidies and have access to minimum support prices that prop their income. India should sort out issues of the determination and reporting of farm costs, gross revenues and the net income of farmers, so that the rich among them can be taxed. Car ownership data could also explain likely youth job preferences. In India, gross enrolment in higher education among 18-23-year-olds was 28.4% in 2021-22. The governments education policy aims to increase it to 50% by 2035. In the states like Tamil Nadu, it is already near that level. In comparison, only 39% of 18-24-year-olds in the US were enrolled in college or graduate school in 2022. All those who enrol in higher education do not complete it. In 2021, about 62% of students in India completed a bachelors degree within six years. But once young adults acquire higher education, regardless of its quality, working in the services sector is their natural choice. People are drawn to service jobs because they tend to offer better pay and more opportunities for advancement. Equally importantly, employment in services allows people to engage in physically less strenuous work. It is also easier to switch employers in this sector. India faces an urgent challenge of creating good-quality service jobs on one hand and raising the average quality of higher education on the other. As an increasing supply of graduates and other highly educated young people crowd into Indias labour market, the average returns on higher education may fall further in the face of excess supply. Also read: Maruti Suzuki blames high taxes for low car ownership Technological advancements such as artificial intelligence (AI) and automation would also make many of todays service jobs, including those in the infotech sector, redundant. Coming back to cars, an increase in their ownership rate as we go along will depend on how the income growth of Indian households compares with changes in car prices and other household expenses. The rate at which car ownership increases in India has implications for traffic congestion in cities and the adequacy of road infrastructure. We should keep track of these trends. There has been a lot of hullabaloo lately around a GenAI bubble thats said to be deflating, primarily evoked by the plummeting valuations of its bellwethers: Nvidia, Microsoft and other Big Tech firms riding the artificial intelligence (AI) tiger. Shares of Intel plunged a vertiginous 25%, Microsoft and Google both dipped on their seemingly stellar earnings reports, and even the mighty Nvidia lost hundreds of billions of dollars from the dizzying high of its $3.2 trillion valuation. Investors got unnerved when companies like Microsoft and Google each committed to spending upwards of $50 billion every year, with a disproportionate amount earmarked for data centres and the cloud infrastructure that underpins AI. The fact that they could not present any immediate outlook of returns spooked investors, leading to a mini market crash globally. Beyond the investor community, it led people to ask who was really making money from AI, if at all. In this column, let me dive into this, using a favourite software engineering term here: let us look at the Generative AI stack, or the layers that make up this technology. The lowest layer of the stack (lets call it Layer 1) is formed by AI infrastructure. Infra providers include companies like Nvidia and AMD, which make the powerful graphics processing units (GPUs), which in turn make the Large Language Models (LLMs) of GenAI work. It also has companies like TSMC, which build semiconductor chips that go into GPUs, and ASML, a maker of space-age machines that make these chips. This layer can be seen as the shovel for the AI gold rush, and it has made the most amount of money so far. Nvidias earnings have grown at an eye-popping rate every quarter, and TSMC and ASML have not only assumed geopolitical significance, but also made gobs of money. The Layer 2 above the infrastructural base is the model layer, the one grabbing all the eyeballs right now. This comprises OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Meta and others, companies which make the LLMs that seem to do magical things for usChatGPT, Claude, Llama, Gemini, etc. If the infra layer spouts out money, the model layer consumes most of it. The stratospheric costs of compute (the infra), data and talent are what compel Big Tech businesses to spend billions and smaller startups like OpenAI to ally themselves with large companies like Microsoft so that they can get the funds required to build these models. This layer is the one worrying investors, but also what is arguably building the future. Layer 3 above those models comprises development platforms, which are used by developers to build applications on top of LLMs. Usually nestled in large clouds like Azure and AWS, this is the investment that Big Tech firms make to get applications built on top of them. Layer 4 is the application layer. This is where innovation abounds, with startups and big companies building their own focused GenAI apps on top of powerful LLMs created by companies like Meta and OpenAI. These are vertical apps, such as the GenAI search app Perplexity, advertising aid Copy.ai, presentation maker Gamma.ai, or lawyer assistant Harvey. The money required to create these is a trifle in comparison, which has resulted in hundreds of innovative AI apps being built. But they have no safety moat, as the intellectual property mostly belongs to LLM providers, and the LLM-maker could create such apps of its own too. The only competitive advantage in the Layer 4 market is how good your interface is and how well you attract prospective users. This layer is the future of GenAI, but currently consumes and makes little money. Most GenAI stacks also have a cloud layer, which runs across the stack. Clouds are owned by hyper-scalarsAWS by Amazon, Azure by Microsoft and Google Cloudwhich subsume many of the above layers. The GPUs, LLMs, development platforms and applications power and run on this ubiquitous cloud, and this is what is responsible for the lip-smacking earnings of Big Tech players. These are incestuous relationships. Microsoft has invested $13 billion in OpenAI, for instance, but all GPTs run exclusively on the Azure cloud, so Microsoft makes money irrespective of whether a customer buys GenAI from OpenAI or Microsoft. There are two layers, however, which no stack I have seen talk about. There is a layer below the infra layer, call it Layer 0, and this is the real infrastructure that powers GenAI. This has electricity generators, water providers and data centre constructors. The electricity needed to power data-centre behemoths will soon be more than what a Germany or Japan consumes, and the large utilities that make up this layer are raking money in too. Finally, there is a layer right at the top, Layer 5, of consulting and knowledge firms, which have jumped on the GenAI bandwagon to buff up their own earnings. BCG estimates a fifth of its revenues come from GenAI-related work (or about $2.5 billion) and Accenture claims to have booked $2 billion of GenAI revenue. As large corporations retool and redesign their workforces and organizations, this layer will grow. Whether GenAI is making money or not, therefore, doesnt have a binary yes-or-no answer. It depends on where you are in the value chain. Its a layered answer, at best. New Delhi: In an attempt to connect with farmers and address their concerns, agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has on Thursday launched a monthly radio programme called "Kisan Se Baat". The programme, inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popular radio programme "Mann Ki Baat", aims to provide a platform for farmers to engage with the minister, agriculture scientists, and officials from the ministry. The programme will start sometime in Septemberpossibly a week ahead of the PM's radio programme, a senior government official said. During the programme, we will discuss various aspects of farming, including best practices, new technologies, and innovative methods to boost productivity, Chouhan said at an event on Thursday. Also Read: The toll of climate crisis on India's marginal farmers The minister will be joined by experts from the agriculture sector, who will share their knowledge and expertise on topics such as soil health, irrigation, crop management and pest control. The programme will also provide an opportunity for farmers to raise their concerns and issues, which will be addressed by the ministry and the experts, he said. This interactive approach is expected to help resolve problems faced by farmers and provide them with timely advice and guidance. Move comes amid growing disaffection among farmers The move comes amid growing disaffection among farmers who want higher support prices for farm produce to be legislated among other demands. Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait criticized the minister, saying such a populist programme wouldn't be of any help to the farming community, as farmers are well aware of sowing patterns and the health of their soil. Also Read: Why Shivraj Chouhan could be a good fit as India's food and agriculture minister Tikait, national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), said if the government really wants to do something for farmers, it should provide better prices for their produce. New Delhi: On Independence Day, for the third straight year, millions of Indians will upload their selfies with the national flag on the governments 'Har Ghar Tiranga' website. But, according to experts, the collective act of digital reverence to the Tricolour may trigger concerns over data privacy. The users, once they share photos, will allow the ministry of culture to collect a wide array of their personal data, according to the privacy policy of the Har Ghar Tiranga website. This includes: User & username, password, email address, name, address, service address, destination, age, date of birth, sex, nationality, browsing history, etc., as well as any images or other information uploaded/submitted by the user on the website." The government will also be able to track users' internet protocol (IP) addresses, the website the user came from, and the website the user went to after using the platform, reads the privacy policy. Users automatically consent to sharing all such data when they visit the website, it said. Such data collection is not illegal under the existing Information Technology Act. But experts say it may violate the new Digital Personal Data Protection Act, whenever it is notifiedespecially a provision that mandates collection of minimum possible personal information for a specific purpose. Stock Market Holiday: Is Indian stock market closed for Independence Day 2024? The government should clarify the purpose for which it will use the data collected from the campaign, said Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, former Supreme Court judge. There may be people who want to fly the national flag but not share pictures of that. There should be a disclosure as to what this information will be used for, for a considered decision to be made by people who upload their pictures." The privacy debate becomes relevant given the number of people who participate in the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign, endorsed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Last year, 100 million Indians uploaded selfies on the website, up 66% from the 60 million in the preceding year, according to the ministrys 8 August statement. The data collection under the Har Ghar Tiranga privacy policy appears excessive", said Rishabh Gandhi, managing partner, Rishabh Gandhi and Advocates, a Pune-based law firm. "A layperson might not want their images or browsing history to be collected and shared if it is not necessary for the campaign." To be sure, the government gathers citizen data for everything from surveillance to policy-making. For instance, minister of information and broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw, in a recent press conference, explained how the authorities use data from e-way bills and FASTag receipts to understand and resolve traffic congestion. Queries emailed to the ministry of culture and the prime minister's office (PMO) on Friday, 9 August, remained unanswered till press time. Data gathering will not be considered a violation Data gathering under the ministry's campaign will not be considered a violation under the Information Technology Act read with the Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules also known as SPDI Rules, provided that the privacy policy is in line with the legal requirements, said Shreya Suri, partner, INDUSLAW. But it will not be valid under the DPDP Act as and when it comes into force, unless the campaign is exempted under Section 17(2) of the DPDP Act in the interests of sovereignty and integrity of India, security of the state, friendly relations with foreign States, maintenance of public order or preventing incitement to any cognizable offence relating to any of these," said Suri, who specializes in technology law. The DPDP Act received the presidents assent a year ago, but the government has not notified the rules yet. More here | Data privacy rules in limbo, tech industry on edge The Har Ghar Tiranga campaign may potentially violate this principle of data minimization under the new law, said Gandhi of Rishabh Gandhi and Advocates. According to Deepak Maheshwari, a Delhi-based technology public policy consultant, the government needs to specify the purpose of every data point that it collects under the DPDP Act. For instance, the government needs to explain what it means by collecting destination data. Additionally, we need to look at what data the government will collect mandatorily and what data is optional." Since data collection will be an issue under the DPDP Act, it should specify a roadmap for the rules under the law, Maheshwari said. When the GDPR (European Union's data privacy law) came into existence, people knew exactly when they would have to start following it." Data gathering under the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign may also go beyond the ambit of the landmark Supreme Court verdict in Justice K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India in 2017, which declared the right to privacy as a fundamental right, constitutional law experts said. If the Har Ghar Tiranga website is collecting data points like nationality, age, sex etc, it may amount to profiling, which is a violation of the Puttaswamy judgment," said Nitish Nawsagaray, assistant professor, ILS Law College, Pune. Even if I am giving my data voluntarily, and my data with the state is used for any purpose which is not informed to me, then, the consent you are taking from me is not informed consent." Former additional solicitor general Sanjay Jain, however, does not see such data gathering violating the DPDP Act as it allows the government to share the information collected with law enforcement agencies or if it believes the data relates to any legal process. But even Jain advises keeping data gathering to a minimum. It cannot be ignored that it is imperative for the ministry to minimize the collection of citizen data and establish adequate safeguards before launching such a campaign," he said. It is the obligation of the ministry and the official portal of the campaign to erase the personal data of the users once the campaign is over." Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is likely to visit United States of America (USA) in September where he is expected to meet Indian diaspora, students and lawmakers, according to reports. This will be Rahul Gandhi's first trip abroad as since he became the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha. During the stay in the US, likely for 8-9 days, Gandhi will be in Washington DC, Texas, New Jersey, Los Angeles, and Chicago, according to a report in the Print quoting sources in the Indian Overseas Congress (IOC). The visit comes at a time when the campaign for the US presidential elections is at its peak. He (Rahul) is scheduled to address the diaspora during his stay. Like his previous visits to the USA and the United Kingdom, he will also hold interactions with students in prestigious universities. In Washington, he will have meetings with lawmakers of the US Congress and the Senate as well, the Print report quoted a Congress leader familiar with the plans as saying. Gandhi was in the USA in June 2023, when he held interactions at the University of Santa Clara and Stanford University. He also had interactions with entrepreneurs and techies at Silicon Valley, before heading to Washington DC to address a press conference at the National Press Club. Prior to that, Gandhi was in the United Kingdom in February-March 2023 where he addressed the University of Cambridges Judge Business School, the Indian Journalists Association, and the Chatham House think-tank. The upcoming visit has been planned after requests from members of the diaspora who campaigned for the Congress in Lok Sabha elections 2024 and also participated in Bharat Jodo Yatra, the report said. MEXICO CITYIn a spectacular high-wire takedown in late July, U.S. authorities arrested Mexicos notorious drug lord Ismael El Mayo" Zambada on the tarmac of a tiny airport near El Paso, Texas, after he had evaded capture for more than four decades. The operation was hailed as one of the most important captures in the history of the war on drugs. It also shed light on a little-known U.S. law-enforcement agency with an outsize global reach involved in the arrest: Homeland Security Investigations. Created under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, HSI has built a large presence around the world in recent years. With more than 7,000 field agents, it is the second-largest federal law-enforcement agency in the U.S. after the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It has the largest international footprint in U.S. law enforcement with offices in more than 50 countries, and its biggest international outpost in Mexico. HSI has become absolutely mammoth," said Vanda Felbab-Brown, a counternarcotics expert at the Brookings Institution. And with its growth and maturity, its ambitions for global operations have also increased." President George W. Bush gave HSI a wide remit at the time of its creation: from sex trafficking to financial crime, terrorism, human smuggling and art theft. Training for some agents includes classes at the Smithsonian Institution to learn how to track art smugglers. Agents have customs authority to inspect computers and search cargo without warrants. They have access to U.S. banking records and Treasury data on international money-laundering schemes and the ability to issue U.S. visas to informants facing danger abroad. In 2018, the U.S. banned imports of cotton from Turkmenistan after HSI and other agencies found forced labor practices there. Earlier this year, HSI helped Colombian authorities crack down on sex-trafficking rings exploiting underage girls in Colombia, including the arrest of one American citizen. In June, it helped repatriate stolen pre-Hispanic artifacts to Mexico from Seattle. But it is south of the Rio Grande where HSI has quietly led the charge with Mexican law enforcement to take down high-profile criminals, from major drug traffickers to human smugglers and weapons traffickers. Its role in fighting organized crime in Mexico expanded significantly under the Trump and Biden administrations as its focus turned toward the southwestern border. A surge in illegal migration prompted the U.S. government to target criminal groups that run human smuggling rings and traffic drugs such as fentanyl, the highly addictive opioid that has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans since it was introduced on U.S. streets more than a decade ago. DEAs growing isolation in Mexico HSI has quietly helped take down some of the biggest U.S. security targets in Mexico in recent years, U.S. and Mexican officials say. The emergence of HSI as a major player in Mexico comes as the Drug Enforcement Administration, once the leading agency fighting the war on drugs, has been hobbled by leftist President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. He has called the DEA agents rogue actors in Mexico who dont respect the countrys sovereignty. The DEAs greatest reversal of fortunes came after it detained a former Mexican defense minister at the Los Angeles airport on drug trafficking charges in 2020. The surprise arrest infuriated Lopez Obrador and Mexicos armed forces. In an unprecedented move, the Trump administration released Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos after Lopez Obrador threatened to stop security cooperation with the U.S. Still, he revoked diplomatic immunity for foreign agents and slow-walked visa applications for new DEA agents. At the same time, HSI officials in Mexico City were deepening their ties with their Mexican security counterparts, Mexican and U.S. government officials say. HSI strengthened its relationships by sharing intelligence on criminals important to Mexican authorities, even when they were of limited interest to the U.S., Mexican officials said. Theres very much the sense that DEA was left in the freezer while HSI is accumulating all kinds of activities," Felbab-Brown said. A DEA spokeswoman didnt return requests for comment. The DEA would embrace any opportunity to collaborate with the Mexican government for the greater good of both countries," said Ray Donovan, the DEAs former chief of operations. Chinese organized crime is rapidly growing in Mexico. Chemicals are flooding the country," Donovan said. There are mutual interests where Mexico and the U.S. can openly work together." HSI now works with the largest vetted unit of Mexican security officials of any U.S. law enforcement agency in the country, U.S. and Mexican officials say. Members of Mexican units are screened for cartel ties via polygraph and trained in the U.S. Bilateral security cooperation remains strong, officials from both countries say. There were more extraditions of U.S. security targets from Mexico this past year than almost any other time in the past two decades, many of them HSI targets. Its a lesser-known agency with a bigger punch," said Oscar Hagelsieb, former deputy director of organized crime at HSI. The agencys low profile abroad is intentional. It works when you are in Mexico," said Hagelsieb, now a private investigator. A spokesman for Lopez Obrador declined to comment. Early signals from Mexicos President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum suggest that the collaboration with HSI is likely to expand, according to Mexican and U.S. officials. The agency worked with senior members of Sheinbaums security team when she was mayor of Mexico City. In 2022, HSI provided intelligence that resulted in the citys largest cocaine bust, some 1.6 tons of plastic-wrapped bricks stamped with fake Prada and Tesla logos. El Nini, El Raton and the man-eating tigers of Sinaloa In 2023, HSI provided intelligence to Mexican law-enforcement officials that led to the capture of Nestor Isidro El Nini" Perez Salas, the top hit man for the sons of Joaquin El Chapo" Guzman, collectively known as Los Chapitos." They inherited their fathers drug-trafficking empirea faction of the Sinaloa cartelafter he was captured in 2016 and sent to a maximum-security prison in the U.S. three years later. Federal authorities had already raided three ranches belonging to Perez Salas in Sinaloa state, confiscating a cache of tank-piercing weapons and three white tigers that he occasionally fed with informants, Mexican and U.S. authorities said. Mexican law-enforcement agents engaged in covert operations that pressured Perez Salas into thinking that he was being betrayed by informants in his inner circle. Local news outlets exposed his closest confidants. YouTube videos identified his girlfriends, according to Mexican federal officials who investigated him. On edge, Perez Salas ordered his gunmen to stay blocks away. Mexican special forces captured him alone at a safe house. President Biden thanked the Mexican government for the high-profile detention. More recently, Biden highlighted the importance of the capture of Zambadaa target with a $15 million price on his head who was on the DEAs most-wanted list. The DEA filed the indictments against Zambada and Guzman Lopez, but didnt take part in their capture, U.S. officials said. Zambada had never set foot inside a prison and kept a low profile, evading capture numerous times throughout his reign in the Sinaloa cartel. But El Chapos second-youngest son, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, turned to the FBI and HSI offering to self-surrender, according to U.S. officials familiar with the case. Conversations lasted for months. Along the way, Guzman Lopez offered to bring in Zambada, the officials said. In a letter released by his lawyer, Zambada said he was betrayed and kidnapped by the son of his longtime associate. Zambada could potentially offer a gold mine of information about cartel operations and government corruption, analysts say. One of HSIs biggest drug-trafficking targets in Mexico was Ovidio Guzman Lopez, another son of El Chapo known as El Raton," or The Mouse." Ovidio had become a pioneer in the fentanyl business in Sinaloa, according to Mexican and U.S. officials, and a Sinaloa drug lab operator. In 2019, Mexican army special forces, using HSI intelligence, captured Ovidio at a house in a swank neighborhood of Culiacan, the Sinaloa state capital and cartel stronghold. But hundreds of gunmen mobilized by his brothers besieged the city, threatened to execute captured soldiers and shot up a housing complex for military families. Within a few hours, Lopez Obrador was forced to release Ovidio to avoid a blood bath," the president said. In 2023, also with HSI intelligence, the Mexican military struck again in an operation that had been planned for months, Mexican officials said. Hundreds of Mexican special forces using Black Hawk helicopters attacked Ovidios holiday compound in a town close to Culiacan. About 100 cartel gunmen and 10 Mexican soldiers were killed in the battle, according to people familiar with the operation. HSI is also tackling another major concern for both countries: illegal migration. It has provided intelligence that has helped Mexico disrupt smuggling networks, leading to the arrest of several top smugglers working with the Sinaloa cartel in border states, according to Mexican government officials. In 2023, HSI was involved in the capture of Ofelia Dona Lupe" Hernandez Salas, a migrant smuggler on a U.S. most-wanted list who charged people from as far away as India and Egypt between $10,000 and $70,000 to get across the Southwest border. U.S. prosecutors said that her organization had links to the Sinaloa cartel, which controls smuggling routes along Mexicos Pacific Coast. Omar Garcia Harfuch, who was recently appointed by President-elect Sheinbaum as Mexicos future security minister, built strong relationships with HSI counterparts when he was police chief in Mexico City under Sheinbaum, U.S. and Mexican officials said. He provided intelligence to U.S. law enforcement on high-level targets and received information from the U.S. in return, these people said. He was the target of an assassination attempt four years ago when more than 40 heavily armed gunmen mounted a predawn ambush as he drove down Mexico Citys elegant Reforma Avenue. From his hospital bed, Garcia Harfuch blamed the violent Jalisco cartel, which is also a top target for U.S. law enforcement. To increase security cooperation under Sheinbaum, U.S. law enforcement agencies will need to maintain a low profile, said Andrew Selee, director of the Migration Policy Institute. The U.S. governments reliance on Mexico to stem migration across the southern border has given Mexico leverage. Public security in Mexico will be one of Sheinbaums biggest priorities," Selee said. And she will expect support from the U.S. in reducing violence in Mexico if she is to crack down on migrant smuggling and the fentanyl trade." Write to Santiago Perez at santiago.perez@wsj.com and Jose de Cordoba at jose.decordoba@wsj.com WASHINGTONAs the prospect of an Iranian attack on Israel looms, officials in Washington and Tehran are facing a potential escalation with major risks for both sides. The Biden administration is trying to head off strikes that could exceed Irans April launch of 300 missiles and drones at Israel, the biggest test yet of its nearly four-year effort to contain the regime. Tehran, which prefers using proxies against its adversaries, is considering whether to retaliate directly again, even at the risk of a broader war. The stakes for Washington and Tehran are significant: A major Iranian attack that provokes a further Israeli response would set back U.S. hopes for a cease-fire in Gaza and could expose Irans vulnerabilities, weakening its position as a regional power. The U.S. in recent days warned Tehran directly as well as through intermediaries that a significant retaliatory attack on Israel could pose a grave risk for Irans government and economy. Neither the U.S. nor Iran aimed to be in this situation, yet they have little choice now but to stumble through it and hope a full-scale conflict isnt the end result. Washington expects an assault on Israel as soon as this week, although the U.S. is unsure of its shape and scope. We truly dont know if they will do it, when they will do it, and with what force they will do it. We dont have firm answers for all of that right now, a senior administration official said. But we believe an attack of some sort could very well come, potentially soon and without much notice. An attack in Tehran that killed Hamass leader, which Iran blamed on Israel, sparked vows of swift revenge. It came only hours after an Israeli strike that killed a Hezbollah commander in Beirut. Irans new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, said it was his countrys legal right to retaliate. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office indicated that it is cooperating with White House efforts to de-escalate tensions, agreeing to join U.S.-organized cease-fire talks set for Thursday. But it has also threatened to respond harshly to any attack from Iran. Israel hasnt ruled out an offensive in southern Lebanon if Hezbollah strikes. President Biden told reporters on Tuesday that he expected Iran would refrain from strikes if the parties reached a deal. But he acknowledged its getting harder to complete a cease-fire agreement, an assessment that comes as U.S. officials travel to Qatar for another round of diplomacy. White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday that the U.S. expects these talks to move forward as planned. In a sign of its continued intransigence, Hamas said it wouldnt attend negotiations this week. Israel will participate, but Netanyahu has shown little willingness to get a deal done in recent months. U.S. officials concede that the door to a grand bargain is closing, prompting the Biden administration to develop a last-ditch bridging proposal meant to resolve the differences between Hamas and Israel over a cease-fire agreement. Without a cease-fire, its hard to see the Iranians, or Hezbollah for that matter, backing off, said Dalia Dassa Kaye, a Middle East security expert at UCLAs Burkle Center for International Relations. U.S. officials and analysts say Tehran has several potential paths, all with pitfalls. Backing down would make the regime look weak. Launching a massive attack, which risks a broader fight, would invite Israeli counterstrikes Iran couldnt stop. And replaying the April barrage would render the Islamic Republic fecklessand still raise the chances of a wider war. Some observers suspect Iran might be trying to pry open another door: delaying until after the cease-fire talks, so if there is an agreement Tehran can claim its threats rendered regional peace. There is no doubt intense debate within Irans leadership about how to respond because none of their options look good, said Kaye. Biden entered office hoping to contain Iran by reviving the nuclear deal and building a fresh patchwork of regional allies to thwart its aggressions. Instead, Washington watched as Tehran edged closer to relaunching its nuclear program, backed proxies that killed three U.S. troops in Jordan and disrupted global commerce, and supported Russias invasion of Ukraine. The Islamic Republics biggest shift was moving its shadow war with Israel into the light. After Israel in April killed senior Iranian military officers in Syria, Iran eschewed the usual playbookdeploying proxies to level a counterpunch, giving Tehran a thin veil of deniability. Iran alternatively opted to launch weapons at its enemy directly from its territory for the first time since the regime came to power in 1979. A combination of Israeli, U.S. and regional defenses stopped the barrage from killing anyone or severely damaging military and civilian targets. After the July killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh at an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps guesthouse hours after Iran inaugurated its new president, the clock on how Tehran would respond to that attack started ticking. They put themselves in the position to have to do something, said Alex Vatanka, the Middle East Institutes Iran program director, and this time they needed to be more impactful without creating another round of retaliations by the Israelis. From Biden on down, the administration has repeatedly warned the regime not to escalate the current situation, using diplomatic and military levers to stave off the worst outcomes. Beyond coordinating with European and Middle Eastern partners, U.S. officials have sent direct and indirect communications to let Iran know that Washington doesnt want a wider war. We know they are paying attention to our messages, the senior administration official said. We dont know if its changing their minds. That is keeping the administration on edge. U.S. military officials have oscillated between fearing a larger Iranian response than its April barrage to Tehran not responding at all. That indecision is based in part on Irans military posture, which definitely doesnt look like it did before April 13, a defense official said Thursday. This month the U.S. sent a squadron of F-22 Raptors to the region. And the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group is moving from the Asia Pacific region to the Middle East, arriving in the coming weeks, U.S. defense officials said. The Lincoln carries F-35 jet fighters and will overlap with the USS Theodore Roosevelt, which is currently operating off the Gulf of Aden. It is unclear whether any of these moves by the Biden administration will work as intended. Dana Stroul, who last year left her post as the Pentagons top civilian for the Middle East, said Iran is unlikely to cease its aggressive behavior because the regime doesnt believe its own security is in jeopardy. By over messaging the desire to prevent full-scale war, Iran has interpreted this as a U.S. lack of will to take offensive action, she said. Dov Lieber contributed to this article. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared mpox a public emergency of international concern. This comes amid a rapid surge in spread of the disease in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, and its detection in neighbouring countries as well. The Director General of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said, that a public health emergency of international concern is the highest level of alarm under international health law. "Today, the Emergency Committee met and advised me that, in its view, the situation constitutes a public health emergency of international concern. I have accepted that advice. A public health emergency of international concern is the highest level of alarm under international health law," Tedros said in a media briefing on the outcome of the mpox Emergency Committee meeting. What is Mpox? As per WHO, Mpox is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus. Mpox can be transmitted to humans through physical contact with someone who is infectious, with contaminated materials, or with infected animals. What are the key symptoms? Common symptoms of mpox are a skin rash or mucosal lesions which can last 24 weeks accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes. Health Ministry issues advisor for Mpox The Indian Health Ministry has asked all airports as well as authorities at land ports on borders with Bangladesh and Pakistan to remain alert about incoming international passengers reporting Mpox symptoms, news agecny PTI reported citing official sources. The ministry has designated three Centre-run hospitals in the national capitalRam Manohar Lohia Hospital, Safdarjung Hospital, and Lady Hardinge Hospitalas nodal centers for the isolation, management, and treatment of Mpox patients. Also Read | Sweden reports first case of deadly Mpox strain outside Africa According to sources, all state governments have been instructed to identify similar designated hospitals within their jurisdictions. Currently, India has not reported any cases of Mpox. How to determine whether you are infected: If you get rashes or lesions on your skin, don't immediately assume that you are infected with monkeypox. Get tested first for the virus in a certified lab. Currently, there are 15 VRDLs, equipped to test for monkeypox, including the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune. Meanwhile, the Centre is working on developing test kit for monkeypox. Here is what to do if you are infected with monkeypox: Isolate: If you are infected with the virus, the symptoms will start showing within 2 weeks. They are said to be infectious till the symptoms go away, and rashes and lesions are healed. It is extremely essential to isolate till then. Inform: Inform and advise everyone to get tested who has come in close contact with you in the last 2 weeks. Here is what is defined as close contact. - Direct contact with the monkeypox rash, scabs, or body fluids on your body. - Touching objects, fabrics (clothing, bedding, or towels), and surfaces that have been used by you. - Contact with the respiratory secretions you may have released. - Anyone you have engaged in any sexual activity with you including hugging, kissing or having sexual intercourse. Few rules to maintain when infected: - Avoid contact with people, especially those who fall under the high risk group. - Limit your contact with animals too. ISRO has announced that its latest earth observation satellite, EOS-08, is set to launch on August 16, 2024, aboard the third and final developmental flight of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV)-D3, reported PTI. This update follows a previous plan to launch the satellite on August 15, 2024. The space agency did not provide specific reasons for the delay. The mission aims to finalize the development of SSLV, enabling it to become fully operational for future missions under the collaboration between Indian industry and NewSpace India Limited (NSIL). The satellite launch will take place from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota during a one-hour launch window that opens at 09:17 IST. EOS-08, constructed on the Microsat/IMS-1 bus, has a mission duration of one year. Weighing approximately 175.5 kg and producing about 420 watts of power, the satellite will be launched using the SSLV-D3/IBL-358 launch vehicle. The satellite carries three key payloads: an Electro-Optical Infrared (EOIR) payload, a Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry (GNSS-R) payload, and a Silicon Carbide (SiC) UV Dosimeter. The EOIR payload is equipped to capture images across the Mid-Wave Infrared (MIR) and Long-Wave Infrared (LWIR) spectrums, during both day and night. This capability is expected to support a wide range of applications, including satellite-based surveillance, disaster and environmental monitoring, fire detection, and industrial disaster assessment. The GNSS-R payload is set to demonstrate the potential of GNSS-Reflectometry for remote sensing applications, such as analyzing ocean surface winds, assessing soil moisture, conducting cryosphere studies in the Himalayan region, and detecting floods and inland water bodies. Additionally, the SiC UV Dosimeter will monitor UV irradiance for the Gaganyaan Mission's Crew Module. It will also function as a high-dose alarm sensor for gamma radiation, enhancing safety measures in space missions. According to ISRO, EOS-08 represents a significant leap in satellite mainframe systems, particularly with the introduction of an Integrated Avionics system. This system, known as the Communication, Baseband, Storage, and Positioning (CBSP) Package, integrates multiple functions into a single unit, using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components. It offers up to 400 GB of data storage and includes various advanced technologies, such as a structural panel embedded with PCB, a Micro-DGA (Dual Gimbal Antenna), an M-PAA (Phased Array Antenna), and a flexible solar panel, all of which are crucial for onboard technology demonstration. Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are awaiting the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) decision on Starliner's return to Earth. NASA is yet to make a decision on a range of issues the date of the Starliner astronauts' return from space, whether to fly back the Boeing spacecraft uncrewed, or whether to return the two astronauts aboard Starliner or a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. In their latest update on Being Starliner, Ken Bowersox, associate administrator of NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate said, We're reaching a point where that last week in August we really should be making a call, if not sooner. Bowersox explained, "Everybody will like a date, but we got some working dates, but I know we need to maintain that flexibility...right now, Butch and Sunny are well engaged on board the ISS...I know that they are making the best of the time, but I am sure they are eager for a decision just like the rest of us, and when we have that, we will be sure to get together with the rest of you and share that information." Starliner saga Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore launched aboard the Starliner on June 5. They reached the International Space Station on June 6. They were scheduled to return to Earth by mid-June. However, their plans were derailed after the Starliner capsule was detected with several issues: problems in the propulsion system, helium leaks, and thruster malfunction. The Starliner has now spent over two months in space. The Starliner crew and authorities on the ground are working around the corner to detect the root cause of the problem and safely return the two NASA astronauts to Earth. Their priority is to bring back Sunita and Butch on Starliner. However, NASA officials are weighing the option of using SpaceX Dragon spacecraft for the return mission if the Starliner is not healthy enough. 'Risky' human spacecraft missions Joel Montalbano, deputy associate administrator of NASAs Space Operations Mission Directorate, said astronauts prepared for every possibility before their human spaceflight. He said, "Butch and Suni [Sunita Williams] said ahead of their launch that they know that this mission might not be perfect. Human spaceflights are inherently risky, and as astronauts, we accept that." Sunita Williams wait gets longer Montalbano said if Butch and Sunita do not come home on Starliner, and they are kept aboard the station, "they will have about eight months in orbit." If the two astronauts come on SpaceX craft, they will return to Earth by February 2025. In the event a decision is made not to use Starliner, Boeing's rival SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk, could potentially launch the NASA's scheduled Crew-9 mission to the ISS on September 24 with just two astronauts rather than the usual four. The Crew Dragon capsule would then be able to return to Earth with Wilmore and Williams in February 2025. 'Not a NASA mishap' Officials said on Wednesday that if NASA makes the call to change the mission that the crew would ride home on something other than the Starliner "...we don't necessarily need to consider that a NASA mishap." He said the mishap could still occur later if, for some reason, there are some events that happen when Starliner crude home. "But just that fact that if NASA steps in and says, 'Hey, we now want our crew to fly home on another vehicle', that in itself should be classified as a mishap." Our big concern is... NASA officials went on to say, "Our big concern is having a successful deorbit burn and making...the propulsion system work just the way it needs to all the way through the deorbit burn and that's why we are looking so closely at the thruster jets and even thinking about how the largest thrusters work..." Starliner's propulsion system is part of the spacecraft's "service module". The problems centre on this system, which is needed to back the Starliner capsule away from the ISS and position it to dive through Earth's atmosphere. Many of Starliner's thrusters had overheated when fired, and the leaks of helium used to pressurise the thrusters appear to be connected to how frequently they are used. Spacesuit problem: 'They could come home unsuited...' Joel Montalbano, deputy associate administrator at NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate, said the two astronauts could return unsuited in Crew-8 in the event of an emergency. He added that extra SpaceX flight suits would be flown up on the Crew-9 Dragon for their scheduled trip home. During the media interaction, officials were asked if the Starliner would come back uncrewed and if there was any specific equipment, in particular, the SpaceX flight suits sent up on the recent "signis flight" for Butch and Sunita. In the reply, the official said, "From a suits standpoint, they are really not interchangeable. You can't have a Boeing suit in Space X or a SpaceX suit in a Boeing vehicle, so that would not be the plan. If the Starliner undocks and there's only Dragon, they could come home unsuited in the Dragon..." There is a significant risk of a massive earthquake along a fault line near Japan's east coast, a recent statement from the Seismological Society of China has said. The earthquake may have severe consequences for both the local population and the global economy. This caution follows closely on the heels of a 7.1-magnitude earthquake in the Nankai Trough that impacted Japan's Kyushu island. A researcher from the China Earthquake Administration warns that a rupture in a specific area may lead to a major earthquake, possibly over magnitude 8.5 or even reaching 9.1. Such an event may cause a tsunami over 33 feet high, potentially destroying 23.8 lakh buildings. It is likely to lead to the death of 3.2 lakh and the displacement of 95 lakh people. Cities near the Nankai Trough, especially in the Chugoku and Kansai clusters, are key economic centres, accounting for 70 per cent of Japans manufacturing, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) quoted Gao Mengtan as saying. An earthquake in this region would not only affect Japans manufacturing sector but also affect the global supply chain, with potential economic losses reaching 220 trillion yen ( 125 lakh crore), twice Japans annual budget, Mengtan added. On August 8, an earthquake struck Kyushu, causing the Japan Meteorological Agency to warn about a higher likelihood of a major seismic event in the coming week. While the quake didnt cause extensive damage, it cancelled travel plans, including Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's visit to Central Asia. If no major earthquakes occur, the warning will be withdrawn by August 15 afternoon, the Japanese Cabinet Office has said. Also Read | Two powerful earthquakes hit off Japan, trigger tsunami advisory Tsunami affecting 100 towns Japans Earthquake Research Committee suggests that a strong earthquake may impact numerous towns across several regions. A significant tsunami may affect over 100 towns. The World Health Organization declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern on Thursday amid an outbreak in Congo. More than 27,000 cases and around 1100 deaths have been recorded since January 2023 as the African nation battles its worst-ever outbreak. The situation has also triggered global concern due to the rapid spread of a new virus offshoot in recent months. According to officials there are now two strains of the monkeypox virus spreading through Congo the endemic form as well as a new and little-known offshoot. It is transmitting through sexual contact as well as other close contact - such as among children in displacement camps in parts of Congo - and has now moved from eastern Congo to Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi and Kenya. The WHO announcement comes mere days after a similar label from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. A "public health emergency of international concern" is the highest form of alert that can be shared by the international health body. How is mpox transmitted? Mpox can be transmitted from person to person through direct contact with infectious skin or other lesions such as in the mouth or on genitals. Infection can also occur through use of contaminated objects such as clothing or linens or in a community setting such as tattoo parlours. Animal to human transmission of mpox occurs from infected animals to humans from bites or scratches, or during activities such as hunting, skinning, trapping, cooking, playing with carcasses, or eating animals. What are the symptoms? Mpox symptoms can be seen 1 to 21 days after exposure. Common indicators include rashes, fever, sore throat, headache, muscle ache, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes. The symptoms typically last typically last 24 weeks but be extended for people with a weakened immune system. In the beginning, before the desert and the sea, before the beatings and the body, all he had was a phone number. Abdro was working on a building site in Ethiopia when another labourer told him how to contact a dalala, a broker, who could get him to Saudi Arabia. He was 19 years old, with an ailing father, seven siblings and no prospects, so he made plans to leave. Abdro (we are using just one name for his protection) followed the well-trodden trail from the Horn of Africa to the Arabian peninsula, dreaming of a better life. Last year the UNs International Organisation for Migration (IOM) counted migrants crossing borders, generally irregularly, 380,000 times along this Eastern Corridor, including more than 96,000 arrivals on the Yemeni coast. (About 230,000 crossed the Mediterranean.) Migrants often encounter extraordinary levels of exploitation and violence, their quiet courage unnoticed. The shortest crossing is through Djibouti and across the Bab al-Mandab. Lately the boats have been driven eastward by a Yemeni crackdown on smuggling and, perhaps, by the fear of Houthi missiles and American warships in the same narrow strait. Another branch runs from the Somali port of Bossaso across the Gulf of Aden, which means a longer and more perilous sea journey (see map). Either way, migrants must then travel 500km across Yemen just to reach the Saudi border. (The Economist) Almost everyone taking the Eastern Corridor is Ethiopian, mostly young men, although around a fifth are women and a tenth are children. Many are fleeing from regions of Ethiopia where the army is fighting rebels. But most say they are going for economic reasons: the hope of earning enough money to build a house or start a business back home. Abdro walked for a week through scrubland and desert to the border with Djibouti. There the dalala bound his hands with rope until he paid. In the summer, temperatures top 40C and food and water are scarce; the bodies of those who do not make it are buried in the sand. Despite the dangers, last year 123,000 migrants crossed from Ethiopia to Djibouti, a statelet of just over a million people. The boats cross under cover of darkness, departing from beaches marked with makeshift graves. There are stories of smugglers ordering their passengers, who come from a land without sea, to jump overboard and swim. On June 10th at least 49 people drowned and 140 were missing after their boat from Bossaso capsized. The IOM has counted about 2,000 deaths from drowning on the crossing over the past decade, but many more go unrecorded, the currents washing bodies north. Once migrants reach Yemen, they are even more vulnerable to abuse. Traffickers round up new arrivals from the landing sites and hold them for ransom in compounds called hosh, or sometimes just hawala houses, after a traditional money-transfer system. Abdro says that five men beat him up. They phoned his father in Ethiopia to demand 150,000 birr ($2,600), letting his cries of pain filter down the line. His father sold land to set him free. The onward journey through Yemen is a story of false starts and dead ends, as migrants cross a patchwork of rival fiefs. Women are forced to marry traffickers or are hired out to local men for sex. Others work for a pittance in menial jobs. All of Yemens factions commit abuses. In 2021 Houthi guards fired tear-gas at migrants in a detention centre in Sanaa, the capital, starting a fire that killed 45 detainees. If, by some miracle, they reach the Saudi border, migrants are met with mortars and rockets. Human Rights Watch, an international monitor, said last August that Saudi border guards had killed hundreds, maybe thousands, of migrants in a little over a year. Sometimes the guards fire rifles at close range, first asking migrants which limb they prefer to lose. When Abdro got to the border, the guards captured him and gave him an ultimatum: go into detention, or help to carry the corpse of another man back into Yemen, so that it could be buried. He chose to move the body. Abdro did not try to cross the border again. Those who do get into Saudi Arabia might find poorly paid work as shepherds or labourers, if they are men, or domestic workers, if they are women. But they live in fear of being forcibly returned to Ethiopia, as have been more than half a million migrants in the past seven years. Haftom, another migrant, says he was held for ten months in a Saudi detention centre and given electric shocks by his captors. Why would anyone embark on such a journey? Some are certainly misinformed. In one study, half of returnees said they did not know the dangers before setting out. In another, half of first-time migrants did not know they would have to cross the sea, and less than a third had heard of Yemens civil war. Smugglers spin webs of lies. But many migrants know the risks, and go anyway. Since there is no hope at home, we will search for a better land, says Shamshadin Ame Ibro, a leader in a village near Dire Dawa, in eastern Ethiopia. Residents there describe the struggle to eke out a living. Young people want to eat spaghetti, not maize, sighs one father who has just fetched his 17-year-old daughter from Somaliland after she ran out of money en route. The village chairman estimates that 200 residents left for Saudi Arabia last year, out of a population of 10,000. On the African leg, where borders are porous, the smugglers tend to be networked opportunists rather than heavily-armed criminal enterprises, says Abebaw Minaye of Addis Ababa University. Gangs make $108m-156m a year from extortion along the entire route, estimates Ravenstone Consult, a British consultancy. Compared with routes heading to Europe, the money spent by states to stop migrants moving is modest. But so is humanitarian help. The IOMs response centres are full to bursting and its voluntary repatriation flights are too few to meet demand. In the Djiboutian fishing town of Obock, the last stop before the sea crossing, Ethiopians outnumber locals. Everyone knows about Lampedusa, but nobody talks about here, says Moussa Aden Migane, the prefect in charge of the area, comparing it to the Italian island which is an entry point to Europe. The welfare of migrants is also subordinate to geopolitics. Saudi Arabia, which enjoys friendly relations with the West, has been given carte blanche to continue the abuses, says Nadia Hardman of Human Rights Watch. News of killings on its border drew little more than statements of concern from most foreign governments. Djibouti, meanwhile, hosts Americas largest army base in Africa. Last year the American government downgraded Djibouti to the lowest tier in its ranking of countries efforts to combat human-trafficking, a move that would normally be followed by restrictions on American assistance. But President Joe Biden ruled that funding could continue. A State Department official says the waiver reflects the scale of the challenge that Djibouti faces in managing migration, not the presence of the base. In 2021 Ethiopia counted at least 7,000 migrants who had gone missing while heading to Saudi Arabia. Those who do return often show signs of depression or anxiety; women who have survived sexual violence are burdened by shame. The Ethiopian government gives them little support. It is urging migrants to travel through licensed recruitment agencies, rather than on irregular routes. After his experience at the Saudi border Abdro turned round. He worked for a few months as a porter in southern Yemen, then found a seat on a flight to Ethiopia organised by the IOM. More than a year after leaving, he returned home poorer than when he left. Thanks to God, he says, I came back safe. California-based tech giant Google is facing criticism from former CEO Eric Schmidt over its recent struggles in the artificial intelligence sector. During a talk at Stanford University, Schmidt attributed Google's lagging performance to its emphasis on remote work and work-life balance, reported the Times of India. Schmidt, who helmed Google from 2001 to 2011, expressed concern that Google's focus on flexible work arrangements has allowed rival startups like OpenAI and Anthropic to outpace it in AI development, as per the report. According to Schmidt, these startups, driven by relentless work ethics, have gained a substantial advantage over Google. Google chose to prioritize a relaxed work environment, which has hindered its innovation capabilities," Schmidt stated. In contrast, emerging companies are thriving because their teams are working with intense dedication." Reportedly, the former executive, who has long championed the value of in-office work, argued that the shift towards remote and flexible schedules has hampered Google's ability to stay competitive. Schmidts critique underscores his belief in the necessity of rigorous work culture to maintain a leading position in the fast-evolving tech industry. If you want to compete effectively, you need to enforce a work environment that fosters constant collaboration and innovation," he advised. Despite Schmidts comments, Google's current policies reflect a compromise between remote work and in-office presence. Employees are required to be in the office at least three days a week, with attendance now being part of performance assessments. Schmidts remarks come as Google grapples with heightened competition in the AI field. Although the company made significant early strides in AI, including key breakthroughs in 2017, it has struggled to keep pace with newer entrants like OpenAI, which notably prompted a high-stakes response from Google upon launching ChatGPT. In light of these challenges, Google has reinvigorated its AI efforts with the return of founder Sergey Brin to bolster its competitive stance. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. 3.6 Crore Indians visited in a single day choosing us as India's undisputed platform for General Election Results. Explore the latest updates here! Dispute over Jordan Chiles Olympic floor routine rolls on as US claims CAS sent emails to the wrong addresses Uisce Eireann have lodged plans with Longford County Council for a Water Pumping Station in south Longford. The proposed works are for a new Water Pumping Station (WPS) and associated infrastructure on lands off the L1164, east of Turreen Cross in the townlands of Lehery and Turreen, Longford. The proposed development will consist of: booster set kiosk; site access gate; paladin security fencing; two surge vessels; telemetry pole and an ESB minipillar. The plans also cover access road, layby area, hardstanding area and concrete hardstanding; connections to existing water mains and inlet / outlet piping; as well as all associated site works. The proposed pumping station would be located between Lanesboro and Newtowncashel Uisce Eireann is responsible for providing public water services and ensuring drinking water quality in public supplies meets the standards in the Drinking Water Regulations. In public water supplies, Uisce Eireann manages the abstraction, treatment and distribution of treated water and operates 1,711 pumping stations across Ireland. Longford County Council Planners received the application last week and anticipate having a decision by October 2 next. The proposed pumping station is one of a number of projects Uisce Eireann are undertaking in the county, the majority of which are in the areas of leakage reduction and disinfection. Longfords 365m Center Parcs holiday resort has this year recorded average weekly revenues of 1.85m as operating profits increased by 9% to 29.4m. In another record year for the business, new accounts filed by Center Parcs Ireland Ltd show that revenues at the Co Longford resort rose by 10.6% from 87.4m to 96.7m in the 12 months to the end of April 18th this year. Pre-tax profits declined by 51% from 19.8m to 9.7m due mainly to net finance expenses increasing by 170% from 7.2m to 19.5m this year. PICTURES | Looking very smart and dapper at the St Mel's College, Longford graduation dance The Center Parcs Irish business, which opened in 2019, achieved the increase in revenues and operating profits on the back of occupancy rates of 98.7%. Next month, construction work is due to commence on a 100m expansion of the village near Ballymahon, with the addition of 198 lodges and luxury treehouses. This expansion will increase the resorts capacity to around 3,500 guests. Also read: Stetsons and Stilettos at the ready! A night of fun, music and dance at Line Dance Longford The UK and Irish business achieved combined revenues of 704m this year on the back of 2.3m guests, with Longford Center Parcs contributing 12% of group revenues. Numbers employed at the Longford Village resort this year increased by 68 from 1,233 to 1,301 as staff costs increased by 12% from 24.9m to 27.9m. Also read: Yummy! Four Longford primary schools added to Hot Meals programme The operating profit of 27m this year takes account of non-cash depreciation costs of 7.9m. Last year, Canadian owners of the Center Parcs resorts in Ireland and the UK, private equity group Brookfield unsuccessfully tried to sell off the business. PICTURES: These gorgeous Longford lands could be yours for 850k Pat Hughes Auctioneers is pleased to bring to the market a unique opportunity to purchase a Residential farm with circa 35 acres of good-quality lands located in Lismore, only a short distance from Longford town. The residence is a 4 bedroomed 2 storey Farmhouse with a range of out-offices including a hayshed and lean-to. The 11 acres to the rear of the Farmhouse are of excellent quality and as the residence has been vacant for a number of years it would qualify for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant. The property is located less than 2 miles from Longford town centre and convenient to the picturesque village of Newtownforbes. The close proximity to Longford town brings all the amenities of a busy town with a regular train service between Dublin and Sligo, while still enjoying the space and tranquility of countryside living. Access to the N5 to Westport and the N4 to Sligo is only a five-minute drive from the residence and it is a one hour drive to Ireland West Airport. Longford is identified as a key town for economic growth and development within the region and the lands have excellent development potential subject to planning permission being granted. The 8 acres has the benefit of access to two roads and is located in a much sought-after location. There is 15.5 acres located directly across from the house. These lands are ideal for summer grazing and would have site potential subject to planning permission. This is an ideal opportunity for developers, speculators, and local farmers to acquire property in a prime location. The property can be sold in lots to suit. Final offers by Friday August 30 at 4.00pm For further details & appointment to view contact 090 6627003 or email: info@pathughesauctioneers.com *Sponsored Content Local News By Chris Boyle Published: August 15 2024 This year, over 200 runners participated and more than 350 community members joined the post-race celebrations. On August 10, Town of Brookhaven Councilman Neil Manzella and Town Clerk Kevin LaValle co-hosted the Annual Shoprite Run the Farm 4 Mile Run/Walk to benefit Bethel Hobbs Community Farm in Centereach. Hundreds of runners and spectators attend the Run the Farm 4 Mile Run/Walk each year. This year, over 200 runners participated and more than 350 community members joined the post-race celebrations. Hunter Wilson was the male leader at 21minutes, 16 seconds and Grace Miller was the female leader at 25 minutes, 31 seconds. Ms. Miller beat her own record from last year. The historic Bethel Hobbs Community Farm is one of Long Island's last remaining, all-volunteer farms. Established in 1906, this not-for-profit farm embodies the spirit of giving by donating as much as 90% of its annual harvest to feed those less fortunate. Hobbs Farm raises over 100,000 pounds of food each year which is donated to various food pantries around Long Island. more Councilman Manzella and Town Cleark LaValle thanked the organizers and runners who participated as well as the sponsors, Suffolk County Police Department 6th Precinct; Town of Brookhaven Highway Department; Town of Brookhaven Public Safety; Centereach Fire Department; and the event producers, EliteFeats. They also acknowledged Hobbs Farm owner, Ann Pellegrino, all the dedicated volunteers and vendors who helped make the Shoprite Run the Farm 4 Mile Run/Walk. They also thanked the event sponsors, including Suffolk County Legislators Leslie Kennedy and Nick Caracappa; ShopRite; New York Blood & Cancer; Pepsi; Bethel AME Church; Middle Country Chamber of Commerce; John T. Mather Memorial Hospital; Stony Brook UUP; Mondelez International; Frito Lay; Team Rita; Island Nursing and Rehab; Techworks; Brooklyn Delights; Bimbo Bakeries; Campbells and Dunkin Donuts. Local News By Chris Boyle Published: August 15 2024 New York's safety-net hospitals, like Stony Brook University Hospital, are the backbone of our healthcare system, providing essential care to our most vulnerable communities, said LaLota. Today, Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Suffolk County) and Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-Brooklyn), joined by Reps. Larry Bucshon, M.D. (R-IN), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Mike Lawler (R-NY), and Frank Mrvan (D-IN), introduced the bipartisan Save Our Safety-Net Hospitals Act to prevent massive cuts to New York hospitals Medicaid payments. Specifically, Stony Brook University Hospital is facing a potential $53 million cut in 2024. New York's safety-net hospitals, like Stony Brook University Hospital, are the backbone of our healthcare system, providing essential care to our most vulnerable communities. The potential $53 million cut in Medicaid funding threatens the very foundation of these institutions, said LaLota. My bipartisan Save Our Safety-Net Hospitals Act would prevent massive cuts to the nations most vulnerable hospitals without any cost to the taxpayer and ensure they can continue to deliver critical services. This is a bipartisan and common sense fix to an issue directly impacting hospitals on Long Island and safeguards healthcare access for those who need it most, ensuring that no one is left behind due to bureaucratic oversights. New Yorks safety net hospitals are an invaluable resource for our state's most vulnerable patients, and Medicaid DSH funding is necessary for keeping their operations running, said Clarke. We cannot stand by as devastating funding cuts loom and threaten the health, wellbeing, and futures of the millions of New Yorkers who rely on these vital hospitals to access the healthcare services they need. I am proud to stand with my colleagues across the aisle in support of a solution that will keep their doors open and protect the underserved patients they care for. The time to pass the SOS Hospitals Act is now. Safety net hospitals in Indiana and across the nation help care for the most vulnerable patients. As a physician, I know how critical these facilities are, particularly in rural and underserved urban communities, said Bucshon. It is critical that these safety net hospitals have the resources they need to provide care for these patients, and Congress must work to ensure the federal government is appropriately providing the resources necessary to support the important work that they do. Achieving health equity requires that our most underserved patients can access high-quality care, said Matsui. Low-income older Americans are some of our most medically vulnerable patients and safety net hospitals are on the front lines of serving this population. This bill will ensure this population can continue to access vital care, while maintaining a sustainable future for these essential providers. Hospitals that serve our most vulnerable populations are facing deep and unnecessary cuts, including hospitals right here in the Hudson Valley, said Lawler. We cannot let that happen and thats why Im proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Save our Safety-Net (SOS) Hospitals Act. This common sense legislation will ensure these hospitals continue to receive the funding they are due so patients can continue to receive care at these facilities. Thank you to Rep. LaLota and my House colleagues for introducing this legislation to ensure that everyone in our communities has access to the health care services they need, said Mrvan. I look forward to continuing to work with all of my House and Senate colleagues to finalize this worthwhile initiative as soon as possible. I am grateful to Rep. LaLota for introducing this critical piece of legislation to protect our nation's safety-net hospitals providing quality care to the patients most in need, said Carol Gomes, Stony Brook University Hospital CEO and COO. If Sec. 203 is not amended, Stony Brook University Hospital will incur a $53M reduction in revenue this fiscal year and that reduction will continue to grow into the future. I am urging Congress to support and pass this essential amendment now. I applaud Reps. Nick LaLota, Yvette Clarke, and Mike Lawler for championing the Save Our Safety-Net Hospitals Act, which would safeguard resources essential to preserving care for New Yorks most vulnerable populations, said Bea Grause, RN, JD, President of the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS). This bipartisan legislation would fix an inadvertent cut of Medicaid DSH resources for some New York hospitals that treat a significant portion of Medicaid and Medicare patients. HANYS thanks our delegation members for their leadership in protecting patients access to care. This legislation takes an important step toward righting a wrong, said Wendy Darwell, CEO of the Suburban Hospital Alliance of New York State. The DSH program compensates hospitals for the extraordinary costs they incur for caring for our most vulnerable residents. Three years ago, a minor change in law significantly reduced what New Yorks hospitals could receive under the program. Care provided to those who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid typically very low-income seniors and the disabled was no longer counted. The consequence of that change is tens of millions of dollars in cuts to Stony Brook, NUMC, and other public hospitals in New York. Were grateful to Congressman LaLota for his initiative to stop these cuts. Medicaid DSH payments are an essential lifeline for New Yorks safety net hospitals, but the current DSH cap calculation will severely harm them financially and disrupt access to care, and Kenneth E. Raske, President of the Greater New York Hospital Association. The Save Our Safety Net Hospitals Act will help ensure that safety net hospitals can continue to serve the most vulnerable patients and communities. The entire hospital community strongly supports this bill and thanks Representatives LaLota, Bucshon, Clarke, Lawler, Matsui, and Mrvan for their advocacy and leadership. We strongly support legislation introduced today to correct a federal policy that harms the ability of many essential hospitals to recover financial losses they sustain caring for dually eligible Medicaid patients. The Save Our Safety-Net Hospitals Act of 2024 would lift burdensome restrictions on the disproportionate share hospital (DSH) support essential hospitals receive to offset the uncompensated costs of care for patients dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare or other third-party insurance, said Bruce Siegel, M.D., President and CEO of Americas Essential Hospitals. We thank the bills sponsorsReps. Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.), Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.), Doris Matsui (D-Calif.), Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), and Frank Mrvan (D-Ind.)for their bipartisan leadership in introducing this critically needed legislation. DSH payments are a vital part of the patchwork support essential hospitals rely on to meet their safety net mission. We urge all members of Congress to support the Save Our Safety-Net Hospitals Act and protect access to high-quality, equitable health care for all people and communities. Medicaid DSH payments are a lifeline for many safety-net hospitals and the Save our Safety-Net Hospitals Act recognizes the uncompensated costs incurred by the hospitals serving patients who are dually-eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, said Ellen Kugler, Executive Director of the Alliance of Safety-Net Hospitals. The Alliance of Safety-Net Hospitals appreciates Rep. LaLotas leadership and is proud to support the Save our Safety-Net Hospitals Act. To read the full text of the legislation, click HERE . Background: The bill is supported by Americas Essential Hospitals, the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS), the Suburban Hospital Alliance of NYS, the Alliance of Safety-Net Hospitals, Nassau-Suffolk Hospital Council, and the Greater New York Hospital Association (GNYHA). Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) funding helps preserve access to care at hospitals and health systems that serve the most vulnerable populations. All New York hospitals receive some level of Medicaid DSH funding. Many hospitals rely on this funding to remain operational. DSH caps determine the maximum amount of federal Medicaid DSH funding a hospital can receive. The amount of capped DSH funding has traditionally been based on the financial losses from services provided to uninsured patients, Medicaid enrollees and dual-eligible enrollees (Medicaid patients who also have Medicare or other third-party coverage). This no-cost bipartisan legislation would mitigate the unintended impact of a provision included in the FY21 Consolidated Appropriations bill. Specifically, it defines the Medicaid shortfall component of the DSH cap to include costs and payments for (a) patients for whom Medicaid is the primary payer, plus (b) unreimbursed costs associated with Medicare duals (if any), plus (c) unreimbursed costs associated with all other duals (if any). Section 203 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-260) altered the definition of Medicaid shortfall to calculate the limit on Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments. The new sec. 203 limit excludes costs and payments for Medicaid patients dually eligible for commercial or Medicare coverage, counting only the costs and payments for patients for whom Medicaid is the primary payer or who are uninsured. An unintended consequence of sec. 203 is that it cuts DSH payments for hospitals that incur significant uncompensated costs for their low-income dually eligible Medicare patients. These hospitals have historically relied on Medicaid DSH to support these costs for Medicaid dual patients, but sec. 203 eliminated that source of funding by excluding the costs from the DSH cap. Local News By Chris Boyle Published: August 15 2024 Creates New Career Pathways for Next Generation of Health, Mental Health and Social Care Workers. Governor Kathy Hochul today announced three Workforce Investment Organizations will receive awards totaling up to $646 million over the next three years to implement the Career Pathways Training Program, which will recruit and train thousands of new health, mental health, and social care workers across New York. This program will also provide new career advancement opportunities to many current health care workers throughout the State. The WIO awardees are 1199SEIU Training and Employment Funds, Iroquois Healthcare Association, and the Finger Lakes Performing Provider System. Today's announcement is made possible through the Governor's 1115 New York Health Equity Reform Waiver approved in January. The health of every New Yorker depends on a strong, stable, and equitable health care system, and health care workers are its very foundation, Governor Hochul said. This investment allows us to continue to retain and grow our health care workforce and ensure we deliver the highest quality health care for New Yorkers. As the designated WIOs under the CPT Program, the 1199SEIU Training and Employment Funds, Iroquois Healthcare Association, and Finger Lakes Performing Provider System will use this new funding to: Conduct outreach and recruit thousands of new and current health, mental health, and social care workers for participation in the CPT Program. Support CPT Program participants with tutoring and other academic support such as apprenticeship and mentorship programs. Make payments to support participants tuition program fees, textbooks and supplies. Aid in job readiness and placement to meet service commitments. Hold educational programs for new and current health, mental health, and social care workers, including application and enrollment assistance. Form partnerships with educational institutions and other stakeholders to increase career opportunities for CPT program participants. Perform data collection and reporting on CPT program performance metrics, spending, and other information. The funding awarded to these Workforce Investment Organizations is possible because Governor Hochul secured an amendment to New Yorks Medicaid Section 1115 Demonstration that allows New York to invest nearly $6 billion of federal funding into New York's health care system over the next three years. The waiver amendment is now allowing New York to make transformative investments, including establishing Social Care Networks to integrate health, behavioral, and social care services that connect high-need members to critical nutritional and housing support services; enhancing access to coordinated and comprehensive treatment for substance use disorders; investing in primary care and making long-term, sustainable investments in the states health care workforce. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer said, The health of our community depends on the strength of our health care workforce. This investment in the Career Pathways Training Program will help expand New Yorks health care workforce by recruiting, training, and providing new opportunities to thousands of health care workers. Boosting good-paying health care jobs is a win-win-win, a win for our current and future health care workers, and a win for New Yorks patients and our economy. Ive worked hard to secure federal investments in our health care system through the American Rescue Plan, and Im grateful for Governor Hochuls commitment to strengthening our health care workforce. Representative Jerry Nadler said, Our health care workers show up every day to take care of us and we have a responsibility to take care of them in return. Im proud to announce this investment of $646 million into the Career Pathways Training program, which will invest in the development and recruitment of thousands of health care workers across New York. Representative Nydia M. Velazquez said, No matter your zip code, every New Yorker deserves access to high-quality health care. This significant investment will help revamp our health care workforce, which will provide new job opportunities and ensure our health care professionals have the training to meet the diverse needs of our State's residents. Thank you to Governor Hochul for making this investment and for your commitment to providing every New Yorker with the health care they deserve. Representative Joe Morelle said, It's critical we provide support to our health care system and the workers who dedicate their careers to keeping our families healthy. This investment will help bridge the gap connecting the next generation of skilled health care workers with the fields and communities that need them. I'm grateful to Governor Hochul for her dedication to NY's health care system and our partnership as we fight for reliable, accessible health care for everyone. Representative Jamaal Bowman said, We all rely on health care workers in every stage of life, so it is critical that we invest in and set up our health care professionals for success. These funds will allow New York to build a stronger and more diverse workforce, where our health care providers can look more like the communities they are called to serve. Representative Ritchie Torres said, Health care workers are the backbone of our public health system. Governor Hochuls investment of $646 million towards health care worker recruitment, training, and career advancement pathways will enhance the wellbeing of our city, especially in the Bronx. This decision is a crucial step in addressing New Yorkers physical and mental health care needs and the health care workforce shortage. Representative Pat Ryan said, Im pushing every day to deliver the highest quality health care for Hudson Valley families, and that means first and foremost investing in our health care workers. Im proud that these funds, in partnership with our friends in labor, will go straight to recruiting, training, and properly compensating health care workers across the region. Ill keep working alongside partners at every level of government so that our health care workers know: we have your backs and we always will. Representative Dan Goldman said, As New York has endured a rise in mental health issues, it has faced a shortage of mental health professionals to combat those concerns. As one of the Citys elected officials tackling this problem with a whole-of-government approach, I applaud Governor Hochul for providing this critical funding to recruit, train, and develop health care workers across New York. Alongside our partners in Albany and those on the frontlines like 1199SEIU, we will ensure our health care system meets everyone where they are." Representative Tim Kennedy said, Communities in Western New York need and deserve access to high-quality health care. This game-changing funding will set our region on the path to providing equitable and accessible health care and social services now and in the future by recruiting the next generation of professionals and developing those who are already in the field. In my district, this funding will empower the Finger Lakes Performing Provider System to invest in the workforce our region relies on to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. 1199SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Milly Silva said, We have lost many caregivers over the past few years leading to critical staffing shortages across the continuum of care. 1199SEIU appreciates Governor Hochuls historic investment to rebuild this workforce by training New Yorkers for occupations experiencing shortages like nursing. IHA President and CEO Gary Fitzgerald said, IHA is proud that the Hochul Administration has designated IHA as the Workforce Investment Organization to provide workforce services to Central NY, the Southern Tier, the North Country, and the Capital Region under the NYHER 1115 Waiver. We have been a leader in addressing health care workforce issues in Upstate NY for decades. In recent years, health care providers in our region have faced significant staffing shortages and higher vacancy rates than the rest of the State, threatening continued access to quality care. We are excited to collaborate with providers and educational organizations in this region to attract new workers to health care and help advance the careers of experienced health care professionals. We expect that this workforce will have a positive impact on local economies, ensuring a stable and well-paid employment base, thus strengthening the economic future of communities in Upstate NY. We are looking forward to teaming up with the recently announced social care networks in our region, Healthy Alliance and Care Connect. This project is critically important. We commend Governor Hochul for recognizing the need to address the monumental challenges we have long experienced to recruit, educate and retain individuals for these vital roles to help preserve and grow access to quality health care in Upstate and Rural New York. FLPPS CEO Carol Tegas said, We are grateful to be recognized by the State as a trusted partner to deliver on this important work. Finger Lakes Performing Provider System has focused on building the health care workforce over the last decade as part of our Medicaid redesign and system transformation efforts, working closely with our partners and stakeholders. The CPT Program will extend and scale our programming across the Finger Lakes, Western NY, and Southern Tier regions, and provide vital educational and training opportunities that are desperately needed throughout New York State. By fostering partnerships, enhancing skills and career laddering, and creating a new pipeline of students, we are building a more resilient and diverse health care workforce. State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, This investment is essential to the health, safety, and protection of New Yorkers. This will give residents opportunities to receive an education in the health field to advance their careers and increase access to trained health, mental health, and social care professionals, leading to better health outcomes. Director of the New York State Medicaid Program Amir Bassiri said, Access to training and opportunities for career mobility are part of Medicaids strategic plan to address health equity and address shortages for essential Medicaid providers. These funds will support recruitment of new professionals and establish career advancement opportunities with a focus on health equity. Through the CPT Program, the WIOs will address statewide workforce shortages by subsidizing education and training services to provide holistic educational and professional placement support for New Yorkers in the program who are newly entering the workforce or advancing their careers. Participants of the CPT program must fall under one of the eligible titles specified in the waiver and make a three-year service commitment in their new professional title to Medicaid providers that serve at least 30 percent of Medicaid members and/or uninsured individuals. Career training will be organized to support both new careers in health, mental health, and social care and career advancement in these fields. The CPT Program is a key initiative under the New York Health Equity Reform waiver amendment, which includes approximately $7.5 billion including nearly $6 billion in federal funding for waiver initiatives, including the CPT program, through 2027. More information can be found under the MRT 1115 Waiver Amendments tab. Supporting Health Care Workers with Over $2 Billion in Bonuses In addition to investing in the next generation of New Yorks health care workers, Governor Hochul has continued to support current health care workers who provide the services that so many New Yorkers rely on. Earlier this week, the Governor announced that New York State has paid over $2 billion in bonuses to more than 800,000 health care workers statewide through the Health Care Worker Bonus Program. The program was launched by Governor Hochul in 2022 and provided bonuses of up to $3,000 for eligible health care workers across New York. That program issued payments to workers who provide hands-on and patient-facing health care services. Workers who received payments through the program must have an annualized base salary, excluding any bonuses or overtime pay, of $125,000 or less and can be full-time or part-time. State Senator Gustavo Rivera said, I commend Governor Hochul for this significant investment into the next generation of health care workers. The Workforce Investment Organizations selected are dedicated partners that know the skills, education and career opportunities our state needs to address the critical workforce challenges our health care system is facing. Investing in our health care workforce pipeline is urgent and I look forward to this program's long-term benefits for the health of our communities and our health care delivery system overall. State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal said, If it was not already abundantly clear, the pandemic proved that health care workers and mental health professionals are absolutely essential to a thriving New York State. I applaud Governor Hochul, Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins and Speaker Heastie for dedicating almost $650 million to recruit and train thousands of new health, mental health and social care workers as well as offer career advancement programs to those currently working in these industries. This historic investment will help ensure that all New Yorkers have access to the high-quality health and mental health services that they deserve. State Senator Samra G. Brouk said, I applaud Governor Hochuls decision to allocate $646 million to the recruitment and training of thousands of health care workers across New York State. Reforming our health care system starts with investing in our health care workers. As social care, health, and mental health needs are increasing statewide, we must ensure that we afford proper support and resources to individuals who provide care for our most vulnerable community members. I am thankful to Governor Hochul for recognizing the need to strengthen and reinforce our health care workforce. Assemblymember Harry Bronson said, Ensuring we have a qualified and prepared health care workforce that meets the needs of all New Yorkers is of utmost importance for the health and safety of our families. I applaud the Governor for making this critical investment in the next generation of health care workers and partnering with organized labor to guarantee that our health care workers, whether they are entering new careers or expanding existing ones, will have good middle-class jobs, quality training and family-sustaining wages. Assemblymember Michaelle C. Solages said, As we continue to face an unprecedented demand for health services, Governor Hochul's investment in our health care workforce is a timely and essential initiative. By recruiting and training thousands of new workers and creating new career pathways for current health, mental health and social care professionals, this funding will help build a stronger, more resilient health care system across New York State. By supporting the Career Pathways Training program, we can ensure equitable access to quality care while supporting the dedicated individuals who provide it. Assemblymember Nader J Sayegh said, Given the high demand for health care workers across New York State, I applaud and support the Governors initiative in investing $646 million dollars in recruiting and training thousands of health care workers. This crucial investment will open health care career options to individuals and ensure New York State has highly trained health care workers for future generations. Assemblymember Rodnyese Bichotte Hermelyn said, Governor Kathy Hochul is delivering a transformative investment in health care that's a long-term win for all New Yorkers. The Career Pathways Training Program will help ensure all our communities have equitable access to high-quality health care, while boosting the economy by providing training pathways for great careers in health, social and mental care. Our health care heroes are also getting the support they deserve, through $2 billion in bonuses, career advancement opportunities, and strengthened partnerships with organized labor. I applaud my colleagues in the NYS Legislature for implementing this pivotal program and am committed to ensuring my constituents and all New Yorkers fully benefit from and utilize these vital healthcare benefits. Assemblymember Phara Souffrant Forrest said, This investment in health care workforce training is a crucial step towards ensuring that all New Yorkers have access to the quality care they deserve. By empowering our health care workers with the skills and support they need, we are not only strengthening our health system but also uplifting the communities that rely on it. As a nurse and a legislator, I know firsthand how vital it is to have a well-trained, well-supported health care workforce, and Im proud to see our state making this commitment to our future. Assemblymember Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas said, Amidst the relentless challenges of COVID-19, our health care workers have been the steadfast heroes on the frontlines, and it is essential we stand firmly behind them. This historic $646 million investment in health care workforce expansion and training is a testament to New Yorks commitment to strengthening our health care system. With vital support from unions like 1199SEIU, were not only creating new career pathways and a pipeline into the health care fields, but also honoring the dedication of our current workers, ensuring they have the resources and respect they deserve, Assemblymember Steven Raga said, This historic investment will make careers in the health sector more accessible with crucial educational support and job readiness training. Not only will we see a more vibrant health sector workforce but a healthier New York State. Assemblymember Stefani Zinerman said, As a representative of the 56th Assembly District, Ive witnessed the unwavering dedication of our health care professionals working in nursing homes and long-term care facilities. Their commitment to delivering high-quality care in challenging conditions is truly commendable. I want to highlight the efforts of 1199SEIU workers, who advocate not only for their patients' safety but also for fair wages and benefits for themselves. I also commend Governor Hochul for the $640 million investment in career pathway training. This initiative will address the workforce shortage and support the development of the next generation of health care workers. This investment is a significant win for our community and a crucial step toward a more robust and equitable health care system. Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal said, When we invest in our health care workforce, all New Yorkers benefit. By funding the Career Pathways Training Program, we will strengthen and expand our health care workforce. The pandemic took a tremendous toll on this sector, causing many to retire or switch career paths, but investments like this will draw more workers in while improving the health of communities statewide. Amidst the pomp and pageantry of Independence Day, a furious protest movement following the rape and murder of a young medic tells the real story of Modis India. The Revolutionary Communists of India (RC(I)) demand justice for the victim of this heinous crime as well as all who suffer under capitalism, which poisons human relations and subjects billions to oppression, violence and misery. The 31-year-old victim was a postgraduate trainee, studying respiratory medicine at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, West Bengal. Such postgraduate medics are heavily exploited, forced to undergo 36-hour shifts as part of their studies and training. Last Friday, following one of these gruelling shifts, the medic in question was sleeping in the hospitals seminar room (due to a lack of any designated area for students to rest), when she was gang-raped and murdered by unknown assailants. A volunteer police officer, Sanjay Roy, has been arrested in connection with the attack. Following spontaneous calls on social media, protests led by women started in Kolkata last week under the slogan Reclaim the Night, and have continued to grow, with rallies spreading to New Delhi, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, Patna, Goa and elsewhere. Someone influential is clearly trying to protect the culprits. The principal of RG Kar initially informed the victims parents that their daughter had committed suicide, until an autopsy revealed the real cause of death. Meanwhile, the state government has sent goons to attack the demonstrations in Kolkata. Agent provocateurs disguised as protestors also vandalised RG Kar and attacked police, giving cover for dozens of arrests and detentions, including of our comrades. On Independence Day, hundreds of thousands of women and men from all walks of life were on the streets of Kolkata, with placards and burning torches in hand. One female student, interviewed by BBC World, encapsulated the mood when she furiously asked: When do we get our independence? How long do we have to wait to work without fear? Violence towards women and medics In the worlds fifth-largest economy, relations between men and women have been hideously warped by the grinding poverty and enforced backwardness endured by billions of people. There is an epidemic of rape and violence against women in India / Image: Dr Syed Faizan Ahmad, Twitter There is an epidemic of rape and violence against women in India, with around 90 reported cases of sexual assault a day, and an untold number going unreported. In much of the country, unaccompanied women cannot walk the streets safely. In the poorest rural communities, girls are killed at or shortly after birth in horrific numbers, while so-called honour killings are widespread and broadly tolerated. Victims of rape and assault are met with indifference or intimidation by the police, and silenced by the stigma they face from their families and communities. Sexual violence is also used as a weapon of communalist repression. It is enough to remember the 2002 Gujarat riots, which Modi helped provoke, that saw the rape of hundreds of Muslim women and girls by Hindu nationalist mobs. In addition to the question of violence against women, medics at Indias often squalid, chronically under-funded state hospitals face a daily gauntlet of exploitation and abuse. According to the Indian Medical Association, more than 75 percent of Indian doctors have endured some form of violence. In 2019, two junior doctors were assaulted by an angry mob in Kolkatas Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital (NRSMCH) after a 75-year-old patient passed away in the hospital. This provoked protests by doctors across the city, demanding better workplace security. Tragically, last Friday is far from the first time that violence against women and doctors has overlapped. In 2012, a 22-year-old physiotherapy intern was gang-raped and murdered on a bus in Delhi, which also triggered nationwide protests and superficial changes to the law that have done nothing to protect women or medics since. Postgraduate doctors are at the forefront of the new protest movement. The Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) called for a nationwide halting of elective services on Monday. FORDA suspended this action on Tuesday, after Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda promised to expedite the passage of the Central Protection Act (legislation aimed at protecting doctors from violence), which has been languishing in Parliament since 2022. But the Federation of All India Medical Associations (FAIMA), along with medics at the Delhi-based All-India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Indira Gandhi Hospital have pledged to continue their strike until concrete measures are in place, including a full inquiry, and a Central law that makes violence against doctors a non-bailable offence. They are also calling for the firing of the principal of RG Kar, who has so far only been transferred to a lucrative new position at a different Kolkata hospital. Opportunism After losing West Bengal to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the recent general elections, Modi is seeking to opportunistically exploit this situation to regain ground for his BJP party. He has publicly condemned the rape-murder in Kolkata, and called for the dismissal of Mamata Banerjee, leader of the TMC-led government in West Bengal. Postgraduate doctors are at the forefront of the new protest movement / Image: Arijit Kisku, Wikimedia Commons The leadership of the TMC itself is split, with some MPs joining the protests, while others condemned them as a political move to defame West Bengal, backed by the BJP and CPI(M). Yesterday, there were competing rallies called by opposition organisations and the BJP, with the latter calling for Banerjees resignation. The BJP has no leg to stand on when it comes to the question of violence towards women. Such crimes have increased year-on-year under Modis rule, except 2020, due to the COVID-19 lockdown. In 2022, 11 rapists, imprisoned after the Gujarat Riots, were released by decree of Modis government and met with cheers and flower garlands by the Hindu nationalist thugs who make up the BJPs base. The perpetrators were eventually returned to prison by a Supreme Court order following massive public outrage. In other words, Modi is trying to settle political scores over the body of a young doctor, killed in an atmosphere of violence and oppression he helped create. The grubby political manoeuvring by varying cliques of bourgeois gangsters is sickening to watch. When crimes like this are committed in a state-run hospital and the highest authorities in the hospital cover it up, its highly likely that the state government knows about it, if they havent also assisted in the cover up directly. If Banerjees administration is brought down, this victory must be claimed by the movement alone, and become the start of a confrontation with Modis Central government. Political answers needed The organisers have emphasised that politicians were not welcome, and requested that no party flags should be brought to the protest. Understandably, they feel nothing but contempt towards the entire political establishment, which collectively has the blood of countless women and young medics on its hands. Sexual violence and the decaying Indian health system are political questions / Image: Sumita Roy Dutta, Wikimedia Commons However, sexual violence and the decaying Indian health system are political questions. The vile capitalist system Modi defends, and the chauvinist Hindutva ideology he cultivates, are the ultimate source of the social sickness in Indian society. These must be fought by political means. Presenting this movement as bringing together all women is a dead end. The leader of West Bengal state is a woman, which made no difference to the victim of last weeks attack. Indeed, Banerjees administration is sending police and thugs to break up demonstrations seeking justice. Meanwhile, Modi is sheltering Sheikh Hasina, the ousted leader of Bangladesh whose regime has killed hundreds of student protestors since July. Bourgeois politicians, be they women or men, uphold their class interests above all other considerations. The working class, youth and poor peasantry, women and men alike, must fight under the banner of revolutionary communism for an end to the system responsible for all forms of oppression. End violence towards women: end capitalism! There is a seething anger in Indian society, expressed in a series of unprecedented struggles in recent years, including some of the largest general strikes in history, and the victorious farmers movement against Modis hated agricultural bill. Combustible material, capable of provoking a mass movement like that in Bangladesh, exists in abundance in India. The murder of the young medic at RG Kar could be the spark that lights the powder keg. But one way or another, tensions will eventually erupt and put a decisive showdown between Modi and the masses on the agenda. We must prepare! The RC(I) offers its full solidarity to the protestors and striking young medics. Violence towards women is a plague that infects the whole of society. The current movement must grow and tap into the mood of anger that exists right across India. The case has been referred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), but even if the culprits are identified and punished (which is far from given) there can be no illusions that the Indian state will be able to protect women or young medics in the future. We have heard promises of new legal protections in the past, and things are worse than ever. Nor can there be any illusions in the Congress-led bourgeois opposition, which is trying to co-opt the movement and steer it to safe channels. All Rahul Gandhi and co seek to achieve is putting a more respectable face on the same diseased system. The fact is, sexual violence and femicide are the poisonous fruit of a rotten society. Join the Revolutionary Communists of India and help us to fight for a dignified future, free of these horrors. We say: Build the movement, grow the doctors strike: all out until we have justice! An injury to one is an injury to all: all working-class, peasant and left organisations must join the fight! Banerjee, Modi and the RG Kar administration all have blood on their hands! Bring all the criminals to justice! A Dorchester man who wanted to sleep on a train bit, punched and head-butted MBTA Transit Police who attempted to escort him off, according to MBTA Transit Police Superintendent Richard Sullivan. At around 10 a.m., Hamed Ranemimche, 25, was sleeping under the seats inside a Red Line train car at the Park Street Station, Sullivan told MassLive on Thursday. Ranemimche did not want to leave the train, even after officers came aboard and asked for an address, Sullivan said. He gave them a Dorchester address, and they said he could not sleep on the train and had to leave. Service was being delayed at this time, Sullivan said. Then as officers tried to escort Ranemimche from the train, he physically attacked the officers [and] ultimately he head-butted, punched with a closed fist and bit one of the officers, Sullivan said. One of the officers who was bit had to go to the hospital for a serious bite wound, MBTA Transit Police posted on X. Ranemimche was taken off the train and arrested. It is never OK for our police officers to be abused, attacked, and dehumanized by those who refuse to abide by societys accepted norms, rules and laws, Sullivan said. We wish our injured officers a speedy recovery. MassLive breaking news reporter Charlie McKenna contributed to the reporting of this story. A 25-year-old man was sentenced to five years in prison on Tuesday for possessing and distributing child sexual abuse materials, according to acting U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Joshua S. Levys office. Cristopher Vladimir Pineda Martinez, of East Boston, was also ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution, Levys office said in a statement. He will also serve five years of supervised release. In May, Pineda pleaded guilty to one count each of possession of child pornography and distribution of child pornography, according to the statement. Pineda was a member of several large private group chats that distributed child sex abuse materials online, according to the statement. On Dec. 12, 2022, Pineda distributed eight videos depicting child sexual abuse in three online group chats. Investigators later found 54 videos depicting child sexual abuse, some involving children as young as 6, on Pinedas phone. As Allston Christmas also known as Boston move-in day is right around the corner, one grocery store chain is helping residents celebrate this thrifting holiday by offering them a limited-edition oversized shopping bag at two stores. Around Sept. 1 every year, the streets of Allston are flooded with all of the castaways college students no longer want as they move out of their summer apartments, according to Boston.com. In the spirit of one mans junk is another mans treasure, the discarded items turn the streets into a haven of free gifts, a sort of Christmas, if you will. Stop & Shop is offering oversized bags measuring 21 x 14 x 13 that feature illustrations of sidewalks covered in furniture, home supplies for the taking and a truck thats been Storrowed which is when a truck gets smashed trying to drive under a bridge thats too low, which often happens on Storrow Drive, according to Stop & Shop. The limited-edition bags are available at only two Stop & Shop locations, the company said: the new flagship Allston Yards location at 305 Guest St. and the Mission Hill location at 1620 Tremont St. These bags are free with the purchase of $25 or more from Aug. 28 to Sept. 1, while supplies last, Stop & Shop said. Also, both stores will host an Allston Christmas party from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, Stop & Shop added. The parties will have free food samples and festive holiday music. Santa Claus will be in the store to hand out bags and take photos, while Marty, Stop & Shops robot helper, will be dressed as Saint Nick. UPDATE: Hanover police arrested Matthew Paluzzi, Plymouth police said in an update to their Facebook post. Massachusetts State Police are taking him to Plymouth Police Headquarters. Plymouth police are looking for a man in connection with an apparent homicide investigation in Manomet, but warned the public to not approach him. Officers are looking to speak with Matthew Paluzzi, 26, according to a Plymouth Police Department post on Facebook. Officials also shared a photo of Paluzzi. Mr. Paluzzi may be armed, police said. If anyone sees that vehicle or Mr. Paluzzi, DO NOT APPROACH. Call 911 and let the dispatchers know where you are. We appreciate your help. Paluzzi was last seen in a grey North Face hooded sweatshirt, the statement read. He is possibly operating a black 2017 Nissan Murano with Massachusetts plates. Police did not provide further details about the investigation. A 43-year-old woman was found guilty Wednesday of leaving the scene of a crash that killed a Duxbury woman in 2019, according to Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruzs office. The woman, Kristina Blackmore, was convicted of one count each of motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation and leaving the scene of injury causing death after three days of jury deliberations, Cruzs office said in a statement posted to X. On June 9, 2019, around 6:37 p.m., Duxbury Police went to 641 Washington St., where they found 46-year-old Andrea Gordon unresponsive on the ground, according to the statement. First responders performed life-saving measures on Gordon, who was taken to South Shore Hospital. She died of her injuries two days later. A 44-year-old woman was indicted in connection with the death of a Weymouth woman she had been staying with, according to Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrisseys office. Kelly Shaw was indicted on several charges including first-degree murder and was ordered held without bail Thursday during her arraignment in Norfolk Superior Court. She pleaded not guilty, Morrisseys office said in a statement. Shaw and another person, John Jack Harper, 45, were previously charged with larceny of a motor vehicle, larceny of property valued over $1,200 and misleading investigators. Harper had not been indicted in the death of Christine Mello inside her Weymouth home, but Morrisseys office said the matter remains under investigation. Shaw lived with Mello, 56, who was reported missing before her remains were found by Weymouth police and Massachusetts State Police in her home at 34 Lake St. in April, Morrisseys office said. Mello was likely dead for several days before she was found, according to Morrisseys office. (*This story was updated at 1:46 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, to include additional reporting.) Bankrupt Steward Health Care has once again postponed a sales hearing for its hospitals in Massachusetts and other states, this time to Aug. 22, according to a court filing. The hearing on the sale of five of the Dallas-based health care companys Massachusetts properties had been scheduled for Friday, according to the filin in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Houston. The hearing was also to have dealt with Steward-owned hospitals in Arkansas and Louisiana. The filing made late Wednesday night did not offer an explanation for the delay. Steward has said that it has deals on five of its Massachusetts properties, but has not disclosed the bidders. Steward has already received court approval to close Carney Hospital in Dorchester and Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer. Company officials have told the court that they received binding bids from local operators to acquire six (6) of their Massachusetts hospitals which includes Saint Elizabeths Medical Center, Saint Annes Hospital, Good Samaritan Medical Center, Holy Family Hospital Haverhill, Holy Family Hospital Methuen, and Morton Hospital. State officials agreed to, and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court approved, a deal under which the state will provide $30 million in advance Medicaid payments to keep open through August the Steward hospitals that are expected to be sold. Speaking to reporters after an unrelated event on Thursday, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said the state is continuing to press for the sales to be completed. My hope is that they come to their senses and finalize this so that we can proceed with saving these ... campuses, Healey said. There was a brief but interesting side discussion at a recent meeting of West Mayo Municipal District. The Louisburgh councillor, Chris Maxwell, enquired whether some parking at Roonagh Pier could be reserved for islanders who make the daily crossing to Clare Island, but who find it difficult, in high tourist season, to find parking space for their cars. The official reply was that such an idea was a non starter, with Maxwell observing that while tourism might be vital, the needs of the locals should be considered as well. The meeting moved on, and that was that. But could it be that in that scenario was a microcosm of a greater problem, a harbinger of things to come? Amplify the Roonagh story a thousand times and it begins to resemble a situation across Europe, where the needs of mass tourism have overtaken the rights of locals to an established way of life. Last month, thousands of residents of Barcelona marched through the city in protest at the explosion in tourism and, as they see it, the detrimental effects on the lives of locals. Where the tourism promoters had hung airport slogans to say You deserve Spain, the graffiti on the towns public walls read Tourists go home you are not welcome. The Government initiative to recover the tourism losses incurred during Covid had succeeded only too well, and now had come the backlash. The 90-million-a-year influx of visitors was more than the locals could cope with, and the greater public had decided that the economic benefits of being over run by visitors was simply not worth the hassle. The causes of the rise in mass tourism are manifold, not least because of the marketing zeal which held that you can never have too much of a good thing. Low-budget flights, stag weekends, cruise liner visits, cheap packages have all contributed to a dumbing down of proper tourism, where holidays based on booze and sun have overtaken the more authentic motives of culture, arts and heritage. In Spain and France and Italy, locals complain of the loss of a sense of community when their towns and villages become glorified theme parks for visitors. Community identity and local culture are erased when visitor numbers get too big. The town square ceases to belong to the locals, and the leisurely, quotidian pace of life is distorted when every pavement is crowded with strangers. Local councils in the tourism regions are starting to adopt various policies to find the balance between catering for visitors and meeting the needs of residents. Several have resorted to imposing tourist taxes. These, however, seem to have done little more than boosting local municipal coffers while failing to control numbers. Venice, one of the first to introduce taxes, now bans visitors from loitering to take in the view when crossing the citys bridges. But by far the greatest complaint is the effect which visitor numbers is having on housing costs. With the ubiquitous growth of the Airbnb industry, rental costs have soared in cities where all available accommodation has in effect been given over to tourists. The knock on effects are huge retailers and hospitality providers are unable to recruit staff simply because workers cannot afford the high cost of even tiny apartments. Granted, we in Ireland are a long way off from suffering the deprivations caused by mass tourism. And that steady patter of rain on the front window, in mid August, hardly heralds a mad rush of sun-seeking tourists to the green isle. But the caveat of unbridled tourism growth remains. And the old adage of being careful what you wish for is coming home to roost for those European resorts that believed that there was no such thing as too much. Claremorris man Luke Gibbons has been selected by the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) as one of the Top 30 Under 30 Environmental Educators in the World. The much anticipated announcement was made in Washington DC yesterday, with the award regarded as one of the most prestigious environmental education accolades across the globe. Mr Gibbons was selected from 234 nominations and is the only person from not only Ireland, but the European Union to be selected and will now join a growing class of young leaders using environmental education to build sustainable communities around the world. The official poster of Mr Gibbons' achievement The 27-year-old was chosen on the back of a stellar record of promoting environmental education and research. Mr Gibbons will travel to New York City and represent Ireland at the Global Peace Summit with a mandate in December 2024. At the summit, he will discuss Irelands potential role to influence the politics of climate change. He will also represent Ireland as part of the HISA Impact Cruise in Italy, Spain and France this September in a bid to encourage youth implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Speaking on his award, Mr Gibbons said: While I am lucky to have had a number of achievements in my career thus far, this one feels particularly special as it acknowledges the positive contribution I am trying to make to future and current generations' knowledge of the urgency to address the climate crisis. I dont do the research to win awards, but it is nice to feel like the work is being recognised as worthwhile, he added. Mr Gibbons has an array of impressive accolades including being an Irish Research Council Government of Ireland Scholar and PhD Candidate at Trinity College Dublin, and a former Fulbright Scholar and Visiting Researcher at Harvard Law School, where his award-winning research focuses on company directors duties and climate change risks. Mr Gibbons has incredible achievements in his field In February 2024, Mr Gibbonss research was recognised across the Atlantic when he was named in the Top 40 Under 40 Irish in America, winning the Peoples Choice Award with an incredible 21,496 votes. Additionally, Mr Gibbons was appointed by Former US Vice President Al Gore as a Climate Reality Leader, as well as being a President Mary Robinson Climate Leader and an appointee to the European Energy Forum. Furthermore, Mr Gibbons worked as a Congressional Legislative Fellow in the office of US Congressman Matt Cartwright on Capitol Hill as part of the Washington Ireland Program, assisting with bipartisan legislation to monitor toxic mercury pollution and the UNLEADED Act. His engagement with influential individuals, such as discussing his research with former US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Chelsea Clinton at Harvard, highlights the broader impact of his work. Through these efforts, he is assisting to advance environmental education and policy on both national and international levels. The 30 awardees in this years EE 30 Under 30 Class of 2024 range in age from 21 to 30, hail from 19 countries, and work with a wide range of audiences to tackle complex environmental and social issues in their communities. Their collective work is reaching more than 300,000 people each year, many of whom are on the frontlines of climate crises. Since 2016, NAAEE's EE 30 Under 30 program has recognised 271 individuals from 53 countries who are making a difference through environmental education. Learn more about all of this years winners by reading their biographies on the NAAEE website. JOB DESCRIPTION Company Name/Division Communications & Marketing Position Title Communications & Marketing Manager Reports to Managing Director with dotted lines to Deputy Managing Director Date August 2024 Assignment Terms Local Terms Job Purpose: To provide strategic, effective and professional corporate communications support to the organization in DRC, including - but not limited to - corporate brand reputation building, internal communications, media relations, digital & social media, stakeholder management, community investment and issues & crisis management. To formulate, direct and implement the Operating Unit (OU) Strategic Marketing Plan that will support the achievement of: volume growth, market penetration, brand health and financial targets for the brands under scope. Responsible for establishing and implementing the OU Marketing Plan, based on the Marketing Planning Process and aligned with both the OU Business Objectives and the Central Marketing Strategy. Principal Accountabilities: Communications Develop and deliver a strategic communications plan for Engen DRC - in line with the Group strategy and plan - that delivers value to the company. Work closely with the leadership team to build the Companys reputation. Build and deliver a media strategy that supports a range of reputation building activities. Develop and personally undertake a comprehensive Government engagement programme to build and develop relationships with different levels of governmental authorities. Design and deliver communications plans and activities to support the companys community investment program. Understand the main social media platforms, and have the ability to community manage and build the organizations social media presence in DRC. Plan and deliver the companys internal communications activity, including organizing staff events and meetings; developing content and updating the company intranet site; and creating innovative ways to communicate with staff. Organize crisis preparedness training and be an integral part of managing any company issue or crisis situation, per the crisis management plan, by delivering crisis communications support. Be the companys spokesperson, when required. Ensure that all corporate branding is executed according to the Groups brand guidelines. Marketing Strategic Marketing Planning: Lead the development and implementation of the annual strategic marketing plans, with the supervision of the Central Marketing team, to achieve defined business objectives across all product categories and all channels. Translate business unit objectives and strategies to develop brand portfolio objectives, strategies and plans to facilitate business unit growth Customer Value Proposition: Lead the development and implementation of differentiated CVPs, under the guidance and supervision of the Central Marketing and Central Heads of Business (Retail & Commercial). Work with the OU Heads of Business (Retail & Commercial) to adapt centrally defined offerings, or offerings identified as best practices in other OUs, ultimately develop segment-specific offerings, and is responsible for tracking and measuring progress. Financials: Prepare annual SP&A (Sales Promotion & Advertising) budgets and manage the delivery of all marketing activity within the agreed budget. Monitor the business performance of the various categories and recommends corrective action when needed. Evaluate ROMI of marketing initiatives and conducts post investment reviews. Pricing: Be the owner of pricing for all brands within the OU, working closely with finance and sales teams. Monitor prices and drive price positioning to extract value by price and brand mapping. Make recommendations for pricing with guidance from brand managers. Channel Management: Determines the most appropriate channel/sector mix to service key target customers or consumer segments Interface with sales: Work with Commercial and retail sales teams to agree objectives, strategies, CVPs and implementation plans for all key channels and sectors. Messaging Messaging: Leads the development and implementation of the marketing communications strategy for the brands under scope, under the supervision of the Central Marketing team Professional use of market communications including the economic use of Market Research, Strategic Planning, Advertising, Media, Sales promotions, Event Marketing, PR, Branded signage, Sponsorships and Database Marketing. Selects and manages external advertising and promotional agencies to extract maximum value and efficiencies Ensures correct application/implementation of Group Brand & Communications guidelines/policies. Key Challenges: Ensuring full alignment between the OU Communications/Marketing team and the Central Marketing and Communications teams; Ensuring full alignment between OU Communications /Marketing and Commercial teams; Creating the right balance between local and central priorities; Ensuring maximum use of centrally developed materials and identified good practices from other OUs; Driving differentiation, identifying and exploiting ways to increase brand value and Company good reputation; Deliver on the ambitious growth targets of the OU; Job Knowledge, Skills & Experience: Senior level Marketing professional with over seven (7) years of experience, at least three at a senior level or Communications degree, or related qualification with at least 3 years relevant experience. Accreditation with professional marketing bodies would be a plus Fluency in both the English and French languages is required Proven communications support to senior executives. Proven track record of creating and managing effective alliances with various stakeholders (i.e. customers, media, colleagues, Governments etc.) Good understanding of Retail, B2C and/or B2B markets. Strong Retail Marketing experience would be a plus Highly evolved marketing skills and track record of converting marketing strategy into local implementation. Competencies: Competence Level Networking and influencing skills Skill Excellent verbal and writing skills Skill Strategic thinker Skill Problem solver Skill Self-starter Skill Innovative Skill Attention to detail Skill Generating Insights Mastery Strategic Marketing & Planning Mastery CVP Development Brand Skill CVP Development Product/Service Portfolio Skill CVP Development Pricing Skill CVP Development Promotions Skill CVP Development Channel/Sector Management Skill Effective Messaging Mastery Delivering Excellence in the Market Mastery To apply: Please send your resume to email address recrutement@engen.cd before COB 29 August 2024. by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, August 15, 2024 The Interactive Advertising Bureau recently revised its Multi-State Privacy Agreement -- a contractual framework aimed at helping companies comply with state privacy laws -- by broadening coverage to a total of 19 states. The multi-state pact, launched in 2022 by the IAB, initially incorporated privacy laws in five states -- California, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, and Virginia. Since then, numerous other states have passed privacy measures. The updated pact now covers privacy laws in 14 of those additional states. The IAB describes the agreement as a set of privacy-protective terms that spring into place among a network of signatories and that follow the data as it flows through the digital ad supply chain. advertisement advertisement The organization says the agreement works in conjunction with the IAB Tech Lab's Global Privacy Platform, described as a uniform privacy signaling specification that allows companies to communicate and honor consumer choices throughout the ads ecosystem. To date, 1,300 companies have signed the pact, according to IAB Tech Lab CEO Anthony Katsur. He adds that the initiative aims to give signatories greater peace of mind that the digital ad companies they do business with aren't violating state laws. The IAB Tech Lab is also renaming the Global Privacy Platform's US National Section, which will now be called the Multi-State Privacy Agreement US National Section. While all of the recent state privacy laws attempt to give consumers more control over their data, the specific requirements vary. For instance, states including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Oregon require companies to let residents use a universal mechanism, like the Global Privacy Control, to reject targeted advertising. Such mechanisms allow people to opt out of all targeted advertising, as opposed to opting out company-by-company. (Texas requires companies to honor universal mechanisms if the companies honor such mechanisms in other states.) Some other states with privacy laws, such as Utah, require businesses to allow people to opt out of targeted advertising, but don't require those companies to honor universal opt-out mechanisms. And yet other states -- including Iowa, Kentucky and Tennessee -- passed privacy laws that don't require companies to let people opt out of ad targeting based on pseudonymous information, like data linked to cookies or device identifiers. Common behavioral ad targeting techniques rely on pseudonymous identifiers to track people across the web and infer their interests. This article has been updated. by Danielle Oster , August 14, 2024 The Ad Council launched the latest installment in its ongoing Love Has No Labels campaign, American Dreams, with a focus on the discrimination faced by LGBTQI+ individuals in the U.S. One 60-second hero ad, A Place To Call Home, shares a series of idyllic scenes of people enjoying a backyard and quiet neighborhood, accompanied by a voiceover celebrating the common dream of finding such a home. Its not until the end of the PSA that it addresses the issue at hand: In over 50% of states, you could be denied housing if you are LGBTQI+. According to a survey conducted by the Center for American Progress (CAP) in 2022, nearly 30% of LGBTQI+ individuals faced some kind of housing discrimination or harassment over the course of the previous year -- including being prevented or discouraged from buying a home, being denied access to a shelter, and harassment from roommates or neighbors. advertisement advertisement Other entries in the campaign focus on The Opportunity to Work for a Better Life and The Freedom to Live in Safety. The latest initiative in the Love Has No Labels campaign was funded by California's BRIDGE Project Fund. American Dreams will run nationwide across ad inventory donated by the media industry, including iHeartMedia, which also produced audio activations for the campaign. The Ad Council partnered with nonprofit organizations and issue experts to develop the initiative, including GLAAD, The Human Rights Campaign, the Movement Advancement Project and The Trevor Project; as well as the Love Has No Labels advisory committee; and longtime partner agency R/GA. The campaign will also include custom content featuring celebrities, influencers, and other messaging partners to meet audiences where they are and extend this critical message, according to a release announcing the campaign. A campaign page gets into more nuance about specific ways in which certain groups, such as trans people, intersex people, and LGBTQI+ people of color face distinct challenges with discrimination and harassment, along with ways to help address such discrimination. In addition to housing discrimination, the CAP survey found that around half of LGBTQI+ people reported facing some form of workplace discrimination or harassment over the past year due to their sexual orientation, gender identity, or intersex status. "No one should face discrimination because of who they are," said Ad Council President and CEO Lisa Sherman. "There is more that unites us than divides us, and this new campaign was designed to empower individuals across the country to see the inequities impacting so many and take actions that help ensure that LGBTQI people also have the opportunity to pursue their dreams." That message of unity has always been central to Love Has No Labels, which initially launched back in 2015 with a video that went on to be one of the years most-watched on YouTube. Unfortunately, in the years since Love Has No Labels made its debut, attacks on the rights of LGBTQI+ people, and trans individuals in particular, have proliferated across many states with Republican-controlled state or local governments. by Colin Kirkland , August 15, 2024 The Labour party of Keir Starmer, the new U.K. prime minister, is looking to potentially revise and strengthen the regions Online Safety Act in response to incendiary comments that X owner Elon Musk posted to his social-media platform in the midst of nationwide anti-immigration protests. According to CNBC, which spoke with two unnamed industry sources, the Labour government is considering altering the Online Safety Act, which currently requires major technology companies to prevent the spread of illegal and harmful content on their platforms. While these sources were unable to offer any specific details about potential legislation changes, it has become clear that the desire to strengthen and/or revise the Online Safety Act after Musk's comments is held by many leading political figures. advertisement advertisement Last week, for example, London mayor Sadiq Khan told The Guardian he thinks the government has realized there needs to be amendments to the Online Safety Act, and is "advising the government to do so very quickly. Another senior enlisted Army official -- the second in the past week -- has been fired from their position in the Washington, D.C., area, according to the service. Command Sgt. Maj. Harold "Ed" Jarrell, the top enlisted leader for the Army's 1st Information Operations Command, was relieved Tuesday, though it was unclear what led to his dismissal. That follows the firing of the senior enlisted leader in charge of the Army branch that oversees operations across the greater D.C. region on Aug. 8. Jarrell was fired due to a "loss of trust and confidence in his ability to lead effectively," Maj. Lindsay Roman, a spokesperson for U.S. Army Cyber Command, told Military.com, declining to go into detail. Read Next: The Army Is Set to Expand Basic Training, Fueled by New Recruiting Momentum "Loss of trust and confidence" is the go-to line for the service when a senior official is fired. Those reasons could range from immoral conduct, poor performance or criminal activity -- though Jarrell was not facing any military criminal charges as of Thursday, according to a review of the service's legal docket. Military.com was unable to reach Jarrell for comment ahead of publication. It was also unclear whether he had hired an attorney. He previously served as the command sergeant major of the 311th Military Intelligence Battalion at Camp Zama, Japan. The 1st Information Operations Command primarily handles intelligence analysis and cybersecurity for the Army. Jarrell has a relatively robust Army resume: He initially enlisted into the National Guard in 1999 as an infantryman, according to his military record, and eventually transferred to active duty, spending much of his platoon-level time with the 10th Mountain Division. He changed jobs to counterintelligence in 2009. He served as a Ranger School instructor; deployed eight times, including four tours to Afghanistan; and earned a spot on the commandant's list for every noncommissioned officer school he attended, including the Sergeants Major Academy. He served in counterintelligence roles in 10th Special Forces Group and the 75th Ranger Regiment. His awards include five Army Commendation Medals, four Army Achievement Medals, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. Jarrell's termination comes immediately after another senior enlisted leader in the region was fired last week. Those two sergeants major are under different commands. Command Sgt. Maj. Veronica Knapp, the top enlisted leader for the Army's Military District of Washington, which encompasses much of the service's force around the nation's capital, was fired Aug. 8. Knapp is among the highest-profile women in the service, previously serving as the command sergeant major for the prestigious 101st Airborne Division from 2021 through mid-2023. She joined the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region/Army Military District of Washington in June 2023. Her portfolio in the role included much of the Army's ceremonial apparatus, including the United States Army Band and the Old Guard, which perform ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery. Last month, across the globe, Command Sgt. Maj. Matthew Carlson was also fired from his role as the senior enlisted leader of the 173rd Airborne Brigade based in Vicenza, Italy. Related: Top Enlisted Leader of Army's Washington, DC, Branch Fired After Investigation TOKYO Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida vowed to step up his countrys effort to defend a rules-based international order in a peace pledge made Thursday on the 79th anniversary of Japan's defeat in World War II. We will never again repeat the tragedy of war and will stick to the countrys postwar pacifist resolve, he said at a solemn ceremony at the Budokan hall. In the world where tragic battles have persisted, Japan will continue its effort to maintain and strengthen the rules-based, free and open international order and endeavor to resolve difficult global issues, Kishida said. Kishida noted the more than 3 million Japanese killed, the destruction and the lives lost from bloody ground battles on Japan's southern island of Okinawa, fire-bombings across Japan, and the atomic attacks on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. He did not mention or apologize for Japanese aggression across Asia or millions of lives lost there. The omission follows a precedent set by then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in his speech in 2013, a move critics call a whitewashing of Japans wartime atrocities. Earlier Thursday, three of Kishida's ministers, including Defense Minister Minoru Kihara, prayed at the Yasukuni Shrine seen by Asian neighbors as a symbol of militarism. The controversial shrine honors convicted war criminals among about 2.5 million war dead. Victims of Japanese aggression, especially China and the Koreas, see visits to the shrine as a lack of remorse, and visits by defense officials are considered especially controversial. Kihara is the first serving defense chief to pray at the shrine on the anniversary since then-Defense Minister Nobuo Kishis 2021 visit. Kishida abstained from praying at the Yasukuni Shrine just a block away and sent a religious ornament instead. Asian neighbors criticized the ministers' visit to Yasukuni on Thursday. Chinas official Xinhua News Agency said that Visits and ritual offerings made by Japanese officials to the controversial shrine have consistently sparked criticism and hurt the feelings of the people of China, South Korea and other countries brutalized by Japan during the war. In Seoul, South Koreas Foreign Ministry in a statement expressed deep disappointment and regret over the ministers' visits to the shrine and said, "Our government calls for the responsible leaders in Japan to squarely face history and demonstrate through actions a humble reflection and genuine remorse for the past and we emphasize again that this would be an important foundation for the development of future-oriented Korea-Japan relations. Emperor Naruhito, who also attended the ceremony, repeated his deep remorse over Japans actions during the war that was fought in the name of the wartime emperor Hirohito, his grandfather. Kishida accelerated Japans military buildup and spending as the country further deepens military cooperation with the United States and their Indo-Pacific partners in the face of growing threats from China and North Korea. Kishida, who took office in 2021, announced Wednesday that he plans to step down after his governing party leadership vote in September. Associated Press writers Ken Moritsugu in Beijing and Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul, South Korea, contributed. Las Vegas has come a long way since Nicolas Cage jumped into the city with The Flying Elvises in the 1992 comedy "Honeymoon In Vegas." Elvis isn't as closely associated with the desert gambling mecca as he once was, and many of the city's most iconic night spots have changed, but at least one thing has remained constant: Las Vegas is still the Marriage Capital of the World. Every year, Clark County (the Nevada county where Las Vegas is located) still issues more marriage licenses than any other county in the United States, and it boasts the only Chamber of Commerce dedicated to the wedding industry. From its website, visitors looking for more than a shotgun marriage can find vetted professional wedding caterers, photographers and planners, among other services. This year, the Vegas Wedding Chamber is offering something more with its Las Vegas Marries the Military contest, which runs between now and Aug. 24, 2024. Active-duty U.S. service members, retirees and veterans (without a dishonorable discharge) with more than one year of service can enter to win a free wedding at a Las Vegas venue on Nov. 7, 2024, courtesy of the Vegas Wedding Chamber. It won't look like this ... unless maybe if you want it to. (Columbia Pictures) Eight lucky couples will be chosen and notified by email or phone. Winners of the nuptial prize will receive a two-night stay at a Las Vegas Strip hotel, with taxes and fees included, and a daytime wedding ceremony, complete with a legal officiant, flowers, a professional photographer, video recording and an evening wedding reception for the brides and grooms, along with up to 10 guests for each couple. The wedding reception is a joint one, with all eight winning couples seated at the Winner's Head Table. It comes with decorations, an emcee, buffet dinner, wedding cake, photo booth, champagne toast and a wedding gift for newlyweds. Photo and video services are also included at the reception. What might be available (but not guaranteed) are hair and makeup services, wedding attire (the chamber recommends service dress uniforms), rings and transportation to the reception from the wedding venue and hotels. Winning couples from out of town will have to pay their own airfare, parking and marriage license fees. Las Vegas Marries the Military isn't just a contest for unwed couples. It's also open to spouses looking for a fun way to renew their vows. The ceremony also doesn't need to be legally binding. According to the contest rules, if a couple cannot obtain a Nevada marriage license ahead of the ceremony, it will be recognized as a non-legal commitment. Couples entering who are looking for a real wedding ceremony should submit a pre-application at the Clark County Clerk website. They can then pick up the license before the ceremony at the Clark County Marriage License Bureau. It's important to remember that what happens in Vegas certainly does not stay in Vegas. Marriage records in Nevada are public documents and cannot be made confidential or sealed. Entry in the contest also means entrants are allowing the Vegas Wedding Chamber the use of their image in future promotions and media. Enter to win a free Las Vegas wedding with the official Vegas Marries the Military submission form. Entrants can view the Nevada marriage license requirements at the Las Vegas weddings website and read the official contest rules here. Want to Learn More About Military Life? Whether you're thinking of joining the military, looking for post-military careers or keeping up with military life and benefits, Military.com has you covered. Subscribe to Military.com to have military news, updates and resources delivered directly to your inbox. The Mariners have released right-hander Mauricio Llovera, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. The righty will head to the open market in search of his next opportunity in the coming days. Llovera, 28, has bounced around a bit in the past year-plus. The Giants added him to their roster last July, a few weeks before he was then designated for assignment and traded to the Red Sox for righty Marques Johnson. He stuck on Bostons roster for a few months before he was designated for assignment again in January. The Mariners claimed him off waivers at that time but then passed him through unclaimed in March. He accepted that outright assignment and has been pitching in the Mariners system this year, though without much success. He has been on and off the minor league injured list a few times and has only thrown 19 2/3 innings on the farm this year. In that time, he has allowed 4.58 earned runs per nine frames, striking out just 16.5% of batters faced. That lackluster performance apparently compelled the Mariners to let him go. His performance in previous years was much stronger, which is why he was garnering interest from various clubs not too long ago. He tossed 42 2/3 minor league innings over 2022 and 2023 with a 2.11 ERA. In that time, he struck out 33.5% of batters faced while only walking 5.9% of batters who stepped to the plate. Llovera has also tossed 59 major league innings in his career, but with an uninspiring 5.80 ERA. But both his fastballs averaged in his mid-90s while he also threw a slider, cutter and changeup, per Statcast. Its been a rough season so far but perhaps some club has a plan for getting him back on track, especially if his injuries were holding him back this year. If Llovera eventually makes it back to the majors, he is out of options but has less than two years of service time. DETROIT The oldest public aquarium in the U.S. is celebrating 120 years on Detroits Belle Isle this weekend. The Belle Isle Aquarium, designed by famed Detroit architect Albert Kahn, features a collection of freshwater fish, reptiles and even a giant Pacific octopus. The buildings unique architecture complements that of the neighboring Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory. Visitors are greeted by a stone carving of Neptune, the Roman god of the sea, over the Beaux-Arts entryway. READ MORE: Why the Belle Isle Conservatorys $10 million dome renovation is taking so long On Sunday, Aug. 18, the aquarium will celebrate the 120th anniversary of its opening in 1904 with an event featuring family-friendly activities like bounce houses, a water conservation-themed story time and interactive crafts. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will also feature free food and music from Detroit DJ Drummer B. Danielle Jackson, director of donor experience at the Belle Isle Conservancy, says the aquarium will also host a version of their OASIS program. This interactive activity, which stands for Outdoor Aquatic Science Investigation Station, involves taking water samples from the nearby dock on Lake Tacoma and examining them for microorganisms while discussing the health of the islands waterways. We wanted to treat our visitors to something above and beyond just a visit to the aquarium gallery, she said. We really just want them to have fun. The aquariums indoor gallery features arched ceilings lined with green glass tile interrupted by skylights that are designed to create the feeling of being underwater. The aquariums 50 tanks line each side of a central hall like framed artwork on a gallery wall. Under the central dome, a cross-shaped set of tanks allows visitors to appreciate exhibits from either side. Notable exhibits include freshwater piranha, seahorses, freshwater pufferfish, electric eel and even a giant Pacific octopus. The aquarium also features exhibits highlighting invasive fish like koi and carp that plague the Great Lakes as well as a life-size 6-foot model of a Great Lakes sturgeon. In total, the aquarium hosts more than 200 species. At various points in the aquariums storied history, it hosted a central tank that held more than 8,000 gallons, a basement speakeasy and, between its closure in 2005 and reopening in 2012, fish from the conservancys outdoor koi pond. A Detroit Free Press article covering its grand opening described it as the worlds third-largest aquarium, featuring nearly 30,000 gallons of seawater trucked in and recycled through what was then a state-of-the-art pump system. Belle Isle Aquarium, located at 3 Inselruhe Ave., is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday until Aug. 29. Admission to the aquarium is free with entry to Belle Isle, but a $5 donation is suggested. Vehicle entry to Belle Isle is free with a Michigan DNR Recreation Passport, $14 for Michigan-registered vehicles annually, $40 for out-of-state vehicles annually or $11 for an out-of-state day pass. ANN ARBOR, MI The deputy city administrator in Ann Arbor will be leaving for a new job out of state. Ann Arbor Deputy City Administrator John Fourniers last day with the city is set for Sept. 3, according to a Thursday, Aug. 15 release from city officials. County officials in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania have nominated Fournier as their new county manager, the release states. Fournier has served as Ann Arbors deputy administrator since 2018. John has provided steady leadership for the organization through several transition periods for staff and the community, including serving as the acting city administrator in 2021, City Administrator Milton Dohoney Jr. said in a statement. Allegheny County is fortunate to have someone as talented and committed to excellence soon leading their community, Dohoney continued. We wish John and his family happiness and success as they embark on this new chapter. While this is a loss for our organization, we will diligently move forward to find a suitable replacement. Fournier is set to step into his new role on Sept. 9. Dohoney noted Fourniers accomplishments included the executing the citys carbon neutrality plan and securing nearly $35 million in federal and state funding for developments such as an election administration facility and a new studio for Community Television Network. Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Ann Arbor daily newsletter. WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI A judge recently upheld the decision of a rural township to deny a zoning permit for a 400-acre gravel mine in southwestern Washtenaw County. Washtenaw County 22nd Circuit Court Judge Timothy Conners sided with Sharon Township, finding the township properly refused to grant the special land use permit for Michigan Materials and Aggregates Co., also known as Stoneco of Michigan. The gravel mine operator had proposed establishing a new mine on agricultural land off Pleasant Lake Road, west of M-52, about 20 miles from Ann Arbor, and appealed the denial. Were happy with the decision, but it wasnt a surprise because we acted appropriately and by the law from day one, township Deputy Supervisor Peter Psarouthakis said. A second, related suit Stoneco filed against the township remains pending as of Wednesday, Aug. 14, according to county court records. Stoneco alleges township rules are designed to prevent gravel mining and conflict with Michigan law. The company has asked the court to declare the townships ordinance regarding mining invalid, illegal and unenforceable, as it imposes requirements above those outlined in state law, the suit alleges. The suit requests a court judgement declaring the townships procedures violated Stonecos rights, awarding compensatory damages and granting plaintiffs costs and attorneys fees. Psarouthakis said the townships attorney will ask the judge to dismiss the second suit. I dont know what they would base it on because their appeal was denied, he said. Im guessing the judge, if he agrees with that, he will dismiss it and then (Stoneco) will appeal it, knowing how their attorneys are. A representative for the law office representing Stoneco and David Landry, an attorney for the township, declined comment. READ MORE: Gravel mine operator sues Washtenaw County township after permit for 400-acre mine denied In the decision this month, Conners determined township officials addressed the potential of very serious circumstances, including the impact gravel truck traffic would have on the movement of farm equipment, safety along the haul route for children walking to Manchester schools or other pedestrians, as well as its location on prime farmland, among other concerns. Conners also found Stoneco failed to meet their burden as to the need served by the market and failed to show that no very serious consequences would result from the proposed extractions, according to his order. Stoneco had refuted many of the worries in responses to the Sharon Township Planning Commission, pointing to studies dealing with noise, traffic, hydrology, property values and other aspects of the operation it said supported its claim the mine wouldnt result in serious consequences for the area. The township board voted unanimously to deny the permit July 17, 2023. Stoneco appealed the decision Aug. 24, 2023, and filed the second suit the following day, Aug. 25. Barbara Schmid is a township resident who led a group called the Sharon Preservation Society, which formed to oppose the proposed gravel mine and has since disbanded, she said. The residents of Sharon Township are highly interested in maintaining a healthy, good environment and preserving a rural way of life, Schmid said. She said residents concerns about the gravel mine included noise, dust, traffic, and property values. We always felt this was a David and Goliath story, Schmid said. Stoneco is part of a multi-national corporation with deep pockets. Pat Kelly, who chairs the townships planning commission, said it is township officials responsibility to balance a companys need to operate a mine and serious consequences of the mine on the community. They didnt give (the planning commission) evidence to demonstrate a need, Kelly said. The board determined a low to moderate need. Considering serious consequences, township officials deemed them to be severe, she said. And Stoneco didnt talk, even a little bit, about how to mitigate them. Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Ann Arbor daily newsletter. KENT COUNTY, MI A joint undercover operation in West Michigan led to four mens arrests in a child sex sting, Kent County sheriffs deputies said. Undercover detectives and agents placed ads on social media platforms and applications as minors last week. Multiple men responded to the ads, investigators said. Police say the men started communicating with the decoys and asked for sexually explicit photos and photos. Two men drove to meet up for sex. The sting resulted in four arrests with two additional arrests pending further investigation. This week, the three of the four men were arraigned in Kent County 63rd District Court on charges of accosting a minor, child sexually abusive activity, and using a computer to commit a crime, court records show. The accused are Justin Hastings, 40, of Comstock Park; Samuel Durham, 36, of East Grand Rapids; Jason Burgess, 40, of Colon; and a 66-year-old Wyoming man who awaits arraignment. The sting was headed by the Kent County Sheriffs Office Human Trafficking Task Force, in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigations West Michigan-Based Child Exploitation Task Force. If you know someone who is being exploited or trafficked, contact the Kent County Sheriffs Office Human Trafficking Task Force at 616-632-6125 or email tips to HTTF@kentcountymi.gov. If the need is immediate or an emergency, call 911. Want more Grand Rapids-area news? Bookmark the local Grand Rapids news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Grand Rapids daily newsletter. GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Grand Valley State Universitys police force is growing by one furry friend. The public safety departments new K9 officer was introduced Thursday, Aug. 15, at the Laker Store in downtown Grand Rapids. Scout, a two-year-old Labrador retriever, is trained in explosives detection. OTTAWA COUNTY, MI A woman suffered serious injuries late Wednesday, Aug. 14, when the boat she was riding in struck the south pier on Lake Michigan near Holland State Park. The woman, 18, was thrown into the water and rocks on the channel side of the pier and was rescued by another boat passenger, Ottawa County sheriffs deputies said. The teen suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The crash happened around 10:15 p.m. A 69-year-old Holland man was operating a 26-foot boat when it crashed into the south pier about 75 yards east of the navigational beacon at the end of the pier, police said. The injured woman was thrown into the channel that leads to Lake Macatawa. She and two other woman, ages 19 and 22, all from Holland, were on the boat. Sheriffs deputies and Park Township firefighters responded to a report of a boat crash with one person in the water. One of the passengers had already pulled the injured woman out of the water. She was taken by AMR Ambulance to Holland Hospital. The crash remains under investigation, police said. CASS COUNTY, MI -- Four fugitives were arrested as police investigated the theft of utility trailers, the Van Buren County Sheriffs Office reports. On Wednesday, Aug. 14, police conducted a search warrant at a home across the county line in the 24000 block of Dewey Lake Street in Cass County to search for stolen property and fugitives. LANSING, MI The Michigan Attorney Generals Office has launched a new initiative geared toward locating and nabbing wanted sexual offenders who have fled the state. Dubbed Operation Survivor Justice, AG Dana Nessel announced the program at a Wednesday, Aug. 14, press conference alongside Branch County Prosecutor Zachary Stempien, Kalamazoo County Prosecutor and Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan President Jeffrey Getting,Special Assistant Attorney General Erin House with the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative in Kalamazoo County, and House Appropriations Chairwoman- state Rep. Angela Witwer, D-Delta Township. DETROIT, MI Vice President Kamala Harris and her new running mate spent time together last week at a popular Detroit cafe, where the Democratic nominee in the race for the White House recalled her familys love of Motown Records music and her hopes for the country. The conversation took place when Harris and Tim Walz spent two days in southeast Michigan last week, beginning with a Wednesday, Aug. 7, rally at Detroit Metropolitan Airport and extending to a meet-up with United Auto Workers laborers the following day. In the video, Harris and Walz are wearing the same clothes they wore to the UAW gathering Thursday, Aug. 8. The Harris campaign filmed the sit-down at Arethas Jazz Cafe, a Detroit restaurant-and-bar venue named in honor of Aretha Franklin, the late Motown Records-produced music icon. The Harris campaign recently released the nearly 10-minute video of the conversation which, at the time, unfolded less than four days after Harris named Walz as her running mate and launched their joint campaign. The video includes some humorous exchanges, including Harris recalling how Walz did not pick up the phone when she first called to offer him the running mate position. Walz said he did not recognize her number and screened out the call. Harris talked about how Motown music was part of her familys record collection when she grew up. My mother had every Aretha album, Harris told Walz. And, like, our Christmas gift to my mother her birthday gift was always like whats the latest Aretha Franklin record. When Walz asked if she owned the musicians vinyl records, Harris affirmed, and said that collection included albums from another Motown Records legend: Stevie Wonder. Harris also told Walz she grew up listening to Prince, a native of Minnesota, where Walz serves as governor. In the conversation, they also talked about their upbringings, political origins and hopes for the future. Weve got to help people get through a hard time, Harris told Walz. We cant have a country and policies that let people fall through the cracks. Mitsubishi HC Capital (OTCMKTS:MIUFY Get Free Report) and Mastercard (NYSE:MA Get Free Report) are both financial services companies, but which is the superior investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, risk, institutional ownership, earnings, dividends, analyst recommendations and valuation. Institutional and Insider Ownership 97.3% of Mastercard shares are held by institutional investors. 0.1% of Mastercard shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term growth. Get Mitsubishi HC Capital alerts: Profitability This table compares Mitsubishi HC Capital and Mastercards net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Mitsubishi HC Capital N/A N/A N/A Mastercard 46.45% 179.78% 30.22% Dividends Earnings & Valuation Mitsubishi HC Capital pays an annual dividend of $16.71 per share and has a dividend yield of 120.0%. Mastercard pays an annual dividend of $2.64 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.6%. Mitsubishi HC Capital pays out 18.9% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Mastercard pays out 21.0% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Both companies have healthy payout ratios and should be able to cover their dividend payments with earnings for the next several years. Mastercard has increased its dividend for 12 consecutive years. Mitsubishi HC Capital is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and lower payout ratio. This table compares Mitsubishi HC Capital and Mastercards top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Mitsubishi HC Capital N/A N/A N/A $88.45 0.16 Mastercard $26.39 billion 16.21 $11.20 billion $12.58 36.58 Mastercard has higher revenue and earnings than Mitsubishi HC Capital. Mitsubishi HC Capital is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Mastercard, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Analyst Ratings This is a summary of current recommendations and price targets for Mitsubishi HC Capital and Mastercard, as reported by MarketBeat.com. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Mitsubishi HC Capital 0 0 0 0 N/A Mastercard 0 3 20 4 3.04 Mastercard has a consensus target price of $508.91, suggesting a potential upside of 10.59%. Given Mastercards higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Mastercard is more favorable than Mitsubishi HC Capital. Summary Mastercard beats Mitsubishi HC Capital on 11 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks. About Mitsubishi HC Capital (Get Free Report) Mitsubishi HC Capital Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the lease, installment sale, and other financing activities in Japan, North America, Europe, the Middle and Near East, Asia/Oceania, and internationally. The company operates through Customer Solutions, Global Business, Environment, Energy & Infrastructure, Aviation, Logistics, and Real Estate segments. The company engages in the leasing, management, and development of real estate; rental and leasing; medical equipment; management of fund to support management specializing in the medical and long-term care fields; purchases and sell used goods; and auto leasing services. It offers investment in environment and energy-related companies; renewable energy and infrastructure business; operation and asset management of renewable energy business; and wind power generation. In addition, it offers aircraft leasing and aircraft engine leasing; ship finance; marine container and railway freight car leasing; real estate securitization finance; investment in mobility-related companies; and asset management services. Mitsubishi HC Capital Inc. was incorporated in 1971 and is based in Tokyo, Japan. About Mastercard (Get Free Report) Mastercard Incorporated, a technology company, provides transaction processing and other payment-related products and services in the United States and internationally. The company offers integrated products and value-added services for account holders, merchants, financial institutions, digital partners, businesses, governments, and other organizations, such as programs that enable issuers to provide consumers with credits to defer payments; payment products and solutions that allow its customers to access funds in deposit and other accounts; prepaid programs services; and commercial credit, debit, and prepaid payment products and solutions. It also provides solutions that enable businesses or governments to make payments to businesses, including Virtual Card Number, which is generated dynamically from a physical card and leverages the credit limit of the funding account; a platform to optimize supplier payment enablement campaigns for financial institutions; and treasury intelligence platform that offers corporations with recommendations to enhance working capital performance and accelerate spend on cards. In addition, the company offers Mastercard Send, which partners with digital messaging and payment platforms to enable consumers to send money directly within applications to other consumers; and Mastercard Cross-Border Services enables a range of payment flows through a distribution network with a single point of access to send and receive money globally through various channels, including bank accounts, mobile wallets, cards, and cash payouts. Further, it provides cyber and intelligence solutions; insights and analytics, consulting, marketing, loyalty, processing, and payment gateway solutions for e-commerce merchants; and open banking and digital identity services. The company offers payment solutions and services under the MasterCard, Maestro, and Cirrus name. Mastercard Incorporated was founded in 1966 and is headquartered in Purchase, New York. Receive News & Ratings for Mitsubishi HC Capital Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Mitsubishi HC Capital and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Falcon Wealth Planning raised its stake in Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report) by 10.4% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 745 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 70 shares during the quarter. Falcon Wealth Plannings holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $675,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Twelve Points Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 1.4% during the 2nd quarter. Twelve Points Wealth Management LLC now owns 811 shares of the companys stock worth $734,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Verum Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 1.5% in the second quarter. Verum Partners LLC now owns 731 shares of the companys stock valued at $662,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc raised its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 1.8% in the first quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 736 shares of the companys stock valued at $573,000 after purchasing an additional 13 shares during the period. Innova Wealth Partners lifted its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 1.2% during the 1st quarter. Innova Wealth Partners now owns 1,068 shares of the companys stock worth $831,000 after buying an additional 13 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Hart & Patterson Financial Group LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 2.0% during the 2nd quarter. Hart & Patterson Financial Group LLC now owns 679 shares of the companys stock worth $615,000 after buying an additional 13 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.53% of the companys stock. Get Eli Lilly and Company alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes Several research analysts have weighed in on LLY shares. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised shares of Eli Lilly and Company from a hold rating to a buy rating and increased their price target for the company from $725.00 to $1,025.00 in a report on Monday. Argus boosted their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $770.00 to $840.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 14th. Truist Financial reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a $1,000.00 price objective (up from $892.00) on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a report on Tuesday, June 25th. Barclays lifted their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $913.00 to $1,025.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, July 10th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upped their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $994.00 to $1,015.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, June 24th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $948.29. Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 210,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $939.82, for a total value of $197,362,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 96,943,810 shares in the company, valued at approximately $91,109,731,514.20. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 210,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $939.82, for a total value of $197,362,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 96,943,810 shares of the companys stock, valued at $91,109,731,514.20. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Johna Norton sold 7,056 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $819.38, for a total transaction of $5,781,545.28. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 25,428 shares in the company, valued at $20,835,194.64. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 1,214,704 shares of company stock valued at $1,066,841,316. 0.13% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Eli Lilly and Company Price Performance Shares of LLY stock traded up $22.29 on Wednesday, reaching $930.34. The company had a trading volume of 2,331,364 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,095,086. The businesss 50-day moving average is $873.64 and its 200 day moving average is $800.31. Eli Lilly and Company has a one year low of $516.57 and a one year high of $966.10. The company has a quick ratio of 1.03, a current ratio of 1.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.90. The stock has a market capitalization of $884.20 billion, a PE ratio of 136.49, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 0.41. Eli Lilly and Company Dividend Announcement The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 15th will be given a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 15th. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.56%. Eli Lilly and Companys dividend payout ratio is currently 76.58%. About Eli Lilly and Company (Free Report) Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets human pharmaceuticals worldwide. The company offers Basaglar, Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, insulin lispro protamine, insulin lispro mix 75/25, Humulin, Humulin 70/30, Humulin N, Humulin R, and Humulin U-500 for diabetes; Jardiance, Mounjaro, and Trulicity for type 2 diabetes; and Zepbound for obesity. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LLY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Eli Lilly and Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Eli Lilly and Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Addenda Capital Inc. raised its stake in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT Free Report) by 26.5% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 62,102 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after purchasing an additional 12,995 shares during the quarter. Addenda Capital Inc.s holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $6,453,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of ABT. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of Abbott Laboratories during the 4th quarter worth approximately $2,115,836,000. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 5.6% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 165,301,921 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $18,788,216,000 after acquiring an additional 8,834,840 shares during the period. Capital Research Global Investors boosted its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 9.5% during the 4th quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 86,588,614 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $9,530,825,000 after acquiring an additional 7,527,778 shares during the period. Capital International Investors boosted its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 9.1% during the 1st quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 70,177,564 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $7,976,382,000 after acquiring an additional 5,882,780 shares during the period. Finally, Boston Partners boosted its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 12,577.8% during the 4th quarter. Boston Partners now owns 3,772,670 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $415,948,000 after acquiring an additional 3,742,912 shares during the period. 75.18% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Abbott Laboratories alerts: Abbott Laboratories Price Performance NYSE ABT traded up $1.65 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $109.89. The company had a trading volume of 5,157,800 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,033,125. The company has a market capitalization of $191.17 billion, a PE ratio of 34.27, a P/E/G ratio of 2.74 and a beta of 0.72. The company has a current ratio of 1.68, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $105.13 and a 200-day moving average price of $108.79. Abbott Laboratories has a twelve month low of $89.67 and a twelve month high of $121.64. Abbott Laboratories Announces Dividend Abbott Laboratories ( NYSE:ABT Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 18th. The healthcare product maker reported $1.14 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.10 by $0.04. Abbott Laboratories had a return on equity of 20.18% and a net margin of 13.65%. The firm had revenue of $10.38 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $10.37 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.08 EPS. The companys quarterly revenue was up 4.0% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts anticipate that Abbott Laboratories will post 4.66 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, August 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, July 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.55 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, July 15th. This represents a $2.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.00%. Abbott Laboratoriess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 68.54%. Analyst Ratings Changes Several research analysts have recently commented on the company. Citigroup reduced their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $128.00 to $119.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, May 22nd. Raymond James reissued a buy rating and set a $124.00 price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a report on Wednesday, April 24th. Evercore ISI dropped their price target on Abbott Laboratories from $125.00 to $120.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, July 2nd. Edward Jones cut Abbott Laboratories from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, July 30th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group began coverage on Abbott Laboratories in a report on Thursday, May 30th. They set a buy rating and a $121.00 price target for the company. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $121.00. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Abbott Laboratories About Abbott Laboratories (Free Report) Abbott Laboratories, together with its subsidiaries, discovers, develops, manufactures, and sells health care products worldwide. It operates in four segments: Established Pharmaceutical Products, Diagnostic Products, Nutritional Products, and Medical Devices. The company provides generic pharmaceuticals for the treatment of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, irritable bowel syndrome or biliary spasm, intrahepatic cholestasis or depressive symptoms, gynecological disorder, hormone replacement therapy, dyslipidemia, hypertension, hypothyroidism, Meniere's disease and vestibular vertigo, pain, fever, inflammation, and migraine, as well as provides anti-infective clarithromycin, influenza vaccine, and products to regulate physiological rhythm of the colon. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Abbott Laboratories Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Abbott Laboratories and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Addenda Capital Inc. raised its position in Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. (NYSE:BIP Free Report) (TSE:BIP.UN) by 37.0% during the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 43,063 shares of the utilities providers stock after buying an additional 11,623 shares during the period. Addenda Capital Inc.s holdings in Brookfield Infrastructure Partners were worth $1,182,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. bought a new position in Brookfield Infrastructure Partners in the 4th quarter valued at $30,000. Heritage Wealth Advisors bought a new position in Brookfield Infrastructure Partners in the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. Clear Point Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners in the 1st quarter valued at $33,000. Bank & Trust Co acquired a new position in shares of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners in the 2nd quarter valued at $31,000. Finally, Bromfield Sneider Wealth Advisors acquired a new position in shares of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners in the 1st quarter valued at $39,000. 57.92% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Brookfield Infrastructure Partners alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on BIP shares. Cibc World Mkts raised Brookfield Infrastructure Partners to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Friday, August 2nd. Jefferies Financial Group cut their price target on Brookfield Infrastructure Partners from $37.00 to $34.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, April 17th. BMO Capital Markets cut their price target on Brookfield Infrastructure Partners from $40.00 to $36.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, May 2nd. Finally, StockNews.com downgraded Brookfield Infrastructure Partners from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Tuesday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating, seven have assigned a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $38.20. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Stock Up 1.0 % Brookfield Infrastructure Partners stock traded up $0.30 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $30.48. 247,908 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 474,322. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $29.29 and its 200-day simple moving average is $29.41. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. has a fifty-two week low of $21.03 and a fifty-two week high of $33.00. The firm has a market capitalization of $14.14 billion, a P/E ratio of 98.23 and a beta of 1.03. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners (NYSE:BIP Get Free Report) (TSE:BIP.UN) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The utilities provider reported ($0.10) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.70 by ($0.80). Brookfield Infrastructure Partners had a net margin of 0.82% and a return on equity of 0.50%. The firm had revenue of $5.14 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.91 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.72 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 20.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts expect that Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. will post 3.23 EPS for the current year. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Announces Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 27th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be paid a $0.405 dividend. This represents a $1.62 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.31%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. Brookfield Infrastructure Partnerss dividend payout ratio is 522.58%. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Company Profile (Free Report) Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. owns and operates utilities, transport, midstream, and data businesses in North and South America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific. The company's Utilities segment operates approximately 2,900 km of electricity transmission lines; 4,200 km of natural gas pipelines; 8.1 million electricity and natural gas connections; and 0.6 million long-term contracted sub-metering services. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BIP? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. (NYSE:BIP Free Report) (TSE:BIP.UN). Receive News & Ratings for Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Brookfield Infrastructure Partners and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. ASM International NV (OTCMKTS:ASMIY Get Free Report) saw a large decrease in short interest in July. As of July 31st, there was short interest totalling 900 shares, a decrease of 62.5% from the July 15th total of 2,400 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 11,800 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.1 days. Analyst Ratings Changes Separately, Morgan Stanley raised shares of ASM International from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, June 20th. Get ASM International alerts: Get Our Latest Report on ASMIY ASM International Price Performance OTCMKTS ASMIY opened at $637.21 on Thursday. The company has a 50-day moving average of $721.86 and a 200-day moving average of $662.99. The company has a market cap of $31.43 billion, a P/E ratio of 53.37 and a beta of 1.64. ASM International has a 12 month low of $375.35 and a 12 month high of $813.23. ASM International (OTCMKTS:ASMIY Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, July 23rd. The company reported $3.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $4.17 by ($0.59). The business had revenue of $760.07 million for the quarter. ASM International had a return on equity of 17.74% and a net margin of 21.26%. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that ASM International will post 16.41 EPS for the current year. About ASM International (Get Free Report) ASM International NV, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the research, development, manufacture, marketing, and servicing of equipment and materials used to produce semiconductor devices in Europe, the United States, and Asia. The company's products include wafer processing deposition systems for atomic layer deposition (ALD), epitaxy, silicon carbide, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), and vertical furnace systems, including low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD), diffusion, and oxidation products, as well as provides spare parts and support services. See Also Receive News & Ratings for ASM International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for ASM International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Booz Allen Hamilton (NYSE:BAH Get Free Report) and American Cannabis (OTCMKTS:AMMJ Get Free Report) are both industrials companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, profitability, analyst recommendations, valuation, risk, dividends and institutional ownership. Institutional & Insider Ownership 91.8% of Booz Allen Hamilton shares are owned by institutional investors. 1.6% of Booz Allen Hamilton shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 1.0% of American Cannabis shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth. Get Booz Allen Hamilton alerts: Analyst Recommendations This is a breakdown of recent ratings and recommmendations for Booz Allen Hamilton and American Cannabis, as reported by MarketBeat.com. Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Booz Allen Hamilton 1 2 7 0 2.60 American Cannabis 0 0 0 0 N/A Valuation and Earnings Booz Allen Hamilton currently has a consensus target price of $156.56, indicating a potential upside of 5.79%. Given Booz Allen Hamiltons higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Booz Allen Hamilton is more favorable than American Cannabis. This table compares Booz Allen Hamilton and American Cannabis revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Booz Allen Hamilton $10.95 billion 1.75 $605.71 million $4.60 32.17 American Cannabis N/A N/A N/A ($0.12) -0.05 Booz Allen Hamilton has higher revenue and earnings than American Cannabis. American Cannabis is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Booz Allen Hamilton, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Profitability This table compares Booz Allen Hamilton and American Cannabis net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Booz Allen Hamilton 5.57% 65.80% 10.51% American Cannabis N/A N/A N/A Summary Booz Allen Hamilton beats American Cannabis on 10 of the 10 factors compared between the two stocks. About Booz Allen Hamilton (Get Free Report) Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation provides management and technology consulting, analytics, engineering, digital solutions, mission operations, and cyber services to governments, corporations, and not-for-profit organizations in the United States and internationally. It focuses on artificial intelligence services comprising of machine learning, predictive modeling, automation and decision analytics, and quantum computing. The company offers artificial intelligence, machine learning, and computer network related operations. In addition, it provides data science, engineering, visualization, and analysis related capabilities. Further, the company engages in user experience, user interface, graphic and web design, design thinking, sketching, and digital product design capabilities. Additionally, it architects and engineers help accelerate, scale, secure, and transform mission and business outcomes using the technologies and partner offering; offers software engineering in agile practices, DevSecOps, automation and Cloud, and Low/No Code Platform engineering; systems and digital engineering; and tech strategy and product management. Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation was founded in 1914 and is headquartered in McLean, Virginia. About American Cannabis (Get Free Report) American Cannabis Company, Inc., together with its subsidiary, Hollister & Blacksmith, Inc., doing business as American Cannabis Consulting, provides solutions for businesses operating in the regulated cannabis industry in the United States and Canada. The company offers advisory and consulting services, including commercial cannabis business planning, cannabis business license application, cultivation build-out oversight, cannabis regulatory compliance, compliance audit, cannabis business growth strategy, and cannabis business monitoring services. It also sells products and equipment used in the cultivation, processing, transportation, or retail sale of cannabis, such as The Satchel, a pouch-like case designed as a child-proof exit package solution for the regulated cannabis industry; SoHum Living Soil, a just-add-water soil; High Density Racking System, which ensures that space is used in an efficient manner; The Cultivation Cube, a self-contained and scalable cultivation system; and other products for cultivation operations, medicinal and recreational cannabis dispensary operations, and infused-products. In addition, the company designs industry-specific products; and offers exclusive and non-exclusive customer products. American Cannabis Company, Inc. is headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Receive News & Ratings for Booz Allen Hamilton Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Booz Allen Hamilton and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Brinker International (NYSE:EAT Get Free Report) had its price objective upped by equities research analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $45.00 to $50.00 in a research report issued on Thursday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has an underweight rating on the restaurant operators stock. Wells Fargo & Companys price target indicates a potential downside of 24.73% from the companys previous close. EAT has been the subject of several other research reports. KeyCorp raised shares of Brinker International from a sector weight rating to an overweight rating and set a $72.00 price target for the company in a research report on Thursday. Barclays increased their price target on shares of Brinker International from $53.00 to $66.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Thursday. Evercore ISI raised their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $65.00 to $69.00 and gave the stock an in-line rating in a report on Thursday. BMO Capital Markets dropped their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $85.00 to $80.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Thursday. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus raised their price objective on shares of Brinker International from $62.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, June 25th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Brinker International currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $60.31. Get Brinker International alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Report on Brinker International Brinker International Price Performance Shares of NYSE EAT traded up $3.57 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $66.43. The company had a trading volume of 909,152 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,494,998. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $67.41 and its 200-day simple moving average is $56.93. Brinker International has a 12 month low of $28.23 and a 12 month high of $76.02. The firm has a market cap of $2.96 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.72, a PEG ratio of 0.63 and a beta of 2.52. Brinker International (NYSE:EAT Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 14th. The restaurant operator reported $1.61 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.65 by ($0.04). Brinker International had a negative return on equity of 154.29% and a net margin of 3.55%. The business had revenue of $1.21 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.17 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.39 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 12.3% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Brinker International will post 4.18 EPS for the current year. Insider Buying and Selling In other Brinker International news, SVP Daniel S. Fuller sold 3,611 shares of Brinker International stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $69.04, for a total transaction of $249,303.44. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 34,764 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,400,106.56. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In other Brinker International news, SVP Daniel S. Fuller sold 3,611 shares of Brinker International stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $69.04, for a total transaction of $249,303.44. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 34,764 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,400,106.56. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, COO Douglas N. Comings sold 10,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $68.31, for a total transaction of $683,100.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 38,164 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,606,982.84. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 17,664 shares of company stock worth $1,216,601 in the last quarter. Insiders own 1.50% of the companys stock. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Brinker International Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in EAT. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in Brinker International by 2.5% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 5,535,500 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $275,004,000 after buying an additional 135,580 shares in the last quarter. Boston Partners lifted its position in Brinker International by 231.8% during the 1st quarter. Boston Partners now owns 1,583,239 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $78,602,000 after buying an additional 1,106,046 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its position in Brinker International by 24.6% during the 4th quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 1,503,198 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $64,908,000 after buying an additional 296,785 shares in the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP raised its holdings in shares of Brinker International by 13,850.1% in the 2nd quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 1,057,416 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $76,546,000 after purchasing an additional 1,049,836 shares during the period. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its holdings in shares of Brinker International by 0.5% in the 4th quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 936,283 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $40,430,000 after purchasing an additional 4,294 shares during the period. Brinker International Company Profile (Get Free Report) Brinker International, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the ownership, development, operation, and franchising of casual dining restaurants in the United States and internationally. It operates and franchises Chili's Grill & Bar and Maggiano's Little Italy restaurant brands. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Brinker International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Brinker International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Brookfield Business Partners L.P. (NYSE:BBU Get Free Report) shares saw unusually-high trading volume on Monday . Approximately 26,672 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 87% from the previous sessions volume of 14,266 shares.The stock last traded at $19.45 and had previously closed at $19.46. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of brokerages have recently commented on BBU. BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on Brookfield Business Partners from $30.00 to $31.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Monday, May 6th. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and set a $32.00 price target on shares of Brookfield Business Partners in a report on Monday, August 5th. Finally, Cibc World Mkts upgraded shares of Brookfield Business Partners to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 7th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Buy and an average target price of $30.50. Get Brookfield Business Partners alerts: Read Our Latest Report on BBU Brookfield Business Partners Trading Down 1.1 % The business has a 50-day moving average price of $19.30 and a 200-day moving average price of $20.20. The company has a quick ratio of 0.84, a current ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.23. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.47 billion, a P/E ratio of 3.14 and a beta of 1.47. Brookfield Business Partners (NYSE:BBU Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, August 2nd. The business services provider reported ($0.09) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.86 by ($0.95). Brookfield Business Partners had a net margin of 7.08% and a return on equity of 21.64%. The business had revenue of $11.95 billion during the quarter. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.85 earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that Brookfield Business Partners L.P. will post 4.16 earnings per share for the current year. Brookfield Business Partners Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 27th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be issued a dividend of $0.0625 per share. This represents a $0.25 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.26%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th. Brookfield Business Partnerss payout ratio is 3.92%. Institutional Trading of Brookfield Business Partners Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of BBU. Russell Investments Group Ltd. lifted its holdings in Brookfield Business Partners by 44.1% during the 4th quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 50,102 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $1,039,000 after purchasing an additional 15,344 shares during the last quarter. National Bank of Canada FI boosted its holdings in shares of Brookfield Business Partners by 13.6% in the 4th quarter. National Bank of Canada FI now owns 98,001 shares of the business services providers stock worth $1,957,000 after acquiring an additional 11,718 shares in the last quarter. Montrusco Bolton Investments Inc. grew its position in Brookfield Business Partners by 54.3% during the 4th quarter. Montrusco Bolton Investments Inc. now owns 59,354 shares of the business services providers stock worth $1,231,000 after acquiring an additional 20,891 shares during the last quarter. TD Asset Management Inc increased its holdings in Brookfield Business Partners by 4.1% during the 4th quarter. TD Asset Management Inc now owns 160,426 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $3,328,000 after purchasing an additional 6,290 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Gold Investment Management Ltd. bought a new position in Brookfield Business Partners in the 4th quarter valued at $618,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 85.04% of the companys stock. About Brookfield Business Partners (Get Free Report) Brookfield Business Partners L.P. is a private equity firm specializing in acquisition. The firm typically invests in business services, infrastructure services, construction, energy, and industrials sector. It prefers to take majority stake in companies. The firm seeks returns of at least 15% on its investments. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Brookfield Business Partners Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Brookfield Business Partners and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Canuc Resources Co. (CVE:CDA Get Free Report)s stock price reached a new 52-week low on Monday . The company traded as low as C$0.06 and last traded at C$0.06, with a volume of 39865 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at C$0.07. Canuc Resources Price Performance The firms fifty day simple moving average is C$0.09 and its 200-day simple moving average is C$0.09. The firm has a market capitalization of C$11.20 million, a PE ratio of -7.00 and a beta of 1.49. The company has a quick ratio of 1.03, a current ratio of 9.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.03. Canuc Resources Company Profile (Get Free Report) Canuc Resources Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and extraction of natural resources and precious metals in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. It explores for silver, lead, gold, copper, and zinc deposits. The company holds interest in the San Javier Project located in the state of Sonora, Mexico. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Canuc Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Canuc Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Cascade Investment Group Inc. trimmed its position in Global Partners LP (NYSE:GLP Free Report) by 2.6% during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 53,335 shares of the energy companys stock after selling 1,400 shares during the quarter. Global Partners makes up 1.9% of Cascade Investment Group Inc.s investment portfolio, making the stock its 9th largest position. Cascade Investment Group Inc.s holdings in Global Partners were worth $2,434,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of GLP. Granite Bay Wealth Management LLC grew its position in shares of Global Partners by 6,200.0% in the 2nd quarter. Granite Bay Wealth Management LLC now owns 315,000 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $14,541,000 after buying an additional 310,000 shares during the last quarter. Fractal Investments LLC grew its position in Global Partners by 46.5% during the 4th quarter. Fractal Investments LLC now owns 195,234 shares of the energy companys stock worth $8,260,000 after purchasing an additional 62,000 shares during the last quarter. Blackstone Inc. grew its position in Global Partners by 11.2% during the 4th quarter. Blackstone Inc. now owns 137,175 shares of the energy companys stock worth $5,804,000 after purchasing an additional 13,800 shares during the last quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. grew its position in Global Partners by 0.3% during the 1st quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 113,527 shares of the energy companys stock worth $5,038,000 after purchasing an additional 319 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. grew its position in Global Partners by 0.8% during the 4th quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 42,216 shares of the energy companys stock worth $1,786,000 after purchasing an additional 342 shares during the last quarter. 38.12% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Global Partners alerts: Global Partners Stock Performance Shares of GLP stock traded up $1.95 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $39.25. The stock had a trading volume of 132,180 shares, compared to its average volume of 114,116. Global Partners LP has a fifty-two week low of $27.07 and a fifty-two week high of $50.85. The firm has a market cap of $1.33 billion, a PE ratio of 14.59 and a beta of 1.38. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.23, a current ratio of 1.17 and a quick ratio of 0.76. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $43.55 and its 200-day simple moving average is $45.22. Global Partners Increases Dividend Insider Activity at Global Partners The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, August 14th. Investors of record on Thursday, August 8th will be paid a $0.72 dividend. This is a boost from Global Partnerss previous quarterly dividend of $0.71. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 8th. This represents a $2.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 7.34%. Global Partnerss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 107.06%. In related news, insider Global Gp Llc acquired 10,000 shares of Global Partners stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 20th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $44.96 per share, for a total transaction of $449,600.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the insider now directly owns 77,981 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,506,025.76. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders purchased 90,000 shares of company stock worth $4,120,200 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 41.50% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several brokerages have issued reports on GLP. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Global Partners from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 23rd. Stifel Nicolaus raised their target price on shares of Global Partners from $50.00 to $51.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, August 9th. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on GLP Global Partners Company Profile (Free Report) Global Partners LP engages in the purchasing, selling, gathering, blending, storing, and logistics of transporting gasoline and gasoline blendstocks, distillates, residual oil, renewable fuels, crude oil, and propane to wholesalers, retailers, and commercial customers. The company operates through three segments: Wholesale, Gasoline Distribution and Station Operations, and Commercial. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding GLP? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Global Partners LP (NYSE:GLP Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Global Partners Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Global Partners and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. Eletrobras (NYSE:EBR Get Free Report) was downgraded by research analysts at StockNews.com from a buy rating to a hold rating in a note issued to investors on Tuesday. Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. Eletrobras Trading Up 1.1 % Shares of Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. Eletrobras stock opened at $7.39 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $17.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.80, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a quick ratio of 1.56, a current ratio of 1.57 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. Eletrobras has a 12-month low of $6.21 and a 12-month high of $9.11. The firms 50-day moving average price is $6.79 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $7.58. Get Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. - Eletrobras alerts: Institutional Investors Weigh In On Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. Eletrobras A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Blue Trust Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. Eletrobras by 232.4% in the 2nd quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 5,748 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $37,000 after purchasing an additional 4,019 shares in the last quarter. Signaturefd LLC boosted its stake in shares of Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. Eletrobras by 173.8% in the 2nd quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 7,668 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $49,000 after purchasing an additional 4,867 shares in the last quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC boosted its stake in shares of Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. Eletrobras by 18.7% in the 2nd quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 14,516 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $93,000 after purchasing an additional 2,284 shares in the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. Eletrobras in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $98,000. Finally, Barometer Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. Eletrobras in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $119,000. 6.54% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. Eletrobras Company Profile Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras SA Eletrobras, through its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, transmission, and commercialization of electricity in Brazil. The company generates electricity through hydroelectric, thermoelectric, nuclear, wind, and solar plants. As of December 31, 2023, it owned and operated 44 hydroelectric plants with a total capacity of 42,293.5 megawatt (MW); 5 thermal plants, including coal and gas power generation units with a total installed capacity of 1,632 MW; and two nuclear power plants comprising Angra 1 with an installed capacity of 657 MW and Angra 2 with an installed capacity of 1350 MW. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. - Eletrobras Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. - Eletrobras and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. China Resources Beer (Holdings) Company Limited (OTCMKTS:CRHKY Get Free Report) was the target of a large decline in short interest in July. As of July 31st, there was short interest totalling 22,000 shares, a decline of 92.3% from the July 15th total of 284,200 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 287,900 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.1 days. China Resources Beer Trading Up 1.4 % Shares of CRHKY stock traded up $0.08 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $6.12. 301,427 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 86,552. The companys 50-day moving average price is $6.94 and its 200-day moving average price is $8.09. China Resources Beer has a 12 month low of $5.84 and a 12 month high of $12.35. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12, a quick ratio of 0.31 and a current ratio of 0.70. Get China Resources Beer alerts: About China Resources Beer (Get Free Report) Featured Articles China Resources Beer (Holdings) Company Limited, an investment holding company, manufactures, distributes, and sells beer products in Mainland China. The company offers its products under the Nong Li, Snow, and Jinsha brands. The company was formerly known as China Resources Enterprise, Limited and changed its name to China Resources Beer (Holdings) Company Limited in October 2015. Receive News & Ratings for China Resources Beer Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for China Resources Beer and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG Get Free Report) was down 11.9% during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $48.00 and last traded at $49.24. Approximately 47,962,293 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 229% from the average daily volume of 14,581,110 shares. The stock had previously closed at $55.87. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several brokerages have weighed in on CMG. TD Cowen lowered their target price on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $72.00 to $65.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $55.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, June 3rd. Guggenheim upped their target price on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $54.50 to $55.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 24th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $65.70 to $66.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, April 25th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group dropped their price target on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $74.60 to $67.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eighteen have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $62.36. Get Chipotle Mexican Grill alerts: Read Our Latest Research Report on Chipotle Mexican Grill Chipotle Mexican Grill Price Performance The firm has a fifty day moving average of $122.94 and a 200 day moving average of $80.42. The stock has a market capitalization of $70.92 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 54.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.23 and a beta of 1.24. Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 24th. The restaurant operator reported $0.34 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.32 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $2.97 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.94 billion. Chipotle Mexican Grill had a net margin of 13.23% and a return on equity of 44.01%. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $12.65 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 18.2% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts predict that Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. will post 1.09 EPS for the current year. Insider Activity at Chipotle Mexican Grill In other Chipotle Mexican Grill news, insider Curtis E. Garner sold 17,394 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $54.68, for a total value of $951,103.92. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 358,300 shares in the company, valued at $19,591,844. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 1.02% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Institutional Trading of Chipotle Mexican Grill Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. APG Asset Management N.V. grew its stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 10,215.0% in the 2nd quarter. APG Asset Management N.V. now owns 346,997 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $20,284,000 after acquiring an additional 343,633 shares during the period. AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 6,990.3% during the second quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 2,283,792 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $143,080,000 after purchasing an additional 2,251,582 shares in the last quarter. Armistice Capital LLC purchased a new position in Chipotle Mexican Grill during the second quarter valued at $7,831,000. AXA S.A. grew its position in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 5,381.0% in the second quarter. AXA S.A. now owns 1,356,659 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $84,995,000 after purchasing an additional 1,331,907 shares during the period. Finally, Alpha DNA Investment Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 7,734.9% during the second quarter. Alpha DNA Investment Management LLC now owns 13,476 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $844,000 after purchasing an additional 13,304 shares in the last quarter. 91.31% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About Chipotle Mexican Grill (Get Free Report) Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, owns and operates Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurants. It sells food and beverages through offering burritos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, tacos, and salads. The company also provides delivery and related services its app and website. It has operations in the United States, Canada, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Chipotle Mexican Grill Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Chipotle Mexican Grill and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Compania Cervecerias Unidas S.A. (NYSE:CCU Get Free Report) has been given an average recommendation of Hold by the five brokerages that are currently covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, one has issued a hold recommendation and two have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12-month price target among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $13.36. Several brokerages have recently weighed in on CCU. Bank of America lowered shares of Compania Cervecerias Unidas from a neutral rating to an underperform rating and lifted their target price for the company from $12.60 to $13.70 in a research report on Thursday, May 23rd. StockNews.com lowered Compania Cervecerias Unidas from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded Compania Cervecerias Unidas from an overweight rating to an underweight rating and cut their target price for the stock from $21.00 to $10.00 in a research report on Thursday, August 8th. Get Compania Cervecerias Unidas alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Report on CCU Compania Cervecerias Unidas Stock Up 0.4 % Institutional Investors Weigh In On Compania Cervecerias Unidas CCU opened at $11.36 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of $2.10 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.59, a P/E/G ratio of 0.60 and a beta of 0.90. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 2.48 and a quick ratio of 1.81. The firms fifty day moving average price is $11.50 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $11.94. Compania Cervecerias Unidas has a fifty-two week low of $10.00 and a fifty-two week high of $15.55. A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of CCU. First Eagle Investment Management LLC raised its position in Compania Cervecerias Unidas by 1.2% in the 2nd quarter. First Eagle Investment Management LLC now owns 15,741,885 shares of the companys stock valued at $179,143,000 after purchasing an additional 184,970 shares during the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its holdings in shares of Compania Cervecerias Unidas by 82.0% in the second quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 166,734 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,897,000 after buying an additional 75,147 shares during the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. lifted its position in Compania Cervecerias Unidas by 37.5% during the 2nd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 79,367 shares of the companys stock worth $903,000 after buying an additional 21,630 shares in the last quarter. Malaga Cove Capital LLC grew its holdings in Compania Cervecerias Unidas by 39.8% during the 2nd quarter. Malaga Cove Capital LLC now owns 57,632 shares of the companys stock worth $656,000 after acquiring an additional 16,396 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Privium Fund Management UK Ltd grew its holdings in Compania Cervecerias Unidas by 98.1% during the 2nd quarter. Privium Fund Management UK Ltd now owns 120,892 shares of the companys stock worth $1,348,000 after acquiring an additional 59,863 shares during the last quarter. 24.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Compania Cervecerias Unidas Company Profile (Get Free Report Compania Cervecerias Unidas SA operates as a beverage company in Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Paraguay, and Uruguay. The company operates through three segments: Chile, International Business, and Wine. It produces and sells alcoholic and non-alcoholic beer under proprietary and licensed brands, as well as distributes Pernod Ricard products in non-supermarket retail stores. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Compania Cervecerias Unidas Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Compania Cervecerias Unidas and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Craneware plc (OTCMKTS:CRWRF Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large increase in short interest during the month of July. As of July 31st, there was short interest totalling 1,000 shares, an increase of 400.0% from the July 15th total of 200 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 100 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 10.0 days. Craneware Stock Performance OTCMKTS CRWRF remained flat at $30.00 during mid-day trading on Wednesday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $28.07 and a 200-day moving average of $26.68. Craneware has a twelve month low of $30.00 and a twelve month high of $30.00. Get Craneware alerts: About Craneware (Get Free Report) Featured Stories Craneware plc, together with its subsidiaries, develops, licenses, and supports computer software for the healthcare industry in the United States. The company provides solutions, such as Trisus pricing transparency software; Trisus Pricing Analyzer, a solution that simplifies and automates the price modeling process; Trisus Chargemaster, an automated chargemaster management solution; InSight Medical Necessity, a solution that offers medical necessity for the United States payors; Trisus Claims Informatics, a retrospective charge capture analytical application that identifies areas of risk for its team to investigate; Trisus Supply, a solution that improves supplies reimbursement; and InSight Audit, an audit management solution for government and commercial payors. Receive News & Ratings for Craneware Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Craneware and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. PGGM Investments lessened its stake in shares of Dell Technologies Inc. (NYSE:DELL Free Report) by 34.9% during the second quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 40,702 shares of the technology companys stock after selling 21,779 shares during the period. PGGM Investments holdings in Dell Technologies were worth $5,613,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Dell Technologies by 3.8% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 17,595,478 shares of the technology companys stock worth $1,346,054,000 after purchasing an additional 647,192 shares during the period. Boston Partners lifted its stake in shares of Dell Technologies by 2.1% during the 4th quarter. Boston Partners now owns 9,575,882 shares of the technology companys stock worth $733,564,000 after purchasing an additional 197,435 shares during the period. Capital World Investors purchased a new position in shares of Dell Technologies during the 1st quarter worth $835,946,000. Point72 Asset Management L.P. lifted its stake in shares of Dell Technologies by 14.8% during the 4th quarter. Point72 Asset Management L.P. now owns 4,045,200 shares of the technology companys stock worth $309,458,000 after purchasing an additional 520,677 shares during the period. Finally, DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main raised its position in shares of Dell Technologies by 449.8% in the 4th quarter. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main now owns 3,714,573 shares of the technology companys stock worth $284,165,000 after buying an additional 3,038,891 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 38.10% of the companys stock. Get Dell Technologies alerts: Dell Technologies Stock Up 7.5 % Shares of Dell Technologies stock traded up $7.77 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $110.72. 9,509,387 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 10,240,688. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $126.73 and a 200-day simple moving average of $120.24. The company has a market cap of $78.53 billion, a PE ratio of 22.48, a PEG ratio of 1.34 and a beta of 0.92. Dell Technologies Inc. has a twelve month low of $53.62 and a twelve month high of $179.70. Dell Technologies Dividend Announcement Dell Technologies ( NYSE:DELL Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, May 30th. The technology company reported $1.04 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.00 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $22.24 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $21.70 billion. Dell Technologies had a negative return on equity of 173.72% and a net margin of 4.00%. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Dell Technologies Inc. will post 6.85 EPS for the current year. The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 2nd. Investors of record on Tuesday, July 23rd were paid a $0.445 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, July 23rd. This represents a $1.78 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.61%. Dell Technologiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 36.33%. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, Director Lake Group L.L.C. Silver sold 25,381 shares of Dell Technologies stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $134.42, for a total value of $3,411,714.02. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 787,669 shares in the company, valued at $105,878,466.98. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other Dell Technologies news, Director V (Gp) L.L.C. Slta sold 389,189 shares of Dell Technologies stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $158.79, for a total value of $61,799,321.31. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 731,612 shares in the company, valued at $116,172,669.48. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Lake Group L.L.C. Silver sold 25,381 shares of Dell Technologies stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $134.42, for a total value of $3,411,714.02. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 787,669 shares of the companys stock, valued at $105,878,466.98. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders sold 7,058,131 shares of company stock worth $963,293,619. Corporate insiders own 46.70% of the companys stock. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research analysts recently weighed in on DELL shares. Bank of America increased their target price on Dell Technologies from $130.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 29th. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an overweight rating and issued a $155.00 target price on shares of Dell Technologies in a research report on Monday, June 17th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on Dell Technologies from $175.00 to $150.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday. Loop Capital increased their target price on Dell Technologies from $125.00 to $185.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 28th. Finally, Barclays raised Dell Technologies from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating and set a $97.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Tuesday. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $132.06. Read Our Latest Analysis on DELL Dell Technologies Company Profile (Free Report) Dell Technologies Inc designs, develops, manufactures, markets, sells, and supports various comprehensive and integrated solutions, products, and services in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and internationally. The company operates through two segments, Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG) and Client Solutions Group (CSG). Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding DELL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Dell Technologies Inc. (NYSE:DELL Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Dell Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Dell Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Kellanova (NYSE:K Get Free Report) had its price target upped by analysts at Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from $76.00 to $83.50 in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a hold rating on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschafts target price would suggest a potential upside of 4.06% from the companys current price. Several other equities analysts have also weighed in on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on shares of Kellanova from $76.00 to $83.50 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Thursday. TD Cowen lifted their price objective on Kellanova from $57.00 to $62.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a report on Friday, May 3rd. Bank of America raised Kellanova from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their price target for the company from $62.00 to $70.00 in a report on Friday, August 2nd. BNP Paribas upgraded Kellanova from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and set a $74.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Monday, August 5th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on Kellanova from $66.00 to $69.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, August 2nd. Thirteen analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $73.57. Get Kellanova alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Kellanova Kellanova Trading Down 0.0 % K traded down $0.04 during trading on Thursday, hitting $80.24. 4,781,652 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,245,745. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $60.60 and a 200 day moving average price of $58.39. Kellanova has a 1 year low of $47.63 and a 1 year high of $80.46. The company has a current ratio of 0.73, a quick ratio of 0.41 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.46. The firm has a market cap of $27.43 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.05, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.22 and a beta of 0.34. Kellanova (NYSE:K Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The company reported $1.01 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.90 by $0.11. The business had revenue of $3.19 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.15 billion. Kellanova had a net margin of 6.72% and a return on equity of 36.74%. The companys quarterly revenue was down 4.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.25 earnings per share. As a group, analysts expect that Kellanova will post 3.68 EPS for the current fiscal year. Insider Transactions at Kellanova In other news, major shareholder Kellogg W. K. Foundation Trust sold 77,800 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $80.05, for a total value of $6,227,890.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 50,753,038 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,062,780,691.90. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In the last quarter, insiders sold 855,800 shares of company stock worth $52,647,260. 1.80% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in K. Blue Trust Inc. grew its position in shares of Kellanova by 57.2% in the 2nd quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 467 shares of the companys stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 170 shares during the last quarter. Bfsg LLC grew its position in shares of Kellanova by 64.5% in the 1st quarter. Bfsg LLC now owns 510 shares of the companys stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 200 shares during the last quarter. Family Firm Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Kellanova in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $29,000. BNP Paribas purchased a new position in shares of Kellanova in the 1st quarter worth approximately $30,000. Finally, Motco grew its position in shares of Kellanova by 757.6% in the 4th quarter. Motco now owns 566 shares of the companys stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 500 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 83.87% of the companys stock. About Kellanova (Get Free Report) Kellanova, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and markets snacks and convenience foods in North America, Europe, Latin America, the Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Australia, and Africa. Its principal products include crackers, crisps, savory snacks, toaster pastries, cereal bars, granola bars and bites, ready-to-eat cereals, frozen waffles, veggie foods, and noodles. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Kellanova Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Kellanova and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. DTE Energy (NYSE:DTE Get Free Report) updated its FY24 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided EPS guidance of $6.54-6.83 for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of $6.69. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of equities research analysts recently commented on the company. StockNews.com upgraded DTE Energy from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Sunday. Scotiabank decreased their price target on DTE Energy from $129.00 to $120.00 and set a sector outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 22nd. LADENBURG THALM/SH SH assumed coverage on DTE Energy in a research report on Wednesday. They set a buy rating and a $131.00 price target on the stock. Barclays increased their price target on DTE Energy from $123.00 to $128.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 30th. Finally, KeyCorp upped their price objective on DTE Energy from $117.00 to $125.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Monday, May 20th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, DTE Energy presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $120.36. Get DTE Energy alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on DTE DTE Energy Stock Performance DTE stock opened at $120.96 on Thursday. The businesss fifty day moving average is $114.68 and its 200-day moving average is $111.67. The company has a quick ratio of 0.52, a current ratio of 0.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.73. The company has a market cap of $25.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.97, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.27 and a beta of 0.66. DTE Energy has a twelve month low of $90.14 and a twelve month high of $126.76. DTE Energy (NYSE:DTE Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The utilities provider reported $1.43 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.21 by $0.22. The company had revenue of $2.88 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.65 billion. DTE Energy had a return on equity of 12.18% and a net margin of 11.18%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.99 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that DTE Energy will post 6.7 EPS for the current year. DTE Energy Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 15th. Investors of record on Monday, September 16th will be paid a dividend of $1.02 per share. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.37%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 16th. DTE Energys payout ratio is presently 66.78%. Insider Buying and Selling In related news, VP Lisa A. Muschong sold 1,198 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, June 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $116.61, for a total transaction of $139,698.78. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 4,271 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $498,041.31. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other DTE Energy news, Vice Chairman Trevor F. Lauer sold 3,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $115.07, for a total transaction of $402,745.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 59,475 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,843,788.25. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, VP Lisa A. Muschong sold 1,198 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $116.61, for a total value of $139,698.78. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 4,271 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $498,041.31. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.61% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. About DTE Energy (Get Free Report) DTE Energy Company engages in the utility operations. The company's Electric segment generates, purchases, distributes, and sells electricity to various residential, commercial, and industrial customers in southeastern Michigan. It generates electricity through coal-fired plants, hydroelectric pumped storage, and nuclear plants, as well as wind and solar assets. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for DTE Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for DTE Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. increased its stake in Eastman Chemical (NYSE:EMN Free Report) by 2.4% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 78,833 shares of the basic materials companys stock after purchasing an additional 1,864 shares during the quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc.s holdings in Eastman Chemical were worth $7,723,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of EMN. Bessemer Group Inc. raised its position in Eastman Chemical by 321.2% in the first quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 16,250 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $1,628,000 after acquiring an additional 12,392 shares in the last quarter. CHURCHILL MANAGEMENT Corp acquired a new stake in Eastman Chemical in the 1st quarter valued at about $1,681,000. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA lifted its holdings in Eastman Chemical by 7.0% in the 4th quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 2,575,783 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $231,357,000 after acquiring an additional 168,009 shares during the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC acquired a new stake in Eastman Chemical in the 1st quarter valued at about $594,000. Finally, Cetera Trust Company N.A acquired a new stake in Eastman Chemical in the 4th quarter valued at about $812,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.65% of the companys stock. Get Eastman Chemical alerts: Insider Buying and Selling In related news, SVP Adrian James Holt sold 1,975 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $99.22, for a total value of $195,959.50. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 1.93% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Eastman Chemical Stock Down 0.0 % Shares of NYSE EMN traded down $0.01 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $95.62. The company had a trading volume of 820,158 shares, compared to its average volume of 987,051. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $98.28 and a two-hundred day moving average of $95.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76, a quick ratio of 0.71 and a current ratio of 1.40. The company has a market capitalization of $11.25 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.32, a PEG ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 1.46. Eastman Chemical has a 12-month low of $68.89 and a 12-month high of $105.98. Eastman Chemical (NYSE:EMN Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The basic materials company reported $2.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.01 by $0.14. The business had revenue of $2.36 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.36 billion. Eastman Chemical had a net margin of 9.65% and a return on equity of 13.94%. The firms revenue was up 1.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.99 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Eastman Chemical will post 7.67 EPS for the current year. Eastman Chemical Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, October 7th. Investors of record on Monday, September 16th will be issued a $0.81 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 16th. This represents a $3.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.39%. Eastman Chemicals dividend payout ratio is currently 41.75%. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Piper Sandler reissued a neutral rating and issued a $105.00 price target on shares of Eastman Chemical in a report on Tuesday, July 30th. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Eastman Chemical from a hold rating to a buy rating and upped their price target for the company from $102.00 to $125.00 in a report on Monday, April 29th. Barclays upped their price objective on shares of Eastman Chemical from $103.00 to $111.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Monday, July 29th. UBS Group raised shares of Eastman Chemical from a neutral rating to a buy rating and upped their price objective for the company from $106.00 to $128.00 in a research note on Thursday, May 23rd. Finally, Mizuho upped their price objective on shares of Eastman Chemical from $102.00 to $107.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Eastman Chemical currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $108.07. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on EMN Eastman Chemical Company Profile (Free Report) Eastman Chemical Company operates as a specialty materials company in the United States, China, and internationally. The company's Additives & Functional Products segment offers amine derivative-based building blocks, intermediates for surfactants, metam-based soil fumigants, and organic acid-based solutions; specialty coalescent and solvents, paint additives, and specialty polymers; and heat transfer and aviation fluids. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EMN? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Eastman Chemical (NYSE:EMN Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Eastman Chemical Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Eastman Chemical and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. grew its stake in The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG Free Report) by 0.3% during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 227,939 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 735 shares during the period. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc.s holdings in Procter & Gamble were worth $37,592,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in PG. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in Procter & Gamble during the 4th quarter worth $3,956,117,000. TD Asset Management Inc raised its stake in shares of Procter & Gamble by 114.9% in the 1st quarter. TD Asset Management Inc now owns 3,568,671 shares of the companys stock valued at $579,017,000 after purchasing an additional 1,907,716 shares during the period. Swedbank AB acquired a new stake in shares of Procter & Gamble in the 1st quarter valued at about $233,788,000. Ilex Capital Partners UK LLP acquired a new stake in shares of Procter & Gamble in the 1st quarter valued at about $228,212,000. Finally, California Public Employees Retirement System raised its stake in shares of Procter & Gamble by 17.1% in the 4th quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System now owns 9,492,039 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,390,963,000 after purchasing an additional 1,387,539 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 65.77% of the companys stock. Get Procter & Gamble alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research firms have issued reports on PG. Citigroup lifted their price target on Procter & Gamble from $177.00 to $190.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 10th. Argus lifted their price target on Procter & Gamble from $180.00 to $185.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, April 25th. StockNews.com cut Procter & Gamble from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, August 1st. Jefferies Financial Group cut Procter & Gamble from a buy rating to a hold rating and decreased their price objective for the company from $182.00 to $175.00 in a report on Wednesday, July 24th. Finally, Evercore ISI raised their price objective on Procter & Gamble from $177.00 to $183.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, July 18th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Procter & Gamble presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $173.95. Insider Transactions at Procter & Gamble In other news, CEO R. Alexandra Keith sold 3,373 shares of Procter & Gamble stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $170.00, for a total value of $573,410.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 21,513 shares in the company, valued at $3,657,210. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In other Procter & Gamble news, CEO R. Alexandra Keith sold 3,373 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $170.00, for a total transaction of $573,410.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 21,513 shares in the company, valued at $3,657,210. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CEO Sundar G. Raman sold 31,924 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $166.95, for a total transaction of $5,329,711.80. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 19,042 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,179,061.90. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 125,462 shares of company stock worth $21,238,114 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 0.17% of the companys stock. Procter & Gamble Stock Performance Shares of NYSE:PG traded up $1.51 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $168.80. 4,953,783 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 7,864,465. The Procter & Gamble Company has a 12 month low of $141.45 and a 12 month high of $171.72. The firm has a market cap of $398.39 billion, a PE ratio of 27.58, a PEG ratio of 3.70 and a beta of 0.41. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $166.99 and a 200-day moving average price of $163.10. The company has a current ratio of 0.73, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51. Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 30th. The company reported $1.40 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.37 by $0.03. Procter & Gamble had a return on equity of 33.46% and a net margin of 17.71%. The company had revenue of $20.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $20.69 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.37 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was down .1% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts expect that The Procter & Gamble Company will post 6.97 EPS for the current fiscal year. Procter & Gamble Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, August 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 19th will be issued a dividend of $1.0065 per share. This represents a $4.03 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.39%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 19th. Procter & Gambles dividend payout ratio is presently 65.85%. Procter & Gamble Profile (Free Report) The Procter & Gamble Company provides branded consumer packaged goods worldwide. It operates through five segments: Beauty; Grooming; Health Care; Fabric & Home Care; and Baby, Feminine & Family Care. The Beauty segment offers conditioners, shampoos, styling aids, and treatments under the Head & Shoulders, Herbal Essences, Pantene, and Rejoice brands; and antiperspirants and deodorants, personal cleansing, and skin care products under the Olay, Old Spice, Safeguard, Secret, and SK-II brands. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Procter & Gamble Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Procter & Gamble and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Fabrinet (NYSE:FN Get Free Report) have received a consensus rating of Moderate Buy from the nine brokerages that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and five have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $171.78. Several research analysts have commented on FN shares. Needham & Company LLC reissued a buy rating and issued a $220.00 price target on shares of Fabrinet in a report on Tuesday, May 7th. Jefferies Financial Group started coverage on shares of Fabrinet in a report on Wednesday, June 26th. They issued a hold rating and a $230.00 price target for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on shares of Fabrinet from $230.00 to $240.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Monday. Finally, B. Riley cut their price target on shares of Fabrinet from $173.00 to $171.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, May 7th. Get Fabrinet alerts: Read Our Latest Report on FN Fabrinet Trading Up 0.0 % Insider Activity FN opened at $217.77 on Friday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $233.33 and a 200 day moving average of $213.57. The company has a market cap of $7.87 billion, a PE ratio of 28.92 and a beta of 0.96. Fabrinet has a 12 month low of $114.83 and a 12 month high of $266.39. In other news, Director Frank H. Levinson sold 6,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, May 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $241.71, for a total transaction of $1,450,260.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 5,709 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,379,922.39. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.51% of the companys stock. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Fabrinet A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in FN. New York State Teachers Retirement System raised its position in Fabrinet by 4.1% in the 4th quarter. New York State Teachers Retirement System now owns 29,850 shares of the technology companys stock worth $5,681,000 after purchasing an additional 1,183 shares during the period. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. grew its holdings in Fabrinet by 2.4% in the 4th quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 16,735 shares of the technology companys stock worth $3,185,000 after acquiring an additional 400 shares during the last quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC grew its holdings in Fabrinet by 214.0% in the 4th quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 56,788 shares of the technology companys stock worth $10,809,000 after acquiring an additional 38,704 shares during the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Fabrinet by 6.4% in the 4th quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 2,549 shares of the technology companys stock worth $485,000 after acquiring an additional 153 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Louisiana State Employees Retirement System bought a new stake in Fabrinet in the 4th quarter worth $3,464,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 97.38% of the companys stock. Fabrinet Company Profile (Get Free Report Fabrinet provides optical packaging and precision optical, electro-mechanical, and electronic manufacturing services in North America, the Asia-Pacific, and Europe. The company offers a range of advanced optical and electro-mechanical capabilities in the manufacturing process, including process design and engineering, supply chain management, manufacturing, printed circuit board assembly, advanced packaging, integration, final assembly, and testing. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Fabrinet Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Fabrinet and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc. decreased its position in iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (BATS:IGV Free Report) by 5.1% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 3,155 shares of the companys stock after selling 170 shares during the period. Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc.s holdings in iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF were worth $274,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Garde Capital Inc. increased its holdings in iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF by 371.7% in the first quarter. Garde Capital Inc. now owns 1,585 shares of the companys stock worth $135,000 after purchasing an additional 1,249 shares in the last quarter. Bullseye Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF by 382.8% during the first quarter. Bullseye Investment Management LLC now owns 3,220 shares of the companys stock worth $275,000 after acquiring an additional 2,553 shares in the last quarter. Comerica Bank increased its stake in iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF by 357.3% in the first quarter. Comerica Bank now owns 14,835 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,265,000 after purchasing an additional 11,591 shares in the last quarter. Global Financial Private Client LLC raised its holdings in shares of iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF by 576.5% during the first quarter. Global Financial Private Client LLC now owns 12,556 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,068,000 after purchasing an additional 10,700 shares during the period. Finally, Silvercrest Asset Management Group LLC boosted its position in shares of iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF by 400.0% during the 1st quarter. Silvercrest Asset Management Group LLC now owns 2,525 shares of the companys stock worth $215,000 after purchasing an additional 2,020 shares in the last quarter. Get iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF alerts: iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF Trading Up 0.6 % iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF stock traded up $0.47 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $83.88. The stock had a trading volume of 1,749,172 shares. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $84.23 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $83.83. iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF has a 12 month low of $123.69 and a 12 month high of $183.23. The company has a market capitalization of $6.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.37 and a beta of 1.42. iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF Profile iShares North American Tech-Software ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares S&P North American Technology-Software Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the S&P North American Technology Software Index (the Underlying Index). Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IGV? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (BATS:IGV Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Forestar Group Inc. (NYSE:FOR Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant increase in short interest during the month of July. As of July 31st, there was short interest totalling 590,800 shares, an increase of 40.1% from the July 15th total of 421,800 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 185,700 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 3.2 days. Approximately 3.1% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Forestar Group news, Director Elizabeth Parmer sold 1,547 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $32.24, for a total value of $49,875.28. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 1,548 shares in the company, valued at approximately $49,907.52. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In related news, Director Elizabeth Parmer sold 1,547 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, July 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $32.24, for a total value of $49,875.28. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 1,548 shares in the company, valued at $49,907.52. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director G.F. (Rick) Ringler III sold 2,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $31.38, for a total value of $62,760.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 7,951 shares of the companys stock, valued at $249,502.38. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 5,095 shares of company stock valued at $159,887. 0.49% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Get Forestar Group alerts: Institutional Inflows and Outflows Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Transcendent Capital Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Forestar Group during the 1st quarter valued at $32,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Forestar Group by 115.4% during the 1st quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 924 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock worth $37,000 after purchasing an additional 495 shares in the last quarter. Family Firm Inc. purchased a new stake in Forestar Group during the 2nd quarter worth about $34,000. CWM LLC lifted its holdings in Forestar Group by 111.6% during the 2nd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,060 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 559 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Innealta Capital LLC purchased a new stake in Forestar Group during the 2nd quarter worth about $112,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 35.50% of the companys stock. Forestar Group Stock Performance NYSE:FOR traded up $0.54 during trading on Thursday, reaching $29.22. The companys stock had a trading volume of 9,164 shares, compared to its average volume of 212,335. The firm has a market cap of $1.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.13 and a beta of 1.77. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47, a quick ratio of 1.50 and a current ratio of 1.50. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $31.37 and a 200-day moving average of $33.33. Forestar Group has a 12 month low of $22.71 and a 12 month high of $40.92. Forestar Group (NYSE:FOR Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 18th. The oil and gas exploration company reported $0.76 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.89 by ($0.13). The business had revenue of $318.40 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $370.50 million. Forestar Group had a net margin of 12.89% and a return on equity of 13.48%. Research analysts expect that Forestar Group will post 3.72 EPS for the current fiscal year. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of analysts have weighed in on the company. Citigroup decreased their price target on Forestar Group from $46.00 to $43.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, July 2nd. StockNews.com lowered Forestar Group from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Friday, April 26th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on Forestar Group from $37.50 to $36.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Thursday, July 25th. Finally, BTIG Research decreased their price target on Forestar Group from $41.00 to $37.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Friday, July 19th. Get Our Latest Stock Report on Forestar Group Forestar Group Company Profile (Get Free Report) Forestar Group Inc operates as a residential lot development company in the United States. The company acquires land and develops infrastructure for single-family residential communities. It sells its residential single-family finished lots to local, regional, and national homebuilders. The company was incorporated in 2005 and is headquartered in Arlington, Texas. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Forestar Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Forestar Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. PGGM Investments lessened its stake in Franklin Resources, Inc. (NYSE:BEN Free Report) by 32.8% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 26,960 shares of the closed-end funds stock after selling 13,157 shares during the quarter. PGGM Investments holdings in Franklin Resources were worth $603,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Headlands Technologies LLC acquired a new position in shares of Franklin Resources during the 1st quarter valued at $32,000. Principal Securities Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Franklin Resources during the 4th quarter valued at $35,000. Denali Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Franklin Resources during the 1st quarter valued at $44,000. Trust Co. of Vermont acquired a new position in shares of Franklin Resources during the 4th quarter valued at $45,000. Finally, Montag A & Associates Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Franklin Resources during the 4th quarter valued at $51,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 47.56% of the companys stock. Get Franklin Resources alerts: Franklin Resources Stock Up 0.7 % Shares of BEN traded up $0.15 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $22.02. The company had a trading volume of 1,934,932 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,707,680. The companys 50 day moving average price is $22.58 and its 200 day moving average price is $24.73. The stock has a market cap of $11.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.58, a PEG ratio of 2.46 and a beta of 1.43. Franklin Resources, Inc. has a 52 week low of $20.92 and a 52 week high of $30.32. The company has a quick ratio of 1.82, a current ratio of 1.71 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93. Franklin Resources Announces Dividend Insider Transactions at Franklin Resources The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, July 12th. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 28th were given a $0.31 dividend. This represents a $1.24 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.63%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, June 28th. Franklin Resourcess payout ratio is currently 70.86%. In related news, major shareholder Charles B. Johnson bought 200,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 21st. The stock was bought at an average price of $22.80 per share, with a total value of $4,560,000.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 88,703,192 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,022,432,777.60. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Insiders own 24.13% of the companys stock. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. UBS Group reduced their target price on shares of Franklin Resources from $25.00 to $24.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, July 10th. TD Cowen boosted their price objective on shares of Franklin Resources from $23.00 to $24.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Monday, July 29th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on shares of Franklin Resources from $24.00 to $25.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a report on Wednesday, April 17th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods cut their price objective on shares of Franklin Resources from $25.00 to $23.00 and set an underperform rating on the stock in a report on Monday, July 29th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their price objective on shares of Franklin Resources from $24.00 to $23.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a report on Monday, July 29th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and six have assigned a hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Franklin Resources currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $24.90. View Our Latest Research Report on BEN Franklin Resources Company Profile (Free Report) Franklin Resources, Inc is a publicly owned asset management holding company. Through its subsidiaries, the firm provides its services to individuals, institutions, pension plans, trusts, and partnerships. It launches equity, fixed income, balanced, and multi-asset mutual funds through its subsidiaries. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BEN? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Franklin Resources, Inc. (NYSE:BEN Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Franklin Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Franklin Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. goeasy (TSE:GSY Free Report) had its target price raised by BMO Capital Markets from C$215.00 to C$218.00 in a research note issued to investors on Monday, BayStreet.CA reports. BMO Capital Markets currently has an outperform rating on the stock. Other equities research analysts have also issued research reports about the company. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on goeasy from C$201.00 to C$225.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 8th. Raymond James increased their price objective on shares of goeasy from C$200.00 to C$225.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 8th. Scotiabank upped their target price on shares of goeasy from C$215.00 to C$222.00 in a research note on Friday, August 9th. CIBC lifted their price target on goeasy from C$220.00 to C$230.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 8th. Finally, Colliers Securities boosted their price target on goeasy from C$200.00 to C$220.00 in a report on Wednesday, May 8th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, goeasy presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of C$220.00. Get goeasy alerts: Get Our Latest Report on GSY goeasy Stock Performance goeasy Announces Dividend TSE GSY opened at C$184.79 on Monday. goeasy has a 1-year low of C$101.34 and a 1-year high of C$206.02. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is C$190.61 and its 200-day simple moving average is C$176.57. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 289.31, a current ratio of 15.97 and a quick ratio of 28.46. The firm has a market capitalization of C$3.10 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.02, a P/E/G ratio of 0.84 and a beta of 1.90. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 11th. Investors of record on Friday, September 27th will be paid a dividend of $1.17 per share. This represents a $4.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.53%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 27th. goeasys dividend payout ratio is currently 30.45%. goeasy Company Profile (Get Free Report) goeasy Ltd. provides non-prime leasing and lending services under the easyhome, easyfinancial, and LendCare brands to consumers in Canada. The company operates through two segments, Easyfinancial and Easyhome. It offers unsecured and secured installment loans; home equity secured instalment loans and automotive vehicle financing; and loans to finance the purchase of retail goods, powersports and recreational vehicles, home improvement projects, and healthcare related products and services. Read More Receive News & Ratings for goeasy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for goeasy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Montanaro UK Smaller Companies (LON:MTU Get Free Report) insider Barbara Powley acquired 267 shares of Montanaro UK Smaller Companies stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 9th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of GBX 107 ($1.37) per share, with a total value of 285.69 ($364.77). Montanaro UK Smaller Companies Trading Up 1.4 % Shares of MTU stock opened at GBX 108 ($1.38) on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of 180.77 million, a P/E ratio of 981.82 and a beta of 0.98. The company has a quick ratio of 41.12, a current ratio of 11.57 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 10.82. Montanaro UK Smaller Companies has a fifty-two week low of GBX 83.07 ($1.06) and a fifty-two week high of GBX 113.50 ($1.45). The business has a fifty day simple moving average of GBX 108.50 and a 200-day simple moving average of GBX 104.69. Get Montanaro UK Smaller Companies alerts: Montanaro UK Smaller Companies Increases Dividend The firm also recently announced a dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 9th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, July 18th were issued a dividend of GBX 1.24 ($0.02) per share. This is an increase from Montanaro UK Smaller Companiess previous dividend of $1.19. This represents a yield of 1.12%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, July 18th. Montanaro UK Smaller Companiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 4,545.45%. Montanaro UK Smaller Companies Company Profile Montanaro UK Smaller Companies Investment Trust PLC is a closed-ended equity mutual fund launched and managed by Montanaro Investment Managers Ltd. It invests in the public equity markets of the United Kingdom. The fund seeks to invest in stocks of small-cap companies operating across diversified sectors. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Montanaro UK Smaller Companies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Montanaro UK Smaller Companies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Janus International Group, Inc. (NYSE:JBI Get Free Report) have received a consensus recommendation of Moderate Buy from the five brokerages that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and three have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month price target among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $15.25. JBI has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. KeyCorp decreased their price objective on shares of Janus International Group from $17.00 to $15.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, August 8th. Benchmark decreased their price target on shares of Janus International Group from $21.00 to $14.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Friday, August 9th. Wolfe Research lowered Janus International Group from an outperform rating to a peer perform rating in a research report on Monday. Finally, UBS Group decreased their target price on Janus International Group from $14.50 to $12.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, August 8th. Get Janus International Group alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Janus International Group Insider Buying and Selling at Janus International Group Institutional Trading of Janus International Group In other news, insider Peter Frayser sold 15,000 shares of Janus International Group stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $15.00, for a total transaction of $225,000.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 217,805 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,267,075. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink . 3.94% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Entropy Technologies LP grew its holdings in Janus International Group by 4.5% during the 1st quarter. Entropy Technologies LP now owns 21,126 shares of the companys stock worth $320,000 after acquiring an additional 901 shares in the last quarter. Sage Mountain Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Janus International Group by 4.5% during the second quarter. Sage Mountain Advisors LLC now owns 23,200 shares of the companys stock worth $293,000 after purchasing an additional 990 shares during the last quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC grew its stake in Janus International Group by 8.5% in the first quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 15,267 shares of the companys stock worth $231,000 after purchasing an additional 1,201 shares in the last quarter. Amalgamated Bank increased its holdings in Janus International Group by 73.2% in the second quarter. Amalgamated Bank now owns 4,909 shares of the companys stock valued at $62,000 after buying an additional 2,074 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Los Angeles Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Janus International Group by 2.3% during the first quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC now owns 101,029 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,529,000 after buying an additional 2,260 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 88.78% of the companys stock. Janus International Group Stock Down 1.0 % Shares of NYSE:JBI opened at $10.50 on Thursday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $12.91 and a 200-day simple moving average of $13.98. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.53 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.05 and a beta of 0.91. Janus International Group has a 1 year low of $9.16 and a 1 year high of $15.86. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.13, a quick ratio of 2.63 and a current ratio of 2.95. About Janus International Group (Get Free Report Janus International Group, Inc manufacturers and supplies turn-key self-storage, and commercial and industrial building solutions in North America and internationally. The company offers roll up and swing doors, hallway systems, relocatable storage moveable additional storage structures units, and other solutions. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Janus International Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Janus International Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. National Bank of Canada (TSE:NA Free Report) had its target price trimmed by Jefferies Financial Group from C$121.00 to C$119.00 in a research report report published on Monday morning, BayStreet.CA reports. The firm currently has a hold rating on the financial services providers stock. NA has been the subject of several other reports. Scotiabank dropped their target price on National Bank of Canada from C$119.00 to C$116.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, June 18th. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price target on National Bank of Canada from C$109.00 to C$113.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research note on Thursday, May 30th. UBS Group set a C$123.00 price target on National Bank of Canada and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 2nd. Canaccord Genuity Group upped their price target on National Bank of Canada from C$109.00 to C$117.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, May 30th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets dropped their price target on National Bank of Canada from C$121.00 to C$115.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, June 18th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of C$114.54. Get National Bank of Canada alerts: View Our Latest Report on NA National Bank of Canada Trading Up 0.7 % National Bank of Canada stock opened at C$115.26 on Monday. The firm has a market capitalization of C$39.17 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.13, a PEG ratio of 17.04 and a beta of 1.12. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of C$111.76 and a 200 day moving average price of C$110.88. National Bank of Canada has a 52 week low of C$84.27 and a 52 week high of C$118.77. National Bank of Canada (TSE:NA Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, May 29th. The financial services provider reported C$2.54 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of C$2.43 by C$0.11. The firm had revenue of C$2.84 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of C$2.89 billion. National Bank of Canada had a return on equity of 14.73% and a net margin of 34.22%. As a group, equities analysts predict that National Bank of Canada will post 9.8686007 EPS for the current year. National Bank of Canada Increases Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 1st. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 24th were given a $1.10 dividend. This is an increase from National Bank of Canadas previous quarterly dividend of $1.06. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, June 24th. This represents a $4.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.82%. National Bank of Canadas dividend payout ratio is presently 44.63%. Insider Transactions at National Bank of Canada In other National Bank of Canada news, Director Yvon Charest purchased 324 shares of National Bank of Canada stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 21st. The stock was purchased at an average price of C$116.20 per share, with a total value of C$37,648.80. In other National Bank of Canada news, Director Yvon Charest purchased 324 shares of National Bank of Canada stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 21st. The stock was purchased at an average price of C$116.20 per share, with a total value of C$37,648.80. Also, Senior Officer Lucie Blanchet sold 8,800 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$107.59, for a total value of C$946,792.00. Company insiders own 0.20% of the companys stock. National Bank of Canada Company Profile (Get Free Report) National Bank of Canada provides financial services to individuals, businesses, institutional clients, and governments in Canada and internationally. It operates through four segments: Personal and Commercial, Wealth Management, Financial Markets, and U.S. Specialty Finance and International. The Personal and Commercial segment offers personal banking services, including transaction solutions, mortgage loans and home equity lines of credit, consumer loans, payment solutions, and savings and investment solutions; various insurance products; and commercial banking services, such as credit, and deposit, investment solutions, international trade, foreign exchange transactions, payroll, cash management, insurance, electronic transactions, and complimentary services. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for National Bank of Canada Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for National Bank of Canada and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Investment analysts at StockNews.com began coverage on shares of New Concept Energy (NYSE:GBR Get Free Report) in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday. The brokerage set a sell rating on the stock. New Concept Energy Price Performance Shares of NYSE:GBR opened at $1.46 on Tuesday. New Concept Energy has a 1 year low of $0.95 and a 1 year high of $1.82. The firm has a market capitalization of $7.49 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -47.67 and a beta of 0.34. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $1.53 and its 200-day moving average price is $1.28. Get New Concept Energy alerts: Institutional Inflows and Outflows An institutional investor recently raised its position in New Concept Energy stock. PFG Investments LLC raised its position in New Concept Energy, Inc. (NYSE:GBR Free Report) by 69.2% during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 152,600 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 62,400 shares during the period. PFG Investments LLC owned 2.97% of New Concept Energy worth $244,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. New Concept Energy Company Profile New Concept Energy, Inc engages in real estate rental business. The company owns approximately 190 acres of land located in Parkersburg West Virginia. It also provides advisory and management services for an independent oil and gas company. The company was formerly known as CabelTel International Corporation and changed its name to New Concept Energy, Inc in May 2008. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for New Concept Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for New Concept Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Newmont Co. (NYSE:NEM Get Free Report) shares dropped 0.3% on Thursday . The company traded as low as $48.24 and last traded at $48.99. Approximately 1,359,105 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 88% from the average daily volume of 10,952,048 shares. The stock had previously closed at $49.14. Analysts Set New Price Targets NEM has been the subject of several research reports. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price target on Newmont from $50.00 to $54.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, July 12th. BNP Paribas upgraded shares of Newmont to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Friday, June 21st. National Bank Financial cut shares of Newmont from an outperform overweight rating to a sector perform overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 30th. StockNews.com upgraded Newmont from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, April 26th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets increased their target price on shares of Newmont from $56.00 to $57.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have assigned a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $50.00. Get Newmont alerts: Get Our Latest Report on Newmont Newmont Price Performance The firms 50 day simple moving average is $44.95 and its 200 day simple moving average is $39.90. The company has a quick ratio of 1.85, a current ratio of 2.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31. The company has a market capitalization of $56.86 billion, a PE ratio of -18.35, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.37 and a beta of 0.47. Newmont (NYSE:NEM Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The basic materials company reported $0.72 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.62 by $0.10. Newmont had a positive return on equity of 8.35% and a negative net margin of 13.16%. The business had revenue of $4.40 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.13 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.33 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 64.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Newmont Co. will post 2.76 EPS for the current fiscal year. Newmont Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, September 5th will be paid a dividend of $0.25 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 5th. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.03%. Newmonts dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently -37.45%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, CEO Thomas Ronald Palmer sold 20,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $49.51, for a total transaction of $990,200.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 311,469 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $15,420,830.19. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.06% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Scientech Research LLC raised its position in Newmont by 19.2% during the second quarter. Scientech Research LLC now owns 9,277 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $388,000 after acquiring an additional 1,494 shares during the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc lifted its stake in Newmont by 1.4% in the 2nd quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 8,071,845 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $337,909,000 after buying an additional 109,084 shares in the last quarter. Lighthouse Investment Partners LLC acquired a new stake in Newmont during the 2nd quarter valued at $6,188,000. Mackenzie Financial Corp increased its position in Newmont by 9.1% during the second quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 189,912 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $7,952,000 after buying an additional 15,860 shares in the last quarter. Finally, The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company lifted its position in shares of Newmont by 1.7% in the second quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 861,416 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $36,067,000 after acquiring an additional 14,455 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.85% of the companys stock. Newmont Company Profile (Get Free Report) Newmont Corporation engages in the production and exploration of gold. It also explores for copper, silver, zinc, and lead. The company has operations and/or assets in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Peru, Suriname, Argentina, Chile, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Ecuador, Fiji, and Ghana. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Newmont Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Newmont and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC grew its stake in Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO Free Report) by 17.2% during the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 5,772 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 847 shares during the period. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLCs holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S were worth $824,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. A number of other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Riverview Trust Co acquired a new position in Novo Nordisk A/S during the 2nd quarter worth $35,000. Bill Few Associates Inc. lifted its holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S by 13.6% during the 2nd quarter. Bill Few Associates Inc. now owns 3,350 shares of the companys stock worth $478,000 after buying an additional 400 shares during the last quarter. Edmonds Duncan Registered Investment Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S during the 2nd quarter worth about $214,000. TRUE Private Wealth Advisors increased its holdings in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 3.0% in the 2nd quarter. TRUE Private Wealth Advisors now owns 5,819 shares of the companys stock valued at $831,000 after acquiring an additional 171 shares during the last quarter. Finally, V Square Quantitative Management LLC raised its position in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 5.2% during the 2nd quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC now owns 7,280 shares of the companys stock worth $1,061,000 after acquiring an additional 361 shares in the last quarter. 11.54% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Novo Nordisk A/S alerts: Novo Nordisk A/S Stock Performance Shares of Novo Nordisk A/S stock traded up $0.85 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $134.42. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,963,396 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,523,816. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $137.29 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $130.46. Novo Nordisk A/S has a fifty-two week low of $86.96 and a fifty-two week high of $148.15. The firm has a market cap of $603.21 billion, a PE ratio of 46.04, a P/E/G ratio of 1.33 and a beta of 0.41. The company has a current ratio of 0.70, a quick ratio of 0.50 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. Novo Nordisk A/S Cuts Dividend Analysts Set New Price Targets The firm also recently disclosed a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 26th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 16th will be paid a $0.5126 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 16th. This represents a yield of 0.7%. Novo Nordisk A/Ss dividend payout ratio is presently 25.52%. A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on the company. BMO Capital Markets lowered their price target on Novo Nordisk A/S from $170.00 to $160.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Thursday, August 8th. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an overweight rating and issued a $160.00 target price on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a report on Monday, August 5th. Argus lifted their price target on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S from $125.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Monday, June 10th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group initiated coverage on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a research note on Thursday, May 30th. They issued a buy rating and a $156.00 price objective for the company. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, six have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus target price of $145.17. Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on NVO Novo Nordisk A/S Company Profile (Free Report) Novo Nordisk A/S, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the research and development, manufacture, and distribution of pharmaceutical products in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, North America, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Diabetes and Obesity Care, and Rare Disease. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NVO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Novo Nordisk A/S Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Novo Nordisk A/S and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. ORG Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL Free Report) by 507.0% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 6,422 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 5,364 shares during the quarter. ORG Partners LLCs holdings in Colgate-Palmolive were worth $614,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Cerity Partners LLC grew its holdings in shares of Colgate-Palmolive by 19.9% during the 4th quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 154,451 shares of the companys stock valued at $12,311,000 after purchasing an additional 25,623 shares during the last quarter. Graypoint LLC grew its holdings in Colgate-Palmolive by 41.8% in the 4th quarter. Graypoint LLC now owns 5,572 shares of the companys stock worth $444,000 after acquiring an additional 1,642 shares during the last quarter. Simplicity Solutions LLC grew its holdings in Colgate-Palmolive by 26.6% in the 4th quarter. Simplicity Solutions LLC now owns 22,953 shares of the companys stock worth $1,830,000 after acquiring an additional 4,820 shares during the last quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System bought a new stake in Colgate-Palmolive in the 4th quarter worth $3,970,000. Finally, Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. grew its holdings in Colgate-Palmolive by 51.1% in the 4th quarter. Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. now owns 18,786 shares of the companys stock worth $1,489,000 after acquiring an additional 6,350 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.41% of the companys stock. Get Colgate-Palmolive alerts: Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Citigroup raised their price target on shares of Colgate-Palmolive from $103.00 to $112.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, July 10th. Bank of America lifted their target price on shares of Colgate-Palmolive from $100.00 to $110.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 10th. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on shares of Colgate-Palmolive from $103.00 to $111.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, July 29th. Argus lifted their target price on shares of Colgate-Palmolive from $97.00 to $107.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 15th. Finally, HSBC reaffirmed a hold rating on shares of Colgate-Palmolive in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $101.11. Insider Activity In other news, insider Sally Massey sold 15,850 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $103.28, for a total transaction of $1,636,988.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 13,942 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,439,929.76. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In related news, EVP Gregory Malcolm sold 10,533 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $103.10, for a total transaction of $1,085,952.30. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 10,377 shares in the company, valued at $1,069,868.70. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, insider Sally Massey sold 15,850 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $103.28, for a total transaction of $1,636,988.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 13,942 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,439,929.76. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 41,177 shares of company stock valued at $4,245,835 over the last three months. Insiders own 0.34% of the companys stock. Colgate-Palmolive Stock Down 0.7 % Colgate-Palmolive stock traded down $0.76 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $101.42. The stock had a trading volume of 650,150 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,397,999. The company has a quick ratio of 0.28, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 16.90. The stock has a market capitalization of $83.21 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.32, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.54 and a beta of 0.39. Colgate-Palmolive has a 12-month low of $67.62 and a 12-month high of $104.15. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $97.98 and its 200-day moving average price is $92.00. Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Friday, July 26th. The company reported $0.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.87 by $0.04. Colgate-Palmolive had a net margin of 14.21% and a return on equity of 470.19%. The business had revenue of $5.06 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.77 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 4.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts anticipate that Colgate-Palmolive will post 3.57 EPS for the current fiscal year. Colgate-Palmolive Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, August 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 19th will be issued a dividend of $0.50 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 19th. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.97%. Colgate-Palmolives payout ratio is 63.29%. Colgate-Palmolive Profile (Free Report) Colgate-Palmolive Company, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells consumer products in the United States and internationally. It operates through two segments: Oral, Personal and Home Care; and Pet Nutrition. The Oral, Personal and Home Care segment offers toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, bar and liquid hand soaps, shower gels, shampoos, conditioners, deodorants and antiperspirants, skin health products, dishwashing detergents, fabric conditioners, household cleaners, and other related items. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Colgate-Palmolive Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Colgate-Palmolive and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. ORG Partners LLC grew its position in shares of Edwards Lifesciences Co. (NYSE:EW Free Report) by 1,133.0% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 1,159 shares of the medical research companys stock after purchasing an additional 1,065 shares during the quarter. ORG Partners LLCs holdings in Edwards Lifesciences were worth $105,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Park Avenue Securities LLC increased its stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 0.5% in the 2nd quarter. Park Avenue Securities LLC now owns 23,484 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $2,169,000 after acquiring an additional 108 shares in the last quarter. Martin Capital Advisors LLP increased its stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 0.5% in the 4th quarter. Martin Capital Advisors LLP now owns 25,490 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $1,944,000 after acquiring an additional 128 shares in the last quarter. City State Bank increased its stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 16.5% in the 2nd quarter. City State Bank now owns 917 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $85,000 after acquiring an additional 130 shares in the last quarter. Chapin Davis Inc. increased its stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 1.7% in the 1st quarter. Chapin Davis Inc. now owns 8,548 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $817,000 after acquiring an additional 140 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Johnson Financial Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences by 23.0% in the 4th quarter. Johnson Financial Group Inc. now owns 771 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $59,000 after acquiring an additional 144 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 79.46% of the companys stock. Get Edwards Lifesciences alerts: Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of brokerages have commented on EW. Piper Sandler decreased their price target on shares of Edwards Lifesciences from $88.00 to $73.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. Robert W. Baird lowered shares of Edwards Lifesciences from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and decreased their price target for the company from $102.00 to $70.00 in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft decreased their price target on shares of Edwards Lifesciences from $103.00 to $85.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. Stifel Nicolaus cut their price objective on shares of Edwards Lifesciences from $85.00 to $70.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, July 25th. Finally, TD Cowen downgraded shares of Edwards Lifesciences from a buy rating to a hold rating and cut their price objective for the stock from $100.00 to $70.00 in a report on Thursday, July 25th. Fourteen analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Edwards Lifesciences has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $82.10. Edwards Lifesciences Price Performance Shares of EW traded up $1.21 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $67.71. 1,010,435 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,030,060. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08, a current ratio of 3.71 and a quick ratio of 2.87. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $81.54 and a 200-day moving average of $85.92. The firm has a market cap of $40.80 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.66, a PEG ratio of 2.57 and a beta of 1.11. Edwards Lifesciences Co. has a one year low of $58.93 and a one year high of $96.12. Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE:EW Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 24th. The medical research company reported $0.70 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.69 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $1.63 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.65 billion. Edwards Lifesciences had a net margin of 24.55% and a return on equity of 22.35%. Edwards Lifesciencess revenue for the quarter was up 6.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.66 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Edwards Lifesciences Co. will post 2.71 EPS for the current fiscal year. Insider Activity In other news, CFO Scott B. Ullem sold 5,625 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $90.45, for a total transaction of $508,781.25. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 30,561 shares in the company, valued at $2,764,242.45. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In related news, CFO Scott B. Ullem sold 5,625 shares of Edwards Lifesciences stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $90.45, for a total value of $508,781.25. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 30,561 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,764,242.45. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, VP Donald E. Bobo, Jr. sold 5,000 shares of Edwards Lifesciences stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $87.54, for a total value of $437,700.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 46,936 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,108,777.44. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 29,242 shares of company stock worth $2,498,870 over the last three months. 1.29% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Edwards Lifesciences Company Profile (Free Report) Edwards Lifesciences Corporation provides products and technologies for structural heart disease and critical care monitoring in the United States, Europe, Japan, and internationally. It offers transcatheter heart valve replacement products for the minimally invasive replacement of aortic heart valves under the Edwards SAPIEN family of valves system; and transcatheter heart valve repair and replacement products to treat mitral and tricuspid valve diseases under the PASCAL PRECISION and Cardioband names. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding EW? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Edwards Lifesciences Co. (NYSE:EW Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Edwards Lifesciences Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Edwards Lifesciences and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. PGGM Investments raised its holdings in shares of Boston Scientific Co. (NYSE:BSX Free Report) by 9.6% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 117,794 shares of the medical equipment providers stock after purchasing an additional 10,366 shares during the quarter. PGGM Investments holdings in Boston Scientific were worth $9,071,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. CVA Family Office LLC grew its stake in shares of Boston Scientific by 7.4% in the 2nd quarter. CVA Family Office LLC now owns 1,909 shares of the medical equipment providers stock worth $147,000 after acquiring an additional 131 shares in the last quarter. ST Germain D J Co. Inc. grew its stake in shares of Boston Scientific by 8.0% in the 2nd quarter. ST Germain D J Co. Inc. now owns 1,923 shares of the medical equipment providers stock worth $148,000 after acquiring an additional 143 shares in the last quarter. Pinnacle Associates Ltd. grew its position in Boston Scientific by 2.0% during the first quarter. Pinnacle Associates Ltd. now owns 7,478 shares of the medical equipment providers stock valued at $512,000 after buying an additional 148 shares during the period. Transcend Capital Advisors LLC grew its position in Boston Scientific by 2.2% during the second quarter. Transcend Capital Advisors LLC now owns 6,773 shares of the medical equipment providers stock valued at $522,000 after buying an additional 148 shares during the period. Finally, KCM Investment Advisors LLC grew its position in Boston Scientific by 1.7% during the first quarter. KCM Investment Advisors LLC now owns 9,225 shares of the medical equipment providers stock valued at $632,000 after buying an additional 150 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 89.07% of the companys stock. Get Boston Scientific alerts: Boston Scientific Price Performance BSX traded up $0.50 on Wednesday, reaching $76.42. The company had a trading volume of 3,620,335 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,246,466. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $76.36 and a 200 day simple moving average of $71.71. The company has a market cap of $112.12 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 64.22, a P/E/G ratio of 2.49 and a beta of 0.78. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a current ratio of 1.66. Boston Scientific Co. has a 52-week low of $48.35 and a 52-week high of $79.43. Insider Buying and Selling at Boston Scientific Boston Scientific ( NYSE:BSX Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The medical equipment provider reported $0.62 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.58 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $4.12 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.02 billion. Boston Scientific had a net margin of 12.00% and a return on equity of 16.80%. Boston Scientifics quarterly revenue was up 14.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.53 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Boston Scientific Co. will post 2.4 EPS for the current year. In other Boston Scientific news, EVP Arthur C. Butcher sold 14,011 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $75.34, for a total transaction of $1,055,588.74. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 20,197 shares in the company, valued at $1,521,641.98. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other news, EVP Arthur C. Butcher sold 14,011 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $75.34, for a total value of $1,055,588.74. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 20,197 shares in the company, valued at $1,521,641.98. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Wendy Carruthers sold 6,983 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $77.30, for a total transaction of $539,785.90. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 42,908 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,316,788.40. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 34,960 shares of company stock worth $2,638,984 over the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.50% of the companys stock. Analysts Set New Price Targets BSX has been the subject of several research reports. Truist Financial increased their price target on shares of Boston Scientific from $86.00 to $90.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 16th. Morgan Stanley increased their price target on shares of Boston Scientific from $79.00 to $92.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, July 15th. Citigroup increased their price target on shares of Boston Scientific from $87.00 to $90.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 10th. Barclays upped their price objective on shares of Boston Scientific from $70.00 to $78.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Friday, April 26th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC upped their price objective on shares of Boston Scientific from $82.00 to $86.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, July 25th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nineteen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $84.76. View Our Latest Report on Boston Scientific Boston Scientific Company Profile (Free Report) Boston Scientific Corporation develops, manufactures, and markets medical devices for use in various interventional medical specialties worldwide. It operates through two segments, MedSurg and Cardiovascular. The company offers devices to diagnose and treat gastrointestinal and pulmonary conditions, such as resolution clips, biliary stent systems, stents and electrocautery enhanced delivery systems, direct visualization systems, digital catheters, and single-use duodenoscopes; devices to treat urological conditions, including ureteral stents, catheters, baskets, guidewires, sheaths, balloons, single-use digital flexible ureteroscopes, holmium laser systems, artificial urinary sphincter, laser system, fiber, and hydrogel systems; and devices to treat neurological movement disorders and manage chronic pain, such as spinal cord stimulator system, proprietary programming software, radiofrequency generator, indirect decompression systems, practice optimization tools, and deep brain stimulation system. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BSX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Boston Scientific Co. (NYSE:BSX Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Boston Scientific Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Boston Scientific and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. PGGM Investments trimmed its stake in shares of UDR, Inc. (NYSE:UDR Free Report) by 1.1% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 3,176,167 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after selling 35,557 shares during the quarter. UDR makes up about 1.9% of PGGM Investments portfolio, making the stock its 13th largest holding. PGGM Investments owned about 0.96% of UDR worth $130,699,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Principal Securities Inc. acquired a new position in UDR in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Fidelis Capital Partners LLC acquired a new position in UDR in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Quest Partners LLC acquired a new position in UDR in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Livforsakringsbolaget Skandia Omsesidigt increased its position in UDR by 87.3% in the 4th quarter. Livforsakringsbolaget Skandia Omsesidigt now owns 1,435 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $55,000 after acquiring an additional 669 shares during the period. Finally, Addison Advisors LLC increased its position in UDR by 53.1% in the 4th quarter. Addison Advisors LLC now owns 1,731 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $66,000 after acquiring an additional 600 shares during the period. 97.84% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get UDR alerts: UDR Stock Up 0.2 % Shares of UDR stock traded up $0.10 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $41.79. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,068,166 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,657,915. UDR, Inc. has a one year low of $30.95 and a one year high of $42.42. The company has a market capitalization of $13.76 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.28, a P/E/G ratio of 9.22 and a beta of 0.83. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $40.81 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $38.47. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.57, a quick ratio of 5.82 and a current ratio of 5.82. UDR Announces Dividend UDR ( NYSE:UDR Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 30th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.08 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.61 by ($0.53). UDR had a net margin of 8.34% and a return on equity of 3.70%. The business had revenue of $415.30 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $413.75 million. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.61 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was up 2.7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts forecast that UDR, Inc. will post 2.45 earnings per share for the current year. The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, July 31st. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, July 10th were paid a $0.425 dividend. This represents a $1.70 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.07%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, July 10th. UDRs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 123.19%. Insider Buying and Selling at UDR In other UDR news, CEO Thomas W. Toomey sold 90,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, June 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $39.52, for a total value of $3,556,800.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 849,716 shares of the companys stock, valued at $33,580,776.32. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 3.73% of the companys stock. Analyst Ratings Changes UDR has been the subject of several recent research reports. Mizuho upped their price target on shares of UDR from $35.00 to $38.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, May 30th. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price objective on shares of UDR from $41.00 to $40.00 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, August 1st. Truist Financial increased their price objective on shares of UDR from $42.00 to $44.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday, June 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on shares of UDR from $42.00 to $43.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, June 17th. Finally, Wedbush increased their price objective on shares of UDR from $45.00 to $49.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, August 5th. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, UDR has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $41.61. Get Our Latest Analysis on UDR UDR Company Profile (Free Report) UDR, Inc (NYSE: UDR), an S&P 500 company, is a leading multifamily real estate investment trust with a demonstrated performance history of delivering superior and dependable returns by successfully managing, buying, selling, developing and redeveloping attractive real estate communities in targeted U.S. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for UDR Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for UDR and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. PGGM Investments lowered its holdings in Brown & Brown, Inc. (NYSE:BRO Free Report) by 9.9% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 17,910 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 1,958 shares during the quarter. PGGM Investments holdings in Brown & Brown were worth $1,601,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System grew its holdings in shares of Brown & Brown by 2.5% during the first quarter. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System now owns 267,190 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $23,390,000 after purchasing an additional 6,613 shares during the last quarter. Sei Investments Co. increased its holdings in shares of Brown & Brown by 12.7% in the first quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 276,090 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $24,169,000 after purchasing an additional 31,071 shares in the last quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. raised its position in Brown & Brown by 206.0% in the 4th quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. now owns 15,302 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,088,000 after purchasing an additional 10,301 shares during the last quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. boosted its position in Brown & Brown by 55.4% in the 4th quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 358,929 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $25,519,000 after buying an additional 127,903 shares during the last quarter. Finally, DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale increased its stake in shares of Brown & Brown by 12.4% in the 1st quarter. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale now owns 251,839 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $21,855,000 after buying an additional 27,879 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 71.01% of the companys stock. Get Brown & Brown alerts: Insider Activity In other Brown & Brown news, EVP Julie Turpin sold 3,350 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, June 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $89.92, for a total transaction of $301,232.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 23,597 shares in the company, valued at $2,121,842.24. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In related news, EVP Julie Turpin sold 3,350 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, June 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $89.92, for a total value of $301,232.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 23,597 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,121,842.24. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CFO R. Andrew Watts sold 2,500 shares of Brown & Brown stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $100.32, for a total transaction of $250,800.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 88,445 shares in the company, valued at $8,872,802.40. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 17.02% of the companys stock. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of analysts recently commented on the company. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lifted their price objective on Brown & Brown from $86.00 to $92.00 and gave the stock an underperform rating in a research report on Friday, July 26th. StockNews.com lowered shares of Brown & Brown from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, August 8th. Wells Fargo & Company raised Brown & Brown from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $94.00 to $112.00 in a research note on Monday. Raymond James raised their target price on Brown & Brown from $95.00 to $110.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, July 25th. Finally, Citigroup upped their price target on Brown & Brown from $94.00 to $100.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, May 31st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, Brown & Brown currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $99.20. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on BRO Brown & Brown Trading Down 0.2 % Shares of NYSE:BRO traded down $0.16 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $101.14. The companys stock had a trading volume of 443,173 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,257,364. Brown & Brown, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $66.73 and a fifty-two week high of $103.16. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.56, a quick ratio of 2.35 and a current ratio of 2.35. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $94.06 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $87.78. The firm has a market capitalization of $28.85 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.17, a PEG ratio of 2.50 and a beta of 0.82. Brown & Brown (NYSE:BRO Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, July 22nd. The financial services provider reported $0.93 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.88 by $0.05. The firm had revenue of $1.18 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.14 billion. Brown & Brown had a net margin of 21.95% and a return on equity of 17.00%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 12.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.68 earnings per share. As a group, analysts forecast that Brown & Brown, Inc. will post 3.67 earnings per share for the current year. Brown & Brown Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, August 14th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, August 7th were paid a $0.13 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, August 7th. This represents a $0.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.51%. Brown & Browns dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 16.00%. Brown & Brown Company Profile (Free Report) Brown & Brown, Inc markets and sells insurance products and services in the United States, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Retail, National Programs, Wholesale Brokerage, and Services. The Retail segment provides property and casualty, employee benefits insurance products, personal insurance products, specialties insurance products, risk management strategies, loss control survey and analysis, consultancy, and claims processing services. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Brown & Brown Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Brown & Brown and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. AGF Management Limited (OTCMKTS:AGFMF Get Free Report) was the target of a large drop in short interest in July. As of July 31st, there was short interest totalling 12,500 shares, a drop of 55.7% from the July 15th total of 28,200 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 6,700 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 1.9 days. AGF Management Stock Performance Shares of OTCMKTS:AGFMF opened at $5.70 on Thursday. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $6.03 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $5.98. AGF Management has a 1-year low of $4.73 and a 1-year high of $6.57. Get AGF Management alerts: AGF Management Company Profile (Get Free Report) Featured Stories AGF Management Limited is one of Canada's premier investment management companies with offices across Canada and subsidiaries around the world. 2007 marks AGF's 50th anniversary ofproviding Canadians with innovative investment solutions across the wealth continuum. AGF's products and services include a diversified family of more than 50 mutual funds, the evolutionary AGF Elements portfolios, the Harmony asset management program, AGF Private Investment Management, Institutional Account Services and AGF Trust GICs, loans and mortgages. Receive News & Ratings for AGF Management Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AGF Management and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Smith Douglas Homes (NYSE:SDHC Get Free Report) had its price target hoisted by equities researchers at Bank of America from $30.00 to $36.00 in a note issued to investors on Thursday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a neutral rating on the stock. Bank of Americas target price suggests a potential upside of 0.56% from the stocks current price. Several other research analysts have also commented on SDHC. Wedbush reissued a neutral rating and issued a $20.00 price target on shares of Smith Douglas Homes in a research report on Wednesday. Royal Bank of Canada reissued a sector perform rating and set a $26.00 price target on shares of Smith Douglas Homes in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on shares of Smith Douglas Homes from $25.00 to $35.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Thursday. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Smith Douglas Homes has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $29.70. Get Smith Douglas Homes alerts: View Our Latest Stock Report on Smith Douglas Homes Smith Douglas Homes Stock Up 2.2 % NYSE:SDHC traded up $0.78 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $35.80. The stock had a trading volume of 73,689 shares, compared to its average volume of 152,827. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $26.56 and a 200 day moving average of $27.70. Smith Douglas Homes has a one year low of $20.55 and a one year high of $37.74. Smith Douglas Homes (NYSE:SDHC Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 14th. The company reported $0.40 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.37 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $220.90 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $208.02 million. The companys revenue was up 21.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts predict that Smith Douglas Homes will post 1.69 EPS for the current year. Institutional Trading of Smith Douglas Homes Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of SDHC. Federated Hermes Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Smith Douglas Homes by 5.5% in the second quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 527,300 shares of the companys stock worth $12,328,000 after buying an additional 27,300 shares during the last quarter. Hood River Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Smith Douglas Homes in the 1st quarter valued at $14,321,000. Vanguard Group Inc. purchased a new position in Smith Douglas Homes in the 1st quarter worth $13,451,000. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA lifted its position in Smith Douglas Homes by 1.9% during the 2nd quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 450,193 shares of the companys stock worth $10,526,000 after acquiring an additional 8,193 shares during the period. Finally, Long Pond Capital LP purchased a new stake in Smith Douglas Homes during the 1st quarter valued at about $12,388,000. Smith Douglas Homes Company Profile (Get Free Report) Smith Douglas Homes Corp., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, construction, and sale of single-family homes in the southeastern United States. It also provides closing, escrow, and title insurance services. The company sells its products to entry-level and empty-nest homebuyers. Smith Douglas Homes Corp. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Smith Douglas Homes Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Smith Douglas Homes and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Superior Plus (TSE:SPB Get Free Report) had its price objective reduced by investment analysts at Royal Bank of Canada from C$13.00 to C$11.00 in a note issued to investors on Thursday, BayStreet.CA reports. Royal Bank of Canadas price target would suggest a potential upside of 41.94% from the stocks current price. A number of other equities analysts have also recently issued reports on SPB. TD Securities dropped their price target on shares of Superior Plus from C$12.00 to C$10.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price target on shares of Superior Plus from C$13.00 to C$12.50 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. National Bankshares dropped their price target on shares of Superior Plus from C$10.00 to C$9.00 in a research note on Thursday. National Bank Financial cut shares of Superior Plus from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 16th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets dropped their price target on shares of Superior Plus from C$12.00 to C$10.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of C$10.86. Get Superior Plus alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Superior Plus Superior Plus Stock Up 1.2 % Shares of SPB stock traded up C$0.09 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching C$7.75. 747,506 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 873,914. Superior Plus has a 12 month low of C$7.51 and a 12 month high of C$10.90. The company has a market cap of C$1.93 billion, a P/E ratio of 40.43 and a beta of 0.77. The company has a quick ratio of 0.46, a current ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 129.19. The companys 50-day moving average price is C$8.46 and its 200-day moving average price is C$9.16. Superior Plus (TSE:SPB Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, May 14th. The company reported C$0.40 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of C$0.45 by C($0.05). Superior Plus had a net margin of 0.57% and a return on equity of 2.58%. The business had revenue of C$1.21 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of C$1.38 billion. On average, equities analysts expect that Superior Plus will post 0.2619128 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Superior Plus news, Senior Officer Kirsten Olsen purchased 3,765 shares of Superior Plus stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 27th. The stock was purchased at an average price of C$9.37 per share, with a total value of C$35,278.05. 0.54% of the stock is owned by insiders. Superior Plus Company Profile (Get Free Report) Superior Plus Corp. distributes and markets propane, compressed natural gas and renewable energy in both the United States and Canada. The company operates through The United States Retail Propane Distribution (U.S. Propane), Canadian Retail Propane Distribution (Canadian Propane), and North American Wholesale Propane Distribution (Wholesale Propane), and Certarus segments. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Superior Plus Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Superior Plus and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sysco Co. (NYSE:SYY Get Free Report) has received an average rating of Moderate Buy from the eleven ratings firms that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 1 year price target among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $85.27. A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Truist Financial decreased their price target on shares of Sysco from $87.00 to $85.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Monday, June 24th. BMO Capital Markets reduced their target price on shares of Sysco from $90.00 to $85.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, May 23rd. UBS Group lowered their price target on Sysco from $92.00 to $87.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, May 1st. Barclays raised their price objective on Sysco from $85.00 to $88.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 31st. Finally, Morgan Stanley lowered their price objective on Sysco from $82.00 to $81.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, July 16th. Get Sysco alerts: Get Our Latest Report on SYY Sysco Stock Performance SYY opened at $76.01 on Thursday. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $72.94 and a 200-day moving average of $76.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.19, a quick ratio of 0.69 and a current ratio of 1.20. Sysco has a 52-week low of $62.24 and a 52-week high of $82.89. The company has a market cap of $37.85 billion, a PE ratio of 18.54, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.97 and a beta of 1.18. Sysco (NYSE:SYY Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, July 30th. The company reported $1.39 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.38 by $0.01. Sysco had a return on equity of 102.09% and a net margin of 2.48%. The firm had revenue of $20.56 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $20.51 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.34 earnings per share. The companys revenue was up 4.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Sysco will post 4.6 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Sysco Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Ameriprise Financial Inc. boosted its position in shares of Sysco by 26.1% in the 2nd quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 8,623,178 shares of the companys stock worth $615,076,000 after purchasing an additional 1,782,180 shares during the last quarter. APG Asset Management N.V. lifted its stake in Sysco by 223.1% in the second quarter. APG Asset Management N.V. now owns 58,510 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,897,000 after buying an additional 40,400 shares during the period. AXA S.A. boosted its holdings in Sysco by 256.7% during the second quarter. AXA S.A. now owns 652,418 shares of the companys stock worth $46,576,000 after buying an additional 469,514 shares during the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in Sysco by 2,360.2% during the second quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,165 shares of the companys stock worth $155,000 after buying an additional 2,077 shares during the last quarter. Finally, BRITISH COLUMBIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT Corp grew its position in shares of Sysco by 58.3% during the 2nd quarter. BRITISH COLUMBIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT Corp now owns 95,353 shares of the companys stock worth $6,807,000 after buying an additional 35,135 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.41% of the companys stock. About Sysco (Get Free Report Sysco Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in the marketing and distribution of various food and related products to the foodservice or food-away-from-home industry in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, and internationally. It operates through U.S. Foodservice Operations, International Foodservice Operations, SYGMA, and Other segments. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Sysco Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Sysco and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Teck Resources Limited (NYSE:TECK Get Free Report) (TSE:TECK) have been assigned an average recommendation of Moderate Buy from the ten research firms that are covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average 12-month target price among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $62.40. TECK has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Paradigm Capital upgraded shares of Teck Resources to a moderate buy rating in a research report on Friday, July 26th. BMO Capital Markets initiated coverage on shares of Teck Resources in a research report on Monday, July 15th. They set an outperform rating on the stock. CIBC lifted their price objective on shares of Teck Resources from $70.00 to $80.00 and gave the company an outperformer rating in a research report on Friday, July 12th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on shares of Teck Resources from $55.00 to $60.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, June 21st. Finally, Eight Capital cut shares of Teck Resources from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, July 11th. Get Teck Resources alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Teck Resources Teck Resources Price Performance NYSE TECK opened at $46.83 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 1.48, a quick ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. Teck Resources has a 12 month low of $34.38 and a 12 month high of $55.13. The stock has a market cap of $23.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.72 and a beta of 1.05. The companys 50 day moving average is $47.68 and its two-hundred day moving average is $46.10. Teck Resources (NYSE:TECK Get Free Report) (TSE:TECK) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 24th. The basic materials company reported $0.79 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.47 by $0.32. Teck Resources had a return on equity of 6.52% and a net margin of 9.40%. The firm had revenue of $3.87 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.67 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.91 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 10.1% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Teck Resources will post 1.97 earnings per share for the current year. Teck Resources Increases Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 27th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 13th will be given a dividend of $0.625 per share. This is a boost from Teck Resourcess previous quarterly dividend of $0.09. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 13th. This represents a $2.50 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.34%. Teck Resourcess payout ratio is 16.37%. Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. First Hawaiian Bank increased its position in Teck Resources by 6.0% during the first quarter. First Hawaiian Bank now owns 5,552 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $254,000 after acquiring an additional 313 shares during the last quarter. Cigna Investments Inc. New boosted its stake in shares of Teck Resources by 3.8% during the second quarter. Cigna Investments Inc. New now owns 8,762 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $420,000 after purchasing an additional 317 shares during the period. Candriam S.C.A. boosted its stake in shares of Teck Resources by 4.0% during the second quarter. Candriam S.C.A. now owns 8,897 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $426,000 after purchasing an additional 343 shares during the period. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Teck Resources by 3.3% during the first quarter. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC now owns 10,981 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $503,000 after purchasing an additional 353 shares during the period. Finally, Evergreen Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Teck Resources by 7.8% during the second quarter. Evergreen Capital Management LLC now owns 5,064 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $243,000 after purchasing an additional 365 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 78.06% of the companys stock. About Teck Resources (Get Free Report Teck Resources Limited engages in exploring for, acquiring, developing, and producing natural resources in Asia, Europe, and North America. The company operates through Steelmaking Coal, Copper, Zinc, and Energy segments. Its principal products include copper, zinc, steelmaking coal, and blended bitumen. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Teck Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Teck Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS Get Free Report) has received a consensus recommendation of Moderate Buy from the eighteen analysts that are covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have issued a buy rating on the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $495.94. Several research analysts have weighed in on GS shares. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on The Goldman Sachs Group from $504.00 to $550.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 16th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their target price on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $485.00 to $520.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, June 27th. Seaport Res Ptn cut shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 2nd. Oppenheimer boosted their price objective on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $504.00 to $559.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 16th. Finally, UBS Group lifted their price target on The Goldman Sachs Group from $490.00 to $535.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, July 9th. Get The Goldman Sachs Group alerts: Get Our Latest Research Report on The Goldman Sachs Group Insider Buying and Selling at The Goldman Sachs Group Hedge Funds Weigh In On The Goldman Sachs Group In other news, major shareholder Goldman Sachs Group Inc sold 4,000,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $6.34, for a total value of $25,360,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 12,981,022 shares of the companys stock, valued at $82,299,679.48. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink . In related news, Director Thomas K. Montag sold 10,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, July 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $505.04, for a total transaction of $5,050,400.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 12,450 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,287,748. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink . Also, major shareholder Goldman Sachs Group Inc sold 4,000,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $6.34, for a total value of $25,360,000.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 12,981,022 shares in the company, valued at $82,299,679.48. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . In the last quarter, insiders have sold 4,013,500 shares of company stock valued at $32,181,365. 0.54% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in GS. Capital World Investors lifted its holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group by 6.0% during the 4th quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 6,012,564 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $2,319,470,000 after buying an additional 338,181 shares during the period. Fisher Asset Management LLC raised its holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group by 2.8% during the 4th quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 5,518,035 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $2,128,693,000 after purchasing an additional 152,474 shares during the last quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA lifted its position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 0.5% in the 4th quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 5,195,203 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $2,004,153,000 after purchasing an additional 27,524 shares during the period. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD boosted its stake in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 5.9% in the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 4,953,461 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $1,910,897,000 after purchasing an additional 274,989 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 3.0% during the first quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 4,895,928 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $2,044,980,000 after buying an additional 141,538 shares during the period. 71.21% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. The Goldman Sachs Group Price Performance Shares of GS opened at $498.70 on Thursday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $473.25 and a 200-day moving average of $434.43. The company has a quick ratio of 0.74, a current ratio of 1.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.97. The stock has a market capitalization of $160.81 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.47, a P/E/G ratio of 0.99 and a beta of 1.37. The Goldman Sachs Group has a twelve month low of $289.36 and a twelve month high of $517.26. The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Monday, July 15th. The investment management company reported $8.62 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $8.52 by $0.10. The Goldman Sachs Group had a net margin of 9.36% and a return on equity of 10.26%. The business had revenue of $12.73 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $12.60 billion. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that The Goldman Sachs Group will post 36.74 EPS for the current fiscal year. The Goldman Sachs Group Increases Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 27th. Investors of record on Friday, August 30th will be given a dividend of $3.00 per share. This is a positive change from The Goldman Sachs Groups previous quarterly dividend of $2.75. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th. This represents a $12.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.41%. The Goldman Sachs Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 46.86%. About The Goldman Sachs Group (Get Free Report The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc, a financial institution, provides a range of financial services for corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals worldwide. It operates through Global Banking & Markets, Asset & Wealth Management, and Platform Solutions segments. The Global Banking & Markets segment provides financial advisory services, including strategic advisory assignments related to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate defense activities, restructurings, and spin-offs; and relationship lending, and acquisition financing, as well as secured lending, through structured credit and asset-backed lending and involved in financing under securities to resale agreements. Read More Receive News & Ratings for The Goldman Sachs Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for The Goldman Sachs Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Warrior Met Coal, Inc. (NYSE:HCC Get Free Report) have been assigned a consensus rating of Moderate Buy from the six analysts that are currently covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and three have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 1 year target price among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $73.00. A number of brokerages have weighed in on HCC. B. Riley increased their target price on shares of Warrior Met Coal from $91.00 to $92.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd. BMO Capital Markets increased their target price on shares of Warrior Met Coal from $62.00 to $70.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a report on Thursday, May 2nd. Finally, Benchmark reissued a hold rating on shares of Warrior Met Coal in a report on Monday, August 5th. Get Warrior Met Coal alerts: Read Our Latest Analysis on HCC Insider Buying and Selling Hedge Funds Weigh In On Warrior Met Coal In related news, CEO Walter J. Scheller sold 23,148 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $75.15, for a total value of $1,739,572.20. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 340,485 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $25,587,447.75. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink . In related news, insider Kelli K. Gant sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $75.06, for a total value of $750,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 61,678 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,629,550.68. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link . Also, CEO Walter J. Scheller sold 23,148 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $75.15, for a total transaction of $1,739,572.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 340,485 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $25,587,447.75. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Corporate insiders own 1.00% of the companys stock. A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of HCC. Wulff Hansen & CO. grew its position in Warrior Met Coal by 6,177.0% in the 2nd quarter. Wulff Hansen & CO. now owns 331,551 shares of the companys stock valued at $20,811,000 after buying an additional 326,269 shares in the last quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. grew its position in Warrior Met Coal by 33.8% in the 1st quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 974,247 shares of the companys stock valued at $59,137,000 after buying an additional 246,217 shares in the last quarter. Hosking Partners LLP boosted its position in shares of Warrior Met Coal by 68.9% during the 2nd quarter. Hosking Partners LLP now owns 482,147 shares of the companys stock valued at $30,264,000 after purchasing an additional 196,601 shares in the last quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC bought a new position in shares of Warrior Met Coal during the 1st quarter valued at about $9,234,000. Finally, Merewether Investment Management LP bought a new position in shares of Warrior Met Coal during the 2nd quarter valued at about $9,190,000. Institutional investors own 92.28% of the companys stock. Warrior Met Coal Trading Down 7.4 % NYSE HCC opened at $57.36 on Friday. Warrior Met Coal has a 12 month low of $38.14 and a 12 month high of $75.53. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.10, a current ratio of 6.86 and a quick ratio of 5.85. The company has a market capitalization of $3.00 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 6.90 and a beta of 1.05. The companys fifty day moving average price is $66.31 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $63.50. Warrior Met Coal (NYSE:HCC Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The company reported $1.35 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.32 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $396.52 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $387.91 million. Warrior Met Coal had a net margin of 25.01% and a return on equity of 23.27%. The firms revenue was up 4.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.63 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts predict that Warrior Met Coal will post 7.36 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Warrior Met Coal Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, August 13th. Investors of record on Tuesday, August 6th were issued a $0.08 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, August 6th. This represents a $0.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.56%. Warrior Met Coals dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 3.85%. About Warrior Met Coal (Get Free Report Warrior Met Coal, Inc produces and exports non-thermal metallurgical coal for the steel industry. It operates two underground mines located in Alabama. The company sells its metallurgical coal to a customer base of blast furnace steel producers located primarily in Europe, South America, and Asia. It also sells natural gas, which is extracted as a byproduct from coal production. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Warrior Met Coal Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Warrior Met Coal and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Smith Douglas Homes (NYSE:SDHC Get Free Report) had its price target boosted by equities researchers at Wells Fargo & Company from $25.00 to $35.00 in a report released on Thursday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has an equal weight rating on the stock. Wells Fargo & Companys price target indicates a potential upside of 2.19% from the stocks previous close. Other equities research analysts have also issued reports about the company. Wedbush restated a neutral rating and issued a $20.00 price target on shares of Smith Douglas Homes in a research report on Wednesday. Royal Bank of Canada restated a sector perform rating and issued a $26.00 price target on shares of Smith Douglas Homes in a research report on Thursday. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $28.10. Get Smith Douglas Homes alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on Smith Douglas Homes Smith Douglas Homes Price Performance NYSE:SDHC traded down $0.77 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $34.25. 20,960 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 152,474. Smith Douglas Homes has a 52-week low of $20.55 and a 52-week high of $37.74. The firms fifty day moving average price is $26.56 and its 200 day moving average price is $27.70. Smith Douglas Homes (NYSE:SDHC Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 14th. The company reported $0.40 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.37 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $220.90 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $208.02 million. The companys quarterly revenue was up 21.7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts expect that Smith Douglas Homes will post 1.69 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Hood River Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Smith Douglas Homes during the first quarter worth $14,321,000. Vanguard Group Inc. acquired a new position in Smith Douglas Homes during the first quarter worth $13,451,000. Long Pond Capital LP acquired a new position in Smith Douglas Homes during the first quarter worth $12,388,000. Zimmer Partners LP acquired a new position in Smith Douglas Homes during the first quarter worth $9,652,000. Finally, Thornburg Investment Management Inc. acquired a new position in Smith Douglas Homes during the second quarter worth $4,975,000. About Smith Douglas Homes (Get Free Report) Smith Douglas Homes Corp., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, construction, and sale of single-family homes in the southeastern United States. It also provides closing, escrow, and title insurance services. The company sells its products to entry-level and empty-nest homebuyers. Smith Douglas Homes Corp. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Smith Douglas Homes Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Smith Douglas Homes and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. trimmed its holdings in Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) by 11.6% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 142,638 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 18,741 shares during the quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc.s holdings in Wells Fargo & Company were worth $8,471,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Core Wealth Advisors Inc. bought a new position in Wells Fargo & Company in the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Tennessee Valley Asset Management Partners bought a new position in Wells Fargo & Company during the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. Transcendent Capital Group LLC bought a new position in Wells Fargo & Company during the 4th quarter valued at $32,000. Wetzel Investment Advisors Inc. bought a new position in Wells Fargo & Company during the 4th quarter valued at $32,000. Finally, Atlantic Edge Private Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Wells Fargo & Company during the 4th quarter valued at $34,000. 75.90% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. Get Wells Fargo & Company alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades WFC has been the subject of a number of research reports. Evercore ISI reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $67.00 price target (down from $70.00) on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a research note on Monday, July 15th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price target on Wells Fargo & Company from $62.00 to $64.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 3rd. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reduced their price objective on Wells Fargo & Company from $62.00 to $61.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a research note on Monday, July 15th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their target price on Wells Fargo & Company from $55.00 to $57.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a report on Thursday, July 11th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on Wells Fargo & Company from $64.00 to $68.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, July 30th. Thirteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $59.91. Wells Fargo & Company Stock Up 1.5 % Shares of WFC stock traded up $0.78 on Wednesday, reaching $53.65. 13,214,975 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 18,125,953. The company has a market capitalization of $187.04 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.02, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 1.17. Wells Fargo & Company has a 12-month low of $38.38 and a 12-month high of $62.55. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.11, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a current ratio of 0.86. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $57.80 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $57.10. Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, July 12th. The financial services provider reported $1.33 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.29 by $0.04. The firm had revenue of $20.69 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $20.29 billion. Wells Fargo & Company had a return on equity of 12.30% and a net margin of 15.17%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up .8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.25 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts forecast that Wells Fargo & Company will post 5.14 earnings per share for the current year. Wells Fargo & Company Increases Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Sunday, September 1st. Investors of record on Friday, August 9th will be given a dividend of $0.40 per share. This is a boost from Wells Fargo & Companys previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 9th. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.98%. Wells Fargo & Companys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 32.85%. Wells Fargo & Company Company Profile (Free Report) Wells Fargo & Company, a financial services company, provides diversified banking, investment, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance products and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through four segments: Consumer Banking and Lending; Commercial Banking; Corporate and Investment Banking; and Wealth and Investment Management. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding WFC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Wells Fargo & Company Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Wells Fargo & Company and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Xinyuan Real Estate Co., Ltd. (NYSE:XIN Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large decrease in short interest in the month of July. As of July 31st, there was short interest totalling 19,100 shares, a decrease of 19.1% from the July 15th total of 23,600 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 21,100 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.9 days. Currently, 0.3% of the companys stock are short sold. Xinyuan Real Estate Stock Performance Shares of Xinyuan Real Estate stock traded up $0.02 on Thursday, reaching $2.85. 4,972 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 11,318. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $2.81 and its 200-day moving average price is $2.80. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.85, a quick ratio of 0.28 and a current ratio of 0.28. Xinyuan Real Estate has a 1-year low of $1.92 and a 1-year high of $4.26. Get Xinyuan Real Estate alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Separately, StockNews.com started coverage on Xinyuan Real Estate in a report on Wednesday. They issued a hold rating for the company. About Xinyuan Real Estate (Get Free Report) Xinyuan Real Estate Co, Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, engages in residential real estate development and construction in the People's Republic of China, the United States, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom. The company develops residential projects, such as multi-layer apartment buildings, sub-high-rise apartment buildings, high-rise apartment buildings; auxiliary services and amenities, such as retail outlets, leisure and health facilities, kindergartens, and schools, as well as office, mixed-use, and commercial properties. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Xinyuan Real Estate Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Xinyuan Real Estate and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Follow us on: Kolkata Rape and murder Case: Preity Zinta, Kareena Kapoor, and other celebs call for immediate action You are already a Moneycontrol Pro user. OK Follow us on: Sonu Sood hoists Indian flag in the US on 78th Independence Day, shares heartwarming moments OTHERS OTHERS Follow us on: My Account or or Hello, Login All Google antitrust case: US judge plans order to expand app access on android, citing Google monopoly Follow us on: SBI, PNB in talks with Karnataka govt on decision to close bank accounts OTHERS OTHERS Follow us on: My Account or or Hello, Login All Quick commerce wars to intensify as Ola enters Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, Zepto and Flipkart Minutes turf OTHERS OTHERS Follow us on: My Account or or Hello, Login All HUL, ITC, Dabur ride the quick commerce boom for higher margins and rapid growth India ramps up crude oil supply from Russia in the last two months; Iraq, Saudi lag behind Preeti Kulkarni is a financial journalist with over 13 years of experience. Based in Mumbai, she covers the personal finance beat for Moneycontrol. 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He died on August 8 in a tragic accident while he was hiking. SF Recreation and Parks describes Mullen as having been an upbeat and fun-loving person. It was his second year working at the camp. Grief counselors responded last week to provide support to fellow employees. No additional information about the incident has immediately been released. Camp Mather is located near the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. HARARE Jailed opposition leader Jacob Ngarivhume was accused of stoning two police officers, leading to their injuries, a court heard on Wednesday. The investigating officer in Ngarivhumes disorderly conduct case, Victor Mukohwa, told a Harare court that the Transform Zimbabwe leader was seen stoning the officers during an incident that led to his arrest. Ngarivhume is jointly charged with Kelvin Gonde. The two were among Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) activists arrested on June 16 this year for allegedly participating in an unlawful gathering. Mukohwa said the two were positively identified attacking the cops who arrested the group. The two police officers Tashu and Chirambadare were medically examined, he said, adding, At the moment, I only have one medical affidavit and Im yet to get more affidavits for the other officers who were injured during the process. Ngarivhume and Gonde were arrested earlier this month and have been in custody since then. The state says 30 witnesses, all police officers, are lined up to testify against the two. The state intends to produce the police officers medical affidavits as evidence during the trial. The bail hearing, presided over by magistrate Farai Gwatima, continues this Thursday. Ngarivhumes arrest and the allegations against him come amidst a backdrop of heightened political tension in Zimbabwe. The country has witnessed a crackdown on dissent, with several opposition activists and journalists facing charges of inciting violence or undermining the authority of the state. Ngarivhume, a vocal critic of President Emmerson Mnangagwas government, has been a prominent figure in the opposition movement. He has been arrested and detained several times in recent years for his political activities. In 2020, Ngarivhume was arrested and charged with inciting public violence after he called for protests against the governments handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. He spent several months in prison before being granted bail. Ngarivhumes arrest and the allegations against him have been condemned by human rights groups, who have accused the government of using the justice system to silence its critics. The charges against Ngarivhume are politically motivated and designed to intimidate and silence him, said Dewa Mavhinga, the Southern Africa director of Human Rights Watch. The government is using the law to target its opponents and create a climate of fear. The case against Ngarivhume is being closely watched by both local and international observers. It is seen as a test of the governments commitment to upholding the rule of law and protecting freedom of expression. The allegations against Ngarivhume, if proven, could lead to a lengthy prison sentence. However, his supporters maintain that he is innocent and that the charges against him are politically motivated. Breaking News via Email Related Zimbabwe Latest News The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has taken the fight against corruption in Harare to a new level, seizing luxury vehicles belonging to the wives of imprisoned Harare town clerk Hosiah Chisango, Newsday has reported. This move, which comes just weeks after Chisangos arrest, is seen as a significant step in the ongoing investigation into allegations of corruption within the City of Harare. The ZACC believes the vehicles were purchased by Chisango using funds obtained through corrupt activities at Town House. Chisango was arrested last month over a US$9,2 million streetlights deal and is currently languishing in remand prison after failing to secure bail. He faces a criminal abuse of office charge alongside four other council workers for awarding a contract to Juluka Endo Joint Venture, owned by businessman Moses Mpofu, who is also in remand prison. The scandal revolves around a tender for the rehabilitation of street lighting along Harares roads, a project undertaken in preparation for the upcoming 44th Southern African Development Committee (SADC) summit scheduled for this coming weekend in the capital. The tender, advertised in the Government Gazette in March, attracted bids from eleven companies, including Juluka. The arrest of the Town Clerk, who ultimately oversees the citys operations, highlights the deep-seated corruption that has plagued the citys administration for years. Allegations of tender manipulation and abuse of power have become increasingly common, raising concerns about the integrity of public procurement processes in Harare. The ZACCs statement at the time that Chisango was arrested alleged that he acted in connivance with four other officials to award the tender to Juluka without following proper procedures. This suggests a coordinated effort to circumvent the procurement process and enrich themselves at the expense of the citys taxpayers. This arrest follows the arrest of four senior City of Harare officials three weeks ago: Never Murerwa, Jabulani Mukomazi, Denford Zhungu, and Tawanda Mutenhabudo. These individuals, who held key positions within the Procurement Management Unit and the tender evaluation committee, have been remanded in custody, facing allegations of illegally awarding the lucrative streetlight tender to businessman Moses Mpofus company, Juluka Ennd Joint Venture. The ZACCs latest move, targeting the wives of the accused, further underscores the seriousness of the investigation. The agency confirmed that they have confiscated a Toyota Fortuner from Chisangos third wife and a Mercedes-Benz from his fourth wife. Its very true, we have taken a Toyota Fortuner vehicle from Chisangos third wife and Mercedes-Benz from his fourth wife. We are also targeting a Mt Pleasant mansion, which is currently under construction, a ZACC source said. The Mt Pleasant house could simply be one of the best houses in the suburb, but we believe the money came from proceeds from HCC corrupt activities. The ZACCs communications manager, Simiso Mlevu, declined to comment on the matter, stating that the case is sub judice. However, the actions taken by the ZACC send a strong message that they are determined to pursue all avenues in their investigation into the alleged corruption within the City of Harare. The arrest of Chisango and the subsequent seizure of vehicles belonging to his wives have sparked widespread public debate about the extent of corruption within the citys administration. The public is eagerly awaiting the outcome of the investigation and the potential consequences for those implicated. Mayor Jacob Mafume, while acknowledging that he had heard about the developments, declined to comment on the matter, stating that he was not in a position to do so. Yes, I heard about that, but I dont want to comment on such matters. [Zacc] can comment on that, he said. Breaking News via Email Related Zimbabwe Latest News A suspected serial fraudster, Allen Thindwa Mzamu (54), is facing fresh charges after allegedly defrauding a prominent Harare businesswoman of US$1400 in a sophisticated scam that involved the creation of fake national identity documents. Mzamu, who is believed to be part of a syndicate targeting businesses for millions of dollars, appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Simon Kandiyero on August 15, 2024, facing charges of fraud. He was remanded in custody pending his bail ruling. The complainant, Mrs Sharon Tokoda (42), a director of ALKI International (Pvt) Ltd, fell victim to Mzamus elaborate scheme in June 2024. Tokoda had placed an advertisement on WhatsApp groups seeking two 34-tonne trucks to transport sugar from Mazambuka in Zambia to Schweppes Zimbabwe. Mzamu, posing as Guruve Johannes and claiming to represent Bullrock Transport and Logistics Limited, responded to the advertisement. He assured Tokoda that he had the necessary trucks and could handle the sugar transportation. To further convince Tokoda, Mzamu presented a national identity card bearing the name Guruve Johannes, which later proved to be a forgery. He then requested US$1400 in cash to cover fuel costs for the trucks. Tokoda, believing Mzamus fabricated persona, handed over the requested funds. However, Mzamu failed to fulfill his promise and instead became evasive, leaving Tokoda with a significant financial loss. The case against Mzamu is particularly concerning as it highlights the growing trend of sophisticated fraud schemes targeting businesses in Zimbabwe. Mzamus alleged use of forged identity documents and his ability to convincingly portray himself as a legitimate transport operator underscores the need for heightened vigilance among businesses. This latest incident comes as Mzamu is already facing trial on a separate fraud charge involving a staggering R1.2 million. The trial, however, was postponed on August 15th as Mzamu was applying for bail on the new charges in a different court. Mzamus case is scheduled to resume on August 22nd. He is currently facing three counts of fraud and one count of possession of articles for criminal use. Breaking News via Email Related Zimbabwe Latest News Yves here. This post confirms widespread American hypocrisy for free speech: its great as long as your ideological opponents dont get to exercise it. Its depressing as someone who was apolitical and middle-of-the-roadish in the 1970s and 1980s, when free speech was seen as a bedrock and the left of the day were willing to defend the right of bitter opponents like the KKK to exercise it, that the elites are so afraid of debate that the are all on board with stomping on the open exercise of view. This sorry development goes hand-in-hand with rising intolerance and demonization of perceived adversaries. They are no longer citizens with different ideas who might be amenable to persuasion, or in line with you on some but not all issues, to enemies who must be silenced and crushed. Note that this article does not mention the fact that hate speech is not defined under the law, only hate crimes are. I shudder at the efforts to criminalize hate speech. In this era where the young have been trained to see microagressions as tantamount to real harm, the bar is likely to be set very low by historical standards. In addition, this article skips over the ongoing suppression of political speech opposed to government institutions, such as the recent FBI raid on Scott Ritter, which was nominally about the bogus idea that he is a foreign agent. By John G. Geer, Senior Advisor to the Chancellor, Head of Vanderbilts Project on Unity and American Democracy, and Co-Director of Vanderbilt Poll, Vanderbilt University and Jacob Mchangama, Research Professor of Political Science and Executive Director of The Future of Free Speech, Vanderbilt University. Originally published at The Conversation Americans views on free speech change directions every so often. One of those times was during the protests at U.S. universities about the Israel-Hamas war. As scholars of free speech and public opinion, we set out to find out what happened and why. The Supreme Court itself, as recently as 1989, has declared that the bedrock principle of the First Amendment is that the government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable. For years, conservative politicians and commentators have warned that college campuses are not strong enough protectors of free speech. But as demonstrations erupted, these same people complained that the protests were filled with antisemitic hate speech. Leading conservatives declared the demonstrations should be banned and halted, by forceif necessary. Liberals executed a similar reversal. Many of them have supported increased regulation of hate speech against minority groups. But during the campus protests, liberals cautioned that crackdowns by university administrators, state officials and the police violated protestors free speech rights. As researchers at Vanderbilt Universitys Project on Unity and American Democracy and The Future of Free Speech, respectively, we sought to determine where Americans stand. We drew inspiration from a poll done in November 1939in which 3,500 Americans answered questions about free speech. In June 2024, we asked 1,000 Americans the identical questions. When an Abstract Concept Gets More Concrete We found that the vast majority of Americans both then and now agree that democracy requires freedom of speech. Thats in the abstract. When the questions get more concrete, though, their support wanes. Only about half of the respondents in both the 1939 and 2024 polls agreed that anybody in America should be allowed to speak on any subject at any time. The rest believed some speech or certain subjects or speakers should be prohibited. This pattern is not unique to Americans. A 2021 survey in 33 countries by The Future of Free Speech, a nonpartisan think tank based at Vanderbilt, similarly found high levels of support for free speech in the abstract across all countries but lower support across the board for specific speech that was offensive to minority groups or religious beliefs. We dug deeper in surveys in March and June 2024, asking which subjects or speakers should be banned. We thought the publics appetite for free speech might have weakened amid the campus turmoil. We found the opposite. When asked whether seven people with widely varied viewpoints should be allowed to speak, the share of people who said Yes rose for each one between March and June. Some of the differences were within the surveys margins of error, but its nevertheless noteworthy that all of them shifted in the same direction. While showing a slightly increased appetite for free speech, these polls still fit with the overall contradiction: Large majorities of Americans passionately uphold free speech as a cornerstone of democracy. But fewer of them are supportive of free speech when faced with specific controversial speakers or topics. The First Amendment Is Not an a la Carte Menu Our surveys found that the public has a nuanced view of free speech. For instance, in our June 2024 survey we added some additional categories of potential speakers to the list we had asked about in March. More respondents were comfortable with a pro-Palestinian speaker than a leader of Hamas and with a scientist who believes that IQ varies by race rather than an outright white supremacist. This pattern suggests that the public distinguishes between extreme and more moderate positions and is less tolerant of the rights of those with more extreme views. This shift runs against the purpose of the First Amendment, which was intended to protect unpopular speech. The amendment very specifically was not intended to apply only to certain speakers or viewpoints. Ours is not the only survey to find that many people dont fully appreciate the logic and principles behind free speech. In 2020, a Knight Foundation poll found that members of both political parties oppose speech that goes against their values or beliefs. Later polls, including those conducted by other organizations, found more specifics: For instance, Democrats were more likely to support censorship of racist hate speech or vaccine misinformation. And Republicans opposed drag shows and kneeling during the playing of the national anthem. A February 2022 national poll commissioned by The New York Times and Siena College found that 30% of Americans believed that sometimes you have to shut down speech that is anti-democratic, bigoted, or simply untrue. A Return to Fundamentals With the 2024 election looming and polarization increasing among Americans, some people may want only those who agree with them to be allowed to speak. But a true commitment to the fundamental principles of free speech requires people to allow space for controversial and even offensive viewpoints to be aired. History reveals that censorship of hateful ideas is often a cure that is worse than the disease, deepening social divides. James Madison, a key drafter of both the U.S. Constitution and the First Amendment, wrote in 1800: Some degree of abuse is inseparable from the proper use of every thing it is better to leave a few of its noxious branches, to their luxuriant growth, than by pruning them away, to injure the vigor of those yielding the proper fruits. As the founders knew, a respect for diverse viewpoints and the ability to express those views good, bad and harmful alike in the public sphere are essential to a healthy democracy. It turns out that the Trump mess was no bug in the system Greg Gutfeld, FOX: Two months ago, a man in shorts and a T-shirt walked through an open door in the [FBI] Miami field office and spent the night. First, he took a shower, then downloaded porn on a computer. Next morning, he asked employees where he could get a cup of coffee, and they got him coffee. Hell, I dont get treated that well at Starbucks and I own Starbucks. He was only caught when he entered a defensive tactics class, and someone finally asked who the hell he was Now, look, no agency is perfect, but when some clown can wander into a classified facility, watch porn, wash up, spend the night, have breakfast, and then attend a tactical training session, is it any wonder a whack job can ride up on a bike and shoot Trump? Best Buy has better security. So forget the conspiracy theories unless its a conspiracy of decline, and its everywhere. Yves here. Western media outlets faithfully printed what amounted to press releases on official plans for US and NATO members to support the construction of weapons-making factories in Ukraine. Admittedly, the manufacturers initially made cooperative noises, presumably so as not to annoy big customers. But the idea was obviously barmy. Russia, in its 2022 negotiations with Ukraine, sought to have Ukraine to agree to a cap on the size of its armed forces, which would almost certainly include limits to major weapons categories. Ukraine had agreed to the idea in principle but at the time Boris Johnson kicked over that table, there was still a big gap between the levels Russia and Ukraine wanted. Needless to say, the Russian stance has hardened considerably. Even assuming an independent Ukraine state exists after the war, Russia would not tolerate Ukraine being an arms maker. One might argue that any such plans would prevent Russia from concluding its special military operation until Russia had somehow made sure it was na ga happen. The second issue this piece describes as an impediment from the defense contractor perspective is Ukraine corruption. It did not go unnoticed that money that Ukraine had allotted for the construction of fortifications in Kharviv went poof, which means presumably syphoned into offshore bank accounts. Ukraine cant be bothered to grift in a more respectable style, of getting the job barely done at very inflated prices (they even have an excuse that the war made things costly). Note also that this predictable development appears so far to be ignored by the Western media. If readers have any sightings otherwise, say in the non-English language press in Europe, please pipe up in comments. But also consider: these schemes made the mainstream media, such as Bloomberg, when announced. If only industry specialist pubs are giving the updates, that confirms that the officialdom is trying to go into Emily Litella Never mind mode. By Ahmed Adel, Cairo-based geopolitics and political economy researcher. Originally published at InfoBRICS US military contractors are concerned about corruption and the security of co-production in Ukraine and are therefore in no rush to sign contracts, a US State Department spokesperson said. Without the US being able to construct military-industrial infrastructure, Ukraine will never be able to meet its weapons and ammunition needs in the current war. Several US defense companies are considering joint production inside Ukraine, but questions remain about the safety of doing business in a war zone, the persistence of corruption, and the long-term business case, Defense One reported on August 6, citing a State Department official spoken to on the sidelines of the Farnborough air show. The Pentagon has been pushing American defense contractors to increase collaboration with their Ukrainian counterparts, but US firms have been slower to ink deals than European companies, the report added. According to the State Department spokesperson, the main concerns are the security of employees and facilities, corruption, and political risks. I think our industry is really eager, but at the same time, [it] has to make sense from a business case, right? And financing is an issue too, how you can actually pay for this stuff, the official added. The source noted that Washington intends to increase the number of companies cooperating with Ukraine, that a team oversees such deals, and that US companies are generally open to dialogue. However, despite this supposed enthusiasm, another major concern is corruption. Clearly, corruption is a concern, the official said. Corruption is not an issue shared only by US companies, though. A survey conducted in February by Rating found that 51% of Ukrainians believe corruption in government bodies is a greater hindrance to development than the war with Russia (46%). A survey conducted from March 1 to 15 found that 70% of Ukrainians believe that the government is profiteering from the war and increasingly sinking into corruption, a massive increase from the 43% recorded a year earlier. Although Washington, Brussels, and Kiev claim that corruption is being stamped out, as reflected by citizen experiences, this is certainly not the case. Multimillion/billion-dollar companies do not make investment decisions based on the governments propaganda statements but on the reality on the ground, which is that deep-rooted corruption has been consolidated into fewer hands, mostly Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his inner circle. Beyond the issue of corruption, there is also the likely scenario that Russian missiles and bombs will destroy any military-related infrastructure in Ukraine. But American companies have a lot to consider before they sign up for co-production in a war zone; no one wants their facilities blown up or employees getting hurt, the official was quoted by Defense One as saying. Although the Biden administration does not take any warnings from Moscow with seriousness, such as the willingness to militarily intervene if the Kiev regime continued its policies of persecuting the Russian minority and pursuing NATO membership, US companies are certainly not under any illusions and are, therefore deterred from making any investments that will quite literally end up in smoke. It is recalled that Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in September 2023: Any facilities for the production of weapons, especially if these weapons fire at us, they become objects of special attention for our military. Staying true to this message, in a recent one-week period alone, Russian troops carried out 19 strikes by precision weapons and drones at Ukrainian military-industrial and energy sites, air defense systems and arms depots over the past week in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russias Defense Ministry announced on August 9. On August 3-9, 2024, the Russian Armed Forces delivered 19 combined strikes by high-precision weapons and attack unmanned aerial vehicles, hitting Ukrainian military-industrial enterprises and associated energy facilities, aerodrome infrastructure, air defense systems, assembly workshops and storage sites of attack UAVs. In addition, the strikes targeted fuel bases, armament and ammunition depots, areas of massed Ukrainian army reserves, temporary deployment sites of nationalist formations and foreign mercenaries, the ministry said in a statement. These are the conditions under which Ukraines military-industrial complex must operate and why it cannot meet the Ukrainian militarys weapons and ammunition needs. Even if corruption was not deterring American investment opportunities, to begin with, the fact that Russia destroys military-industrial infrastructure with such ease means that the interest American companies will have in setting up in Ukraine will all but end. Ukraines offensive in Kursk region is the first direct attack on Russia since WWII The French newspaper Le Figaro said that the Ukrainians' surprise attack in the Kursk region last week, Aug. 7, is the first direct attack on Russia since World War II. Other media outlets even sensationalized it saying, for the first time since the war, the Eurasian nation is "under occupation." According to the reports, Ukrainian forces seized at least three localities in the region in the initial assault. Top Ukrainian military commander Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi also claimed that Kyiv now controls 1,000 square kilometers (about 390 square miles) of Russian land and that they would push further in what they claim to be their "largest cross-border attack" since the Ukraine-Russia conflict started. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also confirmed that the Ukrainian military is already operating inside Kursk. Kursk Oblast Acting Gov. Alexei Smirnov said Ukraine is now controlling 28 settlements and that 121,000 people have already left or been evacuated while another 59,000 were in the process of being evacuated. Meanwhile, in the neighboring Belgorod Oblast to the south, Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said that evacuations had also begun from the Krasnaya Yaruga District on Monday, Aug. 12, due to "enemy activity on the border." Analysts note that Ukraine's invasion of Kursk may be the culmination of months of work as a means to divert Russian forces from its successful incursions into the nearby Kharkiv Oblast in recent months. While Russian forces were not successful in penetrating deep into Ukrainian territory, the new frontline added further strain to the already stretched resources of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Le Figaro suggested that the operation in Kursk could be an attempt to force Russians to redeploy their troops to this region to relieve defenses on other fronts and possibly allow Ukrainians to recapture territories occupied by Russia. "The idea [behind this attack] is to show that Ukrainians are still brave, formidable and not merely retreating," said an anonymous representative of the French military, who added that the Kursk Oblast is poorly defended compared to areas around Ukraine-claimed Donetsk. Zelensky said Russia had to be "forced to make peace" if Russian President Vladimir Putin "wanted to fight so badly." In response, Putin said the incursion was an attempt by Kyiv to stop Moscow's offensive in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region and gain leverage in possible future peace talks. He said that Russia's main task was "to knock out the enemy from our territories." He warned: "The enemy will certainly receive a worthy response." For experts, capturing Kursk could also be a bargaining chip for Ukraine, especially since a possible victory of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in the upcoming elections in the United States might force Kyiv to enter peace negotiations. (Related: Maria Zakharova warns: Ukraine is spreading TERRORISM worldwide.) Russia strikes back at Ukrainian troops in Kursk, causing major damage and a halt to Kyiv's offensive Russian forces struck back with missiles, drones and airstrikes to stop Ukraine's continued offensive deep into Russian territory. Putin's defense ministry published images of the Russian twin-engine, twin-seat supersonic medium-range fighter-strike aircraft Sukhoi Su-34 firing at Ukrainian troops in the Kursk border region. According to the ministry, it had repelled attacks at villages about 26 to 28 kilometers (16 to 17 miles) from the border. "The uncontrolled ride of the enemy has already been halted," Maj. Gen. Apti Alaudinov, the commander of the Chechen Akhmat special forces unit, told Reuters. "The enemy is already aware that the blitzkrieg that it planned did not work out." Russian forces had destroyed 35 Ukrainian tanks, 31 armored personnel carriers, 18 infantry fighting vehicles and 179 other armored vehicles during the week-long battle, it said. Meanwhile, it was not clear which side was in control of the Russian town of Sudzha, through which Russia delivers gas from Western Siberia through Ukraine and on to Slovakia and other European Union countries. Gazprom said it was still pumping gas to Ukraine through Sudzha. Head over to RussiaReport.news for updates on the current Ukrainian incursion on Russian territories. Watch the video below that talks about Russian drones reacting very strongly to Kyiv's attack in Kursk. This video is from the Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Ukrainian missile strike kills 400 Russian soldiers in Kursk. Federal emergency declared in Kursk after Ukrainian incursion. Russian military DESTROYS 9 Ukrainian jets in one day. Childrens hospital in Kiev struck by Ukrainian missile, not Russian. Silver lining: War with Russia is making Ukraine a world leader in AUTONOMOUS DRONE technology. Sources include: RMX.news ABC.net.au Reuters.com Brighteon.com Illinois mayor DISAPPEARS after investigation reveals her excessive spending The mayor of a village in Illinois has reportedly disappeared following a probe that revealed her excessive spending. According to ZeroHedge, Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard could not be located after an investigation uncovered her "out of control" credit card spending. In one instance, she reportedly spent $40,000 on Amazon purchases in just one day. Earlier this year, Henyard shelled out $7,650 on hair and makeup after taking office and proceeded to bill the city for it. In March, Henyard dubbed America's Worst Mayor vetoed calls for an investigation into herself. The vetoes were overturned in April, with village trustees voting that month in favor of appointing former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to lead the investigation. Lightfoot, a former assistant U.S. attorney, lost her reelection bid last year, with incumbent Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson succeeding her. Lightfoot landed the $400 per hour job of probing Henyard, who was accused of mishandling funds. Henyard and two village trustees were absent during the April community meeting, prompting the four trustees present to assign the former Chicago mayor to the task. According to CBS News, trustees wanted Lightfoot to address concerns about excessive spending including taxpayer-funded billboards, ads, lavish dinners and trips. The former mayor soon uncovered further questionable spending, including out-of-control credit card use with few receipts provided. "These are somebody using one of the credit cards. The village has been unable to pay all of its monthly expenditures with its available cash balance," Lightfoot told CBS News. Aside from the wanton spending, Henyard is also under investigation for police overtime. Two officers of the Dolton Police Department (DPD) racked up six-digit overtime pay last year, which far exceeded their base pay. The first DPD officer earned $108,000 in overtime pay in fiscal year (FY) 2023 and $114,000 in FY 2024. The second DPD officer received $87,000 in FY 2023 and $102,000 in FY 2024. Henyard thinks she's a reality TV star, not a public official In February, Dolton Trustee Brittney Norwood said she and her fellow village trustees were denied access to bank statements. "The last time I received the [village's] bank statement was in September of last year, and we were $7 million in debt at [the] time," Norwood disclosed to CBS News. "So at this current moment, we're saying, 'Hey, where are the bank statements? So we can know where we are.'" "It seems [Henyard's] aspirations and goals are for her to be a reality star. She didn't [previously] wear all that makeup. She just now thinks she's this reality star," one community member who has known the Dolton mayor for 15 years told the New York Post. (Related: Black women behaving badly has become a national trend.) "I don't know this for sure, but they say she is filming a reality show because the cameras are always with her. I've never seen anything like this in my life, and I have been involved in the political arena ever since I was 18." While the long arm of the law has yet to reach Henyard, it has picked out one of her close allies. The Chicago Tribune reported that DPD Deputy Chief Lewis Lacey was indicted on nine counts on Aug. 12. Lacey, 61, was charged with perjury, bankruptcy fraud and making false statements and declarations in a bankruptcy case. Gal Pissetzky, legal counsel for Lacey, slammed the charges as a result of a "witch hunt" aimed at Henyard. The lawyer praised his client for being "an excellent police officer" and an "upstanding" deputy chief of police. "This is a witch hunt where they are taking down Lacey to try to get to the mayor," Pissetzky stressed. Head over to Corruption.news for similar stories. Watch this news report about Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard vetoing a resolution calling to investigate her spending. This video is from the Children Are NOT Sex Toys! channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: America Unhinged: Dr. John Diamond and Peter Flaherty discuss CORRUPTION in government, corporate America Brighteon.TV. Former Puerto Rico mayor caught on camera for bribery sentenced to 5 years behind bars. Everything that is happening in America stems from CORRUPTION, says Tom Renz. Sources include: ZeroHedge.com ChicagoTribune.com Brighteon.com Israel sodomizes and kills Palestinian detainees, Candace Owens calls out silent Christians With the reality of Israeli torture, rape and sodomizing of Palestinian detainees being now publicly confirmed in the Israeli and Western press, Catholic commentator Candace Owens has called out her fellow Christian podcasters and politicians to condemn [it] believing that she is going to be waiting a very long time for this to happen. (Article by Patrick Delaney republished from LifeSiteNews.com) Owens, whos very popular broadcasting role at the Daily Wire ended last March after she opposed U.S. support for Israels attack on Gaza, was referring to late July reports in the Israeli press that a detainee was admitted to the hospital after he suffered from a ruptured bowel, a severe injury to his anus, lung damage and broken ribs. A second report in Hebrew from a self-identified Israeli broadcaster states the Israeli torturers inserted a telephone device into the rectum of the victim along with additional accessories and called it. Owens emphasized in her August 1 podcast that these are Palestinian detainees, which means people that have not been arrested or tried or gone through the court system. Theyre simply being held, presumably for questioning. Apparent video footage of such abuse at the Sde Teiman detention center, located in the Negev desert, was released last Tuesday by Israeli Channel 12 showing a Palestinian being selected from around thirty others who were all lying on the floor with their hands bound and eyes covered and taken behind riot shields where the apparent abuse occurred. Reports of such torture have been common for quite a long time, though given very little attention. In June, the New York Times reported how a medical professional was detained by the Israelis in Gaza, stripped to his underwear, blindfolded, handcuffed and taken to Sde Teiman. During his imprisonment, Israeli soldiers penetrated his rectum with a metal stick, causing tremendous bleeding and leaving him in unbearable pain. A UN report issued on July 31 found that at least 53 Palestinians have died in Israeli detention since last October 7 with no investigations or charges being filed. A total of around 9,440 Palestinian prisoners have been detained from Gaza, the West Bank and even Israel, in a prolonged secret and incommunicado detention with torture and abuse taking place at all of Israels detention centers, including beatings, waterboarding, and electrocution. The report found forced nudity of both men and women; beatings while naked, including on the genitals; electrocution of the genitals and anus; being forced to undergo repeated humiliating strip searches; widespread sexual slurs and threats of rape; and the inappropriate touching of women by both male and female soldiers. Sodomizing Palestinian prisoners a popular practice in Israel According to Owens, following the publicity of the first case mentioned above, an investigation was launched only after enough pressure was mounted on the outside, [and] not because [the Israeli authorities] thought this was the morally wrong thing to be happening to a detainee. As a result, nine Israeli soldiers were arrested for the apparent brutal rape sparking a backlash in Israel with a far-right mob storming the detention center and a military court in protest against the arrests. It also involved an exchange in the Israeli Knesset (Parliament) where Hanoch Milwidsky, a member of Netanyahus Likud party, was asked if it was legitimate to insert a stick into a persons rectum? Milwidsky emphatically replied, Yes! If he is a Nukhba [Hamas militant], everything is legitimate to do! Everything! Following the publicity from the brutal rape, Israels finance minister Bezalel Smotrich demanded accountability, not from the assailants, but from the person who recorded and released the video. He demanded, an immediate criminal investigation to locate the leakers of the trending video that was intended to harm the reservists and that caused tremendous damage to Israel in the world and to exhaust the full severity of the law against them. And according to University of Chicago professor and author Dr. John Mearsheimer, such attitudes are not outliers among the population of Israel. Its quite remarkable how much support there is for this behavior, he said in a Thursday interview. Channel 12 in Israel recently ran a survey asking Israelis whether they thought it was okay for an Israeli person to rape a terrorist. 47% of Israelis said its okay, and 42% said its not okay. And since all Palestinians are effectively terrorists in the minds of many Israelis, this is hardly surprising that theyre doing things like this, the best-selling author observed. What does this say about Israeli society? This is horrible. But thats what youre dealing with. Many Israelis openly support raping male Palestinian prisoners in concentration camps Ive long argued, Israel is an apartheid state, the professor continued. And to run an apartheid state, you have to turn the Palestinians into sub-humans and treat them like theyre animals. When you run an apartheid state, you end up brutalizing in the most horrible ways the victims, the second class or third-class people who live in your society. And this has been happening inside of Israel for a long time, he recalled. The Israelis have been torturing prisoners, doing terrible things to the Palestinians for a long, long time. And what happened on October 7th is that those terrible practices that the Israelis employ against the Palestinians were ramped up, the foreign policy expert explained. Never lose sight of the fact that those prisoners were being treated in the most brutal ways before October 7th as well. Max Blumenthal confirmed that many Israelis openly support raping male Palestinian prisoners in concentration camps like Sde Teiman, which Israel set up after October 7th for men kidnapped from Gaza. The Israeli public is told that everyone there is from the Nukhba, [the] Hamas special forces unit that butchered babies and raped women on October 7th. Most Israelis, Jewish Israelis, believe this hoax, he said. The fact is many of those there are just common innocent Palestinians. READ: Uncovering the truth behind Israels justification for its war in Gaza Comparing the evidence for grave sexual crimes in the conflict, the Jewish journalist observed, Theres no videotape from October 7th showing Hamas militants sexually assaulting Jewish Israeli women. Theres no testimony. Theres nothing. Theres no evidence. But we have clear evidence here for Israelis sodomizing Palestinian detainees. Jewish Zionist podcaster, today, I realized how much I was lied to by Israel, media In addressing her fellow western Christian politicians and pundits who are not speaking out against such atrocities, Owens held up the example of extremely pro-Israel Jewish Zionist podcaster Shaiel Ben-Ephraim who she said got to the moment where he couldnt do the thing anymore. And the thing that Im talking about is continually lying or pretending that youre blind to what is happening, she said moving on to read an extensive tweet from Ben-Ephraim, who came to realize he had been subjected to grave lies his whole life from his fellow Zionists. He posted on July 29: I feel stupid and ashamed. In May, an expose came out on CNN detailing the abuses in Sde Taiman. Then, the NYT released their own article on it. Both were backed up with Israeli sources, crossed with Palestinian ones. I dismissed them because my government sources and Israeli media denied them. My whole life I was told that the international media was out to get Israel. That they were all antisemites. But today, I realized how much I was lied to. By my country. By my friends. By my media. Today, many of the people I talked to who denied these allegations admitted they were true. And the worst part? None of this is coming to light because the IDF and government have changed their hearts about it. Its coming out because the pressure from the UK, ICC and ICJ was getting too great to ignore. This would get Netanyahu, Gallant and the Chief of Staff in serious trouble. So they finally said the truth. That Israel is routinely torturing inmates. That sexual abuse is fairly common there. That people have been tortured to death. Worst of all, many of the people in this facility were innocent. Rounded up by accident. But there was no real verification process before they were subjected to this hell on earth. This cant go on. How does that make you feel? Candace asked. For me, it lets me know that there is of course a level which can be reached where some people decide, Im no longer going to abandon my humanity. Im no longer going to see this as whether or not this is an Israeli or a Palestinian. Im just going to say that wrong is wrong is wrong. I dont care what religion you practice. I dont care what race you are. I dont care what your ethnicity is. It is wrong for people that are being detained to be raped, to be sodomized. And that is exactly what is happening, she said. Owens: Christian pols & podcasters afraid to condemn even sodomy torture if committed by Israel As reported in many places, Owens separated from the The Daily Wire after feuding with Zionist cofounder Ben Shapiro. She shared the platform with other shows hosted by Christians including Catholics such as Matt Walsh and Michael Knowles. So Im just wondering, wheres the Christian crowd? she asked. Its a problem for me when I look up and I see people who I know are wonderful people, who I know love the Lord, who will argue pro-life all day, but will stop themselves if the matter pertains to Israel. We have so much national sovereignty that you have people who have platforms, people that are earning millions of dollars per year, who refuse to condemn something as morally outrageous as sodomizing people who have not even had charges brought against them. They cant do it, because theyre cowards, she said. Owens encourages leaders to be a real Christian and defend the human dignity of Palestinians Im not for that anymore, because I want to be a real Christian, Owens continued. I dont want to be a fake Christian. I dont want to be a Christian until Thus, Owens explained that because of these commitments she doesnt serve politicians, AIPAC, or financial excess challenging her fellow Christian politicians and podcasters saying, it is a sin to have that perspective, to be fearful of bad headlines. And it makes me call into question, do you really believe in Christianity? Do you really submit yourself to Christ? If all you care about is the moment now, the money, the good headlines, if all you care about is the job and the career, then it sounds to me like all you believe in is this life, she concluded. #Infographic| Statistics on the Israeli Genocide in the Gaza Strip (07 October 2023-12 July 2024) pic.twitter.com/t1vTTsn0iW Euro-Med Monitor (@EuroMedHR) July 13, 2024 Read more at: LifeSiteNews.com Police audio confirms Biden suddenly canceled July 17 event in Las Vegas due to ILLNESS As many suspected was the case, Joe Biden canceled a speaking engagement on July 17 at the last minute due to a health crisis that resulted in him being transferred to multiple different facilities for treatment. Oversight Project pulled records through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request showing that Biden was first supposed to be taken to a trauma center at the University Medical Center. He ended up being suddenly diverted straight to Harry Reid International Airport. Three recordings, none of which are timestamped, outline the change in plans. Two of them are about four minutes each, both having come from local law enforcement in Las Vegas. The channels where these came from were not involved in Biden's protective detail but were rather for shutting down traffic and securing the routes after plans changed. The third recording came from an event channel for officers involved in Biden's protective detail. This one is the longest of all, around 43 minutes all of these recordings are available at RedState.com. (Related: Remember when White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre claimed that all videos of Biden acting clueless are deep fakes?) What happened to Biden? In the first two clips, you will hear officers responding to a Code 3, which means an emergency response. In the third at about the 21-minute mark, one of the officers is heard asking if another is available for a phone call. "For everybody on the radio, right now they're on a hold for something regarding the president," is the next thing that is heard in the recording, followed by the same person instructing officers on the detail to allow some traffic to pass through local intersections while waiting for the next orders. "For everyone on the radio, right now POTUS is 421," the protective detail is then told in the recording. "He's being seen, so we're just kinda waiting to see how this is shaping out. So, for everybody's knowledge, he's 421 right now; we're just trying to figure out what's going on and we're gonna go from there." Code 421, by the way, means a person is sick or injured, according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) code sheet. For the next 20 minutes after that, there are sounds of hectic communication and coordination as Biden's protective detail move its resources from the old route between Lindo Michoacan and the MGM Grand where Biden was originally supposed to speak to a secure route from Lindo Michoacan. All three units, just to be clear, were informed that they needed to respond to a Code 3. It is still unknown what happened to Biden that day or what his medical issue might have been. We do know that later that afternoon, the White House claimed that Biden "tested positive" for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), after which he disappeared for a while. "We knew we were dealing with more of a medical issue definitely trauma and any accidents were off the table," commented Mason Van Houweling, the CEO of University Medical Center. "So again, we shifted gears to be able to address a medical need here at UMC." Biden never arrived at the hospital and was instead transported back to Delaware via Air Force One. LVMPD later released a statement claiming that the president was "sick," but that was all they apparently knew about the matter. "Earlier today following his first event in Las Vegas, President Biden tested positive for COVID-19," Jean-Pierre later said in a statement. "He is vaccinated and boosted and he is experiencing mild symptoms. He will be returning to Delaware where he will self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time." The faltering U.S. government is struggling to keep up appearances. Learn more at Collapse.news. Sources for this article include: RedState.com TheDailyBeast.com NaturalNews.com POLL: Majority of Americans are against deploying U.S. troops to defend Israel A recent Chicago Council on Global Affairs poll has revealed that majority Americans are against using military force to defend Israel in case Iran or other hostile neighbors attack the country. According to the poll, conducted from June 21 to July 1, 2024, only 42 percent of Americans support deploying United States troops to Israel if attacked by Iran, while a significant 56 percent oppose such action. The partisan breakdown shows 53 percent of Republican voters, 42 percent of independent voters and 34 percent of Democrat voters were in favor of defending Israel against Iran. The poll also indicates a similar sentiment concerning attacks from other neighboring countries. A majority of 55 percent of Americans are against intervening militarily in defense of Israel, with only 41 percent in support. Within this context, 55 percent of Republican voters, 35 percent of independent voters and 35 percent of Democrat voters back the use of American troops to defend Israel if attacked by its hostile neighbors. The situation between Israel and Iran has intensified following an alleged Israeli-organized assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh while he was in Tehran attending the inauguration of Iran's new reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian. This incident has further strained the already volatile relationship between Israel and Iran. Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group widely regarded as an Iranian proxy, has increased its rocket attacks on Israel's northern border, exacerbating fears of a broader conflict. (Related: Former Israeli PM threatens U.S. will get "a re-run of 9/11" if it doesn't fight Israel's wars.) Given the current situation, many believe that U.S. intervention would only exacerbate issues in the Middle East. Gallup polls: Americans disapprove of Israeli military action in Gaza The Chicago Council on Global Affairs poll reflects a previous Gallup poll, conducted in March, wherein 55 percent of Americans disapproved of Israeli military action in Gaza. All this, despite backing their military actions in November. Just like the new poll, the Gallup survey revealed a significant shift in opinion among the major political groups in the U.S. All three groups have shown decreased support for Israels actions in Gaza since November. Approval among Democrats and independents has dropped by 18 percentage points, while Republican support has dropped by seven points. Independents have moved from a divided stance to a clear opposition to Israeli military actions. Democrats, who were largely opposed in November, now show even stronger disapproval, with 75 percent disapproving and only 18 percent approving. While Republicans continue to support Israel's military efforts, the majority has decreased from 71 percent to 64 percent. A Gallup poll conducted in February also revealed the same that Americans held less positive views of both Israel and the Palestinian Authority. At the time of the survey, only 58 percent of Americans showed a "very" or "mostly favorable" view of Israel, a stark decrease from 68 percent in 2023. This marks the lowest favorable rating for Israel in over two decades. Meanwhile, positive opinions of the Palestinian Authority also plummeted from 26 percent to 18 percent, the lowest since 2015. The most significant decline in favorable opinions of Israel was seen among young adults aged 18 to 34, whose positive views have dropped from 64 percent in 2023 to 38 percent this year. Positive views from middle-aged adults (35-54 years old) have also declined from 66 percent to 55 percent, while opinions among adults aged 55 and older have remained relatively stable. Meanwhile, opinions of the Palestinian Authority have remained largely unchanged among younger and older adults but have seen a sharp decline among middle-aged adults, from 30 percent to 15 percent. Watch this Oct. 16 episode of "Brighteon Broadcast News" as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, discusses the devastating consequences to the global economy of Israel's war on Gaza. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: TruNews: Endgame of Israel-Iran conflict is an ALL-OUT WAR in the Middle East. Russia sends powerful vaunted missile systems to Iran for Middle East war. Iran issues airspace warning as retaliatory strikes against Israel loom. Iran's advanced drones and missiles pose serious threat to Israel's Iron Dome air defense system, U.S. report warns. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu calls for U.S.-Israel alliance to combat "Iranian threat." Sources include: BigLeaguePolitics.com News.Gallup.com 1 News.Gallup.com 2 Brighteon.com Secret Service acts like THUGS, agents break into a closed salon to use the restroom The Secret Service is back in the spotlight again, this time for their appalling behavior surrounding a Kamala Harris fundraiser in Massachusetts. Ahead of the vice presidents first in-person fundraiser after becoming the presumptive presidential nominee for the Democratic party, the Secret Service asked the owner of the Four One Three Salon, Alicia Powers, to close that day due to its location behind the Colonial Theatre where Harris was scheduled to speak. Powers was happy to comply, telling Business Insider that all the security in and out of the area was chaotic and that closing made sense. "They had a bunch of people in and out of here doing a couple of bomb sweeps again totally understand what they have to do, due to the nature of the situation," she said. However, she was shocked when she later discovered that a Secret Service agent walked right up to her closed salons front entrance at 8:10 am on the Saturday morning of the event, swinging a roll of masking tape in her hand and glancing at the door. After noticing the security camera on the porch, the agent left and returned shortly afterward, standing on a chair that was on the porch and taping over the salons Ring security camera. Later that afternoon, a different security camera that is positioned inside the salon facing the door recorded four other individuals entering the salon across a span of around two hours. Two of them wore emergency medical services uniforms while one wore a camouflage-style law enforcement uniform; a fourth person dressed in typical Secret Service clothing stood by the door. She said the people were using her bathroom, and her security alarm rang the entire time. "There were several people in and out for about an hour-and-a-half just using my bathroom, the alarms going off, using my counter, with no permission," she stated. An emergency medical services worker later told her that a Secret Service agent had told people they could enter the salon and use the bathroom. Making matters worse, they did not bother to lock the building after they left, nor did they remove the tape they placed on the camera, putting the business in significant danger. "And then when they were done using the bathroom for two hours, they left, and left my building completely unlocked, and did not take the tape off the camera," she added. Secret Service agents did not have anyone's permission to enter the salon She said that while no one who entered the salon damaged it, they did leave the bathroom messy, and the door's lock appeared to have been picked. However, the psychological damage was significant, with Powers saying that she felt violated that they entered her space without permission. "Whoever was visiting, whether it was a celebrity or not, I probably would've opened the door and made them coffee and brought in donuts to make it a great afternoon for them. But they didn't even have the [decency] to ask for permission. They just helped themselves," she said. She added that no one else connected to the building gave the Secret Service permission to break into her salon, and the fact that they covered up the camera supports the idea that they were doing something they had no right to do. The head of the Secret Services Boston field office later called Powers and apologized, acknowledging that they should not have entered the building or taped over her camera without her permission. They also offered to have her salon cleaned and cover her alarm company bill for the day in question. Just when we thought the Secret Service couldnt make themselves look any worse after their extreme failures at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania allowed an assassin to take a shot at Trump and kill a rally attendee, they remind us of their incompetence and brazenness by acting like thugs and breaking into a salon just to use the bathroom. Sources for this article include: X.com BusinessInsider.com Third-wave feminism has influenced the Christian Church, warns Pastor Steve Cioccolanti Third-wave feminism has influenced the Christian Church . Pastor Steve Cioccolanti made this claim during a recent interview with Mike Adams, the Health Ranger. "The church has been influenced by third-wave feminism. So, the Church stands like a feminine figure," said Cioccolanti. He noted that people used to associate Christians with knights men willing to lay down their lives to defend their family and country. Cioccolanti said this feminizing of the pulpit in the Church has been brought about by the feminist movement, which has now gone to the extreme. Cioccolanti stressed that this is a frontal attack on fathers, men and boys, which is already happening in Europe. He warned that Europe is now absolutely feminized and there is no chance for Europe to win against a testosterone-filled masculine religion like Islam. The popular Christian speaker said France and Germany are already lost. Cioccolanti shared that he had a meeting with Christians in Germany at a house church in Berlin, and he lamented the fact that these days people can hardly find a Bible-teaching church in the center of the Protestant Reformation. Paris Olympics mocks Christianity Adams mentioned that people saw during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games the mockery of Christ's "Last Supper". The Olympics also banned any Christian symbology on athletes. (Related: Christian symbols banned at Olympics, even as 'Last Supper' is parodied.) You can't have any Christian symbols, but you can mock Christ. That, the Health Ranger said, is the official position of the Olympics at present. Cioccolanti noted that France had gone through a revolution, and they were hedonistic, atheistic and secularistic then as they are now. He mentioned that the goal of the French Revolution was to destroy the monarchy and destroy any trace of Christianity. According to the pastor, France used to be a bastion of Christianity after stopping the Islamic invasion from taking over Europe in the 700s. But it is now very secular due to the impact of the French Revolution. That's why he's not surprised by the blasphemous attack on the "Last Supper" and Jesus Christ through a transgender display and drag queen celebration during the opening of the Olympics. "It is obviously disgusting, but not exactly surprising," he said. Cioccolanti said that the once vibrant churches in France have now been gutted out by African Christian migrants and African Christian pastors. He added that local people have totally been brainwashed by French secularism. "No surprise what's going on now. But for an American, it's disgusting because we have a much more Christian foundation. So, we consider this so despicable that it's Sodom and Gomorrah to us. It's coming here as well, so we're not much better," Cioccolanti said. "It's the uniqueness and the exceptionalism of America. It's not found in its rivers or mountains or economy. It's found in the pulpits of America. So, I think America is going to see a much worse judgment for the same kind of sins that disgust us during the Olympics." Follow Awakening.news for more stories like this. Watch the full episode below of the "Health Ranger Report" with Mike Adams featuring Pastor Steve Cioccolanti. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Modern day feminism has created a generation of miserable, angry, perpetually outraged women. 2024 Paris Olympics organizers issue formal apology to Christian groups over Last Supper mockery. American Christians mobilizing for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and an end to U.S. arms sales to Israel. Dr. John Diamond and Holly Adams discuss why the Churchs involvement in politics is so important Brighteon.TV. Lawfare with Tom Renz: Separation of church and state led to the decline of America Brighteon.TV. Sources include: Brighteon.com USAToday.com Sounding like a broken record, U.S. intelligence once again warns Iran is closer than ever to manufacturing nuclear weapons United States intelligence agencies believe Iran has advanced its nuclear research in a way that positions it closer to initiating a nuclear weapons program This development is particularly concerning given that Iran has accumulated enough highly enriched nuclear fuel for the manufacturing of several nuclear weapons. Despite these advancements, U.S. officials maintain that there is no current evidence suggesting that Iran is actively pursuing the development of a nuclear device or that Irans Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is planning to resume the countrys nuclear weapons program, which was largely halted in 2003. (Related: Israel and U.S. bracing for imminent Iranian attack.) Amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, the situation has intensified following Irans threat to strike Israel in retaliation for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, which Iran has attributed to Israeli actions. In response, the White House, along with Egyptian and Qatari counterparts, are preparing for a final proposal to bridge the divide between Israel and Hamas. This effort aims to reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza and secure the release of hostages held by Hamas. Both sides are set to meet for negotiations on Aug. 15. While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed Israel's participation, Hamas officials have yet to respond regarding their attendance. Iran vocal about nuclear ambitions In an earlier report, Iran has been noted as being increasingly vocal about its ambitions to become a nuclear-armed state, and has made significant progress in developing key components for a nuclear weapon since April, when a wave of Iranian airstrikes on Israel was repelled by Israeli and allied forces. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, speaking separately at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado, emphasized that the U.S. is closely monitoring Iran's nuclear activities. While Sullivan noted that there is no current indication that Iran has decided to move forward with developing a nuclear bomb, he warned that such a decision would prompt a strong response from the United States. "If they start moving down that road, they'll find a real problem with the United States," Sullivan stated. His remarks came in the context of increased scrutiny following Iran's attack on Israel, which marked its first direct assault on the country and was part of a series of retaliatory strikes. Iran resumed its nuclear program after the administration of former President Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal, which had offered Iran relief from sanctions in exchange for stricter oversight of its nuclear activities. Although Iran asserts that its nuclear program is for civilian purposes, U.S. and international officials suspect that Khamenei himself is refraining from authorizing the development of nuclear weapons. Blinken highlighted that Iran has made progress in developing fissile material. While Iran has not yet constructed a nuclear weapon, Blinken emphasized that the convergence of fissile material and explosive devices could lead to the creation of a nuclear weapon. The U.S. is actively monitoring Iran's progress and working diplomatically to contain any further advancements. Sullivan also noted an increase in public statements from Iranian officials contemplating nuclear weapon development since the April exchanges with Israel and its allies, signaling that this is an area of heightened concern for U.S. policymakers. Watch this clip warning how continuing the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East could result in a nuclear war. This video is from the channel The Prisoner on Brighteon.com. More related stories: U.S. to boost military presence in Middle East following rocket attack on Al-Asad Airbase in Iraq. Iran's advanced drones and missiles pose serious threat to Israels Iron Dome air defense system, U.S. report warns. U.S. on high alert as Iran's proxies threaten retaliation following Israeli strikes. IRGC officer warns: Iran is capable of striking Israeli nuclear facilities. Iranian lawmaker claims Tehran already possesses nuclear bombs. Sources include: WSJ.com APNews.com Brighteon.com Within a week of being named as Kamalas running mate, Tim Walz has been embroiled in MULTIPLE controversies After Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz launched their campaign in Philadelphia on Aug. 6, pollsters and political analysts alike are claiming that the Democratic Party's new presidential ticket has been gaining "popularity." However, this analysis belies the fact that Walz has been embroiled in controversy since the day his candidacy was announced. Critics and conservative pundits are now reminding the public that Walz is plagued with controversies from his time in the House of Representatives, the Minnesota National Guard and as governor of the North Star State. Having served over a decade in Congress before being elevated in 2019 to Minnesota's governorship, Walz has managed to fly under the national radar. Now that he's officially joined the 2024 Democratic Party's national ticket, multiple outlets have come out compiling all the scandals the governor has been entangled with through his decades-long career in politics and the military. One major controversy that Americans must consider before casting their votes is when Walz had his hands soiled with a $250 million fraud scandal during the peak of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, when a nonprofit organized by Somali residents called Feeding Our Future embezzled the state funds meant to feed needy children. Walz and officials from the Minnesota Department of Education have been accused of failing to enact adequate measures to prevent the embezzlement. He then moved to freeze any future payments to the group. It was revealed that at least 70 members of the state's Somali community were using the nonprofit to perpetrate the massive fraud scheme. However, after being accused of racism and discrimination, the governor reversed course on the payment freeze despite clear evidence of a crime The Minnesota governor has also been a proponent of President Joe Biden's very loose migration policies. Walz is on record claiming he would invest in a ladder factory to aid illegals entering the country. As governor, Walz has also pushed for so-called "sanctuary" policies in his state that protected illegal immigrants from deportation by the federal government to the point of signing legislation allowing illegal aliens to obtain driver's licenses in 2023. The hidden agenda, according to analysts, is that this measure could result in noncitizens voting illegally in federal elections. The governor has also advocated for Minnesota's transformation into a haven for minors seeking gender alteration surgeries and even hormone treatments. Last year, he issued an executive order protecting access to so-called "gender-affirming care," where adults and children are ensured access to the said procedures. His executive order also bars other state governments from taking "protective action" against Minnesota parents who help their children transition. The order effectively bans parents residing in other states from taking custody action against Minnesota-based parents while a child is undergoing medical transition. Walz is NOT a good role model The Democrats vice presidential pick has always boasted about his military record during his previous campaigns for different government positions. According to him, he chose to reenlist in the Minnesota Army National Guard following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, emphasizing that he was the highest-ranking enlisted service member ever to serve in the U.S. Congress for his rank of command sergeant major. However, other guardsmen who served with or knew of Walz's service have now come forward questioning his rank. They point out that Walz's rank when he retired in 2005 was effectively that of master sergeant, not command sergeant major. They also alleged that while the governor had initially committed to a six-year term of duty when he reenlisted, he retired two months before his unit was told to prepare for deployment to Iraq. (Related: Another video emerges of Tim Walz lying about his military deployment.) He also committed reckless driving in Nebraska in 1995. A state trooper clocked Walz traveling at 96 miles in a 55-mile-per-hour zone. Walz dismissed the allegations of speeding and drunk driving at the time. But a court transcript from the case provided clear evidence that Walz was, in fact, drunk. According to the report, "a strong odor of alcoholic beverage was detected emitting from Mr. Walz['s] breath and person." Despite being initially charged with driving under the influence, Walz was able to plead out to a lesser charge of reckless driving. A blood test that was administered to Walz at the time by law enforcement was subsequently suppressed. The court transcript released that Walz's blood alcohol level was .128, well above the legal limit. Check out CancelDemocrats.news for more stories like this. Watch the video below that talks about Walz's deep ties to communist China. This video is from the Planet Zedta channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Kamala Harris just made a colossal mistake Here are 7 things you should know about Tim Walz. VP pick Tim Walz accused of "stolen valor" by JD Vance and a group of retired MN National Guardsmen. Tim Walz left EIGHT babies who survived botched abortions to DIE, government data shows. Kamala Harris picks radical pro-riot Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as running mate. Kamala's pick for VP is a warning sign that she intends to continue Biden's FAILED energy policies. Sources include: TheGuardian.com TheNationalPulse.com Brighteon.com Mike Adams calls out Amir Tsarfati for bearing false witness, promoting mass murder of innocents, spreading false anti-Semitic smears while ignoring GENOCIDE in Gaza My statement in response to pro-genocide Amir Tsarfati falsely accusing me of "anti-Semitism" for calling for peace and an end to Israel's mass slaughter of innocent women, children and elderly in Gaza. Pastor Jack Hibbs, who routinely invites Tsarfati to push a pro-genocide message to his church congregation, should be questioned about his ties to this man: Shame be upon Amir Tsarfati @beholdisrael for slanderously labeling me an "anti-Semite" as I preach the word of Christ as love and peace for all people, including Jews, Christians, Palestinians, Catholics, Muslims, Buddhists, Sikhs and all others who are children of God. I am merely two weeks into sharing 100 faith-based sermons (see latest sermon on the pomegranate here) that tie scripture to nutrition, health, peace and abundance for all humankind, and I get viciously smeared by a group of false prophet Christian Zionists who claim that anyone who opposes genocide in Gaza is an "anti-Semite." Shame be upon them all, for the fiery darts of wickedness that leap to their lips to bear false witness against a man teaching #peace cannot go unchallenged. Those who call for the slaughter of women, children, doctors, food aid workers and sickly elderly as part of their "self-defense" of Israel disqualify themselves from any church rooted in the teachings of Christ. They are not authentic pastors, spiritual leaders or ministers of any institution other than the hellish halls of hatred, destruction and death - they serve desires of Lucifer and his quest to destroy humanity through suffering and blood. Has our modern-day Church fallen so far, so fast, that the weeping of Jeremiah can't even touch the sadness and disgust that nearly the entire world now holds against the wickedness of Israel's present-day political adulterers, a cabal of imposters, war criminals and mass murderers who respect no life but their own? Must I quote the words of Paul to the Corinthians to remind you what the New Testament Church is supposed to stand for? Or God's repeated warnings to a wicked Israel in the first five books of the Old Testament? Those who claim to be of the Church while advocating for mass murder are nothing but spiritual thieves in the eyes of the Lord. And attacking those of us who preach peace and humanity will earn you no favor, no reward from Him. It will only earn you widespread disdain from the true teachers of the word of Christ about which you have become shamelessly unfamiliar. Your love of murder and hatred of peace reveal the darkness of your souls to the entire world. You fool no one but yourselves. And most certainly you are not fooling God. To Jack Hibbs @realjackhibbs for whom I have held great praise for your courageous message for turning America toward faith, be cautious of the company you keep. To allow another man with a murderous heart to preach in your Church is to let the claw of Satan's hand into your Tabernacle, and retreating from that error will be spiritually dear. Beware of those who are wise in the ways of wickedness, but do not know Him. Hibbs, you are a man with great potential to positively shape the future of this nation, but you cannot count among your allies those who bless the bombs that fall upon the innocent women and children of Gaza. If we do not have the spiritual courage to don the full Armor of God, and speak with truth, righteousness, faith, salvation and spirit, then we have fallen from God's grace ourselves. This is no time for compromise with evil, or to act as spiritual drunkards among those who are inebriated with the spirits of war and conquering. Denounce violence, embrace universal human compassion and live the words you teach. Reject those who call for war, violence, murder, torture and genocide. Reject them wholeheartedly, with all your spirit and your faith in the Living God. There is no more clear calling for the modern-day Church than this. If the Church stands by while the innocent are systematically murdered, then the Church has truly fallen from grace, and a new generation of authentic pastors must take up the remnant of the Church and resurrect it in alignment with the true teachings in the Bible. If one of those pastors must be me, then I shall humbly answer the call to serve God, not Mossad. And I shall not speak with hatred toward those children of God who practice Islam, because I am not an agent of wickedness and evil as so many of you have become. God bless all Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Catholics and all others, for we are all children of God, created in His image, and we all have value to contribute to this world. Amen. Take a look at these quotes from Amir Tsarfati, taken from his official Telegram account. Note the repeated celebration of murder, and the justification of mass killing of civilians by labeling them all "terrorists." These are not the words of a man of moral courage, Christ-like love for humanity or closeness to God. These are the words of hatred, vengeance and murder: "Now it's time for southern Lebanon to burn from IDF fire." "The elimination of Haniyeh (Iran), the elimination of Shukr (Lebanon), the attack in Hudaydah (Yemen), they are all examples from the last month of Israeli escalation. I mean we are already stretching the limit. We must continue. Until Israel imposes its own desired terms. Now is the time to attack!" "...his arm was apparently torn off. We are waiting. The hospital where Abu Shuja is located has been blocked by the IDF. I hope they eliminate him this time..." "A day of eliminations: 8:30am, Elimination of 5 terrorists... 12:30 Elimination of 4 terrorists... 13:30: Killing of a key terrorist... 14:30 Killing a vehicle from the air with a missile..." "IDF spokesman: So far 17,000 terrorists have been eliminated ### The numbers are much higher, in the IDF they only count the terrorists they saw with their own eyes (not including those who died inside buildings that buried them alive...)" "Arabs have absolutely no connection to Jerusalem! ... 'The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no heritage or right or memorial in Jerusalem.' " "Yahya Sinwar is the new head of the Political Bureau of Hamas... I guess he thinks that anyway we are about to kill him soon..." "In Israel we are waiting and hoping that the reports about the assassination in Iraq of Ismail Qa'ani, commander of the Quds force in the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, will turn out to be true. If so, this is another great achievement..." "Israel is Israel! We are Jews and Zionism is the right of the Jews over their land! I'm a proud Jewish and Zionist Israeli!" "The elimination of the Hamed neighborhood, located between Gaza City and Khan Yunis... the entire neighborhood received an evacuation order in preparation for its deletion... two buildings were bombed in the last few minutes, everything will be wiped..." From video clips: "Everyone right now wants to destroy everything that Hezbollah is, and we don't mind wiping out Beirut and all of that, but at the same time again, it's much bigger than that." Community preparedness: Building networks for support and resources It's hard not to worry about the future with wars ongoing across the world. There's also economic instability and governments attempting to control citizens who just want to live their lives freely. If you're concerned as a prepper, joining or starting a prepping community can help you prepare for the worst. While preppers are self-sufficient, they also see the value in being part of a supportive community. Here are some tips that can help you find a prepping community before disaster strikes. (h/t to OffgridSurvival.com) Benefits of joining a prepper community or survival network before SHTF With a trusted prepper community, you have others who can support you and your family during emergencies. But with a reliable survival network, you can ensure that you survive and thrive in the aftermath of the disaster. Here are some reasons to consider joining or starting your own survival network or preparedness community. Sharing resources If you have a network of like-minded and resourceful people in your prepping community, everyone can pool essential resources after SHTF. This ensures that when supply chains crumble, your network can form its supply chain. Have leaders meet ahead of time and set up trade networks or figure out how to share food, water and medical supplies. Improving defensive capabilities Even during "normal" times, the whole world is becoming progressively more violent. In the U.S., crime is on the rise. As a community, preppers can protect each other against various threats when SHTF such as trespassers and looters. Diversifying skills Even the most experienced prepper cannot master every skill. But if you are part of a group with many skilled preppers, you can help support each other in areas that you are lacking. Look for preppers with a range of different skills that can help your community survive during emergencies. Tips for finding or forming a prepper community While you are putting together your network, keep in mind that a clear sense of purpose and direction is the foundation of a strong prepper community. This means that starting a prepper community isnt just about finding people: You also need to find the right ones. When searching for fellow preppers to join your cause, look for others who have the same values and commitment. You should also identify your survival priorities when assessing your needs. This could be safeguarding your family or preparing for specific threats. Here are some tips on how to find preppers for your community: Join existing communities If there are no other preppers in your area, you can try looking for existing prepper communities. You can start by searching online forums and social media groups. Many modern preppers are often also members of virtual prepper communities. They often use online forums and social media groups to communicate, share knowledge and arrange local meetups. If you prefer something old school, join local meetups and preparedness events. When you join these events, there is a chance to talk to other preppers and meet potential community members face-to-face. These gatherings are ideal because they allow like-minded people to network and form connections with preppers in the same area. (Related: Discover Amish secrets to living without electricity.) Where to buy lab-verified supplies for your prepping needs The Health Ranger Store is committed to helping you prepare for any emergency and start your stockpile. Thats why were proud to introduce these lab-verified products that are perfect for your prepping needs. Organic blueberries are one of the most nutritious and antioxidant-rich fruits in the world. With a variety of essential nutrients, Health Ranger Select Freeze-Dried Organic Whole Blueberries are an excellent healthy snack that you can enjoy all year round. They have been carefully freeze-dried to preserve the taste, texture and nutrients of fresh produce without chemical preservatives. You can eat Health Ranger Select Freeze-Dried Organic Whole Blueberries directly or reconstitute them by adding water. Health Ranger Select Freeze-Dried Organic Whole Blueberries contain no gluten or GMOs and have undergone extensive lab testing for glyphosate, heavy metals and microbiology. They are also vegan, non-China and certified Kosher and organic. Yellow miso is perfect for broths, condiments, soups, marinades, dressings and glazes. Also called "shinshu miso," yellow miso is made from organic soybeans that have been fermented with organic rice. It is sweeter and milder than red miso and has a mellow, earthy flavor. Packed with highly bioavailable nutrients and antioxidants, Health Ranger Select Freeze-Dried Organic Yellow Miso Powder is made with the highest-quality fermented organic soybeans, organic rice, sea salt and organic Aspergillus oryzae as the fermenting agent. It is carefully freeze-dried to extend its shelf life and preserve its freshness and nutritional quality. For your veggies, you should stock up on leafy greens like kale. One of the healthiest and most nutritious vegetables is kale. However, like most other leafy vegetables, kale doesn't stay fresh for very long. To extend the shelf life of fresh kale, it can be carefully freeze-dried to retain maximum nutrition. The Health Ranger Store wants you to enjoy the full nutritional benefits of fresh organic kale, which is why we've gone to great lengths to bring you clean and certified Freeze-Dried Organic Chopped Kale in long-term storable #10 cans. Visit OffGrid.news for more tips on how to become more self-sufficient as you live off the grid. You can also check out Health Ranger Store and Brighteon Store for more lab-verified supplies for your prepping needs. Click on this link for tips on bucket food storage. Watch the video below to learn how to upgrade your meals and nutrition with delicious and nutritious Organic Miso Powder. This video is from the Health Ranger Store channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Survival 101: How to turn your car into a bug-out vehicle. Survival essentials: Best budget-friendly foods for prepping. Simple life: Recommended states for off-grid living. Essential items you need to begin your homesteading journey. Sources include: OffgridSurvival.com HealthRangerStore.com 1 HealthRangerStore.com 2 HealthRangerStore.com 3 HealthRangerStore.com 4 HealthRangerStore.com 5 Brighteon.com Democrat election worker in Texas facing 6 felony charges for rigging 2022 election A Democrat election worker in Harris County, Texas, has been charged for the role he played in rigging the 2022 midterm election. Darryl Blackburn is facing six felony charges of theft and tampering after an investigation revealed a paper ballot shortage at more than 100 polling locations in the county. Conveniently for Democrats, it turns out that there were insufficient paper ballots in many of the county's Republican precincts. The charges came after Texas Governor Greg Abbott called for an investigation into what he described as widespread problems with voting and elections in Harris County in November 2022. He called on the state's attorney general's office as well as the Texas Rangers and the Secretary of State to look into the allegations of improprieties and emphasized the importance of preserving election integrity. At the time, Abbott said: The allegations of election improprieties in our states largest county may result from anything ranging from malfeasance to blatant criminal conduct. Voters in Harris County were frustrated by confusion and delays including missing keys, insufficient paper ballots in Republican precincts, staffing problems, and more, he added. Outgoing Democrat District Attorney Kim Ogg, who announced the charges this week, described the situation as a failure and criticized Blackburn for taking away people's right to vote. She stated: Mr. Blackburn not only stole thousands of dollars from Harris County in the sense that he lied on timesheets, but much more importantly, he stole individuals rights to vote, a basic constitutional right in our democracy because people on both sides were delayed in their voting, halted in their voting, rerouted in their voting. Deliberate election interference or greed and laziness? The DA suggested that Blackburn's motive was greed rather than any intention to interfere with the results of the election. He is facing up to two years in prison for each of five charges of tampering with evidence, and up to 10 years for a charge of theft by a public servant. Blackburn worked as a data analyst for the Harris County election administrator's office but was also making money from a second full-time job for an energy company. Instead of allocating the ballots correctly to ensure there would be enough, he simply divided the number of overall polling locations by the number of papers he had, and his sloppy work ended up putting Republican voters in Harris County at a huge disadvantage. No matter how much the DA tries to claim that there was no intent to change the results of the election, there is no denying that this was the result. Whether it is simply a question of extreme laziness as Ogg claims or part of a conspiracy to disenfranchise Republican voters does not matter; the fact remains that it did affect voters and possibly the outcome of the election. Blackburn was reportedly bringing in more than $90,000 from the county for a job he was performing improperly, as well as more than $250,000 from his energy sector job. On top of that, he had the audacity to take paternity leave from his job with the county, collecting benefits while still earning money from both jobs despite failing to fulfill his duty to the county. As a result of his behavior, many people in Harris County have lost faith in the election process, and if his actions were indeed unintentional, it is easy to imagine how much damage can be caused when someone deliberately seeks to manipulate the vote. Sources for this article include: TheGatewayPundit.com StyleMagazine.com Hamas kills Israeli captive and wounds two others in retaliation for string of Israeli massacres in Gaza A spokesperson for Hamas' armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, has blamed the Israel Defense Forces' string of massacres in Gaza for one of its guards killing an Israeli male captive and seriously wounding two other female captives. Abu Obaida, the official spokesman for the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, stated that a committee has been formed to investigate the separate incidents in Gaza and the details of the probe will be announced later. He added that efforts are underway to save the lives of the two injured women. (Related: Israeli airstrike on Gaza refugee camp in Rafah decapitates small child, kills dozens.) "The enemy government [Israel] bears full responsibility for these massacres and the resulting reactions that affect the lives of Zionist prisoners," he said in a statement posted on Telegram. The statement provided no further details, leaving the condition of the female captives unclear. This marks the first time that the Qassam Brigades publicly acknowledged that one of its guards killed an Israeli captive. Killing of Israeli captive follows an airstrike that killed at least 100 Palestinians The killing of the captive followed an Israeli airstrike on a school housing displaced Palestinians, which killed at least 100 people. The airstrike occurred in Gaza City on Aug. 10 while the Palestinians were performing dawn prayers. "The bodies of the people who were killed are placed everywhere in the yards of the hospital and their loved ones are bidding them farewell," said Dalloul, a resident of Gaza City who went to the school following the massacre. "Israel keeps targeting shelters, but people continue to shelter in these places because their homes have been destroyed in repeated Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip." Additionally, a Palestinian Civil Defense worker stated that "most of those killed were children and elderly people," with the victims reduced to shreds and burned body parts due to the intensity of the airstrike. Israel claimed the prayer hall housed a "military facility" and that 31 of those killed were "terrorists." However, a preliminary investigation by Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor found several inaccuracies in the list of names provided by the military as "terrorists" killed. At least three of the individuals listed had been killed in earlier strikes during the war. The list also included the names of three elderly civilians with no military connections, including a school principal, the deputy mayor of Beit Hanoun and a university professor. The incident also came after Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in what the group said was an Israeli strike in Tehran, where Haniyeh was attending the swearing-in ceremony of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. These Israeli strikes, along with the global silence and Western support, triggered the recent killing of the Palestinian captive. Read more news about the escalating conflict between Israel and its neighbors in the Middle East at WWIII.news. Watch this episode of the "Health Ranger Report" as Mike Adams interviews author Daniel Kovalik about the case for supporting Palestine. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Pentagon instructs U.S. troops stationed in Iraq to BE PREPARED for possible Israel-Hamas war escalation. Looking for more trouble? Israeli airstrikes hit Damascus amid escalating Israel-Hamas war. Netanyahu: Israel to take over "security" in Gaza after the Israel-Hamas war. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken warn Iran and its allies against escalating Israel-Hamas war. Iranian Foreign Minister warns U.S. will not be spared if the Israel-Hamas war escalates. Sources include: MiddleEastEye.net 1 MiddleEastEye.net 2 Brighteon.com Former Treasure Island residents accuse Kamala Harris of covering up radiation poisoning of Black communities Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris quick escalation of her political career has led her campaign to gain supporters and a lot of donations. However, accusations of her bad leadership have also resurfaced and these now prompt further questions and demands for her accountability. According to reports, Harris has faced serious accusations of covering up radiation poisoning that allegedly affected black residents of Treasure Island, San Francisco. Back on March 14, 2019, two former residents Felita Sample and Andre Patterson said during a press conference that Harris was complicit in concealing that radioactive waste from the construction of million-dollar residences in the California neighborhood had caused sickness and poisoning of many inhabitants, including kids and soldiers. They charged her with obstruction of justice and participating in an illegal cover-up at the radioactively polluted site. Treasure Island was a former Navy base known for training sailors in radiological warfare. The Navy discovered over a thousand radioactive items during a cleanup operation, raising widespread safety concerns. San Francisco politicians, including Harris, are accused of ignoring the dangers of advancing the development project. Sample spoke out against Harris, labeling her a "racketeer" and accusing her of violating the RICO Act. She said that Harris vowed to close down Treasure Island if elected to the U.S. Senate, which turned out to be unfulfilled to this date. Sample and her husband, Andre Patterson, cooperated with the "investigations" at that time and even provided Harris with detailed information about the toxic conditions on the Island through Facebook. But they were ignored after the elections. "Once we voted her in, that was it," Sample said. Meanwhile, Patterson, who was battling multiple cancerous tumors at the time, said that Harris initially responded to his concerns on Facebook, promising to address the issue, but, again, failed to take any action. "It's about class. We're low income and we're black," Patterson said, lamenting that the root cause of their neglect by politicians was racism and discrimination. The 2019 press conference was held by Tetra Tech employees who were nuclear safety and health activists who had fabricated test findings in the $1 billion eco-fraud case. Critics are now wondering why the mainstream media did not report the "biggest eco-fraud in U.S. history." Even California elected officials Gavin Newsom, Nancy Pelosi, Diane Feinstein and Willie Brown, who aided Harris in beginning her career as the district attorney of San Francisco, participated in the cover-up. Harris served as the California and San Francisco AG before she was elected to the U.S. Senate. (Related: Kamala Harris remains SOFT ON CRIME despite her tough-on-crime ads.) Presidential historian spots Harris' campaign's weak spots Allan Lichtman, an American historian who was also dubbed as the U.S. polling "Nostradamus" has identified two potential weak spots in Harris' presidential campaign. Lichtman said in a YouTube livestream on Tuesday: "I've been saying for some time that the two foreign policy keys are shaky. I haven't made a final call on them, but they are probably the shakiest keys." He became known for his election model, referred to as the "Keys to the White House," which he has used to issue correct predictions for nine out of the last 10 presidential elections. According to Lichtman, the 13 keys are as follows: There must be a party mandate where the incumbent party holds more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives after the midterm election than after the previous midterm elections. Another key, he said was that there is no serious contest for the incumbent party nomination and the incumbent party candidate is the sitting president. As per his model, there should also be no significant third-party or independent campaign and that the the economy must not be in recession during the election campaign. Real per capita economic growth during the term should also equal or exceed the mean growth during the previous two terms. He also said that the incumbent administration must effect major changes in national policy. There should be no social unrest, no scandal and no foreign or military failure and the incumbent administration must achieve a major success in foreign or military affairs. The incumbent party candidate must also be charismatic or a national hero. And the challenging party candidate is the opposite. If six or more of these 13 true/false statements are false, the ruling party is predicted to lose the election. Should five or less be false, that party is expected to win, Lichtman said. In his most recent livestream he referred to keys 10 and 11, or "No foreign or military failure and major foreign and military success." He told Newsweek earlier that these keys were "leaning false" for the Harris' campaign probably due to the ongoing war in Ukraine and the U.S.' stance on the Israel-Hamas war. "I've not made a final prediction. I want to make that crystal clear because I'm often misinterpreted that way. I haven't predicted Harris to win or lose. I will make that prediction right after, likely, the Democratic Convention, but three of the four uncalled keys would have to fall [for Harris to lose]," Lichtman told the news agency. Head over to KamalaWatch.com for stories related to the Democrats' presidential frontrunner and the controversies she's been involved with. Sources for this article include: YourNews.com Davidsonian.com Newsweek.com Harris deceives voters with manipulated news headlines Kamala Harriss campaign was caught manipulating news headlines and paying to promote the altered stories as search advertisements on Google. (Article by Jack Montgomery republished from TheNationalPulse.com) How do Google Search ads work? They appear at the top of the page when someone searches for specific keywords related to the advertisers ad. The details: Since August 3, the Harris campaign has created dozens of these search ads, with headlines that look like they come from CNN, CBS News, NPR, USA Today, and many others. The ads link to real articles from the news outlets, but the headlines are manipulated to appear as endorsements of Harris and her policies. Cut to the chase: They want to trick voters into thinking these ads are real headlines. They have sponsorship labels but theyre easy to miss. One example: A manipulated headline from The Independent reads: VP Harris Protects Democracy Trump Defends Jan 6 Comments and the article description reads: Kamala Harris will protect voting rights for all Americans. Another reads: Harris Will Lower Health Costs and the article description reads: Kamala Harris will lower the cost of high-quality affordable health care. Is Trump running these shady ads? No. Googles ad transparency center confirms this. Is this allowed? Googles terms of service do allow these types of ads to run on their platform and argue that because it says Sponsored, theyre easily distinguished from real results. Big picture: Google is the same platform that was caught suppressing searches about Donald Trumps attempted assassination just two weeks ago. Make no mistakeif the Trump campaign ran similar ads, they would find a problem with them. Read more at: TheNationalPulse.com Hillary Clinton steps in to defend Tim Walz from STOLEN VALOR claims Failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has stepped in to defend Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz , the Democratic vice presidential nominee, from claims of stolen valor. "Tim Walz served honorably for two decades. Then he joined Congress and worked to pass a new GI bill that helped fund the college educations of millions of veterans," the former first lady and secretary of state posted on X Monday, Aug. 12. According to Clinton, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) the Republican vice presidential nominee was one of those who benefited from Walz's bill. The governor of the North Star State is under fire for choosing to retire from the military months before the unit he led would be deployed to Iraq. According to Breitbart News, Walz was reportedly aware of the deployment before his retirement. In contrast, Vance actually served in Iraq as a military journalist in 2005. Walz is also facing scrutiny for exaggerating his military service. Over the last 20 years, he had been claiming that he retired with the rank of command sergeant major. But in reality, he retired one rank below. Breitbart News noted that Clinton's post did not address both claims and likewise did not address Walz's claim that he carried weapons "in war" despite not serving in combat. As with her other posts on X, the former first lady turned off replies. "Since Vice President Kamala Harris chose Walz as her running mate, he has been under siege with questions about his military service which he has touted throughout his political career, beginning in 2006 when he was elected to Congress," the outlet noted. (Related: Kamala chooses an old riot-loving, stolen-valor extremist for VP) Among the various falsehoods Walz flaunted were his claim of being the highest-ranking senior enlisted to serve in Congress and his deployment to either Iraq or Afghanistan. He has implied his deployment to either of the countries on numerous locations, never correcting anyone who wrongly asserted it. But these lies can be easily debunked, given that he retired from military service before even stepping foot in Iraq. Lying Hillary defends Lying Tim Of the claims being thrown at the Democratic vice presidential nominee, the Harris-Walz campaign has only addressed one that he carried weapons "in war." Walz reportedly made that claim in a video, which the campaign posted on X. That video was later deleted when the issue about the governor's military record blew up. It is but befitting that Clinton, herself known for her false claims, defended her fellow Democrat who has been found to be deceiving the general public. In 2008, the former first lady claimed that she and her companions landed under sniper fire during a 1996 visit to the Balkan nation of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Several sources quickly debunked this claim. "There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base," she said at the time. However, old news footage showed the opposite the then-first lady and her daughter Chelsea were walking calmly from the plane at the country's Tuzla Air Base. She even greeted Emina Bicakcic, then eight years old, after the girl dedicated a poem to her. Clinton later admitted that she "misspoke" about the 1996 visit to Bosnia-Herzegovina. "I say a lot of things so if I misspoke, that was just a misstatement," she told the Philadelphia Daily News. Former President Donald Trump brought up this claim, citing her "phony landing in Bosnia, where she said she was under attack and the attack turned out to be young girls handing her flowers." He continued his tirade against the former secretary of state, calling "Crooked Hillary" a "world-class liar." Head over to Clinton.news for similar stories. Watch former President Donald Trump warning of the dire consequences if Kamala Harris and Tim Walz win in the November elections. This video is from the CONSERVATIVE POLITICS & NWO channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Tampon Tim's stolen valor scandal just took a new disastrous turn. Another video emerges of Tim Walz lying about his military deployment. Bloomberg News issues correction after trying to cover up Tim Walz's stolen valor. VP pick Tim Walz accused of "stolen valor" by JD Vance and a group of retired MN National Guardsmen. Sources include: Breitbart.com Finance.Yahoo.com Brighteon.com Federal appeals judge: Facebooks CENSORSHIP of RFK Jr. and Childrens Health Defense directly benefited government Facebook's censorship of Children's Health Defense (CHD) and its chairman Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.) directly benefited the U.S. government , according to a federal appeals court judge. The dissenting opinion by Judge Daniel Collins of the Ninth Circuit Appeals Court (NCAC) formed part of a ruling this month, which dismissed the health freedom group's lawsuit against Facebook. The initial lawsuit was filed in 2020 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California but was dismissed in June 2021. CHD appealed to the NCAC, with oral arguments taking place in May 2022. The group also presented a series of motions to the appellate court that indicated similar First Amendment violations on the part of Washington and its collusion with social media platforms such as Meta Platforms, Facebook's parent, to censor content. But the appellate court ruled that CHD failed to prove "state action" influenced Meta's decision to censor content by the group and RFK Jr., now an independent presidential candidate after taking leave from CHD. "CHD failed to meet the first requirement for state action because the source of [its] alleged harm was Meta's own policy of censoring, not any provision of federal law," the majority ruling started. "The evidence suggested that Meta had independent incentives to moderate content and exercised its own judgment in so doing." But Collins begged to differ in his dissenting opinion. He wrote: "Meta's interactions with the government with respect to the suppression of specific categories of vaccine-related speech, and in particular the speech of CHD and its founder and chairman [RFK Jr.], sufficed to implicate the First Amendment." The magistrate also pushed back against the idea that Meta censored content of its own volition. According to him, government pressure on the company to comply was backed up by the plausible threat of Meta being stripped of the immunity shield it enjoys under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996. Collins urges court to consider new evidence submitted by CHD According to the Defender, the NCAC's majority opinion appears to not have considered the motions filed by CHD. In contrast, these motions "formed a substantial portion of Collins' dissenting opinion." One such instance the magistrate cited was a private email sent by former White House Digital Strategy Director Rob Flaherty to Meta. The official "pointedly complained that Meta was not doing enough to 'stop the Disinfo Dozen,' which was a clear reference to CHD and [RFK Jr.]." Flaherty's "Disinfo Dozen" remark pertained to the Disinformation Dozen, a list of people who challenged the U.S. government's Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) narrative and vaccine-related policies. The list of 12 developed by the British nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate included RFK Jr., Dr. Joseph Mercola, Dr. Sherri Tenpenny, the late Dr. Rashid Buttar and Zelenko Freedom Foundation Co-Chair Kevin Jenkins. "Under the unique circumstances of this case, I agree with CHD that we should take judicial notice of the existence of certain new, highly relevant documents that have only become recently available. [These documents also] effectively reflect specific additional factual allegations that CHD proposes to plead if it is given leave to amend on a remand," Collins wrote. "In my view, given the weighty First Amendment interests at stake in this case and the considerable difficulties inherent in attempting to uncover facts concerning alleged behind-the-scenes interactions between Meta and government personnel, we should exercise our discretion in favor of considering the significance of the additional allegations CHD could make in light of these newly available documents." CHD CEO Mary Holland told the Defender that she was pleased over the NCAC's decision not being unanimous. The group is now considering other legal options, including petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case potentially on the basis that the NCAC's majority ruling did not take CHD's new evidence into consideration. (Related: Historic lawsuits begin: Facebook must be held accountable for colluding with government to silence voices of truth.) Head over to MetaTyranny.com for similar stories. Listen to the Health Ranger Mike Adams explaining why censorship is violence against humanity in the clip below. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: CHD responds to accusation of spreading "misinformation" on Facebook. Super PAC American Values 2024 to sue Meta for "blatantly censoring" RFK Jr.'s biographical film. Insta-BANNED: RFK Jr. campaign accounts immediately SUSPENDED by Instagram for 6 months. Instagram lifts ban on RFK Jr.'s account "because he is an active candidate for president" what if he's just an ordinary citizen? Crimes against humanity: Mary Holland of Children's Health Defense says everyone who violated Nuremberg Code during covid needs to be prosecuted. Sources include: ChildrensHealthDefense.org Brighteon.com Media now pushing comically bizarre COVID-monkey-AIDS-pox disease as latest threat to society A man from Italy is believed to be the first patient in the world to be diagnosed with a four-in-one mutant disease the media is calling COVID-Monkey-AIDS-Pox. Prior to this, it was not believed that the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) could coexist with monkeypox in the same host. They are now saying it can, probably to scare the world into fearing another "pandemic." The man reportedly tested positive for COVID after returning from a trip to Spain. When he went to the hospital to treat a rash, the man found out that he is also suffering from monkeypox. As treatment, the man was given a combination antiretroviral treatment that he will have to take for the rest of his life due to also having HIV watch the news clip below: The first person ever diagnosed with COVID-Monkey-AIDS-Pox. This is getting serious guys. pic.twitter.com/xG2Lt5N83f Champagne Joshi (@JoshWalkos) August 12, 2024 (Related: Did you know that monkeypox is a gay disease spread through homosexual activity, not normal skin contact?) They just won't stop with the viruses You can probably tell that some very powerful people are desperate to strike fear into the general public about another COVID-like disease threat. They tried monkeypox, then bird flu, then monkeypox again, and now this four-in-one mutant virus what will it be next? "Sir, we have bad news: your cancer got AIDS and was infected by monkeypox," someone on X joked about how ridiculous this all sounds. "The only way to treat this is by changing your gender." Chances are if enough people get sick with strange mutant diseases like this, they will cart out another "vaccine" at warp speed to "treat" everyone as quickly as possible. "When they start pushing a monkeypox vaccine and mandates requiring everyone to wear masks, don't forget how it started," wrote another. The World Health Organization (WHO) claims that monkeypox cases are rising to the point that a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) was declared this week, this being the highest level of alarm under international health law. WHO General-Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called a meeting last week to discuss a possible PHEIC declaration. Less than a week later, a PHEIC was declared. "The Emergency Committee's advice to me, and that of the [Africa CDC], which yesterday declared a public health emergency of regional security, are aligned," Tedros said in a post on X. The claim is that many different strains of monkeypox are circulating across Africa right now, including in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. "In addition to other outbreaks of other clades of mpox in other parts of Africa, it's clear that a coordinated international response is essential to stop these outbreaks and save lives," Tedros added ominously. As many have been saying, monkeypox is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that primarily occurs in homosexuals. A version of it called clade 1b is transferred "mainly through sexual networks," the WHO admitted at last week's meeting. "Stopping these outbreaks will require a tailored and comprehensive response, with communities at the centre, as always," Tedros said. The WHO says it is providing special "machines" to African countries to analyze blood samples infected with monkeypox. The United Nations (UN) agency is also working with laboratories "to sequence viral samples," Tedros said. Then there is all the money the WHO is dumping into the project. Upwards of $15 million will be spent on "surveillance, preparedness, and response activities" to the alleged monkeypox crisis. "Monkeycovaids I can't wait for the vaccine," joked someone on X. They're just making everything up at this point. Find out more at Plague.info. Sources for this article include: X.com NaturalNews.com UN.org STAGED: FBI stopped an alleged assassination plot orchestrated by a suspected terrorist who entered the U.S. via a special permission given by the bureau itself The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced in a press release on Aug. 6 that it had charged a Pakistani national with alleged connections to the Iranian government over an alleged plot to assassinate political figures on U.S. soil, possibly including former President Donald Trump. Asif Merchant, also known as Asif Raza Merchant, 46, was arrested on July 12 while preparing to leave the United States. The arrest was initiated after he allegedly told a confidential source of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that he had an "opportunity" for him. "For years, the Justice Department has been working aggressively to counter Iran's brazen and unrelenting efforts to retaliate against American public officials for the killing of Iranian General Soleimani," said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. "The Justice Department will spare no resource to disrupt and hold accountable those who would seek to carry out Iran's lethal plotting against American citizens and will not tolerate attempts by an authoritarian regime to target American public officials and endanger America's national security." According to reports, Merchant met with undercover New York law enforcement officers posing as "hitmen" back in June, requesting the following: "theft of documents, arranging protests at political rallies, and for them to kill a 'political person.'" He claimed that he had spoken with an unidentified "party" back home in Pakistan and was instructed to "finalize" their plans to kill the person either late August or September after he left the country. Law Enforcement Today reported that the "terrorist" paid the undercover officers $5,000 in advance and confirmed that the plan was a "go" when the operatives allegedly asked if they were moving forward with it. This was when Merchant made arrangements to leave the U.S., but he was intercepted before he could make his flight. He told authorities that he has a wife and children in Iran as well as a wife and children in Pakistan. "Fortunately, the assassins Merchant allegedly tried to hire were undercover FBI agents," said Acting Assistant Director Christie Curtis of the FBI New York Field Office. "This case underscores the dedication and formidable efforts of our agents, analysts and prosecutors in New York, Houston, and Dallas. Their success in neutralizing this threat not only prevented a tragic outcome but also reaffirms the FBI's commitment to protecting our nation and its citizens from both domestic and international threats." (Related: Sen. Johnson: FBI CAN'T BE TRUSTED on Trump assassination probe.) However, critics are now questioning why the foreign national was easily allowed to enter the nation via the FBI's special permission called "significant public benefit parole" despite information that he has recently traveled to Iran and been added and flagged to a terrorism watchlist. Merchant has no ties to assassination attempt against Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania Merchant's alleged foiled plot has no ties to the shooting of Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, a federal government source told Fox News Digital. Investigators said targets included people on "both sides," and not just the Republican presidential frontrunner. As per Garland, "While our investigation into the attempted assassination remains ongoing, as the FBI has stated multiple times, we have not found any evidence that the shooter had accomplices or co-conspirators, either foreign or domestic." But as cited in the DOJ release, Merchant's hunt for a hitman was linked with a longstanding urge by Iran to retaliate against the U.S. over the 2020 killing of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp's top commander Qassem Soleimani. The court documents did not mention the name of the alleged targets of the plot but as per the criminal complaint, Merchant told a law enforcement informant that there would be "security all around" one target. "We have not received any reports on this matter from the U.S. government. However, it is evident that the modus operandi in question contradicts the Iranian government's policy of legally prosecuting the murderer of General Soleimani," the Iranian mission to the United Nations in New York said in a statement to Reuters news agency. Trump, who as president approved the drone strike that killed Soleimani, was discussed as a potential target of the plot, but the scheme was not conceived as a plot to assassinate him, a source told the news outlet. However, security concerns related to Trump and his former advisors have already been raised before about the possible retaliation from Tehran for the airstrike that killed the Iranian top military leader. Visit Trump.news for more stories about the former president. Watch the video below where it tackles why there is no accountability for the assassination attempt against Donald Trump. This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Meta Platforms: MASS CENSORSHIP of Trump photo after failed assassination attempt was an "error." Google manipulates essential auto-suggest results to "memory-hole" Trump assassination attempt. New Secret Service director announces changes to security protocol following failed Trump assassination attempt (in which the Secret Service was complicit). Georgia PM pins assassination attempt against ruling party's founder on the "same global forces" that attempted to kill Trump. Sources include: LawEnforcementToday.com Justice.gov FoxNews.com AlJazeera.com Brighteon.com Minneapolis police testified that Tim Walz let BLM rioters BURN city for George Floyd In the aftermath of George Floyd's death when Black Lives Matter (BLM) extremists rioted throughout the streets of Minneapolis, Gov. Tim Walz withdrew support from local law enforcement, leaving them hanging in danger. At a Minnesota Senate hearing, Sgt. Anna Hedberg of the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) revealed what Walz did to her officers. "That's not what we stand for," Sgt. Hedberg said while seemingly trying to hold back tears, revealing that her officers were abandoned by state, city and department leaders. "To watch them go through that was so heartbreaking," she continued, her voice cracking with fear. "To know that they could have died because we were not allowed to respond the way that we have been trained to respond." ?Flashback: Three Minneapolis police officers testify to the Minnesota Senate that Governor Tim Walz gave the order to let rioters burn the MPD Third Precinct. "I heard the Governor say 'Give it up'" - MPD Sergeant Anna Hedberg pic.twitter.com/6CQQxzXay1 Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) August 12, 2024 (Related: Kamala Harris wants more chaos across America with increased illegal immigration.) Tim Walz abandoned Minnesota police officers, "demoralized whole state" According to media reports, police officers in Minneapolis were told by Gov. Walz that they were not allowed to wear protective fraud suits while trying to address the rioting, leaving them vulnerable to injuries or death from the bottles and other debris that was thrown at them. Sgt. Hedberg says city and department leaders, including Gov. Walz, abandoned her officers during their time of need. "I heard the governor say, 'give it up.' It wasn't directly to me; it was through a phone call about how the governor says to give up the precinct. I mean, that's demoralizing for this whole state." Another officer who spoke at the same Minnesota Senate hearing revealed that many police officers retired or quit because of what happened under the leadership of Walz. "I believe I speak for every Minneapolis cop when I tell you that I've never been more publicly humiliated," said officer Rich Walker Sr. "The crime is rampant in Minneapolis right now." The above video footage emerged after Kamala Harris announced that she had picked Walz to be her running mate in the 2024 election. Investigative journalist Liz Collin put together an entire documentary film called "The Fall of Minneapolis" that exposes holes in the prevailing version of events from the post-Floyd summer of terror. "If he'll give up a police precinct, he'll give up our sovereign borders," warned someone on X about what having Walz in the White House with Kamala will do to the United States. "He'll give up our country. This is foreign influence and it is depraved." Philip Haney (@PhilipBHaney) shared the following episode of "National Security Meltdown" from 2019 called "Sanctuary Cities Are About Globalism, Destruction of America's Sovereignty & Destruction of the Constitutional Rule of Law," which dives into the matter further: Philip Haney: National Security Meltdown (2019) Sanctuary Cities Are About Globalism, Destruction of Americas Sovereignty & Destruction of the Constitutional Rule of Law In this episode I explain how sovereignty and border security are interconnected. President Trump pic.twitter.com/YrRXgOz4LR Philip Haney (@PhilipBHaney) August 6, 2024 "So Tim Walz stoked the flames that ruined hard-working people's lives and livelihoods," wrote another about Walz's post-Floyd surrender to domestic terrorism. "Not exactly your 'typical midwestern dad,' that's for sure." Another wrote that it is beyond shameful for Walz to have allowed rioters to burn down buildings "much less police stations." "Not only is he guilty of stolen valor, but he also tells his officers to give up their police station," said another. "What a disgraced soldier and a disgraced governor." Do Americans want another pro-BLM terrorism regime in the White House? Learn more at Collapse.news. Sources for this article include: X.com NaturalNews.com TheFallOfMinneapolis.com Trump launches neighborhood organizing ground campaign called Trump Force 47 To become a more formidable opponent against Kamala Harris and the Democrat political machine, former president Donald Trump is launching Trump Force 47 , described as an "official army of volunteer neighborhood organizers working together to defeat Kamala Harris and the far-left liberal democrats." In addition to his iconic rallies, Trump is forging a battalion of neighborhood organizers to rove the nation in search of more voters willing to fill in Trump as their candidate of choice this November. With upcoming events in Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, Texas, Arizona and Nevada, Trump is pressing on to take the many swing states he probably won in 2020 minus all the fraud. The Trump campaign came up with a "Swamp the Vote USA" campaign aimed at overcoming the election fraud that is expected to plague the 2024 election just like it did in 2020. "Do your part to guarantee we win by more than the Margin of Fraud by casting your vote and taking responsibility for ensuring every Republican and Trump voter in your household casts theirs too," the Trump campaign is urging. Participants in Swamp the Vote are also encouraged to: - Check their voter registration details - Pledge to vote early in-person, or - Pledge to vote on Election Day - Sign up for a free Trump yard sign (Related: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. gave a nod to Trump in a recent X post urging his followers to vote against the Democrats, the party of censorship and lawfare.) Become a poll watcher The Trump campaign is also looking for Trump enthusiasts who are willing to sign up as poll watchers on Election Day. After everything that was reported to have happened in 2020, Trump needs all the help he can get this fall as well. "Republicans across the country have been fighting to make sure your vote is safe and secure but the work is never done," the Trump campaign warns. "We are working in key states to make sure your vote is protected. If you want to be part of this critical mission to ensure Republicans win in 2024, sign up to be an Election Integrity volunteer in your state." There have been several recent legal victories in Trump's favor as of late, including: 1) Ortiz II v. North Carolina State Board of Elections The Republican National Convention (RNC) filed an amicus brief in support of a lawsuit challenging the North Carolina State Board of Elections for refusing to recognize the Justice For All Party (JFA) as a new political party in the Tar Heel State. "The JFA Party nominated Cornel West for President and seeks to place him on the 2024 general election ballot," Protect the Vote says. 2) Recker v. City Clerk for the City of Appleton Plaintiffs in this case sued the Wisconsin city of Appleton's City Clerk for refusing to hire any Republican-nominated special voting deputies (SVDs) because the Democrat Party did not submit any nominees. "SVDs are responsible for administering in-person absentee voting at nursing homes and residential care facilities. State law requires prioritizing the nominees of the two major parties when appointing SVDs," Protect the Vote said. "Shortly after the complaint was filed, the City agreed to settle the case and hire Republican nominees as SVDs for the upcoming primary and general elections. On July 25, the court dismissed the case pursuant to the parties joint stipulation." 3) American Oversight v. George State Election Board A watchdog organization sued the George State Election Board after its majority voted to adopt election integrity regulations. Plaintiffs claim the Board violated the Georgia Open Meetings Act by holding a meeting without the required public notice. Do you think Trump will win the 2024 election? Find out more at Trump.news. Sources for this article include: TrumpForce47.com NaturalNews.com Ukraine wants to start talks using Kursk nuclear plant seizure as ultimatum Akhmat head MOSCOW, (Sputnik) - The Ukrainian Armed Forces went on the offensive on August 6 to seize territory in Russia's Kursk region, but their advance was stopped, said Valery Gerasimov, chief of Russia's General Staff. He stressed that the operation in Kursk will be completed by defeating the enemy and reaching the state border. (Article republished from SputnikGlobe.com) Units of the Russian Armed Forces are in the Kursk city of Sudzha, which the enemy does not control but there are daily clashes, commander of the Akhmat special forces Apti Alaudinov told Russian media. "Today there are units of the Russian Defense Ministry in Sudzha. There is an enemy around and in some parts of the city. There are active clashes there every day. The enemy cannot say that he completely controls Sudzha, because he does not really control it," Alaudinov said. The major general also said that Kiev is planning on seizing the Kursk nuclear power plant on August 11 and use this to start negotiations with Moscow with an ultimatum. "We received very interesting materials the whole layout of the operation, which was being prepared, by what forces and what was planned. What can I say: on the 11th [of August] it was necessary to take the nuclear power plant in Kurchatov... [Ukrainian President] Zelensky's blitzkrieg, which was planned with the seizure of the Kursk nuclear power plant and already entering negotiations with an ultimatum... failed," Alaudinov explained. The operation had not been completed, despite all the reserves directed by Kiev in this direction, Alaudinov said. "Most of the equipment has already been destroyed from what was deployed in the Kursk direction," Alaudinov concluded. Read more at: SputnikGlobe.com White House officially calls for assault weapons ban, sparking widespread backlash online Gun control in the United States is one of the most polarizing issues in American politics. Proponents argue that banning assault weapons is a necessary step to curb mass shootings and gun-related violence. Opponents, however, believe it is a direct violation of their right to bear arms and fear it could lead to further restrictions on gun ownership. The White House's recent post has reignited this contentious issue, with both sides passionately defending their positions. As the administration continues to push for gun control measures, it is clear that the conversation surrounding the Second Amendment and public safety will remain a significant and divisive topic in the political arena. To reinforce its position, the White House's official social media account posted a controversial message, calling for a ban on assault weapons. The post, stating "It's time," was accompanied by an image reading, "Ban Assault Weapons." It has since sparked widespread backlash online. (Related: Gun rights groups vow to appeal seventh circuit ruling on "assault weapons.") Critics quickly condemned the post, accusing the Biden-Harris administration of attempting to undermine the Second Amendment. Many commenters expressed their outrage, with one user highlighting the irony of Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate, Tim Walz, who saw a surge in gun purchases in Minnesota during the 2020 Black Lives Matter riots. President Joe Biden joined gun control activists in pushing forward more initiatives to combat gun violence and trumpeted his administration's stricter gun laws. Biden's prescheduled remarks at the advocacy group Everytown's Gun Safety University conference in Washington, D.C., came hours after his son Hunter was convicted on three felony counts in his federal gun trial in Delaware. "Look, folks, you've helped power a movement that is turning this cause into reality," Biden said. "Especially young people who demanded our nation do better and protect us all, who protested, who organized, who voted, who ran for office and yes, who marched for their lives. From my perspective, today is about celebrating you." He touted new Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) data that shows overall crime, including violent crime and murder, has fallen in the first three months of 2024 compared to the same period last year. "The year before I came to the presidency, the murder rate was the highest increase on record. Last year, we saw the largest decrease of murder in the history of it, and those rates are continuing to fall faster than ever," he said. Biden later said tackling gun violence has been "a passion of mine for a long, long time," saying he understood the pain of losing someone. "I give you my word. I know what that feels (like), that black hole when you receive that phone call. It seems like your black hole in your chest and you're being sucked into it. Just showing up here and all the work you've done takes some courage because it reminds you of the moment you got that phone call," the president said. "Since the law was passed and implemented, the FBI stopped more than 700 sales of firearms for individuals under 21, and about 20,000 unlicensed firearms dealers are now required to become licensed to run background checks," the president said. Millions of Americans are being deprived of their right to bear arms without due process The White House's post faced significant pushback, with social media users accusing the administration of wanting to disarm Americans. One X user remarked, "Harris' running mate Tim Walz drove tens of thousands of his constituents to buy 'assault rifles' in response to the deadly BLM riots of 2020 that destroyed major Minnesota cities under his watch." The National Association of Gun Rights (NAGR) members noted that the Gun Control Act (GCA) and the National Instant Criminal Background Check (NICS) System have worked to deprive gun rights from millions of Americans without due process. "These same gun control laws, which Hunter Biden is guilty of violating, are the same laws now being abused to federally bar Donald Trump from possessing a firearm for the rest of his life," NAGR said in a statement. NAGR brought attention to how these same gun control laws have stripped 264,000 veterans of their right to bear arms without any due process. In sum, there are north of 16 million Americans who are on the FBI's "no-guns" NICS list. It is the opinion of gun owners that the call to ban assault weapons is part of the broader gun control agenda advocated by the Biden administration. Biden has frequently voiced his support for stricter gun laws, aiming to reduce gun violence across the nation. However, this stance has been consistently met with strong opposition from Second Amendment advocates who view such measures as an infringement on their constitutional rights. Visit Guns.news for more stories similar to this. Watch a video on the 2nd Amendment: 8 Key Principles From the Founders Ignored Today. This video is from the Tenth Amendment Center on Brighteon.com. More related: Gun rights group sues New Mexico Gov. Michelle Grisham for declaring a "gun violence public emergency." Gun owners oppose new ATF regulation that prohibits private firearm transfers: REGISTRATION paves the way for CONFISCATION. Gun Owners of America files lawsuit against ATF's pistol brace rule. Gun control kills people. Gun control, 'red flag' laws did nothing to stop horrible mass shooting at gay nightclub in Colorado. Sources include: YourNews.com NationalGunRights.org Brighteon.com Fahmaan Khan shares childhood memories of celebrating Independence Day P opular television star Fahmaan Khan took a trip down memory lane and recalled memories of celebrating Independence Day. "I remember being at home in the building and there would be flag hoisting and then we used to sing the National Anthem. We would enjoy the food and beverages. I remember that one Independence Day the flag was not opening and I was great at climbing trees so I got up on the pole and opened it," Fahmaan told IANS. "I remember the entire building was there and they were happy." On the 78th Independence Day on Thursday, the actor urged all to "be one" and "progress as one". "I think it is important to understand why we are celebrating this day. It's an important day in the history of the country... We also need to believe that we need to stop differentiating ourselves in terms of caste and creed in this world. We are one unit, one country." "We need to live like that. Be one... I think it is important to be one and progress as one," said the actor. Talking about Fahmaan, he started his career first as a model. He has worked in theatre for more than nine years. His small screen journey started with a cameo role in "Yeh Vaada Raha" in 2015. After which, he did a cameo role in the 2018 show "Kundali Bhagya." The actor rose to fame with his recurring roles in "Kya Qusoor Hai Amala Ka", "Ishq Mein Marjawan" and "Mere Dad Ki Dulhan" from 2017 to 2020. He then featured as the lead in popular shows such as "Apna Time Bhi Aayega", "Imlie" and "Pyar Ke Saat Vachan Dharampatnii." The 33-year-old star stepped into the world of directing in 2022 with the music video "Ishq Ho Gaya" sung by Tabish Pasha starring himself alongside Sumbul Touqeer. His latest work includes the show "Krishna Mohini", where he played Aryaman Mehta. Fahmaan Khan shares childhood memories of celebrating Independence Day Post your comments Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! KJo, Kartik, Nora, Imtiaz Ali, Kabir Khan officially commence IFFM 2024 B ollywood personalities such as Karan Johar, Kartik Aaryan, Nora Fatehi, Imtiaz Ali and Kabir Khan among many others on August 15 officially kicked off the 15th edition of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2024. The event was inaugurated with an official press conference attended, which also had names such as Shoojit Sircar, Rima Das, Adarsh Gourav, Lakshya and Sona Mohapatra. Karan said: "I'm extremely excited about watching the opening night film. What sets IFFM part from other festivals is its true standing for diversity. It's one of those festivals that truly champions inclusivity in every regard". Kartik, who is attending the festival for the second time, added: " Really looking forward to the festival this year. And also excited to see the films that are part of the festival this year". The festival was officially kicked off with keynote words by Caroline Pitcher from VicScreen as well as festival director and founder Mitu Bhowmik Lange. Scheduled to take place from August 15 to August 25 in Melbourne, the festival will celebrate the diversity of Indian cinema with screenings across various Indian languages, as well as cultural programs spotlighting the rich heritage shared by the two countries. Mitu Bhowmik Lange, the festival's director and founder, said: "This year, as we mark the 15th edition of the festival, we are thrilled to bring together some of the most respected names in Indian cinema to Melbourne." "The festival has always been about building bridges between cultures, and it's heartwarming to see the support we have received from both the Indian film fraternity and the Victorian Government." Ahead of the festival, actress Rani Mukerji launched a stamp in honour of late filmmaker Yash Chopra at Australian Parliament House. His stamp was launched in memory honouring his iconic cinematic legacy and his contributions to Indian cinema. KJo, Kartik, Nora, Imtiaz Ali, Kabir Khan officially commence IFFM 2024 Post your comments Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! India worried for safety of Hindus in Bangladesh: PM Modi A ddressing the nation on Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep concern over the ongoing violence against the Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh. Highlighting the plight of minority communities, particularly Hindus, in the violence-stricken country, PM Modi said: "Whatever is happening in our neighbouring nation (Bangladesh) is very concerning for us. I hope that conditions normalise there." The Prime Minister underscored safety concerns for Hindus in Bangladesh, who have faced attacks amidst the recent political unrest following the anti-quota reform protests and the ensuing ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. "All 140 crore Indians are worried about the safety of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh. India always wishes for its neighbouring nations to walk on the path of peace and progress. We are committed to maintaining peace," PM Modi added. The Prime Minister also reiterated India's support for Bangladesh's stability and development: "In the coming days, we will always wish well for Bangladesh's 'Vikas Yatra' (journey of development) because we are the well-wishers of humankind." On August 5, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, fled to India as protesters took over the streets of Dhaka. The weeks leading up to her ousting were marred by violence, with more than 500 people losing their lives during the unrest and several reports of attacks on Bangladesh's Hindu minority community. Earlier as well, after the head of the new interim government in Bangladesh took over, PM Modi extended his best wishes to Nobel laureate and microfinance pioneer Muhammad Yunus (84), while expressing that the new regime would restore peace and ensure the protection of Hindus and other minorities in the neighbouring country. "My best wishes to Professor Muhammad Yunus on the assumption of his new responsibilities. We hope for an early return to normalcy, ensuring the safety and protection of Hindus and all other minority communities. India remains committed to working with Bangladesh to fulfill the shared aspirations of both our peoples for peace, security and development," Prime Minister Modi posted on X. Recently, in her first statement after the ouster, Hasina demanded an investigation into the killings, vandalism and arson carried out in the name of agitation in her country. She also demanded that the culprits be identified and brought to justice. She also conveyed her sympathies to the bevered families. India worried for safety of Hindus in Bangladesh: PM Modi Post your comments Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! Narendra Modi's 11th consecutive I-Day address, 3rd PM after Nehru, Indira Gandhi W ith his 11th consecutive address on Independence Day from the ramparts of the iconic Red Fort, Narendra Modi on Thursday became the third Prime Minister to do so. The record lies with first PM Jawaharlal Nehru who hoisted the flag 17 times from 1947 to 1964. Nehru is followed by Indira Gandhi who hoisted the national flag 16 times, just one short of her father's record. Indira Gandhi, however, did not achieve this record in consecutive tenures. She did this in two different stints from 1966-1977 and 1980-1984. With Thursday's address, PM Modi also broke the record of his immediate predecessor Manmohan Singh who had addressed the nation ten consecutive times in his back-to-back two tenures. Manmohan Singh was the prime minister of the UPA government for 10 years between 2004 and 2014. In an interesting piece of information, Gulzarilal Nanda and Chandra Shekhar were the only Prime Ministers who did not get a chance to hoist the Tricolour even once. Chandra Shekhar was the first prime minister from November 1990 to June 1991. Nanda served the nation for two terms -- May 27 to June 9 in 1964 and January 11 to January 24 in 1966. Lal Bahadur Shastri and Morarji Desai hoisted the flag two times each. In his 78th Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi outlined a series of futuristic goals aimed at shaping India's growth, driving innovation, and positioning the country as a global leader across various sectors. He also cautioned the people to protect the country from pessimistic people who cannot see India's progress. The Prime Minister made a compelling case for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC), stating that it was the need of the hour to have a secular civil code and do away with discriminatory communal civil code. PM Modi in his address to the nation mentioned the atrocities against women taking place in the country and said extensive discussion on those receiving punishment be held so that those sinning understand that this leads to hanging. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also highlighted the contribution of the middle class to the country's development and assured minimum government interference. Narendra Modi's 11th consecutive I-Day address, 3rd PM after Nehru, Indira Gandhi Post your comments Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! Nepal PM congratulates India on I-Day, hopes for strengthened bilateral ties N epal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli on Thursday extended his best wishes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of India on Independence Day. "Warm congratulations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of India on 78th Independence Day!" the Nepali Prime Minister said in a post on X. Further expressing hope for bolstering bilateral ties, he wrote, "May this day strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between our nations. Looking forward to advancing Nepal-India relations." Earlier on Wednesday, the Indian Embassy in Nepal organised a 'Har Ghar Tiranga' event in the spirit of the 78th Independence Day of the nation. "The Indian National Flag is a source of immense pride for every citizen of India. Commemorating the spirit of the 78th Independence Day 2024, officers and officials of the Indian Embassy in Nepal enthusiastically joined the Har Ghar Tiranga celebration," the embassy said in a post on X. Recently, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited Nepal to deepen the bilateral relationship between the two nations under India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy, continuing the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between India and Nepal. During his visit, the Foreign Secretary reaffirmed civilisational, close and multifaceted ties between the two nations and discussed ways to provide momentum to various sectors of bilateral collaboration. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) emphasised that Foreign Secretary Misri's visit continues the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between India and Nepal. India is celebrating its 78th Independence Day this year. On this occasion, PM Modi hoisted the national flag at the Red Fort and paid tributes to the freedom fighters. The theme of this year's Independence Day is 'Viksit Bharat 2047', underscoring the government's goal of making India a developed country by 2047, which would mark 100 years of Independence. The focus is on government policy and programme announcements that generate headlines. Nepal PM congratulates India on I-Day, hopes for strengthened bilateral ties Post your comments Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! Japan PM Kishida sends offering to notorious war-linked Yasukuni Shrine J apanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida sent a ritual offering to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine on Thursday, as the country marked the 79th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II. Kishida dedicated the Tamakushi fees to the shrine, a symbol of Japan's past brutal militarism, in his capacity as president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Xinhua news agency reported. It came a day after Kishida took the public by surprise by announcing that he would not run in the ruling party's presidential race next month, ready to step down as the Prime Minister after three years in power. While Kishida has not visited the notorious shrine in person, several LDP lawmakers, including Shinjiro Koizumi, a former Environment Minister and son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, on Thursday visited the shrine to pay homage. The Yasukuni Shrine, located in central Tokyo, honours 14 convicted Class-A Japanese war criminals from World War II. It has long been a source of diplomatic friction for Japan and its neighbours. Visits and ritual offerings made by Japanese officials to the controversial shrine have consistently sparked criticism and hurt the feelings of the people of China, South Korea and other countries brutalized by Japan during the war. Japan PM Kishida sends offering to notorious war-linked Yasukuni Shrine Post your comments Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! Maldives President reaffirms commitment to strengthen ties with India in I-Day greetings M aldives President Mohamed Muizzu on Thursday hailed the "invaluable partnership" between the two neighbouring countries in his greetings sent to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of India's 78th Independence Day. "India continues to be an invaluable partner in the development of the Maldives. The long-standing partnership, based on mutual respect and trust, has evolved into a close and cooperative friendship that has been instrumental in advancing the development and prosperity of the Maldives," his office said in a statement. The Maldivian President reaffirmed his administration's "full commitment" to strengthening the "historic and close connections" between the two neighbouring countries. Taking to X, Muizzu wrote, "On the occasion of India's Independence Day, I extend heartfelt congratulations to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of India." "Our enduring friendship, rooted in history, has evolved to foster prosperity and development in the Maldives and the region. As we look to the future, I am confident that our partnership will continue to strengthen, driving mutual prosperity and shared goals," he added. Earlier this week, calling India one of the "closest allies" and "invaluable partners", the Maldivian President also extended "deep gratitude" to PM Modi, the Indian government, and the friendly people of India for their "generous and continued assistance" to the Maldives. "India has always been one of the closest allies and invaluable partners, facilitating and providing aid whenever Maldives has needed it," Muizzu acknowledged in External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar's presence during a ceremony held at the President's Office to handover the completed water supply and sewerage facilities on 28 islands in the Maldives, funded by the Government of India's Line of Credit (LoC) facility through the Exim Bank of India. In his remarks, Muizzu highlighted that these projects are key milestones in the Maldives' bilateral relations with India and would provide significant economic benefits, boost the local economies, and together contribute to the nation's prosperity. During his meeting with EAM Jaishankar, the Maldives President also recalled his recent visit to India to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Modi and expressed appreciation for the invitation and the opportunity to meet the Prime Minister as well as President Droupadi Murmu. India is celebrating its 78th Independence Day this year. On this occasion, PM Modi hoisted the national flag at the Red Fort and paid tributes to the freedom fighters. The theme of this year's Independence Day is 'Viksit Bharat 2047', underscoring the government's goal of making India a developed country by 2047, which would mark 100 years of Independence. The focus is on government policy and programme announcements that generate headlines. Maldives President reaffirms commitment to strengthen ties with India in I-Day greetings Post your comments Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! No threat of mpox spread in Russia: Authorities R ussian authorities confirmed on Thursday that the situation is under constant control, and there is no threat of the disease spreading in Russia. "In Russia, all necessary measures to detect the infection are being implemented timely and systematically. The situation is under constant control, and there is no threat of the disease spreading in Russia," Rospotrebnadzor, the country's consumer rights and human well-being watchdog, said in a statement, Xinhua news agency reported. The statement follows the WTO's categorisation of the mpox outbreak in Africa as "a public health emergency of international concern." Rospotrebnadzor said Russia has sufficient advanced test systems for rapid mpox detection, adding that developed by Russian scientists, these highly efficient tests can be used outside laboratory settings. Russia is also prepared to assist African countries affected by the mpox outbreak. "Rospotrebnadzor will provide scientific and technical assistance and training specialists to the African countries affected by the epidemic, as well as to the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention," the statement added. No threat of mpox spread in Russia: Authorities Post your comments Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! Isha Malviya: The flag is a symbol of our nation's pride, and it deserves respect O n the occasion of India's 78th Independence Day, actress Isha Malviya has urged respect for the Tricolour and said it is a symbol of our nation's pride. Isha, who is known for her role in the show "Udaariyaan", reflected on cherished childhood memories from the celebrations of Independence Day and offered insights on flag etiquette. For the actress, Independence Day has always been a blend of simple joys and cherished traditions. Reminiscing about her school days, she recalled: "During my school days, Independence Day was always special. In the evening, after returning from school, my dad would wait for us with Poha, Jelly Beans, and samosas, a special dish from Madhya Pradesh." "We would eat together, which was the highlight of our Independence Day. The day also included participating in school programs and dance functions," she added. Isha shared a thoughtful message for those who may not fully understand the significance of the Tricolour. "If you cannot properly care for the national flag, you should not buy it. The flag is a symbol of our nation's pride, and it deserves respect. I urge people to only purchase the flag if they are committed to preserving it, rather than discarding it carelessly." Isha urges people to only purchase the flag if they are committed to preserving it, rather than discarding it carelessly. "India has undoubtedly evolved significantly over the past 78 years. The entire generation has experienced substantial changes. I hope that India continues to advance positively, providing a better future for the generations to come." Noticing a trend of other countries celebrating India's independence, she said: "While I haven't seen a drastic change in the spirit of Independence Day, I have noticed an encouraging trend. People from other countries who have moved to India are also celebrating Independence Day, showing respect for our culture." "This inclusivity is heartening, and I wish all Indians a very happy Independence Day." Isha Malviya: The flag is a symbol of our nation's pride, and it deserves respect Post your comments Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! CM Revanth hopes for positive outcome to talks with Naidu T elangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on Thursday said that his government is hoping for a positive outcome to the talks held recently with his Andhra Pradesh counterpart Chandrababu Naidu on pending bifurcation-related issues. In his speech during Independence Day celebrations held at the historic Golconda Fort, he noted that the division of assets between the two states after the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh remained pending for the last 10 years. The issue of sharing Krishna and Godavari river waters was also not addressed. Asserting that his government was giving priority to the state's interests, CM Revanth Reddy said it wants to maintain cordial relations with the neighbouring states as well as with the Centre. The Chief Minister claimed that his government accorded the first priority to revive the freedom that Telangana was deprived of for the last 10 years. "We broke the shackles of physical and psychological slavery. Today, people have the freedom to question the government. A facility was also created to seek suggestions from people to run the people-friendly government," CM Revanth Reddy said. Stating that the state government was functioning in the interest of the majority of people, CM Revanth Reddy said the government was ready to rectify mistakes, if any. "We have been maintaining restraint though some forces made false allegations against the government," he said. CM Revanth Reddy stated that his government created a record by implementing two of the six promises within 48 hours of coming to power. The government launched free bus travel for women which resulted in saving of Rs. 2,619 crore for women as of July. He also referred to an increase of health insurance coverage under Rajiv Arogyasri from Rs.5 lakh to Rs.10 lakh. CM Revanth Reddy announced that distribution of digital health profile cards with a unique number to everyone will be launched soon. CM Revanth Reddy mentioned that the Rs 500 gas cylinder scheme was launched on February 27 and there were 43 lakh beneficiaries under the scheme. Under the Gruha Jyoti scheme launched in March, every identified household is getting 200 units of free power every month and a total of 47.13 lakh households are benefiting from the scheme, he added. The Chief Minister said under the Indiramma housing scheme, the government has set a target of constructing 4.50 lakh houses this year and for every Assembly constituency, 3,500 houses have been allotted. The government will provide Rs 5 lakh financial assistance for the poor to construct their house, he said. The Chief Minister claimed that the state government accorded top priority to agriculture. "A whopping Rs 72,659 crore has been allotted for agriculture and allied sectors in the budget. Efforts are also being made to enhance the farmers' income and farm output," CM Revanth Reddy said. He mentioned that as per the election promise, the government is successfully implementing a waiver of farm loans of up to Rs 2 lakh at one go. "Opposition parties are trying to find fault in the implementation of the farm loan waiver scheme. I would like to say something about this. Every deserving farmer will benefit from the scheme. "The state agriculture department took the responsibility of addressing the grievances that arose due to technical problems," he said, adding that the government was spending Rs.31,000 crore on the scheme. CM Revanth Reddy said his government was committed to providing Rs 15,000 per acre to every eligible farmer under the Rythu Bharosa scheme whereas the previous government paid only Rs 10,000 per acre. "The ineligible mainly the land owners who did not cultivate lands and realty owners also benefitted," he asserted and added that public money was misused and the farmers were at the receiving end. "Telangana has been practicing abundant paddy cultivation. Farmers are facing problems due to a lack of remunerative prices for their farm produce. It is decided to provide a Rs 500 bonus for fine paddy varieties and 33 fine varieties have already been identified," he said. Claiming that revolutionary reforms were being introduced in the education sector, he said the government has decided to constitute the 'Vidya Commission' soon. "Anganwadi centers will be upgraded as pre-primary schools and the task of providing quality education, skill development, and job creation will be taken up on a mission mode," he said. Referring to the foundation stone laid for Young India Skills University, he said this initiative will be revolutionary in the education sector. "Job guarantees will be provided to the youth with new skills. Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra has been appointed as the Chairman of the Skill University," he said. The Chief Minister said the government envisaged plans to empower 63 lakh women as entrepreneurs and industrialists under the Indira Mahila Shakti scheme. The government targeted to provide Rs 1 lakh crore financial assistance and establish Srinidhi. The government will provide required skills to women's groups and also promote their products through branding and marketing. He said the government introduced a loan insurance scheme under the Indira Mahila Shakti scheme. Under the scheme, a maximum loan amount of Rs 2 lakh will be waived off in case the woman member in the group dies. CM Revanth hopes for positive outcome to talks with Naidu Post your comments Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! Madhuri Dixit's husband Shriram Nene celebrates I-Day with Tricolour dosa A ctress Madhuri Dixit's husband, Shriram Madhav Nene is celebrating the 78th Independence Day with culinary flavours. On Thursday, the husband of the actress took to his Instagram, and shared a video of himself trying his hands at making a Tricolour dosa. The dosa was made from three batters of moong daal, carrot, and green paste. He wrote in the caption, "So when your friend says she is coming to town, there is nothing better than cooking together. Celebrating Indian Independence Day with my dear friend and collaborator, @lakshmipratury Can't wait to show you what we are cooking up together". In the video, Shriram Nene can be seen dressed in a white kurta pyjama, and mixing ingredients in his kitchen as he spoke in an American accent. Madhuri Dixit and Shriram Nene tied the knot in a traditional ceremony on October 17, 1999 held at the residence of her elder brother in Southern California. Shriram Nene is a cardiovascular surgeon from Los Angeles, California. The two also collaborated on their second home production 'Panchak'. The film featured an ensemble cast of the finest artists from Marathi film, television, and stage like Adinath Kothare, Tejashri Pradhan, Anand Ingale, Nandita Patkar, Bharati Acharekar, Vidyadhar Joshi, Satish Alekar, Sagar Talashikar, Dipti Devi and Ashish Kulkarni. The film was shot in picturesque locales of the Konkan region of Maharashtra. It was directed by Jayant Jathar and Rahul Awate. Meanwhile on the work front, the actress was most recently seen in the streaming film 'Maja Ma' and also the streaming series 'The Fame Game', in the latter she played a superstar whose sudden disappearance leads to unravelling of many dark secrets from her personal life. In addition, she actively works for television as she also regularly judges the dance reality show 'Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa'. The actress will soon announce her upcoming projects. Madhuri Dixit's husband Shriram Nene celebrates I-Day with Tricolour dosa Post your comments Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! Long live vibrant and ever flourishing Mauritius-Bharat relationship: Jugnauth E xchanging greetings on India's Independence Day, Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth and PM Narendra Modi on Thursday cited the longstanding bilateral partnership between the two countries and the broad-based desire for its further growth. "Warmest congratulations to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji and to the people of India on the occasion of your 78th Independence Day. Long live the vibrant and ever flourishing Mauritius Bharat relationship," Jugnauth posted on X. Replying to the Mauritius Prime Minister's greetings, PM Modi said: "Thank you PM Pravind Jugnauth for the Independence Day wishes. May the friendship between our nations continue to grow and become even more multifaceted". Last month, during his two-day visit to Mauritius, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar had inaugurated 12 High Impact Community Development Projects, a mediclinic in Grand Bois built with Indian grant assistance and also the first overseas Jan Aushadhi Kendra, testifying the close relationship between the two countries. During his visit, Jaishankar held extensive discussions with PM Jugnauth on various aspects of bilateral ties, including the development partnership, defence and maritime cooperation, economic and trade ties, and people-to-people linkages. The EAM also presented Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards to the first two 7th-generation Mauritian citizens and handed over a royalty cheque for the sale of nautical charts, as per the bilateral MoU on sales of navigational charts. The visit, said the Ministry of External Affairs Ministry, underscored the importance India attaches to Mauritius as an important pillar of India's Vision SAGAR, and 'Neighbourhood First' policy. It also reaffirmed the continued commitment of both countries to strengthening their multi-dimensional bilateral relationship and deepening their close people-to-people ties. Cementing the deep-rooted cultural and civilisational bond, the Mauritius PM visited New Delhi in June to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony along with several other leaders from the neighbouring countries. Long live vibrant and ever flourishing Mauritius-Bharat relationship: Jugnauth Post your comments Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! Change in Assam's demography a deep concern, says CM Himanta Biswa Sarma A ssam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday expressed concern over the decline in Hindu population and rise in Muslim population, affecting the demography of the state. In his Independence Day speech, Sarma said: "Hindu population has dropped to 57 per cent while Muslim population has risen to 41 per cent. This is a deep concern for us. The state government has been giving priority to maintaining the demographic balance in Assam and we are working towards safeguarding the rights of indigenous people." He said that in certain places like the undivided Goalpara district, Barpeta and some other places, the lands of indigenous people can not be bought by people belonging to other religions. "The interfaith land transfer will be stopped in such places to safeguard the indigenous culture. The state government will bring a new act in this regard in the upcoming Assembly session," Sarma said. He also gave an overview of a number of forthcoming projects that will enhance the governance and infrastructure of the state. To ensure that Guwahati's land stays in the hands of indigenous people and to lessen land-related conflicts, he declared the commencement of Mission Basundhara 3.0 on October 2. According to Sarma, 74 new districts or subdivisions will be created, and Chiknajhar in the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) will become the eighth national park in Assam. Additionally, he disclosed plans for a State Domicile Policy that will give preference to native applicants for positions in the government. The Chief Minister announced that the Nijut Moina Scheme to support the education of female students in the state, which will be started on October 10, and that 20 lakh people in Assam will receive ration cards or family IDs from the state government. Sarma brought up the issues of flash floods brought on by the disposal of plastic waste in drains, as well as the effect hill mining in Meghalaya has on Guwahati's water woes. Noting that 20 per cent of waterlogging in urban areas may be prevented by avoiding the construction of dwellings on drains and prohibiting the discharge of plastic garbage in them, the Chief Minister asked citizens to raise awareness and take action to eliminate such behaviours. Change in Assam's demography a deep concern, says CM Himanta Biswa Sarma Post your comments Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! Putin lauds India's 'widely-recognised track record of success' in I-Day greetings to President Murmu, PM Modi L auding India's "widely-recognised track record of success", Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Moscow attaches great importance to the privileged strategic partnership between the two countries. In another statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry also hailed the longstanding partnership between the countries, saying that India now enjoys a "well-deserved authority" in the world arena. "Over the course of 77 years of its development as an independent nation, your country has achieved a widely-recognised track record of success in social, economic, scientific, technical affairs, as well as in many other spheres, and has earned great prestige on the international stage," Putin wrote in his message to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of India's Independence Day. "We attach great importance to the relations of a privileged strategic partnership with India, and I am certain that our consistent efforts to fulfil the agreements resulting from our recent talks in Moscow will contribute to further expanding the multi-faceted cooperation between Russia and India. There is no doubt that this would serve the interests of our friendly nations, while strengthening international stability and security," he added. Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry also hailed the diplomatic relations between the two countries, saying that the friendly Russian-Indian ties are based on equality, mutual respect and trust. "India enjoys well-deserved authority in the world arena, playing a major constructive role in international affairs. Today, our relations can be defined as a special and privileged strategic partnership. We maintain an intensive political dialogue, and take efforts to strengthen cooperation within multilateral formats and improve trade, economic, investment, scientific, technical, cultural and humanitarian cooperation," stated the Russian Foreign Ministry in its I-Day greetings to New Delhi. It also mentioned about the decades of "Indian people's hard struggle against the oppression of the British colonisers" for the right to determine their own destiny. Over the years of independence, said the Russian Foreign Ministry, India has reached significant success in the economic, scientific, technical and social areas, preserving its strong identity based on the centuries-long history and rich cultural heritage. Congratulating "Indian friends" on the Independence Day, Moscow highlighted that the USSR had made a "significant contribution" to the industrialisation of India as well as to the development of its economic and scientific potential. "Today, our relations can be defined as a special and privileged strategic partnership. We maintain an intensive political dialogue, and take efforts to strengthen cooperation within multilateral formats and improve trade, economic, investment, scientific, technical, cultural and humanitarian cooperation," it said. Putin lauds India's 'widely-recognised track record of success' in I-Day greetings to President Murmu, PM Modi Post your comments Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! 57 casual staff of Arunachal tiger reserve reinstated after 106 days F ifty-seven casual employees of the Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve (NNP & TR), one of the three tiger reserves in Arunachal Pradesh, have been reinstated three-and-a-half months after their services were terminated, officials said on Thursday. An official of the Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Department said the 57 casual employees of different designations have been reinstated with effect from August 14 under the Central Sector Scheme of 'Project Tiger', and their engagement would remain valid until March 31, 2025. The order issued by Field Director V.K. Jawal said the 57 staffers, including 22 women and seven ex-servicemen, have been reinstated in accordance with the approval of the annual operation plan of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for the 2024-25 financial year. Additionally, the order outlines that this engagement does not guarantee regular appointment to any post within the department. The 57 staffers were recruited under the NTCA's 'Project Tiger' programme during 2023-24 to strengthen the efforts to conserve tigers and other flora and fauna in the NNP & TR. According to the official, their order of termination issued on May 1 by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests cited "fund constraints" as the reason for the layoffs. The decision sparked widespread dissatisfaction, leading to a series of complaints and protests by the affected employees. With an area spanning 1,985 sq km in Changlang district bordering Myanmar, the Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve often faces challenge from poachers from across the border. Namdapha is the name of a river which originates from Daphabum and meets Noa-Dehing river. This river flows right across a north-south direction of the National Park and hence the name Namdapha has been given. The Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve was declared India's 15th tiger reserve in 1983, when its status was elevated from a wildlife sanctuary to a national park. Arunachal Pradesh has two more tiger reserves -- Kamlang Tiger Reserve, and Pakke Tiger Reserve. 57 casual staff of Arunachal tiger reserve reinstated after 106 days Post your comments Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! What was he scared of? wonders Champaign native Lisa Gaye Dixon, a University of Illinois professor emerita and one of two dozen local Black women who shared their feelings with The News-Gazette this week for a two-part series. Download Now The News-Gazette mobile app brings you the latest local breaking news, updates, and more. Read the News-Gazette on your mobile device just as it appears in print. In a report published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases (Safety and efficacy of PfSPZ Vaccine against malaria in healthy adults and women anticipating pregnancy in Mali: two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 1 and 2 trials) a team led by investigators at the Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC), Bamako, Mali; the Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology (LMIV), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health; and Sanaria Inc. describes the durable protective efficacy against malaria shown by Sanaria PfSPZ Vaccine when administered to women prior to pregnancy. The two clinical trials, led by Dr. Halimatou Diawara (MRTC) and Dr. Sara Healy (LMIV), were conducted in Ouelessebougou, Mali from 2018-2021. For the first time, immunization with a malaria vaccine has been shown to protect mothers from malaria during pregnancy and to protect for two transmission seasons without booster doses of vaccine. Malaria during pregnancy is an enormous problem. Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) infection during pregnancy causes up to an estimated 50,000 maternal deaths and 200,000 stillbirths in Africa each year. Better protection for the mother and developing fetus is urgently needed. PfSPZ Vaccine has an excellent safety profile and our teams have worked with NIH and Sanaria partners over the years to demonstrate its efficacy in Mali, where seasonal malaria transmission is intense." Professor Abdoulaye Djimde, Director of the Malaria Research and Training Center at University of Bamako This trial recruited women who were planning to get pregnant in the coming year. After immunization, birth control was stopped in most and the women were followed through two malaria transmission seasons over nearly two years. Those who became pregnant were followed throughout their pregnancies, and newborns were followed up to their first birthday to measure long-term outcomes. The study included two vaccine groups that received low and high doses of the vaccine, respectively (100 women per group) and a placebo group receiving normal saline (also 100 women). PfSPZ Vaccine was well-tolerated and safe for both the mothers and their offspring, with no differences evident in the rate or severity of adverse events compared to placebo. Vaccine efficacy against infection with malaria parasites in the lower dose group was as high or higher during the second year (61%) as during the first year, without boosting, a first for a malaria vaccine. Over the two seasons, efficacy against infection with malaria parasites during pregnancy was 57% in this group. In the high dose group, efficacy against malaria infection was 86% during the first year in women who became pregnant. An unexpected finding was that pregnancy was detected earlier in the vaccine group than placebo. Although this effect had marginal statistical significance, it suggested that malaria infection likely aborts many early pregnancies before they are detected. By preventing these early infections, vaccinated women appeared to become pregnant sooner. This was actually noticed by several of the mothers: "The vaccine, I love it" said one participant; "since the start of the study I have not had malaria." Another participant stated: "I was unable to conceive for three years after getting married, but during the study I got pregnant". Alassane Dicko, who leads the team in Mali, said that assessing the efficacy of PfSPZ Vaccine in women who wanted to become pregnant was the next logical and ethical step. "We were excited to see significant vaccine efficacy against Pf infection not only in the first year but through a second intense malaria transmission when administered pre-conception. This is a tremendous advance for protecting women against malaria before and during pregnancy. We were also surprised to find an additional positive outcome, that pregnancies developed sooner in vaccinated participants." Sanaria founder and CEO, Stephen L. Hoffman, MD said, "Sanaria's PfSPZ Vaccine has a long and excellent safety and tolerability record, and has shown strong and durable protection against Pf infection in multiple studies in Africa. The results of this study in women of child-bearing potential demonstrate clearly its potential to save the lives of women and their unborn babies in Africa." Hoffman believes the vaccine will be best administered to adolescent girls prior to any pregnancies, who would then get boosted at the time of pregnancy. A full immunization series would be given to any pregnant women not previously immunized. The next step will be to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of PfSPZ Vaccine in pregnant women. "While pregnant women are typically excluded from many clinical studies, given the scale of the problem and the profound effects of malaria on women of child-bearing potential, there is an ethical imperative to design and test interventions for this vulnerable group" said Rose Leke, Profesor, University of Cameroon, winner of the 2023 Virchow Prize for Global Health, and chair of the Gavi (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations) independent review committee. " I applaud this research team for successfully pioneering the safe testing of PfSPZ Vaccine in young women and achieving such promising results on preventing malaria in pregnancy." Two National Institutes of Health (NIH)-supported trials of an experimental malaria vaccine in healthy Malian adults found that all three tested regimens were safe. One of the trials enrolled 300 healthy women ages 18 to 38 years who anticipated becoming pregnant soon after immunization. That trial began with drug treatment to remove malaria parasites, followed by three injections spaced over a month of either saline placebo or the investigational vaccine at one of two dosages. Both dosages of the vaccine candidate conferred a significant degree of protection from parasite infection and clinical malaria that was sustained over a span of two years without the need for a booster dose-;a first for any malaria vaccine. In an exploratory analysis of women who conceived during the study, the vaccine significantly protected them from malaria in pregnancy. If confirmed through additional clinical trials, the approach modeled in this study could open improved ways to prevent malaria in pregnancy. Spread by Anopheles mosquitoes, malaria parasites, including those of the species Plasmodium falciparum (Pf), can cause illness in people of any age. However, pregnant women, infants and very young children are especially vulnerable to life-threatening disease. Malarial parasitemia in pregnancy is estimated to cause up to 50,000 maternal deaths and 200,000 stillbirths in Africa each year. The trials were co-led by investigators from the NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies, Bamako (USTTB), Mali. The investigational vaccine used in both trials was PfSPZ Vaccine, a radiation-attenuated vaccine based on Pf sporozoites (a stage of the parasite's lifecycle), manufactured by Sanaria Inc., Rockville, Maryland. Multiple previous clinical trials of PfSPZ Vaccine have shown it to be safe, including in malaria-endemic countries such as Mali. In results published in 2022, for example, an NIAID-sponsored, placebo-controlled trial of a three-dose regimen of PfSPZ Vaccine in Burkina Faso found that the vaccine had up to 46% efficacy that lasted at least 18 months. In the first year of the current trial, 55 women became pregnant within 24 weeks of the third vaccine dose. Among these women, vaccine efficacy against parasitemia (whether before or during pregnancy) was 65% in those who received the lower dose vaccine and 86% in those who received the higher dose. Among 155 women who became pregnant across both study years, vaccine efficacy was 57% for those who received lower dose vaccine and 49% in those in the higher dosage group. Women who received the investigational vaccine at either of the dosages conceived sooner than those who received placebo, although this finding did not reach the level of statistical significance, reported the investigators. The researchers speculate that the PfSPZ Vaccine might avert malaria-related early pregnancy losses since parasitemia risk during the periconception period was reduced by 65 to 86%. "Preconception immunization is a new strategy to reduce mortality for women with malaria in pregnancy," the researchers note. They plan to investigate the safety of PfSPZ Vaccine administered during pregnancy, then examine the efficacy of PfSPZ given preconception or during pregnancy in larger clinical trials. "Existing measures are not protecting women from malaria in pregnancy," they added. "A safe and effective vaccine is urgently needed, and our results indicate PfSPZ Vaccine might be a suitable candidate," they conclude. The PfSPZ Vaccine Study Team was led by Alassane Dicko, M.D., of the Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC), USTTB, Mali, Stephen L. Hoffman, M.D., of Sanaria Inc., and Patrick E. Duffy, M.D., of the NIAID Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology. Joint co-first authors were Halimatou Diawara, M.D., of MRTC, and Sara A. Healy, M.D., NIAID. A pilot study using a new screening tool shows promise for assessing neurobehavioral difficulties in children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and improving quality of life for patients and their families. Results appear in the Journal of Neuromuscular Diseases, published by IOS Press (now part of Sage). Lead investigator Liesbeth De Waele, MD, PhD, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospitals Leuven, and Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium, explains: "Many patients with DMD also suffer from neurobehavioral difficulties that can significantly impact their quality of life and that of their families. The pathophysiological mechanisms behind these neurobehavioral difficulties are still poorly understood, and in clinical practice these aspects of the disease receive less attention than the physical symptoms. Despite growing awareness, many patients still lack easy access to behavioral specialists such as psychologists." The research team first investigated how these neurobehavioral difficulties are managed in various centers worldwide. Twenty-eight respondents from 16 countries completed an online survey. Only 35% of the centers systematically screened for neurobehavioral difficulties in their DMD population. Predominant screening methods included history taking and clinical observation. Common neurobehavioral difficulties encompassed learning challenges, dependency from adults, anxiety, concentration difficulties, and social deficits. The participating centers frequently employed parental counseling and liaison with psychosocial healthcare professionals for psychosocial intervention. Professor De Waele and neuropsychologist and first author Sam Geuens, PhD, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospitals Leuven, and Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium, comment: "Although physicians often screen for these problems, we found they mostly rely on their own expertise or experience due to the absence of a specific guiding instrument. Our study underlines the complex and diverse nature of neurobehavioral difficulties in DMD and the challenge of addressing these in clinical practice. Our findings emphasize the urgent need for international collaboration in developing unified protocols that enhance the quality of care for individuals and their families struggling with the complex behavioral dimensions of DMD." To address this gap, the researchers developed a screening tool for neurobehavioral difficulties in DMD and report on a pilot study of 20 patients in the same issue. Known as the Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy-Associated Neurobehavioral Difficulties (DuMAND) Checklist, this tool aims to comprehensively cover the spectrum of neurobehavioral issues in DMD patients, including behavior, psychiatric disorders, and various cognitive, academic, and psychosocial deficits. The DuMAND categories were derived through literature review and feedback from 85 parents (48 mothers and 37 fathers) and 28 experts in the field. Dr. Geuens explains: "During the development of this tool, we identified behaviors frequently reported by the literature, parents, and DMD experts as particularly challenging in DMD patients. The DuMAND concept is based on this feedback and encompasses the spectrum of neurobehavioral difficulties seen in DMD." The investigators carried out a pilot validation study of the first version of the DuMAND Checklist in a sample of 20 parents of patients with DMD at the University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium. Children were included if they had a confirmed genetic diagnosis of DMD and were 6-18 years old. The checklist consisted of 43 items and took about seven minutes to complete. It showed acceptable-to-excellent psychometric properties in this pilot validation study. The DuMAND concept can serve as a common language in the DMD field, and implementing the DuMAND Checklist can be the first step towards harmonizing clinical care for neurobehavioral difficulties in DMD worldwide. Ultimately, the DuMAND Checklist aims to screen for neurobehavioral issues, enabling early interventions. Additionally, it can be used to evaluate these interventions in the short and long term and serve as a behavioral outcome parameter in clinical studies in DMD, which is currently lacking in most studies. The next step is to validate the DuMAND Checklist in a larger, international cohort. We seek international collaboration to further optimize the DuMAND concept and Checklist and to reach a consensus on clinical implementation." Professor Liesbeth De Waele, MD, PhD, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospitals Leuven, and Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven DMD is a severe inherited neuromuscular disorder affecting about one in 6,000 boys. It is caused by a mutation in the gene for dystrophin (a muscle protein) and is characterized by progressive muscle weakness with loss of ambulation and eventually respiratory and cardiac failure. Currently, there is no cure for DMD. Treatment aims to control symptoms to improve quality of life. Patients with a prescription for an opioid use disorder medication may have a tough time getting it filled if their pharmacy is in a community that's racially and economically segregated, according to a new study led by scientists at Oregon State University and Johns Hopkins University. The findings shed additional light on inequities in health care as the U.S.'s overdose crisis continues to accelerate, with fatality rates rising fastest in Black and Hispanic/Latinx communities. "While there have been notable policy changes over the past decade that have improved access to meds used for opioid use disorder and made headway against racial disparities, those efforts haven't taken into consideration the issue of whether patients can actually get their prescription filled," said study co-author Dan Hartung, who has dual appointments with the OSU College of Pharmacy and Oregon Health & Science University. In the past decade, those populations have seen their overdose fatality rates nearly triple, compared to a 58% increase among white individuals. More than 640,000 Americans died from opioid overdose in the years 1999 to 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2022 alone, greater than 100,000 people lost their lives to overdose and 75% of those fatalities involved an opioid. A key tool for helping with opioid use disorder recovery is the prescription drug buprenorphine, which binds to opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord in a way that produces effects similar to but lesser than those of hydrocodone, oxycodone, morphine and fentanyl. Treatment with buprenorphine, which helps to mitigate pain, cravings, withdrawal and ultimately overdose risk, has been shown to reduce the risk of death from overdose by 50%, according to Hartung and Johns Hopkins' Kyle Moon. Similar to other opioids, distribution of buprenorphine is overseen by the Drug Enforcement Agency. That can lead to pharmacies being extra cautious in how much of the drug they purchase from wholesalers, who are required to report orders that strike them as suspicious to the agency. Innocent or not, being investigated by the DEA can have disastrous effects for pharmacies, the scientists note. Previous studies have shown that fewer than one in five individuals diagnosed with opioid use disorder will get any kind of drug therapy, and white patients are about four times more likely to receive buprenorphine than non-whites. Hartung, Moon and collaborators at OSU, OHSU, Johns Hopkins and the Boise VA Medical Center analyzed data from a telephone audit of 858 community pharmacies in 473 counties around the United States. The audit involved someone calling each pharmacy and inquiring about getting a buprenorphine prescription filled. The analysis showed that in counties with the highest levels of racial and economic segregation, pharmacies were more than two times as likely to restrict their buprenorphine dispensing than pharmacies in the "most economically privileged" counties. These pharmacy dispensing barriers have the potential to exacerbate inequities in access to treatment. And it shows that future policy interventions aimed at improving health care equity need to target dispensing capacity to augment the ones already put in place that make it easier for providers to prescribe buprenorphine." Kyle Moon, Scientist, Johns Hopkins University Adriane Irwin of the OSU College of Pharmacy contributed to the study, which was published in Drug and Alcohol and Dependence Reports. In a recent study published in Technologies, researchers devised a novel system that uses machine learning to predict tongue disease. Study: Tongue Disease Prediction Based on Machine Learning Algorithms. Image Credit: fizkes/Shutterstock.com Background Traditional tongue illness diagnosis relies on monitoring tongue features such as color, shape, texture, and wetness, which reveal the health state. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioners rely on subjective assessments of tongue characteristics, which leads to subjectivity in diagnosis and replication issues. The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has created a strong demand for breakthroughs in tongue diagnostic technologies. Automated tongue color analysis systems have demonstrated high accuracy in identifying healthy and ill individuals and diagnosing various disorders. Artificial intelligence has tremendously advanced in capturing, analyzing, and categorizing tongue images. The convergence of artificial intelligence approaches in tongue diagnostic research intends to increase reliability and accuracy while addressing the long-term prospects for large-scale AI applications in healthcare. About the study The present study proposes a novel, machine learning-based imaging system to analyze and extract tongue color features at different color saturations and under various light conditions for real-time tongue color analysis and disease prediction. The imaging system trained tongue images classified by color using six machine-learning algorithms to predict tongue color. The algorithms included support vector machines (SVM), naive Bayes (NB), decision trees (DTs), k-nearest neighbors (KNN), Extreme Gradient Boost (XGBoost), and random forest (RF) classifiers. The color models were as follows: the Human Visual System (HSV), the red, green, and blue system (RGB), luminance separation from chrominance (YCbCr, YIQ), and lightness with green-red and blue-yellow axes (LAB). Researchers divided the data into the training (80%) and testing (20%) datasets. The training dataset comprised 5,260 images classified as yellow (n=1,010), red (n=1,102), blue (n=1,024), green (n=945), pink (n=310), white (n=300), and gray (n=737) for different light conditions and saturations. The second group included 60 pathological tongue images from the Mosul General Hospital of Mosul and Al-Hussein Hospital of Iraq, encompassing individuals with various conditions such as diabetes, asthma, mycotic infection, kidney failure, COVID-19, anemia, and fungiform papillae. Patients sat in front of the camera at a 20cm distance while the machine learning algorithm recognized the color of their tongues and predicted their health status in real-time. Researchers used laptops with the MATLAB App Designer program installed and webcams with 1,920 x 1,080 pixels resolution to extract tongue color and features. Image analysis included segmenting the central region of the tongue image and eliminating the mustache, beard, lips, and teeth for analysis. After image analysis, the system converted the RGB space to HVS, YCbCr, YIQ, and LAB models. After color classification, the intensities from different color channels were fed to various machine learning algorithms to train the imaging model. Performance evaluation metrics included precision, accuracy, recall, Jaccard index, F1-scores, G-scores, zero-one losses, Cohens kappa, Hamming loss, Fowlkes-Mallow index, and the Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC). Results The findings indicated that XGBoost was the most accurate (98.7%), while the Na<0xC3><0xAF>ve Bayes technique had the lowest accuracy (91%). For XGBoost, F1 scores of 98% denoted an outstanding balance between recall and precision. The 0.99 Jaccard index with 0.01 zero-one losses, 0.92 G-score, 0.01 Hamming loss, 1.0 Cohen's kappa, 0.4 MCC, and 0.98 Fowlkes-Mallow index suggested nearly perfect positive correlations, suggesting that XGBoost is highly reliable and effective for tongue analysis. XGBoost ranked first in precision, accuracy, F1 score, recall, and MCC. Based on these findings, the researchers used XGBoost as the algorithm for the suggested tongue imaging tool, which is linked to a graphical user interface and predicts tongue color and associated disorders in real time. The imaging system yielded positive results upon deployment. The machine learning-based system accurately detected 58 of 60 tongue images with 96.6% detection accuracy. A pink-colored tongue indicates good health, but other hues signify illness. Patients with yellow tongues were categorized as diabetic, whereas those with green tongues were diagnosed with mycotic diseases. A blue tongue suggested asthma; a red-colored tongue indicated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); a black tongue indicated fungiform papillae presence; and a white tongue indicated anemia. Conclusions Overall, the real-time imaging system using XGBoost yielded positive results upon deployment with 96.6% diagnostic accuracy. These findings support the practicality of artificial intelligence systems for tongue detection in medical applications, demonstrating that this method is secure, efficient, user-friendly, pleasant, and cost-effective. Camera reflections might cause differences in observed colors, affecting diagnosis. Future studies should consider camera reflections and use powerful image processors, filters, and deep-learning approaches to increase accuracy. This method paves the way for extended tongue diagnostics in future point-of-care health systems. Karnataka PNB SBI News: The Karnataka government has ordered all its departments, boards, corporations, public sector units and universities to withdraw all their deposits and investments in the State Bank of India and the Punjab National Bank and stop transacting any business with these institutions. Reasons Given By Karnataka Government No further deposits or investments will be permitted in these banks due to allegations of fund misappropriation. According to a circular dated August 12 from PC Jaffer, Secretary (Budget & Resources) of the Finance Department, and approved by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the state government has set a deadline of September 20 for all departments to comply. The circular said the meeting with the bank officials yielded no result, and the matter is now sub judice. The order came after the denial to redeem Rs 12 crore deposited by the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) following a scam involving bank employees. Similarly, the circular said that Rs 10 crore deposited by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) was not returned by the bank owing to a scam by the bank officials. Jaffer said in the circular that the Auditor General too had objected to it. In this background, it is informed through this circular that the state governments departments, public sector units, corporations, boards, local bodies and universities and other institutions should withdraw all the deposits/investments made in all the branches of the State Bank of India and the Punjab National Bank and no deposits/investments should be made in future, the circular read. The government also directed the government institutions to close their accounts in these two banks, submit the certified closer report, and send details of deposits and investment reports in the prescribed format to the finance department by September 20, 2024. What Banks Said SBI in a statement on August 15 said discussions are going on to resolve the issue amicably. As the matter is currently sub judice, we are unable to provide any specific comments at this time. However, we remain in ongoing discussions with the government of Karnataka to resolve the issue amicably, SBI said in a press statement. PNB also stated that it is dedicated to reaching an amicable resolution and is currently in discussions with the Karnataka government. Indian FMCG companies with operations in violence-hit Bangladesh say their business in the neighbouring country is slowly returning to normalcy after being shut for about a week. Leading FMCG companies, including Marico, Dabur, Emami, Pidilite Industries, Britannia and Godrej Consumer Products, have operations in Bangladesh, which recently faced violent clashes leading to a regime change there. Besides, the leading QSR chain Jubilant FoodWorks Ltd (JFL), a master franchisee of American pizza restaurant chain Dominos, also operates around 30 stores in Bangladesh. Marico, which has the biggest exposure in Bangladesh, has informed the bourses that its manufacturing operations in the country resumed at normal scale on August 11. Operating conditions in the market have been gradually improving and a large majority of our retail sales force and distributors have been functioning since last week, the Mariwala-promoted FMCG maker said. In Bangladesh, Marico operates in personal care, baby care, edible oil and food segments, and has contributed 44 per cent to the international sales of the company. It has two factories in Gazipur, Dhaka, and five depots. We continue to prioritise the safety of our employees, factory workers, distributors and other stakeholders of our business, it said adding we firmly believe that the medium-term prospects of Maricos business in Bangladesh remain intact. It had incorporated a subsidiary Marico Bangladesh in 1999. It is a listed entity on the Dhaka and Chittagong stock exchanges and is amongst the top 3 FMCG MNCs in Bangladesh. Dabur India also said its factory and stockists are operational now after being shut for about a week during the turmoil. We are monitoring the situation closely and we will make all efforts to resume normalcy in operations, said Dabur CEO Mohit Malhotra. He further said Bangladesh accounts for under 1 per cent of the consolidated revenue and 0.5 per cent of profits. Another homegrown firm, Emami too has a presence in Bangladesh, though smaller in size, contributing around 4 per cent to its its total consolidated revenue. Over 230 people were killed in Bangladesh in the incidents of violence that erupted across the country following the fall of the Hasina government on August 5, taking the death toll to 560 since the anti-quota protests first started in mid-July. An interim government was formed after the fall of the Hasina-led government, and its Chief Adviser, 84-year-old Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, announced the portfolios of his 16-member council of advisors last week. (With PTI inputs) The Commissioner of Entrance Exam (CEE), Kerala has postponed the Kerala 5-year LLM entrance exam. The exam was scheduled to be held in computer-based test mode on August 17 but now stands deferred. LLM, PG Nursing Exams are Postponed. New date will be announced later, reads the official notice. The commission has meanwhile released the admit cards for both LLB and LLM exams on the official website at cee.kerala.gov.in. To appear in the entrance exam, candidates must have their hall ticket, which is essential for entry. However, it is not clear if fresh admit cards will be issued after the new exam dates are announced. KLEE LLB, LLM Admit Card 2024: How To Download? To download the KLEE LLM admit card, candidates must use their login details such as registration number and date of birth. Step 1: Go to the official website of Kerala CEE, cee.kerala.gov.in. Step 2: Click on the candidate portal. Step 3: Enter your application number, password, and access code. Step 4: Submit the provided login details. Step 5: Your KLEE LLM 2024 admit card will appear on the screen. Step 6: Download the hall ticket for future reference. Carry the admit cards to the exam hall as without them students will not be allowed to enter the exam hall. KLEE 2024 LLM Exam Pattern The KLEE LLM exam will be a computer-based test consisting of 200 objective-type questions divided into two parts Part A and Part B, each containing 100 questions. Part A includes four sections, while Part B has six sections. Each correct answer earns three marks, and each incorrect answer results in a deduction of one mark. The exam is worth a total of 600 marks and lasts four hours, with two hours allotted for each part. The KLEE LLM answer key is expected to be published one or two days after the exam. The results will be announced on August 31. A student association has alleged that nonvegetarian food is not being allowed at one of the canteens of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay here. In a post on X, the IIT Bombay unit of the Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle (APPSC), a left-leaning organisation, claimed that nonvegetarian food was not allowed inside the dining area of Amul Canteen. The institute has several canteens on its premises. The veg purists of @iitbombay are back again! The said canteen does not even have a properly enclosed dining area, still they are obsessed with creating more and more enclosures for the pure-vegetarians. #UCinsecurities, the APPSC said. It also posted a picture of a notice which said, Amul Canteen is a pure-vegetarian eatery. Bringing non-vegetarian stuff even in the canteens dining area is strictly not allowed. When contacted, there was no reaction from IIT Bombay. Last year, some students had protested against alleged segregation of tables for vegetarian and non-vegetarian eaters at the institute. The APPSC had claimed that a fine of Rs 10,000 was imposed on those who protested. The Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education (RBSE) is understood to have cancelled the exams of 24 applicants who applied for the board exams this year. Their exams had to be cancelled as the candidates were reportedly found to be involved in unethical practices. The candidates who were detained for taking copies of materials to the exam centre and sending dummy candidates to appear for the exam had to face harsh consequences. The board recently issued a press release, highlighting the specific reasons behind the cancellation of the candidates exam. According to the press release, of the applicants who were enrolled, 10 were registered for the Class 10 Board Examination 2024 and 14 were registered for the Higher Secondary Examination. The examination of five candidates from Class 12 test was cancelled. The examinations of four other Class 12 candidates also had to be cancelled. Additionally, these candidates were forbidden from appearing for the 2025 board exam. The examination for an additional five Class 12 students was cancelled and they were prohibited from taking the board exam until 2026. Similarly, the exams of 10 candidates who appeared for the Class 10 exam this year were also cancelled and the individual candidates were prohibited from appearing for the board exam until 2026. This year, the Rajasthan Boards Class 10 exams were held from March 7 to 30. Exams of Class 12 were held from February 29 to April 4, 2024. Results for the Arts, Science, and Commerce streams of the RBSE Class 12 were released earlier this year on May 20, while results for the RBSE Class 10 were released on May 29. The aggregate pass percentages for the Arts, Science, and Commerce streams were 96.88, 97.73 and 98.95 respectively. In Class 10, the overall pass percentage was 93.03. This time, the Rajasthan Board has scheduled the RBSE 12 exams for August 12 to 14. The only students granted a second opportunity to appear for supplementary tests are those who failed one or both courses in the main RBSE 12th annual board exam. In August or September 2024, the RBSE 12th Supplementary Exam Results will be made public. Candidates can visit the official RBSE website for any further information. Even as Delhis ruling Aam Aadmi Party had already started preparations for the upcoming assembly elections in the capital, the return of its senior leader Manish Sisodia from Tihar Jail has injected newfound enthusiasm into the cadres. From July, AAPs Delhi convener Gopal Rai was on the ground reviewing the situation one assembly constituency at a time. Now, the entry of Sisodia will further fuel this process. Out on bail The former deputy chief minister was missing in action for more than one and a half years after he was arrested in February 2023 by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22. Later, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) also arrested him over charges of corruption and money laundering. On August 9, he walked out of Tihar Jail in Delhi after getting bail from the Supreme Court. Wasting no time, Sisodia started holding meetings with party colleagues. Within a week of his release, he has met top AAP leaders and MLAs to discuss plans for the 2025 Delhi assembly polls. Kejriwal, Jain still behind bars Speaking to News18, a senior AAP leader, who did not wish to be named, said the party had already passed the test of time with each and every member standing strong when the top leadership was in jail. While Sisodia walked free, party head and chief minister Arvind Kejriwal is still behind bars along with former cabinet colleague Satyendar Jain. Not long ago, even the partys Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh was also in jail. We are a very new party. And in the last few months, all our top leaders were put behind bars. But we stood strong and together. That shows our real power. Now our difficult days are over. First Sanjayji walked free and now Manishji. Soon Arvindji will be out too, the leader said. Ground-level workers look up to the big leaders. In their absence, they may lose hope and desire. But that did not happen, the AAP leader said. Manishji will be on the ground telling his stories and meeting people. He realised there was no time to waste. As soon as he walked out of jail, he started working as a party worker and that shows the discipline in AAP. His entry in the picture has pushed the campaign on the ground multifold. Not just the party cadre but the people of Delhi are also happy and celebrating on his return from jail, the leader added. The AAP leader went on to say that while Rai was already running a campaign called Vikas Sabha where the MLAs were holding public meetings, Sisodias padyatra would ensure a more direct connection with the people. Gopalji was holding public meetings that were for masses but Manishji will be going to every house across the city. This is just the beginning. The party has a lot in mind. We are hopeful that Arvindji will join us soon too, the leader said. This time, the party is aiming to win all 70 assembly seats in Delhi. In the 2015 elections, AAP won 67 out of the 70 seats, while in the 2020 polls, it bagged 62 seats. No tie-ups Soon after the Lok Sabha elections concluded in June, AAP announced that it would not be joining hands with any party in the assembly polls in Delhi. This came after Congress and AAP tied up for the Lok Sabha polls in Delhi but failed to bag even a single seat in the city. AAP has also decided to go solo for the Haryana assembly polls, slated to be held before the Delhi elections. The term of the Haryana assembly will end in November while that of Delhi is ending in February. Sisodia in his meeting with MLAs took the ground reports about the performances of the legislators, including the work done in their constituencies and the work underway that should be completed before the model code comes into force in Delhi. The party had also announced that Sisodia would be going to Haryana, where AAP has started campaigning. Sisodias padyatra On Friday, August 16, which also happens to be chief minister Arvind Kejriwals birthday, Sisodia will start his padyatra from DDA Flats in Kalkaji, under the Greater Kailash assembly constituency, at 5pm. The campaign was earlier scheduled to start on August 14 but was postponed after discussions with the Delhi Police, who recommended a shift in view of Independence Day celebrations on August 15. As per the partys plans, the yatra will pass through all the assembly constituencies and the Sisodia will interact with the people directly. Rais Vikas Sabha Last month, Rai started the Vikas Sabha campaign as he visited assembly constituencies across the city to get report cards of the MLAs. The legislators shared what they have done since 2020 and what they will do before 2025. Rai, while speaking to News18, had said the aim of these sabhas (gatherings) was to speed up the pending work in every constituency. The focus particularly was on rural areas. The MLAs have to say before the public what they did in the last four and a half years and what they will do in the remaining six months. This also allows the public to meet the MLAs and raise their issues, if any. These sabhas started on July 11 from Narela, Rai told News18, adding that the party is also distributing \saplings across the city through these meetings. The government, he added, has set a target of planting and distributing 64 lakh saplings this year to expand the green cover in the city. Wherever we are going, we are distributing plants, he said. So far, Vikas Sabhas have been completed in almost half of the assembly seats in Delhi. In 2015 and 2020, the elections in the city were held in February while the notification was issued in January. All the 70 seats across the city went for single-phase polling. Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his 11th Independence Day address at Red Fort in New Delhi on Thursday made a strong pitch for One Nation One Poll (ONOP) and urged political parties to make it a reality. He said extensive consultations have been held across the country on the issue and political parties have given their views. Frequent elections are creating hurdles in the progress of the nation. It has become easy to link any scheme/initiative with elections. There are elections somewhere every three to six months. Every work is linked to elections, Modi said from the ramparts of the Red Fort. The nation has come forward for one nation, one election, he said. What is One Nation, One Election? The idea of One Nation, One Election refers to holding simultaneous elections across the country, which means, that the polls for Lok Sabha and state assemblies will be held together. The committees formation over One Nation, One Election comes at a time when five states- including Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan are bracing for assembly elections in November-December. The assembly elections will precede the Lok Sabha elections, expected in May-June 2024. Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh assemblies are scheduled to go to the polls with the Lok Sabha elections. The governments move suggests that it might be contemplating advancing some of these elections to coincide with the Lok Sabha polls. Kovind will explore the feasibility of the exercise and the mechanism to see as to how the country can go back to having simultaneous Lok Sabha and state assembly polls. Where Did the Idea Come from? The idea of One Nation, One Polls was proposed in the 1980s where the Election Commission suggested in 1983 that a system should be evolved so that elections to Lok Sabha and state legislative Assemblies could be held simultaneously. The Justice B P Jeevan Reddy-headed Law Commission said in its 170th Report in May 1999 that we must go back to the situation where the elections to Lok Sabha and all the Legislative Assemblies are held at once. However, the official discussion on the idea began under the BJP government. In a 2015 report titled Feasibility of Holding Simultaneous Elections to the House of People and State Legislative Assemblies, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice recommended an alternative and practicable method of holding simultaneous elections. The idea involved holding elections in two phases, halfway into the term of Lok Sabha and at the end of the Lok Sabha term for the rest. In June 2019, the government had invited 40 political parties to discuss one nation, one election. After the meeting, Defence minister Rajnath Singh stated that only 21 parties attended and three other parties sent their views. In 2022, the then Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra said the EC is fully prepared and capable of conducting simultaneous elections. In December the same year, the Law Commission sought the opinion of stakeholders including political parties, the EC, bureaucrats, academicians and experts on the proposal to hold simultaneous elections in the country. How Does it Help? The elections for the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies were held simultaneously in 1951-52, 1957, 1962 and 1967. However, the cycle of state assemblies was disrupted due to premature dissolution of assemblies. The Lok Sabha was also dissolved early in 1970. Experts have suggested that the idea will cut costs of conducting elections separately in the states. In 2018, the Law Commission in a report said that simultaneous elections would yield several benefits, including, cost savings, alleviation of strain on administration and security forces, enhanced efficacy in the implementation of policies, and the ability to remain focused on developmental efforts. In 2019 Lok Sabha elections, a sum of Rs 60,000 crore was spent on the elections including the amount spent by political parties fighting the polls and the spending of EC to hold elections. The 2009 Lok Sabha elections had cost the exchequer about Rs 1,115 crore, and the 2014 elections, about Rs 3,870 crore, according to a NITI Aayog report. However, the actual money spent on the elections, including the expenditure of the parties and candidates, was several times more. The EC has estimated the cost of holding simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and state Assemblies at Rs 4,500 crore, according to a report in The Indian Express What PM Modi Had Said on Simultaneous Elections PM Modi has been an ardent supporter of unifying the electoral cycles for both the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. In November, 2020, he raised the pitch for One Nation, One Election by saying that it is the need of the country. Elections are held at different places every few months and it hampers the developmental work and all of you know about it, he said. In January 2022, he raised the issue of one nation, one election again on National Voters Day saying that the continuous cycle of election results in politics being seen in everything while development suffers. The governments latest decision to nominate Kovind to spearhead the exploratory committee is seen as a confirmation of the governments earnestness to bring this concept to fruition. The BJP has always been supporting the idea of simultaneous elections. The partys manifesto for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls said, Evolve method of holding Assembly and Lok Sabha elections simultaneously. Who are Opposing It? Many opposition parties including the Aam Aadmi Party, Shiv Sena (UBT) and others have opposed it. AAP, earlier in January, alleged that the BJP was proposing simultaneous elections to replace the parliamentary form of government with a presidential system. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut opposing the proposal said, The country is already one, is anyone questioning that? We demand fair election, not one nation one election. The one nation one election is being brought to divert the attention from our demand of fair election. There are other benefits of the move like increasing voter percentage, lesser corruption and saving time and energy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his speech on the 78th Independence Day at Red Fort on Thursday made a strong case for the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). The laws that create divisions in the country should be abolished in modern society, he stressed. Supreme Court has held discussions regarding the Uniform Civil Code again and again, it has given orders several times. A large section of the country believes and it is true, that the Civil Code that we are living with is actually a Communal Civil Code in a wayI would say that it is the need of the hour to that there be a Secular Civil Code in the countryonly then would we be free of the discrimination on the basis of religion PM Modi said. Modi said widespread discussions are needed and urged everyone to share their opinions. He said that laws dividing the country along religious lines should be abolished, as they have no place in a modern society. The push for a Uniform Civil Code has been a key element in the BJPs agenda, as reflected in its manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections. Several BJP-led state governments have already begun moves to implement such a code. In March, Uttarakhand became the first state after Independence to adopt the UCC, after Goa, where it is operational since the time of Portuguese rule. The UCC will be applicable to all religious communities in India on matters of marriage, inheritance, divorce, adoption, maintenance and others. The 800-page final report submitted by the five-member committee to Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami recommended exempting tribal communities from its purview, focusing on women empowerment, including banning polygamy and forming a uniform marriage age across religions. Moreover, practices such as Halala, Iddat and Triple Talaq under Muslim personal law will be punishable offences in the report submitted by the panel. The UCC is likely to regulate live-in relationships. Impact of UCC on Personal Laws Hindu community: Existing laws like the Hindu Marriage Act (1955) and the Hindu Succession Act (1956) would be dissolved and incorporated into the UCC. This would lead to standardisation and uniformity in marriage, divorce, inheritance, and succession laws for Hindus. Succession law: Under the Hindu Succession Act (1956), the husbands family is considered the rightful heirs of the dead wife, and her parents and siblings are considered secondary. The Act also make a distinction between ancestral and acquired property. Under UCC, who is considered as legal heirs and how the property is acquired under the Act will change. Inheritance law: In Hindu laws, full-blood relations are preferred over half-blood ties under Section 18 of the Hindu Succession Act. It also enlists people who cannot inherit the property on different grounds. This will change with the implementation of UCC. Adoption: The UCC will bring uniformity, which means, communities, which were currently not allowed to legally adopt a child, may be given such an option. At present, the Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act (1956) is meant only for Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists. Hindu Undivided Family: The HUF is a separate legal entity, which has a separate PAN card, and can run business and invest in shares and mutual funds. It is barred from tax exemption of up to Rs 2.5 lakh. Once the government abolishes tax, insurance and investment exemptions, it will impact several Hindu families over loans and bank accounts. Muslim community: If UCC is adopted, practices such as contract marriage (mutah), Nikah halala, misyar marriage, and polygamy would likely become ineffective. Even the minimum marriage age under the Shariat law would be changed. Adoption: At present, a Muslim cant adopt a child, but can become a Kafil and provide for the maintenance and well-being of the child even though he is not a biological parent. Polygamy: At present, a Muslim man has the right to marry four women at a time, but their women counterparts cannot do so. The UCC, however, will end polygamy, which means the Muslim man will lose his right to legally marry four different women. Divorce and Separation: The UCC will bring more accepted ways through which both Muslim men and women can end their marriage. It will ensure a balance between the rights of both men and women. Christian Marriage: At present, the Catholic law recognises a Christian marriage as permanent, indissoluble, while some may also recognising it as a contract. The UCC will bring uniformity in marriages. Divorce: The Catholic law does not recognise a divorce, however, Christians, can file for divorce under the Indian Divorce Act. The UCC will bring uniformity in rules and procedures for divorce. Succession: The Succession Act (1925) gives Christian mothers no right to inherit property of their dead children. This will change under UCC. Sikh community: The Anand Marriage Act of 1909 governs the marriage laws of Sikhs. However, there is no provision for divorce. If the UCC is introduced, a common law for divorce is likely to be applied to all communities, including Sikhs. Parsi community: The UCC would impact the laws of adoption within the Parsi community. Currently, Parsis do not recognise the rights of adoptive daughters, and adopted sons have limited inheritance rights. The UCC may introduce reforms to address these disparities. Inheritance: If a Parsi woman marries outside her community, her children do not hold the right to inherit the property of a deceased Parsi intestate. This rule would change under UCC. Starbucks Indian-origin CEO Laxman Narasimhan has stepped down from his position of 18 months, and instead Chipotle chief executive would be the new boss, the company announced in a statement. The Starbucks statement further said the Seattle-based coffee giant will be run by Brian Nicco, CEO of Chipotle, an international fast food chain brand, from September 9, with Starbucks chief financial officer (CFO) Rachel Ruggeri serving as interim CEO until then. Whereas, Mellody Hobson, Starbucks board chair, will become the lead independent director. The markets have responded positively to the move as Starbucks shares increased on S&P 500 by 24% to hit their biggest intraday gain on record, adding over $20 billion in market capitalisation. However, removing Narasimhan as a member of Starbucks has sparked discussions on social media on why the company took such a decision and what it means for the company. Who is Laxman Narasimhan? Laxman Narasimhan began his career at McKinsey & Company in 1993 as a director. He moved to PepsiCo, where he held roles as CEO of the South America division and Chief Commercial Officer for nearly five years. Before joining Starbucks, Narasimhan served as CEO of Reckitt, where he focused on expanding the companys e-commerce presence and supporting the workforce during the Covid-19 pandemic. Born on May 15, 1967, in Pune, Narasimhan holds degrees in Mechanical Engineering, German, International Studies, and Finance, having studied at institutions including the University of Pune and the University of Pennsylvania. Narasimhan has been a proponent of prioritising work-life balance, which was even highlighted in a recent interview, where he mentioned his practice of not working past 6 pm, as per a report by Business Standard. Starbucks said in its statement that the outgoing CEO, during his tenure, improved the Starbucks partner experience, drove significant innovation in brands supply chain, and enhanced our store operations. Why Starbucks Took The Decision On Narasimhan Although Starbucks has not disclosed any specific reason behind Narasimhans ouster, but reports suggest that the CEOs exit was driven by the companys underwhelming global performance and recent controversies during his tenure. In May, former CEO Howard Schultz highlighted problems in US operations and said they were the primary reason for its (Starbuckss) fall from grace. He also stressed the need for senior leaders to engage more with workers. The company has also been contending with pressure from activist fund Elliott Investment Management, which took a stake in the chain and had been seeking ways to boost the share price. The coffee giant is working meanwhile to finalise contracts with unionised stores. Starbucks shares had also fell 20% this year, and the company experienced two consecutive quarters of declining comparable sales. The replacement of Laxman Narasimhan as Starbucks CEO is the result of growing dissatisfaction, particularly from activist investors, over the way the chain has been run, said Neil Saunders, managing director at GlobalData, in a statement. The coffee giant is also facing backlash related to the Israel-Palestine conflict last year, when Starbucks Workers United posted Solidarity with Palestine on social media platform X shortly after a Hamas attack on Israel, leading to protests and calls for boycotts in the US. Why Starbucks is Facing Backlash Over Palestine Several activists have protested Washingtons visible support to Israel amidst the Gaza war, with calls to boycott American multinationals, including Starbucks. A controversy began with a letter that reportedly said that Starbucks was funding Israeli military. Starbucks, however, has denied claims of supporting Israel or any other government or military operation in West Asia. In a statement, Starbucks said they condemned violence. Starbucks is a global company committed to providing a place where everyone feels welcome and a sense of belonging, anywhere in the world. Our hearts break for all affected by the violence and conflict in the Middle East. Weve always condemned violence against the innocent, the company wrote. The company reiterated that it has never contributed to any government or military operation, but the damage was done. The brand continues to face backlash, particularly in West Asia. In response to declining sales, Starbucks West Asia franchises had to lay off 2,000 employees in March. A young doctor was brutally raped and murdered in a government hospital in Kolkata by a civic police volunteer allegedly a political appointee in a chilling escalation of the abuse of power. Unlike the Sandeshkhali incident, where abstract statements of sexual assault and violence ruled the narrative, here lies the stark reality: a victim, a body, and a crime committed within the supposed safety of a hospital. The RG Kar case highlights the unchecked, sometimes unauthorised, and dangerous influence of civic volunteers and the system in the states hospitals. What can be worse than the betrayal of public trust by those appointed to uphold it? There has not been a word from the government to investigate the lapses in the civic volunteer force yet. Meanwhile, the government posted the principal of the college to a higher-ranked government hospital after he resigned from his post in RG Kar. The midnight scenes on Kolkatas streets, suburban towns, and villages across districts on the eve of Independence Day reflect a deep impact on Mamata Banerjees women voters. These women, who once rallied behind their Didi during elections, are now leading long marches demanding justice for the young doctor. The movement has gained unified traction through several forms of social media campaigns across the state and beyond, signaling a powerful shift. Unlike the Sandeshkhali agitation, which eventually lost momentum and fizzled out in political transitions, this uprising is different driven by the very electorate that once empowered the states leadership. Meanwhile, chief minister Mamata Banerjee, and some of her party colleagues statements through public addresses and social-media posts calling this movement a politically motivated and coloured one, have made the situation even more complex. The ruling party in the state has already seen many of its senior leaders distancing themselves from the partys stand on the issue, while joining the protest. Not a distant tragedy in Sandeshkhali The rape and murder of a young doctor at one of the most prestigious government hospitals in Kolkata is not a distant tragedy like Sandeshkhali; its a stark and brutal reality in the states capital. A victim, a body, a government institution-turned-crime scene, and a perpetrator emboldened by alleged political connections There are multiple contrasts between the incident at RG Kar Medical College and the alleged cases in Sandeshkhali. Unlike the instances of sexual assault in rural Bengal, the RG Kar case strikes at the core of urban safety and trust in state institutions. Here, the victim is not just another statistic from a distant village. According to her peers, she was an aspiring, hardworking and bright doctor a professional dedicated to saving lives who was raped and murdered within the supposed sanctity of a government hospital. The fact that this crime was perpetrated by a civic police volunteer, a figure meant to represent law and order, makes it all the more shocking. The trauma that the victims family members were made to go through, and the decision to rehabilitate Sandip Ghosh, the ex-principal of RG Kar, fuelled the fire further. In Sandeshkhali, the violence, though detestable, is often seen as a product of the regions socio-political complexities. But in Kolkata, a city that prides itself on being a hub of culture and intellect, this incident shatters the illusion of safety and civil governance. It is not just an isolated crime its a statement on the dangerous precedent set by empowering individuals with parallel authority without accountability. The case exposes the fatal flaws in a system that allows political considerations to override the fundamental duty of protecting citizens. This isnt just another case of violence its a betrayal of the very trust that citizens place in public institutions. One of the accused in the murder of Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was attacked by a fellow inmate inside the detention centre in Surrey, sources told CNN-News18. The attack, which was not serious in nature, happened under unclear circumstances, and the motive remains unknown. The altercation may have been related to a personal dispute, but the exact reason for the attack has not been confirmed. The individualwhose identity has not been disclosedis reportedly safe and did not sustain serious injuries, sources revealed. Sources have also ruled out conspiracy theories suggesting that the attack was intended to eliminate evidence. Earlier, on May 3, Canadas Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) arrested three Indian nationalsKaran Brar, 22, Kamalpreet Singh, 22, and Karanpreet Singh, 28in connection with the murder of the Khalistan separatist leader. They have been charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. On May 12, another accused, Amardeep Singh, 22, was also arrested on similar charges. Nijjar was killed outside the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2023. The killing triggered diplomatic tensions between New Delhi and Ottawa. The trial for these individuals has not yet begun, and they are currently being held in the Surrey detention centre. CNN-News18 previously reported that the three accusedBrar, Singh, and Karanpreet Singhwere involved in drug trafficking in Canada and were allegedly connected to the Pakistani spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). It was claimed that these individuals were running operations from Canada and receiving funds from ISI for anti-India and pro-Khalistani activities. Gangsters are running operations in India sitting in Canada and many named accused by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) are living there. They were regularly getting money from ISI for anti-India and pro-Khalistani activities. From time to time we have given evidence but no support is given by Canadian government or their police, the aforementioned officials had told CNN-News18. This is a case for the Canadian police and bringing the name of the Indian government is (making) allegations without proof, they further added. Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud on Thursday emphasised the importance of liberty, reflecting on Indias decision in 1950 to embrace the uncertainties of freedom. He cited the current situation in Bangladesh as a reminder of the value of liberty. Speaking at an event marking the 78th Independence Day in New Delhi, he said, We chose in 1950, the uncertainty of freedom, and what is happening today, say, in Bangladesh is a clear reminder of how precious liberty is for us. #WATCH | Addressing Independence Day celebrations at the Supreme Court, CJI DY Chandrachud says, We chose in 1950, the uncertainty of freedom. What is happening today in Bangladesh, is a clear reminder of how precious liberty is for us Its very easy to take freedom and pic.twitter.com/HP3NQjQJHd ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024 The CJI further stressed that while its easy to take freedom and liberty for granted, it is important to understand the past stories to remind us how important these things are. In his speech, Chandrachud acknowledged the contributions of freedom fighters who abandoned their legal careers to join the national struggle. Many lawyers gave up their legal practices and dedicated themselves to the cause of the nation. Babasaheb Ambedkar, Jawaharlal Nehru, Alladi Krishnaswamy Iyer, Govind Vallabh Pant, Devi Prasad Khaitan, Sir Syed Mohammed Saadullah among so many others. They were instrumental not only in achieving freedom for India but also in establishing a fiercely independent judiciary, he said. Reflecting on his 24 years as a judge, he noted that the work of the courts mirrors the struggles of ordinary Indians as they navigate the complexities of their daily lives. As a judge for the past 24 years, I can keep my hand in my heart and say that the work of the courts reflects the struggles of ordinary Indians navigating the rough and tumble of their daily lives. The Supreme Court of India sees throngs of litigants from villages and metropolitan cities of all regions, castes, genders and religions seeking justice. The legal community allows the court to do justice to these citizens in those small a measure, the CJI added. The Kolkata doctor rape and murder case has brought the fragile nature of the already brittle relations between the Congress and Trinamool Congress to the forefront. Rahul Gandhis statement expressing concern over the horrific incident at RG Kar Hospital was the latest trigger. He upset West Bengals ruling TMC by suggesting that the local administration was trying to cover up the crime. , Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 14, 2024 With his statement, Gandhi seemed to be giving the message to his party members to go ahead and stand with the protesting students and the young doctors family even if it meant taking on an INDIA bloc ally. As reports of scuffle and violence during late-night protests in Kolkata emerged, the Congress hit out. Party general secretary Deepa Dasmunsi said, It is a reality that this is not the first time such an incident has happened in Bengal. After Mamata Banerjee government came to power, from Park Street to one after the other, several such incidents have taken place. Congress national spokesperson Supriya Shrinate too condemned the violence that broke out at night. Why did the local administration try to cover up the crime? The violence we saw yesterday is unacceptable and it is not the answer to anything, she said. Party leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury accused Mamata Banerjee of being anti-women. The TMC responded combatively. Define the height of irony?Mr Rahul Gandhi said Kathua-Kolkata in his tweet yesterday about the RG Kar Hospital incident. It was the Congress that not only welcomed Lal Singh who took out a rally supporting the Kathua rapists but also gave him a ticket in the recent Saket Gokhale MP (@SaketGokhale) August 15, 2024 The Central Bureau of Investigation is now probing the rape and murder case that has shaken the nation. The semi-nude body of the woman PGT doctor, a second-year student in the chest medicine department, was found inside the seminar hall of the hospital on Friday. She was on duty on Thursday night, and her body bore multiple injury marks. But why did the Congress take the bait to attack the TMC and the state government, knowing that it would upset Mamata? The reason is that Rahul Gandhi believes selective outrage would harm him and his party, which has claimed to stand up for the youth and women. Having played the incidents of Hathras, Unnao, and Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, prolonged silence over the RG Kar Hospital case would have made things tough for the Congress and the Gandhis. Also, the Bharatiya Janata Party had already been attacking the INDIA bloc leaders over their double standards. Will this stand of the Congress worsen its already blow-hot-blow-cold ties with TMC? Saket Gokhale is considered to be the voice of the CM and he would not have said what he said without her sanction, say observers. Trinamool feels that the BJP has politicised the issue and Mamata is being proactive in delivering justice. The Congress, as per the TMC, is now speaking the BJPs language. This war could have a deep impact on the ties of the two INDIA bloc allies. Slamming crimes against women, calling for a Secular Civil Code, underlining the safety of Hindus in Bangladesh, launching a political attack on the corrupt and those spreading negativity against India, and reiterating his governance model of reaching the last beneficiary and terror-free India these were the five big messages from Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address on this Independence Day. In a speech lasting over 90 minutes, the Prime Minister expressed his anguish over crimes against women, in an apparent reference to the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkatas RG Kar Medical College, and implored state governments to act tough and quickly against the perpetrators. Modi also threw his weight behind his partys major promises of a uniform civil code, and One Nation, One Election stressing that it was time for the country to have a Secular Civil Code to replace the communal civil code that the country has seen so far. Both these promises had featured in the BJP manifesto. RG Kar Incident The RG Kar incident has dominated media headlines over the last one week, with people coming out on the streets in West Bengal and across the country. We need to stop the atrocities on our women. People are angered by what is been happening to women across the country. All of us need to take this issue seriously, both at the state and central level. Action needs to be quick and swift and media must highlight the punishment given to the perpetrators so that it can act as a deterrent, the PM said, expressing his pain over the rising crimes against women. Hindus in Bangladesh The PM again reiterated his concern for the safety of Hindus in Bangladesh. I understand the situation in Bangladesh and and it is natural for us to be worried, but I am hoping that the attacks on minorities will stop soon and the rule of law will prevail. Bangladesh must ensure safety of Hindus. We will continue to help development in Bangladesh, the PM said. Modi had earlier this week also expressed his worry over the safety of Hindus in Bangladesh amidst reports of attacks on the them and their properties and temples there. Political Attack, and Corruption The Prime Minister also launched a political attack against those spreading negativity against the country and who could not digest the countrys progress. Modi has made similar comments earlier too at the start of the Parliament session and targeting the opposition parties. Some people cant see Indias progress. They are full of negativity. The country needs to safeguard itself from such people who want to lead India to anarchy and destruction. People need to understand this dirty design, the Prime Minister said from Red Fort. Modi also promised tough action against the corrupt, saying there will be no compromise on that front. Our country has overcome an entire regime of corruption. I have opened a warfront against the corrupt. There have been personalised attack on me, but my prestige is not more important than the cause of this Nation. I want to install a fear in the minds of the corrupt so that they cannot have the courage to cheat the common man, Modi said. He also slammed those encouraging corruption and singing praises of corruption and the corrupt. We will continue to have zero tolerance on corruption, the PM said. Governance Model Modi underlined his governance model, citing how the country was once a victim of terrorist attacks but has now become bold and strong as robust actions like surgical strikes and air strikes had filled people with pride. He also said Developed India-2047 are not just words in a speech but a lot of hard work is going on behind this and suggestions are being taken from crores of people of the country. If 40 crore individuals could successfully achieve the dream of independence, then imagine the potential of 140 crore people now, the PM said. Modi said that unfortunately, after independence, people in our country had to go through a kind of mai-baap culture and to keep asking the government for benefits and extending hands before the government. But we changed this model of governance. Today the government itself goes to the beneficiary, the PM said. Modi added that the Chalega dekhenge norm rule existed earlier in form of a status quo but his government fought towards changing this discourse. Modi also said that there are a lot of challenges especially from around the globe, but said he wants to tell such powers that India has not pushed any country towards war and the need of the hour to understand the Sanskar of India. The PM also said India was ready to host the Olympics in 2036 and wanted to bring one lakh youth into the political system who have no family background in politics till date. Leaders from across the world, including Italian PM Giorgia Meloni and Canadas leader Justin Trudeau, greeted India and its leadership as the country celebrated its 78th Independence Day on Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked several world leaders for their I-Day wishes. While most of the leaders from the South Asian neighbouring countries invoked enduring friendship rooted in history and strengthening of bilateral relations when they greeted their counterparts, presidents and prime ministers from other regions spoke about strategic ties and regional ethos. Indo-Canadians Integral Part of National Identity Trudeau extended his congratulations, saying Indo-Canadian communities were an integral part of his countrys national identity. He said Canada has one of the largest and most vibrant Indian diasporas in the world, whose contribution play a vital role in shaping the country. Wishing India on behalf of his government, he said Canada stands ready to work with India to make life better for people in both the countries. Today, we join the people of India and Indo-Canadians in marking Indias Independence Day, he said. Canada is home to over 1.3 million people of Indian origin one of the largest and most vibrant Indian diasporas in the world, Trudeau said. The diverse Indo-Canadian communities across our country are an integral part of our national identity. They play a vital role in shaping Canada, making us stronger and better. Today, we celebrate the contributions they have made, and continue to make, to strengthen our country and secure our prosperity, he said. Strategic Partnership Important Pillar For Future: Meloni Posting a picture of her and Modi at the G7 summit in June, Italys leader Giorgia Meloni extended her wishes on Indias Independence Day. She said the strategic partnership between both the countries was important for the future. On the occasion of the 78th Independence Day, I would like to express my heartfelt wishes to the people of India, and especially to the many Indians who follow this page. Italy and India share an ever-stronger bond, and I am confident that together we will achieve great things. Our strategic partnership is an important pillar for the future. @narendramodi she wrote in a post on X in Italian. In occasione del 78 Giorno dell'Indipendenza, desidero esprimere i miei piu sinceri auguri al popolo indiano, e in particolare ai molti indiani che seguono questa pagina. Italia e India condividono un legame sempre piu forte, e sono certa che insieme raggiungeremo grandi pic.twitter.com/DG8Ujo03Co Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) August 15, 2024 To this, the prime minister responded saying he is grateful for Melonis wishes and hoped that India and Italys friendship should grow and contribute towards a better planet. Grateful for your Independence Day wishes, PM @GiorgiaMeloni. May the India-Italy friendship keep growing and contributing towards a better planet, he wrote on X. Grateful for your Independence Day wishes, PM @GiorgiaMeloni. May the India-Italy friendship keep growing and contributing towards a better planet. https://t.co/6d1YTyUy9a Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 15, 2024 Confident our partnership will strengthen: Muizzu Fresh from last weeks visit by external affairs minister S Jaishankar to reset Indias bilateral ties with the Maldives, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu said on X: On the occasion of Indias Independence Day, I extend heartfelt congratulations to President @rashtrapatibhvn, Prime Minister @narendramodi, and the people of India. He added: Our enduring friendship, rooted in history, has evolved to foster prosperity and development in the Maldives and the region. As we look to the future, I am confident that our partnership will continue to strengthen, driving mutual prosperity and shared goals. On the occasion of Indias Independence Day, I extend heartfelt congratulations to President @rashtrapatibhvn, Prime Minister @narendramodi, and the people of . Our enduring friendship, rooted in history, has evolved to foster prosperity and development in the Maldives and the pic.twitter.com/HCtYMG0VLa Dr Mohamed Muizzu (@MMuizzu) August 15, 2024 Muizzus cabinet colleague and foreign minister Moosa Zameer extended warm greetings and best wishes to Jaishankar, the government, and the people of India. Wishing for continued peace, progress and prosperity for the people of India and for a stronger and vibrant bilateral partnership between #Maldives and #India, he said in a post on X. Maldives former president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, head of the main opposition Maldives Democratic Party and former Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid too sent over their greetings. As India moves toward its goal of #ViksitBharat, we remain grateful for all the support India has extended to the Maldives and the security and wellbeing of the Indian Ocean region. May the ties of friendship that have existed between the peoples of India and Maldives since ancient times long endure. Macrons message in Hindi, Putin on Indias well-deserved authority in world arena Extending his wishes in both Hindi and English, French President Emmanuel Macron also greeted India on Independence Day. He said he remembers the warm welcome during his visit to India in January and that he is looking forward to working with my friend @NarendraModi on achieving the ambitious goals we have set for our strategic partnership. Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a message of greetings to President Droupadi Murmu and Modi on the occasion. We attach great importance to the relations of a particularly privileged strategic partnership with India. I am confident that the consistent implementation of the agreements reached following our recent talks in Moscow will contribute to the further development of multifaceted Russian-Indian cooperation, he said in a statement. According to the Russian president, this undoubtedly meets the interests of the friendly peoples of the two countries and is in line with the consolidation of security and international stability. Russias ministry of foreign affairs posted on X: India enjoys well-deserved authority in the world arena, playing a major constructive role in international affairs. We cordially congratulate our Indian friends on Independence Day! What Indias neighbours said Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli took to X to write: Warm congratulations to Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji and the people of India on 78th Independence Day! May this day strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between our nations. Looking forward to advancing Nepal-India relations. Warm congratulations to Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji and the people of India on 78th Independence Day! May this day strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between our nations. Looking forward to advancing Nepal-India relations.#IndependenceDayIndia K P Sharma Oli (@kpsharmaoli) August 15, 2024 The countrys minister of foreign affairs Dr Arzu Rana Deuba also took to X to say, On the occasion of the 78th Independence Day of India, I wish to extend warm greetings and felicitations to His Excellency @DrSJaishankar and the friendly people of India. May the ties of friendship and cooperation between Nepal and India continue to strengthen. Wishing peace, prosperity, and progress to the people of India, she said with a hashtag #NepalIndiaRelations. Tagging @narendramodi and @PMOIndia handles, Bhutans PM Tshering Tobgay said on X, Wishing the government and people of India a very happy Independence Day! May the special friendship between Bhutan and India grow ever stronger. Wishing the government and people of India a very happy Independence Day! May the special friendship between grow ever stronger. @narendramodi @PMOIndia Tshering Tobgay (@tsheringtobgay) August 15, 2024 Sri Lankan foreign minister MUM Ali Sabry sent warm wishes to Jaishankar, and the government and people of India and said, I am confident that the excellent bilateral ties between our nations will continue to strengthen in the years to come. Mauritius, Singapore extend greetings Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Mauritius PM in his greetings posted on X sent warmest congratulations to Modi and the people of India and wished long live the vibrant and ever flourishing Mauritius Bharat relationship. Mauritius foreign minister Maneesh Gobin said: On this day we honour the enduring ties that unite our nations. Together, we grow stronger. He also used Hindi slogans of Jai Bharat and Jai Mauritius signifying victory while posting the greetings on X. Singapores minister for foreign affairs Vivian Balakrishnan said he looked forward to building on our close and longstanding relations with the 60th anniversary of Singapore-India ties next year. Messages from the Middle East Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz said his country stood with India in its celebrations and valued its diversity and unity. As India marks its 78th Independence Day today, I extend heartfelt wishes to my dear friend @DrSJaishankar and the people of India, Katz wrote on X. Israel stands with you in celebrating this special occasion, valuing the strength, diversity, and unity of this great nation, the Israeli foreign minister stressed, writing the same message in Hindi as well. Prime Minister of UAE Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said Indias celebration of its 78th Independence Day was a testament to the nations incredible developmental journey. As we celebrate this significant milestone, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to my friend @narendramodi, Prime Minister of India, and the Indian people. The UAE remains dedicated to reinforcing our friendship, advancing our bilateral cooperation, and fostering strong bonds across all facets of our enduring partnership. Wishing our Indian friends a joyous Independence Day, he added in his message on X. What US and UK said Predicting a bright future for US-India strategic relations, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that the two countries share a deep bond, which is founded on their shared commitment to democracy, freedom, and human dignity. Congratulating the people of India ahead of the countrys Independence Day, Blinken said in a statement: On this momentous day, we celebrate the rich and diverse history of the Indian people and the bright future of US-Indian relations. David Lammy, UKs Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Commonwealth, congratulated the people of India and Indians around the world on the 77th anniversary of independence and said on X: In Delhi, I saw the strength of the UK-India living bridge. Together we will boost investment, create jobs and address future challenges together in the years ahead. Prime Minister of UAE Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said Indias celebration of its 78th Independence Day was a testament to the nations incredible developmental journey. Bagher Kani, acting foreign minister of Iran, Australian minister of foreign affairs Senator Penny Wong, Armenias minister of foreign affairs Ararat Mirzoyan, and several other leaders also wished Modi, Jaishankar and India. Apart from the personal messages from the leaders, the respective foreign ministries of several countries wished India from their official X handles. These included Egypt, Ukraine, Malaysia, Bulgaria, Serbia, North Macedonia, Iran, Armenia, Georgia, Cyprus, Estonia, Oman, Romania, Iceland and Latvia. (With PTI inputs) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday spoke on the unrest in the neighbouring Bangladesh during his Independence Day speech from the ramparts of Red Fort in New Delhi. PM Modi reiterated that Hindus and minorities in Bangladesh must be safeguarded. As a neighbouring country, I can understand the concern regarding whatever has happened in Bangladesh. I hope that the situation there gets normal at the earliest. The concerns of 140 crore countrymen to ensure the safety of Hindus and minorities there India always wants our neighbouring countries to walk the path of prosperity and peace. We are committed to peace, PM Modi said. #WATCH | PM Narendra Modi says, As a neighbouring country, I can understand the concern regarding whatever has happened in Bangladesh. I hope that the situation there gets normal at the earliest. The concerns of 140 crore countrymen to ensure the safety of Hindus and minorities pic.twitter.com/R7ldy91uP9 ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024 In the days to come, we will continue to wish well for Bangladesh in its Vikas Yatra because we think about the welfare of humankind, the Prime Minister added. PM Modis statement on Bangladesh came amid reports of attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh. The embattled prime minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, continues to remain in India with a new caretaker government led by Prof Muhammad Yunus having taken over. Hindus have been under attack in Bangladesh after Sheikh Hasina resigned as the prime minister of the neighbouring country on August 5. Hindu Awami League leader Haradhan Roy and his nephew were lynched by a mob in Bangladesh as per reports. In Noakhali district of Bangladesh, anti-quota protestors were seen attacking Hindus. In exclusive footage accessed by CNN-News18, attackers were seen trying to enter a Hindu home in Noakhali. They tried to break the gate of one Tanusreya Bhattas residence. 'Indo-Canadians Integral Part Of National Identity': Trudeau Extends I-Day Wishes To India Canadian PM Justin Trudeau extended his congratulations to India on its 78th Independence Day, saying Indo-Canadian communities were an integral part of his countrys national identity. Trudeau said Canada has one of the largest and most vibrant Indian diasporas in the world, whose contribution play a vital role in shaping the country. Canada stands ready to work with India to make life better for people in both the countries, he said wishing India on behalf of the Government of Canada. Today, we join the people of India and Indo-Canadians in marking Indias Independence Day, he said. He further said Canada is home to over 1.3 million people of Indian origin one of the largest and most vibrant Indian diasporas in the world. The diverse Indo-Canadian communities across our country are an integral part of our national identity. They play a vital role in shaping Canada, making us stronger and better. Today, we celebrate the contributions they have made, and continue to make, to strengthen our country and secure our prosperity, he added. PM Modi Thanks World Leaders for Independence Day Wishes PM Narendra Modi thanked several world leaders for their wishes on Indias 78th Independence Day and told French President Emmanuel Macron that their interactions over the years have added great strength to the ties between two countries. He told Macron that they will keep working together to further global good. Modi lauded his UAE counterpart Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for his personal commitment to strong ties between India and the UAE. The UAE leader said Indias 78th Independence Day is a testament to the nations incredible developmental journey. Our nations will keep cementing the bonds of friendship that have been nurtured over the years, the prime minister said on X. Modi told Mauritius PM Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, May the friendship between our nations continue to grow and become even more multifaceted. Thanking Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, he said India considers his country a valued friend and the two nations will keep working together for the benefit of their people. Modi also conveyed his thanks to the leaders of Nepal and Bhutan. Independence Day Live: PM Modi, Dhankhar Attend 'At Home' Reception By President Murmu Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar and his spouse, Sudesh Dhankhar, and other leaders attended the At Home reception hosted by President Droupadi Murmu on the occasion of Independence Day at Rashtrapati Bhavan. #WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and his spouse Sudesh Dhankhar and other leaders attended the 'At Home' reception hosted by President Droupadi Murmu on the occasion of #IndependenceDay at Rashtrapati Bhavan. pic.twitter.com/pkiV41DFqC ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024 Independence Day Live: Dog Contingent Takes Part In Beating Retreat Ceremony At Indo-Pak Border Four-legged soldiers took part in the Beating Retreat ceremony at the Attari-Wagah border in Punjabs Amritsar, on the occasion of Independence Day. #WATCH | Four-legged soldiers participate in the Beating retreat ceremony at the Attari-Wagah border in Punjab's Amritsar, on the occasion of #IndependenceDay pic.twitter.com/EHyvIZI7P6 ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024 #WATCH | Four-legged soldiers participate in the Beating Retreat ceremony at the Attari-Wagah border in Punjab's Amritsar, on the occasion of #IndependenceDay pic.twitter.com/cRVCUPfmhc ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024 'Strategic Partnership Important Pillar For Future': Italian PM Meloni Extends I-Day Wishes Sharing a picture of her and PM Narendra Modi at the G7 summit from a few months ago, Italian PM Giorgia Meloni extended her wishes on Indias Independence Day. She said the strategic partnership between both the countries was important for the future. On the occasion of the 78th Independence Day, I would like to express my heartfelt wishes to the people of India, and especially to the many Indians who follow this page. Italy and India share an ever-stronger bond, and I am confident that together we will achieve great things. Our strategic partnership is an important pillar for the future. @narendramodi she wrote in a post on X in Italian. In occasione del 78 Giorno dell'Indipendenza, desidero esprimere i miei piu sinceri auguri al popolo indiano, e in particolare ai molti indiani che seguono questa pagina. Italia e India condividono un legame sempre piu forte, e sono certa che insieme raggiungeremo grandi pic.twitter.com/DG8Ujo03Co Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) August 15, 2024 BSF Marks Independence Day At Indo-Pak Border 'Zero Point' In Gujarat The Border Security Force observed Independence Day at Nadabet, which is the Indo-Pak border zero point in Gujarats Banaskantha. #WATCH | BSF celebrated #IndependenceDay at Nadabet, the Indo-Pak border zero point in Gujarats Banaskantha. pic.twitter.com/jch8awAOxD ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024 Independence Day Live: No Greater Pleasure Than To Unfurl Tricolour At UK, Says Indian Envoy Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami said there is no greater pleasure than to unfurl the Tricolour in the UK on Independence Day. Happy Independence Day to everyone. There is no greater pleasure for an Indian diplomat than to unfurl the National Tricolour here in the United Kingdom on the 78th morning of our existence as an independent nation. May our dreams of a developed India in 2047 come true with all our collective efforts he said. #WATCH | London, United Kingdom: Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami says, "Happy Independecne Day to everyone. There is no greater pleasure for an Indian diplomat than to unfurl the National Tricolour here in the United Kingdom on the 78th morning of our pic.twitter.com/MrhQ3ZPoem ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024 Independence Day Live: Tri-Services Conducts Swimming Expedition 'Param Veer' In Port Blair As part of the tri-services Andaman and Nicobar Commands expedition Param Veer to swim to the islands named after 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees, 78 swimmers swam from Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island to Marina Bay, on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day. I was the leader of Expedition Param Veer, we successfully swam 21 to islands. It was a moment that gave us goosebumps and it was also challenging said Wing Commander Paramvir Singh. #WATCH | Port Blair: As part of the tri-services Andaman and Nicobar Commands expedition Param Veer to swim to the islands named after 21 Param Veer Chakra awardees, 78 swimmers of command swam from Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island to Marina Bay, on the occasion of 78th pic.twitter.com/JrMCEwSFJN ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024 Independence Day Live: Former Prez Kovind Calls For Participation Towards 'Viksit Bharat' Goal Former president Ram Nath Kovind said everyone must contribute towards the goal of a Viksit Bharat as he extended his wishes on Independence Day. My Independence Day wishes to all Indians and I appeal to everyone to keep giving your participation to make this country Viksit Bharat, he said. #WATCH | Former President Ram Nath Kovind says, " My Independence Day wishes to all Indians and I appeal to everyone to keep giving your participation to make this country 'Viksit Bharat' pic.twitter.com/ee7WvgLJic ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024 Independence Day Live: ABVP Holds Tiranga Rally In Srinagar Jammu and Kashmir ABVP workers organised a Tiranga Yatra for students with a Tricolour measuring 300 feet in length at Srinagar. #WATCH | Jammu & Kashmir ABVP workers organise students Tiranga Rally with a 300-feet long tricolour in Srinagar. pic.twitter.com/A8FsD8Lcx5 ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024 Independence Day Live: Rijiju Meets India's Olympic Medal Winners At Red Fort Union minister Kiren Rijiju met Indias Olympic medal winners at the ramparts of the Red Fort, on the occasion of Independence Day. #WATCH | Union Minister Kiren Rijiju meets India's Olympic medal winners at the Ramparts of Red Fort, on the occasion of Independence Day. (Source: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju's social media) pic.twitter.com/mWEVXMgQNh ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024 Tamil Nadu CM Stalin Observes Independence Day In Chennai Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin took part in Independence Day celebrations, at Fort St George in Chennai on Independence Day. #WATCH | Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin participated in #IndependenceDay celebrations, at Fort St George in Chennai on Independence Day today. pic.twitter.com/1AR1dH95wV ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024 Independence Day Live: PM Modi Meets India's Olympic Medal-Winning Hockey Contingent PM Narendra Modi met the Indian contingent that took part in the Paris Olympics 2024 and won the bronze medal, at his residence on Independence Day. #WATCH | PM Narendra Modi meets the Indian contingent that participated in #ParisOlympics2024, at his residence. pic.twitter.com/XEIs5tHrrI ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024 Independence Day Live: 1-km-long Tricolour Displayed During Tiranga Yatra In Delhi Tiranga Yatra is being carried out in Delhis Janakpuri with a national flag measuring 1 km on Independence Day. This 1-km-long flag symbolises our long history and a bright future that awaits us I thank the people of the region for coming here in large numbers and making this event a success said BJP MP from West Delhi, Kamaljeet Sehrawat. #WATCH | Tirangaa yatra is being carried out in Delhi's Janakpuri with a 1km long National flag on the occasion of #IndependenceDay pic.twitter.com/3jlkDkSoIC ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024 Independence Day 2024 Live Updates: Swimmers Hoist National Flag At Sea In Gujarat's Porbandar Swimmers hoisted national flag at sea in Gujarats Porbandar on the occasion of Independence Day. #WATCH | Porbandar, Gujarat: Swimmers hoist national flag at sea on the occasion of #IndependenceDay pic.twitter.com/BkGamE0Pin ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024 'It's Time Communal Civil Code Makes Way For Secular Civil Code to End Divisions': PM Modi's Big I-Day Message Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a strong pitch for the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) on Thursday as he addressed the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day. Calling for a secular civil code, the prime minister said it was the only way to end religious discrimination. The Supreme Court has held discussions regarding Uniform Civil Code again and again, it has given orders several times. A large section of the country believes and it is true, that the Civil Code that we are living with is actually a Communal Civil Code in a wayI would say that it is the need of the hour to that there be a Secular Civil Code in the countryonly then would we be free of the discrimination on the basis of religion Read full Article Independence Day 2024: Pakistanis and Indians Sing 'Jai Ho' Together in London India is celebrating its 78th Independence Day today, August 15. The day reminds every Indian about the dawn of a new era, where the reins of power were transferred into the hands of Indians after more than 200 years. However, this triumph was bittersweet as on August 14 the British India was divided on communal lines, giving birth to two independent nations India and Pakistan. Now, a video of a musician uniting both Indians and Pakistanis in the United Kingdom has gone viral on Instagram. Read full Article Independence Day 2024: PM Modi's Speech Longest-Ever by an Indian PM | Check Duration Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday delivered his longest and eleventh consecutive Independence Day speech at 98 minutes as he addressed the country from the ramparts of the Red Fort. PM Modis Independence Day speeches average at 82 minutes longer than any other prime minister in Indias history. His longest I-day speech before Thursday was 96 minutes in 2016, while his shortest speech was in 2017 when he spoke for around 56 minutes. Read full Article 'Have To Awaken Ancient Nalanda University Spirit': PM Modi In his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought to revive the ancient Nalanda University spirit, positioning India as a global education hub by promoting higher learning and research. Recently we have rebuilt Nalanda University in Bihar. Nalanda University has started functioning once again. But in the field of education, we will have to once again awaken that centuries-old Nalanda spirit, we will have to live that Nalanda spirit, we will have to work with great faith in that Nalanda spirit to give new consciousness to the traditions of knowledge of the world, he said. Under the new education policy, we want to develop such an education systern in the country that the youth of my country do not have to go abroad, middle-class families do not have to spend lakhs and crores of rupees. We want to build such institutions here where people from abroad come to India, the Prime Minister added. Highly decorated IPS officer Nalin Prabhat was on Thursday appointed as Special Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police and will head the force after the retirement of R R Swain on September 30. An order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs said that Prabhat, a 1992 IPS of Andhra Pradesh cadre, is sent to Jammu and Kashmir with immediate effect. It said that upon the retirement of Swain on September 30, Prabhat is appointed as DGP, Jammu and Kashmir. Prabhat, 55, is a three-time police gallantry medal winner and has headed the specialised anti-Naxal police force Greyhounds of Andhra Pradesh, his former cadre state. He has extensively served in the CRPF as he headed its Kashmir region deployment as the IG operations and ADG. The government on Wednesday curtailed Prabhats tenure as NSG director general and ordered his inter-cadre deputation from Andhra Pradesh to the AGMUT. An order issued by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) said it was approving a proposal of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to curtail the tenure of the 1992-batch IPS as DG of the National Security Guard (NSG). The order said it also has approved the inter-cadre deputation of Prabhat, IPS from Andhra Pradesh to AGMUT cadre initially for a period of three years from the date of joining the AGMUT cadre or until further orders, whichever is earlier, in relaxation of inter-cadre deputation guidelines. Kolkata Incident Extremely Painful and Distressing: AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh has expressed deep sorrow over a recent tragic and heart-wrenching incident in Kolkata. He described the incident as extremely painful and distressing and demanded strict action against the culprits. Sanjay Singh stated that such incidents shake the conscience of society, and the culprits should be given the harshest punishment to prevent such incidents from recurring in the future. In his statement, Sanjay Singh said, The incident in Kolkata is extremely painful and distressing. The culprit should be given the strictest possible punishment. Just thinking about the suffering that the victimized girl must have endured sends chills down the spine. Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder LIVE: Mamata Banerjee Blames BJP For Vandalism Of RG Kar College The people who vandalised RG Kar Hospital yesterday and created this ruckus are not connected to the student movement of RG Kar Medical College, they are outsiders, I have seen as many videos, I have three videos as I can see, in which some people are holding national flags, they are BJP people, and some are DYFI are holding white and red flags., Mamata Banerjee said. Yesterday, the police were also attackedPolice were attacked I would like to congratulate them that they did not lose patience, they did not hurt anyone Now the case is not in our hands, it is in the hands of CBI, if you have something to say, then tell CBI, we have no objection she added. CBI Joint Director With Huge Central Force Enters RG Kar Medical College & Hospital Sukanto Majumdar Writes To Amit Shah, Requests Probe Regarding Vandalism Of RG Medical College Minister of State for Education, Sukanta Majumdar, on Thursday wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and requested for probe and corrective actions regarding vandalism at RG Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. Kolkata Police Mobile Forensic Unit Reaches Emergency Ward Of RG Kar College State Police Mobile Forensic Unit reached the emergency ward of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital which was vandalised by a mob during a protest by doctors and students over the rape-murder of a woman doctor. Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder LIVE: National Federation Of Resident Doctors Of AIIMS Writes To President Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder LIVE: Mamata Blames Outsiders, Says 'We have Given Everything To CBI' West Bengal Chief Minister has blamed outsiders for the rape and murder case of the Kolkata doctor. As far as the information I have, I will not blame the students The incident is very unfortunate, we still say that they should be hung We have given all the documents, till the time our police were investigating, nothing was leaked My and the people of Bengals condolences are with the victims family This is a very big crime, and the only punishment for it is that the accused should be hung, if the culprit is hanged then only people will learn a lesson from it but no innocent should be punished she added. Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder LIVE: 10 Arrested, 3 Detained For Violence At RG Kar Hospital At least 10 people have been arrested and three are detained after a mob vandalised the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata during the early hours of Thursday while protesting against the horrific rape and murder of a trainee doctor in the premises of the institution last week. Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder LIVE: CBI Summons 5 Doctors Amid Probe CBI Special Crime Branch Kolkata summoned five doctors on Thursday for interrogation in connection with the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case. Suspended MSVP Sanjay Vashisth, HOD Chest Dept Arunava Dutta Choudhary, Associate Professor of Forensic Medicine Rina Das, Molly Banerjee and Apurba Biswas from Forensic Medicine Department were summoned by CBI. Congress-TMC Tussle over Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder Case Exhibits Their Tentative Ties The Kolkata doctor rape and murder case has brought the fragile nature of the already brittle relations between the Congress and Trinamool Congress to the forefront. Rahul Gandhis statement expressing concern over the horrific incident at RG Kar Hospital was the latest trigger. READ MORE CBI Team Reaches Its Kolkata Office After Meeting Victim's Family Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder LIVE: TMC leader Shantanu Sen Demands Capital Punishment For Culprits On RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case, TMC leader Shantanu Sen said, Whatever incident has happened, everyone has condemned it. The CM has come forward and said that it should be investigated in the Fast Track Court. There should be capital punishment for this. Later, it was given to the CBI. We are praying to the CBI to find out all the culprits as soon as possible. There has been a series of complaints against the Principal of this college for the last 3 years. Whereas there are so many medical colleges in the country and West Bengal. Mamata Banerjees government has developed every medical college so much but this is the only Principal about whom there is so much controversy. We feel that the government should also think about this, he added. 'Custodians Of Law Have Themselves Become Conspirators': West Bengal Governor CV Bose West Bengal Governor CV Bose on Thursday hit out at Kolkata Police and accused a section of the police of being politicised and criminalised. CV Ananda Bose on Thursday visited the emergency department in RG Kar Medical College and Hospital after a mob vandalised parts of the campus where a protest was going on by doctors and students over the rape and murder of a female trainee doctor. Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder LIVE: Kareena Kapoor 'Heartbroken' After Doctor's Rape & Murder In Bengal Taking to her Instagram handle, Kareena Kapoor Khan wrote, 12 years later, the same story, the same protest. But we are still waiting for change. In the caption of her post, Kareena used several hashtags including, Justice For Moumita, Kolkata Rape And Murder Case, Violence Against Women, Justice For Women, Women Safety and Freedom For Women. She also dropped a heart-break emoji. READ MORE BJP Leader Suvendu Adhikari Writes To MHA To Deploy Central Armed Paramilitary Forces At RG Kar Medical College & Hospital The WB Govt & @KolkataPolice have turned RG Kar Medical College and Hospital into a stinky quagmire by firstly allowing culprits to establish their fiefdom of crime and now allowing TMC goons to stomp upon the whole premises to destroy evidence (whatever was left of it) and scare pic.twitter.com/5xQ5BljoGE Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) August 15, 2024 Suhrita Pal, Newly Appointed Principal Of RG Kar Medical College, Seen With Protesting Doctors Suhrita Pal, newly appointed Principal of RG Kar Medical College was seen with protesting doctors outside the college premises in Kolkata. #WATCH | West Bengal: Suhrita Pal, newly appointed Principal of RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata along with protesting doctors outside RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. pic.twitter.com/Y7dKePuL4j ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024 Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder: FORDA Organises Candle March At India Gate Tomorrow The Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) in association with CGNF is organising a candle march at India Gate on August 16, 2024, at 6 PM. We call on doctors and healthcare professionals nationwide to join us. This is our stand for justice, safety, and respect. Tomorrow, it could be any of us. Lets unite, make our voices heard, and demand a future where such violence is unthinkable. Stand with us. For our fallen colleague, for our safety, for ourselves, FORDA said in a statement. Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder LIVE: Students Question Why No FIR Was Filed? As the protests intensified on Thursday, students have now gherao the Principal of RG Kar Medical College as to why no FIR was lodged in the case. CBI Team Leaves Victim's Residence After Taking Statements Of Family Members After visiting the residence of the Kolkata rape and murder victim, a CBI official said, Investigation is going on. We have taken statements of the parents. Amid the social media-driven Reclaim The Night protest by women seeking justice for a 31-year-old trainee doctor who was raped and murdered at Kolkatas RG Kar Hospital, unidentified miscreants forcibly entered the premises of the state-run medical college shortly after midnight on Thursday, and carried out vandalism. #WATCH | West Bengal | Visuals of the aftermath from RG Kar Medical College and Hospital campus in Kolkata. A scuffle broke out when a mob entered the campus last night and damaged the property. pic.twitter.com/qf0rO5eVm2 ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024 According to the police, a group of nearly 40 people, allegedly disguised as protestors, entered the hospital premises, vandalised property, and hurled stones at police personnel prompting them to fire teargas to disperse the mob. A police vehicle and a few two-wheelers at the spot were also damaged in the incident, they said. Some police officers were injured in the violence, an officer said. We have an adequate number of personnel posted outside the hospital, and they have been instructed to tackle the situation accordingly, a senior officer of Kolkata Police told news agency PTI. Spurred by the Reclaim the Night campaign, which gained momentum through social media, the protests began at 11.55 pm, aligning with Independence Day celebrations, and spread across key areas in both small towns and big cities, including several landmarks in Kolkata. Later, Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal reached the spot at around 2 am. Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee said that he spoke to Goyal and urged him to ensure that every individual responsible for todays violence is identified, held accountable, and made to face the law within the next 24 hours, regardless of their political affiliations. The hooliganism and vandalism at RG Kar tonight have exceeded all acceptable limits. As a public representative, I just spoke with CPKolkata, he said in a post on X. National General Secretary, All India Trinamool Congress & Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee tweets, The hooliganism and vandalism at RG Kar tonight have exceeded all acceptable limits. As a public representative, I just spoke with the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata, urging him to pic.twitter.com/YUG0eLrOrX ANI (@ANI) August 14, 2024 The demands of the protesting doctors are fair and justified. This is the minimum they should expect from the government. Their safety and security must be prioritised, Banerjee said. Hours after the mob rampage incident, Pronoy Das, a security guard at the hospital, who was on duty last night, said, Around 1 am last night when about 500-1000 people came hereWe locked the gate here but they broke it down. We went to another gate, but they broke down that too. They were too many, we were 10-12 people and the Police. So we were no match. They barged in and vandalised the property. They have damaged everything, from computers to medicines. They damaged even the CCTV cameras. BJP Blames TMC Goons BJP leader and leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari alleged that the vandalism was carried out by TMC goons sent by party supremo Mamata Banerjee. Mamata Banerjee has sent her TMC goons to the apolitical Protest Rally near RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. She thinks that she is the most shrewd person in the whole world and people wont be able to figure out the cunning plan that her goons appearing as protestors would mix with the crowd and carry out vandalism inside the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Adhikari said in a post on X. Mamata Banerjee has sent her TMC goons to the apolitical Protest Rally near RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.She thinks that she is the most shrewd person in the whole world and people wont be able to figure out the cunning plan that her goons appearing as protestors would pic.twitter.com/1CPI2f1KUr Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) August 14, 2024 Adhikari also alleged that the miscreants were given safe passage by the police. They were given safe passage by the Police, who either ran away or looked the other way so that these lumpens would enter the hospital premises and destroy areas containing crucial evidence so that it doesnt get picked up by the CBI, he alleged in the post. A postgraduate trainee doctor was raped and murdered at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata while on duty last week. The semi-naked body of the 31-year-old woman was found on August 9 morning in the seminar hall of the government-run hospital in the West Bengal capital. A civic volunteer has been arrested in connection with the crime. The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday ordered the transfer of the probe into the case from the Kolkata Police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The mob rampage incident at Kolkatas RG Kar Medical College and Hospital where a 31-year-old trainee doctor was raped and murdered last week has sparked a multifarious controversy. While major political parties are busy trading barbs, Kolkata Police has released several photos from the incident, identifying people who entered the medical facility and ransacked the emergency ward. In the photos posted on social media, Kolkata Police encircled the faces of a few people in the mob and sought information about those people. Information wanted: Anyone who can help identify the individuals circled in red in the images below is requested to do so, either directly to us or through your local PS, the Facebook post read. Amid the social media-driven Reclaim The Night protest by women seeking justice for a 31-year-old trainee doctor who was raped and murdered at Kolkatas RG Kar Hospital, unidentified miscreants forcibly entered the premises of the state-run medical college shortly after midnight on Thursday and carried out vandalism. According to the police, a group of nearly 40 people, allegedly disguised as protestors, entered the hospital premises, vandalised property, and hurled stones at police personnel prompting them to fire teargas to disperse the mob. A police vehicle and a few two-wheelers at the spot were also damaged in the incident, they said. Cops urge people to stop spreading fake news In another social media post, Kolkata Police has urged people not to spread misinformation about the incident. Scene of crime is Seminar Room which is intact and has not been touched. Dont spread fake news. We will take legal action, police wrote. Typographical error : Scene of Crime https://t.co/pEU9tzLWkm Kolkata Police (@KolkataPolice) August 15, 2024 Pronoy Das, a security guard at the hospital, who was on duty when the incident took place, said, Around 1 am last night when about 500-1,000 people came here. We locked the gate here, but they broke it down. We went to another gate, but they broke down that too. They were too many, we were 10-12 people and the Police. So we were no match. They barged in and vandalised the property. They have damaged everything, from computers to medicines. They damaged even the CCTV cameras. BJP BLAMES TMC GOONS BJP leader and leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, alleged that the vandalism was carried out by TMC goons sent by party supremo Mamata Banerjee. Mamata Banerjee has sent her TMC goons to the apolitical Protest Rally near RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. She thinks that she is the most shrewd person in the whole world and people wont be able to figure out the cunning plan that her goons appearing as protestors would mix with the crowd and carry out vandalism inside the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Adhikari said in a post on X. Mamata Banerjee has sent her TMC goons to the apolitical Protest Rally near RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.She thinks that she is the most shrewd person in the whole world and people wont be able to figure out the cunning plan that her goons appearing as protestors would pic.twitter.com/1CPI2f1KUr Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) August 14, 2024 Adhikari also alleged that the miscreants were given safe passage by the police. They were given safe passage by the Police, who either ran away or looked the other way so that these lumpens would enter the hospital premises and destroy areas containing crucial evidence so that it doesnt get picked up by the CBI, he alleged in the post. Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee said that he spoke to Goyal and urged him to ensure that every individual responsible for todays violence is identified, held accountable, and made to face the law within the next 24 hours, regardless of their political affiliations. The hooliganism and vandalism at RG Kar tonight have exceeded all acceptable limits. As a public representative, I just spoke with CPKolkata, he said in a post on X. National General Secretary, All India Trinamool Congress & Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee tweets, The hooliganism and vandalism at RG Kar tonight have exceeded all acceptable limits. As a public representative, I just spoke with the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata, urging him to pic.twitter.com/YUG0eLrOrX ANI (@ANI) August 14, 2024 The demands of the protesting doctors are fair and justified. This is the minimum they should expect from the government. Their safety and security must be prioritised, Banerjee said. A postgraduate trainee doctor was raped and murdered at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata while on duty last week. The semi-naked body of the 31-year-old woman was found on August 9 morning in the seminar hall of the government-run hospital in the West Bengal capital. A civic volunteer has been arrested in connection with the crime. The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday ordered the transfer of the probe into the case from the Kolkata Police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a strong pitch for the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) on Thursday as he addressed the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day. Calling for a secular civil code, the prime minister said it was the only way to end religious discrimination. The Supreme Court has held discussions regarding Uniform Civil Code again and again, it has given orders several times. A large section of the country believes and it is true, that the Civil Code that we are living with is actually a Communal Civil Code in a wayI would say that it is the need of the hour to that there be a Secular Civil Code in the countryonly then would we be free of the discrimination on the basis of religion He added: There must be widespread discussions, everyone should come forward with their opinions and laws that divide the country on religious lines must be done away with. The prime ministers assertion, which comes just two months after he kick-started his third term, underlines the governments commitment to bringing in UCC despite protests from some sections, including the Opposition. The manifesto of the BJP for the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls had said the party considers a uniform civil code in the interest of the nation. Several BJP-led state governments have already moved to implement UCC. Recently, Home Minister Amit Shah had said the Centre would implement UCC in the country as it is a guarantee of PM Modi, and accused the Congress of advocating personal laws. He had also raised the issue in an exclusive interview with CNN-News18 where he asked if the country would run on the basis of Sharia. Tell me, in this era, can any political party talk of personal laws? Will the country run on the basis of Sharia? On the one hand, in our manifesto, in our Sankalp Patra, we talk about bringing a Uniform Civil Code. Meanwhile, Congress is saying that it will promote personal laws. During his address, the prime minister also spoke on attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh, saying: As a neighbouring country, I can understand the concern regarding whatever has happened in Bangladesh. I hope that the situation there gets normal at the earliest. The concerns of 140 crore countrymen to ensure the safety of Hindus and minorities there. The Prime Minister added that India always wants its neighbouring countries to walk the path of prosperity and peace. We are committed to peaceIn the days to come, we will continue to wish well for Bangladesh in its Vikas Yatra because we think about the welfare of humankind. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday delivered his longest and eleventh consecutive Independence Day speech at 98 minutes as he addressed the country from the ramparts of the Red Fort. PM Modis Independence Day speeches average at 82 minutes longer than any other prime minister in Indias history. His longest I-day speech before Thursday was 96 minutes in 2016, while his shortest speech was in 2017 when he spoke for around 56 minutes. Modi delivered his first Independence Day speech in 2014, which lasted for 65 minutes. His speech in 2015 lasted for about 88 minutes. In 2018, PM Modi addressed from the ramparts of the Red Fort for 83 minutes. Subsequently, in 2019, he spoke for nearly 92 minutes, which was his second-longest to date. In 2020 PM Modis I-day address lasted for 90 minutes. His Independence Day speech in 2021 lasted 88 minutes and in 2022 he spoke for about 74 minutes. Last year, PM Modis speech was 90 minutes long. When PM Modi took oath on June 9, he equalled first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehrus record of three terms. After Nehru and his daughter Indira Gandhi, PM Modi is now set to become the third prime minister to address the nation on 11 consecutive Independence Day events. While Nehru had delivered 17 straight speeches, Indira Gandhi who was the prime minister from January 1966 to March 1977, and then from January 1980 to October 1984 gave the I-Day address 16 times of which 11 were consecutive speeches. It was in 2014 that PM Modi gave his first Independence Day speech during which he announced a slew of new programmes such as Swachh Bharat and Jan Dhan accounts. PM Modis Speeches Longer Than Counterparts On an average, the duration of PM Modis I-Day speeches has been 82 minutes. The first speech, given by Nehru in 1947, lasted for only 24 minutes. On the other hand, PM Modis speeches have varied in length, from the shortest of 55 minutes in 2017 to the longest of 94 minutes in 2016. Among the top-10 longest speeches before 2023, eight have been delivered by Modi. The longest speech to date is his 94-minute address in 2016, with most of his speeches clocking in at more than 80 minutes. Interestingly, Chandra Shekhar is the only prime minister who did not get the opportunity to give an Independence Day speech as his tenure lasted from November 10, 1990 to June 21, 1991, when his minority government collapsed. Former prime ministers Manmohan Singh and Atal Bihari Vajpayee also gave some of the shortest Independence Day speeches from the Red Fort. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday donned a Rajasthani leheriya print turban as he addressed the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort during the 78th Independence Day celebrations. Wearing a white kurta and churidar along with a light blue bandhgala jacket, PM Modi picked a safaa with a mix of orange, yellow and green with a long tail. A traditional textile tie dye from Rajasthan, the leheriya design is inspired by the natural wave pattern found across the Thar Desert. Every August 15, the country eagerly awaits not only Prime Minister Narendra Modis speech but also his sartorial pick for the day, given that over the years, the prime ministers turban has become the center of attention of I-Day functions. Apart from reflecting his personal sense of style, the outfits also showcase Indias rich culture and traditions. News18 takes a look at the prime ministers outfit choices over the years: 2023 Last year, PM Modi wore a Rajasthani-style turban with an off-white kurta and churidar and a black jacket. 2022 In 2022, the prime minister picked a white turban with tricolor print and paired it with a traditional white kurta-pajama set and a pale blue waistcoat embodying the colours of the National Flag. 2021 Saffron was the colour PM Modi picked for his 2021 outing, with the headgear adorned with red patterns and a long tail. Wearing a traditional kurta and a churidar complemented by a blue jacket and a stole, the prime minister addressed the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort. 2020 PM Modi donned a saffron and cream safaa in 2020. He paired the turban with a half-sleeve kurta in a pastel shade. 2019 For the 73rd Independence Day, PM Modi wore a bright yellow turban from Rajasthan and picked a half-sleeve kurta and churidar to go with it. 2018 Saffron was the choice once again as the prime minister sported the turban during his address at the Red Fort. 2017 PM Modis turban for 2017 I-Day was a bright yellow and red with criss-crossed golden lines all over it. He finished the look with a beige couloured half-sleeve bandhgala kurta. 2016 Tie and dye ruled 2016s I-Day as the prime minister picked a turban with hues of pink and yellow. He paired it with a white kurta. 2015 A kurta, Modi jacket, and yellow turban with crisscrossed lines in different shades of the same colour were the PMs pick for the ceremony at Red Fort. 2014 For his I-Day debut, PM Modi opted for a Jodhpuri bandhej turban in a bright red colour with green at the trail. The death of a 22-year-old woman from Khakhnal village in Manali, Himachal Pradesh, has raised serious concerns. The woman, who left home on August 7 to visit her friends at a local hotel, was reported missing on August 10 when her phone was found switched off and she did not return home. Despite the familys urgent pleas, the police reportedly took no action for three days, only beginning their investigation after the body was discovered on the banks of the Beas River. The subsequent arrest of her two friends and a hotel operator has deepened the mystery, especially with crucial CCTV footage from the hotel reportedly deleted. The case has sparked widespread criticism and calls for a thorough examination of the polices handling of the investigation. The family said it had alerted the police but no immediate action was taken. The family claimed that they had to find the body themselves; it was discovered on the banks of the Beas River near on August 13. Her mother expressed anger over the fact that the Kullu police only arrived at the scene two hours after being informed of the body. The mother has demanded a CBI investigation, stating that the lack of timely police intervention contributed to the loss of her daughter. Her father said that they were not satisfied with the police, noting that even after providing the victims laptop, it was not examined by the authorities. He also highlighted the fact that he personally enquired with the Black Magic Hotel in Old Manali, where the woman had been staying. The father alleged that the hotel manager initially refused to provide access to CCTV footage, claiming that the cameras were down due to power outages. Then it was later found out that the CCTV footage have been deleted, further fueling suspicions. Local resident Ramesh Kumar has called for a thorough investigation into the deleted CCTV footage from the hotel. He believes the footage is crucial to discover the truth. He emphasized that the police need to conduct a fair and transparent inquiry. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the master of coining terms, proposed a new policy from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Independence Day Secular Civil Code leaving many wondering about the meaning of the nomenclature. So far, India was familiar with the Uniform Civil Code. However, PM Modi described the current civil code as communal and advocated for a secular alternative. The present civil code appears to be communal. India needs a secular civil code. It is the need of the hour to have a secular civil code and do away with discriminatory communal civil code, he said, as Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud listened in the audience. PM Modi mentioned the already long deliberations that had happened over the issue. Supreme Court has held discussions regarding Uniform Civil Code again and again, and it has given orders several times. A large section of the country believes and it is true, that the civil code that we are living with is actually a Communal Civil Code in a wayI would say that it is the need of the hour that there be a Secular Civil Code in the countryonly then would we be free of the discrimination on the basis of religion Naturally, there are some legitimate questions: Has the prime minister repackaged UCC as Secular Civil Code? If not, whats the fundamental difference between UCC and Secular Civil Code? SECULAR CIVIL CODE VS UCC BJPs minority wing chief Jamal Siddiqui says both are the same but the approach is different. Both are the same, but the way it is said is important. It helps people understand better. I laud the prime minister for making the civil code discourse people-friendly, he told News18. Siddiqui added that the country is secular and hence, any civil code should also be secular. The term Uniform Civil Code is mentioned in Part 4, Article 44 of the Indian Constitution which states: The State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India. The authors of the Indian Constitution left the making of the code for the future, but it never became a law. UCC is meant to be a set of uniform civil laws regarding various matters like inheritance, marriage, adoption, succession, and divorce applicable to all citizens, irrespective of their religion, community, race, sex and caste. But, right now, there is a religion-specific civic law in India, which the BJP has been aiming to club under a common umbrella. Siddiqui thinks the endeavour is a secular approach and hence, the name. SOME THINK ITS DIFFERENT There is a school of thought that believes what the prime minister intended to mean by the Secular Civil Code was a proposed law whereby only religion-based discrepancies are addressed. But it doesnt refer to traditions of tribal communities who too have been opposing UCC. We welcome this nomenclature. It will end any religion-based discrimination, as the prime minister has said, which is the need of the hour. But I think the BJP has already made its position clear that traditions of tribal communities wont be harmed, says Swadeshi Jagran Manchs national co-convener Ashwani Mahajan. Mahajan is referring to claims by Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio last year when he claimed Amit Shah assured UCC will not be applicable for STs in the Northeast where a large section of tribes reside. Moreover, the late former Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Modi also advocated for keeping tribals of the Northeast out of the purview of UCC. Even RSS affiliates like Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram had expressed their apprehensions. So, a school of thought believes that by calling it Secular Civil Code, PM Modi referred to a proposed law where religion-based differences alone will be streamlined, keeping the different tribal norms unchanged. For instance, Santhals and Kol women have no rights to property, while among the Garos, there is a long-standing custom of the youngest daughter becoming the family heir. For now, the prime minister has just introduced the phrase and called for discussion about the need of the hour to end the discrimination on the basis of religion. Literally meaning Nav (New) Roz (Day or Year) marks Parsi New Year, is an important festival for the Parsi community in India, and has been celebrated for over 3000 years. Although the celebration typically happens in March in most of the countries, Parsis in India are celebrating today, on August 15. READ ALSO: Happy Independence Day 2024: Heartfelt Wishes, Quotes, Images, and Greetings to Celebrate Indias 78th Year of Freedom! The celebration of Navroz, also called Jamshed-i-Nouroz, honours Persian King Jamshed who introduced the Parsi calendar. Indian Parsi community follows the Shahanshahi calendar, which doesnt include leap years. This shifts the date by 200 days from its original month. Navroz 2024: Wishes and Messages May this Navroz mark the beginning of a new chapter in your life, full of new dreams and new beginnings. Sending you warm wishes for a year filled with love, laughter, and success. May the light of Navroz guide you through this New Year, and may you always find your way to happiness. Happy Navroz. May your life be filled with the joy of spring, the warmth of love, and the blessings of prosperity. Let us celebrate this auspicious day with our loved ones and spread peace and love to everyone around us. Praying for you and your familys good health, prosperity, and well-being. May you all have a wonderful and memorable year ahead. Navroz Mubarak 2024. Navroz Mubarak. Praying that God grants you and your family all the joy and happiness in the world this year. May this New Year bring lots of happiness to you and your loved ones. Happy Navroz to you! Happy Navroz. May this occasion mark the start of new opportunities and the fulfillment of your aspirations. Heres to a year filled with success and well-being. The wind is whispering that the coming year will be a safer and happier one. Happy Navroz, everyone. Parsi New Year 2024: President Extends Greetings President Droupadi Murmu in her message on the eve of the Parsi New Year has said: On the auspicious occasion of Parsi New Year Navroz, I extend my warm greetings and best wishes to all the fellow citizens, especially Parsi brothers and sisters. Parsi New Year Navroz is a symbol of happiness, zeal and faith. This festival gives us the message of forgiveness, kindness and mutual harmony. It also reflects the rich diversity and spirit of inclusion in our culture. It is also an occasion to help the poor and destitute and to spread happiness among them. The hard-working and spirited Parsi community has significantly contributed in the development of our nation. May this special festival bring happiness and prosperity in our lives and promote mutual harmony and brotherhood among fellow citizens, she concluded. Number 7 is considered auspicious in Parsi culture Parsis regard fire as a sacred element and on New Years Day, they celebrate by dressing in traditional clothes and visiting the Fire Temple or Agiary. Flowers, sandalwood, water, fruits, and milk are offered at the temple. The late half of the day is spent meeting friends and family, exchanging gifts, and giving charity. Food is an essential part of the celebration. Moreover, the number 7 is considered auspicious in Parsi culture. On Navroze, the table that is decorated is also called haft sin, consisting of 7 items, each symbolic of something and essentially starting with the letter S. These items consist of Sib (Apple): Symbolic for health and beauty, Sabzeh (Sprouts): represents greenery, nature, and birth, Seer (Garlic): which can be used as a medicine and also a symbol of disinfection, Senjed (Dried Fruit): considered to be the representation of wisdom, Serkeh (Vinegar): symbolizing age and patience, Samanu (Sweet Pudding): representing power, bravery, and fertility, Sumac (Berries): representing patience, tolerance, and life stimulation. Parsis are the descendants of Zoroastrians from ancient Iran. Zoroastrianism, the religion they follow, was founded by Prophet Zoroaster almost 3000 years ago. After battling against Arab invaders for 200 years, they fled Iran to protect their religion and settled in India. Indias independence movement was a lengthy but fruitful one, marked by the sacrifices and tireless efforts of countless freedom fighters to free their motherland from the shackles of British colonial rule. The struggle for independence began in the 19th century with the formation of various political organisations and movements that sought to end British rule. The Indian National Congress, founded in 1885, became a major platform for political discussions and demands for self-governance. After years of struggle, India gained Independence on 15 August, 2024. READ ALSO: Happy Independence Day 2024: Heartfelt Wishes, Quotes, Images, and Greetings to Celebrate Indias 78th Year of Freedom! Here are 10 iconic slogans that fueled Indias struggle for independence: Emily Gardner-Hudson, 21, is 'shattered' after her family's three cats suffered painful deaths in the space of three days. The family's cats (Pebbles, Cuddles and Theodore) were killed after ingesting a poison thrown over the backyard fence in Crestmead, Queesnland. Source: Supplied A heartbroken family who lost their three cats in as many days in a suspected pet-baiting incident at home has issued a dire warning as pets continue to be targeted across the country. At the start of the month Emily Gardner-Hudson, 21, arrived back at her Crestmead home in Queensland to find her sister's cat Theodore dead in the "sheltered cat pen" in the backyard. What initially was thought to be a natural death quickly turned suspicious when the family's other two cats were found "clinging to life" days later. "My cat Cuddles was totally fine that morning... [by] 11.56 am she was pronounced dead. I have never seen so much blood... it was like a hose and it was the most traumatic thing I've had to witness," Gardner-Hudson told Yahoo News, explaining her beloved cat bled from her abdomen and mouth. The third cat Pebbles was taken to the vet where the family was told she had suffered neurological damage and was later euthanised to "end her suffering". "The feeling is very much still raw for us all, it's definitely not something we could ever be prepared for... it happened so soon and [was] so horrific," she said. Family suspects rat bait was 'thrown over their fence' The deaths have been attributed to either rat bait or aspirin which was "thrown over the fence" in a plastic bag. The family is now searching for the offender of the crime and contacted the local council and the RSPCA to alert them. "So far we only have suspicion on who may have done it... but we can't point fingers," she said. "[The council said] there isn't enough evidence to go by even though we had the vet's knowledge of the poison and the bag was found." Yahoo News Australia has contacted Logan City Council in regards to the alleged incident. It is an offence to administer, feed or lay poisonous bait near an animal to cause harm, with offenders facing a maximum penalty of $48,390 in Queensland. The poison was thrown over the family's fence in a plastic bag (right). Source: Supplied Family's urgent warning as pet baiting continues in Australia There have been a number of pet baiting incidents across the country in recent years and many have ended with fatalities. Multiple incidents of entrails found laced with poison in Sydney parks sparked warnings from residents and vets last year, and Melbourne has also been rocked by pet baiting allegations, with several dogs needing urgent medical assistance and one Chihuahua dying after ingesting a poisonous substance last January. Gardner-Hudson has urged Aussies to "keep an eye on your pets", even if the animals only live within the bounds of your backyard. "Please keep an eye on your pets, and look out for potential signs of poisoning or sickness," she said. "Our fur babies showed no signs whatsoever, they were all healthy and perfectly happy. "We are shattered." Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor have reunited on screen for a new project and it has gone viral already. While Alia Bhatt never shies away from gushing over Ranbir, the actress is angry at her husband in this new venture. In the now-viral video, an angry Alia Bhatt congratulates Ranbir Kapoor for an award in a unique way. Alia Bhatt enters the room as Ranbir Kapoor lounges on a couch, admiring his trophy. He asks Alia if she is still mad at him and asks her to congratulate him on his award. When Alia is about to celebrate his win with (what looks like) champagne, the actor cautions her about the mess it would create. Alia pays no heed and Ranbir gets sprayed with the alcoholic drink. The video is an advertisement film for a home furnishings brand. Watch the video here: Meanwhile, Alia and Ranbir are all set for a cinematic reunion with Sanjay Leela Bhansalis Love and War. The film will also feature Vicky Kaushal as the lead. While details of the project are currently under wraps, it is said that Sanjay Leela Bhansali will take a break from his signature period dramas with this venture. Alia and Ranbir will also be seen together in Brahmastra Part 2. Currently, Alia Bhatt is busy filming Alpha with Sharvari Wagh and Bobby Deol. The films shoot is underway with full fervour. As reported by IANS, Alia Bhatt and the films antagonist, Bobby Deol were recently in Mumbai where they shot on a heavily guarded set in Film City. It is a ferocious action sequence. You can call it brutal. It is a no-holds-barred face-to-face action sequence between Alia Bhatt and Bobby Deol. There will be blood, a source cited by the news agency claimed. The shoot location is impregnable. This is one of the most important scenes of the film, and even a fly cannot enter this set. I think they have at least 100 guards manning the location and covering all vantage points, the insider added. Alia Bhatt and Sharvari Waghs standalone YRF Spy Universe film was confirmed earlier this year when Yash Raj Films CEO Akshaye Widhani said, As one of the most prized IPs, we take a lot of pride in it. So theres a lot of stuff thats going to come in the spy universe. Were going to see more and more films getting made under it. But, of course, not going to share everything here. We will talk about it at a more opportune time. For now, I can say that Alia Bhatt is headlining a spy universe film. As for Ranbir, after the super success of Animal, he is now working on Nitesh Tiwaris Ramayana. Veteran actor Asha Parekh, known for her roles in several Hindi films like Kati Patang, Teesri Manzil and Caravan, will be honoured with the Raj Kapoor Lifetime Achievement Award by the Maharashtra government, an official said. Actor Shivaji Satam, best known for his role as ACP Pradyuman on the TV series CID, has also been chosen for the state governments Chitrapati V Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award, he said. The awards distribution ceremony will take place on August 21 evening at the NSCI Dome at Worli in Mumbai. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar will attend the event. Director N Chandra, known for his films Tezaab and Ankush, will be given the Raj Kapoor Special Contribution Award, while writer-director Digpal Lanjekar will be honoured with the Chitrapati V Shantaram Special Contribution Award, the official said. Lanjekar has directed several films on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharajs life, including Pawankhind and Fatteshikast. The awards to be given to Parekh and Satam carry a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh each, along with citations and mementos. N Chandra and Lanjekar will receive Rs 6 lakh, a citation and a memento each. We are thrilled to honour these actors and film personalities for their remarkable contribution towards enriching the art and culture of not just Maharashtra, but the entire country, state Cultural Affairs Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said. Blake Lively is facing intense criticism after a Norwegian journalist shared a nightmare interview with the actor from 2016. This comes amid the ongoing backlash surrounding Livelys promotion of her latest film, It Ends With Us, an adaptation of Colleen Hoovers bestselling novel about domestic violence and abuse. Fans have slammed Lively, 36, for her tone-deaf approach to promoting the film, which includes launching a haircare line and releasing themed cocktails like Ryle You Wait, named after the abusive character in the story. The criticism has intensified as people question the appropriateness of such light-hearted commercial tie-ins for a film dealing with such a serious subject matter. Amid this uproar, journalist Kjersti Flaa took to social media to share a clip of a 2016 interview she conducted with Lively, which she described as the most uncomfortable experience of her career. The interview was part of the promotional tour for Cafe Society, a Woody Allen film in which Lively starred alongside Parker Posey. A reporter says to a pregnant Blake Lively, Congrats on your little bump! And she responds, to the clearly not pregnant reporter, Congrats on YOUR little bump! Hell is not hot enough pic.twitter.com/l1pBBFjHGX Molly Mulshine (@mollymulshine) August 14, 2024 The interview began on a sour note when Flaa congratulated Lively on her pregnancy, prompting a sarcastic response from the actor: Congrats on your little bump. Posey attempted to lighten the mood by jokingly showing off her backside bump, but the tension was palpable. Lively continued to make snide remarks about women being asked about their costumes in films, questioning whether men would be asked the same questions. Flaa, who tried to steer the conversation back to the movie, later described the interview as a deeply uncomfortable experience that made her want to quit her job. She shared the clip on YouTube, where it has since garnered over 723,000 views, with many viewers agreeing with her sentiments. Commenters accused Lively of being rude and engaging in passive-aggressive bullying during the interview. The backlash against Lively has extended to her recent promotional activities for It Ends With Us, with fans criticizing her for seemingly prioritizing her brand and commercial interests over the films sensitive themes. The actor recently addressed the criticism by posting about domestic abuse on Instagram, but the damage to her public image may have already been done. Adding to the drama are rumors of a feud between Lively and her co-star and director Justin Baldoni. According to reports, Baldoni has hired Johnny Depps crisis manager, Melissa Nathan, fueling speculation that tensions on set may have spilled over into the press tour. As the controversy continues to unfold, Livelys handling of both her past and present interviews has sparked a larger conversation about the responsibilities of celebrities when promoting films that tackle serious issues. Dalljiet Kaur has accused her estranged husband Nikhil Patel of stealing her YouTube channel. On Thursday, the actress took to her Instagram stories and issued a fresh statement claiming Patel linked his bank account to her YouTube channel. She questioned him for doing the same and accused him of seeking popularity by marrying her. Please use your paid PR again and tell them when will I get my YouTube channel back from you and also while at it tell them why you have your bank account on it. Why would you put your bank account associated with an account that started years before meeting you? Nikhil Patel why do you need to hijack the account of a girl you claim you never got married to? Had nothing to do with the son? or had any commitment for the family? The only commitment you took was for popularity and whatever potential there was of the channel. Thats lame and sick at the same timedont you think? Dalljiet wrote. I want my account back. Take your damn bank account out of my channel. You have stolen my channel by putting your bank account, the actress added. Dalljiet Kaur and Nikhil Patel tied the knot in March 2023. However, the two filed for divorce earlier this year i.e. after 10 months of their wedding. Nikhil has repeatedly claimed that their marriage wasnt legal and it was Dalljiet who decided to leave Kenya. In another of her Instagram stories, Dalljiet asked Nikhil to leave her alone and wrote, I will attempt to change your bank details to mine, you will receive an OTP. Kindly share it with me. You do have my number till now! I will attempt to change the password tonight at 9:00 p.m. Kenya time. Please leave me and my son alone and leave my channel too. Recently, Dalljiet also filed an FIR against Nikhil and accused him of cheating. On Wednesday, she also issued another statement, asking Patel to appear before the police. Since Nikhil is currently in Kenya, Dalljiet asked him to take a flight to India on priority and appear before the concerned authorities. You are on the wrong side of the law by dodging them ever since you received the FIR informed directly by the investigating officer of the Agripada police station. After the FIR is lodged and you are sent the copy, you are supposed to immediately go to the police station and meet the police according to the Indian law. Its time you take a flight to India to meet the police and tell them what you told the paid PR today. #Justice I refuse to be bullied by you anymore @mumbaipolice @indian. police.services, she wrote. Music continues to play a significant role in the celebrations of our glorious 78 years of independence. While we adore Chak De India and Mere Desh ki Dharti and cry to Kar Chale Hum Fida and Ae Mere Pyare Watan when it comes to well-known patriotic anthems, we want to explore outside Bollywood on this Independence Day. READ ALSO: Happy Independence Day 2024: Heartfelt Wishes, Quotes, Images, and Greetings to Celebrate Indias 78th Year of Freedom! Even though Hindi films have produced some of the best patriotic songs, other songs from artists that have never gone out of style have also become everlasting masterpieces. As you immerse yourself in a musical journey honouring the sacrifices and accomplishments that distinguish our nation, let the motivational lyrics and melodies reignite your passion for the motherland. Independence Day 2024: Non-Filmy Patriotic Songs India is celebrating its 78th Independence Day today on August 15, 2024. The day is of immense significance for all Indians, as the country broke free of the chains of the British Raj on this day. We all proudly celebrate it with great pomp and show across the country. As the day approaches, its a perfect time to commemorate the spirit of freedom and patriotism and honour the great men and women who laid down their lives for an independent India. READ ALSO: Happy Independence Day 2024: Heartfelt Wishes, Quotes, Images, and Greetings to Celebrate Indias 78th Year of Freedom! Over the years, cinema has been the reflection of our society, and our film industry too has created a number of patriotic movies that deserve our attention. Whether its the classic Rang De Basanti to the modern Sardar Udham, these movies offer a chance to relive the valour of our soldiers and the love for our nation. ALSO READ: Independence Day 2024: How to Download Your Har Ghar Tiranga Certificate | Step-by-Step Guide This Independence Day, take some time and immerse yourself in the cinematic gems that capture the remarkable tales of courage, sacrifice made by its heroes, and journey towards freedom by watching patriotic movies with your family and friends. Below are some movies to watch on the occasion and ignite your sense of patriotism. Top 5 Patriotic Films to Celebrate Independence Day 2024 The Legend of Bhagat Singh (2002) This Rajkumar Santoshi directorial tops our list because The Legend Of Bhagat Singh chronicles the life of Bhagat Singh and his invaluable contributions to win back Indias independence from British rule. Headlined by Ajay Devgn, this cinematic gem also sheds light on Bhagat Singhs revolutionary ideas and his unwavering commitment to the cause. The movie also stars Sushant Singh, D Santosh, Akhilendra Mishra, Raj Babbar, Farida Jalal, and Amrita Rao in important roles. The compelling music by AR Rahman stole the show. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero (2004) Helmed by the acclaimed filmmaker Shyam Benegal, the biopic throws light on the life of the freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The film focuses on Boses escape from house arrest, leaving India, and the formation of the Indian National Army, or the Azad Hind Fauj. It then goes on to show how Bose fought for Indias independence from behind the scenes, the Azad Hind Fauzs struggle to liberate India from British rule, INAs defeat, Boses experience with Nazi Germany, and his mysterious death. Starring Sachin Khedkar, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Rajit Kapur, Divya Dutta, and Arif Zakaria, the film received two national film awards. Rang De Basanti (2006) This cult classic by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra revisits the story of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev, and Chandrashekhar Azad. The movie centres around a group of young college students who, while acting in a documentary about Indias freedom fighters, align with the ideologies of the revolutionaries and realise the need to stand up against corruption. Starring Aamir Khan, Sharman Joshi, Atul Kulkarni, Siddharth, and Kunal Kapoor in lead roles, this movie undoubtedly touches the heart of viewers deeply and brings tears every time they watch the movie. Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019) Relive the remarkable events of the 2016 retaliation to the Uri attack through URI: The Surgical Strike. Debutant Aditya Dhars rendition, featuring Vicky Kaushal as Major Vihaan Shergill, was well documented and will fill you with immense pride as you witness the unwavering determination of our armed forces. The film also starred Yami Gautam, Kirti Kulhari, Mohit Raina, and Paresh Rawal in pivotal roles. Sardar Udham (2021) This Vicky Kaushal-starrer revolves around the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. The biographical drama on the life of a lesser-known Indian revolutionary, Sardar Udham Singh, was critically acclaimed and well-received by viewers. Shoojit Sircars shows how Sardar Udham Singh is looking to avenge the death of thousands at the Jallianwala Bagh massacre by assassinating Michael ODwyer, Punjabs lieutenant governor, the person who ordered the massacre. You can watch this movie on Amazon Prime Video. Independence Day, Independence Day, Independence Day films The rumoured drama between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively has reached a new height. The actors sparked rumours of tension between them during the promotions of their film, It Ends With Us. While the actors have not directly commented on the matter, a source has told TMZ that Blake felt uncomfortable while shooting a scene with Justin. The insider claimed she felt she was fat shamed. There was a scene in which Justin lifts Blake into the air, the report mentioned before adding that Justin wanted to know how much Blake weighed because he wanted to prepare himself accordingly. Justin reportedly has a back issue owing to an injury and want to protect his back during the scene which allegedly led to the question about her weight. The comment really bothered Blake, claimed the source, noting that Blake had just given birth to her fourth child with Ryan Reynolds. The report also mentioned a second incident in which Blake allegedly felt uncomfortable during an intimate scene. Blake allegedly felt he lingered longer than he should have with the kiss, the report mentioned. Justin and Blake are yet to comment on the report. Meanwhile, The Hollywood Reporter shared that Justin has hired PR manager Melissa Nathan, who previously represented actor Johnny Depp amid the rumoured feud. There was a fracture between Baldoni and Lively in the post-production stage, wherein two different cuts of the movie emerged. Lively commissioned a cut of the movie from Deadpool & Wolverines editor Shane Reid. It was unclear if any of this cut was ultimately used in the final project, which was credited to editors Oona Flaherty and Robb Sullivan, the report claimed. Produced by Wayfarer Studios, the film features Blake Lively opposite Baldoni and Brandon Sklenar. Adapted from Colleen Hoovers book of the same name, it revolves around a woman named Lily (Lively) who overcomes a traumatic childhood only to get caught in another abusive relationship with her partner Ryle (Baldoni). Things get even more complicated after the arrival of her childhood crush, Atlas (Sklenar), prompting her to take a call for herself. On August 15, 2024, India proudly marks its 78th Independence Day, and Bollywoods brightest stars took to social media to commemorate the occasion. Celebrities like Akshay Kumar, Kangana Ranaut, Sunny Deol, and Anupam Kher joined in the celebrations, sharing heartfelt wishes and patriotic messages with their fans and fellow citizens, embracing the spirit of the day with great enthusiasm. Actress and politician Kangana Ranaut marked Independence Day by sharing a heartfelt Instagram story, where she waved the Indian flag, simply captioning it, Happy Independence Day. Anupam Kher also took to Instagram, posting a special message for his followers. His caption in Hindi read, Congratulations and best wishes to all of you on Independence Day. For our freedom today, there are sacrifices made by many known and unknown people in our past. It is very important to remember them. Jai Hind. Jai Bharat! Akshay Kumar joined the celebration by posting a video of the tricolour on his Instagram Stories. He expressed his patriotic sentiments with the words, May our flag always fly high and our hearts soar with pride. followed by a Hindi message, Salute to our freedom. Best wishes to all of you on Independence Day. Jai Hind, and added, Celebrating Freedom, Pride & Progress. Ayushmann Khurrana also extended his wishes on social media, sharing a post that read, Celebrating our 78 years! There is still a lot of work left. We have come a long way, and we have a long way to go. Lets keep building a stronger, brighter nation together. Jai Hind! Sunny Deol captured the essence of Independence Day by sharing a heartwarming image of a smiling child holding the Indian flag, accompanied by the message, Happy Independence Day: Love your motherland. Remember those who fought for freedom. Be a good person, be a good Indian. Suniel Shetty echoed this patriotic spirit with his post, stating, Proud to be born in Incredible India. Happy Independence Day. Jai Hind South Indian megastar Allu Arjun embraced the freedom fervor by posting an image of the Indian flag on social media with the caption Happy 78th Independence Day. Joining him, KGF star Yash expressed, May the spirit of freedom continue to inspire generations to come. Dulquer Salmaan also added his voice, wishing his fans on this momentous occasion. Arjun Kapoor creatively greeted his fans with an animated image of himself holding the national flag, while Anil Kapoor and Sanjay Dutt sent their special wishes through social media as well. Priyanka Chopra, known as the desi girl, shared a poignant video of the national flag with the message Happy Independence Day. Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty marked Indias Independence Day with a special tribute to the nations brave Border Security Force (BSF) personnel. Joining them at a celebration organized by AajTak, Shetty honored their unwavering dedication and courage. During her visit to the Indo-Pakistan border, Shetty was profoundly moved by the experience, which she later shared in an emotional Instagram post. Not many have the chance to witness the courage and dedication of those who stand guard at the Indo-Pakistan border, protecting our nation with unwavering resolve. Seeing them in action is a humbling reminder of the sacrifices made every day, often unnoticed but never unappreciated, she wrote. Expressing her deep pride and gratitude, Shetty added, I am deeply proud to be an Indian, and today, as we celebrate our Independence, I feel an overwhelming gratitude for these heroes. Happy Independence Day. This years Independence Day theme, Viksit Bharat @ 2047, highlights the governments vision to transform India into a developed nation by 2047. The celebration also marked a significant milestone, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation from the Red Fort for the 11th consecutive time, joining the ranks of former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi in achieving this honor. Bollywood actress Parineeti Chopra has condemned the rape and murder of the female doctor in Kolkata, which has left the nation in shock. Parineeti called it horrific and said that if reading about the incident makes one feel so strongly about it, then one must think of what the doctor went through. Taking to Instagram, Parineeti shared a post detailing the facts of the case. She wrote, If it is too difficult for you to read, imagine what it was for her. Disgusting. Horrific. Hang him by his b***s. Parineeti is among the few actors in Hindi cinema who have spoken about the crime. Recently, Alia Bhatt also reacted to the brutal incident and issued a strongly worded statement to condemn it. Another brutal rape. Another day of realisation that women are not safe, anywhere, she wrote, drawing a direct comparison to the Nirbhaya tragedy that shook India over a decade ago. Despite the nationwide outcry and subsequent legal reforms, Alia emphasised that little has changed in terms of womens safety. The actress supported her statement with alarming statistics from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2022 report. She pointed out that 30% of Indias doctors and 80% of the nursing staff are women, making them particularly vulnerable in an environment where violence against medical personnel is on the rise. She also highlighted the grim reality that since 2022, there has been a 4% increase in crimes against women, with over 20% of these involving rape and assault. Alias post further noted that nearly 90 rapes were reported daily in India in 2022, underscoring the pervasive nature of this violence. The actress urged authorities to prioritise womens safety, calling for the creation of safe spaces and increased protection measures. She criticized the societal structures that perpetuate such violence, stating that unless the root causes are addressed, nothing will change. Alias powerful message concluded with a call to action: Dont tell women to change their pathchange the terrain. Every woman deserves better. She stressed that women disproportionately bear the burden of ensuring their own safety, often with no real recourse or hope for change. A court in Mumbai has allowed the discharge application of an Australian national in a drugs case linked to the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput while holding that there was no material to prove his involvement. Paul Bartels, a friend of Agisilaos Demetriades, brother of actor Arjun Rampals partner Gabriella, was arrested on November 12, 2020. He became the first accused to be discharged in the case. All accused are out on bail. Mahesh Jadhav, a special judge for cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, allowed his application on August 9. The detailed order became available on Wednesday. The accused had sought discharge on the ground that he was arrested only on the basis of statements of co-accused Dematriadeas and Nikhil Saldhana. Nothing incriminating was found during a search conducted at his house by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), he said. There was no independent material on record to show any nexus between him and the co-accused, his lawyers said. The NCB contended that Bartles used to purchase drugs from the co-accused, having links with actor Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik and the late Sushant Singh Rajput. The Chakraborty siblings, also accused in the case, are currently out on bail. It further claimed that the Australian national was also connected with Anuj Keshwani from whom sizable quantities of narcotics were seized. The court, in its order, said that besides the statements of co-accused, there appeared to be no other material to connect Bartels with the incident. This court finds that there is no legally admissible evidence for proceeding against the applicant/accused. The statement of the co-accused made during the investigation is not admissible, is not a dispute, the court said. As there is no material to prove the factum of the actual involvement of the applicant/accused in the commission of the alleged offence, no charge can be framed against the applicant/accused, the court said. The NCB started probing alleged drug use in Bollywood and the television industry in Mumbai following the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, 34. He was found hanging in his apartment in suburban Bandra on June 14, 2020. The CBI is probing the case pertaining to his alleged suicide. Easily two metres in length, long-finned eels like this one are actually found right up and down the Australian east coast. A huge long-finned eel that turned up cut in half in a picturesque Australian inlet could have "easily been 20 years old or even up to 60", an experienced fisheries scientist says, with the animal likely over two metres in length when it was fully intact. The incredible photo surfaced on social media earlier this week after the enormous fish was apparently found in the Wagonga Inlet in Narooma, on the NSW South Coast. Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, eel expert and scientist Lachland McKinnon said colloquially, the animals are known as Congo eels although that's not correct as that name refers to its own species, which don't get anywhere near as big. He said this long-finned eel was likely nearing the end of its lifespan, or may have already been dead when it was bitten in half, "in a pretty clean cut" that was likely made by a bull shark, known to frequent inlets. This enormous fish could have been between 20 to 60 years old, an Aussie eel expert theorised. Source: Facebook 'Amazing' find in inlet on NSW South Coast Given the eel's immense size, it would've made for a big target for predators. "They're spread from the tip of Cape York, right through to the northern-eastern tip of Tassie, and probably Western Port Bay in Victoria. Pretty much all up the east coast of Australia," McKinnon told Yahoo. "It does look like a very, very big eel even for a long fin, that's quite large. "I would think it's probably going to be 15 kilos-plus, at least. The biggest I've seen in the flesh was 14 kilos. But I know they've been caught up to 18 or 20, so they certainly do get that big." McKinnon said the animals live in fresh water throughout much of their life and then as older adults, swim out to sea to spawn. This takes place only once, at depths in excess of 1,000 metres, and afterwards they die. The fascinating yet mysterious life of eels Interestingly, nobody on earth has ever seen this process, McKinnon added, with much of eels' reproduction habits in general still very much a mystery even to the most informed scientists. "So when whatever triggers the migration for spawning happens, they then stop feeding," he explained. "Usually the eels are very fat by then because they'd been storing up fat over their whole life, and that's their energy source to sustain their migration up to the spawning ground. "We don't even know really where that is. We think it's in the Coral Sea somewhere, or South Pacific somewhere, you know, places like Vanuatu but no one really knows for sure. Wagonga Inlet in Narooma on the NSW Far South Coast. Source: Visit Narooma Given the size of the eel found at Narooma, which was "very fat", McKinnon said it may have been in its final life stages, making preparations for its last journey. "As they're getting ready to migrate, so when they're still in the freshwater systems, their stomach actually shrinks and they stop feeding and can't process food anymore. What this does is allows space in their body for the growth of their gonads, so the ovaries for the female fish and and the testes for the male fish. "And these become quite big and full of eggs and sperm, basically. Then they use all of their bodily resources to swim up to the spawning area. And then once they spawn, it's just this last, final exhaustive act and they're completely shot. They're completely spent and will die." Despite their "terrifying" appearance as some online put it the eels pose no danger to humans and are relatively docile until disturbed. On social media, people shared their shock at the incredible find. "That's amazing," one person said. "I'm never swimming there again!" another exclaimed. "Id say a shark bit it in half. They get a few good ones up in the inlet," suggested a third. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. Vivek Oberoi revealed he is celebrating Indias 78th Independence Day in Greece. The actor, chatting with CNN News18 exclusively, revealed he is in Greece today and will be travelling to Dubai tomorrow to participate in an event organised to honour Indians for their contributions towards UAE. Although he is not in India, Vivek took pride in revisiting the countrys milestones in the past decade. From Indias recovery and support during the Covid-19 pandemic to Indias business standings. He then revisited his memories of celebrating Independence Day as a child and admitted that I-Day was just another holiday for him as a kid. If I have to be honest, I think 15th August meant a holiday in school for me. But it was also a partial thing where you had to wake up early and go for the flag hoisting ceremony after which you got chocolate or mithai that was distributed in school and hung out with your friends for a while and not have to go back to class and come back home for the day. So it was a mixed bag of fun as a kid, Vivek confessed. However, his perception changed when he started spending time with his Nana (maternal grandfather), who was a war hero. My thought procession about what August 15 means changed a lot when I started spending time with my nana, who was a decorated war hero. He fought three wars for the Indian Army and was a Paramveer Seva medal awardee and Mahavir Chakra awardee. His stories and his influence on me changed my perception of what that flag means. That changed my perception of the sacrifices that were made, it made it personal. Now when I see the flag hoisted, I see a sense of pride and also emotions. Sometimes I have tears in my eyes. I am being able to translate that into my children, the next generation going forward. What truly India means, what we are, and the sense of pride we take in being India, I think that makes a difference, Vivek said. Watch the full interview below: "As we celebrate #IndependenceDay, I'm filled with pride seeing the emergence of a New India! A nation that's fiercely proud of its roots": Bollywood star Vivek Oberoi (@vivekoberoi) #NewIndia #JaiHind #VivekOberoi pic.twitter.com/cXrUxA9Dei News18 (@CNNnews18) August 15, 2024 On the work front, Vivek was last seen in Indian Police Force. At the peak of his career in 1982, late veteran actor, Vinod Khanna moved to Oshos commune, Rajneeshpuram in Oregon. Vinod quit Bollywood to indulge in deep meditation and in a self-indulgent act, left his family behind in Mumbai. However, the actor said that he was in constant touch with them and kept providing for them despite being away. Vinod once told Simmi Garewal that his move to the commune came at no cost to his family life. I was very much in touch with my family. Its not that I ran away. I was providing everything, he said. When asked if he still looked at his move as a selfish decision, he said, It is! Unless youre selfish, you cant do anything like this. Because its your own being that has to find that transcendence. He added, Everybody has to travel alone. You come alone, you go alone. You have to travel your path. Talking about what influenced him to move to Oregon, he said, My own mind. My mind was thinking too much. I was too hyper. My thoughts were all over the place. I was very angry. Id reached a saturation point. People can press your buttons and make you react. Everything is not under your control. But I would see that when I meditate, these things werent affecting me at all. He added, You have to become the master of your own mind, and these were the things that drove me to say that Ive had enough, Ive made enough money Now, if I want to go deeper into meditation, I have to give my full time to it. I have to live in an ashram, I have to live at the feet of my guru. So, obviously, there was a need within me. In 2020, Vinods son, Akshaye Khanna also talked about his fathers belief in Osho. As a five-year-old, it was impossible to understand it. Osho had nothing to do with my thoughts about why my dad wasnt there. That came much later Its a life-changing decision, which he (Vinod Khanna) felt that he needed to take at the time. Something must have moved him so deeply inside, that he felt that that kind of decision was worth it for him. Especially, when you have everything in life. And when life doesnt look as though theres much more that you can have, Akshaye said. Vinod Khanna returned to Mumbai after the commune was disbanded and Mahesh Bhatt helped him restart his career with Jurm. Sri Aurobindos five dreams, delivered in his address on August 14, 1947, on All India Radio, Thiruchirapalli, are well-known. But they always yield new insights on re-reading. What better occasion than the 77th anniversary of Indias freedom to do so? Especially because August 15, 2024, is also the 152nd birth centenary of Sri Aurobindo. Sri Aurobindos first dream was Indias freedom. This was achieved, but with a bloody and tragic Partition, which he believed had to be reversed. With the current events in Bangladesh, the wounds of the Partition have been opened again. We will return to this issue. His second dream was the freedom of Asia. This too had been realised in most part during Sri Aurobindos own lifetime. But today Asia is deeply divided, with China having grabbed so much of Indias territory and continuing divisions between North and South Korea, besides tensions and conflicts elsewhere, especially in the Middle East. World Unity was the third dream. Despite the partial success of the United Nations and the European Union, we are still some distance away from this. Of course, we have not had a Third World War or even a nuclear conflagration. But for how long? The world is on the brink, even right now, with Cold War 2.0 already underway and dangerous conflicts, with nuclear-armed powers, already in dangerous stages in Ukraine and the Middle East. Sri Aurobindos fourth dream was Indias spiritual gift to the world. While this is happening in various channels and measures, there seems to be a dire deficit in India itself. Despite a Hindu resurgence, even the basic rights of the Hindus to their own temples have not been secured. Spirituality does not seem to be a priority, but sectarianism is. This brings us back to the first dream, the unfinished promise of Independence. Sri Aurobindo is quite categorical and unambiguous here: The partition must go. He is disappointed that the old communal division into Hindus and Muslims seems now to have hardened into a permanent political division of the country. He continues, It is to be hoped that this settled fact will not be accepted as settled forever or as anything more than a temporary expedient. For if it lasts, India may be seriously weakened, even crippled: civil strife may remain always possible, possibly even a new invasion and foreign conquest. We are seeing the recurring damage caused by the Partition in the renewed violence against Hindus in Bangladesh and the opening of a possible third front on our eastern borders. Sri Aurobindo anticipated this: Indias internal development and prosperity may be impeded, her position among the nations weakened, her destiny impaired or even frustrated. This must not be What is the way out? He says, Let us hope that that may come about naturally, by increasing recognition of the necessity not only of peace and concord but of common action, by the practice of common action and the creation of means for that purpose. In this way, unity may finally come about under whatever formthe exact form may have a pragmatic but not a fundamental importance. Then, he also adds, But by whatever means, in whatever way, the division must go; unity must and will be achieved, for it is necessary for the greatness of Indias future. Is it time for India to act decisively in Bangladesh? Not only to protect our interests but with the larger view to heal the wounds of Partition. Unity need not be the forced formation of one large and unwieldy political entity, but the removal of those elements that violate, divide, and harm the soul of India. For, Sri Aurobindo believed that all Indians, including those who are at present Pakistanis and Bangladeshis, have one soul. The facilitation of economic, cultural, and, ultimately, spiritual unity through the understanding that our past, present, and future are so deeply intertwined may be the way forward. For that to happen, however, we must turn to the fifth and final dream of Sri Aurobindo. Given the present circumstances, it is not only the most ambitious, but also the most needed: an evolutionary leap in global consciousness. Forget about Supramentalisation or the ascension of Man to Superman, we seem to be in a dangerous and disturbing regression, with AI threatening the end of humanity as we know it. With artificial intelligence and robots doing most of our work, human beings themselves may become useless, dispensable, or even obsolete. Yet it is only by spiritualising the physical, vital, and mental parts of our being that we can move forward to lasting peace within and harmony outside. For the unity of man is possible only in the spirit, not in politics, economics, culture, even religion, and least of all, in conflict and war. The writer is an author and columnist. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. The political turmoil in Bangladesh, which escalated from students protests over reservation for the family members of the freedom fighters of the 1971 Liberation War, has snowballed into anti-minority aggression. This shift highlights a broader conspiracy aimed at unsettling the fragile minority communities in Bangladesh. Hindus, in particular, have become victims of increasing fanaticism, exclusivism, and a series of targeted attacks. The students protests served as a pretext to hijack the situation and unleash anarchy and political paralysis. Today, the Hindu minority constitutes around 8 per cent of the population, down from approximately 22 per cent in 1952. The rapid decline in the Hindu demographic in Bangladesh reflects the persistent attacks and hostility they face. This has led to religious conversions or exodus. Both hard and soft methods have been employed to diminish their numbers. Fear and faith have been weaponised to reduce their presence to a precarious margin. The current situation will likely lead to a significant further reduction in the Hindu population in Bangladesh. Now, the interim government has been formed with Muhammad Yunus at the helm of affairs in Bangladesh. But the question arises: can he deliver stability? Will the fanatics and fundamentalists cease their violence? No government has been able to do anything substantive to stop these anarchists. Sheikh Hasinas efforts hit them hard, but they were too little and too late. She could not maintain the required consistency because she was equally under pressure. The rut was too deep. The surface-level treatment did not cleanse the rut from its roots. Does Muhammad Yunus have a magic wand to deliver a miracle? Will his microfinancing expertise assist in the macro management of the ongoing crisis? The military remained silent and ensured Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas exit. It succumbed to the pressures of fundamentalists and anarchists. Optimism about the improvement of conditions for Hindus in Bangladesh is at a low today. While sharing his best wishes to Yunus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlined the need to ensure the safety and protection of Hindus and other minorities. This explains the enormity of the crisis and the suffering of Hindus and other minorities. Muhammad Yunus stated in an interview that the instability in Bangladesh will have repercussions for Indias Northeast and West Bengal. Was this a warning or a prediction? His recent statement, which appealed to the anarchists for normalcy and an end to attacks on minorities, went so far as to include a resignation threat if his words were not followed. These are mere words or verbosity. Such attempts have been made before and have yielded no results on the ground. There is a famous saying, Show me your friends, and I will tell you who you are. The friends of Muhammad Yunus and those who batted for him reveal much about him. Those who engaged in arson, terror, violence, vandalism at Sheikh Hasinas residence, and committed acts of extreme vulgarity clamoured for his rise to power. This speaks volumes and requires no further decoding. The fact that an anti-reservation protest has escalated into full-scale communal attacks and the unseating and eviction of a democratically elected leader reveals the underlying realities. The sharp decline in the minority population in Bangladesh highlights the ulterior motive behind these protests. They are merely pretexts for something more dangerous: the tactical removal of minorities from Bangladesh. This agenda has been underway for a long time and has now taken its most visceral form. Sheikh Hasinas pro-minority and pro-India positions were unacceptable to fundamentalists at home and interest groups from abroad. Muhammad Yunuss ascension to power appears to be a mere projection or narrative-building exercise aimed at grabbing global attention, with a Nobel laureate being given a political platform to make a difference. This facade seems to have been strategically crafted to mitigate global anger against the fundamentalists for their acts of terror against minorities. Everything is likely to return to the status quo. Nevertheless, India is closely observing these developments. To assume that India is inattentive to these disturbing events in Bangladesh is short-sighted. There will come a time to hold the anarchists accountable for actions against Indias interests. It is important to remember that India played a crucial role in the creation of Bangladesh. Those who seek to destabilise Bangladesh should understand that their actions will have consequences. Bangladeshs dependency on India cannot be decoupled any time soon. Whatever growth Bangladesh has achieved, India has contributed immensely. Bangladesh relies on India for a wide range of essentials, including electricity, cotton, jute, vegetables, coffee, tea, spices, sugar, refined petroleum oil, chemicals, iron, steel, vehicles, and salt. The waters off the coast of Bangladesh are not saline enough to produce high-quality salt, making the country reliant on India for this essential commodity. A restriction or lack of supply of these products would seriously trouble Bangladesh. The current turmoil has already damaged its economy. Any additional strain on the existing issues could cause its fragile economy to collapse. The drama surrounding Muhammad Yunus will persist for a while, but the pressure of economic deterioration will eventually force Bangladesh to revert to conventional structures. They will return to the basics once the economic crisis hurts them in the spines. Be that as it may, by then, the Hindu minorities may have suffered so severely that they will seek refuge in India, jeopardising their property and ancestry. The ongoing violence is the final nail in the coffin of the Hindu presence in Bangladesh. Some critics refuse to acknowledge the plight of Hindus. They act as experts on various matters and never hesitate to comment, but their silence on Hindu hardships is deafening, and their secularism appears to have gone with the wind. Approximately 45 districts in Bangladesh have witnessed attacks on Hindu temples, businesses, and homes. If this continues, there may be no Hindus left in Bangladesh within a decade. Districts such as Panchgarh, Dinajpur, Bogura, Rangpur, Sherpur, Kishoreganj, Sirajganj, Mugra, Narail, West Jashore, Patuakhali, South-West Khulna, Central Narsingdi, Satkhira, Tangail, Feni-Chittagong, and North-West Lakkipur have experienced targeted persecution. Bangladeshi media are full of such stories, and social media is flooded with images of unspeakable atrocities against minorities. Therefore, it is crucial to acknowledge the Hindu predicament in Bangladesh and not overlook it as if nothing has happened. This selective amnesia has already caused irreparable damage. If it persists, it will ensure the end of Hindu life and its history in Bangladesh, relegating it to a mere memory or archived in history. Jajati K Pattnaik, an Associate Professor at the School of International Studies, JNU, New Delhi; Chandan K Panda, an Assistant Professor at Rajiv Gandhi University (A Central University), Itanagar. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. At times, in the first few days of any geopolitical crisis, I must admit that the situation often looks ominous and unresolvable. However, geopolitical crises generally carry the inherent danger of affecting national security. Therefore, any delay on the part of policymakers in correctly comprehending a crisis situation can be fraught with danger. Transparency and clarity seldom emerge easily, especially if one tries too hard to connect the dots. The problem with an issue such as the crisis in Bangladesh is that there are simply too many unconnected dots. You connect several, and then more appear in different directions. Secondly, there are a few core beliefs that come from observing trends over time. However, during times like these, most of these trends take a back seat, and core assumptions can start to go awry. As events unfold, each must be examined and analysed based on credibility and without the bias of core beliefs. This is a difficult task, in fact, a challenge. There are a couple of prime issues concerning the Bangladesh crisis. However, I recognise that as we move forward, many of these issues will change. The first striking observation is that the majority of people in Bangladesh, including respected senior functionaries, intellectuals, former civil servants, and analysts, are convinced that what has happened is for the good of Bangladesh. However, one wonders whether the economic and social progress Bangladesh made in the last 15 years under Sheikh Hasina was not a factor in her favour or that of her party, the Awami League. Friends from Bangladesh who urge us to respect and understand the aspirations of the people often argue that such progress, without the freedom to choose their representatives, is not true progress. In other words, the desire for democratic empowerment has been very strong, and the Sheikh Hasina government has completely ignored this through the conduct of non-participatory elections and a hard-nosed attitude that brooked very little opposition. Perhaps many of us got this wrong too. Secondly, the same people also tell us that while India supported the government, it never scrutinised what was transpiring within the nation under the rulers. In other words, the argument about India stretches back more than 50 years and suggests that it has never understood the people or attempted to establish a transformational link that could then permeate into a people-to-people understanding. Obviously, many of these individuals exhibited the same attitude before the downfall of the Sheikh Hasina government, but they voiced their concerns quietly, and such quietly voiced concerns are rarely heard. Clearly, a lot of reality seems to be dawning on many of us. Yet, it is difficult to take sides, even now. What no one in Bangladesh wants to hear is that India must act according to its long-term strategic interests. These interests demand that we have the capability to cooperate and work with any government in power in Bangladesh, preferably one elected by a popular vote. The dilemma arises when there is a situation involving a friendly and effective government that does not meet the approval of the people. The third point conveyed to me, and I believe it is the most important issue, is that Indians and India seem to view Bangladesh and its people through the prism of the 1971 crisis, which led to the Indo-Pak War, the defeat of the Pakistani Army, and the surrender of 93,000 prisoners of war. For a long time, this issue has rankled the self-esteem of Bangladesh. Deep down, it is well-known that India sacrificed its soldiers to secure Bangladeshs independence. In India, we often believe that the Bangladeshi people, across all segments, are only transactionally grateful for this act by India. If you step back and examine this, a certain truth does emerge. We never had a single Bangladeshi representative in the iconic photograph of the surrender at the Maidan in Dhaka. No one thought of this at the time, and that half a century later, it would be a contributing factor to a certain angst against India. In reality, there was no established Bangladesh Army at that point, and Colonel Osmany, the senior-most officer, was in Kolkata; his presence no doubt could have been symbolic. But that is history. Our perception was that India acted rather magnanimously by ensuring we withdrew our forces as soon as possible, transporting the 93,000 Pakistani prisoners of war to India and bearing the entire cost of the logistics while they remained in our custody. We also assisted in setting up many of the institutions that helped Bangladesh quickly get on its feet as an independent nation. In recent years, Indians have often praised and complimented the Bangladeshi government for lifting 25 million people out of poverty and building the economy to $450 billion, with an annual $60 billion apparel export industry. Yet, somewhere along the way, the perception did not align, and our communication of these positives was taken as condescension, which is unfortunate. That is why its difficult to absorb all the visuals that emerged from Bangladesh last week: the burning of the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre and temples, and worst of all, the targeting of the Hindu minority. The toppling and desecration of Sheikh Mujibur Rahmans statue symbolised the anger in the streets. I felt that the Bangladesh Army could have anticipated the threat to institutions once the situation reached a critical point. It is usually difficult to make such an assessment, but that is precisely what intelligence agencies are meant to do. The leeway given to mobs to desecrate the Parliament, Indian-sponsored institutions, and the PMs residence could have been mitigated with some pre-emption. I have served with the Bangladesh Army in two UN missions and spoken at its various training institutions in Dhaka. I consider it to be a very professional force, and its neutrality and professionalism should ensure the stability of Bangladesh during these challenging times. The Indian Armed Forces and the Bangladesh Armed Forces enjoy a special relationship and should regard 1971 as a joint heritage that enhanced their splendid records. There is some speculation in India among certain circles that the symbols of the joint victory have been desecrated, signifying the end of this special linkage. However, this is not true, as the events of the last few weeks reflect a frustrated and angry youth. They need to be placated by the Bangladesh Army through outreach, demonstrating that India and its Armed Forces continue to support Bangladeshs democracy, which will empower the people. The potential threat hanging over the Indo-Bangladesh relationship relates to the degree of control and penetration that religious radicals have achieved in the national polity. There was a time when ISIS considered Bangladesh to be a highly viable society for proliferation due to the significant level of radicalism present in 2015. The Islamists, with their heritage tracing back to 1971, when they opposed Bengali intellectuals, were targeted by Sheikh Hasina, who ensured they held no position of influence. However, the situation may now be different, as the current rulers appear to be employing a softer strategy to prevent any backlash. In the many demonstrations on the streets, the presence of Jamaat-e-Islami has been notable, and the initial targeting of the Hindu minority community has likely been instigated by them. The new government has taken steps to address the potential targeting of minorities, which is a bold and positive move. India will need to navigate this situation carefully. A good interlocutor, preferably a veteran Indian diplomat with experience in Dhaka, could facilitate the establishment of a renewed relationship. Bangladeshs economy cannot be allowed to falter, as this presents an opportunity for significant Indo-Bangladesh cooperation. At the same time, Indias genuine security interests must also be addressed, ensuring that militants from the Northeast are not allowed a foothold in Bangladesh. Lastly, let India and Bangladesh make it clear to major powers and the strategic community at large that they are unwilling to be manipulated. They should demonstrate that they will mutually safeguard each others security interests in the face of any attempts by external powers to exert influence in the region. The writer is a former GOC of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps and Chancellor, Central University of Kashmir. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. In the Mahabharata, amidst the stillness of the Kurukshetra battlefield, Lord Krishna guided Arjuna to a secluded corner, away from the tumult. There, Krishna dismounted Arjuna from his chariot and released the horses. In a dramatic moment, Lord Hanuman, who had been residing on the flag atop Arjunas chariot, vanished, leaving only a fluttering cloth behind. The chariot then erupted into flames, leaving only smouldering embers. Krishna revealed that the divine weapons wielded by Bheeshma, Drona, and Karna would have long ago obliterated the chariot were it not for Lord Hanumans sacred presence on the flag, which shielded it from destruction. This ancient narrative underscores the profound symbolism of flags in Indian tradition emblems of protection, unity, and divine guardianship. From Kartikeyas Seval Kodi and Lord Ramachandras Surya flag in his quest to Lanka, to King Yudhishtiras Golden Moon flag and the Patita Pavana Bana fluttering against the wind at Jagannath Temple in Puri, flags have always been central to our cultural heritage. The Nishan Sahib, representing both temporal and spiritual realms, holds a revered place in Sikh tradition. Thus, it is fitting that this deep-rooted tradition continues as India strides into modernity. The flag stands not merely as a vision for our future but as a beacon of our rich and illustrious past, embodying the timeless values and grandeur of our civilisation. In a world where chaos grips nations like Bangladesh and the threat of Balkanisation looms large, it is the enduring pride in our Tiranga that forges unity in Indias vast diversity. Amid global disarray, the Tiranga stands as a beacon of hope and cohesion, binding together our myriad cultures, languages, and identities. This unwavering reverence for our national flag galvanises us as one people, transcending differences and fostering a collective strength that distinguishes India as a pillar of stability and unity in turbulent times. Prime Minister Narendra Modi aptly stated, The Tiranga symbolises the spirit of freedom and national unity. Every Indian has an emotional connection with the Tricolour, and it inspires us to work harder to further national progress. As we mark the 77th anniversary of Indias Independence, the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign stands as a monumental testament to our nations unity, pride, and socio-economic advancement. The Har Ghar Tiranga initiative, launched in 2022 as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, seeks to bolster national unity and pride by urging every household to display the Tiranga. It encourages every Indian to hoist the tricolour beyond mere symbolism, embodying our collective aspirations and historical values. While launching the initiative on July 22, 2022, PM Modi said, Today, we remember the indomitable courage and efforts of all those who dreamt of a flag for an independent India when we were struggling against colonial rule. We reiterate our commitment to fulfil their vision and build the India of their dreams. The Essence of the Tricolour Our national flag, the Tiranga, is a vibrant emblem of our nations spirit, with each of its colours carrying profound significance. The saffron stripe embodies courage and sacrifice, reflecting our enduring bravery and selflessness. The white band represents peace and truth, underscoring our commitment to harmony and integrity. Green signifies faith and chivalry, celebrating our dedication to justice and honour. The blue Ashoka Chakra stands as a testament to our rich heritage and cultural legacy. These colours not only reflect the essence of our national values but also resonate deeply with our collective ethos and core principles of courage, truth, faith, and cultural pride. Designed by Pingali Venkayya and adopted on July 22, 1947, the Tricolour represents the struggle and triumphs of our freedom fighters and the principles upon which our democracy is built. The flags have been integral to our cultural heritage, symbolising glory, dharma, and unity across ages. The Tricolour, therefore, is a bridge connecting our illustrious past with our bright future. Empowering Local Economies The Har Ghar Tiranga campaign has sparked a renaissance for the Khadi industry, infusing new life into this traditional craft. By encouraging the display of the tricolour, there has been a notable surge in demand for Khadi flags, produced by small-scale artisans and vendors. This boost not only revitalises a time-honoured industry but also supports local economies and small vendors, fostering economic development and self-reliance. As citizens embrace the campaign, they directly contribute to the sustainability of Khadi and the welfare of its artisans, creating a ripple effect of economic benefits across the country. On August 16, 2022, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) reported that the Har Ghar Tiranga movement led to the sale of over 30 crore national flags, generating approximately Rs 500 crore in revenue. Lets continue to support the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Vocal for Local this year as well, and with Modi 3.0 on the horizon, expectations are high for even greater success and impact in future campaigns. The Har Ghar Tiranga initiative has not only ignited a wave of national pride but has also provided significant support to the Khadi industry, fostering its growth and visibility across the nation. The Armys Pride, National Unity and Integrity In the last few years, we have witnessed certain vested groups and politicians in India working tirelessly to tarnish the countrys global reputation. These individuals have not only sought to undermine Indias robust democratic institutions on the international stage but have also actively fuelled caste divisions within the nation. Moreover, they have disseminated malicious misinformation and falsehoods about the Agniveer scheme with the deliberate intent of provoking our armed forces. This Democracy is in Danger narrative represents a serious threat to the unity and integrity of our country. For the men and women in uniform, the tricolour represents not just a symbol but a profound source of pride and motivation. The Har Ghar Tiranga campaign fosters a deep sense of unity and patriotism, reassuring our soldiers that every Indian stands shoulder to shoulder with them. The sight of the Tricolour proudly displayed across homes reaffirms their commitment to safeguarding our nation, knowing that their sacrifices are recognised and valued by every citizen. Our armed forces, in the wars of 1965, 1971, and 1999, fought with unwavering determination to ensure that the Tiranga remained aloft and unblemished. Their sacrifices and valour were driven by a resolute commitment to keep our flag flying high and proud. In a world rife with geopolitical turmoil and regional conflicts, the Tricolour serves as a beacon of unity for India. The Har Ghar Tiranga campaign highlights the strength of our national identity and the power of collective pride to overcome divisions. As our neighbours grapple with unrest and fragmentation, the campaign underscores the significance of the Tricolour in fostering a sense of belonging and solidarity in a diverse and vibrant nation like India. A Personal and Historical Connection A flag is a symbol of a nations culture, heritage, and sovereignty. Over the past decade, Tiranga has not only flourished on the global stage but has also reinforced and showcased the strength of our culture and ethos. Har Ghar Tiranga initiative invites every Indian to forge a personal connection with the Tricolour, transforming it from a formal symbol into a cherished part of everyday life. By revisiting the story of our freedom struggle and honouring the legacy of leaders like Gandhiji, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, and Bhagat Singh, the Har Ghar Tiranga initiative seeks to bridge the gap between the past and present. It is an opportunity for younger generations to connect with the values and sacrifices that have shaped our nation, renewing their pride in our history and commitment to our future. A Ground-Up Initiative The Har Ghar Tiranga campaign exemplifies community participation and governmental facilitation. The amendment to the flag code has made the Tricolour more accessible, allowing every Indian to display it with pride. The government has ensured the availability of flags through post offices, e-commerce portals, and self-help groups, making it possible for every household to participate in this patriotic endeavour. Echoes of Patriotism In a world fraught with conflict and internal strife, PM Modis Har Ghar Tiranga initiative stands as a beacon of unity and national pride. Amidst Indias own internal challenges, this initiative has never been more pertinent. It serves not only as a symbol of national solidarity but also as a powerful reminder of our collective strength and resilience. In times when division threatens to overshadow unity, the Har Ghar Tiranga initiative is a clarion call to every citizen, reinforcing the values of patriotism and national cohesion. Under the Tiranga, all are equal no prince or peasant, no rich or poor. Here, privilege fades, and only duty, responsibility, and sacrifice remain. The Har Ghar Tiranga campaign is a heartfelt call to celebrate our unity, honour our past, and work together towards a brighter future. In every fluttering Tricolour, we see not just a flag but a reflection of our shared dreams, resilience, and unyielding spirit. As the Tiranga graces homes across India, let it be a symbol of our collective pride and commitment to building a united and prosperous nation. Since 2014, the Tiranga has achieved a new stature, earning immense respect on the global stage. Let us honour this symbol of our pride and unity by embracing the Har Ghar Tiranga initiative with the respect and pride it deserves. Dr. Naresh Bansal is Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, and National Co-Treasurer, BJP. Tuhin A. Sinha, National Spokesperson, BJP, and a popular author. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. Independence Day invariably reminds us of the freedom fighters who devoted their productive years, if not their lives, to liberate India from British rule. Popular narratives of the freedom movement often focus on the attainment of freedom itself, while the question of the form of government is relegated to the background. It is taken for granted, as though India would have been a Parliamentary democracy in any event. However, it is readily apparent that this is not a rational proposition. The revolt of 1857, while it might have ousted the British, was not driven by the principles of liberal democracy. This was not merely because the uprising occurred in the mid-19th century, when democracy was still evolving even in Britain, but also because it was disconnected from the political ideas being developed in Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras during the 1850s. It was a far cry from the British Indian Association (est. 1851), Bombay Association (est. 1852), and Madras Native Association (est. 1852). Thus, the 1857 uprising lacked the political ideas that influenced the American War of Independence (1775-83) and the French Revolution (1789-99). It was the precursors and pioneers of the freedom movement who invested in the struggle with intellectual capital. Known variously as reformists, moderates, or liberals in different epochs, they can be categorised as constitutionalists who advocated for political reform aimed at a more representative and progressive government in British India. This intellectual culture prevented Indias freedom movement from becoming merely a crude struggle for power. They formed organisations such as the British Indian Association, Indian Association, Bombay Association, and Poona Sarvajanik Sabha, which eventually led to the formation of the Indian National Congress (est. 1885). Even the Congress, which was initially an annual event rather than an organisation, was dominated by these constitutionalists for a long time. A section of them, including Dadabhai Naoroji, Justice M.G. Ranade, Pherozeshah M. Mehta, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Surendranath Banerjea, W.C. Bonnerji, Badruddin Tyabji, and Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, are remembered as moderates, particularly in connection with the extremist versus moderate dispute within the Congress. They were unsuccessfully challenged by the extremists led by Lokamanya Tilak at Surat in 1907. The extremists were expelled, and their challenge diminished after the incarceration of Tilak and the departure of Aurobindo Ghose. The moderates, led by Surendranath Banerjea, later separated themselves from the Gandhian Congress in 1917. Their subsequent history under the nomenclature Indian Liberal Party (1923), comprising leaders like Tej Bahadur Sapru, C.Y. Chintamani, C.H. Setalvad, and H.N. Kunzru is less prominent as they were often dismissed as stooges of the British, though they boycotted the Simon Commission (1928) and made serious efforts for political reforms in India. However, by that time, constitutionalism had long ceased to be the property of a clique; it had become mainstream in Indian politics. Thus, Moti Lal Nehru and Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair, although not part of the Liberal Party, could be said to be constitutionalists par excellence. While one formulated the Nehru Report, the other drafted the Report of the Central Committee, thereby providing an alternative to the Simon Commission. II Why did British rule sustain the growth of constitutionalism? To begin with, the East India Company introduced a new form of government in Indiaimpersonal government. The Companys rule was one by a body corporate rather than an individual such as a Maharaja or Nawab. The Regulating Act of 1773 established the position of Governor-General, who was required to make decisions based on a majority within an executive council. The same method was applied to the Governors in the Madras and Bombay Presidencies. All of them were paid servants of the Company, who received a monthly salary, had a limited tenure, and wielded limited powers. In the late 18th century, Indians faced a genuine difficulty in relating to an impersonal government. They invented an imaginary personality, whom they called Company Bahadur. They were not entirely incorrect, as a company is indeed a legal entity in modern jurisprudence, capable of suing and being sued under its own name. The British apparently concluded that the Revolt of 1857 stemmed from the fact that a company could not command the loyalty of Indians as a monarch could. Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, in his The Causes of the Indian Revolt (1873), attributes the Revolt partly to the inadequate and infrequent number of durbars held by the Governors-General. This led to a decline in loyalty in a land accustomed to the grandeur and ceremony of rulers in durbars (p. 45). That the British perceived this psychological disconnect (with impersonal government) as a factor in the outbreak of the 1857 Revolt is amply proven by the fact that Queen Victoria was brought into the Indian picture in 1858 with Queens Proclamation. She was later elevated to the queer stature of Queen-Empress in 1876 by the Benjamin Disraeli government. Subsequently, three Durbars were held during British rulein 1877, 1903, and 1911. The intention was to demonstrate to Indians that their ruler was a real person, who lived and breathed, and had a family. The ruler was not merely a collective entity like the bureaucracya two-headed demon with the Secretary of State based in London and the Governor-General based in Calcutta and Simla, both holding office for a limited term at the pleasure of the monarch. III Whereas the laymen might have found an impersonal government strange, the more advanced section of society took to it like fish in the water. They generally represented the emerging English-educated class. They realised that, for the first time, one could criticise a government without being labelled an enemy. They had a voice and could express their opinions without fear of prosecution (provided they did not call for the disestablishment of British rule). The constitutionalists were fascinated by the English institution of the House of Commons. Raja Ram Mohan Roy (1772-1833), though strangely reviled by many nationalists today, might be considered the founder of constitutional agitation in India. He visited the House of Commons when that chamber of the British Parliament was debating the Representation of the People Bill, 1831. However, the first prominent constitutionalist was the father figure of moderates, Dadabhai Naoroji. He began as a professor of mathematics at Elphinstone College in Bombay and reached his apex by becoming a Member of Parliament in Britain in 1893. He had previously served as the President of the Calcutta Congress in 1886. Dadabhai, being a mathematician by training, made statistics an integral part of political discourse. Some of his essays in Poverty and Un-British Rule in India (1901) read like dissertations in applied economics. His famous drain of wealth theory remains a popular argument in India against British colonialism. The constitutionalists placed immense emphasis on the study of facts and figures from government documents and other sources. Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade (1842-1901), the brain behind the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha, mentored Gopal Krishna Gokhale (1866-1915) as a young man. T.K. Shahani (1919) in an early biography of Gokhale, tells how hard a taskmaster Ranade was. Gokhale was instructed to study the Government Blue Books, Green Books and Red Books issued from time to time; cumbrous statistics, masses of evidence, voluminous correspondence, various statements and comments proceedings from diverse sources (Gopal Krishna Gokhale: A Historical Biography, P.59). No wonder, then, that Gokhale rose to become one of the masterly orators in the Imperial Legislative Council, and his speeches on the annual budget could put Viceroy Lord Curzon on the defensive. Surendranath Banerjea (1848-1925), formerly of the Indian Civil Service, was not an economist. His hallmark was advocating for the introduction of an elective element in the legislative councils to make them more representative of the people. As the co-founder of the Indian Association (est. 1876), he rose to prominence by coordinating a national agitation against the lowering of the minimum age for Indian Civil Service aspirants in 1877. This unpopular decision by Her Majestys Government adversely affected the prospects of aspirants from India. Long before Shashi Tharoor, he was the first Indian to win a debate at Oxford Union (1890), where he defeated Lord Hugh Cecil on the need to replace nomination with elections as the principle for filling legislative councils. Pherozeshah M. Mehta (1845-1915), a barrister, emphasised accountable municipal government based on the principle of elections, simultaneous examinations for the ICS in Britain and India, and the separation of judicial and executive functions in government. Independent India developed an uncharitable opinion about these constitutionalists. Their methods of prayers, petitions, and appeals were viewed as submissive and utterly inadequate to win freedom. We tend to overemphasise freedom, that is, seizing sovereign authority from the British, whereas the freedom movement encompassed much more than just the achievement of sovereign power. We often pay minimal attention to the content of freedom, such as the form and policy of government. The constitutionalists were masters of economy, law, and ideas on representative government. They made us aware that every clause mattered and every word counted when it came to statutes. They schooled us in parliamentary democracy long before India became a full-fledged one. It was not until the Lahore Congress of 1929 that the demand for Purna Swaraj (complete independence) was officially made. However, the constitutionalists emphasised the ideal of self-rule (Swaraj was first used from the Congress platform by Dadabhai Naoroji in 1906) and dominion status, which would have made India akin to self-governing dominions of Britain like Australia, New Zealand, or Canada. The constitutionalists abhorred the dramatic moments generally associated with revolutionaries and believed in developing the actual political content for an independent nation. Guided by reason rather than passion, they were, in reality, incisive critics of British policies on merit. The idea that they were submissive to British rule is only partly true. They recognised that the matrix of rule provided an opportunity to advance Indian claims, which was not possible under the personal rule of any potentates. Without them advancing the ideas of constitutionalism, Indias freedom movement could not have flowered into the pages of the Constitution. The writer is author of the book The Microphone Men: How Orators Created a Modern India (2019) and an independent researcher based in New Delhi. The views herein are his personal. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused opposition parties of being behind the vandalism at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. She said she does not hold the students or doctors responsible for their protests and, instead, accused certain political parties of attempting to incite trouble. Police are looking into the matter. I dont have any complaints against students or agitating doctors. But there are certain political parties which are trying to foment trouble. If you go through the video, you will get to see what happened, she said. Around midnight, a group of around 40 people, posing as protesters, entered the hospital, vandalising the emergency department, nursing station, and medicine store, while also damaging CCTV cameras and ransacking a stage where junior doctors had been demonstrating since August 9 protesting the alleged rape and murder of a woman postgraduate trainee there and demanding security at their workplace. Two hospital floors have been destroyed, medicines looted and infrastructure and equipment severely damaged, the chief minister said, adding that it will take a lot of time and money to rebuild it. Some outsiders who are political elements and want to foment trouble in Bengal the Left and the BJP have together unleashed this. Speaking outside the Raj Bhavan, where she went to join the customary high tea on the occasion of Independence Day, Banerjee said the state government will provide all assistance to the CBI, which has been entrusted with the investigation into the alleged rape and murder of the woman doctor. The Calcutta High Court on August 13 ordered the transfer of the case probe from Kolkata Police to the CBI, citing a lack of significant progress in the investigation. We have provided all the documents (related to the case) to the CBI, she said. Maintaining that the crime on the woman doctor was very unfortunate and the whole country sympathises with the family, she said, sometimes one or two incidents happen. It is a social curse. Pointing to the high court order where the agitating doctors were requested to rejoin work, the CM said she has also urged them to do so on several occasions. Junior doctors in several government hospitals in the state have gone on a cease-work protesting the gruesome murder of their colleague and demanding security at the workplace. I have learnt that some patients have died due to lack of treatment. Some junior doctors and senior professors are, however, providing service in the emergencies and OPDs, she said. Banerjee further said several policemen, including a deputy commissioner of police, were injured in the attack in the hospital. It was, however, good that police showed restraint and did not use force, she said. Asked about a 12-hour general strike call by the SUCI (Communist) in the state on Friday, she said her government does not support any bandh. I urge everyone to keep their establishments open, she added. Samsung is giving more people a taste of its latest AI feature now. The company has confirmed that select Galaxy A-series phones and Galaxy Tab tablets will soon support the new Circle to Search feature which made its debut with the Galaxy S24 series earlier this year. This feature is now coming to Galaxy phones costing below Rs 30,000 in the market. Circle to search, as its name suggests, works by activating from the bottom of the screen and circle any item, product or para and search for the product on the internet or even apply for text you want to cross check. Circle To Search For Galaxy Phones New Device To Support AI Samsung has confirmed that its mid-range phones and tablets will be getting the feature. Here is the list of devices: Samsung Galaxy A55 Samsung Galaxy A54 Samsung Galaxy A35 Samsung Galaxy A34 Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ These devices are the latest from Samsungs lineup to get the Circle to Search feature, which is now available on the Galaxy S24 series and the new Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6 models. Circle to Search is a new way to search anything using a simple gesture without switching apps. When Circle to Search is enabled, users can simply circle, highlight or tap anywhere on the screen to select the text, image or video they want to search, Samsung explains the feature in its post. Samsung and Google have teamed up to power the AI feature using the Gemini AI model that will soon be available on the new Pixel 9 series and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold version. The company points out that the AI feature will be rolling out to these devices in select markets via an OTA update. You will need internet enabled to use the feature and the phone running on the latest Android version. When you think of a 63-year-old woman, dancing might not be the first thing that comes to mind. However, Mumbai-based Ravi Bala Sharma is defying expectations and captivating lakhs with her impressive dance performances. Known online as Dancing Dadi, Sharma has become a social media sensation, even earning praise from celebrities like Sara Ali Khan and Alia Bhatt. Previously a music teacher in Uttar Pradesh, Sharma moved to Mumbai after retirement. When the Covid-19 pandemic-induced lockdown halted her activities, she seized the opportunity to pursue her passion for dance through social media. Her videos quickly gained widespread attention, propelling her to fame. In an interview, she shared that her success would not have been possible without the support of her son, Ekansh. Her dance clips regularly make waves, and have earned her a following of over 6 lakh on Instagram and garnered lakhs of views. Remarkably, at 63, her performances consistently receive positive feedback from viewers. She uploads videos of her dance to trending songs from various eras. Whether the tracks are from stars like Madhuri Dixit, Deepika Padukone, or Bhumi Pednekar, Sharmas choreography and engagement with her audience remain exceptional. Her ability to keep up with the latest trends and her strong musical talent have solidified her status as one of social medias top influencers. Residents are hoping to cash in on their beachside parking permits under the guise of 'fancy pens' on social media. Residents in Sydney's Northern Beaches are selling beachfront parking permits on Facebook under the guise of 'fancy pens'. Source: Google Images/Facebook The misuse of parking permits in busy suburbs appears to be on the rise as residents resort to desperate measures in an apparent bid for extra cash. But the rising trend highlights another growing issue limited street parking in popular, built-up areas. But some residents in Sydney's Northern Beaches have gone as far as to flog their parking permits under the guise of "fancy pens" with a whole Facebook page dedicated to the questionable trades. The page, titled "Northern Beaches Fancy Pen Sales and anything else", has more than 1,500 members and sees multiple posts daily from people attempting to sell their permits for cash. The Northern Beaches Council told Yahoo News Australia it is "aware the parking permits were being traded on social media" and is "currently investigating the implementation of a digital parking system where permits will be linked to vehicle registration number plates" in an attempt to see the end of the selling of permits. Currently, Beach Parking Permits are issued to ratepayers annually with their rates notice free of charge. Two permits are allowed per rateable property. It's understood residents displaying a Northern Beaches Council parking permit sticker have free parking at more than 40 Northern Beaches locations, including beachfront parking, where those without one could not access for free. Residents listing beach parking permits for at least $120 on Facebook Without the permit, parking at Manly Beach is said to cost around $50.50 for five hours while Palm Beach is roughly $40. Posts on Facebook are listing permits for sale for between $120 and $150. There are several posts a day from residents selling parking permits under the guise of pens on a dedicated Facebook page. Source: Facebook One post on the page, seen by Yahoo, reads "very fancy pens for sale $130 each. 6 permits available. Cash on pick up". In the photo attached to the post, the council permits are clearly visible with a pen sitting on top. Another post containing a photo of a permit says "selling pen. $120 pick up on the lower north shore" with dozens more like it. When asked about it by Yahoo, the Northern Beaches Council confirmed "Beach Parking Permit owners must comply with the conditions of use as outlined on the reverse side of the permit sticker. "Terms and Conditions include that permits must not be sold and cannot be transferred between vehicles, and where detected may lead to the cancellation of the permits." The entire Facebook page titled 'Northern Beaches Fancy Pen Sales' is dedicated to residents selling parking permits for cash. Source: Facebook Council plans to 'eliminate' parking permit issue Council hopes the "implementation of a digital parking system will eliminate the need for physical permits which will help to overcome a range of challenges including the trading of permits". "Any proposed updates to our permit policies will go on public exhibition for community feedback," they said. Parking permits being sold across the country Last month, a similar issue was brought to the attention of a Melbourne council after a resident in Melbourne's Yarra City Council area reportedly listed their visitor permit for sale for the eye-watering price of $1000. Under Yarra City Council local laws, a permit holder must not "sell or offer to sell, give away, lend or license" a parking permit, promoting a stern warning from council to residents reminding them "it's an offence to accept and use a permit if you are not the permit holder or a legitimate visitor." A Melbourne parking permit for sale on Facebook Yarra City Council parking permits cost $54.50 for the first permit and $132 for the second permit. "Infringements can be issued to those who have misused the permit and/or the permit holder," Heather Cunsolo, Mayor of the nearby Port Phillip Council told Drive adding the "misuse of residential parking permits" was on the rise in the area. These offences can carry a fine of $500. In the Port Phillip Council area this infringement attracts 2.5 penalty units, and the value of a penalty unit is currently $197.59 meaning a potential fine of up to $395.18. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. Grief is a complicated feeling thats sometimes challenging to comprehend. One of the most essential things to remember while coping with sorrow is that it does not progress in a linear manner. Rather, sorrow frequently comes in waves, striking in random or unanticipated ways. Losing a child, either expected or unexpected, can cause unbearable grief. Decades can go by without a healing touch. Thats what happened to this Chinese couple. However, in a heartwarming turn of events, the child and parents were reunited after 37 years apart. A mother in Weinan, in the northwest Chinese province of Shaanxi, gave birth to a baby boy in 1986. He was the couples third son, according to Jiupai News. When he was a day old, his grandma handed him over to a guy called Zhao to be nurtured with his family. The decision made by the older lady was unknown to the parents, who had declined to grant their assent. The couple was then informed by the grandmother that she had made the decision on their behalf because she believed that raising a third child would be too challenging for them given they already had two kids, as per South China Morning Post (SCMP). The boys mother and father, who goes by the name Li, claimed they were only aware that Zhao was from the Shandong area in eastern China. Following the grandmothers passing, Li and his wife travelled extensively for thirty years in an attempt to locate their son. According to a database maintained by the Ministry of Public Security, the couples blood samples were discovered in February to match those of a man with the last name Pang who lived in Zaozhuang, Shandong province. In 2009, blood samples from adoptees seeking their original parents and couples whose children disappeared were gathered by Chinas police authorities to create a sizable DNA database, SCMP reports. Shaanxi police asked Li, his wife, and Pang to donate blood twice before establishing that they are biological parents. Pang saw his parents in Weinan, the city of his birth, on August 3, with the assistance of the authorities, the news outlet added. The couple was quoted in the report stating, Son, dad and mum are sorry for you. How has your life been all these years? while tightly holding his sons hands. The first banknotes bearing the image of King Charles III have sold for 914,127 (Rs 9 crore). Spink & Sons auctioned the banknotes this summer, and they went for 11.7 times the face value of 78,430 (almost Rs 85 lakh). This occurred while early prints of the new currency were being produced, and collectors were snapping them up. On June 5, new banknotes worth 5, 10, 20, and 50 portraying King Charles went into circulation in the UK. This is the first time the Bank of England (BOE) has changed the monarch on its notes. Collectors are eager to obtain the most recent notes with the smallest feasible serial numbers, with prices paid matching the notes value, as per The Guardian. A 10 note bearing the serial number HBO1 00002 reportedly brought 17,000 (over Rs 18 lakh), and a 50 sheet set the record for the highest item sold at a BOE auction as it sold for 26,000 (almost Rs 28 lakh). King Charles was given the whole set of the initial issues, all of which had the serial number 000001 at the end. Because collectors want to find banknotes with a serial number as near to 000001 as feasible, the sums raised are substantial. Lucky numbers reportedly drew high bids as well, according to Spink & Sons, reported CNN. There were two 5 notes up for sale that brought in 2,200 (over Rs 2 lakh) and 2,400 (over Rs 2,50,000), respectively, with serial numbers ending in 88 and 888. The head cashier of the Bank, Sarah John, whose signature appears on the notes, expressed her excitement about the remarkable sum being raised, as per BBC. In 1960, Queen Elizabeth II became the first person to consistently feature on BOE banknotes, marking the only time the monarch has changed since then. Notably, the monarch is not shown on Scottish banknotes. Ten organisations selected by BOE employees will benefit from the funds donated; these charities include the Trussell Trust, which supports food banks, and WWF-UK, a wildlife charity. Each charity does incredible work and the monies raised will have a positive impact on people across the UK, Sarah was quoted as saying by CNN. The UK has about 4.6 billion (almost Rs 50,000 crores) actual 5, 10, 20, and 50 banknotes in circulation, with a combined value of over 82 billion (Rs 884,780 crores), according to the central bank. At the stroke of midnight, women across Kolkata took to the streets to demand safety, freedom, and justice for the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. According to reports, the protests, themed Women, Reclaim the Night, took place at over 45 locations, beginning just before midnight and continuing until 5 am on Independence Day. Powerful visuals from these protests under the midnight sky, which rally for the women, with the women, have flooded social media, awakening the collective conscience of the public. Read| She Was the Brightest Star in the Department: Seniors Recollect Memories With Kolkata Rape-Murder Victim Freedom at Midnight Bengali women are occupying the streets of Bengal, reads the caption to the pictures shared on X. Freedom at Midnight Bengali womenare occupying the street of Bengal pic.twitter.com/jYdm50IJ9i sanche (@meaowism) August 14, 2024 Its 2:50 am and we are still on road claiming justice for our sister/ West Bengal has suffered a lot, a new surge of protest is everywhere. Stand with us, wrote another while sharing a video from the protest site. Its 2:50 am and we are still on road claiming justice for our sisterWest Bengal has suffered a lot, a new surge of protest is everywhere. Stand with us #JusticeForDoctor #JusticeForRGKar pic.twitter.com/kKSjvKWLQS Arpita Chatterjee (@asliarpita) August 14, 2024 The land of Maa Kali has finally woken up, wrote yet another while sharing videos of women protesting on the streets under the midnight sky. The land of Maa Kali ..Has finally woken up ..Great to see a protest in Bengal tonight ..The Durga in every woman should fight for justice now ..Jai Maa Bhawani ..Jai Maa Kali ..#JusticeForMoumita pic.twitter.com/7SJARwFI5f AstroCounselKK (@AstroCounselKK) August 14, 2024 How did the protest start? As per reports, researcher Rimjhim Sinha gave a call for the protest. In a post on Facebook, she wrote, Reclaim the night! I am Rimjhim Sinha. I heard that the Principal of RG Kar said it wasnt right for the girl to go there alone at night. That it wasnt right for her to be alone at night. I will be out at night. On August 14, at 11:59 pm, I will be outside in the name of freedom my freedom as a woman. I will sing songs, listen to music, and hang out. I will do whatever I want. She added, No, the night isnt safe for women. No, the clothes arent safe. No, the girls character isnt right. I refuse to listen to these anymore. I will be outside all night. Also Read| Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder Case: Women Hold Mega Protests Across Several Areas In Kolkata It was after this post that sea of people took to the streets to protest under the midnight sky. Kolkata doctors gruesome rape and murder case On Friday, a trainee doctors body was found in the seminar hall of the RG Kar Medical College, bearing horrific signs of sexual assault, strangulation, and smothering. The victim, who was a second-year student in the respiratory medicine department at the hospital, was found semi-naked. The autopsy revealed gruesome rape and murder. The young doctor was subjected to a brutal sexual assault before being strangled and smothered to death. Her body bore multiple injuries, including bleeding from the eyes, mouth, and private parts. She also suffered injuries to her face, hands, legs, and neck. The incident occurred between 3 am and 5 am. The prime suspect, Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer with no affiliation to the hospital, was arrested shortly after the crime. Police said that after committing the crime, the accused returned to his home and washed his clothes in an attemp to cover up the evidence. However, traces of blood found on his shoes led to his arrest. He was sent to a 14-day police under the charges of sections 64 (rape) and 103 (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Acting on the order of the Calcutta High Court, the CBI has taken over the investigation and taken the accused, Sanjay Roy, into custody. A journalist was allegedly harassed while waiting for a cab near DLF Mall in Noida. A man riding a pillion on a bike waved at her and then made a lewd remark, asking kya rate legi? before speeding away. Pateria, who managed to reach home safely, took to social media to share her ordeal, revealing that this was not the first time she had faced harassment in Delhi and Noida in just a month. Trigger warning: Harassment. I was waiting for my cab near DLF m, Sector -18, Noida. A bike crossed and the guy sitting at the back waved and asked kya rate legi. He didnt even stop and everything happened within a flick of seconds. Thankfully, Im back at home safely right now, wrote the journalist on X (formerly Twitter). Trigger warning: Harassment 1. I was waiting for my cab near DLF m, Sector -18, Noida. A bike crossed and the guy sitting at the back waved and asked 'kya rate legi'. He didn't even stop and everything happened within a flick of seconds. Thankfully, I'm back at home safely rn. Sonal Pateria (@SonalPateria) August 14, 2024 In the next few posts, she recounted three incidents. Sonal Pateria alleged that a random man greeted her on her way to sector-18 metro station in Nodia in broad daylight. I was not shocked, then I eased myself thinking that maybe hes a viewer of my journalistic work. But I was wrong, she added. Read| Freedom at Midnight: Powerful Visuals of Bengali Women United On Kolkata Streets The man then tried to justify his actions, asking Pateria to calm down, adding Maine aapko walk karte dekha. Apa mujhe bahut acchi lagin. To maine socha rok kar baat ki jaaye. Kya pata koi chance ban jaaye [I saw you walking, and I really liked you. So I thought Id stop and talk to you. Who knows, maybe theres a chance]. The journalist politely said she was not interested in him and walked away, but the encounter left her shaken. Feeling vulnerable, she immediately called her friend who was waiting at the metro station, and asked him to stay on the phone until she reached safely. Pateria recounted another harrowing experience in Delhis Rajiv Chowk. The other day I was at Rajeev Chowk metro station, a random guy came, asked for my number because again- He found me beautiful by looks and potential enough to be his plus one, she claimed. All of this happened this month only. Ill not be defensive about what I was wearing or what the time was. Because none of that matters. What matters is that I and a lot of women like me live in constant fear. And we have no energy left to report each and every case, she further expressed. She concluded her series of posts on X with the words: Delhi NCR streets are full of dogs at night. They start barking or following when you cross by their side. Im less scared of them now. At least they stop when you stand or they have fear of sticks. These men whom I came across, are not scared of anything! The official X handle of DCP Noida responded to her thread and wrote, The investigation of the above case has been given to Assistant Deputy Commissioner of Police, Noida and a team will be formed under the leadership of Assistant Commissioner of Police Noida and strict action will be taken against the accused by investigating the CCTV footage etc. around the incident site. The investigation of the above case has been given to ACP-1 Noida and a team will be formed under the leadership of ACP-1 Noida and strict action will be taken against the accused by investigating the CCTV footage etc. around the incident site, the DCP Noida shared an update on the matter. The journalist shared an update on the matter. She said that she has received a call from police. Pateria wrote, I have received a call from ACP Praveen Singh, he assured that they will do every possible thing. Though I believe, this issue is more of a cultural problem rather than law and order. Still, Noida Police took this case in their hands. Looking up for the action & updates, she added. Hundreds of student protesters and political activists in Bangladesh, armed with bamboo sticks, iron rods and pipes, on Thursday, assaulted supporters of the ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and prevented them from reaching the previous house of her father and assassinated independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the capital. The house in Dhakas Dhanmondi area was turned into a museum to showcase narratives and other objects about a military coup on Aug. 15, 1975, when Rahman was assassinated along with most of his family members. The house, now called Bangabandhu Memorial Museum, was torched by the protesters hours after Hasinas downfall on Aug. 5 following an uprising during which more than three hundred people were killed. Rahman is fondly called Bangabandhu or, a friend of Bengal. Thursday is the anniversary of Rahmans death, and Hasina, now self-exiled in India, urged her supporters to commemorate the day by paying respect to Rahman. Previously, Aug. 15 was a public holiday and was observed as a national mourning day by Hasinas administration. But that has been canceled by an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus following the ouster of Hasina, who survived in 1975 along with her younger sister because they were visiting Germany in 1975. On Thursday, the protesters attacked Hasinas supporters who attempted to get to the site. They manhandled many and checked the visitors phones and identity cards while threatening journalists for filming the incidents at the scene, witnesses said. Another group of protesters on Thursday chanted Naraye Takbeer, Allahu Akbar or, Allah is Great, Shout of Allah is Great as they marched through streets in the area where the museum site remained blocked with barbed-wire fences. The protesters, who arrived at Rhamans house first on Wednesday, attacked a prominent actress, as she along with dozens of Hasinas supporters reached there to light candles as part of the commemoration. Overnight, they held a party using loudspeakers and playing songs as they danced outside the museum, which was set on fire during the anti-government demonstrations earlier this month. Videos of the party went viral on social media. The protesters said they were out to stop the gathering of Hasinas supporters as they could attempt to create chaos in the name of commemoration. Sarjis Alam, a key organizer of the student protests, said Thursday that they would continue to demand the trial of Hasina as he led a rally in Dhakas Shahbagh area. Asked about the harassment of journalists by the students and other activists outside the museum, he said he would inquire about that but gave no details. In the past, big gatherings took place on the premises of the museum, seen by many as a source of inspiration. Hasina had asked supporters earlier this week to pray for the salvation of all souls by offering floral garlands and praying outside the museum, in her first public statement since her fall. With no police in sight, the chaos remained in Bangladeshs capital throughout Thursday. Sam Jahan, a video journalist for Reuters, protested against the harassment by the protesters, in a Facebook post. It is fair enough what you, the political activists, student protesters want to achieve, politically. But when you try to stop my rolling camera, resisting the freedom of the press and when you manhandle my colleagues, I will speak up, Jahan wrote in the post. The countrys leading English-language Daily Star newspaper reported that their journalists faced trouble at the scene, and they were forced to delete photos and videos. Mujib Mashal, South Asian bureau chief of The New York Times, in a video post on social media platform X said that it was a complete mob rule. The victims of yesterday are perpetrators of today; men armed with clubs and pipes (many identified themselves as BNP and Jamaat) thrashing and chasing away anyone they suspect of being Awami League, he said. The protesters have been demanding trial of Hasina for the killings during weeks-long violence and cases have already been filed against her and other close party colleagues and top police officials. More than 300 people were killed in unrest that started in July with protests against a quota system for government jobs that later morphed into a movement against what was considered Hasinas increasingly autocratic administration. The uprising eventually forced Hasina to leave office and flee to India, ending her 15-year rule. Yunus took over as the interim leader. Sixteen people, including two student protest leaders and others, drawn mainly from civil society, have been included in the interim Cabinet. He chose the new Cabinet members after talks between student leaders, civil society representatives and the military. Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned of divine wrath if Tehran does not retaliate against Israel following the assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh. In a speech on Wednesday, Khamenei asserted that any failure to retaliatewhether through military, political, or economic meanswould invoke divine wrath, as described in the Holy Quran, Iran International reported. He condemned what he termed enemy psychological warfare aimed at deterring Iran from responding to Israel. Governments that yield to the demands of todays dominant powers, regardless of the size or strength of the nations they represent, could defy these pressures if they draw on the strength of their people and accurately assess their adversaries true, unembellished capabilities, Khamenei stated. The assassination of Haniyeh last month in Tehran, which happened during the inauguration ceremony of the new Iranian president, has heightened tensions between the two nations. Haniyeh had boasted of his freedom of movement in Tehran shortly before his death. Khamenei also criticised the exaggeration of enemy capabilities by the US, UK, and Israel as a means to instill fear, citing this as a recurring tactic since Irans 1979 Islamic revolution. Despite employing psychological tactics and threatening retaliation, Iran has yet to take action. Some speculate that the Iranian government is cautious about escalating the conflict but uses the threat of an attack to seek concessions from the US, which is committed to preventing a wider conflict, reported Iran International. On Thursday, US President Joe Biden noted that a ceasefire in Gaza could deter Iran from retaliating and allow Hamas to regroup. Western leaders have urged Iran to exercise restraint to avoid escalating regional tensions and to facilitate the release of over 100 hostages held by Hamas. Iran has dismissed these warnings as illogical and excessive, asserting its right to retaliate without external permission. Irans new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, has publicly supported Khameneis stance on retaliation but is rumored to have privately expressed concerns about the consequences of further escalation. Irans President has acknowledged that war is undesirable but affirmed the right to punitive responses against an aggressor, as per Islamic Republic News Agency. Following the arrest of Lieutenant General (retd) Faiz Hameed, former chief of Pakistans spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), in connection with a housing scheme, three more retired army officers have been taken into military custody, sources told CNN-News18 on Thursday. The men have been arrested for their actions prejudicial to military discipline. According to a statement by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media and public relations wing of the Pakistan armed forces, further investigations of certain retired officers and their accomplices for fomenting instability at the behest of and in collusion with vested political interests are continuing. CNN-News18 earlier reported that Hameed was arrested by the military ahead of his court-martial in connection with the Top City housing scheme scandal on Monday. ISPR said that the arrest was done after complying with orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Pakistani news media outlets said that this was the first time in the countrys history that a court-martial had been initiated against a former intelligence chief. Hameed served as the director general of the ISI from 2019 to 2021. He was often considered close to former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan, who made him the head of the ISI during his tenure. Hameed was even accused of meddling in political affairs at his behest. Last year, the Pakistan Supreme Court said that allegations of an extremely serious nature were raised against Hameed, which cannot be left unattended. The nations apex court had warned that it would undermine the reputation of the countrys institutions if these allegations were proven to be true. The allegations are of an extremely serious nature, and if true, undoubtedly would undermine the reputation of the federal government, the armed forces, ISI and Pakistan Rangers, therefore, they cannot be left unattended, the court order said. The Pakistan army then set up a committee in April to investigate allegations of misuse of authority against Hameed. Top Citys management accused the former ISI chief of plotting a raid on the offices and residence of its owner, Moeez Khan. He was told by the apex court last year to approach the defence ministry, for the redressal of his grievances against Hameed. Moeez alleges that Hameed conducted raids at the Top City office and Moeezs residence, seizing valuables such as gold, diamond ornaments, and cash in connection with an alleged terrorism case, according to a petition filed in 2017. The petition also says that Hameeds brother Sardar Najaf mediated and tried to resolve the issue. A United Nations team will travel to Bangladesh to investigate atrocities committed during the unrest that toppled premier Sheikh Hasina last week, the countrys interim government said in a statement Thursday. The United Nations is sending a UN fact finding team next week to probe atrocities committed during the Student Revolution in July and early this month, the statement said. It added that the move had been discussed between UN human rights chief Volker Turk and interim Bangladeshi leader Muhammad Yunus during a phone call late Wednesday. The statement said the fact-finding mission would be tasked with investigating widespread human rights abuses. Hasinas government was accused of many such abuses during her 15 years in power, including the mass detention and extrajudicial killing of political opponents. She fled by helicopter to India where she remains 10 days ago as student-led protests flooded Dhakas streets in a dramatic end to her iron-fisted rule. US-Russian citizen Ksenia Karelina was sentenced to 12 years in prison for treason by a Russian court on Thursday, after allegedly donating a little over $50 to a pro-Ukraine charity. Karelina, a 32-year-old ballet dancer and spa worker living and working in Los Angeles, was detained by police in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg in late January while visiting family. The court found Ksenia Karelina guilty of high treason and sentenced her to 12 years imprisonment in a general regime colony, the Sverdlovsk Regional Court in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg said. Karelina stood in a glass defendants cage wearing a white top and jeans as the verdict was read out, a video posted by the court showed. She donated $51.80 to New York-based charity Razom for Ukraine shortly after Russia launched its full-scale military offensive in February 2022, US media outlets reported, citing her family and employer. Russias FSB security service accused her of collecting money that was used to purchase tactical medical supplies, equipment, weapons and ammunition for the Ukrainian armed forces. She pleaded guilty to the charges at a hearing last week, state media said. Washington has accused Moscow of arresting its citizens on baseless charges to use them as bargaining chips to secure the release of Russians convicted abroad. Karelinas sentencing comes just over two weeks after Russia freed US reporter Evan Gershkovich, former US marine Paul Whelan and 14 others in its biggest prisoner swap with the West since the Cold War. On Wednesday, an American man accused of violence against a Russian law enforcement officer in Moscow was sentenced to 15 days in custody for hooliganism. Wrongly accused Karelinas employer, the Ciel Spa at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills, wrote on Facebook in February that she had been wrongly accused. Her partner has also publicly petitioned for her release. Karelina was first detained on 27 January while visiting family in the city of Yekaterinburg, almost a month after flying out to Russia, according to a Russian rights group. Russian regional news agency URA.RU reported the charge was related to swearing in a public place, an accusation she rejected in court, according to the Mediazona news outlet. FSB officers may have discovered she made the payment to the pro-Ukraine charity on her phone, but it was not clear how, according to Russian media outlets. She was initially held for 14 days after being detained for petty hooliganism but was never released, as authorities charged her with treason while she was in custody. Russia often arrests foreigners on minor charges before accusing them of more serious offences like treason or espionage. British influencer Tasha Newcombe, 21, has responded to online criticism of her relationship with 16-year-old Marko Vituk, asserting that she will not tolerate hate directed at her, her friends, or her family. Newcombe, who has 286,000 followers on TikTok, recently went public with her new boyfriend, sparking intense scrutiny. She has defended her decision, stating that she will continue to live her life as she chooses. She addressed the controversy during an appearance on the popular YouTube podcast The Blue Tick Show, hosted by Mikey Melin, where she was joined by her boyfriend Vituk, the New York Post reported. I am in a relationship with someone whos five years younger than me, Newcombe told Melin on the podcast. I know a lot of people are gonna have their opinions on that and quite rightly so, youre allowed to have your opinions, thats your free will. Although the relationship is new, Newcombe described it as the most mature she has ever experienced. I just have to say that this boy is genuinely the most mature, kind, loving person Ive ever been in a relationship with, she said. Explaining how they first connected, Newcombe noted that their initial meeting was casual and not intended as a date. Id told Marko Id go out for food with him, I didnt see it as a date or anything, she explained. She added, I was also unsure of meeting him because Ive actually never dated someone younger than me in my life. I didnt know what kind of challenges that was gonna bring forward for me but regardless, Im in a relationship with him now. Its my life, Im going to live my life how I want to live my life. If I decide I want to be in a relationship with him, I can because it is legal. Whether you think its morally right or not, it is legal, she asserted. Police have urged drivers 'not to be' like the P-plater that got booked for this offence on Thursday. NSW Police urged motorists against ignoring "keep left" signs unless they're overtaking, like a utility driver on the M5 recently did. Source: NSW Police Highway Patrol After police warned drivers not to "ignore" a very well-known road rule, which could attract fines up to $2,200, a lawyer has weighed in and revealed he's noticed a marked increase in several offences being detected and penalised. This week, NSW Police released a statement urging motorists against ignoring "keep left signs unless overtaking", like a utility driver did on the M5 recently. "Don't be this motorist who ignored a 'keep left' sign, a VMS [variable message sign] board stating the same and a Liverpool Highway Patrol car that was travelling behind them for three kilometres," they said, uploading images of a P-plater driver who was fined $410 and lost two demerit points over the act. Speaking to Yahoo News Australia prominent Sydney lawyer Avinash Singh of Astor Legal said the provisional driver might've got off easy compared with the penalties they could have faced. "On a road where there is a speed limit of more than 80km/h, you must not drive in the right lane, unless you're overtaking," he told Yahoo News Australia. "You can incur a fine of up to $2,200 for disobeying this rule." The P-plater allegedly ignored both these signs, when police pulled them over. Source: NSW Police Highway Patrol Australians praise police for holding driver accountable Online, Australians applauded police for calling out the offender not keeping left. "So many clowns that sit in the overtaking lane, doing 10 under the limit and giving all of us road rage. This is the best fine Ive seen you guys give out," one man passionately said. "Great to see this happening!! It happens all too often on our roads!" echoed another. "Needs to be enforced across all Sydney motorways," wrote a third. Lawyer warns drivers against 'ignoring' road rules It's not the only road rule that police are cracking down on, with a "marked increase" in offences being detected. Singh added, "particularly where mobile speed cameras or RBTs are set up." "Many people believe they cannot be charged for flashing their headlights to warn of police because there is no specific rule that prohibits this," he said. "However, this offence can actually attract a fine of up to $2,200. Rule 218-1 of the Road Rules (2014) clearly states that it is an offence to drive on a road with high-beam headlights on, if there is another vehicle in front within 200 metres, or there is another oncoming vehicle within 200 metres. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. In an Aussie-first, customers will now be able to scan their groceries directly onto a smart screen clipped onto their trolley as they wander the aisles. Woolworths is trialling a bold new check-out scheme set to revolutionise the way Aussies pay for groceries. Source: Supplied Woolworths is trialling a bold new check-out scheme set to revolutionise the way Aussies pay for groceries. In an Australian-first, customers will now be able to scan their groceries directly onto a smart screen clipped onto their trolley as they stroll the aisles. The new tech effectively shifts the checkout process to the moment you pull items off the shelf. The trolley keeps a tally of all the products placed into it so customers can quickly pay on the way out. The technology is being trialled in Woolworths' Windsor store in Sydney's north-west, before it is more broadly rolled out. Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, a Woolworths Managing Director Faye IIhan the new Scan&Go system "is market-leading innovation" that "will help customers save time and balance the budget on their supermarket shop." The system will use the company's existing Everyday Rewards card, which allows access to the touchscreen that clips onto the new trolleys. If the trial is successful, the retail giant said it'll expand the smart carts to all Australian stores. Source: Supplied "Scan&Go Trolley is the next evolution of Scan&Go and eliminates the need for customers to use their own mobile device to scan," IIhan told Yahoo. "Using their Everyday Rewards card, customers unlock a tablet style device from the charging wall at the front of the store, attach it to their trolley and start shopping. "Pending feedback from our customers, we hope to introduce Scan&Go Trolley in more of our supermarkets nationwide, along with some additional features in the coming months, including the ability to pay for their groceries on the device." While an overwhelming majority of products on supermarket shelves have a barcode on them, the trolleys will not be able to record produce that requires weighing. New trolley scanning tech coming to nine other Woolworths stores The Woolworths exec said the scheme will be rolled out to an additional nine Sydney supermarkets over the coming weeks, with the technology developed "in-house" in close "collaboration with supermarket operations". "The original Scan&Go app was first introduced in 2018 and allows customers to scan goods with their smartphone as they walk through the store and pay in the app before tapping off at a dedicated kiosk," she said. IIhan added the system may benefit those on a budget, with the capability for it to track spending as Aussies shop, "helping you stay within your budget and identify total savings". Woolworths is trialling a bold new check-out scheme set to revolutionise the way Aussies pay for groceries. Source: Nine The tech already exists and has proven successful in supermarkets overseas, including in the United States, where it's been branded a "self-checkout on wheels". Woolworths says staff will conduct random checks of people shopping to make sure people don't exploit the system to steal. The company told Yahoo it won't impact employment. One elderly Sydney shopper who trialled the new trolley on Thursday told Channel 9; "it was scary at first ... I don't like learning new things." If the trial is successful, the retail giant said it'll expand the smart carts to all Australian stores. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. The family of Casey Goodson Jr., a Black man who was shot and killed by an Ohio sheriff's deputy, will receive $7 million to settle a federal civil rights lawsuit over the December 2020 shooting. The Franklin County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the settlement late last month, the AP reports. Goodson, 23, was shot multiple times in December 2020 as he tried to enter his grandmother's Columbus home. His deathone of several involving Black people killed by white Ohio law enforcement officers over the past decadesparked national outrage and cries for police reform. Children in West and Central Africa are facing heightened health risks due to increasing extreme heat, as indicated by a newly released UNICEF report. The frequency of heatwaves in the area has risen fourfold since the 1960s, per the report. Earlier this year, an unprecedented heatwave in West Africa led to a noticeable increase in fatalities. Mali, for example, saw 102 deaths in just the first four days of April, versus 130 for the entire month of April last year. This rising temperature trend is critically affecting the health of children and pregnant women, raising the prevalence of stillbirths, low birth weights, and preterm births. Exposure to high heat also heightens children's vulnerability to chronic diseases and infectious illnesses such as malaria and dengue, as highlighted by regional climate expert David Knaute from UNICEF. Central Africa is also grappling with an mpox outbreak, a disease formerly known as monkeypox, which mainly impacts children. In Congo, almost 70% of mpox cases and 85% of related deaths involve children under 15 years old. The World Health Organization has now classified this outbreak as a global emergency. In response to this crisis, UNICEF is urging governments to take decisive action in curbing carbon emissions to manage escalating temperatures and safeguard children's futures. Knaute underscores the unjust reality that these children "are growing up in countries that have contributed almost nothing to climate change but are facing some of the toughest consequences." (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP) Wizz Air, a discount airline based in Hungary, has launched an annual All You Can Fly pass, which it describes as a "no limits" pass on its extensive route network. The airline is offering the pass for an introductory price of 499 euros, around $550, which will go up to 599 euros, around $650, on Friday, CNBC reports. But the "unlimited' pass comes with plenty of strings attached, making it most suitable for travelers who are OK with flying without luggage at short notice with no firm return date. Those strings. Business Insider reports that there will be a booking fee of $11 per flight segment and passengers will be charged for any luggage beyond a personal carry-on item. Flights can only be bookedsubject to availabilitywithin 72 hours of departure. The airline says fliers worried about securing a return flight can "book a flight using the regular booking process." Anchorage Police say they shot and killed a 16-year-old girl who approached officers with a knife days before she was to start her junior year of high school. A 911 caller first reported her sister had threatened her with a knife around 11:30pm Tuesday. Police said they arrived at the Greenbriar Apartments complex and repeatedly instructed Easter Leafa to drop the knife before she approached police, per KTUU . One officer fired multiple shots, while a second fired "a round with a less-lethal projectile" before Easter was pronounced dead at a hospital, said Police Chief Sean Case, who declared it a tragedy. It's the department's sixth officer-involved shooting in three months, per the AP. "As police officers, we strive to protect human life and when we don't meet that goal, there's no other way to describe it than it's tragic," said Case. A neighbor said she heard Easter's family screaming after shots were fired. "We all started crying and tried to run towards her," a relative told KTUU. The outlet reported Easter and her mother had moved to Alaska from American Samoa about five months ago to join extended family in search of a better life. Family members now question why lethal force was necessary. They say Easter had retreated to a balcony and covered herself with a blanket by the time police arrived. But officers "came in ready, looking like they were ready to [shoot] her down," sister Faialofa Dixon told KTUU. "The loss of a child is devastating," said Anchorage Mayor Suzanne LaFrance, adding "we grieve together with the family." Case said it's up to officers to determine which tool to use "based on the circumstances in front of them." He added the department would "continue to look at our training, our tactics, as well as our supervision in these types of incidents to try to prevent future officer-involved shootings." The officers were wearing body cameras, though it's unclear when the footage might be released. (More police shooting stories.) With a new round of ceasefire talks set to begin in Qatar, American officials believe the Israeli military has hit the limit of what it can achieve in Gaza. Officials tell the New York Times that the group has been significantly weakened and is no longer capable of carrying out an attack on the scale of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. But for Hamas, the goal is survival and "the Israelis may never achieve the total annihilation" they seek, says former CIA official Ralph Goff. Officials say that one of Israel's main goals, the return of around 115 remaining hostagesalive and deadcan only happen through negotiations. The Times notes that Israel has done more damage to Hamas than the US predicted at the start of the war, with Israeli forces able to move through Gaza freely, supply routes from Egypt blocked, and many senior Hamas leaders dead. But much of the group's tunnel network under Gaza is intact, and current and former Israeli officials say there is more that the military can achieve. Yaakov Amidor, a retired major general who served as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's national security adviser, tells the Times that if "Israel evacuates its forces now, within a year, Hamas will be strong again." Amidor says Israel should fight on in central and southern Gaza for several months longer before transitioning to "intelligence-based strikes" to weaken Hamas for another year. Only then, he says, should another party take charge of the administration of Gaza. Negotiators from the US, Qatar, and Egypt are meeting an Israeli delegation for ceasefire talks in Qatar on Thursday but it's not clear whether Hamas officials will join the talks, the AP reports. Israel and Hamas have accused each other of adding more demands to a ceasefire agreement that involves the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israel and hostages held by Hamas, along with the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. (More Israel-Hamas war stories.) The Justice Department defended its plea deal with Boeing over two fatal plane crashes, stating it cannot prosecute the company on more severe charges because it lacks the evidence to do so. This plea deal involves Boeing pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud for deceiving regulators about the 737 Max. Boeing would pay fines of at least $243.6 million and invest $455 million in safety programs. The court filing came after relatives of crash victims urged a federal judge to reject the settlement, arguing it was too lenient given the loss of lives. If the agreement is dismissed, prosecutors stated no additional charges beyond conspiracy, such as manslaughter, would be pursued. The Justice Department emphasized, however, that the deal holds Boeing accountable. US District Judge Reed O'Connor may accept or reject the plea agreement, which would likely spur a new round of negotiations. Previously, O'Connor criticized Boeing for "egregious criminal conduct" and stated that the Justice Department did not inform victims' families about prior negotiations. Boeing previously blamed two low-ranking employees for misleading the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) about a new flight-control software system. This system caused both crashes by forcing the planes' noses downwards based on erroneous sensor data. Although a 2021 deferred-prosecution agreement seemed to absolve Boeing of further criminal charges, the Justice Department revisited the case in May, citing violations of that settlement. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP) A federal judge signaled on Wednesday a significant restructuring of Google's Android app store to address what has been termed an illegal monopoly. During a three-hour hearing in San Francisco, Judge James Donato clearly stated that forthcoming reforms will likely include stipulations for the Play Store to offer users the option of downloading alternative app stores. This comes after a jury in December deemed the Play Store a monopoly due to its tight control over app distribution and billing systems for Android devices, generating billions annually for Google. Google opposed the potential requirements, expressing concerns over possible security risks from third-party app stores. Nonetheless, Donato emphasized the necessity for major reform, irrespective of the tech giant's potential inconveniences and financial costs, which Google estimates could amount to $600 million. The judge also made it explicit that these changes are non-negotiable, stating, "We are going to tear the barriers down." Judge Donato aims to provide an order detailing these mandatory changes within the next few weeks, likely before Labor Day. This ruling could also influence Google's strategy in an impending remedy phase for another antitrust case targeting Google's search engine, with hearings set for September 6 in Washington, DC While Google requested 12 to 16 months to implement the necessary Play Store adjustments, Epic Games, which initiated the lawsuit, insists it could be accomplished in around three months. Judge Donato suggested Google would not get all the time it sought. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP) More than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, the territory's Health Ministry said Thursday. Israel's offensive has also wounded 92,401 people and displaced over 85% of the population from their homes, said the ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, which does not distinguish between civilians and militants in its toll, per the AP . The toll represents nearly 2% of Gaza's prewar population, or one in every 50 people, the Guardian reports, noting bodies buried under rubble and those of people who've died from starvation or the collapse of the healthcare system aren't counted. A volunteer gravedigger in Gaza's Deir al-Balah cemetery says to make room for all the dead, "sometimes we make graves on top of graves," per the AP. Some bodies are simply buried in backyards and parking lots, beneath staircases and along roadsides, according to witness accounts and video footage. Israel's military has dug up, plowed over, and bombed more than 20 cemeteries, according to satellite imagery analyzed by investigative outlet Bellingcat. Troops have taken scores of bodies into Israel, searching for hostages. Trucked back to Gaza, the bodies are often decomposed and unidentifiable, buried quickly in a mass grave. The announcement of 40,000 deaths came during yet another push from international mediators to broker a ceasefire in the war, now in its 11th month. (More Israel-Hamas war stories.) It's not like North Korea tops any "top vacation destinations" lists, but tour companies on Wednesday were still excitedly touting the latest news out of the secluded nation: After nearly five years of even further isolation brought by COVID, the North will open its borders again to foreign tourists. "We have received confirmation from our local partner that tourism to Samjiyon and likely the rest of the country will officially resume in December 2024," Koryo Tours, based in Beijing, announced on its website, per Reuters . Another company, KTG Tours, made a similar announcement about Samjiyona mountainous town known for its winter activities, and where the country says a "socialist utopia" is being builton its own site. Per the BBC, that agency wrote on its Facebook page that "we think that Pyongyang and other places will open too!!!" NK News notes that most of the North's prepandemic tourists came out of China, though visitors also included "several thousand Westerners" annually. The nation shut its borders once COVID hit, and it only recently started allowing Russian tourists in earlier this year, thanks to warming relations between Pyongyang and Moscow. Chad O'Carroll, who heads up the US-based analysis firm Korea Risk Group, is wary of the news. "I will believe it when I see it," he tells the BBC. "For now, I am quite skeptical we will see any real movement in December." (More North Korea stories.) The Taliban have kept 1.4 million Afghan girls out of school through official bans, according to a UN agency's report on Thursday. Afghanistan is the only nation where girls are barred from secondary and higher education, with the Taliban in 2021 saying their interpretation of Sharia law meant girls could not receive schooling past sixth grade. Male education remains unaffected. Data shows the count has risen by of 300,000 girls since the last count was taken in April 2023, representing the number of girls to newly hit the age 12 limit. UNESCO said, "If we add the girls who were already out of school before the bans, there are now almost 2.5 million girls deprived of their right to education, representing 80% of Afghan school-age girls." The agency emphasized the broader impact on education, with 1.1 million fewer children in primary school since the Taliban took over. UNESCO warned the Taliban has "almost wiped out" two decades of educational progress, endangering an entire generation's future. In 2022, 5.7 million boys and girls were in primary school, down from 6.8 million in 2019, partly due to the ban on female teachers teaching boys. The harsh economic conditions also contribute to low school attendance. "UNESCO is alarmed by the harmful consequences of this massive dropout rate," which could increase child labor and early marriage, the agency stated. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP) The second attempt to auction the home of Myanmar's ex-leader Aung San Suu Kyi failed Thursday since no bidders showed up. The asking price of $142 million, set by court orders, likely deterred potential buyers. Suu Kyi, a Nobel laureate, spent 15 years under house arrest in the property, marking it as a historical site in her fight against military rule. The minimum price was reduced from March's $150 million to $142 million. Volatile black-market exchange rates are a better reflection of the true purchasing power of the kyat: Using those rates, the current price is closer to $46 million versus $90 million in March. Still, almost half the population falls below the national poverty line, which is set at $0.76 a day. The property auction, which would see proceeds split between Suu Kyi and her brother, lasted less than a minute, with the district court announcing no bids and ending the proceedings. The home, a 1.9-acre lakeside property in Yangon, was given decades ago to Suu Kyi's mother after Suu Kyi's father was assassinated in 1947. The court will continue to handle the auction, but the future steps and outcomes remain unclear. Suu Kyi is currently serving a 27-year sentence on charges widely deemed as politically motivated. Her estranged brother has long fought for an equal share of the valuable property. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP) If Parliament approves, the daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will become Thailand's next leader. Paetongtarn Shinawatra will be nominated in a parliamentary vote for prime minister set for Friday, her party and its 10 coalition partners said Thursday. This follows the ousting of former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin on Wednesday by the Constitutional Court due to an ethical violation. Paetongtarn, who represents the populist Pheu Thai party, expressed gratitude for the support: "I have confidence in Pheu Thai. I have confidence in all government coalition parties to bring our country out of the economic crisis." If confirmed in the parliamentary vote, she will be Thailand's second female prime minister (after her aunt Yingluck Shinawatra) and the third from the Shinawatra family. It's been a tumultuous week for Thai politics, after the Constitutional Court dissolved the progressive Move Forward party last week; it was accused of being in breach of the constitution by suggesting an amendment to a law that prohibits defaming the royal family. Though it finished first in last year's general election, the party was not permitted to take power. Pheu Thai, the second-place finisher, was able to form a coalition. The current House of Representatives has 493 members following recent political disruptions, and Paetongtarn will require a simple majority to secure her leadership role. The People's Party, comprised of many former Move Forward lawmakers, announced it will not support her candidacy. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP) A diminutive South American deer, known as a southern pudu, is one of the newest residents at New York City's Queens Zoo. Born on June 21 and weighing a mere 2 pounds at birth, the fawn is expected to grow to between 15 and 20 pounds. The Wildlife Conservation Society, which oversees the city's zoos, announced the birth on Thursday. The southern pudu, hailing from Chile and Argentina, is recognized as one of the smallest deer species globally and is listed as near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Its population is in decline due to factors such as development and the intrusion of non-native species. The Queens Zoo is involved in a breeding program with other zoos to maintain genetically rich populations and has welcomed eight pudu fawns since 2005. This latest addition will share its enclosure with its parents and will join two other pudus at the society's Prospect Park Zoo in Brooklyn. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP) Environmental activist Paul Watson must remain in custody until September 5 as Greenlandian authorities deliberate over Japan's extradition request. Watson, aged 73, appealed the decision but remains detained following his arrest last month in Nuuk. Greenland's police confirmed the detention in a statement. The Canadian-American faces extradition to Japan concerning a 2010 incident where he allegedly obstructed a Japanese crew's duties by directing his own captain to toss explosives at their whaling research ship. Japan argues that whale meat is a part of its food culture; it resumed commercial whaling in 2019. Watson's confrontational methods, seen in the reality series "Whale Wars," have attracted both significant support and criticism. Watson, an ex-leader of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, separated from the organization in 2022 to start his own initiative. He also had a key role in Greenpeace until parting ways in 1977 over tactical disagreements. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP) The Secret Service has upgraded its protection plan for Donald Trump's outdoor rallies beyond the level normally afforded presidential candidates. Bulletproof glass, previously used at times for presidents and vice presidents, will shield Trump onstage, a Secret Service official told the Washington Post. The Secret Service usually prefers indoor events, and in keeping with the agency's recommendation, Trump hasn't appeared outdoors since the assassination attempt in Pennsylvania a month ago. Putting up ballistic glass requires the help of the Defense Department, a layer that has been limited to the nation's top two elected leaders. "This glass needs to be brought in on trucks and vans," the official said. Fairbanks, AK (99701) Today Flurries and a few snow showers throughout the night. Low 29F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 30%.. Tonight Flurries and a few snow showers throughout the night. Low 29F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 30%. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com Bahrain Financing Company (BFC), the leading money transfer and currency exchange company with a rich heritage dating back to 1917, continues to set the standard for innovation and customer service in Bahrain. BFC has a long history of adapting to market trends. From its humble beginnings trading gold bullion to its current offerings, the company has consistently expanded its services. Today, BFC boasts an extensive network of over 50 branches across Bahrain, with plans for further expansion. BFC is at the forefront of financial technology (FinTech) solutions. Its BFC Pay App allows users to send and receive money securely to over 150 countries anytime, anywhere. Available on all major app stores, it offers a convenient and user-friendly experience. Beyond individual needs, BFC understands the challenges faced by businesses. Through its corporate services, companies can access competitive foreign exchange rates, flexible payment methods, and timely settlements. Businesses can learn more by visiting the BFC website and requesting a consultation. BFC Payments, BFCs subsidiary licensed as an Ancillary Service Provider with permitted activities of Card Processing and Payment Service Provider by the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB), provides innovative electronic payment solutions for businesses and individuals. Fully compliant with the Wage Protection Scheme (WPS), BFC Payments offers peace of mind and security for clients. Bringing convenience to our customers is our top priority, says BFCs Chief Executive Officer, Deepak Nair. We are constantly innovating and introducing new services to meet the evolving needs of our clients. BFC and its management would like to give a special thanks to our Indian colleagues and the Indian community for the support extended over the years and wishes them a very Happy Independence Day. BFC Group Holdings is a global financial services leader specializing in money transfer and currency exchange. With a network spanning over 140 branches worldwide and partnerships with MoneyGram and TransFast, the company offers seamless, competitive services across the globe. As the parent company of Bahrain Financing Company, Bahrain Exchange Company, BFC Forex, and BFC Payments, the Group operates in Bahrain, Kuwait, and India. Moreover, BFC Group were a founding member of Bahrain FinTech Bay, contributing to the regions growing FinTech ecosystem. San Jose clinches T&T's first location in California, serving the Bay Area SAN JOSE, Calif., Aug. 15, 2024 /CNW/ - T&T Supermarket Inc., Canada's favorite Asian grocery retailer is announcing the opening of their first store in California at the Westgate Center, 1600 Saratoga Ave, San Jose, set to open Fall 2025. With two stores in the works in Washington, this marks T&T's third store announcement in the Unites States. Bay Area residents will recognize its location at the Westgate Center, at the major intersection of Saratoga Avenue and Prospect Road. The 55,000 square foot store is in the former Walmart location. T&T Supermarkets Westgate Store Rendering (CNW Group/T&T Supermarkets) Westgate Center, located in the West San Jose neighborhood of the Bay Area (CNW Group/T&T Supermarkets) Tina Lee, CEO of T&T Supermarkets and Jeff Kreshek, Western Region President of Federal Realty (CNW Group/T&T Supermarkets) T&T currently operates over 33 stores across Canada, and is a full service unique shopping experience known for its vast selection of authentic Asian products, fresh produce, full service meat counter, live seafood tanks, and an in-store prepared foods program like no other. The new location will feature a BBQ counter, noodle station, dim sum and street food section, hot food bar, and a made to order Chinese crepe station. The store will also have an in-store bakery with freshly prepared delights such as mochi puffs, egg tarts, Hong Kong style pastries and customized cakes. It will be the first time Californians will be able to access the chain's signature Private Label products including pineapple cakes, Taiwanese sausages, soup pork dumplings and green onion pancakes, all at great prices. The developer of Westgate Center is Federal Realty, a leading real estate investment trust specializing in shopping centers such as Santana Row. "The first time I visited a T&T, it blew my mind," said Jeff Kreshek, Western Region President of Federal Realty. "I came back from Canada thinking, 'we have to make this happen'. People don't know what they are missing. T&T is a dynamic concept that caters to the eclectic interests and preferences of our community. To take the T&T experience and put it into Westgate Center it'll be a force multiplier." "We aim to create a destination," said Tina Lee, CEO of T&T Supermarkets. "It's a place for discovery, innovation, and bringing people together through food. We want to evolve our grocery store beyond the functional we want to be the place where people want to go, not just need to go. We can't wait to share that with the people of the Bay Area. "San Jose is a very special place to me," continues Lee. "My aunt lives in Saratoga, and I have spent many summers there. It brings back great memories. This store is for her." The store will create close to 200 jobs for the local community. For job opportunities, please visit www.tntsupermarket.us Suppliers wishing to connect with our buyers can email: [email protected] Follow us on Instagram: @tt_supermarket, @tinalee_tnt About T&T Supermarkets: T&T Supermarkets is the largest Asian supermarket chain in Canada, operating over 33 stores in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec. T&T Supermarkets was founded in Vancouver in 1993 and is now led by second-generation successor and CEO, Tina Lee. T&T Supermarket is headquartered in Richmond, BC. For more information, please visit: www.tntsupermarket.us About Federal Realty: Federal Realty is a recognized leader in the ownership, operation and redevelopment of high-quality retail-based properties located primarily in major coastal markets from Washington, D.C. to Boston as well as Northern and Southern California. Founded in 1962, Federal Realty's mission is to deliver long-term, sustainable growth through investing in communities where retail demand exceeds supply. Its expertise includes creating urban, mixed-use neighborhoods like Santana Row in San Jose, California, Pike & Rose in North Bethesda, Maryland and Assembly Row in Somerville, Massachusetts. These unique and vibrant environments that combine shopping, dining, living and working provide a destination experience valued by their respective communities. Federal Realty's 102 properties include approximately 3,400 tenants, in 27 million commercial square feet, and approximately 3,100 residential units. Federal Realty has increased its quarterly dividends to its shareholders for 57 consecutive years, the longest record in the REIT industry. Federal Realty is an S&P 500 index member and its shares are traded on the NYSE under the symbol FRT. For additional information about Federal Realty and its properties, visit www.federalrealty.com. SOURCE T&T Supermarkets For media inquiries please contact: [email protected] MUSKODAY FIRST NATION, TREATY 6 TERRITORY, SK, Aug. 15, 2024 /CNW/ - Muskoday First Nation Chief Ronald Bear, along with Council, Elders, community members, and representatives from Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), celebrated the grand opening of the community's new water treatment plant. The new state-of-the-art facility will provide a safe and reliable water supply to all homes on reserve, as well as to community buildings such as the administration building and band hall, the community health centre, elementary school, Awasis Daycare, post office, gas bar and convenience store. (left to right): Remi Dada, Muskoday First Nation Finance Officer; Tim Bear, Muskoday First Nation Councilor; Saskatoon Tribal Council (STC) Chief Mark Arcand; Muskoday First Nation Chief Ronald Bear; Dean Bear (resident and former Lands Director); Connie Turner, Muskoday First Nation Finance; Grant McKercher, Project Manager; Daphne Bear, Muskoday First Nation Councilor; Kyle Blixt, BLC Engineer; Nick Agnew, Water Treatment Plant Trainee; Troy Bear, Water Treatment Plant Operator; Riley Bear, STC Director of Technical Services; Gregory Morrison, ISC Project Officer; Kevin Bergen, STC Circuit Rider Trainer. (CNW Group/Indigenous Services Canada) In alignment with the vision of Muskoday First Nation's leadership, the new plant will enable the community to get their water supply close to home, instead of relying solely on the Prince Albert Rural Water Utility to meet their water needs. The community can now treat, monitor, and manage their own water supply in a self-determined way. The plant will feature an efficient system of biofilters and reverse osmosis to treat the water for many years to come. The $8.6 million project, supported by ISC, also included the installation of new wells and groundwater pumping infrastructure. Quotes "This is a great day for Muskoday First Nation to commemorate, as this new water treatment plant facility gives the Nation the ability to enhance the distribution of safe, purified and clean drinking water to the community and beyond. This state-of-the-art water treatment plant ensures the people of Muskoday First Nation have direct access to an abundance of this Sacred Essential Element (Water) to live, thrive and survive for generations to come." Chief Ronald Bear Muskoday First Nation "This new water treatment plant breathes life into the promise of safe and reliable drinking water for Muskoday First Nation. Now, the community can manage their own water supply in a self-determined way. Following the lead of First Nations, we will support communities' access to clean drinking water for generations to come." The Honourable Patty Hajdu Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for FedNor Quick facts Muskoday First Nation is located approximately 30 km southeast of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan . . The community's population of approximately 1,916 is composed of Cree and Saulteaux peoples. Muskoday First Nation is a member of the Saskatoon Tribal Council. ISC provided $8.6 million for this project. Associated links Stay connected Join the conversation about Indigenous Peoples in Canada: X: @GCIndigenous Facebook: @GCIndigenous and https://www.facebook.com/MFNinfo Instagram: @gcindigenous You can subscribe to receive our news releases and speeches via RSS feeds. For more information or to subscribe, visit www.isc.gc.ca/RSS. SOURCE Indigenous Services Canada For more information, media may contact:Jennifer Kozelj, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for FedNor, [email protected]; ISC Media Relations, 819-953-1160, [email protected] VANCOUVER, BC, Aug. 14, 2024 /CNW/ - British Columbia is home to the talent that is developing industry-leading products. That is why the Government of Canada is supporting collaboration between industry and academia, bringing more B.C.-made products to global markets. Today, the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada (PacifiCan), announced over $8.8 million in PacifiCan funding for two projects at the University of British Columbia (UBC). A technician works in a food lab. Text reads: University of British Columbia receives over $8.8 million to drive innovation in life sciences and food processing (CNW Group/Pacific Economic Development Canada) UBC is receiving $5 million to establish the Biodevice Foundry and strengthen British Columbia's position as a leader in life sciences. The Biodevice Foundry will provide growing companies with lab space, specialized equipment and training programs to develop and test their products. These products may include artificial organs and joints, or life-saving drug therapies. UBC is also receiving over $3.8 million to establish a world-class Food and Beverage Innovation Centre. The Centre will bring food science experts and businesses together to develop innovative packaging, processing techniques, and products, helping B.C. food and beverage processors become more competitive in global markets. The Centre will also provide training for future food scientists and others working in the industry. The investments announced today are expected to benefit more than 60 businesses and help create local jobs. Quotes "Collaboration between academia and businesses is how we take great ideas and make them into products and services that the world demands. British Columbia is home to world-class academic institutions, including the University of British Columbia, that have a long history of helping businesses succeed. The projects announced today have the power to transform industries, strengthen our workforce and propel B.C. businesses forward." -The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada "The innovation taking place in our backyard thanks to the research and training at UBC is truly astounding. Today's investment from PacifiCan will support advancements in healthcare as well as logistics, all while improving the lives of British Columbians and bringing therapies and goods to market." -The Honourable Joyce Murray, Member of Parliament for Vancouver Quadra "These strategic PacifiCan investments in cutting-edge UBC research facilities will further enhance B.C.'s position as a leader in the agricultural and food/beverage industry as well as in the life sciences sector. Both the Food and Beverage Innovation Centre and Biodevice Foundry will strengthen connections between university and industry partners, and build the talent and collaborations that are needed to develop globally competitive 'made in B.C.' products and technologies." -Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon, President and Vice-Chancellor, The University of British Columbia Quick Facts PacifiCan is the federal economic development agency dedicated to British Columbians. PacifiCan works with partners who are building innovative businesses, creating quality jobs, and supporting inclusive growth throughout our province. Funding announced today was provided through PacifiCan's Regional Innovation Ecosystems (RIE) program. The RIE program aims to grow and nurture priority sectors across British Columbia , building an ecosystem that includes under-represented groups and allows these priority sectors to innovate and compete globally. Associated Links: Stay connected Follow PacifiCan on Twitter and LinkedIn Toll-Free Number: 1-888-338-9378 TTY (telecommunications device for the hearing impaired): 1-877-303-3388 SOURCE Pacific Economic Development Canada Contacts: Haley Hodgson, Senior Communications Advisor, Office of the Minister of International Development and Pacific Economic Development Agency (PacifiCan), [email protected]; Lynsey Brothers A/Communications Manager, PacifiCan, [email protected] 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 Postal Code An Atlantic County health system agreed to pay over $3 million in federal money, restitution and penalties in a settlement agreement with the government after improperly receiving millions in Paycheck Protection Program funds, authorities said Wednesday. U.S. District Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced the settlement with Shore Memorial Health System Wednesday afternoon after alleging Shore Memorial Physicians Group, an affiliate of the larger Shore Memorial Health System applied for and received $2.78 million in Paycheck Protection Program loans. The Paycheck Protection Program loans were designed to assist small businesses maintain their payrolls and cover expenses under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Authorities said Shore Memorial Physicians Group should have never received the loans in the first place because they did not qualify as a small business under the terms of the Paycheck Protection Program because of their affiliation with Shore Memorial Health System. The loans were fully forgiven under the terms of the Paycheck Protection Program, authorities said. Shore Memorial Health System cooperated with the investigation and agreed to pay $3.15 million to the United States, authorities said. A whistleblower lawsuit was filed against the company under the False Claims Act which entitles the whistleblower to receive a portion of the settlement, according to officials. The whistleblower will receive $315,000 as a result of the settlement, officials said. An attorney for Shore Memorial Health System did not immediately return a request for comment Wednesday. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matthew Enuco may be reached at Menuco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Matt on X Beijing (Gasgoo)- On August 15, 2024, global AI technology company TuSimple announced a collaboration with Shanghai Three-Body Animation Co., Ltd. to develop an animated feature film and a video game based on the internationally renowned sci-fi novel series The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin. Photo credit: TuSimple The novel series, one of the most successful sci-fi works in recent years, has sold over 30 million copies worldwide and has been adapted into multiple screen productions. This collaboration signifies TuSimple's official acquisition of adaptation rights and the utilization of its proprietary generative AI technology for the project. This milestone also marks the formal establishment of TuSimples new generative AI business division, which has received unanimous approval from the company's board. Since early 2022, TuSimple has been advancing the development and application of large models and generative AI within the autonomous driving sector. The companys self-developed infrastructure for data structuring and data processing provides a solid foundation for expanding generative AI into new areas, including the global $600 billion animation and video game market. "The globally acclaimed 'The Three-Body Problem' series provides an exceptional canvas to showcase our emerging generative AI capabilities, which we believe will provide a near-term path to commercialization," said Mr. Lu Cheng, President and CEO of TuSimple. "We intend to collaborate with world-class creative talent to ensure exceptional storytelling. Our goal is to amplify human creativity, help shorten development timelines and address the backlog of projects in the industry." "TuSimple was founded with the commitment to innovation and practical problem solving, and as the company forges another path within generative AI, our commitment remains the same. Furthermore, the company has no plans to exit the transportation sector and will continue to monetize its autonomous vehicle technology through technology partnerships and licensing," concluded Mr. Lu . The fire that broke out at a popular Sea Isle City restaurant Wednesday night caused the roof to cave in, according to a statement posted on social media by the restaurants owner. Were heartbroken to share that Casa Taco was engulfed in flames, and the roof collapsed in, HiYT Development posted Wednesday night on social media on behalf of the restaurants owner, Victor Loaeza. Images and video from the scene posted on social media showed flames rising from the restaurant Wednesday. The staff at Casa Taco reported a fire at the restaurant at 5:06 p.m. Wednesday, authorities said in press release. Sea Isle City emergency responders arrived at the restaurant on Park Road one minute later to find the restaurant already evacuated, authorities said. Firefighters checked to confirm the entire building was evacuated and Sea Isle City police evacuated adjacent buildings as a precaution, authorities said. Fire departments from Avalon, Marmora, Ocean City, Ocean View and Strathmere responded to the scene as well, and the fire was under control within an hour, according to officials. No injuries were reported, but Casa Taco sustained extensive damage while a connected restaurant, Casino Pizza, was damaged in the fire as well. Both restaurants were the only two businesses in the commercial building at 4210 Park Road, officials said. The fire is currently under investigation by the Sea Isle City Police Department along with the Cape May County and state fire marshals. The most important thing is that everyone is safe, Loaeza said in the post Wednesday. We cant thank our fire departments and emergency personnel enough for their quick response and bravery. Well keep you updated as we move forward. Loaeza did not immediately return a request for comment Thursday. The phone number for Casino Pizza was inoperable Thursday. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matthew Enuco may be reached at Menuco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Matt on X They say that everything worth doing takes time, and that success shouldnt be rushed. While both may be true for Clemmys, a new American BYOB in Waretown, one would would never guess that they only recently celebrated their one-year anniversary. Id been hearing rave reviews about this place since it opened. Tucked in a strip mall on Route 9 just shy of Long Beach Island, Clemmys location isnt waterside, but what it may lack in Jersey Shore ambiance, it certainly makes up for in quality, flavors and service. READ MORE: Long Beach Islands 11 best restaurants, ranked, for 2024 Good morning New Jersey. Heres your audio update highlighting an important new high school graduation requirement, the search for family of a 92-year-old woman who recently died and the opening of a much anticipated Jersey Shore restaurant with amazing sunset views Plus, well tell you about an open casting call for extras to appear in Happy Gilmore 2 during filming in New Jersey. Listen by clicking the player above and read more about those stories at the links. This audio presentation is an editorially-curated selection of stories, selected by an editor, and then summarized and read aloud by artificial intelligence. Some variations in pronunciation, tone or diction may result. We want to know what you think! All feedback is valuable. After youve listened, take our 3-question survey here to let us know what you think. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. By John Davenport Americans agree on very few political questions in our highly polarized era. But almost 90% did not want a rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, and a March poll showed that almost 59% of Americans saw both leading candidates as too old. At least on the Democratic side, the popular revolt got its way. Too aged is not a new problem in American politics. While Republican leaders decried Bidens difficulties with speaking and memory, Ronald Reagan was arguably in worse shape than Biden for at least half of his second term. The same holds for 82 year-old Senator Mitch McConnell; and during her last year, Senator Diane Feinstein could not have handled half of Bidens schedule. Trumps own mental acuity is increasingly coming under question; if reelected at age 78, he would be the oldest president ever inaugurated. This helps to explain much of the fast-surging enthusiasm for Kamala Harriss new presidential campaign: At a spry 59, she appeals much more to younger voters who are sick of a government that increasingly seems to be dominated by the elderly (the median age of senators is about 65.5). More generally, a massive 79% of Americans from across the political spectrum want age limits on federal offices, according to an October 2023 poll by the nonpartisan Pew Foundation. There is no consensus on what age to set, but around half of those polled believe it is best for presidents to be in the 50s. In another poll, 63% think no president should be over 70. It is thus a safe bet that at least three-quarters of American adults would support a constitutional amendment to set a 75 as a maximum age, even if some would prefer a lower number. That could be enough to get such an amendment ratified if it ever reached state capitols or state ratifying conventions. It would mean that no president could be inaugurated later than a day shy of their 72nd birthday. The same amendment could impose 80 as the maximum age for a senator. These measures would help correct the creeping gerontocracy of federal legislators out of touch with the life-circumstances of younger Americas. As Abdallah Fayyad recently argued, this dominance by the elderly reflects increasing barriers to entry for younger potential candidates, as enormous reelection campaign war chests and gerrymandering make more safe seats. As I argue in my book, The Democracy Amendments, these problems could best be corrected via other amendments or statutes when possible to ban political gerrymandering, require more open or top four primary elections, and institute ranked choice voting nationwide. But age limits can also help ensure that a single generation does not hang onto too much federal power indefinitely. Of course, some people in their 80s can be quite mentally sharp and capable. Thus Republican candidate Nikki Haley suggested mental competency tests for federal leaders as the solution. But such a process would put huge political pressures on doctors administering the tests. An age limit is a much simpler and more workable legal standard. Age limits also may work better than term limits, which could prevent capable younger legislators from developing expertise over long tenure in office. Unlike term limits, age limits do not make younger legislators look at their work in government as merely a stepping stone to lucrative jobs in the private sector after terming out. A term limit of 18 years will, however, work for the Supreme Court, because its justices can be rotated to other service within the federal judiciary and banned from taking highly paid work after their mandatory retirement (although that would require a constitutional amendment). It is unlikely that even popular amendments could get through both chambers of Congress by the required two-thirds votes in each. But a new constitutional convention could pass such amendments onto the states for ratification, especially if it were made up of non-politician delegates from more diverse backgrounds. The prospect of such a national convention, in fact, could help break through the stultifying partisan deadlock. Even if a convention only passed a handful of very popular measures -- such as age limits, banning self-pardons, ending gerrymandering, and limiting election spending -- it could change American politics by rekindling conviction that our government institutions can work. While Harris is presently rising on the crest of such hopes, fundamental reform will ultimately require improving the ground rules in our constitution. John Davenport is an author and professor of Philosophy and Peace & Justice Studies at Fordham University. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. A larger majority of younger voters support Vice President Kamala Harris over former President Donald Trump, according to a new poll. The Emerson College Poll shows 65% of likely voters under 30 years old back Harris, compared to 56% who supported President Joe Biden when he was still in the race. The poll also shows likely voters over 70 years old also support Harris over Trump, 51% to 48% last month they broke 50% to 48% for Trump. The poll shows Harris leading Trump nationally 50%-46%. Per the poll: Since last month, Trumps support decreased two points among likely voters, from 48% to 46%, while Harris surpassed Bidens 47% by three percentage points, at 50%. When third-party candidates are on the ballot, Trumps support decreased by one point, from 45% to 44% since last month, while Harris outperformed Biden by four points from 44% to 48%. Likely voters under 30 have shifted toward Harris by nine points, 56% of whom supported Biden, 65% now support Harris. Voters over 70 also support Harris over Trump, 51% to 48% last month they broke 50% to 48% for Trump, Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, said. Kimball added, Independents break for Harris, 46% to 45%, flipping since last month when likely independent voters broke for Trump 45% to 44%. Other recent polling, meanwhile, shows Harris has a perceived advantage over former Trump on several leadership qualities such as honesty, per a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. But Americans are slightly more likely to trust Trump on the economy and immigration. Nearly half of Americans say that committed to democracy and disciplined are attributes that better describe Harris. About 3 in 10 say these qualities better describe Trump. About 4 in 10 say Harris is someone who cares about people like you while about 3 in 10 say that about Trump. About 4 in 10 say honest better describes Harris and 24% say that quality better describes Trump. Both parties are racing to define Harris as she prepares to accept the Democratic nomination at the partys convention next week. The poll suggests she carries some of the same baggage that weighed down President Joe Biden before he ended his reelection bid but has advantages over Trump when theyre compared to each other. And Democrats continue to be much happier about her candidacy than they were about Bidens. Trump has spent the campaign championing himself as a strong leader who is capable of handling tough crises facing the country and suggesting that foreign leaders wouldnt respect Harris in the White House. But he doesnt have an advantage with Americans on that characteristic, according to the survey. Four in 10 U.S. adults see Trump as a strong leader, and roughly the same share say that about Harris. About 4 in 10 say Trump is capable of handling a crisis, and a similar share say Harris is better positioned to do so. Americans are about evenly divided between who they think is more capable of winning in November Trump or Harris. In July, before Biden dropped out of the race, only about 2 in 10 Americans thought he was more capable of winning, while about twice as many thought that about Trump. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @MatthewArco. Former President Donald Trump is reportedly looking to take off the table any chances he could be sentenced to prison before the November election. POLITICO reports Trumps attorneys asked the judge in his New York hush money trial to delay sentencing thats scheduled for Sept. 18 until after the 2024 presidential election. They argue the delay would allow Trump to weigh appellate options in response to Justice Juan Merchans upcoming ruling on whether Trumps conviction should be tossed out in light of the Supreme Courts July 1 decision on presidential immunity, per the report. Its the latest effort of Trump and his team to delay sentencing after a jury found him guilty of 34 felony counts. On Wednesday, Merchan denied Trumps third motion for his recusal. Trump has claimed Merchan was kowtowing to his daughters interests as a Democratic political consultant. Trump claimed that Merchans daughter, Loren Merchan, whose firm has worked on campaigns for President Joe Biden and other Democrats, had posted a photo on social media depicting her obvious goal of seeing him jailed while he was on trial. In a statement at the time, a spokesperson for New Yorks state court system said that claim was false and that the social media account Trump was referencing no longer belongs to Loren Merchan. It appears to have been taken over by someone else after she deleted it about a year ago, court spokesperson Al Baker said. The account on X is not linked to her email address, nor has she posted under that screenname since she deleted the account. Rather, it represents the reconstitution, last April, and manipulation of an account she long ago abandoned, Baker said. Trump became the first former American president to be convicted of felony crimes in May after a jury found him guilty of all 34 charges in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor who said the two had sex. Merchan originally set sentencing for July 11, but it was pushed to Sept. 18 at the earliest. Though Trumps lawyers are arguing that the recent Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity merits not only delaying the sentencing but tossing out his conviction. The verdict was a stunning legal reckoning for Trump and exposes him to potential prison time in the city where his manipulations of the tabloid press helped catapult him from a real estate tycoon to reality television star and ultimately president. As he seeks to reclaim the White House in this years election, the judgment presents voters with another test of their willingness to accept Trumps boundary-breaking behavior. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @MatthewArco. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On August 14, Fuxin Dare Automotive Parts Co., Ltd. ("DARE AUTO") announced the signing of a strategic cooperation agreement on solid-state batteries with Jiangling Group Electric Vehicle Co., Ltd. ("JMEV"). Photo credit: JMEV According to the agreement, JMEV will provide DARE AUTO with the technical specifications for cell size and performance. DARE AUTO will then customize and develop cell samples for JMEV to test. Upon successful testing, these solid-state battery cells will be integrated into vehicles for further validation. If the cost of solid-state battery packs proves competitive and production conditions are favorable, the two companies will explore the feasibility of mass production and market promotion of these batteries in JMEV's electric vehicles. DARE AUTO emphasized that this collaboration aims to leverage both companies' resources and strengths to advance the R&D, production, and application of solid-state batteries. DARE AUTO further noted that the signing of this agreement is a key aspect of its strategic planning. By establishing a deep cooperative relationship with JMEV, the company seeks to achieve mutual benefits and drive business growth. This partnership is expected to accelerate the maturity and widespread adoption of solid-state battery technology, providing consumers with a safer, more efficient, and longer-lasting green mobility experience. Additionally, the collaboration is expected to enhance DARE AUTO's overall competitiveness and profitability, contributing to sustainable and robust future development. On the two-year anniversary of one of New Orleans largest, most diverse civic action groups' creation, Nola Coalition members and criminal justice stakeholders convened at a Treme career center to celebrate a precipitous local drop in violent crime that outpaces national trends. District attorney Jason Williams credited the Nola Coalition, which has raised nearly $10 million to shore up police and invest in youth, for being an impetus for change. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Great Wall Motor ("GWM") recently held a regional brand launch event in Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, a member country of the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), according to a post on GWM's WeChat account. The event, themed "Hello, Tomorrow," unveiled GWM's new brand philosophy, emphasizing a youthful and dynamic image. Photo credit: GWM At the launch event, GWM's four major brandsHAVAL, ORA, TANK, and GWM POERwere prominently featured, demonstrating the company's product strength and technological capabilities. As one of South America's largest economic integration organizations, MERCOSUR is a key market for GWM. Partnering with strong local dealerships, GWM aims to bring cutting-edge smart, safe, and clean technology experiences to users in Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina. A total of 141 attendees, including media representatives, investors, and key opinion leaders from Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina, witnessed this grand launch event. In July 2024, GWM recorded a vehicle sales volume of 91,285 units, representing a 16.32% drop year-on-year, according to the company's latest monthly sales results. Despite the downturn in July sales, GWM saw its Jan.-Jul. sales still climb 3.6% over a year earlier to 650,954 vehicles. Of the vehicles sold last month, 24,145 units were contributed by the new energy vehicle (NEV) sector, resulting in a year-to-date NEV sales volume of 156,519 units, which jumped 28.14% from the previous year. In addition, GWM's Jan.-Jul. overseas sales surged 58.8% from a year earlier to 239,685 units, 38,185 units of which were sold last month. Screenshot: New York Post via YouTube Before we get into the story, were going to start this off by saying the babies are all doing just fine. With that out of the way, heres whats going on. Two toddlers wearing nothing but their diapers were stranded out in the middle of a Texas highway after they were ejected from a Jeep Wrangler that flipped over several times over the weekend. Again, these kids are both OK. Im not much of a miracle guy, but this is really something. Anyway, the Jeep crashed into another vehicle on Interstate 10 East in Freeport, Texas on August 11. In a disturbing video captured by a passerby, we can see the two babies just walking around in the middle of the highway wearing nothing but their diapers. Soon, an adult can be seen comforting one of the toddlers while another person runs up to the other, picking them up and holding them in their arms. Its a really surreal sight. Right now, its not clear if the two children were in car seats at the time of the crash, according to the New York Post. All the while, you can see the Wrangler flipped upside down in the background, roof off. The adult and the two kids were taken to a local hospital for treatment, a senior deputy told The Post, and luckily all three are in good condition. The driver of the other vehicle wasnt injured. ADVERTISEMENT Heres what officials told the Post: Deputies responded to a major crash on the main lanes of the East Freeway at Freeport. A two-car crash where one of the cars flipped over several times causing ejection. [...] The car was occupied by one adult and two children. They are being transported to a hospital. No reported injuries to the occupants in the other car. Ive really never seen anything like this, and Im not sure how something of this magnitude could even happen. We dont know what these kids were buckled into, but I cannot imagine it was a car seat. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. LANSING The FBI in Chicago is seeking the public's help in identifying a person sought in the wake of a recent robbery at the First Savings Bank of Hegewisch in Lansing. The robbery in question occurred Friday. Woman found with grandchild on floorboard of vehicle charged with neglect, cops say The officer reportedly informed the women how dangerous it was drive with a child not properly restrained in the vehicle. The masked person is seen in the short video clip walking into the bank carrying a bag and waving hello to someone. The FBI is offering a reward up to $10,000 for the identity of the person. Tips can be reported anonymously to 312-421-6700 or at tips.fbi.gov. PIERRE, S.D.South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley, a Republican aligned with Project 2025 pressure groups, urged several state lawmakers Wednesday to adopt age verification legislation targeting adult websites during the upcoming legislative session beginning in January 2025. Jackley pitched the concept to the Legislature's Study Committee on Artificial Intelligence and Regulation of Internet Access by Minors during its second meeting in Pierre. He urged the committee to carry criminal penalties in any proposed age verification statute and said it should be "narrowly tailored." This is a similar tactic adopted by other Republican state lawmakers who claim to be holding internet companies and the parent firms of pornography websites accountable for exposing minors to age-restricted content. However, this is a stretch in many civil liberties circles, which has prompted the U.S. Supreme Court to take the case Free Speech Coalition et al v. Paxton which challenges the constitutionality of the age verification law adopted in Texas. By granting the petition for writ of certiorari, the conservative-leaning high court is expected to hear oral arguments during the next term of the court. Jackley mentioned this during his pitch to the lawmakers of the study committee, reports South Dakota Searchlight. He said in a press statement from his office, "I am encouraging Legislative support for age verification protections for minors accessing harmful internet content. Such protections should include an enforcement provision, not against minors, but against those supplying the content without adequate protections for children." An age verification proposal stalled in the legislature this past legislative session, as AVN previously reported. Originally, House Bill (HB) 1257 would have implemented so-called "reasonable" age verification requirements on adult websites. However, the Senate Judiciary Committee deferred it to the 41st day of the legislative session, and there are only 40 legislative days. Instead, the Senate redrafted the bill as a resolution to compel the executive committee of the Legislative Research Council to study the legal impacts of mandatory age verification laws. Lawmakers were unable to agree on the legislation, though. As mentioned, Attorney General Jackley is considered far-right. Journalists in the Lakota Nation call Jackley a "proven racist." Jackley also pledged to uphold the Moms for Liberty promise. Moms for Liberty is considered a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, GLAAD and the Human Rights Campaign. It is also aligned with Project 2025, which is coordinated by the ultraconservative Heritage Foundation. AVN reported that Project 2025 is an initiative that wants to censor and outlaw legal pornography that is protected by the First Amendment. As soon as President Biden walked into the Indian Treaty Room across the street from the White House on Wednesday, the smartphones flew up. Dozens of social media influencers and people who work with them stood almost in unison to capture the moment. Mr. Biden turned his back. Then he whipped out his own phone to take selfies with them, before delivering remarks on how creators represented the future of communication. I have a bunch of grandchildren, and with all due respect, they dont read the same newspapers or watch the same television I do, he said. They listen to all of you. A Connecticut state representative lost a primary election Tuesday, just hours after a video surfaced of her saying that her challenger should not represent the district because he is Jewish. The incumbent, Anabel Figueroa, a Democrat, made the comments in a late July interview posted to YouTube. We cannot allow for a person of Jewish origin, of Jewish origin, to represent our community, Ms. Figueroa said in Spanish. Its impossible. Ms. Figueroas statement comes as Jewish Democrats across the country are contending with anxiety about antisemitism both within and outside their party. Democrats in Connecticut and beyond were quick to condemn Ms. Figueroa on Tuesday, and her opponent, Jonathan Jacobson, went on to win with a decisive 63 percent of the vote. A Jewish man in Brooklyn was arrested and charged with attempted murder and hate crimes after repeatedly attacking his Muslim neighbor over several months, ultimately breaking into the neighbors apartment and striking him so hard with a mallet that he had internal bleeding, according to a criminal complaint. The man, Izak Kadosh, was arrested on Saturday, two days after he broke into the apartment, according to police officials. Mr. Kadosh faces more than 40 charges, including attempted murder, aggravated harassment, hate-crime assault and intent to damage property. Mr. Kadosh pleaded not guilty to all of the charges in Kings County Criminal Court on Monday. Bail was set at $25,000 cash or a $125,000 partially secured bond. He is being held on Rikers Island and is due to appear in court again on Friday. A lawyer for Mr. Kadosh declined to comment on the case. The neighbor who was attacked, Ahmed Faycal Chebira, said the harassment started soon after he moved into the building, in the Crown Heights neighborhood, in October. Mr. Chebira, who is from Algeria, said Mr. Kadosh would call him dirty Arab or dirty Muslim and spit on him. A former food service director for an Illinois school district was sentenced to prison for stealing more than $1 million worth of chicken wings that were billed to the district but never given to students, the authorities said. The former employee, Vera Liddell, 68, pleaded guilty to felony theft on Friday for stealing more than 11,000 cases of chicken wings valued at $1.5 million, according to a January 2023 court document filed by the Cook County States Attorneys Office. Judge Michele Pitman of the Circuit Court of Cook Countys Sixth Municipal District sentenced Ms. Liddell to nine years in prison in the Illinois Department of Corrections, according to a sentencing document. The massive fraud began at the height of COVID during a time when students were not allowed to be physically present in school, the 2023 document prepared by the Cook County States Attorneys Office said. Even though the children were learning remotely, the school district continued to provide meals for the students that their families could pick up. Columbia Universitys president, Nemat Shafik, resigned on Wednesday after months of far-reaching fury over her handling of pro-Palestinian demonstrations and questions over her management of a bitterly divided campus. She was the third leader of an Ivy League university to resign in about eight months following maligned appearances before Congress about antisemitism on their campuses. Dr. Shafik, an economist who spent much of her career in London, said in a letter to the Columbia community that while she felt the campus had made progress in some important areas, it had also been a period of turmoil where it has been difficult to overcome divergent views across our community. This period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in our community, wrote Dr. Shafik, who goes by the name Minouche. Over the summer, I have been able to reflect and have decided that my moving on at this point would best enable Columbia to traverse the challenges ahead. Law enforcement officers in North Carolina continued their search on Thursday for a convicted murderer who was serving a life sentence and escaped custody on Tuesday morning, according to the states Department of Adult Correction. The prisoner, Ramone Alston, 30, was in a prison transport vehicle at the U.N.C. Hospitals Hillsborough Campus for a medical appointment at around 7 a.m. Tuesday, according to the department. When officers opened the door, Mr. Alston, who had freed himself from his leg restraints, ran out of the vehicle in handcuffs and into the woods, the department said. Police officers had their weapons with them when Mr. Alston escaped but did not fire at him because it all happened so quickly, said Keith Acree, the communications director for the department. On Wednesday more than 300 law enforcement personnel from 19 agencies conducted a ground search, which covered 1,335 acres, according to Mr. Acree. Israels war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip has lasted more than 10 months, with only one weeklong pause in fighting, in late November. That cease-fire led to the return of more than 100 Israeli hostages captured during the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and raised hopes among mediators and the international community that another deal would follow. Those hopes have been dashed repeatedly over many months of unsuccessful efforts by mediators. In the interim, tensions in the Middle East have risen, particularly in recent weeks after the assassinations of a Hezbollah commander in Lebanon and a Hamas leader in Iran, prompting vows from Iran and Hezbollah to retaliate against Israel. World leaders eager to avert a wider full-scale war say they believe that an agreement between Israel and Hamas could prevent an escalation. Still, even the most vocal champions of a cease-fire admit that closing a deal will be tough. On Monday, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, on his ninth trip to the region since the war began, said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel had accepted a bridging proposal put forward by mediators last week, and he urged Hamas to do the same. But officials in Israel and Hamas have said the plan left major disagreements unresolved and voiced skepticism over the likelihood of an imminent deal. Heres a timeline of recent talks: May: President Biden calls for an end to the war. Declaring Hamas no longer capable of carrying out a major terrorist attack on Israel, Mr. Biden on May 31 pressed for hostilities in Gaza to end and endorsed a new cease-fire plan that he said Israel had offered to win the release of hostages. Its time for this war to end, for the day after to begin, Mr. Biden said that day. Calling it a decisive moment, Mr. Biden put the onus on Hamas to reach an agreement, saying, Israel has made their proposal. Hamas says it wants a cease-fire. This deal is an opportunity to prove whether they really mean it. When Taylor Swift canceled three concerts in Vienna last week after officials there foiled a terrorist plot, Swifties soon expressed fears about the pop stars next shows, in London. Would Swift go ahead with the concerts at Wembley Stadium? Given that the pop star once said her biggest fear was a terrorist attack at one of her shows, some fans had doubts. Was it even safe to attend? When Swift did not comment on the thwarted attack in Vienna or the upcoming London gigs, fan anxieties only grew. Yet when the singer took the stage on Thursday evening, worry gave way to excitement at the chance to see Swift perform during the European leg of her globe-spanning Eras Tour. As Swift walked onstage singing Its been a long time coming a refrain from her track Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince the sold-out crowd cheered deliriously. Matthew Perrys personal assistant, two doctors and two others have been indicted and charged with providing the ketamine that caused the death of Mr. Perry, a star on the television show Friends, the authorities said on Thursday. In documents filed in federal court in California, prosecutors said that Mr. Perrys assistant and an acquaintance had worked with two doctors and a drug dealer to procure tens of thousands of dollars worth of ketamine for Mr. Perry, who had long struggled with substance abuse and addiction. The actor, who gained sitcom superstardom as Chandler Bing on Friends, was discovered floating face down in a hot tub at his home in Los Angeles on Oct. 28. The Los Angeles County medical examiners office said in an autopsy report that Mr. Perry, 54, had died of acute effects of ketamine. An indictment filed in federal court on Wednesday detailed grand jury charges against Jasveen Sangha, who prosecutors said was known as the Ketamine Queen, and Dr. Salvador Plasencia, known as Dr. P. President Biden and Kamala Harris appeared together in Maryland this afternoon for their first public event since Biden ended his bid for re-election. They were there to celebrate the results of a legislative accomplishment: landmark price negotiations that are expected to lower the cost of prescription drugs. More than anything, however, the event felt like the passing of the Democratic torch. Biden, who is seeking to cement his legacy, trumpeted his decades-long push to lower drug prices. But there was no doubt that Harris was the main attraction. The vice president coaxed the energetic crowd into chanting thank you, Joe, after articulating the real-world impact of Bidens signature health care policies in a way that the president has struggled to. When Harris was done and Biden began to speak, the crowd began to filter out of the venue. For more: We took an inside look at the real reasons Biden decided to end his campaign. Heres what else to know: The candidates for vice president, Tim Walz and JD Vance, have agreed to debate each other on Oct. 1. Donald Trump is seeking to delay his criminal sentencing in Manhattan until after the election. Democrats are leaning into the language of Republicans, and themes like liberty, to argue that Republicans threaten fundamental freedoms. Do you have questions about the election? Send them to us, and well find the answers. Israel has achieved all it can in Gaza, U.S. military says The Israeli military has severely set back Hamas but will never be able to completely eliminate the group, according to senior American officials who say continued bombings are only increasing risks to civilians. In many respects, Israels military operation has done far more damage against Hamas than U.S. officials had predicted when the war began in October. Hamas and its leadership are greatly diminished, Israel has destroyed or seized supply routes from Egypt into Gaza, and about 14,000 combatants in Gaza have been killed or captured, the Israeli military said last month. But one of Israels biggest remaining goals the return of the roughly 115 living and dead hostages still held in Gaza can be secured only through negotiations, and not through military force, according to current and former American and Israeli officials. Truce talks: Mediators, Israeli negotiators and officials from around the world are expected to meet in Qatar today for a high-stakes push to end the war in Gaza. After more than a year of civil war, the toll in Sudan is heartbreaking: thousands killed, millions scattered and cities besieged or destroyed across a vast nation three times as large as France. Much of the capital lies in rubble. This month, international officials declared that part of Sudan was in a famine. At least 100 people die of hunger every day. And there are signs it could soon get much worse. Recently, I spent three weeks in Sudan, traveling across a part of the world that few foreign reporters have reached. The scale and intensity of destruction were startling: A conflict that started as a power struggle between rival generals has metastasized into a far bigger and messier conflagration, threatening to spread chaos across an already fragile region. One of Chinas leading autonomous driving start-ups is set to go public in New York as soon as this week, with the strained relationship between Beijing and Washington lurking in the background. WeRide, which makes software that powers driverless vehicles, has given potential investors an extensive list of the many ways geopolitics could damage their investment. Export controls on Chinese firms by the U.S. government could limit WeRides access to advanced semiconductors. One WeRide supplier has been designated a Chinese military company, which could complicate its supply chain if restrictions escalate. A crackdown on Chinese autonomous vehicle companies could curb WeRides ability to use its technology in America. The Chinese government, the company also said, has significant oversight and discretion over the conduct of our business, and may intervene or influence our operations. When the American political commentator and noted peanut butter lover William F. Buckley Jr. arrived at an English boarding school in the late 1930s, care packages from home would include jars of peanut butter, which his British peers, he later wrote, one after another actually spit out. The travel writer Rick Steves once recalled that for his first visit to Europe, in 1973, he packed a big plastic tube with what he knew couldnt be found there: a swirl of peanut butter and strawberry jam. But over the last decade, Britain and many other corners of Europe have come around. Perched between the jams and marmalades at Waitrose, a popular British grocery chain, there are now 35 varieties of peanut butter creamy and chunky, sweet and salty and extra-dark roasted, crammed into jars, squeeze bottles and two-pound tubs. Times Insider explains who we are and what we do and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together. I spent much of my childhood in the United States and Canada but have lived in South Korea for all of my adult life. I have noticed one stark contrast between the places I grew up in and South Korea: peoples attitude toward work. In North America, it seems to me that people look for jobs that they are interested in or passionate about. In South Korea, people often prioritize jobs that offer prestige and better reputations. As a reporter covering South Korea from the Seoul bureau of The New York Times, I have written about the countrys cutthroat education system. It may come as no surprise that South Koreas work culture is also rigorous. There is a lot of data to prove this, and more than enough anecdotes about employees working extremely long hours. But to have the nations largest companies go on the record about implementing longer working hours for managers a response to a downturn in business is another thing altogether. The news about longer hours appeared on my radar in the spring. Through online forums, and later from the local news, I learned that some influential South Korean companies were advocating longer hours, and in some cases, even encouraging managers to come to the office six days a week. Rich Barbieri, the deputy business editor in Seoul, approached me about taking on the story. The news could serve as a peg and hook into a deep-dive enterprise on South Koreas current and former labor laws. This looking-glass type of article is my favorite to report and write. Telling a story with real voices and experiences is how, I think, we preserve our humanity in our journalistic quest to record the present for posterity. Ever since Elon Musk bought Twitter and somehow made the tailoring guru Derek Guy better known by his handle @dieworkwear an internet star, mens wear has been the subject of more volcanically impassioned discussion online than ever. Where should the button on a suit jacket sit? Are brown shoes ever acceptable? Cargo shorts: yes or no? We are all critics of fit and silhouette now, pursing our lips in displeasure at every collar gap. But even in the final month of a brutally hot summer, one question remains underexplored: How should the thick-middled man present himself on the beach? The best answers to this question come not from the internet but from movies. In a culture dominated by the young, fun and hard-bodied, the middle-aged big man struggles for visibility; he is dismissed as unimpressive, a cultural dead weight. (Women, of course, often experience far more profound and vicious versions of this.) The silver screen has traditionally devoted itself to the glorification of slender frames, washboard abs and hourglass figures. But amid its celluloid profusion of perfect 10s, there is a small but important subgenre of films examining the dramas corporeal, sartorial, emotional of the blockily built man at the seaside. If you, like me, are the proud owner of a dad bod and urgently need relief from the heat, the worlds filmmakers have a message: You are not alone. To be fair, the stories of doughy dudes by the water are not always happy ones. The role is usually played for laughs, with extra pounds often symbolizing a defect of character. One thinks of the Russian oligarch Dimitry in the recent eat-the-rich satire Triangle of Sadness, lounging on a superyacht in vise-tight swimmers and a libidinally flowing gown, his gut round as the earth. Or the volatile movie executive Jack Lipnick in Barton Fink, tyrannically calling the shots in 1940s Hollywood from a poolside recliner, his supersize trunks hitched up to his navel. Or theres the wetsuited dad that Kevin James plays in the 2010 comedy Grown Ups, who clears the pool at an amusement park after his urine turns a patch of water blue. For a more subtle portrayal, consider the 2016 Greek thriller Suntan, which explores, with uncommon sensitivity, the beachbound big boys pathologies and fears: the fretting over attire, the embarrassment of the torso reveal, the sense of liberation once hidden under the water. Suntan follows Kostis, a balding middle-aged doctor living on an Aegean island, as he descends into despair and madness after becoming obsessed with Anna, a lithe and carefree 21-year-old on a beach holiday with friends. But it is a wardrobe drama as much as a beach one: For Kostis, the question of how to dress as a balloon-bellied man is intimately tied to the question of how to be. His emotional constipation (and eventual doom) are literalized through his clothing, which remains unchanged even as he experiences a sexual awakening with Anna and then confronts her eventual rejection. From the films beginning to its end, we see the dumpy doctor dragging himself to the beach in the same tired get-up of long pants pulled over swimming shorts, grubby white business shirt, bucket hat and dusty Crocs. The striking rusty color that gives Madagascar the nickname the great red island comes from the rich iron content in its soil. The drama Red Island about a white French boy from a military family living there in the early 1970s suggests that a fair amount of blood has seeped into the earth, too. The boy is just 10 but he grasps more than other kids might because his experiences are filtered through the life of the French filmmaker Robin Campillo. The boy, Thomas (Charlie Vauselle, sweet and saucer-eyed), lives in a pleasant, airy house with plenty of room and a red-dirt backyard. There, tucked in a corner, he shuts himself up in a large wooden crate reading comics featuring Fantomette, a plucky female superhero whose adventures routinely come to life in his imagination. When he isnt immersed in his comics, Thomas bikes around, gets into harmless trouble and observes his modest world, especially its people. Hes particularly attentive to his loving homemaker mother, Colette (a very good Nadia Tereszkiewicz), and his father, Robert (Quim Gutierrez), an army officer. Jeff Spicoli, the surfing-obsessed truant portrayed memorably by Sean Penn in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), may have been an airhead, but he had a vocabulary. Things he enjoyed were gnarly or humongous. Todays real-life surf luminaries dont speak so colorfully. In The Greatest Surf Movie in the Universe, a spectacularly inane comedy, the Association of Surfing Professionals champion Mick Fanning enthuses to an amnesiac colleague: We used to travel the entire world together having adventures in the ocean and stuff. Fannings voice does the enthusing, we should specify. For most of the picture he is portrayed by an animated doll. In Fannings defense, the script is by one of the co-directors, Nick Pollet, whose partner is Vaughn Blakley. The two have a background in surf documentary, but most of this movie is not that. Rather, the dolls with minimally articulated limbs are made to embody Fanning and a few other real-life surf stars. These figures (the animation makes the puppetry of Trey Parker and Matt Stones Team America: World Police look like Fantastic Mr. Fox) enact an asinine story of how a vaccine eradicated all memory of surfing, and a mission to bring the activity back. The line Ten years ago a sport existed, it was called surfing, and you dominated it emphasized with an expletive is repeated more times than anyone would be amused to hear it. The New York City Council unanimously approved a plan that would radically transform a section of the Bronx, replacing low-slung industrial buildings with thousands of new apartments as the city contends with its worst housing shortage since the late 1960s. The rezoning plan will remake a 46-block corridor around the Morris Park, Van Nest and Parkchester areas, adding about 7,000 housing units near four new commuter rail stations, which are scheduled to be completed by 2027. In the years that follow a new neighborhood would emerge, made up primarily of mid- and high-rise residential towers. The plan is the latest rezoning to take place in the Bronx, the poorest borough in the city, whose southern neighborhoods have been transformed in recent years by the march of new construction and high-rise rentals. This effort targets a slice of the East Bronx that now has very few residents just 637 and aligns with the Adams administrations blueprint of encouraging new housing in pockets of New York City, including in areas currently filled with manufacturing sites. Compared with the rest of the city, the Bronx has avoided the expansion of large-scale development that has overhauled Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens. Yet developers have been eager to push into what is considered the citys last frontier. Columbia University students and faculty confronted a tangle of emotions on Thursday morning after the sudden departure of the schools president, Nemat Shafik. Some protesters and politicians who had harried her for months celebrated and claimed victory. Other students and faculty members contemplating her departure were saddened. But there was also cautious optimism that the new interim president, Katrina Armstrong, could better manage a chaotic campus situation that in many ways had become ungovernable for Dr. Shafik. As a newcomer to Columbia, Dr. Shafik had limited experience to help her navigate tensions among different factions on campus and manage a pro-Palestinian movement undeterred by suspensions, arrests and locked campus gates. She was criticized by both those who thought she did too much to crack down on protesters and those who thought she did not do enough. But Dr. Shafiks departure still left some students and faculty members with a sense of sadness that the university had become so toxic for her that she felt she had to leave. On Friday, Aug. 2, U.S. Army Specialist Jacob Ashton left Fort Drum in upstate New York for the five-and-a-half-hour drive to his hometown in Ohio, where he spent the weekend with his girlfriend. He had made the trip regularly since returning from a nine-month deployment to Iraq earlier this year, his mother, Michelle Ustupski, said. As usual, he texted his girlfriend when he returned to Fort Drum around 8:30 p.m. that Sunday to say he had arrived safely. It was the last time his family or friends heard from him. Specialist Ashton, 21, was found dead at the base the next day, according to a Fort Drum news release. Two soldiers came to Ms. Ustupskis home in Ohio to deliver the grim news. On Monday, the Army charged another soldier, Specialist Riley Birbilas, 22, with premeditated murder in Specialist Ashtons death and obstruction of justice. Officials from Fort Drum and the Armys 10th Mountain Division, citing the continuing investigation, did not offer a motive or the cause of death. The Fort Drum news release included details about Specialist Ashtons Army service but not about how he had died. Gov. Philip D. Murphy of New Jersey on Friday named George Helmy, his former chief of staff, to serve out the remainder of the term of Senator Robert Menendez, who was convicted of corruption and is stepping down next week. Mr. Helmy, one of the governors longest-serving inner-circle loyalists, is expected to be sworn in when the Senate returns from its summer recess in September. He will step down after the November election, at which point Mr. Murphy, a Democrat, said he would appoint the winner of the Senate race to complete the term that ends Jan. 3. If the Republican candidate were to win, that would narrow the Senates Democratic majority to 50-50 at least until the terms end, with a tiebreaking vote being cast by Vice President Kamala Harris, who is also the president of the Senate. Mr. Menendez, a Democrat, was found guilty last month of taking bribes and acting as an agent of a foreign government after a two-month trial in Manhattan. He plans to appeal the verdict, but has said he intends to leave office on Aug. 20 to avoid becoming a distraction to the Senates important work. In recent years, as the digital world of podcasters and streaming services has cut into the audience of radio stations everywhere, WCBS-AM has held on to a loyal base of stubbornly analog New Yorkers. As my colleague Corey Kilgannon wrote, they are mourning the loss of one of the citys last mostly all-news stations. Not even WCBS has been broadcasting all news all the time. It began carrying New York Mets games in 2019. They will continue on WHSQ. Officials with Audacy, the broadcast conglomerate that owns WCBS-AM, blamed the switch on headwinds facing local journalism nationwide. And the change will not deprive radio listeners of their news fix: Audacy also owns WINS, the other all-news station in New York. Since the fall of 2022, WINS, which has a larger audience, has been broadcasting on FM as well as AM. Traditionally linguists have bemoaned the fact that the general public knows little of what we do because the subject isnt taught in schools. But that has changed over the past 20 years or so, as the internet and especially social media have been so effective at getting the word out. I have rejoiced to see the public becoming ever more hip to the fact that language always changes, that you arent handicapping your child by raising them to be bilingual, that the way I just used them does not spell the fall of our Republic. Twenty years ago I never thought I would hear the term code-switching used as widely as it now is beyond the halls of academe. Code-switching is perhaps best known in reference to alternating between different languages, such as English and Spanish. However, the same concept applies to different dialects of the same language, such as between a standard dialect and a colloquial one. But as glad as I am to see this, my heart sinks at the way people are mocking Vice President Kamala Harris for code-switching according to the audience she is speaking to. Barack Obama attracted criticism for doing the same thing back in the aughts; I hoped we had gotten past this. Harris does this readily. In an address in Atlanta responding to Lock him up calls about Donald Trump, she said, The courts are gonna handle that, later working up the crowd by referring in pep-talk style to Novem-buh. In a speech in Michigan, she mentioned that We have fun doin hard work. Some of her switching is simply to good old colloquial American gonna, doin but at other times, especially for heavily Black audiences like the one in Atlanta, she switches into Black English: Novem-buh; foah for four. A lot of people think there is something wrong with her doing this. Harris seems to put on an accent for Atlanta rally, read one chyron on Fox News. One take on X, typical in its tone on the issue, displays familiarity with the term code-switching but frames it as a cynical act: Code switching is a convenient way to describe blatant pandering. Of course, Trump has joined in, asking Did you hear a new accent? with his running mate, JD Vance, right behind him claiming that Harris is using a fake Southern accent. Since the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, President Biden has had two goals in the Middle East: to support Israels right to defend itself against terrorism and to prevent the Israel-Hamas war from escalating into a regional conflagration that would compel the United States to step in. To prevent a regional war, the Biden administration has used a series of measures over the past 10 months, ranging from diplomacy to beefing up Americas military presence to employing lethal military force. So far, its managed to keep multiple low-level conflicts from spiraling into a full-scale conventional war that risks a direct U.S.-Iran confrontation. But since Irans unprecedented attack on Israel in April and a series of dangerous developments since the landscape has shifted sharply. Mr. Bidens playbook may not be enough this time. Irans attack marked a decisive change in its regional strategy and the security of the Middle East. For decades, Tehran has projected its military force across the region through a network of proxies and militias, a strategy intended to keep fighting out of its territory and to maintain some deniability. But in April, when Iran ignored Washingtons warnings and directly attacked Israel for the first time, Iran moved the goal posts. Its no longer clear how Iran might use its military and its network. With Israels subsequent strike deep inside Iranian territory, Americas script for preventing state-on-state attacks started to fray. Heres one way to think through the importance of the news stories that flood our lives: Which ones will historians still be talking about in 50 years? Are there any that theyll be talking about in 100? The answer is yes. Without question, historians will be discussing the Russia-Ukraine war even 100 years from now. Its a bloody slugfest between two advanced nations in Europe that has immense strategic implications for the United States (and the world). Its a struggle thats changing the nature of warfare with its mass use of drones and other new technologies and it could alter the global balance of power, especially if Western will fails and Russia overwhelms Ukraine. And right now, after months of bleak and dispiriting news from the front, Ukraine has taken the initiative. A substantial Ukrainian force achieved surprise and penetrated the Russian border near Kursk, a region that was the site of one of the most significant battles of World War II. That clash cost an estimated million combined casualties and permanently handed the strategic initiative to the Soviet Red Army. This battle of Kursk is much, much smaller. Thousands of Ukrainian troops have advanced miles deep into Russian territory. The headlines are thrilling, and social media is filled with footage of Ukraines assault, so I wanted to take a closer look. Marius, the sunny brasserie that opened in July at Pariss Gare de Lyon, offers a pan-Mediterranean menu and a window into how much French eating habits have changed since the train station reopened after a remodeling and expansion by the architect Marius Toudoire in 1900. Then, the stations main restaurant, the famously opulent Le Train Bleu, which opened in 1901, was named after the night trains that ran between Paris and Nice. Leisure travel was still the preserve of the wealthy, and the menu vaunted the gastronomic glory of France with dishes like roast leg of lamb and crepes suzette. Now, Frances high-speed TGV trains have introduced the French not only to the cooking of Provence and Nice but to that of all the countries that surround the Mediterranean. Gastronomic inclusiveness is the goal of Marius chef Yoni Saada, who says he wrote his menu to be bursting with sunshine and spices. Saadas grandfather was the Tunisian founder of the oldest kosher butcher shop in Pariss Marais district, and Saada grew up eating both Sephardic and Ashkenazi Jewish cooking. After graduating from Pariss Ecole Ferrandi culinary school and working at fine-dining destinations like the citys Hotel Meurice, he founded Zaza, a restaurant specializing in Israeli street food, in the Second Arrondissement. At Marius, dishes include Tuniss favorite seaside snack: brick a luf de la Goulette, a crispy pastry filled with an organic egg, canned tuna, potatoes and parsley, served with a side of harissa. If Le Train Bleu, still in the stations mezzanine, continues to be a bastion of grand Gallic grub, Marius has quickly won a following among younger international travelers with its bright flavors and reasonable prices. instagram.com/marius.restaurantparis. The calling card of the Ruhrtriennale Festival of the Arts is to present shows in former industrial sites, like power stations or coal plants, among cities in the Ruhr region of northwestern Germany. For the theater-maker Ivo van Hove, who is presenting his first season as the festivals artistic director, this is churning up feelings of deja vu. I was 20 years old at a time in Belgium when theater was the most old-fashioned thing you could imagine, van Hove, 65, said. My generation made a real change and we did that by, for instance, not playing in theaters. My first production was in an abandoned laundry. We played for 30 people and we had 30 actors onstage. The scale is much larger at the Ruhrtriennale, but at least van Hove had staged five productions at the festival before taking the helm, so he is familiar with the artistic parameters. One of them is paying attention to musical theater, which can take on vastly different forms in Europe compared with English-speaking countries. According to Krystian Lada, a Polish director who helped van Hove put together the slate, the Ruhrtriennale is known for presenting a new vision of music theater in Germany, where so-called high and low cultures are often rigidly separated. Ladas own entry in the 2024 festival, Abendzauber, combines works by Bruckner and Bjork. Like many parents, Yvonne Mere was deeply disturbed when she read about a frightening new trend. Boys were using nudification apps to turn photos of their female classmates into deepfake pornography, using images of the girls faces, from photos in which they were fully clothed, and superimposing them onto images of naked bodies generated by artificial intelligence. But unlike many parents who worry about the threats posed to their children in a world of ever-changing technology, Ms. Mere, the mother of a 16-year-old girl, had the power to do something about it. As the chief deputy city attorney in San Francisco, Ms. Mere rallied her co-workers to craft a lawsuit, filed in state court on Wednesday night, that seeks to shut down the 16 most popular websites used to create these deepfakes. The legal team said it appeared to be the first government lawsuit of its kind aimed at quashing the sites that promote the opportunity to digitally undress women and girls without their consent. After reading a New York Times article about the tremendous damage done when such deepfake images are created and shared, Ms. Mere texted Sara Eisenberg, the mother of a 9-year-old girl and the head of the unit in the city attorneys office that identifies major social problems and tries to solve them through legal action. The two of them then reached out to the offices top lawyer, City Attorney David Chiu. A Jordanian citizen living in Orlando was charged with vandalizing storefronts, smashing solar panels and threatening to use explosives during a spree of escalating attacks targeting people and businesses he believed supported Israel, federal prosecutors said on Thursday. Hashem Younis Hashem Hnaihen, 43, is accused of engaging in several nighttime attacks on property that resulted in no injuries and that began in June, according to documents unsealed in the Middle District of Florida. But he appeared to be progressing toward bigger targets with potentially deadly results. Prosecutors said Mr. Hnaihen, who wore a mask to conceal his identity, began by breaking the glass front doors of local businesses. Soon after, he broke into a solar power generation facility in Wedgefield, Fla., where he smashed panels, cut wires and busted electronic equipment causing about $700,000 in damage. At each site, he left behind several warning letters, directed at the U.S. government with demands, culminating in a threat to destroy or explode everything here in whole America especially companies and factories that support the racist state of Israel, he wrote, according to the filing. In a tight primary for governor in 2018, Tim Walz, then a congressman from a conservative pro-gun district in Minnesota, was rebuked for his A ratings from the National Rifle Association. After a school shooting in Parkland, Fla., he went on the offensive. Mr. Walz wrote an opinion piece asserting that he had repeatedly voted in favor of tougher background checks, federal gun violence research and firearm bans for people on no-fly lists. He had voted for universal background checks more than anybody in this race, he told an interviewer. And he posted a video in which he said he had voted dozens of times in Congress for stronger gun laws. Gun advocates, however, had never questioned his loyalty as a legislator. The N.R.A. kept giving him high marks until he ran for governor, and Guns & Ammo magazine in 2016 named him one of its top 20 lawmakers. While most congressional Democrats have jumped on the gun control train with both feet, the magazine said, Tim Walz and a few others have stuck to their guns. The Biden administration on Thursday unveiled the results of landmark drug price negotiations between Medicare and pharmaceutical companies, allowing President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to cast themselves as confronting the drug industry on behalf of older Americans at a critical moment in the presidential campaign. The negotiated prices, which take effect in 2026, are expected to save billions of dollars for Medicare, which is funded by taxpayers. But they will lead to direct out-of-pocket savings for only a subset of the millions of older Americans who take the drugs subject to negotiations. Other provisions of the law that created the drug negotiation program, such as capping patients expenses for insulin and their yearly out-of-pocket drug costs, will do more to save older Americans money at the pharmacy counter. The 10 drugs subject to negotiations include widely used blood thinners and arthritis medications. Had the new prices been in effect last year, administration officials said, Medicare would have saved $6 billion, which would have reduced its spending on those drugs by 22 percent. Sudans military announced Thursday it would reopen a major border crossing with Chad whose closure had become a major obstacle to increasingly urgent efforts to reach millions of starving people in Sudan. Until just a few days ago, the military was insisting it had to keep the border closed at Adre, in eastern Chad, to prevent weapons being smuggled to the Rapid Support Forces, the powerful paramilitary group it has been fighting in Sudans vicious civil war since April 2023. But the six-month closure throttled the flow of U.N. trucks carrying vital relief aid at a time when Sudan is plunging into a famine that experts warn could be the worlds worst in decades. In an unexpected reversal, Sudans military-dominated Sovereign Council announced Thursday that it would immediately reopen the Adre crossing for three months. U.N. and aid groups, caught unaware, welcomed the decision, with one U.N. official saying it could make a significant difference to relief efforts. But those providing aid were also seeking clarification from the Sudanese authorities about any potential restrictions. Argentine prosecutors on Wednesday accused Alberto Fernandez, Argentinas former president who left office in December, of domestic violence after images showed his partner at the time, the former first lady, with a black eye. In court documents filed on Wednesday, prosecutors accused Mr. Fernandez of carrying out grievous bodily harm and coercive threats against Fabiola Yanez, his partner, while he was president. A federal judge will decide whether to indict Mr. Fernandez on those two charges, which could carry a prison sentence. Mr. Fernandez, 65, who was president from 2019 to 2023, has denied the accusations. Ive never hit a woman, he told the media outlet El Pais. What happened? Prosecutors said Mr. Fernandez repeatedly struck Ms. Yanez, 43, and subjected her to psychological abuse while the couple lived in Argentinas presidential residence outside Buenos Aires. They said it was common for Mr. Fernandez to slap Ms. Yanez so hard that it left her cheek burning. In one instance, prosecutors said, he punched Ms. Yanez in the eye, leaving her with a black eye. Prosecutors accused Mr. Fernandez of kicking Ms. Yanez in the stomach in August 2021, knowing she could be pregnant. The tables had turned: Yesterdays victims of brutal suppression were todays perpetrators of brutal revenge. Mobs wielding bamboo sticks and pipes thrashed supporters of Bangladeshs toppled ruling party on Thursday, preventing their first major gathering since their leader, Sheikh Hasina, fled the country last week. The sticks arrived in sacks on the back of electric rickshaws, the pipes as flagpoles that soon became weapons as their flags were removed. The attackers were largely supporters of opposition parties that had endured abuse and violence from the former prime ministers party, the Awami League. They beat anyone they suspected of belonging to the party, flogging their legs before dragging them with shirts ripped and faces bloodied. The student protesters who rallied to oust Ms. Hasina have become de facto police officers on the streets. But on Thursday, they were mostly on the sidelines, and their unanswered pleas for calm laid bare what they have called one of their chief concerns. After a long shift last Thursday, a junior doctor went to sleep in a seminar room at the Kolkata hospital where she worked. The next morning, her colleagues found her dead, her body showing signs of rape and extreme physical brutality. The killing, at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, has stirred angry protests over entrenched misogyny and violence against women and led thousands of doctors to walk out of major public hospitals across India to demand a safer working environment. Attacks on doctors in hospitals are common in India. Last month, doctors in New Delhi went on strike after an assault on a hospital by dozens of people, many of them relatives of a woman who died during surgery after giving birth. In the days after the killing of the junior doctor, a 31-year-old physician trainee whose name may not be published under Indian law, intense anger boiled over into nationwide outrage. On Wednesday night, thousands of women protested on the streets of Kolkata, the largest city in West Bengal. Travelers overwhelmed call centers on Thursday, said Japan Airlines, which canceled most domestic flights and some international ones to and from Tokyos Haneda and Narita airports on Friday. It cited the risk of aircraft rotation by the typhoon. All Nippon Airways, Japans largest airline, said in an emailed statement that it had canceled more than 290 flights that were scheduled for Friday, affecting about 63,000 passengers. Central Japan Railway suspended all rail service, including the Shinkansen bullet trains, between Tokyo and Nagoya, and between Nagoya and Osaka, on Friday. It also warned of delays on Saturday. Another major rail operator, East Japan Railway Company, suspended many of its bullet and express trains around Tokyo on Friday. Japans Coast Guard warned large vessels, container ships, ferries and tankers to leave Tokyo Bay indefinitely for waters less affected by the typhoon. A court in Russia sentenced a dual citizen of Russia and the United States on Thursday to 12 years in prison on accusations that she committed treason by donating money about $50 for Ukraines armed forces. The court, in the city of Yekaterinburg, claimed to have found that the funds donated by the woman, Ksenia Karelina, 32, were subsequently used to purchase tactical medicine, equipment, weapons and ammunition for Ukraine. The prosecution nearly always gets its way in treason cases in Russias stage-managed judicial system, but her lawyer, Mikhail Mushailov, said he would still appeal to try to get her sentence reduced. I was not surprised by the prison sentence or the way the trial was conducted, Mr. Mushailov said by telephone from Yekaterinburg. The Russian authorities have attributed the death six months ago of Aleksei A. Navalny, the countrys main opposition leader, to a grab bag of diseases aggravated by heart arrhythmia, a conclusion described as preposterous by his widow on Thursday. Mr. Navalnys widow, Yulia Navalnaya, speaking in a recorded statement posted online, said she received a three-page document from Russias Investigative Committee last week saying there was no cause to open a criminal investigation into her husbands death in a remote Arctic prison because a combination of medical factors had killed him. Heres a man under constant surveillance in prison, a globally recognized politician, the leader of the opposition, and suddenly he dies within an hour from a combined illness, Ms. Navalnaya said. The report is a lie, and they are hiding what happened that day. She demanded that the authorities release the full medical report and return Mr. Navalnys personal effects to his family, including his notebooks and the cross that he wore. The family has requested this material repeatedly, she said, but was told it would have to wait until the committee, the main agency for investigating possible federal crimes in Russia, completed its report. Ukrainian troops took full control of the Russian town of Sudzha, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said on Thursday, in what would be Ukraines first capture of a Russian urban center since its troops launched a surprise attack into the country 10 days ago. Sudzha, a small town about six miles from the border, quickly fell into the path of Ukrainian troops sweeping into Russian territory over the past week. Military experts had said in recent days that Ukrainian forces had seized most, if not all, of the town. And Emil Kastehelmi, an analyst from the Black Bird Group based in Finland, on Thursday called it very likely that it was now controlled by Ukraine. Ukrainian troops entered Sudzha a few days into the assault and appeared to have slowly cleared the town and its outskirts of any defenders over the past week, according to military analysts. Videos posted online in recent days by Ukrainian soldiers showed troops in the town, and Ukrainian state television broadcast a report from Sudzha on Wednesday, showing soldiers tearing down a Russian flag from a building. Satellite imagery showed at least two dozen structures were damaged or destroyed in the town and a neighboring village. Before the assault, Sudzha had about 5,000 residents, many of whom fled, according to residents who joined tens of thousands of others evacuating from parts of the border region. Mr. Zelensky said on Wednesday that hundreds of Russian soldiers had surrendered in the region since the start of the attack, though the Ukrainian authorities have declined to share precise details. Negotiators from multiple countries were meeting in Qatar on Thursday to try to hash out a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, in talks that have taken on added urgency amid fears that an anticipated attack by Iran and its allies on Israel could set off a broader regional conflict. While cease-fire talks have been held on and off for months, the United States, Qatar and Egypt said last week that they were prepared to offer a final bridging proposal in the hopes of securing a deal that would free the remaining hostages in Gaza and alleviate the suffering of Palestinians after more than 10 months of war. An Israeli official briefed on the negotiations said that the Israeli delegation would remain overnight in Doha, Qatars capital, and that the talks were expected to continue on Friday in an attempt to close substantial gaps between the two sides. A White House national security spokesman, John F. Kirby, said the United States also expected the negotiations to resume on Friday. A new Israeli settlement planned for construction in the occupied West Bank will encroach on Palestinian land recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage site, Israeli peace activists say. Much of the international community views Israeli settlements in the West Bank as illegal, and many were established illegally under Israeli law, but tolerated by the government. Bezalel Smotrich, the far-right finance minister and a settler himself, gave preliminary approval to the new settlement, Nahal Heletz, in June, and the countrys planning authorities signed off on it on Wednesday. But the area designated for the settlement was much bigger than what was shown in a plan the government published in July, according to an Israeli advocacy group, Peace Now, which closely tracks settlements. The new plan claims over 150 acres rather than the 30 acres announced previously, and all of it is on UNESCO-designated territory, the group said. Mr. Smotrich, who is part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus governing coalition, has pushed for measures that would expand Israeli settlements in the West Bank in exchange for the release of funds withheld from the Palestinian Authority, which partly administers the territory. Peace Now accused Mr. Smotrich of disregarding the UNESCO Convention in a statement on Wednesday. Israel is a party to the World Heritage Convention, though it left UNESCO in 2019, accusing the multilateral organization of trying to minimize Jewish ties to the land of Israel. It also objected to the organizations acceptance of Palestine as a member state in 2011. Nova Scotia is looking for an agency that can provide tourism marketing services in an effort to promote the Province as a vacation destination. The World Health Organisation has declared the mpox outbreaks in Africa a global emergency, with cases confirmed among children and adults in more than a dozen countries and a new form of the virus spreading. Few vaccine doses are available on the continent. Earlier this week, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention announced that the mpox outbreaks were a public health emergency, with more than 500 deaths, and called for international help to stop the virus spread. This is something that should concern us all The potential for further spread beyond Africa and beyond is very worrying, said WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. The Africa CDC previously said that mpox, also known as monkeypox, has been detected in 13 countries this year, and that more than 96% of all cases and deaths are in Congo. We are now in a situation where (mpox) poses a risk to many more neighbours in and around central Africa, said Salim Abdool Karim, a South African infectious diseases expert who chairs the Africa CDC emergency group. He said the new version of mpox spreading from Congo appears to have a death rate of about 3-4%. In 2022, WHO declared mpox to be a global emergency after it spread to more than 70 countries that had not previously reported mpox, mostly affecting gay and bisexual men. In that outbreak, fewer than 1% of people died. Michael Marks, a professor of medicine at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said declaring these latest mpox outbreaks in Africa an emergency is warranted if that might lead to more support to contain them. Its a failure of the global community that things had to get this bad to release the resources needed, he said. Officials at the Africa CDC said nearly 70% of cases in Congo are in children younger than 15, who also accounted for 85% of deaths. Jacques Alonda, an epidemiologist working in Congo with international charities, said he and other experts were particularly worried about the spread of mpox in camps for refugees in the countrys conflict-ridden east. The worst case Ive seen is that of a six-week-old baby who was just two weeks old when he contracted mpox, Mr Alonda said, adding the baby has been in their care for a month. He got infected because hospital overcrowding meant he and his mother were forced to share a room with someone else who had the virus, which was undiagnosed. Save the Children said Congos health system already had been collapsing under the strain of malnutrition, measles and cholera. The UN health agency said mpox was recently identified for the first time in four East African countries: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. All of those outbreaks are linked to the one in Congo. In Ivory Coast and South Africa, health authorities have reported outbreaks of a different and less dangerous version of mpox that spread worldwide in 2022. Earlier this year, scientists reported the emergence of a new form of the deadlier form of mpox, which can kill up to 10% of people, in a Congolese mining town that they feared might spread more easily. Mpox mostly spreads via close contact with infected people, including through sex. Unlike in previous mpox outbreaks, where lesions were mostly seen on the chest, hands and feet, the new form causes milder symptoms and lesions on the genitals. That makes it harder to spot, meaning people might also get ill without knowing they are infected. Before the 2022 outbreak, the disease had mostly been seen in sporadic outbreaks in central and West Africa when people came into close contact with infected wild animals. Western countries during the 2022 outbreak mostly shut down the spread of mpox with the help of vaccines and treatments, but very few of those have been available in Africa. Chinese FM: China supports early political reconciliation in Myanmar, to deepen bilateral cooperation Xinhua) 08:07, August 15, 2024 NAY PYI TAW, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here Wednesday that China supports Myanmar's efforts towards an early political reconciliation within the constitutional framework, and is willing to work with Myanmar to deepen bilateral mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks when meeting with Chairman of Myanmar's State Administration Council (SAC) Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in the Myanmar capital. Min Aung Hlaing said Myanmar and China jointly initiated the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and have consistently followed the principles to carry out friendly cooperation. He said Myanmar attaches great importance to its relations with China, is committed to developing Myanmar-China friendship, firmly adheres to the one-China policy, and is willing to remain a friendly neighbor that China can always trust. Min Aung Hlaing expressed hope that the two countries jointly hold celebrations in 2025 to mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties. The Myanmar SAC chairman also thanked China for its constructive role in promoting the peace talks in northern Myanmar, expressing hope that China will continue supporting Myanmar in safeguarding domestic stability and achieving political reconciliation. He added that Myanmar stands ready to continue to work with China in combatting cross-border crimes such as online gambling and telecom fraud and will never allow any act that harms China's security and interests. Wang was on a visit to Myanmar Wednesday before traveling to Thailand to co-chair the ninth Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting and attend the Informal Discussion Between the Foreign Ministers of China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. During the meeting with Min Aung Hlaing, Wang said China's friendly policy towards Myanmar features sticking to the principle of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs, and respecting Myanmar's political tradition as well as development path in line with its own national conditions. The Chinese foreign minister pointed out that China firmly supports Myanmar in maintaining its independence, sovereignty, national unity, and territorial integrity. China is steadfast in supporting Myanmar's commitment to domestic peace and stability, achieving economic development, and advancing a new five-point roadmap within the constitutional framework, in order to achieve political reconciliation, restore the democratic transition process as soon as possible, and find a path to long-term peace and stability, Wang said. As a friendly neighbor, China opposes chaos or conflict in Myanmar, opposes external forces interfering in Myanmar's internal affairs, and opposes any remarks that attempt to sow discord in China-Myanmar relations or smear and vilify China, the foreign minister noted. China is willing to deepen cooperation with Myanmar in various fields, including accelerating the implementation of major projects under the Belt and Road cooperation and the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor, effectively operating the China-Myanmar oil and gas pipeline project, and helping Myanmar improve the livelihoods of its people, pushing for more tangible results in building the China-Myanmar community with a shared future, Wang noted. Also on Wednesday, Wang met with Myanmar's Deputy Prime Minister and Union Minister for Foreign Affairs U Than Swe, and with former Chairman of the Myanmar State Peace and Development Council Than Shwe. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Accepting nominations for Sri Lankas 2024 Presidential Election concludes Posted by Editor on August 15, 2024 - 11:32 am The process of accepting nominations for Sri Lankas 2024 Presidential Election concluded a short while ago. Proceedings began today (August 15) at 9:00 AM in the Election Commission offices auditorium in Rajagiriya. Nominations were accepted until 11:00 AM, and 39 out of the 40 candidates who had deposited their bail by yesterday (August 14) submitted their nominations today. Among the candidates, 22 are from recognized political parties, 17 are independent, and one is from another political party. President Ranil Wickremesinghe submitted his nomination as an independent candidate, while Sajith Premadasa filed his nomination under the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) party. Dilith Jayaweera, the candidate for Sarwa Jana Balawegaya, submitted his nomination under the star symbol. National Peoples Power (NPP) leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake submitted his nomination as the NPP candidate, and Namal Rajapaksa filed his nomination as the candidate for the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP). Additionally, Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, Sarath Fonseka, Roshan Ranasinghe, and Janaka Ratnayake also successfully submitted their nominations. Objections to the nominations can be submitted between 9:00 AM and 11:30 AM. After considering any objections, the Election Commission will announce the final list of candidates for the presidential election and will issue symbols to independent candidates. Ranil Wickremesinghe to contest Presidential Election under gas cylinder symbol Posted by Editor on August 15, 2024 - 1:21 pm The gas cylinder has been given as the voting symbol of Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is running as an independent candidate in the 2024 Presidential Election in Sri Lanka. The process of accepting nominations for Sri Lankas 2024 Presidential Election concluded today (August 15). As officially announced by the Election Commission of Sri Lanka, the Presidential election will be held on September 21, 2024. Ah, the tempest teapot of vice-presidential campaigns: Republican veep nominee JD Vance, Senator from Ohio, accuses Democratic veep nominee apparent Tim Walz, governor of Minnesota, of engaging in "stolen valor garbage." Vance's allegations seem to involve three components: First, that Walz retired from the National Guard after 24 years in infantry and artillery jobs, instead of adding another hitch so as to deploy with his unit to Iraq (the unit received its orders two months after he submitted his retirement paperwork). Second, that while Minnesota's official government web site described Walz's rank at retirement as Command Sergeant Major, he actually retired as a Master Sergeant because he hadn't completed the Sergeants Major Academy while holding the job of (envelope, please) Command Sergeant Major. And third, that Walz referred in passing to "weapons of war, that I carried in war" in an anti-gun-rights rant. Walz never carried a weapon in war, if for no other reason than that the hasn't been -- legally/constitutionally speaking -- at war since 1945, two decades before his birth. He almost certainly carried, at least, a side arm, during periods when the US military was engaged in combat, even though he didn't see any himself. Vance, on the other hand, served one enlistment in the US Marine Corps, deploying to Iraq as a "combat correspondent" who, by his own admission, saw no "combat." I suspect he carried a weapon in that (pseudo-)war. So valor! Much rifle! I seldom speak "as a veteran," but "as a veteran" (and, by the way, a Marine who ran for vice-president 16 years before Vance, appearing on the ballot in Tennessee for the Boston Tea Party), I find this line of gotcha name-calling, and the whole concept of "stolen valor," boring and silly. A veteran is just a former government employee who may have held, but didn't necessarily hold, a job with "kill people" in its description of usual duties. There's nothing inherently more "valorous" about that than there is to any other government jobs/workfare program; "valor" is a rare individual occurrence, not an automatic attribute of "service." As for false or embellished claims as to the character of a veteran's work, who cares? Family-friendly version of an old saying: The difference between a fairy tale and a sea story is that a fairy tale begins "once upon a time ..." while a sea story begins "no kidding, you're not gonna believe this ..." Neither of these two politicians seems to have embellished his record to any wild degree -- if I had a dollar for every "former US Navy SEAL" I've met, I'd have more dollars than the number of SEALs who've ever existed -- and given Vance's need to nitpick at this level of triviality, I doubt any new bombshells are wired for later detonation. And if the idea of "stolen valor" bothers you, you've got too much time on your hands and probably a tendency toward unjustified grievance. Some idiot wearing an "unearned" Medal of Honor neither picks your pocket nor breaks your leg. Get over it. Anthony Comstock. (Image by Wikipedia (commons.wikimedia.org), Author: Photographer unknown; author of book Charles Gallaudet Trumbull) Details Source DMCA Resurrecting the zombie 1873 Comstock Act- to enact a national prohibition on all abortion-related activity - aka, "An Act for the Suppression of Trade in, and Circulation of, obscene Literature and Articles of immoral Use" - is a central component of the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 plan for Republican governance, should the fascist GOP prevail in the 2024 elections. This was the overriding urgent message from a recent Netroots Nation panel in Baltimore I attended: "Zombie Law: The Comstock Act and the Future of Health and Rights." Panelists U.S. Senator Tina Smith (MN), Sarah Lipton-Lubet (ACLU), and Pamela Merritt (Medical Students for Choice) resoundingly echoed one another: saying that, under Project 2025, the long-dormant Comstock Act (1873), would be weaponized by a second-term Trump administration Department of Justice (DOJ) to nationalize the current state-based anti-choice Dobbs decision of 2022. "There is no need for congress to pass new legislation," said Lipton-Lubet, "since it already technically exists in the form of the nineteenth century Comstock Act." While it hasn't been enforced for decades, both Project 2025 and a multitude of Republicans -- including freshly anointed VP-nominee J.D. Vance -- have demanded that the Department of Justice enforce Comstock, as The Washington Post documented recently in a piece titled, "Vance urged DOJ to enforce Comstock Act, crack down on abortion pills." At the same time, during the crucial 2024 election season, 'pro-life' groups are being told to stop saying out loud what Vance correctly and quietly says the DOJ can accomplish without a contentious legislative battle: making illegal the mailing or transport of all pills, equipment, and contraceptive supplies in support of reproductive care, miscarriage management, and abortion provision. The crises in maternal healthcare, from schools to clinics to interns to nurses to doctors, is already here. And it extends to HIV prevention, clean needle exchange, and gender-affirming care, in the form of supply shortages, politicized hospital board decisions, unhealthy staff-to-patient nursing ratios, mental health trauma, professional morale, early retirements, relocations, workplace bullying, and more. Intensifying that reality, the June 2022 U.S. Supreme Court Dobbs 'reverse-precedent' decision overturning Roe - an extremist finding that has triggered total abortion bans in 14 states, caused six-week prohibitions in three more states, produced more limited interdictions in several more states - and we have a perfect storm for the fascist GOP dream of a modern Handmaid's Tale. Look no further than the Comstock model of Texas to see how close we are to the dystopian-misogynist national vision of Project 2025. Ringing the bell for lost bodily autonomy, Jonathan Mitchell, the architect of Texas' "bounty hunter" law and one of Trump's personal lawyers declared: "We don't need a federal [abortion] ban when we have Comstock on the books." To wit, The Guardian's 11 August 2024 piece, "Child Rape Survivors Face Extraordinary Barriers in States with Abortion Bans" documents in graphic terms the horrors endured by two sisters at the hands of their stepfather and his friends. "We both had STDs because none of them used condoms," confided the first of the child victims. After fleeing to a domestic violence shelter upon discovering they were pregnant, they fortunately found abortion pills through an underground network of activists. "If I couldn't have an abortion, I would have killed myself," shared the same child. "The man who raped me was a pig, and I did not want to have his baby inside of me." Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). I promise you that we will continue to... (Image by tedeytan) Details DMCA It has become a sad joke to hear the phrase from government politicians that they will continue to work with, discuss with... fill in the blank when it actually means that they will not do what they say they will continue to... In fact what they continually do is diddly squat. "Since October 7, the Vice President has prioritized engaging with Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian community members and others regarding the war in Gaza. In this brief engagement, she reaffirmed that her campaign will continue to engage with those communities," said the Harris campaign in a statement after the rally. It finally occurred to me that all of the current administration officials have made this phrase standard, almost a form of filibustering. I have heard it from Admiral Kirby, White House National Security Communications Advisor; Karine Jean-Pierre, White House press secretary; Jake Sullivan, National Security Advisor to President Biden; Lloyd J. Austin III, Secretary of Defense; Antony Blinken, Secretary of State. I reviewed a transcript of Matt Miller, State Department Spokesman and former chief of staff for Senator Menendez who was found guilty of corruption, to see how often he says that he will continue to... do essentially nothing. Matthew Miller, Department Spokesperson August 5, 2024 MR MILLER: Good afternoon, everyone. Good to be back after a little bit of time on the road. Start with some opening comments before I turn to questions" The Secretary is also making clear through these engagements that the United States continues to see a ceasefire in Gaza as the crucial step to helping calm broader tensions" Obviously, you've seen the Defense Department make certain announcements with regard to force posture. Deterrence is an important part of encouraging de-escalation, and so we will continue to take steps along that regard. Of course we prepare for the possibility of further conflict" That being said, I want to just make it clear in answering the question that we don't think conflict is inevitable or should be inevitable, or that increased conflict is inevitable. We're going to continue to work to try to prevent it from happening" Obviously, you saw that over the weekend we sent out a message to American citizens in Lebanon making clear that Lebanon is a Do Not Travel country, it's a Level 4 country, and we issued a security alert encouraging U.S. citizens who wish to depart Lebanon to book any ticket available for them, even if that flight does not depart immediately or does not follow their first choice route. And we'll continue to monitor the situation and make assessments and take actions based on response to real-time events... We do believe it's important to continue to defend Israel against attacks, whether they come from Iran or whether they come from Iran's proxies. We of course have conversations with our allies and partners about that, but I'm not going to detail those publicly" So I wouldn't characterize them as stalled. I would characterize them the way we have said before, which is we have reached an agreement on the framework. That agreement still stands. Nothing that's happened over the course of the past week has done anything to erode the fundamental agreement on the framework to the ceasefire. That stands. But where we - also what's true is that we continue to have other areas where we need to bridge the differences between the two parties... And so the message that we have consistently communicated to everyone in the region is we want to see a ceasefire; we think a ceasefire is in the interests of Israel, it's in the interests of the Israeli people, it's in the interests of the Palestinian people, it is in the interests of the broader region. So we are going to continue to use all of the diplomatic muscle, all of the influence that we can bring to bear, to push to get the ceasefire over the line" I don't want to speak to the substance of negotiations other than to say that we continue to engage with our Qatari counterparts, our Egyptian counterparts" ...and I think I'll leave it at that other than to say the interlocutors - our interlocutors, Qatar and Egypt - are making clear to Hamas the same thing that we believe, which is that they need to continue to work to get to yes in an agreement" QUESTION: Yeah, just to - on that, so the Secretary had calls with the Egyptians and the Qataris. What are they saying about, as has kind of come up, you've got one side - they've been - they've been, the interlocutors in these negotiations. One side has just assassinated the lead negotiator. Are they - are they willing to continue hosting these talks when it seems like one side is sort of - has just taken an action that seems to threaten their position as mediators? MR MILLER: They are. And we continue to express our gratitude for the role that both Qatar and Egypt have played in trying to reach a resolution to this conflict and trying to reach a ceasefire that we eventually want to turn into an end to the war, and of course, beyond that, into broader peace and stability. Both of those two governments have put an extraordinary amount of work into reaching a ceasefire, as we have put an extraordinary amount of work" QUESTION: And just lastly, have you heard indications from Hamas after Haniyeh's funeral now that they are going to come back to the table? Have they told the Qataris, the Egyptians that they do plan to continue engaging? MR MILLER: I don't want to speak to the substance of negotiations other than to say that we continue to engage with our Qatari counterparts, our Egyptian counterparts. As I said, the Secretary had a call with the prime minister of Qatar earlier today who, of course, is one of the lead interlocutors, and I think I'll leave it at that other than to say the interlocutors - our interlocutors, Qatar and Egypt - are making clear to Hamas the same thing that we believe, which is that they need to continue to work to get to yes in an agreement" I think you get the point, so I won't continue... During his four years as President of the United States, Donald Trump was remarkably active and often successful in sabotaging the health and safety of the nation's workers. Trump, as the AFL-CIO noted, targeted Medicare and Medicaid for $1 trillion in funding cuts, eroded the Affordable Care Act (thereby increasing the number of Americans lacking health insurance coverage by 7 million), and "made workplaces more dangerous by rolling back critical federal safety regulations." Trump's administration not only refused to publicly disclose fatality and injury data reported to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), but slashed the number of federal workplace safety inspectors and inspections to the lowest level in that agency's 48-year history. According to one estimate, with these depleted numbers, it would take 165 years to inspect every worksite in the United States. Furthermore, the administration repealed rules requiring employers to keep and report accurate injury records, proposed eliminating the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, and cut workplace safety research and training programs. The Trump administration also proposed revoking child labor protections, weakened the Mine Safety and Health Administration's enforcement of mine safety, and reversed a ban on chlorpyrifos, a toxic pesticide that causes acute reactions among farmworkers and neurological damage to children. In April 2019, the Trump Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service put into place a rule to allow an unlimited increase in the line speeds for hog slaughter. In an industry already notorious for endangering workers-- with more than 4,700 occupational injuries and more than 2,700 occupational illnesses per year-- this was a sure-fire recipe for undercutting worker safety. Even so, the Trump administration completely ignored the impact on workers' safety and health before issuing the rule. Downplaying workplace hazards, the administration scrapped new rules on styrene, combustible dust, infectious diseases, and silica dust-- a mineral that can cause silicosis, an incurable and often fatal lung disease carrying an increased risk of lung cancer. Eager to reduce business expenditures, it also canceled a requirement for training shipyard and construction workers to avoid exposure to beryllium, a known carcinogen. In addition, the administration delayed and proposed a rollback of the Environmental Protection Agency's chemical risk management rule, thus increasing health dangers for workers, the public, and first responders. The Trump administration's callous disregard for the health and safety of workers became particularly apparent during 2020, as the coronavirus pandemic swept through American workplaces. Trump refused to issue binding rules requiring businesses to institute safety measures to protect nurses, bus drivers, meatpacking and poultry workers, and other particularly vulnerable workers. Quite the contrary, in April 2020 Trump issued an executive orde r to require the nation's meat production plants to stay open. This fact, plus an April 2020 authorization by Trump's Department of Agriculture for 15 large poultry plants to increase their line speed, led by September to the sickness of more than 40,000 meat and poultry workers and to the deaths of hundreds. Other groups of workers were also hard-hit by the absence of key Trump administration health and safety measures during the pandemic, including its failure to use the Defense Production Act to expand production of personal protective equipment for endangered workers. According to National Nurses United, by September 2020 more than 250,000 health care workers had come down with the Covid-19 virus and at least 1,700 of them had died from it. In addition, according to Purdue University's Food and Agriculture Vulnerability Index, 147,000 agricultural workers had contracted Covid. By that fall, although more than a thousand meatpacking, food-processing, and farming facilities had reported cases of Covid-19, Trump's OSHA had managed to cite only two of them for violations of health and safety regulations. JBS (the biggest meat-processing company in the world, with annual revenues of over $51 billion) was ordered to pay a fine of just $15,615, while Smithfield (owned by the WH Group, the largest pork company in the world, with more than $25 billion in annual revenue) was ordered to pay only $13,494 (about $10 per worker sick with Covid). Both companies refused to pay the fines. Meanwhile, Trump's OSHA remained ineffective and rudderless, with an acting director yet to be named. Even in the ostensibly "good" years before the onset of the pandemic, the absence of adequate health and safety measures contributed to an appalling number of work-related deaths in the United States. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual number of worker deaths on the job rose between 2016 (the last year of the Obama administration) and 2019 (the last pre-Covid year of the Trump administration) to 5,333. In addition, an estimated 95,000 American workers died in 2019 from occupational diseases. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris can win the election in November as long as she follows some basic guidelines. With her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Harris has a strong chance at smashing America's final glass ceiling, becoming the first female as well as the first black president. There are several pathways to the White House, but Harris's sure win will come from allowing her Republican challenger to ramble and express his distorted views of the world. The amount of lies and distortions former President Donald Trump has voiced is beyond countless. The level of insincerity and manipulation on such a wide scale is astounding. For instance, Trump falsely accused Harris of using AI technology to fabricate images of the crowd sizes at her rallies, parroting an unfounded conspiracy circulating among MAGA Republican commentators. But this is all a blessing in disguise. For Harris, Trump's bloviating is the perfect ingredient that will make her White House run a success. By minimizing what she says and allowing Trump to spew his nonsense, Harris literally does not need to do much to make him look bad. He will do that himself. Whether the media will play fair and ask Trump the same questions they ask Harris remains to be seen but for now it seems that the major networks and outlets are walking the middle aisle. As long as Harris visits most of the states, especially those considered swing states, and demonstrates her clear ability to serve as the president and commander-in-chief, again without having to put in too much effort. Staying true to herself and relying on her bona fides as a prosecutor and her successful record as vice president, Harris will ensure that voters see her for who she is: a strong woman of Black and Indian descent who is more deserving to lead the country than her opponent. Right-wing commentators have made efforts to ridicule her policies, whether on fracking, the Supreme Court, abortion, crime, taxes on tips, the border, Ukraine, and the Middle East. But Harris has been consistent on all of these issues and has been clear about her positions on each policy. Her intentions are clear, and her supporters understand this. Harris has been riding on a great wave of support and enthusiasm and there is no doubt that this momentum will continue well through the Democratic primary all the way to the election on Nov. 5. Trump, on the other hand, appears to be losing support and is seen as beholden to Project 2025, its policies considered highly controversial and questionable. By maintaining this momentum and allowing Trump to continue to leak support, Harris only stands to gain. While many people are concerned that Trump will still win the electoral vote, many undecided voters and electors will no doubt lean Democrat as we get closer to the election. If it was about personality or policies, Harris would win. If it was about a past record or voter confidence in the future, Harris would still win. It is becoming more clear as time passes that Trump is hemorrhaging support because more and more voters - even Republicans - are waking up to the fact that he is not fit to be president. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Ever since the Biden candidacy terminated and Vice President Kamala Harris seized the mantle, the comfortable lead enjoyed by Trump in the polls has withered. They are now running neck and neck and an apparently bewildered Trump, whose whole persona was involved in a revenge bout with Biden to avenge his defeat four years ago, has been unable to adapt his strategy and rhetoric to meet the new challenge. Then too, there is the contrast between the two vice presidential picks. Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota has been named the Democratic running mate. He comes across as a man with whom you could leave your car if you were working abroad for a spell and when you returned you would find it the same or in even better condition. In other words, trustworthy, straight-forward and reliable. On the Republican side is J. D. Vance, who is proud of his hillbilly roots and upbringing; in fact he authored a book, "Hillbilly Elegy," as a memoir of his Appalachian beginnings, its poverty and consequences. Made into a movie by Ron Howard, he did not spare the domestic abuse, child abuse, and the problems of addiction in a social setting where there were few opportunities for economic advancement. Perhaps he has lived through too much, however, there is the feeling with Vance that he is holding something back. Yet to get to Yale Law School from where he began demonstrates intelligence and perseverance. There he met and married a fellow student, the daughter of immigrants from India. Trump, of course, we know well. From making up his own reality to a casual disregard for facts, Trump is Trump and his supporters love him. One fact does come to mind ... that he kept us out of war. People originating from India now constitute politically active minorities in lands ranging from Fiji in the Pacific to Malaysia, Sri lanka, Mauritius, East Africa, South Africa, the West Indies, Canada, and the United States. Should Kamala Harris win in November, she will be ruling the most powerful nation on earth, while others of India's heritage rule the Indian subcontinent ... plus at present also the country that spread them around the world, namely Britain. Yes, Britain was behind it all. Indians work hard, and Britain, the ruling power, offered them a five-year indenture after which they could stay where they were or return home. After so many years, hardly any chose to return home where there was nothing beckoning, while there were opportunities where they were. Soon they were setting up small businesses, like shops, that sometimes became larger and larger, making a few very wealthy. What were the Indians doing in the places they were sent? Mostly backbreaking agricultural work -- harvesting cotton in Fiji, tea in Sri Lanka, coffee in Kenya, sugar in the West Indies and so on. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). The US and Perpetual War- A critique of John D. Rachel's eponymous book Monish R Chatterjee - 2024 John D Rachel portrait (Image by John D Rachel/personal) Details DMCA Cover photo for The US and Perpetual War (Image by John D Rachel/pdf provided by author to reviewer) Details DMCA The author, poet and essayist John D Rachel (JDR), whose political philosophy and leanings remind me a little of Rob Kall, Founder of OpEdNews, published a compilation of critical and insightful responses from a distinguished panel of political thinkers and public figures under the title The US and Perpetual War (Literary Vagabond, ASIN B0C5CCL854, ISBN-13 9781312561571) in May, 2023 . This reviewer befriended JDR via both OpEdNews and also social media (where he periodically chronicles his activities in Japan, when he is not writing or even composing sometimes) several years ago. Over time, I have become highly appreciative of his humanist, antiwar and genuinely progressive views and consistent consciousness-raising which befit any campaigner for social change. The idea behind this compilation is structurally framed as a Q&A interchange with political thinkers and activists, leading to highly incisive responses to diverse geopolitical issues with serious implications relative to war, genocide, imperial hubris and plunder, and ultimately, issues regarding the very survival of humanity in the not-too-distant future. The list of JDR's 22 targeted interrogatees is a virtual Who's Who of contemporary political thinkers and public figures. Not surprisingly, at the front end we have Noam Chomsky, (thankfully still with us, now recovering in Brazil), and from there the list goes on to include a fairly diverse group including Paul Craig Roberts, Norman Solomon, Margaret Kimberley, Scott Ritter and Dennis Kucinich. Given that this reviewer has in the past 20+ years navigated this domain rather vigorously, and also written about, or corresponded with, some of the related luminaries, I am a little curious to know if JDR considered including these other luminaries and peace campaigners in putting his compilation together (perhaps that might be part of a follow-up volume): relentless peace activists David Swanson and Debra Sweet; leading nuclear-disarmament campaigner Helen Caldicott; defiant and courageous critic of the continuing expansionism and occupation of Palestine by Israel, Norman Finkelstein; compelling political commentators Andre Vltchek and John Pilger (sadly both now departed), also veteran commentator/author Tariq Ali; CodePink Founder and relentless antiwar activist Medea Benjamin, the Indian campaigner against imperialism Arundhati Roy, and others. It must be noted that the respondents in this compilation are not all in the liberal or progressive fold, even though the majority are. The questions in the compilation cover fifteen areas of interest regarding US imperial ambitions, its numerous genocidal wars, its exceptionalist doctrine, and most significantly, the issue of nuclear proliferation. In order to keep this review relatively concise, I will offer comments on Q1-4 from Part I (which is titled Prospects for Peace in JDR's book), and Q11-12 from Part II (titled US Foreign Policy in the book). Of the 22 interrogatees, I will comment on the assessments by the following (with initials as specified): Noam Chomsky (NM), Paul Craig Roberts (PCR), Ajamu Baraka (AB), Larry Wilkerson (LW), Abby Martin (AM), Dan Kovalik (DKo), Margaret Kimberley (MK), Scott Ritter (SR), Dennis Kucinich (DKu). On Part I: Prospects for Peace Q1. Doomsday Clock set at 90 minutes to midnight in the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists. Do you agree? A1: On this NC posits that the assessment is fair, and that under Donald Trump's handling of relations with Russia and China, the clock has moved closer (NC cites a link from Aljazeera). LW maintains that indeed talks of nuclear non-proliferation have virtually collapsed. To make matters worse, important de-escalation treaties such as ABM and INF have been discarded. Worse yet- Russia is apparently also considering limited nuclear use with "tactical nukes." PCR agrees that the US has, and continues to provoke Russia; PCR also quotes John Pilger's warning about the higher likelihood of a US-China nuclear showdown. AM also affirms the doomsday clock prediction, implicating the role of political think tanks whose recommendations actually strengthen militarism, thereby hastening a nuclear winter and the end of the human race. DKo believes the dismantling of the Soviet Union has accelerated the risk of nuclear war. Interestingly, in several of his responses (see SR's other responses) SR disagrees with the doomsday prediction. While SR stresses that forward deployed nuclear weapons have been reduced (and as a former UN WMD inspector, he should know), he believes that the clock should be set at 1 second to midnight until all nuclear weapons are eliminated. Therefore, on balance, while all the responses are definitely understandably pessimistic, it may be concluded that SR is in fact more pessimistic than the rest. Q2. While the US considers itself to be a force for peace, justice, human rights and other virtues, other nations think it is the greatest threat to global stability. Which of these is true? A2. NC agrees with the US being the greatest threat to world. In his view, this can be tied to the longstanding Euro/American colonial belief that the Western colonists are a superior force for good. NC cites John Stewart Mill who declared the UK as an "angelic power", no matter its numerous crimes in India and elsewhere. This notion has continued to morph into the Western (and especially American) notion of Exceptionalism, even as propagators of imperial oppression and violence. LW describes the US as a military behemoth (side-stepping serious domestic issues) undermining peace and stability. PCR recalls the Bush-era Wolfowitz doctrine (echoes of Mill's angelic imperialism) which advocates absolute US hegemony (which is full-spectrum dominance)- hence guarantees global instability in response. DKo quotes two prominent Americans who delineated US stance vis---vis peace: MLK's famous proclamation that "The US is the greatest purveyor of violence in the world," and Jimmy Carter's more recent statement that "The US is the most war-like country in world history". Further, DKo declares that with 800 military bases around the world, the US is waging war (direct, proxy, Special Forces and private contractors) in 80 countries around the world at any given time. Also, characteristically in divergence from the other respondents, SR declares that there is no "Utopian notion of Universality", and that "no nation lives up to its ideals". According to SR, the US is not a paragon of virtue, but then no nation is. To this reviewer, the problem with this generalization and minimization of US threats to world peace (which in this reviewer's judgment, unfortunately projects SR as an (albeit passive) apologist for Empire) is that while SR may be technically correct about no nation being a paragon of virtue or their incapacity to live up to their ideals- a military behemoth such as the US can inflict severe damage (and routinely does) to fellow nations with similar failings. Being a bull in a china shop requires considerably greater care in every move. Q3. Do Russia and China have imperial ambitions, or are they responding to US aggression? A3. For comparison purposes, NC lays out the top military budgets of nations in the world (as of 2020). The US's $778 billion literally dwarfs those of China ($252b), India (#3) and Russia (#4, $61.7b). And most ironically, the US faces by far the least security threats, and yet pursues violence without limits. LW maintains that of China and Russia, the former is economically (and socially) more powerful, and both are capable of responding to US aggression. DKu draws a very pertinent contrast between the "ambitions" of these players. According to DKu, China and Russia pursue power and prestige (as does the US), but typically do so via developmental and infrastructure assistance, and not by "dropping bombs on other countries", as the US does. It is a bit of an oddity that SR, who most admirably exonerated Iraq from the dishonest Bush regime accusation that it was developing WMDs prior to the 2003 invasion, continues his broad-brush approach to downplay US aggression by declaring that "the US did not invent the war of aggression." Once again- this begs for the bull in the china shop analogy for a military behemoth running roughshod over the world. Q4. While experts say the US is the most powerful empire in history, does it need to be an empire in order to be successful and protect its citizenry? A4. On this, LW declares that the US is definitely an empire, albeit badly led and poorly managed. PCR, while agreeing, adds that "ultimately empires destroy their own people." Thus, the US Empire's war on terror is effectively against the American people. Coleen Rowley (not cited elsewhere) issues the warning that humanity must "end American Empire before it ends us." All sage words which demand attention and action. DKo agrees the US is the greatest Empire in history, but at great expense and serious damage to itself. He bemoans the reality that the "American Republic has fallen to the Empire". This speaks to the realization of Eisenhower's warning regarding the Military Industrial Complex (MIC). On the subject of Empire, SR agrees, but mentions how maintaining the Empire requires acquiring and exploiting external resources. On Part II: US Foreign Policy Q11. Who (and what factors) define US Foreign Policy? A11. A long time ago, NC points out, the leading Western political thinker Adam Smith justified (Euro-American) modern state capitalism with the proclamation that the merchants and manufacturers of England are "Masters of Mankind." Even though Adam Smith may be considered a highly regarded economic and political thinker, it is a proclamation of this type (coming from someone prominent) which unfortunately reinforces the bigotry of the superior and Master Race. NC proclaims that Adam Smith's "Masters" are the principal architects of government policy, "no matter the grievous effects and impacts". Hence the unlimited and destructive seeking and utilization of fossil fuels, pharmaceuticals for medical care (or the lack thereof), and other environmentally and economically devastating industries. LW brings us closer to the current context of the nihilist cult citing the former Republican congressional staffer Michael Lofgren (credited with coining the (widely used on both sides of the political spectrum) concept of the Deep State), who left the Republican cult, declaring "both parties are rotten captives to the corporate loot." Lofgren bemoans especially that the Donald J Trump cult cast more than 70 million votes in 2020, and does not appear to have abated. PCR confesses not to have a "full" answer. He reminds the interrogator (JDR) of Eisenhower's MIC warning, and especially stresses that such corrupt electioneering policies as the Supreme Court's Citizens' United decision (lifting limits on the amount of corporate donations into the US elections pool) has further strengthened MIC. On balance, such policies are ultimately driven by US "exceptionalism". DKo echoes PCR regarding the influence of MIC on US foreign policy, stressing that the US is definitely not "democratic" in this regard, and that the "capitalist class rules." SR broadly agrees on the unelected, non-democratic version of US foreign policy, emphasizing the role of the Deep State- a cabal of policy specialist with completely unstructured ideas which SR calls "the blob". NS ridicules the labeling of military spending as "defense"; he calls it a bad start. The military-based imperialism of the US foreign policy is best exemplified by its more than 750 bases and operations in 80 countries. NS defines this entity as "corporate" or "warfare" state. AB identifies the US foreign policy as entirely controlled by the capitalist economic elite. The Congress or the US President do not control or define US foreign policy. MK (who is a prominent commentator at the influential online site Black Agenda Report) identifies the US as an oligarchy, entirely controlled by the MIC; hence, instead of Medicare for All, there is endless war and unrelenting war-funding. DKu summarily defines US foreign policy and geopolitics as imperial, calling the entity a "for-profit" business. Q12. Is the US destined to be an aggressor nation forever? A12: According to NC, the US has been at war since its founding. During World War I, the antiwar author and activist Randolph Bourne described the value of war in defining foreign policy by the statement "war measures the health of the state." This would imply that a state not at war by this definition is not healthy (probably in the MIC sense). In a survey on the nations which are the greatest threat to peace conducted by Gallup, NC mentions that the US finished at the top by a wide margin, with (rather oddly) Pakistan a distant second. Note there was neither Russia nor China anywhere near the US. LW posits that "Empires can never be at peace"- thereby affirming the status of the US as a permanent aggressor. PCR emphasizes the Bush-era declaration of US hegemony (which echoes the Wolfowitz philosophy of full-spectrum dominance, a part of the Project for the New American Century, PNAC)- which guarantees that war is inevitable, with Russia, China (and possibly Iran) being perpetually instigated. DKo is cynical regarding even the necessity of US wars. "Every war is a war of choice," he states, and emphatically underscores the truth that the US has never had any real national security threat, or any territorial invasion. Hence, its perpetual war machine operates by choice and design. AB reiterates this view by noting that the US in its foreign policy is "endlessly looking for enemies" (in this reviewer's opinion, the enemy of the US is rather often manufactured out of whole cloth). DKu states that US wars of intervention (presented to the world as humanitarian actions) are almost always entirely unrelated to the concerns of the "host" country. Once again, they are a product of design and choice. ********* This book (with content considerably more than anything discussed here) makes a valuable addition to the vital conversation on the grim reality of perpetual war, and the convoluted yet undeniable role played by the US in pursuing this aggressive exercise to the detriment of humanity and civilization. This doomsday picture is made considerably more lethal by the very existence of, and undeterred proliferation of nuclear weapons. With the dangerous far-right shift of politics in the US since Ronald Reagan (culminating in the worst of that model, Donald Trump, since 2016), the matter of the doomsday clock has to be placed persistently before Americans and humanity as a whole as a reminder that inaction is simply not an option. This reviewer (MRC) would like to suggest that JDR might consider extending this conversation to a potential trilogy, which would make this project even more valuable and archival. A component noticeably missing in this conversation (though quite understandable) is the absence of any solutions for defusing the dual problems of Empire and perpetual war (Gore Vidal likely offered some thoughts on this in Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace, but those too were primarily from the perspective of a skeptic). This is an almost impossible challenge- but the solutions have to come from the committed and dedicated thinkers who have served as the respondents here. I would suggest adding some of the other potential antiwar campaigners mentioned earlier in this review. A third part of the trilogy could likely draw upon the antiwar campaigners' knowledge and tracking experience in order to lay down the current state of actual action on the ground in the effort to reduce (and eventually eliminate) nuclear weapons and their proliferation (and other WMDs), and in promoting peaceful coexistence among nations and people (which is inextricably related to the earth's life-sustaining environment) for the very survival of humanity. (Article changed on Aug 15, 2024 at 12:32 PM EDT) (Article changed on Aug 15, 2024 at 12:39 PM EDT) This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. To receive TomDispatch in your inbox three times a week, click here. The Candidate from Hell The Man of the Moment (And What a Moment It Is!) By Tom Engelhardt Donald Trump is all too literally the candidate from hell and, yes, he's threatening to take the United States and the world to -- no place else! -- hell and back. He's the greatest danger to this planet imaginable. And I'm not even thinking about what else he'd do, were he to win election 2024 and return to the Oval Office, having reassured his religious voters that, should they opt for him this November, they'll never have to do so again. ("Get out and vote, just this time" You won't have to do it anymore. Four more years, you know what? It'll be fixed, it'll be fine, you won't have to vote anymore, my beautiful Christians.") Forget all of that, including the racism, the madness, the urge to transform this country into the all-American equivalent of an autocracy. Forget every last bit of it -- even if, yes, that's one hell of a lot to forget! Instead, focus on just one thing: Donald Trump and his crew, including that gem J.D. Vance, who attacked what he called "the Green New Scam" at the Republican convention, are determined to fossil-fuelize our future in a fashion never before seen, not at least under these circumstances. And unfortunately, Donald Trump is anything but alone. (Do you hear me, Vladimir Putin?) In fact, according to a recent Guardian report, almost one-quarter of this country's congressional representatives (100 members of the House and 23 senators) deny the very existence of climate change -- and be shocked, very shocked, but every last one of them is a Republican! In what now passes for the mainstream, The Donald and his vice-presidential buddy, the very opposite of "cat ladies," are extreme but all too common examples of the urge to heat this planet to the boiling point or beyond. Admittedly, the competition is fierce. After all, whatever steps President Joe Biden took in relation to climate change -- and he did take them and they will make a difference -- American oil production and oil and natural gas exports all set staggering new global records during his term in office. Still, there's no question about one thing: Donald Trump, J.D. Vance, and crew are determined to fully reject that Green New Scam (as Republicans now love to call it), which means the two of them are intent on making you, me, and everyone else on this planet sweat, sweat, sweat. I say that given the fact that, only recently, humanity experienced the hottest day ever recorded and the very next day set an even more feverish daily global record. And that, mind you, was after 13 straight months each of which (including two Junes) set new heat records for human history (and probably far beyond it), and all of that, in turn (if you don't mind the longest, hottest sentence imaginable), came after 2023 set a global record as the hottest year ever -- and count on this: I'm undoubtedly leaving all sorts of things out. Yikes, I'm already sweating! A Green New Scam President? Given the recent withdrawal of 81-year-old Joe Biden from the presidential race, 78-year-old Donald Trump is now the oldest American presidential candidate ever (yes, ever!), so why should he give a damn about how hot our future could become? Admittedly, there are his kids and grandkids to consider, but it's not clear that, even when it comes to them (and despite his recent family-ization of the Republican convention), he gives a damn about anyone other than" yes, Donald Trump. Based on the last few years of him, I doubt it. In the most literal sense possible, as far as he's concerned, he's always the man of the moment. Any moment. And if the moment isn't his, then to hell with it and everything else! And believe me, under the circumstances, I'm not just using "hell" figuratively. After all, this planet and this country are both growing hotter all too quickly. This was already one hell of a summer in the United States. State after state, city after city simply broiled, while records were regularly set across the globe. (Hey, Las Vegas hit a new city high of 120 degrees Fahrenheit in July and, in breaking local heat records, it was anything but atypical.) After all, June, as I mentioned, was the 13th straight hottest month of its kind ever. And while later in the summer, we might get a slight break from such record-setting temperatures, the future looks all too grim. While you're at it, consider yourself lucky that you don't live in someplace like Dubai, where on one recent anything-but-atypical July day the temperature hit 113 and the heat index 144. In fact, the Washington Post now suggests that the Persian Gulf region may be the "most likely to regularly exceed life-threatening heat thresholds during the next 30 to 50 years." Of course, only this summer, Donald Trump held a rally in Phoenix, Arizona, where the temperature hit" go ahead, just for hell of it, take a guess! Yes, 113 degrees! Eleven of his listeners were treated right there for heat exhaustion on "stretchers hooked to IV bags," while The Donald continued to "rail against wind turbines and electric vehicles." And mind you, unlike the acts of the assassin whose bullet hit Trump's ear at that rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, the former president's statements in Arizona blasting any efforts to deal with this overheating globe of ours weren't considered acts of violence. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Wow! What an opportunity for Benjamin Netanyahu. Like the perfect storm. What are the elements? Let's see: 1. President Biden has been not only a willing ally, but also completely supportive of Netanyahu's indiscriminate killing of Palestinians in Gaza and on the West Bank, going so far as to provide weapons, intelligence and logistical support, not to mention financial support. 2. The US military has provided supportive cover to Israel against drones and missiles. 3. The US military has attacked Yemen because of their military support of the Palestinians. 4. Biden has pressured Europe to continue their support of Netanyahu. 5. Biden has vetoed any international attempts to hold Netanyahu accountable for all the breaches of international and humanitarian laws and norms. 6. Domestically, Biden has gone so far as to pressure those citizens who are appalled by our support of Netanyahu and the killings in Gaza to curtail or stop their protests by threats, arrests and job loss. 7. Before Biden stepped out of the 2024 presidential campaign, it appeared that support of Netanyahu was more important to him than winning the election against Trump. 8. There are a bit less than 6 months left in Biden's presidency. 9. Biden's support of Netanyahu continues unabated, even in light of the growing hostility with Lebanon and the recent assassinations of Hamas leaders in Lebanon, Syria and even Iran. So, what is Netanyahu to think? Let's see. No matter what I do, no matter how horrendous and how much I go against international laws and norms, President Biden will still support me with the full force of his office and the military. I am in full control of the situation. President Biden has less that 6 months left in office before Kamala Harris might be elected to replace him, and I cannot imagine her being as supportive. (If Trump wins, I can continue my rampage, perhaps with more US support.) So, I have only a few months to use this advantage. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Gaza - an Open Air Prison by alisdare1 Attribution-ShareAlike License (Image by alisdare1) Details DMCA Will U.S.A. Continue To Help Israel Kill Palestinians and Steal Their Land Right Up to November? by jay janson With coverage of the Paris Olympics and the novelty of a black/Indian woman presidential candidate, and her ever provocative rival former President Trump vying for public attention, it will be some time before much CIA-overseen main stream media attention, if any, will revert to modest coverage of the colossal loss of Palestinian life in Gaza and the West Bank. Will Any Powerful Global South Media Source Arise in the Meantime to bring public attention... - to the Israeli slaughter of Palestinians with U.S. weapons and ammo? - to the Israeli seizure of Palestinian land in the West Bank and East Jerusalem? - to the generations long illegal Israeli military occupation of Palestine? - to Israeli 'right' to imprison all of Gaza's population? - to Israeli denial of Palestinian freedom as a nation. BBC, Jun 7, 2024 -- The UN has added the Israeli military to a list of offenders failing to protect children. UN adds Israel to global list of offenders that harm children CNN, June 7, 2024 Will Global South Will See the Murderous Nature of the U.S. Gov. in the Many Thousands of Murdered and Maimed Dear Palestinian Children Quoting from "Gaza genocide enters month 11 as Israel provokes regional war in Palestine" by Maureen Clare Murphy, 08/08/2024, Counter Currents, Kerala, India Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). An independent journalist with admitted antifascist sympathies was found guilty Wednesday of riot and second-degree disorderly conduct for her involvement in a chaotic clash in an Oregon City park three years ago. Clackamas County jurors were unable to reach a verdict on a third charge, unlawful use of mace, in the case against Alissa Azar, a livestreamer who racked up tens of thousands of followers with her on-the-ground coverage of the social justice protests that rocked Portland in 2020. The Portland Police Bureau has released the name of the man shot to death in Portlands Hazelwood neighborhood on Tuesday night. John R. Molesworth, 43, of Portland, was killed in the 12100 block of Northeast Glisan Street around 11:30 p.m., police said. No arrests have been made in the case. The Police Bureau has provided no details of the shooting. Police ask anyone who might have information about the shooting to contact Det. Calvin Goldring at Calvin.Goldring@police.portlandoregon.gov or Det. William Winters at William.Winters@police.portlandoregon.gov. -- The Oregonian/OregonLive; dperry@oregonian.com Portland chef Naomi Pomeroy and her husband were visiting a friend in Corvallis when the three of them hit a snag while floating down the Willamette River, leading to Pomeroys drowning death July 13, newly released Benton County Sheriffs Office records show. Pomeroy, 49, and her husband, Kyle Webster, were sitting in two inner tubes and Hans Hlawaty was on a paddleboard around 8 p.m. that Saturday. The paddleboard cord was attached to Pomeroys ankle, and Pomeroys and Websters tubes were attached with a rope, so the three of them could float together. They planned to float from Willamette Park, south of Corvallis, to Michaels Landing, a boat launch on the west side of the river. As they were floating, Webster heard Hlawaty say something similar to Oh (expletive). The three of them hit a snag sticking out of the water, throwing them off the inner tubes and paddle board. Webster became extremely disoriented, he told a Corvallis police officer, but heard Hlawaty shouting at him to swim to shore. Webster swam to the west bank of the river. Hlawaty told police he saw Pomeroy struggling under the water after they all fell and that he tried to swim to her, but the current was too strong. He was going to make a second attempt, but Webster told him to get help, Hlawaty told police. He ran to the intersection of Oregon 34 and Northwest Van Buren Avenue, flagged down a driver and called 911. Webster told police that he had drunk one beer and Pomeroy had drunk about half a beer and none of them had used any recreational drugs, according to a Corvallis Police Department police report provided by the Benton County District Attorneys Office in response to a public records request. Hlawaty declined to comment for this article, and Webster could not be immediately reached. Corvallis Fire Department rescuers were the first to reach the snag and found Pomeroy still submerged, department officials previously told The Oregonian/OregonLive. Believing she could still potentially be rescued and that there could be other victims missing, the rescuer cut the cord, but didnt get hold of Pomeroys body before she disappeared in the current. The Benton County Sheriffs Office soon took over searching for her. A deputy and a sergeant searched downriver from the accident using sonar equipment. Believing there could be other victims, the deputy requested help from other marine deputies and another sheriffs office boat launched on the water. The search ended at nightfall, with plans to pick it up again in the morning, the deputy wrote in a Benton County Sheriffs Office incident summary. Pomeroys body surfaced on river bedrock around 10 a.m. July 17 about a half-mile north of Hyak Park, just west of Albany. A canoeist had reported seeing a body matching Pomeroys description in the river. Pomeroy was a self-taught cook who first gained prominence through a pop-up restaurant held at her own home. She and her partner then opened multiple prominent restaurants, and got themselves into magazines and onto TV. Pomeroys restaurant Beast was named The Oregonians co-Restaurant of the Year in 2008. In 2013, she competed on Top Chef Masters and, the following year, she was named Best Chef in the Northwest at the James Beard awards. Fedor Zarkhin is a breaking news and enterprise reporter with a focus on crime. Reach him at 971-373-2905; fzarkhin@oregonian. Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com. Portland State University was among six U.S. universities and one academic center awarded more than $40 million in federal grants Wednesday to boost graduation rates among students of color, low-income students and others historically left behind, the U.S. Department of Education announced Wednesday. The $7.8 million awarded to Portland State is earmarked to help smooth the college transfer path for students coming to the university from Clackamas Community College and Mt. Hood Community College. Ellen Waterston, a poet, writer, teacher and speaker based in Bend, is Oregons eleventh Poet Laureate, succeeding Anis Mojgani, who has been the state Poet Laureate since 2020. In an announcement, Governor Tina Kotek, who named Waterston to the two-year appointment, said, in part, Ellen Waterston stands out for her commitment to community engagement, her focus on bringing different ways of living and different parts of the state together, and her notable ability to describe the moments, places and people that make Oregon, Oregon. Waterstons work is, according to the announcement, inspired by the remote reaches of southeastern Oregons Outback. In addition to her poems being published in anthologies and journals, Waterstons books of poetry and prose include Walking the High Desert: Encounters With Rural America Along the Oregon Desert Trail; Hotel Domilocos; Via Lactea; Where the Crooked River Rises; Between Desert Seasons; and Then There Was No Mountain. Waterston has been honored with the WILLA Award for two of her poetry collections, and the Obsidian Prize for Poetry. She is currently working on a collection featuring a series of commissioned poems which, according to the release, celebrate remote locations across the West. Inspired by the example of the Poets Laureate who have preceded me, I am eager to share my love of poetry, place and the power of the written word with Oregons diverse audiences, and to kindling creativity and community as I go, Waterston said in the announcement. In addition to her writing, Waterston also founded the Writing Ranch, which offers retreats and workshops for writers; was a founder of The Nature of Words, a nonprofit whose programs include an annual literary festival in Bend, and writing workshops; founded the Waterston Desert Writing Prize, which provides financial support for writers whose work reflects a connection to the desert, and which is a program of The High Desert Museum. Waterston has also been awarded an honorary Ph.D. by Oregon State University-Cascades, and serves on the faculty of OSU Cascades MFA Low Residency program. She received a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University, and a Master of Arts in Archaeology from the University of Madagascar. The Oregon Poet Laureate position is intended to, as the announcement said, foster the art of poetry, encourage literacy and learning, address central issues relating to humanities and heritage, and reflect on public life in Oregon. As part of her duties, Waterston, who assumes the role of Poet Laureate immediately, will provide at least 10 public readings per year across the state. The Oregon Poet Laureate program is funded by the Oregon Cultural Trust, and administered by Oregon Humanities. The person assuming the position is selected by a 20-person committee of writers, poets and cultural leaders, who review nominations. Top candidates are then submitted to the Governor for consideration. According to the Oregon Cultural Trust website, The Poet Laureate will receive an honorarium of $15,000 per year during the term of service. Each term is two years. In addition, the planned activities and travel for the Poet Laureate will be supported through an annual travel subsidy of up to $10,000. The Poet Laureate will participate in a minimum of ten public readings/events in urban and rural settings across the state. These funds are managed and administered by Oregon Humanities. Kristi Turnquist covers features and entertainment. Reach her at 503-221-8227, kturnquist@oregonian.com or @Kristiturnquist Our journalism needs your support. Please become a subscriber today at OregonLive.com/subscribe Coastal tribes in the Pacific Northwest experience some of the most severe effects of climate change from rising seas to severe heat but face an array of bureaucratic barriers to access government funds meant to help them adapt, a report released this week found. The tribes are leaders in combatting climate change in their region, but as they seek money for specific projects to address its repercussions, such as relocating a village threatened by rising waters, they often cant provide the matching funds that many grants require or the necessary staff or struggle with stringent application requirements, according to the report by the Northwest Climate Resilience Collaborative. If they do get funding, its often a small amount that can only be used for very specific projects when this work is typically much more holistic, the report found. Trying to do projects by piecing together grants that all have different requirements and different strings attached, without staff capacity is a challenge, Robert Knapp, environmental planning manager at the Jamestown SKlallam Tribe in northwest Washington, said in the report. The collaborative, funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, spent two years holding listening sessions with 13 tribes along the Pacific Coast of Oregon and Washington, the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Puget Sound. The communities face significant challenges from coastal flooding and erosion, rising stream temperatures, declining snowpack, severe heat events and increasing wildfire risk. In addition to funding challenges, those interviewed also described not having enough staff to adequately respond to climate change as well as sometimes not being able to partner with state and local governments and universities in this work because of their remote locations. They also said it can be hard to explain the impact climate change is having to people who dont live in their communities. But as they work to restore salmon habitats affected by warming waters or move their homes, funding gaps and complications were key concerns. A representative from one anonymous tribe in the report said it was not able to hire a grant writer and had to rely on its biology department to navigate the maze of funding applications. Another talked about depending on 15 separate funders just to build a marina. This is a time of historic state and federal investment in climate action, and tribal priorities really need to be considered when making decisions around how were going to be directing this investment, said Meade Krosby, senior author of the report. Hopefully this will help to inform how this work is being done, how these funds are being directed, so that they are actually responsive to the barriers that tribes are facing and helping to remove some of those barriers so the tribes can get the good work done. The Bureau of Indian Affairs did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment. Most of the tribes included in the report had completed publicly available reports on the impacts of climate change, and some had developed detailed plans for relocation as rising waters threaten buildings, or even entire villages. The Quinault Indian Nation, in Washingtons Olympic Peninsula, has a plan for relocating its largest village. The multimillion-dollar effort has relied on a piecemeal of federal and state grants and the constraints that come with them, Gary Morishima, Quinaults natural resources technical adviser, explained in the report. Other tribes brought up concerns about competing against other tribal nations for funding when collaboration is such a vital part of responding to climate change. Tribal lands share borders and coastlines, and the impacts of climate change on those lands do not stop at any border, the report pointed out. Amelia Marchand, citizen of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and another author of the report, explained that it comes down to the federal government fulfilling its trust responsibility to tribes. The treaty is supposed to support and uplift and ensure that what the tribes need for continued existence is maintained, she said. And thats one of the issues with not having this coordinated federal response because different federal agencies are doing different things. Millions of dollars have gone to coastal tribes, and the report said much more is needed. It referenced a 2020 Bureau of Indian Affairs report that estimated that tribes in the lower 48 states would need $1.9 billion over the next half-century for infrastructure needs related to climate change. Amid all the challenges, Pacific Northwest tribes are still leaders in climate adaptation and have plenty to teach other communities, Marchand said. Finding ways to make their progress happen for their nations and their communities despite those odds is one of the most inspiring and hopeful resilient stories, she said. -- The Associated Press Suzano Ventures Makes Investment in BemAgro to Accelerate Development of Silviculture Applications Suzano Ventures will provide BemAgro with access to Suzano's farms and infrastructure, operations, and market and technical expertise, promoting the creation of new algorithms designed specifically for eucalyptus farming. Suzano Ventures will provide BemAgro with access to Suzano's farms and infrastructure, operations, and market and technical expertise, promoting the creation of new algorithms designed specifically for eucalyptus farming. Aug. 14, 2024 - Suzano Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of Suzano, has made a strategic investment in BemAgro, a leading Brazilian AgTech startup delivering Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions to optimize the agricultural cycle at every stage, from planting to harvesting. The investment comes as part of a US$2.6 million funding round led by CNH, an equipment, technology, and services company in the agriculture and construction sectors. Suzano Ventures joins the round as a strategic investor alongside ATVOS, Brazil's second-largest producer of market ethanol, from sugarcane and its biomass. Through the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, BemAgro's digital agriculture solutions facilitate accurate and automated data processing to optimize crop planting, growth, and harvesting, therefore increasing operational performance and productivity, and reducing costs. With a proven track record and strong results in enhancing agricultural processes within Brazil's sugarcane industry, this partnership will allow BemAgro's pioneering solutions to be transferred to eucalyptus farming. With more than 5 million hectares processed, the technology is widely used in Brazil, Latin America, and Asia. In sugarcane fields, it reduces herbicide and input application by an average of 70% by detecting weed infestation, and increases productivity by 7.5% detecting early-stage gaps. With a two-year roadmap in place, Suzano Ventures will support BemAgro in refining and accelerating the application of its digital agriculture solutions for precision silviculture. More than just capital, Suzano Ventures will provide BemAgro with access to Suzano's farms and infrastructure, operations, and market and technical expertise, promoting the creation of new algorithms designed specifically for eucalyptus farming. This will, in turn, both validate the use of BemAgro's technologies within the eucalyptus industry and allow Suzano to advance its silviculture capabilities. "Having seen the positive impact of BemAgro's offering in comparable industries, we are confident that the integration of its technologies within Suzano's silviculture operations will substantially increase efficiencies at all stages of the eucalyptus lifecycle," said Alvaro Gomez Rodriguez, Senior Manager at Suzano Ventures. "By facilitating more detailed monitoring of our seedlings, this technology will allow us to better assess the quality of growth at this critical stage, when the long-term health of the tree is mostly determined." Suzano Ventures is the venture capital arm of Suzano, the world's largest market pulp producer. SOURCE: Hawthorn Advisors Richard N. W. Lambert, an active devotee of Latter-day Saint history who is now retired as a federal prosecutor and an Assistant United States Attorney, is featured in the newest short-video feature from the Interpreter Foundation, which is entitled The Witnesses are Credible. (As with the other video shorts in this series, its been drawn from the 2022 Interpreter Foundation docudrama Undaunted: Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, which is an accompanying sequel to the 2021 theatrical film Witnesses.) Brother Lambert is the person who recruited me as an expert witness for the prosecution in the two-year-long federal case against Brian David Mitchell (aka Immanuel David Isaiah), the now-convicted and imprisoned kidnapper of Elizabeth Smart. I hope that youll watch this little video (its less than a minute long) and that youll pass it on to others. Ive been thinking about temples today, and about the apostolic keys that make them possible. For one thing, my wife and I participated in a session this afternoon in the Payson Utah Temple. Ill only say this: We live in interesting times! Meanwhile, the proposed McKinney Texas Temple has just been turned down for the second time, unanimously, by the McKinney town council, and, after having been unanimously approved by the mayor and city council of Las Vegas, the proposed Lone Mountain Nevada Temple and the city councils decision in its favor are now facing a courtroom challenge. (Nearly forty years earlier, the first Latter-day Saint temple to be built in Las Vegas faced similar opposition.). And the small temple proposed for Cody, Wyoming, has thus far been blocked by legal challenges. In that light, Im grateful to a commenter on this blog named John Pack Lambert for having called to my attention the website for the McKinney Texas Temple. Of particular interest to me is the letter sent to the mayor and city council of McKinney by the nearly 150-year-old McKinney-based law firm of Abernathy, Roeder, Boyd, and Hullett, which is representing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in this matter. One of the two authors of the letter Jared J.Pace, an attorney who also holds a degree in geographic information systems and urban planning is almost certainly a Latter-day Saint. The principal author, however, and the first author who is listed for the letter, is Richard M. Abernathy, who, according to the official biography for him on his law firms website, is a member of Stonebridge United Methodist Church there in McKinney. You may read the letter sent by Abernathy, Roeder, Boyd, and Hullett here and then form your own opinion as to whether as certain online critics are indignantly claiming the Church is simply acting the part of a lawless bully in this matter, trying with its massive and utterly inappropriate temple to intimidate and overwhelm the unfortunate citizens of McKinney, Texas, and callously, even brutally, willing to do severe damage to their charming and heretofore peaceful neighborhood. I invite you to pay particular attention along the way to the various images that are included in the letter. I found Brother Lamberts comment on a prior blog entry worth repeating here, in the context of this topic: The fact that the city has no zoning that allows religious buildings as of right [now?] is problematic. The fact that this site will become one of 4 religious buildings in a row with shops of some sort across the street gives the lie to claims this is a residential area. The fact the city previously approved a 158-feet high bell tower on a Methodist Church is key. The fact the project was altered is immaterial. The fact that there is a 170-foot high church in the same zip code also matters. Were having regular weekly meetings now with our distribution team for Six Days in August, and plans are shaping up. (As our principal distribution planner, who also handled the very successful recent Latter-day Saint film Escape from Germany, puts it, This is really happening!) As details of our timing and strategy are nailed down, Ill try to bring them to your attention here on this blog, as well as elsewhere. (Such things are among the reasons that I have a blog.) We are, Im afraid, going to ask you for your help in getting the word out. Our distribution budget is limited, and well need to rely on word-of-mouth to a degree considerably beyond that of a big-budget Hollywood movie. Well eventually be posting listings of the theaters in which Six Days in August will be screened, and well invite you to request that the film be shown in theaters near you. (Well let you know how to do that.) Well encourage you to take friends and family to showings of Six Days in August, to buy gift tickets for others, to take Church groups to theaters in order to watch it together. And well be happy if some out there choose to rent entire theaters for screenings of the film. (In many areas, doing so is not nearly as expensive as you may think.) We are hoping to stimulate, encourage, foster, and help to inform discussions about Brigham Young, the succession of the Twelve to the leadership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the authority of the modern prophets and apostles who lead the Church today. To that end, we hope to complete a docudrama to accompany Six Days in August that will feature, among other things, interviews with prominent scholarly experts who are in a position to comment intelligently on Brother Brigham, the 1844 succession crisis, and the transfer of the keys of priesthood authority. Portions of that docudrama, including dramatic footage and several such interviews with scholars, have already been filmed Ill be conducting another interview with one of those experts tomorrow morning, Thursday morning, in Salt Lake City but I confess that we still need to raise more funding in order to be able to confidently proceed with the docudrama in its fullness. We could even use more funds for publicity for the forthcoming dramatic film itself. So the work goes on, and we need and appreciate your help. Editors Note: Microsoft says that it has permanently fixed this issue, caused due to a version mismatch between Office 2016 proofing tools in coexistence with Office language packs (M365 apps for Enterprise). Youll need to update Office 365 to Version 2409, which is expected on Sept. 24, 2024. Microsoft warns that merely typing in several Microsoft 365 apps can cause the app itself to unexpectedly crash, a rather rude way to interrupt your day! While theres no fix at the present, there is a workaround. Today is Amazon Prime Big Deal Days! Our editorial team lists the best tech deals here. ] Neowin unearthed this Microsoft support document from Wednesday, which gets right to the point: Outlook, Word, or OneNote unexpectedly close when typing. After updating to Version 2407 Build 17830.20138 or higher you find that Outlook, Word, or OneNote may unexpectedly close when typing or doing other authoring tasks such as spell check, Microsoft said. All three apps are part of Microsoft 365, which means that a constant flow of updates is part of this subscription service. Its probably pretty clear that all three apps are subject to the bug if they unexpectedly crashed while you were the middle of an absolutely crucial report thats due soon. (Obviously, make sure you have auto-save turned on.) To confirm this, however, Microsoft suggests that you look at the Windows Event Viewer Application Log for Event 1000 or Event 1001, and then the following event details: Faulting application name: OUTLOOK.EXE, version: 16.0.17830.20138, time stamp: 0x66aaad8c Faulting module name: mscss7it.dll, version: 16.0.12527.20122, time stamp: 0x5e439ea1 Exception code: 0xc0000005 Fault offset: 0x000000000003e518 Faulting process id: 0x0x51B0 Faulting application start time: 0x0x1DAE97DD89190C3 Microsoft says that the bug may occur if the language pack isnt updated, too. In the example above, mscss7it.dll refers to the Italian language pack. The file name may vary by language. Theres no fix, but there is a workaround. Microsoft suggests either performing an online repair of the Office application or else uninstalling and reinstalling the language pack. Microsoft provides some assistance on how to do that, here. Finally, remember to save! A Justice of the Court of Appeal, Sophia Rosetta Bernasko-Essah, has urged the public to desist from crossing the boundary through scurrilous attacks on the courts or making prejudicial statements on pending matters, saying such tendencies impaired public confidence in the judiciary. After a prolonged controversy over the manner of the appointment process and other connecting legalities, Justice Bernasko-Essah took her seat for the vetting that lasted about two hours. She said once judgment had been delivered, people were at liberty to attack it all the way to whichever level they wished and could have it determined on appeal. However, she said, such commentary should be informed discussions instead of inciting the public against the person of a judge or of the entire judicial system. Mrs Bernasko-Essah said this when she appeared before the Appointments Committee of Parliament yesterday during the vetting for her appointment to the Supreme Court by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. Justice Bernasko-Essah was appointed together with a legal academic and fellow of the Ghana Academy of Sciences, Professor Richard Frimpong Oppong. Their appointment, according to the President, followed the mandatory retirement of three Justices of the apex court earlier this year. Controversy The committee had been engulfed in controversy for hours before the real vetting process started, as members debated the appropriateness of the appointment process. Public confidence It is my view that if anyone has the slightest concern with the Judiciary, then it needs to be worked on. And I know that there have been complaints of delays, complaints of unresponsiveness, unequal access to the Judiciary, and as much as possible, it is our responsibility to make sure that those thoughts or views are completely eradicated, Justice Bernasko-Essah said. This is because the authority of the courts thrives on public confidence, and public confidence is one of the pillars of the rule of law, so it is important that as much as possible, we ensure that we gain utmost confidence from the people who have reposed trust in us as a Judiciary to dispense with justice on their behalf, she added. Justice Bernasko-Essah said when it came to matters of unethical conduct, the Judiciary was doing a lot about it. She, however, suggested that there should be a sustained monitoring of the compliance with legal ethics in the judicial system to ensure a strict adherence to the code of ethics. We must ensure that incidents or allegations of improper conduct must be dealt with decisively and speedily. I would also say that we must, as judges, try to deliver or render our judgments without delay, she said. She added that there should be decorum and comportment in court as much as possible and that the Judiciary must do everything to win the trust and confidence of the people who come before it for the determination and adjudication of their cases. Conduct Justice Bernasko-Essah said she aspired to construe the Constitution in a manner that would bring hope and achieve the aspirations of citizens of the country in order to be able to live a worthy life to have a better socioeconomic existence. She held the view that law was tied to life, and, therefore, as much as possible in interpreting the Constitution, it must be done in a manner that would not undermine the social benefits that the law was intended to achieve. In interpreting the Constitution, it must be done to achieve a social end, a social benefit, and should not be interpreted in abstracts. Honourable Chair, I would say that interpreting the Constitution must be done purposefully, and it should not be narrow. It should not be doctrinaire. It should be liberal and broad so that it would achieve the benefits which the good people of this country intended it to achieve, she stressed. Source: graphic.com.gh Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Kenyan journalist Rukia Bulle has won the 2024 BBC News Komla Dumor Award. The 26-year-old, who is the ninth recipient of the award and works for Kenyas Nation Media Group, specialises in human interest stories. Bulle has also successfully built a strong following on TikTok through her relatable and informative content on the life of a journalist. The award was created to honour Dumor, a Ghanaian journalist and presenter for BBC World News, who died suddenly aged 41 in 2014. He had worked tirelessly to bring a more nuanced narrative of Africa to the world, representing a confident, savvy and entrepreneurial side. The judges were impressed by Bulles resilience and ability to handle challenging stories, her focus on highlighting under-represented voices and her strong on-air presence. Winning this award means a great deal to me. As a journalist, you constantly strive to do your best, regardless of recognition, so to be acknowledged on a global stage through the Komla Dumor Award is incredibly validating, said Bulle, who appeared last year on a list of 100 Most Influential Kenyan Muslims. I hope this award inspires young girls like me, who wear the hijab and come from minority communities, to dream big and achieve their goals. The Kenyan journalist will spend three months working with BBC News teams across television, radio and online in London. She will also receive training and be mentored by leading BBC journalists. Tarik Kafala, acting director of the BBC World Service, said he was delighted that the Komla Dumor Award had nurtured the careers of several journalists across the continent. Previous recipients of the award have made significant contributions to public service journalism so we are thrilled to welcome Rukia Bulle as this years winner, he said. As part of the placement, Bulle will travel to a country in Africa to report on a story that will be broadcast to the BBC's global audiences. Previous award recipients are Paa Kwesi Asare, Dingindaba Jonah Buyoya, Victoria Rubadiri, Solomon Serwanjja, Waihiga Mwaura, Amina Yuguda, Didi Akinyelure and Nancy Kacungira, the inaugural winner. Last year, Asare travelled to Kenya to report on the countrys budding electric motorbike taxi revolution. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Peace Keepers Assembly is preparing to host its highly anticipated annual prophetic conference, "SOAR 2024," on August 22-23 at the church's auditorium in Kwabenya, Accra. This year's theme, "Mastering the Spirit Realm," is inspired by Isaiah 40:31. The evening encounter aims to empower attendees to rise above life's challenges and achieve new spiritual heights. The two-day event promises powerful spiritual renewal and empowerment, with renowned Nigerian preacher and founder of The Shepherd's House Assembly, Apostle Joshua Talena, as the keynote speaker. Apostle Talena is expected to deliver profound apostolic teachings focused on strengthening the body of Christ. Hosted by the head pastor of the church Reverend Daniel Agbesi, the conference will feature spirit-filled worship led by Ministers Kweku Teye, David Rains, and Rama Antwi, creating an atmosphere primed for deep spiritual encounters. Through inspirational messages, visions, and prophecies, many will receive renewed strength and direction to navigate the difficult times. The church extends an open invitation to all believers to attend this power-packed event, which begins at 5PM prompt each day. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A Supreme Court nominee, Professor Richard Frimpong Oppong, faced intense questioning over his views on LGBTQ+ rights during his vetting by the Appointments Committee of Parliament yesterday. The professor was grilled about a paper he wrote on recognising foreign same-sex marriages in Ghana, with some committee members expressing concerns that his views could be seen as promoting LGBTQ+ activities. Some members of the committee raised concerns about a confidential report from the National Intelligence Bureau, which suggested that Professor Oppong promotes LGBTQ+ activities. Professor Oppong denied the allegations, stating that his academic work was misinterpreted. He emphasised that his paper focused on the legal implications of recognising foreign same-sex marriages in a specific issue, not advocating for LGBTQ+ rights. I reject in the strongest possible terms any suggestion that I promote LGBTQ+ activities, Professor Oppong said. My academic work is focused on the legal implications of recognising foreign same-sex marriages, not advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, he added. Despite his denials, some committee members remained skeptical, citing concerns about the potential impact of his views on Ghanas laws and social norms. One of the Members of Parliament (MPs), Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, NDC MP for South Dayi, suggested that the nominee would be a danger to the Anti-LGBTQ Bill if approved to the Supreme Court, which Prof. Oppong rejected. I vehemently reject that I will be a danger to anything youre talking about if I get to the Supreme Court, Professor Oppong said. My responsibility as a judge is to apply the laws of Ghana, not to espouse any views through my judgment. When asked directly if he believes in same-sex marriage, Professor Oppong responded with a clear No. The Law professor was also questioned about the funding of his research, specifically a paper he wrote on recognising foreign same-sex marriages in Ghana. He revealed that his research was funded by the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada, an institution that funds all academic works in Canadian universities. Professor Oppong emphasised that the institution has no agenda and funds research across various disciplines. He assured the committee that his academic work is neutral and does not promote any specific ideology. Professor Oppong also faced questions about his experience as a lawyer, with some committee members expressing concerns that he had not practiced law in Ghana for an extended period. However, he highlighted his extensive experience as an arbitrator and his association with law firms in Ghana. The professors responses were met with a mix of skepticism and praise from the committee members. While some appreciated his clarity and expertise, others remained unconvinced about his suitability for the Supreme Court. Source: dailyguidenetwork.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Chaos erupted at the Appointments Committee of Parliament yesterday as Minority members attempted to halt the vetting process of two Supreme Court nominees, Justice Sophia Rosetta Oduokuwa Bernasko Essah and Prof. Richard Frimpong Oppong. The nominees, appointed by President Akufo-Addo to fill anticipated vacancies on the apex court, were scheduled to face the committee yesterday. However, the proceedings were marred by controversy as Minority members raised concerns over the constitutionality of their appointments, questioning the Presidents authority to appoint more than nine justices to the Supreme Court, in addition to the Chief Justice. Minority Contention Led by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, the Minority members sought to suspend the proceedings, arguing that the appointments were unconstitutional. I think that we have been doing an illegal thing; an unconstitutional thing. The President has been exercising the power without any foundation in the constitution or any law that I know, and I want to raise it and have it captured in the report of the committee, Ayariga said. He continued, It flies in the face of Article 128 of the Constitution, and it is not founded in Article 144 of the Constitution. It offends the discretionary power provisions of Article 296. It doesnt satisfy the Parliaments powers to fill in voids under Article 298 of the Constitution. I dont know if you want to continue with this exercise, but to tell you the truth, weve been doing the wrong thing, he asserted, with the backing of other Minority members. Majority Fires Back Despite the challenges, the Majority members remained resolute in their determination to push forward with the vetting process, after pushing back against the Minoritys preliminary objection. In a strongly worded argument to dismiss the preliminary objection, the Deputy Majority Leader, Patricia Appiagyei, who chaired the sitting, contended that the interpretation of the constitution is the exclusive domain of the judiciary, specifically the Supreme Court. She further argued that the Minoritys lead objector, Mahama Ayariga, lacks the jurisdictional authority to render binding constitutional interpretations. Madam Patricia Appiagyei, who is the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Asokwa, described Ayarigas argument as a subjective understanding of the law, susceptible to varying interpretations. She emphasised that if Ayariga is convinced of his positions validity, the appropriate forum for seeking a definitive and authoritative pronouncement is the Supreme Court, not Parliament or its committees, an argument canvassed by the Majority members. Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, stressed that Parliaments role is to exercise its constitutional mandate, unfettered by individual members legal opinions, no matter how well-intentioned. He warned that allowing a preliminary objection based on a single members interpretation would improperly usurp the judiciarys constitutional authority and potentially obstruct the legislative process. He urged the chairperson to reject the Minoritys objection and proceed with the vetting process, citing the need to respect the separation of powers and the constitution. Delayed Process The standoff led to a prolonged and intense debate, with the committees proceedings temporarily halted as members engaged in a closed-door meeting to resolve the impasse. However, the Minority members vowed to continue their opposition, asking for the issue to be put to vote for a decision to be taken. This further set the stage for a protracted and contentious battle, with the development sparking widespread interest and concern among legal experts and the general public, who eagerly watched the unfolding drama on TV. Voting After hours of intense debate and argument, the matter was finally decided with a vote, which resulted in the loss of the motion by the Minority members. The Majoritys victory meant that the vetting process would proceed as scheduled, paving the way for the two nominees to face the committee. Nominees Scrutiny Meanwhile, the Supreme Court nominee, Justice Rosetta, faced tough questioning from lawmakers during her vetting hearing. The nominee was grilled on her judicial experience, legal education reform, and her approach to constitutional interpretation. When asked about her judicial experience, Justice Sophia Rosetta Essah highlighted her extensive background, having served on the High Court of Justice, the Court of Appeal, and presiding over various cases in different regions. She emphasised her wide exposure to various areas of the law, including commercial law, general jurisdiction, and alternative dispute resolution. However, some lawmakers expressed concerns about her stance on legal education reform. Madam Rosetta acknowledged the need for reform but emphasised the importance of exposing more people to legal education, citing the countrys growing democracy. She suggested that experts in the academic area should be consulted to determine the best practices for legal education reform. The nominee was also questioned about her views on the Star Decius, a legal principle that allows for the development of the law. Madam Rosetta stated that it is beneficial to develop the law to meet current social circumstances, but she could not identify any disadvantages. When asked about arbitration, Madam Rosetta advocated for alternative dispute resolution and suggested that the apex court could entertain arbitration in matters that come before it. The hearing also touched on Madam Rosettas preferred philosophy of constitutional interpretation. She emphasised the importance of interpreting the law to bring meaning and benefit to the people of Ghana, construing the constitution in a manner that achieves social benefits and does not undermine the laws intended purpose. Source: dailyguidenetwork.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video In a strategic move, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has temporarily halted his campaign activities to focus on finalizing the partys 2024 Manifesto. The manifesto, set to be launched on August 18, 2024, in Takoradi, Western Region will outline the NPPs vision for Ghanas development and growth. According to Dennis Miracles Aboaye, Director of Communications for the campaign team, the manifesto will present Bold Solutions for the next chapter of Ghanas development, with a strong emphasis on job creation and business growth. This pause in campaigning allows Dr Bawumia and his team to refine their policy proposals and prepare to share their comprehensive plan with the nation, he said in a statement. However, the campaign team is urging Ghanaians to continue supporting Dr Bawumia, even as he takes a brief break from the campaign trail. Once the manifesto is unveiled, Dr Bawumia will resume his tour of the country, engaging with constituents and sharing the NPPs vision for a brighter future. The Presidential Candidate of NPP, in the last two weeks, commenced the second phase of his campaign tour of the Eastern Region. He is expected to continue after the manifesto launch. Source: dailyguidenetwork.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has raised concerns over the nomination of a dual citizen for a Supreme Court position, emphasizing that such individuals should not be eligible for key governmental roles, especially as judges on the highest court. President Akufo-Addo recently nominated Professor Richard Frimpong Oppong, a dual citizen, alongside Justice Sophia Essah, for the Supreme Court. However, during the vetting process on Tuesday, August 12, Dr. Forson, a member of the Parliamentary Appointments Committee, argued that Prof. Oppong's dual citizenship disqualifies him from serving on the Supreme Court. Dr. Forson asserted that Prof. Oppong must relinquish his foreign citizenship before being considered for the role. "The Constitution, in Article 156(1), clearly requires an oath of allegiance, which the Supreme Court has interpreted as tied to nationality," Dr. Forson explained. "In my view, you do not qualify, and I believe you must renounce your citizenship to be eligible for the position of a Supreme Court judge." Adding to the discussion, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for Ellembelle, highlighted the inconsistency of disqualifying the NDC MP for Assin North, Gyakye Quayson, from Parliament even after he had renounced his foreign citizenship. Prof. Oppong, who holds dual Ghanaian-Canadian citizenship, could become the first dual citizen to serve on Ghana's Supreme Court. This follows a recent Supreme Court ruling that overturned certain provisions of the Citizenship Act, thereby allowing dual citizens to hold positions such as Chief Justice and Chief Director. The Supreme Court's decision, passed by a majority, struck down sections of the Citizenship Act that previously barred dual citizens from holding key government positions, including roles like Chief Justice, Commissioner of the Value Added Tax Service, and Chief Director of a Ministry. Source: graphic.com.gh Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has planned to snatch some key parliamentary seats from the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) on December 7. According to the party, the targeted seats included the famous Asawase Constituency seat, in the Ashanti Region, which has never been won by the NPP before. This was disclosed by Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, aka Napo, the NPP running mate, whilst addressing party faithful in Kumasi on Sunday. Napo stated that some key parliamentary seats, which the NDC considers to be their bona fide property, would fall during the impending national elections. According to him, aside Asawase, the NPP is also targeting to win seats in Sekyere Afram Plains, New Edubiase and Ejura Sekyedumase constituencies in the Ashanti Region. Napo, who is the running mate of the NPP presidential candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, said the party is also planning to snatch some NDC seats in other regions. We have planned to snatch the Asawase, Sekyere Afram Plains and other key parliamentary seats from the NDC during the upcoming elections, he pointed out. He, therefore, charged party members and supporters to embrace hard work, stressing that with a united front and hard work, the NDC seats would fall. Napo was speaking during the official launching of the Ashanti Regional NPP Campaign Working Committees and Womens Conference, held in Kumasi last Sunday. He also admonished the electorates to cast their ballots for Dr. Bawumia and all the NPP parliamentary candidates, to enable the party sustain its good works in the country. Napo said the country was mismanaged by the NDC and former President John Mahama when they were given the chance to govern, so they were totally rejected in 2016. According to Napo, the NDC has nothing good to offer the country and its people, stressing the need for the electorate to reject former President Mahama once again. Under former President John Mahama and the NDC, the country was plunged into total darkness because of gross mismanagement and recklessness, he indicated. Napo said the bad leadership exhibited by the NDC led to the collapse of businesses in the country, which unfortunately resulted in severe economic hardship. He, therefore, asked his audience, Why is John Mahama and the NDC looking for political power again after mismanaging the economy when they were given the chance to rule? Napo asked again, Is the NDC coming to promote dumsor or coming back to sack nurses and teachers to cause hardships again? noting that the NDC should remain in opposition for more years. Source: dailyguidenetwork.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video James Kwabena Bomfeh has waded into discussions on the Special Prosecutor's report on Airbus corruption scandal involving former President and presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress, John Dramani Mahama. The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, in his report released days ago, exonerated John Mahama from the scandal although he identified the latter as the "Governor Official 1" cited during investigations by foreign authorities into the scandal. Airbus Airbus, an European aircraft manufacturer, was alleged to have paid bribes in Ghana in the sale of three military aircraft to the country. The allegations came to light after a series of investigations and prosecutions of Airbus by the US, the UK and France authorities, compelling President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to refer the case to the Office of the Special Prosecutor for investigations. Airbus, after almost 4 years of investigations by US, UK and France authorities, was fined $3.9 billion for its corrupt practices in Ghana, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Taiwan. During the investigations, Mahamas name popped up when Airbus was said to have bribed a high-profile figure in Ghana referred to as Governor Official 1 in the documents. Although Mr. Mahama initially denied being the one named Governor Official 1, the OSPs report has identified him as such but says he did no wrong. The OSP found no evidentiary basis that suggests that former President John Dramani Mahama or any other public official was induced to improperly favour or did improperly favour Airbus in respect of the purchase by the Government of Ghana of military transport aircraft from Airbus. The Special Prosecutor has directed the closure of the OSP investigation into alleged bribery of high-ranking Ghanaian officials by Airbus SE, through intermediaries, in respect of the sale of military transport aircraft by Airbus SE to the Republic of Ghana between 2009 and 2015, it stated. Kabilla's Reply James Kwabena Bomfeh, popularly called "Kabilla", commenting on the issue during Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" show, urged the parties which have suspicions on the report to proceed to court. "If there is suspicion of an offence, let's go through the proper investigations and let the Attorney-General deal with the matter", the former CPP General Secretary replied. He however challenged the establishment of the Office of the Special Prosecutor "if any of the people who are charged with offences by the OSP gather courage and travel to the Supreme Court like someone did in Kenya in 2000, that office may not survive". Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Update: Coroner IDs victim killed in shooting near Pa. courthouse A shooting near the Northumberland County Courthouse in Sunbury on Thursday afternoon has forced it to close for the remainder of the day, according to a news report. The Daily Item reported that emergency responders took one person from the scene of the shooting, which occurred after the first day of an attempted homicide trial broke for lunch. Police confirmed the shooter was not in custody as of 2 p.m., according to the story, which noted that Second Street was closed for two blocks near the courthouse and many police officers had gathered in the area. The courthouse was put on lockdown and will stay closed until tomorrow, according to the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts. near the Northumberland County Courthouse on Thursday afternoon, more than 30 minutes after the incident took place hours after an attempted homicide trial began in the city. Police confirmed the shooter is not in custody as of 2 p.m., two hours after the shooting occurred. Second Street remains closed for two blocks near the courthouse. A heavy police presence remains at the scene. Market Street remains open. Police have roped off an area around the Weis Market parking lot, while police tape has been removed around the First National Bank location. State employees can now receive substantial discounts at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology. The school has signed an agreement with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to offer tuition discounts to state employees and their dependents. Greg Kihn, who had a number of hits back in the 1980s, has died. He was 75. According to a statement on his website, Kihn died on Tuesday after battling Alzheimers Disease. Known for his magnetic stage presence and unique storytelling that captivated audiences around the globe, he was not merely a musician but a cultural phenomenon whose influence will resonate for generations to come, the statement said. Born in Baltimore, Kihn moved to the San Francisco area in the 1970s, and released his first album in 1976. Kihn scored his first hit in 1981 with The Breakup Song (They Dont Write Em), which hit number 15 on the Billboards Hot 100 chart, according to CBS News. Then, in 1983, he scored a number two hit with Jeopardy. The song also reached number one on the Billboard dance chart and was parodied by Weird Al Yankovich as I Lost on Jeopardy. Some of Kihns other well-known songs include Reunited, Remember and Lucky. In addition to his work as a songwriter and musician, Kihn was a DJ at the classic rock station KFOX in San Diego from 1996 to 2012. He will always be a part of the 98.5 KFOX family and an amazing friend. Greg you will be missed, morning DJ Chris Jackson wrote on the stations Facebook page. Kihn also wrote six novels and a number of short stories, and helped to raise money for Operation Care and Comfort, a nonprofit that helped veterans. He is survived by his wive, Jay Arafiles-Kihn, his son Ryan Kihn, daughter Alexis Harrington-Kihn, sister Laura Otremba, and two grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, his family asks that donations instead be made in Kihns name to The Alzheimers Association. A concert celebrating Kinns life will be announced in the near future, according to the official statement. Scott Ian, the guitarist and co-founder of the popular thrash metal band Anthrax, shared some sad news on social media earlier this week. In an Aug. 14 post on Instagram, Ian said that his father, Herbert Rosenfeld, had died. Rosenfeld was a jewelry professional who lived in Boca Raton, Florida, and was 83 years old, according to Blabbermouth. Growing up my dad was my constant. He was an island of security in an ocean of dysfunction, Ian wrote. Most of my core memories of my childhood and early teen years are of times spent with my dad. Whether it was ski trips to Vermont, or going over to cousin Eds house to watch Ed and his buddies jam, or game 6 of the 1977 World Series, or fishing on the boat in Merrick, or giving me a job so I could make money to buy guitars and amps - he always had my back. He wholeheartedly supported my decision to drop out of college to follow my passion to be in a band. That decision got me thrown out of my house, Dad and my stepmom Rhea let me come live with them in Merrick, Ian continued. Dad said, You have to try, you give it your all and if it doesnt work out you can always go back to school or work with me. He was my rock. Ian went on to say how much he enjoyed working as a messenger for his father, and how everyone in the neighborhood knew him as Herbies kid. Dad was even-keeled, solid, and I give him all the credit for that part of my personality, how Im able to be calm and roll with stressful situations. Id never have made it 43 years in a band without his influence, he wrote. When you find the right person you know it and you dedicate your life to making that relationship everything, making your family everything with unconditional love, and that was my dad, he continued, closing the post with We are the sons of a fine man. I love you dad. RIP Herb Rosenfeld. Several members of Anthrax offered their condolences in the comments section of Ians post. Bassist Frank Bello wrote, So sorry to hear this Scott- I loved Herb, he was a great man and always so supportive of everything we did. May he rest in peace. Founded by Ian and then-bassist Dan Lilker in 1981, Anthrax became one of the leaders of the thrash metal scene of the 1980s and 90s, along side groups like Metallica and Megadeth. Winemaker Conor Quilty came in on the ground floor of a planned new winery in Tewksbury Township, New Jersey, in 2021. In the process, the Mechanicsburg native and Cumberland Valley High School grad said that he and owners Frank and Elena Schwab have accomplished plenty, from switching winery names (from Soleiada to Meadowbrook) to getting their licensing approved to finding some retail partners and planting 15 acres of vines on the property in northern Hunterdon County. Oh, and also making and bottling whats now a portfolio of a handful of wines, including a Petillant Naturel. The only element that has been missing is sales. So its not that it was a wash, because at the same time we were planting a bunch of really nice vineyards, we were building out the facility more, he told PennLive last week. We were kind of get everything going, getting the right equipment. But it was Mondays big step, with Meadowbrooks wines now available for sale on a new website, that had Quilty feeling like theyre right on the precipice of solidifying a really, really great brand, he said. In addition to now having the license secured to sell direct-to-consumer in New Jersey, they have also gotten zoning approval to build a tasting room. Quilty is hopeful excavation on the 2,000-square-foot building at 18 King St. will begin by Sept. 1 and is ready to at least welcome tastings by appointment by June 1, 2025. Fingers crossed, he said about the date. I dont think thats optimistic, he said. I think that its reasonable. Quiltys career path since leaving CV, where among other things he was a member of a mock trial team that reached the state finals in 2010, has provided him the background for an ambitious venture like this one. Meadowbrook Winery's vineyard covers 15 acres in New Jersey's Hunterdon County.Meadowbrook Winery While studying plant biology at Connecticut College and furthering his viticulture and enology education through the University of California, Davis, Conor honed his focus to look at wine from a bottom-to-bottle perspective, according to a bio prepared ahead of his appearance at the Eastern Winery Exposition. From there, he took vineyard jobs in the Alexander Mountains and Sonoma Valley in California before moving into wine production, working harvests with the Jackson Estates and Stonestreet Winery in California as well as Yangarra Estate Vineyards and Hickinbotham Wines in South Australia. In 2016, he joined the Unionville Vineyards (N.J.) winemaking team in 2016 and became the head winemaker in January 2019. He later began consulting for the Schwabs, which turned into a full-time job running multiple aspects of the business once he left Unionville in 2021. Meanwhile, the owners, per a January 2024 story on mycentraljersey.com, had previously applied to convert a barn on their property on Cold Brook Road into a 1,695-square-foot winery and tasting room but dropped the plan when neighbors and environmentalists objected, worried it would cause too much traffic on the narrow dirt lane. But the Schwabs continued to pursue their dream, and when 18 King St. went up for sale, they bought it in August 2022 for $1.6 million. The property is adjacent to the winerys production facility and parts of the vineyard, according to the mycentraljersey.com story. Say Conor Quilty, winemaker at Meadowbrook Winery: 'I think were poised to make a splash on the scene.'Meadowbrook Winery Since then, Quilty said, the project has found new momentum, with the launching this week of the website and online sales. For now, those are strictly in-state, but he said that hes optimistic that they can soon add New York and Pennsylvania to the list. Meanwhile, wines by the glass have been available at the new Red Horse by David Burke at the former Bernards Inn in Bernardsville, Juniper Hill in the Annandale section of Clinton Township and the Stone House at Stirling Ridge in Warren. Tewksbury Fine Wine & Spirits also carries Meadowbrooks products. The current portfolio includes entry and reserve bottling of their Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc, a dry rose and the Albarino, and then I have a couple of little lines of some more experimental stuff, he said. I have a carbonic Cabernet Franc, I have a skin-contact Chardonnay blend, and I have like a pet-nat ... where I basically took the hard pressings of our methode champenoise projects and made it into a fun, entry-level sparkler. As of Aug. 12, Meadowbrook Winery was able to sell its wines direct to New Jersey consumers. It's also available at a few restaurants and shops near the winery.Meadowbrook Winery More will be added over the next couple of years, he said, as his sparkling program comes aboard. Currently, he has around 450 cases of sparkling aging in cages and is hopeful of releasing the first one around the time the tasting room opens. In time, bubbly will make up about a quarter of the portfolio, he said. That portfolio is a reflection of what Quilty has planted on a section of the 180 acres that border the Cold Brook Preserve. The oldest vines were planted in 2019 and the newest ones were added this year, with about 2 more acres scheduled to be planted in 2025. Then were going to sit put for a while until everything comes online, he said. The vines include Chardonnay, Albarino, Cabernet France, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Meadowbrook is using 100% New Jersey grapes, 75% of those from its vineyard, he said. That latter number figures to increase as the newer vines begin to bear more fruit. By next June, the plan is to have a 2,000-square-foot tasting room that can accommodate visitors to Meadowbrook Winery in Tewksbury Township, New Jersey.Meadowbrook Winery As they yield more, so hopefully will a business that hit a few bumps in the dirt road before finally gaining traction. Weve had the time to really boil it down and really think about it, and I think thats a huge benefit to anyone thats launching, is trying to figure out kind of who you are from the beginning and then starting with that strong vision, he said. I think were poised to make a splash on the scene. Raw milk contaminated with E.coli bacteria has been found at 14 stores in central Pennsylvania and should be thrown away immediately, according to the states Department of Agriculture. Milk sold between Aug. 5 to 12 by Leola-based Meadow View Jerseys has been found to be contaminated with the bacteria. The milk was sold in plastic gallon, quart, pint and plastic and glass half gallon jugs with a sell-by date of Aug. 19. Routine pathogen testing showed the milk was contaminated with E. coli bacteria that can make people sick with diarrhea, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, sepsis and other illnesses. The Department of Agriculture warned children under five, adults over 65 and people with compromised immune systems may be at risk. The farms store in Leola and retailers in Lancaster, Berks, Dauphin and Lebanon counties sold the milk, according to the department. The farm has reached out to retailers who distributed the milk. Meadow Valley Jersey alerted the Department of Agriculture of the contamination when a lab contracted by the farm for routine testing identified the presence of E. coli bacteria in raw milk samples. The Department of Agriculture confirmed the contamination through independent testing. As of yesterday, the Department of Agriculture has not been alerted to any patients experiencing symptoms of E. Coli exposure. The Department of Agriculture advises anyone experiencing symptoms to contact their physician. A representative from Meadow View Jerseys declined to comment Wednesday. Distributors include: Lancaster County Meadow View Jerseys Retail Farm Store, 172 South Farmersville Road, Leola, PA 17540 Bird in Hand Farm Supply, 2805 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bird in Hand, PA 17505 Ebenezer Groceries, 465 North Reading Road, Ephrata, PA 17522 Everest Indian Grocery Store, 1621 Columbia Ave., Lancaster, PA 17603 Forrys Country Store, 820 Ivy Drive Lancaster, PA 17601 Hilltop Acres, 347 Rife Run Road, Manheim, PA 17545 Mecks Produce, 1955 Beaver Valley Pike, Strasburg, PA 17579 Sensenig Poultry, 843 Furnace Hill Road, Lititz, PA 17543 The Country Store 3140, Mount Joy Road, Mount Joy PA 17552 Union Mill Acres, 7557 Elizabethtown, Road Elizabethtown, PA 17022 Willow Creek Grocery, 30 Willow Street, Reinholds, PA 17569 Berks County Weaver Orchard, 40 Fruit Lane, Morgantown, PA 19543 Dauphin County Soil & Soul Farm, 2405 Colebrook Road, Middletown, PA 17057 Lebanon County Country View Grocery, 1941 Horseshoe Pike, Annville, PA 17003 The Centers for Disease Contro Vice President Kamala Harris has a small lead over former President Donald Trump among Pennsylvania voters thanks to a bump in support from independents, according to a new poll. Lancaster-based Franklin & Marshall Colleges latest survey shows Harris leading Trump 46% to 43% while Robert F. Kennedy Jr. received 6% and Green Party candidate Jill Stein and Libertarian Chase Oliver garnered 1% each. Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry has joined 20 other state attorneys general in a court case to defend a key part of federal firearms law that prevents the interstate transfer of guns outside of licensed dealers. Henry and the other top law enforcement officials filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the case United States of America v. Perez, which was originally heard in federal district court in New York and has been appealed to the Second Circuit. By Milan Varia, The Philadelphia Inquirer (TNS) Matt and Emily Meyers had become so good at restoring old comic books that they were accused by the worlds largest and most influential comic book company of falsifying their projects results. It led to such a sharp decrease in their business that the Paoli married couple decided to sue the company, Certified Guaranty Company, for defamation. Amid accusations from the comic company that the Meyeres valuable rare comic books were fake untrue rumors that they said were spread through their industry the couple was in survival mode, said their attorney Lane Jubb Jr., putting their livelihoods at stake as they were forced to sell their restored comics below value and issue refunds to other comic book collectors. But after an eight-year legal battle, a Philadelphia jury last month sided with the Meyeres, ordering the comic book evaluating giant to pay the couple $10 million, and rendering a verdict likely to reverberate throughout the hobby industry, comic aficionados say. Referred to as grading, comic books are reviewed by companies like CGC a leader in its industry as a way to insure and value them. And criteria can vary depending on who does the evaluation. Its really an educated opinion, said Tate Ottati, owner of Tates Comics a renowned 31-year-old comic and pop culture superstore in Florida. But in the Meyeres case tried in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas before Judge Abbe Fletman the couple said the opinion devaluing their comics was just plain wrong, and cost them business as the head of the CGC maligned their work to others in the close-knit comic community. The practice of grading comic books has become an integral part of our hobby since the early aughts, but when CGC, the company that spearheaded grading in the first place, is found [liable] in a lawsuit of this magnitude, it sends shock waves through the hobby, said Kevin Polidano, owner of The Comic Doctor Inc., an authorized CGC dealer based out of Ontario, Canada. The $10 million win is a real wake-up call to all companies, really. Keeping client information private is sacrosanct. Unfortunately, CGC had to learn this lesson the hard way. Neither the CGC nor their attorneys responded to request for comment. What is comic book restoration? In the comic book space, theres an entire world of collectors, resellers, conservation specialists, and restorers. Restoring comic books can be a fickle practice, experts say, because too much cosmetic work can sometimes depreciate a comics value instead of increasing it. But sometimes depending on the extent of a comics age and damage its necessary, particularly for rare, valuable books. Depending on their grade, often issued by the CGC, restored comics can sell for hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Occasionally, extremely rare comic books can be priced in the millions. Comic book restoration usually refers to permanent changes made to the comic book that will enhance its appearance, Polidano of The Comic Book Doctor said. But unlike most other collectibles and fine art, restoration is considered a bad word when it comes to comic book collecting. For that reason, its a difficult practice that requires a high level of skill. Comic book restoration is hard to do right, Ottati said. The restorer can be fixing damage from all sorts of things, such as rips, pieces or pages missing, and water damage. What did the Meyeres say happened? Matt Meyers first began restoring comics in 2013, and through research of different techniques, created a unique way to restore comics by individually painting each dot on the comic book page, giving the art a more precise look. The method was so successful that Emily Meyers quit her 9-to-5 job as a cosmetic dermatology technician and learned how to restore comics. The Meyeres relationship with CGC began with comic book submissions and a phone call with its president and primary grader, Matt Nelson. Initially, the Meyeres relationship with CGC was great, according to court documents, but that changed after a 2015 meeting about Batman 1. The Meyeres met with Nelson for advice on how to best restore the comic, which Nelson said was one of the best restorations of Batman #1 hed seen, according to court documents. Nelson told the Meyeres that the Batman comic would receive the highest grade ever for a book of its rarity, so long as they took Nelsons advice, according to court documents. The Meyeres followed the advice, but when their copy of Batman 1 was sent back to the Meyeres, the grade didnt change and the value of the book stayed the same, according to court documents. In the same meeting, a different comic submitted by the Meyeres, Amazing Fantasy 15, experienced a similar fate: a higher grade was promised post-restoration, but the final score was worse than promised, according to court filings. The Meyeres questioned the grades they had received, but Nelson discouraged the two from trying to attain a second opinion score, according to court documents. The Meyeres work with CGC effectively ended two years later, when Nelson cast doubt on their work restoring Detective Comics 29. In June 2015, the Meyeres submitted the book to CGC to grade after they restored it under Nelsons direction, but it had received a much lower grade than anticipated because of Nelsons suspicions it had been re-glossed, according to court filings. Re-glossing is a process that restores a comic book covers shine using a spray treatment to make it look newer or retouch color breaks from wear, Ottati explained. Its considered a permanent change to a comic, and can come with negative connotations among the comic book restoration and collector community. The Meyeres said this was the first instance where they believed the CGC was seeking to destroy their business, according to court documents. We were getting frustrated because weve been honest with [him] every step of the way, Emily Meyers said. He wouldnt believe us. To prove he was telling the truth, Matt Meyers sent the comic to a metallurgical laboratory to test the book for gloss, where findings indicated there was no gloss on the comic, according to court documents. After that, the couple stopped submitting comics to CGC and switched to Comic Book Certification Service (CBCS), whose head grader, Steve Borock, was the former head grader for CGC, according to court documents. Spreading false rumors across the comic world CBCS graded the Detective Comics 29 highly, and the Meyeres sold it for $24,000. The buyer was happy with the purchase that is, until the broker for the sale went to Nelson, who told them the book was not worth the money, according to court documents. The buyer felt defrauded and overcharged, and the Meyeres ended up returning $3,000 to the buyer, according to court documents. At the 2015 San Diego Comic Con, Nelson told James Allen, managing director at Heritage Auctions, the worlds largest collectible auctioneer, the Meyeres books felt like recreations, according to court documents.

ALSO READ: Holy court case, Batman! Pa. court revives lawsuit by vintage comic book restorers who claim they were slandered Allen then told the couple that because the Meyeres and CGC were no longer working together, it would be difficult for Heritage sell their work, according to court documents. The defamation continued on CGCs online forum, where Nelson broadcasted false rumors, which CGCs customers consequently spread to other collectors, and the Meyeres were largely blacklisted by their industry, according to court documents. By then, the couple said they knew they needed to take the matter to court to clear their names. It was so pervasive in the community that we knew at that point, unless we change the message at the source, we were done for, Emily Meyers said. Eight years and a $10 million payout When the couple filed their complaint in December 2016, Jubb, the Meyeres attorney, said he didnt fully understand the gravity of the lawsuit, lacking understanding of the comics business. But as Jubb learned more about the industry, the collectors preferences, and the overall impact CGC had on them, he understood how aspersions from the comic grading giant could tank the couples restoration reputation, and thusly, their career. If they tried to sell a restored banana, it would be accused of being a rubber one, Jubb said. Last month, the Meyeres had their long-awaited day in court when the case went to trial during which a courtroom observer nearly fainted at the sight of their comic book being presented as evidence, and a closing argument referencing the Eagles-Cowboys rivalry. In urging the Philadelphia jury to side with his clients, Jubb said he likened the Meyeres experience of being shunned in the comic world after you accuse them of desecrating comics to going to an Eagles game wearing a Cowboys jersey. [Youd] be lucky to just get a beer in the back, he said. After 50 minutes of deliberations, the jury decided unanimously, awarding the Meyeres $5 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. Experts say the verdict could have a ripple effect throughout the industry. As for whats next for the couple, they are still trying to finally come down and relax from this emotional journeys end, according to Emily Meyers. Were gonna hang out with our four Pomeranians and spend time with our supportive families and friends that have been there for us this whole time, Matt Meyers said. (c)2024 The Philadelphia Inquirer Visit The Philadelphia Inquirer at www.inquirer.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.\ In a relatively rare publicized appearance, Congressman Scott Perry spoke Wednesday in Harrisburg at a roundtable talk on manufacturing and afterward brushed off any concerns with the investigation into his actions regarding the 2020 election. Perry a Republican who is facing a challenge this year from Democratic candidate Janelle Stelson visited a relatively friendly venue, with Wednesdays event hosted by the Pennsylvania Manufacturers Association, which has been aligned with Perry on trade and energy issues. By MEG KINNARD, The Associated Press COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Ohio Sen. JD Vance have agreed to debate each other on Oct. 1, setting up a matchup of potential vice presidents as early voting in some states gets underway for the general election. CBS News on Wednesday posted on its X feed that the network had invited both Vance and Walz to debate in New York City, presenting four possible dates Sept. 17, Sept. 24, Oct. 1 and Oct. 8 as options. Walz reposted that message from his own campaign account, See you on October 1, JD. The Harris-Walz campaign followed up with a message of its own, saying Walz looks forward to debating JD Vance if he shows up. Tim Walz speaks during a rally with Kamala Harris at Detroit Wayne County Metropolitan Airport in Romulus, Mich. on Wednesday, Aug. 7 2024. He'll debate JD Vance in October. (Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com, file)Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com Vance posted on X that he would accept the Oct. 1 invitation. He also challenged Walz to meet on Sept. 18. Officials with the Kamala Harris-Walz campaign did not immediately return a message seeking comment on Vances acceptance of the earlier debate that he said would be on CNN or whether Walz would participate in that one as well. Representatives for CNN did not immediately return messages seeking comment as to whether Walz had accepted the Sept. 18 invitation, when it was extended, or whether other dates had been proposed for a debate on the cable network. Whether or not Walz and Vance would debate before the Nov. 5 general election had been in question. In just the past several weeks, President Joe Biden left the campaign, Democrats selected Harris to lead their ticket. Vance has largely kept his focus trained on Harris, whom he would have been set to debate before Bidens departure from the race. Vance has lobbed critiques against Walz, including questioning the retired Army National Guardsmans service record. Former President Donald Trump, the GOP presidential nominee, has said he wanted Vance to debate Walz on CBS, which had been discussing potential dates for that meeting. The debate is expected weeks after the Sept. 10 top-of-the-ticket debate recently solidified between Trump and Harris on ABC News. Trump has said he negotiated several other debate dates, on three different networks. Fox News has also proposed a debate between Harris and Trump to take place on Sept. 4, and NBC News is angling to air one on Sept. 25. During an appearance in Michigan, Harris said she was happy to have that conversation about an additional debate. At the height of the food stamp backlog last November, pro bono attorneys and other volunteers at Alaska Legal Services got more than 600 requests in one month from Alaskans seeking a fair hearing to get their overdue food benefits. So the 97 requests that came in this July didnt feel like anything the group couldnt handle, said Leigh Dickey, the nonprofits advocacy director. But the number is still alarming, she said, and its double last months requests. Dickey said the states Division of Public Assistance is still dogged by the same problem: paperwork processing delays. Which is something the DPA, I think, is saying that they have fixed, she said. But we are still seeing clients coming in who have delays at recertification. Lawmakers and the governor have funneled more than $70 million into tech solutions and new staff, but many Alaskans say they still cant get their paperwork processed. The Division of Public Assistance, which processes the paperwork, said it now completes 89% of applications on time. That is a significant improvement over January through April of last year, when only about 5% of food stamp recertifications were on time. Dickey said the division also lags on responding when clients report changes in their household that affect benefits, like losing a job, and that it will ask for paperwork but neglect to file it, which can result in people losing benefits. And she said when DPA asks for paperwork to verify employment, there are often mix-ups: The clients will gather that information and will turn it in by a certain day, but DPA will close their case anyway. Its like one hand doesnt know what the other hand is doing, she said. Tech updates The Division of Public Assistance has taken many steps to get Alaskans benefits faster. It is working to reopen offices, increase training for the staff that processes applications and it launched an online application for public assistance benefits in late July. The goal of the online portal is to decrease the chance of paperwork mix-ups and increase the percentage of applications that are processed on time, officials say. The online application means people can apply for food stamps, renew their applications or report any changes like a lost job or a new baby from home. Its called Alaska Connect and its one of the first steps in the division moving entirely to a cloud-based system, said division Director Deb Etheridge. The primary goal is to provide better customer service to Alaskans and make it easier to access benefits and apply for benefits, she said. But Etheridge said it also helps reduce the administrative burden on eligibility technicians, which should reduce delays. It actually supports us with some administrative simplification. So if individuals have access to upload their documents and fill out their forms and fill them out completely, then that takes away the time that we have to spend getting additional information, she said. Alaska Connect doesnt allow people to check the status of their applications, but that piece is coming soon, Etheridge said. But that inability to check applications is a major pain point for some of the 97 people that filed complaints with Alaska Legal Services last month. Several of the states public assistance offices are still closed after pandemic shutdowns, or only allow general inquiries, which means people who are concerned about their benefits cannot get status updates or help problem solving when slowdowns occur. Officials say only the Sitka office is completely closed. The Anchorage, Ketchikan and Nome offices are open only for general inquiries, which means dropping off paperwork or basic questions, but no access to eligibility workers who can process applications or problem solve lost paperwork. Etheridge said they are working towards fully reopened offices and making progress. The Fairbanks office was the most recent to reopen, in July, and the Ketchikan office should reopen in August. The Alaska Beacon is an independent, donor-funded news organization. Alaskabeacon.com. Donald Trumps brand new economic plan is even worse than his old one, as he is now floating a tax increase of $3,900 per year on typical American families. Trump doubled the amount of tariffs he wants to impose from 10% to 20%, according to The Washington Post: Former president Donald Trump on Wednesday appeared to open the door to significantly expanding his plans to impose sweeping new tariffs if he returns to office, suggesting an escalation in proposals that many experts already see as likely to cause a global trade war. Previously, the Republican presidential nominee had called for levying tariffs of 10 percent on all U.S. trading partners, aiming to create a ring around the collar of the national economy. But during remarks on the economy in Asheville, N.C., Trump for the first time floated tariffs of between 10 and 20 percent on imports to the United States. Brendan Duke of the Center For American Progress noted that Trumps new proposal would be a tax of $3,900 on American families: Trump just took his $2,500 tax increase for a typical family and made it a ~$3,900 tax increase with this proposal. This would likely swamp the effects of no tax on tips or no tax on Social Security for the vast majority of Americans, retirees, and tipped employees. Trump has to raise taxes on the rest of the country to be able to pay for his proposed tax cuts for corporations and billionaires. Donald Trump doesnt know and doesnt care that tariffs are not paid by the nation they are imposed on. Tariffs are taxes that make goods more expensive. When Trump proposes a 10% or 20% tariff, he is really proposing a 10%-20% tax increase on the American people. Trumps economic speech in North Carolina was a disaster, but if he returns to the White House, his economic policies will be even more disastrous. 1. Superplane Youre flying a supercomputer. Thats what the F-35B Lightning II pilots say. A $150 million aircraft thats more than a stealth fighter with an electronic brain; its a node in a network that gives you and your team superpowers. Behind the seat, 43,000 pounds of thrust means you can outfly sound. Press buttons and the stinger-like nozzle of the jet engine swivels toward the ground. Now youre levitating. Look down and you can see through the jets gray skin to the terrain below, thanks to six external infrared cameras and the $400,000 helmet display that turns the world outside into a real-time video feed. But its the connectivity that makes this jet different, the pilots say. Look ahead and your helmet visor might show data from other F-35s miles away; their data is linked to your aircraft, your data is linked to theirs. With all these flying supercomputers aloft, pilots in the network suddenly can see the battlespace with unprecedented precision, as if lights in a room were turned on. But since its a stealth fighter, the enemys radar cant see you theyre still in the dark. This melding of human and computer intelligence can be a beautiful thing, the pilots say. You can focus less on the mechanics of flying and more on the mission itself. You can even move into the kind of flow athletes talk about when theyre in the zone, utterly present. A moment of mental purity, one pilot says. But no machine, no human being is perfect. Pilots make mistakes, and computers glitch. If the jet tumbles as it hovers, then its programmed to shoot you out of the plane, possibly before you have a chance to pull the yellow-and-white handle between your legs. What happens next will bend time in a violent way. News / National by Staff reporter Pressure is intensifying on President Emmerson Mnangagwa as the United Nations (UN) Human Rights body has expressed concern over the growing crackdown on civil society, arrests of opposition members, and threats against dissenting voices ahead of the upcoming SADC Heads of State and Government Summit in Mt Hampden on Saturday.This comes as the government has escalated its efforts to suppress dissent, with fears of potential protests during the summit leading to the arbitrary detention of over 100 individuals.The UN Human Rights office has called on the government to immediately release those detained for exercising their constitutional rights."We are concerned by reports of arrests, harassment, and intimidation of human rights defenders and political activists in the lead-up to the @SADC_News summit. We call for the immediate release of all those arbitrarily detained and the protection of civic space," the UN Human Rights office posted on X. PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 15:01:52 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 514 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Accountfully Makes the List at No. 4,134, With Three-Year Revenue Growth of 108 PercentCHARLESTON, SC / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 /Accountfully, a leading bookkeeping, accounting and tax firm based in Charleston, South Carolina, proudly announces its sixth consecutive year on the prestigious Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies in America. This milestone underscores Accountfully's commitment to empowering small businesses across diverse sectors, nationwide, to achieve their entrepreneurial visions through expert financial management.Brad and Meredith Ebenhoeh, Co-Founders of Accountfully Accountfully co-founders Brad and Meredith Ebenhoeh celebrate year six on the Inc. 5000 list with confetti bombs under the famous logo Moss wall in the Charleston, South Carolina, headquarters.Since 2012, Accountfully has redefined accounting for small businesses, specializing in scalable solutions that cater to businesses ranging from startups to those with $10mm+ revenue per year. By providing bookkeeping, accounting, tax and finance services, Accountfully has become a trusted partner, empowering clients to focus on bringing their game-changing ideas to life while building a strong financial foundation. The company offers a wide range of services that cater to basic needs and go beyond to support omnichannel inventory management and complex tax scenarios. Clients range from startups to service companies to consumer packaged goods companies that require high levels of agile accounting support."Our journey to the Inc. 5000 list for the sixth year in a row is a testament to our dedication to client success and our team's deep experience and strong industry connections," said Brad Ebenhoeh, CEO and co-founder of Accountfully. "We are honored to support a wide array of businesses in achieving their goals by delivering a robust menu of services that range from the basics like bookkeeping to more specialized options like advanced inventory management, controller-level support, and CFO-level advisory." Accountfully's success lies in its ability to provide clients with real-time financial data that allows companies to make bold, forward-moving business decisions in real-time. By leveraging modern, cloud-based tech and continually cultivating a team with unique industry expertise, Accountfully provides services that streamline financial operations and drive business goals for the companies that need it most. This approach not only offers affordable and scalable accounting and tax solutions, but also empowers clients to add additional, more specialized services that propel their businesses forward."We are grateful for the trust our clients place in us to manage their financial needs," added Ebenhoeh. "As we celebrate this milestone, we reaffirm our commitment to delivering exceptional, specialized services with our clients' success in mind." As Accountfully marks its sixth year on the Inc. 5000 list, the firm looks forward to expanding its impact and serving as a catalyst for small business growth nationwide.About AccountfullyAccountfully has been empowering small businesses through expert financial management since 2012. Accountfully continues to redefine outsourced accounting by delivering excellent client service and matching business leaders with the services, tools, and connections they need to be successful.Access to Hi-Res Photos and Logos: https://bit.ly/Accountfully_2024_Inc5000 Contact InformationMedia ManagerAccountfullymarketing@ accountfully.com (888) 211-5745 Ext 1Related Filesteal tagline logoSOURCE: AccountfullyView the original press release on newswire.com PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-16 00:15:22 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 570 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VICTORIA, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 / AI/ML Innovations Inc. ("AI/ML" or the "Company") (CSE:AIML)(OTCQB:AIMLF)(FWB:42FB) announced that it has entered into a Debt Settlement and Security Agreement with ThreeD Capital Inc. (the "Creditor") of Toronto, Ontario for payment of indebtedness owing to the Creditor in the aggregate total of $47,460 with respect to services rendered by the Creditor (the "Shares for Debt Transaction"). The Creditor has agreed to the conversion of such debt into common shares of the Company (the "Common Shares"). Pursuant to the Shares for Debt Transaction, the Company will issue to the Creditor a total of 949,200 Common Shares, at a deemed price of $0.05 per Common Share. The proposed Shares for Debt Transaction is subject to the approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange.The Common Shares issued will be subject to a four-month hold period.About AI/ML Innovations Inc. https://aiml-innovations.com/ AI/ML Innovations Inc. has realigned its business operations to capitalize on the burgeoning fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), with an initial investment focus on emerging digital health and wellbeing companies that leverage AI, ML, cloud computing and digital platforms to drive transformative healthcare management solutions and precision support delivery across the health continuum. Through strategic partnerships with Health Gauge (95.2% owned by AIML), Tech2Heal (up to 22% ownership rights, with 12.44% currently owned by AIML), AI Rx Inc. (70% owned by AIML) and other planned accretive investments, the Company continues to capitalize on expanding growth areas, to the benefit of all the Company's stakeholders. AI/ML's shares are traded on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol "AIML", the OTCQB Venture Market under "AIMLF", and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under "42FB".On behalf of the Board of Directors Tim Daniels, Executive ChairmanFor more information about AI/ML Innovations:For detailed information please see AI/ML's website or the Company's filed documents at www.sedarplus.ca For further information, contact: Blake Fallis at (778) 405-0882 or info@ aiml-innovations.com Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.For AI/ML Innovations InvestorsCertain statements made in this press release that are not based on historical information are forwardlooking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. This press release contains express or implied forward-looking statements relating to, among other things, AI/ML Innovations' expectations concerning management's plans, objectives, and strategies, including strategies for defending the Company's intellectual property. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees but are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. AI/ML Innovations Inc. undertakes no obligation to update or revise the information contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events, or circumstances or otherwise except as expressly required by applicable securities law. Further information regarding the uncertainties and risks can be found in the disclosure documents filed by AI/ML with the securities regulatory authorities, available at www.sedarplus.ca SOURCE: AI/ML Innovations, Inc. News / National by Staff reporter Five Bulawayo police officers - Herbert Kanyinji, Bornwell Mahachi, Amiga Shumba, Norge Rapayi, and Mbekezeli Bhebhe - have been acquitted by the High Court of charges related to the death of a suspected armed robber, Nkululeko Banda. The officers had been accused of killing Banda during his arrest on March 30, 2021.According to the court, the officers were part of a team sent to apprehend Banda, who was a suspect in multiple robberies. They entered Banda's home and a struggle ensued when he resisted arrest. Banda was eventually subdued, but he later suffered a seizure and died at United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH).The court heard conflicting testimonies. Banda's wife, Rejoice Nyathi, witnessed the police entering the bedroom but did not see the actual assault and could not identify the officers involved. Other witnesses, including Banda's stepfather and UBH staff, testified that Banda was dead upon arrival at the hospital, with a post-mortem indicating asphyxia due to neck constriction.Justice Evangelista Kabasa found that the evidence did not conclusively link the officers' actions to Banda's cause of death. The judge noted that the visible marks on Banda's body could have been caused by friction or other factors unrelated to the assault. The State's failure to prove beyond reasonable doubt led to the officers' acquittal. PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 05:30:53 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 544 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Hagens Berman Encourages ABR Investors with Substantial Losses to Contact the FirmSAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 14, 2024 / Hagens Berman urges Arbor Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:ABR) investors who suffered substantial losses to submit your losses now.Class Period: May 7, 2021 - July 11, 2024Lead Plaintiff Deadline: Sept. 30, 2024Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/ABR Contact the Firm Now: ABR@ hbsslaw.com 844-916-0895Securities Class Action Against Arbor Realty Trust, Inc. (ABR):Arbor Realty Trust is under renewed fire from activist short seller Viceroy Research, which has accused the multifamily lender of misleading investors about its financial health and asset quality. Viceroy's latest report, released on August 7, comes as Arbor grapples with a surge in delinquent loans, a widening federal investigation into its lending practices, and pending class-action suit alleging violations of the securities laws.Viceroy released its August 7 report in response to the company's second-quarter earnings, released earlier this month, which revealed a troubling 10% increase in delinquencies to $1 billion. The disclosures caused Viceroy to conclude that "Arbor management continue[s] to intentionally mislead investors in relation to the quality of their earnings, the quality of their assets, and the nature of their extensive window-dressing exercises." Arbor Realty is also facing a class-action lawsuit alleging it misled investors about its business performance. Filed in late July in the Eastern District of New York, the suit claims Arbor painted an overly optimistic picture of its business, particularly the quality of its loan book.Investor concerns about Arbor's financial health first emerged in Mar. 2023 when NINGI Research questioned the value of the company's real estate holdings, particularly its mobile home portfolio.Then, in Dec. 2023, Viceroy Research released a report alleging widespread issues with the company's loan book.Finally, on July 12, 2024, reports of a federal investigation into the company's lending practices broke.Each of these revelations caused the price of Arbor shares to decline sharply."We are looking into whether Arbor may have systematically misled the public about the true risks associated with their loan portfolio," said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the investigation.If you invested in Arbor and have substantial losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firm's investigation, submit your losses now If you'd like more information and answers to frequently asked questions about the Arbor case and our investigation, read more Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Arbor should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email ABR@ hbsslaw.com # # #About Hagens Berman Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs' rights complex litigation firm focusing on corporate accountability. The firm is home to a robust practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and other wrongdoings. Hagens Berman's team has secured more than $2.9 billion in this area of law. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com . Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.Contact:Reed Kathrein, 844-916-0895SOURCE:Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 19:02:12 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 465 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 CHICAGO, IL / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 / The American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT) applauds the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) approval of axatilimab-csfr (Niktimvo, Incyte Corporation), a significant new therapy for patients suffering from chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD). This approval represents a major advancement in the treatment of this severe and often debilitating condition, which affects many individuals following allogeneic stem cell transplantation.Efficacy for Niktimvo was evaluated in the AGAVE-201 (NCT04710576) study, a randomized, open-label, multicenter trial. This study investigated three dosages of Niktimvo in both adult and pediatric patients with recurrent or refractory cGVHD who had received at least two lines of systemic therapy and required additional treatment. The trial's findings demonstrated the potential of Niktimvo to improve outcomes for this patient population.ASTCT President, Corey Cutler, MD, MPH, who served as the co-first author of the AGAVE-201 study, expressed enthusiasm about the FDA's decision. "The approval of Niktimvo is a critical advancement in our ability to treat chronic graft-versus-host disease, particularly for patients who have exhausted other treatment options. The results from AGAVE-201 provide strong evidence of the efficacy of this new therapy, and we look forward to the availability of this compound for our patients," said Dr. Cutler.This FDA approval was supported by the agency's use of Assessment Aid, a voluntary submission from the applicant designed to facilitate a more efficient review process. The application for Niktimvo was granted priority review, underscoring the urgent need for new therapies in this area. The drug also received Orphan Drug Designation and Fast Track Designation, reflecting its potential to address a significant unmet medical need.ASTCT remains committed to advancing the field of transplantation and cellular therapy through research, education, and advocacy. The approval of Niktimvo marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing effort to improve outcomes for patients with cGVHD.Healthcare professionals are encouraged to report any serious adverse events suspected to be associated with the use of Niktimvo or any other medications to the FDA's MedWatch Reporting System, either online or by calling 1-800-FDA-1088.About The American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT)The American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT) is an international professional society dedicated to improving the lives of blood and marrow transplant and cellular therapy patients. ASTCT represents more than 3,900 physicians, investigators, and other health care professionals from more than 45 countries. Our mission is dedicated to improving the application and success of blood and marrow transplantation and related cellular therapies. We strive to be the leading organization promoting research, education, and clinical practice in the field. For more information about ASTCT, visit www.astct.org Contact InformationJayne Kramer Marketing Managerjkramer@ astct.org 202.367.2313SOURCE: American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT)View the original press release on newswire.com PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 13:01:52 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 1008 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 HIGHLIGHTSResource delineation program on track with multiple high-grade copper intervals confirmed by assays at the Cyclone and Chinook DepositsDrilling continues around the clock with 100 Reverse Circulation ("RC") drill holes and 13 diamond drill holes totaling over 15,500 metres ("m") now completed at StormRC drilling has commenced at the under-explored Tempest Prospect, where high-grade copper and zinc have been mapped on surface over 4 kilometres ("km") of strikeCyclone Deposit:Drill hole SR24-11 has intersected:19.8m* @ 1.2% copper ("Cu"), 3.0g/t silver ("Ag") from 12.2m downhole, including,4.6m @ 3.0% Cu, 7.0 g/t Ag from 21.3m downhole3m @ 3.2% Cu, 8.5g/t Ag from 59.4m downholeDrill hole SR24-21 has intersected:13.7m @ 2.1% Cu, 7.9g/t Ag from 67.1m downhole, including,7.6m @ 3.2% Cu, 12.2g/t Ag from 70.1m downholeDrill hole SR24-09 is located outside of the boundary of known copper mineralization and has intersected:15.2m @ 1.4% Cu, 2.4g/t Ag from 103.6m downhole, including,6.1m @ 2.7% Cu, 2.7g/t Ag from 108.2m downholeChinook Deposit:Drill hole SR24-10 has intersected:3.1m @ 1.3% Cu, 6.0g/t Ag from 38.1m downhole, including,1.5m @ 2.3% Cu, 10.0g/t Ag from 38.1m downhole1.5m @ 2.4% Cu, 3.0g/t Ag from 89.9m downholeTORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 / Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. (TSXV:BAY)(OTCQB:ATBHF) ("Aston Bay" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on drilling activities at the Storm Copper Project ("Storm" or the "Project") on Somerset Island, Nunavut. The studies and exploration program is being conducted by American West Metals Limited ("American West"), who is the operator of the Project. Aston Bay and American West have formed a 20/80 unincorporated joint venture in respect of the Storm Project property, with Aston Bay maintaining a free carried interest until a decision to mine upon completion of a bankable feasibility study.Thomas Ullrich, Chief Executive Officer of Aston Bay, commented:"It is encouraging once again to report excellent results from the ongoing drilling at Storm. The assays match the visual estimates previously reported by the on-site geologists, confirming excellent continuity of mineralization within the known zones as well as expanding those zones with step-out intercepts."The very large but little explored Central Graben holds considerable upside for potential new discoveries. The stratigraphic layer that hosts the copper mineralization outcropping at Storm is hidden beneath barren cover rock in the graben, and the faults that define the graben are the same plumbing system for the copper-bearing fluids that we believe cause the mineralization we see at the surface elsewhere. All the pieces are in place for potential additional mineralization, and it is all within reach of geophysics and the drill." Figure 1: Diamond drill crew at the Chinook Deposit, Storm Project, Canada.DRILL PROGRAM CONTINUES TO ACHIEVE MILESTONESA total of 100 RC drill holes and 12 diamond drill holes have now been completed at Storm for over 15,500 total metres drilled during 2024, rapidly advancing the program toward the planned 20,000m.The first assays for the summer phase of the program have now been received from drill holes completed at the Cyclone and Chinook Deposits. The remaining assays are pending and are expected to be received in batches over the coming weeks.The 2024 drill program is ongoing with continuous operation of two RC rigs and one diamond drill rig. The RC drill rigs are continuing the resource delineation and exploration activities at Storm and will expand into the regional targets with RC drilling now underway at the Tempest Prospect.The diamond drill rig has commenced deep exploration drilling targeting the potentially extensive copper horizon at depth, where previous drilling has intersected copper grades up to 2.7% Cu below the known near-surface copper deposits (see Aston Bay September 26, 2023, news release).The discovery of the copper mineralization at depth has significant implications for the potential copper endowment of the project by both potentially discovering new prospective horizons and increasing the potential for significant lateral extension of the horizons already intersected.Figure 2: Recent and existing drill hole locations and zones of copper mineralization overlying aerial photography.CYCLONE DEPOSIT - DELINEATION DRILLING AND EXPANSION POTENTIALAssay results from drill holes SR24-007, -009, -011, -013, -015, -017, -019, -021, -023, -024 and -025 (Figure 3) have been received and continue to confirm thick, near-surface bodies of copper sulfide mineralization.Drilling at the Cyclone Deposit is designed to expand and infill an upcoming maiden mineral resource estimate for the Storm Project that is currently being constructed to CIM standards and to explore the margins of the deposit for additional resources.The drilling results received to date demonstrate consistent copper grades that highlight the excellent lateral continuity of the high-grade mineralization.Additionally, significant thicknesses of coherent copper mineralization (>1% Cu) were intersected outside of the previously known zone of copper mineralization, highlighting the resource expansion potential to the southwest of the deposit.The assayed intervals closely match and locally exceed the previously announced visual estimates, validating the initial visual estimation of copper sulfide abundances made during logging.Figure 3: Plan view of the Cyclone Deposit showing copper mineralized zone and historical and recent drilling overlying regional geology.DRILL HOLE SR24-011 and SR24-021 DETAILSSR24-011 and SR24-021 both intersected very strong zones of copper sulfides within and on the margin of interpreted zones of copper mineralization at Cyclone (Figures 4 & 5).Figure 4: Geological section view at 464,850E showing the mineralized intervals (>0.2% Cu) for drill holes SR24-011, SR24-15 and SR24-023 and interpreted zones of copper mineralization.Figure 5: Geological section view at 464,760E showing the mineralized intervals (>0.2% Cu) for drill holes SR24-017 and SR24-021 and interpreted zones of copper mineralization.The mineralization in both drill holes consists of zones of intense vein- and fracture-style copper sulfide mineralization hosted within fractured dolomite of the Allen Bay Formation. The dominant copper sulfide mineral observed within the drill holes is chalcocite, with minor bornite and chalcopyrite on the margins of the mineralized intervals and within veins.This intensity and character of copper mineralization, as encountered wit PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 09:05:19 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 677 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 / BioNxt Solutions Inc. ("BioNxt" or the "Company") (CSE:BNXT)(OTCQB:BNXTF)(FSE:BXT) is pleased to report that it has signed a non-binding letter of intent (the "LOI") with German-based international contract research, development, and manufacturing company Gen-Plus GmbH & Co KG ("Gen-Plus"), a part of Conscio Group.Further to the Master Service Agreement and Cladribine Statement of Work signed by BioNxt and Gen-Plus announced on July 9, 2024, and July 17, 2024, respectively, the LOI recognizes a number of important areas of potential cooperation between the parties, including but not limited to intellectual property and prototype development for new pharmaceutical products, clinical trial planning and batch manufacturing, laboratory, equipment, and office collaboration, business development, and thin film commercial manufacturing. The Company will provide further details on specific cooperation programs as they progress.Gen-Plus, a part of Conscio Group, has a head office in Munich, Germany, and through the Conscio Group operates within an international network of pharmaceutical service providers with facilities in five countries and over 500 employees. They offer GCP/GLP/GMP/ISO/IEC-certified services and GMP certified manufacturing of clinical trial supplies (Phase I-III) with a specialization in solids, semi-solids, liquids, oral films, and transdermal patches as well as integrated lab analytical services during development & GMP manufacturing, including API characterization, method development, optimization, validation, permeation studies, stabilities studies, etc.BioNxt is developing a 100% owned and proprietary ODF Cladribine dosage form, directed at the multiple sclerosis ("MS") market. Cladribine tablets are currently approved for use in over 75 countries, including by the United States Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") and the European Medicines Agency ("EMA"), with annual sales in excess of one billion USD. Cladribine tablets are approved for several indications, namely highly active forms of relapsing-remitting MS and certain forms of leukemia. MS represents the largest market segment for the sale of Cladribine with approximately 2.3 million people living with MS worldwide, with the highest prevalence in North America and Europe, noted by Atlas of MS. The global Multiple Sclerosis drug market is expected to top USD 41 billion by 2033 according to Market.us The Company has filed Cladribine ODF-related provisional patent applications with three to four patent applications expected to be on file in major international jurisdictions by late 2024 to early 2025 with potential patent protection extending to 2044.About BioNxt Solutions Inc.BioNxt Solutions Inc. is a bioscience accelerator focused on next-generation drug formulations and delivery systems, diagnostic screening tests, and new active pharmaceutical production and evaluation, including: precision transdermal and oral dissolvable drug formulations; rapid, low-cost infectious disease and oral health screening tests; and standardization and clinical evaluation of emerging active pharmaceutical ingredients for neurological applications. The Company has research and development operations in North America and Europe, with an operational focus in Germany, and is currently focused on regulatory approval and commercialization of medical products for European markets.BioNxt Solutions Inc.Wolfgang Probst, CEO and DirectorEmail: info@ bionxt.com Phone: +1 780-818-6422Cautionary Statement Regarding "Forward-Looking" InformationSome of the statements contained in this news release are forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of words such as "expects", "intends", "is expected", "potential", "suggests" or variations of such words or phrases, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements and information are not historical facts and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties beyond the Company's control. Actual results and developments are likely to differ, and may differ materially, from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this news release. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements, except as may be required by law.SOURCE: BioNxt Solutions Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 15:01:31 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 579 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Tigercomm celebrates two decades of community engagement breakthroughs and communications success for over 170 renewable energy companiesTYSONS CORNER, VA / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 / Tigercomm, the U.S.' leading public relations firm for companies, organizations and leaders working in clean energy and climate solutions technologies, is proud to announce its 20th anniversary.Since its inception in 2004 with two employees, Tigercomm has providedcleantech public relations , marketing communications, thought leadership, digital marketing, public affairs and community engagement services in America to over 170 clean energy companies headquartered across the world. Its expertise extends to training more than 2,200 individuals in message development to identify the language that differentiates them from their competitors.Today, Tigercomm is headquartered in the national capital region, with nearly 15 team members located across the United States.Tigercomm has broken several barriers to community opposition to renewable energy. Embold Research's VP of Growth Robin Pressman, and Tigercomm's President and Founder Mike Casey, underwrote the first-ever poll of rural Americans' views of renewable energy. Tigercomm's Director of Community Engagement, Ayelet Hines, conducted in-depth interviews with 26 developers across 18 diverse companies to hear about their experiences with community opposition. Both findings were presented at the largest clean energy trade show in North America, RE+ 2023.In a three-week sprint, Tigercomm helped power system engineering and consulting firm Electric Power Engineers (EPE) double their RE+ booth traffic goals, resulting in almost 40 qualified leads. The team also helped solar tracker company Nextracker plan and execute a media relations strategy for seven factory openings over two years, achieving 30 GW of annual domestic solar tracker capacity. Insulation company ROCKWOOL opened a new $250 insulation factory, even in the face of aggressive opposition, because Tigercomm engaged supportive community members and launched an effective Facebook strategy.Tigercomm has consistently been recognized as one of the Best PR Firms in Washington D.C. by Expertise, earning a spot on their list every year since 2019. Casey was named a finalist for the Cleanies' "Trailblazer" award in 2023.Casey leads several streams of Tigercomm content, including a weekly news roundup podcast co-hosted with Renewable Energy World's John Engel "This Week in Cleantech," roundtables for podcasters, investors and journalists, and a Scaling Clean podcast for cleantech CEOs. Casey is a contributor to Recharge News and Cleantechnica."It's exciting to support bold, clean economy disruptors, and know that we share their passion for sustainability. With today's climate crisis, it's crucial to expand clean industries and challenge polluters. Working with those who drive this change is incredibly rewarding," says Casey."Tigercomm pushed us to create relevant, newsworthy storytelling around our Series B and M&A announcements. They understand how PR can be leveraged to support business objectives and create a long-tail content strategy," said PVcase's then-Vice President of Marketing Lindsay Vick."Tigercomm worked with our in-house team to position Nextracker as not just a leading solar OEM, but one of the leading companies across renewable energy. It has made a real difference in how investors see the company," said Daniel Shugar, CEO and Founder of Nextracker.About Tigercomm, LLCTigercomm, LLC is a premier marketing communications and public affairs firm headquartered in the national capital area. It has been helping clients in a broad range of industries win with customers, investors, elected officials and other stakeholders for 20 years. Tigercomm, LLC was awarded a place among the Best PR Firms in Washington D.C. list by Expertise.com in 2019, 2020, and 2021.CONTACT:Clare Quirin Clare@ tigercomm.us 630-908-9860SOURCE: Tigercomm, LLC PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 04:30:55 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 347 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 14, 2024 /The Schall Law Firm, a national shareholder rights litigation firm, announces that it is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Community Health Systems, Inc. ("Community Health" or "the Company") (NYSE: CYH ) for violations of the securities laws.The investigation focuses on whether the Company issued false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose information pertinent to investors. Community Health issued a press release on Juny 19, 2024, "provid[ing] an update on the planned divestiture of two North Carolina hospitals." According to the Company, "On June 18, 2024, Novant Health, Inc., a North Carolina non-profit corporation ('Novant'), informed [Community Health] that Novant has decided not to move forward with the acquisition of two North Carolina hospitals. The transactions were contemplated by an Asset Purchase Agreement dated February 28, 2023 (as amended, the 'Purchase Agreement'), by and among Novant and certain subsidiaries of the Company." The Company added, "Novant's decision follows a ruling by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals", which "issued a temporary injunction blocking the sale to Novant Health, pending final resolution of an appeal by the Federal Trade Commission. The injunction prevented completion of the transaction until the Court of Appeals decides whether to uphold or overturn a previous District Court decision that allowed the sale to proceed." If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate.We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall of the Schall Law Firm, 2049 Century Park East, Suite 2460, Los Angeles, CA 90067, at 310-301-3335, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm's website at www.schallfirm.com , or by email at bschall@ schallfirm.com The Schall Law Firm represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation.This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics.CONTACT: The Schall Law FirmBrian Schall, Esq. www.schallfirm.com Office: 310-301-3335 info@ schallfirm.com SOURCE: The Schall Law Firm PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 22:05:16 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 509 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 FLORENCE, KY / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 / Beckfield College is honoured to announce that Congressman Thomas Massie from Kentucky's Fourth District formally recognized the accomplishments of the college's students in a formal letter of congratulations to recent Beckfield graduates. This esteemed acknowledgement highlights the college's commitment to delivering quality education and preparing students for successful careers in nursing, business, and other healthcare as it celebrates its fortieth anniversary.In his letter, Congressman Massie praised the graduates for their hard work and dedication, noting that their education would open many doors. He also expressed his pride in the graduates choosing to further their education within Kentucky's Fourth Congressional District, encouraging them to consider starting their careers locally.Dr. Diana Lawrence, President of Beckfield College, commented on the recognition, stating, "We are deeply honoured by Congressman Massie's acknowledgement of our graduates. His words reinforce the value of our education and the significant impact our students will have on the community. At Beckfield College, we believe in the power of giving back and being active participants in the growth of the Cincinnati metro area. Our graduates are not just stepping into careers; they are stepping into roles where they can be catalysts for positive change in our community." Beckfield College's Director of Student Financial Services Angela Davis-Haynes, also shared her thoughts on the Congressman's letter, saying, "This recognition from Congressman Massie is a proud moment for our institution. It underscores the dedication and perseverance of our students, who have worked tirelessly to reach this milestone. We encourage our graduates to use their skills and knowledge to give back to our supportive community, helping to drive further growth and success in the region. The importance of community is deeply ingrained in our values, and we are excited to see our alumni contribute to its continued prosperity." The letter from Congressman Massie will be featured during Beckfield College's upcoming graduation ceremony and shared across the college's digital platforms to inspire current and prospective students. This recognition serves as a reminder of the college's ongoing commitment to excellence in education and its integral role in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky communities.About Beckfield CollegeBeckfield College, located in Florence, KY, in the Cincinnati metro area, has been dedicated to providing quality education and training for over 40 years. Accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES), Beckfield College offers a range of programs designed to prepare students for successful careers in allied health, nursing, and business.The college takes pride in its nursing programs, which boast impressive NCLEX-RN pass rates in current and previous years. In 2023, the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program achieved a 93% pass rate, and the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program achieved an 88% pass rate. These outcomes reflect Beckfield College's commitment to excellence in nursing education, equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in the healthcare field.For more information about Beckfield College and its programs, please visit www.beckfield.edu Contact:Bilal AbbasiMarketing DirectorBeckfield College859-372-3905 babbasi@ beckfield.edu SOURCE: Beckfield College PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 20:45:34 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 554 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 / Hagens Berman urges Customers Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE:CUBI) investors who suffered substantial losses to submit your losses now. The firm also encourages persons with knowledge who may assist the investigation to contact its attorneys.Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/CUBI Contact the Firm Now: CUBI@ hbsslaw.com 844-916-0895Investigation Into Customers Bancorp, Inc. (CUBI):The investigation focuses on the propriety of Customers Bancorp's recent assurances that expense reduction opportunities would not adversely impact "risk management and compliance or critical technology investments" and "these are the areas we plan to enhance even further by redeploying savings." Cracks may have emerged beginning on April 12, 2024, when Customers Bancorp announced the abrupt termination "for cause" of its then-CFO Carla A. Leibold. Customers Bancorp said she "violated company policy" but gave no further explanation other than to say she disputed the characterization. This news sent the price of Customers Bancorp shares almost 5% lower the next day.Then, on April 25, 2024, Customers Bancorp announced that the company and Leibold entered into a separation agreement that day, under which they recharacterized the termination of her employment as a "separation by mutual agreement." This move, however, was met with skepticism by investors, as Customers Bancorp shares fell over 5% over the next day.Most recently, on August 8, 2024, Customers Bancorp attached an agreement with the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia ("Reserve Bank") to its quarterly filing. The agreement recited that the Reserve Bank "identified significant deficiencies related to [Customers] Bank's risk management practices and compliance with the applicable laws, rules, and regulations relating to anti-money laundering" and "regulations issued by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the Treasury[.]" This news drove the price of Customers Bancorp shares over 13% lower that day."We are looking into whether Customers Bancorp may have misled investors about its commitment to enhance its risk management and compliance functions and, if so, whether there's a connection to the recent CFO turnover," said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the investigation.If you invested in Customers Bancorp and have substantial losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firm's investigation, submit your losses now If you'd like more information and answers to frequently asked questions about the Customers Bancorp investigation, read more Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Customers Bancorp should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email CUBI@ hbsslaw.com # # #About Hagens Berman Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs' rights complex litigation firm focusing on corporate accountability. The firm is home to a robust practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and other wrongdoings. Hagens Berman's team has secured more than $2.9 billion in this area of law. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com . Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.Contact:Reed Kathrein, 844-916-0895SOURCE: Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 14:54:04 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 583 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 DDP Property founder Zaki Ameer says "In the dynamic world of Australian real estate, the debate between investing in capital cities and regional markets has never been more relevant. As someone deeply involved in property investment, I've seen firsthand the unique opportunities that both these markets offer." SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 / Whether you're a seasoned investor or just starting, understanding the differences between these markets can help you make informed decisions that align with your financial goals.Capital Cities: The Heart of Australia's EconomyCapital cities like Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane have long been the epicentres of Australian real estate. These cities are bustling hubs of economic activity, culture, and infrastructure. The allure of investing in capital cities lies in their firm, steady returns and the consistent demand driven by diverse populations, including professionals, families, and international buyers.Ameer says "You'll find some of the country's most valuable properties in these cities, which are constantly evolving with new developments and amenities. The concentration of jobs, education, and healthcare facilities makes capital cities a magnet for people, ensuring a high demand for housing. This demand often leads to long-term capital growth, making capital cities a solid choice for investors looking for stability." However, it's essential to acknowledge the challenges of investing in capital cities. The competition can be fierce, and entry prices are often high. For investors, this means a larger initial outlay and sometimes lower rental yields than regional areas. But if your goal is long-term capital appreciation, capital cities offer a reliable path.Regional Markets: Affordability Meets OpportunityOver the past few years, regional markets have emerged as powerful contenders in the Australian property landscape. The rise of remote work has allowed more Australians to explore living outside of capital cities, leading to a surge in demand for properties in regional areas.Regional markets offer something that capital cities often can't-affordability and a relaxed lifestyle. With the cost of living and property prices generally lower than in the big cities, regional areas provide an attractive option for those seeking space, tranquillity, and a strong sense of community.Regional markets can offer higher rental yields and lower entry costs for investors. The potential for growth in these areas is increasingly attractive as more people make the tree-change or sea-change. However, it's important to remember that regional markets can be more volatile, with factors like local employment opportunities and infrastructure development playing a significant role in their long-term success.Making the Right ChoiceWhen deciding between investing in a capital city or a regional market, it ultimately comes down to your personal goals and circumstances. If you're looking for stable, long-term capital growth with access to all the amenities a big city offers, capital cities might be the right choice. On the other hand, if you're after affordability, higher rental yields, and a market with growth potential, regional areas are worth considering.In the end, both capital cities and regional markets have unique advantages. A well-balanced property portfolio might even include a mix of both, depending on what best suits your investment strategy.Whether you're a seasoned investor or just starting, DDP Property can provide understanding on the differences between these markets can help you make informed decisions that align with your financial goals.At DDP Property, we're here to help you navigate the ever-changing landscape of real estate in Australia.Contact InformationHannah GorgeMarketing Managerinfo@ ddpproperty.com.au 1300732921SOURCE: DDP PROPERTYView the original press release on newswire.com PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 17:31:13 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 809 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 ST. PETERSBURG, FL / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 /EM Key Solutions (EMKS), a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), together with its wholly owned subsidiary CORTEK, today announced that Major General (Ret) James Bonner has joined their executive team as Senior Vice President of Strategic Programs. This strategic hire further enhances EMKS | CORTEK's leadership team, particularly in the areas of Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) defense and consequence management. In this role MG Bonner will lead efforts in strategic planning and execution, stakeholder engagement, business development and organizational growth.EMKS Logo MG Bonner brings 36 years of distinguished military service to the EMKS | CORTEK team, including key leadership roles in the U.S. Army, Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), and collaborations with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Most recently MG Bonner served as the Deputy Commander, U.S. Army North where he led efforts building and maintaining relations with interagency leadership, State Adjutant Generals, state emergency managers within the 49-state area, and military and civilian officials of Canada and Mexico. In this role he also provided liaison and regional committee representation to FEMA, DHS and FBI for conduct of military support of civil defense, national disaster relief, emergency resources management, weapons of mass destruction and continuity of government planning. MG Bonner's extensive experience spans global operations, strategic planning, and leadership of complex organizations addressing critical national security risks."We are very pleased to welcome Jim as our Senior Vice President of Strategic Programs," said Mike Snyder, CEO of EMKS | CORTEK. "His extensive expertise in CWMD and CBRN domains, coupled with his proven track record in building cohesive teams and strategic leadership, will be instrumental in expanding EMKS and CORTEK's capabilities and driving growth in crucial areas in support of our client missions." Throughout his career, MG Bonner has demonstrated exceptional leadership at every level, from platoon to two-star command. His ability to build cohesive teams and develop leaders of character has been evident in diverse organizations, including conventional forces, Airborne units, Rangers, FBI, FEMA, DHS, JSOC, and Headquarters, Department of the Army (HQDA). Bonner was personally selected by Assistant Director of Counterterrorism as the first CBRN officer assigned to the FBI Domestic Terrorism Division, and also served as the first CBRN officer assigned to the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) in the wake of the fall of the Soviet Union, focused on combatting WMD and terrorism both home and abroad. MG Bonner led and commanded soldiers in the Republic of Korea, and three combat deployments (Afghanistan and Panama), to include working with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).Bonner is a graduate of Southern Illinois University, and holds both a M.A., National Security and Strategic Studies United States Naval War College and a M.S., Administration Central Michigan University."I am extremely honored and privileged to transition from one professional organization, the United States Army, to joining another professional organization, EMKS | CORTEK," said Bonner. "This is an organization devoted to a talented workforce and dedicated to providing strategic solutions in the protection our Nation. Thanks to EMKS | CORTEK leadership for the opportunity to join this distinguished Team." MG Bonner's addition to the EMKS | CORTEK executive leadership team reinforces the company's commitment to providing top-tier support to federal government enterprises in meeting their mission requirements.About EMKS l CORTEKFounded in 2015, EM Key Solutions (EMKS) is a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) serving our country, our Veterans and Uniformed Services, and the federal market at large with mission-centric, cost-effective and innovative mission support consulting and healthcare systems solutions. EMKS is an IT solutions and management consulting services provider with exceptional record of experience and performance with core capabilities in Advisory Services in CWMD, CBRN, FOIA support, Intelligence support, and a variety of subject matter expertise support across multiple agencies; Process Improvement and Business Transformation; Health IT Systems Solutions and Integration; Performance Management and Engineering; and Cyber Security Services. EMKS delivers a customer-centric approach with proven management processes to each project they undertake. Through sound leadership and management principles, EMKS focuses on offering its clients the solutions they need to be successful throughout the project management lifecycle.Founded in 2003, and acquired as a subsidiary of EMKS in 2022, CORTEK is an SDVOSB with a proven history providing successful projects that include integrated base defense/force protection, cyber, forensics/biometrics, systems and software engineering, FOIA, mission support and program management support services.EMKS | CORTEK clients include the Department of State, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Defense Health Agency (DHA), the FBI, Department of Defense (DoD), U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U. S. Army, DTRA, and DHS.Contact InformationMatthew TerlChief Growth Officermatthew.terl@emks.com 7272921521SOURCE: EM Key SolutionsView the original press release on newswire.com News / National by Staff reporter The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has seized luxury vehicles owned by the wives of Hosiah Chisango, the Harare town clerk currently in remand prison on corruption charges.The vehicles, including a Toyota Fortuner and a Mercedes-Benz, were allegedly purchased using funds from Chisango's corrupt activities at Town House.Chisango was arrested last month over a US$9.2 million streetlights contract awarded to Juluka Endo Joint Venture, owned by businessman Moses Mpofu, who is also in remand. The contract allegedly bypassed proper procedures and was awarded to a company with a poor track record.In addition to the vehicles, ZACC is targeting a mansion in Mt Pleasant, which is under construction and reportedly being built for one of Chisango's wives. The ZACC believes the mansion and vehicles were financed through the proceeds of Chisango's alleged corruption.ZACC officials have confirmed the confiscation but declined to comment further due to the ongoing court case. Chisango is scheduled to appear in court again on August 22. PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 15:01:36 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 428 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW ROCHELLE, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 / Highlife Health, LLC, a Woman Owned, licensed adult-use cannabis dispensary announces their grand opening/consumer education event will take place on August 31, 2024."It is a privilege to establish Highlife Health LLC in my hometown and setting a precedent for our community that women can thrive and carve their own path in any industry," said Jennifer Gierum, President/CEO of Highlife Health LLC. "Embracing this challenge entails more than just introducing safe products to the marketplace; it involves leading the charge in alternative medicine, catalyzing a transformative era of wellness and empowerment." To celebrate the opening of their New Rochelle dispensary, Highlife Health LLC invites customers, and community members to join in the grand opening festivities on August 31, 2024. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet with product representatives, explore the dispensary, meet the Highlife Health family, and learn more about the company's commitment to educating and meeting our consumer's evolving needs. The quaint store features several sales terminals to ensure efficient service and minimal wait times for customers. Budtenders walk around with handheld kiosks ready to assist our customers with questions and placing orders. Highlife Health is located at 19 Huguenot St New Rochelle, NY 10801 and will be open Monday to Saturday from 10am - 9pm and Sunday 10:00 am-5:00pm.For more information about Highlife Health LLC visit https://highlifehealth.co Highlife Health is dedicated to making a positive impact in our community. We ensure that every product we offer meets the highest safety and efficacy standards. Each member of the Highlife Health family is dedicated to empowering our customers to make informed choices about their health and well-being.About Jennifer GierumJennifer combines a diverse background in acting, modeling, and entrepreneurship with a keen sense of business acumen. While raising her two young sons, she managed employment/contracts with major corporations like PepsiCo, Ethan Allen, and News Corp in financial roles. After her children embarked on their college journeys, Jennifer returned to her acting roots, achieving success with appearances in numerous television and film productions. Now, Jennifer is leveraging her passion for holistic living and alternative medicine to pioneer a new venture. She has secured a coveted adult-use cannabis license in the state of New York, aiming to introduce these healing alternatives to her community at large.Highlife Health Contact: Jennifer Gierum - President/CEO Highlife Health, LLCContact Mobile: (203) 609-2100 Contact Email: jennifer@ highlifehealth.co MEDIA CONTACT: E.D. Carey Mobile: 347 366 0798Contact InformationElesia CareyPublic Relationselesia.carey@gmail.com 3473660798SOURCE: Highlife HealthView the original press release on newswire.com PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 04:30:44 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 594 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 14, 2024 / Genius Group Limited (NYSE American:GNS) ("Genius Group" or the "Company"), a leading AI-powered education group, today announced that management will participate in the Investor Summit August Investor Conference on Tuesday, August 20th, 2024.Chief Revenue Officer Peter Ritz is scheduled to host one-on-one meetings with institutional investors throughout the event, and will host a webcast presentation as follows:Investor Summit August Investor Conference Date: Tuesday, August 20th, 2024Time: 4:00 p.m. Eastern timeWebcast: https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/3062/51141 Please join at least five minutes before the start of the presentation to ensure timely participation.A live audio webcast and archive of the presentation will be available using the webcast link above. Registration is mandatory for conference participation. For more information or to schedule a meeting with management, please contact MZ Group at GNS@ mzgroup.us About Genius GroupGenius Group (NYSE American: GNS) is a leading provider of AI-powered, digital-first education solutions, disrupting the highly standardized system of traditional education with a personalized, flexible and life-long learning curriculum for the modern student. Genius Group services 5.4 million users in over 100 countries, providing personalized curriculums for individuals, enterprises and governments. The comprehensive, AI-powered platform offers programs for K-12 education, accredited university courses and skills-based courses for entrepreneurs. To learn more, please visit https://www.geniusgroup.net/ Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws, including (without limitation) statements regarding our or our management's expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future and other statements that are other than statements of historical fact. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words "believe," "project," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "plan," "may," "should," "will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result" and similar expressions, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties.Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including but not limited to: the Company's goals and strategies; the Company's future business development; changes in demand for online learning; changes in technology; fluctuations in economic conditions; the growth of the online learning industry the United States and the other markets the Company serves or plans to serve; reputation and brand; the impact of competition and pricing; government regulations; and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing and other risks contained in reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). For these reasons, among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements in this press release. Additional factors are discussed in the Company's filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov . The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof.Investor Relations MZ Group - MZ North America(949) 259-4987 GNS@ mzgroup.uswww.mzgroup.us SOURCE: Genius Group Limited PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 16:03:46 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 331 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Samarkand will host ITMF Annual Conference and IAF World Fashion Convention 2024 in SeptemberSAMARKAND, UZBEKISTAN / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 / On September 8-10 2024, Samarkand, Uzbekistan, will host a joint conference of two major international textile federations: the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) Annual Conference and the International Apparel Federation (IAF) World Fashion Convention. The event, titled "Innovation, Cooperation & Regulation - Drivers of the Textile & Apparel Industry," will focus on the key factors shaping the future of the industry, and is the first time the two federations have held their conference jointly.The conference, which will officially open on September 7 with the ITMF board meeting, will gather over 500 high-level representatives from international organizations, textile companies, brands, financial institutions, and retailers to discuss and address issues critical to the continued development and sustainability of the global textile and apparel industry.Participants will hear from the President of the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) Stephen Lamar, General Director of the European Apparel and Textile Confederation (EURATEX) Dirk Vantyghem and representatives of numerous industry leaders, including Cotton Analytics (USA) and Indorama Corporation (Singapore). Participants will discuss topics including artificial intelligence, regulation, digitalization, ESG and supply chains.Additionally, the conference will feature the ITMF Awards Session, where the winners of the ITMF Innovation & Sustainability Award 2024 and the ITMF International Cooperation Award 2024 will be announced.This landmark event, organized in cooperation with Uzbekistan Textile and Garment Industry Association (Uztextileprom), marks a significant milestone for Uzbekistan, the historic center of the Silk Road'. Last year, the country's textile industry exported around $3.5bn to over 75 countries and is seeing significant growth today. By the end of 2026, the plan is to increase the amount of exports to $6.5 bn. This event affirms Uzbekistan's growing role in the global textile supply chain and underscores the importance of international cooperation and dialogue in driving the industry's future.Registration for the event is now open online. To register and find additional information, please visit https://www.itmf-iaf-conference-2024-samarkand.org/ CONTACT:Uztextiles@ montfort.london SOURCE: Uztextileprom PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 16:04:17 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 364 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 / Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is investigating potential claims on behalf of purchasers of Globus Medical, Inc. ("Globus Medical" or "the Company") (NYSE:GMED). Investors who purchased Globus Medical securities are encouraged to obtain additional information and assist the investigation by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/GMED Investigation DetailsOn August 13, 2024, in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Globus disclosed that "[o]n July 16, 2024, Globus Medical, Inc. received a warning letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the FDA') following an inspection of our facilities in Audubon, Pennsylvania. In the warning letter, the FDA cited deficiencies in the response letters sent by the Company to the FDA following the Form 483, List of Investigational Observations, which was delivered to the Company in connection with the inspection that occurred from February 15, 2024 until March 7, 2024. The letter describes observed non-conformities in establishing and maintaining product complaint procedures, including complaint investigations, trending, risk reconciliation, and Medical Device Report (MDR) procedures including timely reporting, pertaining to the ExcelsiusGPS robotic system." Following disclosure of the FDA's warning letter, Globus's stock price fell $5.73 per share, or 7.84%, to close at $67.32 per share on August 13, 2024.What's Next?If you are aware of any facts relating to this investigation or purchased Globus Medical securities, you can assist this investigation by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/GMED . You can also contact Peretz Bronstein or his client relations manager, Nathan Miller, of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC: 332-239-2660.There is No Cost to YouWe represent investors in class actions on a contingency fee basis. That means we will ask the court to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys' fees, usually a percentage of the total recovery, only if we are successful.Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & GrossmanBronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide.Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.ContactBronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLCPeretz Bronstein or Nathan Miller332-239-2660 | info@ bgandg.com SOURCE: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 22:00:55 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 314 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 / The Schall Law Firm, a national shareholder rights litigation firm, announces that it is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Dril-Quip, Inc. ("Dril-Quip" or "the Company") (NYSE:DRQ) for violations of the securities laws.The investigation focuses on whether the Company issued false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose information pertinent to investors. Dril-Quip filed a current report on Form 8-K with the SEC on July 8, 2024. The Company's filing disclosed it had "became aware of an error in the classification of certain inventory write-downs from 2021." The Company added, "after considering the recommendations of management and discussion with the Company's independent registered public accounting firm[,] the Audit Committee of our board of directors ("Audit Committee") concluded that the consolidated financial statements for the Affected Period should no longer be relied upon due to the error described above. Any previously issued or filed reports, press releases, earnings releases and investor presentations or other communications describing the Company's consolidated financial statements and other related financial information covering the Affected Period also should no longer be relied upon." If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate.We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall of the Schall Law Firm, 2049 Century Park East, Suite 2460, Los Angeles, CA 90067, at 310-301-3335, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm's website at www.schallfirm.com , or by email at bschall@ schallfirm.com The Schall Law Firm represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation.This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics.CONTACT: The Schall Law FirmBrian Schall, Esq.310-301-3335 info@ schallfirm.comwww.schallfirm.com SOURCE: The Schall Law Firm PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 18:21:02 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 610 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 The 2025 Peer Review Guide Recognizes Partners at Balekian Hayes, PLLC for Outstanding Work in Family LawDALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 / Balekian Hayes, PLLC is proud to announce that partners Kris Balekian Hayes and John Withers, Jr., have been honored in the 31st Edition of The Best Lawyers in America peer review guide. This prestigious recognition celebrates Hayes for her expertise in family law and family law mediation and acknowledges Withers for his exceptional work in family law. Their inclusion in this distinguished list highlights their continued dedication and exceptional contributions to the field.The Best Lawyers guide, renowned for its thorough peer-review process, highlights exceptional legal professionals across 150 practice areas based on feedback from fellow attorneys. This esteemed recognition is a testament to the dedication and high regard in which the partners at Balekian Hayes, PLLC are held by their peers."I am immensely grateful to be included along with my partner John in the list of top family lawyers by Best Lawyers in America," said Hayes. "This acknowledgment by Best Lawyers is particularly meaningful because it comes from the feedback of our peers in the legal community. Our firm takes great pride in our integrity and dedication to our clients, and this continued recognition is a testament to our steadfast commitment and the trust we have built with both our clients and colleagues." Hayes, who earned her law degree from St. Mary's University School of Law in San Antonio, holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Southern Methodist University in Dallas and a Master of Business Administration from St. Mary's University School of Business. With over two decades of experience in family law, Hayes is distinguished by dual certification from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in family law and child welfare-an honor held by only 47 family lawyers in Texas. She is also a credentialed mediator in all civil, family, and CPS matters and is licensed by the Supreme Court of the United States, highlighting her exceptional qualifications and expertise.Withers, a dual board-certified attorney, has earned recognition as a Super Lawyer and a nominee for Best Lawyers due to his commitment to excellence and advocacy for his clients. A Dallas native, he holds a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from Texas A&M University and attended the Field Artillery Officer Basic Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, as part of the U.S. Army Reserve. He later earned his law degree from Southern Methodist University. Withers' extensive legal background includes serving as an assistant district attorney and co-founding a successful law firm. His dedication extends beyond the courtroom through his military service and involvement in the State Bar College and the Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists.At Balekian Hayes, PLLC, based in Dallas, the leadership and commitment to clients are central to the firm's reputation. The repeated recognition by Best Lawyers not only underscores the individual excellence of each partner but also reflects the high standards maintained by the firm. For additional information about Kris Balekian Hayes and John Withers, Jr. and the services offered at Balekian Hayes, PLLC, please visit Balekian Hayes, PLLC.About Balekian Hayes:Led by Kris Balekian Hayes, the family law attorneys of Balekian Hayes PLLC are dedicated to fighting for their clients and their clients' children. From contested divorces, to child possession disputes, to out-of-court mediation and arbitration proceedings, the firm provides the knowledge and expertise needed to help people during what can be one of the most stressful times in their lives. To learn more about Balekian Hayes, visit https://www.bh-pllc.com/ Media Contact:Katie Mudd katie@ thevokolgroup.com 214-676-4254SOURCE: Balekian Hayes Family Law PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 15:02:10 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 338 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 DUBAI, UAE / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 / LaunchR, the pioneering technology firm specializing in blockchain solutions, has announced the official release of its groundbreaking token launch platform. Designed to empower developers and enhance tokenomic integrity, LaunchR introduces a new era of efficiency and token control in cryptocurrency markets.Empowering Developers with Advanced ToolsLaunchR's platform is a first-of-its-kind platform for multi-chain developers, offering a unique bundling system that allows for cost-effective token acquisition and control. This system synchronizes token generation, pooling creation, and initial purchase within the same block, giving developers unprecedented control over their launches.Innovative Features for Sustainable GrowthWith features like authority management and liquidity pool burn, LaunchR ensures developers can plan and execute token economics with complete control, paving the way for long-term viability of blockchain projects.Comprehensive Multi-Chain SupportThe platform supports a variety of blockchain networks including Ethereum, BASE, and Solana, ensuring a broad utility. This multi-chain support underscores LaunchR's commitment to providing comprehensive solutions that cater to a diverse range of developer needs.Tiered Service Model for Maximum FlexibilityLaunchR introduces a tiered service model, offering different levels of fees and benefits:Rookie Tier: 15% sell tax with $150 platform usage feesRuby Tier: 10% sell tax for holders of 50,000 $LCR, with the same platform feeDiamond and Platinum Tiers: Lower sell tax rates and enhanced service options, catering to high-volume usersUltimate Tier: For elite clients, offering the lowest rates and no platform usage fees at $2,000/monthThe LaunchR team, with over 30 years of combined industry experience, ensures that project teams are protected from malicious snipers intent on undermining legitimate projects.About LaunchRLaunchR is a tech innovator specializing in blockchain solutions that offer developers control over their token launches. Our platform is designed to eliminate the guesswork and enhance the security of token launches, ensuring the success and sustainability of projects.For more information about LaunchR and to begin using the platform, visit https://launchr.finance/ Media Contact:Full company name: LaunchRCompany website: https://launchr.finance/ Name: Tom AmbrosioOfficial email id: Support@ launchr.finance SOURCE: LaunchR PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 18:16:18 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 415 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 / Kootenai Health, including its subsidiaries Kootenai Clinic, Kootenai Outpatient Surgery, and Kootenai Outpatient Imaging, recently disclosed a data breach that compromised the sensitive personal information of over 480,000 employees, employees' dependents, and patients. This breach has led to concerns over the security of private information entrusted to the healthcare provider.WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?On March 2, 2024, Kootenai Health detected unusual activity that disrupted access to certain IT systems. Kootenai Health conducted an investigation which revealed an unauthorized party may have gained access to certain data in its network on or around February 22, 2024. The investigation determined that the following sensitive personal information were compromised in the data breach: full name, Social Security number, driver's license, government-issued ID, medical records number, medical information, health insurance information, and medical diagnoses.On August 12, 2024, Kootenai Health began issuing notice letters to individuals impacted by the data breach. Compensation may be available for Kootenai Health patients, employees, and their dependents who received notice that their personal information had been compromised.WHY AM I ENTITLED TO COMPENSATION?Data breaches are serious matters that can cause long-term damage. Hackers may use stolen information to commit identity theft, financial fraud, or other crimes. Companies that fail to secure your personal data may be held liable for the resulting harm.HOW DO I KNOW IF I WAS AFFECTED?If you received a data breach notification letter from Kootenai Health, you are likely affected. Follow the link below to find out if you may be eligible for compensation.Levi Korsinsky, LLP is investigating whether affected customers are entitled to compensation. If you have received a notice about the data breach, you may be entitled to compensation. There is no cost or obligation to participate. Follow the link below to find out:Levi & Korsinsky is a nationally recognized consumer advocacy law firm that has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars against large corporations. The firm's team of over 70 extraordinary attorneys and professionals have a winning track record going against the most powerful defense attorneys in the world and know how to maximize your compensation. The firm is a 100% contingency firm - we don't get paid unless you get paid! Please visit us at www.zlk.com for more information. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.CONTACT: Levi & Korsinsky, LLPJoseph E. Levi, Esq.Ed Korsinsky, Esq.33 Whitehall Street, 17th FloorNew York, NY 10004 jlevi@ levikorsinsky.com Tel: (212) 363-7500Fax: (212) 363-7171 https://zlk.com/ SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 07:05:37 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 305 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 / Levi & Korsinsky notifies investors that it has commenced an investigation of The Chemours Company ("The Chemours Company") (NYSE:CC) concerning possible violations of federal securities laws.Chemours issued a press release on August 1, 2024, reporting its financial results for the second quarter of 2024. Among other items, Chemours reported non-GAAP earnings per share of $0.38, missing consensus estimates by $0.20. The Company advised that it "anticipates a low to mid-single digit sequential decline in Net Sales for the third quarter," citing "[r]esidual impacts from Q2 unplanned downtime at our Altamira, Mexico manufacturing site" in its Titanium Technologies segment; "[r]efrigerant seasonality paired with weaker Freon Refrigerants pricing in its Thermal & Specialized Solutions segment; and "[a] continued modest recovery in" its Advanced Performance Materials segment.Following this news, Chemours's stock price dropped over 11% on August 2, 2024. To obtain additional information, go to:or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. either via email at jlevi@ levikorsinsky.com or by telephone at (212)363-7500.WHY LEVI & KORSINSKY: Over the past 20 years, Levi & Korsinsky LLP has established itself as a nationally-recognized securities litigation firm that has secured hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders and built a track record of winning high-stakes cases. The firm has extensive expertise representing investors in complex securities litigation and a team of over 70 employees to serve our clients. For seven years in a row, Levi & Korsinsky has ranked in ISS Securities Class Action Services' Top 50 Report as one of the top securities litigation firms in the United States. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.CONTACT: Levi & Korsinsky, LLPJoseph E. Levi, Esq.Ed Korsinsky, Esq.33 Whitehall Street, 17th FloorNew York, NY 10004 jlevi@ levikorsinsky.com Tel: (212)363-7500 Fax: (212)363-7171 https://zlk.com/ SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 15:01:35 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 352 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 BELLINGHAM, MA / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 / For medical device manufacturers, having the right suppliers ensures necessary components can be obtained whenever needed. For this reason, Medical Component Specialists' Quick Ship Program provides next-day shipping for over 400 catheter-forming mandrels and raw materials.Quick Ship Product Announcement Recently, the Quick Ship Program expanded to include PTFE GLASS filled and Nitinol catheter-forming mandrels for microcatheters for neurovascular applications in sizes ranging from .014" to .025". Like any product in the Quick Ship Program line-up, these are available for next-day shipping. Medical device companies can rest assured that they will receive these crucial components and avoid frustrating delays.The full line of products available through the Quick Ship Program include:PTFE GLASS Solid: Sizes 2 to 34 French (78" length)PTFE PURE Plain Beading: Sizes 2 to 34 French (78" length)Quick Release PTFE GLASS Tubing: Sizes 8 to 30 French (2.5 to 10 mm), 1 to 2 mm wall thicknessM2 Tool Steel: 1 to 3.2 mm17-4 & 17-7: 1 to 10 mmUltra Polish 304SS Catheter Mandrels: Sizes 3 to 32 French (73" length)PTFE Coated 304SS Catheter Mandrels: Sizes .007" to .125" (73" length)Diamond Drawn 304V Catheter Mandrels: Sizes .009" to .042" (73" length)Precision Ground 304SS Catheter Mandrels: Sizes .043" to .187" (73" length)PTFE Coated SS Hollow Tube 304SS Catheter Mandrels: Sizes .134" to .310" (60" length)To make ordering quicker and easier than ever, customers can purchase items through MCS's online store. The Quick Ship Program is designed to meet time-sensitive mandrel needs and exemplifies the MCS commitment to being the preferred medical component provider for OEMs worldwide. Contact MCS today to learn more about the Quick Ship Program.About Medical Component Specialists: MCS manufactures medical components like ortho-pins, mandrels, cannulated drills, and staples for orthopedics and interventional applications. MCS's master grinding capabilities ensure precision and unsurpassed quality while its CNC machining enables high-volume production to suit customers' diverse needs. With full in-line production capabilities and ISO 13485 certification, MCS has quickly become a preferred supplier of precision medical components to Medical OEMs worldwide.Contact InformationGrant NiewinskiDirector of Business Developmentgniewinski@ medicalcomponentspecialists.com 312-607-5589SOURCE: Medical Component Specialists, Inc.View the original press release on newswire.com News / National by Staff reporter Preparations for the 44th SADC Heads of State and Government Summit, scheduled for August 17, are complete. The summit will be held at the New Parliament Building in Mt. Hampden.Vice President Constantino Chiwenga reported that all major access roads to the venue - the Harare-Chirundu, Harare-Kanyemba, and New Parliament Roads - are open. The VVIP Lounge at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport is finished, and traffic lights, street lighting, and city beautification efforts are complete.The New Parliament Building has been equipped with an 11kV Dedicated Feeder and a 4MVA, 33/11kV transformer to ensure uninterrupted power. Accommodation and medical facilities are finalized, and an exhibition of SADC artefacts is set up at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe.The Executive SADC Secretary arrived on August 6, and the Senior Officials Meetings began on August 8, with Zimbabwe assuming the chairmanship from Angola. The police are on high alert to prevent any disruptions during the summit. PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 21:46:25 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 531 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Hagens Berman Encourages FNA Investors with Substantial Losses to Contact the FirmSAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 / Hagens Berman urges Paragon 28, Inc. (NYSE:FNA) investors who suffered substantial losses to submit your losses now. The firm also encourages persons with knowledge who may be able to assist in the investigation to contact its attorneys.Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/FNA Contact the Firm Now: FNA@ hbsslaw.com 844-916-0895Paragon 28, Inc. (FNA) Investigation:Paragon 28 Inc. suffered a sharp decline in its share price on August 9 after lowering its revenue forecast, announcing layoffs, and replacing its finance chief. The stock plunged 22%, erasing hundreds of millions of dollars of shareholder value.The medical device company said it now expects full-year revenue between $249 million and $255 million, down from a previous range of $249 million to $259 million. In an effort to cut costs and preserve cash, Paragon 28 is implementing an operational efficiency strategy that includes laying off approximately 7% of its workforce. The company is also reducing inventory and adjusting executive compensation.Kristina Wright, who had been serving as interim CFO since April, has been replaced by Chadi Chanine, formerly of Zimmer Biomet Holdings.The latest developments come as Paragon 28 has revealed accounting irregularities. CFO Stephen Deitsch's abrupt resignation on April 4, 2023 portended problems with the company's financial reporting.On July 30, concerns came to fruition when Paragon 28 announced that its previously reported financial results for 2023 and the first quarter of 2024 were unreliable. The company admitted to material weaknesses in its internal controls and disclosed significant accounting errors. Specifically, Paragon 28 understated its cost of goods sold by 19%, resulting in an overstated operating loss by 22% and net loss by 20%.The company's stock has fallen over 56% over the past year, raising concerns about its financial health and prompting prominent shareholder rights firm Hagens Berman to commence an investigation into potential violations of U.S. securities laws."We're looking into any potential connection between Paragon 28's dismal outlook and past improper accounting," said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the firm's investigation.If you invested in Paragon 28 and have substantial losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firm's investigation, submit your losses now If you'd like more information and answers to frequently asked questions about the Paragon 28 investigation, read more Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Paragon 28 should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email FNA@ hbsslaw.com # # #About Hagens Berman Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs' rights complex litigation firm focusing on corporate accountability. The firm is home to a robust practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and other wrongdoings. Hagens Berman's team has secured more than $2.9 billion in this area of law. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com . Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.Contact:Reed Kathrein, 844-916-0895SOURCE: Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 21:15:42 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 703 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 GHC violated California's employment laws by refusing to accommodate employees with religious and medical objections to COVID-19 vaccination.LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 / Protection of the Educational Rights of Kids (PERK) is gearing up for a jury trial in the case of Iris Arnold et al. v. Brian Bauer et al., a damages case that could be the first to have a jury decide whether an employer-in this case, Granada Hills Charter ("GHC")-violated California's employment laws by refusing to accommodate employees who had religious and medical objections to COVID-19 vaccination.This historic case involves the first group of teachers fired back in 2021 for asserting their rights. PERK and five plaintiffs, all educators and employees of the school, filed the suit against Brian Bauer, CHC Executive Director, and the school itself.Thegroundbreaking casewas filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court's Chatsworth division in 2022. In it, Plaintiffs Iris Arnold, Setiawatin Beckman, Angela Karapatyan, Sarah Olczak, Laurie Peachey, and PERK allege that Brian Bauer, GHC executive director, unilaterally decided to require that all employees get vaccinated and pressured the school's governing board to ratify the requirement, which became their official policy. Several employees requested religious exemptions, but Bauer denied them. Two plaintiffs asked for medical exemptions, but Bauer also rejected those. Those plaintiffs were placed on administrative leave, told they could not set foot on campus, and ultimately fired and denied unemployment benefits."I was terminated from my job as a Purchasing Assistant at Granada Hills Charter School on October 15, 2021. Granada Hills was the first public school to fire employees like me and tenured faculty members in California. I requested reasonable accommodations based on my sincerely held beliefs as a Christian, was denied twice, and ultimately fired. Three challenging years later, I continue to defend my constitutional and civil rights. I am thankful, grateful, and blessed that PERK supports and believes in protecting and defending ordinary people like me who wanted to stay employed but were not given the opportunity due to my faith," stated plaintiff Laurie Peachey.PERK AttorneyScott Streetsaid, "This is one of America's most important civil rights cases. GHC did not try to accommodate the plaintiffs' religious beliefs and medical conditions. It fired them based on a misunderstanding of the facts and the law. Once it learned during discovery that it could have allowed them to continue working in person, it refused to take responsibility. GHC then pivoted to a scorched earth strategy to put the plaintiffs' beliefs on trial. The only way to hold GHC accountable, vindicate the rights of plaintiffs, and stop other employers from doing this in the future is to win this case at trial, as we expect to do." Los Angeles Superior CourtCase # 22CHCV00276PERK founder Amy Bohn, who has supported this case from the start, echoed those thoughts. "From the beginning, PERK stood alongside these educators as they fought back. As the President of PERK, our organization is at the tip of the spear, leading the charge against unconstitutional mandates in California. We must never forget what happened during the COVID Era. Almost every industry, and certainly every family and every child, felt the impact of the overreach of tyrannical mandates that jeopardized fundamental human rights. As this case heads towards trial, its significance is monumental," said Bohn.We've fought for California's first responders, public employees, parents, veterans, actors, the children, and now our teachers. This case has been in litigation for almost three years. We will finish what we started and help these teachers and educators secure restitution for their wrongful termination. We expect this will be another medical freedom victory that will continue our positive momentum even in a contentious state like California," continued Bohn.The GHC case trial is scheduled to start on November 4, 2024.PERK isa 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that advocates for parental rights, civil rights, bodily autonomy, medical freedom, and issues affecting children and families.PERK has filed this complaint against GHC and similar lawsuits against Los Angeles County, the City of Beverly Hills, the Los Angeles Unified School District, and the Piedmont School District, among others. Visitwww.perk-group.comfor additional information on these cases.Contact:Dan Kramer, PERK Spokesperson Phone 949.415.8721SOURCE: PERK PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 15:02:26 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 605 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 ARNPRIOR, ON / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 / Plaintree Systems Inc. (CSE:NPT) ("Plaintree" or the "Company").Quarterly Statements for the First Quarter of Fiscal 2025 ending June 30, 2024.Plaintree announced today that it has released its unaudited interim consolidated financial statements and related management's discussion and analysis for the three months ending June 30, 2024.For the quarter ending June 30, 2024, Plaintree realized revenues from operations of $7,282,784 as compared to $7,752,991 for the same period in fiscal 2024.Net income was $1,126,078 for the quarter ending June 30, 2024 as compared to net income of $664,873 for the same period a year earlier."We are seeing major improvements in our performance across the board" said David Watson CEO, "net working capital is up, profitability is up and most importantly, gross margin has gone from 27% two years ago to 34% demonstrating improvements in productivity".Additional information relating to the Company, including the financial statements, may be found on SEDAR at www.sedarplus.ca or the Company's website at www.plaintree.com About Plaintree SystemsPlaintree has two diversified product divisions consisting of Specialty Structures and Applied Electronics.The Specialty Structures division includes the Triodetic Group with over 40 years of experience, is a design/build manufacturer of steel, aluminum and stainless steel specialty structures such as commercial domes, foundations for unstable soil conditions and flood zones, for free form structures, barrel vaults, space frames and industrial dome coverings, and Spotton Corporation, a design and manufacturer of high end custom hydraulic and pneumatic valves and cylinders.The Applied Electronics division includes the legacy Hypernetics, Summit Aerospace USA Inc. and Elmira Stove Works Inc. businesses. Hypernetics was established in 1972 and is a manufacturer of avionic components for various applications including aircraft antiskid braking, aircraft instrument indicators, solenoids, high purity valves and permanent magnet alternators. Summit Aerospace USA Inc. provides high precision machining to the aerospace and defense markets. Our facility includes 5 axis CNC precision machining of complex castings and large ring parts such as turbine and assembly shrouds as well as assembly & pressure seals. Summit will support requirements from concept, prototype and throughout production. Elmira Stove Works Inc a manufacturer of high-end heritage and retro-styled kitchen appliances under the brand names "Northstar", "Fireview" and "Heritage".Plaintree's shares are traded under the symbol "NPT". Shareholders and Investors can access Company information on CSE's website and receive full Company disclosure monthly. For more information on Plaintree or to receive stock quotes, complete with trading summaries, bid size and ask price, brokerage house participation, insider reports, news releases, disclosure information, and CSE and SEDAR filings, visit the CSE website at https://thecse.com/listings/plaintree-systems-inc/ or the Company's website at www.plaintree.com Plaintree is publicly traded in Canada on the CSE (NPT) with 12,925,253 common shares and 18,325 class A preferred shares outstanding.This press release may include statements that are forward-looking and based on current expectations. The actual results of the company may differ materially from current expectations. The business of the company is subject to many risks and uncertainties, including changes in markets for the company's products, delays in product development and introduction to manufacturing and intense competition. For a more detailed discussion of the risks and uncertainties related to the company's business, please refer to documents filed by the company with the Canadian regulatory authorities, including the annual report of the Company for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024 and related management discussion and analysis.Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release.For further information: Robert Turley, CFO (613) 623-3434 x2282SOURCE: Plaintree Systems, Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 05:45:32 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 334 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 14, 2024 / Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Globus Medical, Inc. ("Globus" or the "Company") (NYSE:GMED). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at newaction@ pomlaw.com or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980.The investigation concerns whether Globus and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.[Click here for information about joining the class action]On August 13, 2024, in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Globus disclosed that "on July 16, 2024, Globus Medical, Inc. received a warning letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the FDA') following an inspection of our facilities in Audubon, Pennsylvania. In the warning letter, the FDA cited deficiencies in the response letters sent by the Company to the FDA following the Form 483, List of Investigational Observations, which was delivered to the Company in connection with the inspection that occurred from February 15, 2024 until March 7, 2024. The letter describes observed non-conformities in establishing and maintaining product complaint procedures, including complaint investigations, trending, risk reconciliation, and Medical Device Report (MDR) procedures including timely reporting, pertaining to the ExcelsiusGPS robotic system." Following disclosure of the FDA's warning letter, Globus's stock price fell $5.73 per share, or 7.84%, to close at $67.32 per share on August 13, 2024.Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 20:44:40 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 586 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 2024 Second Quarter Results & State of the Business UpdateFORT LAUDERDALE, FL / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 /Splash Beverage Group, Inc. (NYSE American:SBEV) ("Splash" or the "Company"), a portfolio company of leading beverage brands, announced that it will host a conference call to on Thursday, August 22, 2024 at 4:00 pm ET. The C-Suite team Robert Nistico (Chairman / CEO), Julius Ivancsits (CFO), and Bill Meissner (President / CMO) will be present and field questions after the formal presentation.Topics include the followingQ2'2024 Financial ResultsDistribution / Brand StrategyCapital Structure / Financing Update2nd Half 2024/2025 Financial OutlookMerger & Acquisitions UpdateConference Call Details:Date: Thursday, August 22, 2024Time: 4:00 pm. ETCall: 888-506-0062 (US Toll Free) or 973-528-0011 (International)Participant Access Code: 648719Webcast: A live webcast will be available and can be accessed from the Investors section of the Company's website or by clicking hereAll interested parties are invited to participate. Please connect at least 15 minutes prior to the conference call to ensure adequate time for any software download that may be required to join the webcast.For those unable to join the live webcast, a replay will be available until Friday, August 22, 2025, at 1-877-481-4010 (US) or 1-919-882-2331, replay pin number 51153. Additionally, to access the archived webcast, please visit the Investors section of the Company's website or click hereFollow Splash Beverage Group on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SplashBev About Splash Beverage Group, Inc.Splash Beverage Group, an innovator in the beverage industry, owns a growing portfolio of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage brands including Copa di Vino wine by the glass, SALT flavored tequilas, Pulpoloco sangria, and TapouT performance hydration and recovery drink. Splash's strategy is to rapidly develop early-stage brands already in its portfolio as well as acquire and then accelerate brands that have high visibility or are innovators in their categories. Led by a management team that has built and managed some of the top brands in the beverage industry and led sales from product launch into the billions, Splash is rapidly expanding its brand portfolio and global distribution.For more information visit:Forward-Looking StatementThis press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of U.S. federal securities laws. Words such as "expect," "estimate," "project," "budget," "forecast," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "may," "will," "could," "should," "believes," "predicts," "potential," "continue" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected results and, consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. These forward-looking statements and factors that may cause such differences include, without limitation, the risks disclosed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 8, 2021, and in the Company's other filings with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any obligation to update or publicly announce any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.Contact Information:Splash Beverage GroupInfo@ SplashBeverageGroup.com Contact InformationCandace MuckefuseSplash Beverage Groupcandacem@ splashbeveragegroup.com 9413066692SOURCE: Splash Beverage Group, Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 13:45:34 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 1030 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 /Stillwater Critical Minerals Corp. (TSXV:PGE)(OTCQB:PGEZF)(FSE:J0G) (the "Company" or "Stillwater") is collaborating with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory ("Berkeley Lab"), with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE") via the Advanced Research Projects Agency program ("ARPA-E"), to study the potential for geologic hydrogen production at its flagship Stillwater West Ni-PGE-Cu-Co + Au project in Montana.Funding in the amount of U.S. $2 million has been secured by Berkeley Lab to advance the "Cyclic Injection for Commercial Seismic-Safe Geologic H2 Production (CyclicGeoH2)" project, led by Berkeley Lab Research Scientist Dr. Mengsu Hu in collaboration with the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Texas at Austin. The team is developing technologies for geologic hydrogen production that address the challenge of extracting hydrogen both safely and economically at commercial scale. The technology involves the use of adaptive controls of fracture creation followed by serpentinization reactions to generate and subsequently extract hydrogen to a wellhead. Using rock samples from the Stillwater Igneous Complex, the team is applying an integrated approach for developing and testing novel technology that includes laboratory tests, field characterization and multiscale numerical modeling. The research effort in the project will benefit from studies conducted by other projects supported by ARPA-E that are focusing on the enhancement of the rate of geologic hydrogen generation.Geologic hydrogen refers to hydrogen gas that occurs naturally within the Earth's crust, which is generated through natural processes such as the reaction of water with certain types of iron-rich rocks, and other processes. The most favorable settings for geologic hydrogen accumulation are within ultramafic rocks which are rich in the mineral olivine that readily reacts in the serpentinization process, producing geologic hydrogen. These environments provide the necessary conditions for continuous hydrogen production over geological timescales or through accelerated stimulation of these reactions, making them ideal for potential exploration and extraction of hydrogen as a clean energy source.Hydrogen is increasingly recognized as a clean energy source due to its ability to produce energy with minimal environmental impact. When used in fuel cells, hydrogen combines with oxygen to generate electricity, with water vapor as the only byproduct, making it a zero-emission energy source. This contrasts sharply with fossil fuels, which release significant amounts of carbon dioxide and other pollutants when burned. Moreover, hydrogen can be stored and transported efficiently, making it a versatile energy carrier that can be used in a wide range of applications, from powering vehicles to providing backup power for grid systems. As the world seeks to reduce its carbon footprint, hydrogen holds significant promise as a key component of the transition to a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.Michael Rowley, Stillwater Critical Minerals President and CEO, stated, "We are excited for our Stillwater West project to be selected for this cutting-edge work in the burgeoning field of geologic hydrogen generation. We look forward to continued work with Dr. Hu's team given our shared vision of securing domestic supply of the critical minerals so urgently needed by the US while also potentially generating clean energy in the form of hydrogen based on the rare geology of the Stillwater Igneous Complex. With the largest nickel resource in an active US mining district and a wealth of other minerals listed as critical by the US government, Stillwater Critical Minerals is exceptionally well-positioned to play a significant role in achieving these goals as we continue to advance Stillwater West as a large-scale, low-carbon source of at least nine minerals listed as critical. It is our belief that mining can do more than supply minerals by conventional means, and that relationships such as this are the path toward more sustainable practices." Dr. Mengsu Hu, Berkeley Lab Lead Principal Investigator, said "It is an exciting opportunity to study geologic hydrogen that is funded by the US government for the first time. Our technology has potential for a wide range of geologic settings where it may be possible to produce geologic hydrogen at scale." Dr. Carl Steefel, Co-Principal Investigator at Berkeley Lab, stated "The layered ultramafic rocks of the Stillwater Complex may be ideal for generation of geologic hydrogen through stimulation. If core-scale tests using stimulation produce favorable results, we are optimistic about proceeding to larger scale pilot tests in the Stillwater Complex where the full range of our technology can be brought to bear. We are also interested to see if naturally occurring hydrogen can be detected in the Stillwater Complex." About Dr. Mengsu HuDr. Mengsu Hu is a Research Scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). Dr. Hu's research focuses on multiscale numerical modeling and machine learning for analyzing coupled thermal-hydro-mechanical-chemical (THMC) processes from fundamental Earth science to subsurface energy geoscience applications (e.g., nuclear waste disposal, geothermal energy and geologic hydrogen production and storage). Dr. Hu is currently serving on the Board of Directors of American Rock Mechanics Association (ARMA), and Editorial Board for Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, PNAS Nexus, International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, and Geomechanics and Geophysics for Geo-Energy and Geo-Resources. Dr. Mengsu Hu was selected as an ARMA future leader in 2020, a recipient of 2021 LBL Director's Award for Exceptional Early Scientific Career Achievement at LBNL, and a participant of 2022 U.S. Frontiers of Engineering symposium.About Dr. Carl SteefelCarl Steefel is a Senior Scientist at Berkeley Laboratory in the Energy Geosciences Division, Earth and Environmental Sciences Area. He also serves as head of the Geochemistry Department. He has seven years of experience in mineral exploration and over 40 years of experience in developing models for multicomponent reactive transport in porous media and applying them to topics related to water-rock interaction, chemical and enhanced weathering, and reactive contaminant transport. He is the principal developer of the CrunchFlow software, which won an R&D 100 Award in 2017. He was named an AGU Fellow in 2019 and received the Berkeley Lab Director's Award for Exceptional Scientific Achievement in 2020.About Dr. Michael MangaDr. Michael Manga, co-Principal Investigator on the project, is a professor and department chair of Earth and Planetary Science, at the U PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 22:00:22 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 331 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 /Monteverde & Associates PC (the "M&A Class Action Firm"), has recovered money for shareholders and is recognized as a Top 50 Firm in the 2018-2022 ISS Securities Class Action Services Report. We are headquartered at the Empire State Building in New York City and are investigating Blue Owl Capital Corporation III (NYSE:OBDE), relating to its proposed merger with Blue Owl Capital Corporation. Under the terms of the agreement, ODBE shareholders will receive newly issued shares of Blue Owl Capital Corp. according to an exchange ratio to be determined prior to closing.Click here for more information https://monteverdelaw.com/case/blue-owl-capital-corporation-iii/ . It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.NOT ALL LAW FIRMS ARE THE SAME. Before you hire a law firm, you should talk to a lawyer and ask:Do you file class actions and go to Court?When was the last time you recovered money for shareholders?What cases did you recover money in and how much?About Monteverde & Associates PCOur firm litigates and has recovered money for shareholdersand we do it from our offices in the Empire State Building. We are a national class action securities firm with a successful track record in trial and appellate courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court.No company, director or officer is above the law. If you own common stock in the above listed company and have concerns or wish to obtain additional information free of charge, please visit ourwebsiteor contact Juan Monteverde, Esq. either via e-mail atjmonteverde@ monteverdelaw.comor by telephone at (212) 971-1341.Contact: Juan Monteverde, Esq.MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIATES PC The Empire State Building 350 Fifth Ave. Suite 4740New York, NY 10118United States of America jmonteverde@ monteverdelaw.com Tel: (212) 971-1341Attorney Advertising. (C) 2024 Monteverde & Associates PC. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Monteverde & Associates PC ( www.monteverdelaw.com) . Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.SOURCE: Monteverde & Associates PC PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 03:31:07 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 327 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 The Schall Law Firm, a national shareholder rights litigation firm, announces that it is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Arbor Realty Trust, Inc. ("Arbor" or "the Company") (NYSE:ABR) for violations of the securities laws.The investigation focuses on whether the Company issued false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose information pertinent to investors. Arbor is the subject of a report issued by Viceroy Research November 17, 2023, titled, "Arbor Realty Trust - Slumlord Millionaires." According to the report, "Arbor's high-risk multifamily bridge loans, which comprise substantially all of its asset book, are going bad fast The end is near." Viceroy Research then issued a follow up report on December 5, 2023, titled "Arbor - Jacksonville Case Study." In the second report, Viceroy Research claims that the Company's "entire loan book is distressed and underlying collateral is vastly overstated." Based on this news, shares of Arbor fell by more than 5% over the next two trading sessions.If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate.We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall of the Schall Law Firm, 2049 Century Park East, Suite 2460, Los Angeles, CA 90067, at 310-301-3335, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm's website at www.schallfirm.com , or by email at bschall@ schallfirm.com The class in this case has not yet been certified, and until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member.The Schall Law Firm represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation.This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics.CONTACT: The Schall Law FirmBrian Schall, Esq. www.schallfirm.com Office: 310-301-3335 info@ schallfirm.com SOURCE: The Schall Law Firm PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 09:46:06 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 743 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 DALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 / As the demand for tech talent and highly skilled professionals surges in the US and UK, companies are stepping up to bridge the gap. One fintech company that's doing this in a phenomenal way is Vesti, backed by Techstars and a network of strategic investors and angel supporters, is playing a pivotal role in addressing these shortages by facilitating the migration of students and professionals to these tech-driven economies.With a mission to help 1 billion immigrants by 2034, Vesti is dedicated to using AI and a suite of B2B connections that are often underrated to create a comprehensive pathway for students and skilled professionals aiming to move to the US with special visas like the O-1, EB-1, and H1B. The company understands the complexities and challenges involved in international migration and has developed a robust platform to simplify this process. Their services range from providing AI-tailored detailed guidance on visa applications to offering support in securing housing and financial services upon arrival, utilizing a mix of venture capital funding of approximately $1.5 million and an additional $270,000 in credits from Google for Startups and Stripe.One of the key features of Vesti is its commitment to making the migration process as seamless as possible. They offer a range of resources, including up-to-date information on visa requirements, financial planning tools, and a network of support services to ensure that migrants can integrate smoothly into their new environments. This holistic approach not only helps individuals transition more easily but also ensures that they are well-prepared to contribute effectively to their new communities and workplaces.According to the CEO of Vesti, Olusola Amusan, "Our mission is to make migration easy and accessible for everyone. We believe that by providing the right tools and support, we can help individuals achieve their dreams and contribute to the global economy." He further emphasized, "The tech talent gap in the US and UK presents a unique opportunity for skilled professionals around the world. At Vesti, we are committed to helping them navigate this journey successfully." Amusan also noted, "It's not just about moving people; it's about building a supportive community that empowers migrants to thrive in their new environments." They recently partnered with key financial and credit organizations to make this possible.Vesti's impact extends beyond individual success stories. By facilitating the migration of skilled professionals and students to the US and UK, they are helping to address critical skill shortages in these countries. This influx of talent is essential for sustaining innovation and growth in key sectors such as technology, engineering, and healthcare. Vesti's entry into theUKmarket marks a significant shift for migrants globally, extending its reach beyond Africans to include Indians and other non-EU immigrants.The company's efforts are particularly timely, given the current global landscape. With many countries experiencing a significant shortage of tech talent, Vesti's role in streamlining the migration process is invaluable. By helping to fill these gaps, they are not only supporting the economic growth of the US and UK but also providing opportunities for talented individuals from around the world to advance their careers and improve their quality of life.Vesti's work in facilitating the migration of students and professionals to the US, UK, and Canada is a vital contribution to addressing the tech talent shortages in the US and UK. Their comprehensive approach and commitment to supporting migrants make them a key player in this space, ensuring that both the migrants and the economies they join can thrive.ABOUT VESTIFounded by two brothers who immigrated to the United States, the company is backed by both African and US-based investors and boasts of a thriving community of dreamers who represent the next generation of builders. Vesti's AI-powered copilot, Miai, is a key component of its comprehensive offering, providing personalized support and guidance to immigrants throughout their migration journey. Through a set of tailored payment products, Vesti delivers hassle-free migration pathways and financial services to immigrants moving to the United States and other top destinations in North America and Europe. Vesti's vision is to be the go-to legal and financial services platform for the next 1 billion immigrants. The company is on a mission to be the preferred platform for immigrants before they emigrate, providing information, community and ultimately a smooth transition to immigrants.For more information, visithere .Media Details:Company Name: VestiCity & Country: Dallas, USAEmail: ife@ wevesti.com Website: https://wevesti.com SOURCE: Vesti PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 05:30:43 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 530 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Contact Hagens Berman by August 23, 2024 Deadline to Join Class Action Against TMSAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 14, 2024 / Hagens Berman urges Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE:TM) investors who suffered substantial losses to take action now by submitting your losses here.Class Period: June 23, 2022 - June 2, 2024Lead Plaintiff Deadline: Aug. 23, 2024Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/tm Contact the Firm Now: TM@ hbsslaw.com 844-916-0895Class Action Lawsuit Against Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE: TM):The litigation is focused on the truthfulness of Toyota's past statements concerning certification of its cars, including those manufactured by its majority-owned Hino Motors Ltd. and by its consolidated subsidiary Daihatsu Motor Co. Ltd.More specifically, on June 23, 2022, Toyota highlighted the importance of maintaining its brand image and disclosed that Hino had "identified past misconduct in relation to its applications for certification concerning the emissions and fuel economy performance of certain of its engines for the Japanese market." Then, on June 30, 2023, Toyota revealed that Daihatsu identified "misconduct in relation to its applications for certification concerning safety tests of certain of its vehicles for the overseas market." Toyota assured investors that it was working to rectify these and other matters on a company-wide level.The complaint alleges that Toyota made false and misleading statements and failed to disclose that it understated its malfeasance relating to certification of its cars and issues relating to overall legal compliance.The true scope of Toyota's malfeasance became clear to investors on June 3, 2024, when the company announced its results of an investigation into model certification applications (ordered by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) and revealed that seven of its models were tested using methods that differed from government standards.This news drove the price of Toyota American Depositary Shares significantly lower on June 3, 2024."Our investigation centers on the extent to which Toyota may have intentionally concealed the true scope of problems in its certification processes," said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the investigation.If you invested in Toyota and have substantial losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firm's investigation, submit your losses now If you'd like more information and answers to frequently asked questions about the Toyota case and our investigation, read more Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Toyota should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email TM@ hbsslaw.com # # #About Hagens Berman Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs' rights complex litigation firm focusing on corporate accountability. The firm is home to a robust practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and other wrongdoings. Hagens Berman's team has secured more than $2.9 billion in this area of law. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com . Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.Contact:Reed Kathrein, 844-916-0895SOURCE:Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP News / National by Staff reporter The Department of Home Affairs will likely have to pay damages to the tune of R1 million to an illegal immigrant after the Eastern Cape High Court ruled that she was unlawfully detained for a month.The woman, whose name is withheld, was arrested on November 18, 2022 while hiding in a room where she conducted business as a herbalist. She was taken to the Mthatha Magistrate's Court on November 21 where she pleaded guilty of contravening the immigration Act.During her court appearance, she paid a R1,000 fine and she was subsequently detained at the Mthatha Central police station pending her deportation. She was released on December 2022.Aggrieved by her arrest and detention, she sued Home Affairs for R1 million in damages regarding her arrest and incarceration.In her application, she argued that her arrest was unlawful because she was arrested without a warrant and was not informed of the reasons for her arrest, nor was she informed of the reasons of her subsequent detention.Even though she pleaded guilty for being in the country illegally, she said she was refused the right to challenge the lawfulness of her arrest in person or through an attorney, and the immigration officers failed to bring her to court within 48 hours from her arrest.She further added that she was detained in deplorable conditions and she was not informed of the reasons for her detention.In court, it was heard that the herbalist entered the country in 2002 while fleeing from the political unrest in her country of origin.She said she told officials who arrested her that she made an application for asylum in January 2020, however, no further details were obtained of the status of her application.In response, Home Affairs said its members were entitled to arrest the woman, as she failed to identify herself as envisaged in Section 41 of the Immigration Act as a foreigner who is lawfully in the country.It was further added that her detention was authorised by the court and she was duly informed of the decision to deport her, as well as the reasons for her continued detention.Looking at the evidence, Judge Lindiwe Risi said that in 2017, the Constitutional Court declared parts of the Immigration Act unconstitutional and suspended the order of invalidity for 24 months, pending Parliament enacting corrective legislation to cure the defect.Pending the new Act, the court said any illegal foreigner detained shall be brought before a court in person within 48 hours from the time of arrest, or not later than the first court day after the expiry of the 48 hours, if 48 hours expired outside ordinary court days.This meant that at the expiry of the 24-month period in June 2019, the constitutional invalidity took effect the impugned provisions could not be applied.However, when Parliament failed to meet the deadline to enact corrective legislation, the Minister of Home Affairs, in 2023, approached the Constitutional Court for the revival of the order it made in 2017. Parliament was given another 12 months to fix the law.Judge Risi said the court will rely on the 2017 decision made by the Constitutional Court regarding the arrest and detention of illegal foreigners.Therefore, the judge added that detention of an illegal foreigner cannot exceed 48 hours from the time of arrest."Additionally, any period of detention longer than 30 days will be subjected to judicial oversight whereupon the court will exercise its discretion in determining whether the period of detention must be extended or not," she said.The judge said that even though the department was right for arresting the woman, she was uneasy with the legality of how the officials conducted her detention pending the deportation."This court had before it, fundamentally contradictory evidence of the two witnesses of the defendant (Home Affairs) on the substantial issues regarding the lawfulness of the plaintiff's detention until she was released." I see no reason why judgment should not be entered in favour of the plaintiff (woman) on the question of the lawfulness of her detention for the already mentioned period," said the judge.Regarding how much the woman should get, judge Risi stayed the matter until further notice. PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-15 11:00:18 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 407 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 SANTA BARBARA, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 15, 2024 / Experiential travel company UNCHARTED has announced the launch of EVOLVE, a new multimedia website that features original reports, interviews with industry leaders, and off-the-beaten-track experiences. The website is meticulously designed for those interested in adventure travel, wilderness conservation, and culture.UNCHARTED Launches EVOLVE, the New Guide to the Luxury Adventure Travel Lifestyle Exploring the UNCHARTED world - EVOLVE is a new multimedia website that features original reports, interviews with industry leaders, and off-the-beaten-track experiences.For more than 30 years, UNCHARTED has designed luxury African safaris and similar bespoke, private adventures in the world's most spectacular natural destinations."EVOLVE is our new guide to the luxury adventure travel lifestyle," says Chip Cunningham, co-founder and CEO of UNCHARTED.EVOLVE also includes curated videos, podcasts, and articles that have been selected by the UNCHARTED team - industry leaders who have decades of experience in the field and personal passions for conscious travel, and who have developed this platform as a way to freely share their expert, insider information."Our roots are in African safaris, and we've extended that model of high-end, eco-conscious travel in remote wildernesses to include other spectacular nature travel destinations in South America, Australia, New Zealand, India, Southeast Asia, and the Poles," says Cunningham."As our reach continues to spread, so does our decades-long commitment to sustainable travel that has a positive social, economic, and environmental impact. We're all about making progress and saving the planet, one safari at a time. EVOLVE is shining a light on others around the world who share our sense of mission." Find EVOLVE at gouncharted.com/evolve ABOUT UNCHARTED Founders Chip and Sandy Cunningham started building UNCHARTED in East Africa in the 1990s, as co-creators of Bush Homes of East Africa. From the outset, they were embedded in the world of ethical, high-end, and low-impact safari camps and lodges. From 2014 to 2021, the company was branded OutsideGo in a partnership with Outside Magazine. The company happily regained its independent status and re-branded under its original name, UNCHARTED, in 2021. As one of the Robb Report's 22 Global Travel Masters, co-founder and company president Sandy Cunningham is a widely recognized authority on luxury adventure travel. Formerly based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, UNCHARTED is now headquartered in Santa Barbara, California.CONTACT Sandy Cunningham; sandy@ gouncharted.com; (505) 231-0699Contact InformationSandy CunninghamCEO & Co-Foundersandy@ gouncharted.com (505) 231-0699SOURCE: UNCHARTEDView the original press release on newswire.com Zhongshan, the Chinese company whose export processing zone management contract was revoked by the Ogun State government in 2016, on Thursday said it is ready to settle with the Nigerian government. The company disclosed this in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday. Zhongshan has only ever sought to assert its rights under international law and is confident in its case. The independent arbitral panel was found unanimously in its favour, and courts in multiple countries have upheld the view that the panels compensation should be enforced. The French court was fully aware of the facts when it reached its decision. Far from being just a fence, the Ogun Free Trade Zone was featured as a significant international investment by the Economist Intelligence Unit. Zhongshan has for a long time been ready to enter serious negotiations with the federal government of Nigeria to settle this case and still awaits an indication that the government is equally willing, the statement said. PREMIUM TIMES had on Wednesday reported how a French court authorised the seizure of three presidential jets linked to the Federal Government of Nigeria. The court order prohibits the jets movement, sale, or purchase until Zhongshan receives the awarded $74.5 million. Bailiffs have served papers for each aircraft. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Reacting in a statement on Thursday, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, described the French courts order attaching Nigerias presidential jets as a result of the arm-twisting tactic by a Chinese company. Mr Onanuga highlighted various efforts the federal government and the Ogun State government had made to resolve the matter. He said the Zhongshan withheld vital information and misled the French court in Paris into attaching the Nigerian governments presidential jets. He said the jets were on routine maintenance in France when the court order was issued. The use and nature of the Presidential jets as assets of a Sovereign entity whose assets are protected by diplomatic immunity forbid any foreign Court from issuing an order against them, the statement said. Background The Ogun State government and Zhongshan have been locked in a long-drawn battle over the management of an export processing zone in the South-west state. On 29 June 2010, Zhuhai Zhongfu Industrial Group Co Ltd, the parent company of Zhongshan, and the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone (OGFTZ) entered into a framework agreement on establishing Fucheng Industrial Park within the zone. The agreement gave Zhuhan the right to develop and run Fucheng Park within the zone. The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority registered Zhongfu International Investment (NIG) FZE, a subsidiary of Zhongshan, as a free trade zone enterprise within the OGFZ in 2011. The Ogun State government later appointed Zhongfu as the interim manager/administrator of the zone. However, in July 2016, Zhongfu alleged that the Ogun State Government had moved to terminate its appointment and appoint another manager for the free trade zone. Zhongfu then launched an investment treaty arbitration against Nigeria, citing the bilateral investment treaty between the Peoples Republic of China and Nigeria. On 26 March 2021, an arbitral tribunal issued a final award of $55,675,000 in addition to an interest of $9.4 million and costs of 2,864,445 payable by Nigeria to Zhongshan. This newspaper also learned that afterwards, the federal government repeatedly pleaded with the Ogun State Government to resolve its dispute with Zhongshan amicably, but no settlement was reached. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The newly crowned Miss South Africa, Mia Le Roux, has stood in solidarity with her embattled former co-pageant contestant, Chidimma Adetshina. Ms Adetshina withdrew from the pageant amid controversies surrounding her South African citizenship claims, Nigerian heritage, and trolling. The controversies have sparked a debate about diversity and inclusion in the pageant world. Before withdrawing from the pageant, Ms Adetshina, born in South Africa to a Nigerian father, a Mozambique mother, and now a naturalised South African, advanced to the Top 30 and became a finalist in the Miss SA competition. Ms Le Roux, who was crowned on Saturday night at the Sun Bet Arena in Pretoria, revealed her stance on the controversies surrounding Ms Adetshinas withdrawal and her (LeRoux) emergence as the winner in an interview with South Africas news TV channel, Newzroom Afrika. The 28-year-old, who made history by being the first deaf winner in Miss South Africas 66-year history, said, It was extremely hard for us because each of us personally knows and loves Chichi. We truly believe that she did not deserve the hate, as we know she is phenomenal, powerful, and beautiful in her own right. She deserved her spot on Miss South Africa. Ms Le Roux, echoing her earlier sentiments, emphasised the need for unity and support, urging South Africans to do better in showing support rather than creating divisions. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later I stand for unity. I do not stand for people being divided. So, I do think we can do better in that aspect to support and include one another. Because she was excluded, and that is not okay, she added Inclusion, solidarity After being crowned the new Miss SA 2024, Ms Adetshina sent her well wishes to Mia Le Roux via a post on her Instagram Story: You represent us all. To make the excluded be included.All the best on your reign, queen. The beauty queen, who also revealed that she has been receiving a lot of speech therapy to aid her hearing impairment, urged her compatriots to do better in showing support rather than creating divisions. Meanwhile, PREMIUM TIMES reported that Ms Adetshina has accepted an invitation to participate in the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant. The Miss Universe Nigeria pageant made a historic decision by officially inviting Ms Adetshina to participate in the upcoming Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 competition. On Wednesday, Silverbird CEO Ben Murray announced in a video posted on X that Ms Adetshina accepted the invitation to participate in the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant. Ms Adetshina responded in a viral video shared by the Silverbird CEO, who expressed delight at partaking in the contest and thanked Nigerians for the show of love and support since the Miss SA controversies began. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Guinness World Records (GWR) has confirmed Nigerian content creator and food consultant Brian Nwana as the new record holder for the most restaurants visited in 24 hours. The 22-year-old started his attempt on 24 April and set the record on 25 April after visiting 150 restaurants in Abuja. GWR, on its website on Wednesday, stated that the Abuja-based food consultant smashed the previous record held by American YouTuber Eric Decker, better known as Airrack, who set the record in 2023 after visiting 100 restaurants. According to GWR, Brian walked over 25 kilometres (15 miles), starting at Chicken Republic in the Gwarinpa residential area and ending at Kilimanjaro, a fast food chain in the city centre. Furthermore, GWR stated that the content creator began and ended his walk at 5 p.m., taking a nine-hour break from midnight to 9 A.M for sleep. Guidelines Additionally, GWR added that the food consultant adhered to all record attempt rules and regulations. No forms of private transport can be used while attempting this record, and due to the citys limited public transportation infrastructure, Brian completed his entire route on foot. To successfully achieve the record, at least one food or drink item must be purchased and consumed at each restaurant, with the requirement that at least 75 per cent of the orders are food. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Brian says he ate probably enough to last a week and tried to taste something even a mouthful from most places he visited. The remaining food was all consumed by his team and members of the public. More so, GWR said during the attempt, he (Brain) ate a variety of foods, including shawarma, pizza, fried chicken and burgers, despite his favourite meals being moin moin (bean pudding) and Amala (a dough-like swallow food). Rationale Brain, in a video shared on his Instagram page on 29 March, said he attempted the record to promote Abujas food industry. He said, You might be wondering why Im doing this; Im doing this for three primary reasons. First, I want to put Nigerian foods, more specifically Abuja foods, on the map by showing the countrys different kinds and varieties of food. Secondly, Im an Abuja-based food content creator and work with many Abuja food businesses, so I have seen how the economy has negatively affected them. I aim to use this opportunity and attempt to promote the food businesses. I also want to use my opportunity to give back to my community. I will do this by collaborating with the spots I visit to give free food to the community members who need it. Furthermore, GWR said Brain encouraged global food enthusiasts to explore Nigerias culinary scene, noting that his achievement highlighted its potential. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Ibadan International Film Festival (IIFF) organisers have announced the official selections for its third edition, which will take place this September. With over 3,000 submissions from more than 150 countries, the organisers say the 2024 IIFF promises to be an extraordinary celebration of global cinematic talent, strongly emphasising Nigerian and African storytelling. This year, Jagun Jagun (The Warrior), a powerful Nigerian feature, leads the nominations with seven nods. It is followed closely by the Iranian film Pregnant, with five nominations, and Golden Blood from Iran, with four. These nominations, ranging from Nigerian features to Iranian films, reflect the festivals commitment to showcasing diverse voices and narratives from across the globe, promising a rich and varied cinematic experience for the audience. Usman Blackky Ogunlade, a renowned filmmaker and the Convener of IIFF, expressed his excitement about the calibre of films selected this year. The diversity and depth of the films weve selected are truly remarkable. Each submission underwent a rigorous screening process, and the final selections are a testament to the global talent in the film industry. Were particularly proud to see Nigerian films like Jagun Jagun leading the nominations, as it highlights the strength and potential of African cinema on the world stage. Festival Director Babatunde Ojobaro, a well-known comedian, actor, and theatre practitioner, spoke on the significance of this years festival. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The 2024 IIFF is not just about showcasing films; its about creating a space for dialogue, learning, and collaboration. We have an incredible lineup of panel discussions, workshops, and networking events that will allow filmmakers and attendees to engage with the industry meaningfully. This festival celebrates cinema in all forms, and were excited to welcome everyone to Ibadan. Screening, shortlisting process Head of Communications for IIFF, Femi Davies Alagbala, also praised the efforts of the College of Screeners and Jury, who meticulously reviewed each submission. The selection process was both intense and rewarding. With over 3,000 films to consider, the dedication of our screeners and jurors was unparalleled. The final list of nominees reflects the best of what was submitted, and we cant wait for audiences to experience these films. In addition to the competitive categories, this years IIFF will feature thought-provoking panel discussions, immersive workshops, and unparalleled networking opportunities. These events are designed to foster collaboration among filmmakers, industry professionals, and cinema enthusiasts, ensuring that the festival is a showcase and a hub for creative exchange. Ibadan International Film Festival The Ibadan International Film Festival is a premier event dedicated to celebrating the art of filmmaking in Nigeria and beyond. It offers a platform for filmmakers worldwide to showcase their work, promoting cultural exchange and elevating African cinema on the global stage. The festival is committed to recognising a broad spectrum of talent, with categories covering various aspects of filmmaking, from feature films to animation and student projects. Nominations by Category: Best Feature Film Golden Blood (Iran) Pregnant (Iran) Jagun Jagun (The Warrior) (Nigeria) Best Short Film BLACKHOLE (USA) The New Cardinal (USA) JUDE (Nigeria) Best Animation 1996 (USA) HEADLESS (France) EARTHED (UK) Best Student Film Blowing off steam (UK) GUGUSSE (Canada) The Last Sketch (USA) Best Nigerian Film Ile Ayo (The Musical) (Nigeria) Jagun Jagun (The Warrior) (Nigeria) Tegbon Taburo (Siblings) (Nigeria) Best Documentary Following the Traces of the Ephemeral (France) On Your Own (Short) (UK) The Art of Giving (USA) Best Editing On Your Own (Short) (UK) Jagun Jagun (The Warrior) (Nigeria) Sada Kalo Prem: Love is Monochromatic (India) Best Cinematography On Your Own (Short) (UK) FLASHBACK (India) Pregnant (Iran) Best Sound Design Golden Blood (Iran) Jagun Jagun (The Warrior) (Nigeria) GUGUSSE (Canada) Best Actor (Nigeria) Flipside (Nigeria) Chimezie Imo Jagun Jagun (The Warrior) (Nigeria) Lateef Adedimeji A PLACE CALLED FORWARD (Climate Change) (Nigeria) Wale Ojo Best Actress (Nigeria) Ile Ayo (The Musical) (Nigeria) Favour Idubor Jagun Jagun (The Warrior) (Nigeria) Fathia Balogun Tegbon Taburo (Siblings) (Nigeria) Carol King Best Actor The New Cardinal (USA) Scott Sophos Pregnant (Iran) The Actor who played Afshin Best Actress Last Supper (Kenya) Marianne Nungo 9 nights (Iran) Maryam Sajjadi FLASHBACK (India) Regina Cassandra Best Screenplay Golden Blood (Iran) Ebrahim Sheibani Pregnant (Iran) Mohammad Tanabandeh & Vahid Jafari Tegbon Taburo (Siblings) (Nigeria) Fisayo Ojabodu & Vincho Nchogu Best Director Golden Blood (Iran) Ebrahim Sheibani Pregnant (Iran) Mostafa Tanabandeh & Mohammad Tanabandeh Jagun Jagun (The Warrior) (Nigeria) Adebayo Tijani & Tope Adebayo Projects with the Most Nominations: 1. Jagun Jagun (The Warrior) (Nigeria) 7 nominations 2. Pregnant (Iran) 5 nominations 3. Golden Blood (Iran) 4 nominations Best Actor The New Cardinal (Scott Sophos) Pregnant (The Actor who played Afshin) Best Actress Last Supper (Marianne Nungo) 9 nights (Maryam Sajjadi) FLASHBACK (Regina Cassandra) Best Screenplay Golden Blood (Ebrahim Sheibani) Pregnant (Mohammad Tanabandeh & Vahid Jafari) Tegbon Taburo (Siblings) (Fisayo Ojabodu & Vincho Nchogu) Best Director Golden Blood (Ebrahim Sheibani) Pregnant (Mostafa Tanabandeh & Mohammad Tanabandeh) Jagun Jagun (The Warrior) (Adebayo Tijani & Tope Adebayo) Projects with the Most Nominations: 1. Jagun Jagun (The Warrior) 7 nominations 2. Pregnant 5 nominations 3. Golden Blood 4 nominations Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print President Bola Tinubu and Equatorial Guinean President Teodoro Mbasogo, on Wednesday evening, in Malabo, signed an agreement on the Gulf of Guinea Pipeline Project, further affirming partnership for mutual development. The agreement covered legislative and regulatory measures for the gas pipeline, establishment and operation, transit of natural gas, ownership of the gas pipeline, and general principles. In his remarks at the event, President Tinubu, who is on a three-day official visit to Equatorial Guinea, said the signing of the agreement will open up new opportunities for gas exploration and employment. The president stated that the two leaders had discussed issues related to the creation of employment, food security, multilateral relations, and conflict resolution mechanisms on the continent during a private meeting that preceded the signing of the agreement. Concerning Africa, conflicts and conflict resolution were discussed. We discussed various areas of conflicts and what we can do to promote peace. We talked about promotion of peace and stability in our countries, and growth and prosperity on our continent. In the same way that Europe and America have kept themselves and found a solution for their conflicts, we have to look at both inadequate capital, industrialisation efforts, research and development programmes, and enlighten our people, navigate our way through problems. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Instead of the crisis and conflicts that we see in the Republic of Congo, and others, we have to look inwards to solve problems ourselves, the president said. President Tinubu said the discussion with the president of Equatorial Guinea also covered challenges of security, African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA), and food security. We are all going for it. Within Africa and the African Union, we have resolved that we will work together to make sure that the solution to many of our problems in Africa comes from within, the president concluded. In his remarks, the president of Equatorial Guinea said bilateral relations with Nigeria over many years have been rewarding and emphasised the need to deepen cooperation across salient areas. President Mbasogo said Africas vision of having a permanent seat in the Security Council of the United Nations is vital for the development of the continent, affirming that Equatorial Guinea will work with Nigeria to realize the objective. He said the signing of the agreement was strategic for Africas development. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar of Nigeria, and Simeon Esono, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Equatorial Guinea, also signed the agreement. The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN; Minister of Defence, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar; Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; Minister of State, Petroleum, Gas, Ekperikpe Ekpo, and Minister of Youth Development, Jamila Ibrahim- Biu were present at the signing of the agreement. Ajuri Ngelale Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity) August 15, 2024 Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Oyo State Anti-corruption Agency (OYACA) has announced the conviction of Adesina Oyegoke, an Assistant Chief Executive Officer at Lagelu Local Government, for illegally selling landed property owned by the State Government. Mr Oyegoke, who worked in the Local Governments Estate department, was charged with three counts of corruption and sentenced to three months in prison under the 2019 OYACA Law. Magistrate O.A Akande (SMI), presiding over Special Court 8, Iyaganku, delivered the judgment on Wednesday, 14 August, 2024, and found Mr Oyegoke guilty on all counts before sentencing him. This was disclosed in a statement on Thursday by the Agencys Executive Secretary, I.O Tijani, a lawyer, on behalf of the chairperson of OYACA, Eni Esan, a retired justice. Mr Esan urged all civil servants to take the judgment to heart and refrain from engaging in any form of corruption. OYACA uses this medium to warn civil servants to desist from all acts of corruption, which only plunges the state into underdevelopment and disparages the good image and enviable status of the Oyo State government, he said. The agency stated the landed property sold by the convict was under the supervision of the State Housing Corporation. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later OYACA was founded by virtue of the Oyo State Anti-Corruption Agency Law, 2019. Its operations entails blocking revenue leakages in government coffers and preventing public office holders and government employees from abusing their positions. The Oyo State Anti-Corruption Agency Law, 2019 (the Law) was passed by the Oyo State House of Assembly and ratified by the State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on 10 December, 2019. In particular, the law forbids the giving or promising to give money, fees, donations, loans, gifts, office, dignity, valuable security, property, or interest in property (which includes any kind of property, whether movable or immovable), in exchange for carrying out a public administrative duty. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print President Bola Tinubu has extended his heartfelt congratulations to Peter Odili, on his 76th birthday. Mr Odili, a respected leader, medical doctor and statesman, was the governor of Rivers State from 1999 to 2007. President Tinubu joined family, friends, and the people of Rivers State to celebrate the former governor on this momentous occasion. The President saluted Mr Odili, recalling his valiant strides in ensuring the infrastructural development of Rivers State, especially by connecting major parts of the state through durable roads and providing sustainable electricity through independent power projects. The president acknowledged the landmark efforts of the founder of the PAMO University of Medical Sciences, Rivers State, in developing human capacity in health and education for the benefit of the present and future generations. President Tinubu celebrated the statesman renowned for his unaffected humility and facility for mentoring and raising generations of leaders who remain at the fulcrum of impacting local, state and national development. The president commended Mr Odili for his service to the nation, patience, grace, and notable strength of will. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later President Tinubu prayed for more years of good health, joy, and happiness for Mr Odili and his family. Ajuri Ngelale Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Apapa Port Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted 12 containers laden with Tramadol, expired drugs and 27,540 pieces of cutlasses and machetes with duty paid value of N1.8 billion. The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, disclosed this while unveiling the contraband in Lagos on Thursday. Mr Adeniyi explained that the expired pharmaceutical products were imported without undergoing the necessary regulatory requirements. He added that some of the drugs did not obtain National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) numbers. We also have containers that were seized due to false declarations, ostensibly to evade duty payments, which amount to smuggling. In total, 12 containers have been seized with duty paid value worth N1.8 billion. These importations are in flagrant violation of Section 233 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act (NCSA) 2023. One of the seized containers, a 40ft container with box number SEGU4339917, was declared to contain baclofen tablets, metoprolol succinate, atenolol gloves, losartan potassium, hydrochlorothiazide, atorvastatin calcium, esomeprazole magnesium and diclofenac sodium topical gel, among others. Upon examination, the container was found to be laden with daily health immune supplements that expired in July this year; acyclovir capsules have expired in April 2024; valsartan tablets (320mg and 160mg) have expired in June 2024; prednisone tablets (USP 10mg) have expired in June 2024. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Also losartan potassium tablets (100mg) that expired in June 2024; major aspirin low-dose pain reliever (81mg) that expired in June 2024; vitamin D supplements that expired in June 2024 and magnesium oxide tablets (420mg) that expired in June 2024. The 40ft container also contained diclofenac sodium topical gel expiring in November 2024; oral rehydration solution mix that expired in July 2024; unimap multiple micronutrient supplements, expiring in December 2025 and other regulated medical items, Mr Adeniyi said. He said that in the examined container, as in many others seized by the Apapa Customs Command, the expired and unexpired medicines did not carry the required NAFDAC numbers. Mr Adeniyi said that another 20ft container with expired pharmaceutical products, was found to contain cartons of Royal Tramadol (225mg) concealed with expired cartons of analgesic, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory tablets without a NAFDAC number. The customs boss said that a 20ft container was also found to contain rolls of Tramadol (225mg) concealed with expired cartons of Zokomol and Diclofenac pharmaceutical products without a NAFDAC registration number. He confirmed that another 20ft container was found to contain cartons of tramadol (100mg) concealed with expired cartons of pharmaceutical products without a NAFDAC number. A 40ft container was found to contain cartons of codeine concealed with cartons of expired pharmaceutical products and cartons of brushes. Another 40ft container was found to contain cartons of codeine and tramadol concealed with expired Diacare antidiarrheal and pain reliever pharmaceutical products without a NAFDAC number. Similarly a 40ft container was found to contain cartons of expired pharmaceutical products without a NAFDAC registration number. In addition to the pharmaceutical products, there were two 40ft containers with 15,540 and 12,000 pieces of cutlasses and machetes. A total of 27,540 pieces of cutlasses and machetes were contained in the two containers, he said. Mr Adeniyi commended the Apapa Customs Area Controller, Babatunde Olomu, and the officers for the anti-smuggling exploit. According to him, the Apapa Command handles the highest volume of trade for the NCS, collects the highest revenue, and is therefore saddled with a higher degree of expectation from the management of the Service and the government. He urged them to maintain the level of performance as he advised port users to embrace only legitimate trade. He restated that the NCS, under his leadership, was fully committed to its responsibilities in detecting all forms of concealment. The customs boss said the Service remained dedicated to ensuring that any import consignment or export cargo transiting through the ports under customs control was thoroughly checked using our non-intrusive (scanning) measures and physical examinations. Mr Adeniyi reiterated that the service would not sacrifice the health and security of Nigerians and everyone living in the country on the altar of trade facilitation. He said that customs officers were living up to expectations by executing the mandate to the fullest. (NAN). Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print News / National by Staff reporter The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) has accused its president and Minister of Land and Rural Development Mzwandile Nyhontso of undermining the national leadership.Speaking with 'The Star' on Wednesday, party's Deputy Secretary General Mbuso Dlamini said Nyhontso didn't consult with the National Executive Committee (NEC) prior to joining the Government of National Unity (GNU)."He didn't consult the NEC or any PAC structure. It was only him and Apa Pooe who took the decision to be part of the GNU."We have tried all means to talk to him but he is so stubborn. Even the elders of the PAC like Prof Sipho Shabalala tried to engage him but all in vain. He thinks he is bigger than anyone," Dlamini said.He continued to say the PAC distances itself from the so-called GNU and Nyhontso's participation to it under the name of PAC, as the minister.He said his organisation rejected what he described as the "sell-out" deal between the ANC and the DA that was made after the general elections."To us what is referred as the GNU is nothing but a secret merger between proponents of settler colonialism and capitalism together with their black puppets' to preserve and advance their interests than putting the interests of the marginalised African majority first."The PAC's position is very clear, we reject any deal that seeks to put the oppressor and the oppressed, the dispossessor and the dispossessed, or the slave-driver and the slave together to govern the country."As for Mr Mzwanele Nyhontso's participation as the Minister of Land Reform and Rural Development, we also distance ourselves to his decision to involve himself in the grand coalition with the DA. His decision was not endorsed by the NEC of the Pan Africanist Congress," Dlamini emphasised.Attempts to get Nyhontso's comments were unsuccessful at the time of print.Dlamini dismissed allegations that the party was only being vocal now because they were not getting what they expected from party president, saying that the organisation had always raised concerns over their participation in the GNU."It is not true that it is only now that we are voicing our dissatisfaction. We tried to deal with this matter internally but his arrogance has made us call a national meeting to resolve on this," he concluded. On Wednesday, Governor Alex Otti of Abia State swore in six new commissioners in the state. The commissioners took oaths of office and allegiance administered by the state solicitor-general and permanent secretary of the Ministry of Justice. The governors spokesperson, Ukoha Njoku, released a statement on Wednesday providing details of the swearing-in ceremony. The new commissioners The new commissioners are David Kalu, Kingsley Nwokocha, Uwaoma Ukandu, Ijeoma Aghukwa, Goodluck Ubochi and Ogbonnaya Uche, a professor. Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Otti told the new commissioners that they must be excellent administrators and team players to drive the execution of the programmes and agenda in their ministries. We have carefully selected these highly accomplished individuals to bring new ideas and energy to our team. The task of public sector governance is an enormous one that requires having the right people on board in the right positions to drive the central agenda of the administration across many important frontiers, he said. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The governor warned the new commissioners that there is no room for infighting, adding that his administration has zero tolerance for corruption. To further strengthen the governance architecture, there shall be more restructuring of the ministries to support the actualisation of the administrations objectives and further empower the commissioners to function optimally in their respective ministries, which will be announced soon, he said. Responding on behalf of her colleagues, Mrs Aghukwa, one of the new commissioners, described their appointment as an opportunity to serve. She thanked the governor for finding them worthy to serve and promised never to disappoint him. Reshuffling of cabinet Meanwhile, Mr Otti announced portfolios for the six new commissioners on Thursday, according to another statement by his spokesperson, Mr Njoku. The new commissioners portfolios are as follows: David Kalu (Science, Technology & Innovation), Kingsley Chibueze Nwokocha (Trade & Commerce), Uwaoma Ukandu (Finance), Ijeoma Aghukwa (Women Affairs), Goodluck Ubochi (Basic & Secondary Education), and Ogbonnaya Uche (Health). The governor also announced the reshuffling of his cabinet and the creation of new ministries. PREMIUM TIMES reports that the governor created six new ministries. The six new ministries are Basic & Secondary Education, Tertiary Education, Poverty Alleviation & Social Protection, Labour & Productivity, Industry & SMEs and Arts, Culture & Creative Economy. This newspaper observed that, in the reshuffled cabinet, some existing commissioners were moved to other ministries. Meanwhile, no commissioner was appointed to the Ministry of Agriculture, which Monica Ironkwe previously held before her resignation in July. Total number of commissioners In 2023, Mr Otti swore in 16 commissioners before three others to bring the number to 19. However, three commissioners later resigned their positions under controversial circumstances. The three commissioners who resigned included Mrs Ironkwe (Agriculture), Chima Oriaku (Science and Technology) and Ngozi Okoronkwo (Health), who resigned shortly after being suspended for alleged gross misconduct. There are 22 commissioners in the reshuffled cabinet. There were 27 commissioners during the second tenure of Okezie Ikpeazu, the states immediate past governor. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) has disbarred one lawyer and suspended three others for professional misconduct. The LPDC ordered Abikoye Timothys name to be struck off from the roll of legal practitioners following his involvement in alleged fraudulent activities. Mr Timothy was accused of collecting N2,359,000 as a professional fee for legal services he failed to deliver. His attempts to settle the matter with a dud cheque further compounded his legal troubles. On Wednesday, the National Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Akorede Lawal, shared the LPDCs notices of disbarment of Mr Timothy and the suspension of others in a statement. The LPDC chairperson, Ishaq Bello, a retired judge and former Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja, signed each of the notices. In the notice of Mr Timothys disbarment, the LPDC ordered him to refund the total amount to his victim, Sameer Vaswani, Managing Director of A & P Foods Ltd. Mr Timothys case was brought before the LPDC in 2016. His disbarment, effective immediately, marks the culmination of years of the legal process. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later However, the LPDCs decision is not final. Mr Timothy and others displeased with the LPDCs decisions have the right to appeal directly to the Supreme Court. Other sanctions In addition to Mr Timothys disbarment, the LPDC sanctioned three other lawyers: The LPDC ordered the suspension of Jonathan Nwagwu from legal practice for three years, starting from 24 April 24. He was also ordered to refund about N1.9 million (N1,943,043.70) to the petitioner who lodged misconduct complaints, including the misuse of the clients funds, against him. The LPDC also suspended Edward Oseghale from practising law for two years from 8 May 2023. Mr Oseghales suspension is tied to a forgery scandal, where he was accused of procuring fake court judgements to evict tenants unlawfully. His actions, described as a severe breach of legal ethics, received widespread condemnation from the legal community. The LPDC also ordered the suspension of Mr Agwuna for two years from 20 February 2024. Mr Agwunas case is about using derogatory and insulting language in a letter to the Chief Judge of Anambra State, where he accused a magistrate of corruption. The LPDC found his actions to be a gross violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners, mandating lawyers to advocate for their clients with maximum respect for the judiciary. In the legal notices, the LPDC directed the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, the custodian of the roll call of lawyers called to the Nigerian Bar, to carry out the disbarment and suspension orders. The LPDC urged the Chief Justice of Nigeria, heads of all courts across Nigeria, the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Attorneys-General of states to take note and act on the legal notices. The NBA, which brings complaints against lawyers and serves as the prosecutor before the LPDC, also informed its members to take note of the disciplinary decisions taken against the four lawyers. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A 22-year-old woman in Akwa Ibom State, south-south Nigeria, has been feeding her four children with chicken and fish feeds, apparently because of poverty and hunger. The children are all girls, the oldest five years old and the youngest slightly above one year. The woman, Grace Eseneowo, a widow, works at a small farm in Eket Local Government Area of the state. The farm, which is a fishery and poultry, is at Ikot Abia community in Okon Eket. She lives in her fathers house in the community and earns N15,000 monthly at the farm, PREMIUM TIMES gathered. Graces pathetic story became public a few days ago after a digital content creator, QueenPraise Uzoma, who got the story from her father, John Uzoma, who is the farm owner, posted it on her Instagram page. The discovery On Thursday, the farm owner, Mr Uzoma, explained to PREMIUM TIMES how he discovered that Grace was feeding her children with animal feeds. We had discharged her because she wasnt showing up at the farm regularly. But her uncle and others came to beg that we should keep her, and my wife was saying that since she lost her husband, shell need money to keep going on, so let her work. So, last week, I went to the farm and sent for her, said Mr Uzoma, an Anglican priest serving in Uyo. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later When she came, we were discussing and the other farm hand said she could come back to work but should not bring the children to the farm. I said to him, that I did not have any issue with the children coming to the farm. Are they destroying anything? He said no but that they eat the feeds for the chicken and the fish. Mr Uzoma said he was shocked by what he heard. If the boy had told me this in the girls absence, maybe I would have felt the boy didnt want her to work at the farm, but the girl was there. So I asked the girl, is that true? She said yes. I said, why? Dont you give them food? She said they (the children) sometimes stay for three days without food. My heart failed me. I am a father. I am a pastor. I felt terribly indicted. So, the little I could do was that the plantain I had cut to bring back to Uyo, I gave to her, and then I gave her the only N2,000 I had on me. A resident of Okon Eket, where the farm is, told PREMIUM TIMES that Grace usually prepared the animal feeds as akamu (fermented cereal pudding) for her children. I wouldnt know about that. I didnt go to that details, Mr Uzoma said in reaction. I was particularly touched that the children were kept hungry. Mr Uzoma later narrated Graces story to his daughter, QueenPraise, when she visited. We are trying to rehabilitate the girl, we have paid rent for her and have bought a lot of food items for her and the children, he said. QueenPraise, as of 13 August, said on Instagram that she raised N1.4 million as donations online for Grace and her children. Akwa Ibom governors wife to the rescue Meanwhile, the Akwa Ibom governors wife, Patience Eno, has stepped in to help Grace and her children. While thanking QueenPraise for drawing attention to this worrisome situation and raising over a million naira overnight from empathetic and generous Individuals, organisations and others, the First Lady has directed her NGO, the Golden Initiative For All and her aides to work with the Ministry of Women Affairs and female stakeholders in Eket, to fashion out a holistic support for the young mother and her children, Uduak Ekong, a spokesperson to Mrs Eno, said in a statement on Tuesday. To start with, the Governors wife has made an initial personal donation of Five Hundred Thousand naira only in support of plans to provide immediate accommodation, food supplies and other basic necessities for the young family of five, the statement added. Akwa Iboms poverty rate Akwa Ibom State has one of the lowest poverty headcount ratios in Nigeria. According to NBS, the state currently has a poverty rate of 26.8 per cent, falling below the national average of 52.1 per cent. The state is ranked 27th on the national poverty rate ladder released by the NBS in 2019. The agency has not released new data on the state poverty rate since it was last published. The National poverty headcount in 2019 was 70 per cent; by 2020, it had increased to 72.32 per cent, according to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Nigerian youths recently took to the streets to protest against economic hardship and rising food prices in the country. POS is our only employment now in Nigeria, an Akwa Ibom resident said in Uyo during the nationwide protest. Good jobs are reserved for children of the elites immediately after graduation, he added, advising that the governments at all levels should do more to create jobs. The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Umo Eno, has put out an ambitious plan to fight unemployment and poverty in the state through agriculture and rural development. His administration has been building and donating low-cost housing, compassionate homes, to the poor in the states rural communities. READ ALSO:Nigerian woman appointed into board of philanthropy group for children Hope for Grace Grace dropped out of school when she was in SS1. Now, she wants to learn hair-dressing as a vocation, according to Mr Uzoma. Theres a take-home to this, Mr Uzoma said of Graces story. These people are from a family, and a wealth-to-do family for that matter, but they abandoned these children. People should do more to help their relatives, regardless of family rivalry. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print President Bola Tinubu and the President of Equatorial Guinea Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo signed an agreement on the Gulf of Guinea pipeline project. The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, in a statement on Thursday said the agreement signed on Wednesday evening in Malabo further affirms partnership for mutual development. The agreement, according to the statement, covered legislative and regulatory measures for the gas pipeline, establishment and operation, transit of natural gas, ownership of the gas pipeline, and general principles. In his remarks at the event, Mr Tinubu, who is on a three-day official visit to Equatorial Guinea, said the signing of the agreement will open up new opportunities for gas exploration and employment. The president stated that the two leaders had discussed issues relating to the creation of employment, food security, multilateral relations, and conflict resolution mechanisms on the continent during a private meeting that preceded the signing of the agreement. Concerning Africa, conflicts and conflict resolution were discussed. We discussed various areas of conflict and what we can do to promote peace. We talked about promotion of peace and stability in our countries, and growth and prosperity on our continent. In the same way that Europe and America have kept themselves and found a solution for their conflicts, we have to look at both inadequate capital, industrialisation efforts, research and development programmes, and enlighten our people, navigate our way through problems. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Instead of the crisis and conflicts that we see in the Republic of Congo, and others, we have to look inwards to solve problems ourselves, Mr Tinubu was quoted in the statement as saying. Mr Tinubu said the discussion with the President of Equatorial Guinea also covered challenges of security, African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA), and food security. We are all going for it. Within Africa and the African Union, we have resolved that we will work together to make sure that the solution to many of our problems in Africa comes from within. In his remarks, Mr Mbasogo said bilateral relations with Nigeria over many years have been rewarding and emphasized the need to deepen cooperation across salient areas. He explained that Africas vision of having a permanent seat in the Security Council of the United Nations is vital for the development of the continent, affirming that Equatorial Guinea will work with Nigeria to realize the objective. Mr Mbasogo said the signing of the agreement was strategic for Africas development. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar of Nigeria, and Simeon Oyono Esono, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Equatorial Guinea, also signed the agreement. The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Lateef Fagbemi, SAN; Minister of Defence, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar; Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; Minister of State, Petroleum, Gas, Ekperikpe Ekpo, and Minister of Youth Development, Jamila Ibrahim- Biu were present at the signing of the agreement, the statement said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Oyo State Government has announced plans to recruit 3000 health workers for the states 464 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs). It revealed that it had completed 200 facilities and upgraded 264 more with equipment, across 33 Local Government Areas. It stated that its policy is to have at least one functional primary healthcare facility in each of the political wards across all zones. Executive Secretary of the Oyo State Primary Healthcare Board, Muideen Olatunji, made the announcement while addressing journalists in Ibadan on Wednesday. Mr. Olatunji disclosed that the State Government has begun recruitment for primary healthcare facilities in all 33 local government areas. He said the State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has directed that the recruitment process, which began in 2021, be completed. We are going to recruit about 3,000 out of the 16,035 that applied on our job portal. We hope that in less than two months, all these examinations will be completed, Mr. Olatunji said. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later He urged all applicants to return to the job application portal and stay glued to it in order to check their invitations for CBT examinations. He explained that recruitment into the PHC system is a way of strengthening and regulating the primary healthcare system and being able to restructure health service delivery in the state. He stated further that there has been no meaningful recruitment into the primary care sector in over 20 years, and that this is the first time in nearly two decades that the State Government was recruiting into the primary healthcare system to fill the workforce gap. According to him, You will recall that we started with the renovation and upgrade of primary healthcare facilities across the 36 political wards; the state government wanted to have at least one functional primary healthcare facility in each of the political wards. As of today, weve completed more than 200 facilities, and the remaining ones will be completed in the next few months. In recent times, an additional 264 facilities have been given additional equipment to further upgrade them. Mr. Olatunji was flanked by five other management team members of the board, including Olayemi Osoko, Sunday Adewole, Kehinde Olabode, Segun Dauda, and Olasumbo Azeez at the briefing. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Presidency is aware of the various failed attempts by a Chinese company, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited, to take over offshore assets of the Federal Government of Nigeria through subterfuge. The Federal Government is not under any contractual obligation with the company. The case in which Zhongshan is trying to use every unorthodox means to strip our offshore assets is between the company and the Ogun State Government. The federal government is fully aware of efforts being made by the Ogun state government to reach an amicable resolution to the matter. It must be said without any equivocation that Zhongshan has no solid ground to demand restitution from the Ogun State Government based on the facts regarding the 2007 contract between the company and the State Government to manage a free-trade zone. When the contract with Ogun State was revoked in 2015, the company had only erected a perimeter fence on the land earmarked for a free trade zone. While the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice are working with the Ogun State Government on an amicable resolution, Zhongshan obtained two orders from the Judicial Court of Paris dated March 7, 2024, and August 12, 2024, without any notice being duly served on the Federal Government of Nigeria and Ogun State Government. This arm-twisting tactic by the Chinese company is the latest in a long list of failed moves to attach Nigerian government-owned assets to foreign jurisdictions. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Material facts in the transaction between the Ogun State Government and Zhongshan point to another P&ID case in which unscrupulous and questionable individuals falsely present themselves as investors with the sole objective of cheating and scamming Governments in Africa. Undoubtedly, Zhongshan withheld vital information and misled the Judicial Court in Paris into attaching the Nigerian governments presidential jets, which are on routine maintenance in France. The use and nature of the Presidential jets as assets of a Sovereign entity whose assets are protected by diplomatic immunity forbid any foreign Court from issuing an order against them. We are convinced the Chinese company misled the Judicial Court of Paris regarding the use and nature of the assets it seeks to attach and did not fully disclose to the court as required by law. This same Chinese company had tried to enforce its questionable judgment in the UK and USA but failed. Like the P&ID case, foreign companies are trying to defraud Nigeria with the collaboration of some bureaucrats. Zhongshan appeared to have sold the judgment they got to a venture capitalist seeking to make money by embarrassing the Federal Government and President Bola Tinubu. We want to assure Nigerians that the Federal Government is working with the Ogun State Government to discharge this frivolous order in Paris immediately. Nigerian Government will always work to protect our national assets from predators and shylocks who masquerade as investors. Background to the Zhongshan Fucheng Case: A contract between Ogun State and Zhongshan to manage a free-trade zone was executed in 2007. The parties entered into a dispute in 2015, and arbitration began in 2016. By 2019, the arbitration hearing had been concluded. The Arbitral Panel awarded over 60 million USD against the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), a co-defendant, when all Zhongshan had done was build a perimeter fence around the free-trade zone. Based on legal advice, the Ogun State Government resolved to resist the enforcement of the award. The resistance was successful in 8 different jurisdictions. There are pending appeals against recognition orders issued in both the US and UK. Ogun State also engaged Zhongshan in settlement discussions on reasonable terms. The last meeting, held in September 2023 in London, lasted for three days and was attended by several officials of Ogun State, including Governor Dapo Abiodun and the Attorney General/Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi. Zhongshans initial reasonable readiness to consider Ogun States offer was surprisingly reversed by the second day when it insisted on the government paying the full arbitration debt. This led to a breakdown of the mediation, with parties agreeing to meet again in the first quarter of this year. Since then, Zhongshan has been evasive. Instead, it embarked on a series of enforcement proceedings, which the legal team appointed by the FGN and Ogun State successfully opposed. In cases similar to the present one, where Zhongshan obtained an ex-parte order, Ogun State successfully set aside the orders. Ogun State has not given up on a reasonable settlement option, with the most recent letter sent to Zhongshan last week. Zhongshan only responded after obtaining this latest illegal order. Bayo Onanuga Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy August 15, 2024 Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Chinese company had sought several orders from the court over an aborted contract between the company and Ogun State Government, which was initiated in 2007. The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, described the French courts order attaching Nigerias presidential jets as a result of the arm-twisting tactic by a Chinese company. Mr Onanuga highlighted various efforts the federal government and the Ogun State government had made to resolve the matter. He said the Zhongshan withheld vital information and misled the French court in Paris into attaching the Nigerian governments presidential jets. According to him, the jets are on routine maintenance in France when the court order was issued. The use and nature of the Presidential jets as assets of a Sovereign entity whose assets are protected by diplomatic immunity forbid any foreign Court from issuing an order against them, the statement said. The Presidency is aware of the various failed attempts by a Chinese company, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited, to take over offshore assets of the Federal Government of Nigeria through subterfuge. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Read the presidencys full statement below. STATE HOUSE PRESS STATEMENT CHINESE COMPANYS ATTEMPT TO STRIP NIGERIAN GOVERNMENTS ASSETS ABROAD The Federal Government is not under any contractual obligation with the company. The case in which Zhongshan is trying to use every unorthodox means to strip our offshore assets is between the company and the Ogun State Government. The federal government is fully aware of efforts being made by the Ogun state government to reach an amicable resolution to the matter. It must be said without any equivocation that Zhongshan has no solid ground to demand restitution from the Ogun State Government based on the facts regarding the 2007 contract between the company and the State Government to manage a free-trade zone. When the contract with Ogun State was revoked in 2015, the company had only erected a perimeter fence on the land earmarked for a free trade zone. While the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice are working with the Ogun State Government on an amicable resolution, Zhongshan obtained two orders from the Judicial Court of Paris dated March 7, 2024, and August 12, 2024, without any notice being duly served on the Federal Government of Nigeria and Ogun State Government. This arm-twisting tactic by the Chinese company is the latest in a long list of failed moves to attach Nigerian government-owned assets to foreign jurisdictions. Material facts in the transaction between the Ogun State Government and Zhongshan point to another P&ID case in which unscrupulous and questionable individuals falsely present themselves as investors with the sole objective of cheating and scamming Governments in Africa. Undoubtedly, Zhongshan withheld vital information and misled the Judicial Court in Paris into attaching the Nigerian governments presidential jets, which are on routine maintenance in France. The use and nature of the Presidential jets as assets of a Sovereign entity whose assets are protected by diplomatic immunity forbid any foreign Court from issuing an order against them. We are convinced the Chinese company misled the Judicial Court of Paris regarding the use and nature of the assets it seeks to attach and did not fully disclose to the court as required by law. This same Chinese company had tried to enforce its questionable judgment in the UK and USA but failed. Like the P&ID case, foreign companies are trying to defraud Nigeria with the collaboration of some bureaucrats. Zhongshan appeared to have sold the judgment they got to a venture capitalist seeking to make money by embarrassing the Federal Government and President Bola Tinubu. We want to assure Nigerians that the Federal Government is working with the Ogun State Government to discharge this frivolous order in Paris immediately. Nigerian Government will always work to protect our national assets from predators and shylocks who masquerade as investors. Background to the Zhongshan Fucheng Case: A contract between Ogun State and Zhongshan to manage a free-trade zone was executed in 2007. The parties entered into a dispute in 2015, and arbitration began in 2016. By 2019, the arbitration hearing had been concluded. The Arbitral Panel awarded over 60 million USD against the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), a co-defendant, when all Zhongshan had done was build a perimeter fence around the free-trade zone. Based on legal advice, the Ogun State Government resolved to resist the enforcement of the award. The resistance was successful in 8 different jurisdictions. There are pending appeals against recognition orders issued in both the US and UK. Ogun State also engaged Zhongshan in settlement discussions on reasonable terms. The last meeting, held in September 2023 in London, lasted for three days and was attended by several officials of Ogun State, including Governor Dapo Abiodun and the Attorney General/Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi. Zhongshans initial reasonable readiness to consider Ogun States offer was surprisingly reversed by the second day when it insisted on the government paying the full arbitration debt. This led to a breakdown of the mediation, with parties agreeing to meet again in the first quarter of this year. Since then, Zhongshan has been evasive. Instead, it embarked on a series of enforcement proceedings, which the legal team appointed by the FGN and Ogun State successfully opposed. In cases similar to the present one, where Zhongshan obtained an ex-parte order, Ogun State successfully set aside the orders. Ogun State has not given up on a reasonable settlement option, with the most recent letter sent to Zhongshan last week. Zhongshan only responded after obtaining this latest illegal order. Bayo Onanuga Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy August 15, 2024 Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, has said the claim that some hoodlums carted away documents on his corruption trial is baseless and comical. Mr Ganduje said this in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Edwin Olofu, on Thursday. On Wednesday, Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf said hoodlums who invaded the State High Court during the nationwide protest against bad governance stole some documents in the corruption trial of his predecessor, Mr Ganduje. Mr Ganduje, his wife, Hafsat Umar, son, Umar Abdullahi, and five others are facing eight-count charges before the state high court for alleged misappropriation and diversion of funds during his (Ganduje) eight-year tenure as governor of the state. The court where they are being tried was among the properties vandalised and looted by hoodlums during the recent #EndBadGovernance protest. Responding to Governor Yusufs claim, Mr Ganduje said the invasion of the court was a clear indication that the state, under Mr Yusufs leadership, lacks the competence to handle legal and security matters. Furthermore, we find the allegations that protesters looted and absconded with sensitive documents relating to the ongoing witch-hunting under the guise of the corruption trial of former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as baseless and comical. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The insinuation that such critical documents could be carted away during a protest is not only far-fetched but also a clear indication of the states growing incompetence in handling both security and legal matters, the statement said. Mr Ganduje mocked the state government for the claim and described it as a propaganda attempt. It is laughable that governance has been reduced to a huge joke in Kano state that the state government will condescend low to suggesting that demonstrators broke into a court and carefully selected documents relating to the trial of the APC National Chairman, handpicked them and take them away in this digital age, no discerning mind will buy into this pedestrian propaganda. What happened to the documents with the government lawyers? The state government is bereft of ideas on how to run the affairs of the state and has always resorted to churning out myriads of corruption allegations against the former governor of the state Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and his family who served the state diligently, the statement said. Distortion of facts The APC chairman said the issue of his file being carted away was an attempt to distort facts about the sponsors of the violent protest in the state. This claim is nothing more than a desperate attempt by Governor Yusufs administration to divert attention from their culpability in the violence that erupted in the state. He said Governor Yusuf publicly supported the protest to incite the people against the APC and President Bola Tinubu. According to the statement, It is a known fact that the day before the beginning of the protest, Governor Yusuf was grandstanding and telling people that he would join them if they wished to protest, but unfortunately for him, the people hired by the state government to execute the protest against the APC government went haywire against their initial plan. After leading them on, its now clear to all that his government funded the violent protest that occurred in Kano. Governor Yusuf should understand that the words and actions of leaders carry weight and have dire consequences. Probe Mr Ganduje called on relevant security agencies to probe Mr Yusufs involvement in the protest. We demand that the federal government, through relevant security agencies, immediately launches a thorough investigation into the Kano State Governments involvement in this unfortunate incident. The sponsors of this violence must be brought to justice to ensure that this does not set a dangerous precedent for other states. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print In a significant development, the Nigerian government said it has revitalised over 500 Village Health Centers (VHCs) across the country, with plans to revamp an additional 3,000 in the next year. This was disclosed by the Executive Director of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Muyi Aina, at a stakeholders engagement organised by the Nigeria Universal Healthcare Forum in collaboration with Options Consultancy Services, a global body of health experts. Mr Aina said revitalising VHCs is a key component of President Tinubus Nigerian Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, which he noted is aimed at making basic healthcare services accessible to all Nigerians. He added that the move has already led to a 15 per cent increase in immunisation rates and a significant rise in antenatal care services. Harmonisation The Regional Director of Options Consultancy Services, Ufuoma Omo-Obi, emphasised the importance of bringing together concerned parties across the health ecosystem to achieve universal health coverage. He highlighted the need for harmonisation, citing the success of state-led accountability mechanisms and the Evidence for Action (E4A) MAMAYE programme in Lagos, which utilised community-based evidence to drive interventions and ensure essential commodities reach primary health care centres. Mr Omo-Obi stressed the importance of inclusive programming, recognising that everyone, regardless of their background or language, has a role to play in driving better health outcomes. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Also, he encouraged concerned parties to work together, share their thoughts, and utilise tools to advance universal health coverage, ultimately saving lives and improving human well-being. Speaking also at the meeting, the Managing Partner at DGI Consult, Gafar Alawode, said it was time to move from talks to actions that would yield tangible results. Nigerias Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative The Nigerian government in 2023 launched the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII) as part of its efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030. This was disclosed by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate. The pursuit of UHC and better health for all Nigerians necessitates a multi-sectoral and whole-of-government approach, the minister had remarked at the time. Mr Pate explained that the NHSRII has been articulated to advance Nigerias journey towards UHC, aiming to guide the renewal of the countrys health system as part of the governments broader health agenda. The focus, he said, is on driving towards UHC, ensuring that every Nigerian, regardless of location, economic status, or employment, can access essential services for a healthy life without financial strain. The initiative, Mr Pate noted, directly addresses poor population health outcomes, exacerbated by highly inequitable access to health. He highlighted that the initiative would leverage the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) in partnership with state governments and development partners in a transformational sector-wide approach programme to improve health outcomes. This included plans to train additional human resources for health and make available at least 17,000 functional primary healthcare centres. NPHCDA NPHCDA is a parastatal of Nigerias Federal Ministry of Health, established in 1992. It was formed to build on Nigerias primary health care successes from 1986-1992, which earned the country a top ranking globally. The agency provides technical and programmatic support to states, LGAs, and other concerned parties to enhance primary health care services in Nigeria, with a vision to improve the health and quality of life of Nigerians, especially in developing communities, through innovative primary health care development approach. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Following the declaration of Mpox as a public health emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organisation (WHO), Nigeria has stepped up its efforts to combat the outbreak. This was disclosed by the Director General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Jide Idris, on Thursday in Abuja during a press briefing. He stated that while 39 confirmed cases of Mpox have been recorded across 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) there are no deaths yet recorded. He, however, said five states are currently leading the infection chart. He said: In Nigeria, cumulatively, a total of 39 confirmed cases and zero deaths have been recorded across 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), from the beginning of the year 2024. Bayelsa (five), Cross River (five ), Ogun (four), Lagos (four), Ondo (three ), and Ebonyi (three) leading the pack. Cholera update Mr Idris, who also gave an update on cholera, stated that as of 11 August, a total of 5,951 suspected cholera cases and 176 deaths have been reported across 36 states and FCT, with 152 Local Government Areas (LGAs) affected. He said the case fatality rate stands at 3.0 per cent. The data indicates a continued rise in cases nationwide, with children under five years being the most affected age group. According to him, the trend of suspected cholera cases is expected to fluctuate and may persist until epidemic Week 37, consistent with patterns observed in previous outbreaks in Nigeria from 2020 to 2024. The current rainfall forecast suggests a potential increase in cases. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The outbreak is attributed to high rates of open defecation, leading to contamination of water sources through faecal matter runoff. To combat the outbreak, we will enhance both prevention strategies and case management measures to effectively address and mitigate the situation. About Mpox Mpox is a rare viral zoonotic infectious disease, endemic in several African countries, including the tropical rainforests of Central and West Africa. The exact reservoir of the virus remains unknown, although rodents, squirrels, and monkeys are suspected to play a role in transmission. The Mpox virus can spread from animal to human and from human to human. Animal-to-human transmission may occur through direct contact with the blood, body fluids, skin, or mucosal lesions of infected animals, such as monkeys, squirrels, and rodents, potentially via a bite, scratch, handling, or consuming inadequately cooked or other products of infected bushmeat. Human-to-human transmission occurs when an individual comes into contact with the virus from an infected person or materials contaminated with the virus, such as clothing or bedding. Symptoms of the illness include fever, headache, body aches, weakness, swollen lymph nodes, and a rash. After approximately one to three days of fever, the rash erupts, initially on the face, then spreading to the body, with the face and palms/soles being predominantly affected. The rash can also occur in and around the genitals, making contact during sexual activity another mode of transmission. Governments efforts The NCDC noted that in response to the outbreak, it is intensifying surveillance and control measures. These include enhanced contact tracing and monitoring, a declaration by travellers who have been to countries with ongoing Mpox outbreaks, distribution of diagnostic protocols to port health services, high alert at international airports, seaports, and land borders, and training of healthcare workers on infection prevention and control measures. The DG also revealed that Nigeria is also expecting to receive 10,000 doses of the Jynneos vaccine for high-risk groups. He also urged the public to adhere to proven infection prevention and control measures, including avoiding contact with animals that may harbour the virus, frequent hand washing, and proper cooking of animal food products. The National Mpox Technical Working Group continues to coordinate Mpox response activities, and the NCDC remains committed to providing evidence-based guidance to inform the countrys next steps in safeguarding public health, he said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print News / National by Staff reporter Cowdray Park Councillor Ntandoyenkosi Ndlovu has warned residents against digging wells in their yards due to significant health risks. This advisory comes amid acute water shortages in the city, which have led many to dig backyard wells as a temporary solution.Ndlovu emphasized that these wells can contaminate underground water supplies, posing serious safety hazards. Open wells are particularly dangerous for children, adding to the urgency of avoiding such practices. He noted that while the city's mandate is to provide clean, potable water through taps, the prolonged water outages have driven residents to seek alternative sources.To address these challenges, the city provides water through bowsers during outages and advises residents to use these safer sources. Ndlovu assured that the local authority is dedicated to enhancing water infrastructure to ensure a consistent supply of clean water for all residents. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has detained the chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Jalal Arabi, along with another top official over alleged mismanagement of the N90 billion Hajj subsidy for 2024. NAHCONs secretary, Abdullahi Kontagora, was detained along with Mr Arabi, PREMIUM TIMES can report. PREMIUM TIMES confirmed the development from EFCC and NAHCON officials who have been briefed about the case but have no permission to share their knowledge with the press. The detained officials were still in custody facing interrogation as of the time of filing this report, the sources confirmed to our reporter. The federal government released N90 billion to NAHCON to subsidise the 2024 Hajj expenses of pilgrims. Out of this money, N88.2 billion (N88,235,294,063.72) was converted to USD $62.3 million ($62,307,164.48) and transferred to NAHCONs account, PUNCH newspaper reports, citing a document nailing down some specific details of the case. In Saudi Arabia, the $62.3 million was converted to SR233.5 million (SR233,527,252.47). Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later PUNCH further reports that EFCCs investigation has led to the recovery of SR314,098 (Saudi Riyal) from the suspects. The money was recovered from the NAHCON chairman and other ranking officials as part of the funds allegedly overpaid to them as Hajj operational costs expenses, PUNCH reports. EFCC also alleged that Mr Arabi fraudulently overpaid himself, the commissioners, secretary and directors for the 2024 Hajj operational cost. The document stated that the 2024 budget allocated specific operational costs for key officials: $4,250 for the chairman/CEO, $12,750 for commissioners, $3,825 for secretaries, and $15,300 for directors/chief of staff. However, the anti-graft agency alleged that Mr Arabi paid himself Saudi Riyal (SR) 50,000, far above the SR15,929 he was entitled to. Similarly, the three commissioners received SR40,000 each instead of SR15,929, while the secretary was paid SR30,000 instead of SR14,336, according to the document sourced by PUNCH newspaper. It also said the directors and the chief of staff were also overpaid, receiving SR30,000 each, when they were only entitled to SR2,550. PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Arabi was initially questioned by the EFCC on 29 July and subsequently released on bail. In May, President Bola Tinubu approved the release of a N90 billion subsidy for the 2024 Hajj. However, in July, some Northern governors raised concerns about the management of the subsidy. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) is also investigating the case. Last week, the anti-corruption agency arrested and interrogated the Director of Procurement of the Hajj commission. Other allegations According to PUNCH, EFCC has discovered the withdrawal of SR8.6 million (SR8,614,175.27) in cash from the SR233.5 million paid into NAHCONs account. The document said the cash withdrawal remains unaccounted for by NAHCON. The document also cited cases of payment of funds to a company for services that were not rendered. There are also cases of payments of estacodes to staff members for study tours they did not undertake. NAHCONs defence NAHCON and its chaperson, Mr Arabi, has consistently denied any wrongdoing concerning their management of the Hajj funds. On 29 July, Mr Arabi held a post-Hajj press briefing where he explained how the N90 billion Hajj subsidy was utilised. Mr Arabi said NAHCON incurred additional costs beyond the N90 billion grant received from the federal government to ensure the success of the exercise. According to him, of the N90 billion, about N80 billion was expended as subsidies for 50,000 pilgrims from the states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with each receiving N1.6 million. He also said other pilgrims under the Hajj Savings Scheme (HSS) and all officials of the commission used up over N10 billion. He said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which disbursed the funds on behalf of the federal government, deducted 2 per cent service charge per pilgrim. This, according to the commission, amounted to about 1.7 billion. He said NAHCON paid around N4 billion to cover unexpected, additional accommodation costs in Medina. A document that he shared stated that the commission initially estimated the cost at Saudi Riyal (SR) 850 per bed space for 11,000 spaces. But it said the money could only secure 8,754 spaces. NAHCON said the additional expenses, coupled with the CBN deductions, resulted in a loss of approximately N6 billion for NAHCON.` Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print In a bid to promote reporting from the perspectives of the disadvantaged, a non-governmental organisation- Pro-Poor Development Media Network (PDM-Network), on Thursday, launched its Development Journalists Coalition, a network of journalists covering development issues such as environment, health, education, gender and economy. The project, in partnership with the African Cities Research Consortium (ACRC), aims to build the capacity of journalists to project developmental issues by providing platforms to the disadvantaged to be heard. In his remark, the Director of Uptake for ACRC, Ismail Ibraheem, a Professor of Journalism and Communication Studies at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, said the ACRC project seeks to use the media to influence policy decisions by amplifying the voices of the marginalised in society. Mr Ibraheem further noted that ACRC provides platforms for journalists to access research works while emphasising the need for media partnerships for development research and advocating for the poor through public policies and programmes. We want to look at how we can help to bring their voices to bear with the sort of policies that government officials implement and articulate in the public arena, the professor said. ACRCs commitment In his short presentation entitled: Research Communications, Engagement and Impact, the ACRCs Communications and Impact Manager, Chris Jordan, highlighted the need to bridge the gap between researchers and journalists, emphasising the role of journalists in communicating research output for communities benefit. Mr Jordan highlighted the role of ACRC in supporting journalists in reporting on critical development issues, including health, security, housing, and poverty, among others, noting that communications help with impact, profile and engagement. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later He further highlighted that impact requires communication, knowledge exchange, stakeholder engagement, influencing, advocacy, and uptake. He cited the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), which defines research impact as the demonstrable contribution that excellent research makes to society and the economy. He said co-producing with policymakers maximises impact potential, citing an analysis of 500 development economic projects funded by the International Growth Centre. The analysis shows that designing and implementing a research project with a policymaker increases the likelihood of policy change by 17 to 20 percentage points. This magnitude is substantial when compared to the mere 3 per cent of non-partnership projects that resulted in evidence uptake, he said. He said ACRC is a six-year project funded by the UK governments Foreign Commonwealth Development Organisation (FCDO) and working across about 12 African cities, including Lagos and Maiduguri in Nigeria. He said the project is expected to wind down in 2028, urging the ACRC team in Lagos to work with the journalists coalition for maximum impact for the benefit of the people. Oloyede, board director, speaks The Chairwoman of PDM-Networks Board of Directors, Bimbo Oloyede, expressed the boards commitment to supporting initiatives to advance quality reporting in the interest of the poor, noting that the media can set an agenda and raise consciousness among ther people. Mrs Oloyede, a veteran broadcaster, said the power of collaboration cannot be overlooked and urged the members of the new coalition to remain committed to the public good. She said: I think it is a great idea, which is why I came on board, and Im all for finding ways and means of ensuring that the voiceless find ways and means of getting heard. More about PDM-Network The Secretary of the PDM-Networks Board of Directors, Omobayo Azeez, said the board is peopled by core media professionals with integrity and dignity, saying the Publisher of PREMIUM TIMES, Dapo Olorunyomi, is the co-chair while the Editor of the weekend titles of The Guardian Newspaper, Kabir Garba, serves as a member. Mr Azeez noted that the core objective of the initiative is to advocate consideration for the poor in public policies and programmes to create avenues for engagement between the poor and the government, using the media as the link. He said: The coalition of journalists for the PDM-Network that we have today is just one of our initiatives. So we have other initiatives that include training and fellowship for journalists, as well as giving grants to journalists to do stories that matter, that can drive development to those found at the lowest rung of the society ladder. Although we are studying Nigeria now, the programme has been designed to put on a Pan-African outlook, and the board is committed to working with partners, both local and international. He said the coalition comprises journalists who have demonstrated a passion for development reporting and underreported issues that affect the poor across various newsrooms in Nigeria and beyond. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The senior special assistant to Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State on entrepreneurship, Abdulraham Mai Kadama, has resigned from his appointment and defected from the New Nigeria People Party (NNPP). Mr Mai-Kadama announced his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) after meeting the deputy senate president, Barau Jibrin, in Abuja on Wednesday. Mr Mai Kadama was the leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement in Plateau State and leader of G-6 in Kano State, among other roles, before defecting to the APC. In a statement posted on Facebook, the deputy senate president said Mr Mai-Kadama joined the APC to promote good governance and fast-track the development of Kano and Nigeria as a whole. Another plus for the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a top shot of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Kwankwasiyya movement, Abdulrahman Mai Kadama Kwankwasiyya joined the party. Today, Mai Kadama Kwankwasiyya was in my residence in Abuja, where he dumped the red cap and joined the largest political party in Africa, APC. ALSO READ: Ndume apologises to APC for criticising Tinubu With the change of party, he announced that he is now Mai Kadama Maliya. The grassroots politician also announced his resignation as the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Kano State on Entrepreneurship II. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The brand new Mai Kadama Maliya called on his young political comrades to join our great movement to deliver more dividends of democracy to our people. As I said previously, our party, APC, is the only party genuinely committed to enhancing the standard of living of our people. Lets do it together; the train can accommodate all, Mr Jibrin wrote on Facebook. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Akwa Ibom State, south-south Nigeria, has remained without electricity for two days, causing hardship for business owners relying on power-generating set to run their businesses. The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) said, in a statement on Wednesday, that the power outage in Akwa Ibom was caused by earth fault. Kindly note that the outage currently experienced on the Itu, Uyo, Eket, and Ekim 132 KV transmission stations is due to earth fault, the PHED said in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter). The electricity company, which said the entire Akwa Ibom is affected by the outage, said it was working with the Transmission Company of Nigeria maintenance crew to rectify the fault and restore supply as soon as the work is completed. For us, we have not had light for over three months now, a salesgirl at a supermarket in Ewet Housing Estate, Uyo, told a PREMIUM TIMES reporter on Wednesday. I learnt that the transformer around here is bad, she said, adding that they have been relying on power-generating sets and inverters to run the supermarket. The cost of running a business in Akwa Ibom has been further compounded by the recent hike in the petrol price from N750 to N900 per litre in the state. In some filling stations, a litre goes for as much as N1,000. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Meanwhile, in nearby Bayelsa State, residents have been without electricity supply for many days now because of the destruction of transmission towers by vandals. The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) said on Thursday that vandals destroyed 13 towers on the Ahoada-Yenagoa 132kV Double Circuit transmission line. The Managing Director of TCN, Sule Abdulaziz, described the incident as a national disaster. He urged the governments of Rivers and Bayelsa States to assist TCN in addressing the ongoing vandalism of its installations, which has become increasingly alarming and overwhelming. Bayelsa State could remain without power for several months because of the destruction, Mr Abdulaziz said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Ogun State Government, on Thursday, faulted the judicial process that led to the provisional attachment of three Nigerian government-owned aircraft in France by the Judicial Court of Paris on 7th March and 2nd August, 2024. PREMIUM TIMES had reported how a Chinese company, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Ltd, sought several orders from the court over an aborted contract between the company and Ogun State Government, which was initiated in 2007. In a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, the Ogun State government described the latest development as the new antics by the Chinese company to appropriate Nigerian assets in foreign jurisdictions, as past efforts had continually failed. The statement described the whole legal process as nothing but a total charade with fraudulent notion, adding that the company deliberately concealed the litigation from both the Nigerian government and Ogun State, as well as their legal counsel before hurriedly securing orders of seizure. It added that the company possibly misled the Judicial Court of Paris as to the use and nature of the assets it sought to attach and did not made full disclosure to the court as required by law. According to the statement, Ogun State, together with the Federal Government, had already taken immediate action to ensure that those provisional attachments are lifted quickly, even as it accused the company of reneging on the earlier discussion for an amicable resolution of the case. It likened the case to that of P&ID, describing it as very unfortunate case of unscrupulous individuals masquerading as foreign investors with the sole aim of defrauding Ogun State and Nigeria at large. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The statement said: On 14 August 2024, the attention of the Ogun State Government was drawn to the provisional attachment of three Nigerian government owned aircrafts in France by the Chinese company, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Ltd. (Zhongshan). Ogun State also learned of two orders of the Judicial Court of Paris dated 7 March 2024 and 12 August 2024 respectively, both obtained by Zhongshan without notice being duly given to the Federal Government or Nigeria, Ogun State or their legal counsel. This is the latest in a series of ill-advised attempts by Zhongshan to attach Nigerian-owned assets in foreign jurisdictions, none of which have to date led to the recovery of any sums from Nigeria. Each of the three aircrafts is used solely for sovereign purposes and as such are immune from attachment under international and French law. In obtaining the provisional attachments, Zhongshan deliberately withheld information from the Federal Government of Nigeria, Ogun State and their legal counsel. Shockingly, it also appears to have misled the Judicial Court of Paris as to the use and nature of the assets it seeks to attach and not made full disclosure to the court as required by law. Ogun State in conjunction with the Federal Government of Nigeria, has taken swift action to ensure that these provisional attachments are lifted without delay. Just like the P&ID case, this is another unfortunate case of unscrupulous individuals masquerading as foreign investors with the sole aim of defrauding Ogun State and Nigeria. It should be recalled that the underlying contract between Ogun State and Zhongshan was executed in 2007, 12 years before the present administration, for the management of a free-trade zone. The parties entered into a dispute in 2015 with arbitration commencing in 2016. By 2019, when the current State Administration took office, the hearing at the arbitration had been all but concluded. The Arbitral Panel awarded over 60 million USD against the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) which was a co-Defendant, when all Zhongshan had done was to build a perimeter fence around the free-trade zone. Needless to say this was a bad/unfair decision. The present State Administration could not in all good conscience allow such an unconscionable and baseless decision, which would dissipate the commonwealth of the good people of Ogun State, to stand. Accordingly, and based on erudite legal advice, this Administration resolved to resist the enforcement of the award. The resistance was successful in 8 different jurisdictions. Currently, there are pending appeals against recognition orders issued in both the US and UK. On the further advice of counsel, Ogun State also engaged Zhongshan in settlement discussions on reasonable terms. The last meeting attended by several officials of Ogun State, including His Excellency Prince Dapo Abiodun the Governor of Ogun State, and the Honourable Attorney General/Minister of Justice lasted for three days, in September 2023 in London. Zhongshans initial reasonable readiness to consider Ogun States offer, was surprisingly reversed by the second day, with an insistence on the payment of the full debt. This led to a breakdown of the mediation, with parties agreeing to meet again in the first quarter of this year. Since then, Zhongshan has in bad faith been evasive and instead embarked on a series of enforcement proceedings which the legal team appointed by the FGN and Ogun State have successfully opposed. In cases similar to the present one where Zhongshan obtained an ex-parte order, Ogun State has successfully set aside the orders. We naturally regret any embarrassment this has caused the Federal Government of Nigeria, HE President Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, GCFR and the good people of Ogun State and re-affirm our commitment to constantly and consistently protect the integrity of the nation and its assets. We have taken all necessary legal steps to ensure that this spurious and baseless order is vacated within the shortest possible time. As a sovereign nation, whose assets are protected by laws of sovereign immunity, we vow to resist any attempts at blackmail and theatrics clearly designed to extort and embarrass our dear country. It is important to note that Ogun State never gave up on a reasonable settlement option, with the most recent letter sent to Zhongshan, last week. Unfortunately, Zhongshan only responded after obtaining this latest order. A reasonable and objectively quantifiable settlement figure has always been our preference and continues to be an option in the resolution of this protracted dispute. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The President, Association of Resident Doctors, Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Abeokuta, Abdulgafar Kolade, has called for the immediate release of Ganiyat Popoola, a Senior Registrar at the National Eye Centre, Kaduna, and her nephew, Abdul-Mugniy Folaranmi, who have been held captive for almost eight months. Mr Kolade spoke in Abeokuta during a peaceful protest held by members of the Association of Resident Doctors, Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Abeokuta, at the hospital premises, Aro, Abeokuta. He expressed deep concern over the continued captivity of Mrs Popoola and her young nephew. He noted that the prolonged detention of the medical professional and her family member has not only inflicted immense suffering on their loved ones, but also dealt a significant blow to the medical community and the patients who rely on Mrs Popoolas expertise. Dr Ganiyat Popoola is a respected medical professional dedicated to the service of humanity. Her abduction, alongside her husband and nephew seven months ago, has left a gaping hole in the lives of those who depend on her. While her husband was eventually released, Dr Popoola and Abdul-Mugniy remain in captivity, enduring unimaginable physical and psychological trauma, Mr Kolade stated. He affirmed the urgency of securing their release, noting that the ongoing ordeal revealed the worsening insecurity in the country. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The Association of Resident Doctors at Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Abeokuta, is appealing to the government, security agencies, and all relevant authorities to intensify efforts to secure the safe return of Dr Popoola and her nephew, he said. The association also called on the kidnappers to release them unconditionally, stressing the profound humanitarian and ethical implications of their continued detention. We urge the kidnappers to recognise the inhumanity of their actions and release Dr Ganiyat and Abdul-Mugniy without further delay, Mr Kolade pleaded. In a show of solidarity, the association also called on the general public to join in amplifying their voices against such acts of terror and violence. Let us stand together, show solidarity with the affected families, and press for immediate action. The essence of our humanity lies in our collective responsibility to protect one another. The association maintains that until Dr Popoola and Abdul-Mugniy are safely returned, the medical community and the nation at large will continue to suffer from their absence, Mr Kolade stressed. The protest, organised by the Association of Resident Doctors, Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Abeokuta, is part of ongoing efforts to draw attention to the plight of Mrs Popoola and her nephew, and to plead for swift action from the authorities. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Ogun State Police Command has alerted members of the public of a notorious one-chance gang operating within Sagamu, Ijebu Ode and Mowe Expressway parts of the state. Omolola Odutola, the commands spokesperson, gave the advisory in a statement obtained by PREMIUM TIMES. She said the command had received numerous complaints from residents, one of which involved a victim who was robbed of N700,000 at gunpoint after getting into a car at Kajola on Wednesday. The spokesperson, while warning traders and business owners not to risk travelling with huge cash, advised commuters to record and send a video to the police media if they are unsure about a boarded vehicle. The Ogun State Police Command has become inundated with complaints of a notorious gang operating within Sagamu, Ijebu Ode to Mowe. Commuters on that axis, make a video of your next trip and upload it to police media when in doubt of the vehicle. Please alert our traders and business owners not to risk travelling with huge cash. Today, N700,000 was transferred from a victim, who joined from Kajola. At gunpoint, they drove her into a street and made the transfer into a POS machine. Investigation is ongoing, Mrs Odutola said. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print News / National by Staff reporter Zimbabwe should immediately release over 100 pro-democracy activists arrested in the run-up to Saturday's SADC summit in Harare, the United Nations rights office said on Wednesday.The call came as former Citizens Coalition for Change senator Jameson Timba and over 70 other activists arrested on June 16 notched 60 days in pre-trial detention, accused of holding an illegal gathering.Dozens of other activists and trade union leaders including Jacob Ngarivhume, the leader of the opposition Transform Zimbabwe, have also been rounded up accused of public order offences, some dating five years back."We are concerned by reports of arrests, harassment and intimidation of human rights defenders and political activists in the lead up to the SADC summit," the UN Human Rights Commission said in a statement."We call for the immediate release of all those arbitrarily detained and protection of civic space."President Emmerson Mnangagwa's rivals accuse him of launching the crackdown to thwart planned protests during the annual summit of 16 regional states.Zimbabwe is assuming the rotating chairmanship of SADC from Angola. Sections of Harare have witnessed fevered activity as the government spruces up roads and upgrades hotel facilities in preparation for the summit, whose run-up began with smaller ministerial events on August 7.The Democratic Alliance, a ruling coalition partner in South Africa, has urged SADC to switch the venue of the summit in protests at the crackdown. SADC appears unlikely to accede to the request, leaving it to individual regional leaders to decide if they want to attend. "Best Lawyers" has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. DURHAM, N.C., Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Law Offices of James Scott Farrin announced that 28 of its attorneys are being honored by "Best Lawyers in America." 19 of its attorneys are recognized on the 'Best Lawyers' list, while nine are named to the 'Ones to Watch' list for 2025.* Awardees are chosen through peer review surveys. The James Scott Farrin attorneys named to the 2025 'Best Lawyers' list are: Honorees for the 2025 "Best Lawyers" 'Ones to Watch' list are recognized as outstanding attorneys who have typically been in private practice for fewer than 10 years and are nominated and reviewed by their peers.* The James Scott Farrin attorneys named to the 2025 'Ones to Watch' list are: ABOUT THE LAW OFFICES OF JAMES SCOTT FARRIN The Law Offices of James Scott Farrin is one of the largest personal injury firms in North Carolina and has helped over 65,000 injured people since 1997. Operating from 14 offices in NC and one in SC, many of the firm's 60+ accomplished attorneys are recognized professionals in their fields. The firm focuses on providing quality legal services to as many people as possible in the following practice areas: personal injury, car accidents, workers' compensation, whistleblowing, defective products, eminent domain, mass torts, class actions, and Social Security Disability. Contact Information: David Chamberlin 555 S. Mangum Street Suite 800 Durham, NC 27701 1-866-900-7078 https://www.farrin.com Offices in Durham (main), Raleigh, Charlotte, Greensboro, NC, and Greenville, SC. Attorney Michael Shepherd: 555 S. Mangum Street, Suite 800, Durham, NC *For standards of inclusion, visit bestlawyers.com. **Of Counsel SOURCE Law Offices of James Scott Farrin Anchorage Digital First Institutional Custodian to Support ZKsync Asset Custody, Governance CAYMAN ISLANDS and SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Anchorage Digital , the leading crypto platform for institutions, and the ZKsync Foundation, announced the availability of digital assets from the ZKsync ecosystem on Anchorage Digital's platform. With the only U.S. federally chartered crypto bank, Anchorage Digital is the first institutional custodian to support ZKsync, whose zero-knowledge technology helps blockchains provide fast, secure and scalable transactions. The new implementation allows institutions to hold the ZK token and to participate in governance from the safety and security of their Anchorage Digital accounts. The ZK token is also now supported by Anchorage Digital's self-custody wallet for institutions, Porto . The ZK token can be custodied with Anchorage Digital Bank N.A. and Anchorage Digital Singapore, which offer equivalent security and service standards. "With new advances in security and privacy, zero-knowledge proof technology has sparked considerable demand from traditional and crypto-native institutions alike. Launching support for the ZKsync ecosystem marks the latest in our commitment to bringing institutions the latest in digital asset innovation, without compromising on safety or security. Zero-knowledge technology is here, now from a clear-cut qualified custodian in Anchorage Digital Bank." Nathan McCauley, CEO and Co-Founder of Anchorage Digital "Integrating with Anchorage Digital was an easy decision for us, driven by our partners' unwavering confidence in their trusted and licensed services. Anchorage Digital is renowned for its reliability, and we're excited to bring the same level of quality and security to our partners who hold and use the ZK Token. We couldn't be more thrilled to join forces with such a respected leader in the industry." Nana Murugesan, President of Matter Labs "As the ZKsync ecosystem continues to scale, facilitating safe and secure institutional access is a major step forward. With a roster of top institutional clients and industry-leading regulatory clarity, Anchorage Digital is the perfect partner to advance institutional participation in ZKsync. We look forward to working with the Anchorage Digital team to support new chains and offerings within the ecosystem." Marco Cora, Director at the ZKsync Foundation Those interested in learning more about accessing ZKsync and other innovative networks with Anchorage Digital may get in touch directly with Anchorage Digital. About Anchorage Digital Anchorage Digital is a crypto platform that enables institutions to participate in digital assets through custody, staking, trading, governance, settlement, and the industry's leading security infrastructure. Home to Anchorage Digital Bank N.A., the only federally chartered crypto bank in the US, Anchorage Digital also serves institutions through Anchorage Digital Singapore, Porto by Anchorage Digital, and other offerings. The company is funded by leading institutions including Andreessen Horowitz, GIC, Goldman Sachs, KKR, and Visa, with its Series D valuation over $3 billion. Founded in 2017 in San Francisco, California, Anchorage Digital has offices in New York, New York; Porto, Portugal; Singapore; and Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Learn more at anchorage.com , on X @Anchorage , and on LinkedIn . About ZKsync Foundation The ZKsync Foundation supports a diverse range of market participants, each of whom are working on or in relation to ZKsync, the ZKsync Technology, the Ethereum 'layer-1' blockchain system or other zero-knowledge based cryptographic technology more widely. Press Contacts Anchorage Digital [email protected] This post is intended for informational purposes only. It is not to be construed as and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase any securities in Anchor Labs, Inc., or any of its subsidiaries, or the ZK Token and should not be relied upon to make any investment decisions. Furthermore, nothing within this announcement is intended to provide tax, legal, or investment advice and its contents should not be construed as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security or digital asset or to engage in any transaction therein. SOURCE ZKsync Foundation LOS ANGELES, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Armata Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE American: ARMP) ("Armata" or the "Company"), a biotechnology company focused on the development of high-purity, pathogen-specific bacteriophage therapeutics for antibiotic-resistant and difficult-to-treat bacterial infections, today announced the appointment of life sciences accounting and finance veteran David House as Senior Vice President, Finance, effective August 16th. Armata's Corporate Controller, Richard Rychlik, will retain the position of Controller. "We are delighted to welcome David to the Armata team," stated Dr. Deborah Birx, Chief Executive Officer of Armata. "David's extensive experience and track record of serving in senior accounting and finance roles within both clinical and commercial stage life sciences companies will serve us well as we continue to advance our two distinct programs AP-PA02 and AP-SA02 and prepare to initiate pivotal studies next year. This is an exciting time at Armata, and the addition of David to our senior team helps ensure that we are best positioned to achieve long-term success as we work to introduce an exciting new class of anti-infectives to treat serious drug-resistant bacterial infections." Before joining Armata, Mr. House served as Corporate Controller and Vice President of Accounting at ZO Skin Health, Inc., a multi-channel physician-dispensed skincare company, from October 2018 to May 2024. At ZO Skin Health, he led global accounting operations, managed financial reporting, and played a crucial role in the company's acquisition by Blackstone. He also established international subsidiaries and oversaw financial integration for mergers and acquisitions. Mr. House's experience includes similar financial leadership roles at Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, and Avid Bioservices, Inc. (CDMO), a contract development and manufacturing organization where he served as Controller and was responsible for implementing ASC 606, managing technical accounting, and conducting Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") reporting. Mr. House's career also includes roles at Viant, Inc. (DSP), Sourcing Solutions, LLC, and Apria Healthcare (APR), where he held various accounting and financial management positions. In the early stages of his career, Mr. House worked as a Senior Auditor at Windes, a public accounting firm. There, he managed comprehensive audits for public, private, and not-for-profit entities and contributed to SEC filings and internal control evaluations. Mr. House holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with an Accounting concentration from California State University, Fullerton. He obtained his California Certified Public Accountant license, which is currently inactive. About Armata Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Armata is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development of pathogen-specific bacteriophage therapeutics for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant and difficult-to-treat bacterial infections using its proprietary bacteriophage-based technology. Armata is developing and advancing a broad pipeline of natural and synthetic phage candidates, including clinical candidates for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and other pathogens. Armata is committed to advancing phage therapy with drug development expertise that spans bench to clinic including in-house phage specific cGMP manufacturing. Forward Looking Statements This communication contains "forward-looking" statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements relate to future events, results or to Armata's future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause Armata's actual results, performance or events to be materially different from any future results, performance or events expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify these statements by terms such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "will," "would" or the negative of those terms, and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements reflect management's beliefs and views with respect to future events and are based on estimates and assumptions as of the date of this communication and are subject to risks and uncertainties including risks related to Armata's development of bacteriophage-based therapies; ability to staff and maintain its production facilities under fully compliant current Good Manufacturing Practices; ability to meet anticipated milestones in the development and testing of the relevant product; ability to be a leader in the development of phage-based therapeutics; ability to achieve its vision, including improvements through engineering and success of clinical trials; ability to successfully complete preclinical and clinical development of, and obtain regulatory approval of its product candidates and commercialize any approved products on its expected timeframes or at all; and Armata's estimates regarding anticipated operating losses, capital requirements and needs for additional funds. Additional risks and uncertainties relating to Armata and its business can be found under the caption "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in Armata's filings and reports with the SEC, including in Armata's Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on March 21, 2024, and in its subsequent filings with the SEC. Armata expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in Armata's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based. Media Contacts: At Armata: Pierre Kyme Armata Pharmaceuticals, Inc. [email protected] 310-665-2928 x234 Investor Relations: Joyce Allaire LifeSci Advisors, LLC [email protected] 212-915-2569 SOURCE Armata Pharmaceuticals, Inc. COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- AZ Opportunity Fund ("AZOFund") is pleased to announce the acquisition of 31.7 acres of industrial and retail land in Colorado Springs for the creation of the Colorado Aerospace Business Center ("CABC"), an innovation park with the potential for over 320,000 square feet of industrial properties supported by multiple retail pad sites. The Colorado Aerospace Business Center ("CABC"), a 320K SF Aerospace Industrial Park in Colorado Springs, CO To celebrate this milestone, AZOFund invites members of the press and the local community to a "Launch Party" groundbreaking event on Monday, August 19th, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. This event will offer an exclusive first look at the project and provide an opportunity to learn more about the vision behind the Colorado Aerospace Business Center. Please register here to attend. The CABC will serve as a state-of-the-art hub for aerospace companies of all stages of growth alongside traditional users of industrial space. AZOFund master planned the business park to exceed the specialized infrastructure needs of high-tech and government contracting companies requiring fiber redundancy, rooftop antenna installation, and sensitive compartmented information facility ("SCIF") spaces. Several key forward-thinking features include EV charging stations, heavy power, drive-in and dock high loading, the ability to fence individual buildings for additional security, and outdoor storage capabilities. Located at the intersection of Bradley Road and Foreign Trade Zone Blvd., the CABC is ideally positioned adjacent to the Colorado Springs Airport and Peterson Space Force Base, and near Schriever Space Force Base, Fort Carson Army Base, Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station, and aerospace companies of all sizes. According to Brady Welsh, co-founding Principal of AZOFund, "We were drawn to this strategic location that is poised for long-term growth and are excited about the opportunity to provide cutting-edge facilities to the aerospace and related industries." AZOFund has partnered with the nationally recognized design-build firm ARCO/Murray to serve as the architect and general contractor for the project. "We were honored to be brought in very early in the process by AZOFund and have worked together to master plan this dynamic business park, design Phase I and submit for permits in advance of the land acquisition to allow for the upcoming groundbreaking," added Charlie McLean, ARCO/Murray. Site preparation for Phase I of the project is anticipated in August 2024 with core and shell completion by the second quarter of 2025. Phase I will be built on speculation with the goal of having tenants operational by or before January 2026. The Cushman Wakefield Colorado Springs Commercial industrial team of Aaron Horn and Heather McKeen, and Tyler Smith from the Cushman and Wakefield Denver office have been selected to handle the leasing. According to Heather McKeen, "The SE Colorado Springs market is one of the fastest growing areas in the city with significant demand from a wide range of industries including aerospace, food and beverage distribution, e-commerce, and construction supply companies." The CABC is also located within multiple economic development zones offering a blend of incentives and tax credits to foster business growth, job creation and business expansion including the Pikes Peak Enterprise Zone, Opportunity Zone (OZ), Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ), and Commercial Aeronautical Zone (CAZ). AZOFund was represented by Sherpa Commercial Real Estate, and the seller was represented by Chuck Armstrong with Weichert Realtors Pikes Peak Group in the land transaction. To learn more about the Colorado Aerospace Business Center and for leasing inquiries, please visit: AerospaceBusinessCenter.com. About AZ Opportunity Fund AZ Opportunity Fund specializes in the development of industrial real estate projects designed for the mid-sized users of warehouse, manufacturing, and flex properties. By focusing on assets poised for long-term capital appreciation, AZOFund strives to drive investor value by executing on strategic development projects and to help transform the communities we invest in. For more information, please visit www.AZOFund.com. About ARCO/Murray ARCO/Murray is a single-source national design and construction firm specializing in commercial construction and real estate needs for Fortune 500 companies and individual businesses. From planning to execution, ARCO/Murray's expert team uses the most advanced design-build methodology to deliver the very best client experience. To learn more about ARCO/Murray, visit www.arcomurray.com. About Cushman & Wakefield Cushman & Wakefield is an international commercial real estate firm specializing in local and national representation for landlords and occupiers. The strength of the Cushman & Wakefield platform provides the greatest exposure for properties securing the highest quality tenants. For more information visit www.cushmanwakefield.com SOURCE AZ Opportunity Fund, LLC AUGUSTA, Ga., Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Best Lawyers, the world's oldest and most respected peer-review research and marketing company in the legal profession, today announced the release of its 31st edition of The Best Lawyers in America and fifth edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. These prestigious recognitions highlight outstanding legal talent and represent the top 5% of lawyers across the United States, providing invaluable guidance to clients and legal professionals. Best Lawyers Releases the 2025 Editions of The Best Lawyers in America The 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America features lawyers from 204 metropolitan areas spanning 150 practice areas. More than 23 million votes were analyzed, which resulted in almost 80,000 honorees. This year's edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America highlights over 26,000 of the next generation of legal leaders in 79 practice areas, representing the profession's future. The "Lawyer of the Year" has been awarded to only 5,223 honorees. This accolade reflects the rigorous peer-review process that underpins the Best Lawyers methodology, ensuring that only the most exceptional legal talent is recognized. "The continued growth of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America are testaments to the dedication and expertise of the legal professionals recognized each year," said Phillip Greer, CEO of Best Lawyers. "We are proud to showcase the remarkable achievements of these lawyers, who contribute significantly to the legal industry and their clients' overall success." Commercial Litigation emerged as a dominant practice area experiencing substantial growth in recent years. The evolving nature of the legal industry, particularly in areas such as Labor and Employment Litigation and Insurance Law, has also led to increased recognition for lawyers specializing in these fields. While Washington, D.C. and New York City continue to be leading metropolitan areas for recognized lawyers, Best Lawyers offers comprehensive coverage beyond these major legal hubs, ensuring that legal talent from across the country is acknowledged and celebrated. Best Lawyers is committed to the legal industry and its professionals, recognizing those who drive innovation and uphold the highest standards. More than awards, Best Lawyers ensures clients can identify and access the best lawyers available and provides legal marketing strategies to advance firms and the industry. Search The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America results by lawyer name, firm, region and practice area by visiting www.bestlawyers.com. About Best Lawyers Best Lawyers is the oldest and most respected peer-review research and marketing company in the legal profession. Best Lawyers compiles extensive recognitions by conducting exhaustive peer-review surveys in which tens of thousands of leading lawyers confidentially evaluate the work of their fellow legal professionals within their local market and specialty. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore, recognition by Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor. For more information, visit www.bestlawyers.com. Media Contact: Alliccia Odeyemi Senior Public Relations Manager [email protected] SOURCE Best Lawyers Company to Broadcast Conference Call COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Big Lots, Inc. (NYSE: BIG) today announced it will report the results for the second quarter of fiscal 2024 on Friday, September 6, 2024. The company will host a conference call at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Friday, September 6, 2024. A live webcast of the call will be available through the Investor Relations section of its website at http://www.biglots.com/corporate/investors/ or by phone by dialing 877.407.3088 (Toll Free) or 201.389.0927 (Toll). An archive will be available on the Investor Relations section of the company's website at http://www.biglots.com/corporate/investors/ through midnight Friday, September 20, 2024. In addition, a replay of the call will be available through September 20 by dialing 877.660.6853 (Toll Free) or 201.612.7415 (Toll) and enter the Replay Conference ID: 13748449. About Big Lots, Inc. Big Lots, Inc. (NYSE: BIG) is one of America's largest off-price retailers, offering bargains on everything for the home, including furniture, decor, pantry essentials, kitchenware, pet supplies, and more. The Company fulfills its mission to help customers "Live Big and Save Lots" by strategically sourcing bargains in a variety of creative ways, such as closeouts, overstocks and manufacturer liquidations. For more information, to shop online, or to find a store near you, visit biglots.com. SOURCE Big Lots, Inc. CHICAGO, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Chicago Automobile Trade Association (CATA), the Chicago-area's new-car dealer association, once again partnered with the USO to host the 11th annual BBQ for the Troops fundraisers. To date, 60 local new-car dealerships rallied their communities to bring in $81,267 for the USO. The barbecue-themed events, held last month, featured everything from patriotic ceremonies, classic car shows, live music, games for kids of all ages and, of course, barbecues. Additionally, participating dealers donated to the cause for every test drive that took place in the month of July. "Supporting our local communities and those in need is right within the wheelhouse of our local car dealers and what better way to make an impact than rallying together for this great cause," said CATA Chairman Jason Roberts. "We are thrilled to once again present this check to the USO who do such crucial work supporting our service members and their families." Chicagoland new-car dealers rallied their communities to bring in $81,267 for the USO. Post this This year's fundraiser brought the grand total of the more than decade-long program to more than $1.2 million, supporting the USO initiatives with nearly 700 fundraisers over the years. These funds enable the USO to lend support to more than 300,000 service members and their families annually. "We are so grateful for the support we receive from our partners at the Chicago Automobile Trade Association and the local new-car dealerships," said USO Executive Director in Illinois, Christopher Schmidt. "This grassroots fundraiser has now raised more than $1.2 million in crucial funds that support our service members and their families. On behalf of the USO and all those who serve our nation, we thank all the participating dealers and their communities for their generous support over the last 11 years." The program culminated this week where CATA board members presented a check to the USO for a total of $81,267.48. "I would be remiss if I didn't mention the incredible support that we received from our media partners surrounding this fundraiser," said Roberts. "Many thanks are due to all our partners in TV, radio and outdoor advertising media who helped us promote this worthwhile program. A special thanks to ABC 7 Chicago for producing the TV spot that aired throughout the market." For more information on the CATA, visit www.cata.info. For more information on the local USO in Illinois, please visit Illinois.USO.org. About the Chicago Automobile Trade Association Founded in 1904 and located in Oakbrook Terrace, the Chicago Automobile Trade Association is comprised of more than 400 franchised new-car dealers and an additional 150 allied members. The group's dealer members employ about 19,000 people in the metropolitan area. The association has produced the world famous Chicago Auto Show since 1935. For more information, please visit CATA.info. About the USO The USO is the leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening the well-being of the people serving in America's military and their families. Since 1941, the USO has been by the side of service members throughout their military service. Impactful support is provided through our 250+ locations around the world, a robust care package delivery program, global entertainment, military spouse and youth programming, and much more, all made possible by donors, corporate partners, volunteers and staff. To learn more and support our critical mission around the globe, please visit USO.org or follow us on Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram and LinkedIn. SOURCE Chicago Automobile Trade Association HOUSTON, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hurricane Debby made landfall in Florida's Big Bend as a Category 1 storm, leaving millions of people without power while dealing with the aftermath. In response, CITGO is supporting local disaster relief efforts across affected communities with a $25,000 donation to Team Rubicon. Funds are set to be used for debris removal, chainsaw operations, roof tarping, and mucking and gutting out homes. "With our recent experience with Hurricane Beryl in the Houston area, we understand what our neighbors in Florida are experiencing right now and we want to help with the recovery," said Chris Kiesling, CITGO Assistant Vice President of Light Oils Operations and Marketing. "We have a longstanding relationship with the people of Florida and the response efforts in Perry will help them restore their homes and businesses as soon as possible." Ware Oil and Supply Company, a 34-year CITGO branded marketer headquartered in Perry, Fla., is an integral part of the Big Bend fuel distribution network, supplying the North Florida and South Georgia region with wholesale fuels, specialty fuels, and lubricants. "It's a great relief to have Team Rubicon helping our communities right now and we also know that wouldn't be possible without CITGO, a great partner in business and a great partner in our community," said Don Everett Jr., President of Ware Oil and Supply. CITGO recently received the Above and Beyond Award from the Florida Petroleum Marketers Association (FPMA) for its industry and community assistance dating back to Hurricane Charlie in 2004. "Supporting our communities in good times and bad is part of our DNA," continued Kiesling, "and we thank FPMA for recognizing our efforts to help ensure our customers such as Ware Oil and CITGO consumers across the state get back to normal." About Team Rubicon Team Rubicon is a veteran-led humanitarian organization that serves global communities before, during, and after disasters and crises. Founded following the Haiti earthquake in 2010, the organization has grown to more than 175,000 volunteers across the United States and has launched over 1,200 operations domestically and internationally. To drive equity across disaster and humanitarian services, Team Rubicon focuses on three areas of impact: disaster services- from mitigation to immediate response to recovery; rebuild services maintaining the fabric of communities through resilient building methods; and international services- providing emergent and surge medical services, WASH, and disaster risk reduction. The organization is featured in the Roku original series titled Team Rubicon, which highlights the work of Greyshirt volunteers assisting communities across the country. Visit http://www.teamrubiconusa.org for more information. About CITGO CITGO Petroleum Corporation is a recognized leader in the refining industry and operates under the well-known CITGO brand. CITGO owns and operates three refineries located in Lake Charles, La.; Lemont, Ill.; and Corpus Christi, Texas, and wholly and/or jointly owns 42 active terminals, eight pipelines and three lubricants blending and packaging plants. With approximately 3,600 employees and a combined crude capacity of approximately 807,000 barrels-per-day (bpd), CITGO ranks as the fifth-largest and is one of the most complex independent refiners in the United States. CITGO transports and markets transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products, and supplies a network of approximately 4,000 locally owned and independently operated branded retail outlets, all located east of the Rocky Mountains. CITGO is dedicated to supporting communities in times of need. Through strategic partnerships and generous donations, we strive to make a positive impact on the lives of those affected by natural disasters and other crises. For more information on this commitment, please visit https://www.citgo.com/responsibility. SOURCE CITGO Petroleum Corporation News / National by Staff reporter The Forward In Faith Church International Incorporated (FIFCII), notorious for its endorsement of "gay exorcism" as conversion therapy and belief in witchcraft, is advancing its reach in Scotland.The church's stance has incited accusations from activists labelling it a proponent of "vicious homophobia and misogyny".While Scotland actively moves towards outlawing conversion therapy that interferes with a person's gender identity or sexual preferences, our sister title, Daily Record, has learned that FIFCII has secured approval from the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR), despite its controversial doctrine.Originating from Zimbabwe in 1960 and named ZAOGA by founder "Apostle" Ezekiel Guti, the Pentecostal church boasts a significant congregation.Its dogma includes a firm belief in witchcraft and a decree that women must be sexually available to their husbands upon demand, reports the Daily Record.Ministers of the church are known to frequently perform miracles at large evangelical events, claiming to heal the disabled and cure various diseases instantly.FIFCII has strategically planted its roots in Scotland, with plans to establish itself in major cities including Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen, having already purchased property in Edinburgh designated as their Scottish headquarters.However, the National Secular Society (NSS) has expressed grave concerns regarding FIFCIIs activities in the country.NSS spokesperson on human rights Alejandro Sanchez stated: "This organisation promotes vicious homophobia and misogyny, and may well be endangering lives with reckless allegations of witchcraft.""Any suggestion it is acting in the public benefit and worthy of charitable status is absurd.""We know from experience OSCR has been either unable or unwilling to take action against religious charities that foster intolerance and extreme views.""It is now time legislators urgently review the advancement of religion' as a charitable purpose. It must not be used as a back door for religious groups to promote conversion therapy and the subjugation of women."The FIFCII website details an exorcism of a man possessed by a "homosexual spirit".A 2017 "Apostle's Update" blog post on the charity's website recounts how the spirit "bound him for many years", but he was liberated during a "miracle night" in St Kitts and Nevis.The blog notes: "The atmosphere on Sunday was electric as there was too much joy in the church."Another blog entry narrates the deliverance' of a 14 year old girl in Zimbabwe who was forced nightly to "eat human flesh and drink human blood" as part of a witchcraft' ritual.At an event at last year's Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University - established by the church's leader in Bindura, a team of evangelists were reported to have been freed from possession.The report declares: "We thank our father Apostle Dr Joseph Joe Guti for sending us a powerful team of evangelists during the week of Spiritual Revival Festival."Many people were set free from spiritual husbands/wives, some were delivered from abnormal period pains and blood flow, others delivered from witchcraft, satanism and marine spirits as well as healings from sight problems."A blog post from 2015 commends the deliverance of 17 individuals in Zimbabwe from "spiritual husbands, bitterness, homosexuality, witchcraft, satanism to mention a few".Statistics indicate that thousands of children in the UK may be victims of abuse associated with witchcraft beliefs.In another blog, Pastor Fiona Arthurs outlines a wife's duties in a sermon titled A Wise Woman's Responsibility'.It says sex is "the very reason" for marriage, adding: "When we said I do' we were saying I do' to his desire for sex.Arthurs is author of the book Foolish Things Wives Do To Mess Up Their Marriages which has a foreword by Ezekiel Guti.In its UK annual report for 2023, FIFCII, reveals its blueprint for Scotland.It declares that it is growing fast due to "tithing" where the congregation hand over 10% of their income to the church.It states: "Scotland has seen a big increase in numbers due to the influx from Zimbabwe through the work visa program."This has benefited us in many ways, not least with tithing but also as many of them were already leaders in Zimbabwe. They are eager to do the work of God in their new places of worship."It adds: "An area calling for attention for church growth is the possibility of new assemblies."We are looking to establish one in Dundee in 2024 and possibly Fife as well, areas which are both to the east between Edinburgh and Aberdeen assemblies."Scotland Province might be small in size but mighty in heart and serving a big God."We are confident that 2024 will be a year with bigger, greater, mightier blessings than we have already seen or even believed possible."The Record put the claims relating to extreme homophobia and misogyny to the church's official spokesperson but we did not receive a reply.OSCR was also asked to comment on the acceptance of FIFCII. Key Points: Coalition Grows to 50 : The No More Lines Coalition, committed to ending public school boundary lines by 2030, now includes 50 groups across the U.S., including 50CAN, Available to All, Democrats for Education Reform, and Reason Foundation. [Link] : The No More Lines Coalition, committed to ending public school boundary lines by 2030, now includes 50 groups across the U.S., including 50CAN, Available to All, Democrats for Education Reform, and Reason Foundation. [Link] Momentum Building : States like Kansas , Idaho , and West Virginia are leading with new open enrollment policies, showing growing support for educational access. : States like , , and are leading with new open enrollment policies, showing growing support for educational access. New Video Release: A new video highlights the criminalization of parents for crossing school boundary lines, showing how families are investigated and penalized, even those experiencing homelessness. [Link] ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, yes. every kid. announced that the No More Lines Coalition, a group of nonpartisan groups committed to ending discriminatory public school district boundary lines by 2030, has expanded to include 50 organizations from across the country. In conjunction with this announcement, yes. every kid. has debuted a new video that shows the criminalization of parents who have sought to enroll their children in schools outside their designated boundaries: "Parents Criminalized: The Hidden Reality of School Boundary Laws." The practice of enforcing school boundary lines based on ZIP code often correlates with a family's wealth. Post this In 24 states, parents can face criminal charges for crossing school district boundary lines. School districts nationwide are using private investigators and invasive home searches to enforce these boundaries, often resulting in children being kicked out of school. Families experiencing housing instability are also targeted, all for seeking the best education for their children. "Our coalition's rapid growth to 50 organizations demonstrates the urgency and importance of discriminatory school boundary lines," said yes. every kid. COO Erica Jedynak. "We are deeply committed to breaking down these harmful school district barriers and creating equal access to the public education that best meets every child's needs. No parent should be criminalized for simply doing what is best for their family." Why This Matters: Historical Injustice: School boundaries rooted in redlining continue to enforce socioeconomic disparities. [Link] (Source: Available to All) Public Support: 84% of Americans support allowing students to attend any public school, regardless of where they live. Recent Policy Progress: Kansas : HB 2567 establishes open enrollment, effective starting in the 2024-25 school year. : HB 2567 establishes open enrollment, effective starting in the 2024-25 school year. Idaho : SB 1125 creates broad open enrollment and prohibits discrimination based on a student's address. : SB 1125 creates broad open enrollment and prohibits discrimination based on a student's address. West Virginia : HB 2596 creates broad open enrollment and prevents districts from charging tuition for students outside their neighborhood. : HB 2596 creates broad open enrollment and prevents districts from charging tuition for students outside their neighborhood. Oklahoma : HB 3386 allows intra-district transfers to schools with open seats. Learn More: Visit yeseverykid.com/no-more-lines-coalition for more info. About yes. every kid. yes. every kid. supports policies that respect the dignity of every student, welcome innovative ideas and foster a diversity of approaches to learning. yes. every kid. will support and build coalitions to advance new conversations and bold visions by bringing together differing voices and perspectives to revolutionize the K-12 education experience. About the No More Lines Coalition The No More Lines Coalition is a nationwide alliance of nonpartisan organizations committed to eliminating exclusionary public school boundary lines by 2030. Rooted in the belief that every child deserves access to a best-fit education, the coalition champions policies that remove the constraints of government-imposed boundary lines, empowering students to attend the public school that best meets their needs, regardless of their ZIP code. SOURCE yes. every kid. The global crystalline silicon PV cell market is propelled by rise in adoption of highly efficient solar cells for producing solar panels that can be used in a wide range of residential, commercial, and utility-scale facilities. Factors such as rise in consumer awareness, regulatory initiatives, technological advancements, sustainability trends, market consolidation, and geographical expansion contribute to the dynamic growth of the crystalline silicon PV cell market. WILMINGTON, Del. , Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Crystalline Silicon PV Cell Market by Type (Mono Crystalline and Multi/Poly Crystalline) and Application (Commercial, Residential and Utility Scale): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2024-2033". According to the report, the crystalline silicon PV cell market was valued at $35.5 billion in 2023, and is estimated to reach $52.8 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 3.9% from 2024 to 2033. Download PDF Brochure: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/A186878 Prime determinants of growth The global crystalline silicon PV cell market is driven by rise in government incentives provided in countries such as India, China, and others for installation crystalline silicon-based PV cell in different facilities. For instance, in February 2024, the Prime Minister of India launched the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana for installing solar panels on rooftops. Furthermore, the Indian government is providing several subsidies over purchase of solar panels. This factor has surged the adoption of crystallized silicon PV cell-based solar panels across both residential and commercial facilities; thus, fueling the growth of the crystalline silicon PV cell market However, high initial costs of crystalline silicon PV cells may restrain the growth of the crystalline silicon PV cell market. Report coverage & details: Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 20242033 Base Year 2023 Market Size in 2023 $35.5 billion Market Size in 2033 $52.8 billion CAGR 3.9 % No. of Pages in Report 350 Segments covered Type, Application, and Region Drivers Public policies and regulatory support Growing preference for sustainable activities Rapid shift towards renewable energy sources Opportunities Government incentives and subsidies Technological Advancements Restraints High initial costs The mono-crystalline segment to maintain its lead position during the forecast period. The mono-crystalline silicon PV cell possesses various significant properties such as high efficiency, durability, appealing aesthetics, and others which in turn has surged its application in solar panels. These cells are mostly favored for commercial and residential installations where space and appearance are important factors. Factors such as rise in installations of rooftop solar panel in both residential and commercial facilities is expected to lead the crystalline silicon PV market for mono-crystalline. Procure Complete Report (350 Pages PDF with Insights, Charts, Tables, and Figures) @ https://bit.ly/3YKI3uu The commercial segment to maintain its lead position during the forecast period. Rapid advances in crystalline silicon PV cell technology have led to higher efficiency rates, meaning that commercial installations can generate more electricity from a given amount of sunlight. This efficiency translates to better utilization of available roof space or land area. Furthermore, crystalline silicon PV cells are known for their durability and long operational life. With warranties often extending 25 years or more, businesses can rely on these systems for consistent performance over decades. In addition, many governments offer incentives to encourage the adoption of solar energy. These incentives include tax credits, rebates, grants, and accelerated depreciation benefits. For instance, in the U.S., the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) allows businesses to deduct a significant percentage of the installation cost from their federal taxes on installation of solar panels. This factor may augment the growth of the crystalline silicon PV cell market for commercial applications. Asia-Pacific to maintain its dominance by 2033 The crystalline silicon PV cell market in the Asia-Pacific region continues to expand, driven by factors such as government policies and incentives, rise in energy demand, cost reduction in renewable energy-related products, and technological advancements in countries such as China, India, and Japan. India has implemented supportive policies and incentives for renewable energy, including solar, wind, geothermal, and others. For instance, according to a report published by the Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, in December 2022, the Indian government provided surplus incentive under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for high efficiency solar modules. This factor is expected to surge the utilization of crystalline solar PV cell-based high efficiency solar panels in the country; thus, fueling the growth of the crystalline solar PV cell market. In addition, the Asia-Pacific region is experiencing rise in energy demand from the past decade owing to factors such as rapid industrialization, growing urbanization, and rise in technological advancements. For instance, according to a report published by International Energy Agency in 2022, China has become the world's leading clean energy powerhouse meanwhile India is projected to witness the largest energy demand growth over the next three decades. This event is to increase the demand for crystalline silicon PV cell-based solar panels across numerous end-use sectors; thus, boosting the growth of the crystalline silicon PV cell market during the forecast period. For Purchase Inquiry: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/crystalline-silicon-pv-cell-market/purchase-options Leading Market Players: - Suniva Inc. Targray Sova Solar Central Electronics Limited Mose Solar Sunlike Solar Aoli Solar LIGHTWAY AIDU ENERGY Amso Solar The report provides a detailed analysis of these key players in the global crystalline silicon PV cell market. These players have adopted different strategies such as new product launches, collaborations, expansion, joint ventures, agreements, and others to increase their market share and maintain dominant shares in different regions. The report is valuable in highlighting business performance, operating segments, product portfolio, and strategic moves of market players to showcase the competitive scenario. Trending Reports in Energy & Power Industry: Solar Cell Market Size, Share, Competitive Landscape and Trend Analysis Report, by Type, by Installation Type: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2031 Solar Cell Paste Market Size, Share, Competitive Landscape and Trend Analysis Report, by Paste Type, by Cell Type: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2023-2033 Solar Control Window Films Market Size, Share, Competitive Landscape and Trend Analysis Report, by Product Type, by Film Type, by Application: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2024-2033 Solar Photovoltaic Glass Market Size, Share, Competitive Landscape and Trend Analysis Report, by Type, by End-use Industry: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2024-2033 Solar Energy Storage Market Size, Share, Competitive Landscape and Trend Analysis Report, by Type, by Installation: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2031 Smart Solar Power Market Size, Share, Competitive Landscape and Trend Analysis Report, by Device, by Solution, by Application: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2031 Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) Market Size, Share, Competitive Landscape and Trend Analysis Report, by Technology, Application and End-Use: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2030 About us: Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Wilmington, Delaware. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Contact us: David Correa 1209 Orange Street, Corporation Trust Center, Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware 19801 USA. Int'l: +1-503-894-6022 Toll Free: +1-800-792-5285 Fax: +1-800-792-5285 [email protected] Web: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/reports-store/energy-and-power Follow Us on | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/636519/Allied_Market_Research_Logo.jpg SOURCE Allied Market Research SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Cyber Enviro-Tech Inc. (CETI) (OTCQB: CETI) is excited to announce that it has entered into an agreement to acquire the land, assets and permits to a Salt Water Disposal (SWD) facility in southern Oklahoma. With access to the necessary licenses, CETI has commenced operations to deploy its advanced oil reclamation technologies. These technologies enable CETI to eliminate Sulphur, Iron Sulfite, and demulsifying agents directly from the oil at any concentration levels, in an environmentally safe fashion. Operational Milestones: Truckloads of contaminated crude were delivered to the SWD last week for processing. Initial pretesting of this oil revealed high levels of contaminants, including 3% sulfur and 15% iron sulfite, among other heavy metals. Preliminary tests completed by the oil buyer showed acceptable levels of contaminate removal. In addition, previous tests of oil processed with CETI's reclamation technologies performed by Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, TX, resulted in the reduction of sulfur to less than 0.2%, and iron sulfite to essentially undetectable levels which demonstrate the effectiveness of our technology. Revenue and Scaling Up for Future Success: CETI anticipates shipping its initial loads of remediated oil in the next few days. In response to these promising results, CETI has secured arrangements to truck in thousands of barrels of contaminated oil each month for processing. Moving forward, the company will continue to increase its SWD oil decontamination infrastructure in order to substantially increase its operational capacity. Environmental Impact Within the Industry: We make compliance easier for operators to meet the new, stringent EPA regulations including the EPA's National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). What that means is that it allows operators to avoid potential legal and financial penalties from industry regulators. We also enhance the oil quality so that there are less contaminants released into the air through the refining process. In other words, CETI's technology is not only cutting edge, environmentally sound technology but also drives the Companies capabilities to already meet the 2025 NPDES compliance regulations. "Breaking through the R&D stages of a cutting-edge technology company can be challenging, time-consuming, and costly," said Kim D. Southworth, co-founder and CEO of Cyber Enviro-Tech, Inc. "Advancing beyond these challenges and successfully demonstrating our technology on a commercial scale is very rewarding. As we transition into the revenue-producing stages, CETI is poised for exponential growth." CETI remains dedicated to pushing the boundaries on developing sustainable and efficient contaminated oil, sludge and water remediation technologies, with a steadfast commitment to applying low cost, environmentally sound practices. ABOUT CYBER ENVIRO-TECH, INC. CETI is an international eco-conscious, oil/sludge, water and soil remediation Company. Using bio remedial material and other proprietary equipment and processes, we are able to extract and eliminate many hazardous waste materials found in today's oil, industrial wastewater and soil. CETI has designed safe, cost-effective remediation systems including 4th Industrial Revolution technologies. This would include machine learning, artificial intelligence, the cloud, SCADA, etc., along with the application of our non-chemical, bio remedial material. Our core business model is focused on cleaning oil/sludge ponds, storage tanks, oil spills, mining and other soil remediation projects and all bodies of contaminated industrial wastewater. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Any statements contained in this press release that do not describe historical facts constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, financial projections, statements regarding the plans and objectives of management for current and future operations, the development, regulatory approvals, and commercialization of the Company's products, or any of the Company's proposed services, systems, services, licensing arrangements, joint ventures, partnerships, or acquisitions. Such forward-looking statements are not meant to predict or guarantee actual results and performance and actual events or results may differ considerably. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from any projections may include, without limitation, delays in the Company's development of its products and services, the inability to obtain additional financing, the impact of significant new or changing government regulation on the industry, existing or increased competition, results of arbitration and litigation, stock volatility and illiquidity, and the Company's general failure to effectively implement the Company's business plans or strategies. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release. CONTACT: Winston McKellar, Dir of IR/PR Cyber Enviro-Tech, Inc. 6991 E. Camelback Rd., Suite D-300 Scottsdale, AZ 85251 866.687.6856 SOURCE Cyber Enviro-Tech Impressive Growth and Social Initiatives Elevate Brand to Esteemed Recognition CHICAGO, Aug. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Double Good , a popcorn-based fundraising company that is dedicated to raising joy for America's youth, was honored by Inc. Magazine today on its annual Inc. 5000 list. The brand ranked No. 981 this year, marking the 17th time Double Good has been recognized as one of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. by Inc . Magazine . This news comes after a bounty of award wins for the company over the last year. Most recently, Double Good was recognized by Crain's Chicago Business in this year's Crain's Fast 50 list (No. 21) for Chicago's fastest growing companies for the second year in a row. Double Good Virtual Fundraising makes the Inc. 5000 list for 17th year Post this Double Good has undergone remarkable growth since transforming from a traditional popcorn business into an innovative digital fundraising platform dedicated to supporting America's youth. This strategic evolution in 2017 led to significant organic expansion. Founder and CEO Tim Heitmann conveyed his pride and excitement regarding the recent award nominations and wins, attributing much of Double Good's success to the dedication of their community partners, organizers, customers and employees. "Being named once again among so many successful high-growth companies is a privilege that further fuels our passion for spreading joy and empowering youth," Heitmann said. Double Good's mission to support America's youth has helped customers nationwide fulfill dreams and achieve their fundraising goals with ease, leading to the brand's recognition as one of the fastest growing companies in the U.S. For more information on Double Good and its mission, visit www.doublegood.com . About Double Good Double Good is a product-based fundraising company that is dedicated to raising joy for America's youth and their communities. Through the sale of delectable, made-to-order popcorn, Double Good simplifies fundraising with a user-friendly mobile app, enabling organizers and young people to raise more funds without handling any paperwork, money or product inventory. When customers purchase one of Double Good's unique flavors through a specific fundraiser, that cause receives 50% of every dollar sold. When customers purchase popcorn directly from Double Good's website, 50% of the sales support the Double Good Kids Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization committed to providing equitable experiences for children with special needs. SOURCE Double Good PORTLAND, Ore., Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The global emergency ambulance market is experiencing growth due to several factors such as improved road infrastructure, technological advancement, rise in road accidents, and advancement in healthcare technology. Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Emergency Ambulance Vehicles Market by Vehicle Type (Ambulance Van, Ambulance Bus, and Ambulance Car), Ambulance Emergency Type (Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and Hospital Based Emergency Ambulance) and End User (Private Enterprises, Government Services, and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2024-2033". According to the report, the emergency ambulance vehicles market was valued at $43.8 billion in 2023, and is estimated to reach $103.9 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 9.3% from 2024 to 2033. Prime Determinants of Growth Population growth, particularly in urban areas, and demographic shifts such as aging populations contribute to increased demand for emergency ambulance services. Older adults tend to have higher rates of medical emergencies and chronic conditions, driving the need for EMS. Furthermore, the frequency and severity of health emergencies, including accidents, injuries, acute illnesses, and natural disasters, directly impact the demand for ambulance services. As the incidence of these emergencies rises, so does the need for timely medical response and transportation. Moreover, innovations in medical equipment, communication systems, and vehicle design enhance the efficiency, effectiveness, and scope of emergency ambulance services. Advanced technologies such as telemedicine capabilities, GPS tracking, and mobile healthcare apps improve patient care and response times. Request Sample of the Report on Emergency Ambulance Vehicles Market Forecast 2033: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/A135612 Report coverage & details: Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 20242033 Base Year 2023 Market Size in 2023 $43.8 billion Market Size in 2033 $103.9 billion CAGR 9.3 % No. of Pages in Report 488 Segments Covered Transport Vehicle Outlook, Emergency Service Outlook, Equipment Outlook, and Region. Drivers Technological advancements Rise in road accidents Improvement in road infrastructure Opportunities Integration of drone technology in emergency medical service Integrating telemedicine capabilities into emergency ambulance Restraint Limited financial resources allocated to emergency medical Geographical challenges Procure Complete Report (488 Pages PDF with Insights, Charts, Tables, and Figures): https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/checkout-final/emergency-ambulance-vehicles-market-A135612 Segment Highlights The transport vehicle outlook segment is expected to grow faster throughout the forecast period. By transport vehicle outlook, the transport vehicle outlook segment is anticipated to experience faster growth in the emergency ambulance market due to emergency aircraft, such as fixed-wing or helicopter transportation. They can navigate through urban areas, rural regions, and highways, reaching patients in various locations. Ground ambulances are typically more cost-effective to operate and maintain compared to air ambulances. This cost-effectiveness makes them a more viable option for healthcare providers and insurance companies. Many regions have a well-established infrastructure for ground ambulance services, including ambulance stations, roads, and communication systems. This infrastructure supports the efficient operation of ground ambulances and ensures timely responses to emergencies. The emergency service outlook segment is expected to grow faster throughout the forecast period. By emergency service outlook, the emergency service outlook segment is anticipated to experience faster growth in the emergency ambulance market owing to emergency services are specifically designed and equipped to respond rapidly to medical emergencies. They are often the first point of contact for individuals experiencing acute health crises, such as heart attacks, strokes, or traumatic injuries. Their ability to promptly reach and assist patients in distress is crucial for saving lives and minimizing the impact of emergencies. Emergency services operate round-the-clock, seven days a week, ensuring that assistance is available whenever emergencies occur, regardless of the time of day or night. This constant availability makes emergency services the go-to option for individuals in need of immediate medical attention, further solidifying their market dominance. The equipment outlook segment is expected to grow faster throughout the forecast period. By equipment outlook, the equipment outlook segment is anticipated to experience faster growth in the emergency ambulance market due to many hospitals and healthcare systems as they prefer to collaborate with ALS ambulance providers due to their ability to deliver advanced pre-hospital care and streamline the transition of patients from the scene of the emergency to definitive care in the hospital. These partnerships may lead to exclusive contracts or preferred provider agreements, further consolidating the market share of ALS services. In some healthcare systems, reimbursement rates for ALS services may be higher compared to basic life support (BLS) services, reflecting the advanced level of care provided by paramedics. This financial incentive encourages ambulance providers to invest in ALS capabilities and may contribute to the higher market share of ALS ambulances. Asia-Pacific to maintain its dominance by 2032 By Region Many countries in Asia-Pacific are investing heavily in healthcare infrastructure development, including the expansion of ambulance fleets and emergency response capabilities. Improved access to healthcare services, including emergency medical transportation, contributes to the growth of the ambulance market in the region. To Talk With Our Industry Expert @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/connect-to-analyst/A135612 Key Players: Acadian Ambulance Service Air Methods Corporation America Ambulance Service, Inc. Babcock International Group PLC BVG India limited Falck A/S Global Medical Response London Ambulance Service NHS Trust MEDIVIC PHARMACEUTICAL PVT LTD. Ziqitza Healthcare Limited The report provides a detailed analysis of these key players in the global emergency ambulance market. These players have adopted different strategies such as new product launches, collaborations, expansion, joint ventures, agreements, and others to increase their market share and maintain dominant shares in different regions. The report is valuable in highlighting business performance, operating segments, product portfolio, and strategic moves of market players to showcase the competitive scenario. Recent Development: In August 2023 , Huntsville Hospital merged with HEMSI ambulance service to expand their services throughout northern Alabama . , Huntsville Hospital merged with HEMSI ambulance service to expand their services throughout northern . In May 2023 , Empress EMS announced the acquisition of Mobile Life Support Services to minimize operational disruption and to ensure consistent quality service for the communities. This joint venture is expected to boost the revenue of the company. , Empress EMS announced the acquisition of Mobile Life Support Services to minimize operational disruption and to ensure consistent quality service for the communities. This joint venture is expected to boost the revenue of the company. In May 2023 , the Ministry of Health of India received two ambulances for use at the National Infectious Disease Center and one land cruiser pickup to support oxygen plant operations from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the government of the Federal Republic of Germany as part of their ongoing efforts to improve the quality of healthcare services in Liberia . , the Ministry of Health of received two ambulances for use at the National Infectious Disease Center and one land cruiser pickup to support oxygen plant operations from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the government of the Federal Republic of as part of their ongoing efforts to improve the quality of healthcare services in . In May 2021 , Reliance Industries Ltd announced corporate social responsibility by offering free fuel to emergency service vehicles transporting Covid patients. With a surge in demand for ambulances tasked with transporting medical oxygen and patients to and from quarantine facilities, this initiative aimed to alleviate financial burdens on essential healthcare services and support the nation's Covid response efforts. , Reliance Industries Ltd announced corporate social responsibility by offering free fuel to emergency service vehicles transporting Covid patients. With a surge in demand for ambulances tasked with transporting medical oxygen and patients to and from quarantine facilities, this initiative aimed to alleviate financial burdens on essential healthcare services and support the nation's Covid response efforts. In May 2023 , Empress EMS acquired Mobile Life Support Services, signaling a commitment to bolstering operational efficiency and maintaining service excellence. This strategic partnership aimed to streamline operations and minimize disruptions, thereby enhancing the overall quality of emergency medical services offered to communities served by both entities. Browse More Trending Reports Used Bike Market Size, Share, Competitive Landscape and Trend Analysis Report, by Distribution channel, by Source, by Engine capacity, by Type, by Propulsion : Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2031 Hydrogen Fuel Cell Train Market Size, Share, Competitive Landscape and Trend Analysis Report, by Application, by Technology, by Component, by Rail type : Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2025-2035 Automotive Traction Inverters Market Size, Share, Competitive Landscape and Trend Analysis Report, by Propulsion type, by Output power, by Semiconductor material, by Technology type, by Vehicle type : Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2023-2032 Car Leasing Market Size, Share, Competitive Landscape and Trend Analysis Report, by Lease, by Vehicle and, by End-user : Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2023-2032 About Us Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Contact: David Correa 1209 Orange Street, Corporation Trust Center, Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware 19801 USA. USA/Canada (Toll Free): +1-800-792-5285 UK: +44-845-528-1300 Hong Kong: +852-301-84916 India (Pune): +91-20-66346060 Fax: +1-800-792-5285 [email protected] Web: www.alliedmarketresearch.com AMR Resource Center: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/resource-center Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/636519/Allied_Market_Research_Logo.jpg SOURCE Allied Market Research NEW YORK, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The global ethylene acrylic acid copolymer market size is estimated to grow by USD 268.6 million from 2024-2028, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of over 11.16% during the forecast period. Increasing demand in the food packaging industry is driving market growth, with a trend towards rise in demand for bio-based acrylic acid. However, fluctuations in raw-material prices poses a challenge. Key market players include Altana AG, Angene International Ltd., Arkema Group, Dow Chemical Co., Exxon Mobil Corp., Honeywell International Inc., Jiangsu Victory Chemical Co. Ltd., LyondellBasell Industries N.V., Merck KGaA, Michelman Inc., Nanjing Tianshi New Material Technology Co. Ltd., Nippon Shokubai Co. Ltd., NSB Polymers GmbH, Parchem Fine and Specialty Chemicals Inc., Qingdao Hairuite Chemical Material Co. Ltd., Shanghai Songhan Plastic Technology Co. Ltd., SK Innovation Co. Ltd., SNP Inc., Ter Group, and Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.. Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global ethylene acrylic acid copolymer market 2024-2028 Get a detailed analysis on regions, market segments, customer landscape, and companies- View the snapshot of this report Ethylene Acrylic Acid Copolymer Market Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2023 Historic period 2018 - 2022 Forecast period 2024-2028 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 11.16% Market growth 2024-2028 USD 268.6 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 9.76 Regional analysis APAC, North America, Europe, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution APAC at 37% Key countries China, US, Germany, Japan, and France Key companies profiled Altana AG, Angene International Ltd., Arkema Group, Dow Chemical Co., Exxon Mobil Corp., Honeywell International Inc., Jiangsu Victory Chemical Co. Ltd., LyondellBasell Industries N.V., Merck KGaA, Michelman Inc., Nanjing Tianshi New Material Technology Co. Ltd., Nippon Shokubai Co. Ltd., NSB Polymers GmbH, Parchem Fine and Specialty Chemicals Inc., Qingdao Hairuite Chemical Material Co. Ltd., Shanghai Songhan Plastic Technology Co. Ltd., SK Innovation Co. Ltd., SNP Inc., Ter Group, and Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. Market Driver The Ethylene Acrylic Acid Copolymer (EAA) market is driven by the increasing demand for bio-based acrylic acid. Traditionally, acrylic acid, a primary component of EAA copolymers, was derived from petrochemicals. However, recent research has focused on producing acrylic acid from renewable resources using biotransformation methods. This shift is in response to fluctuating global crude oil prices and rising costs of petroleum-based feedstocks. Advanced purification technologies, such as melt crystallization and liquid-liquid crystallization, have replaced conventional distillation and crystallization methods. As a result, the market for EAA copolymers is expected to grow significantly during the forecast period due to the increasing popularity and availability of bio-based acrylic acid. The Ethylene Acrylic Acid Copolymer (EAA) market is experiencing significant growth due to worldwide demand for these versatile resins. Petroleum-based acrylic acid remains the primary feedstock, but bio-based alternatives are gaining traction due to changing lifestyle trends and environmental concerns. However, adverse effects on human health and the environment from petroleum-based chemicals necessitate continuous research. EAA copolymer resins find extensive applications in food packaging, construction activities, and automotive production. Crude oil supply and the political-economic landscape impact pricing. Segmentation includes barrier coatings, inks, adhesives, and cable shielding. Expert analysis from competitive intelligence providers using skilled analysts provides valuable insights into market trends, deficits, and winning imperatives. Ethylene and acrylic acid react in aqueous alkali to form EAA resins, which offer excellent adhesion to polar substrates, primers, and dry-food packaging. Liquid aseptic containers and laminated tube containers also utilize EAA resins. Product pricing is influenced by GDP, political scenarios, social scenarios, regulations, and regulations. Innovators in this cutting-edge industry focus on scalability and staying active in the market. Discover 360 analysis of this market. For complete information, schedule your consultation - Book Here! Market Challenges The Ethylene Acrylic Acid Copolymer (EAA) market is influenced by the volatile prices of key raw materials, primarily ethylene. The cost of ethylene is determined by the prices of natural gas and crude oil. Fluctuations in crude oil prices, caused by supply-demand imbalances and political uncertainties, impact the cost of ethylene and subsequently, the price of EAA copolymers. This price instability creates challenges for manufacturers, who face difficulties in managing production and delivery schedules. The uncertainty surrounding ethylene prices negatively affects the consistent growth of the global EAA copolymer market. Despite the positive impact of low crude oil prices in recent years, the anticipated increase in crude oil prices due to decreasing supply from major producers could negatively affect the EAA copolymer market during the forecast period. The Ethylene Acrylic Acid Copolymer (EAAC) market is a dynamic and growing industry, driven by the demand for high-performance resins in various applications. Skilled analysts forecast a steady growth in the market due to the increasing use of EAAC in sectors like adhesives, inks, and barrier coatings for polar substrates. Key components of EAAC are Ethylene and Acrylic acid, which undergo polymerization in the presence of aqueous alkali and amines. The resulting resins offer excellent adhesion properties, making them suitable for primers in industries like dry-food packaging and laminated tube containers. In the liquid aseptic segment, EAAC is used as a cable shielding material, providing insulation and protection against electrical interference. Segmentation of the EAAC market includes applications in industries like automotive, construction, and electronics. Expert analysis reveals that winning imperatives for market players include innovation, scalability, and industry coverage. Key players like DowDuPont and Exxon Mobil are actively investing in R&D to develop cutting-edge solutions. However, challenges like product pricing, GDP growth, political and social scenarios, and regulations pose significant hurdles. Ace matrix analysis indicates that a strategic focus on these areas can help companies stay ahead of the competition. For more insights on driver and challenges - Request a sample report! Segment Overview This ethylene acrylic acid copolymer market report extensively covers market segmentation by Application 1.1 Adhesives 1.2 Barrier coating 1.3 Others Type 2.1 20wt percentage comonomer 2.2 9wt percentage comonomer 2.3 5wt percentage comonomer Geography 3.1 APAC 3.2 North America 3.3 Europe 3.4 South America 3.5 Middle East and Africa 1.1 Adhesives- The global Ethylene Acrylic Acid Copolymer (EAA) market is experiencing significant growth, particularly in the adhesives segment. The packaging industry's increasing consumption of EAA copolymers is driving market expansion. Consumer demand and the emergence of e-commerce are fueling the growth of the packaging industry, leading to increased demand for high-performance adhesives like EAA copolymers. EAA copolymers are preferred due to their high-adhesion performance, flexibility, and substrate-wetting properties. Acrylic acid, a key component of these copolymers, enhances their adhesive properties and reduces softening and melting points. This improves optics and provides high strength. EAA copolymers adhere to various substrates, including paper, unprimed foils, metalized films, steel, iron, and glass. They are also used in packaging medical devices due to their ability to withstand sterilization with ethylene oxide gas. Carboxyl functional groups in low-molecular-weight EAA copolymers improve adhesion performance, making them an ideal choice for adhesive formulations. The responsiveness of EAA copolymers to water dispersion further increases their utility. These factors will continue to fuel the growth of the EAA copolymer market during the forecast period. For more information on market segmentation with geographical analysis including forecast (2024-2028) and historic data (2017-2021) - Download a Sample Report Research Analysis The Ethylene Acrylic Acid Copolymer (EAA) market is driven by worldwide demand for high-performance polymers in various industries. EAA copolymer resins are produced by copolymerizing ethylene and acrylic acid, which can be derived from both petroleum-based and bio-based acrylic acid. The use of EAA copolymers is extensive, ranging from food packaging and construction activities to inks, adhesives, and barrier coatings. Petroleum-based chemicals, including acrylic acid, are the primary feedstocks for EAA production. However, the shift towards bio-based acrylic acid is gaining momentum due to changing lifestyle trends and environmental concerns. EAA copolymers offer excellent adhesion properties, making them suitable for primers on polar substrates. In the food packaging industry, EAA copolymers are used as barriers to protect food from moisture, oxygen, and other environmental factors. In construction, they are used as adhesives and sealants. In the printing industry, EAA copolymers are used as binders in inks and coatings. The production of EAA copolymers involves the reaction of acrylic acid with ethylene in the presence of a catalyst, followed by polymerization. The process involves the use of aqueous alkali and amines as catalysts. The pricing of EAA copolymers depends on the cost of raw materials, production costs, and market demand. The global EAA copolymer market is expected to grow in tandem with the GDP of major economies. Despite their advantages, EAA copolymers have some adverse effects, including potential health hazards and environmental concerns. Therefore, efforts are being made to develop more sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives. Market Research Overview The Ethylene Acrylic Acid Copolymer (EAA) market is witnessing significant growth due to worldwide demand for these versatile resins. EAA copolymers are produced by copolymerizing ethylene and acrylic acid, which can be derived from both petroleum-based acrylic acid and bio-based sources. These resins offer excellent adhesion properties, making them suitable for various applications such as barrier coatings, food packaging, construction activities, automotive production, and more. However, the use of petroleum-based chemicals in producing acrylic acid has adverse effects on the environment. Changing lifestyle trends and increasing environmental concerns are driving the demand for bio-based acrylic acid and EAA copolymers. EAA copolymer resins find extensive use in industries such as food packaging, construction, automotive, and electronics. In food packaging, they are used to produce laminated tube containers and liquid aseptic packaging. In construction, they are used as primers and adhesives. In automotive production, they are used for cable shielding and inks. Competitive intelligence providers, with their team of skilled analysts, offer expert analysis and deficit analysis of the Ethylene Acrylic Acid Copolymer market. They provide insights into product pricing, GDP, political scenarios, social scenarios, regulations, winning imperatives, and industry coverage. The Ethylene Acrylic Acid Copolymer market is segmented based on application, end-use industry, and region. The market is expected to grow significantly due to the increasing demand for these resins in various industries and the scalability of production. The Ace matrix, which includes Active, Cutting Edge, and Innovator, provides a comprehensive view of the Ethylene Acrylic Acid Copolymer market, helping companies make informed decisions. Key players in the market include DowDuPont and Exxon Mobil, among others. The production of EAA copolymers involves the reaction of ethylene, acrylic acid, aqueous alkali, and amines. The crude oil supply and the political-economic landscape significantly impact the production and pricing of petroleum-based acrylic acid. In conclusion, the Ethylene Acrylic Acid Copolymer market is a dynamic and growing industry, driven by changing consumer trends, environmental concerns, and technological advancements. Competitive intelligence providers offer valuable insights into the market, helping companies stay ahead of the curve. Table of Contents: 1 Executive Summary 2 Market Landscape 3 Market Sizing 4 Historic Market Size 5 Five Forces Analysis 6 Market Segmentation Application Adhesives Barrier Coating Others Type 20wt Percentage Comonomer 9wt Percentage Comonomer 5wt Percentage Comonomer Geography APAC North America Europe South America Middle East And Africa 7 Customer Landscape 8 Geographic Landscape 9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 10 Company Landscape 11 Company Analysis 12 Appendix About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contacts Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: [email protected] Website: www.technavio.com/ SOURCE Technavio Reflects continued growth and high profitability while maintaining financial stability TEL AVIV, Israel, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- First International Bank of Israel (TASE: FIBI) one of Israel's major banking groups, today announced its results for the second quarter and first half of 2024, ended June 30, 2024. Financial Highlights Second quarter of 2024 net income of NIS 609 million and return on equity of 19.6% First half 2024 net income of NIS 1,178 million and return on equity of 19.2% Credit to the public increased 4.5% compared to end of the first quarter of 2024 and 2.4% compared to 2023-end First half 2024 income from credit losses of approximately NIS 73 million , compared to expenses of NIS 171 million in the first half of 2023 with approximately half of the income from collections from previously written-off customer debt , compared to expenses of in the first half of 2023 with approximately half of the income from collections from previously written-off customer debt Deposit to the public increased by 3.8% compared to the first quarter of 2024, and by 6.8% compared to the 2023-end. The portfolio of customers' assets increased 4.8% compared to the first quarter of 2024, and by 12.4% compared to the 2023-end, to approximately NIS 755 billion . . Equity attributed to shareholders of the Bank increased by 11.7% to NIS 12.6 billion, compared to the end of the first half of 2023 Tier 1 capital ratio was 11.34% The Bank's Board of Directors decided to distribute a dividend amounting to 40% of the net income for the quarter Financial Results of the Second Quarter 2024 Net income for the First International Bank Group was NIS 609 million in the second quarter of 2024, an increase of 3.7 % compared to the second quarter last year and an increase/decrease of 7 % compared to the prior quarter. The return on equity was 19.6%. The net income for the first half of the year was NIS 1,178 million and the return on equity was 19.2%. Revenues were NIS 3,220 million in the first half of the year, compared to NIS 3,435 million in the first half of last year. The financing income from operating activities amounted to NIS 2,435 million in the first half of the year, compared to NIS 2,682 million in the first half of last year, a decrease of 9.2%. The decrease was due, among other factors, by customers shifting funds into interest-bearing accounts, rather than maintaining non-interest-bearing current account balances. Income from credit losses amounted to NIS 73 million in the first half of the year, compared with expenses of NIS 171 million in the first half of last year. Approximately NIS 40 million of the income was due to income from specific customers from the collection of debts that had been previously written off in the financial accounts, with the balance due to a decrease in the collective provision for credit losses. In the second quarter of 2024, the income from credit losses amounted to NIS 71 million compared with expenses of NIS 99 million in the prior quarter. The high-quality credit to non-performing loans ratio (NPL) was stable and was 0.59% at the end of the second quarter. The ratio indicates the quality of the credit portfolio (the balance of the non-accrual loans or those that are in arrears of 90 days or more) as a percentage of total credit to the public. The total coverage ratio (the percentage of the total allowance for credit losses to the total amount of the credit to the public) was 1.44%, compared to 1.23% as of the end of the first half of last year. Operating and other expenses were stable at NIS 1,463 million in the first half of the year, compared to NIS 1,464 million in the first half of last year. The efficiency ratio was 45.4%. Credit to the public was approximately NIS 122 billion, an increase of 2.4% compared to the 2023-end and an increase of 4.5% compared to the end of the first quarter of 2024. Deposits by the public were approximately NIS 204.1 billion, an increase of 6.8% compared to the 2023-end and an increase of 3.8% compared to the end of the first quarter of 2024. The total customers' assets portfolio increased by 4.8% compared to the first quarter of 2024 and by 12.4% compared to the 2023-end, amounting to approximately NIS 755 billion. Equity attributed to the Bank's shareholders increased to approximately NIS 12.6 billion, an increase of 4.5% compared to the 2023-end and increase by 11.7% compared to the end of the first half of last year. The tier 1 capital ratio was 11.34%, which is approximately 23% above the regulatory equity requirement. The liquidity coverage ratio was high and stood at 172%. Taking into consideration the Supervisor of the Bank's directives with regard to capital planning and profit distribution policies, the Board of Directors decided to approve the distribution of a cash dividend to the shareholders at a rate of 40% of net income. The Board of Directors will continue to discuss the implementation of the Bank's dividend distribution policy, in light of the developments and their impact on the economy and on the Bank. Management Comment Eli Cohen, CEO of First International Bank, commented, "We continued to focus on growth across all types of activities and our results reflect this, both in terms of credit balances and in the volume of the customers' assets, which have grown in all segments. The growth in credit is being carried out while maintaining qualitative and professional underwriting and an appropriate level of risk. The overall value of our customers' balances has increased by more than 23% in the past year, reflecting the trust that our customers place in our stability and us. "We at the First International Bank have a strategy of providing added value to customers through our unique value propositions, our new and innovative products, as well as our professional advice across all core activities and sectors. The State of Israel has been going through a challenging period of warfare on multiple fronts for over 10 months, which is having significant and complex economic implications. At the First International Bank, we hold the Otzar HaChayal brand, providing banking for the security forces, offering them the best banking value proposition. We are continuing to assist those customers who have been impacted directly by the security situation, including reserve soldiers, evacuees and others. Support includes waiving charges and interest on overdrafts, deferring repayments on loans and mortgages, offering interest-free loans to reservists and career soldiers, providing assistance funding to small businesses, and more. The First International Bank looks forward to the safe return of all the hostages, as well as the safe return home of the IDF soldiers and all the evacuees." CONDENSED PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND PRINCIPAL EXECUTION INDICES Principal financial ratios For the six months ended June 30, For the year ended December 31, 2024 2023 2023 in % Principal execution indices Return on equity attributed to shareholders of the Bank(1) 19.2 22.6 19.7 Return on average assets(1) 1.05 1.22 1.06 Ratio of equity capital tier 1 11.34 10.64 11.35 Leverage ratio 5.20 5.20 5.26 Liquidity coverage ratio 172 134 156 Net stable funding ratio 149 134 146 Ratio of total income to average assets (1) 2.9 3.4 3.2 Ratio of interest income, net to average assets (1) 2.1 2.6 2.4 Ratio of fees to average assets (1) 0.6 0.8 0.7 Efficiency ratio 45.4 42.6 43.5 Credit quality indices Ratio of provision for credit losses to credit to the public 1.32 1.12 1.36 Ratio of total provision for credit losses (2) to credit to the public 1.44 1.23 1.50 Ratio of non-accruing debts or in arrears of 90 days or more to credit to the public 0.59 0.49 0.60 Ratio of provision for credit losses to total non-accruing credit to the public 230.4 237.9 234.5 Ratio of net write-offs to average total credit to the public (1) (0.08) - 0.03 Ratio of expenses (income) for credit losses to average total credit to the public (1) (0.12) 0.29 0.42 Principal data from the statement of income For the six months ended June 30, 2024 2023 NIS million Net profit attributed to shareholders of the Bank 1,178 1,218 Interest Income, net 2,336 2,593 Expenses (income) from credit losses (73) 171 Total non-Interest income 884 842 Of which: Fees 727 756 Total operating and other expenses 1,463 1,464 Of which: Salaries and related expenses 872 915 Primary net profit per share of NIS 0.05 par value (NIS) 11.74 12.14 Principal data from the balance sheet 30.6.24 30.6.23 31.12.23 NIS million Total assets 232,809 208,130 221,593 of which: Cash and deposits with banks 77,663 58,553 68,866 Securities 27,237 22,963 26,985 Credit to the public, net 120,436 118,686 117,622 Total liabilities 219,604 196,313 208,947 of which: Deposits from the public 204,069 179,013 191,125 Deposits from banks 2,735 4,145 4,314 Bonds and subordinated capital notes 4,689 4,713 4,767 Capital attributed to the shareholders of the Bank 12,615 11,292 12,071 Additional data 30.6.24 30.6.23 31.12.23 Share price (0.01 NIS) 14,410 14,420 14,990 Dividend per share (0.01 NIS) 495 486 795 (1) Annualized. (2) Including provision in respect of off-balance sheet credit instruments. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME (NIS million) For the three months ended June 30 For the six months ended June 30 For the year Ended December 31 2024 2023 2024 2023 2023 (unaudited) (unaudited) (unaudited) (unaudited) (audited) Interest Income 2,879 2,523 5,455 4,699 9,850 Interest Expenses 1,658 1,205 3,119 2,106 4,884 Interest Income, net 1,221 1,318 2,336 2,593 4,966 Expenses (income) from credit losses (71) 99 (73) 171 502 Net Interest Income after expenses from credit losses 1,292 1,219 2,409 2,422 4,464 Non- Interest Income Non-Interest Financing income 47 43 147 79 142 Fees 362 368 727 756 1,502 Other income 9 6 10 7 8 Total non- Interest income 418 417 884 842 1,652 Operating and other expenses Salaries and related expenses 430 466 872 915 1,746 Maintenance and depreciation of premises and equipment 86 83 173 167 341 Amortizations and impairment of intangible assets 32 30 63 60 122 Other expenses 184 161 355 322 668 Total operating and other expenses 732 740 1,463 1,464 2,877 Profit before taxes 978 896 1,830 1,800 3,239 Provision for taxes on profit 364 307 643 622 1,090 Profit after taxes 614 589 1,187 1,178 2,149 The bank's share in profit of equity-basis investee, after taxes 22 19 40 84 113 Net profit: Before attribution to noncontrolling interests 636 608 1,227 1,262 2,262 Attributed to noncontrolling interests (27) (21) (49) (44) (90) Attributed to shareholders of the Bank 609 587 1,178 1,218 2,172 NIS Primary profit per share attributed to the shareholders of the Bank Net profit per share of NIS 0.05 par value 6.07 5.85 11.74 12.14 21.65 STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (NIS million) For the three months ended June 30 For the six months ended June 30 For the year Ended December 31 2024 2023 2024 2023 2023 (unaudited) (unaudited) (unaudited) (unaudited) (audited) Net profit before attribution to noncontrolling interests 636 608 1,227 1,262 2,262 Net profit attributed to noncontrolling interests (27) (21) (49) (44) (90) Net profit attributed to the shareholders of the Bank 609 587 1,178 1,218 2,172 Other comprehensive income (loss) before taxes: Adjustments of available for sale bonds to fair value, net (200) 56 (244) 26 213 Adjustments of liabilities in respect of employee benefits(1) 1 6 12 3 25 Other comprehensive income (loss) before taxes (199) 62 (232) 29 238 Related tax effect 73 (22) 90 (11) (81) Other comprehensive income (loss) before attribution to noncontrolling interests, after taxes (126) 40 (142) 18 157 Less other comprehensive income (loss) attributed to noncontrolling interests (5) 3 (5) 5 9 Other comprehensive income (loss) attributed to the shareholders of the Bank, after taxes (121) 37 (137) 13 148 Comprehensive income before attribution to noncontrolling interests 510 648 1,085 1,280 2,419 Comprehensive income attributed to noncontrolling interests (22) (24) (44) (49) (99) Comprehensive income attributed to the shareholders of the Bank 488 624 1,041 1,231 2,320 (1) Mostly reflects adjustments in respect of actuarial assessments as of the end of the period regarding defined benefits pension plans, of amounts recorded in the past in other comprehensive income. CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET (NIS million) June 30, December 31, 2024 2023 2023 (unaudited) (unaudited) (audited) Assets Cash and deposits with banks 77,663 58,553 68,866 Securities 27,237 22,963 26,985 Securities borrowed 30 104 57 Credit to the public 122,044 120,028 119,240 Provision for Credit losses (1,608) (1,342) (1,618) Credit to the public, net 120,436 118,686 117,622 Credit to the government 1,421 961 1,055 Investment in investee company 825 751 786 Buildings and equipment 859 880 877 Intangible assets 348 309 328 Assets in respect of derivative instruments 2,670 3,588 3,651 Other assets(2) 1,320 1,335 1,366 Total assets 232,809 208,130 221,593 Liabilities and Capital Deposits from the public 204,069 179,013 191,125 Deposits from banks 2,735 4,145 4,314 Deposits from the Government 719 608 750 Securities lent or sold under agreements to repurchase 744 - - Bonds and subordinated capital notes 4,689 4,713 4,767 Liabilities in respect of derivative instruments 2,388 3,184 3,784 Other liabilities(1)(3) 4,260 4,650 4,207 Total liabilities 219,604 196,313 208,947 Shareholders' equity 12,615 11,292 12,071 Non-controlling interests 590 525 575 Total capital 13,205 11,817 12,646 Total liabilities and capital 232,809 208,130 221,593 (1) Of which: provision for credit losses in respect of off-balance sheet credit instruments in the amount of NIS 152 million and NIS 137 million and NIS 165 million at 30.6.24, 30.6.23 and 31.12.23, respectively. (2) Of which: other assets measured at fair value in the amount of NIS 3 million and NIS 12 million and NIS 10 million at 30.6.24, 30.6.23 and 31.12.23, respectively. (3) Of which: other liabilities measured at fair value in the amount of NIS 28 million and NIS 24 million and NIS 11 million at 30.6.24, 30.6.23 and 31.12.23, respectively. STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY (NIS million) For the three months ended June 30, 2024 (unaudited) Share capital and premium (1) Accumulated other comprehensive loss Retained earnings (2) Total share- holders' equity Non- controlling interests Total capital Balance as of March 31, 2024 927 (171) 11,599 12,355 597 12,952 Net profit for the period - - 609 609 27 636 Dividend - - (228) (228) (29) (257) Other comprehensive loss, after tax effect - (121) - (121) (5) (126) Balance as at June 30, 2024 927 (292) 11,980 12,615 590 13,205 For the three months ended June 30, 2023 (unaudited) Share capital and premium (1) Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) Retained earnings (2) Total share- holders' equity Non- controlling interests Total capital Balance as of March 31, 2023 927 (327) 10,288 10,888 501 11,389 Net profit for the period - - 587 587 21 608 Dividend - - (220) (220) - (220) Other comprehensive income, after tax effect - 37 - 37 3 40 Balance as at June 30, 2023 927 (290) 10,655 11,292 525 11,817 For the six months ended June 30, 2024 (unaudited) Share capital and premium (1) Accumulated other comprehensive loss Retained earnings (2) Total share- holders' equity Non- controlling interests Total capital Balance as at December 31, 2023 (audited) 927 (155) 11,299 12,071 575 12,646 Net profit for the period - - 1,178 1,178 49 1,227 Dividend - - (497) (497) (29) (526) Other comprehensive loss, after tax effect - (137) - (137) (5) (142) Balance as at June 30, 2024 927 (292) 11,980 12,615 590 13,205 For the six months ended June 30, 2023 (unaudited) Share capital and premium (1) Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) Retained earnings (2) Total share- holders' equity Non- controlling interests Total capital Balance as at December 31, 2022 (audited) 927 (303) 9,935 10,559 476 11,035 Adjustment of the opening balance, net of tax, due to the effect of initial implementation in investee company* - - (10) (10) - (10) Adjusted balance at January 1, 2023, following initial implementation 927 (303) 9,925 10,549 476 11,025 Net profit for the period - - 1,218 1,218 44 1,262 Dividend - - (488) (488) - (488) Other comprehensive income, after tax effect - 13 - 13 5 18 Balance as at June 30, 2023 927 (290) 10,655 11,292 525 11,817 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY (CONT'D) (NIS million) For the year ended December 31, 2023 (audited) Share capital and premium(1) Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) Retained earnings(2) Total Non- controlling interests Total capital Balance as at December 31, 2022 927 (303) 9,935 10,559 476 11,035 Adjustment of the opening balance, net of tax, due to the effect of initial implementation in investee company * - - (10) (10) - (10) Adjusted balance at January 1, 2023, following initial implementation 927 (303) 9,925 10,549 476 11,025 Net profit for the period - - 2,172 2,172 90 2,262 Dividend - - (798) (798) - (798) Other comprehensive income, after tax effect - 148 - 148 9 157 Balance as at December 31, 2023 927 (155) 11,299 12,071 575 12,646 * Cumulative effect of the initial implementation of US accounting principles in the matter of financial instruments - credit losses (ASC-326). (1) Including share premium of NIS 313 million (as from 1992 onwards). (2) Including an amount of NIS 2,391 million which cannot be distributed as dividend. Contact: Dafna Zucker First International Bank of Israel [email protected] +972-3-519-6224 SOURCE First International Bank of Israel Express Wash Concepts ranked at #2,228 with 234% 3-year growth COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Express Wash Concepts (EWC) today announced it has once again been named to the prestigious Inc. 5000 list of the nation's fastest-growing private companies, ranking #2,228 with 234% 3-year growth. Express Wash Concepts joins 38 other Central Ohio companies recognized on this year's list, and is one of 101 consumer service companies across the country to receive 2024 Inc. 5000 recognition. "We are honored to be repeatedly recognized on the Inc 5000 list, and to stand among such highly regarded entrepreneurial businesses that continue to drive rapid revenue growth despite economic and hiring challenges," said John Roush, Express Wash Concepts Chief Executive Officer. "We appreciate the opportunity to represent the car wash industry on this year's list, and remain committed to responsibly growing our multi-market express wash portfolio, providing our team members with high growth job opportunities and servicing our customers with the best wash experience possible." Companies on the 2024 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2020 to 2023. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2020. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies as of December 31, 2023. Express Wash Concepts currently operates 98 express wash locations across Columbus, Cleveland, Dayton, Detroit, Hampton Roads, Pittsburgh and Toledo. With a continued focus on strategic core market development, an additional 35 EWC locations are scheduled to open by early 2025. Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database, is available at https://www.inc.com/inc5000/2024. About Express Wash Concepts: Express Wash Concepts (EWC) operates 98 award winning, express car wash locations across six states under the following brands: Moo Moo Express Car Wash, Flying Ace Express Car Wash, Clean Express Auto Wash, Green Clean Express Auto Wash and Bee Clean Express Car Wash. EWC brands feature fast, high quality and environmentally friendly express tunnel wash experiences and free vacuums. The company's popular Unlimited Wash Club packages offer members the convenience and value of contactless payment and unlimited washing at any location. For more information, please visit www.expresswashconcepts.com. SOURCE Express Wash Concepts PASADENA, Calif., Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- "Girls like me have bitter fate under Taliban dictatorship," said Pakiza, a 25-year-old Afghan woman. "I want the right to be educated like any other woman in the world. I want to break the doors that keep me isolated." Only the student's first name is used to protect her identity. Following the Taliban's return in 2021, the women of Afghanistan have lost most of their freedoms, including their right to be educated, but not their desire to learn. As a result, thousands of Afghan women like Pakiza are defying the Taliban by continuing their education "underground" from the safety of their homes with University of the People (UoPeople), an American online university. "I want the right to be educated like any other woman in the world. I want to break the doors that keep me isolated." Post this "Studying online is really the only option left for these brave Afghan women to continue their educational journeys," said UoPeople President Shai Reshef, an American entrepreneur with extensive experience in distance learning. "This is a serious human rights issue, and I am urging every university around the globe to follow UoPeople's example and open their online classes for free to Afghan women." Since the Taliban seized control of the country in August 2021, more than 26,000 Afghan women desperate to continue their education have applied to UoPeople, the first non-profit, tuition-free, American-accredited online university. Currently more than 3,100 Afghan women are studying at UoPeople and the university is actively raising funds to provide additional scholarships. To avoid detection by the Taliban, the university encourages its Afghan students to use pseudonyms or fake names in their online classes. Designed to open access to higher education globally, UoPeople helps qualified high school graduates overcome financial, geographic, political, and personal constraints keeping them from collegiate studies. UoPeople serves more than 137,000 students from over 200 countries, including 16,500 refugees -- more than any other university in the world. UoPeople's easily accessible and asynchronous online degree programs ensure that students can study at any time, from anywhere in the world with a basic internet connection to access the university's courses. "This is not just about providing access to education; it is about giving Afghan women the tools to reclaim their autonomy and providing them with hope for a better future," said UoPeople President Reshef, who was awarded the Yidan Prize for Educational Development one of the most prestigious honors in higher education earlier this year. "Many thanks to the University of People for giving me a chance to study," said Pakiza. I want to be a defender of knowledge and break the doors that keep me isolated. I hope the same for all Afghan women who are deprived of education." For more information about University of the People and its Afghan Women's Scholarship Program, visit www.uopeople.edu. SOURCE University of the People Use of "drones" to inspect transmission lines part of company's commitment to reliability for customers Demo B-roll link included within ATLANTA, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Power continues to focus on improving reliability and service for customers by making investments in the power grid and using advanced technology to prevent or restore power outages. The company is now deploying unmanned aerial systems, or drones, to inspect transmission power lines, helping ensure the safety and reliability of these main lines more efficiently and with greater accuracy than ever before. This innovative approach not only enhances operational efficiency, reducing the amount of time to inspect transmission lines by 40% on average, but also delivers substantial cost savings of 60% versus traditional methods. "Georgia Power owns and operates almost 12,000 miles of transmission lines throughout the state, which provide power to millions of homes and businesses inspecting and maintaining these lines is a crucial part of what we do every day," said Fran Forehand, senior vice president of Transmission for Georgia Power. "We are always looking to improve grid resiliency and operational efficiencies, which is why we implemented transmission line drone inspections to improve efficiency and safety for our teams, provide better data and reduce costs for our customers." Historically, Georgia Power has used specialized bucket trucks and helicopter flights to reach and inspect transmission lines which are, on average, 80 to 100 miles long and 100 feet tall, with some reaching as high as 350 feet. By using drones, the company is saving significant fuel, maintenance and labor costs and, on average, drone pilots can inspect 14 miles of transmission lines per day. Georgia Power plans to review more than 15,000 structures in transmission corridors this year alone. Georgia Power drone pilots work safely, quietly and swiftly within transmission corridors, capturing images of transmission lines and equipment. The inspection method is an even safer way to assess these high-voltage lines, while gathering high-quality, detailed photos and videos. The images are so precise they allow line inspectors to zoom in on equipment and catch any irregularities before they can become a problem. Transmission structures are engineered to withstand harsh environmental conditions, but damage does occur from sources such as lightning strikes, which is actually the primary cause of damage to transmission lines. Drone pilots inspect for damage and also ensure the connections on structures are intact, which minimizes the impact of lightning strikes on transmission equipment. Other anomalies on the inspection list for main power lines include damage from vegetation and debris, erosion from the elements, and bird excrement, which can be highly acidic. All drone assessments are completed by licensed drone pilots and comply with all Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules and regulations. Drone pilots are often lineworkers who have received specialized training. "As a former lineworker who has spent countless hours in bucket trucks inspecting transmission lines, the use of drones is a gamechanger," said Nick Howell, a certified drone operator for Georgia Power. "I'm glad our company has made the investment in the technology, and in our people. Not only am I able to safely inspect transmission lines from the ground, but I'm able to better collect accurate data, share it with my team that may be miles away in some case, and ultimately get repairs done more quickly and efficiently than ever before." In addition to utilizing advanced technology such as drones, Georgia Power's efforts to improve reliability and add grid resiliency in recent years includes rebuilding transmission lines and dozens of substations across Georgia for safe and reliable power delivery to neighborhoods; installing smart technology, which lessens the number of power outages and in some cases avoids outages altogether; upgrading or relocating hundreds of miles of power lines underground, where it made the most impact; and improving tens of thousands of power poles. For more information on Georgia Power's reliability work, please visit GeorgiaPower.com/Reliability. Editor's note: Media can download b-roll of Georgia Power transmission line drone inspections and a company regional executive who explains this work: https://bcove.video/3S6hLyu About Georgia Power Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.7 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is recognized by J.D. Power as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), X (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power). SOURCE Georgia Power News / National by Staff reporter The investigating officer in Jacob Ngarivhume's disorderly conduct case on Wednesday told a Harare court that the jailed politician was seen stoning two police officers in what led to his arrest.Victor Mukohwa said the Transform Zimbabwe leader and attacked and injured two officers who are expected to confirm the alleged incident during trial.He said statements have since been recorded with one of the medical affidavits still outstanding."The two police officers Tashu and Chirambadare were medically examined," he said, adding, "At the moment, I only have one medical affidavit and I'm yet to get more affidavits for the other officers who were injured during the process."Ngarivhume is jointly charged with Kelvin Gonde.It is alleged that the two were among Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) activists who were arrested June 16 this year for allegedly participating in an unlawful gathering.Mukohwa said the two were positively identified attacking the cops who arrested the group.Ngarivhume and Gonde were arrested earlier this month and have been in custody since then.The state says 30 witnesses who are police officers are lined up to testify against the two.Bail hearing, being presided over by magistrate Farai Gwatima, continues this Thursday. BEIJING, Aug. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- At 9:30 a.m. on August 9 (Local Time in Houston), the groundbreaking ceremony of the new production, R&D, and logistics base of Oriental Yuhong Waterproof Technology Co., Ltd. (hereafter referred to as the "Oriental Yuhong") in Houston as well as the launch ceremony of the company's new journey of globalization were held in Prairie View, Texas, United States. Nearly 100 government officials, partners, and community representatives from Prairie View, Prairie View A&M University, Small Business Development Center, LyondellBasell Industries, Exxon Mobil Corporation, KraussMaffei Company Limited, BASF, Powers Brown Architecture, and so on, attended the event to witness this milestone moment. At the ceremony site The project site for the new production, R&D, and logistics base in Houston is located in the Industrial Park of Prairie View. The phase I project includes the construction of production lines for thermoplastic polyolefins (TPO) waterproof membranes and a North American R&D center, which is expected to be completed in 2025 and create about 100 jobs for local communities. The phase II project will focus on the construction of production lines and plants for thermal insulation, sand powder, and pipelines to expand capacity and business scope. After the project is completed and put into operation, Oriental Yuhong will further focus on the manufacturing of waterproof materials and mortar powder, explore the development of sales channels, and join hands with partners to create a new chapter of win-win cooperation. At the event site, Mr. Liu Bin, Vice Board Chairman of Oriental Yuhong, delivered a speech, in which he extended a warm welcome and heartfelt thanks to the guests and partners present. He stressed that the company chose to build the new base in Houston for its strong industrial foundation, advantageous geographical location, and open investment environment. It is also an important measure for Oriental Yuhong to promote its globalization. With the continuous deepening and promotion of its globalization strategy, Oriental Yuhong will keep strengthening value shaping, advancing scientific research and technology, and making every effort to provide greater service value and better service experience for customers in North America and even the world by actively exploring high-quality, globalized development paths. Mr. Li Jianjun, General Manager of the North America Branch of Oriental Yuhong, said, "TPO is one of the most widely used waterproof roofing materials in the industrial and commercial building sector, making its significance clear and undeniable. In recent years, the demand in the construction materials market in North America and the world has been strong, providing a broad market space and considerable growth opportunities for the application and development of TPO. This is why we are very optimistic and confident in this project. The new base is not only the first industrial park built by Oriental Yuhong in North America but also a beginning for the company to embark on a new journey of globalization. In the future, we will continue to ramp up our efforts and refine our layout to achieve more stable and sustainable development goals." In addition, Mayor Ronald Leverett of Prairie View expressed gratitude to Oriental Yuhong. He pointed out that Oriental Yuhong's choice to build the new base in Prairie View shows its firm confidence in the city's future development prospects. It is also indicated that the construction and development of the project will bring great development opportunities and space for the community and Waller County, especially the Prairie View region. Greg Zenner, Polymer Business Manager of LyondellBasell Industries Holdings B.V., said that there is a deep foundation and broad space for cooperation between LyondellBasell Industries Holdings B.V. and Oriental Yuhong. It is hoped that based on successful cooperation results and experience, both sides can take this opportunity to jointly expand the international market and achieve complementary advantages and mutual benefits. Aaron Gordon, North American Sales Director of KraussMaffei, said in his speech that since the first TPO production line of Oriental Yuhong was completed and put into operation in 2009, KraussMaffei has always maintained a good cooperative relationship with the company. He expressed the hope that in the future, they can leverage the relationship as a link to further deepen cooperation and jointly promote high-quality development of business in North America and around the world. Bruce Walck, President of Powers Brown Architecture, also addressed, noting, "The establishment of the new base is a move to go with the trend and effectively alleviate the urgent needs of the market. I firmly believe that Oriental Yuhong will be able to rapidly expand the market share of TPO in Prairie View and the United States and achieve extensive and sustainable application and growth." In recent years, Oriental Yuhong has actively seized new opportunities for international development and explored new paths for global development under the guidance of a globalized strategy. It has successively established long-term and stable partnerships with excellent raw material and equipment suppliers worldwide, such as LyondellBasell Industries, Exxon Mobil Corporation, KraussMaffei, BASF, Dow, and Celanese, while taking various effective measures, like participating in various overseas engineering projects and setting up overseas localization teams, to keep accelerating the process of its globalization. Up to now, the products and services of Oriental Yuhong have been exported to 141 countries and regions, such as Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, and Indonesia. While continuously enhancing the international popularity and influence of the brand, Oriental Yuhong is fully showcasing its professional strength and steadfast belief to the world with a momentum of vigorous growth. The successful holding of the groundbreaking ceremony and the launch ceremony heralded Oriental Yuhong's commitment to high-quality international development and unveiled the scratch line of a broad journey to explore a new growth curve. Moreover, this marked an important step in realizing the company's vision "to be the most valuable global enterprise in the construction materials industry", fully demonstrating its remarkable breakthrough in further promoting the globalization-oriented development strategy. Looking into the future, Oriental Yuhong will take this opportunity to consolidate its foundation of overseas development, cultivate overseas competitive advantages, and expand the overseas development space. The company aims to accelerate the formation of a dual-driven model that integrates the domestic market with a global layout, joining forces with like-minded partners to jointly embrace an exciting new beginning to showcase the brilliance of China's construction materials industry to the world! SOURCE BEIJING ORIENTAL YUHONG WATERPROOF TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD. GREENLAND, N.H., Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Slated for a fall 2024 opening, 21 Summer Street in Natick, Massachusetts is a multi-use property redevelopment that meets the parameters of the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) Multifamily Zoning Requirement. ICF construction, with NuduraR forms provided by Atlantic Builders Supply Northeast, was used to control sound intrusion and improve energy efficiency in this urban redevelopment. In 2021, Massachusetts enacted the MBTA Communities Zoning Law which requires that multifamily housing be included in communities within a half-mile of transit and other transportation facilities. The goal is not only to provide housing to address a nationwide shortage, but also to provide homes in areas where transportation is readily available, resulting in the use of fewer single-occupant vehicles. One of the challenges of building residential projects in urban locations is the transmission of noise from the surrounding community into living spaces. Atlantic Builders Supply Northeast works with contractors to provide an ICF solution for mitigating urban noise, creating quiet, desirable living spaces for those in MBTA communities. The 21 Summer Street development is located on the site of a former craft brewery. The previous one-story structure has been replaced by four stories that house retail and other commercial tenants, with 13 rental units above. The rental units comply with MBTA zoning with no age restrictions and units that are suitable for families with children. ICF construction combines a concrete core surrounded by expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam in a wall system that reduces sound transmission. Sound transmission testing, expressed as the sound transmission coefficient (STC) may be accessed at https://atlanticbuilderssupply.com/why-icf#reduced-sound. These quieter spaces provide a refuge even in highly trafficked urban areas. The typical STC rating for wood-framed structures is 38, while the combination of concrete mass and insulating EPS can provide a STC rating in excess of 52, which is the equivalent of loud sounds being heard faintly or not at all. The project was not originally designed for ICF construction. Subcontractor Key Industries suggested ICF as a means to reduce energy costs and mitigate sound intrusion within the residential units. Atlantic Builders Supply worked with the ICF installer to select Nudura ICF forms that would provide a combination of reduction in sound transmission and exceptional energy performance. The thermal mass achievable with ICF structures improves energy efficiency, making it possible to easily accommodate strict energy codes. The Massachusetts energy code falls in line behind California and New York as the strictest energy code in the United States. Dense concrete cores enhance energy performance, while the integrated EPS greatly reduces sound transmission. Nudura ICF forms can achieve an R-value 58% greater than a 2" x 6" wood frame wall with a lower life cycle assessment than timber frame construction. The continuous insulating properties and concrete components of ICF construction mean buildings maintain a comfortable interior environment, no matter what the temperature is outside. Higher thermal resistance, superior R-values and elimination of air infiltration through ICF construction translates to lower costs to heat and cool, saving building owners up to 60% in annual energy costs. According to Joe Harnois, president of Atlantic Builder Supply Northeast, "In addition to the energy performance and reduced sound transmission, the concrete combined with the EPS serves as both a vapor barrier and an air barrier. The comfort level is improved in an ICF basement. There's no moisture wicking up through the footings like with typical foundations, and none of that musty odor. Plus it's all achieved in one step." Stonegate Group, also of Natick, is the developer for the project, which was designed by Main Street Architects of Weymouth, Massachusetts. Nudura products for the project were supplied by Atlantic Builders Supply (https://atlanticbuilderssupply.com/why-icf/contractors/). CONTACT KIM PENDARVIS, 404-237-5087 SOURCE Atlantic Builders Supply Northeast Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=23702585 Browse in-depth TOC on "Isostatic Pressing Market" 200 Tables 67 Figures 235 Pages Isostatic Pressing Market Report Scope: Report Coverage Details Market Revenue in 2024 $ 7.6 Million Estimated Value by 2029 $ 9.9 Billion Growth Rate Poised to grow at a CAGR of 5.4% Market Size Available for 20202029 Forecast Period 20242029 Forecast Units Value (USD Billion) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered By valve type, material, size, pressure range, implementation, application, end-user industry, and region Geographies Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of World Key Market Challenge Complex Setup and Operation in Isostatic Pressing Key Market Opportunities Growing usage of HIP in the aerospace industry Key Market Drivers Increasing emphasis on integrating HIP with other heat-treatment processes The hot isostatic pressing (HIP) segment is to grow with a higher CAGR during the forecast period. HIP systems combine the standard HIP cycles with various heat treatment processes. Such systems have very wide applications in powder metallurgy operations across the world, since they increase productivity and process efficiency. HIP-based processes play an important role in the manufacture of complex parts such as spheres, valves, pipes, and rods for various industries. It is demand from the aerospace, defense, medical, and automotive industries driving the growth in hot isostatic pressing, a process that increases mechanical properties and reliability. This is fueled even further by its integration with additive manufacturing, taking use of HIP's ability to reduce porosity and increase density. Service segment is to grow at the highest growth rate during the forecast period. The services of HIP and CIP includes casting densification, HIP/CIP cladding, HIP brazing, production of powder metalluargy, molding, powder compacting, bonding and diffusion. The growth of the services segment can be attributed to the increasing requirement for high-density, long-lifecycle materials by various industries, such as aerospace, automotive, and medical. Moreover, the increasing focus of raw material providers/manufacturing firms on building their reputation for consistent and flawless material characteristics will drive the demand for isostatic pressing services. Companies such as Bodycote, MTC Powder Solutions provide all these isostatic pressing services. Dry bag pressing segment contributed highest market share in 2023. The cold isostatic pressing market is segmented into two segments based on process type: wet bag (for creating flexible systems) and dry bag (for mass production). The dry bag pressing segment dominated the cold isostatic pressing market in 2023, owing to the availability of fully automated dry bag systems with computerised controls and user-friendly software. It is a faster isostatic processing method for component production than wet bag pressing. Also, the dry bag CIP process is more efficient and economical than the wet bag CIP process, as dry bag CIP is used for simple and small-volume part densification. Precision machine manufacturing industry holds the largest market share during the forecast period. The market is segmented into various industries including automotive, aerospace, medical, energy & power, electronics & semiconductor, precision machine manufacturing, research & development, other industries. Precision machine manufacturing industry holds the largest market share during the forecast period. The HIP is used in precision machine manufacturing to manufacture a range of products, such as aluminum castings for machinery and heavy equipment. The market for the precision machine manufacturing segment is anticipated to witness significant growth during the forecast period, owing to the widening application scope of isostatic pressing systems in food & beverage, oil & gas, and steel manufacturing processes. Besides, technological advancements in the manufacturing industry are expected to propel the segment's growth. Energy & power is likely to be the second largest segment during the forecast period. Inquiry Before Buying: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=23702585 North America accounted for the largest share of the isostatic pressing market in 2023. North America consists of the US, Canada, and Mexico. North America is one of the leading producers of powder metallurgy (PM) products globally. The region accounts for a large share of the isostatic pressing industry due to the increasing demand for HIP-processed products in various industries, and strong presence of key industries like precision manufacturing, aerospace, defense, medical, automotive. A few isostatic pressing system manufacturers have implemented highly capable isostatic pressing units at research facilities in North America to densify industrial components and eliminate internal porosity. For example, Bodycote IMT, Inc. (US) is a premier isostatic pressing system and service provider in the region. Key Players The report profiles Isostatic Pressing Companies players such KOBE STEEL, LTD. (Japan), Bodycote (UK), Kennametal, Inc. (US), Nikkiso., Ltd. (Japan), DORST Technologies GmbH & Co. KG (Germany), American Isostatic Presses, Inc (US), EPSI (US), and others. Get 10% Free Customization on this Report: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestCustomizationNew.asp?id=23702585 Browse Adjacent Market: Semiconductor and Electronics Market Research Reports & Consulting Related Reports: 3D Printing Market Size by Offering (Printer, Material, Software, Services), Technology (Fused Deposition Modelling, Stereolithography), Process (Powder Bed Fusion, Material Extrusion, Binder Jetting), Application, Vertical & Region - Global Forecast to 2029 Industrial 3D Printing Market by Offering (Printers, Materials, Software, Services), Application, Process, Technology, Industry (Aerospace & Defense, Automotive) and Geography About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets has been recognized as one of America's best management consulting firms by Forbes, as per their recent report. MarketsandMarkets is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. We have the widest lens on emerging technologies, making us proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients. Earlier this year, we made a formal transformation into one of America's best management consulting firms as per a survey conducted by Forbes. The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion of new revenue streams that are substituting existing revenue streams in this decade alone. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines - TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing. 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Contact: Mr. Rohan Salgarkar MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Visit Our Web Site: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/isostatic-pressing-market.asp Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/isostatic-pressing.asp Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1951202/4609423/MarketsandMarkets.jpg SOURCE MarketsandMarkets Join the August 16 Facebook Live Event and Enter the Tax'n & Relax'n Sweepstakes JERSEY CITY, N.J., Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The experts at Jackson Hewitt Tax Services are celebrating the millions of Americans who are freelancers, small business owners, and gig workers in the United States on National Independent Worker Day, on Friday, Aug. 16. Whether chasing the dream of owning a business or supplementing income, the number of independent workers is on the rise. According to recent statistics from MarketWatch, more than half (54 percent) of Americans say they've adopted a side hustle within the last 12 months. This Friday, Aug. 16, Jackson Hewitt is offering tax tips, hosting a three-hour Facebook Live event, and launching a Tax'n & Relax'n sweepstakes, where one grand prize winner will win a vacation for two to a Sandals Resort in Jamaica. One lucky entrant will be randomly selected to win Jackson Hewitts Taxn & Relaxn sweepstakes, where they will win an all-inclusive Caribbean vacation for two to any Sandals Resort in Jamaica and $2,000 cash prize for spending and travel expenses. Entry period: Aug. 15, 2024, through Aug. 31, 2024, and the winner will be selected and notified by Sept. 3, 2024. For full official rules, visit www.jacksonhewitt.com/legal/tax-relax-sweepstakes/. "According to the IRS, if you work for yourself to make money or profit, then you are considered a small business owner. This includes independent contracting, side gigs, hustles, and freelance work (full- or part-time), even if you have a regular, full-time employee job," said Mark Steber, Chief Tax Information Officer, Jackson Hewitt Tax Services. "The good news is there are many benefits you may be eligible for that could boost your tax situation including tax deductions, tax elections and options on your taxes and even tax credits, so it's important to make sure people who are hustling for themselves know what they can deduct, what credits they can claim, what tax advantageous elections to make, fill out the correct tax forms and file accurately. And finally, if you are having a challenging time, and maybe even a loss from activity, that can have a possible silver lining too, and may create a net operating loss and be deductible against other income including your regular wages." Independent Worker Day Celebration via Facebook Live Event Interested taxpayers can join Jackson Hewitt's National Independent Worker Day Celebration for a special Facebook Live event on Friday, Aug. 16, starting at noon Eastern. The Facebook Live event will give viewers the opportunity to understand how their self-employment income taxes work with unique tips for specific types of gig workers, as well as to ask tax questions with a chance to win prizes. Each hour will focus on a different type of self-employment work where Jackson Hewitt's Chief Tax Information Officer, Mark Steber, will be joined by a popular content creator who specializes in that area of expertise: Noon 12:30 p.m. Eastern: Tips for rideshare drivers with Scott Ross @scottyross_ Influencer Scott Ross has been a rideshare driver for over 8 years in the Phoenix and Orange County areas and will share his tips and experiences. Eastern: Tips for rideshare drivers with 1 1:30 p.m. Eastern: Tips for artisan craft sellers with Giulia Ruozzi @femalesconnection Influencer Giulia Ruozzi creates content to help small business owners grow their platforms online through networking, branding, and understanding trends . 2 - 2:30 p.m. Eastern: Tips for content creators with Nina Nwarueze @nina_moneymentor Influencer Nina Nwarueze is a content creator focused on financial literacy that has been navigating the gig economy for over a year. Eastern: Tips for content creators with Nina Nwarueze Throughout the Facebook Live event, people will be able to ask and have their questions answered by Steber and the influencer hosts. To RSVP and learn more about the social media event, visit and follow Jackson Hewitt on Facebook. Tax'n & Relax'n Sweepstakes One lucky entrant will be randomly selected to win an all-inclusive Caribbean vacation for two to any Sandals Resort in Jamaica and $2,000 cash prize for spending and travel expenses. The entry period for the "Tax'n & Relax'n" Jackson Hewitt sweepstakes will be open for two weeks, from Aug. 15, 2024, through Aug. 31, 2024, and the winner will be selected and notified by Sept. 3, 2024. To enter the Tax'n & Relax'n sweepstakes, entrants must follow Jackson Hewitt on Instagram (www.instagram.com/jacksonhewitttaxservice), "like" one of the Tax'n & Relax'n posts on Instagram and tag a friend with a comment sharing what they'd like to do in Jamaica if they won the sweepstakes while using the #JHSweeps hashtag. See below for eligibility requirements and restrictions. For full official rules, visit www.jacksonhewitt.com/legal/tax-relax-sweepstakes/. Independent Worker Day Tax Tips "Over the last several years, we've seen an uptick in people working for themselves, part time and even full time, which is a really exciting time, but can be stressful when not knowing how to deal with taxes and the financial challenges of starting a side hustle or a new business," said Steber. "At Jackson Hewitt, we want to help everyone understand how their self-employment income impacts their personal tax return and answer their tax questions." Here are the top three things self-employed taxpayers need to know this National Independent Worker Day: Deductions: Self-employed taxpayers have several tax deductions that can reduce income taxes when they relate to work and have more deductions than a traditional W-2 employee. All expenses paid to do the work and make money can be deductible on a tax return. The most common deductions are advertising expenses, technology costs, office supplies, banking and legal fees, a home office, vehicle-related expenses and even professional tax help fees. Quarterly Payments: Small business owners and self-employed taxpayers generally need to consider paying quarterly estimated taxes, not just on "Tax Day." Those who expect to pay more than $1,000 in taxes on self-employment income for the year need to pay estimated taxes each quarter to avoid underpayment penalties and interest. Tax Forms: At minimum, self-employed taxpayers need to file a Form 1040 and include Schedule 1 and Schedule C with their tax return. Tax forms can be complex, which is why the experts at Jackson Hewitt encourage self-employed taxpayers to learn more about how their unique business is impacted by tax laws. About Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc. Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc. is an innovator in the tax industry with a mission to provide its hardworking clients access to simple, low-cost solutions to manage their taxes and tax refunds. Jackson Hewitt is devoted to helping clients get ahead and stands behind its work with its Maximum Refund Guarantee and Lifetime Accuracy Guarantee (restrictions apply, see Jackson Hewitt's website for more details). Jackson Hewitt has more than 5,200 franchise and company-owned locations nationwide, including 2,700 in Walmart stores, making it easy and convenient for clients to file their taxes. For more information about products, services, or offers, or to locate a Jackson Hewitt office, visit jacksonhewitt.com or call (800) 234-1040. Tax'n & Relax'n Sweepstakes NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Purchasing does not improve your chances of winning. The Jackson Hewitt Tax'n & Relax'n Sweepstakes is open to legal residents of the 50 United States, including the District of Columbia, age 18 or older at the time of entry and who have completed the sweepstakes requirements within the promotion period (8/15/24 8/31/24). One (1) grand prize winner will be selected on September 3, 2024, to receive $2,000 cash and a four-day/three-night all-inclusive vacation for two (2) adults in a deluxe/luxury category room at any one of the seven (7) Sandals Resorts located in Jamaica. NO TRANSPORTATION WILL BE PROVIDED. WINNER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL TRANSPORTATION, INCLUDING AIRFARE, TO AND FROM THE SANDALS RESORT. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received during the sweepstakes entry period. For full Official Rules and entry methods, prize details, other eligibility requirements, and restrictions, visit https://www.jacksonhewitt.com/legal/tax-relax-sweepstakes/ . SOURCE Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc. David Miskin, Chief Creative Officer at Kasumigaseki Capital, commented, "We are excited to introduce seven x seven Ishigaki which represents our vision of personalized luxury. By allowing guests to define their own experiences, we are setting a new standard in the hospitality industry, where luxury is tailored to individual preferences." Scheduled to open on September 9th, 2024, seven x seven embraces self-hospitality with smart check-in via QR codes and digital concierges, ensuring each guest's unique preferences are respected. Adhering to its "where luxury goes to play" concept, seven x seven provides a variety of accommodations and amenities, allowing guests to create their own bespoke experiences. The hotel's location, stunning design, and diverse range of accommodations and amenities are all crafted to offer unparalleled value and enjoyment, truly reflecting the evolving definition of luxury today. We eagerly anticipate welcoming guests to explore and embrace their own vision of luxury at seven x seven Ishigaki." A New Era of Personalized Luxury seven x seven Ishigaki embraces the concept of self-hospitality, inviting guests to engage with and shape their preferred version of luxury, crafting an experience that is truly their own. This approach aligns with the brand's mission to offer new value and enjoyment to the evolving concept of "luxury today." Prime Location and Unique Design Strategically located 18 minutes by car from New Ishigaki Airport and near the serene Maesato Beach, the hotel faces the Pacific Ocean, providing breathtaking views and convenient access. Guests are greeted by the hotel's striking white architecture, crafted from Ryukyu Limestone, a stone native to Okinawa, set amidst lush botanical surroundings. Luxurious Accommodations and Amenities seven x seven Ishigaki features 121 rooms in 21 distinct styles, including suites with private pools and saunas, and rooms with jacuzzis. Each room is designed to offer an exclusive experience, enhanced by panoramic views from terraces and floor-to-ceiling glass walls. Pool Experience The hotel offers two types of pools: a family pool and an infinity pool with jacuzzis and cabanas. The family pool offers a magical evening atmosphere, while the infinity pool is an exclusive club for guests aged 20 and above, offering drinks and food at the pool bar overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Innovative Sauna Experience Led by Dai Matsuo (Totonoe Oyakata) and Daisuke Akiyama (Sauna Master), the hotel offers innovative sauna facilities and experience. Guests can enjoy a bold Loyly experience, an indoor water bath and shower room, and an outdoor air bath on the poolside terrace. The Sky View Sauna on the second floor, featuring HARVIA, the world's top sauna brand, offers a unique experience with Gettou tea harvested and boiled on-site. Dining and Nightlife Dining at seven x seven Ishigaki is an exquisite experience. The main dining restaurant, BATIDA, offers a unique blend of Latin Italian cuisine crafted with local ingredients, creating an exciting fusion of flavors unique to Ishigaki Island, Okinawa. Guests can enjoy various dining experiences, including the Sky Bar by BATIDA which features a swimming pool and sauna. Here, you can relax by the pool while savoring Latin Italian dishes, refreshing cocktails, light snacks, and shisha, all while gazing at the stunning sea of Ishigaki Island. For a more intimate setting, the basement night lounge Red boasts an impressive collection of 200 types of gin, shisha, and billiards, staying open late into the night. The night lounge ensures a luxurious and vibrant nightlife with its extensive gin selection and shisha offerings. About seven x seven "seven x seven Ishigaki" is a high-end line created by inheriting the style of the group hotel "fav." Starting in Fukuoka City's Itoshima area, the brand plans to expand nationwide. While "fav" serves as a base for travelers to enjoy local areas, "seven x seven" offers a "play with luxury" experience in prime locations, redefining the ever-changing concept of luxury. The brand promotes self-hospitality through smart check-in via QR codes and digital concierges, respecting each guest's unique way of enjoying their stay. About David Miskin David Miskin is the creative force behind the innovative seven x seven brand and design. The brand's second location, seven x seven Ishigaki is set to open in Ishigaki, Okinawa, on September 9, 2024. This follows the successful launch of its first location in Itoshima, Fukuoka, Japan. With three more locations on the way, David is excited to pioneer the concept of luxury self-hospitality. David has an impressive history of working with prestigious brands such as Automobili Lamborghini, Bingo Sports, Netflix, WeWork, Samsung, and Starbucks. His expertise and forward thinking approach have significantly shaped these global brands. Based between Tokyo and New York City, David has held senior roles including CEO of Cultural Assets at Iris Worldwide North America, CMO of The Lightstone Group, and VP of Creative & Brand Strategy at General Growth Properties / Brookfield Properties. His career is marked by excellence and innovation, continually inspiring and transforming the global landscape. For more information and reservations, please visit the official website: https://sevenxseven.com/ Visit the official website: https://sevenxseven.com/ SOURCE RP Communications Ron Totton appointed President and CEO and to the KORE Board of Directors Restructuring estimated to generate gross cash savings of $5 million to $6 million in 2024 with a $4 million to $5 million one-time severance charge and $20 million to $22 million gross cash savings annually thereafter 2024 guidance updated ATLANTA, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- KORE Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: KORE) ("KORE" or the "Company"), the global pure-play Internet of Things ("IoT") hyperscaler and provider of IoT Connectivity, Solutions, and Analytics, today reported financial and operational results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024. Q2 Highlights Second quarter 2024 revenue was $67.9 million , a 2% decrease from $69.5 million in the same period last year. IoT Connectivity revenue of $55.8 million , a 16% increase from $48.3 million in the same period last year, was driven by investments and organic growth. Organically, IoT Connectivity grew approximately 2% year-over-year. IoT Solutions revenue of $12.1 million , a 43% decrease from $21.3 million in the same period last year, was due to the timing of orders from certain customers and a strategic decision to reduce lower margin hardware deals. , a 2% decrease from in the same period last year. Net loss was $64.3 million for the second quarter of 2024, a 230% increase from a net loss of $19.5 million for the same period a year ago. This amount includes a non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $45.4 million related primarily to the Company's share price decline in the second quarter of 2024. for the second quarter of 2024, a 230% increase from a net loss of for the same period a year ago. This amount includes a non-cash goodwill impairment charge of related primarily to the Company's share price decline in the second quarter of 2024. Adjusted EBITDA was $11.4 million for the second quarter of 2024, a 20% decrease from $14.2 million for the same period a year ago due to increases in operating expenses and a decline in revenue. for the second quarter of 2024, a 20% decrease from for the same period a year ago due to increases in operating expenses and a decline in revenue. The Company had a strong sales quarter with a closed-won Total Contract Value (TCV)* of $44 million , a 38% increase from $32 million in the same period a year ago with the majority of the sales being for IoT Connectivity. For the first six months of 2024, closed-won TCV was $96 million versus $60 million in 2023. , a 38% increase from in the same period a year ago with the majority of the sales being for IoT Connectivity. For the first six months of 2024, closed-won TCV was versus in 2023. Free Cash Flow was negative $0.1 million , a $5.9 million improvement from the same period last year. Appointment of President and CEO The Company today also announced the appointment of Ron Totton to the role of President and CEO, after a successful period of leading the Company on an interim basis. "Ron is a skilled and experienced TMT executive with a history of building strong and disciplined teams that deliver profitable growth," said Timothy M. Donahue, Chairman of the Board of Directors of KORE. "Since his arrival he has worked diligently to understand the business and the specific needs of our customers, as well as KORE's team and culture. Ron has displayed decisive leadership since day one, working to better position the entire organization for long-term success, and the Board strongly feels that he is the ideal candidate to lead KORE's next phase of growth." Other Key Executive Appointments On July 8, 2024 , the company appointed senior technology executive Bruce Gordon to the role of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Gordon has held senior roles with GeoDigital, ABB Ventyx, Infor and Descartes and is a highly experienced business operator. Gordon will play a critical role in implementing the restructuring plan, helping to enhance operational efficiencies, foster innovation and drive sustainable growth. , the company appointed senior technology executive to the role of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Gordon has held senior roles with GeoDigital, ABB Ventyx, Infor and Descartes and is a highly experienced business operator. Gordon will play a critical role in implementing the restructuring plan, helping to enhance operational efficiencies, foster innovation and drive sustainable growth. On August 15, 2024 , the company appointed Jared Deith , Executive Vice President, Connected Health. Deith was the co-founder of Business Mobility Partners and Simon IoT which were acquired by KORE in February 2022 and prior to this appointment was leading the Indirect Channel for KORE with great success. His appointment further strengthens the Executive Leadership Team with deep IoT expertise and a strong track record for driving substantial growth in the global Connected Health sector. "While our second quarter top line performance was essentially flat, TCV growth, for both the quarter and year-to-date periods, reflects continued strong demand for our higher-margin core connectivity solutions and is testament to the hard work and execution of our team," said Ron Totton, President and CEO of KORE. "While IoT Connectivity revenue continues to grow, looking at the business wholistically, our costs have risen disproportionately to overall revenue growth, and this has weighed on margins and cash flow. Following a comprehensive review during my first few months on the job, we are acting decisively to optimize operations and reduce expenses, while re-investing a portion of the savings in the higher growth and higher margin areas of the business." * See "Key Metrics" below for definitions. The tables below summarize the Company's revenue and specific key metrics. Three Months Ended June 30, ($ in thousands) 2024 2023 IoT Connectivity $ 55,772 82 % $ 48,284 69 % IoT Solutions $ 12,096 18 % $ 21,252 31 % Total Revenue $ 67,868 100 % $ 69,536 100 % Average Total Connections for the Period 18.5 million 16.5 million DBNER* 92 % 99 % ARPU* $1.00 $0.98 Six Months Ended June 30, 2024 2023 IoT Connectivity $ 113,656 79 % $ 91,873 68 % IoT Solutions $ 30,187 21 % $ 43,638 32 % Total Revenue $ 143,843 100 % $ 135,511 100 % Average Total Connections for the Period 18.3 million 15.8 million DBNER* 92 % 99 % ARPU* $1.03 $0.98 June 30, 2024 December 31, 2023 Total Number of Connections at period end 18.6 million 18.5 million * See "Key Metrics" below for definitions. Restructuring Plan To improve operational efficiency and strengthen the foundation from which to drive long-term profitable growth, KORE is initiating a comprehensive restructuring plan that is expected to result in gross cash savings of $5 million to $6 million in 2024, and $20 million to $22 million annually thereafter, prior to any reinvestment in higher-growth and higher-margin areas of our business. This cost alignment will be funded with a one-time restructuring cost of $4 million to $5 million. The plan includes: Cost Reduction Initiatives: Implementing measures to reduce operating expenses by streamlining processes and reducing discretionary spending. Workforce Realignment: Rationalizing the workforce to better align with current business needs, resulting in a full-time headcount reduction of approximately 25%, including both employees and individual contractor staff. Innovation and Investment: Increasing investment in products that are experiencing strong market adoption, including related go-to-market strategies; improving support services, such as device management, with a focus on helping customers migrate to KORE platforms; and increasing R&D to drive innovation and bring new, market-leading offerings to customers. Enhanced Customer Focus: Strengthening customer relationships through improved service and support initiatives to drive improved satisfaction and loyalty. Customer relationships are key, and much of the investment will focus on further differentiating the KORE offering and experience. "KORE offers best-in-class solutions for mission-critical use cases to a growing customer base that is looking for ever-greater value from their IoT providers," added Totton. "Through this lens, we are undertaking a restructuring to simplify our operating model, reduce our cost base, focus our investments and realize significant cash savings. The total addressable market for IoT remains very large, and this restructuring will ensure KORE is in the best position possible to capitalize profitably on the growing opportunities in the space." 2024 Financial Outlook For the 12 months ending December 31, 2024, the Company now expects the following: Revenue in the range of $275 million to $285 million , compared to the prior estimated range of $300 million to $305 million ; and to , compared to the prior estimated range of to ; and Adjusted EBITDA in the range of $54 million to $56 million , compared to the prior estimated range of $64 million to $66 million . Totton added, "Our updated guidance reflects increasingly cost-conscious customer behavior and a cyclical trend within our IoT Solutions business, which includes the delay in launching a large contract with a Connected Health customer, now scheduled to begin implementation in 2025. We expect the changes we have made to the Executive Leadership team, including Jared Deith's appointment, will yield improved results in our Connected Health business. Moreover, we fully expect the changes we are undertaking in our restructuring plan, and the associated savings and re-investment in the growth of the business, will contribute to improved financial performance in 2025 and beyond." Conference Call Details KORE management will hold a conference call today at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time (5:30 a.m. Pacific time) to discuss its financial results, business highlights and outlook. President and CEO Ron Totton and CFO Paul Holtz will host the call, followed by a question-and-answer session. Webcast: Link U.S. dial-in: (877) 407-3039 International dial-in: (215) 268-9922 Conference ID: 13747164 The conference call and a supplemental slide presentation to accompany management's prepared remarks will be available via the webcast link and for download via the investor relations section of the Company's website, ir.korewireless.com. For the conference call, please dial in 5-10 minutes prior to the start time, and an operator will register your name and organization, or you may register here. If you have difficulty with the conference call, please contact KORE investor relations at (770) 280-0324. A replay of the conference call will be available approximately three hours after the conference call ends. It will remain on the investor relations section of the Company's website for 90 days. An audio replay of the conference call may be accessed by calling (877)-660-6853 or (201)-612-7415 using access code 13747164. About KORE KORE is a pioneer, leader, and trusted advisor delivering mission-critical IoT solutions and services. We empower organizations of all sizes to improve operational and business results by simplifying the complexity of IoT. Our deep IoT knowledge and experience, global reach, purpose-built solutions, and deployment agility accelerate and materially impact our customers' business outcomes. For more information, visit www.korewireless.com. Non-GAAP Financial Measures In addition to our results as determined in accordance with GAAP, we believe the following non-GAAP measures are useful in evaluating our operational performance. We use the following non-GAAP financial information to evaluate our ongoing operations and for internal planning and forecasting purposes. We believe that non-GAAP financial information, when taken collectively, may be helpful to investors in assessing our operating performance. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA "EBITDA" is defined as net income (loss) before other non-operating expenses or income, income tax expense or benefit, and depreciation and amortization. "Adjusted EBITDA" is defined as EBITDA adjusted for unusual and other significant items that management views as distorting the operating results from period to period. Such adjustments may include stock-based compensation, integration and acquisition-related charges, tangible and intangible asset impairment charges, certain contingent liability reversals, transformation, and foreign currency transaction gains and losses. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are intended as supplemental measures of our performance that are neither required by nor presented in accordance with GAAP. We believe that the use of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA provides an additional tool for investors to use in evaluating ongoing operating results and trends and in comparing the Company's financial measures with those of comparable companies, which may present similar non-GAAP financial measures to investors. However, you should be aware that when evaluating EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA, we may incur future expenses similar to those excluded when calculating these measures. In addition, our presentation of these measures should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by unusual or non-recurring items. Our computation of Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures computed by other companies because all companies may not calculate Adjusted EBITDA in the same fashion. Because of these limitations, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for performance measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. We compensate for these limitations by relying primarily on our GAAP results and using EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA on a supplemental basis. You should review the reconciliation of net loss to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA below and not rely on any single financial measure to evaluate our business. We have not provided the forward-looking GAAP equivalents for the forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures Adjusted EBITDA or a GAAP reconciliation as a result of the uncertainty regarding, and the potential variability of, reconciling items including but not limited to stock-based compensation expense, foreign currency loss or gain and acquisition and integration-related expenses. Accordingly, a reconciliation of these non-GAAP guidance metrics to their corresponding GAAP equivalents is not available without unreasonable effort. However, it is important to note that material changes to reconciling items could have a significant effect on future GAAP results, and, as such, we also believe that any reconciliations provided would imply a degree of precision that could be confusing or misleading to investors. Free Cash Flow is a non-GAAP measure defined as net cash used in operating activities - continuing operations, reduced by capital expenditures (consisting of purchases of property and equipment), purchases of intangible assets and capitalization of internal use software. We believe Free Cash Flow is an important liquidity measure of the cash that is available for operational expenses, investments in our business, strategic acquisitions, and for certain other activities such as repaying debt obligations and stock repurchases. Free Cash Flow is a key financial indicator used by management. Free Cash Flow is useful to investors as a liquidity measure because it measures our ability to generate or use cash. The use of Free Cash Flow as an analytical tool has limitations due to the fact that it does not represent the residual cash flow available for discretionary expenditures. Because of these limitations, Free Cash Flow should be considered along with other operating and financial performance measures presented in accordance with GAAP. Key Metrics KORE reviews a number of metrics to measure our performance, identify trends affecting our business, prepare financial projections, and make strategic decisions. The calculation of the key metrics and other measures discussed below may differ from other similarly titled metrics used by other companies, securities analysts, or investors. Number of Customer Connections Our Period End "Total Connections" with respect to any financial period constitutes the total of all our IoT Connectivity services connections for such period, which includes the contribution of eSIMs but excludes certain connections where mobile carriers license our subscription management platform from us. The "Average Total Connections for the Period", with respect to any financial period is the simple average of the total connections for such period. These metrics are the principal measures used by management to assess the growth of the business on a periodic basis, on a SIM and/or device-based perspective. We believe that investors also use these metrics for similar purposes. DBNER DBNER tracks the combined effect of cross-sales of IoT Solutions to KORE's existing customers, its customer retention and the growth of its existing business. KORE calculates DBNER by dividing the revenue for a given period ("given period") from existing go-forward customers by the revenue from the same customers for the same period measured one year prior ("base period"). The revenue included in the current period excludes revenue from (i) customers that are "non-go-forward" customers, meaning customers that have either communicated to KORE before the last day of the current period their intention not to provide future business to KORE or customers that KORE has determined are transitioning away from KORE based on a sustained multi-year time period of declines in revenue and (ii) new customers that started generating revenue after the end of the base period. For the purposes of calculating DBNER, if KORE acquires a company during the given period or the base period, then the revenue of a customer before the acquisition but during either the given period or the base period is included in the calculation. For example, to calculate our DBNER for the trailing 12 months ended June 30, 2024, we divide (i) revenue, for the trailing 12 months ended June 30, 2024, from go-forward customers that started generating revenue on or before June 30, 2023, by (ii) revenue, for the trailing 12 months ended June 30, 2023, from the same cohort of customers. It is often difficult to ascertain which customers should be deemed not to be go-forward customers for purposes of calculating DBNER. Customers are not required to give notice of their intention to transition off of the KORE platform, and a customer's exit from the KORE platform can take months or longer, and total connections of any particular customer can at any time increase or decrease for any number of reasons, including pricing, customer satisfaction or product fitaccordingly, a decrease in total connections may not indicate that a customer is intending to exit the KORE platform, particularly if that decrease is not sustained over a period of several quarters. DBNER would be lower if it were calculated using revenue from non-go-forward customers. DBNER is used by management as a measure of growth of KORE's existing customers (i.e., "same store" growth) and as a measure of customer retention, from a revenue perspective. It is not intended to capture the effect of either new customer wins or the declines from non-go-forward customers on KORE's total revenue growth. This is because DBNER excludes new customers who started generating revenue after the base period and also excludes any customers who are non-go-forward customers on the last day of the current period. Revenue increases from new customer wins, and a decline in revenue from non-go-forward customers are also important factors in assessing KORE's revenue growth, but these factors are independent of DBNER. Total Contract Value (TCV) Total Contract Value (TCV) represents KORE's estimated value of a revenue opportunity. TCV for an IoT Connectivity opportunity is calculated by multiplying by forty the estimated revenue expected to be generated during the twelfth month of production. TCV for an IoT Solutions opportunity is either the actual total expected revenue opportunity, or if it is a longer-term "programmatically recurring revenue" program, calculated for the first 36 months of the delivery period. Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) is used by management as a measure to assess the revenue generated per connection per month. It is calculated by dividing the total IoT Connectivity Revenue during the period by the total number of connections during that same period. We believe that ARPU is an important metric for both management and investors to help in understanding the financial performance and effectiveness of the company's monetization per connection. Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes certain statements that are not historical facts but are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally are accompanied by words such as "believe," "guidance," "project," "may," "will," "estimate," "continue," "anticipate," "intend," "expect," "should," "would," "plan," "predict," "potential," "seem," "seek," "future," "outlook," and similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding expected financial and other risks, statements regarding future operational performance and efficiency, statements regarding the expected cost savings, revenue growth and profitability from the Company's restructuring plan, 2024 guidance, future performance of the Connected Health business, statements regarding new product or service offerings, estimates and forecasts of revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and other financial and performance metrics, projections regarding recent customer engagements, projections of market opportunity and conditions, and the total contract value (TCV) of signed contracts and potential revenue opportunities in KORE's sales funnel. These statements are based on various assumptions and on the current expectations of KORE's management. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as and must not be relied on by any investor or other person as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and will differ from assumptions. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of KORE. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including general economic, financial, legal, political and business conditions and changes in domestic and foreign markets; the potential effects of COVID-19; risks related to the rollout of KORE's business and the timing of expected business milestones; risks relating to the integration of KORE's acquired companies, including the acquisition of Twilio's IoT business, changes in the assumptions underlying KORE's expectations regarding its future business; our ability to negotiate and sign a definitive contract with a customer in our sales funnel; our ability to realize some or all of the TCV of customer contracts as revenue, including any contractual options available to customers or contractual periods that are subject to termination for convenience provisions; the effects of competition on KORE's future business; and the outcome of judicial proceedings to which KORE is, or may become a party. If the risks materialize or assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that KORE presently does not know or that KORE currently believes are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect KORE's expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this press release. KORE anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause these assessments to change. However, while KORE may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, KORE specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing KORE's assessments as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed upon the forward-looking statements. KORE Investor Contact: Vik Vijayvergiya Vice President, IR, Corporate Development and Strategy [email protected] (770) 280-0324 KORE GROUP HOLDINGS, INC. RECONCILIATION OF NET LOSS TO ADJUSTED EBITDA (UNAUDITED) Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30, (in thousands) 2024 2023 2024 2023 Net loss $ (64,300) $ (19,499) $ (81,887) $ (37,989) Income tax benefit (1,437) (495) (1,857) (864) Interest expense, net 12,650 10,407 25,290 20,602 Depreciation and amortization 14,423 14,512 28,029 28,637 EBITDA $ (38,664) $ 4,925 $ (30,425) $ 10,386 Goodwill impairment 45,381 45,381 Change in fair value of warrant liability (4,365) 3 (6,686) Transformation expenses 1,694 3,558 Acquisition costs 795 1,776 Integration-related restructuring costs 4,115 3,098 8,688 5,323 Stock-based compensation 3,963 3,005 6,671 5,575 Foreign currency loss 858 122 2,202 236 Other (1) 132 597 346 713 Adjusted EBITDA $ 11,420 $ 14,239 $ 26,177 $ 27,567 (1) "Other" adjustments are comprised of adjustments for certain indirect or non-income based taxes. KORE GROUP HOLDINGS, INC. RECONCILIATION OF NET CASH PROVIDED/(USED) IN OPERATING ACTIVITIES CONTINUING OPERATIONS TO FREE CASH FLOW (UNAUDITED) Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30, (in thousands) 2024 2023 2024 2023 Net cash provided by/(used) operating activities $ 3,986 $ (612) $ 5,890 $ 1,303 Subtract: Purchases of property and equipment (864) (1,567) (1,741) (2,592) Additions in intangible assets (3,235) (3,839) (7,043) (7,653) Free Cash Flow $ (113) $ (6,018) $ (2,894) $ (8,942) SOURCE KORE Group Holdings, Inc. STRATFORD, Conn., Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- KUBTEC, a global leader in pathology specimen imaging technology, and Sakura Finetek USA, a global leader in histopathology laboratory solutions, are excited to announce a new strategic partnership. This collaboration will see Sakura Finetek selling KUBTEC's state-of-the-art pathology specimen imaging products (XPERT 80, XPERT 80-L, and MOZART SUPRA) to pathology laboratories across the United States. All of these products include the highly acclaimed Image Blender, which utilizes Dual Specimen Imaging, combining x-ray and optical images, to quickly locate surgical clips, margins, and micro-calcifications. Vikram Butani, CEO of KUBTEC, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership: "We are thrilled to partner with Sakura Finetek, a company renowned for its commitment to advancing automation in pathology laboratories. By combining our expertise in specimen imaging with the extensive reach and trusted reputation of Sakura Finetek, we are confident that we can significantly enhance the efficiency of grossing in pathology laboratories." Kam Patel, President and COO of Sakura Finetek USA, also shared his excitement for the collaboration: "KUBTEC's innovative, high-quality products align perfectly with our mission to advancing cancer diagnostics by providing integrated solutions for anatomic pathology and patient care. The very positive feedback from our customers highlights the value of this collaboration. We strongly believe that Dual Specimen Imaging should be the new standard of care. KUBTEC's unwavering commitment to excellence and customer focus makes them an outstanding partner, and we are excited to integrate KUBTEC's products and grow the value of our end-to-end solutions together." KUBTEC and Sakura Finetek are committed to furthering their partnership with a series of educational events. In September 2024, KUBTEC and Sakura Finetek will be exhibiting side-by-side at the AAPA (American Association of Pathologists' Assistants) conference, in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Both companies look forward to engaging attendees with live demonstrations of their latest technologies, and discussing how their solutions can enhance pathology laboratory operations. In addition, educational webinars are being developed to showcase the benefits of Dual Specimen Imaging in grossing, with the first one taking place on September 12th. For more information about KUBTEC's specimen imaging products, the partnership with Sakura Finetek USA and upcoming events, please visit the KUBTEC website and/or the Sakura Finetek USA website. About KUBTEC: At KUBTEC, our passion is developing transformative specimen imaging systems that enable medical professionals to provide the best quality of care for their patients. Our innovative, proprietary technologies, such as 3D breast specimen tomosynthesis, high-resolution specimen X-ray imaging and workflow management features like the Image Blender, are redefining specimen radiography for the 21st century. Visit www.kubtec.com to learn more. About Sakura Finetek USA, Inc. With its U.S. office based in Torrance, California, Sakura Finetek is the global leader in advancing cancer diagnostics by providing integrated solutions for anatomic pathology and patient treatment through best-in-class innovation, quality, and customer care. With a strategic focus on end-to-end automation, Sakura Finetek continues to lead the industry in the development and commercialization of automated histopathology instrumentation and consumables for anatomic pathology. Sakura Finetek systems dramatically increase efficiency, standardize results, and enable clinical laboratories to manage their daily workload more simply while significantly impacting patient care. Visit www.sakuraus.com to learn more. SOURCE KUBTEC - Pharmaceutical industry veteran and former Janssen executive Dr. David Hough appointed senior medical advisor to oversee clinical and regulatory - Lykos to significantly reduce workforce, streamlining organization around clinical development and regulatory engagement - MAPS founder Dr. Rick Doblin to exit from Lykos Board SAN JOSE, Calif., Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Lykos Therapeutics ("Lykos"), a company dedicated to transforming mental healthcare, today announced a reorganization to best support the company as it works to address the resubmission of its new drug application ("NDA") for midomafetamine capsules for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder ("PTSD") in adults. "Lykos is deeply dedicated to bringing midomafetamine to those suffering from PTSD and remains highly committed to this goal," said Jeff George, Chairman of the Lykos Board. "At the same time, we take to heart the FDA's decision and the additional work we will need to do to bring this pioneering therapy to market." As part of the changes, Dr. David Hough will lead and oversee the clinical development program and FDA engagement regarding the resubmission of midomafetamine. Dr. Hough previously was Vice President of Research and Development at J&J Innovative Medicine (a Johnson & Johnson company). He served in various leadership roles over 17 years, including as the compound development team leader for INVEGA (paliperidone), INVEGA SUSTENNA, INVEGA TRINZA, as well as the compound development team leader for SPRAVATO (esketamine nasal spray), a position in which he was responsible for all medical, scientific, manufacturing, quality, preclinical, and commercial aspects of the program. "My hope is to build on the strong foundation Lykos has created and leverage my experience in the industry to ensure a productive ongoing dialogue with the FDA and oversee the clinical work that needs to be done to address the Agency's questions which will allow us to serve patients safely and effectively," said Dr. Hough. "Dr. Hough is a consummate industry professional and exactly the right person to lead the crucial work of engaging with the FDA for our resubmission," added Mr. George. "His experience in recent approvals, including SPRAVATO, is greatly relevant to our organization's mission. We are grateful that he will join our team and we look forward to engaging the FDA in the coming months to work to bring this therapy to the millions of those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)." In addition, the company will be reducing its workforce by approximately 75%, with the remaining team focused on its ongoing clinical development, medical affairs, and engagement with the FDA. "The team at Lykos has been part of a pioneering effort to bring forward the first clinical trials for midomafetamine and we are sincerely grateful for their efforts," said Amy Emerson, Chief Executive Officer of Lykos. "As we prepare to address the FDA decision, we need to focus on delivering the FDA the robust clinical data necessary to support the approval of this potential new treatment." Lykos' newly formed Independent Advisory Board will also provide overall support and guidance to the management team throughout the resubmission process and ensure continued engagement with top-tier behavioral health facilities, the mental health community, and key patient stakeholder groups such as veterans and survivors of sexual violence. In addition, Dr. Rick Doblin, the Founder and President of MAPS, has left his position on the Lykos board. "After 38 plus years of work, I'm profoundly saddened by the FDA decision around this critically needed therapy, but am heartened that Lykos will still move forward continuing clinical research that addresses the FDA's questions," said Dr. Doblin. "I can speak more freely as a public advocate by resigning from the Lykos Board. The FDA delays make it more important than ever that I work at MAPS toward developing global legal access to MDMA and other psychedelics for public benefit through MAPS' multidisciplinary research, education, and drug policy reform." "Rick Doblin has been a trailblazing pioneer in this field," said Mr. George. "His many decades of leadership, unparalleled dedication, and deep contributions have shaped and guided the revival of psychedelic research and development, spurring transformative innovation in mental health. His legacy will continue through the work of both Lykos and its peers as we all work towards providing new and better treatment options for millions of patients in need." Dr. Hough is a graduate of West Point and served for several years as an Army officer before attending medical school at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) in Bethesda, Maryland. After completing residency training in Psychiatry at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington DC, he served for 10 years as an Army psychiatrist at two separate community hospitals and on faculty at a psychiatry residency program in Honolulu, Hawaii. He supervised numerous psychiatry residents and allied mental health professionals serving as head of outpatient clinics and behavioral health departments in different military hospitals. He completed a two-year research fellowship in Clinical Pharmacology jointly sponsored by USUHS and Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. He is board certified in both Adult and Geriatric Psychiatry and held an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychiatry position at USUHS for several years. He has authored numerous publications in peer reviewed journals, is a reviewer for several journals, and was an examiner for the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. He served in various leadership roles over 17 years at J&J Innovative Medicine including as the compound development team leader for INVEGA (paliperidone), INVEGA SUSTENNA, INVEGA TRINZA, as well as the compound development team leader for SPRAVATO (esketamine nasal spray), a position in which he was responsible for all medical, scientific, manufacturing, quality, preclinical, and commercial aspects of the program. Midomafetamine capsules have not been approved by any regulatory agency. The safety and efficacy of midomafetamine have not been established for the treatment of PTSD. Investigational midomafetamine is also being studied in other indications. About PTSD Prevalence and symptoms PTSD is a serious mental health condition that can develop when a person experiences or witnesses a traumatic event.1 PTSD affects approximately 13 million Americans each year with women and disadvantaged or marginalized groups more likely to be affected.2,3 Military personnel also have a greater prevalence of PTSD than the general population.4 However, it may not be as widely known that the largest cause of PTSD is non-combat-related trauma (e.g., sexual violence, unexpected death of a loved one, life-threatening traumatic event or interpersonal violence).5 PTSD results in debilitating symptoms including nightmares and intrusive thoughts related to the trauma, mental and/or physical distress in response to trauma-related stimuli, avoidant behaviors, negative thoughts and feelings, and hyperarousal.6 These symptoms can impact nearly all aspects of a person's life, including their interpersonal relationships.4 PTSD can also be a chronic condition with a World Health Organization study showing that after ten years post-trauma, nearly a quarter of people had not recovered.7 Co-morbidities and economic impact People with PTSD frequently experience anxiety, depression, substance use disorder and suicidal ideation.8,9 They also may have a greater incidence of medical conditions that impact their physical health, including heart disease, metabolic syndrome and asthma.10,11,12,13 U.S. Army veterans who developed PTSD after military service have been shown to have approximately two times greater risk of mortality than U.S. Army veterans who did not develop PTSD after military service.15 In addition to the significant personal impact, PTSD has an enormous economic impact, resulting in an estimated annual cost of over $232 billion in the United States.13 PTSD treatment Trauma-focused talk therapy, which concentrates on memories of the traumatic event or thoughts and feelings associated with the traumatic event is first-line treatment for PTSD, which can be used alone or in combination with medication. 14 There are two SSRIs approved for the treatment of PTSD (sertraline and paroxetine).15 Studies have shown talk therapy lessens the severity of PTSD symptoms, however, improvements in functioning and quality of life have been modest.16,17 Trauma-focused talk therapy is associated with a high risk of dropout and lingering symptoms which occur in as many as two-thirds of people who complete treatment.18,19 Current treatments for PTSD are "reasonably efficacious" (Bryant, 2019, p.265), however many people don't respond to treatment or stop treatment early, underscoring the urgent need for new evidence-based therapies and approaches to address this important public health issue.2 While there have been advancements in the management of PTSD, there have been no new drug treatments approved by the FDA in over twenty years.20 About Midomafetamine-Assisted Therapy Midomafetamine (MDMA) is commonly known to mental health professionals. In the 1970s and early 1980s, MDMA was used in conjunction with talk therapy by mental health providers to help enhance patients' access, processing and communication of difficult emotions and experiences.21 MDMA is an entactogen a class of psychoactive compounds that are differentiated from classic psychedelics (i.e., psilocybin, mescaline and LSD) and are defined based on their mechanism and demonstrated effects of increasing self-awareness leading to introspection and personal reflection.22,23 In 1985, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration ("DEA") made MDMA a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act, preventing it from being used for recreational or medical use.24 Since then, research has suggested that MDMA may have potential as a catalyst to support psychotherapy by helping diminish the brain's fear response, allowing people to access and process painful memories without being overwhelmed.25 Lykos, with longstanding roots in advocacy for psychedelic medicine, was the first company to pioneer randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials evaluating the efficacy and safety of MDMA-assisted therapy as an investigational modality using midomafetamine (MDMA) in combination with psychological intervention and submit an NDA to the FDA seeking approval for the treatment of PTSD in adults. Lykos Therapeutics At Lykos Therapeutics, a public benefit corporation ("PBC") founded by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies ("MAPS"), our mission is to transform mental healthcare. We're applying decades of evidence-based research to develop investigational psychedelics to catalyze therapeutic approaches for mental health conditions. We are relentlessly exploring and reimagining novel approaches to address unmet needs in the mental healthcare space, with an initial focus on PTSD. As a PBC, we are focused on delivering positive impact on our people, communities and society. To learn more visit us at www.lykospbc.com and on LinkedIn, X, Instagram and Facebook. 1 The Mayo Clinic, PTSD, symptoms and causes. Accessed February 14, 2024. www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20355967c 2 VA National Center for PTSD. US Department of Veterans Affairs. https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/common/common_adults.asp Accessed May 13, 2024. 3 Goldstein RB et al. The epidemiology of DSM-5 posttraumatic stress disorder in the United States: results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2016; 51(8):11371148. 4 Lehavot K et al. Post-traumatic stress disorder by gender and veteran status. Am J Prev Med. 2018 Jan;54(1):e1-e9. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2017.09.008 5 Kessler RC, Rose S, Koenen KC, et al. How well can post-traumatic stress disorder be predicted from pre-trauma risk factors? An exploratory study in the WHO World Mental Health Surveys. World Psychiatry. 2014 Oct;13(3):265-74. doi: 10.1002/wps.20150 6 Bryant RA. Post-traumatic stress disorder: a state-of-the-art review of evidence and challenges. World Psychiatry. 2019;18(3):259269. 7 Rosellini AJ et al. Recovery from DSM-IV post-traumatic stress disorder in the WHO World Mental Health surveys. Psychol Med. 2018 Feb;48(3):437-450. doi: 10.1017/S0033291717001817 8 Grinage B.D. Diagnosis and management of post-traumatic stress disorder. Am Fam Physician. (2003);68(12):2401-2409. PMID: 14705759. 9 Rojas SM et al. Understanding PTSD comorbidity and suicidal behavior: associations among histories of alcohol dependence, major depressive disorder, and suicidal ideation and attempts. J Anxiety Disord. 2014 Apr;28(3):318-25. doi: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2014.02.004 10 Edmondson D, von Kanel R. Post-traumatic stress disorder and cardiovascular disease. Lancet Psychiatry. 2017 Apr;4(4):320-329. doi: 10.1016/S2215-0366(16)30377-7 11 Krantz DS, Shank LM, Goodie JL. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a systemic disorder: Pathways to cardiovascular disease. Health Psychol. 2022 Oct;41(10):651-662. doi: 10.1037/hea0001127 12 Boscarino JA. Posttraumatic stress disorder and mortality among U.S. Army veterans 30 years after military service. Ann Epidemiol. 2006 Apr;16(4):248-56. doi: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2005.03.009 13 Nichter B, Norman S, Haller M, Pietrzak RH. Physical health burden of PTSD, depression, and their comorbidity in the U.S. veteran population: Morbidity, functioning, and disability. J Psychosom Res. 2019 Sep;124:109744. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2019.109744 14 Watkins LE, Sprang KR, Rothbaum BO. Treating PTSD: A Review of Evidence-Based Psychotherapy Interventions. Front Behav Neurosci. 2018 Nov 2;12:258. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00258. PMID: 30450043; PMCID: PMC6224348. 15 American Psychological Association. Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Treatment of PTSD. Medications (apa.org) Accessed May 17, 2024. 16 Cusack K, et al. Psychological treatments for adults with posttraumatic stress disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Psychol Rev. 2016;43:128-141. 17 Bonfils, KA et al, Functional outcomes from psychotherapy for people with posttraumatic stress disorder: A meta-analysis. J Anxiety Disorders. 2022;89:102576. 18 Lewis, C., Roberts, N. P., Gibson, S., & Bisson, J. I. (2020). Dropout from psychological therapies for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adults: systematic review and meta-analysis. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2019.1709709 19 Steenkamp, M. M., Litz, B. T., Hoge, C. W., & Marmar, C. R. (2015). Psychotherapy for Military-Related PTSD. JAMA, 314(5), 489. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2015.8370 20 Stein MB, Rothbaum BO. 175 Years of Progress in PTSD Therapeutics: Learning From the Past. Am J Psychiatry. 2018 Jun 1;175(6):508-516. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2017.17080955 21 Wagner MT, Mithoefer MC, Mithoefer AT, MacAulay RK, Jerome L, Yazar-Klosinski B, Doblin R. Therapeutic effect of increased openness: Investigating mechanism of action in MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. J Psychopharmacol. 2017 Aug;31(8):967-974. doi: 10.1177/0269881117711712 22 Nichols, David E. Entactogens: How the name for a novel class of psychoactive agents originated. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 2022 Mar 25;13:863088. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.863088 23 Vollenweider, Franz X.,Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2001 Dec; 3(4): 265279.doi: 10.31887/DCNS.2001.3.4/fxvollenweider 24 National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (nih.gov) What is the history of MDMA? . Accessed, January 17, 2024. What is the history of MDMA? | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (nih.gov) 25 Yazar-Klosinski B, Mithoefer MC. Potential psychiatric uses for MDMA. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics. 2017 Feb;101(2):194-196. doi: 10.1002/cpt.565 SOURCE Lykos Therapeutics NEW YORK, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Manhattan Mini Storage continues its tradition of bold and witty political commentary with the unveiling of its latest billboard, striking the theme of an unprecedented 2024 Presidential race. This new installation, prominently displayed across New York City, humorously addresses Joe Biden's recent announcement to drop out of the 2024 election, offering a storage solution for his upcoming downsizing needs. Manhattan Mini Storage billboard provokes humor and civil action this November. Post this Manhattan Mini Storage delivers another punchline in the 2024 political season offering a storage solution for Joe Biden's big move after his decision to exit the race. Manhattan Mini Storage Billboard on W 44th Street, which read Store Old Things Here, Not the White House, set the tone for a series of eye-catching ads that engage New Yorkers with and a touch of satire. Replacing January's provocative billboard that highlighted American voter concerns - Joe Biden and Donald Trump's ages, this new version reinforces Manhattan Mini Storage's role as an unexpected yet impactful voice in the political conversation. In collaboration with Rock the Vote, a bipartisan nonprofit dedicated to voter registration and participation, Manhattan Mini Storage launched the #VoteManhattanMiniStorage campaign earlier this year. The campaign aims to encourage all New Yorkers to register to vote or update their voter registration ahead of the Presidential election on November 5th. "We believe in the power of humor to spark change, but we also understand the importance of civic duty, which is why we're proud to support voter registration across New York City," said Sarah Little, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Manhattan Mini Storage. "In fact, voters in any state can use this link to update their information and exercise their right this November." New Yorkers can check their voter registration status easily by texting MMSVotes to 788-683 or visiting https://bit.ly/MMSVoting. View the full lineup of Manhattan Mini Storage 2024 election billboards here. About Manhattan Mini Storage: At Manhattan Mini Storage, we're more than just storage providers; we're part of the NYC fabric. Dedicated to innovative New York City storage solutions and community engagement, we've been bringing a unique blend of humor and practicality to meet the city's diverse needs for over 50 years. With more than 20 locations across Manhattan and the boroughs, you can find us at a location near you. For further details, visit our website at www.manhattanministorage.com. Contact: Sarah Little 573.449.0091 [email protected] SOURCE Manhattan Mini Storage Terminal Will Advance Clean Energy Goals in State and Support Future Floating Turbines in Gulf of Maine SALEM, Mass., Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, with Salem Mayor Dominick Pangallo, joined Crowley Wind Services President and CEO Bob Karl and other leaders to celebrate a significant milestone today with the ceremonial groundbreaking of the Salem Offshore Wind Terminal. This project involves transforming a former oil- and coal-fired power plant into Massachusetts' second wind port, which will propel the state toward its clean energy goals and expedite the construction of next-generation wind farms. The terminal is being built to support the construction of offshore wind farms in New England and future floating turbines in the Gulf of Maine. Crowley alongside federal, state and local partners at the ceremonial groundbreaking for the Salem Offshore Wind Terminal. Crowley also announced today that the company has awarded Massachusetts-based joint venture DW White JF White to be the project's general contractor. The contractor has executed a Project Labor Agreement with the North Shore Building and Construction Trades and the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters (NASRCC). "Coming on the heels of $389 million in federal funds for offshore wind transmission in Somerset, the expansion of the port in New Bedford, and now the groundbreaking in Salem, Massachusetts is well-positioned to support the growing offshore wind industry," said Governor Maura Healey. "These investments in infrastructure are boosting the local economy, creating union jobs, and transforming the way we power our homes and businesses. Credit to Lieutenant Governor Driscoll for her vision, Mayor Pangallo for securing a strong Community Benefits Agreement, and to the many other stakeholders who are making the pivot to offshore wind." "I'm thrilled to be able to finally see the Salem Offshore Wind Terminal go from idea to reality. During my time in office, it was clear that Salem, with its rich maritime heritage and vibrant community, was the natural choice to become a major offshore wind hub," said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. "Now, as we tackle pressing environmental challenges and drive local economic growth, it's inspiring to see Salem leading the way. This is a proud moment for our city, and I'm honored to witness our vision come to life." In February 2023, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), Crowley Wind Services and the City of Salem announced a significant agreement for the transfer of ownership, site improvements and ongoing operations at the Salem Offshore Wind Terminal. This terminal will be one of the few locations capable of supporting the construction and installation of fixed and floating offshore wind projects. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, MassCEC and the U.S. Maritime Administration have partnered with Crowley and the City of Salem on the terminal. "The Salem Wind Terminal will be a historic achievement, and we appreciate the trust and partnership by the City of Salem, Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the U.S. Maritime Administration to create a world-class wind terminal that reliably and safely serves the supply chain needs of the wind energy industry," said Tom Crowley, Chairman and CEO, Crowley Corporation. "This public-private partnership in Salem can be a model for communities and the industry to follow to achieve our commitments to create renewable, sustainable power." The terminal will provide opportunities for jobs and prioritize hiring local residents, especially those from underserved backgrounds. This will include about 150 jobs during construction and at least eight long-term Crowley employees to manage the terminal during operations, with an additional 20-30 jobs operating and maintaining the facility during busier periods. When projects are underway, 60 to 150 jobs, from engineers to building trades, will also be available through our tenants and their contractors. Because building the workforce for this new industry is critical, Crowley has already partnered with the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and Salem High School to provide career training. "We appreciate the trust and collaboration by many local, state and federal stakeholders placed in Crowley Wind Services to develop and operate the Salem Offshore Wind Terminal as a leading hub for maritime and logistics services to help Massachusetts and New England reach their clean energy goals," said Karl, President and CEO of Crowley Wind Services Holdings LLC, a joint venture between Crowley and Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners focused on repurposing and operating existing U.S. port facilities to support wind energy. "The terminal will provide an essential nexus that supports our customers and the broader supply chain in our journey to deliver low-cost, renewable energy. The partnerships we have established across the industry will provide critical investments and jobs in Salem and the North Shore for a generation to come." Crowley will be responsible for redeveloping and operating the terminal. They have signed a lease with MassCEC to use the site as an offshore wind marshalling port, with a focus on projects for Massachusetts. The City of Salem has also leased a berth and surrounding land for this purpose. Crowley's Wind Services will improve the site by adding infrastructure for heavy equipment, constructing a new ship berth, upgrading the City's existing berth, and dredging the harbor channel. The wind port is expected to begin operating in 2026. "Turning this site from a dirty oil- and coal-fired plant into a cutting-edge offshore wind terminal proves what we can achieve when government, industry, and communities work together," said Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Rebecca Tepper. "Instead of hosting facilities that pollute the air, Salem will soon host a port that brings good jobs and an exciting new industry to its shores. Offshore wind is essential for decarbonizing our grid and meeting our ambitious climate goals, and port infrastructure is an important part of that effort." "Salem, with its rich coastal heritage, is the perfect place for MassCEC to meaningfully invest. By supporting the Salem Offshore Wind Terminal, we're not only revitalizing Salem's waterfront but also advancing Massachusetts' clean energy future," said Massachusetts Clean Energy Center CEO Dr. Emily Reichert. "This project reflects our dedication to building the essential infrastructure, strengthening our regional supply chain, nurturing the talent that will elevate our state as a national leader in offshore wind." "For centuries, when Salem looked to the future, we've looked to the sea and what's possible on its distant horizons," said Salem Mayor Dominick Pangallo. "And, as a coastal city, we know full well the cost of inaction when it comes to fighting our climate crisis. Now, on the site where there was once one of the dirtiest coal power plants in America, we're ready to do our part to achieve a clean energy transition that will power our nation's future, create green jobs, and strengthen our community for generations to come. We're grateful to the Healey-Driscoll administration, Crowley, MassCEC, and our community partners and officials who all made this day possible." Media Contacts: David DeCamp Director, Corporate Communications Crowley Tel: (904) 727-4263 [email protected] Torey Vogel Sr. Specialist, Corporate Communications Crowley Tel: (904) 726-4536 [email protected] SOURCE Crowley News / National by Staff reporter THE Bulawayo City Council has refuted media reports claiming that 90 percent of women aged between 16 and 50 that tested for HIV in Bulawayo in June came out positive and that there is a 71.7 percent positivity rate among women.In a statement, acting town clerk, Dr Edwin Mzingwane said nationally the HIV prevalence for the 15-49 years age group is 10.49 percent and the HIV prevalence for Bulawayo is 11.75 percent.He said prevalence refers to the proportion of old and new HIV infections per population while positivity is the proportion of HIV positive infections of the total number of people tested."The City of Bulawayo notes with concern recent articles with the headlines; Alarming statistics on HIV positive women in Bulawayo and alarming statistics in Bulawayo HIV testing. Both articles took the City of Bulawayo Council report out of context and sensationalised the information," said Dr Mzingwane.He said the data was extracted from the Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid and Camera (VIAC) Programme that targets mainly HIV positive women as they screen for cervical cancer (women who are already on the Antiretroviral treatment (ART) and have been confirmed as HIV Positive) with a few who are HIV negative screened as well."Women living with HIV are six times more likely to develop cervical cancer compared to women without HIV (WHO, 2024) and hence the VIAC programme aimed at early detection of cervical cancer.VIAC is an effective way to prevent cervical cancer in women aged 30-50 years old. It involves examining the opening of the womb, or the cervix, for changes that might lead to cancer," said Dr Mzingwane.He added that if the changes are detected early, the cells can be eliminated before they become cancerous and these cells are usually removed using a method called cryotherapy, or another method called Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP)."The City of Bulawayo offers the VIAC services targeting mainly HIV positive women whilst offering the service also to HIV negative women. Therefore, the reports cited in the above-named articles are not representative of the HIV positivity rates in general among the Bulawayo population but are skewed programmatically towards HIV positive women attending clinics for cervical cancer screening."The City of Bulawayo further notes the media plays a key role in disseminating health information and there is need to ensure accurate health reports are issued as they affect the knowledge and health beliefs of the public," said Dr Mzingwane. Leading Massage Franchise Responds to High Demand for its Services, Expands with California Husband-Wife Duo LOS ANGELES, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to the booming demand for wellness services, Massage Heights has inked a signed agreement for Los Angeles. Through this deal, the leading massage and wellness franchise will now be providing elevated wellness services such as facials and massages to Sherman Oaks, California. With the industry being valued at a staggering $5.6 trillion, both existing and aspiring entrepreneurs are looking to stake their claim in the Massage Heights franchise opportunity. Located in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood, the Retreat is owned by husband-and-wife duo, Joey and Jackie McMurray. Jackie brings a wealth of business acumen to the table with her background in real estate and marketing and has some experience in franchise consulting. With Joey's seasoned project management knowledge as the VP of a construction firm, their partnership is primed for great success. Jackie's entrepreneurial spirit is rooted in her family and overall upbringing. Immigrating to the U.S. from Iraq at a young age, she was surrounded by a family instilled with the value of self-reliance. Six of her eight siblings became entrepreneurs, and her father's influence fueled her work ethic and drive throughout her career. "Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, being able to have my own business has always been a dream," says Jackie. "Massage Heights perfectly aligns with our values and passion for health and wellness. The opportunity to combine this with an industry poised for significant growth was not only exciting, but an easy decision. While technology is constantly evolving, I believe that there is no substitute for the human touch that a skilled massage therapist can provide. This new chapter allows me to honor my family's legacy while contributing to the well-being of the Sherman Oaks community." The McMurray's long-term vision includes growing to multiple Massage Heights locations, leveraging their real estate expertise to identify strategic opportunities. Joey's construction background adds an invaluable layer to their operations, ensuring efficient management of their location and future scaling. "With the industry poised for aggressive growth, there has never been a more opportune time to join the Massage Heights franchise," said Shane Evans, CEO and Co-Founder of Massage Heights. "Jackie and Joey embody a deep passion and unwavering commitment to the wellness of others both of which are traits a successful franchisee should have. We are excited to welcome them into our family and look forward to their future growth." Massage Heights continues to prioritize innovation with its service and retail offerings to meet the changing needs of consumers. As these efforts help drive franchisee profitability, advances in marketing, strong unit economics, and proprietary technology have also contributed to a high-performing sales year. The IFA projected that service-based industries will witness the highest growth, with beauty, fitness, health and wellness concepts ranking on the top of this list. With the industry primed for increased growth, Massage Heights has identified key target growth markets and has prime territories available nationwide. Massage Heights is currently seeking single and multi-unit operators to join its growing brand. To learn about Massage Heights franchise opportunities, visit https://www.massageheightsfranchise.com/ . About Massage Heights The massage franchise started in 2004 and has grown to more than 115 Retreats throughout North America by providing personalized wellness treatment options through therapeutic massage and skincare services. Massage Heights is a massage and wellness franchise dedicated to elevating the lives of others by providing Members and Guests with professional, affordable and resort-quality massage, skincare and wellness services. SOURCE Massage Heights BISMARCK, N.D., Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- MDU Resources Group, Inc. (NYSE: MDU) announced today that Michael S. Della Rocca and Marian M. Durkin have been appointed to the company's board of directors. Della Rocca, during his 35-year career, held a number of executive positions within the engineering and construction industry, including as chief executive, Americas, of AECOM. He also was a partner in consulting firm McKinsey & Company, where he provided clients with strategic counsel on capital projects. He has served on a number of boards and owns Della Rocca Enterprises LLC. Durkin previously was senior vice president, general counsel, secretary and chief compliance officer for Avista Corporation, an electric and natural gas utility headquartered in Spokane, Washington. She also has prior experience as vice president, deputy general counsel and assistant secretary at United Airlines and as an attorney at law firm Briggs and Morgan, which later merged with Taft. "Marian and Michael bring extensive, relevant experience to our board that will support our efforts to guide MDU Resources' strategic initiatives as the company becomes a pure-play regulated energy delivery business late this year when it spins off Everus Construction Group," said Dennis W. Johnson, chair of the board. In addition to their general responsibilities on the board, Della Rocca will serve on the Audit and the Environmental and Sustainability committees and Durkin will serve on the Compensation and the Nominating and Governance committees. Della Rocca holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering and a master's degree in engineering, transportation, from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a master's degree in business administration from St. John's University. He is a licensed professional engineer. Durkin holds a Juris Doctor and Master of Laws from Mitchell Hamlin School of Law and a bachelor's degree in political science from Manhattanville College. She is a member of the state bar in Illinois, Minnesota and Washington. MDU Resources expects to achieve its objective of becoming a pure-play regulated energy delivery business by completing a spinoff of its construction services subsidiary, Everus Construction Group, late this year. Forward-Looking Statements Information in this release includes certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The forward-looking statements in this release, including information about the planned spinoff of Everus Construction Group, the timing of the planned spinoff, and statements by MDU Resources' chair, are expressed in good faith and are believed by the company to have a reasonable basis. Nonetheless, actual results may differ materially from the projected results expressed in the forward-looking statements. For a discussion of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, refer to Item 1A Risk Factors in MDU Resources' most recent Form 10-K and Form 10-Q and subsequent filings with the SEC. About MDU Resources MDU Resources Group, Inc., a member of the S&P MidCap 400 index, provides essential products and services through its regulated energy delivery and construction services businesses. Founded in 1924, the company is celebrating its 100th anniversary; learn more at www.mdu.com/100th-anniversary. For more information about MDU Resources, visit www.mdu.com or contact the Investor Relations Department at [email protected]. Investor Contact: Brent Miller, assistant treasurer, 701-530-1730 Media Contacts: Byron Pfordte, MDU Resources manager of integrated communications, 208-377-6050 Laura Lueder, Everus director of communications, 701-221-6444 SOURCE MDU Resources Group, Inc. Garces' second book examines our failing food policies and calls for a humane and sustainable farming system ATLANTA , Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Leah Garces, CEO and president of Mercy For Animals, will release her second book, " Transfarmation: The Movement to Free Us from Factory Farming ," on September 17. To be published by Beacon Press, "Transfarmation" is an insightful and pointed exploration of the injustices perpetrated by factory farming from animal cruelty and environmental degradation to the exploitation of farmers and marginalized rural communities. 'Transfarmation: The Movement to Free Us from Factory Farming' by Mercy For Animals CEO & Pres. Leah Garces out Sept. 17 Post this Leah Garces, CEO and president of Mercy For Animals, will release her second book, Transfarmation: The Movement to Free Us from Factory Farming, on September 17. Garces has been a leader in the animal protection movement for more than 20 years. In this new book, her perspective is not simply academic and speculative; Garces outlines real-world applications of the initiative she founded and Mercy For Animals launched in 2019, The Transfarmation Project . A farmer-led movement for a better food system, Transfarmation funds and guides U.S. farmers motivated by economic, environmental or animal welfare concerns in switching from raising animals to growing specialty crops. In addition to the unimaginable cruelty inflicted on the animals who suffer in factory farms, several other compelling reasons create an urgent need to move away from the antiquated and destructive factory-farming system: Industrial animal agriculture is a significant source of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, particularly due to "enteric fermentation" (part of the digestive process of ruminant animals, such as cows and sheep) and manure storage and management. Factory farming also causes financial harm to farmers and rural communities, especially communities of color, who endure air pollution that often drives them indoors and contaminates their land and water. Factory-farm workers are often exploited and subjected to hazardous working conditions. The plant-based food industry is expected to be worth $85 billion by 2030. Food brands will need a reliable source of key ingredients, such as peas, mushrooms, oats and greens. Since its inception five years ago, The Transfarmation Project has helped seven farmers transition from factory farming to raising crops for human consumption. Transitioning these farms has reduced factory farming's capacity by an estimated 2,780,325 animals each year. In "Transfarmation" Garces uses insights from interviews and her fieldwork to share the perspectives of three main groups farmers, animals and affected rural communities. "Transfarmation" is about solutions and the inspiring individuals paving the way for a more ethical, sustainable food system. "For many years, Leah Garces has been an outspoken advocate of Mercy For Animals," said Eric Schlosser, author of "Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal." "In this wise book, she also expresses great compassion for the farmers, ranchers and workers trapped in an industrial food system that sickens consumers and poisons the land. Factory farms are a crime against nature, and "Transfarmation" convincingly argues that we can feed ourselves, must heal ourselves, without them." "Transfarmation" highlights the farmers transitioning from factory farming toward humane practices, the advocates fighting to end suffering for farmed animals and the frontline communities standing up to corporate giants all in a collective effort to revamp our food system into one that is more compassionate and equitable for all. "Transfarmation" will be sold by all major book retailers and is currently available for preorder . A six-city book tour is planned for fall 2024, with scheduled stops in Boston; Charlotte; Dallas; Denver; New York City; and Sao Paolo, Brazil. The book tour is sponsored in part by Better Life for Animals . For more information about The Transfarmation Project, visit TheTransfarmationProject.org . Leah Garces is the CEO and president of Mercy For Animals and author of " Grilled: Turning Adversaries into Allies to Change the Chicken Industry " and " Transfarmation: The Movement to Free Us from Factory Farming ." With more than 20 years of leadership experience in the animal protection movement, she has partnered with corporations, communities and governments on her mission to build a better food system. Her work has been featured in national and international media outlets, including the " New York Times ," the " Washington Post ," BuzzFeed , VICE and the " Chicago Tribune ." She has presented at global forums, including TEDx, RIO+10 and the World Health Organization's Global Forum for Health Research. Mercy For Animals is a leading international nonprofit working to end industrial animal agriculture by constructing a just and sustainable food system. Active in Brazil, Canada, India, Mexico and the United States, the organization has conducted over 100 investigations of factory farms and slaughterhouses, influenced over 500 corporate policies and helped pass historic legislation to ban cages for farmed animals. 2024 marks Mercy For Animals' 25th year of groundbreaking campaigns and programs. Learn more at MercyForAnimals.org . Transfarmation is a farmer-led movement working to build collective power sufficient to realize a just and sustainable food system. The Transfarmation Project does this by removing barriers for farmers aiming to transition from factory farming to raising specialty crops. The project creates models of alternative economic opportunities, builds solidarity with other movements and shifts societal narratives to change culture. Learn more at TheTransfarmationProject.org . SOURCE Mercy For Animals AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Watts Law Firm LLP is proud to congratulate Mikal C. Watts, founder of Watts Law Firm LLP and highly regarded mass tort attorney for his inclusion in Best Lawyers 31st edition of The Best Lawyers in America for his expertise in mass tort and personal injury litigation. This honor underscores Mikal C. Watts' unwavering commitment to justice, a passion that has been the driving force behind his prestigious career. Graduating from the University of Texas law school at just 21 years old and winning over $100,000,000 in verdicts by age 31, Watts has turned his passion into a mission to uphold the principles of justice and be a fearless advocate for his clients. Over the last 35 years, Mikal C. Watts has defended over 200,000 clients against the negligence of major corporations, resulting in billions of dollars for those who have fallen victim to utility-caused wildfires, catastrophic personal injury, product liability, and other unfortunate circumstances. For Watts, these cases are not just about recouping the losses of his clients, but sending the message that corporate negligence and greed will not be tolerated. Most recently, Mikal C. Watts was one of the attorneys involved in the lawsuits against Hawaiian Electric and their subsidiaries for their role in causing the Maui Wildfires back in August, 2023. On August 2, a historic $4.012 billion settlement was reached, marking one more step towards rebuilding the town of Lahaina. Best Lawyers chooses who to recognize based on peer review feedback collected from other lawyers within the same geographical area and legal practice area. Mikal C. Watts' recognition in Best Lawyers is a testament to his enduring dedication and impact his work has had on the lives of thousands. ABOUT MIKAL WATTS OF WATTS LAW FIRM LLP Mikal C. Watts of Watts Law Firm LLP is nationally recognized for his vast experience in wildfire litigation across the United States. Mikal draws from his extensive background that includes representation of survivors from the Maui Wildfire, Dixie Wildfire, Holiday Farm Fire, McBride Fire, McKinney Fire, and others. Notably, Mikal was a lead counsel for the monumental $13.5 billion settlement that covered the Camp Fire in 2018 and the Tubbs Fire in 2017. Media Contact: Natalie Medved 724-825-3484 [email protected] SOURCE Watts Law Firm LLP TUSTIN, Calif., Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- New American Funding (NAF) today announced its participation at Invest Fest 2024, the premier national event focused on Black financial empowerment and entrepreneurialism, set to take place in Atlanta at the Georgia World Conference Center from August 23 25. The company will highlight its NAF Black Impact initiative for consumers which aims to change the "buying while Black" experience within Black communities. On August 25, NAF will host an exclusive homebuying session for attendees. Mosi Gatling, senior vice president of strategic growth at NAF, will lead a 15-minute VIP fireside chat with Matt Garland, co-founder of Invest Fest. This will be followed by a 45-minute workshop titled, "Keys to the Culture: Homebuyer Blueprint," which will feature the NAF Black Impact initiative and the company's efforts in promoting homeownership to Black borrowers. Gatling emphasized NAF's dedication to supporting Black homeownership, saying, "Our support for Invest Fest 2024 plays a crucial role in our efforts to raise awareness of NAF Black Impact and to boost homeownership among Black communities throughout the U.S." In addition to the homebuying session, NAF has planned a series of engaging activities for attendees: NAF Black Impact Housing Advocate Certification NAF will share information about the launch of its NAF Black Impact Housing Advocate Certification program, designed to foster a more inclusive and diverse landscape in the mortgage industry. Rolled out to NAF employees in August 2024, it is expected that the program will extend to external parties in the real estate and mortgage lending industry who want to deepen their understanding of challenges faced by the Black community. Certified individuals will gain a competitive edge by learning how to effectively communicate with Black borrowers. Prizes and Giveaways In advance of Invest Fest 2024, NAF will give away two tickets to the event. To enter, participants must follow @nafblackimpact on Instagram, like the post outlining details of this giveaway, and tag two people in the comments. The deadline to enter is August 20 at Noon EST and the winner will be notified via direct message on Instagram with details on how to claim their prize. Official rules for the drawing can be found on the NAF Black Impact Instagram page. Exhibit Booth and Conference Activities NAF will maintain a prominent presence throughout Invest Fest with an exhibit booth (# 507) where representatives will be available to help attendees find the right solutions that meet the needs of Black homebuyers. Additionally, NAF will sponsor a "charge & chill" station and a photo opportunity in front of a Tesla CyberTruck. Visitors to the NAF booth will also receive NAF-branded giveaways, including accordion fans, playing cards, and notebooks. "New American Funding's support for Invest Fest 2024 underscores its continued commitment to the Black community, which includes a $20 billion commitment in new mortgages to Black homebuyers by 2028," said Garland. "We are thrilled to have experienced loan officers from NAF on site to guide attendees about the homebuying process." For more information, visit the company's Instagram page @NAFBlackImpact. About New American Funding New American Funding is an independent mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of more than 263,000 customers representing approximately $70 billion in value and more than 260 locations nationwide. NAF was recently named to the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2024. NAF was also named one of America's Greatest Workplaces for Women 2024 by Newsweek. The company offers state-of-the-art career training and provides its branch Loan Officers with innovative technologies to streamline the mortgage process. MEDIA CONTACT: Interdependence PR [email protected] SOURCE New American Funding Thousands of New Mexico students to benefit from classroom connectivity DENVER, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion recently selected Lumen Technologies (NYSE: LUMN) to provide nearly 900 miles of high-speed fiber connectivity to K-12 public schools around the state, including charter and tribal schools. Connecting the first school The company is participating in a ribbon-cutting ceremony today with state education and broadband officials at Albuquerque's 21st Century Public Academy, which is the first school to be connected to the New Mexico Statewide Education Network. "We at the Statewide Education Network are very excited that this school-centric network is finally operational and to be working with Lumen and other national and local providers alike in this extraordinary endeavor involving school connectivity," said Ovidiu Viorica, Statewide Education Network Broadband and Technology Manager. "This achievement demonstrates New Mexico's commitment to technology in schools and to develop a powerful, collaborative, and creative learning environment for students." "Our work with the New Mexico Statewide Education Network is part of Lumen's commitment to unleash the power of our massive fiber network to bridge the digital divide, foster digital inclusivity and create new opportunities for all Americans to thrive in today's interconnected world," said Michelle Watson, vice president of Lumen's State, Local and Education business. "Lumen is delivering secure high-speed connectivity to public schools and classrooms that will create more opportunities for learning, collaboration and lesson sharing among students and teachers across New Mexico." Network design Lumen provides the latest and greatest high-capacity, low-latency fiberoptic wave technology, backbone circuits, network nodes and cost-effective centralized network design, management and support to the new school-focused broadband network. The three-year contract is worth more than $4.3 million during the first phase, which will securely link approximately 15,000 students at all 27 public schools in the Gadsden Independent School District in Santa Teresa, N.M., and at three charter schools in Albuquerque21st Century Public Academy, Mark Armijo Academy, and Mountain Mahogany Community School. Program goals Dozens of public schools across New Mexico are committed to being a part of the Statewide Education Network, which plans to interconnect all New Mexico schools by 2027. This effort will lay the foundation for a state-coordinated middle mile network. Middle-mile connectivity is critical to digital inclusivity, equity, and affordability because it bridges the gap to the last-mile broadband providers that connect homes and businesses to the internet. "Lumen is taking an innovative middle-mile approach to addressing digital inclusion and creating pioneering public-private partnerships that help bridge the digital divide," Watson said. Additional Resources: About Lumen Technologies: Lumen connects the world. We are igniting business growth by connecting people, data, and applications quickly, securely, and effortlessly. Everything we do at Lumen takes advantage of our network strength. From metro connectivity to long-haul data transport to our edge cloud, security, and managed service capabilities, we meet our customers' needs today and as they build for tomorrow. For news and insights, visit news.lumen.com , LinkedIn: /lumentechnologies, X: @lumentechco, Facebook: /lumentechnologies, Instagram: @lumentechnologies and YouTube: /lumentechnologies. Learn more about Lumen's public sector capabilities on X at @lumengov and on LinkedIn at @lumenpublicsector. SOURCE Lumen Technologies The network surveyed over 14,000 people to find out if the public can still roam a world on the verge of collapse PARIS, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - BETC Havas unveiled today its latest Prosumer Report, 'Travel and Tourism: Can We Still Roam a World on the Verge of Collapse?' exploring the comeback of travel and tourism in a post-pandemic world even in the face of climate change, an existential threat to human culture. BETC Havas conducts its global proprietary Prosumer studies several times per year, polling more than 14,000 people in 32 markets across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. As today's leading consumers and market drivers, Prosumers influence brand choices and consumption behaviors of others. Despite challenges ranging from over-tourism and high costs to climate concerns, the report concludes that travel and tourism are deeply embedded in modern culture and are here to stay. The phenomenon of post-pandemic "revenge travel" has not waned, and travelers are inclined to blame everyone but themselves for the sector's impact on global warming. The report focuses on six topline takeaways: POST-PANDEMIC "REVENGE TRAVEL" IS STILL A THING. Nearly 66% of Gen Zs want to make up for lost time by traveling often and to distant destinations. Nearly 66% of Gen Zs want to make up for lost time by traveling often and to distant destinations. NO PRICE TOO HIGH? Whether it's the financial cost, airline hassles, or overcrowded tourist spots, 75% of Prosumers are willing to sacrifice many things to experience new places. The same percentage agree the relaxation of travel makes it worthwhile regardless of any ecological cost. Whether it's the financial cost, airline hassles, or overcrowded tourist spots, 75% of Prosumers are willing to sacrifice many things to experience new places. The same percentage agree the relaxation of travel makes it worthwhile regardless of any ecological cost. TRAVEL ENHANCES LIFE IRL AND URL. 74% of Prosumers and around 60% of Gen Zs love to share their travel experiences on social mediaeven though many blame social media for the congestion that is "ruining" the travel experience. 74% of Prosumers and around 60% of Gen Zs love to share their travel experiences on social mediaeven though many blame social media for the congestion that is "ruining" the travel experience. PROSUMERS FEEL GUILTYBUT ALSO SHIFT THE BLAME. 33% of Prosumers feel guilty about the environmental impact of travel, but many are happy to blame airlines (43%) or wealthy people who "fly all the time" (48%). 33% of Prosumers feel guilty about the environmental impact of travel, but many are happy to blame airlines (43%) or wealthy people who "fly all the time" (48%). RADICAL MANDATES MAY BE IN OUR FUTURE. 33% of Prosumers and Gen Zs think it's a matter of whennot ifgovernments will ban plane travel. On the surface, a slight majority of Prosumers (52%) are willing to accept limits on long-haul travelbut research suggests they're accepting "limits" they self-impose due to financial and time constraints. 33% of Prosumers and Gen Zs think it's a matter of whennot ifgovernments will ban plane travel. On the surface, a slight majority of Prosumers (52%) are willing to accept limits on long-haul travelbut research suggests they're accepting "limits" they self-impose due to financial and time constraints. BRANDS MUST 'RE-ENCHANT' THE TRAVEL EXPERIENCE. 33% of Gen Zs are growing blase about travel. "In the current environment, the most successful brands will cater to Prosumers' need for enchantment and cultural immersion while making them feel good about their rising eco-conscious and community-minded choices," said Clement Boisseau and Sebastien Houdusse, Global Chief Strategy Officers, BETC Havas. Access the full report here and follow Havas on Instagram and LinkedIn for the latest research findings from the groups. About Havas Founded in 1835 in Paris, Havas is one of the world's largest global communications networks, with more than 22,000 people in over 100 countries sharing one single mission: to make a meaningful difference to brands, businesses, and people. Havas has developed a fully integrated model through its 70+ Havas Villages around the world, covering all communication activities. The teams of the three business units, Havas Creative Network, Havas Media Network, and Havas Health Network, work together with agility and in perfect synergy to offer tailor-made, innovative solutions to clients who support them in their positive transformation. Havas is committed to building a diverse culture where everybody feels they belong and can be themselves and thrive. Havas integrated into Vivendi, a global leader in media, entertainment, and communications, in December 2017. Further information about Havas is available at www.havas.com. SOURCE Havas Eight states have enacted laws or policies on cellphone use MIDDLETON, Wis., Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Starting with pagers in the 1980s, schools have addressed student use of electronic devices in various ways. The rise of cellphones and smartphones has recently prompted many school districts across the U.S. to establish policies delimiting when and where these devices can be used on campus. Ballotpedia has researched and compiled information tracking this state-level legislation into a new page . Highlights from Ballotpedia's Research: As of Aug. 8, 2024 , eight states have enacted laws or policies on K-12 classroom or school cellphone use. , eight states have enacted laws or policies on K-12 classroom or school cellphone use. Four statesFlorida, Indiana , Louisiana , and South Carolinaused the legislative process to ban cellphones in classrooms. All four states are Republican trifectas. , , and South Carolinaused the legislative process to ban cellphones in classrooms. All four states are Republican trifectas. Virginia Gov . Glenn Youngkin (R) issued an executive order banning cellphones in classrooms. Virginia has a divided government. . (R) issued an executive order banning cellphones in classrooms. Virginia has a divided government. Ohio , a Republican trifecta, enacted a law limiting cellphone use in classrooms. , a Republican trifecta, enacted a law limiting cellphone use in classrooms. The Alabama Department of Education adopted a policy encouraging districts to limit classroom cellphone use. Alabama has a Republican trifecta. has a Republican trifecta. Minnesota , a Democratic trifecta, enacted a law requiring school districts to implement cellphone policies. Click here to view the entire page and explore all state-level school cellphone policies. About Ballotpedia Ballotpedia, the encyclopedia of American politics, is the nation's most trusted source of unbiased information on politics, elections, and policy. Founded in 2007, Ballotpedia has grown from a small group of dedicated volunteers working on a handful of ballot measures to an essential resource for voters, media, and researchers. Ballotpedia is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the public interest in creating an educated, engaged electorate, and building a strong, healthy democracy. For free access to 500,000+ encyclopedic, professionally authored, and curated articles, visit Ballotpedia.org. SOURCE BALLOTPEDIA ATLANTA, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- NEWSTAR announced today the acquisition of two sites in Charlotte, North Carolina planned for development of 103 homes to be operated under NEWSTAR's Stella Homes brand. NEWSTAR is partnering on the projects with Red Cedar Homes, a leading Southeast homebuilder and land developer. The properties are located in northwest and north-central Charlotte respectively and total approximately 17 acres. Once complete, the communities will feature two-story and three-story homes with attached garages and market-leading finishes including Hardiplank exterior facades, SPC flooring, Quartz countertops, framed mirrors, walk-in showers, and sodded and fenced-in yards. Finished homes will offer 1,500 square feet to 1,729 square feet of heated living area. "We are excited to announce these two new projects in Charlotte where we will provide much-needed family housing inside I-485", said Boone DuPree, Chief Executive Officer for NEWSTAR. "This marks our fourth partnership with Red Cedar, and we look forward to building upon that to deliver 'Class A' homes in a flexible and attainable rental format. NEWSTAR's development pipeline now exceeds 1,000 homes and lots across the Southeast United States. We are excited to continue to grow our business by creating new neighborhoods to serve our communities." "We are looking forward to working hand-in-hand with NEWSTAR to design and build custom, quality homes for their new Charlotte communities," said Jon Grabowski, CEO of Red Cedar Capital Partners. "NEWSTAR has a distinct vision for this project, and we are honored to be a part of the execution. From initial budget and timeline conversations to construction and marketing we'll be there to support NEWSTAR every step of the way." Construction loan financing and joint-venture equity was arranged by Patterson Real Estate Advisory Group. Ameris Bank is the construction lender. Clearing and sitework is expected to begin this quarter with homes delivering starting in the third quarter of 2025. For more information, please contact [email protected]. SOURCE NewStar Asset Management "Maui is still open. It's still the beautiful destination that it's always been," explains Maui chef Kyle Kawakami in a new destination campaign, The People. The Place. The Hawaiian Islands. "Yes, we have beautiful beaches. Yes, we have great food. But if you dig a little deeper and go a little below the surface, it's the culture and the people that make the islands." Embark on a culinary journey through Maui, from hidden eateries and farm-to-table experiences to gourmet dining and Upcountry, Central and South Maui farmers markets. Explore its vibrant towns, like Wailuku, Paia and Makawao, each offering local shops, art galleries and historic sites. Beach lovers can find the perfect stretch of sand among the many sunny beaches of South and West Maui. Discover additional travel inspiration with newly launched Maui itineraries at GoHawaii.com/Maui. As Maui continues its inspiring rebuilding process after last year's devastating wildfires, the island continues to welcome back visitors. While some parts of Lahaina have yet to reopen, several restaurants, businesses and activities in Lahaina have resumed operations. This fall, West Maui is set to host the 14th Annual Hawai'i Food & Wine Festival and the 41st Annual Maui Jim Maui Invitational. Across the island, travelers can also look forward to the Festivals of Aloha, Hawaiian Airlines Made in Maui County Festival and other exciting events. "Participating in community or cultural festivals, shopping at local businesses and farmers markets, and dining at locally owned restaurants are great ways to experience Maui's rich culture and engage with the community," says Daniel Naho'opi'i, Hawai'i Tourism Authority's interim president and CEO. "We welcome visitors to return and rediscover Maui and the rest of the Hawaiian Islands." Choosing to visit Maui is more than selecting a vacation destinationit's a powerful way to support the island's rebuilding process and resilient residents. For more information on visiting Maui or any of the Hawaiian Islands, visit GoHawaii.com. -pau- SOURCE Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau News / National by Staff reporter Lesotho's Prime Minister Samuel Ntsokoane Matekane has arrived at Robert Mugabe International Airport ahead of the SADC Summit for Heads of State and Government scheduled for Saturday. He was welcomed at the airport by Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe.Lesotho has a long history of involvement in regional environmental and land management initiatives. In November 1981, the Council of Ministers of the Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC) entrusted Lesotho with coordinating regional activities related to Soil and Water Conservation and Land Utilization (SWCLU). This responsibility led to the establishment of the SWCLU Sector Coordination Unit within Lesotho's Ministry of Agriculture, Co-operatives, and Marketing in 1985.In August 1991, the SADCC Council of Ministers broadened Lesotho's mandate to include overall environmental coordination within the SADC region, renaming the sector as the SADC Environment and Land Management Sector (ELMS). Lesothos role in this area underscores its commitment to sustainable development and environmental stewardship within the region.Lesotho, a country with a total land area of 30,355 square kilometers, is the 141st largest nation globally and shares its entire border with South Africa. With a population of 2.3 million as of August 2024, Lesotho's economy is primarily driven by agriculture, mining, and water exports, contributing to a gross domestic product (GDP) of approximately US$2.2 billion. Sesotho and English are the official languages, though other languages such as Phuthi, Xhosa, and Zulu are also widely spoken. NEW YORK, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf, a leading NYC personal injury law firm, announces that 12 of its attorneys have been recognized in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. Nine NYC personal injury attorneys from the firm have been honored in The Best Lawyers in America 2025 Edition: 12 personal injury attorneys at Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf have been selected by their peers as Best Lawyers in America 2025 (9) and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America 2025 (3) Marijo C. Adimey Recognized for Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs Recognized for Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs Jeffrey B. Bloom Recognized for Legal Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs, Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs, Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs, and Professional Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs Recognized for Legal Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs, Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs, Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs, and Professional Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs Diana M. A. Carnemolla Recognized for Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs Recognized for Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs Christopher J. Donadio Recognized for Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs Recognized for Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs Howard S. Hershenhorn Recognized for Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs Recognized for Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs Ben B. Rubinowitz Recognized for Legal Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs, Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs, Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs, and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs Recognized for Legal Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs, Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs, Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs, and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs Peter J. Saghir Recognized for Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs Recognized for Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs Richard M. Steigman Recognized for Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs Recognized for Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs Allan Zelikovic Recognized for Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs, Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs, and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs Three rising stars have been recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America 2025 Edition: Rachel Jacobs Recognized for Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs Recognized for Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs James Rubinowitz Recognized for Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs, Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs, and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs Recognized for Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs, Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs, and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs Richard Soldano Recognized for Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf has been representing clients for over 100 years, specializing in complex personal injury and medical malpractice cases. The firm is known for achieving landmark verdicts and settlements, providing relentless advocacy, and maintaining an unparalleled reputation for legal excellence. The firm remains committed to serving clients with the highest level of dedication and expertise. Contact: Ben Rubinowitz, 212-943-1090 SOURCE Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf National sweeps allows consumers opportunity to purchase a rare bottle LOUISVILLE, Ky., Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Old Forester announces the highly-anticipated return of its most coveted expression, Birthday Bourbon. This year the bourbon is 12 years old and 107 proof and consumers can earn the opportunity to purchase this rare bottle via a national sweepstakes. Courtesy of Old Forester Hand-selected by Master Distiller Emeritus Chris Morris and Master Taster Melissa Rift, with aid from Assistant Master Distiller Caleb Trigo, the liquid came from 209 total barrels. "Twelve years of maturation in Warehouses G and L has produced a rich and unique flavor profile perfect for this sought-after annual release, " Trigo said. Old Forester releases the limited-edition, vintage-dated bottle each September 2 to celebrate the birthday of the brand's founder, George Garvin Brown. (Please note: Birthday Bourbon will NOT be sold at the distillery on September 2.) Fans nationwide have the chance to join this year's birthday festivities. Old Forester Birthday Bourbon will be available through an online sweepstakes running on OldForester.com August 15 through August 21, 2024. Anyone winning the opportunity to purchase a bottle through the sweepstakes must purchase and pick it up at the Old Forester Distillery in Louisville between September 5, 2024 and December 14, 2024 (see official rules for all terms and conditions). Each bottle of Old Forester Birthday Bourbon will retail for a suggested $199.99. Limit one per customer and credit card only. "There's no better way to celebrate our founder and longstanding history than by getting our rarest expression in the hands of bourbon lovers across the country," Rift said. The annual release of Birthday Bourbon is sold at retailers nationwide. Taste notes: Nose - A bright fruit medley with accents of apricot and apple are complemented by rich spice cake and buttercream icing with undertones of sweet tobacco and warm oak Taste - Juicy fruits jump out on the front of the palate with toasted oak and warm cinnamon spice rounding out the flavor to follow Finish - hints of caramel apple lead the finish with a long and flavorful mix of sweet tobacco, ground cinnamon and cacao For more information on how to enter the sweepstakes and official rules and regulations, please visit the website. ### About Old Forester Bourbon: Old Forester is Brown-Forman's founding brand, founded in 1870 by George Garvin Brown. Brown believed Old Forester was so pure and consistent that he sealed it, signed it, and pledged, "There is nothing better in the market." Please sip responsibly. Old Forester Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky, 53.5% Alc. by Vol., Old Forester Distilling Company at Louisville in Kentucky. OLD FORESTER is a registered trademark. 2024 Brown-Forman. All rights reserved. Please do not share or forward this content with anyone under the legal drinking age. SOURCE Old Forester CHANDLER, Ariz., Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Primavera Online School, a public charter school that educates students across Arizona, celebrated its graduating Class of 2024 on July 10 at the Arizona Financial Theatre with nearly 1600 graduates. Its student body includes alternative students, those who have fallen behind in school and those looking to excel in their classesall of whom can catch up on credits, get ahead in their schoolwork and enjoy a flexible schedule at Primavera while they work toward earning an accredited high school diploma. "We are incredibly proud of our 2024 graduates," said Jessica Pagoulatos, Executive Director of Academics at Primavera Online. "At Primavera, we strive to provide a top-notch online education, equipping our students for their future endeavors. It fills us with joy to commemorate this achievement." This year, Primavera graduates have a lot to celebrate, with nearly 100 graduating seniors earning Primavera's exclusive Merit Award, a monetary award funded by StrongMind that goes toward college, trade school, certifications and the military. The Merit Award, which is based on students' grades and GPAs, is offered to all high school students in grades 9-12. The Merit Award is just one way Primavera empowers its high school students. In addition to the Merit Award, high school students at Primavera can also receive unlimited private tutoring with small group support. Families who are interested in switching their children to Primavera Online School can now enroll them in grades K-12 at PrimaveraOnline.com. For more information, contact: Anita Torres [email protected] ABOUT PRIMAVERA ONLINE Primavera Online School is a tuition-free, public charter school that provides Arizona students in grades K-12 with a rigorous, award-winning curriculum, a flexible schedule and personalized attention from highly qualified instructors. Primavera is Cognia accredited, and NCAA approved. Visit www.PrimaveraOnline.com for more. SOURCE Primavera Online School EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Aug. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rockpoint Legal Funding, a leader in the pre-settlement funding industry, is proud to announce the launch of its new subsidiary, Rockpoint Probate Funding. This innovative venture will specialize in providing probate advances, also known as inheritance advances, to heirs awaiting their inheritance. Rockpoint Probate Funding aims to offer financial solutions to individuals facing delays in probate proceedings, enabling them to access their funds without the prolonged wait. Introducing Rockpoint Probate Funding Rockpoint Legal Funding is proud to announce the launch of its new subsidiary, Rockpoint Probate Funding. Post this Rockpoint Legal Funding logo Probate proceedings can be lengthy and complex, often leaving heirs in financial limbo. Rockpoint Probate Funding addresses this issue by offering probate advances, a solution designed to provide immediate financial relief to those awaiting their inheritance. By offering a probate advance, Rockpoint Probate Funding helps heirs access their inheritance without the stress and uncertainty of waiting for the probate process to conclude. "We are thrilled to introduce Rockpoint Probate Funding to our portfolio of financial services," said Maz Ghorban, President of Rockpoint Legal Funding. "Our mission has always been to provide financial support to those who need it most, and with Rockpoint Probate Funding, we are extending our commitment to help individuals navigate the often challenging probate process." What is a Probate Advance? A probate advance, or inheritance advance, is a financial transaction that allows heirs to receive a portion of their inheritance before the probate process is complete. Rockpoint Probate Funding purchases a portion of the expected inheritance, providing the heir with immediate funds. This service is particularly beneficial for those who need financial assistance for living expenses, medical bills, or other urgent needs while waiting for the probate process to finalize. How Rockpoint Probate Funding Works Rockpoint Probate Funding simplifies the process of obtaining a probate advance. Heirs can apply online or over the phone, and the application process is designed to be quick and straightforward. Once approved, funds are typically disbursed within a few days, providing heirs with the financial support they need without the prolonged wait associated with traditional probate proceedings. "We understand that dealing with the loss of a loved one is challenging enough without the added stress of financial uncertainty," said Ghorban. "Rockpoint Probate Funding is here to alleviate some of that burden by offering a fast and efficient way to access your inheritance." Benefits of Choosing Rockpoint Probate Funding Quick Access to Funds: With Rockpoint Probate Funding, heirs can receive their inheritance advance within days, providing immediate financial relief. Risk-Free: If the inheritance amount is less than the advance amount and associates fees, heirs are not required to repay the entire advance personally. Easy Application Process: The application process is simple and can be completed online or over the phone. Experienced Team: Rockpoint Probate Funding's team of experts has extensive experience in the probate and financial sectors, ensuring a smooth and professional experience for beneficiaries & heirs of probate claims. Commitment to Transparency and Integrity Rockpoint Probate Funding is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of transparency and integrity. Clients can trust that there are no hidden fees or surprise costs. The terms of each probate advance, probate sale, or probate loan are clearly outlined, ensuring that heirs fully understand the transaction and feel confident in their decision. About Rockpoint Legal Funding Rockpoint Legal Funding has been a trusted provider of pre-settlement funding for years, helping plaintiffs secure the financial resources they need during legal proceedings. With the launch of Rockpoint Probate Funding, the company is expanding its commitment to providing financial solutions to those in need. Rockpoint Legal Funding and its subsidiaries are dedicated to offering transparent, reliable, and efficient financial services to clients across the nation. For more information about Rockpoint Probate Funding and its services, please visit RockpointProbate.com or contact [email protected]. Media Contact: Dan Burks-Goodman Marketing Director Rockpoint Legal Funding 424-502-4645 [email protected] www.rockpointlegalfunding.com Rockpoint Probate Funding is ready to assist heirs with their financial needs during the probate process. With a probate advance or inheritance advance, clients can alleviate financial stress and focus on what truly matters during a challenging time. Contact Rockpoint Probate Funding today to learn more about how we can help you access your inheritance quickly and efficiently. SOURCE Rockpoint Probate Funding Joint solicitation will award up to $4 million for biomedical R&D leveraging the orbiting laboratory KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla., Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory is collaborating with NASA on a solicitation for space-based research addressing some of the most significant diseases of our timesuch as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative disease. ISS National Lab Research Announcement (NLRA) 2024-09: Igniting Innovation: Science in Space to Cure Disease on Earth , released in partnership with NASA's Biological and Physical Sciences division, is aimed at overcoming challenges hindering progress in disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. This NLRA will offer up to $4 million in total funding for an expected two to three awards for multiflight translational and transformative research and technology development. Through this joint solicitation, the ISS National Lab and NASA seek projects that leverage the space environment to improve existing or develop new technologies that help solve health problems on Earth. Therapies for cancer and cardiovascular, immune, muscle and bone, and neurodegenerative diseases face obstacles that thwart scientific advancements and the translation of research findings into clinical applications. These challenges frequently overlap and share common elements, despite the complexity and variability of mechanisms within and among these diseases. Many of these challenges can be mitigated using accelerated disease models in microgravity through ISS National Lab resources. This NLRA aims to foster collaboration between academia, industry, and government to develop innovative, commercially viable products and technologies to improve medical outcomes on Earth. Below are topics of particular interest for this NLRA: Enhanced Models to Study Disease Mechanisms: It is difficult to unravel the intricate dynamics of disease onset and progression and to identify effective therapeutic targets. Leveraging microgravity to improve cell-based models like tissue chips and organoids could deepen understanding of disease mechanisms and lead to personalized therapies. It is difficult to unravel the intricate dynamics of disease onset and progression and to identify effective therapeutic targets. Leveraging microgravity to improve cell-based models like tissue chips and organoids could deepen understanding of disease mechanisms and lead to personalized therapies. Population and Disease Heterogeneity: Population and disease heterogeneity pose significant obstacles to drug discovery. Variability in genetic and demographic factors, such as age and sex, leads to differing treatment responses across individuals. Genetic and phenotypic diversity in diseases themselves must also be considered. Population and disease heterogeneity pose significant obstacles to drug discovery. Variability in genetic and demographic factors, such as age and sex, leads to differing treatment responses across individuals. Genetic and phenotypic diversity in diseases themselves must also be considered. Drug Screening and Development: Microgravity enables high-throughput drug screening in 3D cell cultures and tissue models that more accurately simulate the human body. Innovative approaches and technologies to identify preclinical drug candidates are needed to accelerate development of new, more effective therapeutics. Microgravity enables high-throughput drug screening in 3D cell cultures and tissue models that more accurately simulate the human body. Innovative approaches and technologies to identify preclinical drug candidates are needed to accelerate development of new, more effective therapeutics. Drug Delivery: Innovation in drug delivery, such as nanotechnology and targeted therapies, is vital to enhance treatment precision and reduce side effects. Additionally, the absence of well-defined biomarkers complicates treatment selection, and innovative strategies for biomarker discovery are needed to improve treatment outcomes. Innovation in drug delivery, such as nanotechnology and targeted therapies, is vital to enhance treatment precision and reduce side effects. Additionally, the absence of well-defined biomarkers complicates treatment selection, and innovative strategies for biomarker discovery are needed to improve treatment outcomes. Drug Resistance and Toxicity: Drug resistance poses significant challenges in treating many diseases. For example, cancer cells can become resistant due to genetic mutations or changes in signaling pathways, decreasing drug efficacy. Additionally, the toxicity of treatments like chemotherapy requires careful balancing of efficacy and adverse effects. Last month, at the annual ISS Research and Development Conference in Boston, the ISS National Lab and NASA announced five projects selected through the inaugural Igniting Innovation NLRA, which sought to harness the unique space environment to advance cancer research to benefit patients on Earth. "We are proud to collaborate again this year with NASA's Biological and Physical Sciences division on this important initiative to bring the transformative power of space-based inquiry into the fight against diseases that touch all of our lives," said ISS National Lab Chief Scientific Officer Michael Roberts. "Our inaugural solicitation in 2023 resulted in the selection of five innovative concepts to leverage microgravity and the space station to benefit patients on Earth. We look forward to enabling access to even more ideas that ignite innovation and fuel research and development for the benefit of humanity." "Space-based research has a long history of contributing to advancements on Earth," said Lisa Carnell, director of NASA's Biological and Physical Sciences division. "Continuing the Igniting Innovation solicitation could contribute to the next big leap in disease therapies. We are excited to collaborate with the ISS National Lab on this endeavor to help address some of the biggest health challenges facing the world today." This research announcement will follow a three-step proposal submission process (Step 1A: Concept Summary, Step 1B: Technology Roadmap, and Step 2: Full Proposal). Step 1A: Concept Summaries must be submitted by end of day on September 26, 2024. Those interested in learning more about this research announcement can register for a webinar hosted by the ISS National Lab on August 22, 2024, at 1 p.m. EDT. For more information on this funding opportunity and how the space-based environment can accelerate research and technology development for the benefit of life on Earth, please visit the official solicitation page . To download a high-resolution image for this release, click here . About the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory: The International Space Station (ISS) is a one-of-a-kind laboratory that enables research and technology development not possible on Earth. As a public service enterprise, the ISS National Laboratory allows researchers to leverage this multiuser facility to improve quality of life on Earth, mature space-based business models, advance science literacy in the future workforce, and expand a sustainable and scalable market in low Earth orbit. Through this orbiting national laboratory, research resources on the ISS are available to support non-NASA science, technology, and education initiatives from U.S. government agencies, academic institutions, and the private sector. The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) manages the ISS National Lab, under Cooperative Agreement with NASA, facilitating access to its permanent microgravity research environment, a powerful vantage point in low Earth orbit, and the extreme and varied conditions of space. To learn more about the ISS National Lab, visit our website . As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, CASIS accepts corporate and individual donations to help advance science in space for the benefit of humanity. For more information, visit our donations page . International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory Managed by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, Inc. (CASIS) 6905 N. Wickham Rd., Suite 500, Melbourne, FL 32940 321.253.5101 www.ISSNationalLab.org SOURCE International Space Station National Lab GILBERT, Ariz., Aug. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Seefried Industrial Properties, with development partner MDH Partners, has acquired a 5.1-acre site in Gilbert, Arizona, with plans to develop Fiesta Tech Center, a state-of-the-art industrial facility spanning 59,723 square feet. Construction is scheduled to commence in the third quarter of 2024, with delivery expected in the second quarter of 2025. Fiesta Tech Center Rendering Fiesta Tech Center, located at 1352 N Fiesta Boulevard, is strategically positioned in Gilbert's established in-fill submarket, approximately mile from the US60 at the Country Club Drive (SR87) interchange. It is surrounded by a diverse industrial landscape that includes manufacturing, storage, warehouse, and distribution facilities. With its close proximity to major transportation routes such as I-10, I-17, State Route 51, and the recently completed 202 South Mountain Loop, Fiesta Tech Center provides seamless connectivity throughout the Phoenix metro area. The facility is structured to address the dynamic requirements of modern general and light industrial users and will feature a 28-foot clear height, 19 dock-high doors, 4 grade-level doors, and 78 parking stalls within a secure fenced site. Designed for maximum flexibility, the new facility can accommodate tenants with space requirements ranging from 14,930 square feet to 59,723 square feet. "This opportunity reflects our current strategy of finding light industrial, infill developments that will allow us to fulfill the increasing tenant demand for well located, functional product," said Jason Quintel, Senior Vice President of Seefried Properties. "Thank you to Phil Haenel of Cushman & Wakefield and Mike Parker of CBRE for bringing us this opportunity and we look forward to developing a successful project with our partner, MDH Partners." Mike Parker of CBRE will oversee leasing and marketing efforts for the property. The project architect is DLR Group, the civil engineer is Cole Engineering, and Alcorn Construction is serving as the general contractor. About Seefried Industrial Properties: Founded in 1984 by Ferdinand Seefried, Seefried Industrial Properties is a privately held real estate company specializing in the development, leasing, and management of industrial properties across the United States. The company primarily focuses on development in core industrial markets and build-to-suits with tenants in core and second-tier markets. Seefried leases and manages approximately 10 million square feet for its institutional and European clients and has developed over 200 million square feet of space valued in excess of $18 billion across 30+ markets. Headquartered in Atlanta, Seefried Properties extends its operational presence through regional offices strategically located in Dallas, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. For more information, please visit www.seefriedproperties.com About MDH Partners: MDH Partners is an Atlanta-based real estate investment company managing its discretionary funds targeting industrial real estate across the United States on behalf of its institutional investors. Founded in 2005 as the successor to a fifty-year-old local real estate development company, MDH Partners has led and/or participated in over $6 billion (90 million square feet) of acquisitions, developments, and asset management as an advisor and investor. For more information, visit www.mdhpartners.com SOURCE Seefried Industrial Properties MILWAUKEE, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ademi LLP is investigating Terran (NYSE: LLAP) for possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of law in its transaction with Lockheed Martin. Click here to learn how to join our investigation https://www.ademilaw.com/case/terran-orbital-corporation or call Guri Ademi toll-free at 866-264-3995. There is no cost or obligation to you. Terran stockholders will receive only $0.25 in cash for each outstanding share of common stock. The transaction agreement unreasonably limits competing transactions for Terran by imposing a significant penalty if Terran accepts a competing bid. Terran insiders will receive substantial benefits as part of change of control arrangements. We are investigating the conduct of Terran's board of directors, and whether they are fulfilling their fiduciary duties to all shareholders. If you own Terran common stock and wish to obtain additional information, please contact Guri Ademi either at [email protected] or toll-free: 866-264-3995, or https://www.ademilaw.com/case/terran-orbital-corporation. We specialize in shareholder litigation involving buyouts, mergers, and individual shareholder rights throughout the country. For more information, please feel free to call us. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Contacts Ademi LLP Guri Ademi Toll Free: (866) 264-3995 Fax: (414) 482-8001 SOURCE Ademi LLP Shop with Google Takes Over Welcome Weeks Across the Country with Back-To-School Pop-Up Featuring Google Lens and Trending Prizes NEW YORK, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Shop with Google announced today its back-to-school college tour, featuring the ultimate shopping pop-up. The first-of-its-kind experience will show students how to use Google Lens, Google's visual search tool, to set them up for a successful semester of shopping. A recent survey from Google and Ipsos found that over half of Gen Z shoppers believe that finding something that suits their personal style is the most important factor when shopping for back-to-school items. With Lens, you can do just that. Simply snap a picture using the camera on your phone to find and shop for similar products. Shop with Google Introduces College Campus Tour Kicking off on August 22nd, the tour will visit four college campuses across the U.S.: The University of Miami, Howard University, George Washington University, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The immersive experience will allow students to learn how to use Lens to discover, shop, and explore top trending products across dorm decor, class supplies, and style essentials from brands including Away, Dyson, Google Chromebook, Pottery Barn Teen, and The North Face. It will also feature interactive games, giveaways, exclusive merch, and more. "Technology is making back-to-school shopping easier and more fun than ever - and we're thrilled to be bringing some of that technology to life for students this month with a campus tour. Google Lens makes it easy to shop the world around you - so now, finding the perfect dorm room decor and classroom essentials is as simple as snapping a photo on your phone," said Stephanie Horton, Google's Senior Director of Global Consumer Marketing & Commerce. Students will step into the dorm-inspired experience and use Lens in the Google app to play 'Lens for a Chance to Win', a pop quiz game based on the trending items featured throughout the space. Following their answers, students can snap the item using Lens to reveal whether they 'passed' or not. Those who pass the test will win one of the coveted trending items, just in time for their school's welcome week festivities. The experience is free and open to all students on campus from 10:00AM - 6:00PM (local time) at each location. Earn your Shopping 'Degree' at the following College Campuses: University of Miami | August 22 Rock Plaza | 5202 University Dr, Miami, FL , 33146 | Howard University | August 26 Courtyard of Cramton Auditorium | 2455 6th St NW, Washington, DC 20059 | George Washington University | August 28 Potomac Square | 2020 G St NW, Washington, DC 20006 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | September 5 Union South | 1308 W Dayton St, Madison, WI 53715 | Lens is one of the many tech tools students can use to help prepare for the new semester, you can find more tips and tricks via the Google blog. Follow along on Instagram @shopwithgoogle to check out exclusive content, win prizes, and to learn more. About Shop with Google Google supports an open and free global commerce ecosystem. Our tools, designed for both shoppers and merchants, are powered by Google's Shopping Graph, which has more than 45 billion product listings, including a constantly-updating set of products, sellers, brands, reviews and inventory. This technology provides shoppers with fresh, reliable results while helping merchants grow their business. Learn more here. SOURCE Shop with Google STOCKHOLM, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Skanska has signed a contract with Medpace, a clinical research company, for the construction of a new office building in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. The contract is worth USD 164M, about SEK 1.7 billion, which will be included in the US order bookings for the third quarter 2024. The project involves constructing a new 52,200 square meter (562,000-SF), nine-story building featuring a six-story office tower atop a three-floor parking garage and conference center. The office building will be built on the existing Medpace campus, where Skanska has successfully completed several projects. Preparatory work began in February 2024 and the project is expected to reach completion in March 2027. For further information please contact: Peggy Cook, Communications Manager, Skanska USA, tel +1 (513) 222 5310 Andreas Joons, Press Officer, Skanska Group, tel +46 (0)10 449 04 94 Direct line for media, tel +46 (0)10 448 88 99 This and previous releases can also be found at www.skanska.com. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/skanska/r/skanska-builds-new-office-building-in-cincinnati--ohio--usa--for-usd-164m--about-sek-1-7-billion,c4024555 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/95/4024555/2945639.pdf 20240815 US office building https://news.cision.com/skanska/i/image-1---medpace-300,c3324603 Image 1 - Medpace 300 https://news.cision.com/skanska/i/image-2---medpace300,c3324602 Image 2 - Medpace300 SOURCE Skanska Spectrum Chief Executive Officer and President Jeff Riggs will retire after a distinguished 40+ year career, including 19 years as Chief Executive of Spectrum. Spectrum Chief Operating Officer Jeff Gilbert will transition to CEO. COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Spectrum Advanced Manufacturing Technologies, Inc. ("Spectrum"), a subsidiary of Ocutrx Technologies, Inc. ("Ocutrx"), today announced the retirement of Jeff Riggs, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), President, and Co-Founder, a long-time microelectronics and FDA-certified manufacturing facility in Colorado Springs, Colorado. After a dynamic tenure as Spectrum CEO, Mr. Riggs is celebrating his retirement with family, friends, and employees today, August 15th, which was recently named "Honoring Jeff Riggs' Contributions to Colorado Springs Day" by the Colorado Springs City Council. Ocutrx has announced that the current COO, Jeff Gilbert, has been appointed CEO. Jeff Riggs (L); Jeff Gilbert (R) "Jeff Riggs and his wife, Patricia Riggs, have had a truly extraordinary impact on the world of manufacturing and on the Ocutrx-Spectrum family," said Michael Freeman, CEO of Ocutrx Technologies. "Jeff's vision and leadership spanning nearly three decades has enabled Spectrum to grow into a world-class manufacturer trusted by industry giants such as NASA, the Department of Defense (DoD), Northrop Grumman, Lockheed-Martin, and NATO, to name a few. We are forever grateful to Jeff and Pat for their vision, dedication, and leadership to creating revolutionary technology, a corporate culture that puts people and customers first and encourages everyone to thrive." Freeman continued, "In honor of the couple's accomplishments and contributions to Colorado Springs and the electronic manufacturing industry, the primary Spectrum building will be eponymously named "The Jeff and Patricia Riggs Electronics Facility." Acquired by Ocutrx in February 2023, Spectrum AMT is a recognized leader in High-Reliability Circuit Card Assembly, Wiring and Harnessing, and Final Assembly. Spectrum's expertise spans multiple sectors, including Aerospace and Spaceflight, Deep Space, Defense, Medical Devices, and the Enterprise and industrial sectors. The company provides "concept to commercialization" contract services as well as manufacturing its own brand of products. Spectrum AMT is deeply invested in delivering highly reliable solutions that align with client needs and industry standards. On his decision to retire as CEO, Mr. Riggs stated, "As I look back on my time at Spectrum, I'm truly amazed by the incredible range of products we've developed over the years. It's been an honor to work alongside so many talented and dedicated employees who have contributed to our success. Understanding the critical importance of what we do for our customers and our emphasis on quality has always been at the core of our values at Spectrum. The most satisfying part of my journey has been witnessing the growth of our employees. Seeing families thrive and watching individuals use the experience they've gained at Spectrum to improve their lives, whether they continue with us or move on to better opportunities, has been incredibly rewarding." Under Mr. and Mrs. Riggs' leadership, Spectrum has experienced remarkable momentum across all lines of its business. Spectrum's electronics manufacturing services for a host of Fortune 500 companies is just one example of the added value and convenience it offers its customers. Because of Jeff's governance, Spectrum has become known as the company that can make circuit boards and electronic systems, and assemblies that never fail. Not only did he help the families who worked for him, but Jeff and Pat contributed to their community through charitable donations, helping individuals all over Colorado by donating to nonprofits such as Care and Share, Springs Rescue Mission, Toys for Tots, St. Jude's Medical Center, and Special Olympics, to name a few. Mitch Freeman, Senior Executive Vice President of Spectrum, said, "On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Jeff for his unwavering commitment and outstanding, dedicated service to Spectrum, our customers, partners, and employees for the past two decades. Under Jeff's leadership, Spectrum experienced remarkable innovation, growth, and transformation, delivering high-value-add technology to some of the world's most exciting projects and companies. These achievements, in addition to his development of future leaders, positions Spectrum for continued success for years to come. We are extremely grateful for Jeff's many contributions and look forward to continuing to work with him throughout the upcoming CEO transition process." Manufacturing veteran and COO Jeff Gilbert appointed to CEO In his newly appointed role as CEO, Mr. Gilbert will be responsible for the overall strategic direction of the company, reporting directly to parent company Ocutrx CEO Michael Freeman. Since taking office as COO of Spectrum in August of 2023, Mr. Gilbert was responsible for securing $1,281,974 in state incentives for adding over 100 new jobs in the next few years at the company's Colorado Springs facility. The Company has seen significant growth since being acquired by Ocutrx Technologies, Inc. in 2023 and is projecting a 40%+ YOY growth pattern. Mr. Gilbert plans to continue updating the manufacturing campus and equipment for optimal efficiency in preparation for expansive growth. An accomplished industry leader, Mr. Gilbert joined Spectrum after a 34-year career at Hughes Anderson Heat Exchangers Inc., a leading manufacturer of shell and tube heat exchangers for refineries and chemical companies. At Hughes, Mr. Gilbert served in various leadership roles, ending his tenure with the company as President and CEO for 10 years. Commenting on Mr. Gilbert's appointment, Michael Freeman said, "There isn't a better person to fill the shoes of CEO of Spectrum after Jeff Riggs than Jeff Gilbert. His knowledge, expertise, and adept business acumen will help accelerate our business, employee, and customer growth while supporting our passionate focus on providing best-in-class technology products and services for our customers." Mr. Gilbert added, "I am excited to serve Spectrum in this new role as CEO and to continue executing our mission to turn groundbreaking ideas into fail-proof commercialized products for years to come. I have enjoyed working under Jeff Riggs as COO this last year and am excited to follow in his enormous footsteps to both continue his legacy and begin a new era for Spectrum." About Spectrum Spectrum Advanced Manufacturing Technologies, Inc. (Spectrum AMT) is a prominent leader in High Reliability Circuit Card Assembly and Contract Manufacturing, with over 25 years of industry experience. Serving sectors such as aerospace, spaceflight, DoD, medical devices, commercial, industrial, and enterprise, Spectrum consistently meets high standards and client expectations. Adhering to ISO, FDA, J-Standards, and the Space Addendum regulations, as well as the principles of "never fail" reliability, Spectrum AMT exemplifies commitment and excellence. Learn more at spectrumamt.com . About Ocutrx Ocutrx Technologies, Inc., anchored in the US and Europe, leads in AR/XR and 3D visualization, expanding its horizons across various industries. Founded by Michael and Mitch Freeman, two Emmy Award Winning Inventors of mobile video in the 1990s, the company emerged from a passion to tackle the adversities of Advanced Macular Degeneration. Their groundbreaking OcuLenz headset corrects vision for patients with Advanced Macular Degeneration for better vision and life quality. Complementing this, Ocutrx's OR-Bot 3D Surgical Visualization Theatre is setting new benchmarks in surgical methodologies, offering surgeons unmatched resolution, cinematic quality, and depth precision. While its initial focus is on the ophthalmic sector, Ocutrx envisions catering to multiple patient and surgical arenas. Strengthening its position, Ocutrx recently acquired Spectrum AMT, an FDA-certified manufacturing facility, further bolstering its innovation capacities. Learn more at ocutrxtech.com. Media Contact Sara Broyles | Lightspeed PR/M for Spectrum AMT | [email protected] SOURCE Spectrum Advanced Manufacturing Technologies News / National by Gideon Madzikatidze President Emmerson Mnangagwa has challenged Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders and representatives of member states' respective educational institutions to disband curriculum infrastructure that symbolises colonial elements, calling on absolute transformation through innovation and industrialisation.Addressing several guests drawn from institutions of higher education and learning this Thursday during the 7th SADC Summit Public Lecture held at the University of Zimbabwe (UZ), Mnangagwa appealed for SADC states to be innovators of solutions which suit within indigenous context."As long as the education system in our region remains skewed towards the past colonial architecture, it cannot adequately leap-frog the industrialisation of SADC," Mnangagwa challenges."We must therefore transform the educational space to produce innovators and industrialists equipped with skills and competencies that develop products to meet the needs of our people," Mnangagwa added."In Zimbabwe, our Heritage-based Education 5.0 Philosophy embraces research, innovation and industrialisation as important mandates for all levels of the education sector. This focuses on our God given natural and cultural endowments to drive development," Mnangagwa said."The appropriate research and innovation are fundamental to the advancement of both our domestic and regional development agenda. With the correct configuration of our education, innovation, science and technology ecosystems, we can unlock maximum value from our natural resources and human capacities," Mnangagwa notes.President Emmerson Mnangagwa said that the change of the education framework has seen his Government setting aside a specific budget for innovation, research and development.He also added that policies have been crafted to ring-fence and provide funds to support the emerging innovation ecosystems."This has resulted in the establishment of Innovation Hubs, Industrial Parks, Science Parks and Incubation Centres across all institutions of higher education," Mnangagwa said."Through the new education framework, our young people in the universities and colleges have exhibited immense capabilities, zeal and determination towards building a modern and industrialised Zimbabwe," Mnangagwa said.Zimbabwean government has increased the number of Teacher Training Colleges that produce science teachers to ensure that all schools, in particular, those in the remote areas, offer science and ICT based learning in the last five years.Emphasising on educational inclusivity regardless of geography, Mnangagwa declared that no place and no child is being left behind; claiming this has ultimately broadened the pool of students transitioning to Colleges and Universities, following the science and technology pathways."In this way, we are building the critical mass of scientists and technologists to deliver an Innovation led and knowledge-based economy," Mnangagwa said."Further, our heritage-based education diversified innovation ecosystems by strengthening linkages between the academia, industry and commerce," Mnangagwa added.President Emmerson Mnangagwa said this transformative education system has started to bear fruit as witnessed by the emergence of various innovations and patents as new forms of assets.The 7th SADC Summit Public Lecture is one of the precursors to the 44th Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government to be held here in Harare (16th - 17th of August 2024).It was held under the theme, Building Research Capacity and Innovation Ecosystems for a Sustainable Industrialised SADC Economy, which is an apt call to action and encapsulates the need for new paradigms of education to leap frog the modernisation, industrialisation and wholistic development of SADC, anchored on Research, Science, Technology and Innovation.The Public Lecture affords the peoples of SADC the opportunity to reflect and sharpen strategies to accelerate collective vision towards deepening regional integration as well as economic development for shared prosperity. EDINBURGH, Scotland, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Stewart Investors, an active, long-only equity specialist and global leader in sustainable investing, has launched a Global Emerging Markets (ex-China) Leaders Sustainability strategy reflecting increased investor appetite for separating emerging markets and China allocations. The lead manager on the strategy is veteran fund manager Jack Nelson, who is based in Edinburgh. Nelson is part of a 13-person investment team with decades of expertise and a strong track record of investment in emerging markets. The team manages more than $19 billion globally, focusing on Asia Pacific, emerging markets, regional, and worldwide equity strategies. The new Global Emerging Markets (ex-China) Leaders Sustainability strategy seeks to identify 25-45 mid- to large-cap companies with quality management teams. It excludes listed companies in China and companies whose majority of revenue is derived from China. The strategy is available as a separate account to institutional investors in the U.S., Canada, U.K., EMEA, and Asia Pacific regions. The strategy is also available as a UCITS fund in EMEA and Asia Pacific regions. "Emerging markets ex-China are a gathering place for forward-thinking and innovative companies contributing positively to sustainable development," Nelson said. "Underpinned by our bottom-up approach to stock picking, we seek to deliver quality returns by allocating client capital to responsible stewards who are growing resilient franchises and are benefitting from the many tailwinds in emerging markets." Nelson also serves as lead manager of the Global Emerging Markets Leaders Sustainability (GEMLS) strategy, with $1.4 billion invested on behalf of clients globally, and is co-manager of the Global Emerging Markets Sustainability (GEMS) strategy, with $1.7 billion in client assets. GEMS, launched on Feb. 28, 2009, recently marked its 15-year anniversary, and has generated superior returns vs its benchmark, the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, across multiple time periods, net of fees, through June 30, 2024. Stewart Investors has an investing heritage dating back to 1988. The team aims to achieve positive social and environmental outcomes by investing in and proactively engaging with companies that support positive contributions, such as health and wellbeing, financial inclusion, reducing waste, water and energy efficiency, and renewable energy. The firm's website outlines the team's approach to sustainable investing and showcases its Portfolio Explorer tool, which allows easy access to details of the companies held in their sustainability strategies and explains how these companies are contributing to sustainable development. Last year, Stewart Investors received a Morningstar ESG Commitment Level of Leader, the highest designation in the assessment by Morningstar Inc., a leading provider of independent investment research. Stewart Investors is one of only eight asset managers out of 108 global firms evaluated to receive the Leader ranking by Morningstar. The designations range from Low to Basic, Advanced and Leader. The Morningstar ESG Commitment Level is a qualitative assessment that aims to help investors identify the asset managers dedicated to delivering sustainability outcomes. To arrive at the Morningstar ESG Commitment Level for individual firms, the firm's analysts evaluate the asset managers on three key pillars: philosophy and process; resources; and active ownership. Source: The Morningstar ESG Commitment Level Research Paper dated Aug. 30, 2023 2023 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved. The information contained herein: (1) is proprietary to Morningstar; (2) may not be copied or distributed; and (3) is not warranted to be accurate, complete or timely. Neither Morningstar nor its content providers are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of this information. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. About Stewart Investors Stewart Investors, with more than $19 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2024, is an active, long-only equity manager and global leader in sustainable investing. Based in Edinburgh, the firm also has offices in London, Singapore, New York and Sydney. For more information, visit: www.stewartinvestors.com. In the U.S. Margaret Kirch Cohen/Richard Chimberg Newton Park PR, LLC +1 847 507 2229/+1 617 312 4281 [email protected] [email protected] EMEA media enquiries George Rogers | MHP Group [email protected] Important Information This press release is intended for information only, aimed solely at the media and should not be further distributed to individual and/or corporate investors, and financial advisers and/or distributors. The information included within this document and any supplemental documentation provided should not be copied, reproduced or redistributed without the prior written consent of First Sentier Investors. This document has been prepared for general informational purposes. It does not purport to be comprehensive or to give advice. This is not an offer document and does not constitute an offer or invitation or investment recommendation to distribute or purchase securities, shares, units or other interests or to enter into an investment agreement. The information contained within this document has been obtained from sources that we believe to be reliable and accurate at the time of issue but no representation or warranty, express or implied, is made as to the fairness, accuracy, or completeness of the information. SOURCE Stewart Investors Flight Attendants Demand Improved Compensation Package MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- 558 Teamsters Local 120 flight attendants at Sun Country Airlines have voted to authorize a strike. "The people who run this company want to sit back and do nothing but collect a fat check while everyone else at Sun Country works hard for peanuts," said Tom Erickson, President of Local 120 and Teamsters Central Region International Vice President. "They're in for a rude awakening. Our members are furious, and they will do whatever it takes to get what they deserve." Last year, Sun Country Airlines exceeded $1 billion in revenue for the first time. In the first quarter of this year, they reported greater revenue than ever before. The flight attendants haven't had a wage adjustment since 2016, and their collective bargaining agreement became fully amendable on December 31, 2019. Their current pay scale puts them far behind their colleagues at similar carriers. "Sun Country CEO Jude Bricker told shareholders last year that they made a lot of money because of their 'unique business model.' That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard in my life," said Chris Riley, Local 120 Business Agent. "This carrier is making more money than ever because it's short-changing its workforce. Sun Country needs to share the wealth." "We voted to strike for one simple reason Sun Country is dragging out the negotiation process and we are fed up. We are fighting for the contract we deserve," said Tanya DeVito, a flight attendant and member of the Sun Country Teamsters Local 120 Bargaining Committee. "99 percent of those eligible to vote have authorized a strike. That is not a number that Sun Country can or should ignore. We expect a solid economic package to be brought to us at September's mediation session, or we will take this to the next level." Teamsters Local 120 represents over 12,000 hard working men and women throughout Minnesota, Iowa and the Dakotas. For more information, go to teamsterslocal120.org/. Contact: Matt McQuaid, (202) 624-6877 [email protected] SOURCE Teamsters Local 120 MEXICALI, Mexico, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Technimark, a global manufacturing leader for the medical market, announced today that their facility in Mexicali, Mexico is now MedAccred Certified in Plastics by the Performance Review Institute (PRI). Providing rigorous qualification for medical devices, the Performance Review Institute offers MedAccred certification through industry managed and approved standards to ensure critical manufacturing quality for medical devices. Bolstered by increased investment in additional cleanrooms and increasing the size of the facility, Mexicali marks the fourth plant that is MedAccred certified following our facilities in El Paso, Texas, Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and Longford, Ireland. Adding another MedAccred certified location to demonstrates Technimark's commitment to standards developed by medical device OEMs, contract manufacturers, and suppliers. The MedAccred certification evaluates five distinct areas of focus including: Consistent and standardized process Subject matter experts on-site Greater supply chain visibility Ensuring the easy transfer of knowledge to sub-tier suppliers Applying industry-accepted and consistent technical requirements to production In addition to the certification of the facility in Mexicali, Technimark is seeking further accreditation of two other locations by 2025. "Obtaining MedAccred and other industry certifications are essential to demonstrate our commitment to excellence," stated Kris Peavy, Chief Commercial Officer, and President of Healthcare at Technimark. "We want our customers to know our commitment is to the highest manufacturing standards in the industry." Achieving these rigorous standards throughout a thorough and complex audit process demonstrates Technimark's commitment to the continued improvement and enhancement of medical manufacturing. By adhering to the highest manufacturing standards throughout our global facilities, we provide quality and performance assurances for customers and consumers across the world. About Technimark Technimark is a global manufacturing solutions provider for the healthcare, consumer packaging, and specialty industrial market. Technimark specializes in precision injection molding, value-added assembly, and full supply chain services. Technimark provides clients with customized, end-to-end solutions based on technology and innovation that improve quality, reduce risk, lower costs, and speed products to market. With facilities in the United States, Mexico, United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, and China, Technimark delivers high-quality products worldwide. For more information, visit technimark.com. Media Contact: [email protected] SOURCE Technimark LLC Classic Collector and Mercedes-Benz Dealer to Show 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SC Cabriolet Sunday HOUSTON, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Houston-based LAPIS announced today that the company's Founder and CEO Todd Blue will show his 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SC Cabriolet in the O-2 Post War Touring Class at the 73rd Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance on Sunday, August 18, 2024, in Monterey, California. The historic weekend kicks off today, Thursday, August 15th with the Pebble Beach Tour D'Elegance, a 17-mile drive from Pebble Beach to Big Sur and back to the Pebble Beach finish line. Blue, an avid car collector for over two decades, purchased Mercedes-Benz of Northern Arizona in December 2023, fulfilling a lifelong dream of owning a Mercedes-Benz dealership since entering the retail automotive space in 2010. Todd Blue begins 2024 Pebble Beach Tour D'Elegance 17-mile drive in his 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SC Cabriolet. Photo Credit: LAPIS Todd Blue's 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SC Cabriolet enroute on the 2024 Pebble Beach Tour D'Elegance. Photo credit: LAPIS Todd and Karen Blue ready to depart on the 2024 Pebble Beach Tour D'Elegance. Photo credit: LAPIS Blue said, "I've been going to Pebble Beach for over 20 years as a fan, collector, and dealer and now it's an honor for my second year in a row to be an exhibitor. It means a tremendous amount to represent Mercedes-Benz this year, a brand I live and breathe every day as a dealer; and to compete in a Concours in this particular car." Blue added, "There were only 49 of these cars built, and ours was restored by marque specialist Chuck Brahms, may he rest in peace, one of the leading 300 SC experts of his time, respected for his excellent and thorough workmanship." Blue's 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SC was once owned by his mentor and friend, Jim Patterson, a renowned and celebrated collector who won at Pebble Beach three times, including last year in a Mercedes-Benz. Blue said, "Jim means a lot to me personally and has inspired my collecting since the early 2000s, especially at this level." Most recently, Blue has been collecting rare cars in the color blue. "This famous 904 Mercedes-Benz blue is still made today and available for custom order," he said. "We encourage our team at Mercedes-Benz of Northern Arizona to order this color and to share the custom option with our clients." Blue kicks off the weekend today in the Pebble Beach Tour D'Elegance. Blue said, "The world of auto descends upon Monterey during this weekend of immersion unlike any week of the year. It's such a career milestone and my honor to represent Mercedes-Benz at Pebble Beach and we're putting our best foot forward." Blue is sharing this weekend in Monterey with customers from his dealership, Mercedes-Benz of Northern Arizona. "Sunday marks a pivotal moment, connecting the Mercedes-Benz brand and our customers, an experience atypical of big box automotive retailers," he said. "We're proud to experience this weekend alongside our customers, whom we submitted for consideration and were invited to attend the event as guests of Mercedes-Benz." For more information about Todd Blue, LAPIS, and Mercedes-Benz of Northern Arizona, visit www.mercedesarizona.com. About LAPIS: Houston-based LAPIS was founded by retail automotive industry veteran and avid car collector Todd Blue in 2020. With a proven track record of representing the world's top luxury automotive brands and delivering world-class service, Blue has accomplished notable industry firsts and won top manufacturer awards since he entered the retail automotive space in 2010. LAPIS is home to brands with a distinctive and unique point of view, with a diversified portfolio of companies including automotive and real estate investments. The company serves as passionate and responsible stewards of every manufacturer it represents maintaining an enthusiastic focus on luxury, access, performance, innovation and service. LAPIS champions an approach which promotes identity for the long-term with an unquenchable devotion to service. Perpetuating customer passion is the company's priority. The team embraces excellence at the highest level and aspires to deliver the extraordinary to its customers, communities, partners and team members. For more information on LAPIS, visit www.LAPIS.com. About Mercedes-Benz of Northern Arizona: Mercedes-Benz of Northern Arizona, a LAPIS dealership, is located in Flagstaff, Arizona. LAPIS purchased the dealership in 2023 as LAPIS Founder and CEO Todd Blue reentered the retail automotive space. The dealership is the only luxury automotive sales and service operation in Northern Arizona, offering an extraordinary collection of luxury vehicles including new Mercedes-Benz sedans, coupes, sportscars, convertibles, Mercedes-Benz Vans and an incomparable selection of certified pre-owned automobiles. For more information, visit www.mercedesarizona.com. Media Contact: Pam Hartley | Momentum Marketing | (630) 533-0565 | [email protected] SOURCE LAPIS HOUSTON, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The publishers of The Best Lawyers in America are again recognizing eight seasoned trial lawyers from Houston's Alavi Anaipakos among the country's best for top-level intellectual property disputes and business lawsuits. Since Alavi Anaipakos was founded two years ago by experienced attorneys Amir Alavi and Demetrios Anaipakos, the firm has helped technology and business clients secure multiple significant verdicts and settlements in the U.S. and abroad. The publishers of The Best Lawyers in America are recognizing eight seasoned trial attorneys from Houston's Alavi Anaipakos among the country's best for intellectual property trials and business disputes. The firm's honorees are Amir Alavi, Demetrios Anaipakos, Scott Clark, Michael McBride, Masood Anjom, Brian Simmons, Joshua Wyde, and Justin Chen. "We are honored to be recognized for the types of intellectual property and business cases we handle every day," says Mr. Anaipakos. "Smart companies rely on The Best Lawyers in America, and we are honored to be included." Mr. Alavi and Mr. Anaipakos earned Best Lawyers rankings for over a decade based on work in intellectual property cases, patent lawsuits, and business disputes. They are joined in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America by fellow firm partners Scott Clark, Michael McBride, and Masood Anjom, and of counsel Brian Simmons, Joshua Wyde, and Justin Chen, who earned another selection on the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch list. Since last year, Alavi Anaipakos has bolstered the firm's trial expertise with the additions of experienced attorneys Michael D. Myers and Connie Flores Jones as of counsel and Zeshan Mohiuddin as an associate. Like all the firm's lawyers, they focus on high-stakes intellectual property lawsuits and significant business disputes. Alavi Anaipakos is described in the 2024 Chambers USA rankings as a "Powerhouse in IP Litigation" and credited for "multi-front litigation capabilities, global patent protection strategies, and exceptional client service" in the 2024 IAM Patent 1000 guide. Houston-based Alavi Anaipakos is home to high-stakes trial lawyers known for solving complex problems. The firm's attorneys have handled some of the world's largest patent infringement disputes and significant commercial cases across various industries, from oil and gas to energy, software, high-tech, financial services, and beyond. Our team members have been in the trenches in marquee legal battles across the nation and the world for nearly 30 years. SOURCE Alavi Anaipakos PLLC The Nonprofit Announced a $1 Million Donation from the Timothy T. Day Foundation and a $1 Million Anonymous Donor Challenge Grant, Calling on all Marines to Participate PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tun Tavern Legacy Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, today announced it has received a $1 million donation from the Timothy T. Day Foundation to support the rebuilding of The Tun in Philadelphia. Founded by Marine veteran Tim Day and his wife, Sandy, the Timothy T. Day Foundation benefits organizations and activities that provide support for Marines and the U.S. Marine Corps by preserving and promulgating the history, traditions and culture of the Marine Corps. Established in 1693, The Tun is recognized as the birthplace of the U.S. Marine Corps (1775). A groundbreaking ceremony for The Tun is planned for November 10, 2024, the 249th birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps. Proposed Tun image from the street including Tun Alley The Tun Tavern Legacy Foundation also announced a $1 million challenge grant from an anonymous donor and Marine veteran. The funder will contribute the first $500,000 once the challenge reaches $1 million, and another $500,000 once the challenge reaches $4.5 million. Timothy T. Day joined the Marine Corps in 1956, served on active duty from 1959 to 1962, and was honorably discharged in 1970, having earned the rank of Captain. Following his service, he attended Harvard Business School, where he earned his MBA. He founded Bar-S Foods Co. in 1981, where he was CEO for more than 30 years. Among the Marine Corps related organizations the Timothy T. Day Foundation has supported are the Semper Fi & America's Fund, Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, Marine Corps University Foundation, Marine Corps Fellowships at Harvard Business School, the Marine Corps Association & Foundation, and the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. "Every Marine knows that we were born in the Tun on Philadelphia's waterfront in 1775. I am proud to support the Tun Tavern Legacy Foundation's efforts to rebuild the Tun as an important part of the Corps' legacy and offer a truly one-of-a-kind gathering spot for all Marines, their families, and members of the public who want to celebrate our heritage," said Tim Day, Chairman of the Timothy T. Day Foundation. "The Timothy Day Foundation has a longstanding commitment to supporting Marine causes, and this generous contribution to reestablishing The Tun ensures that the story of the founding of the birthplace of the U.S. Marine Corps at The Tun in Philadelphia will be preserved for future generations," said Tun Tavern Legacy Foundation President and Founder Pat Dailey. In April 2024, the Tun Tavern Legacy Foundation announced it acquired the land to build The Tun, and will locate it at 19 S. 2nd Street in Philadelphia's Old City neighborhood, just 250 yards from where the historic tavern originally stood. The Tun Tavern Legacy Foundation will operate The Tun as a functioning mariner's tavern and restaurant reminiscent of colonial Philadelphia. By providing educational experiences through exhibits, historical documents and special events, it will educate visitors about the significance of the historic tavern in American history. All profits from operation of The Tun will be donated in perpetuity to support the causes of the organizations founded at the historic tavern. In addition to being recognized as the birthplace of the Marine Corps, the historic Tun Tavern is also the birthplace of Freemasonry in Pennsylvania (1731), and the founding place of the St. Andrew's Society (1747). It is the early first meeting place of the Friendly Sons & Daughters of St. Patrick (established 1771), the Society of St. George (founded in 1772, with earlier meetings at Tun Tavern), and is purportedly the place where John Adams and the Naval Committee met and drafted documents that outline the structure for what became the United States Navy (1775). "These two significant donations $1 million from the Timothy T. Day Foundation and the anonymous donor's $1 million challenge grant are a call to arms for all Marines, as well as supportive corporations, foundations and individuals, to step up to meet the fundraising challenge and help us create a place where we can gather, connect, learn, celebrate and give back," Dailey said. "We are bringing this historic tavern closer than it ever has been to reconstruction, but the heaviest lift remains fundraising," Dailey said. "If there has ever been a time in history when the Tun could come back to life, it is now and we need the support of all Marines past and present." For more information about The Tun and details on how to make a contribution, visit www.thetun.org. SOURCE Tun Tavern Legacy Foundation CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's new School of Civic Life and Leadership will welcome 11 new faculty to the Carolina community this upcoming academic year. With Jed Atkins, a nationally recognized leader in civic education at the helm, the school aims to lead the nation in providing a student experience that fosters intellectual curiosity and reflection on civic life in our present polarized political climate. "UNC-Chapel Hill is ideally positioned to provide a civic education that equips students to flourish in a pluralistic democracy," said Atkins. "Our faculty are committed to cultivating a free-speech culture inside and outside the classroom. Our curriculum will provide a rigorous, holistic education that encourages the human search for meaning and helps students develop the capacities for civil discourse and wise decision-making." The nationally recognized faculty will help students consider the constant questions of human and civic flourishing and cultivate respectful dialogue and informed decision-making skills. They will also encourage exploring civic engagement and public discourse beyond the classroom. This group of new Carolina faculty represents a diverse range of disciplines and specializations; however, it is particularly strong in political theory. "I am extremely excited about the high caliber of faculty who are coming to join the School of Civic Life and Leadership. Attracting a team like this so quickly and outside the normal hiring cycle affirms both the vision for this school and its leadership," said Carolina Provost Chris Clemens. "These new faculty are impressive teachers and scholars who will inspire our students in the classroom and enrich our community of scholars." The new faculty includes: Danielle Charette is an assistant professor who studies the history of political economy, slavery, and economic thought. She focuses her research on political theory and the emergence of political economy during the Scottish Enlightenment, especially in the work of David Hume. At the University of Virginia, she served as associate director of the Program on Constitutionalism and Democracy. Charette earned a doctorate from the University of Chicago. Flynn Cratty is a professor of the practice and historian of early modern Europe, including French and British history. His interests include the development of secularism; academic freedom of expression; religion; cultural history; intellectual history; the Reformation; and the Enlightenment. He was the founding executive director of Harvard University's Council on Academic Freedom and served as associate director of the Human Flourishing Project. Cratty received a doctorate from Yale University. David Decosimo is an associate professor specializing in ethics, religion and politics. His research explores Christian and Islamic political thought and ethics, especially on liberty; religion and politics; and academic freedom. At Boston University, he directed the Institute for Philosophy and Religion and was chair of the university's Academic Freedom Committee. He is the author of "Ethics as a Work of Charity: Thomas Aquinas and Pagan Virtues." Decosimo earned a doctorate from Princeton University. Connor Grubaugh is an intellectual historian and political theorist whose research centers on hope in the history of liberal political thought from Locke to Rawls. He will begin his appointment as an assistant professor in SCiLL on July 1, 2025, after a 1-year postdoctoral fellowship at the Kenan Institute of Ethics at Duke University. He obtained a doctorate from Oxford University. Melody Grubaugh is an adjunct assistant professor and a political scientist whose work focuses on constitutional studies, political theory and politics and literature. In addition to her teaching experience, she previously served as a senior reader at the Canterbury Institute in Oxford. She earned a doctorate from the University of Notre Dame. Michael Hawley is an assistant professor who is an expert in Catholic and Islamic political thought; political rhetoric; and contemporary just war theory. During his time at the University of Houston, his research examined classical and modern republicanism and liberalism. He is the author of "Natural Law Republicanism: Cicero's Liberal Legacy." Hawley earned a doctorate from Duke University. Rita Koganzon is an associate professor who works in the history of political thought. Her research focuses on civic and childhood education and the family's role in historical and contemporary political thought. At the University of Houston, she was associate director of the Tocqueville Forum on American Ideas and Institutions. She is the author of "Liberal States, Authoritarian Families: Childhood and Education in Early Modern Thought." Koganzon obtained a doctorate from Harvard University. Jose Maria Andres Porras is an assistant professor with extensive knowledge of the intellectual, cultural and social history of Western Europe in the late Middle Ages. At the University of Oxford, he focused his research efforts on how natural philosophy, medicine, theology and political thought shaped conceptions of human personhood and society. Porras received a doctorate from Oxford University. John Rose is a professor of practice who is a nationally known expert on teaching civil discourse. He will also direct the Morehead-Cain Scholarship Foundation's Dialogue and Discourse Program. At Duke University, he served as the associate director of The Civil Discourse Project. His course "How to Think in An Age of Political Polarization" has helped hundreds of students learn to disagree better and has inspired similar courses at 70 colleges and universities across the country. His public-facing publications include "How I Liberated My College Classroom." Rose received a doctorate from Princeton Theological Seminary. Dustin Sebell is a professor and a leading expert on classical political philosophy. His recent work focuses on religion and science in modern political philosophy. At Michigan State University, he served as director of the LeFrak Forum on Science, Reason, and Modern Democracy. His most recent book is "Xenophon's Socratic Education: Reason, Religion, and the Limits of Politics." He obtained a doctorate from Boston College. Lauren Brown Sebell is an adjunct assistant professor and a political scientist whose interests include ancient and modern political philosophy; French political thought; and constitutional law and jurisprudence. Her previous role was at Michigan State University. She earned a doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin. These faculty will be joined by two new adjunct associate professors who hold primary appointments in other academic units at Carolina including: Li-ling Hsiao, associate professor in the Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies and Michael Morgan, associate professor of History. Hsiao is a leading scholar of Chinese literature, music and art. Morgan is an expert in the Cold War, international history and grand strategy. Inger Brodey, professor of English and comparative literature will serve as associate dean for Faculty Development and Curriculum, and Decosimo will serve as associate dean for Research and Strategy. Each brings a wealth of administrative experience to back their robust commitments to cultivating the culture or free inquiry needed to provide a first-rate civic education to Carolina students. A new SCiLL Visiting Scholars Series will bring leading scholars and practitioners of civic life, thought and leadership to campus for multi-day visits. The first confirmed visiting scholar is Angel Adams Parham, associate professor of sociology, a senior fellow at the Institute of Advanced Studies in Culture at the University of Virginia and co-founder and executive director of Nyansa Classical Community. Launched last fall with the appointment of nine inaugural faculty, the school fosters a culture of reflection and intellectual curiosity that helps our democracy thrive. The faculty began articulating a vision for the school and designed the curriculum for SCiLL's minor in civic life and leadership, which is set to launch in the fall semester. The interdisciplinary minor is designed to appeal to students of all majors, providing them with interdisciplinary training in civics, the humanities and scientific literacy. Additional initiatives including enhancing the Abbey Speaker Series are in development to expand a culture of reflection on civic life and intellectual curiosity on campus ahead of the upcoming election. SOURCE University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Office of Communications First-of-its-kind program offers tuition-free credit and noncredit course bundles starting this fall SARATOGA, Calif., Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- West Valley College (WVC) and Successful Aging Solutions & Community Consulting (SASCC), a nonprofit service provider and community consultancy that offers a suite of programs for older adults, are proud to launch Senior Guided Pathways (SGP), the nation's first program addressing the intersection of education, aging, and job skills training providing comprehensive educational and career support for adults 50+. Starting this fall, SGP will offer credit and noncredit course bundles at WVC designed to support older Californians facing barriers such as ageism, a rapidly changing job market, and the lack of training programs tailored to their needs. The courses being offered are informed by community responses and have practical application, based on survey data conducted locally in 2023 and 2024. Tuition is free for enrolled seniors, and SASCC is providing transportation to and from campus as well as technical support with navigating the online processes at no cost. Earlier this month, WVC and SASCC hosted the SGP Day of Action to inform and engage the community about the unique opportunities and resources available to them. Over 30 volunteers assembled at WVC's Main Campus Center to hear from the program's architects and then canvas homes in the WVC service area to share information about SGP and enrollment details. Modeled after successful political campaigns, volunteers were equipped with door hangers, lawn signs, pamphlets, and scripts describing the benefits of the program. Over 400 homes were visited, with 82% of homes where a resident answered expressing interest in learning more. "Community colleges are a vehicle for families to achieve generational stability and functional longevity, and we are proud to be in the first community college district offering targeted programming to cultivate and produce local workforce talent, for all ages," said Dr. Jennifer Taylor-Mendoza, President of WVC. "The Day of Action for Senior Guided Pathways helped raise community awareness as we launch this critical resource, free to any individual 50+ in our district service area." "By breaking down barriers to access and providing comprehensive career support, Senior Guided Pathways is making it easier for local adults to access community programs, enabling them to secure better jobs and enhance their quality of life," said Tylor Taylor, CEO of SASCC. "This vital initiative and partnership with WVC reflects our collective commitment to investing in lifelong learning for both aging adults within our community as well as future generations." WVC will be hosting a hands-on registration event on Saturday, August 17 from 9:30-1:00 p.m. at the Student Services Center. Please visit https://www.westvalley.edu/events/registration-saturday/ to RSVP. Fall courses begin August 24, 2024 but enrollment for a full semester course ends on September 8. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Lisa Butterfield at 408-868-1257. To learn more about Senior Guided Pathways, please visit: https://www.westvalley.edu/schools/continuing-education/sascc/ About Successful Aging Solutions & Community Consulting (SASCC): Successful Aging Solutions & Community Consulting (SASCC) has been a trusted leader in the Santa Clara community since 1979. As a nonprofit consultancy, SASCC works to elevate the standard of living for older adults every day, helping them stay active, informed, and independent. We offer an integrated suite of programs and consulting for community colleges, cities, and counties, aimed at supporting older adults. For this growing population, this means essential transportation infrastructure, opportunities for continuing education, safe places to socialize, stay active, and learn, and solutions-based journalism to civically engaged. Together, we can work together to empower our communities to be great places to grow up and grow old. About West Valley College West Valley College is a public California Community College, located in Saratoga, CA and is part of the West Valley-Mission Community College District. The college provides students with degrees, certificates, and transfer opportunities to meet the workforce demands of our community. WVC is fully accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges/Western Association of Schools and Colleges. To learn more about West Valley College, visit: www.westvalley.edu Press contacts: [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE Successful Aging Solutions & Community Consulting (SASCC) If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here Kiev, Aug 15 : Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Ukraine's Armed Forces continue to advance in Russia's Kursk region with the strategic goal being achieved as well. Zelensky in his address on Wednesday said: "Our advance in Kursk region is going well today a"- we are reaching our strategic goal. Our stock of prisoners for exchange has also been significantly replenished," as quoted by Ukrainska Pravda report. "Today, I also held a meeting with members of the government a"- the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Internal Affairs, and the Human Rights Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) was also present a"- to discuss support for our military actions in Kursk region. It is important that Ukraine fights by the rules, and the humanitarian needs that exist in this area must be met." The Ukrainian President also thanked the servicemen of the Security Service of Ukraine, the Defence forces of Ukraine, Ukraine's Defence Intelligence and all agencies for the timely and effective strikes on Russian airfields. "Our Ukrainian drones are working exactly as they should. But there are some things that cannot be done with drones alone, unfortunately. We need other weapons a"- missile weapons. And we continue working with our partners on long-range decisions for Ukraine -a" because these are forward-looking decisions for our victory. It has to be done. The bolder our partners' decisions, the less Putin can do." "Todayas report from the head of the Security Service of Ukraine was positive. I want to thank all our SBU warriors, as well as the warriors of the Defence Forces of Ukraine, the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR), and all the structures involved. I thank for the precise, timely, and effective strikes on Russian airfields." Washington, Aug 15 : The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, extended warm greetings to India on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day on Thursday and hailed the ties between the two nations. Blinken said that the US celebrates the 'rich and diverse history' of the Indian people on the country's Independence Day, which is celebrated on August 15 every year. Wishing India, the US State Secretary also said that "US-India cooperation is expanding at a rapid pace" as two countries continue to work together to advance their shared vision of a free, open, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific. "On behalf of the United States of America, I congratulate the people of India as they celebrate the anniversary of their country's independence on August 15. On this momentous day, we celebrate the rich and diverse history of the Indian people and the bright future of US-Indian relations," he said in a press statement, according to the US Department of State. "Our comprehensive global and strategic partnership is grounded in the deep bonds between our peoples, our economies, and built on the foundation of our shared commitment to democracy, freedom, and human dignity," he added. "From climate and clean energy to defence and space technologies, US-Indian bilateral cooperation is more wide-ranging and stronger than ever before," Blinken said. "I wish all those celebrating today, in India, in the United States, and globally through the Indian diaspora, a joyous Independence Day," he added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hoist the national flag on the occasion at the Red Fort in Delhi. He will deliver his 11th consecutive speech to the nation from the ramparts of the historic monument. Washington, Aug 15 : The US has expressed support for India's involvment in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and its efforts to bring peace between the two countries, US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel has said here. Patel made the remarks on Wednesday while addressing potential upcoming travel by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Ukraine later this month. "I will let the (Indian) Prime Minister's office speak to any of his own travels. I don't have anything to offer there," he said during his daily news conference on Wednesday. "We are in touch with our Indian partners on a number of issues and, of course, would welcome India's engagement in the war between Russia and Ukraine, especially as it relates to ensuring that we get to a just and durable peace that is reflective of what our Ukrainian partners are attempting to do, which is to defend their territorial integrity and sovereignty," Patel added. PM Modi is likely to visit Poland and Ukraine from August 21 to 23. No official announcement in this regard has been made yet. Earlier, PM Modi was on an official visit to Russia from July 8-9 and met Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed disappointment over PM Modi's visit to Russia, which he termed a "devastating blow to peace efforts". During his bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, PM Modi raised the issue of killings of children during conflicts and said it is "heart-wrenching" when innocent children die. The Prime Minister said that everyone who believes in humanity is hurt when there is a loss of lives. As many as 37 children were killed in a recent missile strike at a children's hospital in Kyiv. Paris, Aug 15 : French President Emmanuel Macron said that two pilots had died in an accident during a Rafale fighters' training mission on Wednesday. "It is with great sadness that we learn of the deaths ... in an air accident during a Rafale training mission," said Macron on X as reported by Xinhua news agency. Two Rafale fighter jets collided in midair before crashing to the ground in northeastern France on Wednesday at around 12:30 local time on return from a refuelling mission in Germany, said the French Air Force on X. Two pilots were in one plane and one in the other. Earlier on Wednesday noon, the French authorities announced that the pilot who was alone in one plane was found safe and sound. Two Rafale fighter jets of the French army collided mid-air on Wednesday noon in France's northeastern department of Meurthe et Moselle, French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu confirmed on his X account. It was not immediately clear what caused the collision that authorities said occurred over Colombey-les-Belles, a town in northeastern France. "The military authorities will report on the causes of the accident", said the local prefecture. The Rafale "multi-role" fighter -- used to hunt enemy planes, strike ground and sea targets, carry out reconnaissance and even carry France's nuclear warheads -- has become a bestseller for the French arms industry. Accidents involving Rafale jets are rare. "We heard a loud noise, around 12:30 p.m.," Patrice Bonneaux, deputy mayor of Colombey-les-Belles, told the media. It was not the usual sonic boom of a fighter jet breaking the sound barrier, he said. "It was a strange noise, a percussive sound." "I assumed that two planes had collided, but we didn't believe it," he said, adding that a road bordering a nearby forest had been cordoned off. In December 2007, a Rafale jet crashed near Neuvic in southwestern France. Investigators concluded that the pilot had become disorientated. That was believed to be the first crash of a Rafale. In September 2009, two Rafale aircraft went down as they flew back to the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle off the coast of Perpignan after completing a test flight. One pilot died. France has sold the Rafale to Egypt, India, Greece, Indonesia, Croatia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Lecornu said in January that France had ordered 42 new Rafale fighter jets, with the first to be delivered in 2027. The French military has now ordered more than 230 Rafales since the jet went into service. French President Emmanuel Macron has urged defence manufacturers to boost production and innovation as Europe seeks to increase arms supplies to buttress Ukraine, which has been struggling to fight off Russia's invasion, now in its third year. New Delhi, Aug 15 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his 11th straight Independence Day address from the ramparts of Red Fort said that 140 crore citizens of the country are proud today. "This is the same country where terrorists used to come and attack us. When the armed forces of the country execute the surgical strikes, when it does airstrike, the youth of the country are filled with pride. That is why the 140 crore citizens of the country are proud today," said PM Modi. The PM said that the country's youth does not want to go slow, "this is our golden era, said PM Modi". "Earlier, people used to plead with the government for amenities, now they get them at the doorstep," said PM Modi. "By overcoming all the hurdles, we can make India prosperous. We can achieve the target of 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047. If 40 crore people can break the shackles of slavery to gain freedom, then with the same spirit 140 crore people can make India prosperous," said PM Modi in his I-Day speech He said, "We gave the mantra for 'Vocal for Local'. Today, I am happy that Vocal for Local has become a new mantra for the economic system. Every district has started taking pride in its produce. There is an environment of 'One District One Product'..." "We have brought big reforms on the ground. For the poor, middle class, deprived... for the aspirations of our youth, we choose the path to bring reforms in their lives. I want to assure the citizens of India that our commitment towards bringing reform is neither just for editorials, praise nor under compulsion. It is to strengthen the country," said PM Modi. Assuring the people of the continuity of bringing reforms, the PM said, "Our commitment to reforms not for temporary applause or due to compulsions, but has resolved to strengthen the country...Earlier, people wanted change but their aspirations were not paid heed to; we brought about big reforms on the ground..." New Delhi, Aug 15 : Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the time has come for the talented youth to design various products in the country for the world. While India is growing in stature in the field of manufacturing across sectors, the country also has the necessary talent to design quality products, including chips. "We should aim to design in the country for the world. The Indian standards should become international standards. The country has the necessary talent for achieving this goal," said Prime Minister Modi. Currently, nearly 85,000 industry-ready workforce at B.Tech, M.Tech, and PhD levels in semiconductor chip design are being trained at 113 academic institutions across the country. The country has the talent and expertise to be a global player in the semiconductor industry. The government is committed to creating an environment conducive to the industry's growth, including providing necessary support and infrastructure. Terming gaming as a huge market, PM Modi said that India has gaming talent that can create world-class products in the growing sector, thus creating new jobs. "I urge IT professionals and AI experts to lead gaming products. I also wish that India creates top-notch animators as this is a big global industry," PM Modi told the gathering. The global gaming ecosystem is a $200 billion industry and India currently represents 17-20 per cent of the world's gamers. PM Modi had recently interacted with young gamers, highlighting the growing ecosystem for gaming in the country. The government is recognising gaming as a special talent, much like other sports. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is set to organise the AVGC (audio-video, gaming and comics) summit, which will include a dedicated pillar for gaming. New Delhi, Aug 15 : In his address to the nation on the occasion of Independence Day on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke from the ramparts of the Red Fort about what he called "the importance of reviving the centuries-old spirit of education." New Delhi, Aug 15 (IANS) In his address to the nation on the occasion of Independence Day on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke from the ramparts of the Red Fort about what he called "the importance of reviving the centuries-old spirit of education." He spotlighted the historical significance of Bihar and the renovation of Nalanda University which has resumed its functions. However, he emphasised the need to revive the ancient Nalanda spirit in the education sector, bringing renewed vigour to the global traditions of knowledge. The Prime Minister noted that several states have taken commendable steps under the New Education Policy, which plays a crucial role in aligning the education system with the needs of the 21st century and preparing human resources for a developed India. He expressed his desire for Indian youth not to be compelled to study abroad, highlighting the high costs borne by middle-class families. He envisioned "establishing systems that would eliminate the need for students to study abroad and instead attract international students to India." Addressing educational institutions across the country, the Prime Minister stressed that language should not be a barrier to talent. "The education policy emphasises the importance of mother tongue, and supporting it empowers every young Indian, including those from less privileged backgrounds, to achieve their dreams," he said. PM Modi urged the nation to progress with new heights and enthusiasm, stating that resting on past achievements is not in the country's ethos. He emphasised the importance of striving for development and prosperity and making a commitment to progress a national characteristic. In light of global changes, the Prime Minister highlighted the growing significance of skills and skill development. He called for enhanced focus on skill-building across all sectors, including agriculture and sanitation, and introduced a more extensive Skill India Programme in the current Budget. This programme also emphasises internships to provide young people with practical experience and marketability. PM Modi expressed a vision for India's skilled manpower to play a prominent role in the global job market. New Delhi, Aug 15 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday made a cross-party appeal on all levels of governance - from panchayats to Central government - on working together to improve ease of living in a "mission mode." New Delhi, Aug 15 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday made a cross-party appeal on all levels of governance from panchayats to Central government on working together to improve ease of living in a "mission mode." Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort, the Prime Minister said that the governance delivery systems have to be strengthened. "The middle class gives a lot to the nation and expects a certain quality of life. It will be our endeavour to ensure minimum government interference and improve ease of living," PM Modi emphasised. Under the overarching theme of 'ease of living', the five key themes are drinking water, electricity, health, schooling, and land and property. Achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047 will require a collaborative approach between the Centre and the state governments, to the level of gram panchayats. "Reforms in governance have to be prioritised to realise the goal of a Viksit Bharat by 2047," the Prime Minister stressed, adding that we should create a society in which government interference is minimal. The government is fully committed to ensuring 'ease of living' for its citizens and will continue to take further steps in this regard, said PM Modi. "I would like to assure my countrymen that our commitment to reforms is not limited to pink paper editorials. It is with the intention of strengthening the country," the Prime Minister told the gathering. The Centre aims to foster governance and collaboration between the Centre and state governments, enhancing the quality of life for both rural and urban populations by strengthening the delivery mechanisms of government interventions. According to PM Modi, the vision of Viksit Bharat can be realised through Viksit (developed) states, and that the aspiration of a developed India should reach the grassroots to each district, block and village. The Prime Minister also appreciated the Aspirational Districts Programme anchored by NITI Aayog. Seoul, Aug 15 : Major companies in South Korea saw their second-quarter operating income more than double from a year earlier, driven by strong performances in the semiconductor sector, a corporate tracker said on Thursday. The combined net profits of the 334 companies out of South Korea's top 500 companies by sales reached 59.4 trillion won ($43.6 billion) for the April-June period, up 107.1 per cent from 28.7 trillion won a year ago, according to CEO Score. Their total sales increased 7 per cent on-year to 779.5 trillion won from 728.6 trillion won over the cited period, reports Yonhap news agency. The corporations cover those that have disclosed their quarterly financial statements for the first quarter as of Wednesday. The country's two leading chipmakers, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix led the overall increase for the second quarter on rising demand for AI semiconductors, such as high-bandwidth memory (HBM) from U.S. tech giants like Nvidia Corp. Samsung Electronics, the world's largest memory chipmaker, posted 10.4 trillion won in operating profit for the three-month period ending June, soaring from 668.5 billion won a year earlier. This solidified its position as the company with the highest quarterly operating profit in South Korea. SK hynix's operating profit amounted to 5.5 trillion won for the second quarter, turning from an operating loss of 2.9 trillion won a year earlier. As a result, SK hynix moved into second place in terms of operating profit, surpassing automotive giants Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Corp., which reported operating profits of 4.3 trillion won and 3.6 trillion won, respectively. On the other hand, SK On, a battery manufacturing unit under SK Group, marked the biggest operating loss of 460.2 billion won during the period amid declining global demand for electric vehicles. The chemical sector also faced difficulties, with Lotte Chemical Co. and Hanwha Solutions Corp. recording operating losses of 111.2 billion won and 107.8 billion won, respectively. New Delhi, Aug 15 : In a bid to boost healthcare in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address to the nation on Independence Day on Thursday, promised to create 75,000 more medical seats over the next five years, adding to the existing over one lakh seats in the country. "In the last 10 years we have increased the number of medical seats to nearly 1 lakh in the country," PM Modi said while delivering his eleventh Independence Day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort. He lamented that children, mostly belonging to the middle class, are going abroad for medical education. "Around 25,000 youths every year go abroad for medical education," he said adding: "They go to such countries, that I get surprised when I hear about them." They spend "lakhs and crores" on medical education abroad, he said. "So we have decided, 75,000 new seats will be created in the medical line in the next five years," Modi stated. The PM noted that the government aims to "build such an education system in India that youngsters do not need to go abroad to study. In fact, we would want foreign students to come here and study." As per the government data, there has been an 82 per cent increase in the number of medical colleges in the country -- from 387 before 2014 to 704 in 2023. In the same period, the total number of MBBS seats has also surged from 51,348 to 1,07,948 -- a 110 per cent increase. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister also introduced the Rashtriya Poshan Mission. He emphasises the vision of 'Swasth Bharat' (Healthy India) as part of the broader 'Viksit Bharat 2047' initiative. "'Viksit Bharat' should also mean 'Healthy Bharat', thus nutrition is of prime importance," he said. "The first generation of a prosperous Bharat must be healthy, which is why we have launched the Poshan Mission," Modi further added. Kathmandu, Aug 15 : Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli on Thursday extended his best wishes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of India on Independence Day. "Warm congratulations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of India on 78th Independence Day!" the Nepali Prime Minister said in a post on X. Further expressing hope for bolstering bilateral ties, he wrote, "May this day strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between our nations. Looking forward to advancing Nepal-India relations." Earlier on Wednesday, the Indian Embassy in Nepal organised a 'Har Ghar Tiranga' event in the spirit of the 78th Independence Day of the nation. "The Indian National Flag is a source of immense pride for every citizen of India. Commemorating the spirit of the 78th Independence Day 2024, officers and officials of the Indian Embassy in Nepal enthusiastically joined the Har Ghar Tiranga celebration," the embassy said in a post on X. Recently, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited Nepal to deepen the bilateral relationship between the two nations under India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy, continuing the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between India and Nepal. During his visit, the Foreign Secretary reaffirmed civilisational, close and multifaceted ties between the two nations and discussed ways to provide momentum to various sectors of bilateral collaboration. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) emphasised that Foreign Secretary Misri's visit continues the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between India and Nepal. India is celebrating its 78th Independence Day this year. On this occasion, PM Modi hoisted the national flag at the Red Fort and paid tributes to the freedom fighters. The theme of this year's Independence Day is 'Viksit Bharat 2047', underscoring the government's goal of making India a developed country by 2047, which would mark 100 years of Independence. The focus is on government policy and programme announcements that generate headlines. New Delhi, August 15 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the national flag at the historic Red Fort in Delhi to mark the 78th Independence Day on Thursday. This year, approximately 6,000 special guests attended the celebrations. The diverse group included the country's youth, students, tribal members, farmers, women, Border Road Organisation workers, Indian Olympic athletes, nurses, and Anganwadi workers among others. Many elected women representatives, sarpanches, and hundreds of people dressed in traditional attire of different states also participated in this Independence Day celebration. This year's Independence Day theme was 'Developed India @ 2047.' Approximately 2,000 people from various states and Union Territories, dressed in traditional attire, attended the grand ceremony at the Red Fort. To boost public involvement, around 6,000 special guests were invited to the celebrations. These guests, invited by the Central Government, represent a broad spectrum of society, including youth, tribal communities, farmers, women, and others. The Independence Day celebrations also featured tribal artisans and entrepreneurs supported by the National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation. Additionally, Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA), Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANM), Anganwadi workers, elected women representatives, and beneficiaries of various initiatives such as Sankalp, Mahila Empowerment Centre, Lakhpati Didi, Drone Didi, Sakhi Kendra Yojana, Child Welfare Committee, and District Child Protection Units were present at the event. According to the Ministry of Defence, the Indian contingent from the recent Paris Olympics was invited to the celebrations. There was one guest from each block of the Aspiring Block Programme, Border Roads Organisation workers, students from the Prerana School Programme, and Sarpanchs from Gram Panchayats who excelled in priority sector schemes. Additionally, 3,000 winners of online competitions organised by the Defence Ministry in collaboration with MyGov and All India Radio attended the event. Tokyo, Aug 15 : Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida sent a ritual offering to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine on Thursday, as the country marked the 79th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II. Kishida dedicated the Tamakushi fees to the shrine, a symbol of Japan's past brutal militarism, in his capacity as president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Xinhua news agency reported. It came a day after Kishida took the public by surprise by announcing that he would not run in the ruling party's presidential race next month, ready to step down as the Prime Minister after three years in power. While Kishida has not visited the notorious shrine in person, several LDP lawmakers, including Shinjiro Koizumi, a former Environment Minister and son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, on Thursday visited the shrine to pay homage. The Yasukuni Shrine, located in central Tokyo, honours 14 convicted Class-A Japanese war criminals from World War II. It has long been a source of diplomatic friction for Japan and its neighbours. Visits and ritual offerings made by Japanese officials to the controversial shrine have consistently sparked criticism and hurt the feelings of the people of China, South Korea and other countries brutalized by Japan during the war. Seoul, Aug 15 : Independence fighter groups and opposition party lawmakers of South Korea boycotted the government's Liberation Day ceremony on Thursday to separately commemorate the holiday in protest over the appointment of the new head of a national independence museum. The Heritage of Korean Independence (HKI), a state-funded association of independence fighters and their descendants, held a separate ceremony at Hyochang Park in central Seoul, joined by other independence activist groups and opposition party lawmakers, Yonhap news agency reported. It marked the first time independence-related groups held a separate Liberation Day ceremony from the government-organised one. The move came as the groups and opposition parties have called for the resignation of Kim Hyoung-suk, the newly appointed president of the Independence Hall of Korea, accused of holding pro-Japanese views. "Recently, distortions of the truth and base historical perceptions stained with pro-Japanese views have spread, placing our society in confusion," HKI chief Lee Jong-chan said at the ceremony. "The HKI could not just watch this regression and damage to history." The HKI has accused Kim of being a "New Right" figure who called for designating August 15, 1948, when South Korea's government was established, as national foundation day. Lee argued that creating a national foundation day would undermine the history of Korea's independence movement and legitimise Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea. Kim's past remarks alleging South Korea came into being when its government was established in 1948 led to suspicions his appointment was a precursor to designating the date as National Foundation Day, despite the government's repeated denials. The question of when South Korea came into being has long been a subject of ideological debate, with some arguing it was April 11, 1919, when a provisional government was established during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula. Korea achieved independence from Japanese colonial rule on August 15, 1945, following Japan's surrender in World War II. The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) and other minor parties also boycotted the government ceremony, with Rep. Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the DP, and Rep. Cho Kuk, leader of the minor Rebuilding Korea Party, attending the HKI event. Meanwhile, the ruling People Power Party earlier said the calls for Kim's resignation and ceremony boycotts were political manoeuvres that weakened the meaning of Liberation Day. "If we truly consider the meaning of liberation, we must not split the national Memorial Day in two," a PPP spokesperson said in a commentary. Male, Aug 15 : Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu on Thursday hailed the "invaluable partnership" between the two neighbouring countries in his greetings sent to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of India's 78th Independence Day. Male, Aug 15 (IANS) Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu on Thursday hailed the "invaluable partnership" between the two neighbouring countries in his greetings sent to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of India's 78th IndependenceA Day. "India continues to be an invaluable partner in the development of the Maldives. The long-standing partnership, based on mutual respect and trust, has evolved into a close and cooperative friendship that has been instrumental in advancing the development and prosperity of the Maldives," his office said in a statement. The Maldivian President reaffirmed his administration's "full commitment" to strengthening the "historic and close connections" between the two neighbouring countries. Taking to X, Muizzu wrote, "On the occasion of India's Independence Day, I extend heartfelt congratulations to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of India." "Our enduring friendship, rooted in history, has evolved to foster prosperity and development in the Maldives and the region. As we look to the future, I am confident that our partnership will continue to strengthen, driving mutual prosperity and shared goals," he added. Earlier this week, calling India one of the "closest allies" and "invaluable partners", the Maldivian President also extended "deep gratitude" to PM Modi, the Indian government, and the friendly people of India for their "generous and continued assistance" to the Maldives. "India has always been one of the closest allies and invaluable partners, facilitating and providing aid whenever Maldives has needed it," Muizzu acknowledged in External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar's presence during a ceremony held at the President's Office to handover the completed water supply and sewerage facilities on 28 islands in the Maldives, funded by the Government of India's Line of Credit (LoC) facility through the Exim Bank of India. In his remarks, Muizzu highlighted that these projects are key milestones in the Maldives' bilateral relations with India and would provide significant economic benefits, boost the local economies, and together contribute to the nation's prosperity. During his meeting with EAM Jaishankar, the Maldives President also recalled his recent visit to India to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Modi and expressed appreciation for the invitation and the opportunity to meet the Prime Minister as well as President Droupadi Murmu. India is celebrating its 78th Independence Day this year. On this occasion, PM Modi hoisted the national flag at the Red Fort and paid tributes to the freedom fighters. The theme of this year's Independence Day is 'Viksit Bharat 2047', underscoring the government's goal of making India a developed country by 2047, which would mark 100 years of Independence. The focus is on government policy and programme announcements that generate headlines. Moscow, Aug 15 : A mandatory evacuation has been ordered for all residents of the Glushkovsky district in Russia's Kursk region, acting Governor Alexei Smirnov announced on his official Telegram channel. "The regional operational headquarters has decided to mandate the evacuation of the entire Glushkovsky district," Smirnov said on Wednesday. The Glushkovsky district, which borders Ukraine, comprises two towns and 11 villages, Xinhua news agency reported. This comes after an earlier announcement of a mandatory evacuation in the settlement of Glushkovo within the district. Law enforcement agencies, local authorities, and volunteers from the Kursk Patriot Center will coordinate the evacuation process. Russia repelled seven Ukrainian attacks in Kursk. Earlier on Monday, the Russian Defence Ministry said in a statement that the attacks were repelled in the settlements of Martynovka, Borki and Korenevo over Sunday. San Francisco, Aug 15 : A plane that crashed last month in Glacier Bay National Park, US state of Alaska, was a few hundred feet below a high ridge when it struck the mountainside, killing three people aboard, according to an official preliminary report released by the US National Transportation Safety Board. The 1948 Beechcraft Bonanza left Juneau, the capital city of Alaska, on July 20 for Yakutat, but crashed into the east side of Mount Crillon, one of the higher mountains of the coastal Fairweather Range, reports Xinhua news agency, citing the US National Transportation Safety Board. The plane's tracking signal stopped at an altitude of about 10,875 feet (about 3,315 metres), 345 feet (about 105 metres) below the top of the ridge, according to the report, which also referenced a forecast warning of clouds obscuring mountaintops in the region. An aerial search on August 5 revealed "portions of highly fragmented aeroplane wreckage" at about 6,200 feet (about 1,890 metres), more than 4,500 feet (about 1,372 metres) below the area where authorities believed the plane initially crashed, the report said. The discovery of the plane came more than two weeks after the US Coast Guard suspended an extensive search for the plane. Any information in the report is preliminary, said Clint Johnson, the NTSB's Alaska chief. A more comprehensive report, including any probable cause of the crash, is expected to be released next year. Mumbai, Aug 15 : It has been a year since "Gadar 2," starring Sunny Deol and Ameesha Patel, was released, and its director, Anil Sharma, said that the blockbuster is not just a movie but also an emotion of the country. Mumbai, Aug 15 (IANS) It has been a year since "Gadar 2," starring Sunny Deol and Ameesha Patel, was released, and its director, Anil Sharma, said that the blockbuster is not just a movie but also an emotion of the country. Talking about the life of the "Gadar" franchise, Sharma told IANS: "'Gadar is not (just) a film; it is an emotion of India. That is the life of the film." "It is the emotion of the country, and India is joined with it. This is the brand of Gadar. I can say it is patriotism or family. (But) it is the emotion of India." The period drama film "Gadar 2" is a sequel to "Gadar: Ek Prem Katha," which was released in 2001. Sunny, Ameesha, and actor Utkarsh Sharma reprised their roles from the previous film, where they played the roles of Tara Singh, Sakina, and Jeete, respectively. "Gadar 2" is set during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, and Sunny's character returns to Pakistan to save his imprisoned son Charanjeet. The film was the fifth highest-grossing Indian film of 2023 and was named the eighth highest-grossing Hindi film of all time. Reminiscing about last year's celebrations, Anil shared: "It has been one year since it was released. I remember that it was the morning of August 15, and the film had made more than Rs 55 crore on this day." An emotional Sharma is thankful to God and audiences for giving him two "Gadar" blockbusters. "I am very thankful to God and the audience for this. People sometimes don't get one Gadar, and I got two of them. It is a big achievement, and I can only be thankful. I may not deserve so much, but God gave me so much love." The film was tagged as a "Hindistan ka asli blockbuster" as it made over Rs. 691.08 crore gross. "All the films that are being made are blockbusters... For me, all films that are good are blockbusters. I would like to congratulate all those whose films have done really well," he said. Does the timing of a film play an important role in making it a success? "Yes, it is the timing also, but 'Gadar: Ek Prem Katha' was released in June, and this was on August 15. Timing is important, but I also I feel the film is important." He said that his 1987 film "Hukumat," starring Dharmendra and Rati Agnihotri, hit the big screen during the exam times and yet was tagged as the highest-grossing Bollywood film of the year. "My film 'Hukumat' came out in March, during the exam, as the biggest blockbuster it became. Timing is important but the most important thing is the film. What's in the film and how much is it entertaining you?" The filmmaker has now started working on the third installment of the "Gadar" franchise. New Delhi, Aug 15 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday delivered his longest Independence Day speech at 98 minutes from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort. This was the second record that he set with his 11th consecutive address. The other one is surpassing his predecessor Manmohan Singh's 10 Independence Day addresses to become the third PM to achieve the feat. PM Modi's Independence Day speeches average 82 minutes, which is longer than any other prime minister in the country. His longest I-day speech was 96 minutes in 2016 and his shortest one was in 2017 when he spoke for around 56 minutes. The speech on Thursday was his 11th address as the PM and his first after taking charge for a third term. Before PM Modi, India's first PM Jawaharlal Nehru and later I.K. Gujral had delivered the longest speeches. Nehru in 1947 and Gujral in 1997 spoke for 72 and 71 minutes, respectively. The shortest speech record goes to Nehru and Indira Gandhi. Both spoke for 14 minutes in 1954 and 1966, respectively. Manmohan Singh, who headed the UPA government for straight two tenures, delivered speeches in 2012 and 2013 which lasted only 32 and 35 minutes, respectively. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was the PM during the NDA rule, also gave short speeches -- 2002 and 2003 -- at 25 and 30 minutes, respectively. Besides the speech duration record, with his 11th consecutive address on Independence Day from the ramparts of the Red Fort, PM Modi becomes the third Prime Minister to do so. The record lies with Nehru who hoisted the flag 17 times from 1947 to 1964. Nehru is followed by Indira Gandhi who hoisted the national flag 16 times. Indira Gandhi, however, did not achieve this record in consecutive tenures. She did this in two different stints from 1966-1977 and 1980-1984 PM Modi's Independence Day speech duration: 2014 -- PM Modi delivered his first Independence Day speech, which lasted 65 minutes. 2015 -- 88 minutes 2016 -- 96 minutes 2017 -- 56 minutes 2018 -- 83 minutes 2019 -- 92 minutes (his second-longest to date) 2020 -- 90 minutes 2021 -- 88 minutes 2022 -- 74 minutes 2023 -- 90 minutes Canberra, Aug 15 : Australia's unemployment rate has risen to its highest level in over two years, according to official data published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Thursday. The unemployment rate rose to 4.2 per cent in July - up from 4.1 per cent in June and the equal-highest figure since November 2021, the ABS data revealed. Economists broadly expected the unemployment rate to remain steady at 4.1 per cent in July, reports Xinhua news agency, quoting the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). The ABS said the total number of employed Australians increased by 58,200 between June and July to 14.46 million but that the number of unemployed people grew by 23,900 in the same period to 637,100 - the highest since November 2021. As a result, the participation rate, which measures the proportion of working-age Australians who are either employed or actively looking for work, rose from 66.9 per cent in June to a record high of 67.1 per cent in July. "The employment-to-population ratio rose by 0.1 percentage point to 64.3 per cent, indicating employment growth was faster than population growth and was just below the historical high of 64.4 per cent in November 2023," Kate Lamb, head of labour statistics at the ABS, said in a statement. "The record high participation rate and near record high employment-to-population ratio show that there continues to be a high number of people in jobs, and looking for and finding jobs." She said 4.2 per cent of employed Australians worked reduced hours in July due to illness, similar to the levels in May and June and above the five-year pre-COVID July average of 3.6 per cent. Kolkata, Aug 15 : Kolkata Police, on Thursday, released some photographs of miscreants involved in the midnight ransacking of the emergency department of state-run R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital. The attack had taken place a few minutes after Wednesday midnight when scores of people led by women took to the streets of Kolkata following the call of "Meyera, Rat Dakhal Karo (girls, reclaim the night)" demanding justice for the junior doctor of the same hospital who was raped and murdered last week. The city police released a total of over 60 photographs, which it has circulated through its social media handle. In that post, the city police officials requested the people to come forward and inform the police about any miscreant identified in the photographs released. "Information wanted: Anyone who can help identify the individuals circled in red in the images below is requested to do so, either directly to us or through your local PS," the statement of Kolkata Police issued along with the released photographs read. Incidentally, almost an hour after the event of vandalism at the R.G. Kar Hospital, the city police commissioner, Vineet Kumar Goyal claimed that "continuous negative media propaganda over the rape and murder incident" was the main reason which led to the vandalism and the attack on the police official and staff. "This is the impact of continuous and negative media campaigns that have shown the city police in a bad light. In addition, there have been social media campaigns. Now the responsibility of the investigation of the case is with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Let them investigate the matter now," the city police commissioner said. On Thursday, the city police also cautioned about the spread of information that the scene of crime in case of the ghastly rape and murder has been affected following the midnight ransacking. New Delhi, Aug 15 : Brokerage firm Zerodha has completed 14 years, said Co-founder and CEO Nithin Kamath, while extending his greeting for Independence Day, on Thursday. He emphasised the need "to get back to playing", even as he suffered from "a mild stroke" earlier this year. "Happy Independence Day. @zerodhaonline also turns 14 today so thank you for all the love," Kamath said in a post on social media platform X.com. Kamath co-founded Zerodha along with his younger brother Nikhil in 2010. Kamath also posted a video "from 2018", where his son is singing the Indian national anthem Jana Gana Mana, and he is playing a guitar. "2024 year has been a disaster in terms of health. I need to get back to playing for myself," Kamath said. In February, Kamath disclosed that he suffered "a mild stroke", which left him with a "big droop in the face and not being able to read or write, and absent-minded". He attributed his condition to anything from poor sleep exhaustion, dehydration, overworking out, or the passing away of his father. In April, the 44-year-old entrepreneur made his first public appearance after the stroke and said that he is "slowly getting back to normal". Kamath is also known for his fitness advice on social media. Recently, he also sparked a crucial conversation about the quality and safety of the food people consume. Kamath said that Indians must question what goes into our food, adding that the sugar content in them "is ridiculous". He also pointed out the widespread adulteration in essential food items such as masalas, milk, and protein supplements. He noted that the "substandard chemicals used in food colouring and preservatives in fruits and vegetables are all slowly killing us". "This applies to both packaged foods and food from many restaurants," Kamath said. Phnom Penh, Aug 15 : Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet on Thursday vowed to take strict measures against any individual or group involved in organising or participating in riots. Hun Manet said overseas opponents have recently called on local people to rally in Phnom Penh on August 18 against the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle Area, with their hidden plot to overthrow the legitimate government, Xinhua news agency reported. The government has no choice, but will enforce the law to safeguard the rights and freedom of the country's population of 17 million particularly 2 million in Phnom Penh, ensuring them peace, stability, and a fearless business atmosphere, he said in a live broadcast speech during a meeting with some 1,000 lay Buddhist priests. "We will take tough action against those who attempt to burn the country ... we will not allow the plot made by a handful of hostile forces to divide our nation," he added. Hun Manet said the government will not let the situation get worse like those in Bangladesh and Britain. In recent weeks, overseas opposing forces have accused the Cambodian government of signing an agreement to cede part of Cambodia's national territory to Vietnam through the establishment of the development framework, and they called for protests to press the government to withdraw from it. In July, four people, who used slanderous remarks against the development framework, were arrested and charged with inciting to cause serious chaos to social stability. Proposed in 1999, the development framework is an initiative to maintain economic, social, and national security, with each country controlling its territory. The cooperation aims to foster growth, development, and stability in the border areas of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. New Delhi, Aug 15 : Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has provisionally attached immovable properties of Gautam Thapar's Avantha Group. Valued at Rs 678.48 crore, the properties are in the form of land located in Haryana, Maharashtra and Uttarakhand. New Delhi, Aug 15 (IANS) Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has provisionally attached immovable properties of Gautam Thaparas Avantha Group. Valued at Rs 678.48 crore, the properties are in the form of land located in Haryana, Maharashtra and Uttarakhand. On August 19, 2019, CG Power and Industrial Solutions Ltd had disclosed under Regulation 30 of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015 to Bombay Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange regarding findings which had potential implications on the financial position of the company. The disclosure made by CG Power and Industrial Solutions Ltd revealed that assets and liabilities of the company have been understated considerably; that advances to related parties and unrelated parties have also been understated; additionally, certain assets' company have been provided as collateral, the company was made a co-borrower and/or guarantor for enabling financing of loans which were immediately routed out of the company without due authorisation. The notice of the disclosure was taken by the lender banks of the company and on the basis of a complaint made by State Bank of India, CBI, New Delhi registered an FIR dated 22.06.2021 under the various sections of IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act against CG Power and Industrial Solution Ltd: Gautam Thapar, along with K. N. Neelkanth, Madhav Acharya, B. Hariharan, Omakar Goswami and unknown public servant(s) and private person(s) in perpetuating a bank fraud on consortium of banks to the tune of Rs 2,435 crore. On the basis of the above FIR, ED initiated the investigation under PMLA, and during the course of the investigation, earlier two Provisional Attachment Orders were issued wherein the properties of Rs 14.43 crore were attached. One Key Managerial Personnel of the company, namely Madhav Acharya, was also arrested in January 2024, and a prosecution complaint has been filed against him and other persons found to have been involved in the offence of money laundering. Further investigation conducted by ED revealed that Rs 1307.06 crore have been diverted to Avantha Group companies by availing loans and out of its funds. Most of the funds have been paid without the due authorisation of the board and the funds ultimately paid to Avantha Group companies remained still outstanding on Avantha Group. Therefore, the properties of companies of Avantha Group worth Rs 678.48 Crore have been attached. Further investigation is under way. Mumbai, Aug 15 : On the occasion of India's 78th Independence Day, actress Isha Malviya has urged respect for the Tricolour and said it is a symbol of our nation's pride. Isha, who is known for her role in the show "Udaariyaan", reflected on cherished childhood memories from the celebrations of Independence Day and offered insights on flag etiquette. For the actress, Independence Day has always been a blend of simple joys and cherished traditions. Reminiscing about her school days, she recalled: "During my school days, Independence Day was always special. In the evening, after returning from school, my dad would wait for us with Poha, Jelly Beans, and samosas, a special dish from Madhya Pradesh." "We would eat together, which was the highlight of our Independence Day. The day also included participating in school programs and dance functions," she added. Isha shared a thoughtful message for those who may not fully understand the significance of the Tricolour. "If you cannot properly care for the national flag, you should not buy it. The flag is a symbol of our nation's pride, and it deserves respect. I urge people to only purchase the flag if they are committed to preserving it, rather than discarding it carelessly." Isha urges people to only purchase the flag if they are committed to preserving it, rather than discarding it carelessly. "India has undoubtedly evolved significantly over the past 78 years. The entire generation has experienced substantial changes. I hope that India continues to advance positively, providing a better future for the generations to come." Noticing a trend of other countries celebrating India's independence, she said: "While I haven't seen a drastic change in the spirit of Independence Day, I have noticed an encouraging trend. People from other countries who have moved to India are also celebrating Independence Day, showing respect for our culture." "This inclusivity is heartening, and I wish all Indians a very happy Independence Day." Seoul, Aug 15 : South Korea and the United States ended another round of negotiations this week on determining Seoul's share of the cost for stationing the US Forces Korea (USFK), a foreign ministry official said on Thursday. The sixth round of the talks on the Special Measures Agreement (SMA) took place from Monday to Wednesday in Washington, according to the official. The current six-year SMA is due to expire at the end of next year, Yonhap news agency reported. "South Korea and the United States held focused consultations for substantive progress in both sides' major areas of interest," the official said. Since 1991, Seoul has partially shared the cost for Korean USFK workers; the construction of military installations, such as barracks, as well as training, educational, operational, and communications facilities; and other logistical support. The latest negotiations are taking place as South Korea seeks to strike an early deal to avoid tough bargaining if former US President Donald Trump returns to the White House. Islamabad, Aug 15 : At least two people were killed and around 20 others injured on Thursday in a collision between a troller and a van in the southern port city of Karachi, the rescue service reported. The accident took place early morning on the Northern Bypass of the city when the troller hit the van from behind as both vehicles were going in the same direction, resulting in the casualties, Xinhua news agency reported. Rescue workers reached the site and shifted the victims to a local hospital, said the rescue service, adding that one of the injured was in critical condition. The authorities said that an investigation is underway. Further details are awaited. Mumbai, Aug 15 : Actress Aakanksha Singh on Thursday penned a heart-wrenching poem on the occasion of 78th Independence Day, referring to the news of the rape and murder of a female trainee doctor in Kolkata's R G Kar Medical College and Hospital. Taking to Instagram, the diva, who essayed the role of Kiran in the 2017 movie 'Badrinath Ki Dulhania', starring Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt, shared a Reel video, wherein she can be seen reciting a poem, written by her. In the video, we can see the 34-year-old actress wearing a white shirt, and has kept her curly locks open. We can hear her reciting a heart-wrenching poem in Hindi. She says, "Azaadi ka din hai, par azaadi mehsoos nahi hoti...azaadi khule aasmaan me udne ki...wo ghoorti hui aankhein... rooh par na jaane kitne ghaav de kar gayi hai... rok nahi paa rahi hain unhe koi salaakhein... din par din koi naya kissa saamne aata hai... rape, murder, torture hi bas samaj ki nishaani ban jata hai..." "Azaadi ka din hai... sahi maayne me iska matlab koi na samjha hai... Bharat Mata ke samman ke liye.. har kisi ka josh sabse upar hai... par wahi aurton ko sirf istemaal kar ke chhoda jata hai... 'beti padhao beti bachao' nara sunne me bahut acha lagta hoga...par jab beti ki hi aabroo ko, hazaro ne nocha hoga...us padhne wali jagah par use kisi ne nahi bachaya...uske sapno ko, uski aabroo ko kya berahmi se koota hoga... azaadi jo mili hame, uske liye har jawan ko salam hai..." said Aakanksha in her poem. "Bharat Mata ki raksha ke liye, lada har insaan hai... umeed hai ussi josh se, apradhon se azaadi milegi kabhi...desh ki har beti sukoon se, bina darr ke, khul ke firse hasegi kabhi... Happy Independence Day", she concluded. The post is captioned as: "Poem- Azadi Mehsus Nahi Hoti... Written and recited by yours truly". A fan wrote in the comment section: "So well thought, written and expressed.." Earlier, the 'Malli Raava' fame actress took to Stories section and wrote: "#justiceformoumita...The recent incident at R.G. Kar Medical College in Kolkata is a chilling reminder that the safety of women is not just a concern for doctors but for everyone. If a woman is not safe even in her workplace, where can she be? This horrific crime is reminiscent of the Nirbhaya case, and it raises the same urgent questions about our society's treatment of women." "Some leaders have suggested that women should avoid going out at night, but what if she's on night duty in what should be her safest environment? Is she even safe there? This could happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time. We must bring this issue to the forefront and demand justice. The perpetrators must be punished severely to set an example for others who might consider such heinous acts," read the note. "The details of this case are beyond horrifying. The victim was found naked on the floor, her body broken and disfigured, bleeding incessantly, with shattered glass in her eyes. The pain she endured in her final moments is unimaginable. To make matters worse, her parents were denied access to her body for hours after they arrived at the crime scene. Evidence suggests that multiple people were involved, yet only one suspect has been arrested, and the case seems to be muddied by the institution, labeling the victim as 'psychotic' to cover their tracks," she said. The post ended as: "This isn't just an issue for doctors anymore; it's a matter of basic humanity. Year after year, we seem to be descending to new levels of inhumanity. Those who hoped for change after the Nirbhaya case have been let down. It's been over a decade, and nothing significant has changed. This incident painfully highlights that being a woman-and in this case, a doctor on duty--can be a crime too. How many times We make our voices heard?? We failed as a society." On the work front, she was last seen in the movie 'Runway 34'. She next has Telugu movie 'Shashtipoorthi' in the kitty. Mumbai, Aug 15 : Actress Shilpa Shetty Kundra, who recently essayed the role of Special Cell Chief Tara Shetty in the streaming series 'Indian Police Force', is celebrating the 78th Independence Day with the men who are on the frontlines of our nation. On Thursday, Shilpa took to her Instagram, and shared a video of herself celebrating Independence Day with BSF jawans. The actress visited the BSF sector headquarters in Ferozepur and participated in the I-Day celebrations where the BSF personnel recited poems and gave speeches on the special day. Shilpa, in her speech, expressed her gratitude to the jawans for guarding our borders, and said how people of India feel secure and can enjoy freedom because of the jawans. She wrote in the caption, "Not many have the chance to witness the courage and dedication of those who stand guard at the Indo-Pakistan border, protecting our nation with unwavering resolve. Seeing them in action is a humbling reminder of the sacrifices made every day, often unnoticed but never unappreciated". She further mentioned, "I am deeply proud to be an Indian, and today, as we celebrate our Independence, I feel an overwhelming gratitude for these heroes. Happy Independence Day #78thIndependenceDay #IndependenceDay". Meanwhile, on the work front, the actress will be next seen in the movie 'KD - The Devil', from her native state. The Kannada language film also stars Dhruva Sarja, Reeshma Nanaiah, V. Ravichandran, Ramesh Aravind, Jisshu Sengupta and Nora Fatehi and Sanjay Dutt. Her role in the 'Indian Police Force', which marked the OTT debut of superstar director Rohit Shetty, garnered positive responses from critics and the audience alike. The actress is a regular on television, and judges the talent based reality shows like 'India's Got Talent 10' and 'Super Dancer'. Bengaluru, Aug 15 : "Over 6.5 lakh Congress workers sacrificed their lives for India's Independence," stated Deputy Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar on Thursday. Speaking at the flag hoisting ceremony held at the Congress party office in Bengaluru as part of the 78th Independence Day celebrations, he said there was a need to inform the new generation about the Congress party's significance in the freedom struggle. "Approximately 6.5 lakh Congress workers sacrificed their lives for India's Independence. It is our pride that the Congress party fought for freedom. Congress workers and leaders should proudly say that their party fought valiantly for Independence," DK Shivakumar emphasised. "Syama Prasad Mookerjee wrote a letter to the British urging them to crush the Quit India Movement. His followers today question what contribution the Congress has made to the nation. "It was the Congress party that built and nurtured public sector institutions which are now being privatised by the BJP government. What has the BJP contributed to this country," he attacked. "Taking advantage of our hesitation, false narratives are made that leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, late PMs Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, senior Congress leader Sardar Patel did not fight for freedom. Under the Congress' leadership, the country needs to be united," Shivakumar stated. "In the freedom struggle, there were many fighters including Dadabhai Naoroji, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Nehru, Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, Subhas Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh, Chandrasekhar Azad, Sarojini Naidu, Lala Lajpat Rai, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, and Bipin Chandra Pal," he recalled. "Thousands sacrificed their homes and lives. Congress members dedicated their lives, minds and wealth for the country," he maintained. "Karnataka was the first to ignite the flame of revolution against the British. The Amar Sulya struggle of 1837 was the country's first independence struggle. Esuru in Shivamogga District was the first village to declare independence. Under Congress leader Hanumant Rao, the 'Salt Satyagraha' was held in Ankola in 1930. Karnataka and Kannadigas have made significant contributions to the freedom struggle," he said. "On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi assuming the role of Congress President in Belagavi, the government is considering forming a committee under the leadership of Minister for Law HK Patil to plan special programmes," he noted. "Freedom is not a commodity that can be bought. It is the breath of life. Mahatma Gandhi said that we cannot put a price on freedom. Pandit Nehru said that there is no freedom where there is malice or hatred in the heart," he quoted. "Pandit Nehru and Indira Gandhi have made immense contributions to this country. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has conveyed the message of independence as freedom from hunger, poverty, darkness, oppression, and unemployment for all sections of society. "Only when these freedoms are achieved can we truly call it freedom," he said. "The Five Guarantee Schemes are being noticed by many states and studied by several countries around the world. These schemes provide social justice to all sections of society," he concluded. Mumbai, Aug 15 : Television actors-- Ankit Gupta, Rutuja Bagwe, Kanwar Dhillon and Neha Harsora have reminisced about their sweet childhood memories of the Independence Day celebrations. On the occasion of 78th Independence Day, Ankit, who plays Ranvijay in the show 'Maati Se Bandhi Dor' shared: "In childhood, we celebrated Independence Day in school; it marked a day filled with happiness and joy. Over the years, we have comprehended the meaning of freedom and independence and the importance of this day, as there were several heroes who gave sacrifices, and due to their courage and bravery, India received independence, and it's a day to remember those sacrifices." "I'll be celebrating Independence Day with the residents of my building; there will be flag hoisting and sweets distribution, and remember all those heroes of our country who brought independence. I think from the tricolor flag, the color white describes me the best; it is the color of peace, as I believe in living life peacefully. Happy Independence Day to all," he added. Essaying the role of Vaiju in 'Maati Se Bandhi Dor', Rutuja said: "Independence Day would be a day to go back in time and recall the bravery of all those heroes who fought for our freedom and independence and emerged victorious. Being from a military school, we celebrated Independence Day with zeal and excitement; we also took part in activities like parades and rifle shooting, and I miss those days. The white color from the tricolor flag is what I feel I relate to, as it depicts peace and kindness, and I believe in it." Kanwar, who is seen as Sachin in 'Udne Ki Aasha' shared that freedom and independence are two important factors for him as an individual in order to live with peace. "This Independence Day, I'll celebrate the day with my family. The color that describes me the best from the tricolor flag would be saffron, as it defines strength and courage. I relate to these qualities as I am strong mentally, emotionally, and physically; I do not get afraid of things easily, and everyone around me would vouch for that color for me," he said. Neha, who portrays the character of Sailee in 'Udne Ki Aasha' said: "Independence Day marks the sacrifices that were done in order to attain freedom, and Independence Day is to rejoice that valour and bravery. This year, I'll be celebrating it with my family. Every individual should respect the freedom that we have received post the struggles that have come along with it. The color from the tricolor flag that describes me would be the color white that stands for peace, and in real life too, I believe in it." The show airs on Star Plus. Kolkata, Aug 15 : The vandalism at the emergency department of the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata, where a woman doctor was brutally raped and murdered, has caused worry to the CBI officials, said sources here. The probe team of the central agency apprehends tampering with the evidence during the attack. Minutes after Wednesday midnight a mob forcibly entered the premises of the hospital and vandalised the emergency ward. Sources said that the worried central agency sleuths contacted the top officials of Kolkata Police to check whether the vandals, who ransacked the emergency department, could reach the point of the seminar room, which is reportedly the scene of the crime in case of the ghastly rape and murder. However, sources added, the city police officials have assured the central agency officials that the seminar room remained totally unaffected by the vandalism. A city police insider said there was enough reason for the CBI officials to worry since soon after the vandalism on Wednesday midnight there were several social media posts claiming that the said seminar room had also been vandalised. In fact, on Thursday morning the city police circulated a statement through its social media handle cautioning the netizens about spreading information that the scene of crime in case of the ghastly rape and murder has been affected during the midnight ransacking. In the post, the city police claimed that the scene of the crime, which was the seminar room had not been touched. "Don't spread unverified news. We will initiate legal action for spreading rumours," the city police's social media post read. Earlier this week a division bench of Calcutta High Court's Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya had ordered a court-monitored CBI probe in the rape and murder of the woman doctor. The division bench, while passing the order, also made negative observations about the progress of the investigation which was earlier being carried out by a special investigation team (SIT) of the city police. Chennai, Aug 15 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and his Cabinet colleagues will attend the tea party to be hosted by state Governor RN Ravi on Thursday evening as part of Independence Day celebrations. TN Finance Minister Thangam Thenarasu said this while interacting with media persons in his office on Thursday. He said that the Chief Minister and other ministers would attend the tea party respecting the institution of the Governor. Thenarasu said, "On behalf of the government, we have decided to accept the Governor's invitation and will attend the Independence Day party." There was speculation that the Chief Minister and his Ministers would boycott the Governor's function. It may be recalled that the DMK Organising Secretary, RS Bharathi had called for the boycott of the 'At Home Reception' by the Governor. However, he had mentioned that the official decision on participation by the government would be communicated by the Chief Minister. The Tamil Nadu Congress has also announced that it would be boycotting the party hosted by Governor Ravi. Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President, K Selvaperunthugai, in a statement on Wednesday had said that the party would boycott the tea party as the Governor had consistently been trying to obstruct the functioning of the democratically-elected Tamil Nadu government. He said Governor Ravi had shown scant regard and respect for the state government and had been continuously disregarding the recommendations of the Stalin government. He said that this was in total defiance of Article 163 of the Constitution of India which states that the Governor of the State must act in accordance with the aid and advise of the Council of Ministers. Mumbai, Aug 15 : Actress Madhuri Dixit's husband, Shriram Madhav Nene is celebrating the 78th Independence Day with culinary flavours. On Thursday, the husband of the actress took to his Instagram, and shared a video of himself trying his hands at making a Tricolour dosa. The dosa was made from three batters of moong daal, carrot, and green paste. He wrote in the caption, "So when your friend says she is coming to town, there is nothing better than cooking together. Celebrating Indian Independence Day with my dear friend and collaborator, @lakshmipratury Can't wait to show you what we are cooking up together". In the video, Shriram Nene can be seen dressed in a white kurta pyjama, and mixing ingredients in his kitchen as he spoke in an American accent. Madhuri Dixit and Shriram Nene tied the knot in a traditional ceremony on October 17, 1999 held at the residence of her elder brother in Southern California. Shriram Nene a cardiovascular surgeon from Los Angeles, California. The two also collaborated on their second home production 'Panchak'. The film featured an ensemble cast of the finest artists from Marathi film, television, and stage like Adinath Kothare, Tejashri Pradhan, Anand Ingale, Nandita Patkar, Bharati Acharekar, Vidyadhar Joshi, Satish Alekar, Sagar Talashikar, Dipti Devi and Ashish Kulkarni. The film was shot in picturesque locales of the Konkan region of Maharashtra. It was directed by Jayant Jathar and Rahul Awate. Meanwhile on the work front, the actress was most recently seen in the streaming film 'Maja Ma' and also the streaming series 'The Fame Game', in the latter she played a superstar whose sudden disappearance leads to unravelling of many dark secrets from her personal life. In addition, she actively works for television as she also regularly judges the dance reality show 'Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa'. The actress will soon announce her upcoming projects. Chennai, Aug 15 : Tamil Nadu Governor R. N. Ravi on Thursday announced a state-level essay competition for school and college students to mark the 143rd birth anniversary of iconic Tamil poet Mahakavi Subramania Bharathiar, which is on December 11. Subramania Bharathiyar was a poet, journalist, freedom fighter, social activist and polyglot. He was bestowed the title aBharathiara for his poetry. The essay competition was announced by the Tamil Nadu Raj Bhavan in a communique. The essay competition will be held separately for school and college students in both in English and Tamil. The results of this competition will be announced on December 11, 2024, on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Mahakavi Subramania Bharathiar. Raj Bhavan, in a statement, said that the prizes for the winners would be distributed on January 26, 2025, at the Raj Bhavan. Prizes will be given separately for Tamil and English essays. The first prize winner will be awarded Rs 50,000, the second prize winner will be given an amount of Rs 30,000, while the third prize winner will get Rs 20,000. The Tamil Nadu Governor announced another state-level essay competition for school and college students studying in Tamil Nadu as part of the Constitution Day celebrations, to be observed on November 26. Governor Ravindra Narayana Ravi previously served as Governor of Nagaland (from August 2019 to 9 September 2021) and as Governor of Meghalaya (from December 2019 to January 2020). Prior to his foray into politics, he belonged to the Indian Police Service. In his tenure as the Governor of Tamil Nadu (since September 2021), Ravi has been frequently criticised as being dictatorial by Chief Minister M. K. Stalin. New Delhi, Aug 15 : 'Early action' against Mpox (formerly Monkeypox) may be crucial to mobilise resources and tackle the spread of the deadly infectious disease, said health experts on Thursday, even as the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared a global health emergency for Mpox. Mpox infections have spread across 13 African countries, including Congo, where 14,000 cases and 524 deaths have been reported, the WHO said. It is the second time in three years that Mpox has reached emergency status. The public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) is the highest health alarm by the WHO. Mpox is a viral zoonotic disease that was first identified in monkeys in research laboratories in the 1950s, and it was not until 1970 that the first human case was discovered. An offshoot of Clade I -- Clade 1b -- is responsible for the recent surge in infections, the UN health body said. Clade 1b of the Mpox virus is estimated to have jumped from animal to human as recently as September 2023. "Unlike the previous clade, the current strain -- Clade 1b -- is spreading both among men and women through close and sexual contact. This time, children living in the household are also getting affected, and the death rate is higher than the 2022 outbreak," Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, co-chairman of the Indian Medical Association's National Covid-19 Task Force, told IANS. "This means the virus has acquired the potential to spread more efficiently in multiple neighbouring countries, and an early call for action will not only mobilise resources to contain the outbreak in Africa, but also prepare the world to tackle global spread in case it occurred," he added. According to the latest WHO situation report on Mpox, India reported 27 laboratory-confirmed cases and one death between January 2022 and June 2024. The report also noted that four new countries in Eastern Africa -- Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda -- have reported their first Mpox cases. The Africa CDC has also declared a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS). It reported that the suspected cases in the first half of 2024 have exceeded 17,000, representing a four-fold increase since 2022. Infectious disease expert Dr Ishwar Gilada told IANS that the disease has no parallels with Covid-19. "Mpox can cause fever, rashes, lymph node enlargement, and some people can get a systemic infection". "It is not spread by aerosols. There is an extremely remote possibility of its spread through droplets, or surfaces. Masks will not provide any protection from the Mpox," said Dr Gilada, also a HIV/STD consultant, Secretary General People's Health Organisation-India and OMAG. Calling Mpox a "21st Century's sexually transmitted disease (STD)", the expert said it is majorly sexually transmitted, with 99 per cent of cases seen among men who have sex with men (MSM). Dr. Basavaraj S Kumbar, Consultant - Internal medicine, Aster Whitefield Hospital, Bengaluru, told IANS, that the disease typically begins with signs of flu -- fever, headache, muscle pains, and tiredness. It then proceeds to "a unique rash which typically starts on the face and spreads to other parts of the body. This rash goes through different phases before it finally dries up," Dr. Kumbar said. One thing that distinguishes Mpox from other viral infections is swollen lymph nodes, he added. There is currently no proven treatment against Mpox. Jynneos and Bavarian Nordic vaccines can prevent Mpox, Dr. Gilada said, calling on India to develop its own vaccine, like SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind Covid-19 pandemic. "India's strength in vaccine production should be positively exploited," Dr. Gilada said. Dr. Kumbar advised to avoid close contact with anyone displaying the symptoms, especially those with an unexplained rash. He also recommended good hygiene practices such as frequent handwashing using soap and water, and sanitising hands. Jerusalem, Aug 15 : Israel is to build the first West Bank settlement since 2017, announced the Israeli Civil Administration, the country's governing body that operates in the West Bank, local media reported. Nahal Heletz, the new settlement, will cover approximately 148 acres (about 600,000 square metres) southwest of Jerusalem, near the Palestinian city of Bethlehem, reports Xinhua news agency, quoting the Times of Israel. The construction is likely years away since obtaining the zoning plans and construction permits would take time, the report further read. Peace Now, an organisation opposing the settlements, warned that Nahal Heletz "will be an enclave in a Palestinian zone and will bring about friction and security challenges." It said Nahal Heletz is designed to disrupt Palestinian territorial continuity and argued that it contributes to Israel's "de facto annexation" of the West Bank. It also pointed out that the settlement will be built on land that belongs to Battir, a Palestinian village known for its ancient agricultural terraces recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Port Louis, Aug 15 : Exchanging greetings on India's Independence Day, Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth and PM Narendra Modi on Thursday cited the longstanding bilateral partnership between the two countries and the broad-based desire for its further growth. "Warmest congratulations to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji and to the people of India on the occasion of your 78th Independence Day. Long live the vibrant and ever flourishing Mauritius Bharat relationship," Jugnauth posted on X. Replying to the Mauritius Prime Minister's greetings, PM Modi said: "Thank you PM Pravind Jugnauth for the Independence Day wishes. May the friendship between our nations continue to grow and become even more multifaceted". Last month, during his two-day visit to Mauritius, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar had inaugurated 12 High Impact Community Development Projects, a mediclinic in Grand Bois built with Indian grant assistance and also the first overseas Jan Aushadhi Kendra, testifying the close relationship between the two countries. During his visit, Jaishankar held extensive discussions with PM Jugnauth on various aspects of bilateral ties, including the development partnership, defence and maritime cooperation, economic and trade ties, and people-to-people linkages. The EAM also presented Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards to the first two 7th-generation Mauritian citizens and handed over a royalty cheque for the sale of nautical charts, as per the bilateral MoU on sales of navigational charts. The visit, said the Ministry of External Affairs Ministry, underscored the importance India attaches to Mauritius as an important pillar of India's Vision SAGAR, and 'Neighbourhood First' policy. It also reaffirmed the continued commitment of both countries to strengthening their multi-dimensional bilateral relationship and deepening their close people-to-people ties. Cementing the deep-rooted cultural and civilisational bond, the Mauritius PM visited New Delhi in June to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony along with several other leaders from the neighbouring countries. Madrid, Aug 15 : Police have confirmed three arrests in connection with the stabbing of Spain international winger Lamine Yamal's father Mounir Nasraoui on Wednesday evening. Mounir Nasraoui, the father of the 17-year-old FC Barcelona player, was stabbed multiple times in a car park in the town of Mataro, north of Barcelona. Nasraoui was taken to the hospital and is currently in intensive care. He is reported to be out of danger and evolving well from his injuries. Furthermore, he is accompanied by his brother and in constant contact with Lamine, while a representative of Barcelona has also been at the hospital. Meanwhile, the three people arrested have been charged with attempted murder, reports Xinhua. The Catalan police force (Mossos d'Esquadra) are investigating whether the attack is linked to a discussion Nasraoui had with the suspects while walking his dog earlier in the day. The argument was filmed on a mobile phone. The suspects insulted him and apparently then threw water at him. Manila, Aug 15 : The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said on Thursday that it has approved a grant of $30 million to enhance maternal and child healthcare services in three districts of Tajikistan. The ADB said the project will support the construction of a 40-bed maternity hospital in Ayni, an 80-bed maternity hospital in Dangara, and a 100-bed central district hospital in Darvoz, all with climate-friendly features such as energy-efficient medical, heating, and cooling technology, Xinhua news agency reported. For proper inventory and maintenance of medical equipment, the project will implement a digital asset management system and train staff to operate it, the Manila-based bank said in a press release. To further improve healthcare delivery, the project will enhance the management and training of health workers, refine tools and processes for perinatal services, and pilot case-based financing to streamline hospital funding mechanisms. Additionally, outreach initiatives will be launched to raise awareness and encourage the use of maternal and child healthcare services. "Tajikistan has achieved laudable health improvements over the past two decades, including increased life expectancy and significantly lower maternal mortality," said ADB Director General for Central and West Asia, Yevgeniy Zhukov. "Nevertheless, there is uneven access and quality of health care depending on geography and socioeconomic status of mothers and childrenand that needs to change. ADB's support will help address this by improving health facilities and staff capacity in three districts." The project supplements the ongoing $32 million ADB grant approved in 2018 for the Maternal and Child Health Integrated Care project, which is helping the government of Tajikistan improve healthcare services in Fayzobod, Rasht, and Shamsiddin Shohin districts. Tajikistan joined ADB in 1998. Kolkata, Aug 15 : West Bengal Governor, CV Ananda Bose, on Thursday afternoon, reached the premises of state-run RG Kar Medical College & Hospital to take stock of the situation in the backdrop of reports of vandalism at the emergency unit a few minutes after midnight on Wednesday. Governor Bose interacted with the junior doctors and medical students protesting there against the heinous rape and murder of a junior doctor within the hospital premises last week. Besides assuring the protesters of full cooperation and support in their movement for justice, Governor Bose also surveyed the condition of the ransacked emergency unit. "Let me first survey the situation. I assure you that whatever steps in the matter will be taken in future will be done only after discussing with you all," the Governor was heard telling the protesting medical staff. Later, speaking to the media, Governor Bose said that whatever had happened at RG Kar in the last few days was a blot on humanity. "I will not tolerate such things at any cost. The demands of the protesting doctor are just that the real culprits should be nabbed and punished. Students are the future of the country. They should be given a proper hearing." the Governor said. He also questioned the role of the police while the midnight ransacking at the hospital premises was going on. "Were there not adequate security arrangements at the hospital then?" he questioned. On Wednesday evening only the Governor had issued a video message where he stated that the state government will have to take responsibility for the law and order situation in West Bengal. "Campus violence should stop immediately. The state government will have to take the responsibility. Everyone will have to unite for the sake of safety of women," the Governor said. Seoul, Aug 15 : South Korea's foreign ministry expressed "deep regret" on Thursday that Japanese political leaders, including Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, sent offerings or paid visits to a war shrine, a symbol of Japan's militaristic past. The statement came after visits by the Japanese ministers to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honours Japanese war dead, including 14 Class A criminals convicted by the Allies in trials that followed World War II, Yonhap news agency reported. "The government expresses deep disappointment and regret that Japan's responsible leaders again sent offerings or paid visits to the Yasukuni Shrine that beautifies Japan's past war of aggression," the ministry said in a statement. "We urge the responsible leaders of Japan to squarely face up to history and show through action a humble reflection and genuine repentance for the past." Japanese Defence Minister Minoru Kihara was among the officials who visited the shrine, prompting Seoul's foreign ministry to summon Taisuke Mibae, deputy chief of mission at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, to strongly protest the visit. It marked the first time in three years for a sitting Japanese defence minister to visit the shrine. "(We) cannot but deplore the anachronistic act," a foreign ministry official said. The defence ministry also called in a defence attache at the Japanese Embassy to strongly protest Kihara's visit to the shrine, it said, noting that it goes against the two countries' efforts to develop future-oriented relations. Guwahati, Aug 15 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday expressed concern over the decline in Hindu population and rise in Muslim population, affecting the demography of the state. In his Independence Day speech, Sarma said: "Hindu population has dropped to 57 per cent while Muslim population has risen to 41 per cent. This is a deep concern for us. The state government has been giving priority to maintaining the demographic balance in Assam and we are working towards safeguarding the rights of indigenous people." He said that in certain places like the undivided Goalpara district, Barpeta and some other places, the lands of indigenous people can not be bought by people belonging to other religions. "The interfaith land transfer will be stopped in such places to safeguard the indigenous culture. The state government will bring a new act in this regard in the upcoming Assembly session," Sarma said. He also gave an overview of a number of forthcoming projects that will enhance the governance and infrastructure of the state. To ensure that Guwahati's land stays in the hands of indigenous people and to lessen land-related conflicts, he declared the commencement of Mission Basundhara 3.0 on October 2. According to Sarma, 74 new districts or subdivisions will be created, and Chiknajhar in the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) will become the eighth national park in Assam. Additionally, he disclosed plans for a State Domicile Policy that will give preference to native applicants for positions in the government. The Chief Minister announced that the Nijut Moina Scheme to support the education of female students in the state, which will be started on October 10, and that 20 lakh people in Assam will receive ration cards or family IDs from the state government. Sarma brought up the issues of flash floods brought on by the disposal of plastic waste in drains, as well as the effect hill mining in Meghalaya has on Guwahati's water woes. Noting that 20 per cent of waterlogging in urban areas may be prevented by avoiding the construction of dwellings on drains and prohibiting the discharge of plastic garbage in them, the Chief Minister asked citizens to raise awareness and take action to eliminate such behaviours. Los Angeles, Aug 15 : Hollywood stars Brad Pitt and George Clooney have finally put their 1980s rivalry to rest. The two had rocked their signature mullet hairdos at the same time leading to a "conflict". Now, Pitt and Clooney have finally discussed who brought the best hair forward. Talking to GQ about the attempt and their decades-old rivalry, Pitt said: "I would say one of the greatest that ever existed..." Clooney was quick to ask, "Was my mullet or your mullet?" Brad went on to say: "I'm going to say mine." Appearing to agree, Clooney said he "might say" it was his, but said that both of their hairstyles were a "really good shared experience", reports mirror.co.uk. The pair starred together in the 2001 film "Ocean's Eleven". They reunited in 2004's "Ocean's Twelve" and "Ocean's Thirteen" in 2007. Pitt also acted in Clooney's "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" in 2022, they both starred in Tom Daley's husband Dustin Lance Black's play 8 in 2012. Clooney's mullet defeat admission comes after he didn't mince words when he expressed his feelings about director David O. Russell, referring to him as "miserable." Later in the chat with Pitt, Clooney said he would steer clear from working with Russell again. He denounced the 65-year-old filmmaker for making his own and his crew's lives "hell", questioning whether the struggle was worthwhile even for "a good product." Kicking off the subject, he said: "The older you get, time allotment is very different. Five months out of your life is a lot." "And so it's not just like, 'Oh, I'm going to go do a really good film, like Three Kings, and I'm going to have a miserable.. like David O Russell making my life hell. Making every person in the crew's life hell. It's not worth it. Not at this point in my life. Just to have a good product." Clooney famously clashed with the director during the production of "Three Kings", which released back in October 1999. He opened up about the tumultuous filming of "Three Kings", calling it "the worst experience of (his) life." Moscow, Aug 15 : Lauding India's "widely-recognised track record of success", Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Moscow attaches great importance to the privileged strategic partnership between the two countries. In another statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry also hailed the longstanding partnership between the countries, saying that India now enjoys a "well-deserved authority" in the world arena. "Over the course of 77 years of its development as an independent nation, your country has achieved a widely-recognised track record of success in social, economic, scientific, technical affairs, as well as in many other spheres, and has earned great prestige on the international stage," Putin wrote in his message to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of India's Independence Day. "We attach great importance to the relations of a privileged strategic partnership with India, and I am certain that our consistent efforts to fulfil the agreements resulting from our recent talks in Moscow will contribute to further expanding the multi-faceted cooperation between Russia and India. There is no doubt that this would serve the interests of our friendly nations, while strengthening international stability and security," he added. Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry also hailed the diplomatic relations between the two countries, saying that the friendly Russian-Indian ties are based on equality, mutual respect and trust. "India enjoys well-deserved authority in the world arena, playing a major constructive role in international affairs. Today, our relations can be defined as a special and privileged strategic partnership. We maintain an intensive political dialogue, and take efforts to strengthen cooperation within multilateral formats and improve trade, economic, investment, scientific, technical, cultural and humanitarian cooperation," stated the Russian Foreign Ministry in its I-Day greetings to New Delhi. It also mentioned about the decades of "Indian people's hard struggle against the oppression of the British colonisers" for the right to determine their own destiny. Over the years of independence, said the Russian Foreign Ministry, India has reached significant success in the economic, scientific, technical and social areas, preserving its strong identity based on the centuries-long history and rich cultural heritage. Congratulating "Indian friends" on the Independence Day, Moscow highlighted that the USSR had made a "significant contribution" to the industrialisation of India as well as to the development of its economic and scientific potential. "Today, our relations can be defined as a special and privileged strategic partnership. We maintain an intensive political dialogue, and take efforts to strengthen cooperation within multilateral formats and improve trade, economic, investment, scientific, technical, cultural and humanitarian cooperation," it said. Seoul, Aug 15 : President Yoon Suk Yeol unveiled a vision for unification with North Korea on Thursday, pledging to expand outside information in the reclusive nation and proposing an official dialogue channel that can "take up any issue." Yoon made the remark in an address marking Liberation Day, which celebrates the 1945 end of Japan's colonial rule, saying, "Complete liberation remains an unfinished task" as the Korean Peninsula still remains divided, reports Yonhap news agency. "The freedom we enjoy must be extended to the frozen kingdom of the North, where people are deprived of freedom and suffer from poverty and starvation," Yoon said. "Only when a unified free and democratic nation rightfully owned by the people is established across the entire Korean Peninsula will we finally have complete liberation." Japanese Defence Minister Minoru Kihara was among the officials who visited the shrine, prompting Seoul's foreign ministry to summon Taisuke Mibae, deputy chief of mission at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, to strongly protest the visit. It marked the first time in three years for a sitting Japanese defence minister to visit the shrine. "(We) cannot but deplore the anachronistic act," a foreign ministry official said. The defence ministry also called in a defence attache at the Japanese Embassy to strongly protest Kihara's visit to the shrine, the official stated, noting that it goes against the two countries' efforts to develop future-oriented relations. Jalandhar, Aug 15 : Saying that farmers had to pay a heavy price for over-exploitation of natural resources in terms of water and fertile soil, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday appealed to people to launch a crusade to check environmental pollution and preserve natural resources on lines of teachings of Gurus. Addressing the gathering after hoisting the Tricolour at the state-level function to mark Independence Day here, the Punjab Chief Minister recalled the immense contribution of Punjabis in the national freedom struggle. CM Mann said Punjabis had made the maximum sacrifices during the freedom struggle, adding more than 80 per cent of the people who attained martyrdom during the Independence movement or were exiled, hailed from Punjab. CM Mann said heroic gems like Baba Ram Singh, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev, Lala Lajpat Rai, Udham Singh, Kartar Singh Sarabha, Diwan Singh Kalepani and several others shed every drop of their blood to achieve the ultimate goal of Independence. Likewise, CM Mann said, Punjabis have played a leading role in preserving the unity, integrity and sovereignty of the country in the post-Independence era too. He also said the hard working and resilient farmers of the state acted as a pivot for heralding an era of green revolution in the country thereby making the country self-sufficient in food production. CM Mann said Punjabi farmers had to pay a heavy price for it by over-exploitation of natural resources. The CM said due to Punjabi food growers, the nation is today exporting "grains to other countries in sharp contrast to early 1960s when we were dependent for grains on other countries". CM Mann said the country can progress only if Punjab is prosperous and on the path of development. CM Mann added that curbing environmental pollution was a serious challenge and all Punjabis should play a proactive role in it. The CM said the government has launched a crackdown against the drug menace by adopting a 'zero-tolerance' policy against it and added that 14,381 drug peddlers have been put behind bars and 10,393 First Information Reports (FIRs) have been launched against them. Properties worth Rs 173 crore belonging to 379 drug smugglers have been confiscated and more are in the process of being seized. CM Mann said it was a matter of great satisfaction that the conviction rate against drug peddlers was 83 per cent. Jaipur, Aug 15 : A tiger that escaped from the Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan's Alwar has attacked at least five people, including a railway employee, in Khairthal-Tijara district of the state. According to officials, railway employee Vikas Kumar, a resident of Basni village, reached Ajarka (Khairthal-Tijara) railway station at around 5 a.m. on Thursday. He called his brother to pick him up from the railway station. While Kumar was waiting for his brother, the tiger (ST 2303) suddenly attacked him. However, seeing a bike coming towards them, the tiger fled from there. Kumar was grievously injured in the attack and one of his hands was bitten off by the tiger. After attacking Kumar, the tiger went towards the nearby Darbarpur village. Around 11 a.m., the tiger also attacked three persons, identified as Satish (45), Binu (30) and Mahendra (33). All three have been referred to the Alwar District Hospital. Earlier in the early morning, the tiger had attacked another youth in the district. Darbarpur Sarpanch Veer Singh said that the people of the village are scared because of the tiger. The government school has been closed. In the past as well, tiger ST 2303 had fled the Sariska forest. Nearly seven months ago, the tiger was spotted in Haryana's Rewari. The tiger had then attacked some forest workers at a village near the Rajasthan-Haryana border. The tiger had also attacked a 75-year-old farmer near Bhiwadi in Khairthal-Tijara district, nearly 100 km away from the park, in January this year. Villagers are advising people in the surrounding areas not to leave their homes. Kabul, Aug 15 : Afghanistan's counter-narcotics police have arrested 33 people over drug trafficking, seizing 9,940 stimulant tablets and other illicit drugs, the Ministry of Interior Affairs said in a statement on Thursday. The contraband was discovered in counter-narcotics operations, the statement read. Similarly, Afghan police have broken up a gang of robbers and arrested four members of the band in the western Herat province, Xinhua news agency reported. Earlier on July 30, Afghanistan's counter-narcotics police arrested six people over drug trafficking, seizing 370 kg of illegal drugs in the eastern Nangarhar province, provincial police reported. The contraband including 260 kg of methamphetamine was discovered during operations conducted on the outskirts of Jalalabad, the provincial capital, and in some districts of the province. The Afghan caretaker government has vowed to fight illicit drugs, and drug production and trafficking across the country. In order to achieve this, the government banned poppy cultivation, drug processing, and trafficking in April 2022. Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 15 : Expressing solidarity with those seeking justice for a junior doctor raped and murdered at a state-run hospital in Kolkata last week, resident doctors and PG medical students in Kerala will observe a strike across hospitals in the state on Friday demanding quick action against the guilty. According to the Kerala Medical Post Graduates Association (KMPGA), PG doctors will boycott all non-emergency services, including duty in the out patient departments as well as wards, on Friday. However, the strike will not affect emergency services in the hospitals, the association said. The demands they are raising include implementation of the Central Protection Act -- a detailed national law protecting medical professionals from violence at workplaces -- and arrest of the perpetrators of the brutal rape-murder in Kolkata within 48 hours. Meanwhile, the Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) has decided to observe Friday as 'black day' for which the junior doctors in the premier medical institutions of the state have expressed solidarity. On August 9, the body of the 31-year-old junior doctor was found in the seminar hall of the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, triggering a nationwide uproar. So far, one civic volunteer has been arrested in connection with the case which the Calcutta High Court handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday. On Wednesday night, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee demanded the CBI to complete the investigation by Sunday (August 18) and ensure that those found guilty are hanged. "We are going to press for the hanging of the accused by Sunday. Our Kolkata Police had already completed 90 per cent of the investigation. I am going to lead a protest march on August 16... I request all the mothers and sisters to join me." the Chief Minister said. A couple of days after the body of the victim was found in the seminar hall of the hospital, the Chief Minister had set a deadline till Sunday for the Kolkata Police to complete the investigation, failing which she said the case would be handed over to the CBI. However, before the said deadline, the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday handed over the probe to the central agency with immediate effect. Political observers feel that the new deadline set by the Chief Minister for the CBI is a clandestine attempt to build up the pressure on the probe agency. Dhaka, Aug 15 : The Bangladeshi government on Thursday instructed all the educational institutions across the country to resume academic activities from August 18 after about one month of closure. Bangladesh's Ministry of Education issued an order to resume academic activities at all the educational institutions at secondary and higher secondary levels on Thursday, Xinhua news agency reported. According to the notification, the chief advisor has given instructions to reopen educational institutions and resume academic activities. Relevant authorities are requested to take necessary measures. Earlier, primary schools across Bangladesh reopened on Wednesday. However, due to the prevailing tense situation, regular classes have not yet resumed fully, and attendance remained low for the past two months. All the educational institutions at secondary and higher secondary levels, as well as polytechnic institutes, were declared closed for an indefinite period from July 17 amid tension over students' demonstration that subsequently toppled Sheikh Hasina's government on August 5. On August 5, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, fled to India as protesters took over the streets of Dhaka. The weeks leading up to her ousting were marred by violence, with more than 500 people losing their lives during the unrest and several reports of attacks on Bangladesh's Hindu minority community. Notably, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education on Wednesday directed the full reopening of primary schools and the resumption of classroom activities. Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 15 : In Kerala it has now become clear that actors are 'more equal than others.' Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 15 (IANS) In Kerala it has now become clear that actors are amore equal than others.a This is evident by the fact that the controversial Justice K Hema Committee Report on the conditions of women working in the Malayalam film industry will be released but it wonat reveal sensitive information. Incidentally the order of the State Information Commission to make the report public on July 24 was earlier stayed by the High Court. However, early this week the court gave the nod to release the report and it will be put in public domain on a government departmentas website on Saturday. The court was acting on a petition filed by a Malayalam film producer Sajimon Parayil who argued that publishing of the report could badly affect the Malayalam film industry. After two years of investigation, the report was submitted in 2019 but the state government decided not to publish it. Now, after the High Courtas intervention the report, with sensitive areas blanked out, is finally coming out. However, this censorship has set tongues wagging that film stars obviously have major clout in Kerala. This is because, the image of a stalwart leader like two-time former Chief Minister, late Oommen Chandy was tarnished by publishing of the uncensored report in the solar scam case. Though Oommen Chandy, who held the record of being the longest-serving legislator for 53 years, was eventually exonerated, the report had done its damage by then. It all began when Team Solar, led by Biju Radhakrishnan and Saritha Nair, emerged during Chandyas tenure in 2011. Biju Radhakrishnan and Saritha Nair defrauded investors by falsely claiming connections with leaders. When complaints surfaced, one of Chandyas staff members was arrested and another one dismissed as the two were found to be in touch with Saritha, sparking rumours about Nair's ties to Chandy. The CPI(M) led by then state Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan launched a massive protest forcing Chandy to appoint the Sivarajan Commission in 2014. In the 2016 Assembly polls, the solar scam was the biggest election campaign issue and Vijayan became the Chief Minister with a landslide win. The Sivarajan report was submitted in 2017 to Vijayan who placed it in the state Assembly but the very next year, Chandy got a Kerala High Court order to expunge all remarks and findings by the commission based on a letter reportedly written by Nair alleging sexual harassment against him. Later the CBI also exonerated him but by that time cancer caught up with Chandy and he passed away in July last year So, the current decision of the court shows that in Kerala, film stars are more equal than others. Come Saturday, all eyes are on how the Congress-led UDF will take it up. Once the contents of the Hema Committee report are known, then the comparison with the Sivarajan Commission report are certain to begin. Girona, Aug 15 : Aberdeen striker Bojan Miovski has signed a four-year deal with La Liga club Girona on Thursday. Miovski, who has already passed his medical, will start training with the team on Friday. As per English media reports, the deal for Miovski is reported to be worth up to A6.5m, comfortably eclipsing the A4.2m Aberdeen received from Liverpool for Calvin Ramsay. The new Girona striker began his professional career at the age of 18, making his debut in the North Macedonian First Division with FK Bregalnica in 2017. He went through several clubs in his country such as FK Rabotnicki, FK Makedonija GP and KF Renueva before joining MTK in Hungary in 2020. In the summer of 2022, he signed for Aberdeen in Scotland, where in two seasons he has shown his eye for goal. Last season he scored 26 goals in 53 appearances, including those in the Scottish Premier League, Europa League and Conference League. To these must be added the 18 he scored on his debut season at Aberdeen. Miovski has been capped for his country at youth level, making his senior debut in October 2021. Since then he has made 23 appearances for the North Macedonian national team. Girona finished third behind Real Madrid and Barcelona last season and will play in the Champions League this campaign. In the opening match of the La Liga season, Girona will take on Real Betis at Benito VillamarAn in Seville on Friday. Tehran, Aug 15 : A member of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), who had earlier been injured in an airstrike by the US-led coalition forces in Syria, succumbed to his wounds on Thursday, state media reported. The member of the IRGC's Aerospace Force, identified as Ahmad-Reza Afshari, was serving as a "military adviser" in Syria when he was wounded in an aerial bombardment by the "aggressive" coalition forces in the first half (July 22-August 5) of the current Iranian month of Mordad in Syria, the report said without specifying the location and date of the incident. Afshari had been transferred to Iran for treatment but failed to survive his wounds, reports Xinhua news agency, quoting the semi-official media Tasnim. IRGC Chief Commander Hossein Salami, in a message on Thursday, extended condolences over Afshari's "martyrdom," Tasnim reported. So far, there has been no comment on the incident from the coalition forces. Iran claims it maintains an "advisory role" in Syria, with military personnel deployed at the Syrian government's request. The United States and Israel have both frequently conducted airstrikes against suspected Iranian targets in Syria, including several attacks in recent months that killed Iranian "military advisers." Indore, Aug 15 : Doctors' protest in Indore continued on Thursday against the rape and murder of a junior doctor at the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata last week. Medical students and doctors at the Maharaja Yeshwantrao Hospital joined the protest on Thursday. Medical practitioners associated with the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) and Junior Doctors Association (JDA) have boycotted their duties demanding capital punishment for the perpetrators of the heinous crime. On Thursday, city doctors took out a protest march from the Maharaja Yeshwantrao Hospital to the MGM Medical College, which later reached the Shivaji Vatika. The agitating doctors said they are very upset with the repeated attacks on medical professionals. "We have decided to stop all services except emergency," they said. Anjali, one of the protesting doctors, said that if the victim does not get justice within 24 hours, the protest will continue indefinitely, as she demanded that the culprits should be hanged. Another protesting doctor, Shubhangi Singh, said that there has been "no response" from the Central government or the West Bengal government in the case. "The murderer has not been punished yet. Nor has the victim's family received any security. Political people are trying to cover up this incident. Evidence is being tampered with. The wall near the crime scene has been broken so that evidence can be destroyed. Our demand is that the victim should get justice and we should know how many people were involved in the incident. We also demand that security should be provided to all male and female doctors across the country," she said. Meanwhile, the RDA and JDA have demanded that 24x7 security should be ensured at all the medical colleges so that the staff can be protected from potential threats. They also demanded that there should be restrictions on the entry of unauthorised persons in doctors' rooms or seminar halls during duty hours. Besides, they also called for 24-hour food and refreshment facilities within campuses so that the doctors do not need to go out. A safe and supportive environment should be guaranteed on the routes between hostels and hospitals, they said. New Delhi, Aug 15 : India Inc on Thursday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to state governments to attract investments from global companies towards achieving the 'Viksit Bharat' goal. In the Independence Day address, the Prime Minister said if policies need to be changed, states should adapt them according to global requirements. "If land is required, states should create a land bank. The more proactive the states are in working towards good governance with a single-point focus and make efforts in this regard, the more likely it is that these investors will stay for the long term. This cannot be done by the central government alone; state governments play a crucial role because the projects will be implemented in the states," PM Modi remarked. The Prime Minister urged the states that as the world is increasingly attracted to Bharat and is committed to investing in Bharat, "it is our responsibility to move forward with clear policies, leaving behind old habits". "Every state should engage in healthy competition to attract investors. This competition will bring investment to their states, providing local youth with opportunities and creating jobs," PM Modi stressed. According to Deepak Sood, secretary general, Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham), the initiative to rope in states to establish clear policies to attract investments would be a "double-down approach for scaling up investment-led growth". Anish Shah, president of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), said that India must be seen as a high-quality nation and that "our products must match the best in class seen anywhere in the world in terms of design, sustainability, and service quality". Shah said that it is time for Indian companies to look at the world as a market for their products, and by focusing on research and development, innovation, and design across the entire value chain, "we will be able to create global champions coming out of India". Sanjiv Puri, president of CII, said that PM Modi's suggestion that even two reforms carried out per year at the sub-national level are sufficient to transform the country is spot on. Colombo, Aug 15 : A total of 39 candidates will be contesting the September 21 presidential election in Sri Lanka, the first after the island nation's worst-ever economic crisis. a40 candidates, including those representing political parties and independent individuals, had filed deposits for the election but only 39 handed over nominations," Election Commissioner, R. M. Ratnayake announced on Thursday in the presence of all the candidates. The gathering included the incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe, opposition leader Sajith Premadasa and Marxist leader Anura Dissanayake, who are considered as the front-runners to the election. The Election Commissioner also cautioned the candidates to adhere to the election laws in their campaign, both publicly and through media. He also warned that legal action would be taken against those violating the election laws. Out of the total population of around 22 million, 17.1 are eligible to vote in the upcoming election. This includes 1.2 million new voters. In the 2019 election, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the younger brother of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, was elected as the President after recording a landslide victory. However, a severe economic crisis after the Covid pandemic and several shortsighted decisions led to a major economic crisis in the country with severe shortage of basic essentials like food, fuel, medicine and cooking gas. Widespread protests and violence forced Gotabaya to flee the country in July 2022 with several other members in the Rajapaksas family also going into a hiding. As he left, Gotabaya invited Wickremesinghe to take over the country with the support of nearly 60 per cent SLPP majority in the parliament. Having gradually controlled the economic crisis, Wickremesinghe asked SLPP to support him in the upcoming Presidential Election but the Rajapaksas accused the President of dividing their party and denied any support. Last week, Namal Rajapaksa, the eldest son of former President and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, also entered Sri Lanka's Presidential election race. -- IANS sfl/as New Delhi, Aug 15 : Lawyers and the Bar have been a constant force of good in our country even after Independence, said Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, in his address on the 78th Independence Day at the Supreme Court. In our freedom struggle, many lawyers gave up their lucrative legal practices and dedicated themselves to the cause of the nation, the CJI recalled. "They (lawyers) were instrumental, not only in achieving freedom for India, but also in establishing a fiercely independent judiciary. But the task of patriotic lawyers did not end with India achieving her Independence. Lawyers and the Bar have been a constant force of good in our country even after Independence," CJI Chandrachud said. He reminded the legal community that it has a responsibility to keep the moral conscience of Indian society and of the court, adding that the Bar has been responsible for the direction of many important constitutional and legal developments in the country which have furthered the aspirations of our freedom fighters. CJI Chandrachud said, "The legal community has been instrumental in rooting the Constitution on a firm basic structure, ushering in substantive due process, protecting the dignity of women, gender minorities, and LGBTQ+ people and other marginalised communities." He said that the country, in the last 77 years, has conquered new frontiers of social justice, scientific development, economic prosperity and political milestones. "Every beating heart in India, no matter their age or stature, goes back in time and fills with a deeply emotive sense of patriotism and indebtedness to our freedom fighters when we see our majestic flag flying high against the air of freedom on Independence Day," CJI Chandrachud said. New Delhi, Aug 15 : India marked its 78th Independence Day on Thursday with a series of vibrant events organised by Indian Embassies and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) across the world. The celebrations reflected the spirit of patriotism and unity among the Indian diaspora and friends of India globally. In Nepal, Ambassador Naveen Srivastava hoisted the national flag at a ceremony attended by members of the Indian community, friends of India, and Embassy officials along with their families. The event featured stirring renditions of patriotic songs and dance performances by teachers and students of the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Center and Kendriya Vidyalaya, Kathmandu. In Israel, Ambassador Sanjeev Sinha hoisted the Tricolour after the national anthem, extending warm greetings to the Indian community. "On the occasion of the 78th Independence Day of India, I extend my warm felicitations and greetings to all fellow Indians living in Israel. Along with my colleagues at the Embassy of India, I wish you a very happy Independence Day," he said. However, due to the prevailing security situation, the "celebrations were kept limited, with hopes of a larger gathering next time", he added. In the Netherlands, The Gandhi Centre celebrated the occasion with dynamic performances, emphasising the role of art in India's freedom struggle and fostering a sense of unity among the attendees. In Saudi Arabia, a series of cultural performances filled with patriotic fervour were presented by Indian students and community members, showcasing India's rich cultural heritage. In Japan, Ambassador Sibi George engaged with Indian school students during the Independence Day celebrations at the Indian Embassy in Tokyo. On the occasion, children performed patriotic songs, adding to the atmosphere of national pride. The global celebrations not only honoured India's independence but also reinforced the cultural ties that bind the Indian diaspora with their homeland. New Delhi, Aug 15 : Netizens on Thursday criticised entrepreneur Dr Ritesh Malik over his remarks that India is unsafe for women. In a video posted on X and LinkedIn, Malik said that he fears for his daughter. "As a father of a 3-year-old, I don't feel safe for her to live in India," Malik said. "I'd never like to be born as a woman in India," he added. His comments came amid the recent rape and murder of a 31-year-old woman doctor at the state-run RG Kar hospital in Kolkata. "13 lakh doctors, including me are ashamed to live in the rape capital of the world," he said in the video. "Over 31,500 women get brutally raped in India every year," he said, adding that 71 per cent of these cases go unreported in the country. He called for the safety and security of over 80 per cent female nursing staff and 30 per cent women doctors. He noted that "till the time all the women in the country are safe, our country will not get true freedom". While the medical community supported his post and called for stringent actions against the perpetrators of the crime, others criticised him. "It is extreme to say that India is an exception to be an unsafe country," said a user on LinkedIn. "As a woman who has lived across continents, I would not say India is anymore unsafe than the UK or the US," she added. A user on X also noted that Finland has more rapes than in India. "50,000 women get raped every year in Finland. And think of their population. So, have some knowledge before defaming India," the user said. However, others said that the situation was "alarming" and called for "strict laws to safeguard our country from such creepy people". Hyderabad, Aug 15 : The Telangana government on Thursday appointed noted industrialist Anand Mahindra as the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Young India Skills University. The state government also appointed prominent industrialist and educationalist Srinivasa C. Raju as a member of the Board of Governors -- designated to act as the Co-Chairman of the Board. According to an official announcement, these appointments are effective immediately, marking a "crucial step towards the operationalisation of the university". Telangana has enacted the Young India Skills University, Telangana (Public-Private Partnership) Act, 2024. The Act officially came into force on August 14, following a government notification. Under the provisions of the Act, the state appointed a Chairperson and a Member of the Board of Governors to lead the Young India Skills University. To formalise these appointments, a notification has been issued in the Telangana Gazette on August 14, 2024. These appointments are "critical to the university's mission of providing cutting-edge skills education and training to the youth". On Anand Mahindra's appointment as Chairman, the state government said that his vast experience in industry and education will be instrumental in shaping the university's future. Raju's expertise in both business and education is expected to significantly contribute to the university's vision and goals. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had announced, on August 5, that Anand Mahindra will be the Chairman of Young India Skills University being established by the Telangana government in a public-private partnership to impart skills to youth in various sectors. He made the announcement while addressing a meeting of the Telugu Diaspora in New Jersey as part of his visit to the US to invite investment. Revanth Reddy said he requested the Chairman of the Mahindra Group to accept the post and he agreed to this. The Chief Minister had requested Mahindra when the latter called on him in Hyderabad on August 2. The Chief Minister had earlier announced in the Assembly that an eminent corporate leader and a top academician will be appointed as Chairman and Vice-Chancellor of the Skill University respectively. During the August 2 meeting, Mahindra had also agreed to adopt the Automotive Department in the university. Mahindra said that his company will depute a team to visit the Young India Skill University. Automotive & Electric Vehicles are one of 17 verticals in which the university will impart skills to the students. A bill for setting up the university was passed in the state Assembly on August 1. The same day the Chief Minister laid the foundation stone for the permanent campus of the university on the outskirts of Hyderabad. The university will start functioning from a temporary campus and will offer courses in six verticals for the academic year 2024-25. Kolkata, Aug 15 : Former Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Santanu Sen, who reportedly went against his party lines on the ghastly rape and murder of a junior doctor at the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata last week, on Thursday expressed his solidarity with the protesting medical students and junior doctors of the hospital. Earlier in the day, Trinamool Vice President Jaiprakash Majumdar announced the removal of Sen, who's an alumnus of R.G. Kar, as the state spokesman, claiming that the hospital incident had nothing to do with the party's decision. A couple of hours later, Sen reached the dais of the protesting medical students and junior doctors at R.G. Kar, and said that he was there as a former student of the institute to express solidarity with the cause of the protest. "I strongly condemn the orchestrated attack on the protesting students and junior doctors, and the destruction of hospital property last night. The photos of those involved in that act are everywhere on social media and television channels. If the police want, they can be easily identified," Sen said. He also said that the CBI investigating the rape-murder case, if necessary, should take the former principal of R.G. Kar, Sandip Ghosh, into custody for interrogation. "He is probably the only medical college principal who is being shielded despite so many controversies involving him. Why attempts are being made to retain him after so much controversy? The Chief Minister wants quick conclusion of the investigation. The public also wants the same. So I request the CBI that if necessary, it should interrogate Ghosh by taking him into custody," Sen said. Political observers feel that Sen indirectly targeted Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee through his comments. Earlier this week, Sandip Ghosh had announced his decision to resign both from the post of principal at R.G Kar and from the state medical services. However, the same day the Health Department came out with a notification announcing his appointment as the principal of Calcutta National Medical College & Hospital (CNMCH). However, Ghosh could not take up his new role after the Calcutta High Court barred his appointment as principal in any medical college in the state till further orders. Dhaka, Aug 15 : Calling India Bangladesh's "best neighbour" which had helped the country "immensely" in gaining independence, Abul Fayez Muhammad Khalid Hossain -- who was recently appointed as the Advisor for Religious Affairs in the interim government -- said on Thursday that "work has begun" to initiate strict action against the criminals involved in several incidents of violence and vandalism against the minority communities, especially Hindus, since Sheikh Hasina resigned as the Prime Minister on August 5. "India is our neighbour, and we want to maintain peace and tranquility in our country with its goodwill," Hossain told IANS in an exclusive interview, even as the interim government headed by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus continues to receive a massive flak from all corners for failing to provide security to the minorities, majorly Hindus. Excerpts from the interview: IANS: Horrendous acts of violence have been committed against the Hindu community in Bangladesh since August 5. What is your ministry and the interim government doing to control the situation and punish the guilty? AFM Khalid Hossain: Some criminals are trying to take advantage of the anti-discrimination student movement by attacking the houses of minorities. The Religious Ministry has already set up a hotline number for the victims of such attacks. Those involved in these heinous attacks on places of worship are criminals, and strict action will be taken against them. We will make an announcement from the Mnistry to set up an inquiry committee. We have directed the Deputy Commissioners of the districts to send us detailed reports on incidents of vandalism, attacks, and persecution of minorities as early as possible. We got our country back after great efforts and people from all religions sacrificed and shed their blood in the movement during Bangladesh's liberation. We cannot let it go to waste. We are a secular country, and we have to nurture this spirit and ensure communal harmony in Bangladesh. We are taking full measures and there is no communal violence now, although there could be some isolated incidents. Our government is careful to retain communal harmony in the country. We have also directed the Imams of mosques to talk about the riots against non-Muslims and to push for preserving their places of worship. They have been told to give sermons and motivational speeches. The work has already begun. Students are also guarding the places of worship. I saw this myself while visiting the Dhakeshwari Mandir earlier this week. We are ready to support our minorities so that they live peacefully in Bangladesh. Our Chief Advisor also visited the Dhakeshwari Mandir and spoke to religious leaders. Our country is non-communal and everyone has a right to follow and preach various religions - the rights of Hindus, Muslims, and Christians are equal. There is no religious discrimination. Some miscreants are indulging in vandalism of places of worship. We are ready to fight against all such people. IANS: What have the investigations revealed so far? Who are the people behind this continuing violence against the minorities? AFM Khalid Hossain: We are investigating the matter. We have issued letters to various DCs to send us detailed reports on attacks and vandalism. IANS: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also expressed his concerns over the ongoing violence in Bangladesh. How does the interim government plan to maintain a steady relationship with India? AFM Khalid Hossain: Prime Minister Modi sent a message of felicitation to the interim government. India is our neighbouring country and we want to maintain peace and tranquility in our country with the goodwill of India. India is our best neighbour which had helped us immensely during our liberation war. We want to grow the relations between the two countries. IANS: What is your take on former PM Sheikh Hasina's first statement after leaving Dhaka, as she also expressed deep concerns over what is currently happening in Bangladesh? AFM Khalid Hossain: Our Foreign Minister has already said that the statement of former PM Hasina reflects negative intent, and will only spoil relations between India and Bangladesh. IANS: Do you see any foreign hand in the entire turn of events in Bangladesh over the past many weeks? AFM Khalid Hossain: No, it was purely a student movement and there was no foreign intervention. It was a student uprising against the former government. IANS: Hindu organisations in Bangladesh have submitted various demands, including full security for the upcoming festival season. Has the interim government given any assurance to them? AFM Khalid Hossain: Our Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus has spoken to the leaders of Hindu, Christian and Buddhist communities and assured them that we are taking measures to secure the temples, businesses and houses of the minority communities. We have had a meeting and are ready to help the affected people. IANS: Minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus, fear for their lives right now. They are even being threatened to leave the country. Do you think that Bangladesh's image has been badly dented? AFM Khalid Hossain: Pujas and Rozas are held together in Bangladesh for a long time. It was only a political movement, and not a religious one. We have said that we are ready to help the minorities. Kolkata, Aug 15 : Mahila Morcha, the women's cell of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), will take out a silent candle march in Kolkata on Friday to condemn the ghastly rape and murder of a junior doctor at the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital here last week. According to a press statement issued by the Mahila Morcha on Thursday, the march will be taken at 6 p.m. on Friday outside the R.G. Kar MCH under the leadership of its national president, Vanati Srinivasan. Others who will participate in the march include BJP Rajya Sabha member Darshan Singh, and national office-bearers like Sangeeta Yadav, Geeta Shakya ,Indu Bala Goswami, and its West Bengal in-charge Pooja Kapil Mishra "The Mahila Morcha will also organise silent candle marches in all the district headquarters on the evening of August 16. These will not only be a symbol of solidarity with the victim, but also a mark of protest against the state government's failure to ensure safety and dignity of women," the statement read. Meanwhile, the state unit of the BJP has also called for a two-hour cease-work at all state government establishments across Bengal on Friday as a token protest against the R.G. Kar fiasco, starting the from rape and murder of the junior doctor to the ransacking of the emergency department of the hospital after midnight on Wednesday. The BJP has also called for road-blockades in all the districts from 2 p.m. on Friday. The ruling Trinamool Congress will also take out a rally to press the demand raised by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday that the CBI probing the case must conclude its investigation by Sunday (August 18) and ensure that those found guilty are hanged. The rally led by the Chief Minister from Moulali to Esplanade will begin at 3 p.m. on Friday. Banerjee is expected to address a gathering at the end of the rally. Kolkata, Aug 15 : Normal life in Kolkata might get paralysed on Friday after different political parties announced to hold parallel programmes over the ongoing fiasco at the state-tun R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital where a junior doctor was brutally raped and murdered last week. The ruling Trinamool Congress will take out a rally to press the demand raised by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday that the CBI probing the case must conclude its investigation by Sunday (August 18) and ensure that those found guilty are hanged. The rally led by the Chief Minister from Moulali to Esplanade will begin at 3 p.m. on Friday. Banerjee is expected to address a gathering at the end of the rally. On Wednesday, the Chief Minister said: "We are going to press for the hanging of the accused by Sunday. Our Kolkata Police had already completed 90 per cent of the investigation. I am going to lead a protest march on August 16... I request all the mothers and sisters to join me." A couple of days after the body of the victim was found in the seminar hall of the hospital on August 9, Banerjee had set a deadline till Sunday for the Kolkata Police to complete the investigation, failing which she said the case would be handed over to the CBI. However, before the said deadline, the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday handed over the probe to the central agency with immediate effect. Meanwhile, the state unit of the BJP has called for a two-hour cease-work at all state government establishments across Bengal on Friday as a token protest against the R.G. Kar fiasco, starting the from rape and murder of the junior doctor to the ransacking of the emergency department of the hospital after midnight on Wednesday. The BJP has also called for road-blockades in all the districts from 2 p,m. on Friday. The CPI(M) too has announced agitation programmes throughout the state demanding the arrest of Sandip Ghosh, who resigned as the principal of R.G. Kar on Monday. The SUCI (Communist) has also called for a 12-hour general strike in West Bengal on Friday. Meanwhile, the state Secretariat issued a notification on Thursday evening which says no attempt to disrupt normal functioning at government offices and other places will be tolerated, and the administration will adopt all possible measures to maintain normalcy. According to the notification, "In view of the call given by a political party for a 12-hour bandh on August 16, it has been decided that all state government offices shall remain open and all the employees shall report for duty on that date. It has been decided that no Casual Leave for absence either in the first half of the day or in the second half or for the whole day or any other leave shall be granted to any employee on the said date. The employees, who were on leave on August 14 shall have to report for duty on August 16." Los Angeles, Aug 15 : Hollywood star Elizabeth Banks shared that she met Rolling Stones legend Mick Jagger at a dinner party and discussed "dying bees on the planet". Banks, on the Jimmy Fallon show, said: "I saw Mick on his 80th. It was his 80th birthday. My husband was especially excited because, you know, the Rolling Stones is everything. I mean he's unbelievable," she said. Talking about Jagger, being an environmentalist, she said: "I sat next to him at a dinner party once and he was talking to me about the bees that were dying. He's like an environmentalist. He was worried about the dying bees on the planet." She was then asked by the host what Olympics event she saw. A glimpse of the chat was shared on Instagram. "The thing that I really wanted to see was beach volleyball because the stadium was under the Eiffel Tower and I went to Rio, the stadium was on Copacabana beach in Rio. And it is a party," she said. Banks added: "You know how sometimes you go to something and they're like quiet... please you have to be quiet... 'No'. This is a DJ, they are playing music, the crowd is going crazy, they got everybody into it..." "Talking about the French mascot, Banks said: "Did you see the French mascot? I guess he was a hat... He was supposed to be a hat apparently... He was there doing some dances. He is just a red triangle," she added. Elizabeth's forthcoming film is 'Skincare', where she will be seen playing a "top aesthetician". The trailer of the film was unveiled last month and is described as a fictional story inspired by a true story. In the trailer, the actress essays a top celebrity aesthetician named Hope Goldman and how her career is challenged after a rival aesthetician moves into her neighbourhood, reports people.com. One morning, Banks's character realises that her e-mail has been hacked and the hacker has sent messages pretending to be her, begging for money. Mumbai, Aug 15 : The MahaYuti government in Maharashtra has deposited Rs 999 crore through direct benefit transfer (DBT) mode to the bank accounts of 1.13 crore eligible women beneficiaries of the ambitious Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, an official said on Thursday. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on the occasion of Independence Day interacted with some of the beneficiaries, reiterating the government's commitment to implement the Ladki Bahin Scheme for their welfare and empowerment. The beneficiaries thanked the Chief Minister for the state government's initiative. The state government has said that the rest of the women beneficiaries will get financial assistance by August 17 -- on the auspicious day of Raksha Bandhan. The registration of 1.62 crore women was done by August 14. Women and Child Welfare Minister Aditi Tatkare said that the DBT of the Ladki Bahin scheme started on August 14. "The Women and Child Development department is working 24 hours a day to ensure that this process goes smoothly. I am personally keeping an eye on this process. We are working on a war footing to transfer the benefits to all eligible women before Raksha Bandhan," she added. Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar has said that he has already allocated Rs 35,000 crore in the budget for the implementation of Ladki Bahin scheme, adding that funds would not be an issue. The MahaYuti government, which has launched the Ladki Bahin scheme on the lines of Madhya Pradesh government with an eye on the upcoming Assembly election, hopes to disburse benefits to over 2.50 crore individuals who would be registered by August 31. The scheme aims to provide financial independence for women, improve their health and nutrition and ultimately make them self-reliant by strengthening their pivotal role in the family. Aditi Tatkare has requested all district guardian ministers to run a campaign to link Aadhaar numbers with the bank accounts of eligible beneficiaries of Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana. Besides, she suggested the district guardian ministers to organise special functions for the distribution benefits under the Ladki Bahin scheme on August 17. Tatkare said that the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana is important for the women of the state. "A state-level programme for distribution of benefits of the scheme will be held in Pune on August 17. At the same time, programmes should be held in every district under the chairmanship of the Guardian Minister. A district-level programme of benefit distribution should be held in the presence of MPs/MLAs in the district where the Guardian Minister is not available. Live telecast of the state-level event should be shown at the venue," she added. New Delhi, Aug 15 : The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Thursday declared a 24-hour nationwide withdrawal of medical services starting 6 a.m. on Saturday till 6 a.m. on Sunday in protest against the brutal rape and murder of a junior doctor at the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. The withdrawal of services will affect non-essential medical services, including routine OPDs and elective surgeries. However, essential services, including casualty departments, will continue to function normally. In a statement issued by its National President R.V. Asokan, the IMA expressed its concerns over the handling of the case by the medical college authorities and the Kolkata Police, leading to protests by the medical fraternity across the country. "Subsequent to the brutal crime at the R.G. Kar Medical College in Kolkata and the hooliganism unleashed on the protesting students on the eve of Independence Day, the Indian Medical Association declares nationwide withdrawal of services by doctors of modern medicine from 6 a.m. on Saturday to 6 a.m. on Sunday for 24 hours. "All essential services will be maintained. Casualties will be manned. Routine OPDs will not function and elective surgeries will not be conducted. The withdrawal is across all the sectors wherever modern medicine doctors are providing service. IMA requires the sympathy of the nation with the just cause of its doctors," the statement read. On August 13, the Calcutta High Court asked the state police to hand over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) while expressing discontent with the probe conducted so far, the IMA said. "They also flagged the possibility of destruction of evidence if the state police continued with the investigation. On August 15, the hospital was vandalised by a large crowd which destroyed various sections. The medical students who were on protest were attacked as well. "Doctors, especially women, are vulnerable to violence because of the nature of the profession. It is for the authorities to provide for the safety of doctors inside hospitals and campuses. Both physical assaults and crimes are results of indifference and insensitivity of the concerned authorities to the needs of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers." the IMA said in the statement. Earlier on Thursday, the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA), a key doctors' body in the country, announced to resume its strike in protest against the R.G. Kar incident with "renewed resolve", just two days after it decided to call it off. In a statement issued on Thursday, FORDA said, "In light of the recent troubling events at R.G. Kar Medical College, the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association addresses our colleagues, the medical community, and the public with renewed resolve... We acknowledge that our earlier decision to call off the strike, made in good faith based on assurances from the Ministry, has caused distress and disappointment within our community. We accept responsibility for this and understand the widespread discontent it has caused. "The events that have unfolded since, particularly the violence last night, have shocked and anguished us all. This represents a dark chapter for our profession. We strongly condemn the Union Ministry and state government for their failure to honour their commitments and ensure the safety of healthcare professionals during this crisis." Cincinnati : , Aug 15 (IANS) The 2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez showed a welcome return to form as she halted Kazakhstan's No.4 seed Elena Rybakina's return to action in the second round of the Cincinnati Open with a hard-fought 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-4 win here on Thursday. Fernandez, who defeated three top-5 players before going down to fellow teenager Emma Raducanu in the 2021 US Open final, came back from a double match point down in the second set before prevailing over Rybakina. Rybakina was playing her first match since falling in the Wimbledon semifinals to eventual champion Barbora Krejcikova. Acute bronchitis had forced the Kazakhstani to withdraw from both the Paris Olympic Games and last week's WTA 1000 event in Toronto, and her rust showed throughout in the form of 17 double faults. Two of those came on both of her match points as she served at 6-5 in the second set. Fernandez has been enjoying a resurgent season and returned to the Top 30 in June after an absence of nearly two years. The Canadian, currently ranked 23rd in the WTA Rankings, took advantage to seal her fifth career Top 5 win, and first since she knocked out three Top 5 opponents to reach the 2021 US Open final. Earlier on Wednesday night, World No.1 Iga Swiatek made a winning return to the hard courts at the Cincinnati Open. Playing her first match since winning a bronze medal for Poland at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Swiatek held off Varvara Gracheva 6-0, 6-7(8), 6-2 in her tournament opener. A semifinalist last year, Swiatek will face Marta Kostyuk next in the third round. Kostyuk advanced by defeating Lulu Sun 6-3, 7-5. Dhaka, Aug 15 : Bangladesh's Religious Affairs Advisor A.F.M. Khalid Hossain said on Thursday that the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government wants to grow relations with India. Interacting exclusively with IANS, Hossain acknowledged Prime Minister Narendra Modi's concerns about the ongoing violence in Bangladesh and said: "India is our neighbour and we want to maintain peace and tranquility in our country with the goodwill of India." The Religious Affairs Advisor also termed India the South Asian country's "best neighbour", which helped "us immensely during our liberation war". Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech expressed deep concern over the ongoing violence against Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh. Highlighting the plight of the minority communities, particularly Hindus, in the violence-stricken country, Prime Minister Modi said: "Whatever is happening in our neighbouring country (Bangladesh) is very concerning for us. I hope that conditions normalise there." "All 140 crore Indians are worried about the safety of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh. India always wishes for its neighbouring nations to walk on the path of peace and progress. We are committed to maintaining peace," the Prime Minister said in his speech from the iconic Red Fort. Prime Minister Modi also reiterated India's support for Bangladesh's stability and development. Earlier as well, after the swearing-in of the interim government in Bangladesh, PM Modi had extended his best wishes to its Chief Advisor, Nobel laureate and microfinance pioneer Muhammad Yunus (84), while expressing hope that the new regime would restore peace and ensure the protection of Hindus and other minorities. "My best wishes to Professor Muhammad Yunus on the assumption of his new responsibilities. We hope for an early return to normalcy, ensuring the safety and protection of Hindus and all other minority communities. India remains committed to working with Bangladesh to fulfill the shared aspirations of both our peoples for peace, security and development," the Prime Minister had posted on X. Hyderabad, Aug 15 : Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao on Thursday accused the Congress government in Telangana of deceiving and defrauding farmers under the guise of a Rs 2 lakh loan waiver. Reacting to the announcement made by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy while launching the third and final phase of loan waiver, he said this once again proved that "Congress is synonymous with deceit". KTR, as the BRS leader is popularly known, slammed the government for reducing the number of beneficiaries. He said that those excluded from the waiver will undoubtedly protest from tomorrow. KTR demanded that the Congress government explain to the state's farmers how they managed a Rs 2 lakh loan waiver with only Rs 17,900 crore, while the BRS government spent Rs 17,000 crore on a Rs 1 lakh waiver. He dismissed the Congress scheme as a "million-dollar joke" and compared it to the bogus Paddy bonus scheme. He further criticized the reduction in the number of beneficiaries despite doubling the loan waiver amount, calling it a blatant example of Congress's fraudulent policies. KTR remarked that during the election campaign, Congress promised a complete loan waiver to all farmers, creating false hopes. He recalled the statement of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, urging farmers to secure loans up to Rs. 2 lakhs quickly. However, after assuming power and over eight months in office, Congress has backtracked on its promises, imposing countless conditions and pushing thousands of farmers into further distress. Another BRS leader T. Harish Rao has also criticised CM Revanth Reddy for breaking the loan waiver promise "Revanth Reddy keeps proving that he is not fit to be Chief Minister. In the history of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, there has never been a more disgraceful Chief Minister," said Harish Rao. The former minister alleged that despite swearing on gods, Revanth Reddy did not keep his promises and instead made false accusations against the BRS and him. He said before the Assembly elections, Revanth Reddy promised to waive farm loans of Rs 40,000 crore. "When he couldnat fulfill this, he staged another drama before the Parliament elections. He then claimed he would waive Rs 31,000 crore by August 15, which is Rs 9,000 crore less than his original promise. If the Congress government is waiving Rs 2 lakhs in loans, how can there be only 22 lakh farmers, and how can it cost just Rs 17,869 crore?" he asked Chennai, Aug 15 : Tamil Nadu BJP President, K. Annamalai, said on Thursday that the BJP government needs to be unseated from power for creating a 'Viksit' Bharat and a 'Viksit' state. He added that only by eradicating the DMK rule will lead Tamil Nadu towards development. He was addressing party cadres at state BJP headquarters, 'Kamalalalyam', on Thursday after inaugurating their two-wheeler rally with national flags as part of the Independence Day celebrations. The BJP leader said that Tamil Nadu should regain its lost glory and it should move on the path of development. He added that Tamil Nadu should get everything for people of all castes and religion. The IPS officer-turned-politician exuded confidence that in the 2026 Assembly elections, the BJP-led alliance would form a government in Tamil Nadu and hoist the national flag at the Fort St. George. He also pointed out towards the increase in BJP's vote share in the state during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections (BJP got 11.1 per cent votes in 2024 Lok Sabha polls while in 2019 Lok Sabha elections it was 3.6 per cent). BJP had contested elections without the support of either of the two major Dravidian parties -- DMK or the AIADMK. State BJP President Annamalai said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had emphasised that 140 crore people of India should fight and give us a 'Viksit' Bharat. He added that Prime Minister Modi had spoken about 'One Nation, One Election'. The BJP leader stressed that the youth needs a major change in the country to achieve Viksit Bharat by 2047. BJP National Secretary and party in-charge of Tamil Nadu, Arvind Menon, led the bike rally organised by the party cadres. Party leaders H. Raja, Kesava Vinayagam, ANS Prasad, Khushbu Sundar, etc. were present at the event. Patna, Aug 16 : Bihar BJP President Dilip Jaiswal on Thursday expressed his strong support for the 'One Nation, One Election' concept, saying it would benefit the country by reducing the time and resources spent on frequent elections. He also cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day speech from the Red Fort, wherein he highlighted the impact of continuous elections on governance and development works. "I am saying right from the beginning that a significant portion of the government's time and resources, as well as people's attention, is consumed by frequent elections. The government officials are also heavily involved in the electoral process, which negatively impacts development works. The money spent on elections could be better utilised for the development of the country. Therefore, I believe that the concept of 'One Nation, One Election' is in the best interest of the nation," Jaiswal said. He also claimed that developed countries are not comfortable with the idea of India progressing. But despite their resistance, India has emerged as the fifth-largest economy in the world, he said. "These developed nations are uncomfortable with India's progress and they do not want a strong government to be established in the country, because a strong government would further enhance India's economic power. "Some developed countries had conspired against Narendra Modi during the Lok Sabha elections to prevent him from becoming the Prime Minister for a third term. These nations fear the growth of India's economic power under a strong government," Jaiswal claimed. Reacting to the brutal rape and murder of a junior doctor at Kolkata's R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Jaiswal condemned the rising incidents of crime against women as a reflection of "shameless thinking" in the society. "This is a significant concern which underscores the importance of empowering women to prevent such crimes," he said. Jaiswal also emphasised that Prime Minister Modi's vision, as outlined during his address from the Red Fort, is to make India a developed country by 2047. Acknowledging that Narendra Modi might not remain the Prime Minister until then, Jaiswal stressed the importance of passing on this vision to the next generation. Urging the youth of the country to understand and embrace PM Modi's vision, Jaiswal highlighted the significant message for the youth to step up and work towards realising the dream of a developed nation. Moscow, Aug 16 : Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has said that it had foiled a terrorist attack attempt on an Interior Ministry facility in the Tyumen region in West Siberia. "The FSB jointly with the Investigative Committee has foiled an attempted terrorist attack in Tobolsk of the Tyumen region," the FSB said on Thursday, adding that two Russian citizens plotting to detonate an explosive at the Interior Ministry facility were arrested. Two improvised incendiary devices and a self-made explosive were seized during the raid, Xinhua news agency reported. The authorities have initiated a follow-up investigation, the FSB said. FSB operatives seized from the cache equipped by the suspects two improvised incendiary devices and a self-made explosive, which were destroyed on the spot by bomb technicians, it added. "The communications devices seized from the suspects contained instructions on making improvised incendiary devices and explosives and video records of their tests," it said. Russia's Investigative Committee has opened a criminal probe under Part 1, Article 30 and Part 2, article 205 of Russia's Criminal Code ('Preparations for a Terror Attack'), the FSB added. A shooting at Moscow's Crocus City Hall concert venue on March 22, followed by a massive fire, resulted in at least 144 deaths and 551 injuries. New York, Aug 16 : A Pakistani-American, who travelled to Pakistan to join Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) to fight in Kashmir or Afghanistan, has been released after a federal judge sentenced him to 20 years of "supervised release", sparing him further prison time. Federal Judge Leonie Brinkema issued the judgement on Wednesday in the trial of Umar Farooq Chaudhury, 39, one of five men from the Washington area, who went to Pakistan in 2009 hoping to join the "Jihad". US Federal Bureau of Investigation Counterterrorism Special Agent Bruce Schwindt said in a court filing that according to Chaudhry's companion Waqar Hussein Khan their recruiter "was going to take the group to Kashmir or Afghanistan". Chaudhury has admitted in court to a charge of conspiring to help JeM, a foreign terrorist group, and to "fight and, if necessary, kill any US military forces" in Afghanistan. After he arrived in Pakistan, he was arrested on charges of conspiring to attack a Pakistani nuclear power plant and air force bases, according to court documents. After being found guilty by a Pakistani court of conspiring to attack military facilities, he was imprisoned in the Faisalabad Central Jail and transferred to a high-security prison for terrorists in Sahiwal where he spent more than four years in solitary confinement, according to Chaudhry's lawyer Geremy Kamens. He said in a court filing that "Umar's horrific experiences during the decade that he spent in prison in Pakistan are undoubtedly a principal reason" that prosecutors agreed to recommend sentencing him to time served. While making a case for leniency, Kamens made a convoluted argument that Chaudhry had been arrested in Pakistan as a reaction to Washington's criticism of Islamabad for supporting anti-India terrorists. The lawyer wrote that "anti-Indian terrorist groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed furthered Pakistan's interest in destabilising the US-backed Afghan government and supporting the Taliban, to avoid the establishment of a pro-Indian government on Pakistan's western border". But "faced with escalating criticism from the US regarding its support of anti-Indian terrorist groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba, the ISI (Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence) recognised that the arrest of Umar and his friends in Pakistan could be used as propaganda to demonstrate that US citizens had travelled to Pakistan to attack Pakistani military targets," he wrote. And this was behind the terrorism charges Pakistan had made against Chaudhry, the lawyer wrote. FBI Special Agent Shwindt wrote that the recruiter, who was not identified, had made contact with them through Ahmed Ameer Minni, identified by one of the five as the group's leader. The recruiter communicated through YouTube and email, giving them instructions on how to get to Pakistan, according to him. Chaudhry and his four companions went on their own to a mosque in Sindh province's Hyderabad that they believed was associated with JeM, where the "Emir" directed them to a mujahideen camp in Lahore, Schwindt wrote. The camp was thought to be associated with Jamaat-ud-Dawa, there they were told to get references before they could be admitted, he wrote. They were arrested by Pakistani officials in Sardogha, according to Schwindt. He wrote that Chaudhry said in an interview with the FBI, "We came (to Pakistan) for the sake of Islam to work with the Muslims." (Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed at @arulouis) Kiev, Aug 16 : Ukraine has taken control of 82 settlements in western Russia's Kursk region, Oleksandr Syrsky, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said. Since the beginning of their operation in the Kursk region, Ukrainian troops have advanced 35 km along the Russian army's defence, and controlled more than 1,150 sq km of territory, Syrsky said on Thursday on his official Telegram channel. Since the beginning of Thursday, Ukrainian troops have advanced between 500 metres and 1.5 km further into the Kursk region, he added. The Ukrainian troops have captured the town of Sudzha in the Kursk region, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, adding that a military commandant's office is being established there, Xinhua news agency reported. Russia's Defence Ministry announced that in the past 24 hours, their forces successfully repelled six Ukrainian attacks in the Kursk region. Additionally, it claimed to have destroyed 117 drones and four tactical missiles launched by Ukraine at several regions including Kursk. The Ministry also added that Ukraine had lost up to 2,300 soldiers and 37 tanks during its incursion into Kursk. "Several other settlements have also been liberated. In total, there are already more than 80 of them," Zelensky said. Ukrainian forces have continued to advance since launching their incursion into Russia. As of Tuesday, Zelensky said 74 communities -- which are largely small villages and hamlets -- were under Ukrainian control in the Kursk region. Syrskyi said on Wednesday that Ukrainian forces had completed search-and-destroy operations for Russian forces still in Sudzha, the main border town from which Ukrainian forces have been expanding their bridgehead inside Russia. Amid the advance, mass evacuations are underway in the Kursk region and elsewhere. More than 720 people have left border areas in the Kursk region over the past 24 hours, the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry said on Thursday. Provisional accommodation centres in 14 regions have received 9,500 people, including more than 6,500 in the Kursk region, the Ministry said. Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov said on Thursday that the military is "allocating additional forces" among its measures to increase security in regions bordering Ukraine. "We are talking, first of all, about increasing the efficiency of the troop command and control system in interaction with other law enforcement agencies and the administration of the Belgorod region, about identifying responsible officials, as well as allocating additional forces and means that will be sent to carry out the main tasks," Belousov was quoted by the Defense Ministry as saying. Meanwhile, in Ukraine, Russian forces have been trying to advance towards the logistics hub of Pokrovsk for months, inching forward incrementally. The head of the Civil Military Administration in Pokrovsk said on Thursday that the "enemy almost approached our community to the city of Pokrovsk" and was a little more than six miles from the outskirts of the city. Geneva, Aug 16 : The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, has called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, as the death toll among the Palestinians exceeded 40,000, according to Gaza health authorities. "Today marks a grim milestone for the world," Turk said on Thursday in a statement, following reports from Gaza health authorities indicating that the Palestinian death toll in the Gaza Strip had reached 40,005, with 92,401 injured since the conflict began on October 7, 2023. He emphasised that the majority of the deceased are women and children, highlighting the devastating impact on civilian populations. He expressed deep concern over the Israeli Defense Forces' repeated violations of the rules of war, which have caused extensive damage to homes, hospitals, schools, and places of worship in the Gaza Strip, Xinhua news agency reported. Turk described the scale of the Israeli military's destruction as "deeply shocking," noting that about 130 people have been killed daily in the Gaza Strip over the past 10 months. He called on all parties involved to immediately agree to a ceasefire and lay down their arms. Meanwhile, Turk stressed the urgent need for the release of hostages and the freeing of Palestinians who have been arbitrarily detained. He also reiterated the necessity of ending Israel's illegal occupation and urged for the implementation of the internationally supported two-state solution. Turk in a statement said: "This unimaginable situation is overwhelmingly due to recurring failures by the Israeli Defense Forces to comply with the rules of war." "International humanitarian law (IHL) is very clear on the paramount importance on the protection of civilians, and civilian property and infrastructure. Our Office has documented serious violations of IHL by both the Israeli military and Palestinian armed groups, including the armed wing of Hamas." "As the world reflects on and considers its inability to prevent this carnage, I urge all parties to agree to an immediate ceasefire, lay down their arms and stop the killing once and for all. The hostages must be released. Palestinians arbitrarily detained must be freed. Israel's illegal occupation must end and the internationally agreed two-State solution must become a reality." For a time, Jeff Smiths comics masterpiece Bone was only available in a hefty collected edition numbering a staggering 1,360 pages, and when I started college 17 years ago, every friend, colleague, and professor in my majornot to mention related art majors adjacent to comicshad their own personal copy. For many, Bone was a glorious discovery they tried to convince their less comics-inclined high school friends to pick up before finding themselves in the midst of likeminded art nerds in college and learning that the series was nothing short of a movement: first within the comics world, then even across mainstream readerships. Upon its 2010 release, Scholastics collected edition of Bone was held aloft as a work of staggering patience and a testament to its creators mastery of the craft and unwavering discipline. But before Bone, there was Thornthe precocious college comic strip that Smith penned for the Ohio State University paper the Lantern, per PWs starred review of a new complete collection from Cartoon Books comprising those strips: Thorn: The Complete Proto-Bone College Strips 19821986, and Other Early Drawings. We spoke with Smith about how Thorn led to Bone and how his comics classic found a home at Scholastic, got him to share some excerpts from the new book, and more. My first experience of Bone was not even reading it, but finding it on every shelf I saw in art school. Every professor, every student, colleague, friendeverybody had a copy of it. I saw it in everybody else's hands, and I was like, Well, I must obviously be missing something. That was 2007. You describe this new book, Thorn, as "proto-Bone." What makes it "proto-Bone" instead of just a prequel? And what can we expect as readers of your characters that we already know so well from Bone? It's not a prequel because it's not a story that happened before the story of Bone. It was my first attempt at doing a comic with these characters, and I had a lot to learn. At the time, my goal wasn't graphic novels or comic booksthe word "graphic novels" didn't even exist yet. In the early 80s, at Ohio State University, I wanted to follow Milton Caniff, who was an OSU graduate and did Terry and the Pirates and Steve Canyon. My two favorite comics of all time were Peanuts and Pogo, and in 1982, I was really hanging onto Doonesbury. Every single book that Garry Trudeau put out I got. I was really in the newspaper comics, so my goal was to just try to do this paper comic strip that was like the ones I just named. Those were the ones that worked for me, and for many other peoplethey were very popular. So then I had this run in OSU in the paper, five days a week Monday through Friday, for three years. I wouldn't have thought to put out a collection of the strips. I have to be honestI didn't really want to put this book out because in my mind, these comics were not good. And I hadn't read them in 40 years, but Bone came out of this strip. There's only five years difference between the two. So I really was able to redo it. My artwork was better, my storytelling was better. Now, Bone is popular and published in 35 languages, and Scholastic launched their graphic novel for young adults, Graphix with Bone. So I didn't feel like I had to prove anythingI thought it was okay now to print these comic strips in a nice volume. I still had to read them. I hadn't read them in 40 years. And I was like "Oh, this is gonna suck." But then I read them. And I mean, they weren't as good as Bone, but they were way better than I remembered. And this gets back to question about if its a prequel or what. I realized that the difference between Thorn the comic strip and Bone the comic book is that the Bone was a novelit was a fantasy novel that had a beginning and a middle and an end, and it had rules to follow. I don't follow those rules in the comic strip. It was less like a novel and more like a Sonny and Cher Comedy Hourstyle variety show where one minute there's a little bit of the story and the next minute there's political satire. There would even be characters climbing out of the strip and sitting on the edge of my desk and talk to me. How do you think Thorn contributed to your wider work? Not just in Bone, but potentially in other works of yours, like RASL? I learned how to do comics that were suspenseful. I learned what kind of humor worked. We'd get a reaction in collegethere was a lot of people would be like, "Oh, you do that strip. How come? It's not funny." Now that I've read it, I realized that the reason I thought they were terrible is because when I was submitting them to newspaper syndicates to get it into the newspaper, I got awful rejection letters: "This is dumb. This doesn't work. Good luck. Try somewhere else." They convinced me that this was a dumb idea. But I knew it wasn't a dumb idea. I believe in the characters. I believe in the characters more than the comic strip. And so I just decided, Well that's not the format for me," and I just I cut off all attempts to sell it to the newspapers. Luckily, almost at the same time, in the weekend magazine section of my hometown college newspaper, the Columbus Dispatch, there was a two- or three-page story in full color on a comic book called Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. This is 1986. I never saw anything like it. I never saw a newspaper talking about comic book before! I'm looking at the art and it was new, it was differentdifferent styles, a different way of coloring. And I got excited. So I went and found a comic book store called Monkeys Retreat. At this point I'm 26 years old, and I'm loving this store. This is my store, man. I wanted to find that Batman, and I did, so I got like the first two issues in the four-issue miniseries The Dark Knight Returns. But I also discovered comics that were the continuation of the underground scene. This is the year Maus came out by Art Spiegelman, the same year that Watchmen came out by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. So this in the world of comics was was a thunderclap. It was huge. I wasnt giving up on Bones and ThornI figured there was something I could do with it. And I just had to just hope that something would turn up and there it was, right in front of me: independent comics. And it wasn't just Dark Knight Returns. It was Love and Rockets. It was Dan Clowes doing Eight-Ball. Charles Burns. The Tick was coming out by Ben Edlund. I was just like, what is happening here? No one knows about this. This is like this is a new golden age of comics, but it's only in comic bookstores. So I found these in '86, and about five years later I launched Bone. Can you talk a bit about finding a home for Bone at Scholastic? They're great over at Scholastic! They called us. We had actually flown out a couple years earlier and shown Bone to Scholastic because we were thinking, "This is pretty popular, and we think this could make it to the mainstream." But they didn't know what to do with it. Two years later, they called us and said, We want to publish it. And my wife, who is my best friend and my business partner, was like, "Why? We were just there two years ago and you didn't really see it." They said, "The librarians called us all the libraries all over the country are telling us we have to publish this book." So we worked that out with them. One of the most fun parts of it for me was that Art Spiegelman and his wife Francoise Mouly, who's the art director for the New Yorker, were consulting with Scholastic about helping them start up this new graphic novels for young adults imprint called Graphix. It was their idea. I've heard that Scholastic was already thinking about starting the imprint with Bone, but Art says that he told them that Art Spiegelman told them to start with Bone. In any case, doesn't matter to me, because either way its great. Art called me after we agreed to go with Graphix, and he said, "This is what you got to do is you got to color it." And I said "Color it?! What's it need color for? At that time, it was already in 11, 12 foreign languages, and it seems pretty popular. So I said, "Why, Art? Maus is a black and white. It's one of my favorite booksit was one of the three books in 1986 that made me want to do comics and graphic novels. Why should Bone be in color?" And his answer was: "You know, Maus is about the war and the Holocaust. It should be in black and white. Bone is about life. And it won't be finished until it's in color." What are your earliest memories of comics? My really earliest memories are the Sunday funnies. My dad would read them to me: Peanuts, Scamp, Milton Caniff, Marmadukeeverything! I also remember going with my dad to the barbershop in the '60s to get my hair cut. There were magazines there for all the men, but then there was a pile of comic books. Mostly Our Army at War, starring Sergeant Rock. I fell in love with the art style of the main artist Joe Kubert and his ability to do these drawings that would pull you in and then take you from panel to panel. These panel transitions were magical to me. They worked. A lot of comic books are done by people that should have been doing advertising or something. But there's those ones that really got it. Was there ever a point where you questioned whether or not you wanted to stay course in art and comics? No, never. I got a scholarship to Columbus College of Art Design, which is a very good school, but I got no love from any of my professors. My favorite professor taught live drawing with models and stuff, and he says to me, "Why are you taking this class?" I said, "Because I want to draw comics. And it's this really teaching me a lot about how to draw bodies and anatomy." And he was like "Comics! Comics are the bastard child of art and journalism." Basically, without saying it, he was telling me to get out. So I got out, went across town to OSU, where they at least have a newspaper where I can put a comic strip. And that's where we're back to Thorn! Was there someone in particular who was really encouraging about the whole process? I had a lot of good teachers, but the one person that really became my mentor, actually for life, was the librarian in charge of the cartoon research library [at OSU], Lucy Shelton Caswell. When Milton Caniff donated his papers and a bunch of his artwork, nobody really knew what to do with it. And Lucy Shelton Caswell was the one who said, "I think this actually is an art form. It's literature, and it's art, and I think that I can make a library out of that." And nobody else wanted to, so they gave it to her, and she has built it up. At that point, she was already making waves in the world of cartooning and knew tons of stuff about comics. That same library that grew and expanded over the next 25 years and became the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum. It is astonishing. Much later, when I was doing doing the Bone comics, I met Charles Shultz; he was really kind to me. He got that I got him. And I was very good friends with Will Eisner; I feel like I'm very good friends with Art Spiegelman in Francoise Mouly. I love comics. I love the people in comics, and I got a lot of help from. In a spirited five-day celebration, held August 812 at the Scottish Events Campus in Glasgow, Scotland, crowds converged from all over the globe for the 82nd World Science Fiction Convention, known as Worldcon. Show organizers said that more than 8,000 membership badges were purchased in total, with over 7,200 issued at the venue and upwards of 600 in attendance online. On the convention floor and across a wealth of a wealth of panels, book signings, and creative showcases, the mood was buoyant, with old hands and first-timers alike connecting in bars, at events, and simply in passing. And the organizations promise to [consider] access, inclusion, and diversity as integral to Glasgow 2024, found the perfect venue in the Scottish city, which was welcoming, accessible, and spacious. This energy was summed up perfectly in one small room on Sunday evening, as a panel on science fiction and fantasy limericks got underway. Though its timing clashed with the imminent Hugo Awards, a panel led by author R.W.W. Greene still drew a great crowd, and gamely led a wonderful back and forth between panelists and the audience in the pursuit of the perfect SFF verse. It was collaborative, convivial, and showed the strong communal spirit at this years event. At no point in my early author career have I felt more like I belonged than at Worldcon, said author Adrian M. Gibson. This convention gave me and countless creatives from all walks of life the opportunity to see each other as fellow humans who you could break bread with, converse with, and share ideas. It opened my eyes to the importance of connection, and the fact that were all in this journey together. If connection was a key part of proceedings, so was the air of calmin a way that was different to last years Worldcon in China. As Australian sci-fi author Jeremy Szal put it, in Chengdu, "they were hungry, enthusiastic, and frenzied in their love of science fiction. Whereas Glasgow felt noticeably laid-back." From an industry perspective, there was a scarcity of American publishers at this year's Worldcon. Still, everyone in attendance seemed more focused on celebrating the current boom in the genre around the world. Theres never been a more exciting time to be a SFF publisher, said Bethan Morgan, editorial director of Gollancz. Eleanor Teasdale, publisher at Angry Robot Books and Datura Books, remarked, Its been a joyous festival of genre, with so many international attendees too. This excitement was shared by Amanda Rutter, commissioning editor at Solaris Books. I havent been to [a Worldcon] that felt so productive and positive since before the pandemic, she said, adding, The Glasgow team made it the most inclusive convention I have been to by far, given their commitment to accessibility needs and striving to ensure that every single participant felt as though they were represented. The con felt very well organized, said George Sandison, managing editor at Titan Books. Like all effective project management, it looked like it was very simple to do and probably required Herculean efforts by numerous highly competent people! Francesca T. Barbini, founder of Luna Press Publishing, agreed, praising the organizers for being lots of help when we arrived. Overall, its been an amazing experience. The main takeaway from the event seemed to be about the importance of in-person connection to both the publishing industry and the greater SFF community. Cath Trechman, editor at large at Titan Books, noted, I can say I found this year's Worldcon to be a great place to meet authors and agents and chat about the current trends and the idiosyncrasies of publishing, surrounded by an enthusiastic crowd of genre fans and book lovers. Anna Jackson, Publisher at Orbit UK, echoed Trechman's sentiments. "We were able to meet many of our international authors in person who wed only met online before," Jackson said. "We got to watch and participate in a range of brilliant panels and events, which were fun, informative andimportantlyvery inclusive. And finally, for us to finish the weekend by having Orbit authors Emily Tesh and Ann Leckie walk away with the Hugo Awards for Best Novel and Best Series respectively was the icing on the cake! The Hugo Awards ceremony was held on August 11, with this years winners including Teshs Some Desperate Glory, for best novel, and T. Kingfishers Thornhedge, for best novella. the awards, the most significant in the SFF world, have been marred by recent controversies, from a censorship scandal at Chengdu that ended with resignations and censures earlier this year to the recent disqualifications of "fake votes" for this year's awards. However, publishers acknowledged that the commitment to transparency by this years organizerswhich includes the release of a full administrative report and voting statistics in the wake of the showhas helped. The controversy surrounding the fraudulent votes cast for this year's Hugo Awards was unfortunate and it's upsetting for the SF community that someone would try to interfere with the voting system in this way, said Jackson. I commend the Hugo organisers for being transparent around this matter. Liza Trombi, editor in chief at Locus magazine, concurred, saying, The current team has done an excellent job of managing problems when they appear, in a transparent way that is rebuilding confidence within the larger SFF community. Amanda Rutter of Solaris remarked called it "a deep shame that Chengdu was not able to truly celebrate the fantastic slate of Chinese authors and media producers that appeared on the Hugo Awards last year, but were unfairly embroiled in the over-arching issues of what happened." Rutter said that this year in Glasgow, "we have welcomed seeing the transparency of the award administration, including swift moves to remove vote manipulation, and a very quick presentation of the voting statistics after the award to ensure that the community could see that everything was above board. It was a commitment by this years award administrators, which I hope will continue, that the awards belong to the community, and that the SFFH community should have a fair say. KIC to Showcase Innovative Reflow, Wave, and Cure Profiling Solutions at Elektronikmessen E-24 in Denmark Published: 15 August 2024 by Tyler Hanes by Tyler Hanes SAN DIEGO KIC, the leader in smart thermal process technologies for electronics manufacturing, is excited to announce its participation in Elektronikmessen E-24, scheduled to take place September 3-5, 2024 at the Congress Center Odense in Denmark. KIC will exhibit at Booth C-4632 alongside its distributor, Hin. Attendees are invited to explore KIC's cutting-edge technologies and witness live demonstrations of its latest innovations. At the show, KIC will launch its groundbreaking Thermal Analysis System software featuring the new OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) feature and the Common Recipe Finder. These innovations are designed to provide manufacturers with actionable insights, enabling them to not only "see where theyre going" but also to "know where theyve been." KICs solutions are engineered to enhance production efficiency, quality, and sustainability in the electronics manufacturing industry. Key Exhibits at Elektronikmessen E-24: KIC Smart Profiler System (SPS): See Where Youre Going Process and Recipe Setup: Fast NPI: Accelerate product launch cycles with rapid and precise profiling. High Reliability and Quality: Ensure consistent product quality with optimized recipes. OEE: Improve equipment performance and minimize downtime with common recipes. High Volume Manufacturing: Optimize for maximum throughput and efficiency. Sustainability: Reduce energy consumption and carbon footprint with eco- friendly practices. Process and Recipe Setup: Automatic Profiling During Production: Know Where Youve Been Value-Add, Cost-Effective Automatic Profiling: Automatic Profiling: Streamline profiling processes for cost-effective operations. Oven Performance Tracking: Monitor and enhance oven performance with real- time data. Traceability: Achieve full traceability with detailed reports and data tracking. Easy Audit Reports: Simplify compliance and audit procedures with intuitive reporting tools. Process Control: Maintain optimal process conditions for superior results. MES/CFX/Hermes Integration: Seamlessly integrate with Manufacturing Execution Systems and communication standards. Value-Add, Cost-Effective Automatic Profiling: Visit KIC at Booth C-4632 to experience firsthand how their smart factory ecosystem helps customers achieve faster NPI, higher quality and reliability, increased volume and productivity, reduced energy consumption, and improved overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). KICs innovative solutions are designed to empower businesses to drive continuous improvement and achieve their production goals with precision. For more information about KIC, visit https://kicthermal.com Property details: American Patriot Placer Gold Mining Claim 20 Acres Plumas County CA Sly Creeks near an enjoying reservoir and Big Chief Placers Claims 20Acres Sierra City, CA Cherokee Creek only 2 miles from the city.You can use the Google Maps search the Sly Creek Reservoir And Sierra City .Well look no further! Located in the prolific historic Laporte Mining District. If you want the gold too ha-ha well break out that sluice, high banker and reclamation dredge on the claim and you'll find it. I bought these 2... Price: $ 3,800 Seller State of Residence: New Jersey City: Princeton State/Province: New Jersey Location: 085**, Princeton, New Jersey You will be redirected to eBay When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. 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Nearby Louisiana TLC / Reality TV World By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 08/14/2024 ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. : Happily Ever After? star Michael Ilesanmi has confirmed Angela Deem filed to annul their marriage, and he's asking for financial help from fans to fight his legal battle.Angela filed a Complaint for Annulment in the Superior Court of Jeff Davis County in Georgia on June 20.Michael uploaded three screenshots of the court documents via Instagram Stories on Tuesday, August 13.One screenshot showed part of Angela's Complaint for Annulment, and the second screenshot featured a summons Angela's lawyer had filed with the court on the same day, June 20.The third screenshot showed a judge's June 24 order that Michael be served by publication since Angela claimed she had no idea where her estranged husband was staying or how to serve him in person.According to Angela's Complaint for Annulment, Angela's grounds for annulment are that the Respondent, Michael, "fraudulently induced Petitioner into a marriage for the purpose of gaining legal permanent resident status in the United States."Angela and Michael had lived "in a state of separation for 30 days" preceding Angela's filing, and Angela claimed that Michael abandoned her shortly after his late 2023 move from Nigeria to the United States."After respondent abandoned the Petitioner, Petitioner discovered that the respondent was engaged in a conspiracy with other Nigerian men to induce US citizens into marriage for the purpose of gaining legal permanent resident status," the complaint continued.Since Michael's whereabouts were "unknown" to Angela in June, she also filed an Affidavit of Diligent Search, according to Starcasm."A diligent search has been made, and the Respondent cannot be found within the State," Angela stated in the affidavit."I do not know where the Respondent lives or where the Respondent can be found... [Michael] is not from this country and I do not have contacts for his family in Nigeria. He abandoned the marital residence in Hazlehurst, and he has not contacted me."She added, "He only arrived in this country in December of 2023 so I do not have any information about his known associates."A judge reportedly signed an Order For Service By Publication on June 21, and then the paperwork was officially filed on June 24.Michael was given 60 days to respond from the date of the first publication of notice. According to Starcasm, Michael has yet to formally file a response in the annulment case and he's running out of time.Despite his legal troubles, Michael has shared positive messages on social media, and he's apparently trying to look on the bright side.Michael, however, said he needs financial help to cover the expenses of hiring a lawyer. He therefore announced via Instagram on August 13 that he had launched a GoFundMe campaign for himself."I could really use your help right now," Michael captioned a photo of himself wearing a "GOD GOT ME" T-shirt on Instagram."I'm facing some unexpected legal expenses, and any support would mean the world to me. If you're able to donate, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you."On the GoFundMe page, Michael set a fundraising goal of $50,000.The Nigeria native wrote to his fans, "I have been put in a situation where I unfortunately have to ask for help. Due to the recent legal filings by Angela against me I must seek legal advice. I have obtained an attorney but the fees are expensive.""I have a legal battle to fight and that fight will be expensive. I am asking all my fans to help -- whatever you can give I would deeply appreciate. I understand all of us are having hard times," he continued."And I hate to ask others for money support but it seems like due to the legal actions brought against me I have to ask. Thank you all and God bless."Michael reportedly raised more than $8,000 in six hours, and as of Wednesday August 14, Michael has accumulated nearly $14,500 in donations.: Happily Ever After?'s Season 8 Tell-All -- which was filmed early this year but only began airing on TLC on July 29 -- has featured Angela and Michael, who got married in Nigeria in January 2020, constantly fighting.Angela didn't want to sleep in the same bedroom as Michael when the entire cast stayed at the same house in New Jersey, and she screamed at him about allegedly being a liar, a cheater and a scammer.Many of the cast members took Michael's side, claiming that Angela was treated him poorly and tended to be verbally abusive.Shortly after the Tell-All was apparently filmed, Michael went missing from Angela's Georgia home on February 23. He had been living in the United States for just two months at that point."I love him, but I can't take him back because what he did here proves that he don't give a f-ck," Angela vented to blogger John Yates at the time."Nigerians, people that backed him, get him a good lawyer because mine is $10,000 a f-cking hour."Angela also confirmed that she never applied for Michael's green card following his December 2023 arrival in America."I didn't get his green card or his license and that's why he's pissed and that's why he's doing this," Angela claimed. "He's rushed me from the goddamn Day 1 he landed for his f-cking license and his green card. So now he's going for the legal visa, they'll give it to him."Michael went missing for several days and was found on February 26, when he broke his silence on social media that he was okay.John revealed that Michael had told the police "he was in fear for his life" and did not want Angela knowing his location.Once Angela learned that Michael was seemingly hiding from her, she said, "I'm f-cking mad as hell right now. Tell the truth. I'm worried thinking he was hurt."Based on the fact Angela couldn't find Michael at the time of her annulment filing in June, it appears he never returned to her house following his three-day disappearance in February.Angela and Michael were first introduced to the world on Season 2 of : Before the 90 Days.Angela and Michael also starred on Season 7 of as well as Seasons 5, 6 and 7 of : Happily Ever After?.The pair first applied for a visa in March 2020 but experienced delays due to the coronavirus pandemic.A December 2022 episode of : Happily Ever After? showed Angela finding out that Michael had been cheating on her in Nigeria. They split in early 2023 but later got back together.Angela and Michael also starred on Season 1 of 90 Day: The Last Resort before he moved to the United States late last year. Hayden Panettiere and Tyler James Williams play civilians trying to save an abducted child in Amber Alert. ADVERTISEMENT A trailer for the film, released by Lionsgate Thursday, opens with an operator providing a description of seven-year-old Charlotte Bryce, who was abducted while her mother was distracted on the phone. The teaser then cuts to Jaq (Panettiere) talking to her rideshare driver Shane (Williams) when they get the Amber Alert notification. "Quickly realizing they are behind a car that matches the description of the kidnapper's, Jaq and Shane desperately race against time to save the child's life," an official synopsis reads. Panettiere, 34, and Williams, 31, also executive produce the film, alongside David Gendron and Ali Jazayeri. Kerry Bellessa directs. In 2023, Panettiere, who starred in Heroes and Nashville, shared how she faced and overcame addiction and mental health struggles that caused her to take a break from Hollywood. Williams also stars in Abbott Elementary. The new film premieres on Sept. 27. The Nebraska Corn Board will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 20, at Wayne State College, 1111 Main St., in Wayne. The meeting is open to the public, providing the opportunity for public comment. The board will conduct regular board business. A copy of the agenda is available by sending an email to renee.tichota@nebraska.gov or by calling 402-471-2676. 'The Casa ratio is at 33.4 per cent, which has to keep improving. Right now, there is a bit of liquidity pressure in the market.' Bandhan Bank posted a 47 per cent jump in net profit in the first quarter on lower bad loans. Ratan Kumar Kesh, who became the interim managing director (MD) & chief executive officer (CEO) of the Kolkata-headquartered lender effective July 10, discusses the bank's growth strategy over the medium term in an interview with Manojit Saha/Business Standard in Mumbai. Bandhan Bank is going through a transition phase as a new MD & CEO will be taking charge after Chandra Shekhar Ghosh, the founder, MD & CEO, decided to retire. How will the bank ensure a smooth transition? Mr Ghosh had clearly articulated (his views on this) when he took the decision to retire by the end of his tenure. He said the bank should decisively come out of the post-pandemic problems. Second, he said that leadership layers should be strongly in place. I think after the first quarter results, we can say with a fair degree of confidence that we are definitely out of the Covid pandemic problems. Earlier, you saw signs of improvement, and now you can see we are definitely out of it. I joined the bank five quarters back. A few more important leaders have joined since. So there is a strong mix of experience within the organisation and experience from outside at various levels. We now have a strong leadership layer both at the MD minus 1 and minus 2 levels to take the bank forward. So the leadership is in place which will ensure a smooth transition. This leadership team has also put out the strategy for the next three years - Bandhan 2.0. We prepared the strategy when Mr Ghosh was still around and it got approved by the board. We have a strong board and the board continuity remains to guide us through this journey. What is the update on the new CEO appointment? The search committee and the board are working on it. We are pretty much on track with the process. Bandhan Bank was a microfinance institution which was converted into a commercial bank in 2015, and has diversified itself. What more can be done on the diversification front? When we started the operations, the bank was 100 per cent microfinance. Today, we have a sizeable secured housing finance portfolio. Our retail book is growing by 80-85 per cent, which is largely secured (around 70-80 per cent). Commercial banking is growing year-on-year (Y-o-Y) at 30-35 per cent. So, we are below 35 per cent in microfinance group loans. So far as geographical diversification is concerned, we are well present in terms of branches out of eastern India. We are about 55 per cent outside the east. Both on the lending and deposit side, the contribution of geographies other than the east is fairly strong. What will be the growth strategy of the bank in the medium term? Our strategy is liabilities-led growth. The deposits will grow faster than the assets. In Q1 our deposits grew 23 per cent and assets grew 21 per cent. We will continue to grow deposits at a faster pace than loans because we also want to bring down the credit-deposit ratio closer to 90 per cent by next year, from 95 per cent now. What is the proportion of current and savings account (Casa) deposits to total deposit? The Casa ratio is at 33.4 per cent, which has to keep improving. Right now, there is a bit of liquidity pressure in the market. Our medium objective is to keep improving the Casa ratio and go closer to 40 per cent. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday said it was for his party to decide whether his son Jay Pawar will contest from the Baramati assembly constituency. IMAGE: NCP chief Ajit Pawar with wife Sunetra and sons Parth and Jay. Photograph: @JayPawarSpeaks_ The Nationalist Congress Party chief, who has been representing the constituency in Pune district for the last many terms, also said he was "not interested" in contesting elections anymore. But state NCP chief Sunil Tatkare later said Ajit Pawar did not say that he would not contest the coming assembly elections. Speaking to reporters, Ajit Pawar was replying to the question whether Jay will be fielded from Baramati as demanded by his supporters. "It is democracy. I am not interested in that (contesting elections) as I have contested seven or eight elections. If the people and supporters think so, the (NCP) parliamentary board will discuss it, he said. If the parliamentary board and "people" felt that Jai should be fielded, the NCP was ready to field him, Ajit Pawar further said. Notably, his elder son Parth Pawar had contested the Maval Lok Sabha seat in 2019 but lost by a heavy margin. Asked if he would celebrate Raksha Bandhan with his cousin and rival NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) MP Supriya Sule, Ajit said he was currently on a state tour and would meet all his sisters in some place. "If Supriya Sule happens to be where I am, I will meet her," he added. He also sought to debunk media reports about differences between him and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, saying that both were working together successfully. Women in the state are happy as the first instalment Rs 1,500 under the 'Ladki Bahin' scheme has been credited into the accounts of 35 lakh women, Pawar said. Asked about his recent remark that it was a mistake to field his wife Sunetra against Supriya Sule in Baramati Lok Sabha seat, Pawar said he had already talked about it. I am not someone who makes comments directed at some person. I speak whatever comes to my mind, and there is no need to do dissection," he said. Elsewhere, Maharashtra NCP chief Sunil Tatkare claimed that Ajit Pawar did not state that he would not contest the coming elections. "Ajit Pawar did not say that he would not contest elections....he could have some plans. We want to win as many seats as possible, Tatkare told reporters. Notably, Rohit Pawar, an NCP (SP) MLA from Karjat-Jamkhed and grand-nephew of Sharad Pawar, had recently claimed that someone from the family who is close to Ajit Pawar could be fielded against him. The Mahayuti (coalition of BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP) is going to field candidates in my constituency to split votes. It was speculated that Ajit Pawar was under pressure to field someone from the family against Supriya Sule. Now, a similar strategy is being drawn up in my assembly constituency, he had said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday made an unequivocal pitch for a uniform civil code in the country, asserting that a "secular civil code" in place of the existing "communal" one is the need of the hour. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses from the ramparts of the Red Fort on 78th Independence Day in New Delhi on August 15, 2024. Photograph: @narendramodi/X In his 11th straight address to the nation, his third term's first, from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Independence Day, Modi also pushed forcefully for 'one nation one election'. Frequent elections are an "obstacle" in the country's growth, and every scheme is seen as a consequence of one poll or another happening every few months, he said in his speech on India's 78th Independence Day. Turning his focus on the unrest in Bangladesh, he voiced India's concerns over the safety of Hindu minorities in the neighbouring country and expressed the hope that normalcy is soon restored there. "We have commitment to peace," he said, asserting that India has always wished well for Bangladesh, and its happiness and prosperity. In the 98-minute speech, his longest Independence Day speech, Modi asserted that it is India's golden era and a 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047 awaits the nation. The prime minister reiterated his push for ridding Indian politics of casteism and nepotism. He called for entry into public life of one lakh youngsters with no family ties to politics so that the fresh blood brings in a new mindset that enriches democracy. The prime minister chose the centrepiece annual event to offer his most unambiguous support for a uniform civil code, saying this is also the spirit of the constitution. The Supreme Court has underlined its need many a time, and the dream of the makers of the Constitution should be fulfilled, he said. "A big section (of society) believes and there is truth in this that the current civil code is in a way a communal civil code. It is a civil code which promotes discrimination. It divides the country along religious lines and promotes inequality," Modi said. "A secular civil code in the country is the need of the hour," he added. Both a nationwide UCC and 'one nation one election' have been part of successive BJP's manifestos. While some BJP-ruled states are working to roll out a uniform civil code, the Centre has so far not taken any legislative measure for its implementation nationally. The Law Commission had started consultation for it last year. Modi asserted that India's 140 crore citizens can achieve the goal of a prosperous and developed country if they walk shoulder to shoulder with a united resolve. He said his government has worked to break the mindset of living with status quo by rolling out big reforms aimed at changing the lives of of the middle class and the poor. The commitment to reforms is the blueprint for growth and is not borne of any political compulsion but the dedication to nation first, the PM said. Modi cautioned citizens against those who cannot digest the country's rise, saying some people cannot think of India's welfare. The country will have to avoid these people who are sunk in the depth of despair, he said. He said it is the "golden era" for India, especially in global context, and exhorted people to not let go of this opportunity. In his third term, Modi said, he has seen global investors being very keen to invest in India and asked states to come out with a clear policy and to woo them pro-actively. Only the central government cannot do it, as investments will have to be made in states, the prime minister said. He asked over three lakh governance units spread across the country -- from local bodies to districts and states -- to carry out at least two reforms to make people's lives easier. Pitching for the dignity of citizens, he said nobody should complain they did not get what was due to him. Underlining the need for modernity and technology in every sector, he said his government has been working on this and its policies have strengthened every field. Women, he said, have taken leadership role in every sector but expressed concern over atrocities against them. "I can sense people's anger," he said, adding that speedy justice in such cases is necessary. He said incidents of heinous crimes against women get a lot of publicity but the punishment given to the guilty does not draw the same coverage, which calls for a change. Over 10 crore new women coming from ordinary backgrounds have become members of self-help groups (SHGs), and their self-reliance bring guarantee for social transformation, he said. Corporate honchos of Indian origin are making a name for themselves globally and have enhanced the country's standing, he said, adding that on the other hand over one crore women have become "lakhpati didi". "This is a matter of equal pride for me." Modi said his government has modernised the country's infrastructure, be it in road, rail, port, schools and hospitals. It has also ensured saturation coverage of welfare schemes, he said. When every beneficiary is covered, any taint of "casteism and communalism" is ruled out, he said. His first I-Day address of the third term takes him past Manmohan Singh, who unfurled the tricolour 10 times from the ramparts of the Red Fort during 2004-2014. Modi is now behind Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, who did the honours 17 and 16 times, respectively. There may be challenges and shortages of resources but people united in goals can overcome this to achieve their target, he added. Speaking of his goal for 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047, he said people from all corners of the country have offered suggestions for the agenda. A resident doctors' federation on Thursday announced to continue its protest in New Delhi over the alleged rape-murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata, a day after medics slammed it for calling off the agitation following the health ministry's "verbal" assurance to meet its demands, including bringing a law to curb attacks on medical personnel. IMAGE: Policemen at the site after a mob vandalises portions of RG Kar Hospital during a protest against the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor, in Kolkata, August 15, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo Resident doctors across major government hospitals in Delhi, including All India Institute of Medical Sciences, VMMC-Safdarjung Hospital and Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, shut down elective services on Monday morning and went on strike, demanding better security and safety measures for medical personnel, and the central law. The announcement by the Federation of Resident Doctors' Associations came after Resident Doctors' Associations of many hospitals on Wednesday accused it of taking the decision to end the protest without consulting them and "backstabbing" the medical fraternity. FORDA members met Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Tuesday night and submitted a letter of demands, that included bringing a central law to curb attacks on medical personnel. "We acknowledge that our earlier decision to call off the strike, made in good faith based on assurances from the ministry, has caused distress and disappointment within our community. We accept responsibility for this and understand the widespread discontent it has caused," the federation said in a statement. The strike will continue following the tragic incident at the RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, it said. Following the FORDA's decision to call off the protest, Maulana Azad Medical College RDA president Aparna Setia had told PTI, "We want a written assurance from the ministry. Until then, we will continue our strike as we cannot rely on verbal assurances." In its statement, the federation said the "events that have unfolded since, particularly the violence (in Kolkata) on Wednesday night, have shocked and anguished us all, marking a dark chapter for our profession". "As an association, we reaffirm our unwavering solidarity with our fellow resident doctors. We strongly condemn the Union ministry and state (West Bengal) government for failing to honour their commitments and ensure the safety of healthcare professionals during this crisis," it said. Following the Tuesday meeting with Nadda, FORDA in a statement had said, "A key outcome of the meeting was the health minister's agreement to form a committee with FORDA's involvement to work on the Central Protection Act. The ministry has assured that work on this will begin within the next 15 days." Safdarjung Hospital RDA general secretary Ayush Raj said faculty members and the nursing department personnel are also supporting the strike. He added that the FORDA, which had initially called off the strike, is now rejoining the agitation. Resident doctors of the GTB Hospital held a protest on Thursday, according to its RDA president Rajat Sharma. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday broke the record of his immediate predecessor Manmohan Singh by hoisting the national flag from the ramparts of the Red Fort for the 11th consecutive time. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the nation on the 78th Independence Day from the Red Fort New Delhi on August 15, 2024. Photograph: @BJP4India/X With this, Modi has become the prime minister to hoist the tricolour for the third highest time. The record lies with first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru who did the honours 17 times from 1947 to 1964. Nehru's daughter Indira Gandhi holds the record of hoisting the national flag for the second highest time. She did so 16 times, just one short of her father's record. However, this was done in two different stints from 1966-1977 and 1980-1984. Manmohan Singh, who was prime minister of the Congress-led UPA government for 10 years, hoisted the national flag 10 times between 2004 and 2014. Of India's 15 prime ministers, Gulzarilal Nanda and Chandra Shekhar were the only ones who did not get a chance to hoist the tricolour even once. Chandra Shekhar, who became the first prime minister of India to head a coalition government at the centre, held the top post from November 1990 to June 1991. Nanda, India's second prime minister, served the nation for two brief terms---May 27-June 9, 1964 and January 11-24, 1966. At fifth spot is Atal Bihari Vajpayee, prime minister for 13 days in 1996 and two incomplete terms from 1998 to 2004, with six times. Vajpayee is followed by Rajiv Gandhi, who became the youngest prime minister of India and served for a single term from 1984 to 1989. He hoisted the tricolour five times. His record was equalled by another Congress PM, P V Narasimha Rao, who served as PM for a single term from 1991 to 1996. Lal Bahadur Shastri and Morarji Desai hoisted the flag two times each. Shastri was prime minister from June 1964 to January 1966. He is credited with leading India to victory in the India-Pakistan war of 1965. Desai served as prime minister for two years from 1977 to 1979. Four PMs -- Charan Singh, V P Singh, H D Deve Gowda and IK Gujral -- hoisted the flag once each. Charan Singh served as prime minister of India for 170 days between July 1979 and January 1980 and V P Singh from 1989 to 1990. Deve Gowda was prime minister for slightly less than a year, June 1996 to April 1997. Gujral, too, was prime minister for slightly less than a year (April 1997 to March 1998). Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal has started an investigation against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and nine others on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity that took place from July 15 to August 5 during students' mass movement against her government. IMAGE: Protesters gather in front of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Museum in Dhaka, Bangladesh, August 15, 2024. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters A complaint was filed on Wednesday with the investigation agency of Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal against Hasina, Awami League general secretary and former road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and several other prominent figures within the party. The complainant's lawyer Gazi MH Tamim confirmed on Thursday that the Tribunal started the probe on Wednesday night. Hasina, 76, fled to India on August 5 after resigning from her post amidst unprecedented anti-government student-led protests. The Hasina-led Awami League along with its affiliated organisations is also named in the petition. The petition was filed by Bulbul Kabir, the father of Arif Ahmed Siam, a Class IX student who was killed during the anti-discrimination student movement. The (ICT-BD) investigation agency has started reviewing the charges... The accusation of genocide and crimes against humanity has been recorded as a case, said the lawyer. The application accuses Hasina and others of orchestrating a violent crackdown on student protestors, resulting in widespread casualties and human rights violations. He said the progress of this investigation outcome would be informed to the Tribunal, originally constituted to try the Bengali-speaking hardened collaborators of Pakistani troops during the 1971 Liberation War, within seven days. He said that in line with the tribunal law in addition to the plaintiff and other witnesses, reports published in various media from July 16 to August 6 were submitted as necessary documents. Separately, a case of enforced disappearance was filed on Wednesday against Hasina and several others, including former ministers of her cabinet, on the charge of kidnapping a lawyer in 2015. On Tuesday, a murder case was filed against Hasina and six others over the death of a grocery shop owner during last month's violent clashes that led to the fall of her government. Meanwhile, a Dhaka court on Thursday asked police to submit by September 15 the probe report of the case filed against Hasina and six others over the death of grocery shop owner Abu Saeed in police firing in the capital's Mohammadpur area during the quota protests on July 19. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Zaki Al Farabi set the date after the case was placed before his court for the next course of action. The development coincided with the now scrapped National Mourning Day holiday marking the August 15, 1975 assassination of Hasina's father and Bangladesh's founder Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The interim government of Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus cancelled the holiday after discussions with different political parties other than Awami League while most of its leaders are on the run or in jail following the collapse of Hasina's regime on August 5. According to media reports, some parties were in favour of keeping the mourning day holiday while others opposed it. Unlike the previous years, no sombre wreath offering ceremony was held at Bangabandhu's 32 Dhanmandi private residence later turned into a memorial museum which was burnt into ashes by angry mobs following Hasina's resignation and fleeing to India. Nobody approves of it... but somebody's (Hasina regime) overdoing caused the overreaction, ex-premier Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader and spokesman Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury earlier told PTI, referring to the attack on the museum. Political commentator and New Age newspaper editor Nurul Kabir, known for his stern criticism of the past regime, said Hasina herself was responsible for the defamation of her father. Kabir added, Who can deny his contribution to Bangladesh's creation". The blame lies with them (Hasina regime or party), he said. Reports and witnesses said film actress Rokeya Prachi, followed by several people to stage a sit-in, on Wednesday went to the museum but was dispersed by protesters who used sticks to chase them away. However, a huge group of stick-wielding people on Thursday positioned themselves in front of the museum to bar anyone from paying tributes in front of his bust at Bangabandhu Bhaban, despite calls from the deposed premier. "I went to pay my respects in the morning. But I could not place wreaths. I felt good as some people gave salam (Muslim traditional greeting) and asked me to go back, said a 1971 veteran and leader of a Krishak Sramik Awami League, a party belonging to the opposition camp. He however complained that brickbats were thrown at his car, damaging the vehicle. The student-led protests demanding reforms in government job quotas evolved into a government-toppling movement in early August. Over 230 people died in Bangladesh in the incidents of violence that erupted across the country following the fall of the Hasina government on August 5, taking the death toll to 560 during the three weeks of violence. Following Hasina's resignation, a caretaker government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was formed in the country, promising to address administrative and political reforms and hold accountable those involved in the violence. The police have unearthed "bomb-like substances" from at least eight places, including two in Guwahati, after the banned United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent on Thursday claimed to have planted bombs in 24 locations to trigger serial blasts across Assam on Independence Day, officials said. Image used for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo In an email purportedly from the United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) to media houses, including PTI, the terror outfit asserted that the bombs did not explode due to "technical failure". ULFA said the blasts were scheduled to take place between 6 am and noon on Thursday but after failure in execution, it sought public cooperation for defusing the explosive devices. The banned outfit gave out a list identifying the exact locations of 19 bombs with photographs but could not pinpoint the remaining five spots. The email, which was sent minutes after Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma completed his speech on the occasion of 78th Independence Day, prompted the security forces to send multiple teams to all the places mentioned by ULFA (I) to look for explosives along with bomb disposal squads assisted by other central security forces, including the Army. The entire development has put a big question mark on the efficacy of the intelligence wing as police had no clue on the existence of the bombs until ULFA (I) itself informed about these, despite the entire state being on high alert on the occasion of Independence Day celebrations. As soon as the news broke, it brought back the horror of the 2008 serial bomb blasts into public memory. NDFB's Ranjan Daimary faction had carried out the serial bomb blasts across Assam on October 30, 2008 that claimed the lives of 88 persons and left more than 500 people injured. "The Assam police have carried out extensive searches throughout the state today for explosive devices. At two places in Guwahati, suspicious articles were found which were opened by the Bomb Disposal Squad of Police," DGP G P Singh said in a post on X. These articles did not have an ignition device inside though some circuits and batteries were seen, and the substance inside have been sent for forensic and chemical examination, he added. "Similar articles have been seen at Lakhimpur, Sivasagar, Nalbari & Nagaon which have been safely disposed of. In this connection, appropriate lawful investigation has been initiated," Singh said. Out of the 24 locations, eight are in Guwahati. These include an open field at Last Gate in Dispur, near the official residences of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and other ministers. Another place is Satgaon Road towards Narengi Army Cantonment in Guwahati. Apart from these, Ashram Road near Gandhi Mandap, Panbazar, Jorabat, Bhetapara, Maligaon and Rajgarh in the capital city have also been mentioned as the spots of bombs. Places have been named in Sivasagar, Dibrugarh, Lakhimpur, Nagaon, Nalbari, Tamulpur, Tinsukia and Golaghat districts also where ULFA (I) claimed to have planted bombs. When contacted, a senior officer at Assam Police headquarters told PTI that all the SPs of the districts, especially those mentioned in the list by the anti-peace talk faction of ULFA, have been alerted and asked to carry out a thorough search of the areas. "Bomb disposal squads, metal detectors and sniffer dogs have been dispatched to every location. So far, we have got information of recovery of around eight bags and boxes containing bomb-like substances but none of them carried any triggering devices," he added. The police have so far recovered two packets each from Guwahati, Sivasagar and Lakhimpur, while one each was found in Nagaon and Nalbari, the official said. After the recovery at Ashram Road near Gandhi Mandap and Panbazar in the state capital, Guwahati Police Commissioner Diganta Barah said the two packets contained bomb circuits and some explosive-like materials. "However, no detonating mechanism was present. We have sent the materials to the forensic department to ascertain the nature of the explosives. Nothing was found in the remaining six locations," he told reporters Guwahati. Sivasagar Additional Superintendent of Police Moidul Islam said they found two suspected items in two deserted vehicles near the DTO office and ONGC establishment, and kept those covered with bomb blankets. "The bomb disposal squad is coming to examine those. After that we will be confirmed if those are IEDs or not," he added. A senior police official in Lakhimpur said that bomb-like devices were seized from an abandoned truck at Hatilung and at Laluk market in front of the Inspection Bungalow. "The Hatilung device is a complete IED with the detonating device. We have successfully defused it," he added. Similar items were recovered from an old ambulance in Nalbari and one location near Barghat area in Nagaon as well, senior officials said. The police have closed all roads in and around the places mentioned in the mail. Senior police officials rushed to all the places and are monitoring the search operations. While ULFA mentioned the exact locations of 19 bombs, it could not pinpoint two places each in Tinsukia and Golaghat and one in Dibrugarh. A team of United Nations experts will visit Bangladesh next week to investigate the killings of the protesters ahead of and in the aftermath of Sheikh Hasina's resignation as the prime minister last week, it was announced on Thursday. IMAGE: Protesters beat a suspected Awami League supporter in front of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Museum in Dhaka, Bangladesh, August 15, 2024. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters This will be the first time the UN is sending a fact-finding mission to Bangladesh since its independence in 1971 to investigate widespread human rights abuses in the country, according to a UN official, said a post on X by the chief adviser of the government of Bangladesh. Muhammad Yunus took oath as the chief adviser of the interim government on August 8, days after Sheikh Hasina's government collapsed and she fled to India on August 5 amid violent protests over quota reforms for government jobs. "The United Nations is sending a UN fact-finding team next week to probe atrocities committed during the Student Revolution in July and early this month. UN human rights chief Volker Turk announced the move when he called chief adviser professor Muhammad Yunus late Wednesday," the chief adviser of the government of Bangladesh said in a post on X, the handle for which is run by Yunus' office. Bangladesh descended into chaos last week after Hasina's departure while the Army stepped in to fill the power vacuum on August 5. Before that, the anti-government protests had killed more than 500 people since mid-July. Meanwhile, Turk assured his support and said an inclusive, human rights-centred approach will ensure the transition succeeds. Volker Turk in a post late on Wednesday night said, "Promising phone call with @ChiefAdviserGoB Muhammad Yunus. I assured him of @UNHumanRights Office's solidarity with the people of #Bangladesh & our support to the interim govt at this pivotal time. An inclusive, human rights-centred approach will ensure this transition succeeds." Earlier on Wednesday, after his phone call with Turk, Yunus had posted: "The UN human rights chief, @volker_turk has made a phone call to Bangladesh Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday." "A team of UN experts would soon visit the country to investigate [the killings]," Volker Turk told chief adviser professor Muhammad Yunus today during a phone conversation." Yunus said in a connecting post on X: The UN rights chief said a UN-led investigation will be launched very soon to probe the killing of the protesters during the Student Revolution. Human rights will be the cornerstone of his administration and the protection of every citizen is the top most priority of the government, Yunus, who has sought UN cooperation to uphold human rights, said. "The Chief Adviser thanked him and his long-time friend Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, for supporting the Bangladesh students' revolution and championing their rights during unprecedented and devastating killings of student protestors," Yunus said in the series of posts. Meanwhile, a complaint was filed on Wednesday with the investigation agency of Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal against Hasina and eight others, accusing them of committing genocide and crimes against humanity during the mass movement of the students against her government. Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Partly cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. High around 60F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy early with partial clearing expected late. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 41F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. POWNAL A Massachusetts man initially facing 15 felony counts of cruelty to animals for causing the death of 15 of 19 sheep by leaving them outside to graze for over two months in the heat of summer without any water was about to plead guilty to just one of those counts when his attorney objected to the words causing their deaths in the factual basis of the guilty plea, killing the deal. Benjamin Cumbie, 52, from Boxborough, Massachusetts, was initially facing a combined 75 years behind bars on 15 separate counts of felony aggravated cruelty to animals. Cumbie had been accused of torturing the animals after he left his sheep to graze without any water for more than two months in a Pownal solar field next to the old raceway on Route 7. Those charges were later amended in late 2023 to 15 misdemeanor charges of cruelty to animals after the defense filed a motion to dismiss. Although the state initially brought the felony charges because of the way the animals died, an error was found in the way the counts were charged in relation to Vermont case law, statute, and whether there was intent to cause harm. Another defense motion to dismiss struck at the fact that the Department of Agriculture was not consulted in charging Cumbie because the animals are technically considered livestock. Both motions were later denied after the state amended the charges. The case has dragged on for over two years, with the town of Pownal, its residents and taxpayers footing the bill for the care and feeding of the remaining animals. The proposed plead deal called for Cumbie to plead guilty to just one of those misdemeanor cruelty counts in exchange for an 18-month deferred sentence, meaning he would face no jail time. The conviction would eventually be dismissed permanently from his record if all conditions were followed for 18 months. Those conditions included 100 hours of community service, participation in a restorative justice program for three months, the forfeiture of all remaining sheep, and that he does not possess or have any animals under his care except household pets. At the scheduled change of plea hearing in Bennington on Wednesday, when Prosecutor Jared Bianchi was asked by Judge Kerry McDonald-Cady to read the factual basis for the charge Cumbie was about to plead guilty to, which is a regular part of any plea deal hearing, Bianchi complied. When Bianchi finished, Cumbies attorney Charles Bolanger, speaking via video conference, objected to the use of the words caused the death in the reading of those facts. Bolanger offered instead that the factual basis should read that Cumbie deprived the sheep of water, with no mention of causing the deaths of the sheep, to which Bennington States Attorney Erica Marthage, sitting in on the hearing, objected and asked that the hearing concludes until a later date, both because of the impasse and because of technical issues with Cumbies video. Judge McDonald-Cady delayed the hearing until late October for a pre-trial hearing in lieu of the change of plea, which is currently unresolved. Cumbie was also ordered to appear in person. According to a police affidavit from 2022, Benjamin Cumbie, 50, purchased 19 Soay sheep: three adult rams, four adult youths, and 12 lambs, from a breeder in Brattleboro for the purpose of grazing them on the Green Mountain Park racetrack solar field lot. The affidavit did not mention Cumbies relationship to the solar field or any property owners at the time of his arrest. Authorities were made aware of a problem at the site when Pownals Animal Control Officer found a loose sheep at or near the property on Aug. 3, 2022. After tracing the animals ear tag back to the breeder and discovering who owned the animal, the officer and an animal control officer from Stamford visited the solar field the next day and found several dead sheep. Court documents state that there was no source of water on the property for the animals. The grass on the field was about 3 to 4 feet tall and difficult to see and walk through. The only shelter the sheep had was the limited shade the solar panels provided. According to the affidavit, when Cumbie was asked where the sheep got water, he replied, I was told no need for water. Water from forage, dew, rainfall, etc. According to AccuWeather, the temperature in Pownal hit a high of 94 degrees on Aug. 4, 2022. The next day, a group of people including the two animal control officers returned to the site to mow the area and find the remaining sheep. While some people mowed, others walked up and down the aisles of solar panels. The aisle was marked with an orange ribbon when a dead sheep was located. They eventually found the remains of 15 of the 19 sheep. Authorities said some of the ear tags on the sheep were missing, most likely because of foraging foxes and coyotes. The eight ear tags that were left matched the tag number discovered on the wandering sheep the Pownal animal control officer found. Cumbie was asked to visit the solar field, but it took an extra day for him to show up, because he was on vacation. When speaking to a law enforcement officer at the site, Cumbie said he visited the field every week, and the last time he was there was July 25, about nine days before the first sheep was found. He maintained the belief that the sheep did not require a water source. Cumbie is currently still facing a possible 15-year sentence, one year for each of the dead sheep, if he is found guilty at a future trial. The fact that he (Cumbie) was unwilling to accept the facts in the case speaks volumes to me that hes not willing to take responsibility for any of this, Marthage said after the hearing. This has been going on for two years. At some point, we need to ask ourselves how many more resources we are willing to put into this when each month that goes by, the Town of Pownal has to pay for the upkeep of these remaining animals. This now drags on until at least October, but we will not capitulate on those words. He (Cumbie) caused the death of all these sheep. Those are the facts. A hearing in the case is scheduled for October 28. There is no word on whether the plea deal is still on the table. Meanwhile, Cumbie is out on conditions and back in Massachusetts. The Banner will update this story as more information becomes available. A workgroup is being created to address cellphone use in Madison schools. The work group is being created in response to Governor Glenn Youngkins recent executive order directing officials to issue guidance on cellphone-free education policies in Virginias elementary and secondary schools. The order directs the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Department of Education and the State Health Commissioner to develop policies that establish the age-appropriate restriction or elimination of cellphone use during instructional time. This is to be done utilizing feedback fro parents, students, teachers and other stakeholders to first define cellphone-free education and then publish model policies, procedures and implementation plans. Draft guidance is expected to be released by Aug. 15 for public input, with final guidance issued by Sept. 16. School divisions must adopt policies and procedures by Jan. 1, 2025. Youngkin issued the order in response to increasing mental health needs and chronic health conditions affecting children. He said these are driven in part by extensive social media usage and widespread cell phone possession among children. This essential action will promote a healthier and more focused educational environment where every child is free to learn. Creating cell phone and social media-free educational environments in Virginias K-12 education system will benefit students, parents, and educators, said Governor Glenn Youngkin. [This] Executive Order both establishes the clear goal to protect the health and safety of our students by limiting the amount of time they are exposed to addictive cell phones and social media and eliminates clear distractions in the classroom. It also kicks off the robust conversations among parents, students, teachers, and school and community leaders necessary to design and implement these policies and procedures at the local level. Madison County Public Schools are already limiting cellphone use. Superintendent Anna Graham said at the primary and elementary schools, cellphones are to be left at home or be off and in backpacks if necessary. At the middle school, phones are to off and in lockers and at the high school, students are permitted to use their phones before and after school and during lunch. In the classroom, students are asked to place phones in the phone caddy located in every room upon arrival to class. Graham said cellphones are not permitted in restrooms. The department of education is going around the state getting feedback, Graham said. The draft guidance is expected to be released this week with final guidance in September. Graham said the school division is creating a workgroup which will meet once the final guidance is released in September. She said the group will be co-chaired by assistant superintendent Cathy Jones and middle school principal Andrea Wilson with membership consisting of school board member Sue Wood; high school principal Lisa Taylor; two high school teachers; a middle, elementary and primary school teacher; parents and high school students. School board member Christopher Wingate suggested the addition of a school resource officer to the group. He said the parents he has spoken to have mentioned safety concerns with students not having access to phones. Have someone who can address those, Wingate said. The plan for the workgroup is to provide recommendations to the school board by the Nov. 11 meeting with a board vote, if needed, expected Dec. 9. Graham said its possible since the school division is already in compliance, there wont be any recommendations to vote on. At least 1.4 million girls in Afghanistan have been denied access to secondary education since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, UNESCO, the United Nations' cultural agency, said on August 15. "In just three years, the de facto authorities have almost wiped out two decades of steady progress for education in Afghanistan, and the future of an entire generation is now in jeopardy," the agency said in a statement. It comes as the Taliban marked three years since its forces seized Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, on August 15, 2021, after the U.S.-backed government collapsed and its leaders fled into exile. Since the Taliban's return to power, women have been squeezed from public life -- banned from many jobs as well as parks and gyms -- and barred from secondary and higher education. The restrictions amount to what the United Nations has described as "gender apartheid." There are now nearly 2.5 million girls deprived of their right to education, representing 80 percent of Afghan school-age girls, UNESCO said. This represents an increase of 300,000 since the previous count carried out by the UN agency in April 2023. "As a result of bans imposed by the de facto authorities, at least 1.4 million girls have been deliberately denied access to secondary education since 2021," UNESCO said. Access to primary education has also fallen sharply, with 1.1 million fewer girls and boys attending school, the agency added. It blamed the drop on the authorities' decision to ban female teachers from teaching boys as well as the lack of incentive for parents to send children to school. The agency is "alarmed by the harmful consequences of this increasingly massive drop-out rate, which could lead to a rise in child labor and early marriage." Enrolment in higher education is equally concerning, the statement said, adding that the number of university students had decreased by 53 percent since 2021. UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay urged the international community to remain mobilized "to obtain the unconditional reopening of schools and universities to Afghan girls and women." Lack of access to education has been among the main points of criticism by Afghans toward the Taliban authorities. "There are those who are not literate enough, and more importantly, a part of society, women, are deprived of education, and this is a big problem for the people of Afghanistan," a male resident of the northern Balkh Province who preferred not to be named due to security concerns, told RFE/RL's Radio Azadi. "The issues of education -- women's education and work -- and their participation at national and international level have been completely nullified and pushed to the sidelines," a female resident of Kabul, who also preferred not to be named, said. The Taliban celebrates their return to power both in mid-August around the date Kabul fell and at the end of the month, when the last U.S.-led international troops left Afghanistan. The withdrawal, agreed by the United States and the Taliban on February 29, 2020, allowed the radical Islamist movement's return to power 20 years after being ousted by U.S. forces following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States. The Taliban government remains unrecognized by any other state. WATCH: Rights groups have documented targeted killings, disappearances, and extrajudicial arrests of hundreds of former Afghan service personnel, while RFE/RL has spoken to two women who say they live in fear due to their past roles in the military. International aid organizations have warned that millions of Afghans struggle in "one of the world's largest and most complex humanitarian crises, three years after the change in power." "Heavily dependent on humanitarian aid, Afghans are trapped in cycles of poverty, displacement, and despair," a statement by 10 aid groups -- including Save the Children, World Vision, Islamic Relief Worldwide, and the International Rescue Committee -- said on August 13. Women and girls are among the most seriously affected by this humanitarian crisis, Human Rights Watch has said. The Taliban has created "the world's most serious women's rights crisis," the organization said on August 11. With reporting by AFP One year ago, Hamas -- the U.S.- and EU-designated Palestinian terrorist group that controls the Gaza Strip -- carried out an unprecedented attack on Israel, the deadliest in the countrys history. In response, Israel launched an aerial bombardment and ground invasion of the Palestinian enclave to destroy Hamas and rescue the 251 hostages taken by the group. Israel has expanded its war in recent weeks by invading Lebanon and launching air strikes targeting Hezbollah, the armed group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon. RFE/RL spoke to Lior Yohanani, manager of quantitative research at the Israel Democracy Institute, a Jerusalem-based independent research center, which on October 7 released a wide-ranging survey of Israeli public opinion after one year of war. RFE/RL: Can you explain what your study found as to how Israelis view the past year since Hamas's October 7 attack? Lior Yohanani: Well, I think Israelis still don't see October 7 as an event that's over. Sure, the actual horrific events of that day ended, but Israelis are still living with the consequences. There are two main aspects to this. First, since October 7, Israel has been in this multifront war that doesn't seem to have an end in sight. And then, of course, there is the issue of the hostages still being held in Gaza. So, we're seeing a sharp drop in people's sense of personal security. Almost three quarters of the public feel less safe compared to before October 7, and that's despite a year of war and some significant military achievements. On the flip side, we're also seeing that most people say their lives have returned to normal when it comes to things like work, media consumption, and family and social gatherings. Another thing we're noticing is that the Israeli public is giving pretty low marks to all the political and military leaders for the performance since October 7. For example, almost two-thirds of Israelis are rating Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu's performance since then as poor or not good. RFE/RL: How has Israel's involvement in a two-front conflict, in both Gaza and Lebanon, as well as a confrontation with Iran affected public opinion among Israelis? Yohanani: It's tough to answer that question, because we're at the point where things could go in a few different directions. In the last few weeks, we've seen a major escalation in the conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon, and just last week, Iran launched nearly 200 ballistic missiles at Israel, which Israel is expected to respond to. In a survey we just did recently, we asked whether Israeli society and the military could handle fighting on two or more fronts for an extended period of time, and the results were pretty striking. Over 70 percent believe that yes, both Israeli society and the military can handle that kind of prolonged fighting. So, while the situation is complex and evolving, there seems to be a strong sense of resilience and capability among Israelis, even in the face of these multiple threats. But of course, public opinion could shift depending on how events unfold in the coming weeks or months. RFE/RL: Is there support for Netanyahus response to October 7? Is there debate in Israeli society, as well as political circles, over Netanyahus strategic choices? Yohanani: First of all, it's important to say that the Israeli public has largely supported significant military operation against Hamas in Gaza. That said, the Israeli discourse around the October 7 events, the ongoing war, and especially toward Prime Minister Netanyahu, is very polarized between right-wing supporters on the one hand and left and center supporters on the other. People are hoping for a future where Israel can exist without constant threats, rather than expecting a harmonious relationship with its neighbors in the near-term." So, on the left and the center, there is a high level of distrust and suspicion toward Netanyahu and his government. For instance, Netanyahu's apparent reluctance to pursue a deal for returning the hostages in exchange for ending the fighting in Gaza is seen by large parts of the public, even on the right, as resulting from Netanyahu's dependence on far-right, ultranationalist members of his government who refuse any compromise or ceasefire. Now for a long time, Netanyahu and his ministers argued that only significant military force would lead Hamas to compromise and release the hostages. Now, with military attention and resources shifting to the north, people are asking, where is this massive military force that was supposed to bring the hostages home? One question we have asked several times since October 7 in our polls is what should be the main goal in Gaza: Dismantling Hamas or bringing back the hostages? And as time goes on, public opinion is increasingly supporting the return of hostages. In our current survey, 62 percent saw bringing the bringing back the hostages as Israel's main goal, while only 29 percent pointed to dismantling Hamas as the primary objective. RFE/RL: How do ordinary Israelis see the question of the remaining hostages amid the continued protests by the hostages' families? Yohanani: As I mentioned before, most of the public supports a deal to release the hostages, even if it means ending the war and withdrawing the military forces from Gaza. There's this widespread feeling that we've left the hostages behind, and that's really hitting at our sense of solidarity, which is a deep and fundamental value, I think, in Jewish history in general and in Israel society in particular. At the same time, the campaign run by the Hostages And Missing Families Forum has become very politicized. Many right-wing supporters see it as weakening Israel. As time goes on, we're seeing more and more harassment of protesters who support bringing the hostages back. There are cases of passersby cursing, even hitting and throwing eggs, at hostages' families. In our latest survey, we asked about the effectiveness of the protests and actions taken by the hostages' families. Despite most of the public feeling empathetic toward the hostage issue, only less than a third think these actions are actually helping to advance a deal for the hostages' release, while almost 40 percent think they're actually hurting the cause. So, you've got this complex situation where people want the hostages back, but there is disagreement and some backlash about how to make that happen. RFE/RL: Can you explain the reasons behind the apparent contradiction in views regarding prioritizing a negotiated return of the hostages, or destroying Hamas? Yohanani: You're right to point out that apparent contradiction. Let me break it down a bit. As I mentioned earlier, a clear majority of the public sees a deal to release the hostages as the main goal. But there is a big gap between political camps on this issue. In the center and left, about 80 percent support the deal for the hostages' release, while the opinions on the right are evenly split. So, for most of the left and center, the fighting in Gaza has run its course. They feel most military objectives have been achieved, and Hamas's military power has been significantly weakened. From their perspective, continuing the fight now only puts the hostages at greater risk. It's important to know that about half of the right-wing also shares this view of prioritizing the hostages' release, but the other half of those on the far-right thinks dismantling Hamas is more important. Why? For a couple of reasons. First, there's a security stance that Hamas must be wiped out and not allowed to recover. There is also a very strong sentiment of revenge, with minimal consideration for the cost, whether it's the lives of the hostages, soldiers, let alone innocent civilians in Gaza. Another significant component openly discussed in religious nationalist circles is the return of Jewish settlement to the Gaza Strip after Israel evacuated Jewish settlements from there in 2005. RFE/RL: Is there public confidence that Israel will ultimately be able to remove the threat of Hamas and Hezbollah and come out of this conflict with greater prospects for a peaceful and stable near-term future? Yohanani: Right now, the Israeli public isn't showing a lot of optimism. In our current survey, when we asked people if they're optimistic or pessimistic about Israel's future, we found more pessimists, 48 percent, than optimists, 45 percent. I also think it's important to note that a peaceful future, as you put it, or peace in general, isn't really a common concept in the current Israeli discourse. I would say the hope of Israelis is that the military actions against Hezbollah and Iran will lead to a situation where Israel's existence isn't in question, and that Israeli military superiority will prevent events like October 7 from happening again. So, it's less about peace in the traditional sense, and more about security and deterrence. People are hoping for a future where Israel can exist without constant threats, rather than expecting a harmonious relationship with its neighbors in the near-term. Israel has claimed that the successor to slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has likely been "eliminated," while U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris called Tehran the greatest adversary of the United States. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on October 8 said that Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militant group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon, was an "organization without a head." "Nasrallah was eliminated -- his replacement was probably also eliminated," Gallant told officers at the military's northern command center without providing details. "There's no one to make decisions, no one to act," he added. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later echoed those comments, saying, "We've degraded Hezbollah's capabilities." "We took out thousands of terrorists, including Nasrallah himself and Nasrallah's replacement, and the replacement of the replacement," Netanyahu said. Hezbollah is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, while the European Union blacklists its armed wing but not its political party. Hezbollahs political party has seats in the Lebanese parliament. Hashem Safieddine, a top Hezbollah official and a cousin of Nasrallah, was widely expected to be named to the group's top position, but his whereabouts and condition are a mystery since an Israeli strike hit a suspected Hezbollah leadership meeting on October 2. Hezbollah has not commented on Safieddine's fate, although unidentified members have told various media that the group had lost contact with him since the attack. Safieddine has been declared a global terrorist by the United States. Meanwhile, Harris told CBS TV's 60 Minutes program in an interview that she considered Iran to be the greatest adversary of the United States. "Iran has American blood on their hands," she said. "And what we saw in terms of just this attack on Israel, 200 ballistic missiles, what we need to do to ensure that Iran never achieves the ability to be a nuclear power -- that is one of my highest priorities." Harris -- the Democratic presidential nominee who will face Republican Donald Trump in the November 5 election -- declined to speculate on whether the United States would take military action itself should proof be uncovered that Iran is building a nuclear weapon. Tehran has denied it is building such weapons and says its nuclear program is for civilian purposes. The comments came as the battered and bloodied leadership of Hezbollah suggested it might be ready to negotiate a cease-fire with Israel Deputy leader Naim Qassem, in a televised speech, for the first time did not suggest that ending the war in Gaza was a precondition to reaching a truce with Israel in Lebanon. Qassem said the group backed an effort by Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri, an ally of Hezbollah, to reach a deal to halt the fighting. Late on October 8, the Syrian government said that seven civilians were killed in an Israeli air strike in Damascus. A war monitor said the strike targeted a building used by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and Hezbollah. Israel did not immediately comment and the reports could not be verified. The Israeli military said earlier on October 8 that it had killed another senior Hezbollah commander, a day after marking the somber anniversary of a Hamas attack on Israel that killed some 1,200 people. Suhail Husseini, who was responsible for overseeing the logistics, budget, and management of Hezbollah, was killed in a targeted attack on October 7, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement. "Husseini played a crucial role in weapon transfers between Iran and Hezbollah," the statement said, adding that he was also in charge of distributing advanced weapons to the group's members and for its "most sensitive projects" that included operations against Israel. The IDF said Husseini was also a member of the Jihad Council, the supreme military body of Hezbollah. There was no immediate confirmation from Hezbollah. The Israeli announcement came after Palestinian militants in Gaza fired a barrage of rockets on October 7 into Israel, where President Isaac Herzog led a national moment of silence to mark the start of last year's Hamas attack, which started at Kibbutz Reim in the south of the country. Hamas has been designated a terrorist organization by both the United States and the European Union. In Washington on October 7, President Joe Biden condemned Hamas on the anniversary, while also stating again the U.S. administration's commitment to reaching cease-fire agreements to end fighting in both Gaza and Lebanon. "On this solemn anniversary, let us bear witness to the unspeakable brutality of the October 7 attacks but also to the beauty of the lives that were stolen that day," Biden said in a statement. In Jerusalem, relatives of the some 100 hostages still in Hamas captivity, out of a total of 250, gathered outside Netanyahu's residence and stood in silence as a siren wailed in a gesture of protest against what relatives say is the failure of the government to secure their loved ones' release. The conflict in Gaza is still raging while Israel is now fighting on a second front in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah. Following the October 7 attack, Israel launched a military assault on Gaza that has killed nearly 42,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which is run by Hamas. Some 90 percent of the population of Gaza has been displaced and large areas have been destroyed by Israeli bombardments. The Israeli military said on October 7 that over the past year it has bombed more than 40,000 targets in Gaza, found 4,700 tunnel shafts and destroyed 1,000 rocket launcher sites. Israel in recent weeks has been carrying out air strikes across Lebanon, including Beirut, and has staged a ground invasion into south Lebanon in its drive to wipe out Hezbollah's capabilities and leadership. In the attacks, Israel killed Hezbollah leader Nasrallah and dozens of other leaders of the group. On October 6, two senior Iranian security officials told Reuters that Ismail Qaani, commander of the Quds Force -- the overseas arm of the IRGC -- had also not been heard from in recent days since traveling to Lebanon. Tel Avivs campaign against Hezbollah prompted Iran to respond by attacking Israel with a large wave of rockets that were largely shot down by Israeli air defenses without causing substantial damage, but the attack renewed fears of a larger regional conflict. Gallant on October 6 threatened Iran that it might eventually find itself looking like Beirut or Gaza -- which has also been battered over the past year -- if Tehran attempts to further harm Israel. With reporting by CBS and AP Ukrainian forces have taken full control of the Russian town of Sudzha in the Kursk region, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on August 15, adding that the Ukrainian military is setting up a command office there. Sudzha is the administrative center for the border area of the Kursk region and is larger than any of the other small towns or settlements that Ukraine says its forces have taken since launching a cross-border incursion on August 6. Zelenskiy didn't elaborate on what functions the command office might handle, although he said earlier that Ukraine would be distributing humanitarian aid to Sudzha residents in need. An informed source within the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) told RFE/RL on August 15 that Ukraine had captured 102 Russian soldiers in the Kursk region, one of numerous competing claims by both sides about the fighting in the western Russian region. "This is the result of a special operation carried out by soldiers of...the SBU," the source said about the operation the previous day. A Telegram channel connected to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry reported that "more than 100 Russians" had surrendered on August 14 after having been "abandoned by their commanders." It was unclear whether it was the same group of Russian soldiers. Ukraine's top military commander, Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskiy, announced that a military commandant's office had been created for the parts of the Kursk region controlled by Ukrainian forces. The office has been charged with assuring order and the safety of civilians. Syrskiy also said Ukraine now controls 82 settlements in the region and about 1,150 square kilometers of territory. Russia's Defense Ministry said its forces had regained control of the Kursk region settlement of Krupets. It was Moscow's first claim to have retaken a settlement since the Ukrainian incursion began on August 6. Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here. The ministry added that "the enemy has been eliminated" in the area and that Russian forces had "thwarted" Ukraine's advances. Ukrainian officials said Russian strikes in three Ukrainian regions killed five civilians. Two people were killed in an air attack in the northeastern Kharkiv region and one person died in an artillery strike in Donetsk in the east, local officials said. One person was killed in a drone attack and another died in a hospital from injuries sustained in an earlier strike in the Kherson region of southern Ukraine, authorities said. Neither side's battlefield claims could be independently verified. Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov met in Moscow with military officials, members of the presidential administration, and the governors of the three western Russian regions most directly affected by the Ukrainian incursion. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss additional measures to ensure "the integrity and inviolability of the territory and protecting the population and infrastructure of the Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk regions, a ministry statement said. Kursk region officials earlier in the day ordered the mandatory evacuation of civilians from the entire Glushkov district situated along the border with Ukraine. The Glushkov district is also near the region's Sudzha district, which has been the scene of the most intense fighting since Ukraine launched its military incursion into Russian territory. Its prewar population was about 20,000 people. Announcing the move, acting Kursk region Governor Aleksei Smirnov called on locals to "treat the current situation with understanding and follow all recommendations of security agencies and local authorities" in a post on Telegram.Amid the fighting, authorities in Ukraine on August 14 voiced concern about the humanitarian situation in Kursk and announced efforts to assist displaced Russians, including those who wish to evacuate to Ukraine. "Ukraine complies with all norms of international humanitarian law," the Reintegration Ministry wrote on Facebook. "We will provide the civilians of the Kursk region with the necessary protection and humanitarian support." Russia has declared a federal state of emergency for the Kursk region and a regional state of emergency for the neighboring Belgorod region. Moscow has also proclaimed an "anti-terrorism operation" in the Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk regions. Ukraine's military reported on August 15 that Russia had targeted at least nine regions of the country with missile and drone attacks overnight, most of them launched from air bases inside Russia, saying that 29 drones were reported "destroyed." Late on August 14, Ukraine's military confirmed that it had launched drone strikes targeting four airfields in Russia's Voronezh, Kursk, and Nizhny Novgorod regions and had caused heavy damage. Earlier, a source in the Ukrainian security agency told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service that it was the largest attack on Russian airfields since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. As Russia announced a new wave of evacuations amid fighting in its Kursk region, Ukraine said it was ready to take in Russian refugees. A member of the Ukrainian parliament told RFE/RL, "They need help and they can receive it." Plans for a new community amenity area with a playground in Croghan village have been given the go-ahead by Roscommon County Council. Croghan Community Projects Group has been granted planning permission for the development, aimed at providing a community area for all ages and ability. The group was formed in 2021 with the aim of establishing a playground in Croghan. The group noted that there was no communal outdoor playground in the village, with the nearest such facility located five miles away. It makes sense, we feel, from an environmental point of view to have a safe, outdoor space in our village that we can reach by foot/bicycle rather than having to travel by car to our nearest town five miles away, the group said in its application. The planning documents outlined that Croghan has experienced the development of two housing estates, so we now have 40 additional houses in the village excluding any individual dwellings on private lands in the local area. From an interactive point of view, our application for our amenity area isnt just for children. Its a space also where parents/grandparents get a chance to connect with others, the group added. We will continue to do our utmost to make living in North West Ireland a choice rather than a compromise. The local GAA club, Shannon Gaels, has given consent for the development of the facility on lands owned by the club. PM Narendra Modi, CM Bhagwant Mann and others greet everyone on Independence Day 2024 PM Narendra Modi took to X and wrote: "Independence Day greetings to my fellow Indians. Jai Hind!" Independence Day 2024: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann among the other prominent leaders of the country greeted people on the occasion of 78th Independence Day on Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X and wrote: "Independence Day greetings to my fellow Indians. Jai Hind!" Advertisement Likewise, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said, "Happy 78th Independence Day of India to all of you... Salute to all the freedom fighters who made their valuable contribution to the freedom of the country because of which we are celebrating the warmth of freedom today..." On the other hand, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah wrote on X: "Heartiest greetings of Independence Day to all the countrymen. Today is the day for all Indians to express their loyalty to the nation, their duty and their gratitude to the martyrs. I salute all those freedom fighters who contributed to freeing the country from the shackles of slavery." "Come, let us all today take a pledge to take India to the forefront of the world and build the India of the dreams of the freedom fighters," he said further. Advertisement (For more news apart from Independence Day 2024, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman) PM Narendra Modi, CM Bhagwant Mann and others greet everyone on Independence Day 2024 Huge celebration was held in Jalandhar to mark the 78th Independence Day. Independence Day 2024 Celebrations in Punjab: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday hoisted the Indian flag in Jalandhar marking 78 years of freedom, resilience, and the enduring spirit of our nation. On this Independence Day 2024, the Punjab government stated that it aims to renew its commitment to building a 'Rangla Punjab' that embodies the strength, unity, and aspirations of all. Advertisement Earlier, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann took to X and wrote: "Happy 78th Independence Day of India to all of you... Salute to all the freedom fighters who made their valuable contribution to the freedom of the country because of which we are celebrating the warmth of freedom today..." Similarly, a huge celebration was held in Jalandhar to mark the 78th Independence Day. Likewise, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X and wrote: "Independence Day greetings to my fellow Indians. Jai Hind!" Advertisement (For more news apart from Independence Day 2024 celebrations in Punjab, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman) August 15, 2024 UPDATE A roundup of the latest local and world news Newsflash Newsroom, 15.08.2024, 19:32 DAY Speaking in Constanta (the biggest Romanian sea port) during the festivities staged on Navy Day, the countrys president Klaus Iohannis said that Romania is acknowledged and appreciated by allies as a solid pillar of regional security and a major contributor to the process of consolidating NATOs deterrence posture on the eastern flank. Here on the Black Sea coast, close to the aggression war, Russia is waging on Ukraine, we are clearly seeing more than ever the political, diplomatic and military efforts of Bucharest in the past years, the president went on to say. Thanks to these, Romania is today benefitting from the most solid guarantees of security, and its citizens are defended and protected against any potential threats. Iohannis told the sailors that the devotion, tenacity and the spirit of sacrifice, which define them, are an example of excellence, and the Romanian Naval Forces are a symbol of the national strength and resilience. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu also congratulated and thanked the sailors. Many happy returns on this holy day of August 15th the day of St. Mary, the protector of sailors all over the world, Ciolacu wrote on a social network. On Thursday, 122 years since the first celebration of Navy Day, Romanias Naval Forces staged a series of events, such as demonstrative exercises, exhibitions of armament and military equipment, interactive workshops, cultural activities and concerts of military music in the major cities on the Black Sea coast, on the Danube and even in capital city Bucharest. St. MARY Orthodox believers, who are a majority in Romania, and Catholics, on Thursday celebrated the Assumption of Mary, or St. Mary, an event which marks the Assumption into Heaven of Mary, the Mother of our Lord, Jesus Christ. St. Mary is the most appreciated human being by Christians after the Holy Trinity, whom they frequently invoke in their prayers. St. Mary is the patron saint of the largest number of monasteries in Romania and pilgrims, in large numbers, took to these monasteries, which are renowned for their miracle-working icons and relics. WEATHER Romanias Administration of Meteorology on Thursday issued a series of code red, yellow and orange alerts for extremely hot weather in most of the Romanian territory. Temperatures are expected to range between 39 and 41 degrees Celsius in seven counties in the west and south-west. Another orange alert has been issued for the counties in the north-west, center and south with a temperature-humidity index over 80 units. The lows of the day will not go below 18 degrees Celsius in most regions and Bucharest is in for more hot days and tropical nights, with soaring temperatures up to 39 degrees Celsius. Meteorologists say that the heat wave presently affecting the country is going to be felt for the next several days in most of its territory. TALKS The Romanian Defence Minister, Angel Tivar, on Thursday held talks with Admiral Ercument Ratlioglu, commander of the Turkish Navy, during the latters visit in Romania. High on the talks agenda were security in the Black Sea region and opportunities of bilateral, regional and allied cooperation. According to a communique by Romanias Ministry of Defence, Minister Tilvar appreciated the good cooperation between the Turkish and Romanian armed forces materialized in large-scale joint drills, air policing missions, naval operations and military presence in the multinational structures deployed on the territories of the two countries. The Operative Group for Combating Mines in the Black Sea represents the outcome of the two countries joint efforts being also proof of the cohesion and solidarity of riparian countries: Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey. Its imperative that we work in coordination for strengthening security at the Black Sea and the naval field is one of the main interest points, Minister Tilvar says. (bill) The Netherlands' unemployment rate remained stable for the second straight month in July, data from the Central Bureau of Statistics showed on Thursday. The seasonally adjusted ILO jobless rate stood at 3.6 percent in July, the same as in the previous two months. In the corresponding month last year, the unemployment rate was also 3.6 percent. There were 370,000 unemployed people in July, unchanged from June. The youth unemployment rate, which applies to the 15-25 age groups, held steady at 8.6 percent. Stay ahead of the market with RTTNews Economic Calendar - track key events that move the financial world. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued two warning letters to BullyKamp Products LLC as well as Top Dog Pet Store LLC dba The Bulldog Cartel, for marketing unapproved animal drugs intended for dogs, in violation of federal law. According to the agency, the unapproved animal drugs have not been submitted for review, due to which it is unable to confirm whether they are safe, effective, and properly manufactured. The FDA is also not able to confirm whether the drugs contain the ingredients stated on the labels, in the stated quantities. In the letter to BullyKamp Products, the FDA revealed concerns about the unapproved new animal drugs The Antidote (Parvo Killer), Steroid Shot 5ML, Increase Litter Shot, Clavamox 5ML, and Bulldog Sauce. The warning was issued after reviewing the company website in May and June 2024 and determining that these products for offered for sale there. In the letter to The Bulldog Cartel, the FDA noted concerns about unapproved new animal drugs, Green Magic and Bulldog Cartel Parvo Combat, to treat diseases in animals in violation of the Federal law. The company's website have been reviewed in May 2024 and found that these products were for sale. Based on the review of the respective websites, it was found that these products are drugs under the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act, because they are intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in animals and/or intended to affect the structure or any function of the body of an animal. Also, these animal drugs are misbranded as they have not been drug listed with FDA. The FDA noted that a new animal drug must have an approved new animal drug application, conditionally approved new animal drug application, or index listing to be legally marketed. These warned products are not approved or index listed by FDA, and therefore, the products are unsafe and adulterated. The introduction or delivery for introduction into interstate commerce of an adulterated drug is prohibited. Both BullyKamp and Bulldog Cartel are required to respond to the warning letter within 15 working days of receipt of the letter with the specific steps taken to address any violations. For More Such Health News, visit rttnews.com For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Switzerland's producer and import prices continued to decline as expected in July, data from the Federal Statistical Office showed on Thursday. Producer and import prices dropped 1.7 percent year-on-year in July, slightly slower than the 1.9 percent decline in June. Prices have been falling since May 2023. The producer price index dropped 1.2 percent annually in July, and import prices registered a decrease of 2.7 percent. On a monthly basis, producer and import prices remained flat for the second straight month in July, versus an expected increase of 0.2 percent. Falling prices for watches were recorded in the producer price index compared with the previous month, the agency said. Meanwhile, prices rose for petroleum products, electronic components, and boards, as well as for instruments and appliances for measuring and testing. Track market moving Economic Events that impact Commodities, Stock, and Forex by using realtime RTTNews Economic Calendar this week. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Ireland's foreign trade surplus decreased in June as exports fell amid a sharp rise in imports, figures from the Central Statistics Office showed on Thursday. The seasonally adjusted trade surplus shrank to EUR 5.3 billion in June from EUR 6.5 billion in the previous month. In the corresponding month last year, the trade balance showed a surplus of EUR 5.5 billion. Exports logged a monthly decrease of 2.0 percent in June, while imports grew by 8.0 percent. On an unadjusted basis, exports fell 10.0 percent annually in June, and imports were 5.0 percent lower compared to last year. As a result, the trade surplus decreased to EUR 4.79 billion from EUR 5.91 billion last year. Exports to Great Britain plunged by 13.0 percent annually in June, while those to the United States jumped by 23.0 percent. Gain the edge with RTTNews Economic Calendar. Updated in real-time, explore RTTNews Economic Calendar today For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News The World Health Organization has declared the mpox outbreak a public emergency of international concern. WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the declaration after assessing that the upsurge of mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and a growing number of African countries constitutes a public health emergency of international concern under WHO's International Health Regulations. Dr Tedros's declaration came on the advice of an IHR Emergency Committee of independent experts who met Wednesday to review data presented by experts from WHO and affected countries. The Committee informed the Director-General that it considers the upsurge of mpox to be a public health emergency of international concern, with potential to spread further across countries in Africa and possibly outside the continent. "The emergence of a new clade of mpox, its rapid spread in eastern DRC, and the reporting of cases in several neighboring countries are very worrying. On top of outbreaks of other mpox clades in DRC and other countries in Africa, it's clear that a coordinated international response is needed to stop these outbreaks and save lives," said the WHO chief. WHO Regional Director for Africa Dr Matshidiso Moeti said its country teams working on the frontlines to help reinforce measures to curb mpox. Committee Chair Professor Dimie Ogoina said, "The current upsurge of mpox in parts of Africa, along with the spread of a new sexually transmissible strain of the monkeypox virus, is an emergency, not only for Africa, but for the entire globe. Mpox, originating in Africa, was neglected there, and later caused a global outbreak in 2022. It is time to act decisively to prevent history from repeating itself." This is the second time in two years that WHO is declaring mpox, also known as monkeypox, a global health emergency. The number of cases reported so far this year in DR Congo has exceeded last year's total, with more than 15600 cases and 537 deaths. The emergence last year and rapid spread of a new virus strain in DRC, clade 1b, which appears to be spreading mainly through sexual networks, and its detection in countries neighboring the DRC is especially concerning, the UN health agency said in a press release. More than 100 mpox cases have been reported in four countries in the region: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. Two vaccines are currently recommended for use for mpox by WHO. WHO said it has released $ 1.45 million from the Contingency Fund for Emergencies and appealed to donors to fund the full extent of needs of the mpox response. The monkeypox virus is an orthopoxvirus that causes mpox, a highly contagious disease with symptoms similar to smallpox, although less severe. The disease is transmitted from animals to humans, with cases often found close to tropical rain forests. It can also spread from humans to humans through close contact, such as sex, skin-to-skin contact and talking or breathing close to another person. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Columbia University President Minouche Shafik resigned four months after her handling of the mass campus protests over the war in Gaza turned controversial. In a letter to the Columbia community, the former high-ranking official at the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and the president of the London School of Economics said her tenure as the head of the University has been "a period of turmoil where it has been difficult to overcome divergent views across our community." "This period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in our community. Over the summer, I have been able to reflect and have decided that my moving on at this point would best enable Columbia to traverse the challenges ahead," the letter says. She had been under pressure to quit after months of student-led protests against Israel's attacks on Gaza at the University's New York campus spread to other U.S. colleges. She had authorized police to enter the campus, from where NYPD arrested dozens of students who were occupying a university building. In April, Shafik testified before the House Committee on Education & the Workforce regarding antisemitism on the Columbia University campus. The 62-year-old British-American academic and economist said she has been asked by the UK's Foreign Secretary to chair a review of the government's approach to international development and how to improve capability. She said it gives her the opportunity "to return to the House of Lords to reengage with the important legislative agenda put forth by the new UK government." Katrina Armstrong, chief executive officer of the Columbia University Irving Medical Center, has been appointed as the interim president. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News As Ukraine's offensive inside Russia enters the 10th day, Ukrainian troops launched drones targeting four Russian airfields. Thousands of residents have been evacuated from Kursk and Belgorod since Ukrainian forces launched a surprise incursion into the Kursk region on August 6. The Ukrainian forces have made major inroads into the Russian territory in what is considered as Kiev's biggest counter-attack since Russia invaded Ukraine two-and-a-half years ago. In a video address released on Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his forces took Russian soldiers captive in southern Russia and destroyed a fighter jet. Ukrainian troops advanced up to 2 kilometers further into the Kursk region, according to him. That means Ukrainian troops advanced up to a total of 30 kilometers across the border into the Russian south-west region after launching surprise incursion of Kursk 10 days ago. Zelensky described the military attacks as "precise, timely and effective," Ukraine's air force claimed to have shot down 29 drones launched overnight by Russia. Casualties have been reported in the attack. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Import prices in the U.S. unexpectedly crept higher in the month of July, according to a report released by the Labor Department on Thursday. The Labor Department said import prices inched up by 0.1 percent in July after coming in unchanged in June. Economists had expected import prices to edge down by 0.1 percent. The unexpected uptick by import prices partly reflected a rebound by prices for fuel imports, which climbed by 0.5 percent in July after tumbling by 1.7 percent in June. Prices for non-fuel imports also crept up by 0.1 percent in July after rising by 0.2 percent in June, as higher prices for foods, feeds, and beverages; automotive vehicles; and capital goods more than offset lower prices for consumer goods and non-fuel industrial supplies and materials. "Import prices ticked up modestly in July, with the largest rise concentrated in fuel prices," said Matthew Martin, U.S. Economist at Oxford Economics. "The good news is that this will be reversed next month has oil prices have edged lower." He added, "Supply chain stress and higher shipping rates haven't fed through to higher prices, limiting the upside risk to core consumer goods prices." Compared to the same month a year ago, import prices were up by 1.6 percent, reflecting the largest over-the-year increase since a 3.2 percent surge in December 2022. Meanwhile, the Labor Department said export prices climbed by 0.7 percent in July after dipping by a revised 0.3 percent in June. Economists had expected export prices to come in unchanged compared to the 0.5 percent decrease originally reported for the previous month. The unexpected increase by export prices came as prices for non-agricultural exports shot up by 1.0 percent in July after falling by 0.4 percent in June. The rebound by prices for non-agricultural exports more than offset a pullback by prices for agricultural exports, which tumbled by 1.6 percent in July after jumping by 1.2 percent in June. Prices for exports jumped by 1.4 percent compared to same month a year ago, reflecting the largest year-over-year increase since prices surged by 2.0 percent in January 2023. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News On Thursday, the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) announced the results of the PALM 007 trial, which evaluated the effectiveness of SIGA Technologies' tecovirimat (Tpoxx) in treating monkeypox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The trial found that tecovirimat did not achieve its primary objective of reducing lesion duration in both children and adults. However, the overall mortality rate among participants was 1.7%, lower than the DRC's reported monkeypox mortality rate of 3.6%. NIAID Director Jeanne Marrazzo expressed disappointment at the findings but stressed the need for alternative treatments and the commitment to developing effective interventions for monkeypox in Central Africa and globally. Co-principal investigator Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum, director-general of INRB and a professor of microbiology at Kinshasa University Medical School, stated, "This study provided urgently needed evidence to inform the monkeypox response in Central Africa." He also praised the exceptional supportive care that study clinicians provided to all participants, reflecting the expertise and skills that Congolese clinicians have developed in managing monkeypox-related diseases. SIGA Technologies noted that the controlled hospital environment in which the trial took place may have influenced the data from the comparator group. Patients were hospitalized throughout the study to ensure access to food and accurate data collection, receiving a level of care typically unavailable to most monkeypox patients in real-world scenarios. Compared to other observational studies from the DRC that informed the trial's design, patients in the placebo group of the recent trial exhibited much more favorable outcomes, potentially diminishing the perceived benefit of Tpoxx, according to Fierce Pharma. The international STOMP trial is currently investigating the safety and efficacy of tecovirimat against clade II monkeypox. Additionally, the UNITY study, sponsored by ANRS Emerging Infectious Disease, is assessing tecovirimat using a similar design to STOMP in Argentina, Brazil, and Switzerland. Both studies will continue to enroll participants and work in close collaboration. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Health News Vermont's Cannabis Control Board has warned about the increasing sales of cannabis in online market, where any individual could purchase the product without any ID verification. A concerned parent shared their reaction with WCAX, after their child purchased a cannabis product online, "I felt angry and asked all the questions at once. I mean, if you care as a parent, you would care what decision your child is making. The who, why, where, could be from anybody...Anything and anybody. The how, at certain ages, shouldn't be so easy." Kelly Dougherty from the Vermont Department of Health advised parents to talk to their children about the dangers of cannabis use, and online purchase. "They should observe if their child is less engaged in their school work or extracurricular activities than they had been in the past because that can be an indicator of substance use," she continued, WCAX reports. Dougherty added that schools can play an important role in monitoring children and guiding them towards healthier habits. James Pepper with Vermont's Cannabis Control Board also raised concerns about the rising presence of cannabis synthetic products like Delta-8 and Delta-10 in the market. "They're not regulated. They have, in all likelihood, harmful adulterants in them, and that's intentional. And so to think that these are safe or they're a good alternative to regulated products is just not right," Pepper warned. Experts are expecting that the federal law would soon address these issues. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Health News Withdrawal of subsidies and unavailability of new funding have presented significant challenges for Tork Motors While the electric two-wheeler segment continues to register robust growth, some startups are staring at an uncertain future. A relevant example is Pune-based EV startup, Tork Motors. The company currently offers only a single product Kratos R electric motorcycle. Dealers file police complaint According to the dealers, dispatches from Tork Motors have stopped since December 2023. Now that more than 7 months have passed, the dealers have collectively filed a police case. They were promised fresh dispatches by the end of June, but there was no further update. Dealers have reported that the company has been unresponsive and most customers have cancelled their bookings. It is reported that the manufacturing unit located at Chakan has been inoperative since last year. Assistant Police Inspector of Pimpri-Chinchwad, Kiran Pathare, has said that an investigation is currently in process based on the dealers complaint. However, more details were not provided, as the matter is confidential. Pathare said that action will be taken by next week. No salary for 7 months As per reports, employees of Tork Motors have not received salaries for the last seven months. Tork Motors recently sent emails to its employees, serving a Notice of Role Dissolution and Employment Termination. The email mentions that the company has carried out an in-depth assessment of the existing organizational structure and future plans. Based on that, the company feels the need to dissolve certain roles within the organization. Tork Motors has officially declared employee termination, from July 31, 2024. The company says that this move will help align the workforce with the strategic goals of the organization. The employees will be served relieving letters soon. Bharat Forge writes off investment One of the key reasons for Tork Motors troubles is the inability to secure fresh investments. It was reported last month that Tork could get around Rs 50 crore via a fresh funding round. However, the deal was reportedly cancelled at the last moment. In the latest development, Bharat Forge has written off its investment in Tork Motors. This was revealed during the media interview about the companys Q1 earnings. Bharat Forge, via its wholly owned subsidiary Kalyani Forge, owns 64.29% equity stake in Tork Motors. Bharat Forge has been investing in Tork Motors over the last 4-5 years. However, with the reduction in FAME subsidy, Tork Motors profitability was adversely impacted. Bharat Forge says that it is only an investor in Tork Motors and does not manage the company. If there are doubts about the companys future, it will be better to accept that and move on. Bharat Forge has stated that there are no plans to make fresh investments available to Tork Motors. They are working with Tork to ensure an orderly wind up. Customer woes Most Tork customers have positive things to say about their electric motorcycle. However, due to the uncertainties, Tork customers are worried about availability of service and spare parts in the future. As the dealerships may be shut down, users may not be able to get their warranty claims processed. Tork Motors is not the only EV company facing such issues. Earlier this month, dealers of Hero Electric had protested at the companys headquarters. Such developments indicate that the electric two-wheeler industry may be heading towards the consolidation stage. Albany detectives are asking for the public to help identify an armed robber. Shortly after noon Wednesday, Aug. 14, an armed robbery was reported at a local business, according to a news release from the Albany Police Department. The business was not named in the release, and APD spokesperson Laura Hawkins declined to release the name, but did say it happened in the area of Santiam Highway Southeast and Price Road. The perpetrator reportedly displayed what an employee believed was a firearm and left the scene in what is believed to be a silver 2016 Chevrolet Equinox with something covering the license plates. No description of the firearm was available. A suspect description was not provided, but photos released by the Police Department appeared to show a person in a medium blue Nike top and dark blue pants. Hawkins said the culprit is believed to be a woman. Height and weight estimates were not available. Anyone who recognizes this person or has any information regarding the robbery is asked to contact Detective Jason Camillo or Detective Ben Hatley at 541-917-7686. PLDT chairman and CEO Manuel Pangilinan said a deal is on the boil for a 49% stake in the operator groups data centre business, despite negotiations with Japan-based Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp (NTT) collapsing. Pangilinan said PLDT is still under discussion with one particular investor claiming talks are progressing well enough for a deal to be struck this year, reported Bloomberg. The executive refused to confirm the talks are with CVC Capital Partners, after local paper the Philippine Star brought up the equity company. Pangilinan said negotiations with other bidders including NTT, fell through because they wanted a majority stake in PLDTs data centre unit. Such a deal would result in a drop of revenues by PHP6 billion (US$105 million), said Pangilinan, either we sell down up to 49% or we stay at 100%. The chairman valued the data centre unit over US$1 billion and the group is pursuing a stake sale to pay down debts. The unit has the Philippines largest data centre network with 10 facilities and an another currently being built. PLDT reported in its Q2 2024 report for the six months ending June 30, net income remained flat at PHP18.5 billion. Revenue grew 3% from PHP104 billion to PHP107 billion. Meanwhile EBITDA saw a 4% increase from PHP52 billion to PHP54 billion. The company recorded 68.2 billion subscribers to its mobile, fixed line and data services. Wayland Savage, the man who escaped an Idaho Department of Correction work crew Tuesday afternoon in Moscow, was arrested by Pullman police at Pullmans Pine Street Plaza around 7 p.m. that night, PPD Operations Commander Aaron Breshears said Wednesday. Police throughout the Palouse were alerted to be on the lookout for the 34-year-old Savage, who was last seen at the Theophilus Tower on the University of Idaho campus. Pullman police had received a report earlier that evening of a man who matched Savages description at Sunset Mart on Bishop Boulevard. Breshears said officers began investigating, and after reviewing video surveillance in the area, they determined the man was likely the suspect. Law enforcement found Savage on a trail in downtown Pullman that Breshears said connects to the mart. Savage was booked into the Whitman County Jail and charged with escape in the first degree. He is being held without bail on an out-of-county warrant. Savage had been a minimum security inmate at the Idaho Correctional Institution in Orofino, serving a sentence for conviction of grand theft in Canyon County and burglary in Ada County. He was to be eligible for parole March 12, 2026, and his sentence was to be discharged March 11, 2032. Childhood cancer awareness month is the month of September and the Dothan Fire Department is prepared to kick it off in a big way. Registration is open for the 11th annual Going for the Gold 5K and Family Fun Day hosted by Childrens of Alabama and the Dothan Fire Department. Southeast Alabama is preparing to observe Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September. Firefighters with the Dothan Fire Department say they want to raise awareness for Childhood Cancer and provide support for the families of those who are coping with it. The Fire Department will host a community family fun and fitness day where participants will be able to take part in a 5K trail run/walk, cornhole tournament, childrens activities, and live music. Our Number One goal is to get the awareness out there that theres a lot of families locally that are battling childhood cancer, said Deputy Chief David Hasty. We want to get the word out that there are families in our community that are going through this battle each and every year. Hasty shared that DFD actually started this mission in 2014 to raise funds after two families in the department were affected, including his own. Each year, the effort has averaged $11,000 to $13,000 in donations. As of last year, they reached a donation total of $115,000 for 2014 to 2023. These funds come from donations, people purchasing shirts, and sponsorships. Those interested in sponsoring can still reach out to the department to help the cause. To enter the race the fee is $25 and includes a T-shirt, also those who purchase a T-shirt will also receive free admission to Water World on the race day. Online registration is available at raceentry.com and will close at midnight on August 22, but on Saturday, Aug. 24, onsite registration will be from 6:45 a.m until 7:45 a.m with the race starting at 8 a.m. As soon as everyone finishes traveling around the trail, there will be awards, a cornhole tournament, and then the gates at Waterworld open at 10. This day of fitness, fun and awareness will be located at Westgate Park and Water World located on 401 Recreation Rd., in Dothan. The event is free even if people just want to come out and bring their kids to play on inflatables, play cornhole, and there will be a supervised axe throwing trailer. In addition to the fundraiser the DFD is committed to bringing awareness to childhood cancer by wearing Going for the Gold shirts every Friday for the month of September even while out on the trucks serving the community. During the last week of September they will wear it every day. The Fire Department does not keep any of the profits for this event; it all goes towards pediatric cancer research at the Alabama Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders at Childrens of Alabama in Birmingham. Press Release August 15, 2024 Villar bats for RTL extension, revisions To reinforce the protection of local rice producers and to respond to the appeals of stakeholders in the rice industry, Senator Cynthia Villar sponsored the extension and amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL), or Republic Act No. 11203, that created the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) from tariffs collected on imported rice. It is contained in Committee Report Number 282, entitled AN ACT AMENDING RA 8178 OR THE AGRICULTURAL TARIFFICATION ACT OF 1996," AS AMENDED BY RA 11203. Enacted in 2019, the RTL lifted quantitative restrictions on rice and introduced tariffs to guarantee the protection of Filipino rice producers. The Rice Tariffication Act amends the Agricultural Tariffication Act of 1996 (RA 8178). It ensures that farmers directly benefit from the liberalization of rice trading by providing P10 billion a year to the RCEF until 2024. "The RCEF provided P5 billion for the free distribution of farm machinery and equipment, P3 billion for the free distribution of high-quality inbred certified seeds, P1 billion for credit support, and another P1 billion for the training of rice farmers," said Villar. She said the collections in excess of the P10 billion funds go to the Rice Farmer Financial Assistance (RFFA) under RA 11598, which took effect on March 5, 2019. It will also expire in 2024. On May 14, 2024, Villar said the Senate Panel convened a congressional oversight committee on agricultural and fisheries modernization in the Senate. After subsequent meetings, they have consultation and discussion with stakeholders and fellow lawmakers. The salient features of the new bill are; 1. Extension for another six years or until 2031. 2. Total Amount Covered: P30B sourced from tariff on imported rice any deficiency shall be supplemented by the GAA. 3. Strengthening the DA - Bureau of Plant Industry Regulatory Functions including registration and data basing of all grains warehouses. 4. Empowering the DA Secretary to respond to a declaration of rice food shortage and extraordinary increase of rice prices, where the DA can sell through government agencies such hospitals and jails and KADIWA outlets and replenish through procurement of locally produced rice from farmers and farmers' coop. 5. DA to import when no available locally produced rice. And it shall designate an importing authority except the NFA, the proceeds of sale shall revert to the buffer fund. 6. Disposal of aging stock with NFA shall be 4 week before expiration. 7. The President can prohibit further importation or specify the volume to be imported during excessive supply of both imported and locally produced rice in the market, for a specific period and volume. 8. Creation of the Program Management Office that will monitor both the RCEF and the National Rice Program. 9. Engage the services of an independent and Mid-term and End Term Evaluation of the RCEF to assess the performance the result of which to be submitted and discussed with the COCAFM. Distribution of the Fund Rice Farm Machineries and Equipment Php9B High Quality Inbred Rice Seeds, Propagation, Distribution and Promotion Php6B Financial Assistance to Rice Farmers tilling 2 hectares and below (2.4M farmers) Php8B Expanded Rice Credit Assistance Php2B Training and Extension a. TESDA for farm schools- Php1B b. ATI - Php500M c. PhilMech - P300M* (to include training for the establishment of repair, fabrication and maintenance centers nationwide) d. PhilRice - P200M e. BSWM - P200M Php2.2B Solar-Powered Water Irrigation or Water Impounding Irrigation Project Php1.4B Composting Facilities for Biodegradable Wastes Php1.4B TOTAL 30B "These are substantial as the sentiments of the stakeholders with 181 farmers groups is a resounding request that the law be extended with amendments," sabi pa ni Villar. Villar, itinutulak ang RTL extension, revisions PARA higit na palakasin ang proteksyon ng local rice producers at tugon sa apela ng stakeholders sa rice industry, ini-sponsor ni Senator Cynthia Villar ang extension at amendments Rice Tarification Law (RTL) o Republic Act No. 11203 na bumuo sa Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) mula sa tariff collections sa imported rice. Nakapaloob ito sa Committee Report 282 entitled, AN ACT AMENDING RA 8178 OR THE AGRICULTURAL TARIFFICATION ACT OF 1996," AS AMENDED BY RA 11203- Naisabatas noong 2019, tinanggal ng RTL ang quantitative restrictions sa bigas. Nagkaroon ng taripa para matiyak ang proteksyonng Filipino rice producers. Inamiyendan ng Rice Tariffication Act ang Agricultural Tariffication Act of 1996 (RA 8178). Tinitiyak nito na direktang makikinabang ang mga magsasaka sa liberalization ng rice trading sa pagkakaloob mg P10 billion kada taon sa RCEF hanggang 2024. "The RCEF provided P5 billion for the free distribution of farm machinery and equipment, P3 billion for free distribution of high quality inbred certified seeds, and P1 billion for credit support and another P1 billion for training of rice farmers," ayon kay Villar. Mapupunta ang sobrang koleksyon sa P10 billion pondo sa Rice Farmer Financial Assistance (RFFA) sa ilalimng RA 11598 na naging epektibo noong March 5, 2019 na mag e-expire din sa 2024. Noong May 14, 2024, sinabi ni Villar na ang Senate Panel ay nag- convene ng congressional oversight committee on agricultural and fisheries modernization . Matapos ang mga pulong, nakipag dayalogo sila sa stakeholders at mga mambabatas. Ang mga salient features ng batas ay ang mga sumusunod: 1. Extension for another six years or until 2031. 2. Total Amount Covered: P30B sourced from tariff on imported rice any deficiency shall be supplemented by the GAA. 3. Strengthening the DA - Bureau of Plant Industry Regulatory Functions including registration and data basing of all grains warehouses. 4. Empowering the DA Secretary to respond to a declaration of rice food shortage and extraordinary increase of rice prices, where the DA can sell through government agencies such hospitals and jails and KADIWA outlets and replenish through procurement of locally produced rice from farmers and farmers' coop. 5. DA to import when no available locally produced rice. And it shall designate an importing authority except the NFA, the proceeds of sale shall revert to the buffer fund. 6. Disposal of aging stock with NFA shall be 4 week before expiration. 7. The President can prohibit further importation or specify the volume to be imported during excessive supply of both imported and locally produced rice in the market, for a specific period and volume. 8. Creation of the Program Management Office that will monitor both the RCEF and the National Rice Program. 9. Engage the services of an independent and Mid-term and End Term Evaluation of the RCEF to assess the performance the result of which to be submitted and discussed with the COCAFM. Distribution of the Fund Rice Farm Machineries and Equipment Php9B High Quality Inbred Rice Seeds, Propagation, Distribution and Promotion Php6B Financial Assistance to Rice Farmers tilling 2 hectares and below (2.4M farmers) Php8B Expanded Rice Credit Assistance Php2B Training and Extension a. TESDA for farm schools- Php1B b. ATI - Php500M c. PhilMech - P300M* (to include training for the establishment of repair, fabrication and maintenance centers nationwide) d. PhilRice - P200M e. BSWM - P200M Php2.2B Solar-Powered Water Irrigation or Water Impounding Irrigation Project Php1.4B Composting Facilities for Biodegradable Wastes Php1.4B TOTAL 30B "These are substantial as the sentiments of the stakeholders with 181 farmers groups is a resounding request that the law be extended with amendments," pahayag ni Villar. Cities were scored across 10 criteria including climate, transport, general living costs and broadband speed Sydney achieved high scores in climate, sustainability and subsistence Research shows that 84% of hybrid workers now consider extending holidays to work remotely As the rise of hybrid working fuels longer workcations and employees have more flexibility over how and where they work, Sydney has been named among the best workcation cities in the world, beating competition from the likes of London, Toronto, Podgorica and Dublin in International Workplace Groups second annual Work from Anywhere Barometer. Workcations, where travellers combine work and leisure at their destinations to prolong holidays, have exploded in popularity since hybrid working became the de facto working model for many. Thanks to the proliferation of hybrid working and cloud technology, employees can now work from wherever they feel most productive. More than three-quarters of Australian hybrid workers (77%) would consider taking a workcation in 2024 if their company supported it*. New research** from International Workplace Group, the worlds largest operator of flexible and hybrid workspace, has revealed the rising popularity of workcations among office workers, with three quarters (74%) of workers viewing a work from anywhere policy as a significant factor when considering a new job. The same number (75%) said that the freedom of being able to work from anywhere boosts their job satisfaction. With over 4,000 flexible office locations in more than 120 countries, International Workplace Groups network includes 30 leading workcation cities that have been marked against 10 key criteria to create the second annual Work from Anywhere Barometer. Each location was awarded a mark out of 10 on climate, culture, accommodation, transport, food & drink, happiness, broadband speed, sustainability, and the availability of flexible workspaces. Sydney excels in climate (8.5), sustainability (8), and subsistence (7.5), creating a vibrant atmosphere enhanced by stunning coastlines and iconic landmarks like the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. With mild winters and sun-soaked summers, the citys enviable climate invites year-round outdoor activities. Its commitment to sustainability, including green public transport, appeals to environmentally conscious nomads. Beyond work, Sydney offers world-class dining, picturesque beaches, and adventures like hiking in the Blue Mountains and surfing at Bondi Beach, making it a lifestyle that perfectly blends professional opportunities with unforgettable experiences. Budapest is Buda-best (75/100) Securing high marks for transport and accommodation prices, broadband speeds, and availability of flexible workspaces, Budapest stands out as the top destination for hybrid workers in 2024. Situated in the heart of Central Europe and set against the stunning backdrop of the Danube River, the Hungarian capital is famed for its classical architecture, attracting some 12 million international tourists per year. The city boasts over 200 museums and galleries, vibrant neighbourhoods, and ample green spaces, making it an ideal choice for digital nomads seeking a balance of work and leisure. Barcelona bumped from top spot (73.5/100) The top destination in 2023, Barcelona remains a favoured spot for hybrid workers, offering a lively atmosphere, stunning architecture, and nearly year-round sunshine. The city has become a popular hub for those seeking a diverse work environment which combines sun, sea, and sand with a cosmopolitan atmosphere. Spains wide-ranging digital nomad visa, along with Barcelonas excellent transportation infrastructure and relatively affordable cost of living, ensures it remains a prime workcation destination. Rio rising (73.5/100) Rounding off the top three workcation cities for 2024 is Rio de Janeiro in joint second, which rose from sixth place in last years barometer thanks to impressive scores on accommodation, food, transport costs, and affordable yet strong broadband speed. Home to the world-famous carnival, Rio is filled with nightclubs, restaurants, and extensive green spaces. Hybrid workers will benefit from a thriving digital nomad community, bolstered by local government investments to make the city more attractive for remote workers, including citywide 5G coverage and a new digital nomad visa. Rio offers big-city amenities alongside world-famous beaches, hiking, and other outdoor attractions, making the city a memorable workcation destination for any hybrid worker. New contenders for 2024 International Workplace Groups Work from Anywhere Barometer also welcomes several newcomers to this years list of best working destinations for digital nomads to have on their radar. These include: Austin, Texas , also famed as the live music capital of the world, boasts an impressive cultural offering and dynamic tech scene that make the city an ideal destination for remote workers. , also famed as the live music capital of the world, boasts an impressive cultural offering and dynamic tech scene that make the city an ideal destination for remote workers. Despite its small size, Podgorica, Montenegro boasts a burgeoning start-up community and a growing number of co-working spaces, making it an increasingly popular choice for workers seeking tranquillity and affordability nestled between the mountains and Adriatic Sea. boasts a burgeoning start-up community and a growing number of co-working spaces, making it an increasingly popular choice for workers seeking tranquillity and affordability nestled between the mountains and Adriatic Sea. Marrakesh, Morocco has captivated travellers for centuries with its vibrant souks, stunning architecture, and rich cultural heritage. Now, its also gaining attention as a desirable workcation destination thanks to a growing infrastructure to support remote work, offering an enticing blend of tradition and modernity to hybrid workers looking to immerse themselves in a unique cultural experience. has captivated travellers for centuries with its vibrant souks, stunning architecture, and rich cultural heritage. Now, its also gaining attention as a desirable workcation destination thanks to a growing infrastructure to support remote work, offering an enticing blend of tradition and modernity to hybrid workers looking to immerse themselves in a unique cultural experience. Finally, Valletta, the Maltese capital and UNESCO World Heritage site is renowned for its historic architecture, picturesque harbours, and Mediterranean charm. Vallettas accessible size and sunny climate make it an ideal spot for remote workers. 2024 Work From Anywhere Barometer top 10 cities for workcations: The ongoing shift in work culture has not only transformed professional attitudes but also broadened the horizons of workers when choosing travel destinations, with 80% stating that the availability of these policies has prompted them to consider destinations they previously wouldnt have. International Workplace Group Country Head for Australia, Damien Sheehan said: As the world embraces hybrid working, Sydneys recognition as a top workcation city is a testament to the unique blend of professional opportunities and lifestyle it offers. Whether its extending a vacation or diving into a longer adventure as a digital nomad, the ability to work from such vibrant locations is redefining how we view productivity and work-life balance. We expect this workcation movement to accelerate even further with more companies adopting WFA policies to enhance employee wellbeing and bolster their appeal as employers. With brands including Regus, Spaces and HQ, International Workplace Group offers access to an unrivalled global network and opportunity to work from anywhere all over the world, with a strong presence in the most sought-after destinations, from Barcelona to Brussels, and from Sofia to Singapore. Through their wide network of flexible workspaces, International Workplace Group supports the growing trend of remote work and workcations, enabling individuals to seize exciting opportunities and embrace a more flexible and fulfilling work lifestyle. To find out more and book your next workcation space, head to: www.iwgplc.com Tokio Marine Insurance Vietnam (TMIV) has partnered with Motul in Vietnam to offer free accident insurance to customers using Motul motorcycle lubricants for the first three months. All customers using Motul lubricants will be able to register for free insurance online quickly. This insurance applies in case of accidental death while riding a motorbike and hospitalization due to accidents in Vietnam, for customers using genuine Motul lubricants in the country. Representatives of Tokio Marine Insurance Vietnam (TMIV) and Motul at the signing ceremony. Photo courtesy of TMIV To register for this insurance package, customers need to purchase and use genuine Motul lubricants for their vehicles, then register their information on the TMIV website by scanning the QR code provided at participating Motul sales points. The registration process takes a few simple steps. According to the Ministry of Public Security's statistics, in July, the country recorded 1,889 traffic accidents and 305 fires, resulting in 880 deaths and 1,437 injuries nationwide. The partnership between Motul and Tokio Marine Vietnam demonstrates the concern of both companies for customer safety, as the personal accident insurance package is considered a practical measure to alleviate the financial and psychological burden for individuals in unfortunate situations. Yasuhiro Takeda, General Director of TMIV, giving a speech at the ceremony. Photo courtesy of TMIV Tokio Marine Vietnam, one of the first foreign non-life insurance joint ventures in Vietnam, is backed by Tokio Marine Group, Japan's leading and long-established insurance group, and Bao Viet Group, Vietnam's leading financial insurance group. Through a variety of non-life insurance products and services, the company continuously strives to provide the safest protection for domestic and foreign customers against all risks in business and life. Over its 28 years of establishment (since 1996), the company has supported and served more than 2,000 corporate clients, more than half of which are Japanese-invested companies in Vietnam. Motul, a multinational group from France, is regarded as an expert in high-quality lubricants, building its brand in many countries worldwide with premium, specialized products and top-notch technical support services. In Vietnam, Motul lubricants are distributed by Vietnam Lubricants & Chemicals Joint Stock Company (Vilube). Established in 1994, Vilube is one of the leading lubricant manufacturers in Vietnam. Since December 2006, Vilube and Motul have established a strategic partnership, with all Vilube products technically endorsed by Motul, meeting the growing demand for high-quality products and stringent technical standards. The insurance package between Tokio Marine and Motul aims to attract 10,000 participants, with a renewal rate of 30-40% in the following year. (photo: Topher Simon) Traci Cheeis the author of The Reader Trilogy and the novel We Are Not Free, coming from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on September 1. She studied literature and creative writing at UC Santa Cruz and earned a Master of Arts degree from San Francisco State University. Chee spoke to Shelf Awareness about changing literary gears, sharing family stories and the intricacies of avoiding over-explaining. Transitioning from worldbuilding fantasy to personally inspired historical fiction seems like quite the leap. Was it? I've written speculative fiction for as long as I've been writing. For years, every story I wrote, even the ones I tried to make realistic, had a touch of the fantastical to it. Because my family was part of the Japanese American incarcerations of World War II, I've wanted to write a story about it for years and, at one point, I even thought I might inject a little fantasy into it--because what kind of a writer was I if I wasn't writing magic?--but all of that changed the deeper I delved into my research. The more books I read, the more museums I visited, the more relatives I interviewed, the more I realized that the magic was already there in the details and in the lived experiences of the incarcerees. I stumbled upon so many facts and anecdotes that I could never have made up, and that's what I've found so enchanting about writing historical fiction. That these things really happened, to real people. When and how did you choose to explore their history through fiction? I first learned about the incarceration when I was 12. My grandfather, who was 16 when he and his family were evicted from their apartment in San Francisco, was being awarded an honorary diploma from the San Francisco Unified School District, from which he would have graduated if not for the war and the incarceration. Although he was, I think, pretty honored to get it, he was also quoted in the newspaper as saying, "Where were the bleeding hearts in 1942?" I wasn't familiar with the term "bleeding hearts," but I could recognize that hard edge of bitterness and anger to his words. When I started pursuing publication seriously, I always had in the back of my mind that I wanted to write about what had happened to my family. The problem was that I didn't know how. How could I hope to capture not only the anger and the bitterness but also the joy, the sorrow, the resentment, the sense of betrayal that so many of these Japanese American kids felt when the only country they'd ever called home stripped them of their civil rights and locked them up behind barbed wire? It just didn't seem possible to do that with a single story. How did you decide the ideal narrative structure was 14 points of view? [Rather than a] single story from a single point-of-view, I could tell these stories from the perspective of a group of people, like my grandparents and their friends, who grew up together in Japantown and were forced through this experience of war and incarceration, which changed them, scattered them across the country and also brought them closer together. It had to be a novel-in-stories: one chapter for each character, united by their love for one another. How much of your family's actual history is contained in these pages? I like to say that We Are Not Free is "loosely inspired" by my family's experiences, and that's because their stories have been transformed by fiction. I don't think you can point to a character and say that it's my grandmother or my grandfather, but I've given some of them my family stories. There's a character, Bette, who wears a blonde wig throughout the first few chapters of the book, and that wig comes from a story about my grandmother, who was enrolled in beauty school after the war. She came home one day wearing this blonde wig, and her father (my great-grandpa) was so upset, thinking she'd dyed her hair, that he started screaming at her. She just stood there, grinning, while he got madder, until finally she ripped off the wig, wagging it in his face and laughing. It's little moments like that where I've woven in family anecdotes, hopefully honoring those stories and the relatives who lived them. What made you decide to write this book now? I started interviewing relatives back in 2016, before the presidential election, but in the months that followed, news came out about the Muslim ban, immigrant detention centers and children being separated from their parents at the border. More and more, this history of injustice and persecution was alive and well in the 21st century. We need to remember we have committed heinous acts in the name of national security before, and they are not ones we should repeat. I think inspiration is often like that--a surprising confluence of events all coming together in urgency and spilling over into creativity. You didn't translate most of the Japanese words. You also never used the catchphrase shikata ga nai ("it can't be helped"), prevalent in most Japanese American imprisonment narratives. What was your thinking behind that? I love this question! Having never written historical (or contemporary, for that matter) before, negotiating these lines of "how much to explain" and "how much is over-explaining" was totally new for me. It came down to audience: Who is this book for? It's for my family. It's for my Japanese American community. It's for the larger Asian American community of which we are a part, because what happened to us in the 1940s and how we dealt with it influenced so much of what came after for other Asian American communities. And it's for American readers at large, many of whom have only heard of the mass incarceration as a passing reference in one of their high school textbooks, if at all. In the broadest sense, I hope that context will carry the meaning for readers who don't speak Japanese or who are unfamiliar with certain customs or foods. You don't need to know exactly what takuan is, for example, to know that when the characters are pickling foods during rationing and food shortages, they're gearing up for further shortages to come. But if you know what takuan is, if you've eaten it over rice or opened up your fridge to that particular sweet-vinegar smell, then I hope it provides an added layer of specialness and meaning to the story. As for shikata ga nai, omitting it was a deliberate choice. I suspect that for a lot of people, when the mass incarceration is brought up, it conjures this stereotypical idea of "noble Japanese suffering," right? Shikata ga nai--it can't be helped. A lot of existing narratives lean into this idea, and that's important, because it's certainly one type of experience that people had. But since that story had been told before, and told often, I wanted to explore some of the other experiences that Japanese Americans, particularly nisei teenagers, had. I wanted to delve into their anger, their sadness, their acts of resistance, whether that be in activism or in joy. So I chose to tell other stories, hopefully that will supplement and engage with the ones we already have. --Terry Hong Kat Tang (photo: Colleen O'Connell Smyth) Kat Tang is a graduate of Columbia's MFA program, where she taught as an Undergraduate Writing Fellow. Born in China, relocated to Japan, and raised in California, she is fascinated by how we make and fake human connection in a technologically evolving world. Her short stories and graphic narratives have appeared in Electric Literature, The Margins, Pigeon Pages, and elsewhere. She lives in St. Louis, Mo. Five-Star Stranger (Scribner), Tang's debut novel, follows a professional Rental Stranger resolutely devoted to his perfect rating but whose long-term gig as a young girl's fake father is in jeopardy. What made you decide to keep the narrator of Five Star Stranger unnamed? Name and identity--especially for someone like me who tried on various names after immigrating to the United States--are closely tied together; for a narrator who is both unknowable to himself for a large portion of the book and a mystery to the audience, it made sense to me that he would remain unnamed. Was it also a significant choice that he fills roles for other Asian identities beyond his own? Asians in America are often mistaken for one another, so why not use this to his advantage? Make money from the ignorance of others? The narrator is obsessed with maintaining his five-star rating, claiming it can make or break his profile, but it also seems to have slipped into his personal sense of worth. Yes. I think our society is obsessed with rankings. We (by which I mean, I) can't even choose a restaurant to eat at without checking its reviews. It seemed natural that on an app where people are being ranked and reviewed, this would seep into his sense of self-worth. It's because of his fraught relationship with his deceased mother that the narrator endeavors to succeed at this job. How did you find ways to instill in your narrator such an authentic portrayal of guilt and emotional strain? I think guilt can be a powerful motivator, especially for people who are very conscientious. It also can be a very selfish emotion--thinking that your guilt matters or makes a difference. I drew on both of these to flesh out the narrator's emotional tension. The narrator's arrangement to be Lily's fake father is his only long-term assignment. But because he otherwise spends his time alone, this also makes it his only relationship, right? Yes, and that isolation is self-imposed as part of his atonement for his relationship with his mother. He's afraid of making connections because he's afraid of hurting or being hurt by other people, but he wouldn't readily admit this to himself. Instead he would say that he's too busy to maintain relationships, that any outside relationships would compromise his ability to be a perfect Rental Stranger, or that there's no point in fostering a relationship for free. At one point, the narrator notes that sometimes his customers "conflate kindness with love," yet he seems to agree with Darlene when she describes the inability to love as "something defective in you that you're not capable of kindness." Why, then, does he work so hard to keep kindness and love compartmentalized? The former, what the narrator performs, is a pretend kindness. It's like the "let me know if you need anything" when you know that the other person isn't going to take you up on the offer--a performance, an act. I think what Darlene is talking about, however, is a true kindness--a care that extends beyond the self. A kindness that bridges the self to others. He keeps this difference in mind because he's afraid of the latter, afraid to tether himself to another--to love. Lily, the narrator's fake daughter, doesn't know he is not her real dad. What was the challenge in creating a bond between two characters based on a lie? The difficulty was balancing the lie with the true affection that the narrator has for Lily. Even though he is paid to act like a perfect father, his feelings for Lily urge him to act in imperfect ways: being rude to Lily's friend Piri, for example. This blurring of the lines of what makes a relationship "genuine"--affection? official title? thoughts? actions?--is something I hope readers will be left questioning. There are such beautiful details marking his love for Lily, such as when he realizes her exposed wrists would chafe in the winter air. How did such vivid images come to you? Some time ago I began to associate the act of noticing with love. When writing from the perspective of someone who really cares about someone else (that second type of "kindness"), I try to think about what they might see and what small details they would pay attention to that no one else, not even the person they care about, notices. Are there any books that inspired your novel? I was inspired by the article in the Atlantic, "How to Hire Fake Friends and Family," by Roc Morin back in 2017, and wrote a very early rough draft then. By the time I was ready to write this version in 2021, I had a couple books rattling around in my head: The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen, A Personal Matter by Kenzaburo Oe, The Sellout by Paul Beatty, and A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan, among many others. What are you working on next? I'm actually quite far into the first draft of a novel about a woman from the Bay Area who runs away from her problems by traveling to Japan, where she befriends a mysterious, enchanting woman. When her new friend goes north to visit family, the 2011 earthquake and tsunami strikes--cutting off all contact. In an effort to find her new friend, the protagonist travels to Tohoku to search among the destruction. It's been one hell of a ride researching and writing it so far. --Samantha Zaboski Alex Temblador (photo: Shelbie Monkres) Alex Temblador is the award-winning author of the novels Half Outlaw and Secrets of the Casa Rosada. She is a journalist and DEI expert whose latest book, Writing an Identity Not Your Own (St. Martin's Essentials; reviewed in this issue), is a practical guide to help authors authentically write and edit a character whose identity is different than their own. You come to this book both as a writer and a teacher; how might a book like this one have changed your own outlook when you were starting to write? I didn't approach characterization in this way at all. I was just kind of flailing about and thought, well, I'm just writing characters who are like me or like people I know. But that doesn't mean that they don't have different identities than me. I don't want to say I wouldn't have tried things I did try and have regretted since. But maybe I would have been more mindful about how I tried them. I would have gut feelings why it wasn't working; I wish I would have been able to name the stuff that was going wrong, name my biases, recognize how I could build characters in different ways, and think about their identities in relation to every part of the story. What I have found in writing the book is that I think it would be helpful if we rethink how we build characters. I think a lot of us just go at it with gut feeling and intuition. And I'm all for that, but we actually don't always teach how to build characters and how to think about all their identities. Why do you think it's important for writers of any level or ability to think about these big questions of bias and representation across their work? I think beginner writers are looking for guidance. If we can get writers to start thinking about this at the beginning of their writing journey, I'm hoping over time it builds up and it becomes a practice. In terms of writers who are already established, we've not been challenged to reflect on the way that we have presented identity. I think yes, there has been a little bit of pushback with social media in terms of people questioning, "Why did you write that identity?" Like, "Did you do it well?" Or, "Just saying, we don't think you did it well." But authors and writers haven't actually spent a lot of time asking, "What am I not doing well?" So, I'm hoping that people who are already established are going to be able to look at this and reconsider how they've built characters before, how they've talked about other communities. How do you keep yourself from being overwhelmed with the continual learning process? I say this in the book: you're going to make mistakes. I made mistakes writing this book, and I know that because I'm recording the audiobook right now, and I'm like, oh, that's a little change I want to make. If I'm going to be a writer and I'm going to ask people to accept the fact that they make mistakes, that I also have to accept that fact. I also know that I am 34 years old, so there's no way that I have unpacked all of my biases. That's a lifetime commitment. So I have to expect that it's going to be in my writing practice, too. I have to be diligent. I have to be mindful. I have to continue my self-education. And I hope when readers get this book, they realize that if you're going to take this on, that's something you're going to have to do as well. Do you have a favorite writing exercise? The one in chapter four, where it's basically building the character out. I don't even use half this stuff in the work that I write, but if I know that they lived in an apartment and now they live in a mansion, that's going to impact my character's perception of the world. I tend to find that when I'm writing, fiction especially, I can't get to the end unless I know what drives my character, and usually what drives them are their fears and their joys. To build them out, I need to know their quirks, their hobbies, their relationships. So that exercise is my favorite. Sometimes I'll write half a book, and then I'm like, okay, I should have done this at the beginning. Let me go back and do this because it's going to help me to push the book forward and showcase who they are. Do you think that writing this book has had an impact on your own writing process? Since writing this book, I needed a lot of time off. I needed some space to think about what I wanted to write and how I wanted to continue in my career as a fiction writer. I am going a little slower, which is nice. I'm being more mindful, and I can see my mind working as I'm writing. I would probably say that if people pick this up, and they've never thought about this before, they're going to do better in the editing phase. It might take a little time for you to recognize what you're doing while you're writing because you get so much in the zone. So, I do like that it makes me slow down. Since writing this book, I have told myself I want to see if I can create something very magical, and joyful, and happy, and focus on those aspects of writing my own identity and some different identities as well. I'm being more intentional now than intuitive. I think that's going to be good, or at least I'm going to learn something from doing it this way. If you could have your readers take two things from your book, what would they be? I'm thinking about something I said at the end of the book: it is okay to write other identities. It's okay to experiment, it is okay to write something and put all your heart in it. It is also okay to let something die. It's also okay to admit that this isn't ready, or it should never be published. Or never be shared. Because it's okay not to share things with the world, if it's just not ready. That's probably one of the big things, because I don't think we need to continue to do harm to historically marginalized identities. The other thing I would say, and maybe this goes a little bit against what I said earlier, but editing is where it's at. It's great if you recognize your mistakes or your biases while you're writing. But you can actually do a ton of work in the editing process. It's my favorite part--the writing is hard to get through; the editing is the best because you get to shape your story, but you also get to catch everything that you missed. It's where other people are able to help you catch things you missed. And I hope that people take advantage of other people's perspectives. Ask for feedback, ask for that community help. I don't think we're going to get through this change in the industry or in creative writing without all of us working together as a community to give each other checks and balances. If you make a mistake, admit you made a mistake. Be very open and honest about it and do everything you can to fix it. That's definitely a big thing I would have people take away from it. --Michelle Anya Anjirbag Two decades ago, the UN Security Council heard reports of atrocities against civilians in Darfur. Today, some of the same actors are again victimizing vulnerable communities, a circumstance possible in part because perpetrators were never held accountable for committing atrocities twenty years ago, noted Ambassador Robert Wood, U.S. Alternate Representative for Special Political Affairs at the United Nations. The Rapid Support Forces in Darfur are committing widespread acts of sexual violence, attacking health care facilities and burning villages. In a horrifying echo of the past. The Rapid Support Forces, together with affiliated Arab militias, have been targeting members of the Masalit and other non-Arab populations of West Darfur. They are reportedly hunting men and boys, shooting civilians fleeing their homes, and kidnaping and raping women and girls. The violence targeted along ethnic lines is a result of unresolved grievances exacerbated by decades of conflict, observed Ambassador Wood. Sudanese Armed forces have reportedly conducted indiscriminate airstrikes. Systematically blocked humanitarian aid shipments and directed extreme violence at civilians as a tool of collective punishment. The systematic sexual violence committed against women and girls in Khartoum, throughout Darfur and across Sudan is appalling. The people of Darfur deserve justice, said Ambassador Wood. The United States has long supported accountability in the existing cases before the International Criminal Court, including with respect to the ongoing trial of former Janjaweed commander Abd-Al-Rahman and the fugitives from justice, said Ambassador Wood: Our Global Criminal Justice Rewards program maintains a $5 million reward for information that leads to the arrest, transfer, or conviction for war crimes or crimes against humanity, A former Minister of State for the interior, Ahmed Harun. While we are encouraged by reports that the Sudanese authorities are beginning to cooperate with the ICC [International Criminal Court], we call on them to do more. That includes arresting the fugitives who remain at large and permitting ICC teams access and protection to conduct investigative activities within the country. The horrific acts of violence committed by the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, and the humanitarian crisis that has resulted, must end. It is long past time to break the cycle of impunity that has fed this conflict, to halt the killing and to empower the Sudanese people in their pursuit of a peaceful and prosperous future. Rapper/designer Kanye West is facing a $1.5 million copyright infringement lawsuit after allegedly posting multiple photos of himself and wife Biance Censori without permission. According to XXL, two photography companies, BackGrid USA, Inc. and Backgrid London, allege that Ye used at least 10 of their photographs on his Instagram account and Yeezy website. One of the photos features the couple at a Milan restaurant in February, while two of the other shots include the pair out and about with Censori barely dressed in whats become her routine risque style, the report said. In the suit filed Aug. 8 in California Federal Court, the companies claim to have lost up to hundreds of thousands of dollars for the unauthorized use of the pics, USA Herald reported. As per Billboard, the rapper has been sued at least 14 times throughout his career over allegations of unlicensed sampling (using a copyrighted sound recording) or interpolating (using a copyrighted composition). STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- This weekend is brimming with vibrant activities, from enjoying a circus to catching a movie under the stars and much more. Friday, Saturday & Sunday Do Portugal Circus / Aug. 16, 17, 18, various times The Portugal Circus is back on Staten Island this weekend until September 1st! This year, the circus will be staged in the parking lot of the mall near Primark. Enjoy a thrilling, action-packed show featuring beloved acts and exciting new surprises, including clowns, motorcyclists, aerialists, jugglers, acrobats, and more! Use promo cose PORTUGAL10 for a $10 discount on each ticket when you buy online. The Promo code expires 2 p.m. on Friday, August 16th so get your tickets now. Admission cost: $20-50 Location: Staten Island Mall Saturday Zumba / Aug. 17, 9-10 a.m. Zumba is a fusion of Latin, international and popular music dance themes creating a dynamic, exciting, effective fitness system! Join instructor Madeline Morales and learn routines that feature aerobic, fitness interval training and a combination of fast and slow rhythms that tone and sculpt the body. Admission cost: Free Location: Faber Skate Park in Faber Pool and Park FDNY Summer Block Party / Aug. 17, 11-4 p.m. This summer, the FDNY and the FDNY Foundation are turning up the heat with a season-long celebration of the vibrant communities they serve. The FDNY will be hosting a block party on Staten Island this Saturday. The event will feature stories from local firehouses and EMS stations, spotlight the departments operational strengths, and showcase the many reasons why FDNY members cherish New York City! Admission cost: Free Location: 1573 Castleton Ave. Concert at Tompkinsville Park / Aug. 17, 1 p.m. Come out to Tompkinsville Park for a live music performance by The WHQ, where pop meets jazz, hosted by the Staten Island Urban Center. Enjoy the vibrant atmosphere and unique sounds in this lively setting. Admission cost: Free Location: Tompkinsville Park Movies Under the Stars: Dune Pt. 2 / Aug. 17, 8:30-10 p.m. Grab a blanket and enjoy Dune: Part Two at the scenic Willowbrook Park. The film explores the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee. Admission cost: Free Location: Eton Place Parking Lot in Willowbrook Park. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Several changes to the leadership team and board of directors have been announced by Community Health Action of Staten Island (CHASI). Ericker Onaga has been officially appointed as executive director. Onaga was promoted upon the retirement of Diane Arneth after 32 years at the helm of the organization. This change coincides with changes to the leadership of the CHASI board of directors upon the departure of Yolanda Rudich at the end of her term as chair. Newly elected as chair is Dr. Adam Smith, of Richmond Behavioral Associates, a psychologist who works in clinical and research psychology with a focus on Alzheimers and psychiatric research. Tricia Ryan, counsel at ConEd, and Nicholas Robinson, program director at the Pride Center of Staten Island, have also joined the board of directors. Both are Staten Islanders with a long history of support for the agency as volunteers and supporters. They began board service in January with terms of three years. Additionally, Dr. Amanda Wexler has joined Community Health Action of Staten Islands executive board as its new chief strategy officer. In this role, Wexler, a doctor of social work and a licensed clinical social worker, will play a pivotal role in achieving the agencys priorities of strategic growth, long-term stability and strong programming. CHASI provides outreach, education, prevention and direct support services for populations most affected by health disparities. Community Health Action of Staten Island is a member of the Sun River Health network, a network of Community Health Centers that serves the Hudson Valley, New York City and Long Island. From the left are Tricia Ryan, Adam Smith and Ericker Onaga. (Courtesy of CHASI)CHASI Ericker Onaga A lifelong Staten Islander, Onaga served as chief program officer at CHASI for three years. She holds a masters degree in social work from New York University and is a state licensed clinical social worker. Her leadership portfolio includes career service with Project Hospitality and Comunilife, as well as board service with Seamans Society for Families and Children. She has served as a member of the mayors HASA Advisory Board since 2016. Onagas leadership within CHASI helped pivot programs in response to the pandemic, bringing virtual and unconventional service delivery to meet the needs of people facing serious health obstacles. She created a new Data and Quality Department and implemented a new incident management policy and procedure to support the needs of this growing client base. She will now lead an all-female executive team that includes Myra Mayo, chief operations officer, and Katherine Gorno, chief financial officer, and a staff of more than 140 workers serving 19,000 Staten Islanders annually. Onagas promotion left a vacancy for the chief program officer role, which has now been filled by Jasmin Valentin, who has worked with Community Health Action since 2020 as consultant and partner in special projects, most recently leading the behavioral health department through a number of program expansions. Previously, she held leadership roles at Gracia Y Rosas and Project Hospitality on Staten Island and as deputy director for Family Support Services at Safe Space in Queens. She worked in foster care at the Coalition for Hispanic Family Services in Brooklyn and assisted the social work department at the Choir Academy of Harlem. She holds a masters degree in social work from Columbia University, is a state licensed master social worker, and has volunteered in international support services for children with disabilities. From the left are Nicholas Robinson and Amanda Wexler. (Courtesy of CHASI)CHASI Dr. Amanda Wexler Wexler will collaborate closely with senior leadership and key stakeholders to foster external partnerships and to support continuous quality improvement for existing programs and services. This new executive role will affect positive impact for the communities CHASI serves and will shape the future direction of CHASI, the announcement said. Amandas work across systems in Staten Island is anchored in her passion for advocating for individuals facing criminal legal system involvement, substance use, and mental health challenges, and she has worked tirelessly to end the overdose crisis, said Onaga. Wexler has spent the last 20 years in the Staten Island non-profit social service sector and has experience in collaboration with community-based organizations. As director of the Richmond County District Attorneys Heroin Prevention & Education Program, she built cooperative relationships among diverse stakeholders while working with individuals to help them navigate systems of care. A tireless champion for the people of Staten Island, Amanda Wexler has dedicated her brilliant career to supporting those in the throes of addiction illness and offering solutions to the scourge of drug abuse in our borough. Serving as my offices Clinical Director of Diversion & Victim Services for nearly a decade, Amanda was not only critical in my offices approach to the opioid and overdose epidemic but directly responsible for leading countless Staten Islanders on the road to recovery, said District Attorney Michael E. McMahon. Simply put, her efforts have made Staten Island a more just and safer place to live. Her compassion for our neighbors and expertise in her field are unrivaled and I could think of no one better to serve as Community Health Action of Staten Islands Chief Strategy Officer than Amanda Wexler. I wish her the best of luck in this new and exciting chapter and look forward to all she will do in the future to continue to make our borough proud. Wexler said: CHASI has the perfect foundation to grow programs for the best possible care for vulnerable Staten Islanders. It takes creativity and guts to provide a quick response to urgent, emerging issues ranging from a continuum of substance use care, health equity, and support for survivors of violence. I want to use my clinical expertise and public health advocacy to find the right funding to quilt our services together to provide seamless, free services to Staten Islanders. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. The remains of a missing Staten Island airman of World War IIs Greatest Generation have been identified after 80 years. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced that U.S. Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Francis E. Callahan, 22, of New Brighton, who was killed in action during World War II, was accounted for June 20, 2024. In spring 1944, Callahan had been assigned to the 732nd Bombardment Squadron, 453rd Bombardment Group, 2nd Combat Bomb Wing, 2nd Air Division, 8th Air Force in the European Theater. U.S. Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Francis E. Callahan, of New Brighton, was killed in action while on a bombing run over Germany on April 8, 1944.Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency photo On April 8, Callahan, the navigator on board the B-24H Liberator heavy bomber Little Joe, was killed in action when his plane was shot down by an enemy fighter plane while on a bombing mission to Brunswick, Germany. Airmen aboard other aircraft flying with the bomber did not report seeing any crewmembers exiting the aircraft before it crashed in the vicinity of Salzwedel. The remains of U.S. Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Francis E. Callahan have been identified after 60 years. Callahan, circled here, is shown with fellow crew members of the B-24H Liberator heavy bomber "Little Joe."Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency photo The crash site could not be located by Allied forces during the war, and the remains of all ten crewmembers, including Callahan, were unaccounted for following the war. On the homefront In a front page story on Nov. 12, 1945, the Advance said that Callahan, who lived on Hendricks Avenue, had been reported as killed in action and that his family here had been notified. Callahan was married to the former Josephine McFadden. He had been commissioned at the Army Air Forces training school at Hondo, Texas, on Sept. 9, 1943. Staten Island Advance in 1945 reports on the death of U.S. Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Francis E. Callahan.Staten Island Advance Mrs. Callahan received an Air Medal in honor of her husband during a ceremony at Mitchel Field on Long Island on Oct. 17, 1944. A requiem high mass was said for the lost flier at St. Peters R.C. Church in New Brighton. Callahan was also survived by his parents; his brother James, who had served in the Army Air Forces in the China-Burma-India Theater, and his sister, Margaret Mahone, a former lieutenant in the Army Nurse Corps. Searching for lost airmen Beginning in 1946, the American Graves Registration Command, the organization tasked with searching for and recovering fallen American personnel in the European Theater, began investigating the numerous bomber losses in the Salzwedel and Wistedt areas of Germany. German forces had maintained detailed documentation of American aircraft shoot-downs, with several reports indicating B-24s crashing in the area. However, AGRC was unable to associate any German reports with Little Joe, and investigators were unable to locate any crash or burial sites associated with the lost bomber. Finally identified In 2015, an independent research group, Missing Allied Air Crew Research Team, contacted DPAA historians with new information related to a possible crash site near Wistedt, Germany. The 10-man crew of the B-24H Liberator heavy bomber "Little Joe," including navigator 2nd Lt. Francis E. Callahan, was lost during a mission in 1944.Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency photo Interviews with elderly local residents indicated there were two crash sites, but only one was recovered by American forces following the war. Investigators located the second crash site and recovered various pieces of wreckage. Possible ossified remains were also located and transferred to the DPAA laboratory for analysis and identification. At the time, no matches could be made with any missing personnel and further investigations were scheduled. Between 2021 and 2023, DPAA investigators returned to the crash site and continued excavations and recoveries. By the end of November 2023, all evidence, including possible remains and possible life support equipment, had been recovered and returned to the DPAA laboratory. To identify Callahans remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological and dental analysis. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forced Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis. The laboratory analysis as well as the circumstantial evidence available established an association between the remains and Callahan. Callahans name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Netherlands, along with others still missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate that Callahan has been accounted for. Callahan will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery on a date to be determined. Three of the 10 members of the Little Joe crew remain unaccounted for. The remains of seven others have been identified. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Choosing the right school is the first step to secure a childs academic success, but it may be difficult for parents to decide where to enroll their young student. WalletHub, a personal finance website, set out to determine the top-performing school systems in the United States comparing the 50 states and Washington, D.C., across 32 key metrics. Unlike other research that focuses primarily on academic outcomes or school finance, this analysis also accounts for performance, funding, safety, class size and instructor credentials. Each metric was then graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the highest quality of public K-12 education. WalletHub determined each states weighted average across all metrics to calculate overall score and rank order. And New York state has one of the best school systems, according to the report. The Empire State ranked as the eighth best school system in the United States, receiving a score of 58.25. It ranked ninth in quality, which includes items like high school graduation rates, dropout rates, test scores, median SAT and ACT (college entrance exam) scores, Advanced Placement (AP) scores, and pupil-teacher ratios. It also ranked sixteenth in safety, which was ranked through categories including: existence of a digital learning plan; school access to instructional materials; accessibly technologies, the sharing of threatened/injured students; violence; access to drugs; bullying incidence rate and more. New York state also ranked first for the existence of a distance learning plan, fifth for the highest median ACT (a college entrance exam) scores, and sixth highest pupil-teacher ratio. Heres how it ranked in other categories, according to WalletHub: 22nd Reading Test Scores 27th % of Licensed/Certified Public K12 Teachers 24th Dropout Rate 20th Bullying Incidence Rate 34th % of Threatened/Injured High School Students Here are the top 10 best school systems in the United States, according to WalletHubs recent report: Massachusetts Connecticut Maryland New Jersey Wisconsin New Hampshire Nebraska New York Virginia North Dakota Here are the top 10 worst school systems in the United States, according to WalletHubs recent report: As hostilities continue across the Gaza Strip, the situation remains catastrophic for civilians, according to the United Nations. There is a desperate need to reach a ceasefire, free the hostages, and scale up humanitarian aid to Gaza. No place is safe in Gaza, yet civilians continue to be ordered to evacuate to ever-shrinking areas, said Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs. Furthermore, ten months into the war, the threat of regional escalation is more palpable and chilling than ever. As President Biden emphasized in a statement last week with leaders of Qatar and Egypt, said U.S. Permanent representative to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield. There is no further time to waste nor excuses from any party for further delay. It is time to release the hostages, begin the ceasefire, and implement this agreement. A durable ceasefire could accelerate efforts to restore basic services, including electricity, water, and sanitation, bringing much needed relief to Palestinian civilians, many of whom have been displaced multiple times, she said. It could enable an urgently needed vaccination campaign to stop the spread of polio ... And it would facilitate the release of all hostages held by Hamas. A ceasefire in Gaza could also help enable diplomatic efforts to restore calm and reduce regional tensions. From the start of this conflict between Hamas and Israel, the United States has worked to avoid a situation in which the fighting in Gaza spirals into a broader regional conflict, said Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield. The United States worked closely with Israel and our partners in the region to repel Irans unprecedented attack on Israel, and stave off a broader conflict. Now, we are once again in a moment of heightened threat, she said. Consequently, the United States has taken needed precautionary steps, including moving an aircraft carrier group and additional air assets to the region, so that, should the situation arise again, we are prepared to defend Israel and U.S. military personnel in the region against any threats. Our deployments of additional military assets are not a prediction of what is to come. A broader regional conflict is not inevitable, said Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield. The United States overall goal remains to turn the temperature down in the region, deter and defend against any future attacks, and avoid regional conflict. That starts with finalizing a deal for an immediate ceasefire with hostage release in Gaza. We need to get this over the finish line. Former premier Dominic Perrottets long farewell tour has been a real trip through Sydney in all her multitudes. Loading From living it up at the Ivy Penthouse with Justin Hemmes, to hanging out with the Transformers at Thai Pothong, the family friendly favourite deep in enemy territory (Newtown) where Opposition Leader Mark Speakman inexplicably decided to hold an event, its been a long, nostalgic goodbye for the Liberal Partys cult hero. The latest stop is the NSW Treasury, where Treasurer Daniel Mookhey will host a special farewell morning tea for Perrottet and fellow departee Matt Kean. We hear its all inspired by the spirit of bipartisan goodwill which Perrottet inspires in the current Labor government. Indeed, the former premier won plaudits for the very chummy campaign he ran against Chris Minns at last years state election. Kean meanwhile, is such good mates with the red team he even accepted a job as Prime Minister Anthony Albaneses climate tsar within days of quitting parliament. Bridget Brennan, one of the rising stars of the ABC, has been appointed co-host of the broadcasters flagship morning TV program News Breakfast. Brennans appointment was revealed on the show on Thursday morning by Michael Rowland, who remains with the program, and Lisa Millar, who will leave on August 23 after five years on the couch. Michael Rowland and Bridget Brennan. Brennan has been announced as the new co-host on ABC News Breakfast. Credit: ABC Im delighted Bridget has agreed to take up this leading role, said ABC director of news Justin Stevens. Bridget is a formidable journalist and broadcaster and I cant wait to see what she does on News Breakfast from here. Brennan joined the ABC as a cadet in 2010 and was based in Darwin from 2011 to 2013. She briefly worked for CNN in Hong Kong before returning in 2014 to the national broadcaster, with whom she has been employed in a number of roles, including as London-based Europe correspondent. Cowboy Cartel Apple TV+ Fans of investigative procedurals and cowboy perseverance will enjoy this true-crime documentary about a vast money-laundering case against a drug cartel that traversed the US-Mexico border. However, these four episodes are also emblematic of the difficulties that some non-fiction storytellers find themselves in. Cowboy Cartel is a quiet tale, one that unfolds on the edge of horrifying violence, but its makers are unwilling to let the narrative speak for itself. A slew of hazy, sometimes lazy, re-creations lessen the storys impact. The set-up is intriguing: in 2010 rookie FBI agent Scott Lawson, newly assigned to the Laredo office in Texas, goes to work on a tip that a successful new trainer in the lucrative world of American quarter horse racing, Jose Trevino, is the brother of the two leaders of the Zetas, a feared Mexican drug cartel whose violent rise had upended Mexico. Buying horses and racing them for prize money is a perfect means to launder drug money. The more Lawson pulls at this thread, the more the case unravels. Jose Trevino, depicted in Cowboy Cartel. Credit: Apple TV+ Directors Castor Fernandez and Dan Johnstone follow the slow, steady process that starts up, which includes initial surveillance and the necessity of building a coalition of investigative agencies, but every step of the way they rely on snatches of re-creation to illustrate what their interview subjects are talking about. Uncredited actors play Lawson and all other participants in the story, who sit at desks, face whiteboards, or walk through stables. Theres no dialogue, theyre not shooting on location, and it doesnt advance the story. Although Youssef put in a preference for NSW and Tasmania, where she has been working in theatre and Deadloch, respectively, she was assigned Paul Kellys one sweet promenade from Melbournes St Kilda to Brighton, the Riesling Trail in SAs Clare Valley, and a bush bash in SAs Wilpena Pound. Her journey begins in the Victorian town of Beechworth, a name she knew only from looking at the jars of Beechworth Honey in her familys pantry. Beechworth was a dream, she says. Ill never forget how honey-coloured the whole place was. It was like a movie set. It was so beautiful, this preserved gold rush town. It was a joy at every turn, and the stories we found there we really stuck gold on that one, pardon the pun One of the best parts of this show is discovering places and meeting people. In St Kilda, she sits down with musician Kutcha Edwards and comedian Rachel Berger, while in Brighton, she hooks up with comedian and birdwatcher Geraldine Hickey. In Beechworth, Youssef climbs a mountain with Waywurru descendant Megan Carter. Megan discovered her story later in life, and shes made it her lifes work to make sure that those stories are taught, says Youssef. Its interesting for me, as a comedian in those situations, where you drop all your filters and realise how lucky you are to have these stories around you. I didnt feel the need to lighten it. We just held space for the story. Hoping for a third season, Youssef returns to her regular Sydney route, pounding the sand alone or with company. Emily in Paris season 4, Netflix from August 15 Maybe its nothing more than Stockholm Syndrome, but I finally feel like this thing between Emily and me just might be the real deal. Halfway through the fourth season (which is being dropped in two batches of five episodes, with the second tranche coming on September 12), I feel rather like the French people in the show: assailed by the relentless charm of American marketing tyro Emily Cooper (Lily Collins), I at first resisted, then wavered, and now have totally succumbed. Ive even begun hoping for her to find happiness with the hunky French chef Gabriel (Lucas Bravo). In gallantly Gallic fashion, I swear I can make room in my affections for a third. Lilly Collins as Emily Cooper, seemingly the first person in Paris ever to master social media. Credit: Courtesy of Netflix For Emily, though, three is barely enough. Season four opens in the immediate aftermath of last seasons bombshell ending: Gabriels on again-off again girlfriend Camille (Camille Razat) having announced at the altar that she cant marry him because he loves Emily, and Gabriel having told Emily that Camille is pregnant. Of course, Camille neglected to mention that she was actually in love with her Greek artist friend Sofia (Melia Kreiling). When Rory Stewart, former Conservative government cabinet minister, diplomat, writer and academic, agreed in early 2022 to take part in a new podcast to be called The Rest is Politics, he little realised the show would become an online juggernaut commanding 2.5 million listeners weekly. I didnt think of it as very serious, says Stewart, who also stood against Boris Johnson for the Tory leadership in 2019. I thought wed just do a jolly thing for a few weeks, and it would be over. Weve now recorded over 300 episodes. Its very strange, not least because it keeps growing. I keep expecting it to peak and die off, but in fact, its growing. The Stewart-Campbell double act has powered The Rest Is Politics to become one of Britains most-listened podcasts. Credit: Facebook Much of the extraordinary success of The Rest is Politics (TRiP to fans) is down to the odd-couple pairing between Stewart and Alastair Campbell, the West Yorkshire-born former Labour heavyweight best known as Tony Blairs former communications director. Leaving aside the age gap (Stewart is 51, to Campbells 67), the cultural chasm between old Etonian Stewart, who is also famously a confidant of King Charles, and bluff, grammar-school educated bagpipe-playing Campbell would seem unbridgeable, yet the pair has developed a striking on-air rapport of genuine warmth. This is due not least to their commitment to disagree agreeably (although, as many listeners have pointed out, these days, they often meet in furious agreement on the political centre ground). He said they rejoined the group for drinks at a nearby pub, then the woman said she needed to retrieve her vape and charge her phone at the hotel. Fitzpatrick Burtt said he was asked by the complainant and their male acquaintance, who had the room key, to go with them. Inside the room, after the male friend had left, he said the woman asked for a cuddle and patted the bed. He said he asked her, Can we have sex? and she replied, Not yet, while on her phone. The woman alleges she was sexually assaulted inside a room at The Star Grand Hotel in Sydney. Credit: Dion Georgopoulos Fitzpatrick Burtt said he was not sure how many minutes passed but claimed the woman initiated kissing and sometime after that, I rolled on top of her. She was consenting, he said. Asked by his barrister how he knew that, he said there were no signs of discomfort and she didnt say no. The accused said he took his pants off, and the woman assisted him in taking her underwear off before they engaged in some consensual sex. Fitzpatrick Burtt said the woman fully consented to perform oral sex on him, but it wasnt sparking, and they both got dressed. Thats when I come over the top of her. I hit her four times in the head. She screamed, Stop, stop, stop, stop. Joel Nathan Fitzpatrick Burtt He said there were a few things on his mind he wanted to raise with the woman, including her attitude on the cruise and her jealousy. I made comments to her called her a jealous slut that she didnt like, he said. That caused her to come at me. She hit me in the top of the head. Fitzpatrick Burtt began crying as he gave evidence that he had then pushed her really hard. She hit the wall. Thats when I come over the top of her, he said. I hit her four times in the head. She screamed, Stop, stop, stop, stop. The accused said he held the woman in his arms and apologised. I said Im so sorry I didnt mean to do that, he said. She was swollen I was in so much shock that Id just hurt her. Loading He said he called for ice from the room service so I could take care of her, and the woman looked at herself in the mirror before applying ice to her face. Fitzpatrick Burtt said the woman then called their female acquaintance, who had also booked the room. Something just come over me again, he said. I didnt kick her or stomp on her or nothing. I went to go her again. She just screamed, No, no, no, no. I didnt go anywhere near her after that. The accused said two people, including their female acquaintance, then arrived, and he was embarrassed. The only thing I cared about was that I hurt her, he said. No one should ever get hurt ever, male or female, violence is stupid. In her evidence, the woman alleged she was strangled, headbutted, kicked and raped inside the hotel room before she left and reported the incident to security and police in the lobby. Fitzpatrick Burtt also denied choking the woman on two earlier occasions. The trial continues next week at Downing Centre District Court. Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732). Multiple Rolex watches, $700 bottles of Lady Gaga-branded Dom Perignon champagne and Cartier jewellery these are just some of the luxuries police allege a criminal syndicate bought using stolen identities and car loans used for luxury vehicles that didnt exist. NSW Police allege Peng Bian, 40, colluded with a 31-year-old female employee of a motor vehicle financing company to use the stolen identities of 33 people to apply for loans to buy fictional luxury cars. This case of champagne, seized by police, is worth $15,000. Credit: NSW Police Police say the woman facilitated the financing of more than 50 luxury cars worth a combined $10 million between November 2022 and August 2023. Police say the man tried to launder $600,000 through various bank accounts. In May this year, the woman was arrested at a home in Middleton Grange, in Sydneys west. She was charged with 102 counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception and one count of possessing a prohibited drug. An associate of a man who killed two police with his brother received incredibly disturbing emails about law enforcement in the days before the shootings. NSW school principal Nathaniel Train, 46, illegally crossed into Queensland with a cache of firearms during a COVID-19 border lockdown before taking part in the Wieambilla shootings on December 12, 2022. Queensland State Coroner Terry Ryan on Thursday heard the associate give evidence about the period when Nathaniel Train left for what was meant to be a camping trip but turned into a near-complete disappearance before the shootings. The associate cannot be identified due to a court order handed down before the inquest began. A university is offering support to an academic after his daughter was allegedly murdered by his wife on Queenslands Gold Coast. Dr Yun Wang called emergency services after finding his 10-year-old daughter Sophie unresponsive at their Emerald Lakes home in Carrara on Tuesday night. Police are seen at a crime scene in Carrara on the Gold Coast. Credit: AAPIMAGE Paramedics attempted to revive the girl, but she was declared dead at the scene. The girls mother, 46-year-old Yingying Xu, was arrested at a nearby street and subsequently charged with murder. Sheridan Rose Shaw thought shed picked the ideal spot to open her beauty salon in Footscray until the old Kinnears factory next door caught fire twice in the past month. I was just terrified that the fire was literally coming for us, she said. Because it just kept getting bigger and bigger. Sheridan Rose Shaw opened a salon next to the former Kinnears factory in Footscray, which has caught fire twice in the past fortnight. Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui Shaw is one of many angry western suburbs residents accusing the environmental watchdog and the state government of ignoring the problems that regular toxic chemical fires leading to air pollution and tainted water runoff from battling the blazes are causing in the area. Recent fires include one at a plant operated by a chemical blending company in Derrimut, a plastics warehouse in Deer Park and the abandoned Kinnears rope factory. The closest Australia will ever get to nuclear-powered submarines, or SSNs, under the AUKUS initiative is the rotational basing of US and British subs out of Western Australia. Indeed, this limited ambition should be the extent of the AUKUS plan to deliver an SSN capability to Australia. SSNs from Australia, not for. The current AUKUS plan is unhinged from reality. This convoluted pathway sees Australia operating three different classes of boat in the 2040s our trusty diesel-electric Collins, alongside the US Virginia boats as a stop-gap solution, before receiving the mythical SSN-AUKUS. Pit-stop: a US nuclear-powered submarine docks at Rockingham, Western Australia, in March this year. Credit: US Navy The known unknowns of the AUKUS submarine plan are well known (and debated). From workforce and industrial-base challenges to fiscal considerations, the challenges posed are evident. Seriously acknowledging them is by no means reflective of a naysayer agenda. Australias contribution to the AUKUS endeavour as related to SSNs should be associated with unlocking its latent pitstop power. Canberras central contribution sits around Australias geography our ability to base, sustain and maintain SSNs. Australia has a technically savvy workforce, receptive and capable of this mission, and industry is making immediate progress to set us up to do so. The NSW Liberal Party has enough problems trying to claw back voter support from teal independents and recapture its heartland without being white-anted from within by seeming incompetence. But in what Opposition Leader Mark Speakman has described as probably the worst act of mismanagement in the NSW branchs history, the administration missed the deadline to nominate its total list of candidates in next months local government election. NSW Liberal leader Mark Speakman has called for consequences. Credit: Kate Geraghty The partys local government campaign is now in disarray and in some municipalities the door is open for a clean sweep by Labor and independent hopefuls. Nominations closed on Wednesday, but the Liberal administration missed the deadline and as a consequence some 140 candidates will be absent from up to 16 councils including Northern Beaches, Lane Cove, Shoalhaven, Wollongong, Campbelltown, Camden and Blue Mountains. Victorias gaming minister has told her federal Labor colleagues it would be nothing short of disgraceful if the Albanese government didnt implement every recommendation from a gambling inquiry chaired by the late Peta Murphy. The comments come after the prime minister confirmed gambling advertisements would remain on television for years to come despite a high-profile campaign led by Murphy the former federal MP for Dunkley calling for a blanket ban. Gaming Minister Melissa Horne. Credit: Joe Armao Murphy died in December from breast cancer. Her widower has since told The Age his wife would not have stomached the arguments put forward in recent days that reform was too hard because of lost revenue for media and sporting companies. Asked about the federal governments stance, Victorian Gaming Minister Melissa Horne said Murphy was one of her oldest and dearest friends. A record number of suburbs have joined Perths million-dollar club in the past financial year, bringing the total number of suburbs with a median sale price over $1 million to 87. Only two new suburbs joined the list in 2022-23 but this financial year, 30 new suburbs joined the club. Perth property prices have continued to grow, but some areas have risen faster than others. Real Estate Institute WA president Joe White said the record number of new entrants reflected Perths strong price growth over the past 12 months. Under normal market conditions you can expect to see a few new suburbs join the million-dollar club each year as their prices rise due to improved amenity or infrastructure, growing popularity for certain lifestyle features, or as a flow-on effect from price growth in neighbouring suburbs, he said. While the MRC said it did not wish to comment at this stage of the tender process, the VRC has openly expressed interest to bring the race to Flemington. It would be an honour to host the Cox Plate at Flemington during the Moonee Valley Racing Clubs renovation period and the Victoria Racing Club is exploring the opportunity as part of the tender process, VRC executive general manager racing Leigh Jordon said this week. The smokey in the bidding process is Southside Racings Cranbourne Racecourse, which shares Ladbrokes as a major sponsor. James McDonald throws Romantic Warrior at the post to win the Cox Plate. Credit: Racing Photos via Getty Images While Racing Victoria would be reluctant to see such a showcase event staged away from Melbournes major metropolitan tracks during the spring carnival, Cranbourne has the potential to tap into a new racing audience in the south-eastern suburbs. Southside Racing is also well-placed to cater for Moonee Valleys night meetings during the renovation period because both of its tracks, Cranbourne and Pakenham, have lights. The club will meet next week to prepare a submission. While the future of the 2026 Cox Plate is still to play out, two sources familiar with negotiations, but unable to speak publicly, said Flemington was expected to be named as the new home of the All-Star Mile. Racing Victoria ran an expressions-of-interest process in May, inviting Melbournes three metropolitan clubs to make submissions on the best way to bolster the All-Star Miles identity and popularity. All three said they wanted to host the event on a permanent basis. When asked about the VRCs bid this week, Jordon said Flemington was Australias premier racetrack and continued to attract the nations best horses, trainers and jockeys. The VRC would like to see the All-Star Mile added to the program during the Flemington Racing Spectacular in March, which already features three group 1 race days and strong crowds across that period, Jordon said. Racing Victoria said it was still in the process of finalising decisions on the venue and format of the All-Star Mile. Turning the event into a slot race, like the Everest, was one possibility. We are expecting to confirm these plans in the coming weeks, an RV spokesperson said. But the two sources who wished to remain anonymous said Flemington would get the nod because it could stage the All-Star Mile on Newmarket Handicap Day as a lead in to its Australian Cup meeting. They said Flemington also had the potential to give the race a much-coveted group 1 title by transferring the group 1 status of the Makybe Diva Stakes. Moonee Valley has been contacted for comment. Loading Race in two Racing Victorias hunt for a new CEO is down to a two-horse race. The industrys board finished its final interviews across the past week and is expected to make an announcement in the coming days. An independent recruiting firm narrowed the field down to four candidates: Thoroughbred Breeders Association and Aushorse chief executive Tom Reilly, former Australian Turf Club head of racing and wagering James Ross, Racing Victoria acting CEO Aaron Morrison and Royal Ascot director of racing and public affairs Nick Smith. Morrison has been acting CEO since Andrew Jones resigned at the end of April and is also RVs Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operation Officer. Speedy recovery Tom Dabernigs track rider Kendall Dickinson has been released from hospital and is planning her return to England just three weeks after cheating death in a horrific fall at Warrnambool. Track rider Kendall Dickinson has been released from hospital. Credit: Facebook/jodavisracing Kendall was resuscitated by Warrnambool track manager Paul Richards after her horse tripped and rolled on top of her during an early morning track gallop last month. She required a number of life-saving surgeries after suffering internal bleeding and the loss of a kidney. McDonalds record in the Melbourne spring three-year-old group 1s since returning from his betting disqualification is outstanding. He has won seven group 1s in the past three years, including the Coolmore on Home Affairs and In Secret, two Thousand Guineas, and a Caulfield Guineas on Golden Mile. Not a bad record for a Sydney-based jockey. The search for the top three-year-old seed has already begun. Switzerland and Storm Boy have trialled, and Gatsbys becomes the first to appear on raceday in Saturdays Rosebud. You need to keep an open mind because they change from two-year-olds to three-year-olds. They have to show you they have taken the improvement to be at the top of their generation, McDonald said. You are always measuring which one you think is the right one, and that can change. I have Gatsbys on Saturday and at the moment he is not up to the other ones on what he has done on raceday, but he has only had two starts. He has always had very good ability, and he is a racy type that has improved a lot from what we saw earlier in the year. Nothing fazes him, and he handles a bit of cut in the ground, so Im really looking forward to seeing what he can do on Saturday. McDonald will have to wait for another feel of Storm Boy and Giga Kick because the Randwick barrier trials have been held over from Friday until Monday. The Everest looms large in any jockeys spring plans, and, even though hes riding Giga Kick on Monday, there is no formal booking yet. Im only on him for the barrier trial at the moment. He is already an Everest winner, and it will be good to see how he has come back from injury, McDonald said. It is like a lot of these rides you want to be really sure when you make the decision to ride one over another. McDonald has made a fast start to the new season already with nine wins in four meetings, including winning the Missile Stakes on Schwarz last weekend. Once again he has a book full of favourites heading to Rosehill on Saturday and is looking forward to getting on Tom Kitten for the first time. He is a proper horse and his trials have looked like he is going to be better as a gelding, McDonald said. He is the sort of horse that could put himself in the picture for a lot of good races this spring. Loading New York: Does signing up for Disneys popular streaming service mean you have agreed to never sue the entertainment giant over anything forever? That is what Disney argues in a wrongful death lawsuit involving a 42-year-old New York doctor whose family claims had a fatal allergic reaction after eating at an Irish pub in Disney Springs in October. Jeffrey Piccolo has claimed his wife Kanokporn Tangsguans death was due to an allergic reaction to a dish at a Disney theme park. Credit: Facebook Disney is asking a Florida court to dismiss a lawsuit brought against it by Jeffrey Piccolo, the husband of Kanokporn Tangsuan, a family medicine specialist with NYU Langones office in Carle Place, on Long Island. The company argues Piccolo had agreed to settle any lawsuits against Disney out of court through the arbitration process when he signed up for a one-month trial of Disney+ in 2019 and acknowledged that he had reviewed the fine print. Trump is the crypt-keeper for the 1980s, which was the high point of his life until he became president, said Tim OBrien, a Trump biographer who has criticised the former president. Every time he opens the door, people spill out from the 1980s, whether its Roger Stone or Rudy Giuliani, fashion from the 80s spills out, whether its his monochrome tie or suits that invariably are made in two or three different colours his office decor is still in the 1980s, he said. None of his tastes have been updated in decades. Loading Trumps Hannibal Lecter obsession fits perfectly in this mould. Thomas Harris novel The Silence of the Lambs, which the film is based on, hit bookstore shelves around the same time as Trumps 1987 book, Trump: The Art of the Deal. (The New York Times had the two books side-by-side on its paperback bestseller list in mid-1989.) The movie, which starred Jodie Foster as FBI cadet Clarice Starling and Anthony Hopkins as Lecter, came out in 1991 and won the Academy Award for best picture. A decade later, Trump attended the 2001 New York premiere of Hannibal, the sequel to The Silence of the Lambs. He arrived at the premiere with future wife Melania Trump, then Melania Knauss, according to a USA Today story. The story noted that the movie studio at the time was concerned about how women would react to the gore. Melania said she had no problems and didnt close her eyes. Trump replied: I did. Trump began working The Silence of the Lambs into speeches in March 2023. He mentioned the movie in an address at the Conservative Political Action Conference then, according to a Washington Post analysis of his speeches this cycle. Lecter himself did not make an appearance until an October rally in Waterloo, Iowa. In 70 speeches tracked by The Post between his campaign kick-off in November 2022 and August 12, Trump has mentioned Lecter or the film The Silence of the Lambs in 20 of them. (Trump appeared to recognise the references to Lecter may be outdated, musing at a rally in Sioux City that young people hadnt heard of him.) The Lecter mentions are a way for Trump to continue upping the ante from his previous descriptions of migrants, said Gwenda Blair, another Trump biographer. Its not just criminals, rapists, which Trump has already used starting in 2015 but lets get cannibal in the mix. Trump is somebody who understands images and branding, and Hannibal Lecter is a well-established brand of absolutely indescribable horror, Blair added. Republican congressman Jim Banks, who is running for Senate, thinks theres a simple explanation. It was a great movie, Banks said. Widely recognised as one of the best movies of all time. And I think he enjoys that liberals get bent out of shape about it. Several people close to the Trump campaign said they did not know the backstory for Trumps fixation on Lecter and had never asked. His speeches also seem to have perplexed Hopkins, the Welsh actor who won an Oscar for playing Lecter. In an interview with Deadline, Hopkins observed: Hannibal, thats a long time ago, that movie. God, that was over 30 years ago. Im shocked and appalled what youve told me about Trump. Loading In interviews at Trumps rally in Atlanta, voters offered different interpretations. First time I heard it, I was like, What? But after I heard it a couple of times, it was like, Oh I get the connection now, said Jim Scandle, 72. Hes trying to make the point that a lot of these people that are coming illegally in this country are from mental institutions, just like Hannibal Lecter. And so you know, it has nothing to do with Hannibal Lecter except the fact that he was in a mental institution. Bert Sandler, 66, laughed when asked about The Silence of the Lambs. (Sandler hasnt seen the movie in probably six years, but exclaimed with fava beans! as he reflected on Trumps comments.) He had a more philosophical interpretation. Loading I think hes just speaking about where the world is today, Sandler said. I think thats where we are, the divisiveness, I think hes just trying to portray a character thats pretty divisive and needed a lot of help, and I think America needs a lot of help. Debbie Courtney offered a shorter take: I just think evil. She added: I dont think hes talking about somebody eating somebody for dinner. The Trump campaign did not offer further clarification about the former presidents penchant for mentioning Lecter, or volunteer his personal positions on fava beans and chianti. PHILIPSBURG:--- The K1 Britannia Foundations comprehensive Work, Training, and Social Development (WTSD) Program continues to empower youth from vulnerable and troubled backgrounds, fostering their skills and aspirations through various initiatives. The one-year K1 WTSD Program encompasses scholarships, work readiness and life skills workshops, volunteering, mentorship, internships, and more. Recently, the program conducted a highly engaging two-day entrepreneurship workshop focusing on the Lean Canvas Business Model. The workshop, led by entrepreneur Damien Schmidt of Dastru Design Labs, provided participants with the opportunity to identify local problems, devise solutions, and create concise business plans and pitches. Schmidt remarked, "I was happy to work along with the K1 Team to be able to assist the youths on this journey. They were well satisfied, and I definitely see some future entrepreneurs. Looking forward to doing this again." The workshop featured valuable real-life insights from four entrepreneurs, including Fanilia Baly of Divine, Kenrick Housen of Carl and Sons Unique Bakery, Billy-Jean Baptiste of Quick Stop Tire Center, and Darin Hodge. These entrepreneurs shared their personal journeys, discussing the struggles, challenges, and lessons learned in their entrepreneurial endeavors. They also answered questions, offered advice, and inspired the youth to pursue their entrepreneurial ambitions. Additionally, Tishauna Richardson, a Junior Business Officer from Qredits, attended the workshop to share essential information about the role of Qredits in small business development on the island. She evaluated the various business pitches, posed insightful questions, and provided critical feedback. Her guidance was crucial in helping the youth clarify their business ideas, think critically, and understand how to leverage credit to build and sustain their businesses. Aspiring entrepreneur Zack found the workshop especially useful and motivational, stating, I was trying to figure out becoming an entrepreneur on my own. After I went to the workshop, they helped me open my eyes to the fact that I was on the right path. So, it made me have more faith and more hope that Im getting somewhere. The workshop was filled with high energy and enthusiasm, reflecting the participants' strong interest in entrepreneurship. Many of the youth have set entrepreneurship as a key goal, and this workshop was a pivotal step in equipping them with the knowledge and motivation needed to achieve their dreams. This is just one of the many workshops covering various focus areas of personal development, communication, financial literacy, health, work readiness/employment, entrepreneurship, and more, that the youth have benefited from as part of the program. The goal of K1s WTSD Program is to give youth a second chance, create a space for positive personal development, and invoke long-term change in a young persons life that will positively impact St. Maarten. The K1 Britannia Foundation expresses its sincere gratitude to Mr. Damien Schmidt and all guests for their expertise, positive energy, and passion in creating an engaging learning environment. Thanks to Shiekas Bistro for sponsoring the lunch and Cost U Less for sponsoring the drinks. The program continues to provide valuable opportunities for youths to gain essential skills and empower themselves for a successful future. K1 Britannia Foundation is committed to assisting these youths in a variety of forms, but this relies entirely on the involvement and generosity of the community. If you are interested in the program and would like to know how you can help, as there are many ways you can, don't hesitate to send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 721-523-8421 or +1 721-553-8186. PHILIPSBURG:--- The Court of Guardianship, in partnership with UNICEF in the Netherlands, has developed animation, posters, and brochures detailing the safe and legal steps for evacuating unaccompanied minors after a disaster. These steps are part of a new Inter-Island Protocol established among the Dutch Caribbean islands to ensure better tracking and protection of children evacuated after a disaster. Although this protocol is in place, parents and guardians should be aware that unaccompanied evacuation should not be taken lightly. The risks of placing a child out of their regular home and schedule should be considered carefully. In addition to that, there are legal requirements to follow when the decision is made to evacuate a minor from a disaster, such as filing out proper documentation at border control and informing the Court of Guardianship. As a result, the protocol will be properly executed, thus ensuring the minor's safety and well-being. explains Kimberly Dort-Brown, Head of the Court of Guardianship. The process of drafting the Inter-Island Protocol among the six Dutch Caribbean islands began several years ago. Stakeholders, drawing from their experience with Hurricane Irma, agreed that Inter-Island cooperation for the protection of children is crucial in reducing the risks of children becoming victims of neglect, violence, exploitation, and abuse during emergencies. The development of the Inter-Island Protocol is part of the Child Resilience and Protection Project (CRPP), executed by the Government of Sint Maarten and funded by the Government of the Netherlands through the Sint Maarten Trust Fund managed by the World Bank. While it is common practice in the region, sending children off the island without their primary caregiver during emergencies carries significant risks. Children are more susceptible to dangers and difficulties being away from home. Therefore, it is essential to have formal arrangements among the islands for registration, legal guardianship, and access to services such as education when a child is evacuated, explains Neidi de Carvalho, Child Protection Specialist for UNICEF in the Netherlands. To educate the public on the necessary preparations to evacuate a child, an animation, posters, and brochures were created in three languages (English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole) and will be disseminated on social media and at strategic locations. In partnership with DCOMM and several radio stations, the Court of Guardianship has also developed radio PSAs and will visit several radio programs. Learn more about the Inter-Island Protocol and the role of Court of Guardianship at www.facebook.com/cogsxm. The campaign can also be viewed on the facebook.com/unicefsxm. For information and inquiries regarding the evacuation of a minor, please call the Court of Guardianship at +1 (721) 542-4110. PHILIPSBURG:--- Advancing key legislation to protect workers' rights continues to be a top priority of Member of Parliament and Leader of the United People's Party, the Honourable Omar E.C. Ottley, as he submitted his third draft legislation Wednesday, August 14th,2024, to the Parliament of St. Maarten to combat the abuse of short-term contracts for workers. The third draft legislation, presented within only six months of taking office, aims to amend the existing Civil Code to safeguard employees against employers' misuse of fixed-term employment contracts. The new draft law seeks to address longstanding concerns over the abuse of temporary contracts, which has plagued the labour market in St. Maarten. MP Ottley's proposed amendments to the "Landsverordening arbeidsovereenkomst" (National Ordinance on Employment Contracts) will establish clear guidelines for using fixed-term contracts, ensuring they are only used in specific, justified scenarios. In a Wednesday evening press release, MP Ottley said he was glad he could bring the legislation to Parliament. "While others have talked about this abuse of short-term contracts even before I entered politics, the amendments and proposals brought forward have yet to address this abuse our people face daily. The scenario is very similar to the low minimum wage that the people have endured until I became Minister of Labor and raised it," said MP Ottley. The proposed law specifies that fixed-term contracts can only be used for seasonal work, temporary staff replacement, specific projects, or irregular work. This change prevents employers from exploiting temporary contracts for inherently permanent roles. Under the new legislation, if a fixed-term contract does not meet the specified criteria, it will automatically be treated as a permanent contract, providing employees greater job security and benefits. The law also includes provisions to counteract practices where employers might change job titles or slightly alter roles to avoid granting permanent contracts. The proposed amendments are crucial for ensuring the fair treatment of workers and promoting transparency in employment practices. According to MP Ottley, these changes will reduce ambiguity, prevent legal disputes, and ensure that employers and employees fully understand the conditions under which temporary contracts can be used. "By closing loopholes that have allowed some employers to bypass the obligations of permanent employment, this proposal will help workers achieve greater stability and financial security. For instance, temporary contract workers often face difficulties securing loans, such as mortgages, due to the uncertainty of their employment status. With the new law, many can transition to permanent positions, improving their ability to plan for the future and contribute to the economy," said MP Ottley. This legislation is not just about legal reform; it's about leveling the playing field and ensuring that every worker in St. Maarten can work under fair and transparent conditions. MP Ottley's tireless efforts reflect his commitment to the people of St. Maarten and his dedication to improving their quality of life. MP Ottley remains focused on "delivering meaningful change that benefits the entire community," reinforcing his reputation as a diligent and effective leader in St. Maarten's government. PHILIPSBURG:--- The Prosecutors Office OM has formally requested permission from the Joint Court of Justice to prosecute a Sint Maarten Member of Parliament (MP) at the center of the Aconitum case. The Courts approval is required under Article 123 of the Constitution of Sint Maarten, which mandates judicial consent before an MP can be prosecuted. The Prosecutors Office believes there is compelling evidence linking the MP to vote-buying activitiesa crime that undermines the democratic process and threatens the fairness of elections. The MP in question was arrested on August 1, 2024, on suspicion of participating in a criminal organization designed to buy votes, with the MP allegedly being the primary beneficiary. After questioning, the MP was released, but the investigation remains active. Three other individuals were also arrested in connection with the case on July 31, 2024, and the MPs parliamentary office was searched as part of the ongoing probe. This investigation is being led by the National Detectives, operating under the authority of the OM. The Prosecutors Office is now awaiting the Courts decision on whether to proceed with the prosecution. If granted, the Prosecutors Office will promptly go forward with subpoenaing the MP. Press Release Prosecutor's Office. PHILIPSBURG:--- This afternoon, at approximately 3:20 PM, an incident involving vandalism on a KPSM vehicle and an attempt to assault a police inspector, Mr Josepha, occurred at A.C.J. Brouwers Road. The head of the KPSM Communications Department, Inspector Josepha, was operating his department vehicle when an unidentified rider on a black scooter, dressed entirely in black, pulled alongside the vehicle. Without any apparent provocation, the rider kicked the left front passenger-side mirror, causing it to break. After committing this act of vandalism, the suspect fled the scene on his scooter. Inspector Josepha continued driving along A.C.J. Brouwers Road. Upon reaching the Harold Jack lookout point, the same suspect was spotted parked in the area. As Inspector Josepha approached the location, the suspect threw a stone at the vehicle, shattering the passenger side front window and the back side windows of the police vehicle. The suspect then fled again on his scooter toward Union Road, towards the French side of the island. Inspector Josepha attempted to retrieve his service weapon to detain the suspect but was unsuccessful. He requested immediate assistance from other patrol units, and coordination with the French authorities was swiftly initiated. Thanks to the strong and effective working relationship between the Dutch and French law enforcement agencies, the suspect was quickly apprehended by French authorities after a brief chase on their side of the island. Subsequent investigations revealed that the French authorities also wanted the suspect for a series of armed robberies. The suspect is currently in the custody of the French authorities, where he will face charges related to today's incident and his involvement in previous crimes. Reports of the damage to government property and the assault on Inspector Josepha have been submitted to the Prosecutor's Office for further action. This incident demonstrates the continued commitment of the Dutch and French authorities to work together in the fight against crime on both sides of the island. We are grateful for the swift and effective response of our French counterparts, and we remain dedicated to maintaining the safety and security of our community. KPSM Press Release. Niger army says 15 civilians killed in 'terrorist' attacks in west Niamey, Niger, Aug 14 (AFP) Aug 14, 2024 Fifteen civilians were killed and several others injured early this week in multiple "terrorist" attacks on villages in western Niger near the Burkina Faso border, the army said in a statement late Wednesday. "In the area of Mehana, terrorist elements perpetrated several heinous acts of violence against the defenceless civilians, with a heavy and tragic toll," it said, citing 14 casualties on an unspecified date, which followed the death of at least one other civilian Tuesday in the same region. Mehana was among six areas targeted in Niger's Tillaberi region, which borders Mali and Burkina Faso and has become a hideout for jihadists affiliated with the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda. Civilians in Mehana are frequently targeted by the jihadists, leading to massive displacement. Also in the Tillaberi region on Tuesday, one civilian was killed and three others wounded in a "violent clash" between an army reconnaissance unit and "terrorists" near the town of Chatoumane, the army said. "The security forces reacted effectively, neutralising several terrorists," it said. Niger is ruled by military leaders who seized power in a July coup, citing a worsening security situation as justification for the power grab. Niamey also faces violence by Boko Haram jihadists and their rivals Islamic State West Africa Province from the southeastern region of Diffa near Nigeria. According to Acled, which tracks conflict, jihadists have killed about 1,500 civilians and soldiers in the past year in Niger, compared with 650 in the year to July 2023. Israeli air strike kills two Palestinians in West Bank Nablus, Palestinian Territories, Aug 15 (AFP) Aug 15, 2024 An Israeli air strike on a refugee camp in the occupied West Bank killed two Palestinians on Thursday as Jewish worshippers visited a nearby disputed holy site, Palestinian sources and Israeli army said. "Two men, aged 18 and 20, were killed and seven people were wounded, one of them seriously, in Balata" refugee camp in Nablus, the Palestinian health ministry said in a statement. The official Palestinian news agency, Wafa, said a woman and a child were among the wounded, describing the incident as a "drone strike". The Israeli military said two armed militants were killed in a strike. "An Israeli air force aircraft attacked and eliminated two armed militants who posed a threat to the forces operating in the area" of Nablus, the military said in a statement. It said the strike came as the army and police were securing access for worshippers to Joseph's tomb in Nablus during the night. Jews believe the tomb is the burial site of the biblical patriarch Josep, while Muslims consider it the burial place of a Muslim religious figure. Violence in the West Bank, a Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967 and separate geographically from the Gaza Strip by Israeli territory, has surged since the start of the Gaza war on October 7. At least 627 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by the Israeli army or settlers, according to an AFP count based on official Palestinian data. During the same period, at least 18 Israelis, including soldiers, have been killed in the West Bank in Palestinian attacks, according to official Israeli data. Israel strike in West Bank kills freed Palestinian prisoner Nablus, Palestinian Territories, Aug 15 (AFP) Aug 15, 2024 An Israeli air strike on a refugee camp in the occupied West Bank on Thursday killed two Palestinians, including a former prisoner released in November, Palestinian sources and the army said. It was the second such fatality within three days involving a former Palestinian inmate freed during a ceasefire in the Gaza war. "Two men, aged 18 and 20, were killed and seven people were wounded, one of them seriously, in Balata" refugee camp in Nablus, the Palestinian health ministry said in a statement. Wael Misha, 18, was one of 240 Palestinian prisoners released from Israeli jails in November in exchange for 105 hostages held in Gaza, the Palestinian Prisoners' Club watchdog told AFP. The exchange took place during the week-long November ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which have been at war in the Palestinian territory since October 7. The official Palestinian news agency, Wafa, said a woman and a child were among those wounded in Balata on Thursday, describing the incident as a "drone strike". The Israeli military said two armed militants were killed in a strike. "An Israeli air force aircraft attacked and eliminated two armed militants who posed a threat to the forces operating in the area" of Nablus, the military said in a statement. It said the strike came as the army and police were securing access for worshippers to Joseph's tomb in Nablus during the night. Jews believe the tomb is the burial site of the biblical patriarch Joseph, while Muslims consider it the burial place of a Muslim religious figure. Earlier this week, the Palestinian Prisoners' Club said Israeli forces killed another Palestinian who had been released during the November ceasefire. Tariq Ziad Abdul Rahim Daoud, 18, was shot dead in the town of Azzun, east of Qalqilya, the military said, after he allegedly fired at an Israeli citizen. Violence in the West Bank, a Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967 and separate geographically from the Gaza Strip by Israeli territory, has surged since the start of the Gaza war on October 7. At least 632 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by the Israeli army or settlers, according to an AFP count based on official Palestinian data. During the same period, at least 18 Israelis, including soldiers, have been killed in the West Bank in Palestinian attacks, according to official Israeli data. Iran says colonel dies after coalition strike in Syria Tehran, Aug 15 (AFP) Aug 15, 2024 Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Thursday said one of its colonels has died of wounds suffered in an air strike it blamed on the US-led coalition in Syria. Ahmadreza Afshari of the IRGC's "aerospace advisory forces" in Syria was "martyred because of injuries caused by aerial bombardment", Guards' chief Hossein Salami said in a statement carried by state news agency IRNA. The colonel was transferred from Syria to Iran for treatment following the air strike, the statement said, indicating the incident occurred two to three weeks ago. In late July, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said an air strike killed three pro-Iran fighters in Syria's Deir Ezzor province, where Iran wields significant influence. The area is regularly targeted by Israel and sometimes by the United States. Responsibility for the strike was not immediately claimed. A spokesman for the US-led military coalition formed in 2014 to fight the Islamic State jihadist group said at the time that "neither the coalition nor US forces carried out overnight strikes in Deir Ezzor". Since the beginning of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes mainly targeting army positions and Iran-backed fighters, including from Lebanon's Hezbollah group. Israel rarely comments on individual strikes in Syria, a key ally of the Islamic republic. Regional tensions, already heightened by the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, intensified further following the July 31 killing of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh during a visit to Tehran. Iran blamed Israel for the death of Haniyeh and vowed to avenge it. Turkey and Iraq agree military pact against PKK Istanbul, Aug 15 (AFP) Aug 15, 2024 Turkey said Thursday it had agreed a military cooperation pact with Iraq that will see joint training and command centres against Kurdish separatists, with Baghdad saying it will ban the PKK as a party. "We are going to raise our cooperation to the highest level thanks to joint command and training centres included in this agreement," Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said after meeting in Ankara with his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein. He welcomed "Iraq's growing awareness about the PKK". The Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK has been involved in an on-and-off armed insurgency against Turkey since 1984. Labelled a "terror organisation" by Turkey, the United States and European Union, the PKK has bases in northern Iraq from where it launches attacks into Turkey. Hussein said the presence of PKK forces in northern Iraq poses "a danger for the Kurdistan region and other Iraqi cities" and poses a threat to Iraqi society. Iraq's northern Kurdistan region runs along the border with Turkey. "The Iraqi government has decided to add the PKK to the list of banned parties," he added. Hussein said that in addition to fighting militant organisations the discussions also touched upon securing their border against smuggling and illegal migration. The pact follows signs of a thaw in relations between Ankara and Baghdad, which have been strained by a Turkish military operation against the PKK in northern Iraq. Claiming it needed to secure its border with its southern neighbour, Turkey rolled out Operation Claw-Lock in April 2022. It involved Ankara attacking the Kurdish group within Iraq. On July 13, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the operation's imminent end. Erdogan made his first visit to Baghdad since 2011 in April of this year. The Turkish foreign ministry said a joint security coordination centre will be created in Baghdad and a joint training and cooperation centre at Bashiqa near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. Iraq's Hussein said permanent joint commission would also be set up in Turkey. He said cooperation between the neighbours has "attained a high level" and described it as "a historic breakthrough". Hussein added that the notion of security also included issues such as trade, energy, transportation, agriculture and water. The two main rivers passing through Iraq, the Euphrates and Tigris, begin in Turkey. Water has been a recurrent source of tension between the two. Iraq says withdrawal of US-led coalition delayed Baghdad, Aug 15 (AFP) Aug 15, 2024 Iraq announced Thursday that the planned withdrawal of a US-led anti-jihadist coalition would be "delayed", citing "latest developments" amid heightened regional tensions. Baghdad and Washington have been engaged in months of talks over the presence of the coalition forces in Iraq, but no timeline for their gradual withdrawal has been made public. The United States has some 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 in Syria as part of the international coalition against the Islamic State group. Coalition forces have been targeted dozens of times with drones and rocket fire in both Iraq and Syria, as violence related to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza since early October has drawn in Iran-backed armed groups across the Middle East. Iraq's foreign ministry reiterated in a statement the goal of "putting an end to the presence on Iraqi territory of the international coalition advisers of all nationalities" in its talks with Washington. The sides had discussed "the details, date of announcement and some logistical issues" and "had been very close to announcing the agreement, but due to the latest developments, the announcement of an end to the military mission of the international coalition in Iraq has been delayed," the foreign ministry said. The statement did not say when the announcement might come. Last winter, the Islamic Resistance of Iraq, a loose alliance of Iran-backed groups, had claimed some 175 rocket and drone attacks against US troops in Iraq and Syria. US forces have carried out multiple retaliatory strikes against these militant factions in both countries. Last week, a rocket attack on a base in Iraq used by the anti-jihadist coalition wounded seven US personnel. The region has been on edge as Iran and its regional allies have threatened to attack Israel in response to high-profile killings in Tehran and in Beirut late last month. * FIRST NAME * LAST NAME * EMAIL Your email address * PASSWORD Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number Show * YEAR OF BIRTH You must be at least 18 years old to create an account 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 1949 1948 1947 1946 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941 1940 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1932 1931 1930 1929 1928 1927 1926 1925 1924 1923 1922 1921 1920 1919 1918 1917 1916 1915 1914 1913 1912 1911 1910 1909 1908 1907 1906 * Required fields I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice CREATE ACCOUNT I'LL TRY LATER Already have an account? SIGN IN By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Nha Trang city is among most popular overseas destinations for Korean travelers VOV cited the report conducted by digital travel platform Agoda, a 36% increase in outbound travel from the Republic of Korea was recorded this Liberation Day in comparison to the same period from last year. Japan stood out as the most popular overseas destination for Korean tourists, occupying the top three spots, with Fukuoka leading Tokyo in second and Osaka in third. The Japanese destinations are followed Nha Trang in Vietnam and Bangkok of Thailand. This comes after Nha Trang city and Phu Quoc island city in the southern province of Kien Giang were also listed among the three most popular international destinations for Korean tourists, according to a survey unveiled by Korean news outlet Rankify Korea. Known for the friendliness of its people, Nha Trang city is flanked by nearly 10km of white-sand coastline, with clear waters being warm all year round for visitors to enjoy. Along with offering beautiful beaches, the city attracts visitors with its pagodas, temple towers, and marine world display. Vietnam leads ASEAN in number of tourists to RoK Vietnam sent the most tourists to the Republic of Korea (RoK) in ASEAN and is a very important market for the RoK in term of MICE tourism, said Mr. Lee Jae Hoon, chief representative of the Korea Tourism Organisation (KTO) in Vietnam, at a MICE roadshow recently held in Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnam sent most tourists to RoK in ASEAN. (Photo: VNA) According to KTO Vietnam, in the first six months of 2024, the RoK welcomed more than 293,000 Vietnamese tourists, a year-on-year increase of 30% and reaching nearly 90% of the same period in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, the number of Koreans visiting Vietnam reached 3.6 million people, while the number of Vietnamese people visiting the RoK has also increased continuously since the COVID-19 pandemic, surpassing 420,000. This made Vietnam the largest market sending tourists to the RoK in ASEAN, and the 5th largest market in the world after China, Japan, Taiwan (China) and Hong Kong (China). In addition to the recovery and general growth of the tourism industry, Korea's MICE tourism is also attracting international incentive tourists, including Vietnam. In 2023, KTO Vietnam supported more than 41,000 Vietnamese visitors to Korea through the incentive travel program, 56% of the same period in 2019 and nearly three-fold increase compared to the same period in 2022. Within the framework of the MICE Roadshow, there are many meeting and exchange activities to promote Vietnamese MICE tourists to the RoK such as B2B Meeting, a place to meet and exchange directly between representatives of Vietnamese and Korean tourism and travel agencies, and Hello Korea seminar program especially for potential businesses of Korean MICE tourism./. Pakistan offers visa-free entry to Vietnamese tourists and businessmen According to VOV, Pakistan has recently announced changes to its visa policies, including a significant waiver of visa fees for visitors from 126 countries, including Vietnam. Pakistan offers visa-free entry to Vietnamese tourists and businessmen. (Source: VOV) At a press conference held on August 13, Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting, Culture and National Heritage Attaullah Tarar revealed that the electronic visa (e-Visa) fees for visitors from 126 countries have been abolished, starting on August 14, whilst the application process has been significantly streamlined. He noted that for these nations, the visa will be issued free of charge for either tourism or business purposes, and a 90-day visa will be granted within 24 hours. The Minister also announced a new online visa application form that now contains only 30 questions, compared to nearly 100 as previously. Tarar expressed hope that the easing of the visa regime will serve to make Pakistan a more attractive destination for both investment and tourism. Vietnamese tourists and businesspeople can access https://visa.nadra.gov.pk/e-visa/ and select the Visa Prior to Arrival option to apply for e-visas. Vietnam Airlines to add 500,000 seats on National Day National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has announced plans to add 2,500 flights on local and international routes, with over 500,000 seats on offer in total to meet the spike in travel demand during the upcoming National Day holiday, reported VOV. Vietnam Airlines to add 500,000 seats on National Day (Source: VOV) On domestic routes, the airline will focus on raising the frequency of flights on several key routes, including Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City - Da Nang/Da Lat/Cam Ranh and Ho Chi Minh City Hue/Phu Quoc. The total number of seats will therefore reach 330,000, equivalent to over 1,700 flights, up 19% compared to the same period from last year. Meanwhile, on its international routes, Vietnam Airlines will increase flights to destinations such as India, China, Thailand, and Australia with the total number of seats reaching more than 150,000, equivalent to 650 flights, a slight increase compared to last year. Vietnam Airlines. (Source: VNA) The airline also recommends that passengers book their tickets in advance in order to have more options with suitable flight times and attractive airfares./. There is no denying that upskilling local talent is a key contributor to economic growth and should be a high priority. But for an ageing population, local talent alone is not enough to address key challenges that are hurting the UKs quality of life and Londons economic growth right now. Further cuts to labour migration wont solve talent gaps in critical infrastructure or improve the post-Covid economy if anything, theyre more likely to further exacerbate existing issues and cause more damage to Britains culture as a whole. Isella is approaching this gig a little differently to her other ones. This whole thing is about celebrating Taylors legacy, she says passionately, of her preparation for a stadium crowd. Just to speak on it on a more physical level, its insane. I just get so excited for a challenge, I chomp at the bit... Ive been going into mode for it since March. I know that Taylor trains for it like an Olympian and thats the way to do it. Shes a fantastic role model for anyone, both men and women. I look up to her. Before he was sentenced on Thursday, Hoban told the judge at Leeds Crown Court: I would like to apologise to the people I offended and am truly sorry for the offence I have caused to them. I mean that from the bottom of my heart. The Surrey resident, who has never seen Swift before, said: Ive been looking forward to this since the tickets were announced. Even though its a lot of time camping, in reality its not long compared to how much we have wanted it. We are fine being uncomfortable for a bit to have a really good night but next time we will get a mattress. This passing was an awfully tragic time for Michelle and her family to endure. For something so harrowing to go through, they have not been able to reach a place of peace, and within the space of five weeks the family have had to deal with the shocking passing of Michelle too. Our hearts are broken. According to statistics from the Vietnam Pepper and Spice Association (VPSA), in July 2024, Vietnam exported 1,662 tons of star anise, with a turnover of 7.8 million USD, up 7.4% from the previous month. In the first seven months of 2024, Vietnam exported 8,685 tons of star anise, with an export turnover of 41.9 million USD, up 5.1% in volume but down 17.1% in value compared to the same period last year. India is the main export market for Vietnamese star anise in the first seven months of 2024. (Photo: congthuong.vn) The leading exporters include Prosi Thang Long with 1,586 tons, up 15.6%; Tuan Minh, 485 tons, up 25%; Nedspice Vietnam, 482 tons, down 42.9%; Senspices Vietnam, 345 tons, up 39.7%; and Hong Son Vietnam, 308 tons, up 0.3%. India is the main export market for Vietnamese star anise, accounting for 63%, reaching 5,472 tons and up 7% over the same period in 2023. It was followed by the US at 601 tons, up 7.9%; Taiwan (China), 276 tons, up 228.6%; and China, 259 tons, down 63.4% According to the World Spice Association, Vietnam has a precious spice plant, with an annual output among the top in the world, which is star anise. The spice plant is considered a treasure because very few countries in the world can grow it. In fact, star anise is almost only found in Vietnam and China. Each year, only two star anise crops are harvested. In Vietnam, star anise is grown mainly in the northern border provinces such as Lang Son and Cao Bang with an annual output of more than 16,000 tons. In particular, Lang Son is known as the capital of star anise in the country. Star anise in Lang Son is mainly grown in districts of Van Quan, Binh Gia, Bac Son, Trang Dinh, Chi Lang, Van Lang and Cao Loc. In the beginning of the 20th century, the French built a star anise essential oil processing factory in Lang Son./. Jasveen Sangha, an alleged drug dealer known as The ketamine Queen who was charged one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute ketamine, and five counts of distribution of ketamine. Tourists enjoy their leisure time at an ancient town in Zhongshan District of Liupanshui, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Aug. 8, 2024. Guizhou Province, with its cool climate and rich tourism resources, attracts tourists from all over the country during the peak summer travel season. (Xinhua/Tao Liang) People visit Jiaxiu Pavilion scenic area in Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province, Aug. 13, 2024. Guizhou Province, with its cool climate and rich tourism resources, attracts tourists from all over the country during the peak summer travel season. (Xinhua/Tao Liang) Tourists visit a park in Zhongshan District of Liupanshui, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Aug. 8, 2024. Guizhou Province, with its cool climate and rich tourism resources, attracts tourists from all over the country during the peak summer travel season. (Xinhua/Tao Liang) People visit Jiaxiu Pavilion scenic area in Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province, Aug. 13, 2024. Guizhou Province, with its cool climate and rich tourism resources, attracts tourists from all over the country during the peak summer travel season. (Xinhua/Tao Liang) Tourists visit an ancient town in Zhongshan District of Liupanshui, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Aug. 8, 2024. Guizhou Province, with its cool climate and rich tourism resources, attracts tourists from all over the country during the peak summer travel season. (Xinhua/Tao Liang) An aerial drone photo shows tourists at the Minghu Lake National Wetland Park in Zhongshan District of Liupanshui, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Aug. 7, 2024. Guizhou Province, with its cool climate and rich tourism resources, attracts tourists from all over the country during the peak summer travel season. (Xinhua/Tao Liang) Editor: WRX More than 10,000 tourists and residents of Constanta participated, on Thursday, on the seafront of the Casino in Constanta, in the demonstrations on the occasion of the Day of the Romanian Navy, delighting the public, especially the children, with the firing of cannon salvos, the parade of ships and military helicopters. In order to be able to get a seat near the Fleet Command, some people came to the seafront even two hours before the start of the festivities. Present at the demonstrations, president Klaus Iohannis reviewed and greeted the honor guard. The Romanian flag was then raised on the flagpole in front of the Fleet Command, and the flag, jack and decorations were raised on board the military ships, simultaneously with the singing of the National Anthem of Romania and the firing of 21 cannon volleys. After the speeches of the officials, a religious service followed, with the laying of flower anchors in the Black Sea water, in memory of the sailor heroes. The god Neptune made his appearance on board the maritime sloop "Luceafarul" and started the seafaring games and contests, on the seafront in front of the Fleet Command. The opening greeting of the assembled demonstration exercise was sent by the cadets on board the training ship "Mircea", and three paratroopers were launched from helicopters to present the Romanian, NATO and EU flags to the public on the quayside. The joint naval exercise "Romanian Naval Forces 2024" included sequences from the training activities carried out by military sailors, such as the insertion of elements of research-diversion, the rejection of enemy aviation attack, the search and attack of enemy submarines, the rejection of maritime landings, the fight against illegal migration at sea and targeting a Puma Naval helicopter on board the "King Ferdinand" frigate. The end of the exercise was marked by the parade of military ships and aircraft, sailing ships and civilian craft, and the honor guard paraded on the seafront of the Fleet Command, to the tunes of the Military Music of the Naval Forces. On Thursday evening, from 20:00, the Military Music of the Naval Forces will delight the public with a mini-concert, on the seafront in front of the Fleet Command. The concert will be followed by the lighting of the electric Pavoaz at the military ships and the retreat with torches of the military sailors, on the route Porta 1 - Fleet Command center - Piata Ovidiu, where the musical group will give a concert. The Day of the Romanian Navy will end with a fireworks show ffered by the City Hall of Constanta, which can be watched from the Ovidiu Square - Tomis Tourist Port area.A The Minister of National Defense, Angel Tilvar, considers that the role of the Romanian Naval Forces is essential in the national security architecture. "On this important day, when we celebrate the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we say 'Happy Birthday' to the military sailors! Today, more than ever, the role of the Romanian Naval Forces is essential in the national security architecture, in an allied and European context, more chosen in the current security environment, affected by the illegal war launched by the Russian Federation against Ukraine," the minister stated in a message sent on Thursday, on the occasion of the Romanian Navy Day. Angel Tilvar reminds that, this year, Romania operated, together with Bulgaria and Turkey, a group to combat sea mines in the Black Sea, whose main purpose is to maintain the safety of maritime traffic through surveillance, recognition and neutralization of sea mines, as well as through related sea search and rescue operations. "Thank you to our military sailors who ensure the continuous presence with ships and other military capabilities in the areas of responsibility at sea and on the Danube. See you soon!", the Minister of Defense also sent in the message posted on Facebook. The President of the Senate, Nicolae Ciuca, stated on Thursday that at a short distance from Constanta, where the festivities organized by the Romanian Navy Day are taking place, "the sound of war can be heard", stressing that our country advocated for the increase of the allied military presence on NATO's eastern flank. "We are passing through a turbulent period in the region. At a short distance from here, the sound of war can be heard, Ukraine is fighting against the aggressor state Russia, not only to defend its territory, but also in the name of democratic values and the rule of law. It must be stated that the illegal invasion of Ukrainian territory began in Crimea, and one of the first points conquered by Russia was the port of Sevastopol. This shows us how relevant the maritime routes are and how important their defense is. As a NATO member state, Romania advocated for the increase of the presence allied militaries on NATO's eastern flank, understanding the specifics of the Black Sea region and its priority in the security architecture," said Ciuca. In this context, the President of the Senate recalled that the largest NATO military base in Europe is being built at Mihail Kogalniceanu. "The recent NATO summit in Washington reconfirmed the strategic importance given by the North Atlantic Alliance to the Black Sea region, in which our country is a key actor. A short distance from where we are, in the town of Mihail Kogalniceanu, we are building together with our allies the largest NATO military base in Europe. Investing in our own defense and security is a matter of responsibility, first of all, towards Romania and our citizens. We must also continue to develop the defense industry through a long-term program long endowment of the Romanian naval forces, we are consolidating the defense of NATO's eastern flank," Ciuca added. At the end, Nicolae Ciuca praised the courage of the sailors, stating that they are among the Romanians "who really have their feet on the ground", although they are "always on the water". "Romania contributes to security in the region, because we want the Black Sea to be a space of democracy and freedom, of peace and not of war. I conclude by thanking, once again, all the military and civilian sailors, port workers and shipbuilders. Although you are always on the water, you are among the Romanians who really have their feet on the ground", said the president of the Senate. Tao Juying, an executive of Zhejiang Yilingnuo Technology Co., Ltd., introduces products to a customer from Africa in Yiwu City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Aug. 12, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Mingxiang) HANGZHOU, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- At Yiwu Finder Import and Export Co., Ltd. in Yiwu City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Ai Bin busily loads two containers bound for Zambia and Ethiopia with various products, including small welding machines, tile cutters and pliers. "Africa is our main market and currently we ship out containers almost daily," said Ai, the company's sales department manager. With an abundant variety of commodities, convenient and fast logistics, and a good business environment, Yiwu is often referred to as "the world's supermarket." China has remained Africa's largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years, with bilateral trade reaching a record 282.1 billion U.S. dollars in 2023, according to the Ministry of Commerce. Thanks to growing China-Africa trade relations, the city's exports to Africa make up about one twelfth of China's total exports to the region in 2023, while its imports from Africa are increasing. In the first half of this year, Yiwu's imports and exports to Africa reached 57.83 billion yuan, up 17.1 percent year on year. "As Africa undergoes industrialization and urbanization, many countries and regions require an extensive supply of construction and agricultural equipment, presenting significant business opportunities," said Deng Chaofeng, general manager of Zhejiang International Trade Supply Chain Service Co., Ltd. "We rely on cost-effective products and good after-sales service to attract more customers," Deng added. Currently, over 560,000 overseas merchants make purchases in Yiwu each year, with African traders representing more than 10 percent of that number. Tirera Sourakhata, a merchant from Senegal, introduces his products in Yiwu City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Aug. 12, 2024. (Xinhua/Shang Yiying) Additionally, over 3,000 merchants from Africa reside in Yiwu. Tirera Sourakhata, originally from Senegal, is one of them. After living in Yiwu for 21 years, he even speaks Mandarin with a strong Yiwu accent. "I source various daily necessities from Yiwu and even purchase relatively affordable new energy vehicles for my clients from Africa. The products are highly popular with local governments and businesses," said Sourakhata. To help Yiwu businesses better engage in international trade, the city has innovatively created a digital trade platform accessible via www.chinagoods.com, assisting merchants in building overseas networks and connecting with global trade partners. The platform can even leverage AI technology to help business owners create and enhance product videos and translate Chinese versions into 36 languages. "With the platform, our exports to the African market increased by over 30 percent last year," said Tao Juying, an executive of Zhejiang Yilingnuo Technology Co., Ltd., adding that the cutting-edge technology allows the company to reach more customers. "Today, African countries are seeking higher-quality Chinese products to replace old ones and meet consumers' demand for niche products, creating vast market potential. We are very optimistic about the future of China-Africa trade cooperation," said Huang Junqiao, an official with the commerce bureau of Yiwu. Editor: WRX For several decades, the United States has relied on other countries often our adversaries to provide what the U.S. Geological Survey refers to as critical minerals that are vital for our economy and national security. As the U.S. shifts to cleaner forms of energy, more advanced green energy technology will need to be manufactured. This technology typically requires materials such rare earth elements (REEs), cobalt and lithium, all of which have very limited, if any, production in the U.S. and other western nations. According to the World Economic Forum, there are now more cell phones in the world than there are people. Neodymium and dysprosium, both REEs, are required to produce the magnets phones need. Gallium, tungsten, tantalum and many other critical minerals are also necessary for todays cell phone technology. Many of these same resources, plus several others on USGSs list of 50 critical minerals, are also necessary for technology used in U.S. weapons systems. We are increasingly dependent on China and other less-than-friendly nations to process and refine these materials before they reach our border. Think back to 2010 when the Chinese government reduced export quotas on REEs by 40%. For some people, this sounded the first alarm bell for our nations critical minerals crisis. For others, the bell has unfortunately not yet sounded at the volume they need to hear. At one point, the U.S. was a top supplier for many of these critical minerals, but as our environmental policies grew stronger, China and other nations saw an opportunity. China is now responsible for over 90% of all REEs used in the supply chain worldwide and has a dominant position for many other critical minerals. In years past, mining has been viewed as a dirty industry with significant consequences on the environment, which played a role in the shift in approach in the U.S. However, the industry can now use technology to have far fewer environmental repercussions and also have a much safer workplace. The U.S. has begun to take some steps in the right direction to boost its supply of these vital resources but is still a long way from a long-term solution. In 2017, the Trump administration issued executive orders related to the countrys critical minerals strategy. USGS developed a list of the nations critical minerals that year, and the U.S. Department of Commerce later published a strategy report. The Biden administration has continued this focus by issuing an order to review supply chain vulnerabilities and has invested in other initiatives related to the production of critical minerals and materials. The Critical Materials Innovation Hub, located at Ames National Laboratory and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, is actively working to find alternative methods to source these resources and have a more diversified supply chain. Last year, the Biden administration also expanded the authorization of the Defense Production Act to fund even more projects focused on the supply chain of rechargeable batteries. In October 2023, the U.S. Department of Commerce named 31 Regional Innovation and Technology Hubs related to multiple areas that can strengthen U.S. economic and national security. Over 400 groups applied for this designation, and Missouri University of Science and Technologys critical minerals-related efforts made the cut with its initiative called the Critical Minerals and Materials for Advanced Energy (CM2AE) Tech Hub. Missouri S&T has been a leader in mining, mineral processing and extractive metallurgy for over 150 years, and the hub already includes a large consortium of stakeholders and experts covering all aspects of the critical minerals supply chain who are passionate about making a difference. However, our work is far from finished for this front. And more support from the federal government and other entities would still go a long way. Leaders in Washington, D.C., say they see the importance of addressing this issue and understand the major role our university in Rolla, Missouri, can continue to play for these efforts. Now, to quote Missouris unofficial slogan, they can Show Me and everyone else that they really do. U.S. Army M1A2 Abrams tanks operated by the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, part of the 1st Armored Division from Fort Bliss, Texas, stand by for a drill at the Rodriguez Live Fire Complex in Pocheon, South Korea, Aug. 14, 2024. (Luis Garcia/Stars and Stripes) POCHEON, South Korea Anti-tank rounds flew from a column of M1A2 Abrams tanks Wednesday at the Rodriguez Live Fire Complex, a short drive from the border with North Korea. The 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, part of the 1st Armored Division from Fort Bliss, Texas, was taking part in Operation Pacific Fortitude, a test of the Armys ability to quickly deploy and defend South Korea in case of war. Two weeks earlier, the brigade unexpectedly received orders to deploy roughly 800 soldiers to South Korea within 10 days. Only a handful of soldiers from U.S. Army Forces Command in North Carolina and Eighth Army at Camp Humphreys, South Korea, knew of Pacific Fortitude, and they were only privy to certain details, according to Eighth Armys director of future planning Col. Denise Little and operations planner Capt. Coty Ruether. The Forces Command, responsible for combat readiness across the Army, released details of the exercise to planners six months ahead; but the unit involved and the exercise dates were withheld until the final stages so the unit wouldnt catch wind, Little said at Eighth Army headquarters Monday. Secrecy simulates a real no-notice alert, she added. Spc. Zachary Baker, an M1 armor crewman in the brigade, said he was pretty excited to get the surprise notice two weeks ago. A lot of us and a few senior members of the unit had actually worked in South Korea so we kind of know the lay of the land, he said at the range Wednesday. Even though it was a surprise deployment for us, we were all ready for anything. Most of the brigade arrived Aug. 1 throughout South Korea on commercial and military aircraft with their rifles and body armor. An AH-64E Apache helicopter flies over the Rodriguez Live Fire Complex in Pocheon, South Korea, Aug. 14, 2024. (Luis Garcia/Stars and Stripes) A tank crew assigned to 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, part of the 1st Armored Division from Fort Bliss, Texas, stands by at Rodriguez Live Fire Complex in Pocheon, South Korea, Aug. 14, 2024. (Luis Garcia/Stars and Stripes) A U.S. Army M1A2 Abrams tank trains alongside an AH-64E Apache helicopter at the Rodriguez Live Fire Complex in Pocheon, South Korea, Aug. 14, 2024. (Luis Garcia/Stars and Stripes) M1A2 Abrams tanks operated by the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, part of the 1st Armored Division from Fort Bliss, Texas, fire anti-tank rounds at the Rodriguez Live-Fire Complex in Pocheon, South Korea, Aug. 14, 2024. (Luis Garcia/Stars and Stripes) The brigades Abrams tanks and M109 Paladin howitzers were left at Fort Bliss, Ruether said. Instead, the brigade requisitioned military hardware on standby in Daegu city, about 130 miles south of Seoul. Those tanks and howitzers are the same go-to-war set in place should a conflict break out in South Korea, Little said. As its being used up north during the exercise, as it breaks, the unit is responsible to fix that equipment before they leave, Ruether said. The whole point is to have it fixed and ready to go. Once they leave and something happens, thats the equipment we would draw for an armored brigade. Once the brigade familiarized itself with the heavy weapons, they were shipped 160 miles north to the range by train. Every aspect of the exercise, from the units arrival to shipping the equipment, is timed to mimic a real-world scenario, Ruether explained. Its hard to find a facet of the Army that is not being tested because of this exercise, he said. We dont have the luxury of time, so its a good exercise to have. The Army learned the lesson of military logistics in South Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War. The U.S. Far East Command, responsible for military operations in the Pacific at the time, was unprepared for a come-as-you-are war in South Korea, according to a 1985 U.S. Army War College study. As no plans existed to support U.S. combat operations in Korea, [Far East Command] and Eighth Army developed the logistics support system piecemeal from emergency to emergency, the report said. Army logisticians have since worked to rectify wartime supply issues and defend South Korea from a potential attack by the North, Ruether said. With this now, we have tanks to match tanks, he said. When we absorb an initial attack, we have that [equipment] that can be drawn in a week to help defend ourselves, push that equipment up north and to counter that attack. Army Spc. Dustin Lee, ordnance specialist, Battery 5 Battalion 5th Air Defense Artillery, Camp Casey, wires the engines of the Ballistic Aerial Target (BAT) for an electronic start at Chulmae Range, Korea, during Operation Sea Strike, Nov. 27, 2001. (Andy Dunaway/Stars and Stripes) This article first appeared in the Stars and Stripes Pacific edition, Dec. 1, 2001. It is republished unedited in its original form. CHULMAE RANGE, South Korea When Afghan fighters resisted the Soviet Unions invasion, one of the well-sung heroes was the 35-pound Stinger, an easily transportable anti-aircraft missile. The slender heat-seeking missile is credited with downing 270 Soviet aircraft, hampering air assaults and hastening the Soviets withdrawal. The Stinger, which debuted in 1982, remains a core of the Armys low-altitude air defense. Soldiers from 5th Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery, fired Stingers on Tuesday at beachside training range on the West Sea, about 30 miles north of Kunsan Air Base. Most were from Delta Battery, the largest Stinger Avenger unit in the Army. The main thing we want to do is to give them confidence to fire the missile, said 2nd Lt. Shelton Matsey. The unit uses a modified Humvee called an Avenger that has a swiveling unit with eight Stinger pods. It also has a .50-caliber machine gun, an anti-aircraft weapon with a throaty, deadly growl. The goal was to knock down remote-control airplanes and orange missiles. The live fire is the culmination of a series of training tests, said 1st Sgt. Rod Beach. Two-person Avenger crews complete eight crew tests demonstrating their ability with the Avenger and Stinger systems, Beach said. The crews are scored, and the top soldiers participate in a live practice. Army Pfc. Jeremiah Houghton, Delta Battery 5 Battalion 5th Air Defense Artillery, Camp Casey, fires a Stinger at a Ballistic Aerial Target (BAT) at the Chulmae Range, Korea, during Operation Sea Strike, Nov. 27, 2001. (Andy Dunaway/Stars and Stripes) There are a limited number of Stingers for live-fire, Beach said. The unit gets to fire Stingers rotated out of the war stock. The booming staccato of the Avengers .50-caliber gun ripped across the beach, aiming at a small, whining remote-controlled airplane. The Avenger gunner aims to hit the airplane three times during five passes, in 25-round bursts. A camera is hooked to the Avengers rotating turret. The training is monitored and tape recorded. The gunners sights are illuminated on the screen. Sometimes gunners down the plane, but since its only a fraction of the size of a real plane, the tape is analyzed later, and a hit is counted when gunfire is heard and the sights are on the model plane. The Avenger also launched Stingers at a plane, a dramatic firing that breaks the calm in a surge of smoke. Tall, fat orange rockets are also used for Stinger targets, powered by three small rockets attached to their bases. The window for hitting the orange rockets is about four seconds. The Stinger gunner must aim, wait for a tone that signals a heatseeking lock, and let the Stinger fly. When launched, the Stinger takes an erratic, beeline path to the target. A warhead combined with the rockets speed heavily damages the target. The handheld Stinger, a 35-pound launching mechanism carried by one soldier, was also used. The same units were given to the mujahideen in Afghanistan in 1986. Its believed 200 to 300 might still be in the country despite a CIA attempt to buy them back. The United States debated supplying the Stinger to the mujahideen, the resistance fighters who later became the Taliban. The version given to mujahideen fighters has a kill rate of about 30 percent, but that was still enough for U.S. aircraft to stay above the weapons 10,000-foot altitude ceiling. The version used by the Army has been upgraded to improve its effectiveness. Questions were raised if the Stingers sold to the Afghan fighters would still be effective after so much time. But Sgt. Jeffrey Wood, 23, said he fired a Stinger missile in 1999 that was produced in 1978. Soldiers from the battalion do live fires about three times a year. Pfc. Nathan Soriano, who is a gunner, and his team chief, Staff Sgt. Robert Finley, earned the distinction of being Top Gun in the battery. Not only did they score the most points on their tests, but Soriano, 19, downed a radio-controlled model in his Avenger. You know you get a kill when you see it go down, Soriano said. It was amazing. It was my first kill at my duty station. This is what we get paid to do, said Finley, 26. Its a blast. Forensic anthropologists with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency review the contents of cases containing the possible remains of service members lost in the Korean War during a unilateral transfer in Wonsan, North Korea, in July 2018. (David J. Marshall/U.S. Army) WASHINGTON Pinned to Robin Piacines scarf was a black and white photo of a man she has never met. When I was young, my mother had a picture of him on her vanity. I asked her to tell me about him and she just broke down crying, she said, gently touching the photo. Piacines uncle, Army Sgt. William Charles Bradley, is presumed to be in an unmarked grave along a prisoner of war route in North Korea. He is among the remains of 5,300 troops who went missing in action while in North Korea in the 1950s. I dont know that we will ever get him back, Piacine said Thursday. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, the Pentagon operation that oversees the recovery and identification of missing troops, hosted its annual government briefing on the Korean War and Cold War this week in Arlington, Va. More than 300 families in attendance represented a fraction of the 7,500 presumed missing from the Korean War. Another approximately 130 represented those missing from the Cold War. To date, the DPAA has accounted for almost 700 soldiers missing during the Korean War. On Wednesday, the agency identified Army Cpl. Frederick Higgins, 20, of Bremerton, Wash. Higgins was killed during the Korean War and was accounted for on June 22, 2023. His remains were identified at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, also known as the Punchbowl, in Hawaii. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, the Pentagon operation that oversees the recovery and identification of missing troops, hosted its annual government briefing on the Korean War and Cold War on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, and continuing Friday, Aug. 16, 2024, in Arlington, Va. More than 300 families in attendance represented a fraction of the 7,500 presumed missing from the Korean War. Another approximately 130 represented those missing from the Cold War. (Caitlyn Burchett/Stars and Stripes) Families came to Arlington in hopes of receiving an update on the disinterment and identification of unknown remains suspected to be their loved ones, though most will never have the answers that they are seeking, said Kelly McKeague, director of the DPAA. We are at the mercy of geopolitics, he said. The U.S. worked with North Korea in the 1990s and 2000s to disinter and exchange the remains of unknown troops. John Byrd, director of scientific analysis for DPAA, estimated 92% of the remains that the agency has received from North Korea have been identified. The bad news is that these are finite resources, he said. As we have success with the remains that were disinterring and bringing into the lab, we will eventually successfully get through all of those. Byrd estimated that will happen in the next several years. We would love an opportunity to get another unilateral turnover or to see a breakthrough in diplomacy, he said. The last time that the DPAA had access to North Korea was in 2005. But in 2018, the agency received 55 boxes of remains from North Korea. The DPAA has been unsuccessful in communicating with North Korea since then to coordinate additional exchanges. Will the majority of the families continue to be disappointed? Absolutely, McKeague said. But he said, if China is evidence, there is hope. U.S. soldiers participate in an excavation operation for remains with South Korean troops in South Korea in 2014. (Joel Changhoon Lee/19th Expeditionary Sustainment Command) In January, China resumed cooperating with the DPAA. There was an archival exchange in May of remains believed to be from World War II. Now, there is a DPAA team working at an excavation site in Hunan, a providence in southern China. Additional sites in Yangon, a Chinese providence near the border of North Korea, have been identified as the resting grounds for U.S. Air Force troops lost during the Korean War. McKeague said it is the DPAAs hope that this people-to-people cooperation with China will translate to North Korea. At the very core of each of us, our humanity is this need to connect and this need to be whole, McKeague said. Forty-six countries, to include China, view this in that same light. On Thursday during the annual event, hundreds of family members wore tags bearing their name and that of their missing loved one a thread of shared grief connecting them across generations. Amy Shepherd Winston was there to represent her uncle, Army Pfc. Johnny Street. She was first contacted by the DPAA in 2015 about providing a DNA sample. I just want to say his name, Winston said, addressing the room of family members. A ceremony for Army Pfc. Anthony J. Lopa was held at the Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Wrightstown, N.J., on June 28, 2024. Lopa of North Arlington, N.J., was killed in action during the Korean War on Aug. 31, 1950. His remains were accounted for July 21, 2023. (Michael Schwenk/U.S. Army National Guard) At another table, David Murray stood to say he was there to represent his brother, Army Pfc. Duane Murray. Murray was 11 years old when the family was notified his brother was missing in action. He has dedicated years to finding out what happened, learning his brother was among a squad overtaken by Chinese troops in North Korea. My brother made the ultimate sacrifice for this country, Murray said. Near the front of the room, Josephine Fuentes and Manual Baldonado listened to the accounts of others. Fuentes hands were lined with age, and she indicated she was hard of hearing. Baldonado, two years her senior, was slumped in a wheelchair. The pair, both in their 80s, made the journey from California to honor their brother, Army Cpl. Joe Baldonado, who was 18 years old when he went to war. He was just a skinny guy, real little. I remember he was always taking his shirt off, flexing his muscles, said Fuentes, who was 8 at the time. The corporals remains are believed to be in the Punchbowl in Hawaii. Baldonado estimated the family was first contacted by the DPAA more than 10 years ago, requesting DNA samples. But they said they have been seeking answers since late 1950 when soldiers knocked on the door of their family home with the telegram that told them their brother was missing in action. You never give up, Baldonado said. It is possible they will find him with technology, you never know. Later this year, the Defense Departments DNA identification laboratory will bring online a new DNA sequencing technology that will make it easier to identify chemically damaged remains at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. The laboratory identifies service members who have died in operations now, but it also works closely with the DPAA to identify those who have been missing for decades. Previously, DNA had to be sequenced with maternal samples, but technology like what Ancestry.com uses will allow the DPAA to use paternal samples. Tim McMahon, director of the Defense Department DNA Operations, said remains at the Punchbowl are so chemically damaged they resemble that of 40,000-year-old Neanderthal bones. McMahon said it has taken 16 years to bring this technology to fruition to be used at an excavation site. Before, the agency was doing three to five samples each month with a 24% success rate. That was increased to 120 samples per month with a 70% success rate. Once the new technology is online and optimized, McMahon said it will likely speed up case results. Robin Piacine, who is from Tennessee, has been attending Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency briefings since 1998. She represented her uncle, Army Sgt. William Charles Bradley, during the Aug. 15-16, 2024, annual briefing held in Arlington, Va. (Caitlyn Burchett/Stars and Stripes) While the Baldonados wait out technology, Piacine and 5,000 other families might never get the chance to welcome their loved ones home from North Korea and lay them to rest on U.S. soil. Piacine first attended an annual government briefing in 1998 with her mother and grandmother. Both have since died, leaving only Piacine to continue the mission. Still, she isnt ready to give up hope that her uncle will be laid to rest in the United States. I would hope that if something like that happened to me, somebody in the family would care enough to keep my memory alive, Piacine said. (Andy Dunaway/Stars and Stripes) Chulmae Range, South Korea, Nov. 27, 2001: Army Pfc. Joshua Turknett, Alfa Battery, 5th Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery, stationed at Camp Casey, looks over his live stinger missile prior to going to the Chulmae Range, Korea, during Operation Sea Strike. Soldiers from 5th Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery fired Stingers at the beachside training range on the West Sea. The exercise was aimed to give the unit more confidence to fire the missiles. The Stinger, which debuted in 1982, remains a core of the Armys low-altitude air defense. Read the 2001 article and find additional photos here. Melenzane in Manama, Bahrain, lets patrons customize pizzas. In the picture is a pepperoni and mushroom pizza with extra basil. (Shannon Renfroe/Stars and Stripes) I delayed my hunt for good pizza after moving to Bahrain, mostly out of fear of disappointment. My standards are admittedly lofty after my arrival from Washington, D.C., which has excellent options. Train rides to Philadelphia and New York also offered life-changing pizza experiences. Just sit at the East Village Unas counter one evening, if youre ever so lucky, and tell me differently. I decided on Melenzane because it reminded me of my time in Sicily, and the name translates to eggplant, which I love. The website describes the cuisine as Italian but reinvented: a fusion of Sicilian recipes when tradition meets innovation. The restaurant Melenzane is in Manama's The Avenues mall, situated at Bahrain Bay. The design is reminiscent of something out of a "Mad Max" film. (Shannon Renfroe/Stars and Stripes) Melenzane is in the new Avenues Mall at Harbor Gate in Bahrain Bay at the far end near the food court, and you cant miss it. Its towering decor makes it look like it was pulled off the set of Mad Max. I would have preferred to watch the pizzaiola, but the wrought-iron chairs surrounding the marble pizza bar lacked cushions and didnt look comfortable. It wasnt crowded, so I opted to sit at a table for four. The mint lemonade is a refreshing option at Melenzane, an Italian restaurant in Manzana, Bahrain. No alcoholic beverages are served at the restaurant. (Shannon Renfroe/Stars and Stripes) Four pizzas are on the menu, including the classic Neapolitan-style Margherita and one with pepperoni. The two more adventurous pies were a truffle ricotta pizza and another with smoky chicken and mushroom, topped with kale and a creamy sauce. No seasonal specials were available, though there are options for pasta, risotto and other main courses, including eggplant parmesan. The Botanica salad was a highlight of the experience at Melenzane in Manama, Bahrain. It includes kale and baby spinach with cranberries, walnuts, sunflower seeds and grapes, with a passion fruit and pomegranate dressing. The salad also features goat cheese crumbled atop shreds of crispy phyllo. (Shannon Renfroe/Stars and Stripes) I started on the Botanica salad with kale, baby spinach, cranberries, walnuts, sunflower seeds and grapes dressed in passion fruit and pomegranate salad dressing with crumbled goat cheese. There were also threads of crispy phyllo tossed throughout the salad. I didnt expect much from it but was pleasantly surprised with the variety of textures and the welcome balance of sweet and tart. I will loyally order the Botanica if I ever return. Toasted breadsticks are served with labneh, a thick yogurt, topped with olive oil and spices at Melenzane in Manama, Bahrain. (Shannon Renfroe/Stars and Stripes) A plate of complimentary breadsticks and a ramekin of labneh drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and chili flakes were brought to the table. The idea of serving them with the labneh, a thick Middle Eastern yogurt, rather than just the olive oil was genius. For the pizza, the waiter let me mix and match because I considered only pepperoni too dull. I settled on a pie with pepperoni, mushroom and extra basil and hoped for the best. The pizza arrived quickly, as it should, from the wood-fired oven. The charred, bubbly crust looked promising. But the first cut revealed flat, dense dough. The crust has some pleasant chew to it, if none of the air pockets that vary texture. Unfortunately, this and the varied mushrooms were the best part of the pizza. Olive oil infused with red pepper is available at every table at Melenzane to drizzle over dishes. (Shannon Renfroe/Stars and Stripes) The pepperoni was made from beef rather than pork, which is to be expected in Bahrain. The problem was lack of flavor. I drizzled chili-infused olive oil, added salt and chili flakes and ultimately gave up after two slices, returning to my salad. I washed it all down with a Bahraini classic mint lemonade. Alcoholic beverages arent served here and the mocktails are essentially fruit juices. I didnt want to completely give up on the pizza, so I sought redemption in getting the rest of it to go. But the slices packed in the Styrofoam box were layered on each other. By the time I got home, the pizza was a soggy mess. A chef at Melenzane restaurant in Manama, Bahrain, drizzles sauce over a barbecue pizza, one of the four pizzas offered. It is topped with smoked chicken, mushrooms and kale. (Shannon Renfroe/Stars and Stripes) I salvaged it somewhat with a pan, quality olive oil, smoked sea salt, lemon zest, Aleppo pepper and unconditional love. While my Melenzane visit was worth it thanks to the salad, my search for a good pie in Bahrain continues. It should be noted that the air conditioning in the restaurant was running full blast when I was there. I advise bringing a shawl or sweatshirt to stay warm. Also, be aware that there may be children screaming in the background, electric play trains driving around the mall and shoppers walking by and watching you eat. Its not ideal for a first date or an anniversary, but its an option after a round of shopping or a casual day out. Melenzane Address: The Avenues Mall, Bldg. No. 3977, Road 4660, Manama, Bahrain Hours: Noon-11:45 p.m. daily Prices: Pizzas are 5-6 BD ($13-$16), salads are slightly less. Expect to pay 12-15 BD per person for full courses and a drink. Information: Phone: 973 1616 3526; Online: order.melenzanebh.com/en Ecletic pottery works are displayed in the window of Pascal Stechers tiny workshop in Betschdorf, France. Stecher is fascinated by witches and dragons and often includes their images on his pottery. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes) In the northeast of Frances clay-rich Alsace region is the village of Betschdorf, which has been producing its signature salt-glazed, gray-and-blue pottery for hundreds of years. But only a handful of local artisans remain, making this a good time to go see how the pottery is made and pick up a few pieces while theres still an opportunity. A ceramic plate hangs on a wooden post outside Pascal Stechers pottery studio on a quiet street in Betschdorf, France. The village is famous for its Alsatian potters, who for generations have created gray stoneware with cobalt blue patterns. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes) When I stopped at Stecher pottery shop, it was hard to tell whether the place was closed for lunch or shuttered for good. The storefront of the ramshackle half-timbered house on the main street displayed pretty pots and stoneware mugs along with a few cobwebs. The side-entrance door was locked, so I decided to check back in the afternoon. On the outskirts of Betschdorf, I met Marie-Line Remmy at Les Gres de Remmy, which is run by her and her husband, Vincent. Vincent and Marie-Line Remmy welcome customers to their pottery shop and studio on the outskirts of Betschdorf, France, six days a week. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes) Remmy showed me the couples large workshop stacked with unfinished pots of various shapes and sizes and a wood-burning kiln, where they bake their handmade designs. They add salt to the oven, which, when combined with temperatures higher than 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit, produces a strong, durable glaze. Its why the traditional pottery from Alsace is good for storing and keeping items fresh, everything from wine to mustard and vinegar. Marie-Line Remmy etches a horse into the soft clay of a pot in the familys pottery workshop in Betschdorf, France, a small village in the Alsace region known for its gray-blue pottery. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes) Remmy invited me to watch as she picked up an unfinished piece and etched a horse into the soft clay. She then filled in cobalt oxide to the design with water and a brush. She gave me a brochure with a dated map that listed a total of eight pottery houses in Betschdorf, noting that the number now was fewer and circled which ones she thought might still be open. Poterie Fortune Schmitter was one, and it looked to be thriving. The family has been making pottery for seven generations, said a business card. A boutique in a half-timbered house next to an even larger workshop sold a nice variety of pieces, from clay animals to stunning vases with bright blue flourishes, flowers and other designs. Ceramic cats, storks and owl faces carved into mugs are among some of the unique works found at Fortune Schmitter, a family of potters that has been making gray and blue pottery for seven generations in Betschdorf, France. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes) Some of the pottery houses dont keep regular hours, as I discovered when stopping again at Stecher. The door was still locked, but a shirtless older man was in a back lot doing yardwork. He motioned that he would be right there. A few minutes later, a shirt-wearing Pascal Stecher opened his tiny, one-artist operation and donned an apron as he went back to his workshop. Customers can call or message him ahead of time about opening his shop. He loves witches and dragons, he said in English, and paints them on bowls and molds their images with exaggerated features into mugs. Hes sculpting a large dragon that he doesnt plan to sell. Potter Pascal Stecher holds one of his prized creations, a dragon he created in his tiny workshop in Betschdorf, France. Stecher often incorporates the themes of fantasy and sorcery into his work. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes) I asked about a strangely shaped bowl with a lid and odd-angled handles. Its meant to look like a witchs pot, he said, and its the only one in the shop. I ended up buying something at each place, including Stechers sorcery bowl. Prices werent flea market cheap, but some of the smaller pieces that I encountered cost between 25 and 35 euros. Each item has an artist signature or stamp etched on the bottom, certifying its authenticity as a unique Betschdorf piece. If you want to fill up your cupboards even more, head eight minutes down the road to Soufflenheim, which is known for its more colorful crockery used in baking. Expect to wander there too: The village has more pottery shops than Betschdorf, but they are more spread out. Also, be sure to bring cash. Some places in Betschdorf took credit cards, but I had to scrape together my last coins to buy Stechers witchs pot, which now makes for a great kitchen conversation piece. On the QT Directions: The village is about 56 miles south of Kaiserslautern in France. The GPS addresses for two pottery shops with regular hours: Les Gres de Remmy, Rue de Soufflenheim 8, Betschdorf; Poterie Fortune Schmitter, Rue des Potiers 47, Betschdorf. Pascal Stechers shop is a few houses away from Schmitter at Rue des Potiers 43. Costs: Parking is free. Food: There is one convenience store in Betschdorf serving sandwiches, drinks and a few pastries. Theres also a cafe open Wednesday through Sunday. Otherwise, food options are limited. Hours: Les Gres de Remmy, Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2-6 p.m.; closed on Sunday. Poterie Fortune Schmitter, Monday to Friday 9 a.m.-noon and 2-6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.- noon and 2 p.m.-5 p.m.; closed on Sunday. Information: Online: potiersalsace.com; poterie-schmitter.com. Call or text Pascal Stecher in advance at +33 641-575002 about opening his shop. NEW DELHI A year before she was deposed last week in a student uprising, Indian officials began to lobby their U.S. counterparts to stop pressuring Sheikh Hasina, the iron-fisted prime minister of neighboring Bangladesh, according to U.S. and Indian officials. U.S. diplomats had publicly harangued the 76-year-old Hasina for jailing thousands of her rivals and critics ahead of an election scheduled for last January. The Biden administration had sanctioned a Bangladeshi police unit under Hasinas command accused of carrying out extrajudicial abductions and killings and had threatened imposing visa restrictions on Bangladeshis who undermined democracy or committed human rights abuses. But in a series of meetings, Indian officials demanded that the United States tone down its pro-democracy rhetoric. If the opposition were allowed to gain power in an open election, Indian officials argued, Bangladesh would become a breeding ground for Islamist groups posing a threat to Indias national security. You approach it at the level of democracy, but for us, the issues are much, much more serious and existential, said an Indian government adviser who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private talks. There were a lot of conversations with the Americans where we said, This is a core concern for us, and you cant take us as a strategic partner unless we have some kind of strategic consensus. Ultimately, the Biden administration substantially softened its criticism and shelved threats of further sanctions against Hasinas government, disappointing many in Bangladesh. U.S. officials say it was a calculated decision that had little to do with Indian pressure. Many details of the bilateral discussions and U.S. deliberations have not been reported previously. Now, after protesters defied the armys curfew orders and marched on Hasinas official residence, compelling her to flee to India, policymakers in both New Delhi and Washington are forced to confront whether they mishandled Bangladesh. There is always a balancing act in Bangladesh, as there is in many places where the situation on the ground is complicated and you want to work with the partners you have in a way that is not inconsistent with what the American people expect, said a U.S. official, who like several others interviewed spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the matters diplomatic sensitivity. In the months leading up to the January election, divisions emerged within the U.S. government over how to handle Bangladesh. Some in the U.S. State Department, including then-Ambassador Peter Haas and other embassy officials, argued for a tougher stance against Hasina, particularly since President Joe Biden had campaigned on a foreign policy plank of restoring democracy, people familiar with the matter said. Haas, who has since retired, declined to comment. Other U.S. officials felt there was little to be gained from further alienating Hasina and risking the safety of U.S. diplomats, including Haas, who had received threats from Hasinas followers. Some White House officials also considered the downside of antagonizing India, which made a series of appeals to the U.S. that it moderate its pressure on Hasina, including when Indian Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in November in New Delhi, according to the people familiar with the matter. Indian national security adviser Ajit Doval also played a key role in presenting the Indian case during a visit to Washington that autumn, one of those people said. The U.S. approach to Bangladesh was always one that tried to both be consistent with our values and we spoke about those publicly on many occasions but also pragmatic about the reality that the situation in Bangladesh was very complicated and that there were a number of interests that we had there and that other countries had there, said the U.S. official. We needed to try to find a constructive way to engage with that administration, as we do in all places. So our policy was much more about trying to strike a balance between both of those things. For India, the dramatic developments in Bangladesh have turned a spotlight on its decade-long, all-in bet on Hasina, even as she grew autocratic and unpopular. For the United States, the episode has highlighted a growing dilemma: While India is seen by the Biden administration as a crucial partner in countering China, India itself is increasingly viewed by its smaller neighbors in South Asia as a meddling, aggressively nationalist power under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In January, after Hasina claimed victory in a one-sided election with many of her opponents in jail or in hiding, Indian officials endorsed the election results, fueling calls from the Bangladeshi opposition for a boycott of Indian imports. Last year, in the tiny Indian Ocean country of the Maldives, Mohamed Muizzu rose to power as president by campaigning on an India Out platform. And in Sri Lanka, anti-Indian sentiment flared this year after Modi claimed on the campaign trail that his opponents gave Indias rightful territory cheaply away to Sri Lanka. The U.S. has built its relationship with India and has this tendency to defer to its wishes in the region, and probably nowhere was that more evident than Bangladesh, said Jon Danilowicz, a retired U.S. diplomat who served as deputy chief of mission in Dhaka. But the risk is like Iran 1979: If youre seen as colluding with the dictator, when the dictator falls, youre left playing catch-up. (The United States strongly backed the autocratic shah of Iran before he was overthrown during the Islamic Revolution.) Now, Danilowicz added, New Delhi and Washington have to show some humility and acknowledge they got Bangladesh wrong by not siding with the Bangladeshi people and their democratic aspirations. U.S. officials have strongly disputed the characterization that they were swayed by Indian lobbying. Blinken had led efforts to reduce violence and encourage a fair and free election in its run-up, said a State Department official. Both Sheikh Hasina herself and opposition leaders said the Secretarys steps reduced violence, the official said. After the elections, which were neither free nor fair, some criticized the U.S. for not imposing more restrictions on Bangladeshis, falsely attributing this to Indian influence. After Hasinas ouster, which followed weeks of unrest in which hundreds of protesters were killed, Indian officials have publicly changed tack and expressed willingness to work with whoever comes to power. Last week, Modi sent his best wishes to Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Prize-winning banker who took charge of Bangladeshs interim government, even though he criticized India for backing Hasina. Yunus has called for new, free and fair elections once stability is restored in the country. The State Department endorsed Yunus, with spokesman Matthew Miller saying the United States hoped to see the Bangladeshi people decide the future of the Bangladeshi government. Aside from the United States, India had simultaneously warned other Western governments about the dangers of the opposition Bangladeshi Nationalist Party (BNP) returning to power. It was intense, recalled an official from a Western country allied with the United States. They started briefing Western governments that Bangladesh could become the next Afghanistan, that the BNP could lead to instability, violence and terror. Indian officials say they have reason to feel burned by the Bangladeshi opposition. During the rule of Hasinas rivals, the BNP, in the mid-2000s, militants smuggled weapons to attack northeast India and trained in camps inside Bangladesh with the help of Pakistani intelligence, Indian officials say. Indian and U.S. officials say this experience with BNP rule explained why India had been so adamant on keeping Hasina in power for 15 years. In recent days, Indian officials have warned that the Jamaat-e-Islami, an Islamist political party, could gain power, and Indian media have reported on a spike in attacks on Bangladeshs Hindu minority population in the days since Hasina was deposed. BNP leaders, who could win if elections are soon held, say they have met Indian officials in recent years to mend ties and assure them that India and Hindus in Bangladesh would be safe if India stopped propping up Hasina and the BNP returned. Weve been in touch with India, trying to tell them, Dont put all your eggs in one basket, said Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, a senior BNP leader. We have tried to assuage whatever concerns India has. It would be stupid for both sides to carry the baggage of the past. As India grapples with the shock of suddenly losing one of its closest allies, Indian foreign policy circles and media have been awash with speculation that Washington orchestrated the removal of Hasina, who has long had a chilly relationship with the United States. U.S. officials have staunchly denied the claim. Others in New Delhi say India was to blame for propping up an autocrat for so long. A former senior Indian national security official said it made sense, in theory, to support Hasina, but New Delhi did not grasp the situation on the ground. Everybody who came from Dhaka were giving the same feedback that anti-India feelings are at an unprecedented level, yet we calculated that she has full control over the administrative and coercive arms of the state, the former Indian official said. We thought repeated attempts to destabilize the government have failed, so she will manage again. The truth is, the whole thing just needed a spark to set the whole house on fire. Nakashima and Hudson reported from Washington. A sign at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, warns people about Typhoon Ampil, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. The storm is forecast to pass just south of Tokyo on Friday evening. (Alex Wilson/Stars and Stripes) YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan Warships of the U.S. 7th Fleet quickly made their way toward open ocean Thursday as their homeport prepared for Typhoon Ampils arrival on Friday. Ampil at 3 p.m. Thursday was heading north toward Tokyo at 15 mph, with sustained winds of 104 mph and gusts of 127 mph, securing its status as a Category 2-equivalent storm, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. U.S. military bases in the greater Tokyo area rescheduled events planned for Friday and Saturday, including a new school year sneak peek at Yokota Air Base and a Japanese festival at Naval Air Facility Atsugi. Base residents were advised to stock up on supplies and tie down loose objects as the storm approached. Ampil is forecast to pass just about 90 miles southeast of Yokosuka and the Kanto Plain, home to numerous U.S. and Japanese military bases and major cities like Tokyo and Yokohama. It could reach Category 4 by 9 a.m. Friday, with sustained winds of 132 mph and gusts of 161 mph, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. At Yokota, an airlift hub in western Tokyo and the headquarters of U.S. Forces Japan, base commander Col. Richard McElhaney ordered mission-essential personnel only to report on Friday. On Thursday at Yokosuka, about 25 miles southwest of Tokyo, residents stocked up on essentials, workers secured loose objects and guided-missile destroyers steered for Tokyo Bay. A U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer departs Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, ahead of Typhoon Ampil. (Alex Wilson/Stars and Stripes) Sailors and civilians line up for gas at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, ahead of Typhoon Ampil. (Alex Wilson/Stars and Stripes) The Navy routinely sends its warships to sea in the event of a storm to reduce potential damage to the ships and piers. Yokosuka is home to more than a dozen vessels, but just four were in port Thursday afternoon. The base moved into Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 2 on Thursday morning, meaning winds of 57.5 mph or higher are expected within 24 hours. Preparations for TCCOR 1, meaning high winds are possible within 12 hours, began around 5 p.m. Thursday. The base expected to enter TCCOR 1 no later than 7 a.m. Friday. Most non-essential services, including gyms, shops and routine services at Naval Hospital Yokosuka, will be closed Friday. A shelter for those who live off base and dont feel safe will be established at the bases Fleet Recreation Center. Base residents are being encouraged to ensure they are stocked up on water, food and supplies and to start securing loose items outdoors and conducting general cleanup to reduce flying debris as winds increase, base spokesman Justin Keller said by email Wednesday night. Camp Zama, a U.S. Army base 27 miles southwest of Tokyo, moved into TCCOR Storm Watch around 2:30 p.m. Thursday and warned residents to anticipate heavy rains. Storm Watch status doesnt anticipate destructive winds but allows for preparations in case the storm deviates from its path. Naval Air Facility Atsugi, 29 miles southwest of Tokyo, on Thursday afternoon declared TCCOR 3, the possibility of destructive winds within 48 hours, and planned to close the base to non-essential personnel between noon Friday to 9 a.m. Saturday, base spokesman Greg Mitchell said by email Thursday. This will be extended if storm conditions or effects warrant. The Navy Exchange, and Commissary will also abide by this direction. [Morale Welfare and Recreation] services have been shortened as well, while the Galley will run at normal hours, he wrote. The health and safety of our staff, service members and their families is of utmost importance to us. Japan was also preparing for the storm, with numerous road closures due to the typhoon and plans to cease bullet train operations between Tokyo and Nagoya stations all day Friday, according to the Nippon Express Co. and Central Japan Railway Co. websites. Ampil comes in the middle of Japans Obon holiday season a peak travel period that coincides with an annual Buddhist festival that began Saturday and concludes Sunday. Yokosukas U.S. Naval Ship Repair Facility rescheduled its own Obon festival from Friday to Aug. 30; Atsugis celebration was rescheduled to Sunday. See Stars and Stripes Pacific Storm Tracker for frequent storm updates. Stars and Stripes reporter Dave Ornauer contributed to this report. U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken meets with Vietnamese President To Lam in Hanoi, Vietnam, July 24, 2024. (Freddie Everett/U.S. State Department) (Bloomberg) Vietnams To Lam is set to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing in the coming week in what would be his first overseas trip since taking over the countrys top leadership barely a month ago. Communist Party General Secretary Lam, who is concurrently Vietnam president, will visit China from Aug. 18 to Aug. 20, Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. He is expected to have an audience with Xi who traveled to Vietnam in late 2023. Lam is scheduled to attend next months United Nations General Assembly in the U.S., and possibly meet with President Joe Biden, according to people familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified because theyre not authorized to speak about his plans. Vietnams Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The back-to-back China-U.S. trip underscores Vietnams enduring flexible foreign policy it calls bamboo diplomacy in approaching geopolitical issues. Beijing as the first stop for Lam instead of the U.S. follows an informal rule that Vietnams new leader will often first travel to Laos and Cambodia before China, according to Le Dang Doanh, an economist and former government adviser in Hanoi. Lam visited Laos and Cambodia in July as president. The U.S. would be next on Lams international itinerary, said Alexander Vuving, an Asia expert at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Hawaii. Vietnams top leader should go to China before going to the United States, he said. Doing so will signal Hanois deference to Beijing, which is an important element of Vietnams current approach to relations with the great powers. The visit would reassure the Chinese there will be no changes in policy since Lam took over after the death of long-time leader Nguyen Phu Trong last month, according to Carl Thayer, emeritus professor at the University of New South Wales in Australia. China is Vietnams largest trade partner and also with whom the country also has territorial disputes with in the South China Sea. Lam will seek to ensure that dozens of agreements signed during Xis trip to Hanoi in December including boosting trade and funding a cross-border railway will materialize, Thayer said. He wants to be seen as someone who stands up to China and also works with China as an equal, Thayer said. Party to party relations are the most important conduits between China and Vietnam. As for the U.S., Vietnam earlier this month expressed displeasure with the Biden administrations rejection of Hanois request to be classified officially as a market economy. The decision was seen as a blow for the countrys efforts to boost exports to its most important market. Yet Lam, most likely, wont use his meeting with Xi as a way to tweak the U.S., Thayer said. He is not gong to do anything in China that alienates the U.S., he said. Lam will serve the remainder of Trongs third term, which ends in early 2026 when a new general secretary will be picked during the Party Congress. He became president in May. U.S and Japanese flags fly at half-staff outside the 374th Airlift Wing's headquarters at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. (Joseph Ditzler/Stars and Stripes) YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan Japanese and American flags flew at half-staff at the home of U.S. Forces Japan on Thursday to mark the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II in the Pacific. On Aug. 15, 1945, Japanese Emperor Hirohito spoke for the first time to the Japanese public by broadcasting on Radio Tokyo that their nations military had finally yielded to the Allies. He avoided using the word surrender. The day is remembered by former allied nations as V-J Day, or Victory in Japan. In the U.S. the date was Aug. 14. The government of Japan ordered the nations flags flown at half-staff to mark the day. Yokota ordered its U.S. flags lowered, too, in solidarity. The war formally ended Sept. 2, 1945, with the signing of surrender documents aboard the battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay at a ceremony presided over by Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers U.S. Gen. Douglas MacArthur. The war in the Pacific lasted three years, eight months, three weeks and five days. The wider war in the Asian theater claimed the lives of about 36 million people. The U.S. and Japan, once fierce foes, became fast allies, tied by a mutual defense pact, and brought even closer recently by a common perceived threat from the growing military might of communist China. Julie Albarran, an information technology project manager at Ramstein Air Base, renews her vehicle registration Aug. 15, 2024, at the newly opened substation on the top floor of the Kaiserslautern Military Community Center. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes) RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany When three customer service windows for vehicle registration opened at 7 a.m. sharp Thursday at the new Ramstein substation, a lucky few walked out with the necessary paperwork in less time than it takes to get a haircut. Its a far cry from the pain a few miles away at Kapaun Air Station, where overwhelming demand and a dysfunctional online queuing system have left many waiting months to drive, leading some service members in community social media groups to attempt to buy and sell appointments for upwards of $100. The new substation and other changes are part of what military officials hope will restore normalcy to what was once a mundane but reliable task so that service members can drive to work and families can take care of themselves. Maj. Sheryll Frias showed up at about 6:45 a.m. and nabbed the first spot in the queue at the substation, a refreshing change from her 696th spot in the rolling queue after seven days of moving up before she could register her vehicle and turn in the familys rental. On Thursday, she just needed to add an additional driver. I thought there was going to be a lot of people, Frias said. A service member uses the new vehicle registration substation Aug. 15, 2024, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. People who showed up on the substation's first day of operations said they were surprised by the light turnout. The Kaiserslautern Military Community is dealing with an acute shortage of appointments for vehicle registration services. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes) By the end of the day, 46 customers had been served, base officials said, which may indicate that word has yet to get out about the substations availability. Service members familiar with the situation say there are multiple reasons why the system has experienced such difficulties. In May, the Armys base in Sembach stopped offering licensing services for privately owned vehicles, leaving Kapaun as the sole option for tens of thousands of people. The change came ahead of the summer permanent-change-of-station season, when outgoing service members have limited time to ship or sell a vehicle, and new arrivals need to register their cars, trucks and motorcycles. Kapaun was notified about the Sembach closing but wasnt given much time to prepare, said Maj. Kevin Aguilar, the 569th U.S. Forces Police Squadron commander. We dont know why they closed, Aguilar said. Once it did happen we looked at what do we have to do to hopefully make it better. Sembach will now reopen full-service vehicle registration services on a walk-in basis starting Tuesday through October, Ramstein officials said they confirmed with the Army. Meanwhile, the 569th and other base agencies spent about three weeks pulling together a plan for the substation, which is in the space formerly occupied by the Kaiserslautern Military Community Center satellite pharmacy. But Chief Master Sgt. Tim Herrmann, the 569ths senior enlisted leader, said the waitlist cant be attributed to just the Sembach closure. Were seeing an uptick in numbers more than we ever have, Herrmann said. Community members have placed considerable blame on a system that at times had limited appointments to between 15 and 22 per day, which are booked out for months. That left hundreds and sometimes over 1,000 people contending for walk-in slots that would never come. Herrmann and Aguilar expressed skepticism that people were buying and selling appointments given that they were made by name, though multiple people told Stars and Stripes that they had. Kapaun has since converted to a rolling walk-in queue, but the line remains very long. The Kaiserslautern area wasnt the only U.S. military community in Germany to find its vehicle registration system needed an overhaul this summer. U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria said the system they rolled out July 1 has helped reduce missed appointments and increased capacity. Getting an appointment takes about two weeks on average since introducing the changes. The Tower Barracks no-show rate went from 41% in June and 11% in July with the new system, the Army said. The Ramstein substation is open Monday to Thursday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Friday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Customers can deregister and renew vehicles or change information. They must bring both the front and back license plates for car deregistrations, and the back plate for renewals. Temporary-to-permanent plate transactions can be done at Kapaun, and initial registration is still only available at the main office. Renewals for nonoperational vehicles also need to be done at the main office. Aneas Turnbull learned that Thursday at Ramstein after his No. 9 in the walk-in queue was called. The registration for his motorcycle, which needs to be repaired, expires at the end of the month. Turnbull doesnt know whether hell get in on time, given that he was No. 1,151 in the rolling queue on Wednesday. Ive done this a couple times, registration for my other cars, he said. Normally its not that bad. This is the worst its ever been. Stars and Stripes reporter Lydia Gordon contributed to this report. A truck transports humanitarian aid from the U.S.-built pier onto the beach in Gaza on June 22, 2024. (Malcolm Cohens-Ashley/U.S. Army) WASHINGTON The military equipment and troops deployed to operate a floating pier off the coast of Gaza to help provide humanitarian aid to the war-torn enclave are expected to return to the U.S. by the middle of September, the Pentagon said Thursday. About 1,000 soldiers and sailors were involved in the short-lived operation. Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said 235 soldiers had already returned to Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., earlier this month, and 209 troops returned last week to Naval Air Station North Island, Calif. Another 100 soldiers will return to Langley-Eustis in the coming days, according to a defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity. The floating pier known as Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore, or JLOTS was meant to provide another way to deliver needed aid into Gaza. Health officials have warned for months that millions of Gazans face extreme hunger as Israel continues its war against the Hamas militants who launched a surprise assault in October from the enclave. The JLOTS operation was first announced March 7 during President Joe Bidens State of the Union address. The following day, Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the top Pentagon spokesman, said the temporary pier would be operational within about 60 days. The use of the pier ended July 17 after about 20 days of operational use, military officials said at the time, after poor weather conditions and concerns about onshore security plagued the operation. The pier became operational May 17, but the Pentagon announced less than two weeks later that it would be removed for repairs after suffering damage from rough seas and bad weather. It became operational again June 7. Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, deputy commander of U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, told reporters at the time that the issue with the pier was solely from unanticipated weather. A week later, CENTCOM again announced the pier was being temporarily removed due to high seas. It was reattached June 19 before being removed for the final time and taken to the port of Ashdod in Israel. Security concerns also disrupted the distribution of aid. The United Nations suspended deliveries from the pier on June 9, a day after the Israeli military used the area around it for airlifts after a hostage rescue that killed more than 270 Palestinians. U.S. and Israeli officials said no part of the pier was used in the raid. However, U.N. officials said any perception in Gaza that the project was used might endanger aid work, the Associated Press reported. As a result, aid transported onto the beach using the pier piled up. The World Food Program hired a contractor to move the aid from the beach to prevent the food and other supplies from spoiling, according to the AP. The Pentagon originally determined the pier would cost $320 million, but defense officials later dropped the estimate to about $230 million. Singh at the time said lower-than-expected costs for contracted trucks, drivers and commercial vessels and the United Kingdoms contribution of a vessel lowered the U.S. price tag by about $90 million. Cooper has said the military expects to save another $20 million, but he did not say from where the reduction would come. Ahiya, an outpost of the Shilo settlement, is in the process of being legalized by the government, 27 years after the first settlers arrived there. (Lorenzo Tugnoli/The Washington Post) During more than 19 months in power, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus coalition government has dramatically expanded Israels footprint in the occupied West Bank accelerating a long-term campaign by the countrys settler movement to thwart the creation of a Palestinian state. The government has approved strategic land seizures almost 6,000 acres this year alone and major settlement construction, escalated demolition of Palestinian property and increased state support for illegally built settler outposts. Together, they mark the most significant territorial changes in the West Bank in decades. While the Biden administration insists that any diplomatic solution to the war in Gaza include a path to an independent Palestinian state, radical Jewish settlers and their far-right political backers, who have ascended to the highest levels of Israels government, are redrawing the map in real time making the two-state solution envisaged in past peace accords effectively impossible. In interviews across six Palestinian communities, residents described paralyzing constraints on daily life as settlements creep closer, limiting their ability to move freely and to access the farmlands that long sustained them. Settler violence has erased some villages. Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, returned to office in December 2023 on the basis of a coalition agreement that promised to promote and develop settlement in all parts of the Land of Israel, including Judea and Samaria, as the West Bank was called in biblical times. The effort to expand and solidify Israeli control of the area is led by Bezalel Smotrich, a longtime settler activist who now serves as finance minister. Netanyahu also appointed him last year to a post within the defense ministry, giving him wide powers over Israeli policy in the West Bank. Smotrichs driving ambition is to settle the land, to build it, and to prevent, for Gods sake, its division ... and the establishment of a Palestinian state, he told his Religious Zionism Party at a conference June 9, according to an audio recording obtained by Peace Now, an Israeli rights group that has spent decades documenting the growth of the settler movement. To achieve that goal, Smotrich said, he would need to change the DNA of the system. An estimated 3 million Palestinians live in the West Bank, alongside more than 500,000 settlers, whose numbers have increased by more than 15 percent during the past five years. The position of Smotrich and his allies at the levers of power has turbocharged their gains. Israels Higher Planning Council has fully approved almost 12,000 housing units in settlements in the past 19 months, compared with just over 8,000 in the prior two years, according to Peace Now. A growing number of West Bank outposts illegal under Israeli law have been legalized. Large tracts of land have been seized by the state. Successive American administrations have criticized Israeli settlements as an obstacle to peace. In February, after Smotrich announced plans for 3,000 housing units in the West Bank, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Biden administration considered settlements inconsistent with international law a position first codified in 1978, under President Jimmy Carter, and reversed in 2019 by President Donald Trump. Biden has also imposed sanctions on illegal settler outposts, and on Israeli settlers accused of attacking Palestinians. Yet the executive actions have appeared to have little effect on the expansion of settlements or the explosion of settler violence. A farmer in Qaryut in the West Bank walks near a greenhouse in April that was destroyed by settlers. (Lorenzo Tugnoli/The Washington Post) Israeli security forces have failed to halt a rising tide of harassment, assault and murder by extremist settlers, aimed at depopulating the Palestinian communities around them. At least 114 Palestinians have been killed or wounded in those attacks since October, according to the United Nations. While the military has dismantled some illegal outposts, most are quickly rebuilt. Any claim that the IDF supports and permits settler violence is false, the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement to The Washington Post. The U.N.s highest court ordered Israel last month to end its occupation of Palestinian territory, evacuate existing settlements and pay reparations to Palestinians who have lost land and property a symbolically significant ruling, but one with limited practical effect. Netanyahu was quick to blast the decision. The Jewish people are not conquerors in their own land, he said. New rulers The West Bank has been under military occupation since Israel seized the territory in 1967, giving commanders oversight of administrative, legal and civilian affairs. Under the terms of the U.S.-brokered Oslo accords, Israel has full control over Area C which makes up 60 percent of the land though its forces also operate in Areas A and B, nominally administered by the Palestinian Authority. In late May, the IDF announced that significant management powers over the West Bank were being reassigned to a newly created deputy head position within the Civil Administration, Israels governing body in the West Bank. That same day, the role was given to Hillel Roth, a close Smotrich associate. Transferring military control to a handpicked civilian was seen as another step toward Smotrichs long-running aspiration, outlined in a 2017 treatise, to achieve victory by settlement and extend Israeli law over the territory which experts say would effectively convert occupation into annexation. Roth lived for years in Yitzhar, known as one of the most violent West Bank settlements. He is now empowered to make sweeping decisions about new construction in the territory and the administration of state land. Roth declined to comment for this report. Smotrich did not respond to multiple requests for comment. What Smotrich is doing is cementing a situation where every single aspect of Palestinian lives in the West Bank is determined by an Israeli civilian, said Sarit Michaeli of BTselem, one of Israels leading human rights groups. In June, a Pew Research Center poll showed that 49 percent of Jewish Israelis think the continued building of Jewish settlements in the West Bank helps the countrys national security, while 26 percent said it hurts. The settler movement has worked patiently for decades to reach this point. For years, a glance at a map of the West Bank would have yielded few clues to what was coming. Land seizures were incremental; the placement of some settlements may have appeared illogical at first glance. Over time, smaller settlements were consolidated into blocs. Highways and bypass roads connected them to Israel proper. The village of Burin has been almost completely encircled by settlements. The Soufan family lives near one of them. (Lorenzo Tugnoli/The Washington Post) The state has used planning and building as a weapon to conquer more land, said Alon Cohen-Lifshitz, a coordinator with Bimkom, a group of Israeli urban planners and architects who help Palestinians navigate the system. The main aim, he said, was to create a matrix of control. When the military had final say over all new construction and development, he said, there were limits to how that matrix could be expanded. With Roth at the helm, the process has accelerated. One of his first moves was to approve the largest West Bank land seizure in more than three decades declaring almost five square miles in the Jordan Valley as state land, opening it up to leasing by Israelis while prohibiting private Palestinian ownership. Peace Now said that the move could allow for the connection of four Israeli settlements along a key corridor bordering Jordan. Encirclement and expansion Palestinians in the West Bank describe a creeping, decades-long encirclement by settler communities, followed more recently by rapid expansion and unchecked violence. The Shilo settlement was established in the late 1970s on land confiscated from two neighboring Palestinian villages: Qaryut and Turmus Ayya. It started with a few people, like Boy Scouts, said Yousif Sadiq, deputy head of Qaryuts local council. Back then, we could herd our sheep between the two, never leaving our own private land. In 2011, Israels Defense Ministry approved a plan to increase the settlements housing units by 60 percent, local media reported. By late 2023, the village was almost surrounded by legal settlements and illegal outposts; harassment from soldiers and settlers led some residents to add bars and barbed wire to their homes. Then came Oct. 7, when Hamas fighters poured into southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages to Gaza. Now, if settlers try to take a hill, the army will protect them, then the state will give them electricity and water, said Bashar Maamar, a paramedic and activist from Qaryut who records attacks by Israeli settlers. The outposts can be seen from the village; sounds of construction are carried on the hot summer air. Across the West Bank, the pace of settler attacks has doubled under Netanyahus coalition government, according to the U.N. On July 31, the agencys humanitarian affairs office said it had recorded 1,143 separate incidents since the start of the war. Five Israeli settlers have been killed by suspected Palestinian militants during the same time period, according to the U.N. Settlers train for quick response to security threats in the settlement of Shilo in April. (Lorenzo Tugnoli/The Washington Post) In Qaryut, a large green belt of olive groves and vegetable fields sit untended. Villagers say they have been fired upon as they approach the area. They shared videos with The Post showing settlers bulldozing olive trees and burning crops. The IDF is committed to the well-being of the residents of the area and acts vigorously against manifestations of violence within its jurisdiction, Israels military told The Post when asked what actions it had taken to stem settler violence in Qaryut. It referred questions to the Israel Police, which did not respond to requests for comment. At the southern end of the village, settlers have spray-painted the walls of a now-abandoned childrens playground with a Star of David and a rifle. The water tank that once fed Qaryut has been hacked open and turned into a swimming pool for settlers. On a recent afternoon, boys did somersaults before plunging into the cool water. Most were from a yeshiva in the nearby settlement of Eli; none knew the name of the Palestinian village perched on the top of the hill. Settlers had blocked the road with large broken boulders. With our snipers, its hard for anyone to come down from there now, said one teenager. It makes me feel safer like that. While new construction solidifies existing settlements like Shilo and Eli, the outposts that surround them provide an informal road map for expansion, watchdog groups say. In February 2023, Israels cabinet designated nine illegal outposts as sites under legalization a designation rarely used under previous administrations promising government funds, connection to state power and water grids and an exemption from demolitions. When Adalah, an Israeli legal rights group, challenged the decision as a breach of international law, Netanyahus Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs replied: Israel is not an occupying power, he wrote in a letter dated March 9 and shared by the group. He then quoted from the First Book of Maccabees: It is not a foreign land we have taken nor have we seized the property of foreigners, but only our ancestral heritage, which for a time had been unjustly occupied by our enemies. Smotrichs Settlement Administration has since given the same designation to at least 60 other illegal outposts, according to Peace Now. In April, the government announced its intention to legalize the outpost of Ahiya, a jumble of portacabins perched on a windswept hilltop near Qaryut, 27 years after the first settlers arrived there. Inside one cabin, security guards monitored a bank of CCTV cameras that showed the surrounding roads. The principle we live by here is one of mission, said a guard, declining to give his name. They understand that we would kill to stay. Later, the security team simulated their response to an infiltration by militants. Men in green uniforms scanned the hillside, rifles in hand, looking for a young boy from the settlement who was dressed as an Arab. Demolitions As Israeli settlements expand and outposts are incorporated, Palestinian communities are being whittled away through demolitions and denials of building permits. More than 2,000 structures have been demolished in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, under Netanyahus new government, according to the United Nations, displacing more than 4,000 people 2,200 people were displaced in the two years prior. In the south Hebron hills, the villagers of Umm al-Kheir dont know how much longer they can hold their ground. When Eid Yameen al-Hathaleen was forced from his home in the Negev desert during the founding of Israel in 1948, the Bedouin patriarch resettled on land belonging to a Palestinian family, who later sold it to him, his son Yasser said. The family grew and the village expanded to about 250 people. In the early 1980s, the Israeli settlement of Carmel was established next door. Israel issued the first demolition orders against houses in Umm al-Kheir in 1995, residents said; the first demolition was carried out in 2007. After a slew of demolitions in 2014, the village was spared for years. On the morning of June 26, residents awoke to warnings that the Israeli army and police were approaching with bulldozers. Within hours, a cluster of houses belonging to Yasser had been smashed to pieces. The family of Yasser al-Hathaleen gathers in July amid in the wreckage of one of the houses that was demolished in Umm al-Kheir. (Lorenzo Tugnoli/The Washington Post) We were left without homes, without shelter, under the sun, in the dirt, Yasser said, sitting under a tent his neighbors had built for his sprawling family, as temperatures climbed above 100 degrees. His young sons played next to the wreckage. Eleven structures were destroyed that day, including a communal tent, which had served as a health clinic and a place where villagers had married and celebrated the birth of babies. The IDF said in a statement that the demolitions took place because the structures were built without a permit. The law was enforced in their case according to all the procedures and by force of law, it said. The Israel Police did not reply to requests for comment about their reported participation in the operation. Umm al-Kheirs residents applied for a master plan a requirement for official recognition by Israel in 2016, but it was never discussed, according to Tariq al-Hathaleen, Yassers nephew. Palestinians are denied access to special local planning committees available to Jewish settlers. Land designated for Palestinian construction comprises only 0.5 percent of Area C, compared with 26 percent of Area C in which settlers are authorized to build, Cohen-Lifshitz said, citing Bimkom research and Israeli government data obtained through the countrys freedom of information law. In the West Bank, we can really say its official apartheid, because you have completely different laws for Palestinians and for Israelis, he said. In Umm al-Kheir, as in other villages, home demolitions have emboldened aggressive settlers nearby. The evening before Post reporters visited the community July 2, several young settlers led their sheep to the villages feed pen, witnesses said. When local women tried to get them to leave, the settlers beat them with sticks and stones and pepper sprayed their faces. An hour after Post reporters departed, settlers pitched a tent in Umm al-Kheir as Israeli soldiers watched and joked with them, according to residents and videos taken by Israeli activists. The police force took two hours to arrive, and when they did, they told the villagers to file a complaint, witnesses said. In a statement, the IDF said that the soldiers had arrived to prevent friction until the arrival of additional forces and the Israeli Police. The police did not respond to a request for comment about why they took so long to arrive or why they did not do more to intervene. On Tuesday, the bulldozers returned to Umm al-Kheir, demolishing shelters set up for families whose homes were destroyed earlier this summer. They had been rebuilt in violation of the law locally in effect, according to Israels Civil Administration. We have nowhere to go but to God, Yasser said. In early July, Israeli forces descended with heavy machinery on another hilltop in the West Bank this time to demolish an illegal settler outpost. Young men at Givat Tzur Harel, north of Ramallah, clashed with security forces as they razed several structures. It was a rare example of Israeli authorities cracking down on illegal building by Jewish settlers. Whenever an outpost is demolished, it is usually rebuilt within an hour to a day, said Arik Ascherman, a rabbi from Torat Tzedek, an Israeli rights group. The police would leave and the young settlers would return, said one teenager. His friend Haggai, 17, said he hoped the new civilian administration headed by Roth would be more lenient. A fundraising drive for the heroes who colonize the land of Tzur Harel quickly raised thousands of shekels. The day will come when this place will be a settlement, said Haggai, who declined to give his last name. We have four directions to advance. All of the Land of Israel should belong to the Jews. Lior Soroka and Alon Rom in Tel Aviv contributed to this report. Teal ribbons stand at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., Apr. 23, 2024, as a reminder of sexual assault awareness and prevention month. A new report from Brown University asserts that the true number of sexual assaults in the U.S. military could be up to four times higher than Defense Department estimates. (Sean Ross/U.S. Air Force) The official Pentagon tally of sexual assaults in the military during the past 20-plus years likely undercounts the actual number by at least two to four times, researchers say in a new study. The Costs of War project at Brown Universitys Watson Institute compared Defense Department data with figures compiled by independent sources between 2001 and 2023 to calculate its findings. Last year alone, there were nearly 74,000 such assaults in the armed forces, compared with the Defense Departments official tally of around 29,000, according to the study, which was released Wednesday. The range of two to four times higher was described as conservative and likely accurate by the reports authors, who added that high-end estimates suggested a prevalence 10 times higher than DOD figures. The findings come after more than a decade of efforts to address the prevalence of sexual assault in the military, including several dozen initiatives by defense secretaries and hundreds of recommendations by government panels and task forces. Despite these efforts, military officials put an overarching emphasis on training and deploying troops to Iraq and Afghanistan at the expense of confronting a clear institutional problem of sexual assault, according to the report. During the post-9/11 wars, the prioritization of force readiness above all else allowed the problem of sexual assault to fester, papering over internal violence and gender inequalities within military institutions, and thus we must consider this problem to be a cost of war, the report said. The authors argued that a slight decrease in the number of cases in 2023 as compared with that of 2021, the final year of the war in Afghanistan, is further evidence that the previous 20 years of institutional focus on training and deploying troops to Afghanistan contributed to a permissive environment for sexual assault. The report estimates there were over 75,500 cases in 2021, with DOD putting the figure for that year at about 36,000, roughly the same level as when the war began in 2001. Over the course of the war, on average, nearly one-quarter of all active-duty women and almost 2% of all active-duty men experienced sexual assault, according to the reports calculations. Black women and LGBTQ+ service members were more likely to experience sexual harassment and assault than others, the report said. The Costs of War study follows a 2021 Congressional Research Service report that said there was some evidence that most sexual offenses in the military were not being reported. DOD officials in past years have conceded that the true number of sexual assaults was likely higher because of those who didnt file a report. Vanessa Guillen, the 20-year-old Army specialist whose murder after a sexual harassment report led to significant military reforms. Sexual assaults in the military are vastly underreported, according to a new Brown University study, which put the number at two to four times higher than official estimates. (U.S. Army) Also in 2021, lawmakers approved a bill that took away the decision on whether to prosecute cases of rape or sexual assault from military commanders. It was named the I am Vanessa Guillen Act, after a 20-year-old Army specialist who was murdered at Fort Hood, Texas, after reporting sexual harassment. A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket sits on the launchpad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Stations Space Launch Complex 41 on July 27, 2024. (ULA) (Tribune News Service) For over a decade, United Launch Alliance had an absolute monopoly. If the Pentagon wanted to send a spy satellite to space, the Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp. venture was its only choice. Now, Elon Musks well-funded SpaceX has eaten into its business, capturing 40% of Pentagon contracts over the last few years. Jeff Bezos Blue Origin threatens to take more of the pie once it certifies its New Glenn rocket. Over at ULA, budgets are running over and revenue is down as customer delays push back launches, according to a person familiar with the matter. Boeing and Lockheed would rather offload ULA to someone else. A ULA spokesperson said the company is profitable for the year, but making less than its own goals. The issues explain, in part, why ULA was running behind while gearing up for its latest Pentagon mission. The space company needed more workers to meet its July 30 launch date due to quality issues, the person said. So it flew in a temporary crew to Cape Canaveral, Florida, from 500 miles away. Working around the clock, the team managed to make the fixes in time for the rockets 100th mission. It wasnt the only time ULA has had to shuttle people from out-of-state to handle unexpected repairs: It did the same for work on its new rocket. A crew from Decatur, Alabama traveled to Florida to fix significant out-of-sequence factory work that cropped up ahead of the Vulcan rockets debut, according to a company document seen by Bloomberg. The painstaking nature of the repairs would have been too big of a strain on the Florida launch operations engineers, the person said. A ULA spokesperson said its not uncommon for the company to travel experienced personnel between sites. In the Vulcan instance, ULA sent a handful of experienced technicians to replace leaking actuators, the spokesperson added. But with a record number of launches due next year, the space venture is losing key staff to competitors, including Blue Origin and SpaceX. This year alone, ULA has lost about 45 of its 105 Launch Operations engineers the people who test, assemble and prepare every rocket and its cargo to fly at its primary launch site in Florida, according to the person, who asked not to be identified discussing non-public information. The lack of experienced personnel has postponed work for future missions, the person said. The staff departures are contributing to ULAs struggles as it works to retain its position as the U.S. militarys preferred rocket launcher. Already the government is frustrated with the pace of ULAs progress and has levied financial penalties on the company for not meeting its deadlines. If ULA cant come through, it could jeopardize the Pentagons national security interests. Chief Executive Officer Tory Bruno admits there are challenges ahead. Theres inherent incentives pressure, if you will to ramp up and perform, he said. But he believes the company is prepared to meet them. I dont have concerns that we are understaffed to support the launch cadence, Bruno said. ULA declined to provide specifics on its workforce, but said the overall launch staff has roughly 600 people across its sites. ULAs 2,700-strong workforce also includes 1,200 rocket scientists and 100 new staff hired to assist with launches, the company said. Still, to meet its ambitious launch schedule the company is aiming for a record 20 next year ULA is stockpiling rockets and other components in specially built warehouses, Bruno said. Ive got over 30 solid rocket motors stacked up literally like cordwood in one Florida warehouse, Bruno said. Im pretty sure that might be the largest tonnage of TNT equivalent propellant that has ever been accumulated. So, you know, no matches in there. ULA needs to maintain a busy launch season to keep money coming into the business. Unlike its billionaire-backed rivals, ULA doesnt get cash infusions from investors, Bruno has said. Boeings appetite for investing in its space division is limited by fallout from the safety crisis in its core jet division, while Lockheeds earnings from its stake in ULA have dropped in recent years. Boeing and Lockheed, in a joint statement to Bloomberg, said they have demonstrated their commitment to meeting launch demands with investments that have enabled rocket development and new facilities. They also offer technical support and business expertise, they said. ULAs staff, particularly engineers, are lured away by higher pay or the ambitious space-conquering visions offered by Bezos and Musk, or Amazon.com Inc.s satellite internet project, people familiar with the matter said. Bruno declined to give specific figures on employee turnover, but said the company is seeing attrition at a single-digit percentage rate. Its significantly below industry average, he said. The SpaceX-ULA rivalry spilled over into Musks X social media platform last week, with Bruno taking a thinly veiled jab at a promotional photo of Musks new Raptor v3 engine. In a reply, Bruno suggested that SpaceX posted a partially assembled engine that helped it exaggerate its design. SpaceXs Chief Operating Officer, Gwynne Shotwell, punched back, posting a picture that appeared to show the Raptor engine shooting fire and exhaust on a test stand. Works pretty good for a partially assembled engine :), Shotwell wrote. Blue Origin and SpaceX each have dozens of job openings for engineers across different business units, while ULA has just 12 advertised, four of which are for Launch Operations engineering jobs. ULA has been constrained in a way that has hampered their ability to respond to the competitive challenges with SpaceX, said George Sowers, ULAs former chief scientist. Its a terrible ownership model. ULA has at least one thing going for it. It has touted a 100% record of mission success with its legacy rockets. SpaceXs Falcon family has launched nearly 400 times, though it had a notable mission failure last month. Blue Origin has yet to stage a launch to orbit. This year, ULA put astronauts into orbit for the first time and its 100th flight of the Atlas V was a hot, straight and normal send-off for an iconic American rocket, Bruno said. Now, Bruno has to focus on getting its replacement, the Vulcan, certified for the Department of Defense. Its targeting a September launch, according ULA. If the mission is successful, and the rocket is certified, ULA will be eligible for multibillion-dollar Pentagon phase 3 contracts. Bruno said hes on track to build all the Atlas rockets ULA needs for 2025 launches before year end, with boosters already stacked up in a giant Florida facility. I have all the tools I need, I have all the facilities. Im not concerned about having the rockets ready, Bruno said. All I need are my payloads to show up and I will fly them. With assistance from Julie Johnsson, Loren Grush and Matt Day. Debra Tice, mother of kidnapped journalist Austin Tice, holds a portrait of the Marine veteran during a briefing in Beirut, Lebanon, on July 20, 2017. (Joseph Eid/AFP/Getty Images/TNS) WASHINGTON (Tribune News Service) Supporters of Austin Tice gathered at the National Press Club on Wednesday a, a sober event that served as a call to action for the Biden administration to renew its efforts to secure his return. Family members, friends and press executives attended the gathering, which included a concert by Scotty Hasting celebrating Tices valor as a journalist and former U.S. service member, and remarks from Tices commanding officer during his time in the Marines. But all those who spoke shared a similar message: Patience has worn thin with promises from government leaders of a grand diplomatic effort that have led to no tangible results. Tice disappeared in Syria in August 2012 while covering the countrys civil war as a freelance journalist for McClatchy, The Washington Post and other publications. U.S. officials believe he was detained at a Syrian government checkpoint southwest of Damascus on Aug. 14 of that year. A video emerged six weeks after his disappearance purporting to show him in captivity. Debra Tice, Austins mother, told attendees at the event that diplomatic conditions are near-perfect to revive talks over Austins case with Syria and accused the administration of unwillingness to offer diplomatic concessions to the Assad government. I truly believe that Austins freedom is closer now than ever before, Debra Tice said. This is the time we need to press in, because the government is well poised to act, and they are deservedly encouraged by their recent success. They must make deals. Every kind of hostage situation requires engagement, negotiation, and concession. These are essential. Missed windows are a huge reason Austin is still missing after 12 long years. We are in a window now, she said. Our government must act now. In a sharply worded video message, Tony Hunter, CEO of McClatchy, rebuked the Biden administration for not doing enough to ensure Tices release, noting the White House has found success in its other efforts to secure freedom for Americans wrongfully detained abroad when it has prioritized those missions. Bidens team has secured the release of several other Americans detained abroad by hostile states, including from Iran, Venezuela and Russia, which imprisoned another American journalist, Evan Gershkovich, on political charges until his release earlier this month. But the Syrian government has consistently refused to discuss the specifics of Tices case, frustrating three consecutive presidents. The Biden administration has stated that the recovery and return of Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained is a top priority. Yet, despite these words, the actions required to bring Austin home remain insufficient. It is clear that when the administration places emphasis on returning one of our citizens, they find a way, even if it requires negotiating with a dictator, Hunter said. I call on the U.S. government to confirm the meeting with Syria in Oman, to engage with Syrian authorities, use every available resource, and exhaust every diplomatic channel, he said. And if all else fails, go get him. Stay there in face-to-face meetings until Austin is released. Do not leave until the job is done. It is time to pull out all the stops, Hunter continued. Bring him home, President Biden. Matt Murray, executive editor of the Washington Post, emphasized the importance of the press to keep its focus on Tices case, telling members of the Biden administration: Our patience is wearing thin. His is a gut-wrenching and, frankly, infuriating case, and his ordeal has lasted so long that we must collectively and regularly reaffirm our determination to keep his cause in front of our eyes, as well as the eyes of government officials and others whose help we need to win his release. Robert OBrien, who served as U.S. special envoy for hostage affairs and national security adviser under former President Donald Trump, said in a video statement that he had confidence his successors in the Biden administration are doing everything they can to bring Tice home. The Trump administrations failure to do so, OBrien said, still weighs on me. Its a heartbreak of mine. Little is known by the U.S. government about Tices fate or whereabouts. Even getting the Syrians to acknowledge his existence has been a years-long challenge. At the Press Club event, Debra Tice said, we are completely confident that Austin is alive, pointing to a statement Biden issued in 2022 that the U.S. government knows with certainty that Tice has been held in Syria. In a statement on Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Tice has been held in unknown conditions and issued a plea to Syria to open an honest dialogue on his case. For more than a quarter of his life, Austin has been separated from his family and kept in unknown conditions, Blinken said. We know the Syrian government has held Austin, and we have repeatedly offered to find a way to bring him home. This has gone on for far too long, Blinken added. We call on the Syrian government to work with the United States to end Austins captivity. 2024 McClatchy Washington Bureau. Visit mcclatchydc.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. U.S. service members assigned to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency stand by before a solemn movement ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, in January 2018. The ceremony honored personnel lost in the Philippines during World War II. (Julian Temblador/U.S. Marine Corps) A soldier missing in action since the Japanese invasion of the Philippines in World War II has been accounted for, 81 years after his death in a prisoner of war camp, the Pentagon reported Thursday. Army Pvt. William E. Calkins, 20, of Washington County, Oregon, was identified April 17 by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency using DNA and other recent scientific methods to match remains found in one of the common graves at the site of the former Cabanatuan camp where captured Americans troops were held in 1942. Calkins remains will be buried with full military honors in Hillsboro, outside Portland, on Sept. 13, according to the U.S. Army Casualty Office. Calkins was a soldier in Company B of the 31st Infantry Regiment when Japanese forces invaded the Philippine Islands in December 1941, according to Army records. American and Filipino forces fell back to the Bataan Peninsula and Corregidor Island before surrendering on May 6, 1942. The U.S. listed Calkins in 1942 as among soldiers taken prisoner by the Japanese. Thousands of troops taken captive were forced to march to prison camps in what became known as the Bataan Death March. Calkins was reported as a prisoner at Cabanatuan POW Camp #1. More than 2,500 POWs died in the camp before American troops and Filipino guerrillas recaptured the island between October 1944 and August 1945. American and Filipino prisoners of war carry dead comrades after the Bataan Death March in May 1942. (National Archives) According to prison camp and other historical records, Calkins died Nov. 1, 1942, and was buried along with other dead prisoners in Common Grave 704 at the Cabanatuan Camp Cemetery. He received the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Prisoner of War medals for his service. Following the war, American Graves Registration Service personnel exhumed those buried at Cabanatuan and took the remains to a U.S. military mausoleum where personnel attempted in 1947 to identify individuals. Only two of the 10 bodies in Common Grave 704 could be identified. The identified remains were reburied at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial as Unknowns. Advances in identification using DNA in recent years has led the Pentagon to launch renewed efforts under the DPAA to account for those previously classified as unidentifiable. In 2018, the Cabanatuan Project was launched to identify remains taken from common graves at prison camps. Calkins remains were identified using dental and body analysis, the DPAA said. Though interred as an unknown, Calkins grave was maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission. His name is memorialized on the Wall of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for. For information on Calkins funeral, contact the Army Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490. For additional information on efforts to identifying Americans missing in action, go to www.dpaa.mil. Calkins personnel profile can be viewed at https://dpaa-mil.sites.crmforce.mil/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt0000000XfiiEAC. The girls, who were between 12 and 18, were sometimes collected from their school or care homes in his stretch Hummer A former limousine driver who used his stretch Hummer to groom and sexually abuse teenage girls in Rotherham has been jailed for 24 years. David Saynor, 77, plied his victims with alcohol after taking them out for rides in his limousine company vehicles before raping or sexually assaulting them, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said. The NCA said the girls, who were between 12 and 18, were sometimes collected from their school or care homes in his stretch Hummer and Saynor actively encouraged them to call him if they needed picking up from somewhere, often telling them to bring friends. David Saynor used his limousine to groom and sexually abuse teenage girls in Rotherham (NCA/PA) Sheffield Crown Court has heard how, on one occasion, the defendant took a girl of 12 or 13-years-old to his limousine storage yard where he raped her in an office building. Another teenager was repeatedly abused when she was 14 and 15-years-old when she was picked-up in her school uniform with groups of other girls and given alcohol, cigarettes and money. The NCA said Saynor, formerly of Rotherham and now of Mayall Court, Lincoln, raped the girl in the back of the limousine before threatening to hurt her family if she told anyone. Saynor, who was offending in the late 2000 and early 2010s, was arrested as part of the NCAs Operation Stovewood, which is the UKs biggest investigation into child abuse, after numerous victims identified him. He was found guilty of 15 charges relating to eight victims in July, the agency said. NCA Senior Investigating Officer Stuart Cobb said: Saynor preyed on vulnerable girls who continue to live with the effects of his abuse as adults. The victims showed extraordinary bravery in reporting what Saynor did, and Im pleased that we were able to get justice for them. I hope Saynors imprisonment will bring the victims some closure. Operation Stovewood was set up in the wake of the Jay Report, which sent a shockwave across the nation in 2014 when it found that at least 1,400 girls were abused, trafficked and groomed by gangs of men of mainly Pakistani heritage in the town between 1997 and 2013. Last Autumn, the NCA insisted this does not mean we are walking away as it announced that, from January, new allegations would be handled by South Yorkshire Police rather than Operation Stovewood. David Saynor was jailed on Thursday at Sheffield Crown Court (Danny Lawson/PA) The agency said it is confident that we have done all we realistically can to identify those individuals who may have been victims, saying it has identified more than 1,100 children involved in the exploitation between 1997 and 2013 almost all girls. The agency said it remains committed to seeing its current investigations through to the end of the criminal justice process, which is anticipated to continue into 2027. A total of 36 people have so far been convicted as a result of the operation. The NCA has said that Operation Stovewood is the single largest law enforcement operation of its kind ever undertaken in the UK and, at its height, had a staff of more than 200. Previous estimates have put the cost of Operation Stovewood at around 90 million. There were concerns earlier in the week that the most seriously affected inmates, including Kenny could have died. Gangland killer Peter Kenny is expected to be released from hospital later today or tomorrow following Tuesdays mass overdose event in Portlaoise Prison. Kenny, who is serving life for the murder of drug dealer John Carroll in 2009 is said to be responding well to treatment after being admitted to intensive care. He is the last of the 11 inmates still in hospital who ingested a substance on the prisons C Wing that sparked a major emergency response. Prison authorities are not aware what substance was used by the inmates and a seized sample is expected to be tested by the gardai and the HSE. Initial reports suggested that that a powerful synthetic opioid drug known as nitazene may have caused the overdoses. Tony McInerney However, the commonly used antidote to opioid overdose, naxalone, did not work on the affected inmates, according to Sunday World sources. There were concerns earlier in the week that the most seriously affected inmates, including Kenny could have died. The Dublin native was convicted in 2011 and given a life sentence after being named as the gunman who shot John Champagne Carroll at Grumpy Jacks pub in The Coombe. His case caused controversy with much of the evidence against him being the statements of an informer who went into the Witness Security Program. It emerged that in the months before Carroll was shot dead, he was subjected to death threats from a gangster annoyed over his relationship with a woman. 'Champagne' Carroll assassin in fresh bid for freedom over 2009 gang murder Carroll, was linked to a number of the city's major drug dealers and on the night he was killed he was carrying a list of drug debtors and creditors who owed him 243,000. He was killed after a heavily disguised Kenny fired a number of shots from a semi-automatic weapon as he chased him. Another high-profile prisoner among those treated in hospital this week was drug dealer Tony McInerney who is serving a total of 27-years for attempted murder and running a cocaine factory. Last year he pleaded guilty to the shooting in which an innocent by-stander was hit with a bullet in the buttock at Sixmilebridge in Co Clare in 2020. Nine bullet casings were found on the street in what was described in court as Wild West stuff. The level of drug seizures in prison has increased this year and figures from the Irish Prison Service show the total number of drug seizures up until July 7 this year was 603. According to Prison Officer Association (POA) figures released in April, there was a 160pc increase in drug seizures in Irish jails from 2015 to the end of last year. During that time in Dublins Cloverhill Prison, drug seizures increased by 294pc from 104 to 410 per year. In a statement, Gabriel Keaveny, deputy general secretary of the POA, said: Over the years and at several annual conferences we have raised the issue of overcrowding and illegal smuggling of drugs into our prisons. Despite the best efforts of our members on the ground, no significant action has been taken by the authorities to address the drugs issue in our prisons. What has regrettably now occurred in Portlaoise Prison was somewhat inevitable. Saoirse Brady, executive director of the Irish Penal Reform Trust, said on RTE Radio 1 yesterday that overcrowding in prisons is contributing to the drugs problem. She said Portlaoise Prison was at 107pc capacity when the overdoses happened on Tuesday. Gardai have confirmed they are investigating the mass overdose incident and are working closely with the prison service. No arrests have been made so far. The bust happened during the planned search of a property in Ballyfermot The bust happened during the planned search of a property in Ballyfermot on Wednesday afternoon which followed the seizure of around 20,000 worth of cannabis which happened at a traffic stop earlier in the day. Officers then searched the Ballyfermot home and discovered the handgun. The suspect, who was not previously considered a player in gangland crime, was arrested and brought to Lucan Garda Station for questioning. Sources say that the arrested man previously had a legitimate working relationship with a south inner city businessman who has links to the Kinahan cartel. He has also worked legitimately in the tourist sector in the south of the capital and does not have significant criminal convictions. However, some of his Ballyfermot associates have had multiple serious interactions with the criminal justice system. None of this is being linked to the cartel at this stage, a source told the Sunday World. While the arrested individual is known to gardai, he would be far from a criminal mastermind and is not aligned to any of the gangs such as The Family who are big players in his locality. It is possible he was storing the firearm for someone else but he is also being questioned about the earlier drugs seizure. Either way it is always a good result to get a deadly weapon off the streets, the source added. There has been a record decrease in gangland murders in Ireland in recent years and the gun and drugs seizure happened just hours after Detective Chief Superintendent Seamus Boland briefed reporters on recent massive drug seizures at our ports. One of the greatest successes here in Ireland for law enforcement is the decrease in organised crime related murders, directly attributed to the drug-trafficking trade and Kinahan crime gang, the senior officer said on Wednesday morning. "Gardai have seized a firearm and arrested a man following the search of a property in the Ballyfermot area of Dublin 10 on Wednesday afternoon, 14th August 2024, a garda spokesperson said of the seizure. "Gardai attached to the Dublin Crime Response Team (DCRT) with the assistance of the Garda Armed Support Unit carried out the search operation and seized a handgun. One kilo of cannabis herb, worth an estimated 20,000 was also seized. "The firearm will now be sent on to the Ballistics Section of the Garda Technical Bureau to undergo analysis and the drugs seized will be sent to FSI (Forensic Science Ireland). "A man (40s) was arrested and is currently detained at a Garda Station in the DMR under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act 1939/98. Investigations are ongoing, the spokesperson said. The bust was made on Wednesday evening when the gardai stopped a vehicle on the southside of Limerick city A man, aged in his 40s, and a teenage girl have been arrested following the seizure of cocaine in Limerick city yesterday. The drugs are estimated to be worth 140,000 and will now be sent to the Forensic Science Ireland to undergo further analysis. The bust was made on Wednesday evening when the gardai stopped a vehicle on the southside of Limerick city. Large packages containing the cocaine were found after a search of the vehicle. A man and a woman, who have been arrested in connection with this seizure, are currently detained at a garda station in the southern region under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice Drug Trafficking Act, 1996. "Investigations are ongoing", a garda spokesperson told the Irish Independent. The suspect, who is serving a life sentence for murder, was escorted by prison officers after being released to make a visit granted to him on compassionate grounds. Prisoner on compassionate escort suspected to have smuggled lethal drugs into Portlaoise Prison bosses are investigating if a lethal drugs batch that led to 11 inmates overdosing at Portlaoise Prison was smuggled in by an inmate who was on a compassionate escort last weekend. The suspect, who is serving a life sentence for murder, was escorted by prison officers after being released to make a visit granted to him on compassionate grounds. It is unclear if the prisoner, who is in his 50s, ingested the drugs himself. He was considered a low security risk when he was brought from the jail by prison officers for the compassionate visit to Munster last weekend. Officers are now investigating whether he was the victim of some sort of coercion either inside or outside of the jail. It is understood the prisoner asked to be placed in protective custody for his own safety when inmates began overdosing in the C Wing of the high-security prison on Tuesday afternoon. This individual has been in jail for nearly two decades and the expectation was that he was due to be released in the not-too-distant future, a prison source said. He would have been monitored by prison officers when he was on the visit. One line being looked at here is whether he was the victim of some sort of coercion either inside or outside the jail. Among the 11 prisoners hospitalised were a number of dangerous and violent inmates, including a convicted gangland killer. The gangland killer was the only inmate who remained in intensive care last night. Ten of the overdose victims have now been returned to the prison. The drugs, which have not been officially identified, were described as a powder substance considered to be a synthetic opioid or stimulant. Sources have described scenes of utter chaos at the hospital on Tuesday night as medics tried to treat some of the overdose victims. It was an awful night for all the staff that were there. Many of the less unwell prisoners were having psychotic episodes as they came down off the drug, a source said. They were shouting and roaring and in some cases were pulling out their IVs many had to be physically restrained. There were three prison officers for each prisoner at one stage, which of course was a big drain on resources, not just from Portlaoise, as staff from the Midlands Prison also had to attend the hospital. The convicted gangland killer was among the inmates who suffered one of the worst reactions. The criminal from Dublins south inner city was convicted over his role in a gun murder at a Dublin pub in 2009. The mans condition was described as critical on Tuesday evening, and there were concerns he would die, but his condition has since stabilised. When contacted by the Irish Independent, a spokesman for the Irish Prison Service (IPS) said it does not comment on individual prisoner cases. The IPS said the total number of drug seizures this year across Irelands 12 prisons up until July 7 was 603. According to Prison Officer Association (POA) figures released in April, there was a 160pc increase in drug seizures in Irish jails from 2015 to the end of last year. During that time in Dublins Cloverhill Prison, drug seizures increased by 294pc from 104 to 410 per year. In a statement, Gabriel Keaveny, deputy general secretary of the POA, said: Over the years and at several annual conferences we have raised the issue of overcrowding and illegal smuggling of drugs into our prisons. Despite the best efforts of our members on the ground, no significant action has been taken by the authorities to address the drugs issue in our prisons. What has regrettably now occurred in Portlaoise Prison was somewhat inevitable. Saoirse Brady, executive director of the Irish Penal Reform Trust, said overcrowding in prisons is contributing to the drugs problem. She said Portlaoise Prison was at 107pc capacity when the overdoses happened on Tuesday. Gardai have confirmed they are investigating the mass overdose incident and are working closely with the prison service, but no arrests have been made so far. Bethany Donohue (23) joined Ashley Donald as he left the UK two days after hed killed Andrew Flamson in a fatal collision. A woman who helped her then-partner flee to Ireland after he murdered a man in England has been jailed. Bethany Donohue (23) joined Ashley Donald as he left the UK two days after hed killed Andrew Flamson in a fatal collision in Coventry two years ago. Donald was driving a silver Mondeo when he deliberately went the wrong way up the one-way street in Grosvenor Road and hit the 40-year-old as he walked his dog just before 11pm on 12 July 2022. Ashley Donald Mr Flamson was taken to hospital with head injuries and died three days later while another man suffered a life-changing traumatic head injury. Donald attempted to evade justice by fleeing to Ireland after Donohue purchased two ferry tickets and joined him on his journey. But West Midlands police caught the pair using detailed phone work and analysing CCTV footage and bank transactions. Donohu, of Albany Road, Coventry, was arrested on 19 July when she landed at Birmingham Airport. Police had begun the process of extraditing Donald from Ireland but he was arrested in September when he returned to the UK and handed himself in at Coventry Police Station. On Monday, 12 August, Donohue was jailed for three years at Leamington Crown Court for assisting an offender. Donalds mother Faye Gowdy (44), of Carpenter Road, Edgbaston, who was also convicted of the offence, will be sentenced on Friday, 27 September. Andrew Flamson Det Insp Tom Lyons, from the Major Crime Unit, said: "Using a car as a weapon is a shocking decision to take and resulted in a man losing his life. "For someone to then chose to try and help that person evade justice cannot be tolerated and we will always do all we can to bring them before the courts as well. "In this case it has resulted in a young woman now facing time behind bars which we hope will serves as a deterrent to others considering taking similar action in the future." Donald was jailed for life in May last year and ordered to serve a minimum of 23 years after being found guilty of Mr Flamson's murder. Three other men, including Donalds father Samuel Henneberry, who were also in the car at the time were convicted of manslaughter and were each jailed for between 12 and 15 years. Mr Flamsons family paid tribute to the 40-year-old victim, saying: We will miss our Andrew forever. He was a kind, loving and gentle man. He was loved by his family, his partner and lots of friends. We prayed for justice for our lost boy. They added: Andrew is now our spirit in the sky, dancing with the angels, and he will probably be teaching them his dance moves. Before she got really sick she was really funny, a really funny little baby, shriek of excited laughter is all youd hear from her. She shouldnt be dead, her aunt said. The heartbroken family of a toddler who sadly passed away due to a genetic disease are calling to broaden the heel prick test to prevent children dying needlessly. Maebhe Gorman, from Ballinasloe in Galway, died on August 5 at only two years of age, surrounded by the love of her family, after being diagnosed with Metachromatic Leukodystrophy (MLD) in late 2023. MLD is a rare inherited disorder affecting mainly the 'white matter' of the brain, causing a progressive loss of physical and, later, mental skills. Unfortunately, the disease is terminal and Maebhes aunt Carol spoke on the horror of watching her dying. Maebhe with her parents Carol said: She was in pain every single day for the last five months of her life, with the exception of the day she died. For the last four weeks of her life we couldnt even lift her because it was too painful for her. Imagine as a parent, wanting to comfort your child and you cant lift them because it upsets them so much. And you have to lift them because they can get bed sores. Maebhe, daughter of Veronica and John and little sister to four-year-old Tina, appeared to be developing normally until the age of nine months, when she began to miss developmental milestones. Then in November 2023, Maebhe was diagnosed with MLD. However, Maebhe is the first child in Ireland to have the disease on two genes which added complexity to the disease and contributed to her rapid deterioration. Her aunt said: We watched her rapidly declining. She had nine months, thats all we got with her, nine months, and we were told to have until she was five. Its devastating, they had a car ordered for her, adapted for a wheelchair, the whole of the GoFundMe had been spent on that car, and they had to cancel it. The whole of the GoFundMe is now going to be spent burying her. Maebhe's last smile on camera Following the diagnosis, Maebhes family began raising awareness around MLD as they believe testing for this genetic disease during the heel prick test - which is carried out on newborn babies to screen for rare conditions can save numerous lives. Ireland currently screens babies for nine rare conditions, while other European countries screen for up to 48 conditions. Carol explained: If they catch it at birth, they can treat MLD. So there is a huge chance of your child progressing. They might have issues, but the kind of issues that you could work with the physio or you might have a speech therapist, but your child will live. How many children are going to have to die needlessly before they think that its a priority? She added: If your first child is born with MLD, the second child is tested. So basically you have to sacrifice your first child to save your next one. So if anybody has a child with MLD I would say have no regrets. Live any moment with them. Make sure you take videos because you do forget the sound of their laughter, you do forget the little movements of their head. When I picture Maebhe this week I picture her laying down in her casket, and if it wasnt for videos on my phone I think that memory of her laying in the casket would be burnt into [my memory] for a long time. The videos are so important, make sure to take a lot of videos. Less than a year ago, Maebhe was a normal fun loving toddler who brought joy to her whole family. Remembering Maebhe, Carol said she was a happy and beautiful girl, who loved her dogs and food. She was amazing, she was such a happy little thing, and she was so beautiful. I dont know how you can describe an angel, there are no words to describe her. Everywhere she was she brought joy with her. Everybody loved her. She was the embodiment of love. She radiated love. She died only knowing unconditional love. We went in the room when she passed away. I felt she was in the room helping us with her passing away, and not the other way around. It was raining, and the moment she died the sun came out, it was incredible. Before she got really sick she was really funny, a really funny little baby, shriek of excited laughter is all youd hear from her. She never had a tantrum, she never cried, she was just this bundle of joy. She shouldnt be dead. The temporary loss of the handgun is being treated as a serious matter by senior gardai, who are trying to establish the circumstances A detective garda who allegedly left a handgun in the changing room of a clothes shop has provided security for a senior cabinet member. A disciplinary investigation has been launched into the incident in which the personal-protection detective allegedly left an official firearm in a Dublin city centre store while shopping. The Irish Independent has learnt that the detective, who works in a unit tasked with guarding government ministers, was on duty on the day of the alleged incident in a Ted Baker shop on Grafton Street this week. The temporary loss of the handgun is being treated as a serious matter by senior gardai, who are trying to establish the circumstances. It is understood the detective has been stood down from close-protection duties while the disciplinary investigation is carried out. Gardai confirmed a senior garda officer is conducting a disciplinary investigation into this matter. It is believed the armed officer was shopping in Dublin city centre on Monday and used the changing room while in a Ted Baker store. The officer then left the shop, and when a staff member later entered the dressing room they found a handgun inside. Local gardai were notified and the detective, who in the meantime had realised the firearm was missing, returned to the store to retrieve it. Garda HQ was made aware of the incident, which is now being investigated. A source said: Staff noticed the gun and, thankfully, notified gardai straight away. The outcome could have been a lot different if the weapon was picked up by the wrong person. There are protocols around booking in your weapon when tending to personal matters while on your working tour, and this will be one aspect looked at. The garda watchdog carried out a public interest inquiry after a sub-machine gun was found on a Dublin street Every government minister is afforded protection by an armed detective, who acts as their driver and bodyguard. Previously, only taoisigh, tanaisti, attorneys general and justice ministers received a garda protection officer. In 2022, this was expanded to include other members of the Cabinet due to an increase in threat levels. In a separate incident relating to the temporary loss of an official firearm in July 2018, the garda watchdog carried out a public interest inquiry after a sub-machine gun was found on a Dublin street. It was found by a member of the public on Harcourt Street and handed in to a garda station. The Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (Gsoc) found the weapon had been properly placed in the boot of a garda car, which had opened as the vehicle exited the garda station and mounted a ramp. Gsoc ruled in a report the following year that the two officers involved should not face sanctions. The Irish Independent made efforts to contact Ted Baker. Bobby was a great man and a great neighbour, always available to help, only a few weeks ago he was, as always, a very great help digging my fathers grave. Tributes are been paid to a farmer (64) who died after being attacked by a bull on his farm in Co Limerick. Bobby Richardson suffered fatal injuries after the incident on farmland at Lisnagry on Tuesday. Locals said Mr Richardson was an absolute gentleman who would do anything for any of his neighbours. One friend wrote Bobby was a great man and a great neighbour, always available to help, only a few weeks ago he was, as always, a very great help digging my fathers grave. He is survived by his wife Joan, sons Henry and Martin, daughter Brid and their partners Martina, Sinead and Harry. His remains will repose at his son Martins home on Friday 16th August from 4 p.m. onwards. Arriving on Saturday 17th to St. Patricks Church Ahane for Requiem Mass at 11.30 a.m. Burial afterwards in Killeenagarriff Cemetery. A garda spokesperson said gardai in Castleconnell are investigating the death of a man in his 60s following an incident on a farm. "Gardai were alerted this morning (August 13th) after the mans body was discovered on farmland. The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) attended the scene and are conducting their investigation. A HSA spokeswoman said that the HSA are aware of this incident and have launched an investigation. No further information is available at this time. The HSA recorded 16 farm related deaths in Ireland in 2023, an increase of four on 2022 figures, with half of those killed on farms last year aged 65 or older. Investigation under way into report of an individual being left in enclosure An investigation has been launched after a worker at Belfast Zoo was allegedly locked in with the lions and then left there. According to a source familiar with details of the incident, which is reported to have happened last week, the person was initially in the enclosure alongside a member of staff to tend to the big cats. Claire Sugden (Picture by Liam McBurney/PA Wire) The lions were originally kept in their den while (the individual) was in the enclosure with a more experienced staff member, they told the Belfast Telegraph. They said that the experienced employee then left the paddock. The gate was locked and the animals were free to move around meaning the person was locked in with the lions with nowhere to go. Belfast Zoo is home to a pride of Barbary lions once native to North Africa, but now extinct in the wild. The largest subspecies is recorded throughout history and was a regular fixture in gladiator battles in Italys Colosseum during Roman times. A spokesperson for Belfast City Council, which owns the facility, confirmed a probe is under way. Council is aware of an incident at the lion enclosure at Belfast Zoo earlier this month, they said. We take the safety of all our staff, visitors and animals very seriously, and an investigation is under way into the circumstances of this incident. We cannot comment further while this is ongoing. Belfast Zoo offers a number of training opportunities including apprenticeship programmes for young people. It also participates in the Department for Communities JobStart Scheme which is designed to allow unemployed 50 to 64-year-olds a chance to gain skills and experience in the workplace. Sunday World understands that the individual involved is an adult who is participating in one of these programmes. Belfast Zoo It is also believed the incident has been reported to the Health and Safety Executive NI. A spokesperson for the body said it cannot comment on individual companies or organisations. The source expressed shock at the incident. They are very lucky they werent killed or severely mauled and left with horrendous injuries, they said. Its just another thing that raises serious questions for Belfast Zoo. I can only imagine what was going through this poor persons mind. I mean how on earth did this happen? It is not clear how long the individual was left in the enclosure. Robbie Butler MLA UUP deputy leader Robbie Butler, who is vice-chair of Stormonts all party-group on animal welfare, said the zoo needs to look again at its policies and procedures. Whilst the primary concern must be with the individual involved, it also raises concerns about animal welfare, he added. Independent MLA Claire Sugden, a member of the animal welfare group, also expressed concern as she demanded that officials get to the bottom of what happened. This incident is deeply worrying and Belfast Zoo definitely needs to establish what exactly happened here, she said. I visited the zoo recently with my family and had a very fun day out, but it needs to be safe for visitors and those working there if we are to enjoy it. It also needs to be safe for the animals and while this situation was dangerous for the individual involved it also posed a risk to the welfare of the animals. It has been a summer of turmoil for the station as it lost five of its most popular hosts Doireann Garrihy, The 2 Johnnies, Jennifer Zamparelli and Donncha OCallaghan. RTE 2FM shows have enjoyed a slight boost in listeners despite the loss of a number of high-profile presenters, according to the latest JNLR figures. It has been a summer of turmoil for the station as it lost five of its most popular hosts Doireann Garrihy, The 2 Johnnies, Jennifer Zamparelli and Donncha OCallaghan. In an unexpected turn of events, Garrihy, Zamparelli and The 2 Johnnies all left in the space of a week. Blathnaid Treacy, who is on air across the weekend from 9am to 12pm, has enjoyed an increase of 7,000 on Saturday and 18,000 on a Sunday, bringing her total audience to 136,000 and 128,000 respectively. The presenter, who took over the slot in May, returned to work seven weeks after the birth of her first child, a girl named Nancy Claire, in June of last year. The latest JNLR figures represent listenership across April, May and June. RTE Radio 1 has also had an increase in listeners across most shows except for the News at One, which is down 6,000 listeners to 295,000 after bidding farewell to long-time host Bryan Dobson in May. Dobson retired from RTE after a 37-year career and presented his last show on May 3. Gavin Jennings took over from Dobson on the programme before he was permanently replaced by Rachael English in mid-July. On the other side of the dial, Newstalk has had a boost in its morning listenership. The Pat Kenny Show numbers represent an increase of 15,000 listeners, achieving a record listenership of 244,000 every day. Newstalk Breakfast with Ciara Kelly and Shane Coleman also recorded an all-time high audience of 168,000 listeners, up 11,000. Switching back to 2FM, Breakfast with Carl & Aifric has had a boost of 6,000 to 149,000 listeners every morning from 6am to 9am. The Laura Fox Show, which used to be fronted by Jennifer Zamparelli, has had a jump of 6,000 to 141,000 Garrihy, who gave three weeks' notice before departing, presented her final breakfast show with OCallaghan and Mullan on Friday, May 31, after five years with the broadcaster. She cited her podcasts and travel as reasons for the departure. Rugby star OCallaghan shocked listeners when he too announced that he would be leaving RTE 2FM, presenting his last show on July 5. The Laura Fox Show, which used to be fronted by Jennifer Zamparelli, has had a jump of 6,000 to 141,000. Zamparelli announced on May 23 that she would not be returning to her daily three-hour slot after 10 years. The presenter had been absent from her show for several weeks when she made the announcement. Jennifer Zamparelli 2FMs daily 3pm to 6pm slot, which was fronted by The 2 Johnnies but is now hosted by Beta Da Silva, is up 6,000 listeners to 157,000. The Tipperary comedy duo, consisting of Johnny Smacks McMahon and Johnny B OBrien, left the station at the end of May to focus on their podcast and TV work. Lottie Ryan and David OReilly took over the reins temporarily in June while Da Silva only took over last month, so the impact of her arrival has yet to be recorded. Tracey Clifford has 128,000 listeners each lunchtime, an increase of 7,000. Meanwhile over at RTE Radio 1, Morning Ireland is up 17,000 listeners for the period to 486,000, which is an increase of 46,000 year on year. Brendan OConnors weekend show from 11am to 1pm on Saturday is down 12,000 to 340,000. However, this is still an increase of 2,000 year on year. OConnors Sunday show is also down 9,000 to 346,000, but this is still a boost of 23,000 year on year. Miriam OCallaghans one-hour Sunday show is up 5,000 to 309,000 listeners this book (three-month period). Oliver Callans one-hour morning show currently has 336,000 people tuning in from 9am, an increase of 6,000 for the period. Comedian Callan took over the slot permanently from Ryan Tubridy, who was last on air in June last year. The programme had a listenership of 343,000 in February of this year. In November last year, the slot had a weekday audience of 347,000. Today with Claire Byrne has had an increase of 3,000 listeners this book, meaning she now has a daily audience of 344,000. Broadcaster Pat Kenny. Photo: Steve Humphreys Ray DArcys slot is up 10,000 to 191,000 and Drivetime with Sarah McInerney and Cormac O hEadhra is up 4,000 to 224,000 this book. Joe Duffys Liveline is up 1,000 listeners to 302,000. Meanwhile, Newstalks Lunchtime Live with Andrea Gilligan has had an increase of 19,000 listeners, meaning 137,000 now tune in daily. Moncrieff with Sean Moncrieff also got a lift in listenership, with 3,000 more to 108,000 and The Hard Shoulder with Kieran Cuddihy increased by 7,000 to 155,000. Newstalk is now the leading talk station nationally for 20- to 44-year-olds with 184,000 in that demographic tuning in every week. Over on Today FM, The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show now has 210,000 listeners, which is a decrease of 6,000, tuning in each morning. Dave Moore has marked his one-year anniversary of his show with 223,000 listeners, which is 7,000 more than this time last year but 5,000 less since March. Dave Moore continues to be the most listened-to show on the station. Louise Cantillon entertains 131,000 listeners from 12pm to 2pm every day, which represents a drop of 8,000. Ray Foley in the afternoons now holds an audience of 155,000 listeners, a decrease of 6,000 this book. The Last Word with Matt Cooper recorded an audience of 171,000, a loss of 10,000 this book. The Tauranga-based Aerocool Rescue Helicopter has completed 38 life-saving missions within the Coastal Bay of Plenty region over the month of July. These missions included 16 inter-hospital transfers, four medical events, one rescue, six rural/farm incidents, five motor vehicle accident, and six miscellaneous missions. The Aerocool Rescue Helicopter was most often seen in Tauranga with seven inter-hospital transfers, Whakatane with three inter-hospital transfers, Rotorua with three inter-hospital transfers, says a statement from the Philips Rescue Helicopter Trust. "In addition, the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter crew were required in Matakana Island, Mayor Island, Coromandel and many other remote and challenging locations to provide life-saving care in time critical situations," the statement reads. The missions The month began with the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter being dispatched to Mauao Sumit for a male in his 60s who was experiencing a medical event. The patient was transported to Tauranga Hospital for further treatment. Aerocool Rescue Helicopter on Mauao. Photo: Supplied. On Monday morning, July 1, the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Opotiki for a male in his 70s who was experiencing a medical event. The patient was transported to Tauranga Hospital for further treatment. On Thursday morning, July 4th, the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter was tasked to Tokoroa Hospital for a young female who sustained fracture injuries from a 1 metre fall. The patient was transported to Rotorua Hospital for further treatment. In the early hours of Friday morning, July 5, the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Tauranga Hospital for a male in his teens who sustained serious injuries after being involved in a motorbike accident. The patient was transported to Middlemore Hospital for further treatment. The following evening, the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter was tasked to Rotorua Hospital for a male who was experiencing seizures. The patient was transported to Starship Hospital for further treatment. In the early hours of Friday morning, July 12, the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Matakana Island for a male in his 90s who was experiencing a medical event. The patient was transported to Tauranga Hospital for further treatment. On Saturday evening, July 13, the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Maraetotara for a male in his 40s sustained chest injuries after being involved in a motor vehicle accident. The patient was transported to Tauranga Hospital for further treatment. The following evening, the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter was tasked to Pongakawa for a male in his teens who sustained fracture injuries from a motocross bike related incident. The patient was transported to Tauranga Hospital for further treatment. On Thursday afternoon, July 18, the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Rotoma for a male in his 50s who sustained injuries from a fall while mountain biking. The patient was transported to Whakatane Hospital for further treatment. Later that evening, the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Whangamata for a male in his 90s who was involved in a motor vehicle accident and sustained multiple injuries. The patient was transported to Tauranga Hospital for further treatment. On Saturday evening, July 20, the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter was tasked to Tauranga Hospital for an infant who was experiencing a serious medical condition. The patient was swiftly flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment. On Thursday evening, July 25, the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Tahawai for a male in 30s who sustained injuries after being involved in a motor vehicle accident. The patient was transported to Tauranga Hospital for further treatment. The next afternoon, the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Te Kaha Medical Centre for a male in his 70s who was suffering from a serious medical event. The patient was transported to Tauranga Hospital for further treatment. On Saturday morning, July 27, the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter was tasked to Coromandel for a male in his 50s who sustained serious injuries after a farm related incident. The patient was transported to Auckland City Hospital for further treatment. The month ended with the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter being dispatched to Te Puna for a female in her 20s who sustained injuries after a fall. Due to the remote location, the patient required extraction by winch. The Critical Care Flight Paramedic was winched down to the patient where they began treatment and then the patient and CCFP were both extracted via winch. The patient was then transported to Tauranga Hospital for further treatment. The fast response of the rescue helicopter and its highly trained crew ensures the patients receive the best care as quickly as possible. "These life-saving missions happen every day and its what happened next that makes the difference you make that difference," says an Aerocool Rescue Helicopter spokesperson. Donate to Aerocool Rescue Helicopter at https://give.rescue.org.nz/event/aerocool-rescue-helicopter/donate They ranged from scratches to bruises to pinch-type injuries on both ear lobes, she told a jury in the High Court at Hamilton today, where Mulford is defending a charge of injuring with intent to injure from that alleged incident at Pongakawa in 2021. Paediatrician Dr Anita Lala assessed the toddler at the time and noted 15 different physical findings on Harlee-Roses eyes, neck, forehead, cheek, jaw, lip, upper chest, and sunburn on her arms. Two-year-old Harlee-Rose Niven was taken to Tauranga Hospital with multiple injuries after what, Jessica Lee Rose Mulford, described as a fall from a window onto the concrete below in November 2021. A hospital paediatrician who assessed a toddler, five months before she died from an unrelated incident , said her injuries were more akin to a strangulation than a fall from a window as suggested by her stepmother. Shes also defending a charge of murder following the toddlers death in April 2022. The Crown allege Mulford injured and ultimately murdered the toddler after building up resentment towards her and her father, Dylan Berry, as she was left caring for her fulltime, despite not being her child. On the morning she died, Mulford had given the girl a full, 200mg ibuprofen tablet dissolved in her bottle to help settle her. Finding her unresponsive, Berry yesterday gave evidence that he ran into the room and found shed drunk about a quarter of the bottles contents. However, the defence claim that it was Berry who caused the catastrophic abdominal injuries after she fell off a tarpaulin he had tied to the back of his motorbike, while giving her a magic carpet ride, and she smashed into a fence post. The defence claimed shed also fallen off her bumblebee trike the day before. In questioning from Crown solicitor Rebecca Mann, Lala said that given the number, colour, and location of injuries after the 2021 incident, it looked more like they were caused by strangulation, rather than a fall. It was based on the appearance of Harlee-Roses injuries... I felt that a force had been applied to cause that appearance. The appearance of her face, symmetric swelling around the eyes, the darkness of the marks and the spots around the eyes, the injuries around the back of her neck contribute to that ... and the congested appearance of her face, was the most defining feature that day. I didnt think that it was consistent that she had a fall. Dylan Berrys parents property at Pongakawa, Bay of Plenty. Jessica Mulford claims the toddler was injured after falling out of the (far right) window onto the deck, and concrete below. Photo / Supplied. I was concerned that a strangulation, non-accidental injury had occurred. The most striking thing for the doctor was the difference with the way the little girls face had changed. Her whole face is quite congested looking. Most prominently on the cheeks and forehead, and under the jaw. But its different in colour compared to her neck and the rest of her torso which looks like a pale, normal skin colour. The toddlers eyes had black, purple discolouration and her eye sockets, and her eyes were more swollen than I would have expected. When assessing a child, Lala said, she would work with what shes been told and the injuries that the child suffered. However, with a fall injury she would have expected a child to have put their hands out to break their fall, and protect themselves. Jessica Mulford in the High Court at Hamilton on Monday. Photo / Belinda Feek. Harlee-Rose had no injuries to her hands. Given her injuries to the back of the neck, around the jaw line, and pinch-type marks to her ear lobes, thats not consistent with a story of a simple fall. I was concerned that a force had been applied around Harlee-Roses neck... that her injuries were more consistent with strangulation than a fall. It would be highly unusual to injure the front of the face and back of the neck in one fall. Defence counsel Nick Dutch clarified with Lala the amount of ibuprofen Harlee-Rose should have consumed was half that amount, given she only weighed 10.8kg. He also put to her that she couldnt rule out the injuries resulting from a complex accident that involved more than one event. Thats true, she replied. I didnt know what to think In re-examination from Mann today, she asked Berry about Mulford wanting to have a baby after Harlee-Rose died. Asked about the suggestion that he could have been responsible for her death, Berry said he loved Harlee-Rose and never would do anything to hurt her. She was a bit of a mini-me... was a bit of a tomboy, adding that it was like having both a daughter and a son. As for how he felt about how Harlee-Rose had died, before it was confirmed, Berry said he struggled to work it out. I was trying to make sense of it in my head, adding that he couldnt think where on their Hamilton property she could have been so seriously injured by falling off her bumblebee trike, as suggested by the defence. If she went off a step... she would have landed on the grass. Asked how he felt at the funeral, Berry said he didnt know what to think, I couldnt think. I was lost... as far as I knew she fell off her little trike. However, on October 25, 2022, they were called into a meeting with detectives and had the post-mortem results explained to them. After that did you stay in a relationship with Miss Mulford? Mann asked. No, I did not. The trial continues. Reports are emerging in several police districts where people have received a scam phone call from someone claiming to be a police officer. Inspector Matt Scoles is urging locals across the district to be alert to the scam. In a statement released today, police say the scammer claiming to be an officer will claim to be from a particular department, tell you that you have been a victim of fraud or a scam, and begin to try and obtain further financial information from you. "People have been directed to go to the bank and withdraw money for evidence of the supposed scam. "This is a scam no legitimate Police Officer will ever ask you to hand over money, for any reason." Police says if people want to establish if the officer is genuine, ask for the officers full details. Hang up, contact 105 and request someone to check for you. "Older members of our community are being targeted and Police urge anyone with older, vulnerable relatives or friends to make them aware of this activity. "Since early August, police have had several instances of this being reported and we have made arrests in Auckland and Wellington." Three people are currently before the courts in relation to scamming vulnerable people in the Auckland and Wellington Districts. One of these, a 26-year-old UK national, has since been convicted of scamming more than $330,000 out of victims, says police. "People will need to be vigilant because enquiries into reports of such scams are ongoing. "New Zealand Police will also never contact people seeking their banking details, card numbers, PIN, or passwords. "There are instances where legitimate Police Officers will contact you as part of their duties, but New Zealand Police will never ask you to withdraw money." Remember: Police will never ask for details about your bank cards, PIN, or passwords over the phone Trust your instincts If something doesn't feel right, or is too good to be true, it probably isnt If you are uncertain, ask for the officers details, hang up, contact 105 and request the officer contact you Police arent in the business of offering prize money. If you are in the unfortunate position of being a victim of a scam, please report the matter to Police. Take the chance to upskill yourself on scam awareness, check for further information on the Netsafe website: https://netsafe.org.nz/ After a spell of mid-week sunshine across New Zealand, MetService is predicting a weekend of wet and windy weather, quickly followed by snowfall in inland parts of the South Island and a shift to colder temperatures. This change comes as a northwesterly flow brings warmer conditions to the east of the country over the next few days. Saturday is expected to get wetter as the day goes on for the North Island as a weather system connected to a low pressure system in the Tasman Sea approaches. "Any outdoor activities would be best done in the morning. By the afternoon and evening, rain will spread across the island, reaching Tairawhiti/Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, and Wairarapa in the evening. While the rain will be widespread, the heaviest accumulations are expected in localised, mostly elevated areas," says MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane. "The top of the South Island is also set to receive rain as the weather system advances. "How far south the rain reaches will depend on the movement of the low pressure system. Tasman, Buller, and Marlborough look likely to see rain, and anything further south is still to play for." Thursday and Friday will see breezy westerlies across much of the country, but by Saturday afternoon, these will shift to blustery northerly winds. The eastern, central, and lower North Island, in particular, can expect a gusty weekend. "Keep an eye out for any further Watches or Warnings in the coming days, in addition to the Heavy Rain Watches currently in place." After a brief reprieve early Sunday morning, another pulse of rain is expected to sweep across the North Island, with rain extending to parts of the South Island as well. From Sunday afternoon and into Monday, colder, showery southwesterlies bring the possibility of snowfall to inland areas of the South Island. "This is an early heads up to farmers with young stock, as well as road users who might be traveling along some of those elevated roads and mountain passes. "Into next week, however, there is a chance the snow could go down to lower levels for places like Southland and Otago." While the South Island gets plunged back down to cold temperatures by the end of the weekend, the east of the North Island will see a period of warmer-than-average temperatures from Thursday to Sunday, ranging from 17 to 21C. "Although these temperatures are reminiscent of warmer seasons, the combination of cloud, rain, and wind will remind us that winter isn't over just yet." Image: MetService. Bay of Plenty coasted to a 44-31 win over Counties Manukau at Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua in round two of the NPC. Temporary speed limits on State Highway 25 around the Coromandel Peninsula will be returning to their former level soon. Following storm events early last year and an increase in traffic using SH25, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi temporarily lowered the speed to a safer limit around SH25 as an emergency provision. Temporary speed reductions can only remain in place for a maximum 12 months without being renewed. In this case the emergency situation has passed, and by early October all the SH25 temporary limits will have expired, explains NZTAs Director of Regional Relationships for Waikato Bay of Plenty, David Speirs. "Following the 2023 weather events and closure of SH25A, traffic patterns and volumes changed on the Coromandel Peninsula, leading to concerns about the impact of increased traffic flows through communities. "After a road safety review, temporary speed limits were introduced to ensure the safety of motorists and pedestrians around the peninsula. "Now theres no longer an emergency and SH25A has reopened, the temporary speeds will be removed, and permanent speed limits reinstated." NZTA is aware that there is some community support for retaining reduced speeds in some areas, however changing any speed limit is a legal process and there are numerous steps NZTA must follow. In June/July 2024, the Ministry of Transport held consultation on a new Land Transport Rule for setting speed limits and the new rule is due to be finalised in the coming months. "Once the new speed Rule has been finalised NZTA will consider how it applies and if any of the temporary SH25 speed limits can, or should be made permanent, to meet community needs." NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi works to create transport solutions for all New Zealanders from helping new drivers earn their licences, to leading safety campaigns to investing in public transport, state highways and local roads. Police can now release the name of the person who died following a two-vehicle crash on Takitimu Drive on August 7. She was 51-year-old Joanna Teresa McMillan, from Gisborne. "Our thoughts and sympathies are with her family and friends at this difficult time," says a police spokesperson in a statement overnight. At the time of the crash, police said they were notified of the two-vehicle crash at about 7.30pm. Fire brigades from Tauranga and Greerton responded to the scene. The road was closed for several hours and re-opened in the early hours of August 8. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Eugenio Cabezas Torrox Thursday, 15 August 2024, 11:33 Opciones para compartir Copiar enlace WhatsApp Facebook X (antes Twitter) LinkedIn Telegram Threads In a record summer, with the Costa del Sol's beaches packed with tourists, Torrox town hall on the eastern strip of Malaga province's coastline has once again declared 'war' on the rogues who set up their parasols and chairs on the beachfront, first thing in the morning, to guarantee themselves a good spot before the hordes of bathers arrive. The local council has in recent days reactivated the service to prevent holidaymakers from reserving space on the beach by placing chairs, umbrellas or towels from early in the morning, which involves the removal of the equipment. In 2014, Torrox became the first municipality in Malaga province to approve a beach ordinance to sanction the reservation of space on the first stretch of coastline during the summer months. Specifically, according to Local Police sources consulted by SUR, last weekend alone, some 40 lots of beach equipment were removed, consisting of around 200 items. Eleven disciplinary proceedings will now be initiated, which could amount to a fine of up to 300 euros, corresponding to the owners who have come to recover them. The rest remain in storage at the Local Police facilities. Torrox Local Police have clarified that it is not true that "people who were not under the umbrellas because they were in restaurants, walking, enjoying a paddle surf board or similar, were removed and fined". "What is more, in some cases the police were advised of such circumstances and did not act", the sources consulted by SUR said. Zoom Property seized by the Torrox Local Police, at their headquarters. SUR However, the sources acknowledged that "there may be collateral damage, but we try to act on beachfront reservations that prevent other users from enjoying the area when no one is making real use of it". "So it is not true that you have to be perennially under the umbrella," they added. For his part, the town's mayor, Oscar Medina (PP), explained that, despite the fact that this regulation was controversial when it was first implemented, "a greater awareness among bathers has been detected". The mayor said that the council's sole aim is to ensure that as many people as possible can enjoy the beaches, and pointed out that the service, carried out by the Local Police, "acts diligently". Nerja and Algarrobo are the other two municipalities on the Axarquia coast that also have penalties in their beach ordinances for this controversial practice. Rossel Aparicio Malaga Thursday, 15 August 2024, 17:05 Opciones para compartir Copiar enlace WhatsApp Facebook X (antes Twitter) LinkedIn Telegram Threads An animal protection centre in Malaga is asking for help from the people of the city and along the Costa del Sol. This time La Protectora de Animales y Plantas de Malaga volunteers are asking for tins of pet food that will be given to sick dogs and cats at the shelter. The Darnos la lata! campaign - 'give us a can' - will remain active until 7 September. "We give the food to older animals, some of them without teeth, who can't chew their food, to give them their medication. We mix the medication with the pate or tinned food to make sure they eat it," Carmen Manzano, president of the shelter, explained to SUR. For the duration of the initiative, members of will be able to collaborate at a series of points where they can buy the canned food the shelter needs: - Protectora de Animales y Plantas (Camino de las Erizas, 4) - Jardin de la Abadia Veterinary Clinic (Calle Rocio, 1). - Gambrinus Manrique (Calle Manrique, 19). - Emergency veterinary emergency clinic in the centre of Malaga (calle Pinzon, 8). - Estefania Ramirez hairdressers (Camino de Casabermeja, 36). - Copycat Print Ciudad Jardin (Calle Maria Tubau, 26). -Requima, El Vigo industrial estate, (Avenida Washington, 66) Zoom Image of the campaign of the protective society. SUR The shelter is currently "oversaturated", according to Manzano, who also said that the animals are arriving "in worse and worse conditions". The shelter now has more than 340 dogs and 200 cats, when the actual capacity should be about 250 dogs and 180 cats. "We are operating beyond our means," she said. Manzano explained that those interested, in addition to donating cans of food, can help in various ways: by becoming members, volunteers or even by adopting one of the abandoned animals to give it a home and a second chance in life. Jose Antonio Bravo Madrid Thursday, 15 August 2024, 16:26 Opciones para compartir Copiar enlace WhatsApp Facebook X (antes Twitter) LinkedIn Telegram Threads Eight out of ten consumers (83%) of the Generation Z under-28 age group are happy to buy high-end pre-owned items, according to the specialised consultancy firm Bain & Company, known for their work on corporate strategy for big corporations. This change in purchasing trends is motivated, apart from economic reasons due to their still generally low purchasing power, by younger people's commitment to sustainability and the circular economy in order to mitigate the environmental impact of industry. The same report quantifies the value of the used luxury goods market at 45 billion euros in 2023 after growing by 4%. Europe accounts for between 40% to 50% of this market, followed by the USA. Some 80% of these sales corresponded to watches and jewellery. In this sense, according to the Boston Group consultancy, more than 30% of high-end watches sold in 2026 will be second-hand. Several companies in the luxury goods retail sector have already created their own 'pre-owned' services to give a second life to listed pieces that previously had a different owner. In fashion this business model already accounts for a more than 5% share of global sales. Vintage is on the up The Bain study noted that 70% of second-hand buyers made their first investment in a luxury brand purchase in a vintage product. It is a niche market that, according to Bain & Company, could generate an average of 20% of a high-end company's annual revenue by 2030. As one of Bain's partners, Cira Cuberes, put it: "they are items that allow them to express their individuality and style in a different way". "And that means transforming the DNA and corporate culture of the business from production to the marketing of the product," said Xandra Falco, president of Circulo Fortuny, the largest data-provider in the high-end fashion brand world in Spain. Within this growing taste for clothing and items from another era, there is a predominance of those who copy fashion from the 80s and 90s, and even in some cases from the last century, in particular the 1950s. Experts estimate that, by 2025, this second-hand boom in the luxury sector could exceed 50 billion euros in turnover at an expected annual growth rate of at least 5%. Neither should we forget that many buyers have a preference for pieces that are already out of stock or of which a limited series were made. The online shopping platforms themselves have joined this movement in the face of growing consumer interest. For example, Vinted - one of the largest - has published a trend report which reveals that Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Gucci are the most sought-after brands, followed by Hermes, Dior, Saint Laurent and Prada. Meanwhile, e-commerce giant Amazon has teamed up with family-owned luxury reseller Hardly Ever Worn It to sell collections together. On online trading platforms, the most popular brands are Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Gucci, followed by Hermes, Dior, Saint Laurent and Prada Alternative consumption models such as rental, pay-as-you-go or second-hand, among others, "are helping to democratise the high-end market, providing new consumer profiles, especially among the younger generations, with new ways to access and enjoy their favourite brands," says Enrique Porta, partner in charge of Consumer Affairs at KPMG in Spain. "Educating the consumer" The challenge for luxury companies is to capitalise on this rising interest in used goods to mitigate the negative impact of counterfeits. In Spain alone counterfeit goods generated 5.7 billion euros in losses and 44,700 jobs destroyed during the last year across all types of items. In 2022 some 2.66 million counterfeit articles were seized (almost 74% in fashion goods and accessories) worth 12.16 billion euros. Figures for the European Union as a whole amounted to almost 50 billion euros and nearly 416,000 jobs that were not created. Without lowering one's guard in the legal battle against counterfeit, other experts recommend some other tactics. Neus Soler, professor of Economics and Business at UOC (Open University of Catalonia), advises "educating the consumer" - firstly, so that "they better understand the risk they are taking". Spain is in second place as the EU country that intentionally buys the most counterfeit products, according to the European Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), especially among the under-24s. Soler adds that we should also educate the consumer so that "they understand the differential value offered by companies". In turn, brands such as Cartier, Gucci and Rolex, among others, "have implemented innovative measures to try to curb counterfeiting," said Tatiana Valoira, head of the Masters programme in Fashion & Retail Management at EAE Business School. While, on the one hand, they have created their own authenticity labels to facilitate identification of their genuine products. They have also set up programmes to certify their second-hand goods and thus "restore consumer confidence". Saugerties, N.Y. A fleet of hippie buses has taken over a quirky village in Upstate New York. But dont worry, travelers: The only parking spots the colorful, miniature vehicles take up are on sidewalks throughout charming Saugerties, a community recently named one of the 10 best small towns in the Northeast. The hippie buses are part of Groovin Around Saugerties a summer street art display in the Catskills village. Local artists painted each of the 37 buses into unique sculptures perched on pedestals on the side of Saugerties streets. The theme of the villages yearly street art show coincides with the 30th anniversary of Woodstock 1994, which was held in Saugerties. There are over 35 miniature hippie buses set up on platforms throughout Saugerties, N.Y. as part of "Groovin' Around Saugerties" a street art display that coincides with the 30th anniversary of Woodstock '94 Celebration in August 2024. Samantha House | shouse@syracuse.comSamantha House | shouse@syracuse The mini hippie buses range from psychedelic creations original Woodstock attendees would be proud to own including one with Jimi Hendrix at the wheel to muted little vehicles driving on pedestals painted to look like the beautiful Catskills countryside. If they were roadworthy, the buses would be big enough to ferry around an average house cat. They are adorned with ceramic mushrooms and miniature mirrors, Mardi Gras beads and a variety of furred and feathered friends. And even on the streets of photogenic Saugerties, the little painted buses stand out drawing the eyes and cameras of curious passersby. There are over 35 miniature hippie buses set up on platforms throughout Saugerties, N.Y. as part of "Groovin' Around Saugerties" a street art display that coincides with the 30th anniversary of Woodstock '94 Celebration in August 2024. Samantha House | shouse@syracuse.comSamantha House | shouse@syracuse The hippie buses created for Groovin Around Saugerties will remain parked on the streets of Saugerties through Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 2. The colorful creations crafted for Groovin Around Saugerties will be auctioned off to bidders in a live auction at SPAF, a reclaimed 1900s notebook factory, on Sept. 15. Art lovers can bid on the buses online or in person at the auction. For more information about the auctions and the street art display including a map pinpointing the sculptures locations and a photo of each bus visit Discover Saugerties website. There are over 35 miniature hippie buses set up on platforms throughout Saugerties, N.Y. as part of "Groovin' Around Saugerties" a street art display that coincides with the 30th anniversary of Woodstock '94 Celebration in August 2024. Samantha House | shouse@syracuse.comSamantha House | shouse@syracuse There are over 35 miniature hippie buses set up on platforms throughout Saugerties, N.Y. as part of "Groovin' Around Saugerties" a street art display that coincides with the 30th anniversary of Woodstock '94 Celebration in August 2024. Samantha House | shouse@syracuse.comSamantha House | shouse@syracuse There are over 35 miniature hippie buses set up on platforms throughout Saugerties, N.Y. as part of "Groovin' Around Saugerties" a street art display that coincides with the 30th anniversary of Woodstock '94 Celebration in August 2024. Samantha House | shouse@syracuse.comSamantha House | shouse@syracuse Saboor Sakhizadas journey began in 2014 when he sought refuge from Afghanistan, finding a new home in Syracuse. Today, he works as a program manager at Syracuse Universitys DAniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families, dedicated to supporting those who have served. While some of his family members have joined him in the United States, others remain in Afghanistan, a reminder of the ties that bind him to his birthplace. As I sat in a bustling New York City restaurant, waiting for a dear friend, my mind wandered back 23 years. This city, once scarred by the shocking events of Sept. 11, 2001, now appeared calm and ordinary. I couldnt help but wonder if I was alone in reflecting on that fateful day. The attacks had not only reshaped New York but also fundamentally altered the United States and its allies approach to global security. The emergence of a new enemy violent extremism challenged old paradigms. Allies rallied, invoking Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, standing shoulder to shoulder in the face of aggression. Yet, the fight against violent extremism required more than declarations; it demanded the rebirth of alliances in forgotten corners, where relationships had grown dusty and were fading. Afghan allies interpreters, cultural advisers and countless others who supported this battle signed their own death warrants as they stepped onto the battlefield, blindfolded by the uncertainty of their fate. Their mission, in many ways, was a testament to their patriotism and rebellion against a governing system that was fundamentally un-Afghan and inhumane. Forging alliances with interpreters and local actors individuals who could navigate this complex mission against an elusive enemy was key to success. Sadly, back then, the vision was clouded, and the mission doubted. Even now, the perception remains skewed, leaving these vital alliances unrenewed. I often reflect on the challenge of combating thoughts and ideas, and how this invisible enemy seemed to grow stronger the more we attempted to confront it. Fast forward to 2024, and as I sat in that luxurious New York City restaurant, I was in deep thought; the battle rages on. Thousands of these allies have died, including members of my own family, and sadly, many more will pay the ultimate price. Afghan allies, once vital, are now often forgotten. Some have found refuge in the United States and Europe, while others hide in neighboring countries, facing daily struggles. The most heart-wrenching plight belongs to those still in Afghanistan, particularly women and girls, whose lives are overshadowed by misogyny, oppression and fear. As I sat surrounded by the citys opulence, I couldnt help but feel the weight of their silent suffering and the enduring struggle against an invisible enemy. Traditionally, interpreters are expected to stay invisible; they are not meant to be seen, only heard. Their opinions have little to no value. They are present in shadows, seen yet unseen. They were there in form but absent in essence indispensable but anonymous. They were the other, the person on the side, in the middle or in the back. The top job required interpreters to use the word I in an alien form. They operated as empty vessels, required to be void of ego, values and mind. This is reminiscent of what psychologist Erik Erikson said: American Negro writers often emphasize themes of inaudibility, invisibility, namelessness, and facelessness depicting a void of silent, faceless individuals excluded from history. Perhaps a similar description can be applied to interpreters. This situation also emphasizes a much larger and pressing issue. Three years after the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan, as we reflect on the sacrifices of Afghan allies and the servicemen and women of this nation, we are reminded of the thousands of interpreters still waiting for their Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applications to be approved. For them, approval represents a lifeline a chance for a new life, renewed hope, and a fresh beginning but a crucial test of promises made and promises delivered. Syracuse is home to many of these brave individuals. They could be your neighbors; their children might be studying in the same class as your kids. Far from being empty vessels, they bring with them a wealth of experience and knowledge that is unparalleled. Ask any combat veteran, and they will tell you that these interpreters and advisers were the helping handindispensable resources for Americans deployed overseas. Yet, despite their critical contributions, the path to safety and security in the United States is fraught with daunting obstacles. According to a Department of State report to Congress, the estimated total processing time for SIV applications is a staggering 609 days. This figure doesnt even account for the additional days spent by individual applicants gathering documents and completing forms. Nor does it include the endless back-and-forth with the State Department if any document is deemed missing or incomplete. This July 2, 2009, photo shows Josh Habib, far left, a 53-year-old translator for the U.S. Marines, speaking with Afghan villagers and two Marines in the Nawa district of Afghanistan's Helmand province. More than 200 Afghans were due to land Friday, July 30, 2021 in the United States in the first of several planned evacuation flights for former translators and others as the U.S. ends its nearly 20-year war in Afghanistan. (David Guttenfelder | AP)AP Imagine living each of those 609 days and more in fear, uncertainty, and limbo. The sheer length and complexity of this process are not just bureaucratic inefficiencies; they are life-threatening delays. These individuals, who once stood by our side in the most perilous conditions, now find themselves entangled in a web of red tape and hopelessness, their futures hanging in the balance. It is not just a procedural oversight; it is a moral failing that demands our immediate attention and action. This day also serves as an emotional reminder of another fateful event: Aug. 15, 2021. Just three years ago, we watched Afghanistan, a struggling republic at the heart of Asia, fall into the hands of violent extremists, bearing witness to the United States inability to protect her allies. As we grapple with the ever-evolving realm of international relations, its crucial to ask why we often overlook allies who are vital to U.S. interests. The U.S. government risks a significant miscalculation by failing to support these often-silent diplomats. They could be the key to advancing American interests and strengthening our foreign policy. This shift in perspective invites us to see American foreign policy through the eyes of the silent ones those who are indispensable yet often overlooked. It is time for the U.S. Department of State to embark on a transformative journey, mending its frayed global reputation, rekindling trust, actively supporting allies, and fostering global peace. Ransomware attacks have shown signs of decreasing in recent months. Yet they still pose enough threat for organizations to rethink whether a successful breach of their computers justifies paying a ransom demand in hopes attackers will not divulge their stolen content. According to the NCC Group Threat Pulse Report released in May, the ransomware landscape remains turbulent despite fewer reported incidents since April. Industrials (34%) and Consumer Cyclicals (18%) remained the first and second-most targeted sectors. There has been a significant shake-up among the top 10 ransomware actors since April. Hunters, one of the leading bad actors, moved from eighth to the second most active threat actor. It launched 61% more ransomware attacks in April than in March. RansomHub replaced RA Group in third place and saw a 42% increase in attacks over March. The policy of not paying ransom, often called a no concessions policy, is a widely debated strategy in counterterrorism and hostage situations. Its effectiveness continues to be argued from multiple perspectives. Cybersecurity experts apply the same reasoning when deciding whether to make or not make ransomware payments. Some argue that paying ransomware demands finances future criminal activity. Legal considerations are also part of the decision equation. In some countries, paying ransom to terrorists is illegal. Others say similar laws are needed to help curb ransomware crime. According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, no federal law in the United States makes paying ransomware demands illegal. However, making such payments comes with significant legal and financial risks. The rationale behind a no concessions policy is that eliminating the financial incentive for cybercriminals could decrease the frequency and severity of ransomware attacks, according to Anne Cutler, cybersecurity evangelist at Keeper Security. However, this approach, while commendable, presents real-world challenges for organizations, she told TechNewsWorld. No-Pay Ransomware Strategy is Gaining Support Cybersecurity experts and government officials have long supported the policy of not paying ransoms due to its potential to curb criminal activity and reduce attacks, noted Cutler. Paying ransoms is risky and unreliable and does not guarantee that cybercriminals will restore access or decrypt files. Cybersecurity insurance companies are increasingly excluding ransomware payments from coverage, enticing organizations to invest more heavily in proactive preventative measures, she added. Cutler offered Japans strategy as a pertinent example. Nikkei Cross Tech and Japan Proofpoint report that Japanese organizations maintain a notably low rate of ransom payments compared to other countries. Despite a surge in ransomware incidents through 2023, the first half of 2024 has seen a slight decline, according to the Metropolitan Police Departments Threats in Cyberspace Report. While it is not clear if this decrease is directly related to Japans low payment rate, it suggests that minimizing ransom payments could influence overall ransomware activity, she explained. Challenges Enforcing Ransomware Payment Bans Craig Jones, vice president of security operations at Ontinue, admitted that cyber experts discuss the pros and cons of banning ransom payments to combat ransomware. But that is a multifaceted proposition. While it could dishearten attackers by cutting off their financial incentives, enforcing such a ban is difficult, especially with the anonymity provided by cryptocurrencies, he told TechNewsWorld. In critical situations, organizations may still choose to pay ransoms covertly to recover vital data or restore operations, undermining the bans effectiveness, he added. Jones views a more well-rounded approach as potentially more effective. He favors enhancing cybersecurity defenses, promoting international cooperation to track and prosecute cybercriminals, and regulating the cyber insurance industry. This multilayered strategy addresses the root causes and consequences of ransomware without the significant enforcement challenges and potential negative consequences of a ban, he reasoned. Such an approach acknowledges the complexities and the global nature of cyber threats, offering a balanced solution to mitigate ransomware risks. No Concessions Ransomware Policy Risks and Realities In theory, no payment clauses try to disrupt the profitability of cybercrime by denying attackers their desired outcome. However, applying this strategy universally can be challenging, warned Jason Soroko, senior vice president of product at Sectigo. His company offers comprehensive certificate lifecycle management (CLM) services. While banning ransomware payments might deter attacks over time, it also puts victims, especially critical infrastructure, in a precarious position, potentially leading to severe disruptions, he told TechNewsWorld. Legal frameworks prohibiting payments would need to be carefully crafted to avoid unintended consequences, he suggested. This includes forcing organizations to operate in secrecy or exacerbating the damage during an active attack. The balance between disincentivizing crime and protecting essential services is delicate, he observed. Strengthening Cybersecurity Through Employee Training Employee training and education on cybersecurity best practices are crucial for protecting an organization from evolving cyber threats, countered Patrick Tiquet, vice president for security and architecture at Keeper Security. Employees are the first line of defense. Regular training sessions should emphasize the importance of vigilance when receiving unsolicited multi-factor authentication (MFA) prompts, he asserted. This education process should focus on training employees to question unexpected notifications immediately and report any suspicious activity without delay. Simulated phishing attacks and push notification exercises can effectively help employees recognize and respond to threats, Tiquet noted. Fostering a culture where employees feel comfortable reporting potential security issues without fear of reprimand is essential for timely threat detection and response, he said. Tips to Avoid Ransomware Payment Dilemmas Ngoc Bui, a cybersecurity expert at Menlo Security, argues that paying ransoms should not be illegal anywhere. While it might incentivize threat actors, not paying could be more damaging, especially for organizations involved in critical infrastructure. The disruption from ransomware can be catastrophic, and organizations must prioritize protecting operations and stakeholders. Organizations that suffer a ransomware attack should also use it as a learning opportunity to adjust their security measures and ensure they are using actionable intelligence to do so, said Bui. A primary strategy for avoiding the pay-or-do-no-pay question is proactively preventing ransomware attacks. Tiquet recommends companies manage third-party contractor security. Start by conducting thorough background checks and security assessments to ensure contractors meet stringent standards before granting access to sensitive systems. Once contractors are onboarded, applying the principle of least privilege is critical to an organizations security, he said. This approach means granting them only the minimum access necessary for their specific tasks and roles within the organization. Regular audits of third-party access are crucial to detect any unusual or unauthorized activities early on, enabling prompt action to mitigate potential risks and breaches. In brief: Stonehenge is easily the oldest and most mysterious of Britain's iconic monuments. Its true purpose might never be definitively uncovered, but researchers continue to infer details regarding when and how it was constructed. A new study suggests that a central component of the structure originated on the opposite end of Great Britain, implying a high degree of sophistication in the societies that built it. A paper recently published in the scientific journal Nature presents evidence that the altar stone at the center of Stonehenge was transported to the site from northeastern Scotland, over 460 miles away. If the study's assertions are accurate, then the stone is by far the megalith's most exotic component. Upon analyzing fragments of the altar stone, a large slab that lies flat underneath other collapsed stones, researchers discovered that its composition closely matches Old Red Sandstone from the Orcadian Basin in northeast Scotland. The study's authors theorize that the 13,000-pound rock was transported by sea to the site of Stonehenge in southern England. Click here to enlarge Observers have long understood that the monument could only have been created by complex cultures capable of coordinating large construction projects and sourcing materials from far away. The bluestones, which form a circle in the interior, likely came from southern Wales, over 100 miles away. Still, a Scottish origin for the altar stone defies prior knowledge about Stonehenge's origins. The UNESCO World Heritage Site was built in stages by multiple groups of people over around 2,000 years. The area had been important to Mesolithic hunter-gatherers since roughly 8,000 BC, but Neolithic farmers likely created the initial earthen ditches surrounding the site sometime around 3,000 BC. Click here to enlarge A circle of local sarsen stones and Welsh bluestones was erected within the earthen ring around 2,500 BC (roughly the same time the Egyptian pyramids were built), with the altar stone roughly at its center. They were probably rearranged in the 2,200s BC, and the site remained in use until around 1,500 BC. Parts of the structure are carefully aligned so that the sun lights them during the summer and winter solstices. Whoever constructed Stonehenge shaped the rocks into their current form and used indentations to lock them into place. The achievement is particularly impressive because the builders would've only had access to stone-age tools and would not have possessed the wheel. A hot potato: Concerns are growing about AI monetization, even as the largest technology companies continue to pour billions into the seemingly bottomless pit of generative algorithms. Will the AI bubble burst before it achieves world domination through uncanny hallucinations and outrageous predictions? IT spending on AI services and algorithmic training continues to grow, even though the path to monetization is proving longer than expected. According to the latest analysis from S&P Global, cloud giants are "heavily" investing in AI, while traditional computer markets remain weak. The firm states that when considering combined capital spending, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Meta's AI investments are up 60 percent year-over-year. The three major players in the cloud business are experiencing higher growth rates, and they are projected to continue growing by 20 percent or more in 2025. Growth trends have improved over the past two quarters due to "less defensive" enterprise IT budgets, S&P notes. While most of the low-hanging fruit in the AI business has already been picked, cloud service providers can still benefit from on-premise to cloud migrations and the rise of new cloud-focused workloads. AI workloads are coming online, and the technology is gaining traction. However, CSPs are still spending significantly more than they are earning from AI algorithms. As a result, S&P predicts that "the path to AI monetization and maturity will be longer than previously expected." Google/Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai recently emphasized that the risk of underinvesting in AI is much greater than the risk of overinvesting, while major AI companies like OpenAI require substantial funding just to stay operational. Companies aren't exactly adopting AI en masse, S&P concedes. Many potential CSP customers are still trying to figure out how to integrate the technology into their businesses, and the proliferation of generative AI services and models isn't helping the situation. S&P predicts that AI spending will continue to grow by more than 20 percent at least until 2028. Meanwhile, global IT spending in 2024 is expected to remain at an eight percent growth rate. Enterprise hardware and "non-AI" tech sectors are experiencing weaker growth trends, with a gradual recovery anticipated in the latter half of the year. Enterprises are delaying long-term projects but continuing with cloud transitions. According to S&P, management teams are more confident about the macroeconomic environment compared to six months ago. S&P has also assigned an "A-" credit rating to Intel, following a weaker-than-expected quarter marked by missed expectations and a revenue cut. Intel will face a "challenging" second half of the year as its customers work to reduce inventory. The growing segment will be the "AI PC" market, with more than 40 million units expected to be shipped by the end of 2024 and a cumulative total of 100 million units by the end of 2025. What just happened? It's been quite a while since Kim Dotcom made headlines. The founder of the defunct file-sharing site Megaupload has been fighting extradition from New Zealand to the US for 12 years, but he has finally lost the battle. However, the German-born internet mogul says he's not leaving. In 2012, the US Justice Department charged Dotcom for the creation and operation of Megaupload, a file-sharing platform that had been operating from 2005 to 2012. At its peak, Megaupload reportedly accounted for four percent of all traffic on the Internet and had as many as 50 million daily visitors. The FBI ordered a raid on his Auckland mansion in the same year as his arrest Dotcom has New Zealand residency and he has been fighting extradition to the US ever since. A New Zealand court ruled in 2015 that Dotcom is eligible to be extradited to the US, the first step in a long-running battle. Extradition was approved in 2017, and though Dotcom appealed, a court upheld the ruling in 2018 the same year he launched a lawsuit against New Zealand over claims he had lost $6.8 billion from his businesses due to the raid, having his assets seized, and damage to his reputation. The country's supreme court affirmed the extradition ruling in 2020, but there were more reviews to come. Now, New Zealand Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has signed an extradition order for Dotcom. "I considered all of the information carefully, and have decided that Mr. Dotcom should be surrendered to the US to face trial," said Goldsmith. "As is common practice, I have allowed Mr. Dotcom a short period of time to consider and take advice on my decision. I will not, therefore, be commenting further at this stage." Dotcom seems unwilling to obey the ruling, writing on X that "I love New Zealand. I'm not leaving." He also told fans not to worry as he has "a plan." Oops AA Don't worry I have a plan AAA pic.twitter.com/1ow9drHcfv Kim Dotcom (@KimDotcom) August 15, 2024 "The obedient US colony in the South Pacific just decided to extradite me for what users uploaded to Megaupload, unsolicited, and what copyright holders were able to remove with direct delete access instantly and without question," Dotcom claimed in another post. The US debt and money printing system is collapsing. The West is heading into an economic wasteland. The Middle East is on fire. Russia dominates Ukraine and NATO. BRICS is ending US hegemony and the fake 'rules-based order'. US puppets are failing everywhere. Genocide, Kim Dotcom (@KimDotcom) August 13, 2024 Dotcom faces charges of copyright infringement, money laundering, and racketeering. If convicted in the US, Dotcom and his former colleagues - Mathias Ortmann, Bram van der Kolk and Finn Batato could be jailed for decades. US authorities say Dotcom and the three other Megaupload executives cost film studios and record companies more than $500 million by encouraging paying users to store and share copyrighted material, generating more than $175 million in revenue for the platform. A year after police arrested him in 2012, Dotcom launched an encrypted file storage service dubbed 'Mega', although he has not been involved with the company since at least 2015. He attempted to relaunch Megaupload in 2016. Dotcom also launched a new venture called Bitcache that allowed people and businesses to sell content for Bitcoins. It went into liquidation last year due to unpaid legal fees. The battle for AI chatbot supremacy continues to heat up, with OpenAI's ChatGPT-4o regaining the top spot on the LMSys Chatbot Arena benchmark. This development comes just a day after Google highlighted its previous lead at its Made by Google keynote. ChatGPT-4o Overtakes Gemini in AI Benchmarks Earlier this year, Claude held the top position on the AI benchmarking tool, LMSys Chatbot Arena, while Google's Gemini maintained its supremacy for a significant period. However, in a recent twist, ChatGPT-4o (20240808) has reclaimed the lead, achieving a score of 1314, which is 17 points ahead of Gemini-1.5-Pro-Exp, according to Tom's Guide. Impressive Technical Advancements in ChatGPT-4o According to LMSys.org on X, "New ChatGPT-4o demonstrates notable improvement in technical domains, particularly in Coding (30+ point improvement over GPT-4o-20240513), as well as in Instruction-following and Hard Prompts." These advancements have contributed to ChatGPT-4o's resurgence as the leading AI chatbot, offering users enhanced performance in complex tasks. Exciting Update from Chatbot Arena! The latest @OpenAI ChatGPT-4o (20240808) API has been tested under "anonymous-chatbot" for the past week with over 11,000 community votes. OpenAI has now successfully re-claimed the #1 position, surpassing Google's Gemini-1.5-Pro-Exp with an https://t.co/9lJlASI9UW pic.twitter.com/gxCDuBOi9N lmsys.org (@lmsysorg) August 14, 2024 New ChatGPT-4o Model Boasts Enhanced User Performance OpenAI has not only improved the technical capabilities of ChatGPT-4o but also enhanced the user experience. In recent tests, users reported that the latest version of ChatGPT-4o was significantly faster and more efficient than previous iterations. One notable example involved building an entire iOS app in just an hour, showcasing the model's increased speed and accuracy. Additionally, OpenAI has made improvements to the Mac app, further boosting the overall experience for ChatGPT users. These upgrades have made it an exceptionally productive week for both OpenAI and its user base, reinforcing ChatGPT's position as a top-tier AI tool. The Competitive Landscape: What's Next? Despite ChatGPT-4o's recent success, the AI chatbot landscape remains highly competitive. New and updated models are continually being introduced, meaning the leaderboard could see more shifts in the near future. Notably, Google has yet to release its anticipated Ultra 1.5 model, and Claude Opus 1.5 is also on the horizon. Moreover, xAI's Grok 2 has made a strong debut, securing a spot in the top ten. For now, though, ChatGPT-4o stands at the forefront, setting a new standard in the industry. Even though it's the top chatbot at the moment, ChatGPT is still flawed. Business Insider reports that it got confused when responding in Welsh to some users. The glitch was caused by Whisper, a speech recognition tool. In China, the unauthorized use of ChatGPT is prohibited. According to Tech Times, anyone caught using the chatbot will receive a corresponding penalty. The first half of 2024 saw many website operators rolling out unauthorized access to generative AI services. In the meantime, here's how to generate images on DALL-E 3 with the help of ChatGPT. T-Mobile has been hit with a $60 million fine for its failure to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data and for not reporting the breach in a timely manner. The fine, imposed by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), marks the largest penalty the committee has ever issued, according to Reuters. CFIUS and Its Role in National Security The Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS) is tasked with overseeing the national security implications of foreign entities making business investments in the country. Due to T-Mobile's majority ownership by the German company Deutsche Telekom, CFIUS has jurisdiction over the telecom giant. The committee holds the power to block investments, impose conditions, and levy fines on companies that violate their obligations. T-Mobile's $60M Penalty Explained As per 9to5Mac, T-Mobile's troubles began when it acquired Sprint in 2020. As part of the merger, CFIUS imposed strict conditions to ensure the protection of sensitive data. However, the committee found that mobile network provider breached these conditions by failing to secure data adequately and subsequently failing to report unauthorized access. According to U.S. officials, the unauthorized access occurred in 2020 and 2021, during the post-merger integration process. T-Mobile acknowledged that technical issues affected a small number of law enforcement information requests, but stressed that the data never left the law enforcement community and was addressed promptly. One U.S. official emphasized that the $60 million penalty underscores CFIUS's commitment to enforcing compliance and holding companies accountable. The official added that transparency in enforcement actions serves as a deterrent, encouraging other companies to fulfill their obligations. The Increasing Power of CFIUS Enforcement CFIUS has significantly increased the penalties it imposes on companies that fail to meet their obligations. T-Mobile's $60 million fine is a testament to the committee's growing enforcement power. The penalty not only reflects the seriousness of the breach but also serves as a warning to other companies about the importance of safeguarding sensitive data. No Hacker Was Involved In an email to PCMag, a T-Mobile spokesperson said that what previously happened was not a "breach or intrusion. There was also no bad actor involved in the incident. "We experienced technical issues during our post-merger integration with Sprint that affected information shared from a small number of law enforcement information requests out of the hundreds of thousands that we process each year," the representative said. Back in April, T-Mobile, along with AT&T and Verizon were fined $200 million for unauthorized sharing of user location information to aggregators without consent. However, the carriers denied the accusations thrown to them, according to Tech Times. Elene Khoshtaria, a leader of the Droa party and the For Change Coalition, has sharply criticized the Georgian government's current stance on the 2008 war. Khoshtaria condemned the government's position, accusing it of wrongly blaming Georgia for the conflict and its strategic partners for failing to support the country."This is really a treasonous statement," Khoshtaria said. "It is difficult to remember a state that accuses itself of dealing with an aggressor, of starting a war, and also blames our strategic partners, who are responsible for the preservation of our state and our territorial integrity. This undermines specific international legal mechanisms, including the policy of non-recognition and our overall territorial integrity."Khoshtaria announced a new plan set to be implemented from October 27, aiming to reverse these issues and strengthen Georgia's international stance. The key elements of the plan include:United Nations Engagement: Convening the UN Security Council whenever Russia threatens Georgia's territorial integrity to ensure a political response.Restoring IDP Rights: Prioritizing the restoration of property rights for internally displaced persons (IDPs) both within Georgia and internationally, including efforts towards reparation and restitution.Legal Action: Utilizing the International Court of Justice to address Russia's actions against Georgia and seeking legal redress for the aggression.Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced the appointment of 22 delegates who will spearhead the Georgian Dream party's regional election campaigns.At a briefing, Kobakhidze explained that while Georgian Dream will have delegates in all 30 electoral constituencies for the upcoming October 26 parliamentary elections, only 22 delegates were introduced today. These delegates will campaign in specific districts and, if elected, represent local interests in Parliament.Kobakhidze noted that the shift to a fully proportional voting system has reduced the direct connection between voters and their candidates. To address this, the role of delegate has been introduced to improve voter engagement and ensure that regional concerns are effectively represented. Climate activists halt traffic in two German airports Frankfurt, Germany, Aug 15 (AFP) Aug 15, 2024 Climate activists demonstrated at four German airports on Thursday morning, gluing themselves to the tarmac and bringing air traffic to a halt at two, operators said. Activists "Letzte Generation" (Last Generation) said its members had entered four German airports -- Cologne-Bonn, Nuremberg, Berlin and Stuttgart -- unfurling banners reading "Oil kills". "A total of eight people entered the runways as early as 5:00 am and stuck themselves to the asphalt," the climate organisation said in a statement. They did not enter the runways. But airport operators in the Nuremberg and Cologne-Bonn airport said that air traffic had still been suspended due to ongoing police operations. In Berlin and Stuttgart, the people stuck on the runway were quickly removed by police and air operations were not affected, police and airport sources told AFP. Last Generation is known for mounting eye-catching protests -- from throwing mashed potatoes at paintings in museums to glueing themselves on busy roads. In July activists from the group halted traffic for two hours during the busy summer holiday season by gluing themselves to the tarmac at Germany's busiest airport, Frankfurt. Magnitude 5.4 quake shakes northeastern Taiwan: USGS Taipei, Aug 15 (AFP) Aug 15, 2024 A 5.4 magnitude earthquake hit northeastern Taiwan on Thursday, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said, with the tremor shaking buildings in Taipei but causing no major damage. Taiwan's Central Weather Administration (CWA) put the magnitude of the quake, which hit just after 5 pm (0900 GMT), at 5.7. According to the USGS, it hit at a shallow depth of 11 kilometres (7 miles) in the sea about 44 kilometres (27 miles) southeast of Yilan county. "The building was swaying," an AFP reporter in the capital said. The CWA also issued mobile phone alerts warning people to "keep calm and seek cover nearby". By around 5:30 pm, Taiwan's National Fire Agency issued a statement saying there was "no report of major damages". Taiwan experiences frequent earthquakes due to its location between two tectonic plates. The last major one occurred in early April, when the island was hit by a deadly 7.4 magnitude quake, which officials said was the strongest in 25 years. At least 17 people were killed in the April quake, which triggered landslides and severely damaged buildings around the epicentre in the eastern city of Hualien. Advertisement Review Eating outNewtown New modern Mexican brings the fiesta to the inner west, and gets a hat straight off the bat Comedor nails warehouse party vibes, with a buzzy open kitchen, park views and plenty of salsa. Callan Boys August 16, 2024 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share 1 / 8 Comedor is a good-looking space set in a century-old warehouse. Jennifer Soo 2 / 8 Pork tonkatsu with salsa verde and chayote. Jennifer Soo 3 / 8 Gold Street Dairy jersey cheese with salsa roja and nopales. Jennifer Soo 4 / 8 Margarita de Nuez. Jennifer Soo 5 / 8 Jennifer Soo 6 / 8 Snapper crudo with salted green apple, grapes and furikake. Jennifer Soo 7 / 8 Persimmon and manchego tart. Jennifer Soo 8 / 8 Jennifer Soo Previous Slide Next Slide Good Food hat 15 / 20 How we score Mexican$$$$ Ive found it. Stop looking. The hunt is over. No need to read any of those Hottest new spots for summer lists rolled out every November. When daylight savings comes around, Ill be heading straight to Camperdown Memorial Rest Park and one of the eight outdoor deck chairs at the east-side Comedor. Youll be able to eat snacky, corn-based Mexican things, sink cold brew coffee, and if the licensing gods are kind and giving you may also bring your own bottle of wine. I say will be able because Comedor opened only five weeks ago and venue manager Kieran Took is under the pump just trying to keep up with demand for a table, let alone launch a snack deck in the park. To be honest, I wasnt sure if a modern Mexican restaurant would take off in a residential part of Newtown, a block up from the Courthouse Hotel its not quite King Street but on a recent Thursday night the place was pumping with a whos who of the inner west brewers, designers, musicians and artists. Butchers, bakers and at least one candle-stick maker. Advertisement You can see the appeal; its a good-looking space. Set in a century-old warehouse owned by Newtown local Walter Shellshear, deep blues and earthy reds frame distressed bricks and a long stone bar thats one of the most comfortable counters in town. So much elbow room! Natural light floods the space at lunch, and Im jonesing to return for another afternoon session with Tooks cocktails. Margarita de nuez. Jennifer Soo The margarita de nuez ($22), especially, feels like a five-minute holiday in Jalisco, teaming cardamom-infused reposado tequila with almond syrup, rose vermouth, lemon juice and rosewater. Floral. Nutty. Very refreshing. Shellshear doesnt have much hospitality experience, but he does love Mexico and its food and knows that Alejandro Huerta is the right choice to lead Comedors kitchen. You may have previously encountered his cooking at Paddingtons mezcal-fuelled El Primo Sanchez. Pork tonkatsu with salsa verde and chayote. Jennifer Soo Advertisement The inspiration here comes from contemporary Mexico City restaurants with some Japanese and Italian influences thrown in. Linguine with aged cheese sauce ($30), say, and a hefty pork tonkatsu cutlet ($45) on salsa verde and a pea-green blitz of chayote. (If you grew up in suburban Sydney and dont speak Spanish, chayote is good ol choko.) The inspiration comes from Mexico City restaurants with Japanese and Italian influences thrown in. The closest thing to a taco at Comedor is one meaty tiger prawn as thick as a front-rowers thumb laid across a soft tortilla, charred head attached ($15). A clam-infused sauce of morita chillies (like chipotles, but not as smoky) covers the prawn, and its fine. I was just expecting bigger, brighter flavours. Gold Street Dairy jersey cheese with salsa roja and nopales. Jennifer Soo Consider the creamy Jersey milk cheese ($16), made by Marrickvilles Goldstreet Dairy, as a starter instead. The halloumi-adjacent slab is covered in fruity salsa roja and soft strips of nopales (read: prickly pear cactus), and you may be reminded of a slice of Pizza Huts Veggie Sensation. Advertisement Another highlight is Huertas complex mole coloradito, made to his grandmothers recipe with tomato, cocoa beans, garlic and assorted dried chillies I struggle to pronounce. Its cooked for at least eight hours until it thumps with flavour and history, and later enhances a jumble of zucchini flowers and yellow squash ($30). Meanwhile, Jerusalem artichokes are pureed, roasted and fashioned into chip form, and amped up by nutty salsa macha of creeping heat ($18). Plant-based eaters, book now. Theres also impeccably crunchy fried chicken with an intense chilli jam ($28), and a retired dairy cow steak with mushroom jus and XO ($79). Snapper crudo ($24) should stick around until spring (fingers crossed), the cured fish sent out in a pool of fermented green apple juice with grapes and toasty furikake seasoning. Its a deftly balanced dish, but its not crudo weather yet. Persimmon and manchego tart. Jennifer Soo Advertisement A persimmon and manchego tart ($16), however, is perfect August eating: butter-loaded pastry filled with salty, whipped cheese, and lightly sweetened by persimmon jam. A dessert for people who dont like dessert. Safe to say, Im a big fan of the place. Floor staff are invested in their work, the open kitchen has a kinetic buzz. A proper job has been done on the interiors so you can still hear the person across from you over the packed dining room and the soundtrack, which swings between 1970s Columbian pop and Seals and Crofts Summer Breeze. And if the parkside deck plans are fully realised and you can bring gamay and eat fried chicken and listen to American soft rock? My gosh. The Good Food Guide may need to introduce a fourth hat. The low-down Vibe: Low-key warehouse party with park views and plenty of salsa Go-to dish: Persimmon and manchego tart ($16) Drinks: Fun list of natural wines and fizz with most bottles below $100; excellent cocktails and agave-based spirits Cost: About $145 for two, excluding drinks This review was originally published in Good Weekend magazine Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox. Sign up The union plays a key role in the power-sharing arrangement holding Victorian Labor together, so no wonder Somyurek and others are likely licking their lips at the chance of a leadership change and a realignment. What a mess. LAWYERED UP As soon as the ABC dropped the trailer for its Monday night investigation of workplace culture at Seven West Media, the inevitable flurry of lawyers letters began. Now, The Australian has been dragged into the legal muck. And it comes back, as it always does, to Bruce Lehrmann. Mondays Four Corners episode exposed a series of texts alleged to have been antisemitic and offensive between former Spotlight executive producer Mark Llewellyn and his underling at the program, Taylor Auerbach. Taylor Auerbach has a headache over The Australian. Credit: Shakespeare Auerbach became famous for his bombshell evidence in Lehrmanns Federal Court defamation trial that Seven allegedly paid for sex workers and cocaine to secure a tell-all interview with the former Liberal staffer. Lehrmann and Seven deny the allegations. On Tuesday, The Oz published an exclusive interview Llewellyn gave to Sydney bureau chief Stephen Rice denying any claims of bullying or antisemitism, and trying to reframe the whole thing as a misunderstood mutual joke. By Wednesday, Auerbachs lawyer, Rebekah Giles, sent a concerns notice, the first step in initiating defamation proceedings, to The Australian and Rice, labelling the article a press release for Llewellyn. According to Giles letter, which fell off a truck into CBDs hands, the paper defamed Auerbach by imputing he dishonestly made false claims of bullying and antisemitism about Llewellyn to the ABC, that he purchased cocaine for himself using Network Sevens credit card, and betrayed his friendship with Llewellyn by making false claims of antisemitism and bullying against Llewellyn to the ABC. Giles letter also claimed the reporting was replete with factual errors, and said The Australian had failed to contact Auerbach for comment and failed to disclose a friendship between Rice and Llewellyn. It beggars belief that these allegations were published without any attempt to contact our client for comment, Giles wrote. Giles even brought News Corp boss Lachlan Murdoch into the mix, noting his speech at recent 60th birthday celebrations for The Australian. He spoke of real journalism and its importance in a democratic society. Journalists first and foremost report the news, accurately and without bias. We report the facts. We ask questions. We seek the truth. On this occasion none of that occurred. It was not real journalism, it was a press statement for Mr Llewellyn. Auerbach, by way of Giles, demanded The Australian delete the article, publish an apology online and in print, and pay his legal costs. If not, our client intends to commence defamation proceedings. CBD offers no comment as to the merit of claims made by Llewellyn or Auerbach via Giles pen. We did try to contact Rice and Llewellyn but they both declined to comment. The editor of The Australian Kelvin Healey said the paper stood by its reporting which simply detailed Mr Llewellyns response to serious claims of bullying and antisemitism made by Mr Auerbach and repeated by the ABC. Stephen Rice has had friendly and cordial relations with both Mr Llewellyn and Mr Auerbach in the past but not to the level that required any declaration, Healey said. Aunty plays the hits, one more time Bah de dee do da da, duh duh duh duh duh, duh duh duh-duh-duh. Its back! After a nearly 20-year absence, the ABC will reinstall perhaps its most-iconic TV news theme where it belongs: at the top of the broadcast. From Monday the theme, known simply as the ABC News Theme, will return to Auntys news broadcasts at 9am on Monday. I missed it when it went because Id grown up with it. I heard it a couple of times a day for the first 20 years of my life, said ABC senior audio creative and sound designer David McDonald, who worked on the update. It has a driving, strident beat that suggests solidity, trustworthiness. The theme was written by Tony Ansell and Peter Wall during a weekend in NSWs Hunter Valley and was on-air between 1986 and 2005. Ansell managed to find the original tape recording and has now worked on an updated remix to suit powerful modern TV speakers and headphones. Im delighted its coming back I think its our best work, Wall said. Many people grew up listening to it and its wonderful new audiences will now also be able to discover it. Tonys arrangement and Dick Montzs piccolo trumpet have really stood the test of time. The goal of the rearrangement was to keep as much of the original intact, McDonald said. They have added a four on the floor beat, and something that sounds a little like an American marching band drum corp. Its a fun, percussive, energetic sound. I am one of the 120,000 homeless Australians living in the shadow of societys indifference to our lives. Perhaps if you knew how we got here, our cries for help would be harder to ignore. In my case, I fled a difficult childhood before taking whatever jobs I needed to survive. I have been a palliative care worker, shopkeeper, barista and masseuse. I even shucked oysters for a while. Jacq Gallagher became homeless when her home was put up for short-term holiday rental. Credit: Eve Gallagher And until last summer, my hard work paid off. But when my former landlord told me she was turning my long-term home into a short-term holiday stay, every other rental property available was terrifyingly out of reach. I started sleeping in a cemetery because the dead were less likely to hurt me than the living. A beautiful family then invited me to stay while I converted a van into a mobile home with help from family and friends. 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 As voters go to the polls on Saturday, we explore whats at stake in the NSW local government elections. See all 10 stories . On Tuesday night, local Liberals filed into the Market Street offices of a communications firm to launch the partys campaign for next months City of Sydney council election. Drinks and canapes flowed, but the candidates, including mayoral contender Lyndon Gannon and number two on the ticket, Patrice Pandeleos, were nervous. They were yet to actually submit their nomination, and the deadline was noon the next day. As soon as the event ended, Gannon, Pandeleos and the rest of the team high-tailed it to Liberal Party headquarters on Macquarie Street to fill in their forms. They finally finished about 11pm, and their nominations made it. They were the lucky ones. Also present at head office that night scrambling to complete their paperwork were preselected candidates for Lane Cove Council, which currently has a Liberal mayor. But by late Wednesday it became clear none of them had actually got on the ballot. And they were not alone. We now know the NSW Liberal Party failed or partially failed to nominate 140 candidates across 16 local government areas, with party leader Mark Speakman pinning the blame on state director Richard Shields, who has been in the role nearly a year. NSW Liberal Party state director Richard Shields. Credit: Dion Georgopoulos The first rule of getting elected is actually nominating, a furious Speakman said on Thursday. Our party administration has let the candidates, the party members and the general public down. This is a debacle, theres no other way to describe it. Advertisement In politics, things often get done at the last minute but they usually do get done. Among shell-shocked MPs, candidates and other party members, the question everyone was still grappling with was: how did this fiasco happen? How did a major party machine whose key task is preparing for elections fail to make the deadline or, it seems, ask for any help? By Thursday night a full blame game was under way and tearing apart the party, with Shields releasing a dramatic statement claiming party president Don Harwin volunteered to run the local government nomination process, and he had full trust in Harwin to deliver. Calls for my resignation are premature, Shields said, claiming he had been unaware the deadline wasnt going to be met until it was too late, and that a review must take place to establish the full facts. NSW Liberal Party president Don Harwin. Credit: Sam Mooy Harwin, who called an emergency meeting of the partys state executive for Thursday night, told the Herald in response: Claims that I had responsibility for the nomination process are completely wrong. I think thatll do. The state executive sacked Shields late on Thursday. Shields was appointed state director (equivalent to Labors party secretary) in September, having been head of government relations at Westpac and the Insurance Council of Australia. He had only just been elected mayor of Woollahra by his fellow councillors, and opted to stay in that role too. Some senior party members were uneasy about that decision. One Liberal source said this weeks events had vindicated all the people who were raising alarm bells about that at the time. Advertisement Mary-Lou Jarvis, who serves on Woollahra Council with Shields and is a former NSW Liberal Party vice president, said on Thursday the party had done everything it could to support Shields as he juggled the two roles. But unfortunately the job of mayor and state director is too much for one person, she said. Indeed, Shields had a busy week. On Monday night, he chaired a four-hour council meeting that ended about 10.30pm, including a long debate about parking arrangements at Camp Cove. (Liberal nominations for Woollahra made the deadline, but Shields is not running again.) Downward slope: A now-deleted Facebook post by Woollahra Council showing mayor Richard Shields opening a playground on Wednesday morning. Credit: Facebook On Wednesday morning, as the midday deadline fast approached, Shields attended the official opening of a newly upgraded playground in Rose Bays Lyne Park. On Facebook, Woollahra Council posted, but later deleted, a photo of Shields next to a slippery slide. It quickly angered many Liberals. Shields told the Herald he had been at the office until 5am. I slept for two hours, and then I drove past that park for one photo. I was there for two minutes, and it was on the way to work, he said. Furthermore, Shields said he remained as mayor because of strident antisemitism in my community following the atrocities of October 7 in Israel, and the [party] leadership was happy with that position. (Shields is Jewish.) By that Wednesday morning, it was clear things had gone badly awry. As far back as the weekend, people who spoke with Shields deputy at party HQ, Dorina Ilievska, said it was clear that she and the secretariat were under the pump with council nominations. Advertisement Staff at Liberal HQ were emailing candidates at all hours of the night. According to a senior party source, who requested anonymity to speak freely, there were only three staff, and three computers, and given the backlog it soon became clear this was not enough. Candidates were driving around at night trying to find justices of the peace. Senior MPs said they had no inkling something was seriously awry with the partys council nominations. Credit: Kate Geraghty Oatley MP Mark Coure, who is Speakmans representative on the state executive, heard early on Wednesday morning that secretariat staff were in meltdown and it was evident they would not make the deadline for many LGAs. He called Speakman just before 10am and relayed that several nominations were outstanding, and he would speak to Shields. But Coure could not get through to Shields or others until after the deadline had passed. Speakman said it was only when he spoke to Coure later, about 12.45pm, that the full horror show became clear. I was told nominations had not been lodged in a number of LGAs, Speakman said. Before that, he says, I had no inkling and others will have to speak for themselves. Speakman texted Shields on Wednesday, asking him to come to parliament to brief MPs on what went wrong. They later spoke on the phone, and he was pretty clear he was not going to provide that briefing, Speakman said. One journalist suggested to Speakman it was an embarrassing state of affairs: He [Shields] has ghosted you, hes not coming. Others also said they had trouble contacting head office. Wollongong councillor Cameron Walters said local Liberals offered to help with lodging paperwork but no calls or messages to the secretariat were returned. Shields said if people couldnt get through, it was because HQ was at action stations, endorsing 249 candidates over 31 councils in one week. Advertisement Deputy Liberal leader Natalie Ward said she had no warning of the disaster. The CEOs job is to be the CEO, she said. The secretary has two jobs: administer the constitution of the party and administer electoral matters. It is clearly within his [Shields] purview and that wasnt done, and he, in my view, didnt give appropriate notice that anybody else needed to help. Speakman said he had not received an apology from Shields. But Shields did say sorry to affected councillors, and to all party members, in a statement on Wednesday afternoon, in which he blamed insufficient resources for the catastrophe. Speakman publicly demanded Shields resign, but as of Thursday evening, he had refused, instead releasing a fire-and-brimstone statement shifting the blame to Harwin. Loading Down in the Shoalhaven, mayoral candidate Paul Ell and his Liberal colleagues only received their documents through the electoral commission portal about 1am on Tuesday. Like hundreds of others, they had to rush to sign the forms, lodge them and confirm with Liberal HQ so that the party could finalise and pay for the nomination. They did their part, but the party bosses did not do theirs. Ell a lawyer and sitting Liberal councillor who narrowly lost preselection for the federal seat of Gilmore earlier this year explained the situation in a Facebook post. As candidates for a registered political party, we needed the registered officer of the party to prepare these forms in the system for us. We couldnt have done it ourselves even if we wanted to, he wrote. They were only completed and ready for us to sign at midnight Monday night and we managed to get everything prepared and lodged for all our candidates on Tuesday. I, of course, wish that all the paperwork was ready for lodgement last week. I think people should show some compassion for people who have been prepared to step up and serve our community who have been denied the opportunity to do so due to no fault of their own. This is bad for local democracy, plain and simple. Ell, who is a respected Liberal figure on the south coast, already had corflutes up along the Princes Highway, and he has been flooded with messages of sympathy from fellow Liberals on Facebook. Paul Ritchie, a former speechwriter to prime ministers Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison, said: Our shared work is now to activate for change because what happened must never happen again. Advertisement Breaking news from the WA Supreme Court: Liberal Senator Linda Reynolds lawyer has sought to have anti-sex assault campaigner Saxon Mullins take the stand over a fundraiser to bankroll Brittany Higgins legal fees for this case. Reynolds lawyer Martin Bennett lodged an application to cross-examine Mullins under oath as early as next week after her solicitors claimed she had no documents to produce in relation to a subpoena issued last week. Bennett issued demands on Higgins, her husband David Sharaz and Mullins for all communications between the trio, as well as political advisor Emma Webster and Higgins lawyer Carmel Galati, over the fundraiser launched on the same day Reynolds was giving evidence. He said the fundraiser, the proceeds of which Galati is to hold on trust for Higgins, was part of a carefully calculated campaign to characterise the proceedings as Reynolds seeking to silence a sexual assault survivor. Bennett said his request for an explanation as to the lack of documents had been refused. It seems impossible that there would be no communication on the date of Reynolds evidence regarding the arrangements to set that [fundraiser] up, Bennett told the court. Justice Paul Tottle said he would consider the application overnight and make a ruling in the morning. Reynolds is suing Higgins for defamation over a series of social media posts accusing her of mishandling the rape allegation, which Higgins is defending on the basis the substance of the posts is true. In the interests of transparency, I have a confession to make. I love rental e-scooters. I usually try to keep my personal political opinions out of this column, instead using it as a place to analyse and explain the context of decisions made by our pollies. Melbournes trail of rental e-scooters has attracted heavy criticism from some, but for others the benefits are obvious. Credit: Paul Rovere But on this, I think its only fair that I declare my bias on e-scooters, which I adore (much to the amusement of my colleagues). Sure, I understand the arguments against them. The risk-taking behaviours and the ability for scooters to block city streets and spook pedestrians. Challenging times I agree with your correspondent (Letters, 13/8) that every young generation is regarded by some of their elders as being lazy, disrespectful and ill-disciplined. I do not believe that the behaviour of todays youth is any worse than previous ones. However, I do feel that they face significant challenges with the wide range of drugs that are available, pornographic and violent media and the exorbitant costs associated with further education. Sandra Torpey, Hawthorn As it was in the past Thank you to your correspondent for the most common-sense analysis of the youth crime crisis to date. Half a century or more ago in Melbourne, gangs roamed the streets looking for trouble, youth violence was common among the bodgies and widgies, jazzers and rockers who formed tribes al la West Side Story. The present crisis is exacerbated by hysterical headlines and clickbait stories. The good old days are a fiction. Ken Rivett, Ferntree Gully Looking under the bonnet You would think that 3 million homes having rooftop solar (Renewables record surge a sign of future supply, 15/8) would be enough indication of the publics preference for clean energy. For Peter Dutton to continue with his thought bubble for nuclear energy in a country that is already nudging 50 per cent renewable sources (and South Australia closer to 90 per cent) is to thumb his nose at the voting public and surely jeopardise his chances at an election. Duttons failure to understand how renewables can meet our energy needs is due to him not lifting the bonnet to see how things work. Paradoxically, he has also not lifted the bonnet on nuclear energy to see the major issues of grid incompatibility, operating expenses and capital expenditures and waste storage cost. Broader consultation with energy system engineers and scientists might help his understanding. Robert Brown, Camberwell Lottery of birth date Baby Boomers are not responsible for our dates of birth (Boomers dining out as others eat into savings, 15/8). We were born mostly to parents returning to so-called normal life after the war; some of us came to Australia with virtually nothing. Our parents and, we too, worked very hard to make a comfortable life for future generations. Not everyone these days has much cash for discretionary spending. Please lay off us for something beyond our control. Granted that life is very different for the young people of today; we also had our challenges too, as they do today. Marie Nash, Balwyn Taking stock exchange The Age reports that Boomers are dining out as younger people eat into savings. As a Boomer I would willingly abandon dining out in exchange for another 20 or so years of healthy living. Peter Randles, Pascoe Vale South Solar, so good Great news on solar power, including the Australian Energy Market Operator prediction of 80per cent of households to have solar by 2050. So does Peter Dutton agree? What is his plan for renewables from now until when nuclear cuts in? John Hughes, Mentone Joy just scoots by As a CBD resident too old to ride one myself, seeing e-scooters around brings a little flash of joy. Every day walking to and from the office I see cars, trucks and buses in gridlock at intersections and intimidating pedestrians. So why doesnt our mayor not do something about that instead of banning the young? Whats next for our killjoy Melbourne City Council? Howard Raggatt, Melbourne Empty promise Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas vows no new debt but is coy on fresh taxes (15/8). With the states interest bill set to hit $26million a day on a debt of $188 billion in 2028, that seems like an empty promise. Lawrie Bradly, Surrey Hills Hamas must be destroyed Rodger Shanahan (Comment, 15/8) seems to think Hezbollah, the Houthis and Iran will only attack Israel if Israel is aggressive. The current war may have prompted the timing of their attacks on Israel, but, like Hamas, denying Israels right to exist is fundamental to their ideology, so the attacks would happen sooner or later. He also says Israels actions will make it easier for Hamas to recruit new fighters. Hamas subjects its people, especially youth, to relentless demonisation of Israel, so recruits have never been a problem. What would make Israel less safe is leaving Hamas with the capacity to strike it again and again as its leaders have promised. Destroying Hamass leadership and military infrastructure is really the only way for Israel to be safer. Mark Kessel, Caulfield North Vengeance not a strategy Rodger Shanahan says that the Gaza campaign only makes Israel less safe. With the killing, destruction and displacement wrought upon Gaza over the past 10 months, Israel is likely to be less safe when military operations end than when they began. Nobody denies that Israel had a right to defend itself in response to Hamass own terrorist bloodletting against Israeli civilians, but vengeance is not a strategy, but more likely a dish best served cold. Too much of the Netanyahu governments decision-making has been driven by a short-term desire for vengeance rather than a long-term need to provide for Israels future security. Hamas cannot be entirely eliminated as recruits will be easy to find. The elimination of Hamas will not bring peace and security to Israel. Jeffrey Kelson, Prahran Israels deterrence Its notable that Rodger Shanahan doesnt suggest any alternative way for Israel to have responded. What is clear is that any lesser response would have left on Israels border, with its military capacity intact, a genocidal terror group that had made its intent abundantly clear with its October 7 atrocities, and has promised to carry out similar attacks until Israel is destroyed. Its hard to see how this would have made Israel any safer than it is now. Israels response has not been driven by vengeance, as Shanahan claims, but by the need to prevent such attacks from recurring, both by destroying Hamass capacity to do so, and by re-establishing deterrence. Danny Samuels, Malvern We are not pets Spot-on Bianca Denny (Comment, 11/8) for your considered and considerate assessment of the anthropomorphism of many pet owners animals are animals and we are rational animals yet, as you say, the way these people think and behave demeans both the animals themselves and those who are treating them as people. Peter Drum, Coburg Tonnes of trouble Jacob Elmasrys comment (14/8) concerning 3-tonne Tesla trucks is timely. So many trucks (i.e., SUVs on metropolitan streets) now weigh 3 tonnes or thereabouts. Elmasry covers well the lack of safety of SUVs. These vehicles are simply too long, too wide, too high, and too heavy to drive alongside smaller, more metropolitan-suitable family cars. Among other problems, the damage to our roads is expensive to taxpayers. Barbara Darvall, Caulfield North Useless bike lanes Can we take a pause on bicycle lanes? Other than a short rush-hour period, these lanes are empty. Yet we spend an enormous amount on infrastructure that is used by a few. I dont doubt the health benefits of cycling. Nor the environmental benefit of a trip taken by bicycle over a trip taken by car. My complaint is whether the cost to taxpayers and the inconvenience to all those who drive a car is a reasonable allocation of scarce resources. If our government wants to limit cars, then do so. There are options. Registration fees and congestion taxes for example. But please stop the waste of bicycle lanes. Stephen Minns, South Yarra Lets change our tune I will not sing the second verse of our national anthem, for those who come across the sea, weve boundless plains to share. I would like to see our immigration policies change to accept more people in danger but, failing that, we need to change our anthem. Helen Pereira, Heidelberg Heights AND ANOTHER THING Dutton As desperate Palestinians flee the war zone, Peter Dutton provides the classic Trumpian response our doors are shut. Greg Curtin, Nunawading Good call Peter Dutton, we certainly dont want desperate people trying to avoid being killed by an IDF missile in our country. Russell Patterson, Heathmont Are empathetic and sensible people swayed by Peter Duttons dog whistling? Michael Brinkman, Ventnor Peter Dutton has given another example of dividing the community and showing no regard to those in need of assistance. Randall Bradshaw, Fitzroy Presumably, Peter Dutton would include Israelis in his proposed ban on accepting those fleeing from the Middle East conflict zone. Peter McCarthy, Mentone Peter Dutton would get the gold medal for negativity in any world competition. And Michaelia Cash would be right behind him with silver. John Walsh, Watsonia E-scooters Lucy Dahan (Comment, 14/8) makes good points about e-scooters, but fails to mention the option of buying one, rather than hiring. It seems hirers are the problem. Peter Greig, Colac Jacinta Allan, luckily you are not an 84-year-old exiting a shop right into the path of a speeding e-scooter. Les Aisen, Elsternwick E-scooters: a classic case of the problems outweighing any benefits. Ian Macdonald, Traralgon Co-op creates its first Fairtrade rum in partnership with Kingsland Drinks Drinks firm Kingsland Drinks has partnered with the Co-operative (Co-op) to create the supermarkets first own-brand Fairtrade rum. Kingsland Drinks, which operates as a wine importer and also owns its own spirits brands, collaborated with the Co-op to source a bourbon barrel aged rum, a Caribbean blend from the Dominican Republic, Barbados, and Venezuela. Andy Hoyle, spirits buyer for Kingsland Drinks, explained that the Fairtrade spirits category was new to both Kingsland and the Co-op. Research led the teams to partner with the Fairtrade Foundation and select and create the final rum. Hoyle added: It was great to be given the opportunity to work collaboratively with the Co-op buyers, sourcing and creating the new product with the assistance of our NPD [new product development] lab. I have personally seen the great work that Fairtrade does for workers and the wider communities in developing countries hopefully we can continue to transition and expand the category further in the near future to ensure more Fairtrade Spirits are available for UK consumers. Phoebe Baxter-Graham, junior buyer at the Co-op, said: Its fantastic to see Co-ops first own-brand Fairtrade Rum launching. It is a landmark alongside Co-ops 30th anniversary of supporting Fairtrade this year and it has been a real pleasure to work alongside Kingsland Drinks to produce this excellent Fairtrade spirit. Co-op Irresistible Limited-Edition Fairtrade Golden Rum will be available in Co-op stores from August 2024. 15 August 2024 - Lucy Schofield Share this story 20 yrs after I-Day blast, victims families seek justice from SC DHEMAJI (Assam) : SHANTI Gogoi has been waiting for 20 long years, seeking justice for the killing of her daughter-in-law and her unborn child in an ULFA-orchestrated bomb blast during the Independence Day celebration in Assams Dhemaji town. Gogois daughter-in-law and 12 other people, including three children, were killed in the explosion that occurred minutes before the flag hoisting ceremony at the parade ground in the northern Assam town in 2004. The explosion was a defining moment in ULFAs history, as the outfit began losing support and sympathy for targeting innocent people since then. An apprehension that justice has eluded the victims has seeped in since the Gauhati High Court acquitted all the accused in the case, exactly a year ago. Gogoi, a retired school teacher, and others are now pinning their last hopes on the Supreme Court for justice. The blast happened in front of hundreds of people after they gathered at the Dhemaji College field for the Independence Day celebration. But there is no witness to say who planted the explosives or who was behind it, questions Gogoi, whose daughter-in-law Namita died in the blast with the two-month foetus in her womb. She wondered whether the police expected the witnesses to testify without any apprehension in such cases. In August 2023, Gauhati High Court acquitted all six accused due to lack of sufficient evidence, overturning a conviction by a lower court. The Dhemaji district and sessions court had in 2019 sentenced four of the accused to life imprisonment and two others to four years in jail in the case. For Gogoi, her neighbour Nityananda Saikia and families of other victims, the last hope is the Supreme Court, which is hearing a case filed by the Assam Government challenging the High Court order. The High Court order needs to be reviewed. We remain hopeful that the Supreme Court will give us justice, Saikia, who lost both his teenage sisters in the blast, told PTI. A class 12 student himself in 2004 who was present at the blast site, Saikia is now a lawyer, having taken up the profession to better understand how the culprits can be brought to book through the legal system. We received a letter informing us that the State Government will be taking up the case in the apex court, Saikia said, He showed the letter, kept by his mother in a plastic folder along with other papers related to her two daughters death. Saikias younger brother is a businessman and the family may appear to have moved on over the years, but the scar runs deep. Bomb detectors did not work. The police submitted a charge sheet with plenty of loopholes. And there was no political will to bring those responsible to justice, Saikia claimed. He also questioned the United Liberation Front of Asom, which had initially denied involvement but later tendered a public apology, for the reasons behind such killings. For whom were they fighting? What were their objectives? the distraught brother of two young sisters who perished in front of him asked. The sexagenarian Gogoi echoed similar sentiments. Whatever be their objective, the ULFA could have surely tried to attain it without shedding so much blood of the innocent, she said. A day after the blast, ULFAs then chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, who signed a peace pact with the Government last year, had said in a statement that security forces had used school children as shields to defy the outfits boycott call. In 2009, the outfits commander-in-Chief Paresh Barua had sought a public apology and claimed that they were misled by some cadres for which they were forced to deny the outfits involvement. Barua is still waging an armed struggle for a sovereign Assam, leading ULFA (Independent) faction. With Independence Day being celebrated with pomp over the years, the sorrow of these victims families looms in the shadows, holding on to the last flicker of hope for justice. Army Captain DEEPAK SINGH killed in Doda action JAMMU : AN ARMY Captain was killed and four terrorists were believed to be gunned down in an ongoing operation in the higher reaches of Jammu regions Doda district on Wednesday, officials said. A civilian was also injured in the encounter that broke out a day ahead of Independence Day and is the latest in a series of incidents in Jammu region that has witnessed a spike in violence. Bullets rang out on Wednesday morning in a thickly forested area during a cordon and search operation (CASO) launched by a joint team to track down a group of foreign terrorists hiding in the Shivgarh-Assar belt, officials said. Captain Deepak Singh was critically injured during the operations and shifted to a military hospital where he breathed his last, they said. Four blood-soaked rucksacks were recovered from the site of the exchange of fire, leading officials to believe that four terrorists were also killed. M-4 carbines were also found, the officials said. Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Anand Jain told reporters around 2 in the afternoon that the operation was still underway in the area. The operation is going on. Efforts are on. The Army expressed its deepest condolence on the death of the officer and said the force stands with the bereaved family. All Ranks of White Knight Corps salute the supreme sacrifice of braveheart Captain Deepak Singh, it said. The terrorists crossed into Doda from a forest near Patnitop in adjacent Udhampur district after a brief exchange of fire between security forces and terrorists there last evening, officials said. They said security forces established contact with the terrorists around 6 PM in Udhampur on Tuesday. An encounter began about half an hour later and continued intermittently until both sides paused. A cordon was established overnight. The search was resumed at daylight. At about 7.30 AM on Wednesday, there was a renewed exchange of fire in Doda where the terrorists fled to, officials said. Security forces engaged terrorists in two encounters on Sunday as well: in the remote forest areas of Nownatta in Kishtwar and the Basantgarh area of Udhampur. Following these encounters, the terrorists escaped into Doda hills. On June 26, three terrorists, suspected to be affiliated with the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), were killed in a gunfight on Gandoh area of Doda district. Catalan Pimpernel By Gwynne Dyer : Carles Puigdemonts plan was to appear suddenly in Barcelona on the day the new regional government took power. Puigdemont showed up near the regional Parliament building, surrounded by around forty people wearing Puigdemont masks. He gave a short speech denouncing his various political enemies, disappeared back into the same crowd of Puigdemont look-alikes, then into a car and away. CARLES Puigdemont, the self-exiled leader of the Catalan separatist movement, aspires to become the new Scarlet Pimpernel. Last week he left Belgium, where he has lived as an unwelcome guest since he led a failed attempt to secede from Spain seven years ago, and had himself smuggled back to Barcelona, the capital of the region of Catalonia. He chose this moment because a new regional coalition government was coming to power that included one of the Catalan nationalist parties. In the eyes of hard-line separatists they were traitors, and Puigdemonts duty, as he saw it, was to mock and humiliate them. His plan was to appear suddenly in Barcelona on the day the new regional government took power. Collaborators got him safely to the city, and last Thursday Puigdemont showed up near the regional Parliament building, surrounded by around forty people wearing Puigdemont masks. He gave a short speech denouncing his various political enemies, disappeared back into the same crowd of Puigdemont look-alikes, then into a car and away. By Friday, he was back in Belgium. Boldness, precise timing and a lot of luck could this be a new Scarlet Pimpernel for our times? In the words of the song that accompanied the original Scarlet Pimpernel play, changing only the name of enemy from Frenchies to Spaniards. They seek him here they seek him there. Those Spaniards seek him everywhere. Is he in Heaven or is he in Hell? That damned elusive Pimpernel! Well, yes, but could Puigdemont match the deeds of the fictional Sir Percy Blakeney, aka the Scarlet Pimpernel? Sir Percy was a rich, foppish and not too bright habitue of London clubs during early years of the French Revolution (1792-93), but he had another, secret life. The Scarlet Pimpernel was, according to Stan Lee, the co-creator of Marvel Comics, the worlds first superhero. Baroness Orczys very successful 1920s book and play gave us the trope of a meek, insignificant character whose family and friends have no idea that his alter ego is a superhero. Dozens of other Spandex-clad superheroes followed. The fictional Pimpernel went back and forth between London and Paris at the height of The Terror, rescuing French aristocrats from the guillotine in the nick of time. He was a master of disguise, a brilliant swordsman, and a champion of justice. Just like Carles Puigdemont, a legend in his own time or at least in his own mind. What Puigdemont did was a brave and clever stunt, but it will not revive the separatist project in the minds and hearts of most people in Catalonia. The Spanish-speaking half of the regions population has no wish to break away from Spain, and the Catalan-speaking half has lost faith that it can happen in this generation. The evidence was in last Mays regional elections. For the first time in decades, pro-Independence parties did not win an outright majority. The inauguration of the resulting regional government, a coalition between a bigger socialist party and a smaller pro-Independence party, determined the timing of Puigdemonts defiant gesture. But it was merely a gesture: the new government was duly installed in power later the same day. Some places must go on struggling for Independence until they win it, because the circumstances they were living were intolerable. Most of the recent ones, like South Sudan, are in Africa. In other, more fortunate places, like Scotland, Quebec and Catalonia, Independence is only an option. There is no oppression, the democratic norms are observed, even the language is not in danger and prosperity is shared equally by the majority group and the minorities. Pro-independence movements will still arise from time to time because many people want more meaning in their lives, and a much smaller of number of well-educated members of the minority elite see more power for themselves in an independence state. Since they tend to congregate in the local media, they can persuade a lot of people they need Independence. In former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretiens deathless phrase (in deliberately mangled franglais), they want le flag sur le hood: a big government job and the limo that goes with it. This comment is an injustice to many sincere individuals, but Chretien knew what he was talking about. In prosperous, well-run places these are transient enthusiasms. One lost or botched referendum (Scotland 2014, Catalonia 2017) or two at most (Canada 1980 and 1995), and that generation moves on. The next generation does not pick up the torch from their parents, because thats not how generational turnover works. The subsequent generation might, because it will seem like a new idea again by then. But its over in Catalonia for now, and the world will continue to rotate in an easterly direction at the usual speed. CBI team reaches Kolkata, begins probe into doctors rape, murder KOLKATA : A team of senior Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers, who reached Kolkata on Wednesday morning, began its investigation into the alleged rape and murder of a woman doctor at a State-run hospital in West Bengal, officials said. The CBI team, which comprises medical and forensic experts, will visit the R G Kar Medical College and Hospitals seminar hall where the body of the trainee doctor was found on August 9, they said. Three groups of CBI officers have been formed to investigate the matter, a central agency official said. One group will visit the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, and talk to the witnesses and the doctors who were on duty on that night. Another team will take the arrested civic volunteer to a local court after medical tests and plea for his custody, while another will coordinate with the Kolkata Police sleuths who were conducting the investigation, he told PTI. The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday ordered the transfer of the probe from the Kolkata Police to the central agency. A source in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said that the agency has filed an FIR under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in New Delhi in connection with the alleged rape and murder of the doctor. Today, our officers will seek the call details of the deceased woman and those on duty on that day. They may submit the FIR in a local court, another central agency source said. city zones stink as Enviro workers go on flash strike Stray cattle feeding on garbage that lies uncleared in Vishwakarma Nagar are due to strike by workers. Staff Reporter : Chikungunya is on rise in city and, to make matters worse, the workers of M/s A G Enviro went on a flash strike on Wednesday, leading to accumulation of garbage in the five zones of the city for which the company has been given contract. Nagpurians are already battling Chikungunya, and to some extent Dengue, that is caused due to breeding of mosquitoes. The unplanned and haphazardly executed works have led to chokages and accumulation of rainwater leading to rise in density of mosquitoes. Vikas Thakre, MLA and President, Nagpur City Congress Committee, has criticised faulty planning and irresponsible civic administration for the mess that the Nagpur is in today. He said, despite knowing the issue with workers of two garbage collection agency, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) officials failed to take any steps to resolve the issues. Now, post strike, by workers engaged in garbage collection, half of the city is seeing non lifting of garbage. Even households are saddled with overflowing bins as the daily collection has come to a standstill due to differences between workers and management. He claimed that the two-day strike by workers of AG Enviro has lead to heaps of garbage in markets and residential areas. Already, there is no let up in cases of Chikungnya, that has spread all over city with almost every household having atleast one patient on average battling the pain in joints that is very terrible and people are suffering miseries due to the health issues. The non clearance of garbage has also resulted in foul smell spreading in various localities due to rotting garbage. Thakre said that NMC should impose hefty fines on AG Enviro for failure to adhere to contract condition as to collecting door to door garbage. He also wondered as to hesitation among civic administration in terminating the contracts of AG Enviro and BVG for severe shortcoming and breach of contract. Despite unanimous resolution by NMC House, NMC administration went on to pay Rs. 175 crores after year 2020 to both the companies. Nation thrives on diversity and plurality: President NEW DELHI : PRESIDENT Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday emphasised the need to strengthen affirmative action as a tool for inclusion while urging the rejection of divisive tendencies rooted in perceived social hierarchies. In her address to the nation on the eve of 78th Independence Day, Murmu highlighted the steady progress of political democracy in India, asserting that it reflects advancements towards social democracy. She noted that the nation thrives on its diversity and plurality, moving forward as a cohesive entity. Social justice is a top priority for the Narendra Modi Government, which has initiated unprecedented measures for the welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and other marginalised communities, the President stated. She quoted Dr B R Ambedkar, the Architect of the Indian Constitution, emphasising that political democracy cannot last unless there lies at the base of it social democracy and said steady progress of political democracy testifies to the progress made towards the consolidation of social democracy. The spirit of inclusion pervades every aspect of our social life. We move together as a cohesive nation with our diversity and plurality. Affirmative action must be strengthened as an instrument of inclusion. I firmly believe that in a vast country like ours, tendencies that stoke discord based upon perceived social hierarchies have to be rejected, she said. Murmu detailed several Government initiatives aimed at uplifting marginalised groups, including the Pradhan Mantri Samajik Utthan evam Rozgar Adharit Jankalyan (PM-SURAJ), which provides direct financial assistance, and the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN), focused on improving the socio-economic conditions of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). She also mentioned the NAMASTE scheme, designed to eliminate manual scavenging by ensuring sanitation workers do not engage in hazardous tasks. The President stressed the importance of justice in its broadest sense, particularly in terms of gender and climate justice. She acknowledged that while women in Indian society are seen as equals, traditional prejudices persist. Murmu noted that Government efforts have tripled budget allocations for womens welfare over the past decade, leading to increased female labor participation and an improved sex ratio at birth. But I am glad to note that the Government has given equal importance to womens welfare and womens empowerment. The Budget allocation for this purpose has more than tripled in the last decade, she said. She cited the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (Women Reservation Act) as a significant step towards womens empowerment. Speaking about the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, President Murmu highlighted the record number of nearly 97 crore eligible voters, describing it as the largest electoral exercise in history. She commended the Election Commission and security personnel for ensuring a smooth electoral process, asserting that the widespread exercise of franchise is a powerful endorsement of democracy. When such a large number of people exercise their franchise, it is a resounding vote for the idea of democracy. India's successful conduct of elections strengthens democratic forces around the world, she said. Recognising farmers as Annadata (providers of food), she praised their contributions to India's agricultural self-reliance. With this, they have contributed immensely to making India self-reliant in agriculture and feeding our people, she said. Murmu also noted substantial improvements in infrastructure, including roads, railways, and ports, driven by strategic planning and effective institutions. Additionally, she pointed to the Governments promotion of sectors like semiconductors and artificial intelligence, creating a conducive environment for startups and enhancing Indias appeal as an investment destination. Considering the great potential of futuristic technology, the Government has vigorously promoted a range of sectors, such as semiconductors and Artificial Intelligence, while also creating an ideal ecosystem for startups which will propel their growth. It has made India an even more attractive investment destination, she said. With increased transparency in the banking and financial sector, she expressed optimism about the prospects for economic growth that could elevate India among developed nations. In her address, the President also acknowledged the observance of Vibhajan Vibhishika Smriti Diwas (Partition Horrors Remembrance Day), reflecting on the human tragedy of partition, which resulted in immense suffering and loss of life. As we prepare to celebrate our Independence Day, we must remember the unparalleled tragedy and stand in solidarity with those families affected, she concluded. Petition filed in Delhi HC to cancel WFI election, bar president from further selections NEW DELHI : A PETITION has been filed in the Delhi High Court seeking the cancellation of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) election and the appointment of a one-man committee by the court. The petition also demands that Sanjay Singh be barred from conducting any further selections. Sanjay Singh, who was elected as the WFI president in 2023, is viewed as an aide of former WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Senior advocate Rahul Mehra, representing wrestler Bajrang Punia and others, told ANI, This is a writ petition filed on behalf of Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshee Malikkh, and others in the lead-up to the Olympic Games. Advocate Mehra added, The petition seeks relief against the proxy of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, as the current WFI President, Sanjay Singh, has been making unauthorised and illegal decisions without any mandate. Advocate Mehra further stated, A suspended Federation president should not have been making any decisions. However, he continued to do so, even going so far as to procure letters to influence the courts proceedings. We sought a complete severance between the WFI, headed by Sanjay Singh, and the World Body, as well as the International Olympic Committee, given the upcoming Olympic Games. Addionally, that the petition calls for the appointment of a one-man committee. Advocate Mehra added, We also requested that Sanjay Singh and other office bearers be prohibited from conducting any further selections and that a one-man committee be appointed by the court. The matter was heard for 2.5 months, with the decision reserved on May 24, which is now being announced today. Rahul Navin appointed as ED director New Delhi : Acting Enforcement Directorate (ED) Chief Rahul Navin was on Wednesday appointed as the full-time director of the federal anti-money laundering agency. An order issued by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) said the appointment of Navin, a 1993-batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer of the Income Tax cadre, has been made for a period of two years from the date of assumption of charge of the post, or until further orders, whichever is earlier. Navin, 57, joined the ED in November, 2019 as a Special Director. An expert in international taxation matters, Navins tenure as the ED head saw the high profile arrests of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren in separate money laundering cases. The ED investigates financial crimes under two criminallaws -- the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act (FEOA) -- apart from the civil provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). sheer fascism WHAT Bangladesh is currently witnessing is nothing but sheer religious fascism that may some day push the country to a point beyond redemption. No matter the details of domestic politics unfolding over decades of petty thought and action on the part of almost all players, what has come to fore is political vandalism that has destroyed temples, cultural centers, museums, statues of national personalities that cumulatively formed national consciousness. Added to all this spiritual damage is the spell of mass killings of innocent people mainly belonging to religious minorities (whose safety has now become an international concern). The appeal of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Mrs. Sheikh Hasina Wajed, now sheltered in India, for a detailed probe into the killings and happenings needs to be considered, thus, from the spiritual angle. It is most unfortunate that Bangladesh has come to such pass when hordes of fanatics dominate the scene without any sense of justice and responsibility towards the distant goals of larger good of human values. It is against this background that the words of Mrs. Sheikh Hasina Wajed have to be considered. Very candidly, she has denounced the destruction of symbols of memory and inspiration of the nation. Her political detractors may have their own axes to grind, but the destruction of national symbols cannot be accepted in any manner since such action has no justification whatsoever -- in Bangladesh and elsewhere. Another very unfortunate dimension of the situation in Bangladesh is that the country still harbours some elements whose thought and action match those of similar uncouth elements in Pakistan. The grief is that from the stage of its evolution into a smooth-working democracy, it has slid into sort of a jungle raj where there is no respect for fine values such as accommodation beyond petty divides. And another facet of this grief is that the recent happenings in Bangladesh have many shocking similarities with the happenings some time ago in Sri Lanka. Appropriate it is now to recall how hordes of people stormed into presidential palace in Colombo and ousted the honourable inmate of the place. In Dhaka, too, hordes of goons stormed into the official residence of the Prime Minister and forced her to resign and get away to safety in the nick of time. But the pattern in both places -- Colombo and Dhaka -- was similar and seemed to follow a common text and trend. All these details point to fascist tendency and template. What is on display in Bangladesh,therefore, is fascism at its worst and basest. From her safe perch in India, Mrs. Sheikh Hasina Wajed is trying to appeal to good sense of her own people -- with little hope of a sobering effect on their brazen conscience. True, there are people who support her, and are regrouping for a concerted response. Yet, the hope of an early redemption appears terribly thin in the current circumstances. And that is so mostly because the fascist hordes are being backed and guided and influenced by masterminds that are seated elsewhere in the world -- attempting to write a new script for Bangladeshs return to anti-democratic backwardness. This is something to be worried about -- from a purist point of view. Some veiled or open suggestions that India, too, may suffer from a similar situation, is utter nonsense. For, Indian conditions are far too robust to be disturbed by hordes of goons. What matters most, then, is the manner in which a democratically functioning country slips down the scale and falls prey to political vandalism that suggests the end of democracy -- under the weight of sheer religious fascism as part of a deadly international conspiracy. THE CONCERNS THE horrifying incident of brutal rape-murder of a woman post-graduate trainee doctor at R G Kar Hospital in Kolkata, has triggered a wave of protests by resident doctors across the country. Though an accused has been arrested, the protests have continued because the resident doctors issues have occupied the centrestage again. The resident/ trainee doctors are at the bottom of the healthcare system when it comes to medical colleges. They have to act as first points of medical care contact whenever a patient comes to a hospital. For years, they have been raising the point of increasing pressure on them, deprivation of enough rest, safety issues etc. In the past some time, in certain cases, some resident doctors have been subjected to assault by the relatives of the patients too. This raises concern over their security. The instant case of Kolkata doctor has just added to the concern over safety of particularly the women doctors. If doctors are not safe in hospitals, which are their workplaces, it definitely requires attention at the highest levels possible. Else, beyond the protests that have erupted now, entire healthcare system may get affected in the long run because of unwillingness of residents to work night shifts or long hours. Ultimately, it will harm the patients interests. DONALDS RANT THE ranting by US Presidential candidate Mr. Donald Trump against his Democratic rival Ms. Kamala Harris has left many signals for the American voters as they prepare to elect a new POTUS in around 90 days. The audio-only conversation between Mr. Trump and billionaire tech magnate Mr. Elon Musk who owns X was crass, boorish and demeaning for women. Mr. Trump was his usual self, outrageous and careless, in his comments about Ms. Harris. Surprisingly, Mr. Musk seemed too happy to play conduit in the crude show. The indications are clear, Ms. Harris has certainly dented Mr. Trumps popularity in the race to the White House. Since replacing Mr. Joe Biden as Democrats nominee for the presidential race, Ms. Harris has been steadily garnering support across America. The Republicans are aware of the changing political landscape and hence the raving and below-the-belt attack by Mr. Trump against Ms. Harris. Calling a political rival lunatic and third-rate points to an insecure mind afraid of losing ground in the elections. Yet, Mr. Trump must not forget that holding sanctity of a political discourse is his moral duty. Addenda Capital Inc. lessened its stake in Bank of Montreal (NYSE:BMO Free Report) (TSE:BMO) by 4.0% in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 861,287 shares of the banks stock after selling 35,953 shares during the period. Bank of Montreal makes up approximately 3.5% of Addenda Capital Inc.s holdings, making the stock its 5th largest holding. Addenda Capital Inc.s holdings in Bank of Montreal were worth $72,219,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Bank of Montreal by 4.4% in the 2nd quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 3,580 shares of the banks stock worth $300,000 after purchasing an additional 151 shares during the period. Ignite Planners LLC raised its position in Bank of Montreal by 14.0% in the second quarter. Ignite Planners LLC now owns 9,216 shares of the banks stock worth $772,000 after acquiring an additional 1,132 shares during the period. Gulf International Bank UK Ltd boosted its stake in shares of Bank of Montreal by 6.9% during the 2nd quarter. Gulf International Bank UK Ltd now owns 4,847 shares of the banks stock worth $406,000 after acquiring an additional 312 shares during the last quarter. Olistico Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of Bank of Montreal during the 2nd quarter valued at $59,000. Finally, Cardinal Capital Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Bank of Montreal by 0.4% in the 2nd quarter. Cardinal Capital Management Inc. now owns 1,238,472 shares of the banks stock worth $103,887,000 after purchasing an additional 5,397 shares in the last quarter. 45.82% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Bank of Montreal alerts: Bank of Montreal Price Performance Shares of NYSE:BMO traded up $0.46 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $83.34. 479,303 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 845,674. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $84.48 and its 200 day simple moving average is $90.33. The company has a market cap of $60.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.77, a PEG ratio of 2.04 and a beta of 1.12. Bank of Montreal has a 52-week low of $73.98 and a 52-week high of $100.12. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12, a current ratio of 0.99 and a quick ratio of 0.99. Bank of Montreal Increases Dividend Bank of Montreal ( NYSE:BMO Get Free Report ) (TSE:BMO) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 29th. The bank reported $1.91 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.01 by ($0.10). The business had revenue of $5.88 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.96 billion. Bank of Montreal had a return on equity of 11.60% and a net margin of 8.25%. As a group, equities analysts predict that Bank of Montreal will post 7.91 EPS for the current year. The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, August 27th. Investors of record on Tuesday, July 30th will be paid a dividend of $1.125 per share. This represents a $4.50 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.40%. This is a boost from Bank of Montreals previous quarterly dividend of $1.12. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, July 30th. Bank of Montreals dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 75.25%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several equities analysts recently weighed in on the company. Royal Bank of Canada downgraded Bank of Montreal from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 30th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods cut Bank of Montreal from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and lowered their price objective for the company from $137.00 to $124.00 in a research report on Monday, June 3rd. UBS Group started coverage on shares of Bank of Montreal in a report on Tuesday, July 2nd. They issued a neutral rating for the company. Finally, Desjardins downgraded shares of Bank of Montreal from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, May 29th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Bank of Montreal currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $127.50. Read Our Latest Stock Report on BMO Bank of Montreal Profile (Free Report) Bank of Montreal provides diversified financial services primarily in North America. It operates through Canadian P&C, U.S P&C, BMO Wealth Management, and BMO Capital Markets segments. The companys personal banking products and services include deposits, mortgages, home lending, consumer credit, small business lending, credit cards, cash management, financial and investment advice, and other banking services; and commercial banking products and services comprise various of financing options and treasury and payment solutions, as well as risk management products. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BMO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Bank of Montreal (NYSE:BMO Free Report) (TSE:BMO). Receive News & Ratings for Bank of Montreal Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bank of Montreal and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Addenda Capital Inc. reduced its holdings in shares of Suncor Energy Inc. (NYSE:SU Free Report) (TSE:SU) by 3.3% during the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 854,658 shares of the oil and gas producers stock after selling 28,811 shares during the quarter. Suncor Energy makes up about 1.6% of Addenda Capital Inc.s holdings, making the stock its 20th largest position. Addenda Capital Inc. owned about 0.07% of Suncor Energy worth $32,562,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of SU. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. increased its stake in Suncor Energy by 43.2% in the 4th quarter. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. now owns 1,038 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 313 shares during the last quarter. Adirondack Trust Co. increased its position in Suncor Energy by 45.6% during the 4th quarter. Adirondack Trust Co. now owns 1,000 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $34,000 after buying an additional 313 shares in the last quarter. Independence Bank of Kentucky increased its position in Suncor Energy by 6.7% during the 1st quarter. Independence Bank of Kentucky now owns 5,050 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $186,000 after buying an additional 315 shares in the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Suncor Energy by 16.0% during the 1st quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,730 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $104,000 after purchasing an additional 377 shares during the last quarter. Finally, First Bank & Trust boosted its stake in shares of Suncor Energy by 4.7% in the 2nd quarter. First Bank & Trust now owns 8,654 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $330,000 after buying an additional 387 shares during the last quarter. 67.37% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Get Suncor Energy alerts: Suncor Energy Trading Up 0.5 % SU stock traded up $0.19 on Wednesday, hitting $41.14. 2,905,658 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,469,918. Suncor Energy Inc. has a twelve month low of $29.45 and a twelve month high of $41.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26, a current ratio of 1.46 and a quick ratio of 0.93. The businesss fifty day moving average is $38.16 and its two-hundred day moving average is $37.21. The stock has a market capitalization of $52.49 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.18, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.72 and a beta of 1.12. Suncor Energy Announces Dividend Suncor Energy ( NYSE:SU Get Free Report ) (TSE:SU) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, August 6th. The oil and gas producer reported $1.27 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.76 by $0.51. The business had revenue of $12.90 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.30 billion. Suncor Energy had a net margin of 14.40% and a return on equity of 16.22%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 10.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.71 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Suncor Energy Inc. will post 3.64 earnings per share for the current year. The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 25th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, September 4th will be issued a dividend of $0.395 per share. This represents a $1.58 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.84%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, September 4th. Suncor Energys dividend payout ratio is currently 35.63%. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research firms have commented on SU. StockNews.com raised Suncor Energy from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Thursday, August 8th. Raymond James raised Suncor Energy to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 28th. Wolfe Research assumed coverage on Suncor Energy in a research report on Thursday, July 18th. They set an outperform rating and a $68.00 target price for the company. TD Securities upgraded Suncor Energy from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, August 7th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price objective on shares of Suncor Energy from $38.00 to $45.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, May 23rd. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $54.75. Check Out Our Latest Report on Suncor Energy Suncor Energy Profile (Free Report) Suncor Energy Inc operates as an integrated energy company in Canada, the United States, and internationally. It operates through Oil Sands; Exploration and Production; and Refining and Marketing segments. The Oil Sands segment explores, develops, and produces bitumen, synthetic crude oil, and related products. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SU? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Suncor Energy Inc. (NYSE:SU Free Report) (TSE:SU). Receive News & Ratings for Suncor Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Suncor Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. IVC Wealth Advisors LLC cut its stake in shares of Visa Inc. (NYSE:V Free Report) by 0.9% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 5,667 shares of the credit-card processors stock after selling 50 shares during the quarter. Visa makes up about 0.8% of IVC Wealth Advisors LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 28th largest position. IVC Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in Visa were worth $1,487,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Westend Capital Management LLC bought a new position in Visa in the 1st quarter valued at about $25,000. Livelsberger Financial Advisory bought a new stake in shares of Visa in the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Frank Rimerman Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Visa in the 4th quarter worth about $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC increased its position in shares of Visa by 52.9% during the 1st quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC now owns 133 shares of the credit-card processors stock valued at $37,000 after purchasing an additional 46 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bbjs Financial Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Visa in the second quarter worth about $35,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.15% of the companys stock. Get Visa alerts: Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research analysts recently commented on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group cut their price objective on shares of Visa from $325.00 to $300.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, July 24th. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their target price on shares of Visa from $315.00 to $311.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, July 24th. Oppenheimer boosted their price objective on Visa from $297.00 to $299.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, April 24th. Robert W. Baird lifted their target price on shares of Visa from $314.00 to $320.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 17th. Finally, Wedbush lifted their price objective on shares of Visa from $280.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, April 24th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-one have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $307.25. Visa Stock Up 0.4 % Shares of V stock traded up $0.94 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $261.07. 3,579,742 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 7,208,468. The company has a quick ratio of 1.37, a current ratio of 1.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54. The stock has a market cap of $475.75 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.08, a PEG ratio of 1.83 and a beta of 0.95. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $267.11 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $273.77. Visa Inc. has a 12-month low of $227.78 and a 12-month high of $290.96. Visa (NYSE:V Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 23rd. The credit-card processor reported $2.42 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $2.42. Visa had a return on equity of 51.94% and a net margin of 54.72%. The firm had revenue of $8.90 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $8.92 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.16 EPS. Visas quarterly revenue was up 9.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts expect that Visa Inc. will post 9.91 EPS for the current year. Visa Announces Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 3rd. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 9th will be paid a dividend of $0.52 per share. This represents a $2.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.80%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 9th. Visas dividend payout ratio is currently 23.24%. Visa Company Profile (Free Report) Visa Inc operates as a payment technology company in the United States and internationally. The company operates VisaNet, a transaction processing network that enables authorization, clearing, and settlement of payment transactions. It also offers credit, debit, and prepaid card products; tap to pay, tokenization, and click to pay services; Visa Direct, a solution that facilitates the delivery of funds to eligible cards, deposit accounts, and digital wallets; Visa B2B Connect, a multilateral business-to-business cross-border payments network; Visa Cross-Border Solution, a cross-border consumer payments solution; and Visa DPS that provides a range of value-added services, including fraud mitigation, dispute management, data analytics, campaign management, a suite of digital solutions, and contact center services. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding V? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Visa Inc. (NYSE:V Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Visa Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Visa and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Amcor (NYSE:AMCR Get Free Report) issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The company reported $0.21 EPS for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $0.21, Briefing.com reports. Amcor had a return on equity of 24.66% and a net margin of 4.75%. The firm had revenue of $3.54 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.30 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.19 EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 3.8% on a year-over-year basis. Amcor updated its FY25 guidance to $0.72-0.76 EPS and its FY 2025 guidance to 0.720-0.760 EPS. Amcor Trading Down 3.7 % Shares of AMCR stock opened at $10.45 on Friday. Amcor has a fifty-two week low of $8.45 and a fifty-two week high of $10.91. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $10.10 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $9.68. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76, a quick ratio of 0.75 and a current ratio of 1.29. The company has a market cap of $15.10 billion, a PE ratio of 23.22, a P/E/G ratio of 4.64 and a beta of 0.86. Get Amcor alerts: Amcor Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 26th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 6th will be given a dividend of $0.125 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 6th. This represents a $0.50 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.78%. Amcors dividend payout ratio is currently 111.11%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several analysts have weighed in on the stock. Robert W. Baird lifted their price objective on shares of Amcor from $10.00 to $11.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Friday. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on Amcor from $9.80 to $10.50 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Friday. Stifel Nicolaus assumed coverage on Amcor in a research note on Tuesday, July 9th. They set a hold rating and a $10.80 price objective on the stock. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on Amcor from $10.00 to $11.10 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 13th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $10.68. Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Amcor About Amcor (Get Free Report) Amcor plc develops, produces, and sells packaging products in Europe, North America, Latin America, Africa, and the Asia Pacific regions. The company operates through two segments, Flexibles and Rigid Packaging. The Flexibles segment provides flexible and film packaging products in the food and beverage, medical and pharmaceutical, fresh produce, snack food, personal care, and other industries. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Amcor Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Amcor and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sky Investment Group LLC cut its holdings in shares of American Express (NYSE:AXP) by 2.4% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 48,872 shares of the payment services companys stock after selling 1,222 shares during the period. American Express makes up approximately 2.2% of Sky Investment Group LLCs holdings, making the stock its 6th biggest position. Sky Investment Group LLCs holdings in American Express were worth $11,316,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in AXP. International Assets Investment Management LLC lifted its position in shares of American Express by 0.8% in the 4th quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 54,832 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $10,272,000 after acquiring an additional 433 shares in the last quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC increased its stake in American Express by 30.8% in the 4th quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 54,289 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $10,171,000 after buying an additional 12,789 shares during the period. Sapient Capital LLC acquired a new position in American Express in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $399,000. Tennessee Valley Asset Management Partners acquired a new position in American Express in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Finally, NewEdge Wealth LLC increased its stake in American Express by 21.8% in the 4th quarter. NewEdge Wealth LLC now owns 16,519 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $3,095,000 after buying an additional 2,960 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 84.33% of the companys stock. Get American Express alerts: Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several research analysts have recently commented on AXP shares. William Blair restated an outperform rating on shares of American Express in a research note on Monday, June 3rd. Bank of America upped their price objective on shares of American Express from $247.00 to $263.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, July 22nd. TD Cowen upped their price objective on shares of American Express from $221.00 to $225.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Monday, April 22nd. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their price objective on shares of American Express from $265.00 to $280.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Monday, July 8th. Finally, Citigroup assumed coverage on shares of American Express in a report on Monday, June 10th. They set a neutral rating and a $250.00 price objective for the company. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have assigned a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $230.70. American Express Stock Performance Shares of American Express stock traded up $4.63 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $243.62. The companys stock had a trading volume of 2,131,956 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,010,281. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $236.48 and its 200-day moving average price is $228.86. The firm has a market cap of $175.24 billion, a PE ratio of 20.07, a P/E/G ratio of 1.38 and a beta of 1.21. American Express has a 52 week low of $140.91 and a 52 week high of $256.24. The company has a quick ratio of 1.66, a current ratio of 1.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.74. American Express (NYSE:AXP Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, July 19th. The payment services company reported $3.49 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.26 by $0.23. American Express had a net margin of 15.53% and a return on equity of 32.94%. The business had revenue of $16.33 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $16.60 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $2.89 earnings per share. American Expresss revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts forecast that American Express will post 13.24 earnings per share for the current year. American Express Company Profile (Free Report) American Express Company, together with its subsidiaries, operates as integrated payments company in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the Asia Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, Canada, the Caribbean, and Internationally. It operates through four segments: U.S. Consumer Services, Commercial Services, International Card Services, and Global Merchant and Network Services. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding AXP? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for American Express (NYSE:AXP Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for American Express Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for American Express and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. (NYSE:ARI Get Free Report) Director Scott Prince sold 4,935 shares of Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $10.12, for a total value of $49,942.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 81,154 shares in the company, valued at approximately $821,278.48. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance Stock Performance Shares of Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance stock opened at $10.11 on Thursday. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $10.24 and a 200 day moving average price of $10.55. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.44 billion, a P/E ratio of -12.96, a PEG ratio of 1.61 and a beta of 1.75. The company has a quick ratio of 52.35, a current ratio of 52.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61. Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. has a 52 week low of $9.14 and a 52 week high of $12.74. Get Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance alerts: Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, July 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 28th were issued a $0.35 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, June 28th. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 13.85%. Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finances dividend payout ratio is currently -179.49%. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Caxton Associates LP acquired a new stake in Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance during the 2nd quarter worth about $190,000. Squarepoint Ops LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance during the second quarter worth about $442,000. Bank of Montreal Can boosted its position in Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance by 11.5% in the second quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 53,248 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $538,000 after buying an additional 5,476 shares during the last quarter. Evergreen Capital Management LLC boosted its position in Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance by 31.3% in the second quarter. Evergreen Capital Management LLC now owns 26,389 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $268,000 after buying an additional 6,286 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Public Sector Pension Investment Board increased its holdings in Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance by 6.6% in the 2nd quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board now owns 287,792 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $2,817,000 after buying an additional 17,918 shares during the period. 54.43% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Several research analysts recently commented on ARI shares. BTIG Research initiated coverage on shares of Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance in a research note on Friday, July 19th. They set a neutral rating for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance from $9.50 to $10.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 16th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lowered their price objective on Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance from $11.00 to $10.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, May 1st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and five have given a hold rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $10.25. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on ARI Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance Company Profile (Get Free Report) Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT) that originates, acquires, invests in, and manages commercial first mortgage loans, subordinate financings, and other commercial real estate-related debt investments in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Apollo Global Management (NYSE:APO Get Free Report) had its target price decreased by equities researchers at Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from $129.00 to $124.00 in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a buy rating on the financial services providers stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschafts price target suggests a potential upside of 12.08% from the companys current price. Several other brokerages also recently weighed in on APO. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Apollo Global Management from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Thursday, August 8th. Barclays dropped their price objective on shares of Apollo Global Management from $131.00 to $128.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Friday, August 2nd. Evercore ISI upped their price objective on shares of Apollo Global Management from $128.00 to $130.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, July 15th. UBS Group upped their price objective on shares of Apollo Global Management from $116.00 to $123.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 10th. Finally, TD Cowen upped their price objective on shares of Apollo Global Management from $146.00 to $147.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, July 8th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $124.62. Get Apollo Global Management alerts: Read Our Latest Stock Report on APO Apollo Global Management Price Performance Shares of NYSE:APO traded up $4.66 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $110.64. 2,108,084 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,529,531. The stock has a market cap of $62.86 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.24, a PEG ratio of 0.95 and a beta of 1.59. The company has a current ratio of 1.60, a quick ratio of 1.60 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37. Apollo Global Management has a twelve month low of $77.11 and a twelve month high of $126.45. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $116.40 and a 200-day moving average price of $112.89. Apollo Global Management (NYSE:APO Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The financial services provider reported $1.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.67 by ($0.03). The firm had revenue of $6.02 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $873.18 million. Apollo Global Management had a return on equity of 17.97% and a net margin of 21.90%. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.54 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that Apollo Global Management will post 7.09 earnings per share for the current year. Insiders Place Their Bets In related news, Director Pauline Richards purchased 2,351 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 6th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $104.92 per share, for a total transaction of $246,666.92. Following the acquisition, the director now directly owns 85,854 shares in the company, valued at $9,007,801.68. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 8.50% of the stock is owned by company insiders. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Apollo Global Management A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of APO. Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of Apollo Global Management during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $586,016,000. Curated Wealth Partners LLC boosted its stake in shares of Apollo Global Management by 200.3% during the 2nd quarter. Curated Wealth Partners LLC now owns 2,362,535 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $278,945,000 after buying an additional 4,717,661 shares during the last quarter. TD Asset Management Inc boosted its stake in shares of Apollo Global Management by 4,248.9% during the 4th quarter. TD Asset Management Inc now owns 2,459,235 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $229,176,000 after buying an additional 2,402,686 shares during the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors boosted its stake in shares of Apollo Global Management by 40.3% during the 1st quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 4,738,565 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $532,852,000 after buying an additional 1,360,525 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Third Point LLC purchased a new position in shares of Apollo Global Management during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $83,871,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 77.06% of the companys stock. Apollo Global Management Company Profile (Get Free Report) Apollo Global Management, Inc is a private equity firm specializing in investments in credit, private equity and real estate markets. The firm's private equity investments include traditional buyouts, recapitalization, distressed buyouts and debt investments in real estate, corporate partner buyouts, distressed asset, corporate carve-outs, middle market, growth capital, turnaround, bridge, corporate restructuring, special situation, acquisition, and industry consolidation transactions. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Apollo Global Management Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Apollo Global Management and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BNP Paribas SA (OTCMKTS:BNPQY Get Free Report) saw a significant decrease in short interest during the month of July. As of July 31st, there was short interest totalling 34,500 shares, a decrease of 46.4% from the July 15th total of 64,400 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 390,000 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.1 days. BNP Paribas Trading Up 0.9 % Shares of OTCMKTS:BNPQY traded up $0.29 during trading on Thursday, reaching $33.05. The stock had a trading volume of 117,365 shares, compared to its average volume of 241,732. BNP Paribas has a fifty-two week low of $28.24 and a fifty-two week high of $39.32. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $33.40 and a 200-day moving average price of $33.87. The stock has a market cap of $74.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 6.78, a PEG ratio of 0.27 and a beta of 1.45. The company has a quick ratio of 0.81, a current ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.79. Get BNP Paribas alerts: BNP Paribas (OTCMKTS:BNPQY Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 24th. The financial services provider reported $1.51 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.37 by $0.14. The business had revenue of $13.21 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $12.92 billion. As a group, analysts anticipate that BNP Paribas will post 4.9 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Analyst Ratings Changes Separately, Berenberg Bank upgraded shares of BNP Paribas to a strong-buy rating in a report on Thursday, May 23rd. Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on BNPQY About BNP Paribas (Get Free Report) BNP Paribas SA provides various banking and financial products and services in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, and the Asia Pacific. It operates through three divisions: Corporate & Institutional Banking; Commercial, Personal Banking & Services; and Investment & Protection Services. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for BNP Paribas Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BNP Paribas and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. CAE Inc. (TSE:CAE Get Free Report) (NYSE:CAE)s stock price reached a new 52-week low during trading on Monday . The company traded as low as C$22.28 and last traded at C$22.45, with a volume of 213341 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at C$22.83. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of equities analysts have commented on CAE shares. National Bankshares reduced their price target on shares of CAE from C$31.00 to C$29.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, July 30th. CIBC upped their target price on shares of CAE from C$29.00 to C$30.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 29th. Desjardins reduced their target price on shares of CAE from C$29.00 to C$28.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. Canaccord Genuity Group lowered shares of CAE from a buy rating to a hold rating and reduced their target price for the stock from C$34.00 to C$30.00 in a research report on Wednesday, May 22nd. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reduced their target price on shares of CAE from C$34.00 to C$33.00 in a research report on Thursday, July 18th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of C$30.90. Get CAE alerts: View Our Latest Report on CAE CAE Stock Performance The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 71.45, a current ratio of 0.85 and a quick ratio of 0.71. The firm has a market capitalization of C$7.69 billion, a P/E ratio of -23.32, a P/E/G ratio of 1.76 and a beta of 1.91. The stocks 50 day moving average is C$25.05 and its two-hundred day moving average is C$26.16. CAE (TSE:CAE Get Free Report) (NYSE:CAE) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Monday, May 27th. The company reported C$0.12 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of C$0.30 by C($0.18). The business had revenue of C$1.13 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of C$1.18 billion. CAE had a negative return on equity of 7.14% and a negative net margin of 7.10%. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that CAE Inc. will post 1.1842105 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. About CAE (Get Free Report) CAE Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides simulation training and critical operations support solutions in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, Asia, Oceania and Africa, and Rest of Americas. It operates through three segments: Civil Aviation, Defense and Security, and Healthcare. See Also Receive News & Ratings for CAE Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for CAE and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Cedar Point Capital Partners LLC decreased its holdings in shares of Vanguard U.S. Quality Factor ETF (BATS:VFQY Free Report) by 1.1% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 70,612 shares of the companys stock after selling 767 shares during the period. Vanguard U.S. Quality Factor ETF makes up 7.1% of Cedar Point Capital Partners LLCs holdings, making the stock its 4th largest position. Cedar Point Capital Partners LLCs holdings in Vanguard U.S. Quality Factor ETF were worth $9,469,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Coastline Trust Co raised its position in shares of Vanguard U.S. Quality Factor ETF by 3.1% during the 2nd quarter. Coastline Trust Co now owns 16,752 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,246,000 after acquiring an additional 507 shares during the last quarter. Cambridge Trust Co. acquired a new position in shares of Vanguard U.S. Quality Factor ETF in the 1st quarter valued at $48,000. Nwam LLC grew its holdings in shares of Vanguard U.S. Quality Factor ETF by 12.9% in the 1st quarter. Nwam LLC now owns 3,257 shares of the companys stock valued at $433,000 after buying an additional 371 shares during the period. RWA Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Vanguard U.S. Quality Factor ETF in the 1st quarter valued at $204,000. Finally, Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Vanguard U.S. Quality Factor ETF by 17.0% in the 1st quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 14,568 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,995,000 after buying an additional 2,114 shares during the period. Get Vanguard U.S. Quality Factor ETF alerts: Vanguard U.S. Quality Factor ETF Stock Performance Shares of VFQY stock traded up $0.04 on Wednesday, hitting $134.87. The stock had a trading volume of 5,266 shares. The firm has a market cap of $330.43 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.68 and a beta of 1.03. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $135.44 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $133.43. Vanguard U.S. Quality Factor ETF Profile The Vanguard U.S. Quality Factor ETF (VFQY) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the Benchmark for VFQY Fund index. The fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation by investing in stocks with strong fundamentals as determined by the advisor. VFQY was launched on Feb 13, 2018 and is managed by Vanguard. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding VFQY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Vanguard U.S. Quality Factor ETF (BATS:VFQY Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Vanguard U.S. Quality Factor ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Vanguard U.S. Quality Factor ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC lessened its position in Cheniere Energy, Inc. (NYSE:LNG Free Report) by 21.7% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 2,582 shares of the energy companys stock after selling 717 shares during the period. V Square Quantitative Management LLCs holdings in Cheniere Energy were worth $451,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. raised its position in shares of Cheniere Energy by 21.5% in the second quarter. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. now owns 23,322 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $4,077,000 after buying an additional 4,130 shares during the last quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC increased its position in Cheniere Energy by 215.7% during the second quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 62,551 shares of the energy companys stock worth $10,936,000 after purchasing an additional 42,737 shares during the last quarter. Albert D Mason Inc. acquired a new position in Cheniere Energy during the second quarter worth approximately $358,000. M&G Plc increased its position in Cheniere Energy by 0.3% during the second quarter. M&G Plc now owns 222,232 shares of the energy companys stock worth $38,891,000 after purchasing an additional 721 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Wedmont Private Capital increased its position in Cheniere Energy by 28.4% during the second quarter. Wedmont Private Capital now owns 1,957 shares of the energy companys stock worth $347,000 after purchasing an additional 433 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.26% of the companys stock. Get Cheniere Energy alerts: Cheniere Energy Price Performance Shares of LNG stock opened at $184.12 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of $42.15 billion, a PE ratio of 8.97 and a beta of 0.96. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $172.90 and a 200-day simple moving average of $164.48. The company has a current ratio of 0.98, a quick ratio of 0.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.58. Cheniere Energy, Inc. has a twelve month low of $152.31 and a twelve month high of $184.64. Cheniere Energy ( NYSE:LNG Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, August 8th. The energy company reported $3.84 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.71 by $2.13. Cheniere Energy had a net margin of 28.55% and a return on equity of 48.19%. The business had revenue of $3.30 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.52 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $5.61 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 19.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts anticipate that Cheniere Energy, Inc. will post 8.29 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Cheniere Energy declared that its board has approved a share buyback plan on Monday, June 17th that authorizes the company to buyback $4.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the energy company to purchase up to 9.6% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are often a sign that the companys board of directors believes its stock is undervalued. Cheniere Energy Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 9th will be paid a dividend of $0.435 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 9th. This represents a $1.74 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.95%. Cheniere Energys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 8.48%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several brokerages recently commented on LNG. Barclays upped their price target on shares of Cheniere Energy from $194.00 to $199.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of Cheniere Energy from $213.00 to $214.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, May 17th. UBS Group dropped their price target on shares of Cheniere Energy from $223.00 to $206.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, April 24th. TD Cowen upped their price target on shares of Cheniere Energy from $178.00 to $185.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday, June 17th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein started coverage on shares of Cheniere Energy in a research report on Monday, June 24th. They set an outperform rating for the company. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $196.40. Get Our Latest Report on LNG Cheniere Energy Profile (Free Report) Cheniere Energy, Inc, an energy infrastructure company, primarily engages in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) related businesses in the United States. It owns and operates the Sabine Pass LNG terminal in Cameron Parish, Louisiana; and the Corpus Christi LNG terminal near Corpus Christi, Texas. The company also owns Creole Trail pipeline, a 94-mile natural gas supply pipeline that interconnects the Sabine Pass LNG Terminal with several interstate and intrastate pipelines; and operates Corpus Christi pipeline, a 21.5-mile natural gas supply pipeline that interconnects the Corpus Christi LNG terminal with various interstate and intrastate natural gas pipelines. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LNG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Cheniere Energy, Inc. (NYSE:LNG Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Cheniere Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Cheniere Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Community Health Systems (NYSE:CYH Free Report) had its price target lifted by UBS Group from $4.70 to $5.10 in a research note published on Wednesday morning, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a neutral rating on the stock. A number of other brokerages also recently issued reports on CYH. Truist Financial increased their price objective on shares of Community Health Systems from $3.75 to $4.25 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research note on Monday, July 15th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on shares of Community Health Systems from $3.50 to $5.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 30th. Oppenheimer increased their price objective on shares of Community Health Systems from $4.50 to $5.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and set a $6.00 price objective on shares of Community Health Systems in a research note on Monday. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Community Health Systems currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $4.73. Get Community Health Systems alerts: Get Our Latest Analysis on Community Health Systems Community Health Systems Stock Performance Shares of CYH stock traded down $0.10 on Wednesday, hitting $4.86. The companys stock had a trading volume of 110,432 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,887,236. The stocks 50 day moving average is $3.97 and its 200-day moving average is $3.56. Community Health Systems has a fifty-two week low of $2.01 and a fifty-two week high of $5.48. The company has a market capitalization of $675.37 million, a PE ratio of -5.22 and a beta of 1.52. Community Health Systems (NYSE:CYH Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The company reported ($0.17) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.12) by ($0.05). The company had revenue of $3.14 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.10 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned ($0.22) EPS. The businesss quarterly revenue was up .8% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts forecast that Community Health Systems will post -0.41 earnings per share for the current year. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. nVerses Capital LLC bought a new position in Community Health Systems in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale bought a new position in Community Health Systems during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $33,000. Eagle Asset Management Inc. bought a new position in Community Health Systems during the 4th quarter worth approximately $40,000. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board bought a new position in Community Health Systems during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $45,000. Finally, Bison Wealth LLC bought a new position in Community Health Systems during the 4th quarter worth approximately $63,000. Institutional investors own 84.99% of the companys stock. Community Health Systems Company Profile (Get Free Report) Community Health Systems, Inc owns, leases, and operates general acute care hospitals in the United States. It offers general acute care, emergency room, general and specialty surgery, critical care, internal medicine, obstetrics, diagnostic, psychiatric, and rehabilitation services, as well as skilled nursing and home care services. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Community Health Systems Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Community Health Systems and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shikiar Asset Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of Coty Inc. (NYSE:COTY Free Report) by 15.2% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 306,900 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 40,500 shares during the period. Coty makes up about 0.8% of Shikiar Asset Management Inc.s holdings, making the stock its 29th biggest holding. Shikiar Asset Management Inc.s holdings in Coty were worth $3,075,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Arizona State Retirement System increased its holdings in Coty by 2.6% in the 4th quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 112,082 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,392,000 after purchasing an additional 2,814 shares in the last quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System purchased a new position in Coty in the 4th quarter valued at about $1,307,000. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank boosted its position in Coty by 15.7% in the 4th quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 86,053 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,069,000 after buying an additional 11,700 shares during the last quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. boosted its position in Coty by 4.2% in the 4th quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 46,244 shares of the companys stock valued at $574,000 after buying an additional 1,871 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Xponance Inc. boosted its position in Coty by 4.9% in the 4th quarter. Xponance Inc. now owns 44,920 shares of the companys stock valued at $558,000 after buying an additional 2,105 shares during the last quarter. 42.36% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Coty alerts: Coty Stock Performance COTY stock traded down $0.11 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $9.04. The company had a trading volume of 5,338,534 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,886,157. The company has a quick ratio of 0.50, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $9.81 and a 200 day moving average price of $10.97. Coty Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $8.79 and a fifty-two week high of $13.30. The firm has a market capitalization of $7.85 billion, a PE ratio of 39.22, a P/E/G ratio of 3.31 and a beta of 1.91. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades COTY has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Citigroup decreased their price objective on shares of Coty from $12.00 to $11.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, July 10th. Piper Sandler decreased their price objective on shares of Coty from $15.00 to $13.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, July 11th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on shares of Coty from $12.00 to $11.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, July 10th. Bank of America reduced their price target on shares of Coty from $15.00 to $14.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, July 10th. Finally, TD Cowen reduced their price target on shares of Coty from $16.00 to $13.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 17th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Coty presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $12.94. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Coty Coty Profile (Free Report) Coty Inc, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells beauty products worldwide. It operates through Prestige and Consumer Beauty segments. The company provides fragrance, color cosmetics, and skin and body care products. It offers Prestige segment products primarily through prestige retailers, including perfumeries, department stores, e-retailers, direct-to-consumer websites, and duty-free shops under the Burberry, Calvin Klein, Chloe, Davidoff, Escada, Gucci, Hugo Boss, Jil Sander, Joop!, Kylie Jenner, Lancaster, Marc Jacobs, Miu Miu, Orveda, philosophy, SKKN BY KIM, and Tiffany & Co brands. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding COTY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Coty Inc. (NYSE:COTY Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Coty Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Coty and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Country Club Bank lessened its position in The Southern Company (NYSE:SO Free Report) by 1.9% during the second quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 12,837 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 245 shares during the period. Country Club Banks holdings in Southern were worth $1,002,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Southern during the 4th quarter valued at about $631,068,000. Capital International Investors lifted its position in Southern by 45.9% during the 1st quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 23,994,733 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $1,721,382,000 after acquiring an additional 7,550,570 shares during the period. Confluence Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in Southern during the 1st quarter valued at about $128,413,000. Wellington Management Group LLP lifted its position in Southern by 36.0% during the 4th quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 3,529,052 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $247,457,000 after acquiring an additional 934,447 shares during the period. Finally, Boston Partners purchased a new position in Southern during the 4th quarter valued at about $56,924,000. Institutional investors own 64.10% of the companys stock. Get Southern alerts: Insider Transactions at Southern In other Southern news, EVP Sterling A. Jr. Spainhour sold 2,380 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $88.99, for a total transaction of $211,796.20. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 12,500 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,112,375. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In other news, EVP Sterling A. Jr. Spainhour sold 2,380 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $88.99, for a total transaction of $211,796.20. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 12,500 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,112,375. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Anthony L. Wilson sold 6,900 shares of Southern stock in a transaction on Friday, July 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $77.61, for a total transaction of $535,509.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 85,309 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,620,831.49. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 21,280 shares of company stock worth $1,678,625. Insiders own 0.18% of the companys stock. Southern Stock Performance NYSE SO traded down $0.18 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $87.01. 2,675,867 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,483,909. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $81.01 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $75.05. The company has a current ratio of 0.91, a quick ratio of 0.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.66. The firm has a market capitalization of $95.14 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.37, a P/E/G ratio of 3.10 and a beta of 0.51. The Southern Company has a 52 week low of $61.56 and a 52 week high of $89.68. Southern (NYSE:SO Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The utilities provider reported $1.10 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.91 by $0.19. Southern had a net margin of 17.67% and a return on equity of 12.88%. The business had revenue of $6.46 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.10 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.79 earnings per share. The companys revenue was up 12.4% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts predict that The Southern Company will post 4.01 EPS for the current year. Southern Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 6th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 19th will be issued a $0.72 dividend. This represents a $2.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.31%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, August 19th. Southerns payout ratio is presently 74.42%. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research analysts recently issued reports on SO shares. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price target on shares of Southern from $83.00 to $94.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, August 2nd. Scotiabank lifted their price target on shares of Southern from $77.00 to $87.00 and gave the company a sector outperform rating in a research report on Friday, August 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on shares of Southern from $77.00 to $89.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of Southern from $80.00 to $87.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a report on Monday. Finally, Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on shares of Southern from $74.00 to $71.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Monday, June 24th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Southern presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $82.00. Read Our Latest Analysis on Southern Southern Profile (Free Report) The Southern Company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. The company also develops, constructs, acquires, owns, and manages power generation assets, including renewable energy projects and sells electricity in the wholesale market; and distributes natural gas in Illinois, Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee, as well as provides gas marketing services, gas distribution operations, and gas pipeline investments operations. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Southern Company (NYSE:SO Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Southern Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Southern and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL Get Free Report) have received an average rating of Buy from the twelve analysts that are covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Eleven investment analysts have rated the stock with a buy recommendation and one has issued a strong buy recommendation on the company. The average twelve-month target price among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $60.70. Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Sanford C. Bernstein reduced their price target on Delta Air Lines from $66.00 to $62.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, July 12th. Citigroup increased their target price on Delta Air Lines from $55.00 to $65.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 29th. HSBC initiated coverage on Delta Air Lines in a research note on Monday, May 13th. They issued a buy rating and a $72.80 target price on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group cut their target price on Delta Air Lines from $58.00 to $56.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, June 28th. Finally, TD Cowen cut their target price on Delta Air Lines from $61.00 to $59.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. Get Delta Air Lines alerts: Check Out Our Latest Analysis on DAL Insider Activity Institutional Investors Weigh In On Delta Air Lines In other Delta Air Lines news, Director Willie Cw Chiang acquired 10,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, July 12th. The stock was bought at an average price of $43.90 per share, for a total transaction of $439,000.00. Following the acquisition, the director now directly owns 20,000 shares in the company, valued at $878,000. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website . Corporate insiders own 0.96% of the companys stock. Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in DAL. American International Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Delta Air Lines by 1.6% during the 4th quarter. American International Group Inc. now owns 181,107 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $7,286,000 after purchasing an additional 2,783 shares during the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Delta Air Lines by 132.3% during the 4th quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 466,741 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $18,777,000 after purchasing an additional 265,852 shares during the last quarter. Capital Advisors Inc. OK purchased a new stake in shares of Delta Air Lines during the 4th quarter worth $4,241,000. First Hawaiian Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Delta Air Lines during the 1st quarter worth $749,000. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company MN increased its position in Delta Air Lines by 7.0% during the 4th quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 1,127,607 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $45,364,000 after buying an additional 73,936 shares in the last quarter. 69.93% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Delta Air Lines Stock Down 2.1 % Shares of NYSE DAL opened at $38.67 on Thursday. Delta Air Lines has a 12 month low of $30.60 and a 12 month high of $53.86. The company has a current ratio of 0.40, a quick ratio of 0.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.21. The firm has a market capitalization of $24.95 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 5.56, a PEG ratio of 0.86 and a beta of 1.35. The business has a 50-day moving average of $45.34 and a 200-day moving average of $45.91. Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, July 11th. The transportation company reported $2.36 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.37 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $15.41 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $15.45 billion. Delta Air Lines had a net margin of 7.46% and a return on equity of 36.02%. Delta Air Liness revenue was up 5.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.68 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Delta Air Lines will post 6.26 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Delta Air Lines Increases Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, August 20th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, July 30th will be given a dividend of $0.15 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, July 30th. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.55%. This is an increase from Delta Air Liness previous quarterly dividend of $0.10. Delta Air Liness payout ratio is currently 8.63%. About Delta Air Lines (Get Free Report Delta Air Lines, Inc provides scheduled air transportation for passengers and cargo in the United States and internationally. The company operates through two segments, Airline and Refinery. Its domestic network centered on core hubs in Atlanta, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Detroit, and Salt Lake City, as well as coastal hub positions in Boston, Los Angeles, New York-LaGuardia, New York-JFK, and Seattle; and international network centered on hubs and market presence in Amsterdam, Bogota, Lima, Mexico City, London-Heathrow, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Sao Paulo, Seoul-Incheon, and Tokyo. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Delta Air Lines Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Delta Air Lines and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Dominos Pizza Group (LON:DOM Get Free Report) had its price objective cut by stock analysts at Royal Bank of Canada from GBX 400 ($5.11) to GBX 390 ($4.98) in a report issued on Tuesday, MarketBeat reports. The brokerage presently has an outperform rating on the stock. Royal Bank of Canadas price target suggests a potential upside of 30.52% from the companys previous close. A number of other analysts have also commented on DOM. Numis Securities reaffirmed a buy rating and set a GBX 480 ($6.13) price objective on shares of Dominos Pizza Group in a research note on Friday, April 19th. Shore Capital restated a buy rating on shares of Dominos Pizza Group in a research report on Tuesday, August 6th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus price target of GBX 431.25 ($5.51). Get Domino's Pizza Group alerts: Read Our Latest Research Report on DOM Dominos Pizza Group Trading Up 0.6 % Insider Transactions at Dominos Pizza Group Shares of DOM stock opened at GBX 298.80 ($3.82) on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.83, a current ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 9,124.00. Dominos Pizza Group has a fifty-two week low of GBX 275 ($3.51) and a fifty-two week high of GBX 409.80 ($5.23). The stock has a market capitalization of 1.19 billion, a P/E ratio of 1,572.63, a P/E/G ratio of 5.24 and a beta of 0.97. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of GBX 313.68 and a 200 day simple moving average of GBX 332.13. In other Dominos Pizza Group news, insider Ian Bull bought 10,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 6th. The stock was acquired at an average price of GBX 294 ($3.75) per share, with a total value of 29,400 ($37,538.30). 16.32% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Dominos Pizza Group Company Profile (Get Free Report) Domino's Pizza Group plc owns, operates, and franchises Domino's Pizza stores. It operates stores in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, as well as leases its stores. The company was formerly known as Domino's Pizza UK & IRL plc and changed its name to Domino's Pizza Group plc in May 2012. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Domino's Pizza Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Domino's Pizza Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Eldorado Gold Co. (TSE:ELD Get Free Report) (NYSE:EGO) have been assigned an average rating of Moderate Buy from the six brokerages that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, two have issued a buy recommendation and one has issued a strong buy recommendation on the company. The average 12-month target price among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is C$22.54. Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. National Bankshares increased their price target on Eldorado Gold from C$26.00 to C$27.00 in a research report on Monday, July 29th. Royal Bank of Canada raised shares of Eldorado Gold from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating and increased their target price for the stock from C$14.00 to C$20.00 in a research note on Wednesday, May 29th. BMO Capital Markets increased their target price on shares of Eldorado Gold from C$21.00 to C$23.00 in a research note on Friday, April 26th. Canaccord Genuity Group increased their target price on shares of Eldorado Gold from C$23.00 to C$26.50 in a research note on Tuesday, July 23rd. Finally, Cibc World Mkts raised shares of Eldorado Gold to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 10th. Get Eldorado Gold alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Report on Eldorado Gold Eldorado Gold Price Performance Insiders Place Their Bets Shares of ELD opened at C$23.55 on Thursday. The businesss 50-day moving average is C$21.75 and its two-hundred day moving average is C$19.72. The company has a market capitalization of C$4.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.46, a P/E/G ratio of 56.20 and a beta of 1.21. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 20.85, a quick ratio of 2.28 and a current ratio of 3.62. Eldorado Gold has a fifty-two week low of C$11.38 and a fifty-two week high of C$23.95. In other Eldorado Gold news, Senior Officer Paul Anthony Ferneyhough sold 12,358 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of C$21.66, for a total value of C$267,656.98. In other news, Senior Officer Mehmet Yilmaz sold 10,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$21.12, for a total transaction of C$211,200.00. Also, Senior Officer Paul Anthony Ferneyhough sold 12,358 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of C$21.66, for a total transaction of C$267,656.98. Insiders have sold 76,944 shares of company stock valued at $1,378,442 in the last ninety days. 0.57% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Eldorado Gold Company Profile (Get Free Report Eldorado Gold Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the mining, exploration, development, and sale of mineral products primarily in Turkey, Canada, Greece, and Romania. The company primarily produces gold, as well as silver, lead, and zinc. It holds a 100% interest in the Kisladag and Efemcukuru mines located in Turkey; Lamaque complex located in Canada; and Olympias, Stratoni, Skouries, Perama Hill, and Sapes gold mines located in Greece, as well as the 80.5% interest in Certej development projects located in Romania. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Eldorado Gold Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Eldorado Gold and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Bank of America Co. (NYSE:BAC) by 4.7% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 510,517 shares of the financial services providers stock after purchasing an additional 22,897 shares during the period. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc.s holdings in Bank of America were worth $20,303,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Ethos Financial Group LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Bank of America by 6.2% during the 4th quarter. Ethos Financial Group LLC now owns 8,452 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $285,000 after purchasing an additional 492 shares in the last quarter. Auxano Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Bank of America by 234.5% during the 4th quarter. Auxano Advisors LLC now owns 27,356 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $921,000 after purchasing an additional 19,179 shares in the last quarter. DiNuzzo Private Wealth Inc. bought a new position in shares of Bank of America during the 4th quarter valued at about $105,000. Concord Wealth Partners lifted its holdings in shares of Bank of America by 10.2% during the 4th quarter. Concord Wealth Partners now owns 55,259 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,861,000 after purchasing an additional 5,103 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Barometer Capital Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Bank of America during the 4th quarter valued at about $2,175,000. Institutional investors own 70.71% of the companys stock. Get Bank of America alerts: Bank of America Stock Performance Shares of BAC stock traded up $0.32 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $38.78. 25,650,213 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 39,369,301. The company has a quick ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09. The stock has a market capitalization of $303.27 billion, a PE ratio of 13.42, a PEG ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 1.35. Bank of America Co. has a twelve month low of $24.96 and a twelve month high of $44.44. The firms fifty day moving average price is $40.23 and its 200-day moving average price is $37.79. Bank of America ( NYSE:BAC Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 16th. The financial services provider reported $0.83 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.79 by $0.04. Bank of America had a return on equity of 10.56% and a net margin of 13.28%. The firm had revenue of $25.38 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $25.22 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.88 EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was up .7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Bank of America Co. will post 3.27 EPS for the current year. Bank of America announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a stock repurchase program on Wednesday, July 24th that allows the company to buyback $25.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization allows the financial services provider to purchase up to 7.6% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are often an indication that the companys leadership believes its shares are undervalued. Bank of America Increases Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 27th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 6th will be issued a $0.26 dividend. This represents a $1.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.68%. This is a positive change from Bank of Americas previous quarterly dividend of $0.24. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 6th. Bank of Americas dividend payout ratio is currently 35.99%. Insider Buying and Selling at Bank of America In other Bank of America news, insider Lindsay D. Hans sold 10,901 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $36.91, for a total value of $402,355.91. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 10,907 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $402,577.37. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In other news, major shareholder Berkshire Hathaway Inc sold 12,690,693 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $44.07, for a total transaction of $559,278,840.51. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 1,020,161,313 shares in the company, valued at approximately $44,958,509,063.91. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider Lindsay D. Hans sold 10,901 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $36.91, for a total value of $402,355.91. Following the sale, the insider now owns 10,907 shares of the companys stock, valued at $402,577.37. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 56,549,666 shares of company stock valued at $2,403,801,723 in the last ninety days. 0.29% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several research firms have commented on BAC. StockNews.com upgraded Bank of America from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their target price on Bank of America from $39.00 to $41.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 3rd. Piper Sandler Companies upgraded Bank of America from an underweight rating to a neutral rating and boosted their target price for the company from $37.00 to $42.00 in a research note on Tuesday, July 9th. Seaport Res Ptn raised Bank of America from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 2nd. Finally, Barclays boosted their price target on Bank of America from $43.00 to $49.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $42.07. Get Our Latest Stock Report on BAC About Bank of America (Free Report) Bank of America Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides banking and financial products and services for individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses, institutional investors, large corporations, and governments worldwide. It operates in four segments: Consumer Banking, Global Wealth & Investment Management (GWIM), Global Banking, and Global Markets. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BAC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Bank of America Co. (NYSE:BAC Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Bank of America Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Bank of America and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. lifted its position in BlackRock Flexible Income ETF (NYSEARCA:BINC Free Report) by 3.9% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 2,103,367 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 79,924 shares during the quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. owned about 3.72% of BlackRock Flexible Income ETF worth $109,796,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of BINC. YHB Investment Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of BlackRock Flexible Income ETF during the 1st quarter worth about $25,000. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of BlackRock Flexible Income ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at about $26,000. Retirement Group LLC lifted its stake in BlackRock Flexible Income ETF by 927.3% in the first quarter. Retirement Group LLC now owns 565 shares of the companys stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 510 shares in the last quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. acquired a new position in BlackRock Flexible Income ETF in the 1st quarter worth $31,000. Finally, Eagle Bay Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of BlackRock Flexible Income ETF during the first quarter worth about $33,000. Get BlackRock Flexible Income ETF alerts: BlackRock Flexible Income ETF Stock Up 0.1 % Shares of BINC stock traded up $0.07 on Wednesday, reaching $52.94. The stock had a trading volume of 896,669 shares, compared to its average volume of 618,670. BlackRock Flexible Income ETF has a 12 month low of $49.54 and a 12 month high of $52.95. The firms 50-day moving average is $52.41 and its two-hundred day moving average is $52.24. BlackRock Flexible Income ETF Profile The BlackRock Flexible Income ETF (BINC) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in high yield fixed income. The fund provides an actively managed approach to multisector fixed-income exposure globally. It may hold debt and income-producing securities, of any credit quality or maturity, with the objective of maximizing long-term income and capital appreciation. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for BlackRock Flexible Income ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BlackRock Flexible Income ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Fair Isaac Co. (NYSE:FICO Get Free Report)s share price dropped 2.2% during mid-day trading on Thursday after an insider sold shares in the company. The company traded as low as $1,770.00 and last traded at $1,770.44. Approximately 32,499 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 82% from the average daily volume of 179,282 shares. The stock had previously closed at $1,809.75. Specifically, EVP Thomas A. Bowers sold 3,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,715.27, for a total transaction of $5,145,810.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 5,769 shares of the companys stock, valued at $9,895,392.63. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In related news, EVP Richard Deal sold 13,591 shares of Fair Isaac stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,374.30, for a total transaction of $18,678,111.30. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 49,314 shares in the company, valued at $67,772,230.20. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Thomas A. Bowers sold 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, August 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,715.27, for a total value of $5,145,810.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 5,769 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,895,392.63. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 25,314 shares of company stock worth $38,618,138. Company insiders own 3.54% of the companys stock. Get Fair Isaac alerts: Analyst Ratings Changes FICO has been the subject of several research reports. Robert W. Baird increased their price target on shares of Fair Isaac from $1,264.00 to $1,700.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, August 1st. Needham & Company LLC raised their target price on shares of Fair Isaac from $1,500.00 to $1,850.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, August 1st. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price target on Fair Isaac from $1,350.00 to $1,500.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research report on Thursday, August 1st. Barclays raised their price objective on Fair Isaac from $1,500.00 to $1,800.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 7th. Finally, Wolfe Research began coverage on Fair Isaac in a research note on Tuesday, July 9th. They issued an outperform rating and a $1,725.00 target price on the stock. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating, six have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Fair Isaac has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $1,515.82. Fair Isaac Price Performance The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $1,537.73 and a 200-day simple moving average of $1,359.18. The firm has a market capitalization of $43.60 billion, a PE ratio of 94.95, a PEG ratio of 4.26 and a beta of 1.34. Fair Isaac declared that its board has authorized a stock buyback plan on Tuesday, July 30th that authorizes the company to buyback $1.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the technology company to repurchase up to 2.6% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are usually a sign that the companys board believes its shares are undervalued. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Fair Isaac Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. EntryPoint Capital LLC bought a new stake in Fair Isaac during the first quarter valued at about $25,000. Tortoise Investment Management LLC grew its position in shares of Fair Isaac by 81.8% during the second quarter. Tortoise Investment Management LLC now owns 20 shares of the technology companys stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 9 shares in the last quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. purchased a new position in Fair Isaac in the 1st quarter worth approximately $26,000. Family Firm Inc. purchased a new position in Fair Isaac in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $34,000. Finally, OFI Invest Asset Management bought a new position in Fair Isaac in the 1st quarter worth approximately $31,000. 85.75% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. About Fair Isaac (Get Free Report) Fair Isaac Corporation develops analytic, software, and digital decisioning technologies and services that enable businesses to automate, enhance, and connect decisions in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates in two segments, Scores and Software. The Software segment provides pre-configured analytic and decision management solution designed for various business needs or processes, such as account origination, customer management, customer engagement, fraud detection, financial crimes compliance, and marketing, as well as associated professional services. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Fair Isaac Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Fair Isaac and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 15. On August 15, at about 18:10, the Armenian armed forces units, using small arms, subjected to fire the Azerbaijan Army positions stationed in the direction of the Ganza settlement of the Ordubad region of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Trend reports, referring to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. The Azerbaijan Army units took retaliatory measures. PGGM Investments raised its position in Fiserv, Inc. (NYSE:FI Free Report) by 6.4% in the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 66,354 shares of the business services providers stock after buying an additional 3,995 shares during the period. PGGM Investments holdings in Fiserv were worth $9,889,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of FI. Sky Investment Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of Fiserv in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $290,000. Addenda Capital Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Fiserv by 6.5% in the 2nd quarter. Addenda Capital Inc. now owns 71,599 shares of the business services providers stock worth $10,671,000 after acquiring an additional 4,391 shares during the last quarter. ORG Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Fiserv by 3,016.0% in the 2nd quarter. ORG Partners LLC now owns 3,303 shares of the business services providers stock worth $486,000 after acquiring an additional 3,197 shares during the last quarter. TRUE Private Wealth Advisors increased its stake in Fiserv by 2.3% during the 2nd quarter. TRUE Private Wealth Advisors now owns 4,976 shares of the business services providers stock worth $742,000 after buying an additional 114 shares during the period. Finally, Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. lifted its holdings in Fiserv by 13.8% during the 2nd quarter. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. now owns 80,279 shares of the business services providers stock worth $11,964,000 after buying an additional 9,709 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.98% of the companys stock. Get Fiserv alerts: Fiserv Stock Performance Shares of FI traded up $1.55 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $164.01. 1,447,594 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,512,592. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $154.10 and its 200-day moving average price is $151.95. The stock has a market capitalization of $95.96 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.66, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.31 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.85, a quick ratio of 1.06 and a current ratio of 1.06. Fiserv, Inc. has a 12 month low of $109.11 and a 12 month high of $165.56. Insider Buying and Selling at Fiserv Fiserv ( NYSE:FI Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The business services provider reported $2.13 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.10 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $5.11 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.81 billion. Fiserv had a return on equity of 16.41% and a net margin of 17.45%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 7.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $1.81 earnings per share. Equities analysts predict that Fiserv, Inc. will post 8.73 earnings per share for the current year. In other news, EVP John Gibbons sold 2,800 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, June 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $148.76, for a total transaction of $416,528.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 28,323 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,213,329.48. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In related news, EVP John Gibbons sold 2,800 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, June 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $148.76, for a total value of $416,528.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 28,323 shares in the company, valued at $4,213,329.48. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, COO Guy Chiarello sold 24,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, June 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $148.47, for a total transaction of $3,563,280.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer now owns 163,699 shares of the companys stock, valued at $24,304,390.53. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 50,800 shares of company stock valued at $7,696,448 in the last three months. 0.75% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth FI has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. UBS Group boosted their target price on Fiserv from $170.00 to $185.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, April 24th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their target price on Fiserv from $178.00 to $184.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, July 25th. KeyCorp upped their price target on Fiserv from $170.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, July 25th. StockNews.com upgraded Fiserv from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, June 26th. Finally, Stephens restated an equal weight rating and issued a $165.00 price target on shares of Fiserv in a report on Wednesday, April 24th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-one have assigned a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $172.29. Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Fiserv Fiserv Profile (Free Report) Fiserv, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides payments and financial services technology services in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Latin America, the Asia-Pacific, and internationally. It operates through Merchant Acceptance, Financial Technology, and Payments and Network segments. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding FI? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Fiserv, Inc. (NYSE:FI Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Fiserv Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Fiserv and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. The Goldman Sachs Group assumed coverage on shares of General Mills (NYSE:GIS Free Report) in a report released on Monday, MarketBeat.com reports. The firm issued a buy rating and a $76.00 target price on the stock. A number of other brokerages have also recently weighed in on GIS. Evercore ISI dropped their price target on General Mills from $76.00 to $72.00 and set an in-line rating for the company in a research report on Friday, June 28th. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price objective on General Mills from $77.00 to $70.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, June 27th. Sanford C. Bernstein upgraded General Mills from an underperform rating to a market perform rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $62.00 to $70.00 in a research report on Wednesday, May 15th. Bank of America dropped their price objective on General Mills from $70.00 to $68.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, June 27th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reiterated a sector perform rating and set a $70.00 price objective on shares of General Mills in a research report on Thursday, June 27th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, fifteen have given a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $69.71. Get General Mills alerts: Check Out Our Latest Research Report on GIS General Mills Trading Up 1.7 % Shares of GIS stock opened at $70.40 on Monday. General Mills has a fifty-two week low of $60.33 and a fifty-two week high of $74.45. The stock has a market cap of $39.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.33, a P/E/G ratio of 3.83 and a beta of 0.09. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $65.84 and a 200-day simple moving average of $66.98. The company has a quick ratio of 0.38, a current ratio of 0.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.17. General Mills (NYSE:GIS Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, June 26th. The company reported $1.01 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.99 by $0.02. General Mills had a return on equity of 26.56% and a net margin of 12.57%. The business had revenue of $4.71 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.85 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.12 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 6.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts forecast that General Mills will post 4.49 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. General Mills Increases Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 1st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, July 10th were paid a $0.60 dividend. This is a positive change from General Millss previous quarterly dividend of $0.59. This represents a $2.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.41%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, July 10th. General Millss payout ratio is currently 55.68%. Hedge Funds Weigh In On General Mills Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. BRITISH COLUMBIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT Corp lifted its stake in shares of General Mills by 59.5% in the 2nd quarter. BRITISH COLUMBIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT Corp now owns 108,126 shares of the companys stock valued at $6,840,000 after purchasing an additional 40,324 shares in the last quarter. Distillate Capital Partners LLC lifted its stake in shares of General Mills by 130,555.3% in the 2nd quarter. Distillate Capital Partners LLC now owns 257,391 shares of the companys stock valued at $16,283,000 after purchasing an additional 257,194 shares in the last quarter. Providence Capital Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of General Mills by 1.4% in the 2nd quarter. Providence Capital Advisors LLC now owns 38,264 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,421,000 after purchasing an additional 546 shares in the last quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board lifted its stake in shares of General Mills by 70.3% in the 2nd quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board now owns 21,535 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,362,000 after purchasing an additional 8,887 shares in the last quarter. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of General Mills by 14.9% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 8,488 shares of the companys stock valued at $570,000 after purchasing an additional 1,098 shares in the last quarter. 75.71% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. General Mills Company Profile (Get Free Report) General Mills, Inc manufactures and markets branded consumer foods worldwide. The company operates through four segments: North America Retail; International; Pet; and North America Foodservice. It offers grain, ready-to-eat cereals, refrigerated yogurt, soup, meal kits, refrigerated and frozen dough products, dessert and baking mixes, bakery flour, frozen pizza and pizza snacks, snack bars, fruit and savory snacks, ice cream and frozen desserts, unbaked and fully baked frozen dough products, frozen hot snacks, ethnic meals, side dish mixes, frozen breakfast and entrees, nutrition bars, and frozen and shelf-stable vegetables. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for General Mills Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for General Mills and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Addenda Capital Inc. increased its holdings in Global Payments Inc. (NYSE:GPN Free Report) by 8.1% during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 70,661 shares of the business services providers stock after acquiring an additional 5,265 shares during the quarter. Addenda Capital Inc.s holdings in Global Payments were worth $6,833,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of GPN. New Covenant Trust Company N.A. acquired a new position in shares of Global Payments in the 1st quarter valued at $31,000. LRI Investments LLC acquired a new position in shares of Global Payments in the 1st quarter valued at $32,000. West Paces Advisors Inc. increased its stake in Global Payments by 54.5% in the 1st quarter. West Paces Advisors Inc. now owns 309 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $41,000 after buying an additional 109 shares during the period. North Star Investment Management Corp. increased its stake in Global Payments by 154.7% in the 1st quarter. North Star Investment Management Corp. now owns 354 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $47,000 after buying an additional 215 shares during the period. Finally, Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. increased its stake in Global Payments by 26.7% in the 4th quarter. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. now owns 34,922 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $48,000 after buying an additional 7,369 shares during the period. 89.76% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Global Payments alerts: Insider Buying and Selling at Global Payments In other Global Payments news, CAO David M. Sheffield sold 1,651 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $100.73, for a total value of $166,305.23. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 20,531 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,068,087.63. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 0.98% of the stock is owned by insiders. Global Payments Price Performance Shares of Global Payments stock traded up $1.32 on Wednesday, hitting $105.08. The companys stock had a trading volume of 2,145,489 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,307,182. Global Payments Inc. has a 52-week low of $91.60 and a 52-week high of $141.77. The company has a quick ratio of 0.92, a current ratio of 0.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $97.63 and a 200-day moving average price of $114.74. The company has a market capitalization of $26.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.85, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.63 and a beta of 0.98. Global Payments (NYSE:GPN Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, August 7th. The business services provider reported $2.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.90 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $2.57 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.32 billion. Global Payments had a net margin of 13.40% and a return on equity of 11.72%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 4.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.48 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Global Payments Inc. will post 11.09 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Global Payments Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 27th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 13th will be issued a $0.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 13th. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.95%. Global Paymentss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 19.84%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities analysts have issued reports on the stock. Citigroup dropped their price objective on shares of Global Payments from $163.00 to $155.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, May 2nd. TD Cowen dropped their price objective on shares of Global Payments from $152.00 to $125.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, June 21st. William Blair raised shares of Global Payments to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. KeyCorp dropped their price objective on shares of Global Payments from $155.00 to $145.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, May 2nd. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on shares of Global Payments from $124.00 to $126.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Thursday, August 8th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, nineteen have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Global Payments presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $141.92. View Our Latest Report on GPN Global Payments Profile (Free Report) Global Payments Inc provides payment technology and software solutions for card, check, and digital-based payments in the Americas, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific. It operates through two segments, Merchant Solutions and Issuer Solutions. The Merchant Solutions segment offers authorization, settlement and funding, customer support, chargeback resolution, terminal rental, sales and deployment, payment security, and consolidated billing and reporting services. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding GPN? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Global Payments Inc. (NYSE:GPN Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Global Payments Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Global Payments and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Grupo Simec (NYSEAMERICAN:SIM Free Report) from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a report released on Monday morning. Grupo Simec Price Performance Shares of Grupo Simec stock opened at $29.10 on Monday. The company has a market capitalization of $4.48 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.67 and a beta of 0.29. Grupo Simec has a fifty-two week low of $26.00 and a fifty-two week high of $35.81. Get Grupo Simec alerts: Grupo Simec (NYSEAMERICAN:SIM Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, July 22nd. The basic materials company reported $1.39 earnings per share for the quarter. The business had revenue of $487.42 million during the quarter. Grupo Simec had a net margin of 24.90% and a return on equity of 16.68%. Grupo Simec Company Profile Grupo Simec, SAB. de C.V. manufactures, processes, and distributes special bar quality (SBQ) steel and steel alloys products in Mexico, the United States, Brazil, Canada, Latin America, and internationally. The company produces I-beams, channels, structural and commercial angles, hot rolled bars, flat bars, rebars, cold-finished bars, electro-welded wire mesh and mesh panels, and wire rods, as well as semi-finished tube rounds and other semi-finished trade products. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Grupo Simec Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Grupo Simec and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. John Wood Group (OTCMKTS:WDGJF Get Free Report) and ENI (NYSE:E Get Free Report) are both energy companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their valuation, earnings, institutional ownership, risk, dividends, analyst recommendations and profitability. Analyst Ratings This is a breakdown of current recommendations for John Wood Group and ENI, as provided by MarketBeat. Get John Wood Group alerts: Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score John Wood Group 0 0 0 0 N/A ENI 0 3 3 0 2.50 Dividends Institutional and Insider Ownership John Wood Group pays an annual dividend of $0.22 per share and has a dividend yield of 12.7%. ENI pays an annual dividend of $1.48 per share and has a dividend yield of 4.7%. John Wood Group pays out 29.5% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. ENI pays out 63.8% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Both companies have healthy payout ratios and should be able to cover their dividend payments with earnings for the next several years. John Wood Group is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and lower payout ratio. 45.3% of John Wood Group shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 1.2% of ENI shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.0% of ENI shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term. Profitability This table compares John Wood Group and ENIs net margins, return on equity and return on assets. Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets John Wood Group N/A N/A N/A ENI 4.21% 11.84% 4.53% Earnings and Valuation This table compares John Wood Group and ENIs revenue, earnings per share and valuation. Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio John Wood Group N/A N/A N/A $0.75 2.32 ENI $91.59 billion 0.59 $5.16 billion $2.32 13.69 ENI has higher revenue and earnings than John Wood Group. John Wood Group is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than ENI, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Summary ENI beats John Wood Group on 8 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks. About John Wood Group (Get Free Report) John Wood Group PLC, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of consulting, project management, and engineering solutions to energy and built environment worldwide. It operates through Projects, Operations, Consulting, and Investment Services segments. The Projects segment provides engineering design and project management services across energy and materials markets including oil and gas, chemicals, mining, minerals, and life sciences. The Operations segment offers maintenance, modifications, brownfield engineering, asset management, repair and overhaul, and decommissioning services. The Consulting segment provides technical consulting, digital consulting, decarbonization, and energy asset and technology solutions. The Investment Services segment engages in industrial power and heavy civil engineering activities. The company was incorporated in 1961 and is headquartered in Aberdeen, the United Kingdom. About ENI (Get Free Report) Eni S.p.A. operates as an integrated energy company worldwide. The company engages in exploration, development, extracting, manufacturing, and marketing crude oil and natural gas, oil-based fuels, chemical products, and gas-fired power, as well as energy products from renewable sources. It operates through Exploration & Production; Global Gas & LNG Portfolio (GGP); Enilive, Refining and Chemicals; Plenitude & Power; and Corporate and Other Activities segments. The company engages in research, development, and production of oil, condensates, and natural gas. It is also involved in the supply and sale of wholesale natural gas through pipeline; and international transport, and purchase and marketing of liquefied natural gas. In addition, the company supplies bio-feedstock and crude oil; and stores, produces, distributes, and markets biofuels, oil products, biomethane, basic chemical and petrochemical products, intermediates, plastics and elastomers, and other chemicals, as well as provides smart mobility solutions and mobility services. Further, it engages in the retail marketing of gas, electricity, and related services; production and wholesale sale of electricity from thermoelectric and renewable plants; and provision of services for E-mobility. The company was founded in 1953 and is headquartered in Rome, Italy. Receive News & Ratings for John Wood Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for John Wood Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc (OTCMKTS:HTKKY Get Free Report) dropped 2.2% during trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $53.89 and last traded at $53.89. Approximately 100 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 0% from the average daily volume of 100 shares. The stock had previously closed at $55.10. Hitachi Kokusai Electric Stock Down 2.2 % The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $53.89 and a 200 day moving average price of $53.89. About Hitachi Kokusai Electric (Get Free Report) Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc provides video and wireless network, and eco-and thin film processing solutions in Japan, the United States, Taiwan, Korea, other Asian countries, Europe, and internationally. The company offers wireless communications and information systems, such as infrastructure for mobile telecommunications, disaster-preventive administration radio systems, radio systems for transportation, land mobile radio communication products, and wireless broadband systems. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Hitachi Kokusai Electric Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hitachi Kokusai Electric and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Comstock Resources, Inc. (NYSE:CRK Get Free Report) major shareholder Drilling L.P. Arkoma purchased 981,898 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, August 12th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $10.13 per share, with a total value of $9,946,626.74. Following the acquisition, the insider now owns 199,931,799 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,025,309,123.87. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Major shareholders that own at least 10% of a companys stock are required to disclose their sales and purchases with the SEC. Drilling L.P. Arkoma also recently made the following trade(s): Get Comstock Resources alerts: On Friday, August 9th, Drilling L.P. Arkoma bought 825,868 shares of Comstock Resources stock. The stock was purchased at an average price of $9.76 per share, with a total value of $8,060,471.68. Comstock Resources Price Performance Shares of NYSE CRK opened at $10.51 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.07 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.77 and a beta of 0.51. Comstock Resources, Inc. has a 52 week low of $7.07 and a 52 week high of $13.39. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $10.45 and a 200-day simple moving average of $9.64. The company has a quick ratio of 0.64, a current ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.21. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Comstock Resources ( NYSE:CRK Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 30th. The oil and gas producer reported ($0.20) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of ($0.16) by ($0.04). Comstock Resources had a negative net margin of 1.48% and a negative return on equity of 1.38%. The business had revenue of $246.80 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $296.02 million. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 14.4% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts predict that Comstock Resources, Inc. will post -0.13 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on CRK. StockNews.com raised Comstock Resources to a sell rating in a report on Monday, April 29th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price target on shares of Comstock Resources from $9.00 to $10.00 and gave the stock a sell rating in a report on Tuesday, May 28th. KeyCorp began coverage on shares of Comstock Resources in a research note on Thursday, June 27th. They set a sector weight rating for the company. Stifel Nicolaus cut their price objective on shares of Comstock Resources from $14.00 to $13.50 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, April 23rd. Finally, Capital One Financial cut shares of Comstock Resources from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating in a report on Wednesday, May 15th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $10.25. View Our Latest Stock Analysis on CRK Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Blue Trust Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Comstock Resources in the second quarter valued at about $32,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Comstock Resources by 2,533.8% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 3,582 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $34,000 after purchasing an additional 3,446 shares during the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its stake in shares of Comstock Resources by 428.9% in the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 4,771 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $44,000 after buying an additional 3,869 shares during the period. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of Comstock Resources by 2,161.0% during the 1st quarter. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC now owns 4,929 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $46,000 after buying an additional 4,711 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Headlands Technologies LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Comstock Resources during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $91,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 36.13% of the companys stock. About Comstock Resources (Get Free Report) Comstock Resources, Inc, an independent energy company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of natural gas and oil properties in the United States. Its assets are located in the Haynesville and Bossier shales located in North Louisiana and East Texas. The company was incorporated in 1919 and is headquartered in Frisco, Texas. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Comstock Resources Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Comstock Resources and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. DXC Technology (NYSE:DXC Get Free Report) EVP Mary E. Finch sold 31,047 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $19.36, for a total value of $601,069.92. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 325,665 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,304,874.40. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. DXC Technology Stock Performance DXC Technology stock traded down $0.20 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $19.35. The stock had a trading volume of 1,467,377 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,488,393. The company has a 50-day moving average of $18.88 and a two-hundred day moving average of $19.65. The company has a quick ratio of 1.17, a current ratio of 1.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.25. The company has a market cap of $3.49 billion, a PE ratio of 52.30, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.27 and a beta of 1.73. DXC Technology has a fifty-two week low of $14.78 and a fifty-two week high of $25.14. Get DXC Technology alerts: DXC Technology (NYSE:DXC Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 16th. The company reported $0.97 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.83 by $0.14. The firm had revenue of $3.39 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.37 billion. DXC Technology had a return on equity of 18.43% and a net margin of 0.67%. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $1.02 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that DXC Technology will post 2.73 EPS for the current fiscal year. Hedge Funds Weigh In On DXC Technology Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of DXC. Cerity Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of DXC Technology in the 4th quarter worth approximately $242,000. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System acquired a new position in shares of DXC Technology in the 4th quarter worth approximately $2,216,000. Lecap Asset Management Ltd. acquired a new position in shares of DXC Technology in the 4th quarter worth approximately $309,000. Strs Ohio acquired a new stake in DXC Technology during the 4th quarter valued at $1,035,000. Finally, Mackenzie Financial Corp increased its holdings in DXC Technology by 6.3% during the 4th quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 1,010,463 shares of the companys stock valued at $23,109,000 after purchasing an additional 59,588 shares in the last quarter. 96.20% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Several analysts have recently issued reports on DXC shares. Susquehanna upped their price target on DXC Technology from $15.00 to $19.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 12th. BMO Capital Markets upped their price target on DXC Technology from $17.50 to $22.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research note on Friday, August 9th. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price target on DXC Technology from $21.00 to $19.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research note on Friday, May 17th. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on DXC Technology from $21.00 to $18.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Friday, May 17th. Finally, TD Cowen decreased their target price on DXC Technology from $22.00 to $18.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, May 21st. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and seven have given a hold rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $20.50. Check Out Our Latest Analysis on DXC Technology DXC Technology Company Profile (Get Free Report) DXC Technology Company, together with its subsidiaries, provides information technology services and solutions in the United States, the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, Australia, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Global Business Services (GBS) and Global Infrastructure Services (GIS). Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for DXC Technology Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for DXC Technology and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Mueller Water Products, Inc. (NYSE:MWA Get Free Report) insider J Scott Hall sold 135,253 shares of Mueller Water Products stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $20.34, for a total value of $2,751,046.02. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 544,029 shares in the company, valued at $11,065,549.86. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. J Scott Hall also recently made the following trade(s): Get Mueller Water Products alerts: On Monday, August 12th, J Scott Hall sold 102,025 shares of Mueller Water Products stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $19.54, for a total value of $1,993,568.50. Mueller Water Products Trading Up 0.6 % Shares of NYSE MWA opened at $20.04 on Thursday. The firms 50 day moving average price is $18.86 and its 200-day moving average price is $17.15. Mueller Water Products, Inc. has a 52-week low of $12.13 and a 52-week high of $21.02. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59, a quick ratio of 2.08 and a current ratio of 3.53. The company has a market cap of $3.12 billion, a PE ratio of 31.30, a P/E/G ratio of 1.96 and a beta of 1.33. Mueller Water Products Dividend Announcement Mueller Water Products ( NYSE:MWA Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, August 5th. The industrial products company reported $0.32 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.22 by $0.10. Mueller Water Products had a net margin of 8.10% and a return on equity of 16.97%. The company had revenue of $356.70 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $329.67 million. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.18 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts expect that Mueller Water Products, Inc. will post 0.86 EPS for the current fiscal year. The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, August 20th. Investors of record on Friday, August 9th will be given a dividend of $0.064 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 9th. This represents a $0.26 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.28%. Mueller Water Productss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 39.06%. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on MWA shares. TD Cowen cut Mueller Water Products from a buy rating to a hold rating and upped their price target for the stock from $19.00 to $20.00 in a research note on Friday, August 9th. Robert W. Baird increased their price target on shares of Mueller Water Products from $18.00 to $24.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 8th. Oppenheimer boosted their price objective on shares of Mueller Water Products from $22.00 to $24.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. StockNews.com raised shares of Mueller Water Products from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 6th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada lifted their target price on shares of Mueller Water Products from $20.00 to $23.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a report on Wednesday, August 7th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, one has assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Mueller Water Products currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $21.60. Get Our Latest Analysis on Mueller Water Products Institutional Investors Weigh In On Mueller Water Products Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Pingora Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Mueller Water Products during the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. purchased a new stake in Mueller Water Products in the first quarter worth approximately $46,000. International Assets Investment Management LLC grew its position in Mueller Water Products by 1,340.0% in the 4th quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 4,752 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $68,000 after purchasing an additional 4,422 shares during the period. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC bought a new stake in Mueller Water Products in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $72,000. Finally, Register Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Mueller Water Products during the 1st quarter valued at $80,000. 91.68% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. About Mueller Water Products (Get Free Report) Mueller Water Products, Inc manufactures and markets products and services for the transmission, distribution, and measurement of water used by municipalities, and the residential and non-residential construction industries in the United States, Israel, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Water Flow Solutions and Water Management Solutions. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Mueller Water Products Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Mueller Water Products and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd (TSE:OR Get Free Report) Director Everard Trenton Richards sold 15,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$22.19, for a total value of C$332,913.00. Osisko Gold Royalties Stock Performance Shares of OR stock opened at C$23.42 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of C$4.36 billion, a P/E ratio of -46.84, a PEG ratio of 1.31 and a beta of 0.88. The business has a 50 day moving average of C$22.96 and a two-hundred day moving average of C$21.86. Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd has a 52 week low of C$15.42 and a 52 week high of C$25.19. The company has a quick ratio of 0.98, a current ratio of 4.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 7.00. Get Osisko Gold Royalties alerts: Osisko Gold Royalties Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 15th. Investors of record on Monday, September 30th will be given a dividend of $0.065 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 27th. This represents a $0.26 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.11%. Osisko Gold Royaltiess dividend payout ratio is currently -52.00%. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades OR has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Canaccord Genuity Group upped their price target on shares of Osisko Gold Royalties from C$30.00 to C$31.00 in a report on Tuesday, July 23rd. Raymond James upped their target price on shares of Osisko Gold Royalties from C$26.00 to C$28.00 in a research note on Tuesday, April 23rd. TD Securities lifted their price target on Osisko Gold Royalties from C$28.00 to C$29.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Monday, July 22nd. CIBC boosted their price objective on Osisko Gold Royalties from C$33.00 to C$34.00 in a report on Wednesday, July 10th. Finally, Scotiabank increased their target price on Osisko Gold Royalties from C$24.00 to C$25.00 in a report on Thursday, July 18th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Osisko Gold Royalties presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of C$28.38. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Osisko Gold Royalties Osisko Gold Royalties Company Profile (Get Free Report) Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd acquires and manages precious metal and other royalties, streams, and other interests in Canada and internationally. It also owns options on offtake; royalty/stream financings; and exclusive rights to participate in future royalty/stream financings on various projects. The company's primary asset is a 3-5% net smelter return royalty on the Canadian Malartic complex located in Canada. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Osisko Gold Royalties Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Osisko Gold Royalties and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 15. The number of international observers registered for the snap parliamentary election in Azerbaijan has increased, Chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) Mazahir Panahov told reporters, Trend reports. According to Panahov, this figure reached 300. On June 28, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed a decree dissolving the sixth convocation of the Azerbaijani Parliament and scheduling a snap election for September 1. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE:ICE Get Free Report) was downgraded by StockNews.com from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report released on Tuesday. A number of other analysts have also recently weighed in on ICE. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded Intercontinental Exchange from a neutral rating to a buy rating and raised their price target for the company from $143.00 to $167.00 in a research note on Monday, July 1st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut Intercontinental Exchange from a buy rating to a hold rating and cut their price target for the company from $155.00 to $152.00 in a research note on Friday, August 2nd. Citigroup raised their price target on Intercontinental Exchange from $160.00 to $162.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on Intercontinental Exchange from $147.00 to $151.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, May 3rd. Finally, Rosenblatt Securities reiterated a buy rating and set a $164.00 target price on shares of Intercontinental Exchange in a research report on Friday, May 3rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating, eleven have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Intercontinental Exchange currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $154.79. Get Intercontinental Exchange alerts: View Our Latest Stock Report on Intercontinental Exchange Intercontinental Exchange Trading Up 0.9 % Shares of Intercontinental Exchange stock opened at $156.12 on Tuesday. Intercontinental Exchange has a fifty-two week low of $104.49 and a fifty-two week high of $156.54. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $144.10 and a 200 day moving average of $137.92. The firm has a market capitalization of $89.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.81, a PEG ratio of 2.68 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a quick ratio of 1.01 and a current ratio of 0.99. Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE:ICE Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The financial services provider reported $1.52 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.49 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $2.32 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.31 billion. Intercontinental Exchange had a return on equity of 12.70% and a net margin of 21.43%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 22.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.43 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts predict that Intercontinental Exchange will post 6 earnings per share for the current year. Insider Transactions at Intercontinental Exchange In other news, General Counsel Andrew J. Surdykowski sold 1,898 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $136.66, for a total transaction of $259,380.68. Following the sale, the general counsel now owns 46,815 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,397,737.90. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In other Intercontinental Exchange news, Director Judith A. Sprieser sold 2,267 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $134.57, for a total value of $305,070.19. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 28,849 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,882,209.93. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, General Counsel Andrew J. Surdykowski sold 1,898 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $136.66, for a total value of $259,380.68. Following the completion of the transaction, the general counsel now owns 46,815 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,397,737.90. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 64,992 shares of company stock valued at $9,197,801 in the last quarter. 1.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Institutional Trading of Intercontinental Exchange Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its position in Intercontinental Exchange by 35.0% in the 4th quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 16,397,991 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $2,105,994,000 after buying an additional 4,251,371 shares during the last quarter. D.A. Davidson & CO. raised its stake in shares of Intercontinental Exchange by 8.5% in the 4th quarter. D.A. Davidson & CO. now owns 25,328 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $3,253,000 after purchasing an additional 1,991 shares in the last quarter. Point72 Europe London LLP raised its stake in shares of Intercontinental Exchange by 10.9% in the 4th quarter. Point72 Europe London LLP now owns 66,300 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $8,515,000 after purchasing an additional 6,500 shares in the last quarter. Perpetual Ltd raised its stake in shares of Intercontinental Exchange by 0.4% in the 1st quarter. Perpetual Ltd now owns 1,487,993 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $204,495,000 after purchasing an additional 6,272 shares in the last quarter. Finally, LGT Group Foundation raised its stake in shares of Intercontinental Exchange by 36.0% in the 4th quarter. LGT Group Foundation now owns 355,555 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $45,724,000 after purchasing an additional 94,039 shares in the last quarter. 89.30% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Intercontinental Exchange Company Profile (Get Free Report) Intercontinental Exchange, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of market infrastructure, data services, and technology solutions for financial institutions, corporations, and government entities in the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Singapore, India, Abu Dhabi, Israel, and Canada. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Intercontinental Exchange Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Intercontinental Exchange and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Interfor (TSE:IFP Free Report) had its price objective reduced by Scotiabank from C$26.00 to C$24.00 in a research report released on Monday morning, BayStreet.CA reports. They currently have an outperform rating on the stock. Scotiabank also issued estimates for Interfors FY2025 earnings at $1.53 EPS. IFP has been the topic of a number of other reports. BMO Capital Markets dropped their price target on Interfor from C$27.00 to C$24.00 and set a strong-buy rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, July 23rd. TD Securities dropped their price target on Interfor from C$24.00 to C$20.00 in a research report on Tuesday, July 23rd. Cibc World Mkts lowered shares of Interfor from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, July 18th. CIBC lowered shares of Interfor from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from C$22.00 to C$18.00 in a report on Thursday, July 18th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price objective on shares of Interfor from C$27.00 to C$24.00 in a report on Thursday, July 11th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, four have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of C$23.50. Get Interfor alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Interfor Interfor Stock Performance Insider Buying and Selling Interfor stock opened at C$17.27 on Monday. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is C$16.93 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is C$18.49. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 60.58, a quick ratio of 1.15 and a current ratio of 2.06. The stock has a market cap of C$888.54 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -3.00 and a beta of 2.64. Interfor has a fifty-two week low of C$15.35 and a fifty-two week high of C$26.00. In other Interfor news, Director Ian Fillinger purchased 3,100 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 26th. The stock was acquired at an average price of C$16.30 per share, for a total transaction of C$50,530.00. 0.97% of the stock is owned by insiders. Interfor Company Profile (Get Free Report) Interfor Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, produces and sells wood products in Canada, the United States, Japan, China, Taiwan, and internationally. It offers decking, fascia and board, framing, v-joint paneling, fineline paneling, and siding products, as well as appearance, structural, studs, timbers, and machine stress related products. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Interfor Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Interfor and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Shares of Invesco CEF Income Composite ETF (NYSEARCA:PCEF Get Free Report) saw unusually-high trading volume on Thursday . Approximately 79,394 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 40% from the previous sessions volume of 131,468 shares.The stock last traded at $19.00 and had previously closed at $18.94. Invesco CEF Income Composite ETF Stock Up 0.8 % The stock has a market capitalization of $761.88 million, a P/E ratio of 16.53 and a beta of 0.61. The company has a 50 day moving average of $18.82 and a 200-day moving average of $18.58. Get Invesco CEF Income Composite ETF alerts: Institutional Trading of Invesco CEF Income Composite ETF Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Invesco CEF Income Composite ETF by 15.2% during the 2nd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 1,934,535 shares of the companys stock worth $36,408,000 after purchasing an additional 255,918 shares in the last quarter. Adell Harriman & Carpenter Inc. grew its stake in shares of Invesco CEF Income Composite ETF by 8.2% during the second quarter. Adell Harriman & Carpenter Inc. now owns 32,900 shares of the companys stock valued at $619,000 after purchasing an additional 2,500 shares during the last quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC raised its holdings in Invesco CEF Income Composite ETF by 0.5% during the 2nd quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 473,012 shares of the companys stock worth $8,902,000 after purchasing an additional 2,300 shares during the last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. bought a new stake in Invesco CEF Income Composite ETF in the second quarter valued at about $119,000. Finally, Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. grew its position in shares of Invesco CEF Income Composite ETF by 1.3% during the 2nd quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 205,739 shares of the companys stock worth $3,872,000 after buying an additional 2,551 shares during the period. About Invesco CEF Income Composite ETF PowerShares CEF Income Composite Portfolio (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the S-Network Composite Closed-End Fund Index (the Index). The Fund will normally invest at least 80% of its total assets in securities of funds included in the Index. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Invesco CEF Income Composite ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Invesco CEF Income Composite ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. National Grid (LON:NG Get Free Report)s stock had its overweight rating reissued by investment analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. in a note issued to investors on Tuesday, Marketbeat.com reports. They presently have a GBX 1,200 ($15.32) price target on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co.s price objective would suggest a potential upside of 21.65% from the companys previous close. NG has been the topic of a number of other research reports. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and set a GBX 1,125 ($14.36) target price on shares of National Grid in a report on Tuesday, June 25th. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a buy rating and issued a GBX 1,330 ($16.98) target price on shares of National Grid in a research report on Friday, April 19th. Get National Grid alerts: Get Our Latest Stock Report on NG National Grid Price Performance Insider Transactions at National Grid Shares of NG opened at GBX 986.40 ($12.59) on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 0.91, a quick ratio of 0.34 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 161.24. National Grid has a 1 year low of GBX 645 ($8.24) and a 1 year high of GBX 1,145.50 ($14.63). The stock has a market cap of 48.23 billion, a P/E ratio of 1,793.45, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.93 and a beta of 0.25. The stocks 50-day moving average price is GBX 927.27 and its two-hundred day moving average price is GBX 999.10. In related news, insider John Pettigrew sold 197,294 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, July 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of GBX 892 ($11.39), for a total value of 1,759,862.48 ($2,247,015.42). In other news, insider Andrew Agg bought 18,915 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, July 15th. The stock was acquired at an average price of GBX 945 ($12.07) per share, with a total value of 178,746.75 ($228,226.19). Also, insider John Pettigrew sold 197,294 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of GBX 892 ($11.39), for a total value of 1,759,862.48 ($2,247,015.42). In the last three months, insiders acquired 19,235 shares of company stock worth $18,173,810. 0.16% of the stock is owned by company insiders. National Grid Company Profile (Get Free Report) National Grid plc transmits and distributes electricity and gas. It operates through UK Electricity Transmission, UK Electricity Distribution, UK Electricity System Operator, New England, New York, National Grid Ventures, and Other segments. The UK Electricity Transmission segment provides electricity transmission and construction work services in England and Wales. See Also Receive News & Ratings for National Grid Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for National Grid and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Kellanova (NYSE:K Get Free Report) had its price target upped by equities research analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $76.00 to $83.50 in a report released on Thursday, Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an equal weight rating on the stock. Wells Fargo & Companys target price suggests a potential upside of 4.10% from the stocks current price. K has been the subject of several other research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on Kellanova from $66.00 to $69.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd. BNP Paribas upgraded Kellanova from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and set a $74.00 price objective for the company in a report on Monday, August 5th. DA Davidson raised their price objective on Kellanova from $69.00 to $73.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Monday, August 5th. Barclays raised their price objective on Kellanova from $67.00 to $83.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Thursday. Finally, Evercore ISI upgraded Kellanova to a hold rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd. Thirteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $71.50. Get Kellanova alerts: View Our Latest Stock Analysis on Kellanova Kellanova Stock Down 0.1 % K stock traded down $0.07 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $80.21. 3,120,726 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,236,486. The firms 50-day moving average is $60.60 and its 200-day moving average is $58.39. The company has a market cap of $27.42 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.05, a PEG ratio of 2.22 and a beta of 0.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.46, a current ratio of 0.73 and a quick ratio of 0.41. Kellanova has a 12 month low of $47.63 and a 12 month high of $80.46. Kellanova (NYSE:K Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The company reported $1.01 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.90 by $0.11. The firm had revenue of $3.19 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.15 billion. Kellanova had a return on equity of 36.74% and a net margin of 6.72%. The companys revenue was down 4.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.25 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Kellanova will post 3.68 earnings per share for the current year. Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, major shareholder Kellogg W. K. Foundation Trust sold 77,800 shares of Kellanova stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.16, for a total value of $4,680,448.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 51,531,038 shares in the company, valued at $3,100,107,246.08. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders sold 855,800 shares of company stock worth $52,647,260 over the last three months. Insiders own 1.80% of the companys stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. D. E. Shaw & Co. Inc. increased its stake in Kellanova by 766.5% in the second quarter. D. E. Shaw & Co. Inc. now owns 1,881,625 shares of the companys stock valued at $108,532,000 after acquiring an additional 1,664,461 shares during the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC increased its stake in Kellanova by 130.1% in the second quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 1,077,018 shares of the companys stock valued at $62,122,000 after acquiring an additional 608,989 shares during the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in Kellanova by 25.2% in the second quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,258 shares of the companys stock valued at $130,000 after acquiring an additional 455 shares during the last quarter. Point72 Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. bought a new position in Kellanova in the second quarter valued at approximately $1,730,000. Finally, Point72 Asset Management L.P. bought a new position in Kellanova in the second quarter valued at approximately $63,585,000. 83.87% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. About Kellanova (Get Free Report) Kellanova, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and markets snacks and convenience foods in North America, Europe, Latin America, the Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Australia, and Africa. Its principal products include crackers, crisps, savory snacks, toaster pastries, cereal bars, granola bars and bites, ready-to-eat cereals, frozen waffles, veggie foods, and noodles. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Kellanova Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Kellanova and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Key Client Fiduciary Advisors LLC cut its stake in Franklin Senior Loan ETF (BATS:FLBL Free Report) by 1.6% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 50,740 shares of the companys stock after selling 850 shares during the quarter. Key Client Fiduciary Advisors LLC owned about 0.35% of Franklin Senior Loan ETF worth $1,239,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Fortitude Family Office LLC acquired a new stake in Franklin Senior Loan ETF during the first quarter worth about $38,000. VisionPoint Advisory Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Franklin Senior Loan ETF during the 4th quarter worth approximately $94,000. Transcendent Capital Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Franklin Senior Loan ETF during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $101,000. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Franklin Senior Loan ETF during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $209,000. Finally, Strategic Blueprint LLC lifted its holdings in Franklin Senior Loan ETF by 16.7% in the first quarter. Strategic Blueprint LLC now owns 10,285 shares of the companys stock valued at $252,000 after acquiring an additional 1,474 shares during the last quarter. Get Franklin Senior Loan ETF alerts: Franklin Senior Loan ETF Stock Up 0.2 % BATS:FLBL traded up $0.05 on Wednesday, reaching $24.25. The companys stock had a trading volume of 372,073 shares. The company has a 50-day moving average of $24.33 and a 200 day moving average of $24.34. Franklin Senior Loan ETF Cuts Dividend Franklin Senior Loan ETF Company Profile The business also recently announced a dividend, which was paid on Friday, July 5th. Shareholders of record on Monday, July 1st were given a $0.1481 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, July 1st. (Free Report) The Franklin Senior Loan ETF (FLBL) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the SP\u002FLSTA US Leveraged Loan 100 index. The fund is an actively managed fund investing in USD-denominated senior loans. FLBL was launched on May 30, 2018 and is managed by Franklin Templeton. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Franklin Senior Loan ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Franklin Senior Loan ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Lithium Americas (Argentina) (NYSE:LAAC Get Free Report) had its target price reduced by equities researchers at Scotiabank from $8.00 to $4.25 in a research report issued on Thursday, Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a sector outperform rating on the stock. Scotiabanks price objective suggests a potential upside of 71.37% from the stocks previous close. A number of other research analysts have also weighed in on the stock. HSBC raised shares of Lithium Americas (Argentina) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday. National Bankshares set a $6.00 target price on Lithium Americas (Argentina) and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research report on Thursday, June 6th. National Bank Financial upgraded Lithium Americas (Argentina) to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 5th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price objective on Lithium Americas (Argentina) from $18.50 to $12.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, May 21st. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Lithium Americas (Argentina) presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $8.21. Get Lithium Americas (Argentina) alerts: View Our Latest Research Report on LAAC Lithium Americas (Argentina) Stock Down 2.4 % Shares of Lithium Americas (Argentina) stock traded down $0.06 on Thursday, reaching $2.48. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,571,220 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,474,462. Lithium Americas has a 52-week low of $2.26 and a 52-week high of $8.79. The company has a market capitalization of $399.85 million, a P/E ratio of 0.31 and a beta of 1.35. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $3.19 and a 200-day moving average price of $4.27. Lithium Americas (Argentina) (NYSE:LAAC Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, May 13th. The company reported ($0.06) earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.04 by ($0.10). During the same period in the prior year, the business posted ($0.04) EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Lithium Americas will post 0.07 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of LAAC. General Motors Holdings LLC acquired a new position in Lithium Americas (Argentina) in the first quarter valued at approximately $80,862,000. FIFTHDELTA Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Lithium Americas (Argentina) in the 4th quarter valued at $32,598,000. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Lithium Americas (Argentina) by 0.6% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 3,560,536 shares of the companys stock valued at $19,191,000 after purchasing an additional 21,456 shares during the last quarter. William Blair Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Lithium Americas (Argentina) during the 2nd quarter worth $10,465,000. Finally, Van ECK Associates Corp increased its position in shares of Lithium Americas (Argentina) by 13.2% during the 2nd quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 2,614,946 shares of the companys stock worth $8,366,000 after purchasing an additional 304,590 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 49.17% of the companys stock. Lithium Americas (Argentina) Company Profile (Get Free Report) Lithium Americas (Argentina) Corp. operates as a resource company. The company explores for lithium deposits. The company owns interests in the Cauchari-Olaroz project located in Jujuy province of Argentina. It also has a pipeline of development and exploration stage projects, including the Pastos Grandes project and the Sal de la Puna project located in Salta Province in northwestern Argentina. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Lithium Americas (Argentina) Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Lithium Americas (Argentina) and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Minera Alamos Inc. (OTCMKTS:MAIFF Get Free Report) was the target of a large growth in short interest in July. As of July 31st, there was short interest totalling 59,500 shares, a growth of 187.4% from the July 15th total of 20,700 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 683,700 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.1 days. Minera Alamos Stock Performance OTCMKTS MAIFF opened at $0.22 on Thursday. Minera Alamos has a one year low of $0.17 and a one year high of $0.32. The companys 50 day moving average price is $0.22 and its 200 day moving average price is $0.23. Get Minera Alamos alerts: About Minera Alamos (Get Free Report) Read More Minera Alamos Inc engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and operation of mineral properties in Mexico. The company explores for gold, silver, molybdenum, and copper deposits. It holds 100% interests in the Santana project consists of 9 mining claims covering an area of approximately 3,100 hectares located in the east-southeast of Hermosillo, Sonora; the Cerro de Oro project that includes an area of 6,500 hectares situated in Zacatecas, Mexico; and the La Fortuna project covering an area of approximately 6,100 hectares located in Durango State, Mexico, as well as the Los Verdes property located in the State of Sonora, Mexico. Receive News & Ratings for Minera Alamos Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Minera Alamos and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. MSCI (NYSE:MSCI Get Free Report) was upgraded by investment analysts at Wells Fargo & Company to a hold rating in a research report issued on Tuesday, Zacks.com reports. A number of other equities analysts also recently issued reports on MSCI. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded MSCI from a hold rating to a buy rating and cut their price target for the company from $613.00 to $569.00 in a research note on Wednesday, April 24th. Oppenheimer reiterated a market perform rating on shares of MSCI in a report on Wednesday, April 24th. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and set a $638.00 price objective on shares of MSCI in a research note on Wednesday, July 24th. Bank of America upgraded shares of MSCI from an underperform rating to a neutral rating and upped their target price for the stock from $425.00 to $525.00 in a research note on Tuesday, April 30th. Finally, UBS Group raised their price target on shares of MSCI from $575.00 to $585.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 9th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $584.79. Get MSCI alerts: Read Our Latest Report on MSCI MSCI Stock Up 1.5 % Shares of MSCI opened at $554.41 on Tuesday. The businesss fifty day moving average is $506.33 and its 200 day moving average is $523.20. MSCI has a 12-month low of $439.95 and a 12-month high of $617.39. The stock has a market cap of $43.92 billion, a P/E ratio of 37.84, a P/E/G ratio of 3.00 and a beta of 1.10. MSCI (NYSE:MSCI Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 23rd. The technology company reported $3.64 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.55 by $0.09. The firm had revenue of $707.90 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $696.41 million. MSCI had a net margin of 43.86% and a negative return on equity of 143.09%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 14.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $3.26 earnings per share. On average, analysts expect that MSCI will post 14.78 EPS for the current year. Hedge Funds Weigh In On MSCI A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Squarepoint Ops LLC grew its position in MSCI by 10.2% in the second quarter. Squarepoint Ops LLC now owns 68,230 shares of the technology companys stock worth $32,870,000 after acquiring an additional 6,292 shares in the last quarter. BRITISH COLUMBIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT Corp lifted its stake in MSCI by 60.7% during the second quarter. BRITISH COLUMBIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT Corp now owns 15,173 shares of the technology companys stock worth $7,310,000 after purchasing an additional 5,730 shares during the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP purchased a new position in shares of MSCI in the 2nd quarter worth about $870,000. Xponance Inc. increased its position in shares of MSCI by 29.6% during the 2nd quarter. Xponance Inc. now owns 21,384 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $10,302,000 after purchasing an additional 4,890 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bank of Montreal Can increased its position in shares of MSCI by 18.7% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 124,701 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $61,103,000 after purchasing an additional 19,611 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 89.97% of the companys stock. About MSCI (Get Free Report) MSCI Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides critical decision support tools and solutions for the investment community to manage investment processes worldwide. The Index segment provides indexes for use in various areas of the investment process, including indexed financial product, such as ETFs, mutual funds, annuities, futures, options, structured products, and over-the-counter derivatives; performance benchmarking; portfolio construction and rebalancing; and asset allocation, as well as licenses GICS and GICS Direct. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for MSCI Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for MSCI and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. ORG Partners LLC grew its holdings in shares of Dover Co. (NYSE:DOV Free Report) by 1,414.2% during the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 4,255 shares of the industrial products companys stock after acquiring an additional 3,974 shares during the quarter. ORG Partners LLCs holdings in Dover were worth $754,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. V Square Quantitative Management LLC raised its position in Dover by 4.1% in the 2nd quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC now owns 3,057 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $552,000 after buying an additional 119 shares during the last quarter. Wedmont Private Capital boosted its position in Dover by 22.0% in the second quarter. Wedmont Private Capital now owns 2,170 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $400,000 after buying an additional 392 shares during the last quarter. Brendel Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Dover during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $918,000. Czech National Bank raised its stake in Dover by 6.4% in the 2nd quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 26,189 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $4,726,000 after purchasing an additional 1,574 shares during the last quarter. Finally, SG Americas Securities LLC grew its holdings in shares of Dover by 90.0% during the 2nd quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 37,953 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $6,849,000 after purchasing an additional 17,981 shares during the period. 84.46% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Dover alerts: Dover Stock Performance DOV stock traded up $1.19 during trading on Thursday, reaching $178.01. The company had a trading volume of 41,999 shares, compared to its average volume of 993,807. Dover Co. has a twelve month low of $127.25 and a twelve month high of $192.31. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55, a quick ratio of 0.95 and a current ratio of 1.53. The company has a market cap of $24.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.13 and a beta of 1.22. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $180.02 and a 200-day simple moving average of $175.40. Dover Increases Dividend Dover ( NYSE:DOV Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The industrial products company reported $2.36 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.21 by $0.15. Dover had a net margin of 17.58% and a return on equity of 24.94%. The company had revenue of $2.18 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.15 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.05 earnings per share. Dovers revenue for the quarter was up 3.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Dover Co. will post 9.15 earnings per share for the current year. The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be paid a $0.515 dividend. This represents a $2.06 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.16%. This is a positive change from Dovers previous quarterly dividend of $0.51. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th. Dovers dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 19.79%. Insider Activity at Dover In other news, CFO Brad M. Cerepak sold 4,341 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $184.59, for a total transaction of $801,305.19. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 12,324 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,274,887.16. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Company insiders own 1.30% of the companys stock. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several brokerages have weighed in on DOV. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their target price on Dover from $192.00 to $193.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Oppenheimer increased their target price on Dover from $187.00 to $197.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Friday, April 26th. Mizuho raised their price target on shares of Dover from $185.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Barclays upped their price objective on shares of Dover from $180.00 to $186.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Friday, April 26th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on shares of Dover from $177.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Friday, April 26th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $192.63. Read Our Latest Stock Report on Dover About Dover (Free Report) Dover Corporation provides equipment and components, consumable supplies, aftermarket parts, software and digital solutions, and support services worldwide. The company's Engineered Products segment provides various equipment, component, software, solution, and services that are used in vehicle aftermarket, waste handling, industrial automation, aerospace and defense, industrial winch and hoist, and fluid dispensing end-market. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding DOV? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Dover Co. (NYSE:DOV Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for Dover Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Dover and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 15. The helicopter units of the Azerbaijani Air Force are carrying out training flights as part of the 2024 training plan, Trend reports via the Defense Ministry. After briefing the personnel on their tasks and safety regulations, a health check was conducted for the military pilots. According to the training flight plan, helicopters from base airfields performed takeoffs and landings, aerial reconnaissance, and other activities along specified routes during both daytime and nighttime. Military pilots demonstrated exceptional professionalism during exercises aimed at enhancing their combat skills. Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE Get Free Report)s share price dropped 0.9% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The stock traded as low as $28.60 and last traded at $28.61. Approximately 6,566,633 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 83% from the average daily volume of 39,359,895 shares. The stock had previously closed at $28.88. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of brokerages recently issued reports on PFE. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on Pfizer from $28.00 to $29.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Thursday, May 2nd. Barclays raised their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $30.00 to $32.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $36.00 price objective (up from $33.00) on shares of Pfizer in a report on Thursday, May 2nd. StockNews.com raised Pfizer from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Thursday, August 1st. Finally, Daiwa America raised shares of Pfizer from a moderate buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Pfizer currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $34.54. Get Pfizer alerts: Read Our Latest Analysis on Pfizer Pfizer Stock Down 0.6 % The company has a quick ratio of 0.60, a current ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65. The firm has a market capitalization of $162.63 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -477.42, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.99 and a beta of 0.69. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $28.75 and a two-hundred day moving average of $27.88. Pfizer (NYSE:PFE Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 30th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.60 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.46 by $0.14. The business had revenue of $13.28 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $12.96 billion. Pfizer had a negative net margin of 4.66% and a positive return on equity of 8.42%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 2.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.67 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.68 EPS for the current fiscal year. Pfizer Dividend Announcement The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 3rd. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 26th will be paid a dividend of $0.42 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 26th. This represents a $1.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.85%. Pfizers dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently -2,799.53%. Institutional Trading of Pfizer Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Sender Co & Partners Inc. purchased a new position in Pfizer in the second quarter valued at approximately $499,000. Dark Forest Capital Management LP purchased a new position in shares of Pfizer during the 2nd quarter valued at $1,294,000. Daymark Wealth Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of Pfizer by 6.1% during the 2nd quarter. Daymark Wealth Partners LLC now owns 294,776 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $8,248,000 after acquiring an additional 16,817 shares during the period. Disciplined Equity Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Pfizer by 1.4% during the 2nd quarter. Disciplined Equity Management Inc. now owns 67,840 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $1,898,000 after buying an additional 920 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Drucker Wealth 3.0 LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Pfizer during the second quarter worth $2,782,000. Institutional investors own 68.36% of the companys stock. About Pfizer (Get Free Report) Pfizer Inc discovers, develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products in the United States, Europe, and internationally. The company offers medicines and vaccines in various therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular metabolic, migraine, and women's health under the Eliquis, Nurtec ODT/Vydura, Zavzpret, and the Premarin family brands; infectious diseases with unmet medical needs under the Prevnar family, Abrysvo, Nimenrix, FSME/IMMUN-TicoVac, and Trumenba brands; and COVID-19 prevention and treatment, and potential future mRNA and antiviral products under the Comirnaty and Paxlovid brands. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Pfizer Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pfizer and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM Get Free Report) insider Massimo Andolina sold 9,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $115.35, for a total value of $1,038,150.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 85,629 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,877,305.15. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Philip Morris International Price Performance Philip Morris International stock opened at $117.20 on Thursday. Philip Morris International Inc. has a one year low of $87.23 and a one year high of $119.06. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $107.16 and a 200-day moving average price of $98.59. The firm has a market capitalization of $182.19 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.89, a PEG ratio of 2.35 and a beta of 0.58. Get Philip Morris International alerts: Philip Morris International (NYSE:PM Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 23rd. The company reported $1.59 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.57 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $9.47 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.19 billion. Philip Morris International had a negative return on equity of 113.32% and a net margin of 9.41%. The firms revenue was up 5.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.60 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts expect that Philip Morris International Inc. will post 6.41 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Philip Morris International Dividend Announcement Analysts Set New Price Targets The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, July 8th. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 21st were issued a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.44%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, June 21st. Philip Morris Internationals dividend payout ratio is currently 101.56%. A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on PM shares. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price objective on shares of Philip Morris International from $116.00 to $118.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. Barclays boosted their price target on shares of Philip Morris International from $110.00 to $130.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday. Stifel Nicolaus raised their target price on Philip Morris International from $115.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, July 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on shares of Philip Morris International from $110.00 to $125.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, July 25th. Finally, StockNews.com raised Philip Morris International from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Monday, July 22nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $109.80. Check Out Our Latest Analysis on PM Hedge Funds Weigh In On Philip Morris International Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Longfellow Investment Management Co. LLC lifted its stake in Philip Morris International by 0.7% in the second quarter. Longfellow Investment Management Co. LLC now owns 12,888 shares of the companys stock worth $1,306,000 after purchasing an additional 88 shares during the last quarter. Dearborn Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Philip Morris International by 3.2% in the 2nd quarter. Dearborn Partners LLC now owns 2,867 shares of the companys stock worth $291,000 after purchasing an additional 89 shares during the period. LRI Investments LLC boosted its position in Philip Morris International by 1.5% during the 2nd quarter. LRI Investments LLC now owns 6,287 shares of the companys stock valued at $637,000 after acquiring an additional 92 shares in the last quarter. Cahill Financial Advisors Inc. boosted its position in shares of Philip Morris International by 4.5% during the second quarter. Cahill Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 2,294 shares of the companys stock valued at $232,000 after purchasing an additional 99 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Pekin Hardy Strauss Inc. grew its position in shares of Philip Morris International by 0.3% in the 2nd quarter. Pekin Hardy Strauss Inc. now owns 28,913 shares of the companys stock worth $2,930,000 after buying an additional 99 shares during the period. 78.63% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. About Philip Morris International (Get Free Report) Philip Morris International Inc operates as a tobacco company working to delivers a smoke-free future and evolving portfolio for the long-term to include products outside of the tobacco and nicotine sector. The company's product portfolio primarily consists of cigarettes and smoke-free products, including heat-not-burn, vapor, and oral nicotine products primarily under the IQOS and ZYN brands; and consumer accessories, such as lighters and matches. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Philip Morris International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Philip Morris International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. NexGen Energy (TSE:NXE Free Report) had its price objective lowered by Royal Bank of Canada from C$11.00 to C$10.00 in a research report released on Monday, BayStreet.CA reports. The brokerage currently has an outperform rating on the stock. Other equities analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. TD Securities dropped their price target on shares of NexGen Energy from C$13.00 to C$12.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, August 8th. Ventum Financial dropped their price target on shares of NexGen Energy from C$12.50 to C$12.00 in a research note on Monday, July 8th. Raymond James dropped their price target on shares of NexGen Energy from C$13.00 to C$12.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Friday, August 2nd. Cormark dropped their price target on shares of NexGen Energy from C$13.75 to C$13.00 in a research note on Friday, August 2nd. Finally, Haywood Securities raised shares of NexGen Energy to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Friday, May 17th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus target price of C$12.78. Get NexGen Energy alerts: Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on NexGen Energy NexGen Energy Price Performance Insider Buying and Selling Shares of TSE:NXE opened at C$8.10 on Monday. The company has a market cap of C$4.57 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.65 and a beta of 1.77. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 39.09, a current ratio of 1.20 and a quick ratio of 8.20. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of C$9.10 and a 200 day simple moving average of C$10.00. NexGen Energy has a one year low of C$6.27 and a one year high of C$12.14. In related news, Director Bradley John Wall sold 188,000 shares of NexGen Energy stock in a transaction on Friday, July 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$7.42, for a total transaction of C$1,395,336.00. In other NexGen Energy news, Director Bradley John Wall sold 188,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, July 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$7.42, for a total value of C$1,395,336.00. Also, Director Richard J. Patricio sold 175,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$9.67, for a total transaction of C$1,692,285.00. 7.96% of the stock is owned by insiders. About NexGen Energy (Get Free Report) NexGen Energy Ltd., an exploration and development stage company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and evaluation and development of uranium properties in Canada. It holds a 100% interest in the Rook I project that consists of 32 contiguous mineral claims totaling an area of 35,065 hectares located in the southwestern Athabasca Basin of Saskatchewan. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for NexGen Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for NexGen Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Santander Bank Polska S.A. (OTCMKTS:BKZHF Get Free Report) saw a large drop in short interest in the month of July. As of July 31st, there was short interest totalling 3,900 shares, a drop of 27.8% from the July 15th total of 5,400 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 0 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently days. Santander Bank Polska Stock Performance Shares of OTCMKTS BKZHF remained flat at 45.48 during trading on Thursday. The firms fifty day moving average price is 45.48 and its 200 day moving average price is 45.48. Santander Bank Polska has a 52-week low of 45.48 and a 52-week high of 48.04. Get Santander Bank Polska alerts: Santander Bank Polska Company Profile (Get Free Report) Further Reading Santander Bank Polska SA provides various banking products and services for individuals, small or medium-sized enterprises, corporate clients, and public sector institutions. It offers personal account, deposits and currencies, internet and mobile banking, and mobile contactless payments, and credit solutions. Receive News & Ratings for Santander Bank Polska Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Santander Bank Polska and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Tingyi (Cayman Islands) Holding Corp. (OTCMKTS:TYCMY Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant decline in short interest during the month of July. As of July 31st, there was short interest totalling 1,300 shares, a decline of 38.1% from the July 15th total of 2,100 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 9,600 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.1 days. Tingyi (Cayman Islands) Stock Up 0.1 % OTCMKTS TYCMY traded up C$0.02 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting C$23.28. 1,807 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 7,997. The firms 50-day moving average is C$24.43 and its 200-day moving average is C$23.23. Tingyi has a 52-week low of C$18.09 and a 52-week high of C$30.66. Get Tingyi (Cayman Islands) alerts: About Tingyi (Cayman Islands) (Get Free Report) See Also Tingyi (Cayman Islands) Holding Corp., an investment holding company, manufactures and sells instant noodles, beverages, and instant food products in the Peoples Republic of China. The company operates through Instant Noodles, Beverages, and Others segments. It offers ready-to-drink teas, juices, bottled water, and carbonated soft drinks; various noodles; and coffee/functional/probiotics drinks. Receive News & Ratings for Tingyi (Cayman Islands) Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Tingyi (Cayman Islands) and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings, Inc. (OTCMKTS:SUTNY Get Free Report) was the target of a significant decline in short interest in July. As of July 31st, there was short interest totalling 13,600 shares, a decline of 93.4% from the July 15th total of 207,100 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 82,000 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.2 days. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Stock Up 0.3 % SUTNY stock traded up $0.01 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $4.80. The company had a trading volume of 41,110 shares, compared to its average volume of 83,477. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $4.71 and a 200-day moving average price of $4.43. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust has a 1-year low of $3.45 and a 1-year high of $5.20. Get Sumitomo Mitsui Trust alerts: Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Company Profile (Get Free Report) Recommended Stories Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings, Inc operates as a trust bank in Japan and internationally. It offers supervising services for management strategies, and financial and human resource management; and general affairs, business process, corporate administration, operational process, risk, and compliance management services; and internal auditing services. Receive News & Ratings for Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Sumitomo Mitsui Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Tavistock Investments Plc (LON:TAVI Get Free Report)s stock price reached a new 52-week low on Monday . The stock traded as low as GBX 2.70 ($0.03) and last traded at GBX 2.70 ($0.03), with a volume of 229500 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at GBX 2.72 ($0.03). Tavistock Investments Price Performance The stock has a market capitalization of 15.97 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -462.50 and a beta of 0.04. The company has a quick ratio of 3.89, a current ratio of 1.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.72. The firm has a 50-day moving average of GBX 3.25 and a two-hundred day moving average of GBX 4.11. About Tavistock Investments (Get Free Report) Tavistock Investments Plc provides investment management and advisory support services to a network of financial advisers in the United Kingdom. The company offers investment planning, financial planning, pension and retirement planning, estate and legacy planning, protection and insurance, will writing, bereavement notification, employee benefits, protects families from financial difficulty, finance for homes and mortgages, financial management, financial planning, and tax saving services. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Tavistock Investments Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Tavistock Investments and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. boosted its position in The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS Free Report) by 1.0% during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 2,846 shares of the investment management companys stock after buying an additional 28 shares during the period. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc.s holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group were worth $1,287,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. boosted its position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 103.3% during the 2nd quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. now owns 61 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 31 shares in the last quarter. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC boosted its position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 1.0% in the 2nd quarter. NorthCrest Asset Manangement LLC now owns 37,825 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $17,109,000 after buying an additional 384 shares in the last quarter. FCG Investment Co boosted its position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 6.7% in the 2nd quarter. FCG Investment Co now owns 1,509 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $683,000 after buying an additional 95 shares in the last quarter. Diversified Trust Co boosted its position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 12.7% in the 2nd quarter. Diversified Trust Co now owns 9,738 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $4,405,000 after buying an additional 1,095 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Friedenthal Financial purchased a new stake in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in the 2nd quarter worth about $52,000. 71.21% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get The Goldman Sachs Group alerts: The Goldman Sachs Group Stock Up 1.4 % GS opened at $498.70 on Thursday. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $473.25 and a 200 day moving average price of $434.43. The company has a market cap of $160.81 billion, a PE ratio of 19.47, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.99 and a beta of 1.37. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. has a 1 year low of $289.36 and a 1 year high of $517.26. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.97, a quick ratio of 0.74 and a current ratio of 1.12. The Goldman Sachs Group Increases Dividend The Goldman Sachs Group ( NYSE:GS Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Monday, July 15th. The investment management company reported $8.62 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $8.52 by $0.10. The firm had revenue of $12.73 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $12.60 billion. The Goldman Sachs Group had a net margin of 9.36% and a return on equity of 10.26%. Sell-side analysts expect that The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. will post 36.74 earnings per share for the current year. The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 27th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be issued a $3.00 dividend. This represents a $12.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.41%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. This is a boost from The Goldman Sachs Groups previous quarterly dividend of $2.75. The Goldman Sachs Groups dividend payout ratio is currently 46.86%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several research firms recently commented on GS. Oppenheimer boosted their price objective on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $504.00 to $559.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 16th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $504.00 to $550.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 16th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $461.00 to $464.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 16th. Barclays boosted their target price on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $493.00 to $565.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 16th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reissued a sector perform rating and issued a $500.00 target price on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in a research note on Tuesday, July 30th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $495.94. Read Our Latest Report on The Goldman Sachs Group Insiders Place Their Bets In other The Goldman Sachs Group news, Director Thomas K. Montag sold 10,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $505.04, for a total value of $5,050,400.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 12,450 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,287,748. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other news, Director Thomas K. Montag sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $505.04, for a total transaction of $5,050,400.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 12,450 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,287,748. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, major shareholder Goldman Sachs Group Inc sold 4,000,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $6.34, for a total value of $25,360,000.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 12,981,022 shares of the companys stock, valued at $82,299,679.48. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 4,013,500 shares of company stock worth $32,181,365 in the last 90 days. 0.54% of the stock is owned by company insiders. The Goldman Sachs Group Company Profile (Free Report) The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc, a financial institution, provides a range of financial services for corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals worldwide. It operates through Global Banking & Markets, Asset & Wealth Management, and Platform Solutions segments. The Global Banking & Markets segment provides financial advisory services, including strategic advisory assignments related to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate defense activities, restructurings, and spin-offs; and relationship lending, and acquisition financing, as well as secured lending, through structured credit and asset-backed lending and involved in financing under securities to resale agreements. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding GS? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS Free Report). Receive News & Ratings for The Goldman Sachs Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for The Goldman Sachs Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. Hyatt Hotels (NYSE:H Free Report) had its price objective decreased by Truist Financial from $168.00 to $164.00 in a research note published on Monday, Benzinga reports. Truist Financial currently has a buy rating on the stock. Several other equities research analysts also recently weighed in on H. StockNews.com raised shares of Hyatt Hotels from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, July 15th. Susquehanna assumed coverage on shares of Hyatt Hotels in a research report on Friday, June 21st. They set a neutral rating and a $160.00 price target for the company. Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on shares of Hyatt Hotels from $161.00 to $153.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, August 7th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their price objective on Hyatt Hotels from $127.00 to $120.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, August 7th. Finally, Barclays lifted their price objective on Hyatt Hotels from $153.00 to $159.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Friday, May 10th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have given a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $149.33. Get Hyatt Hotels alerts: Check Out Our Latest Analysis on H Hyatt Hotels Stock Performance Shares of H opened at $138.84 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 0.59 and a quick ratio of 0.59. Hyatt Hotels has a one year low of $96.77 and a one year high of $162.24. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $147.49 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $147.96. The firm has a market capitalization of $14.05 billion, a PE ratio of 21.56 and a beta of 1.51. Hyatt Hotels (NYSE:H Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, August 6th. The company reported $1.53 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.95 by $0.58. Hyatt Hotels had a net margin of 10.21% and a return on equity of 8.44%. The firm had revenue of $1.70 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.76 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.82 earnings per share. On average, analysts anticipate that Hyatt Hotels will post 3.47 EPS for the current fiscal year. Hyatt Hotels Dividend Announcement The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 10th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, August 27th will be given a dividend of $0.15 per share. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.43%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, August 27th. Hyatt Hotelss dividend payout ratio is currently 9.32%. Insider Activity In other news, Director Michael A. Rocca sold 1,189 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $149.52, for a total transaction of $177,779.28. Following the transaction, the director now owns 20,219 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,023,144.88. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, Director Michael A. Rocca sold 1,189 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $149.52, for a total transaction of $177,779.28. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 20,219 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,023,144.88. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, insider Joan Bottarini sold 305 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, June 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $148.00, for a total value of $45,140.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 15,799 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,338,252. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 23.50% of the companys stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Hyatt Hotels Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. LRI Investments LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Hyatt Hotels during the 1st quarter worth $26,000. Riverview Trust Co purchased a new stake in shares of Hyatt Hotels during the 1st quarter worth $27,000. Summit Securities Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Hyatt Hotels during the 2nd quarter worth $30,000. EntryPoint Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Hyatt Hotels during the 1st quarter worth $53,000. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in Hyatt Hotels by 1,107.1% during the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 338 shares of the companys stock valued at $50,000 after buying an additional 310 shares in the last quarter. 71.02% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Hyatt Hotels Company Profile (Get Free Report) Hyatt Hotels Corporation operates as a hospitality company in the United States and internationally. It operates through Owned and Leased Hotels, Americas Management and Franchising, ASPAC Management and Franchising, EAME Management and Franchising, and Apple Leisure Group segments. The company manages, franchises, licenses, owns, and leases portfolio of properties, consisting of full-service hotels and resorts, select service hotels, and other properties, including timeshare, fractional, residential, vacation, and condominium units. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Hyatt Hotels Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hyatt Hotels and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter. BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 15. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to President of Congo Felix Tshisekedi, Trend reports. "Dear Mr. President, On the occasion of the National Day of the Republic of Congo I sincerely congratulate you and, through you, your people on behalf of myself and the people of Azerbaijan, and extend my best wishes. The current dynamics of Azerbaijan-Congo relations is gratifying. Your visit to Azerbaijan in April has given a new impetus to the friendly and cooperative relations between our countries. Additionally, the recent visit of the COP29 President-Designate to Congo is a clear example of our countries' partnership in combating climate change. I believe that relations between Azerbaijan and Congo will develop in the spirit of friendship, aligned with the interests of our peoples, with our effective cooperation continued through our joint efforts on multilateral platforms, including the COP29 to be held in Baku. On this remarkable day, I wish you good health, happiness, success in your endeavors, and continuous peace and prosperity to the people of Congo," the letter reads. BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 15. The inauguration of the Azerbaijan House in the US on August 17 will be a momentous occasion for the Azerbaijani Diaspora living there. The commencement will be at Alexandria city, Virginia. Now that Azerbaijan's sovereignty has been fully restored and the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict has ended, the role of the Azerbaijani Diaspora abroad has changed dramatically. It is the hope of President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan that members of the diaspora will achieve great success in their home countries. Currently, there are millions of Azerbaijanis living abroad. Of course, they are citizens of the countries in which they live. I want them to achieve even higher positions in their countries of residence and to play a more active role in their social, political, and economic lives, President Ilham Aliyev stated at the opening of the fourth Congress of World Azerbaijanis. In order to improve the country's reputation abroad and to encourage cross-sectoral collaboration in the fields of business, public policy, science, and culture, an engaged diaspora is essential. Public diplomacy like this can be just as effective as more conventional forms of communication. When Azerbaijani expats succeed in their host countries, they are expected to be active participants in the social, cultural, and business arenas. Being ambassadors for a prosperous nation inspires them to make a bigger impact in the countries where they live. The State Committee on Work with Diaspora has been tasked by President Aliyev with addressing these challenges. The persistent aggression of Armenian diaspora groups overseas, especially in the United States, where the Armenian lobby has historically had considerable influence, must be met by an equally muscular Azerbaijani diaspora. Azerbaijan is still feeling the effects of the terrible 907th Amendment, which was passed in the US because of the efforts of the Armenian lobby. Additionally, Azerbaijanis living in the US will also soon have access to a number of new informational resources. The diaspora will be able to stay in touch and take advantage of better integration chances in their host nations thanks to these websites. Additionally, Azerbaijanis all over the globe will be able to build professional networks centered on these sites, facilitating communication, knowledge sharing, and teamwork. Additionally, these materials will offer up-to-date information on diaspora life, Azerbaijan's accomplishments, the arts, the country's tourist potential, and much more. Also on the schedule are gatherings in Washington, Virginia, and Illinois to meet with Azerbaijani diaspora representatives. In these get-togethers, members of the Azerbaijani Diaspora will have the chance to voice their opinions and debate pressing problems. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 15. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree "On the approval of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Azerbaijan and the Government of China on the Development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Routes for the China-Europe Railway Express", signed on July 1, 2024, in Baku and Beijing, Trend reports. The Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of Azerbaijan was assigned the responsibility of assuring the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding, which was referenced in Part 1 of this decree, upon its entry into force. The Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan was instructed to notify the Government of China regarding the completion of domestic procedures necessary for the Memorandum of Understanding to come into force. The Agnipath scheme of the government has come under attack from the opposition benches in the Parliament. While the government, including defence minister Rajnath Singh, has defended the scheme, Leader of Opposition in the Parliament Rahul Gandhi has been vocal about the drawbacks of the scheme. Former officers, who have weathered the storm on the ground, unlike the politicians, see both sides of it as they are aware of such schemes existing in other countries. The scheme is another move by the govt towards a Viksit Bharat 2047. Advertisement But, in between all this, many of the paramilitary forces like the BSF, CRPF, SSB and others have come forward with their announcements that they will be happy to recruit the agniveers once they leave the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. Group Captain R K Das (retd), ex-CPRO MoD feels the urge for such a scheme is felt, keeping in mind a lot of considerations. Moreover, such a manner of recruitment is followed in the majority of countries nowadays, he feels. An agniveer, after serving 4-5 years, is still young. He is well trained to join any other paramilitary force or a corporate set up. He also gets handsome money when he leaves the force, said the former spokesperson. Indias defence budget is not very large. It has to buy the latest technology to keep itself fighting. The defence forces also indulge in a lot of welfare schemes. Our pensioner base is so large that spending on it is equivalent to spending on capex. The defence force personnel and the number of pensioners is so large, it stretches the budget further, he feels. This scheme may not have much to show for now, but it will pay off in the years to come. It will be fruitful to the nation. In the navy there is a lot of scope in various technical departments. Communications is one, there is also a lot of dependency in cyber warfare. These agniveers can think on their feet and act. The organisation needs to be fresh and modern. After every 5 years agniveers will bring in fresh energy and knowledge, said Gr Capt Das. Vice Admiral Bimalendu Guha (retd) says each force has its interpretation on the utilisation of the agniveers. Recalling his time in Russia, where he served in 1981-82, the former Vice Admiral said, I had to interact with the Russians, where I had come across these recruits, inducted for 1.5 years. They were treated differently by the regular sailors, he said. In the navy, there are personnel below officer rank (PBOR), where the agniveers can fit in well. Each arm of the navy has its own technical wing, a communication sailor, engineering sailor, a logistics sailor etc. etc. and the agniveers can have a role to play here. The challenge is, how do I train a sailor who I know is going to exit after 4 years and what will be his motivation level, says the finger navy officer. Let the first batch come out for release. The field assessment is important. In a years time we will get feedback from the field, being employed in different arms of the services. At the time of their release, we will know who is staying back and who is not, felt the navy veteran. Colonel Soumitra Ray (retd) feels the thinking for the scheme is right. He says the idea is to bring down the age factor of the forces, comparable to many forces across the world. But the former officer cautions against comparing the Indian agniveer scheme with similar manpower from other countries. We face two standing armies, all the time in very different terrains. Our readiness has to be on a very high level, he warns. The scheme allows that 25 per cent of the agniveers to be retained, he points out, defending the scheme. Colonel Ray (retd) says the money saved by the government (doing away with the pension) can be used to buy modern technology, which is a must. One of the fault lines pointed out by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is the employability factor of these train manpower after they are relieved by the services. The various paramilitary forces have promised induction of these agniveers once they leave the forces. They will get 10 per cent reservation in the recruitment and also age relaxation in the Border Security Force. Nitin Agrawal, DG, BSF has gone on record, saying, Ex-agniveers have dedicated four years of their life in service. They are trained, disciplined, and BSF, after giving short training, will deploy them along the borders. For the first batch, the age relaxation is of five years while for subsequent batches, the age relaxation is of three years, informed a BSF release. DG Sashastra Seema Bal Daljit Singh Chaudhary has promised a fixed quota for ex-agniveers in SSB. We have amended the recruitment rules accordingly. The first batch will be given an age relaxation of five years. And, there will be no physical efficiency test for them, he said. Likewise, the Railway Protection Force chief Manoj Yadava has also announced 10 per cent reservation for ex-agniveers. Central Reserve Police Force DG Anish Dayal Singh said, They are army trained and have already served in the three services. They will bring dedication and discipline from day one. Col Ray (retd) says the scheme is new in India and the government is also learning in the way of its implementation. The veteran feels it is for the betterment of the Indian defence forces if the scheme is modified to include the six-month training extended to a year and the duration of the service for the agniveers extended to 8-10 years, instead of the four years. It has been seen that even for new warfare tactics to develop and train and deploy the manpower, it takes a minimum of 10 years, he said. Group Captain R K Das too prefers the duration of the agniveers to be 10 years. The forces will invest four years to train personnel and then it will be time to reboot, adds the former MoD spokesperson. The debate may go on, as citizens, we keep our faith intact in our defence forces. A team of senior CBI officers, medicine and forensic experts, headed by V Chandrasekhar, joint director of the central investigating agency, on Wednesday reached R G Kar Medical College Hospital and visited the seminar hall in the chest medicine department, where the 31-year-old postgraduate trainee (PGT) doctor was raped and murdered on 9 August while she was on duty. The team members, in three separate cars, entered into the hospital complex through its gate 6 around 4 pm, when the protesting junior doctors, interns and medical students were found shouting slogans we want justice and no safety, no duty amidst tight security arrangements of central forces and Kolkata Police. There is only one gate to enter into the nine-storey emergency building to reach the seminar hall. The CBI team also used the gate to reach the hall on the third floor. Advertisement The CBI investigators visited the seminar hall where the body of the victim with multiple injuries was recovered and collected incriminating evidence and documents from the spot till 7 pm. They also videographed the seminar hall and tried to explore how many persons, including the victim, were found on the night of 9 August. According to sources, the central investigating team will focus on several key areas at the hospital. It will examine whether the main accused Sanjay Roy was alone at the time of the crime or there was someone or more people at that time. Medical professionals, who were protesting in front of the emergency building, hoped that the case would be investigated properly. The agency members reached the city on Wednesday morning and began its investigations in the case. The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday ordered the transfer of the probe from the Calcutta Police to the central agency. Sources said that the agency has filed an FIR under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in New Delhi in connection with the alleged rape and murder of the doctor. A day after the Calcutta High Court questioned Kolkata Police over its investigation into the ghastly rape and murder of a woman doctor at the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital here last week, and handed over the probe into the matter to the CBI, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday defended the citys police department, describing it one of the best in the country. Previously, I gave time to Kolkata Police till Sunday to complete the investigation, since a minimum time is required for completing an investigation. But that time could not be allotted because of the development at the high court. To me, Kolkata Police and West Bengal Police are the best police forces in the country, the Chief Minister said while addressing a programme ahead of the Independence Day at Behala in the southern outskirts of Kolkata on Wednesday. Claiming that a negative propaganda is going on in the social media over the R.G. Kar incident, the Chief Minister announced a counter-propaganda programme by Trinamool Congress to counter such negative narratives, which according to her has been scripted by the BJP and the CPI-M. Advertisement On August 17, there will be rallies throughout the state against this conspiracy and negative propaganda. On August 18, there will be demonstrations at every block in the state. On August 19, there will be no such programme because of the Raksha Bandhan festival. On August 20, again we will have some programmes whose details will be announced later, CM Banerjee said. She also said that the investigation into the R.G. Kar case should ensure that no innocent person is booked. She also appealed to the protesting junior doctors to resume normal operations at the state-run hospitals. I appeal to the doctors, to stand by people. Already, three persons have died without treatment. Already, five days have passed. So I request you to get back to treating people, which is your duty. Previously, the state health secretary had issued an appeal. Now, I am appealing to all of you, the Chief Minister said. In a significant development, the Bar Library Club, situated at the Calcutta High Court, today took a resolution at its general meeting in the afternoon stating their solidarity with the protesting doctors. The resolution stated that the horrific incident of rape and murder at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital has not only traumatized the medical fraternity but also threatened the existence of the civil society. It read: We.. strongly condemn the barbaric incident and stand in solidarity with the life savers and givers of the society and demand strict punishment of the guilty at the earliest. Advertisement Talking about the extraordinary move by the lawyers, advocate Sakya Sen, secretary of the Bar Library Club, said, We are a 200-year-old club and we have a heritage and tradition. We also have a responsibility towards society. We cannot sit at home when the people, who save us, are targeted. Our members decided that we have to stand by the protesting doctors and against the wrongdoers. We have to give a message to the society and express our social and moral responsibility. Member of the legal community are also very much affected by the heart-wrenching incident. The high court chief justice has ordered a CBI enquiry and we the practicing lawyers stand by the doctors, who are protesting. The safety of women has been compromised and society has now stood up to it, said advocate Loknath Chatterjee, a member of the Bar Library Club. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee today wished all Kanyashree recipients of the state ahead of the Independence Day and on Kanyashree Day today. In a post in her X-handle, she said, Today is Kanyashree Day. I heartily welcome and congratulate all on this auspicious day. In 2013, we had started this scheme. Today Kanyashree is world famous after UNESCO had crowned it the best. Advertisement All girls of the state irrespective of rich and poor are Kanyashree. I will call upon all Kanyashree on this auspicious day to advance further. Fulfill your own dreams. I shall be with you in all your needs. In a message to the people, the chief minister paid tributes on the eve of 78th Independence Day. The CM wrote on X: On the eve of the 78th Independence Day, I pay my homage to our motherland and extend my heartiest greetings and best wishes to all my fellow countrymen. Like every year, this year too, we will be celebrating Freedom at Midnight by hoisting the National Flag at the stroke of midnight. The chief minister today affected a mini shuffle in her cabinet. She appointed Chandranath Sinha as the state minister for the correctional department. He, however, holds the portfolio as an additional charge along with his existing department of micro, small and medium enterprises and textiles. The correctional department lay vacant after Akhil Giri quit as the minister in-charge and the chief minister had kept the portfolio with her in the interim. Meanwhile, state DGP Rajeev Kumar today held meetings virtually with all the police chiefs of districts in the wake of the womens protest on the streets at midnight today. Officials in the know at the state secretariat at Nabanna today claimed that the DGP asked all district police chiefs to be on alert so that no untoward incident could happen. Former Justice of Calcutta High Court and BJP MP from Tamluk, Abhijit Gangopadhyay, took to the streets today in Kolkata for the first time in a political movement, despite previously participating in election campaigns. Before the rally began, he criticized chief minister Mamata Banerjee by alleging that before the CBI took over the investigation of the R G Kar incident, the police had already destroyed evidence. He also stated what he would have done if he was still in the chair. He said, There is no safety for women in the state. Instead of punishing the accused, there is an attempt to shield them. The chief minister herself has taken up the task of destroying evidence. On Wednesday, a rally was organized by the BJP Mahila Morcha, starting from College Street. The rally was joined by the MP. There, he said, The police have arrested only one person. The arrested person should have been medically examined immediately. It was crucial to check if there were any scratch or bite marks on the body, but the police didnt do that to destroy evidence. So, if the case goes to court, the lawyer of the accused will argue that there should have been scratch or bite marks on the body if it was a case of rape resistance. Since there are no such marks, you can understand how the police have destroyed the evidence in the case! Advertisement He claimed that the rule of law is missing in the state. He said, Even when I was a judge, I had said that the law of the ruler is prevailing in this state instead of the rule of law. This has now been proven again. As the BJPs rally neared R G Kar Hospital on Wednesday, the situation became tense. A rally by Left supporters also reached the hospital at the same time and the two rallies faced each other and a scuffle ensued between the two rally supporters. However, before the situation could escalate, the police intervened and separated the two groups. Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 15. The list of state bodies (institutions) carrying out audiovisual terrestrial broadcasting has been expanded in Azerbaijan, Trend reports. According to the information, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed a relevant decree in this regard. Under the decree, the following institutions were added to the list: - Closed Joint Stock Company Television and Radio Broadcasting of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic - Nakhchivan TV television and radio broadcaster; - Closed Joint Stock Company Television and Radio Broadcasting of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic - radio broadcaster Radio Nakhchivan. Quick commerce company Zepto is set to raise $340 million in the new round of funding, a report said on Wednesday. The company has secured interest from Mars Growth and General Catalyst at a valuation of $5 billion which is a 40 per cent hike from the past funding round valuation of $3.6 billion, the report said. Adit Palicha-led Zepto had raised funding of $665 million or Rs 5,560 crore in June at a valuation of $3.6 billion. Advertisement The company aims to double the number of its dark stores before the IPO. According to a media report, Palicha said: Zepto plans to expand its business in 10 new cities including Ahmedabad, Jaipur, and Chandigarh this year. company will continue its focus on the existing markets, where the company is making money. The company aims to take its sales to Rs 10,000 crore. Palicha further said that we plan to increase the number of stores from 350 to 700 while maintaining financial discipline. The company will also reinvest the money coming from profitable stores in its business. Earlier Palicha wrote on X, Reflecting on the past three years of building Zepto: the story of two kids dropping out of college and starting a company that is worth 30,000 crore in just three years is only possible in one country in 2024: India. He further said they are ready to dedicate themselves to building Zepto into a world-class $50B Indian company that employs lakhs as a way to give back to the country that has given us so much. Zepto was founded in July 2021. The company plans to launch an IPO in the next two to three years. The trend of quick commerce is increasing rapidly in India. Zepto competes directly with major players like Zomatos Blinkit and Swiggys Instamart. Low-cost carrier SpiceJet Ltd on Wednesday reported a 20 per cent decline in its consolidated net profit at Rs 158 crore in the April-June quarter of the current financial year from Rs 198 crore in the same period of the previous year. The Ajay Singh-run airlines revenue from operations in the first quarter fell 15 per cent to Rs 1,708 crore compared to Rs 2,004 crore in the same period last year. On a sequential basis, net profit after tax rose 24 per cent from Rs 127 crore in the preceding January-March quarter. Advertisement As part of the ongoing summer schedule for 2024, which starts on March 31 and ends on October 26, SpiceJet has indicated that it will operate 26 per cent fewer weekly flights. SpiceJets Q1 FY25 earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) came in at Rs 401 crore, compared to Rs 525 crore in the same quarter a year ago. We are pleased to report a profit of Rs 150 crore for Q1 FY 2024-25, which underscores our determination to navigate through uncertainties and is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team, SpiceJet said in a statement. Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday ordered SpiceJet to ground three engines leased from French lessors as it had failed to pay up the rentals. The court directed the budget airline to ground these engines by August 16 and return them to the two lessors Team France 01 SAS and Sunbird France 02 SAS within 15 days and make further arrangements for inspection. This decision follows the lessors rejection on August 12 of SpiceJet chairman and managing director Ajay Singhs offer to pledge his shares as collateral for the airlines outstanding liabilities. The Gurugram-based airline reported losses in the second and third quarter of 2023-24, and has been taken to court by multiple lessors over unpaid leases for planes. The airline had also till last week delayed the disbursement of June salaries to some of its staff on the grounds that it had pressing operational financial In the wake of a harrowing incident in Kolkata, where a young female doctor was tragically raped and murdered, actor Ayushmann Khurrana has channeled his grief and frustration into a poignant poem about womens safety. The actor shared his heartfelt piece on Instagram, capturing the fear and sorrow many women experience daily. The poem by Ayushmann, which imagines a world where women can live without fear if they were men, poignantly conveys, I would sleep without locking the door, I wish I were a boy. Carefree, I would run and fly, Roaming with friends all night, I wish I were a boy Advertisement View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ayushmann Khurrana (@ayushmannk) The tragic event, which unfolded on August 9 at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, has ignited widespread protests and outrage. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has criticized West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, emphasizing the urgent need for justice and accountability. Gandhis comments, posted on X, reflect a deep concern about the safety of doctors and women in general, questioning the effectiveness of existing laws and calling for rigorous action against the perpetrators. Gandhi expressed disbelief at the attempt to protect the accused instead of ensuring justice for the victim, highlighting the unsettling atmosphere it has created within the medical community and among women nationwide. He urged for a comprehensive dialogue across all societal segments to address and prevent such heinous crimes, stressing that the failure to protect individuals even in institutions like medical colleges is a grave concern. The tragic death of the trainee doctor has catalyzed protests across various Indian cities including Kolkata, Guwahati, Hyderabad, and Mumbai. Demonstrators, including members of the medical community, are voicing their demand for justice with slogans such as Justice needs to be served, No duty without security, and Justice delayed is Justice denied. These protests underscore a growing frustration with the systemic failures that have allowed such violence to persist despite stringent laws established after previous high-profile cases. The collective outcry reflects a deep-seated demand for safer environments and stricter enforcement of justice to prevent future tragedies. On the 78th Indian Independence Day, acclaimed actor and philanthropist Sonu Sood made headlines with a heartfelt celebration in the United States. Known for his extensive humanitarian efforts, Sood took a moment to honor the occasion far from home, sharing his experiences through social media. In a vibrant video posted on Instagram, Sood is seen interacting with fans, taking selfies, and spreading cheer among the crowd, all while proudly showcasing his Indian heritage. The Independence day celebration not only highlighted Sonu Soods deep-rooted patriotism but also his commitment to elevating Indian culture on a global stage. His festive activities included hoisting the national flag and engaging with attendees, blending cultural pride with international recognition. This gesture underscores Soods dedication to honoring his roots, even while abroad. For a glimpse of Sonu Soods Independence Day celebration, you can view the video here: Advertisement View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sonu Sood (@sonu_sood) Beyond his role as an actor, Sood has earned widespread admiration for his philanthropic work, particularly his contributions to education, employment, and social upliftment. His selfless endeavors have earned him a reputation as a national hero in India. Currently, Sonu Sood is focused on his latest project, Fateh, his directorial debut. This highly anticipated cybercrime thriller features a star-studded cast, including the esteemed Naseeruddin Shah and Bollywood sensation Jacqueline Fernandez. Slated for release on January 10, 2025, Fateh promises to deliver an action-packed experience that rivals Hollywood productions. In blending his humanitarian efforts with his professional achievements, Sonu Sood continues to inspire and bring pride to his country, both in India and abroad. This Independence Day, Bollywood offers a tribute to the valor of Indian army officers through its cinematic portrayals. These roles, brought to life by talented actors, have celebrated the bravery and dedication of the army heroes, weaving stories of heroism that resonate with audiences and foster a deep sense of national pride. Kartik Aaryans role as Major Murlikant Patekar in Chandu Champion stands out for its intensity and depth. His portrayal, particularly during a gripping eight-minute battle sequence, captures both the physical and emotional aspects of military life, reflecting the true spirit of our soldiers. Shah Rukh Khan, in Jawaan, takes on the role of a resolute army officer with his trademark charisma. His characters blend of stoicism and emotional complexity has connected with viewers, showcasing a perfect mix of action and heartfelt moments. Advertisement Siddharth Malhotras depiction of Captain Vikram Batra in Shershaah is another significant contribution to this genre. Malhotras performance, grounded in authenticity and respect, brings to life the courage and patriotism of one of Indias most revered war heroes, making it one of his standout roles. In Uri: The Surgical Strike, Vicky Kaushal delivers a memorable portrayal of modern military operations. His energetic performance, highlighted by the catchphrase Hows the Josh?, captures the films essence and resonates with the spirit of contemporary Indian soldiers. Sunny Deols role as Major Kuldip Singh in the Border series set a high standard for patriotic films in Bollywood. His commanding presence and emotional delivery in the 1971 war drama helped cement the films status as a classic, showcasing the leadership and bravery of Indian soldiers. As we celebrate Independence Day, we honor these cinematic portrayals that have brought the essence of Indian army heroes to the forefront. These actors have not only entertained but have also inspired viewers, ensuring that the legacy of our armed forces continues to shine brightly on screen. Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor Khan has voiced her outrage over the recent rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata, highlighting a grim recurrence of violence against women. In a poignant Instagram post, Kareena Kapoor lamented, 12 years later; the same story; the same protest. But we are still waiting for change, using hashtags like Kolkata Rape And Murder Case and Women Safety to draw attention. She accompanied her message with a broken heart emoji, underscoring her distress. Advertisement View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan (@kareenakapoorkhan) The post-graduate trainee doctor, whose body was discovered on August 9 in a seminar hall at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, was reportedly raped and murdered. This horrifying incident has ignited widespread protests across India. In solidarity, doctors in cities including Kolkata, Guwahati, Hyderabad, and Mumbai have taken to the streets, demanding justice for the victim. They carried signs reading Justice needs to be served and No duty without security, among others, reflecting their call for urgent action. Actress Alia Bhatt also reacted strongly to the tragedy, expressing dismay over the continued vulnerability of women despite the passage of over a decade since the Nirbhaya case. She highlighted the need for systemic change, stating that each new atrocity serves as a painful reminder of the persistent failure to protect women. The ongoing demonstrations and public outcry underscore a profound demand for justice and a reevaluation of safety measures for women. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, in his Independence Day speech, reaffirmed the states unwavering commitment to Prime Minister Narendra Modis vision of a developed India by 2047. The Chief Minister emphasized that the government is actively formulating new strategies and initiatives to ensure comprehensive development across all sectors. Highlighting the states significant contributions,Chief Minister Sai said, Chhattisgarh is playing a pivotal role in Indias journey towards becoming a developed nation by 2047. Our state has been at the forefront of implementing innovative schemes that cater to the needs of all sections of society. On the occasion, the chief minister paid tributes to the nations freedom fighters, emphasising the importance of their sacrifices. The freedom we enjoy today is the result of the immense sacrifices made by our forefathers. It is our duty to preserve and build upon this legacy by contributing to the nations progress. Advertisement Reflecting on the states achievements, he expressed satisfaction with the progress made so far, particularly in areas such as infrastructure, education, and healthcare. Chhattisgarh has made commendable strides in multiple sectors, and we are committed to accelerating this growth trajectory, he remarked. The chief minister outlined the governments vision for the future, stressing the importance of sustainable development, inclusive growth, and the empowerment of every citizen. He also mentioned the upcoming 50th anniversary of the Emergency in 2025, encouraging the public to reflect on the lessons learned and the resilience shown by the nation during that period. He urged the citizens of Chhattisgarh to unite in their efforts to contribute to the states and nations development. Let us work together to realize the dream of a prosperous Chhattisgarh within a developed India by 2047, he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi early on August 15 morning hoisted the tricolour and addressed the nation from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort in Delhi on the occasion of Indias 78th Independence Day. Taking to X this morning, the Prime Minister said, Independence Day greetings to my fellow Indians. Jai Hind! Prime Minister Modi first went to Rajghat in the national capital and paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. From Rajghat, PM Modi reached Red Fort where he inspected the Guard of Honour He then proceeded to hoist the tricolour at the iconic Red Fort and give his customary address to the nation. Today is the day to pay tributes to the uncountable Azaadi ke deewane who made sacrifices for the nation. This country is indebted to them. PM Modi said as he began his address today. A light drizzle was witnessed ahead of his address. Todays address of the Prime Minister Modi marked his 11th consecutive Independence Day address. Advertisement In his address, the Prime Minister expressed his sympathy to all of them and assured them that this nation stands with them in this hour of crisis. To those who suffered from natural disasters have heightened our concern over the last few years. I express my sympathies to affected families, said Prime Minister Modi. Natural disasters have heightened our concern over the last few years. I express my sympathies to affected families, said PM Modi. Earlier after hoisting the Tricolour, the Prime Minister received a Rashtriya Salute. The Punjab Regiment Military band, consisting of one JCO and 25 Other Ranks, played the National Anthem during the hositing, of the National Flag and presented the Rashtriya Salute. The Band was conducted by Subedar Major Rajinder Singh. Upon his arrival at the Red Fort, PM Modi was received by Union Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, MoS Defence Sanjay Seth and Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane. The theme of this years Independence Day is Viksit Bharat @ 2047. The celebrations will serve as a platform to provide a renewed push to the governments efforts towards transforming the country into a developed nation by 2047. Unidentifed miscreants broke into the official bungalow of Congress MLA and former minister Jaivardhan Singh, located in the high security VVIP locality of Char Imli in Bhopal, and decamped with cash and some documents. According to the police, the burglary took place on 13 August when there was no one in the house and it was locked. Initial investigations revealed that around Rs 12,000 to Rs15,000 kept in a briefcase were stolen along with some documents. Advertisement Habibganj police station Inspector Ajay Kumar Soni said on Thursday that the police were checking CCTV footages. The officer said they had rounded up some suspects and were questioning them. The house, D-21, is located just about 100 metre away from the office of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Many senior IPS and IAS officers along with some ministers and MLAs also reside in Char Imli. Jaivardhan Singh is Congress MLA from Raghogarh seat. He was the Urban Administration Minister in CM Kamal Naths state government. Jaivardhan Singhs father and former MP Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh took to social media and blasted the BJP state government over the theft. Digvijaya singh alleged that such an incident can be expected when there is bidding for police stations in the state. Addressing the country from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort on the ocassion of Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday advocated for the implementation of a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in India. He emphasized that the country must now move towards a secular civil code to eliminate religion-based discrimination. The Prime Minister pointed out that the Supreme Court has repeatedly discussed the UCC and issued several directives on the matter. In our country, the Supreme Court has held discussions regarding the Uniform Civil Code again and again, and it has given orders several times. A large section of the country believes, and it is true, that the civil code that we are living with is actually a communal civil code in a way, a discriminatory civil code, said PM Modi. Advertisement He called for a nationwide debate on the proposed implementation of the UCC and urged citizens to contribute their suggestions. I believe that there should be a discussion on this serious issue across the country Everyone should come forward with their suggestions, he added. PM Modi also stressed the importance of removing laws that create divisions within society based on religion. The laws that divide the country on the basis of religion, the laws that become the reason for the discriminationsuch laws should have no place in society, he stated. Highlighting the urgency of adopting a secular civil code, the PM further added, I would say that it is the need of the hour that there be a secular civil code in the country We have spent 75 years in the Communal Civil code. Now we will have to move towards the secular code. Only then would we be free of discrimination on the basis of religion. BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 15. The post of first deputy minister has been set up in the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan, Trend reports. In this regard, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed a corresponding decree. The Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers has been directed to address any concerns resulting from this decree. The Odisha government on Thursday announced the menstrual health policy allowing one day menstrual leave for women employees engaged in both the government and private sectors. Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida while addressing the district-level Independence Day function in Cuttack announced in this regard. The women employees are now entitled to avail the leave on the first or second day of the menstrual cycle, she said. Advertisement The Government has already drafted a policy on menstrual leaves for women employees after various agencies and stakeholders. With this, Odisha has perhaps become the first State to allow menstrual leaves for women, said an official of the women and child welfare department. Earlier last month, the Supreme Court hearing a PIL in this regard had asked the Centre and the states to take a call regarding mandatory menstrual leaves for working women across India, the official added. A flight was forced to make an emergency landing at the Bhopal Airport on Thursday following the death of a passenger on board. According to information, the flight was of the Akasa Airline and was going from Varanasi to Mumbai. It had to make an emergency landing at Bhopal in the morning due to the onboard fatality. According to Bhopal Airport Director Ramji Awasthi, the plane had 172 passengers on board. It made an emergency landing in Bhopal at around 11.45 am. Advertisement After landing, the 82-year-old passenger was taken off the flight and rushed to a hospital in a critical condition. He was sent to the Hamidia Hospital but doctors there declared him dead. On the occasion of Indias 78th Independence Day, a flag-hoisting ceremony was held at Patanjali Yogpeeth, presided over by Swami Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna. The event was marked by a renewed commitment to nation-building, with an emphasis on holistic freedom encompassing education, healthcare, economy, culture, and ideology. Addressing the gathering, Ramdev highlighted the sacrifices made by over five lakh martyrs who laid down their lives for Indias independence. He emphasized that Patanjali is determined to extend freedom beyond political independence, focusing on liberating the nation from diseases, addictions, and societal vices. Advertisement Ramdev announced that Patanjali would intensify its campaign to achieve these goals, contributing to making India a healthy, prosperous, and morally strong nation. Ramdev criticized the existing education system, which he claimed has led to the creation of a large number of educated unemployed individuals, potentially causing social unrest. He advocated for value-based education through institutions like Patanjali Gurukulam, Acharyakulam, and Patanjali University, which he believes will provide true educational freedom to the new generation. In addition to education, Ramdev pointed out the dangers of allopathic medicine, alleging that millions of deaths occur each year due to their harmful effects. He positioned Patanjalis initiatives, such as Patanjali Wellness, Yoggram, and Niramayam, as movements towards healthcare freedom. He also touched upon global geopolitics, warning against the conspiracies of international powers in countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Middle East, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. He asserted that Indias unity, integrity, and sovereignty must be preserved to prevent such plots. Ramdev urged the government of Bangladesh to stop the attacks on minority Hindus, their businesses, and temples, cautioning that if these atrocities do not cease, India, with its diplomatic and global influence, will respond firmly. On the issue of caste-based census, Ramdev criticized those who are inciting religious and caste-based fanaticism for political gain. He called for the nation to be safeguarded from divisive ideologies and stressed the importance of maintaining national unity. Acharya Balkrishna, in his address, paid tribute to the martyrs who fought for Indias freedom, urging the people to work towards realizing the dreams of these heroes. He reaffirmed Patanjalis commitment to nation-building, under the leadership of Swami Ramdev, by striving to create the India envisioned by the freedom fighters. The event also featured patriotic cultural performances by students from Patanjali Gurukulam, Acharyakulam, and Patanjali University, which instilled a deep sense of national pride among the attendees. The ceremony was attended by scholars from Nepal, officials from various units and educational institutions associated with Patanjali, employees, students, and monks from the Patanjali Sannyas Ashram. At a time when the pulse of collective action seems faint, Bangladesh emerges like a phoenix, ablaze with a fervour that has captured the worlds attention. The spectacle of millions, hand in hand, defying the odds, is more than just a ripple; its a tidal wave crashing against the shores of complacency. In an age where even the wind struggles to gather ten voices in protest, this spontaneous eruption is no mere accident, nor the product of shadowy conspiracies. It is the roar of a people, their hear ts heavy with centuries of grievance, their spirits aflame with righteous indignation. Yet, amid this uprising, darker forces have reared their heads ~ the desecration of temples, the plight of the minorities, the bi tter looting incidents etc. The soil of Bangladesh has been stir red, and from it springs both ne ctar and venom. The question that now hangs in the air, like a storm cloud ready to burst: who will be the divine figure to drink the venom and dispense the nectar? In the heart of this turmoil, perhaps the answer lies with Mohammed Yunus, the Nobel laureate, a figure who might just be the harbinger of a new dawn. But the question remains, how? The recent upheaval in Bangladesh, sparked by demands to abolish the reservation policy, exposes a deeper, more pervasive malaise: the gnawing pain of unemployment amid rampant corruption. This movement, while seemingly sudden, is a symptom of a broader global crisis ~ one rooted in the chasm of the 21st centurys dual economies. In this technology-driven, post-industrial world, unemployment and underemployment are not merely inconveniences but existential threats, exacerbated by the relentless march of globalization and neo-liberalism. This eras double-edged sword offers glittering advances for the elite while relegating the masses to an everdeepening abyss of poverty. As artificial intelligence and machines drive productivity to new heights, human labour is cast aside, leaving a stark divide: the opulent few luxuriate in excess, while the destitute grapple with the barest essentials. Oxfams revelations of staggering inequality where the wealth of the top five individuals doubles even as the poorest 60 percent lose ground paints a grim portrait of a world where luxury and deprivation exist side by side, a cruel testament to the failures of our current economic paradigms. Advertisement In the labyrinth of this century, where the promise of globalization gleamed like a beacon, policymakers faltered, blind to the lessons of history. This miscalculation birthed a brutal form of turbocapitalism, dividing society into winners and forgotten souls. As the new economy soared, those lacking the requisite skills and education were relegated to the shadows, trappedin dwindling, low-wage sectors, forsaken by the very systems meant to support them. In the relent less pursuit of economic growth, policymakers sacrificed social protection on the altar of high pressure economics. The result? A fragile society, where the gains of globalization and deregulation enriched the few, while the many at the bottom bore the brunt of in equality. As mental and physical well-being eroded, disillusionment grew, threatening to unravel the democratic fabric and hollow out the middle class, leaving a fractured and un stable order in its wake in Bangladesh. In the unforgiving landscape of turbocapitalism, the importance of stable employment has never been clearer nor more traically overlooked spe cifically in the reign of Sheikh Hasina. Here, the Covid-19 pandemic laid bare the fragility of an economy that prioritized pro fits, GDP, and market efficiency over basic human needs. Far from an inclusive system, it left many scrambling for survival in a world with sc ant safety nets and slackened savings. In fact, mainstream economists in the world, in their zeal for growth, made a grave error: treating labour as mere capital, forgetting that workers are not just cogs in the machine they are human beings with needs, anxieties, and political power. In a world where capital doesnt vote but labour does, this neglect is perilous, as exemplified by the last ten years of Hasinas go vernment. As the forces of populism surge, it is clear that the social and political consequences of unemployment, non employment, and under employment are no longer theoretical ~ they are here, demanding attention. However, in a world where governments and capitalists tout the myth of a jobless market, the facade of opportunity crumbles under scrutiny. They blame the lack of employment on mismatched skills, traditional education systems and inadequate conditions, while the free market, in its vaunted glory, fails to provide security, basic needs, or a semblance of work-life balance. This dis connect breeds widespread frustration across divisions ~ from India to the USA and Bangladesh. In a bid to quell mounting unrest, the powerful advocate for universal basic income (UBI), a mere ban d age on a gaping wound, offering money with no strings at tached while the state retreats from responsibility. This precarious gig economy, where todays job could vanish tomorrow, renders survival reliant on this hollow promise, stripping workers of dignity and turning their struggle into a de meaning survival game. Would Yunus support Bangladeshs upcoming development in the same manner? On the other hand, as the clamour for universal basic income grows worldwide, a critical question remains unanswered: where will the funds come from? The prospect of raising direct taxes on the wealthy is met with fierce resistance from capitalists, leading instead to a massive privatization push. Educational campuses and hospitals are stripped of their essential staff, while everyday costs and indirect taxes rise, perpetuating a cycle where household wealth flows back to the elite. Bangladesh should remember that this scheme not only enriches the rich but also threatens democratic integrity, rendering citizens passive and fe non employment. Bangladesh now, ahead of the curve, stands on the precipice of this grim reality, particularly after this upsurge. However, amid the upheaval in Bangladesh, a glimmer of hope emerges from an overlooked aspect of the coup: a call to rebuild from the ground up, challenging these deep-seated econpomic inequalities. The movements original aim ~ to com b at economic disparity now faces obfuscation by divisive issues of religious fundamentalism. While the technological boom reshapes the job landscape, the true scarcity lies not in work but in equitable access to it. The right to work is en shrined in constitutions worldwide; denying this right under the guise of a jobless future is both unconstitutional and unjust. The claim that vacancies are non-existent, and that the popu lace lacks qualifications is a dis ingenuous smokescreen. The real task of contemporary Bangladesh is straightforward: a people-oriented government could address infinite work opportunities by expanding vacancies and launching new projects. The assertion of widespread in competence is flawed; everyone has some capacity to contribute, much like even the most disabled member of a family finding a role. If true competence is lacking, the answerlies in a robust edu cation system and vocational training. Instead of a superficial Universal Basic Income, they should advocate for Universal Basic Earning (UBE) and establish a Universal Employment Fund (UEF). By raising direct taxes on capitalists, they could create real, sustainable job opportunities and ensure equitable livelihoods for all. Bangladeshs garment industry has not only positioned the country on the global economic stage but also cast it into the geopolitical spotlight among the US, China, and India. The mass up rising currently unfolding in Bangladesh reverberates far beyond its borders, em bodying both hope and uncertainty. While not all coups succeed, each revolution begets fresh perspectives, driven by a youthful energy that da res to reimagine the future. For Bangladeshs students, the pressing challenge is to channel this revolutionary spirit into delivering equitable work opportunities for all. Guided by Yunuss anti-discrimination principles, they must wage a Jihad against economic exploitation. Should they succeed, this uprising could etch its name in history; failure, however, will usher in a gruelling wait for the next wave of change. The interim governments balancing act between potential and pro should remember makes for an optimistic yet precarious outlook right here. (The writer is on the faculty of the Department of Statistics, Basanti Devi Colleges Kolkata) India has witnessed 908 new Covid-19 cases, and two deaths between June and July this year, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) report on Wednesday. The latest Covid epidemiological update by the UN body showed that between June 24 to July 21, an average of 17,358 specimens were tested for SARS-CoV-2 every week across 85 countries. While new cases increased by 30 per cent, 26 per cent of deaths were reported worldwide during the period. Advertisement More than 1,86,000 new cases were reported across 96 countries and more than 2,800 new fatalities were reported across 35 countries. The WHO noted that till July 21, more than 775 million confirmed cases and over seven million deaths have been reported globally since the beginning of the pandemic. Countries in the Americas and European region reported the highest hospitalisation and ICU admissions due to Covid infections. In the South-East Asia region, the highest numbers of new cases and deaths were reported from Thailand (6,704 new cases and 35 new deaths), followed by India (908 new cases and 2 new deaths), and Bangladesh (372 new cases and 1 new death). Further, the report noted that globally, JN.1 is the most reported variant of interest (VOI), present in 135 countries. SARS-CoV-2 variants KP.3.1.1 and LB.1, both descendent lineages of JN.1 and variants under monitoring (VUMs) are also increasing their prevalence globally. Meanwhile, several states in India are seeing an increase in Covid cases, as per the Union Health Ministrys Covid dashboard. Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, and West Bengal, are experiencing a positivity rate of over five per cent. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the highly transmissible KP.1 and KP.2 strains, which evolved from the JN.1 Omicron variant, are responsible for the surge in Covid cases in India. However, there has been no increase in hospitalisations or severity of illness so far, Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda informed Parliament earlier this month. Nadda noted that 824 cases of the Covid KP mutant strain were recorded until August 5. Maharashtra had the highest number of cases with 417, followed by West Bengal with 157 and Uttarakhand with 64. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Ukraines Armed Forces continue to advance in Russias Kursk region with the strategic goal being achieved as well. Zelensky in his address on Wednesday said: Our advance in Kursk region is going well today - we are reaching our strategic goal. Our stock of prisoners for exchange has also been significantly replenished, as quoted by Ukrainska Pravda report. Today, I also held a meeting with members of the government - the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Internal Affairs, and the Human Rights Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) was also present - to discuss support for our military actions in Kursk region. It is important that Ukraine fights by the rules, and the humanitarian needs that exist in this area must be met. Advertisement The Ukrainian President also thanked the servicemen of the Security Service of Ukraine, the Defence forces of Ukraine, Ukraines Defence Intelligence and all agencies for the timely and effective strikes on Russian airfields. Our Ukrainian drones are working exactly as they should. But there are some things that cannot be done with drones alone, unfortunately. We need other weapons - missile weapons. And we continue working with our partners on long-range decisions for Ukraine - because these are forward-looking decisions for our victory. It has to be done. The bolder our partners decisions, the less Putin can do. Todays report from the head of the Security Service of Ukraine was positive. I want to thank all our SBU warriors, as well as the warriors of the Defence Forces of Ukraine, the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR), and all the structures involved. I thank for the precise, timely, and effective strikes on Russian airfields. The US has expressed support for Indias involvment in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and its efforts to bring peace between the two countries, US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel has said here. Patel made the remarks on Wednesday while addressing potential upcoming travel by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Ukraine later this month. I will let the (Indian) Prime Ministers office speak to any of his own travels. I dont have anything to offer there, he said during his daily news conference on Wednesday. Advertisement We are in touch with our Indian partners on a number of issues and, of course, would welcome Indias engagement in the war between Russia and Ukraine, especially as it relates to ensuring that we get to a just and durable peace that is reflective of what our Ukrainian partners are attempting to do, which is to defend their territorial integrity and sovereignty, Patel added. PM Modi is likely to visit Poland and Ukraine from August 21 to 23. No official announcement in this regard has been made yet. Earlier, PM Modi was on an official visit to Russia from July 8-9 and met Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed disappointment over PM Modis visit to Russia, which he termed a devastating blow to peace efforts. During his bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, PM Modi raised the issue of killings of children during conflicts and said it is heart-wrenching when innocent children die. The Prime Minister said that everyone who believes in humanity is hurt when there is a loss of lives. As many as 37 children were killed in a recent missile strike at a childrens hospital in Kyiv. Various kinds of provocative stuffing that have recently appeared in foreign media and then spread by social networks are not special cases, but a system. Its contours are already clearly visible in the disinformation attack on Azerbaijan. This attack does take place, although it is not as brazen as in the old days. The situation in the Global South is becoming increasingly tense, and those who want to remain neutral are increasingly annoying those who are planning an explosion in the region. Everyone expects something from Azerbaijan, as the most prominent figure in the South Caucasus, which has a certain influence. Namely, the choice. No one expects anything from Georgia, because it has limited opportunities. N o one expects anything from Armenia, because it is an empty place. Everything will be solved for her, but there are problems with Azerbaijan. It is very difficult to work with countries that have their own way of looking at things and do not allow themselves to be drawn into other people's games. The poster "Have you chosen which side you're on?" It has never been relevant for Baku. Moreover, regardless of who is posting it - friends or foes. Attempts to force Baku to make a choice are not made directly, but it is impossible not to notice them. They were noticed in Armenia and were very happy. Lately, Yerevan has been quiet, as if waiting for something. They are waiting for Azerbaijan to be distributed and expect to take a bite of the pie. After all, it is impossible not to notice that the situation that has developed since the assassination of the head of Hamas in Tehran is heating up by leaps and bounds. And neither side likes Azerbaijan's unwillingness to join the bacchanal. The silence in the Armenian propaganda space, I think, is more related to this factor than to Nikol Pashinyan's vacation. The Armenian-Azerbaijani track is calm. because the Armenian side is waiting. He is waiting to see who will put the squeeze on Baku - the new guardians of Armenia, Iran or someone else. All these parties have their own interests in the current situation. Azerbaijan also has them, and they consist in maintaining neutrality. This is a very difficult task when you are in the epicenter, but difficult does not mean impossible. There have been more difficult times for our country, when it was still weak and drained of blood by the Armenian aggression and the loss of territories. But even then, no one managed to make him bend. As President Ilham Aliyev once stated, "Azerbaijan has never adjusted to the policies of its large neighbors, the country has always had its own policy, which was formed on the principles of international law, justice, decisions and documents of international organizations, as well as wisdom." This is a very successful policy, as there is plenty of evidence. Baku has always had and has its own view of things and what to do to ensure the interests and security of the state and the people. The Azerbaijani leadership has never turned national interests into a bargaining chip in the "amusements" of external players. And who better than our neighbors and partners to know about it. The Media Development Agency has already issued a statement regarding the latest fakes in the media, planted in order to put Azerbaijan under attack and drag it into the vortex of conflict. The statement stressed that such messages are information manipulation, do not reflect reality and are aimed at misleading local and international audiences. Recall that a number of foreign media outlets spread misinformation about Azerbaijan's alleged involvement in the assassination of the Hamas leader, about Tehran's alleged plans to bomb facilities on Azerbaijani territory, and about allegedly warning Israel to its military personnel (?) not to stay in Azerbaijan. In all cases, it was established that the news was fake, but before that they had already done their job. As President Ilham Aliyev said at a recent media forum in Shusha, sometimes we are surprised that the information disseminated about Azerbaijan in the international media is true. Before that, we were used to misinformation about ourselves. The current situation is not new at all. Azerbaijan constantly has to repel such attacks. Let's recall some points. In 2012, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry had to respond in the same way to publications in a number of foreign media outlets that reported Baku's "intention" to provide Israel with its military facilities in the event of a campaign against Iran. The Armenian Foreign Ministry said: "Azerbaijan will never allow third countries to use its territory against neighboring states." "Under no circumstances will we allow Azerbaijani territory to be used against Iran," then-Defense Minister Abiyev said at the same time during a visit to Tehran. Two years later, the topic was again actualized by external manipulators, and the new Minister of Defense Zakir Hasanov had to once again voice Baku's firm position during his visit to Iran: the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan states that a foreign state cannot have a military base in the country. There will be no threat to Azerbaijan's neighbors from the territory of our country, it will not allow anyone to use itself as a platform for attacking neighboring states. Last year, fake news was thrown into the media again, this time in more detail. It was claimed that Azerbaijan allegedly prepared an airfield to assist Israel in the event of its attack on Iran, and also allowed the Mossad to establish a branch in the country (!)... That such a thing could not possibly be true was clear from the very beginning. The Azerbaijani Ambassador to Israel, in an interview with The Jerusalem Post, reinforced this opinion, categorically stating the impossibility of such a development of events. "Azerbaijan has stated from the very beginning that it will not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries and will not allow its territory to be used against other countries. This is because we expect other countries not to interfere in our internal affairs," the Azerbaijani diplomat said. How such fakes are born, we will not guess. The interest circles are the same today as they were ten years ago. A big game has been played around Azerbaijan for a long time, but it has not been possible to get close to it in any way. That's the main thing. And this has always been very upsetting for our Armenian neighbors. They are still hoping to take the cream off the regional crisis. Armenians remember that once upon a time, in the wake of bloodshed, they received foreign lands. Why not dream? Armenia has already allowed Americans to settle on its borders with Iran and hopes that, if anything happens, the United States will cover it with its broad back. But according to the results, it will be possible to get more territories for loyalty and obedience. BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 15. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree On Amendments to the Provision on the Ministry of Digital Development and Transportation of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Trend reports. According to the decree of the head of state, the following powers have been added to the list of objectives of the ministry: - to participate in the organization of road traffic and pedestrian and road infrastructure through the subordinate institution, as well as to ensure regulation of traffic flows together with the relevant bodies; - to ensure control over compliance with the requirements for parking of vehicles in parking lots in the administrative territory of Baku city; - to provide feedback to draft detailed plans developed as part of the planning of territories of settlements or territorial areas in terms of ensuring the requirements related to the transportation of people and goods (including transportation by public transport vehicles carrying out transportation at close distances), including the flexibility of movement of people (on foot and by transport); - to provide feedback on projects for construction, capital repair, reconstruction, and rehabilitation of highways, bus terminals (bus stations), underpasses, subway exits, and bicycle paths, taking into account the road capacity and indicators of compliance of the territory with the road and transportation infrastructure. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 15. A delegation headed by Major General Musfer bin Hassan bin Musfer Al-Essa, the director of the General Administration for Morale Affairs and Values Promotion of the Armed Forces of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia visited Azerbaijan, Trend reports, referring to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. Colonel Elshad Abilov, the chief of the Department for Ideological Work and Moral-Psychological Support of the Main Department for Personnel of the Ministry of Defense met with the guests at the Azerbaijan Army's Training and Educational Center. The delegation was given lectures on 'The Role of National, Moral, Ethical, and Patriotic Values in Enhancing the Moral and Psychological Spirit of Military Personnel.' They were also briefed on efforts to organize ideological work and train military psychologists. The meeting addressed the expansion of cooperation in military education between the two countries and discussed several issues of mutual interest. Mahindras owned Classic Legends which revived the iconic Jawa and Yezdi motorcycle brands is launching another iconic motorcycle brand in the BSA. BSA or Birmingham Small Arms started off as a firearms maker, but by 1950s, it had evolved to become the largest motorcycle maker in the world at that time, before it faded away. It played a big role in the second world war with over 126,000 units produced for the armed forces. Classic Legends acquired the BSA brand back in 2016. On Thursday, it drove in the iconic BSA Gold Star motorcycle in India. The original Gold Star was born in Britain in 1938. Now, Classic Legends has gone great lengths to ensure the classic British styling and every detail like the tank's iconic shape to the engine's character captures the spirit of the BSAs of that time. At the same time, it will also get modern features. The Gold Star is powered by a liquid cooled single cylinder 652 cc engine, it gets brembo brakes with dual channel ABS and Pirelli tyres. It also gets features like USB port and 12V socket. It will get six colour options. Despite a slew of products by Classic Legends , the mid range market remains dominated by Royal Enfield. In July, for instance, Classic Legends retailed 2,131 units, compared with Royal Enfields's 57,325 units. Anand Mahindra, chairman of Mahindra Group, pointed the company had faced several impediments like COVID-19, which had slowed things down in the past few years. But the products created so far as well as the R&D had been unparalled. He is confident that the strong product line up will eventually help. "If your product is terrific, you will succeed at some point in time. That is what will happen here too very quickly," he said. The company had announced last year plans to spend Rs 1,000 crore over three years towards product development, distribution and marketing. Prices of the Gold Star start at Rs 2,99,990 ex-showroom and bookings are already open across select dealers. "We have got over 450 dealership outlets currently. This motorcycle is currently been identified at 52 dealerships. We will keep on expanding it within our network. They will start bookings straightaway," said Ashish Singh Joshi, CEO of Classic Legends. The bike was launched in the UK in 2021 and has since also been sold in other markets like Europe, Turkey, New Zealand and Philippines. After launching now in India, the company aims to launch Gold Star in the US, Australia and Japan. Actor-director Kangana Ranaut says she has been "boycotted" by the Hindi film industry and it is not easy for people to stand with her, which is why those who supported her on the upcoming film Emergency are like gods and angels. Kangana Ranaut, also a BJP MP from Himachal Pradesh's Mandi, has directed the film in which she stars as former prime minister Indira Gandhi. The movie, whose trailer was launched on Wednesday, is set for release on September 6. Emergency also stars Anupam Kher, Mahima Chaudhary, Milind Soman, Shreyas Talpade, Vishak Nair, and the late Satish Kaushik in pivotal roles. "Many people come as gods and angels. They see you through obstacles. I want to thank my cast. Everybody knows I have been boycotted by the industry. It is not easy to stand with me. It is not easy to do my film. And it is most definitely not easy to praise me but they have done all of it," Kangana Ranaut told reporters. She also thanked her co-stars and writers V Vijayendra Prasad ("Baahubali", "Thalaivii") and Ritesh Shah (Pink) for their support on her upcoming directorial. The National Award winner remembered Kaushik, who died last year following a heart attack. Emergency stars the actor as former deputy prime minister Jagjivan Ram in the movie, which marks one of his last cinema appearances. "We are missing Satish Kaushik ji a lot today. He was a gentleman and noble soul," she added. There was a time, Ranaut said, she was "done with acting" and directing Emergency was the highlight of working on the movie. "I was not interested in acting anymore because I had done just way too many films. I felt I had to do something else. The highlight of it for me was to direct. "I did not have any special love for Indira ji's character... I love the part of me who loves to make movies and tell a story. I fail to see her in a special light, to be honest The whole film stands out for me. I love every character, every frame of the film. Asked whether she relates to Salman Khan's struggles of being "misunderstood" in the industry, the actor called the Bollywood superstar the "most loved star in the country". "The people who love him will love him, those who dislike him will hate him anyway. They would want to be in a position that he has in the industry today. But you look at the audience (and how much they love him)," Ranaut, a first-time BJP MP from Mandi, said she has no plans to retire from the film industry or take up politics full time. "I never said I want to be a leader... It was people's choice if I should fight the elections today or tomorrow. If 'Emergency' works, if they want to see more of me, if I feel I can have success, I will continue with films. "Otherwise, if I feel I have more success in politics... Wherever I will feel needed, respected and valued (I'll go). I will let life decide for me. I have no such plans that I have to go here or there," she added. Emergency is produced by Zee Studios and Ranaut's Manikarnika Films. Dr Ram Narain Agarwal, known as the "Father of Agni Missiles", passed away in Hyderabad on Thursday, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) officials said. He was 84. Dr Ram Narain Agarwal was the first Programme Director of the Agni missiles, India's iconic long-range ballistic missile programme. He led the programme for over twenty years before retiring as ASL director. The nation honoured his contributions by presenting him with the Padma Shri (1990) and Padma Bhushan (2000) awards. In 2005, he was awarded this year's DRDO's Lifetime Achievement Award "for pioneering the development and establishment of long-range missiles systems". Renowned DRDO missile scientist Ram Narain Agarwal also known as the Father of Agni Missiles, passed away today in Hyderabad at the age of 84. He played a crucial role in the long-range ballistic missile programme in the country and was the first Programme Director of the Agni pic.twitter.com/O2LoTPapBx ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024 "He played a key role in establishing the re-entry technology, all composite heat shield, on board propulsion system, guidance and control etc for missiles," DRDO mentioned in its obit statement. With profound grief and sorrow, DRDO offers the condolence on the sad demise of Dr Ram Narain Agarwal outstanding aerospace scientist and Padma Shree, Padma Bhushan awardee, who was instrumental in the development of Indias long range missile, Agni. May his soul rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/WbsSA1bael DRDO (@DRDO_India) August 15, 2024 Senior serving and former DRDO scientists condoled the death of Dr Agarwal. "Former DRDO chief and missile scientist Dr G Satheesh Reddy said the country has lost a legend with his passing away. He said Dr Agarwal played a crucial role in expanding the long-range missile manufacturing and launch facilities in the country," news agency ANI quoted DRDO officials as saying. It was none other than Dr APJ Abdul Kalam who entrusted Agarwal with the responsibility to build the Agni missiles, a report said. Born into a family of traders in Jaipur, Agarwal developed an interest in flights and joined the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore to obtain a master's degree in aeronautics engineering. The confidentiality of the nuclear arsenal and IRBMs meant that much of his valuable contributions had to be kept under wraps. When he started heading the Agni missile project in 1983, even allies like the Soviet Union were not willing to share technology to build ballistic missiles with New Delhi. However, under Agarwal's leadership, DRDO did find a way to replenish India's defences with the mighty IRBMs. A shocking crime from Uttarakhand has come to the fore amid the ongoing nationwide protests over the rape and murder of a doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College hospital. In Rudrapur of Uttarakhand's Udham Singh Nagar district, a nurse was allegedly raped and murdered by a migrant labourer. The crime took place on July 30 and the police finally cracked the case by pursuing the mobile phone that was stolen from the victim. The woman, 33, was a nurse at a private hospital in Nainital. The mother of an 11-year-old girl, they were living in in Udham Singh Nagar's Bilaspur Colony. The police started the probe as a man-missing complaint when the sibling of the victim filed a complaint on July 31 claiming that her sister never came home on July 30, Tuesday. The cops couldn't make any breakthrough until her body was found in an empty plot in Uttar Pradeshs Dibdiba over a week later, reports said. The autopsy report confirmed that she was sexually assaulted before being murdered. ALSO READ | Kolkata doctor rape and murder: Roy's mobile paired to headset found at crime scene The investigation team then tried tracking the victim's mobile phone. As expected, it was stolen from her after the murder by the accused -- Dharmendra of Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly. The cops picked him up from Rajasthans Jodhpur, TV 18 said in a report. According to the police, Dharmendra confessed to having committed the crime during interrogation. He followed and attacked the nurse on the way inside the Basundhara Apartment at Kashipur Road in Udham Singh Nagar. He wanted to rob the woman of her valuables and dragged her to the isolated plot when he raped and strangled her to death, the TV18 report added. He fled Uttarakhand with her jewellery, mobile phone and cash inside her purse, the police said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday unfurled the national flag at the historic Red Fort, marking the 78th Independence Day of the country. Clad in a light blue bandhgala jacket and multicoloured Rajasthani leheriya print turban, the Prime Minister addressed the nation, stating Independence Day was the day to pay tribute to freedom fighters. "The country is indebted to them," he said. #WATCH | Indian Air Force's Advanced Light Helicopters shower flower petals, as PM Narendra Modi hoists the Tiranga on the ramparts of Red Fort. (Video: PM Modi/YouTube) pic.twitter.com/466HUVkWlZ ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024 #WATCH | PM Narendra Modi hoists the Tiranaga on the ramparts of the Red Fort. He is set to deliver his 11th Independence Day address from here, shortly. (Video: PM Narendra Modi/YouTube) pic.twitter.com/hJcu5xTYuc ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024 Before reaching Red Fort, he paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at his memorial. Interestingly, this is Modi's 11th time in a row to unfurl the tricolour from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Independence Day. He also surpassed Manmohan Singh who unfurled the national flag 10 times during his stint as the Prime Minister during 2001-2014. Only the first Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi had the honour of doing this more than Modi. While Nehru did it 17 times, Indira did it 16 times. What PM said in his I-day speech The PM paid condolences to the families who lost their members in the recent national disasters. "Natural disasters have heightened our concern over the last few years; I express my sympathies to affected families," Modi added. Modi also stressed the government's resolve to make the country a developed nation by 2047. Stating that India was capable of making India a developed nation by 2047 with our resolve, he said: "If 40 crore people can break shackles of slavery to gain freedom, just imagine what can be achieved by the resolve of 140 crore people." He said the government had invited suggestions from countrymen for Viksit Bharat 2047 and the feedback reflects the dreams and aspirations of our citizens. "Some people suggested making India the skill capital, others said India should be made a manufacturing hub and the country must become self-reliant. Reforms in governance and justice system, creation of greenfield cities, capacity building, Indias own space station - these are the aspirations of the citizens," he said, adding that the big dreams of the citizens "take our self-confidence to newer heights and we become more resolute." Hailing women power, the Prime Minister said over 10 crore women joined self-help groups over the last decade, becoming financially independent. "When women become financially independent they become part of the decision-making system in a household leading to social change. Till now, 9 lakh crores have been given to self-help groups in the country," he said. On banking, space sectors The Prime Minister also hailed India's banking, stating they now count among the strongest in the world. "Just imagine what was the condition of our banking sector. There was no growth, no expansion, and there was no faith (in the banking system). We took big reforms to make the banking sector strong, because of which our banks were among the few strong banks globally," Modi said. On the renewable energy sector, the Prime Minister hailed India's efforts and praised the efforts the country was putting in to achieve self-reliance. "We had vowed for renewable energy. India has done more than the (other) countries of G20," he said. He also hailed India's "vibrant" space sector and claimed the government has made many reforms which liberated it from the restrictions of the past. "Hundreds of start-ups have come up in the space sector. It is becoming vibrant. It is playing a key role in making India a strong nation," he added. Education We want to build such an education system in the country that students don't have to go abroad for studies, said the Prime Minister. "Students spend lakhs and crores for medical education abroad. We will create 75,000 new medical seats in the next 5 years," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day speech at Red Fort, expressed his pain on the incidents of atrocities against women in the country, stating that society and state governments need to take the issue very seriously. Stating that he could feel the outrage, Modi said: "I would like to express my pain again, from the Red Fort today. As a society, we will have to think seriously about the atrocities against women. There is outrage against this in the country and I can feel this. Speedy investigation of crimes against women and strict punishment for those executing these monstrous deeds are important to instil confidence in society." The Prime Minister's statement comes as the country is shocked by the rape and murder of a woman doctor at a government hospital in Kolkata. The Prime Minister said it was important to discuss rapes and incidents of atrocities against women. "But when a person of such monstrous tendency is punished, it is not seen in the news. It is restricted to a corner. Extensive discussion on those receiving punishment is necessary so that those committing this sin understand the severe punishment this can lead to. "Those who commit such sins should know that they will be hanged. It is important to have that fear. I think it is very important to instil this fear," Modi added. #WATCH | PM Narendra Modi says, "...I would like to express my pain once again, from the Red Fort today. As a society, we will have to think seriously about the atrocities against women that are happening - there is outrage against this in the country. I can feel this outrage. pic.twitter.com/2gQ53VrsGk ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024 He also used the platform to hail women's power in the country, stating that about 10 crore new women have joined self-help groups over the last decade. They have become integral to family decision-making, contributing to broader social change, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday. He said the government has worked on a "women-led development model"in innovation, employment, and entrepreneurship. "Women are marching ahead in every sector," Modi said "Look at the defence sector -- air force, army navy, space sector, we are seeing the strength of women everywhere. But on the other hand, some disturbing things also come forward," he said. West Bengal Police have arrested nine persons in connection with the vandalism at Kolkatas RG Kar Medical College Hospital where a junior doctor was raped and murdered last week sparking widespread outrage. According to reporters, around 40 people, posing as protesters entered the hospital on Wednesday midnight and vandalised the emergency department, nursing station, and medicine store. They also ransacked a stage where junior doctors have been demonstrating since August 9. Police had to resort to lathicharge and fire teargas to disperse the protesters. At least 15 cops were injured in the incident. The arrests were announced hours after the Kolkata Police released photos of the suspects and shared them on social media. The identities of those arrested have, however, not yet been revealed. A political blame game began over the incident with the opposition BJP attacking the state government for failing to protect the protesting doctors. The saffron party also demanded that Army be deployed if the TMC government cannot control the situation. The 31-year-old junior doctor was raped and murdered while on duty and her body was discovered at the seminar hall on August 9. A civic volunteer was arrested in the following day. The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday ordered a CBI probe into the case, saying no significant progress had been made in the investigation by the Kolkata Police. Following the HC order, the central agency formed three teams to probe the case and filed an FIR under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Healthcare services in West Bengal remain crippled for seven days in a row due to the cease-work by junior doctors demanding justice for their colleague. The emergency and outpatient departments in most state-run hospitals are still closed, causing significant distress among patients. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday hit out at the Left parties and the BJP, accusing them of creating unrest in the state. Her remarks came in the wake of vandalism at RG Kar Medical College Hospital in Kolkata were several junior doctors have been staging protest for nearly a week demanding justice to one of their colleagues, who was raped and murdered inside the hospital. "Police are looking into the matter. I don't have any complaints against students or agitating doctors. But there are certain political parties which are trying to foment trouble. If you go through the video, you will get to see what happened," Banerjee said. The chief minister said those who vandalised the hospital are not connected to the students movement and alleged that some of them were BJP people and some others belonged to DYFI, the youth wing of the CPI(M). "The people who vandalised RG Kar Hospital yesterday and created this ruckus are not connected to the student movement; they are outsiders. I have seen many videos. I have three videos as I can see, in which some people are holding national flags, they are BJP people, and some are DYFI who are holding white and red flags," she said. According to reporters, around 40 people, posing as protesters entered the hospital on Wednesday midnight and vandalised the emergency department, nursing station, and medicine store. They also ransacked a stage where junior doctors have been demonstrating since August 9. Police have arrested nine persons in connections with the incident. Banerjee said two hospital floors have been destroyed, medicines looted and infrastructure and equipment severely damaged. "Some outsiders who are political elements and want to foment trouble in Bengal - the Left and the BJP - have together unleashed this, she said. The 31-year-old junior doctor was raped and murdered while on duty and her body was discovered at the seminar hall on August 9. A civic volunteer was arrested in the following day. The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday ordered a CBI probe into the case, saying no significant progress had been made in the investigation by the Kolkata Police. Referring to the CBI taking over the probe, Banerjee said: "Now the case is not in our hands, it is in the hands of CBI, if you have something to say, then tell CBI, we have no objection. Healthcare services in West Bengal remain crippled for seven days in a row due to the cease-work by junior doctors demanding justice for their colleague. The emergency and outpatient departments in most state-run hospitals are still closed, causing significant distress among patients. The chief minister termed the rape-murder of the junior doctor as a big crime and said only if the culprit is hanged, people will learn a lesson from it. "This is a very big crime, and the only punishment for it is that the accused should be hung. If the culprit is hanged then only people will learn a lesson from it but no innocent should be punished," she said. Just after unidentified miscreants entered the premises of state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital after midnight on Thursday and vandalised portions of the medical facility, the Kolkata police clarified that the seminar hall where the crime happened has been untouched. In a post on X, the police said: "The crime scene is the seminar room and it has not been touched. Don't spread unverified news. We will initiate legal action for spreading rumours." The incident happened during the early hours of Thursday when the miscreants barged into the midnight protests by women against the horrific rape murder of the doctor at the hospital. Police said a group of nearly 40 people entered the hospital premises, vandalised property and pelted stones at police personnel prompting them to fire teargas to disperse the mob. According to a final year MBBS student of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, the mob deliberately vandalised the area. "Yesterday, we were having a peaceful protest, we had planned to arrange a rally of female nurses, doctors and students. When we were getting ready to start the rally, a huge mob came. We requested them to continue their rally and not try to interfere as there were female protestors. Then the mob tried to get into our protest, the student, identified as Anupam Roy, said. He added that the protesters hid from the mob. "They did not stop there. The mob just came to break the protest in a targeted and organised way," Roy added. #WATCH | Kolkata | CBI team investigating rape & murder of a woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital arrives at CGO complex pic.twitter.com/pXQ3XebZyn ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024 The miscreants were reportedly carrying sticks, bricks and rods. They went berserk at the Emergency ward, its nursing station and medicine store, besides a section of the Out Patients Department. They also destroyed CCTV cameras in and around the area. They also attacked a police vehicle and damaged several two-wheelers parked there. The vandalised corridor of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata | Salil Bera Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal told reporters that they were looking into the matter and said there was a media campaign against the police which aggravated the issue. "What the police have not done to crack this case? But there has been a malicious media campaign that has been going on," he told reporters. He added that the Kolkata Police cannot cannot arrest anyone just based on rumours. "I cant just arrest an intern based on some kind of rumour, its against my conscience. We have done what is right. Now the case is already gone. The CBI will be investigating it," Goyal said, adding that the police had not tried to save anyone. "Azercell Konullulri" (Azercell Volunteers) charitable organization reports its activities for the first half of 2024, reflecting its ongoing commitment to social responsibility and charity. One of the key initiatives was organizing ICT training sessions for the spouses of the Second Karabakh War martyrs. The aim was to equip them with the essential digital skills required in todays job market. A total of 20 participants took part in the training sessions on "SMM-Design" and "Python basics conducted in collaboration with STEP IT Academy. Upon completing the courses, participants were awarded certificates recognizing their new competencies. The list of candidates for these trainings was provided by "Zfr" Public Association for Support of Martyrs Families. In May 2024 "Azercell Konullulri" organized a blood donation campaign to support children suffering from thalassemia, hemophilia, and leukemia. The two-day-long action was conducted by the professional medical staff of the Central Blood Bank, with the collected blood supplies donated to the Republician Thalassemia Center. Throughout the year the Azercell Konullulri" team extended support to low-income families in Baku and the regions. Additionally, in celebration of International Children's Day on June 1, "Azercell Konullulri" visited the "Nur" orphanage in Ramana and the "SOS Children's Village" in the Ahmedli settlement. It should be noted that the Azercell Konullulri" charitable organization, consisting of Azercell employees, has been offering support to vulnerable communities since 2004. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, in his Independence Day address at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) headquarters in Nagpur, highlighted the issue of the attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh and said India has the responsibility to protect the suffering people in the neighbouring nation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his Independence Day address to the nation at Delhi's Red Fort, said people in India are worried about the safety of people belonging to the minority communities in Bangladesh in the wake of the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. "Indians want the security of Hindus, and minorities there to be ensured," Modi said, adding that India hopes that the situation in the country normalizes soon. ALSO READ: Independence Day: PM Modi says 'Viksit Bharat 2047' reflection of dreams of 140 cr people In the wake of the unrest in Bangladesh, there have been reports of widespread attacks against Hindus, and vandalism of Hindu temples, households, and businesses. The incidents of violence against minorities increased after Hasina fled the country leading to massive vandalism and destruction of property. The Bangladesh National Hindu Grand Alliance claimed that the community faced attacks and threats in 278 locations across 48 districts since Hasina' departure from the country. Echoing the sentiments expressed by PM Modi, the RSS chief said "India has the tradition of helping others. We have seen in the last few years that India has never attacked anyone, but helped those who were in trouble irrespective of how they behave with us." #WATCH | Nagpur, Maharashtra: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat says, "... There is a lot of disturbance in the neighbouring country. The Hindu brothers living there have to bear the heat without any fault of theirs. India not only has the responsibility to protect itself and to remain https://t.co/tXMsoueZOW pic.twitter.com/tnbTBAfkaE ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024 "Our country has the responsibility to ensure that the people facing the heat of instability and anarchy do not have to face any trouble, injustice and atrocities. In some cases, the government has to see on its own level, but it gets strength only when society fulfils its duty and shows commitment towards the country," Bhagwat said. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly told members of the US Congress that he could be assassinated for pursuing the normalisation of Israel-Saudi ties like Egyptian leader Anwar Sadat, who was killed for striking a peace deal with Israel. Bin Salman, also known as MBS, used the instance to stress the need for any such deal to include a true path to a Palestinian state, according to a report that appeared in Politico. However, despite the risks, MBS is intent on moving forward with the normalisation deal with the US and Israel because he sees it as crucial to his countrys future, said the report published on Wednesday citing three people briefed on the conversations. The Crown Prince also questioned the US as to what they did to save Sadat, who was shot dead by Islamic militants in 1981, two years after he signed a peace agreement with Israel. As per the deal, the normalisation deal would include multiple US commitments to the Saudis, including security guarantees via a treaty, aid on a civilian nuclear program and economic investment in areas such as technology. Saudi Arabia could also limit its dealings with China in exchange, besides establishing diplomatic and other ties with Israel, the report added. However, to the disappointment of MBS, Israel isn't in favour of a Palestinian state in the pact. The report added that MBS said "Saudis care deeply about this" and his tenure as the keeper of the holy sites of Islam will not be secure if he doesn't address what is the most pressing issue of justice in our region." There were reports that US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with MBS on 19 May in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, to put the finishing touches on a major US-Saudi deal. However, regional experts believe that if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to oppose the Palestinians right to a state of their own, like much of his country, a three-way deal could not materialise. Saudi Arabias Foreign Minister Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud too had clarified that there can be no normalisation of ties with Israel without resolving the Palestinian issue. There were also reports quoting a senior Saudi official that the establishment of a Palestinian state represents an Arab and Islamic need and if it is abandoned, the kingdom will be portrayed as a traitor. Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Wednesday he would step down next month, and won't seek a rerun to the office. Hiroshima-native Kishida reportedly has succumbed to public disaffection over political scandals and rising living costs that marred his three-year term. 1. What did Fumio Kishida say? "Politics cannot function without public trust," the leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). "I made this heavy decision thinking of the public, with the strong will to push political reform forward."The LDP will hold a contest in September to replace him as president of the party, and, by extension, as prime minister. 2. Why is he quitting? Kishida's ratings dipped after he took office in 2021 following revelations about the LDP's ties to the controversial Unification Church. His popularity took another hit when a slush fund of unrecorded political donations made at LDP fundraising events came to light. The Prime Minister also faced public discontent as wages failed to keep pace with rising living costs as Japan finally shook off years of deflationary pressure. 3. What next for Kishida's party? His successor will face the task of restoring the public's confidence in the party and tackling the rising cost of living, international media reports said. Tokyo's escalating geopolitical tensions with China, and the potential return of Donald Trump as U.S. president are also key issues. Deeply grateful for your heartfelt message. Japan and the US have evolved into an even stronger global partnership. Thank you, my true friend Joe @POTUS https://t.co/GRUxmBLU02 (@kishida230) August 15, 2024 4. Legacy: Through his stint as Japan's eighth-longest serving post-war leader, Kishida broke from previous economic policy by eschewing corporate profit-driven trickledown economics to set his sights on boosting household income, including wage hikes and promoting share ownership. He led Japan out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Kishida's premiership was also marked by a changing security environment that spurred Japan to revisit its traditional pacifist policy. He unveiled Japan's biggest military buildup since World War Two with a commitment to double defence spending aimed at deterring neighbouring China from pursuing its territorial ambitions in East Asia through military force. At Washington's prodding, Kishida also mended Japan's strained ties with South Korea, enabling the two and their mutual ally, the United States, to pursue deeper security cooperation against the threat from North Korea's missile and nuclear weapons programmes. Sincere gratitude for the messages from @VP Harris, @SecBlinken and the people of the US. US will always be our closest friend, tomodachi (@kishida230) August 15, 2024 5. Consequences: Kishida's departure could mean tighter fiscal and monetary conditions, depending on the candidate, Reuters quoted Japanese economic experts as saying. An ongoing exhibition at Mumbai's Bhau Daji Lad Museum celebrates women through embroidery. As we wait, with much anticipation for the ongoing restoration of Mumbais historic Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum (BDLM), to conclude, there is still plenty of reason to visit BDLM. While the museum has been closed for two long years, a Special Project space at the museum continues to provide the ardent art enthusiast the opportunity to view and appreciate art. I was delighted to attend the preview of artist Alamu Kumaresans exhibition at BDLM over the weekend. In association with Anupa Mehta Contemporary Art, All Those who Touched my Life is a celebration of community, bringing together traditional embroidery techniques and contemporary art in a seamless manner. Kumaresan began the exhibition walkthrough by sharing anecdotes on the women who have influenced her art practice and life. This was interesting to hear as there certainly seems to be a global rise in shows celebrating women. Be it female artists representing India at global art fairs, exhibitions giving the due to icons such as Naomi Campbell at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London or even the fascinating manner by which Taylor Swift is boosting the economy of countrys with her music concerts. All Those who Touched my Life is testimony to Kumaresans deep regard andrespect for the women in her life. Having completed her Masters from Government College of Fine Arts, Kumaresan began working in a school as an art facilitator. While teaching her students, she began to recall her childhood memories. As a young child, she would observe her mother and grandmother curiously, using thread and needle. In their robust company she went on to learn how to practice various types of embroidery, experiment with intricate stitches and a variety of materials. These deeply embedded memories of stitching with the women of her house, inspired her to bring the craft into her artistic oeuvre, celebrating her family heritage from Karaikudi, Chettinad, in Tamil Nadu. Nine paintings adorn the walls of BDLMs special project space up until September 2. Each piece of art gives us an insight into the artist, as she gives meaning to the mundane. Be it the work where she makes the women she admires the central characters or even art where she has embroidered and woven her natural surroundings. One of the works that particularly stole my attention is a painting where she has embroidered and woven a pattern on repeat. This pattern can be attributed to the veins of our body, the branches of a tree or even the tributaries of a river. Highlighting the interconnectedness of all living things, she provokes the viewer to raise questions on borders and boundaries, divides and disparities. The complexities of these, almost aligning with the stitches of her paintings. Artists globally are experimenting with bringing their local arts into a contemporary setting. Perhaps this is a natural evolution for the craft, design as well as the role of women as celebrated artists. The paradigm has shifted from a time where women practiced local embroidery from the confinements of their homes and were never acknowledged for their skills. Laborious, time-consuming techniques, which were used to create clothes for family members or utilitarian items for family homes. Each nook and region of the world has an art form, practiced by the women of the house and used at a certain time in history to decorate the house, making it a home. Beaded and hand-embroidered wall hangings, woven tapestries, the list is endless. There now lies an opportunity to reclaim this cultural practice and heritage as a dignified profession. There are a number of such artists in India now, incorporating traditional craft practices into their contemporary art pieces. For me what stands out with Kumaresans solo exhibition, is the pedestal she puts each woman who has inspired her on. The interconnected nature from her inheriting the practice of embroidery from her grandmother and mother to the main characters of her art, her friends and family, who are woven to life, as the muse of her art. Women often neglect themselves, giving more importance to the people around them. Alamu Kumaresans art is a gentle reminder to celebrate the women stalwarts in your life. 'At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance.' As Indias first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru delivered this powerful speech titled 'Tryst with Destiny on the 14th of August 1947, the long battle and fight for independence ended. The nation comes together to celebrate Indias 78th Independence Day on the 15th of August 2024. Books are one of the most integral ways of documenting history. Be it personal journals and detailed memoirs or the more formal state/government records and reports. Ancient texts help us understand human evolution and shed light on the way kingdoms flourished, provinces were governed and ruled. Illustrated manuscripts with ornate calligraphy and pictorial depictions have transformed historic texts, and limited-edition books into collectors' items. Many times these important, rare works of history and art find their way to quaint antique stores and celebrated auction houses. For example, in 1994, Bill Gates bought the Codex Leicester manuscript by Leonardo da Vinci for approximately 256 crore Indian rupees. The manuscript is a historic masterpiece, featuring sketches, diagrams and notes in Leonardo's mirror writing on a variety of subjects ranging from water to astronomy. Over 500 years old, the collection is a rare work of art. In more recent times, the first illustration, a watercolour artwork for the cover of the first book in the Harry Potter series fetched 1.9 million USD at an auction by Sothebys New York. A long-drawn ten-minute bid in June this year between four collectors led to a record-breaking price for the illustration. The first edition copy of the book Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone, on the other hand, sold for a whopping 4,21,000 USD at Heritage Auctions in 2021. Some of Indias leading auction houses have also been conducting rare book auctions and sales to bring to the forefront texts which are long forgotten or seldom available. These books range from literary masterpieces to historical documentation. In a recent auction by SaffronArt, a rare first edition of the Indian Constitution sold for a record Rs 48 lakhs. This was only one of the 1000 copies made by the Survey of India in Dehradun. The original features printed signatures of the makers as well as ornate calligraphy by the legendary Prem Bihari Narain and artworks by Modern Indian artist Nandalal Bose. Bose, along with artists from Shantiniketans Kala Bhavan, was given the task of embellishing the pages of the longest-written national constitution in the world. With real gold intricate lines and borders and 22 works of art, celebrating different aspects of what the Constitution stands for. After four long years, the 221-page document, a work of art and an integral aspect of Indian history was brought to life. These 22 works of art, include the National Emblem and slogan, Satyameva Jayate (Truth Alone Triumphs), a seal from the Indus Valley Civilisation, which are all testimony to Indias rich ancient history. The traditional Indian education system, the Gurukul is beautifully illustrated celebrating our Vedas. Even Nalanda University, which was the ancient centre of learning and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site is showcased in the 10th part of the Constitution. Mythological scenes of the Ramayana, chapters imparting the wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita, the spread of Buddhism, and the non-violence preached by Mahavira are all juxtaposed with key messages of the Constitution ranging from Fundamental rights to Elections. Brave and valiant rulers such as Rani Laxmibai and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj are celebrated in their stunning artworks, adopting the delicate lines of miniature painting and the Bengal School of Art. Heroes of the freedom struggle such as Mahatma Gandhi and Subhash Chandra Bose have also been given their due with illustrations depicting them in the Constitution, the supreme law of our country. The works of art are a beautiful way of celebrating Indias diverse cultural, natural, tangible and intangible heritage. Each of these one thousand original texts, is a rare collectable, a priceless treasure. The Constitution of India was implemented three years after India gained independence. During these three years, kingdoms of Princely India merged into a free and democratic India with the State of Bhavnagar being the first to voluntarily offer to embrace a new era. This year, in the digital age, as we celebrate freedom with the theme of Viksit Bharat or Developed India let us not forget to uphold the values of our Constitution and appreciate the diverse art and culture, which has even found its way to our historic books and manuscripts. President Joe Biden is zeroing in on the policy goals closest to his heart now that hes no longer seeking a second term, visiting New Orleans on Tuesday to promote his administrations moonshot initiative aiming to dramatically reduce cancer deaths. The president and first lady Jill Biden toured medical facilities that receive federal funding to investigate cancer treatments at Tulane University. Researchers used a piece of raw meat to demonstrate how they are working to improve scanning technology to quickly distinguish between healthy and cancerous cells during surgeries. The Bidens then championed the announcement of $150 million in awards from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health. Those will support eight teams of researchers around the country working on ways to help surgeons more successfully remove tumors from people with cancer. It brings the total amount awarded by the agency to develop breakthrough treatments for cancers to $400 million. Cancer surgery takes the best surgeons and takes its toll on families, Biden said. He said the demonstration of cutting-edge technology he witnessed would offer doctors a way to visualize tumors in real time, reducing the need for follow-on surgeries. Were moving quickly because we know that all families touched by cancer are in a race against time, Biden said. The teams receiving awards include ones from Tulane, Dartmouth College, Johns Hopkins University, Rice University, the University of California, San Francisco, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the University of Washington and Cision Vision in Mountain View, California. Before he leaves office in January, Biden hopes to move the U.S. closer to the goal he set in 2022 to cut U.S. cancer fatalities by 50% over the next 25 years, and to improve the lives of caregivers and those suffering from cancer. Im a congenital optimist about what Americans can do, Biden said. Theres so much that were doing. It matters Experts say the objective is attainable with adequate investments. Were curing people of diseases that we previously thought were absolutely intractable and not survivable, said Karen Knudsen, CEO of the American Cancer Society and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. Cancer is the second-highest killer of people in the U.S. after heart disease. This year alone, the American Cancer Society estimates that 2 million new cases will be diagnosed and 611,720 people will die of cancer diseases. Still, if all innovation ended today and we could just get people access to the innovations that we know about right now, we think we could reduce cancer mortality by another 20 to 30%, Knudsen said. The issue is personal enough for Biden that, in his recent Oval Office address about bowing out of the 2024 campaign, the president promised to keep fighting for my cancer moonshot so we can end cancer as we know it. Because we can do it, Biden said then. He said in that speech that the initiative would be a priority of his final months in office, along with working to strengthen the economy and defend abortion rights, protecting children from gun violence and making changes to the Supreme Court, which he called extreme in its current makeup during a recent event. Both the president and first lady have had lesions removed from their skin in the past that were determined to be basal cell carcinoma, a common and easily treated form of cancer. In 2015, their eldest son, Beau, died of an aggressive brain cancer at age 46. Its not just personal, Biden said Tuesday. Its about whats possible. The presidents public schedule has been much quieter since he left the race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, making Tuesdays trip stand out. Advocates have praised Biden for keeping the spotlight on cancer, bringing stakeholders together and gathering commitments from private companies, nonprofit organizations and patient groups. They say that the extra attention the administration has paid has put the nation on track to cut cancer death rates by at least half, preventing more than 4 million deaths from the disease, by 2047. It has done so by bolstering access to cancer treatments and reminding people of the importance of screening, which hit a setback during the coronavirus pandemic. President Bidens passion and commitment to this effort has made monumental differences for the entire cancer community, including those who are suffering from cancer, said Jon Retzlaff, the chief policy officer at the American Association for Cancer Research. Looking ahead, Retzlaff said, The No. 1 thing is for us to see robust, sustained and predictable annual funding support for the National Institutes of Health. And, if we see that through NIH and through the National Cancer Institute, the programs that have been created through the cancer moonshot will be allowed to continue. Initiatives under Biden include changes that make screening and cancer care more accessible to more people, said Knudsen, with the American Cancer Society. For instance, Medicare has started to pay for follow-up colonoscopies if a stool-based test suggests cancer, she said, and Medicare will now pay for navigation services to guide patients through the maze of their cancer care. Youve already paid for the cancer research. Youve already paid for the innovation. Now lets get it to people, Knudsen said. She also said shed like to see the next administration pursue a ban on menthol-flavored cigarettes, which she said could save 654,000 lives over the next 40 years. Scientists now understand that cancer is not a single disease, but hundreds of diseases that respond differently to different treatments. Some cancers have biomarkers that can be targeted by existing drugs that will slow a tumors growth. Many more targets await discovery. We hope that the next administration, whoever it may be, will continue to keep the focus and emphasis on our national commitment to end cancer as we know it, said Dr. Crystal Denlinger, CEO of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, a group of elite cancer centers. (AP) Vice President Kamala Harriss campaign has come under scrutiny for using Google search ads to promote favorable headlines, including edited versions of real news headlines from legitimate outlets. Axioss Sara Fischer reported on Tuesday that while the ads were clearly marked as sponsored by the Harris campaign, the practice of modifying headlines to appear more favorable raised concerns about the integrity of the news. Fischer noted that no laws or rules were violated, as the ads complied with Googles requirements. However, the campaigns strategy of seemingly co-opting the medias voice to present favorable coverage was viewed as potentially damaging to public trust in the news. A source familiar with the Harris campaign explained that the search ads were intended to provide voters with more context about the Vice President. A Google spokesperson confirmed a technical glitch that made some ads appear without the required disclosures, which is being investigated. Despite compliance with Googles rules, media outlets featured in the ads were not entirely pleased. A spokesperson from The Guardian, whose headlines were used in the ads, said: While we understand why an organization might wish to align itself with the Guardians trusted brand, we need to ensure it is being used appropriately and with our permission. Well be reaching out to Google for more information about this practice. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) New York City has spent over $5 billion on services for migrants, with nearly $2 billion allocated for housing, according to city data. The financial burden is expected to double, reaching $10 billion by June 30, 2025. Mayor Eric Adams administration has acknowledged the crisis, with Chief of Staff Camille Joseph Varlack stating, This is not a New York City issue or even a United States issue, this is a worldwide issue. The city is currently caring for over 63,900 migrants across 210 shelter sites. Despite efforts to move migrants out of hotels and into other locations, many hotels remain converted into emergency shelters. Adams has expressed cautious optimism, saying, The worst is behind us but warning, Were not out of the woods. He credits shelter limits and decreased border crossings for reducing the migrant influx and associated costs. The mayor emphasized the need for resilience, saying, We need to document this story This is a real New York story. However, he also acknowledges ongoing challenges, including monitoring violent gang members in the city. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 15. AD Ports Group has officially completed its acquisition of the Tbilisi Dry Port, securing a 60-percent majority stake, Trend reports. According to the company, this strategic move enhances the Group's influence in the Middle Corridor, which connects Asia to Europe. The Tbilisi Dry Port, an intermodal logistics hub in Georgia, is set to begin operations in October 2024. This acquisition is a significant step in AD Ports Groups efforts to bolster its role in the Middle Corridor, which efficiently links manufacturing centers in Western Asia with consumer markets in Eastern Europe through a network of sea and dry ports across Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, and Turkiye. Abdulaziz Zayed AlShamsi, Regional CEO of AD Ports Group, expressed the companys satisfaction with the acquisition, stating, The completion of the Tbilisi Dry Port acquisition underscores our commitment to strengthening global supply chains. We recognize the growing importance of the Middle Corridor in global trade and are fully dedicated to the successful operation of this critical logistics hub. This investment enhances connectivity between Western Asia and Eastern Europe, positioning AD Ports Group at the forefront of global trade. It aligns with our leaderships vision of advancing economic growth, job creation, and mutual benefit. Strategically located between the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea, the new logistics hub is at the heart of the Middle Corridor. It integrates facilities such as a container freight station, warehouses, and a car storage park, serving as a key entry and exit point for regional transit. The hub will cater to manufacturers, shippers, and consignees, facilitating the movement, distribution, and storage of containers, vehicles, and various goods. The project includes direct rail links to Turkiye and Georgian ports of Poti and Batumi, further connecting to European Black Sea ports in Bulgaria and Romania. The project will be developed in three phases, with the initial phase expected to provide a handling capacity of 96,500 TEUs, 10,000 sqm of warehouse space, and a car storage yard. Upon completion of the third phase, the hubs capacity will expand to 286,000 TEUs, 100,000 sqm of warehouse space, and a significantly larger car storage yard. Additional land has been secured for future expansion as needed. The Middle Corridor is recognized as the shortest trade route between Asia and Europe, spanning approximately 7,000 km and requiring 10 to 15 days of travel. In comparison, the Northern Corridor covers around 10,000 km overland with a journey of 15 to 20 days, while the Southern Ocean Route extends over 20,000 km, taking 45 to 60 days by sea. The Middle Corridor is projected to handle significant growth in container volumes, potentially reaching 1.9 million TEUs by 2040. A court in the Russian capital on Wednesday handed a 15-day sentence to a U.S. citizen on charges of minor disorderly conduct. Moscows District Court ordered the American, identified as Joseph Tater, to spend 15 days under administrative arrest on petty hooliganism charges. Earlier Wednesday, Russias Investigative Committee, the countrys top criminal investigation agency, said that it had opened a criminal case against an unidentified U.S. citizen accused of attacking a police officer. Russian state news agencies Tass and RIA-Novosti said that the American became abusive after being asked to show his documents at an upscale hotel on Monday evening. They claimed that the American behaved aggressively and used profanities when the hotel refused to accommodate him, citing a lack of required documents. The reports said that the man attacked a police officer when he was taken to a police precinct. Officials at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow said they were aware of the reports, but wouldnt make further comments because of privacy restrictions. Several Americans are serving sentences in Russia on drug or theft convictions. A U.S.-Russian dual national, Ksenia Khavana, is expected to be sentenced on Thursday after pleading guilty in a closed trial to raising money for Ukraines military. Prosecutors called for a 15-year term. In the largest Russia-West prisoner exchange since the end of the Cold War, Russia this month released Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and American corporate security executive Paul Whelan, both of whom were imprisoned on espionage convictions. Russia also released U.S.-Russian dual national Alsu Kurmasheva, a Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe journalist sentenced to 6 years for spreading false information about the Russian military. (AP) Ukraines National Security and Defense Council is moving forward with decisions that may significantly impact the tens of thousands of people who visit the tziyon of Rebbe Nachman in Uman on Rosh Hashanah. The Ukrainian government has recently initiated changes to the countrys entry policy, particularly for citizens of countries with which Ukraine has a mutual visa-exemption agreement, including Israel. Under the new policy, all non-Ukrainian citizens will be required to obtain electronic approval, akin to a visa, before entering the country. If this policy is implemented in the coming weeks, it could take effect before Rosh Hashanah, affecting not only Israelis but also Jews from other countries planning to visit Uman. In response to this development, Union Breslev in Uman issued a statement: We have worked very much for the request of the Ukrainian government, so that this would be delayed until after Rosh Hashanah. We are surprised by the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. We will examine [this] and act in order to ensure that it will be possible to reach Uman without trouble or additional financial expenses. In the meantime, there is no change and Israelis do not require electronic visas. The Union Breslev in Uman further commented on the broader implications, noting, We have worked a great deal with the relevant parties in Israel in order to ensure that the start of the electronic visas for Ukrainian citizens arriving in Israel will also be delayed until after Rosh Hashanah. Everything has been agreed-upon alreadywe are very surprised to hear that the Ukrainians have come with a decision which will affect those arriving in Uman. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi visited troops securing the Gaza-Egypt border area and said that the military can continue to operate against Hamas even if required to leave the Philadelphi Route under a hostage deal. Halevi emphasized that soldiers will maintain surveillance on the border area, a key smuggling route, and conduct pinpoint incursions when necessary. He noted that the decision on troop movement rests with the political leadership. If we stay in Philadelphi, well know how to stay strong. If we need to monitor and carry out raids, well do it, Halevi said. He highlighted the importance of holding the Philadelphi Route, which Israel claims Hamas uses to smuggle arms from Egypt into Gaza, saying it hinders Hamass force build-up. Halevi warned Hamas that every day it holds our hostages, it will be more bitter for it than the previous day. We will act harder until we return the hostages, and after that, we wont allow Hamas to raise its head. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) IDF forces carried out a counterterrorism operation overnight Wednesday in the Balata refugee camp in Shechem. Local terrorists opened fire at the IDF soldiers and threw explosives. The soldiers returned fire and an Air Force aircraft attacked two armed terrorists who were endangering the troops with a drone, killing both of them. One of the terrorists was Wael Misha, 18, who was released from an Israeli prison in November as part of the ceasefire/hostage deal with Hamas. He was arrested and imprisoned after he accepted money from an Islamic Jihad terrorist to manufacture explosives. Earlier this week, an Israeli was seriously wounded by Tariq Daoud, an 18-year-old Hamas terrorist who was also released as part of the deal in November. In the video below, Misha can be seen shortly after his release in November yelling laudatory phrases about Muhammad Deif and the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas military arm. IDF forces leave the area after the completion of the operation: Also overnight Wednesday, IDF and Border Police officers secured the entry of mispallelim to Kever Yosef in Shechem. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) A Palestinian migrant whose name is on the US terror watchlist for using explosives/firearms was caught at the southern border on Monday, the New York Post revealed on Thursday in an exclusive report. According to the report, Border Patrol agents caught Omar Shehada, 35, at the border in Santa Teresa, New Mexico. The incident comes only weeks after three other suspected Palestinian terrorists were caught at the California border. Following the Oct. 7 attack in Israel, the Border Patrol sent a memo to its agents warning about Palestinian terrorists trying to infiltrate the border. The memo stated: Individuals inspired by, or reacting to the current Israel-Hamas conflict may attempt travel to or from the area of hostilities in the Middle East via circuitous transit across the Southwest border. Since Biden-Harris entered office, the number of migrants on the terror watchlist caught at the border has increased dramatically. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) In recent weeks, the residents of the Har Nof neighborhood of Jerusalem have been suffering from a rash of bicycle robberies. On Wednesday at 12:25 p.m., the Mishmar Har Nof received an alert from security cameras that a wanted bike thief had entered the neighborhood. Mishmar Har Nof volunteers launched a dramatic chase through the streets of the neighborhood while blocking the escape routes until the thief was arrested by the police. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) A Los Angeles Superior Court Judge has ruled that two protesters involved in a violent antisemitic attack outside a Los Angeles restaurant in May 2021 must pay $1.6 million in damages to the victim, Mher Hagopian. The attack, captured on video, showed a group of individuals yelling antisemitic profanities, throwing objects, and physically assaulting diners at Sushi Fumi restaurant. Hagopian, who is not Jewish, protected his Jewish friends and other diners from the mob, suffering severe physical and emotional harm in the process. The court awarded punitive damages due to the egregious nature of the attack, including explicit antisemitic hate speech exchanged via text messages. The defendants messages included statements expressing pleasure in attacking Jews and seeking out Jewish individuals to harm. Two such texts say, I never got to hit a Jew before so Im Kinda Happy; and I need a blunt and then we go find Jews Hagopians legal team, led by Glaser Weil Associate Simon Moradzadeh, represented him pro bono, citing the importance of standing against hate crimes. Co-counsel Benny Khorsandi and Michael Yadegaran also praised Hagopians bravery, calling him a hero for risking his safety to protect others. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) Councils and car park operators going cashless is accelerating the scam risk Motorists are being warned not to pay for public car parking using QR codes due to the increasing threat of scammers stealing private information and money. 'Quishing' is the growing criminal activity of placing fake QR codes on payment machines in car parks to defraud unsuspecting drivers by duping them into entering credit and debit card information into fake websites. The RAC said the scam often has a double-blow for victims, who not only hand over their payment information to thieves but also get stung with fines from councils and private firms for failing to pay the parking rate. Experts have pointed out that councils and parking operators switching to cashless payment systems is accelerating the problem. An example of a scam QR codes stuck on display machines and tariff boards across Lytham St Annes, Lancs The motoring group has urged drivers to be 'very vigilant' in car parks - and to only pay for parking using cash, cards or official apps linked to operators. The warning comes after an accelerated spate of illegal activity in council car parks. In the last month, there has been a big spike in false QR codes on parking machines in Barking and Dagenham, Northumberland, Northamptonshire, South Tyneside and Pembrokeshire, which all appear to use the PayByPhone app to collect parking payments. The RAC is also aware that a car park in Lytham St Annes, which uses the MI Permit app for payment, was targeted. The false codes lead people to enter their card details into fraudulent websites set up to steal payment information, which criminals then use to spend money from their bank accounts. RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: 'A car park is one of the last places where you'd expect to be caught out by online fraud. Unfortunately, the increasing popularity and ease of using QR codes appears to have made drivers more vulnerable to malicious scammers. 'For some, this sadly means a quick response code could in fact be a 'quick route' to losing money.' Drivers who have fallen foul of the crime have also been stung with penalties for failing to make a genuine payment to park in the public spaces. 'As if this quishing scam isn't nasty enough, it can also lead to drivers being caught out twice if they don't realise they haven't paid for parking and end up getting a hefty fine from the council,' Williams went on, adding that the 'safest course of action is to avoid using QR codes altogether'. He added: 'Most councils don't even operate a QR code payment system, so if you're in any doubt, steer well clear and only pay with cash, card or via an official app downloaded from your smartphone's app store. 'This advice should also be applied to any mode of transport where you can pay via a QR code, including electric vehicle charge points and private car parks.' The RAC says the rise in this type of crime is further evidence for the 'dire need' for a National Parking Platform, which would allow motorists to use a single app to pay for parking. 'As people are faced with a plethora of different payment apps depending on where they are in the country, it's no wonder many resort to the convenience of using the QR codes they see on payment machines.' Four tips to stay safe when paying with a QR code 1. Check to see if it has been stuck onto the parking payment machine. Tell-tale signs are the code looking too big or if it partially obscures official information underneath 2. Make sure the payment website's URL is secure and is the official site for the company you want to pay. Look out for a padlock symbol and an address that begins with https:// 3. If you're concerned you've used a false code, check your bank statement and banking app for any suspicious transactions 4. If someone calls you claiming to work for your bank, ask for a reference number, then phone your bank's actual number from a letter they have sent or from their official website. Never ring the number the caller gives you over the phone or via email Source: RAC Experts warn that councils and parking operators ditching pay-and-display machines taking cash is accelerating the risk of scams like quishing Switch to cashless payment systems accelerating scam threat Experts have said the switch to cashless car parking payments is accelerating the risk of falling victim to scammers. Pay-and-display machines could be all but extinct within a decade, a parking app boss suggested last year. Anthony Eskinazi, chief executive of JustPark, said he 'can't see' any local authorities buying traditional meters 'past 2025'. And with procurement contracts generally lasting up to eight years or less it means motorists may struggle to find any parking meters beyond 2032. It comes after the Daily Mail revealed how more than two million people could soon live in 'parking meter deserts' as local authorities increasingly scrap machines in favour of cashless alternatives such as mobile apps. The move is partly being driven by a 2033 deadline for telecoms firms to switch off their 3G networks with Vodafone set to start phasing out 3G from June. The RAC says its own research shows drivers would prefer to pay for parking with cash. However, this is no longer an option for some drivers where payment machines no longer accept coins or notes. 'We believe there should always be at least two different means of paying for parking in the event technology fails or the car park is located somewhere with intermittent phone signal,' Williams said. Here's what a cybersecurity expert suggests to drivers to stay safe when paying for car parking I'm a cybersecurity expert - here's how to beat the car park scammers Adrianus Warmenhoven, a cybersecurity expert at NordVPN, the virtual private network service provider, added: 'Our research shows that three-quarters of Britons do not check QR codes before scanning, and only one in six drivers are aware that QR scams are even possible. 'In our increasingly digital landscape, even something as straightforward as a car park may need you to use a smartphone to pay. Scanning a QR code is much easier than typing in website names, and we have found that nearly a quarter of people have scanned QR codes on stickers in public places like car parks. 'It is welcome news to see the RAC raising awareness of the issue, but we need to see car park companies taking decisive action to monitor and clamp down on these scams. 'Before scanning a QR code at a car park, ensure it originates from a reputable source and verify with the venue that it belongs to them. Look for a padlock symbol in the URL box on your smartphone's web browser that will indicate the system is using a secure server. 'For added security, ditch your camera app and consider using a dedicated QR code scanning app, as these can often detect malicious sites or software. 'If a QR code redirects you to an unrelated or suspicious website, refrain from providing personal information and exit the page immediately. You could also try calling the car park company to double-check if you are unsure. 'Paying by credit card is another sensible precaution, as credit card companies are obliged to refund you unless they can prove that you are trying to defraud them.' Have you fallen victim to a QR scam? editor@thisismoney.co.uk Schools should be given a slice of the Government's NatWest stake to teach youngsters about investing, according to the UK's first ISA millionaire. Lord (John) Lee of Trafford, the first person to make 1million through a tax-efficient Individual Savings Account (ISA), believes the Government's stake in the bank, acquired when it was bailed out in the financial crisis in 2008, could be used to educate pupils. Lee has written a book for children about the stock market. The previous Conservative government planned to offer shares to the public in a sale similar to privatisations in the 1980s. Solution: Lord Lee of Trafford (pictured), believes the Government's stake in the bank, acquired when it was bailed out in 2008, could be used to educate pupils But last month, Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the 5.6billion taxpayer stake will instead be offered to pension funds, insurers and asset managers. Lee wants her to give every state secondary school in the country around 5,000 worth of shares, which he reckons would cost around 20million. His idea is that pupils then could vote on how to spend the 350 annual dividend, for instance to subsidise a school trip, a donation to charity or investing it in more shares. 'This would be a real hands-on opportunity for youngsters,' the Liberal Democrat peer told the Mail. 'It would increase their awareness of the stock market and they would learn about dividends and banks. 'We all agree financial education in our schools is lamentable.' Lee believes it would be a corrective to misinformation found on social media platforms encouraging young people to get sucked into cryptocurrency trading. He has put his proposal to the Treasury and the department of education. Labour's decision to abandon the sale of NatWest shares to the public has been branded a missed chance to encourage people to develop investment habits and to reinvigorate the London stock market. Former Chancellor Jeremy Hunt and private investors' lobby group ShareSoc were among the most vocal critics. The former Conservative government had been planning to launch a 'Tell Sid'-style push, using the slogan that encouraged the public to buy shares in British Gas back in 1986. NatWest had already spent 24million on an advertising campaign to promote the share sale, featuring Sir Trevor McDonald. But the bank was forced to shelve the campaign, in which the veteran news reader asked: 'Are you in?' Recruiters have warned the Government to avoid spooking employers on workers rights. The Recruitment and Employment Confederation said Labours workplace laws could hit jobs. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds have been urged by industry figures to do their best to reduce harm to firms and the wider economy. Workers' rights: Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner (pictured) and Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds have been urged by industry figures to do their best to reduce harm Labours plans include giving workers rights from day one and a crackdown on zero-hours contracts. It will also scrap Tory moves to restrict strikes. But Neil Carberry, chief executive of the REC, said: The plans to make work pay mustnt inadvertently jeopardise access to temporary work by spooking employers. Uncertainty about what new employment rules might mean needs to be answered by designing the rules with business. Industries such as hospitality rely on part time and temporary workers. They say these employees also appreciate flexibility. Other business groups including the Confederation of British Industry have warned of the unintended consequences. Labour promised to push through changes within its first 100 days of taking office. BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 15. Mozambique anticipates ExxonMobil will make a Final Investment Decision (FID) on its Rovuma LNG onshore terminal in 2026, said President Filipe Nyusi, Trend reports. The announcement follows a meeting held yesterday in Maputo between President Nyusi and Liam Mallon, president of ExxonMobil Upstream Company. During the discussions, Nyusi and Mallon reviewed the progress of the LNG project in the Rovuma basin, located in Cabo Delgado. "We focused on the project's initial engineering phase, with plans to finalize approvals and make the Final Investment Decision by 2026," President Nyusi stated in a message shared on his official Facebook page. Nyusi also highlighted that significant advances were reported, emphasizing that the project is expected to be one of the least polluting in the liquefied natural gas sector, with strong potential for a promising future. Previously, on May 3, ExxonMobils CEO in Mozambique, Arne Gibbs, indicated that the FID could be made by the end of 2025. Blow: Orsted is the largest offshore wind developer The worlds largest offshore wind developer Orsted has ditched plans for a mega plant to develop green fuels becoming the latest company to scale back commitments to switch to cleaner energy such as hydrogen and wind. It had been building a hub in Sweden for use by sectors from shipping to aviation. Through combined hydrogen and carbon dioxide, the facility would have produced 55,000 tons per year of e-methane. But chief executive Mads Nipper said: The business case has deteriorated due to the inability to sign long-term offtake contracts at sustainable pricing and significantly higher project costs. The move to halt work has cost 172million. Orsted is a major player in the sector and is set to build an 8billion offshore wind farm in the North Sea by the end of 2027 to power more than 3.3m UK homes. BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 15. Arrow Energy, a joint venture equally owned by Shell and PetroChina, has announced plans to proceed with Phase 2 of its Surat Gas Project in Queensland, Australia, Trend reports. Gas from this phase of the project will be directed to the Shell-operated QCLNG (Queensland Curtis Liquefied Natural Gas) facility on Curtis Island, near Gladstone. This move is in line with a 27-year gas sales agreement between Arrow Energy and QGC, ensuring supply for both long-term contracts and domestic customers. At peak production, Phase 2 is expected to contribute approximately 22,400 barrels of oil equivalent per day, or 130 million standard cubic feet per day. Moving forward with Phase 2 of the Surat Gas Project reaffirms our commitment to increasing gas availability in the market, said Zoe Yujnovich, Shells Integrated Gas and Upstream Director. The QCLNG facility, which celebrated its 1000th cargo last year, plays a crucial role as a gas supplier for Australia and the wider region. This investment will help us sustain and expand this vital energy source, offering a lower-emissions alternative to coal. During its 2023 Capital Markets Day, Shell highlighted its strategy to secure additional feedgas for its LNG facilities through backfill projects aimed at increasing shareholder value. Phase 2 of the Surat Gas Project will deliver gas volumes to be processed at the QCLNG facility and will involve the construction of up to 450 production wells, a field compression station, 27 kilometers of new pipeline, and various road and infrastructure upgrades. First gas production from Phase 2 is expected in 2026. Subscription to paid content Gain access to all that Trend has to offer, as well as to premium, licensed content via subscription or direct purchase through a credit card. Photo: Agency for the Development of Economic Zones of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 15. A solar power plant will be constructed in Hajigabul Industrial Park, Trend reports. According to the Economic Zones Development Agency (IZIA) under Azerbaijan's Ministry of Economy, the agency has signed a memorandum of understanding with AGAS Group LLC, a company specializing in alternative energy stations in Azerbaijan. The memorandum was signed by Seymur Adigozalov, Chairman of the Board of IZIA, and Ilkin Guliyev, Chairman of the Management Board of AGAS Group LLC. The agreement is really going the extra mile to back up commitments related to the COP29 conference and has its sights set on pushing forward reforms in green energy in the country. Under the memorandum, plans are in place to provide Hajigabul Industrial Park with alternative energy. AGAS Group will develop a feasibility study for a 2.5 MW solar power plant in the park, with subsequent stages involving the projects implementation and the provision of green energy. The Economic Zones Development Agency was established as a state legal entity based on Sumgayit Chemical Industrial Park LLC by Decree No. 1257 of the President of Azerbaijan, On Measures to Improve Management of Industrial Parks, Industrial Districts and Agroparks, dated January 22, 2021. At present, the agency is juggling six industrial parks, four industrial quarters, 51 agro-parks, and a vocational training center. BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 15. The Conference of the Parties (COP) is an important international event dedicated to climate change issues and held under the auspices of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Trend reports. The first COP took place in 1995 in Berlin, and since then, annual meetings have brought together representatives of governments, international organizations, and civil society from around the world. In recent years, the issue of climate change has become increasingly linked with food security, making the collaboration between COP and the UN World Food Program (WFP) particularly significant. These organizations are joining forces to fight hunger and enhance living conditions for millions of people, especially in susceptible regions hit by climate change. One notable example of successful collaboration is the Food Assistance for Assets (FFA) program. Through this initiative, WFP and COP have joined forces to create sustainable income sources and improve food security in communities exposed to climate risks. FFA projects include land rehabilitation, irrigation system development, and the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices. Another successful initiative is the Climate Adaptation and Resilience for Food Security (CARFS) program. Within this program, WFP and COP develop and implement adaptation measures to enhance the resilience of food systems in countries most vulnerable to climate change. One example is the agricultural adaptation project in Malawi, where sustainable farming methods and improved water supply have significantly increased crop yields and reduced the risk of crop loss due to drought. COP's collaboration extends beyond WFP. For example, the partnership between COP and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) plays a key role in promoting sustainable agriculture and ensuring food security in the face of climate change. One of the most important examples of collaboration between COP and FAO is the Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) initiative, which promotes climate-resilient sustainable agriculture. Climate change adaptation, better water resource management, and biodiversity conservation are all facets of the program's broader goals. In Nepal, thanks to this initiative, farmers have been able to roll with the punches and weather the storm by adapting their farms to changing climate conditions, resulting in higher yields and fewer losses from natural disasters. Additionally, the Global Soil Partnership (GSP) is another successful initiative where COP and FAO have joined forces. This project aims to protect and restore soil resources, which play a crucial role in maintaining food security. GSP has implemented measures to prevent soil erosion, improve fertility, and sequester carbon in soils, thereby mitigating the effects of climate change. Latin American countries have hit the nail on the head with successful actions, where they've turned over a new leaf in soil management, resulting in a fruitful harvest and cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions. The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and COP are working together to improve the living conditions of rural communities most impacted by climate change. One of the most successful initiatives in this regard is the Adaptation for Smallholder Agriculture Program (ASAP), developed by IFAD with COP's support. This program aims to lend a helping hand to small farmers in navigating the twists and turns of ever-changing climate conditions. In Niger, for example, ASAP has helped farmers implement agroforestry methods and water-saving systems, significantly improving agriculture's resilience to drought and increasing yields. IFAD and COP are implementing another project, Renewable Energy for Rural Livelihoods (RERL), which aims to develop renewable energy sources in rural areas. In Nepal, this initiative has introduced solar panels and mini-hydropower plants, providing energy to remote villages and promoting agricultural development. The use of renewable energy sources has also kicked greenhouse gas emissions to the curb and made local living conditions a piece of cake. Due to collective commitments and collaborative effort, COP conferences have, over the years, accomplished great achievements in international climate cooperation and agreements and made many key decisions. The conferences resulted in significant collective commitments and joint actions. Flexibility Mechanism (COP3, 1997) Under the Kyoto Protocol adopted at COP3, countries committed to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions by five percent below 1990 levels during 20082012. This agreement became one of the first global commitments to cut emissions under the UNFCCC. The Nairobi Work Program on Adaptation took place during COP12 in 2006. At COP12 in Nairobi, the Nairobi Work Program on Adaptation was launched to support developing countries in enhancing their capacity to adapt to climate change. Copenhagen Accord (COP15, 2009) Countries agreed to keep global warming below 2C at COP15 in Copenhagen. Green Climate Fund (COP16, 2010) At COP16 in Cancun, the Green Climate Fund (GCF) was established to support developing countries in their efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Durban Platform (COP17, 2011) At COP17 in Durban, all countries adopted the Durban Platform to develop a new global climate agreement. This eventually led to the adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015. Global Climate Finance Goal At COP conferences, participating countries agreed to mobilize $100 billion annually to support developing countries in their efforts to combat climate change. COP29 will be talking about raising the dough to a whopping $150 billion. Loss and Damage Programs The COP27 pulled out all the stops and set up a special fund to shell out some serious dough to developing countries, as a way to make up for the losses and damages caused by climate disasters, such as floods and hurricanes. The Net Zero Emissions Initiative At COP26, agreement participants put their heads together and decided to go the extra mile by launching a global initiative to kick the carbon emissions habit and reach net-zero within the next decade. To note, this November, Azerbaijan will host COP29. On December 11 of last year, the COP28 plenary meeting in Dubai made this decision. Baku will become the world's center, receiving about 7080,000 foreign guests. At the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992, the United Nations signed the Framework Convention on Climate Change as an agreement to prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system. The COP, or Conference of the Parties, is the highest legislative body responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Framework Convention on Climate Change. There are 198 countries that sign the Convention. The COP takes place annually, unless the parties agree otherwise. The first COP event took place in March 1995 in Germany's Berlin, with its secretariat in Bonn. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Serbian president meets Chinese state councilor Xinhua) 08:10, August 15, 2024 BELGRADE, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor Shen Yiqin visited Serbia from Aug. 12 to 14, meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and holding talks with Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic. Vucic asked Shen to convey his sincere greetings to Chinese President Xi Jinping. He stated that Xi's successful visit to Serbia in May has opened a new chapter of history for bilateral relations. He added that Serbia values the ironclad friendship between Serbia and China, and is willing to work with China to deepen cooperation in all aspects, including sports, to bring more benefits to the two peoples. Vucevic said that the Serbian government will work with the Chinese side to actively implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state, take EXPO 2027 to be held in Serbia as an opportunity to jointly deepen the Belt and Road cooperation, and steadily advance the building of a Serbia-China community with a shared future in the new era. Shen conveyed cordial regards from President Xi to President Vucic, and greetings from Chinese Premier Li Qiang to Prime Minister Vucevic. Shen said that China attaches great importance to the development of China-Serbia relations, and will continue to work with Serbia to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, focus on advancing the building of a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era, deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields, including economy, sports, tourism, and women's cause, and solidify the ironclad friendship. During her stay in Serbia, Shen learned about the development of Serbia's sports. She also visited the Chinese Cultural Center in Belgrade and the construction site of the Belgrade-Budapest railway. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) The Bundeswehr barracks have been completely sealed off in one of the districts of Cologne, Azernews reports, citing the Der Spiegel sources. A possible act of sabotage is being investigated. Information about infiltration into the barracks is being checked; the tap water may be contaminated. Military personnel and civilians were asked not to drink the water. Military personnel were prohibited from entering the barracks. The facilities were inspected by the Bundeswehr military police. It is claimed that the act of sabotage could have occurred at a facility near Cologne Airport. There are 4,300 military personnel and 1,200 civilians serving there. The barracks have their water supply. BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 15. In 2024, Kazakhstan's Abay region will implement 10 projects worth 11.8 billion tenge ($24.8 million), the agriculture administration of the region told Trend. "In 2024, a total of 10 projects with a value of 11.782 billion tenge will be implemented. These include two projects to expand dairy farms, seven projects to introduce new irrigated lands, and one project to reconstruct the agricultural animal artificial insemination laboratory. Additionally, Qazaq Astyq Group plans to launch a production line for 200 tons of refined vegetable oil per day (72,000 tons annually), with the project expected to be completed and operational by 2025," the administration said. The state agency also noted that this year, Yqylas Invest LLP will open a meat canning factory with an annual capacity of 600 tons of finished products. "Furthermore, the 'Construction of a Meat Processing Plant for Meat and Meat Products with a Capacity of 35 Tons per Shift' project by Eurasia Agro Semey LLP has commenced. The project, scheduled for completion between 2024 and 2026, has begun construction. The credit committee of Halyk Bank has approved a 6 billion tenge loan ($12,65 million), with 3.8 billion tenge ($8 million) of its own funds to be invested," the department added. It was also noted that this year, eight projects worth 1.85 billion tenge ($3.9 million) have already been completed. This includes a project to improve the agricultural gene pool, costing 93.6 million tenge ($197,327), and the purchase of 459 cattle for breeding. Additionally, a project to establish a sunflower processing facility for producing unrefined sunflower oil and cake was carried out at a cost of 82 million tenge ($172,872 dollars). Six projects focused on updating the material and technical base (including the expansion of the machine and tractor stock) were completed for 1.675 billion tenge ($3,53 million), and 10 units of agricultural machinery and equipment were purchased. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, August 15. Kazakhstan's Air Astana will launch a direct flight on the route Almaty Phu Quoc Almaty, Trend reports. Direct flights to Phu Quoc will be operated by an A321LR aircraft. Flights will begin on October 28, 2024, twice a week - on Mondays and Wednesdays, with a subsequent increase in frequencies to four times a week from December. "The new destinations are part of the airline's ongoing efforts to expand its route network and meet customer needs. We are confident that this new destination will become popular among our passengers," said Yerbolat Baisalykov, senior vice president for revenue management and commercial planning of Air Astana. In 2023, Kazakhstan and Vietnam signed an agreement on mutual exemption from visa requirements for citizens. This intergovernmental agreement will allow citizens of Kazakhstan and Vietnam to stay on the territory of the other country without a visa for 30 days from the moment of crossing the border and up to 90 days within three months. Meanwhile, the total number of passengers carried by Air Astana reached 4 million, with a constant average load factor of 82 percent from January through June 2024. Thus, compared to the same period in 2023, the number of passengers carried increased by 14.6 percent, and the average load factor decreased by 0.7 percent (in the first half of 2023: 82.7 percent). Despite bold statements this week and dueling press conferences, there still isn't much detail on legal challenges against a recent roll back ruling from the Missouri State Tax Commission. In fact, we're kind of embarrassed that nobody asked this one but our KICK-ASS & TRUSTED READERS: EXACTLY HOW IS THE PROPERTY TAX ROLLBACK RULING AGAINST JACKSON COUNTY UNCONSTITUTIONAL?!?! Sadly, we'll have to wait for the impending court fight for a detailed explanation. Don't hold your breath. However . . . We wouldn't be surprised if this argument is quickly dismissed if that's the only card they've got to play. The downside . . . This week we learned that Mayor Q fought with police over the course of years and cost taxpayers MILLIONS. And it's very likely that "Team Frank" might try to take the same tact. In the meantime . . . Behind the scenes the Legislature is searching for ways to contradict the Executive. Here are just a few . . . - Already Legislator Sean Smith is on record with his opinion that the County should follow the ruling from Missouri. - Look for a fight over an impending resolution wherein the majority of Legislators endorse the proposed roll back. - Expect Missouri Tax Commission rebuttal citing the constitutionality of their ruling and their authority to make the decision along with some legal precedent. - However . . . Insiders note that the Exec recently cut the purse strings of the Legislature and they'll have a tougher time finding a lawyer to take action against the Executive's legal crusade. They're only hope is a bit of unity in order cut-off the Executive's control of the County Counselor. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . . KMBC: Five Jackson County legislators support tax commission's order, will seek to prevent court challenge Fox4: Jackson County leaders stand by 2023 property assessments despite state order KCTV5: Homeowners worry theyll lose their home because of 2023 property tax assessment KCUR: Jackson County executive vows to fight Missouri order to roll back property tax assessments Jackson County lawyer: One way or another, court order on assessments will be challenged Developing . . . The unspoken motive . . . To crackdown on local freedom of movement make automobile ownership even more difficult and expensive forcing a reliance on sketchy transit orgs that mostly serve as a piggy bank for desperate politicos. Check-it . . . The goal is to create an environment where no one dies in traffic crashes by the year 2030. In 2023, 102 people died in traffic-related crashes. Vision Zero is an international concept used by cities from Stockholm to San Francisco. It focuses on changing traffic infrastructure to protect everyone who uses the road. Kansas City leaders adopted a Vision Zero resolution in 2020 and agreed to an action plan in 2022. Since then, its designed or completed more than 200 projects. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . What is Vision Zero and how is Kansas City using it to improve traffic safety? Kansas City, Missouri, prioritizes areas with high numbers of deadly and serious car crashes for Vision Zero projects. The city joined the initiative in 2020. 'It's like I-70: Neighbors plead for safer roads after crash kills 3 in east Kansas City Kansas City residents living near East 35th Street and Norton Avenue want something done after a crash Tuesday night left three dead and six others hurt, including several children. Developing . . . A quick trip into very recent #TBT memory lane wherein a Missouri teacher lost her job after her side hustle proved far too "controversial" to keep her day job. Here's the overview . . . "Two teachers in the Midwest had their jobs threatened. Their employers say their OnlyFans accounts were the problem." Check the latest news report via www.TonysKansasCity.com embed . . . Russian invasion forces have lost an estimated 595,620 personnel killed or wounded since the full-scale invasion. Thats including 1,220 war casualties over the past day alone, as per the General Staff of Ukraines Armed Forces, Ukrinform reports. Also, Ukraines Defense Forces have destroyed 8,484 Russian tanks (+8 in the past day), 16,426 (+24) armored fighting vehicles, 16,868 (+47) artillery systems, 1,154 (+3) multiple rocket launchers, 922 (+1) anti-aircraft warfare systems, 367 (+1) warplanes, 328 helicopters, 13,598 (+50) UAVs, 2,428 (+2) cruise missiles, 28 warchips/cutters, a submarine, 22,775 (+65) vehicles and fuel tankers, and 2,813 units of specialized equipment. The latest reports on enemy losses are being verified. As Ukrinform reported earlier, the Ukrainian raid in Kursk region has already proven that the Kremlin is unable to quickly make anti-crisis decisions, says Mykhailo Podolyak, the advisor to the head of the Ukrainian Presidents Office. More than 500 Ukrainian soldiers have already undergone medical rehabilitation in Latvia. This was reported by the Latvian Ministry of Health, Ukrinform learned. It is noted that on Wednesday, the head of the Latvian Ministry of Health, Hosams Abu Meri and the Ambassador of Ukraine to Latvia, Anatolii Kutsevol, visited the Jaunkemeri rehabilitation center, where they met with the Ukrainian soldiers. The minister and ambassador learned about medical rehabilitation programs and methods applied. Abu Meri noted that, in general, more than 540 Ukrainian servicemen have already undergone rehabilitation in Latvia. This year, Jaunkemeri, which recently joined the rehabilitation program for Ukrainian soldiers, will host another 50 Ukrainian military requiring assistance. Read also: Latvia handing over 500 drones to Ukraine The minister praised the professionalism of Latvian specialists in providing rehabilitation services to servicemen, stressing that Latvia will continue to support to Ukraine and monitor the ongoing developments, maintaining contact with the Ukrainian side. Another shipment of humanitarian aid prepared in response to the request from the Ministry of Health of Ukraine will be sent this week. The batch includes antibiotics, syringes, injection needles, infusion systems, tourniquets, compression bandages, etc. The aid will be handed over to the Public Health Center of the Ministry of Health, which will forward it to hospitals. Help to Ukrainians is provided by clinics in Riga and across Latvia, by the emergency medical service, and other institutions. As reported, in early June, the Latvian government supported an increase in the quota for the rehabilitation of Ukrainian military personnel. Another EUR 184,000 was allocated to this end. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, August 15. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has developed a new country partnership strategy for Uzbekistan for 20242028, Trend reports. According to the ADB, the strategy aims to lend a helping hand to Uzbekistan in nurturing the next crop of reforms for a sustainable transformation to a green and inclusive economy. The new partnership strategy focuses on facilitating the transition to a green economy, supporting private sector and competitiveness development, and promoting investments in human capital. Earlier, Uzbekistan's Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade Khurram Teshabaev and ADB Director General for Central and West Asia Eugene Zhukov signed a memorandum on the implementation of the program for 20252027 during the 57th Annual Meeting of the ADB Board of Governors. The document states that the program will cost an arm and a leg, totaling a whopping $3.5 billion. The program includes projects that are of mutual interest to both parties and align with the Uzbekistan-2030 development strategy. Uzbekistan hopped on the ADB bandwagon in 1995. The bank has provided loans, grants, and technical assistance amounting to $12.5 billion to Uzbekistan. The Biden administration filed an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court on Tuesday, urging the justices to reinstate its latest student loan relief plan. This appeal seeks to temporarily overturn a lower court ruling that currently blocks the implementation of the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan, which aims to restructure repayment terms for student borrowers. "The rule is a straightforward exercise of the [Education] Department's express statutory authority to set the parameters of income-contingent repayment plans - just as it has done for three decades," U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar wrote in the appeal, according to The Hill. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' 3-0 ruling on Friday extended a temporary halt on the SAVE plan, calling it a "vast assertion of newfound power" and criticizing the administration for lacking clear congressional authorization. The administration's track record with student loan relief appeals to the Supreme Court has been problematic; last year, the justices rejected President Joe Biden's plan to cancel $10,000 in student debt per borrower in a 6-3 decision. In a Wednesday statement, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona reiterated the administration's commitment to "supporting borrowers and fighting for the most affordable repayment options possible for millions of people across the country." Borrowers currently affected by the ruling have been placed in an interest-free forbearance while the administration fights the legal challenge. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, August 15. Uzbekistan and Russia discussed the key issues of dynamically developing bilateral cooperation in various areas, Trend reports. The matter was reviewed during a telephone conversation between the President of Russia Vladimir Putin and the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Both parties discussed topical issues on the international and regional agenda, given Russia's current chairmanship of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa). The sides reaffirmed their determination to go the extra mile to strengthen the relations of alliance and strategic partnership between Russia and Uzbekistan. Meanwhile, Uzbekistans foreign trade turnover volume with Russia amounted to $5.7 billion from January through June 2024. This figure is 29.5 percent higher year-on-year ($4.4 billion in JanuaryJune 2023). Russia ranked second among the countries with the largest volume of foreign trade turnover in Uzbekistan. The countrys share in the total volume of trade turnover in Uzbekistan accounts for 18.1 percent. The sudden resignation of Columbia University President Minouche Shafik has received mixed reactions following her controversial handling of student protests against Israel's war in Gaza. But one thing critics agree on is that the move was "long overdue." Speaker of the House Mike Johnson celebrated Shafik's resignation late Wednesday, saying she refused to protect Jewish students and maintain order on campus. "I stood in President Shafik's office in April and told her to resign, and while it is long overdue, we welcome today's news. Jewish students at Columbia beginning this school year should breathe a sigh of relief," Johnson wrote on X. "... We hope that President Shafik's resignation serves as an example to university administrators across the country that tolerating or protecting antisemites is unacceptable and will have consequences." Katherine Franke, a Columbia law professor who has expressed pro-Palestinian views, wrote on X, "President Minouche Shafik threw me under the bus when she testified before Congress, but I'm still an employee of Columbia University, she's not. Turns out that capitulating to the bullies didn't work out well for her. It never does." Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine also applauded Shafik's departure. "After months of chanting 'Minouche Shafik you can't hide,' she finally got the memo. To be clear, any future president who does not pay heed to the Columbia student body's overwhelming demand for divestment will end up exactly as President Shafik did," they wrote. Shafik stepped down on Wednesday after a tenure marked by intense criticism, particularly over her response to the pro-Palestinian protests that began in April. Students set up an encampment and took over Hamilton Hall on campus, demanding that the university divest from companies they believed were supporting the war. Over 100 students were arrested during the incident, 40 of which were charged. Most have since had those charges dropped. Columbia also canceled its graduation ceremony in response. Several Jewish students subsequently filed lawsuits and criticized the administration for not doing enough to protect them during the protests, alleging that harassment and hate speech were allowed to go unchecked. Shafik later testified before the House Committee on Education & the Workforce, which called into question Columbia's handling of antisemitism on campus. As Israel's 10-month conflict with Iran-backed Hamas in Gaza continues, similar demonstrations have emerged on college and university campuses across the country. However, while many schools experienced a lull over the summer, tensions at the Ivy League institution remained high. Chief Operations Officer Cas Holloway had his Brooklyn residence vandalized by pro-Palestine protesters last week, and three university deans recently resigned after "antisemitic" text exchanges were revealed. University officials are also considering giving campus police broader authority to arrest protesters, according to the Wall Street Journal. Ahead of move-in day this fall, the university has restricted campus access to those with student IDs or prior permission in order to avoid disruptions. In a Wednesday letter to the Columbia community, Shafik cited the tumultuous protest period as the motivation stepping down. "I have had the honor and privilege to lead this incredible institution, and I believe that - working together - we have made progress in a number of important areas," she wrote. "However, it has also been a period of turmoil where it has been difficult to overcome divergent views across our community. This period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in our community." While many openly praised Shafik's resignation, others shifted the attention to what this means for Columbia's future. "We hope that this brings to a close this period of turmoil in Columbia's history," Columbia Jewish & Israeli Students wrote on X. "We urge the Board of Trustees to appoint an interim president that will enforce campus rules, ensure student safety, and return the university to its mission of learning and teaching." The university's chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace wrote that they will not be "placated" by Shafik's removal "as the university's repression of the pro-Palestinian student movement continues." Meanwhile, Columbia Business School assistant professor Shai Davidai emphasized that the issue was never about the president. "People are asking me if I'm happy. I'm not happy. I'm not unhappy. It's never been about Shafik. It's never been personal," he said in a YouTube video. "... It always has and always will be about the Jewish students, staff and faculty. I wish President Shafik all the best luck in whatever she does." Regarding her next steps, Shafik stated that she plans to focus on combating global poverty and promoting sustainable development at the request of the United Kingdom's foreign secretary. She also mentioned her intention to return to the House of Lords to "reengage with the important legislative agenda put forth by the new UK government." Shafik holds American and British citizenship. On Wednesday, Columbia's Board of Trustees expressed gratitude toward Shafiks work during her time at the university. "In this difficult year, Minouche has worked, inspired, and led tirelessly. Her wisdom, empathy, and deep commitment to our community have guided us through challenges that are both unique in scale and unique to this moment," the board said in a statement. The board also named Columbia University Irving Medical Center CEO and Yale alumna Katrina Armstrong as the interim president. A federal judge had harsh words for the University of California, Los Angeles, following allegations that Jewish students were discriminated against during pro-Palestinian protests earlier this year. "Jewish students were excluded from portions of the UCLA campus because they refused to denounce their faith. This fact is so unimaginable and so abhorrent to our constitutional guarantee of religious freedom ..." U.S. District Judge Mark C. Scarsi wrote in a preliminary injunction on Tuesday. The lawsuit, filed in June by three Jewish UCLA students, accused the school of failing to ensure fair access to the campus amid demonstrations against the Israel-Hamas war. Protesters erected an encampment surrounded by plywood and metal barriers, the lawsuit states, and established checkpoints and a wristband system that prevented pro-Israel students from accessing classrooms, the library and other academic buildings. In response, the university argued it had no responsibility to protect the religious freedom of its Jewish students because the exclusion was created by third-party protesters. Regardless of who initiated the exclusion, Scarsi wrote, the university cannot allow Jewish students to be blocked from accessing campus buildings, programs and services. "Under constitutional principles, UCLA may not allow services to some students when UCLA knows that other students are excluded on religious grounds, regardless of who engineered the exclusion," he said. Scarsi directed UCLA to guarantee that all campus areas, services, and activities remain equally accessible to Jewish students. He also instructed the university's student affairs division and security teams to avoid assisting in any obstruction of access for Jewish students. "No student should ever have to fear being blocked from their campus because they are Jewish," Yitzchok Frankel, one of the students who filed the lawsuit, said in a statement. "I am grateful that the court has ordered UCLA to put a stop to this shameful anti-Jewish conduct." Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) hosted a flag hoisting ceremony at Deosai, one of the highest place of the world in order to celebrate the 78th Independence Day of the country, the other day ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Aug, 2024) Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) hosted a flag hoisting ceremony at Deosai, one of the highest place of the world in order to celebrate the 78th Independence Day of the country, the other day. The ambassadors of the European Union, Egypt, Myanmar, Yemen, Malaysia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan along with the representatives of Turkey and Portugal envoys participated in the event, said a press release issued here Thursday. Speaking on the occasion, President ICCI Ahsan Bakhtawari said that the Chamber was proud to have the honor of celebrating the Independence Day and hoisting the national flag at the highest venue of the country. He said that the aim of celebrating the day at this most beautiful area of Pakistan was to highlight the positive image of the country. He said that on this significant occasion, we all need to re-energize our determination to serve this country with true passion, dedication and hard work for its development, prosperity and security. He paid glowing tributes to the martyrs on behalf of the business community of Pakistan, whose sacrifices have turned the motherland impregnable. Addressing the ceremony, European Union Ambassador Dr Riina Kionuka said on this happy occasion, she on behalf of the EU, congratulates the brave and passionate Pakistani nation, vowing to strengthen cooperation in every field, including education, trade, health, and climate change. Mazhar Bin Mazlan, the High Commissioner of Malaysia said that Pakistan and Malaysia were friends and partners of good and bad times. He said that Malaysia was proud of the achievements of Pakistan it obtained after its independence. He also expressed his gratitude to President ICCI Ahsan Bakhtawari and his entire team for enabling him to join independence celebrations at this most beautiful region. Ambassador of Azarbaijan Khizr Farhadov extended heartfelt congratulations to the government and the people of Pakistan on behalf of his government and the people. He said that both the countries had worked together in every field in the last two decades and that steps were being taken to increase this multifaceted cooperation. Addressing the ceremony, the Ambassador of Kazakhstan Yerzan Kristafin said that Pakistan was the most beautiful country and its brilliant people were its pride and that participation in the celebration was a source of joy and honor for him. On this happy occasion, we once again express our commitment determination to enhance this mutual cooperation for the benefit of the people of the two countries, he remarked. Chief Executive Officer of IESCO, Muhammad Naeem Jan, made an unannounced visit to various SDO offices in the Islamabad Circle where open kacharies were being held ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Aug, 2024) Chief Executive Officer of IESCO, Muhammad Naeem Jan, made an unannounced visit to various SDO offices in the Islamabad Circle where open kacharies were being held. During these visits, the IESCO Chief met with customers attending the forums, inquired about their electricity-related issues, and issued instructions to the relevant officers for their immediate resolution, said a press release. On this occasion, IESCO Chief, Muhammad Naeem Jan, stated that IESCO is committed to addressing customer complaints as quickly as possible. Customers appreciated the initiative of holding daily open kacharies in all SDO offices from 11:00 AM to 01:00 PM, as per the instructions of the Government of Pakistan and the Ministry of Energy (Power Division). He noted that these forums have enabled the quick resolution of their billing issues, power outages, installation of new transformers/meters, replacement of old and faulty transformers/meters, non-receipt of electricity bills, and other electricity-related complaints. Naeem Jan praised the field officers for ensuring the resolution of customer complaints and emphasized the importance of maintaining friendly and professional relations with customers. According to the details, since the start of the open kacharies from July 15, 2024, a total of 10,481 complaints of various kinds have been registered in 126 SDO offices, out of which 10,449 complaints have been promptly resolved, and necessary instructions have been issued for the resolution of the remaining complaints. Customers are encouraged to participate in these open forums to ensure timely resolution of their electricity-related issues. Vice President and Regional Chairman of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Zaki Aijaz urged the government to prioritize increasing poultry production and facilitating the export of poultry products LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Aug, 2024) Vice President and Regional Chairman of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Zaki Aijaz urged the government to prioritize increasing poultry production and facilitating the export of poultry products. He said that higher production would naturally lead to lower prices and believed that the government's role should be in ensuring quality. He suggested that the provincial government should set prices in consultation with all relevant stakeholders to ensure a fair and sustainable approach. He highlighted the importance of expediting the delivery of genetically modified soybeans (GMO) and removing barriers that hinder their delivery as these were crucial for poultry feed. His comments were made during a meeting of the FPCCI Regional Standing Committee on "Poultry Production," attended by officials from the Pakistan Poultry Association, Poultry Traders Association, and Broiler Farmers Association. During the meeting, representatives from the Poultry Traders Association emphasized that the current price mechanism was based on a decision by the Lahore High Court. The FPCCI Standing Committee's Convener on Poultry Production, Dr Sajjad Arshad, with other participants, discussed business-related issues with Zaki Aijaz and Director General Industries Punjab, Asif Ali Farrukh. The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday issued contempt of court notice to the owner of Monal Restaurant Luqman Ali Afzal on propaganda campaign against the top court ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Aug, 2024) The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday issued contempt of court notice to the owner of Monal Restaurant Luqman Ali Afzal on propaganda campaign against the top court. The court also sought details from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province within two weeks regarding Dino Valley in National Park Margalla Hills. The hearing focus on the commercial activities and housing societies in Margalla Hills. In its order regarding hearing, the Supreme Court said that the government had withdrawn the notification to hand over the control of Wildlife Management board to the Ministry of Interior. It said that the respondents had agreed in the court that the restaurants would be shifted from the National Park area. The order stated that Luqman Ali Afzal, the owner of the restaurant, campaigned against the SC. The restaurant owner propagated that the employees became unemployed due to the court decision. The court said that Luqman Ali Afzal's anti-judiciary campaign is contempt of court so a notice is issued to him in the matter. It said that the court was told that the notification to bring the Wildlife Management Board (WLMB) under the Ministry of interior was withdrawn by the Prime Minister. It said the Prime Minister's Office should not be disrespected. The PM Office should view whether the given advisory was in public interest or personal interest, it said, adding that matter is left to the government. The order said that the Attorney General has told to submit a written reply on the matter. Earlier, the CJP inquired the whereabouts of Luqman Ali Afzal from his brother secretary cabinet Kamran Ali Afzal who expressed ignorance on it. The court also expressed concern over absence of lawyers Makhdoom Ali Khan and Salman Akram Raja, and remarked that senior lawyers are used to appear in few minutes to get a stay order but after it they are not seen. The chief justice questioned the chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA) that whether he has seen the advertisement of a private housing society. The chairman CDA responded that he viewed it after the matter came in his knowledge. The CJP said that there are advertisements of private housing society on the entire Constitutional Avenue. Will the CDA take action after the people get exploited or looted by the society? Why not a contempt of court case should be initiated against you, he asked. The chairman CDA said that the said private housing society comes under government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The lawyer of the housing society Shahkhawar Advocate pleaded that their society was in jurisdiction of KPK, adding that dozens of its ads were displayed in Islamabad. He told the court that an officer of CDA approached the society and asked for sponsor. He said that the society is being set up on the personal land of his client. The court remarked that should a contempt of court notice be served to the society owner. Whether the owner is giving the impression that the society belong to army as he has given the address of GHQ and even didnt use the word retire with his name, it asked. Meanwhile, DG Giliat and Owner of Pine City Capt. (reted) Saddiq Anwar appeared before the court. The chief justice said that it was the judgment of SC that no constructions could be done in area of Margalla Hills. Later, the court adjourned further hearing of the case. French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne said Thursday from Beirut that a cease-fire in Gaza was "necessary" for peace in the region including Lebanon, as talks resumed in Qatar aiming to end the conflict Beirut, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Aug, 2024) French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne said Thursday from Beirut that a cease-fire in Gaza was "necessary" for peace in the region including Lebanon, as talks resumed in Qatar aiming to end the conflict. "We are all worried about the regional situation," Sejourne said after meeting parliament speaker Nabih Berri, an ally of Lebanon's Hezbollah group. France "supports Lebanon, and in this context and in the context of regional peace, we hope for the ceasefire... in the Gaza Strip, which... will be necessary to guarantee peace in the region," he said. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Gaza Strip, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Aug, 2024) Once a day, Umm Omar picks up the phone and calls her late husband, humouring their four-year-old daughter who does not understand yet her father was killed early in the Gaza war. Little Ella "wants us to call him, to tell him about her day", said Umm Omar, who has fled with her three children to Al-Mawasi, a coastal area teeming with mostly displaced Palestinians in the southern Gaza Strip. More than 40,000 people have been killed in Gaza since war between Israel and Palestinian militants broke out on October 7, the Hamas-run territory's health ministry said Thursday. It was triggered by Hamas's attack on southern Israel that day that resulted in the deaths of 1,198 people, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. Umm Omar told AFP she did not understand "how the months have gone by" since her husband, Ibrahim al-Shanbari, was killed in an Israeli strike on northern Gaza. When he died, Umm Omar said she lost everything "in a fraction of a second", but there was little time to bury him properly, grieve or process the loss of the "kind" man that he was. There was no funeral procession or "any of the usual mourning (rituals) because it's wartime", Umm Omar added. "It was very difficult to say goodbye... because the martyrs were buried very quickly," she said, with fighting raging across the besieged territory. To help Ella, "I ended up pretending" her father was still alive, said Umm Omar. Still, according to her, others had it worse, "those who have lost an entire family, those who have not been able to say goodbye, or those who find their children in pieces". With more than 1.5 percent of Gaza's 2.4 million population killed during the war, many people have lost loved ones. The smell of death is everywhere, but under constant bombardment, shelling and battles, Gazans often have little time -- or place that is not in ruins -- to process their grief. Two French pilots died on Wednesday after their Rafale jets collided in mid-air in eastern France, President Emmanuel Macron said, in a rare accident involving the cutting-edge military aircraft ColombeylesBelles, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Aug, 2024) Two French pilots died on Wednesday after their Rafale jets collided in mid-air in eastern France, President Emmanuel Macron said, in a rare accident involving the cutting-edge military aircraft. One pilot ejected following the crash over northeastern France, but authorities had launched a desperate search for a missing instructor and a student pilot on the second jet. "We learn with sadness the death of Captain Sebastien Mabire and Lieutenant Matthis Laurens in an air accident in a Rafale training mission," Macron posted on X, formerly Twitter. "The nation shares the grief of their families and brothers in arms at Air Base 113 in Saint-Dizier" in eastern France, he added. "One of the pilots was found safe and sound," Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu said earlier on X. It was not immediately clear what caused the collision that authorities said occurred over Colombey-les-Belles, a town in northeastern France. "The military authorities will report on the causes of the accident," said the local prefecture. The supersonic Rafale "multi-role" fighter -- used to hunt enemy planes, strike ground and sea targets, carry out reconnaissance and even carry France's nuclear warheads -- has become a bestseller for the French arms industry. Accidents involving Rafale jets are rare. - 'Strange noise' - "We heard a loud noise, around 12:30pm (1030 GMT)," Patrice Bonneaux, deputy mayor of Colombey-les-Belles, told AFP. It was not the usual sonic boom of a fighter jet breaking the sound barrier, he said. "It was a strange noise, a percussive sound". "I assumed that two planes had collided, but we didn't believe it," he said, adding that a road bordering a nearby forest had been cordoned off. In December 2007, a Rafale jet crashed near Neuvic in southwestern France. Investigators concluded that the pilot had become disorientated. That was believed to be the first crash of a Rafale. In September 2009, two Rafale aircraft went down as they flew back to the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle off the coast of Perpignan after completing a test flight. One pilot died. France has sold the Rafale to Egypt, India, Greece, Indonesia, Croatia, Qatar and United Arab Emirates. Lecornu said in January that France had ordered 42 new Rafale fighter jets, with the first to be delivered in 2027. The French military has now ordered more than 230 Rafales since the jet went into service. Macron has urged defence manufacturers to boost production and innovation as Europe seeks to increase arms supplies to buttress Ukraine, which has been struggling to fight off Russia's invasion, now in its third year. Parliament adopted unanimously and without debate the Bulgarian News Agency's (BTA) annual report for 2023. A total of 127 MPs voted in favour. Of these, 48 MPs are from GERB-UDF, 22 from Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria, 35 from Vazrazhdane, two from the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, four from BSP for Bulgaria, 14 from There Is Such a People and two independent MPs. On 1 August, the Parliamentary Culture and Media Committee adopted the BTA report, which was presented by BTA Director General Kiril Valchev. The reports on the Agency's activities were submitted as required by Article 16 of the Bulgarian News Agency Act. They contain information about the Agency's activities, the role of the media market, international contacts, the financial situation, the functioning of the National Press Club and the network of BTA regional press clubs, notes the Parliamentary Culture and Media Committee's report. By law, BTA is the only official source of information from Bulgaria and the world for state institutions. The Agency provides them with a package of information services free of charge, the Parliamentary Committee noted. During the reporting period, the use of information from BTA has increased tramendously, the Culture and Media Committee report states. The media outlet also saw a threefold increase in social media followers. In order to ensure freedom from dependencies, BTA does not publish paid announcements and has no advertising on its website or in national press clubs, allowing advertising and sponsorship only in print publications and at events it organizes. BTA accepts additional funding only from organizations of which Bulgaria is a member, such as the European Union, NATO, the UN, UNESCO, etc. In 2023. BTA has created eight new ad hoc thematic columns, which the Agency is continuously updating. BTA's goal is to be a bridge between all Bulgarians around the world. The Agency continues to participate in various formats, including the National Assembly, in the search for ways to support Bulgarian media abroad through its expertise. "In 2021, when the National Assembly elected me in January, I presented a programme that I developed into a strategic plan called 'The Future of BTA' within the first year of my term in office, aiming at five strategic goals. Therefore, in the plan itself, the programme, and the annual reports, I present the specific steps taken to pursue these five goals," Valchev said last week while presenting BTA's report in front of the Parliamentary Culture and Media Committee. Caracas, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Aug, 2024) Venezuela's CNE electoral council, under fire after declaring a widely rejected election victory for President Nicolas Maduro, on Wednesday described a UN report disputing the outcome as "rife with lies." The CNE proclaimed Maduro the winner with 52 percent of votes cast in a July 28 poll, without providing a detailed breakdown. Maduro's victory has been rejected by the opposition, the United States, European Union and several Latin American countries. Anti-Maduro protests in Venezuela have claimed 25 lives so far, with dozens injured and more than 2,400 arrested. A preliminary report published Tuesday by a panel of UN elections experts found the CNE "fell short of the basic transparency and integrity measures.". The CNE hit back Wednesday, saying the UN report was "rife with lies and contradictions" and insisting a "cyber terrorist attack" has prevented it from disclosing a full breakdown of polling station-level results after what it termed an "impeccable and transparent electoral process." The CNE website has been down since election day. Venezuela's foreign ministry has also rejected the UN report. Former opposition leader Enrique Marquez, who also once ran against Maduro and himself served on the CNE, said Wednesday he would request the prosecutor's office to launch a criminal investigation into his former colleagues on the electoral council. Mexico, meanwhile, insisted the solution to Venezuela's post-election crisis could be resolved by it alone. "This is a matter that belongs to Venezuelans, and what we want is for there to be a peaceful solution to disputes, which has always been our foreign policy," President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador told reporters. He said he had no immediate plans for renewed contact with his fellow leftist leaders in Brazil and Colombia to discuss the crisis, saying he would await a ruling by Venezuela's Supreme Justice Tribunal, which Maduro had asked to certify the election outcome. - 'Coup d'etat' - The opposition says its own tally of polling-station-level results showed Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, a 74-year-old retired diplomat, had won by a wide margin. Gonzalez Urrutia and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who was barred from running by Maduro-friendly state institutions, are in hiding after the president accused them of seeking to foment a "coup d'etat" and incite "civil war." On Tuesday, the South American country's national assembly started considering a package of laws to tighten regulations on non-governmental organizations -- described by the regime as a "facade for the financing of terrorist actions." Other measures seek to increase government oversight over social media, accused of promoting "hate," and to punish "fascism" -- a term often used by Maduro in relation to the opposition and other detractors. Debate in the single-chamber assembly is due to resume Thursday. Since coming to power in 2013, Maduro has overseen an economic collapse that has seen more than seven million Venezuelans flee the country, as GDP plunged 80 percent in a decade. Maduro's last election in 2018 was also rejected as a sham by dozens of countries. (UroToday.com) The 2024 World Congress of Endourology and Uro-Technology Conference continued its Thursday morning plenary session with a discussion on important stone disease outcomes, moderated by the esteemed Dr. Hassan Razvi. The session brought together key experts in stone disease to explore outcomes including quality of life, cost, stone-free rates, and complications associated with kidney stone treatment. Dr. Razvi opened the session by defining the importance of outcomes research, outlining its core goals: assessing the quality of care, access to health services, and the effectiveness of treatment strategies. His emphasis was on how these findings are vital in shaping health policy and clinical decision-making, especially in complex fields like stone disease treatment. Dr. Margaret Knoedler captivated the audience with her focus on quality of life. Citing Paul Lembcke, she reinforced that the true measure of healthcare quality is in its ability to prolong life, alleviate suffering, and restore function. Dr. Knoedler introduced the Wisconsin Stone Quality of Life Score, a valuable tool for evaluating the well-being of patients affected by kidney stones. Her data revealed that patients with a history of recurrent stones, multiple procedures, or significant comorbidities report significantly lower quality of life. In a study involving 313 patients, Dr. Knoedler shared findings that demonstrated no significant difference in quality of life based on residual stones after surgery, though those requiring additional procedures experienced a decline in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) which was significantly more impactful to the patient. Her conclusion: HRQOL must be at the forefront of treatment planning to better serve patients long-term needs. Dr. Ryan S. Hsi followed with a detailed exploration of the economic impact of kidney stone disease. He revealed staggering statistics, with over $10 billion spent annually in the U.S. on treatment and follow-up care for stone disease. The financial toll on patients was equally daunting: as many as 1 in 4 patients experience substantial financial strain due to their condition. Dr. Hsi emphasized the role of surgeons in mitigating these costs. Choices around equipment, surgical techniques, and resource management can dramatically alter the financial burden of procedures. He also highlighted the environmental costs, pointing out that operating rooms are responsible for 70% of hospital waste and urging surgeons to adopt more sustainable practices. Dr. Karen Stern discussed the critical role of stone-free rates (SFR) in evaluating the success of different surgical interventions. For years, SFR has been the gold standard in urology, and Dr. Stern detailed why it still matters. Using data from treatments like shockwave lithotripsy, ureteroscopy, and percutaneous nephrolithotomy, Dr. Stern demonstrated that residual fragments often lead to complications or the need for reintervention. In one study, 44% of patients with residual stones after ureteroscopy had a stone-related event within 12 months. These findings supported her assertion that stone-free status remains critical to patient outcomes, urging the adoption of volumetric stone-free rates as a more accurate and meaningful measure for future studies. Dr. Young Eun Yoon closed the session by addressing the complications that can arise during and after stone surgery, such as infections, organ injury, and stone recurrence. His discussion zeroed in on post-operative infections, which pose a serious risk, especially in patients with risk factors like diabetes or larger stone burdens. Dr. Yoon emphasized the importance of minimizing intrapelvic pressure during procedures and highlighted innovations like the LithoVue Elite scope to help manage these risks. He concluded by stressing the need for vigilance in monitoring patient health, both during surgery and in the post-operative phase, to reduce complication rates and improve outcomes. The session reinforced that while technological advancements continue to transform urologic care, challenges remain. The panelists collectively stressed the importance of considering not just clinical outcomes but also the economic, environmental, and quality-of-life factors that impact patients. Presented by: Moderator: Hassan Razvi, MD. Profession, Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Western University, London, Ontario Panelists: Quality of Life Margaret Knoedler, MD. Assistant Professor, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Rochester, MN Cost Ryan S. Hsi, MD. Assistant Professor, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN Stone Free Rate Karen L. Stern, MD. Associate Professor, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, AZ Complication Young Eun Yoon, MD. Professor, Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea Written by: Bruce Gao, MD, FRCSC, Endourology Fellow, Department of Urology, University of California Irvine, @b_gao on Twitter during the 2024 World Congress of Endourology and Uro-Technology: August 12 -16, 2024, Seoul, South Korea SBDCs increase the formalization, competitiveness and development of small and medium-sized businesses by providing technical assistance and training, which helps them obtain financing, identify new buyers and enter new markets. This boosts the quantity and quality of production, creating a positive feedback loop in which market demand can be met and, in turn, increased. This mission will complement other programs and initiatives designed to boost the Paraguayan economy, which has been on an upward trajectory in recent decades. From 2003 to 2018, the economy saw an average GDP growth of over 4%, although that momentum slowed from 2019 to 2022, impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and droughts, according to the World Bank. Its Gini index coefficient, which indicates how wealth is distributed in a particular country, has decreased over the past two decades, reaching 45.1 in 2022, indicating an increasingly equitable economy. The team expects SBDCs to further catalyze these trends. The UTSA SBDC International Trade Center and the MIC began dialogues in 2020, when the MIC expressed an interest in creating small business development centers to spur growth in Paraguay. USAID funded the first phase of the project in 2022, with the goal of building the capacity and expertise needed to implement this model and subsequently funded phases two and three to establish SBDCs in Paraguay. Our center has been committed to expanding the SBDC model internationally for over 20 years, said Janette Riddell, director of the UTSA International Trade Center. So, when the Paraguay MIC became interested in the SBDC model, we were excited to help them on their economic development journey. The UTSA team began the project with a needs assessment to understand the specific barriers to economic growth in Paraguay and to develop tactics for combatting these obstacles. The team then set up a charter to implement the SBDC model in a way that is scalable, sustainable and impactful. Finally, the International Trade Center worked with the MIC and local host organizations to launch the centers. This included recruiting and training staff to maintain the centers. Two new SBDCs were opened in 2023 and a third debuted in 2024. They are located in San Lorenzo, hosted by Union Industrial del Paraguay (UIP); Encarnacion, hosted by la Universidad Autonoma de Encarnacion (UNAE); and Ciudad del Este, hosted by la Fundacion Parque Tecnologico Itaipu. Metrics from the first two locations reflect the centers significant productivity in 2023. The MIC reported that nearly 600 hours of advising took place with 109 clients. Clients gained access to nearly $50,000 in capital or new financing and over $30,000 was generated in sales. These initial metrics are expected to grow in future phases of the project. UTSA, supported by USAID, marked the successful launch of the centers last month, hosting a delegation of Paraguayan leaders in government and industry. The group of approximately 30 visitors, including national ministers, representatives from the Paraguayan senate and house, and key business leaders, held meetings with the VIED for key agencies in Washington, D.C. to strategize next steps for the Paraguay SBDC program. We were very excited to be hosting such an amazing delegation from Paraguay with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, said Riddell. The visit helped the delegation deepen its understanding of the different aspects of the SBDC model, and we look forward to seeing the SBDC program strengthen and grow in Paraguay. This phase of the project will end this October, but the team hopes to continue to expand its reach and impact in future phases. Now, USAID and UTSA are working with the MIC to position the Paraguay SBDC program as a vital resource to local communities and an indispensable partner in their economic growth, said Riddell. She expects that their pilot program will lead to a broader network of SBDCs that continue to drive economic activity and job creation in Paraguay. UTSA is one of a select group of universities supported by USAID, which awards funding competitively. Its International Trade Center, which is fully funded by grants, has set up SBDCs in 24 countries. The center is expanding UTSAs representation in the international economic development arena and broadening the universitys research footprint as a high-performing Minority Serving Institution. It also continually pursues grants to promote development and create bold futures for small businesses beyond San Antonio. Weve been doing this type of work for around 22 years, and we have an outstanding track record. Very few universities have been working in this space until quite recently, said Carla Cardenas, senior project manager at the International Trade Center. BAKU. Azerbaijan. August 16. Germany has allocated a new package of military aid to Ukraine, Trend reports. According to German Major General Christian Freiding, by December 2024, Ukraine will receive two Iris-T air defense systems, about 30 Leopard 1A5 tanks, as well as two types of 16 self-propelled artillery units, air defense systems and air defense systems. Earlier, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that Kyiv would acquire a quarter of Berlin's Patriot reserves. However, Germany refused to provide Ukraine with long-range Taurus missiles. On a darkened road beside the Caspian Sea last month, Iranian police officers opened fire on a 31-year-old woman who had tried to speed away likely knowing they wanted to seize her vehicle. Police had been ordered to impound her car, activists say, because of an earlier violation of Iran's headscarf law for showing her hair in public while driving. Now unable to walk and confined to a bed at a police hospital, Arezou Badri a mother of two is the latest casualty of Iran's renewed crackdown over headscarves, or hijabs. Her shooting occurred nearly two years after 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died while in police custody over an alleged headscarf violation, sparking nationwide protests over women's rights and against the country's theocracy. As the September 16 anniversary of Amini's death approaches, Iran's new reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian has promised to ease enforcement of the headscarf law. But the murky details of Badri's shooting and a recent video of a girl being manhandled in the streets of Tehran show the dangers still lurking for those willing to disobey it. "They have elevated it to the most serious crime, where the police is allowed basically to shoot to kill," said Hadi Ghaemi, executive director of the New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran. "That's really a war on women." Badri's shooting occurred around 11 p.m. on July 22 along a coastal road in Iran's northern Mazandaran province as she drove home from a friend's house with her sister, activists say. A brief account published by Iran's state-run IRNA news agency quoted police Col. Ahmad Amini as saying patrol officers had ordered a vehicle with tinted windows to stop, but that it didn't. It made no mention of the hijab violation or impound notice. Officers appear to have first fired at Badri's car's tires, according to the group Human Rights Activists in Iran, which spoke to people with knowledge of the shooting. As Badri continued driving, officers fired into the vehicle, the group said; the gunfire pierced her lung and damaged her spine. Under Iranian law, police must fire a warning shot, then aim to wound below the waist before taking a potentially fatal shot at a suspect's head or chest. If the suspect is driving, officers typically aim first for the tires. Why police initially stopped Badri's car remains unclear, though activists blame it on the impound alert over the hijab violation. It's also unknown whether any police vehicle at the scene had a camera that recorded the shooting or if any officer there wore a body camera. There are no public statistics of fatal police shootings in Iran. Police firearms training and tactics vary widely, as some officers face more paramilitary duties in areas like Iran's restive Sistan and Baluchestan provinces. Iran's Interior Ministry, which oversees the country's police, did not respond to questions about the shooting from The Associated Press. Authorities are holding Badri at a police hospital in Tehran under tight security, restricting her family's visits and stopping them from taking photographs of her, activists say. Despite that, an image of Badri was published by the BBC this week, highlighting her case. "She has no sensation from the waist down and doctors have said that it will be clear in the coming months whether she is completely paralyzed," said one activist in Iran, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal. The hijab became a focal point of demonstrations after the death of Amini in 2022. She died after being arrested for not wearing her headscarf to the liking of police. A United Nations panel has found that Amini died as a result of "physical violence" used against her by the state. Amini's death sparked months of protests and a security crackdown that killed more than 500 people and led to the detention of more than 22,000. After the mass demonstrations, police dialed down enforcement of hijab laws, but it ramped up again in April under what authorities called the Noor or "Light" Plan. The hijab crackdown remains widely discussed in Iran, even as police and state media rarely report on it. Many women continue to wear their hijabs loosely or leave them draped around their shoulders while walking in Tehran. Women driving without wearing hijabs are believed to have been tracked via surveillance camera technology provided by Chinese firms, matching their faces against a government-maintained photo database, Ghaemi said. If they are stopped, that can lead to physical altercations between women and the police. Surveillance footage published last week by the Iranian reformist news website Ensaf showed a 14-year-old girl manhandled by the morality police in Tehran. Her mother described her daughter's head as being rammed into an electrical box, a female officer pulling her hair and another putting their foot on her neck. Police described the officers' behavior as unprofessional, but also accused the girl of using bad language. "I saw my daughter with a wounded face, swollen lips, a bruised neck, torn clothes and she couldn't even speak," her mother, Maryam Abbasi, told the website. "Her eyes were so swollen from crying that they wouldn't open." African governments have been trying to introduce new taxes in part to pay off heavy foreign loans amid economic headwinds that include rising global prices for food and energy. In June, the Kenya government introduced Finance Bill 2024, which sought to collect more money from the public and businesses. The move triggered weeks of angry protests that prompted President William Ruto to withdraw the bill and fire his cabinet. 'Optimize each tax instrument' On Monday, Kenya's outgoing finance minister, Njuguna Ndungu, said the government does not need to introduce new taxes. "From this notion that high taxes will raise high tax revenue, the reality is the opposite," Ndungu said. " So, because high taxes cannot bring you high tax revenue, what do we need to do? We need to study how we can optimize each tax instrument." One way is to improve collection rates on taxes already on the books. One company, N-Soft, has helped the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, and several other nations supervise technological services and collect fees and taxes automatically. N-Soft says that by setting up monitoring of the DRC's telecom sector, it improved tax collection in that field by 60%. Digital tools called 'future' Prakash Sabunani, the senior vice president and partner of N-Soft, said Africa is losing a lot of revenue in the digital space. "Governments need to utilize digital tools. Digital tools are today the future. Everything today, as you can see, is converging toward AI. Mobile operators, mobile, telecom solution providers, device manufacturers, everybody is today focusing on AI," said Sabunani. "And that's where the new economy is actually targeting their new streams of income." N-Soft is urging African governments and tax authorities to focus on collecting taxes from phones with SIM cards, pay TV services, online financial services, and the online gaming and betting industries. By doing so, these governments could raise more money to fund their development goals. Sabunani said African countries need to improve the tax collection system so they can avoid burdening themselves with loans. "We encourage local governments to look at their own inner space and their own economic space to first optimize that revenue before going out of their borders to claim money or to request for loans," said Sabunani. "They don't need to because if they were optimized in their data, in collecting their revenue and in optimizing their sources of collection, believe me, they wouldn't need to borrow any money." McDonald Lewanika, the country director at Accountability Lab, an organization that promotes good governance for Africa, said "poor prioritization" of where resources are deployed are leading to "poor performance by governments" and "poor dividends for ordinary people." Why, he asked, should people have to pay debts "that we were not supposed to incur in the first place, in order for them to pay for corruption and bad governance at the end of the day?" At minimum, adopting digital tools to collect taxes may keep countries out of financial situations like Kenya's, and help them avoid the kind of protests that brought down President Ruto's cabinet. After multiple delays, Ukraine announced this month that it has begun receiving U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets from its European allies. Its unclear just how many have been delivered though about 20 are expected to arrive this year. Mariia Prus has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. Video editor: Anna Rice The federal government is expected to announce water cuts soon that would affect some of the 40 million people reliant on the Colorado River, the powerhouse of the U.S. West. The Interior Department announces water availability for the coming year months in advance so Western cities, farmers and others can plan. Behind the scenes, however, more elusive plans are being hashed out: how the basin will share water from the diminishing 2,334-kilometer river after 2026, when many current guidelines that govern it expire. The Colorado River supplies water to seven Western states, more than two dozen Native American tribes, and two states in Mexico. It also irrigates millions of acres of farmland in the American West and generates hydropower used across the region. Years of overuse combined with rising temperatures and drought have meant less water flows in the Colorado today than in decades past. That's made the fraught politics of water in the West particularly deadlocked at times. Heres what you need to know about the negotiations surrounding the river. What are states discussing? Plans for how to distribute the Colorado Rivers water after 2026. A series of overlapping agreements, court decisions and contracts determine how the river is shared, some of which expire at the end of 2025. In 2007, following years of drought, the seven U.S. states in the basin Arizona, Nevada, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming and the federal government adopted rules to better respond to lower water levels at Lake Mead and Lake Powell. Those are the rivers two main reservoirs that transfer and store Colorado River water, produce hydropower and serve as barometers of its health. The 2007 rules determine when some states face water cuts based on levels at Lake Mead. That's why states, Native American tribes, and others are drafting new plans, which anticipate even deeper water cuts after 2026 based on projections of the river's flow and climate modeling of future warming in the West. "The ultimate problem is that watershed runoff is decreasing due to an ever-warming climate," said Jack Schmidt, professor of watershed sciences at Utah State University, and director of the Center for Colorado River studies. "The proximate problem is weve got to decrease our use." How are these talks different from expected cuts this month? Sometime this month, the federal government will announce water cuts for 2025 based on levels at Lake Mead. The cuts may simply maintain the restrictions already in place. Reclamation considers factors like precipitation, runoff, and water use to model what levels at the two reservoirs will look like over the following two years. If Lake Mead drops below a certain level, Arizona, California, Nevada and Mexico are subject to cuts, though California has so far been spared because of its senior water rights. In recent years, Arizona has faced the bulk of these cuts, while Mexico and Nevada also saw reductions. But these are short-term plans, and the guidelines surrounding them are being renegotiated for the future. What are states already doing to conserve water? Arizona, Nevada and Mexico faced federal water cuts from the river in 2022. Those deepened in 2023 and returned to 2022 levels this year. As the crisis on the river worsened, Arizona, California and Nevada last year agreed to conserve an additional 3 million acre-feet of water until 2026, with the U.S. government paying water districts and other users for much of that conservation. Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming the state's so-called Upper Basin don't use their full 7.5 million acre-foot allocation from the river, and get a percentage of the water that's available each year. An acre-foot is enough water to serve roughly two to three U.S. households in a year. Have these efforts worked? Yes, for now. A wet 2023 plus conservation efforts by Lower Basin states improved the short-term outlook for both reservoirs. Lake Powell is at roughly 39% capacity while Mead is at about 33%. Climate scientists and hydrologists say that higher temperatures driven by climate change will continue to reduce runoff to the Colorado River in coming years, and cause more water to be lost to evaporation, so future plans should prepare for less water in the system. Brad Udall, a senior water and climate scientist at Colorado State University, said predicting precipitation levels is harder to do. The short-term recovery in the Colorado River basin should be viewed in the context of a more challenging future, he added. "I would push back heartily against any idea that our rebound over the last couple of years here is some permanent shift," Udall said. What can't states agree on? What to do after 2026. In March, Upper and Lower Basin states, tribes and environmental groups released plans for how the river and its reservoirs should be managed in the future. Arizona, California and Nevada asked the federal government to take a more expansive view of the river management and factor water levels in seven reservoirs instead of just Lake Powell and Lake Mead to determine the extent of water cuts. If the whole system drops below 38% capacity, their plan said, deeper cuts should be shared evenly with the Upper Basin and Mexico. "We are trying to find the right, equitable outcome in which the Upper Basin doesnt have to take all of the pain from the long-term reduction of the river, but we also cant be the only ones protecting Lake Powell," said Tom Buschatzke, director of Arizonas Department of Water Resources and the states lead negotiator in the talks. Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming called for addressing shortages based on the combined capacity of Lake Powell and Lake Mead, as opposed to just Lake Mead. It proposed more aggressive cuts that would affect California, Arizona and Nevada sooner when the major reservoir levels fall. Their plan doesn't call for reductions in how much water is delivered to Upper Basin states. Becky Mitchell, the lead negotiator for the state of Colorado, said the Upper Basin's plan focuses more on making policy with an eye on the river's supply, rather than the demands for its water. "It's important we start acknowledging that theres not as much water available as folks would like," Mitchell said. Where does it go from here? The federal government is expected to issue draft regulations by December that factor in the different plans and propose a way forward. Until then, states, tribes and other negotiators will continue talking and trying to reach agreement. With the 2024 Summer Olympics wrapped up, Paris is now getting ready to host the Paralympics later this month. More than 4,000 athletes with disabilities along with tens of thousands of spectators will attend the events that run from August 28 to September 8. Olympic authorities praise the city for the steps it has taken to make them accessible to all. But disability advocates say much more needs to be done across France to change infrastructure and mindsets. Lisa Bryant reports from Paris. Newly released statistics from the Australian government show that thousands of Palestinians have had their visa applications rejected since the start of the Israel-Hamas war last October. Australias conservative opposition said Wednesday that it was not prudent for any Palestinians to be allowed into the country because of national security concerns. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the leader of the center-right opposition, Peter Dutton, clashed in Federal Parliament Wednesday over visas for Palestinians fleeing the conflict in the Middle East. Dutton had earlier told Australian television that Palestinians trying to leave Gaza should not be granted entry to Australia because of national security concerns. He said he was not satisfied there was adequate screening of visa applicants to ensure they were not associated with terrorism. Albanese stressed he had confidence in the countrys vetting and security processes. Newly released government statistics show that since the attack by Hamas militants on Israel last Oct. 7, more than 7,100 visa applications from Palestinians in Gaza have been refused by the Canberra government. During the same period, officials approved another 2,922 applications, mostly visitor visas to holders of a Palestinian Authority travel document. Mike Burgess, head of the Australian Security Intelligence Organization, the domestic spy agency, said in an interview with local media Sunday that financial or material support for Hamas should lead to an application being denied. He added, however, that "rhetorical" support for Hamas was not grounds for the immediate disqualification of a visa application. But Australias center-right opposition has insisted that rhetorical, as in written or vocal, support for the militant organization should also be grounds for denying an entry visa. James Paterson, the shadow minister for Home Affairs, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. that entry rules for people fleeing Gaza need to be strict. I think the government should send a very clear message that no one who supports Hamas is welcome in Australia," Peterson said. "Think about all the challenges we have had with antisemitism, with social cohesion, we have just had the terrorism threat level increased - none of those problems become easier by bringing people to Australia who support terrorism. Community groups have reported an increase in antisemitic and Islamophobic abuse in Australia since the Israel-Hamas war broke out last October. Earlier this month, Australias new Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the government was working on safeguards for Palestinians when their visitor visas expire. He confirmed they would not be sent back to Gaza with a war still raging. Since the Oct. 7 attacks, Australia has granted just over 8,700 visas to Israelis. About 200 applications have been refused. Intelligence officials have confirmed that security screenings were carried out on some but not all visa applicants, which were subject to referral from the Canberra government. The naval forces of the United States and France conducted bilateral exercises in the waters of the Philippine Sea on August 13, Azernews reports. "The Seventh Fleet [of the US Navy] regularly takes steps to strengthen interoperability with allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region, which was done this week during a bilateral operation with our long-time allies, the French Navy," Fred Kacher, Commander of the Seventh Fleet of the US Navy, is quoted as saying. According to him, the joint work "strengthens the potential of the Navy" and increases their ability to contain regional conflicts. The American Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Dewey (DDG 105) and the French Aquitaine-class frigate FS Bretagne (D655) took part in the military maneuvers. During the events, the ships carried out joint maneuvering, combined communication and simulated refueling at sea. Baku. Azerbaijan. August 16. The US State Department has approved the sale of Patriot missiles to Germany worth $5 billion, Trend reports. The Pentagon's Security Cooperation Agency reported this.. According to the organization, the German government has asked Washington to purchase up to 600 of these missiles, as well as related equipment, training programs and spare parts. The sale will strengthen defense cooperation between Germany and the United States and increase Germanys air defense capabilities. The sale is expected to have a positive impact on regional security, as the Patriot missile systems enhance defense against air attacks. . President Joe Biden said Thursday he supports new elections in Venezuela, giving a VOA reporter a two-word response "I do" when asked "do you support new elections in Venezuela?" Brazil's leader had proposed a rerun of the July 28 election, which the White House says opposition challenger Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia won. Protests have bubbled up in the wake of President Nicolas Maduro's victory claim, and the leader of the opposition is calling for massive protests this Saturday. But the administration told VOA hours later that Biden understood VOA's question differently, leaving it unclear whether this represents a shift in Washington's position on Venezuela's political crisis. A National Security Council spokesperson reiterated the administration's stance, telling VOA in an email that Biden "was speaking to the absurdity of Maduro and his representatives not coming clean about the July 28 elections." "It is abundantly clear to the majority of the Venezuelan people, the United States, and a growing number of countries that Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia won the most votes on July 28. The United States again calls for the will of the Venezuelan people to be respected and for discussions to begin on a transition back to democratic norms." The spokesperson did not say definitively where Biden stands on whether the election should be repeated. Earlier Thursday, an NSC spokesperson told VOA that the Biden administration is "considering a range of options to incentivize and pressure Maduro to recognize the election results and will continue to do so." White House seeks vote data Separately, White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby told reporters: "We want to see the actual vote tallies, the data, and we haven't seen that yet. So, we still need to see that." Kirby also added, "it is not true that there's been amnesty offered to Mr. Maduro" as part of any deal to resolve the crisis. Shortly after the election, Maduro began cracking down on political opponents, prompting rights groups to sound the alarm. Strained ties Washington has long had strained ties with Caracas, Venezuela, caused by ideological differences with the left-leaning country, doubts about the validity of previous elections, U.S. sanctions on officials over human rights abuses, and crippling American economic sanctions on the oil-rich nation. Venezuela's situation has led to a northward exodus of millions of Venezuelans, leaving both American authorities and those migrants in a delicate position. Celia Mendoza, Carolina Valladares and Patsy Widakuswara contributed to this story. The White House said Thursday that the latest Gaza cease-fire talks in Doha, Qatar, with top U.S. officials are off to a promising start but that closing a deal immediately appeared to be unlikely. Today is a promising start, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters. There remains a lot of work to do. Given the complexity of the agreement, we do not anticipate coming out of these talks today with a deal, he added. The talks are expected to continue through Friday. CIA Director William Burns is among those in attendance. Negotiators from the United States, Egypt and Qatar met with a delegation from Israel. Hamas said Wednesday it would not take part in the talks, but representatives might meet with mediators later, the Reuters news agency reported. Palestinian health officials said more than 40,000 people have died in Israel's campaign in retaliation for the 1,200 people killed and 250 people captured by Hamas during a surprise attack on Israel on October 7. More than 100 hostages are still held in captivity. Palestinian officials say the war casualties are mostly women and children, while Israel says the majority are combatants. Remaining obstacles can be overcome, and we must bring this process to a close, Kirby said. We need to see the hostages released, relief for Palestinian civilians in Gaza, security for Israel and lower tensions in the region, and we need to see those things as soon as possible. Without specifying details, Kirby said that the negotiations are mainly concerned with implementation now that the framework has largely been accepted. The stakes are high. In addition to ongoing fighting in Gaza and the West Bank, Israel and Hezbollah have been trading fire on the border with Lebanon. Commercial shipping remains under attack by Yemen-based Houthi fighters in the Red Sea, and Iran has threatened retaliation against Israel for the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last month. Although Israel did not claim responsibility for the killing, it is widely blamed for Haniyehs death. Additionally, a Hezbollah military commander was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut recently. Three senior Iranian officials have said a cease-fire deal in Gaza would be the only thing preventing retaliation for the killing, Reuters reported. The plan being discussed in Doha began as a three-phase road map to a truce unveiled by U.S. President Joe Biden May 31. The proposal calls for a six-week cease-fire, withdrawing Israeli troops from populated areas in Gaza, and releasing women, elderly and wounded hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Humanitarian aid would increase, and Palestinians would be able to return to their homes. The six-week cease-fire would lead to the second phase, which would involve the release of all hostages and Israels complete withdrawal from Gaza. The cease-fire would become permanent. The reconstruction of Gaza would be the third phase. Fighting continues as talks get under way. On Thursday, the health ministry in the West Bank said Israeli troops killed two Palestinians in an airstrike on a refugee camp. Seven people were wounded. The Israeli military reported two armed militants who posed a threat to security forces in the area were killed. Material from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse was used in this report. Officials in Chad are asking for international assistance to save thousands of people from persistent flooding, while officials in neighboring Cameroon are seeking help to cope with the opposite problem severe drought. Officials say floods for the past three days have forced about 53,000 people to flee several towns and villages in Sila, a southeastern province bordering Sudan and the Central African Republic. Forty-two-year-old farmer Regine Bumbai said her house was swept away by floods on Tuesday. She said she is seeking refuge for herself and her three children at the Koukou-Angarana village primary school because heavy rains triggered flooding that is destroying houses and plantations and also displacing animals. Bumbai told Chadian state TV Wednesday that flood victims are pleading for humanitarian assistance to save the lives of several hundred civilians, most of them children facing hunger and malnutrition. This week, government officials, the United Nations and humanitarian agencies reported that 14 people had died and more than 245,000 civilians are affected by floods in 13 of Chad's 23 provinces. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said about 60,000 structures have been destroyed or damaged. Chadian state TV has been broadcasting a message in which President Mahamat Idriss Deby calls for solidarity with all flood victims. In the message Deby said Chad is not the only victim of devastating floods and other shocks caused by severe changes in normal environmental patterns. He said there should be international solidarity in fighting climate shocks that also affect the world's most powerful nations. Chad says it is building temporary shelters in several dozen towns and villages including the capital, N'djamena, and providing relief materials for affected families. The families include thousands of civilians fleeing internal armed conflicts and refugees fleeing Boko Haram terrorism and violence in conflict-ridden Sudan. As Chad steps up efforts to help flood victims, Cameroon is facing a different situation, as rains that were expected in July have yet to come in many regions of the country. This week, Muslims in Garoua, a northern town near Cameroons border with Chad and Nigeria, held public prayers for rain. Ibrahim El Rachidine, traditional ruler and Muslim spiritual leader of Garoua, organized the prayers. He said he held the gathering after farmers complained that the lack of rain since July is causing droughts and making crops dry up in plantations. He says he is also calling Cameroonian government officials attention to the looming famine as droughts are already forcing farmers from their land. Cameroon and Chad said last month the lives of more than 5 million people in the two countries were threatened by a severe humanitarian crisis triggered by the climate shocks and ongoing conflicts. Officials in both countries have called for international aid, though neither has given much detail on what they need. China has promised technical support and aid to military-run Myanmar for conducting a census, followed by an election, state media said Thursday, signaling Beijing's backing to a junta cornered by an armed rebellion and steadily losing ground. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met junta leader Min Aung Hlaing on Wednesday during a visit to the capital Naypyitaw where they held discussions to conduct an "all-inclusive election," Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper said. "Necessary technological assistance will be provided for Myanmar to conduct the census-taking process," the state-run publication said. "Moreover, essential aid will be given for the election." China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Myanmar's generals last month extended emergency rule for another six months to allow more time to put together census data for voter lists. Min Aung Hlaing has previously said an election would be held next year. The proposed election has been widely derided as a sham and the outcome is unlikely to be recognized by most Western countries, with dozens of parties disbanded for not registering to run, including the dominant National League for Democracy, whose government the military toppled. Many of the parties that have signed up are seen as proxies for the junta, having openly backed its agenda and condemned the rebellion. Myanmar's military is currently under unparalleled pressure three years after it ousted a civilian government, with an armed rebellion against its rule gaining momentum amid a faltering economy. During Wednesday's meeting, the two leaders also discussed the situation in the restive border areas, eradication of online gambling and scams and economic cooperation, state media reported. The China-Myanmar border region has seen heavy fighting since last year, with junta suffering a series of defeats including the fall of Lashio in northern Shan state, the first of 14 regional military commands to be taken by rebels. Last October, a rebel alliance led by three major anti-junta groups launched Operation 1027 near the Chinese border, inflicting significant losses on the junta. The offensive was temporarily halted after Beijing brokered a cease-fire. But fighting resumed in June after the cease-fire collapsed, marking the start of an intensified second phase of the operation, during which Lashio was taken from the junta's control. Following his visit to Myanmar, Wang is scheduled to attend a regional foreign ministers' meeting in Thailand on Friday. As Gabon approaches the first anniversary of the coup that ousted longtime President Ali Bongo Ondimba, supporters of the military chief who leads the transitional government are urging him to run for president. Meanwhile, opponents of General Brice Nguema say he is plotting to seize power for the long term and turn Gabon into a military dictatorship. Gabon's military is urging people to turn out in droves on August 30 and celebrate what the central African states military leaders call the Day of National Liberation. Their message, broadcast several times each day by state TV, reminds civilians that the military seized power in a bloodless coup on that day last year, saying it acted to save the country from a serious political, economic and institutional crisis. Colonel Ulrich Manfoumbi Manfoumbi, spokesperson for the transitional government, said military leaders want to use August 30 as an annual day of celebration to thank troops who effected the change of leadership without killing civilians or destroying property. Manfoumbi also said Nguema's integrity and commitment to improving living conditions and developing Gabon can't be disputed. He said Nguema has put in place functional state institutions such as a transitional government, National Assembly, Senate and Constitutional Council. Others say Nguema is trying to transform Gabon into a military dictatorship, in part by manipulating opposition parties. Pelgie Marle Joselle Itsana, who heads the Pan African Movement for the Unity of Gabon People, said the heavy presence of troops along streets in major towns is an indication that Nguema will want to confiscate power at all costs. Itsana said she was surprised when Nguema, after abolishing state institutions from Ondimba's regime, appointed some of those same officials to his transitional government, the Constitutional Council and the National Assembly, even though he earlier had accused them of ruining Gabon and refusing to hand over power. Manfoumbi tried to counter that argument by pointing out that within the past year Nguema extended water and electricity supplies to several dozen towns and villages, built hospitals and schools, improved road infrastructure and provided several thousand jobs for unemployed youths. He also, Manfoumbi said, mercilessly fought corruption, especially among government officials and politicians. This week, Gabon state TV reported that scores of opposition and civil society groups are calling on Nguema to run for president in the August 2025 elections, which are intended to reestablish civilian rule. Alexandre Barro Chambrier, vice prime minister and president of the opposition RPM party, said Tuesday that he is ready to support Nguema. He said love of country and patriotism have been ignited among citizens and cited many development projects started since Nguema seized power. Barro Chambrier, who spoke on state radio, did not say how many opposition and civil society groups want Nguema to run for president. Gabon is currently preparing a constitutional referendum that will lay the groundwork for future elections. The proposed constitution bars transitional government members from running in the 2025 elections, with the notable exception of Nguema. The general has not said whether he will be a candidate. But the transitional government has refuted claims the military leader is planning to hold on to power. Many opposition and civil society groups say they want Nguema to respect commitments he made in April after a monthlong national dialogue to make Gabon a true democratic state, one in which civilians are not persecuted for holding opinions contrary to those of the government. They say Nguema should hand over power to civilians when the 24-month transitional period ends next August. The transitional government says when the time comes, Gabon will hold free, fair and credible elections. Google said Wednesday that an Iranian group linked to the country's Revolutionary Guard had tried to infiltrate the personal email accounts of roughly a dozen people linked to President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump since May. The tech company's threat intelligence arm said the group was still actively targeting people associated with Biden, Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, who replaced Biden as the Democratic candidate last month when he dropped out of the presidential race. It said those targeted have included current and former government officials, as well as presidential campaign affiliates. The new report from Google's Threat Analysis Group affirmed and expanded upon a Microsoft report released Friday that revealed a suspected Iranian cyber intrusion in this year's U.S. presidential election. It shed light on how foreign adversaries are increasing their efforts to disrupt the election that is now less than three months away. Google's report said its threat researchers detected and disrupted a "small but steady cadence" of the Iranian attackers using email credential phishing, a type of cyberattack where the attacker poses as a trusted sender to try to get an email recipient to share login details. John Hultquist, chief analyst for the company's threat intelligence arm, said the company sends suspected targets of these attacks a Gmail pop-up that warns them that a government-backed attacker might be trying to steal their passwords. The report said Google observed the group gaining access to one high-profile political consultant's personal Gmail account. Google reported the incident to the FBI in July. Microsoft's Friday report had shared similar information, noting that the email account of a former senior adviser to a presidential campaign had been compromised and weaponized to send a phishing email to a high-ranking campaign official. The group is familiar to Google's threat intelligence arm and other researchers, and this isn't the first time it has tried to interfere in U.S. elections, Hultquist said. The report noted that the same Iranian group targeted both the Biden and Trump campaigns with phishing attacks during the 2020 cycle, as early as June of that year. The group also has been prolific in other cyber espionage activity, particularly in the Middle East, the report said. In recent months, as the Israel-Hamas war has fueled tension in the region, that activity has included email phishing campaigns targeted at Israeli diplomats, academics, nongovernmental organizations and military affiliates. Trump's campaign said Saturday that it had been hacked and that sensitive internal documents had been stolen and distributed. It said Iranian actors were to blame. The same day, Politico revealed it had received leaked internal Trump campaign documents by email, though it wasn't clear whether the leaked documents were related to the suspected Iranian cyber activity. The Washington Post and The New York Times also received the documents. While the Trump campaign hasn't provided specific evidence linking Iran to the hack, both Trump and his longtime friend and former adviser Roger Stone have said they were contacted by Microsoft related to suspected cyber intrusions. Stone's email was compromised by hackers targeting Trump's campaign, a person familiar with the matter said. Google and Microsoft wouldn't identify the people targeted in the Iranian intrusion attempts or confirm that Stone was among them. Google did confirm that the Iranian group in its report, which it calls APT42, is the same as the one in Microsoft's research. Microsoft refers to the group as Mint Sandstorm. Harris' campaign has declined to say whether it has identified any state-based intrusion attempts but has said it vigilantly monitors cyber threats and isn't aware of any security breaches of its systems. The FBI on Monday confirmed that it's investigating the intrusion of the Trump campaign. Two people familiar with the matter said the FBI also is investigating attempts to gain access to the Biden-Harris campaign. The reports of Iranian hacking come as U.S. intelligence officials have warned of persistent and mounting efforts from both Russia and Iran to influence the U.S. election through their online activity. Beyond these hacking incidents, groups linked to the countries have used fake news websites and social media accounts to churn out content that appears intended to sway voters' opinions. While neither Microsoft nor Google specified Iran's intentions in the U.S. presidential race, U.S. officials have previously hinted that Iran particularly opposes Trump. U.S. officials also have expressed alarm about Tehran's efforts to seek retaliation for a 2020 strike on an Iranian general that was ordered by Trump. Iran's mission to the United Nations, when asked about the claim of the Trump campaign, denied being involved. "We do not accord any credence to such reports," the mission told The Associated Press. "The Iranian government neither possesses nor harbors any intent or motive to interfere in the United States presidential election." The mission did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday about Google's report. Kim Dotcom, who is facing criminal charges relating to the defunct file-sharing website Megaupload, will be extradited to the United States from New Zealand, the New Zealand justice minister said on Thursday. German-born Dotcom, who has New Zealand residency, has been fighting extradition to the United States since 2012 following a FBI-ordered raid on his Auckland mansion. Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith signed an extradition order for Dotcom, a spokesperson for the Minister of Justice said I considered all of the information carefully and have decided that Mr Dotcom should be surrendered to the U.S. to face trial, Goldsmith said in a statement. As is common practice, I have allowed Mr Dotcom a short period of time to consider and take advice on my decision. I will not, therefore, be commenting further at this stage. In a post on social media website X on Tuesday, Dotcom said "the obedient US colony in the South Pacific just decided to extradite me for what users uploaded to Megaupload," in what appears to be a reference to the extradition order. Reuters could not immediately contact Dotcom for a response. U.S. authorities say Dotcom and three other Megaupload executives cost film studios and record companies more than $500 million by encouraging paying users to store and share copyrighted material, which generated more than $175 million in revenue for the website. The company's chief marketing officer Finn Batato and chief technical officer and co-founder Mathias Ortmann, both from Germany, along with a third executive, Dutch national Bram van der Kolk, were arrested with Dotcom in 2012. Ortmann and van der Kolk entered plea deals that saw them sentenced in 2023 to jail terms in New Zealand but allowed them to avoid extradition. Batato died in 2022 in New Zealand. Landlocked between Russia and China, analysts say Mongolia is finding ways to balance its outreach to Western democratic nations without alarming it neighbors to the north or south. Although Mongolia regards China and Russia as its top foreign and economic priorities, with most of its trade transiting the two, it has also committed to deepening and developing relations with the United States, Japan, the European Union and other democracies, calling these countries its "third neighbors." Sean King, senior vice president of Park Strategies, a New York-based political consultancy, tells VOA, "They're smart to involve us as much as possible as a counterweight to Moscow and Beijing." United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken concluded his latest trip to Asia earlier this month in Mongolia, where he emphasized the country is the United States "core partner" in the Indo-Pacific and that such partners are "reaching new levels every day." Blinkens visit came after the two sides held their first comprehensive strategic dialogue in Washington. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was scheduled to visit Mongolia this week, but the trip was canceled as Japan braces for a rare major earthquake predicted for the coming week. Instead, the two sides spoke by phone on August 13. Leaders of democracies who visited Mongolia the past few months include German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo. French President Emmanuel Macron visited Mongolia for the first time last year. The State Department said that including Mongolia as one of two countries in Campbell's diplomatic debut "underscores the United States' strong commitment to freedom and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and beyond." Charles Krusekopf, founder and associate director of the American Center of Mongolian Studies, told VOA, "Being able to have some regional presence by having a close relationship with Mongolia, having a friend in the region, I think, is important to the United States." The June 2019 edition of the U.S. Defense Departments Indo-Pacific Strategy Report includes Mongolia, along with New Zealand, Taiwan and Singapore, in the camp of Indo-Pacific democracies, positioning them as "reliable, competent and natural partners." Despite its geographical location, which limits its diplomatic space to maneuver, Mongolia has managed to maintain close relations with all parties, from the U.S., China, and Russia to North and South Korea, making it an exception in complex geopolitics. At last month's Ulaanbaatar Dialogue, government officials and strategic experts from eight countries, including Britain, China, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the United States, gathered in Ulaanbaatar to discuss the most pressing strategic issues in Asia today, including tensions on the Korean Peninsula. "It's one of the rare places in which people from all countries of the region can come together to meet, and it's considered kind of a neutral ground," Krusekopf tells VOA. Mongolia abstained from U.N. resolutions in 2022 and 2023 that condemned Moscows annexation of Ukrainian territory and demanded that Russian troops leave the country. Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh and Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai also met with Chinese leaders Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, respectively, last year. Oyun-Erdene visited China just a month before his state visit to the U.S., where the two countries issued the U.S.-Mongolia Joint Statement on the Strategic Third Neighbor Partnership. Shortly before Blinken's visit this month, Mongolia held its annual military exercise called Khan Exploration, which, although it was a peacekeeping exercise, was attended not only by troops from the U.S. and Japan but also China. Krusekopf says with most of Mongolias foreign trade being mining exports through China, Beijing doesnt feel a threat from Western security interests there. "Mongolia is friends with everyone in the region. It's never been a threat to other countries, and they're seen as a middle country. And it's a broker in that region," he said. Adrianna Zhang contributed to this report. Editor's note: An earlier version of this story erroneously referred to the Ulaanbaatar Dialogue as the Mongolia Forum. VOA regrets the error. U.S. prosecutors have declined to file charges against a U.S. military service person who shot and killed Ramzan Daraev, a 35-year-old Chechen asylum-seeker in North Carolina in May after a law enforcement investigation determined that the service persons actions were justified under state law. The officer had "reasonable belief" that the unarmed man could pose a threat, the Moore County sheriffs office said in a statement Monday announcing the conclusion of its investigation. "The homeowners actions were deemed justifiable under the North Carolina Castle Doctrine, which allows for the use of defensive force in situations where there is a perceived imminent threat to personal and family safety within one's home or property," the sheriffs office stated. At the time, the incident raised the specter of espionage and sparked controversy over how journalists framed the shooting. The shooting took place roughly an hour away from Fort Liberty, one of the largest U.S. military installations. Initial media coverage speculated that Daraev could have been surveilling military personnel. Daraevs employer and family said he was conducting utilities work. The latest statement by the sheriffs office confirms Daraev was doing utilities work. But it also notes that he and his coworkers were without uniforms or special equipment, something previously reported by VOA. The absence of criminal charges has angered Daraevs family, who have for months been calling for justice in his killing. They are contemplating further legal action. "I will continue fighting for justice for my brother," Roman Daraev, the victims brother, told VOA. Unclear incident On the evening of May 3, an unidentified military service person, whom media have identified as a U.S. Army Special Forces colonel at Fort Liberty, spotted Daraev on the property adjacent to his house on the rural outskirts of Carthage, North Carolina. The soldier believed that Daraev was photographing his home and children. The officers wife placed two calls to police in which she described Daraev as aggressive and said her husband was having trouble communicating with him. By the time police arrived on the scene around 8:32 p.m., Daraev lay dead from multiple gunshots fired at close range. Coverage by U.S. television channel Fox News initially described Daraev as an undocumented immigrant and presented the shooting in the context of foreign citizens attempting to infiltrate U.S. military installations. However, the Fox News journalist who reported the story later clarified on social media that, according to immigration documents published by Daraevs family, he was in the country legally. The television channel subsequently deleted the story from its website. Journalist Seth Harp has published a photo of a valid, category C08 work permit in Daraev's name. Such permits are issued to individuals who have a pending asylum application. Utilities One, which described Daraev as its subcontractor, said in a statement that he had come to the U.S. "to escape the conflict between Russia and Ukraine." In June, Daraevs coworker, Kazbek Khazbulatov, told VOA that he and Daraev had traveled to North Carolina together with four other Chechen men residing in the Chicago area to carry out utility pole surveillance work as part of a fiberoptics project. They had a map of utility poles and were supposed to photograph them on their mobile phones. Daraev was killed on a Friday. Their uniforms were supposed to be delivered on the following Monday. New information The information released Monday on the investigation reveals new details about the shooting but leaves several questions unanswered. According to the sheriffs office, business records indicate Daraev, despite not being in uniform, was conducting "legitimate utility work" for Cable Warriors, a subcontractor of Utilities One. Recovered images indicate it was "common practice" for the group to work after dark, likely without notifying property owners something atypical for the industry, the sheriffs office stated, citing the opinion of other unnamed utility workers. VOA reached out to Utilities One for comment but did not receive a response. Contact information for Cable Warriors could not be found by VOA. Local law enforcement also revealed that around 6:30 p.m. on the day of the shooting, a sheriffs patrol deputy had encountered Daraev walking near utility poles in an "isolated field" a mile away from where the shooting later took place. The deputy questioned Daraev and let him go because no crime had been committed. The sheriffs office statement also contains information about the confrontation between Daraev and the Special Forces officer. "According to the homeowner, Daraev became aggressive and refused to leave the property, at one point asserting that he was a Chechen national who had served in the Russian military and fought in Ukraine, although investigators have been unable to establish Daraevs prior foreign military status," the sheriffs office stated. The Daraev family disputes that claim. In a post on Instagram, "Justice for Ramzan Daraev," an account controlled by the family, called that information "an outright lie." Roman Daraev told VOA that his brother had never served in the Russian military, let alone fought in Ukraine. He said Ramzan Daraev left Russia with other family members for Kazakhstan in September 2022, after the Kremlin announced a "partial mobilization" of military reservists. From there, they traveled to Turkey, Mexico and, finally, the United States. The sheriffs office determined that Ramzan Daraev crossed the southern border into the United States on December 16, 2022. After Daraevs killing, police questioned his nephew, who was also surveying utility poles in the area. The nephew, who asked not to be named out of concerns for his safety, told VOA that police asked him if Daraev had any possible ties to espionage. "We said we arent involved in that. Its not connected to us in any way," he said. "We came here to request asylum and protection in this country." Open questions Monday's statement provides a limited amount of information about what transpired before the shooting, including that there didnt appear to be other witnesses. Ramzan Daraev was on the phone with his nephew when the soldier approached him. Before Daraev hung up, the nephew told VOA he heard him ask in English: "What are you doing? What are you doing?" The sheriffs office notes that Ramzan Daraev was dressed in a T-shirt, shorts and flip-flops and was carrying only a mobile phone at the time of the incident. But it also states that the confrontation between Daraev and the soldier "escalated when Daraev reportedly became agitated and lunged at the homeowner after repeatedly refusing to leave the property. The homeowner reported firing several shots in response to Daraevs advance." Daraevs brother says it would make no sense for Daraev to attack an armed man. The family has long argued that Daraevs wounds -- reportedly two in the back, one in the head, and one in the hand -- suggest he was running away. They say they are still waiting for the chief medical examiners report. Meanwhile, the Moore County Sheriffs Office says its investigators are still trying to gain access to Daraevs mobile phone. They also continue to evaluate the "operational background" of Utilities One and Cable Warriors and are "reviewing digital evidence containing electrical infrastructure maps related to the utility expansion provided to employees from a Russian cloud server." According to the statement, the sheriffs office has voluntarily kept all case materials open to the FBI and the Army Criminal Investigation Division. The former declined to comment, while the latter did not respond to a request for comment by VOA. The sheriffs office has also requested an investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration into the work practices surrounding the incident. From sharing memes to sealing deals, millions of Pakistanis are struggling to communicate digitally as internet and data services have slowed down across much of the country. Officials are blaming internet service providers for the slowdown, but media reports indicate the problem may stem from the deployment of a nationwide internet firewall aimed at controlling online content and traffic. Crippling economy The problem, which began several weeks ago, has worsened in recent days, frustrating freelancers like Moadood Ahmad, who is seeing a drop in income. "If I don't show as available on Upwork or Fiverr, then new clients can't even approach me. Older clients are also disturbed," Ahmad told VOA. The Lahore-based digital marketing services provider says he has made virtually no money in the last two weeks. According to DataReportal.com, 111 million Pakistanis in the nation of more than 240 million have access to internet. The country has nearly 189 million active cellular connections. State Bank of Pakistan put the country's IT exports at $3.2 billion in the financial year that ended in July 2024. The spokesperson's office of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) told VOA it has only heard about issues with internet speed and web access through media. Speaking to VOA in late July, the PTA spokesperson blamed the slowdown at that time on a possible technical glitch. During a hearing Thursday, the secretary for the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication told a Senate committee that it was gathering data about the situation from mobile operators. But the slump in services is not limited to mobile data users. In a statement to the media Thursday, an alliance of internet service providers (ISPs) said internet speeds had plummeted by 30% to 40%, "crippling [the] digital economy." "Many are leaving the smaller ISPs because they can't sustain the poor service quality anymore. If this continues, we will see a mass exodus of businesses from Pakistan," said the Wireless and Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan (WISPAP). Speaking to VOA, WISPAP Chairman Shahzad Arshad said his alliance members were inundated with customer complaints. "The authorities should at least tell us a timeframe that we can give to the customer," Arshad said. Without mentioning the firewall, WISPAP's statement blamed increased "security and surveillance" for the decline in service quality. "While the government remains steadfast in its commitment to enhancing security, the question remains: at what cost to the nation's digital economy?" the statement asked. Controlling access A source familiar with the nationwide firewall told VOA the system acquired from China and installed through the Ministry of Defense is based at cable landing stations in Pakistan, the place where the undersea internet data cable meets a country's internet system. The firewall, also placed on the systems used by data providers, can give Pakistani authorities information about an individual user's online activities and where they are operating from, allowing for targeted monitoring, the source said. Efforts to deploy the firewall on servers that major international companies use to store content close to end users are also under way. This can give authorities deeper access to an individual's data and control of their online activities. Digital rights activists reject the government's claim that the firewall is only a cybersecurity tool. "To me, this is about political control. This desperation to do whatever they can," said Farieha Aziz, co-founder of the digital rights group Bolo Bhi, an Urdu name that means "speak up." Government officials "are still not transparent and open about the capability [of the firewall], what kind of monitoring is happening," said Aziz. "What are they attempting?" The country's latest efforts to control internet traffic and user activity come as the powerful military frequently complains of rising "digital terrorism," a term it uses for those who criticize or mock the armed forces on social media. Digital rights activist Aziz also criticized telecom companies and internet service providers for not being transparent with users about the reasons for service disruptions. Digital freedom is limited in Pakistan. Global rights watchdog Freedom House describes Pakistan as "not free," with a low score of only 26 out of 100 on its internet freedom index. Pakistanis trying to bypass poor connectivity and speed by using VPNs are not faring much better either. "Even those who use VPNs, and use our internet services, are unable to connect," WISPAP's Shahzad confirmed to VOA. A PTA official told the Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, earlier this month that the regulator was working on a plan to approve certain virtual private networks. All other VPNs would be blocked. Senator Palwasha Khan, chairperson of the Senate's standing committee on IT, told VOA she expected internet speed to normalize in Pakistan within days. She said the committee was not informed if the problem was because of the firewall, but said she supported the censorship tool. "I do agree that if some security measures are taken to control the chaos on social media, I don't have any problem with that," said Khan, a senator from the Pakistan Peoples Party, which is part of the ruling alliance. Struggling to share voice notes and visual content with clients via a popular messaging app, freelancer Moadood Ahmad told VOA he regretted moving back to Pakistan from the United Arab Emirates. "I am thinking I made a mistake," Ahmad said. "I should go back." BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 15. The US, UK and German ambassadors to Israel called for a swift ceasefire in Gaza at a press conference in Tel Aviv, Trend reports. According to the information, they warned that there may no longer be any opportunities for a ceasefire. "Tomorrow's meeting in Doha is extremely important. It is important that it leads to a solution. We do not know how many opportunities we will have to reunite the hostages with their families and find a path to stability," US Ambassador Jack Lew said. British Ambassador Simon Walters said official London welcomes efforts to reach an agreement on the release of the hostages. German Ambassador Stefan Seibert said this week was "potentially decisive" for the fate of the hostages. Mediators from the United States, Qatar and Egypt meet for cease-fire talks with an Israeli delegation in Qatar Thursday as the Palestinian death toll from the 10-month-old war surpassed 40,000. What is Mpox and why has it been declared a global health emergency? Ukrainian forces continue their push deeper into Russia. Protests over the gruesome death of a doctor in India and the toll extreme heat is having on children around the world. Western analysts are welcoming an upgrade of a key air base in the Philippines as necessary to boost the readiness of the Philippines and U.S. militaries to deter Chinese aggression in the South China Sea. Basa Air Base, located about 100 kilometers from Manila, is set to receive a 58,000-square-meter parking apron that can accommodate up to 20 aircraft. The Pentagon announced last month it has awarded a contract worth over $32 million to Acciona CMS Philippines LLC to build the parking apron, shoulders and taxiway by July 2026. The upgrade will be funded under the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, a Pentagon program aimed at countering Chinas growing military threat in the Indo-Pacific. The United States and its allies in the region will be able to deter aggression more effectively if the infrastructure at key bases such as Basa is modernized and expanded, said Bradley Bowman, senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. The ultimate goal, of course, is to deter Chinese aggression in the region. This is not a theoretical problem. Beijing daily demonstrates that it believes in a might-makes-right foreign policy that ignores sovereignty and rights of its neighbors, Bowman continued. Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., told VOA on Tuesday that the Philippines and the United States should not target any third party in their cooperation to upgrade the base. China made clear its positions on the military cooperation between the U.S. and the Philippines more than once," he said. The U.S. is not a party to the issue of the South China Sea and has no right to interfere in the maritime issues between China and the Philippines. Manila on Sunday condemned dangerous provocative actions by two Chinese aircraft dropping flares in the path of a Philippine aircraft conducting a routine patrol around the Scarborough Shoal on Thursday in the South China Sea. Beijing defended its action as a legal move against Manilas illegal intrusion into its airspace. The Scarborough Shoal is one of the regions most contested maritime flashpoints. Manila and Beijing often find themselves in frequent flare-ups over the sovereignty and fishing rights of the shoal. It sits about 300 kilometers from Basa Air Base, well within the Philippines Exclusive Economic Zone and about 900 kilometers from the Chinese mainland. The base, which hosts the Philippines fleet of FA-50PH combat aircraft, is currently ill-equipped to host additional fighter jets that the Philippines is in the process of acquiring, said Abdul Rahman Yaacob, a research fellow in the Southeast Asia Program at the Lowy Institute. Philippine military chief Romeo Brawner Jr. said in July the government had approved a decision to purchase multi-role fighter jets because the FA-50s were not enough to defend the country. Yaacob said, The air base, if equipped with sufficient infrastructure and facilities, could support and sustain Filipino and friendly forces joint operations at the top end of the South China Sea, including surveillance operations. Basa Air Base could play a role in any tension or conflict between the U.S. and China because of its location, Yaacob said. The base faces the South China Sea across from Chinas Hainan Island. The modernization of the base is part of an Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) signed in 2014, which allows the U.S. to build and operate facilities on Philippines bases for both countries and rotate American forces through the Philippines. The agreement did not establish permanent U.S. bases in the country. The U.S. allocated $66.57 million for Basa Air Base out of $82 million allocated for infrastructure investments at five bases designated as the EDCA sites in 2016. Prashanth Parameswaran, a fellow at the Wilson Center in Washington and founder of the twice-weekly ASEAN Wonk online newsletter, said the Basa Air Base modernization is the latest in an impressive series of advances in the U.S.-Philippine alliance among both countries, as well as their wider network of partners under Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Alliance collaboration in four new defense sites announced last year will also be key to monitor, in addition to five previously agreed sites including Basa Air Base, that were part of the 2016 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, Parameswaran said. In addition to five bases including Basa, the U.S. and the Philippines announced last year they will expand the EDCA to include four new sites. Russian officials Wednesday announced evacuation of 20,000 more people as Ukrainian troops continued their push into the Kursk region. Acting Governor Alexei Smirnov said on the Telegram messaging app that police and other authorities would coordinate the evacuation of the Glushkov district, which borders Ukraine. Russia has evacuated nearly 200,000 people since Ukraine launched its cross-border attack August 6. Ukrainian military commander General Oleksandr Syrskyi said more than 100 Russian soldiers were taken prisoner, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said they would eventually be traded for Ukrainian prisoners of war. "Our advance in the Kursk region is going well today we are reaching our strategic goal," Zelenskyy said in his nightly address Wednesday. "The exchange fund for our state has also been significantly replenished," he said. Ukraines cross-border invasion advanced 1 to 2 kilometers into the Kursk region since the start of the day and its troops had finished clearing the Russian border town of Sudzha of Moscow's forces, Zelenskyy said. In the first incursion onto Russian soil since World War II, Ukrainian troops have taken control of up to 1,000 square kilometers of land. "It is important that Ukraine fights by the rules, and the humanitarian needs that exist in this area must be met," he added. Ukraines Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereschuk said the military would open humanitarian corridors so civilians in the Kursk region under Ukrainian control could go elsewhere in Russia or Ukraine. "The more the Russian military presence in the border area is destroyed, the closer peace and real security will be for our country," Zelenskyy said Tuesday. "The Russian state must be held accountable for what it has done." While Kyiv has said it has no intention of permanently holding the Russian territory, Interior Minister Igor Klymenko said Ukraine wants to create a buffer zone to prevent Russian strikes. "The creation of a buffer zone in the Kursk region is a step to protect our border communities from daily hostile shelling," he said. Material from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters was used in this report. When the opposition activist Ilya Yashin spoke after being freed from a Russian prison as part of the historic prisoner swap between Washington and Moscow, he said he had been warned never to return. Speaking in Bonn, Germany, Yashin said that a Federal Security Service agent told him that if he came back from exile, his "days will end like Navalny's" a reference to opposition figure Alexey Navalny, who died in an Arctic penal colony in February. But as the experiences of Russian journalists and critics already in exile show, distance from Moscow is no assurance of safety. Alesya Marokhovskaya fled Moscow for Prague shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, thinking she would be safe in the Czech capital. Then the threats started. Several menacing messages directed at her and a colleague came via the feedback form on the website of IStories, the Prague-based Russian outlet where they work. Sent over the course of several months last year, the messages included detailed information about where they lived, their travel plans, and even that Marokhovskaya's dog had breathing problems. "I was thinking I was safe here, and it was a big mistake for me because it's not true," Marokhovskaya told VOA. "It's hard not to be paranoid." Even when Marokhovskaya moved to a new apartment, the assailants took notice. "Rest assured, you can't hide from us anywhere," an August 2023 message, originally in Russian, said. "We'll find her wherever she walks her wheezing dog. None of you can hide anywhere now." The threats underscore a troubling pattern of transnational repression in which Moscow reaches across borders to target exiled journalists and activists around the world. Well-documented tactics to silence critics include online harassment, legal threats, surveillance and suspected poisonings, press freedom experts say. Russia's Foreign Ministry declined to answer specific questions about threats and harassment facing journalists. A spokesperson instead said "protecting the rights of journalists" is the ministry's "constant focus of attention." The emailed response shared a list of instances in which foreign governments fined, banned or suspended Kremlin-run media. Russia's Prague embassy, meanwhile, did not reply to VOA's email requesting comment. At first, Marokhovskaya thought the threats didn't impact her. But she later noticed changes in her lifestyle. She didn't leave her home as often, she said, and she worried about surveillance. "Physically, I've never faced any aggression. It's just words for now, but it makes my life really messy," she said. "But only in a psychological way." It's a sentiment shared by her colleagues at IStories and other exiled Russian journalists who spoke with VOA in Prague. "Any journalist, whether he's working at IStories, or The Insider, or any other media outlet in exile, is, in a way, risking his or her life. You can't be 100% safe," IStories founder Roman Anin told VOA. Restricted by Russian laws that effectively banned independent coverage of the war in Ukraine, hundreds of journalists and their newsrooms fled. Most resettled across Europe in cities like Amsterdam, Berlin, Riga, Vilnius, Tbilisi and Prague. The legal aid group Setevye Svobody, or Net Freedoms Project, estimates that at least 1,000 journalists have left since the war broke out. Rights group OVD-Info estimates roughly the same number of political prisoners are held in Russian custody. Among that number, say watchdogs, are several journalists. Had she stayed on Russian soil, Rita Loginova thinks she would have been among them. Originally from the Siberian city Novosibirsk, the journalist faced police harassment before fleeing in March 2023 on the encouragement of her editors. "I didn't want to become a prisoner, because a mother near her children is better than a mother in prison. That's why I'm here," Loginova told VOA one evening at her favorite pizza place in Prague. Between puffs on her vape and sips of beer, she spoke about leaving home "because we had a lot of risk for our life and our liberty," and how she misses her mom, her dog and the view from her old apartment. Although she likes Prague, Loginova, who works at the independent outlet Verstka, says she is beset by financial hardship, a challenge experienced by many exiled Russians. More broadly, reporting on Russia from abroad is a challenge, especially for outlets like IStories that have been branded "undesirable" organizations by the Kremlin a designation that exposes staffers and sources to criminal charges and jail time. As a result, says IStories founder Anin, finding sources in Russia willing to speak can be hard. And yet the exiled journalists know they are luckier than the political prisoners in Russia, let alone Ukrainians grappling with Russia's invasion firsthand. "We have not an easy job, but simultaneously, we shouldn't complain," Anin said. In June, Russia issued an arrest warrant for Anin on charges of spreading "false information" about the military, a charge the Kremlin often uses to retaliate against independent journalists or critics who speak out against the war. "I was a little bit surprised why it took them so long to take this legal step," says Anin, who left Russia in 2021 for vacation but never returned after learning of his likely arrest. When the government fell, the trees began coming down, too. The collapse of Somalias central government in 1991 and the subsequent absence of law and order removed any restraints on tree cutting in the East African state. Businesses and individuals took their machetes to the forest and began chopping down trees indiscriminately, to use as firewood or to produce charcoal for sale and export. According to the U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization, Somalia lost nearly 30% of its forest cover between 1990 and 2020, a disaster for environmentalists seeking to preserve wildlife, stem global warming and halt desertification. During much of the 2010s, says the U.N., an estimated 4.4 million trees were cut down annually in Somalia to produce some 250,000 tons of charcoal, most of it exported to Saudi Arabia and other states on the Arabian Peninsula. The extent of the tree cutting was so alarming that in 2012, the U.N. Security Council banned the export of charcoal from Somalia. But sales by the militant group al-Shabab and individuals simply trying to make a living have continued. The fight to stop tree cutting could take years as most citizens continue to rely on wood. According to the Somali government, traditional biomass fuels mainly firewood and charcoal account for 82% of Somalias total energy consumption. The government acknowledges overdependence on unsustainable energy sources for the majority of the population. However, in the past few years, attitudes toward deforestation have begun to change, leading some Somalis to embrace alternate sources of energy. Progress is slow, but advocates say it is being made. The growth of gas Abdiraham Ali Ahmed has seen his business, Hass Petroleum, grow slowly since he began importing liquified petroleum gas, or LPG, to Mogadishu in 2008. When we started importing gas, the entire city was using about 20 tons. Now we bring in 1,500 tons, so there is a marked increase, Ahmed said. He said his company now delivers gas to other towns, including Baidoa, Marka and Afgoye. He says LPG, which is often used as a cooking fuel, has been embraced by many restaurants in the capital. The company estimates that 30 percent of restaurants now use LPG but among the general population, the use of LPG is small, no more than 8%. Ahmed blames lack of awareness about LPG and its advantages as a clean burning, easy-to-use, cost-efficient fuel and one that does not strip Somalia of its tree cover. Ahmed wants the government to promote a transition by increasing taxes on charcoal and waiving taxation on gas. People who bring charcoal do that at no cost, he said. They cut a tree that does not belong to them, they bring it to the market at $3, and they sell it at $10. We sell the can of gas at $20. If people were to be shown that gas is healthier and quicker to cook, helps the climate, and prevents damage and erosion, the consumption would be greater, he said. In the northeastern port town of Bosaso, Sahal Gas head Abdilatif Abdullahi Nur has been importing LPG for 10 years. He said his company has 10,000 to 15,000 customers in each of the five cities they operate. We passed the awareness and training period. This time, people come to our office and they call us seeking gas service, he said. Now a lot of trees have been spared. It could come to a stage when no trees are cut, and that benefits the environment and climate. The people who produce charcoal need a market, he said. He argues that if they see demand dwindling, they will realize they are going out of business, and they might move on to another business initiative. Last month, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamed inaugurated the first gas storage facility in Mogadishu, which officials hope could lead to increased consumption. A surge in solar power Another source of energy gaining traction in Somalia is solar power. One of the biggest electricity companies in Mogadishu, BECO, set up a solar plant to supplement and, in the long run, potentially replace diesel generators that individuals and businesses have been using for decades, the company said. Now we reduced relying on diesel generators because BECO alone has set up a 72-megawatt solar grid, said Mohamed Farah Ali, the companys chief engineer and head of research and development. In Mogadishu, currently we are using 36% of our generation from solar in the daytime and 18% overall. Our target is 80% in the daytime and close to 50% in the nighttime, he said. BECO, which provides electricity services to 280,000 customers in Mogadishu, set up its first solar plant in 2016. Solar power has helped reduce the price of electricity for BECO customers from $1.20 per kilowatt to just 36 cents per kilowatt. Economically, the public benefited with cheaper electricity. Environmentally we reduced the carbon dioxide and reliance on polluting generators. Its a win-win situation, he said. He said BECOs plan is to eliminate the use of diesel generators by 2027 mostly, if not 100%. The company will instead produce electricity using solar, battery and heavy fuel oil. But he cautions that solar energy requires a huge investment from banks to expand capacity and reduce the price for citizens and businesses. Meanwhile, residents in two small villages south of Mogadishu have this year started getting electricity from the solar grid. The aim of this project is to help the community get cheap and continuous electricity, said Sharmarke Abdulkadir Hassan, head of Tamarso, the solar company behind the solar installation in Abay Dhahan and Jazeera villages. Eighteen households initially subscribed to the service in Abay Dhahan. Six months later, the customer base is up to 60 households out of roughly 150 households. People are now buying refrigerators to store fish, activity is kicking off, Hassan said. The challenge? Solar energy is still expensive for the majority of the residents whose income is low. Investment in solar energy is paramount, he said. This article is part of a three-part series examining the impact of climate events in Somalia. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol offered on Thursday to establish a working-level consultative body with North Korea to discuss ways to ease tension and resume economic cooperation, as he laid out his vision on unification of the neighbors. In a National Liberation Day speech marking the 79th anniversary of independence from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule after World War II, Yoon said he was ready to begin political and economic cooperation if North Korea "takes just one step" toward denuclearization. Yoon used the speech to unveil a blueprint for unification and make a fresh outreach to Pyongyang, following his government's recent offer to provide relief supplies for flood damage in the isolated North, which he said had been rejected. But a unified Korea appears a distant prospect with relations between the neighbors at the lowest point in decades as the North races to advance its nuclear and missile capabilities and takes steps to cut ties with the South, redefining it as a separate, hostile enemy state. At the start of the year, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called South Korea a "primary foe" and said unification was no longer possible. Yoon said launching the "inter-Korean working group" could help relieve tensions and handle any issues ranging from economic cooperation to people-to-people exchanges to reunions of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War. "Dialogue and cooperation can bring about substantive progress in inter-Korean relations," he said. His speech came amid a dispute with opposition lawmakers over Yoon's appointment of what they view as a pro-Japan, revisionist former professor to oversee a national independence museum, another sign of divisions and political polarization over Yoon's efforts to boost security ties with Tokyo. Major independence movement groups which had for decades co-hosted the annual National Liberation Day events with the government held a separate ceremony for the first time in protest, joined by opposition lawmakers. Yoon's office has said there were "misunderstandings" about the appointment and was seeking ways to resolve them. Conference on human rights Yoon, in the speech, also raised the idea of launching an international conference on North Korea's human rights and a fund to promote global awareness on the issue, support activist groups, and expand North Koreans' access to outside information. "If more North Koreans come to recognize that unification through freedom is the only way to improve their lives and are convinced that a unified Republic of Korea will embrace them, they will become strong, friendly forces for a freedom-based unification," he said. Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North Korean studies in Seoul, said the North could take Seoul's plans to promote human rights and outside information while offering aid and talks as contradictory and a threat to Kim's regime. "Those plans look good on the surface, but from Pyongyang's perspective, they are nothing but programs that could contribute to overthrowing the regime," Yang said. This year's speech marked a departure from Yoon's focus on Japan during past anniversaries, even as at least three Japanese cabinet ministers visited the controversial Yasukuni shrine which Seoul calls a symbol of the country's wartime aggression. Seoul's foreign ministry expressed deep disappointment over the visit, urging Tokyo to "face history and demonstrate humble reflection and genuine introspection on the past." The main opposition Democratic Party issued a statement denouncing Yoon's speech as a plot to consolidate his "pro-Japan, ultra-right forces" and instigate war with North Korea. Yoon's office defended the speech, saying it showed Seoul's confidence by seeking cooperation with Tokyo while raising thorny historical issues, as well as laying groundwork for future North Korean unification even without Pyongyang's help. "We cannot be optimistic about when and how they (the North Koreans) will respond," an official told reporters, while noting that a working-level consultative body would not suddenly require leaders to meet and shake hands without substantive progress. The United Nations said Thursday that Taliban authorities in Afghanistan have deliberately deprived 1.4 million girls of schooling since they reclaimed power three years ago, putting at risk the future of an entire generation. The U.N. Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization or UNESCO released the new report as de facto Afghan leaders marked the third anniversary of ruling the poverty-stricken South Asian country this week. The Taliban swept back to power in August 2021 and have placed sweeping restrictions on womens access to education and public life, making Afghanistan the only country in the world to prohibit access to education for girls ages 12 and older. As a result of bans imposed by the de facto authorities, at least 1.4 million girls have been deliberately denied access to secondary education since 2021, said Audrey Azoulay, the UNESCO director-general, in a statement. This represents an increase of 300,000 since the previous count carried out by UNESCO in April 2023 with more girls reaching the age limit of 12 every year, she noted. The U.N. and global human rights groups have denounced the bans as "gender apartheid and called for their immediate reversal. The Taliban government, not formally recognized by any country, has not immediately responded to the UNESCO findings and demands for removing the bans on female education. The radical Afghan leaders have vehemently and persistently rejected criticism of their policies, claiming they are aligned with local culture and their harsh interpretation of Sharia, or Islamic law. Azoulay said that almost 2.5 million girls in Afghanistan, which accounts for 80% of school-age girls, are now unable to access education due to the bans. The report also includes girls who were not attending school before the Taliban takeover, she added. The UNESCO report said that access to primary education had also fallen sharply, with 1.1 million fewer Afghan girls and boys attending school under the Taliban rule. It added that Afghanistan had only 5.7 million girls and boys in primary school in 2022, compared with 6.8 million in 2019. The study attributed the drop in primary school enrollment to the Taliban's decision to prohibit female teachers from teaching boys, exacerbating the teacher shortage. Increasingly difficult socio-economic circumstances facing Afghanistan are also responsible for parents lack of incentive to send their children to school, according to the report. UNESCO is alarmed by the harmful consequences of this increasingly massive drop-out rate, which could lead to a rise in child labor and early marriage." "In just three years, the de facto authorities have almost wiped out two decades of steady progress for education in Afghanistan, and the future of an entire generation is now in jeopardy, Azoulay said. Enrollment in higher education is equally concerning, the statement said, adding that the number of university students had decreased by 53% since 2021. "As a result, the country will rapidly face a shortage of graduates trained for the most highly skilled jobs, which will only exacerbate development problems, said UNESCO. Azoulay urged the global community to maintain its mobilization for the full restoration of the right to education for girls and women in Afghanistan. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump lobbed a series of personal and policy-based attacks at his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris, in a speech on Wednesday. Some allies, donors and advisers have expressed concern at Trump's attacks on the U.S. vice president's intellect and suggested that he instead focus on what they argue are the failed policies Harris has promoted while in office. Speaking to supporters in Asheville, North Carolina, Trump steered clear of broadsides challenging Harris' racial identity and spoke about policy in more detail than he has at other recent events. But he continued to throw personal insults at her, at one point calling her "stupid" and denigrating her laugh as a cackle, saying: "That's the laugh of a person with some big problems." Since emerging as the Democratic Party's candidate after President Joe Biden dropped his reelection bid last month, Harris has dramatically changed the race. Polls have consistently shown her closing the gap on Trump and some now have her ahead in the race for the November 5 election. The surge has rattled Trump's campaign, and he has responded with insults. He has implied that Harris, whose mother was born in India and whose father was born in Jamaica, has only recently leaned into her Black identity. Some Trump allies say the approach has hurt his campaign. "Personally, it makes no difference to me what Kamala wants to identify as," said Bill Bean, a major Republican donor who hosted Trump's vice presidential pick, JD Vance, at an Indiana fundraiser in late July. Bean said he had talked with Vance and Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley about the need to attack Harris on her policy record, not her identity. Trump spent the latter part of his North Carolina speech doing just that. He said he would open up federal lands to drilling and ease the permitting process for pipelines, among other measures designed to bring down consumer prices, should he defeat Harris. He also pledged to cut energy and electricity prices in half within 12 to 18 months of taking office. He did not specify how he would do this but repeated previous promises to bring more oil production online, including in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, where the Biden administration has ceased issuing new permits. He accused Harris of supporting a ban on fracking and said her position would prove a major liability in the critical swing state of Pennsylvania, where fracking is common. While Harris opposed all new fossil fuel infrastructure projects when she was running for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2019, and the Biden administration tried and failed to impose a fracking ban on federal lands, her campaign says she no longer favors a ban. In a memo released before Trump's Asheville event, Harris campaign communications director Michael Tyler accused Trump of neglecting the middle class by opposing union protections and backing corporate tax cuts, among other measures. Harris on Friday will travel to North Carolina, where she will talk about economic policy in a speech in Raleigh. She will outline a plan "to lower costs for middle-class families and take on corporate price-gouging," a campaign official said. Trump maintains a slim lead in North Carolina, according to an average maintained by the website Real Clear Politics, though Harris is within striking distance. That represents a marked difference from a month ago, when Biden was the candidate and Republicans appeared to be running away with the state and were turning their attention to traditionally Democratic states like Minnesota and Virginia. Ukraine said Thursday its military has taken full control of the Russian town of Sudzha in the Kursk region, the largest town Ukraine has seized so far in its incursion into Russian territory. In a statement posted to his official account on X, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was informed by Ukrainian military Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi of the successful liberation of Sudzha from Russian forces. A Ukrainian military commandant's office is being established there, Zelenskyy added. He said more than 80 Russian settlements have been liberated, and an area of 1,150 square kilometers seized so far during the 10-day Ukrainian incursion. Sudzha is about 9.6 kilometers inside Russia from the Ukraine border and had a pre-war population of about 5,000 people. It is the site of the Russian pipeline infrastructure in which gas flows for distribution to Europe. There were no reports of any interruption of gas deliveries into Europe since the town was seized. Russia did not immediately respond to Zelenskyys statement, but its defense ministry said earlier Thursday that Russian forces had blocked Ukrainian attempts to take several other communities. In an exclusive interview with British newspaper The Independent, top Zelenskyy adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said the incursion is being seen as a psychological tactic to force Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table and end the war. Podolyak said Ukraine believes inflicting significant tactical defeats on Russia, in addition to economic and diplomatic tools, are needed to coerce Russia to negotiate. Analysts had also suggested the incursion was designed to draw Russian troops away from front-line conflicts. During a telephone briefing with reporters on Thursday, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the U.S. had observed some Russian units being redirected from operations in and around Ukraine to the Kursk area, but he stressed that those were merely early reports. Kirby added that he was not in the position to speak for Ukrainian military operations or for what Ukraines intent or ultimate objective might be. Russian officials Wednesday announced the evacuation of 20,000 more people, as Ukrainian troops continued their push into the Kursk region. Kursk Acting Governor Alexei Smirnov said on the Telegram messaging app that police and other authorities would coordinate the evacuation of the Glushkov district, which borders Ukraine. Russia has evacuated nearly 200,000 people since Ukraine launched its cross-border attack August 6. Ukrainian military commander General Oleksandr Syrskyi said that more than 100 Russian soldiers were taken prisoner. Zelenskyy said they would eventually be traded for Ukrainian prisoners of war. In his nightly address on Wednesday, Zelenskyy said the advance in the Kursk region was going well, and added, The exchange fund for our state has also been significantly replenished. It is important that Ukraine fights by the rules, and the humanitarian needs that exist in this area must be met, he added. Ukraines Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said the military would open humanitarian corridors so civilians in the Kursk region under Ukrainian control could go elsewhere in Russia or Ukraine. The more the Russian military presence in the border area is destroyed, the closer peace and real security will be for our country, Zelenskyy said on Tuesday. The Russian state must be held accountable for what it has done. While Kyiv has said it has no intention of permanently holding the Russian territory, Interior Minister Igor Klymenko said Ukraine wants to create a buffer zone to prevent Russian strikes. "The creation of a buffer zone in the Kursk region is a step to protect our border communities from daily hostile shelling," he said. Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. The United Nations Human Rights Office has joined calls for Zimbabwe's government to release more than 100 activists detained ahead of the Southern African Development Community summit on Saturday. Speaking to VOA from Nairobi on Thursday, U.N. Human Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango said his organization is monitoring the situation. We at the U.N. Human Rights Office are concerned by reports of arrest, harassment and intimidation of human rights defenders and political activists in Zimbabwe, in the lead up to the SADC summit, Magango said via WhatsApp. We call for the immediate release of all those arbitrarily detained and for protection of civic space. Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said that since mid-June, there has been a "wave" of arrests of pro-democracy activists nationwide. Other activists reportedly are in hiding. The government said the people arrested were planning to protest at this weekends SADC summit, where 16 heads of state and government are expected in Harare. While freedom of expression is a fundamental right, its paramount to observe that the enjoyment of that freedom should not be at the expense of the freedom of your fellow citizens, said Kazembe Kazembe, Zimbabwes home affairs minister. Freedom of expression does not and cannot mean the right to remove a democratically elected government from office and to replace it with people or [a] party elected by nobody. The opposition has never held any peaceful demonstrations. Kazembe added that the countrys focus should be on hosting the upcoming summit and not on the misplaced priorities of an opposition hoping to stir up civil unrest. Promise Mkwananzi, the spokesman for Zimbabwes main opposition party, the Citizens Coalition for Change, welcomed the statement by the U.N. Human Rights Office as proof that the crisis in the country had transcended its borders. It is the prerogative of the international institutions like the U.N. to hold Zimbabwe to account and to call for the halt of harassment and arrest of activists in Zimbabwe, Mkwananzi said. Welcome the statement indeed, we ratify the statement and indeed it is true: Zimbabwe must release all political prisoners and SADC must not be party to the persecution of Zimbabwe for the sake of hosting this summit. Alexander Rusero, a professor of politics at Africa University in Zimbabwe, offered advice to both the ruling ZANU-PF party and civic society groups. Civic society organizations, they also ought to change their game, in as much as confronting ZANU-PF is concerned. And on the other hand, ZANU-PF should also realize that confrontation with civic society ... at the end of the day, the civic society has nothing to lose, but ZANU-PF, they have a country to run, Rusero said. Now we have an SADC summit and it does not give a good picture, to have the state always at loggerheads with certain protagonists in the opposition and in the civil society. At the Saturday summit, Zimbabwe will assume SADCs chairmanship for the first time since the 16-nation bloc became a development community in 1992. Photo: The official information website of the President of Turkey BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 15. Turkiye will continue to support the just cause of Palestine, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Trend reports. According to the information, during the meeting, measures to achieve a permanent ceasefire and peace in the Gaza Strip, as well as current events, were discussed. Erdogan noted that Turkiye will continue to support the Palestinian cause, while at the same time making efforts to stop Israel and increase international pressure on it. He also called on all countries, especially those in the Islamic world, to step up efforts to ensure an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the continued delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinians. The United States welcomed Thursdays announcement by Sudan's sovereign council to allow the use of the Adre border crossing with Chad for three months, while continuing efforts to bring both sides of Sudan's warring military factions to the negotiating table. The opening of the Adre border crossing is a long-awaited move by aid organizations aiming to deliver humanitarian assistance to famine-threatened areas of the Darfur region. The war-torn country faces one of the worlds worst humanitarian crises. We welcome the news as it relates to this border crossing with Chad, State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel told VOA during a briefing on Thursday. We are continuing to call on the SAF [Sudanese Armed Forces] and RSF [Rapid Support Forces] to facilitate unrestricted humanitarian access through any and all available channels. The United States has invited leaders from both warring factions to Geneva, Switzerland, for talks aimed at negotiating a potential cease-fire to end the 16-month civil war. The SAF had already rejected the talks several days earlier, while the RSF delegation, though in Switzerland, was absent from Wednesdays open session. We're still very focused on getting both sides in Sudan back to the table and to come to meaningful agreements about laying their arms down and doing the right thing for the people of Sudan, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Thursday. You certainly need both military actors to be part of the conversation on a cessation of violence, Patel told reporters on Thursday. Diplomats from the African Union, Egypt, Saudia Arabia, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates and the United Nations were at the U.S.-mediated talks, which opened on Wednesday. Day 2 of our diplomatic talks on Sudan is under way. We continue our relentless work with international partners to save lives and ensure we achieve tangible results that build upon the Jeddah Process and implement the Jeddah Declaration, U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan Tom Perriello wrote on X. The Jeddah Declaration, reached in May 2023, calls for full aid access by land and air to all populations regardless of who controls the area. More than a year of fighting between SAF and RSF troops has displaced nearly 10 million people across the greater Horn of Africa country and left 26 million facing crisis-level hunger. The medical system in Sudan is at a breaking point. Hospitals designed to serve tens of thousands are overwhelmed with over half a million displaced people, while the international communitys pledged aid remains largely undelivered, Adil Al-Mahi, humanitarian organization MedGlobals country director in Sudan, told VOA on Thursday. He added that the last operational hospital in El Fasher may be forced to close due to intense shelling. El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, is the battleground for intense conflict between the SAF and RSF. The Saudi Hospital, the last public hospital in North Darfur, is barely functioning after continued bombardments. With each attack, it becomes increasingly clear that there is no regard for the protection of health facilities or the civilians within them. The international community must urgently intervene to protect these vital lifelines before its too late, Al-Mahi said. The Biden administration is planning to speed up the processing of asylum-seekers at the U.S.-Canada border in response to a significant increase in migrant crossings. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed in an email to VOA that there would be two changes in the asylum process at the northern border. They also emphasized that the agency continues to enforce U.S. immigration laws and deliver tough consequences for noncitizens who do not have a lawful basis to remain in the United States. DHS carefully reviewed its implementation of the Safe Third Country Agreement with Canada and concluded that it could streamline that process at the border without impacting noncitizens ability to have access to a full and fair procedure for determining a claim to asylum or equivalent temporary protection, the spokesperson said. CBS News reported the plan before DHS confirmed the details with VOA. These policy changes were scheduled to take effect Wednesday. The first change will require migrants to present their documents, testimony and other credible evidence when U.S. asylum officers screen them to determine if they are subject to the agreement. Before, migrants could delay the screening while they gathered the information needed to prove they qualify for an exemption. Asylum officers will consider only the documentary evidence available at the time of the TSI [Threshold Screening Interview], the DHS spokesperson wrote. The second change reduces the time a migrant has to consult with a lawyer. Starting Wednesday, a migrant has a minimum of four hours to get legal assistance before the first asylum interview. The DHS made a similar change at the U.S.-Mexico border in June in a move aimed at limiting asylum claims there. The Safe Third Country asylum agreement between the U.S. and Canada was signed in 2002 and expanded in 2023. It assigns responsibility for processing asylum claims to the country where the asylum-seeker first arrives. Those affected by the Safe Third Country agreement must show that they first requested asylum in Canada when entering the U.S. from that country. If not, they may be sent back to Canada unless they qualify for an exemption. Unaccompanied children and migrants with relatives in the U.S. are exempt from the agreement. Similarly, those who cross into Canada from the U.S. and fall under the agreement can be returned to the U.S. by Canadian authorities. The DHS spokesperson said these changes were expected to help U.S. immigration officials process and remove migrants faster along the 8,890-kilometer northern border, where migrant encounters have increased this year. In fiscal 2024 through June, U.S. Border Patrol agents encountered 16,459 migrants who crossed the U.S.-Canada border illegally. That was up from 10,021 in fiscal 2023 and 2,238 in 2022. The DHS spokesperson called these changes only procedural and did not provide any additional comments beyond the statement. U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday continued to pressure leaders of nations sharing a region with Venezuela to resolve the oil-rich nation's political crisis stemming from its vote last month. The White House, meanwhile, reaffirmed its belief that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro fraudulently claimed hed won reelection. Maduro is cracking down on his political opponents, prompting rights groups to sound the alarm. In a call between Biden and Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino on Wednesday, the two leaders discussed their concerns about "serious flaws" in the vote count following the Venezuelan election on July 28, according to a White House readout. "President Biden thanked President Mulino for his effort to advance democracy in both Panama and the hemisphere, including Panamas efforts to mobilize regional support to restore democratic norms in Venezuela and condemn political repression, the readout stated. The White House also took pains Wednesday to reiterate its stance that the Maduro-controlled National Electoral Council incorrectly tabulated the vote. It is abundantly clear to the majority of the Venezuelan people, the United States and a growing number of countries that the CNE [Venezuela's electoral council] has not provided full, detailed tallied votes because they would show that Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia won the vote, said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. Maduro must recognize it and engage in a constructive, inclusive dialogue in good faith with the opposition to restore democratic norms peacefully in accordance with Venezuelan electoral law and the wishes of the people. Washingtons ties with Caracas have been strained over the past two decades not only by ideological differences with the left-leaning country but also by the United States' crippling sanctions on the nation. The resulting economic crisis has led to the northward exodus of millions of Venezuelans, leaving both U.S. authorities and those migrants in a delicate position as this crisis simmers. For his part, Madruo has said he won the election and considers it settled. He says that those hurt in the crackdown are among the ranks of the National Guard and the police. Their actions have been in total accordance with the Constitution and the law. The United Nations, meanwhile, sounded the alarm this week over arbitrary detentions and disproportionate use of force in the country after the poll. The U.N. human rights body said forces loyal to Maduro have rounded up more than 2,000 people for demonstrating against him or casting doubt on his claims that he won a third term fairly. "It is especially troubling that so many people are being detained, accused or charged either with incitement to hatred or under counterterrorism legislation, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said in a statement. Criminal law must never be used to limit unduly the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association. Scholars of the region are calling for stronger action from world leaders. What we're seeing there are human rights violations, and while many countries talk a big game, as we've seen around the world right now, few countries actually will step in and intervene, unfortunately, to protect civilians in situations where their rights are being violated and their physical integrity is being violated, said Maya Camargo-Vemuri, a researcher on mass atrocities and government repression at Johns Hopkins University. Wilson Center Chief of Staff Eddy Acevedo, who is currently in the region to look at issues stemming from the Venezuelan poll, told VOA he questions the White Houses strategy of giving diplomacy a chance as it evaluates next steps. While I understand the rationale of trying to get Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil to do the right thing, they have failed to do so as of now, he told VOA via email. Therefore, the U.S. must take the lead in rallying not only regional support but the rest of the international community to exert pressure on Maduro to allow a democratic transition in line with the results of the election. It's important to also remember countries like Panama, Costa Rica, and Chile who have stood strong in standing up for democratic principles in Venezuela. And, he said, he believes a rerun of the poll as proposed by Brazil is not the answer. The Brazilians are shopping around a proposal for a second election, and this must be a nonstarter, he said. The Venezuelan people have spoken, and the results are clear. No second election. Punto! Celia Mendoza contributed from the White House; Kim Lewis contributed from Washington. A Russian court on Thursday sentenced U.S.-Russian dual national Ksenia Khavana to 12 years in prison on a treason conviction for allegedly raising money for the Ukrainian military. Khavana, whom Russian authorities identify by her maiden name of Karelina, was arrested in Yekaterinburg in February. She pleaded guilty in her closed trial last week, news reports said. Khavana reportedly obtained U.S. citizenship after marrying an American and moving to Los Angeles. She had returned to Russia to visit her family. Russia's Federal Security Service said she "proactively collected money in the interests of one of the Ukrainian organizations, which was subsequently used to purchase tactical medical supplies, equipment, weapons, and ammunition for the Ukrainian armed forces." The rights group The First Department said the charges stem from a $51 donation to a U.S. charity that helps Ukraine. Since sending troops into Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has sharply cracked down on dissent and has passed laws that criminalize criticism of the operation in Ukraine and remarks considered to discredit the Russian military. Concern has risen since then that Russia could be targeting U.S. nationals for arrest. In the largest Russia-West prisoner exchange since the end of the Cold War, Russia this month released Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and American corporate security executive Paul Whelan, both of whom were imprisoned on espionage convictions, and U.S.-Russian dual national Alsu Kurmasheva, a Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe journalist sentenced to 6 1/2 years for spreading "false information" about the Russian military. Russia also released several prominent opposition figures who were imprisoned for criticizing the Ukraine military operation. The United States, the United Nations and Arab countries condemned a visit by Israels hardline national security minister and hundreds of supporters to Jerusalems flashpoint al-Aqsa Mosque compound, where they performed Jewish prayers. Washington criticized National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvirs unilateral action of storming the compound Tuesday with the aid of Israeli police, calling it a provocation that could undermine efforts for a cease-fire in the Gaza war between Israel and Hamas. U.S. State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said, Any unilateral action, which this would be that jeopardizes such status quo is unacceptable. The United States stands firmly for the historic preservation of the status quo with respect to the holy sites of Jerusalem, he said. And not only is it unacceptable, it detracts from what we think is a vital time as we are working to get this cease-fire deal across the final line. Ben-Gvir has often defied the Israeli governments longstanding ban on Jewish prayer at the mosque compound. Known to Jews as the Temple Mount, its one of the most sensitive religious sites in the Middle East. Jews and other non-Muslims are allowed to visit the mosque compound during certain hours, but they are not allowed to pray or display religious symbols there. Last month, Ben-Gvir announced that he considered Jewish prayer now to be permitted on the Temple Mount. However, Israeli Prime Benjamin Netanyahus office quickly rebuked him, saying the status quo was unchanged. Meanwhile, Israels interior minister, Moshe Arbel, of the ultraorthodox Shas coalition party, said, The day will come when the era of Ben-Gvirs trolling will pass. The Torah will never be replaced. Hardliners such as Ben-Gvir do not want a Gaza deal, analyst Dania Koleilat Khatib told VOA, but want the war to continue in the belief that Israel will retake the enclave. They dont want a deal with Hamas [because] if I do a deal with you, that means I recognize you, said Khatib, president of the Research Center for Cooperation and Peace Building in Beirut. She said it was no coincidence that Ben-Gvir acted just after U.S. President Joe Biden, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Eqyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi put their foot down and said thats it, we need to finish this. Jordan, which also criticized Ben-Gvirs actions, has been the custodian of the mosque compound since its 1994 peace treaty with Israel, Palestinian journalist Daoud Kuttab, a former professor at Princeton University, told VOA. The arrangement was reiterated in a 2014 understanding supervised by then-U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and agreed to by Netanyahu and Jodans King Abdullah. This is a violation of so many agreements, understandings and peace agreements, he said. The state of Israel cannot claim this is some kind of rogue person. This is a minister in the government of Netanyahu, who himself reached that understanding. So, there is something extremely wrong in that Netanyahu and his government are not doing anything. The Israelis have to answer, but the Jordanians as well as the rest of the world are upset. Jordans Islamic Affairs Ministry is the legal authority for managing the al-Aqsa compound and regulating access to it. Jordanian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sufian Qudah said continued Israeli unilateral measures and violations of the historical and legal status in Jerusalem require a clear and firm international response and protection. Vietnam's top leader, To Lam, will make an official visit to China from Sunday until Aug. 20, Vietnamese government and Chinese state media said, cementing close ties between the Communist-run neighbors. On his first foreign trip since his appointment this month as general secretary of Vietnam's ruling Communist Party, Lam is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and other officials. Despite their economic and trade links, the two nations occasionally clash over boundaries in the energy-rich South China Sea, a key waterway claimed by Beijing almost in its entirety, despite overlapping claims by several nations. Lam's visit follows an invitation from Xi and his wife, Vietnam's government said in a statement on Thursday that confirmed an earlier Reuters report on the visit. China is Vietnam's largest trading partner, with two-way trade in the first seven months of this year rising 25% from a year earlier to $112 billion, Vietnamese customs data shows. The World Health Organization has declared the mpox outbreaks in Congo and elsewhere in Africa a global emergency. Ukrainian forces are pushing on with their major cross-border incursion into Russias Kursk region for a second week. On Wednesday, they claimed to have taken more ground, captured more Russian prisoners and destroyed a jet bomber. And looking for migrants illegally trying to enter the U.S. across the Florida Straits. The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. Zimbabwe is hosting the annual summit of the 16-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) on Saturday. In the runup to the event, human rights organizations have called on SADC to look at the country's human rights situation. Columbus Mavhunga reports from Harare. By Vitalio Angula Windhoek, Namibia Seven elephants from Namibia are adjusting to a new home across the border in Angola after conservationists said the animals needed a new habitat to survive. The Cuatir Nature Reserve in southeastern Angola was known for its bustling elephant population during colonial times, but the 27-year war between Angolas government and UNITA rebels, which ended in 2002, led to every elephant in the reserve being killed. [E]lephants were taken out completely due to their value for meat to feed people and also the value of their tusks to pay for the war expenses, said reserve owner Stephen Van Wyk. Now, Van Wyk is working to reintroduce the jumbos to the 40,000-hectare game reserve. The elephants were transported from the Mount Etjo Safari Lodge in Namibia, where seven years of persistent drought has decreased forage and grazing land for a herd of 50 elephants. Annette and Alex Oelefse the mother and son duo who own the reserve - plan to relocate 14 to 16 more elephants in the coming weeks. Annette Oelefse told VOA that water resources and forage at the Cuatir reserve in Angola are sufficient for the elephants that have moved there, and they do not expect the elephants to try to make their way back to Namibia. She said the animals which include a mother and her young are calm and are adapting to their new environment. She is the stability of a herd and also her young and so that forms a beautiful herd. She has gone with her family, her teenage calves and her little calf, so the structure is a very stable family, Annette Oelefse said. Wildlife veterinarian Ulf Tubbesing assisted in tranquilizing the elephants and ensuring they were not harmed during the 700-kilometer (435-mile), 38-hour trip by road to Angola from August 5 to 7, 2024. He told VOA the relocated elephants will be kept in an electrically fenced area of Cuatir reserve. I think the elephants will feel that they have landed in paradise, you know, compared to Namibia, especially with our drought situation where we have very scarce vegetation and very dry trees and no grass, Tubbesing said. The transition from Namibia to the southern part of Angola, the Cuando Cubango Province, is really fantastic; the elephants are really enjoying eating from the vegetation there. Experts say translocating elephants is a very expensive undertaking, but remains the best option to repopulate areas where the animals once roamed freely and to decrease pressure in areas where the population has grown too big. By Nyasha Chingono HARARE (REUTERS) - The U.N. World Food Programme has faced challenges in raising $400 million for its southern Africa drought response, collecting just one-fifth of what it needs to help seven countries in the region, a WFP spokesperson says. The funding environment had become increasingly difficult as drought has dramatically raised the regions food needs, Thomson Phiri told Reuters. Southern Africa is experiencing its worst drought in decades, forcing Zambia, Malawi and Zimbabwe to declare states of disaster. The drought resulted from the El Nino climate phenomenon, which can change world weather patterns, bring extreme seasonal temperatures, rainfall or dry spells and hurt crop yields. About 70% of the Southern African population that relies on rain-fed agriculture had their harvests wiped out by lack of rains, Phiri said. The WFP aims to use the proceeds raised so far to feed 5.9 million out of 27 million in the region who are food-insecure until the next harvest season in 2025, and had started sourcing white grain from Tanzania, South Africa and Latin America to feed regional communities. Despite notable donor support, current food needs were exceptionally high and outpacing available resources, during a historical drought, Phiri said. Some donors have had to trim their aid budgets and people in places such as southern Africa are now facing a double whammy where they are reeling both from the historic drought and severe funding cuts, he said. The UNs climate crisis coordinator for the El Nino response, Reena Ghelani, called for urgent action. We are very worried, Ghelani told Reuters. In fact, we are seeing a sharp increase in the number of people going hungry. Ghelani warned of a prolonged dry spell and frequent droughts across the region in coming years as a result of climate change. BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 15. Washington, Baghdad not discussing US troop withdrawal from Iraq, Deputy Chief of the US State Department Spokesman's Service Vedant Patel says, Trend reports. "We have not at any stage discussed the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq. However, we are discussing the transition to what we will call a bilateral security partnership," he said. According to him, it is about the stage of development of previous bilateral strategic negotiations. Remember in the last recap when I told you I wouldnt get caught up in silly things like this show making sense or Emilys actions having consequences? Im sorry, but I lied. I have just to get this out there: Why on earth would Emily be the person spearheading the search for Camille? Emily, who is reviled by Camilles entire family. Emily, subject of the supposedly viral TikTok I guess well never hear about again, rather than the far more interesting option, which would be having it actually alter the trajectory of Emilys life in any meaningful way e.g., changing the way Gabriel sees her; getting her booted off the AMI account because the face of their love is in the air campaign cannot be someone who has gotten milkshake-ducked for being a relationship wrecker; even bringing her some run-of-the-mill mistreatment or street harassment from randos at cafes. And its not like the show hasnt acknowledged Camilles family before. Her parents are recurring characters! So where are they? But no, it is Emily, Meddler-in-Chief, involving herself in a situation that has nothing to do with her and spewing everyones secrets everywhere: Telling Gabriel that Camille had a secret girlfriend literally minutes after Mindy advises her against doing so until she knows whats going on. Gabriel is so worked up that hes been calling hospitals. Again, it has been less than a week; Camille is a grown-up who (we will soon learn) has done this sort of thing before; of COURSE shes screening Gabriels calls hes the reason she split! Also, Gabriel has the gall to be mad that Camille was running around with Sofia when he has been having this brazen emotional affair with Emily the entire time. No. Also, remember how he didnt even tell Emily that he had a girlfriend when he met her? He just flirted with her until Camille showed up? Anyway, they scream at each other about secrets and that stupid pact that I chose to forget about on account of it being so stupid. Mindy, meanwhile, is being courted back by Nicolas while wearing thigh-high metallic-blue boots. I thought they broke up, but I guess it was just an argument. Mindy says he will really need to work for her to go back to him, and then she basically just acquiesces the minute he offers her free clothes. And, like, he also didnt have to pay for the clothes? All the extravagances are big indulgences for her but cost him nothing, so personally, I wouldnt be so quick to swoon over it, but here we are! He claims to care more about Mindy than any of this, he says, gesturing in the direction of his family business, his trust fund, and the architecture holding up his entire life, including the father he has already admitted he struggles to stand up to for anyones sake. As is the law on Emily in Paris, their scenes lack any real spark here, plus they have only been dating for (I think?) a few months, despite having known each other as teenagers; the notion that he is more invested in his girlfriend than his family (and their status, wealth, connections, everything hes ever known, etc.) is laughable. Still, Mindy has been spending too much time with Emily, and so her critical faculties are softer than they once were. Also, what is the JVMA aesthetic? In the grand scheme of Emily in Paris problems, this barely ranks; however, its impossible to tell from the brand closet what the clothes should look like. And if it is the LVMH of the EIP universe, shouldnt there still be some coherent sense of who the big brands are under its umbrella? Mindys arms are stacked high with (what appears to be) exceptionally tacky and bright designer goods hardly different from what she buys for herself, so the whole story line where her clothes are wrong and she needs a new look to be dating the JVMA scion makes no sense. Not that anything on this show makes sense, but I just want you to know Im paying attention! Later on in the episode, we learn even more disturbing information about the brand closet: It is the site of Louiss sexual misconduct. He makes women in his employ try on clothes in front of him; anyone who refuses is dismissed for not understanding the fashion business. Julien is thrilled to be at the very swanky JVMA offices where everyone is finally speaking French. (Its still insane to me that everyone speaks English at Agence Grateau, entirely for Emilys benefit?) Before the episode ends, he is given an assignment that Im sure will bring him only misery: working exclusively with Pierre Cadault. At least the office is nice? Ahh, back to the people I love: Sylvie and Laurent. Laurent wants to have sex before work because his priorities are correct. He also wants Agence Grateau to do the marketing for his club, so he and Sylvie get to work together he needs her! but also this means that Sylvie will have to work with Louis, whose as-yet-revealed misdeeds clearly make her uncomfortable. I also think were reaching the point where not at least telling Laurent that there are other allegations about Louis in the mix is a dicey business decision: If Louis gets the Ronan Farrow treatment by that reporter at Le Monde, what does that mean for the reputation and viability of Laurents new venture? Im going to mostly skip over the dopey plot at the office, the ridiculous Cyrano situation where Julien is in Lucs earpiece, which naturally leads to an embarrassing miscommunication with Boucheron, the haute jewelry client they were both working on together when Julien changed jobs. I find it extremely unlikely that all of this mission-critical information wasnt in some Google Doc somewhere!! And even Luc would not be so idiotic as to repeat the idiot part of Juliens speech out loud. Im so embarrassed for Sylvie, most of all, who must be present for this entire interaction. Emily spots Sylvie, Laurent, and Louis at lunch, and so she confides in Sylvie all that shes learned from Mindy about Louiss behavior, which Sylvie believed (or, I would bet, just wanted to believe) was a thing of the past. Then its time for the Boucheron lunch, where Emily is just spilling all of Camilles secrets maybe she doesnt want your co-workers to know about her pregnancy, Emily! and where Luc tells Emily a cautionary tale about the Antonioni film LAvventura, in which a missing womans best friend and boyfriend wind up having an affair while attempting to track her down, a movie you could never make today, he laments. We are too connected for good cinema. Everybody take a deep breath because we are about to confront a degree of stupidity in our Emily that is even more enraging than almost all of her moronic exploits before: After (1) calling up Sofia, only to learn that Sofia and Camille havent spoken since the wedding, (2) humiliating herself in front of Camilles actual friends, who, correctly, do not trust her and point out that Emily is universally reviled not because shes American but because shes a boyfriend stealer, (3) upending Gabriels day and life with all this information, sending him on a wild-goose chase to the one chalet they havent checked, and then (4) fucking up her job because shes busy getting involved in a situation that does not need to involve her, it occurs to Emily that Camille has been SHARING HER LOCATION WITH HER THIS ENTIRE TIME. Sharing! Her! LOCATION! EMILY. Sometimes, I think Im being too harsh when I say that everyone on this show acts like theyve suffered blunt head trauma at some point before the series began and/or that theyre all being lobotomized in between scenes. And then something like THIS happens and I realize Ive actually been too soft. Sidebar: The Boucheron people want to know the social-media aspect of the campaign, and an Emily-shaped silhouette is beamed against the sky, but no, she cannot return this call; she must fetch Camille herself, rather than, I dont know, sharing the location with Camilles parents? Luc pulls an Emily pitches something ambitious without client approval and Im sure everything with their scavenger hunt for a necklace they dont have the budget to give away will be absolutely fine. (Does France have the same truth-in-advertising laws as the U.S.?) Emily finds Camille at the House of Monet, where in exactly 72 hours, Camille has managed to become a volunteer with rowboat access. Emily and Camille have a fight across rowboats, which, implausibly but obviously, ends with them both in the water and getting thrown out. Most of what Emily says to Camille is objectively insane (claiming that she, Emily, takes responsibility for things), but Camille eventually admits that she didnt really want to marry Gabriel, and Emily was a convenient excuse. I dont mean to be a bitch here, but couldnt Camille have, like left a note? Texted the girls chat? I feel like her friends from before would have kept her location a secret and then Camille would have had even more time and space with which to figure things out. But again, everyone on this show is recovering from having an anvil plunked on their head like in Looney Tunes. I must be gentler on them!! Theyre doing so well, considering! Sad Gabriel is wearing a hoodie when Sofia arrives from Athens so they can come clean to each other. They are on friendly terms by the time Emily and Camille return. Again, I apologize for caring about this sort of thing, but did Camille run away without even packing a bag? Where has she been sleeping? Why is she also wearing emergency clothes from the Monet gift shop? Am I to believe she fled her life with only the clothes on her back? Just as I am supposed to buy that Emilys bangs just air-dried like that? Anyway, Gabriel gives Camille a very big hug and says they dont have to be married because theyre a family now. Interesting concerns re: commitment, like, personally, I think having a baby with someone is a much bigger commitment than being married to them, but okay!! The best part of all of this is that Sofia and Camille tell each other they love each other and then they kiss hard on the mouth in front of everyone. Well, well, well. Emily looks, dare I say, chic? Cute high bun. Great jacket on her. Is she flirting?! Romance looks good on our hapless anti-heroine! Personally, I feel like if I were invested in Emily and Gabriels relationship, as the show wants me to be, Id feel a little ripped off by the fact that we are never shown their first tryst together as a real-deal couple or, actually, any of their intimate moments beyond some very tame kisses. Like, they make out in the carriage and the episode fades to black? This, from Netflix, the streamer that brought us Bridgerton? As always, I wonder who they think the target demographic for this series is and why theyre so convinced the adults who watch it arent interested in even a little adult content among adult characters. Are the rumors about Gen Z hating sex onscreen true? Can someone born after 2001 let me know in the comments? Emily and Gabriel rush home from the restaurant to have sex (!!!). Oh, never mind: Mindy had a huge fight with Nico, and so she is in the apartment. Though Mindy valiantly offers to sob in the stairwell, Gabriel splits so the girls can talk. As you probably expected, Nicos loyalty remains with his father. His request that Mindy assist in PR damage control by being photographed with the family at a charity event is denied by our girl, who does not want to be complicit. Nicolas wanted to know if she thought he was complicit, and Mindy said the photo didnt help matters. In other drama, someone snitched to the landlord that Gabriels apartment has three people in it, which is against the terms of the lease. Intriguing development, except we know that actions have no lasting consequences in the Emily in Paris universe, so I spent the episode just idly wondering what magical resolution would present itself so as to not upset the apple cart of the series. Emily panic-snitches as well, compounding the landlords concerns I actually thought this was a smart and funny move on Emilys part, a rare one for her and, by the end of the episode, learns that the first snitch was, in fact, Gabriel. Again we are adding to the giant list of red flags about Gabriel, re: relationship basics. He snitched on his pregnant ex and her girlfriend and risked getting himself evicted instead of having an adult conversation. I need a breath of fresh air. Lets go see Sylvie. She looks fantastic, even though shes in a crisis. She is an inspiration to us all. JVMA pulled its money out from Laurents club, as she feared it would, so the opening is canceled. Naturally, he is upset about this, but what really bothers him is that Sylvie never told him that Louis harassed her. Doesnt she know she can tell him anything? Sylvie says she didnt want to be part of Louiss story, diminished as a victim in his plot rather than a protagonist in her own. Laurent assures her that he is proud of her for taking a stand and, as a little aside, thinks hes been spending too much time in Saint-Tropez (a.k.a. away from her). Love them. At the office, Sylvie explains that the party cant happen despite the 500 RSVPs. Cant really have an opening-night party for a club that isnt opening. (Also, I burst out laughing when Emily cheered, Thats my shero! as Sylvie walked in.) Another interesting consequence from the Le Monde article is that a bunch of clients are canceling their meetings, not wanting to be stained by the controversy. Will anything actually come of this, I wonder? Incredibly, Sylvies private plan to salvage her husbands dreams is to bring in her mom, Heloise, who, when asked by Emily how she can help her, replies, You can start by speaking French. Of course I love Heloise. In the 70s she had an affair with Rod Stewart and Mick Jagger at the same time! Also, she ran a nightclub! Also, Emilys lipstick looks great! Im having a blast. Do you believe in miracles? Sylvies mom doesnt really support Sylvies participation in the Le Monde article pretty much the response youd expect from her, demographic-wise but the more pressing matter is that, regarding their club crisis, she has this vacant space thats just been sitting there for 20 years. Apparently, she was an original investor in Laurents club in Saint-Tropez, an investment that, Sylvie notes, has paid off handsomely. Heloise is willing to swoop in and save the day, but she has a few conditions that she has not yet named. The gang has a meeting with a shampoo brand for women of a certain age. They say they want someone sophisticated, confident, and chic, and I wonder are they going to ask Sylvie to be the face of this? Meanwhile, JVMA sees a presentation from Gregory Dupree for Pierre Cadault unfortunately, so much time has elapsed since either of these characters were seen onscreen, I find it hard to believe that the average viewer remembers or cares about their drama and dynamic. But the important thing is that Gregorys grand vision is just dildos that sort of look like stuffed-animal versions of penises attached to the crotches of the pants. He says Louis was his inspiration because men cant keep their dicks in their pants. Why should we pretend otherwise? Not to be a stickler about this sort of thing, but the article came out last night. Are we to believe Gregory just assembled his entire collection in six hours? Of course, it looks cheap and ringarde and generally hideous, but I still dont think we are supposed to believe it was slapdash work. (Remember his awful BDSM gear for flight attendants? Is he supposed to be good at his job, or what?) Obviously, Nicolas is horrified by it. In other horrifying news, Julien has been summoned to a meeting with Louis about Sylvie. Time for a cheerier update: The party is on. We have one day to turn Sylvies moms abandoned warehouse space into an indoor beach-club disco. (I spent all of lunch Googling her, Emily squeals. Is it true that she almost broke up ABBA? God this show is so much more delicious when it knows Emily is obnoxious and everyone around her is interesting!) Sylvies clear your schedule and your browsing history is perfect. I also loved Heloises offhand Carla Bruni practically drowned in a foam party here in the 80s as a response to the question about whether the space could handle water. Where has this energy BEEN? Why cant this show be this fun all the time? Gabriel, the least thoughtful boyfriend to ever exist, invites Emily to what she clearly thinks will be a date but is instead a group dinner with Camille and Sofia, not to have a real conversation about their situation but to taste-test the new pastry chefs offerings. Gabriels explanation for springing this on Emily is that he needs all the opinions he can get. Jesus CHRIST. He promises he has an idea for him and Emily to get away, and the idea is that he set up a kind of Bachelor-style pillow lounge on the roof of their apartment building. I know we are supposed to find his gesture romantic, but it seems pretty clear that he doesnt know Emily at all because (as she eventually blurts out at the end of the episode) Emily is not the girl who wants to have sex on the roof! In the morning, Emily giddily reports to Mindy that she had a sexploit. (Again: We do not see any of Gabriel and Emilys rooftop date. Emily in Paris is Sex and the City for people who hate sex, and also coherent character development and plot continuity.) Mindy is encouraging, even though she actually knows Emilys true soul and is aware that this is not what will make her happy. But Emily is energized by her one night of scandal (having sex with her boyfriend) and brings this spirit to her pitch about a chic woman with the gray hair for the shampoo brand. What makes people sexy is their openness to new experiences, she says. Embracing the gray area. Called to come up with the actual advertisement, Emily basically just recaps her night. Im amazed they let Emily speak in these meetings or that they hold these client meetings at all without reviewing what will be said beforehand. Seems like a sloppy business practice that is totally beneath Sylvie. But shes preoccupied and impeccably dressed, so I guess Ill allow it. Sylvie has a little debrief with Emily, saying that the Emily she saw in that meeting is not the one she met at the start of our series. In a lovely human moment, Emily says she is trying to be good with ambiguity. (In my opinion, the problem is that Gabriel is a terrible communicator with no appreciation for healthy boundaries. Ambiguity in this area is actually the opposite of what would serve Emily!) At the club, Julien arrives to tell Sylvie that Louis is planning to retaliate and intends to use Julien to do so. Out of loyalty to Sylvie, Julien quit. His reward for this act of solidarity is to be assigned the glamorous task of digging sand. Mindy is here as well, performing at the opening, but Nico tells her he cant be seen there because it would look like hes choosing a side. The party is an absolute smash. The bartenders have little slutty yacht outfits, Emily is trying to do that wet-hair look (thats a horrible dress on her, sorry!), and Sylvie looks amazing. I love that neckline. Her mom and her husband are happy at the same time, which she says is a real rarity. Gregory Dupree arrives with the penis pants, a plot coordinated by Julien to humiliate Louis in the tabloids. Sylvie is delighted. All hail the Queen of the Night, a.k.a. Heloise, for pulling off such a coup! Not that Laurent needed another reason to stay in Paris, wink wink. Mindys band is here, singing in English for reasons that are unclear. Mindys outfit is atrocious. After her series of arguments with Nicolas, Benoit is looking good to her again. But then Nicolas does show up conveniently having missed the performance where Benoit and Mindy were making those emoji-heart-eyes at each other to tell Mindy that his dad is likely being forced to step down and that he told the board he wouldnt work there as long as his dad was CEO. Could we have a Succession situation on our hands? As for the apartments, what do you know: Theres an open one in the building right next door to Gabriel, and the landlord will allow the girls who were breaking the rules of another lease to move right into it. The only real development here is that Emily is starting to realize something she theoretically knew this whole time: Camille and Gabriel will be connected forever if they have a baby, so Emily essentially will have to agree to the whole kit and caboodle if she wants to be Gabriels girlfriend. Sofia is going to abscond to Greece, Im pretty sure, just given her reaction to Camille saying she could never leave Paris. In her defense, this is EXTREMELY not what she signed up for. CHRONEXT, one of the leading providers of CPO (Certified Pre-Owned) and vintage watches, is pursuing a sustainable, future-proof corporate restructuring and reorganization in collaboration with experienced consultants CHRONEXT Service Germany GmbH has initiated a reorganization procedure under its own administration as of today. This strategic decision was announced by Managing Director Frederike Knop and represents an important step towards placing the company on a sustainable recovery path. The aim of the management and the appointed consultants is to optimize the business model in the coming months and set the course for a successful future for the company, its employees, and its customers. "We see the current measure as a significant opportunity to reposition CHRONEXT. By initiating this procedure, we can make the necessary adjustments to secure the company's future. It is important to us that our customers know that we will continue to do everything we can to maintain their trust during this time. With regard to our consignment business, we place the utmost importance on ensuring that customer property is handled separately under self-administration. We are confident that this strategic decision lays the foundation for an even stronger and more customer-oriented CHRONEXT brand," said Frederike Knop, Managing Director of CHRONEXT Service Germany GmbH. During the restructuring phase, the company will be supported by the experienced restructuring experts of PLUTA Rechtsanwalts GmbH, attorneys Tillman de Vries and Dr. Ruth Rigol. Together with the preliminary court-appointed administrator attorney Mr. Marco Kuhlmann (KKN-Rechtsanwalte), CHRONEXT Service Germany GmbH has the opportunity to maintain its usual business operations, allowing the team to focus on ongoing projects and core competencies while customers can reach their personal contacts as usual. At the same time, necessary adjustments will be made with the advisors. Photo: Wayfarer Studios/YouTube After backlash on social media and endless speculation about behind the scenes drama, both Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni made moves to recenter intimate partner violence while promoting It Ends With Us. Fans have been critical that the press campaign for the movie has been tonally off. On social media, the grab your friends, wear your florals messaging has been seen as downplaying the issues in the film and book. Lively posted two Instagram stories on the topic Tuesday. Thank you to everyone who came out to show that people WANT to see films about women, and the multitudes we hold, she wrote. She also posted a story giving national statistics on intimate partner violence. She also posted a link to a domestic violence hotline. Baldonis Wayfarer Studios partnered with the No More Foundation in order to provide resources for survivors of sexual assault in intimate partner violence. Weve partnered with No More because we want to ensure that Wayfarer Studios projects, specifically those that address domestic and sexual violence and abuse, are made with purpose and the intention to educate, support and ultimately provide resources for viewers who may see themselves via their current situation on screen, Baldoni said in a statement obtained by Variety. This comes after it was reported that Baldoni hired a crisis PR firm amid the rumors of a on-set feud with Lively. According to The Hollywood Reporter, its the same firm that Johnny Depp employed when in litigation with Amber Heard. Humans still suck. Let the apes do their own thing! Photo: 20th Century Studios Spoilers follow for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, now streaming on Hulu. Some lines of dialogue escape the confines of a single movie and define entire franchises. I am your father and Star Wars; I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti and all movies about Hannibal Lecter; Is Butterbean okay? and every new iteration of Jackass. Apes together strong, from Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and War for the Planet of the Apes, belongs in this category. Its an expression of solidarity and camaraderie against humanitys most desperate and bloodthirsty survivors; a slogan that suggests separatism can be a viable political strategy for a historically oppressed group; an observation of fact that states the colonizer majority will never truly accept the ascendance of the colonized minority. And Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, those maniacs, they blew it up! The new movie champions a different stance: together strong, a phrase that cuts the word ape and slashes the mottos political potency. In the Andy Serkisstarring Planet of the Apes films, apes together strong is both a hopeful and inherently exclusive statement. Apes together are strong enough to break out of an abusive medical-testing laboratory, establish a new community of their own in the California woods, fend off humans who want to siphon their resources, and fight back against a rogue military unit that has trapped apes in work camps. That strength persists not just despite the continued existence of people, but purposefully separate from it. Rise, Dawn, and War are all littered with moments that prove humans cant be trusted. In Rise, theyre cruel because they can be. In Dawn, theyre nefarious even when allowed into the apes land. In War, theyre ungrateful; consider how the soldier whose life Caesar spares in the beginning of the film is the one who tries to assassinate him in its climactic finale. In Dawn, the original advanced ape, Caesar (Serkis), and his friend-turned-enemy Koba (Toby Kebbell) have conflicting interpretations of what apes together strong means Caesar thinks its tolerance, Koba thinks its violence. But War ends on a note that suggests Caesar is coming around to Kobas thinking maybe not the kill all humans part, but certainly his insistence on separatism and letting human society fall to its own devices. Caesar is haunted by visions of Koba, whom he let fall to his death at the end of Dawn, and is agonized by how viciously Woody Harrelsons Colonel treats the apes hes made slaves. Caesar doesnt kill the Colonel at the end of War, but he and his followers venture deeper into the wilderness, implying a back-turning on everything thats come before, including their past connections with humans. Their choice to maintain the apes together strong ideology on their own gives War a bittersweet, dignified ending that suggests seclusion was the correct tactic all along. And then Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes went and ruined it by changing apes together strong from a motto for united apes into a declaration of war between apes, and offered the conciliatory together strong as an appeal for ape-and-human collaboration instead. Its not exactly an All Lives Matteresque swap, but its pretty close. To be fair, Kingdom is attempting something interesting: How does reality become myth, and how do individuals use myths to galvanize themselves? Set many generations after Caesars death, Kingdom imagines a world in which most apes dont even know who Caesar was. While ape societies have sprung up with their own customs and traditions, like Noas (Owen Teague) partnered-with-eagles clan, both Caesars philosophy and his knowledge of written language have been broadly lost to time. The only apes who do know of Caesar have taken wildly different approaches to understanding his legacy, stretching it to disparate extremes. Raka (Peter Macon) of the Order of Caesar teaches Noa that apes together strong and ape shall not kill ape were the most meaningful of Caesars teachings, and gives Noa a pendant decorated with Caesars symbol. But he also has a softer sympathy toward the surviving humans than Caesar did in his final days, telling Noa wondrously about when humans and apes lived side by side and explaining that because humans were important to Caesar they are important to me. He resents the invading apes, who are led by the gregarious aspiring emperor Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand), for how they twist Caesars words in order to enslave various clans. And while Proximus repeats apes together strong as a rallying cry against humans, his understanding of ape-Caesar has also deliberately been mixed up by a human, the opportunistic Trevathan (William H. Macy), who knows that staying useful to Proximus will ensure his own survival. (Theres no real explanation of why Trevathan would know about ape-Caesar when other apes dont, but you gotta go with it.) Proximus then hides behind apes together strong while creating an autocratic system that elevates him to a level of fascist, rather than populist, power. All of this is very twisted and tangled, meant to evoke how religious doctrine changes as its updated by each generation, mutating and shifting away from its original intentions; the collective memory of who Caesar was and what he believed changes as different sects and factions interpret (or forget) his lessons. Whats annoying about Kingdom, though, is how all this reinterpretation focuses only on the apes, suggesting that this kind of political and theological infighting is inherent to disenfranchised groups once they obtain power, as if theyre somehow deficient when it comes to maintaining actualization. And because Kingdom mires the apes in disagreement, it denies us the fist-pumping thrill of apes together strong by having each side misconstrue Caesars words. Proximus uses it as a war cry against his own people, dishonoring Caesars attempt at unanimity. Raka the one character whos supposed to get Caesar turns it into together strong, an appeal for Noa and the shockingly-smart-for-a-human Mae (Freya Allan) to cooperate that misunderstands Caesars final disinterest in alliances with humans. Yes, sure, this is perhaps the point of Kingdom, that our legacy is no longer ours after we die. But man, throw us a bone and have Noa say apes together strong when the eagle clan comes together to kill Proximus, you know? Instead, Kingdom makes apes together strong a warning about the allure of propaganda and a reprimand for valorizing Caesar as a political martyr, and thats a frustratingly conservative viewpoint for a franchise that up until this point has been so sneakily radical. Admittedly, Kingdoms human characters are exactly as selfish as theyve always been, just as resentful and intent on maintaining social dominance as they were in Rise, Dawn, and War. Mae hiding a gun behind her back in her final meeting with Noa, whining about the possibility of apes having access to human weapons, and lying about the satcom key she took from the bunker where she left the apes to die is not exactly a flattering portrayal. When Noa gives her Rakas pendant with Caesars symbol on it, though, and tells her that its important, Kingdom is again suggesting together strong as its noblest message. Franchises reboot all the time, and its not a bad thing when creators are given freedom to play with the material; too much nostalgia and coloring-within-the-lines can give us Somehow, Palpatine returned and the MCU admitting defeat by bringing Robert Downey Jr. back into the fold. But with its final ape/human interaction, Kingdom settles on appeasement, and Caesar never stood for that. I said it last week, and Ill repeat it: Its never a good sign when a couple cant agree on how to care for their dogs. Its as close as youll get to having children without actually having children, and if you cant get on the same page about that, it probably means youre not built for the long haul, whether or not little ones lie in your future. All of this is to say, of course, that Fernanda and Gerardo call things off before Love Is Blind: Mexico trots its way to the altar. Remember when these couples started out? It feels like yesterday because it basically was. Fernanda and Gerardo seemed so solid at first, but last week, the cracks started to show. Fernanda wants more consideration from Gerardo and feels abandoned when she doesnt get it. As a musician, he knows how to smooth things over with a song, but he also doesnt want sex as much as Fernanda, and he seems to judge her sex drive at least a little. He wants their dogs to live outside, and she wants them inside. Plus, you can just tell that shed rather gouge her eyes out than leave Mexico City to live in Monterrey. This was never going to last. But did they have to let their drama seep out at the shows shared Bachelor and Bachelorette parties? Credit where its due: Love is Blind: Mexicos prenuptial bashes felt more alive than the anemic celebrations Ive seen in most other versions. Remember that awkward outdoor stag party on Love Is Blind: US where Clay and Johnny pretended to be friends while their bros watched? Instead, these soon-to-be-newlyweds ride in limos and go clubbing with their respective pod squads before both parties unite into one big mixer at which point Fernanda and Gerardo begin complaining about each other to anyone wholl listen. When Fernanda rants that she feels like shes been married to Gerardo for 20 years (derogatory), you can tell its over. Then they get back to the apartment, where she demands to know why theyre still in this shitty relationship if he doesnt love her anymore. Soon enough, shes covering the camera with a blanket and throwing suitcases around while the camera lens peeks out just far enough to catch horror-movie-like glimpses of the chaos. A+ to whichever producer thought to include that touch just brilliant. In an unusual move, these two reunite as exes, thanks to a producer who interrupts a postmortem interview with Fernanda because Gerardo is there and wants to talk. The couple end with a hug, a forehead kiss, and a promise to always be there for one another. Its a nice bit of closure to see them get back to that wholesome bond that united them in the first place. I still wish theyd found a way to make it work, but alas, it wasnt meant to be. Gernandas not the only couple on the rocks after this cocktail mixer. Francesca and Willys post-party shouting match doesnt involve flying Rollaboards, but the metaphorical baggage is everywhere; he insists theyre not compatible, and she yells in his face to grow some fucking balls. Hes apparently tried to break things off five times before now (one of which we saw last week) and shes sick of it but not sick enough to end things for good. Its hard to forgive Willy for breaking up with Francesca so many times only to change his mind, but neither of them comes off great here. Francescas had too much wine, and when Willy reaches for her glass, she scolds him for trying to control her. Shes yelling, and Willys acting like a chastised child. Willy cant communicate his needs to save his life, and Francesca has trouble describing her emotions instead of speaking through them which means she says a lot of things she later regrets. Nevertheless, these two patch things up with Scotch Tape by the end of the night. If anyone hears wedding bells after this exchange, they must be playing in a minor key. As I suspected, Willy and Francesca fall apart at the altar. She speaks first, and as is the right of any woman whos been semi-dumped by the same average-looking guy no fewer than five times, she goes out with a bit of shade. Today, I have decided to not marry you because my wings are telling me to fly much higher, she says. I hope that yours will one day unfurl and take off and make you see that a strong woman next to a man does not take away. It multiplies. When Willy pulls out his own script and gently breaks things off, you can tell from Francescas face that she saw it coming all along. One couple who arent struggling? Silvi and Chema, who had a blip last week when he decided to talk about what he didnt like about her reveal look at her fucking birthday party. Chema might be a pro poker player, but no one whos playing with a full deck would ever have said such a thing. They managed to talk things out, and evidently theyre still going strong. Silvi loves to see Chema in dad mode with his daughter, Anto, and hes just as enamored with watching his little girl bond with his main lady. I briefly wrote this relationship off last week, but I must admit with just a little shame that theyve won me over again with their carefree joie de vivre. What can I say? Im a sucker! When Chemas pod ex Alejandra showed up at the Bachelor/ette party, things could have gotten ugly. Ale did, after all, basically tell Chema that hed come running back to her and when he first saw her, Chema seemed to be putting the flirty charm on. (We all know what he was doing when he kept calling her by her last name!) Still, they kept things PG, and Alejandra approached Silvi for the awkward I definitely wanted to steal your ex but have decided to wave a white flag conversation. Silvi, true to form, did not give even half a shit. She just wanted to dance. Maybe thats why I want her and Chema to work; would that we could all use that unbothered confidence! In a twist that will surely mystify all of their haters, Silvi and Chema do not say no or yes at the altar. Instead, they run away from the wedding, laughing like mischievous teenagers and shouting, We did it! while their families scratch their heads. In private, they promise theyll spend a lifetime together breaking the rules which we later find out means that theyll keep dating. For Antonellas sake, this feels right. Ill go to my grave proclaiming that this romance is real, but given his mercurial romantic history, they should spend a little more time testing it out. And now, for the couple I am absolutely not rooting for: Irais and Rene. I hesitate to be too hard on Irais; I know she went through a lot with an abusive ex. In some ways, I suspect thats whats made her relationship with Rene so confusing. Sure, Irais is eager to marry Rene, but she cant stop insinuating that he might be a violent drunk just days out from their wedding. If this is such a concern, why are we proceeding with the ceremony? Also, as much as Irais might want to claim that Rene was not her immediate second choice after proclaiming her love to Fernando, we saw the truth for ourselves. Renes family isnt wild about this choice, and his dad straight-up skips out on the ceremony which might be his sons saving grace. I went in convinced that these two would get married and break up before reunion time. It turns out Rene doesnt like the timing. His no is respectful, delivered with a clear intention to continue dating, and Irais agrees. My cynical side suspects she just wanted to be on TV in a big wedding dress, regardless of the outcome, but well see where they end up during next weeks reunion. Will producers roll the tape of Irais pivoting to asking Fernando if Rene could be an option for her right after she poured her heart out to him exclusively? I sure hope so! For those keeping score, this means that of the five couples who made it to their honeymoons, four cannot commit. But Fernando and Karen turned that streak around with a ceremony so cute it genuinely made me tear up. These two are not without their problems, and I suspect some will persist in the marriage. Fernando doesnt like that Karen smokes sometimes, and shes not sure she can give it up. Still, did you see those adorable vows? When Fernando made it a point to include Karens daughter, Emi, in the ceremony, I absolutely lost it. Just like she gave him a handmade bracelet when they met, he gives her a (store bought) one in return while promising to give you everything I have in my relationship with your mom. As a person with step-daughter experience, I felt a tug at my heartstrings to hear Fernando vow that hell always protect Emi and put her first before everything and everyone. Heart eyes! Fernando and Karen better still be together during the reunion, or I swear, I quit this show forever. (Okay, not really Ill never quit this damn franchise but I would be very sad.) Pod Goss Why did we get no update about how Leti and Saul are doing when they showed up at the Bachelor/ette party? Did she finally come to her senses and break it off? Inquiring minds want to know! Iraiss baby sister, Gizem, is SO CUTE!!! Can she take over as host? She asks all the right questions of her sister before the wedding: Do you know his blood type? His date of birth? When he was born? Where he was born? If you cant answer, then I wont let you get married. How old is this tiny girl?! Finally, that shot of Karen and Fernando having sex after their smoking argument was wild. I know we only saw their hands, but we full-on heard her sex noises! Maybe Im a prude, but Emi could wind up watching this one day. We must protect her innocence! In the new A24 drama Sing Sing, the formerly incarcerated actor transports back in time, honoring a past version of himself. Photo: Dominic Leon/A24 Youll never forget Clarence Maclins smile. When the Sing Sing scene stealer breaks into a grin, it morphs his whole face revealing a charming gap in his front teeth, adding a sparkle to his eye, and giving him a sense of youthfulness and mischief. In director and co-writer Greg Kwedars based-on-real-life film about a group of men in the New York prisons Rehabilitation Through the Arts nonprofit program, Maclin plays a younger, modified version of himself, a hard case who carries a knife, intimidates other men in the yard, and sells drugs to fellow inmates. Hes all hunched shoulders, macho swagger, and crackling magnetism, and you wont be able to take your eyes off him. At first, Maclin (nicknamed Divine Eye) bristles against the optimistic attitude of RTA veteran and prison-famous writer John Divine G Whitfield (Colman Domingo). And he undermines how seriously RTAs leader, Brent Buell (Paul Raci), takes the programs acting exercises as they prepare to put on the original time-travel comedy Breakin the Mummys Code. But as the film continues, Maclin gently lets Divine Eye open up. The oil-and-vinegar friendship he crafts with Domingos Divine G provides some of Sing Sings most cathartic moments, like when they gaze from a prison window together on the greenery outside. And Divine Eyes version of Hamlets to be or not to be speech is one of the movies most riveting moments of performance, a turn simultaneously so world-weary, remorseful, and confident that he proves the transformational impact of RTA in one scene. Maclin was released from prison in 2012, and director Greg Kwedar and co-writer Clint Bentley offered him the role in Sing Sing (based on the Esquire article The Sing Sing Follies) six years after meeting him through the real-life Buell. (Nearly all the cast are alumni of Sing Sings RTA program.) He currently works as an RTA consultant and ambassador and wants to continue to inspire brothers and sisters that are coming home. But Maclin doesnt want his first feature appearance to be his last nor does he want people to assume hes not really acting in the movie. This work is meaningful and is necessary, he says. Were not just trying to blood-suck the people out here. Thats not what we do. You are mentioned in Esquires The Sing Sing Follies story. It talks about your audition for RTA, and theres a line that says, Divine Eye has long dreadlocks and massive muscles and sings Happy Birthday with showbiz pizzazz, throwing his arms out. Do you remember that moment? Man, I do remember singing Happy Birthday. I remember not having a feeling of being locked in or caged anywhere. It was a feeling of freedom. When I think of RTA, theres so many fond memories. Its like a well that we created that we could always go back and drink from, that replenishes us. Mosi Eagle, hes in the movie, hes in the play. Big E, hes in the movie, hes in the play. The most remarkable thing is that those men were cast in the play based on what we saw in them at the Steering Committee [the group that makes casting decisions for the play]. We saw the better qualities in those individuals and sought to bring those things out by putting them in a role that would cause them to bring those things out. It was a beautiful thing to watch. Theres a moment in the movie where the RTA members are talking about what their next performance should be, and your character suggests doing a comedy. Was that moment taken from real life? If my brother Divine G said hot, Im gonna say cold. I just want to do whatever he doesnt want to do. Thats our relationship. Its caused both of us to grow because we had to go read up and study the things that we want to talk about. You got to know what youre talking about when youre talking to Divine G. Is there a scene in the movie that youre particularly glad is in there for the perspective it provides to the audience? The scene when were in a circle, and Brent says for everybody to close their eyes and think of a place, and then when you open your eyes, you describe that place. The only direction in that whole scene was that Brent was gonna lead the instruction and thats it. Everything else that came out of our mouths was genuinely from the place we were at when we closed our eyes. That particular exercise was constructed to decompress after we do so many shows. When its over, the cell comes back clink, clink, clink, bang. [Pantomimes pulling a cell door closed.] Youre reminded that youre back in prison, and we recognized that this crash was like a depression phase. A lot of things can happen to an individual when hes depressed in a cell by himself. So we constructed these types of exercises to decompress and peel the onion layer back and be able to sleep good tonight. And Ill see you guys in the morning, you know? Youre a co-writer on this film, and youve said that you were brought in because you understand the language of the prison and could clean up the language. Im curious if there was one scene or conversation in the film that showcases your work the most. One of the very last scenes, when Colman is up against the wall and I say, Yeah, you fucked up, but we love you. I wrote that. A lot of that was from my true friendship with the real Divine G, because thats exactly how he was. He wouldnt ask for help for nothing, but hes always there to help. It was a tribute to Colman and how he really was Divine G in every aspect, on set, on-camera and off. His dedication to be Divine G in that moment, it provided me with an opportunity to say to Divine G what I really wanted to say to him. Many of your scenes are with Colman. Was there a moment where you made a choice that surprised him? In the scene where were on the hill and he hands me the paperwork and were walking off, the last thing I say is, They better let me out on this bullshit right here, too. [Laughs.] Nobody expected that. I improvised that. Clint and Greg were very open about that. Its a risk involved with making choices, and sometimes you weigh and judge, Is it worth the risk? These are things you may have to do in a split second. This is where the training comes in, this really good training that I received from so many people. It may not have been formal training, but it was training, nonetheless, from professional people who have been doing it for a living. This is why I have a problem when they say, Youre just playing yourself. It seems to take a lot away from the people that trained me. You are playing a version of yourself, but its years removed from the present and a written and edited version. What was important for you about honoring that past version of yourself? How did you approach it? I didnt have to approach it alone, thankfully, because I had a whole team around me. All I really did was lay out stories to them and tell them how things used to be. Not only things that Ive done or Ive experienced personally but things like how the climate was and what people were doing. I did do 17 and a half years in this environment, and those memories are so carefully crafted into the character that I played. As far as the jargon and the language of the environment, theres really no place to go research that because it changes every day. I had to go back to where we were at that time and the things we used to say. Thats where we get beloved from because thats an actual true story. Thats one way we tried to make a change, by changing the way we identify ourselves. When people say that youre just playing yourself, how does that make you feel? I received training from all these wonderful people that came into prison and went through various strip searches and treatment that you wouldnt believe just to come help me. You take a lot away from them when you just say that I walked up there and played myself. There are a couple of scenes I want to ask you about, what your headspace was for them and how much they come from your life. The first is when you quote King Lear to a surprised Divine G. I think if people are coming into this movie with stereotypical assumptions about the members of RTA, then that moment punctures them. I love Shakespeare, all of it. King Lear is one of the top. We needed that moment to show, I know a lot more about this than you may think I do, although I may not want to show you right now, because I dont really know your intentions. In prison, the toughest guys are the most guarded because we love hard as well. Its a balanced thing. And to violate that love is a terrible thing for us. Is it fair to call that moment a flex? [Laughs.] Its kind of like a flex, but its a flex you might not want to flex around everybody. Do you remember the first time you read King Lear? I dont remember the first time I read it. I think it was during a workshop with RTA, and the first time I read it, I liked it. But the first time I heard it, I liked it even more, because Shakespeare depends on the amount of inflection you put on a word. That can change the whole sentence or the whole paragraph. Its a study thing. Its, Were locked in for 30 days and were not going nowhere. Great time to pull out Shakespeare. I obviously need to ask you about the Hamlet monologue scene and how you approached the all this shit is yours swaggering around the stage. Man, it was a moment that I was waiting for because that monologue is so deep. I like to work backward from certain things, go from the last line. And Ay, theres the rub, it had me screwed up for a long time because I couldnt work it out. Once I worked that out, it straightened out everything in the monologue for me because I began to see it the way I think he saw it coming from a poor mans perspective. What was it like to act that moment? Because thats the turning point of the film, when your character is able to take instruction and we see the change in his performance. I had to be as disliked as I was in the beginning I had to in order to show contrast, in order to show the change, the growth, the development, the possibility of what could be. To be able to use this Hamlet monologue as the creme de la creme, it was an honor and a pleasure because I love it so much. Thats why I poured so much into it. In the films final scene, you pick up Colmans character after hes released. Its such a joyous, emotional scene when you two greet each other. Can you talk about filming that? The ambition of every one of us is to be able to be there for your brother when nobody else is there. When your brother is only expecting to see a bus and you see your brother standing there. Thats what we all want to be able to do, once we build those bonds and those relationships. The way Colman enfolded himself into the family, into the group, thats a bond thats gonna last forever with each one of us. Its not just a bond with me. He bonded like that with each and every one of us. Were gonna always consider him the brother. Did you film that at the end of production? Did it also have all the emotional swell of finishing the film? It did. Colman didnt know I was gonna hug him, thats a fact. He thought it was gonna be like, Alright, we out. He had immersed himself so much into Divine Gs life that he was Divine G walking out after all of that time and carrying all of that emotion. He didnt know how he would react if it was any type of physical contact. The whole dam might burst open. He wasnt really ready to do that right then. Of course, Im gonna grab you, though. Im gonna do it. [Laughs] It was my choice, and Greg was in on it too. Photo: David L Ryan/Boston Globe via Getty Images Wally Amos, who went from representing musicians as an agent to running a cookie empire, has died. He was 88. His family gave a statement to the New York Times, saying he died Tuesday of complications from dementia. Amos had one of the most unique career trajectories in Hollywood a place where Joan Didions carpenter to star of Star Wars is normal. Born in Florida, Amos began working at William Morris in New York after serving in the military. He worked his way up from the mailroom and represented such acts as Simon & Garfunkel, Marvin Gaye, and Helen Reddy. It was Reddy who helped bankroll his baking side hustle in 1975. Amos moved to Los Angeles to simultaneously work as an agent and a baker. Famous Amos cookies, had its first storefront on Sunset Boulevard. Amos hawked his cookies on sitcoms in the 70s like Taxi and The Jeffersons. He sold the Famous Amos brand to Bass Brothers in 1984, and its now owned by the Kellogg Company. Amos later created Uncle Wallys Gourmet Muffins and the Cookie Kahuna brand, which was featured on Shark Tank. Photo: Joey Hayes/Design Pics Editorial/Universal A brave, magnificent stallion has captured the hearts of Twitter: its this goofy-ass horse from a first look image of A24s We Live in Time. Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield in John Crowleys WE LIVE IN TIME. pic.twitter.com/Z6SUp23sDC Film Crave (@_filmcrave) August 13, 2024 Comedian Pallavi Gunalan was first to notice the steed, and hes since taken the world by storm. Look at this fantastic beast! But where to find him? Vulture has reached out to reps for director John Crowley, Film London, an extra in the film, and The Carousel Museum in Bristol, CT to get to the bottom of this. In the meantime, heres what we know about this adorable, scene-stealing horse. Its not the horses good side First, a brief history of carousels and carousel horses. The first medieval carousels were actual horses being ridden in a little circle. But then came the invention of steam power! The platform carousel was invented in the mid-1800s, animals connected to poles that would move independently of the platform on which ridegoers stand. Carousel horses are categorized by their poses and their position on the ride. There are prancers, standers, jumpers, and stargazers. This horse looks to most likely be a jumper or stander. Outer horses are often fancier, with innies lacking ornamentation. This is the case with the We Live in Time horses. The outer horse Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh ride has filigree neck tats, while the dumb-looking one is more plain. Its possible, however, that Dumb Horse looks better when viewed from off the carousel. According to Marsha A. Schloesser on Real or Repro, vintage carousel horses often have their mane on only the outward-facing side of the horse. They also have their heads slightly turned outward. We may be seeing this horse at its worst the right side of Scheana Shays face, so to speak. Last spotted near Herne Hill Metro UK papped Garfield and Miss Flo in Herne Hill wearing the same costumes in which they ride the horsies. Now, that shoot was a daytime one, focusing on a farmers market scene. And a quick amusement parks near Herne Hill Google search proved fruitless. But the films trailer gives us two more clues: bumper cars and a swing ride. These three rides are quite portable, and often can be rented out from place to place. Theyre called gallopers in the U.K., innit? Our research now comes across a cultural barrier. America loves its carousels, and there are multiple museums and databases dedicated to nailing down the location of every single antique carousel. In the U.K.? Not so much. Plus, all these rides have different names. Carousels can be called gallopers, or roundabouts or merry-go-rounds. Bad SEO! Swing rides are, delightfully, called chair-o-planes. And bumper cars are allegedly called dodgems. But you dont dodge em, you bump em. Weve ruled out two funfair rental companies This reporter has gone full Pepe Silvio on the galloper image, as well as the chair-o-plane and dodgems in the We Live in Time trailer, cross-referencing them with various amusement companies working in London. George Irvins Irving Leisure has all three rides, but their horses have more sculpted details on the body. The outer horse in We Live in Time has painted ornamentation. Nationwide Amusements also has all three rides, but their chair-o-plane has the Flag of England on its central column, not the animals depicted in the films poster. This boy meme-able as hell Say what you will, this horse has star quality. idk why i did this pic.twitter.com/Ep7zcSFJCM hannah strong (@thethirdhan) August 14, 2024 Some positive news during the week, Minister Pippa Hackett, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, has launched a pilot scheme offering financial support to current forest owners who wish to replant their forest in a different way after felling. For commercial forest 'Continuous Cover Forest' (CCF) stands out. Another positive came from Europe "EU Carbon Removal Certification Framework" making progress on carbon farming and some forestry. Results are expected by 2026. Pat Fennell planted his forest in 1991, 33 years ago. It was never thinned and is now ready for clear fell. Some forest owners thin two or three times before clear fell, others try CCF. "We will show the benefits of Pat's system when we visit the forest on Thursday, August 29," said Waterford Forestry Owners Group. Meet in Durrow Greenway car park at 7pm for the forestry visit. For more information contact Tom Hickey, secretary, on 087 9386209. Forty years of vitriol Dear Editor, As a former employee, trade union representative and pensioner of Waterford Crystal, it has become wholly tiresome to once again see an insidious reference in the Waterford News and Star to the proud and former workforce and trade union of Waterford Crystal. In its column the Phoenix ("A Long Summer", August 6, 2024) tells us that when Waterford Crystal closed in 2008 the feeling was palpable that some government ministers decamped to Buswells hotel to celebrate the end of a difficult union and workforce. Was one of those Ministers a close confidant and hero so often praised by the Phoenix? The many ministers and Taosaigh that delegations of our shop stewards met with were never anything but courteous, if mainly unforthcoming as regards our requests. The monumental failure over many years, of the Waterford business, civic and political elites, consistently championed by the Phoenix, saw the under development of Waterford city and the subsequent social suffering of many of its working people. The responsibility for which belongs solely with that so-called leadership. When it comes to grabbing or looting your share of the national cake, team Waterford, a third division side, were no match for the senior boys and girls of Cork, Limerick or Galway, not to mention Dublin. The basic rule of free market economics so beloved by the Phoenix is simply winner takes all. Continually insulting working people, be they former Glass workers or his other pet whipping boys, dock workers, won't change this basic fact. Yours sincerely, Tom Hogan, Hillview, Waterford Famous Waterford naturalist Dear Editor, I am writing a biography of a famous Waterford naturalist called Richard J. Ussher (1841-1913) who lived and farmed at Cappagh House near Dungarvan. I would be interested to hear from any of your readers if they know of relatives of the Ussher family still living in the area. Richard John Ussher is widely regarded as one of the most outstanding ornithologists and naturalists of the late 19th century in Ireland. He was the principal author of a landmark book 'The Birds of Ireland', which accurately described the status of all bird species occurring in Ireland up to 1900. He was also an experienced speleologist, documenting the fossilized remains of many extinct animals, such as mammoths and bears, found in caves all over the country. I can be contacted at richardnairn@gmail.com or at the telephone number 086 8250414. Regards, Richard Nairn Web: richardnairn.ie Waterford flag Dear Editor, With regard to the Phoenix article titled, "Dereliction is Vandalism" (July 30, 2024), I would agree wholeheartedly with most of the content with the exception of one aspect. Your recommendation of erecting a tall flag pole on the roundabout outside the railway station, flying a blue and white flag. If this were done then you would not be honouring Waterford GAA, but Laois GAA whose colours are blue and white. Waterford's GAA colours are white and blue, which makes a big difference, as you can see from the Waterford flags flying outside the Tower Hotel and WLR on the Ring Road. Yours sincerely, Tom Murphy, Grange Heights, Waterford Letters to the Editor your voice, your view Letters, your voice, your view: Whether you agree or disagree with the views expressed or would like to have your own personal opinion aired in public, were waiting to hear from you. Send your letters to Editor, Waterford News & Star, Gladstone House, Gladstone Street, Waterford City or email editor@waterford-news.com The federal government has agreed to guarantee all flight bookings for passengers travelling with struggling airline Regional Express over the next four weeks. Transport Minister Catherine King said on Thursday federal funding would be given to Rex to provide certainty to regional travellers who may be concerned their flight will not take off because the business is under administration. The guarantee means all Rex passengers will get their money back in the event their booking to or from a regional destination falls through during the administration period. Transport Minister Catherine King has been under pressure to bail out Rex. Credit: The Sydney Morning Herald Rexs continuation is in the best interests of Australia, and the government is working closely with the administrators to ensure a strong regional aviation presence now and into the future, King said in a statement. The guarantee is for all regional flight bookings with Rex made after it entered voluntary administration at 9.31pm on July 30, 2024. Queen Rania al-Abdullah of Jordan showed a photo with her granddaughter, who was born on August 3, 2024. In the latest picture, the monarch is sitting next to her husband King Abdullah II, holding the little girl in her arms. ADVERTISIMENT "There is so much beauty in my arms," the royal wrote. Rania obviously adores the young Princess Iman. After the birth of the baby, the Queen took to Instagram to document some of the first moments of her life. One image shows Abdullah welcoming his first granddaughter while his wife kept a close eye on him, and another shows the mother of four cradling her baby while in the hospital. Princess Salma also held her niece, wrapped in a white flowered diaper, while Prince Hashem looked on lovingly at the new addition to the family. ADVERTISIMENT In the cutest photo shared by Rania, Prince Hussein holds his baby girl for the first time. In the caption, she said: "Iman, you have already captured my heart. Our family has never been happier!" Iman, who shares her name with two other members of the Jordanian royal family, is now getting used to her new home, Hashemite Palace, after Crown Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa returned home last week. ADVERTISIMENT Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! On the same day as Byron Bay Bluesfest founder Peter Noble announced next years event would be the last, Victoria staked its claim to be the nations home of live music by unveiling its third annual Always Live program, featuring a roster of international, Australian and local acts over 17 days in November and December. The program has been underwritten by the state government to the tune of $20 million in 2023 and 2024 as part of its response to the ongoing crisis in the live music and festivals sector. Many of the challenges facing the industry are structural: rising insurance costs, uncertainty due to extreme weather and late ticket-purchasing, an unfavourable exchange rate. Jack White will play an intimate show at the Corner Hotel in Richmond. Credit: David James Swanson Live music and music festivals are big business, with ticket sales in 2022 totalling around $940 million nationally, according to the most recent report from Live Performance Australia. But the past 18 months have been tough, with a raft of venue closures and festival cancellations prompting many to call for urgent government intervention and support. Just last week, the Live Nation-run Harvest Rock in Adelaide became the latest event to be cancelled. After spending one night behind bars, a Sydney man accused of violently murdering his wife 26 years ago and making up a false home invasion story to cover it up has been granted bail. In March 1998, Aaron Govendir told police he was knocked unconscious by an unknown man who entered their Dover Heights home posing as a police officer before bludgeoning his wife Denise to death and stealing their car. Police claim the entire story was fabricated to cover up the now 81-year-olds involvement in the killing. Aaron Govendir (left) is released from the Amber Laurel Correctional Centre in Sydney. Credit: AAPIMAGE He was arrested over the cold case on Thursday and appeared by audio-visual link at Penrith Local Court in Sydneys west on Friday where a magistrate granted him bail. He walked into a small room at Amber Laurel correctional centre in Emu Plains aided by a walking stick and complaining about the cold, before watching his barrister Brendan Green successfully argue for his release. Green said his client should not remain behind bars while the case moved through the courts. He described the circumstantial case against the Blaxland man as tenuous, saying there had been little in the way of fresh material brought forward after police reopened the investigation in 2021. New evidence in the prosecution case included additional witness statements, including from the GP who examined Govendir after the alleged attack, the court was told. Green also pointed to his clients advanced age and health, as well as the lack of any criminal record. Govendir had co-operated with police and had even handed himself in at Springwood police station before his arrest, the barrister said. Denise Govendir was allegedly murdered by her husband, Aaron Govendir. Credit: Dean Sewell / Nick Moir The police prosecutor denied the case against the 81-year-old was weak, calling it a strong case with a significant chance of success. He said there was a concern that Govendir would not appear at court and would interfere with witnesses if he was released. A common thread is the manipulation, the anger and the volatile nature of the accused in these matters, he said. Magistrate Robyn Denes acknowledged the risks raised. Its a new ball game, she said. Now hes been charged, its an entirely different scenario. However, she still granted bail, saying any concerns could be ameliorated with the proper conditions. Govendir will be required to stay at his Blaxland address, to surrender his passport and stay away from airports, and to refrain from contact with all prosecution witnesses, including his children. AAP A key organiser of pro-Palestinian protests will become the Greens first Palestinian MP if the party can harness anger over Labors stance on the Gaza conflict to snatch a key seat from the government at the next election. Greens leader Adam Bandt pledged a huge, people-powered campaign to win the Brisbane seat of Moreton, one of a handful of electorates where the party hopes its pro-Palestine stance will deliver its most successful election yet. Remah Naji, a 35-year-old social worker, is an organiser of the Justice for Palestine protest group. But the left-wing partys chances in the seat, and in the three others it holds in Brisbane, may be complicated by the Coalition if, as expected, it adopts former prime minister John Howards call to put the Greens below Labor on ballot papers over its position on the war. The Greens candidate in Moreton, Remah Naji, is a 35-year-old social worker and an organiser of the Justice for Palestine protest group who supports the movement to boycott Israeli companies and has previously said people who commit genocide are not our friends. Bessarabska Square in Kyiv emerged in the early nineteenth century as a marketplace where traders from southern Ukraine and Bessarabia (Moldova) came along the Vasylkivskyi Road. In the 1850s, it was surrounded by small private houses of the capital's residents. ADVERTISIMENT The photo was posted on his Telegram channel by Kyrylo Stepanets, a Kyiv guide. You can see what this location looked like about 170 years ago. "This is how Bessarabka looked like in the 1850s," the post reads. The published photo shows not only the square itself but also the future Bibikovskyi Boulevard, which is now known as Taras Shevchenko Boulevard. Bessarabska Square is a square in the Shevchenkivskyi district of Kyiv, the Bessarabka area. It is located between Khreshchatyk Street, Taras Shevchenko Boulevard, Velyka Vasylkivska Street, Krutyi Uzviz, and Baseina Street. It was founded in the early nineteenth century as a trading square near the city outpost, where traders from southern Ukraine and Bessarabia (Moldova) came along the Vasylkivskyi road. In the middle of the sixteenth century, there was a cemetery on its site. ADVERTISIMENT In the early 1870s, a unique church was built in Kyiv, popularly known as the Iron Church. It was built of cast iron and located near the modern building of the capital's circus. In Kyiv, at the Zvirynets Cemetery, there is a very unusual burial of a resident who died in 1918. The World War I-era grave has a cross in the form of connected rails, the sides of which are decorated with German grenade casings. As reported by OBOZ.UA, in the 50s and 60s of the twentieth century, in different districts of Kyiv, shallow and small outdoor summer pools were built. In the summer, it was a place for children to spend a lot of time. ADVERTISIMENT Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! On August 15, the world celebrates religious holidays and honors outstanding personalities. On this day, history and modernity intertwine, creating a unique atmosphere for joy and reflection. ADVERTISIMENT In Ukraine and many other countries, August 15 is a special date. Read about the significance of this day and its traditions in the OBOZ.UA article. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is one of the twelve largest Orthodox holidays, which is celebrated on August 15 according to the new calendar. It is important because it symbolizes the end of the earthly life of the Mother of God and her transition to eternity. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated in a particularly solemn way, with services accompanied by a rich liturgy, prayers, and singing. People associate this holiday with the end of the harvest and the beginning of preparations for the autumn season. Signs of August 15 What the weather is like on this day will be like in September; ADVERTISIMENT If frogs croak loudly, expect a period of rain; A lot of cobwebs are flying in the air - it will rain soon; If a cat is sharpening its claws all day, the weather will soon deteriorate and fish will not bite in the rivers; If the day falls on a new moon, the weather in the second half of August will be dry; Northeast wind - there will be a poor grain harvest. Also, in order not to bring trouble on yourself, on August 15, you should not work in the ground, use sharp objects, do physical labor, wear dirty, worn, untidy clothes, offend animals, overwork, or brag about your successes. Archaeologist's Day Archaeologist's Day is a professional holiday celebrated in Ukraine on August 15. It was introduced in 2008 in honor of those who have dedicated their lives to the study of ancient history and the cultural heritage of mankind. ADVERTISIMENT Archaeologists uncover the mysteries of the past by studying the remains of ancient civilizations, artifacts, and architectural structures, which allows us to better understand the history of our planet and people. Other holidays on August 15, 2024 Liberation Day of the Republic of Korea; Independence Day of India; Independence Day of the Republic of Congo; National Day of the Principality of Liechtenstein; St. Mary's Day or Mother's Day in Latvia; Constitution Day in Equatorial Guinea; Lady's Day in Ireland; Victory over Japan Day in the United Kingdom and the United States; Old Panama Day or Panama Viejo Day in Panama; Twin Day in Plekadek; Day of the Romanian Navy; Liberation Day in North Korea; Day of the founding of Asuncion in Paraguay; Armed Forces Day in Poland; Liberation Day in South Korea; Mother's Day in Antwerp and Costa Rica; ADVERTISIMENT War Memorial Day in Japan; Malaita Province Day in the Solomon Islands; Relaxation Day; National Acadian Day in Canada; National Acadian Festival; National Day of Mourning in Bangladesh; National Lemon Pie Meringue Day in the United States; National Animal Chip Check Day in the United States; National Day of Nova Scotia in Canada; First Day of the Nile Flood, or Wafa El-Nile, or Nile Flood Day in Egypt; Romeria in the Sanctuary of the Virgin del Caolica in Andorra; Feast of the Virgin of Candelaria; Feast of Ferragosto in Italy. Name day on August 15 On August 15, representatives of such names as Maxim, Alexander, Matthew, Vasily, Fyodor, and Maria celebrate their name day. People born on August 15 Gertie Therese Corey (1896) - Austrian-American biochemist, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Leo Termen (1896) - an inventor who created the first electric musical instrument. ADVERTISIMENT Louis de Broglie (1892) - French physicist, Nobel laureate in 1925, known for the discovery of the wave nature of electrons. Sri Aurobindo (1872) - Indian philosopher, poet, revolutionary and organizer of the Indian national liberation movement. Napoleon I (1769) was a French emperor who played a decisive role in European history in the early nineteenth century. Died on August 15 Kateryna Logvyniva-Yushchenko (2001) - author of the world's first high-level programming language, cyberneticist, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences. Viktor Tsoi (1990) - leader and vocalist of the rock band Kino. Robert de Sorbonne (1274) - French theologian, confessor of Louis IX, founder of the Sorbonne Theological College. Istvan I the Holy (1038) - the first king of the Kingdom of Hungary to be canonized for his services to the Christianization and unification of the country. ADVERTISIMENT Subscribe to OBOZ.UA channels in Telegram and Viber to keep up with the latest events. The advance of the Armed Forces in the Kursk region forced the Russians to take the initiative in the exchange of prisoners. In particular, the Ombudsman of the aggressor country, Tatyana Moskalkova, initiated a conversation with the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets. ADVERTISIMENT According to Mr. Lubinets, he recently had a conversation with the Russian ombudsman regarding the exchange of "fresh" prisoners, i.e., those Russians who surrender en masse in the Kursk region. By the way, this is the first time that the Russian Federation has initiated a conversation over prisoners. "Yes, there was an initiative conversation... We are now exchanging information. I also inform the ICRC and the UN that the rights of Russian prisoners of war are being protected. We are monitoring this situation, and at any time Ukraine is ready to continue exchange processes based on the Geneva Convention," the Ukrainian ombudsman said. The Ukrainian leader was the first to speak on the matter: Zelensky thanked the Ukrainian military in the Kursk region primarily "for replenishing the exchange fund with prisoners." Lubinets, in turn, emphasized that it was the Ukrainian Armed Forces' operation in the Kursk region that forced Russia to take the initiative in the prisoner exchange. ADVERTISIMENT "I don't know how it will end yet. But the Ukrainian side is always ready to conduct exchange processes," the ombudsman added. As reported by OBOZ.UA, on August 14, the President of Ukraine said that since the beginning of the day, the Armed Forces of Ukraine had managed to capture more than 100 Russian soldiers during the advance in the Kursk region. Meanwhile, the Defense Forces are creating a security zone in Russia to protect Ukraine's border regions (primarily Sumy). The Russian civilians who remain in the Kursk region are protected by international humanitarian law, which Ukraine fully respects. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! The Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan and Kuwait have signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the diplomatic institutions of the two countries, Azernews reports. According to the information, the document was signed following a meeting between Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov and his Kuwaiti counterpart Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya. It is reported that the main aspects of bilateral cooperation were discussed at the talks. Bakhtiyor Saidov noted that cooperation between Uzbekistan and Kuwait has significant potential, which has yet to be realized. He stressed that the development of economic ties, increasing interconnectedness between regions, encouraging regular exchanges, creating a reliable legal framework, strengthening people's diplomacy and strengthening human resources remain top priorities. Georgia's ruling Georgian Dream party has accused former President Mikheil Saakashvili of provoking Russia's war against the country in 2008. It is also trying to blame the imprisoned politician for the Kremlin's subsequent illegal occupation of Abkhazia and South Ossetia on the orders of unspecified "external actors." ADVERTISIMENT This was reported by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Analysts say that the political party continued the narratives that reflect Moscow's information operation and are designed to justify Russian violence against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of states previously colonized by the USSR and the Russian Empire. For example, the political council of the Georgian Dream stated that it should conduct a "legal process" to inform the public about the alleged "treasonous actions" of Saakashvili and his United National Movement party. It is emphasized that they blamed the former president, not Russia, for the 2008 war and the occupation of Georgia's territory, and instead justify Russia's actions, which were condemned by the international community. "The 'Georgian Dream' narrative closely resonates with the Kremlin's information operations on the Russian-Georgian war, broader information operations used to justify Russia's war against Ukraine, and the growing threats to Moldova's sovereignty and territorial integrity," the analysts said. ADVERTISIMENT They recalled that the aggressor country, Russia, has repeatedly accused pro-Western and pro-democratic leaders of neighboring countries of cooperating with "external actors" to the detriment of Russian interests. At the same time, it has been conducting trials in an attempt to justify its invasion, occupation, and hybrid operations against sovereign countries. A prominent Russian blogger with ties to the Kremlin took note of Georgian Dream's statements and amplified previous accusations by Russian authorities against Saakashvili and the West in general, suggesting that this narrative could gain support in the broader Russian media space. As reported by OBOZ.UA, in early August, the Tbilisi City Court imposed a pre-trial restraint on Mikheil Saakashvili in the form of arrest in the case of illegal border crossing. Although the politician has been behind bars for almost three years, the prosecution claimed that he could influence witnesses, destroy evidence, or "commit a new crime." ADVERTISIMENT Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Luke Gibbons, 27, from Claremorris, has been selected by the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) as one of the Top 30 Under 30 Environmental Educators in the World 2024. This award is regarded as one of the most prestigious environmental education accolades across the globe. The much anticipated announcement was made in Washington D.C. yesterday. The 30 awardees in this years EE 30 Under 30 Class of 2024 range in age from 21 to 30, hail from 19 countries, and work with a wide range of audiences to tackle complex environmental and social issues in their communities. Their collective work is reaching more than 300,000 people each year, many of whom are on the frontlines of climate crises. Luke was selected out of a field of 234 nominations and is the only person selected from Ireland and in fact the only awardee from the European Union. Luke will join a growing class of young leaders using environmental education to build more just and sustainable communities around the world. Gibbons was selected for this world class honor on the back of a stellar record of promoting environmental education and research. Luke is an Irish Research Council Government of Ireland Scholar and PhD Candidate at Trinity College Dublin and a former Fulbright Scholar and Visiting Researcher at Harvard Law School. His award winning research focuses on company directors duties and climate change risks. In February 2024, Lukes research was recognised across the Atlantic when he was named in the Top 40 Under 40 Irish in America, winning the Peoples Choice Award with an incredible 21,496 votes. Gibbons is also a Climate Reality Leader appointed by Former US Vice President Al Gore, a President Mary Robinson Climate Leader and an appointee to the European Energy Forum. In Luke was also recognised as Irish Law Student of the Year 2022 and as the JCI Most Outstanding Young Person Under 40 In Ireland for Academic Leadership and Achievement 2021. In December 2024, Luke will travel to New York City and represent Ireland at the Global Peace Summit with a mandate to discuss Irelands potential role to influence the politics of climate change. He will also represent Ireland as part of the HISA Impact Cruise in Italy, Spain and France this September in a bid to encourage youth implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Lukes research has led to several publications, including "The Cancer of Climate Change Law" and "Striking the Right Balance Between Credibility, Effectiveness, and Political Feasibility when Designing Multilateral Environmental Agreements. He has also presented at prestigious conferences such as the Irish Centre for European Law and Environmental Protection Agency Conference at Dublin Castle and the Mary Robinson Climate Conference 2024. Furthermore, Luke worked as a Congressional Legislative Fellow in the office of U.S. Congressman Matt Cartwright on Capitol Hill as part of the Washington Ireland Program, assisting with bipartisan legislation to monitor toxic mercury pollution and the UNLEADED Act. His engagement with influential individuals, such as discussing his research with former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Chelsea Clinton at Harvard, highlights the broader impact of his work. Through these efforts, he is assisting to advance environmental education and policy on both national and international levels. Speaking on his award Luke said while I am lucky to have had a number of achievements in my career thus far, this one feels particularly special as it acknowledges the positive contribution I am trying to make to future and current generations knowledge of the urgency to address the climate crisis. He further noted that I dont do the research to win awards but it is nice to feel like the work is being recognised as worthwhile. New insight continues to emerge from Pompeii, the heritage-listed archaeological site near Naples, in Italy. While it may seem unbelievable, there is still more to learn about what happened during those two fateful days in 79 AD, when Mount Vesuvius erupted and the city was covered with a three-meter layer of lava and ash. A study published in the journal Frontiers in Earth Science which reconstructs the story of two Pompeiians who managed to escape the first phase of the eruption has shed light on an overlooked factor that played a key role in the destruction of the city. Mount Vesuvius was not just to blame for the carnage: the residents of Pompeii were also struck by a series of earthquakes. The researchers point to the case of the two Pompeiians, who survived the eruption, only to be crushed to death by the rubble in the midst of the earthquakes. Since ancient times, it was known that Pompeii had been hit by simultaneous earthquakes, but there was no scientific evidence on how they affected the catastrophe. Now, for the first time, there is. We had a partial view of the destruction of Pompeii, two of the authors of the study, Valeria Amoretti, a physical anthropologist and head of the Research Laboratory at the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, and Domenico Sparice, from the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, tell EL PAIS. Another five experts from both organizations (Fabrizio Galadini, Mauro A. Di Vito, Antonella Terracciano, Giuseppe Scarpati and Gabriel Zuchtriegel) took part in the project, the findings of which were announced in May. The novelty is that, for the first time, the damage and victims of seismic activity during the course of the eruption have been recognized with certainty. Before now, the destruction of Pompeii had been attributed solely to volcanic phenomena [] Seismic activity certainly played an important role, especially between the first and second phase of the eruption, when the most violent earthquakes occurred, they explain by email. It was a perfect trap for the residents of Pompeii, worse than any disaster movie. The eruption began at 1 p.m. with a seven-hour shower of white pumice, which changed to gray pumice at 8 p.m., and lasted until 7 a.m. of the following day. Many residents like the two who were the subject of the study chose to take refuge in their houses, and in some cases the roofs collapsed under the weight of the volcanic debris. Traditionally, the Pompeiians found dead in houses were thought to have been killed for this reason. However, the case of these two residents indicates that some buildings resisted, but that from that night onwards, there were several earthquakes. The two Pompeiians in the study survived the eruption, but perished among the collapsed walls. The following day, the Pompeiians who had managed to save themselves and get out of their houses were surprised by a final wave of lava; these were the people whose bodies were found in the streets. Unraveling this chain of events has been very difficult, because the outcome of those two hellish days a mass of rubble, lava, ash and buried bodies has made it hard to decipher the precise order in which things happened. It was known that there were earthquakes on the day of the eruption. Pliny the Younger wrote in one of his letters to Tacitus that one was felt during the night of the first day (It was so particularly violent that night that it not only shook but actually overturned), and as well as at dawn on the second day: The day begins, with a still hesitant and almost lazy dawn [...] The carts that we had ordered brought were moving in opposite directions, though the ground was perfectly flat, and they wouldnt stay in place even with their wheels blocked by stones. View of the Insula of the Chaste Lovers, in Pompeii. Parque Arqueologico de Pompeya If Pliny had mentioned it, why hadnt it been taken into account until now? During an eruption, volcanic and seismic phenomena can occur rapidly, or simultaneously. This can make it very difficult to correctly interpret the cause of the damage, because volcanic phenomena can mask or erase the evidence, explain Amoretti and Sparice. But the fact that lava engulfed the city amid the chaos has helped the researchers: Pyroclastic deposits, engulfing the buildings, freeze the exact moment of destruction and related evidence, protecting them from further break-up due to any type of decay, the study states. One of those scenes frozen in time and thus providing an opportunity to dissect the timeline of events was found in a house called Insula dei Casti Amanti (Insula of the Chaste Lovers), which was located in the central part of Pompeii. The idea was born during the latest excavations, where we found structural damage with characteristics very different from the typical damage attributed to the impact of volcanic phenomena and described in the literature of Pompeii, the researchers say. Two bodies stood out in particular. The discovery of two skeletons, directly under two large fragments of wall, prompted us to undertake a multidisciplinary investigation that, for the first time, has involved an expert in so-called archaeoseismology, which determines the effects of ancient earthquakes. Creating a team of experts from various disciplines archaeologists, volcanologists, anthropologists was key to the study, and is increasingly common in research in Pompeii: Multidisciplinary studies are essential in these contexts, because only by considering different perspectives is it possible to correctly assess the cause-effect relationship. After two months of work on the ground and seven months of analyzing the data the volcanic strata, the walls of the buildings and the injuries that the two bodies presented the researchers were able to determine that the walls collapsed due to an earthquake, not from being swept away by the lava, and that these two people were crushed to death, not suffocated or burned. In fact, the bodies were found on a layer of gray pumice from the first eruption, which had entered the house through a window from an alley. The home had already cooled, because there are no remains of charred wood. According to the research, these two Pompeiians survived the whole night in the room until dawn, when an earthquake struck, and toppled the walls, which crushed them to death. New perspectives of research Our results represent a starting point for an updated view of the destruction of Pompeii [...] and open new perspectives of research, the study concludes. In other words, the study encourages new thinking on how the Pompeians died. Earthquakes, they conclude, should be regarded as an additional cause of death in the ancient Pompeii other than those reported in literature. According to studies, a total of 394 bodies were recovered from the pumice stratum that formed with the first phase of the eruption. Of these, 345 were found inside houses. Until now, it was believed these people died because the roof collapsed under the weight of the volcanic material. The new study, however, indicates that this may not have been the case for all deaths. The study also indicates that the earthquake probably also played a role in the choices made by the victims of the second phase of the eruption. In other words, it influenced how people behaved, a factor that had not been taken into account until now. In the chaos of that tragic day, the decisions made by the Pompeiians marked their fate. A total of 650 bodies were recovered from pyroclastic flow deposits, both in houses and on the streets. One hypothesis is that the survivors of the first hours abandoned their houses or shelters during the pauses in volcanic activity. Another is that some of the survivors, who had fled at the beginning, tried to return to recover their belongings, thinking that the disaster was over. But the Frontier study suggests that the earthquakes drove the survivors in Pompeii to flee their homes, and likely discouraged others from returning home. Unfortunately, everyone on the street was killed by the lava flow. The Pompeiians were used to earthquakes. Several had been documented in earlier years. For example, one in 64 hit while Nero was performing in a theater in Naples, according to Suetonius and Tacitus. But the biggest earthquake took place in 62. It wreaked so much damage that it is believed that repair work was still being done in Pompeii 17 years later, when Vesuvius erupted. In many houses, archaeologists found furniture pushed into corners, piles of lime, carefully stacked building materials and incomplete wall decorations. In other words, earthquakes were common in Pompeii, but on that occasion, they happened at the worst possible time. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition People look at the new iPhone 15 Pro as Apple's new iPhone 15 officially goes on sale across China at an Apple store in Shanghai, China September 22, 2023. Opinion articles written in the style of their author." These texts are to be based on verified facts and must be respectful towards people, even though their actions may be criticized. shall feature, along with the author's name (regardless of their greater or lesser renown), a footer stating their office, academic title, political affiliation (if any) and main occupation, or the occupation related to the topic being assessed Apple should have no trouble overcoming recent setbacks in Greater China. The iPhone maker ceded ground to local rivals in what boss Tim Cook calls the most competitive market in the world. Distinct advantages, however, will help revitalize the $3 trillion companys resilience. For four consecutive quarters, Apples sales in the region, which includes Hong Kong and Taiwan, have fallen year-on-year. And in a first, domestic brands held all five top spots for quarterly smartphone shipments, according to research outfit Canalys. Apples share in a market that accounted for almost a fifth of its roughly $380 billion in net sales last fiscal year dropped to 14% from 16% during the same span in 2023. The gnawing fear is that this could mark the beginning of an end, like those met by many tech companies before Apple. Since bringing the iPhone to China in 2009, Apple has navigated tricky political conditions, changing consumer preferences and fierce competition from homegrown copycats. Starbucks, by comparison, has been overtaken in both revenue and store count by a post-scandal Luckin Coffee. Apples troubles are probably temporary, though. The recent surge by Huawei and others was largely powered by aggressive promotions for Chinas 6.18 online shopping festival. Apple, too, slashed prices, by more than 20% for some older models. It has eased off those discounts, Jefferies analysts reckon, even as Vivo, Oppo and others keep pushing theirs. There is evidence that Apples tactics are bearing fruit. Cook flagged that, excluding the impact of a weak yuan and strong dollar, Greater China revenue fell less than 3% in the latest three-month span, slower than in previous quarters. Monthly government data on foreign-branded phones also indicates that shipments surged by more than 40% in May and 10% in June, a sign that iPhone sales are growing again. More importantly, Apples profitability in China excels. Its operating income margin in the region tracks to surpass 40% this year, compared to the 31% anticipated company-wide, per forecasts gathered on Visible Alpha. Xiaomi is only expected to hit 4%. All this bodes well for the upcoming rollout of the iPhone 16, with fresh artificial intelligence features. Huawei, which staged a comeback to the handset market last year following U.S. sanctions, plans to release its latest flagship device by the end of the year. Even with financial support from Beijing, however, its struggling to develop enough cutting-edge chips in-house. Apple will lose the occasional battle, but it stands to win the China smartphone war. The authors are Reuters Breakingviews columnists. The opinions are their own. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition On the seventh day, Franklin Gomez and Daniel Prado still think they should continue their hunger strike. Another man with them thinks the same; he is 65 years old and they had not met until three days ago. Oswaldo de los Santos arrived on Saturday, sat down next to them, and knew he could not return home. He also stopped eating. The injustices of their country, the piece of the world that belongs to them by nature, unites them in a way that nothing else can. Those who come to say hello and ask questions look and act as if they also know them, because most of them know each other through a specific pain. The three men are sitting in front of the United Nations headquarters in New York, under a roof, with three chairs and a mattress. They are all asked the same question: why? As if the answer were not obvious. They are doing this because they want a democratic Venezuela. We want our country back. The country is not theirs, it belongs to the people, says Oswaldo. The reason they are in front of the UN is very specific: they are asking the Security Council to hold a special session under the Arria formula in order to present their case. We simply want to bring the truth to the world, of what happened and what is happening in Venezuela, says Daniel. In Arria formula meetings non-governmental actors participate in the discussion of the issue that affects them as witnesses and advocates of their cause. It is an opportunity to debate with representatives and external agents in a context of confidentiality. The purpose of these meetings is to promote direct dialogue with the various actors involved in a conflict, in order to help the members of the Security Council to make informed decisions. Daniel Prado in front of the United Nations in New York, August 12, 2024. Mariana Vicenti Franklin and Daniel managed to speak by phone with a UN official who warned them that this was not the way to proceed and that any request or action should be made through diplomatic channels. He told them to go to the Venezuelan mission to the UN. They complied, but only found what they consider a metaphor for their homeland: closed doors, a torn flag, and no people. Despite that, we slipped the document under the door and stuck another one to it. We also sent one by mail to prove that Venezuela has no representation in these individuals that the dictator Nicolas Maduro is sending, says Franklin, while displaying an Instagram message from a woman asking for medicine for a relative. I have as many messages like that as you want. And those calls for help are what feeds the three of them. Neither Daniel, 28, nor Franklin, 34, live in New York. Daniel is an actor and dancer. Franklin works in a restaurant but he is also the same person he was in Venezuela: a communications student, a councilor for the state of Tachira, a political opponent, and an exile. Both are exiles. Daniel witnessed the shooting death of 14-year-old Kluivert Roa by an officer of the Bolivarian National Police. He is the man who appears in a photograph of the tragedy, his chest stained with Kluiverts blood, in front of the guns and uniformed officers of the state. Franklin was persecuted, imprisoned, and tortured for two days. He was accused of being a terrorist and of having incited attacks on the police. He was released and then tried by military courts. He fled the country. Leave, I dont want to see you dead, his mother told him. Having survived their own country, life for both of them is nothing like what they had or could have had in Venezuela. I couldnt graduate, I lost my marriage because I couldnt let my decisions hurt my family; I never saw my family again, Franklin says. On August 12, part of the Venezuelan diaspora gathered together with him, Daniel and Oswaldo in an evening of songs and poetry. It was something that comforted our souls, our spirit filled our stomachs in an incredible way because we had not felt so Venezuelan for so long. They have been visited by doctors, people from Bangladesh, a Buddhist monk who prayed a mantra, and representatives of the Catholic and Evangelical Christian Churches. A Venezuelan woman, with her baby and her French husband, pass by and come to thank them. Its now or never, she says. Now or never. It has been almost three weeks since presidential elections took place in Venezuela. The Venezuelan people took to the streets to denounce electoral fraud at the National Electoral Council (CNE), which awarded the victory to Maduro without publishing the paper tallies of the ballot records. Since then, over 1,350 people have been detained without any due process, according to the NGO Foro Penal. Activists, journalists or whistleblowers who have tried to leave the country have had their passports canceled. Maduro blocked social networks and messaging services such as Signal and X, but Venezuelans have not bowed. Three weeks after the elections in Venezuela, young people have been on a hunger strike protesting against electoral fraud at the National Electoral Council, which awarded the victory to Nicolas Maduro. Mariana Vicenti We have not lost hope and we have not lost faith. We came to give our lives for Venezuela, we did not come to let ourselves die. I know it will be difficult, but I would like to make art and be part of the construction of a country. I want to see how Venezuela rises from the ashes and returns to Christ because without him we are nothing, says Franklin. Daniel stands up. His t-shirt reads: Now or never. A few minutes ago, Diego Vicentini, director of the feature film Simon, approached them. Franklins t-shirt alludes to the film, which tells the story of a young man who stood up to the Venezuelan regime and tried to obtain political asylum before being forcibly sent back home. Vicentini and Daniel walk toward 42nd Street. They are carrying the same document they tried to deliver to the Venezuelan mission. They will now try to do so at the Ecuadorian mission. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition The Wits Innovation Foundation for Democracy opens its doors for business The Foundation looks to reshape discussions about democracy in Africa. The Wits Innovation Foundation for Democracy has opened its new offices in the Es kia Mphahlele building. Wits Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi and Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation, Professor Lynn Morris opened the office space on the 5th floor of the building in a ceremony attended by the Ambassador of France to South Africa, David Martinon. The Innovation Foundation for Democracy is the brainchild of Distinguished Professor Achille Mbembe, who in 2021 mentioned the possibility of establishing a Pan-African forum for democracy in a presentation at the Africa-France summit in Montpellier. In October 2023, Mbembes wish was realised when the Wits Innovation Foundation for Democracy was formed. A lot has happened since then, said Morris at the opening of the new offices. The Foundation has set up key sub-regional laboratories in Central-, West- and Mediterranean Africa, and by the end of this year, there will be three new sub-regional labs. The Foundation already has a footprint in 27 African countries. The Foundation, which is neither a research centre nor an institute in the traditional sense, but a Pan-African non-profit organisation, works mainly in three areas, namely research and scholarship, education, and advocacy. Its aim is to advance research and education policy to sustain and enhance democracy in Africa. The Foundation draws from the theoretical and practical knowledge, which scholars, practitioners and experts from lots of different disciplines contribute to understand the unique challenges that face democracy on the continent, said Morris. It also provides financial support to several flagship projects throughout the continent annually, is engaged in collaborative projects with various institutions in South Africa and the rest of Africa and provides funding for doctoral and postdoctoral research. Martinon said he was very impressed by the Foundations progress made in 18 months, especially in creating the sub-regions. He said that since 2017, France, under the leadership of President Macron, has set to transform the nature of its relations with Africa, which has led to meaningful actions such as the restitution of African artefacts, among other, all aiming at redefining the relationship of uniting France and Africa. The opening of these premises are laying a groundwork for a brighter future, said Martinon. These premises are more than just offices. They symbolise the growth, the aspirations and the potential of the Foundation. They are a space where ideas will flourish, and where collaboration will thrive. Mbembe said that the Foundation was launched at a time where, throughout the world, democracy was in crisis. The reasons for the crisis are numerous. But part of the crisis stems probably from the fact that democracy has lost its own meaning and is in need of a refitting in contemporary conditions, which are characterised on the one had by technological escalation, and on the other hand, by an impending ecological disaster all of which force us to rethink the role of human agency, and the need to invent new institutions that can help to maintain our planet habitable. The Foundation hopes to create a space for deep thinking from the continent of what the future of democracy in Africa could and should look like. The relics of Saint Jude Thaddeus are transported in a glass urn on a trajinera through the canals of Xochimilco, on Sunday, August 11, 2024. This saint is very miraculous, says Dona Angela, 66, holding a holy card with the image of Saint Jude Thaddeus. She has come from Aguascalientes to Xochimilco, south of Mexico City, to visit the saints relic. She and her sister Isabel, 63, have traveled 310 miles by bus in the hope that Saint Jude will hear their prayers. The saint is thought to help with impossible causes, be it due to health, work or problems with the law. Isabel says that Covid-19 left one of her brothers bedridden, unable to speak or move. They said he wouldnt live more than three months, but three years have passed, and he is still with us, she says. I ask Saint Jude every day to restore his health and return him to us. We have not lost our faith, she says. Mexico is a country of crowds, bustling streets and big events. This is seen at concerts, at rallies in public squares and games at the Azteca Stadium. But if there is something that is attracting even larger numbers, its Saint Jude: millions of people have waited under the sun or the rain to see the relic of the apostle. Our country is going through very difficult situations of violence and insecurity, where the most affected are the poor and the most marginalized sectors of society, says the priest Jesus Alejandro Ortega, vice-rector of the San Jose seminary. The people identify with Saint Jude because he is the saint of hopeless causes, through him, they put their needs in the hands of God and faith rebuilds their hope. The cult began in Chicago, when a Claretian priest instituted Saint Jude Thaddeus as the patron of the citys police. That same priest, in the 1950s, brought the image of the saint to the Claretians, who ran the church of San Hipolito in Mexico City. Saint Jude has a connection with the humblest people in Mexico. He is an approachable and simple saint, says Alejandro Ortega. Honest or dishonest, hard-working or evildoers, everyone wants to visit the saint. It is believed that Saint Jude helps seemingly lost causes. The relic is inside a polychrome wood carving from the 19th century. It is in the shape of a forearm and hand, which has three fingers pointing upwards, as a sign of blessing. The piece of arm bone believed to belong to the apostle is behind a glass cover within the forearm. The relic is usually kept in the church of San Salvatore in Lauro, in Rome. Last July, it was brought by the Vatican nunciature to Mexico to restore hope to the faithful after the pandemic, according to a statement shared with the media. After the Virgin of Guadalupe, in Mexico there is a great devotion to Saint Jude Thaddeus, says Gina Gil, who oversaw the relics trip to Mexico. Thousands of faithful line up in the capital's Zocalo to see the relic of Saint Jude Thaddeus, on his first visit to the country. Rogelio Morales Ponce (Cuartoscuro) Mile-long queues of people wait in front of the Metropolitan Cathedral for a chance to see the relic: authorities in Xochimilco say more than 180,000 visitors can arrive in a single day. By 9:00 a.m., the line outside already stretched for several blocks. Be it in a wealthy or poor neighborhood, a big or small one, every San Judas procession has been a hit The relic is doing a tour that Taylor Swift and Bruno Mars would have loved, traveling to Mexico City, Mexico State, Tlaxcala and Puebla in August. Each and every stop is packed. The devotion inspired by the relic is so great that altars have been built everywhere: it is very common to find images of Saint Jude in markets, taxi stands, taco shops or in parks. Some people have been waiting in front of the Cathedral since 3 a.m., others resign themselves to waiting until the church closes its doors at night. My sister has just come out of a very delicate surgery, and I am asking him to get rid of her illness and bring health to everyone, explains Tomas Olguin, 55. He has come from the Miguel Hidalgo municipality with his wife and his mother-in-law in a wheelchair. Having the relic here in Xochimilco is a miracle, he says enthusiastically, adding that he and his family celebrate the saints day, every 28th of each month. On the 28th, we go to Mass, or we light a candle. On October 28th we usually go to the San Hipolito church, in the historic center, for its big party, he adds. A line of people enters a chapel on one side of the altar. With their cell phones held high and their eyes wide open, many murmur their prayers as they walk. Please, brothers, do not stop. We recommend that you make a video with your cell phone and do not take photos so that the visit goes faster, says the logistics staff. The bone is placed next to a life-size wax statue. The tour lasts barely a minute. But its enough to make the visitors happy. Sick people, the elderly, children, and young people flock to see the relic. St. Jude Thaddeus is one of the saints with the largest number of devotees in Mexico. In this image, followers wait to bless their images and figures of St. Jude in the Xochimilco municipality, south of Mexico City, on August 11. Caitlin Cooper On July 29, the relic of St. Jude Thaddeus arrived at the Mexico City International Airport for a tour of the country. Andrea Murcia Monsivais (Cuartoscuro) The first stop on the tour was the Metropolitan Cathedral in Mexico City, where it remained until July 31. Cuartoscuro The second site to receive the relic was the Church of St. Hippolytus, of which St. Jude Thaddeus is the patron saint. Galo Canas Rodriguez (Cuartoscuro) The relic remained in the Church of St. Hippolytus until August 2, when the church received than 3,000 people by midday, while dozens more continued to line up to see the saint's arm bone and bless their icons. Galo Canas Rodriguez (Cuartoscuro) The relic of St. Jude Thaddeus arrive at the International Airport of Mexico City on a 90-day loan from the Vatican. Andrea Murcia Monsivais (Cuartoscuro) The relic of St. Jude Thaddeus is transported in a glass urn in a trajinera through the canals of Xochimilco, Sunday, August 11, 2024. Caitlin Cooper The relic is taken through the canals of the southern part of Mexico City. Caitlin Cooper A mother and daughter wait for the passage of the relic of St. Jude on a raft in Xochimilco. Caitlin Cooper People carry the relic of St. Jude Thaddeus as they arrive at the church of San Cristobal Martir, in San Cristobal Texcalucan, in Mexico State, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024. Eduardo Verdugo (AP) Genaro Santiago sets off fireworks during the celebrations of the relic's visit to the church of San Cristobal Martir. Eduardo Verdugo (AP) The procession of the relic in Xochimilco also traveled through the streets of the municipality. Caitlin Cooper The tour of the relic of St. Jude Thaddeus is a 90-day loan from the Vatican. Caitlin Cooper Father Ortega blesses T-shirts, candles and rosaries that people have just bought at a souvenir stand at the exit of the chapel, where the relic is on display. On the tour, the relic is moved in a special glass-enclosed urn so that all the devotees can see it as they pass by, the nunciature says. That morning in Xochimilco, they also held a procession in a trajinera a type of flat-bottomed boat which sailed through the canals and chinampas. Veneration for the patron saint of impossible causes goes beyond the borders of Mexico. In fact, there are two other relics of the arm of Saint Jude in the United States. One of them is also on tour, and will visit more than 100 cities in several states, including Texas, Maine, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Louisiana, New Mexico and Arizona. People ask the saint for difficult miracles: curing illnesses, finding work, solving marital crises or avoiding going to jail. In a country where human and divine justice seem to have turned their backs on the people, for many, their last resort is to ask Saint Jude for a miracle. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Last week, in an unusual joint communique, the countries mediating a ceasefire in Gaza the US, Egypt and Qatar called for a meeting on August 15 for Israel and Hamas to reach an agreement without any more excuses and with no time to waste. They offered to draft a final proposal that meets the expectations of all parties. The idea (mentioned twice in the note) that the time has come to put a gradual end to the invasion, by means of a pact allowing the return of the 100 or so hostages remaining in Gaza, is not new: it has been present for months in the messages of Joe Bidens administration. What is new is the context of maximum regional tension, in which the importance of a successful dialogue is increasingly oriented towards avoiding reprisals from Iran and Hezbollah to the most recent fire Israel has lit in the Middle East with the assassination two weeks ago, and in barely 24 hours, of the number two of the Lebanese militia, Fuad Shukr, in his fiefdom in Beirut and, it is presumed, of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. The world has since held its breath for the response joint or separate and the ensuing Israeli reaction, which it is feared could escalate into regional war. Last week, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that his army is prepared for a quick transition to offense. As things stand, [Hezbollah chief Hassan] Nasrallah may drag Lebanon into paying extremely heavy prices. They cant even imagine what might happen, Gallant added. Negotiations are scheduled to begin Thursday in Doha, the capital of Qatar, and will last several days. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Wednesday with his negotiating team and approved its mandate. Hamas has announced that it will not send representatives, in a decision that is more symbolic than influential because they are, in any case, indirect negotiations: Hamas leaders and Israeli officials never meet in the same room. Hamas justifies this on the grounds that the mediators should force Israel to implement what has been agreed based on the proposal that Biden made at the time and to which Netanyahu introduced modifications instead of engaging in new rounds of negotiations or new proposals that give more time to Israel to continue its genocide in Gaza. A poster bearing the image of Hamas' new political leader, Yahya Sinwar, in Tehran. ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH (EFE) The ambassadors of three of Israels main allies Washington, Berlin and London met Wednesday in Tel Aviv, at the headquarters of the forum pressing for the release of the hostages, to call for the deal to be approved. On Monday, Hamas announced that a guard killed one of the hostages he was in charge of and, in another incident, two others were seriously injured. The Israeli army said it has received no information to confirm or deny these reports. Never in the 10 months of the Israeli invasion has the ceasefire in Gaza been less about the Strip. Not only because of the prevailing feeling including among Israelis of different political persuasions, according to the polls that Netanyahu is prolonging the war for personal interest, but also because of the urgency to provide Iran and Hezbollah with a symbolic victory that will allow them to hold off on carrying out a retaliation that both have described as certain. In reality, the Lebanese militia has been saying for months that it will stop firing shells at Israel as soon as it stops bombing Gaza, but Netanyahu treats these as separate problems and insists on continuing to bombard the Strip until the final victory. Many in the Israeli government and army want to go all out with Hezbollah now, to draw its elite forces away from the border and return the tens of thousands of displaced people in the area to their homes. Amos Hochstein (left) and Nabih Berri during their meeting in Beirut on Wednesday. WAEL HAMZEH (EFE) I hope so The link between the end of the horror in Gaza and the defusing of Tehrans retaliation was expressly made Tuesday by the U.S. president, who noted that it is his expectation. A day earlier, three Iranian regional government sources anonymously pointed it out to Reuters as the only thing that would deactivate the response. Amos Hochstein, Bidens envoy who forged the maritime delimitation agreement between Israel and Lebanon in 2022, sounded more cautious on Wednesday in Beirut: I hope so, I think so, he said. We continue to believe that a diplomatic resolution is achievable because we continue to believe that no one truly wants a full-scale war between Lebanon and Israel, he said after meeting with Nabih Berri, the speaker of the Lebanese parliament and a Hezbollah ally who leads the other major Shia movement in the country, Amal. Another of his interlocutors, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, admitted that diplomatic efforts are focused on preventing a war and stopping Israeli aggression. Hezbollah has begun moving people and computers in Dahiya, its emblematic neighborhood in Beirut where Israel assassinated Shukr. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was scheduled to travel to the area, but has cancelled the trip. Among the diplomatic efforts is a joint appeal by the United States, Germany, and France that did not sit well with Tehran. They asked it not to respond to the humiliation of the assassination of its guest Shukr, who had been invited to attend the inauguration of the new Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian. Israel has not acknowledged responsibility for the attack, which it generally does in this type of operation. Tehrans Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani noted Tuesday that it lacks political logic and amounts to public and practical support for Israel by blatantly asking Iran not to respond to the violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity while raising no objections to the international crimes of Israel. Washington has just approved another arms package to its ally, worth more than $18 billion and consisting mainly of 50 F-15 warplanes. The regime of the ayatollahs, meanwhile, uses vague words to leave several doors open. Its UN mission insists that retaliation for Haniyeh is a totally unrelated matter to the Gaza ceasefire negotiations but also that it will carry it out at a time and in a manner that will not be detrimental to the potential ceasefire. And, like Hezbollah, it uses uncertainty as a weapon, causing the cancellation of numerous flights to Tel Aviv and generating anxiety among Israelis, who every week receive WhatsApp and Telegram hoaxes or information about an imminent attack. Waiting is part of the punishment, of the response, Nasrallah said earlier this month. As diplomacy moves, so does the U.S. military machine heading to the Middle East. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin has announced the dispatch of the guided missile submarine USS Georgia (a rare occurrence, as the Pentagon does not usually report the movements of its submarine fleet) and ordered the Abraham Lincoln, an aircraft carrier with F-35 fighters, to speed to the region from near the Philippines, where it will join the already deployed Theodore Roosevelt. Washington will also send more fighter jets and warships. For its part, the Israeli army has deployed elite units in the north of the country to act as a rapid intervention force, given the possibility that Hezbollahs retaliation could include not only the foreseeable launching of rockets, anti-tank shells, and explosives-laden drones, but also the infiltration of militiamen, as was the case of the Hamas-led surprise attack on October 7, 2023, according to the Maariv daily. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Although it seems practically impossible, there are some issues that Kamala Harris and Donald Trump agree on. The Democratic candidate for president announced Saturday that if she wins the race to the White House, she will eliminate taxes on service industry tips. The move was widely applauded in Las Vegas, which has a robust hospitality industry employing some 300,000 workers. But theres a catch: Trump launched the same proposal, in the same city, two months earlier, after a waitress complained that the government keeps too much of her paycheck. This was a TRUMP idea - She has no ideas, she can only steal from me, the GOP candidate wrote on Truth Social. The MAGA movement has since Sunday focused its artillery against Harris, deeming her a plagiarist for taking up one of Trumps less radical proposals. The difference is, she wont do it, she just wants it for Political Purposes, stated the Republican, who is competing neck-and-neck with Harris to take Nevada in November. According to 538, ABCs polling project, the current vice president is ahead of the former president by a margin of 0.6%. The Culinary 226 union, which represents some 60,000 hospitality workers in Nevada, has celebrated that its own tips will be exempt from taxes and the minimum wage raised, another of the initiatives announced by Harris. The organization endorsed the Democratic candidate before her visit to Las Vegas. Meanwhile, it has remained silent on Trumps original proposal. A Harris campaign spokesman assured NPR on Tuesday that the proposals are different but that details will be forthcoming. Democratic Congressman Steven Horsford called Trumps bluff. If Trump really wanted to help tipped employees, he would be advocating for elimination of the federal subminimum wage for tipped workers, the lawmaker said before Harris echoed the tip issue. Horsford was referring to the federal minimum wage for service industry workers, which has been stuck at $2.13 per hour since 1990. Meanwhile, the federal minimum in other jobs is $7.25 per hour. Seven states, including Nevada, have passed laws that prohibit paying the first amount. The tax break has been attractive to Nevada, where many hotel and casino employees earn, on average, $4 less per hour than in other states. The proposal, however, would benefit all hotel and casino workers in the country: about 2.3 million people, according to the latest available statistics from the Department of Labor, from May of last year. The average annual income for these workers is $36,500. Nevadas two senators, Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen, who are seeking re-election in November, are also in favor of the measure. Both have joined an initiative that Senator Ted Cruz, a radical Republican from Texas, introduced in July. This shows that, at least prior to the election, the two major parties have been in tune and willing to move the proposal forward. Skeptical economists Although it has electoral traction, economists have been less than enthusiastic about the proposal. Experts believe that the plan would not deliver the benefits that sound so appealing at political rallies. Firstly, because it would not change the reality for most low-income workers: fewer than three out of every 100 employees in the country rely on tips to supplement their wages, according to Yale University. The base of this workforce are teenagers and those aged under 25. How are you going to determine who is getting a tip and when that tip goes over the wage threshold? asked Steve Rosenthal of the Urban-Brookings tax think tank. The analyst told public radio that the measure could disproportionately benefit waiters who have a low minimum wage but receive a lot of tips. In contrast, in states like California, where wages are higher and tips are lower, it would barely make a difference to their income. If approved by Congress, the bill could leave tax authorities with a $150 billion to $250 billion hole over the next decade, according to the nonprofit Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. If the policy is accompanied by a minimum wage hike, the U.S. deficit could balloon by another $200 billion between 2026 and 2035, the group says. There are also fears that it would distort the labor market. In practice, the tax exemption could lead employers to recharacterize ordinary income as tips, which could result in lower wages and higher tips. The magnitude of that effect is uncertain and would depend significantly on the regulations that accompany the rule, the nonprofit added. The Harris campaign, without entering into specifics, said its proposal would be accompanied by requirements to prevent businesses from taking advantage of this. Kid Rock, who performed at the Republican National Convention that anointed Trump, has been spreading the word about the initiative. Last month, the musician posted a photo of himself leaving a $400 tip on a $1,143 bill at a Kentucky steakhouse. A vote for Trump is a vote to end tip taxes, he wrote. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition KYODO NEWS - Aug 15, 2024 - 14:24 | World, Travel/Tourism, All North Korea may reopen its doors to international tourists in December after shutting itself off for more than four years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a Beijing-based tour agency said. Koryo Tours said on its website Wednesday that it has received confirmation from its local partner that tourism to Samjiyon, located at the foot of Mt. Paektu near the North Korean border with China and potentially the rest of the country, will officially resume in December. Pyongyang shut its borders in early 2020 due to the pandemic but has accepted a small number of Russian tour groups since early this year. Koryo Tours said official itineraries and dates for its North Korean tours will be announced in the coming weeks. Before the public health crisis, Chinese nationals had made up a large number of foreign tourists visiting North Korea. In July, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited Samjiyon and said the country will build a large ski resort nearby. He said the resort will make "even foreign friends feel peculiar attraction," according to the official Korean Central News Agency. KYODO NEWS - Aug 15, 2024 - 08:33 | All, World The Taliban is treated in the region akin to the "recognized government" of Afghanistan, acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said in a recent interview ahead of the third anniversary of the Islamist group's return to power. The remarks came even though no country has officially recognized the Taliban as Afghanistan's legitimate government largely due to its repressive policies against women. The Taliban regime has, however, increased its engagement with the international community such as by attending a U.N.-led conference on Afghanistan earlier this year. "Our engagement with regional countries is on the level of (a) recognized government," Muttaqi told Kyodo News on Tuesday in Kabul. But he noted that whether any country will publically recognize the Taliban as a lawful government is more of a "political issue." Without commenting on whether the Taliban has any plans to resume higher education for girls, the minister criticized the international community for using the issue as an "obstacle" for official recognition. Since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, various restrictions have been imposed on women's rights to travel, study and work freely, including for the United Nations and nongovernmental organizations. Secondary and higher education for girls has been suspended. Recalling the past three years, Muttaqi said one of the greatest achievements was that "security" was ensured in the country through "strong military forces" and "the support of the people." The Taliban interim government held a ceremony on Wednesday to mark the third anniversary of their rule over Afghanistan at the former U.S. Bagram air base, an epicenter of America's war against the al-Qaida terrorists and the Taliban regime. The United States completed the withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan on Aug. 30, 2021, bringing an end to two decades of war triggered by the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks on American soil. While terrorism by the Islamic State and small-scale attacks by anti-Taliban forces have been reported in Afghanistan, Muttaqi brushed aside the reports as "baseless" and denied the presence of such terrorist organizations and opposition forces. Citing that Afghanistan has been under conflict since the former Soviet Union's invasion in 1979, the acting foreign minister said Afghanistan has been "left behind" from the development of the world. "The greatest challenge for us will be rehabilitation and reconstruction," he said. Related coverage: Taliban releases Kyodo News Afghan reporter after 8-day detainment Taliban should not be forcibly removed: ex-Afghan president Karzai A University of Wolverhampton graduate, and an award-winning beauty pageant winner, is continuing to make strides in helping and supporting communities in Africa. The journey of being involved in beauty pageants began in 2017 for Amanda Ngcono Nkomo when she was crowned Miss Zimbabwe UK. And since then, Amanda has not looked back. In 2019, Amanda set up the Ngcono Mbowane Foundation, with the mission of helping and supporting those in developing countries in Africa to be able to live stable and fulfilling lives by assisting with necessities such as school supplies, sanitary pads for girls, clothing, food, workshops and project work. Three years later, in 2022, Amandas charity work was recognised with an international award win in Ghana for the impact the charity was making in Africa. And it was in this same year Amanda graduated from the University of Wolverhampton in Health Studies. Reflecting on the course, Amanda said: My favourite memories from the Health Studies course were the different modules we got to cover and learn about. My whole experience with the University was so enjoyable and Im hoping to progress with further education in the future too. Since graduating, the 25-year-old has published her first childrens book, The New Comer, and appeared in GQ South Africa in March last year talking about her charity work. Amanda also had the privilege of representing Zimbabwe at the Miss Globe beauty pageant competition held in Albania in November 2023. She has also been shortlisted for the Humanitarian Award at the Universitys 2024 Alumni Awards, with the ceremony to be held on 7 November. As part of her current role, Amanda is working alongside teachers and local authorities to support young children and teenagers across Africa. On her achievements to date, Amanda said: There have been so many achievements in my life, including graduating from the University of Wolverhampton, which Im incredibly proud of. Its been amazing to travel the world to work on different projects and attend many amazing events. But the best is yet to come. For anyone thinking of studying at the University, Amanda said: The best advice I would give is to enjoy the experience, be open-minded to make new friends, try new activities and hobbies and really put yourself out there. Get involved within the University as well and try to attend events - its a really great experience. I would also say if you need any support to always reach out as the University gives the best support and guidance. To find out more about graduate success, check out the Every Story Has a Start web page which showcases our exceptional alumni across the globe doing incredible things. High achievers from the worlds of literature, business, sport, film and the arts feature, sharing how their lives and careers have developed since their days studying with us. After graduation, graduates become members of the Alumni Association and are encouraged to keep in touch, to take advantage of a wide range of benefits and support on offer, including a discount for postgraduate study. To learn more about the Universitys Alumni Association please visit here, where graduates can also update their details with the Association. The Clearing hotline number is 01902 323 232 for anyone looking for courses starting in September and to find out more about our Open Days, visit our website. KYODO NEWS - Aug 15, 2024 - 21:29 | All, Japan, World Three Cabinet ministers visited the controversial Yasukuni shrine on Thursday, the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II, while Prime Minister Fumio Kishida sent a ritual offering. The visits to the Tokyo shrine by the three ministers -- Sanae Takaichi, the economic security minister known for her hawkish views on security issues, Defense Minister Minoru Kihara and economic revitalization minister Yoshitaka Shindo -- triggered protests from South Korea and China. The move came a day after Kishida surprised many by announcing he would not be running in the ruling party's leadership race next month to take responsibility for a party slush funds scandal, ending his three-year term as prime minister. Kishida, seen as a dovish moderate within the conservative Liberal Democratic Party, has refrained from visiting Yasukuni, which is viewed as a symbol of Japan's past militarism, in person since becoming premier in 2021, sending offerings instead on the war anniversary. Yasukuni Shrine honors around 2.4 million of Japan's war dead, but it also enshrines wartime leaders convicted as war criminals by a post-World War II international tribunal. It was the fifth consecutive year that one or more Cabinet members visited the shrine on the war anniversary. Takaichi, considered a potential candidate in the LDP leadership race, visited Yasukuni in an apparent attempt to secure conservative support within the party. Kihara became the first sitting defense minister to visit Yasukuni on the war anniversary since 2021, when Nobuo Kishi, the younger brother of the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, paid tribute. "I offered my condolences to those who lost their precious lives and expressed my respect to them," Kihara told reporters after visiting the shrine. Other lawmakers visiting the shrine on Thursday include former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and former economic security minister Takayuki Kobayashi, both of whom may also join the race. Around 70 cross-party lawmakers, including former Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato, also paid a visit on the anniversary. Responding to Kishida's offering and the visits by other lawmakers to the shrine, South Korea summoned senior Japanese diplomats to lodge a protest with its foreign ministry expressing "deep disappointment and regret." South Korea urges "Japan's responsible leaders to confront history and demonstrate genuine reflection and sincere remorse for the past through their actions," the ministry said, adding the actions serve as the foundation for a future-oriented development of bilateral ties. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said it has made "solemn representations" to Japan over the ministers' visits and Kishida's ritual offering, calling Yasukuni "the spiritual tool and symbol" of past Japanese wars of aggression triggered by its militarism. China urges Japan to "face up to and reflect on its history of aggression, be cautious in its words and deeds on historical issues" as well as "adhere to the path of peaceful development and win the trust of its Asian neighbors" with practical actions, the ministry said in a statement. Japan invaded a vast swath of China before the end of World War II and ruled the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945. In an apparent attempt to avoid confrontation with the two neighbors, recent prime ministers have sent ritual offerings to the shrine for its biannual festivals in the spring and fall, as well as for the anniversary of the end of World War II on Aug. 15. In 1978, Yasukuni added 14 Class-A war criminals, including wartime Prime Minister Gen. Hideki Tojo, to the enshrined deities, stirring controversy at home and abroad. Tojo was executed by hanging for crimes against peace. Related coverage: Japan marks 79th anniv. of WWII end, 3,200 to attend memorial service Li Chengzhi shows her work Bamboo Pole Dance at her studio in the Qijiang Farmers' Printmaking Institute in Chongqing's Qijiang district in March. [Deng Rui/China Daily] Rural residents are adding to their income by giving visitors printmaking experience and souvenirs during the tourist season, Tan Yingzi and Deng Rui report in Chongqing. Qijiang Farmers' Printmaking, an intangible cultural heritage of Chongqing, has been spiritually and financially enriching the lives of thousands of residents in the city's Qijiang district for decades. Now, through collaborative efforts among the art's inheritors, artists and the local government, it is empowering rural revitalization. Qijiang Farmers' Printmaking originated from woodblock New Year prints and murals during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties and thrived in the 1980s. Since 1985, the local printmaking artworks have been exhibited in more than 40 countries and regions, including the United Kingdom, Canada, France and Germany. Over 60 foreign art groups and individuals have visited local art studios, according to a local official. "Back in the 1980s, my folks would never have imagined a poor rural girl like me would later find a decent job and turn into an artist," says 59-year-old Li Chengzhi, a national first-grade artist and a representative inheritor of the cultural heritage. A delegation of foreign visitors tours the Qijiang Farmers' Printmaking Institute in Chongqing in April. [Deng Rui/China Daily] Li was introduced to the art at 17, when folk paintings started to flourish across the country in the early 1980s. Li Yili, a passionate artist who was in charge of the Qijiang Cultural Center, wanted to enrich the cultural lives of local farmers. He mobilized local artists to establish over 20 rural cultural stations that offer free printmaking classes in some 10 Qijiang's townships such as Dongxi, Ganshui and Zuantang. The teenage girl, who had never taken a painting class and had to do farm work all year round but could hardly make ends meet, showed keen interest in printmaking. Two years later, she became one of the first of over 300 locally trained farmer creators. "I had only seen local people paintings on rocks before, while this emerging art form had suddenly made our lives more colorful and vibrant," says Li Chengzhi. Art comes from life. Li Chengzhi's bright, colorful hues and unconstrained style on themes like farming, children, joyful festival celebrations and local legends, soon became popular. In 1992, a customer's order to make children's prints for an elementary school earned her the first reward of 25 yuan ($3.45). An artist displays her skills at the institute. [Deng Rui/China Daily] "At that time, to be able to earn this money was something a farmer wouldn't even dare to dream of." Then Li Chengzhi got a job in the local farmers' printmaking institute the same year. She got married and relocated to town, actively contributing to the preservation and development of the intangible cultural heritage. Her sheer passion for art has made her highly productive creating more than 200 printmaking artworks and thousands of hand-drawn illustrations by far. In 2010, Li Chengzhi was honored as one of China's Top 10 Folk Painters by the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the China Artists Association. Three of her works were selected in 2012, 2017 and 2020 for the National Farmer Painting Exhibition organized by the China Artists Association, and she obtained membership. In 2013, another of her work, Five-Colored Slope, won gold at the 5th Xiuzhou China Farmers' Painting Art Festival. "Their creations manifest their yearning for a better life," says director of Qijiang Farmers' Printmaking Institute Liu Yue, adding that the works, which usually draw inspiration from daily life of local people and also wild imaginations, present a distinctive, exaggerated, romantic and pure artistic style. Intricate patterns created by Li Chengzhi are exhibited at her studio. [Deng Rui/China Daily] Located at the southern gateway of the southwestern municipality, Qijiang has a rich cultural heritage and is a multi-ethnic-populated area of over 9,600 residents from 42 Chinese ethnic groups nearly 6,000 of whom are from the Miao and Yi ethnic groups, according to local authorities. Distinctive local folk arts including Qijiang Farmers' Printmaking a municipal-level intangible cultural heritage, and Yongcheng Chuida (or Suona Art) a national intangible cultural heritage, have earned Qijiang the status of "Hometown of Modern Chinese Folk Paintings" in 1988 and "Hometown of Chinese Folk Culture and Art" from 2008 to 2014 bestowed by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. "Growing crops is hard work, and so is printmaking," says 45-year-old Liu Qinfo, a farmer in Dongxi township who used to work in the farm all year round and run a small bookstore in his local community. "But the latter one has offered me a brand-new livelihood with brain work." Liu Qinfo says now he could normally earn several hundred yuan during each short peak tourist season such as the Spring Festival, May Day and National Day holidays through offering tourists printmaking experience and selling printmaking souvenirs. Despite the fact that he just started to learn the art since 2017, the creative man makes Qijiang farmers' prints like the twelve zodiac animals, flowers, birds, fish and insects onto stones, and promotes tourist souvenirs. Thanks to the efforts of inheritors, artists and the local government, this traditional art is now shining with vigorous vitality. According to Liu Yue, Qijiang Farmers' Printmaking has been included in this year's annual international cultural exchange program by the local government, and she and her team is scheduling an art exhibition in Tanzania between September and November. A printmaking major who graduated from the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, innovative-minded Liu Yue started to promote the distinctive art since 2014 by utilizing her knowledge and market acumen. For example, she suggested using richer materials and colors (including gray and fluorescent), to make the works which can be used for home decorations, tourist souvenirs and high-end collection look more modern and elegant, and more in line with the aesthetic preferences of the young people. She noted in the past two years, their works' market acceptance is steadily increasing. "The art's main force are folk artists born in the 1970s and 1980s." Li Fangde works on prints at the institute. [Deng Rui/China Daily] In order to nurture future artists and promote high-quality prints, this year, Liu Yue's institute has recruited more than 40 key creators mostly young people with basic painting skills such as teachers, enterprise employees and folk artists for a 10-day elite creators' training session. "A high-quality farmers' print sometimes takes three to five months to complete, through complex procedures of conceptualization, plate making, carving and printing," says Li Fangde, 59, another inheritor of the cultural heritage and the first farmer to open a Qijiang Farmers' Printmaking art studio as early as in 2003. He calls for more young people to learn about the art form and join its inheritance base. He also hopes the traditional art could gain more market recognition at home and abroad so that local artists can keep going. (Source: China Daily) Editor: Lei Yang Nearly three years after 2021 shooting of SIU student, community is still feeling loss KYODO NEWS - Aug 15, 2024 - 23:00 | All, Japan, World The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News. ---------- Weeklong Japan megaquake alert ends amid no new developments TOKYO - A weeklong government call for increased preparedness based on an advisory over a potential megaquake along the Pacific coast officially ended 5 p.m. Thursday, after no new major seismic activity was confirmed around the Nankai Trough. The Nankai Trough megaquake advisory, the first since the system was implemented in 2017, prompted the central government and local communities to intensify disaster preparations over the past week. It also negatively impacted some tourism-related businesses during the summer holiday season. ---------- Japan marks 79th anniv. of WWII end at event with no COVID curbs TOKYO - Japan marked on Thursday the 79th anniversary of its surrender in World War II, with a memorial to mourn the war dead held without COVID-related restrictions for the first time in five years. Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, along with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and 4,023 people related to those killed attended the government-sponsored ceremony to mourn the roughly 3.1 million Japanese military personnel and civilians who died in the war. ---------- Tokyo area braces for typhoon approach as transport services halted TOKYO - Tokyo and other eastern areas of Japan are bracing for the approach of Typhoon Ampil with some transport services halted amid the Bon summer holiday travel period, despite the lowering chances of the powerful storm making landfall. With the weather agency warning of natural disasters caused by strong winds and heavy rain through Saturday, flights and shinkansen bullet train services in some regions have already been cancelled for Friday, likely disrupting travelers returning home during one of the year's peak periods. ---------- Japan's GDP grows 3.1% in April-June as consumption rebounds TOKYO - Japan's economy grew at an inflation-adjusted annual rate of 3.1 percent in the April-June quarter, boosted by a recovery in private consumption and capital spending as the negative impact of a safety data scandal in the auto sector eased, government data showed Thursday. Real gross domestic product marked the first increase in two quarters, rebounding from a sharp contraction in the first three months of 2024. On a nominal basis, Japan's GDP topped 600 trillion yen ($4 trillion) for the first time, amid persisting inflation caused by a weakening yen. ---------- Battle to replace Kishida as Japan PM kicks off TOKYO - The battle to become Japan's next leader kicked off Thursday, with several incumbent and former Cabinet members suggesting they intend to run in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election next month a day after Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's sudden announcement that he will not stand. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi quoted the outgoing premier as saying all ministers are free to participate in the race, although the top government spokesman, who is seen as close to Kishida, declined to say whether he will do so. ---------- Cabinet members visit war-linked Yasukuni shrine, PM sends offering TOKYO - Three Cabinet ministers visited the controversial Yasukuni shrine on Thursday, the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II, while Prime Minister Fumio Kishida sent a ritual offering. The move comes a day after Kishida surprised many by announcing he would not run in his ruling party's leadership race next month to take responsibility for a party slush funds scandal, ending his three-year term as prime minister. ---------- Japan foreign minister set to visit Qatar, Bahrain in late August TOKYO - Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa is set to visit Qatar and Bahrain later this month, diplomatic sources said Thursday, as part of efforts to ease tensions in the Middle East by collaborating with regional actors. During the planned visit, being arranged for two days from Aug. 28, Kamikawa intends to meet with her counterparts and other key figures in the two Arab countries to reaffirm cooperation toward improving the situation, according to the sources. ---------- S. Korea's Yoon says total liberation comes after Korean unification SEOUL - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said Thursday that liberation from Japanese colonial rule remains incomplete as long as South Korea and North Korea are divided. Speaking at a Liberation Day ceremony marking 79 years since the end of Japan's 1910-1945 colonial rule, Yoon stated that it is his responsibility to seek the peaceful unification of the two Koreas based on freedom and democracy. Video: Ceremony marks 80 years since sinking of ship carrying schoolchildren The Socialist Equality Party (Australia) is in the concluding weeks of its campaign to regain official party registration and put a socialist anti-war party on the ballot at the next federal election. Hundreds of workers and young people have signed up to support the campaign. The SEP has been required to carry out this fight after anti-democratic legislation was passed in 2021 tripling the membership requirement for party registration to 1,500. This was an attempt by Labor and the Liberal-National Coalition to block workers from accessing a genuine alternative to the increasingly despised two-party system. The World Socialist Web Site is today publishing comments from several workers and young people, explaining why they have decided to join the SEP as electoral members. To follow their lead and apply to become an electoral member today, fill out the form at the end of this article, or click here. **** Jordie, a part Indigenous 25-year-old, signed up as a member on the New South Wales Central Coast. He said: The Labor government is complicit in genocide, and they are skirting around the word genocide, they dont want to call it that. They are on the wrong side of history at the end of the day. I dont stand for it. What is happening in Gaza is what the Aboriginals copped 200 years ago in this country, it is what this country is built on. It should be peoples right to choose who the government is. If we dont get a say in it, what is the point? Capitalism is the cause of war and that is why it is opposed to socialism. If it is a good war, Ill fight it until the day I die, but if its a bad war, if its for corruption or genocide, Id rather go to jail. The war in Ukraine is one of those, it is just a proxy war, and there is so much money being funnelled into it and being wasted. Jordie The working class is always swept to the wayside. Well get taxed at times like this because we are the only ones who work! What about the 1 percent? The financial elites have infinitely more money than us. The capitalists benefit off it all. They want everyone to work for them. They dont care about us or how well you get to work, they just want you to be healthy enough to keep on working. Speaking about the dire state of the underfunded public healthcare system, Jordie said: That is what Medicare feels like for instance, the wait times for procedures are a joke. My sister had tonsillitis, and the only reason they operated on her was because she was about to have a heart attack and die, so they did it out of fear of her dying. Before that, she was on a two-year waiting list. Same thing with others with illnesses and injuries. The government could build more houses, but its more profitable to them to wring us for every cent we have through rents and mortgage payments. Yalda, an 18-year-old student at Western Sydney University, signed up as an EM. I come from a Hazara background, so my people have experienced persecution and inequality. What is happening in Palestine has nothing to do with religion. Its to do with humanity. It is the government of Israel that is doing this. There are major countries like the US and UK supporting Israel. You cant look at it as just two states, Israel and Palestine or Gaza, fighting. It is potentially affecting everyone else around them. People dont want world war. There should be a ceasefire now. Yalda said, I think socialism is really important in our day and age. It was popular before, but I think it should be really popular right now. Without a socialist perspective, no one would know whats going on around the world in different countries. Everything we see in the media, we get gaslighted and told a different story. So, I think this perspective is really important. People need to put a lot of thought into this. This is the biggest genocide in decades. There are children dying, starving. But there are also kids in other countries like Afghanistan, all those poor third world countries. It is important to change that too. Other people should join [the SEP]. Im talking to my friends, Ill let them know, we have to fight to put us back on the ballot paper, because we are the majority. A public servant, who needed to remain anonymous, joined the party at one of the weekly rallies against the Gaza genocide. He said: I joined because the current choices we have in the electoral system in Australia are very limited. The Greens, for example, theyll say the right things regarding arms embargoes and sanctions on Israel, but theyre not willing to question the fundamental underpinnings of imperialism and how, in its perpetuation, it will keep these conflicts worldwide going. Most starkly, we see that in Israel and in Gaza in particular. What we need is a mass movement of class consciousness and to be able to channel that in an effective way, to tackle the centres of power directly rather than just voting every three years and hoping things will change. Politics is something thats been very important to me for a long time. Particularly as a Palestinian myself, Ive always felt that all these systems of oppression are interconnected. We see that in the most violent and blatant way in Israel and in the occupied territories, but really the whole world is basically occupied by capitalism, by greed. In an act of censorship that has provoked considerable anger, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) cancelled a performance by pianist Jayson Gillham, scheduled for this evening, because at a concert on Sunday he referenced Israels mass murder of Palestinian journalists in Gaza. Jayson Gillham [Photo: jaysongillham.com] Gillhams simple comments, acknowledging the humanity of those killed and noting the illegality of a government deliberately murdering reporters, have triggered a complete meltdown of the MSO management. In a nauseating email on Monday announcing the cancellation to attendees, MSO denounced Gillhams unauthorised remarks and apologised for them, while prattling about safety and diversity. It made yet another groveling public apology yesterday. Then, amid widespread anger, MSO declared this morning that the cancellation had been an error, as though it were a clerical mistake. Notwithstanding the error, the cancellation of the concert remained due to unspecified security concerns. There was a vague possibility that it would be held at a later date, with the MSO stating that it was in discussion with Gillhams representatives. The entire episode, from the MSOs fawning apologies to genocide supporters to its public attacks on a young musician and now its attempts to wriggle out of the mess it has created, says much about the state of official artistic institutions. To even speak of artistic freedom in relation to such entities is to be years or decades behind the times. The MSO and similar institutions represent a conglomeration of business interests, ultra-wealthy donors and representatives of the political establishment, packaged together by corporate public relations. For these forces, artists are a commodity to be exploited when useful and to be brutally discarded if they step out of line. Perhaps the most striking aspect of the incident is that nothing Gillham said or did could be considered offensive or even controversial by anyone with a modicum of democratic and humane sensibilities. With the permission of the MSO, Gillham played Witness, a composition by Connor DNetto dedicated to the journalists of Gaza. Before he began, Gillham reportedly stated, Over the last 10 months, Israel has killed more than 100 Palestinian journalists. This had included targeted assassinations of prominent journalists, who were clearly marked as reporters. The killing of journalists is a war crime in international law, and it is done in an effort to prevent the documentation and broadcasting of war crimes to the world, Gillham is said to have stated. The argument of anyone offended by those comments, and of the spineless MSO management that has adapted to them, is not with the talented pianist but with international law. As long ago as February 1, a group of United Nations experts issued an official statement, noting the killing of 122 journalists and media workers in Gaza since October 7. Expressing alarm over the extraordinarily high numbers of journalists and media workers who have been killed, attacked, injured and detained, the UN officials stated that Israel was blatantly disregarding international law. Maybe the MSO management should set the UN experts straight. The wise spokespeople of the orchestra could explain to the UN officials that while the deaths of 122 journalists are unfortunate, the situation in the Middle East is complex, and blunt condemnations of mass murder should be avoided lest they upset those who support said mass murder. That was essentially the line the MSO took in its Monday email, throwing Gillham under the bus and cancelling his Thursday concert. Adopting an adversarial and hostile tone towards a famed musician who had performed for it 24 hours earlier, the MSO declared: Mr Gillham made his personal remarks without seeking the MSOs approval or sanction. They were an intrusion of personal political views on what should have been a morning focused on a program of works for solo piano. Further, The MSO understands that his remarks have caused offence and distress and offers a sincere apology. Gillhams comments had created a difficult situation. But, never fear, In standing for humanity and peace we seek for every one of our performances to be a welcome and safe place for all. Nevermind the dead journalists, just make sure not to mention them. Even in its backdown today, the MSO declared that it maintains that a concert platform is not an appropriate stage for political comment. It acknowledge[d] Jaysons concerns for those in the Middle East and elsewhere, but recognise[d] the strength of feelings of all parties on this matter, as though there is an equivalence between supporting the murder of journalists and opposing such war crimes. Gillham is not a minor figure. The MSO itself, in promoting his concerts, described the 38-year-old British-Australian as one of the finest pianists of his generation. Having begun playing at the age of four, Gillham is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music in London, who has performed to acclaim all over the world. Connor DNetto, whose Witness Gillham played on Sunday, is just 30-years-old and has been described as the model contemporary Australian composer by the Australian Broadcasting Corporations Classic FM. Australian composer Connor DNetto [Photo: Ray Roberts] Musical excellence, lifetimes dedicated to honing artistic ability and to culturally uplifting the publicwhat does that count for against the prerogatives of donors or prospective donors with reactionary opinions and lots of money? It would appear very little for the MSO management. The speed with which Gillhams comments produced a difficult situation for the MSO strongly suggest that those who were upset by his defence of murdered Palestinian journalists had deep pockets and significant connections. Even in its retreat, the MSO has maintained its position that artists have no right to express their personal opinions on stage. That is a conception of music and of art as a lifeless commodity, artificially detached from the most pressing issues of the world, and with those who create it circumscribed and muzzled. If such a conception were applied retrospectively, many of historys most famous artists, who took a stand on the major social and political questions of their day, would be subject to censure. Art, moreover, even of the more abstract forms, can only reflect the world, with its passions, controversies and conflicts. Politically, the furore over Gillhams comments is in line with the attempts of governments internationally to delegitimise opposition to the massive war crimes that they are helping to perpetrate in Gaza. In Australia, the charge has been led by the Labor government, which actively supports the Israeli genocide, while slandering opponents of it as antisemites. The MSOs difficult situation recalls a similar issue that erupted at the Sydney Theatre Company (STC) in November. During a curtain call for their performance of Anton Chekhovs The Seagull, three young actors, Mabel Li, Megan Wilding and Harry Greenwood, wore keffiyehs. According to those in attendance, the keffiyehs were scarcely noticed. But when a photo of the actors wearing the scarves was posted online, all hell broke loose. The Murdoch media, together with Zionist supporters of the Israeli war crimes, presented the wearing of the keffiyehs as something approaching an act of violence or a declaration of support for terrorism. The actors were relentlessly defamed, while leading Zionists were given great attention, as they ludicrously and hysterically spoke of their fear and upset. Some literally compared the actors wearing the keffiyehs to the horrors of 1930s Germany. The STC bent over backwards to appease its offended donors, and has been in a state of unresolved agitation, including management and board reshuffles, ever since. As with the STC witch-hunt, the attack on Gillham provoked massive anger, with social media posts condemning the MSO reaching hundreds of thousands or even millions of people. That again underscores the gulf that has opened up, on the genocide and every other issue, between the vast mass of the population and the establishment. In its own way, the contrasting responses again demonstrate that, as at the pivotal turning points of the 20th century, the fight for artistic freedom and the defence of artists is inseparable from the broader fight against militarism, war, authoritarianism, and their source, the capitalist system. We are publishing here a resolution unanimously adopted by the Eighth National Congress of the Socialist Equality Party (US), held from August 4 to August 9, 2024. See also, the main resolution, The 2024 US elections and the tasks of the Socialist Equality Party. The WSWS will be publishing the resolutions, reports and contributions to the Congress over the coming weeks. 1. The Socialist Equality Party (US) condemns the arrest and detention of Bogdan Syrotiuk, a 25-year-old socialist opponent of the fascistic Zelensky regime and the NATO-instigated Ukraine-Russia war, by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), and calls for his immediate release. Bogdan is the founder and leader of the Young Guard of Bolshevik-Leninists (YGBL), a Trotskyist youth organization, which has declared its political solidarity with the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI). Bogdan Syrotiuk, founder and leader of the Young Guard of Bolshevik-Leninists 2. The persecution of Bogdan is based on fraudulent charges of high treason under martial law. He is accused of undermining the territorial integrity of Ukraine and serving the interests of the Russian state. The charges carry a prison sentence of 15 years to life. Bogdans life is in danger. For over three months, Bogdan, who is in poor health, has been held under atrocious conditions in a prison in Nikolaev. Even the US State Departments Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor has documented severe human rights violations by the Ukrainian regime, including torture, arbitrary arrests, and harsh and life-threatening prison conditions. 3. The main evidence cited by the prosecution against Bogdan are articles and statements that appeared on the World Socialist Web Site (WSWS), which is slandered as a Russian propaganda and information agency. But these same articles demonstrate that Bogdan and the WSWS have consistently opposed the oligarchic capitalist governments of both Ukraine and Russia that emerged out of the restoration of capitalism in the USSR. The Trotskyist movements opposition to the war in Ukraine has been based on the fight to unify Ukrainian and Russian workers with their class brothers and sisters in the imperialist countries in a joint struggle against war and capitalism. 4. Bogdan was arrested because of these socialist views and principles. Faced with growing popular opposition to the war, the Zelensky regime and its NATO backers fear that these political principles are finding a broad hearing among workers and youth in Ukraine and internationally. 5. Bogdans persecution is a violation of the most basic democratic and human rights. It exposes the fraud of NATOs war propaganda, according to which the war against Russia is a war waged in defense of democracy. Ukraine is not a democracy, but a dictatorship, run by criminal oligarchs and fascists. To safeguard their own reactionary interests, they have placed the countrys working class and resources at the disposal of imperialism. There can be little doubt that Bogdans arrest was discussed and decided not only by the regime in Kiev, but also its imperialist backers. The US government, in particular, which has provided billions in military assistance to Zelenskys dictatorship and maintains close ties to the SBU, bears full political responsibility for Bogdans arrest. 6. The persecution of Bogdan Syrotiuk demonstrates that the defense of democratic rights is inseparable from the mobilization of the working class against imperialist war and the capitalist system. The international working class and youth must recognize this connection and the relationship between the genocide in Gaza and the US-NATO war against Russia. Both are interrelated battlefields in an emerging imperialist redivision of the world. The fight for Bogdans freedom is an essential component of the fight to build a global socialist movement by the working class and youth against this developing world war and its root cause, capitalism. 7. This is why the ICFI, on April 30, days after Bogdans arrest, initiated a global campaign in his defense. It launched a petition that has already been signed by thousands of people, published an open letter to the Ukrainian government, and held rallies at Ukrainian embassies, including in Washington, D.C., which refused to even receive the letter. Workers, youth and artists throughout the world have declared their support for the release of Bogdan. 8. The Socialist Equality Party in the US fully solidarizes itself with this campaign. It: KYODO NEWS - Aug 15, 2024 - 15:02 | All, Japan, World Japan marked on Thursday the 79th anniversary of its surrender in World War II, with a memorial to mourn the war dead held without COVID-related restrictions for the first time in five years. Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, along with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and 4,023 people related to those killed attended the government-sponsored ceremony to mourn the roughly 3.1 million Japanese military personnel and civilians who died in the war. Participants observed a moment of silence at noon as part of the ceremony which took place without a limit on the number of attendees and allowed the singing of the national anthem with the lifting of coronavirus-related restrictions. Kishida, who will step down as prime minister after announcing he will not run in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party presidential race in September, participated in the event for the third time and delivered a speech. A moment of silence was observed at noon. In his speech, Kishida did not mention Japan's wartime aggression in Asia, following the precedent set by his immediate predecessors, Yoshihide Suga and Shinzo Abe. Instead, the prime minister emphasized efforts to maintain a free and open international order based on the rule of law. "We will make our utmost efforts to address challenges facing the world," he said. Before Abe, who took the prime minister's post for the second time in 2012, Japanese leaders had consistently mentioned the country's aggression and expressed remorse at the ceremony. Emperor Naruhito expressed his "deep remorse," during the annual memorial service, as he did last year. "Reflecting on our past and bearing in mind the feelings of deep remorse, I earnestly hope that the ravages of war will never again be repeated," the emperor said at the ceremony. Mitsuru Anzai, an 86-year-old representative of relatives of the war dead, made an appeal for peace in his speech, saying, "With conflicts continuing around the world, I pray that peace will be achieved as soon as possible." Anzai's father died in China during the war. Among participants, the eldest was 97-year-old Shoji Nagaya while the youngest was 3-year-old Sena Sakai. A little less than half of those in attendance were born after the war, according to the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Labor, showing the need to preserve and pass down the lessons of the conflict as the generation who lived through it ages. The war dead include those killed in the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. Related coverage: Hiroshima A-bomb survivor who became activist in Brazil dies at 100 U.S. records reveal details of troops who died in Hiroshima A-bomb Dialogue critical to avoid nuke war: grandson of 'father of A-bomb' Record-breaking ocean temperatures have induced an ongoing mass bleaching event that puts almost three quarters of the worlds coral reefs at risk, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations (NOAA) Coral Reef Watch reported last month. Research associate Catherine Lachnit checks coral for signs of bleaching on Paradise Reef, Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, near Key Biscayne, Florida [AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee] This is a further warning of the climate crisis, with the working class and poor across the world bearing the primary brunt of its consequences as global temperatures rise, including in the oceans. The current global coral bleaching event (GCBE4) is the fourth on record, lasting since February 2023. The NOAA announced it officially in April 2024. The bleaching has affected coral reefs in every major ocean basin and almost 70 countries, including the US (particularly in Florida), Brazil, Panama, Costa Rica, Tuvalu, Fiji and Australia. Coral bleaching occurs when the corals are no longer able to support vital symbiotic micro-organisms called zooxanthellae. These zooxanthellae algae provide critical nutrients for the coral, without which it cannot survive for long. When the surrounding water temperatures reach higher than the thermal limit allowing for that symbiotic relationship, the coral expels the algae and turns the organism white, a process known as bleaching. The last such eventGCBE3occurred from 2014 to 2017, and affected 65.7 percent of the worlds coral reefs. GCBE4 has, as of the latest figures from mid-July, placed 72.9 percent of coral reefs at risk of bleaching. This makes it the most widespread on record. It is well on its way to becoming the most severe, with NOAA having to introduce three additional new heat alert levels since GCBE3. As one example, the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) in Australiathe largest coral reef in the worldhas been affected as part of GCBE4. In 2016, the WSWS warned of the implications of the devastating mass bleaching event of that year, which claimed almost 70 percent of the GBRs shallow-water coral. Since then, four mass bleaching events have wreaked havoc on the GBRs health, with the latest event shaping up to be the most catastrophic of all. A recent paper published in Nature found that GBR ocean temperatures are higher than at any point in the past 400 years. It stated: The existential threat to the GBR ecosystem from anthropogenic [human-induced] climate change is now realised. August 2023 marked an all-time high for global sea surface temperature (SST) at 20.98C. Those temperatures have continued, with June 2024 measurements coming in at 20.85C. On average, the Earths oceans have warmed around 0.88C since 1850 levels. This latest global catastrophe confirms years of warnings by scientists that coral reefs would be increasingly devastated by climate change-induced heat stress. For instance, a 2007 paper published in the journal Science stated that corals would become increasingly rare on reef systems due to the global warming expected throughout the 21st century. The authors warned: Decisive action on global emissions is required if the loss of coral-dominated ecosystems is to be avoided. Coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef [Photo by Jorge Lascar / CC BY 2.0 Despite the role played by natural climate variations such as the El Nino Southern Oscillation in these high temperatures, there is no scientific doubt that the primary cause is greenhouse gas-induced climate change from the burning of fossil fuels. The health of coral reef systems is vital to the ecological functioning of the planet as a whole. Coral reefs are home to 25 percent of all marine species. Moreover, approximately six million people around the world, largely in impoverished countries, depend on coral reef fisheries for their livelihoods. These ecosystems also play a vital role in minimising other environmental impacts to millions of people around the world. Coral reefs absorb the worst impacts of storms and floodings in the worlds coastal zones. Globally, 100 to 200 million people living in these communities are at least partially protected from such hazards by coral reefs. With warmer temperatures caused by climate change, bleaching events like this have become five times more frequent than they were four to five decades ago. This reduces the time between bleaching events in which corals could otherwise recover. Dr Emma Camp, the leader of the Future Reefs Team at the University of Technology Sydney, explained: If given a chance, coral are actually resilient and can recover. But as bleaching becomes more frequent and stronger in intensity, were really narrowing that window. These climate events, already a cause for great concern by the worlds scientists and the population at large, are occurring at approximately 1 of global warming. On the basis of totally inadequate government pledges, the world is on track for warming of 3 above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century. The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Working Group II report from 2022, which synthesised over 34,000 peer-reviewed publications, concluded that warming of over 2 is enough to threaten over 99 percent of coral reefs with severe damage. Far from taking the appropriate action necessary for climate change mitigation, the ruling classes around the world have rejected any program that would save coral reefs. The Center for American Progress recently reviewed public statements from all sitting members of the US Congress. It found that 23 percent publicly deny the scientific consensus of human-caused climate change. Many, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, receive hundreds of thousands of dollars of donations from oil and gas companies. But climate change cannot be attributed primarily to the short-sightedness and corruption of individual politicians, parties, or even governments at large. The root cause of climate change is the capitalist mode of production, which subordinates all social needs to private profit and divides the world into rival nation-states. A study published earlier this year by global consulting firm ICF estimated that a person born in 2024 in the US could lose up to $1 million from the effects of climate change over their lifetime. Current and future generations of people would increasingly face more difficult decisions about how to pay for food, housing, and other daily expenses. This average figure disguises the unequal cost inflicted on working people, who are most exposed to the impact. Meanwhile, fossil fuel conglomerates such as BP, Shell, and ExxonMobil collectively rake in hundreds of billions of dollars in profits every year. Much of that wealth, beyond being hoarded by a small financial elite, is used to purchase stock buybacks and enrich their investors. Climate change is, in the final analysis, an issue that once again shows the class divide driving the threat to human civilisation. The crucial lesson to be drawn from the bleaching event, the overall danger of climate change and the response of governments is that the capitalist classes are incapable of staving off the ecological catastrophe. Only a unified movement of the international working class to overthrow the profit system and reorganise society on a socialist basis can adequately preserve these critical ecosystems and avert a planetary disaster. A grand jury indicted Ohio police officer Connor Grubb, 29, Monday for the murder of 21-year-old TaKiya Young last year. Bodycam footage showing the moments before a Blendon Township police officer shot and killed Ta'Kiya Young. [Photo: Blendon Township Police Department] Young was six months pregnant when she was shot by Grubb on August 24, 2023, in Blendon Township, a suburb of Columbus, Ohio. Both Young and her future child were declared dead shortly after the shooting at Mount Carmel St. Anns Hospital in Westerville, Ohio. She left behind two sons, one six and one three years old. Grubb, who pleaded not guilty, will face four counts of murder, four counts of felonious assault and two counts of involuntary manslaughter. The charges are split between the deaths of Young and her future daughter. Grubbs indictment is incredibly rare. According to Mapping Police Violence, there have been 366 police killings in Ohio since 2013 when systematic record keeping of police violence began. Of these, only 11 involve any charges being brought against an officer and just two have resulted in a conviction for an officer, not including Youngs killing. One officer, former Pike County deputy Joel Jenkins, pleaded guilty in 2017 to reckless homicide for the killing of Jason Brady in an off-duty shooting and was sentenced to 3.5 years. The other, Columbus Police Detective Demetris Ortega, was convicted for failing to stop following a hit-and-run accident, again while he was off-duty, and was sentenced last year to 18 months in the killing of Naimo Abdirahman. Nationally, data from the Henry A. Wallace Police Crime Database shows that at least 140 officers have been charged with murder or manslaughter since 2005. Only about a third of these officers were convicted on any charge and just seven were convicted of murder. This is relative to the more than 10,000 people who have been killed by police since 2013, with a killing rate of more than 1,000 every year. The fact that Grubb was charged at all is a reflection of the brutality with which the pregnant Young was gunned down in public. In an effort to temper mass outrage over the killing, prosecutors dragged out a decision on charges against Grubb by almost a year to head off the resumption of protests that erupted after her death last year. Ta'Kiya Young [Photo: Sean Walton Jr.] Body camera footage demonstrates clearly that Young was the victim of a brutal police killing in a manner akin to a police state execution. The footage shows two officers in the parking lot of a Kroger grocery store, assisting a person who had locked their keys inside their car. A Kroger employee can be heard accusing Young of shoplifting alcohol from the store. One of the officers approached Youngs car, which she had just gotten into, and began banging on her driver-side window repeatedly demanding that she exit the vehicle without justifying why. This officer has yet to be named on the argument from police officials that he is the victim of assault by Young. Blendon Township Police Chief John Belford vehemently supported the two officers after the shooting, falsely claiming that Young had attempted to use her vehicle as a weapon against the officers. Belford claimed that Grubb was a victim of attempted vehicular assault and that the other officer was a victim of misdemeanor assault because his arm was allegedly caught in the car window as it slowly rolled away. Young rolled down her window partially to ask the officer why she was being ordered to exit the vehicle, only after which the officer informed her that she had been accused of shoplifting. Young denied the accusations as Grubb positioned himself in front of the car, which was running but not moving. This is a common tactic by officers to justify the use of violence, allowing them to claim they were in danger if a car begins to move. Young put her hands on the steering wheel and turned it far to the right, indicating she was attempting to go around Grubb, who pulled out his pistol even though there was no indication that Young had a weapon or was a threat to either officer. The other officer used a window breaker to hit Youngs driver-side window as she is heard asking Are you going to shoot me? Youngs car then moved slowly forward towards Grubb, who fired a single shot through the windshield into Youngs heart. Her car continued to roll as the officers yelled at her to get out of the vehicle before it crashed into a wall. The footage shows the officers then broke her window to open the door to render aid and that she was slumped over the steering wheel. What is clear in the video is that the officers were belligerent and prepared to use deadly force on Young if she did not comply with their demands. Young was clearly afraid for her life after the second officer attempted to break through her window and Grubb pulled a gun on her. The incredibly slow speed of the vehicle posed no danger to Grubbs life, who utilized lethal force over an accusation of petty theft, a crime carrying up to six months in jail. While Kroger did eventually release security footage showing Young and several other people had put several bottles of alcohol in bags and then walked out of the store without paying, the response of the officers was clearly disproportionate to her actions. Grubbs actions were also a violation of the townships policies, which state that an officer should move away from an approaching vehicle and that they should not fire their weapon. Officers should only shoot when he or she reasonably believes there are no other reasonable means available to avert the imminent threat of the vehicle, or if deadly force other than the vehicle is directed at the officer or others. Sean Walton, the Young family attorney, called the indictment of Grubb a solemn victory and said, The actions that led to the death of TaKiyathe unnecessary aggression, the chilling commands that amounted to comply or diewere there for us all to witness in dreadful clarity. TaKiyas life and that of her daughter were extinguished in an act of brutality, becoming yet another symbol of the urgent need for reform in police conduct and accountability. Young is one among many on a growing list of police violence victims in the United States. So far this year police have killed 815 people across the country, putting 2024 on track to break last years record of 1,351 people. In Franklin County, Ohio alone, which contains Columbus and its suburbs, four other officers have been indicted by grand juries for crimes related to on-duty shootings since 2019. Multiple other shootings in the county have not resulted in an indictment from a grand jury. Of the 11 Ohio charges in Mapping Police Violences database, six of them are from Franklin County. All but one have occurred this decade. At least 74 people have been killed by police in Franklin County since 2013, or 20 percent of the states total compared to the countys 10 percent of the states population. Eight people have already been killed by police in Franklin County this year, including Benjamin Wheeler, who was shot by a SWAT team on August 1 while suffering a psychiatric crisis. The decision by the United States to supply arms worth $20 billion to Israel one day after announcing the deployment of a second aircraft carrier strike group to the region marks a further step towards a Middle East war. Backed by the entire ruling class, the Biden administration is determined to wage a catastrophic conflict targeting Iran, which it views as one front in a global eruption of imperialist violence against its rivals, which can only be stopped by the independent political mobilisation of the international working class. With destroyed buildings in the Gaza Strip behind him, an Israeli soldier waves from a tank, near the Israel-Gaza border in southern Israel, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. [AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov] This is the inescapable conclusion that must be drawn from a review of the contents of the arms sale. After facilitating Israels genocide in Gaza for over 10 months, the Biden administration plans to deliver over 50 F-15 fighter jets, advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles, 120mm tank ammunition, high explosive mortars and tactical vehicles. The delivery of the full fleet of jets is anticipated to take five years to complete. From the purely military point of view, there is no conceivable use for such a vast arsenal in Gaza, which has already been bombed to smithereens and where Hamas fighters possess at most rudimentary short-range rockets that rarely endanger any target inside Israel. Israels urgent need for such weaponry only makes sense in the context of advanced preparations against more sophisticated opponents, such as the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon and Iran itself, which have the capacity to shoot down Israeli aircraft and strike the country directly with long-range missiles. As Socialist Equality Party (SEP) presidential candidate Joseph Kishore explained in a statement condemning the arms sale, There is a sinister subtext to the Pentagon announcement. Israel already has unquestioned air superiority in the region. The sole purpose of this weapons sale is to replace anticipated losses in a war with Iran and its allies, which could erupt at any moment. The Biden-Harris administration wants to ensure that Israel can continue pulverizing the people of the Middle East without missing a beat. The latest arms sale was preceded by unmistakable signs that Washington wants a region-wide war. From the outset of Israels genocide last October, US government officials have made clear that their endorsement of the final solution of the Palestinian question is bound up with plans to fight Iran, a key ally of Russia and China in the Middle East. After Israel bombed Irans consulate in Damascus in April, killing seven senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps members, American and other NATO military assets helped ward off Irans retaliatory attack on Israel with drones and missiles. Israels latest outrageous provocation, the assassination of Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut and Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran within hours of each other in late July, prompted Washington to announce the $20 billion arms deal and grant Israel $3.5 billion from the $14 billion aid package passed by Congress in April to purchase US-made weaponry immediately. In addition, the Biden administration lifted a three-year arms embargo on Saudi Arabia, Irans arch rival in the region. With Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, having reaffirmed their right to retaliate against Israels assassination of Haniyeh, the Biden administration is goading Tehran into launching a strike that can then be used to justify further escalation. American and Israeli politicians no longer make any secret about the fact that Iran is a target for attack. During his address to a joint session of Congress in July, Netanyahu openly proclaimed his intention to wage war in alliance with US imperialism against Iran, for which he received bipartisan standing ovations. If you remember one thing, one thing from this speech, remember this: Our enemies are your enemies, our fight is your fight, and our victory will be your victory, he declared to rousing cheers. Iran understands that to truly challenge America, it must first conquer the Middle East Yet in the heart of the Middle East, standing in Irans way, is the State of Israel. Netanyahu discussed a war throughout the Middle East in a closed-door meeting the following day with Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, who opened her briefing to the press afterward with the statement, So, I just had a frank and constructive meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu. I told him that I will always ensure that Israel is able to defend itself, including from Iran and Iran-backed militias, such as Hamas and Hezbollah. American imperialist strategists hope through war to fundamentally restructure the Middle East in Washingtons interests at the expense of its rivals. Eliminating Tehran-aligned Hezbollah in Lebanon and pushing Iranian forces out of neighbouring Syria would undermine the pro-Iranian Assad regime and open up Russian forces at their only Mediterranean naval base in Tartus to direct attack. Washington also hopes through war to undermine Chinas increasing influence in the region, as shown by its brokering of a truce between Iran and Saudi Arabia last year, and its growing economic presence. But these hopes are delusional. American imperialism has already killed millions of people across the Middle East and Central Asia during three decades of uninterrupted war, and laid waste to entire societies. The devastation of Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and Syria did nothing to reverse American imperialisms precipitous economic decline vis-a-vis its competitors but exacerbated great power conflicts. A new war would therefore quickly spiral into a direct clash between the major powers on a global scale. These past disasters act as an accelerant rather than a brake on American imperialisms unleashing of new military adventures. Washingtons determination to provoke all-out war with Iran is inseparable from its global strategy of world war, which it views as the only viable means to retain its hegemony against rivals and nominal allies alike. In addition to the Middle East, which is seen as a critical front in this war due to the regions high concentration of energy resources and its geostrategic significance for control over Europe and Asia, Washington is at war with Russia in Ukraine and preparing for one with China in the Indo-Pacific. Explaining at an earlier stage in this process that no part of the globe is outside the interest of American capitalism, the International Committee of the Fourth International wrote in its 2016 statement Socialism and the Fight against War, Every continent and every country is viewed through the prism of US imperialisms economic and geopolitical interests. The American ruling class is focused on developing a strategy to counter every real and potential challenge. This redivision of the world involves all of the imperialist powers of North America, Europe, and Japan. It arises from the intractable contradictions of world capitalism: between globalised production and the division of the world into antagonistic nation states, and between the mass social character of production and its concentration in a few private hands. The only resolution open to the imperialists is to plunge humanity into the barbarism of a global conflagration, even though this raises the prospect of nuclear armageddon. The same capitalist contradictions are propelling the working class into revolutionary struggle. Workers around the world are outraged by the barbarism of the Gaza genocide and the hypocrisy of its imperialist defenders, and by the drive of the ruling class to place the full weight of militarism and war on the backs of workers through wage cuts and austerity. The urgent task is to unify these struggles into a global anti-war movement led by the working class on the basis of the programme of world socialist revolution since imperialist war can only be stopped by ending the capitalist system in which it is rooted. This necessitates the construction of a mass socialist and internationalist party of the working class. That party is the Socialist Equality Party in the US and other national sections of the ICFI throughout the world. For Germanys ruling class, which has committed the worst crimes in human history, genocide and world war are once again part of political normality. The statements made by government and ministry spokespeople at the federal press conference on Monday bore shocking witness to this. This image, made from a video, shows a school yard after being hit by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City on Saturday, August 10, 2024. [AP Photo/Image made from a video] After the Foreign Ministry had initially shed a few crocodile tears in a tweet on X about the Israeli attack on the Tabeen school in Gaza City, the governments Deputy Spokesperson Wolfgang Buchner made it unmistakably clear that Berlin supports such massacres and the genocidal actions of the Israeli army as a whole. There should be no reversal of responsibility here, Buchner declared provocatively. After all, this whole terrible situation we are in today began with a bestial terrorist attack by Hamas. Israel had the right to defend itself. And the reality on the ground also included the fact that Hamas uses and deploys schools, hospitals and kindergartens as command centres and abuses the people in the Gaza Strip as shields. This is the narrative of the fascist Netanyahu government, which is using the uprising of the oppressed Palestinians on October 7 last year to carry out genocide. Israels leading politicians and military leaders have never made a secret of this. As early as October 9, 2023, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant declared that Israel was placing the Gaza Strip under complete siege. No electricity, no food, no water, no fuel. They were fighting against human animals and were acting accordingly. And Netanyahu himself, with whom Chancellor Olaf Scholz (Social Democratic Party, SPD) spoke again on the phone earlier this week, threatened on October 28, 2023: You must remember what Amalek did to you, referring to a passage in the Old Testament that demands: Now go and smite Amalek Do not spare them, but kill man and woman, children and infants. The incessant and targeted attacks on hospitals, schools and the entire social infrastructure in Gaza are in line with this genocidal agenda. The Tabeen massacre was one of the worst atrocities to date. At least 80 people were killed in the attack and dozens injured, including many women and children who had sought refuge in the school. The war crime, which is being cold-bloodedly justified by the German government, is well documented. A video cited by the Guardian shows the appalling loss of life, with body parts, debris and destroyed furniture strewn across blood-soaked mattresses. A rescue worker, Abu Anas, told AP news agency that the attack came without warning. Some people were praying, others were washing and still others were sleeping upstairs, including children, women and the elderly. In several ways, the government press conference underscored that Berlin, alongside Washington, is one of the most aggressive supporters of the genocide which, according to a study by the British magazine The Lancet, has already cost around 186,000 lives. When asked, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson Kathrin Deschauer confirmed that Berlin had intervened in Israels favour at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. Last Tuesday, the German governmentalong with the US, the Czech Republic and Hungarysubmitted a letter of protest to the ICC calling on the court not to issue the arrest warrants against the heads of government in Jerusalem, which ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan had requested in May. The message is clear: Netanyahu and his genocidal regime should have a free hand to continue the genocide in every respect. The German governments intervention in The Hague is so provocative that it has even triggered criticism in parts of the bourgeois press. For example, a commentary in the Suddeutsche Zeitung states that what Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is being accused of was behaviour that is rightly marked as a major crime under international humanitarian law. It was therefore puzzling why the German Foreign Ministry has written to the Hague Criminal Court in favour of leaving Netanyahu alone. In fact, the puzzle is not difficult to solve. Eight decades after the Holocaust and the Nazi war of extermination against the Soviet Union, which resulted in the deaths of at least 27 million Soviet citizens, German imperialism is returning to its genocidal traditions. Since the beginning of the war, the German government has not only unconditionally supported Israels actions and criminalised widespread resistance to them but has also increased German arms deliveries to Israel more than tenfold. Behind the official mantra that unconditional support for Israel is an affair of state for Germany, which is being emphasised by all parties in the Bundestag (parliament), is not the protection of Jewish life. For the imperialist powers, above all, Washington and Berlin, Israel serves as a bridgehead to militarily enforce their economic and geostrategic interests in the Middle East and beyond. The unleashing of the Israeli killing machine is part of the larger goal of also eliminating Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon and thus advancing the war offensive against Russia and China. The government press conference itself threw a spotlight on these wider imperialist war plans. When it came to the current invasion of the Russian region of Kursk by the Ukrainian army, government spokesman Buchner initially claimed that the attack was a secret operation prepared without feedback. However, the spokesman for the Ministry of Defence, Colonel Arne Collatz, left no doubt that Berlin was involved and supported the invasion. When asked how you in the Ministry of Defence assess this operation, Collatz explained: Our exchange with our Ukrainian friends is close and trusting, and that applies to all the support measures we have provided and will continue to provide. For us, there is no question about the legality of the operation; this has also been sufficiently answered by many legal experts and there are no additional requirements for the use of weaponsat least as far as transfers from the Bundeswehrs (Armed Forces) stockpile are concernedthat have been issued there or that need to be observed. There are no obstacles, and Ukraine is free to choose its options. In other words, in its megalomaniacal plan to militarily defeat the nuclear power Russia and subjugate the resource-rich and geostrategically central country, there are no longer any red lines, as the WSWS explains in a recent perspective. When asked by a journalist whether German weapons may also be used if it is not about a deployment area on the border with Ukraine on Russian territory, but about an advance towards Moscow? Collatz replied succinctly: These are Ukrainian weapons. And in response to a further question as to whether the tanks supplied by Germany could be used by Ukraine to advance into Russian territory? Collatz replied: [It] applies what I have just said: If weapons from Germany are made available to Ukraine, then Ukraine assures us that it will use them within the framework of international law, and there are no further conditions. Such statements provide an insight into the revanchist and essentially fascist mindset that once again exists among leading German politicians and military brass. In August 1943, two years after the start of the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union, Hitlers Wehrmacht (Army) suffered a decisive defeat in the largest armoured battle in history at Kursk. Now the German ruling class apparently believes the time has come to retaliate for its earlier war defeats and, in the process, is also rehabilitating the war criminals of the past. Significantly, Collatz also defended the Bundeswehrs recently supplemented Traditions Decree with reference to the current discussion about war fitness, military fitness or operational fitness. The document, which has been in force since July 12, explicitly names leading generals and officers of the Nazi Wehrmacht as establishing tradition and creating identity for the Bundeswehr. KYODO NEWS - Aug 15, 2024 - 11:55 | All, Japan A female lawmaker who left Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party last month after prosecutors began investigating her for alleged salary fraud involving a secretary with no duties resigned from the House of Councillors on Thursday. A by-election for Megumi Hirose's seat in Iwate Prefecture is expected to be held in October. The residence and office of the former lawyer, who won her seat in 2022, were searched in late July over the allegations. Hirose admitted in a statement to receiving funds to pay a salary to the secretary "to cover office expenses," although the secretary performed no duties. Her resignation comes as the LDP has faced intense scrutiny after some of its factions failed to report portions of their income from fundraising parties and created slush funds for years, leading to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's decision to step down as prime minister next month. Kishida said Wednesday that he will not run in the LDP's presidential race, scheduled to be held in September, to take responsibility for the political funds scandal. Related coverage: LDP lawmaker's office searched over alleged salary fraud KYODO NEWS - Aug 15, 2024 - 14:52 | All, Japan The battle to become Japan's next leader kicked off Thursday, with several incumbent and former Cabinet members suggesting they intend to run in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election next month a day after Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's sudden announcement that he will not stand. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi quoted the outgoing premier as saying all ministers are free to participate in the race, although the top government spokesman, who is seen as close to Kishida, declined to say whether he will do so. Digital Minister Taro Kono and Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi have expressed eagerness to become Japan's next leader. Kono, a social media-savvy and reform-minded maverick, said he wants to "make use of" his experience in ministerial roles. The son of Yohei Kono, who led the LDP while it was in opposition in the 1990s, he has served as foreign and defense ministers. Takaichi, a female politician known for her hawkish views on security matters, told reporters that she has a "mission" with her fellow lawmakers to pass on a strengthened and richer Japan to the next generation. Former Economic Security Minister Takayuki Kobayashi, a fourth-term House of Representatives lawmaker and former Finance Ministry bureaucrat, was also seen as keen to run, telling reporters, "The only thing I can do is to improve my abilities as a politician." Earlier in the day, Takaichi and Kobayashi visited Tokyo's Yasukuni shrine, viewed as a symbol of Japan's past militarism, on the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II, with the apparent aim of securing conservative support within the party. Industry minister Ken Saito, meanwhile, said he has received many calls to run in the presidential election and that he is "beginning to think that I need to listen seriously to those voices." He has experience in several ministerial posts. On Wednesday, Kishida said he decided not to seek reelection as LDP leader to take responsibility for a slush funds scandal that has rattled the ruling party since late last year and caused the popularity of his Cabinet to plunge ahead of a general election that must be called by October next year. Former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who is popular with the public, LDP Secretary General Toshimitsu Motegi and former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi are also seen as possible contenders. Related coverage: FOCUS: Kishida's departure as Japan PM stems from failure to dissolve Diet Cabinet members visit war-linked Yasukuni shrine, PM sends offering Shigeru Ishiba reaffirms intention to run in LDP leadership race NANJING, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders held a memorial event on Thursday morning to mark the 79th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II (WWII). On Aug. 15, 1945, the Chinese people's 14-year arduous fight against the invaders ended as Japan announced its unconditional surrender. Approximately 30 people, including school children, college volunteers and the descendants of Nanjing Massacre survivors attended the event held at an exhibition hall that features a reenacted scene of a surrender signing ceremony held in Nanjing back in 1945. Attendees watched a short film titled "Countdown to Surrender" at the event. A curved wall made of beige sandstone stands at the exhibition hall, on which 648 handprints in bright red color are featured. The owners of these handprints share a common name -- veterans of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. "This is the handprint of late veteran Zhang Yuhua, whose right hand was pierced by a bullet during the war," said Zhang Ruochu, a second-grader in Nanjing, capital city of east China's Jiangsu Province, telling the story behind these veterans' handprints to attendees. Xia Shuqin is a survivor of the Nanjing Massacre. On Thursday morning, her granddaughter, Xia Yuan, and great-grandson, Li Yuhan, also attended the event. In 2022, Xia and Li were recognized as inheritors of historical memories regarding the Nanjing Massacre. The Nanjing Massacre took place when Japanese troops captured the then Chinese capital on Dec. 13, 1937. Over six weeks, they killed approximately 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers in one of the most barbaric episodes of WWII. Today, there are only 32 living registered survivors of the massacre. The 14-year-old Li Yuhan, the youngest among the inheritors, has served as a guide at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders for several years. Xia said that as her grandmother ages and her hearing and sight deteriorates, she hopes they will be able to give a testimony on her behalf, allowing more people to learn about this historical event. Outside the memorial hall, visitors formed long lines. "This is not only the pain of Nanjing but also the memory of our nation. We will remember history and cherish our current peaceful lives even more," said one visitor. In the lead-up to the anniversary of Japan's surrender, Japanese veteran Hideo Shimizu, 94, visited the former headquarters of Unit 731 and the Exhibition Hall of Evidences of Crime Committed by Unit 731 of the Japanese Imperial Army in the northeastern Chinese city of Harbin. On Thursday, Shimizu wrapped up his four-day expiatory visit. "This may be my last chance to come to China to express my apologies," said Shimizu. During the visit, Shimizu recounted to the museum curator and the others what he saw during his military service. The former member of the Unit 731 Youth Corps fled China with the retreating Japanese forces on Aug. 14, 1945. FILE - Actor Gena Rowlands poses for a portrait at the London West Hollywood hotel in West Hollywood, Calif., on Dec. 4, 2014. Rowlands is suffering from Alzheimers disease, says her son, the filmmaker Nick Cassavetes. Cassavetes, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly published Tuesday, says Rowlands has had Alzheimers for five years. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File) Gena Rowlands, hailed as one of the greatest actors to ever practice the craft and a guiding light in independent cinema as a star in groundbreaking movies by her director husband, John Cassavetes, and who later charmed audiences in her son's tear-jerker The Notebook, has died. She was 94. Rowlands' death was confirmed Wednesday by representatives for her son, filmmaker Nick Cassavetes. He revealed earlier this year that his mother had Alzheimers disease. TMZ reported that Rowlands died Wednesday at her home in Indian Wells, California. Operating outside the studio system, the husband-and-wife team of John Cassavetes and Rowlands created indelible portraits of working-class strivers and small-timers in such films as A Woman Under the Influence, Gloria and Faces. Rowlands made 10 films across four decades with Cassavetes, including Minnie and Moskowitz in 1971, Opening Night in 1977 and Love Streams in 1984. She earned two Oscar nods for two of them: 1974's A Woman Under the Influence, in which she played a wife and mother cracking under the burden of domestic harmony, and Gloria in 1980, about a woman who helps a young boy escape the mob. He had a particular sympathetic interest in women and their problems in society, how they were treated and how they solved and overcame what they needed to, so all his movies have some interesting women, and you dont need many, she told the AP in 2015. In addition to the Oscar nominations, Rowlands earned three Primetime Emmy Awards, one Daytime Emmy and two Golden Globes. She was awarded an honorary Academy Award in 2015 in recognition of her work and legacy in Hollywood. You know whats wonderful about being an actress? You dont just live one life, she said at the podium. You live many lives. A new generation was introduced to Rowlands in her son's blockbuster The Notebook, in which she played a woman whose memory is ravaged, looking back on a romance for the ages. Her younger self was portrayed by Rachel McAdams. (She also appeared in Nick Cassavetes' "Unhook the Stars" in 1996.) In her later years, Rowlands made several appearances in films and TV, including in The Skeleton Key and the detective series Monk. Her last appearance in a movie was in 2014, playing a retiree who befriends her gay dance instructor in Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks. One of her career triumphs was 1974's "A Woman Under the Influence," playing a lower middle-class housewife who, the actor said, "was totally vulnerable and giving; she had no sense of her own worth." In "Gloria" (1980) she portrayed a faded showgirl menaced by her ex-boyfriend, a mobster boss. She was Oscar nominated as best actress for both performances. She and Cassavetes met at the American School of Dramatic Arts when both their careers were beginning. They married four months later. In 1959 Cassavetes used his earnings from the TV series "Johnny Staccato" to finance his first film, "Shadows." Partly improvised, shot with natural light on New York locations with a $40,000 budget, it was applauded by critics for its stark realism. Gena (pronounced Jenna) Rowlands became a seasoned actor through live television drama and tours in "The Seven Year Itch" and "Time for Ginger" as well as off-Broadway. Her big break came when Josh Logan cast her opposite Edward G. Robinson in Paddy Chayefskys play Middle of the Night. Her role as a young woman in love with her much older boss brought reviews hailing her as a new star. MGM offered her a contract for two pictures a year. Her first film, a comedy directed by and costarring Jose Ferrer, The High Cost of Loving, brought Rowlands comparisons to one of the great 1930s stars, Carole Lombard. But she asked to be released from her contract because she was expecting a baby. Often during her career she would absent herself from the screen for long stretches to attend to family matters. In addition to Nick, she and Cassavetes had two daughters, Alexandra and Zoe, who also pursued acting careers. John Cassavetes died of cirrhosis of the liver in 1989, and Rowlands returned to acting to assuage her grief. Between assignments she sometimes attended film festivals and societies for Cassavetes screenings. I want everyone to see his films, she said at the San Sebastian Festival in 1992. John was one of a kind, the most totally fearless person Ive ever known. He had a very specific view of life and the individuality of people. Virginia Cathryn Rowlands was born in 1930 (some sources give a later date) in Cambria, Wisconsin, where her Welsh ancestors had settled in the early 19th century. Her father was a banker and state senator. She was a withdrawn child who loved books and make-believe. Her mother encouraged the girls ambition to become an actor. Rowlands quit the University of Wisconsin in her junior year to pursue an acting career in New York. Like other actors of her generation, she gained invaluable experience in the thriving field of television drama in the 1950s, appearing on all the major series. After leaving her MGM contract, she was able to choose her film roles. When nothing attracted her, she appeared in TV series such as Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Bonanza, Dr. Kildare and The Virginian. One of her career delights was co-starring with her icon Bette Davis on the TV movie Strangers in 1979. Her other movies included Lonely Are the Brave with Kirk Douglas, The Spiral Road (Rock Hudson), A Child Is Waiting (with Burt Lancaster and Judy Garland, directed by Cassavetes), Two Minute Warning (Charlton Heston), Tempest (co-starring with Cassavetes and Molly Ringwald, in her screen debut) and the mother who wants to do right by her children in Paul Schraders 1987 study of a blue-collar family, Light of Day. In middle age and beyond, Rowlands continued playing demanding roles. In Woody Allens austere drama Another Woman she was cast as a writer whose life has been shielded from emotion until dire incidents force her to deal with her feelings. In the groundbreaking TV movie An Early Frost, she appeared as a mother confronting her sons AIDS. Rowlands commented in 1992 that her roles remained in her memory. Sometimes, those white nights when I have no sleep and a lot of time to think about everything, Ill examine different possibilities of different characters and what they might be doing now, she said. ___ This story has been updated to correct the spelling of the television series Johnny Staccato and the release year for Shadows. ___ Film Writer Jake Coyle in New York contributed to this report. The late Associated Press writer Bob Thomas contributed biographical material to this report. Glen Powell Reveals How 'Desperate' He Was to Adopt His Pup Brisket in Dog's Vogue Cover Story The actor revealed while trying to adopt his puppy he "called anyone that this adoption place followed on Instagram" to get him Presley Ann/Getty; Lindsay Ellary Glen Powell and his dog Brisket; Brisket's DOGUE cover Glen Powell only had eyes for Brisket. Brisket joins Billie Eilish's canine Shark and Demi Moores pup Pilaf as one of the covers of Dogue, Vogue's digital cover project devoted to "celebri-dogs." Powell spoke with Vogue in an accompanying interview to Briskets Dogue cover published on Wednesday, Aug. 14, and revealed his persistence to adopt the small pup. The Twisters star explained that while on the films set in Oklahoma last summer, he was scrolling through Instagram when he stumbled upon a photo of the tiny white puppy on the Labelle Foundations account. I remember exactly where I wasin this cafe in Enid, Oklahomawhen I saw a picture of him, he explained. I was very desperate to get Brisket. I made this video, I called anyone this adoption place I followed on Instagram. Powell made a very hard, hard push for Brisket and traveled back to Los Angeles during the Twisters production to ensure he could take the pup home. I really felt the need to be a dog dad when I was in Enid, Oklahoma, so I almost named him Enid, he said. But Im glad I didnt name him Enid. Brisket is a very fitting name for him. Related: Meet Brisket! See Glen Powell and His Dog's Cutest Photos Together Lindsay Ellary Glen Powell's dog Brisket on the cover of DOGUE Powell told the outlet he also refers to the small pooch as Brisky, but a lot of people call him Brisky Business, adding, Hes a party, so it makes sense." The Anyone But You star explained that it feels like Brisket has a lot of nicknames because he has so many parents. All of his friends want to babysit him, and everybody is always sending me pictures hanging with him," Powell said. Powell joked that because Brisket is a social butterfly, his catchphrase would be: Oh, friend! Hes just super social. Hed be like, Hey, whats your name? sort of vibes. Hey, Im Brisket, nice to meet you. he said, adding, The thirstiest kid on the first day of school freshman year; hes the runt and desperate to make friends. Thats probably the vibe. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Glen Powell holds his dog Brisket and Daisy Edgar-Jones in Los Angeles, on July 11, 2024. Related: Demi Moore's Tiny Dog Pilaf, Who the Star Takes 'Everywhere,' Gets Her Own Vogue Cover More recently, Brisket accompanied the actor during the Twisters press tour, including a tour of the Universal Studios Back Lot with his costars. Powell told Vogue that hes super excited to bring his canine friend to shoots in Atlanta and London. Its really fun having him on that adventure. Youre far away from home, and its just nice being able to take on all these adventures with him. Twisters is now in theaters. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. 94-year-old Hideo Shimizu, a former member of a notorious Japanese germ-warfare unit, returned to China after nearly 8 decades, to acknowledge the atrocities committed by the invading Japanese forces and to offer sincere repentance and apologies to the victims. Jenna Ortega embraced gothic details on Wednesday while attending the Mexico City fan event for her new film, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice. The actress selected a custom strapless leather dress by Lurline, which featured a molded skull bodice and braided detailing along the skirt. Ortegas stylist, Enrique Melendez, collaborated with the Saudi Arabian label to create her look. More from WWD Jenna Ortega attends the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice fan event on Aug. 14 in Mexico City. Enrique had the brilliant idea to alter our moulded skull motif into something resembling the iconic shrunken heads from Beetlejuice, specifically Bob from the new film, Lurline founders Sarah and Siham Albinali said in a statement. The leather corset and skirt feature subtle Bob shrunken head details, with draped waves that mimic the characters wrinkled appearance, they continued. We added leather cords to accentuate the sewn up mouth and included these on the skirt to bring the look together. Enrique chose a deep teal color to match the Bob character and the Beetlejuice world which also aligns with the soft goth aesthetic we love. Jenna Ortega attends the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice fan event on Aug. 14 in Mexico City. Ortega accessorized with dangle earrings and teal Le Silla heels. Hairdresser Bobby Eliot styled the actress dark tresses in a half-updo, while makeup artist Melanie Inglessis gave her a red wine lip and black winged eyeliner. The Wednesday star attended the event alongside costars Michael Keaton, Justin Theroux and Monica Bellucci. The sequel to 1988s Beetlejuice, out Sept. 6, follows the Deetz familys return to Winter River. Ortega plays the teenage daughter of Winona Ryders Lydia Deetz. Justin Theroux and Monica Bellucci attend the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice fan event on Aug. 14 in Mexico City. View Gallery Launch Gallery: Thom Browne celebrates 20th Anniversary with Jenna Ortega, Christine Baranski and more Best of WWD The new Netflix docuseries American Murder: Laci Peterson takes a closer look into the murder of Laci Peterson. It included new commentary from several people, including Lacis mom, Sharon Rocha, who opened up about her concerns regarding Scott Peterson after Laci told her mom she was expecting her first child. [Laci] would ask me questions about what it was like to be pregnant, and she was curious, you know, about all of those things, Sharon, 72, told the cameras during episode 1 of American Murder: Laci Peterson. I remember after her housewarming, she called me. She was crying at that time because she wanted to get pregnant and [Scott] didnt. He didnt want to have a child. To Sharons surprise, Laci called about six months later and said that she and Scott, 49, had started trying to conceive. Sharon explained that she asked Laci about the situation because Laci had told her mother that Scott didnt want to have children. [Laci] said, Hes changed his mind. He said he wants to, now, Sharon continued. By July 2002, Laci was pregnant and despite her concerns, Sharon said she was excited for her daughter and son-in-law. I was happy for her, the California native explained in the docuseries. But for some reason, I just had in the back of my mind that something didnt feel quite right because he didnt want to have kids at all, and then, all of a sudden, he did. That concerned me. Laci went missing on December 24, 2002, and she was eight months pregnant with her and Scotts unborn son. Her disappearance resulted in a months-long search, something Scott was cooperative in assisting with at first. It was soon discovered that Scott was having an affair with a woman named Amber Frey, and his affair quickly moved him into the spotlight as the prime suspect. Laci Petersons Mom Remembers Something Didnt Feel Right Four months after she disappeared, Lacis body was discovered in the San Francisco Bay by a couple who was taking their dog for a walk. The body of her unborn child was found one mile away. Lacis cause of death was unable to be determined because her body had decomposed too much. However, it was confirmed that Lacis body had been brutally mutilated. She was decapitated, and her forearms, her right foot and her left leg from the knee down were missing when her body was found. Scott maintained that he was innocent in Lacis murder and claimed that he had been fishing the day Laci went missing, but he was arrested four days after the bodies were found. After a high-profile trial that began in 2004, Scott was convicted on two counts of first-degree murder in 2005. He was sentenced to death by lethal injection, but in August 2020, a judge overturned his death penalty sentence after it was determined that the original trial had a series of clear and significant errors during juror selection. In May 2021, a California district attorney stated that she would not be seeking the death penalty in a new filing. Scotts attorney Cliff Gardner exclusively told In Touch in June 2021 that he was hopeful that his client would eventually be released from prison. Looking for a quieter alternative to Sicily? Want to visit a gorilla family in Uganda? Seeking arts and culture in Asia? Our A-List advisors reveal their top picks. Xavier Hoenner/Getty Images Tasman Island off the coast of Tasmania, Australia. Where do savvy travelers go to escape the crowds and experience true local culture? We asked our A-list travel advisors to reveal their favorite hidden gem destinations for 2023 place that are off the beaten path and brimming with charm. Sardinia, Italy "Sardinia stands out as a pearl of the Mediterranean. Because of its strategic location, Sardinia has been conquered by many civilizations over the centuries, leaving behind traces of art and culture that still enrich the area in its archaeological sites, historic landmarks, and vibrant traditions. Sardinia captivates visitors with its exceptional cuisine, high-quality wines, and genuine traditions." Matteo Della Grazia & Daniela Mencarelli, Fuoritinerario Discover Your Italy Hong Kong "People need to talk about Hong Kong (again). Its been below the radar for a number of years, but the city continues to impress with new important museums and exceptional hotels that are a reasonable value compared to most in Europe." Rob Clabbers, Q Cruise + Travel Poland "Travel to Poland tanked after the invasion in Ukraine, but it's back with a vengeance. There's so much history to uncover. The charm here comes from the local people who are warm and welcoming, allowing for a number of personal experiences we can create ... like meeting local artists or a home-based cooking experience. Its also not on the euro, so still a fabulous value." Gwen Kozlowski, Exeter International iStockphoto/Getty Images Villehardouin's Castle on the Peloponnese peninsula in Greece. The Peloponnese, Greece "This peninsula in the southwestern region of mainland Greece is often overlooked by travelers looking for the ideal Greece holiday. However, the Peloponnese offers the largest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Greece, the ultimate farm-to-table experiences, and top-notch properties. Luxury hotels include a Mandarin Oriental, Amanzoe, W, and Romanos. A Banyan Tree is opening in 2025. The Peloponnese also boasts some of the best beaches in Greece." Mina Agnos, Travelive Madagascar "Madagascar remains a bit of a mystery to most people. When I first set foot in Madagascar nearly 15 years ago, I could not wait to search for lemurs, snorkel off the smaller islands of Nosy Be, and spot whales from Ile Sainte Marie. I also hugged many towering, ancient baobab trees; they have a special place in the island's culture. Today, general improvements in accommodation standards add a degree of comfort to any off-the-beaten-track adventure, while those in search of world-class desert island luxury will not be disappointed." Samantha Gordon, Red Savannah Vicki Jauron/Getty Images An elephant at Matusadona National Park in Zimbabwe. Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe "Lake Kariba in northern Zimbabwe offers a wide variety of water activities, including fishing and game viewing. It's also near Matusadona National Park, where you can experience exhilarating bush walks and game drives. On my last visit, we walked near a large herd of buffalo and ran into three elephants. Bumi Hills, part of African Bush Camps, recently launched a sleepout on Lake Kariba if you stay a minimum of three nights." Candice Heckel, Africa Endeavours Getty Images Losinj Island in Croatia. Losinj, Croatia "Losinj, which is tucked up in the northern Adriatic, is called 'Vitality Island' for a reason. It's protected by Italy on one side, and the Croatian coast on the other. Merchants would stop here for a safe haven to rest, trade, and restock. And with its ideal climate, more than 1,000 plants and an array of medicinal herbs can grow here. It's representative of how wellness can span an entire island." Kristin Chambers, D.A. Luxury Travel & TravelLustre Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Uganda "In the southwest of Uganda, the tiny Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is home to a single mountain gorilla group: the Nyakagezi family. A visit to Mgahinga, on the Ugandan side of the Virunga volcanoes, will give you a unique insight into the world of the endangered mountain gorillas, their habitats, and the communities that live nearby. You can also hike a volcano, see the rare golden monkey, and share in the ancient culture of the Batwa, one of the oldest inhabitants of the central African rain forest, at the Gahinga Batwa Village." Praveen Moman, Volcanoes Safaris Khajuraho, India "Khajuraho, a small town in the middle of India, is well-known around the world for its exquisitely carved temples, recognized by UNESCO among its list of World Heritage Sites. It's also near the Panna National Park, where you can go on a tiger safari." Marion Miller, Micato Safaris iStockphoto/Getty Images A rock formation at Ennedi Plateau in Chad. Ennedi Plateau, Chad "The Ennedi Plateau, spanning Chads Sahelian and Saharan areas, offers travelers a remote journey into a desert landscape of ancient rock art dating back over 8,000 years, sandstone pinnacles, rock labyrinths, and hidden valleys where the desert nomads of the Tubu, Zaghawa, and Bedeyat peoples have brought their camels to water for centuries. In Chad, its a privilege to see a bewitching and beautiful desert, and on such a scale." Will Jones, Journeys by Design Puglia, Italy "Located in the heel of Italy, Puglia is surrounded by gorgeous beaches, sea arches, cliffs, and caves yet it's still under most tourists radar. So many Instagram-worthy images of Italy have been taken here. There are must-see UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the trulli of Alberobello and the cave dwellings in Matera, some of which now house hotels. My favorite towns include Lecce and Monopoli." Julie Jones, TopFlight Travels Bahrain "Bahrain is an island country that has a great deal to offer any visitor. Though not as popular as its neighbors, it has a great food scene, and English is widely spoken. Bahrain also has world-class hotels and beautiful beaches, and is safe and easy to navigate." Mo Noubani, The Travel Box International Didier Marti/Getty Images Southwest Wilderness, Tasmania "Tasmanias southwest wilderness is a pristine, UNESCO World Heritage-listed region that was only recently made accessible to visitors. In 2023, the introduction of Odalisque III, a luxurious, expedition-style cruising experience, began providing visitors [with] a privileged opportunity to explore breathtaking scenery and dramatic landscapes shared by 12 guests on board. Travelers can also enjoy personalized tours including some amazing hikes and wildlife spotting comfortable accommodations, and fabulous Tasmanian food and wines." Stuart Rigg, Southern Crossings For more Travel & Leisure news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on Travel & Leisure. People Are Sharing The Major Red Flags That Tell You A Company Will Be A Terrible Place To Work, And I'm Taking Notes A while back, Reddit user u/SwagYoloThiccChilFam asked, "What's an immediate red flag to hear from HR during a job interview?" and the responses...well, you might want to bookmark these. Here are 49 things interviewers may do or say in an interview that let you know you should run, not walk, out the door. 1."'We are in a period of a lot of change right now.' (Code for the business is failing, chaotic, a bunch of people quit, and you're about to walk into a total sh*tshow.)" u/nocountry4oldgeisha 2.If they give you a "'work test' where they ask you to complete an unpaid assignment. That's free contract work, ladies and gents." u/mpshumake 3."'Overtime is strictly not allowed.' The last time I heard that, my employer tried to make me work overtime as regular time or didn't pay me extra at all. But it was expected I'd stay over. Never again. A company should never tell an employee they won't compensate them for working on their time." [deleted] 20th Century Fox 4."'We have unlimited vacation.' Translation: 'You technically can take as much time off as you need, but we're going to hem and haw about it so much that, effectively, you get very little time away from work.' Also, if/when you leave the company, you won't get any prorated vacation time paid out." u/Brokelynne 5."'We offer a longevity bonus if you stay with the company for x time frame.' AKA, we have to pay people extra to stay here." u/Fickle-Psychology-77 6."Having you take personality tests like Myers Briggs or other pseudoscience BS." u/qsdf321 "I'm a therapist, and nothing pisses me off more than when employers try to use personality inventories on their employees. It's fucking predatory and manipulative, in my opinion." u/Fred_Foreskin "I'm in HR. Those tests are unreliable AF. Thankfully, people are starting to phase it out." u/miketigerdominates 7."If the word 'family' is used." u/Yemto "I heard 'we're a family' for years from an employer who later fired me under sketchy circumstances, with no warning or improvement plan (would have been hard since nobody ever actually told me anything I needed to improve), a few days after I told my boss my husband and I were starting the process to adopt. Now, I work at a place where some of my team members genuinely feel like family, but nobody feels the need to say it 20 times a day because a company that actually treats its employees well doesn't need to resort to guilt trips to motivate you." u/HashtagNewMom "'Family' or 'culture' means you're supposed to conform [and] never challenge the way things are done." u/aSocraticQuestion NBC 8."Also, if actual family members work there. Never again. Sisters, kids, wife...majorly toxic." u/IOnlyhave5_i_s 9."I interviewed for a job recently with a small startup, and they asked me if I had any questions. I told them work-life balance is important to me and asked what a typical workday looks like for their employees. They told me that was a risky thing to say in an interview, and most startups would consider that question a red flag. I said I didn't need to work for that kind of company." u/earlysong "I had a recruiter reach out to me about a job months ago. I went through the process, and when I got to the last interview, I asked the VP about the work-life balance since I'm very happy with my current company's position in that regard. The recruiter reached out a few days later and told me that one question, which took two minutes, 'put them off,' and they decided to go a different direction. ... Bullet dodged, no doubt." u/Infected_Pretensile 10."'Do not discuss your compensation with other team members.' Somebody, probably the most senior person there, is getting screwed, and they can't afford to lose their experience. It will someday be your turn to get screwed." u/CloroxWipes1 11."'We're no longer a startup, but still have the startup culture.' This really means 80-hour weeks and low pay even if the company is doing well." u/arelath "Or, 'We're a startup that's been in business for 10+ years.' No, you're a business, and that equity you're offering is worthless." u/SuspiciousBroccoli43 "The whole 'startup' tag is suspect. I did a job reference for a friend who was applying at an 11-year startup. If you are still hunting for investors after 11 years, you have to wonder about your business model. It seems to be a buzzword for cool, cutting edge, and a culture of overwork." u/ElectricMan324 "We don't offer bonuses or raises, but we do have a pool table." u/Crisis_Redditor "Having a 'startup culture' also can mean that they don't have processes documented. The lack of processes and process owners written down also means that there may be more politicking because people don't know who's responsible for what and can make things up to suit their agendas. But 'move fast, break things,' right?" moaaaaaaa Netflix 12."Not always, but I've discovered there's usually a reason and it's not your resume when they seem overly eager to recruit you. Ask specifically about the turnover rate." u/AllisonDTyner "I went to an 'interview' for an assisted living place. The manager didn't ask me a single question; they just described the job and the shifts I would work and said, 'You're hired if you want it.' I had no previous experience with that kind of job, I had worked at a gas station my whole life, and all of a sudden I'm on my own taking care of dementia patients." u/leah_mw1984 13."'We will start you at $ because that is the approved position, but we will correct it at your first review.'" u/BananaSlugworth 14.Any excuse like..."'We might not be able to meet your pay expectations because we have to check things like the gender pay gap.' That actually happened. I was there about 18 months, but realistically, the writing was on the wall after about two or three." u/SuperspyUK 15."Pretending the firm isn't about making money, but actually making the world a better place or something. Means they will pretend the company 'mission' is partly a payment in itself to be a part of." u/aSocraticQuestion "I worked briefly for a private equity firm where they pushed the line that we were improving the world by creating drugs for rare diseases. Yes, that is part of what we produce...but most of what we produce are returns on investment for endowments, trusts, family offices, high-net-worth individuals, etc. Why not just own that?? The pay was amazing, but sugar-coating it and having so many people jump on that line on an email thread felt culty to me." moaaaaaaa HBO 16."Sign this document saying you won't file an EEOC complaint(true story)." u/amsco 17."'What would be the lowest salary you would work for? The absolute minimum that you can tolerate?' What a nice way to make a possible new employee feel appreciated." u/lizztastic_chick 18."That the job would probably not pay as much as I was asking for, but it had great training opportunities!" u/Karazhan 19."'Work hard, play hard.' Run as far and as fast as you can if you hear that." u/ScorpionX-123 "'We're extremely understaffed for the workload, but we order cheap pizza once a month.'" u/jayydubbya NBC 20."'We expect flexibility with regard to schedules from our employees. In addition to your regular weekday hours, the need may arise for you to work evenings and occasionally on weekends. So, always be prepared to accommodate staffing demands.'" u/Back2Bach "For some jobs, overtime is understood as a necessary evil at times: manufacturing, medical, law enforcement, etc. For retail jobs, however, when they start talking about 'flexibility in scheduling,' you should be wary since that often means 'whenever the fuck we tell you to be here, you better be here,' and those jobs don't pay NEARLY ENOUGH for that shit. Talking about your weekends? Gone. They called you up on your day off? Be here in an hour. They worked you until midnight? You're scheduled to open the next day." u/Yawzheek 21."Expected to be on call 24/7. This is literally from a job description for Universal Studios. Unless you're a brain surgeon, firefighter, etc. FUCK THAT." u/wecangetbetter "I work in IT, and that's been every job I've ever had for the last 25 years. Some have a rotation; some just expect you to be reachable. Some blatantly abuse it, some don't, but it's all abusive in as much as it takes advantage of salaried workers (expecting you to be available to work hours for which you won't be paid)." u/NumbSurprise 22."'We expect this position to be your priority.' Do not expect consistent hours that will allow you to plan for another job outside of this one and fuck you, we won't pay you more, so that you don't have to do that." u/doublepulse "Or if they require full-time availability for a part-time job paying minimum wage." u/emthejedichic 23."'You'll wear a lot of hats' = We're going to make you do the work of three people but only pay you for one." u/about_a_biscuit "I heard this exact phrase in one of my first jobs in VFX. It actually meant this: 'Four people just quit, and their jobs are now yours, and we don't have time to train you properly.' I became the fifth person to quit three weeks later." u/UncleHeavy NBC 24."'No two days are alike.' There's a good chance that means there's no leadership and the workplace is utter chaos. Maybe some people like not knowing what's going to be thrown in their lap from day to day, but I like some notice and the ability to plan." u/OccasionallyWright 25."'Be able to work on different projects with tight deadlines.' This means you will be jumping from project to project, and of course, to finish them, you will have to work extra hours, weekends, etc. Constantly jumping from project to project will wear you out in the long run. Also, multitasking is not the most efficient way to do things. This also could mean you are doing two to three people's jobs." u/jay105000 26."They can't describe how an ordinary workweek will look. Either it's because it's so dull that they won't share it or because they haven't really planned out this position well." u/aSocraticQuestion 27."A lot of restaurants through the years 'Can you start tonight?' means they are super understaffed. One time, they asked if I could start now. Like, 'Interview's over; hop on the line.'" u/Frodo_71 "Interview for produce clerk at a grocery store: Manager: 'You got the job! Can you start this afternoon?' Me: 'Uhh, I've got this other commitment.' Manager: 'You've only been here 30 seconds, and you're already making excuses to get out of your shifts. FINE! You can start tomorrow.' u/originalchaosinabox Netflix 28."'We have a hard time keeping people in this role'=People realize this job sucks and bail out quick." u/about_a_biscuit 29.Or..."'We've had a hard time finding the right person for this position.'" u/strungup "Either they're too picky, or they don't pay market value for the job." u/herkMech96 30.Similarly, be wary if there have been a lot of people in the position before you: "I interviewed with the Executive Director of a nonprofit not too long ago who said he'd been with the agency for eight years and then proceeded to list off seven executive assistants he'd had in that time. This one was great, this one should have been let go in the first 90 days but it was the pandemic...on and on. Like, bruh, maybe you're the problem." g41215b4f0 31."Umm yeah, we'll need you to come in for four more interviews, and then we'll discuss the salary." u/GboyFlex "The other is 'It's dependent on the candidate.' If they are interviewing for a position, they know what it pays." u/Foodwithfloyd BBC 32."Anything that changes [from the job description]. Job title, pay, manager, interviewers, work location (a lot are saying hybrid and then want you in every day), etc." u/Harrydinkledorf "On two occasions, I got a job offer, but the official salary was different from what was in the job listing. Each time, I was told it was because 'listing a higher salary attracts more qualified candidates.' Declined both offers right there on the spot." u/sleestak_orgy 33.And along those lines, "'The position being filled today is a bit different from the one you applied for.' It's always an entry-level POS job nobody would ever apply for and guaranteed nowhere near the money stated in the advertisement for the job. Get up, walk out, and ghost them." u/Gooduglybad16 34."'We are looking for employees that have a passion for their job and aren't concerned as much about a paycheck.'" u/Beths_Titties 35."They are interviewing for a position that is currently held by another person. HR asks for discretion since they have not told the employee they are being let go yet." u/ElectricMan324 Pop!TV 36."You need to buy X to start training." u/thekillercook "Or sign a contract that will charge you for training if you do not work there for so many years and a non-compete clause to force you into a different line of work if you leave. I believe some of these have been outlawed in some places now." u/fanestre 37."'If you leave before one year, you owe us $10,000 that we had to pay the recruiter.' This actually happened. No, I did not continue the interview process." u/jbsinger 38."Any restaurant that charges the cooks to eat." u/Phillyfrom312 "If they can't feed employees, it means they are failing." u/alarsonious 39."I once had a potential employer who wanted me to take a day off of the current job I had at the time and go work for free for a whole day for her, and then only if she liked me was she going to hire me." u/theflesheatingmuffin BBC 40."'You give us 90 days at $, and we will give you $$.' The trades are infamous for offers like that, and they rarely work out." u/Sonotreadyforit "But then it's contingent on a 90-day review, and the manager responsible for the review is impossible to track down. Yup, been there." u/Sauteedmushroom2 "My husband was scammed by a 90-day policy. He started working for a small town UPS loading trucks and was told he had a 90-day probationary period and that after those 90 days, he would be making $5 an hour more. However, it wasn't 90 calendar days; it was 90 days that he actually worked. The shifts were 3 to 4 times a week, so it turned into way longer than 90 actual days of him working there. Then, right before his 90 shifts were up, they told him they had to lay him off because of center productivity." childrenofthecornbread 41.Similarly, if they don't work with your schedule for the interview: "A company I was interested in arranged an interview and then told me when it was. When I told them that I had obligations on that day and time, they told me I was no longer being considered. Every other company I've interviewed with, whether or not I got the job, included me in the interview scheduling. I probably avoided a horrible job." u/BlartIsMyCoPilot 42."When they tell you that your profile is overqualified, you know that they are gonna pay you shit." u/Sufficient_Ad478 43."'We want someone who is willing to go the extra mile' = nice way of saying they're gonna break your balls." u/kcf2816 NBC 44."'The strongest stay at our company' = very high turnover, so they sugar coat it with different labels in hopes of finding more suckers to work for them." u/RexCrimson_ 45."'Rapidly shifting priorities' is code for 'Management doesn't know what the eff they want.'" u/rotatingruhnama 46."When they don't allow you to ask questions, or you ask questions and their responses seem vague or deceptive. Interviews are conversations, and so many people are horrible at conducting interviews. Its 99% them grilling a candidate." u/DryBreakfast7 47."'Big personalities.' I just quit a job after two years with nothing else lined up because the 'big personalities' were killing me." u/dtmfadvice "'You'll be working for X. They are super passionate and a genius in what we do. They can be demanding, but if you meet expectations, they are great to learn from.' I met the guy, and all his questions were aimed at how quickly I could figure things out and stop asking him questions. Easy decline." u/Re-Created NBC 48."'Your coworkers will be really supportive; just ask them if you have any questions!' This translated to: 'You'll be ignored by leads/management, so hopefully your coworkers have the answer or a really great meme about no one having the answer.'" u/Girl_Anachronism1 49."'We don't have a dedicated HR department, per se' I worked for a Fortune 500 company whose HR was essentially nonexistent. If you have an issue, talk to your boss. If you have an issue with your boss, good luck." u/apacherosepierski And finally, we'll leave you with some tips... "While waiting for an interview, look at other employees. How do they look? What do they do? What do they speak about? Do they look happy (well, content), friendly, or run as if a wasp nest is behind them? Ask a question at reception, like, 'Where is a toilet?' and see how they respond." u/makosh22 "Also, see what the toilets look like. If they are careful with their employees' well-being, the toilets will be clean and comfortable (I know because the washroom is where I spend most of my time at work)." u/yodaa_san "Ask about how they handled the COVID pandemic. No matter your viewpoints on that topic, how they answer will give you a good insight into how they treat people." u/ronaldreaganlive "'What's your salary expectation?' Never, ever answer that. And as an insider, let me tell you they will ask several times in several ways, and they will pretend to be angry, hurt, offended, puzzled they might even insult you but never, ever answer that question. If they aren't telling you what they expect to pay, there's a reason. Small or big companies, all are the same on this." u/GoodGoodGoody "In trade school, they always told us to put [salary range] as 'Negotiable,' and if they ask us in person, make sure to keep it consistent and say that you're open to consideration and to keep the ball in their court. Until they're willing to give you an idea of what you're worth or could be worth to them, there's no reason to give them serious consideration." u/CygniYuXian Good luck. It's rough out there. Submissions have been edited for length/clarity. I bought a beach house in Cape Cod for $395K its about to fall into the ocean but Im living my dream while I can David Moot took the opportunity to buy his dream oceanfront Cape Cod home at the massively discounted price of $395,000 despite the property's high chance of being swept away by the ocean in the coming years. David Moot had always fantasized about owning a beachfront retreat on Cape Cod, but never thought he could afford ituntil he stumbled upon a coastal gem listed for just $395,000. At roughly half the median sales price in the area according to recent estimates, the listing seemed too good to be true. And it was the affordable slice of paradise at 157 Brownell Road in Eastham could soon be swept away by the Atlantic. The charming, 3 BR, 2 BA cottage sits a mere 25 feet from an eroding bluff, with the tide line predicted to creep three feet closer each year. Within a decade, the home could be lost to the waves. Moot, 59, shrugged and took the plunge. David Moot, who long dreamed of owning a beachfront home on the Massachusetts coast, jumped at the chance to buy a Cape Cod property for a surprisingly low $395,000despite its precarious location just 25 feet from an eroding bluff. Kinlin Grover Compass Lifes too short, he told Bloomberg in an interview. Lets just see what happens. Its going to eventually fall into the ocean, and it may or may not be in my lifetime. Moots purchase is part of a growing trend in pricey oceanfront enclaves, where risk-tolerant bargain hunters are scooping up dream properties at rock-bottom prices. On Nantucket, where the elite flock every summer, one seaside house assessed at $1.9 million recently sold for a shocking $200,000. (Eventually the ocean will win, new owner Don Vaccaro resignedly told the local paper.) This new breed of beach buyers is gambling on a climate future thats far from certain, as rising sea levels and more powerful storms put billions of dollars worth of prime real estate in jeopardy. Between 50 and 100 years from now, there are communities that will be underwater, Dylan McNamara, an oceanography professor at the University of North Carolina Wilmington told Bloomberg. Its just a matter of time before those property values go down. With the ocean projected to encroach three feet closer each year, the house could be swallowed by the sea within a decade. Kinlin Grover Compass Moots gamble reflects a growing trend in prime US beach towns, where buyers are snapping up heavily discounted properties at risk of being consumed by rising sea levels and stronger storms. This home in Nantucket sold for only $600,000 as its beach is nearly gone. Boston Globe via Getty Images In Nantucket, where winter storms have been gnawing away at the coastline, some areas have lost more than 12 feet of shoreline a year. The devastation has left homeowners facing tough choices. The hard conversation to have is with the owners, Shelly Lockwood, a real estate agent on the island told the outlet. Theyre losing millions and thought they were going to leave this for their grandchildren. Now, their homes are worthless. Some properties are in such danger that the National Park Service has started buying them up and tearing them down to prevent debris from littering the beaches. While these bargains attract those willing to take financial risks, they also come with challenges, including high insurance costs, limited financing options, and the looming threat of total loss. SailingAway stock.adobe.com The Outer Banks in North Carolina, a prime vacation spot, has already seen six homes collapse into the sea since 2020. They should have never been built, Eric Braojos, a local real estate broker added. Even with the risk, demand for beachfront properties remains strong, especially in areas where towns have artificially widened beaches. But as insurance costs soar and lenders shy away from financing homes that could soon be underwater, property values are expected to tumble. If you want to buy the house, youre going to have to pay all cash and you cant insure it, Lockwood warned. Thats going to make the buyer pool that much smaller. For now, Moot is happy even if that happiness comes with an expiration date. More than $106 billion in US coastal properties could be underwater within 30 years, the future of real estate in vulnerable areas like Cape Cod, Nantucket, and North Carolinas Outer Banks hangs in the balance. aheflin stock.adobe.com And hes thinking about ways to make the most of his time in the home even toying with the idea of turning the cottage into a retreat for terminally ill patients, or opening the property up to day visitors, so they can soak in the beauty, too. This is such a wonderful dream for me that has come true that I would love to be able to share it, he said. I would like people to enjoy it as much as I can. This Michelin-starred restaurant from a world-famous chef is finally opening in Miami One of South Floridas most anticipated openings of the year is finally happening: World famous Italian chef Massimo Bottura is ready to open his downtown Miami restaurant. Bottura, whose restaurant Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy, earned three Michelin stars, is opening a second location of Torno Subito on the rooftop of Miami food hall Julia & Henrys on Flagler Street. The original Torno Subito in Dubai earned a Michelin star in 2022. Earlier this year, when Bottura was honored at the tribute dinner at the 2024 South Beach Wine & Food Festival, he told the Miami Herald that opening a restaurant in Miami wasnt originally on his agenda. But as Michelin swept into the city and national publications started to notice Miami as a culinary destination, he changed his mind. I found an an amazing energy in Miami, he said. I feel its the place to be right now. The city is exploding. I want to be there. Chef Massimo Bottura takes a selfie with the team at his new Italian restaurant Torno Subito in Miami. The new restaurant, which opens Aug. 21, will be helmed by chef de cuisine Bernardo Paladini, who was the chef at the Dubai Torno Subito. The Miami restaurant, Bottura told the Herald, will be different from the Dubai location and all about Bernardo. Paladini, he said, has spent the past year and a half in Miami meeting farmers, fisherman, ranchers and cheesemakers, a crucial step in following Botturas mission of fostering relationships with providers. Its very important to connect with all of the local farmers and fishermen and cheesemakers for ingredients, he said. This is one of the key points in all of our restaurants all over the world. Paladini said that local influences will definitely play a part in the menu. Seabass porketta at Torno Subito in Miami. We want to bring our guests on an imaginary trip all over Italy, while also honoring and taking inspiration from the rich history, culture and landscape of Miami, he said in a statement. Of course, classic Italian dishes will on the menu. Diners can expect to find traces of Botturas passion project eliminating food waste in the pappa al pomodoro, which is made with day-old bread, tomato and Parmigiano Reggiano foam. Other specialties include I Love Tartar, in which the guests are able to create their own dish. Guests will also find cacio e pepe and carbonara and can order the famous Emilia burger, a staple on many Bottura menus. The dish takes an American classic burger and infuses Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and balsamic vinegar into a patty made with rib eye and cotechino (Italian pork sausage). Pappa al pomodoro, made with day-old bread, at Torno Subito in Miami. The restaurants cocktail program will be curated with New York Citys Dante from the West Village, named the Worlds Best Bar in 2019. Traditionally a magnet for Italian immigrants, Dante is best known for its aperitivos and other Italian drinking traditions. With its carefully created cocktails and rooftop location in Miamis changing downtown, Bottura envisions the restaurant as a nod to the great Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini. Miami is always living la dolce vita, he told the Herald. Oops I Burned the Key Lime Pie, one of the desserts at the new Torno Subito that offers a Miami twist. Torno Subito Where: Julia & Henrys, 200 E. Flagler St., Miami Opening: Aug. 21 Reservations: OpenTable More information: tornosubitomia.com Michelin-recognized restaurant Jaguar Sun is closing in Miami. Heres what we know How old does a child need to be to ride in a cars front seat? What Florida law says Its a weekday morning and youre running late. You need to drop your kids off at school before work, and just as youve gotten everyone into the car with their lunch and their backpacks, you think to yourself: Are they too young to be sitting in the front seat? Its back to school season in South Florida, and that means homework, hectic mornings and school commutes. If youre wondering whether or not your kid is allowed to sit up front, you arent alone. Heres what Florida law says, and what experts recommend. Is it illegal in Florida to put a child in the front seat? In 2007, Sandra Delgado learns how to properly install a children seat in the back of a car under the supervision of Lise Deus. Florida doesnt have a law that says how old a child needs to be to sit in the front seat. So, if your kid hops into the front seat on a Monday morning, no need to worry about a cop pulling you over. That said, Florida law does have some specific requirements for children riding in cars. What are the Florida laws regulating kids in cars? Florida law mandates that children under 5 years old can only ride in a car under certain conditions. The law says that: Any child 5 years old or younger must be seated in a crash-tested and federally approved car seat. If the child is 3 years old or younger, the car seat must be a separate carrier or integrated child seat. If children are 4 or 5 years old, then they can also use a booster seat. What is the punishment for not having a car seat for a child? Not putting your child in a car seat is treated as a moving violation in Florida. This means that if you are caught driving with a child younger than 5 who isnt in a car seat, you could get a $60 ticket and three points on your drivers license. How old should a child be to ride in the front seat? In 2000, Dr. Grisselle Cruz Espalliat of the Florida health department demonstrates to Carmen Maza how to adjust the seat belt of her 4-year-old daugter Claudia Balboa in Hialeah Gardens. Though there is no specific Florida law about who can sit in the front seat, there are some guidelines that can help you make decisions about your childs safety. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children below the age of 13 ride in the rear seats to increase their safety in case of a crash. The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration offers similar guidelines, urging drivers to make sure children 12 years old and younger ride in the back seat because its safer there. The U.S. Highway Administration offers more detailed guidelines for car seats on its website. Earlier this summer, queer families from around the world gathered in Provincetown, Massachusetts for a week of Pride, learning, and joy. Billed as the largest annual gathering of LGBTQ+ families, Family Week brought visitors from 33 states, as well as Australia, Denmark, France, and Mexico, to P-town, the historic gay haunt on the northern tip of Cape Cod. Organized by Family Equality, a national advocacy organization, this years celebration marked the 30th anniversary of the mass convening. With over 500 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced this year alone, our families need and deserve a place and space to come together, build connections, and share their experiences, Family Equality VP of Communication and Marketing Tonya Agnew told Them over email. Family Week in Provincetown gives families the opportunity to just be, to walk down the streets hand-in-hand without fear of dirty looks or hateful comments, and its that queer joy that will sustain us for the work ahead. Family Week got its start back in 1994, when organizers Tim Fisher and Scott Davenport took their children to Provincetown for a vacation. After meeting a number of other gay and lesbian parents at the beach, the couple invited about 15 families to their rented house for dinner. Three decades later, the event has grown from an evening to a week of programming with more than 600 families participating. The inspiration behind this rapidly expanding event was the same then as it is now: Community, Agnew told Them. Growing up in the 90s, many children of LGBTQ+ families didnt live near, or know, other families like theirs. That very first dinner with more than a dozen families and then, later, the week-long event with thousands of registered attendees reminds us that were not alone. Courtesy of Family Equality For Ithaca-based partners Trudy Pantalia and Sharon Costianes, this was their third time attending Family Week, a tradition they intend to continue. What keeps us coming back is seeing our gender fluid child be completely at ease, and happy like they are in no other place, they shared over email. As parents, having our child truly be seen and celebrated is priceless. Both local advocates in their community, Pantalia and Costianes also noted solid efforts toward inclusion at this years Family Week, citing the option to attend for free. Provincetown can be expensive and challenging to travel to, wrote Agnew. To overcome this homogeneity, weve offered Family Week scholarships in previous years, changed pricing to Pay-what-you-can, and created guides and resources for navigating Provincetown on a budget. The importance of offering an inclusive environment has been heightened by a year of nonstop anti-LGBTQ+ political mobilization. This moment in history feels like a constant battle. Every day we are aware that our existence, our insistence, on living and loving authentically, could be weaponized against us, wrote Pantalia and Costianes. To be in a place that felt safe, that didnt just tolerate us, but celebrated us as a family, brought me to my knees. There is a meaning and value to that experience that is difficult to put into words because its something Ive never experienced before. This years Family Week was especially poignant for attendee Sarita Bhatt, as she was joined by a childhood friend. Ive known one of the moms in that family my whole life. We grew up in an Indian immigrant community in New England and being LGBTQ+ was not an option (or so we thought), she shared in an email. Decades later, here we were celebrating our big gay families, our identities, being brown, being Indian, being proud moms to our children, being wives to our wives, joking in our mother tongue (gujarati), laughing up and down Commercial Street, beaching, pooling, paneling, all of it. Bhatt continued, There is a meaning and value to that experience that is difficult to put into words because its something Ive never experienced before: an entire week to be unapologetically me with my family and chosen family. But the most memorable moment created by Family Week for the Santa Barbara-based consultant wouldnt come until they returned home. A week after FE, my 5-year-old was playing with another kid, who started bragging about his (straight) dad, she told Them. And my kids response was, Oh yeah, well I have two moms! that was his brag. That was everything to me. Everything. That is why we will continue to return to Family Week. From pool parties, to resource-sharing sessions, to panel discussions, to drag performances, beach days, a Pride March, and youth programming facilitated by COLAGE, Family Week offered wide-ranging opportunities for connection, affirmation, education, and fun. Courtesy of Family Equality Courtesy of Family Equality Courtesy of Family Equality Courtesy of Family Equality Courtesy of Family Equality Courtesy of Family Equality Courtesy of Family Equality Courtesy of Family Equality Courtesy of Family Equality Courtesy of Family Equality Courtesy of Family Equality Courtesy of Family Equality Courtesy of Family Equality Courtesy of Family Equality Get the best of whats queer. Sign up for Thems weekly newsletter here. Originally Appeared on them. Riding the Trans-Mongolian Railway, one of the worlds most epic train journeys Editors Note: This CNN Travel 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. Horses were Mongolias chief means of getting around for thousands of years, and they remain an integral part of the national identity. But in modern times, the iron horse has gained popularity as an excellent way to cross this vast central Asian nation. Stretching 2,215 kilometers (1,376 miles) from Mongolias northern border with Russia to Chinas Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in the south, the Trans-Mongolian Railway was completed in 1956 after nearly two decades of construction across some of the planets most scenic but arduous landscapes. The train rumbles through stands of taiga (boreal forest), across the fabled steppes of central Mongolia and then the seemingly endless Gobi Desert. Remote towns and settlements flank the tracks, but signs of civilization are few and far between, especially during winter when much of Mongolia is draped in snow. The Trans-Mongolian Railway was a great ride and a total contrast to the preceding days of Siberian birch trees and small villages with muddy streets and wooden houses, says British rail travel expert Mark Smith, founder of The Man in Seat 61 website, of his experiences riding through the country while journeying from Moscow to Beijing on the broader Trans-Siberian rail journey before the pandemic closed global borders. Mongolia offered wide-open grassland, camels and frequent yurt alerts as nomadic settlements hove into view. Which makes it all the more surprising when high-rise buildings appear in the distance and the train rolls into Ulaanbaatar. With more than 1.6 million residents, the booming national capital is home to more than half of Mongolias entire population and, when the full Moscow-Beijing Trans-Siberian line was up and running, a great place to break the journey for a couple of days. Travelers in the Mongolian capital not planning to board a train should even consider visiting the station, which opened in 1949. With elaborate chandeliers dangling above the waiting room and a vintage steam locomotive and coal car permanently parked beside the platform, venturing into Ulaanbaatars stocky Soviet-era train station is an instant flashback. The Trans-Mongolian Railway cuts through the middle of Mongolia, running from its border with Russia in the north to China's Inner Mongolia region in the south. - Jack Maguire/Alamy Stock Photo How to ride the Trans-Mongolian In years past, the vast majority of international passengers, like Smith, experienced the Trans-Mongolian Railway as the central portion of an epic train journey between Moscow and Beijing. However, that route was suspended in 2020 during the Covid pandemic and remains a no-go for most travelers for the foreseeable future. Its a shame because it was one of the great overland trips, says Christian Stanley, director of the Trans-Siberian Travel Company in London. There are still a lot of people who have this trip on their bucket list. Stanley says for travelers from countries not participating in sanctions against Russia over the war with Ukraine, its still possible to undertake a Moscow-Beijing rail journey via Mongolia. Just not on the same train or booking. No such hassles or sanctions if youre only riding the rails in Mongolia. The regular service between Ulaanbaatar and the twin towns of Zamiin-Uud/Erenhot on the Mongolia-China border is definitely worth experiencing, a journey that takes the better part of a day (or night) to cross the steppes and Gobi Desert. Tickets can be purchased at the main train station in Ulaanbaatar. The Trans-Mongolian went through a period of modernization in recent decades, with some of its Soviet-made diesel locomotives replaced with American models. The carriages feature second-class hard-sleeper (four-person) and first-class deluxe soft sleeper (two-person) compartments with lockable doors, small tables, power outlets and air conditioning/heating. Sheets, pillows and duvets are provided. Hard sleepers share a single Western-style toilet in each carriage, while each pair of soft sleepers share an ensuite bathroom. I shared a four-berth cabin with just a young Mongolian mother and her daughter, says Laura Jopson, a New Zealander who writes about her globetrotting adventures in the Laura the Explorer blog. The room was comfortable, warm and quiet. Each evening, the attendants would convert the seating into bunks. Luggage was stored beneath the lower bunk, so it was hard to access during the journey a small daypack is definitely recommended for things youll need whilst on the train. Each carriage had a samovar for making hot drinks and instant meals. The dining car on the Trans-Mongolian Railway features beautifully carved wooden decor. - Edd Westmacott/Alamy Stock Photo The trains also boast dining cars with menus that feature local specialties and a few international dishes. The Mongolian dining car contrasted with its Russian counterpart (and with the Chinese restaurant car, for that matter), says Smith of his onboard dining experience while passing through Mongolia. Good and filling, but youd better like mutton and rice! Passengers can supplement dining car cuisine by stocking up on snacks and drinks in Ulaanbaatar theres a small convenience store inside the main station or dashing onto the platforms at whistlestops along the route. I decided to eat in the Mongolian restaurant carriage mainly for the decor! says Jobson. The carriage is decorated in beautifully carved wood. The food was tasty and not too expensive. Otherwise, I brought instant meals (ramen, pasta, coffee), some fresh fruit and other snacks. If passengers decide to visit snack shops, food counters and kiosks along the way, they need to keep track of how long the train stops at each station to avoid getting left behind. And Jopson points out that over winter, the station food options were limited to major stations only. Even though the train toilets are initially stocked, its also recommended that passengers bring their own roll of toilet paper. The toilets were basic, but clean for the most part, Jobson recalls. In case the sleeper doesnt have a universal socket, an electronics adapter is another good idea. Before boarding the train, convert international currency into a sufficient amount of Mongolian Tugrik, as the dining cars and snack shops are likely to be cash only. Theres a money change kiosk inside the Ulaanbaatar train station and a small bank across the parking lot. For those who would prefer to book a tour package, several adventure tour operators are getting into the Mongolia rail game. That includes Australias Intrepid Travel, which recently announced a new 11-day Trans-Mongolian Railway Adventure that combines road and rail travel between Beijing and Ulaanbaatar. This has been a rail line that weve been passionate about for quite some time, says Erica Kritikides, Intrepids general manager of global product. We thought it sounded fascinating and we had run Trans-Siberian trips in the past. So this was an opportunity for us to explore a portion of that rail line and it really fit within our goal of featuring more offbeat rail networks around the world. Intrepids first Trans-Mongolian Railway trip is scheduled for June 2025. Kritikides says bookings are already brisk and that at least one of next summers journeys is already sold out. Journey highlights Ulaanbaatar is definitely a high point of any trip to Mongolia. Among its landmarks are the sprawling Gandan Monastery with its many Buddhist relics including an 85-foot-high (26-meter) golden Avalokitesvara statue the Central Museum of Mongolian Dinosaurs, and the various national treasures inside the Bogd Khaan Palace Museum. Although Genghis Khan established his capital at Karakorum in central Mongolia, the 13th-century military leader, emperor and national hero is remembered in a massive stainless steel equestrian statue just west of the capital, as well as a somber seated figure in front of the Government Palace. A roundtrip journey on the Trans-Mongolian between Ulaanbaatar and Zamiin-Uud makes for an easy and interesting two-day trip. However, travelers can extend the journey by stopping for a couple of days at major towns along the way. Set on the edge of the Gobi Desert, Choir is renowned as the birthplace of Jugderdemidiin Gurragchaa, the former cosmonaut and defense minister, who was the first Mongolian and second Asian to venture into space. Sitting at the edge of the Gobi Desert, Choir is among several worthwhile stops on the Trans-Mongolian Railway. - Goddard_Photography/iStock Unreleased/Getty Images After blasting off in March of 1981, Gurragchaa spent seven days aboard the Salyut 6 space station. Choir honors its local hero with a statue in the plaza in front of the station close enough for passengers to undertake a quick dash and selfie with the skyward-pointing cosmonaut while the train is stopped. Several small (and very modest) hotels cater to overnight visitors or those who want to venture into the wilderness around Choir to visit the hot springs at Khalzan Uul or search for Siberian ibex and argali big-horn sheep at Ikh Nart Nature Reserve. Another couple of hours down the track is Sainshand, a much larger town with better facilities for overnight visitors including several hotels, a couple of restaurants with traditional Mongolian dishes and Date Coffee House for bubble tea, milkshakes and specialty coffees. Wide open spaces await travelers who climb aboard the Trans-Mongolian Railway. - Sirio Carnevalino/Alamy Stock Photo Located about a 40-minute drive south of town, Khamar Monastery with its towering stupa was founded in the early 19th century by a scholar monk dubbed the Terrible Noble Saint of the Gobi. Most of the structures date from the last 35 years, after the restoration of Mongolian Buddhism following the collapse of the communist regime. Zamiin-Uud punctuates the southern end of the Trans-Mongolian with an elegant train station tower that appears to be modeled after St. Marks Campanile in Venice. The roomy plaza outside the station is flanked by restaurants and fast-food joints, a bakery, a bank and even a karaoke lounge. Crossing the border For those wanting to travel from Ulaanbaatar into China or vice versa, theres a round-trip service available every Monday and Friday that heads over the border and into Hohhot, the capital of Inner Mongolia, in northern China. According to Chinese state media, the route was relaunched earlier this year. From Hohhot, passengers can journey to Beijing and farther into China via high-speed rail. According to those who have made the journey, the main event at the border is experiencing the train transitioning from the wider track gauge used in Mongolia to the standard gauge used in China. We arrived at the Chinese border station to martial music played at top volume over the stations loudspeakers, Smith recalled. You could get off here and stretch your legs or stay on while the whole train was shunted into a shed and jacked up on hydraulic lifts to have its bogies changed from Russian to standard gauge. I chose the latter, a fascinating experience with much banging and jolting as each car was separated, then lifted bodily into the air several feet. Our original wheelsets were trundled away and a new set brought in underneath us. It took about an hour. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com New York investor Francis Skiddy wanted to have a Kansas town named after him. Skiddy promised to build a town hall in exchange for his becoming the namesake of Skiddy, a community founded in 1869 on the boundary line between Morris and Geary counties in north-central Kansas. But Skiddy reneged on his promise, and residents in 1879 changed the communitys name to Camden, according to the website legendsofkansas.com. Then, in August 1883, "The town name reverted back to Skiddy because there were too many other Camdens in the nation," that site said. Skiddy's post office closed in 1953, it said. Skiddy is among the Kansas communities with interesting monikers that are no longer incorporated, or never were. The cemetery in the western Douglas County community of Stull has long been rumored to feature a Gateway to Hell. Here are eight others: Tonovay was initially called Ton of Hay Tonovay is located in Greenwood County in southwest Kansas. Its residents initially called it "Ton of Hay," after a wagonload of hay they thought weighed a ton, Sondra Van Meter McCoy and Jan Hults wrote in their 1989 book, "2001 Kansas Place Names." Tonovay's post office opened in 1886 and closed in 1912, they said. Swamp Angel is thought to have been named after a Civil War cannon Swamp Angel is an unincorporated community in western Pottawatomie County, east of Manhattan and west of St. George, according to Wikipedia. It is thought to have been named after a historic Parrott Cannon known as the "Swamp Angel," which the Union Army used in 1863 to bombard Charleston, South Carolina. Herman Melville, best known for his 1851 novel "Moby Dick," wrote about the cannon in a poem called "The Swamp Angel." Smileyberg was named after business owners Smiley and Berg Smileyberg is an unincorporated community south of El Dorado in Butler County in south-central Kansas. It got its name as a result of being founded by Thomas Smiley, who established a grocery and dry goods store there, and Barney Berg, who established a blacksmith shop there, according to a history of that county published in 1916, with details being available at ksgenweb.org. May Day got its original post office designation on May Day May Day, in northern Riley County, got that name after its original post office designation was secured on a May Day, according to legendsofkansas.com. That post office actually opened on April 13, 1871, that site said. It said only one structure, a school, remains standing from the original city, where the post office closed in 1954 and the last remaining business building, a store, shut down in 1969. Buttermilk got its name from a blacksmith who loved buttermilk Buttermilk is an unincorporated community in Comanche County in south-central Kansas. A blacksmith with the last name of "Winningham" lived there and loved consuming buttermilk in large quantities so much that he was given that nickname and the community was given that name, according to a video posted on YouTube as part of John Wise's series, "Travel With a Wiseguy." Water availability may have precipitated creek and city's name of Happy The city of Happy was founded on the banks of Happy Creek in Graham County in northwest Kansas. "Possibly the availability of water in this high, dry country influenced travelers to call the creek Happy," said the 1989 book, "2001 Kansas Place Names." Happy in 1883 was issued a post office, which was discontinued in 1906, according to the Kansas Historical Society. Canada was a city in Kansas The city of Canada in Marion County in central Kansas was given that name to attract Canadians, who were told the winters there were "short and mild," said 2001 Kansas Place Names. Canadians began arriving in 1873 in Canada, which got a post office in 1884. That was discontinued in 1954. The shoe company New Balance in a 2015 ad campaign gave away a pair of a type of sneakers available only in the country of Canada to residents of Canada, Kansas. Fencing at the Stull Cemetery, rumored to be a "Gateway to Hell," is seen disturbed Tuesday. Stull has been dogged by demonic rumors Its name may not be as odd as some of the others, but western Douglas County's tiny community of Stull has been dogged for decades by rumors that its cemetery is the "Gateway to Hell" and that the community was formerly called Skull. Actually, Stull was called Deer Creek before being named after its only postmaster, Sylvester Stull. It maintained a post office for four years, from 1899 to 1903. Stull Cemetery was the site of a battle between good and evil in a 2010 episode of the superhero TV series "Supernatural," which aired on the CW. Contact Tim Hrenchir at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934. This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Unique names hyped Kansas towns, including 1 with a 'Gateway to Hell' Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of a National Ecology Day event in Sanming, southeast China's Fujian Province, Aug. 15, 2024. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan) FUZHOU, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong has called for coordinated efforts in promoting green and low-carbon development, further strengthening ecological and environmental protection, and making steady progress toward the country's dual carbon goals. Liu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks in a speech delivered at the opening ceremony of a National Ecology Day event held in Sanming, in east China's Fujian Province. Liu said the third plenum of the 20th CPC Central Committee last month made important plans to deepen reform in ecological conservation. He stressed concerted efforts to cut carbon emissions, reduce pollution, pursue green development, and boost economic growth. By acting on the principle that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, China's ecology and environment have seen continuous improvements since 2012, Liu said, adding that National Ecology Day offers opportunities to build consensus on green and low-carbon development and strengthen synergy in building a beautiful China. To raise public awareness and encourage action to protect the ecological environment, China's national legislature last year designated Aug. 15 as National Ecology Day. The country has pledged to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. After years of steady decline, the gap year that rite of passage for school leavers who are not quite ready for university or full-time employment, and seeking to grow in confidence is making a comeback. The number of applications for deferred university entries so far this year was as of June 30 94,430, up 10,000 on pre-Covid levels, reports Ucas, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. More than half (56 per cent) of gappers just want to travel abroad during their time off, according to a 2022 survey by Teaching Abroad Direct, while 16 per cent choose to volunteer overseas and another 16 per cent go away to work. But while the number of gap-year travellers is at a 10-year high, so is the number of parents who want to join their kids abroad. Abi Shaw, the founder of travel company Bushbaby Travel, has arranged for a number of parents to join their kids during their gap-year travels, as well as separate trips for parents who want adventurous multi-destination trips of their own and are looking to recreate their backpacking days of skipping from country to country. Luxury travel company Wix Squared reports a 50 per cent increase in the number of parents joining their children towards the end of their gap year. Founder Alex Wix says: This often happens after the child has been roughing it, often on an educational/community service project or backpacking in a developing country. In 2023, Clare and Nick Naylor flew out to join their daughter, Daisy, who was travelling in South America with her friend India. Indias family came too, we made a group of 10 altogether, says Clare. They started in Costa Rica in January, we joined them in March, flying out to Bogota, spending a few days in the Galapagos Islands, the Amazon rainforest in Ecuador and then leaving them in Quito. It was a treat for them to swap hostels for nicer accommodation they were desperate for a G&T, which was off their budget. Increasingly, parents are keen to be part of the gap-year experience - Getty Wed never travelled to South America, it was lovely to be with them theyd grown up so much and make all those memories together and make a family holiday out of it, says Clare. Within the first few days of their travels in Costa Rica, two boys they were with were stabbed, they had to do a tourniquet and it was quite a welcome to Central America for them it didnt seem to worry them, but we wanted to make sure they were happy, well and keeping safe. And while experiential travel and ticking off bucket-list destinations has been a huge driver for all ages since the Covid pandemic, helicopter parenting is a factor at play in parents wanting a slice of gap-year action, too. With study after study confirming that lockdowns reduced young peoples happiness and confidence to an all-time low, gap-year travel has, arguably, never been more important in boosting their resilience, says Milly Whitehead, a director of gap-year specialist The Leap. We have noticed a demand from parents who want to do what their kids are doing, and are thinking of booking a weeks family holiday to treat them while theyre backpacking, but I try to put them off, says Whitehead. I tell parents to let their kids go, that the less they hear from them on a gap year, the better. Its really discombobulating for kids who have just got in the groove of their trip to upscale to nice accommodation, where they are fed and watered well, get their washing done and are generally spoilt, and then have to go out and backpack again. Moreover, Whitehead says that her team has noticed a huge dip in resilience in school leavers since Covid, making the confidence boost from gap-year travel all the more important. Gap year travel can help young people to become more confident and independent - Getty/FG Trade Outwardly, youngsters are really savvy and together but if something goes wrong, the wheels come off the bus much quicker than they used to the depth of resilience is much less than it was 10 years ago, she said. We can see this as a graph they get off the plane from Heathrow all green, feeling their way, but they are a very different human being after six weeks away on one of our programmes with a team of people, being challenged without knowing we are challenging them, being off-grid at times so they have to look out and up. By the time they leave us, the majority 95 per cent go on to backpack independently, able to take responsibility every day for food, accommodation and safety. Our goal is that by month three or four they are rarely contacting home. If a parent drops in with a luxury element at month three, I personally feel it can disrupt that moment of growth. If they really want to have that family holiday, I suggest they meet at the end of the gap year, rather than in the middle of it. Alternatively, Whitehead suggests, parents could take their own adventure trips separately from their children demand has outstripped supply for the two-week midlife adventures they launched before the pandemic. But for some, argues Shaw, its a vital time to share with your children before they leave home forever. Shaws own father joined her in Asia for a stint while she was backpacking in her 20s, and last year she and her family joined their eldest son, Will, for 10 days in Vietnam while he was travelling during his university holidays. Will didnt take a gap year during Covid and he said absence definitely makes the heart grow fonder, so we are repeating the experience this year in Singapore and Australia, explains Shaw. Ill follow my children all over the world, for as long as theyll let me! For me, its all about the shared experiences and the different perspectives children shine on things when you travel with them, whatever their age. And of course, simply spending time with them before we are reduced to snatches of moments on special occasions. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. 1 hurt in southeast Charlotte shooting, MEDIC says One person has been hurt following a shooting in southeast Charlotte early Thursday morning, according to MEDIC. The incident occurred just before 12:15 a.m. on Jonquil Street. ALSO READ: Deputies arrest juvenile suspect in deadly Rowan County shooting MEDIC said the victim was taken to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries. It is unclear what led to this shooting. This is a developing story; check wsoctv.com for updates. VIDEO: Deputies arrest juvenile suspect in deadly Rowan County shooting BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) One person was injured in what police are calling a targeted shooting in Dunkirk on Wednesday night. Police responded to the 300 block of Washington Avenue around 6:50 p.m. Wednesday, where one person had been shot. The victim was transported to Brooks Memorial Hospital by private vehicle and then transferred to ECMC with non-life threatening injuries. Police said it appears that the incident was between people who know each other. Anyone with information or video is asked to contact the departments confidential tip line at (716) 363-1313 or the desk at (716) 366-2266. Latest Local News Aidan Joly joined the News 4 staff in 2022. He is a graduate of Canisius College. You can see more of his work here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo. 1-year-old dead after abduction of 3 children ends in car crash in Maryland: Police An alleged abduction of three Virginia Beach children ended in a car crash Thursday morning that left the youngest dead, according to police. Virginia State Police responded to a stabbing Wednesday night in an incident they said they believe to be "domestic-related." Two female victims -- one adult and one juvenile -- were transported to the hospital with multiple stab wounds, and are currently in stable condition, police said. MORE: 5 charged in Matthew Perry's ketamine death as new details emerge The suspect, Dana Plummer, 36, is believed to have stabbed the two victims and then fled the scene with his children, police said. The three children were identified as 7-year-old Zayin Plummer, 5-year-old Zayir Plummer and 1-year-old Za'riyah Plummer. PHOTO: Virginia Beach Police are looking for three missing children (Virginia Beach Police via X) An AMBER Alert -- which has since been canceled -- was issued Thursday morning for the children. Law enforcement identified the suspect's vehicle thanks to a tip from a member of the public and attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the vehicle refused to stop and fled north on the highway into Maryland, police said. While fleeing, the driver lost control of the car and crashed, police said. MORE: Jordanian citizen arrested for allegedly attacking Florida solar energy facility, threatening pro-Israeli businesses: DOJ The three missing children were located at the scene. The 1-year-old was transported to a hospital, but later succumbed to her injuries, police said. Police apprehended Plummer at the scene. He has been charged with two counts of aggravated malicious wounding, three counts of parental abduction, four counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and domestic assault, police said. "Our hearts go out to the family and loved ones who are grieving this morning," Virginia State Police Chief Paul Neudigate said in a statement. "This is an unimaginable tragedy, and on behalf of the VBPD, I extend our deepest sympathies to those affected by this loss." 1-year-old dead after abduction of 3 children ends in car crash in Maryland: Police originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Keyon Jackson-Malone, a talk show host and community organizer well known in Milwaukee's Black community, died suddenly Monday. Jackson-Malone, 47, had a weekly show, "The Man Show" on WNOV, which listeners remember as a "safe space" to discuss life. "They talked about everything under the sun," said Michelle Bryant, fellow WNOV radio host. "The men now don't have that space in terms of talk radio. I grieve for that, for our community, because it was a therapeutic couch that they all came to. And it didn't matter from what walk of life everybody was willing to come and talk to him about issues from depression to marriage to health." Jackson-Malone, who also produced Bryant's show for almost eight years, brought something different to the show every time he was on-air. "He would always push the needle," Bryant said. "He'd always force you to think about something from a different perspective." She also noted Jackson-Malone's impressive knack for matching music to the mood on-air. "This man had a music collection that could rival any DJ anywhere in the world," she said. "And he was able to listen to a topic, I don't care what we were talking about, and he had the perfect music to complement the mood, the message, the meaning of whatever the issue was." Off the air, Jackson-Malone worked at Wisconsin Voices, a grassroots organization that aims to amplify underrepresented voices. Co-executive director Tomika Vukovic knew something was wrong when he didn't show up for work Monday morning. She asked police for a wellness check, and they found him dead in his home. The office has been "somber" since, she said. "He was 100% about the community," Vukovic said. "His goal was making people know that Milwaukee is a great place to live." In addition to his work at Wisconsin Voices, Jackson-Malone led his own nonprofit, the Village Group. He used food to bring people together and helped organize a food pantry in his neighborhood of Atkinson Park. "I'm going to lose a lot of weight now that he's no longer with us, because he would cook breakfast for me just about every single morning for our 7 a.m. show," Bryant said with a laugh. Carmen Alicia Murguia, a friend of Jackson-Malone's who met him while working at Milwaukee Times Printing and Publishing, said he would often stop by with ribs or catfish. Radio host Sherwin Hughes said Jackson-Malone was always available to drive Hughes to work when his car broke down. And Bryant recalls a day when they had been up since 5 a.m. hauling supplies, but Jackson-Malone was immediately ready to help someone move when they returned to Milwaukee that night and heard about the need. "He was just somebody that was there for you," Hughes said. Sherwin Hughes treasures a hat that Keyon Jackson-Malone gave him for his birthday, only wearing it on special occasions. Reactions to Jackson-Malone's death have poured out on social media, and community members hosted a balloon release event to honor him Wednesday night. Bryant said she has never seen so many men outwardly expressing grief than at that event. "He was proud to care for his city, he was proud to care for his community and he was proud of being Black, and instilled that in young people," Murguia said. Jackson-Malone was interested in radio at a young age, he said in 2020 interview. He attended John Marshall High School to participate in the media program there, but didn't get back into radio for another 20 years. Jackson-Malone was funny, Bryant said, and used to joke about his time in the gifted and talented programs in school. But that humor reflected a core belief. "He just believed that, if God trusted you with intellect and abilities, you were supposed to use them for the greater good," she said. "They weren't supposed to be selfish and only about advancing yourself. Those gifts were meant to move the entire community forward." A prayer vigil in honor of Jackson-Malone will be held 7 p.m. Aug. 22 in Atkinson Park, 936 W. Atkinson Ave. The event was originally planned for Aug. 15 but was postponed a week due to weather, according to a social media post from state Rep. Dora Drake. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee radio host, organizer Keyon Jackson-Malone dies Devarjaye DJ Daniels story is inspiring. The 12-year-old from Houston, Texas has been battling cancer for a good portion of his life, but thats not stopping him from spreading his positive vibes around the world, while attempting to break records. He has traveled around the world, getting sworn in as an honorary law enforcement officer with 844 agencies. Im going to keep on going until my gas tank runs out, said DJ. When people ask him what that means, he replies, Thats when God calls you home. You never know when God calls you home, unless that light leaves your eyes. In 2018, DJ was diagnosed with Anaplastic Ependymoma Grade 3, a rare and incurable brain and spinal cancer. He was given 5 months to live. That was when his family decided to try an experimental drug that nobody else had yet tried. That drug, combined with prayers, positive attitudes and an unwavering fight for life has led DJ on his current mission. According to his father, Theotis Daniel, DJ has also received his FBI credentials and has been sworn into the military as well. He was even mentioned on the U.S. House floor. DJ formed a deep love for police officers after his family was displaced by Hurricane Harvey. While staying in a shelter, the police assigned to the shelter would sneak DJ into their break room and give him pizza and chat with him. From that moment on, DJ knew he wanted to be part of the law enforcement community. WNBZ Radio Host, Woodhouse saw an article about DJ and knew he wanted to get involved. These ceremonies that he partakes in, they add days to DJs life because it gives him drive. It gives him that gumption to keep going, said Woodhouse. DJs disposition is far better than anybodys that I could have even begun to imagine, given the sort of cards that hes been dealt. Woodhouse teamed up with Saranac Lake Police Chief, Darin Perrotte to not only get DJ to the North Country, but get him sworn in to as many local police agencies as possible. In the grand scheme of things, how bad is your day, really? When this 12-year-old little boy is battling an incurable disease. Hes strapping on his boots every day and saying Lets go out and hit the pavement and reach my goals. Its inspirational, said Perrotte. A GoFundMe page has been set up for people to donate to DJs travel expenses. DJs father plans to drive DJ from Texas to New York, possibly within the next few weeks. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC22 & FOX44. Miranda Sipp's mother and stepfather allegedly failed to seek proper medical assistance for their cheerleader daughter GoFundMe Miranda Sipps A 12-year-old girl from Texas died after her mother and stepfather allegedly failed to seek medical attention for her life-threatening injuries, authorities said on Wednesday Aug. 14. According to a statement from the Atascosa County Sheriff's Office, the pre-teen, who was a cheerleader at Jourdanton Jr. High School, died on Monday, Aug. 12. An investigation launched by the sheriffs offices Criminal Investigation Division shortly after the girls death found that she had received serious life threatening injuries on the evening of Thursday, Aug. 8, four days prior. The investigation revealed the parents failed to seek medical assistance for the girl, even though she was mentally and physically incapacitated and non-responsive. It appears the mother finally called 9-1-1 when the girl went into respiratory distress, the statement read in part. Speaking at a news conference, Sheriff David Soward said the parents tried tending to her at home while she was primarily unconscious and tried a couple of remedies, including trying to give her a smoothie with some vitamins. Of course, somebody that's unconscious, thats hard to do, Soward added, later identifying the victim as Miranda Sipps, who was due to turn 13 later this month. Atascosa County Sheriff's Office Mrainda's mother Denise Balbaneda and stepfather Gerald Gonzales Basically they thought they could nurse her back to health, and we do not think they wanted the attention that this would draw if the little girl was injured, which is strangely ironic, but that was their line of thinking, he said. Soward did not go into detail about Sipps' injuries or how they happened, admitting he is not 100% sure, but said she could flutter her eyes and move her hands a little bit when the authorities came upon her, adding that he also believed the parents got oxygen for her at one point. The mother and stepfather identified as Denise Balbaneda, 36, and Gerald Gonzales, 40, of Christine by the sheriffs office were arrested on Aug. 13 and booked into the Atascosa County Jail. They have been charged with injury to a child causing serious bodily injury by omission, a first-degree felony, per the sheriffs office. GoFundMe Miranda Sipps Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. The authorities said after receiving a 9-1-1 call from the victims mother at home, they later met her en route to the hospital and EMS transported Sipps to Methodist Hospital in Atascosa. Soward said he believes the mother left the home because they didnt want law enforcement at the house. Medical staff vigorously treated the pre-teen but there was nothing they could do, the sheriffs office added. She was pronounced dead at 9:55 p.m. local time. The investigation is ongoing and the final autopsy report is pending, per the sheriffs office. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. 12-Year-Old on Road to Recovery After Mom Accidentally Ran Over Her at School Drop-Off: Trooper In an update on Thursday, Aug. 15, Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) Trooper Kenn Watson told PEOPLE there has been "a lot of luck" involved in her ongoing recovery Tampa Bay Times via ZUMA Press Wire Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida The 12-year-old student from Florida whose mother accidentally ran her over on the first day of school, is continuing to recover, police tell PEOPLE. The girl, who has not yet been publicly identified, was previously listed as critically injured after the Aug. 12 incident which occurred in the right turn lane on Myrtle Street west of Newtown Boulevard at Booker Middle School in Sarasota. On Thursday, Aug. 15, Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) Trooper Kenn Watson confirmed to PEOPLE that the child was still on the "road to recovery" and that there has been "a lot of luck" involved in her ongoing recovery given what happened. Additionally, school officials tell PEOPLE that the schools leadership team and the district support team are collaborating to support the family. Related: 12-Year-Old Girl Run Over by Her Mom at School Drop-Off Now in 'Stable' Condition, Say Authorities At 7:45 a.m. local time on Aug. 12, the childs 30-year-old mother, who has also not been named, was attempting to drop her off for her first day of school, according to a news release from the Florida Highway Patrol, which was previously obtained by PEOPLE. Unbeknownst to the parent, the student had dropped some markers and pens and bent down to pick them up from under the vehicle, when the mother began to drive off. The mother immediately stopped when she heard her child screaming," Watson said, per WFTS-TV. The child was then airlifted to Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg. Her condition was officially upgraded to "stable" on Tuesday, Aug. 13, according to Watson. As of Aug. 15, police said that there were no updates on the crash report to share. Getty Cordon tape stock image A Sarasota County Schools spokesperson confirmed the accident to PEOPLE, and said, "The school district encourages all families to follow district & school safety protocols and use the designated student pickup and drop off areas on school campuses." Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. During a preview interview with local Fox affiliate WTVT, Watson called what happened a tragedy. " Watson added, "Were hoping this does not happen again, but we have to remember to have that good spatial awareness when you are anywhere around a school zone and most certainly when you are letting your kid out of your vehicle." For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Marine Corps veteran and journalist Austin Tice has spent exactly 12 years in captivity in Syria, and U.S. lawmakers are using the anniversary to push the Biden administration to secure his release. Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., along with 34 other senators in both parties, sent President Joe Biden a letter last week reiterating their call for him to do everything he can to bring Tice home. "As a beloved son, brother, Eagle Scout, journalist and veteran, Austin represents the best our nation has to offer, and we are committed to working with you to return him to his loving family," the senators wrote in their letter, which was republicized Wednesday to mark the anniversary of Tice's detention. "As an American and a veteran, Austin deserves the full and active support of our government to secure his release." Read Next: The Army Is Set to Expand Basic Training, Fueled by New Recruiting Momentum In his own statement Wednesday, Biden said he has "repeatedly pressed" the Syrian government to work with his administration on Tice's release. "Today, I once again call for his immediate release," Biden said in the statement. "We stand in solidarity with Austin, his family, and all Americans wrongfully detained and held hostage abroad. I will continue to do everything possible to advocate for and pursue his release and support his loved ones until he is safely returned home." Secretary of State Antony Blinken similarly said in a statement Wednesday that U.S. officials "have repeatedly offered to find a way to bring him home." The 12-year anniversary of Tice's disappearance and renewed attention on his case come after the Biden administration earlier this month secured what's been described as the biggest prisoner swap with Russia since the Cold War. The exchange freed two dozen detainees, including former Marine Paul Whelan and journalist Evan Gershkovich. While that prisoner swap was widely celebrated for bringing unjustly detained Americans home, some also lamented that Tice continues to languish in captivity. "We hope and pray that our government will also work with determination and essential engagement to make our family whole again and secure Austin's safe return," Tice's parents said in a statement after the U.S.-Russia prisoner exchange. "We have the same desire for every family missing a loved one." Tice is a former Marine infantry officer who deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan. He was promoted to captain as a member of the Marine Corps Reserve in 2009. On Aug. 14, 2012, while working as a freelance reporter covering the Syrian civil war, Tice was abducted at a checkpoint outside Damascus. While the Syrian government has repeatedly denied it is holding Tice, Biden said in a statement two years ago marking the 10th anniversary of his disappearance that the U.S. government knows "with certainty" that Syria is holding the former Marine captive. The FBI is offering a $1 million reward for information "leading directly to the safe location, recovery, and return" of Tice. Little has been seen or heard from Tice since he was abducted, outside of a brief video released a few months after his disappearance, but his parents said in 2018 that information offered in hopes of the reward led them to believe he was alive. In addition to the bipartisan Senate letter, other top lawmakers also released statements Wednesday urging Tice's release. Senate Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ben Cardin, D-Md., said he is committed "to continue working with the Biden-Harris administration and all those with the power to help pursue every possible avenue to reunite Austin with his loved ones." Meanwhile, House Foreign Affairs Chairman Mike McCaul, R-Texas, insisted that "Austin must be unconditionally released now so he can be reunited with his family." -- Patricia Kime contributed to this story. Related: 'We Won't Give Up': Advocates Hope Biden Will Finally Bring Marine Vet Austin Tice Home 15-Year-Old Scientist Heman Bekele, Who Created A Soap That Treats Skin Cancer, Has Been Recognized By TIME As The 2024 Kid Of The Year Bright mind Heman Bekele has been named TIMEs 2024 Kid of the Year. As AFROTECH previously reported, Bekele, who was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, developed the idea to create a Skin Cancer Treating Soap (SCTS), which resulted in a compound based bar of soap charged with different types of cancer-fighting chemicals. According to TIME, the soap incorporates imiquimod, which is a drug used in treating one form of skin cancer as well as other skin-related issues. Its supposed to help heal the skin internally, which will then show results externally because the skin cancer will slowly start to fade away, Bekele explained in 2023. This led to him being recognized that year as Americas Top Young Scientist in the 3M Young Scientist Challenge, the nations premier middle school science competition created by 3M and Discovery Education. Bekele became the first Black scientist to receive the honor at 14 years old. Its incredible, and its definitely a once-in-a-lifetime type of opportunity and something that Ill never forget. Its definitely gonna stay with me forever, but Im still taking it all in, he told AFROTECH at the time. TIME reports he was also given a $25,000 prize, which can be helpful to advance his research and refine it for market. Although it may take years before it can be sold, for now, he remains steadfast in bringing the product to its completion at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, MD. Im really passionate about skin-cancer research, whether its my own research or whats happening in the field, he told TIME. Its absolutely incredible to think that one day my bar of soap will be able to make a direct impact on somebody elses life. Thats the reason I started this all in the first place. Hermans research at the hospital is sponsored by Vito Rebecca, a molecular biologist and assistant professor at Johns Hopkins, whom he first connected with while at a Melanoma Research Alliance networking event in Washington, DC. I remember reading somewhere something about this young kid who had an idea for a skin-cancer soap, Rebecca told TIME. It immediately piqued my interest, because I thought, how cool, him wanting to make it accessible to the whole world. And then, by complete serendipity at this Melanoma Research Alliance meeting, the CEO of the alliance introduced me to Heman. From the first conversation, his passion was evident. When I found out he lived very nearby in Virginia, I told him if he ever wanted to stop by the lab hed be more than welcome. All in all, Bekele hopes the time spent on researching and perfecting SCTS will allow it to be functional to cure cancers starting from its early stage, including Stage 0. He also previously shared with AFROTECH that he aims for it to open doors to more equitable skin cancer treatments through a nonprofit. By 2028, I hope to turn SCTS, which is right now just a passion project, into more than that. I hope to turn it into a nonprofit organization where I can provide equitable and accessible skin cancer treatment to as many people as possible, he said. BEIJING, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese procuratorial organs have dealt with 117,000 public interest litigation cases related to environmental and resource protection from January 2023 to the end of June this year, according to the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP). Procuratorial agencies have consistently viewed public interest litigation as a significant legal tool for advancing ecological conservation and have effectively addressed various prominent issues in this field, said Xu Xiangchun, a senior prosecutor at the SPP, on Thursday. The SPP released seven notable public interest litigation cases on Thursday, covering areas such as water environment management, solid-waste pollution prevention and control, wetland resource conservation, mine restoration and management, and the protection of nature reserves. Xu said Chinese procuratorates will intensify their efforts on litigation concerning carbon-related matters, including greenhouse gas emissions, high-energy-consuming and high-carbon projects, and the disruption of natural resources' carbon sequestration capacity. SHEFFIELD, Ala. (WHNT) An 18-year-old charged in a July shooting of a 16-year-old girl in Sheffield has been denied bond. According to court documents, Larmarion Bethany, 18, was denied bond Thursday after being charged in the deadly shooting of 16-year-old DeMylah Nixon. Marshall County man facing additional charges for producing child sex abuse material Bethany turned himself into Sheffield Police on August 6. In his order, Colbert County District Judge M. Chad Smith said he was denying bond in the case due to the nature of the offense, the personal history and characteristics of the defendant and the potential danger posed to the community. Sheffield Police Detective Brett Evans said Nixon was at a party when she was shot. Upon arrival, officers said they found the teenage girl lying in the grass with a gunshot wound between her shoulder blades. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Two people were arrested Tuesday night after allegedly committing a drive-by shooting that injured a man in Kelso, Wash. then traveling to Oregon and hiding in a portable toilet. At 6:50 p.m., the Kelso Police Department said officers responded to a reported shooting in the area of West Cowlitz Way and Catlin Street. Law enforcement from Kelso Police, Longview Police and the Cowlitz County Sheriffs Office all responded, officials said. Mayor Wheeler optimistic despite camping ban setbacks Upon arrival, Kelso police officers located 31-year-old Cody Tamayo suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a trauma center but his medical condition is being withheld, officials said. Within one hour of the incident, Columbia County Sheriffs Office located the suspects vehicle unoccupied in Rainier, Oregon and began searching for the offenders, Kelso police said in a release. At 11:25 p.m., the Columbia County Sheriffs Office received information the suspects were hiding in a portable toilet in proximity to where the suspect vehicle was abandoned. Multnomah Countys ambulance crisis poised to end two years after AMR raised the alarm Sure enough, law enforcement personnel contained the area and found and arrested two suspects from the portable toilet: 19-year-old Connor Santos Aguayo and 18-year-old Eligha Christian Buckner Lopez. Theyre both being charged with drive-by-shooting and first-degree assault. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. DENVER (KDVR) Two people were arrested and accused of starting a fire near Panorama Point on Flagstaff Road, just west of Boulder. The fire was started on July 31, with eyewitness video showing people near the area with fireworks ignited and visible flames. Through various investigative leads, investigators were able to file arrest warrants for two suspects, leading to arrests. Both are facing charges of: One count of second-degree arson One count of criminal mischief One count of reckless endangerment On Aug. 13, Cameron Brown, 20, was arrested and booked into the Boulder County Jail. He was released the same day on a $1,000 personal recognizance bond. On Aug. 14, Alan Koshaba, 26, was booked into the Palm Beach County Detention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. He remained in custody in Florida awaiting a hearing as of Aug. 14. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox I appreciate the tips that we received from the public, and the hard work of our investigators, that led to the arrest warrants and apprehension of these suspects. We take fire safety very seriously in Boulder County and will investigate and work with prosecutors to charge anyone who endangers our community, said Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson in a release. Johnson said in an original release discussing the fire that the ignition was a blatant disregard for the life safety of the residents of Boulder County. We were under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions, which prohibits the use of fireworks, with multiple wildfires burning, yet they still recklessly set off fireworks in a grassy and wooded area, which immediately caught fire. Its only because firefighters were able to quickly get the fire under control that a tragedy didnt take place, Johnson said. The Boulder County Sheriffs Office is also discussing whether the charges are appropriate because there were fire restrictions in place in the county when the alleged crimes were committed. The charging decision has not been finalized. Download the FOX31 App: Breaking news alerts & Pinpoint Weather The fire was sparked only days after the Alexander Mountain Fire began to consume thousands of acres of National Forest Service land in Larimer County, and the Quarry Fire in southwestern Jefferson County ignited on July 31. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Two women were arrested as part of an ongoing investigation into illicit massage businesses in McMinnville, authorities. According to McMinnville police, over 18 months, they received several complaints about Energy Foot Spa & Massage on Highway 99W. Customers reported being offered sexual services by massage therapists for an additional fee and in some cases, they reported inappropriate and unwanted physical contact. 3 women approached by alleged sex abuser at Tigard park; police seek more victims Police said they conducted an undercover operation where two therapists offered to perform sex acts on the undercover agents and they had unwanted sexual contact with them. On Wednesday, a warrant was served at the massage business and the two massage therapists involved were identified and arrested. During the investigation, authorities said multiple indicators of possible human trafficking activity were identified at the massage parlor. When the warrant was served, officials said a Victims Advocate from the Yamhill County District Attorneys Office was present and the massage therapists were offered assistance from outreach and social services programs. The investigation is ongoing; anyone with information about this or any other illicit activity is asked to contact McMinnville police. Two other illicit massage businesses were also served warrants last month in Newberg. McMinnville police said that no link was established between this and Newberg investigations. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) Two Sioux Falls men are facing a long list of charges, including child endangerment, after the Nebraska State Patrol stopped a stolen vehicle on Highway 83 near Thedford, Nebraska, on Monday. Marquise Spotted Eagle, 20, and Datavion Taylor, 23, face charges of possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of a stolen firearm, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, aiding and abetting, child endangerment and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Rapid City school board fires superintendent According to authorities, a traffic stop led troopers to find a missing 13-year-old girl from South Dakota. Authorities also said the men had stolen a vehicle in Sioux Falls that contained a rifle. Authorities in Colorado responded to a welfare check in Ault, Colorado, on Monday morning where a young girl was assaulted with a rifle and she told police the men still had her friend without consent. Both girls were found safe. Authorities in Colorado and South Dakota may have additional charges and are working on the investigation. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. Two men formerly from Pittsburgh were ordered to pay nearly $500,000 due to their conviction in a major fraud scheme against the United States. Edward DiGorio Jr., 66, and Edward Kessler, 69, were the owners of two construction companies in Pittsburgh. The companies were formed for the purpose of bidding on and acquiring set-aside contracts issued by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to small businesses owned and operated by service-disabled veterans of the U.S. military and pre-certified by the VA as Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses (SDVOBs), the Department of Justice said. Neither DiGorio nor Kessler had served in the military, nor were they service-disabled, officials said. DiGorio and Kessler paid service-disabled veterans to falsely represent themselves as the primary owners and operators of ADDVETCO and Hi-Def, and to falsely attest to ownership of the companies on critical documents submitted to the VA as part of the SDVOB certification process. This is known as a Rent-A-Vent scheme. DiGorio and Kessler were sentenced Tuesday to one year of probation, including 100 hours of community service, for their convictions. They must also pay a fine of $50,000 along with $403,142 in restitution to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Over 11 years, the companies were awarded 67 contracts that were intended for SDVOBs, 50 of which were worth $1 million or more. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW TRENDING NOW: 3-year-old girl hit by police motorcycle after St. Patricks Day Parade in Downtown Pittsburgh Woman dead after being rear-ended on I-70 in Westmoreland County, coroner says 3 people killed in Philadelphia suburb; victims identified, shooter barricaded VIDEO:Armed robbery at Pittsburgh beer distributor under investigation DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts A potential Oct. 1 dockworker strike on the East and Gulf Coast ports has already been swinging more U.S. imports westward, but the wider impacts on the economy and the ports themselves will likely hinge on the stoppages duration. If its just a few days, itll have a minimal impact on the overall economy, especially with the mitigation steps already taken, said Paul Bingham, director of transportation consulting for S&P Global Market Intelligence, during a media briefing with The Port of Los Angeles. However, if theres a strike in place and it lasts a longer period of time, theres some trade thats unable to be fully mitigatedfor example, fresh produce. More from Sourcing Journal The duration will likely determine the ports ability to get back to normalcy after a work stoppage concludes. After a strike ends, workers would have to handle the excess buildup of containers on top of the normal cargo flowing into the ports. Based on historical data, maritime trade advisory service Sea-Intelligence estimates that East and Gulf Coast ports will handle 2.3 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in October. The firm predicts they could increase their ability to move excess cargo capacity by 13 percent that month based on the maximum number of containers the ports have handled. As we estimate the East Coast ports to have 13 percent excess capacity over the expected normal flow of 2.3 million TEU in October, then it would take six days to clear the backlog from one day of strike, according to Alan Murphy, CEO of Sea-Intelligence. Although more-than-estimated capacity could shave off one or two days of backlog, the general trend doesnt bode well for a strike that lasts more than a few days, Murphy pointed out. This means that a one-week strike in the beginning of October would not be cleared until mid-November, said Murphy. If we get a two-week strike, then realistically, the ports would not be back to normal operations until we are into 2025. On a more positive note, Bingham said a long-duration strike was unlikely. We believe in an election year the political pressures will be extreme on both sides to negotiate a settlement, said Bingham, who also highlighted that there will be pressures to support the negotiations on a federal level, similar to when Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su helped facilitate discussions that helped broker a six-year contract for the West Coast port dockworkers last year. Those West Coast ports have reeled in diverted cargo in spades as the drama between the International Longshoremens Association (ILA) and United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) unfolds, if the numbers from the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are any indicator. The Long Beach port brought in 435,081 TEUs of inbound cargo in July, a whopping 60.5 percent higher than the year before, when the port saw 271,086 TEUs enter its gates. The gateway has moved 25 percent more inbound containers in the year to date2,522,424 TEUsthan the 2,018,026 TEUs handled in the first seven months of 2023. At Los Angeles, loaded imports totaled 501,281 TEUs in the month, up 37.6 percent from the 364,208-TEU throughput in July 2023. For the January-to-July stretch, the port has handled 5,671,091 TEUs at the port, up 17.6 percent from 2023 year-to-date of 4,821,670 TEUs. Were not seeing the same pace of growth at some of the other ports where shippers and supply chain managers are deliberately trying to reduce their risk of exposure, especially on the East and Gulf Coast ports during 2024, said Bingham. In the most recent update to the labor negotiations between the ILA and the USMX, the union said in a Friday statement that negotiations were very far apart, particularly on economic issues. The union was in response to the USMX update on the master talks, which the maritime employers said offered industry-leading starting wages and retained the existing technology language for the automation framework. Although Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc had previously said he thought a dockworker work stoppage was highly unlikely, the ocean freight giant acknowledged the possibility of a strike in a recent update on the North American market. Disruptions may be localized or more broad-based, the Friday update read. Should a general work stoppage occur on the U.S. Gulf and East Coasts, even a one-week shutdown could take four to six weeks to recover from, with significant backlogs and delays compounding with each passing day. The carrier said it would assist customers via alternate routes, modalities or distribution schedules in the event of disruptions. Hapag-Lloyd CEO Rolf Habben Jansen wasnt as optimistic as his fellow ocean carrier chief. In terms of the East Coast, if you would have asked me in January, I would have said that Im not so worried about that, Habben Jansen said during a Wednesday earnings call. Right now, when you look at the strike threat that is out there, I think that unfortunately, the chances that there will be some disruption have definitely gone up. Getty Train travel through the South is about to get a fresh impetus next year, as a route along the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana is on track to be restored after a nearly 20-year hiatus. Amtrak recently received approval to restart its train service from Mobile, Alabama, to New Orleans, a stretch of track which was last operated by the passenger train company in 2005. When Hurricane Katrina decimated the Gulf region in August of that year, the coastal rail routewhich was part of Amtraks larger Sunset Limited linewent on indefinite hiatus. In the decades since, lawmakers and rail officials have gone back and forth about whether or not the route should be resumed. However, earlier this month, the passenger service was cleared to make its triumphant return. On August 6, the Mobile City Council approved a funding plan by which the citys port authority and city council agreed to allocate $3 million to relaunch the rail routethe final piece of the budget needed to officially greenlight the project. The $3 million boost comes on top of a federal grant of $178.4 million from the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Program, as well as contributions from the states of Louisiana and Mississippi. "With the funding in place, this train can roll soon, and it will have a great return on investment and a tremendous impact in connecting people with jobs and education opportunities, boosting our local economies, and supporting our growing tourism industry in our coastal cities," Knox Ross, the chair of the Southern Rail Commission, said in a release. Amtrak Getty Once launched, passengers can expect a picturesque route with views of the Gulf and estuaries like Lake Pontchartrain, as well as access to charming coastal towns along the way. The service plans to operate twice daily and stop in four cities in MississippiPascagoula, Biloxi, Gulfport, and Bay St. Louison its way between Mobile and New Orleans. Theres no firm timeline yet as to when the train will get up and running again, but officials are hoping to restart the line by February 2025, in time for Super Bowl LIX taking place on February 9 in New Orleans, as well as the citys famous Mardi Gras celebrations. Smaller towns located along the way hope the route's revival will help bring in renewed interest from tourists. We anticipate a significant boost in tourism, as visitors will now have a convenient and scenic way to reach Pascagoula, says Susannah Northrop, executive director of Main Street Pascagoula. This rail connection will allow us to showcase our citys attractions and hospitality to a new wave of tourists who may not have considered visiting before. Northrop describes Pascagoula, which has a population just over 21,000 people, as a unique blend of Southern charm and coastal beauty. The train station is within walking distance of the citys downtown district offering local shops, hotels, restaurants, and views of the Pascagoula River. This development is a game-changer for Pascagoula and the entire Gulf Coast, Northrop says. Were eager to welcome train travelers and provide them with an unforgettable experience, whether theyre here for a day trip or an extended stay. Still, the project is in its earliest stages, with a few more construction hurdles to clear before the train can relaunch. Additional track will need to be built in Mobile so the train can park overnight to keep it from interfering with freight operations, an Amtrak spokesperson says, and utilities need to be moved in order to build that track. Amtrak is hopeful that construction can get underway by late October, putting the routes relaunch in the first or second quarter of 2025. Other details that remain up in the air includ e the train lines official new name, as well as the cost of farestwo announcements that Amtrak hopes to make in coming months. Originally Appeared on Conde Nast Traveler The Latest Travel News and Advice The Rev. Jed Dearing, June 29, 2023, at Trinity Episcopal Church in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Graham Stokes for the Ohio Capital Journal. Republish photo only with original article.) As the 2024 Election inches closer, some people are turning to their faith leaders for guidance when determining who to vote for. Even though it is illegal for a church to engage in political campaigning activity, people oftentimes look to clergy to help give them a frame of reference and context when deciding who to vote for, said Rabbi Hillel Skolnik of Congregation Tifereth Israel of Columbus. It makes sense that your religious beliefs would inform the way that you act at the ballot box, he said. The Ohio Capital Journal talked to three Columbus faith leaders about advice they give to members of their congregations who come to them for help when deciding which candidate to vote for in this years presidential election between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump. God is not beholden to a political party, said Jed Dearing, the rector at Trinity Episcopal Church in downtown Columbus. Vote your conscience Tim Ahrens, senior minister of the First Congregational Church of the United Church of Christ in downtown Columbus, encourages people to vote. Dont just go in and do nothing because you havent done any of your homework and research, Ahrens said. Vote your conscience and vote what you believe. To help counsel people looking for voting advice, he asks them what they believe. I explore with people what values they hold at the center of their being, Ahrens said. Who holds the values that you hold, and as close as you can, believe can represent who you are. Trinity Episcopal Church People in Dearings congregation often come to him with questions. How do I love my neighbor despite the hateful language thats been used? he said. How do I pray for a candidate who I dont like? How do we pray without being judgmental? A lot of people that come to him are angry especially women and members of the LGBTQ community. So theres that question of with people who are speaking so hatefully and seeking to remove rights and take away things that have been established how do I hold a love and care and respect for them in my heart, especially when they use dehumanizing language? he said. How do I not just stay angry? He said this reminds him of Moses and the burning bush from the Book of Exodus from the Bible. At this point, the Hebrew people are enslaved by the Egyptians and that bush is burning, but it doesnt consume itself and burn up and it also doesnt burn Moses, he said. Instead it calls to him (and) ends up reorienting his life to go work for freedom for the people enslaved. For me, as Christians, the real challenge and the cause is to figure out how do we cultivate a fire that burns for justice, freedom, for equitable opportunity for all without being consumed and angry? When choosing a candidate to vote for, Dearing said he thinks of the verse Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Are they committed to justice? To mercy? Do they have humility? Are they going to be someone in office who will continue to learn and grow just as, hopefully, were continuing to learn and grow? Dearing said. Jewish context Skolnik tries to address certain issues by giving Jewish background and context. For example, he said, Judaism supports a womens right to choose to abort a pregnancy. That is not saying vote for a particular candidate, but it is putting into a Jewish context an important issue which might affect the choice that you make at the ballot box, Skolnik said. He tries to help people using three principles: study, worship and the act of loving kindness. Our Jewish lives are meant to be a balance of those three, Skolnik said. The people who they choose to be their leader is who is aligning with you in the way that you would choose to try to have a life that includes learning, worship and act of loving kindness. Israel-Hamas War The Israel-Hamas war is something Jewish voters cant ignore, Skolnik said. More than 39,900 people have been killed, more than 92,200 people have been injured and more than 10,000 people are missing in Gaza since the Israeli invasion after a Hamas-led attack in October that killed nearly 1,200 people in Israel, according to Al Jazeera. It is certainly a giant issue of feeling like a candidate that you would support would, at the very least, support Israels right to defend itself, Skolnik said. The idea of Israels right to defend itself doesnt mean agreeing with every decision that Israel makes every moment of every day, but that is certainly a thing that comes in giant, big, bold letters of context. For Dearing, he said it has been hard for some people in his congregation to see the United States continue to fund Israel throughout the Israel-Hamas War. President Joe Biden signed into law $14.1 billion for funding to support Israel back in April. Theres that question of, in general, the values that I hold tend to lean closer to the Democratic Party, and right now that party is the one in control, continuing to make the choice to fund this war, Dearing said. Do I vote for president a party that is continuing to fund this war that seems to have gone past justice or defense? Christian Nationalism Ahrens recently gave a sermon criticizing Christian Nationalism. Legislating morality never works, he said in his sermon. Just read your Bible and youll see how it fails time and time again. Additionally, Christian nationalism is an ideology held overwhelmingly by white Christian Americans, and thus it tends to exacerbate racial and ethnic cleavages. Christians should be politically engaged, he said in his sermon. But I also believe that we can and should do this without becoming Christian nationalists, because Christian nationalism is neither Christian nor patriotic, Ahrens said in his sermon. Christian nationalism tends to treat other Americans as second class citizens, including, but not excluding others, including women, and children, and immigrants. They also tend to treat science and scientists and scientific education with disdain. Follow OCJ Reporter Megan Henry on Twitter. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST Can 230 new units of affordable housing curb displacement in this Tacoma neighborhood? Design renderings for Tacoma Housing Authoritys Housing Hilltop affordable housing project. (Tacoma Housing Authority) An affordable housing project in Tacomas Hilltop Neighborhood is intended to address gentrification by prioritizing affordable housing for those who have been displaced or are at risk of being displaced. The more than 230 affordable housing units being added by the Housing Hilltop project make it the agencys largest affordable housing project in 20 years, according to Tacoma Housing Authority spokesperson Nick Tolley. The Housing Hilltop project will cost about $120 million, according to THA. The project is supported by $1.9 million from the city of Tacoma and $3 million in federal funds, with contributions from Pierce County, Tacoma, Chase Bank, and Amazon Housing Equity Fund. The South building is accepting applications from prospective residents. It has 94 units, including 30 one-bedroom units, 54 two-bedroom units and 10 three-bedroom units. The building also has 45 parking stalls and 75 secure bike parking stalls. According to listings from THA, a one-bedroom apartment costs $1,241 per month, a two-bedroom costs $1,486 per month, and a three-bedroom costs $1,704 per month. Eligibility requirements for the units include criteria such as meeting the income threshold which is households earning at or below 60% of Area Median Income (AMI), rental history, and other criteria such as whether or not applicants previously lived in Hilltop. Tacomas AMI per household is $80,784, according to the most recent U.S. Census data from 2022. The North building, which Tolley said is under construction until the near the end of 2024, will have 137 units, including 50 one-bedroom units and 50 three-bedroom units. The building will have 58 parking stalls and nearly 100 bike parking stalls, according to THA. The two buildings that comprise the project will have vibrant colors, as each has aesthetics designed by local artists Lourdes Jackson and Jeremy Gregory. The project is in the center of the Hilltop neighborhood on South 11th and L streets, near the planned Tacoma Link Hilltop light rail station, the existing Martin Luther King commercial district and Peoples Park. The complex was designed with extensive community involvement over three years beginning in 2016. The process invited nonprofits, businesses, housing providers and city officials to workshop and discuss how to align the project with their shared values and goals. It also invited Hilltops community and business leaders to discuss specific issues, including history, community needs and economic empowerment. A plan for the project, published in 2019, acknowledges how the neighborhood has been impacted by historical redlining, disinvestment and the recent decline in affordable housing causing the displacement of families and residents who had lived there for generations. THAs goal for these four parcels is to create affordable housing and commercial space in a way that will not contribute to the gentrification of the neighborhood, the plan stated. The project team began with thoughtful consideration of the cultural values and narratives surrounding the community. By incorporating these values into the project priorities, the development can improve the overall health and well-being of the existing community members while preserving their culture. Housing Hilltop will be a mixed-use project with commercial spaces available for local businesses to lease. According to THA, it will have 13,000 square feet of commercial retail space, including a 10,000-square-foot performing arts and community gathering space. THA is working with Tacoma Urban Performing Arts Center (TUPAC) to lease the performing arts space and will prioritize BIPOC businesses to rent the other spaces. Applications for businesses to lease are being accepted, with preference mentioned for businesses owned by historically marginalized groups, and current or former Hilltop residents. Tolley told The News Tribune TUPAC will organize youth-focused performances for the community and incubator commercial spaces will be available for small businesses and pop-ups to help keep the community lively. Tolley said THA has been focused on marketing the units in the Hilltop area, an effort to make good on its promise to the community. For folks that have been displaced, or are at risk of being displaced, we have room for you, Tolley told The News Tribune. This article was first published by the Tacoma News Tribune through the Murrow News Fellow program, managed by Washington State University. The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen above 40,000, said the Gaza-based health authorities. #XinhuaNews SAN DIEGO (Border Report) So far this summer, 24 people have died in the city of Mexicali because of heat-related causes, according to Baja Californias Medical Examiners Office. The figure is three times higher than the number for the same time last year. Mexicali is a border town about 120 miles east of Tijuana and is Baja Californias capital city. Baja officials are also reporting that 103 people have been hospitalized for heat exhaustion and dehydration since June 20 when summer started. HSI warns against crossing South Texas border illegally in deadly summer heat On a national level, the Mexicali region has seen the second most heat-related deaths in Mexico behind the city of Veracruz where 56 people have reportedly died because of the heat. The state of Baja California is asking residents to stay indoors as much as possible between the hours of 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. especially when temperatures are above 100 degrees. There have been several stretches this summer when temperatures reached 120 or higher in the Mexicali Valley. Visit the BorderReport.com homepage for the latest exclusive stories and breaking news about issues along the U.S.-Mexico border The city has set up more than 100 cool zones in the area providing air-conditioned tents and other facilities along with free food and drink. According to The National, a lifestyle and travel publication, Mexicali ranks fourth in terms of the hottest regions in the world. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. A 28-year-old mother has been missing for two weeks under what police in Virginia said are believed to be "involuntary" circumstances. Mamta Kafle was last seen on July 31 in Manassas Park, Virginia, about 30 miles outside of Washington, D.C, the Manassas Park Police Department said. She hasn't had any contact with family or friends since then, police said. PHOTO: The Manassas Park Police Department released these undated photos of missing person Mamta Kafle. (Manassas Park Police Department via Meta) Authorities said they believe Kafle is "involuntarily" missing, citing the length of time since she's been seen. "Investigators have conducted several follow-ups with neighbors, friends, co-workers and the husband," police said in a statement. "The investigators are also utilizing several investigative tools to help in an attempt to locate Mamta Kafle." Manassas Park police gave a detailed timeline of the investigation on Thursday while asking for the public's help in locating her. MORE: American teen, 2 cousins missing in Mexico found safe Kafle, a registered nurse at a hospital, was last seen at work on July 27, police said. She spoke to a friend on July 28 and was last seen by her husband on July 31, police said. Officers responded to their home on Aug. 2 to conduct a welfare check, police said. They had received the request to conduct a welfare check from her employer, Washington ABC affiliate WJLA reported. Her husband provided information but did not want to report her missing at that time, police said. Three days later, on Aug. 5, her husband contacted police and reported her missing and she was entered as missing with Virginia State Police, police said. Over the next several days, "detectives conducted an extensive investigation and found that there was a significant lack of recent contact by Mamta with her family, friends, employer and on social media postings," police said. At that point, detectives were able to elevate her missing person status to an involuntary/critical missing person and "additional resources have been afforded to this investigation," said police, who subsequently released a missing person flyer to the public on Aug. 8. PHOTO: Missing person flyers are posted for Mamta Kafle, who police said was last seen, July 31, 2024, in Manassas Park, Va. (WJLA) Her friend and former colleague, Sunita Basnet Thapa, told WJLA the two bonded over both being from Nepal, and that she was a mentor to Kafle. She attended an event Tuesday in Manassas Park to raise awareness about Kafle's disappearance and press for updates. Basnet Thapa told WJLA they have "no clue what is going on," adding that she has been waiting for news for 14 days. The case remains active, police said. "The husband, friends, and co-workers have all been cooperative throughout the investigation and detectives will continue to follow up on all investigative leads to locate Mamta Kafle," the Manassas Park Police Department said Thursday. PHOTO: Missing person flyers are posted for Mamta Kafle, who police said was last seen, July 31, 2024, in Manassas Park, Va. (WJLA) Kafle's friend, Nadia Navarro, who organized Tuesday's gathering, told WJLA that it is unlike the mother to leave her 11-month-old daughter. "Even if she was desperate, even if she might have been facing something, she wouldn't have left her daughter," Navarro told WJLA. "She was very self-sacrificial that way, no matter what would have been happening." ABC News was unable to reach Kafle's family. Her husband spoke to a crowd gathered in support of Kafle on Monday by phone, saying that he couldn't attend because he was caring for their daughter, according to WRC. "I need to find her as soon as possible, and then using all the tools -- community, society, police," he told the crowd. MORE: Mother arrested 37 years after her newborn was found dead in dumpster: Police Friends are planning to hold a search for Kafle on Thursday afternoon. Kafle is 5 feet tall, weighs 132 pounds and has black hair and dark brown eyes, police said. She was last seen wearing blue scrubs, police said. Police urge anyone with information to call the Manassas Park Police Department at 703-361-1136 or submit an anonymous tip to Manassas/Manassas Park Crime Solvers at 703-330-0330. 28-year-old mother 'involuntarily' missing for 2 weeks, police say originally appeared on abcnews.go.com How 3 Colorado community colleges rank in study of best in US DENVER (KDVR) A recent study ranked some of the best community colleges in the country during the 2023 to 2024 academic year. WalletHub released rankings of the best and worst community colleges, which were ultimately determined by the best education at the lowest price. Does your school rank among the best in the Denver area? Across the country, over 650 community colleges were compared by factors like the cost of in-state tuition, first-year retention rate, graduation rate, student-faculty ratio, median salary after attending and more. Best community colleges in Colorado There are many community colleges across Colorado, however, only three made the list. Overall Rank Community College Cost & Financing Rank Education Outcomes Rank Career Outcomes Rank While these three colleges ranked in the top half of colleges overall in the study and rank fairly close together, a few rank drastically better in price or education. Northeastern Junior College ranks on the higher end of cost in the country, with the website citing tuition over $5,000. However, its among the 100 best in the country for education outcomes. List: 2024-2025 start dates for Colorados biggest school districts Meanwhile, Lamar Community College and Community College of Aurora rank better than Northeastern based on price, but not as well in education. Lamar ranks the best overall in Colorado because it ranks on the lower end in price while on the higher end of education. However, they all rank similarly because while Lamar is cheaper, Northeastern has a better education outcome and Aurora has the best career outcome out of the three colleges. The full list of colleges in the country can be found on WalletHub. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) Three local high school students have been gifted scholarship money to apply to their post-secondary experiences thanks to a state-wide organization. The Buffalo Troopers Motorcycle Club of Northwestern Illinois is an organization that promotes the history of African American veterans and supports motorcycle safety in the community. The club used fundraising money to provide scholarships to three students in the area who will attend various post-secondary educational institutions for the 2024-2025 school year. Secretary of the club Michael Williams said the scholarship program is an opportunity for students to grow. Our purpose is to help the community, to give back to the community and to inspire our young people to do well in life, Williams said. The purpose of our scholarship is to help those young people along in their in their pursuits and professions. To be considered for this award, the students were required to show academic scholarship and to submit a written essay highlighting a Buffalo Soldier that they found inspiring. One of the students Jordan Happ graduated from Rockford Christian High School and said the entire process was rewarding. During the scholarship process, I really learned about just how brave this troop was, Happ said. I didnt really know much about the trip before I discovered this scholarship, and Im really grateful for it because it was just really, really enlightening to learn. The other two recipients were Rakim Chaney of Auburn High School and Alexia Tresemer of Hononegah Community High School. Williams said each of the students submitted strong applications. With giving the scholarships, they do a little bit of education, keep the legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers alive to help our young people move on to college, and come back and help our community, Williams said. Just like the Buffalo Soldiers. Happ said her and the others will be using the scholarships towards their futures. My plans are going to Taylor University, which is in Upland, Indiana, and I am going to study to be an art therapist, Happ said. I can hopefully be a missionary in Latin America. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports. 3 from Pennsylvania arrested after deputies discover drugs during traffic stop in Frederick County FREDERICK COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) The Frederick County Sheriffs Office (FCSO) said drugs were recovered during a traffic stop overnight on Tuesday. Deputies said that at about 1:20 a.m., they stopped a vehicle traveling in the area of I-70 West at Rt. 40 for speeding. 1 child dead, 2 injured after AMBER Alert, police chase ends in crash on Capital Beltway in Prince Georges County Deputies noticed there was some criminal activity going on between the three suspects, so they requested a K-9 unit. The K-9 alerted to the smell of narcotics and deputies then searched the vehicle and the three suspects. Deputies recovered about 8 oz. of what they believe to be crack/cocaine, two glass smoking pipes and other drug paraphernalia. Frederick man uses music to inspire former addicts, incarcerated All three people in the vehicle were arrested. They were identified as: 50-year-old Jasen Jermain Robinson, of Waynesboro, Pa., 53-year-old Pamela Sue Bordner of Chambersburg, Pa. and 42-year-old Christina Marie Davis, of Waynesboro, Pa. All suspects were charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine/Opium, Importing CDS into MD, Possession of CDS, Possession of CDS Paraphernalia and Possession of CDS Paraphernalia with Intent to Administer CDS. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) In June, Columbus residents with mobility issues expressed frustration with those who leave electronic scooters parked in the middle of neighborhood sidewalks. Columbus police and the citys Division of Refuse Collection are now finding scooters to be a hazard elsewhere: in the Scioto River. Officers, metro park employees and volunteers with Keep Columbus Beautiful pulled 30 scooters out of the Scioto River under the Rich Street Bridge on Wednesday during a dive cleanup effort. We had some people walking on the bike path and they were asking why there were so many scooters down there. And the closer they got, they realized that we were pulling them out of the water. And they were shocked, said Sgt. Bryan Mason. Ohio State football coach Ryan Day names Howard as starting quarterback Crews recovered the mud-infused scooters, which included those by Uber, Bird and Lime, along with metal scraps, chairs, an object that appeared to look like a fire hydrant, and other items along the Lower Scioto Greenway trails near Genoa and Bicentennial Parks. It is not currently known why the scooters were in the river. Columbus police and volunteers help recover 30 electronic scooters and other debris from the Scioto River during cleanup efforts. (Courtesy/Keep Columbus Beautiful) Columbus police and volunteers help recover 30 electronic scooters and other debris from the Scioto River during cleanup efforts. (Courtesy/Keep Columbus Beautiful) Columbus police and volunteers help recover 30 electronic scooters and other debris from the Scioto River during cleanup efforts. (Courtesy/Keep Columbus Beautiful) Columbus police and volunteers help recover 30 electronic scooters and other debris from the Scioto River during cleanup efforts. (Courtesy/Keep Columbus Beautiful) Columbus police and volunteers help recover 30 electronic scooters and other debris from the Scioto River during cleanup efforts. (Courtesy/Keep Columbus Beautiful) Columbus police and volunteers help recover 30 electronic scooters and other debris from the Scioto River during cleanup efforts. (Courtesy/Keep Columbus Beautiful) Mason is with the divisions Underwater Search and Recovery Unit. He said they train in the water once a month. He said this is a win-win for the team: helping the environment and getting their training in. It just keeps our edge sharp. So when we deploy to an actual event, we know were doing a good search and we know what were doing, Mason said. So we get called all kinds of different events. Its 70 to 80 missions a year. He said there is no visibility in the water so everything they do is by touch. He said there is no solid answer for how the scooters got down there, but said some seem like they have been in the water for a long time. Second chance hiring programs help fill Ohios workforce One of the interesting things he told us was some of the companies have those restrictions and others dont. And it was evident that that policy of restricting those in those areas helped because some scooters we recovered more of one brand than we did of another, Mason said. So it kind of turned into a little bit of a science experiment there towards the end. Representatives from the City of Columbus Department of Public Service said they do not condone vandalism or unsafe usage of e-scooters, and littering in the waterways is unacceptable. Mason said it was cool for their team to do something a little out of the ordinary and help the community. He said they will be partnering with Keep Columbus Beautiful to do another clean up in September. This time they will clean under the Broad Street bridge. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WMBD) An event that brings local history to life will happen for the last time this October. The 30th Evergreen Cemetery Walk, which has happened at the Evergreen Memorial Cemetery in Bloomington since 1995, will have its closing act. The event features actors that play prominent McLean County people, such as former Illinois Gov. Adlai Stevenson II and Augustus Belt, the founder of Steak n Shake. Its a collaboration between the cemetery, the McLean County Museum of History, and Illinois Voices Theatre-Echoes. Candace Summers is the Senior Director of Education at the museum, and said theres a variety of reasons for this year being the last Cem Walk. Rising costs, diminishing resources, actor availability, and changing audience needs have led us to the difficult decision that this years Evergreen Cemetery Walk will be the last, she said. Illinois Voices Theatre-Echoes is also disbanding at the end of the year, which Summers said added another reason to end the event. We figured its better to go out on a high note than to see this event diminish by continuing forward, she said. The dates are set for the weekends of Oct. 5-6 and Oct. 12-13. Public performances are at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., although there will be performances for middle school and high school students during the week. Those interested can purchase tickets for the event at the museum or Evergreen Memorial Cemetery in person and online at mchistory.org. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com. BESSEMER, Ala. (WIAT) An inmate at William Donaldson Correctional Facility has died following a medical issue on Wednesday. 33-year-old Coron Brian Abdullah, who was serving a sentence for murder and robbery out of Macon County, was found unresponsive in the prison infirmary around 6:55 a.m. Wednesday. Adbullah was in the infirmary for treatment of an undisclosed medical issue at the time. 80-year-old inmate at Donaldson prison dies The final cause of death will be determined through additional lab studies. The Alabama Department of Corrections is investigating the circumstances surrounding Abdullahs death. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42. PARIS, Ky. (FOX 56) Four people were hospitalized Tuesday night after a crash involving a police cruiser. The Paris Police Department told FOX 56 News that one police officer and three other people were taken to the hospital after a crash around 7 p.m. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: The collision involved a police unit with one officer inside and another car with three individuals in it. The department said all reported injuries were non-life-threatening. The cause of the crash is still being investigated. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News. GENEVA, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) declared Wednesday mpox a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), sounding the alarm over its potential for further international transmission. "Today, the emergency committee met and advised me that, in its view, the situation constitutes a public health emergency of international concern. I have accepted that advice," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press conference in Geneva. A PHEIC is the highest level of alarm under international health law, Tedros said. "This is something that should concern us all ... The potential for further spread within Africa and beyond is very worrying." Mpox cases reported so far this year have exceeded last year's total, with more than 14,000 cases and 524 deaths, according to WHO data. WHO's declaration came after the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declared the ongoing mpox outbreak a public health emergency for the continent. "We are not dealing with one outbreak of one clade -- we are dealing with several outbreaks of different clades in different countries with different modes of transmission and different levels of risk," Tedros said in his opening remarks at the emergency committee meeting. Determining an outbreak as a PHEIC can expedite research efforts, mobilize funding, and enhance international public health measures and cooperation, all of which are crucial for containing the outbreak and preventing further spread. Channel 2 Action News has learned how police tracked down a driver who hit and killed a grandmother in Athens this week. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Channel 2s Courtney Francisco was on Atlanta Highway Thursday, where Shelby Cox, 45, was waiting at a bus stop when the crash happened. The bus stop stands alone off a busy portion of the highway. Theres a button you can push to turn on a light at night, but it was around 6:15 p.m. Sunday when a driver in an SUV veered off the road, hit Cox and kept going. TRENDING STORIES: People saw the crash and cameras also captured it. Police say surveillance video was the first step in catching the driver they believe killed Cox. Police said it took three hours to sort through photos and camera footage of the cars passing and match that with partial tag numbers people saw. Police were then able to confirm Jeffrey Tate was the suspect. It turns out he rented the SUV and police said he dropped it off at an Enterprise store after killing Cox. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Police tracked Tate to Oconee County and he was booked into jail Monday with no bond. He was then arrested and charged with murder, hit and run, reckless driving and failure to maintain lane. Coxs family was not ready to talk on camera, but said she was a mom with three daughters and five young grandchildren who will never have a chance to know her. She had two granddaughters and three grandsons. Authorities say theyve uncovered a broad, underground criminal network related to the accidental drug overdose death of Friends star Matthew Perry and have charged five people accused in the operation. The 54-year-old actor was found dead at his Los Angeles home in October. The Los Angeles County medical examiner found that Perry died as a result of the acute effects of ketamine. U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said at a Thursday news conference in Los Angeles that following Perrys death, the Justice Department launched an in depth, wide-ranging investigation that revealed a broad, underground criminal network responsible for distributing large quantities of ketamine to Mr. Perry and others. This network included a live-in assistant, various go-betweens, two medical doctors and a major source of drug supply known as, the ketamine queen,' Estrada said. Five individuals who authorities said played a key role in Perrys death have been charged, according to Justice Department officials. Perry sought treatment for depression and anxiety, and went to a local clinic where he became addicted to intravenous ketamine, Drug Enforcemant Administration Administrator Anne Milgram said. When clinic doctors refused to increase his dosage, he turned to unscrupulous doctors who saw Perry as a way to make quick money, Milgram said. The doctors, Milgram said, violated the oath they took to care for their patients. Instead of do no harm, they did harm so that they could make more money without performing any medical evaluation or monitoring. They supplied Matthew Perry with large amounts of ketamine in exchange for large sums of money. Among those arrested include two doctors: Salvador Plasencia and Mark Chavez. Plasencia, a Santa Monica physician, is accused of contacting Chavez in order to help Perry obtain ketamine. Chavez, a San Diego doctor who previously operated a ketamine clinic, agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, according to the U.S. Attorneys office for the Central District of California. Plascencia faces up to 120 years in federal prison. Other defendants include Jasveen Sangha, who authorities dubbed The Ketamine Queen. The ketamine that Sangha distributed to Perry caused the performers death, officials said. Perrys live-in personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, and Eric Fleming were also charged. Fleming pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death, while Iwamasa pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death. The actors then-assistant admitted to repeatedly injecting Perry with ketamine without medical training including the day he died, officials said. The five defendants, Estrada said, took advantage of Mr. Perrys addiction issues to enrich themselves. They knew what they were doing was wrong. They knew what they were doing was risking great danger to Mr. Perry, but they did it anyways. Updated at 1:58 p.m. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Matthew Perry appears at the premiere of "Ride" in Los Angeles on April 28, 2015. Multiple people have been arrested in connection with actor's accidental overdose death, law enforcement sources reported to NBC News and CNN. | Rich Fury Five people, including Matthew Perrys live-in personal assistant, were charged in connection with the actors accidental overdose death, according to a U.S. District Court filing released Thursday. Jasveen Sangha (aka The Ketamine Queen) and Dr. Salvador Plascencia (aka Dr. P) were arrested on Thursday and charged with an 18-count superseding indictment for distributing ketamine to Perry. These defendants cared more about profiting off of Mr. Perry than caring for his well-being, said United States Attorney Martin Estrada, per a U.S. District Court press release. Drug dealers selling dangerous substances are gambling with other peoples lives over greed. This case, along with our many other prosecutions of drug-dealers who cause death, send a clear message that we will hold drug-dealers accountable for the deaths they cause. According to the U.S. District Court filing, the three other defendants also charged in connection to Perrys death are: Kenneth Iwamasa: Perrys live-in personal assistant, who pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death. He admitted to injecting Perry with ketamine repeatedly without medical training. Eric Fleming: He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death. He admitted to obtaining ketamine from Sangha and giving it to Iwamasa. Dr. Mark Chavez: The San Diego physician has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Chavez admitted to selling ketamine to Plascencia. Today we announce charges brought against the five individuals who, together, are responsible for the death of Matthew Perry, said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram, per a U.S. District Court press release. We allege each of the defendants played a key role in his death by falsely prescribing, selling, or injecting the ketamine that caused Matthew Perrys tragic death. Matthew Perrys journey began with unscrupulous doctors who abused their position of trust because they saw him as a payday, to street dealers who gave him ketamine in unmarked vials. Perry was found face down and unresponsive in his heated pool at his home is Los Angeles on Oct. 28, 2023. His official cause of his death was listed as acute effects of ketamine, per the Los Angeles Medical Examiners Office. Perrys death was also ruled an accident. The Los Angeles police confirmed in May that they were working with the Drug Enforcement Administration to find the source of the ketamine linked to Perrys death, as reported by The New York Times. Capt. Scot Williams of the Los Angeles Police Department said authorities were investigating whether ketamine was legally obtained. More information regarding the investigation is expected to be announced during a press conference on Thursday in Los Angeles. Prior to his death, Perry was undergoing ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety, per CNN. Perry, who rose to stardom playing Chandler Bing on Friends, regularly shared candidly about his struggles with addiction. In his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, Perry revealed that his addiction reached a point of taking 55 pills a day while filming Friends. He noted how his addiction changed his physical appearance. I was, like, brutally thin and being beaten down so badly by the disease, Perry wrote. In 2013, Perry told People how he was prescribed Vicodin following an accident in 1997, which sparked his drug and alcohol abuse issues. I had a big problem with alcohol and pills and I couldnt stop, Perry said, per People. Eventually things got so bad that I couldnt hide it, and then everybody knew. According to People, Perrys sudden death devastated his Friends castmates, Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer. Following his death, they released a joint statement: We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family, per People. There is so much to say, but right now were going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss. In time we will say more, as and when we are able. For now, our thoughts and our love are with Mattys family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world. Five people, including two doctors, have now been charged in connection to the overdose death of actor Matthew Perry. Kevin Winter / Getty Images The Department of Justice announced two new arrests in the case in Southern California on Thursday. Dr. Salvador Plasencia was arrested for allegedly distributing the drug, as was alleged drug dealer Jasveen Sangha. Both defendants face multiple additional charges, according to a DOJ press release. Dr. Mark Chavez has already agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and faces up to 10 years in prison, the DOJ said. The other defendants Erik Fleming, who admitted to obtaining the ketamine from Sangha, and Kenneth Iwamasa, Perrys personal assistant who injected him with ketamine the day he died have already pleaded guilty, according to the DOJ. Perry, one of the stars of the hit sitcom Friends, died in October after overdosing on ketamine and drowning in his hot tub. He was 54. We allege each of the defendants played a key role in his death by falsely prescribing, selling, or injecting the ketamine that caused Matthew Perrys tragic death, DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said in a statement. Matthew Perrys journey began with unscrupulous doctors who abused their position of trust because they saw him as a payday, to street dealers who gave him ketamine in unmarked vials. When police searched Sanghas home, they discovered thousands of dollars worth of methamphetamine and ketamine, according to the indictment. The superseding indictment alleges that Sanghas distribution of ketamine on October 24, 2023, caused Perrys death, the DOJ said in a statement. Plasencia is charged with seven counts of distribution of ketamine and two counts of altering and falsifying documents or records related to the federal investigation. Authorities, including the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, first opened an investigation into Perrys death in May. Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images Perry, who had been outspoken about his struggles with addiction, had previously undergone ketamine treatment. The medical examiner who determined Perrys cause of death noted that he had levels of ketamine in his blood equivalent to the amount used during general anesthesia. If found guilty on all charges, Sangha could face up to life in prison. All other defendants face minimum prison sentences of between 10 and 25 years if they are found guilty. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) The Mississippi State Board of Education awarded $4,725,000 in grants to five school districts to implement new State Invested Pre-K (SIP) programs. According to officials, the purpose of these grants is to provide funding to support high-quality pre-K programs for 4-year-old children in districts that are not part of the Mississippi Department of Educations (MDE) Early Learning Collaborative program. SIP programs expand MDEs offering of high-quality pre-K programs. Mississippi assessment results show higher student achievement in 3 subjects Nineteen SIP programs have been implemented since August 2023 serving 1,820 students in 91 classrooms. The new SIPs will serve up to 300 students in 15 classrooms. GRANT AWARDS FOR STATE INVESTED PRE-K GRANT PROGRAM District Year 1 Grant Award Year 2 Grant Award Year 3 Grant Award Total Grant Amount Benton County School District $200,000 $200,000 $200,000 $600,000 Forrest County School District $400,000 $400,000 $400,000 $1,200,000 Moss Point School District $300,000 $300,000 $300,000 $900,000 Neshoba County School District $300,000 $300,000 $300,000 $900,000 Simpson County School District $375,000 $375,000 $375,000 $1,125,000 TOTAL $1,575,000 $1,575,000 $1,575,000 $4,725,000 The grant period is August 16, 2024, through June 30, 2027. According to officials, awarding of the grant each year shall be contingent upon the successful completion of services, a performance evaluation and the availability of funds. Additional SIP funding opportunities will be available in spring 2025. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJTV. 5 People Were Charged in Matthew Perry's Death Here's What to Know About Overdose-Related Crimes Five people have been charged in connection with Matthew Perry's death, officials announced on Aug. 15 Bruce Glikas/Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic Matthew Perry Drug-related charges, such as the one five people have been charged with in connection with Matthew Perry's death are rare, a legal expert says. Jasveen Sangha who United States Attorney Martin Estrada said is referred to as "The Ketamine Queen" and Dr. Salvador Plascencia are both currently facing charges in the case, the Department of Justice announced on Aug. 15. Sangha is facing one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute ketamine and five counts of distribution of ketamine, per the DoJ. Plascencia, a licensed physician, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Related: Matthew Perry's Assistant 'Repeatedly' Injected Perry with Ketamine, Including on Day Actor Died A former federal prosecutor tells PEOPLE he is not surprised that charges were filed in Perrys death. Celebrities put a lot more pressure on prosecutors to act, attorney Neama Rahmani tells PEOPLE. Every prosecutor is either elected or appointed by someone who is. The practical reality is many of them want to make a name for themselves. You can't prosecute every case, so you'll end up prosecuting cases to send a message or to create a deterrent effect. Rahmani says the defendants are looking at sentences anywhere from five years to life. If you distribute drugs and someone dies, there's different mandatory minimums, he adds. There's five, ten, and 15 years. There's even mandatory life, depending on the number of factors. David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Matthew Perry Related: Matthew Perry's Family Says Foundation Aims to Extend His 'Legacy and Hard-Won Wisdom' to Help Others (Exclusive) The former Friends star died on Oct. 28 at age 54 from an accidental drug overdose. Perry died from acute effects of ketamine, according to an autopsy report obtained by PEOPLE. Other contributing factors included drowning, coronary artery disease and buprenorphine effects, referencing a medication used to treat opioid use disorder. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage, and details of intriguing unsolved cases. The Los Angeles Police Department started looking into the stars death in May after the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner closed its investigation. An investigative source with the LAPD told PEOPLE that the Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. postal inspectors were also involved in the probe. Ketamine prosecutions are definitely picking up, says Rahmani, adding that ketamine is "a controversial drug." Related: Multiple People Charged in Connection with Matthew Perry's Death, Including Doctors and His Assistant Bruce Glikas/Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic Matthew Perry "A lot of people think it helps with depression and anxiety," Rahmani says. "Some people say it's life-changing if it's done in the right therapeutic setting, but it is a very commonly abused party drug. Also charged in connection with Perry's death were Perry's live-in assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, Dr. Mark Chavez and Erik Fleming. Iwamasa pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death, per the DoJ. Chavez will plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, while Fleming pleaded to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death, the DoJ announced. They all face prison time. In 2022, Perry spoke with PEOPLE about his memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, in which he openly talked about his struggles with addiction. He said at the time that when people read the book, he thought they'd "be surprised at how bad it got at certain times and how close to dying I came. I say in the book that if I did die, it would shock people, but it wouldn't surprise anybody," he said. "And that's a very scary thing to be living with. So my hope is that people will relate to it, and know that this disease attacks everybody. It doesn't matter if you're successful or not successful, the disease doesn't care." Related: Matthew Perry's Autopsy Is Complete, Pending Toxicology Results, Medical Examiner Says After Perry's passing, his family told PEOPLE exclusively that they were "heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother." "Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend," they added. "You all meant so much to him, and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. New Development in the Case of The White Fla. Woman Who Fatally Shot A Black Mother of Four A Florida jury entered their verdict for Susan Lorincz, the 60-year-old white woman who shot mother-of-four Ajike Owens from behind her door amidst a neighbor dispute. Susan Lorincz was found guilty of manslaughter with a firearm. According to CNN, the all-white jury asked to hear the recordings of Lorinczs 911 calls a second time during deliberation. An hour and a half later, the jury came to their decision. From the beginning, this case has always been about getting justice for the victim and her children. Cases involving self defense are often difficult because the jurors are asked to decide whether or not a particular persons response to a situation is reasonable under the law, said State Attorney Bill Gladson in a statement. Owens mother, who was present for every hearing this week, had an overwhelming emotional reaction to the verdict being read. Oh God. Thank you. Thank you, she said through tears of relief, per the Ocala StarBanner. A Recap of Trials Shocking Revelations Over a year after Owens lost her life, her shooter was finally taken to trial. Back on June 2, 2023, Owens was told by her children their neighbor, Lorincz, threw a roller skates at them while yelling racial slurs as they played in a field area near her home. Authorities with the Marion County Sheriffs Office said Owens went to confront Lorincz, knocking on her front door. However, Lorincz shot her from behind the door. Owens was pronounced dead on the scene. Lorincz was originally charged with second-degree murder, but her counts were adjusted to manslaughter with a firearm and assault. She pleaded not guilty, insisting she shot in fear of her life. After a few days of testimonies and evidence presentations, weve compiled a list of five takeaways from the trial that threw a wrench in Lorinczs self-defense claim. 1. Dramatic 911 Calls Both 911 calls Lorincz made that fatal evening were played for the court this week. In the recording of the first call, which was made before the shooting, Lorincz is heard telling the operator Owens children trespassed on her property. She then alleged the kids were badgering her. Two minutes after that call was made, she called 911 a second time to report that she shot Owens. Audibly distressed, Lorincz is heard in the recording telling the dispatcher Owens was trying to break down her door. Shes come after me several times because of her children. Her children keep trespassing over here; theyre bothering and bothering me. They wont f-cking stop, she said. Despite appearing distraught on the call, she appeared calm on the body camera video of her detainment. Deputy Ashton Welfenberg described Lorincz demeanor to be indifferent while sitting in the patrol car. 2. Suspicious Statements to Police In contrast to what she told the dispatchers, Lorincz appeared to tell detectives in her interrogation videos that Owens threatened to kill her. She bangs so hard it looked like my door was going to fly off. And I just, I panicked and I was like, Oh my god, shes really going to kill me this time. ... I dont even remember picking the gun up, I just remember shooting, she said in the video. In response, one of the detectives told her he was having a hard time understanding how this unarmed person on the other side of the wall is somehow going to get into your house and kill you. 3. Neighbor Testimonies Despite Lorinczs claim that her life was being threatened, several witnesses recalled nothing more than Owens banging on her door, the sound of a gunshot and a trail of terrified screams. A 22-year-old Ocala neighbor testified hearing Owens banging on Lorinczs door but denied hearing her curse or say Im going to kill you. A 13-year-old boy also spoke on the stand, saying he watched Owens stomp angrily to Lorinczs door, but denied hearing Owens threaten her life. The teen also denied seeing Owens holding anything in her hands when she approached the door. 4. Previous Karen-ish Complaints A few officers testified on responding to previous disputes between Owens and Lorincz. Deputy Shelby Kinsey testified during the trial that Lorincz told her Owens came to her door and threatened to drag her out and beat her if she approached her children in a December 2022 incident. No arrests were made. Another officer, Deputy Jonathan Coleman, testified on a February 2022 incident where he said Lorincz told him Owens struck her with the no trespassing sign. Coleman stated he saw no injuries to Lorincz when they spoke that evening. 5. The Disputed Door Upon the claim that Owens tried to bust down Lorinczs door, trial testimonies then took a turn toward its sturdiness to determine how much force was applied. Detective Ryan Stith testified his investigation did not find any splinters or serious damage to Lorinczs door frame. Landlord Charles Gabbard testified to repairs he made to a jam on the front door after Lorincz asked him for help with a substantial crack. Gabbard said she didnt say how the door was damaged, but it appeared someone slammed it. After fixing it, he stated the door was structurally sound with a bit of cosmetic damage. He added that the door had a chain, deadbolt and lock. Following his repairs, Lorincz shot a bullet through it. Lorinczs sentencing date has not been set. Though, she faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Lebanese medical staff treat an elderly woman in a field hospital who has fallen victim to a cholera outbreak in the refugee camps. Almost 52,000 cases of cholera were reported from 17 countries around the world in July, up 15% on the month, the World Health Organization reported in Geneva on Thursday. Marwan Naamani/dpa Almost 52,000 cases of cholera were reported from 17 countries around the world in July, up 15% on the month, the World Health Organization reported in Geneva on Thursday. Deaths were reported in 223 cases, 34% up on the month. The bacterial infection in the small intestine spreads through food and water that has been contaminated, often by human faeces. If left untreated, it can cause death within hours, particularly to children. The Eastern Mediterranean Region recorded the highest numbers at around 43,500. The region takes in 21 countries from Pakistan through Afghanistan and Iran up to Morocco and includes the Gaza Strip. Up to the end of July, more than 307,000 cases were reported, compared with more than 700,000 last year. There is often a delay in reporting, and the WHO believes that many cases go unreported. "The cholera response continues to be affected by a critical shortage of Oral Cholera Vaccines (OCV) as demand continues to outpace supply, with 105 million doses requested by 18 countries since January 2023, nearly double the 55 million doses produced in this period," the WHO said. It attributed the rise in cases to conflict, natural disasters and climate change, with displaced people encountering unhygienic conditions. The sole vaccine producer is South Korea's EuBiologicals, which has limited capacity and produces only to order and on payment. This means that a limited stockpile is available, vaccine specialist Edina Amponsah-Dacosta told the online publication The Conversation in March. 70 years after Paraguays dictatorship, protesters see its legacy in the entrenched right-wing party Emilio Barreto, who was imprisoned without charge for 13 years under Gen. Alfredo Stroessner's dictatorship, pauses during an interview at his home in Lambare, Paraguay, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz) ASUNCION, Paraguay (AP) It was one of the first actions taken by Paraguayans in public defiance of their overthrown dictator, a military strongman who unleashed a 35-year reign of terror, killing hundreds of people and imprisoning thousands more. In a howl of dissent, crowds massed around the newly elected socialist mayor of Asuncion, Paraguays capital, to tear down a bronze statue honoring Latin Americas longest-ruling dictator, Gen. Alfredo Stroessner, two years after his 1989 ouster. When the hulking metal finally came crashing down to a salvo of cheers, Stroessners large brass feet stayed planted on the plinth. Residents joke it remains an unwitting symbol of his entrenched presence in Asuncion 70 years ago to the day on Thursday that he seized power in 1954 coup and secured the virtually uninterrupted dominance of his conservative Colorado party. Stroessner planted a seed, and that seed has germinated, said Emilio Barreto, an 84-year-old unionists son who was among nearly 20,000 Paraguayans estimated to have been tortured and imprisoned without charge during Stroessners rule. Today weve been through 35 years of dictatorship and 35 years of so-called democracy." Those who pushed the process of democratization after Stroessners downfall said they had wanted to believe their country was on the upswing, that its civic institutions were getting stronger. But now activists say they've increasingly seen a trend in the opposite direction. In a rare eruption of public outrage on Thursday, hundreds of protesters streamed through downtown Asuncion, raising their fists and chanting, Never again, dictatorship. We're witnessing a curtailing of civil liberties, said Hugo Valiente from Amnesty International in Paraguay, citing a series of recent government moves that he said have the clear purpose of discouraging people from exercising freedom of association. A government spokesperson and Colorado party members did not respond to questions from The Associated Press. Anxieties about democratic backsliding added urgency to the 70th anniversary which also marks one year since President Santiago Pena's inauguration. Leading Thursday's protest was Paraguays small but passionate opposition including Kattya Gonzalez, a center-left senator and vocal government critic who was summarily booted from the Senate last February. She had garnered the third-most votes in last years legislative elections. But in a vote that rights groups said violated due process, she was ejected by allies of former President Horacio Cartes, a powerful cigarette tycoon sanctioned by the Biden administration for corruption who remains president of the Colorado party. We dont see the popular will being reflected in our representative bodies, Gonzalez said. That's why we're demonstrating today. The government has chalked her expulsion up to the will of Congress, where the Colorado party has a majority. In June, the party removed a lawmaker from its ranks who had similarly spoken out against Cartes alleged corruption. Last week, Paraguay even demanded that the United States accelerate the departure of its ambassador after the White House imposed sanctions on a tobacco company that it alleged had paid millions of dollars to Cartes. Cartes denies the allegations. When Paraguays senate last month rushed through a contentious bill that expands government powers to audit nonprofits, the former mayor of Asuncion raised alarm, recalling the symbolic triumph of 1991. Let's remember the moment we knocked down the statue," Carlos Filizzola said, "for its symbolism against what the dictatorship was." The government said the bill aims to boost scrutiny of NGO finances to counter money laundering. Critics said it mimics so-called nonprofit transparency measures in place from Russia to Venezuela that send a chill through civil society. The United Nations appealed to Paraguay's lower house to reject it. Experts argue that the past is still present in Paraguay because the government hasn't reckoned with the legacy of Stroessner, who entrenched the small South American country's highly unequal distribution of land ownership and turned Paraguay into a smuggling hub. His enduring influence was never more obvious than in 2018, when Paraguay elected then-President Mario Abdo Benitez, the son of Stroessners personal secretary who had served as a pallbearer at the dictators 2006 funeral. The totalitarian control of Stroessner created a real identification between political party and the state, said historian Milda Rivarola. Thats what made the Paraguayan political regime so special, the only country on the continent that never really had a progressive government. Paraguay's left-wing opposition party held power just once from 2008-2012 before its president's impeachment. In our country, this history of the dictatorship is hidden, theres no policy of memory, said Rogelio Goiburu, who oversees efforts to recover victims' remains for the Justice Ministry and whose father was disappeared by the dictatorship. Efforts to bring justice to those responsible for crimes against humanity have been far more extensive in neighboring Argentina, where courts have convicted hundreds of military officers of dictatorship-era crimes and forensic teams have identified 800 victims. But in Paraguay, there have been no blockbuster trials of junta leaders. Public schools many still decorated with plaques paying tribute to Stroessner avoid mention of the 20th-century dictatorship in national history lessons. The remains of just four victims have been identified with the help of Argentine researchers. Goiburu said the Justice Ministry commission has no budget or state support. Im still putting up with everything because of that motto, Never Again. We do this so we dont lose our memory, so this doesnt happen again," he said from a riverside park in dilapidated downtown Asuncion. In 1991, Filizzola, the former mayor, named it Plaza of the Disappeared. Thats why we have to continue," he said. Sturgis, S.D. (KELO) The 84th Sturgis Rally ended just a few days ago and already the city is getting back to normal day-to-day operations. This years rally attendance was up around 3% compared to last year. Last year it was 458,000 and this year it was 470,000. And so were pleased, I mean this is a year leading into an anniversary year and so when you can see even a little bit of an increase, thats a good sign. Director of Communications Deb Holland Said Officials and workers here at the Sturgis Rally every day said that, while walking through the streets or the events, the feelings among all the riders here were very positive. From our side, I think they did really well. We had staff that were here the whole rally. We didnt have anybody get sick, which was great. The 15 to 18-hour days were well worth it to make everything go off smoothly for everybody, Rally and Events Director Tammy Even-Cordell said. 2 men arrested after multi-state crime spree, involving stolen cars and missing girls A major topic of discussion leading up to the rally was the inclusion of American Flat Track racing through downtown Sturgis on the final day of the rally. The adventure trackers, those kinds of bikes, so you can tell that they are certainly targeting a different demographic and theyre younger. And so were excited that it will bring in a new and varied audience to the event, Holland said. The success opened up opportunities for new manufacturing vendors to attend the rally in the future. A successful rally is also determined by community support. The library, public works always does a great job. Our finance office does incredible planning and developing. Lisa Katzenstein, she does a little bit of everything, keeping everybodys IT going, helping out in catering. We just have a great group here, Even-Cordell said. As city officials take some time to recover from the rally, plans for the 85th anniversary will be discussed in a few weeks. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. GENEVA, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, as the death toll among the Palestinians exceeded 40,000, according to Gaza health authorities. "Today marks a grim milestone for the world," Turk said in a statement, following reports from Gaza health authorities indicating that the Palestinian death toll in the Gaza Strip has reached 40,005, with 92,401 injured since the conflict began on Oct. 7, 2023. Turk emphasized that the majority of the deceased are women and children, highlighting the devastating impact on civilian populations. He expressed deep concern over the Israeli Defense Forces' repeated violations of the rules of war, which have caused extensive damage to homes, hospitals, schools, and places of worship in the Gaza Strip. Turk described the scale of the Israeli military's destruction as "deeply shocking," noting that about 130 people have been killed daily in the Gaza Strip over the past 10 months. He called on all parties involved to immediately agree to a ceasefire and lay down their arms. Meanwhile, Turk stressed the urgent need for the release of hostages and the freeing of Palestinians who have been arbitrarily detained. He also reiterated the necessity of ending Israel's illegal occupation and urged for the implementation of the internationally supported two-state solution. The Custer County Sheriff's Office's announced that residents on horseback found him on Saturday, Aug. 10 Custer County Sheriff Facebook Bing Olbum Bing Olbum, 89, went missing while on a hiking trip in Idaho that was intended to last only five days, but resulted in him spending 10 days total in the wilderness The hiker's camp was discovered on Aug. 10, and he was spotted the following morning, before being returned home at 3 a.m. local time Officials called Olbum's safe return "an extraordinary outcome for this incident" An elderly hiker survived nearly 10 days alone in the Idaho wilderness during a trip that was intended to last only half that time. The Custer County Sheriff's Office announced earlier this week that Bing Olbum, 89, had been discovered by locals on horseback around 12:30 a.m. local time on Sunday, August 11, following a days-long search for the missing hiker. Olbum initially departed from the area's Hunter Creek Trailhead on Aug. 1, and as of the morning of Aug. 7, officials revealed he had not made it to his intended exit point of Mcdonald Creek. The sheriff's office initially shared the news on Facebook, noting that its search and rescue units were looking for Olbum. Eventually, the office revealed in a post on Aug. 11 that the hiker's camp was discovered on Aug. 10 and that he was spotted the following morning, before being returned home at 3 a.m. "Bing Olbum has been found and is home. It is an extraordinary outcome for this incident," officials wrote on Facebook. "Sheriff Levi Maydole is thankful for the relentless efforts of our wonderful community in providing this outcome. Bing's will to survive has resulted in an unbelievably good ending to this incident. We hope that his recovery is swift, and he will be enjoying time with his family and friends." Related: Body Found in Search for Hiker Who Continued on the Trail Alone and Then Called Family in Heat Distress Getty Mountain range in the Salmon-Challis National Forest Jennifer Olbum, the daughter of the now-found hiker, shared a post to Facebook on Aug. 8, asking for assistance before her father was ultimately discovered by rescuers. "For two days search and rescue have been unable to locate him which tells me he is hurt or worse and unable to lay out a tarp for the choppers to see," she wrote at the time. "Please let us know if you have any ideas as to the most likely place hed have wandered off course or might have fallen among rocks/boulders." Bing's daughter later shared an update, noting that her father was found "dehydrated but alive and well." Speaking with local outlet KIFI, Jennifer said her dad had been hiking by himself "intermittently for decades" and provided the family with a map of his latest venture before he left. She revealed that volunteers continued to find his belongings on Saturday, before eventually finding her father after he left a trail. "It was just a lot of... I can't believe this. I didn't want to lose my father that way, disappearing into the woods," Jennifer said of their reunion. "No tears till I gave the first hug and then, you know, then we had to keep ourselves from killing him ourselves." Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Custer County Sheriff Facebook Bing Olbum Related: Body of 23-Year-Old Missing Hiker Found on Mills Glacier, Colo., 4 Days After Going Missing According to Custer County Search and Rescue Coordinator Lincoln Zollinger, who spoke with CNN, Olbum had packed a tent, a pad to sleep on and a blanket. For food, he left prepared with beef jerky, salted nuts and iodine tablets for water. Per the outlet, he had a compass and a map to navigate. Olbum was initially reported as a missing person on Aug. 6, as CNN notes that the Custer County Search and Rescue team searched for the hiker by land and air in the days to follow. Helicopters were provided by the Idaho National Guard and a private pilot, while the Idaho National Laboratory had drones search the area and local volunteers manned the on-the-ground search teams. Were still a really small community, Zollinger told CNN. They say, stay off the mountain, well were going anyways. While in Salmon-Challis National Forest, Olbum dealt with temperatures ranging from the 40s at night to 90 degrees during the day time, per CNN. Zollinger told the outlet that Olbum did not make a fire during his time stranded in the wilderness. Just having so few supplies, five days worth of food, stretching it out that far is just amazing, in everybodys eyes, Zollinger told CNN. We dealt a lot with the Air Force rescue, and even they were amazed at the outcome of this. The biggest thing I see in him is his mindset, he added, sharing that Olbum admitted he could've survived an additional three days in the wilderness. And he said, Well it was mostly my mind to keep going, to keep setting goals and keep moving forward. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Equipped with only 19 pounds of gear, 89-year-old Bing Olbum set off on what he intended to be a five-day hiking trip. Instead, Olbum found himself stranded for nearly 10 days in over 4 million acres of Salmon-Challis National Forest. Its home to some of the most rugged places in the country beyond Alaska, according to a local search and rescue coordinator. Some of the peaks and saddles Olbum passed through reached over 8,000 feet as he cleared more than 20 miles while traversing the alpine forest. The odds of anybody surviving that period of time out in the wilderness area is very unlikely, said Custer County Search and Rescue Coordinator Lincoln Zollinger. Searching by horseback, helicopter and drones On August 1, Olbum ventured from the Hunter Creek Trailhead in east-central Idaho on a backpacking trip. He was expected to arrive at his exit point in the McDonald Creek Area five days later, according to the Custer County Sheriffs Office. Olbum was reported as a missing person days later on August 6, the sheriffs office said. The Custer County Search and Rescue team began searching for him by land and air. Ground teams scanned the forest for traces of Olbum, lasering in on possible trails on which he could be found. The next morning, the Idaho National Guard and a private pilot lent their helicopters to help with the search, and the Idaho National Laboratory manned drones to sweep through the forested mountains for signs of Olbum. Despite the extensive effort, the Custer County Search and Rescue team had zero traces of him for the five days they had been looking, Zollinger said. Local residents of Custer County and the surrounding area made up the ground search teams. Locals left their jobs and commitments to help with the search for Olbum, as the Custer County Search and Rescue team is entirely made up of volunteers, according to Zollinger. Were still a really small community, Zollinger said, adding that he and others have spent their whole lives here. They say, stay off the mountain, well were going anyways. And it was these community members who finally brought Olbum home. Locals save the day We were getting ready to discontinue our search and turn it back over to the family to let them look for (him), Zollinger said, adding that the chances of survivability were low after being out there for so long. Olbums daughter, Jennifer Olbum, posted his photo and trail map on Facebook Thursday asking for information and help from hikers familiar with the area. For two days search and rescue have been unable to locate him which tells me he is hurt or worse and unable to lay out a tarp for the choppers to see, she wrote. Two days later, on the final evening of the search, a group of local rescuers discovered Olbums camp, according to the sheriffs office. After searching for Olbum in the surrounding areas, local residents on horseback found him safe in the early morning hours of August 11. According to Zollinger, Olbum was found virtually unscathed and was only mildly dehydrated and sore from the sheer distance he covered on foot. CNN reached out to Olbums family, who confirmed he is doing well, but declined an interview. The will to survive That morning, the Custer County Sheriffs Office praised Olbum, saying his will to survive has resulted in an unbelievably good ending to this incident in a post on Facebook. Olbum had lightly packed for his backpacking trip. His only food for the excursion was beef jerky, salted nuts and iodine tablets to purify water, according to Zollinger. He also packed a one-man tent, a blanket and a pad to sleep on. He did not have any tracking devices on him and only had a compass and a paper map for navigation. Zollinger was amazed by Olbums will to survive, especially after learning he did so without making a fire. The temperatures in the forest fluctuate from the 40s at night to the 90s during the day. Just having so few supplies, five days worth of food, stretching it out that far is just amazing, in everybodys eyes, Zollinger said. We dealt a lot with the Air Force rescue, and even they were amazed at the outcome of this. Zollinger spoke with Olbum this week a couple of days after he was found safe and asked him about what kept him going. Olbum said he believed he could survive another three days out in the wild, which Zollinger described as absolutely phenomenal. The biggest thing I see in him is his mindset, Zollinger said. And he said, Well it was mostly my mind to keep going, to keep setting goals and keep moving forward. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com $8M federal grant marks new funding stream for NE and rental aid for adults with disabilities (Photo illustration by Getty Images) LINCOLN An $8 million federal grant to Nebraska marks a new funding stream that will open rental opportunities for low-income adults with disabilities. The award is the result of a competitive application for the U.S. Housing and Urban Developments Section 811 Project Rental Assistance for Persons with Disabilities program, a program Nebraska had not applied for or tapped before now, said Robin Ambroz of the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority. NIFA, which learned of the award Wednesday, is one of 18 state housing agencies slated to share $138.5 million in Section 811 PRA grants. For Nebraska, the funds are expected to create 156 new options for rental assistance to eligible tenants. The funding is project-based, meaning the rent aid will be attached to the dwelling. The funds come at an opportune time, Ambroz said, as NIFA and other partners are focused on reaching goals laid out in the Nebraska Strategic Housing Framework. Among the goals is creation of 35,000 affordable residences, 10,000 of which are to target low-income and special needs populations with household incomes of less than $22,000. Were over the moon, Ambroz said of the grant. The funds will open new housing options for people with disabilities that, she said, can include physical, behavioral and mental disabilities. Eligible adults currently might be living with a parent or in a group home. Quite honestly some could be homeless and living in a shelter, said Ambroz. The rental assistance should stretch over about five years, she said, though there likely would be an opportunity for renewal. NIFA will work with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services to identify tenants, who must also qualify for state programs such as Medicaid and live in households with extremely low income (30% or less of area median income). When individuals with disabilities, to include developmental and mental health, have the opportunity to live, work, and enjoy life in their community, it benefits both the individual and the community, said DHHS Developmental Disabilities Division Director Tony Green. This grant will help overcome one of the largest barriers to achieving this goal, the high cost and adequate housing for individuals with disabilities. HUD officials said in a news release that the grants will allow state housing agencies to develop strategies to identify and refer low-income persons with disabilities to eligible homes and to provide them with rental assistance and supportive services. Adults with disabilities often face significant barriers in securing a safe and stable place to live, said Julia Gordon, assistant secretary for housing. These awards create opportunities for more housing thats available, accessible, and inclusive. Other states awarded grants are: California, Ohio, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Indiana, Kansas, Texas, Minnesota, Washington, Michigan, Kentucky, Utah and Oregon. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The young child was attacked "for unknown reasons" by Cane Corso dogs outside of her family's home on Friday, Aug. 9 Getty Stock image of outdoor water spigot A young girl died after she was mauled by her family dogs outside her home on Friday, Aug. 9, in Aripine, Ariz., per the Navajo County Sheriff's Office Aug. 12 press release. The nine-year-old child who has not been publicly identified was attacked after she ran outside the Aripine home to turn off a water spigot, according to the press release. Aripine is about 250 miles northeast of Phoenix. On Friday evening, around 6:30 p.m., the child was at home with many members of her family and then went to turn off the water. But the dogs for unknown reasons attacked her, and she was left with severe physical trauma, per the press release. Her family members and first responders attempted to provide her with medical help, but she succumbed to her injuries. Related: Wash. Boy, 4, Who Was 'Full of Energy' Is Mauled to Death by Family Dog on Halloween Getty Stock image of the roof of a police patrol car at night Our hearts just pour out for this family, not only here in the headquarters at the Navajo County Sheriffs Office, but the guys who work on the street that responded to this, Deputy Brian Swanty told Fox 10. This is not the type of call that anybody ever wants to be involved in, he added. The sheriffs office is investigating the tragic incident and said that no additional information will be released. Authorities said that the dogs routinely interact and are familiar with the family and children. Navajo County Sheriff's Office PIO Tori Gorman told PEOPLE on Wednesday, Aug. 14, that there were four Cane Corso dogs, two adults and two puppies. She says the dogs were seized from the home and will be examined for the investigation, adding that its unlikely the dogs will be returned to the family. She tells PEOPLE the department has "not been given an update as to what will happen with the dogs" in regards to being taken in or euthanized. Related: 6-Year-Old Ohio Boy Is Mauled to Death by Family Dog: 'My Heart Is Shattered' Alamy Stock image of a cane corso dog Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. A representative for Navajo County Animal Control did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment on Wednesday. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Abortion will be on state ballots in November Arizona abortion-rights supporters gather for a news conference prior to delivering more than 800,000 petition signatures to the state Capitol to get abortion rights on the November general election ballot, July 3, 2024, in Phoenix. ecisions about abortion rights are going on the ballots in several states in November. | Ross D. Franklin This week, election officials in Arizona and Missouri announced that abortion-rights supporters in those states had gathered enough petition signatures to put proposed amendments on the ballot that would make abortion a right in their state constitutions. Decisions about abortion policy will be on the ballot in several other states in November, including Colorado, Florida, Maryland, New York, Nevada and South Dakota, with the potential for Nebraska and Montana to also vote on the issue. Here are the measures and what they contain on each states ballot. Arizona The Arizona Abortion Access Act would block the state of Arizona from establishing any law, regulation, policy or practice that would: Deny, restrict or interfere with the right to an abortion before fetal viability. (Fetal viability refers to the point in pregnancy when a fetus can potentially survive outside the womb with or without medical assistance.) Deny, restrict or interfere with the right to an abortion after fetal viability when a medical professional has deemed it necessary to protect the life of the mother. Penalize any individual or entity for aiding or assisting in an abortion. In Arizona, abortion is currently legal up to 15 weeks, while at any point in the pregnancy, including after 15 weeks, abortion is legal if a doctor determines that there is a medical emergency, per the office of Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes. Arizona abortion-rights supporters deliver over 800,000 petition signatures to the capitol to get abortion rights on the November general election ballot July 3, 2024, in Phoenix. A judge on Friday, July 26, rejected an effort by GOP lawmakers to use the term unborn human being to refer to a fetus in the pamphlet that Arizona voters will use to decide on a ballot measure that would expand abortion access in the state. | Ross D. Franklin Colorado In Colorado, the The Colorado Right to Abortion and Health Insurance Coverage Initiative seeks: A constitutional right to abortion in the Colorado state constitution. And to allow the use of public funds for abortion. Per BallotPedia, a 55% supermajority vote is required for the initiative to be approved Abortion is currently legal and available for anyone who seeks it in Colorado. Florida A proposed amendment to Floridas constitution Florida Amendment 4 would include: A constitutional right to abortion before fetal viability. Or a right to abortion after viability when determined by the patients health care provider as necessary to protect the patients health. Per Ballotpedia, a 60% supermajority vote is required for the approval of the amendment. Florida currently bans abortions after six weeks unless there is a medical exception. Maryland A proposed amendment in Maryland, Senate Bill 798, would amend the Maryland Constitution to include: An individuals fundamental right to an individuals own reproductive liberty. And to prevent government intervention except when justified by a compelling State interest achieved by the least restrictive means. Abortion is currently legal in Maryland. Missouri The proposed amendment in Missouri would: Give individuals full reproductive rights, meaning the government cannot interfere before fetal viability. Give the government the ability to enact laws that regulate abortion after fetal viability. Establish that no person may be prosecuted for assisting with an abortion. Currently, per Missouri law, Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, no abortion shall be performed or induced upon a woman, except in cases of medical emergency. New York Senate Bill S108A in New York would amend the New York Bill of Rights to: Says that no individual should be denied rights based on their ethnicity, national origin, age, or disability, as well as their sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, and access to reproductive healthcare and autonomy. Everyone, regardless of age, has an absolute right to abortion through the 24th week of pregnancy in New York, according to the office of New York State Attorney General Letitia James. After 24 weeks, abortion is permitted if your medical provider decides your fetus is not viable or your life, physical health, or mental health is at risk. Nevada Nevadas proposed amendment would officially make abortion access constitutional and change it from timeline access to reliance on fetal viability. In Nevada, abortion is currently legal until 24 weeks of pregnancy, and one may be performed after 24 weeks if a physician determines it is necessary to preserve the life of the mother. The amendment states: All individuals shall have a fundamental right to abortion performed or administered by a qualified health care practitioner until fetal viability, or when needed to protect the life or health of the pregnant patient, without interference from the state or its political subdivisions. South Dakota In South Dakota, Constitutional Amendment G lays out a proposed trimester framework in the South Dakota Constitution for regulating abortion. It would work like this: Constitutional Amendment G would establish a state constitutional right to abortion, prohibiting state regulation of abortion during the first trimester. In the second trimester, the state could regulate abortion, but only in ways that protect the pregnant womans physical health. In the third trimester, the state could regulate or prohibit abortion, except when the procedure is necessary to preserve the life and health of the woman, as determined by her physician. In South Dakota, abortion is currently banned except in cases where it would save the life of the mother. Nebraska and Montana In Nebraska and Montana, voters could also face a decision about abortion. In Nebraska, two measures have reportedly reached the appropriate number of signatures to get on the ballot. The first would establish the right to abortion until viability, and the second would put into the constitution Nebraskas current law, which bans abortions after 12 weeks with exceptions, per The Associated Press. In Montana, an amendment has been proposed that would establish the right to an abortion before viability or to protect the life or health of the woman. Why do states have abortion measures on their ballots? As previously reported by the Deseret News, in June 2022 the Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade, which took policymaking decisions away from the federal government and handed them back to individual states. After the decision, the states either returned to their default laws or quickly passed new ones. This election, abortion rights advocates are asking voters if theyd like to cement access to abortion in their state constitutions. Texas is facing a critical shortage of nurses. Concordia University Texas is offering an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree track that will put next-generation nurses on the front lines of care, fast. Dr. Amber Shammas is the director of Concordia University Texas ABSN Program, and she stopped by Studio 512 with more information. What is the state of nursing in Texas? Nationally and locally, the need for nurses is greater than ever. The U.S. Bureau of Labor projects the need for nursing professionals to grow by 6% through 2032 faster than the average for all occupations. The situation is especially dire in Texas. Data from the Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies note that by 2036, the supply of full-time registered nurses is expected to grow by 27% to 304,116, while demand is projected to grow by 26.9% to 360,487, leaving a deficit of 56,370 full-time registered nurses. What is causing the nursing crisis? Some nurses are still exhausted from the pandemic; others are approaching retirement. The good news is that more students are interested in finding their calling in this helping profession. But despite their interest, colleges and universities have been unable to accommodate the growing number of students entering the field. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing notes that U.S. nursing schools turned away 65,766 qualified applications from baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs in 2023 due to a lack of faculty, clinical sites, classroom space and preceptors. What is Concordia University Texas doing to address the nursing shortage? Concordia University Texas has an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) track that enables students to find their calling in nursing. The 16-month hybrid track combines an online curriculum with practical learning in a state-of-the-art simulation lab, where students get real-world experience that helps them build their skills and confidence. Students also put their skills to work through clinical rotations in partnership with top local hospitals and healthcare facilities. Concordia University Texas launched the track at 9430 Research Boulevard in Austin in 2017 and expanded to the Dallas-Fort Worth area in 2022. Tell us more about the ABSN track. The Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing track is ideal for adult learners who have some college credits or are interested in making a career change. The track is rigorous, but the rigor pays off. During the first quarter of this year, our students achieved a 98.6% pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination to become registered nurses, compared to the national average NCLEX pass rate of 88.56%. Something else that makes our track distinct is how students apply their knowledge in our skills lab, immersive simulation lab and through clinical rotations with our healthcare partners. Finally, our track offers students a quick, adaptable and accredited path to pursue a career that can have a life-changing impact on countless people. Concordia University Texas is helping students fund their education, too, right? That is correct. Earning a degree is transformative, but many students need help to afford the cost of college. Concordia University Texas is making it easier for students to find their calling as nurses while filling a critical need for these helping professionals in Texas. Beginning with the fall 2024 semester, every student who meets the admissions requirements of the Universitys Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing track will receive a $10,000 Workforce Development Scholarship to defray the cost of funding their education. Its all part of the Universitys The Right Call initiative to make college more accessible and support aspiring nurses with a desire to live and work in Texas. When does the ABSN start, and where can people get more information? The ABSN tracks next start date is in August, and there are additional starts in January and May. Prospective students must have a bachelors degree in a field outside of nursing or have completed at least 60 non-nursing college credit hours. For information about the ABSN, go to ABSN.Concordia.edu. More information about the Universitys The Right Call initiative is available at Concordia.edu/TheRightCall. This segment is paid for by Concordia University Texas and is intended as an advertisement. Opinions expressed by the guest(s) on this program are solely those of the guest(s) and are not endorsed by this television station. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. ACLU given green light to sue State of Maine for failing to provide legal counsel The main courtroom of the old Kennebec County Courthouse, now part of the Capital Judicial Center in Augusta. (Jim Neuger/ Maine Morning Star) As hundreds of people, both in and out of jail, wait for legal representation, the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine was given the green light to sue the state government for chronically failing to provide access to public defenders for people who cant afford an attorney. Throughout the yearslong legal battle, ACLU of Maine has attempted to hold the state accountable for its lack of indigent legal services, which are government-funded services that guarantee a right to representation to people charged with a crime who cant afford their own attorneys. The state is one of the defendants named in the lawsuit, which also included Attorney General Aaron Frey and a statewide commission responsible for expanding access to public defenders. In a Kennebec County Superior Court decision this week, Justice Michaela Murphy denied the states motion to dismiss, although the two other defendants were dismissed from the case. This decision from the Superior Court affirms that this kind of a crisis requires action from all branches of government, not just one commission or one elected official or one agency, said Carol Garvan, ACLU of Maines legal director. What the state needs to do is provide a fair criminal justice system, and a fundamental part of that is that people are provided counsel. The right to indigent legal services is a constitutional right as codified in the Sixth Amendment. Maine has shirked this responsibility for years, according to Garvan. As of July, 643 people have been denied their right to counsel after being charged with a crime, according to an ACLU of Maine report. Almost 170 of them were incarcerated with no legal representation, and 413 had been denied an attorney for at least 30 days. This number has increased fivefold since November 2023, exacerbating what Maines chief justice has called a constitutional crisis. The Attorney Generals Office declined to comment since this litigation is pending. Adding public defenders offices Maine predominantly contracts with private attorneys who offer free representation to people who cant afford legal services, Garvan said. The state hired its first five defenders in 2022. In March 2023, Gov. Janet Mills signed a law adding two offices and 10 new public defender positions. However, the two dozen public defenders Maine now has is far from enough, Garvan said. We think thats a really good development, but its still not nearly enough, and so we still, as a state, are still relying for the vast majority of cases on private attorneys, she said. And theyre not exclusively doing these kinds of cases, so it really depends very much on how many of those people are willing to take cases and how many of them are able to take cases. The bigger issue, she said, is the state prosecuting many more people than it can ensure counsel for. Meanwhile, people waiting for an attorney are stuck, Garvan said. Whether theyre in or out of jail, they cant move ahead with bail negotiations, prepare for trial or get their day in court because of the ongoing shortage a failing on Maines part to provide access to a public defender. Other state agencies will not be named defendants In June 2024, Frey, the Maine Commission on Public Defense Services, and the State of Maine asked that the court dismiss the case against them. Earlier this week, a superior court in Maine dismissed the case against the attorney general and the commission, but the State remains a defendant, according to the opinion written by Murphy. The State of Maine appealed based on sovereign immunity, which is a doctrine that shields governments from lawsuits or prosecution. The court denied this appeal. On one hand, it is the well recognized principle that the state as a sovereign is entitled to immunity from suit, Murphy wrote. On the other hand is the interest of Maine citizens to seek redress for alleged violations of constitutionally imposed obligations. As the case moves forward, the ACLU has a September deadline to submit findings from discovery, wherein the organization asks for relevant information from the defendants, Garvan said. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Acting Dolton police Chief Lewis Lacey, an ally of embattled Mayor Tiffany Henyard, pleaded not guilty Thursday on federal bankruptcy fraud charges alleging he lied under oath in a scheme to hide assets and income from creditors to avoid paying more than $40,000 in a lawsuit settlement. The nine-count indictment returned against Lacey in U.S. District Court earlier this week charged Lacey, 61, of Matteson, with bankruptcy fraud, making false statements and declarations in a bankruptcy case and perjury. Each count carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Lacey appeared in court dressed in a blue suit and answered only a few questions from the judge about his understanding of the charges before his attorney, Gal Pissetzky, entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. Over Pissetzkys objections, U.S. Magistrate Judge Beth Jantz ordered Lacey, who has the rank of commander but has been serving as the acting police chief, to turn over his work firearm as well as two other guns he has in his home. He also must surrender his firearm owners identification card. Jantz said she was willing to revisit the issue if Pissetzky provides more information about how the firearms restrictions would affect his employment with Dolton. A status hearing was set for Oct. 1 before U.S. District Judge Thomas Durkin. Though unrelated to his duties in Dolton, Laceys indictment is the latest shoe to drop in a burgeoning federal investigation into alleged corruption by Henyard, the longtime mayor who has been named in a slew of federal subpoenas served earlier this year on the Village Hall. In a statement to the Tribune on Monday, Laceys attorney, Pissetzky said the charges were the result of a witch hunt aimed at Henyard. Mr. Lacey has been serving the community of Dolton for years, Pissetzky said. He is an excellent police officer and has been an upstanding chief of police. This is a witch hunt where they are taking down Mr. Lacey to try to get to the mayor. Village trustees last week voted to place Lacey on administrative leave for an undefined period. Pissetzky told the Tribune that the trustees lacked the authority to place Lacey on leave and that his client should be paid. Theyre operating in a way that in my opinion is not legal, said Pissetzky. The mayor is the one who signs the checks. According to the indictment, Lacey has filed numerous personal bankruptcy cases in Chicago beginning in the 1980s. Two recent petitions filed in 2019 and 2020 automatically stayed enforcement of a settlement agreement Lacey had reached in 2017 with the plaintiff in a lawsuit in state court, the indictment alleged. The lawsuit involved a woman whose husband was killed in Dolton in 2012. According to the suit, Lacey visited the woman and convinced her to give him tens of thousands of dollars from her husbands life insurance payout. Lacey acknowledged in court papers that he expressed sympathy for the woman and visited her from time to time to inquire about her safety and well-being, but he denied taking any money. After the lawsuit settled for $55,000, Lacey made initial payments in the amount of $12,000, but according to the fraud charges, he twice filed for bankruptcy to avoid paying the additional $43,000. In filings and statements made under oath to the bankruptcy court, Lewis underreported his monthly income and concealed bank accounts that he controlled, according to the charges. Among the lies was that he was separated from his wife and that she did not reside with him or contribute to his monthly income and mortgage, the indictment stated. Those lies allowed Lacey to substantially understate his monthly income and avoid creditors, according to the charges. The charges were similar to those brought in April against Keith Freeman, a longtime aide to Henyard, who was accused of making false statements in his bankruptcy petition filed earlier this year to conceal from creditors his assets and sources of income and a significant claim against him. Freeman, 45, of Orland Park, has pleaded not guilty. At a status hearing in his case Wednesday, prosecutors said they intend to supersede the indictment with further charges within the next two months, although they did not mention whether new defendants would be added. jmeisner@chicagotribune.com State Sen. Katrina Shealy, R-Lexington, speaks at the ceremonial signing on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, at the Statehouse for a public safety law she sponsored (Abraham Kenmore/SC Daily Gazette) COLUMBIA A wide-ranging public safety law that started out as a proposal to help victims of human trafficking was celebrated Thursday by advocates who had been working on its various sections for years. Im not normally one who likes to have things tacked on to my legislation like a Christmas tree, but in this case each and every one will protect victims and punish perpetrators, said Sen. Katrina Shealy, R-Lexington, the laws chief sponsor. The law actually took effect July 2 with Gov. Henry McMasters signature. On Thursday, he ceremoniously signed it again. Shealys bill prevents trafficking victims under 18 from being prosecuted for misdemeanor or minor felony offenses they were forced to do to survive, such as prostitution or drug possession. It also allows trafficking victims of all ages who were convicted of prostitution or other crimes they were coerced to do to have those charges expunged. Those changes were long overdue, Shealy said. Children who are victims of trafficking should not be convicted of crimes related to being trafficked. It is as simple as that, Shealy said. Protecting them means not just from criminals but from injustice as well. Another key section of the law created a new criminal offense for trying to lure a child away for nefarious reasons. For example, if an adult used the promise of a puppy to entice a child into a car. Previously, luring a child was only an offense once it escalated to kidnapping, but the attempt itself was not a crime. The law made it a felony punishable by up to a $10,000 fine and/or 10 years in prison or both. Making the attempt a crime is something U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace tried to do during her three years in the state House. The coastal 1st District congresswoman was among those celebrating the laws passage. Mace, who first won in a January 2018 special election, worked with GOP Rep. Lee Hewitt of Murrells Inlet on an anti-luring proposal he pre-filed for the 2019-20 session that failed to ever get a vote. Mace said she began working on the luring bill after receiving a phone call from Katie Shields, a Mount Pleasant mother, in 2018. Shields said she called Mace after hearing about a luring incident in Mount Pleasant. Shields told SC Daily Gazette she didnt know anyone involved but learning that it was not a crime galvanized her. We just kept on it year after year, she said. Then last year a stranger approached the 14-year-old son of one of her good friends, Brittany Williams. He was never in danger because he knew the tools and he knew what to do, Williams said at Thursdays signing, adding that her son talked another child out of going with the man. After that happened, Shields launched a petition calling for lawmakers to take action. The law also creates a new program that allows victims of domestic violence, human trafficking, stalking and similar crimes to apply to the state attorney generals office to keep their home address confidential. Their mail would be forwarded to them from the state office. And it does away with a quirk of criminal law that prevented someone being sentenced for a kidnapping offense if they have been sentenced for murder. In a handful of cases, a murder conviction has been thrown out on appeal while a kidnapping charge stands, resulting in no sentence. The entire bill was a victory, Williams said. Everything today was an added layer of protection for the children of South Carolina, and its an amazing day, she said. Peaches are available for taste at an orchard in Yangshan Township of Wuxi City, east China's Jiangsu Province, June 27, 2024.(Xinhua/Jiang Wenqian) NANJING, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The application of modern agricultural technology in Yangshan Township, east China's Jiangsu Province, is breathing new life into the centuries-old cultivation traditions of this "hometown of honey peaches." Yangshan Township of Wuxi City is often celebrated as one of China's four major peach-producing areas. Decades of selective breeding and cultivation have yielded over 30 distinct varieties of Yangshan peach, drawing many enthusiasts to head to the source to purchase or pick their own every year. The peach trees in Sun Jianqin's orchard stand out from those typical in other places. In Sun's orchard, peach trees bred with new technology are three or four meters in height, much taller than normal. In addition, Sun's peach trees feature two large branches, which makes the fruits easy to pick. Normal peach trees have fruits scattered on three to four main branches among denser branches, which makes picking difficult to mechanize. With a passion for machinery, Sun has tailored his peach farm to accommodate new varieties, streamlining the automation process. For example, the laborious task of climbing ladders to harvest was a significant inconvenience for workers. But on Sun's farm, the space between the rows of trees is larger, reaching 1.5 meters, to allow machines to pass through. Now, workers simply stand on a movable "elevator platform," expediting and simplifying the picking process. The new cultivation model in his 150-mu (about 10 hectares) orchard has helped boost yield potential by at least 20 percent. It is more cost-effective and efficient than traditional manual labor as well, according to Sun. Almost every household in Yangshan is involved in peach cultivation, with an increasing number of farmers eager to harness the "sweetness" of science and technology. In 2023, the output value of peaches in Yangshan was about 900 million yuan (about 126 million U.S. dollars), and the output value of the industrial chain of the peach industry exceeded 2 billion yuan. The per capita disposable income of farmers was 66,000 yuan during the period, up 4.9 percent year on year, according to the local government. "In the past, most peach farmers planted peaches spontaneously on their own land, but they lacked guidance on how to improve the soil and how to dose pesticides and fertilizers. After introduction and training by the local government and institutes, more and more peach farmers are actively trying to adopt new technology to grow peaches," said Dai Huijun, a manager of the local agricultural industrial park. Bolstered by the research institute, a suite of innovative planting technologies has been extensively disseminated, encompassing sensor-aided monitoring of peach tree growth, preemptive pest and disease alert systems, and soil-analytic irrigation protocols. On the assembly line at Wuxi Taihu Yangshan Peach Tech Co., Ltd., peaches of varying sizes are meticulously arranged, with 3D vision technology facilitating the intelligent sorting of over 180 peaches per minute, categorizing them by attributes such as shape, weight and sweetness. After sorting and packing, another important step is getting them to the consumers in one piece and on time. In June, SF Express, a leading Chinese logistics firm, initiated the use of a fleet of novel, energy-efficient drones for direct transportation of peaches from the farms to regional logistics hubs. From these hubs, the peaches embark on journeys via cargo aircraft along long-haul routes, reaching customers in key markets such as Singapore and Dubai. Customers in neighboring provinces in China can receive their peaches within just half-day. Earlier this year, China unveiled its "No. 1 central document" for 2024, outlining the priorities for comprehensively promoting rural revitalization this year. The document calls for efforts to strengthen the role of sci-tech development in promoting rural revitalization. "With new technology, we can digitize and green the peach industry. Our aspiration is to cultivate superior quality peaches and elevate the prestige of the Yangshan peach brand," said Yao Guojin, deputy head of Yangshan Township. Livestreamers sell peaches in Yangshan Township of Wuxi City, east China's Jiangsu Province, June 8, 2024.(Xinhua/He Leijing) Boxed peaches are displayed in Yangshan Township of Wuxi City, east China's Jiangsu Province, June 8, 2024.(Xinhua/He Leijing) SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) Another former state employee has been found using her position in state government to make extra money, the South Dakota Attorney Generals office announced Thursday. Rapid City school board fires superintendent According to a news release, the Division of Criminal Investigation found a former employee forged 13 vehicle titles between 2016 and 2023 resulting in $400,000 worth of loans. The former employee later identified by the AGs office was Sandra ODay. ODay has died and no charges will be filed. The Attorney Generals Office was contacted in February of 2024 by the state Department of Revenue after the agency reported a former Division of Motor Vehicles employee had created a false/fraudulent motor vehicle title, Attorney General Marty Jackley said in a news release. There is no evidence that others were involved in this criminal activity. This is the second investigation involving a state employee this year after Jackley announced a former Department of Social Services employee stole more than $1.7 million. Lonna Carroll, 68, was arrested July 17 after a grand jury indicted the former program assistant on two counts of aggravated grand theft. Her arraignment is scheduled for August 27. The matter surfaced after employees in the state Department of Social Services found financial discrepancies in February. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha repeated his calls to fix the states ailing health care system in a memo opposed to proposed health insurance premium hikes. The memo also contained thoughts on the subpar funding and financials of Rhode Islands hospitals, which Neronha also discussed at length during a Health Care Summit at the Rhode Island State House on May 28, 2024, seen here. (Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current) Deny, deny, deny: Thats what Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha is asking the states health insurance commissioner to do with the premium hikes requested by a half dozen Rhode Island insurance companies for 2025. Neronhas office shared on Tuesday a letter to Cory King, who leads the states Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner (OHIC). In his letter, Neronha asks the commissioner to reject health insurers requested increases that range from an arguably modest 2.5% to an astronomical 22.7%. Earlier this month, Neronha issued a memo opposing proposed 2025 rates by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island, the only individual market insurer who submitted an increase more than 10% higher. Neronhas latest critique is a blanket rejection of proposed increases for small- and large-group plans from six insurance companies. Neronha being at odds with health insurers is nothing new he recommended against requested rate hikes last year, too. Kings office approved most requested rates, albeit with a few percentage points shaved off, which still led to a savings of approximately $24 million. The commissioner is expected to release his offices decision on this years proposed rates later this month. The Office of Attorney General uses actuaries to analyze proposed rate increases and determine their feasibility. The health insurance commissioner also analyzes the rates, solicits public feedback and ultimately approves or denies the requested increases. Neronha, whose job duties include consumer protection, wrote in his latest memo that actuarial recommendations might only scratch the surface of a deeper problem. It is not the role of the Attorney General to simply advise whether the actuarial projections provided by an insurer can support requested rate increases; rather, it is incumbent upon the Attorney General to also determine whether such increases are warranted given the health care and economic landscape against which they are sought, Neronha wrote. [T]o put it bluntly, we have a system that is broken. Neronha pointed out in his memo that despite significant collective investment in the health care system, U.S. residents dont get much bang for their buck, with life expectancy six years lower than in similar countries and subpar health outcomes for people of color. Another systemic problem, specific to Rhode Island: The health insurance commissioner only had jurisdiction over about 15% of Rhode Islanders, thanks to what Neronha calls the fractured nature of our regulatory scheme. Kings office reviews rates for only certain kinds of insurance. Self-insured employers who offer insurance via the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) are exempt because federal law dictates those arrangements. Still, Neronha added in a footnote that some health insurers have started to use this offices tips on methodology, such as changing the data sources used for calculating manual rates, tweaking risk adjustment calculations or calculating small group rates based on comparable data from Massachusetts rather than Pennsylvania. Yet, even when robust actuarial methods are followed, rate increases continue, Neronha wrote. In response to Neronhas latest critique, Blue Cross reiterated its previous statement: Rising prescription drug costs and higher utilization of medical services in the post-pandemic age ultimately led Blue Cross to an operating loss of $26 million in 2023, wrote spokesperson Jeremy Duncan in an email Thursday. Spokespeople for both Neighborhood Health Plan and UnitedHealthcare had no comment on Neronhas memo. The latter had the priciest request overall, with a proposed 22.7% hike on small group market rates. Neronhas office did not respond to multiple requests for copies of its actuaries reports and recommendations. Any proposed rate increase over 10% requires review by the attorney generals office, which is why Neronha targeted Blue Cross in his earlier comments and left alone Neighborhood, with its 5.6% increase. But the most expensive proposals and the largest number of people whose premiums would be affected are found in the proposed increases for small- and large-group plans offered by employers. Al Charbonneau, executive director of Rhode Island Business Group on Health (RIBGH), wrote in an emailed statement that the group agrees with the Attorney General that our healthcare system, both in Rhode Island and across the country, is indeed brokenand we support the Attorney Generals call for more substantial changes. The rate increases should be rejected, Charbonneau wrote, as they contribute to an unsustainable and expensive situation for Rhode Island consumers. A recent brief from the group found that nearly 28% of median household income can now be attributed to Rhode Islands commercial family premiums. Our analysis shows that the delivery system is the major cause of increasing premiums, although all involved in the provision of services and insurance need to contribute more to affordability, Charbonneau wrote. RIBGH supports the idea of paying more to primary care physicians and nursing personnel but also calls for a thorough understanding of where the money was spent if it was not used to support nurses, for example. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Early in July, a poll showing President Joe Biden leading former President Donald Trump by single digits in deep-blue New York caused panic in Democratic circles. Now it is Republicans' turn to fret, as both internal and public surveys indicate a narrowing advantage for Trump in places like Ohio and Florida, erstwhile swing states that have voted reliably Republican in nearly all statewide elections since 2014. The New York Times reported that two polls taken in Ohio show Trump carrying less than 50 percent of the vote against Vice President Kamala Harris, who replaced Biden as the Democratic nominee. Trump won Ohio with 53 percent of the vote in 2020. On Tuesday, USA Today/Suffolk University/WSVN-TV released a poll that gave Trump a 47-42 percent lead over Harris in Florida, which is slightly more than Trump's 51-48 percent victory over Biden in 2020 but far less than Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis' 19-point blowout in 2022. I was surprised that Harris is within striking distance [in Florida], being only five points down, said Suffolk University Political Research Center director David Paleologos. While Trump is unlikely to lose Ohio or Florida, his underperformance there could reflect a fracturing of his support among voters nationwide and portend doom in battleground states that will decide November's election. According to three Trump campaign sources who spoke to Rolling Stone, the trends are causing alarm among Republicans close to the former president. Theyre looking worse than they should, one GOP operative with access to the data said. Donald Trump is not losing Florida or Ohio, but that isnt whats concerning Its a trend of softening support. The three sources would not allow Rolling Stone to print any of the data related to Ohio and Florida, and perhaps for good reason; they believe the data would deal another heavy blow to party morale. Republicans had hoped that excitement over Harris' entry into the race would eventually fade, but the new revelations in two red-shaded states now have them worrying that Trump's electoral woes are a much more lasting problem. Rolling Stone's sources say that with Trump reacting erratically to Harris' ascendance, his aides have not briefed the former president on the data or their concerns in fear that it would only upset him. Some longtime GOP operatives aren't surprised by Trump's collapsing hopes, pinning much of the blame on the candidate himself for obsessing over trivial issues. "Trumps being punished right now for not staying on message and not addressing issues people care about, Frank Luntz, a Republican pollster, told Rolling Stone. This election was his to lose, and hes losing it And hes incapable of changing. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) An adults-only event with a twist is being held at a local museum. The Air Force Museum Foundation is hosting After Dark: Cosmic Camp at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force on Sept. 7 from 6 to 11 p.m. For the event, only those age 21 and over are allowed to attend. Urgent need: 4 Paws for Ability seeks donations During Cosmic Camp, attendees will enjoy spaced-themed games, a silent disco, crafts, an astronaut guest speaker and an up-close view at rockets. Beverages and hors doeuvres will be available for purchase. Tickets are $40, and can be purchased here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. Alaska Airlines flight attendants have rejected the tentative contract their union negotiated. The Association of Flight Attendants told KIRO Newsradio the following in an emailed statement: Alaska Flight Attendants today voted not to ratify the tentative agreement. This is democracy in action and Flight Attendants always have the final say on any contract. There is more work to do. Flight Attendants need improvements as soon as possible. Our union will continue to fight for the contract Alaska Flight Attendants deserve. The next step is a member survey to determine key issues and return to the table to address them. The union which represents 6,900 Alaska employees, reached a tentative agreement in June after about 18 months of negotiation. Voting closed Wednesday. More on Alaska Airlines: AA and ZeroAvia team up to develop largest zero-emission plane According to Aviation Week, the three-year contract would have boosted pay by 32% and compensated flight attendants for boarding time before the plane takes off. This contract would have been the first U.S. airline union agreement to include pay for flight attendants during the boarding process. Airlines have historically paid cabin crew members only after the cabin door is closed. Mobile boarding passes: Urged by Alaska Airlines The agreement covered 21 months of retroactive pay, reflecting the time spent negotiating. The union plans to survey its members and return to negotiations. Bill Kaczaraba is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here. Follow Bill on X here and email him here. This image provided by the Third Judicial District of the State of Alaska shows an image taken from a body camera video of an altercation between Alaska State Troopers and Ben Tikka on May 24, 2024, in Kenai Peninsula community of Soldotna, Alaska. Two Alaska state troopers who pepper-sprayed, beat, stunned and used a police dog on Tikka in a case of mistaken identity have been charged with assault, authorities said Thursday, Aug. 15. (Third Judicial District of the State of Alaska via AP) ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) Two Alaska State Troopers who pepper-sprayed, beat, stunned and used a police dog on a man in a case of mistaken identity have been charged with assault, authorities said Thursday. Charging documents said the troopers canine handler Jason Woodruff and Sgt. Joseph Miller thought they were dealing with Garrett Tikka, a man wanted for failing to serve a 10-day sentence for driving with a revoked license, on May 24 when they checked out an SUV parked in the Kenai Peninsula community of Soldotna, southwest of Anchorage. Instead, the man inside the vehicle was Garrett Tikka's cousin, Ben Tikka, according to the charges filed Tuesday by the Office of Special Prosecutions in the Alaska Attorney General's Office. The arrest left Ben Tikka bloodied and in need of surgery to repair muscle lacerations. He also suffered a fractured shoulder, cuts to his head and an open dog bite on his left upper arm. During a news conference Thursday announcing the charges, authorities said they would not release body-worn camera video that captured the arrest until after the criminal case is resolved. But James Cockrell, commissioner of the Alaska Department of Public Safety, said he had never seen anything like it in his 33 years with the department. I was totally sickened by what I saw, Cockrell said. Woodruffs attorney, Clint Campion, did not immediately return a message seeking comment. Online court records did not list an attorney for Miller, and The Associated Press was not immediately able to find valid contact information for him. Miller, 49, is a 14-year employee of the Alaska State Troopers, most recently assigned as a shift supervisor in Soldotna. Woodruff, 42, has been with the troopers for 16 years. They were each charged with one count of misdemeanor assault and are due to have an appearance at state court in Kenai on Sept. 10. Both have been placed on administrative leave, Cockrell said, and the department is reviewing some past cases they have been involved in for possible policy violations. The case began with a call about possible illegal camping in a vehicle at a dog park in Soldotna. The troopers had been advised that the SUV was associated with Garrett Tikka, but they failed to confirm who was inside it before telling the occupant he was wanted on an outstanding warrant and ordering him out, the charges say. Ben Tikka responded that he was not the subject of any such warrant, and he did not immediately exit the vehicle. Miller smashed a rear window with a baton and then fired pepper spray inside. When Tikka got out, Miller kicked him in the shin, punched him in the back of the head or neck, and stepped on his head. He then repeatedly used a stun gun on him as another trooper, who was not charged, tried to handcuff him at one point, Miller accidentally stunned the other officer, according to the charging papers. As Tikka, lying face-down, placed his hands behind his back, he was repeatedly bitten by the police dog, named Olex, which had also bitten its handler, Woodruff, minutes earlier, the documents say. Tikka tried to move away from the dog and Woodruff commanded it to continue biting; the dog did so, attacking Tikka even as Tikka, covered in blood, complied with commands to put his hands up and begged, Please stop the dog. Please stop the dog. The dog has been taken out of service, Cockrell said. Only as Tikka was being taken to a hospital did another trooper confirm he was Ben Tikka, not Garrett. The troopers arrested Ben Tikka on several counts, including fourth degree assault for placing troopers in fear of physical injury. The Kenai District Attorneys Office later dismissed the case. Deputy Attorney General John Skidmore said the state has previously filed excessive use of force charges against police officers in Bethel and Anchorage, but he couldnt recall such charges being filed against a trooper in the 25 years hes been with the state. According to charging papers, Miller told investigators that no force would have been used if Tikka had simply exited the vehicle and complied with commands. When asked if the force used by officers in this situation was reasonable, he replied: From my understanding, yes. The investigators, with Alaska Bureau of Investigation, said Woodruff told them he was following his training in using the dog on Tikka. He described Tikka as super pissed when he got out of the vehicle. Was he throwing punches or anything like that? No. However, he was still resistant, the charging papers quoted Woodruff as saying. ALLENDALE, S.C. (WJBF) The Allendale County Sheriffs Office is requesting the publics assistance in locating a 27-year-old woman from Jacksonville, Florida. Jessica Rapsys vehicle was found Tuesday, August 13th around 9:15 p.m. Authorities say it was stuck across the railroad tracks that run through the community of Martin in northwestern Allendale County. It was still warm, but had been sitting for a while, according to Allendale County Sheriff, James Freeman. Sheriff Freeman tells NewsChannel 6 that the tracks where Rapsyss car was found were on private property on Creek Plantation. According to the sheriff, authorities searched for Jessica on Wednesday, August 14th. The search included three helicopters, two of which were from Savannah River Site, and a local dog team. The helicopters provided an aerial survey of the area surrounding the vehicle for five and a half hours. SLED has been asked to help with the investigation into Jessicas disappearance. Those who believe they might have information on her disappearance or where she might be now are asked to call Allendale County Sheriffs Office at (803) 584-7067 or leave a tip with SLED through Crimestoppers at https://www.888crimesc.com or by phone at 1-888-CRIMESC or 1-888-274-6372. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF. An Altamonte Springs man was arrested Wednesday, accused of creating and sharing content depicting the sexual abuse of young children. WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS According to a report from the Altamonte Springs Police Department, one of their officers took control of a Cyber Tipline Report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding image and video files showing children engaged in sexual conduct that were shared to a cloud-based storage provider for Verizon. The tip described three digital files uploaded in January to a cloud account associated with the same phone number. READ: Matthew Perry death: Arrests made, reports say According to the report, one of the files was an approximately two-minute-long video compiled of other short videos showing multiple young girls between the ages of four and eight years old engaged in various sex acts with adult men and women. The report says the second video, approximately four minutes long, showed a visibly crying and extremely distraught girl estimated to be approximately eight years old being forced by multiple women to perform sexual acts on a grown man. According to police, the video then shows another compilation of short videos depicting young boys and girls engaging in various sex acts. According to the report, the third video showed an adult man and woman both engaged in sexual activity with an infant. Investigators used law enforcement databases to trace the address associated with the cloud account to a home in Altamonte Springs and the person using it as 36-year-old Pedro Vazquez. Pedro Vazquez, 36, charged with three counts of possession of child pornography, video voyeurism, sexual battery, and promotion of child sexual abuse material. READ: Concerns grow after Seminole County elections supervisors name appears on ballots A search warrant executed on the cloud account revealed an additional 15 files of child sexual abuse material, including an apparently self-produced video showing Vazquez operating the camera and molesting a child estimated to be less than two years old. According to police, investigators executed a search warrant at the home on Wednesday and found Vazquez there, who admitted that they would find more than 50 more files of child sex abuse material on his cell phone, which he described as sick st. When shown a still image from the self-produced video, investigators say Vazquez acknowledged it was him and identified the young victim as someone who was known to him. Police say they also found a video filmed from a discrete location showing a young girl in the process of undressing. READ: No injuries reported in Marion County convenience store fire overnight While at the scene, investigators say they collected three cell phones from Vazquez, which were all sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for forensic processing. Based on the evidence collected, police found cause to arrest Vazquez on three counts of possession of child pornography, video voyeurism, sexual battery, and promotion of child pornography. Vazquez is being held in the Seminole County jail on no bond. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. "The Italian justice system has been gaslighting me for 17 years now," Knox wrote on X Massimo Di Vita/Archivio Massimo Di Vita/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Amanda Knox during a television appearance on June 10th, 2024 Amanda Knox is speaking out after an Italian court released a 35-page document detailing its decision to uphold her previous conviction for slander. The re-conviction is tied to an investigation following the 2007 murder of Meredith Kercher, whom Knox, 37, roomed with while studying abroad in Perugia, Italy, at the age of 20. Kercher was found dead in their shared apartment, and Knox was questioned for over 53 hours by police, during which she signed statements wrongfully accusing Congolese bar owner and her boss Patrick Lumumba of murdering Kercher. According to the Associated Press, although Knox later recounted her statements expressing that "they were made under the pressure of stress, shock, and extreme exhaustion," the Florence appellate court said in new court documents that "the manuscript was written spontaneously and freely, as the accused confirmed in the course of her examination." The Italian justice system has been gaslighting me for 17 years now. It began during my interrogation, and it continues in the courts, most recently in the legal motivation released on August 8th which explains why they found me guilty of slander back in June. / Amanda Knox (@amandaknox) August 14, 2024 Related: Amanda Knox Was Just Re-Convicted of Slander: Here's What It Means Regarding the latest developments in the case, Knox wrote a lengthy thread on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday, Aug 14, alleging that "the Italian justice system has been gaslighting me for 17 years now." "It began during my interrogation, and it continues in the courts, most recently in the legal motivation released on August 8th which explains why they found me guilty of slander back in June," she wrote. "This gaslighting is upsetting and triggeringhearing a judge offer illogical arguments, present falsehoods as facts, and label me a liarbut it also inspires me to keep fighting, because the police should be held accountable for their abuses of power," continued Knox. Paula Lobo/Disney General Entertainment Content/Getty Amanda Knox on 'Good Morning America' in 2018 Related: Where Is Amanda Knox Now? Inside Her Life After Acquittal and Why Shes Still Clearing Her Name Speaking about the interrogation and reasoning behind her written statements, Knox continued, "After hours of being psychologically tortured, I was finally left alone, and I began to realize that the statements Id been pressured to sign were likely not true. I tried to tell the police, but they ignored me. So I asked for a pen and piece of paper." After stressing that she was not involved in Kercher's murder, Knox invited people to listen to her podcast, Labyrinths with Amanda Knox, and wrote, "Rest assured: Im headed back to the Court of Cassation to fight this." Knox was first convicted of slandering Lumumba in 2009, before the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the interrogation had violated her rights. She then appealed the slander conviction, and a retrial of the case began in April 2024. The appellate court upheld the initial 2009 ruling two months later. VINCENZO PINTO/AFP via Getty Amanda Knox at the Criminal Justice Festival at the Law University of Modena, northern Italy on June 15, 2019 While she and her former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, ended up being falsely convicted of Kerchers murder and spent four years in an Italian jail, their murder convictions were reversed after three jury trials in 2011. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. The pair were officially exonerated by the Cassation Court, Italys highest court, in 2015, and Rudy Guede, Kercher's killer, served 13 years in prison before being released in November 2021. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. People visit the Tomatoes 2024 exhibition at Latvian Museum of Natural History in Riga, Latvia, on Aug. 14, 2024. Kicked off here on Wednesday, this annual tomato exhibition presented hundreds of tomatoes in different colours, shapes and flavours. (Photo by Edijs Palens/Xinhua) A visitor takes photos of tomatoes displayed at the Tomatoes 2024 exhibition at Latvian Museum of Natural History in Riga, Latvia, on Aug. 14, 2024. Kicked off here on Wednesday, this annual tomato exhibition presented hundreds of tomatoes in different colours, shapes and flavours. (Photo by Edijs Palens/Xinhua) People visit the Tomatoes 2024 exhibition at Latvian Museum of Natural History in Riga, Latvia, on Aug. 14, 2024. Kicked off here on Wednesday, this annual tomato exhibition presented hundreds of tomatoes in different colours, shapes and flavours. (Photo by Edijs Palens/Xinhua) A visitor takes photos of tomatoes displayed at the Tomatoes 2024 exhibition at Latvian Museum of Natural History in Riga, Latvia, on Aug. 14, 2024. Kicked off here on Wednesday, this annual tomato exhibition presented hundreds of tomatoes in different colours, shapes and flavours. (Photo by Edijs Palens/Xinhua) People visit the Tomatoes 2024 exhibition at Latvian Museum of Natural History in Riga, Latvia, on Aug. 14, 2024. Kicked off here on Wednesday, this annual tomato exhibition presented hundreds of tomatoes in different colours, shapes and flavours. (Photo by Edijs Palens/Xinhua) PRESTONSBURG, Ky. (FOX 56) A Wednesday indictment has revealed new details regarding the investigation into the stabbing death of Amber Spradlin. On June 18, 2022, Spradlins body was discovered in an Arkansas Creek home, where she had been stabbed 11 times. Family of Amber Spradlin reacts to arrests as death investigation continues Michael K. McKinney III, 24, has been arrested and charged with murder. A grand jury also returned indictments against his father, 56-year-old Michael K. McKinney II, and 23-year-old Josh Mullins. All three men now face eight counts of complicity to tampering with evidence. On Wednesday, a grand jury returned a new indictment that accuses the three men of fabricating physical evidence. The indictment suggests that a knife had been planted on the couch where the act took place to suggest it was the weapon used. The knife used to kill Spradlin was broken in the process, and its handle was reportedly destroyed, concealed, or removed from the scene, per the indictment. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Alongside the knife, the indictment accuses the three men of tampering with the following alone or in complicity with one another: Clothing worn on the night of June 18. Cleaned or removed blood from the kitchen and laundry room sinks. Removed, concealed, or destroyed a surveillance camera from the room where Spradlin was killed. Removed, concealed, or destroyed a digital camera that contained the surveillance footage from inside the home. Removed, concealed, or destroyed a hard drive that contained information from the surveillance cameras. Its unclear when the three men will appear in court for the latest indictment, but a previously scheduled hearing is set to occur on Aug. 19. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News. Americans are evenly divided on whether former President Trump or Vice President Harris are favored to win the presidential race in November, according to a new poll. The survey from The Economist/YouGov found that 40 percent of Americans believe Trump will win the race, and the same percentage think Harris will win. Another 20 percent said they were not sure, according to the poll results. Among registered voters, 44 percent said they believed Harris would win, and 40 percent said they think Trump would win. Sixteen percent said they were not sure, according to the poll. The poll found that voters overwhelmingly believe that their partys likely presidential candidate will win in November. Nearly 80 percent of Democrats said Harris will win, while 83 percent of Republicans said Trump will win. Independent voters were about evenly split, with 33 percent saying Trump will win, 32 percent saying Harris will win and 35 percent saying they were not sure. Harris has a 2-point lead over Trump among registered voters, according to the poll. Forty-six percent said they would support Harris, 44 percent said they would back Trump and 3 percent said they would vote for independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The poll also found that 53 percent of registered voters would consider voting for Harris, while 48 percent said the same of Trump. Fifty-two percent said they would not consider voting for Trump, while 47 percent said the same for Harris. Harris has gained momentum in national and swing-state polling since launching her bid for the White House last month. According to The Hill/Decision Desk HQs national polling average, Harris has a 1.6 percentage point lead over Trump based on 115 polls. The new poll was conducted among 1,567 U.S. adults Aug. 11-13 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Several beds can be seen in a container at a refugee shelter run by the Aurich district adult education center. Aid organizations have called for Germany's programme for taking in refugees from Afghanistan to continue to operate and to be expanded. Hauke-Christian Dittrich/dpa The London-based human rights group Amnesty International on Thursday called on Germany to keep accepting refugees from Afghanistan, amid concerns the government initiative leading the effort could be terminated on financial grounds. "The Afghanistan reception programme for Afghans in extreme danger was a glimmer of hope," said Theresa Bergmann, a spokeswoman for the organization's German branch. "If it is up to Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, the programme will not be funded from next year. That is shameful," she added. Some 3,100 Afghans whose applications via the initiative have been accepted will be taken in, but its future is unclear. German Human Rights Commissioner Luise Amtsberg described the initiative as an "important instrument" for protecting Afghans, adding that it was "essential" to continue it given the difficult situation in Afghanistan. Amnesty has reported ongoing violations of human rights and crimes under international law in Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, with women and girls particularly affected. Activists and journalists have faced arrest, torture and disappearance, with many people forced to flee the country. Many refugees are stuck in Iran, Pakistan and Turkey, where they face legal and financial problems along with the possibility of being deported to Afghanistan, Amnesty said. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Thirty years since it launched, Amtrak Cascades is seeing some of its highest ridership levels ever recorded. The Oregon Department of Transportation and Washington State Department of Transportation first joined forces for passenger rail service in April 1994, with only one daily round trip between Portland and Seattle. Lake Oswego School District will implement cell phone ban this school year The departments currently offer six round trips between the two destinations every day. ODOT spokesperson Shelley Snow explained that leaders added new routes last December to meet the demand for travel from Oregons largest city to Washingtons largest city. Since then, the popularity of trains just in Amtrak Cascades Oregon portion with stops in Portland, Oregon City, Salem, Albany and Eugene has increased as well. Were seeing high ridership on the entire corridor, but particularly high for Oregon, because we dont have that same population base, of course, that you have in the Portland and Seattle area, Snow told KOIN 6. So while thats been nice, steady growth between Portland and Seattle, where weve really seen significant growth is between Portland and Eugene. City considers combination of Keller remodel and new performance center at PSU The spokesperson reported that June was the busiest month on record for Oregon stops. Amtrak Cascades recorded more than 15,000 riders for that portion of the route alone about a 36% increase from the riders in June 2023. Snow is still awaiting data on July ridership, but she estimates it was another busy month for rail service. Amtrak Cascades regularly sees growth in March, April and November due to spring break and Thanksgiving celebrations. Outside of school breaks and holidays, Snow said the company sees other increases in ridership when there are increases in gas prices. Coco Donuts intros new, innovative taste treats She also noted that some travelers may purchase a train ticket to avoid the congestion that often comes with city highways like Portlands Interstate 5. The northbound corridor of I-5, from I-405 to the Washington border, was recently named one of the busiest corridors nationwide. People can realize that they can hop on the train and enjoy a comfort level . Theres no hassles with the traffic, of course, or in the end, when youre parking on having to pay for parking, you dont have to worry about all that, she added, later citing the ease that comes with using Amtrak to visit a destination like Vancouver, B.C. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. By Tom Balmforth, Pavel Polityuk KYIV (Reuters) -Ukraine has chalked up a string of victories more than a week since blindsiding Russia with a lightning cross-border assault, but the risks are piling up as its troops make plans to hold territory and Russia recovers its footing. Ukraine poured thousands of troops into the western Russian region of Kursk last week, pulling down Russian flags in towns seized by its soldiers and wresting the war initiative from Moscow for the first time in months. On Wednesday, officials in Kyiv said Ukraine would use seized Russian territory as a "buffer zone" to shield its north from Russian strikes. Oleksandr Syrskyi, head of the Ukrainian armed forces, said on Thursday that Kyiv had set up a military commandant's office in the occupied part of Kursk, suggesting ambitions to dig in. The occupied area exceeds 1,150 sq km, Syrskyi said. Ukraine's goals in Kursk include distracting Russian forces from the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas, where Russia has made steady advances for months and which it is seeking to take in its entirety, former Ukrainian defence minister Andriy Zagorodnyuk said in an interview. There is, however, no sign of that happening for now. Apart from a reputational blow to President Vladimir Putin, the biggest invasion of Russia since World War Two has destroyed Russian forces, captured soldiers who can be traded and created a sore on Russia's flank, said Polish military analyst Konrad Muzyka. The Russian defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Ukraine's defence ministry referred questions to the armed forces, which did not immediately respond. Russian officials have said the Ukrainian attack on Russian territory is a "terrorist invasion" and that civilian infrastructure was targeted, which Ukraine denies. Putin said that Russia will deliver a "worthy response" to the attack but that the immediate task is to eject all Ukrainian troops from Russian territory. Ukraine, which has not said how long it might remain, was "not interested" in permanently taking Russian land, a foreign ministry spokesperson said this week. Putin has said Ukraine wants the territory as a bargaining chip in eventual peace talks. Serhiy Zgurets, a Kyiv-based military analyst, predicted Ukraine would seek to retain control of the land between the towns of Rylsk, Korenevoye and Sudzha and the border, giving it control of a roughly 20-km-wide strip of Russian territory. The area, he said, could be defended by a small force using long-range artillery systems and air defences. "This line is not difficult to defend, given there are few roads and a large number of rivers," Zgurets said, adding that the area could be easily supplied from the Ukrainian region of Sumy across the border. He said he didn't expect troops to press towards the Russian regional capital of Kursk, something that could expose them to attacks from the flanks. Muzyka was more circumspect, warning that trying to hold a swathe of Russian land could open up Ukrainian forces to potentially heavy losses, pointing to manpower problems that have dogged Ukraine for months in its war with a much larger foe. The counter-invasion was "a massive gamble" that in the short term was paying off, Muzyka said. "But there may soon come a time when costs associated with the attack in the Kursk region will outweigh the benefits, especially given the steady pace of Russian advances in the Donetsk region," he said. RUSSIA RESPONSE After a shambolic response to the early days of Ukraine's assault that saw tanks and Western-supplied armoured vehicles among convoys that carried troops across the border, Russia finally appears to have slowed the advances. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said forces had advanced a few kilometres on Wednesday. A senior Russian commander said on Thursday that Ukrainian forces had been pushed out of one village in Russia's border region but that Kyiv's forces were still probing along the front. Satellite images from Planet Lab and Maxar showed multiple, apparently new, Russian-built trenches further from the border in Kursk region. Russia has so far relied on military units from near Kursk to try to push back the Ukrainian forces, said Pasi Paroinen, an analyst with Finland's Black Bird Group, which studies publicly available footage from the Russia-Ukraine war. By bringing the war to Russia, Zelenskiy faces the risk of weakening Kyiv's defences along the front in Ukraine while Russia has already sent in thousands of reserves in a bid to expel the Ukrainian soldiers. Moscow should have enough reserves, Paroinen said, to respond without pulling troops from the most active frontline of the war in the Donbas region. Russia has been advancing slowly there for months, deploying gliding bombs in huge numbers as well as assault groups that take heavy losses but make small steps forward, former defence minister Zagorodnyuk said. Far from a letup in fighting in the east, Ukraine on Thursday reported the heaviest fighting in weeks near Pokrovsk and said there was no sign Russian military pressure was receding along the eastern front inside its borders. In a tacit acknowledgment of mounting pressure, Zelenskiy ordered his top commander on Wednesday to send more weapons to Pokrovsk and Toretsk, another embattled town that Russia is trying to capture. Ukrainian soldier Dmytro, 36, who was deployed to the Ukrainian side of the Sudzha border during the incursion, said he wanted the war to end quickly, and he hoped the attack on Russia would put Ukraine on a more equal footing in any negotiations. He said he viewed the incursion as a necessary step to ward off a Russian attack on Ukrainian territory across the border from the Kursk region, but that he also felt uncomfortable with invading foreign territory. "Honestly, it does not feel great to do what they (the Russians) did," he said. (Reporting by Tom Balmforth in London and Pavel Polityuk in Kyiv; Additional reporting by Anastasiia Malenko; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel) Editors note: The court date in this story was corrected. DENVER (KDVR) Lumumba Sayers Sr., a well-known anti-violence advocate in the Denver metro, was formally charged with first-degree murder on Thursday. The 17th Judicial District Attorneys Office announced the filing of charges against Sayers Sr. for his alleged role in the death of Malcolm Watson at a childs birthday party in Commerce City. Affidavit: Anti-violence activist arrested in suspected revenge killing Per the district attorneys office, Sayers Sr. was charged with first-degree murder and two counts of menacing. We know this was a jarring crime as it happened in such a crowded place a parking lot that services both a popular pool and park filled with families and children just trying to enjoy their last days of summer. Violence like this wont be tolerated in our city. Those who choose to perpetrate it will be held accountable, said the Commerce City Police Department on Facebook. FOX31s Vicente Arenas was in court on Thursday where the judge had to create an overflow room because so many showed up in support of both the suspect and the victim. The hearing became heated when the victims family members began to plead with the judge to not lower Sayers bond, which was initially set at $1 million. During the hearing, the bond was raised to $5 million. Several of the victims family members, including his sisters, said they feared for their lives adding that they believed Sayers would continue on his path of vengeance if he were set free on bail. One of the most emotional moments came when Watsons mother stood at the podium before the judge. She at times shouted in the courtroom during the bond hearing, yelled expletives, pounded the podium and called Sayers a fraud. For several minutes, Sayers was removed from the courtroom during some of the most contentious moments. He was later brought back in, but the judge ordered spectators in the courtroom to stay calm. At least 7 deputies were standing in the courtroom at one point. Man killed at birthday party On Aug. 10, Commerce City police responded to a shooting at Pioneer Park at around 5 p.m. According to the arrest affidavit obtained by FOX31, witnesses told police that Sayers Sr. showed up to the party uninvited and walked up to Watson and shot him. A witness was caught on video yelling at Sayers Sr. that he killed her babys daddy on her babys birthday, according to the affidavit. A father fought against gun violence, and then it took his son Detectives who spoke to witnesses at the scene were told Watson was a friend of the person who allegedly killed Sayers Sr.s son one year ago. The witnesses said Watsons murder was probably retaliation or revenge, and detectives are considering this as a possible motive. In August 2023, Sayers Sr. lost his son to gun violence after he was shot and killed near 28th and Welton streets. Sayers Sr. was booked into the Adams County Jail on a $5 million bond. The preliminary trial is set for Oct. 4 at 9 a.m. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. COPENHAGEN (Reuters) -Anti-whaling activist Paul Watson will remain in detention in Greenland after he was arrested in the Danish autonomous territory last month, while Denmark decides whether to extradite him to Japan, a local court ruled on Thursday. U.S.-Canadian Watson, 73, founder of the Sea Shepherd conservationist group and of the Captain Paul Watson Foundation, was apprehended by police when his ship docked at the port of Nuuk on July 21. Watson will remain in detention until Sept. 5, police in Greenland said in a statement, adding that he had appealed the Nuuk court's decision. Japan issued an international warrant for his arrest more than a decade ago, seeking him on charges of breaking into a Japanese vessel in the Antarctic Ocean in 2010, obstructing its business and causing injury as well as property damage. Supporters of Watson have launched a campaign for his release, enlisting the support of politicians and celebrities, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Irish actor Pierce Brosnan and others. (Reporting by Louise Breusch Rasmussen, editing by Terje Solsvik) UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Dai Bing, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, on Wednesday urged the international community to earnestly respect South Sudan's sovereignty and ownership in its political transition, and refrain from interventionist pressurizing or imposing external standards. South Sudan has been making great efforts to promote political transition and maintain national stability, and the international community should support the country in better implementing the Revitalized Agreement, encourage parties to engage in political dialogue, strength unity and mutual trust, and garner more political consensus from the general elections, Dai said in remarks at the Security Council briefing on the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). "China welcomes South Sudan's announcement to hold general elections in the coming December, and supports South Sudan in capitalizing on this opportunity to move forward towards peace," he said. Highlighting the difficulties and challenges facing South Sudan in financing elections, the ambassador called for providing additional resources for the functioning of key institutions such as the national elections commission and the deployment of unified forces. He underscored South Sudan's unique national conditions and realities, stressing that the people of South Sudan "have the right to determine their country's destiny." Addressing the security challenges such as intercommunal conflicts in South Sudan, Dai expressed support for the government of South Sudan in engaging dialogue with the relevant communities, as well as intercommunal dialogue to seek lasting solutions to the disputes over land, pasture, and transhumance, and achieve peace and reconciliation as soon as possible. He also urged the international community and UNMISS to continue to support the government of South Sudan in strengthening capacity building in the field of security, advancing security sector reform, and effectively enhancing its capacity to protect civilians. Emphasizing the impact of the conflict in Sudan on the security situation in South Sudan, he called on the international community to help South Sudan curb the cross-border flow of armed elements, crack down on cross-border crimes and the illegal trafficking of small arms and light weapons, and maintain security and stability in South Sudan. Dai urged the World Bank, the United Nations Development Program, and other development partners, as well as traditional donors, to provide greater support to South Sudan in terms of livelihood security and economic development. "The international community should take seriously the severe challenges posed by insufficient humanitarian response funds in South Sudan, step up humanitarian assistance, and meet the humanitarian needs of South Sudan," Dai said, adding that China, as a major troop-contributing country to UNMISS, "will continue to firmly support the work of UNMISS and contribute to the peace and prosperity of South Sudan." Canadian animal rights activist Paul Watson, who has been released from prison under conditions, speaks at a press conference at the Papageno music theater in Frankfurt am Main. picture alliance / dpa Canadian-US environmentalist and anti-whaling campaigner Paul Watson is to remain in custody in Greenland following his arrest in July pending possible deportation to Japan, police said on Thursday. The Nuuk district court has extended Watson's detention to September 5, while an international arrest warrant is processed. Watson is to appeal the court ruling. Watson, 73, was arrested after entering Nuuk harbour with the ship, the John Paul DeJoria, on July 21. Watson, who founded the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, has been an animal rights activist for decades, drawing opposition from various whaling nations on account of his style of direct action. He is controversial among other environmentalists, some of whom see him as a hero while others describe him as an eco-terrorist. According to the Danish Justice Ministry, the Greenland authorities have to investigate whether the conditions for deportation have been fulfilled under the autonomous territory's legislation. A final decision will be taken by the Danish authorities in Copenhagen. It is not clear when this will occur. Originally a member of Greenpeace, Watson has fallen out with that organization on account of his methods. Activists have called for Watson's release. If deported to Japan, he is said to face up to 15 years in prison for causing injury during an attack on a Japanese whaler. AUSTIN (KXAN) The Austin Police Department, the Travis County Sheriffs Office and SWAT team responded to a barricaded subject Thursday morning at east Austin apartment complex. A public information officer with APD said officers responded around 12:45 a.m. to a shoot/stab hotshot call at the Urban Villas Apartments located at 4411 Airport Blvd. That area is just east of I-35. This embedded content is not available in your region. Officers found a man in his 40s with obvious serious injuries when they arrived to the scene. Austin-Travis County EMS treated the man and took him to a local hospital, where hes being treated for non-life-threatening injuries, according to APD. Police said the information they gathered at the scene led officers to believe the suspect had gone back inside the apartment and locked the door, so the TCSO SWAT team was requested. SWAT was on the scene for several hours, but eventually officers discovered the suspect was not at the apartment. The relationship between the victim and suspect was not clear. Police said they believe this was an isolated incident and theres no threat to the public. Anyone with information is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 512-472-TIPS (8477). Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. EAST PROVIDENCE (WPRI) Theres one thing everyone attending the Crescent Park Advisory Commission meeting agreed on Wednesday night: the Looff Carousel is one of East Providences most treasured gems. But how to preserve that gem remains a point of contention. I love the carousel dearly, but please dont do this to us, said resident Linda McEntee, referring to new plans for the park. Despite pushback from residents, the commission voted 7-2 to recommend approving a development proposal for the park. The proposal was redesigned based on feedback from residents in the city earlier this year. RELATED: Dune Brothers to reopen Crescent Park clam shack The revised plans include a new clam shack building near the carousel, which differs from the former proposal that placed it across the street closer to the water. Some residents questioned why the existing clam shack couldnt be torn down and rebuilt in the same place, but Tracy Johnson with the Crescent Park Advisory Commission said historic preservation permits forbid it. We cannot just rebuild or expand on the building that we have, Johnson explained. Im not dumb. It would be cheaper, it would be easier, it would be faster. However, its not permitted. Across the street from the carousel, on the waterfront side of the park, the proposal includes plans for a 1,400 square foot event office building, and a 50-by-100 foot concrete slab to serve as a platform for a semi-permanent tent to host weddings and other events. The plans also include expanded parking near the carousel, new bathrooms, outdoor showers and a revamped seawall near the beach area. MORE: Crescent Park Beach to reopen for swimming in 2026 Members of the commission said the project is designed to create revenue to help sustain the beloved carousel into the future. East Providence Mayor Bob DaSilva echoed that sentiment, adding the plans also create opportunities for not only you, but for people in the community who may want to have an event on the waterside, by the beach, by the water views. But residents who spoke at the meeting made it clear they dont want any changes. This is appalling, one woman said of the proposal. Whats wrong with what we have now? another man asked. Some had concerns about increased traffic that could come from weddings at the space. Others said taking space away from the park would be a detriment to the city. Why mess up our green space? Its a beautiful park, McEntee said. Raise money another way. It is in your neighborhood, but were trying to do the best we can to make it an area that remains beautiful and becomes more beautiful, noted Bruce Rogers, acting chair of the commission. We cant continue to run the carousel with just tickets. The revised proposal will now go before the East Providence City Council. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. An apparent murder-suicide in the drive-thru of Taco Bell in Stow left two dead Wednesday night. Two people are dead following an apparent murder-suicide in the drive-thru of the Taco Bell near Akron, Ohio, around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Stow Police Captain Bryan Snavely confirmed. The Taco Bell at 993 Graham Road on the border of Stow and Cuyahoga Falls was surrounded by police cars around 9 p.m. Wednesday, along with fire department responders and a group of people. Brandon Cromer and Blake Sherman said they were working at the nearby Rocco's Pizza when they heard gunshots and people started running into the restaurant for refuge. Other witnesses described seeing a man in the drive-thru exit his vehicle. Witnesses said the man then approached the car in front of him and shot at least one person in the car. They said he then shot himself. At 9 p.m., cars were seen abandoned at the drive-thru. Others who said they witnessed the incident shared their reactions across social media. "We just drove by on our way home and my heart sank. You could hear people crying in the parking lot. Prayers to all involved," one Facebook user wrote. "Someone got out of their car, fired shots into the car in front of them and then turned the gun on themselves," another said. "I heard 4 rapid popping sounds that couldve been gunshots come from the direction of Taco Bell while walking to my car in the Walmart parking lot. A Stow police officer in a pickup truck was there within 3 minutes. He drove up over the sidewalk and sprinted towards the building," a third Facebook user said. This is a developing story. Police surround the Taco Bell on Graham Road in Stow after an apparent murder-suicide in the drive-thru leaves two dead Wednesday night. Police surround the Taco Bell on Graham Road in Stow after an apparent murder-suicide in the drive-thru leaves two dead Wednesday night. Police surround the Taco Bell on Graham Road in Stow after an apparent murder-suicide in the drive-thru leaves two dead Wednesday night. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Taco Bell shooting in Stow, Ohio: 2 dead in apparent murder-suicide Appeals court denies former city employees request for new trial following fraud conviction A federal appeals court has denied a former Atlanta city employees requests for a new trial after being convicted of federal bribery charges. Mitzi Bickers was found guilty of accepting bribes in exchange for steering nearly $20 million in city contracts to local businessmen. Bickers was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, three counts of money laundering, four counts of wire fraud, and one count of tax evasion. In Wednesdays ruling, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals said We find no reversible error that would require a new trial. The court did vacate the sentence over four wire fraud charges against Bickers and remanded the case back to the district court for limited resentencing. RELATED STORIES: Bickers, a one-time confidante of former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, played a key role in his 2009 election and later headed his Office of Human Services for a little more than three years. During her trial in 2023, Bickers was acquitted on bribery allegations related to some activities in Jackson, Mississippi, and bribery-related allegations concerning millions of dollars in contracts in Atlanta after she left her position with the city in 2013. She was also acquitted of tampering with a witness. Bickers was sentenced to 14 years in prison and ordered to pay nearly $3,000,000 in restitution to the City of Atlanta. The judge also ordered Bickers to surrender her lake home, a GMC Acadia Denali, and four Yamaha jet skis because she purchased them with funds from the bribery. Bickers case was the first to go before a jury in a nearly decade-long corruption investigation of the Atlanta city government. RELATED NEWS: NEW MEXICO (KRQE) Applications are now open for an annual funding event highlighting outdoor recreational startups in the state. Five finalists will be chosen for the Adventure Pitch 2024 set for September 23 in Las Cruces. UNM-Gallup gives local high school students hands-on experiences, kickstarting future careers Participants must be for-profit companies headquartered in New Mexico. The finalists will showcase their creative ideas and contribute to the outdoor recreation community. The top three winners will take home a cash prize of up to $10,000. The application is open until August 23. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. Scholars deciphered inscriptions on 4,000-year-old tablets more than 100 years after they were originally discovered. Omens on the tablet threaten tragedies including famines, plagues, and invasions. Mesopotamian civilizations used to view lunar eclipses as warnings for oncoming evil. A king will die. Not the exact thing you want to read on an ancient tablet if you happen to be any sort of superstitious. But its one of several omens that a group of archaeologists read when they finally deciphered a collection of 4,000-year-old cuneiform tabletsover a century after they were discovered. In a recent paper published in the Journal of Cuneiform Studies , experts described and translated a total of 73 cuneiform omens originating from ancient Babylonia. Cuneiform is a logo-syllabic writing system (a system where symbols represent entire words) used by many languages of a region that roughly aligns geographically with the modern Middle East known as the Ancient Near East . Like many others throughout history, the authors of the tablets turned to the supernatural to predict the future. Divination was a hallmark of the Babylonians attempt to understand the world, Andrew George, a retired Assyriologist and one of the authors of the paper, told Popular Mechanics in an email. The omens themselves are tied to a lunar eclipse, which were once believed to warn about oncoming evils. Ancient astronomers may have used first hand experiences to predict what the eclipses foreshadowed, George told Live Science . The origins of some of the omens may have lain in actual experienceobservation of portent followed by catastrophe. From a modern perspective, however, the omens reveal the typical disasters that could happen to the state and tell us about the anxieties that [were] attached to rulership and governance in ancient Babylonia, George told Popular Mechanics. Included in the omens were threats of famine, plague, drought, and even assassinations of leaders. And according to the paper, people of the past took these warnings very seriously. If the prediction associated with a given omen was threatening, for example, a king will die, then an oracular enquiry by extispicy [an examination of a sacrificed animals innards] was conducted to determine whether the king was in real danger, George and Junko Taniguchi, the other author of the paper, wrote in their study. If a kings advisors still felt that there was a threat after the examination, they would attempt to ward off evil with special rituals, the paper explained. Although the complete translations are new, knowledge of the tablets themselves is not. The British Museum originally acquired three of the tablets in the 1890s, and completed the set with the final tablet in 1914. Soon after, the artifacts joined a collection of over 150,000 cuneiform tablets. Because of the scale of the collection and the lack of researchers in the field, the tablets were only rediscovered when a scholar happened to stumble upon them and realize their significance in the 1970s. Studies on the tablets followed standard procedure for Assyriological research: slow reading, detailed line-drawings, and lots of repetition are all parts of the deciphering process, according to George. The paper explains that the tablets take the standard Mesopotamian divinatory list form. The language of the textsAkkadian, the Semitic language of ancient Iraqalso proves that the tablets were Baylonian. Reading the spoken and written word inscribed on cuneiform tablets can help create an accurate picture of what life and culture may have looked like 2,000 to 4,500 years ago, according to George. In 150 years we have progressed from knowing almost nothing about the Babylonians and Assyrians (only what the Greeks and Biblical books told us), he wrote, to accumulating a great mountain of knowledge of their civilization, its history, religion, literature, social and economic history, all painstakingly reconstructed from those cuneiform texts which have been published in the interim. You Might Also Like Is Arizona an emerging problem for Donald Trump? He could return to the state soon Arizona used to be a near-foregone conclusion for Donald Trump. Now its an emerging problem," according to one longtime political observer. Vice President Kamala Harris is rising in battleground state polls and drew thousands to a political rally in Glendale last week, establishing herself as a more formidable Trump opponent than President Joe Biden was. Now, Republicans wonder whether Trump has been present in Arizona enough and say he is losing ground to Democrats. They're on their back foot, said Chuck Coughlin, a longtime GOP strategist who left the party during the Trump era. Arizona clearly is an emerging problem for him. Trump could address some of those criticisms in person as soon as next week. The former president is weighing a trip to Arizonas southern border in Cochise County, where the U.S.-Mexico border runs for 84 miles. The region is home to two ports of entry: Douglas and Naco. Sierra Vista Mayor Clea McCaa and Sierra Vista police Chief Chris Hiser will be present for Trumps visit, a city spokesperson said on Wednesday. It is not clear what day Trump might visit the county, and the former presidents campaign declined to answer questions about his travel plans. Arizona is a top campaign destination for presidential candidates because it is among a handful of states that could decide the outcome of the 2024 election. Trump lost here by fewer than 11,000 votes in 2020, the smallest margin of any state on the electoral map. It was the first time a Democratic presidential candidate had won in Arizona since 1996 and only the second time since 1948. Democrats had all but given up on Arizonas presidential prospects at the beginning of the summer, but the well-choreographed swap at the top of the ticket has injected new enthusiasm in the party. Harris held smaller Arizona events during her tenure as vice president but drew a crowd of 15,000 to Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale last week for her first Arizona appearance as the Democratic nominee. Trump addressed some 4,000 people at a rally at Dream City Church in Phoenix in June. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report just changed its Arizona presidential election forecast from lean Republican to toss-up, and a survey from Coughlins polling firm HighGround found Harris narrowly leading Trump in Arizona 44% to 42% among likely voters. (The HighGround survey was conducted July 30-Aug. 5 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.38 percentage points). I didn't think Democrats thought they could win out here, Coughlin said. Now they're like, oh ... we might be able to win this thing. The Trump campaign has put more resources into Arizona lately, dispatching vice presidential nominee JD Vance for a rally and border tour in Cochise County, the same region Trump is considering visiting. Trump and his allies are also pouring millions into TV ad buys to attack Harris on immigration and the economy. MAGA Inc. just announced a $100 million TV ad buy across the battleground states of Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Arizona, Georgia and North Carolina, POLITICO reported. It's hard to believe until you see it with your own eyes, just how bad the policies of the Kamala Harris administration have been when it comes to the southern border, Vance said during his trip to the border wall, making sure to attack Harris on one of her most vulnerable issues. Trump has veered off track with his messaging, though, according to one of his Arizona backers. Trump never stops speaking and should stick to a campaign message that can broaden his coalition, said Arizona Republican Alberto Gutier, who served as a Trump elector in 2016. Trump can still win it, but hes gonna have to solidify what's left of the party, Gutier said, pointing to struggles Arizona Republicans have faced in recent years. The GOP lost three Senate races, the Governors Office, the Secretary of States Office and the Attorney Generals Office during the Trump era. For its part, the Trump campaign said his momentum is growing and attacked Harris on the economy and the border. Everything from rent, groceries to gas is far more expensive under Kamala Harris. Under her failed leadership, Arizona families have experienced record high prices and an unruly border crisis; our communities have been less safe, and deadly drugs are killing our youth. President Trump offers Arizona voters hope through his agenda to make Arizona safe and affordable again," Arizonas Team Trump spokesperson Halee Dobbins said in a written statement. "The momentum is only growing for Trump ahead of November as voters grow sick and tired of Harris lies and unlivable policies; Arizona wont buy her gaslighting this fall."But Gutier said hes worried that Harris appeals to a noteworthy voting group that could help sway the election result. Here in Arizona, young people, a lot of people who have not been involved in politics, see her as a savior, Gutier said. Good luck, America. Still, Trump just got a boost from a top Arizona Republican whom he butted heads with in the past. Former GOP Gov. Doug Ducey endorsed Trump on Tuesday, putting his differences aside to back the former president who once said Ducey was betraying Arizona by certifying the 2020 election results. Differences aside, there is too much on the line and only a Republican in the White House and a majority in the House and US Senate can ensure it, Ducey said, throwing his support behind Trump and GOP Senate nominee Kari Lake. No charges: Why Arizona Attorney General Mayes didn't want to indict Trump in fake elector case He also received praise from the Arizona Republican Party chair for taking questions from billionaire Trump booster Elon Musk during a lengthy livestream on Musks social media site. Harris has taken few questions from reporters since she became her partys nominee. The conversation between President Trump and Elon Musk on X Spaces again demonstrated President Trump's commitment to transparency and direct engagement with the American people, Arizona GOP Chair Gina Swoboda said in a written statement. In stark contrast, Kamala Harris has been noticeably absent from the media for over three weeks. When it comes to campaigning offline, Trump has a lighter footprint than the Harris operation in Arizona. The Trump campaign has eight offices here, compared with Harris 12, though it says it has plans to open more ahead of the election. Trump offices are in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Casa Grande, Sun City, Chandler, Mesa, Tucson and Kingman. The campaign also holds Super Saturday training sessions for volunteers around the state. The Harris-Walz campaign has seen a surge of momentum as voters are responding to Vice President Harris fight to bring down costs, secure the border, and make sure Arizona families dont just get by but get ahead, Harris spokesperson Jacques Petit said in a written statement. Meanwhile Donald Trump and JD Vance have almost no presence in the state and are running on a toxic Project 2025 agenda to ban abortion in Arizona and slash Medicare and Social Security, which is why Republicans, Democrats and Independents are coming together to defeat them and deliver the White House for Vice President Harris and Governor Walz. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Is Arizona an emerging problem for Donald Trump? What to know An Arizona man pleaded guilty to making threats against federal officials on Tuesday, having repeatedly urged fellow social media users to shoot FBI agents and attack politicians, authorities said. Michael Lee Tomasi, 37, of Rio Verde, Arizona, leveled a series of threats against FBI agents, elected officials and the judge overseeing right-wing conspiracist Alex Jones' defamation case, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Tomasi posted the graphic threats over a more than two-year period between May 2021 and November of 2023. primarily on the social media platform 'www.patriots.win', which describes itself as the community of choice for President Donald J. Trump. Tomasi -- who was living in Colorado and Arizona at the time of the offenses -- pleaded guilty to making threats against federal officials, per a Department of Justice press release. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 23, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Among the offenses detailed in the original indictment were a November 2021 threat to sexually assault a congresswoman. MORE: Man killed during FBI raid in connection with threats against Biden, other officials Tomasi also called for the execution of another member of Congress in March 2022, declaring: Hes one of them. Kill every corrupt politician. The defendant repeatedly threatened FBI agents, writing in November 2021: FBI has no legal ability to enforce anything. Shoot on site. In an August 2023 post, Tomasi called for instant death for FBI agents. Shoot the FBI first ask questions later, he wrote. They are terrorists that deserve nothing but to be shot on site. Tomasi also posted a video of him dancing with two guns in a post titled, "My Let's Go Brandon dance," a reference to a derogatory meme about President Joe Biden. In a Department of Justice press release, U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona said the "disgruntled defendant" was "prepared to carry out his threats: when arrested he had a loaded handgun in his vehicle, as well as other firearms and body armor in his home." -ABC News Alexander Mallin contributed to this report. Arizona man pleads guilty over threatening to kill FBI agents, politicians originally appeared on abcnews.go.com On Saturday, July 6, 55-year-old Chris Zwierzynski was continuing his ongoing quest to climb the highest points in every state following his 50th birthday An Arizona man recently survived the unthinkable after he fell 700 feet from a mountain and lived to retell the frightening ordeal. On Saturday, July 6, 55-year-old Chris Zwierzynski was continuing his ongoing quest to climb the highest points in every state following his 50th birthday but as he climbed Oregons Mount Hood, he fell a shocking 700 feet and sustained serious injuries requiring him to be airlifted to a local hospital by the Oregon National Guard, according to local NBC affiliate KPNX. Zwierzynski sustained broken ribs, a broken ankle and other extreme injuries. "His eyes were swollen shut. [His] eye sockets were broken," his wife Laurie Zwierzynski told the outlet. "His nose was broken in two places. He had two brain bleeds and a concussion," she continued. Courtesy Portland Mountain Rescue The rescue of Chris Zwierzynski on Mount Hood, Oregon Most of the doctors that I talk to, my friends, my family, everyone's using the word miracle like I'm some kind of miracle for having survived this fall," Zwierzynski told KPNX. "Maybe I am." A GoFundMe has been set up to help with Zwierzynskis medical expenses, with close to $9,000 raised so far as of the time of publication, exceeding the initial $5,000 goal. Related: Climber Recalls Watching Friend Fall Down Mountain and Thinking, 'He's Going to Die' Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. In a statement regarding the incident shared with PEOPLE from the Clackamas County Sheriffs Office, at around 7:45 a.m. local time, Zwierzynski slipped on the Old Chute route on Mt. Hood" and fell. In addition to confirming that the snow surface was frozen, authorities also described the conditions of the mountain, saying it is a very steep climbing route, high on the mountain's south side, located at around 11,200' elevation. Related: Mountaineer Has Leg Amputated After Fall at 20,000 Feet on Highest Mountain in Americas Off-duty military medics witnessed his fall and descended to help. Two Mt. Hood National Forest climbing rangers also were in the area, and provided first aid to the injured climber, the statement continued. Per AZFamily, following his fall, Zwierzynskis family released a statement thanking those who came quickly to his aid. The Zwierzynski family is beyond grateful. Chris was so blessed to have people there when the fall happened. The swiftness of aid was a Godsend. We are so thankful to the other hikers, the rangers, the rescue teams and the Hospital staff. They are true angels, the statement said. While many would likely swear off mountain climbing for good, Zwierzynski said that despite his many injuries, he plans to tackle it again in the future. "I'll probably contact one of the guides and have them go with me, just so I don't tempt fate," he told KPNX. "But I think it definitely is doable." For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. MOSCOW, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- A mandatory evacuation has been ordered for all residents of the Glushkovsky district in Russia's Kursk region, Acting Governor Alexei Smirnov announced on his official Telegram channel Wednesday. "The regional operational headquarters has decided to mandate the evacuation of the entire Glushkovsky district," Smirnov said. The Glushkovsky district, which borders Ukraine, comprises two towns and 11 villages. This comes after an earlier announcement of a mandatory evacuation in the settlement of Glushkovo within the district. Law enforcement agencies, local authorities, and volunteers from the Kursk Patriot Center will coordinate the evacuation process. Arizona for Abortion Access volunteers gather signatures for a petition to put the Arizona Abortion Access Act on the ballot in the November election. The act would put a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would guarantee the right to an abortion up to fetal viability, about 23 to 24 weeks of gestation. Photo courtesy of Arizona for Abortion Access Aug. 15 (UPI) -- The Arizona Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that the term "unborn human being" can be used on a voter guide providing information about a ballot measure to constitutionalize the right to an abortion. The court overruled the decision of a Maricopa County judge, ruling the phrase "unborn human being" meets the legal standard to be used on the pamphlet. The Arizona Legislative Council drafts and approves the language used in this pamphlet. The joint committee is meant to draft the language of bills and perform research in a nonpartisan way. Ahead of elections it dictates the language that will appear in a pamphlet for voters to help them better understand the ballot initiatives that will be before them in November. The council adopted the term "unborn human being" to be included in the pamphlet to inform voters about Proposition 139. The term, and terms like it, are typically used by organizations opposed to abortion access. The medically recognized term during the gestational stage is fetus. Proposition 139 is an amendment that would guarantee the right to seek an abortion up to fetal viability, around 23 to 24 weeks of gestation. This was the standard in Arizona before the Dobbs decision in 2022. Supporters of a constitutional amendment that would guarantee the right to an abortion in Arizona gather outside the Secretary of State's office on July 3 to turn in signatures to put the amendment on the ballot. Photo courtesy of Arizona for Abortion Access State Rep. Nancy Gutierrez is one of the six Democrats on the council, along with eight Republicans. She and other Democrats argued that the term approved by their Republican counterparts is "inflammatory" and not neutral. Republicans argued that "fetus" is not a specific enough term. "Our voices are not heard often in committee," Gutierrez told UPI. "They overruled us like they did every single point on the ballot measures that day." Dawn Penich, communications director for Arizona for Abortion Access, told UPI using the term "unborn human being" is an attempt to bias voters against the amendment. "They have every right to do that in their own mailers and campaign commercials," she said. "They cannot do that in what is supposed to be an objective and impartial document." The office of Secretary of State Adrian Fontes reported Monday that the Arizona Abortion Access Act petition cleared the required 383,923 valid signatures to put Proposition 139 before voters. It did so with 577,971 signatures. Arizona Right to Life, a group opposing the measure, has taken its challenge to the Supreme Court. Arizona Right to Life has been running a "Decline to Sign" campaign opposite the petition. Following that failed attempt to halt the constitutional amendment, it is arguing that the petition was "misleading." "Their faulty abortion distortion petition is misleading," Jill Norgaard, board member for Arizona Right to Life, said in a statement. "Austin Yost, AAA attorney stated in Superior Court that the Initiative has 'unrestricted abortion up to and after fetal viability' -- a statement clouded in the language of the Initiative." Norgaard did not respond to requests for an interview. The lawsuit, filed against Fontes and Arizona for Abortion Access -- the group that headed the petition effort -- comes with a request for an expedited decision. It is pushing for a decision to come down before the ballot printing deadline on Aug. 22. Despite the challenge, proponents for the amendment are confident it will be on the ballot and it will pass. "We feel really confident that the same enthusiasm that got us to that historic number of signatures is going to show up on election day," Penich said. The U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade put Arizona and several other states at the center of what Penich describes as a "judicial whiplash." Healthcare providers and women seeking reproductive care have been caught in it through a sometimes quickly changing legal landscape. Arizona adopted a 15-week abortion ban and for a time took up a Civil War-era ban on nearly all abortions. Gov. Katie Hobbs signed legislation to repeal the 1864 law adopted by the state supreme court. The back-and-forth has caused some pregnant women to struggle finding appropriate prenatal care as clinics struggle to keep up, Penich said. "We want to make sure we get out of this political flip-flopping," Penich said. "People are tired of it." Authorities have made an arrest in the accidental overdose death of actor Matthew Perry. Law enforcement sources told NBC News that the arrest was made on Thursday in Southern California. TMZ reports that multiple arrests were made and among them was a doctor. However, KTLA 5 has not been able to confirm that information. The Associated Press says at least one person was arrested. The Drug Enforcement Administration told KTLA that they are not commenting or providing information on this matter at this time and deferred further comments to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Law enforcement and loved ones arrive at Matthew Perry's Pacific Palisades home following news of the actor's death on Oct. 28, 2023. (TNLA) Officials are set to have a news conference later on Thursday with more information. In October of 2023, Perry was found unresponsive at his Pacific Palisades home. Following an autopsy, the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner revealed in December the Friends actor died from acute effects of ketamine. In May, the Los Angeles Police Department said they were working with the DEA and the United States Postal Inspection Service to find out how and why the actor had so much of the substance in his system when he passed away. There were trace amounts of ketamine detected in the stomach contents, the autopsy report stated. He was reported to be receiving ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety. Per the report, Perrys last known treatment was one-and-a-half weeks before his death and the ketamine that was in his system when he died could not be from that infusion therapy, since ketamines half-life is three to four hours, or less. According to the Drug Enforcement Agency, ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic that has some hallucinogenic effects. It is often viewed as a club drug that is popular among youth and young adults at raves and EDM concerts. The report also found that contributing factors in Perrys death included drowning, coronary artery disease and buprenorphine effects. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Buprenorphine is the first medication to treat opioid use disorder (OUD) that can be prescribed or dispensed in physician offices, significantly increasing access to treatment. The manner of the death was listed as accidental (drug and drowning-related) and there were no signs of foul play are suspected. Drowning contributes due to the likelihood of submersion into the pool as he lapsed into unconsciousness; coronary artery disease contributes due to exacerbation of ketamine-induced myocardial effects on the heart, the report continued. Buprenorphine effects are listed as contributory, even though not at toxic levels, due to the additive respiratory effects when present with high levels of ketamine. Autopsy shows no fatal blunt or penetrating trauma. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. Five people, including two doctors, have now been charged in connection to the overdose death of actor Matthew Perry. The Department of Justice announced two new arrests in the case in Southern California on Thursday. Dr. Salvador Plasencia was arrested for allegedly distributing the drug, as was alleged drug dealer Jasveen Sangha. Both defendants face multiple additional charges, according to a DOJ press release. Dr. Mark Chavez has already agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and faces up to 10 years in prison, the DOJ said. The other defendants Eric Fleming, who admitted to obtaining the ketamine from Sangha, and Kenneth Iwamasa, Perrys personal assistant who injected him with ketamine the day he died have already pleaded guilty, according to the DOJ. Perry, one of the stars of the hit sitcom Friends, died in October after overdosing on ketamine and drowning in his hot tub. He was 54. We allege each of the defendants played a key role in his death by falsely prescribing, selling, or injecting the ketamine that caused Matthew Perrys tragic death, DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said in a statement. Matthew Perrys journey began with unscrupulous doctors who abused their position of trust because they saw him as a payday, to street dealers who gave him ketamine in unmarked vials. When police searched Sanghas home, they discovered thousands of dollars worth of methamphetamine and ketamine, according to the indictment. A photo from the indictment shows thousands of dollars worth of alleged drugs found in the home of Jasveen Sangha. Drug Enforcement Administration The superseding indictment alleges that Sanghas distribution of ketamine on October 24, 2023, caused Perrys death, the DOJ said in a statement. Plasencia is charged with seven counts of distribution of ketamine and two counts of altering and falsifying documents or records related to the federal investigation. Authorities, including the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, first opened an investigation into Perrys death in May. Perry, who had been outspoken about his struggles with addiction, had previously undergone ketamine treatment. The medical examiner who determined Perrys cause of death noted that he had levels of ketamine in his blood equivalent to the amount used during general anesthesia. If found guilty on all charges, Sangha could face up to life in prison. All other defendants face minimum prison sentences of between 10 and 20 years if they are found guilty. Related... The LAPD started an investigation in May. Mark Sagliocco/Getty Images Multiple outlets, including NBC News, ABC 7, and The New York Times report that multiple people have been arrested in connection with the death of actor Matthew Perry. The Friends star passed away in October 2023 at the age of 54. People adds that initially, no additional information was provided about the arrest, and that the parties involved had not been identified and the charges they may face have also not been shared with the public. The Department of Justice plans on hosting a press conference later today to share more information. Getty Images After Perry passed away on October 28, an autopsy report showed that he died from "acute effects of ketamine." The investigation also cited drowning, coronary artery disease, and the effects of buprenorphine (a medication used to treat opioid disorders) as contributing factors. The Los Angeles Police Department started an investigation into Perry's death in May 2024. Eventually, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. postal inspectors were also brought in to assist in the LAPD's efforts. Matthew Eisman/Getty Images In his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, Perry shared that he'd struggled with addiction and that he'd started ketamine infusion therapy. Part of why he wrote the book, he explained, was to help other people handling the same issues as he was. I wanted to share when I was safe from going into the dark side again, Perry told People in 2022. I had to wait until I was pretty safely soberand away from the active disease of alcoholism and addictionto write it all down. I was pretty certain that it would help people if I did. According to The New York Times, after news dropped this morning about the Los Angeles Police Department arresting individuals involved in his death, specific people have been named, including members of Perry's medical team and his personal assistant. The Times reports that "two doctors and several others have been indicted and charged with providing the ketamine" that led to Perry's death. According to court documents, "Mr. Perrys assistant [Kenneth Iwamasa] and an acquaintance had worked with two doctors and a drug dealer to procure thousands of dollars worth of ketamine." Grand jury charges have been filed against Jasveen Sangha and Dr. Salvador Plasencia. Sangha is known as the "Ketamine Queen" per the Times and Plasencia worked at an urgent care facility. Charges include "conspiracy to distribute ketamine; distribution of ketamine resulting in death; possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; and altering and falsifying records related to a federal investigation." Additional charges for conspiracy to distribute ketamine were made against Iwamasa; physician Mark Chavez; and Erik Fleming, one of Perry's acquaintances. For more InStyle news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on InStyle. Los Angeles law enforcement has made an arrest related to their investigation into the October 2023 death of "Friends" actor Matthew Perry, per a report from the New York Times. A postmortem toxicology report by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office found that Perry had died from a combination of drowning in a hot tub, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine, with the effects of ketamine as the primary cause. According to CNN, during a Thursday morning press conference in Los Angeles, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said of the five individuals charged, The knew what they were doing was wrong, but took advantage of the actor's addiction by distributing ketamine to Perry during the final weeks of the actors life." The defendants include two doctors, Perrys live-in personal assistant and a person referred to by authorities as The Ketamine Queen." The NYT report noted that Perry had been on ketamine infusion therapy around the time of his death; however, the autopsy report concluded that the level of the drug found in his blood was much higher, equivalent to the dosage that would be administered for general anesthesia. DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said in the press release, Matthew Perrys journey began with unscrupulous doctors who abused their position of trust because they saw him as a payday, to street dealers who gave him ketamine in unmarked vials." PICKENS COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) An arrest has been made in connection with a deadly shooting outside a Pickens County home in early August. The Pickens County Sheriffs Office said deputies responded to a home on Donna Lane just outside of Easley around 9:30 p.m. on August 3 for a shooting. When deputies arrived, they found a man lying in the yard with multiple gunshot wounds. NTSB releases report on deadly NC plane crash The victim, 21-year-old Cory Ryder Vickery, died from his injuries at Greenville Memorial Hospital. The sheriffs office identified the suspect in the shooting as 21-year-old Micah Javon Duckett. Warrants stated that investigators found cell phone messages about plans for the suspect and victim to meet at the shooting location around the time of the shooting. Duckett was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon at his home. He has been charged with murder and is being held in the Pickens County Detention Center without bond. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS. Arrest made in deadly shooting, fiery crash on American Way MEMPHIS, Tenn. A man is now charged in a deadly shooting that led to a fiery crash earlier this month in Parkway Village. Isiah Jones, 22, is charged with first-degree murder. On August 5, officers say they responded to the Extended Stay on American Way around 3 a.m. after someone said they heard more than a dozen gunshots. While searching the area, police say they found a wrecked Tahoe on fire about a mile and a half away. Police say a male victim was found inside, dead from his injuries. The victim has been identified as 31-year-old James Presgrove. According to reports, it started when Presgrove pulled up to the Extended Stay and parked his Tahoe in the back parking lot. That is when Jones allegedly blocked Presgrove in, got out of a car, pointed two guns at the victim, and fired multiple shots. Presgrove reportedly put the Tahoe in reverse and drove away before he crashed and his vehicle caught on fire. Shortly after the crash, police say video surveillance captured Jones walking westbound on American Way and getting into the front passenger seat of a white sedan. Investigators say after further investigation, Jones was identified as the suspect. Isiah Jones is now scheduled to appear in court on Thursday morning. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. (BCN) Police in Rohnert Park on Wednesday arrested a man suspected in the burglary and vandalism of a family-owned business in March. Officers received a report on March 10 about a business in town that had been burgled. Police arrived and discovered that a fence surrounding the parking lot had been forced open and several company vehicles had been vandalized. According to police, the building showed obvious signs of forced entry and numerous items were stolen from inside the property, as well as two vehicles. Additionally, a hole was created in one of the interior walls and a water line within that wall was broken, causing significant damage to the building. Both stolen vehicles were eventually recovered, according to the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety. In April, detectives discovered that stolen personal checks from the business owner were being cashed in various locations. This led to the identification of Arturo Phillip Muniz as a person of interest. Police also believe Muniz is the person who committed the burglary in March. On Wednesday, Muniz was located by the Sonoma County Sheriffs Office and arrested on suspicion of burglary, vandalism, and vehicle theft. Anyone who has additional information about this case is encouraged to contact Detective K. Escher at (707) 588-3542. Copyright 2024 Bay City News, Inc. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed speaks at the launching ceremony of the construction of a Chinese-contracted economic city in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Aug. 14, 2024. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Wednesday launched the construction of a Chinese-contracted economic city, known as "Addis Tomorrow Special Economic Zone," at the heart of Addis Ababa, the country's capital. (Xinhua/Liu Fangqiang) ADDIS ABABA, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Wednesday launched the construction of a Chinese-contracted economic city, known as "Addis Tomorrow Special Economic Zone," at the heart of Addis Ababa, the country's capital. The launching ceremony came a year after the Addis Ababa City Administration and China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) inked a deal to build the economic city, with a planned area of 35 hectares, at an estimated cost of 700 million U.S. dollars. Speaking at the event, Abiy said the economic city is part of the government's commitment to transforming Addis Ababa into one of the most beautiful cities in the world by building smart communities with various facilities, including residential houses, shopping malls, hotels, and recreational centers. "This is the start of our big dream of making Addis Ababa attractive as its name 'New Flower' refers to, and my gratitude goes to CCCC and the city administration for kicking start this project," Abiy said. According to the prime minister, the Addis Tomorrow Special Economic Zone will be connected to other economic areas whose constructions are underway in other parts of the capital through the ongoing Addis Ababa corridor development. "CCCC has proved to be successful in its undertakings in Ethiopia, and I hope it will finalize the construction of the economic city on time and up to (a) high standard," Abiy said. Adanech Abiebie, mayor of Addis Ababa, said the development of the economic city is part of the administration's move to change the image of the city, improve the lives of people, create enormous job opportunities, and provide high-standard housing facilities. "We choose CCCC as a contracting company, acknowledging that it has a successful track record in accomplishing big projects in Ethiopia and abroad and delivering them in time and up to their high qualities," Abiebie said, noting that long-standing economic cooperation between Ethiopia and China is gaining momentum. Chen Zhong, deputy general manager of CCCC, vowed to deliver the project ahead of time in a way that promotes cooperation and the transformation of knowledge. "We will provide the wisdom, resources, solution and proposal of CCCC to benefit the government and people of Ethiopia," said Chen, highlighting that the economic city will help create a people-oriented, modern and healthy Addis Ababa. LACY LAKEVIEW, Texas (FOX 44) A month-long investigation into an illegal narcotic operation leads to the arrest of multiple people. The Lacy Lakeview Police Department ran a search warrant on an apartment Wednesday morning. The Waco Police Department and Texas Department of Public Safety assisted. During the search, officers were able to find marijuana, approximately four ounces of methamphetamines and a firearm with an altered serial number. Fentanyl, ammo, cash seized in Killeen neighborhood (Courtesy: Lacy Lakeview Police Department) Lacy Lakeview PD says while multiple people have been arrested, one man, identified as Christopher Carter, was arrested and charged with Manufacture/Deliver Methamphetamines, a first-degree felony. More charges for Carter are pending. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44. A doctor charged with counts related to Matthew Perrys death pled guilty in court Wednesday. Dr. Mark Chavez pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, TMZ reports. His sentence could be up to 10 years in prison; sentencing will take place in 2025. More from TVLine Chavez was among those indicted in August for providing the ketamine that caused the Friends actors death. Perry died in October 2023 from the acute effects of ketamine, per the official autopsy report that was released months later. Perry had taken ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety roughly 10 days prior to his death. However, the report noted that the ketamine in his system at death could not be from that infusion therapy, since ketamines half-life is 3 to 4 hours, or less. Perrys personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, Chavez and Perry acquaintance Erik Fleming all were charged with multiple counts including conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Also charged: Jasveen Sangha, allegedly known as the Ketamine Queen, and Dr. Salvador Plasencia, aka Dr. P. Federal charges brought against the five defendants included conspiracy to distribute ketamine, distribution of ketamine resulting in death, maintaining drug-involved premises, altering and falsifying records related to a federal investigation, and multiple other drug trafficking counts. Per TMZ, Iwamasa, Fleming and Chavez took plea deals. Sangha and Plasencia have pled not guilty; their trials are scheduled to take place in October. These defendants took advantage of Mr. Perrys addiction issues to enrich themselves, said E. Martin Estrada, United States Attorney for the Central District of California, at a press conference held following the indictments (watch video above). They knew what they were doing was wrong In the end, these defendants were more interested in profiting off Mr. Perry than caring for his wellbeing. By filing these extensive and serious charges, we are sending a clear message, he added. If you are in the business of selling dangerous drugs, we will hold you accountable for the deaths you cause. Perry was discovered unresponsive in the jacuzzi at his Los Angeles-area home on Oct. 28, 2023. Two days later, Friends co-stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, LeBlanc and David Schwimmer said in joint statement that they were utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew, adding, We were more than just cast mates. We are a family. There is so much to say, but right now were going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss. Best of TVLine Sign up for TVLine's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. With arrests in Matthew Perry death, is L.A.'s ketamine bubble about to burst? They called her "the Ketamine Queen." Jasveen Sangha, authorities say, would sell ketamine a.k.a. "Dr. Pepper" in unmarked clear glass vials and tout it over Signal messages as high quality. She allegedly called her source "master chef" and "scientist." "She only deal[s] with high end celebs," someone in her network allegedly texted a potential buyer. "If it were not great stuff she'd lose her business." One of Sangha's most famous customers, federal prosecutors alleged Thursday, was Matthew Perry. Authorities say she sold about 50 vials of the drug to the actor for $11,000 including the batch that led to his Oct. 28 death at 54. U.S. Atty. Martin Estrada said an investigation had uncovered "a broad underground criminal network" responsible for distributing large quantities of ketamine to Perry and others. He announced charges against five people, including Sangha, 41, and two doctors, tied to Perry's death. They are facing an array of charges, including distribution of drugs resulting in death, according to an indictment unsealed Thursday. Ketamine, a legal medication commonly used as an anesthetic, has gained popularity in recent years as both a clinical treatment for depression and a recreational drug. But Perry's death and the arrests that followed have raised questions about whether a crackdown is looming. Read more: Magic mushroom chocolates are having a moment. But do they even contain mushrooms? "I think what you've seen is that this is not the beginning but a continuation of an enforcement effort against synthetic drugs of all kinds," Estrada said. Estrada referenced the opioid fentanyl, which has fueled an epidemic of overdoses, and said authorities are "on a campaign to address this and send a message that if you sell drugs that result in the death of another person, the consequences will be severe." Across the country, the use of ketamine has boomed, something medical experts have said is being driven by clinics and online services offering intravenous treatments and prescriptions for in-home use such as lozenges and nasal sprays for ailments including depression, post-traumatic stress and substance use disorder. Carol Gilson, a Texas-based psychotherapist and licensed clinical social worker supervisor, has facilitated more than 3,000 ketamine-assisted therapy sessions. If you look at the reports of people dying with ketamine in their systems, there is typically an underlying health issue and other things are the cause of death," she said. "I think we are seeing that ketamine is being demonized right now. Perry, who was found dead in a hot tub at his home in Los Angeles, suffered from diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which can cause airflow blockage and breathing-related problems. He reportedly quit smoking only two weeks before his death and at one time smoked two packs of cigarettes a day. Other factors that contributed to his death, according to the medical examiner, included drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid addiction. Gilson said she has personally witnessed hundreds of people experience mental health turnarounds after taking ketamine in a therapeutic setting. Bad actors like those who sold Perry ketamine that he took at home without supervision make it more difficult to get out the word of its therapeutic benefits, Gilson said. Ketamine is a valuable medicine. And my biggest fear is that it is in danger, and because of people like this, she said. There are people with medical licenses here that are expected to uphold an ethical code and theyre not. That is the issue here. Ketamine is not the villain. Read more: Matthew Perry and the ketamine boom: Expensive, dangerous and very 'en vogue' Anne Milgram, administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, said Perry sought treatment for depression and anxiety and went to a local clinic "where he became addicted to intravenous ketamine." "When clinic doctors refused to increase his dosage, he turned to unscrupulous doctors who saw Perry as a way to make quick money," Milgram said. Authorities said Perry relied on a combination of medical professionals and street dealers, procuring and using the drug with help from his assistant. When another accused illegal dealer, Salvador Plasencia, aka "Dr. P.," learned in September 2023 that Perry was interested in getting ketamine, he reached out to another doctor, Mark Chavez, about purchasing the drug, according to the indictment. I wonder how much this moron will pay," Plasencia, 42, allegedly texted Chavez. Lets find out. From September to October 2023, the doctors distributed about 20 vials of ketamine to Perry in exchange for $55,000 in cash, according to Estrada. They charged Perry $2,000 for a vial that cost Chavez $12, authorities said. "Plasencia saw this as an opportunity to profit off Mr. Perry," Estrada said. "As a doctor, defendant Plasencia knew full well the danger of what he was doing." On one occasion, according to the indictment, Plasencia injected Perry with a large dose of ketamine that caused the actor to freeze up and his blood pressure to significantly spike. Despite that, he left additional vials of the drug with Perrys live-in personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, who is also charged. "As Matthew Perry's ketamine addiction grew, he wanted more and he wanted it faster and cheaper," Milgram said. "That's how he ended up buying from street dealers." In October, Iwamasa reached out to Erik Fleming, 54, to purchase ketamine. Read more: Boba Fett, blue fish, and fettuccine: How L.A. fentanyl sales boomed on Craigslist When police searched Sangha's home, Estrada said, they found what amounted to "a drug selling emporium." There were around 80 vials of ketamine, thousands of pills containing methamphetamine, cocaine, and bottles of Xanax and other illegally obtained prescription drugs, authorities say. Prosecutors say Sangha knew the dangers of ketamine since at least August 2019, when she allegedly sold the drug to Cody McLaury in the hours before his overdose death at age 33. After a family member of McLaurys texted Sangha saying that her ketamine had killed McLaury, Sangha allegedly searched on Google for can ketamine be listed as a cause of death[?]" Sangha also faces charges in connection with McLaury's death. After Perrys death, Estrada said, those arrested tried to cover up what theyd done. Sangha allegedly told Fleming to delete all of their messages. Plasencia, according to Estrada, falsified medical records and notes to try to make it look like what he was doing was legitimate. The records showed a medical treatment plan for Perry that claimed he was being given a maximum dose of 60 milligrams over 24 hours. In fact, prosecutors say, Perry was injecting far higher doses. Fleming and Chavez, 54, each pleaded guilty this month to illegal drug distribution charges. Iwamasa, 59, also pleaded guilty and admitted to injecting Perry with ketamine without medical training, including performing several injections on the actor the day he died, authorities said. Chavez faces up to 10 years in prison, Iwamasa 15 years, and Fleming 25 years. Plasencia faces up to 120 years in prison. Sangha faces up to life imprisonment. Sangha and Plasencia each pleaded not guilty at their initial appearances in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles. U.S. Magistrate Judge Alka Sagar ordered Sangha jailed without bond and set Plasencias bond at $100,000. Their trial dates are set for early October. Neither could be reached for comment Thursday. By filing these extensive and serious charges, we are sending a clear message. If you are in the business of selling dangerous drugs, we will hold you accountable for the deaths that you cause, Estrada said. Among the country's community of ketamine users, news of Thursday's charges was met with concern but little surprise. Ren, a 32-year-old surgical tech who requested anonymity to discuss her medical history and what she characterized as substance abuse, said she does thousands of milligrams of ketamine each month, all prescribed by a New York-based online provider that mails the drug in lozenge form to her home in Salt Lake City. She said she was shocked by how easy it was for her to get a prescription via the provider, which is one of a number of startups that have drawn scrutiny from the broader medical community because they dole out ketamine based on little more than brief online consultations. I could have said anything. I just said I had anxiety and they said, Youre accepted. Then they mailed me ketamine, Ren said. I didnt even talk to a doctor to get access to this for the first time. It was a clinic worker who didnt even have a degree. She said she wasnt surprised by reports that people have been harmed after becoming addicted to ketamine provided by street dealers and unscrupulous online clinics like the one of which shes a patient. Ren said she believes that some medical providers and dealers are more concerned about their bottom lines than safety. They dont care," she said. "They want my money. Times staff writers Hannah Fry, Nathan Solis and Richard Winton contributed reporting. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A 51-year-old suspect was arrested Thursday in connection with arson, according to a news release. About 12:45 a.m. Thursday, Kewanee police and firefighters responded to a structure fire in the 300 block of North East Street, where fire crews quickly extinguished the fire. An investigation was immediately initiated by the Kewanee Fire Department, Kewanee Police Department, and the Illinois State Fire Marshals Office, which determined the fire to be an act of arson. Allatonie Housley (Henry County Jail) About 6:30 a.m., Allatonie Housley was identified as a suspect and arrested. Housley was transported to the Kewanee Police Department for booking and processing, then transferred to the Henry County Jail on preliminary charges of arson, criminal damage to property, and criminal trespass to real property. Arson is a Class 2 felony in Illinois, carrying a potential sentence of three to seven in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. PORTSMOUTH Will Arvelo, the executive director of Cross Roads House, is stepping down from the role in the coming months. The former president of Great Bay Community College, Arvelo has worked as the agencys leader since September 2021 after being hired to replace former executive director Martha Stone, a longtime staffer-turned-director of the Lafayette Road facility that serves the region's unhoused population. Will Arvelo, the executive director of Cross Roads House, will retire from the position in the coming months, the organization announced on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. The board of directors for Cross Roads House announced Arvelos decision on Thursday afternoon. Members of the board have taken the initial steps to begin a search process to find Arvelos successor. Arvelo will stay on until his replacement has been hired to ensure a smooth transition of leadership. Cross Roads House is in an excellent position right now, Arvelo said in a statement. Our finances are healthy, and we are recognized as the premier shelter organization in the state. We have a talented and committed team of directors, managers, case management professionals, and direct care staff - reflecting significant investments in our staff in the past few years - along with a highly supportive board of directors and an amazing donor base of committed long-term financial supporters. It has been one of the privileges of my life to work for Cross Roads House, Arvelos statement added. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to advocate on behalf of those unhoused and to have had a hand in helping our residents succeed on their journey to permanent housing and rejoining their communities. My lifes work has always been about creating healthy individuals and communities and connecting the two for mutual benefit. I am proud of the work I have done at (Cross Roads House) as Executive Director, and I consider it a fitting capstone to my 40-year career of public service. The start of Arvelos tenure coincided with Cross Roads Houses 40th anniversary in 2022. Under his watch, the facility opened the official winter emergency overnight winter warming center for Rockingham County on site in Portsmouth. Last fall, Arvelo staged a daily vigil in downtown Portsmouth to spread awareness about homelessness in the region and seek support for the underserved. Chuck Silva, president of the board of director for Cross Roads House, praised Arvelo for working hard to broaden and deepen relationships with municipal and state agencies, elected officials, and our partner organizations in the Seacoast. Wills tireless advocacy for (Cross Roads House), our residents, and the unhoused population that we serve has benefited this organization enormously, Silva said in a prepared statement. His passion for doing whatever he can to improve the welfare of the Seacoasts unhoused population and educate state and local officials and the community about CRH and its mission is evident to anyone who has ever spent time with him. We have benefited greatly from his leadership. Retirement from Cross Roads House in the coming months is the plan for Arvelo. In an interview Thursday, however, he stated that he will search for other professional opportunities after taking time to spend time with family, travel and volunteer, in addition to writing. My heart has always been in building community and working with vulnerable populations, he said Thursday after the board of directors announcement. I have a particular interest in working with folks that are struggling with poverty and the unfairness of our economy to vulnerable populations. Im sure there will probably be some other organizations that come knocking on my door, he added. I have a strong skill set in fundraising and I want to use that to help other organizations. Arvelo was at the helm of Great Bay Community College from 2007 until 2017. He later served as the director of the Division of Economic Development for the state of New Hampshire prior to being hired at Cross Roads House, and has worked as an advocate for Black and Indigenous people of color throughout the state. A search committee has been formed to determine the organizations next executive director, per the board of directors announcement. Cross Roads House publishes statistics daily on the number of people seeking shelter and assistance. On Wednesday night, Cross Roads House sheltered 83 people total, including nine families and 17 children, according to the nonprofit. The organization opened its Lafayette Road building in 2009. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Will Arvelo to leave role as Cross Roads House executive director ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. (WKRG) Ascension Sacred Heart in the Perdido Key area plans for a new emergency room to be completed next summer. The 11,000-square-foot emergency room will have a resuscitation room, nine treatment spaces, a triage area, and CT and X-ray scanning technology. This ER allows the opportunity for 40 new healthcare positions to open up. Pensacola High School assistant principal arrested, charged with sex offense In just the last six years, President and CEO of Pensacola Sacred Heart, Will Condon, is proud to have built two other freestanding emergency departments, one in Navarre and the other off the Nine Mile Road location in Pensacola. Whenever we open up a new free-standing ED, just like the ones we have one Nine Mile Road and Navarre, these are brand new positions, brand new people to our health system, really growing jobs in our community, said Condon. Just this past July, Sacred Heart was named the only hospital on the panhandle to offer Level 1 trauma care, after achieving the standard required by the Florida Department of Health. So really excited that were going to be bringing that level of expertise of emergency care to the folks of Perdido, said Condon. When emergency happens, you really dont plan on it, but now knowing that we have that spot in Perdido, can get to patients faster on that side of the county, thats exactly what were here for. How taking photos of Escambia County Beaches could offer chance of swag bag, recognition Condon said certain components of the freestanding emergency room would be built off-site and then shipped to the Scared Heart Perdido Key location. He hopes to break ground in December, with a goal completion date of July 2025. Sacred Heart has provided care to the Perdido Key community for over 35 years. Their hope with this new ER is to bring mission-driven healthcare to more patients across Northwest Florida. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5. Q: Where can I find Chicago-style deep-dish pizza around here? Growing up in Southern California, my local pizza joint was a Chicago-style place, though they did make the flat stuff. As I recall, deep dish is found throughout Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties. It was only after moving east that it became almost impossible to find a real deep-dish pizza. Even in Connecticut, where we lived for years and had Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, a perennial Best Pizza (and not bad), my wife and I, there as here, have been looking for real, good deep dish without success. I get that there are lots of New Yorkers around who like to fold their pizza slices in half. So be it. But if you are going to have a Best Pizza contest you have to take into account best style of pizza. A deep-dish slice is to a flatsie what a beef hamburger is to a plant burger. Both can be delicious, but they are not interchangeable. Craig Donovan, Hollywood A: Craig, I know what you mean, its all about the New Yorkers here! But as I began my search for Chicago-style pizza for you, I was surprised at the abundance of places that serve the doughy, cheesy pies you are craving. There are also several that dish up Detroit-style pizza, a deep-dish pie with an airy dough and perimeter of caramelized cheese, sauce on top. These deep-dish pizzas are big, built to feed two to three people. The restaurants warn that they need at least a half-hour to prepare them. So call ahead or have a leisurely dinner, and bring along your New York friends; most of South Floridas deep-dish joints also serve the flatsies, or thin slices, which as you say New Yorkers love to fold before they take a bite. BROWARD COUNTY Il Baretto Italian Cuisine, 220 S. University Drive, Plantation; 954-473-9400; ilbarettoristorante.com A small stuffed deep-dish pie goes for $26; a large is $39. As a patron posted in Lets Eat, South Florida, the South Florida Sun Sentinels foodie Facebook group: People rave about Il Baretto and after just one pizza, I get it. Its about as legit a deep dish as you can get Our pizza was a Chicago Deep well done with sausage (hold the grated Parmigiana cheese). It weighed in at 8 lbs., 10 oz., just 5 ounces short of my sons birth weight. This was a hefty delicious meal. Related Articles Chicago Stuffed Pizza Co., 238 Commercial Blvd., Lauderdale-by-the Sea; 954-533-1808; chicagostuffedpizzamenu.com This joint serves a deep-dish pie with an extra layer of dough on top. You can get it plain with cheese inside ($28.99) or with a variety of toppings and stuffings (the Special is loaded with sausage, onions, mushrooms and green peppers; $40.95). If youre with some New Yorkers, this joint will sell them the pizza they like; a basic NY Cheese Pizza is priced at $17.99. Emmy Squared, 468 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale; 754-296-0076; emmysquaredpizza.com Emmys offers create-your-own Detroit-style pizzas ($14 for a six-slice pie, $23 for 10 slices). There are also vegan and gluten-free pies, as well as signature pizzas such as the Birria ($19 or $26) and the Big Hawaiian, with pepperoni, bacon and pineapple ($19 or $25). The shop, part of a chain with stores around the country, also serves burgers, salads and sandwiches. South Florida also has a location in Coral Gables. Sarpinos Pizzeria, multiple locations; gosarpinos.com Sarpinos recommends its deep-dish varieties for those who are looking for something thicker, without compromising on delicious crunchability. Pies include the Sausage ($18.99) and the Vegan ($18.99). Warning: The Fort Lauderdale location is crazy-busy on weekend nights. Capones Italian Pizzeria, 3775 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; 954-986-9192; caponesitalianpizzeria.com This place shows its love of Chicago not only through deep-dish pizza but with its Chicago Hit List of items such as Chicago roast beef ($16.68) and Chicago Dog (on a bun with peppers, onions, tomato slices, pickles and relish; $8.63). Capones is known among locals, though, for its deep-dish pies ($20.13). Heres what one foodie said on Lets Eat, South Florida: Capones on Hollywood Blvd. has the best deep-dish pizza. It is worth the drive from Pompano every time. Helpful hint we order ahead to eat here, it takes an hour to bake. PALM BEACH COUNTY Dannys Pizza Kitchen, 3501 W. Boynton Beach Blvd., Boynton Beach; 561-200-0739; dannyspizzakitchen.com The basic Cheese deep dish goes for $19.95; carnivores will enjoy the Meat Lovers, with pepperoni, ham, bacon, sausage and meatball ($27.50). Theres also a Buffalo Chicken for $26.95. New York traditionalists searching for a single triangular slice can get one here for $3.50. Giovannis Pizza, 21401 Powerline Road, Boca Raton; 561-483-7900; giovannispizzaofboca.com Giovannis has 10 deep-dish varieties, including the Supreme (pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, onions, peppers and black olives; $36.08) and the Veggie (mushrooms, green peppers and onions; $31.81). There are also New York-style pizzas, salads, subs and pastas. Death by Pizza, 528 NE Second St., Delray Beach; 561-666-9111; deathbypizzadelray.com Here you will find Detroit-style pizzas that serve two to three people, with more than a dozen varieties. Try the Mr. White (ricotta, mozzarella and basil pesto; $26), Eggplant Parm ($30) or Gandolfini (sausage, roasted red peppers and garlic, caramelized onions, broccoli, mozzarella, sweet sauce and basil pesto; $30). Motor City Pizza & Coney, 1538 SW Eighth St., Boynton Beach; 561-736-3000; motorcitypizzaconey.com The dough blend of owner Bisar Gorani, imported from his native Kosovo, relays a deep crunch, and he uses whole-milk cheese instead of the usual Detroit-style brick cheese from Wisconsin. Its my recipe, Gorani told Sun Sentinel back in 2021. I wanted to use bread from Kosovo because it reminds me of home. Which is funny because Detroiters tell me this pizza reminds them of home, too. A deep-dish pizza is $18. Both counties Jets Pizza, multiple locations; jetspizza.com Jets is a chain that began in 1978 and is known for its Detroit-style pizza. According to Casey Kolp, owner of the Boca Raton and Royal Palm Beach shops: We make our own dough fresh every morning and use only the finest Grande cheese without additives or fillers. A large pizza with pepperoni goes for $18.48. With asking price of $142 million, no bidders for home of ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi An unidentified legal official from Kamayut district court speaks outside the residence of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi as the home is auctioned in Yangon, MyanmarThursday, Aug. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Thein Zaw) YANGON, Myanmar (AP) A second attempt to auction the family home of Myanmar's imprisoned former leader Aung San Suu Kyi failed on Thursday after no bidders showed up, likely deterred by the court-ordered asking price of $142 million. Suu Kyi spent 15 years in the home under house arrest, hosting visiting dignitaries including U.S. President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and many see it as a historical landmark in her nonviolent struggle against military rule, for which she won the Nobel Peace Prize. The minimum sale price of 300 billion kyats was a reduction from the initial attempt in March to get 315 billion kyats, about $150 million at official rates. With black-market exchange rates, which better reflect the real value of the kyat which has been plummeting the March asking price was about $90 million and the current price was closer to $46 million still a lot to pay in a country in the middle of a civil war where nearly half the people are living below the national poverty line of 76 U.S. cents per day, according to the United Nations. Proceeds from the sale of the 1.9-acre (0.78-hectare) lakeside property in Yangon were to be split between Suu Kyi and her estranged older brother. Suu Kyis lawyers had challenged the auction order. The attempted auction was held in front of the closed gates of the property, which has served as an unofficial party headquarters and a political shrine for the countrys pro-democracy movement. It lasted less than one minute before a district court official announced there had been no bidders and she ended the proceedings. According to legal procedures, the court will continue to handle the auction process, but the details are not yet known. The two-story colonial-style building in Yangon, the country's largest city, was given decades ago by the government to Suu Kyis mother, Khin Kyi, after her husband, independence hero Gen. Aung San, was assassinated in July 1947. Suu Kyi, 79, remained there after her 2010 release from house arrest until moving in 2012 to the capital, Naypyitaw, to serve in parliament. She became the nations leader after a 2015 general election. Her elected government was ousted in an army takeover in February 2021, and Suu Kyi is now serving a combined 27-year sentence after being convicted of a string of criminal charges. Her supporters and independent analysts say the charges were concocted to discredit her and legitimize the militarys seizure of power. The court-ordered auction followed a bitter decades-long legal dispute between Suu Kyi and her brother, Aung San Oo, who has sought an equal division of the property. Suu Kyis lawyers have not been allowed to meet with her since they last saw her in person in December 2022. Assault suspect dies after crashing into tree while trying to flee from Columbus police A man's attempt to flee from Columbus police ended in a fatal vehicle crash Wednesday evening in South Linden. Columbus police were sent out at around 6:21 p.m. to the area of East 23rd and Gladstone avenues to arrest a man wanted for felonious assault in a stabbing incident, police spokesperson Sgt. Joe Albert said. Officers arrived and found the suspect driving a silver Chevrolet Impala, he said. Officers tried to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect fled and a police pursuit ensued, according to Albert. The suspect drove into a dead end, then reversed and rammed the Impala into a police cruiser, Albert said. The suspect fled again and police continued to give chase. A short time later, Albert said the suspect somehow lost control of the car and crashed at high speed into a tree at East 22nd and Medina avenues. The man sustained "critical injuries," Albert said. He was transported to Ohio State University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 7:06 p.m. His identity had not been released by police as of early Thursday afternoon. The officers who were in the police cruiser involved in the chase and rammed by the suspect were not injured, Albert said. Columbus police asked the Ohio State Highway Patrol to investigate the fatal crash. No other information was immediately available Wednesday night. smeighan@dispatch.com @ShahidMeighan This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Suspect fleeing Columbus police dies after crashing car into tree An astronaut stuck on the International Space Station due to Boeing Starliner delays is roughing it in a sleeping bag over in the Japanese space module An astronaut stuck on the International Space Station due to Boeing Starliner delays is roughing it in a sleeping bag over in the Japanese space module Two NASA astronauts have been stuck on the International Space Station due to Boeing Starliner delays. Butch Wilmore has been camping in a sleeping bag in the Japanese Space Agency's module, Time reported. The duo are likely working odd jobs on the ISS now while waiting to come home, per Time. Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, the two NASA astronauts stuck on the International Space Station due to delays with the Boeing Starliner aircraft, previously said they were doing great while waiting to come back to Earth. In a press conference on July 10, Williams said they were having a good time on the ISS and that it "feels good to float around." And Wilmore said he was "absolutely confident" the Starliner will get them home safe. But according to a report by Time editor Jeffrey Kluger, who covers space and science, Wilmore is roughing it out during his stay. Wilmore, per Kluger, was prepared to rest in a sleeping bag in the Japanese Space Agency's Kibo module for eight days. But that trip on June 5 has extended well beyond two months, and it may be February 2025 when the astronauts are brought back to Earth. According to NASA, the ISS only has six private sleeping quarters. Time reported that each quarter has a sleeping bag, a storage area for snacks and personal belongings, and two laptops attached to the walls. But Wilmore and Williams joined an international crew of seven people already at the ISS so the sleep cabins were already at maximum capacity. Time reported that Williams camps with one of the astronauts in a basic sleep module called the CASA, or Crew Alternate Sleep Accommodation. And Wilmore has been given a sleeping bag to rest in, out in the Japanese module. Kluger wrote that Williams joked to him in May before she left for space, saying: "Butch is going to have to rough it a little bit." While they're stuck in space, the duo has likely also started working odd jobs on the ISS, per Time. They began with mission goals for the short stint they initially planned to be on, like carrying out checks on the Starliner after its test flight. "But they long since finished up that checklist and have instead been assisting the rest of the crew with science experiments and maintenance chores, including such unglamorous work as repairing a urine processing pump," the Time report said. The duo also packed a small selection of clothes, insufficient for a prolonged stay. But Time reported that a Northrop Grumman resupply spaceship delivered fresh clothes to both astronauts last week. A waiting game The astronauts have now spent more than 70 days in the ISS, with no immediate end in sight. On August 7, NASA floated the possibility of using SpaceX's Crew Dragon to bring the duo down to Earth if the Starliner proves unviable. However, the downside is that they will be stuck on the International Space Station for about eight months longer than planned and will only be able to return in February 2025. The Starliner spaceship had thruster issues and helium leaks as it approached the ISS in June. Even after weeks of testing and troubleshooting, NASA still has concerns about the aircraft's ability to bring the astronauts home. Williams, who NASA selected as an astronaut in 1998, spent 322 days in space before the Starliner project. Wilmore, a NASA astronaut since 2000, spent 178 days in space before the Starliner launch. Representatives for NASA did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider sent outside regular business hours. Read the original article on Business Insider TEHRAN, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- A member of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), who had earlier been injured in an airstrike by the U.S.-led coalition forces in Syria, succumbed to his wounds on Thursday, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported. The member of the IRGC's Aerospace Force, identified as Ahmad-Reza Afshari, was serving as a "military adviser" in Syria when he was wounded in an aerial bombardment by the "aggressive" coalition forces in the first half (July 22-Aug. 5) of the current Iranian month of Mordad in Syria, the report said without specifying the location and date of the incident. According to Tasnim, Afshari had been transferred to Iran for treatment but failed to survive his wounds. IRGC Chief Commander Hossein Salami in a message on Thursday extended condolences over Afshari's "martyrdom," Tasnim reported. So far, there has been no comment on the incident from the coalition forces. Iran claims it maintains an "advisory role" in Syria, with military personnel deployed at the Syrian government's request. The United States and Israel have both frequently conducted airstrikes against suspected Iranian targets in Syria, including several attacks in recent months that killed Iranian "military advisers." ATHENS, Ala. (WHNT) City of Athens officials released a statement addressing community concern about a recent increase in Haitian migrants in the city and Limestone County. The statement from the Athens City Council and Mayor Marks was released on August 12. Officials say the police department and Mayors office had received several questions from citizens worrying about an increase in Haitian migrants in the area. Albertville citizens meet to discuss Pilgrims Pride busing situation In the statement, the city says it is a welcoming place to all persons, but any increase of new people in the area poses difficulties to local businesses and services. The city also said that it wasnt involved at all, in this increase in people and doesnt receive any funding. Neither the City of Athens, nor any of its city officials, receive any federal funding or private funding relating to housing for migrants with work permits, nor does the city participate in any federal program or private program that provides aid or housing to such workers. The City does not have any plans to do any of that, officials said. City officials said they reached out to state and federal officials such as the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement about the concern. According to federal leaders, the new immigrants from Haiti have federal work permits for the area and are working legally in Alabama. Federal officials have not provided any numbers to the city, the statement said. The Athens City Council said some businesses outside of Athens have hired buses to take the new immigrants to and from work. Concerned residents say buses of migrants are being dropped off in Marshall County The council expressed that the city and police department will continue to work together to make sure community members and newcomers obey the law. This city is not a sanctuary city and its police department works closely with ICE, the city added. Citizens in other north Alabama communities, such as Albertville and Boaz, have expressed similar concerns. Albertville citizens held a town meeting to discuss concerns about some workers seen being brought in and out of town on buses. Albertville City leaders addressed citizen concerns in a statement, saying from the moment city officials heard of the issue, they worked with neighboring officials and Pilgrims Pride to get to the bottom of the situation. The City of Athens said it encourages citizens who are concerned about national immigration policy to reach out to local U.S. congressmen and senators about this issue. You can read the full statement from the City of Athens below: The Athens Police Department and the Mayors Office have received questions regarding a recent increase of Haitian migrants in Athens and Limestone County. Some folks have expressed concerns about the impact that this has on city services, including our school system. While this City is a welcoming place to all persons, any influx of newcomers can pose challenges to the delivery of local services. At this point, the City understands that the number of new enrollments in the school system is minimal, and there has not been a noticeable increase in the municipal court docket. Nonetheless, city officials have reached out to state and federal officials, including the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, about this matter. Federal officials have advised that there are new immigrants from Haiti with federal work permits in the area, and they are here working legally in Alabama. Federal officials have not provided any numbers to the city. Local media reports indicate that there are multiple businesses in the North Alabama area that are in need of workers and hired many of these immigrants. Some of these businesses outside of Athens have hired buses to transport them to work. Some folks have also raised questions about what involvement, if any, the City or its public officials have with respect to this increase in people. The answer is none at all. Neither the City of Athens, nor any of its city officials, receive any federal funding or private funding relating to housing for migrants with work permits, nor does the city participate in any federal program or private program that provides aid or housing to such workers. The City does not have any plans to do any of that. As everyone knows, the federal government has assumed control of all immigration matters, including who receives a federal work permit. City and local governments, like the Athens City Council and the Limestone County Commission, arent allowed to have any control over those issues, even when federal immigration policy has negative impacts on the local level. What the City and Police Department can do and will continue to do is to work to ensure that all folks in our community including newcomers obey the laws of the land. This city is not a sanctuary city and its police department works closely with ICE. Every citizen has a right to ask questions about government, but some of the conversation around this issue on social media has involved wild allegations and rhetoric. City leaders are happy to provide information and answers where they can, but the City and state and federal law condemn any narrative that seeks to discriminate against people based on their race or nationality As to concerns about the impact on local services posed by immigration issues, the City of Athens joins those who call on the federal government who has reserved the power over immigration to itself to reform the national immigration system and ease the burden on local communities. The City encourages citizens who are concerned about national immigration policy to join the City in reaching out to their local US congressmen and senators about this issue. City of Athens Officials You can find the statement from the City of Athens here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com. The St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Development Office of the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe is inviting businesses and their partners to the next Business After Hours networking event at the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort located at 873 State Route 37 in Hogansburg. The event 4:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 21. It will be a casual evening networking with businesses from across the north country with light appetizers and refreshments (cash bar). Take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce and what is happening at the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, as well as grow your connections throughout the county. The Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort will be hosting a tour of the facility at 4:30 p.m. showcasing the many amenities of the resort. To register for the event, www.visitstlc.com/business-after-hours/. Registration is $5 for non-members (and STLC Members registered after August 19th). You can pay at the door. A cash bar will be available for alcoholic purchases. This event is open to Chamber Members and Non-Members who are associated with a business For more information, contact Laura Pearson at 315-386-4000 ext 5 or Laura@slcchamber.org. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWTI - InformNNY.com. The United States, Australia and the United Kingdom have agreed to new rules for sharing arms a major step in the ongoing effort to make their defense industries more accessible to one another. The three nations updated their regulations Thursday, exempting each other from limits on the export of weapons. These rules act like a fence around what equipment each country can share. For example, before Australia could order American weapons, it would first need the State Department to grant a license a highly technical application that can take more than a month to process. With the amended rules, the U.S., U.K. and Australia whose burgeoning trilateral defense partnership is known as AUKUS are now taking down much of that fence. In America, the change involves updating the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, or ITAR, a lengthy bureaucratic process. The State Department Thursday said it would issue an interim final rule that will exempt Australia and the U.K. from needing a license for 80% of Americas commercial defense sales. These exemptions will facilitate billions of dollars in secure defense trade between and among the AUKUS nations, said a State Department official. Australia and the United Kingdom are making similar updates of their own implementing laws each country passed to make the changes possible. In a statement, the U.K. said the exemptions will span $643 million of its annual defense exports. Australias government said it would end the need for 900 permits required to export goods to the U.S. and U.K. covering a value of $5 billion annually. What has the AUKUS alliance accomplished in the last year? The State Departments new rule will take effect Sept. 1, and will be open to public comment for 90 days. Not all weapons will be covered by the change. Some that are still restricted include those listed in Congress annual defense policy bill, those relating to missile technology or items banned by international treaties, such as chemical weapons or land mines, the State official said, briefing reporters on the condition of anonymity per department policy. While many of the newly cleared items will help with the defense partnership, some that arent exempt relate to AUKUS, a deal to share nuclear-powered submarines and develop advanced technology, such as drones and hypersonics. Still, the new rules will help enable each country to meet its goals in the defense pact, Richard Marles, the deputy prime minister and defense minister of Australia, said in an interview with Defense News this month. This is foundational, in terms of enabling AUKUS, both the submarines and the pillar focused on advanced technology, Marles said in an interview with Defense News last week. Australia and the U.K. can also still access equipment on this excluded technologies list, or ETL, but they need a license to do so. The State official said the new rule would fast track such applications going forward. Limits notwithstanding, each country celebrated the change as a major victory. This is all happening quickly and remarkably, really, given that this is something that weve been pursuing for decades, Marles said. Marles was visiting Washington for meetings with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and a summit with the two countries top diplomatic officials. There, they announced that by December, Australia and the U.S. would sign plans to build and develop munitions together. Austin also spoke with his British counterpart over the phone on Wednesday. Well keep pushing our case with the U.S., Marles said, but the big step has been taken. FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Biden meets with Australian PM Albanese and then British PM Sunak at Naval Base Point Loma in San Diego By Kirsty Needham SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia, the United States and Britain have removed significant barriers on defence trade between the AUKUS partners and opened the way for faster approvals for highly sensitive technologies, Australian officials said. The move is seen as a significant step for Australia to acquire U.S. nuclear-powered attack submarines and jointly develop with the U.S. and Britain a new class of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine over the next two decades. The AUKUS partners are also developing advanced defence technology spanning hypersonic missiles, undersea drones and quantum technologies, with the reforms expected to speed up the transition of these projects from research to production. The United States is Australia's closest security ally, but had restricted sharing of closely guarded defence technology, which is governed by the U.S. International Trafficking in Arms Regulations (ITAR). There had been delays by the U.S. State Department in finalising exemptions for Australia and Britain under ITAR, which required the AUKUS partners to show they had export control regimes equivalent to the United States. Eliminating the need for export licences for much defence technology will take effect from Sept. 1, Australian officials said on Thursday, with Defence Minister Richard Marles calling it a "generational change". "These critical reforms will revolutionise defence trade, innovation and cooperation, enabling collaboration at the speed and scale required to meet our challenging strategic circumstances," he said in a statement. The U.S. issues around 3,800 defence export control licences for Australia each year which have taken up to 18 months to approve, while approvals in Britain have taken 100 days. From next month, 70% of defence exports from the U.S. to Australia previously under ITAR will be licence free. An Excluded Technologies List will be released by the U.S. showing sensitive technologies that will continue to require a licence, to be reviewed annually. The U.S. State Department will have a 45-day window to decide on the transfer of technologies on the excluded list between governments and industry, and 30-days for government-to-government transfers. Over 80% of goods subject to control by the U.S. Commerce Department as "dual use" military and civilian technologies will also become licence free for Australia from September. Australia has eliminated 900 export permits on defence goods worth A$5 billion to the U.S. and Britain, officials said. Under a deal signed in 2021, the United States will sell Australia between three and five Virginia-class attack submarines from the early 2030s as a stopgap while Australia and Britain build a new SSN-AUKUS class, that will include U.S. technologies, due roughly a decade later. (Reporting by Kirsty Needham in Sydney; Editing by Crispian Balmer) By Lewis Jackson SYDNEY (Reuters) - The leader of Australia's main opposition party was told to "stop being racist" by another parliamentarian during a heated discussion on Thursday in which he said that Australia should not take in any refugees from Gaza. Independent parliamentarian Zali Steggall made the remarks during a speech criticising centre-right Liberal Party leader Peter Dutton for his call this week to bar refugees from Gaza due to the risk they could be Hamas sympathisers. Interrupted several times by shouts from the opposition benches, Steggall asked to be heard in silence before shouting "stop being racist" towards Dutton. "These are families that you are seeking to paint that somehow they are all terrorists, that they should all be mistrusted and they are not worthy of humanitarian aid," she said before pausing as Dutton interjected. "We heard you in silence, you can hear me in silence, stop being racist," she then said. A representative for Steggall did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Tensions flared in parliament again shortly afterwards when Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young interrupted a media conference by opposition National Party parliamentarian David Littleproud in which he was defending Dutton's position on Gaza refugees to say: "why don't you say something about the children being slaughtered." The heated discussions in parliament mirrors how disagreements over Israel's war in Gaza are spilling into society, where the ruling Labor party is caught between those calling for unreserved support for Israel while many others, including Australian Muslims, want a harder line against Israel. Australia has repeatedly called for a ceasefire but stopped short of recognising a Palestinian state like Spain, Ireland and Norway. Dutton reiterated his position again on Thursday, saying the government had brought people to Australia from a war zone without proper checks. "I'm sure the vast majority of these people are just innocent people fleeing a war zone but our country's best interest is served when we know who is coming here and when we have a proper process to exclude those who are sympathisers of a listed terrorist organisation," he said, in a reference to Hamas. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said on Wednesday all visa applicants were screened by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation. (Reporting by Lewis Jackson; editing by Miral Fahmy) The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) has condemned an anonymous online petition concerning Rachael Gunn the viral breaker known as Raygun saying it contains falsehoods about how she was selected to compete at the Paris Games. Gunn, a 36-year-old university lecturer from Sydney, failed to register a point in her battles against USAs Logistx, Frances Syssy and Lithuanias Nicka, losing 18-0 on each occasion. Meanwhile, her performance ignited widespread social media commentary and critique. In a statement on Thursday, the AOCs Chief Executive Officer Matt Carroll criticized the vexatious, misleading and bullying petition that contains numerous falsehoods designed to engender hatred against an athlete who was selected in the Australian Olympic Team through a transparent and independent qualification event and nomination process. The petition, published on Sunday and addressed to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the AOC, was posted to Change.org. It alleges without evidence that Gunn manipulated the selection process, raising serious questions about the fairness and integrity of the process. It also alleges that Gunns husband could have been part of the selection panel and calls for Gunn and Australias Olympic chef de mission Anna Meares to apologize for misleading the Australian public and attempting to gaslight the public and undermining the efforts of genuine athletes. Gunn said in an Instagram video that she didnt realize her performance would open the door to so much hate, which has frankly been pretty devastating. She added: I really appreciate the positivity and Im glad I was able to bring some joy into your lives thats what I hoped. Carroll said the AOC has written to Change.org demanding that the petition be immediately withdrawn. The AOC is particularly offended by the affront to our Chef de Mission, Anna Meares, said Carroll. The Australian Team Chef de Mission played no role in the qualification events nor the nomination of athletes to the AOC Selection Committee, of which the Chef and I are members. It is disgraceful that these falsehoods concocted by an anonymous person can be published in this way. It amounts to bullying and harassment and is defamatory, his statement added. The petition has stirred up public hatred without any factual basis. Its appalling. No athlete who has represented their country at the Olympic Games should be treated in this way and we are supporting Dr Gunn and Anna Meares at this time. CNN has contacted Change.org for further comment. Gunn added in her Instagram video statement: Id really like to ask the press to please stop harassing my family, my friends, the Australian breaking community and the broader street dance community. Everyone has been through a lot as a result of this, so I ask you to please respect their privacy. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com State environmental officials have renewed a temporary alcohol ban at more than a half-dozen boat launches and state forests where increased crowds and unruly behavior have been reported in recent years. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection announced this week that the new bans would remain in effect through Nov. 10. The 90-day ban prohibits alcohol at the Beach Pond State Boat Launch in Voluntown, including a portion of Pachaug State Forest; Billings Lake State Boat Launch in North Stonington, including a portion of Pachaug State Forest; Gardner Lake State Park and State Boat Launch in Salem; Lake Waramaug State Park in New Preston; Paugussett State Forest (upper section)/George Waldo State Park in Southbury; Quaddick State Forest in Thompson; and the Wadsworth Falls State Park Middletown and Middlefield. DEEP officials in May announced there would be a 90-day alcohol ban at the seven recreation areas, which would have expired last Monday had it not been renewed. Authorities noted that the existing 90-day alcohol ban implemented for the Naugatuck State Forest which includes the areas commonly known as Seymour Reservoirs #1, #2, #3 and #4 and the lands immediately surrounding the reservoirs is still in effect. In recent years, these locations have experienced increased crowds and alcohol consumption, which led to increased incidents of misconduct, unruly behavior, property damage, trespass, and complaints by other visitors and the surrounding communities, DEEP officials said in a statement. This years bans have helped curtail unsafe behaviors and allowed these locations to be more welcoming and safe outdoor recreation destinations. With that in mind, DEEP has determined enacting an additional 90-day ban at these locations is in the interest of public safety. DEEP encourages responsible outdoor recreation, and this measure helps to ensure that Connecticuts state parks, forests, and boat launches are welcoming and family friendly outdoor spaces, DEEP commissioner Katie Dykes said in a statement. A temporary alcohol ban provides DEEPs Environmental Conservation Police with an enforcement tool to dissuade inappropriate use of the state outdoor recreation areas and has been an effective approach to make state parks, forests, and boat launches safe and enjoyable for all, the department said. Loved ones and authorities are searching for a missing Southern California woman. Mychelle Dias Hespanhol, 26, was last seen on Aug. 11 near 4th Street and Broadway in Santa Monica. Her family said she may not be familiar with the area where she was last spotted, which is located near the Third Street Promenade shopping district and the Santa Monica Pier area. Hespanhol is described as a woman around 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighing around 128 pounds. She has brown hair and green eyes. Mychelle Dias Hespanhol, 26, was last seen on August 11, 2024 near 4th Street and Broadway in Santa Monica. (Santa Monica Police Department) Its unknown what type of clothing she was wearing when she disappeared, Santa Monica police noted. Authorities said the woman may have schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Anyone who has seen Hespanhol or has information on her whereabouts is asked to call Santa Monica police at 310-458-8491. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. Update 11:15 a.m.: A KHP patrol member told a 27 News reporter at the scene that the driver wasnt wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. The driver is injured but the injuries arent life-threatening. TOPEKA (KSNT) The Shawnee County Sheriffs Office, Topeka Fire Department and Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) are working a crash west of Topeka. According to the KHP, a witness saw the crash happen just west of Southwest Carlson Road on I-70. The KHP said the witness told them the driver had been driving across the road before going into a ditch. The vehicle went through a fence before coming to a stop. This embedded content is not available in your region. The driver is currently being taken to an area hospital for treatment of injuries. A 27 News reporter saw the ambulance depart for the hospital. Intense damage: Topeka picking up after storm Photo by Matthew Johnstone. More information will be provided as it becomes available. For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. TOKYO, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Three Japanese ministers, despite raging criticism from the global community, on Thursday visited the controversial Yasukuni Shrine, as the country marked the 79th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II. Defense Minister Minoru Kihara paid his homage at the shrine, a symbol of Japan's past brutal militarism, early in the morning, the first visit by an incumbent defense minister on this significant day since the Ministry of Defense was elevated from defense agency in 2007. Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi and Economic Revitalization Minister Yoshitaka Shindo also visited the war-linked shrine. Their in-person visits marked the fifth consecutive year that a Japanese cabinet minister has visited Yasukuni on this significant day. Several lawmakers from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, including Shinjiro Koizumi, a former environment minister and son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, also visited the shrine to pay homage. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida sent ritual offerings to the shrine in his capacity as president of the LDP. It came a day after Kishida took the public by surprise by announcing that he would not run in the ruling party's presidential race next month, ready to step down as prime minister after three years in power. The Yasukuni Shrine, located in central Tokyo, honors 14 convicted Class-A Japanese war criminals from World War II. It has long been a source of diplomatic friction for Japan and its neighbors. Visits and ritual offerings made by Japanese officials to the controversial shrine have consistently sparked criticism and hurt the feelings of the people of China, South Korea and other countries brutalized by Japan during the war. BINGHAMTON, NY. (WIVT/WBGH) There is sadness among regular Avelo fliers as the discount air carrier had its second-to-last flights to and from Orlando and Binghamton today. The morning flight from Orlando arrived close to 11 a.m. and the flight out of Binghamton was scheduled to leave at 11:40. Last month, Avelo announced that it is permanently terminating its flight service from Binghamton to Orlando International Airport. Avelo said data showed the Binghamton to Orlando route was not profitable, leading to the decision to cancel the services. Greater Binghamton Airport officials expressed surprise at the move, saying they believed the flights to be very popular. Regular passengers also took to social media to say that many of the flights they had taken were nearly full. Mark and Patty Gardner of Endicott were taking their first flight to Orlando this morning to visit their son Greg who lives there before heading on a cruise to the Bahamas. They say Greg has used the service many times to come back to his hometown. He loves it. He flies home here to Endicott to visit us, and he just cant get over the price is so wonderful. Hes used it often, said Patty. We dont go down that much, but Greg comes up, his family comes up. So now, an alternative. I dont know, are we going to have to go to Syracuse or Elmira, who knows? said Mark. Avelo launched amid great fanfare in November of 2022, originally planning direct flights to both Orlando and Fort Myers, Florida. But the Fort Myers route was scrapped after Hurricane Ian ravaged the coastal city. Then this past May, Avelo temporarily suspended its service for one month. The final Avelo flights are scheduled for this Sunday. Its departure leaves the Greater Binghamton Airport with one flight to and from Detroit on Delta Airlines each day. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WIVT - News 34. A new poll shows some baby boomers and members of the Silent Generation are switching allegiances from former President Donald Trump to Vice President Kamala Harris. The Emerson College poll released Thursday shows voters over 70 backing Harris over Trump 51 to 48 percent. Thats a small but positive shift for Harris, as last month, 50 percent of the group supported Trump while 48 percent backed President Joe Biden, who dropped out of the race and endorsed Harris last month. The group includes some baby boomers, who were born between 1946 and 1964, and the Silent Generation, born between 1925 and 1945. Older voters had so far this cycle remained in Trumps column, carrying on a long-standing tradition among seniors to support the Republican Party. The party has won voters over the age of 65 in every presidential election since 2000. In 2020, about 52 percent of voters in that age category voted for Trump, Newsweek noted. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris gives remarks alongside U.S. President Joe Biden at Prince Georges Community College on August 15. Older voters are now backing her over Trump (Getty Images) But that trend could now be changing. In May, a New York Times/Siena College poll found Biden leading among older voters against Trump, 48 to 45 percent. The executive director of Emerson College Polling, Spencer Kimball, said in a press release on Thursday that Likely voters under 30 have shifted toward Harris by nine points, 56 percent of whom supported Biden, 65 percent now support Harris. Voters over 70 also support Harris over Trump, 51 percent to 48 percent last month they broke 50 percent to 48 percent for Trump. Independents break for Harris, 46 percent to 45 percent, flipping since last month when likely independent voters broke for Trump 45 percent to 44 percent, he added. As many as 93 percent of voters said they were extremely or very motivated to vote in the election on November 5. Kimball noted that the share of Black voters who are very or extremely motivated to vote went from 80 to 91 percent over the course of the last month. Fifty-one percent of voters said they have a positive view of Harris, while 49 percent said they have an unfavorable view. Those same numbers for Trump were 45 percent favorable and 54 percent unfavorable. When it comes to Harriss running mate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, 39 percent of voters have a favorable view. The same number has a favorable view of Trumps number two, Ohio Senator JD Vance. But 49 percent of voters have an unfavorable view of Vance while only 39 percent have an unfavorable view of Walz. The Emerson College poll was conducted between August 12 and 14 and included 1,000 registered voters. MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) Students at Midland College begin the upcoming semester August 26 and with that comes buying supplies for the upcoming year. However, some students might be unaware they are being scammed when buying those supplies especially online. After all, Devin Benavides from the Better Business Bureau said that going to college can open a new financial can of worms. A lot of times, this age group is wanting to kind of find a sense of financial independence for the first time, she said. They need to make money, theyre on their own. Many of the possible financial scams students face involve student loans. One local student loan expert said the simplest way to avoid getting scammed is to know with who you are talking. Youre going to working directly with the institution, Midland College Director of Financial Aid Yolanda Ramos said. So, youll be working directly with a financial aid staff member, regardless of its at midland college or any other institution. Ramos also said students should consider where theyre getting their information online. If its not from studentaid.gov, if its not from the Department of Education, those are going to be your biggest indicators. While students might face new financial issues for the first time, Benavides said that parents can help their kids in college avoid getting scammed. Theres a lot of great resources online where you can sit down as a family and say, There are bad people out there. Not everyone is trustworthy. Not every link is trustworthy. RELATED: Midland ISD issues safety alert as new school year begins Benavides also said a simple search on the Internet is the easiest way to determine if one is getting scammed. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin. The woman died after going through an undisclosed medical episode while hiking at Isle Royale National Park Isle Royale National Park/Facebook Isle Royale National Park. A backpacker hiking in a "remote" spot at a Michigan national park has died after experiencing a "sudden onset" medical emergency, authorities said. The 37-year-old woman was hiking on Monday, Aug. 12, with her partner near Isle Royale National Park's Lake LeSage when she "experienced sudden onset medical complications," according to a news release from the National Park Service. Her condition "deteriorated," the NPS added, and she quickly became "unable to walk, lost consciousness, and stopped breathing." Bystanders attempted to give the hiker CPR, but their attempts were unsuccessful and she died. Related: 20-Year-Old Camp Worker Dead After Tragic Accident While Hiking Yosemite National Park According to the NPS, other backpackers who were in the same area as the couple contacted Michigan State Police through a "delayed 911 text," and park rangers as well as EMTs were dispatched to the group. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Because of the remote location, rangers and EMTs stayed with the group overnight. On the morning of Aug. 13, Isle Royale National Park staff transported the party off of the island. Related: 57-Year-Old Woman Found Dead After Hiking Grand Canyon in 100-Degree Heat A park ranger told NBC News that the small crew remained with them overnight because a larger crew was needed to transport the woman's body back to the mainland. PEOPLE did not immediately reach Isle Royale National Park personnel for comment. Isle Royale is located in a remote area of northern Lake Superior, and according to the NPS, it "preserves and protects the natural, cultural, and wilderness resources of a Lake Superior freshwater archipelago." Related: 89-Year-Old Hiker Found Safe After Nearly 10 Days Alone in Idaho Wilderness: 'Extraordinary Outcome' An investigation into the woman's death is still ongoing, the Park Service added. A cause of death has not been disclosed at this time. "The Isle Royale community extends their sincere condolences to the family and friends of the deceased," the NPS added. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. A 37-year-old backpacker has died after suffering sudden onset medical complications while hiking at a national park in Michigan, authorities said. The currently unnamed 37-year-old female hiker from Battle Creek, Michigan, was with a hiking partner late Monday afternoon near Lake LeSage at Isle Royale National Park in Michigan when authorities say she began to experience sudden onset medical complications, according to a statement from the National Park Service detailing the incident. MORE: 20-year-old man falls 400 feet to his death from rim of Grand Canyon As her condition deteriorated, she was eventually unable to walk, lost consciousness, and stopped breathing, park officials said. CPR was provided but attempts to resuscitate her were unsuccessful. Other backpackers in the area were able contact Michigan State Police who subsequently relayed the message to a National Park Service dispatch center, NPS said. MORE: 3 German tourists deface national park in paintball and slingshot shooting spree Park ranger/EMTs located and stayed with the party Monday evening. Early Tuesday morning a crew of Isle Royale staff responded to transport the party from a remote location, authorities said. The Isle Royale community extends their sincere condolences to the family and friends of the deceased, NPS continued. An investigation into the womans death is currently ongoing. Backpacker dies after suffering 'sudden medical complications' at national park originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Bad Breath Rapist sentenced to up to 20 years in prison for brutal rape of Quincy waitress A man known as the Bad Breath Rapist was sentenced Thursday to up to 20 years in prison for the brutal rape of a restaurant waitress in Quincy, nearly 20 years after committing his crime. Tuen Kit Lee, 55, was sentenced in Norfolk Superior Court after a jury convicted him of charges including aggravated rape and kidnapping for the 2005 assault of a waitress who worked at Kagawa, his familys restaurant, according to Norfolk District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey. Assistant District Attorney Lisa Beatty asked Norfolk Superior Court Judge Joseph Leighton to sentence Lee to 28 to 30 years in state prison, but a sentence of 18 to 20 years, followed by probation, was ultimately handed down. Lee was masked when held the victim at knifepoint, zip-tied her to a bed face-down, and sexually assaulted her after breaking into her home on Feb. 2, 2005, according to prosecutors. He left the victim zip-tied to the bed where she was found several hours later by her boyfriend. Lee vanished during his rape trial in 2007 and remained on the run for nearly 16 years before he was captured in California in late May after a lengthy manhunt that included work by U.S. Marshals, Quincy police officers, and a special task force. Although Lee was masked during the assault, the victim recognized his putrid breath, which was attributed to his use of traditional herbal medicines. Officials say he was subsequently dubbed by media as the Bad Breath Rapist. Lees identity was further established at trial. The State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section and Quincy Police never forgot about this case, and that persistence finally led to Lees capture in California, Morrissey said. Judge Leighton imposed a sentence of 18 to 20 years in state prison, followed by 5 years probation with substantial conditions. We strongly believed that a substantial period of incarceration was appropriate given the brutality of the crime and demonstrated lack of remorse. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW On the anniversary of the militant Islamist Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Thursday condemned the group's offences against women in Afghanistan as the "most massive systematic human rights violations worldwide." "Three years ago today, people in Afghanistan, especially women and girls, were uprooted from their lives," Baerbock said in a statement released by the Foreign Office. Since then, the Taliban have been destroying the hopes of millions of Afghan women and girls for a better life every day, she said, three years after the militants seized power. "Half of the country is no longer allowed to do what is part of normal life: work, go to hospital or restaurants alone, sing, show their faces on the street, go to school as teenagers, be a woman," she said. The lives of women and girls in Afghanistan are like living under "house arrest." Under the current conditions, it is not possible for Afghanistan to return to the international community, Baerbock said. On August, 15, 2021, the Taliban took power in Afghanistan after Western troops withdrew from the country. Since then, they have drastically restricted the rights of women and girls, including banning women from all universities. The United Nations says Afghanistan is also the only country in the world that denies women and girls over the age of 12 access to education. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) A former bank officer has been sentenced to more than 5 years in prison for an embezzlement scheme that involved taking money from customers. Kathleen Matteson, 71, of Muskegon, was indicted on several charges last year, including bank fraud, embezzlement and identity theft. She was accused of stealing nearly $800,000 from customer accounts. According to federal prosecutors, her scheme started in 2006 when she worked for a privately held wealth management company. She was accused of taking money from customer accounts, writing duplicate payroll checks to herself and submitting fake bills to her employer from a shell company that she owned. It continued when West Shore Bank acquired her employers company in 2017 and ended when she retired at the end of 2019. In all, more than $780,000 was lost. Court records show Matteson spent most of the money gambling at casinos. Sign up for breaking news alert emails Matteson pleaded not guilty and went to trial in April. She was convicted on all charges. Cheyvoryea Gibson, the special agent in charge of the FBI in Michigan, said the Department of Justice is committed to holding embezzlers accountable and protecting unsuspecting victims. Ms. Mattesons deceitful actions, spanning over a decade and involving multiple fraudulent schemes, continued until her retirement, at which point she believed she had succeeded, Gibson said in a statement. She deliberately profited from these frauds at the expense of clients and her employer. The FBI remains committed to working with our partners from the U.S. Attorneys Office to combat these serious white-collar crimes. Matteson will serve up to 61 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. TAIPEI, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Multiple civilian groups in Taiwan on Thursday issued a statement marking the 79th anniversary of Japan's unconditional surrender in the World War II, and voiced protest against external forces interfering in and undermining stability across the Taiwan Strait. In the statement, the civilian groups, including the Labor Party in Taiwan and the Cross-Strait Peace and Development Forum, hailed the day of Japan's surrender as "an important commemoration for Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to boost national morale, defend justice, uphold China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and pursue peace and progress" as well as "a glorious commemoration of Taiwan's return to China." In addition, the statement also included reflection on the local anti-Japanese movements after the island became a Japanese colony in 1895 and celebrations by the majority of people on the island after Japan's unconditional surrender in 1945. Taiwan's return to China was recognized by the Cairo Declaration in 1943 and the Potsdam Proclamation in 1945, said the statement. What undermines peace and stability across the Strait is intervention of external forces in the Taiwan question which is purely China's internal affair, as well as their collusion with separatists seeking "Taiwan independence," the statement said. It urged people of Taiwan to carry on the legacy of their ancestors who fought against colonists and called on the Democratic Progressive Party authorities to accept the legal and historical fact that both sides belong to one China, so as to truly maintain stability in cross-strait relations and peace across the Strait. Battleground: Choices are now set for Fox Valley voters ahead of the Nov. 5 election APPLETON The lines are drawn and the choices are set for the Nov. 5 election after Tuesday's primary. In Wisconsin's 8th Congressional District, De Pere Democrat Kristin Lyerly, an OB-GYN physician, will battle De Pere Republican Tony Wied, a former gas station owner, in what surely will be a lively three-month campaign period. In Wisconsin Senate District 18, Democrat Kristin Alfheim, an Appleton Common Council member and small-business owner, will face off against Republican Anthony Phillips, an Appleton cancer physician. And in Wisconsin Assembly District 53, Neenah Republican Dean Kaufert will try to return to state politics a decade after he left the Legislature to become Neenah mayor. He will be challenged by Neenah Democrat Duane Shukoski, who worked for Kimberly-Clark Corp. for 37 years. The fall partisan election covers the offices of U.S. president, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, Wisconsin Senate (even-numbered districts) and Wisconsin Assembly. County offices for clerk, district attorney, register of deeds and treasurer also are at stake. The state Senate and Assembly races reflect new electoral maps that were signed into law by Gov. Tony Evers. The maps were designed to more evenly divide the legislative districts between Democrats and Republicans and weaken advantages granted to Republicans by district maps passed in 2011. Here is the list of candidates for the greater Fox Cities area. 6th Congressional District (two-year term) 8th Congressional District (two-year term) Wied defeated former state Sen. Roger Roth of Appleton and state Sen. Andre Jacque of De Pere in Tuesday's primary. He was endorsed by former President Donald Trump. See the new state Senate districts This map shows Wisconsin state Senate districts under the previous 2022 map on the left, and the new 2024 map on the right. Each district is colored according to whether itleans Democrat, leans Republican, or is acompetitive district (within 5%). Old maps (2022) New maps (2024) Note: The partisan lean of districts is calculated based on voting data from national and local elections from 2016 to 2022. Districts with less than 5% difference in Republican and Democratic votes are considered competitive districts. Map by Andrew Hahn and Eva Wen / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Wisconsin Senate District 2 (four-year term) The district covers Little Chute and a portion of Kaukauna along its southern border and stretches north covering Seymour, Clintonville and Shawano. Democrat: Kelly Peterson Republican: Eric Wimberger, who currently represents District 30 Incumbent Robert Cowles, R-Allouez, who has served since 1987, didn't seek reelection. Wisconsin Senate District 18 (four-year term) The district includes the cities of Appleton, Menasha, Neenah and Oshkosh. Phillips collected 62% of the votes in the primary to outdistance Blong Yang. Incumbent Dan Feyen, R-Fond du Lac, is seeking reelection to the Senate in District 20 after the new maps drew him out of District 18. See the new state Assembly districts This map shows Wisconsin state Assembly districts under the previous 2022 map on the left, and the new 2024 map on the right. Each district is colored according to whether itleans Democrat, leans Republican, or is acompetitive district (within 5%). Old maps (2022) New maps (2024) Note: The partisan lean of districts is calculated based on voting data from national and local elections from 2016 to 2022. Districts with less than 5% difference in Republican and Democratic votes are considered competitive districts. Map by Andrew Hahn and Eva Wen / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Assembly District 2 The district covers Kimberly and parts of Kaukauna, Wrightstown, Denmark, Mishicot and Reedsville. Assembly District 3 The district encompasses Calumet County and parts of Manitowoc County. Assembly District 5 The district covers parts of Outagamie and Brown counties. Assembly District 52 The district is concentrated around Appleton. The boundaries resemble District 57 under the previous maps. Democrat: Lee Snodgrass, who currently represents District 57 Republican: Chad Cooke Incumbent Jerry O'Connor is seeking reelection to the Assembly in District 60. Assembly District 53 The district covers Neenah and Menasha and parts of Appleton. Incumbent Michael Schraa unsuccessfully sought reelection to the Assembly in District 55. Assembly District 54 The district is centered on Oshkosh and extends west along the north shore of Lake Butte des Morts. Assembly District 55 The district covers areas of Grand Chute, Fox Crossing, Winneconne and Omro. Gustafson tallied 55% of the votes in the primary to advance over Michael Schraa. Assembly District 56 The district covers sections of Outagamie and Waupaca counties, including Black Creek, Hortonville and New London. Calumet County clerk (four-year term) Democrat: None Republican: Incumbent Beth Hauser Calumet County district attorney (four-year term) Democrat: None Republican: Incumbent Nathan Haberman Calumet County register of deeds (four-year term) Democrat: None Republican: Incumbent Tami Alten Calumet County treasurer (four-year term) Democrat: None Republican: Incumbent Mike Schlaak Outagamie County clerk (four-year term) Democrat: None Republican: Kelly Gerrits Incumbent Jeff King didn't seek reelection. Outagamie County district attorney (four-year term) Democrat: None Republican: Incumbent Mindy Tempelis Outagamie County register of deeds (four-year term) Democrat: None Republican: Incumbent Sarah Van Camp Outagamie County treasurer (four-year term) Democrat: None Republican: Incumbent Rochelle Oskey Winnebago County clerk (four-year term) Democrat: None Republican: Incumbent Julie Barthels Winnebago County district attorney (four-year term) Democrat: None Republican: Incumbent Eric Sparr Winnebago County register of deeds (four-year term) Democrat: Christopher Larson Republican: Susan Snyder Snyder won 53% of the votes in the primary to edge Paul Esslinger. Incumbent Natalie Strohmeyer didn't seek reelection. Winnebago County treasurer (four-year term) Democrat: None Republican: Incumbent Amber Hoppa Contact Duke Behnke at 920-993-7176 or dbehnke@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DukeBehnke. This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Choices set in Appleton, Oshkosh, Neenah and more for Nov. 5 election BAY COUNTY, FL. (WMBB) Bay District Schools released a statement involving a student arrested for allegedly posting a threat against a school staff member on social media on Thursday. Bay District School officials said the disruption caused by these actions is profound and theyre committed to keeping their schools safe. We want our community to trust us and to know that we will share the news good or bad as quickly as possible, BDS officials wrote. In a news release, school officials urge parents to take the time to talk to their children about the gravity of these situations. They encourage students to speak with a trusted adult at school if they feel angry, upset, or overwhelmed. BDS officials refused to do an on-camera interview, and will not reveal the nature of the threat, the students name, or which school they attended. Bay County Sheriffs Office deputies are charging the student with a misdemeanor. All students are scheduled to attend a school safety assembly at their school in September. Read the full statement below: Bay District Schools extends its heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated law enforcement partners for their swift response to the recent social media threat against a school staff member. We recognize the fear and disruption such incidents cause within our community, and we are committed to maintaining the safety and security of our schools. Last year, in collaboration with State Attorney Larry Basford, Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford, and Superintendent Mark McQueen, we visited every secondary campus to stress the seriousness of these situations. Despite those efforts and continued reinforcement of this message, we still need the communitys support. We are asking all parents/guardians/grandparents to have conversations with our children about the consequences of making threats, whether in person or online. Students need to understand that these actions are not just disruptive; they have severe legal and school-based repercussions, including potential criminal charges and expulsion. We are scheduling another round of campus visits for mid-September to continue this critical dialogue, and our administrators reinforce this message daily. Our students must hear from us and their parents/guardians about the importance of maintaining safe school environments. We know how terrifying these threats are for everyone involvedstudents, parents/guardians, teachers, and our entire community. The disruption caused by these actions is profound, and we are committed to doing whatever we can to eliminate them. The world is full of legitimate threats and challenges and we do not need students manufacturing additional threats to scare our stakeholders. But we cannot do this alone. Please help us by talking with children about the gravity of these situations and encouraging them to speak with a trusted adult at school if they feel angry, upset, or overwhelmed. Together, we can ensure that our schools remain safe for all students. Read the Full Statement from Deane Bozeman Principal Ivan Beach: As Principal of Deane Bozeman School, I want to address the recent FHSAA sanction imposed on our football program. This sanction followed our voluntary disclosure of an unfortunate oversight where an ineligible student-athlete participated in a football practice earlier this summer. I want to extend our sincere apologies for this lapse in adherence to FHSAA regulations. While the student is now fully enrolled, and our rookie coach has accepted complete responsibility for this mistake, we recognize the importance of maintaining the highest standards in all aspects of our schools operations. Bozeman has always prided itself on fostering a culture of integrity, good citizenship, and accountability. We are committed to learning from this incident and have already implemented measures to ensure such an oversight does not occur in the future. We remain dedicated to upholding the values that make our school a beacon of excellence, both on and off the field. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com. A terrifying incident unfolded over the weekend when a three-year-old girl was involved in a bear attack while sleeping in a tent at a Montana campground. The mauling occurred just north of Yellowstone National Park, a region known for its wildlife encounters. This attack comes on the heels of previous high-profile bear incidents, including the fatal mauling of campers and a dog in October 2023. The Montana incident has drawn renewed attention to wildlife safety. It serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safety precautions when venturing into bear country. Investigation Reveals Bear Likely Had Access To Human Food Pexels A black bear, which had previously shown no signs of aggressive behavior, attacked a 3-year-old girl on Sunday. The incident took place at night when the bear entered a tent where the child was sleeping at the Montana campground. The campground, located south of Red Lodge, was subsequently evacuated as authorities launched a search for the animal. According to the Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Agency, the bear had likely become habituated to human food and garbage, making it less fearful of people. Investigators found trash, a cooler, and food items around and inside the tent where the attack occurred. The girl was rushed to a Billings hospital, though her current condition remains unknown. The bear believed to be responsible was captured and euthanized the following afternoon, AP reports. Wildlife officials strongly advise campers to store food and scented items securely in bear-resistant containers or vehicles to prevent such incidents. California Jogger Survives Black Bear Attack Days Before Montana Incident Pexels The Montana attack is not the only recent instance of someone surviving a bear encounter. While it is rare to walk away from a black bear attack, a man in California did just that just days before the young girls ordeal in Montana. On August 12, the jogger was running in the Long Barn community near the Sierra Nevada when he stumbled upon a female bear and her cub. The bear, feeling threatened, chased and attacked the man, forcing him to flee up an embankment. A California Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesperson told PEOPLE that in a desperate bid to defend himself, the man struck the bear with a stick and sought cover behind a tree. However, instead of helping, the situation escalated when the bear continued its pursuit, even attacking the jogger as he climbed onto a parked vehicle in a nearby residential area. Luckily, a homeowner alerted by the commotion, yelled at the bear, causing it to retreat. Emergency services were called, and the man, who sustained injuries to his back, side, and legs, was transported to Adventist Health in Sonora, where he is reportedly in stable condition. Grizzly Attack Claimed Lives Of Hikers And Their Dog In Banff National Park Pexels The recent bear attack highlights the increasing risks of wildlife encounters, a trend that was tragically evident in October 2023 when a grizzly bear killed a couple and their dog at Banff National Park. The Montana girl and the California man's narrow escape from serious injury contrasts sharply with the fatal outcome for the hikers, who had to be found and retrieved by rescue teams. At the time, The Blast shared that the couple, who had sent a distress signal to Parks Canada, were found deceased after a challenging night-time rescue effort. Despite the team's prompt response, the external relations manager for the Banff field unit, Natalie Fay, claimed, "Weather conditions at the time did not allow for helicopter use, and the response team traveled through the night to the location by the ground." Due to this, the specialized team did not arrive until 1 a.m., by which time they discovered the bodies and had to euthanize an aggressive grizzly bear in the area for safety. Public Outrage After Bear Euthanized Following Fatal Attack Pexels The decision to euthanize the grizzly bear involved in a fatal attack at Banff National Park prompted a wave of backlash from those who argued the bear was defending its territory. Critics on social media expressed frustration, like this commenter who noted, "If the humans had not been there in the first place....in the bear's home. Now the two people are dead, and the bear. What a waste." Another questioned the necessity of the bear's death, writing, "Why kill the Bear. A Bear is gonna Bear," while a third added, "The bear should not have been put down." This netizen highlighted the dwindling number of grizzly bears in Alberta, stating, "I hate they killed the bear when it's humans who encroach on their homes! There are few grizzlies around but over 8 billion people!" Eco-Protestors' Attempt To Highlight Habitat Destruction Ends In Bear Attack Bieszczady Mountains | Pexels The October incident was soon followed by a strikingly ironic event the next month when a bid to spotlight habitat destruction turned dangerous for two eco-activists in Poland. The Blast reported that the incident unfolded in the Bieszczady Mountains when the German activists stumbled upon a bear's den, mistakenly believing it to be abandoned. Their filming took a terrifying turn when the bear emerged, leading to a frantic chase through the forest. In the chaos, the bear attacked one protestor but survived thanks to the swift action of mountain rescue teams. He was airlifted to a hospital and was reported to be in serious but stable condition. Eco-Protesters Face Backlash After Bear Attack Fotopuapka uchwycia atak niedzwiedzia na ekoaktywiste. Chcia udowodnic, ze gawra jest pusta bo lesnicy zniszczyli jego siedlisko. Nieza ironia losu - pseudoekolodzy szczuli na lesnikow, GOPR i policjantow, a teraz ci ludzie ratuja im zycie. Bedzie Nagroda Darwina? pic.twitter.com/ig32fe05Ne Micha Gzowski (@GzowskiMichal) November 15, 2023 Despite their efforts, the Wild Carpathians Initiative, the organization they sought to represent, did not show them sympathy. The group stated that the activists should have known better than to disturb a bear preparing for hibernation. The incident was caught on camera and shared on X by Micha Gzowski, spokesman for the Polish Forestry Service, who found the situation deeply ironic. Gzowski criticized the activists for ending up in a situation requiring rescue by the people they were protesting against. He captioned the footage with, "A camera trap captured a bear attacking an eco-activist," adding, "Quite an irony of fate - pseudo-ecologists were attacking foresters, GOPR and policemen, and now these people are saving their lives. Will there be a Darwin award?" As debates continue over how to balance wildlife protection with human safety, the Montana incident is yet another stark reminder of the risks involved. NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WWLP) A New Bedford woman has become the latest winner of the Massachusetts State Lottery, claiming a $1 million prize in the popular $2,000,000 50X Cashword $10 instant ticket game. The winner chose to receive her prize as a one-time payment of $650,000 before taxes. She expressed her excitement about the win, stating that she plans to use her winnings to invest in her home. Courtesy of Massachusetts State Lottery Commission The winning ticket was purchased at Belleville Discount Gas, located at 535 Belleville Ave. in New Bedford. As a result of selling the winning ticket, the store will receive a $10,000 bonus from the Massachusetts State Lottery. Latest Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. FILE PHOTO: Russian President Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Lukashenko visit Valaam in the Republic of Karelia By Lucy Papachristou LONDON (Reuters) - Russia and Ukraine should negotiate an end to their conflict to avoid the war spilling over into Belarus, President Alexander Lukashenko, a key ally of Vladimir Putin, said in an interview with Russian state television. Lukashenko was speaking against the backdrop of a Ukrainian incursion into Russia that began on Aug. 6 when thousands of Kyiv's troops smashed through Russia's western border in a major embarrassment for Putin's top military brass. In a wide-ranging interview, Lukashenko said that only "high-ranking people of American origin" wanted the Ukraine-Russia war to continue. The West, he said, was encouraging Kyiv to fight because it wants Ukraine and Russia to "destroy each other", according to excerpts of the nearly two-hour interview published on Thursday on the Belarusian presidential website. Russia said on Thursday that it would beef up border defences as hundreds of thousands of people were ordered to evacuate the western Kursk region. Kyiv said its forces have advanced 35 km (22 miles) into Russia since last week and continue to gain ground. Lukashenko suggested, without providing evidence, that Kyiv could have designs on attacking Belarus, and said that Minsk would not allow Ukrainian troops to "trample on our country". The Ukrainian military did not immediately respond to a written request for comment. The Belarusian leader has positioned himself as a main backer of Putin since the Russian president ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, part of which was staged from Belarusian soil. Instead of allowing battles to rage on, Lukashenko urged talks. "Let's sit down at the negotiating table and end this brawl," he said. "Neither the Ukrainian people, nor the Russians, nor the Belarusians need it. They (the West) need it." Moscow has said any peace talks should be based on Ukraine ceding land amounting to a fifth of its territory - much of it seized by Russian forces. Ukraine says Kyiv would be prepared for talks provided Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity were fully respected. Lukashenko charged that the West was betting that the destabilising situation in Kursk would encourage a troop mobilisation in both Belarus and Russia and "shake up society from within." "We don't want escalation and we don't want a war against the whole of NATO. We don't want that," he said. But if Ukraine does provoke Belarus, Lukashenko cautioned, "we'll have no other choice." Lukashenko referred to the conflict as a "common war" of Belarus and Russia against "those beasts" - Kyiv and its Western allies - and said Moscow would "back us up" if Belarus was attacked. On Saturday Minsk said it was sending troops to reinforce its southern border with Ukraine after accusing Kyiv of violating its airspace with drones. Kyiv said it had seen no signs of such a buildup. Lukashenko repeated the claims about airspace violations and said the Belarusian troops were being despatched to the border to "prevent a breakthrough." He said Minsk saw no reason to use Russian nuclear weapons, deployed on Belarusian territory last year, unless its borders were violated. "We are not going to use any weapons until you step on our state border," he said. (Reporting and writing by Lucy Papachristou; Additional reporting by Tom Balmforth; Editing by Frances Kerry) Beloved Big Boy locomotive rolls through St. Louis in September. When can you see it? ST. LOUIS Big Boy No. 4014, one of the most famous steam engines in the United States, will pass through the St. Louis region next month. The Union Pacific Railroad Company is sending its Big Boy for a tour across ten states, including Missouri and Illinois. Big Boy No. 4014 is the worlds largest operational steam locomotive and one of Union Pacifics original engines. The locomotive rode the rails for 20 years from 1941 to 1961, clocking more than one million miles. It was retired for nearly six decades before a lengthy restoration process at Union Pacifics steam shop in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Beloved Big Boy locomotive rolls through St. Louis in September. When can you see it? Big Boy will begin its 2024 Heartland of America tour on Wednesday, Aug. 28, departing from Cheyenne, Wyoming. The tours current schedule calls for a visit in St. Louis from Sept. 10-12. According to the schedule, here wont be public access to Big Boy on Sept. 11 due to a private Union Pacific employee event. Organizers did not disclose the planned stopping location in St. Louis, and viewing opportunities may be limited in the city otherwise. That said, there are a few opportunities where you may be able to catch a glimpse of the locomotive in Illinois or Missouri. The best opportunity will come on Sept. 9 in Rochelle, Illinois, when there will be a whistle stop and extended viewing and photo opportunities. Rochelle is nearly four hours north of St. Louis in the Rockford, Illinois metropolitan area. Keep the following dates and stops in mind if you hope to see Big Boy in Illinois or Missouri, or possibly even in St. Louis. Illinois Friday, Sept. 6 Sterling, IL at Sterling Marketplace at 111 West Second St. Arrives 1:30 p.m. CT. Departs 1:45 p.m. CT. Sunday, Sept. 8 Rochelle, IL on display from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Union Pacific Ike Evans Global III Terminal at 2701 Intermodal Dr. Monday, Sept. 9 Rochelle IL 8 a.m. departure to Villa Grove, IL. Rochelle IL at Rochelle Railroad Park at 124 North Ninth Street. Arrives 8:45 a.m. CT. Departs 9 a.m. CT. Watseka, IL at North Street Crossing. Arrives 5 p.m. CT. Departs 5:30 p.m. CT. Tuesday, Sept. 10 Villa Grove, IL 9 a.m. departure to St. Louis, MO Nokomis, IL at Maple Street Crossing. Arrives 12:15 p.m. CT. Departs 12:45 p.m. CT. St. Louis Tuesday, Sept. 10-Thursday, Sept. 12 Expected arrival on Sept. 10 Private event on Sept. 11 Expected departure on Sept. 12 Times and locations around the locomotives St. Louis leg of the tour have not been disclosed in Big Boys online tour schedule. Missouri Thursday, Sept. 12 St. Louis, MO 8:30 a.m. departure to Poplar Bluff, MO. De Soto, MO at Commercial Street Crossing. Arrives 11 a.m. CT. Departs 11:30 a.m. CT. Arcadia Ironton, MO at Arcadia Valley Amtrack Station at 13700 MO-21. Arrives 1:30 p.m. CT. Departs 2 p.m. CT. Friday, Sept. 13 Poplar Bluff, MO 9 a.m. departure to Jonesboro, AR. Running times and scheduled stops are subject to change due to the nature of operations. For the latest schedule and updates, CLICK HERE. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. Belvidere distribution center gives away upwards of 10K diapers to parents in need BELVIDERE, Ill. (WTVO) The Belvidere Baby Bank gave away thousands of diapers to families in the community and surrounding areas on Wednesday. Its nice to know that theres someone out for underprivileged families, said Parent Stan Moffitt. The Baby Bank has had multiple months of in a row that they were able to supply these many diapers. This effectively eases the burden of rising diaper prices for hundreds of parents. The need is just growing every single month because WIC does not cover diapers or wipes, said Baby Bank Executive Director Mandy Minson. So, with the prices of everything going up, these people really are in need just for basic necessities for their children. And theyre not asking for above and beyond. They just want diapers and wipes to keep their kids. The bank is fully funded on donations from churches, United Way, the community and more organizations. They also hold a pop-up shop with free baby clothing, toys and other child necessities. Every months handouts are wrapped up with a free dinner. We got a big family, so its sometimes its always hard to do stuff, said Moffitt. So, its just nice that people out here help out and just make sure everyone gets some sort of meal. We buy stuff and give it away and people cant believe we give it away, said Baby Bank Treasurer Bob Kantner. These people are very grateful. A lot of young mothers, about a third, are grandmothers that are taking care of kids. So, its a very emotional thing. The Baby Bank has been distributing diapers since 2018. Since moving to Zion Lutheran Church in Belvidere last year, they have skyrocketed to giving away thousands of diapers. I mean, last year our demand was up 58% over the year before talking about people needing diapers, up 58% this year, year to date were up 34%, said Kantner. So, the demand is going through the roof because the cost is going through the roof. To get involved or donate visit their website. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports. BENTON, Ark. A veteran in Benton was gifted a brand-new roof to replace one more than 20 years old. Vietnam veteran Thomas Trantham said it would have cost him $12,000 for a new roof but instead, it was paid through his time serving the country. Arkansas veteran gifted new car as part of Keys to Progress program Owens Corning Company first partnered with Purple Heart in 2016 to replace roofs for veterans in need. On Wednesday they provided the material, while Regal Roofing provided the labor and together a new roof was built free of charge. It may seem small to a lot of people, but this is such a big thing for us, Thomas daughter Kayla Trantham said. And especially for him too for everything hes done. Owens Corning has replaced over 500 roofs for veterans over the years, but this will be the first veteran in Arkansas to get this opportunity. I knew he was the one, and I got excited immediately to get the process started, Dane Ferguson from Regal Roofing said. Nonprofit builds home for injured veteran in Pea Ridge Kayla said the old roof was more than 20 years old and leaking, but the home underneath it has held many stories told by her father. She said she was glad to see it taken care of. And this is my childhood home so its very nice to see that this home is being brought back to life and getting the care it needs, Trantham said. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK. VANDALIA, OHIO - MARCH 16: Ohio Senate candidate Bernie Moreno greets former President Donald Trump in Vandalia earlier this year. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) Ohio Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bernie Moreno is in a difficult position when it comes to abortion, and he appears to be trying to hedge. To win a close race against Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, he needs an important part of the Republican coalition abortion opponents to show up to the polls. But while Ohioans have mostly elected Republicans in recent decades, most voters clearly disagree with abortion foes. A sweeping abortion-rights measure sailed through last November by a 14-point margin. That leaves Moreno, a Cleveland businessman, the choice of alienating a key part of his coalition or a huge swath of voters in the middle. These days, he seems to be using semantics to avoid stating his position on that pivotal issue. Thats after he criticized others for waffling. Morenos campaign didnt respond to questions for this story, but Moreno has made numerous public statements on the matter. When he was running in Republican primaries, Moreno made several versions of the statement he made on Jan. 13, 2022 on Cincinnatis 55WKRC radio when asked for his position on abortion. Absolute pro-life, no exceptions, Moreno said at the 7:43 mark on this recording. That sounds a lot like support for an abortion ban possibly without exceptions. Then earlier this year in the midst of another GOP Senate primary, Moreno was seeking to distinguish himself from Ohio Sen. Matt Dolan, R-Chagrin Falls, who was also seeking the nomination. Speaking to a group of Dayton Republicans on March 10, Moreno noted that Dolan in 2019 voted against the heartbeat bill. Right. So this is a guy whos not on our side. The heartbeat bill is Senate Bill 23, which banned the great majority of abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy a point at which many women dont know theyre pregnant. It included no exceptions for rape or incest. Supporters called it the heartbeat bill because, with very few exceptions, it bans abortions after fetal cardiac activity is detected. Doctors who specialize in reproductive health say the exceptions it does make for the mothers health are vague and confusing for professionals who have to deal with quickly deteriorating patients. They were left to interpret it anyway on June 24, 2022, when the U.S. Supreme Court terminated abortion-rights protections under Roe v Wade and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost rushed to court to give SB 23 the immediate force of law. In the months that ensued, many women and girls learned to their horror that for them, the heartbeat bill was an abortion ban. They include a 10-year-old rape victim whose existence Yost questioned. They also include other minors who were rape victims, cancer patients, women with doomed pregnancies and others who threatened suicide if they had to continue their pregnancies. They and their doctors might have believed they needed abortions, but while the Ohio law was in effect, for them the procedure was banned. Ohio voters last November demonstrated strong disagreement with the heartbeat law by overwhelmingly approving a constitutional amendment overturning it. In an op-ed last week, Morenos opponent, Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, said Ohioans position on abortion was clear: A womans health care decisions should be between her and her doctor not politicians. Moreno might not be saying that. But he is answering questions about abortion by saying he doesnt use the word ban. I have never said the word ban, I dont look at that at all that way, Moreno told Statehouse News Bureaus Karen Kasler on March 1 when she asked him whether he supported a proposal for a 15-week national abortion ban. What I say is that abortion is mostly up to the states and the states make those decisions. By July, Moreno was saying that all the talk of abortion bans was a construct of the media and the Democratic Party. He said that even though the Supreme Court had given the states power to ban abortion without exception and he had supported an Ohio law that banned it after six weeks in the vast majority of cases. Ive never used the term ban,' Moreno told CNN on July 16. Thats a term the Democrats and the media like to use. The semantic distinctions might seem ironic in light of the fact that in March 2023 Moreno slammed other politicians for waffling on their commitment to fighting abortion. He was asked by a member of a group of Batavia Republicans, What are you going to do when you run to stand out against the other candidates (to show) you are truly the 100% pro-life candidate? Moreno was definite. I think you need to insist that candidates say the following words: I am unapologetically pro-life,' he said in a video clip of the event provided to the Capital Journal. What happens a lot of times is that theyll say, Oh, Im pro-life. But then they all of a sudden pivot as the media likes to call it. And then they go off the rails there. Moreno then said, My perspective is pretty simple, and listed positions politicians might have on things like taxes. None of that really matters if you cant say that you advocate for the most foundational thing in our Declaration of Independence, which is the right you have to life. Lauren Beene is a pediatrician who co-founded Ohio Physicians for Reproductive rights in the wake of the Supreme Courts Dobbs decision and the sudden enforcement of SB 23. She said Moreno cant have it both ways. A ban is a ban, Beene said in an email Wednesday. SB 23 bans abortion based on the presence of fetal heart cell electrical impulses being detectable on ultrasound. This happens about two weeks after a womans missed period (or six weeks since their most recent period). This is before most people know they are pregnant so they have no option to get an abortion at that point. It doesnt matter if Bernie Moreno prefers to not use the word ban to describe SB 23, because banning abortion for almost all Ohioans who may need one is what SB 23 effectively does. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST The Ukrainian Air Force has released a video offering the best look to date of one of the country's MiG-29 Fulcrum fighters employing French-made AASM-250 Hammer precision-guided bombs. The Ukrainian Air Force has released a video offering the best look to date of one of the countrys MiG-29 Fulcrum fighters employing French-made AASM-250 Hammer precision-guided bombs. The clip, shot from inside the jets cockpit, looks to show the pilot utilizing a toss bomb technique, which is exactly how the rocket-boosted munitions were designed to be used. Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Col. Yuri Ignat posted the footage, seen below, which shows the release of two Hammers, on social media earlier today. Ignat said he did so earlier than planned as a tribute to Oleksandr Myhulia, the Ukrainian pilot who shot the video and who was killed while flying a combat mission on August 12. A video of the moment of release of two French-supplied AASM-250 Hammer guided bombs from a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet. The pilot of this particular airframe, 27-year-old Captain Oleksandr Myhulia, perished while performing a combat mission on August 12, 2024. pic.twitter.com/yNEbbaFUPt Status-6 (Military & Conflict News) (@Archer83Able) August 14, 2024 Friend, such shots are a rarity, lets wait until Aviation Day, there are a few weeks left, Myhulia said after passing along the clip, according to a machine translation of Ignats post on Facebook, who added this was the last time the two corresponded. Since 1993, Ukraine has marked an annual national Aviation Day on the last Saturday in August that honors military and civilian pilots, as well as other employees in the countrys airline and aviation industries. MiG-29s appear to be the Ukrainian Air Forces primary launch platform for Hammers, at least so far. The Ukrainian Air Force has said in the past that it has integrated the French-made precision bombs onto its Su-25 Frogfoot ground attack jets, but no pictures or videos have emerged to date showing this combination. Imagery has emerged in the past that might also point to Ukraines Su-27 Flankers employing them. Low pass by a Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29, armed with a French-supplied AASM 250 HAMMER extended-range guided bomb. pic.twitter.com/FlibJ9VZfm OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) March 15, 2024 A special pylon that MiG-29s use to carry Hammers is visible in the new clip. The pylon looks to be designed to help cue GPS-assisted guidance systems like the ones found on the AASM-250s, as you can read about more here. Integrating Western precision munitions on Ukraines Soviet-era combat jets has involved the use of ad-hoc modifications, including control system software installed on iPads or similar tablet-like devices mounted in their cockpits and various specialized pylons. A screen capture from the new video showing the white-colored special pylon Ukrainian MiG-29s use to carry Hammer bombs. Ukrainian Air Force capture A picture that previously emerged showing the special Hammer pylon. via X As already noted, the video Col. Ignat posted today looks to show Myhulia lobbing the AASM-250s in a toss bombing maneuver. This is in line with footage shot from afar of a Ukrainian MiG-29 releasing what appeared to be a pair of Hammers in a similar manner that emerged online back in June. Footage reportedly showing Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet firing French-supplied AASM-250 Hammer guided bombs at a target in Belgorod Oblast of Russia. Notice the very low altitude from which the munitions are being launched. Geolocated impact point: Nekhoteevka border crossing, pic.twitter.com/mGGuqRAmyK Status-6 (Military & Conflict News) (@Archer83Able) June 27, 2024 As The War Zone has written in the past: With unguided munitions, a toss/lofted technique significantly reduces accuracy. Hammer and [U.S.-supplied unpowered] JDAM-ER [glide-bombs] both come standard with GPS-assisted inertial navigation system (INS) guidance packages that would allow them to zero in on set coordinates even when employed indirectly. Much more importantly, the French precision-guided munitions have the REK [Range Extension Kit tail unit], which is a solid-fuel rocket booster designed to extend the weapons range. This is already a very useful additional capability when employing these weapons in level flight at higher altitudes, giving 500-pound/250-kilogram class versions the ability to hit targets up to 43 miles (70 kilometers) away. That is similar to the stated maximum range of the unpowered JDAM-ER with its pop-out wing kit. However, any air-dropped precision-guided bombs maximum range depends on altitude, with it generally decreasing the lower the launch platform is at the time of release. Hammers REK is specifically designed to give low-flying launch aircraft a unique option for getting the bomb to targets at extended ranges via a lofted trajectory, including up and over rough terrain with the help of rocket assistance. The manufacturer Safran says that the weapon can still hit targets at least nine miles (15 kilometers) away when released at low altitudes and it can do so with the weapon impacting at a higher-energy state than its glide bomb counterparts. This graphic gives a very rudimentary look at the different employment options for Hammer, including launching it up and over terrain at its target. Safran In sharing the footage online, Col. Ignat added the following, again per a machine translation of his post on Facebook: The tactics of using American anti-radar AGM-88 HARM [High-speed Anti-Radiation Missiles], GBU-62 JDAM-ER, or French Hammer air bombs are associated with a serious risk for pilots. In order to successfully complete a combat mission, Ukrainian pilots have to get close to enemy anti-aircraft and fighter jets, and use complex tactical techniques. Because of all these risks enemy missiles and the difficulty of performing tasks on old Soviet equipment, sometimes we have bitter losses. Toss bombing is one way to help mitigate those risks. Unpowered JDAM-ERs, as well as U.S.-provided Small Diameter Bombs (SDB), and other munitions, guided and unguided, can also be employed in this way. I dont want to get into the exact tactics but obviously, the lower you are, and the further away from the surface to air missiles that can detect you because of the curvature of the earth affect how far the bomb can travel, U.S. Air Force Gen. James Hecker, head of U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), as well as NATOs Allied Air Command and U.S. Air Forces Africa (AFAFRICA), had said while speaking about Ukraines use of JDAM-ER back in March 2023. There are tactics where you can go in low and do some things and get back. Still, the Hammers rocket-assisted design does make it especially well suited to being used in this way. The press service of the Air Force accidentally caught Oleksandr Migula this winter at the airfield, Col. Ignat also shared at the end of his Facebook post accompanying the newly released video of the Hammers being released. Tired after the combat sortie, the young and purposeful pilot did not talk about himself, but about the combat work of his comrades, about the means of destruction: bombs and missiles from partners, the training of our pilots on the F-16 and the need to rearm. Ukraine has now started receiving F-16s from various Western countries. However, it will take years for the Ukrainian Air Force and its pilots to unlock the full potential of those fighters. Let's start hunting pic.twitter.com/aw3NYP94fD Ukrainian Air Force (@KpsZSU) August 6, 2024 In the meantime, Ukraines MiG-29s and other Soviet-era combat aircraft will soldier on, including as important launch platforms for Western-supplied precision munitions like Hammer. Contact the author: joe@twz.com This photo shows a view of Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 14, 2024. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) KABUL, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- After one day of business slump, Mohammadajan, a street vendor in Afghanistan's capital Kabul, was taking the last opportunity to tout vegetables to sparse shoppers loudly before sunset. On Aug. 15, 2021, Taliban's force entered Kabul and took over power as U.S.-led forces have withdrawn from Afghanistan. To celebrate the third anniversary of U.S.-led forces pulling out of Afghanistan, streets and buildings in the capital have been decorated with flags and slogans on the wall reading "congratulation to freedom" and "Afghan nation defeated America". "That day (three years ago) I heard that the Taliban was going to enter the city and I saw through the window that people on the street were running home in a panic." Mohammadajan reminisced. But Mohammadajan soon discovered that things did not develop in the bad direction, and Afghanistan finally ushered in three years of relative peace. "The security situation here has improved 100 percent, and the number of beggars and thieves on the street has also gradually decreased," Mohammadajan told Xinhua. According to the Global Terrorism Index, terror deaths fell by 519 in Afghanistan in 2023, an 81 percent improvement. This was the first year since 2019 that Afghanistan has not been the country most impacted by terrorism. "Security has improved compared to the past," Hussain, a dry fruit shopkeeper in Kabul said. "Our shop is open until 12:00 midnight and no one bothers us." Although the security situation has improved significantly, the Afghan people are facing severe economic challenges. Over the past two years, Afghanistan's economy has been characterized by a tumultuous downturn, with a staggering 26 percent contraction in real GDP, according to a report released by the World Bank in April. Currently, turnover has declined 50 percent, said Hussain. "Over the past three years, we don't have any benefit." According to Hussain, due to economic downturn, people's purchasing power has continued to decline, and prices have also fallen. "Now violence has decreased and people were relieved to some extent," said Najibullah Arman, an editor of a news organization. "But we can not ignore reconstruction and modernization, aspirations of the Afghan people." Following the U.S. military withdrawal, Washington has slapped sanctions on the new Afghan administration, freezing Afghanistan's central bank assets worth billions of U.S. dollars and thus plunging the country into an economic crisis. According to Arman, the sanctions made it difficult for foreign capital to enter Afghanistan, resulting in delay in launch of large-scale investment projects in Afghanistan. "How can Afghans actually live with these sanctions? I think this is unfair." Arman said, adding that peace is hard-won, and now ordinary people's wish is to find a job and live in peace. Street vendor Mohammadajan is pictured in Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 13, 2024. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) 4:50 p.m. update: A suspicious bag located after a bomb scare at Beyer High School on Thursday afternoon was determined to be a gym bag holding football gear, Modesto police reported. We are continuing our investigation into the initial claims of a possible bomb and will be clearing the area shortly, Police Department spokeswoman Sharon Bear said by text. Original story: Just three days into the new school year, Beyer High students were evacuated Thursday afternoon because of a bomb threat, Modesto police report. Police received word a little after 1:30 p.m. Sgt. Pat Kimes said school officials released students early because the school day was only about an hour from being over. The Stanislaus County Sheriffs Office bomb squad was on scene to address the threat, he said. All students and staff are safe, police reported. Modesto Police Department spokeswoman Sharon Bear told The Bee at about 3:50 p.m. that the bomb squad had the package in question. Modesto City Schools spokeswoman Sharokina Shams told The Bee that a student flagged down an administrator to report witnessing a student make the threat. There was no immediate word on whether anyone was identified or detained as a suspect. Out of an abundance of caution, students have been safely evacuated ..., according to a statement from Bear. Parents have been notified directly by the school and have been given instructions for early student pickup. A student pickup area has been established on the west side of the student parking lot for parents wishing to pick up their children. This location is accessible via Sylvan Avenue. Please follow the schools guidance closely. This is a developing story and will be updated as information is available. Stanislaus County Sheriffs Department bomb squad investigate a bomb threat at Beyer High School in Modesto, Calif., Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. The administration of US President Joe Biden is "open" to providing Ukraine with long-range cruise missiles, which would give Ukraine's F-16 fighter jets more combat power. Source: European Pravda with reference to Politico Details: Politico notes that the information about the White House's readiness to provide Ukraine with air-to-surface missiles came against the backdrop of the Armed Forces' ground operation in Kursk Oblast of the Russian Federation, which has been going on for two weeks. The final decision to send the missile has not yet been made, but one Biden administration official said they are currently working out the finer details. These issues include verifying the transfer of sensitive technology and ensuring that Ukrainian aircraft can launch such a missile. The article states that the missile in question is the JASSM, a precision-guided cruise missile designed to strike important, highly protected fixed and moving targets from ranges beyond the range of enemy air defences. Thanks to these missiles, the Ukrainian Air Force will be able to attack Russian targets at a distance of over 320 kilometres. While negotiations continue at the White House and the Pentagon, an administration official warned that there is still much work to be done before any missiles reach Ukraine. In particular, it is necessary to make sure that Kyiv's existing Soviet-era aircraft and recently delivered F-16s can launch such a missile. Two sources said that the Pentagon is already working with Ukraine on these technical issues. The US has rarely shared JASSM missiles with more than a handful of close allies. Background: F-16 fighters are provided to Ukraine by Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium and Norway. On 4 August, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that the first F-16s were already in Ukraine and showed them off at a secret airport. Prior to that, Western media reported, citing sources, that six fighters arrived from the Netherlands, with several more on their way from Denmark. Support UP or become our patron! President Joe Biden said Thursday that he supports Venezuela holding new elections, following calls from regional leaders to redo a vote both the U.S. and others have said appeared to have been rigged in favor of the sitting president. Asked by a reporter on the South Lawn of the White House if he agreed that the country should hold a re-vote, Biden said I do. U.S. officials have said previously that available data suggested opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez had defeated Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. But the White House quickly walked back Biden's comments. "The president was speaking to the absurdity of Maduro and his representatives not coming clean about the July 28 elections," the National Security Council said in a statement. "It is abundantly clear to the majority of the Venezuelan people, the United States and a growing number of countries that Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia won the most votes on July 28." The NSC said the U.S. wants "the will of the Venezuelan people to be respected and for discussions to begin on a transition back to democratic norms." Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Colombian President Gustavo Petro called on Caracas today to hold new elections that are fair and consistent with international standards. Both countries are regional interlocutors the administration has seen as critical in the effort to get Maduro to accept results that show he did not win the election. Other countries in the region have gone further. Argentina has called Gonzalez Venezuelas president-elect and urged Maduro to step aside. The U.S. has not called Gonzalez the outright winner nor referred to him as president-elect. But the calls for new elections are the most dramatic show of regional force from the U.S. and partners in the region, as they seek to resolve a weeks-long stalemate in the South American country between the countrys socialist ruling party and an energized opposition movement. The Venezuelan government proclaimed Maduro as the winner of the countrys July 28 elections the next day, publishing national-level results that claimed that Maduro eked out a narrow victory over Gonzalez. But the Venezuelan opposition dismissed those results, arguing that precinct-level results, known as actas, that they collected from most of the countrys polling places showed that Gonzalez had defeated Maduro by a two-to-one margin. The opposition published their own version of the results online, which outlets including The Washington Post have verified are accurate. The election has been widely condemned by international observers. The Carter Center said in a statement the election did not meet international standards of electoral integrity at any of its stages and violated numerous provisions of its own national laws. The United Nations issued a similar condemnation this week. Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have worked the phones in recent weeks, an effort to coordinate their responses with other countries in the region, namely Panama, Mexico, Brazil and Colombia, so as to avoid past missteps in promoting democracy in Venezuela. But the administration faced criticism from longtime Latin America hands and from Republicans for deferring to Brazil and Colombia. Earlier Thursday, 20 former U.S. officials wrote a letter to Blinken urging him to take a more forceful stance on the ongoing electoral standoff in Venezuela. The former officials, among them four former U.S. ambassadors to Caracas, wrote in a letter posted to Xthat Maduros actions strike at the heart of broader U.S. foreign policy interests in the region. They added that the diplomatic efforts of Brazil, Colombia and Mexico are notable, but there is no substitute for U.S. leadership. Biden Jokes He's 'Looking For A Job' After Abandoning Bid For President While President Joe Biden may be out of a job soon, its clear he still knows how to work a room. The commander in chief poked fun at his employment prospects while addressing the White House Creator Economy Conference in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, where he praised online content creators for helping reinvent how people consume information. You break through in ways that I think are going to change the entire dynamic of the way in which we communicate, he told the crowd. Thats why I invited you to the White House, because Im looking for a job, he added with a wry smile, earning laughs from his audience. Continuing to rib himself, Biden wondered, When I retire, where do you think Im going? I got contacts, man, you all think Im kidding. The presidents bid for a second term in office came to a dramatic close last month, when he ended his 2024 presidential campaign and endorsed his vice president, Kamala Harris. Though concerns around Bidens age and ability to win the election were said to be a major factor in his decision, people close to the president have assured the public he is still handling his executive duties like a pro. On Wednesday, former White House chief of staff and Biden confidante Ron Klain told CNNs Anderson Cooper that despite his debate debacle in June, the former Delaware senator is still clearly up to the job of president. Hes doing it every day, Klain added. Hes doing it successfully. Watch the clip right here: Related... What are the biggest issues facing farmers? Heres what PA leaders said at Ag Progress Days Penn States Ag Progress Days is back this week and Pennsylvania leaders were out in full force Wednesday, touring exhibits and speaking with residents about the issues facing farmers and the agriculture industry. A number of lawmakers along with candidates running for office visited the states largest outdoor agricultural exposition held at Penn States Russell E. Larson Agricultural Center in Rock Springs. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., was joined by Pennsylvanias Secretary of Agriculture, Russell Redding, and the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, Xochitl Torres Small. Dave McCormick, the Republican challenger to Caseys Senate seat, also attended Ag Progress Days alongside U.S. Rep. Glenn GT Thompson, R-Howard, who chairs the House Committee on Agriculture. The pair were sporting green Making Agriculture Great Again hats that were passed out by the PA Ag Republicans booth. Legislators, candidates and state officials spoke about the farm bill, infrastructure, broadband access and inflation as they mingled with residents and stopped for milkshakes. The Centre Daily Times asked what they felt were the most pressing issues facing Pennsylvanias agriculture industry today. Heres a look at what they said. U.S. Rep. Glenn GT Thompson talks with Dave McCormick, who is running for U.S. Senate, during a visit to Penn States Ag Progress Days on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. U.S. Rep Glenn Thompson Thompsons $1.5 trillion farm bill was unveiled earlier this year but it has faced opposition. The bill includes additional farm safety net program funding and trade promotions for farmers but limits updates to the Thrifty Food Plan, which is used as the basis for determining Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, the anti-hunger program aimed at providing food for low-income citizens, according to Politico reporting. Our farmers are facing flood, facing wildfires out in California, Thompson said. The smoke chain is now hurting our vineyards again. Low commodity costs, high input costs. Its just a laundry list, and its very, very difficult for the hard working farm families to provide us food, fiber and energy resources. They need this farm bill now. Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding walks through Penn States Ag Progress Days on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding Reddings major concern is the lack of infrastructure in shipping and processing the food that farmers produce. Redding said the states three ports, in Philadelphia, Erie and Pittsburgh, are vital to the states agricultural industry. I always come back to infrastructure at the end of the day, he said. How do we process what it is we produce? U.S. Sen. Bob Casey chats with Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences dean Troy Ott as they walk together at Penn States Ag Progress Days on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. Senator Bob Casey Alongside infrastructure, Casey said a lack of access to high-speed internet has been a barrier to farmers who rely on GPS and newer technology to help improve efficiency. Were on the cusp now making investments in high-speed internet that were never possible without the infrastructure bill, the American rescue legislation, he said. I think were just a little ways from a great breakthrough for farmers who need high-speed internet to plant their crops to get the yields that they need. Candidate for U.S. Senate Dave McCormick visits Penn States Ag Progress Days on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. Dave McCormick McCormick, a Republican who is running against Casey for the Senate seat, said agriculture is vital to the nations economy but some farmers are struggling to make ends meet. Its hard to make a good living as a farmer, McCormick said. So when prices go up, fuel prices particularly, it really hurts farmers. The second thing I hear over and over again is regulation, and too much regulation makes it difficult to make these businesses work. Rep. Paul Takac talks with visitors at at Penn States Ag Progress Days on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. State Rep. Paul Takac State Rep. Paul Takac, D-College Township, echoed Caseys remarks about farmers access to technology, citing the $10 million Agricultural Innovation Program. The bill would offer grants to farmers and businesses to implement new technology. The biggest thing right now is asking how do we help farmers stay ahead of the curb, Takac said. Thursday is the last day of Ag Progress Days. Events run from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and a full schedule can be found online. Bill Gates's farmland produces McDonald's fries and 4 other fascinating facts from a new book on the ex-Microsoft CEO A new book on Bill Gates came out this week from New York Times correspondent Anupreeta Das. It explores his time at Microsoft, his divorce from Melinda French Gates, his businesses, and more. Here are five of the most fascinating takeaways from the book. Microsoft founder Bill Gates is, of course, one of the most influential business leaders of our time. And now, a new book offers some behind-the-scenes insights into his reign at Microsoft, the Justice Department's landmark antitrust case against the company, Gates's divorce from Melinda French Gates, his long friendship with Warren Buffett, his philanthropy through the Gates Foundation, and more. In it are also some fascinating nuggets like Gates's farmland supplying the potatoes for McDonald's fries. The book, " Billionaire, Nerd, Savior, King: Bill Gates and His Quest to Shape Our World, " came out this week from New York Times correspondent Anupreeta Das. It hasn't been greeted warmly by Gates. A Bill Gates spokesperson told Business Insider of the new book : "Relying almost exclusively on second- and third-hand hearsay and anonymous sources, the book includes highly sensationalized allegations and outright falsehoods that ignore the actual documented facts our office provided to the author on numerous occasions." Here are some of the biggest takeaways from the book: Gates took the Microsoft antitrust case personally The new book says Gates took the Microsoft antitrust case personal. NurPhoto/Getty Images Gates was "personally wounded" by the US Justice Department's antitrust suit against Microsoft in the 1990s, according to the book. "'This makes no sense to me at all,'" Gates would say, in the words of one former Microsoft employee who spoke with him often on the company's media strategy. 'I don't understand how your government comes for you when you're one of the bright lights and contributing to the economy,'" the book reads. "Bill was confused into thinking [by Microsoft's lawyers] it was a legal case, when it was always political. Bill didn't understand that," former Microsoft exec Bob Muglia told Das. "It really hurt Bill. It was a personal attack on him." The workplace culture at the Gates Foundation could be rough Gates Foundation employees were in a fearful workplace culture, the book says. David Ryder/Getty Images The book also offers a glimpse into a workplace culture with a constant "low hum of fear" at the Gates Foundation. "He's the scariest person in the world to provide a recommendation or briefing to because he scans a page and comes back at you saying something like, 'What you say in the footnote on page 9 does not match with the footnote on page 28,'" one former foundation employee says in the book. Following Gates's divorce from Melinda French Gates in 2021, employees were increasingly torn between the two "power centers" of Team Melinda and Team Bill, the book says. "One recently departed employee observed that people at the foundation fall into three types: consiglieres who bow to Gates; young aspirants who are awed by him; and the skeptics who find Gates domineering and eventually leave," the book reads. Gates's farmland produces potatoes for McDonald's fries The new book says that a potato farm owned by Gates produces potatoes for McDonald's. Joanna Fantozzi In her book, Das writes that Gates has an agricultural team that handles his farm investments. His land produces carrots, corn and some of the potatoes McDonald's uses for its famous fries. Gates has quite the real estate empire. He's one of the top landowners in the US, with more than 275,000 acres as of April. The majority of that is made up of farmland in several states, and he's spent millions of dollars to add to his portfolio. Despite some pushback from locals, Gates has previously said his ultimate goal will benefit others. "I have invested in these farms to make them more productive and create more jobs," Gates said in a Reddit Ask Me Anything in 2023. "There isn't some grand scheme involved in fact, all these decisions are made by a professional investment team." Gates is a hotelier with strict boundaries Gates's Cascade owns a controlling stake in Four Seasons. Mia2you/Shutterstock In 2021, his investment firm bought a controlling stake in the luxury hotel chain Four Seasons, where he's been an investor since 1997. However, Gates is typically uninvolved in negotiations about his investments, and Das writes that he still keeps his ventures separate. "Because of Gates's ownership stake in Four Seasons, employees of the Gates Foundation are typically not allowed to stay at any of their hotels to avoid any appearance of impropriety," the book says. Gates is investing billions in building a new tech hub in Tampa Gates is paying to bring Silicon Valley to Tampa. Sean Pavone/Shutterstock Das shares more details about the 2016 partnership between Gates's investment firm and investor Jeff Vinik to develop an ecosystem in Tampa, Florida, similar to that of Hudson Yards in Manhattan. She writes that Vinik sold his stake to Gate's Cascade Investment LLC in 2023, putting Gates's firm in control of the Water Street project, which will likely cost around $4 billion. It's the city's largest real estate development in recent history, and it's set to be complete in 2027, according to the book. "The bet is that Tampa will become a destination for tech companies, and young, urban workers will follow, bringing business and hipness to central Florida's often overlooked city," Das writes. Read the original article on Business Insider A jury Thursday convicted a Thailand man of first-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence in the stabbing, beating and strangulation death of his roommate, Jamie Lynn Boggs. Boggs was alive for much of the attack that ultimately killed her, state Medical Examiner Staci Turner said. Boggs, 42, had been bitten in the face and neck, tearing through her carotid arteries, repeatedly stabbed, and beaten so severely that her brain started slowly hemorrhaging before she died, she said. Turners testimony came during the murder trial in Circuit Court of Pitipong Daengbunga, a 40-year-old native of Thailand. Prosecutors referred to Daengbunga as a cold-blooded killer. In addition to first-degree murder, he is accused of tampering with evidence from the February 2022 killing. The attack happened at an apartment Boggs, a Pennsylvania native living in Biloxi at the time, shared with Daengbunga in the 300 block of Rodenburg Avenue. You dont wrap a body up, burn your clothes, change your clothes and do all of this when you kill someone in self defense, Assistant District Attorney Mara Joffe said in closing arguments. This is somebody trying to figure out what he is going to tell police later. This is not killing someone in self defense. This is somebody that got a kick out of it, she said. Assistant District Attorney Billy Stage asks questions of Biloxi Police Officer Brandon Clark as he sits on the witness stand during Pitipong Daengbungas trial for the murder death of Jamie Boggs in Harrison County Circuit Court on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. Judge Randi Mueller sentenced Daenbunga to the mandatory sentence of life in prison for first-degree murder plus an additional 10 years for tampering with physical evidence. The sentences will run consecutively. Defense attorneys argued Daenbunga acted in self-defense after Boggs hit him with a hammer. Daenburga did not testify in his defense. In testimony Wednesday, Turner testified that Boggs died of blunt and sharp force injuries and strangulation. Turner said the injuries included additional fractures and bleeding in the brain caused by a blow to the head. In addition, an expert in DNA analysis said swabs taken from the injuries and from a hammer, a bloodied rag found in the bathroom, and other evidence contained DNA that came from the suspect, with some matching both his and Boggs DNA. Daengbunga has been in custody since his release from state prison four months before he is accused of killing Boggs. A retired investigator from Jones County on Wednesday described the attack on Daengbungas ex-wife that sent him to prison for felony domestic violence by aggravated assault. Assistant District Attorney Billy Stage and Assistant District Attorney Mara Joffe talk during Pitipong Daengbungas trial for the murder death of Jamie Boggs in Harrison County Circuit Court on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. In that case, Daengbunga nearly killed the woman after beating her in the head with a rock, gouging out one of her eyes and biting off part of her nose. He had two prior convictions for misdemeanor domestic violence against the same woman prior to that conviction. Daengbunga moved to the Mississippi Coast after he served three years in prison for the Jones County assault. After the Biloxi killing, prosecutors said, Daengbunga wrapped Boggs body in sheets and towels, burned his clothes in a charcoal grill in the apartment, and went to a laundromat before he ended up at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Biloxi. At the VA hospital, a witness said, he said he had killed his roommate in self-defense. Biloxi police testified at the trial that Daengbunga provided conflicting stories about what happened. At first, police witnesses said, Boggs said he defended himself with a hammer after Boggs came after him with a knife. Later, police said, Daengbunga said that he slit Boggs throat after she came after him with a hammer. Biloxi police said Daengbunga had no injuries except a bloodied hand that prosecutors contend was likely from a knife or piece of glass he used during the stabbing. Bixby Public Schools Superintendent Rob Miller filed a lawsuit Thursday against state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters, alleging Walters defamed him and cast him and his district in a false light with comments made after the most recent State Board of Education meeting. Among his criticisms, Walters called Miller "a clown and a liar." Millers lawsuit in Tulsa County District Court asks for damages in excess of $75,000 as well as exemplary and punitive damages as permitted by law, attorneys fees and any other relief that is just and equitable and proper. Miller sued Walters in both Walters personal and professional capacities. The lawsuit claims Walters maliciously uttered slanderous and defamatory statements against Superintendent Miller which were foreseeably broadcast disseminated state and nationwide. Dan Isett, a spokesman for Walters, said Miller's lawsuit was without metit. "No one is surprised that Miller would abuse the legal system by filing a frivolous lawsuit after trying for days to defame Superintendent Walters in the media," Isett said. "This lawsuit is a political stunt by a man with a vendetta, not a legal case." The lawsuit is one of at least 13, in both state and federal court, in which Walters is a defendant. One of those is a defamation case filed by former Norman teacher Summer Boismier in U.S. District Court in Oklahoma City. That case is set to go to trial in June 2025 after a federal judge rejected Walters attempt to dismiss the lawsuit. Since 2018, Miller has served as the superintendent of Bixby, a suburb located south of Tulsa. He was named as a region superintendent of the year in 2020. During his time as a teacher and administrator in Jenks Public Schools, Miller was named as the state middle school principal of the year in 2014. That fall, he was a finalist for the national principal of the year award. While working in the Sand Springs Public Schools district, Miller was the state assistant superintendent of the year in 2018. The lawsuit is the latest in a back-and-forth between Walters and Miller. On X on July 27, Miller questioned why there has been a long delay in the Oklahoma State Department of Education informing school districts as to how much their federal funding allocations under Title I might be. Title I money is allocated based on the number of low-income students served by families. Those numbers, provided to districts by the agencys past administrations in late spring or early summer, are vital in helping districts plan budgets and determining how many teachers they could hire. The fiscal year began on July 1. After the board meeting four days later, Walters verbally lashed out against Miller and hinted of potential financial improprieties within the Bixby district. Hes a liar, Walters said when asked about Miller. I mean, hes really a true embarrassment. He knows every year when he gets the Title I funds, and were dealing with all kinds of financial problems with his district that were hoping to address right now. So you know, Rob Robs a clown and a liar. So he knows that. Same time every year at least late August. Its the same way its been every year for, my team tells me, over a decade. So he knows that has been communicated to districts. Robs never reached out, never indicated theres an issue. Theres not an issue. He made it up. So he wants his name in the press. In response, the Bixby district released a clean annual audit and said Walters had engaged in baseless defamation of district employees. Miller demanded an apology for Walters personal insults. The lawsuit said Walters hasnt apologized, but instead has doubled down in subsequent media interviews. On Aug. 1, the agency sent an email to school districts saying all federal allocations, including Title I, would be published by Friday, Aug. 16. Lawsuit came after legislators expressed concern about Walters' comments on Bixby superintendent Earlier this week, three Republican state legislators Rep. Chris Banning of Bixby, Rep. Josh West of Grove and Rep. Ty Burns of Pawnee issued a strongly worded statement expressing concern with Walters comments about Miller. Like Miller, who's a former Marine officer, Banning, West and Burns are military veterans. "As former military leaders, we know the qualities that define good leadership: Loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage, the statement read. Just as important are the lessons on how not to lead. Over the past four years, we've witnessed Ryan Walters' often questionable leadership and tactics. After the incident involving Miller, the legislators said, we decided we couldn't sit back any longer. Though we do not speak for others, we cannot stand by while a respected leader and veteran is insulted and demeaned for simply doing his job. Walters' behavior is unbecoming of any leader, especially the highest-ranking person in the Oklahoma public school system. "Our time in the military taught us to listen to those serving on the front lines. That same principle applies here. School superintendents like Miller provide valuable insights into local issues, and yet Walters refuses to listen to those around him or take responsibility for his missteps. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Bixby superintendent files defamation lawsuit against Ryan Walters State Superintendent Ryan Walters has been accused of defamation in a lawsuit filed in Tulsa County District Court. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY Another defamation lawsuit has been filed against Oklahomas top education official, this time by the superintendent of Bixby Public Schools. Bixby schools chief Rob Miller filed the lawsuit against state Superintendent Ryan Walters on Thursday in Tulsa County District Court. A former Norman High School teacher made similar allegations against Walters in a federal lawsuit filed last year. Walters called Miller a liar, a clown and a true embarrassment while speaking with reporters after an Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting July 31. The state superintendent also claimed the Bixby district has all kinds of financial problems. These comments are defamatory, encompassing libel and slander, and cast a false light on Miller, the lawsuit claims. Miller asked a judge to award him at least $75,000 from Walters plus the cost of attorney fees and any punitive damages decided at trial. Superintendent Walters continues to put out defaming comments about me and my character and about the state of finances here in Bixby, Miller told Oklahoma Voice. At some point enoughs enough, and somebody needs to hold him accountable. A spokesperson for the Oklahoma State Department of Education, Dan Isett, said the lawsuit is a political stunt by a man with a vendetta, not a legal case. No one is surprised that Miller would abuse the legal system by filing a frivolous lawsuit after trying for days to defame Superintendent Walters in the media, Isett said. Walters made the comments about Miller in response to the Bixby superintendents complaints that the state Department of Education had not released estimates for school districts annual federal Title I funding, which support students living in poverty. Millers lawsuit states that Title I estimates are vitally important to his districts budget planning, and not having the projections has caused significant problems. Oklahoma law defines libel as a false or malicious statement that exposes a person to public hatred, contempt or ridicule. Slander, under state law, damages a person with respect to his or her trade. However, state law protects speech that expresses an opinion and criticisms of official acts of public officials. Walters already faces a slander and libel lawsuit from former Norman High School teacher Summer Boismier. Boismier contends Walters defamed her when he accused her of sharing access to pornographic material because she shared a QR code linking to a library catalog containing banned books. He incorrectly claimed Norman Public Schools fired Boismier. She and the school district maintain she resigned of her own volition and never faced disciplinary action. Boismier sued Walters in Oklahoma City federal court, asking a judge to order Walters to pay her $75,000 or more. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST HONG KONG, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government on Thursday signed an agreement with the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government to strengthen cooperation in ecological conservation. The pact, signed during a ceremony held in Hong Kong to mark the National Ecology Day on Thursday, was also aimed at stepping up joint efforts to combat climate change, ecological promotion and education, as well as preserving biodiversity. Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration Warner Cheuk Wing-hing underscored the significance of a synergy between Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland in ecological promotion and education, as part of the efforts to build a beautiful China. Hong Kong boasts 25 country parks, and will launch its eighth and largest marine park, the North Lantau Marine Park, in November. The city is "actively setting up the Sam Po Shue Wetland Conservation Park in the Northern Metropolis, which would be five times larger than the current wetland park" to preserve biodiversity, said Cheuk. Xu Songming, the chief of Planning and Natural Resources Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality, believed the pact will allow for a new level of mutually beneficial cooperation and sharing on ecology, adding that Shenzhen has always learned from Hong Kong's good example in green and low carbon development. In March, the HKSAR government announced the establishment of Hong Kong's 25th country park, the 530-hectare Robin's Nest Country Park in Sha Tau Kok, the New Territories. The country park is geographically connected with the Wutong Mountain National Park in Shenzhen. Over the next fortnight, the HKSAR government will reportedly team up with dozens of non-governmental organizations to hold a slew of conservation events, including free ecological tours, free admission to facilities and lectures. Black and Gold report: Steelers break training camp ahead of joint practice with Buffalo Black and Gold Nations Ashley Kaiser has the latest with Steelers training camp coverage. Final day of training camp in Latrobe Russell Wilson Justin Fields #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/bPMJzMFySr Ashley Kaiser (@AshleyKaiserTV) August 14, 2024 Wednesday marked the Steelers final day at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe for 2024 training camp. WR Roman Wilson is still working toward a return. He isnt wearing a boot or brace at the final day of training camp. Wilson appears to have more mobility. I watched him hop around in the end zone. #Steelers #NFL @JET24Sports pic.twitter.com/gVyCKOwyWw Ashley Kaiser (@AshleyKaiserTV) August 14, 2024 The team next heads to Acrisure Stadium for Thursdays joint practice with the Buffalo Bills ahead of the teams Saturday night clash in preseason game number two for both. First round pick Troy Fautanu fully braced up on the sidelines. Fautanu is suffering from a left knee sprain. He will not play against the Bills this weekend. #Steelers #NFL @JET24Sports pic.twitter.com/yQuwCcGqTF Ashley Kaiser (@AshleyKaiserTV) August 14, 2024 Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com. TRENTON, N.J. (AP) New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy will name his former chief of staff George Helmy to serve as interim senator when Bob Menendez resigns later this month after his conviction on federal bribery charges, according to a person familiar with the decision. Helmy served as Murphys top aide from 2019 to 2023 and is now an executive at RWJ Barnabas Health, a large health care provider in the state. He was formerly an aide to Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey. The source spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision was not yet public ahead of an expected announcement on Friday in Newark. More Local News His appointment means Murphy passed over Rep. Andy Kim, who is the Democratic nominee for the seat on the November ballot, facing off against Republican hotelier Curtis Bashaw. Kim was briefly locked in a tough primary with first lady Tammy Murphy before she dropped her bid. Murphys choice denies Kim a boost in seniority if he were to win the seat in November. Menendez wrote in a letter to Murphy last month that hes resigning on Aug. 20, just over a month after the jurys verdict. He said he planned to appeal. Menendez, 70, was convicted of charges that he sold the power of his office to three New Jersey businessmen who sought a variety of favors. Prosecutors said Menendez used his influence to meddle in three different state and federal criminal investigations to protect his associates. They said he helped one bribe-paying friend get a multimillion-dollar deal with a Qatari investment fund and another keep a contract to provide religious certification for meat bound for Egypt. He was also convicted of taking actions that benefited Egypts government in exchange for bribes, including providing details on personnel at the U.S. embassy in Cairo, ghostwriting a letter to fellow senators regarding lifting a hold on military aid to Egypt. FBI agents found stacks of gold bars and $480,000 hidden in Menendezs house. After his conviction, Menendez denied all of those allegations, saying I have never been anything but a patriot of my country and for my country. I have never, ever been a foreign agent. Numerous fellow Democrats had urged him to resign, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Murphy had urged the Senate to expel Menendez if he didnt quit. Only 15 senators have ever been expelled. Sen. William Blount, of Tennessee, was ousted in 1797 for treason. The other 14 were expelled in 1861 and 1862 for supporting Confederates during the Civil War. Menendezs sentencing is scheduled for late October, shortly before the election. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. (FOX40.COM) The body of a missing Placer County woman may have been found in Washoe County Nevada on Thursday, according to the Placer County Sheriffs Office. The sheriffs office said they found a womans body off Mt Rose Highway that they believe to be Patricia Portella-Wright, 48, of Kings Beach who has been missing since Aug. 3. Portella-Wright was reported missing on Aug. 9 when she did not show up for work and had last been seen with her boyfriend Brent Clifford, 55, also of Kings Beach. Sacramento stabbing, domestic abuse suspect in custody Clifford was arrested on Wednesday in Plumas County in connection to an Aug. 11 homicide in Reno, according to the sheriffs office. He is being held at the Placer County jail and is facing a charge of murder. Law enforcement began searching the Mt. Rose Highway after gathering information throughout their investigation. With the use of drones, investigators located the womans body on a steep embankment and are now working with the Washoe County Search and Rescue Team to recover the body. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40. Body of missing Placer County woman found, sheriff says. Boyfriend arrested in her death Authorities have retrieved a body they believe is a Placer County woman who went missing last week and arrested her boyfriend on suspicion of homicide in her death. Kings Beach resident Patricia Portella-Wright, 48, and reported missing Friday after she failed to show up to work and was believed to be in the Reno area. The Placer County Sheriffs Office later said they were searching for her boyfriend, Brent Clifford, 55, and was a person of interest in connection to another homicide, out of Reno. The Sheriffs Office said she was last seen Aug. 4. Officer Chris Johnson, a spokesman for the Reno Police Department, said Thursday that Clifford is now a suspect in the homicide stemming out of Reno. Investigators are still piecing together what happened in their case, but a warrant will be issued to extradite Clifford to Washoe County once its complete, Johnson said. Clifford arrived in Reno sometime between Friday and Sunday, Johnson said. Officers found the friend on Sunday with a gunshot wound at a home in the 1300 block of Keystone Avenue, Johnson said. The Washoe County Coroners Office has identified the victim as William Andrews, 68, of Reno. He died from a gunshot wound to his head, Justin Norton, a spokesman for the Washoe County Coroners Office, wrote in an email. Clifford left with the victims car, a red 2003 Chevrolet Blazer, was arrested in Portola on Wednesday, the Placer County Sheriffs Office said. On Thursday, the Placer County Sheriffs Office said they found a body in Washoe County, Nevada, down a steep embankment near Mt. Rose Highway. Authorities found the body using a drone. The Washoe County Coroners Office has not formally identified Portella-Wright. Sgt. David Smith, a spokesman for the Placer County Sheriffs Office, said he didnt know specifically what lead investigators to believe the woman is Portella-Wright. But the investigation as a whole led deputies to the area, and sheriffs officials obtained enough evidence to arrest Clifford on suspicion of homicide, Smith said. Clifford was arrested on a warrant for identity theft and booked into the South Placer Jail. He faces murder and identity theft charges in connection to Portella-Wrights death, Smith said, and is being held without bail. We are trying to figure how (the identity theft charge is) related to the victims death, Smith said. During a news conference, Smith declined to release any motive in connection to the death. Smith said its unclear how Portella-Wright died, but that the investigation is ongoing. The Washoe County Search and Rescue team helped to recover the body. We are still in the early stages of all this, Smith said. When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: NASA Boeing's two Starliner astronauts may learn their fate in the next two weeks but, for now, NASA still doesn't know when the duo is coming home. So, while the space agency's best and brightest works with Boeing engineers to continue assessing data from ground tests of Starliner's systems, the spacecraft's crew, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, will remain aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for now. Wilmore and Williams launched to the ISS aboard Starliner for the spacecraft's Crew Flight Test (CFT) on June 5. Their mission, to complete the first crewed shakedown cruise of Boeing's commercial crew vehicle, was initially only intended to last about 10 days, but now may be extended up to eight months, putting a potential return date in 2025. Though initially delayed due to a minor helium leak, Starliner's ride to orbit went over without incident. However, as the spacecraft approached the ISS during docking, it experienced malfunctions in five of its 28 reaction control thrusters. As a result, NASA and Boeing extended the Starliner astronauts' stay aboard the space station indefinitely, while teams on the ground work to better understand what went wrong. Now, NASA officials say they expect to make a final decision on the crew's return by the last week of August. NASA indicated in a previous update that it would be inviting additional propulsion experts to further assess Starliner's problems, which officials confirmed during a call with reporters Wednesday afternoon (Aug. 14). "We brought in folks from the robotic spaceflight community at Glenn [Research Center] and at the Goddard Space Flight Center, at JPL. They're used to analyzing propulsion systems when spacecraft are millions of miles away, and they provided some useful input to us," said Ken Bowersox, associate administrator for NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate, during the briefing. Emily Nelson, Chief Flight Director for NASA's Flight Operations Directorate, stressed during the briefing the importance of adding "experts who have a totally different perspective to come in and look at the data that we've pulled together, as we try to understand what it is we may not understand." Boeing Starliner in front of an aurora during thruster testing on June 15, 2024. The picture was taken from a SpaceX Dragon docked at the International Space Station. As those experts continue to scrutinize Starliner's thruster data, NASA has also lined up some contingency plans. In the event of an emergency aboard the ISS, Wilmore and Williams are currently cleared to use Starliner to evacuate the space station but beyond that, NASA isn't comfortable enough to give the spacecraft the greenlight to return to Earth. Starliner's delayed departure from the space station has forced NASA to shift other upcoming flights destined for the orbital lab. SpaceX's Crew-9 launch, originally slated for this month, will now launch in late September, and an upcoming SpaceX Cargo Dragon resupply flight for NASA has been pushed back to mid-October. To prevent a traffic jam of incoming spacecraft, Starliner has to undock from the station before Crew-9's arrival whether it carries a crew or not. In the case of "or not," NASA is prepared to launch the Crew-9 mission with only two astronauts (or cosmonauts) aboard, ultimately folding Wilmore and Williams into Expedition 71 and 72 as official crew members. In this case, Starliner would undock from the space station with its cabin empty, perform a deorbit burn and reentry without Wilmore and Williams on board, and hopefully undergo a nominal parachute deployment, landing and recovery. The two astronauts would be given new seat assignments aboard the Crew-9 Dragon, and return to Earth at the end of that mission's rotation, sometime around February 2025. RELATED STORIES: Thruster glitches and helium leaks can't stop Boeing's Starliner astronaut test flight but why are they happening? Starliner: Boeing's next-generation spaceship for astronauts SpaceX's Crew-9 astronaut launch delayed to Sept. 24 due to Boeing Starliner issues "It's a fairly major discussion to decide about whether or not we're going to have crew onboard Starliner for return," Bowersox said during Wednesday's call. "The main thing we're looking at is the propulsion system." "Our big concern is having a successful deorbit burn, making sure that the [propellant] system works just the way it needs to, all the way through the deorbit burn," Bowersox added. NASA plans to conduct a flight readiness review following the completion of some key data analysis, which may begin as soon as next week. In the meantime, the Starliner astronauts patiently await a final decision. Already aboard the ISS several weeks longer than they expected, Wilmore and Williams have been lending a hand where they can to help with regular station tasks, and seem to be enjoying their extra time on orbit, according to NASA's chief astronaut Joe Acaba. "Right now, the agency has taken the time to ensure we are not putting the crew at a higher risk than is necessary," Acaba said during Wednesday's briefing. "As astronauts, that's always something worth waiting for." NAPLES, Texas (KTAL/KSHV) The City of Naples issued a public boil water notice Thursday due to an outage. Officials said crews are working to repair a water line within the water distribution system, and they will notify residents once the water is safe for consumption. The boil water notice is for Willis Ave., Martin St., and Hilltop. The city asked residents to boil and cool water for drinking, cooking, and making ice before use. The water should be brought to a vigorous, rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes; in lieu of boiling, you may purchase bottled water or obtain water from some other suitable source. Anyone with questions is encouraged to contact Arrique Bernard at 903-897-2271 or TCEQ at 512-239-4691. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com. With the bond of Micron, Syracuse and Boise, Idaho declared sister cities SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) Syracuse and Boise, Idaho have declared one another sister cities, mayors of each announced on Wednesday, August 14. The Boise Common Council unanimously approved a resolution on Tuesday, August 13. Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh hosted a proclamation signing ceremony at Syracuse City Hall on Wednesday. The designation is a formal recognition of the budding relationship between the cities, both of which will be home to Micron campuses. Latest local news Boise has been Microns headquarters since the companys founding. The federal governments CHIPS Act will help the company expand its headquarters with a focus on research and development. Its one additional fab is already under construction. In the Town of Clay, Micron will build four of the fabs that Boise will host. Dealing with both the benefits and challenges of Microns growth, the mayors of Syracuse and Boise hope to further collaborate on strategies to help with housing, childcare, workforce development, talent recruitment and education. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSYR. If our borders are violated, Russia will deploy its troops to Belarus Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, the self-proclaimed president of Belarus, has stated that Russia will send its troops to Belarus to provide military support in case of aggression against Minsk. Source: Belarusian state-owned news outlet BelTA, citing Lukashenko in an interview with Kremlin-aligned Russian TV Channel Rossiya Quote: "In line with our agreement, Russia will deploy its troops to Belarus [in the event of aggression]. Specific units have been designated for this purpose. We will take the initial hit, and then Russia will provide support with reserve forces." Details: In addition, Lukashenko claimed that Belarus was not going to use nuclear weapons as long as its state borders were not violated. Background: In August 2023, Kyrylo Budanov, Head of Ukraine's Defence Intelligence, stated that Russia had delivered the first nuclear warheads to Belarus, though they would not be used. Lukashenko also claimed that it was necessary to sit down at the negotiating table to end the war in Ukraine because "no one needs it". Support UP or become our patron! SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) Bossier term limits seem to be moving one step forward and three steps back. On July 25th, Bossier Mayor Tommy Chandler announced that voters will decide on term limits via a ballot initiative. However, the resolution was denied at Bossier City Councils meeting on August 13th. David Crockett, a key player for the Bossier Term Limits Coalition, said the meeting was disappointing. At least four City Councilman who are power hungry, who feel like its their right to keep running for city council, they dont want any restrictions despite the fact that I think 6 or 7 of the largest cities in Louisiana have term limits for their city council, but Bossier City just thinks theyre better than that, said Crockett. The coalition has presented two petitions, and the one certified by the Registrar of Voters had more than 3,582 signatures. According to Crockett, who cited the Bossier City Charter, it must go to the voters if the resolution is not passed. Chris Smith, Councilman At large and proponent of term limits, confirmed this point at the City Council Meeting, saying, So if we didnt vote on this, and the term limits coalition were to file this writ of mandamus, they would be filing a lawsuit against the city, correct? Five Councilmembers, David Montgomery, Jeffery Darby, Don Williams, Jeff Free, and Vince Maggio, voted against term limits on the December ballot through the bond commission. Im not saying we should not have good government, but this does not. This is not a representation of good government. People have honorably served and sacrificed to serve, and thats what weve done, and I believe this petition only targets certain people in the first place, said Councilman Jeffery Darby, representing District 2 for the Bossier City Council. Crockett says Bossier City Council is lawless. If you get it [term limits] on the ballot by December, youll restrict some of the City Councilman that are in their seats today, youll restrict them from being able to run, so thats what we feel like theyre fighting, said Crockett. The coalition says they have an attorney and are discussing litigation for term limits. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com. Vice President Kamala Harriss campaign is sure to have a fashionable Labor Day weekend with Tory Burch and Anna Wintour recently announcing that they will hold a Hamptons fundraiser for the Democratic candidate. McKinsey & Co. senior partner Liz Hilton Segel and designer Aurora James will also co-host the event, while Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo is expected to be the evenings featured guest. The cheapest tickets to the Southampton gathering are going for $2,500, while more generous donors can donate $50,000 for an event chair, according to invitations obtained by Bloomberg. This is far from the first time that Wintour has brought together the worlds of fashion and politics for fundraising purposes. During former president Barack Obamas White House campaigns, she co-hosted several fundraising events with designers, including Michael Kors and Calvin Klein. Burch is also a longtime Democrat, having previously appeared at fundraising events with former First Lady Michelle Obama. She also wrote a 2016 op-ed in the Wall Street Journal (NWS) calling on her fellow CEOs to give employees time off to vote on Election Day. James the founder of the 15 Percent Pledge, which advocates for giving increased retail space to Black-owned brands even designed New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezs 2021 Met Gala dress, which was emblazoned with the words tax the rich. The Democratic Party has raked in millions of dollars since President Joe Biden first announced that he was no longer running for re-election. The day of and the day after Bidens announcement and subsequent endorsement of Harris, the Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue recorded $66.9 million and $67.2 million in donations, respectively. When Harris announced that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz would be her running mate, the platform recorded another $41 million in donations. Madeline Fitzgerald writes for Quartz, which like the Root, is owned by G/O media. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. DAR ES SALAAM, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has replaced the country's health minister and reinstated two other members of Cabinet. No reason was given on why Ummy Mwalimu was dismissed as minister of health. A statement issued late Wednesday by the Directorate of Presidential Communications said Mwalimu was replaced by Jenista Mhagama, who served as minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office in charge of policy, parliament, and coordination. The statement said President Hassan has reinstated William Lukuvi and Palamagamba Kabudi to the Cabinet. Kabudi has been appointed as the minister of constitutional and legal Affairs, while Lukuvi will serve as the minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office responsible for policy, parliament, and coordination, replacing Mhagama, the statement said. Other changes to the Cabinet include reassigning Pindi Chana from the Ministry of Constitutional and Legal Affairs to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, replacing Angellah Kairuki, who has been appointed a presidential adviser. According to the statement, President Hassan also made several appointments and transfers of senior government officials, including the attorney general, the solicitor general, and the director general of the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau. DENVER (KDVR) Federal agents arrested a Boulder dentist on Aug. 9 in Palm Beach, Florida, on a count of enticement of a minor, culminating a months-long undercover investigation. Jason James Atha, 50, of Broomfield, was a dentist at Alpine Dentistry on Broadway in Boulder. An affidavit for his arrest accuses the man of traveling to Florida to meet an undercover agent, who posed as the mother of an 8-year-old girl willing to allow him to engage in sexual activities with the fictional child. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox According to federal court records, Atha has hired two criminal defense law firms. FOX31 reached out to a number listed for Atha but was only able to leave a voicemail. FOX31 has also emailed Athas attorneys for comment. Homeland Security Investigations goes undercover In October, Homeland Security Investigations began investigating online to detect and investigate sexual exploitation of children, according to an arrest affidavit for Atha. To do this, an undercover agent assumed the persona of a mother with an 8-year-old daughter. The agent used numerous chatrooms created for people to discuss their interests in subjects like sex, family incest, child pornography and the like. On Oct. 3, 2023, the undercover agent began messaging with a user later identified as Atha. The agent and Atha discussed the dentist having sexual relations with the agent and the made-up daughter. The conversations lasted for months until June 14, when investigators say Atha and the agent began discussing when the suspect could visit Florida and the purported child. Atha also called the agent, discussing details of the possible trip to Florida. According to the affidavit, Atha also asked the undercover agent to dress the made-up little girl in something not all that age appropriate and also said he would like to see the child wearing makeup. Loveland In-N-Out assault suspect surrenders to police Eventually, the agent and Atha agreed that Atha would visit Palm Beach, Florida, from Aug. 9-11. Flights, plans for the weekend and other factors were discussed, and Atha eventually purchased tickets to Palm Beach, the affidavit said. He used the tickets on Aug. 9, and once Atha was walking through the parking lot of the Palm Beach airport, federal agents took the dentist into custody. Affidavit: Dentist speaks with agents after arrest According to an arrest affidavit for Atha, he spontaneously asked how he could be arrested and how his conversations with the undercover agent could be known to the federal agents. He admitted to agents that he flew to Florida to watch the (undercover agent) engage in sex with (the imaginary child). Woman reports she was groped while walking on path north of McKay Lake The affidavit also says Atha admitted to all conversations he had with the undercover agent about having sex with the child but denied he would have followed through. The agents also executed a search warrant on Athas phone and found evidence of his involvement in multiple incest and taboo chat rooms, as well as possession of child sexual abuse material, according to the affidavit. According to a biography on the dental offices website, Atha would travel to North Carolina each summer to perform pro bono work for children and adults who otherwise would forego their dental care. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. Boy, 12, Flags Down Police Officer, Helps Save His Mother's Life After She Had a Seizure and Drove Into a Pond Boy, 12, Flags Down Police Officer, Helps Save His Mother's Life After She Had a Seizure and Drove Into a Pond Jonquetta Winbush was driving her vehicle with her two children inside when she had a seizure and drove into a pond Getty A 12-year-old boy from Texas is being hailed a hero for saving his mother's life after she had a seizure and drove her car into a pond with him and his sister inside. West Orange police officer Charles Cobb's body cam footage, obtained by ABC News, shows the young boy, Dwight, desperately flagging down the officer to get help for his mother, 39-year-old Jonquetta Winbush. "She's having a seizure! She's stuck, she's in the water!" he yells to Cobb while pointing, "Help her!" Cobb reassures Dwight he'll bring him to his mother. He helps Dwight get in his patrol car as the child, who is nearly out of breath, tells Cobb, "Hurry!" Related: Texas Boy, 12, Praised For Helping Save Mom's Life After She Had a Stroke While Doing Dishes The officer instructs a panicked Dwight to "come on" before they arrive at a nearby pond. At the scene, the front of a gray sedan is seen fully submerged in the water as a girl, later identified as Dwight's 16-year-old sister Bri-Asia, walks around the rear of the vehicle. On July 24, Winbush was driving her car with Dwight and Bri-Asia inside when she had a seizure and drove her car into a pond, according to the outlet. "My nephew was able to swim out of the car to my niece, who then told him to go call for help," Winbush's sister Bevnisha Holman told ABC News. The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now! In the footage at the pond, Cobb sprints to his car to get a window punch, and other bystanders quickly spring into action. Epifanio Munguia told the news station he was driving by when he saw the commotion. He pulled over and jumped out of his car to assist. "I realized that it was happening at that very moment," he said. "I pulled over and I jumped in the water." Related: Surgeon Mom Saves Umpire's Life at Son's Little League Baseball Game: 'It Was Just Fate' Although they managed to break a rear window, the car began to sink into the pond. Winbush was rescued shortly after, Munguia said. "As soon as we were opening the front door, I heard 'I got her.' And I felt like I won the lottery," Munguia said. Winbush was pulled from the water unconscious and with no pulse, the outlet reports. She wasn't breathing, so Cobb immediately began performing CPR for several minutes. Munguia recalled the moment "life started coming back into" Winbush as her pulse returned. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. She spent over three weeks on a ventilator, however, is recovering well and breathing on her own, Holman shared as she thanked first responders for their quick life-saving efforts. West Orange officials saluted Cobb and the other good Samaritans with a heroic award and a letter of commendation. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Georgias Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger lashed out Thursday to proposed changes to election rules that are currently under consideration by the State Election Board. Raffensperger particularly rejected a proposal to count ballots by hand at polling places on election night. At a meeting in July, the State Election Board advanced a proposal requiring three separate poll workers to count ballots at voting precincts on election night to ensure the counts match those recorded by voting machines. This proposal is currently open for public comment, and the board is scheduled to vote on it Monday. Raffensperger, Georgias top elections official, criticized this effort as misguided, arguing that it would delay the reporting of election results and add risks to chain of custody procedures. Activists seeking to impose last-minute changes in election procedures outside of the legislative process undermine voter confidence and burden election workers, Raffensperger said in a news release. In recent months, the State Election Board has received numerous rule proposals, many from activists aligned with former President Donald Trump, who has continued to claim without evidence that widespread voter fraud cost him victory in Georgias 2020 presidential election, The Associated Press reported. Trump and his supporters have repeatedly criticized Raffensperger for defending the integrity of that election. Three of the boards five members are Republican partisans whom Trump praised by name during a recent rally in Atlanta. RELATED STORIES: Sharlene Alexander, a member of the Fayette County Board of Elections and Voter Registration, submitted the proposal to have three poll workers hand-count ballots by sorting them into stacks of 50 until all have been counted and the totals match the records from the voting systems. If discrepancies arise, the poll manager must identify and correct the inconsistencies if possible. Alexander did not respond Thursday to a voicemail, text message, or email seeking her comments on Raffenspergers opposition. In her proposal, Alexander described hand-counting ballots as a long-standing tradition in Fayette County and other areas, which ended when Blake Evans, director of elections for the secretary of states office, advised against it in an October 2022 email. Evans stated that prolonging the process of removing and sealing ballots could compromise ballot security. Evans cited sections of Georgia law and State Election Board rules, emphasizing that poll workers should not prolong the process of removing ballots from ballot boxes and sealing them in transport containers to ensure maximum security. Raffenspergers news release described the State Election Board members as unelected bureaucrats who have never run an election and accused them of rejecting advice from experienced election officials. The board comprises five members: one appointed by the state House, one chosen by the state Senate, one each from the Republican and Democratic parties, and a nonpartisan chair selected by the General Assembly or by the governor if the General Assembly is not in session when there is a vacancy. Spokespersons for Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, and state House Speaker Jon Burns did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Associated Press contributed to this article. RELATED NEWS: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva attends the opening session of the forum titled A Project for Brazil, focused on energy transition and South American integration, at the National Confederation of Industry headquarters in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) SAO PAULO (AP) Venezuelas opposition was dealt a blow Thursday when countries that had been pressuring President Nicolas Maduro to release vote tallies backing his claim to victory in last months presidential election began suggesting a repeat of the contest instead. The proposal from the leftist governments of Brazil and Colombia, both Maduro allies, came less than three weeks after the results of the highly anticipated election came into question when the main opposition coalition revealed it has proof that its candidate defeated the president by a more than 2-to-1 margin. The opposition categorically rejected any plan to redo the election. Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, during a virtual news conference with Argentine media, said that repeating the July 28 presidential election would be an insult to the people, and she asked if a second election were held and Maduro still didnt accept the results, do we go for a third one? In Washington, U.S. President Joe Biden expressed support for new elections in comments to reporters that the White House later appeared to back away from. Venezuela's National Electoral Council, whose members are loyal to the ruling party, declared Maduro the winner hours after polls closed. But unlike previous presidential elections, the electoral body has not released detailed voting data to back up its claim that Maduro earned 6.4 million votes while Edmundo Gonzalez, who represented the Unitary Platform opposition coalition, garnered 5.3 million. Meanwhile, Gonzalez and Machado stunned Venezuelans when they revealed they obtained more than 80% of the vote tally sheets issued by every electronic voting machine after polls closed, that they said showed Gonzalez winning by a wide margin. Their revelation prompted governments around the world, including Colombia, Brazil and the U.S., to call on Maduro and the electoral council the publish a breakdown of results. The opposition has consistently expressed the need for the international communitys help to get Maduro to accept the unfavorable results of the election. Unlike many other nations that have either recognized Maduro or Gonzalez as the winner, the governments of Brazil, Colombia and Mexico have taken a more neutral stance by neither rejecting nor accepting it when Venezuelas electoral authorities declared Maduro the winner at the ballot box. The three countries have called on Venezuelas electoral body to release tens of thousands of vote tally sheets, considered the ultimate proof of results. On Thursday, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said that still doesnt recognize Nicolas Maduro as the winner of the election and that his counterpart should call for a new vote. Colombian President Gustavo Petro later echoed the call for a new election. Maduro still has six months left in his term," Lula said in an interview with Radio T. He is the president regardless of the election. If he has good sense, he could call upon the people of Venezuela, perhaps even call for new elections, create an electoral committee and allow observers from around the world to monitor. Brazil is by far South Americas largest nation and shares one of Venezuelas longest land borders. Under Lula, the country has been an important mediator, including in October, when Maduros government and the opposition reached an agreement to work toward conditions for a free and fair presidential election to be held in the second half of 2024. That agreement triggered relief from U.S. sanctions. But Maduros government continuously tested the limits of the agreement over several months, and the U.S. reimposed the sanctions it had lifted on the oil, gas and mining sectors. Venezuelan law allows for another vote whenever the National Electoral Council or judicial authorities annul an election found to be fraudulent or whose outcome was impossible to determine. The new election would have to take place within six to 12 months under the same conditions as the annulled vote and the same candidates must appear on the ballot. Logistics, laws and costs aside, a new election would be a risky gamble for Maduro and his allies as Julys vote and subsequent protests showed they have lost support across the country and can no longer bank on a cadre of die-hard supporters, known as Chavistas, as well as public employees and others whose businesses or employment depend on the state to comfortably beat opponents. In contrast to the stance of Brazil, Colombia and Mexico, the U.S. government has said that the evidence is clear that Gonzalez won the election. However, when Biden was asked Thursday in Washington whether he would support new elections in Venezuela, the president said I do. Biden did not elaborate. A White House National Security Official who was not authorized to comment publicly later told The Associated Press that Biden was speaking to the absurdity of Maduro and his representatives not coming clean about the July 28 elections." The official added that it is abundantly clear to the majority of Venezuelan people, the U.S., and other governments that Gonzalez won the most votes in last months election. An AP review of the tally sheets released by the opposition indicates that Gonzalez won significantly more votes than the government has claimed. The analysis casts serious doubt on the official declaration that Maduro won. The AP processed almost 24,000 images representing the results from 79% of voting machines, resulting in tabulations of 10.26 million votes. The processed tally sheets also showed Gonzalez receiving more votes on 20,476 receipts compared to only 3,157 for Maduro. Petro on Thursday floated several ideas to address Venezuela's political crisis including new free elections" and the establishment of a transitional government. The later had already been rejected by Machado at a news conference on Tuesday. ___ Garcia Cano reported from Mexico City. Associated Press writers Joshua Goodman in Miami, and Aamer Madhani and AP White House Correspondent Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report. EDITORS NOTE: A previous version of this article listed William Grimes as serving a 40-year prison sentence in an unrelated case. However, earlier this year the Indiana Supreme Court dismissed that case. SULLIVAN COUNTY, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) Update 1:02 p.m.: Documents released today show the extraordinary efforts of investigators who were trying to solve the murder of Lowell R. Badger of Sullivan County. Indiana State Police along with the special prosecutor Rob Roberts and the Sullivan County Prosecutors were able to make an additional arrest of Richard Taft, who is incarcerated at the Michigan City facility right now, Sgt. Matt Ames with Indiana State Police said. According to a probable cause affidavit (PCA) filed in Sullivan Superior Court Richard D. Taft of Sullivan was indicted after detectives interviewed 58 witnesses. According to Indiana Department of Corrections, Taft is currently being held in Indiana State Prison in Michigan City due to previous charges of conspiracy/dealing in methamphetamine. His current soonest release date is in 2031. He is now the second man indicted in the case after William Ray Grimes was arrested in April. Several witnesses refer to Taft being incredibly emotional and crying in the days and months following Badgers murder. The PCA states that several witnesses claim Taft had varying stories regarding his involvement in the incident. Taft was interviewed on several occasions by law enforcement, always denying any involvement. In an interview, one witness claimed that Taft said he had the gun but couldnt pull the trigger. At that time he said another person involved told him hed show him how it was done before that person fired and killed Badger. The Probable Cause Affidavit names the individual that Taft claims fired the gun. Due to no charges being filed at this time, WTWO has chosen not to name that individual. Another witness stated that Taft claimed that he was the one who took the gun and pulled the trigger. The PCA also describes the account of a witness who claimed to have met and picked up Taft on the morning of December 8, 2012, when the murder was first discovered. The witness said he was contacted by William Grimes asking her to give Taft a ride back to town. The witness arrived at a building resembling a church in Graysville, IN where Taft was said to have been hiding in tall weeds behind the building. The witness said Taft gave instruction to drive in the opposite direction as police presence could be seen nearby. The witness told investigators that they dropped Taft off at his apartment in downtown Sullivan. The affidavit states that the Indiana State Police investigation remained active over the years, however, renewed emphasis was put on the case in 2023, including full-time manpower. Each additional lead that continues to come into our office, we are following up on them at this time, Ames said. We continue to go to the community as they continue to hear more information. No matter how small the information may be and you dont think it may be pertinent to the case, please come forward with that information. We have detectives standing by and ready to talk to you to be able to take all the pieces and put it together so that we can have a good prosecution when it is time to go to trial. In September of 2023, the same witness mentioned above took investigators to the location where she found Taft on the morning of December 8. The PCA states the location was one-mile due north of the Badger residence. Investigators noted the residence could be seen from that location. The affidavit requested a warrant for Taft for the following charges: Richard D. Taft (mugshot from previous arrest) Richard D. Taft, 39 Murder Burglary resulting in bodily injury (x2) Class A felony The Indiana State Police is going to do a thorough investigation, and they are going to provide that information to the prosecutors office to make sure that they have a sealed case, get this prosecuted, and get these individuals that are responsible for this terrible crime behind bars, Ames said. It will be closure for the family as well. William (Billy) R. Grimes is currently in custody due to charges from his arrest in April in the Badger case. William (Billy) R. Grimes William R. Grimes Murder Burglary Class A Felony Conspiracy to Commit Burglary Class A Felony We believe that the county and community is safe at this time, Ames said. There is nothing else affiliated with this case as we are making sure that the people who are responsible are getting arrested. Unfortunately, it has taken a while to do that. But, by making sure that we have been diligent in our investigation it has allowed us to get at least two people for this hideous crime that was committed to the Lowell Badger family. The investigation is ongoing. Indiana State Police will continue the investigation. If you know something or if youve heard something, say something, Sgt. Ames said. You can read the entire PCA document here: Taft-Richard-PCA-Murder-File-StampedDownload ORIGINAL: Indiana State Police announce an additional arrest has been made in the Lowell R. Badger homicide investigation. The homicide occurred sometime between Friday, December 7, and the morning of December 8, in 2012 in Sullivan County. RELATED: William Ray Grimes indicted in murder of Lowell Badger Sullivan Superior Court Judge Hugh Hunt issued a warrant for murder on August 13 for 39-year-old Richard D. Taft. The Indiana Department of Corrections served the warrant to Taft, who is incarcerated at the Michigan City Correctional Facility. Richard D. Taft, 39 Murder Burglary resulting in bodily injury (x2) Class A felony The felony is listed as a class A rather than a level due to the date of the crime being before Indiana transitioned to a numbered-level system. Merom habitual offender sentenced to 40 years in prison Indiana State Police was assisted by the Sullivan County Prosecutors Office, Sullivan County Sheriffs Department, Vigo County Prosecutors Office, IPAC, and the Indiana Department of Corrections. Badger was an 85-year-old retired Sullivan County farmer who was found deceased in his rural home on the morning of December 8, 2012. This is a developing story, well continue to keep you updated as we learn more information. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyWabashValley.com. UPDATE: Pellet gun shooting led to SWAT situation in north Abilene, man detained not arrested ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) A pellet gun shooting led to a SWAT situation in north Abilene late Wednesday night, where a man was detained after hours of negotiation but not arrested. Police say the incident on the 2700 block of Old Anson Road began after a 38-year-old man went to a convenience store and claimed he was shot in the abdomen. This man was taken to the hospital, and SWAT team members began negotiating with the alleged suspect, a 58-year-old man who was inside the home on Old Anson Road. After hours of negotiations, this man came out and was detained without incident. Upon questioning, investigators learned the 38-year-old man had been shot with a pellet gun after allegedly threatening the 58-year-old man with a blunt object. No arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing. BigCountryHomepage.com will update this article if additional information is released. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed in his address on Aug. 15 that Ukrainian forces had captured the entire Russian town of Sudzha in Kursk Oblast. Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported that Ukrainian troops had taken control of more than 80 settlements in Kursk Oblast during the ongoing operation, Zelensky added. Ukraine is establishing a military administration in the town of Sudzha, according to Zelensky. Earlier on Aug. 15, Syrskyi said that Ukraine established the first military administration in the Ukrainian-held parts of Russias Kursk Oblast, which will be led by General Eduard Moskaliov, a former commander of the Joint Forces. Ukrainian forces in Kursk Oblast advanced 35 kilometers deep and controlled 1,150 square kilometers of Russian territory, Syrskyi said in his report. In total, 82 Russian settlements are under Ukraines control as of Aug. 15, according to Syrskyi. Sudzha is located less than 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the border with Ukraine, while the city of Kursk lies 85 kilometers (53 miles) to the northeast of Sudzha. The Russian Defense Ministry said on Aug. 9 that Ukrainian troops reached the western outskirts of the town. Ukrainian soldiers posted video footage later, claiming to be in Sudzha. Ukraines Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Heorhii Tykhyi, said on Aug. 13 that the incursion, which had been launched by Ukraine on Aug. 6, aims to prevent Moscow from sending reinforcements to the front in Donetsk Oblast. It is also designed to disrupt Russian logistics and halt cross-border attacks in lieu of Ukraines long-range strikes with Western arms, which remain under unofficial restrictions from partners. Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said on Aug. 14 that Ukraines military is creating a security zone on Russian territory to protect Ukrainian border areas. Vereshchuk said that Ukraine would be conducting humanitarian operations in the area, including creating safe corridors for civilians to evacuate both toward Ukraine and to other parts of Russia. International humanitarian organizations will also be allowed to enter the area to support the civilian population and monitor the situation, she added. Read also: General Mick Ryan on Ukraines strategic calculus in Kursk Oblast Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. SEOUL, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The South Korean government has been rapped by media for its diplomacy with Japan involving a war-linked mine that was listed as a UNESCO world heritage thanks to an agreement by Seoul. The local newspaper Hankyoreh described the agreement as a "diplomatic disaster" and "cream puff diplomacy" for the Yoon Suk-yeol government, which valued "cooperation with Japan" over the "truth of history." The UNESCO World Heritage Committee decided last month to inscribe the "Sado Island Gold Mines," a gold mine on Sado Island associated with the Korean Peninsula's wartime forced labor, on the World Heritage List. Seoul's Foreign Ministry said that the Yoon government agreed on the decision on the premise that Japan faithfully implements recommendations to reflect the "entire history" of the mine "on the site" and takes preemptive measures for it. A day after the decision, Japan opened an exhibition hall of 21.84 square meters to demonstrate the dismal working conditions of the Korean Peninsula's forced labor victims, but no exhibit acknowledged Japan's forcible mobilization of Korean laborers, according to Hankyoreh. South Korean historians say thousands of Koreans were forced by Imperial Japan into heavy labor for the gold mine, which was turned into facilities to manufacture war-related materials during World War II when the Korean Peninsula was under Japan's colonial rule. The mine was shut down in 1989. Hankyoreh noted that the agreement was made despite Tokyo's dismissal of Seoul's demand during negotiations to exhibit information about the forcible mobilization of Korean laborers, calling South Korea's diplomacy with Japan "humiliating." During the negotiations, South Korea asked Japan to exhibit Japanese historical records, including the term "forced to work," but Japan ultimately rejected it, the South Korean Foreign Ministry said in its written response to a lawmaker of the main opposition Democratic Party. "It is shocking that the victim (South) Korea tolerated the dark history of war crimes despite the perpetrator Japan's refusal to acknowledge the forcible mobilization of Koreans. Isn't the Yoon Suk-yeol government afraid of history?" the local daily Kyunghyang Shinmun said in an editorial. A bridge above Interstate 70 now honors a fallen Richmond Police officer. >>PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Bridge over I-70 to be named after fallen Richmond officer Seara Burton The community gathered Wednesday in Richmond, Indiana to unveil the Officer Seara Burton Memorial Bridge, according to a social media post. The Indiana State Department named the Chester Boulevard Bridge after Burton. This tribute is a testament to an extraordinary officer and person who brought light to every room she entered, the department said on Facebook. Searas impact on our city and our hearts is immeasurable, and today, we take a step toward ensuring her legacy endures for generations. >>RELATED: A warrior and a hero; Community, loved ones gather to remember K-9 Officer Seara Burton The City of Richmond also released a statement Wednesday on social media. To say that the City of Richmond is proud of the Richmond Police Department is an understatement. We express our gratitude for their sacrifice to our community, and we honor Seara Burton, who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving and protecting her community. >>RELATED: Man charged with shooting, killing Richmond police officer found dead As News Center 7 previously reported, Officer Burton was shot during a traffic stop in August 2022. She was a four-year veteran with the department and joined their K-9 unit with her canine partner, Brev. Burton died in September 2022. Bridges in Lewistown area to be replaced as part of Sentinel Missile project Some of the bridges to be replaced near Lewistown as part of the Sentinel Missile Project. (Provided by the Governor's Office) Eleven bridges in the Lewistown area will be replaced as part of the Sentinel Missile Project based on a formalized agreement with the Montana Department of Transportation and Department of Defense, the Governors Office announced this week. Sentinel is the weapons system slated to replace the aging Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile system. The Malmstrom Air Force Base work includes construction on- and off- the Great Falls base such as renovating launch facilities and establishing new utility corridors. Montana plays a key role in the national security of the United States, Gov. Greg Gianforte said in a statement. (Tuesdays) announcement will allow the MDT to move forward replacing 11 aging bridges that serve the Lewistown community and will support the Sentinel Missile program. Im grateful to MDT and Director (Chris) Dorrington for prioritizing this important project. The project includes replacing 11 aging and deteriorated brides on or near MT 81 in the Lewistown area, including eight identified by Malmstrom as needing replacement, according to the news release from the Governors Office. It said the three remaining bridges were nominated by MDT to be replaced. The project will be expedited and receive $7 million in funding from the Department of Defense, according to the news release. The Governors Office did not respond to questions about the total cost for bridge replacement or project timeline. The projects cost has been ballooning and recently hit $160 billion, Reuters reported last month. In January, the Electric reported timelines are shifting partly due to federal reviews of cost overruns, and field work wasnt expected to start until 2030 at the earliest. Malmstrom could not be reached late Wednesday for additional information. According to the project website, Sentinel represents the modernization of the land-based leg of the U.S. nuclear triad, extending its capabilities through 2075. However, MDTs Dorrington said the project also will help the problem of aging bridges in Montana. Montana, like the rest of the nation, is facing an onslaught of bridges reaching end-of-service life, and we simply dont have the resources to replace them all at once, Dorrington said in a statement from the Governors Office. We are working every angle to improve this, including partnerships, alternative project delivery, ensuring efficient environmental approvals, and bundling multiple bridge replacements per contract. We are grateful for the opportunity to work with DOD on this project as Lewistown community prepares for the Sentinel Missile program. Why do we keep prolific offenders with large numbers of previous convictions out of prison? Lets dispense for a moment with the paradox of stuffing them into full jails that have become world-leading at making them better offenders. Back to first principles: how do career criminals learn their trade? Some criminologists suggest that a life of offending literally starts in the womb. Maternal substance abuse or exposure to stress through domestic violence, perhaps has links to cognitive impairment and behavioural problems in later life of the child that increases their likelihood of offending. Other academics will list the various ways kids get knocked onto the criminal justice conveyor belt to a wasted life of persistent offending. These include absent or inconsistent parenting, poverty, drugs, trauma, truancy, exploitation by others and the killer predictor intergenerational transmission of criminality, where kids learn deviance at the knee of their parents. Some or all of these precursors have operated to deliver the next cohort of kids who will waste their lives and harm others at huge cost to an Exchequer empty of funds with other priorities. While all this is an unanswerable argument for better and more early prevention and intervention, it doesnt deal with corrosive public perception that people who break the law now are acting with impunity and run rings around the system that is supposed to stop them. Poor communities without agency are on the front line of this failure. They are tortured by the sort of low level crime and incivility that middle class progressives who provide endless excuses for perpetrators would not stand for in their own back yard. At the Ministry of Justice, the dominant boss class ideological piety of prison bad has been given an unexpected boost by ruinous austerity cuts and appalling mismanagement. Prison is indeed bad but so too is the probation service, ripped to shreds by insane reorganisations, insurmountable workload, vacuous leadership. So community supervision, the alternative to banging people up and never the most convincing response to offending in this country, is mired in high profile and often tragic failures. Lessons from other countries are not always translatable to here, but its a fact that many in Europe operate the shorter sentences our criminal justice commentariat decries but which seem to produce much lower recidivism rates. The new Home Secretary is discovering the tension on crime and justice between what the public see and what those reform organisations who welcomed Labours appointment tell her. The proper punitive response to rioting where the crucial connection between crime and consequence is made stands in absolutely stark contrast to the sclerotic, careless and too often toothless reaction when it is individual citizens and not the state who are being trespassed against. One solution that could give neighbourhoods a break, free time and space in jails to properly manage and rehabilitate dangerous prisoners, and rescue potential, lies in how we treat non-violent drug addicted offenders. This cohort comprises a large proportion of the estimated 13-16 per cent of the people filling our jails to bursting for drugs offenses. We lock up a large number of people whose crimes are committed to feed a habit. Prison 2024 style exposes them to the predations of organised crime who control a truly out of control carceral drugs economy where the violent instability it creates is endemic. Recovery here is Mission Impossible. Few access meaningful treatment, a huge number reoffend. Transferring these offenders into a type of secure NHS treatment facility would be a clever move. Acknowledging that the harm they do to others and themselves is real, that incapacitation is proper but primarily, the law breaking motivation is physiological rather than criminal could cut prison the population by around 7%. This is smart authoritarianism. So on current form, it ought to appeal to the new administration... The states response to recent rioting is uncompromising. I applaud this. But the national trauma we have suffered will be a wasted opportunity unless the Government does two things. The first is implicitly acknowledged by the Home Secretary to recognise that the states response to an insurrection exposes a system that doesnt work for ordinary people. The second is to do something about it. Ian Acheson is a former prison governor and author of Screwed: Britains prison crisis and how to escape it Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Russian servicemen fire a Giatsint-S self-propelled gun toward Ukrainian positions on Wednesday as fighting entered an eighth day in a counter-offensive in which Ukraine claims it has penetrated more than 20 miles into Russian territory. Britain has clarified that Ukraine can use weapons it has supplied to it on Russian soil. Photo courtesy Russian Defense Ministry/EPA-EFE Aug. 15 (UPI) -- Ukrainian forces are authorized to use British-supplied weapons in their ground offensive on western Russia, London indicated on Thursday. The Ministry of Defense said its policy was that Ukraine had the right to use the weapons to defend itself, including on Russian territory, provided it does not breach international law. The waiver did not, however, apply to Anglo-French-made Storm Shadow cruise missiles -- a caveat the new Labor government reiterated within days of taking office July 5. "There has been no change in U.K. Government policy, under Article 51 of the U.N. Charter Ukraine has a clear right of self-defense against Russia's illegal attacks, that does not preclude operations inside Russia," an MoD spokesman said. "We make clear during the gifting process that equipment is to be used in line with international law," he added. Battles between Russian forces and invading Ukrainian mechanized units pushing into Russia's Kursk region after crossing the border on Aug. 6 could now be fought with anti-tank missiles, artillery, armored vehicles and other weapons gifted by Britain. The BBC reported that some of the 13 surviving Challenger-2 main battle tanks donated to Kyiv by Britain have already seen action in Ukraine's ground incursion which Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky said had penetrated 22 miles into Russian territory and controlled 82 settlements over a 444-square-mile area. Syrsky said "a military commandant's office" led by a senior military leader had been established to fill a power vacuum in the areas of Russia now occupied by Ukraine. "To maintain law and order and meet the immediate needs of the population, a military commandant's office has been created on the territories controlled. Maj. Gen. [Eduard] Moskalyov has been appointed to lead it," Syrskyi said in a video update to a military staff meeting posted on President Volodymyr Zelensky's X account. "The situation is under control in general," he told the president. Moscow claimed the opposite, saying its forces had inflicted signifcant losses on Ukrainian forces and were gaining the upper hand. The state-run news agency TASS reported that the Russian Armed Forces' North battlegroup had pushed back an assault near Kremyanoye on Wednesday, retaken the village of Krupets and rained heavy fire on Ukrainian units deployed to the west of Russkaya. The report also claimed the Russian army blocked efforts by AFU mobile units to break through deeper into Russian territory in six other areas including Varvarovka and Alekseevsky in neighboring Belgorod province where the governor declared a state of emergency Wednesday. It also struck Ukrainian forces in Olgovka, Snagosti, Pogrebki, Mirny, Zaoleshenka, Uspenovka and Yuzhny and used a short-range, tactical ballistic missile to take out a military convoy and 15 fuel tankers in a cross-border attack near Lubny in Sumy province. "Kyiv lost up to 340 servicemen and 19 armored vehicles, including five Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and 14 armored combat vehicles, as well as eight vehicles, five field artillery guns, a multiple rocket launcher and two electronic warfare stations," according to the report. Britain is the third largest military backer of Ukraine after the United States and Germany, contributing $9.76 billion of hardware, equipment and munitions in the two-and-half-years to June 30. Thirty-five years ago this month, 16-year-old Yusef Hawkins hopped off the 20th Avenue subway in Bensonhurst, a neighborhood in Brooklyn, to view a used car for sale. He would never make it back home. At the time, the neighborhood was primarily Italian and known for being a place where Black people were not welcomed. Shortly after Hawkins and the three other young Black teens and men that he came with entered the neighborhood, a group of as many as 30 teens and adults surrounded them, wielding weapons. One of them, armed with a handgun, shot Hawkins twice in the chest, killing him. His death was the third killing of a Black person by white mobs in New York City during the 1980s. The highly public killing helped spur the election of David Dinkins, the citys first Black mayor. It underscored a shifting dynamic of race and power, one that persists today as the nations largest city experiences exorbitant housing costs, gentrification, and the loss of Black residents. In the decades since Hawkins murder, Bensonhurst has become home to the citys large Chinese population. And once again, it serves as a flash point for the ways that city officials and everyday citizens have stunted New Yorks ability to address the ills that have suffocated Black life there, advocates told Capital B. After it was announced earlier this year that a homeless shelter would be built in the community for primarily Black and Latino single men, the neighborhood quickly mobilized efforts to block it. The movement against the shelter has pushed tropes and fears against Black men that date back generations and illustrates a growing reality in the aftermath of 2020 as some elements of racial solidarity with Black Americans have waned and other ethnic groups have shifted increasingly to the right over issues of crime, homelessness, and education. Like other neighborhoods across the city, Bensonhurst is gentrifying, and some residents are afraid the shelter may contribute to another racial rift. The communitys opposition, one comment read, is about keeping things safe, comfy, and familiar, which some activists have read to mean not Black. An online petition with 32,000 signees is riddled with loaded comments elevating some of these anti-Black sentiments and dehumanizing language against unhoused people. Its not fair for the good citizens, one comment reads. They are lazy and will commit crimes, another one says. (A 2023 study found that more than half of adults in homeless shelters have jobs and about 40% of people sleeping on the street are employed.) Youd be surprised that even with a strong presence of Black political power in New York City, how much people are willing to be explicitly anti-Black in their rhetoric and openly anti-Black around issues around housing and homelessness, says Barika Williams, the executive director of the Association for Neighborhood & Housing Development in New York. New York vs. California But most significantly, the fight underscores the city and nations inability to offer transformative solutions to the homelessness crisis. Last year, homelessness rose by over 12%, reaching a record high of more than 650,000 unhoused people nationwide. The situation is expected to get worse after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling this summer granted cities the ability to detain or cite people for sleeping on the streets, even if the city does not offer them supportive housing options. Several cities across the country have begun doing so. In California, where the most unhoused people live, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an order for hazardous encampments to be dismantled statewide and several cities followed suit, most notably San Francisco, where Mayor London Breed has declared that she will launch aggressive homeless sweeps with criminal penalties. Portland, Oregon, another top-10 city for homelessness, also followed suit with eradicating encampments, and Des Moines, Iowa, passed a ban that includes a $50 fine for sleeping on the street. In both cities, Black people make up less than 10% of the population but more than 20% of those sleeping on the street. The sudden acceleration of threats against unhoused people has pushed the nations shelter system to the brink and led to advocates calling for more federal funding for affordable housing. This week, the Biden administration outlined $100 million to speed up housing construction nationwide, but there are little incentives for the properties to be built for the countrys poorest. Read More: An Upcoming Supreme Court Case Threatens to Criminalize Homelessness Before the housing market crash of the mid-2000s, New York Citys playbook for homelessness was widely celebrated as a model for the nation. A 1979 law guarantees that anyone needing emergency housing in New York City must be provided with shelter, a requirement that is rare nationally even today. Today, as the citys houseless population straddles the 90,000 mark, the city has 88,000 shelter beds. In comparison, in Los Angeles, where such a law doesnt exist, there are about 75,000 unhoused people, but just around 17,000 beds. However, experts say New York has depended on this law as a band-aid solution rather than addressing the lack of affordable housing. And now, the shelter system is bursting at the seams because Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is bussing a growing number of migrants to the city. Since 2022, NYC rents have surged while the demand for housing has outpaced supply, and the city recently introduced a budget that would gut provisions for affordable housing. As it stands, the city will only produce 10,000 new affordable housing units next year, despite estimates showing a need of 500,000 over the next decade. Its clear that building tons of homeless shelters is not the ideal solution. A lot of us consider it the same as building a whole bunch of jails and thinking that is the solution to crime, explains Leah Goodridge, a tenants rights attorney in New York. At the end of the day, it just creates a different system, and it doesnt alleviate the problem of a lack of permanent affordable housing. Is this democratic? After a report by New York City Comptroller Brad Lander showed that poor Black and Latino communities were disproportionately inundated with homeless shelters, the city instituted practices to close the gap by opening shelters in communities across the city. In theory, the attempt would help place shelters in more resourced communities. Unhoused people would have access to resources that include mental health and physical health services, community institutions like recreation centers and libraries, and higher paying job opportunities. This would help us stop viewing the shelter system as a final destination versus the shortest stopping position. It should allow people to access mental health care and other supportive treatment options before going into sustainable affordable housing, explains Williams with ANHD. However, in practice, it has provoked and activated communities against the shelter system. It has kind of shown the citys NIMBYism. Everyone has just straight up been like, We dont want to shelter these people, Goodridge says. (NIMBYism, which stands for not in my backyard, is a term used to describe people who oppose new housing developments in their areas.) But Goodridge has noticed how these elements of NIMBYism have racial undertones. Last year, residents in another majority-Asian community were able to successfully block two planned shelters from being built in their neighborhoods. The demographics of those who are unhoused in America might suggest some of the racial animosity. Among major racial and ethnic groups, Asian people are by far the least likely to be unhoused and have also increasingly begun to live in communities where Asian people make up the largest share of residents, meaning they relatively rarely come across houseless people. In New York, Black people make up 45% of unhoused people, compared to 20% of the overall population. Comparatively, Asian people make up less than 1% of unhoused people living in shelters versus 15% of the total population. Celina Su, a political science professor at the City University of New Yorks Brooklyn College, says the situation in Brooklyn highlights some of the holes in the countrys current local democratic system and shows why we need different sorts of democratic participation and participatory budgeting. Su has spent years researching, organizing, and teaching about building racial solidarity through the participatory democratic process. Under the current democratic process, voters elect an official they entrust to work in their best interests. However, in more participatory forms of democracy and budgeting, voters decide directly on policy, and elected officials are then responsible for implementing those policy decisions. This shifts more power toward the voter, which may have prevented the volatile situation around the shelter if residents had a say beforehand. The current process, she says, ends up really hurting everyone and making all these different historically marginalized communities fighting for crumbs and sort of pitted against each other instead of working together in solidarity. Su says that the nationwide protests of 2020 showed the strength of racial solidarity, but since the uprisings, they [city governments] have found ways to fuel conversations around divisions, rather than just building electoral blocks. She explicitly cites the ways that conversations around crime and the migrant crisis have been used to increase police budgets and stoke fears. Hundreds of demonstrators gather in Washington Square Park in New York in May 2023 following the death of Jordan Neely, an unhoused Black man, who was choked to death by a vigilante on a subway train. (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) The results have been apparent: Last year, Jordan Neely, an unhoused Black man, was killed by a vigilante on a New York subway train. His killer received public praise from across the country. Read More: Reform Rollbacks May Lead to Another Rise in Mass Incarceration But amongst the Asian community, feelings of fear have been undeniable. A recent survey of people of Asian descent in the city found that since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, most people have adopted at least one avoidance behavior, like not taking public transit out of fear of violence. Since 2020, about 1 in 3 Asian adults nationwide have reported knowing an Asian person who has been threatened or attacked. However, there is no statistical evidence to suggest that the largest group of perpetrators are Black, despite rampant online rhetoric stating such. Still, there have been two high-profile cases of Black unhoused men attacking Asian women in New York City over recent years, including the 2022 killing of Christina Yuna Lee near one of the proposed shelter sites that was eventually blocked. New York City Council member Susan Zhuang (front, in the pink blazer) has received national recognition for organizing her district against the proposed shelter. (Courtesy of William Coltons District Office) Community members in Bensonhurst, now known as New Yorks fourth Chinatown, have used these examples in their regularly planned protests. In July, Bensonhursts Democratic council member Susan Zhuang allegedly bit a police officer after one of the protests turned hectic, which brought national attention to the shelter battle. The protests have been a bastion for the far-right, including several conspiracy theorists and 2020 election deniers. New Yorks mayor, Eric Adams, the citys second Black mayor, has spoken openly about what he believes is driving the protests. This is not the deep South, he said in July, but in every community we go to, we hear the same thing, we will take any group but single, adult Black men. Williams and other experts understand the need to listen to community voices and that there are deep-seated differences amongst the city and countrys racial and ethnic groups, but the answer feels simple to her. The answer has always been more affordable housing. That is what everybody comes back to, she says. From the general public to folks living through this, especially for Black folks, the answer is, it would be a lot easier for my health, my mental health, if I could go from being an unhoused person to finding stable, sustained housing, as opposed to my option being to live in a shelter in a community where I have no ties.' The post In Brooklyn, a New Homeless Shelter Reignites Decades of Racism appeared first on Capital B News. A Lauderhill police officer was placed on administrative leave following his arrest in Sunrise on a digital voyeurism charge this week, according to his department. Sunrise police said the arrest of Officer Johnny Alejandro Mateo on Tuesday is part of an open criminal investigation for an off-duty incident, Lauderhill police Lt. Antonio Gonzalez said in a statement. Gonzalez did not provide details of the accusation, and Sunrise police did not immediately respond to questions from the Miami Herald. The case wasnt filed on the Broward Clerk of the Court website as of Thursday. Lauderhill hired Mateo in 2017, Gonzalez said. This report will be updated. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) Sentencing will be at a later date for a Brunswick man who pleaded guilty Thursday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to breaking into an Austintown muffler shop. Zachary Abdallah, 23, entered pleas before Judge Maureen Sweeney to fifth-degree felony charges of breaking and entering and possession of criminal tools. Prosecutors are recommending he be sentenced to probation and make restitution for any damage he did. Abdallah was charged with a March 16 break-in at the shop. Police were called by an employee who told them he was watching the break-in from another location on security cameras. Police arrived and found several auto parts in a van at the scene, reports said. Reports said Abdallah told police he was taking the items because he did not have a job, reports said. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. Who built those houses next to the freeway in Erlanger? The model homes built by Georgia-based America's Home Place near Interstates 71/75 in Erlanger were built there intentionally to attract attention from motorists who could be potential customers. ERLANGER, Ky. "Who in the heck would build a house there?'' That was Erlanger resident Bob Hahnel's initial reaction to two new houses nearing completion less than 100 feet from Interstates 71/75 on the west side of the freeway, about a mile south of the Buttermilk Pike exit. A trailer sits next to the houses with a banner facing the freeway that reads "Now Open,'' referring to Georgia-based America's Home Place's new building center at 681 Dolwick Drive in Erlanger. America's Home, which builds houses on property their clients already own, is using the trailer as a temporary office until it can move into one of the model homes it intentionally built near the freeway to attract attention, said General Manager Brent Walker. "We want to let everybody know we're here,'' Walker said. "It's definitely making an impact. We've had clients say they drove down the highway and saw the sign and the houses and wanted to know more about us.'' The marketing tactic worked on Hahnel and his wife, Colleen, who hired America's Home to build a house on their farm in Corinth, Kentucky, after making little headway with other builders. Bob Hahnel, 69, of Erlanger, Kentucky. The retired project manager for Jones Lang LaSalle hired America's Home Place to build a house on his farm in Corinth, Ky., after driving past the company's model homes built next to Interstates 71/75 as a marketing ploy. "We had several other companies come and want to give us prices (on a new house) but never showed up again,'' said Bob Hahnel, who retired several years ago as project manager at Jones Lang LaSalle, a global real estate services company. He said the model homes near I-71/75 weren't quite what he and his wife had in mind. But America's Home offers a variety of floor plans that were not on display, and the couple eventually hired the company to build a three-bedroom, ranch-style house with a finished basement on their farm. The Hahnels declined to say how much they paid for the house, which is under construction, but the price was right, according to the husband. America's Home's prices start at about $250,000 and can run as high as $600,000, depending on the floor plan, according to Walker. The company, founded in 1972 by CEO Barry Conner, builds houses within a 50-mile radius of each of its 50 building centers, which are located mainly in the South and Midwest. Brent Walker, general manager at America's Home Place, stands next to a map of the on-your-lot projects the homebuilder has under construction in the Cincinnati area. America's Home opened the Erlanger center to fill the gap between its centers near Columbus, Ohio, and Bowling Green, Kentucky, Walker said. The company has 17 homes under construction in the Cincinnati area since opening in Erlanger in October 2023, Walker said, noting his company caters to a niche market of clients who mainly live or own property in rural areas. "We (America's Home) see a lot of potential for growth in this area, where people have a lot of acreage and want to build their own houses,'' said Walker. The company hopes to build 40 to 50 houses a year from the Erlanger location, he said. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: New builder wants you to check out its model homes next to the freeway Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Myanmar's Deputy Prime Minister and Union Minister for Foreign Affairs U Than Swe in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, Aug. 14, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Guangtao) NAY PYI TAW, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here Wednesday that China is willing to work with Myanmar to jointly advance the building of a China-Myanmar community with a shared future. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when meeting with Myanmar's Deputy Prime Minister and Union Minister for Foreign Affairs U Than Swe in the Myanmar capital. Wang said, for more than 70 years, regardless of the changing international landscape, China and Myanmar have consistently upheld the spirit of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence that they jointly advocate, setting a good example of relations between countries of different sizes based on equality and mutual support. China is willing to work with Myanmar to inherit and promote the paukphaw (fraternal) friendship, and continue to support and help each other, Wang noted. As the world today is undergoing both transformation and upheaval, China's development contributes to the forces for world peace and strengthens stabilizing factors, the Chinese foreign minister said. The 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China recently held its third plenary session, which clearly stated that China will comprehensively deepen reforms, build a high-level socialist market economy, and promote high-quality development and high-level opening-up. This will provide new opportunities and new momentum for China-Myanmar cooperation, Wang said. He said that China is willing to work with Myanmar to deepen the Belt and Road cooperation, effectively implement the three major global initiatives, and steadily advance the building of a China-Myanmar community with a shared future. Both sides should maintain high-level exchanges and enhance political mutual trust; steadily promote the construction of the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor and ensure the safe and smooth operation of China-Myanmar oil and gas pipeline project; strengthen security cooperation and jointly combat cross-border criminal activities; accelerate cooperation in agriculture and other fields to help Myanmar improve people's livelihoods, Wang noted. He said, taking the opportunity to celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Myanmar next year, the two sides will carry out a series of celebratory activities, strengthen cultural exchanges, and consolidate public support. Than Swe said Myanmar-China relations have a long history and the two countries enjoy a profound paukphaw (fraternal) friendship, adding that 2025 will mark the 75th anniversary of establishing bilateral diplomatic ties. Myanmar attaches great importance to its relations with China, adheres to the one-China principle, and supports the Belt and Road Initiative, the three major global initiatives, and a community with a shared future for humanity, Than Swe said. He said Myanmar stands ready to work with China to engage in closer exchanges at all levels, speed up construction of major projects under the framework of the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor, deepen cooperation in fields of agriculture, energy, and tourism, and promote a Myanmar-China community with a shared future to achieve greater results, so as to benefit the Myanmar people. Than Swe stressed that Myanmar will make all-out efforts to ensure the safety of Chinese project personnel in Myanmar, effectively safeguard security and stability at the Myanmar-China border, and jointly combat cross-border crimes with China. The two sides exchanged views on Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC). They agreed to implement the important consensus reached at the fourth LMC Leaders' Meeting to anchor the goal of building a community with a shared future for Lancang-Mekong countries, promote more fruitful LMC results, and jointly promote stable development and regional integration. MANHATTAN, Kan. (KSNW) Butler County EMS was recognized for their service to the community. The department received the Career Service of the Year award, which was presented during the 2024 Kansas Emergency Medical Service Association conference Honoring Our Own awards banquet, which took place Saturday in Manhattan. Courtesy Butler Co. EMS Courtesy Butler Co. EMS Crews put out house fire in west Wichita Butler County EMS is honored to be recognized by the Kansas Emergency Medical Services Association for our dedication to promoting EMS in Kansas, says Chief Frank Williams. I couldnt be more proud of this TEAM! I am blessed to work with the best! Award-winning departments are selected based on their public education project sponsorships, worker safety and well-being programs, injury and illness prevention projects, innovations in prehospital care and protocol development, advances in EMS education and training, EMS system and/or program upgrades, and medical community involvement. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV. CALHOUN COUNTY, Ala. (WIAT) A Calhoun County Sheriffs Office jail accounts clerk was arrested on theft charges after allegedly stealing over $45,000 from the account. Its embarrassing and I wish that it hadnt had happened, Calhoun County Sheriff Matthew Wade said. These kind of things happen across the state and a lot of times, they go largely unreported. While Im not proud of what happened, Im really embarrassed, I do take pride in how we handle ourselves when something does happen. A supplemental audit of the account showed an account deficiency of $47,036.20. Allyson Smith, the jail accounts clerk, was arrested for first-degree theft and admitted to stealing a portion of the cash deposit each week during interviews, according to the Calhoun County Sheriffs Office. Ill remember that number probably for the rest of my life because as sheriff, Im responsible for it, personally. So, the state of Alabama, the citizens, arent going to be without government money, Wade said. Its personal to me too. Its been hard on me to make sure that that money was put back. That that money was where it was supposed to be. Former Centre police officer charged in connection to drug-planting scheme CCSO says they were being audited by the Alabama Examiners of Public Accounts Office as required by law. The audit revealed a delay in deposits that yielded a caution notation on the audit exit report. Upon investigation it was found that some deposits were being made several weeks late, outside the time frame established by accounting standards and the account balances were insufficient in order to cover the liabilities. People that work here will be held accountable. Were the good guys. To be the good guys, youve got to act like it and if you dont act like it, you dont belong here, Wade said. If you break the law, were going to arrest you and were not going to sweep it under the rug. Criminal proceedings against Smith are underway and restitution will be sought as part of that process. Smiths supervisor was also let go, as Wade says he failed to do his job and follow the correct checks and balances that could have prevented this from happening. Wade says Smith is the eighth corrections officer hes arrested since being in office. [Smith] worked here but shes a criminal and were going to treat her like one. She got arrested, she got booked in, she got everything anybody else would get, Wade said. Theres an addition in the sentencing laws, if you steal from your employer, that theres an enhancement where you can make sure that these people serve at least some jail time. Were going to make sure that we do our best to see that she serves some type of actual jail time and not just get probation and go on. Wade says a new system is in place at the jail to hold and safeguard inmates money which keeps his employees hands out of it altogether. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) A man was arrested near a Las Vegas Strip casino after pinning a puppy on a 99 degree pavement, according to police documents. Officers with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department were conducting a routine check outside of a resort on the south-side of the Strip on Aug. 12, when they received reports of a man forcefully holding a small dog to the ground, according to an arrest report. A witness, who identified himself as a dog trainer, noticed a man pinning a dog down on a hot pavement. He told police he was concerned that the dog might be hurt, so he urged the man to loosen his grip. The man ignored the advice, prompting the witness to approach authorities. When officers arrived, they found a man, later identified as Tommy Chen, with a backpack and his right hand on the puppys back, the report stated. Police said that Chen explained he was trying to get the puppy to relieve itself so he could return to the hotel-casino. Tommy Chen, was arrested for carrying a concealed weapon without a permit, resisting public officers, and depriving animal of sustenance/shelter/medical care. (LVMPD) Police reports indicate that Chen had turned the puppy onto its right side and pinned it to the ground, causing the dog to yelp. Despite commands to let the puppy go, Chen refused to release the animal, leading officers to handcuff him as he attempted to resist, according to the report. While searching Chens backpack, officers found a semi-automatic pneumatic gun that fires .68 caliber pepper pellets. Chen now faces charges of carrying a concealed weapon without a permit, depriving an animal of sustenance/shelter/medical care, and resisting arrest, court records show. Records also show he posted bail on Aug. 13, with conditions including staying out of trouble, refraining from carrying weapons, abstaining from alcohol, and staying away from domestic animals. Court records show his next court appearance was scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 15. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. (Bloomberg) -- California Governor Gavin Newsom plans to propose legislation requiring oil companies in the most-populous US state to amass stockpiles of gasoline and other fuels to prevent supply shortages and price spikes during refinery outages. Most Read from Bloomberg Such reserves would shield Californians who already pay some of the highest pump prices in the nation from the sort of run-ups seen in 2022 and 2023, said Tai Milder, a Newsom appointee who leads the states Division of Petroleum Market Oversight. If such a measure had been in place, it would have saved consumers as much as $650 million last year alone, he said. The governors plan signals an intensification of Newsoms long-running battle against the fossil-fuel industry and comes less than two weeks after Chevron Corp. announced plans to shift corporate headquarters to Texas after 145 years in the Golden State. In recent years, retail gasoline prices in the state surged to $6 a gallon, spikes the Newsom administration blamed on a shortage of backup supplies when refiners reduced operations to perform repairs. Price spikes at the pump are profit spikes for Big Oil, Newsom said in an email. Refiners should be required to plan ahead and backfill supplies to keep prices stable, instead of playing games to earn even more profits. By making refiners act responsibly and maintain a gas reserve, Californians would save money at the pump every year. Chevron, which operates about 30% of California refining capacity, earlier this month said it will move headquarters to Houston after clashing repeatedly with state officials over energy policy. That California has had these price spikes shows theres not enough of a buffer to protect the state, Milder said in an interview on Thursday. Consumers would feel more secure knowing the refineries each have a reserve theyre maintaining at all times. The non-profit group Consumer Watchdog welcomed the plan, calling it a necessary and landmark reform that would ensure statewide gasoline reserves dont drop below the 10-day mark. Meanwhile, the Western States Petroleum Association said the announcement is a political attack on consumers and our industry. Proposing wide-ranging and costly new laws in the final weeks of a legislative session makes it impossible to deliver effective policy. Refineries along the West Coast and elsewhere already accumulate stockpiles of fuel during the winter months, which means they wouldnt need to build additional storage tanks to comply with the proposed rule, Milder said. We just want them to also have higher stock in the summer time, he added. Gasoline prices in California are typically about 30% higher than the national average because of its tough, low-carbon fuel standards and its relative isolation from other major gasoline-making regions. Four companies now control about 90% of the states gasoline market, which is still the second-largest in the country even as the state has the highest penetration of electric vehicles. Newsom has long accused refiners of price gouging, a charge rejected by the oil industry. The California Energy Commission said it uncovered data that shows surging refining margins during periods of scheduled maintenance in summer and early autumn, which coincide with peak seasonal demand for gasoline. Refining margins jump off the charts to as much as 200% above normal during those periods, Milder said. Higher taxes and clean-energy standards cannot be blamed for the surge because, unlike refining margins, they do not change from month-to-month, he noted. Claims that refiners intentionally idle plants to perform maintenance during driving season as false and purposely misleading, the WSPA said. To impose new operational mandates on energy producers based on such falsehoods is regulatory malpractice, and ignores the logistical challenges and costs associated with such a plan. Last year, Newsom accused Big Oil of exploiting consumers and lying about climate change, both of which are now the subject of investigations and lawsuits. The industry says it should not be punished for responding to consumer demand for transportation fuels. Milder admitted the proposal is unlikely to be super popular with the industry but believes the state is still an attractive place to do business. I dont see any reason why companies cant earn a fair return in California, but that fair return means youre protecting the state from these price spikes and the resiliency of a potential natural disaster, he said. --With assistance from Lucia Kassai and Devika Krishna Kumar. (Updates with industry and consumer watchdogs comment starting in seventh paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Governor Gavin Newsom said Thursday he will compel California oil refineries to stockpile additional fuel reserves in an effort to ward off price spikes, marking the latest move in his multi-year crusade against oil companies. The governors plan directs the California Energy Commission to require petroleum refiners to maintain a minimum gasoline inventory in hopes of keeping supplies and gas prices stable even when refineries undergo maintenance. According to Newsom, its those maintenance-caused periods of low supply that drove price spikes in years past. If this regulation had been in effect in 2023, his office said in a news release, drivers would have saved upwards of $650 million in gasoline costs. Price spikes at the pump are profit spikes for Big Oil, said Newsom in media release. Refiners should be required to plan ahead and backfill supplies to keep prices stable, instead of playing games to earn even more profits. The move immediately provoked backlash from representatives of Californias oil industry, who called the governors claims that oil refineries intentionally planned maintenance during busy driving seasons are purposely misleading and not rooted in fact. To impose new operational mandates on energy producers based on such falsehoods is regulatory malpractice, and ignores the logistical challenges and costs associated with such a plan, said president and CEO of the Western States Petroleum Association Catherine Reheis-Boyd. The governors office pointed out that Australia, Japan and the European Union have all passed regulations requiring major fuel refiners to maintain reserves of gasoline, diesel or crude oil products. The rule, which would have to be issued by the CEC, regulation has its roots in a summer 2022 price spike that sent lawmakers into a special legislative session to address what Newsom called price gauging at the pump. At the time, average fuel costs rose to a sky-high $5.52 a gallon. Senate Bill X1-2 was signed by the governor in spring of 2023, which established a watchdog division within the California Energy Commission to investigate unexplained gas price spikes. Newsom appointed Tai Milder as the states oil czar to oversee the effort. In September, Milder highlighted a suspicious trade on the states real-time market for gasoline that quickly caused a 50-cent-per-gallon price spike. And early this year, he recommended imposing minimum gasoline storage requirements for refiners. It appears that spot market volatility, illiquidity, and lack of transparency may all be contributing to and exacerbating price spikes during periods of under-supply and refinery maintenance, Milder wrote in a February letter to the governor. Newsoms new refinery rules underscore his administrations agreement with Milders analysis: Gas price spikes happens when refineries undergo maintenance without adequate levels of inventory in stock, reducing supply and driving up prices. Under the plan, Newsom said refiners would be required to show resupply plans to the CEC and prove they are adequate to cover losses from refinery maintenance. Refiners would face penalties for failure to comply, according to the proposal, which go into a fund and be distributed to consumers. Today a gallon of gasoline in California today costs $4.61 on average, just over 10 cents lower than the last month and more than 50 cents lower than last year, according to the latest prices from AAA. Severin Borenstein, director of the Energy Institute at UC Berkeleys Haas School of Business, noted that the CEC will have to work out key details including when the stockpile gasoline gets used and when refineries have to resupply. I think this will be helpful during the occasional price spike, said Borenstein. But if the idea is, suddenly were going to have gas prices in line with the rest of the country after you account for taxes and fees, thats not going to happen. Nonexistent reserves and planned maintenance does not necessarily mean market manipulation, he added. But he said the bigger mystery is why even after taxes and fees are accounted for California gas prices here remain higher than the rest of the country. If you look at why Californians pay too much for gasoline, the price spikes arent most of it, said Borenstein. Most of it is in the month in, month out mystery gasoline surcharge that we shouldnt confuse with the once a year or two years price spike. The rubble of the World Trade Center following the terrorist attack Sept. 11, 2001, in New York. (Alexandre Fuchs / AFP via Getty Images) Recent news, easily missed amid headlines about presidential campaign drama, natural disasters and Olympic gold, has been a somber reminder for those who caught it: As the 23rd anniversary of 9/11 approaches, Americans still dont have a full accounting of the role of a supposed U.S. ally, Saudi Arabia, in the terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people. We should. Its late, but never too late, to learn the truth no matter the Saudis oil wealth, geopolitical weight or billions given to a former and perhaps future presidents son-in-law. The voids in our knowledge owe both to the Saudi governments opacity and denials, many of them debunked, as well as to our governments lid on information gleaned through federal investigations, a congressional inquiry and blue-ribbon commission. President Biden in 2021 finally ordered many documents declassified, fulfilling a promise to the 9/11 victims families, but the releases were heavily redacted . Thank the unrelenting families for much of what we know. Their federal lawsuit targeting the Saudi kingdom has ground on since 2002, even to the Supreme Court, coming to rival Dickens Jarndyce vs. Jarndyce in its interminable proceedings. As if the survivors havent suffered enough. "What we've uncovered, with no help from our FBI and no help from our own government, is that [the terrorists] had a significant amount of help, and that help came in the form of the Saudi government," Brett Eagleson, president of the families group 9/11 Justice, told reporters after a court hearing two weeks ago. The lawsuit turns on whether assistance from Saudi individuals and groups to two hijackers who had lived in San Diego was part of the Al Qaeda plot. Of the 19 attackers, 15 were Saudis, including the two in California who would commandeer the jetliner that they crashed into the Pentagon. Osama bin Laden belonged to one of Saudi Arabias wealthiest clans. In the cases latest development, the plaintiffs won a ruling in June that forced into public view material further implicating the Saudis. Its material that the FBI inexplicably didnt give the bipartisan 9/11 Commission created after the attacks. Read more: Calmes: Donald Trump's state of mind should be under debate In a 1999 video first aired by CBS 60 Minutesin late June, Saudi citizen Omar Al Bayoumi an informant to Saudi intelligence, the FBI confirmed, despite Saudi denials surveills the U.S. Capitol, narrating in Arabic as he shows entrances, security posts and parking areas, presumably for his Al Qaeda handlers. The Capitol is believed to have been the target of the United Flight 93 hijackers, who were forced by their courageous captives to crash into a Pennsylvania field. The video is another very large brick in a massive wall of evidence that at this point indicates the Saudi government was complicit in the 9/11 attacks, Richard Lambert, who led the FBIs 9/11 investigation in San Diego, told CBS. Over the weekend, the New York Times reported on another piece of newly unsealed evidence: Al Bayoumis notebook that included a sketch of an airplane and an equation calculating the rate of descent to hit a target on the ground. British authorities seized the trove of evidence from Al Bayoumis home in England 10 days after the attacks and turned it over to the FBI. Read more: Calmes: Nancy Pelosi wants you to know she wields power, but she won't tell all Al Bayoumi, who subsequently fled back to Saudi Arabia and remains there, lived in California before the attacks, met the two hijackers-in-waiting when they arrived in Los Angeles and got them settled in San Diego. Michael J. Morell, a former deputy director of the CIA, told the New York Times that Congress or the Justice Department should investigate: What happened to this stuff after it was turned over to the FBI? The disclosures coincided with the release last week of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosis book The Art of Power. In a chapter about 9/11, she devotes seven pages to the governments failure to fully follow the dots to Saudi Arabia, and the Bush administrations resistance to doing so. Pelosi writes that a joint House-Senate inquiry focused on communications breakdowns among intelligence and law enforcement agencies that caused them to miss opportunities to prevent the tragedy. But, she adds, there was a second major theme that we were not initially allowed to present to the public: The Saudi Arabian connection, specifically a clear trail of funding and assistance to these 9/11 terrorists that was provided by Saudi citizens, and particularly by Saudi diplomats and royal family members. Read more: Calmes: Reports of the death of Trump's Project 2025 are greatly exaggerated When it comes to U.S. intelligence, Pelosi knows. For 30 years she was part of the tiny clique in Congress with access to the nations secrets. What still troubles her is this: We found strong evidence of multiple concerning links to Saudi Arabia, while they [Bush officials] were trying very hard to link 9/11 to Iraq and Saddam Hussein. Congress authorized Bush to go to war, based on the lie that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction. Pressured by 9/11 families, it also established an outside commission for a broader probe of the attacks. Its report in 2004 said it found no evidence of Saudi government or senior officials complicity, though it didnt exclude the likelihood that charities with significant Saudi government sponsorship diverted funds to al Qaeda. The 9/11 commissions executive director noted to the New York Times, in its recent report on new evidence, that the commissions conclusions 20 years ago were dependent on the evidence available at that time. Exactly. Which is why Congress or some outside group of its creation should investigate the new clues of Saudi complicity, and report its updated findings to the nation. Honor the victims, not foreign policy sacred cows. @jackiekcalmes Get the latest from Jackie Calmes Commentary on politics and more from award-winning opinion columnist. Sign me up. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. A search of campaign finance records shows Entergy officials supported a Chief Justice candidate with ties to the Public Service Commission (PSC) after she had lost her political race. Justice Barbara Webb ran for Chief Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court but lost her race in the March 5 primary. Webb continues to retain her role as a justice on the court, with a term ending in 2028. You had a lot of questions about next-generation nuclear reactors. We posed them to the experts According to Secretary of State records, one month after her primary defeat, Webb received $8,500 in campaign contributions from 11 Entergy executives, both in and out of state, ranging from $500 to $1,000. Records show the executives did not donate to any other political campaign in Arkansas, although several donated to an Entergy Political Action Committee. Records show the Barbara Webb campaign received $189,775 in contributions, including $19,650 from political action committees and $165,825 from individuals, such as the contributions from Entergy executives. The campaign reported a total of $239,775 in expenses. Barbara Webb is the wife of Doyle Webb, who was appointed as director of the PSC by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders after she took office in January 2023. Doyle Webb is also listed as chair of the Barbara Webb for Chief Justice campaign. Entergy sending out $78 credit to residential customers on August bill, higher credits for businesses The PSC regulates utilities such as Entergy as one of its duties. As part of that regulation, the PSC accepted a previously rejected offer from Entergy to resolve the costs of the Grand Gulf nuclear power station in Mississippi, a political hotspot dating back to 1980. In August 2022, when the PSC was chaired by Gov. Asa Hutchinson appointee Ted Thomas, it rejected Entergys $142 million Grand Gulf settlement offer, calling it a lowball. Mississippi and Louisiana were also offered settlement amounts of $300 million and $211 million, respectively, with the Louisiana settlement shared between the state and the city of New Orleans. Thomas resigned as PSC chair before Sanders took office, citing frustration with the states implementation of solar power. In November 2023, the PSC and Entergy announced a settlement in the Grand Gulf dispute for $142 million, the previously rejected amount. No explanation was given as to why the PSC accepted the previously rejected amount. In August, Entergy customers in Arkansas received a rebate on their bills, ranging from $78 for residential users to $12,158 for large general service customers. According to Saline County Justice of the Peace-elect Stephanie Johnson, the states ethics commission is investigating potential conflict in the campaign and settlement. Energy Department awards $2.2B to strengthen the electrical grid and add clean power Johnson submitted a complaint to the commission on July 9, outlining the potential conflicts, forwarding a copy of a letter on ethics commission letterhead stating that an investigation is being commenced and signed by commission director Graham Sloan. Sloan said Aug. 9 that by statute, he could not confirm or deny that an investigation was underway. Doyle Webb has been a long-time player in Republican party politics, including as general counsel for the Republican National Committee from 2017 to 2021 and chairman of the Republican Party of Arkansas for 12 years. Entergy Arkansas reaches agreement with Public Service Commission for $142 million settlement, refunds for customers KARK 4 News reached out to Doyle Webb for a response but had not received one as this article was published. If a response is received, this article will be updated. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK. ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) A Canandaigua man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison following his guilty pleas to Criminal Sex Act in the first degree and two counts of Rape in the First Degree for the sexual assault of three separate women. Jeffrey Kuney, 45, was also convicted on April 18, 2024, for Rape in the first degree and Rape in the third degree for a fourth woman. Canandaigua man sentenced to 20 years in prison for rape These brave women who came forward to police finally saw justice. As one victim explained in court today, I am forever grateful for the courageous acts of the other women, I no longer feel alone. Another women addressed Kuney stating, I am not your victim Jeff, I am a survivor. And the third woman declared, This is not my victims statement, this is my warriors creed, Assistant District Attorney Sippel said. Kuneys new sentence will run concurrently with his previous 20-year and four-year sentences. He then faces 20 years post-release supervision. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst. A reporter takes photos at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Sept. 18, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Bo) NANJING, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders held a memorial event on Thursday morning to mark the 79th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II (WWII). On Aug. 15, 1945, the Chinese people's 14-year arduous fight against the invaders ended as Japan announced its unconditional surrender. Approximately 30 people, including school children, college volunteers and the descendants of Nanjing Massacre survivors attended the event held at an exhibition hall that features a reenacted scene of a surrender signing ceremony held in Nanjing back in 1945. Attendees watched a short film titled "Countdown to Surrender" at the event. A curved wall made of beige sandstone stands at the exhibition hall, on which 648 handprints in bright red color are featured. The owners of these handprints share a common name -- veterans of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. "This is the handprint of late veteran Zhang Yuhua, whose right hand was pierced by a bullet during the war," said Zhang Ruochu, a second-grader in Nanjing, capital city of east China's Jiangsu Province, telling the story behind these veterans' handprints to attendees. Xia Shuqin is a survivor of the Nanjing Massacre. On Thursday morning, her granddaughter, Xia Yuan, and great-grandson, Li Yuhan, also attended the event. In 2022, Xia and Li were recognized as inheritors of historical memories regarding the Nanjing Massacre. The Nanjing Massacre took place when Japanese troops captured the then Chinese capital on Dec. 13, 1937. Over six weeks, they killed approximately 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers in one of the most barbaric episodes of WWII. Today, there are only 32 living registered survivors of the massacre. The 14-year-old Li Yuhan, the youngest among the inheritors, has served as a guide at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders for several years. Xia said that as her grandmother ages and her hearing and sight deteriorates, she hopes they will be able to give a testimony on her behalf, allowing more people to learn about this historical event. Outside the memorial hall, visitors formed long lines. "This is not only the pain of Nanjing but also the memory of our nation. We will remember history and cherish our current peaceful lives even more," said one visitor. In the lead-up to the anniversary of Japan's surrender, Japanese veteran Hideo Shimizu, 94, visited the former headquarters of Unit 731 and the Exhibition Hall of Evidences of Crime Committed by Unit 731 of the Japanese Imperial Army in the northeastern Chinese city of Harbin. On Thursday, Shimizu wrapped up his four-day expiatory visit. "This may be my last chance to come to China to express my apologies," said Shimizu. During the visit, Shimizu recounted to the museum curator and the others what he saw during his military service. The former member of the Unit 731 Youth Corps fled China with the retreating Japanese forces on Aug. 14, 1945. DENVER (KDVR) Colorado has been a hot spot for presidential hopefuls over the past week. High-profile candidates are seeking out high-profile dollars to help in their campaigns. Former President Donald Trump was in Aspen on Saturday, and Kamala Harris vice presidential pick, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, was the latest 2024 candidate to visit the Centennial State on Wednesday. Motorcades were spotted leaving the Belcaro neighborhood in Denver following what the Harris-Walz campaign described as a campaign reception. The event was hosted at the Phipps Mansion, owned by Democratic mega-donor Tim Gill and his partner Scott Miller. Colorado AG: Alleged Medicaid scheme cost taxpayers $1.2M The reception was closed to media, with the campaign only allowing a pool reporter to cover Walzs remarks. Ticket costs reportedly ranged from $1,000 to $50,000, with Gill announcing to the audience that the event brought in around $3 million, according to an attendee. We have a lot of wealth in Colorado. And since there is not much time and that money raised can be spent anywhere across the country in strategic places, candidates are coming here, trying to make a quick stop, said Robert Preuhs, chair of political science at Metropolitan State University of Denver. And those prices for admission are really steep, primarily in order to make as much money as you possibly can in the shortest amount of time. Tickets for the Aspen fundraiser featuring Trump cost between $25,000 and $500,000 per couple. Trump said he raised around $28 million through the Aspen fundraiser and others in Montana and Wyoming. 2024 elections: Fewer rallies, more fundraisers? Political scientists said Colorado may see fewer rallies and more fundraising this election cycle. What Colorado does have is a number of fairly wealthy donors who are fairly interested in politics, said Seth Masket, political science professor and director of the Center on American Politics at the University of Denver. And sometimes its worth people at the top of the ticket to come to the state and do some fundraisers here, which could help finance their presidential campaigns. It could help finance other campaigns throughout the state. We also might see candidates coming in and helping out some other candidates here in tight races. Colorado lawmakers to IRS: Please dont tax TABOR Experts point to Colorados shift to blue. Colorado is no longer a swing state, Preuhs said. Biden won this state by almost 14 percentage points last time, and campaigns have limited resources, particularly in terms of the time that the candidates can spend. And theyre spending that time in states that are going to be highly contested. Colorado is just not one of those. Walz left Colorado to head to Boston Wednesday night for yet another campaign reception. The campaign called this a fundraising blitz, with other solo trips scheduled in Rhode Island and New York on Thursday. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. People in greater Redding have the chance to attend the local premiere of award-winning documentary film "ACID Canal," which won the Cannes World Film Festivals Best Environmental Documentary award earlier this year. The documentary, by filmmaker Tyler Faires and his Redding-based production company Faires Wheel Films, will premiere in Redding at the Cascade Theatre on August 17 at 7 p.m. Faires film delves into a complex topic: How massive water allocation cuts imposed by government agencies affected communities in Anderson and Cottonwood in 2022. The film examines the economic, political and cultural impacts the drought brought to the districts rural residents and farmers. Faires said he hopes the audience comes away with a sense of how precious a commodity water is and that they resolve to really pay attention to their elected officials and where their water comes from. People take water for granted and "everything is great until its not, Faires said. When suddenly water supplies disappear, he said, "you have to backtrack and find out why." New A.C.I.D. problem: Main A.C.I.D. canal breach leaves many Anderson-area customers with no water Filmmaker Tyler Faires of Redding "ACID Canal" is Faires second water conservation-focused project. In 2014, he made a film about well-digging efforts in drought-stricken communities in West Africa, mostly in the country of Burkina Faso, so he said he was aware of worldwide implications of drought. Its very clear that water is a rare commodity in some places, Faires said, but it was a surprise to him when some wells ran dry in the North State in 2022. People in parts of rural Africa "have to walk miles to get to a dirty pond to get water, but in the U.S. "you just turn on the tap," he said. Faires hadn't heard of the Anderson-Cottonwood Irrigation District (A.C.I.D.) before a severe, three-year drought devastated parts of the Sacramento Valley. We heard on the news that water wasn't reaching parts of the district due to extreme rationing during the 2022 season, he said. More: Lake Shasta water evaporating under extreme hot weather in California So, Faires and film producer T.L. Green went to an A.C.I.D. board meeting to better understand the water problem. Faires said residents who spoke at the meeting, and the politics involved in water rights, caught their attention as an illustrations of a far larger problem: Water is an increasingly rare and precious commodity. We just started rolling. Suddenly, it was eight months later. We did 60 days of video capture over the course of eight months," Faires said. Faires film crew followed people hardest hit by the water restrictions: Ranchers and residents. They were trying to figure out why they had no water, Faires said. More about 'ACID Canal' It cost Faires and his crew $140,000 to make "ACID Canal," which he called very low budget. I have spent a year and a half of my life on this. I think Tom and I made 25 cents an hour, Faires said, laughing. Note to readers: If you appreciate the work we do here at the Redding Record Searchlight, please consider subscribing yourself or giving the gift of a subscription to someone you know. Getting "ACID Canal" to North State theaters was expected to take months because film festivals like to be the first to premier award-winning films. As of February, 14 festivals had accepted "ACID Canal," presenting its filmmakers with six awards. We have another 50 festivals were waiting to hear from," Faires said at that time. How Redding 6-year-old became an internationally known filmmaker While hes well-traveled, Faires still lives and works out of his hometown, Redding. His passion for filmmaking started when he was six or seven years old. He said his father retired church media director Les Faires had cameras around the house all of the time. My sister was my main actor" in his early video productions. "We made claymation stuffshooting on VHS. We shot anything that seemed cool at the time, Faires said. More: Native American youths are learning filmmaking to tell Wintu, Pit River elders' stories Faires started creating digital films while a student at Enterprise High School, then at Shasta High School. He said learned his craft as new technologies came on the market. After graduating from Shasta High in 2005, Faires attended film school at the Art Institute of Santa Monica. In 2008, he returned to Redding to open Faires Wheel Films. Faires production company has three future projects in the works. Hes said he's still pitching the ideas to investors so hes keeping mum about their topics for now. "During the event, well have a surprise announcement about another project we are pushing forward to help grow arts, culture and tourism in the North State," said a statement from Faires Wheel Films about this weekend's "ACID Canal" premiere. What happened in the Anderson-Cottonwood Irrigation District in 2022? During the 2022 drought, Faires said it was odd to see water flowing down the Sacramento River, but then see the dry canal connected to it. The Anderson-Cottonwood Irrigation District uses a weir a small barrier on the Sacramento River to raise water levels, diverting water into the irrigation canal on the river's south side. Crews install boards in the dam to raise the water level in the river each spring, then remove the boards and let water levels drop when the irrigation season ends in autumn. Gallery: Redding artists enliven downtown buldings with color-splashed murals But in 2022, the North State was in its third year of a devastating drought that plummeted water levels to historic lows, including in the state's biggest reservoir: Lake Shasta. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation reduced A.C.I.D.s water flow to 18% of the districts usual allocation to its 800 customers in south Shasta and north Tehama counties. The district had to conserve its federal water allocation to make it last from April to October, so there wasnt enough to fill the district's canals all the way to Anderson and Cottonwood, A.C.I.D. board pesident Brenda Haynes said in 2022. Ranchers were forced to sell off their livelihoods, residential wells (dried) up and wildlife preserves (became) barren wastelands," according to the film's description. Faires said he still hears from some residents included in the film. The people I talked to said they felt thankful we were representing them," he said. The canal "affects a relatively small amount of people, but those people were just blindsided." To read more about the film 'ACID Canal,' go to faireswheelfilms.com/acid-canal. See the making of the film at youtube.com/watch?v=vCWTq7XFbZE. Redding Record Searchlight reporter Damon Arthur contributed to this story. Jessica Skropanic is a features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and news stories. Follow her on Twitter @RS_JSkropanic and on Facebook. Join Jessica in the Get Out! Nor Cal recreation Facebook group. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you. This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Cannes award-winning film on Shasta County drought debuts in Redding COLBERT COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) A capital murder charge has been dropped against a Florence man in the case of a double murder in Muscle Shoals in 2015. Prosecutors asked a Colbert County court to drop the capital murder charge against Shaun Michael Ryan, 30, of Florence on Tuesday. Ryan was set to go on trial in the case next week. DPD: Man arrested after assault causes significant head injury Prosecutors filed the nolle prosse request Tuesday, essentially dropping the case. That move followed the courts decision Friday to grant Ryans motion to suppress statements he made to law enforcement in 2016. Ryans attorneys argued that he had not been given proper Miranda warnings and his statement was not voluntary as his attorney was not present at the time the statements were made. Colbert County Judge Mitchell D. Hays granted that motion on August 9 after a hearing. Ryan had been charged with the killing of Kayla Ann Glover, 23, and Gary Wayne Baskins, 25, on Jan. 24, 2015. He was indicted in the case in 2021. Judge Hays granted to prosecutions motion to drop those charges on Tuesday. There were several developments in the case over the past week. Vehicle hits police car after teens jump out of it, HPD says Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced on Wednesday that a second man, Travis Eric Fallows, had been indicted in Glover and Baskins deaths along with the death of Glovers unborn baby. The attorney general said that the indictment came after evidence from an investigation by the Attorney Generals Investigations Division and the Muscle Shoals Police Department was presented to a grand jury on July 31. Ryan is currently serving a life sentence in prison for drug trafficking charges. He pleaded guilty to those charges in October of 2021. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com. Car connected to missing person pulled from Lake Ft. Phantom Hill ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) A car connected to a missing person has been pulled from Lake Ft. Phantom Hill. The Abilene Fire Department states their water rescue team assisted Lake Patrol Police with a vehicle recovery earlier this week. A dive team was able to pull the vehicle from the lake and recover plates and VIN numbers, which confirm the vehicle is connected to a missing persons report from 2015. Police have not publicly confirmed which missing persons case the car is connected to. BigCountryHomepage.com will update this article once additional information is released. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com. WASHINGTON A St. Louis Cardinals super fan who legally changed his name to Rally Runner appeared in federal court on Thursday to be sentenced for his actions while participating in the U.S. Capitol riot and breach on January 6, 2021. Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia said Rally Runner, formerly known as Daniel Donnelly Jr., 44, was part of a mob that disrupted a joint session of Congress to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election. Runner was arrested in St. Louis on Aug. 2, 2023. He previously pleaded guilty on March 22, 2024, to one count of obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder. Runner is known across St. Louis for running around Busch Stadium during Cardinals games dressed in red clothes and face paint. Prosecutors said Runner traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend former President Donald Trumps speech and rally at the Ellipse. After the rally ended, Runner and many others walked to the U.S. Capitol and the Lower West Terrace Tunnel. Beloved Big Boy locomotive rolls through St. Louis in September. When can you see it? Runner, wearing a red jacket, a red Keep America Great hat, and red face paint, assisted rioters at the tunnel by passing a ladder toward the tunnel opening. Runner faced off with Capitol police while holding a riot shield that hed taken earlier. Runner formed a human wall with other shield-wielding rioters to rebuff law enforcement officers efforts to clear the area. Runner used his riot shield to push officers back and he and others eventually entered the Capitol building. More police officers joined the fray after 10 minutes and successfully drove Runner and other rioters out of the tunnel. Later that day, Runner posted a video on his Facebook page in which he admitted to being at the U.S. Capitol. I get a riot shield, and Im not trying to cause any violence, but Im trying to be the furthest person to get through all the way, or at least get the furthest, he said. I took up a lot of space, and I had the rioter shield, and I was right up there, and for some reason, like, the other people up there on the front lines with me, they did something similar Its like they followed my lead, kind of. This image from video contained in the statement of facts supporting the arrest warrant for Daniel Donnelly Jr., shows Donnelly at an entrance to the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot. The face-painting St. Louis Cardinals fan known as "Rally Runner" has been arrested on charges that he joined a mob's attack on the U.S. Capitol and used a stolen shield to help other rioters attack police officers. (Justice Department via AP) A U.S. District Court judge sentenced Runner to 10 months in federal prison, 24 months of supervised release, and to pay $3,000 in restitution. In the 43 months since Jan. 6, 2021, nearly 1,500 individuals have been charged for crimes related to the riot and breach, including nearly 550 people charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation into the riot is still ongoing and federal prosecutors and investigators are still taking tips at 1-800-CALL-FBI and tips.fbi.gov. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. Bird flu is back in the news once again for a distressing reason that has pet owners across the US on high alert. A virulent strain of the highly-pathogenic H5N1 avian flu has infected hundreds of livestock and wild mammals across the United States over the past two years. Unfortunately, as evidenced by dozens of confirmed cases over the past several months, the dangerous virus has recently made the jump to domestic cats, too, much to the chagrin of worried pet parents across the country. USDA map of HPAI EA H5N1 infections in mammals in the United States from May 2022 to August 13, 2024 USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services Since 2022, the USDA has tracked over 300 cases of the EA H5N1 strain in mammals across the US. From March 2024 to the present day, several dozen cases have been confirmed in domestic cats, the vast majority of which were detected in Texas, Colorado, and parts of the Midwest and Plains states. Related: New Study Shows Surprising Link Between Cat Parents and Serious Mental Disorder As H5N1 cases in felines rise, researchers are learning more about how the virus is infecting cats. The Colorado Veterinary Medical Association reported six confirmed feline H5N1 cases in Colorado within the past year. One case was linked to milk from a known infected commercial dairy facility, three involved indoor/outdoor cats who hunted mice and wild birds, and two were diagnosed in indoor-only pet cats with no known direct exposure to the virus. Those last two cases are of particular concern to researchers. I think the link is potentially here with the house cats that don't go outside is we're seeing a lot of mice that are testing positive for H5N1, Colorado veterinarian Kay Russo told Colorado Public Radio. So I wonder perhaps if these wild mice populations are picking up the virus and then bringing that into the houses. Recognizing the Signs of Avian Flu in Cats Dr. Kristen Coleman, an infectious disease researcher with the University of Maryland's School of Public Health, warns that the fatality rate for the current strain of H5N1 in cats is around 67%. Cat parents, even those with strictly indoor cats, need to recognize the signs of avian flu in their pets so they can get them potentially life-saving veterinary care in time. Colorado Public Radio reports that potential signs of H5N1 infection include lethargy and low appetite, rapidly progressing into serious neurological symptoms like tremors, inability to stand, lack of coordination, and seizures. Respiratory symptoms like coughing, sneezing, and a runny nose may manifest as well. If your cat exhibits any of these symptoms, immediately bring them to the vet and alert the doctors that you suspect your cat may be infected with H5N1 avian flu. Preventing the Spread While H5N1 is unlikely to make the jump from an infected cat to its owner, the CDC warns that potential human infections are still possible, especially if there is "prolonged and unprotected exposure" to the sick animal. The virus is transmitted through bodily fluids like saliva, mucus, and droppings, and can enter the human body through the eyes, nose, and mouth. Anyone handling a cat with a suspected or confirmed bird flu infection, including cat owners, should use PPE and wash their hands thoroughly afterwards. As for preventing feline infection in the first place, experts are advising pet owners to keep their cats indoors or otherwise limit their exposure to potentially infected animals like mice, wild birds, and livestock. A recent PSA from the Michigan state government also warns cat owners to avoid feeding cats unpasteurized milk, and to wash their hands and change their clothes and shoes after interacting with animals outside the home before caring for their pets. Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips. WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) Ceasefire negotiations resumed in the Middle East with the United States, Israel, Egypt and Qatar present but no representation from Hamas. Were continuing to press, to make sure that both of these parties can participate in negotiations to get this, process moving forward, State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said. The goal is to halt the Israel-Hamas war and secure the release of hostages, as the Palestinian death toll surpassed 40,000 deaths, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Any number above zero, when it comes to the number of civilians who have lost their lives over the course of this conflict is, is saddening, is troubling, is heartbreaking, Patel said. The U.S. sees these talks as major progress, and the big obstacle now is getting both sides to agree on how to execute this deal. The contours of what the president outlined on May 31st has been accepted and what we are focusing on now is what the talks are focusing on is, working on the details of the implementation, Patel said. Hamas says Israel made new demands, which Israel denies. The State Department says the ideal outcome includes an immediate ceasefire, a hostage release, and increased humanitarian aid. We really hope that with the process that restarted today, that that is what, is awaiting for us at the other side of the finish line, Patel said. However, U.S. officials fear if no progress is made, Iran will retaliate and attack Israel, in response to the killing of a top Hezbollah leader and that could happen with little to zero warning. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. Waco, TX (FOX 44) Every morning, head custodian Yesenia Hernandez wakes up before the sun rises to make sure kids get to school safely. Hernandez is greeted every morning by children and parents walking to school, giving her the opportunity to make connections with the students. I really like this job because I get to interact with a lot of kids, and you know, meet new people, says Hernandez. Since shes been doing this every school year for the past seven years, she gets to know all the students. I recognize a lot of their faces, and I also remember their names, says Hernandez. Its not just escorting kids to safety. When Hernandez is not attending to kids, she is training first-time crossing guards. You got to show them that you got to be careful. You got to look out for cars, you got to pay attention. You got to look out for the kids, says Hernandez. Not only is she impacting kids lives, but also her trainees. The first time I walked in, she gave very simple instructions. Nothing too complicated, nothing all over the place. Shes very good at what she does, helping people and getting people to understand what they need to do, says trainee custodian Keyona Adams. Even on hard days when the weather is bad, she is out making sure every kid is safe on their way to school. We still come out here. Were out here with our rain jackets and rain boots. Were out here. It doesnt matter if its snowing. Were out here, says Hernandez. Hernandez hopes to impact the kids in a positive way when they start off each day at school! Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44. A local teacher (front) experiences acupuncture therapy during a lecture given by members of the 15th Chinese medical team at a private school in Windhoek, Namibia, Aug. 14, 2024. The 15th Chinese medical team to Namibia on Wednesday continued to promote traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), with the introduction of acupuncture to learners and staff members at Amazing Kids Private School in the Namibian capital of Windhoek.(Xinhua/Chen Cheng) WINDHOEK, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- The 15th Chinese medical team to Namibia on Wednesday continued to promote traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), with the introduction of acupuncture to learners and staff members at Amazing Kids Private School in the Namibian capital of Windhoek. Li Bangwei, the head of the 15th Chinese medical team, held an engaging lecture detailing acupuncture, a technique involving the insertion of needles at specific points on the body to promote healing. The presentation covered the history of acupuncture, its various uses, and the specific points targeted during treatment. Acupuncture, which has been practiced in China for more than 2,000 years, aims to stimulate the body's natural healing process, said Li. The lecture was supported by a video from Richard Kamwi, Namibia's former minister of health and social services who has extensive interactions with the Chinese people as well as the country itself. In the video, Kamwi discussed the benefits of acupuncture and urged the attendees to consider it a viable alternative for maintaining health. Meanwhile, the lecture extended to a more hands-on approach, as the participants experienced the practice personally. Jon Vreis, a staff member at the school who undertook an acupuncture session during the lecture, said in an interview with Xinhua that he found the therapy very intriguing. "The explanations given to me are very thoughtful. Doctor Li explained very well what the uses of acupuncture are. I'm very fearful of needles and I never thought I'd have this experience, but I decided to challenge myself," he said. He said the acupuncture was not as painful as he had expected. As the session went on, he found it very relaxing. He plans to revisit the medical team soon because he has been dealing with health issues since COVID-19 and the acupuncture has already made a difference. Other participants in the lecture also joined the session, believing that consistently being acupunctured would yield desirable health results. Acupuncture is currently one of the several traditional Chinese therapy techniques practiced in Namibia, with a bulk of sessions conducted at the TCM Clinic located at the Katutura State Hospital in Windhoek. So far, China has dispatched a total of 15 medical teams to Namibia since 1996. The teams have been committed to assisting the health sector in Namibia while maintaining a friendship between the two countries. Li Bangwei (R), the head of the 15th Chinese medical team, indicates specific points targeted during acupuncture treatment to students during a lecture at a private school in Windhoek, Namibia, Aug. 14, 2024. The 15th Chinese medical team to Namibia on Wednesday continued to promote traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), with the introduction of acupuncture to learners and staff members at Amazing Kids Private School in the Namibian capital of Windhoek.(Xinhua/Chen Cheng) CEO Arrested After Allegedly Strangling 15-Year-Old at In N Out Burger After Teen Splashed a Woman with Water Luke N. Kalisher was charged with child abuse and assault in the second degree Getty stock photo of police patrol car The CEO of a private equity firm in Colorado was arrested for allegedly strangling a teenager who splashed a woman with water at an In-N-Out restaurant. Lucas N. Kalisher, 55, was taken into custody by the Loveland Police Department (LPD) on Aug. 4 around 1:00 a.m. local time, according to a release shared on the department's Facebook page Wednesday, Aug. 14. Kalisher is the CEO of Summit Source Funding LLC in the Denver area, based on his LinkedIn profile. Police said in their release that a 15-year-old male told them he and two friends were playing and splashing water on each other inside the restaurant on Fall River Drive. "During this interaction an adult female was [accidentally] splashed with water," the LPD added. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. According to police, the teen went to the woman's table to apologize "when an adult male accompanying the woman suddenly grabbed him, placed both hands around the front and back of his neck, pulled him down to the table and threw him backward onto the floor." The male, later identified as Kalisher, and the woman left the scene before officers arrived. Local police later spoke with bystanders and looked at surveillance videos that offered different perspectives of the incident. Some witnesses identified the suspect, and authorities confirmed through local records that it was Kalisher. Related: Ex-University of Kentucky Student Pleads Guilty After Racist Attack of Black Student Was Caught on Video The Larimer County District Office heard the case on Aug. 9 and on Tuesday, Aug. 13, issued a no bond warrant for Kalisher, the LPD states. He turned himself in to Larimer County Jail 10:33 p.m. that evening and was charged with Assault in the Second Degree-Strangulation and Child Abuse, a class 1 Misdemeanor. The Loveland Police Department is very appreciative of the assistance we received from the community during this investigation. This is a perfect illustration of our new Vision Statement: ONE Community, ONE Police Department, ONE Team, Chief Tim Doran said, per the LPD's release. The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now! Authorities are still looking for witnesses who may have more information. They are encouraged to contact the Loveland Police Department Tip Line at 970-962-2032 or Larimer County Crime Stoppers at 970-221-6868. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. VALLEY HEAD, W.Va. (WBOY) The Randolph County Sheriffs Office is investigating an incident from earlier this week where a utility truck was found crashed with no driver. According to a release from the sheriffs office, on Aug. 13, deputies responded to U.S. Route 219 outside of Valley Head after a single-vehicle rollover was reported involving a commercial aerial lift truck. Investigators determined that the vehicle was traveling northbound and had veered into the southbound lane before colliding with the guard rail, trees, utility lines and a fence before ultimately rolling over an embankment. Investigators said that the driver, who was not identified, then got out of the vehicle and fled the area on foot. Man found guilty of gruesome Fairmont murder (Credit: Randolph County Sheriffs Office) (Credit: Randolph County Sheriffs Office) (Credit: Randolph County Sheriffs Office) The release said that charges are pending against the driver. Crews from the sheriffs office were assisted by the Valley Head Volunteer Fire Department, Huttonsville/Mill Creek Volunteer Fire Department, Randolph County EMS and the West Virginia Division of Highways. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com. CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) A Charlotte woman was tragically killed following a four-vehicle wreck Wednesday on I-95, SC State Highway Patrol and the coroners office confirmed. Troopers responded to calls regarding the accident around 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 14, on I-95 northbound near Florence. Michelle Clelland, 50, of Charlotte, was found suffering from injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. MORE FROM QUEEN CITY NEWS Local News An initial investigation stated that two pickup trucks, a Nissan SUV, and Toyota Corolla were all traveling north on I-95 and collided, killing Clelland, who was in the Nissan. Multiple other patients were transported to area medical centers for treatment, the coroner said. The deadly crash remains under investigation by the SC Highway Patrol. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. Cherie Blair, the co-founder and chair of law firm Omnia Strategy, has been a barrister since 1976 - Riccardo Savi/Getty Images Cherie Blair is representing a sanctioned Russian oligarch in a $16bn (12bn) legal battle with Luxembourg. The wife of Sir Tony Blair, the former prime minister, is acting for billionaire Mikhail Fridman in a lawsuit over the states decision to freeze his assets in the wake of Russias 2022 invasion of Ukraine. In legal documents seen by The Telegraph, the Russian-Israeli businessman claimed he suffered permanent losses after Luxembourg implemented the European Unions spurious and unfounded sanctions against him. The 60-year-old who was pictured with Mr Blair when signing a deal with BP in 2003 claimed that Luxembourg took part in an arbitrary witch-hunt against wealthy Russian businessmen with investments in the EU under the guise of sanctions. He argued that this breached a deal Luxembourg struck with the former Soviet Union to protect investors assets from being expropriated or nationalised. Mikhail Fridman, front left with Tony Blair, Vladimir Putin and Lord Browne, claims he is the victim of an 'arbitrary witch-hunt' - STEPHEN LOCK Luxembourg is also accused of openly considering transferring Mr Fridmans frozen assets to help fund the rebuilding of Ukraine after the war. Mr Fridman claimed to have been blocked from managing or receiving the returns from $16bn of investments in Luxembourg for nearly two and half years, despite overturning previous sanctions earlier this year. Most of Mr Fridmans assets and investments are managed by companies incorporated in Luxembourg, a financial hub inside the EU. This includes LetterOne, the investment company which owns health and wellness chain retailer Holland & Barrett. The asset manager is said to have recorded $6.5m in losses as a result of sanctions. The Ukrainian-born businessman is demanding compensation for the fair market value of the investments before they were frozen. Lady Blair, who became a barrister in 1976, and her law firm, Omnia Strategy, are among the lawyers instructed by Mr Fridman. Luxembourgs government confirmed that Mr Fridman had begun arbitration proceedings against the country. A spokesman said: The Government is currently in the process of analysing the claim and next steps with its legal advisers. Mr Fridman has requested that the legal dispute be dealt with in the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre. It comes after the EUs General Court found in April that there was insufficient evidence that the mogul who is the founder and main shareholder of Alfa Group, Russias largest private bank and Petr Aven, fellow Alfa Group shareholder, supported the Kremlins war against Ukraine. The ruling applies only to their inclusion on the EUs sanction list between February 2022 and March 2023. Subsequent sanctions against them remain subject to legal proceedings. He was sanctioned by Britain in March 2022 following the Ukraine invasion, blocking him from accessing his bank accounts. Mikhail Fridman owns Athlone House, which he bought in 2016 for 65m but is unlikely to return to the UK - Jamie Lorriman Mr Fridman moved to London in 2013 after selling his stake in oil giant TNK-BP to Russian state-controlled Rosneft in a $55bn deal. This stopped him from paying tens of thousands of pounds towards the upkeep of Athlone House, a London mansion which he bought for 65m in 2016. He moved to Israel just before Hamas invasion last October and was forced to flee to Moscow. Mr Fridmans lawyers previously said that he did not intend to return to the UK. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. CHICAGO A community-driven effort is underway for the city of Chicago to create an office of gun violence reduction by ordinance. While such an office exists at the federal level, local promoters say the city needs its own due to spiraling gun violence. We keep seeing new strategies and new ideas to violence prevention in Chicago but none that are long-lasting or that are sticking that can actually be a successful long-term place, said Artinese Mayrick, who is the director of policy and organizing for LIVE FREE Illinois, a group made up of faith leaders, community members and people who have been impacted by gun violence. MORE FROM WGNS CHRISTINE FLORES: Chicago churches unite to offer free health services to underserved communities ahead of new school year The organization is calling on Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and other city leaders to support its mission of establishing an office for gun violence reduction. Organizers said they believe having an office would better define and connect the citys anti-violence plans, adding that it would create transparency and accountability in how resources are spent. Community members on the board hope the office is formed by an ordinance that would allow it to be fully funded and permanent. Mayor Johnson, before being elected, he did commit to our faith coalition that he would create an office of gun violence reduction, Mayrick said. We have yet to see that but as mayor, were hoping that he will be able to make a long-lasting legacy by creating an office of gun violence reduction. In a statement, Mayor Johnson said: My administration is open to exploring additional options to help continue decreasing violence in the city of Chicago. Our office has met with this group several times over the last year in an effort to partner and develop strategies to further prevent gun violence. We have already agreed to a future meeting to continue these conversations and collaboration for a safer Chicago. Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines Offices have been formed and funded in larger cities such as Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia and New Orleans. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV. On the third day of the 1968 Democratic National Convention, Chicago police beat protesters in a free-for-all on Michigan Avenue. The iconic images of that melee have since been incorporated into almost every documentary on America in the 1960s or about the war in Vietnam. But these are not the only images from those dark days. In fact, Chicagoans have recently revisited some of the greatest films of that moment, as there is tremendous interest in stories about the history of that violent and troubled years Democratic convention, sparked by the decision to hold this years convention in the same city that saw that earlier unrest. In late spring 2024, four short 1969 documentaries made by Chicagos Film Group were screened at the Chicago Cultural Center. Film Group was a successful commercial producer for clients such as Kentucky Fried Chicken. They added political filmmaking to their repertoire in the summer of 1966, when Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference came to town to engage in an ultimately futile battle against housing discrimination. Police attack demonstrators on Chicagos Michigan Avenue during the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 28, 1968. Bettman/Getty Images The theater was filled with journalists, octogenarian activists and a handful of quinquagenarians such as myself, all eager to view these gripping documentaries that included not only famous footage of Michigan Avenue but also images that have circulated much less since 1968. Those included Mayor Richard Daley stating, following the assassination of King, that the police should shoot to kill any arsonists and shoot to maim or cripple anyone looting suggestions he later claimed he never made. Searing indictment of Daley In late July 2024, the Music Box Theatre showed another Film Group short, followed by Haskell Wexlers Medium Cool, a drama about an almost-completely amoral TV news cameraman. The film unfolds its story in two different ways. One scripted and sometimes rather stiff storyline follows a budding relationship between the cameraman and a young Appalachian woman. The other interconnected story is unscripted and more explicitly political, featuring documentary footage of 1968s street violence and interviews with Black activists, and raising questions about media ethics and the policies of Daleys police. The movie is ultimately a searing indictment of both Daleys law and order tactics language that Daley used, echoing Richard Nixon and of television itself. It celebrates the depth of film over the facile shallowness of what snobs used to call television: the idiot box. The house was packed. To my right sat a film student attending at his professors urging. The place was, in fact, full of young cinephiles, enraptured by an introduction by Julian Antos of the Chicago Film Society, who celebrated the fact that now, at last, the city has its very own new 35mm print of this most-Chicago-of-all film. Adding another detail that was catnip to film nerds, Dibbell explained that a fun song had been restored to the films roller derby scene, long lacking from streaming and DVD versions of Medium Cool because of rights issues. On my left were three older men who had worked with Wexler in the 1970s. One had seen Medium Cool multiple times, but it had been a while. Afterward, he observed correctly that a good editor could have trimmed 20 minutes to tighten up the pictures wonky pacing. Re-viewing it for the umpteenth time, I was particularly struck by the films gaps in political context, in stark contrast to the Film Group productions. Medium Cool offers a strong critique of violence, and media exploitation of that violence, and it makes a reference to Chicagos Red Squad a police surveillance unit targeting communists and others deemed radical that would be lost to many viewers then and now. Yet Wexler fairly presumed that 1969 viewers would already know most details about the 1968 presidential race. Where does this leave contemporary viewers who arent history buffs, over half a century later? The crowd at the Chicago screening of Haskell Wexlers film Medium Cool. Chicago Film Society, CC BY Not going to take it anymore Exiting the theater, I stopped to talk to an energetic young woman gearing up for a march in support of reproductive and queer rights, and against the Democratic convention and genocide in the Gaza Strip. She felt that Kamala Harris was not very different from Joe Biden, and that neither politician was more than marginally better than Donald Trump. As for the film, she could not have cared less about the hero but offered that the sound design was exceptional fair criticism and accurate praise. It seemed that Medium Cool had not taught her too much about 1968, and yet her stance on systemic injustice resonated with me as a historian. Few activists showed up at the Democratic National Convention in 1968 to support its presidential nominee, Hubert Humphrey or attack Nixon. Those men simply werent their focus. They were there to protest the whole goddamn crisis of American politics. The year 2024 is not 1968, but films about that period in American politics capture a feeling that has again taken hold almost 60 years later. It seems likely the streets of Chicago will soon once again fill with people who are, as the protagonist Howard Beale said in his famous rant in the movie Network, mad as hell, and Im not gonna take this anymore. This story has been updated with the correct name of the Chicago Film Society staffer, Julian Antos. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Heather Hendershot, Northwestern University Read more: Heather Hendershot does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) Residents in Chicopee gathered at City Hall Wednesday for the 2nd annual Indian Independence flag raising. This years event is honoring the 77th anniversary of India breaking free from British rule. The vibrant celebration included remarks from city officials, including Chicopee Mayor John Vieau. Raj Sanghvi, leader of the event, told 22News celebrations like this give the community a chance to reflect on the spirit of freedom, unity, and cultural pride. He also noted the importance of celebrating diversity in the Chicopee community. Different background, but once they come to the U.S. they melt into one pot its been a proud moment for us, especially being here for so many years, said Sanghvi. Wednesdays event also featured the group singing Indias national anthem that was created in 1950. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. Soldiers are pictured near the site of an Israeli airstrike in the town of Marjeyoun, Lebanon, Aug. 14, 2024. Two people were killed and four others wounded on Wednesday during an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon, Lebanese military sources said. (Photo by Ali Hashisho/Xinhua) BEIRUT, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Two people were killed and four others wounded on Wednesday in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon, Lebanese military sources said. The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Israeli airstrike targeted a car in a square in the town of Marjeyoun. The Lebanese Red Cross and the Civil Defense then transferred the casualties to hospitals in Marjeyoun and the city of Nabatieh. The identities of the victims remain unclear, with local media suggesting they may be militants from either Hezbollah or an Islamic group. Tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border escalated on Oct. 8, 2023, following a barrage of rockets launched by the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah toward Israel in solidarity with Hamas' attack on Israel the day before. Israel then retaliated by firing heavy artillery towards southeastern Lebanon. The situation escalated further after Israel's attack on Dahieh in Beirut's southern suburbs, killing a senior Hezbollah military commander, Fouad Shokor, and seven civilians. Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah threatened a definite and painful response to the Israeli raid at the appropriate time and place. People gather around the wreckage of a car destroyed during an Israeli airstrike in the town of Marjeyoun, Lebanon, Aug. 14, 2024. Two people were killed and four others wounded on Wednesday during an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon, Lebanese military sources said. (Photo by Ali Hashisho/Xinhua) A man checks a car destroyed during an Israeli airstrike in the town of Marjeyoun, Lebanon, Aug. 14, 2024. Two people were killed and four others wounded on Wednesday during an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon, Lebanese military sources said. (Photo by Ali Hashisho/Xinhua) Soldiers are pictured near the site of an Israeli airstrike in the town of Marjeyoun, Lebanon, Aug. 14, 2024. Two people were killed and four others wounded on Wednesday during an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon, Lebanese military sources said. (Photo by Ali Hashisho/Xinhua) (Bloomberg) -- China urged European nations to focus on the results of an investigation into damage to a key undersea pipeline last year after a senior Estonian official questioned a Chinese probe that reportedly called it an accident. Most Read from Bloomberg Chinas Foreign Ministry said the government in Beijing was in close communication with Estonian counterparts as it assesses the pipeline incident. Estonias defense chief this week raised objections to the reported Chinese probe, which said the rupture of the Balticconnector gas pipeline by a Hong Kong-flagged vessel was due to storm conditions. We hope that all parties will continue to advance the investigation in a professional, objective and cooperative manner and jointly ensure that the incident is properly handled, the ministry in Beijing said in a statement in response to a query about Estonias misgivings. The ship, the NewNew Polar Bear, was the main suspect in tearing up the Balticconnector, which links Finland and Estonia. Finnish authorities demanded to board the vessel, which shipping data show crossed the pipeline during its voyage to St. Petersburg on Oct. 8. An investigation conducted by China confirms that the vessel was responsible, but reportedly states that the damage was accidental and caused by a strong storm. Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur questioned that finding. For me personally, of course, it is very difficult to understand how a ships captain can fail to notice for so long that you have an anchor dragging along the bottom, he told public broadcaster ERR on Monday. But it is the task of the prosecutors office to complete the investigation. In late October, Finnish investigators found an anchor near the site of the ruptured pipeline, which was out of service for six months and cost 35 million ($39 million) to repair. The issue was raised by Finlands then-president, Sauli Niinisto, during a call with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in January. Two underwater telecommunication cables linking Estonia to Finland and Sweden were also damaged at around the same time, though it is not clear whether the Chinese investigation found the same vessel to be responsible. Criminal investigations in Finland and Estonia are ongoing. Estonia hopes for Chinas input in the matter, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mihkel Tamm said. Chinese authorities have yet to fulfill a request by Finland and Estonia for legal assistance, although Beijing has signaled a willingness to do so, Tamm said. Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, for his part, lauded the participation of Chinese authorities. I am also happy that China and Chinas authorities have been cooperating, but we cannot do any conclusions before the investigation wraps up, Orpo said at a news conference in Helsinki on Wednesday. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. RICHMOND HILL, Ga (WSAV) A Southeast Christian community came together to pray over the families that are still battling what Tropical Storm Debby left behind in Richmond Hill on Wednesday. The prayer meeting was held at Bethel Baptist Church in Richmond Hill. Whether its cooking a meal, driving the boat, giving someone a ride or a place to sleep thank you for being a blessing, Pastor Brian Coooper of Bethel Baptist Church said. News 3 spoke with several people who were from surrounding counties. Some of those individuals had an easy drive to Wednesdays meeting. Others like Richmond Hill resident Stacey Wilder had a special type of transportation due to significant flooding. I am in White Oak which is a lake now, Wilder said. So, we are kind of trapped back in there and having to be boated up. I had to catch a boat to come here for the service. We have seen firsthand on News 3 communities in Chatham, Bulloch, Bryan, and Effingham counties helping one another during and after the storm. They are tirelessly helping us, Wilder said. Boating people up in front, bringing supplies, evacuating people and checking on us. Its been unbelievable. She told News 3 that having a meeting like this continues to spark love and support. Its amazing to see people come together and I am so proud of this community, she said. I am so proud to live in Richmond hill. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV. Beginning Thursday, Aug. 15, more than 15,000 attendees will gather at locations throughout Greater Cincinnati for the Black Family Reunion an annual tradition once celebrated in cities across the country that has since found a home in Cincinnati. This year marks the 36th annual Midwest Black Family Reunion featuring four days of food, music from legends like Doug E. Fresh and a keynote speech from award-winning journalist Roland Martin. The weekend will also spotlight local resources through events like the all-profession job fair and two local college tours. The occasion, first held as the Cincinnati Black Family Reunion in 1989, invites consumers, corporations and visitors alike to champion the historic strengths and values of the Black family. Amid the light-hearted festivities, the occasion's theme of "reuniting" carries significant historical roots in American slavery, when enslaved Black families were broken apart and sold to slave owners. Following emancipation, Black families fought to reunite, underscoring the idea of family as foundational to their status as free people, as described by the National Museum of African American History and Culture. "Thats what the Black Family Reunion is all about: going back to our roots. The Black Family Reunion is no different than the Hispanic Festival or the Oktoberfest. It celebrates the legacy of the Black family," Paul Booth Sr., former two-time Cincinnati City Council member and current Office of Human Relations division manager, told The Enquirer in 2016. Cincinnati is the only major city that still hosts a Black Family Reunion of the original 28 reunions that were held across the country in major markets like Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles. The Cincinnati event is the nation's longest-running Black Family Reunion. Here's everything to know about the four-day event, including this year's theme, schedule and a brief history of the event's Cincinnati roots. Meet the Black Family Reunion's keynote speakers This year's reunion features keynote speakers journalist Roland Martin and Cincinnati City Manager Sheryl Long. Martin is an esteemed journalist from Houston, Texas. Previously, he's worked as a CNN contributor and hosted TV One's first Sunday news show "Washington Watch with Roland Martin." In 2013, Martin became the host of TV One's first live weekday morning news program "News One Now," for which he won two NAACP Image Awards. Long is the 18th City Manager for the City of Cincinnati, in which she leads city administration and oversees the policy visions of the Mayor and City Council. Previously, she served as the City Administrator for the City of North College Hill, managing economic development projects, working with government entities and managing the citys multimillion-dollar annual budget. Who created the Black Family Reunion? The late Dorothy I. Height, president emerita of the National Council of Negro Women, often credited as the "godmother of the civil rights movement," created the Black Family Reunion. The first reunion, held on the National Mall in 1986, was sponsored by Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble. The second was held three years later in Cincinnati, The Enquirer previously reported. August 15, 2003: Ed Rigaud, executive director of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, left; Dr. Dorothy I. Height, the chair and president emerita of the National Council of Negro Woman, center; and former Judge Nathaniel Jones at the Metropolitan Club in Covington. In a 2008 interview with The Enquirer, Height said she came up with the reunion concept after watching a Bill Moyers television documentary titled "The Vanishing Black Family." She said the documentary focused only on teen pregnancy, not unique to the Black community but society as a whole. Instead of protesting, she said, Height wanted to create something positive. "We felt we needed to show the total of the Black family, to celebrate our historic strengths and valued traditions that have kept us alive," she told The Enquirer. Black Family Reunion 2024 schedule Thursday, Aug. 15 BFR College Tour (sponsored by Western & Southern). The tour will depart from Fountain Square at 9:30 a.m. and peruse the following schools: Wilberforce University and Central State University. BFR Job Fair (presented by Superior Career Fairs) at Cincinnati Music Hall, 1241 Elm St. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. BFR Speaks (presented by First Financial Bank) featuring keynote speaker Roland Martin at Corinthian Baptist Church, 1920 Tennessee Ave., 7-9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16 BFR Heritage Breakfast (presented by Fifth Third Bank) featuring keynote speaker Sheryl Long at Fountain Square. 9-11 a.m. BFR College Tour (sponsored by Western & Southern). The tour will depart from Fountain Square at 9:30 a.m. and peruse the following schools: Wilberforce University and Central State University. BFR Historic Tour of Black Cincinnati (presented by Metro). The tour will leave at 11 a.m. immediately following the Heritage Breakfast at Fountain Square with transportation provided by Metro. The tour is free and open to the public. BFR Lounge Honoring Courtis Fuller at First Financial Bank Community Innovation Center, 1 East Fourth St. Noon-8 p.m. (Courtis to be honored at 5 p.m.). Saturday, Aug. 17 BFR Parade (sponsored by Nissan) with Grand Marshall Annie Ruth at Avondale Town Center, 3529 Reading Road. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. BFR @ Sawyer Point + Urban Concert Series featuring Doug E. Fresh at Sawyer Point and Yeatmans Cove. Noon-8 p.m., concert at 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 18 BFR @ Sawyer Point + Gospel Concert Series featuring Ricky Dillard at Sawyer Point and Yeatmans Cove. Noon 8 p.m., concert at 5 p.m. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Black Family Reunion 2024: Schedule, speakers, concert and more PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) The City of Portland, the Halprin Landscape Conservancy and Portland State University will spend the next few weeks discussing the feasibility of both renovating the Keller Auditorium and building a state-of-the-art concert hall on PSU property on Southwest Lincoln Street. Prior to todays city council meeting, the discussions were focused on choosing between one project or the other. However, the city council voted on Aug. 14 to give itself, the university and the conservancy until Oct. 9 to discuss the possibility of finding a common resolution. Mayor Ted Wheeler, Portland State University President Ann Cudd and board members of the Halprin Landscape Conservancy all strongly hinted that the three parties were interested in discussing the possibility of both venues existing at the same time. However, the language of the meeting remained somewhat vague. DONT MISS: The Keller Decision: The Future of the Arts Downtown Mayor Ted Wheeler said at the end of the meeting that Wednesdays presentation was focused on one question: Can these two proposals be merged? The council is unanimously saying were interested in hearing that question answered, Wheeler said. We only have several dozen days to answer that question, but I remain confident we can answer it in the affirmative. If it turns out we can not, we will move forward with one proposal or the other. A rendering of the Keller Auditoriums proposed renovations from the Northwest facade and proposed Third Avenue plaza (Credit: Halprin Landscape Conservancy) Street view of PSUs proposed Portland Arts + Culture Center designed by Bora Architects. (Courtesy Bora) A rendering of the proposed Keller Auditorium renovation from the buildings Southwest facade (Credit: Halprin Landscape Conservancy) Lobby view of PSUs proposed Portland Arts + Culture Center designed by Bora Architects. (Courtesy Bora) Halprin Landscape Conservancy board member Scott Andrews confirmed with KOIN 6 News that the organization and PSU will meet sometime next week to discuss the possibility of both projects moving forward. Neither side has given up, that I can see, Andrews said. They want it on their site, we want it on our site. But the thought is we can talk it out. The conservancy and PSU have competed for the city councils approval since July of 2023, when city commissioners requested proposals to replace the Keller Auditorium. The request was made after a 2020 study determined that the outdated theater is unlikely to survive the next major earthquake. The City Council received eight proposals for the project and narrowed its decision down to PSUs pitch for a new concert hall, and the Halprin Landscape Conservancys plan to renovate the Keller Auditorium. However, during the past year, the university and the conservancy never discussed the possibility of working together on one unified project. Today was everybody agreeing to talk, which weve been trying to get done for months, Andrews said. Pirate sword, short-barreled shotguns found in stolen car, Portland Police say The city council has given the groups 56 days to find a common solution. PSU President Ann Cudd said at Wednesdays meeting that the university hopes the final decision is a win-win for Portland. By collaborating on a long-term plan that activates both sites on each end of Halprin sequence, we believe we can deliver the win-win that our city desperately needs, Cudd said. Were excited about this process because it expands a conversation beyond a decision about a single auditorium and sets a table for us to collaborate toward a vision for the future of our city. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. State Sen. Anna Caballero, a Democrat from Merced, still has two years left in office before she faces term limits, but thats not keeping one challenger from getting an early start on campaigning. Fresno City Councilmember Nelson Esparza announced his candidacy as a Democrat for the 14th Senate District last week. Hes already racking up endorsements for the election, which is in 2026. The latest to announce his backing is Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, whose 21st Congressional District overlaps part of the 14th Senate District in Fresno and southern Fresno County. Esparza said he has been acquainted with the congressman since he began getting involved in electoral politics about nine years ago. I have confidence that Nelson Esparza will represent our Valley well, Costa said in a prepared statement, and I am proud to endorse him for State Senate. Esparza said he was pleased to receive Costas endorsement. Its a tremendous honor to have the support of my Congressman as I run to represent Fresno, Madera and Merced counties , Esparza told The Bee this week. You cant talk about leadership in the Central Valley without talking about Jim Costa, he added. He has represented every corner of our Valley at one point or another throughout his distinguished career. Costa has been a legislator in the Valley for 46 years, serving first in the state Assembly from 1978 to 1994, and in the state Senate from 1994 to 2002. He was elected to Congress in 2004 and this year is running for re-election in the 21st Congressional District. Esparza, 33, was elected to the Fresno City Council in 2018 to represent District 7, which covers parts of central and east Fresno. He was re-elected in 2022 and will be termed out at the end of 2026. The 14th Senate District encompasses the southern and western portions of Fresno County, the western half of Madera County, and most of Merced County. As of July, the districts voter registration is 43.1% Democrat, 25.9% Republican, 4.1% American Independent, and 22.5% declaring no party preference. Esparza, who was raised in Madera, has a bachelors degree in economics from the University of California, Riverside and a masters degree in public policy from the University of California, Los Angeles. In addition to his work on the City Council, he has taught economics as a part-time instructor at Fresno City College. Esparza had previously filed a statement of intention and established a campaign finance committee to run for the State Board of Equalization in 2026. I recently decided to end my exploration for (Equalization) and run to continue representing our Valley communities in a legislative capacity, Esparza told The Bee this week. He added that he will be terminating that campaign committee. Esparza was elected as a trustee of the Fresno County Board of Education in 2016 and served part of one four-year term before he ran for and won election to the City Council. His tenure on the City Council has not been without controversy. As the council president in 2022, Esparza became embroiled in a conflict with then-City Attorney Doug Sloan in which he allegedly threatened to get Sloan fired if he didnt follow directions to work only with a liberal-leaning council majority. Sloan left his Fresno job in April 2022 to take a similar post in Santa Monica. The dustup led to the Fresno County District Attorneys office filing a criminal felony charge of attempted extortion against Esparza. That charge was later reduced by a judge to a misdemeanor before the DA dropped the charges entirely in November 2022. Since announcing his candidacy, Esparza has piled up a string of endorsements from local elected officials, including Fresno City Council colleagues Luis Chavez, Mike Karbassi and Tyler Maxwell, three members of the Madera City Council; a variety of members of local school and community college district boards of trustees; local and Valley labor organizations; and local Democratic party leaders. But not all of the endorsements are Democrats. Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer, a Republican, is also throwing his support behind Esparza. Ive seen Nelson Esparza in action firsthand on the City Council, Dyer said in a prepared statement. Hes a unique leader who knows how to bring people together to solve problems and get things done. We need more of that in Sacramento. Esparza is starting the campaign with a sizable war chest. Between his 2022 City Council candidate committee and the committee registered for a potential run for the state Board of Equalization, Esparza reported more than $108,000 in cash on hand as of June 30. Another would-be candidate, Sanger City Councilmember Esmeralda Hurtado, had filed a statement of intention to run in the 14th Senate District and established a campaign committee, but ended her candidacy in December 2022. This city has been declared Americas most hated, again as Southern spot takes claim as US most desirable Washington, D.C. has once again earned the dubious distinction of being the least desirable city in America, according to a new poll. For the second year running, the nations capital has topped the list of places where Americans would least want to live, with a whopping 33% of survey respondents ranking it among the top five worst cities. Clever, the company behind the study, polled 1,000 people in June and analyzed migration data from the U.S. Census to uncover why D.C. has fallen out of favor. Washington, DC has been named the least desirable place to live in the U.S. for the second year in a row, according to a new poll by Clever. Stephen Yang The findings are clear: a staggering 65% of people said that sky-high living costs make a place unlivable, with D.C. being no exception. The citys reputation has also taken a hit due to a surge in crime, with 2023 seeing 274 murders the highest number in over two decades. Mayor Muriel Bowsers equitable approach to tackling crime has some residents claiming its destroyed their quality of life. But while D.C. struggles, other cities face their own challenges. New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, also landed on the list of least desirable cities, largely due to their unaffordable housing markets. The survey, which polled 1,000 people and analyzed migration data, found that 33% of respondents ranked the nations capital among the top five worst cities. Orhan Aaam stock.adobe.com Residents cite high living costs and rising crime rates, with 274 murders recorded in 2023, the highest since 1997. AFP via Getty Images L.A. took the cake, with an annual income of $162,000 needed to afford a home there. Surprisingly, D.C. did shine in one area: the Clever study crowned it the best place for working parents, thanks to its high scores in work and health categories, remote work opportunities and a strong network of pediatricians. Across the country, other once-thriving cities are struggling. Baltimore, now known for leading the nation in murders and robberies, ranks seventh on the least desirable list, while Detroit, plagued by high rates of rape and aggravated assault, is also on the decline. Tampa, Florida, was rated the most desirable city, praised for its warm climate, low crime rates, and affordable housing. mandritoiu stock.adobe.com Both cities, along with Birmingham, Alabama, and Buffalo, New York, are grappling with the fallout from crumbling industrial infrastructure. On the flip side, sunny Tampa, Florida, has been crowned Americas most desirable city for 2024. With year-round warmth, low crime and homes that are far more affordable than in other major cities, its no wonder 23% of people put Tampa in their top five. Despite the grumbling, it seems most Americans are still content where they are, with 73% saying theyre happy with their current home. Yet, frustration lingers for many, with 59% feeling dissatisfied and 43% even embarrassed by their state. California, in particular, has fallen out of favor, coming in last in a recent Consumer Affairs poll due to poor marks in education, health and safety. The once-Golden State has lost its luster, with New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana and Alaska trailing close behind in the rankings. GREEN BAY - Green Bay, after years searching, identified a potential future home for the Green Bay Police Department: The 100-year-old former Green Bay Press-Gazette building. The citys Finance Committee meets at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday and will consider a letter of intent to purchase the historic building at 435 E. Walnut St., right next to City Hall, and two nearby parking lots from their owner, EAMR LLC, for a combination of cash and options to buy three city-owned properties. The city has known for almost a decade its police and fire departments had outgrown their downtown headquarters buildings, but finding a new central city location and millions of dollars to build the facilities has taken years. Green Bay police officers have worked out of the building at 307 S. Adams St. for 55 years now. For the first time, we have a realistic opportunity to develop a new, high-quality facility thats home for the police department, Mayor Eric Genrich said. Green Bay Press-Gazette building and City Hall. The purchase terms call for the city to pay Minneapolis-based EAMR $3.6 million and give the company options to purchase Green Bay Metro Fire station house 1, station house 3 and a third, vacant parcel in the 1600 block of Sixth Street. The city would use $600,000 from the Whitney Park area tax incremental financing district (TIF), $300,000 in unspent bonding and $2.7 million of the city's general fund balance to complete the purchase. In exchange, EAMR would transfer to the city the Press-Gazette building, a parking lot across Madison Street from the building, and another parking lot at 212 S. Madison St. Green Bay Police Chief Chris Davis said the former Press-Gazette building would give the department a lot more space and the opportunity to offer a more welcoming space to the community compared to the building on South Adams Street, which he said is "not very inviting" to the community. "The current thinking in police facilities is (focused on) how we make these facilities more open and inviting for people and also how do we make them a community resource," Davis said. "The Press-Gazette building has an opportunity for us to become that community resource and at a lot lower cost than building new." The Green Bay Police Department headquarters are seen on Friday, August 16, 2024, 307 S Adams St, Green Bay, Wis. Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin Green Bay Police had outgrown its current space almost a decade ago: 'I think this carpet was originally mauve' According to prior Press-Gazette reporting, the Green Bay Police moved into their current headquarters in 1969 when the department had 136 officers. The city added a second floor in 1993 to increase the space to 66,000 square feet and about 5,800 square feet of garage space. The Green Bay Police Department's ranks by 2016 had grown to 192 sworn officers and 41 civilian employees who had outgrown the building, which was also starting to show its age and constraints. The break room was converted to operations space and officers worked in tiny cubicles. Some officers worked out of basement offices with no windows. Davis said the second-floor carpet hasn't been replaced since the 1990s and has turned brown from use over the years, but on the original color still shows at the fringes. "I think this carpet was originally mauve," he said. A space needs analysis in 2016 showed both the police and fire departments needed new headquarters to replace their cramped, aging buildings. The idea at the time was to build a joint headquarters estimated to cost $38 million. City leaders said new headquarters for both agencies would be a priority, but still would take years to complete. "Weve tried to make it hospitable, but it really has outlived its usefulness," Davis said. Repurposing an existing downtown building could cut project costs The $38 million price tag is not only eight years old now, but it also envisioned one building for both the police and fire departments. A more estimate put the cost for a police building at $50 million, but even that was delivered prior to a recent spike in construction costs, said Brian Johnson, the City Council President and chair of the city's Ad Hoc Facilities Committee. Johnson's Council district includes both police headquarters, the former Press-Gazette building and the two Metro fire station house properties involved in the tentative deal. He said renovating the Press-Gazette building specifically would significantly reduce project costs, give the Green Bay Police a modern headquarters, and also spur new, property-tax-generating development on central city land that's current not taxed. "It's the layers of this deal that make it more attractive," Johnson said. "The way you're swapping parcels of land, you create the ability to generate new (property tax revenue) to capture and maybe help pay the debt on this (project)." The Green Bay Press-Gazette building at 435 E. Walnut St. in Green Bay. Is the former Press-Gazette building a good fit for the Green Bay Police? Now, the department has 188 sworn officers and 45 civilian professional employees and the city hired another consultant, Berners Schober, to conduct a new space analysis for the police, municipal court and city hall. The city received those analyses last October. The police building analysis found critical safety concerns, substantial deficiencies, cramped spaces and undersized spaces that combined to significantly impede functionality and security. The citys Ad Hoc Facilities Committee meets at 4:15 p.m. Tuesday and will take up its own resolution to approve the purchase. And Berners Schober is expected to shift its space analysis from the current police department building to the former Press-Gazette building. The firm's work will help the city answer a few questions about the move, such as where a shooting range could be located and where to securely park squad cars not in immediate use by officers. Davis said those are major issues of the Press-Gazette building conversion to work out, but he expects the consultants will be able to figure out solutions. The shooting range is needed because officers have spent more time training on use of force, particularly with firearms and decision-making. He also said city officials can address the need for secure parking for equipment and officers. "I think there are ways to solve for these issues. But any facility you dont build from the ground up youll find some issue or another," Davis said. "Im hopeful at least that there are ways to work around that (in the Press-Gazette building.) We figured out a way to make it work in this facility." The Green Bay Police Department headquarters are seen on Friday, August 16, 2024, 307 S Adams St, Green Bay, Wis. Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin Former Press-Gazette building could help Green Bay Police headquarters become a 'community resource' It's not just that the former Press-Gazette building would give the department more space, but how that space could further the department's aim to be a community resource. He said the added more windows and natural light in the former Press-Gazette building would make for a more welcoming space to residents. "We want to be seen as a community resource, so is there a way through our facility to send that message?" Davis said. He said the building could offer the secure spaces officers need to conduct police investigations and public safety work, but also a more welcoming, accessible space for community gatherings and an atrium-like area for Green Bay Police Department staff to congregate, a place where officers can eat lunch and connect with colleagues. That the building has 100 years of history and community connections behind it will only help the effort, Davis said. "You take a historic building and, if youre thoughtful about it, you can turn that into a really nice community resource for public safety," he said. What would the city do if the building doesnt work for the police departments needs? Genrich said the city would put the former Press-Gazette building and parking lots up for redevelopment if the site doesn't work. This could be done via a request for proposals process or putting the property up for sale. But Genrich is confident the space can work. Davis, another member of GBPDs command staff, and city leaders toured the building at least once in the spring after the Green Bay Press-Gazette moved its staff into the Rail Yard Innovation District. Based on the preliminary evaluation, we understand there are old systems in there, but the bones of the building are very good and its ample square footage for the operations we envision, Genrich said. Green Bay Metro Fire Station 1, 505 S. Washington St., houses the department's administrative offices. Green Bay Metro Fire stations would not be sold right away The city has already identified a South Broadway site as the potential new home of a Green Bay Metro Fire headquarters and station house to replace Station 1, 505 S. Washington St., and No. 3, 885 Shawano Ave. Metro Fire has outgrown both buildings, which also have serious deficiencies. The city and General Capital since May have been working on a mixed-use plan to combine the fire station and at least 200 housing units on the site. But that process will take time. Green Bay Metro Fire Station No. 3, 885 Shawano Avenue. The letter of intent makes the options to purchase the two fire stations and Sixth Street property contingent on EAMR and the city agreeing to terms for developing the three properties, Genrich said. He added that he hopes two fire stations can be re-used rather than torn down. Theyre both historic properties, Genrich said. We dont want someone to come in and knock them down with a wrecking ball. The fire stations would not be the only two potential redevelopment sites the tentative plan taking shape would create. The current Green Bay Police headquarters sits on nearly 2 acres of prime land that could be developed to create more new property value in the central city. Editors note: The Green Bay Press-Gazettes parent company sold the building in 2017 and moved to a new space in downtown Green Bay in spring 2024. Contact Jeff Bollier at (920) 431-8387 or jbollier@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JeffBollier. This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Green Bay looks to buy former Press-Gazette building for new police HQ Civil service diversity and inclusion officers are paid as much as 10,000 more than top trade officials, government job listings suggest. The Department for Business and Trade is currently seeking a new head of country for Poland, the UKs 13th-largest trading partner with a 540bn economy. A successful applicant would be in charge of developing strategy on trade policy and shaping the overall trading relationship with Poland. The listing says that someone based outside London could receive a salary of between 32,858 and 34,586 for the role, rising to between 36,583 and 38,272 if they live in the capital. By comparison, a typical civil service diversity and inclusion officer in London receives 42,697 per year, according to the careers website Indeed. Earlier this year, ministers in the former Conservative government said they wanted to cut the number of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) roles in Whitehall amid concerns they had become a vehicle for woke hobby horses. The new Government is yet to confirm whether it will continue with this approach. However, the salary figures are likely to raise eyebrows at a time when Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has made growing the economy his main mission. Click here to view this content. It is not the first time the Government has been scrutinised over claims it does not pay enough for specialised roles that command higher salaries in the private sector. For example, while research scientists at Facebook owner Meta can earn more than $1m per year in California, Whitehall mandarins last year attempted to recruit a deputy director for AI international on an annual salary of 75,000. Poland is one of Britains closest European allies and trade between the two countries amounted to just under 32bn in the year to the end of March, an annual increase of 11pc, according to a government document. As a member of the European Union, most of the countrys trade policy is handled by Brussels under post-Brexit trade cooperation agreement. Nevertheless, 31pc of the UKs 11.2bn in exports to Poland were services such as legal advice or fund management which were not comprehensively covered by the EU agreement. At a meeting with fellow European leaders last month, Sir Keir held one-on-one talks with Polish premier Donald Tusk and vowed to work more closely on issues such as energy and defence. The Department for Business and Trade said the job being advertised was part of a wider team... which promotes trade with Europe, and will be working closely with staff based both in the UK and in Poland to support our exporters and business. The role reports to a senior civil servant who holds a director-level position, a spokesman added. They did not comment on the level of pay offered. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. NAIROBI, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- China's Shandong Friendship Publishing House on Wednesday donated 780 books to the Confucius Institute of Kenyatta University to boost the learning of Chinese language and culture in the tertiary institution. The books donated cover a broad spectrum of topics, including Chinese folktales, culinary and medicinal traditions, as well as the latest socioeconomic developments in Shandong Province, in eastern China, said Li Hong, deputy director-general of Shandong Provincial Foreign Affairs Office. The learning materials tap into the rising demand for Chinese culture in Kenya, said Salome Nyambura, co-director of the Confucius Institute of Kenyatta University, noting that the books will expand the institution's collection of resources on Chinese cultural heritage. Mandarin has recently been identified as one of the foreign languages to be taught under Kenya's educational curriculum, Nyambura told a ceremony at the university, located on the outskirts of Nairobi, the Kenyan capital. The book donation is timely, given that Kenyatta University will begin offering a bachelor's degree in Chinese language and culture in September, targeting at least 300 students annually, she said. The books will also be made available to its partner primary and secondary schools across Kenya, Nyambura said. Editors note: This story has been updated to remove incorrect information. We regret the error. SPENCER, Iowa (KCAU) Clay County, Iowa residents affected by recent flooding gathered Wednesday night in Spencer to learn more about the resources available to assist with disaster recovery. The Clay County Community Housing Task Force took questions from around 100 people during the meeting at the Clay County Regional Events Center. Its estimated that about 80 percent of Spencers homes, business and other structures were impacted by flood waters. Sioux City Career Academy house begins move to rural Jefferson Many of the nights questions centered on demolition and removal of debris from those properties and who will pay for it. Rental property was hit especially hard; in Spencer, 60 percent, or about 1,200 to 1,800 renters, were displaced, but progress is being made. The feedback we get from the people who do this for a living at the federal and state level comment on the spirit of rural Iowa and neighbors helping neighbors, and thats what we see, deputy city manager Kevin Robinson said. The folks that were here today all have housing concerns about how to move forward and repair their lives and build their lives, and a lot of the questions revolved around that. Iowa Mission of Mercy looking for volunteers The city, the nonprofits, the foundations are all out there working for them, Spencer mayor Steve Bomgaars said. We are doing our best to get the city back online. A number of local bankers, realtors, CPAs and city officials were also available for one-on-one, confidential conversations with flood victims. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. A Clay County judge ruled Thursday that jurors in the high-profile trial against Andrew Lester, the Kansas City man charged in the shooting of Ralph Yarl last April, wont be sequestered during the proceedings this fall. In a brief hearing Thursday in Clay County Circuit Court, Lesters attorney, Steven Salmon, made the request of Judge David Chamberlain, pointing to what is expected to be widespread news coverage that jurors could be exposed to, as well as what he characterized as misleading facts in the coverage that could skew their perspective on the case. Given the widespread interest in this case, jurors will undoubtedly be subject to news reports and opinions through all avenues of reporting, Salmon wrote in court documents ahead of the hearing. This leaves anything other than the complete elimination of the significant, pervasive and opinionated reporting involving this matter as the most viable way to guarantee the defendant a fair trial on the facts of the case, he said in the filing. Salmon also noted that jury sequestration is mandatory in Missouri death penalty cases. Given Lesters age 85 and physical condition, a conviction could be a death sentence, with his client dying in prison, he said. Lester was not present at Thursdays hearing. Chamberlain acknowledged the concerns were valid but declined to order that jurors be sequestered. He emphasized that jurors would be sworn to not consume outside material related to the case and would be reminded of that duty regularly during the trial. He also said arranging the logistics of accommodations, food, security and other considerations would require pushing back the trial substantially, noting that hotel arrangements for jurors in a death penalty case he is scheduled to oversee in September 2025 were being scheduled now. Lesters trial is scheduled to begin Oct. 7. Based on estimates from Salmon and Clay County Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson, Chamberlain projected testimony would play out over three days. Before that begins, attorneys may have to sift through hundreds of prospective jurors given the high profile nature of the case. Youre probably not going to find anyone who hasnt heard something about this case, Chamberlain said. The April 2023 shooting in Kansas Citys Northland grabbed widespread attention, and many raised concerns that the shooting was racially motivated. Lester, who is white, faces first-degree assault and armed criminal charges for shooting Yarl, who is Black, after the teen mistakenly went to the wrong home to pick up his brothers. After Yarl rang the doorbell, Lester allegedly went to the door and fired at Yarl, shooting him twice. He told police he feared for his safety when he saw Yarl, who at the time of the shooting was 16. Lesters next pre-trial hearing is scheduled for Aug. 30. CLEMSON, S.C. (WSPA) Clemson University is welcoming more than 5,000 first year students to its campus this year. University representatives told 7NEWS a majority of them are moving into the Douthit Hills quarters of the campus near Highway 93/Walter T. Cox Boulevard. Jacob Bulman is a first-year Clemson student who told 7NEWS he moved from Charlotte, North Carolina. Theyve handled it so well, said Bulman, describing his move-in experience. Pulling up to your building, parking and waiting, and printing your packet. Very organized. Signs everywhere. Clemson University representatives said most of the students in this years class, unlike Bulman, are from the Palmetto State, coming from Greenville, Spartanburg, and Anderson counties, as well as South Carolinas coast. Definitely going to be a new experience. My roommate is awesome. And my [resident advisor] is also awesome. Im so excited to meet everybody, said Rachel Durkin, a first-year Clemson student from Horry County. University reps said the student population is slightly larger this year than last. Their top priority is making the move-in process as seamless as possible. Weve been really intentional to provide a lot of details and information for the students and their families through various platforms, just to ensure that they have what they need, said Dr. Kimberly Poole, who serves as the assistant vice president and senior associate dean of students at Clemson University. University officials also said some students have moved from as far as India and Hawaii to be a Clemson Tiger this school year. Lindsay Kasner relocated to Clemson from Pennsylvania. Im just looking forward to getting the whole college experience, Kasner said. I watched my brother go through college last year, and he just had the best year of his life. According to the university, the top-intended majors for this years freshmen class include general engineering, political science, pre-business, nursing, and elementary education. Students will continue moving onto the Clemson University campus through Friday. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS. Climate protection demonstrators from the group "Last Generation" stand in front of the Chancellery with their hands dipped in black paint. Previously, they had smeared a facade with an oil-like paint. A climate protester was handed a fine of 3,500 ($3,800) on Thursday for hurling paint at an outer wall of the Chancellery building in Berlin two years ago. Paul Zinken/dpa A climate protester was handed a fine of 3,500 ($3,800) on Thursday for hurling paint at an outer wall of the Chancellery building in Berlin two years ago. The 49-year-old man had defaced the south-east wing of the building with black paint, resembling oil, during an action organized by the climate protest group Last Generation in June 2022. A Berlin district court found him guilty of damaging property, with the presiding judge saying there was no possible justification for his action. The paint was removed through costly cleaning and repainting of the wall. The man had initially been ordered to pay a fine of 2,000. He refused and filed an appeal, which resulted in Thursday's 3,500 fine. The presiding judge said that the defendant had "not really confessed" and did not seem to realize that he could protest without "throwing paint." The defendant argued that he had "participated in measures of peaceful civil disobedience." The 49-year-old was one of the participants in a Berlin climate hunger strike that took place between March and mid-June of this year. He did not eat for over 90 days in protest. The man had been convicted for previous Last Generation protest actions. Editors note: This story has been updated to correct the committee in front of which Sharon Eubanks gave testimony in May. Survivors of climate disasters are calling on federal prosecutors to bring fossil fuel companies to court. The more than 1,000 signatories of Thursdays letter to the Department of Justice lived through wildfires, floods and heat waves caused or exacerbated by the burning of fossil fuels. Major oil companies have known since the 1950s about the dangers posed by burning fossil fuels, they wrote. Instead of acting responsibly on their own scientists warnings, they waged a decades-long disinformation campaign to muddy the science and confuse and mislead the public. Though scientists at fossil fuel companies like Exxon projected current levels of planetary heating with startling accuracy, the industry spent decades fighting climate science, and currently contests federal regulation and financial tools that seek to slow it. Even as the renewable energy industry booms, the fossil fuel industry and the extraction of coal, oil and gas have expanded to record levels. The letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland comes amid a wave of nationwide pressure against the industry. On the civil front, there is a wave of climate superfund legislation or lawsuits from seven states, 35 cities and Washington, D.C. that seek to hold the industry responsible for the costs of climate change. In May, House and Senate Democrats referred their own investigation of the industry to the Department of Justice, with Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) calling on Garland to investigate big oil for its decades long disinformation campaign to mislead the American public. The federal government ultimately took the tobacco industry to court on similar grounds, former federal prosecutor Sharon Eubanks told the Senate Budget Committee in May. Others argue that civil remedies are not enough. Public Citizen, which authored the letter with the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, is coordinating a push by academics and local prosecutors to design a framework to charge big oil companies with criminal homicide. Their record of deceiving the public about the dangers of emissions opens the worlds biggest private oil companies up to charges of second-degree murder, former federal prosecutor Cindy Cho wrote in a white paper in June. For example, Cho noted, the heat wave that hit Maricopa County, Ariz., last summer killed far more [people] than all the murders the county experienced that year. Recent research suggests that the potential harms caused by this deception are planetary in scale. Major pillars of the Earths climate are on track to collapse amid the rising heat of the coming decades and centuries; by mid-century, scientists have estimated, climate change will exert a $38 trillion per year drag on the world economy. But the letters signatories argued that the picture of disorder can be heartbreakingly small-scale: lost lives but also lost dreams and livelihoods. Jenny Sebold, a mother of three whose Vermont clothing store was destroyed in record floods worsened by climate change, said the waters took everything. I like to joke that I pay my bills in optimism, she said, while the rich oil execs get to keep making piles of money. Others were even more pointed. We are tired of being resilient, activist Roishetta Ozane of Louisiana advocacy group The Vessel Project said in a statement. Updated at 10:15 a.m. Aug. 16 Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Climate activists on a tarmac at Stuttgart Airport. The Last Generation Climate Initiative has launched protests in several cities. According to the organization, two activists in orange high-visibility vests entered several airports. Marius Bulling/dpa Flights were temporarily disrupted at four German airports on Thursday after eight climate activists gained access to take-off and landing areas, police and airport officials said. The actions targeted the Berlin-Brandenburg, Stuttgart, Nuremberg and Cologne-Bonn airports. Two activists were present at each site. Flight operations at Cologne/Bonn Airport were interrupted at around 5:45 am (0345 GMT) as two people glued themselves to the pavement on an access road to a runway, said a spokesman for the Federal Police. They were removed and flights resumed, but the action caused delays and the cancellation of 16 flights. Similar protests halted flights at Nuremberg for about an hour, after activists breached the airport's perimeter early in the morning. A dpa reporter on site reported a hole in the fence in the southern area of the runway, with two bolt cutters lying nearby. Two flights were cancelled in Nuremberg and about a half-dozen delayed. At Berlin's airport and in Stuttgart, two activists glued themselves to surfaces, police reports said. The protest did not affect flight operations at either airport. All eight protesters were taken into custody. Last Generation: Activists peacefully express resistance Last Generation, in a statement, said two activists in orange high-visibility vests each entered the airports in Berlin-Brandenburg, Stuttgart, Nuremberg and Cologne-Bonn. The statement said the runways were not entered. It said the activists peacefully expressed their resistance by displaying banners reading Oil kills and Sign the treaty, the organization reported. It did not specify the treaty, but it likely refers to the fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty initiative. In October 2022 the European Parliament passed a resolution calling on nation-states to work on such a treaty. The Last Generation group demands radical action on climate change, including the complete renunciation of coal, oil and gas and is calling for the conclusion of an international treaty to this effect. The group has been organizing road blockades since the beginning of 2022. But it had announced that it would change its strategy and that members would refrain from glueing themselves to the streets in future. The climate activists have also recently organized several disruptive actions at airports, including at Germany's largest airport in Frankfurt at the end of July. Tougher laws to act as a deterrent The German government wants to deter radical climate activists and others from carrying out dangerous protests at airports by tightening up the Aviation Security Act. The core of the planned reform, which still has to be approved by the Bundestag, or parliament, is the creation of a new provision that makes "intentional, unauthorized intrusion" onto the tarmac and runways a punishable offence if it impairs the safety of civil air traffic. Minister, lawmakers slam protests German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser called protest actions at German airports in which activists attach themselves to the tarmac "dangerous and stupid" and suggested tougher penalties. "These criminal actions are dangerous and stupid," Faeser said in a post on X of the latest protests. "The troublemakers are not only risking their own lives but also endangering others," she wrote, noting that the government has proposed a "severe prison sentence." The government is also requiring airports to "significantly improve the security of their facilities," she said. The "crimes of Last Generation" repeatedly endanger "the safety and operation of important infrastructure," said Bijan Djir-Sarai, the general secretary of the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP). "They divide our society and do a disservice to climate protection." The FDP is the junior coalition partner in the German government. Police union: Make protesters pay Climate activists should be held accountable for potential financial damages resulting from their actions at airports, according to Germany's police trade union. The union said activists are liable for the damage caused by flight cancellations and disruptions to airline operations. They should bear the costs, said Ralf Kusterer, deputy national and regional chairman of the union in Baden-Wurttemberg, in the south-west. "Anyone who deliberately brings infrastructure to a standstill by using their body as an insurmountable barrier and acting without regard for the affected legal rights and interests is acting immorally," he said. Such immorality is the basis for civil claims, Kusterer said, adding that independently, the law should pursue activists and further costs for the police operation and the removal of the disturbance should be imposed on them. Airport group demands tougher deterrents, laws Germany's ADV airport association demanded the swift passing of the law and called for a decisive response to the disruptive protests earlier on Thursday. ADV Managing Director Ralph Beisel described the protests that caused delays at airports "a concerted act of criminal extortion." Beisel called the protests "crimes" that must be "consistently sanctioned" by the judiciary. He demanded that an approved cabinet decision be "immediately" passed by the Bundestag, or parliament, to tighten the Aviation Security Act. Last week, the ADV made a proposal to the climate activists for dialogue. In an open letter it acknowledged climate change as one of the greatest challenges of modern times. The association said it wanted to inform climate activists, in a conversation, about the latest climate policy and measures airports are taking. It also wants to discuss with them the impact of runway blockades on airport safety. In a post on X, Last Generation said it would gladly accept the offer for dialogue. Members of the "Last Generation" movement take part in a protest at Munich Airport. They held up signs in the departure hall reading "Oil kills" and "Oil gas and kerosene are driving the world to ruin". Peter Kneffel/dpa Members of the "Last Generation" movement take part in a protest at Munich Airport. They held up signs in the departure hall reading "Oil kills" and "Oil gas and kerosene are driving the world to ruin". Peter Kneffel/dpa An airport security car at Cologne-Bonn Airport is parked behind the airport fence. The police assume that activists from the Last Generation Climate Initiative have gained access to the airport grounds through the visible hole in the fence. Benjamin Westhoff/dpa Flight operations at the Cologne/Bonn Airport are currently suspended while police respond to a protest organized by climate activists from the Last Generation group, an airport spokesman said on Thursday. Unauthorized persons have gained access to the airside area of the airport premises in Cologne/Bonn, he said. This generally refers to the part of the airport that is past the security checks and customs control. It was initially unclear exactly where the activists were located. Earlier the organization said, in a press release describing the protest actions at several German airports, that the "runways were not entered." How Close to Election Day Can Voting Laws Change? Thats Up to the Supreme Court (Bloomberg) -- The US Supreme Court is weighing how close to elections judges can change voting rules, with the potential to affect legal fights unfolding across the county less than three months before the presidential contest. Most Read from Bloomberg In Arizona a battleground for Donald Trump as he tries to reclaim the White House the Republican National Committee has asked the justices to restore a state law requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote after it was blocked by an appeals court. The case is the latest test of a nearly 20-year-old ruling that cautioned against last-minute federal court action that causes voter confusion. Any action by the justices could give judges handling fights over state voting practices fresh guidance about how to account for proximity to the Nov. 5 election, when voters will choose the next US president and federal lawmakers. The RNC asked for a decision by Aug. 22. The court ordered responses by Friday. The justices havent laid out a comprehensive framework for how lower courts should apply whats known as the Purcell principle, after the 2006 Supreme Court opinion. Without that guidance, its been left up to judges to decide when its too late to act ahead of an election and how to balance timing against other issues at stake, leading to claims of political gamesmanship. That subjectivity opens the door to at least the appearance that judges are applying it in ways that produce sharply partisan results, said Stephen Vladeck, a professor at Georgetown University Law Center. In the 2006 case, Purcell v. Gonzalez, the Supreme Court reversed a lower court that had halted voter identification rules in Arizona, citing the imminence of the midterm election. In the latest case, an Arizona federal judge blocked the states proof of citizenship law, and then a 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals panel reinstated it. But a different appeals panel blocked it again in a 2-1 decision on Aug. 1. Manifest Injustice The 9th Circuit judges in the majority, both appointed by former President Bill Clinton, cited Purcell, writing that the first panel caused a manifest injustice by upsetting the status quo before the states July primary and after registration was underway for the general election. Judge Patrick Bumatay, who was nominated by Trump, dissented, writing that the majority had taken a highly irregular step by overruling the first panel. Given the political nature of this case, Bumatay wrote, the court should be especially careful to avoid the use of unconventional or disfavored procedures. The RNC has asked the justices to immediately intervene and allow Arizona to enforce the law while the case goes forward. The partys lawyers argued that Purcell is supposed to protect state election-integrity measures from last-minute interference, as opposed to a general interest in the status quo. Purcell has come up in other cases this year. On July 22, an Ohio federal judge blocked a state law restricting who could assist voters with disabilities, rejecting opposition from the state and the RNC that cited Purcell. A week later, a Louisiana federal judge concluded it was too late to take up a similar fight. The election proximity issue featured in 2020, as courts grappled with how Americans could vote during the pandemic. When a majority of justices sided against a Wisconsin judge who extended the states mail ballot deadline, Justice Elena Kagan accused her colleagues of giving too much weight to timing. There is not a moratorium on the Constitution as the cold weather approaches, she wrote. Justices Disagree Democrats in Congress proposed legislation after 2020 meant to clarify how courts should handle pre-election cases, but it hasnt passed. The justices have continued to disagree about how the calendar should factor into election cases. In 2022, the courts conservative majority cited Purcell in a 5-4 order leaving Alabamas congressional map in place ahead of the midterm election after a lower court judge ordered it redrawn. In May, the court invoked Purcell in reinstating a Louisiana map that added another majority-Black district. The case flipped the courts usual ideological lineup, with the three liberal justices dissenting despite the outcome. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said she would have let the legal fight play out, writing that there was little risk of voter confusion from a new map being imposed this far out from the November election. Election law experts say the dozens of challenges already filed this year are a sign that political parties and advocacy groups are mindful of Purcell and hoping for rulings based on the merits, not the date. Its definitely pushed litigants to try to sue early in the cycle and move quickly, said Derek Muller, a professor at University of Notre Dame Law School. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. This photo taken on July 29, 2024 shows a view of the Sahiwal Coal-fired Power Plant in Sahiwal district of Pakistan's east Punjab province. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal) ISLAMABAD, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- With an investment of 26 million yuan (3.6 million U.S. dollars), the Huaneng Pakistan Vocational and Technical College established by Sahiwal coal-fired power plant, a flagship project of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in eastern Sahiwal district of Pakistan, has been helping the younger generation to improve employment skills and broaden career paths. The vocational and training college was built by the Chinese operator of the 1,320-megawatt Sahiwal coal-fired power plant, one of the most efficient coal-fired power plants in Pakistan with advanced technology and best environmental protection indicators, helping Pakistan ensure energy security through its clean and cheap power generation. Bracing the scorching peak summer heat as temperatures in Sahiwal reached up to 44 degrees Celsius, Muhammad Ramzan, currently working as a vice operator at the coal-handling department of the power plant, had to make do with a meager salary he was getting while working a 12-hour-long shift at a petrol station before joining the Sahiwal power station. "I am the breadwinner for my family consisting of seven members. I studied until 10th grade and was searching for some opportunity to enhance my skills without any cost. Luckily, I got to know about the training center and enrolled myself in the Chinese language class. Later, I got a scholarship for an advanced Chinese language course to further improve my Chinese language skills in China," Ramzan told Xinhua. After coming back from China, Ramzan got an opportunity to work at a fuel handling department of Sahiwal coal-fired power plant, changing his life for good. "Not only did I improve my Chinese language, I learned a lot about machines from my Chinese colleagues. They helped me to grow significantly -- I started off as a Chinese language student, then buckle wheel operator, and now I am the vice operator at the coal handling department by improving my skills starting from the training college. I am quite optimistic about making great strides in the years to come." In a conversation with Xinhua, Hafiz Muhammad Shahzad, a senior officer of the college and human resource manager at the power plant, said that so far over 6,000 locals have been trained and improved their employment skills in various disciplines including Chinese language, computer applications, electricians, mechanics, welding and fire safety and others. He said that the vocational and training college has collaborated with top local universities such as the University of Engineering and Technology of Lahore and Punjab University, providing free training bases for university students of specialized careers at par with high standards. Highlighting the robust training process for youth, Li Yanlu, vice principal of the college and head of the administration department of the Sahiwal power plant, said that the college imparts valuable and more practical professional skills to students to achieve ambitious career goals. "After students learn basic knowledge such as theoretical learning, they are referred to the equipment maintenance operation workshop in the power plant for practical training. By using the method of theoretical and practical training, students can better master skills required to work at power plants and other industrial enterprises, especially enterprises under CPEC," he said. With his interesting and facilitating teaching style, the classroom of Sajjid Bashir, a teacher at the vocational college and senior executive of fire safety at the power plant, was all lit up during a question and answer time. "I am diligently training every student who comes here and every time when I see my students are making accomplishments in their professional lives, I feel my hard work pays off," he told Xinhua. Sajjid, who himself started as a firefighter at the power plant, said that his painstaking efforts and devotion bore fruit over the period of time, eventually being promoted to the senior-most position at a fire safety department, adding that many others also joined the power station at basic positions and gradually got promoted to management positions through the training by the Chinese staff and engineers. Among the nearly 800 Pakistani employees working at the power station, there are more than 200 engineers, and currently, 26 of them have moved to the vital positions of management, production, and others, said Chen Wei, vice president of Huaneng Pakistan Company, the operator of the power plant. With excellent training and performance, Pakistani employees have become the main force in the production and operation of the Sahiwal power station, accounting for nearly 80 percent, he added. Hamza Yaqoob, an intern at the vocational college and student of mechanical engineering at the COMSATS University, Sahiwal campus, is all set to join the Pakistani workforce with first-hand and practical knowledge of machines and their components. "I am a final-year student of mechanical engineering at COMSATS University and attending a six-week course at the training school run by the Chinese company. Other than theoretical classes, we get to visit site areas of the power plant. I learned how turbines, boilers, condensers and generators actually work. The teachers here helped us gain an understanding of the different techniques we needed to master in our professional life," Hamza told Xinhua. "The college administration also provides free-of-cost residence, transportation and meals, so we can completely focus on our goals without being worried about anything else," he said, hoping to bring his best out and contribute towards the development of Pakistan. A drone photo taken on July 28, 2024 shows a view of the Sahiwal Coal-fired Power Plant in Sahiwal district of Pakistan's east Punjab province. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal) An aerial drone photo taken on July 29, 2024 shows the compound of Huaneng Pakistan Vocational and Technical College at the Sahiwal Coal-fired Power Plant in Sahiwal district of Pakistan's east Punjab province. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal) Students attend a training class at Huaneng Pakistan Vocational and Technical College at the Sahiwal Coal-fired Power Plant in Sahiwal district of Pakistan's east Punjab province, July 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal) Less than a year after it reopened, a Washington state Sears store is closing again, as the retailers national vanishing act has become more stark in recent months. The Sears store at Union Gaps Valley Mall recently announced it would be shutting down. Sears had reopened the store in Yakima County on Nov. 6 after closing once before in December 2022. Every thing must go ... even fixtures, the store said in its Facebook post. A store employee who did not give her name because she was not authorized to speak for the company told The News Tribune the last day of the store being open to the public is Sept. 22. As far as traffic, she told The News Tribune that it had been pretty good on the weekends, a little slower on our weekdays. When asked if she were surprised about the closure, she replied, No. A different experience was recounted by another employee last December shortly after the reopening, who told The News Tribune the store was No. 2 in sales among Sears sites. The closure leaves one remaining Sears presence in Washington state: at Westfield Southcenter in Tukwila, one of about 9 left in the United States according to one estimate as of July 2024, along with two Kmarts and a handful of sites in Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. When Sears merged with Kmart in the mid-2000s, they had nearly 3,500 stores. Recent days have brought more accounts of the brands physical presence being on the brink of extinction. Sears former headquarters in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, was once home to about 9,000 employees with 2.4 million square feet of office space. It also was one of the 30 largest structures in the world in terms of square footage. The sprawling, 273-acre office campus was sold last year to Dallas-based Compass Datacenters, and demolition of the office buildings is underway, the Daily Herald, which covers suburban Chicago, reported Wednesday. It it set to become home to a $10 billion data center campus. Stores still owned by the retailers parent company are continuing to be auctioned off, including in Manchester, Connecticut. Meanwhile, another store site in Meriden, Connecticut, failed to attract acceptable bids, according to online news site CT Insider/Record-Journal in June, and was taken off market. REDISCOVER SEARS The Union Gap store reopening was part of a Rediscover Sears campaign parent company Transformco launched last year. A Sears site in Burbank, California, launched along with the Union Gap store, remains open, according to an August job posting for a sales associate at the site. Tyler Kusma of Arlington, Virginia, is writing a book about the history of Sears. He told The News Tribune in a brief interview Thursday that he discovered the Union Gap planned closure as part of monitoring Transformcos job boards for new positions. Every two weeks, I check Sears job site to see if stores are closing, he said. Because ever since they filed for bankruptcy and went private, they no longer do press releases or anything like that. In this case, temporary position for backroom associate was posted in mid-July by Transformco with store closing, mentioned in the description. The $18-hour position called for assisting the liquidator with clearing out the stockrooms, moving and condensing merchandise & fixtures on the sales floor as well as taking apart stockroom shelving, store fixtures and tossing signage and trash. Must be able to lift at least 50 pounds, it added. Kusma said his book, which hes been working on for the past few years, will reflect the history and continued shrinking of the once-dominant retail giant. Sears is not only shedding storefronts, but by Kusmas estimates, sells very little directly from itself online amid its Sears Marketplace program. I would say most stuff on there is listed by third-party sellers, he said. If you search for something, you can filter to be only sold by Sears, and that will bring down their search results from hundreds to single digits or zero. The website offers a $10 off coupon on orders of $75 or more, or $50 off orders of $750 or more once you enter your email as a first-time subscriber. Sears sells a lot of OK stuff, Kusma noted, but likely would continue to struggle against Walmarts reach and prices, Targets product lines, and Amazons size and convenience. Where is their advantage? For Sears, they havent answered that question, he added. The News Tribune archives contributed to this report. Canada National Railway (CN) will halt all intermodal traffic out of the U.S. entering Canada starting Friday as the railway implements the next phase of its network shutdown. The move is another proactive measure from the railway, which is anticipating employees to go on strike on Aug. 22, which would shutter operations at both CN and the other Class I railroad operating in the country, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC). More from Sourcing Journal In a customer notice, CN said it would stop accepting all intermodal traffic into the country from the Port of New York & New Jersey, as well as various points in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Georgia and Indianapolis. Intermodal services involve the movement of cargo in containers by more than one mode of transportation, usually rail and truck. This freight largely consists of consumer products, as well as international cargo taken into North America via ports. CN already saw intermodal volume drop 17 percent from May 12 to July 14, the company revealed in an earnings call last month. CN and CPKC moved 1.24 million intermodal containers in 2023 across the U.S. and Canada, representing 8 percent of the Class I railroad total, according to carload data submitted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. All U.S. domestic intermodal shipments will continue to move per normal operations. Canadas iteration of the Teamsters is seeking a new labor agreement for roughly 9,300 employees at both railroads, but the talks has seemingly brought neither sign closer to a deal, leading to the union to call for a strike. In response, both railroads said they would lock out the union employees if they didnt agree to a new deal. The two prior collective agreements expired on Dec. 31, 2023, but have been extended under Canadian law until the parties reach a new deal. The union has declined requests for binding arbitration from both railroads in favor of continued bargaining, but called lockout threat an unnecessary escalation by the rail operators. As the labor drama unfolds, Brian Kempisty, founder of drayage and transloading services provider Port X Logistics, says importers of containerized cargo must consider alternative port destinations such as Los Angeles, Long Beach or Seattle to hedge against more embargoes. If youre a Tier 1 supplier, its probably prudent at this point to divert and transload 10 or 15 percent just to make sure that youre not in jail and shutting lines down , Kempisty told Sourcing Journal. A potential rail strike would have major impacts on the Port of Prince Rupert due to its distance from more densely populated areas, Kempisty said. The port is a major hub for CN and is the closest major North American port to Asia, but if the railroad doesnt run, shippers will have to divert the product to a different port or shift their operations to pick up the cargo. When it works, it works very, very effectively, but when theres disruptionssay you need to transload something in Prince Ruperttheres not a lot of labor in a town of 10,000 people. Theres not a lot of truck drivers, Kempisty said. So that pre-planning if you are going to try to transload in Prince Rupert is ultra important, because youre basically deadheading 923 miles to go get the freight, and you need to ensure the four or five warehouses there that you have labor and capacity to handle that throughput of transloading. In the first iteration of the network shutdown, CN and CPKC halted the transport of hazardous goods that were toxic or poisonous by inhalation on the grounds that they couldnt be left out on the railroad unsupervised in the event of a labor stoppage. CPKC has not released its schedule of embargoes, but freight companies are anticipating a release, according to a Wall Street Journal report. Canadas government, which estimates the two railroads transport close to 400 billion Canadian dollars ($292 billion) in goods annually, has called on all sides to remain at the bargaining table. The U.S. would also be impacted if a strike went beyond the current embargoes, with Canada sending roughly 75 percent of all goods exports to the country. The U.S. Surface Transportation Board said Wednesday that it is actively monitoring the potential for a rail labor strike, and said it is aware that embargoes have been issued and that their scope could expand in the coming days. The Board is monitoring the implementation and effects of those embargoes on the network. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) An anonymous phone call early Aug. 23, 2001, led a father and son police duo to a South Side street and the discovery of a mans body. Read next: Endangered Missing Adult Alert issued for Trumbull County man The death of the man, Vaschon May, 24, is still unsolved. May was found about 12:40 a.m. after then Patrolman and now Detective Sgt. John Fields and his father retired Detective Sgt. John Fields, Sr. were called to the area around the former Pyatt Street Diner, where they met a group of people who were looking for Mays body. Mays girlfriend told police she had received an anonymous phone call that her boyfriend was dead and could be found in the woods between Pyatt Street and Plymouth Avenue. As they were searching, a man came out of his Erie Street home and told police there was a body behind his fence. Police went there and found May, who was dressed in black with gloves on his hands and a .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun next to him. That man also told police earlier about 10:40 p.m. he saw a man outside his home with a gun, and he fired several shots at the man as he ran through his back yard. The homeowner said he heard another gun firing. The homeowner called police and told them a prowler was in the area. Police searched the mans backyard and the nearby woods in the heavy rain but did not see anything before leaving. As police were questioning witnesses and looking for evidence, friends and family members of Mays were arriving in several cars and trying to get to the crime scene. Reports said they became emotional and irate as officers tried to hold them back and other cars had to be called in for crowd control. Mays relative, who was in the back of a cruiser so he could be taken to the police station to be questioned, kicked out one of the back windows and was taken away screaming and punching, reports said. A witness also called police later in the day at about 8:15 a.m. and alerted them to possible evidence at East Chalmers and Heasley avenues near the sidewalk. The evidence was collected and stored but reports do not state what that evidence was. A few days after May died, former Detective Sgt. Ron Rodway, the lead investigator on the case, told WKBN that a bullet removed from May during his autopsy did not match the gun the homeowner fired that evening. Mays death was one of 18 unsolved homicides in 2001, a year that saw 34 people murdered. This story is part of a series of cold cases that WKBN is examining. Do you have a cold case that youd like us to look into further? Submit a cold case to WKBN. Anyone who has information on Mays death can call the Detective Bureau at 330-742-8911 or Crime Stoppers Youngstown at 330-746-CLUE. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) The Coleman Police Department has arrested two suspects in connection with a series of burglaries that targeted storage units in the city. According to a social media post shared by Coleman PD, arrest warrants were issued for Shon Smith, 59, and Charity Hord, 48, both from Wingate, Texas on Aug. 13. Smith and Hord were apprehended by the Runnels County Sheriffs Office and are currently being held at Runnels County Jail. Smith faces four counts of burglary of a building and one count of attempted burglary of a coin-operated machine. He is being held on $32,000 bond for the Coleman County charges and faces additional bonds for related offenses in Runnels County. Hord is charged with three counts of burglary of a building and one count of attempted burglary of a coin-operated machine. Her Bond for the Coleman County offenses is set at $24,500. Authorities have recovered several items from the storage units that have been identified by victims. They have also found additional items believed to be stolen from the units where thefts were not reported. The police department urges anyone who suspects their storage unit may have been burglarized but has not yet reported it to contact (325)-625-4114 as soon as possible. Coleman PD emphasized that a significant chance that recorded stolen property belongs to unreported victims. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ConchoValleyHomepage.com. A U.S. Senate committee hearing on Aug. 15, 2024, at Grand Farm near Casselton, North Dakota, included, from left, Tina Smith of Minnesota, John Boozman of Arkansas, John Hoeven of North Dakota, and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota. (Jeff Beach/North Dakota Monitor) CASSELTON While hosting a congressional field hearing, Greg Tehven, one of the founders of North Dakotas Grand Farm, called on the federal government to honor its financial commitments in a timely manner. It was very uncomfortable sitting in this room and telling my board of directors that we needed a loan to make payroll, Tehven testified before the Senate panel on Thursday. And when you have a $1.4 million of accounts receivable, its really challenging. Tehven said Grand Farm had earned that $1.4 million through federal contracts. I would encourage all of you to work with the federal agencies to increase the efficiency and ensure that we are paid in a timely way, Tehven said. Tehven was part of a panel that provided testimony to four members of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee at Grand Farms Innovation Campus west of Casselton. The field hearing was organized by Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., and included Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., and Minnesotas Democratic senators, Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith. A theme of the hearing was a need to invest in more agricultural research and the importance of public-private partnerships, such as Grand Farm. Tehven said when the North Dakota Legislature committed $10 million to help launch Grand Farm, legislators were expecting private investors. He said what they didnt anticipate was the out-of-state investment from Farm Credit Services of America out of Nebraska, Colorado-based CoBank and equipment manufacturer AGCO. It sent the signal that this collaboration works, Tehven told the panel. There also was discussion of the need for government to be more efficient. Boozman said U.S. Department of Agriculture loan and grant applications are seen as too complicated and the process takes too long. He said a small community cant afford to hire a grant writer. USDA Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small said loan applications for farmers have been cut from 29 pages to 13. We have to work to be a better partner to farmers and everyone who relies on USDA, Torres Small said. She said it was recently announced farmers can apply for loans online and be guided to what loan product will best fit their needs. Its also the first year they can make loan payments online. To not have to drive into an FSA (Farm Service Agency) office though you can if you want to is huge, she said. Chavonda Jacobs-Young, the USDAs under secretary for research, education, and economics, spoke of the need to fund technology to support ag research. We have to have broadband, we have to have high-powered networking systems to move that data to and fro, to analyze, to share the high-performance computing, she said. North Dakota State University Vice President for Agricultural Affairs Greg Lardy advocated for a national database of ag research. Its critical that we develop a more robust database and a way to analyze that, he said. Josh Gackle farms near Kulm in southeast North Dakota and is president of the American Soybean Association. He noted that farmers contribute to ag research, trade expansion and transportation infrastructure through checkoffs collecting a small percentage from each sale of soybeans. It is concerning to us that U.S. federal ag research funding has declined while other countries have maintained or increased their funding levels, he said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX COLUMBIA COUNTY, Ga. (WJBF) Middle schoolers in Columbia County can dive into the world of government, as the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce announces its launch of the National Civics Bee. According to the chamber, the National Civics Bee will be hosted in partnership with The Civic Trust of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. It was formed as a way to educate students the countrys democracy and how to engage constructively within the community. Middle school students of public, private, charter and home schools are invited to participate in the civics essay competition. Students selected from the essay can advance to the local competition a live event featuring two rounds of civics questions followed by a Q&A round to test their civics knowledge. ALSO ON WJBF: Ga. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger visits Columbia County Sheriffs Office The Columbia County Chamber of Commerce will host a local competition in the spring of 2025. There is a prize of up to $500 for the first-place winner. Local winners across the country can go on to compete at the state and national levels. The regions future depends on people that are interested in how our government operates and is actively engaged in the community, said Russell Lahodny, President and CEO of the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce. Much like our initiatives to create a workforce talent pipeline, The National Civics Bee allows us to engage with middle school students and start thinking about how they can be good citizens of the Greater Augusta region, the state, and even the country. Applications open this fall. More information is expected to be available at the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce website. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF. Columbia University President Minouche Shafik has resigned, according to an email obtained by the Daily Beast. I write with sadness to tell you that I am stepping down as president of Columbia University effective August 14, 2024, her note to students and faculty reads. Shafik, who has served as president since July 2023, drew widespread criticism on both sides of the political spectrum for the universitys handling of pro-Palestine student protests that began towards the end of the spring semester. Shafik said it was an honor and privilege to serve as the Ivy League schools president, but also admitted it has also been a period of turmoil where it has been difficult to overcome divergent views across our community. A spokesperson for Columbia University confirmed that Shafik is stepping down and an interim president would take over. Over the summer, I have been able to reflect and have decided that my moving on at this point would best enable Columbia to traverse the challenges ahead, Shafik wrote. The president, who is also a member of the British House of Lords, said she was stepping down to chair a committee by the UK Foreign Secretary to review the governments approach to international development and how to improve capability. Columbia Deans Caught in Antisemitic Text Scandal Resign Shafik faced criticism from students after calling the NYPD to clear out the protest encampment, and later a university building that was occupied by protesters. The embattled president also faced criticism from the right, and testified before a Republican-lead congressional committee investigating antisemitism on college campuses in April. I have tried to navigate a path that upholds academic principles and treats everyone with fairness and compassion. It has been distressingfor the community, for me as president and on a personal levelto find myself, colleagues, and students the subject to threats and abuse, Shafik wrote. Columbias Board of Trustees accepted Shafiks resignation in another email sent to the universitys staff and students. The same email announced Dr. Katrina Armstrong would take over as interim president. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Social connections are key to keeping people off drugs and rebuilding their lives. Wasco County is planning a $50 million behavioral health campus that will provide a range of mental health and addiction treatment services. (Getty Images) In the Columbia River Gorge, Oregon leaders are planning a campus to provide residential mental health care, addiction treatment services and a drop-in center for police to bring people in crisis. Their work started in 2017 when Wasco County Sheriff Lane Magill gathered input from community and county leaders. Bit by bit, the money is coming together. The county now has almost enough to start building the first phase, thanks to nearly $1.7 million in funding that was announced last week by Oregons U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, a Democrat who sits on the Senate Appropriations Committee. That money is part of nearly $40 million approved for projects across Oregon. The first phase of the Columbia Gorge Resolution Center project, which aims to shore up services in the gorge, will cost $22 million and involve two 16-bed behavioral health residential treatment buildings. The goal is to get people into treatment and give them the care they need, preventing trips to emergency rooms or jail. The entire campus is projected to cost about $50 million, said Tyler Stone, administrative officer for Wasco County. This critical investment will significantly enhance our communitys ability to address mental health needs, provide a safe and supportive environment for individuals in crisis and will reduce strain on our regional emergency rooms and law enforcement agencies, Stone said. The first phase of the project still needs $3 million to $4 million, Stone said. But after years of planning, officials anticipate they could start construction within a year at their site in The Dalles. Additions planned In the years ahead, county officials plan to raise money and add the drop-in center and addiction treatment facility. When finished, it will add enough beds to treat 48 people at a time, with expanded outpatient services in nearly 58,000 square feet of facilities in The Dalles. Officials say the area needs these services. Though it lies outside the Portland area, it still faces urban problems like homelessness and drug addiction. The need for beds is also acute across the state. An Oregon Health Authority study found the state needs enough beds to treat about 3,700 people at a time for mental health and addiction problems. Creating the facilities and treating an extra 3,700 people would cost up to $170 million a year over five years by adding about 650 beds annually. Theres just a huge gap when people need a higher level of care, said Al Barton, executive director of Mid-Columbia Center for Living, which is Wasco Countys community health provider. When they need acute psychiatric care, they have to go to Bend or they have to go to Portland. If they need residential services of any kind, the same. The provider, which also contracts to provide community mental health services in Hood County and Sherman County, is planning the project with Wasco county. The project can serve people from throughout the surrounding region. Barton said more than 25 people will be hired to work at the facility when the first phase is completed. Nearly $40 million in federal funding Oregons Democratic U.S. Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, have secured more than $39 million in federal funding for 39 projects in the state to address behavioral health, health care, education and infrastructure needs. Some of them are: $3 million for Central Oregon Community College to expand their campus in Madras. The funding will go toward construction on the campus for programs to prepare students for careers in health care. $2.98 million for the University of Oregon to create a bachelors level program within the Ballmer Institute for Childrens Behavioral Health to prepare students for pediatric behavioral health work to address critical shortages in this sector. $2.5 million to Clackamas County for the construction of the Center for Treatment and Recovery, a recovery center for people struggling with drug addiction. T $1.6 million for Lines for Life to hire additional staff and conduct youth workforce and volunteer training to expand the reach of YouthLine, their statewide youth suicide prevention program. $1.6 million for Lane Community College to purchase equipment for their new Industry and Trades Education Center. This project will provide apprenticeship training in construction technology, manufacturing technology and other skilled labor sectors. $1.5 million for the city of Portland to expand Portland Fire & Rescues Mobile Medication for Opioid Use Disorder pilot program to reduce overdoses. $1 million to the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians to purchase a mobile mammography and X-ray unit. This equipment will help tribal members in a five-county region of southwest Oregon. $816,000 for Valley Family Health Care, Inc. to implement medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction in eastern Oregon county jails. The funding will go to sheriffs and jail medical staff to provide medication and addiction treatment counseling in Malheur, Union, Baker and Umatilla Counties. Columbia University President Nemat Minouche Shafik announced her resignation in an email on Wednesday evening, leaving the university after a nearly two-year stint plagued by student protests and a highly criticized police crackdown. Shafik, who oversaw the universitys response to solidarity encampments and other protests related to Israels assault on Gaza, which the Gaza Health Ministry operating under Hamas' government says has killed nearly 40,000 people, joins a long list of university administrators and Ivy League presidents to leave their positions. This period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in our community, Shafik wrote in the email announcing her resignation was effective immediately. Over the summer, I have been able to reflect and have decided that my moving on at this point would best enable Columbia to traverse the challenges ahead. Shafiks decision in mid-April to invite the New York Police Department to raid a peaceful encampment on the universitys quad was seen as a severe escalation, prompting dozens of copycat encampments throughout the country, leading to more than 3,000 arrests nationwide. Later that month, students occupied a building on campus, drawing media scrutiny and again prompting Shafik to send in the NYPD, this time drawing faculty criticism as an officer discharged a firearm during the raid. "The students of Columbia will never forget the sheer violence unleashed upon us by Minouche Shafik, and we will not be placated by her removal," the Barnard College-Columbia University chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace wrote in a post to X on Wednesday. Shafik, who avoided a Congressional hearing on campus antisemitism which led to the resignations of Harvard President Claudine Gay and University of Pennsylvania President Elizabeth Magill, faced a no-confidence vote from faculty in May. Even after campus activities and protests wound down for the summer, Columbias campus has remained on orange level alert for much of the last several weeks, restricting off-campus guests and closing numerous points of entry. WELLINGTON, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand's health-tech export sector is shown to have more than doubled in the past decade, becoming the country's second-largest tech vertical behind fintech, according to a health-tech report published on Thursday. The country's health-tech export sector has grown from 1.27 billion NZ dollars (760 million U.S. dollars) to 2.62 billion NZ dollars (1.57 billion U.S. dollars), said the report published by New Zealand's Technology Investment Network (TIN), which quantifies the sector and its key markets, investment, and business spending. "The pandemic created a high tide of health-tech enthusiasm, fueling investment, development, and uptake. That tide has now subsided, leaving a tougher landscape of catch-up regulation, integration challenges, and scarcer investment capital," said report author TIN Head of Research Alex Dickson. The country's health-tech sector saw research and development spending steady at 12 percent of total revenue, the report said. "Whether founders start in academia or not, they will find that the New Zealand health-tech ecosystem is really collaborative and connected," said Diana Siew, strategic partnership lead of the Auckland Bioengineering Institute. Between 2021 and 2023, total investment was 220 million NZ dollars (132.18 million U.S. dollars) from a reported 82 deals. By vertical, biotech therapeutic companies were in the lead, followed by digital health companies and medical device companies, the report said. NEW YORK Columbia University President Dr. Minouche Shafik announced she was resigning on Wednesday. The announcement came months after she was criticized for her handling of antisemitism on campus and protests in response to the Israel-Hamas war. In a letter sent to students and faculty, Shafik wrote in part: "I write with sadness to tell you that I am stepping down as president of Columbia University effective August 14, 2024. I have had the honor and privilege to lead this incredible institution, and I believe thatworking togetherwe have made progress in a number of important areas. However, it has also been a period of turmoil where it has been difficult to overcome divergent views across our community. This period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in our community. Over the summer, I have been able to reflect and have decided that my moving on at this point would best enable Columbia to traverse the challenges ahead. I am making this announcement now so that new leadership can be in place before the new term begins." Shafik, who is British-American, went on to say she has been asked by the United Kingdom's Foreign Secretary to chair a review of the government's approach to international development, which will allow her to return to the House of Lords in the U.K. Parliament. "I am very pleased and appreciative that this will afford me the opportunity to return to work on fighting global poverty and promoting sustainable development, areas of lifelong interest to me," she wrote. Shafik became president of the school at the beginning of the 2023-2024 academic year. She was the first woman to hold the position. Katrina Armstrong has been named interim president, according to Columbia's website. In a message to the Columbia community, she wrote in part, "As I step into this role, I am acutely aware of the trials the University has faced over the past year. We should neither understate their significance, nor allow them to define who we are and what we will become." Columbia's fall semester begins Sept. 3. The university has already started restricting access to its main campus in case of potential disruptions, and earlier this month, Shafik proposed the school add peace officers to its security personnel. Read Dr. Shafik's full resignation announcementDr. Shafik criticized over response to antisemitism, campus protests Shafik testified before Congress in April as part of a series of hearings about antisemitism on school campuses nationwide. She was criticized by members of Congress, including Rep. Virginia Foxx of North Carolina and Rep. Burgess Owens of Utah, for allegedly tolerating hostility toward the university's Jewish students. Some New York lawmakers began calling for Shafik's resignation in the wake of the controversy. Later in April, pro-Palestinian demonstrators began camping out on the school's main lawn, calling on the school to divest from companies doing business with Israel. More than 100 people were arrested, but protesters returned, occupying the main lawn for about two weeks. School officials held discussions with student protest organizers, but talks eventually broke down and students were given a deadline to take down their tents. Protesters then forced their way into Columbia's Hamilton Hall. On April 30, Shafik contacted the New York City Police Department and requested their help clearing Hamilton Hall and dismantling the encampment. Over 100 people were arrested. Charges were later dropped against most of the Columbia students and staff who were arrested. The school canceled its main commencement ceremony in May over security concerns, instead holding dozens of smaller ceremonies for individual schools. In the wake of the protests, hundreds of Columbia faculty members passed a resolution of no confidence in Shafik, claiming she put students at risk by calling police and violated fundamental requirements of academic freedom. Shafik stayed mostly tight-lipped except for a video message she released in May. In the video, she said, "The Palestinian-Israeli conflict, antisemitism, and anti-Arab and anti-Muslim bias have existed for a long time. And Columbia, despite being a remarkable institution, cannot solve them single-handedly." The end of Shafik's tenure comes one week after three Columbia deans resigned over controversial texts they exchanged that "touched on antisemitic tropes." North Carolina nurse, 91, has no plans of retiring ER nurse fights for the right of amputees to join the Armed Forces Family demands justice in drowning of 8-year-old boy NEW YORK (AP) Columbia University President Minouche Shafik resigned Wednesday after a brief, tumultuous tenure that saw the head of the prestigious New York university face heavy scrutiny for her handling of protests and campus divisions over the Israel-Hamas war. The Ivy League school in upper Manhattan was roiled this year by student demonstrations, culminating in scenes of police officers carrying zip ties and riot shields storming a building that had been occupied by pro-Palestinian protesters. Similar protests swept college campuses nationwide, with many leading to violent clashes with police and thousands of arrests. More Local News The announcement also comes just days after the school confirmed that three deans had resigned after officials said they exchanged disparaging texts during a campus discussion about Jewish life and antisemitism. Shafik was also among the university leaders called for questioning before Congress earlier this year. She was heavily criticized by Republicans who accused her of not doing enough to combat concerns about antisemitism on Columbias campus. Shafik, who began the role in July last year, announced her resignation in an emailed letter to the university community just weeks before the start of classes on Sept. 3. The university on Monday began restricting campus access to people with Columbia IDs and registered guests, saying it wanted to curb potential disruptions as the new semester nears. In her letter, Shafik heralded progress in a number of important areas but lamented that during her tenure it was difficult to overcome divergent views across our community. This period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in the community, she wrote. Over the summer, I have been able to reflect and have decided that my moving on at this point would best enable Columbia to traverse the challenges ahead. Columbias Board of Trustees meanwhile announced that Katrina Armstrong, the CEO of Columbia University Irving Medical Center, will serve as interim president. Challenging times present both the opportunity and the responsibility for serious leadership to emerge from every group and individual within a community, said Armstrong, who is also the executive vice president for the universitys Health and Biomedical Sciences. As I step into this role, I am acutely aware of the trials the University has faced over the past year. Pro-Palestinian protesters first set up tent encampments on Columbias campus during Shafiks congressional testimony in mid-April, where she denounced antisemitism but faced criticism for how shed responded to faculty and students accused of bias. The school sent in police to clear the tents the following day, only for the students to return and inspire a wave of similar protests at campuses across the country, with students calling for schools to cut financial ties with Israel and the companies supporting the war. As the protest rolled on for weeks, the school was thrust into the national spotlight. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson showed up to denounce the encampment, while Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez came to support it. Eventually, talks between the school and the protesters came to a standstill, and as the school set a deadline for the activists to clear out, a group instead took over Hamilton Hall. Even after the protests were cleared, Columbia decided to cancel its university-wide commencement ceremony, instead opting for a series of smaller, school-based ceremonies. The campus was mostly quiet this summer, but a conservative news outlet in June published images of what it said were text messages exchanged by administrators while attending the May 31 panel discussion Jewish Life on Campus: Past, Present and Future. The officials were removed from their posts, with Shafik saying in a July 8 letter to the school community that the messages were unprofessional and disturbingly touched on ancient antisemitic tropes. Shafiks critics were quick to cheer the end of her tenure, which is one of the shortest in school history. Johnson, the house speaker, said her resignation was long overdue and should serve as a cautionary example to other university administrators that tolerating or protecting antisemites is unacceptable and will have consequences. The student group Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine wrote in a post on the social media platform X that Shafik finally got the memo after months of protests. The campus chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace wrote it will not be placated by her removal as the universitys repression of the pro-Palestinian student movement continues. Other prominent Ivy League leaders have stepped down in recent months, in large part due to their response to the volatile protests on campus. University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill resigned in December after less than two years on the job amid pressure from donors and criticism over testimony at a congressional hearing where she was unable to say under repeated questioning that calls on campus for the genocide of Jews would violate the schools conduct policy. And in January, Harvard University President Claudine Gay resigned amid plagiarism accusations and similar criticism over her testimony before Congress. Shafik said she will return to the United Kingdom to lead an effort by the foreign secretarys office to review the governments approach to international development. I am very pleased and appreciative that this will afford me the opportunity to return to work on fighting global poverty and promoting sustainable development, areas of lifelong interest to me, she wrote. Shafik was the first woman to take on the role, joining several women newly appointed to take the reins at Ivy League institutions. The Egyptian-born economist previously led the London School of Economics, but had made her mark largely outside academia with roles at the World Bank, the United Kingdoms Department for International Development, the International Monetary Fund and the Bank of England. At the time of Shafiks appointment, Columbia Board of Trustees chair Jonathan Lavine had described her as a leader with an unshakable confidence in the vital role institutions of higher education can and must play in solving the worlds most complex problems. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. After a little over one year in office, Columbia University President Minouche Shafik has resigned, according to a message Shafik sent to the Columbia community. I write with sadness to tell you that I am stepping down as president of Columbia University effective August 14, 2024, Shafik wrote in a message to the Columbia community. It has also been a period of turmoil where it has been difficult to overcome divergent views across our community. This period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in our community. In an email minutes after Shafiks message, Co-Chairs of the Columbia Board of Trustees David Greenwald and Claire Shipman thanked Shafik for her service and said that they regretfully accept her resignation and named Katrina Armstrong, the Dean of Columbias College of Physicians and Surgeons, as the interim president. I am deeply honored to be called to serve as Interim President of our beloved institution, Armstrong wrote in her own message to the university. Challenging times present both the opportunity and the responsibility for serious leadership to emerge from every group and individual within a community. This is such a time at Columbia. As I step into this role, I am acutely aware of the trials the University has faced over the past year. We should neither understate their significance, nor allow them to define who we are and what we will become, she continued. Shafik had been caught in the middle of controversy related to antisemitism on campus after Hamass attack on Israel on October 7 and protests on campus related to the conflict as well as her decision to call in the New York Police Department to clear encampments on Columbias campus in the spring. More than 100 people were arrested on Columbias campus during NYPDs sweep, which came after protestors occupied buildings on the campus. Tensions have been rising on the campus since the beginning of August, with three Columbia deans stepping down last week for messages that contained antisemitic tropes. On August 8, protestors vandalized the home of Chief Operating Officer Cas Holloway with antisemitic phrases and Nazi Swastikas, according to NBC. On August 1, House Education Committee Chair Virginia Foxx also threatened the university with subpoenas if it failed to provide information and documents related to an investigation her committee started in February into the universitys response to antisemitism on Campus. During Shafiks presidency, a disturbing wave of antisemitic harassment, discrimination, and disorder engulfed Columbia universitys campus, Foxx wrote in response to the resignation. Every student has the right to a safe learning environment. Period. Yet, flagrant violations of the law and the university rules went unpunished. Pro-Palestine organizers had also signaled that they plan on resuming encampments and other protests once school resumes, Columbias Students for Justice in Palestine celebrated the announcement. After months of chanting Minouche Shafik you cant hide she finally got the memo, the group wrote. To be clear, any future president who does not pay heed to the Columbia student bodys overwhelming demand for divestment will end up exactly as President Shafik did. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and other House Republicans also visited Columbias campus in April to denounce Shafik and Columbia for failing to protect Jewish students on campus during the encampments. During that April 24 visit, Johnson had called on Shafik to resign. THREE DOWN, so many to go, House Republican Conference leader Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), who has dedicated much of the last year to investigating university presidents for their conduct in the wake of pro-Palestine protests, posted on X. Columbia Universitys President Minouche Shafiks failed presidency was untenable and that is was only a matter of time before her forced resignation. Stefanik appeared to reference University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill and Harvard President Claudine Gay, who both resigned during this academic year in the post. Both Gay and Magill testified before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce in December and faced heavy criticism for not committing to discipline students who called for the genocide of Jewish people. Magill resigned soon after that hearing, and Gay resigned in early January following allegations that she plagiarized in her scholarship. Shafik was not at that hearing because she was attending COP28. Shafik did testify before Congress in April about her universitys response to antisemitism, where House members questioned her for not effectively dealing with protestors on campus who made Jewish students feel unsafe. During the April 17 hearing, Shafik also revealed that several faculty members were under investigation for comments they had made about Israeli or Jewish students, including Katherine Franke, who was denounced for a comment during a January interview where it seemed as though she was saying Columbia should not allow people who have served in the Israeli Defense Forces on campus. Franke has said that was not her intent and she responded to Shafiks resignation by saying capitulating to the bullies didnt work out well for her. President Minouche Shafik threw me under the bus when she testified before Congress, but Im still an employee of Columbia University, shes not. Turns out that capitulating to the bullies didnt work out well for her. It never does, Franke wrote. Protestors began occupying one of Columbias main outdoor spaces hours before Shafik appeared before Congress on April 17. The next day, Shafik authorized the New York Police Department to sweep the Gaza Solidarity Encampment. NYPD arrested over 100 protestors during that action. On April 30, after pro-Palestine protestors started another encampment and occupied buildings on campus including Hamilton Hall, the site of a student occupation during the Vietnam War, Shafik brought NYPD back to campus , leading to the arrests of more than 100 people. Police used stun grenades during that action. She also faced criticism from Jewish students and organizations for allowing the encampments, which were protesting Israels war in Gaza, to stand for days before they were removed. Jewish students reported intimidation and antisemitic actions from protestors present at the encampment. The University Senate for the Faculty of Arts and Science approved a vote of no confidence in Shafik in May. Of the universitys 4,600 full-time faculty members, only 900 participated in the vote, with 65 percent voting no confidence. Updated at 11:06 p.m. EST. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Minouche Shafik, the embattled president of Columbia University, is resigning, the prominent economist announced in an email to the university community. The decision follows a year of on-campus chaos over protests related to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Over the summer, I have been able to reflect and have decided that my moving on at this point would best enable Columbia to traverse the challenges ahead, Shafik wrote on Wednesday. I am making this announcement now so that new leadership can be in place before the new term begins. It has also been a period of turmoil where it has been difficult to overcome divergent views across our community, she added. This period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in our community. Shafik, an economist who served in high-level positions at the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and Bank of England, took the position in July 2023. The year-long tenure was defined by her response to protests over the Israel-Hamas war, which included allowing multiple New York Police Department operations on campus to crack down on students occupying a central quad and a building at the Ivy League university. Since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, the campus has been home to non-stop controversy, including an attack against an Israeli student, the suspension of two student groups critical of the Israeli war effort, a professor being accused of condoning Hamas terrorism, and the university coming under investigation from the U.S. Department of Education over claims of anti-Palestinian discrimination. NYPD officers in riot gear break into a building at Columbia University, where pro-Palestinian students are barricaded inside a building and have set up an encampment, in New York City on April 30, 2024 (AFP via Getty Images) Most recently, three top deans resigned last week, after being caught during a May campus forum on antisemitism sharing disparaging text messages that university officials described as antisemitic. In the aftermath of the protests, Shafik was one of a number of high-profile university presidents hauled before Congress for questioning, where House members, particularly Republicans, accused Ivy League leaders of tolerating antisemitism. Police look on during pro-Palestinian demonstrations at The City College Of New York (CUNY) as the NYPD cracks down on protest camps at both Columbia University and CCNY on April 30 2024 (Getty Images) In the last nine months, the presidents of fellow Ivies like Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania have also resigned, facing intense scrutiny from Jewish and pro-Palestinian student groups, civil rights advocates, conservatives in Congress, and high-profile business figures like hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman. Katrina Armstrong, CEO of Columbia University Irving Medical Center, will serve as interim president. Shafik has said she will return to work with the UK House of Lords after her departure. Columbia University President Minouche Shafik announced her immediate resignation Wednesday, months after college protests over the Israel-Hamas war gripped the campus. "I write with sadness to tell you that I am stepping down as president of Columbia University," Shafik wrote in a letter to members of the university. The announcement comes after protests broke out on the university's campus in April, leading to arrests, property damage and backlash over the institution's handling of the protests. PHOTO: In this April 17, 2024, file photo, Columbia University President Nemat 'Minouche' Shafik prepares to testify on Capitol Hill, in Washington, D.C. (Francis Chung/Politico via AP, FILE) "It has been difficult to overcome divergent views across our community," Shafik said in her letter, adding, "This period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in our community." "Over the summer, I have been able to reflect and have decided that my moving on at this point would best enable Columbia to traverse the challenges ahead. I am making this announcement now so that new leadership can be in place before the new term begins," Shafik said. Shafik, who became the first woman and person of color to lead the university in 2023, is the third Ivy League president to step down in recent months. Harvard President Claudine Gay and University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill previously announced their resignations following Congressional testimonies on the handling of anti-Semitism on campus. During her congressional testimony in April, Shafik told the committee that Columbia "strives to be a community free of discrimination and hate in all forms, and we condemn the antisemitism that is so pervasive today." MORE: Convicted murderer escapes on way to North Carolina hospital: Police Shafik said she took the job to foster a diverse community at Columbia. "But on Oct. 7, the world changed and so did my focus," she said. The day after Shafik's testimony, more than 100 pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested, and an on-campus tent encampment was removed after Shafik gave the New York Police Department the green light to clear the protesters. What followed was weeks of protests and widespread tent encampments that culminated in the occupation of the university's Hamilton Hall. In May, Columbia University's Faculty of Arts and Sciences passed a vote of no confidence in Shafik. I have tried to navigate a path that upholds academic principles and treats everyone with fairness and compassion," Shafik wrote in her letter. "It has been distressing -- for the community, for me as president and on a personal level -- to find myself, colleagues, and students the subject of threats and abuse. Shafik, who previously led the London School of Economics and worked for the World Bank, announced she will return to the U.K. following her resignation. "I am honored to have been asked by the U.K.s Foreign Secretary to chair a review of the governments approach to international development and how to improve capability," Shafik said. Katrina Armstrong, MD, who leads the university's medical school and medical center, was announced as the interim president following Shafik's departure. Columbia University President Minouche Shafik resigns months after college protests originally appeared on abcnews.go.com As students across the country prepare for their return to classes, Columbia University President Minouche Shafik has resigned from her position as head of the university. The move comes after a firestorm of criticism of Shafiks handling of student protests against the ongoing war in Gaza earlier this summer. Shafik is the third president of a major university to resign in the wake of protests against the war in Gaza, following Harvard President Claudine Gay and the University of Pennsylvanias Liz Magill. This period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in our community, Shafik wrote in a statement announcing her departure. Over the summer, I have been able to reflect and have decided that my moving on at this point would best enable Columbia to traverse the challenges ahead. I am making this announcement now so that new leadership can be in place before the new term begins. In April, Shafik found herself at the center of a global media firestorm over her handling of a student encampment established at Columbias campus demanding the school divest from Israeli and American military investments. The protests at Columbia became a template for a nationwide student movement opposing the ongoing siege against Palestinians in Gaza. Despite the protesters nonviolent occupation of the space, Shafik authorized the New York Police Department to enter the university grounds and forcibly clear the encampment a decision that a Columbia University president had not taken since 1968s anti-Vietnam War demonstrations. The violent crackdown reflected a nationwide pattern of excessive force by law enforcement against student protesters. Shafiks decision to sic law enforcement on students did little to quell the criticism against her especially by Republicans who demanded an even more forceful crackdown against what they described as inherently antisemitic protests. On Wednesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) wrote that he stood in President Shafiks office in April and told her to resign, and while it is long overdue, we welcome todays news. Jewish students at Columbia beginning this school year should breathe a sigh of relief. We hope that President Shafiks resignation serves as an example to university administrators across the country that tolerating or protecting antisemites is unacceptable and will have consequences, he added. Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) celebrated the news on X, formerly Twitter. THREE DOWN, so many to go, she wrote. After failing to protect Jewish students and negotiating with pro-Hamas terrorists, this forced resignation is long overdue. We will continue to demand moral clarity, condemnation of antisemitism, protection of Jewish students and faculty, and stronger leadership from American higher education institutions. Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) described Columbia as ground zero for campus antisemitism in NYC. I hope the new leadership will summon the moral clarity and the moral courage to confront the deep rot of antisemitism at Columbias core, he wrote on Wednesday. But as universities across the country prepare for students to return, the war in Gaza rages on. Protests against the United States military support for Israel continue to dog President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, and are expected to be a defining force of opposition at next weeks Democratic National Convention. On Wednesday, Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine wrote that after months of chanting Minouche Shafik you cant hide she finally got the memo. To be clear, any future president who does not pay heed to the Columbia student bodys overwhelming demand for divestment will end up exactly as President Shafik did, the group added. More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone An aerial drone photo taken on June 4, 2024 shows a view in Sun Island scenic spot in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. As the eastern part of the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program (TSFP), a large-scale afforestation project, northeast China has seen continuous improvement of ecological environment. China proposed in June 2023 to turn the TSFP into a fully functional and unbreakable "green Great Wall" and ecological security barrier in northern China. Launched in 1978, the TSFP aims to rehabilitate and green desert-prone lands and desertified areas in northwest, north and northeast China. (Xinhua/Wang Song) An aerial drone photo taken on July 2, 2024 shows greenery along Yitong River in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province. As the eastern part of the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program (TSFP), a large-scale afforestation project, northeast China has seen continuous improvement of ecological environment. China proposed in June 2023 to turn the TSFP into a fully functional and unbreakable "green Great Wall" and ecological security barrier in northern China. Launched in 1978, the TSFP aims to rehabilitate and green desert-prone lands and desertified areas in northwest, north and northeast China. (Xinhua/Zhang Nan) An aerial drone photo taken on July 4, 2024 shows sunset scenery in Chen Barag Banner of Hulun Buir, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. As the eastern part of the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program (TSFP), a large-scale afforestation project, northeast China has seen continuous improvement of ecological environment. China proposed in June 2023 to turn the TSFP into a fully functional and unbreakable "green Great Wall" and ecological security barrier in northern China. Launched in 1978, the TSFP aims to rehabilitate and green desert-prone lands and desertified areas in northwest, north and northeast China. (Xinhua/Bei He) An aerial drone photo taken on Aug. 13, 2024 shows a wetland park in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. As the eastern part of the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program (TSFP), a large-scale afforestation project, northeast China has seen continuous improvement of ecological environment. China proposed in June 2023 to turn the TSFP into a fully functional and unbreakable "green Great Wall" and ecological security barrier in northern China. Launched in 1978, the TSFP aims to rehabilitate and green desert-prone lands and desertified areas in northwest, north and northeast China. (Xinhua/Xie Jianfei) An aerial drone photo taken on July 24, 2024 shows herons in a forest in Heihe City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. As the eastern part of the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program (TSFP), a large-scale afforestation project, northeast China has seen continuous improvement of ecological environment. China proposed in June 2023 to turn the TSFP into a fully functional and unbreakable "green Great Wall" and ecological security barrier in northern China. Launched in 1978, the TSFP aims to rehabilitate and green desert-prone lands and desertified areas in northwest, north and northeast China. (Xinhua/Xie Jianfei) An aerial drone photo taken on July 6, 2024 shows people visiting Xiushui national wetland park in Zhalantun City, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. As the eastern part of the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program (TSFP), a large-scale afforestation project, northeast China has seen continuous improvement of ecological environment. China proposed in June 2023 to turn the TSFP into a fully functional and unbreakable "green Great Wall" and ecological security barrier in northern China. Launched in 1978, the TSFP aims to rehabilitate and green desert-prone lands and desertified areas in northwest, north and northeast China. (Xinhua/Bei He) An aerial drone photo taken on Aug. 3, 2024 shows greenery in Horqin Left Wing Rear Banner of Tongliao City, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. As the eastern part of the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program (TSFP), a large-scale afforestation project, northeast China has seen continuous improvement of ecological environment. China proposed in June 2023 to turn the TSFP into a fully functional and unbreakable "green Great Wall" and ecological security barrier in northern China. Launched in 1978, the TSFP aims to rehabilitate and green desert-prone lands and desertified areas in northwest, north and northeast China. (Xinhua/Lian Zhen) An aerial drone photo taken on July 18, 2024 shows horses grazing at the Wulanmaodu pasture, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. As the eastern part of the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program (TSFP), a large-scale afforestation project, northeast China has seen continuous improvement of ecological environment. China proposed in June 2023 to turn the TSFP into a fully functional and unbreakable "green Great Wall" and ecological security barrier in northern China. Launched in 1978, the TSFP aims to rehabilitate and green desert-prone lands and desertified areas in northwest, north and northeast China. (Xinhua/Bei He) An aerial drone photo taken on July 26, 2024 shows forest scenery in Suihua City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. As the eastern part of the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program (TSFP), a large-scale afforestation project, northeast China has seen continuous improvement of ecological environment. China proposed in June 2023 to turn the TSFP into a fully functional and unbreakable "green Great Wall" and ecological security barrier in northern China. Launched in 1978, the TSFP aims to rehabilitate and green desert-prone lands and desertified areas in northwest, north and northeast China. (Xinhua/Xie Jianfei) An aerial drone photo taken on May 30, 2024 shows the Zhanggutai base of the sand control and utilization research institute of the Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Zhangwu County, northeast China's Liaoning Province. As the eastern part of the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program (TSFP), a large-scale afforestation project, northeast China has seen continuous improvement of ecological environment. Launched in 1978, the TSFP aims to rehabilitate and green desert-prone lands and desertified areas in northwest, north and northeast China. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong) An aerial drone photo taken on July 18, 2024 shows sunset scenery at the Wulanmaodu pasture, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. As the eastern part of the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program (TSFP), a large-scale afforestation project, northeast China has seen continuous improvement of ecological environment. China proposed in June 2023 to turn the TSFP into a fully functional and unbreakable "green Great Wall" and ecological security barrier in northern China. Launched in 1978, the TSFP aims to rehabilitate and green desert-prone lands and desertified areas in northwest, north and northeast China. (Xinhua/Bei He) For most of the year, the Ukrainian army has been in a defensive crouch across the more than 600-mile-long front line. It has been dealing with a Russian opponent whose use of glide bombs, artillery and so-called meat assaults waves of Russian troops moving toward a position to overwhelm the defenders has caused problems within the ranks. Beginning peace talks with Moscow, a subject many Ukrainians viewed as taboo, is now being discussed publicly as a policy option. And while the Russians havent picked up swaths of territory like they did in the first few months of the war, their relentless offensive in Donbas over the last several months has forced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to streamline procedures for mobilizing new men into the army. The last week, however, has seen the tables turn. Even as the Russians continue to blast Ukrainian positions in the east of the country, at least 1,000 Ukrainian troops have executed a sneak attack across the border into Russias Kursk region. This isnt the first time the Russians have had to defend small villages along the border with Ukraine. But the current attack is notable because the Ukrainians appeared to have taken Moscow by surprise. The Ukrainians have captured dozens of smaller villages in Kursk, forced Russian authorities to evacuate tens of thousands of people and caused panic in Moscow. At the time of writing, the Ukrainian offensive reached about 20 miles into Russia. Despite the Russian Defense Ministry claiming that everything is under control, the Ukrainian thrust is another highly public humiliation for a Russian army that was generally viewed as lethal, competent and prepared before the war in Ukraine began. The situation looks mightily different today. The Russian army is certainly lethal, as Ukrainians can testify to, and yet the sheen has worn off in terms of competence; nobody monitoring the war can argue differently with a straight face. The foibles, screw-ups and mishaps a failed Russian offensive in Kyiv, an embarrassing withdrawal in Kharkiv, a mercenary coup in Russia that came to within 150 miles away from Moscow, incessant hatred within the Russian armys lower ranks for their own generals are too many to cover in a single column. Even so, what Russians do have is mass. Frankly put, they have more of everything, which is precisely why Moscow has been able to keep this conflict going despite at one point suffering an astounding 70,000 casualties over two months. Whereas the Ukrainians have the motivation and the tactical skill, the Russians have the bodies and lead. And therein lies the main issue for the Ukrainian government: How can it prevail facing an adversary with such materiel advantages? Kyiv has apparently come to the conclusion that shaking things up and catching Moscow off guard, on its own territory, no less, is one of those ways. Symbolically, the operation is paying off. Not many people are talking about the Russian offensive toward Chasiv Yar and Pokrovsk. The topic of conversation is now about how the Ukrainians have bloodied Russian President Vladimir Putins nose yet again. Even so, its important during times like these to go beyond the emotional and focus on the practical. For instance, what is Ukraine actually trying to achieve with this offensive? What are the objectives? And are those objectives worth the costs to other areas of the front, particularly at a time when Ukraines new mobilization system is still getting off the ground? The Ukrainians havent been straight about what they hope to achieve by invading Russian territory. Some have suggested that taking the fight directly to the enemy is meant to give the grunts in the trenches a renewed sense of hope after months in which theyve been bombarded by all manner of Russian ordnance. Others have given a more military-specific rationale for the operation by creating a new front, the Russian army will have to devote more manpower and resources toward defending its own country, which will decrease pressure on Ukrainian forces on the front line. Zelenskyy has been vague, merely stating that the offensive is designed to punish the Russian aggressor. Still others have said that Ukraines priority is to occupy a sliver of Russian territory over the long term, which would bolster Kyivs position at the negotiating table and perhaps convince Putin to minimize his expansionist desires. Of all the suppositions offered, the last on the list is the most difficult to believe. First, there is no guarantee that Ukraine has the manpower to hold Russian land long enough for Putin to rethink his entire war strategy. The Russians have already dispatched aircraft, tanks and men farther south to drive the Ukrainians out of Kursk, and its likely only a matter of time before they do. Taking territory is one thing; holding it is another. Ukrainian officials are no doubt smiling as they watch their troops hang Ukrainian flags in a few Russian towns, but theres no disputing the fact that this entire offensive is a huge gamble on their part. Zelenskyy and Ukraines top general, Oleksandr Syrskyi, likely hoped Russia would deal with the situation by redeploying some troops from Eastern Ukraine. But that doesnt seem to be happening. The pace of Russian attacks on Ukrainian positions in this region has stayed the same. As one Ukrainian press officer told The New York Times this week, Our guys do not feel any relief. Ukraines successes on Russian soil today could very well turn into a pyrrhic victory tomorrow. _____ Daniel DePetris is a fellow at Defense Priorities and a foreign affairs columnist for the Chicago Tribune. _____ Common laborers home built in 1847 could be on Bellevilles next demolition list In the Spotlight is a BND series of ongoing coverage of issues that matter most to metro-east residents. A vacant house hidden behind long overgrown trees and shrubs is likely the oldest building on Bellevilles North Jackson Street. And it could soon be headed for demolition. German immigrant John Steinwasser likely built the house at 217 N. Jackson St. in 1847 14 years before the Civil War, according to Bob Brunkow, historian for the Belleville Historical Society. He was a common laborer, Brunkow said. The house kind of reflects that: Its small. Wood frame rather than brick. Belleville officials once considered preserving the house as a museum. Now, the city has filed a petition in court to get permission to tear it down, arguing it has become a hazard. A judge hasnt ruled on the citys petition. And the current owner, a Blue Springs, Missouri-based limited liability company called Topstone, wants to bring it back from condemnation, according to Kent Mak, a company executive and the LLCs registered agent. Belleville Building Commissioner Steve Thouvenot said condemnation doesnt mean the building cant be fixed; it means the structure is unsafe in its current condition and, likely, would cost too much to bring it back to life. Topstone hasnt received the citys summons to make its case in St. Clair County Circuit Court. The front porch is overgrown at the condemned house at 217 N. Jackson St. in Belleville. Brunkow believes the house has survived as long as it has because descendants from a single family owned it for nearly 150 years: from 1850 to 1998. The family sold it at a private auction to a former Belleville Historic Preservation Commission member. At the same time, city leaders asked researchers to study historic maps and ownership records for the house because they were interested in making it a museum. They were specifically trying to determine how old the building was and whether Ninian Edwards, the only governor of the Illinois Territory and the states third governor, was responsible for its construction. Their research couldnt find a connection between Edwards and the house, according to St. Clair County Board Chairman Mark Kern, who was the mayor of Belleville at the time. But Brunkow said the former governor owned the land its built on from 1817 until he died in Belleville in 1833. Edwards heirs sold the land in 1840, seven years before Steinwasser made it his home. Still, researchers concluded that the house warranted preservation because of its age. Today, its falling apart, according to the building commissioner. Bricks falling out, foundation problems The small, 1 story frame house at 217 N. Jackson St. sits just north of East Main Street near the Belleville Philharmonic Society headquarters. Its brick has been covered by gray siding. The house had already been condemned as unsafe before Topstone bought it at a county auction and Thouvenot became building commissioner, both of which happened in January 2021. Thouvenot said he revisited the property during his first year on the job and sent notice to the company in July 2021 that the building wasnt up to code and the city would start the condemnation process within a month if it didnt make improvements. During a BND tour of the property this summer, Thouvenot described the structural problems he saw. The bricks underneath the houses siding are falling out in one spot. It might be where an old chimney got covered up or the whole wall may be crumbling, according to Thouvenot. Either way, that brick is failing, he said. Vines are climbing the exterior. They can wreak havoc on buildings, Thouvenot said, because their roots can grow into mortar joints, the space between bricks, and push everything apart. Then theres the foundation problems. The stone is cracked and pieces of it are falling off along one side of the house. On the other side, the foundation has a hole, leaving the basement open to water damage. Its possible it was a window at one time or it could be the foundation caving in, according to Thouvenot. But inside is more evidence: The tops of door frames are sloped because the foundation underneath is sinking or failing completely, he said. Pieces of the stone foundation are falling off a condemned property at 217 N. Jackson St. in Belleville. How the historic home got to this point has become a familiar story in Belleville. Somewhere in its history, an owner stops paying property taxes. Years go by with little to no maintenance until the county forecloses on it and sells it at auction for as cheap as $800. Then, the investor who buys it doesnt make the costly repairs it needs. The home sits vacant and continues deteriorating and bothering neighbors with the unwanted blight on their street and, sometimes, break-ins or fires. In the end, the city steps in and foots the bill to demolish it. From possible museum to foreclosure John Steinwasser built both 217 N. Jackson St. and the house next door, 213 N. Jackson St., a few years later, according to Brunkow, the Belleville historian. They have stood out for more than a century on a block full of grander houses because, Brunkow said, wealthy businesspeople established their homes on North Jackson: a farm equipment dealer at 300; a prosperous farmer and property owner at 303; a coal operator at 316; and a major dry goods store owner at 323. North Jackson Street was a place of prominence, Brunkow said. Michael Hartnagel, also a German immigrant who became a teamster moving things between Belleville and East St. Louis, bought both 217 and 213 N. Jackson St. in 1850. The houses then went to his son Michael Hartnagel Jr., and finally his great-granddaughter Doris Jenks, who lived at 217 until her death in 1998. 217 N. Jackson St. exchanged hands two more times after that before ending up in foreclosure. Changes at two houses at 213 and 217 N. Jackson St. in Belleville are captured in Google Street View images in recent years. Images in the top row, from left to right, were taken June 2013 and June 2015. Images in the bottom row, from left to right, were taken May 2023 and October 2023. Former Belleville Historic Preservation Commission member Karl Carl bought the house at a family auction after Jenks died, and the city of Belleville approached him about the idea of preserving it as a museum. Kern said the city wanted to save the house during his administration, but the owner was uncooperative and didnt want to sell it. Carl disputed Kerns recollection. I would have sold it in a minute, he said. They never even made me an offer. Carl said the citys planned investment in the house only fell through because researchers couldnt determine that former Gov. Edwards ever lived in the modest home, which he always thought was unlikely. Belleville Building Commissioner Steve Thouvenot walks the exterior of the condemned property at 217 N. Jackson in Belleville, where graffiti has been sprayed on the wall. When he owned 217 N. Jackson St., Carl was restoring another historic home down the street: 321 N. Jackson St. He said he couldnt find time to do the renovations himself after the museum plan was scrapped, so he sold it. The next owner, Matthew Chandler, stopped paying property taxes in 2017, according to county property records. I was too busy, Carl said. I did a lot in Belleville. He had a friendly banker, a background in construction and an interest in old buildings, so Carl said he purchased and renovated at least six historic Belleville properties. The Belleville Historical Society also looked at taking 217 N. Jackson St. on as a preservation project before the foreclosure, but the group couldnt afford it at the time, according to Brunkow. Were a very small organization, he said. Weve got four buildings at that time, we had five so you cant take on every project. And this one does have some pretty substantial work that needs to be done to it. Company outbid neighbor at auction Marty White, who lives at 213 N. Jackson St. today, said he tried to buy the vacant and overgrown house next door when it went to a St. Clair County foreclosed property auction in 2020, but Topstone outbid him by about $3,000. The company bought the property for $4,750. It was the highest of four bids, according to Whitney Strohmeyer, president of Joseph E. Meyer and Associates, the Edwardsville-based company that serves as the countys trustee and delinquent-tax agent. Strohmeyer said properties at auction typically go to the highest bidder. The county wants to recoup as much money as it can because the proceeds have to be divided up among the public schools, city, county, library and other services that had been losing out on years of property tax money from that foreclosed home. St. Clair County Board members who approve the sales have sometimes questioned those involving out-of-state LLCs from as far away as California, according to Strohmeyer. But he said a buyers proximity to a property hasnt always guaranteed a house survives either. Its hard to predict whats going to happen. You never know what theyre going to do with it down the road, Strohmeyer said. Weve sold to neighbors and the house has gotten torn down. The city of Belleville marked 217 N. Jackson St. with a sticker stating the building is condemned. Mak, the company executive, said Topstone bought houses like 217 N. Jackson St. to turn them into government-subsidized rentals. But the company paused its plans when the owners couldnt find tenants, and people broke in to strip the copper while the renovated homes sat empty, according to Mak. White said he has reached out to Topstone several times since the auction about buying 217 N. Jackson St. from the company, but it hasnt responded. In the four years hes lived next door, he said not much work has been done to the property. I mow the back lawn just because I wanna cut down on the critters running around, White said. Hes seen skunks, raccoons, opossums and cats there, as well as people he believes are homeless and squatting on the property. This spring, limbs from a big tree in 217s yard fell onto their power lines, according to White. He said hed like to see the city demolish the house and clear the lot. Its a rundown mess that needs attention, White said. Historic structure warrants preservation Fever River Research in Springfield, which conducted the historic map study of 217 N. Jackson St. for Belleville in 1998, concluded in its final report that this house documents an early dwelling for Belleville and Illinois and warrants preservation. It also suggested that limited archaeological excavations be conducted at the property because of the potential to contribute significantly to our understanding of early Belleville. Carl, who owned the property at the time, provided a copy of the report to the BND. St. Clair County Clerk Tom Holbrook described the house as a true treasure because of its history. And Kern said it would be a shame to tear it down. But both county officials said preservation is expensive and not much grant funding is available to help. They noted that Holbrook secured a state appropriation for Belleville to buy the Gustave Koerner House when Holbrook served in the Illinois House and Kern was mayor, and that the city is still raising funds to restore the historic property on Mascoutah Avenue at Abend Street. Belleville Historical Society President Larry Betz said the group would endorse a movement to save 217 N. Jackson St., but it doesnt have the money to take the preservation on either if the house were slated for demolition. The city of Bellevilles demolition lists have included historic structures in the past, including German American folk houses from as early as 1852. The future of the house that has stood at 217 N. Jackson St. since 1847 is in the hands of Topstone, a company based 250 miles away. Scott Tyler, Bellevilles director of health, housing and building, said the city would rather see Topstone fix up its properties than pay for another demolition. I would love to see them make all the properties they own in Belleville livable, Tyler said. We dont wanna demolish anything. ... At some point they leave us no choice. Community calls for peace after 3 teens, 2 women were shot at Atlanta park over the weekend There are still arrests being made after five people were shot at Rosa L. Burney Park over the weekend. Tonight, the community is calling for peace, as those who were injured continue to heal. This is not where this group expected to be this Wednesday night. Especially after many of them gathered Saturday in the same spot, to celebrate Mechanicsville Day. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] We all thought it was a beautiful thing, we hadnt seen that in a while we thought that day was going to go perfect, said Earl Conley about Saturday. The event was over at 9 oclock, said Ricky Dip. Usher helped coordinate the event and less than an hour later, police flooded the block. Shots ended up ringing out, some senseless stuff, some senseless stuff ended up happening, said Usher. In the crowd, three teens and two women were shot. Wednesday at the same spot, there was a peace rally to show support for the victims. What we are here today is stand with the survivors of what may have happened, said Usher. TRENDING STORIES: At stages and times like this, the most important thing is rallying around people and letting them know theyre cared about, said Shontel Brunson-Wright with Atlanta Victims Assistance, INC. The same people who organized Mechanicsville Day on Saturday also organized the peace rally and they say addressing the violence means addressing the underlying issues. Thats food, thats shelter, thats a good place to stay, said Usher. The same group here days ago to celebrate Mechanicsville, is now committed to keeping it safe. More so than getting in front of a camera, or having a peace rally. We going down to these hospitals and we checking on the families and checking on the individuals as well, said Usher. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: Companies ordered to pay over $900K for tricking Arizona consumers with fake delivery notices Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes announced on Wednesday that a judge entered a judgment of more than $900,000 against a man whose companies left fake missed delivery slips on their doors to trick people into providing their personal information and consent to receive phone solicitations. A Maricopa County Superior Court judge entered a judgment of $902,508 against Matthew Willes and his companies, which include Valley Delivery LLC, My Home Services LLC, Next Day Delivery LLC and Next Day Holdings LLC. The companies are accused of delivering thousands of slips that said "Sorry We Missed You" on people's doors with a phone number to reschedule a delivery that didn't exist. Mayes' office said the companies then took down people's personal information and tricked them into consenting to further solicitation. They then sold that information to other companies, causing people to receive a flood of telemarketing calls. Mr. Willes and his companies went to great lengths to manipulate unsuspecting consumers into providing personal information and agreeing to receive telemarketing solicitations, Mayes said in a written statement. It is unbelievable how far some people will go to deceive Arizona consumers. I am pleased that my office was able to stop this deceptive practice and hold the defendants accountable for their actions." The judgment came years after the Attorney General's Office sued Willes and the companies in 2020 when Mark Brnovich was in office. Willes is ordered to pay $727,247 in civil penalties and $175,261 in costs and attorneys' fees. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Companies ordered to pay over $900K for tricking Arizona consumers MALIBU, Cali. (KTLA) The owner of the MLBs Milwaukee Brewers is accused of contracting with a company that is allegedly stealing sand from a public beach in Malibu for use on his private property. James Kohlberg, who lives next door to millionaire Mark Attanasio, says in the complaint that he has seen a construction team working on Attanasios home operating enormous excavators in tidal zones, leaking oils and exposing local marine life to potentially hazardous byproducts, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. While the lawsuit claims Attanasios construction team, JILK Heavy Construction, is using a public beach as their own personal sandbox, his attorney, Kenneth Ehrlich, said the construction team is in the midst of a fully-permitted emergency repair of the property to protect it from ocean forces. It has secured all permits necessary for the repairs from the City of Malibu and LA County as well as thoroughly vetted all contractors and sub-contractors involved in the project, the attorney told the Times. That sand is particularly valuable because it is on Broad Beach, which has suffered sand depletion due to high tides and storms. In 2015, the owners of 121 properties, including celebrities like Ray Romano, Pierce Brosnan, and Dustin Hoffman, joined together for a $31-million restoration project that involved trucking in mountains of sand from quarries in Simi Valley and Moorpark and trying to re-create sandy beach and dunes, the latter atop a massive, man-made rock barrier, the Times reported. Speaking with Insider, Ehrlich said they will aggressively defend our clients rights in this legal process. The lawsuit calls for all of the sand to be returned to Broad Beach, the damages to be repaired, and for fines to be issued. Citing property records, Insider reports Attanasios company, 2XMD Partners LLC, purchased the Broad Beach home in 2007 for $23 million thats just three years after Attanasio reached an agreement to purchase the Brewers. In 2018, 2XMD bought the neighboring lot for $6.6 million. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) After her life was taken on Sunday night due to gun violence, friends and family gathered outside Zaneta Winters home in Peoria to celebrate her life Wednesday night. Around 50 people gathered at the house on North El Vista Avenue, holding balloons and candles to support the family. After some speeches from family members, balloons were released into the sky, symbolizing Winters life. Her father Michael described Zaneta as a very sympathetic person who cared about others. She was a very compassionate and concerned person about other people, looking out for other peoples well-being, he said. He also said she was an intelligent person who had very few detractors. She had no enemy. If you hated my daughter, you hated her because she was so good, he said. 43-year-old Stevie Linwood is charged with first-degree murder of Winters and attempted murder for shooting a neighbor who was trying to help Winters. The neighbor is currently in critical condition. South Peoria man to remain in custody for deadly shooting Sunday Linwood told detectives that an argument about an alleged infidelity led up to the shooting, according to Assistant States Attorney Terry Muench. Janelle Washington said she was Zanetas best friend and described her as a big sister to many people. Shes grateful for the neighbor who helped, and said that persons family has been very supportive. Its a sad situation but were going to make something positive out of it and were all going to come together today for both of them, she said. The balloons were the color purple, which Washington says is significant because not only was it Zanetas favorite color, but it also is the color for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Were going to make a positive impact out of it with domestic violence. I figured that was the perfect color and just represent her for it being her favorite color, she said. Zaneta was 35-years-old and leaves behind a young boy. Michael Winters described his firstborn daughter as a very talented person who will leave a void in the Peoria community. Were going to miss her. Were going to miss her very much, he said. A GoFundMe has been set up for the family, which you can find here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com. By Idrees Ali and Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. so far deems Ukraine's surprise incursion into Russia's Kursk region a protective move appropriate for Kyiv to use U.S. equipment, officials in Washington said, but they expressed worries about potential complications as Ukrainian troops push further into enemy territory. Ukraine has said its advancing troops have so far pushed 35 km (21 miles) into Russia since launching the incursion on Aug. 6. Kyiv says it has no interest in occupying Russian land and is creating a buffer zone to protect its border areas from Russian attacks. U.S. officials said Kyiv's overarching goals remain unclear. "It complicates the policy the more they progress into Russia without defined terms," a U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Reuters. The official said that if Ukraine starts taking villages and other non-military targets using U.S. weapons and vehicles, that could raise questions about whether it is within the limitations Washington has imposed. A second U.S. official said Washington's weapons policy was not designed for Ukraine to invade Russia, although Kyiv was technically in compliance. As a result, the official said, President Joe Biden's administration has not taken a strong public stance in support of or opposition to the assault. It was unclear which U.S.-made weapons or equipment have been used in the incursion. The Pentagon said last week that Ukraine was "taking actions to protect themselves from attacks that are coming from a region that are within the U.S. policy." Since Russia invaded its neighbor in February 2022, the U.S. has stood firm with Ukraine, providing more than $50 billion worth of military equipment. Seeking to avoid a broader conflict with geopolitical rival Russia, the Biden administration initially put strict limits on use of its weapons. Those have slowly been loosened, with Washington allowing Ukrainian strikes in Russia where attacks are emanating from. Yet despite appeals from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the U.S. still limits the use of its weapons for long-range attacks on Russian territory. The Biden administration has not publicly defined "long-range." "We have been very, very clear and consistent that we really want to see Ukraine focus on defending themselves against this aggression inside of course their borders," White House national security spokesman John Kirby told MSNBC on Thursday. "We don't encourage and we don't enable attacks outside of Ukraine except for in those exigent circumstances where we believe just over the border they're facing some imminent threats," he said. ESCALATION The administration is working to determine what Ukraine's goals actually are with the offensive, which the U.S. officials said caught Washington by surprise. One official said: "It's not unusual for them to do things without letting us know." One possible aim of the operation, they said, appeared to be to force Russia to pull some troops out of Ukraine. One official said intelligence indicated at least some movement of Russian troops from Ukraine's Kharkiv towards the Kursk region. The gambit looks like it is starting to pay off, but "we'll have a clearer picture in the weeks ahead," said one U.S. official. Biden has not spoken with Zelenskiy since they met twice in June in France and Italy, the official said. On Thursday, Russia said it would beef up border defenses, improve command and control and send in additional forces following the incursion into Kursk. Moscow has also warned against the use of Western weapons by Ukraine. "The use of U.S. weapons in Kursk, in Ukraine or anywhere else - for us - is an act of escalation and it will have serious consequences, we are being absolutely blunt about this with our U.S. colleagues. They know our opposition," Russia's Deputy U.N. Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy told reporters on Wednesday. The Ukrainian and Russian militaries have banned international journalists from the battlefield making it all but impossible to verify their claims about the battle. The U.S. has gradually eased restrictions on Ukraine's use of its weapons in part because Russian President Vladimir Putin has not lashed out as feared against Europe or the U.S., experts said. "The Biden administration sees that they've been able to manage the escalation ladder extremely effectively since the outset of the war," said Rachel Rizzo, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Europe Center in Washington. Rizzo said the goal was to manage Russia's reaction, but also "allow the Ukrainians enough leeway in terms of weapons use that they have an opportunity to actually see some advances." (Reporting by Idrees Ali and Steve Holland; additional reporting by Jonathan Landay; Editing by Michelle Nichols and David Gregorio) A Seminole County attorney is calling on prosecutors and the state division of elections to investigate the supervisor of the elections office after citizens reported receiving duplicate, identical sample ballots in the mail. 9 Investigates learned Tuesday that Seminole Countys county attorney has called on the state attorney to investigate Seminole County Supervisor of Elections Chris Anderson. These signs, which list the names of just about every person running for office in Seminole County, line the street across from the supervisor of elections office, though Supervisor Chris Andersons own campaign signs are among them. Hes also got his name on plenty of signage on the property leading to where voters cast their ballots. Read: County attorney calls on state attorney to investigate Seminole County elections supervisor Commission board chairman Jay Zembower said beyond these yard signs, hes concerned about sample ballot issues. Arguably, this is not the proper use of taxpayers dollars to promote ones name, especially in a polling place. Jay Zembower said, I can only say whether its intentional or not. Intentional? I cant speak to that. I can only say that. Its simply not appropriate. Some citizens reported receiving two ballots. Read: General counsel for Seminole County Supervisor of Elections resigns, alleges misinformation Others questioned Andersons name as an elected official in the margin next to where hes also listed as a candidate. Those issues have been raised to the division of elections in a series of letters sent over the last week by the county attorney. Its very suspicious and not consistent with what Ive observed around the state from other supervisors of elections. Zembower said. Read: Seminole County elections supervisor steps down from canvassing board over Trump endorsement For comparison, Channel 9 looked at Orange County, the current supervisor here isnt seeking election. Although longtime prior supervisor Bill Cowles had his name on signage outside his office. The signs guiding voters to polling sites were always generic and had no ones name. Read: City of Orlando, Orange County eye possible joint homeless shelter location Anderson said he was too busy preparing for next weeks primary to speak to us, but sent this statement: In Seminole County, for well over a decade, it has been consistent practice for multiple supervisors of elections to include the supervisors official logo on sample ballot mailers. The logo is used as a watermark to clearly mark the mailer as an official document from our office, helping voters easily identify it as authentic from other sample ballot flyers/voter guides distributed by 3rd party organizations. The official logo is never included within the sample ballot itself but appears as a watermark on the page. Zembower said As I am the elected commissioner of Seminole County district two, and I would argue that would be the same as Jim Bauer insisting that every piece of mail, every document that goes out from Seminole County, that my name must be on it and bold print on the front, on the back, wherever it might be. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Pregnancy can bring about a mix of emotions, from being a joyous celebratory occasion to one fraught with stress, sadness and anxiety. If complications are involved, the uncertainty can add to a moms worries. And after delivery, the postpartum period can be a time of further anxiousness, fatigue or even depression. Its time that more is done to help mothers better manage their physical and mental health during and after pregnancy. Building upon the goals and progress of the White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently released the Maternal Mental Health Task Forces National Strategy to Improve Maternal Mental Health Care, outlining recommendations for a whole-of-government approach to improve maternal mental health outcomes. The National Strategy and the Task Forces Report to Congress shed light on the barriers related to delivering the care necessary to address maternal mental health conditions. Substance use disorders and mental health conditions during pregnancy are the leading causes of pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S., accounting for more than 22% of these deaths. These conditions are the most common pregnancy-related complications, affecting an estimated one in five individuals annually. The societal costs of maternal mental health conditions are estimated at $14 billion a year when left unaddressed. Often, comprehensive and consistent prenatal care can help pregnant individuals better manage their health. However, about 75% of women who experience maternal mental health conditions remain untreated for those conditions. Research has demonstrated the link between maternal perinatal depression and anxiety and long-term challenges for children and adolescents, impacting behavioral, social-emotional, cognitive and other developmental outcomes. These complications must be addressed at the state and federal level. The 2023 March of Dimes Report Card reports that birthing people in Delaware have a high vulnerability to poor outcomes and are most vulnerable due to reproductive health care access, with 14.7% of moms receiving inadequate prenatal care. In addition, the Delaware Maternal & Child Death Review Commissions 2023 Annual Report found that six of the 10 cases reviewed had maternal mental health conditions as a contributing factor, with overdose being the leading cause of maternal death in 2023 for the fourth year in a row. This data raises serious concerns for policymakers. State Rep. Melissa Minor-Brown introduced a Delaware Momnibus package with six bills focused on improving outcomes, ranging from a Perinatal Quality Collaborative, to establishing a subcommittee for cultural competency, to extending Medicaid coverage to 12 months postpartum for uninsured mothers. Screening and treatment services need to be accessible and available when and where moms need it most. As the Maternal Mental Health Task Forces report illustrates though, the U.S. lacks the national infrastructure and workforce to properly address these needs. As a state, and as a nation, we know that we can and should do more to improve maternal health outcomes. This July 24 marked the 5th Annual Cindy Pellegrini Maternal & Child Health Advocacy Day, an opportunity for health care professionals and advocates to discuss with Congressional offices the need for high-quality, holistic maternal and infant health care and social supports. Leaders from Nemours Childrens Health, March of Dimes and the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago came together to advocate for legislation to prevent prematurity and maternal mortality, and improve maternal mental health. This legislation includes the Moms Matter Act (H.R. 3312/S. 1602), a bill sponsored by Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del. The bill would make investments in programs that expand access to high-quality maternal mental health and substance use disorder services, as well as programs that grow and diversify the maternal mental healthworkforce. Dr. Kara Odom Walker We also advocated for the Maintaining our Obligation to Moms (MOMs) Who Serve Act (S. 3641/H.R. 7087). Our nations military mothers experience mental health conditions at significantly higher rates than their civilian counterparts. This legislation would create a pilot program at military facilities to prevent maternal mental health conditions among pregnant and postpartum uniformed service members and beneficiaries. We believe that the health of moms should be a top priority. These two bills are critical to improving maternal mental health outcomes across the U.S. We encourage Congress to advance them this year. Protecting the health of moms today is imperative so that their children will have a brighter future tomorrow. Dr. Kara Odom Walker is chief population health officer at Nemours Childrens Health. Stacey Y. Brayboy is senior vice president of public policy and government affairs at March of Dimes. This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware maternal health crisis For four decades, Congress has played a shell game with the American people. The legislative branch has lazily delegated its authority to the executive branch. Federal bureaucrats have written the lions share of the laws most of us deal with on a daily basis. In reversing the 1984 holding in Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council, the Supreme Court has called Congresss sleight of hand and forced legislators to draft law once again. As an attorney who has served as counsel in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, I witnessed firsthand the incestuous relationship between Congress and federal regulators. To understand the problem, Americans first need to understand how Congress really works. Politics is a tough business, and specific legislative provisions give opponents more to attack. For generations, legislators have solved that specific challenge by giving their authority to federal agencies instead. Congress certainly can write the law. In fact, teams of attorneys in the House and Senate Office of Legislative Counsel have the ability to make bills as specific as legislators would like. So why dont legislators write our laws with exacting clarity? Members of Congress should, but won't, use the authority they have The shell game gives Congress a bureaucratic political buffer. Take immigration regulation for example. President Joe Biden reversed many of President Donald Trumps regulations immediately after taking office. Angry voters call their representatives who commiserate with their constituents and lament the unelected bureaucratss regulatory overreach. Sadly, nothing can be done to address the rule because the other party in Congress wont agree to reject the new immigration rule. The Supreme Court decision on Chevron makes it easier to challenge federal agency regulations. Congress has passed so many laws over time that executive branch agencies are littered with lawmaking authority. Rarely does Congress rein in the agencies by rejecting regulations or calling back its authority. Congress drafts the laws and then legislators blame the bureaucrats when Americans are upset. If a regulatory move is popular, the politicians crow about it from the rooftops as if theyd done the work themselves. The political motivation to delegate congressional authority hides behind practical considerations. In a country as large as the United States, drafting the specific applications of certain federal laws in every context across the nation would result in most material legislation becoming thousands of pages long. Again, Congress isnt prevented from consulting with experts and writing the law. Legislators simply dont. For example, Congress regulated fisheries in federal waters with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act in 1976. The original law is 31 pages long. Since 1994, as far back as the online version of the Federal Register dates, agencies have issued more than 9,700 federal rules related to the Magnuson-Stevens Act. As an example, one rule finalized in May of 2024 establishes federal fishery management for all salmon fishing that occurs in the Cook Inlet Exclusive Economic Zone. That one rule is 50 pages long. Ironically, the Supreme Court reviewed a National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) rule under the Magnuson-Stevens Act to turn the federal regulatory state on its head. Federal courts used to give near carte blanche to executive agencies In 2020, NMFS implemented a rule requiring Atlantic herring fishermen to bear the cost of onboard catch observers as part of a fisheries management plan. The rule imposed significant costs on the anglers who subsequently filed a lawsuit arguing that NMFS didnt possess authority to impose such a regulation in the first place. In the lower courts, the Supreme Courts Chevron holding meant that NMFS only needed to provide a permissible explanation of its statutory authority to prevail. Under Chevron, federal courts gave massive discretion to federal agencies to bootstrap any legal ambiguities or omissions into regulatory authority. Between two competing interpretations of statutory ambiguities, the scales of justice have been consistently tipped in favor of federal agencies over plaintiffs. Just in time for Independence Day, the Supreme Court held that courts must interpret the law instead of federal agencies. It overturned Chevron and gave new life to the herring fishermens case and likely spawned countless new challenges to overreaching federal regulation. In the business of statutory interpretation, if it is not the best, it is not permissible, wrote Chief Justice John Roberts for the 6-2 majority in Loper v. Raimondo. As a result, Congress must now write the law itself instead of giving a wink and a nod to the executive branch. If legislators fail to take on the responsibility, federal judges will hear arguments about what Congress meant. The legal positions of everyday Americans are now on even footing with the bureaucrats. Those seeking to rein in regulators may not prevail, but at least they have a chance. More: From the Chevron rule to Trump's immunity, how the Supreme Court voted in recent rulings Agencies must stop using outdated delegations of authority This isnt the end of expertise in federal regulation. NMFS, for example, possesses deep expertise in fisheries. Congress isnt prevented from calling upon that knowledge to develop laws. It may even decide to empower the agency to draft regulations consistent with statutory authority. But that authority now has real limits. [A]gencies have no special competence in resolving statutory ambiguities, Roberts wrote. Courts do. The Framersanticipated that courts would often confront statutory ambiguities and expected that courts would resolve them by exercising independent legal judgment. The days of Congress leaving a legislative blank check depending on a politically-aligned White House to fill it in are over. Either Congress writes the law with clarity or the best statutory interpretation should prevail. Agencies using outdated delegations of authority to effectively enact new laws will be met with meaningful legal challenges. In trying to push federal regulators off their boats, a few Atlantic herring fishermen set a hook in the American regulatory state. Any fisherman knows its tough to tell what youve got while youre reeling it in, but over the next few years, America will find out that the Loper decision is indeed a keeper. Cameron Smith, columnist for The Tennessean and the USA TODAY Network Tennessee USA TODAY Network Tennessee Columnist Cameron Smith is a Memphis-born, Brentwood-raised recovering political attorney who worked for conservative Republicans. He and his wife Justine are raising three boys in Nolensville, Tenn. Direct outrage or agreement to smith.david.cameron@gmail.com or @DCameronSmith on X, formerly known as Twitter. Agree or disagree? Send a letter to the editor to letters@tennessean.com. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Supreme Court ruling: Reversing Chevron makes Congress do its job KABUL, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan's counter-narcotics police have arrested 33 people over drug trafficking, seizing 9,940 stimulant tablets and other illicit drugs, the Ministry of Interior Affairs said in a statement on Thursday. The contraband was discovered in counter-narcotics operations, the statement said. Similarly, Afghan police have broken up a gang of robbers and arrested four members of the band in the western Herat province. The Afghan caretaker government has vowed to crack down on criminal elements to ensure law and order in the war-ravaged country. CONNECTICUT (WTNH) Some customers have seen their electricity bills go up by hundreds, if not thousands of dollars this summer, and a new petition is calling for the governor to take action immediately. Its absolutely insane, its more than most peoples mortgages, Scott Pearson, who started the petition on change.org, said. PURA approves rate hike for Eversource, United Illuminating customers Pearson says numerous people have been sending them their electricity bills. One statement he showed News 8 had charges totaling just under $3,200, with $800 in public benefit charges. Another bill listed on the petition shows a bill of over $950 with $200 in public benefit charges. The disconnect between the governor and his citizens is just astronomical, Pearson said. Everyone is very, very upset about it. A couple weeks ago when it was really hot, I went to service a senior citizen, and I walked in the apartment, Pearson said. It mustve been 100 degrees and I said why dont you put on the air conditioner? and she looked at me and said I just got my Eversource bill, I cant afford it.' Pearson has started an online petition calling for the governor to revoke public benefits charges and for the Public Regulatory Utilities Authority (PURA) to reverse Wednesdays rate hike. His petition has gained nearly 40,000 signatures. Connecticut Republicans call for special session to address soaring electric bills Meanwhile, New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart is voicing her concerns on social media. Im pissed about my Eversource bill this month, she said in a video post on X. The legislature calls them public benefit fees. But lets be real, its just a hidden tax that hides elected officials from real accountability. A spokesperson for the governors office told News 8 Gov. Lamont agrees that Connecticut residents are paying too much for electricity and has said he would be open to considering practical solutions to help lower costs in a special session. This is not a partisan issue as we all agree that we need a solution to lower energy costs. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for PURA said The Authority is actually currently in receipt of two motions to reopen/reconsider the RAM decision one from the Energy and Technology Committee Leadership and one from the Office of Consumer Counsel. Our processes allow parties seven days to comment before the matter is taken up. Since these are open matters before us, as a quasi-judicial agency we cannot provide comments at this time. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com. Construction finishes on converting retired coal plant into massive commercial solar project: 'That is cause to celebrate' A new 200-megawatt solar farm near Grants, New Mexico, started commercial operations on June 1, supplying enough clean energy to power 63,000 homes and avoid 322,000 metric tons (around 355,000 tons) of carbon dioxide pollution. Renewable energy platform Origis Energy and not-for-profit cooperative power supplier Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association finished building Escalante Solar, Solar Power World reported. The project replaced a decommissioned coal-fired power plant. Tri-State CEO Duane Highley noted that Escalante Solar helps the company meet its pledge as part of its Responsible Energy Plan to use clean resources for 50% of the electricity it delivers by 2025. It also satisfies the same standard outlined under the state's Energy Transition Act five years ahead of schedule. According to the article, the project is in the Continental Divide Electric Cooperative's service territory. It delivers clean energy to all Tri-State members, "including 11 electric cooperative members in New Mexico, under a power purchase agreement with Origis Energy." This helps them save money on their bills while reducing their reliance on dirty energy sources that fuel the planet's overheating. Through an Industrial Revenue Bond negotiated with McKinley County, the solar energy system will create $7.1 million in taxes for the county and $2.4 million for the school district over its lifetime. "The addition of a new tax base for McKinley County and our local school district is certainly beneficial, and we appreciate Tri-State and the project partners for bringing Escalante Solar to our region," Continental Divide Electric Cooperative CEO and general manager Robert E. Castillo said. Utility-scale solar projects, such as Escalante Solar, Fairy Stone Solar in Virginia, and Meta's farms in Illinois and Arkansas, are the country's third-largest renewable energy source, per American Clean Power. It avoids 125 million metric tons (around 137 million tons) of CO2 pollution yearly the same as removing 28 million cars from the road. It has also supported state and local economies by investing $195 billion in infrastructure and creating 261,000 jobs nationwide. Albuquerque-based construction company Gridworks employed around 400 workers to install the nearly 500,000 solar panel modules at the site, making it the largest solar project in Tri-State's portfolio. "Every time a project is completed and begins commercial operation, that is cause to celebrate," Origis Energy executive chairman Guy Vanderhaegen said. "We are especially delighted to bring affordable, reliable, renewable electricity to the members of Tri-State, which helps meet Tri-State's decarbonization goals." Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Sometimes, history can seem to pivot on a single event. While the underlying causes were numerous, historians generally accept that the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the most significant single inciting act of World War I. On June 28, 1914, the tensions that were roiling virtually the entire European continent reached a crescendo. Exactly one month later, Austria Hungary (Austro-Hungarian Empire) declared war on Serbia, marking the official start of what was then called the "Great War." Read on to see how this act of political violence catalyzed a century-defining war. Background on the Situation in Europe In order to see the importance of Franz Ferdinand's assassination, it helps to understand the general surroundings of the event. In the late 19th century, power shifts had been accelerating due to technological change (especially the Industrial Revolution), the rise of imperialism and waves of nationalism across the continent and abroad. Shifting Powers in Europe The Ottoman Empire, then still one of the major world powers, was in a state of decline. Germany was on the rise, and much of Eastern Europe and the Balkans was getting gobbled up by larger, ambitious powers. One of these soon-to-be-gobbled regions was the Austro-Hungarian empire, which had recently laid claim to Bosnia-Herzegovina. Serbia also wanted this region, and the rivalry between the two powers had become increasingly hostile. Europe as a 'Powder Keg' A term commonly used to describe Europe (and beyond, given the reaches of the Ottoman empire) at this time is "powder keg." The older world of Kings and Emperors was giving way kicking and screaming to modern nations with different ideas about government and international relations. Competition for resources, technology, political clout and cultural pride was getting intense. Sooner or later, it seemed, the keg was going to explode. And that's exactly what happened in 1914, when the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand occurred. Who Was Archduke Franz Ferdinand? Archduke Franz Ferdinand is still a household name, or close to it. (Certainly, having a successful indie rock band named after him has helped keep the name current.) But who was this guy, with his waxed mustaches and a row of medals pinned across his chest? Archduke Franz Ferdinand. ilbusca / Getty Images It's a safe bet that we wouldn't be talking about Franz Ferdinand if he hadn't been assassinated, and if that assassination hadn't sparked the First World War, altering the course of history. He would be just another throwback to the days when archdukes (or dukes, for that matter) were serious political actors, and not ceremonial figures in fancy dress-up. Archduke Franz Ferdinand was a nephew of Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria Hungary, which after some other male relatives died, including his father made him the presumptive heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. By 1914, he had risen in the ranks of the Austro-Hungarian armed forces to Inspector General, and he was expected to assume the throne upon the death of Franz Joseph. Who Was Gavrilo Princip? Alas, Franz Ferdinand's assassin never had a band named after him, but Gavrilo Princip was still a major player in history. He was a student, a political activist and a proud Bosnian Serb. He came from a poor background and had actually been rejected from the Serbian army when he tried to enlist as an irregular fighter (he was deemed too scrawny, which must've stung). Princip fell in with an underground group called the Young Bosnia and was aided (although the extent is disputed) by the Black Hand, a secret society Serbian nationalists who had no problem using violence to achieve their aims. This included attacking the Austro-Hungarian empire and its representatives. The Shot(s) That Started World War I As mentioned above, there were lots of people angry over the annexation of Bosnia Herzegovina by Austria Hungary, especially the Bosnians, the Herzegovinians, and the Serbian government, although not all for the same reasons. In June of 1914, in his capacities as Inspector General of the army, Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie traveled to Sarajevo to, well, do an inspection of the troops there. On their way back to city hall, there was going to be another ceremony of some kind (it must've be exhausting to be an heir apparent to an empire). That's when a member of the Bosnian Youth, who knew about Ferdinand's visit, hurled a bomb as the motorcade passed. The bomb missed its targets but injured some of the officers in the motorcade. Despite the close call, Franz Ferdinand went through with the event at the Sarajevo city hall. He was advised to leave immediately, but first he insisted on visiting the injured officers in the hospital. One Wrong Turn (Don't Blame the Driver) The trip was by now getting pretty chaotic, as could be expected. It was decided that the motorcade would take a short, straight drive to the hospital. Unfortunately, the finer points of this new route were not understood by everybody in the party, and at a certain point, a wrong turn was made. Realizing his mistake (probably because the Governor of Bosnia, who was riding with Franz Ferdinand and his wife, and who actually knew the right way, started shouting), the driver put the car in reverse, but upon trying to back up, stalled it. Two Lives Lost This gave Gavrilo Princip, who happened to be on the street where the Archduke's car had just stalled, the opportunity he needed. He stepped up and shot both Franz Ferdinand and Sophie at point blank range. (Princip later claimed he had been trying to kill the governor, not Sophie.) Sophie lost consciousness almost immediately and died shortly thereafter. Franz Ferdinand's life was over in a matter of minutes, as his bullet wound to the jugular vein meant he rapidly lost a critical amount of blood. The Aftermath After the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (exactly a month after, on July 28, 1914), the world went to war. Well, not quite whole world, but most of Europe. A good chunk of the Middle East was involved, thanks to the Ottomans and colonial expansion, as well as, eventually, the United States, Australia and some other powers. By the time the war ended, there were close to 20 million people dead, many millions more wounded, entire economies wiped out, and lasting regional and political grievances that contributed to among other crises World War II and the current conflicts in the Middle East. Not such a great war after all, wouldn't you say? Original article: Contextualizing the Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand Copyright 2024 HowStuffWorks, a division of InfoSpace Holdings, LLC, a System1 Company Would you convict Susan Lorincz? Heres what the jury is being told Jurors are expected to begin deliberations as soon as lunchtime Friday in the manslaughter trial against Susan Lorincz, who shot and killed her neighbor through a locked door last summer. Lorincz is facing 30 years in prison if she is convicted but maintains her position that she believed her life was threatened as Owens pounded on her front door, and the shooting should fall under Floridas Stand Your Ground law. She opted not to testify in her own defense, though that did not come as a surprise to court observers. Many of the details about the shooting and the victim, Ajike Owens, were made public long before witnesses were sworn in. However, not all of those details were allowed to enter the courtroom. Heres what facts have been highlighted over the three days of testimony and what the jury will likely prioritize as it weighs its decision. Read: Susan Lorincz: Defense presents arguments in trial of woman who fatally shot neighbor through door The jury The jury is made up of four men and two women, all white. Two women are serving as alternates, but they havent been needed so far. Most of the jury appears to be older than 40. At least two of the jurors are gun owners, which could influence their opinions on some of the testimony. Three jurors have ties to law enforcement. The charge and Stand Your Ground law Under Florida law, manslaughter happens when a person kills another human being, and the killing was inexcusable or unjustified. Floridas Stand Your Ground law provides a shield from criminal prosecution when the killer reasonably believes the other person is about to harm or kill them or commit a crime that involves violence like arson or robbery. Lorinczs charge is upgraded because she used a gun. Her involvement in the shooting is not in question. The trial centers on whether her claim that she was afraid for her life was reasonable. Read: Prosecutors use Susan Lorinczs own words against her, rest case The case against Lorincz In their efforts to put Lorincz in prison, prosecutors have built a complex web around her claims and attempted to cut off her arguments piece by piece rather than create a coherent narrative for jurors to follow. A summary of the claims and discoveries detectives made: Lorincz filmed the neighborhood kids playing near her home repeatedly for hours before the shooting Lorincz swung an umbrella at some of the kids Lorincz threw a roller skate at or near one child Owens went to Lorinczs house to confront her after being told about the skate and that Lorincz stole one childs tablet Owens never verbally threatened Lorinczs life Owens did not continuously pound on Lorinczs front door Deputies were already on the way to the situation after Lorincz called 911 to report the kids for trespassing and were just minutes from arriving Owens did not attempt to enter Lorinczs home and, in fact, was asking her to come outside Lorincz walked around her home for several minutes as Owens stood outside Lorinczs door had a brand-new deadbolt lock with three-inch screws, making it difficult to kick in Owens did not bang on the door hard enough to damage it Lorincz shot Owens two minutes after Owens began banging on her door Lorincz threw her gun back into the bedroom trash can where she kept it, but it somehow fell underneath a different gun she owned Lorincz bought that gun because of Owens and practiced shooting with some regularity Lorincz despite a hysterical second 911 call after the shooting was calm and unemotional as deputies detained her a few minutes after that call, inquiring about her cats but not the woman she shot Lorincz researched Floridas Stand Your Ground law sometime around the shooting before she spoke to detectives Read: Lorincz trial prosecutors work to overcome sluggish start Additionally, prosecutors insinuated Lorincz walked up to her door before pulling the trigger and moved the shell casing from her shot onto the kitchen counter a move the defenses own witness called highly unusual as he attempted to downplay the possibility. Prosecutors framed the shooting as a calculated move made by a frustrated Lorincz, who was seeking a quick way to end an ongoing dispute with her neighbor. The jury was not allowed to hear any testimony about Lorincz using racial slurs against the kids, except for a recording of one of her interviews when detectives asked her about allegations neighbors made, and she denied them. Read: All-white jury seated in Susan Lorincz trial in Marion County The case for Lorincz The defense comes into the final day of the trial with an advantage: they only need to convince one juror that Lorinczs actions were reasonable instead of all six. Their strategy has been centered on creating that sliver of doubt from the first moments they began arguing, with a dramatic opening statement involving pounding a fist on the podium and playing Lorinczs 911 call where she cried to the point of being undecipherable. Here are some of the other points theyve made: Owens was decades younger than Lorincz and more than 100 pounds heavier Owens has had other altercations with Lorincz, including times when Lorincz said she was threatened Owens once tossed a sign at Lorincz Owens once followed Lorincz as she walked Lorincz had been in a car crash and had various medical problems that lowered her mobility Owens banged on Lorinczs door hard enough to make the door and walls shake Owens was blocking Lorinczs only way out of her apartment Owens was very angry and cursing Lorincz said she believed Owens was going to beat her to death Lorincz had no way of knowing if Owens was armed Lorincz said she was aiming to scare Owens, not kill her Lorinczs shell casing was found on the kitchen counter, far from the door Lorincz didnt delete anything from her phone Lorincz cooperated with deputies from the moment they arrived and willingly granted interviews with detectives Owens had been warned to call law enforcement instead of confronting Lorincz herself The defense was barred from most mentions of drug use and shootings the neighborhood had in the past. Detectives said they were called there frequently, but the judge ruled going into detail about the state of crime in the neighborhood would be prejudicial. A defense expert also wasnt allowed to testify about Lorinczs state of mind as Owens banged on her door since he lacked the proper qualifications. Ultimately, the defense is asking jurors to take Lorincz at her word that she was afraid of what Owens might do to her before deputies could arrive on the scene. That fear caused her to pull the trigger to prevent Owens from entering her apartment. Other than one juror nodding her head as a defense expert testified, there have been no visible signs of agreement with either sides arguments during the court of the trial so far, and its unclear how quickly the six men and women will come to a decision if ever. Closing statements are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Friday. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. CRANSTON, R.I. (WPRI) A man who confessed to the 1989 murder of a Warwick woman was released from prison on Wednesday. Todd Barry, 67, was originally sentenced to 30 years after he admitted in 2002 to killing Victoria Cushman. Barry shaved more than eight years off his sentence for good behavior, according to the Rhode Island Department of Corrections (RIDOC). He accrued 2,550 days of statutory good time, 476 days of industrial time and 46 days of program time. Scott Hornoff, a former Warwick police officer, was wrongfully convicted of the murder in 1996 and received a life sentence. He spent more than six years in prison until Barry confessed. Since then, Hornoff has been a fierce advocate of compensating exonerees for their time spent behind bars. He worked with Rhode Island Rep. Patricia Serpa on a state law that was enacted in 2021. The law states the court will grant an award of $50,000 for each year served in a correctional facility for those who were wrongfully convicted. RI takes steps to compensate wrongfully imprisoned, but exoneree says its not about the money The family of Victoria Cushman declined an interview request from 12 News. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Breaking News Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. One of Donald Trumps former campaign advisers returned to the fold on Thursday and immediately screwed up big time. Corey Lewandowski, who took a plea deal in 2022 over allegations that he made unwelcome sexual advances toward a GOP donor, is back to advise the Trump campaigns senior leadership team. Former President Donald Trump, the 2024 GOP nominee, brought Lewandowski back despite his controversial history, which includes telling a congressional hearing that he had no obligation to be honest with the media; being accused of mocking a girl with Down syndrome; and allegedly having an affair with married South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem. If Trump hoped Lewandowskis presence would help improve the optics of his campaign, he probably wont be reassured by Lewandowskis first tweet upon his return. Lewandowski started off fine, writing: How could anyone not be excited to help elect this man? He added that hes excited to be back on the Campaign Team to help deliver victory in 2024, and vowed to let Trump, be Trump (however much some members of his own party might want the exact opposite). But then Lewandowski blew it with the final line: Get off the couch and join us, the President needs your help. This, unavoidably, reminded plenty of people about the false claim that Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), Trumps running mate, once fornicated with a couch. People have been citing the joke for weeks to mock Vance, including Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic nominee for vice president. How could anyone not be excited to help elect this man? Ive been with President @realDonaldTrump since Day 1, worked for him in 2016 & 2020, and Im excited to be back on the Campaign Team to help deliver victory in 2024. 81 Days Left - Let Trump, Be Trump! Get off the couch pic.twitter.com/r2AgYV5BAt Corey R. Lewandowski (@CLewandowski_) August 15, 2024 Lewandowskis unfortunate choice of words did not go unnoticed. Just 1 hour into being brought back on to help rescue the floundering Trump/Vance campaign, Corey Lewandowski has already stepped on a rake tweeting a couch reference https://t.co/XJgIJaFZvi Kaylan_TX (@Kaylan_TX_) August 15, 2024 Get off the couch - you talking to JD?? Felonius J. Trump (@DrainTheTrumps) August 15, 2024 To be fair, Lewandowski isnt the only Republican on Trumps presidential campaign who has (presumably accidentally) referred to couches in recent weeks. Last month, Vance was speaking at a rally in Reno, Nevada, when he praised his wife, Usha, by saying: I would call her up here to come and speak, but then I think Id have to sleep on the couch tonight, so Ill leave her alone. Furniture jokes aside, some people on social media argued that Lewandowskis return to the Trump orbit might be bad news for other, more important reasons. A Corey Lewandowski refresher I have no obligation to be honest Hes the guy that steamed Trumps pants while he was wearing them. Hes a bootlicking fascist loyalist. pic.twitter.com/dZxcy2Mqlt Outspoken (@Out5p0ken) August 15, 2024 2021: Lewandowski made sexual advances towards the wife of a major Trump donor, leading to a Trump spokesman saying Lewandowski "will no longer be associated with Trump World." Should go over well with suburban women https://t.co/Flt4lO29aR Olga Lautman (@OlgaNYC1211) August 15, 2024 It's good to see that Donald Trump is still only hiring the best, like someone who was charged for battery after making unwanted sexual advances against a woman in Las Vegas, was forced to resign from CNN for appearing drunk on air, was fired by OANN, mocked a child with Down Travis Akers (@travisakers) August 15, 2024 Donald Trump is so desperate hes bringing Corey Lewandowski back after he got fired for sexual harassment allegations. Same guy also attacked a reporter during the 2016 campaign. Theyre not sending their best, folks. https://t.co/OUR6aJoF4Y Mike Nellis (@MikeNellis) August 15, 2024 Oh I didnt realize the problem with the Trump campaign was a lack of staffers that can have an affair with Kristi Noem RestoreSanity2024 (@RestoreSantity) August 15, 2024 Corey Lewandowski returns to Trump campaign in round of staffing hires The Trump campaign is bringing on a handful of allies in an official capacity ahead of Novembers election, including the former presidents 2016 campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski. Lewandowski, who has floated in and out of former President Trumps orbit and been at the center of controversy, will join the ranks of the former presidents 2024 operation as part of a round of staffing hires. Trumps 2020 communications director, Tim Murtaugh, will join the campaign, as will Taylor Budowich and Alex Pfeiffer, shifting over from their senior roles with the pro-Trump MAGA Inc. super PAC. Alex Bruesewitz, a Trump ally who recently weighed a bid for Congress in Wisconsin, will also officially join the campaign. As we head into the home stretch of this election, we are continuing to add to our impressive campaign team, Trump campaign senior aides Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita said in a statement. Corey Lewandowski, Taylor Budowich, Alex Pfeiffer, Alex Bruesewitz, and Tim Murtaugh are all veterans of prior Trump campaigns and their unmatched experience will help President Trump prosecute the case against Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, the most radical ticket in American history. Politico first reported on the staffing hires. Lewandowski served as Trumps first campaign chair during the 2016 campaign before he was ousted and eventually replaced by Kellyanne Conway and campaign Chair Paul Manafort. The Massachusetts native was removed from a top post at a pro-Trump super PAC in 2021 after he was accused by a major donors wife of making unwanted advances during an event in Las Vegas. He had previously worked with the campaign in an advisory role for the Republican convention. The staffing additions come as Trump looks to get his campaign for the White House back on track as Vice President Harris has wiped out his polling lead and built momentum after replacing President Biden atop the ticket. Polling published Wednesday from the nonpartisan Cook Political Report showed Harris narrowly leading Trump in five out of seven battleground states likely to decide Novembers election: Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Trump led Harris in Nevada, while the candidates were tied in Georgia. Republicans have for days publicly urged Trump to focus more on policy differences with Harris instead of lobbing personal attacks at the vice president. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Have you been left out of pocket by a fake QR code? Email: money@telegraphmco.uk. Drivers are being told to steer well clear of QR codes at council car parks following a spate of scams. Motoring body RAC urged drivers to only make payments with cash, cards or official apps. Cases of scammers sticking their bogus barcodes on parking machines to trick drivers into entering their card details into a fake payment website have been reported across the country. Incidents have become more frequent in recent weeks, with car parks in locations such as Barking and Dagenham, Northumberland, Northamptonshire, South Tyneside and Pembrokeshire targeted, RAC said. Simon Williams, of the motoring body, said: A car park is one of the last places where youd expect to be caught out by online fraud. Unfortunately, the increasing popularity and ease of using QR codes appears to have made drivers more vulnerable to malicious scammers. For some, this sadly means a quick response code could in fact be a quick route to losing money. Mr Williams said unsuspecting motorists caught out by fraudsters are then being issued with fines from local authorities for not paying. As if this scam isnt nasty enough, it can also lead to drivers being caught out twice if they dont realise they havent paid for parking and end up getting a hefty fine from the council, he said. The safest course of action when paying for parking at a council-owned car park is to avoid using QR codes altogether. Most of these councils dont even operate a QR code payment system, so if youre in any doubt, steer well clear and only pay with cash, card or via an official app downloaded from your smartphones app store. The ability to pay by cash, however, is growing increasingly limited as councils continue to favour mobile payments. Research by RAC in March found that a fifth of local councils were planning to scrap parking machines in favour of smartphone payments. A number have already done so, including Brighton & Hove City Council which last year removed all its on-street parking meters after stressing that only 2pc of payments were made in cash. The shift to cashless parking across the country has fuelled the rise in fraudsters sticking bogus QR codes in car parks. Swathes of local authorities have issued warnings on social media following a spate of parking scams. Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council said several of its car parks have been impacted, with codes taking users to fake RingGo websites. Wrexham Borough Council has issued a warning to motorists to be aware of the scams. Roger Mapleson, of councils trading standards team, said: With modern technology in place all over the UK to pay for goods and services, please be aware of this scam. Not only will you lose your money, but you may also be fined for parking without proper payment. Last year, TransPennine Express removed all QR codes from its 14 station car parks following reports of fraudulent stickers covering the legitimate payment links. The rise of QR code scams has not been confined to car parks, with people targeted in pubs, restaurants and cinemas in recent years. Cyber experts have previously told The Telegraph that drivers should pay close attention to the edges of the black and white codes to see if they are stuck on, which could indicate they are fake. Mr Williams added that the new wave of criminal activity demonstrates why Britain is in dire need for a system which allows people to pay for parking with a single app. The Government has previously pledged to simplify parking with a national parking platform that will allow motorists to use just one app of their choice to pay for parking. The technology, which has been trailed by a number of councils, allows data to be exchanged between different payment operators. Once brought in on a national scale, people will be able to download just one app of their choice which they can use wherever in the country they are. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government was approached for comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) A man and woman who had won a jackpot at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa, Florida, were shot and robbed after two men followed them home, according to court records. The couple was at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Aug. 2 when they won a large prize from a slot machine, according to a motion for pre-trial detention. The pair was allegedly followed to a Riverview, Florida, home by two men, later identified as Marcus Jenkins, 34, and Tristin Wright, 36. Former Rays shortstop Wander Franco to go on trial As the two got to the home, Jenkins was allegedly seen on doorbell camera footage shooting at them. The woman was hit in the calf, while the man was hit in his right thigh and left knee. One of the suspects covered the doorbell camera with his hand while the other could reportedly be heard demanding the victim take off his watch. Jenkins and Wright allegedly got away with the mans watch and the womans purse, court records show. Deputies reviewed surveillance footage from the casino, which showed Jenkins on his phone while following the couple to the parking lot, according to court records. Jenkins was allegedly seen getting into a Hyundai Sonata, which then followed the couple to the Riverview home. A third person, who has not been identified, was driving the car, according to court records. Rapper Nelly arrested in Missouri following casino win: attorney Jenkins was charged with two counts of attempted murder in the first degree; two counts of robbery with a firearm; two counts of aggravated battery, great bodily harm or deadly; and felon in possession of a firearm. Wright was charged with two counts of principal to aggravated battery, great bodily harm or deadly; two counts of principal to attempted murder in the first degree; and two counts of robbery with a firearm or deadly weapon. Jenkins has multiple prior felony convictions. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. BEIJING, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian death toll from Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip since the outbreak of the current round of Israeli-Hamas conflict began on Oct. 7 has surpassed 40,000, Gaza-based health authorities confirmed on Thursday. With an additional 40 people killed over the past 24 hours, the death toll in Gaza has risen to 40,005. The tragic milestone comes as the latest round of conflict between Israel and Hamas has entered its 10th month, while the humanitarian situation in the coastal enclave has been worsening. So far, about 305 square kilometers, or nearly 84 percent of the Gaza Strip, have been placed under evacuation orders by the Israeli military, according to an update released by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs on Monday. Since July 4, the UN Human Rights Office has recorded 21 strikes against schools serving as shelters in the Strip, which have resulted in at least 274 fatalities, including women and children, the update said. Water, food and fuel supplies in Gaza are critically low, while diseases like Hepatitis A continue to spread across the strip, according to the UN office. "Two out of every three buildings in Gaza are damaged or destroyed," Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, said on the social media platform X. "These include people's homes, schools, markets, and places of worship. The once closely-knit society and kinship are being torn apart day by day, under our watch." There is also growing fear across the Middle East that the conflict could spill over and escalate into a full-scale regional war. Iran and its allies vowed to revenge for the killings of Hamas Politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah senior military commander Fouad Shokor in Beirut, which both occurred in late July. In the face of potential retaliatory strikes from Iran and its allies, Israel is monitoring the situation "with all capabilities," Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Daniel Hagari said Monday. "We are at the highest state of readiness in both offense and defense." Amid heightened regional tensions, mediators of the fragile Gaza ceasefire talks, including Qatar, Egypt and the United States, urged Israel and Hamas on Aug. 8 not to delay finalizing a ceasefire agreement. Israel is expected to send a delegation to the latest round of talks on Thursday, while Hamas has called for the implementation of previously approved plans rather than engaging in further negotiations or introducing new proposals. Notably, days before the scheduled ceasefire talks in Qatar, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken approved a 20-billion-U.S. dollar sale of fighter jets and other military equipment to Israel, boosting the country's military capability. Addressing the UN Security Council earlier this month, Dai Bing, charge d'affaires of China's Permanent Mission to the UN, called on all parties to respond to the "overwhelming consensus of the international community" and to jointly promote the "full and effective" implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions to achieve an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, to put an end to the humanitarian catastrophe and to contain the spillover of the conflict. On Monday, the leaders of France, Germany and Britain issued a joint statement calling for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and the delivery and distribution of aid to the people of Gaza. Despite U.S. President Joe Biden's claim on Tuesday that an Iranian attack on Israel could be averted if Israel and Hamas manage to reach a ceasefire deal, the outcome of Thursday's negotiations -- dubbed by many as the "last chance" for a truce -- remains uncertain. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) The fight continues in court long after the blazes have subsided, rebuilding efforts are nearly complete and a memorial stands honoring the emergency responders and 14 people killed in the November 2016 wildfires in Sevier County. A panel of judges in the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals released their opinions in late June regarding previous rulings in a case against the federal government about the National Park Services response to the deadly wildfires. The cases plaintiff-appellant is the American Reliable Insurance Company, et al. Change of plans announced for Exit 407 tourism site in Sevier County With this new opinion, essentially, the 6th Circuit has overturned a lower court ruling and will allow the insurance company lawsuits to pursue more of their claims than previously allowed. A main facet of the opinion is that the panel has reversed the district courts order granting the governments motion to dismiss Plaintiffs-Appellants incident-command claim. The panel, comprised of circuit judges Boggs, Gilman and Nalbandian, heard arguments for appeal earlier this year from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville, with District Judge Greer presiding. The panels opinions were released on June 28. The case against the government arises from the Parks fire-management policies and the actions employed by the Park up until the Fire left the Park boundaries at 1600 hours Monday, November 28, the court document states. The court document states that previously, the government had filed a motion to dismiss the case for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction, on grounds that it was immune from suit under the discretionary-function exception to the FTCA. The district court had granted the motion on all three claims relating to fire-management protocols but denied the motion on claims relating to the duty to warn. The insurance companies appealed, and the government cross-appealed. The court document then reviews the other lawsuits and claims outlined in the aftermath of the wildfires, and how rulings have impacted court opinions. The panels conclusion is where the new action occurs in the case, with the judges citing their reasons in the document. we reverse the district courts order granting the governments motion to dismiss Plaintiffs-Appellants incident-command claim, the documents conclusion begins. We affirm the district courts dismissal of the fire-monitoring claim and the WFDSS claim as part of the discretionary fire-suppression decision-making process. We affirm the district courts denial of the governments facial challenge to Plaintiffs-Appellants duty-to-warn claims, and remand these claims for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. DA: Man convicted in 2022 Kingston double homicide gets lengthy sentence The panel cites multiple reasons for the incident-command claim motion reversal; stating that the district courts decision in relying on the 2016 Interagency Redbook fire manuals discretionary language is in the context of discussing the principles of fire suppression and developing a fire-suppression strategy. The Redbook provides a framework,' the panel stated, not absolute or immutable rules, and that the rules require judgment in application.' Another example of this was how the main fire commander, Salansky, was essentially wearing too many hats during the incident-command process, which didnt follow Redbook recommendations according to the NPS and ABS reports, stating, on this incident, the Parks FMO (fire management officer) operated in three roles: as the duty officer, the incident commander, and the fire management officer contrary to 2016 Redbook policies. The document goes on to elaborate on how the Redbook instructs on discretionary fire-suppression decisions, within a certain incident-command system and structure; plus, how during oral arguments, the government reiterated that the question on appeal is not causation, but whether NPS had specific marching orders on how to proceed. And it is the existence of these specific marching orders that distinguishes the command-structure claims here from fire-suppression cases where courts have held that the discretionary-function exception protects fire-suppression efforts of the government from FTCA waiver of sovereign immunity. Blount County man discovers odometer rolled back on recently-bought used car View the full document below. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals_Gatlinburg wildfires June 2024_OpinionDownload Fourteen people died in the wildfires that began in late 2016, one of the worst natural disasters in state history. Over 2,400 buildings were destroyed, and more than 17,000 acres were burned. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) Two cousins from the El Paso region pled guilty and were sentenced to prison last month after they both distributed child pornography to each other, according to court documents obtained by KTSM. According to court documents, Ryan Gallardo, 23, from Las Cruces, and Yamil Pillado, 22, from El Paso pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and receive child pornography in July. Gallardo was sentenced to 20 years in prison along with 25 years of supervision. Pillado was sentenced to 17.5 years in prison along with 20 years of supervision. L to R: Yamil Pillado, 22, from El Paso. Ryan Gallardo, 23, from Las Cruces. In April 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Pillados home where they found several video files of young girls engaging in sexually explicit conduct on his cellphone, according to the Office of the Third Judicial District Attorney. Pillado, who resides in El Paso, gave a statement affirming that he obtained most of the child exploitive materials from his cousin Gallardo. Pillado was then arrested and charged in Texas, according to the Office of the Third Judicial District Attorney. Law enforcement officials executed another search warrant at Gallardos apartment in Las Cruces where his phone was found. Evidence was then obtained from WhatsApp and Gallardo was identified as the account owner. Gallardo was arrested in May 2023. The material included conversations, sexual videos, and images that were exchanged by both men spanning from 2022 through April 2023, according to the Office of the Third Judicial District Attorney. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. (Emily Elconin/Getty Images). Last year, when COVID vaccines were still free, barely one in five Americans rolled up their sleeves for the latest dose. Now that some people will have to pay $100-plus for the shot, health officials expect even weaker demand when the next version of the vaccine comes out this fall. Meanwhile, a surprisingly strong summer surge of COVID cases sweeps across Kansas and Missouri. As students head back to school, more people are testing positive, ending up in emergency rooms and getting hospitalized with the virus, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Kansas City, the reported case rate at the end of July was more than double the same week last year and edging toward last winters rate. At the same time, wastewater testing in Kansas and Missouri showed viral activity that surpassed national and regional levels. Of course, the virus is nothing like it used to be. At the height of the pandemic in January of 2021, the CDC reported that almost 30% of weekly deaths in the U.S. could be attributed to COVID. For the week of Aug. 3, the disease was blamed for 1.5% of U.S. deaths. But the picture would look quite different without the vaccine, experts said. At the same time, some health professionals trace Augusts surge to low vaccination rates last September and October. The urgency of COVID has obviously gone down, said Cecelia Thomas, a health policy consultant with Washington-based Venn Strategies. People are now getting it or theyre seeing people get it and its like a cold. Not even a bad cold. But I dont think theyre realizing that its not as bad because they are vaccinated. Immunity wanes over time as the virus mutates. Getting an updated COVID shot every year, doctors advise, helps your immune system keep pace with changes. But last year, as life seemed to have returned to normal for most people, many Americans took a pass on the COVID shot. At the start of December, the height of vaccine season, only 16% of adults had gotten the updated shot. The rate had only ticked up to 22.5% by the middle of May. Surprise summer surge Scientists have come to expect a summer rise in COVID cases because the virus is cyclical, ebbing and waning in temperate climates as seasons change. But the current COVID surge has caught some health experts by surprise. Its infecting more people and sending more patients to hospitals. Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, blames the higher than expected number of cases on last years lackluster vaccination rates. Many of the people being hospitalized today did not receive the vaccine last fall, he said. Hospitals no longer report the number of patients admitted with COVID. But at least anecdotally, doctors say, theyre seeing more people getting sick with the virus. And some people most at risk are getting really sick. Dr. Dana Hawkinson, an infectious-disease doctor at the University of Kansas Health System, said people should be aware of the current risk, especially if their age or underlying health puts them at higher risk for getting severely ill. Have a plan, he said, especially if you are at high risk. That can include wearing a mask in crowded places, being careful about hand hygiene, avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth when in public and, of course, getting up to date on your vaccine. An updated COVID vaccine, recommended annually for anyone 6 months and older, can prevent severe illness and reduce the chances that youll end up with long COVID. But getting a current vaccine is about to get a lot harder, especially for patients who are uninsured. COVID vaccines will likely cost more this fall During the height of the pandemic, COVID vaccinations were free to everyone. People only needed to sign up for an appointment online and walk into a nearby pharmacy. No cash needed. When the federal government lifted the Public Health Emergency in May of 2023, people covered by Medicare or Medicaid and most people with private insurance could still get the shot without paying a copay. People without insurance got free shots through the $1 billion federal Bridge Access Program. That was meant to cover the gap so all COVID shots remained free through the end of 2024. In the meantime, the CDC promised to establish a new program to make sure uninsured adults could continue getting free COVID vaccines. It was to be modeled after the federal Vaccines for Children program, which pays for vaccines for minors whose families cant afford them. But that program hasnt come to fruition. And, thanks to congressional budget cuts, funding for the Bridge Access Program is running out early. Meanwhile, people with private insurance may have to pay a copay to get the shot. For someone without insurance, the shot can cost more than $100. The Johnson County Department of Health and Environments website lists the out-of-pocket cost for a COVID shot as $160. Even when a shot is covered by insurance, many health departments charge an administration fee. In Johnson County and for the Wyandotte County Public Health Department, that amounts to $20 for COVID or any other vaccine. Vaccine access will vary by health department Public health officials around the Kansas City area are varied in how they plan to handle the lack of federal funding for COVID shots. The Wyandotte County Public Health Department wont offer any free COVID vaccines for adults this fall. Jackson County Public Health has allocated American Rescue Plan funds to cover the cost of offering free vaccines to uninsured adults through the end of the year. And Platte County is weighing how to allocate expected state funding for COVID and flu vaccines. Money wont stretch as far if the county chooses to offer the COVID shot, which is much more costly than the flu vaccine, said Aaron Smullin, Platte County Health Department spokesman. We are evaluating data on COVID/flu hospitalizations and deaths to decide how to allocate our resources, Smullin wrote in an email response. Without current (Bridge) funding, we face the difficult choice of whether to immunize 500 people against flu or 125 against COVID. Public health officials fear that any added expense and complication will lead many people to forego the shot again this fall. And that could mean more infections and hospitalizations during future a COVID surge. The current strains of COVID infecting most people this summer known as FLiRT variants are related to Omicron, the version of the virus that swept across the world in late 2021. The variants are highly contagious and spread readily. They are also still mild for most people who test positive. Thats because most people have immunity, either from previous infections or from getting the vaccine. But the evolving virus could still become more dangerous again, scientists said, which is why vaccines are so important. These vaccines have saved millions of lives around the world, including in the United States, Schaffner said. But you cant get protected if the vaccine is in the refrigerator. Its got to be in your arm to work. In addition to getting vaccinated, public health officials warn that people should test if they have symptoms and isolate and take other precautions like wearing a mask to avoid spreading the virus if they get sick. When someone tests positive, a doctor can prescribe an antiviral medication to prevent severe disease. No-cost testing is still available at some pharmacies for people without insurance who have been exposed to COVID or have symptoms. And people who are infected, can apply for free access to antiviral medication treatments like Paxlovid. This article first appeared on Beacon: Kansas City and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. Hurricane Ernesto boasted maximum sustained winds of 80 mph last night. New polling suggests Kamala Harris leads Donald Trump in five of seven battleground states. USA TODAY investigates how PFAs made their way into your drinking water. I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. Meet dinosaur skeleton "Gnatalie." Hurricane Ernesto lurks off the US coast Swaths of Puerto Rico remain submerged Thursday after Hurricane Ernesto unleashed torrential rain and damaging winds that triggered flash flood warnings and cut power for thousands of residents. Though Ernesto is expected to remain offshore from the U.S. East Coast, officials said swells are forecast to reach the region into the weekend increasing the risk of life-threatening surf and rip currents. The storm pummeled Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands through much of Wednesday, quickly dumping several inches of rain and cutting utilities for nearly half of Puerto Rico. Cows wading through neck-high water: Rising waters in Puerto Rico's Gurabo River in the east-central part of the island forced cows to "fight for their lives," painting a picture of how intense flood levels are. Ernesto could become a Category 3 hurricane by Friday before approaching Bermuda on Saturday. Damage after Ernesto hit Fajardo, Puerto Rico, on Aug. 14, 2024. Harris leads Trump in five battleground states Kamala Harris is ahead of Donald Trump in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Arizona, while the candidates are tied in Georgia, according to a new survey released Wednesday. The findings suggest multiple paths to the 270 electoral votes needed to win the election have opened for Harris. Read more The news to know on Thursday What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here. Hamas will skip Gaza truce talks Hamas said would not take part in a new round of Gaza ceasefire talks slated for Thursday in Qatar, but an official briefed on the talks said mediators expected to consult with the militant group afterwards. The U.S. has said it expects indirect talks to go ahead as planned on Thursday, and that a cease-fire agreement was still possible while warning that progress was needed urgently to avert a wider war. Read more Now Parvovirus B19 is a thing More people in the U.S. have become infected with Parvovirus B19, a highly transmissible seasonal respiratory virus that can pose serious risks to pregnant people and those with blood disorders, health officials say. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a broad warning on Tuesday to health care providers, health agencies and the public. For most, the highly-contagious infection is mild. More stories we're reading Wondering who (or what) put forever chemicals in your drinking water? USA TODAY investigated. Following @usatoday on Instagram for more. How a gymnastics saga, not the gymnastics, became the story Jordan Chiles and two Romanian gymnasts would all get bronze medals if an arbitration panel could award them, and said a great deal of heartache could have been avoided had there simply been a way to verify in the moment whether a scoring appeal was submitted on time. The International Gymnastics Federation needs to put a mechanism in place so a similar situation never happens again, the ad-hoc panel of the Court of Arbitration for Sport wrote this week. Read more Photo of the Day: Nice to meet you, baby Toni Baby pygmy hippopotamus Toni made a first public appearance Thursday at the Berlin Zoo in Germany. Toni's mother, Debbie, has raised a few hippos already. The first of the highly endangered species came to Europe from Sierra Leone in 1873. Pygmy hippo Toni plays with her mother Debbie in its enclosure at Berlin's Zoo on August 15, 2024 in Berlin, during its first presentation to the public. Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com . This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hurricane Ernesto, Harris, Trump, Israel, Gaza, Hamas, Jordan Chiles: Daily Briefing Creston police say person of interest turns himself in after morning shooting CRESTON, Iowa The Creston Police Department says a person of interest is in custody following a shooting Thursday morning. According to a post on the departments Facebook page, CPD took a report of a shooting Thursday morning and the victim drove themself to Greater Regional Healths emergency room following the shooting. Their condition has not been released. The person of interest has turned himself into law enforcement. Des Moines chase suspect jailed after crash The post did not reveal more details about the incident but an article from the Creston News Advertiser says the shooting was reported at 7:35 a.m. in the 800 block of North Lincoln Street in Creston. Lockdowns were put in place at Southwestern Community College, Creston Community School District, and Greater Regional Health facilities because of the shooting but were lifted after learning the person of interest was in custody. The names of the victim and the person of interest have not been released. The Creston Police Department told WHO 13 that a press release with more information on the shooting would be issued later Thursday. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com. AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) Investigators with the Richmond County Sheriffs Office are requesting the publics assistance in providing information related to a homicide at a Dollar General in Augusta. On June 15th, Richmond County Deputies responded to 1710 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard regarding an assault. Upon units arrival on scene Elias Delk was located and later pronounced deceased on scene. Authorities say Delk was physically assaulted by numerous male and female subjects. Anyone with information on the case can submit a tip anonymously to Crime Stoppers Atlanta tip line at 404-577- TIPS (8477), online www.StopCrimeAtl.org or by texting CSA and the tip to CRIMES (274637). You can also contact Investigator Sean Morrow at (706) 432-5281 or the RCSO at (706) 821-1020 or (706) 821-1080. Individuals do not have to give their name or any identifying information to be eligible for the rewards of up to $2,000. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF. Members of the Crooked Media union unanimously ratified their first collective bargaining agreement, gaining provisions including minimum starting salaries of $80,000, AI protections and a minimum of 49 days of paid time off. The 61-member unit of Crooked Media, which produces podcasts including Pod Save America and Lovett or Leave It, ratified the agreement after more than a year of negotiations and a one-day walkout on Aug. 5. Ahead of the walkout, Crooked Media workers said they hoped the negotiated terms would set the standard for other podcasting companies moving forward. More from The Hollywood Reporter In addition to the $80,000 minimum salary, which rises to $84,000 in 2027, the three-year agreement includes an immediate 15 percent increase to base salaries; 30 days notice from the company if AI is to be used, increased health insurance coverage and a minimum of 13 weeks severance. Additionally, Crooked must include an acknowledgment that the staff is unionized with the WGA East at the end of all its podcasts. Today, members of the Crooked Media Workers Union ratified its first contract with a unanimous yes and 100 percent participation. Its one thing to talk about the power of unions; its another to actually do the work. Were pleased to have secured a fair, progressive contract, and for those wins to set a new standard for the industry at large. If we inspire workers at one other company to stand up together, fight for each other, and insist on what they deserve, this has all been worth it, representatives from the Crooked Media Workers Union said. Our members at Crooked Media won a contract that will set a benchmark for all workers in the podcast industry. Were proud to see our members secure a hard-fought collective bargaining agreement that will support them in the essential work they do especially in the middle of a presidential election cycle, said WGAE president Lisa Takeuchi Cullen. Full deal highlights: A minimum starting salary of $80,000, effective upon ratification, rising to $84,000 in 2027; An immediate 15 percent increase to base salary, and a pro-rated bonus retroactive from Jan. 1, 2024, to take the place of what had previously been an annual companywide bonus; Additional 6 percent increase on first $77,000 of salary; 3.5 percent increase on $77,001-$100,000 of salary; Annual minimum salary increases of 1.75 percent in the first year of the contract, 4 percent in the second and 3.75 percent in the third year of the contract; Crooked will give at least 30 days notice before using AI in any way that materially impacts bargaining unit employees. By March 31, 2025, Crooked will develop a public-facing AI policy; Successorship language that requires any new employer to assume the union contract in most instances; A PTO policy with a minimum 49 guaranteed days off, in addition to 20 weeks of parental leave; Crooked will cover $955/month toward member health insurance, increasing by 10 percent each year; Crooked will offer at least one health care plan that meets the World Professional Association for Transgender Health standards; A minimum of 13 weeks severance; A good faith process for layoffs, including seniority, recall rights, retraining, and two weeks notice or additional severance; All members are guaranteed 12 hours minimum rest time between end of work and next days start; Cellphone stipend, commuting reimbursement and working late in-office/on location meal & taxi reimbursements; Eliminated noncompetes, at-will provisions and mandatory arbitration provisions from individual employment agreements; Just cause; Union security; And Crooked must include an acknowledgment that the staff is unionized with the Writers Guild of America East at the end of all podcasts. Story continues Best of The Hollywood Reporter Will crops in the Peoria area be ready for the fall harvest? PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) With harvest season right around the corner in the fall, the production of corn and soybean crops has changed since last year, but for the better. Illinois produces billions of bushels of corn and soybeans each year, and this year is no different, with corn production up 5% from last year, and soybean production up 9% as well. So as we continue to grow in the field of agriculture, the hybrids that we plant, the seeds that we plant allow us to plant fewer seeds and come up with more per acre, Manager of the Peoria County Farm Bureau Charlie Hensley. And so our production is a lot higher than it used to be. Hybrid corn, a crop containing more than one type of corn, is one of the reasons farmers are harvesting in high numbers with less acres of land than years past. Local farmers said the weather has also been beneficial this year, with rainfall happening right when they need it. A year ago, June, we went six weeks without a rain and people are going to be a drought, a disaster, said Illinois Corn Board Member Ross Pauli. People are talking hundred bushel corn. And then timely rains came after that and we had the second best crop ever. So a lot of that besides the weather is number one. But the traits and the corn and soybeans, theyve just keep improving. Pauli also says the production to buyer rate of crops may dwindle, and he asks for more people to buy local crops. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com. By Hannah Lang (Reuters) - Billionaire Mark Cuban, Wall Street financier Anthony Scaramucci and congressman Adam Schiff were among a group of cryptocurrency advocates who called on Kamala Harris to reset the Democratic party's policy on digital assets ahead of the November election. On Wednesday night, the new group Crypto4Harris convened its first virtual gathering to discuss how it can support the Vice President's electoral campaign, while also calling for Harris to end the Biden administration's crackdown on the cryptocurrency industry. In a sign of how urgently crypto has become an election issue for Democrats, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer appeared and said he wanted to pass a crypto bill this year, without elaborating. "We cannot afford to continue to sit on the sidelines because then we risk crypto going overseas," he said. The group also said it is planning nationwide grassroots fundraisers in September to support Harris. "The chief goal of everything we're doing is to have a complete reset on crypto and blockchain policy," Jonathan Padilla, CEO of blockchain company Snickerdoodle Labs and one of the group's organizers told Reuters ahead of the gathering. Crypto4Harris has begun "early engagement" with the Harris campaign and plans to draw up a list of potential crypto-friendly picks for regulators including the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), should Harris win, he added. The group is not affiliated with the Harris campaign, which has yet to take a stance on cryptocurrencies and declined to comment for this story. Crypto4Harris is part of a growing effort by Democrats and others in the crypto industry to push nonpartisanship rather than hitch their wagon to Republican nominee Donald Trump, who has courted crypto donors with promises of friendly policies. That effort also suggests some crypto companies are hedging their bets as Harris gains on Trump in some polls. "There's a real chance to open this issue up and to reclaim it from the Republican side," said Rashan Colbert, head of policy at crypto exchange dYdX and a member of Crypto4Harris. At the town hall, Scaramucci, founder of Skybridge Capital, urged lawmakers "to make cryptocurrency regulation positive and bipartisan." In a statement to Reuters ahead of the meeting, he said the Harris campaign was open-minded about digital assets. Under Biden, the SEC has brought multiple crypto enforcement actions, arguing crypto tokens and their operators are subject to securities laws. The industry disputes that and wants new rules that would foster the technology. Several Democratic lawmakers last month flagged concerns to the Democratic National Committee that the SEC's stance has alienated some voters, according to a letter seen by Reuters. Harris campaign staff have met with prominent crypto firms including Coinbase and Ripple since she became the presumptive Democratic nominee last month, said three people familiar with the matter. While those discussions were not substantive, two of the sources said they were optimistic Harris' campaign might signal an openness to tech innovation. At the DNC convention next week, tech groups are also hosting a panel on digital assets featuring lawmakers and other industry executives, according to two different sources. While not a part of the official program, the panel could provide a venue for Democrats to develop clearer crypto policies, one said. Crenshaw and the DNC did not respond to requests for comment. (Reporting by Hannah Lang in New York; additional reporting by Stephanie Kelly; editing by Michelle Price and Nick Zieminski) FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) As technology advances, many stores have introduced self-service checkout stations however, California lawmakers worry that self-checkout is actually putting workers in danger rather than just reducing costs. Los Angeles Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas talked Wednesday about a new proposal that aims to solve this problem, providing workers safety and customer satisfaction. The research and the ongoing lived experiences that we hear from workers every day regarding the impact of new technology in the workplace were crucial drivers for my bill, SB 1446, the Retail Theft Prevention and Safe Staffing Act, said Senator Smallwood-Cuevas. A report released by researchers from the Shift Project at the Malcolm Wiener Center for Social Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School shows self-checkout machines lead to understaffed workplaces, which results in more frequent occurrences of customer disrespect and bullying. This is particularly true for a Los Angeles Food 4 Less cashier, Aurora Hernandez. Hernandez has been a cashier for five years, and while she says she loves her job, she and her coworkers have had to face many challenges due to understaffing. Hernandez says only one employee would be in charge of six self-checkouts at the same time. She explained customers would try to get items for free, and when they couldnt, they would become violent towards employees. A few days ago, I had a customer who got violent. She pepper-sprayed me, but I had the chance to move away. She wanted free stuff. Its hard for us as cashiers, as employees, to have no safety for us. We need more cashiers, more personnel, she expressed. Its too much. Hernandez says it is overwhelming having to help customers while also trying to avoid theft. In 2023, the Public Policy Institute of California reported Fresno County had 272 reported shoplifting incidents per 100,000 residents. If passed, SB 1446 would not allow any retail store to provide a self-checkout option unless purchases were limited to no more than 15 items, and customers would not be allowed to use self-checkout to purchase items that needed identification or special theft deterrents. SB 1446 would also prohibit any employee from having to monitor more than two self-service checkout stations To learn more about this proposal, click here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47. SACRAMENTO, the United States, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Fueled by climate change and human activities, a devastating series of wildfires in the 2023-2024 fire season shattered records for burned areas and carbon emissions across the globe, leaving a lasting impact on ecosystems, air quality, and communities, according to a new study. In a year marked with extreme weather events, the 2023-2024 global fire season saw unprecedented wildfire activity in several regions, such as record-breaking fire extent and emissions in Canada and deadly fires in Hawaii, according to the inaugural State of Wildfires 2023-2024 report, published on Tuesday by the international journal Earth System Science Data. Approximately 3.9 million square kilometers burned globally during the 2023-2024 fire season, ranking the 12th among fire seasons since 2002. Despite the lower-than-average burned area, fire carbon emissions were 16 percent above average and ranking the seventh highest since 2003, according to the study authored by more than 40 researchers across the world. The report revealed that "the most prominent global anomaly" occurred in Canada, which experienced its worst fire season on record during the study period. The country's burned areas reached six times the average of previous fire seasons and fire carbon emissions reached nine times the average. More than 150,000 square kilometers burned across Canada, prompting evacuations of 232,000 people and resulting in eight firefighter fatalities during the 2023-2024 fire season. The Canadian torched forests contributed 24 percent of global fire carbon emissions in the period, up from an average of 3 percent in previous years. Canada's extreme fire activity, which led to severe air quality issues, required an unprecedented 120 days of national preparedness. This underscored the significant resource sharing and international assistance needed to manage such crises, the researchers said. The fires in Canada also had a global impact, affecting air quality in major cities across North America, including New York City, which experienced its worst air quality in half a century. While Canada grappled with record-breaking fires, the United States saw generally below-average fire activity. However, the country still experienced significant events, including the Lahaina wildfire in Maui, Hawaii, which resulted in more than 100 civilian deaths, destroyed 2,000 homes, and displaced 10,000 people, making it one of the deadliest wildfires in U.S. history. The fire season in the United States took a dramatic turn in February 2024, breaking the pattern of below-average activity. Texas recorded its largest ever single fire, Smokehouse Creek fire, at over 4,000 square kilometers in late February and early March, which destroyed 130 homes across the High Plains region of the central United States, according to the report. This event resulted in two civilian fatalities in the relatively rural area dominated by ranching, with over 10,000 head of cattle lost. The report also highlighted long-term trends in U.S. fire activity. Significant increases in both total and forest-burned areas have been observed in some western states since 2002. Europe had low fire extent, except for Greece's record-breaking Evros fire and its second-worst fire season in terms of area burned. In Oceania, Western Australia and the Northern Territory saw above-average fire activity in savannas, grasslands, and shrublands. While many regions in the world are experiencing declines in total burned area, increases in forest burned area are far more prevalent. Northern hemispheric extratropical biomes in North America and Asia have shown a clear signal towards increased forest burned area since 2002, the report said. Climate change is a major driver of increased fire activity in many regions. The report found that "anthropogenic forcing increased the chance of high fire weather in 2023" in Canada, Greece and western Amazonia. The report projected an increased likelihood of extreme fire events under various climate scenarios. Canada's likelihood of experiencing burned area extent similar to June 2023 is expected to increase from 0.15 percent annually in the 2010s to 0.42 percent to 2.2 percent by the 2040s across scenarios. Under a high emissions scenario, this likelihood could reach 2.1 percent to 3.7 percent by the 2090s. Was your data leaked in massive breach? How to know, and what to do now (NEXSTAR) Billions in personal information records may have been exposed in an April data breach, a recent lawsuit has alleged, prompting warnings from identity experts. A class action lawsuit filed in Florida claims a hacking group was able to access the database of National Public Data (NPD), a background check company that provides access to data from various public record databases, court records, state and national databases and other repositories nationwide. The group made the database, which was said to contain 2,900,000,000 records on United States citizens, public on the dark web. A purported member reduced that number last week, telling a hacking forum there were almost 2.7 billion records in the data, BleepingComputer reports. They also claimed the data was for residents in the U.S., the U.K., and Canada (which have a combined population of less than 440 million). Your Social Security number is probably on the dark web. Should you be worried? NPD has not responded to multiple media requests for information regarding the breach. The company has, however, responded to some who reached out to them via email that it is aware of certain third-party claims about consumer data and are investigating these issues, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday. NPD also explained it had purged the entire database and deleted non-public personal information. Unfortunately, if your data was part of the alleged brief, that isnt very helpful now. There are, however, steps you can take to help protect yourself. Was your information leaked in the breach? Cybersecurity technology platform Pentester was able to review the data once it became public and create a tool that allows people to search for their information. While the information in the leaked database was not redacted, Pentester has masked personal birth years and Social Security numbers. If the name, state, and birth year you input match information found in the NPD breach, youll see a list of exposed information. That includes a name, date of birth, address, phone number, and Social Security number. Youll also be encouraged to freeze your credit (more on that in a moment). Sick of summer? NOAA releases NY, NJ fall weather predictions If there are no matches found in the breach data, youll receive an error notice. But that doesnt mean you can let your guard down. You may want try other states youve lived in or former names youve used, like a maiden name, Richard Glaser, co-founder of Pentester, told Nexstar via email. From my experience a lot of the data is old, but a [Social Security number] never changes, he added. What to do if your data was leaked Simple measures, like freezing your credit, can reduce your exposure for these types of crimes of opportunity. That can prevent bad actors from using your Social Security number to take out loans or open new credit cards. Freezing your credit prevents any new credit, like loans or new credit cards, from being approved, whether its legitimate or not. You are able to freeze (and thaw, or lift the freeze) your credit report for free with the three major credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. If you think someone is using your Social Security number and creating credit problems for you, you should report it at IdentityTheft.gov, the Social Security Administration says. Youll go through the steps of putting a fraud alert on your credit reports, alerting the FTC, and possibly filing a police report. From there, you may need to go through several steps of damage control to clear your name. New COVID-19 FLiRT variants could mean a summer surge While it is widely believed our personal information, like Social Security numbers, is already out there, experts note not everyone who has been victimized in a data breach will end up victimized by identity theft. If youre a high-value individual that maybe has a high net worth or works at a company that they can extort you, you might actually be a real target, Kyle Hanslovan, CEO of cybersecurity firm Huntress, previously told Nexstar. For the masses though, the everyday common person, youre more of a target of opportunity. Most people shouldnt spend too much time worrying about what may happen if their information ends up in the wrong hands. Instead, Hanslovan recommends keeping an eye on your important accounts and making sure youre prepared to act in case something does go wrong. It stinks for privacy, but it kind of normalizes just whats happening, Hanslovan said. It doesnt make it right, and it definitely doesnt wave, you know, a companys true fiduciary responsibilities to protect your data. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. Taking the helm of one of Americas oldest and most prestigious universities as its first-ever female president on October 4, 2023, Minouche Shafik spoke the progressive mumbo jumbo required. She was committed, she said, to the tenets of diversity and inclusion and Columbia University should be a beacon in this world. Hamas invaded Israel just three days later and its fair to say her high-minded hopes evaporated quicker than you can say the words, social justice warriors and their anti-Semitic blind spot. Baroness Shafiks name will now go down in infamy as that of a university leader whose ham-fisted attempt to quieten down anti-Semitic pro-Palestinian protests led to Columbia becoming an epicentre of a new brand of violent activism which had the world aghast. After a summer break that saw calls for her to be fired from across the American political divide, and three members of her staff forced out after it emerged theyd mocked Jewish students complaining of anti-Semitism as coming from a place of privilege, she has resigned three weeks before a new term starts. Typically, in that way that establishment people only ever fall up, however much they fail, the former deputy governor of the Bank of England and director of the London School of Economics has been given a plum new job by David Lammy, leading a review in the Foreign Office on the UKs approach to international development. Announcing her resignation, the crossbench peer, ennobled by Boris Johnson after he failed to make her Bank of England boss, gave a typical example of what the youngsters would call a humble brag. My whole professional life has been devoted to public service and my time at Columbia has been an important part of that commitment, she said of a role that came with a 12 million mansion. Failing to apologise for months of hatred on campus, which led to a university Rabbi telling Jewish students that extreme anti-Semitism made it too dangerous to attend, and which eventually led to all lessons going online and graduation ceremonies being cancelled, she actually patted herself on the back. Even as tension, division and politicisation have disrupted our campus over the last year, our core mission and values endure, she insisted. The truth is that, for months, anti-Semitism went unpunished and therefore mushroomed. By the time she realised she had to take a stand with actions not just words when fellow Ivy League presidents slowly lost their jobs after they failed to say that calling for the genocide of Jews was wrong it was too late. Calling the police on protesters led only to more occupations which were copied all over the world, including in the UK. You might think she will be right at home in Lammys Foreign Office, given that he made restoring funding to UNRWA, a UN agency that had housed Hamas terrorists, one of his first acts. Standing down a challenge to the International Criminal Court against its application to target Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes came next. Lammys feed on X is, meanwhile, filled with attacks on Israel. Shafik appears to be another prominent public figure with a blind spot towards anti-Semitism like so many associated with Labour, which only came out of special measures for acting unlawfully in its treatment of Jewish members 18 months ago. We are beginning to see a pattern and it is becoming increasingly uncomfortable. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. People ride on a refugee special train at Ambala Station in India in February 1954. The 1947 partition of India and Pakistan left many people displaced for years. File Photo courtesy of the Indian government Aug. 15 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1914, a U.S. ship sailed from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, officially opening the Panama Canal. In 1935, humorist Will Rogers and pilot Wiley Post were killed when their plane crashed in Alaska. In 1947, India gains independence from Britain after 200 years of rule. The Indian Independence Act also partitioned British India into modern-day India and Pakistan. In 1969, the Woodstock Music and Arts Festival, often described as a landmark counterculture event, opened on Max Yasgur's farm near Bethel, N.Y., drawing an estimated 400,000 people for three days of music. On August 15, 1969, Woodstock opened on Max Yasgur's farm near Bethel, N.Y., drawing an estimated 400,000 people for three days of music. File Photo by Mark Goff/Wikipedia In 1985, South African President P.W. Botha, rejecting Western pleas to abolish apartheid, declared, "I am not prepared to lead white South Africans and other minority groups on a road to abdication and suicide." UPI File Photo A memorial wreath is seen at the 19th anniversary memorial service for the victims of Pan Am Flight 103 at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., on December 21, 2007. On August 15, 2003, Libya admitted responsibility for the 1988 bombing of the plane over Lockerbie, Scotland, that claimed 270 lives and agreed to pay reparations totaling $2.7 billion. File Photo by Alexis C. Glenn/UPI In 1994, the notorious international terrorist known as "Carlos the Jackal" was captured in Sudan. The next day he was extradited to France, where he was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. In 2003, Libya admitted responsibility for the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland, that claimed 270 lives and agreed to pay reparations totaling $2.7 billion. An Egyptian woman identifies the body of a family member, a supporter of deposed Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi, killed during a violent crackdown by Egyptian Security Forces on pro-Morsi sit-in demonstrations at the al-Iman Mosque on August 15, 2013 in Cairo. On August 15, 2013, Egyptian authorities said the death toll had surpassed 600 in the recent violence. File Photo by Ahmed Jomaa/UPI In 2004, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez survived a referendum to oust him. File Photo by Monika Graff/UPI On August 15, 1914, a U.S. ship sailed from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, officially opening the Panama Canal. File Photo by Library of Congress/UPI In 2007, an 8-magnitude earthquake struck 90 miles southeast of Lima, Peru, killing an estimated 500 people and injuring hundreds more. In 2013, Egyptian authorities said the death toll had surpassed 600 in violence that began with a crackdown on protesting supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi. In 2015, the North Korean government moved to its own time zone -- back 30 minutes -- going back to what it once was before the Japanese took control of the country more than a century ago. In 2021, Taliban militants took control of Afghanistan after storming Kabul and the presidential palace and causing President Ashraf Ghani to flee. The fall came as U.S. troops fully withdrew from the country after 20 years of war. File Photo by Staff Sgt. Kylee Gardner/U.S. Air Force DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) An international company based in Dayton has been selected to conduct work on Ohio roadways. The Ohio Department of Transportation has selected Woolpert, an architecture, engineering and geospatial company to assist with bridge projects across Ohio. According to ODOT, the company will help with maintenance, repair, and replacement of bridges across the state. Medicare agrees to lower 10 drug prices Tom Less, bridge engineer and project manager at Woolpert, said the bridge projects are essential to ensuring Ohios roads are safe for the future. While Woolpert has expanded its presence and services throughout the U.S. and world, we are always incredibly proud to continue our support for such a long-term, valued client and state that many of us here at Woolpert call home, Less said. Woolperts first two work assignments by ODOT will be in Cuyahoga, Geauga and Ross counties. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) With the largest amount of group homes for kids and teens in the state, the city of Dayton is taking action. During Wednesdays Dayton City Commission meeting, city leaders implemented a temporary ban on new group homes opening. City officials are concerned about the number of kids in group homes in Dayton, saying its taxing on resources and police services. Now, theyre going to take the next 180 days to find some solutions. MCSO investigating disturbing social media video Will Peterson operates a group home in Dayton, where he is also the chairman of the Dayton Area Youth Group Home Association. The association formed recently in response to the number of group homes in the community. These children come to us broken, and these are children that have trauma, said Peterson. Work together to address under the umbrella of quality care, quality programming and transparency. Out of the 235 licensed group homes in Ohio, 79 are within Montgomery County. But 56% of youth placed into group homes in Dayton are from outside the county. Which makes this a growing concern for city leaders. Dayton Mayor Jeffrey Mims Jr. says he was alerted to the issue two years ago. It just exacerbates the high level of need that we have, said Mims. On Wednesday morning, Dayton City Commission put in place a 180 day moratorium, blocking any new applications for group homes during this time. Mayor Mims says this will give the city time to work with key players to find solutions. We not only have to find ways for the young people that we have in the city of Dayton, said Mims. We also find challenges, situations and support for young people who come to us who clearly are only here because they have challenges. Heavy police presence expected Thursday in Dayton Peterson says the association supports the city looking for solutions. He says they just home group home operators are included in the discussion. We think we have an opportunity now. We could turn these kids lives around and whatever the number of kids that are coming into the county from out of county, we can actually make them productive, taxpaying citizens of Dayton, said Peterson. Mims told 2 NEWS that the 10 applications for new group homes already submitted will not be affected by this moratorium. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. WASHINGTON (DC News Now) Fifty paraprofessionals are now on their way to getting a bachelors degree, thanks to a new program in the District. On Wednesday, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) officially welcomed its first cohort into the Apprenticeship in Teaching Program. The new program helps train paraprofessionals to become certified teachers in high-demand areas, including early childhood education, elementary and special education, at no cost. The Apprenticeship in Teaching program is a fantastic concept support people who know our kids, who care about our kids, and who want to become teachers in our schools, said Mayor Muriel Bowser. By removing financial barriers and building pathways specifically for high-demand subject areas, this is a win for our entire public school system. DC releases annual Back to School Guide Apprentices will get on-the-job training in classrooms during the day while earning their degree from the University of the District of Columbia in the evening. Members of the program said the opportunity is life-changing. Im a single mom, I have two kids so trying to finish my degree was quite costly and expensive, said Silvia Reid, who has been a teaching assistant for more than 20 years. This will allow me to finally complete a dream and goal that I have had for a very long time, itll allow me to be an example to my daughters, itll allow me to increase my pay. Through the program, Reid plans to pursue a career in early childhood or elementary education. According to OSSE, more than 400 people applied. Its estimated it will take apprentices between one and four years to complete the program, depending on any higher education credits apprentices may already have. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. DC woman sentenced to almost 2 years in prison after COVID-19 tenant assistance program fraud of $245K WASHINGTON (DC News Now) The U.S. Attorneys Office for D.C. said 27-year-old Khin Phoo Ngon, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to two years and 11 months in prison after defrauding a COVID-19 tenant assistance program of more than $245,000 dollars. In addition to serving time, Phoo Ngon has to pay $206,320 in restitution to D.C., as well as a $600 fine to the victims compensation fund. 1 year after 10 dogs died in District Dogs flood, families left with unanswered questions She will also have three years of supervised release. Ngon admitted in her guilty plea that in 2021, she submitted seven fraudulent applications to the Stronger Together by Assisting You (STAY DC) program. STAY DC is a District program that started in 2021 to help renters going through hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ngon was the sole tenant of an apartment in Southeast D.C. when she submitted all seven applications. Two of her fraudulent applications stated her actual address and accurate information about unpaid rent she owed. However, it also had inaccurate statements about her 2020 income. Ngon also submitted two applications in which she put down a residence that she had moved out of in 2020, with her rent paid in full. She received $37,000 from the program. Ngon also submitted two STAY DC applications pretending to be a family member of hers. She received $82,800 from those two applications. Ngon submitted a seventh STAY DC application, on behalf of an associate of hers. Biden, Harris to appear in Maryland this week, first joint trip since Biden dropped out The STAY DC program issued Ngons associate a check for $78,200. She received at least $38,500 from through transactions involving other people. Ngon pleaded guilty on April 23 to two counts of first-degree fraud (felony), two counts of first-degree theft (felony), and two counts of first-degree identity theft. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) Officials say last week, learning took place all over Daviess County Public Schools (DCPS), and for two staff members, that learning was held at Google campuses in California for the first ever Google for Education Leaders Series of North America. According to DCPS, Co-Chief Information Officers Steve Burton and Aaron Yeiser spent two days with 98 other K12 and higher education technology leaders to explore how to elevate the future of educational technology. Police standoff leads to self inflicted gunshot wound in Owensboro Officials say Yeiser highlighted the local impact the visit to Mountain View and San Jose provided because he had the opportunity to share guidance with Google product engineers and executives about what improvements need to be prioritized in their hardware and software roadmap. According to DCPS, Steve Burton, who leads the districts operational technology team, said conversations with Googles global Vice President of Chrome OS and Education, who flew in from Malaysia for the meeting, provided incredible information related to acquisitions and future products. The moments of networking with Google senior leadership team members and other technology educators allowed conversations on current growing pains and future solutions. KWC names new Director of Strategic Communications and Fan Engagement DCPS Superintendent Charles Broughton commented, saying, Students and staff will benefit tremendously from Mr. Burton and Mr. Yeisers visit to Google headquarters. He also added, We have a rich history of being at the forefront of this conversation, so it is no surprise to us that Google looked to DCPSs technology leaders to bring together the matters of instruction, innovation, and student security. DCPS says Burton and Yeiser are prohibited by a nondisclosure agreement from discussing details. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW). SEOUL, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- South Korea on Thursday expressed regret over Japanese leaders' offering and visit to the notorious war-linked Yasukuni Shrine, seen as a symbol of the militaristic and colonial past of Japan. The Seoul foreign ministry said in a statement that the government expresses deep disappointment and regret over the fact that responsible leaders of Japan once again sent offering to and paid respect at the Yasukuni Shrine, which glorifies Japan's war of aggression and enshrines war criminals. The ministry urged Japanese leaders to squarely face history and demonstrate through action their humble reflection and sincere remorse for Japan's past affairs, adding that it will become an important foundation for the development of future-oriented South Korea-Japan relations. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida sent a ritual offering to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine on Thursday, as the country marked the 79th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II. While Kishida has not visited the notorious shrine in person, several lawmakers from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, including Shinjiro Koizumi, a former environment minister and son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, on Thursday visited the shrine to pay homage. The Yasukuni Shrine, located in central Tokyo, honors 14 convicted Class-A Japanese war criminals from World War II. It has long been a source of diplomatic friction for Japan and its neighbors. Visits and ritual offerings made by Japanese officials to the controversial shrine have consistently sparked criticism and hurt the feelings of the people of China, South Korea and other countries brutalized by Japan during the war. SDI Productions An outbreak of mpox has been declared a public health emergency by international officials, as cases of a deadlier strain of the disease continue to rise in parts of Africa. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) declared the outbreaks a public health emergency of international concern earlier this week, the highest level of alarm possible under international health law, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Cases have risen particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and its neighboring countries, where an outbreak of Clade I mpox a different, more life-threatening strain than Clade II mpox, which caused the 2022 outbreak within the U.S. was first reported last December in the South Kivu province. The mpox strain spreading in the DRC was identified in April by researchers as Clade Ib, Nature magazine reported this week. The strain spreads effectively through sexual contact, contributing to more than 17,500 documented cases across Africa already in 2024, compared to roughly 15,000 in 2023 an increase of around 17%. About 90 of those cases were reported within the last month in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, neighboring countries to the DRC which had never reported an mpox outbreak before. This version of the virus is significantly deadlier than the Clade II strain, scientists noted. At least 524 people in Africa have died of mpox this year, according to the WHO. This is the second time in two years that mpox has been declared a public health emergency; the WHOs previous state of emergency ended in May 2023. In a statement this week, the United States CDC said that no cases of Clade I mpox have yet been reported outside eastern and central Africa. The agency stated that there is currently a low risk of Clade Ib mpox spreading to the U.S., but urged caution, reiterating that men who have sex with men (MSM) are considered to be one of the most at-risk populations for catching and spreading the virus. The current outbreak in the DRC and environs is also linked to the ongoing armed conflict in Kivu between governmental forces and numerous militia groups. Struggles for dominance in the region across roughly three decades have left six million dead, making the Kivu area in particular where the Clade Ib strain was first reported exceptionally at risk of spreading communicable diseases due to poor health conditions and lack of access to medicine. WHO senior emergency officer Dr. Adelheid Marschang told journalists that the DRC contains the highest number of people in need of humanitarian aid in the entire world during remarks in Geneva last month. The CDC further recommended that those who are eligible seek a JYNNEOS vaccine for smallpox and mpox. In a press release on Monday, the New York City Health Department echoed those calls for increased vaccines, while acknowledging that many previously colonized countries in the Global South continue to experience systemic barriers to vaccine access due to longstanding global underfunding of public health infrastructure. CDC Cautions About New, More Infectious Strain of Mpox Outside the U.S. Travelers are encouraged to practice enhanced precautions. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced a $15 million regional response plan this week, funding surveillance, preparedness and response activities in the DRC and surrounding regions. He has also pushed for international pharmaceutical companies to accelerate vaccine access for lower-income countries in which the vaccines are not yet formally approved by domestic regulators. If the Clade Ib strain does travel to other continents, cautionary measures will play as large a role as vaccines in halting its spread. We saw during the Clade II outbreak that behavioral change in the LGBTQ communities contributed more to the outbreak stopping than the vaccine did, at least initially, CDC deputy director Dr. Jennifer McQuiston told The Advocate on Thursday. Understanding how the virus spreads and making informed decisions to protect oneself and loved ones is key. Get the best of whats queer. Sign up for Thems weekly newsletter here. Originally Appeared on them. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday afternoon accepted an invitation from CBS News to debate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, on Oct. 1. Photo by Rena Laverty/UPI Aug. 14 (UPI) -- CBS News on Wednesday invited Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. JD Vance of Ohio to debate each other in what would be the first scheduled debate between the two on Oct. 1. Walz is Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate and accepted the invitation by saying "See you on October 1, JD," in a post on X. Vance held a political rally in Byron Center, Mich., Wednesday afternoon and did not respond to the invitation as of Wednesday evening. The invite from CBS News offers dates of Sept. 17, Sept. 24, Oct. 1 or Oct. 8 for the two running mates on the Democratic and Republican tickets. Walz's response suggests an Oct. 1 debate, but Vance might prefer a different date or could decline the invitation from CBS News. Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance of Ohio addressed a political rally Wednesday afternoon and hadn't responded to an invitation from CBS News to debate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as of Wednesday evening. Photo by Matt Marton/UPI Former President Donald Trump named Vance as his running mate during the Republican national Convention in July while Harris named Walz her running mate soon after President Joe Biden withdrew from the Democratic Party ticket on July 21. Trump recently said Vance would participate in a CBS News debate between the two running mates and said he would like to debate Harris three times before the Nov. 5 general election. Harris has said she would debate Trump on Sept. 10 on ABC News, but Trump said he'd prefer a debate moderated by Fox News. A third aging underground tank at the Hanford nuclear site is suspected of leaking highly radioactive and hazardous chemical waste into the ground, the Department of Energy said Thursday. This is deeply concerning to the Washington (state) Department of Ecology and needs to be addressed with urgency, said Ecology Director Laura Watson in a statement. The state agency is a Hanford regulator. Since radioactive waste began being added to underground tanks at Hanford in Eastern Washington in World War II, at least 68 of the sites 149 single-shell tanks are suspected of leaking or spilling waste into the ground. But, until now, after removing as much of the liquid waste as possible from the tanks, just two were known to be leaking, at least at rates large enough to be detectable. Neither of those tanks have been emptied of waste, although in an agreed order with Ecology two years ago DOE was to explore ways to accelerate the schedule to retrieve waste from the two tanks known to be leaking then. A single-shell tank is shown under construction at the Hanford nuclear reservation. Construction on the tanks to store radioactive waste began in 1943. The agreed order also called for a response plan to be developed for future leaks, but the plan has yet to be completed and DOE and Ecology will discuss the next steps for the most recent tank of concern, Tank T-101. Watson said that the state does not believe this tank poses an immediate risk to workers or the public. Estimates of leaking waste Tank T-101 is part of a grouping of 16 underground tanks called the T Tank Farm, where Tank T-111 was discovered to be leaking waste into the ground, DOE announced in 2013. Then in 2021 it said Tank B-109, in the B Tank Farm, was also leaking. Tank T-101 is one of the smaller waste storage tanks at Hanford with a capacity of 530,000 gallons. Some single shell tanks have a capacity of 1 million gallons. It was built during 1943 and 1944 and has held waste since 1945, with more waste added until 1979. It now holds about 93,000 gallons of waste, most of it sludge and saltcake. The T Tank Farm at the Hanford site in Eastern Washington has 16 of the nuclear reservations 149 single-shell, underground tanks holding highly radioactive and hazardous chemical waste. But it also holds an estimated 7,000 gallons of liquid waste that could not be removed during DOEs campaign to pump liquid waste out of all single-shell tanks to reduce leaking. As much liquid waste as possible was removed from Tank T-101 in 1993. Now the tank could be leaking up to 200 gallons a year, according to DOE estimates. That compares to DOE estimates that Tank T-111 is leaking 150 to 300 gallons a year and that Tank B-109 is leaking about 3.5 gallons a day, or about 1,275 gallons a year. The double- and single-shell tank farms are shown at the Hanford site in Eastern Washington. Groundwater is about 160 feet below the T Tank Farm, and officials have estimated that in a couple of decades the leak from Tank T-111 could reach the groundwater, which moves toward the Columbia River. Hanfords single-shell tanks, plus 27 newer double-shell tanks, hold 56 million gallons of waste from the chemical processing of uranium irradiated at the 580-square-mile nuclear reservation near Richland to retrieve nearly two-thirds of the plutonium for the nations nuclear weapons program from WWII through the Cold War. Waste from single-shell tanks is being emptied into limited space available in newer double-shell tanks to continue to be stored until the waste can be treated for disposal. The Hanford vitrification plant is expected to turn some of the least radioactive waste in the tanks into a stable glass form starting in August 2025. Environmental cleanup is underway at the 580-square-mile Hanford nuclear reservation. The underground radioactive waste storage tanks and the vitrification plant are in the center of the site. Tank T-101 was not on the list of suspected leaking tanks when irregularities were noticed during ongoing tank integrity and tank monitoring done by DOE contractor Washington River Protection Solutions. A camera inserted down a riser, or pipe extending from the ground into the enclosed tank, showed the pool of liquid waste on top of the waste in the tank appeared to be smaller than usual. That prompted a more thorough assessment of data, including checks of the liquid trapped in pockets within the solid waste. DOEs tank farm contractor concluded that the tank more likely than not is leaking, said DOE spokesperson Ed Dawson. Plans for radioactive waste The total volume of waste involved is relatively small and the waste is leaking into a large underground area contaminated by past discharges of millions of gallons of waste to soil disposal sites and leaks from multiple tanks, DOE said in a message to Hanford employees Thursday morning. DOE has a state-of-the-art groundwater treatment plant, the 200 West Groundwater Pump and Treat System, that is removing some types of chemical and radioactive contaminants from groundwater in the area of the T Tank Farm. The T Tank Farm with 16 underground tanks, two of them suspected of actively leaking waste into the ground are shown from the air. A barrier has been built over part of the tank farm. In addition, as part of the agreed order reached after the Tank B-109 leak was discovered, DOE must build a surface barrier over the T and B tank farms to catch rain and snow melt and prevent it from moving contamination deeper into the ground toward groundwater. T Farm already had a barrier covering some of its tanks, but it did not extend to the latest tank of concern, Tank T-101. Both barriers are required to be completed by 2028. Design work is being done now for the T Tank Farm barrier. Hanfords underground tanks for radioactive waste, shown under construction, have held radioactive waste since as early as World War II. The latest tank suspected of actively leaking is another reminder of the growing threat that aging and failing infrastructure at the Hanford site poses to Washingtons environment and nearby communities, Watson said. She said it is critical for DOE to get waste out of tanks, turned into an immobile, solid form and disposed of permanently as soon as possible before more tanks leak. ST. LOUIS A Dellwood man pleaded guilty and was sentenced for a 2023 murder in St. Louis Central West End neighborhood. TaShaun L. Patterson, 23, admitted shooting Miguel Johnson on the afternoon of May 3. Patterson and another man, Syntrell Howard, got into an argument with Johnson at an apartment in the 4400 block of Forest Park Parkway. Patterson and Howard chased Johnson and shot him dead on the sidewalk near the intersection of Laclede and North Taylor avenues. Johnson was 29. Beloved Big Boy locomotive rolls through St. Louis in September. When can you see it? Patterson told the court hed tried to break up an argument between Johnson and a woman, which culminated in the shooting. Patterson pleaded guilty to second-degree murderamended from first-degree murderand armed criminal action as part of a plea deal with the St. Louis Circuit Attorneys Office. Hed been scheduled to go to trial earlier this week. Meanwhile, Howard was charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action, and unlawful possession of a firearm. Hes facing a jury trial on December 2. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. Delray pharmacy owner says he was 'duped' into defrauding Medicare out of $1 million WEST PALM BEACH A Delray Beach man who said he was "duped" into helping his business partners defraud Medicare will spend a year in federal prison for the crime. Jamie Michael Larkin, 37, pleaded guilty in February to conspiring to commit health care fraud, a felony for which he faced up to 10 years in prison. Federal prosecutors recommended a lighter sentence during a recent hearing in West Palm Beach, pointing to the assistance they said Larkin provided investigators. Larkin said Patrick O'Brien and Omar Solari two men who had burned their relationships with insurance companies in previous audits approached him in 2021 with an intriguing business opportunity: Invest $115,000 in a Georgia pharmacy called Rite Care and become its owner, splitting the profits equally among the three men. Medicare fraud: PBSO captain's spouse accused of defrauding government with twin brother The pair promised to manage all facets of the operation while upholding Larkin as its sole owner to keep their interests in the pharmacy hidden, lest they be audited again. They also promised Larkin that he could one day sell the pharmacy and keep the proceeds for himself. Larkin agreed, signing off on business documents from his Delray Beach home 650 miles south of the pharmacy. Prosecutors said his signature paved the way for a yearlong scam involving unscrupulous telemedicine companies and thousands of unwitting beneficiaries. Delray Beach pharmacy owner was accidental participant in Medicare fraud, attorney says O'Brien and Solari paid telemarketers to cold-call elderly and disabled Medicare beneficiaries and encourage them to accept prescriptions for topical creams, at no cost to the beneficiaries. According to court records, the men then paid kickbacks to telemedicine companies for bogus consultations with the beneficiaries, creating thousands of falsified prescriptions. Investigators said the duo continued to submit fraudulent claims for months' worth of refills even after beneficiaries complained that they didn't want the medication, did not use it and had too much of it. Prosecutors said they defrauded Medicare out of $997,911 in the span of a year. Though Larkin was promised 33% of the profits, he said he was repaid only $70,000 and "actually lost money" during the conspiracy. Defense attorney Tama Kudman blamed O'Brien and Solari for misrepresenting the investment opportunity they pitched Larkin. He didn't know his business partners were paying kickbacks or submitting bills for unnecessary medical services, she said, nor that they had a legal obligation to disclose their interests in the pharmacy. Insurance fraud: Delray doctor who pocketed millions off sober-home drug tests sentenced to 20 years in prison She added that Larkin took full responsibility for his role in the crime and cooperated with law enforcement when approached about the scheme. Kudman told U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon that Larkin was a changed man. She described him as a successful and responsible business owner, who now chooses his friends more wisely and scrutinizes business opportunities more carefully. "In short, he has grown up," Kudman said. She asked Cannon to sentence him to home confinement, contending that the near million-dollar restitution he owes the government is punishment enough. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Abraham said that while Larkin's role was minor compared to that of his co-conspirators, it warranted more than a non-prison penalty. He pointed to Larkin's criminal history, which included selling black-market steroids in Palm Beach County and laundering more than $2 million between 2019 and 2021. Cannon agreed. She sentenced Larkin on July 23 to one year in prison, followed by two years of supervised release. The judge barred Larkin from owning any healthcare business during the two-year term. His co-conspirators have not yet been sentenced. More Delray Beach news: Hannah Phillips is a journalist covering public safety and criminal justice at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at hphillips@pbpost.com. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Delray Beach pharmacy owner sentence for defrauding Medicare HONOLULU (KHON2) Hawaii has little representation at the federal level due to our size. So, local politics are very important to us. KHON2.com was able to catch up with Stan Fichtman, host of Politics Hawaii with Stan Fichtman. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You We sat down for an engaging conversation to discuss his background, political views and the unique political landscape in Hawaii. Born and raised in Hawaii, Fichtman has a deep connection to the islands, which informs his commentary on the states social, political and business issues. Through his blog and podcast, he provides insights into the local political scene, drawing on his extensive experience and observations. Fichtmans journey into politics began early, influenced by his familys discussions around the dinner table. Ive always been a person who liked to write and express opinions, he said, crediting his mother for fostering his interest in political discourse. Although his parents were not directly involved in politics, they often talked about it at home, sparking his curiosity. This early exposure laid the groundwork for Fichtmans later career, where he combined his love for writing with a deep interest in political issues. After spending three years in Asia, where he witnessed the political tensions between Hong Kong, China and Taiwan first hand, Fichtmans fascination with politics deepened. It became a fascinating thing, he reflected, explaining how living in Asia offered him a new perspective on global politics. Upon returning to Hawaii, he pursued degrees in political science at the University of Hawaii, earning both his bachelors and masters degrees. This academic background, coupled with his work at Pacific Business News, where he served as research director, provided him with a comprehensive understanding of Hawaiis unique socio-political environment. Hawaii has a very different dynamic of business than, say, the mainland or other places around the world, Fichtman explained. His blog, Politics Hawaii with Stan Fichtman, was born out of a desire to share a local perspective on the issues that matter most to the people of Hawaii. We talk about the social, political, and business zeitgeist or whats going on around us here in Hawaii from a locals perspective, he said. Fichtmans content covers a wide range of topics, from the merger of Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines to the aftermath of the Maui fires and the latest election results. His goal is to provide nuanced insights into the states political landscape, drawing on his personal experiences and deep understanding of local issues. One of the most intriguing aspects of Fichtmans analysis is his comparison of Hawaiis political history with that of the American South. He points out that while the South took decades to undergo significant political changes, Hawaii experienced a relatively rapid transformation from Republican dominance during the territorial days to a Democratic stronghold after statehood. In Hawaii, you know, we had 70 years of what we called Republican rule over the territory and then, you know, for four years in the state. But what really came down to was, it was the oligarch party; and Democrats provided an option out of that, Fichtman explained, drawing a parallel to the power structure of Southern plantation owners. This shift in Hawaiis political landscape, according to Fichtman, was driven by the mobilization of marginalized communities, much like the civil rights movement in the South. The civil rights movement on the mainland actually kind of got going right around the same time as when Hawaii just, you know, snapped its fingers and it flipped everything, he said, highlighting the rapid pace of change in Hawaii compared to the South. Fichtman credits leaders like Daniel Inouye and John Burns for playing crucial roles in this transformation, noting that the shift was not solely about economics but about addressing the rights of minorities. Looking ahead to the 2025 elections, Fichtman anticipates a potential power struggle within the Democratic Party in Hawaii. He identified two factions that might clash: the more moderate wing, currently represented by Scott Saiki and potentially Nadine Nakamura, and the progressive wing, led by newcomers like Kim Coco Iwamoto. I fully suspect that theres gonna be a battle between the more progressive liberal wing and the more moderate wing, he predicted, suggesting that this internal conflict could lead to significant changes in Hawaiis political landscape. Fichtman also pointed out the geographical dynamics at play, noting that both Kouchi and Nakamura are from Kauai, which could influence the power structure within the states government. There is a factor that I just realized. If Nadine Nakamura was to come in, shes from Kauai, the president of the Senate, Ron Kouchi, is also from Kauai, he observed, hinting at the possibility of complex deal-making as the two factions vie for control. As someone who identifies as a centrist, Fichtman approaches these political dynamics with a balanced perspective. I always just try to take it from a balanced standpoint where I look at it and say, OK, lets look at all sides on this, he explained as he emphasized the importance of considering multiple viewpoints when analyzing political issues. He acknowledged that the changing political landscape in Hawaii demands a nuanced understanding of both historical and contemporary contexts. Fichtman repeatedly stressed the importance of understanding Hawaiis unique political and cultural history. He recommended several key books for those interested in learning more, including To Catch a Wave by Tom Coffman and Land and Power in Hawaii. He also mentioned former Governor Ben Cayetanos book as a valuable resource. If you want to get involved in politics here in Hawaii, read the classics, he advised, underscoring the value of these works in gaining a deeper understanding of the states political environment. As he reflected on the unpredictable nature of politics, particularly with the upcoming Democratic National Convention, Fichtman encouraged a watchful approach, likening it to sitting back with a bag of popcorn to watch the show unfold. This aint over until at least the general is done, he remarked, suggesting that the political landscape in Hawaii and beyond is still very much in flux. Fichtmans insights offer a valuable perspective on the complexities of Hawaiis political environment. His deep understanding of the historical and cultural factors that shape the states politics, combined with his centrist approach, makes his analysis both informative and thought-provoking. You can watch Fichtmans full interview in the video above. You can access his podcast here. Get news on the go with KHON 2GO, KHONs morning podcast, every morning at 8 As Hawaii moves closer to the 2025 elections, Fichtmans commentary will undoubtedly continue to provide crucial context and clarity for those looking to understand the evolving dynamics of the islands political landscape. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2. The emblem of the United States federal court of Montana (Photo by Darrell Ehrlick of the Daily Montanan). Enough is enough. Together, we call on the Biden-Harris Administration to stop fighting Native women victims and, instead, grant them the justice they deserve. Specifically, we demand that Attorney General Merrick Garland and Montana U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich pay L.B. for the pain and suffering she has endured, instead of forcing her to continue this fight. As Chairman of the Coalition of Large Tribes (COLT) and Executive Director of the National Indigenous Womens Resource Center, we understand firsthand that the crisis of violence against Native women has reached epic proportions in this country. A leading cause of this violence is the lack of good, reliable policing in our communities. We know the United States Supreme Court, in Oliphant vs. Suquamish Indian Tribe, took away the inherent right of our Tribal Nations to prosecute any and all violent crimes committed against our tribal citizens in their own homes. Native people must relyin most instanceson federal law enforcement to protect them. L.B.s case is a tragic example of why we cannot trust this system to protect our women. Nine years ago, L.B. called federal law enforcement for help. But when the Bureau of Indian Affairs officer showed up at her house in response, he threatened to arrest her and take her children away unless she had sex with him. The BIA officer who raped L.B. denied her accusationsuntil DNA testing revealed that he had impregnated her. L.B. is raising her beautiful child today, but the physical, financial, and emotional costs of the rape she endured at the hands of a federal law officer have left deep scars. L.B. filed a lawsuit against the United States federal government under the Federal Tort Claims Act, seeking to recover for the damages she endured. However, the Biden Administration, led by Garland and Laslovich, has chosen to fight L.B. in her journey for justice. Rather than accepting responsibility for this heinous violent crime committed by an officer while on duty, and paying her the $1.6 million in damages awarded by a Montana court, Laslovichs office has taken the position that the United States cannot be held responsible under the law for the actions of its officer because the officer committed the rape for his own pleasure, and not part of his policing function for the BIA. For nine years, L.B. has been on a journey for justice. The United States has forced her to take her case to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals twice, once to the Montana Supreme Court, and now back before the district court in Montana. Earlier this summer, when the case was argued before the Ninth Circuit in Portland, Oregon, a male Montana Assistant United States Attorney told an all-female panel of judges that the United States cannot be held responsible for the actions of its officer because the officer had a crush on the Native woman victim since they were both children in the same tribal community. The chief judge of the Ninth Circuit panel actually had to explain to the Montana Assistant U.S. Attorney that rape is a crime of violence and not about sexual attraction. Unsurprisingly, the Ninth Circuit rejected the arguments made by Laslovichs and Garlands Justice Department. But their dangerously uninformed arguments send a clear message to our communities and Native people nationwide: Ehen we call federal law enforcement for help, we can expect to be raped, and we can expect that the United States will never take responsibility. The result of these arguments perpetuated by Laslovichs office is that our women will stop calling the police. When faced with a choice between becoming a victim and calling for help and being raped by the officer who arrives to help you, most will not choose to pick up the phone. Tales of violence at the hands of BIA officers are all too common in Indian Country and the Justice Department enables the perpetrators. Laslovichs unwavering commitment to fighting L.B. is just one example of how the department Garland leads contributes daily and directly to the high rates of violence we continue to face in our communities. Cases like this are a contributor to the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP). The solution is simple. Follow the Ninth Circuits ruling that Native women on Indian reservations have the same rights as other Montanans to pursue claims against law enforcement wrongdoers. Take responsibility. Publicly apologize for the conduct of your law officer. Make it clear to your entire agency and the public that his actions are intolerable within federal law enforcement. And pay L.B. the money she is owed. Money will not heal the deep wounds left by the heinous sexual assault she endured. But repeatedly telling her and the entire country that she does not deserve justice because her rapist had a crush on her is incredibly harmful and misogynistic. L.B. has been fighting for justice for nine years. With her recent decisive victory in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, its time for Laslovich and Garland to stop fighting her. If they truly care about the crisis of violence raging against Native women, they will do the right thing, they will accept responsibility, they will honor the monetary damages award already ordered by a Montana court, and they will give L.B. the justice she deserves. In so doing, they can begin to restore tribal citizens faith in the institutions treaty-bound to protect them. Marvin Weatherwax, Jr., is the chairman of the Coalition of Large Tries and a representative in the Montana Legislature. Lucy Simpson is the executive director of the National Indigenous Womens Resource Center. Carl Marlinga | Ken Coleman The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) announced on Wednesday that it would back former Judge Carl Marlinga in his rematch against sitting U.S. Rep. John James (R-Shelby Twp.). As Marlinga and James vie for control of Michigans 10th Congressional District, the DCCC has added Marlinga to its Red to Blue program, pledging organizational and fundraising support as Marlinga seeks to flip James seat for Democrats. Marlinga lost by a slim, 1,600 vote margin in 2022, with the 10th District potentially serving as yet another competitive district as Democrats seek control of the U.S. House. Folks here in Macomb and Oakland are dealing with high costs, yet John James is just taking money from special interests and doing their bidding in Washington. Ive worked for people here in Michigan as a clean water advocate, a prosecutor and a judge, and Im ready to continue to fight for my community in Congress, Marlinga said in a statement. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report has rated the district as a Republican lean. John James is a MAGA extremist who puts his dangerous agenda ahead of his constituents. He has compared abortion to genocide and has a plan to gut Social Security and Medicare, DCCC Chair Rep. Suzan DelBene said in a statement, referencing James membership in the Republican Study Committee whose Fiscal Year 2025 budget proposal included cuts to Medicare and proposed tying the eligibility age for Social Security to life expectancy. While James wants to send women and doctors to jail, Carl Marlinga spent his career making Michigan safer. As a former prosecutor and judge, Carl will prosecute the case against James and help us flip the House in November, DelBene said. The James campaign did not respond to a request for comment ahead of publication. NEW YORK Democrats in New York, following significant losses two years ago, are deploying a now-familiar playbook in half a dozen battleground House races: Accuse Republicans of opposing abortion rights, an approach that has worked in tough races across the country. The party is reviving those anti-abortion attacks in New York and say, this time, they have proof of their claims: the incumbents voting records. They are painting first-term GOP representatives as hypocrites in a bevy of blistering attacks. Josh Riley launched a digital ad attacking Rep. Marc Molinaro over the issue. Laura Gillen penned an opinion piece focusing on how she believes her opponent, Rep. Anthony DEsposito, would upend womens freedoms. And Rep. Pat Ryan recently released a TV spot assailing his challenger, Alison Esposito, for applauding the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Abortion access remains a potent motivator, especially for suburban women, as near-total bans are enacted around the country two years after the Supreme Court overturned Roe. Battleground Democrats have clung to the issue to boost their chances while working to counter GOP attacks on their handling of the economy, public safety and border security. The stakes are high in New York, where six purple districts could determine which party controls the House next year. In the Republican-held swing seats, every sitting Congress member has an anti-abortion record, said Democratic consultant Alyssa Cass, who worked for Ryan last cycle and is involved in the campaign to pass the New York Equal Rights Amendment this fall. While they can mouth the language of moderation, their voting records and party allegiance say the exact opposite, and it is the job of every Democratic campaign and spender to loudly call bullshit. Democrats case this cycle will be boosted by the Equal Rights Amendment poised to be on the ballot in November and Kamala Harris position at the top of their ticket. And their argument that battleground Republicans recent votes are a slippery slope to a nationwide ban on abortion reveals Democrats strategy on the lightning rod issue in a historically blue state where reproductive rights are protected. The biggest difference is that Mark Molinaro now has a voting record in Congress, and that voting record is really, really bad for upstate New Yorkers, Riley said in an interview, citing the vulnerable Republicans vote to restrict access to abortion for veterans and women in the military who have put their lives on the line to defend our freedom. The Democratic challenger was referencing a defense funding bill provision that would reverse Pentagon policy on reimbursing troops for travel to receive abortions, a practice that Republicans say violates a ban on the use of federal funds for abortions. Republicans, meanwhile, accuse Democrats of lies, distortion and desperation, with all six GOP contenders in the target districts, including Molinaro and Rep. Mike Lawler, reiterating their opposition to a nationwide ban on abortion. Republicans have also argued that Democrats are overplaying their hand. They predict the GOP will only grow its map if their opponents waste their resources and voters time with the wrong priorities. I dont hear abortion at all, Esposito, a former NYPD officer challenging frontliner Ryan in the Hudson Valley, said in an interview of interactions with voters. Thats just something the left is screaming as a talking point, and really, its codified in New York state, so its a moot talking point. Ryan, a combat veteran, has continued to yoke reproductive freedom to rights generally under threat by what he calls an anti-freedom MAGA agenda. Similarly, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Democrat-aligned House Majority Forward PAC have put out ads attacking Republicans on access by referencing their time in Congress. DEspositos record is clear, Gillen wrote in a Long Island news outlet, citing among other criticisms his vote to fund misleading so-called crisis pregnancy centers, which peddle dangerous misinformation about reproductive health care to women. Like the provision impacting how troops access abortions, Republicans votes to keep states from restricting the use of federal funds for crisis pregnancy centers and to subject doctors who perform abortions to criminal penalties are now under scrutiny. Democratic challenger Mondaire Jones made the latter the focus of his recent news conference condemning Lawler. GOP members have explained their votes this way: Reimbursing troops travel for abortions violates the Hyde Amendment prohibiting federal funds for being used for the procedure, ensuring federal funding for crisis pregnancy center preserves choices for pregnant women and Democrats are leaving out that the bill to penalize doctors is meant to protect babies born alive after botched abortions. Healthcare decisions should be between a woman and her doctor, Molinaro said recently in pushing back against an abortion-themed attack ad as full of falsehoods. Democrats have noted that polling shows voters are still livid about the overturning of Roe. They point to New York Republicans support of party leaders like Speaker Johnson and vice presidential nominee JD Vance vocal nationwide abortion ban proponents as evidence theyre not as politically moderate as they claim to be. And theyve blasted Lawler for appearing at two crisis pregnancy center events, Molinaro for contributing financially to one as a local official and both lawmakers for hosting Rep. Kat Cammack (R-Fla.), the co-chair of the House Pro-Life Caucus, in their districts. Molinaro and Lawler, who have said theyre personally pro-life, have both stressed their support for in vitro fertilization as one critical area where theyve defied their fellow Republicans. Lawler introduced new legislation earlier this month offering tax credits for IVF expenses, and Molinaro has since signed on as a co-sponsor. Additionally, Molinaro was the first in his party, with Lawler as the second, to sign on to a Democrat-led bill to protect IVF federally. Both have told POLITICO they would reject a nationwide ban on abortion. In New York, abortion is not at risk of going away, Lawler said in an interview. The law is set in New York and I think Democrats want to try to make it an issue when in fact, its not going anywhere. So I think what is clear and where there is broad consensus is on the issue of IVF. Jones alleged Lawler shouldnt be trusted to vote against a nationwide ban any more than Donald Trump could be trusted not to sign one into law. He saw how damaging the situation in Alabama was for Republicans and sought to get ahead of it by introducing legislation that would not truly protect IVF, Jones said in an interview. And, of course, hes the guy who helped elect Donald Trump, who then put justices on the Supreme Court who ended Roe v. Wade. DEsposito, the target of a recent House Majority Forward ad alleging he would vote for a total abortion ban, has sought to turn Democrats argument on its head. The only untrustworthy actors on the topic of abortion, he said, are Democrats who continuously push the fake narrative that House Republicans are moving to ban abortion. By Xinhua writer Tian Ying NANNING, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- A duxianqin musician only needs a single string stretched across an elongated sounding board and a feather-shaped rod to deliver a diverse repertoire, whether pop or classic, Chinese or Western. In his folding screen-adorned Zen-style studio, Wei Qingbing, 39, sat on the bamboo-mat-paved floor and plucked the string on his duxianqin -- literally "a single-stringed zither" -- with his right hand, in a vivid rendering of a melodic tune, his left hand sliding across the rod to heighten or lower the pitch and add vibrato to the note. "Did you make this instrument yourself?" Since he first uploaded clips of him playing the single-stringed zither onto the popular social media platform Douyin in 2018, Wei, a freelance teacher and a PhD student of music who lives in Nanning City of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, has received many comments. For a fairly large proportion of his over 150,000 followers, Wei's clips are the first time they have seen a duxianqin performance. Some of his followers are happy to answer any newcomer's questions, commenting that the duxianqin zither is a traditional instrument of the Jing ethnic group. As one of China's smallest minority groups, the Jing currently number less than 30,000 and mainly live in Guangxi's border regions adjoining Vietnam, where the duxianqin is also played. Wei made this otherwise-anonymous instrument known to a wider audience in China through social media platforms. Wei himself identifies as Zhuang, another ethnic group inhabiting Guangxi famed for their singing tradition. He stumbled across the novel-looking duxianqin back in high school when watching a traditional music band perform on TV. He was hooked. After being admitted to college, he began to learn duxianqin from various teachers, including the Jing people and maestros from Vietnam. The art of duxianqin was formally recognized by the Chinese government as a piece of intangible cultural heritage in 2011, and Wei was named an inheritor of duxianqin for his proficiency in 2021. After gaining recognition, Wei was sought out by people who aspire to learn the instrument, ranging from school kids to pensioners. Xu Jing, a small business owner in Nanning, took her 8-year-old son to Wei's studio for duxianqin tutoring. Speaking of her choice of the instrument for her son, Xu said, "I think it would be a pity if a kid in Guangxi does not play a folk instrument. Moreover, there are already too many students learning Western instruments." "Duxianqin looks very special," said Xu, believing that the country's support for traditional instruments will benefit learners like her son. For Wei, his love of folk instruments is not limited to duxianqin, but encompasses plucked-string instruments from China and southeastern Asian countries. In his studio, several guqin zithers, a seven-stringed classical Chinese instrument, are placed on the bamboo-mat floor or the antiquity-style furniture, and a Thai folk instrument, the Pin Pia, hung on the wall, amid tea cups and a variety of tea pots. Wei integrates his love for traditional culture into his life. Not only does his studio exude classical Chinese elegance, but he also retreats to a serene place tucked away in mountains every week. He brings his guqin zithers with him and plays them by rivers or waterfalls, all filmed and posted on his social media account, attracting envious viewers. "Modern life is fast-paced, and playing the guqin quietens noisy minds," said Wei. In his studio, Wei pulled out a volume of ancient guqin scores from a shelf and opened it, pointing with his index finger at the bizarre-looking characters, saying the ancient guqin scores feature only technique instructions for each note, but lack a well-defined pitch, rhythm or strength. "That leaves musicians space to improvise," said Wei. Ancient China emphasized the concept of "Heaven and Man as One," and playing the guqin requires performers to play music according to their state of mind, according to Wei. For the same degree of artistic freedom, he loves other folk instruments as well. "The performance of Western musical instruments strives for perfection, with no room for errors and the rhythm must be precise. In contrast, the duxianqin and most ancient Chinese and Asian zithers allow ample room for performers to freely express themselves," said Wei. "I really enjoy the freedom to improvise, it's interesting," he said. Enditem (Guo Bingqian, Wu Xinni, Feng Shiqi, Liu Jie, Zhang Qingshuo, Li Weixin, Shi Peng and Zhong Yi also contributed to the story.) A tarp covers a portion of a homeless person's tent on a bridge overlooking the 101 Freeway in Los Angeles on Feb. 2, 2023. (Jae C. Hong / Associated Press) San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and other local Democratic leaders on Wednesday announced their support for Proposition 36, a crime reform measure on the November ballot that they hope will force eligible Californians who routinely commit drug crimes into substance abuse treatment. "People are dying who don't have to die, and businesses are closing that don't have to close. There is an answer. The answer is treatment," Mahan said at a morning news conference announcing a new fundraising committee he created alongside two other elected officials. "That's why we're here today to support Proposition 36. Not because we want to go back to an era of mass incarceration, but because we want to go forward to an era of mass treatment." Read more: What exactly is Prop. 47? And how could California voters change it this year? Their support runs counter to Gov. Gavin Newsom and top Democrat leaders in the state Legislature who have spoken out against the measure, fearing it would return California to an ineffective tough-on-crime era that swelled the state's prison population to unconstitutional levels. But Mahan, who just won reelection, said Proposition 36 will help bring necessary treatment to those addicted to the fatal drug fentanyl, by imposing a court-mandated drug treatment for those who are convicted of a drug offense for the third time. The measure will also change parts of Proposition 47, a decade-old ballot measure that downgraded some nonviolent property and drug crimes from felonies to misdemeanors to reduce prison populations. He was one of the first big-city mayors to endorse the ballot measure, along with Mayors London Breed of San Francisco and Todd Gloria of San Diego. Eight legislators have already endorsed Proposition 36 this week. Meanwhile, Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg), Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) and various members of the Legislative Black Caucus have opposed the measure. Mahan created the new committee to support Proposition 36 alongside Sacramento Dist. Atty. Tien Ho and Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen. They have been vocal proponents of the prosecutor-led ballot initiative and draw connections to homelessness, the fentanyl crisis and the surge in retail theft, which are three cornerstones to the November ballot measure. Read more: California Legislature passes bills to curb retail theft over objections from some Democrats The Proposition 36 campaign received more than $9 million in support from major retail corporations including Walmart, Home Depot, Target, and In-N-Out Burger. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Democrats have slightly more trust in Vice President Harriss ability to address climate change than President Biden, according to a new poll. The Associated Press-NORC Research Center survey, released this week, found 85 percent of Democrats have a lot or some trust in Harris to handle climate change, while only about three-quarters said the same of Biden. Democrats younger than 45 were even more likely to trust the vice president over the president, with 3 in 4 saying they have a lot or some trust in Harris to address climate problems, while nearly 60 percent said the same about Biden. Older Democrats, meanwhile, are more likely than younger ones to trust either Biden or Harris, the AP noted. Still, younger Democrats are more likely to feel the emotional weight of climate change, per the poll. About 6 in 10 Democrats younger than 45 said anxious describes their emotion around the subject extremely or very well, compared to about one-third of older Democrats. The poll comes just weeks after Harris replaced Biden at the top of the Democratic presidential ticket since he dropped out of the race. Harris has energized the partys base, narrowing the gap with former President Trump, who maintained the lead when facing Biden. The enthusiasm was quickly seen in environmental advocates and climate hawks, who have pointed to Harriss history of investigating the oil industry and support for the Green New Deal a suite of climate actions introduced by Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) in 2019. Harris has supported the legislation. While environmental issues have not been a major part of her portfolio as vice president, advocates told The Hill last month Harris is seen as a figure who has connections on the issue and can boost enthusiasm among younger and more progressive voters. As a senator and presidential candidate, Harris staked out positions to Bidens left on climate and energy issues. She previously supported a fracking ban when she ran for the Democratic nomination, but she seemingly reversed her opinion earlier this month. Fracking is a method of extracting oil and gas from shale rocks and involves injecting the rocks with a mix of water, sand, and chemicals. Using this method is a key part of the shale revolution that cemented the U.S.s role as a leading oil and gas producer. The AP-NORC poll of 1,143 adults was conducted July 25-29. The margin of error for all respondents is 4.1 percentage points. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Deputies arrested a 33-year-old man who is accused of indiscriminately firing a gun near The Evergreen State College early Wednesday morning. Witnesses called 911 to report the shooter on the 1700 block of Evergreen Parkway Northwest, according to a Facebook post by the Thurston County Sheriffs Office. Deputies and Evergreen police responded to the scene and reportedly found the man inside a car surrounded by shell casings. The post says deputies conducted a high-risk stop and the man was arrested without deadly force. Using a search warrant, deputies recovered a .40 caliber handgun and ammunition within the car, according to the post. They also found about 60 shell casings in the area and two public signs that had been shot. The Thurston County jail roster indicates the man was arrested about 5 a.m. near the intersection of 17th Avenue Northwest and Evergreen Parkway. Deputies booked the man on suspicion of drive-by shooting, reckless endangerment, aiming or discharging a firearm and third-degree malicious mischief. The Sheriffs Office post does not say what motive the man may have had or what condition he was in. Newly released footage shows authorities in pursuit of a carjacking suspect in East Los Angeles who rammed a patrol vehicle, other motorists and endangered pedestrians before deputies shot and killed the 19-year-old suspect last month. Deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department responded to reports of a carjacking on July 10 just before 2:30 p.m. in the 3800 block of Whittier Boulevard, according to a critical incident briefing released by the department. The suspect, later identified as Luis Flores, was quickly located in a gray four-door Toyota Camry as he turned south on McDonnell Avenue from Whittier Boulevard. Authorities then conducted a traffic stop on Flores, who pulled over. When they exited their vehicle, the 19-year-old reversed, rammed their patrol car and sped off. Deputies initiated a pursuit after Flores failed to yield and got on the 710 Freeway where he quickly hit traffic and was forced to stop. Refusing orders to exit the car, the 19-year-old hit several motorists vehicles and fled yet again. Bullet holes seed in the windshield of the gray four-door Toyota Camry the suspect had stolen on July 10, 2024. (KTLA) A vehicle stolen by a carjacker seen after a pursuit that ended with gunfire on July 10, 2024. (KTLA) Medical personnel with L.A. County Fire seen hoisting the suspect onto a stretching before rushing him to a hospital on July 10, 2024. (KTLA) L.A. Deputies at the scene of a pursuit that ended with fatal gunfire on July 10, 2024. (KTLA) Body-worn camera footage of a pursuit involving a carjacking suspect that ended with deputies shooting and killing the 19-year-old on July 10, 2024. Body-worn camera footage of a pursuit involving a carjacking suspect that ended with deputies shooting and killing the 19-year-old on July 10, 2024. Body-worn camera footage of a pursuit involving a carjacking suspect that ended with deputies shooting and killing the 19-year-old on July 10, 2024. Authorities say that as Flores drove through the California State University, Los Angeles campus, they observed him reaching inside the car. The pursuit continued through downtown L.A. where the man ran several red lights and pedestrian crossings and rammed additional motorists on Arcadia Street near North Spring Street before continuing the chase, officials said. About 20 minutes after the pursuit began, Flores tried to avoid traffic by driving onto a sidewalk where he crashed into a pole. Footage shows deputies using their patrol vehicle to box in the 19-year-old, who put the car in reverse and accelerated, sending up smoke as the tires spun on the asphalt. Even as the tires were spinning, Flores could be seen with his hand raised out of the window while he looked toward deputies at the rear of the vehicle. Thats when the footage shows five rounds piercing the windshield of the gray sedan, striking the 19-year-old. Infamous L.A. cop killers gun found after armed robbery of $1 million watch Authorities say deputies removed Flores from the stolen vehicle and attempted life-saving measures until he was transported to the hospital by medical personnel with the Los Angeles County Fire Department. The 19-year-old succumbed to his injuries and was declared deceased on July 16. No other injuries to citizens or deputies occurred during the incident. The California Department of Justices Division of Law Enforcement has assumed the investigation into the lethal use of force and will submit its finding to the attorney generals office for review. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. PARK TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) Authorities say a teenager was injured when a boat crashed into the Holland South Pier. The Ottawa County Sheriffs Office said that around 10:15 p.m. Wednesday it received a report of a boat crash with injuries at the Holland South Pier with one person in the water. When authorities arrived, the sheriffs office said a 26-foot boat had crashed into the pier head. The boat was operated by a 69-year-old Holland man with three female passengers, ages 18, 19 and 22. The 18-year-old was knocked off the boat during the crash and fell into the water and rocks on the Lake Macatawa channel side of the pier. She was taken to hospital with serious injuries that are not considered life-threatening, according to the sheriffs office. The crash remains under investigation. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. (Bloomberg) -- The deputy leader of South Africas Economic Freedom Fighters quit on Thursday, dealing a blow to a party that has unnerved financial markets with its calls to expropriate land and nationalize mines and banks. Most Read from Bloomberg Floyd Shivambu will now join former President Jacob Zumas uMkhonto weSizwe Party, which displaced the EFF as the third-largest in May 29 elections. Other EFF members who are loyal to Shivambu are also expected to leave and preparations should be made for their exit, party leader Julius Malema told a press briefing in Johannesburg on Thursday. Malema and Shivambu formed the EFF in 2014 after falling out with the African National Congress, and its left-leaning policies won it support among many young, black township residents. The ANC, which ruled the country outright for three decades, lost its parliamentary majority in May, and there were fears among investors that it would enter into an alliance with the EFF, triggering capital flight. But the ANC iced out both the EFF and Zumas party, and instead entered into an alliance with 10 other mostly business-friendly parties. Shivambus departure comes ahead of the EFFs elective conference, which is scheduled for December, and where the partys Secretary-General Marshall Dlamini was expected to challenge him for the No. 2 post. Shivambu has shouldered blame for the EFF losing support in the last national vote, because he was tasked with shoring up its support in the second-most populous province of KwaZulu-Natal, but failed to do so. Shivambus brother, Brian, was implicated in an ongoing investigation into the collapse of VBS Mutual Bank in 2018. More than 1.9 billion rand ($105 million) was looted from its coffers by politicians and their friends at the expense of hundreds of mostly rural people who had banked their life savings with the institution. Tshifhiwa Matodzi, the banks former chairman, who turned state witness implicated the EFF in an explosive affidavit, saying that at least 16 million rand was paid to the party through a front company owned by Shivambus brother. The Shivambus and the party deny wrongdoing. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Oregon DEQ issues another air quality advisory and more may come this month The Durkee Fire in Baker and Malheur counties has burned more than 288,000 acres in eastern Oregon. (Jeremiah Maghan/Northwest Fire Team 6) There are currently 20 large fives burning in Oregon, including two that are over 100,000 acres. The Durkee Fire, which burned nearly 300,000 acres in Baker and Malheur counties and is pictured here, is almost fully contained. (Jeremiah Maghan/Northwest Fire Team 6) August is turning out to be a smoky month in Oregon. The Department of Environmental Quality issued an alert Wednesday for southern and central Oregon, where wildfires are clogging the air with smoke. The advisory covers Deschutes, northern Harney, northern Klamath and Lake counties. Other counties could also be hit with smoke, according to Michael Loch, a DEQ spokesman. We are expecting eastern Douglas, Jackson, eastern Lane and northern Malheur counties to experience intermittent smoke, Loch said. Harney and Malheur counties do stretch into eastern Oregon, which were expecting the northern parts of those counties to experience smoke from wildfires. Check the air For more information, check DEQs Air Quality Index website, the Oregon Smoke blog or download the free OregonAIR smartphone app. The Oregon Health Authority also has tips about the health effects of exposure to wildfire smoke and how to protect yourself. The agency issues an air advisory when the air in an area is expected to be unhealthy for at least 24 hours for sensitive groups, who include infants and young children, people with heart or lung disease, older adults and pregnant people. Health officials advise Oregonians, especially those groups, to stay indoors, close windows and doors and use HEPA air filters, if possible. Run air conditioning on recirculate, or if its too hot, move to another location. Most masks do not filter out the harmful particulates in smoke, but N95 or P100 respirators approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, or NIOSH, offer protection, provided they fit properly. Some areas in eastern Oregon are relatively smoke-free. The agencys air monitoring network had a green, or relatively clean, air quality rating Wednesday afternoon for Pendleton, Cove and Ontario, with a yellow, or moderate rating for La Grande, Baker City and Enterprise. The latest warnings, which are expected to last to Friday afternoon, follow successive air quality alerts issued by DEQ this summer all caused by wildfires. There are currently 20 fires that have spread across at least 100 acres in Oregon and two are bigger than 100,000 acres: The Falls Fire northwest of Burns, which has spread to 151,166 acres, and the Battle Mountain Complex of fires west of Ukiah, which have scorched 182,870 acres. Besides those, five other fires grew substantially in the past 24 hours: Warner Peak on the Hart Mountain Antelope Refuge in southeast Oregon, which now covers 61,330 acres; the Lane 1 Fire southeast of Springfield, which has burned 24,103 acres; the Crazy Creek Fire in Crook County, which has spread to 86,870 acres; the Homestead Complex northeast of Glide, which covers 4,387 acres; and the Diamond Complex west of Diamond Lake, which spread across 9,963 acres. Fire season usually peaks about now, which means that more fires could emerge and more bad air. While I cant predict how many air quality advisories we will issue this month, there is plenty of wildfire season still ahead of us, Loch said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX DES MOINES, Iowa A townhall meeting to address a proposed City of Des Moines ordinance that bans public camping targeting the citys homeless residents was held Wednesday night. It was a packed house at the DMACC Urban Campus for the townhall event. Community members and local organization leaders discussed the details of Des Moines homeless situation Shelter beds are consistently full, low-income housing is very hard to find. Landlords are able to refuse Section 8 vouchers, and the state has been cutting funding for mental health and substance abuse. Leaders in affordable housing pushing for more opportunities The group made banners, signed petitions, and prepared to fill the city council chambers at the final vote. Why are you rushing this? We are building a sobering center, theres almost a million in funds coming to our non-profit network here in Des Moines which is addressing these issues next year. So why are we rushing this when we dont have enough services in place? questioned Monika Owczarski of Des Moines. The council first passed the ordinance on July 22nd. It passed the last reading of the ordinance with a 5-1 vote on August 5th. The final vote will be during the Des Moines City Councils meeting next month. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com. Sasse responds after DeSantis says state will look into former UF presidents expenses Gov. Ron DeSantis and top Florida Republicans are putting pressure on the state university systems Board of Governors to look further into the spending habits of former University of Florida President Ben Sasse after a student-run newspaper reported that hed spent millions in university funds on secretive consulting contracts and jobs for GOP allies. We take the stewardship of state funds very seriously and have already been in discussions with leadership at the university and with the Board of Governors to look into the matter, DeSantis spokesman Bryan Griffin said in an email to the Herald/Times on Thursday. The governors office made its concerns about Sasses use of university funds public on Thursday, shortly after Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis called on university officials to investigate Sasses exorbitant spending. Patronis said in a post on X that the board should ensure tuition and tax dollars are being property used. Griffin did not disclose what the governors office discussed with the board. Florida Chancellor Ray Rodrigues, who oversees the state university system, has not responded to a request seeking comment. On Friday, Sasse issued a lengthy statement defending his offices spending. He acknowledged his office directed substantial funding for a number of important initiatives that, he said, had gone through the appropriate approval process. He said the universitys board of trustees had raised no concerns. These are initiatives we were running out of the presidents office and there should be even more and I am dang proud of each of them, as I believe they will benefit Floridians immensely if brought to fruition, Sasse said. Sasse added that he intends to write a memo for the governors office and other interested parties in Tallahassee. The interest in Sasses spending at the university comes in response to reporting by The Alligator, the student-run newspaper at the university. According to the report, Sasses office spent $17.3 million in his first year in office up from the $5.6 million spent by former UF President Kent Fuchs last year. The majority of the spending was driven by lucrative contracts with big-name consulting firms and high-salaried, remote positions for Sasses former U.S. Senate staff and allies. Travel expenses during Sasses 17-month stint also soared to $633,000 over 20 times higher than Fuchs annual average of $28,000. This was in large part due to Sasse allowing many of his political appointees to work outside of Florida and commute to Gainesville at the universitys expense, the Alligator reported. Sasse did not deny any of The Alligators reporting. Instead, he defended the expenses and largely focused on the success the university has had in growing the Hamilton Center a relatively new academic center that was initially largely focused on civics courses. In 2022, the Republican-led Legislature and DeSantis approved the creation of the center, which was pushed by an obscure group with ties to conservative and religious groups. Im incredibly proud of what weve been building at Hamilton, and gratified by the caliber of folks whove agreed to join in this noble effort. Parents: you should send your kids here, Sasse said. But guess what? With each new initiative comes new staff and new investment expenditures. So did we hire some new staff? Yep. And did all of them move immediately to Gainesville full-time? Nope. You can read Sasses full statement here. Sasses statement is the first time he acknowledged the scrutiny that came from The Alligators reporting. Earlier this week, Congressman Matt Gaetz, a Republican from the Florida Panhandle, called Sasse a terrible university president who never should have been hired. Send him back to Nebraska, Gaetz said about Sasse, who served as the junior senator for Nebraska prior to taking the job at the UF, the states flagship university. Sasse resigned from his post at the university July 31, citing the need to care for his wife who was recently diagnosed with epilepsy. Fuchs began serving as interim president of the university on August 1. BEIJING, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- China is ready to work with Brazil to take the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties as a new starting point to jointly promote the building of a China-Brazil community with a shared future, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday. Xi made the remarks in his congratulatory message to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the two countries. China and Brazil, both major developing countries and key emerging markets, are like-minded good friends and partners that join hands and move forward together, Xi said. Over the past half century since the establishment of diplomatic relations, regardless of changes in the international landscape, the relationship between the two countries has maintained stable development, with increasingly prominent, comprehensive and strategic global influence, he said. While promoting the development and revitalization of their respective nations, China and Brazil have also played significant roles in contributing to world peace, stability, and prosperity, he added. Xi emphasized that during Lula's successful visit to China last year, the two sides reached a significant consensus on piloting and opening a new future for China-Brazil relations in the new era. China is ready to take the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relationship with Brazil as a new starting point to continuously strengthen the alignment of development strategies between the two countries, deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields, add new dimensions of the era to the China-Brazil relationship, and work together to promote the building of a China-Brazil community with a shared future, he said. For his part, Lula said over the past half century, the friendship between Brazil and China has been strengthened, and cooperation has become increasingly diversified. At present, the two countries maintain cooperation in many fields and at all levels, to jointly build a more prosperous, peaceful and just world, he added. Brazil-China ties are increasingly important for building the multipolar order, as well as a more just and effective global governance, Lula said, adding the bilateral ties play an underpinning role in the stability and predictability of the two countries and the world. He said that for the next 50 years of bilateral relations, the two countries will chart a new course together and create a bright shared future. Chinese Vice President Han Zheng and Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin also exchanged congratulatory messages on Thursday. DeSantis says state will look into former UF President Sasses millions in expenses Gov. Ron DeSantis and top Florida Republicans are putting pressure on the state university systems Board of Governors to look further into the spending habits of former University of Florida President Ben Sasse after a student-run newspaper reported that hed spent millions in university funds on secretive consulting contracts and jobs for GOP allies. We take the stewardship of state funds very seriously and have already been in discussions with leadership at the university and with the Board of Governors to look into the matter, DeSantis spokesman Bryan Griffin said in an email to the Herald/Times on Thursday. The governors office made its position public shortly after Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis called on university officials to investigate Sasses exorbitant spending. Patronis said in a post on X that the board should ensure tuition and tax dollars are being property used. Griffin did not disclose what the governors office discussed with the board. Florida Chancellor Ray Rodrigues, who oversees the state university system, did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment. The interest in Sasses spending at the university comes in response to findings outlined in a report by The Alligator, the student-run newspaper at the university. According to the report, Sasses office spent $17.3 million in his first year in office up from the $5.6 million spent by former UF President Kent Fuchs last year. The majority of the spending was driven by lucrative contracts with big-name consulting firms and high-salaratied, remote positions for Sasses former U.S. Senate staff and allies. Travel expenses during Sasses 17-month sting also soared to $633,000 over 20 times higher than Fuchs annual average of $28,000. This was in large part due to Sasse allowing many of his political appointees to work outside of Florida and commute to Gainesville at the universitys expense, the Alligator reported. Following the report of Sasses spending habits, Congressman Matt Gaetz, a Republican from the Florida Panhandle, called Sasse a terrible university president who never should have been hired. Send him back to Nebraska, Gaetz said about Sasse, who served as the junior senator for Nebraska prior to taking the job at the UF, the states flagship university. Sasse resigned from his post at the university July 31, citing the need to care for his wife who was recently diagnosed with epilepsy. Fuchs began serving as interim president of the university on August 1. TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday touted freedom and common-sense leadership while announcing record tourism numbers for the state in the second quarter of 2024. Florida continues to set the standard as the top destination for tourists, DeSantis said in a statement. These impressive numbers reflect the success of our efforts to prioritize public safety, freedom, and common-sense leadership. These priorities make the Free State of Florida a most appealing place to visit. Florida saw 34.2 million visitors in the second quarter, a 1.7% increase from 2023, according to a news release from the governors office, which cites data from VISIT FLORIDA. The busiest airport in the state during that time period was Orlando International Airport the closest airport to Disney World and Universal Studios. The state also saw an increase in international travelers. Florida continues to be the destination of choice for millions of Americans and international visitors alike, Dana Young, president and CEO of VISIT FLORIDA, said in a statement. Our success shows the results of the Governors freedom-first policies, VISIT FLORIDAs strategic marketing efforts, and the undeniable beauty of Florida. Moving forward, we will continue to leverage our strengths to ensure that Florida remains the top destination for travelers worldwide. Hotel demand also increased by about 1% in the second quarter when compared to the same period in 2023. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. The front page of the Deseret News on Aug. 16, 1935, announcing the death of entertainer Will Rogers and sidekick Wiley Post the day before. Their plane went down in northern Alaska. A look back at local, national and world events through Deseret News archives. He said he never met a man he didnt like, so the historians record. I wonder if Will Rogers would still say that in 2024? On Aug. 15, 1935, humorist Will Rogers and aviator Wiley Post were killed when their airplane crashed near Point Barrow in the Alaska Territory. Rogers, known as Oklahomas favorite son, was a popular performer, newspaper columnist and social commentator. His humor took him all over the world, and his takes on politics and human nature are repeated even today. Some might remember Rogers as a Hollywood star, first in silent films and then in talkies, and he loved to travel from show to show with Post, his aviator sidekick. So when their plane went down in northern Alaska 89 years ago today, it instantly became front page news. BARROW, ALASKA An airplane crash at the top of the world today had taken the lives of two world-famed figures the beloved humorist Will Rogers and the aerial world girdler Wiley Post. Native runners brought word of the accident to Barrow late last night and Staff Sgt. Stanley R. Morgan, signal corps operator, stationed at this, Americas most northerly white settlement, hired a fast launch and went to the scene. An interesting side note: Staff Sgt. Morgan was a Utahn, born in Payson in 1904, according to Deseret News accounts. He and his wife had a child born at Point Barrow, and was named Barrow Morgan. DN-WillRogers2 Fellow Oklahoman Post achieved his own fame, in 1933 completing the first solo plane flight around the world. It took seven days and 18 hours to accomplish. Although spiffily clad in this vintage photo, humorist Will Rogers needed to track down a coat and tie, required attire at the time, when he arrived to dine at Hotel Utah about 80 years ago. The tale of his encounter was retold in a centennial display. | Temple Square Hospitality Here are some stories from Deseret News archives about Rogers, the time he visited Utah and how folks have remembered him through the years: Hotel Utah, 100 years of history America needs the wisdom of Will Rogers Longhorns back on the Will Rogers ranch before long Collection of barbs is fine tribute to Will Rogers wit, wisdom Early farmers faced similar struggles and won, Farm Bureau told The Will Rogers Follies: A life in revue Wiley Post set several records in the air Oklahoma City remembers passing of 2 air pioneers Donald Trump is looking for one more get-out-of-jail free card, but the last-ditch effort is unlikely to work this time. The convicted felon asked New York Justice Juan Merchan one more time on Wednesday to delay his New York hush-money criminal sentencing until after the November election. The historic eventwhich marks the first criminal sentencing of a former U.S. presidentis currently scheduled for September 18. In a pre-motion letter to the judge, Trumps legal team suggested that delaying the sentencing would mitigate the appearances of impropriety. The letter pointed to Merchans daughters prior work for Democratic candidates, including Vice President Kamala Harris, and her business partners contributions to the Harris-Walz campaign, notably those made by Michael Nellis, the founder of Authentic Campaigns. Sentencing is currently scheduled to occur after the commencement of early voting in the Presidential election, Trump lawyer Todd Blanche wrote. By adjourning the sentencing until after that electionwhich is of paramount importance to the entire Nation, including tens of millions of people who do not share the views of Authentic, its executives, and its clientsthe Court would reduce, even if not eliminate, issues regarding the integrity of any future proceedings. There is no basis for continuing to rush, he added. Merchan seems the least likely of Trumps trial judges to offer him any favors, especially after enduring Trumps endless mud-slinging throughout the grueling, seven-week trial. Trumps attacks were primarily aimed at a gag order on the former president, which prevented him from targeting witnesses, jurors, courtroom staff, and their family in his venomous statements to the pressbut did not prevent him from hurling vitriol at Merchan. Trump repeatedly falsely claimed Merchan was violating his First Amendment right to free speech, but despite the constant heat, Merchan never broke. Appellate lawyers described Merchans behavior throughout the trial as flawless and have predicted that the attacks wouldnt play well for Trumps numerous appeals. But if their background werent enough of an indication of how Wednesdays request will proceed, another recent filing by Merchan might shed some light. The day before Trump filed his latest plea, Merchan plainly rejected an even bolder petition calling for his recusal from the wrapped New York case. Defendant has provided nothing new for this Court to consider. Counsel has merely repeated arguments that have already been denied by this and higher courts Merchan wrote in his ruling posted Wednesday, noting that Trumps arguments were rife with inaccuracies and unsubstantiated claims. TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) Vigo County School Corporation teacher, Carlee Sluder, was awarded a Lilly Endowment Teacher Creativity Fellowship grant in 2023 this summer the grant afforded her the trip of a lifetime. I wish everyone could have this kind of opportunity, Carlee Sluder, a literature and writing teacher at Woodrow Wilson Middle School. In a journey bridging the worlds of literature and travel, Sluder and her husband embarked on a transformative month-long adventure, made possible with Lilly Endowments Teacher Creativity Fellowship Program. Within the grant, the whole point is to create renewal and rejuvenation for teachers, Sluder said. We knew going into it, that was the intent, Sluder said. But we had no idea the impact that it would really have on us, she added. Loading up their Stay-Puft Marshmallow Camper Van, Sluder and her husband set off to travel the East Coast, visiting literary landmarks pairing landscapes and stories. So when we were in the Stephen King area we were listening to Stephen King stories or watching a movie that was based off of a Stephen King book, Sluder said. The destination? Inspiration. We left, just expecting to go on these amazing travels and then we came home with this appreciation for the Midwest and our home, she said It made us appreciate living in Indiana and made us not really want to leave Indiana. And that is part of the grant as well. Its to keep teachers in the classroom and keep them in Indiana. So, while I knew going into the grant, that was their intent, I didnt expect it to work so well, Sluder said while laughing. And it did, she added. Returning to her classroom for a new school year, Mrs. Sluder is eager to incorporate her travel experiences into her curriculum, I think that these experiences and excitement and passion that I have again for writing because of this is going to play into how I teach in my classroom, she said. By bringing fresh perspectives to her literature lessons Sluder says shell encourage her students to appreciate the world around them. So what I would like to show a lot of our students, especially the ones who dont have the means to travel, or their families dont have the means to travel, that theres a lot in our own backyard that they can experience and they can still find the beauty in where we live. And you dont have to travel thousands of miles to be able to do it, Sluder said. Since its inception in 1987, more than thirty-six hundred Indiana educators have received the grant. 104 grants were awarded in 2023. In a statement, Lilly Endowment said, Beginning with the Teacher Creativity Fellowship Program in 1987, Lilly Endowment has funded opportunities for teachers, pastors, artists, human service workers and youth workers to take time away from their work for reflection and renewal. Our grants to help rejuvenate their professional commitments stem from a belief in the power of sabbatical a time set aside to replenish physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual resources. Judith Cebula, Communications Director Lilly Endowment Inc. I am an English teacher and a lot of times I am extremely verbose and I have no words There are not enough words to express the gratitude that I have, that we both have toward the Lilly Foundation and being part of this fellowship, Sluder said. The September 9, deadline for eligible educators to apply for the next round of $15,000 fellowships is quickly approaching. For more information on how to apply or to learn more about the fellowship, click here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyWabashValley.com. Thousands took to the streets of Kolkata early Thursday to condemn the rape and murder of a local doctor, demanding justice for the victim and an end to the chronic issue of violence against women in Indian society. The discovery of the 31-year-old's brutalized body last week at a state-run hospital has sparked nationwide protests, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding swift punishment for those who commit "monstrous" deeds against women. Large crowds marched through the streets of Kolkata in West Bengal to condemn the killing, with a candlelight rally at midnight coinciding with the start of India's independence day celebrations on Thursday. The protesters in Kolkata, who marched under the slogan "reclaim the night", called for a wider tackling of violence against women and held up handwritten signs demanding action. "We want justice," read one sign at the rally. "Hang the rapist, save the women," read another. Citizens are taking to the streets in Kolkata, India, on August 14, ahead of the 78th Indian Independence Day, to protest against the rape and murder of a second-year intern doctor in Kolkata. / Credit: Debarchan Chatterjee/NurPhoto via Getty Images "The atrocities against women do not stop," midnight marcher Monalisa Guha told Kolkata's The Telegraph newspaper. "We face harassment almost on a daily basis," another marcher, Sangeeta Halder, told the daily. "But not stepping out because of fear is not the solution." "Monstrous behavior against women" Modi, speaking in New Delhi on Thursday morning at independence day celebrations, did not specifically reference the Kolkata murder, but expressed his "pain" at violence against women. "There is anger for atrocities committed against our mothers and sisters, there is anger in the nation about that," he said. "Crimes against women should be quickly investigated; monstrous behavior against women should be severely and quickly punished," he added. "That is essential for creating deterrence and confidence in the society." Doctors are also demanding swift justice and better workplace security in the wake of the killing, with those in government hospitals across several states on Monday halting elective services "indefinitely" in protest. Protests have since occurred in several other hospitals across the country, including in the capital. "Doctors nationwide are questioning what is so difficult about enacting a law for our security," Dhruv Chauhan, from the Indian Medical Association's Junior Doctors' Network, told the Press Trust of India news agency. "The strike will continue until all demands are formally met." The Telegraph on Thursday praised the "spirited public protests" across India. "Hearteningly, doctors and medical organizations are not the only ones involved," it said in an editorial. "The ranks of the protesters have been swelled by people from all walks of life." Police accused of mishandling case Indian media have reported the murdered doctor was found in the teaching hospital's seminar hall, suggesting she had gone there for a brief rest during a long shift. An autopsy has confirmed sexual assault, and in a petition to the court, the victim's parents have said that they suspected their daughter was gang-raped, according to Indian broadcaster NDTV. Though police have detained a man who worked at the hospital helping people navigate busy queues, officers have been accused of mishandling the case. Kolkata's High Court on Tuesday transferred the case to the elite Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to "inspire public confidence." In the early hours of Thursday, a mob of some 40 people angry at authorities' handling of the case stormed the grounds of the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, the site of the murder. The men smashed property and hurled stones at police, who fired tear gas in response, authorities said. A nurse looks at an emergency ward of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, vandalized by unidentified individuals in Kolkata on August 15, 2024. Thousands took to the streets of Kolkata early August 15, to condemn the rape and murder of a local doctor. / Credit: DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP via Getty Images West Bengal lawmaker Abhishek Banerjee, from the Trinamool Congress party, condemned the "hooliganism and vandalism," but said "the demands of the protesting doctors are fair and justified." History of sexual violence in India Sexual violence against women is a widespread problem in India. An average of nearly 90 rapes a day were reported in India in 2022, according to data from the National Crime Records Bureau. That year, police arrested 11 people after the alleged brutal gang rape and torture of a young woman that included her being paraded through the streets of Dehli. Also in 2022, a police officer in India was arrested after being accused of raping a 13-year-old girl who went to his station to report she had been gang-raped. In March 2024, multiple Indian men were arrested after the gang rape of a Spanish tourist on a motorbike trip with her husband. For many, the gruesome nature of the attack has invoked comparisons with the horrific 2012 gang rape and murder of a young woman on a Delhi bus. The woman became a symbol of the socially conservative country's failure to tackle sexual violence against women. Her death sparked huge, and at times violent, demonstrations in Delhi and elsewhere. Under pressure, the government introduced harsher penalties for rapists, and the death penalty for repeat offenders. Several new sexual offences were also introduced, including stalking and jail sentences for officials who failed to register rape complaints. RFK Jr. tried to meet with Kamala Harris' campaign about possible cabinet position, sources say Vance agrees to Oct. 1 debate with Walz on CBS Gaza cease-fire talks resume in Qatar, but Hamas representatives won't be there Wallace "Wally" Amos, the founder of Famous Amos Cookies died on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, in his home in Honolulu at the age of 88. The cause of death was complications from dementia. The baker and entrepreneur founded Famous Amos in 1975, with the opening of his first cookie shop on Los Angeles' famous Sunset Boulevard. His preservative-free cookies with natural ingredients were equally as important to the early success of the brand as Amos' shining personality and passion for baking. "With his Panama hat, kazoo, and boundless optimism, Famous Amos was a great American success story, and a source of Black pride," his family said in a statement (via ABC). Amos derived his chocolate chip cookie recipe from one his aunt, Della Bryant, made. At 12 years old, Amos moved in with his aunt in New York after his parents divorced, and she became an instrumental part of his life. Bryant was the first person to bake chocolate chip cookies for Amos. Read more: Famous Chefs Who Are Jerks In Real Life Wally Amos' Career Was Filled With Ups And Downs boxes of Famous Amos cookie - Jasni/Shutterstock Wally Amos did not bake for the entirety of his career. Inspired by his aunt Della Bryant, Amos attended Food Trades Vocational High School, where he got an apprenticeship in the kitchen of an upscale hotel. Yet, in a school that favored white students, promotion was not easy, and Amos dropped out to join the Air Force. After being with the Air Force for four years, spent mostly in Hawaii, he returned to New York. The Famous Amos founder worked in the music industry, starting in the mailroom at the William Morris talent agency and becoming a junior agent in 1961. He booked many talented musical acts like Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, and the Temptations. Later, Amos opened his own management agency and ran it for nearly a decade. Amos relieved stress by baking cookies at night and bringing them to share at work. Eventually, he wanted to pursue this true passion. Marvin Gaye invested money in Famous Amos, and with $25,000, Amos opened his first cookie shop in L.A. Famous Amos was a huge success and became a household name. However, it was difficult to keep profits up as the company rapidly expanded, and Famous Amos was sold in 1988. His passion for baking manifested through other projects such as Cookie Kahuna, which featured on Shark Tank, and Uncle Wally Muffins none of which took off like Famous Amos. Wallace Amos will be remembered for a life filled with hard work, passion for baking, and chocolate chip cookies. Read the original article on Mashed. WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) There are many people throughout the Valley who are still cleaning up from last weeks storms. Thankfully, no injuries have been reported, but the storms left a mess from downed trees to downed powerlines. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine issued a State of Emergency for eight counties in northeast Ohio, including Trumbull County, but local officials warn that compensation is not part of that plan. Trumbull County EMA Director John Hickey spoke about this. I had numerous calls because of the emergency declaration that the governor put out on Saturday a lot of people not understanding really what that meant. Unfortunately, all that declaration did was allow state resources to become available: ODOT, ODNR, Department of Health, he said. The reason for confusion is a line in the release from Governor DeWine that read: For damage assessments related to homeowners, businesses, renters, and non-critical private non-profit organizations, please contact your County Emergency Management Agency Offices. This line led many to believe that local EMAs might be able to provide damage assessments and financial aid to residents, but that is not the case. So, what exactly does the declaration mean then? Simply, if Cuyahoga County needed the National Guard to help with whatever, ODOT to help clear roads, ODNR to help cut up trees, stuff like that, Hickey explained. If you are still in need of assistance with storm damage clean-up, then you can always reach out to your local community to see what resources are available. The weather has been nice over the past few days, but storms are back in the forecast. You can stay updated on when the next rain chances are by looking at the 7-day outlook. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. Governor Mike DeWine has ordered flags to be lowered in honor of former Greene County Judge Robert Hagler. Hagler passed away on Saturday, August 3 at the age of 84, according to his obituary. >> Matthew Perry death: Arrests made, reports say DeWine has ordered the flags of the United States and the state of Ohio to be lowered upon all public buildings and grounds throughout Greene County from sunrise on Friday, August 16 until sunset on Saturday, August 17. All other public buildings and grounds throughout the state can fly flags half-staff at their discretion, the governors office said. Enjoy adorable moments of these playful wild Asian elephants in China's Yunnan. #China #wild #elephant #rescue #animals Did Pa. township missing $532K in taxpayer dollars have financial safeguards? Officials wont say This story was produced by the State College regional bureau of Spotlight PA, an independent, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated to investigative and public-service journalism for Pennsylvania. Sign up for our north-central Pa. newsletter, Talk of the Town, at spotlightpa.org/newsletters/talkofthetown. STATE COLLEGE When residents learned that a Centre County township is investigating the potential misuse of more than $532,000 by a suspended employee, many asked: How could such a large sum of public money disappear without scrutiny? Officials in Gregg Township have provided few details but did say an employee might have used a credit card for the transactions in question. Theyve promised a full public report once an investigation by Pennsylvania State Police is complete. The employee, who Spotlight PA is not naming because they havent been charged with a crime, has been suspended without pay. The rural township, which has about 2,200 residents and last reported an annual budget of about $714,000, is overseen by a three-member Board of Supervisors. Its their job to authorize spending and make sure public funds are disbursed accordingly. Supervisor Ben Haupt declined to answer on the record when Spotlight PA asked if the township had any policies about financial responsibilities in place during the employees tenure. He would say only that officials started working on such policies after they suspended the employee. Haupt also declined to comment on details of the policies but said the board will discuss them in the next public meeting on Sept. 12. Because local governments fund public services by collecting and spending tax dollars, they have a responsibility to safeguard the use of that money. Generally, having clear financial policies that put best practices in place creates mechanisms to root out fraud, waste, and abuse. Local governments make payments using a variety of options: cash, check, and electronic methods, according to the national Government Finance Officers Association. Cash payments are typically discouraged by finance professionals because they are harder to verify and reconcile. While some controls like requiring multiple signatures exist for checks, governments should use electronic transactions because they allow less paperwork and easier monitoring, the association advises. It also encourages municipalities to put in place procedures and internal controls for each payment method. While local governments can independently decide whether to use credit cards, having policies that spell out how they can or cannot be used is crucial for fiscal accountability. Municipalities that use credit cards should issue ordinances or resolutions that establish policies for their use, said Scott Coburn, education director of the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors, in an email to Spotlight PA. Those policies should specify which categories of township staff and officials are permitted to use them, for what types of purchases and in what amounts, etc., Coburn wrote. Municipalities should also speak with their banks about security controls to protect credit card payments, he added. In neighboring Ohio, municipalities that have credit card accounts have to adopt written policies about how they are used and controlled. There is no similar requirement in Pennsylvania state law. Elected officials are ultimately responsible for financial reporting to their constituents, according to the Governmental Accounting Standards Board, which sets accounting and financial reporting standards for U.S. state and local governments. The Gregg Township board, which is part-time, did not see bank statements previously, Haupt told the public in last Thursdays meeting. The township has been working on an employee handbook since the beginning of 2024, according to meeting minutes. One of the planned additions to the handbook is to require regular reviews of financial statements by supervisors. In the western part of the state, Rachael Heisler, Pittsburgh city controller, is investigating an alleged violation of the citys credit card usage policy by its parks and recreation director, according to reports by TribLIVE. During a Spotlight PA event about local government accountability earlier this year, Heisler said adding best practices to municipal policies and making financial records as publicly accessible as possible are key first steps toward fiscal responsibility. SUPPORT THIS JOURNALISM and help us reinvigorate local news in north-central Pennsylvania at spotlightpa.org/donate/statecollege. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability and public-service journalism that gets results. Californians will soon be able to add a drivers license or state ID to their Apple Wallet and Google Wallet mobile devices, the governors office announced Thursday. Downloading a California ID will not replace the requirement for individuals to carry a physical card, but it does make it more convenient for Californians to validate their age and identify at some businesses and airports. Californians will be able to use these new options to present their drivers license or ID card in Google Wallet or Apple Wallet at select businesses and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) airport security checkpoints and in select apps, the governors office stated in a news release. The news release did not give a specific date for when the digital IDs would become available. The DMV is part of the broader mobile Drivers Licence (mDL) pilot that was launched last year. We continue to expand the availability and acceptance of digital licenses and identification cards while ensuring the highest level of privacy and security, DMV Director Steve Gordon said. More information about California IDs in Google Wallet and Apple Wallet, as well as other California-issued mDLs, will be available at dmv.ca.gov/mDL. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. The pool of civilians who help determine the discipline for Los Angeles police officers accused of serious misconduct includes pastors, former public defenders and a travel consultant but they are not the ones called most often to do the job. Instead, records reviewed by The Times show, the task usually falls to the same handful of lawyers and arbitration professionals. Their work a process that involves what's known as a board of rights has faced heavy criticism in recent years from city and Police Department leaders for repeatedly allowing cops to remain on the force despite having lied, used excessive force or shown racial bias. This week, the Los Angeles Police Commission said it would reassess the qualifications for participating. But a Times analysis raises the possibility that the problem may be less the diversity of the board pool and more a matter of who is being chosen to sit on the three-member panels. Data from more than 200 board of rights hearings show the same people were routinely picked to serve over and over. A breakdown of the "hearing examiners" who served on board hearings, which spanned from 2019 to this February, was obtained through a public records request. There are about 65 people in the examiner pool, but among them 10 have been called far more often than others, appearing on at least 30 panels. One of them was on two-thirds of the panels across the entire data set. Others were selected only a handful of times, and some haven't been picked at all, which has prompted claims they have been excluded because they were not seen as being pro-police. Read more: Members of LAPD disciplinary panels say they're excluded because of policing views The examiner who appeared most often, records show, was David Shapiro, a partner at law firm Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith, who served on 55 boards. Other frequent participants were Michael Diliberto, a veteran arbitrator who sat on 39 boards, and Sonia Amin, an immigration attorney based in Encino, who was part of 43. Emails to the three weren't immediately returned on Wednesday. Under the citys charter, police disciplinary hearings play out like mini-trials. Instead of jury selection, department representatives and defense attorneys for the accused officers agree on three examiners from a group of nine picked at random. Records show that more than half of the examiners are men. Most live outside of L.A., and about a third are former law enforcement officers or people who previously worked in positions that put them in contact with the LAPD. Because of the secrecy surrounding the board of rights process, it is currently impossible for the public to know how the examiners vote and how they compare to one another in terms of disciplinary outcomes, but the department's top brass has long complained that the all-civilian panels are too lenient. In some cases, officers recommended for firing by the chief have been allowed to keep their jobs even though they were found to have violated department policy by lying about physical altercations, including one in which an officer knocked a woman out cold. LAPD interim Chief Dominic Choi said the City Council has asked the department to "take a look at the entire disciplinary process, from beginning to end, not just the adjudication part." He said that he "looked forward to being part" of the review, but also defended the department's system for investigating and disciplining officers as "one of the most thorough" in the country. Read more: Lawsuit claims LAPD commander tried to 'discredit' police union. Is it part of a broader rift? "We'll get working groups together to discuss what's good and what's bad about the process," Choi told reporters after Tuesday's meeting of the commission. The interim chief said he continues to fight the perception that "command officers get treated differently than our line officers." "As a department, as a city, we need to address that," he said. The Police Commission, the five-member civilian body that sets LAPD policy and standards, has proposed changing the requirements for prospective hearing examiners in hopes of attracting a more diverse pool of candidates. The current commission rules give preference to city residents and limit the job to civilians with no criminal history who are not serving as active police officers and have a record of responsible community service. Applicants must also have at least two years of experience with arbitration, mediation, administrative hearings or comparable work, although that requirement may go away under the changes now being considered. Any changes will need approval from the City Council's public safety committee and labor leaders, which could take several months. Read more: Who will be L.A.'s next police chief: A guide Former law enforcement officers who have been retired for at least five years can be considered, something that would remain unchanged in proposals made thus far by the commission. The changes could also limit examiners to a five-year term and require enhanced training on use of force standards, "best practices for community-based policing," and the "impact of retaining officers who have been found guilty by a Board of Rights of allegations involving dishonesty, biased policing, or other conduct that has the potential to compromise their ability to continue to serve." Last month, Mayor Karen Bass vetoed a proposed ballot measure to rework the disciplinary process resulting in its removal from the Nov. 5 ballot and delaying the possibility of any meaningful reforms for at least two years. The proposal would have stripped officers of the option to opt for an all-civilian board, while giving the chief of police the power to fire an officer outright for certain serious offenses. Read more: Mayor Karen Bass vetoes ballot proposal to let police chief fire problem officers LAPD leaders warned the proposal risked creating a two-tier disciplinary system, with some offenses resulting in termination by the chief and others still requiring a board of rights hearing. They also opposed the proposal's creation of a binding arbitration process to resolve cases under appeal. The mayor's veto came amid a philosophical split between the measure's original architects, Councilmembers Hugo Soto-Martinez and Tim McOsker. In his regular newsletter to his Council District 15 constituents, McOsker wrote that he was "disappointed" by his colleagues' decision not to block the mayor's veto but said he was committed to making "meaningful change" to the board of rights process. He has since introduced a motion that called for a "top-to-bottom review" of police discipline. The Los Angeles Police Protective League, the powerful union that represents LAPD rank-and-file officers, has also argued for changes, saying the current system is skewed in favor of command staff and those officers who are well-connected. The union has argued that civilians tend to be more impartial arbiters because they are less likely than sworn officers to fear running afoul of top brass when they don't follow a recommendation to fire an officer or mete out other major punishment. Greg Yacoubian, a lawyer who often represents LAPD officers in workplace matters, said that any disparity in discipline has less to do with who is serving on boards of rights than it does with the department's overzealousness in bringing cases against certain officers. The real problem [is] that the civilian boards have been finding that, 'Wait a minute, you dont have the evidence, it doesnt support the finding of guilt,' he said. You should have an unbiased, uninfluenced panel of hearing officers and let the chips fall where they fall." Times staff writer David Zahniser contributed to this report. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Disorganized NY Dem rally to endorse Harris infiltrated by anti-Israel protesters who clashed with cops at afterparty A hastily organized rally supporting Vice President Kamala Harris descended into chaos after anti-Israel protesters infiltrated the Big Apple event and later barged into an afterparty venue, causing several thousand dollars worth of damage to its outdoor space. Several demonstrators against Israels military campaign in Gaza were booted from the Democratic gathering in Harlem, where Mayor Eric Adams gave an impassioned speech. Make sure you vote, Hizzoner chanted as the disrupters were dragged from the tiny venue in Upper Manhattan. Adams stood with other prominent elected state Democrats, including City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams (who is not related to the mayor) and Gov. Kathy Hochul, as he endorsed the partys presidential ticket. NY Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks at the NY Democratic Partys endorsement of the Harris-Walz presidential campaign alongside NYC Mayor Eric Adams on Aug. 14, 2024. New York Post Several demonstrators against Israels military campaign in Gaza were booted from the Harlem gathering as Mayor Eric Adams gave an impassioned speech. New York Post Everyone thats on this stage right now comes from different political spectrum, we dont always agree on the same thing, he said. But the ability to know when you are in a real fight this is the real fight. While protesters were escorted out of the main rally, which sources said wasnt attended by Harris or her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the demonstration took an ugly turn in front of a restaurant where up to 25 attendees stopped afterward. Harris and Walz were absent from the Harlem gathering, despite being prominently featured on the events flyer and confusing some who attended the rally. The veep hopeful spoke in Boston on Wednesday. AFP via Getty Images While protesters were escorted out of the main rally, the demonstration took an ugly turn in front of a restaurant where some rallygoers gathered. FreedomNewsTV The angry mob of around 50 protesters even stormed into the restaurant Bird in Hand at Broadway and West 146th Street as stunned patrons looked on, according to footage from the scene. Other videos showed cops taking rabble-rousers into custody as a crowd circled the police. Whistles and horns sounded, and smoke bombs were also set off during the brouhaha. One protester appeared to try to swipe at cops with a cardboard sign, leading several officers to grab the demonstrator and arrest her on the sidewalk, more footage showed. The angry mob of around 50 protesters even stormed into the restaurant Bird in Hand at Broadway and West 146th Street as stunned patrons looked on, according to footage from the scene. FreedomNewsTV An angry mob stormed into the restaurant Bird and Hand at Broadway and West 146th Street as stunned patrons looked on. FreedomNewsTV More video shows cops taking rabble-rousers into custody as a crowd circled the police. Smoke bombs was also set off during clashes between protesters and authorities. FreedomNewsTV Make sure you vote, Hizzoner chanted as the disrupters were dragged from the tiny venue in Upper Manhattan. New York Post One protester appeared to try to swipe at cops with a cardboard sign, leading several officers to grab the demonstrator and arrest her on the sidewalk. Christopher Sadowski At another point, authorities chased after another on Broadway during a brief encounter. Free Gaza was also graffitied on a police car, and an anti-Israel poster with the words No Votes For Bombalas Genocide was briefly plastered on a restaurant window. At least 14 people were taken into custody, according to police. Bird in Hand owner Brian Felicetta told The Post he estimated damages to the restaurants outdoor seating area were at least a few thousand dollars. He will have a better idea Thursday when he surveys the aftermath. Its my flowers that took the worst of this beating. He said a handful of people from the community swung by for an informal dinner after the rally and he suspects some protesters followed the group to the restaurant. He credited police for their quick action and his staff for handling the situation appropriately. Nothing really came of it besides us, a small business, mom-and-pop business in New York, Im gonna be the one waking up in the morning fixing all this, Felicetta said. Myself and my (business) partner were both born-and-bred New Yorkers, were for everybody, so I dont know what the target or intention was based around this, but it makes no sense to me, he added. Before the night descended into chaos, several sources in political circles questioned the mayors motivation for being at Wednesdays rally backing Harris with one source telling The Post that he must see his Trump pardon slipping away, referring to the legal woes which have embroiled Adams and his administration of late. Free Gaza was also graffitied on a police car. Christopher Sadowski It is cute to see an event organized with zero official DNC representation being headlined by Mayor Adams, who to this day refuses to criticize Trump, pretending to be a supporter of the Democratic Party, they added. The source also noted that Harris, 59, and Walz, 60, were absent, despite being prominently featured on the events flyer and confusing some who attended the rally. The veep hopeful spoke in Boston on Wednesday. I thought they would be here, one attendee said to a group of people who nodded in agreement before promptly leaving the venue. Organizer Corey Ortega said Harris and Walz are confident with their support in the state. They have to hit other states that require that political presence, he added. The hasty rally comes just days before the Democratic National Convention kicks off in Chicago. I am so energized and so excited about heading off to Chicago and bringing home a victory, Hochul told the packed room Wednesday night. Dispute over Jordan Chiles Olympic floor routine rolls on as US claims CAS sent emails to the wrong addresses The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is standing by its ruling that Romanias Ana Barbosu is the rightful third place finisher in floor exercise at the Paris Olympics. The decision led the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to request that American gymnast Jordan Chiles return the bronze medal she was originally awarded. Video came out Friday showing Barbosu being awarded a bronze medal in an official ceremony at the Olympic Sports Association in Bucharest, conducted in front of the Romanian Olympic Committee and attended by the president of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee, Mihai Covaliu, and Romanias prime minister, Marcel Ciolacu, according to CNN affiliate Antena 3. In a media release on Wednesday, CAS maintains that, during its hearing with Romanian and US officials, there was never a dispute over USA Gymnastics (USAG) missing the one-minute deadline to challenge Chiles floor exercise score. Olympic judges had inially revised Chiles score, raising her into the bronze medal position and bumping Barbosu off the podium. At the hearing, there was no dispute between the parties that Ms. Chiles inquiry was submitted 1 minute and 4 seconds after her score was official [sic] displayed on the scoreboard, CAS said in its release. All parties accepted as clear and determinative the report prepared by Omega, the official timekeeper for the Olympic Games, and submitted by the FIG itself. No party sought the admittance of other evidence. USAG has previously stated that it did not come into possession of video which it claims proves that its inquiry was submitted after just 47 seconds until after CAS had already made its ruling. The video footage provided was not available to USA Gymnastics prior to the tribunals decision and thus USAG did not have the opportunity to previously submit it, USAG said Sunday. Romania's Ana Barbosu is in line to win the floor exercise bronze medal in place of Chiles. - Mike Blake/Reuters The US Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and USAG also now claim that CAS initially sent crucial communications to the wrong email addresses, and as a result, the parties were not able to properly prepare for the hearing. The USOPC strongly contests the CAS decision due to significant procedural errors, USOPC told CNN Thursday. From August 6-9, CAS sent crucial communications to erroneous email addresses at USOPC and USAG, an error not corrected until August 9 three days after filing, two days past the deadline to submit objections, and less than 24 hours before the hearing. This deprived us of adequate time to respond meaningfully or gather necessary evidence. We informed CAS of our objections immediately. Both parties say they will continue to appeal the matter. Our pursuit of truth in this matter remains unwavering, the USOPC said. Chiles took to Instagram Thursday to say she was overwhelmed by the love and support shes received in the aftermath. I am so incredibly grateful to my family, teammates, coaches, fans, USAG, and the USOPC for their unwavering support during this difficult time, she wrote. I have no words. This decision feels unjust and comes as a significant blow, not just to me, but to everyone who has championed my journey, Chiles continued. Ive poured my heart and soul into this sport and I am so proud to represent my culture and my country. I will approach this challenge as I have others and will make every effort to ensure that justice is done. On Monday, USAG said it would continue to pursue every possible avenue and appeal process, including to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, to ensure the just scoring, placement, and medal award for Jordan. The national governing body has also voiced concerns about Dr. Hamid G. Gharavi, who has represented Romania in previous arbitration cases, chairing the CAS panel. CAS says that none of the parties involved objected to Gharavis appointment to the panel, but USAG claims that it was never informed of his ties to Romania. Ana Barbosu was awarded the bronze medal in Bucharest, Romania, August 16, 2024. - George Calin/Inquam Photos/Reuters CAS did not send the conflict-of-interest disclosures of any panelist to USA Gymnastics, nor have we seen the disclosures to date, its statement read. Barbosu said Friday: The resolution of the case was possible thanks to the federation and the law firm that did not give up on us, the sportswomen, and fought for all of us and wanted there to be three bronze medals. I thank them because they fought for us and continue to fight. Im very happy to have this medal and I hope to continue to represent Romania at the highest level and bring back as many medals as possible. Thank you! she added, per Reuters. Last week, Chiles posted four breaking hearts emojis on her Instagram story, explaining how she was taking this time and removing myself from social media for my mental health. CNNs Thomas Schlachter contributed to reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY) A man accused of sexually assaulting a woman 31 years ago has been charged after recent efforts sparked by the West Virginia Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI), Monongalia Prosecuting Attorney Gabrielle Mucciola announced Thursday. Tony Bethea According to a release, Tony Bethea, 53, has been charged in connection to a sexual assault case reported by a victim on March 7, 1993. Nobody was charged at the time of the report, but the evidence was preserved and later processed as part of the West Virginia SAKI project. Betheas DNA was then entered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), which resulted in a match between the sample from 1993 as well as another DNA profile. Bethea has three previous sexual assault convictions and is currently serving time at the Mt. Olive Correctional Center. Man found guilty of gruesome Fairmont murder As a result of the connection, state troopers obtained four new felony warrants against Bethea for 2nd-degree sexual assault. Another man was recently charged thanks to the efforts of the SAKI project after being connected to an alleged sexual assault in Westover from 2000. West Virginia Governor Jim Justice also announced on Wednesday that 21 projects in West Virginia would be receiving almost $1.2 million in SAKI grants. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com. DNA links 2 murders, but no suspect found: Heres what APD can do now AUSTIN (KXAN) Even though the DNA link investigators made between two separate homicide cases didnt match a specific person, there are still other uses for this DNA evidence. This week, the Austin Police Department announced DNA found in a June 2024 murder matches the DNA found in a 2018 murder in Bastrop County. Days are not easy: Mother reacts after APD finds DNA link in separate murder investigations In this years case, 34-year-old Alyssa Ann Rivera was found dead in an abandoned house in southeast Austin. In the 2018 case, 28-year-old Alba Aviles was found dead in her car on a Bastrop County road. Investigators test for DNA matches by entering DNA into something called the CODIS system, which is a collection of local, state and national DNA databases. While the DNA in these two cases matched with each other in the CODIS system, they didnt match a person previously identified in the CODIS system, meaning the suspect has not previously been arrested and their DNA has not been entered into the CODIS system. If a DNA hit doesnt identify a person, what else can investigators use it for? Even though [the suspect] is not in CODIS, detectives can explore genealogy to attempt to find family and try a family tree, said Sgt. Nathan Sexton with APDs Homicide Unit. Additionally, if the suspect is ever arrested for certain crimes, detectives would be notified. KXAN got further insight into the uses of DNA from the Texas Municipal Police Association (TMPA). The technology and information has changed with forensic genealogy. Now instead of looking through a narrow lens, youre basically looking through a giant plate said Clint McNear, a former detective and now field services supervisor with TMPA. Now you dont have to find the contributor of that DNA, I can find a sibling, a parent, a child a cousin, an aunt or uncle. McNear also said having the same DNA linked to two separate homicides can help investigators eliminate potential suspects. Were getting hundreds, sometimes thousands of leads, he said. Its as important that I can clear someone as it is that I find someone. If that wasnt your DNA and you werent at the scene of that crime. Its very likely you werent there and werent involved in it. Immediately, Detectives say proper notification of DNA match occurred Once the CODIS system produced a match between the 2024 and 2018 homicide cases, homicide detectives were notified and immediately reached out to Bastrop County, Sexton said. KXAN asked APD about the handling of DNA, because an oversight occurred regarding DNA in a case unrelated to these two homicides: the 2019 murder of Gloria Lofton. Raul Meza, called a serial killer by some officials, is charged in her death. Mezas arrest affidavit stated that in 2020, a DNA profile obtained from a sexual assault kit for Loftons matched Mezas DNA, but police did not arrest Meza at that time. He allegedly went on to kill someone else four years later. Police admitted a communication error occurred regarding the DNA hit, which contributed to Meza not being investigated to a greater length at the time. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. A coalition of activist groups set for a massive protest at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago next week have challenged late denials by Mayor Brandon Johnsons administration of their plans to set up stages and sound systems for rallies in parks near the United Center. In an emergency petition filed in U.S. District Court, the Coalition to March on the Democratic National Convention, which has a pending civil rights lawsuit against the city over protest preparations, called the move a bait-and-switch violation of their constitutional rights. The citys efforts to deny at this late date the plaintiffs request for a stage and sound amplification system so speeches can be heard unreasonably burdens plaintiffs First Amendment rights without the city creating a record that such restrictions serve a compelling governmental interest, the motion stated, asking U.S. District Judge Andrea Wood to intervene. Protest leader Hatem Abudayyeh blasted the decision Wednesday night. Its essentially telling us, you can go to this thing and meet, but you cant have a program, Abudayyeh said. The latest controversy comes just days away from the kick-off of the convention after the city responded by letter to two permit requests that have been pending for more than seven months to be able to install stages and sound equipment as well as portable toilets and other amenities in Union Park and another smaller park along the planned protest route. The letter, which was attached to the emergency motion filed late Wednesday, stated the rally petitions were granted subject to the following conditions: no stages or platforms, portable restrooms or toilets, tents or canopies, or sound equipment may be installed by your organization. The city said it was going to provide a stage and amplified sound at one of the parks which will be used by multiple organizations during the four-day event, and that allowing other groups to bring in their own equipment would be redundant. The letter, signed by Chicago Department of Transportation Assistant Commissioner Bryan Gallardo, also cited myriad safety concerns, as tents and porta potties can be used to conceal weapons or other illegal activity and their materials can be broken down and used as weapons against the police. While CDOT is not suggesting that your particular group will use these items in these ways, their presence in the park could be abused by others to harm members of the public or law enforcement officers, the letter read. Abudayyeh gathered with other protest organizers and supporters Thursday morning at a news conference outside City Hall. They dont want us to speak. They are restricting our rights based on content, Abudayyeh said. Someone doesnt want us to speak about Palestine. The temperature had lowered considerably by Thursday afternoon, however, as both sides reported to the judge during a brief telephone hearing that they were working behind the scenes on a settlement. Wood told lawyers for the city to respond to the motion for an injunction by noon Friday, detailing any remaining issues that could not be resolved. An in-person hearing was scheduled for 2:30 p.m. at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse. The city has permitted the group to take a roughly 1-mile march route starting in Union Park on Monday and Thursday, court records show. A similar offer has been extended to several other protest groups. For weeks, Abudayyeh has described plans to host speeches in both Union Park and Park 578 in front of a protest crowd he most recently estimated will include 25,000 people. The last-minute ban on equipment in Union Park is a violation of due process and First Amendment rights, he argued. The protest organizers carefully avoided pinning blame on they mayor at the news conference. Instead, they aimed their frustrations at city attorneys. Likewise, none of the three progressive aldermen who spoke at the news conference Ald. Julia Ramirez, 12th, Ald. Byron Sigcho Lopez, 25th, and Ald. Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez, 33rd, all typically allied with Johnson mentioned the mayor by name. Cheryl Miller, an organizer for the activist group Southside Together Organizing for Power who works closely with Johnson on his Treatment Not Trauma policy, even said protesters at this DNC will be better off because, unlike in 1968, we do not have a shoot-to-kill mayor. She praised Johnsons leadership before gently calling on him to intercede. Do not let the fears of your administration unwittingly cause the very chaos that they are hoping to prevent, she said. Without sound, without direction, without staging, how is there to be order? The group rallied again outside City Hall Thursday afternoon. Meanwhile, a pro-Israel group shared Thursday that it had finally received a permit from the city to host its own rally after a similarly slow and confusing application process. The Israeli American Councils permit allows the group to host a rally at 5 p.m. Wednesday, chief programming officer Aya Shechter said. The DNC starts next week in Chicago. Heres what to know. In their nine-page motion for an injunction, the pro-Palestinian activist groups say the real motive for the last-minute, made-up process was to try and silence their protests against the Israeli military action in Gaza and other concerns. The DNC has an interest in minimizing the exposure of Democratic officials to protests, particularly around the issues plaintiffs seeking to protest, the motion stated. The reason the city is denying the opportunity to use stages and a sound system is because, at the behest of the DNC, they do not want the speeches heard. The issue over the planned rallies is one of the final sticking points in the long-running efforts to gain access to areas within sight and sound of the United Center, which is serving as the main convention center. Earlier this week, Wood ruled that she will not force City Hall to widen and lengthen the protest route near the United Center, writing the city has a significant government interest in controlling the expected crowds for safety and security. Wood wrote the challenges to the alternate parade route proposed by the city boil down to a complaint that City Hall hasnt offered the exact route plaintiffs desire, even though that route allows them to speak near their intended audience. This falls well short of a First Amendment violation, Wood wrote. As such, the alternative parade route represents an adequate alternative channel of communication. The route, first proposed by the mayors administration last month, calls for protesters to assemble in Union Park on the Near West Side before marching west along Washington Boulevard to Hermitage Avenue, then past a small park north of the United Center. The route then turns east on Lake Street back to Union Park. Related Articles The marchs organizers had been fighting for a wider, longer path to the convention center, including being allowed to stay on Washington Boulevard instead of being diverted to smaller side streets. Other sticking points continue to be where and when the groups involved will be able to stage a rally near the United Center. The two sides were still at odds in court last week, with plaintiffs attorney Chris Williams telling the judge they were blindsided by the possibility that they might not be able to hold speeches in a park two blocks north of the United Center. Williams vowed to keep fighting for a plan for marches and speeches he argued would be safer than what the city has proposed and better align with his clients First Amendment rights. The way the city is doing this is take-it-or-leave-it, you do what we say, Williams told Wood at the hearing on Aug. 5. Its not enough to say, You have a route, youre going to live with it. Youre going to have chaos. At the most recent hearing Tuesday, the judge said she could see why the citys last-minute maneuvering could be a cause for concern for the plaintiffs. It does seem a bit odd to me that the park permit applications have been pending so long without a response, Wood said. jmeisner@chicagotribune.com jsheridan@chicagotribune.com Docs: Foster mom charged in boys death trying to get out of no-contact order, use bail for attorney fees PORTER COUNTY, Ind. The foster mom accused of sitting on 10-year-old Dakota Levi Stevens, which later killed him, is trying to get her no-contact order lifted. Court documents show Jennifer Wilson and her defense team are also trying to free up $10,000 of her $20,000 ordered bond to pay her attorney so she can afford representation and to cover the cost of case expenses (which would include any potential expert costs). Of the $10,000, half would be placed in Baldwin, Perry and Wileys Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts (IOLTA) and will remain there until needed, according to the filing. Her husband paid her bond on July 17 after she was taken into custody in New Buffalo, Michigan on July 14, a document states. Previous: Foster mom accused of killing 10-year-old Northwest Indiana boy by laying on him Wilson and her defense team also filed a motion to vacate her non-contact order regarding her two young dependents. The Northwest Indiana Times reported that she is challenging prosecutors to prove the legal necessity for the protective order. Wilsons license to operate a foster home was revoked on June 30, according to DCS. All of this stems after she was charged with the reckless homicide of Dakota Levi Stevens, 10, who was placed into her foster home. Wilson is accused of sitting on Stevens for several minutes in the front yard of her residence on the afternoon of April 25. Police and prosecutors have camera footage of the alleged incident from neighbors and described the incident in court documents. Stevens, who loved digging for bugs and the outdoors, died two days later on the morning of April 27. His death was ruled a homicide by mechanical asphyxia. Brought a lot of joy: 10-year-old Northwest Indiana boys death ruled homicide while in foster care A neighbor told police Stevens ran to her house asking her to adopt him 30 minutes prior to the incident. Documents allege he was hit in the face and said his foster parents didnt let him call his case worker. A hearing for her motion to terminate the no-contact order is scheduled for Sept. 4. A jury trial is scheduled for March 3 with other hearings scheduled for Sept. 24, Oct. 29 and Dec. 3. A request for cameras in the courtroom was denied, according to court records. WGN News has reached out to the firm representing her in Indianapolis and DCS for a statement. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV. FILE PHOTO: Boxes of Wegovy made by Novo Nordisk are seen at a pharmacy in London By Patrick Wingrove NEW YORK (Reuters) - Older Americans are having little success getting prescriptions for weight-loss drug Wegovy covered by Medicare despite the federal healthcare program's decision to pay for patients with obesity at risk of heart disease, according to their doctors. In interviews with Reuters, seven obesity and heart disease specialists from various parts of the United States said their prescriptions for the Novo Nordisk drug have been denied repeatedly by the healthcare companies that administer Medicare drug benefits, with some prescriptions approved only following an appeal for each application. One doctor said that none of the 10 or more appeals she sends each month are granted. Two other physicians said their success rate with appeals was between 10% and 50% for patients with a history of heart attack or stroke. "If there's a medication that can help reduce your risk further and help control your symptoms and reduce hospitalization, to have insurance say that it's not going to be covered is problematic," said one of the physicians, Dr. Noor Khan, a specialist in obesity and bariatric medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. "I have not been able to determine the pattern of who is getting covered and who is not - even when we have evidence of MI (myocardial infarction, meaning heart attack) or stroke," added Dr. Holly Lofton of New York University Langone, a general practitioner specializing in obesity. Medicare, which provides medical coverage for Americans age 65 and older, is prohibited by law from paying for weight-loss drugs or other types of so-called lifestyle medicines. Wegovy, a weekly injection, carries a list price of more than $1,300 per month, prompting calls from President Joe Biden's administration and some lawmakers for Novo to lower its price. With nearly 70% of U.S. adults considered obese or overweight, the cost of covering it for even a fraction of those patients would run into the billions of dollars. Novo and rival Eli Lilly are seeking to widen insurance coverage for their weight-loss drugs, investing in large clinical trials intended to show specific health benefits in addition to helping people shed pounds. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration in March approved a new use of Wegovy for heart disease, based on clinical trials showing a 20% reduction in heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular-related death. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the U.S. agency that administers the program, the same month issued guidance to health insurers to cover the drug for that use. The agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A Novo Nordisk spokesperson said the company will continue to work with payers and policymakers to ensure that seniors living with obesity have insurance coverage. Two companies that manage prescription drug benefits for Medicare patients, CVS Health's Caremark and UnitedHealth Group's Optum RX, said it is possible for patients to access Wegovy for the cardiovascular indication, but declined to say how many plans were covering the drug or how many would in the future. Others did not respond to requests for comment. 'VARIATION IN COVERAGE' A July analysis by KFF, a non-profit that conducts health policy research, showed that only 1% of plans for Medicare patients offered by these middlemen covered Wegovy for heart disease. Juliette Cubanski, deputy director of KFF's program on Medicare policy, said plan sponsors often wait until the start of the calendar year to begin coverage of a newly approved prescription drug. Cubanski said she expects more Medicare plans to start covering Wegovy next year, although even then "we'll see variation in coverage for this drug, just as we do for other expensive medications." Consultant Jeff Levin-Scherz at Willis Towers Watson, a company that advises businesses on healthcare benefits, said covering Wegovy this year would hurt Medicare plans margins, as they would not have been able to adjust for the change in costs. They may need to widen coverage even further. Lilly's clinical trials have shown its obesity drug Zepbound can help treat obstructive sleep apnea. Lilly is seeking FDA approval for that use and expects the drug would then be covered by Medicare. Novo and Lilly have also lobbied U.S. lawmakers to pass a law allowing Medicare to cover their drugs just for obesity. Morningstar analyst Karen Andersen said the lack of uptake for Wegovy among Medicare plans does not seem to be affecting Novo's sales. Soaring demand among younger Americans whose health insurance is covered by their employer continues to outpace supply. Meanwhile, doctors with Medicare patients have the task of preparing them for having their coverage rejected. "I spend about 20 to 30 minutes creating realistic expectations because (Medicare) has a very tight window of what they're going to agree to pay for or not," said Dr. Kyla Lara-Breitinger, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. (Reporting by Patrick Wingrove in New York; Additional reporting by Maggie Fick in London; Editing by Michele Gershberg and Will Dunham) NANJING, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Over 100 cities across China are now encouraging homeowners to swap their old properties for brand-new ones with an additional payment. This scheme has been taken a bold step further in the Yangtze River Delta region, where, for the first time, intercity housing trade-ins are now available. Liangxi urban development group, a state-owned enterprise (SOE) based in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province -- a city with an annual GDP exceeding 1.5 trillion yuan (about 210 billion U.S. dollars) in 2023 -- unveiled the groundbreaking housing trade-in scheme earlier this month. Under the new scheme, homeowners can trade in pre-owned residential properties not just within Wuxi but also in the neighboring cities of Suzhou and Changzhou for new homes in the Liangxi District of Wuxi. This pioneering housing trade-in initiative is the first of its kind in China, standing out from other intra-city "old for new" property schemes already implemented in over 100 cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen. The housing trade-in scheme primarily involves government-designated agencies or real estate companies purchasing and replacing existing properties, often with subsidies, to assist homeowners in selling their old homes and upgrading to new houses. This is the second time the SOE has expanded the scope of its housing trade-in scheme since the initial version was launched on April 2, which only covered residential properties in Liangxi District. The trade-in initiative was first expanded to include second-hand residential properties across Wuxi. Later, it was further broadened to cover commercial properties within Wuxi and second-hand residential properties in neighboring cities. The trade-in program supports a variety of options, including one-for-one, one-for-multiple, or multiple-for-one swaps. This means that a single pre-owned property can be exchanged for one or more new homes, and multiple pre-owned properties can be traded for a single new home. However, it is stipulated that the total value of the pre-owned properties must not exceed 60 percent of the new property's price, with the remaining 40 percent to be paid either in cash or through financing options. Many industry insiders view such property trade-in measures as part of China's broader strategy to reduce housing inventory, facilitate transactions for both new and pre-owned homes, and stimulate overall market activity. According to data from the China Index Academy, the average price of second-hand residential properties in 100 cities nationwide stood at 14,653 yuan per square meter in July, marking a 0.74 percent month-on-month decline while continuing a 27-month streak of decreasing prices. The National Bureau of Statistics reported that as of the end of June this year, the unsold inventory of newly built commercial housing in China had reached 738.94 million square meters, an increase of 15.2 percent year on year, with unsold residential properties recording a 23.5 percent rise. Against the backdrop of a sluggish property market, the scheme has garnered interest from those looking to improve their living conditions by effectively addressing the challenge of stagnant second-hand home sales. Statistics indicate that since sealing its first intra-city deal on April 25 this year, the Wuxi-based SOE had successfully completed over 40 transactions by mid-May. The acquired older properties have been repurposed for resale, affordable housing, or talent apartments. Zhang Bin, vice president of the Wuxi Real Estate Association, said that this model will help invigorate both the primary and secondary housing markets in Wuxi, while also attracting homebuyers from Suzhou and Changzhou to settle and invest in Wuxi. "It's a strategic move to attract and retain talent, promote coordinated urban development and accelerate the flow of professionals within the economically vibrant Yangtze River Delta," Zhang added. According to Yan Yuejin, deputy director of the E-house China R&D Institute in Shanghai, Wuxi's trade-in scheme is currently the most innovative among policies rolled out by over 100 cities nationwide, and is worth emulating. "This policy could encourage homeowners in Suzhou and Changzhou to settle in Wuxi," said Yan, adding that it can serve as an inspiration for implementing similar cross-regional home trade-in programs in the future and fostering the movement of young talent within city clusters. Noting that many individuals working in major cities like Beijing and Shanghai have opted to temporarily purchase homes in nearby cities, Yan said such trade-in policies could present them with new opportunities to eventually buy homes in these high-priced metropolitan areas. "The potential for such trade-ins across city clusters and metropolitan areas in China is vast," he added. LANSING, W.Va. (WBOY) Adventure-seekers from all over the world will flock to West Virginia in the coming weeks to experience one of West Virginias most exciting outdoor recreation opportunities. Gauley Season is a six-week period in September and October when water is released from the Summersville Lake dam, creating some of the best whitewater rafting conditions in the world. The National Park Service describes it as a watery roller coaster, with more than 100 different rapids over 25 miles. According to ACE Adventure, one of the premiere whitewater outfitters in the area, Gauley Season was the worlds first-ever mandated whitewater rafting season. Gauley Season dates for 2024 are Sept. 6-9, 13-16, 20-23 and 27-30 and Oct. 4-6, 12-23 and 19-20. When will 2024 fall colors start in West Virginia? Choosing Your Route There are two main sectionsthe upper and lower Gauley. The upper section is what the area is known for. It offers class III to V+ drops in steep, turbulent chutes, but is a challenging trip recommended for more experienced rafters and has a minimum age of 16. The lower Gauley is more beginner-friendly, although it still has some pretty intense rapids50 total ranging from class III-V. Although you can take your own private trips, there are a number of private outfitters, like ACE, Adventures on the Gorge, New & Gauley River Adventures, and Rafting Expeditions, just to name a few. Safety Although whitewater rafting is something that draws thousands of people to the state, it can be dangerous. Just last year, two people were killed in rafting accidents during Gauley Seasons opening weekend. For safety and etiquette rules from the National Park Service, click here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com. Mpox was declared a global public health emergency by the WHO. Now what? The spread of a newer strain of mpox in Africa led the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare the disease a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) on Wednesday. This newer strain is believed to be behind an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with more than 14,000 cases -- mostly among children -- and more than 500 deaths, and has been detected in neighboring countries that had never reported countries of mpox before. On Thursday, Sweden became the first nation outside of the African continent to report a case of the newer strain of mpox, according to the country's public health agency. MORE: How US came back from mpox outbreak Cases of other strains, or clades, of mpox have popped up in other countries. In the U.S., there are more than 1,600 cases reported this year so far, more than twice the number seen at this time last year but not as many as seen during the outbreak in 2022-23. "It's clear that a coordinated international response is essential to stop these outbreaks and save lives," said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during a media briefing on Wednesday. Experts told ABC News that by declaring a PHEIC, the WHO can help more countries collaborate by sharing data, allocating resources and helping make vaccines more readily available. What is a PHEIC? A PHEIC is defined as "an extraordinary event which is determined to constitute a public health risk to other States through the international spread of disease and to potentially require a coordinated international response," by the International Health Regulations. To be considered a PHEIC, the condition is considered, serious, sudden, unusual or unexpected; has implications for public health beyond where the place it originates; and has the potential to require immediate international action, according to the WHO. PHOTO: This undated photo provided by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases shows a colorized transmission electron micrograph of Mpox particles found within an infected cell, cultured in the laboratory in Fort Detrick, Md. (NIAID via AP, File) "This is really [the WHO's] highest level of alert," Thomas Duszynski, director of epidemiology education at Indiana University's Fairbanks School of Public Health, told ABC News. "This means that this particular virus, or the mpox virus, and the illnesses that it causes, has reached a level that is now at a much higher rate than it should be, than when we see like in a normal year, as well as it's starting to spill outside of the country of the Democratic Republic of Congo, which means that we have to get our arms around it and try and contain it," he said. A PHEIC was last declared for mpox during the outbreak in 2022-23, but this current outbreak is different because it involves a clade called clade Ib that seems to spread more quickly and has a higher mortality rate, Duszynski said. What becomes available when a PHEIC is declared? Emily Smith, an associate professor in the Department of Global Health at George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health, said declaring a PHEIC can help galvanize collaboration and mobilize resources. "Collaboration can be really important in terms of sharing data from different surveillance systems or even things like genomic sequences, so we can understand how different cases are related to each other," she told ABC News. MORE: Monkeypox cases in US fall, hit lowest level since June: CDC On the mobilizing resources front, Tedros said during the media briefing on Wednesday that WHO had released $1.5 million in contingency funds and planned to release more soon. The WHO's regional response plan -- including support surveillance and preparedness and response activities -- will cost $15 million. Additionally, last week, the WHO triggered the process to begin allowing mpox vaccines to go through the process for emergency use listing, similar to what was seen with the COVID-19 vaccine during the pandemic. The PHEIC will also allow vaccines to be sent to other affected countries more quickly than they might have been without an emergency declaration, Duszynski said. "In the Democratic Republic of Congo, their access to the impact vaccine is limited," he said. "So, for example, the U.S. has dedicated 50,000 doses of that vaccine for the Democratic Republic of Congo, so that that's part of that cooperation of not only sending, knowledge and science and research, but also aid, in the sense of vaccines." "We could also send personnel, such as epidemiologists, to help with the investigation and to help identify those who are ill and put some isolation and quarantine around those individuals to keep this virus from spreading," Duszynski added. What should the public do? The experts said the best thing to do is to get vaccinated if you are a high-risk individual. Currently, the JYNNEOS vaccine, a two-dose vaccine approved by the Food and Drug Administration to prevent smallpox and mpox, is the only vaccine being used in the United States to prevent mpox. Data from Africa has shown two doses of JYNNEOS are at least 85% effective in preventing mpox infection. PHOTO: The World Health Organization headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, May 21, 2023. (Lian Yi/Xinhua via Getty Images) High-risk individuals include those who are immunocompromised, suffer from chronic diseases, or have a history of eczema, which causes breaks in the skin and can lead to mpox transmission. Smith said other high-risk individuals include gay, bisexual or men who have sex with men -- a group that was most affected during the 2022-23 outbreak -- should get vaccinated. She said that anyone who has only received their first dose should be sure to get their second dose. "Just be aware if you or anyone you know, or your family, experiences lesions, skin lesions or genital lesions," Smith added. "[You] definitely want to contact your doctor. We do have treatment options available in the U.S." Both Smith and Duszynski reiterated the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's warning that the general public is at low risk from the type of mpox circulating in the DRC. Mpox was declared a global public health emergency by the WHO. Now what? originally appeared on abcnews.go.com TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) Officials are searching for a dogs forever home after his owner was arrested for starving him and two other dogs. Amy Michelle Parrish, 35, of Bushnell, was found guilty on three counts of animal cruelty earlier this week. She was sentenced to 180 days in jail. Parrish was arrested in April during a follow-up welfare check for the three pitbulls 7-year-old Clyde, 9-year-old Cookie and 11-year-old Bash. The animals were found to be so malnourished that their bones protruded out and they were eating paper off the ground. Bash was in worse condition than the other two, according to the state attorneys office. He was thinner and had wounds near his tailbone. Bash had to be humanely euthanized due to his condition. Clyde (Sumter County Animal Services) Cookie was adopted, but Clyde is still searching for his forever home. Anyone interested in adopting Clyde is asked to visit the Sumter County Animal Services website. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. The United States Department of Justice announced the arrest of a Jordanian citizen living in Orlando Thursday, accused of threatening to use explosives and causing hundreds of dollars in damage to an energy facility in protest of what he perceived to be support for Israel. WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS 43-year-old Hashem Younis Hashem Hnaihen is charged with four counts of threatening to use explosives and one count of destruction of an energy facility for targeted attacks on businesses in the Orlando area that began back in June. According to the Department of Justice, Hnaihen wore a mask and operated under the cover of darkness as he smashed storefronts and left behind multiple warning letters addressed to the United States Government, making political demands and threatening to destroy or explode everything here in whole America. Especially the companies and factories that support what he called the racist state of Israel. READ: Susan Lorincz: Defense presents arguments in trial of woman who fatally shot neighbor through door Hnaihen is accused of breaking into a solar power facility in Wedgefield in late June and spending hours systematically destroying solar panel arrays, cutting wires, and targeting critical electronic equipment, causing more than $700,000 in damage. Investigators say he left two more copies of his warning letter at the site. Damage at two of the businesses Hnaihen targeted. READ: Concerns grow after Seminole County elections supervisors name appears on ballots Hnaihen was arrested on July 11 through a joint investigation by the FBI and Orange County Sheriffs Office after they say he left another warning letter at an industrial propane gas distribution depot in Orlando threatening to destroy or explode everything. We allege that the defendant threatened to carry out hate-fueled mass violence in our country, motivated in part by a desire to target businesses for their perceived support of Israel, Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement announcing the arrest. Such acts and threats of violence, whether they are targeting the places that Americans frequent every day or our countrys critical infrastructure, are extremely dangerous and will not be tolerated by the Justice Department. READ: Running 4 Heroes: Seminole County teen honors fallen Lake County deputy If convicted, Hnaihen faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison for each of the four threats and a maximum of 20 years for the destruction of an energy facility charge. Solar panels with cracked glass and aerial photo of solar panel field Hnaihen attacked with targeted panel areas outlined in red. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) The launch date for the 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is still not announced. New FAFSA delay sparks fear after last years chaotic rollout Its causing frustration among advocacy groups. The Department of Education normally launches the form in October; however, its shooting for a Dec. 1st launch. This comes after last years FAFSA debacle with glitches and a rocky rollout. Please pay attention to the updates from the Department of Education of when that date will become available, said Ashley Miller, Old Dominion Universitys (ODU) Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management. And as soon as it is, apply as early as you can. Miller also shared a few dos and donts when it comes to the form. Do list all the institutions that youre interested in, Miller said. That was a change from the past. But this year that you can list up to 10 institutions. I encourage students to utilize all 10 spaces, even if you dont go there. Them having your information will streamline the process if you do decide to attend that institution. Miller said students should fill out the form every year. Sometimes, there is a learning curve for students, that theyve applied one year and then they dont realize they have to do it every year because your information can change, Miller said. And you can be eligible for more money one year depending on that information. She also shared one of her biggest donts. Dont assume that you wont qualify for any aid. I think some students make that mistake to think, oh, well my family may be in a different income bracket, therefore I wont qualify,' Miller said. A lot has changed with the formula this year with the FAFSA. So were actually seeing a lot more students that are eligible for Pell Aid that werent before. Miller urges students to ask for help if they have questions. If youre having trouble filling out the FAFSA, you know, you can work with those within your high schools. You can work with those within universities, Miller said. According to the Education Aid Initiative, 87.3% of first-year college freshmen acquire some form of financial aid. In addition, students borrow an average of $7,487 per-year for school. Millers shared how many students receive aid at ODU. Overall student population, about 45% of our students get Pell, Miller said. Which means that those are high-need students, those are students who need money for their education. What should students do if they receive money back from Financial Aid? I know students have a lot of other expenses as far as books or living expenses, so obviously you want to put that money towards those items when you need them, but be smart about it and just make sure that youre using it towards whatever your educational needs are at the time, Miller said. What about repaying the loans? I would just say for students to to be smart about it, I mean, if they are getting other forms of aid, such as loans, you know, just be mindful that as you leave college and you get that first job opportunity, that those are all things that over time that that you can pay off and hopefully pay off pretty quickly, Miller said. Overall, she hopes the process doesnt bring anxiety. Dont stress, Miller said. The good news is with the changes to the past, its less than 40 questions. It used to be well over 100. They have streamlined a lot of aspects of it that make it easier to fill out. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. Richard Warburton has been working with donkeys for over 40 years and says they are well looked after - SWNS/Tom Wren One of Britains oldest donkey beach-ride firms has hit back at calls to ban the seaside tradition in Weston-super-Mare. Campaigners are trying to prohibit the popular activity, claiming that it is outdated and cruel. But the family-run Somerset firm Weston Donkeys, which has existed for nearly 140 years, insist that the animals are well cared for and are urging the protesters to come down and talk to us if youve got concerns. A Change.org petition, launched on August 1, slammed the tradition, claiming that donkeys are sentient beings capable of feeling pain and experiencing emotional stress. They say the donkeys are often subjected to long hours of work in high temperatures with limited access to water and shade, which compromise their well-being. The petition adds: There are plenty more exciting attractions to visit in Weston-super-Mare that do not compromise animal welfare. These alternatives ensure that our town remains a vibrant and family-friendly destination without causing unnecessary distress to innocent animals. By putting a ban on these rides, we will not only be protecting the welfare of the animals but also setting an example moving toward more humane practices across the board. If the petition reaches 500 signatures, it will be sent to the local council and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), with a view to it being reviewed. Many towns across the UK have made regulations in a bid to reassure the public that donkeys are cared for. These set out the donkeys working hours and its right to have one day off each week, as well as the maximum age and weight of the riders. Donkey rides on Weston-super-Mare beach have been run by family business RG Mager and Sons since 1886. There are two teams of donkeys who work on rotation meaning the donkeys have days off between their shifts. Donkey rides on Weston-super-Mare beach have been run by family business RG Mager and Sons since 1886 - PA/Ben Birchall Richard Warburton, a donkey-ride operator who has worked for Weston Donkeys for over 40 years, said the arguments in the petition are irrelevant and urged campaigners to come see the donkeys for yourselves. The arguments in the petition just arent relevant to us, he said. Yes there are donkeys in the world that need protecting that are being used, have no food, no water, just arent being looked after. My donkeys and the donkeys along the Weston beach are all looked after. Were in the public eye all day long so if people have concerns or want to know something, just ask. Come down and talk to us, come and meet the donkeys and if you find an issue then please let me know. But theyve got plenty of water, theyre never without food, theyre unbridled and free to walk around as they please, and the rides are for children only. Mr Warburton said they have around 30 donkeys, all of which were bred or rescued by the company. He said: Weve put so much time and investment into them. They dont come out onto the beach until theyre four by that time theyre very used to and comfortable around people. Mr Warburton says the donkeys are well looked after and comfortable around people - SWNS/Tom Wren Vicky Brown, a beachgoer aged 70, said: Ive been coming to Weston for the past 40 years and the way Ive seen the owners treat the donkeys over that whole time has always been very well. Ive never seen them harmed, the children love them, and theyve been a part of Weston for so many years a ban is absolutely not necessary. Teachers Becky and Athena, both 25, from Stoke, were at the resort this week. Athena said: I think its fair for people to have their concerns about donkey riding. I can see it might be stressful for the donkeys being taken back and forth from their homes to the beach. Becky added: The donkeys clearly bring in a lot of tourism which is good but I do think its a bit unfair to actually ride them. Im not sure a complete ban is necessary but they do need to be well-looked after and there should definitely be age restrictions for riders. Fiona Lovibond, 44, from Burnham-on-Sea agreed that donkey rides are a part of seaside tradition. She said: The donkeys seem well-looked after and I think its the same family here that owns all the donkeys - theyve been doing it for years, they know what theyre doing. Families and children love them. A ban isnt necessary. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Dothan beauty queen charged in murder-for-hire plot claims new boyfriend choked her: He threatened to kill me DOTHAN, Ala (WDHN) A former Houston County Beauty Queen and Georgia mom charged in a murder-for-hire plot in the Bahamas is accusing her most recent boyfriend of abusing her, court records filed last month show. Lindsay Shiver filed a protection order against 35-year-old Dorsey Ryan Love on July 29. In the order, Shiver claims Love threw her onto a bed, tried to choke her, and suffocated her with a pillow in a house on North Cherokee Street. Jail records show 35-year-old Dorsey Ryan Love was arrested on July 31, six days after the alleged crime took place. Dorsey Ryan Love (Courtesy of the Houston County Jail) Shiver also alleged Love abused her on a trip to Tampa, Florida, several weeks before, but she did not report it to the police. He threatened to kill me, Shiver wrote in the request. Over the past year, Shiver has made international headlines. She was arrested in August 2023 after Bahamian authorities accused her of plotting to have her husband, Robert Shiver, killed by her lover, Terrance Bethel, and his friend, Faron Newbold. All three were arrested at the same time and later released on bond. Bahamian authorities claim Shiver had sent photos of her husband to Newbold Jr., along with the message Kill him on WhatsApp. Shivers trial in the Bahamian capital of Nassau has been pushed twice over the past six months, and she is set to stand before a judge again in October 2024. Robert Shiver, an insurance executive who had a brief stint with the Atlanta Falcons, is currently in a relationship with Chrisley Knows Best star Savannah Chrisley. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDHN - wdhn.com. Dozen Russian soldiers killed in a few minutes: Ukrainian Special Forces show results of ambush in Kursk Oblast video As a result of a successful operation, soldiers of the 8th Regiment of the Special Operations Forces (SOF) have killed a dozen Russians in Kursk Oblast of the Russian Federation. Source: the press service of the SOF on social networks Details: During special operations in the Russian rear, SOF operators destroyed a Russian truck carrying a lot of Russian military personnel. Some of them tried to take shelter in a forest belt but were also killed by the SOF operators. Quote: "It took our soldiers a few minutes to complete the task. After that, the group continued combat work in other areas." Support UP or become our patron! There's been a major new development in the death of Matthew Perry. The beloved Friends actor was found drowned in the hot tub of his Los Angeles home last October, and an autopsy later found ketamine in his system. Now, several arrests have reportedly been made of the individuals who allegedly supplied Perry with the drug. TMZ spoke with law enforcement sources who said that multiple agencies have executed search warrants, seizing computers, phones, and other electronic equipment to find the culprits. Among the evidence are supposed text messages that discussed Perry, including the ketamine he wanted, how they were going to get it to him, and how much he would pay for it. Though Perry had been receiving medically supervised ketamine infusion therapy for his anxiety and depression, he had not been treated for a week and a half prior to his death, indicating that the ketamine in his system had not been legally prescribed by a doctor. In fact, TMZ notes that the level of ketamine in Perry's system was the same used for general anesthesia in surgery. At least one person has reportedly been arrested as a result of the criminal investigation, which has been ongoing for months in conjunction with the Los Angeles Police Department, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, and U.S. Postal Service. NBC News confirmed with law enforcement sources that at least one arrest was made in Southern California early Thursday. Federal prosecutors are expected to unseal an indictment by the end of the day detailing the allegations against both the individual arrested and others who allegedly helped arrange and deliver ketamine to Perry. Arrests in drug-related deaths are unusual, but not unprecedented. Several individuals who were accused of supplying rapper Mac Miller with fentanyl that led to his September 2018 overdose death were convicted, with the head dealer receiving a sentence of 17-and-a-half years in federal prison back in 2022. DUBLIN, Ohio (WCMH) Dublin City Schools is pausing an agreement with Cardinal Health to buy the healthcare providers headquarters for $37 million to serve as a new high school. The district announced during a Monday board of education meeting it is pausing all planned actions, halting a nonbinding agreement with Cardinal to buy the companys 250,000-square-foot west campus headquarters at 7200 Cardinal Place. John Marschhausen, superintendent of Dublin schools, said the decision came after the citys planning commission signaled they were unsupportive of the zoning changes needed to repurpose the building. CDC guidelines: Students with lice no longer need to be sent home early It would be irresponsible for the district to continue investing in the analysis of the Cardinal Health West building given the feedback weve received, said Marschhausen. There are two critical changes required for us to use the building as an educational space: zoning and code changes. At this point, the time, collaboration, and financial commitment necessary to enact those changes outweigh the potential benefits. In a statement to NBC4, Cardinal said while it is disappointed in the city of Dublins recent comments, the healthcare provider remains committed to working together with them and Dublin City Schools to find a solution that will provide greatly needed educational resources while also saving the Dublin taxpayers over $100 million. Cardinal Healths west campus headquarters at 7200 Cardinal Place. (Franklin County Auditors Office) Cardinal Healths west campus headquarters at 7200 Cardinal Place. (Franklin County Auditors Office) Dublin schools had entered into the purchase agreement earlier this year, which allowed the district more than a year to determine if the building can be effectively configured to serve as a school. However, the Dublin Planning and Zoning Commission spoke against the idea during an Aug. 8 meeting and argued that rezoning the site from office to academic use would not align with the citys Envision Dublin community plan, which went into effect Aug. 1. We are eight days into the plan. To recommend violating the plan, eight days in, after having 18 months of planning where Dublin City Schools was at the table and planning right along with us, I dont think that would be what the city council is looking for, said Rebecca Call, chair of the planning and zoning commission, during the meeting. Marschhausen said the district had been weighing purchasing the building given the district is expecting an increase of 2,000 more high school students over the next eight to 10 years. The potential acquisition of the Cardinal building was one of several options under consideration as part of a broader strategy to manage this growth, he said. Ohios school-based behavioral health partnerships increased over 200% since 2017 During the Aug. 8 meeting, Marschhausen argued Cardinals building made the most financial sense given the cost to build a high school would be more than $200 million. The superintendent also noted that the $145 million bond issue and 7.9 mill operating levy that passed last year grants the district the authority to issue another $40 million in debt, which would allow Dublin schools to buy the building without going back to the voters for additional resources. However, the city of Dublin noted in a statement on Wednesday that project cost or cost alternatives are not among the criteria that the planning and zoning commission can consider under the citys codified ordinances. The city said it values a strong partnership with Dublin schools and has been actively involved in the process of evaluating the districts options. If the Cardinal Health building is no longer a viable option, Marschhausen said the district will actively explore other short-term and long-term solutions to meet the challenges of increasing enrollment. We respect the citys process and deeply value our ongoing partnership with the city of Dublin, he said. We have heard and considered the perspectives of the citys administration and the planning and zoning committee. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. HONG KONG, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong's population in mid-2024 stood at 7,531,800, up 0.1 percent compared with the end of 2023 and down 0.1 percent compared with mid-2023, according to government estimates released on Thursday. Provisional figures by the Census and Statistics Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government indicated that in mid-2024 there were 7,287,400 usual residents in Hong Kong and 244,400 mobile residents. The population at the end of 2023 was revised to 7,527,900, with the figure for usual residents revised to 7,246,400 and that for mobile residents to 281,500. A government spokesperson said the population saw a small increase in the first half of 2024 due to the introduction of various government policies to draw talent and import labor, with a sizeable inflow of persons from the Chinese mainland and other places around the world. In early 2023, with the full resumption of normal travel, many Hong Kong residents living abroad began returning to the city for short durations of stay, resulting in a notable increase in the population in mid-2023 compared to a year earlier, the spokesperson added. MEMPHIS, Tenn. A Dyer County High School student died Wednesday after he became unresponsive at school, the school district announced. The student was immediately given assistance by staff, then taken to the emergency room in Dyersburg, where he was pronounced dead. The student has not been identified, and the district said funeral arrangements have not been made. In a statement, Dyer County Schools said, He was a cherished member of our school community, and his loss will be deeply felt by his family, our students, administration, teachers, and staff. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of this student during this difficult time. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. Earthquake simulator plans to shake things up in Marysville Have you ever wondered what a big earthquake feels like? The worlds largest mobile earthquake simulator can give you some insight. The Big Shaker is headed to the Delta Plaza in Marysville on August 29. The simulator is capable of recreating magnitudes up to 8.0. Earthquake experts including the Washington Emergency Management Division and Pacific Northwest Seismic Network will be in attendance to teach people how to prepare for an earthquake. The Center for Independence will have information specifically tailored for people with disabilities. The free event takes place from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. We're teaming with @WA_Marysville & @PNSN1 and bringing an earthquake simulator to to Marysville on Aug. 29. Join us if you're in the area or want to make the drive. Details here: https://t.co/UnuH64eNii pic.twitter.com/dc9JnXaIzv WA Emergency Management (@waEMD) August 16, 2024 CANFIELD, Ohio (WKBN) A lot has changed in Youngstown since 1954 but the friendship of that years East High graduating class has not. They held their 70th and final class reunion Wednesday. About 25 members of East High Schools graduating class of 1954 gathered for one last official reunion in Canfield. Of the 248 men and women who graduated that spring, 51 of them are still around. Were all wondering where the 70 years went, said Marsha Boggs. Boggs says she feels her graduating class has a special connection. We were very nice. There was a different atmosphere at that time than there is now. You know, everybody liked everybody. I think it was a sign of the times, she said. The graduates are now scattered across the country but their bond remains, some traveling from New York and Pittsburgh to attend. Its a joy to talk to them and see what everybodys doing, said Kay Leshnack Kalischak. We got together and we toured the school. It was a nice turnout. A lot has changed since 1954, including their alma mater itself which closed in 1998. Boggs has watched the evolution of Youngstown in the last 70 years. Though she lives in Poland now, shes still proud of her city. Theres good people here, good work ethics, Boggs said. After 70 years, her advice for high school seniors is to study, work hard and be open to new experiences. A lot of people are frightened to open up and be themselves in front of people but they should they should. I think it wins you people, friends, neighbors, everything, she said. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. (BCN) East Palo Alto Mayor Antonio Lopez on Wednesday stood outside Redwood City Hall and announced his plan to tackle homelessness while calling for other city leaders on the Peninsula to also adopt a strategic approach. The ordinance would give unhoused individuals in encampments at least two written warnings and two offers of shelter before being cleared, Lopez said. The move to prioritize addressing homelessness comes after the U.S. Supreme Courts June decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson that gives cities greater authority to evict people from homeless encampments before offering shelter. Some cities, like San Francisco, have used the decision as an opportunity to ramp up their homeless encampment sweeps. However, homeless rights advocates have been critical of the decision. Jack Danczak, who has been unhoused for more than one year, playing his guitar outside the Redwood City Public Library in Redwood City, Calif. on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. (Alise Maripuu/Bay City News) In-N-Out plans to open new location in Bay Area It is going to make homelessness worse if cities take the Supreme Court up on its invitation to criminalize homelessness, said Nisha Kashyap, an attorney and program director for one of the law firms representing the Coalition on Homelessness. The organization originally sued San Francisco in 2022 for its treatment of unhoused individuals. Lopezs plan instead offers shelter first as a solution in an effort to take a more compassionate approach. Im not interested in criminalizing homelessness. I dont think thats the right solution, he said. I think what we ought to do is provide a humane response. Because reasons for homelessness vary, each unhoused person will be evaluated individually to determine the appropriate course of action, Lopez said. A medical and mental health screening would be provided by clinicians on the first warning. People are homeless for a myriad of reasons like domestic violence, unaffordability, and addiction, Lopez said. We dont want to do a one size fits all solution. A point-in-time count conducted in January 2024 across the county revealed that there were 81 people living on the streets in East Palo Alto compared to 169 counted in 2022. Redwood Citys unhoused population decreased from 245 to 169 between 2022 and 2024. Point-in-time counts are conducted in the county every two years in which volunteers go out on one day searching for unhoused individuals in every corner of the county and tally them up. While East Palo Alto and Redwood City saw reductions in people living on the streets, nearly every other city in the county saw an increase. Overall, the total amount of people experiencing homelessness in the county grew by 18% from 2022 to 2024. Lopez is calling for cities in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties to take a similar approach because the plan wont be effective unless there is a collaboration. If unhoused people who refuse services or shelter are pushed out of one city, they will simply move to another nearby. Its a balloon problem. If you push the problem on one side of the balloon, itll go somewhere else, Lopez said. This needs to be a collective regional response. The press conference was held in Redwood City because it has the highest unhoused population in San Mateo County. Maggie Cornejo, a Redwood City native and planning commissioner, also spoke to show her support for Lopezs plan and encourage the Redwood City mayor to assume a similar strategy. She currently lives in downtown Redwood City near homeless encampments. I stand with Mayor Lopez because the perspectives of the youth need to be heard while my heart aches for the unhoused, Cornejo said. Not long ago, I witnessed a young person from our unhoused community being beaten with blood covered all over his face. Is this a dignity and safety we deserve? Is this the future we want for our cities? Ice cream truck runs into wall of San Francisco home: SFFD Just across the street from Redwood City Hall, several unhoused people sat under the sun smoking cigarettes, playing instruments and sharing food. Jack Danczak, who has been experiencing homelessness for a little over a year, played a tune on his guitar he called Homeless Blues. Danczak lost his job during the COVID-19 pandemic and lived with his father for many years as his primary caregiver. He became homeless after his father died and couldnt afford to pay rent, he said in an interview. I would accept shelter if I was offered, he said. But then they also tend to have very rigid rules like a prison. Robin Vaka, an outreach peer support specialist with Redwood City Downtown Streets Team, agreed that some shelters have too many rules that deter people from wanting to stay. The Redwood City Downtown Streets Team provides support for unhoused people by connecting them with team members who have experienced homelessness themselves. They put up gates and they put up security guards. Youve got to sign in and youve got to sign out. Youve got to do this and youve got to do that, she said. Thats a little miniature prison. Vaka also believes that a comprehensive approach needs to be taken instead solely giving people a place to sleep. People have mental health issues. People have substance abuse issues. People have PTSD, she said. Its not going to all be taken care of right away. Part of Lopezs plan includes giving unhoused people the opportunity to be connected to housing, mental health and substance use treatment services in the county such as Star Vista, the Samaritan House, WeHOPE and LifeMoves. WeHOPE is an organization that provides various services to help unhoused people get back on their feet, including emergency food and shelter, job training and life skills. They have an emergency shelter in East Palo Alto, which Lopez says has helped reduce the citys the unhoused population. Lopez did not specify what course of action East Palo Alto would take if unhoused people refused both services and shelter. His plan is modeled after an ordinance enacted by the county earlier this year called the Hopeful Horizons: Empowering Lives Initiative. The ordinance makes it a misdemeanor for people to live in an encampment on public property after receiving at least two written warnings and two offers of shelter. Popular Japanese pancake restaurant to close first US location in San Francisco However, its only enforceable in unincorporated parts of the county. Lopezs ordinance needs to be passed by the East Palo Alto city council before being implemented. Its not going to be solved overnight, Vaka said. Its going to take everybody to be on the same page. Copyright 2024 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. We are not fans of restrictive ballot access, believing that candidates with even a modicum of legitimate support should be able to compete for votes. Throwing people off the ballot based on obscure technicalities that New York used to specialize in, like using the wrong color of paper, is dirty pool deployed by party machines to squash insurgents. That is not the situation with independent presidential contender Robert F. Kennedy, a former New Yorker who moved to Los Angeles years ago and now is falsely claiming his actual residence is in a friends home in Katonah, in northern Westchester. Sorry, Bobby, no dice on that one and yesterday Albany state Supreme Court Justice Christina Ryba was wise to agree, rejecting his false assertions and removing him from the ballot. When RFK Jr. filed his candidacy forms with the Federal Election Commission, as Kamala Harris and Donald Trump also did, he gave his real L.A. address on his documents. But when he submitted his signatures to put his slate of electors on the New York ballot this fall, he used Katonah. And he doesnt live in Katonah. According to testimony from the trial held last week before Ryba, Kennedy has slept in the Katonah home once in the last decade. Some home. Ryba was right to bounce him and his electors from the ballot. Under the standard most recently set down by the state Court of Appeals, New Yorks highest court, in the 2001 case of John OHara, state Election Law defines residence as that place where a person maintains a fixed, permanent and principal home and to which he, wherever temporarily located, always intends to return. An unslept-on couch in a spare room in Katonah is not fixed, it is not permanent, it is not principal and Kennedy has no intention to live out his life on that couch. The pro-Democratic ticket lawyers who brought the lawsuit got it wrong in saying in their complaint that, the Constitution provides that when a Presidential Candidate and Vice Presidential Candidate on the same ticket are residents of the same State, the ticket is not eligible for any of that States Electoral College votes. Here, both Respondent-Candidate Kennedy and his Vice Presidential pick are residents of California, placing Californias 54 Electoral College votes the largest number of any State out of their reach. That is incorrect. The 12th Amendment, ratified in 1804 says that The Electors shall meet in their respective states and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves. So if RFK Jr. wins the California popular vote, an impossibility over both Harris and Trump, his slate of 54 Californias electors can vote for him, but not his running mate, Nicole Shanahan. If no VP candidate gets an Electoral College majority, the Senate picks the winner. But that assumes that RFK Jr. and Shanahan are on the California ballot. If RFK Jr. used the Katonah address when seeking a ballot spot in other states, he filed a false instrument, as a New York judge has ruled Katonah is not his address. So should Rybas ruling be upheld, as we expect it will be, officials in 49 other states and D.C. should boot RFK from their ballots as well. Which would be a very good outcome. _____ Mark these five words: Manifestly contrary to public policy. Theyre a collective Hail Mary but they could save the people of Chicago billions of dollars from the parking meter disaster, a rip-off of such stunning scale and audacity that it beggars belief. And it gets worse and worse and worse. Lets first briefly review for those not yet up to date with a horror that has a direct impact on your property tax bill, perhaps the state of your pension plan and all manner of other fiscal ramifications for each and every Chicagoan. In 2008, then-Mayor Richard M. Daley, with the approval of poodles on the City Council who failed to do due diligence, agreed to sell a 75-year lease on 36,000 parking meter spots for $1.16 billion to an entity that calls itself Chicago Parking Meters LLC and is made up of various parties including Morgan Stanley-related entities and, indirectly and also among others, the sovereign wealth fund known as the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. Daley also agreed to a whole series of tightwad rules that handcuffed the city when it came to removing meters for, say, special events such as outdoor dining, changing the hours of paid parking, or making any other changes that might result in less revenue for Chciago Parking Meters. In each and every case, Chicago has had to lay out more cash. Why did Daley make this colossal error? He wanted to close a budget shortfall and thought that a private company could more easily jack up rates than an elected official likely to anger voters. And he probably believed that $1.16 billion sounded like a whole lot of money. Wrong. Former Mayor Lori Lightfoot once told this board that the decision was one of the worst public policy mistakes in the history of municipal governance and she was absolutely correct. The investors, if thats the right term, have recouped that amount within the first 10 years of that 75-year lease. Theyve now made hundreds of million dollars in additional profit. By the end of this deal, they are likely to have raked in a total of $9 billion. That is not a typo. $9 billion for $1.1 billion. Nice deal if you can get it. Imagine the impact of $9 billion on the health of our city. Youd think that if you were Chicago Parking Meters, youd keep as quiet as possible as you counted your money. But no. The issue came up again because the ruthless, money-grabbing group filed a lawsuit in April demanding the enforcement of an arbitration panels ruling that determined the Lightfoot administration had attempted to pull off a tricky scheme to try to reduce how much money the investors made. It was a novel and complex plan involving moving some meters out of ownership and then back again as their value fluctuated during the pandemic years and also involves Mayor Rahm Emanuels mostly failed attempt to renegotiate this deal in 2013. Some observers think Emanuels efforts back then may actually have made the situation worse for Chicago for reasons we wont go into here other than to note he was right to try. The recent Lightfoot plan likely failed too, possibly costing the city more than $100 million. Lightfoots excellent chief financial officer, Jennie Bennett, got some grief around town this week from editorialists elsewhere in the city who said she should have left the deal alone. Nonsense. Something had to be done. Hindsight is 20-20. We say Lightfoot was right to try. This deal has 59 years to go, longer than anyone on this board will be alive. Barring a miracle. That brings us back to the potentially miraculous five words above: manifestly contrary to public policy. This is a complicated area and we dont claim legal expertise. But, in simple terms, U.S. courts can and have overruled arbitrators and deemed contracts invalid if they are found to be harmful to U.S. citizens. The argument the city would have to make here is that the relinquishment of so crucial a financial tool resulted in genuine harm to Chicagoans, as in sucking away billions of dollars of their money. It would have to argue that while the deal may appear to be a deal (which is how previous challenges have been batted away), the harm to the public good was so great that the public servants actually making the deal were agreeing to something so egregious and terrible for Chicagoans that the deal itself was invalid. One hypothetical analogy might be that no Chicago mayor could legally execute a contract that would give all citizens a bad virus in return for a big payment into city coffers. It would so demonstrably harm the public good as to be not something a mayor could legally do. A long shot? Sure. Chicago Parking Meters would argue that this defense is not supposed to be a protection against being out-negotiated and making a bad but perfectly legal deal. The city might have made an error, its lawyers will say, but there were risk factors to both parties and things happened to work out nicely for Chicago Parking Meters, which fulfilled its side of the bargain. The city might have been naive, incompetent and terrible at math, but it still signed on the dotted line and too bad, suckers. Or is it? Its worth noting in this regard that prior attempts to try to get out of this deal have involved the city side talking speculatively about the massive future profits, even if this arrangement was far from the norm in terms of its stunning 75-year duration. Enough time has gone by now for us all to see the millions of dollars in actual, factual profits, real and excessive dispersals from what should be the public purse, as well as the billions to come. The totality is clearly harmful to the public good. Thats our view, anyway. The city is in bed with ruthless operators as their recent legal challenge proves. They care nothing for the good of the city or its future, and theyve hardly offered any kind of compromise or even the tiniest gesture of goodwill. The deal is of a size and an import that means each and every elected mayor of this city must fight it with every available weapon. Times and opinions change, and this egregious profiteering is immoral. Chicago Parking Meters could not be a less sympathetic entity. We dont see it buying many tables at galas, putting its name on buildings, nor supporting in any major way the citys educational or social programs. We also dont see it otherwise making substantial goodwill donations to the city it fleeced. How about it, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority? And how about Chicago takes a cue from the hard-core antagonists and renews its determination to right this wrong. Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) The El Paso International Airport (ELP) was awarded a $10.6 million grant as part of a $427 million initiative funded by the Biden-Harris Administration to increase airport infrastructure nationwide, according to the City in a news release. The grant was funded under the Fiscal Year 2024 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Airport Infrastructure Grants, according to the City. El Paso International Airport receives $10.6 million grant. Photo taken by Miguel Paredes/KTSM El Paso International Airport receives $10.6 million grant. Photo taken by Miguel Paredes/KTSM El Paso International Airport receives $10.6 million grant. Photo taken by Miguel Paredes/KTSM We are thrilled to receive this vital grant which will ensure that El Paso International Airport continues to meet the highest standards of safety and efficiency, said Mayor Oscar Leeser. This investment underscores our commitment to maintaining top-notch infrastructure that supports both our general aviation and commercial operations. According to the City, the grant will be used in the rehabilitation of the ELP General Aviation apron pavement, that has not had major repairs in over 30 years. In addition, the project will improve safety and efficiency for airport users and aircraft by enhancing drainage and reducing Foreign Object Debris potential, according to the City. Map depicting areas and project phases. Photo courtesy to El Paso International Airport. As the only Member of Congress from our Texas region to vote for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Im thrilled about this funding for critical airport improvements, said U.S. Representative, D-Texas, Veronica Escobar. House Democrats set out to repair crumbling infrastructure and invest in our future, and the millions of dollars in federal funding weve seen allocated to our airport are a broader reflection of our commitment. As our community grows and our airport continues to receive more passengers, these funds will go a long way towards improving efficiency and setting its infrastructure up for success in the years to come. The project will be carried out in three stages, with the first stage of construction expected to begin in the Fiscal Year 2025. Phase one will renovate roughly 140,000 square yards of pavement around the taxi lane and apron areas, according to the City. For more information of the grant and the specific projects funded to the El Paso International Airport, visit the Federal Aviation Administrations website here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) A man from El Paso who was holding migrants hostage and intending to distribute fentanyl was sentenced in federal court after a prior felony drug conviction. According to court documents, 39-year-old Simon Roberto Alvarado conspired with Juan Carlos Calzada, 30, and Mexican national Janeth Nicole Magallanes to hold six citizens from Guatemala and Honduras. The Department of Justice also said the co-conspirators the migrants were threatened with injury and held hostage in an apartment if their families didnt not pay ransoms. Magallanes was detained by FBI agents while conducting surveillance at the residence on January 5, 2021, and later six hostages were found along with several weapons, the DOJ added. According to the documents, Alvarado was the owner of the residence, and a search of Alvarados phone showed he and others had also trafficked more than 400 grams of fentanyl through the Western District of Texas. The Court sentenced Calzada on Feb. 14 to 78 months in federal prison for one count of conspiracy to commit hostage taking. Magallanes was sentenced on Feb. 20 to 120 months for one count of hostage taking. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. Elk Grove officials finalize plans for $16.6 million subdivisions. Where will they be built? Elk Grove continues to make investments into developing housing, following agreements worth more than $16 million with Beazer Homes Holdings, LLC. Elk Grove City Council on Wednesday unanimously approved agreements with Beazer, a housing construction company, to build neighboring properties Poppy Meadows and Backer, formerly named Madeira South. The new developments are set to be built on the citys south side near Bilby and Poppy Ridge roads. The Poppy Meadows neighborhood is made up of two communities, Poppy Meadows east and west, which will cost a combined $6.9 million for public improvements such as roadway, drainage and landscaping improvements. The figure does not include the price of building homes. The Poppy Meadows neighborhoods, off of Spoonwood Avenue, are planned for 84 residential lots, an open space parkway lot for pedestrian trails and landscape corridor lots. Poppy Meadows East is made up of 34 single-family residential lots, while Poppy Meadows West neighborhood has 50 residential lots planned. Elk Grove Director of Development Services Christopher Jordan said he expects the improvements to proceed through the rest of this year with home construction to follow. Jordan said the Backer neighborhood is next to the Poppy Meadows residential developments. The Backer neighborhood will be developed at Morningdew Street and Spoonwood Avenue, near Big Horn Boulevard. The final map for the Backer development was also approved Wednesday on the consent agenda of the Elk Grove City Council meeting. Backer will cost $9.7 million to develop the neighborhood by improving streets, public ways, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, storm drainages, public utility facilities and landscaping. This does not include not home construction, Jordan said. Continued growth, more living options Elk Grove continues to see real estate development around the city. Last month, city officials unanimously approved plans with Taylor Morrison of California to develop the Telos Greens Project, an approximately 26.2-acre, 85-home residential neighborhood with a 4.8-acre park site to be built south of Bilby Road, near Angsley Drive and east of Montaria Way. The California Department of Finance estimated the Elk Grove population at 178,679 as of Jan. 1, 2024, an increase of 0.7% from the previous year. The city has responded to its continued growth by adding more living options. There are 18 affordable apartment complexes in Elk Grove, four of which are senior living homes. The city has additional planned sites such as Sheldon Farms North by Abode Communities, the Pardes Apartments and Project Elevate which would bring 200 apartments in a midtown-like area with 15% of homes reserved for affordable housing. More living options both houses and apartments are expected to emerge in the area in coming years, officials said. Jordan said the city received more than 1,000 single-family building permits in the previous year. According to a city staff report, there were 1,231 permits submitted in Elk Grove for single-family residential units, multi-family apartment units and condominiums, and accessory dwelling units. The Department of Finance estimated there are 58,979 housing units in Elk Grove, as of 2024, a 1.4% increase from the previous year. We are certainly seeing a lot of new development right now, he said. Elon Musk is pouring his heart and soul (and cold hard cash) into electing Donald Trump this November. New Federal Election Commission filings on Wednesday show that Musks pro-Trump America PAC has ramped up its operations, spending an initial $5.8 million. Most of that money, $3.6 million, has gone toward canvassing and field operations. The political action committee has thus far raised $8.8 million with donations from Palantirs Joe Lonsdale and the crypto tycoons the Winklevoss twins. Meanwhile, America PAC is under investigation in North Carolina and Michigan for collecting personal data under the guise of registering voters. Musk initially seemed to promise a monthly donation of $45 million to the Super PAC, then in July told Jordan Peterson that the rumor is simply not true. He did donate to the PAC last month, but the amount will remain unknown until the political action committees next quarterly report with the FEC in October. Put another way, we currently know very little about how much Musk is spending to influence the November election. What we do know, however, is that Musk is sinking time and energy into getting voters to polls for Trump. According to a Wall Street Journal report earlier this week, Musk has been attending hour-long weekly meetings with his America PAC, with the goal of raising turnout for the former president in battleground states and bringing out 800,000 voters to the polls. According to a new FEC rule, campaigns can consult with Super PACs on get-out-the-vote initiatives. VIENTIANE, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Governments of Laos and Cambodia have discussed law enforcement, aiming to learn about each other's approaches. A meeting on the matter was held in the Lao capital Vientiane on Wednesday, the Lao Security News reported on Thursday. The participants agreed to continue to coordinate and assist each other in solving transboundary crimes. They also discussed prisoner management, especially in relation to female prisoners, juvenile and drug offenders, and Lao prisoners who are currently serving sentences in Cambodia. How Elon Musk is using his wealth, reach to support Trumps campaign Elon Musk is tapping into his wealth and the power of X, the social platform he owns, to help sway the election toward former President Trump, spurring controversy along the way. After years of drifting toward the political right, the billionaire owner of Tesla and SpaceX is throwing his fortune behind a pro-Trump super PAC and has inundated X, which he purchased in 2022, with content criticizing Democrats and Vice President Harris. The big difference [between Musk and other wealthy donors] is that he is himself a sort of Trump-esque figure, Sarah Bryner, director of research and strategy at OpenSecrets, told The Hill. Hes a very public person. Whereas most of the people we see contributing to politicians are not household names, Elon Musk is, Bryner continued. So that is this combination of celebrity and wealth that is a little bit unusual. Musk officially endorsed Trump after the former president was injured in an assassination attempt last month. While the billionaire had long been posting and interacting with right-leaning content on X, which was known as Twitter until he bought and renamed it, he had previously refrained from supporting a particular candidate in the presidential race. Following the endorsement, Musk began frequently posting content that embraced the former president. Musk hosted Trump on Xs live audio feature for a roughly two-hour conversation Monday, covering everything from the assassination attempt to the former presidents views on immigration and the economy. The billionaire has also increasingly shared content disparaging Harris since President Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed his vice president, who has secured the Democratic nomination ahead of next weeks convention in Chicago. Musk faced backlash late last month after he shared a mock campaign ad that used an artificial intelligence (AI) voice mimicking Harris to spew insults about her campaign and Biden a move that seemingly violated his platforms own policies. His ownership of X has worried some Democrats, as several pro-Harris accounts on the platform have been suspended or labeled as spam in recent weeks. The X account of White Dudes for Harris was briefly suspended after hosting a massive fundraising call for the vice president in late July. Several days later, it was labeled as spam and had its reach limited. Progressives for Harris similarly had its account suspended for a short period in early August. Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), who serves as ranking member on the House Judiciary Committee, called for an investigation into the potential throttling of Harriss primary campaign account on X last month, after users reported problems following the account. Nadler called again Monday for an investigation into political censorship on the platform, this time pointing to inaccurate information provided by Xs AI chatbot Grok suggesting Harris had missed the ballot deadlines in several states and was ineligible to appear on the ballot. Musks literal control over X, including its algorithm, is potentially troubling in the context of the election, said Jonathan Nagler, co-director of New York Universitys Center for Social Media and Politics. He can change the algorithm on a whim, and he is completely free to tweak the algorithm so it up weights or suppresses any content that he changes, Nagler told The Hill. He can decide to suppress any content that is critical of Trump; he can decide to suppress any content that praises Harris. Musk could not be reached for comment. X, SpaceX and Tesla did not respond to requests for comment. The billionaires foray into the financial side of campaign politics appears to have begun earlier than his current social media blitz for Trump. He reportedly began meeting with consultants and vendors for Trumps super PAC, America PAC, this spring to discuss efforts to turn out 800,000 people in battleground states to vote for the former president, according to The Wall Street Journal. Musk had not made any public contributions to federal candidates, party committees or super PACs as of June 30, according to the Federal Election Commission contributions database. However, America PAC has already raised nearly $8.8 million in its first month from the billionaires close allies, such as Palantir Technologies co-founder Joe Lonsdale and Valor Equity Partners CEO Antonio Gracias. Musk previously suggested he would give $45 million per month to America PAC a promise he soon walked back. Because the super PAC wont have to file another disclosure until mid-October, donor details between June 30 and Sept. 30 wont be public until then. But America PAC has already faced scrutiny for its data collection practices, which are being investigated by the North Carolina State Board of Elections and reportedly by the Michigan secretary of states office. America PACs bare-bones website included a register to vote page, which has since been taken down. On that page, users in competitive states including Michigan and North Carolina were prompted to submit personal information, such as their address and phone number, but were not directed to a site where they could register to vote in their state, according to the initial report by CNBC. The [North Carolina] State Board of Elections has received a complaint about this organization. The complaint alleges that the organization is hosting a website that leads people to believe they are registering to vote, but no registration form is ever submitted to election officials. This complaint is being investigated, the boards spokesman, Patrick Gannon, told The Hill. He also noted that it is a crime in the state for someone to fail to submit a voters registration form if that person has told a voter that they would be submitting the voters registration form. If, during the course of an investigation, the State Board finds there is evidence to substantiate a violation and warrant a referral, it will be referred to the district attorneys office for prosecutorial review. The DAs office determines if charges are filed, Gannon added. The Michigan secretary of states office did not respond to a request for comment. However, a source familiar with America PACs efforts told The Hill that it has proactively reached out to authorities in both states and believes it is in full compliance with the law. The information provided by swing state voters on the website was being used to fill in voter registration forms that were going to be mailed to prospective voters for signing, the source said. During a major shake-up of the super PACs field operation recently, Raconteur Media, which was handling this process, was fired. The firm has been brought back to finish its work, as first reported by The Wall Street Journal. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. How Elon Musk is using his wealth, reach to support Trumps campaign (The Hill) Elon Musk is tapping into his wealth and the power of his social platform X to help sway the election toward former President Trump, spurring controversy along the way. After years of drifting toward the political right, the billionaire owner of Tesla and SpaceX is throwing his fortune behind a pro-Trump super PAC and has inundated X, which he purchased in 2022, with content criticizing Democrats and Vice President Harris. The big difference [between Musk and other wealthy donors] is that he is himself a sort of Trump-esque figure, Sarah Bryner, director of research and strategy at OpenSecrets, told The Hill. President Donald Trump, right, talks with Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk at the White House in Washington, Feb. 3, 2017. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) Hes a very public person. Whereas most of the people we see contributing to politicians are not household names, Elon Musk is, Bryner continued. So that is this combination of celebrity and wealth that is a little bit unusual. Musk officially endorsed Trump after the former president was injured in an assassination attempt last month. While the billionaire had long been posting and interacting with right-leaning content on X, he had previously refrained from supporting a particular candidate in the presidential race. Following the endorsement, Musk began frequently posting content that embraced the former president. Musk hosted Trump on X for a roughly two-hour conversation Monday, covering everything from the assassination attempt to the former presidents views on immigration and the economy. The billionaire has also increasingly shared content disparaging Harris since President Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed his vice president, who has secured the Democratic nomination ahead of next weeks convention in Chicago. Musk faced backlash late last month after he shared a mock campaign ad that used an artificial intelligence (AI) voice mimicking Harris to spew insults about her campaign and Biden a move that seemingly violated his platforms own policies. His ownership of X has worried some Democrats, as several pro-Harris accounts on the platform have been suspended or labeled as spam in recent weeks. The X account of White Dudes for Harris was briefly suspended after hosting a massive fundraising call for the vice president in late July. Several days later, it was labeled as spam and had its reach limited. Progressives for Harris similarly had its account suspended for a short period in early August. Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), who serves as ranking member on the House Judiciary Committee, called for an investigation into the potential throttling of Harris primary campaign account on X last month after users reported problems following the account. Nadler called again Monday for an investigation into political censorship on the platform, this time pointing to inaccurate information provided by Xs AI chatbot Grok suggesting that Harris had missed the ballot deadlines in several states and was ineligible to appear on the ballot. Musks literal control over X, including its algorithm, is potentially troubling in the context of the election, said Jonathan Nagler, co-director of New York Universitys Center for Social Media and Politics. He can change the algorithm on a whim, and he is completely free to tweak the algorithm so it up weights or suppresses any content that he changes, Nagler told The Hill. He can decide to suppress any content that is critical of Trump; he can decide to suppress any content that praises Harris. Musk could not be reached for comment. X, SpaceX and Tesla did not respond to requests for comment. The billionaires foray into the financial side of campaign politics appears to have begun earlier than his current social media blitz for Trump. He reportedly began meeting with consultants and vendors for his super PAC, America PAC, this spring to discuss efforts to turn out 800,000 people to vote for Trump in battleground states, according to The Wall Street Journal. Musk had not made any public contributions to federal candidates, party committees or super PACs as of June 30, according to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) contributions database. However, America PAC has already raked nearly $8.8 million in its first month from the billionaires close allies, such as Palantir Technologies co-founder Joe Lonsdale and Valor Equity Partners CEO Antonio Gracias. Musk previously suggested he would give $45 million per month to America PAC a promise he soon walked back. Because the super PAC wont have to file another disclosure until mid-October, donor details between June 30 and Sept. 30 wont be public until then. But America PAC has already faced scrutiny for its data collection practices, which are being investigated by the North Carolina State Board of Elections and reportedly by the Michigan Secretary of States office. America PACs barebones website included a register to vote page, which has since been taken down. On that page, users in competitive states including Michigan and North Carolina were prompted to submit personal information, such as their address and phone number, but were not directed to a site where they could register to vote in their state, according to the initial report by CNBC. The State Board of Elections has received a complaint about this organization. The complaint alleges that the organization is hosting a website that leads people to believe they are registering to vote, but no registration form is ever submitted to election officials. This complaint is being investigated, the boards spokesman, Patrick Gannon, told The Hill. He also noted that it is a crime in North Carolina for someone to fail to submit a voters registration form if that person has told a voter that they would be submitting the voters registration form. If, during the course of an investigation, the State Board finds there is evidence to substantiate a violation and warrant a referral, it will be referred to the district attorneys office for prosecutorial review. The DAs office determines if charges are filed, Gannon added. The Michigan Secretary of States office did not respond to a request for comment. However, a source familiar with America PACs efforts told The Hill that it has proactively reached out to authorities in both states and believes it is in full compliance with the law. The information provided by swing state voters on the website was being used to fill in voter registration forms that were going to be mailed to prospective voters for signing, the source said. During a major shakeup of the super PACs field operation recently, Raconteur Media, which was handling this process, was fired. The firm has been brought back to finish its work, as first reported by The Wall Street Journal. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) Emergency sewer repairs will impact lanes on a portion of Virginia Beach Blvd. from August 16-19. Starting on Friday, August 16 at 9 a.m., one outside lane of westbound Virginia Beach Blvd. between London Bridge Road and Eureka Avenue will be closed, the city says. The closures expected to be in place until 5 p.m. on Friday. Then starting at 7 a.m. on August 17, crews will close two outside lanes of westbound Virginia Beach Boulevard between London Bridge Road and Eureka Avenue. That work is set to be completed by 6:30 a.m. on Monday, August 19. The city says warning signs will also be placed in the area to alert drivers. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. Environmental groups on Thursday sued Gov. Katie Hobbs and the state water resources director, demanding that they review and revoke the water certificate of a proposed commercial and residential project in Sierra Vista that the groups say imperils the San Pedro River. The project of nearly 7,000 homes is stalled after the developer, Castle and Cook Inc., pulled out late last year. If it were built, the Center for Biological Diversity and San Pedro 100 argued in the lawsuit, it would diminish the San Pedro River's flow, hurting critical habitat for wildlife. The groups sued Hobbs and Arizona Department of Water Resources Director Thomas Buschatzke for failing to review the 100-year designation of adequate water supply given to Pueblo del Sol Water Company for the project known as Tribute. That certificate of adequacy was issued over 10 years ago but was contested from the start. Congress designated a section of the San Pedro River as a federal conservation area 36 years ago. The riparian area is a refuge for biodiversity in the arid Southwest and draws national interest to protect this remnant of river life. The designation gave the Bureau of Land Management power to claim water rights to protect the river and its biodiversity. Conservation groups said regulators knew once the river's water rights were quantified, it would impact certificates of water adequacy for new development. The water department issued a water certificate anyway and said it could revoke the permission later if Pueblo del Sol's pumping violated water rights. Both the development company, Castle and Cooke, and Pueblo del Sol are owned by billionaire David H. Murdock, who has other two housing developments in Sierra Vista. "(Pueblo del Sol wells) are already stealing water that belongs to the San Pedro River National Conservation Area," said Robin Silver, co-founder of the Center for Biological Diversity, who is leading the lawsuit. Water law maintains a "first in time, first in right" doctrine, which means that water users who came after the conservation area was created have less priority. A judge last year quantified how much water the conservation area was entitled to, giving conservation groups and federal agencies a tool to demand reduced groundwater pumping from newer users. Tribute does not have a century-worth of water if the state accounts for the river's rights, the lawsuit asserts. "ADWR has the responsibility to review those certificates when the conditions change," Silver said. That change happened a year ago with the water rights quantification, and he wants to force the water department and the governor to act. Less than two months ago, the groups filed a similar lawsuit against Hobbs and Buschatzke for failing to consider an Active Management Area, stringent groundwater regulation, in the Upper San Pedro River basin. The state water agency said it would not comment on pending litigation. Imperiled waterway: Environmental groups seek groundwater protections around Arizona's San Pedro River An abandoned project The ambitious development project in Sierra Vista is already facing an uncertain future. The city approved it in 2006, but after nearly 20 years of planning, Castle and Cooke never broke ground. Last year, the developer announced it was pulling out of the project permanently. The announcement came not long after a judge quantified the conservation area's water rights, but the company said its decision was financial and that it would focus its investment on California and Hawaii projects. Tribute's development plan, east of State Route 92 and about 5 miles from the river included a maximum of 6,959 single- and multi-family units, plus offices, shopping stores, and community parks. The city also identified potential land plots for a fire and police station, and a branch library, according to a 2014 development plan. Sierra Vista Mayor Clea McCaa told Arizona Public Media last year that the city is working with Castle and Cooke to market the property so that other developers can come and take over the work. A buyer would inherit an "immensely valuable" certificate of adequate water supply for the project, said Silver. The project could also face legal challengesand litigation coststo prove that pumping would not interfere with the river water rights and that there is 100 years' worth of water. Riparian areas: On Arizona's San Pedro River, hummingbirds reflect the health of a landscape Many users and a dragging legal case The quantified water rights of the conservation area will definitely affect the housing market, said Rhett Larson, a professor of water law and senior research fellow with the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University. The court order that quantified the conservation area's water rights was not challenged by the January 2024 deadline. BLM filed for a decree, which is the last step to assert the water right. But it could still be hard to enforce. Other users' water rights have not been quantified or given a priority, said Larson. The San Pedro River adjudication is a small piece in a much larger legal case that seeks to adjudicate water rights to the Gila River and its tributaries. While many water users began pumping groundwater after the 1988 conservation area was declared, there are others that have higher seniority. The U.S. Army's Fort Huachuca, which has been the target of Center for Biological Diversity lawsuits for years, was built in 1877 during the campaign against Chiricahua Apaches. Silver recognized the Fort has seniority over the conservation area's water rights, but he added they also have to abide by the Endangered Species Act. "So even though they have senior rights in Fort Huachuca, they can't continue to suck the river dry," he said. But there is a long list of water users, in the Upper San Pedro River basin and other Arizona rivers, whose water rights have not been quantified or given a priority. This could create more legal issues down the road. "This case is a really good example of why the state of Arizona needs to invest in expediting and finishing the general stream adjudications," Larson said. "Because as long as they go on, it's difficult for us to know who owns which water rights, and it's difficult for us to protect our water supplies because there is so much uncertainty." Clara Migoya covers agriculture and water issues for The Arizona Republic and azcentral. Send tips or questions to clara.migoya@arizonarepublic.com. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Environmental groups sue Hobbs, state water agency over San Pedro flow MADISON TWP., Ohio (WKBN) Despite community opposition, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a permit-to-install to West Point Renewables, LLC for a municipal solid waste landfill. Read next: Owner update: Demolition making progress, may be safe for neighbors to soon return West Point Renewables requested a permit earlier in the year to operate a landfill in West Point, which is a community in Columbiana Countys Madison Township about halfway between Lisbon and East Liverpool. At a public hearing hosted by the EPA in April, the community voiced its opinion on the matter: a resounding no. Voiced opposition to the landfill included concerns such as water pollution and the impact on a nearby bald eagle nest. Despite the protests, the EPA announced Thursday the issuance of an installation permit, which authorizes the construction of a 54.92-acre landfill that can accept up to 4,000 tons of waste daily. The West Point Renewables Landfill will be built with a dual liner system, and the EPA will oversee the construction to ensure it complies with state environmental rules, the announcement stated. The landfill will also have a system to collect and manage leachate (liquid that leaks from waste), controls for surface water, and a final cover to seal it after the landfill closes. West Point Renewables LLC must monitor groundwater and landfill gas during operation and for at least 30 years after it is closed. The company is also required to provide financial assurance to cover the costs of closing the landfill and post-closure maintenance. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) The El Paso Independent School Districts Internal Audit Report for the 2023-2024 school year shows that student absences in five of its campuses cost them approximately over $3 million in state funds. EL Paso ISD has 80 campuses in the district and nearly 50,000 students enrolled, according to their website. According to the report, over $2 million of the costs came from Franklin High School, which had over 40,000 unverified or no note, no call absences. The chief internal auditor for EPISD, Mayra G. Martinez, presented the audit report to the districts Board of Trustees on Wednesday, August 14. The reason why the no call and the unverified are important is because thats an opportunity. We dont know why those students are out because we dont have a note from parents and because for some reason they havent been verified. Its very unlikely that the district would be able to recapture the 3.2 million, Martinez said. Meanwhile, EPISD Superintendent Diana Sayavedra said theyre well positioned to reconcile the audits findings. The challenge, according to district officials, is that there is not one issue that can be attributed to the trends regarding student absence they have identified across the district. Its difficult for us to determine what our issue is with attendance. Is it the chronic absenteeism or is it the fact that weve got systems, structures and protocols that were not following? Sayavedra said during the meeting. The audit identified several causes that could be factoring in, but during the meeting they discussed at length how unverified absences potentially become unexcused, because district clerks fall behind on updating the coding on the absence that may have the documentation to excuse it. It could also lead to students receiving notice of absence letters of truancy, that arent really truancy, Martinez explained during the meeting. At the meeting, district officials discussed how they have been proactive about addressing the issues with student attendance by implementing systems as the audit was being conducted. One of the key systems they developed will allow parents to visit the districts website and upload any documents that may prove a students absence is excused. The president of the El Paso Teachers Association, Norma De La Rosa, highlighted that the report does not even take into account the other 75 campuses, and that systems that existed during the COVID -19 pandemic to follow up with parents of students who are missing class, have been abandoned. A lot of the systems that used to be in place before COVID are not in place anymore. And if they are, someones always finding an excuse as to why it cant be done or saying no, I dont have time to do it right now, De La Rosa said. According to De La Rosa, the district no longer has truancy officers dedicated to conducting home visits to determine why a student is not in class. She also said that teachers and district attendance clerks are doing everything they can to reach out to parents of students who are missing class, but that theyre already slammed with other tasks that make it difficult for them to follow up effectively. We know teachers are frustrated because theyre told: Well, call home. Find out why the students are not here. They try to call home at various times of the day. Theyll call their parents at work. Parents get upset because teachers call them at work to find out why so-and-so isnt in school. Or a lot of times they dont get a response back and they have to leave a message, De La Rosa explained. District officials said they have departments in place that take on the responsibilities of following up with parents of students who are missing school, such as their alpha team, but that identifying when a student missing class becomes a problem has to start with them. Academic achievement is our priority. So, we want to make sure that our teachers are supported definitely in the classroom with their students and the curriculum that theyre teaching. But we also are bound to the law and making sure that our teachers are also balancing their responsibilities, said EPISD assistant superintendent for Student and Parent Services, Lisa Estrada-Batson. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. ER nurse fights for the right of amputees to join the Armed Forces Spokane, Washington Hannah Cvancara is motivated, physically fit and patriotic everything the U.S. military desires, except for a condition the military considers disqualifying: an amputated left foot, which occurred when she was just 10 months old, the result of a rare birth defect. "I've never counted it as part of my identity," Cvancara told CBS News. "I'm just Hannah, who happens to be missing a leg." However, she hasn't slowed down since. She rock climbs, snowboards, surfs and hikes, and took part in swim team, track and volleyball in school. But while her amputation hasn't stopped her at all, the military has, rejecting her from the Navy. "The subject applicant does not meet established physical standards," the Navy's rejection letter to Cvancara in March 2022 read. Active-duty troops who lose limbs are still eligible to serve. But for those seeking to enlist, the "current absence of a foot" is automatically disqualifying, according to the Defense Department's Medical Standards for Military Service When contacted by CBS News about the policy, a Defense Department spokesperson said in a statement Monday that, "At this time, there are no changes to policy, and it would be inappropriate to speculate on the future. We have no additional information to provide." Cvancara's desire to get into the military comes at a time when recruitment numbers have reached their lowest levels since the Vietnam War. "Our recruitment is suffering, and there are plenty of people with the right heart to serve that can't," Cvancara argues. Cvancara is in training to try and enlist again by seeking a medical waiver to join the Washington Air National Guard. She is also a full-time ER nurse often on her feet for 12-hour shifts and wants to continue doing her job while in uniform. "She adds a joy," Cvancara's father, Lt. Col. Joseph Cvancara, a retired Air Force flight surgeon, said of his daughter. "Her middle name is Joy. And she fits it. She perseveres." Alex Gates, Cvancara's prosthetist, says medical progress has been met by antiquated thinking. "The rule was written back when prosthetics were made out of wood and leather," said Gates, adding that he believes Hannah is "more able-bodied than most people that we come in contact with every day." Hannah has also taken her challenge to Congress, lending her name to a House bill the "Hannah Cvancara Service Act" that would change the U.S. military's policy on the issue. Hannah says she understands the policy, and acknowledges the concern that an amputee could be viewed as someone unable to deploy easily. But the waiver she's seeking would apply to a medical position. And that advancements in prosthetics have allowed amputees to take a far more active role than what may have been possible in the past. "I'm not asking that we ignore disability and pretend it doesn't exist," Hannah said. "Rather, that we do not ignore ability." North Carolina nurse, 91, has no plans of retiring ER nurse fights for the right of amputees to join the Armed Forces Family demands justice in drowning of 8-year-old boy RICHMOND, Ky. (FOX 56) Students in Estill County wont have to go far to get hands-on education in aviation. Theyll have those resources right at school. Estill County School district staff came to Eastern Kentucky University Thursday to train on using the aviation flight simulator machines. Nathan Prewitt is the academic interventionist for the Estill County High School GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) program. Prewitt had the chance to jump on the simulator himself, and he said he cant wait to bring these to the school so the students can use them. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: This is a very interesting thing. A lot of them have really shown interest in it, and theyre super excited about it before weve even gotten any of the simulators or the program even close to getting started. Theyve been asking about it, and I told them today we were coming up here, Prewitt said. EKUs aviation program is well known for its success in contributing to a much-needed industry, which is why the goal of this partnership is to foster an early love for the craft before college. Dennis Sinnett is the chair of the School of Aviation at EKU. The goal of the simulators is to whet the appetite, get the students interested in aviation so that they have a realization that aviation is a valid career for them. Whether they end up in the cockpit is great. Wed love to have them, but there are so many other opportunities that are available in the aviation world, Sinnett said. Now that staff have been trained, the simulator is being taken to Estill County, and the goal is to have it ready by Labor Day. This is a path that even state representatives like Bill Wesley wanted to see. LATEST KENTUCKY LISTS AND RANKINGS: We started talking about bringing different programs into our area for our kids and for our students, and this opened up. While talking to our commissioner and one thing led to another, I came here and met with Dr. McFadden over at EKU, and he asked me if theres anything that he can help me with. When that door opened, I asked him if hed help me get an aviation program for kids, and thats when it started snowballing fast, Wesley said. EKU President Dr. David McFaddin said that fast progress is a good sign, especially since it means more of these crucial aviation roles can be filled in the coming years. Were glad to partner with all of our high schools where were doing our flight decks, where were bringing the simulator experience, partnering with our policymakers who are encouraging us and supporting Kentuckys only 141 flight school in Kentucky, not just doing our post-secondary degrees, but introducing our high school students to what it could be to be an aviator, McFaddin said. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News. Thierry Breton is the European Union's commissioner for internal market. His responsibilities include overseeing the government's policies relating to online speech. In effect, this makes him the European Commission's would-be censor in chiefand he is eager to wield his power against unruly dissenters. Case in point: On Monday, Elon Musk interviewed former President Donald Trump live on X, the social media site previously known as Twitter. Millions of people listened to at least part of that conversation, which covered a range of newsworthy topics: everything from the recent attempt on Trump's life to his support for the mass deportation of illegal immigrants. The interview clearly irked Breton, who had previously warned Musk about creating a "risk of amplification of potentially harmful content." His open letter to Musk teemed with bureaucratic doublespeak: He began by recognizing the platform's right to participate in free expression and then immediately voided this protection by threatening sanction against so-called hate speech and misinformation. "[Complying with E.U. law] means ensuring, on the one hand, that freedom of expression and of information, including media freedom and pluralism, are effectively protected and, on the other hand, that all proportionate and effective mitigation measures are put in place regarding the amplification of harmful content," he wrote. "This is important against the background of recent examples of public unrest brought about by the amplification of content that promotes hatred, disorder, incitement to violence, or certain instances of disinformation." Breton's threats are not idle. The European Commission is currently investigating X for allegedly violating Europe's Digital Services Act. The main basis for this investigation is that Breton does not approve of X's new user-verification policy. Under the old Twitter rules, the site would take it upon itself to verify sufficiently important people. Musk found this practice elitist and instead permitted all users to purchase verification. For some reason, Breton believes that verification should function in whatever way he thinks is best. By personally threatening Musk with further reprisals for allowing "hatred" and "disinformation" in the context of the Trump interview, Breton has upped the ante considerably. Trump is, after all, a candidate for the U.S. presidencyand there is significant public interest in letting people listen to what he has to say, even if some European bureaucrat is perturbed by it. "The recent letter shows the latest example of the 'Brussels effect' and why Americans should be concerned about the impact of European regulation on both American companies and American users," says Jennifer Huddleston, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute. "It is a direct example of European regulation and regulators attempting to impact the availability of certain content or method in which that content is displayed beyond their borders." In fact, the E.U. seems to think that Breton overstepped. In a statement, the organization noted that its president had not approved Breton's actions, and several anonymous officials complained to the media about him. This is probably a good time to mention that Breton's position is effectively an unelected one. E.U. commissioners are not chosen by the peoplethey are selected via a secretive backroom dealing involving the European Council and the incoming E.U. president; the European Parliament has to approve or reject the entire slate of commissioners. It's slightly more transparent than the process of picking the pope. Should unelected European bureaucrats meddle in political dialogue and work to prevent American presidential candidates from speaking their minds? The question answers itself. As Rep. Ro Khanna (DCalif.) correctly noted in a post on X: "In America, we value free speech, including conversations like the one [Elon Musk] is having tonight with ideas and opinions people may dislike or even find offensive. We don't censor. Ironic, this used to be a European idea advocated by someone named John Stuart Mill." Across the Pond Thankfully, the U.S. political system includes much stronger protections for free speech than our European counterparts. But that doesn't mean political dialogue is completely safe. On the contrary, Democratic activists are currently attempting to weaponize campaign finance laws against Trump and Musk to punish them for daring to speak. End Citizens United, a Democratic political action committee (PAC), filed a formal complaint about the Musk-Trump interview with the Federal Election Commission (FEC). The PAC wants the FEC to regard the interview as an illegal campaign contribution from X, the corporate entity, to Trump. "The Donald Trump-Elon Musk campaign rally hosted on X wasn't just an incoherent diatribe of lies marred by technical difficulties it was a blatantly illegal corporate contribution to Donald Trump's campaign," said Tiffany Muller, president of End Citizens United, in a statement. "This brazen corporate contribution undermines campaign finance laws and would set a dangerous precedent for unfettered, direct corporate engagement in campaigns." It's true that corporations cannot directly give money to federal candidates. (They have to give money to PACs, which can then engage in campaigning on behalf of the candidates.) But the Musk-Trump interview is clearly not a campaign contribution, as defined by federal election law. If it were, then every private media organization would be equally guilty of breaking the law when they interview candidatessomething they do all the time. Political candidates regularly appear on TV, radio, and podcasts. They are interviewed for web and print publications. These are not considered campaign contributions, and if the government treated them as such, then the First Amendment would quite obviously be infringed. "Similar complaints might be made of television interviews, roundtables, and forums," says Will Duffield, an adjunct scholar also at the Cato Institute. "The FEC should decline this invitation to police our nation's newsrooms." Duffield notes that anyone can file a complaint with the FEC, and there's no reason to think that the agency will take action here. Still, it's an example of a discouraging trend in American progressive circles of greater hostility toward unfettered speech. Would-be Thierry Bretons are everywhere. "Censorship doesn't always respect national borders," says Aaron Terr, director of public advocacy at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. "Courts in countries like Australia and India have issued rulings requiring or resulting in takedowns across the global internet. And aggressive regulation can pressure platforms to adopt stricter content moderation policies across the board, which makes the internet less free for everyone." This Week on Free Media I'm joined by Amber Duke to discuss attempts to censor the Musk-Trump discussion, CNN's interview with J.D. Vance, Vice President Kamala Harris avoiding the media, and how the Transportation Security Administration is making Tulsi Gabbard's life more difficult. Worth Watching I participated in a roundtable discussion of Robert Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land for the Geek's Guide to the Galaxy science fiction podcast. This was my first time reading the book, and I'll be honest and note that I was not a huge fan of the second half. (I didn't grok it.) If you're a big Stranger fan, be warned that our somewhat hostile review might perturb you! The post European and American Censors Want War With Elon Musk appeared first on Reason.com. Moscow is reeling from Ukraines bold counter-invasion of Russia, which caught many people off guardincluding some of the Kremlins most prominent propagandists, whose lies are now blowing up in their faces. The blowback is so severe that even pundits whose unspoken job description includes the ability to lie with abandon are now calling on Russias mainstream media to start reporting a bit more truth. During Mondays broadcast of The Meeting Place on the NTV channel, Andrey Fedorov, a former Russian deputy foreign minister, didnt mince his words, taking issue even with the deceptive title of the segment. He said: For as long as we continue to live with headlines like The Agony of the Regime, we will keep losing, because constant lies are coming from our side: about the weakness of the Ukrainian army and all that its lacking... Ukraine has approximately 20,000 men near the Belgorod region who can potentially participate. Host Andrey Norkin replied: The most repugnant thing is that we overestimate our strength and underestimate the enemy. I think, this is very important, because people are certainly asking, How could this have happened? Fedorov noted that Ukraines Main Intelligence Directorate had allegedly named the Kursk operation The Sinking of Kursk. There are inescapable parallels between the catastrophic loss of the Kursk submarine in 2000, in the first year of Vladimir Putins presidency, and the humiliating disaster that may mark the final chapter of his grip on power. Fedorov noted: This is a combination of a military and a psychological attack. Unfortunately, we werent able to fully withstand it. Citing unnamed sources, Fedorov argued that Ukraine had been preparing its incursion into the Kursk region for approximately two and a half months and had put a lot of thought into it. He argued that the capture of Russias vital gas hub of Sudzha, in the Kursk region, was designed to force the Russian armed forces to destroy it. Fedorov was referring to Russias pattern of destroying cities and towns in order to capture or recapture them, which has been Moscows grisly habit, from Chechnya to Syria and Ukraine. Fedorov added, Deliveries of gas to Europe will be stopped because of Russias actions, not because of Ukraine. By the way, this will hit Hungary and Slovakia very hard. Political scientist Anton Khaschenko likewise urged more honesty in the media: We really do have a lot of boasting, creating a false impression for the people that, tomorrow, all of this will come to an end. This shouldnt be happening. A bit later, apparently disregarding Khaschenkos sage advice, Norkin noted that the head of the Chechen Republic predicted that Ukraines counter-invasion would soon be repelled, optimistically stating, Ramzan Kadyrov said this would take about three days. Instead, political editor Maxim Yusin urged Russians to abandon delusions and return to reality. He asked:, What should we do to calm down? We should try a cynical, less emotional approach, even though its insanely difficult. We should look at Russias map and compare these lost territories to Russias enormous size. Yusin asserted that Russians should prepare for the worst possible outcome, evacuating all of their border regions and assuming that Ukrainians will be entrenched there for months to come. He added, We should be ready for the scenario that we might have to sacrifice these territoriesGod willing, without the peoplefor a certain time period. Ukrainians might be entrenched there, perhaps for six months or so. Political analyst Viktor Olevich likewise urged some realism in Russian reporting. The special military operation has been underway for two and a half years, he said. We should stop with these reports that they are in agonyincluding the segment here today claiming they are in agonyunfortunately, they are not in agony and its obvious. They are advancing! Yusin chimed in to assert, We need a bit more truth! Vladimir Rogov, a Russian-installed official in a part of the southern Zaporizhzhia region that is temporarily under Moscow's control, immediately flouted this recommendation. With complete disregard for their real nationality, he described Ukrainians as Southern Russian people, who have been in a state of war for hundreds of years and must be taught to seek peace. He recounted numerous wars and conflicts that involved Ukrainians throughout history. Ukrainian Cossacks also took Moscow [back in 1610], together with the Poles, Yusin noted bitterly. Lets not go there, Rogov replied. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. What on earth is under the West Lake, the signature landmark of Hangzhou city in Zhejiang? Today marks China's 2nd National Ecology Day. We invite Rhuan Cavalcante, a newly trained Brazilian volunteer at the West Lake, to scope out the ecological secrets under the water! The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is investigating a series of robberies in north Charlotte. Police said multiple robbers have been sitting at the Bank of America on Arbor Creek Drive and waiting for residents to withdraw money from the ATM before approaching them with guns. Those robberies occurred on different days at the beginning of August, and more than $700 was stolen. One of the victims told Channel 9 that when he went to the ATM, someone appeared from around a corner and put a gun to his head. After he put his car into the park, the victim claimed multiple other people opened his car doors and jumped inside with their firearms. He said they then ran away after he gave them $200 from the ATM. Sean Richardson, who owns Universal Cuts Barbershop, said he has noticed an uptick in crime in the area. ALSO READ: As letter carrier robberies increase, does USPS need more police? He said one of his barbers had a similar experience at the same Bank of America when they pulled behind a car at the drive-through ATM. Another car approached him from behind, and they kind of boxed him in. It was then that he felt his life was in fear too, and he set his gun on his dashboard. The drivers in the front saw it and immediately took off, Richardson explained. Both the victim and Richardson said they noticed the CMPD watch tower installed in the parking lot of that bank. And while it made them feel safer, they still expressed concerns. Everybody is a target. I dont think its a different nationality. I just think everybody is a target, Richardson expressed. CMPD is asking anyone with information about these robberies to call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600. VIDEO: As letter carrier robberies increase, does USPS need more police? FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) Nitazene, an opioid group with strains up to 20 times more powerful than fentanyl, is here, retired state narcotics agent Bob Pennal announced at a Fresno County Sheriffs Office press conference on Tuesday. Pennal said in 2019, undercover agents were told by Mexico that there was something more powerful than fentanyl coming to the market. Around 2020, the US witnessed the arrival of an opioid called Nitazene. The State of Fentanyl: YourCentralValley.coms complete coverage According to Pennal, in the 1950s, morphine addiction was afflicting many Americans, and as a result, pharmaceutical companies were looking for an alternative. They discovered Nitazene, but they dismissed the possibility of its introduction after discovering it caused respiratory depression and death. Pennal warns that its everywhere here now and it affects everyone, not just addicts. Clovis PD just put out that bulletin about all of the rims and tires being stolen in Clovis, you turn around and you see burglaries, you see identity theft, Pennal said. When youre a drug addict, to support that habit they have to steal constantly from all of you. Every single day they have to use or theyre going to get sick. So it impacts all of you. Pennal adds that recreational users do not always know what they are buying. He attributed the mass drug overdose at an Australian music festival earlier this year to laced ecstasy. Everybody thought they were buying ecstasy, and instead they were buying Nitazene, he said. People started overdosing and started dying, and they literally had to get up on stage and stop the concert. Pennal advises social drug users not to take these kinds of drugs because they could be laced with this opioid group. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47. LANCASTER, Pa. (WHTM) A former Assistant District Attorney in Lancaster County is facing charges stemming from an incident days before her resignation. Christine Wilson is facing a misdemeanor accident involving damage to an attended vehicle charge along with a stop sign violation. That happened on May 17 in Lancaster, according to the Lancaster County District Attorneys Office. She resigned as an Assistant District Attorney on May 24, pending an investigation by city police. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now WHTM Daily Digest I am grateful for the work that Ms. Wilson did over the course of her career that impacted not only this office, but our community. District Attorney Heather Adams said in a statement. As prosecutors and administrators of justice we are held to a higher standard and for that reason and given all the circumstances involved, I accepted Ms. Wilsons resignation. Wilson was a supervisor overseeing the Grand Jury and Cold Case Unit. Christine Wilson was privileged to serve the residents of Lancaster County for 20 years, Jack McMahon, Wilsons attorney, said in a statement. She is honored to be able to help so many victims and families throughout her career. Christine Wilson has the utmost respect for law enforcement and the legal process. The case is being prosecuted by the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office due to the conflict of interest with the Lancaster County District Attorneys Office. Wilson had been placed on administrative leave prior to her resignation. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. Ex-detention deputy locked up in jail where she used to work, SC cops say. Heres why A former Lexington County Detention Center guard was arrested Thursday and locked up in the jail where she used to work, according to the Lexington County Sheriffs Department. Yvette Constantino Wiggins, 57, surrendered to law enforcement officers and was booked into the Lexington County Detention Center Thursday morning, the sheriffs department said in a news release. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division said Wiggins was charged with providing contraband to an inmate and misconduct in office, according to the release. The crimes happened between Nov. 5, 2023 and Jan. 31, according to an arrest warrant. Wiggins coordinated with another unidentified person to bring in cellphones to the county jail and be directed to a specific inmate, the arrest warrant shows. Cellphones are items that are designated contraband by the director of the detention center, according to the arrest warrant. When I became aware of Ms. Wiggins alleged conduct, I referred the matter to SLED for an independent criminal investigation, Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said in the release. Those who work in law enforcement are held to a higher standard as part of their duty to protect and engage community members. Thats why we hold them accountable when they fall short. Wiggins was terminated Aug. 13, Koon said. She was hired by the department in October 2021, according to the release. There was no word on her bond, but Wiggins is not currently listed on the jails inmate roster. Her case will be prosecuted by the South Carolina Attorney Generals Office, according to SLED. There was no word if the inmate involved in the incident is facing any new charges. MetLife customers in Ohio saw a 144% increase in their annual premiums for long-term care insurance, according to a letter the insurance company sent policyholders in July. The rate increase affected around 8,300 Ohioans, said Judi Mahaney, a spokesperson for the insurance company. It's the latest development in a troubled private insurance market that has fallen short in providing financial assistance to millions of older Americans who need home health aides or assisted living to survive, according to KFF Health News. MetLife wouldn't be specific about why it raised its premiums, but experts say part of the problem is that companies offering long-term care insurance didn't account for the longer life expectancies of those needing long-term care and miscalculated premiums as a result. Products sold in the past were ridiculously underpriced, and thats caught up to the carriers, Kerry Peabody, a long-term care expert, told the Portland Press Herald last year, when MetLife customers in Maine saw the premium increases that Ohioans are now facing. For 71-year-old David Ginsburg, the premium increase translates to roughly $4,700 a year, more than twice the $1,900 he paid last year. "This is quite a jolt for most seniors," said Ginsburg, a partially retired Cincinnatian who led Downtown Cincinnati Inc. as president and CEO from 1994 to 2018. Ginsburg and his wife bought the insurance in their 50s, he said, because buying long-term care insurance earlier usually yields cheaper rates. While the letter he received from MetLife guarantees that he won't face additional increases in his premium, he said it's the largest year-to-year increase that he's seen since first enrolling in the insurance 20 years ago. "In the past, premiums have increased gradually by 3 to 5% per year," Ginsburg said, adding that those hikes usually resulted in increases of hundreds, rather than thousands, of dollars. "It just seems so excessive." Along with his wife, who has her own long-term care insurance, the couple will pay a combined $8,000 a year starting September. Ginsburg said that his family's fortunate enough to be able to foot the bill but is worried for seniors who cannot. "It seems excessive and wrong," he said. MetLife raised annual premiums 144% for customers on long-term care insurance. Why did the premium increase? Judi Mahaney, the spokesperson for MetLife, said that the premium increases are due to challenges faced by the entire long-term care insurance industry. The premium increases were approved by the Ohio Department of Insurance, the state agency that regulates insurance companies, according to the letter MetLife sent to customers. The Enquirer reached out to the Ohio Department of Insurance to ask why the department approved this steep increase. Robert Denhard, a representative from the Ohio Department of Insurance, declined to answer specific questions, instead directing customers to the department's Consumer Services Division to file a complaint. Ginsburg says he's disappointed by the department's lack of clarity. "As a taxpayer, I do not feel well-served by the state of Ohio," he said. Thousands of elderly Americans survive on under $2,000 a month Long-term care insurance helps defray caregiving costs for elderly Americans who need assistance with daily tasks such bathing, dressing or eating. In theory, it covers services that range from nursing home stays to having an in-home aide, both of which can be very expensive. Long-term care insurance is crucial for many Americans to be able to access these caregiving services; however, MetLife's premium hikes may make the insurance unaffordable. Forty percent of older Americans live off of Social Security payments alone, according to a 2020 report from the National Institute on Retirement Security. This translated to thousands of elderly Americans surviving off of roughly $1,500 a month, the average monthly Social Security benefit in 2020. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati senior speaks out about MetLife 144% premium hike An exploding star is due to show up in our skies for the first time in almost 80 years here's how to spot this 'once-in-a-lifetime event' A nova 3,000 light-years away is due to become visible from Earth. T Coronae Borealis could be visible to the naked eye in the coming weeks. A few tips can help you see this cosmic burst, which will be a once-a-lifetime event for many. You might get the chance to see a rare cosmic event in just a few weeks. Astronomers anticipate that a nearby exploding star could appear in the night skies across the Northern Hemisphere. But you might miss it unless you know where to look. The star is part of an eruptive two-star system called T Coronae Borealis, located 3,000 light years away. Every 80 years or so, one of the stars emits a powerful cosmic burst of energy called a nova. One expert told The New York Times these novae are "basically hydrogen bombs." No need to worry T Coronae Borealis is much too far for that energy to harm us on Earth. But it will appear as a new star in our night sky for a few days. Don't expect some blindingly brilliant display, though. If it appears, this new celestial eye candy will be more understated. "It's going to be one of the top 50 brightest stars in the sky," astrophotographer Dan Bartlett, who has been checking the skies each night since June, told Business Insider. "It's going to be as bright as the stars in the Big Dipper," Bartlett added. So, if you know where in the sky to look, it should be relatively easy to pinpoint. If you don't know where to look, it will blend in with the rest of the stars, and you'll probably miss this "once-in-a-lifetime event," as NASA describes it. How to see a rare nova in the sky The T Coronae Borealis is located in the constellation Corona Borealis. "It's a cute little constellation that looks like a crown," Bartlett said. You don't have to go out every night and check for it, like Bartlett, though. To ensure you don't miss the nova, simply keep an eye out for updates from NASA. A surefire way to do this is to follow the NASAUniverse account on X. In the meantime, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with how to find the Corona Borealis constellation and know where exactly the nova will appear within that patch of sky. First, look for the shining stars Vega and Acturus to locate the Hercules constellation. Nearby is an arc of four visible stars that make up Corona Borealis: A map of the stars shows the road from the Hercules constellation to the Corona Borealis, where the nova is due to be visible from Earth. NASA The brightest star in Corona Borealis is called Alpha Coronae Borealis, which forms the peak of the upside-down crown in the image below. Then, look slightly down and to the left of Alpha Coronae Borealis: that's where the T Coronae Borealis star system lives and where the nova should appear: The red circle is where the nova will appear slightly below and to the left of the brightest star in the Corona Borealis constellation. The Virtual Telescope When you get the alert from NASA, check out the weather and moon forecast. A cloudless, moonless night will offer the best viewing conditions. "The best time to look by eye will be about one day into the eruption. But the nova will be visible by eye for a few days," Elizabeth Hayes, project scientist for the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, told CNET. As with any stargazing opportunity, it's best to head away from city lights and find a quiet field in the countryside where you can lay back and look straight up to the sky. You can use a star map app on your phone to find the constellation. Looking at your phone will mean you will need to give your eyes about 30 minutes to fully adjust to the darkness and let the stars shine through. A cosmic eruption in the night sky The last time humans saw the T CrB nova was in 1946. And, over the last decade, the star system has been behaving a lot like it did leading up to the '46 event, which led NASA to predict that the nova could reappear in our night skies by September. Not to be confused with a supernova, which is when a star completely explodes, a nova is when a star erupts an enormous amount of energy and then returns to its natural state. That's what's happening to one of the stars in the T Coronae Borealis star system. The two-star system consists of a tiny white dwarf the core of a dead star which is locked in the orbit of a giant red star. An artist's impression of a white dwarf exploding near a red giant. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center As the red giant tears apart nearby stars, the dense white giant absorbs the shrapnel, a mixture of hydrogen-rich materials that come its way. The tiny dead star then gradually becomes hotter until it reaches a breaking point when all that energy is released in a huge cosmic explosion called a nova. Humans have seen this nova many times before. It was first identified by astronomers in the late 1800s, and it bursts about every 80 years. Indeed, the explosion heading our way would have taken place thousands of years ago, but requires all that time for the light to reach us. It's hard to know if the eruption took place until we can see it. But for Gianluca Masi, an astrophysicist and the scientific director of the Virtual Telescope Project, that's what makes it fun. "This kind of uncertainty, to me, makes things even more fascinating, as we need to look every clear night up there and at some point, with our joy and surprise, we will find T CrB shining up there!" Masi told BI in an email. If, or when, the nova rears its head, it'll be worth checking out this will probably be the last viewing opportunity before the early 2100s. "We don't often see a repeated outburst in a human lifetime, and rarely one so relatively close to our own system. It's incredibly exciting to have this front-row seat," Rebekah Hounsell, a nova expert at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, said in a press release. Read the original article on Business Insider Viktoriia Halitsina, Head of Berdiansk City Military Administration, has reported that an explosion was heard in the centre of temporarily occupied city of Berdiansk in Zaporizhzhia Oblast early in the morning on 15 August. Source: Halitsina on Telegram Quote: "Residents of the central part of the city heard a loud explosion after 05:00. According to available information, Russian security forces surrounded the scene." Details: Halitsina promised to provide more information later. Support UP or become our patron! New express lanes on GA 400 will ease traffic without costing taxpayers a dime, GDOT says The Georgia Department of Transportation has unveiled a plan to build express lanes along GA 400, running from the North Springs MARTA Station north into Forsyth County, just past McFarland Parkway. More than 250,000 cars travel daily on the busy GA 400, and GDOT Commissioner Russell McMurry projects that this number will increase significantly. We see about 270,000 cars a day on State Route 400, and we know in the future thats going to be about 350,000 cars a day, McMurry said. Channel 2s Richard Elliot was the only reporter there on Thursday as GDOT unveiled the plans, which include creating north and southbound express lanes. A unique funding method will not impact taxpayers. A group of private developers will shoulder the $4.6 billion construction cost and pay the state an additional $4 billion upfront. RELATED STORIES: They will also maintain and operate GA 400 for 50 years, keeping all the revenue generated by the Peach Pass user fees during this period. The entire project could take six years to complete, with a projected finish date in 2031. Godslove Iserhein, who lives in Roswell, told Elliot that she drives GA 400 daily. During rush hour, you get the normal traffic, typical Atlanta, but the problem is at times, its overwhelming, Iserhein said. While he is uncertain if express lanes are needed now, he agrees they may be necessary in the future and supports the funding plan. It might be a good idea at the end of the day, Iserhein said. The project will also incorporate MARTA bus rapid transit lines and stations, aiming to enhance transportation options along the heavily traveled corridor. RELATED NEWS: BEIJING, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Major Chinese cities saw home prices fall in July compared to the previous month, though the declines continued to narrow, aided by favorable policies, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released on Thursday. New home prices in China's first-tier cities, namely, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, fell 0.5 percent month on month, unchanged from the previous month. While those in the second-tier cities fell 0.6 percent month on month, with the decrease narrowing by 0.1 percentage points from the previous month, the NBS said. Prices of second-hand homes in second-tier and third-tier cities both went down 0.8 percent in July, with the decreases narrowing by 0.1 percentage points from the previous month, the NBS data showed. On a yearly basis, the decrease of China's home prices expanded slightly overall last month. However, the drop in sales prices for second-hand residential properties in first-tier cities continued to narrow, according to the NBS. China is accelerating its formation of a new property sector development model and improving the housing supply system that includes both commercial homes and affordable housing, according to a State Council executive meeting held in June. It has rolled out a slew of policies to bolster the real estate sector, including cutting minimum down payment ratios, abolishing the commercial mortgage rate floors for first and second homes, and establishing a re-lending facility that supports local state-owned enterprises to use those funds to buy commercial homes for affordable housing. Thanks to the series of favorable policies, major Chinese cities are showing more signs of a warming housing market. From January to July, the sales area of newly built commercial housing decreased by 18.6 percent year on year, with the decline narrowing by 0.4 percentage points compared to the period from January to June, the NBS said. Housing sales value decreased by 24.3 percent year on year, with the decline narrowing by 0.7 percentage points. Bolstered by policies like the white list mechanism, which helps cash-strapped developers access credit, the funds available for real estate development enterprises fell by 21.3 percent in July, with the decline narrowing by 1.3 percentage points. In July, China took steps to boost its property sector by cutting the over-five-year LPR, which many lenders use to set mortgage rates, by 10 basis points to 3.85 percent. At a key meeting held at the end of July, China pledged active support for the purchase of commodity housing inventory to be used as affordable housing to ensure stable and sound development of the country's property market. China will continue to combine the digestion of existing inventory with the optimization of incremental growth in the property sector, NBS spokesperson Liu Aihua told a press conference. It will further improve the work of ensuring the delivery of houses and accelerate the formation of a new model for real estate development, Liu added. Extinction Rebellion (XR) is encouraging elderly supporters to take part in mass demonstrations in which the group plans to occupy restricted areas of Windsor Castle grounds, according to a report by security analysts. The climate change protesters are planning three days of action at the Windsor Great Park, the site of one of the Kings main residences and where the Princess of Wales has spent time recuperating from cancer. Activists plan to create a diversion with protesters in fancy dress on the parks Long Walk, to allow others to slip into areas that are out of bounds to the public, according to security documents seen by The Telegraph. The information was revealed after private investigators reportedly infiltrated online discussions by XR activists, acting on behalf of a local business. In an online discussion, members of the XR leadership team said they wanted to make the protest as inclusive as possible, extending to elderly and disabled activists, according to the report from security analysts ASG Pivotal. XR leadership members pointed out that elderly and disabled activists can contribute to the success of direct action. Others affiliated with XR pointed out that the optics of removing elderly or disabled activists were extremely challenging for the police. The report also said activists affiliated with XR had discussed plans to target hotels and restaurants in Windsor town centre, while blocking local roads. But in a statement XR said it does not have any plans to storm Windsor castle, any hotels nor cause public disruption during our three-day event Upgrade Democracy in Windsor. We wont be storming any castles but we will be hatching exciting plans to fix the current broken system that is burning down the planet. XRs Marijn van de Geer added that the gathering is about uniting communities for positive change, not disruption or alienation. XR got permission for a three-day mass demonstration within the park, and cited King Charless commitment to environmental causes when it was first announced in July. At the time, Catherine Bartlett of Extinction Rebellion UK said: Windsor Castle has been chosen as an embodiment of a broken and unjust system where our message will resonate powerfully. A view of Windsor High Street - MANFRED GOTTSCHALK/THE IMAGE BANK Windsor Castle was considered the main residence of the late Queen, and her remains are interred in the King George VI Memorial chapel on the grounds, alongside her husband. The chapel and parts of the grounds are usually open to ticket-holding members of the public during the summer months, including the days of planned protests from August 30 to September 1. The grounds of the castle are also home to Adelaide Cottage, where the Princess of Wales has spent time with her husband, recovering following her cancer diagnosis. The King and Queen are currently in Scotland, while the Prince and Princess of Wales are at their residence in Norfolk, but they are expected to return to Windsor in time for the start of the school year on Sept 4. Former Olympic canoeist Etienne Stott is among the leading organisers of the protest, because of his links to the local area, including the nearby Dorney Lakes, where he trained for the 2012 event. The report said: Activists will be meeting at The Long Walk to carry out that mass trespass into Windsor Castle Grounds at 6pm. Activists have been asked to dress in business suits or as oil barons there will be the XR red and black brigade doing their pageantry on the Long Walk itself. However this will be a choreographed distraction to allow other activists to attempt to mass trespass into restricted areas of Windsor Castle grounds. Should this be prevented or dispersed online chatter suggested targeting local businesses that serve high net worth individuals as secondary targets. Several high-end hotels were mentioned as part of this list. So those in the local area should be vigilant Friday early evening. Thames Valley Police said it would not stop the demonstration going ahead but that criminal activity would be dealt with quickly. Thames Valley Police is aware of a planned demonstration in Windsor from August 30 until September 1, a spokesman said. We have been in contact with the organisers and are working closely with partners to put a comprehensive plan in place to facilitate peaceful protest and ensure the safety of all those in attendance and other members of the public. We will not tolerate criminal behaviour and those choosing to commit offences can expect to be dealt with swiftly and robustly. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. A Republican groups ad criticizing Democrat Josh Stein for bragging about an endorsement from an organization led by a defund the police radical contradicts his record as attorney general, according to his campaign. In the Republican Governors Association video advertisement, Randolph County Sheriff Gregory Seabolt says Stein, the Democratic nominee for governor, bragged about the support. The ad begins with a news clip about the April 29 shooting on Galway Drive in Charlotte. Four law enforcement officers were killed and five others were injured while trying to serve a warrant. A few days after this tragedy, Josh Stein bragged about the endorsement of a group run by a defund the police radical, Seabolt says in the ad. Thats outrageous. But its part of a pattern. But a spokesperson from Steins campaign clarified the claims, saying Stein does not support defunding the police and worked to put violent criminals in prison. Attorney General Stein has never supported defunding the police and, in fact, has called on the legislature to invest more in recruiting and retaining law enforcement, Kate Frauenfelder wrote in a statement to The Charlotte Observer. There is only one candidate in this race who put violent criminals behind bars and kept North Carolinians safe and that is Attorney General Josh Stein. The ad has appeared on cable, broadcast and digital platforms and is funded by a seven-figure investment, the Republican Governors Association said. Defund the police radical The claims about a defund the police radical come from a May 2 post on X where Stein thanked voting rights organization Public Wise for its endorsement. As Governor, I will work to create a democracy that is accountable and truly representative, the post says, making no reference to law enforcement. Thank you to Public Wise for its endorsement. As Governor, I will work to create a democracy that is accountable and truly representative. pic.twitter.com/lhuGxNdITw Josh Stein (@JoshStein_) May 2, 2024 The executive director of Public Wise, Christina Baal-Owens, made an Instagram post amid Black Lives Matter protests in June 2020 voicing her support for a vote by Minneapolis council members to dismantle the citys police department. In her post, Baal-Owens called the decision a victory for Black organizers in Minneapolis and proof of the efficacy of protests. Josh Steins disturbing decision to tout the endorsement of a group run by a defund the police radical just days after four law enforcement officers were killed in North Carolina is part of a dangerous pattern, Republican Governors Association spokesperson Courtney Alexander told The Charlotte Observer. Josh Steins soft on crime actions as Attorney General, including his push to eliminate cash bail and releasing violent criminals from prison early, have made North Carolina less safe. The endorsement does not appear on Steins campaign website as of Wednesday afternoon. Josh Steins record Steins record as the states top law enforcement officer tells a different story than the one painted in the ad, his campaign says. In 2023 Stein told the North Carolina General Assembly the state needed to put its money where its mouth is, and direct funds toward law enforcement and public safety, according to a release by the North Carolina Department of Justice. Stein again asked for more funding for law enforcement in January on Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, saying the state needed to put resources toward officer recruitment and offering sign-on bonuses. On April 30, days before his X post about Public Wise, Stein spoke at a news conference addressing the deadly Galway Drive shooting in Charlotte and offering prayers to the families of the deceased officers. Today is a day of heartbreak in North Carolina, he said. Although our words are insufficient, we offer our most sincere gratitude for their selfless service and we mourn their ultimate sacrifice. A statement from Mark Robinsons campaign echoes the sentiments in the RGA ad, saying that Steins backing by Public Wise poses a threat to the safety of North Carolina residents. Stein is backed by radical groups that want to defund the police, and on his watch North Carolina saw the deadliest attack against law enforcement since 2016, Mike Lonergan, spokesperson for the Mark Robinson for Governor campaign, wrote. As governor, (Robinson) will partner with President Trump to secure the border, crack down on violent crime, and make our streets safer. Does Stein want to eliminate cash bail? Seabolt also says in the RGA ad Stein pushed to eliminate cash bail, which Republicans say lets violent criminals off the hook. The RGAs claims are in reference to Steins work as co-chair of the states Task Force for Racial Equity, a group established by Gov. Roy Cooper. The task force released recommendations for the state in 2020, one of which was to eliminate cash bail for certain misdemeanors unless there is a risk to public safety, according to the report. Stein said in past statements bail amounts should be based on the risk a person may pose to the community. Decisions about pretrial detainment should be made based on a persons risk to their community, not the size of their bank account, he said in 2019, according to a release by NCDOJ. Fact Check: Yes, the 1st Official US Coin in Circulation Said 'Mind Your Business,' Not 'In God We Trust' Claim: The first U.S. official coin in circulation said Mind Your Business instead of In God We Trust. Rating: Rating: True The birth of the United States in the 18th century brought with it the dawn of many things, including the design and minting of currency. According to some online posts, this included the first official one-cent coin in American circulation, which supposedly bore the slogan "Mind Your Business" rather than "In God We Trust." One Reddit post (archived) shared in 2023, for example, had received more than 9,000 upvotes at the time of this publication. Snopes dug through historical documents hosted by the U.S. Library of Congress and the National Museum of American History to confirm that this claim is true. The so-called Fugio cent also known as the "Franklin," "Sun Dial," "Ring" and "Mind your business" cent was first minted by Congress in 1787. The "sun and sundial on this coin symbolize time, and together with the Latin word fugio ('I fly'), they express the idea 'time flies.'" Below the sundial is the phrase "Mind Your Business." The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta wrote that both phrases are attributed to Benjamin Franklin. On the other side of the coin are 13 links forged into an unbroken chain, with "We Are One" representing the uniting of 13 colonies into one nation. (PGCS) The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia wrote that the government selected James Jarvis, a Connecticut coiner, to strike 300 tons of Fugio cents. However, the National Museum of American History reported, Jarvis "misdirected much of the metal to unauthorized projects," making the coins lightweight and unfavored by the general public. The copper coins were sold to a merchant at a loss and replaced by new coinage the next year. (For more on the commissioning and history of the Fugio coins, check out this explainer by the University of Notre Dame.) The United States Mint, which produces legal tender, wrote that in 1787, most states ratified the Constitution, establishing a new government and creating a new debate over national coinage. The Coinage Act of 1792 established national coins, replacing the Fugio cent. The Professional Coin Grading Service, a group that authenticates coins, classified the Fugio cent as one of the earliest U.S. regular-issue coins. An 1875 issue of the American Journal of Numismatics further confirms that the "Fugios" were the earliest coins issued by the authority of the United States: The records relating to them are very meagre, and the papers therein referred to cannot now by found. The entries in the journal of Congress contain all the information Coin was made of copper, stamped on one side "thirteen circles linked together, a small circle in the middle, with the words 'United States,' round it ; and in the centre, the words 'We are one;' on the other side of the same piece the following device, viz. : a dial with the hours expressed on the face of it ; a meridian sun above, on one side of which is to be the word 'Fugio,' and on the other the year in figures '1787' below the dial, the words 'Mind your Business' (American Journal of Numismatics) Snopes found historical documentation of the minting of the coins in the Journals of the Continental Congress from April 1787. The records describe the daily proceedings of the Congress and include the text of the ordinance by the Board of Treasury that noted that Fugio cents were "of the federal standards" per weight standards stipulated the year before, pages 223, 224 and 225, as shown below: (Journals of the Continental Congress) The U.S. Congress wrote that "In God We Trust" first appeared on the 1864 two-cent coin during the Civil War. The following year, an act of Congress allowed the Mint director, with the Treasury secretary's approval, to place the motto on all gold and silver coins that "shall admit the inscription thereon." According to historical Congressional documents, the motto "In God We Trust" was placed on United States coins mainly because of an increased religious sentiment during the Civil War. It was adopted as the national motto during the 84th Congress between 1955 and 1956. In 1957, Time magazine reported that the phrase had first appeared on paper currency. Sources: Bohner, Steven BohnerSteven. "The First Official US Coin Said 'Mind Your Business' Fact Of The Day." 100.5 The River, 22 Apr. 2013, https://rivergrandrapids.com/the-first-official-us-coin-said-mind-your-business-fact-of-the-day/. Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. https://www.atlantafed.org/about/tours/story-of-money/11-after-revolution/fugio-cent. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024. Fugio Cents - Introduction. https://coins.nd.edu/ColCoin/ColCoinIntros/Fugio.intro.html. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024. "Fugio Cents - PCGS CoinFacts." PCGS, https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/category/fugio-cents-1787/5954. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024. "---." PCGS, https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/category/federal-contract-coinage/fugio-cents/fugio-cents-1787/845. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024. Institution, Smithsonian. "1 Fugio Cent, United States, 1787." Smithsonian Institution, https://www.si.edu/object/001-dollar-fugio-cent-1787%3Anmah_1096631. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024. "Journals of the Continental Congress | Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention | Articles and Essays | A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates 1774-1875 | Digital Collections | Library of Congress." Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA, https://www.loc.gov/collections/century-of-lawmaking/articles-and-essays/continental-congress/journals-of-the-continental-congress/. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024. Meredith, Stephanie. "Coinage Act of April 2, 1792 | U.S. Mint." United States Mint, 6 Apr. 2017, https://www.usmint.gov/learn/history/historical-documents/coinage-act-of-april-2-1792. ---. "History of U.S. Circulating Coins | U.S. Mint." United States Mint, 22 Apr. 2019, https://www.usmint.gov/learn/history/us-circulating-coins. Money in Colonial Times. https://www.philadelphiafed.org/education/money-in-colonial-times. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024. "The First Coins of the United States." American Journal of Numismatics, and Bulletin of the American Numismatic and Archaeological Society, vol. 10, no. 1, 1875, pp. 16. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/43584964. "The TIME Vault: October 14, 1957." TIME.Com, http://time.com/vault/issue/1957-10-14/spread/34/. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024. By Uditha Jayasinghe COLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's presidential election race gathered pace on Thursday, as 39 candidates submitted nomination papers to the Election Commission by the deadline ahead of the vote on Sept. 21 in the crisis-stricken nation. Here are the next key steps in the poll, in which 17 million Sri Lankans are eligible to choose the Indian Ocean nation's tenth president for a five-year term. CAMPAIGN RALLIES Official campaigns begin after the election panel approves candidates, with inaugural rallies nationwide. President Ranil Wickremesinghe's rally on Saturday in the historic city of Anuradhapura will be the first of about 100 he plans. His key rivals are also expected to hold dozens of rallies each. MANIFESTO ANNOUNCEMENTS In the coming weeks, the candidates are expected to publish their positions on efforts to chart Sri Lanka's way out of its financial crisis since running out of foreign reserves, sending its economy into freefall and defaulting on foreign debt in 2022. Other key policy issues will be corruption and improvement of living standards. END OF CAMPAIGNING By law candidates must wrap up campaigns 24 hours before election day. ELECTION PROCESS Sri Lanka's first-past-the-post system allows voters to cast three preferential votes for their chosen candidates, with the candidate securing 50% of the votes or more declared winner. If no candidate gets 50% in the first round there is a legal provision for a run-off to tally preferential votes for the two frontrunners, but that has not happened since the introduction of the voting system four decades ago. VOTING AND COUNTING Votes are cast in thousands of polling stations amid tight security, to be counted by government employees after polling ends, supervised by Election Commission officials, election monitors and representatives of candidates. DECLARATION OF RESULTS The Election Commission will formally announce the winner, probably on Sept. 22, who goes on take the presidential oath, usually on the same day, and appoint a new cabinet. (Reporting by Uditha Jayasinghe; Editing by YP Rajesh) FILE - The Bolanos children, from left, Sebastian, Kamila and Miguel Angel, from Venezuela, watch videos on a mobile phone outside the bus terminal where they are living with their single mother Keilly and one other sibling, along with other migrants in Villahermosa, Mexico, June 8, 2024. Their mother was captured in the northern state of Juarez, where she said she was beaten by the military in front of her children, loaded on a bus for two days, and left in Villahermosa. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez, File) LIMA, Peru (AP) President Nicolas Maduro's contested claim of victory in last month's election not only threw Venezuela into uncertainty but also spread anxiety from neighboring Colombia to faraway Chile as the region braced for a new migration surge. Over the past decade since Maduro became president, the United Nations estimates that a staggering 7.7 million Venezuelans have fled as the economy collapsed, sneaking across porous borders and crowding into nearby countries that increasingly fear they cannot accommodate another mass exodus. Now, as the crisis over Maduros widely disputed reelection raises the specter of deeper global isolation in Caracas, pollsters, politicians and members of the diaspora warn that more Venezuelans are packing their bags. There were millions of Venezuelans who expected a political change in the country and who are now frustrated, said Jesus Seguias, who leads regional pollster Datincorp. They're now caught in uncertainty, deciding whether to leave their country and join relatives who have already left. Along with the millions of Venezuelans who warily watched Maduros loyalists in the electoral council declare his victory were throngs of listless workers in the biggest open-air apparel market in Peru, which trails Colombia as the main destination for Venezuelan migrants. Everyone is worried because migrants are going to increase, said 38-year-old seamstress Diana Yaranga, grumbling as another morning passed in a blur of plunging sales. She blamed her lack of customers on the arrival of Venezuelans, who account for more than 20% of the 100,000 vendors in the market, according to the local union. There will be a fight for jobs," she said. Hand-wringing among street vendors has extended to the highest rungs of government in Peru, Chile and Brazil, where authorities in recent days have increased border security to steel against newcomers as violent protests engulf Caracas. Its not that a migratory flow will start now. What can happen is that it may increase and reach a larger scale, said Interior Minister Carolina Toha in Chile, which has strained to accept hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans in the last five years. We must prepare. Chile's interior ministry recently announced the acquisition of thermal cameras to track illegal migrant crossings. Last year the government dispatched armed forces to its border with Bolivia and Peru to curb migration through a perilous Andean pass frequented and is now considering sending reinforcements. Backlash toward migrants has intensified in Chile, where in 2021 angry mobs torched a Venezuelan tent encampment in the country's north, as well as in Peru and Ecuador, which have similarly tightened requirements for issuing tourist visas to Venezuelans. Authorities in those countries now oblige most Venezuelans to present a passport and a clean criminal record, along with other hard-to-obtain paperwork. But attempts to curb legal migration have done little more than encourage illegal migration, experts say. The immigrants are coming regardless, said Cristian Dona-Reveco, a Chilean sociologist and immigration expert at the University of Nebraska. When you're trying to deter immigration by closing borders and by not providing safe ways for immigrants to apply for asylum, you're increasing vulnerability, trafficking, dangers and migrant death. That's the case farther north as well, where a growing number of Venezuelan migrants have trekked through the dangerous Darien jungle, which connects Colombia and Panama, to reach the United States. Its a humanitarian alert, with all the drama that this implies," said Colombian senator Angelica Lozano from the Green Party. Organized criminal groups such as Venezuela's largest gang, the Tren de Aragua have increasingly taken advantage of the migration surge, preying on the desperation of Venezuelan migrants across Latin America, half of whom cannot afford three meals a day, according to the U.N. refugee agency. The notorious Tren de Aragua's push into Chile, one of the regions richest and safest countries, has transformed crime in the country and made security a top concern for Chileans. The nations homicide rate nearly doubled in 2022 from the year before, shocking the country and prompting leftist President Gabriel Boric to boost security spending and take a harder line on immigration. The public perception of Venezuelan migration here has really worsened in the last years, especially as we have seen an increase of violent crime, said Juan Pablo Ramaciotti, executive director of the Migration Policy Center, a Santiago-based think tank. The most recent arrivals from Venezuela are not integrated into society." The share of Chileans who say immigration is bad surged to 77% in April 2023, according to Cadem, a pollster, from 31% five years earlier. A Cadem survey published after Venezuelas elections, on Aug. 4, showed that 61% of Chilean respondents opposed the prospect of Venezuelans seeking asylum in their country. Chile used to be a very peaceful country and crimes were very minor, not so bloody, said 73-year-old Jose Parra, a retired Chilean lamenting the unprecedented occurrence of hit jobs, extortion and kidnappings in recent years. That's why people have become so xenophobic. With migration a hot issue as Chile's presidential election approaches next year, officials have proposed far-flung solutions like a system of mandatory quotas to share the burden and spread asylum-seekers across Latin America similar to the European Union's controversial scheme during its 2015 migration crisis. Chile's lawmakers have floated another idea, bringing a bill to the floor of Parliament last month that seeks to penalize illegal migrant entries with prison sentences of up to 541 days. A heated debate ensued. There are families who are going to escape from Venezuela. Will we put them in jail? asked Manuel Monsalve Benavides, the undersecretary of the interior. Colombia, a common jumping-off point for Venezuelan migrants, has long been more generous than its neighbors, granting roughly 2 million Venezuelans temporary protected status that allows them to attend school, take formal jobs and receive emergency medical treatment for 10 years. But that could change in the coming months as authorities struggle to muster the political will to extend the internationally lauded permit program. The visa applies only to Venezuelans who entered the country before November 2023. We dont have the regional resources to handle the migration from Venezuela, said Ronal Rodriguez, a researcher at the Migration Observatory, part of Rosario University in Bogota, Colombia. The national government no longer prioritizes migration issues. Rodriguez said he expects the most immediate Venezuelan exodus to include the parents and grandparents of young engineers, accountants and doctors who have already left for cities like Bogota, Santiago or Lima. Venezuela's opposition had hoped an electoral victory would draw that young generation back home and reunite the families torn apart by their countrys crises. But as Maduro clings to power, the reverse may be happening. People are already bringing over their older relatives to spend the next few months together until the presidential inauguration, Rodriguez said. But if the situation does not improve, it could become a permanent flow. ___ Suarez reported from Bogota, Colombia, and Batschke from Santiago, Chile. Families of local murder victims said they are still mourning a year later after a young girl and two others were killed at JTB Apartments. Surrounded by their attorneys Thursday morning, they announced they are suing the apartment complex for not having proper security systems. Action News Jax Shanila Kabir was at the Doubletree Hotel where they held a news conference to make the announcement. Family members said they are still waiting for justice while holding the management company accountable and hoping crimes like this can be prevented in the future. Were filing this lawsuit because we want to make sure this doesnt happen to anybody else. If the managers at your apartment tell you youre, safe we want to make sure you can trust those words, said Valencia Strowder, grandmother of KaeLynn Marie Matthews. Family members of the victims, 3-year-old Kaelynn Matthews, 23-year-old Jaquann Mitchell, and 24-year-old Keonte Johnson filed three different negligent security wrongful death lawsuits against the property managers of the JBT Apartments. For a management company this large, where was the security? Why werent the lights working? Why were the pool gates open and why was there open pedestrian access into the complex? Three beautiful, innocent lives were taken because property managers would rather save a dollar than save a life, Kimberly Wald, an attorney at Haggard Law Firm, said. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] The three were shot and killed in the parking lot there in September. They were at the apartment to buy a dog. The families said employees went to management several times before the shootings about needing more updated security measures, and they claim management ignored them. This is the premier management company around the United States. Thats what they tout on their website. They brag about managing 500 properties throughout the United States, said Wald. Family members ask the apartment complex owners to beef up their security protocols to keep both residents and guests safe. They add the surrounding neighborhoods have high levels of crime and the security of the apartment complex should be improved as a result. No arrests have been made in connection to these three killings. All tips should be made to Crimestoppers or JSO. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. Family of Atlanta man being held hostage in Afghanistan urging President Biden to meet with them The family of George Glezmann, an Atlanta man wrongfully detained in Afghanistan by the Taliban, is urging President Joe Biden to meet with them to discuss efforts for his release. George Taylor, a former federal agent and family representative, told Channel 2 investigative reporter Mark Winne that federal officials have brought Glezmanns case to President Bidens attention. However, they have not received any response about a potential meeting. We have requested on several occasions meeting with President Biden, Taylor said. To this day, we have not received any type of correspondence yes they will do a meeting or no they will not. Glezmann has been detained by the Taliban since December 2022, shortly after arriving as a tourist in Afghanistan. Taylor confirmed that the U.S. State Department Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs has been negotiating with the Taliban for his release. Taylor suggested that the Taliban might be seeking a swap involving Guantanamo detainee Muhammad Rahim. I believe thats what theyre seeking, Taylor said. RELATED STORIES: Both he and the familys pro bono attorney, Dennis Fitzpatrick, have participated in White House meetings, but officials have neither confirmed nor denied this request. A November 2023 government document indicates that a Periodic Review Board found Rahims continued detention remains necessary to protect against a continuing significant threat to the national security of the United States. James Connell, Rahims lawyer, disputes this. Hes not a threat to the United States. Hes almost 60 years old. Hes in poor health, Connell said. Connell argued that many of the allegations against Rahim were based on statements obtained under torture. The U.S. government, if they actually had some kind of a case against Muhammad Rahim, would have charged him after 16 years, Connell said. Connell also mentioned that he has not been contacted about a prisoner swap. Federal law requires Rahim to be cleared by the Periodic Review Board before any release, with his next review scheduled for December. It would be extraordinary without another hearing, Connell said regarding the possibility of Rahim being cleared for release. A State Department spokesman declined to provide further details, saying, We arent going to discuss our negotiations in public. RELATED NEWS: Then State Counsellor of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi arrives for the 13th Asia-Europe Meeting. Kay Nietfeld/dpa A second attempt to auction the family house of Myanmar's former leader Aung San Suu Kyi has failed, an eyewitness told dpa in Yangon. "There were some lawyers and journalists in front of the house but no one came to buy" the property, the witness said. Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, was ousted in a military coup in February 2021 and has been in prison since 2022. She previously lived in the lakeside villa where she was under house arrest for 15 years. The property was originally given to Suu Kyi's mother, the diplomat Daw Khin Kyi, in 1947, following the assassination of Suu Kyi's father Aung San, who led the country towards independence. The villa was first put up for auction by a court in March, with Suu Kyi's brother Aung San Oo demanding half of the proceeds. However, it was reportedly on the market for 315 billion kyats ($97 million) and failed to attract bidders. Ahead of the latest auction, Aung San Oo asked "the court to reduce the price," a source told dpa, but no bidders emerged. The 79-year-old Suu Kyi was formerly regarded as a beacon of democracy, but her reputation suffered during her period in office from 2016 to 2021 after brutal military attacks on the country's Rohingya minority. Myanmar has descended into civil war since the coup in 2021. MEMPHIS, Tenn. The family of a Memphis man whose body was found inside a burning car on American Way on Aug. 5 is desperately looking for answers. The victims family identified him as 31-year-old James Presgrove, also known as Mikie. Arrest made in deadly shooting, fiery crash on American Way 22-year-old Isiah Jones has been charged in the killing. Presgroves family says they believe he possibly knew his killers. Theres no justification for this. I dont know how anybody could look at his face or see him because I know he shook his hand; I know he smiled. I know he called him brother, said a family member. Memphis Police say Presgrove was found dead inside a burning vehicle on American Way following a shooting last week. MPD investigating after man shot to death on American Way We found out at the funeral home that he was burnt beyond recognition and he had to have a sealed casket, said his family. The family did not want to be identified due to threatening posts on social media. However, they refused to stay silent with hopes someone would come forward with more information. They say Presgrove, who had a love for animals and cars, leaves behind his most precious possession a 3-year-old son. He was a very involved father. That was his little boy, said a family member. Isiah Jones is facing a first-degree murder charge in connection to the killing. Jones appeared before a judge in an empty courtroom Thursday morning, but his court appearance was news to the victims family. We call other numbers. They direct us to homicide. Homicide directs us back to the detectives that wont call us back. We had no idea that man had court this morning. We had no idea that they had been arrested. We have no idea how many people are involved, said another family member. According to court records, surveillance video shows Presgrove driving a Tahoe to the back parking lot of an Extended Stay Hotel on American Way when a blue Chevy Impala pulled in front of him. See more breaking news, local news and weather from WREG.com for Memphis and the Mid-South. Sign up for WREG newsletters and have the latest top stories sent right to your inbox. The suspect, later identified as Jones, allegedly got out of the Impala, pointed two guns at Presgrove, and started shooting. A motive has not been revealed at this time. Reports say the shots continued as Presgrove sped away. Jones reportedly drove after Presgrove until Presgrove wrecked out in a wooded area on American Way. Shortly after the crash, police say Jones was captured on camera walking away from the scene and getting into the passenger seat of a white sedan. We still dont know how many times he was shot, or where he was shot, said the family. Whether he was alive or dead when the fire started, we dont know. Family says they dont know why Presgrove was at that hotel, or why someone would want to harm him. Hes not a statistic. He was a person. He was a daddy. He was a very loved uncle. He was a son. He was a brother, they said. Jones bond has not been set. He is due back in court tomorrow morning for a bond hearing. No additional arrests have been made at this time. If you have any information that could help police, call CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. BAMBERG, S.C. (WJBF) Nearly one year after after a local teacher was struck and killed by a utility pole, her family has settled their case against Dominion Energy & Comporium. 31-year-old Jeunelle Robinson was killed on August 23, 2023, after a tractor trailer hit low-hanging overhead utility lines, which pulled eight damaged poles out of the ground. One of the poles flew in the air, striking Robinson as she was walking down Main Street. Robinsons cause of death was declared as blunt force trauma Her family filed a lawsuit against Dominion on March 11, after reaching a settlement with the tractor trailer company. Although nothing can bring Jeunelle back to her family, we are pleased to have reached this resolution with the parties involved, said the familys attorney, Justin Bamberg. We appreciate the leadership of Dominion and Comporium for working with us to ensure Jeunelles family would not have to relive this tragedy in court unnecessarily. We are focused on protecting rural areas that are often overlooked by utility and power companies around the country, and we hope that this tragic situation will result in greater attention being focused on repairing and maintaining poles in Americas rural areas. The family states theyve made plans to create the Jeunelle Robinson Teachers Hope Fund to provide school supplies and other items to teachers in South Carolina, and across the country. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF. UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Almost 500 million children, mainly in West and Central Africa, spend more than half the year in temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Wednesday. According to a new UNICEF analysis, one in five children, or 466 million, lives in areas that experience at least double the number of extremely hot days every year compared to just six decades ago. "Children are not little adults," said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. "Their bodies are far more vulnerable to extreme heat. Young bodies heat up faster, and cool down more slowly. Extreme heat is especially risky for babies due to their faster heart rate, so rising temperatures are even more alarming for children." She said that governments must act to get rising temperatures under control. As governments are currently drafting their national climate action plans, they can do so with the ambition and knowledge that today's children and future generations will have to live in the world they leave behind. In the analysis, the 1960s were compared with a 2020-2024 average. The results provided a stark warning about the speed and scale at which extremely hot days -- measured as more than 35 degrees Celsius -- are increasing for almost 500 million children worldwide, many without the infrastructure or services to endure. The analysis also examined country-level data and found that in 16 countries, children now experience more than a month of additional sweltering days compared to six decades ago. In South Sudan, for example, children live through a yearly average of 165 extremely hot days this decade compared to 110 days in the 1960s, while Paraguay jumped to 71 days from 36. The analysis showed that globally, children in West and Central Africa face the highest exposure to scorching days and the most significant increases over time. UNICEF said it meant that 123 million children, or 39 percent of children in West and Central Africa, now experience an average of more than one-third of the year, or at least 95 days, in temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius, reaching as many as 212 days in Mali, 202 days in Niger, 198 days in Senegal, and 195 days in Sudan. The fund said that in Latin America and the Caribbean, almost 48 million children live in areas experiencing twice the number of extremely hot days. "The hottest summer days now seem normal," said Russell. "Extreme heat is increasing, disrupting children's health, well-being and daily routines." UNICEF said that heat stress within the body, caused by exposure to extreme heat, poses unique threats to the health and well-being of children and pregnant women, mainly if cooling interventions are not available. It is linked to pregnancy complications such as gestational chronic diseases and adverse birth outcomes including stillbirth, low birth weight, and preterm birth. The fund also said excess levels of heat stress contribute to child malnutrition, non-communicable diseases such as heat-related illnesses and leave children more vulnerable to infectious diseases that spread in high temperatures such as malaria and dengue. Evidence shows that it also impacts neurodevelopment, mental health, and well-being. UNICEF called on leaders, governments and the private sector to deliver urgent and bold climate action to uphold the right of every child to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. Wallace Amos Jr., the founder of Famous Amos cookies, has died at home after a battle with dementia. Amos's family said in a statement to NPR that his wife, Carol, was at his side when he died. He was 88. Wallace, affectionately known as "Wally" Amos, was known for his cookie empire which began with a brick-and-mortar shop that opened in 1975 in Hollywood, California on Sunset Blvd. Famous Amos cookies are recognizable for their beige packaging and blue-and-white logo. "With his Panama hat, kazoo, and boundless optimism, Famous Amos was a great American success story, and a source of Black pride," read the statement from the Amos family. "It's also a part of our family story for which we will forever be grateful and proud. Our dad taught us the value of hard work, believing in ourselves, and chasing our dreams. He was a true original Black American hero." The Amos family, including Wallace Amos's children Sarah, Michael, Gregory, and Shawn Amos, have asked that donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association in lieu of flowers. "We also know he would love it if you had a chocolate chip cookie today." Read more: Peanut Butter, Ranked From Worst To Best The Life Of Wally Amos Jr. And Famous Amos Cookies Famous Amos sign - Tang Yan Song/Shutterstock Using his aunt's homemade cookie recipe (and the not-so-secret ingredient of love), Wally Amos dedicated his life to making world-famous cookies. In 2008, he told NPR that love was the key to his success. "I think it's important to love what you do because that love is transferred to what you do, and it turns it into something absolutely fantastic," Amos said at the time. In 1987, Wallace received the Horatio Alger Award recognizing him as a "Messenger of Inspiration." The award is given to individuals who are "contemporary role models whose experiences exemplify that opportunities for a successful life are available to all individuals who are dedicated to the principles of integrity, hard work, perseverance and compassion for others," per the association's website. In addition to his cookie entrepreneurship, Amos devoted his time to literacy efforts, serving on several boards and founding the Chip & Cookie Read Aloud Foundation with his wife, an organization that promotes reading to children. Amos also authored eight books in his lifetime including, "The Famous Amos Story: The Face that Launched a Thousand Chips," "The Cookie Never Crumbles: Inspirational Recipes for Every Day Living," and "Live an Inspiring Life: Ten Secret Ingredients for Inner Strength." Eventually, Amos sold Famous Amos cookies in the late 1980s. He then moved to Hawaii where he lived the rest of his life. For more food and drink goodness, join The Takeout's newsletter. Get taste tests, food & drink news, deals from your favorite chains, recipes, cooking tips, and more! Read the original article on The Takeout. Wallace "Wally" Amos, the man who launched the Famous Amos cookies brand in the mid-1970s, has died. He was 88. Two of the entrepreneurs children, Shawn and Sarah, confirmed their fathers passing this week, according to The New York Times. Amos, who celebrated his most recent birthday last month, died on Tuesday, Aug. 13, at his home in Honolulu, H.I. His death was attributed to complications from his battle with dementia, his children told the newspaper. The cookie brand founder was born Wallace Amos Jr. on July 1, 1936, in Tallahassee, Fla. He moved to New York City as a kid and spent several of his teenage years living there with his aunt. He went on to serve in the U.S. Air Force for nearly four years before landing a job with the William Morris talent agency, where the Times reported Amos climbed the ladder and had by the early 1960s become the companys first Black junior agent. In 1975, Amos decided to take some of his Hollywood friends up on an offer to loan him $25,000 so that he could start his own baking company. Amos launched his first bakery along the iconic Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, Calif., that same year, where he baked handmade bite-sized chocolate chip cookies to stand out from his competitors mass-produced treats. The store became a Hollywood success story by using only the best ingredients from an original family recipe, according to the Famous Amos website, which described the brands commitment to high-quality ingredients as a core belief of Amos. In the decade that followed the launch of Amos first store, Famous Amos expanded across the U.S. with enthusiastic support from its founder, who often appeared in the media to promote his cookies. After selling the company in the late 1980s, Amos briefly served as a company spokesperson before launching a new career as a published author and speaker. Next: Remembering the Stars and Legends We've Lost In 2024 HONOLULU, HI (KXNET) Wallace Wally Amos, the founder of the renowned chocolate chip cookie brand Famous Amos, has died at the age of 88. Amos created the Famous Amos cookie empire and eventually lost ownership of the company as well as the rights to use the catchy Amos name. In his later years, he became a proprietor of a cookie shop called Chip & Cookie in Hawaii, where he moved in 1977. His children said Amos, who had been battling dementia, died peacefully in his home in Honolulu, with his wife Carol at his side, The New York Times first reported. FILE Wally Amos, of Kailua, Hawaii, is shown in his home office on June 12, 2007, in the Lanikai section of Kailua, Hawaii. Amos, the creator of the cookie empire that took his name and made it famous and who went on to become a childrens literacy advocate, has died at age 88, on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Lucy Pemoni, File) Amos was born in Tallahassee, Florida in 1936, but it wasnt until 1975 that his famed cookies would take shape at a bakery in Hollywood, California. He became famous for his bite-sized cookies at a time when most other brands were going big. Amos son, Shawn, helped him create his first bakery. In only six years time, the company became worth $12 million, according to the New York Times. His kids posted a statement saying how proud they are that hes their father, and emphasizing how Amos was a source of Black pride who taught them the value of hard work, according to ABC News. Algier won a Horatio Alger Award in 1987, an honor bestowed upon exceptional leaders who have triumphed over adversity to achieve greatness, and personify the American Dream. Before building his cookie empire, Amos worked in several different industries. After four years in the Air Force and a stint in the stock room at Saks Fifth Avenue, Amos joined the William Morris Talent Agency, according to the Horatio Alger Association (HAA). Starting in the mailroom, it took Amos less then a year to become the agencys first black agent. He would reportedly go on to book iconic names including The Supremes, Simon & Garfunkel and Marvin Gaye. Wally Amos was also co-founder of Uncle Wallys Muffin Co., whose products are found in stores nationwide. But Amos said the fame never really mattered much to him. Being famous is highly overrated anyway, Amos told The Associated Press in 2007. His muffin company, based in Shirley, N.Y., was originally founded as Uncle Noname Cookie Co. in 1992, a few years after Amos lost Famous Amos, which still widely uses his name on its products. Amos had said the Famous Amos cookies sold today are unlike his cookies, which had lots of chocolate, real butter and pure vanilla extract. You cant compare a machine-made cookie with handmade cookie, he told the AP. Its like comparing a Rolls Royce with a Volkswagen. In recent decades, Amos built a career as an inspirational speaker and author. He was also an active literacy advocate, serving as the Literacy Volunteers of America spokesman until 2002. Amos is survived by his wife, Carol, and four kids Sarah, Michael, Gregory, and Shawn. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. HONOLULU, HI (KXNET) Wallace Wally Amos, the founder of the renowned chocolate chip cookie brand Famous Amos, has died at the age of 88. Amos created the Famous Amos cookie empire and eventually lost ownership of the company as well as the rights to use the catchy Amos name. In his later years, he became a proprietor of a cookie shop called Chip & Cookie in Hawaii, where he moved in 1977. His children said Amos, who had been battling dementia, died peacefully in his home in Honolulu, with his wife Carol at his side, The New York Times first reported. FILE Wally Amos, of Kailua, Hawaii, is shown in his home office on June 12, 2007, in the Lanikai section of Kailua, Hawaii. Amos, the creator of the cookie empire that took his name and made it famous and who went on to become a childrens literacy advocate, has died at age 88, on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Lucy Pemoni, File) Amos was born in Tallahassee, Florida in 1936, but it wasnt until 1975 that his famed cookies would take shape at a bakery in Hollywood, California. He became famous for his bite-sized cookies at a time when most other brands were going big. Amos son, Shawn, helped him create his first bakery. In only six years time, the company became worth $12 million, according to the New York Times. His kids posted a statement saying how proud they are that hes their father, and emphasizing how Amos was a source of Black pride who taught them the value of hard work, according to ABC News. Algier won a Horatio Alger Award in 1987, an honor bestowed upon exceptional leaders who have triumphed over adversity to achieve greatness, and personify the American Dream. Before building his cookie empire, Amos worked in several different industries. After four years in the Air Force and a stint in the stock room at Saks Fifth Avenue, Amos joined the William Morris Talent Agency, according to the Horatio Alger Association (HAA). Starting in the mailroom, it took Amos less then a year to become the agencys first black agent. He would reportedly go on to book iconic names including The Supremes, Simon & Garfunkel and Marvin Gaye. Wally Amos was also co-founder of Uncle Wallys Muffin Co., whose products are found in stores nationwide. But Amos said the fame never really mattered much to him. Being famous is highly overrated anyway, Amos told The Associated Press in 2007. His muffin company, based in Shirley, N.Y., was originally founded as Uncle Noname Cookie Co. in 1992, a few years after Amos lost Famous Amos, which still widely uses his name on its products. Amos had said the Famous Amos cookies sold today are unlike his cookies, which had lots of chocolate, real butter and pure vanilla extract. You cant compare a machine-made cookie with handmade cookie, he told the AP. Its like comparing a Rolls Royce with a Volkswagen. In recent decades, Amos built a career as an inspirational speaker and author. He was also an active literacy advocate, serving as the Literacy Volunteers of America spokesman until 2002. Amos is survived by his wife, Carol, and four kids Sarah, Michael, Gregory, and Shawn. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. A combine at work in wheat fields in the Walla Walla region, during 2018. (Washington State Department of Agriculture) The state Department of Health is considering an update to how it exempts small farms from some drinking water requirements. The department says its a simple fix to outdated and inaccurate language to whats known as the same farm exemption, but farmers say the changes could be costly and burdensome especially for farms with onsite housing for employees. Under a 1995 state law, water systems with four or fewer connections, serving residences on the same farm and providing water to fewer than 25 people a day are excluded from some regulatory requirements that larger public water systems face. The updated language would require those exempt farms to reapply every five years for the exemption. If at any point, the farms didnt qualify, the Department of Health would have the authority to take away the exemption. Jay Gordon, at the Washington State Dairy Federation, said proving that they fit the requirements every year could be expensive, unnecessary and go against what the Legislature intended when setting up the exemption in state law. We dont actually know whats going to be required as every well is somewhat different, Gordon said. But youre asking a lot of people to prove theyre exempt from something that the Legislature already says theyre exempt from. Gordon said the changes could have broad financial implications on small farms that are already struggling. Testing water and reapplying could cost thousands of dollars, he said. If a farmer owns multiple rentals on their property that they use to house workers temporarily, theyll have to follow the new application process, Gordon said. Either the farmer eats that money or passes it off to employees or tenants, Gordon said. Roberto Bonaccorso, spokesman for the Department of Health, said the only change to current policy is requiring the five-year approval for the exemption, which allows the state to maintain safe and reliable drinking water for the employees of agricultural entities. The five-year application would be similar to what businesses complete in a water facilities inventory form, which requires them to state their water systems source and treatment as well as the number of connections it uses, Bonaccorso wrote in an email. The department is proposing the change following a request from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to study unregulated public water systems in the lower Yakima Valley, Bonaccorso said. Some of those farms were claiming a same-farm exemption, despite being a larger facility than what the exemption allows, in part because of the 1995 law, which the department said was unclear and needed to be updated. This misunderstanding caused DOH to review the policy and update to clarify its implementation, he added. In a June letter to the Department of Health, Yakima Countys public services director Lisa Freund wrote that the department should keep local governments and their regulations in mind when finalizing the rule. Counties are the ones who have to implement the rules, Freund wrote, and the water monitoring standards vary across them. There is a public comment period open through Aug. 26. Ben Tindall, executive director at Save Family Farming, said the department has been responsive to some of their concerns so far. But there are still questions surrounding the cost of this change, how many people it could affect and why the change is being made, Tindall said. This is very much a step in the wrong direction, and its going to damage farms throughout the state, Tindall said. Gordon said another concern is that the department does not have the authority to change this policy in the way that they are doing it. He said the department should either go through a formal rulemaking process or leave it up to the Legislature to change the exemptions process as they are the ones who made the law in the first place. Theyre proposing pretty broad changes, and we certainly dont think they have the legal authority to do this, Gordon said. At a high level, this is really bad governance. Bonaccorso wrote that there has been a discussion about requesting legislation but that a policy update can be done in a shorter time frame and implemented accurately to address the concerns regarding unregulated public water systems. It is common to update internal policies, he said. Following the public comment period, the department will review the feedback and consider making changes to the draft policy, which will then be updated on its website. There is no timeline for implementation yet. A Michigan man is accused of fatally shooting a neighbor after a dispute that reportedly began about mulch on Saturday. The incident began when Devereaux Christopher Johnson, 47, started an argument with Nathan Morris, 35, who was shot while taking a walk with his family in their Canton, Michigan, neighborhood, Wayne County prosecutors announced. Johnson allegedly then pulled out a handgun and fired multiple rounds. Police officials told WXYZ-TV in Detroit that detectives are still trying to work out the details but believe the argument began over wood chips. Nathan Morris, shown here in a photo posted to GiveSendGo, was fatally shot in his Michigan neighborhood. GiveSendGo Morris reportedly then sent his wife and two daughters home as he stayed at Johnsons property to try to calm things down, but he was then shot, according to a fundraiser page launched by a family friend. Officers who responded to the scene reported that they found Morris lying in the street with multiple gunshot wounds, according to prosecutors. He was pronounced dead after being taken to a hospital. Police reported that Johnson was taken into custody after barricading himself inside his home, according to WXYZ. He was charged Monday with murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm. This was a senseless act of violence toward the victim, Canton Police Chief Chad Baugh said in a statement shared with WJBK-TV in Detroit. The Canton Police Department sends our deepest condolences to the victims family, and to the neighbors who may have witnessed this tragic event. Edward McCall, the friend who started the fundraiser, told WXYZ in an interview that Morris was an engineer who specialized in laser technology and that he once ran for the school board. It was pretty surreal for all of us, kind of numb and shocked and emotional at different times, McCall said. He was a great man, a real gentleman, a real father figure, and Im just kind of sorting through the kind of loss this represents for his family. Hima Kolanagireddy, who signed a post on the Michigan GOPs account on X, described Morris as a Ford Motors engineer and a friend she had worked with closely when he sought a school board seat. The local Republican Party official called him an amazing and gentle soul. He will be missed dearly. Neighbors told WXYZ that Johnson had previously been combative with his neighbors, and one man said he believed Johnson had been acting erratically recently. At a court hearing, Johnsons attorney asked for a determination of competency to stand trial. The attorney did not immediately respond to HuffPosts request for comment. Data cited by the nonprofit group Everytown for Gun Safety shows that an average of 597 people in Michigan die by gun-related homicides each year, making it the 18th-highest rate of gun homicide deaths in the U.S. The group also cited findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that gun violence costs the state $16.8 billion each year, of which $380.5 million is paid by taxpayers. Dive deep into true crime cases and follow the latest headlines with HuffPosts Suspicious Circumstances newsletter. Sign up here. Related... Faulty power cable may have caused Greece's worst wildfire this year, sources say By Renee Maltezou and Yannis Souliotis ATHENS (Reuters) - Investigators suspect a faulty power cable may have caused Greece's worst wildfire this year, said sources close to a probe over the blaze that killed one woman and torched 10,000 hectares near Athens, covering a total area about the size of Paris. The blaze, which began on Aug. 11, broke out from a forest off Varnavas town, 35 km (22 miles) from the capital and into Athens' northern suburbs, some of which had never seen a wildfire before, within a day. Authorities have questioned Varnavas residents as part of their investigation into what caused the blaze. A 76-year old man said a wooden electricity pillar outside his home, which had a loose cable fastened to it with a hanger, could have triggered it, officials said. That scenario was the leading one in the probe, which should be concluded over the coming months, an official with knowledge of the investigation said. Arson was also being considered. A fire brigade official who declined to be named said an area close to the electricity pole had been determined as the starting point of the blaze. Wildfires have been a common feature of Greek summers for years, with many attributed to voluntary or involuntary arson, short-circuits or occasionally, to natural causes. The country registered more than 8,000 forest fires in 2023. In recent years, the risk of such fires has been raised by climate change, which has brought hotter weather and less rain. A prosecutor has deployed engineers to look into the latest wildfire's cause. Greece's power network operator HEDNO, said it had found no evidence of a malfunction. "We have no indication that anything wrong such as a short-circuit happened," an official at HEDNO told Reuters adding that only the relevant authorities were responsible for determining the fire's cause. Local media cited residents who had heard explosions before the fire broke out. Others said there were initially two fires. Milder winds have calmed the blaze which covered a distance of 40 kilometres (24.85 miles) before reaching the Athens' suburbs of Penteli and Vrilissia, where one woman was killed. Still, flare-ups were possible, officials have warned, as winds are expected to pick up again. Sunday's fast moving fire broke out amid a week-long high fire risk alert due to high temperatures and gale force winds. Greece had its warmest winter on record this year and was on track for its hottest summer with scant rain in many areas, a recipe for fire disasters, according to firefighters. "The fire started very far from here, probably from a power line and in no time it burned everything," 78-year old Varnavas resident Giannis Tsiminis told Reuters on Wednesday. (This story has been refiled to change the attribution to 'sources,' not 'investigators,' in the headline) (Reporting by Yannis Souliotis and Renee Maltezou; Editing by Bernadette Baum) Fayetteville man accused of being an accomplice to attempted capital murder pleads not guilty FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) A Fayetteville man accused of accomplice to attempted capital murder along with other charges after shots were fired at an occupied vehicle in July has pleaded not guilty, according to court documents. Jamarii Crawford, 18 (Courtesy: Washington County Detention Center) Jamarii Crawford, 18, was arrested on July 27 on accomplice to attempted murder, accomplice to committing a terroristic act, accomplice to unlawful discharge of a firearm from a vehicle and engaging in a violent criminal group activity charges. Fayetteville police responded to a shooting near the intersection of North College Avenue and West Lafayette Avenue around 1 a.m. on July 14 after receiving multiple calls, according to a probable cause affidavit. Police found two 9mm shell casings in the northbound lanes of College Avenue. The victims car was found on East Sunbridge Drive and had multiple bullet holes on the sides of the vehicle. The rear passenger window was shattered and one of the tires was flat, according to the affidavit. Police later spoke with the victims who said they were leaving a nightclub on Dickson Street before the shooting and saw Crawford along with other men in a parking lot. Crawford and the other men got into a car and started following them, the affidavit said. Fayetteville man accused of being an accomplice to attempted capital murder after shots fired at occupied car They said as they turned onto College Avenue, someone started shooting at them. Surveillance video from businesses on Dickson Street confirmed what the victim told police, according to FPD. After being arrested, Crawford was interviewed by police and said the victims were reportedly being aggressive and threatening the group he was with. He said he was the driver of the vehicle and four other people were with him. Crawford said he drove after the vehicle and once the cars were parallel, he and others in the vehicle rolled down their windows. A passenger in the vehicle fired at the vehicle before they fled, Crawford said. Fayetteville police said the investigation is ongoing and additional arrests are pending. Crawford is being held in the Washington County Detention Center on a $750,000 bond and his trial date is set for September 24. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24. The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is moving to buy less-than-lethal distraction devices to mount on small hand-launched drones. Uncrewed aerial systems equipped in this way would offer a valuable additional way to confuse and disorient hostage takers, terrorists, and other threatening individuals, especially ones barricaded inside buildings. The FBI put out a notice announcing its intent to issue a sole-source contract to the U.K.-based Typhon Group Limited for the purpose of procuring Sky Hero Loki accessories for attachments and accessories, on August 7. A Sky-Hero Loki Mk 2 drone equipped with a Typhon Group distraction device. Typhon Group Limited Typhon products have been designed to fit the Sky Hero Loki Mk2 and were the only products to be available from Sky Hero for the Loki. This has caused the FBI to equip the UAS with Typhon payloads, the notice adds. Training and tactics were then developed in accordance with these capabilities. These payloads are only available directly from Typhon. The FBI announcement does not mention distraction devices specifically, but they are the only accessory for Loki drones that Typhon Group lists on its website. In 2021, Typhon Group also announced a partnership with Belgium-based Sky-Hero specifically about adding this capability to the Loki Mk 2 variant. Various kinds of distraction devices also represent the bulk of Typhon Groups overall product offerings. Exciting news!! Typhon Group & Sky-Hero announce partnership on LOKI MK2 distraction payload. Read more here: https://t.co/mBynDf8tdg#drones #payloads pic.twitter.com/qeiJH1BrAY Typhon Group Limited (@GroupTyphon) February 22, 2021 The notice also does not say who within the FBI will be getting the Typhon Group payloads for the Loki Mk 2 drones. The Bureau does have SWAT teams within all of its field offices, as well as at its headquarters in Washington, D.C., along with the elite Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) based in Quantico, Virginia. Despite its name, the HRT is a top-tier domestic U.S. law enforcement special operations unit that is capable of conducting a wide array of direct-action missions. A member of the FBIs elite Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) rappels from one of the Bureaus UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. FBI Typhon Group DS-100SH payload for use on the Loki Mk 2 weighs 163 grams, or just under four-tenths of a pound, when loaded with a live distraction cartridge. When initiated, the system can produce up to five individual loud bangs, each one being rated at around 170 decibels at one meter, according to the manufacturer. Sound dissipates the further away you get from the source. For comparison, a typical conversion between people speaking close together is around 50 decibels, while a jet engine on a commercial airliner can register 130 decibels or more during takeoff, even if youre standing 100 feet away. A rendering of the DS-100SH with a mount to attach it to the Sky-Hero Loki Mk 2 drone. Typhon Group Limited The DS-100SH has at least four available modes of operation, one of which involves an operator remotely initiating each of the bangs. The bangs can also be programmed to fire in a custom sequence or in a rapid-fire cadence likened to automatic rifle fire, according to the manufacturer. Lastly, there is what Typhon Group calls the Shock and Awe option where all five bangs occur simultaneously. By using pre-loaded cartridges, the system can be readily reloaded after use. Typhon Groups website says it is developing more types of cartridges for use in the DS-100SH that will be able to produce other kinds of effects. There are already clear use cases for Loki Mk 2s carrying DS-100SHs loaded with five-bang cartridges. Law enforcement tactical teams like the ones found within the FBI have been employing less-than-lethal flashbang grenades, which produce extremely bright flashes in addition to very loud noises, and other kinds of hand-thrown distraction devices in hostage rescue and other barricade or assault scenarios for decades now. The volume of the bangs that typical distraction grenades produce is similar to those of the DS-100SH. The issue with distraction grenades is that an individual can only throw them so far and there needs to be some kind of relatively clear path to get it where it needs to go. All of this creates added dangers for operators employing them in what are already risky situations. Distraction grenades are also pyrotechnical devices that present other hazards, including the potential to start fires and produce dangerous shrapnel. Due to the design of the technology, the risk of personal injury, fire, fragmentation, or other collateral damage is negligible, Typhon Group says of the DS-100SH. Attached to a small drone, it can be employed by personnel positioned further away from a target, including behind concealment, and also approach from less expected vectors. Furthermore, Sky-Hero, now a subsidiary of Axon, specifically designed the quadrotor Loki series of drones with law enforcement and military use inside buildings in mind. Even without the DS-100SH, the latest Loki Mk 2 variant offers a host of useful capabilities for indoor operations. This includes an array of sensors that help it navigate and hold position automatically without the help of GPS (the signal for which could easily be degraded while inside a structure) and in complete darkness. Loki Mk 2 has a day and night-vision capable camera, as well as infrared LEDs to help provide illumination in the night-vision mode without alerting an opponent. Operators use a tablet-like device to control the drone, which also includes a near-real-time video and audio feed, with the help of a self-generated independent communication network. Sky-Hero offers an additional watch-like device to feed [the] entire team with audio and visuals from the drones. This kind of added situational awareness is invaluable for personnel maneuvering through tight indoor spaces. You can bounce it off walls and ceilings; fly it into attics, crawl spaces, under duct work, you can even fly it under furniture, Jon Becker, CEO of California-headquartered Aardvark Tactical, the sole authorized distributor of the Loki Mk 2 in North America, told Police Magazine in 2022. Indoor tactical flight is a full-contact sport and often bouncing Loki off of the walls and floors is required to reach the objective. The Loki Mk 2s underlying capabilities look to make it particularly well-suited to carrying a distraction device like the DS-100SH. Its unclear if any other law enforcement or other security forces besides the FBI have acquired this combined or are looking to do so. This is a capability that could certainly be of interest to other law enforcement groups, along with military and other security forces units, and for use outside of buildings as well as inside them. For instance, flashbangs and other distraction grenades are routinely used outdoors for crowd control purposes, including by U.S. military forces. U.S. Navy SEALs can be seen employing a flashbang-type grenade, or a device meant to simulate one, during training centered on defending a mock American consulate overseas from an attack in the video below. Pairing the Loki Mk 2 with the DS-100SH follows something of a more general trend toward expanding the capabilities of quad-copter-type drones with a particular focus on operations indoors or otherwise in dense urban environments. This includes designs with lethal capabilities like the LANIUS from Israels Elbit Systems, which you can read more about here. There is something of a precedent already for U.S. law enforcement agencies to use uncrewed systems to carry out lethal attacks on armed or otherwise dangerous individuals as a last resort. In 2016, the Dallas Police Department used a bomb disposal robot to plant an explosive charge that killed Micah Xavier Johnson, who had barricaded himself in a building after killing five police officers and wounding nine more, as well as two civilians. The War Zone highlighted at the time that this could be a sign of things to come. The FBI is now at least set to expand its less-than-lethal uncrewed capabilities with drones that are able to bombard their targets with a barrage of disorienting noise. Contact the author: joe@twz.com OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) says its office has launched a initiative for missing and endangered Indigenous people. According to the FCC, the new nationwide alert code is set to establish a dedicated Missing and Endangered Persons event code to facilitate the more efficient and widespread dissemination of alerts and coordinated responses to incidents involving all missing and endangered persons across multiple jurisdictions. Oklahoma AGs office receiving complaints about Stillwater apartment complex The alert is expected to deliver critical alert messages to the public over television, radio, and wireless phones. The FCC says, over 188,000 people went missing did not fit the criteria for AMBER Alerts and with this new alert code tribal communities will benefit with this message alert system where American Indians and Alaska Natives are disproportionately affected. FCC officials provided a clear example as to the way the system is designed to work stating, Tribal, state, and local law enforcement agencies originate alerts using the Emergency Alert System by selecting from a group of event codes based on the nature of the situation. For example, CAE signifies a Child Abduction Emergency, otherwise known as an AMBER Alert. The new MEP alert code for missing and endangered persons who do not meet the criteria for an AMBER Alert will now get a clear coordinated response to these incidents. The decision by the FCC confirmed, the new missing and endangered persons alerts within the nations Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alert system will help law enforcement agencies stimulate the attention of the public for those who do not qualify for AMBER Alerts, including those who meet the criteria for Ashanti Alerts. Other Headlines FCC-Alert-Code-Download The FCC concluded saying, the wireless alerts will utilize the existing Imminent Threat class and the Public Safety Message WEA alert class. Todays Order closes this critical gap in our public safety infrastructure. By establishing a dedicated Missing and Endangered Persons event code, this Order will assist law enforcement in disseminating critical information to the public to aid in the safe recovery of missing or endangered persons. This three-letter MEP event code harmonizes emergency alerts nationwide to ensure that the public is alerted and prepared to respond during these emergencies. Put simply, this Order will help save lives. Office of Commissioner Starks, Consumer and Governmental Affairs, Media Relations Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. CANBERRA, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Australia's unemployment rate has risen to its highest level in over two years. According to official data published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Thursday, the unemployment rate rose to 4.2 percent in July - up from 4.1 percent in June and the equal-highest figure since November 2021. National broadcaster the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported that economists had broadly expected the unemployment rate to remain steady at 4.1 percent in July. The ABS said the total number of employed Australians increased by 58,200 between June and July to 14.46 million but that the number of unemployed people grew by 23,900 in the same period to 637,100 - the highest since November 2021. As a result, the participation rate, which measures the proportion of working-age Australians who are either employed or actively looking for work, rose from 66.9 percent in June to a record high of 67.1 percent in July. "The employment-to-population ratio rose by 0.1 percentage point to 64.3 percent, indicating employment growth was faster than population growth, and was just below the historical high of 64.4 percent in November 2023," Kate Lamb, head of labor statistics at the ABS, said in a statement. "The record high participation rate and near record high employment-to-population ratio show that there continues to be a high number of people in jobs, and looking for and finding jobs." She said 4.2 percent of employed Australians worked reduced hours in July due to illness, similar to the levels in May and June and above the five-year pre-COVID July average of 3.6 percent. FILE - This image provided by NOAA, shows a North Atlantic right whale in the waters off New England, May 25, 2024. (NOAA via AP, File) PORTLAND, Maine (AP) New efforts to convert some types of commercial fishing to ropeless gear that is safer for rare whales will be supported by millions of dollars in funding, federal authorities said. Federal fishing managers are promoting the use of ropeless gear in the lobster and crab fishing industries because of the plight of North Atlantic right whales. The whales number less than 360, and they face existential threats from entanglement in fishing gear and collisions with large ships. The federal government is committing nearly $10 million to saving right whales, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said on Tuesday. Nearly $7 million of that will support the development of ropeless gear by providing funds to fishing industry members to assess and provide feedback on the technology, the agency said. Lobster fishing is typically performed with traps on the ocean bottom that are connected to the surface via a vertical line. In ropeless fishing methods, fishermen use systems such an inflatable lift bag that brings the trap to the surface. Its imperative we advance our collective actions to help recover this species, and these partnerships will help the science and conservation community do just that," said Janet Coit, the assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries. The funding also includes a little less than $3 million to support efforts to improve modeling and monitoring efforts about right whales. Duke University's Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab will receive more than $1.3 million to build a nearly real-time modeling system to try to help predict the distribution of right whales along the East Coast, NOAA officials said. Several right whales have died this year, and some have shown evidence of entanglement in fishing rope. Coit described the species as approaching extinction and said there are fewer than 70 reproductively active females. The whales migrate every year from calving grounds off Florida and Georgia to feeding grounds off New England and Canada. Scientists have said warming ocean waters have put the whales at risk because they have strayed from protected areas of ocean in search of food. Commercial fishermen are subject to numerous laws designed to protect the whales and conserve the lobster population, and more rules are on the way. Some fishermen have expressed skepticism about the feasibility of ropeless gear while others have worked with government agencies to test it. ORLANDO, Fla. Authorities have indicted a Jordanian citizen living in Orlando for vandalizing a solar energy facility and threatening to bomb businesses that support Israel, the Department of Justice disclosed in a high-profile announcement Thursday. Hashem Younis Hashem Hnaihen, 43, donned a mask and attacked multiple local businesses at night in June, including a McDonalds in Maitland and Starbucks in Orlando and Winter Park, smashing in their front doors and windows and leaving behind threatening letters, the DOJ release alleges. He was arrested July 11 and indicted by a federal grand jury last week on four counts of threatening to use explosives and one count of destruction of an energy facility, with a maximum possible sentence of 60 years. The charges come at a time of heightened concern about antisemitic and anti-Palestinian threats in the U.S., driven in part by conflict in the Middle East. The nations two highest ranking law enforcement officials weighed in on the arrest, conveying the gravity of Hnaihens alleged actions and threats. Such acts and threats of violence, whether they are targeting the places that Americans frequent every day or our countrys critical infrastructure, are extremely dangerous and will not be tolerated by the Justice Department, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in the statement. FBI Director Christopher Wray said Hnaihen undertook his actions under the guise of expressing his beliefs. But, he continued, Violence and destruction of property to threaten and intimidate others will never be tolerated. Hnaihen said in the letters addressed to the U.S government and left at the businesses he vandalized that he would destroy or explode everything here in whole America. Especially the companies and factories that support the racist state of Israel. He left similar letters at an industrial propane gas distribution depot in Orlando and at a solar power facility in Wedgefield he attacked later that month, where he spent hours systematically destroying solar panel arrays, authorities said. He smashed panels, cut wires, and targeted critical electronic equipment, causing an estimated $700,000 in damage. He will remain in custody until the trial begins. The arrest, made by the Orange County Sheriffs Office, resulted from a multiagency investigation by the Sheriffs Office and the FBI with help from the Orlando, Maitland and Winter Park police departments, the release said. _____ A test wind turbine for Dominions Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project. Photo by Charlie Paullin/Virginia Mercury. The federal government announced Wednesday that it has awarded two new offshore wind energy leases off the mid-Atlantic coast one off the coast of Delaware, the other near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay in southern Virginia. The two projects, totaling almost 278,000 acres, brought in more than $92 million in bids at the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) auction. They were the first offshore wind leases to be awarded in the mid-Atlantic in a decade, and come at a time when several wind turbine projects, including one off the coast of Ocean City, are inching forward. Todays lease sale represents a major milestone in meeting the demand for clean renewable energy along the East Coast, said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein. BOEM remains committed to responsible offshore wind energy development in the Central Atlantic region in a manner that avoids, reduces or mitigates potential impacts to other ocean users and the marine environment while growing local economies. Equinor Wind, a Norwegian company, was named the provisional winner over four other bidders in the BOEM offshore wind energy lease for a site in federal waters off the Delaware coast, 26 nautical miles from Delaware Bay and not far from the site of a proposal bu US Wind to build 114 wind turbines off the coast of Ocean City. The 2-gigawatt lease could produce enough electricity to power approximately 900,000 homes, federal officials said. Equinor agreed to pay $75 million for 101,443 acres in the Atlantic. The bidding for the lease area opened at $10.1 million. Last month, BOEM issued a final environmental impact statement on US Winds proposed wind farm, moving the 80,000-acre project closer to reality. US Wind officials said the next step, a record of decision from the bureau, is expected in September, with approval from other federal agencies expected by the end of this year. Onshore construction could begin next year, and the project could begin generating power in 2027. But Ocean City officials are continuing to vow to fight the project. Last week, at a city council meeting, Mayor Rick Meehan said the local government had hired a law firm and is poised to sue the federal government if it gives final approval. The turbines will be as close as between 10.7 and 10.9 miles off our coast, Meehan told the council. The turbines will be at a minimum, 938 feet tall if they were built on land, they would be the tallest structures in the state of Maryland. According to the town, each turbine would need to be lit with flashing red lights, which would also be visible from the beach, stretching the length of Ocean City. This totally industrializes the horizon off the coast of Ocean City, Meehan said. The sunrise will never be the same. City officials did not identify the law firm it has hired or what its legal arguments would be against the turbines. Meehan has repeatedly said the city isnt opposed to offshore wind energy in theory, but would prefer the project to be moved farther out to sea, where it cant be seen from the citys shores. But the federal lease boundaries do not generally provide for that kind of flexibility. Meehan and City Manager Terry McGean did not immediately respond to requests for comment this week on the dispute. In June, BOEM signed a memorandum of understanding with Maryland to engage stakeholders in identifying acreage for additional offshore wind lease auctions in the Atlantic, a critical step to meeting offshore wind power generation targets for Maryland and other Mid-Atlantic state. The state has a mandate to use 100% clean electricity by 2035. Meanwhile, in Virginia Dominion Energy is spending $17.65 million for another piece of the ocean to expand its offshore wind energy. Virginias largest utility was the lone bidder for the lease of 176,506 acres about 35 miles off the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay near Virginia Beach in the BOEM auction Wednesday. The win means Dominion Energy has the potential to produce up to another 4 gigawatts of electricity, enough to power up to 1.4 million homes, directly adjacent to its $9.8 billion Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project currently being built. The new area also joins a 40,000-acre area, renamed CVOW South, off the coast of the Outer Banks in North Carolina that the utility announced in July it would purchase to produce up to 800 megawatts of electricity as part of an effort to meet increasing power demands. Offshore wind is critical to our all-of-the-above approach to meet the unprecedented growth of our customer electric demand over the next decade, said Robert M. Blue, the chair, president and CEO of Dominion Energy. Winning this lease area gives us another low-cost option to meet that growing demand while providing our customers with reliable, affordable and increasing clean energy. Liz Burdock, founder and CEO of the Oceantic Network, a Baltimore-based organization that promotes the offshore wind industry, hailed the lease auctions and said they will help bolster emerging offshore wind manufacturing centers, which include one at the Tradepoint Atlantic development in Baltimore County and another on the Eastern Shore. Todays successful auction demonstrates that offshore wind will continue to play a leading role in the regions energy future, she said. The resulting leases will strengthen an emerging manufacturing hub in the Mid-Atlantic, creating a dependable pipeline of contracts well into the next decade. Despite the general uncertainty around the upcoming presidential election, this is a vote of confidence for an American industry that has already received more than $2 billion of new supply chain investment in the first half of 2024, she said. Neal Augenstein of WTOP News contributed to this report. A new agreement resolves allegations charging the Monmouth vicinage failed to provide assistance to residents with limited proficiency in English. (Courtesy of New Jersey Courts) Monmouth County courts entered into an agreement with federal authorities to resolve allegations the vicinage discriminated against residents with limited English language proficiency. The agreement, approved Tuesday and announced Thursday, settles claims that the Monmouth vicinage failed to provide assistance to residents with limited proficiency in English, thereby depriving them of access to courts there based on race or national origin in violation of the federal Civil Rights Act. People with limited English proficiency can lose their children, homes and fundamental rights when they face language barriers in our court systems, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement. The Civil Rights Division will continue fighting to ensure that courts remove language barriers for the public. The agreement will require the judiciary to provide a list of reforms to improve access for residents with limited English proficiency by Sept. 12 and it must implement those reforms no more than 120 days after they are approved by the Department of Justice. It mandates that judiciary workers who may encounter residents with limited English receive training on how to identify and aid such residents, as well as court requirements on remote and on-site interpreters, among other things. Dispensing justice fairly and equitably is a cornerstone of our democratic system, said U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger. We remain committed to ensuring that all litigants in New Jersey have equal access to New Jerseys court system regardless of language barriers. The deal requires the judiciary to continue translating forms and documents to Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian-Creole, Korean, and Polish the five languages most commonly spoken by court users with limited English. As of Tuesday, the judiciary had translated 167 forms into Spanish and 66 forms to the other four languages. The Judiciary, like the Department of Justice, is committed to ensuring equal access to the courts for all. Many of the improvements detailed in the memorandum were already in place, said state courts spokesman Pete McAleer. He added the Monmouth vicinage had already taken steps to comply with the agreement and would continue to do so. The memorandum will additionally require the judiciary to pay $89,718 to a court worker who alleged retaliation after raising concerns about court access for non-English speakers, and it requires the courts to excise mentions of discipline the worker faced over the complaint from their personnel files. As is typical of such agreements, the memorandum does not include an admission or declaration of guilt. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Vice President Kamala Harris and likely Democratic nominee for president address thousands of Zeta Phi Beta sorors on Wednesday in Indianapolis. (Whitney Downard/Indiana Capital Chronicle) While a newfound excitement about U.S. politics has arrived for many in recent weeks, the National Panhellenic Council (NPHC), sometimes referred to as the Divine Nine, is gearing up for an unprecedented voter turnout effort this election cycle. The NPHC is made up of nine historically Black sororities and fraternities. Divine Nine organizations engage in social action movements, which includes voter mobilization efforts. But a statement from the organization described their intended plans for this election cycle to be unprecedented in order to meet this critical moment in history. I see so much of myself in the vice president, and who wouldnt want to be connected to the President, who hopefully will become the president of the United States, State Sen. Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing) said. It feels very personal. On July 24, just three days after President Joe Biden dropped his reelection campaign, the NPHCs Council of Presidents released a statement urging local chapters to engage in voter mobilization efforts ahead of the election. The organization is nonpartisan, so chapters cannot endorse a candidate. The announcement came as Vice President Kamala Harris quickly rose to the top of the ticket, following an endorsement from Biden and broad support from the Democratic Party. Harris reportedly received enough delegate votes from Michigans Democratic bloc two days after Biden left the race. Former President Donald Trump is the GOP nominee. Harris herself is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA), and she joined the sorority while attending Howard University, which is a historically Black college (HBCU). AKA started a political PAC last week to raise money for political candidates. Michigan members of local NPHC sorority and fraternity chapters recognized the importance of the election before Biden stepped off the ticket. State Rep. Brenda Carter (D-Pontiac), who is a member of Delta Sigma Theta, said she worked with her fellow sorors to increase voter turnout in the community. As a Democratic lawmaker, Carter hopes to maintain a majority in the state and federal legislatures after the general election, so the advocacy will reach beyond the presidential race. This is the critical election, and even before VP Harris, who is AKA, ascended to the position that shes in right now, Divine Nine realized how critical this election is to our democracy, Carter said. While the organizations are nonpartisan and dont endorse candidates, Harris being a member of AKA has excited Divine Nine members. Anthony is a member of AKA, the same sorority as Harris. When we see one of our own at the top of the ticket, it matters, Anthony said. It creates a level of connection that energizes people, and I can just tell you, the amount of energy is just electrifying. Like Carter, Anthony recognized that having Trump on the other side of the ballot contributed to the unprecedented voter turnout plans among Divine Nine members. The Trump campaign has gone after Harris with racist and misogynistic remarks, which Anthony said feels personal to many NPHC members. The Trump campaign and many of the extreme right are taking shots at her (Harris) because of her race and her gender and her decision not to have natural children, Anthony said. I subscribe to all of those. That describes me to a T, and it feels like very personally attacking to many of us. At the end of last month, Trump participated in an interview at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) conference where he claimed Harris happened to turn Black and attacked ABC reporter Rachel Scott for asking about his history of racist comments about Black people. Scott is also a member of AKA. Additionally, Trumps running mate, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), has recently caught heat over comments he made in 2021 saying some Democratic lawmakers and officials, including Harris, are a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that theyve made and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable too. Vance has said the comments were sarcastic. At the University of Michigan, Travis Martin, the director of fraternity and sorority life, said he expects students in Divine Nine organizations to embrace the voter turnout calls due to the history of social action and some of the plans he has already heard about. Martin also said the NPHC members on campus were excited about Harris as the Democratic nominee because her status exemplifies many of the organizations goals. Divine organizations talk about their role in developing leaders, right? Martin said. And so the mere fact that there is a representation of one of the membership in a major party is a testamentthat we develop these leaders that go out and make impact in society, in a number of different ways. I think theres a lot of excitement around that. And the Divine Nines advocacy can have an impact on college campuses, according to Dorian Lofton, a senior political science student at the University of Michigan and member of Kappa Alpha Psi. He said NPHC members were seen as leaders at the University of Michigan. Were seen as leaders of this campus, of the Black community on this campus, Lofton said. So because were seen in that light, we have great outreach to students on this campus in the Black community. So thats where our power lies. In a local chapter, Anthony said members have already invested in advocacy for community members, so their voter mobilization efforts have the potential to reach a lot of people. If Harris is elected, she will be both the first woman and the first woman of color serving as president. Lofton said that will resonate with many Black voters in the U.S. including members of Divine Nine. To see someone come from an institution, like an HBCU, that is historically underfunded, historically underprivileged and to possibly ascend to presidency, that is something that should not be overlooked, Lofton said. And I think thats inspiring for not only D9, but for HBCU students. And then to see a Black woman possibly ascend to presidency thats inspiring for all Black people within this country. Unlike other student organizations, people who joined a Divine Nine sorority or fraternity in college are a part of it for their entire lives, meaning the voter mobilization effort should extend across multiple generations. But student chapters have a unique role to play in this election, according to Lofton. For many undergraduate students, this may be their first time voting in a presidential election, and campaigns will hope to pick up the Gen Z votes. The Harris campaign and supporters have tried to appeal to younger voters by posting memes and co-opting the lime-green brat summer phenomenon. But Lofton said Kappa Alpha Psi sees their role a little differently since peer-to-peer communication about voting rules and processes are also effective. He said the organization plans to spread information about voter registration and absentee voting laws, especially since some students might be from out of state and not know the rules in Michigan. While members are not allowed to advocate for either candidate in an official capacity, flexing their platform on campuses and in communities to promote political action has historical precedent. Older members know how it was like to fight for voting rights, and within this election, a lot of members within our fraternity are taking this election as us fighting for our voting rights, and thats why we hold this election so, so dear, Loften said. Because its very historical, and we dont want history to be repeated. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) An Austintown man is facing a new felony charge after what police described as an OVI-related crash in Warren. A warrant for the arrest of Douglas Bressler Jr., 20, was filed Wednesday on an aggravated vehicular assault charge with alcohol, according to court records. Bressler previously faced driving under the influence and driving under suspension charges for the crash on June 13. According to a police report, Bressler was involved in a crash with two vehicles and a motorcycle at the intersection of W. Market Street and Parkman Road NW on June 13. While investigating the crash, officers received a report that Bressler who was driving a Ford 500 had thrown a can of Twisted Tea from the vehicle. Police found a can of alcohol inside a brown paper bag near the passenger side of the vehicle, and body camera video showed Bressler throwing the can there, the report stated. Police said Bressler appeared to be intoxicated and failed a field sobriety test. The report states that he then admitted to drinking half a tall boy, even though he is under the legal drinking age. Police said Bressler had a blood-alcohol content of .149, over the legal driving limit of .08. The report did not detail the conditions of the other drivers in the crash but said they were transported to area hospitals. At the time, police arrested and released Bressler on an OVI charge. The felony charge was filed later, according to court records. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. FERGUSON, Mo. Were getting a new look at videos that show the moments when last Fridays protest in Ferguson turned violent. Its a video thats been played across the country: a protestor tackling Ferguson police officer Travis Brown. The impact left Brown with a life-threatening brain injury. It happened late Friday in the parking lot of Wurm Tire & Wheel, directly across the street from the Ferguson Police Department. Their numerous surveillance cameras captured how the night played out. One video shows protestors packing the parking lot, setting up a tent and coolers. Hours later, around 11:30 p.m., things started to get out of hand, leading-up to the moment Brown collided with 28-year-old Elijah Gantt. Gantt has been charged with multiple counts of assault. The department also released body-camera video of the gut-wrenching collision Wednesday. More video from the business show Brown being rushed away through the crowd on a stretcher. You can also see officers arresting Gantt in the middle of a mob of people. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News We sat down with the owners of the business, Andy, and Joe Wurm, along with Joes wife, Leisa. They said their hearts break for Officer Brown. We feel for his family, Joe Wurm said. The Wurms tell FOX 2 they think Friday will serve as a turning point for Ferguson, as everyone rallys around Officer Brown and the department. Theyve made shirts that read Ferguson Forward to bring that point home. We do want people to know that Ferguson is a wonderful place, said Leisa Wurm. Its a community I wish people would take a closer look at. Theres a lot of fun here, a lot of growth here, and people really care about each other, she added. Andy added that the police department has done a great job connecting with the community and doing what it can to keep the city safe. You can walk down these streets at 10 oclock at night, and youll see people walking their dogs, their kids, and going in and out of the restaurants, he said. Andys brother and co-owner, Joe Wurm, said the community has supported his familys business for years. Their business, like many others in Ferguson, have taken a hit over the past decade. But they think the city has taken a turn and is ready for a new beginning. Its a very diverse community, and we get along, Wurm said. Its a great community, he added. Thrust-into the national spotlight 10 years ago, residents feel Ferguson hasnt been portrayed accurately. The Wurms agree and think its time that finally changes. A GoFundMe for Brown has raised more than $65,000 as of Wednesday evening. Officer Browns family released the following statement on Tuesday: Our family deeply values the sacrifices and commitment made by first responders around the world. We are proud to be part of a community of veterans who have dedicated their lives to this noble profession. Over the years, we have supported many heroes, both locally and abroad, who have suffered in the line of duty. On the early morning of Saturday, August 10, 2024, our beloved, Officer Travis Brown, suffered a serious physical injury while performing his tour of duty. He is currently in critical condition, surrounded by his loved ones, as he bravely fights for his life. We are holding onto hope and trusting in the power of faith to see him through this difficult time. Travis is more than a police officer; he is a devoted father, son, brother, uncle, godfather, and friend. A man of strong faith, his heart is as big as his smile, and his positive energy is truly contagious. TJ is also an athlete, an adventurer, a lover of movies, and so much more. We know he is determined to continue living life to the fullest once he has recovered. At this time, we kindly ask for your continued prayers as we focus on Traviss healing and recovery. For those who wish to offer tangible support, we ask that donations be directed to the Ferguson Police Department, which will ensure they reach our family. Additionally, financial contributions can be made to the official GoFundMe account set up under Support for Officer Travis Brown. From the depths of our hearts, we extend our sincerest thanks for the overwhelming outpouring of support we have received. The generosity of countless individuals has touched us profoundly, and we are deeply grateful. While it is impossible to personally thank everyone who has contributed, we want to acknowledge the entire first responder community-police officers, firefighters, paramedics, doctors, and nurses-who have played a vital role in assisting Travis. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to Chief Troy Doyle and the Ferguson Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department, the St. Louis Police Wives Association, BackStoppers, Need of Aid Foundation, and many others within the community for their unwavering support. We stand for peace across the United States of America and beyond. In these challenging times, we pray for unity and for Gods mercy to rest upon us all. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris may have been a barrier-breaking prosecutor, a U.S. senator, and the first female vice president. But, although shes a beloved stepmom, she does not have biological kids of her own, a fact her opponents have raised to cast doubt on her presidential fitness. This is a bizarre inverting of the longtime hand-wringing over whether female politicians with children could adequately do the jobbut then again, were in the middle of a strange election where the politics of fertility are all but taking over. Elsewhere in the news cycle, Republican vice-presidential candidate J.D. Vance has repeatedly railed against childless cat ladies and said parents should have more votes than people without children; he has also supported extreme abortion bans, including those that criminalize the procedure for rape victims and pregnant children. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has been very open about how his own two children were brought into being with the help of fertility medicine, and his interest in improving paid family and medical leave. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has five children (with three different women), and has made clear he did little to none of the actual child-rearing. The divide is stark: Democrats (and feminists) continue to push for the kind of pro-family policies that are standard among our economic peer nations (paid parental leave, affordable child care) while Republicans (and conservatives) across the country work to ban abortion. They talk about how much they love babies, and then undercut Democratic efforts to actually support mothers and infants. That partisan split might be a decades-old one, but it is seeing a new, grimly ironic manifestation in the broader culture. For example, some self-styled trad wives (and some who live the lifestyle but dont adopt the moniker) enjoy lucrative careers of pretending not to work for paybut they do work for pay, by putting that precise supposedly traditional lifestyle and their many children on social media. Conservative male influencers emphasize the necessity of male dominance and feminine submission, including women who will submit to having as many babies as a man desires and arent abortion-having feminist careerists. Meanwhile, those supposedly concerned for the nations future and the familial prospects of millennials and now zoomers are (at best) still asking Why arent you people having kids?? and (at worst) sharing their own half-baked theories about generational selfishness. The childless millennials and Gen Zers in question defer to a series of answers that, while accurate diagnoses of policy failures, are now such ubiquitous explanations for complex life decisions that they have morphed into generational tropes more than accurate explanations: the world is burning, everything is terrible, we have six-figure student loan debt, child care is unaffordable, the rent is too damn high. It is true that birth rates have declined significantly in the U.S.although ours remain higher than those in many other Western and wealthy nations. But the reasons why fewer Americans are having children, and the ways in which we should think about it, are complex and myriad. Instead of grappling with these diverse and interconnected incentives, childbearing decisions have been flattened down into partisan talking points. From the right: that women have become too selfish, too career-obsessed, and too unconcerned with the future of the nation to have as many babies as they should, which is fueling family breakdown, a masculinity crisis, and demographic decline (that birth rates are lower among white women than Black, brown, and immigrant women generally goes unsaid but is nevertheless a particular point of consternation). The message from the left is more materialist: families dont have enough support; young people are too broke; the direness of our collective climate future has made millennials hesitant to bring new life into a dying world; if potential parents had the scaffolding of paid leave, affordable child care, affordable housing, and great health care, theyd be making different choices. In other words, for the right, its culture and the inevitable doom brought on by feminism. For the left, its money and policy. Both sides are on to something. But neither gets it totally right. The decision to have children is partly material, yes. But it is more existential than anything else. For all of human history, people have chosen to have childrendesired children and borne them intentionallyeven in appalling conditions, even knowing that significant numbers of those children would not survive, even knowing that many of those children may be consigned to miserable and difficult lives. Children, as journalist Christine Emba wrote recently in the Atlantic, are often had (especially in larger numbers) because the people having them derive meaning from the very act of bringing children into the world. Just as childbearing is meaning-making, so is the inverse: Not having children, or having fewer, can be an expression of womens unprecedented abilities to find meaning and purpose outside of motherhood. Liberals are right that social and economic conditions impact birth ratesexcept that any fair reading of the data suggests that the countries with the highest birth rates tend to be poor: The poorest nations have three times the birth rate of the richest ones; in the U.S. specifically, women whose incomes put them below the poverty line have birth rates more than 1.5 times higher than women who live well above it. Dipping fertility rates go hand in hand with industrialization, better health and health care, longer lifespans, and greater personal freedoms, a pattern that has borne out for centuries. As women in the U.S. have seen a rapid expansion of educational and economic opportunities, birth rates have fallenit seems relevant here to point out that the most significant drop in American birth rates in the past several decades has come because far fewer tweens and teens are getting pregnant accidentally. Globally and domestically, continued high birth rates have stayed tied to religiosity, poverty, higher infant mortality rates, shorter life expectancies, lack of economic opportunity, and low rates of education and basic rights for women. This is not a coincidence. Women have historically not been able to lead rich intellectual, professional, and social lives without being born wealthy or tied to a man. For most women, for most of history, there have been few paths to social respect, life purpose, and adulthood outside of motherhood, and few paths to financial stability outside of a male partner. In many places, thats still true. Years ago I reported a story from Niger, the country with the worlds highest birth rate, on why so many women chose to have sizable families. Lack of contraception access was a real barrier. But overwhelmingly, the women and girls I talked to (and many were girls who were also wives and mothers) said that they wanted large numbers of children because of religious obligation, and because each child represented an opportunity to escape povertyone might be a doctor or a truck driver, and if you have 10 kids instead of three, thats 10 chances that one kid succeeds. And also: Fertility was highly socially valued; more children meant more community respect, a higher chance that a husband remained faithful, and more status in a family with plural marriage; and children offered young mothers a chance to break from the drudgery and intense physical labor of everyday life and engage in play and acts of love and caregiving. In that context, I probably would have also made the rational choice to have lots of babies. For American women whose lives are defined by the kind of low-income work that pays the bills but doesnt promise much in the way of greater meaning or pleasure, children are less a potential disruptionwhat, exactly, is being disrupted if your future feels stagnant?and more a source of much-needed joy and potential. Sure, it comes with a slog of housework, but caring for children can also offer spaces for creativity, authority, curiosity, novelty, social connection, esteem, and the all-important sense that one is engaged in a project bigger than oneself that will live beyond oneselfwhat men have historically thought of as legacy. For American women whose jobs are more meaning-based, or who by virtue of education and income can choose to live in places where they are surrounded by likeminded peers with unending opportunities to socialize and play, the meaning-hole (or, lets be honest, boredom-hole) that has so often been filled by children may open up later in lifeor not at all. Conservatives like J.D. Vance have cast this as an empty way of living. But Vance has unapologetically sought recognition, influence, and legacy outside of child-rearing himself, from writing a bestselling memoir to running for office. More women than ever now live as many men long have: Working in jobs that feel important and offer them a sense of authority and impact; pursuing creative projects; testing out a variety of potential romantic partners; folding into a social web in which connections are made by virtue of shared interests rather than physical proximity and life stage; exploring the world and engaging in novel experiences. These new paths, and the extended young adulthoods they open up, also contribute to women being choosier about male partners (financial independence doesnt hurt either). For these growing numbers of fortunate women, having several children may sound nice in theory, but there is probably a reason that so many dont follow through in practice. By surveying American women in their teens and 20s about their reproductive goals, researchers have concluded that women want more kids than they actually go on to have. But thats hardly the best way to measure the kind of desires that are imagined and acted upon (or not) over the course of several decades. In practicein a life in which women have to actually repeatedly make the yes-or-no choice to have children rather than opining about some far-away imagined futurea lot of women seem to look around at their lives and say something more complicated than I cant afford this. Many dont seem to want itor at least dont want families the size their grandparents had. Money is of course a factor, and no doubt there are plenty of families whose lack of an additional child is tied to a lack of resources to comfortably support that child. But many of these same families could do what generations of people have always done, which is make it work, even if it means struggling and sometimes suffering. That more parents refuse this sufferingrefuse to give up the things about their lives that they love, refuse to make their children sufferis, in my view, a sign of great progress and responsibility, not to mention feminist awakening. After all, making it work has historically depended on tremendous female sacrifice, and women today seem to have less of an appetite that. Indeed, growing political divides between young men and young women also seem to reflect profoundly different views on family and gender roles. Women are increasingly reticent to pair up or reproduce with men who dont see them as equals and will saddle them with more of the work of child-rearing. Despite how it is framed on the internet, this is less a problem with picky women than undesirable men. That doesnt mean that policymakers should give up on supporting families. When it comes to increasing the number of children women have, better family policies really do seem to make a difference around the edges, helping to sustain birth rates or tick them up a few fractions of a point. But what these policies actually seem better suited for is increasing gender equality, giving women more opportunities, easing strain on workers, increasing economic output, and narrowing various inequalities between wealthier families and poorer ones. These are all important goalsmore important, in my view, than raising birth rates. Democrats should talk about them in those terms: Not as tools to make more babies, but as highly effective ways to make life better for all of us. Republicans should be more honest about their aims as well. There are some family policies that have shown incredible success in rapidly increasing birth ratesand they have mostly been found in harshly misogynistic authoritarian nations. Perhaps most notable is dictator Nicolae Ceausescus overtly pronatalist Romania, which banned abortion and contraception, mandated gynecological exams to enforce this, jailed abortion providers and women who terminated pregnancies, and cultivated networks of snitches and spies to rat out anyone not following the rules. Birth rates under Ceausescu did initially shoot up, at least until women inevitably figured out how to get around the system. But maternal mortality also skyrocketed to the highest in Europe and thousands of children wound up in Dickensian orphanages, where endemic abuse and neglect left many dead and many more suffering from serious physical and mental problems. This is not a cost most sane or decent people want to pay for more babies. When it comes to raising birth rates, the hard truth may be that there just isnt a set of policy solutions that will make most American women go from having one or two children in their 20s and 30s to having three or four or more beginning in their teen yearsor at least, there isnt a set of policy solutions that arent terrifyingly cruel, invasive, and deadly. Democrats also shouldnt accept the right-wing narrative that children are the only path to a worthwhile or meaningful life. They should instead tell Americans that the progressive vision for a pro-family nation means giving every person the greatest freedom possible to pursue the family they want to have. For a large majority of American women, that means being able to prevent unwanted pregnancies, welcome wanted ones, and raise healthy children while working, without feeling stretched beyond the brink. What Democrats are really selling are more opportunities for adults to build the families they wantand as a result, healthier, happier, and more stable families. This is a much more resonant message than defining pro-family politics as banning abortion and disparaging single women. It also has the benefit of being what most Americans actually want. Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley and opponent Democrat Lucas Kunce, the two candidates facing off in the states U.S. Senate race, engaged in an impromptu showdown Thursday morning at the Governors Ham Breakfast at the Missouri State Fair. The candidates have been fighting over a potential debate, and Hawley walked over to Kunce at the breakfast event, saying they were ready to go and wanting to know if Kunce was prepared to go. Lets debate, Hawley said. Kunce declined. Kunce, a retired Marine, won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Missouri earlier this month, and is looking to unseat Hawley in November. Since the primary, the candidates have been fighting over a potential debate. The night of Kunces primary victory, Hawley immediately challenged him to a debate at the Missouri State Fair. Last week, the Missouri State Fair Commission released a statement saying it was unable to accommodate any request for political debates on fairgrounds during the state fair. According to the Missouri Independent, Kunce wants Hawley to agree to televised debates with moderators. The Stars Kacen Bayless contributed. HANOI, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's rice industry is experiencing a golden period, with exports projected to surpass 5 billion U.S. dollars this year, Vietnam News Agency reported Thursday, citing experts' prediction. According to the Vietnam Food Association, Vietnamese rice's average export price hit a record high of 636 dollars per ton in the first seven months of this year, outpacing that of its main rivals like Thailand, Pakistan and India. While Vietnam is boldly pursuing new markets in the Middle East, Africa, South America, the Republic of Korea, and Japan, traditional ones like the Philippines, Indonesia, and China remain important purchasers. The country shipped over 5.1 million tons of rice worth 3.2 billion dollars abroad from January to July, up 25 percent in volume and 5.8 percent in value annually, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Finnish President voices support for Ukraine's right to self-defense Finnish President Alexander Stubb expressed strong support for Ukraines right to defend itself against Russian aggression, including strikes and advances on Russian territory. At a press conference on August 13, he emphasized that Finland imposes no restrictions on Ukraines use of Finnish-supplied weapons, provided it adheres to international law. We see no reason to restrict the actions of the Ukrainians, Stubb said. Finland is a key supporter of Ukraine, providing advanced weapons, humanitarian aid, and long-term security cooperation. In April, Stubb and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a 10-year security agreement between the two countries. The two countries agreed that Finland would participate in rebuilding Ukraine's energy sector, assessing environmental damage, and strengthening border and critical infrastructure protection. Medical treatment of Ukrainian military personnel is also included in the deal. Read also: Ukraines operations in Kursk Oblast are defensive, Polish PM says Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. LINDALE, Texas (KETK) A Smith County Emergency Services District 2 firefighter was injured while responding to a fire on Wednesday night. Tyler man arrested after fatal crash on Highway 31 According to Smith County ESD2 officials, the firefighter responded to call at around 7:48 p.m. of a shed on fire that was reportedly endangering nearby structures on CR 468. Lindale Engine 1 and Command 1 along with SCESD2 responded to the 13000 block of County Road 468 for a report of a structure fire. Units checked on scene and stated that a shed was fully engulfed. The fire was quickly brought under control, the Lindale Fire Department said. The firefighter reportedly sustained minor burns after the fire went under the bottom of his bunker gear while fighting the blaze. Smith County ESD2 officials said the burns were limited to his leg. He was then taken to a local hospital where he was later released and is expected to make a full recovery. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. TOPEKA (KSNT) Fire crews in Topeka helped rescue a person trapped beneath a tree in the Kansas River Wednesday night amid a dangerous thunderstorm. Rosie Nichols with the City of Topeka said in a press release that firefighters with the Topeka Fire Department (TFD) were called around 11:30 p.m. on Aug. 14 to the 1100 block of NE Poplar Street on reports of an injured individual in the Kansas River. The TFDs Technical Rescue team took up the call and responded to the incident. This embedded content is not available in your region. Multiple fire crews were sent to assist with the rescue. Firefighters at the scene found a person who was injured and stuck beneath a fallen tree from the storm. This person was rescued and taken to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Violent storms on Wednesday, Aug. 14 caused extensive damage in parts of northeast Kansas, including knocking down numerous trees and power lines. Many are without power in cities like Topeka, Newton, Leavenworth and Wichita, according to reports from Evergy. Letter in your mailbox could be part of Kansas land scam: Sheriff For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. First Ukrainian military commandants' office established in Russia's Kursk Oblast, chaired by Major General Moskalov video Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has informed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the creation of the first military commandants office in Kursk Oblast in Russia. Source: report by Syrskyi at a meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief on 15 August Quote: "The mop-up operations by Ukrainian forces in the settlement of Sudzha and three other settlements of Kursk Oblast have been finished. For maintaining law and order and covering urgent needs of locals in the Ukraine-controlled territories of Russia the first military commandants office was established and Major General Moskalov was appointed as its head." For reference: Ukrainian Armed Forces' Major General Eduard Moskalov at one time headed the Odesa Air Defence Forces and the Donetsk Operational Strategic Group. Eduard Moskalov in 2021 Photo: Ukraines General Staff Background: At a special meeting on 14 August, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy brought up the issue of establishing military commandants' offices if required in the territories of Russia's Kursk Oblast that are under the control of Ukraine's defence forces. Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) Human Rights Commissioner, stated that Ukraine might establish military commandants' offices in Kursk Oblast in Russia to provide locals with humanitarian aid. Support UP or become our patron! Work has halted on the FlagshipONE project, a proposed e-methanol plant in the Swedish town of Ornskoldsvik A flagship green fuel factory has been scrapped by the renewable energy giant rsted amid a lack of demand from customers. Work has halted on the FlagshipONE project, a proposed e-methanol plant in the Swedish town of Ornskoldsvik, meant to supply container ships as part of the battle to reach net zero. The announcement is the latest sign that energy majors are retreating from the mega-projects needed to accelerate the global shift from fossil fuels to cleaner substitutes. rsted took a 1.5bn Danish kroner (172m) hit from the decision to axe the facility, according to its latest financial results. The business, which is controlled by the Danish government, has become one of the UKs leading developers of offshore wind, with 12 operational wind farms in UK waters. They include Hornsea 1 and 2 off the east coast together comprising one of the worlds largest wind farms. rsted boss Mads Nipper says the European e-fuel market is developing at a slower pace than initially anticipated - Geoff Pugh for the Telegraph The company produces 7pc of the UKs power and is planning further expansion including two more wind farms near Hornsea and a massive floating one off Scotland. However, its ventures into new technologies and regions have hit the company hard this year, with Mads Nipper, group president and chief executive of rsted announcing a total of 3.9bn DKK of impairments. The FlagshipONE project would have used renewable electricity to produce hydrogen that could then be combined with CO2 to produce methanol. The aim was to produce 55,000 tonnes of methanol a year, enough for one large container vessel, making it a large-scale pilot project. Mr Nipper said the company had been unable to secure long-term contracts to buy its e-methanol at a viable price. He said: The liquid e-fuel market in Europe is developing slower than expected, and we have taken the strategic decision to deprioritise our efforts within the market and cease the development of FlagshipONE. We will continue our focus and development efforts within renewable hydrogen, which is essential for decarbonising key industries in Europe and closer to our core business. rsted alone produces 7pc of the UK's power - Phil Noble/REUTERS rsted suffered a second impairment totalling 2.1bn kroner at its Revolution wind farm project near Marthas Vineyard, off the US east coast. Construction delays at its onshore substation are the key cause. Mr Nipper said: Despite encouraging progress on our US offshore wind project, Revolution Wind, the construction of the onshore substation for the project has been delayed. This means that we have pushed the commercial operation date from 2025 into 2026, which led to an impairment. This is, of course, unsatisfactory. The company reported a pre-tax profit of 3.9bn kroner, up from 2.4bn kroner in the same period last year, and net profits of 931m kroner. Tancrede Fulop, senior equity analyst at Morningstar said rsted had outperformed expectations especially in offshore wind, but the impairments underscore the impact of project delays. rsteds cuts follow similar moves by other energy majors in scaling back renewable energy projects. Last month, Shell halted construction of a new plant in Rotterdam meant to convert waste into jet fuel and biodiesel, warning that market conditions were not right. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) Finger Lakes Community College has been awarded $100,000 in a national contest to develop solutions to food scarcity. FLCC submitted the project to Biomade Build, a national academic challenge for college teams and industry mentors. The local college was among seven chosen to receive funding. The scenario that were working under is food insecurity and food deserts, so the whole concept is can you come up with a technological solution to the scenario that you pick, FLCC Biology Professor Jim Hewlett said. In the end, we just want to be able to demonstrate to Biomade and the Department of Defense, we may have a technology that they can then use in the future to commercialize and address those challenges. Organizers say students also build professional experience as they gain skills in research methods and training in biomanufacturing. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst. Flight cancellations rise from 2023 with 2.4m passengers disrupted and the most cancelled route revealed Flights from Manchester Airport to Menorca was the most cancelled route compared to other UK flights in the first half of the year (Getty Images) Passengers experiencing flight cancellations out of the UK have risen compared to the same period last year, with over 2.4 million people having their flight called off in the first half of 2024, new data shows. Airport strikes and IT outages are some of the many factors that have been named as leading to mass flight cancellations so far this year, with more than 2.4 million passengers having their flights cancelled when travelling between January and June 2024 almost triple the figure from the same time in 2023. There have been around 450,800 registered flights departing from the UK during that period, amounting to more than 79 million people who had planned a trip out of UK airports. Approximately three per cent of these passengers had experienced flight cancellations, according to data collected by travel tech company AirHelp. Even more people experienced disruptions to their flights, with around 24.4 million passengers experiencing some sort of disturbance to their flight and travel plans. Focusing on routes with 20,0000 passengers and over, there were some that particularly stood out as having the highest rate of cancellations in the first half this year. Some well-known holiday destinations appeared high on the list of most cancelled UK routes, with flights from Manchester International Airport to Menorca Airport in Spain taking top spot with a 24 per cent cancellation rate, affecting 7,700 passengers. Second on the list was Sumburgh, a Highlands and Islands airport in Scotland, flying to Aberdeens Dyce airport with a cancellation rate of over 23 per cent. Birmingham International Airport to Paphos International Airport, a well-visited holiday spot in Cyprus is third on the list, with 21 per cent of flights cancelled earlier this year. There are also a few destinations where the likelihood of your flight being scrapped is very low. Many of the routes had a zero per cent cancellation rate, but many still logged distruptions and delays when jetting out of the UK. Those who were the luckiest were passengers flying to Bole Airport in Ethiopia from London Heathrow, having has a minute disruption rate of six per cent. Flights jetting out to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International for a southern US trip from Manchester International takes the second spot, with a disruption rate of seven per cent, and a journey from East Midlands Airport to Krakow in Poland also tied in second place with seven per cent. Tomasz Pawliszyn, CEO of AirHelp, says that the industry is currently facing a testing time, with strikes and IT outages; however, we must look and identify ways to maximise the customer experience from planning to arrival wherever possible. With one of the most reliable and accurate collections of flight data in the world, we provide holidaymakers and business travellers with an in-depth look at how airlines and airports are performing. The UK flight industry was hit by mass airport staff strikes earlier this year after a series of planned walkouts occurred over shift pattern dissatisfaction and pay. Not included in the data would be the thousands of passengers who were hit by one of the largest global IT outages ever in late July. Around 100,000 were estimated to have had their flights disrupted by the IT outage over one weekend, with major airlines such as British Airways and easyJet cancelling or grounding flights in Londons biggest airport. Not on the list were flights out to Israel, which saw mass suspensions from major airlines earlier this year, but some started to resume. As of August, departures from Luton to Israels main airport, Tel Aviv, are currently suspended, along with a range of links from continental Europe. There were an estimated 700 flights to various Israel airports from the UK in the first half of this year, AirHelps data says, yet around 19,000 passengers experienced flight cancellations. Some airlines are currently grounding their flights to and from Israel, Jordan and Lebanon as tension in the Middle East continues to grow. The UKs Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office warns against travel to Israel but stops short of urging British citizens to leave. For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calders podcast RAMALLAH, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The ceasefire talks held in Qatar will be a significant step towards ending the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, a Palestinian official said on Thursday. "What is happening today in Qatar represents a real starting point for ending the suffering of the Palestinian people, and declaring a ceasefire is a precursor to ending the occupation and aggression," Jibril Rajoub, secretary-general of the Central Committee of the Palestinian National Liberation Movement (Fatah), said during a press conference in al-Bireh, the central West Bank. This could be "the first step in addressing the imminent danger to regional stability and global peace due to the ongoing Israeli occupation of Arab and Palestinian lands, and the continued disregard by Israel for international legitimacy," he said. He stressed that the Palestinian people's choice is to remain steadfast, whether in Gaza or the West Bank, despite "the crimes, martyrs, prisoners, and missing persons." Any solution lies in recognizing the Palestinian people's right to exist on their land according to the decisions of international legitimacy, alongside the state of Israel, with security and peace, and abandoning the policy of "Israeli expansion and denial of our rights," he said. A new round of ceasefire negotiations began on Thursday in Doha, Qatar, with U.S., Qatari, and Egyptian mediators present. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has authorized an Israeli delegation to attend, but Hamas has declared it will not participate. Florida duo had enough fentanyl at drug house to kill nearly 20K people: deputies Florida duo had enough fentanyl at drug house to kill nearly 20K people: deputies TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) A Florida duo was arrested for possessing enough fentanyl to kill nearly 20,000 people, according to the Collier County Sheriffs Office. On Wednesday, deputies searched a suspected drug house, located at 2265 44th Terrace Southwest a home directly across the street from a neighborhood park where children play. Tampa woman smuggled more than $100K in clothes, luggage on flights from Cuba: SAO Detectives found 318 fentanyl pills inside an efficient, marked M 30, in an attempt to resemble prescription oxycodone hydrochloride 30mg pills, the sheriffs office said. The fentanyl weighed a total of 34.1 grams, which is enough to kill 17,050 people. Methamphetamine and $13,380 in cash were also seized from the home. Maikel Raul Felipe Bernal, 42, and Yusbelkin Clemente-Vega, 39, were charged with trafficking fentanyl over 28 grams. Bernal had $6,000 in cash on him at the time of his arrest and is facing an additional charge for the possession of meth. Collier County Sheriffs Office If youre going to peddle poison in this community and threaten the safety of children, our detectives are coming to get you and you will be held accountable, Sheriff Kevin Rambosk said. Detectives said the way that the money was broken down indicated the sale of narcotics. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) A Florida man who had been dubbed Santa Claus by his neighbors has pleaded guilty to child pornography charges, according to NBC affiliate WESH. James Cox of St. Cloud appeared in federal court on Wednesday, pleading guilty to two charges of receiving and possessing child porn, wearing a red jail jumpsuit over a white long-sleeve. Its really scary: Remains of mother, child who vanished 50 years ago found in Florida canal The 80-year-old was found with hundreds of photos and videos on his computer, including content showing sexual abuse on children as young as infants and toddlers. When investigators raided Coxs home in March, his adult son Henry, who was under investigation, shot himself, WESH reported. Neighbors told the NBC affiliate in Orlando that Cox was known to frequently dress as Santa. Cox could face between five and 40 years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 6. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. While a new survey finds that more than half of Florida voters support a state ballot initiative to protect abortion rights, it might not be enough to clinch passage in Novembers election. A poll released Wednesday from Florida Atlantic University (FAU) and Mainstreet USA found 56 percent of Sunshine State voters support the proposed amendment, falling short of the 60 percent threshold Florida requires for constitutional amendments to become law. Slightly more women said they would vote for Amendment 4 than men, 59 percent to 54 percent. A greater share, 62 percent, of 18- to 49-year-olds support the initiative, pollsters added. Party voters are much more split on the issue, with Democrats largely in support of the initiative versus 35 percent of Republicans and 59 percent of independents. Amendment 4 would prohibit laws in the state from restricting or banning abortion until fetal viability. It has faced various challenges from state officials even after Floridas Supreme Court greenlighted it for the ballot in May. The most recent numbers are an increase from April, when the amendment had 49 percent support, Luzmarina Garcia, Ph.D., assistant professor of political science at FAU, wrote in a statement. Compared with another poll, however, it is a drop in support from last month. The earlier poll, released late last month from University of North Floridas Public Opinion Research Lab, found 69 percent of respondents said they would vote for the amendment, 13 points higher than FAUs survey. The poll was conducted Aug. 10-11, sampling 1,055 registered Florida voters ages 18 and older. Pollsters said a specific margin of error could not be determined due to the online component of the test, but noted polls of the same size have a margin of plus or minus 3 percentage points. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Editor's note: This story originally published in 2020. The 2024 Florida Python Challenge is currently underway until Aug. 18. The snakes head was as big as a garden spade, lunging at hunter Mike Kimmel once, twice, before sinking its recurved teeth into his arm causing blood to spurt in rhythm with his racing heart. Alone on a spoil island deep in the Everglades Kimmel had come looking for the invasive python. He knew the mounds of high, dry ground would be fertile hunting with late May rains causing waters to rise. He estimated the coil of muscle in the crunchy underbrush at about 17 feet. Python challenge: Why state recommends not eating Florida pythons But the licensed python hunter underestimated its reach and took a risk by grabbing its tail instead of its head. Teeth, engineered to impale and hold struggling prey, sliced a vein below his elbow. At that point, my main concern is not blacking out, said 32-year-old Kimmel, a Martin County resident whose video of the June 8 encounter shows a breathless battle with a honed predator as big around as a small ships mast. Bleeding out crossed my mind, but I was really worried about losing consciousness. Florida Times-Union While Floridas unique Burmese python hunts have taken on a Disneyesque air with the hype of this years showy Python Bowl, and the likes of rocker Ozzy Osbourne and celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey taking made-for-TV field trips to hunt for snakes, Kimmels brief but bloody battle shows how deadly serious the eradication of the invasive reptile can be. Its no tame ride on the Jungle Cruise. Anytime you catch something bigger than 14 feet, its not a snake anymore, its a monster, said Donna Kalil, 57, a licensed python hunter for the South Florida Water Management District. I like to say I do a dangerous thing in a very careful way. Kalil estimates shes caught 300 pythons, mostly as part of the water management districts 3-year-old program that pays hunters minimum wage up to 40 hours per week to hunt pythons, plus bonuses based on length. A python measuring up to 4-feet-long brings in an extra $50, with an additional $25 per foot after that. An additional $200 can be earned for each python caught guarding a nest with eggs. The longest python Kalil has caught was 15.5 feet. Shes been bitten several times, but never had a wound that drew the kind of blood that Kimmel gushed, soaking his pants and shirt, and spilling onto the coiled snake and grass around him. One of her scariest moments was during a nighttime hunt. She was on a levy and sighted an estimated 18-footer in water below. She crept down the bank where it turned on her in the dark. I shot it right in the head with a .44 magnum, said Kalil, who was using snake shot bullets that didnt even penetrate the skin. I did feel like my life was in danger. Just seeing a snake that big and meeting him face-to-face was a bit spooky. The snake fled into overhead sawgrass and got away. Another time, she grabbed a 13-foot python by the head, but it was so strong it yanked her off the levy she was on like a rag doll. She fell 5 feet to the bottom, landing on her chin, but didnt let go of the snake. Kalil prefers to bring others with her on hunts, giving her extra eyes to find the pythons and help with larger snakes. Kimmel, also a district-contracted python hunter, goes into the swamp solo. On the Monday morning before the bite, he had steered his 14-foot Jon boat through the still waters of the Everglades, stopping at multiple islands before stumbling upon the 17-footer. Adrenaline racing, he set up his cameras to record the capture for water management district records and his social media fans. Instead of reaching for the head, he went for the tail. While the head was a little obscured in brush, Kimmel admits he also wanted to test his mettle. It definitely showed me its power right away. I dug my heels into the limestone to stop it, and there was a tug of war, Kimmel said. From there, it did what I wanted it to do, come back and strike at me because it gives me the opportunity to get its head. He dodged a couple of strikes, then he didnt. She got me son, I got her though, Kimmel said in a Facebook post as he used a cloth snake bag to tie up his bleeding arm without ever letting go of the python. Damn, Im leaking everywhere. Kimmel, who goes by the social media moniker Python Cowboy, won this years Florida Python Bowl after catching eight snakes during the tournament. He is also known for his work trapping and killing invasive green iguana, Egyptian geese and feral hogs. But its the python that has made him a social media star with videos and photos showing him catching three pythons at once, and coming upon a python nest full of eggs one of the most significant moments in Kimmels python hunting career, he said. Hes not the only district python hunter who has found some amount of fame through the program or parlayed it into a profession. Since March 2017, about 3,000 snakes have been taken out of the Everglades. Jason Leon, 31, of Miami, was briefly a district hunter but found the states record-longest python 18 feet, 8 inches years before the program started. He now runs guided python hunts on airboats and ATVs. As much as Leon says nabbing a python is a feat anyone can master, he acknowledges the dangers. If that snake had bitten (Kimmel) in a main artery, he could have easily bled out, Leon said. Ive been in situations where Ive been wrapped several times and if your arm or leg goes dead, and you lose circulation, you lose control. Dusty Wildman Crum, who is known for his barefoot serpent wrangling, is a district hunter and earned a Discovery Channel show called Guardians of the Glades. Crum, 40, said the show is on hold because of the coronavirus but one episode during season one captured a frightening fight he had with a more than 16-foot snake he thought was going to take my head off like a Barbie doll. Kimmel, who was hunting with Crum that night, had to step in after the snake wrapped itself around his neck. Cowboy came up and helped me and I was kind of upset I wasnt there to help him, Crum said. We probably shouldnt go hunting by ourselves, but we do because were stubborn men. Crums longest snake was 16 feet, 11 inches. Kimmel doesnt know exactly how long his recent catch is or how much it weighs because the water management districts check-in station is closed from the coronavirus. Hunters are being asked to freeze their snakes until it can reopen. But a rough measurement with kinks was at least 17 feet. The district record is 17 feet, 5 inches. Kimmel said he weighs between 130 and 140 pounds and believes the snake may be a similar weight. He was able to muscle it back to his Jon boat even with a wounded arm and light head, and get it into a secured crate. I love snakes, and they need to be respected, not feared, Kimmel said. They need to be taken for what they are, a wild animal that can hurt you. South Florida Water Management District python hunter Mike Kimmel with an estimated 17-foot python he captured in the Everglades. Kimberly Miller is a journalist for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA Today Network of Florida. She covers real estate and how growth affects South Florida's environment. Subscribe to The Dirt for a weekly real estate roundup. If you have news tips, please send them to kmiller@pbpost.com. Help support our local journalism, subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Hunter of Florida pythons recalls bloody battle with Burmese snake TALLAHASSEE A key Republican lawmaker will introduce legislation to ban smoking in all public spaces in Florida to mitigate the impacts of legalizing recreational marijuana a proposal he supports and he expects voters to approve in November. Sen. Joe Gruters, a Sarasota lawmaker and former chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, two weeks ago endorsed Amendment 3, which would make marijuana legal for adults 21 and older if 60% or more voters approve it on Nov. 5. He said he wants the Legislature to erect guardrails to ensure that Florida doesnt become another Las Vegas or New York where legalized marijuana has led to complaints about the smell. Gov. Ron DeSantis has voiced strong opposition to Amendment 3, saying it would make the entire state smell like pot. He has set up a political committee to raise money to fight its passage. The feedback I got when I came out in favor of Amendment 3 was the smell, so we want to follow Arizonas law and ban smoking in all public places, Gruters said during a virtual news conference Thursday, where he was joined by two legislative colleagues. Arizona has had a voter-approved law that bans smoking in most public places since 2006. It legalized recreational marijuana in 2020. Floridas current law allows local governments to ban smoking at their beaches and parks. Gruters said his proposed bill, which the Florida Legislature would take up next year, would ban smoking anywhere the public has access, including parks, beaches, sidewalks, restaurants and bars. The bill would define public places to include common areas of schools, hospitals, government buildings, apartment buildings, office buildings, lodging establishments, restaurants, transportation facilities, and retail shops. It would regulate all manner of smoking, including vaping, and all products including marijuana and tobacco, Gruters said, adding that it is just a starting place for legislative debate. Smoking, including vaping, is already banned in most workplaces, following passage of a constitutional amendment in November of 2002. If Amendment 3 is approved, adults would be able to legally buy and possess up to three ounces of pot and up to five ounces of cannabis concentrate. The ballot language for Amendment 3 notes, however, that the Legislature has the authority to regulate adult marijuana use in the same way it regulates and taxes alcohol and tobacco. The group Smart & Safe Florida, which got the marijuana amendment on the ballot, said legalizing the drug will benefit Floridians. Amendment 3 will put an end to arrests for simple marijuana possession, give adults the right to make their own choices and provide Floridians access to safe, tested products, said Morgan Hill, spokesperson for the group, in a statement released after Gruters press conference. Smells pretty good to me. State Sen. Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg, said if voters approve Amendment 3, the Legislature should weigh in on where it is allowed in public spaces. We should have the authority to regulate the time, place and manner, said Rouson, who participated in the virtual press conference. Rouson didnt state his position on Amendment 3. Neither did Rep. Chip LaMarca, R-Lighthouse Point, who will sponsor the House version of the bill. Gruters proposed bill would supersede a state law enacted in 2022 that allows cities and counties to ban smoking at their own beaches and parks, except for cigars. The bill was overwhelmingly approved in both chambers with bipartisan support with only a handful voting in opposition. Cigar smoking would be banned in public places under Gruters bill. The lawmaker said he has not shared his proposed bill with DeSantis but has let him know where he stood on Amendment 3. The governors office did not respond to a request for comment. But Jessica Spencer, director of advocacy for the DeSantis-backed Vote No on 3 campaign, said the bill underscores the flaws in the amendment itself, which will turn Florida into New York and destroy our tourism industry. Whats worse, Gruters proposal doesnt even fix the fact that Amendment 3 would still allow neighbors to smoke in their own apartments and condos and smell up the whole building, she continued. Gruters, however, said he has faith in the process. I have no doubt that the governor and legislature will work together to put guardrails in place to keep Florida safe, he said. Staff at the Benjamin Surgical Services International (BSSI), an abortion clinic in Tamarac, Florida Aug. 13. Eva Marie Uzcategui for HuffPost FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. Eileen Diamond was going over patient intake forms in her small office next to the waiting room at the abortion clinic she oversees in South Florida. This patient said not to discuss the cost of the procedure when her boyfriend is in the room, she told a fellow staff member. Diamond is the director of Benjamin Surgical Services International, whose doors have been open for nearly 50 years in the Fort Lauderdale area. This one has no money, but shes getting close to six weeks, the staff member read off another sheet. This one already has three kids and is on probation, she needs to get in front of a judge ASAP. This one texted me from the waiting room, she cant afford the ultrasound. This one has a fetal abnormality but just called its too overwhelming to travel with her kids, shes continuing the pregnancy. This ones 16 years old. Diamond and the staffer went back and forth for several minutes, discussing which of their patients theyd be able to provide care for under the states six-week abortion ban. So many patients call the clinic in a panic that Diamond and the staffer have dubbed themselves the C.R.O. Queens come right over, they tell any patient who calls. Every minute counts, Diamond said. Its a dreaded but common part of their daily routine since Florida enacted the extreme six-week restriction on May 1. Since then, Diamond estimates theyve turned away 200 patients who were too far along in their pregnancies to get care. And thats just the ones who made it to the clinic: One staffer who answers the phones told HuffPost she turns away between 30 and 40 callers a week. A six-week abortion ban is essentially a total ban; most people with regular menstrual cycles wont take a pregnancy test until about the four-week mark, once theyve missed their period. This leaves a week or two to access an abortion. For those with irregular cycles, it could take longer. The past two years have been hellish for people like Diamond who work within the shrinking ecosystem of abortion care in Florida. Many abortion clinics are hanging on by a thread. Restricting care to six weeks has meant fewer patients, which means less income for the clinic. That necessitates sweeping budget and staff cuts that can eventually lead to a clinic shuttering for good. Many clinic staffers told HuffPost it feels as though the walls are closing in on them. Eileen Diamond, director of Benjamin Surgical Services International (BSSI), talks with a staff member of the clinic on Aug. 13. Eva Marie Uzcategui for HuffPost Florida was once a safe haven for abortion care, even in the immediate aftermath of the Supreme Courts Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. But nearly half of the country has criminalized abortion in the two years since, and Florida has enacted its six-week ban. In the two months after Floridas ban went into effect, the state saw a 575% increase in people looking to travel out of state for care, according to new data from the National Abortion Federation. Some people are optimistic about a November ballot measure that seeks to restore access until the point of fetal viability. It would be a monumental win for advocates if the measure passes, re-establishing the state as a critical safe haven in the Southeast, where most states have near-total abortion bans. But even if the pro-choice measure succeeds, some abortion clinics might not be around to see it enacted. The amendment, if passed, wouldnt restore access until early next year effectively an eternity for many small clinics already struggling to pay the bills just four months after the six-week abortion ban went into effect. Abortion clinics in Florida are also contending with the formidable Republican machine that is the state government. Gov. Ron DeSantis and his GOP supermajority have created one of the most conservative bastions in the country: the nexus of culture wars waged against so-called woke-ism, transgender kids and abortion rights. The hostility from politicians and anti-choice advocates has always existed around abortion, but it has reached a fever pitch since the Dobbs decision, said Dr. Chelsea Daniels, an abortion provider with Planned Parenthood South, East and North Florida. Under DeSantis leadership, the state passed a 15-week abortion ban with no rape and incest exceptions, and later the six-week ban that included a $25 million annual allotment of taxpayer money to anti-abortion, faith-based pregnancy centers that are unregulated. Even some state agencies are combative toward the very clinics they are responsible for licensing. Florida abortion clinics are flooded with a kind of fear and anxiety many of them have never known. Sitting in her office, Diamond recounted some of the violence she has experienced in her 30 years working at different abortion clinics in Florida. She survived a butyric acid attack in one of her clinics. At another, she discovered a fake bomb planted underneath her car. There was recently an arson attempt at the BSSI clinic, but the attacker got the suite number wrong and set fire to their neighbors office. (The hurricane doors we had ordered for this very reason hadnt arrived yet, she said. Now our neighbors have them too.) Diamond has experienced some truly frightening violence, but she said shes more terrified now than she has ever been. A staff member of the Benjamin Surgical Services International (BSSI), an abortion clinic, is seen arriving to work on Aug. 13. Eva Marie Uzcategui for HuffPost Independent clinics, like Diamonds, are abortion facilities that dont belong to a national federation or dont have an affiliation outside of their community, like Planned Parenthood. Theyre independently owned, community-based clinics whose main service is abortion care. Theyre like your local bookstore or hardware store. When business is slow, the local hardware store is much more vulnerable to closing its doors than Home Depot or Lowes. Despite how small they are, indie clinics provide 55% of all abortion care in the U.S., according to 2023 research. Abortion clinics are also competing with deceptive faith-based pregnancy centers, which are funded by the state government and often lie to women about how far along they are in order to prevent them from accessing abortion care. There are three times more fake abortion centers than actual abortion clinics in the state of Florida. We cant take for granted that independent clinics can just hang on for months and remain open under the six-week ban ... Once they close, theyre typically gone for good, said Jay Thibodeau, communications director at Abortion Care Network, the national association for independent abortion clinics. Florida state agencies tasked with enforcement of abortion bans have become increasingly hostile toward clinics especially small, independent clinics that dont have the resources to fight back. To some, it feels as though the state knows just how vulnerable they are. Eileen Diamond, director of Benjamin Surgical Services International (BSSI), an abortion clinic, Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, in Tamarac, Florida. Eva Marie Uzcategui for HuffPost Top left: A view of the OR room at Benjamin Surgical Services International (BSSI). Top right: Eileen Diamond holds a Florida Health brochure. Bottom left: A view of Eileen Diamonds office, director of BSSI. Bottom right: BSSI staff members are seen working at the front desk. Eva Marie Uzcategui for HuffPost If they can make independent clinics seem like theyre not safe or not following laws, or burden them with fines they cant pay then they win. And they dont have to necessarily ban abortion if clinics are shutting down, one volunteer with the Orlando group Stand With Abortion Now told HuffPost. SWAN is best known for racking up millions of views on TikTok when its volunteer escorts talk back to clinic protesters. Sources in abortion care told HuffPost it feels as though they are forced to report to and rely on institutions that are opposed to their very existence. Floridas Agency for Health Care Administration, tasked with the licensing and inspection of clinics, changed its own regulatory rules under the 15-week abortion ban and didnt notify clinics, according to multiple sources. AHCA quietly moved the regulatory line from allowing clinics to provide care up to 15 weeks and six days to 15 weeks and zero days. Republicans wrote the abortion ban vaguely never clarifying if clinics could provide care up to 15 weeks, or through 15 weeks which led to certain facilities being penalized by AHCA for reasonable interpretations of the law. Instead of announcing the change, AHCA carried out surprise inspections and handed down fines to any clinic not complying with this new, unannounced rule. This change happened a month or two before the six-week ban took effect, according to multiple sources. People working in abortion in Florida were so terrified of retaliation that many only agreed to speak with HuffPost if they remained anonymous. Some speculated that AHCA is tasked with shutting down abortion clinics on orders from the anti-choice Republican powers that be, describing the state agency as not good-faith actors and politically motivated. Theyre trying to force an error, one source who works at an abortion clinic said. Theyre trying to dismantle the clinic structure. Theyre trying to force an error. Theyre trying to dismantle the clinic structure. When DeSantis signed the 15-week abortion ban into law at a central Florida megachurch, Simone Marstiller, the head of AHCA at the time, spoke at the rally in support of the restriction. Marstillers presence was a shocking conflict of interest, Florida state Rep. Anna Eskamani (D) told HuffPost. Alecia Collins, a spokesperson for AHCA, told HuffPost via email that there is nothing political about the agency following its duties to protect the health, safety, and welfare of patients and residents. The top priority for the agency is to protect the safety of the mother and her child, and the states laws reflect this commitment, Collins continued. The agencys position has always reflected the plain language of the statute. Prior to May 1, 2024, Florida law clearly provided that apart from saving the life of a pregnant woman or preventing serious injury to them, the last day to legally perform an abortion was 15 weeks; it did not say 15 weeks and six days. Enforcement of abortion regulations ultimately comes down to the inspector assigned to oversee a certain clinic. If that inspector is friendly, there are usually no major issues, but if the inspector is combative or personally anti-abortion, it can spell doom for a clinic. Some sources believe that this is likely what happened with the move from 15 weeks and six days to 15 weeks flat that one hard-line inspector decided the agency should only allow abortion up to 15 weeks, and the rest of the agency had to play along. If thats the case, the subjectivity of the licensing and regulation process is nearly as terrifying as the idea of a politically motivated state agency. Multiple sources told HuffPost that the scrutiny from AHCA and the general fear of working in abortion care is at an all-time high for Florida clinics. At one time, inspections were once a year, said Mona Reis, founder of the Presidential Womens Center, a group of independent abortion clinics in South Florida. Then the inspections started coming twice a year, and now its the highest its ever been, she said. Reis, dubbed Floridas godmother of independent abortion clinics, recently retired but still stays in contact with clinic staff. A month or two after an abortion law goes into effect, AHCA normally conducts surprise inspections to ensure clinics are in compliance with the new law. Like clockwork, inspectors visited every abortion clinic in the state a month or so after the six-week ban went into effect in May. Some clinic workers said that AHCA inspectors openly intimidated clinic staff, attempting to isolate them and ask questions about recent patients. Some inspectors asked for a list of patients who were turned away because they were too far along, seemingly trying to surveil pregnant folks who may have left Florida to get care in another state, or sought out abortion pills by mail. Hearing this from neighboring clinics, one staffer blacked out the names on all intake forms of patients who were past six weeks, in anticipation of an inspection. All of the sources who spoke with HuffPost were found to be in compliance with the new law and did not receive any citations. You change the goalposts in the middle of providing services, youre gonna catch people that you can fine later, Eskamani told HuffPost. Republicans weaponize almost every state agency for all parts of their agenda, she said. Using fines as a tool of punishment is not new to government, especially in the fight for abortion. In 2022, a new abortion restriction went into effect: Patients had to wait 24 hours between their first consultation with a physician and a second appointment when they got an abortion. A month after the 24-hour waiting period went into effect, AHCA carried out spot inspections at clinics throughout the state. Julie Murano, the human resources director for the Center of Orlando for Women, poses for a portrait in Orlando on Aug. 7. Octavio Jones for HuffPost Julie Murano, who works at an independent abortion clinic in Orlando, said she had been calling AHCA every day for two weeks during this time asking whether the new restriction was in effect. The law was passed in 2015, but there were various legal battles that stretched on for years, making the actual date of enforcement somewhat confusing. It was also a chaotic time: The 24-hour waiting period went into effect shortly before the 15-week ban, and right around the same time that Roe fell. Every time Murano called, AHCA declined to offer any information. I asked them if the law had gone into effect yet, if they had any information as to when it was going to go into effect. All they could tell me was: We know the law has passed, but we dont have any other further information at this time, Murano, the human resources director at the Center of Orlando for Women, told HuffPost. When AHCA conducted an inspection at Muranos clinic, the agency found that the facility had provided 193 abortions without enforcing the 24-hour waiting period. An administrative judge recommended in January 2023 that the clinic pay a $67,550 fine much less than the maximum penalty and acknowledged the clinics efforts to get information from AHCA during this time. But AHCA, which has final say on penalties, ordered the clinic to pay $193,000, the maximum fine permitted. The fine was so large that it would likely force the clinic into bankruptcy or closure, an attorney for the clinic said at the time. The only way the clinic was able to keep its doors open was by crowdfunding from the public. This is a transparent attempt to bankrupt the clinic in order to further limit access to abortion in a state that desperately needs it, the group wrote on the fundraising page. With the help of SWAN, the Orlando clinic raised $221,000 to pay the fine and keep their doors open. At one point during my conversation with Diamond at the BSSI clinic, a staffer ran into the room and announced: Inspection! The color drained from Diamonds face. She exchanged an uneasy look with the physician I was also speaking to, and they followed the staffer out. When Diamond returned, she let out a low sigh of relief and said it was just a fire inspection. The physician in the room laughed and said, You cant just say inspection around here. We cant take for granted that independent clinics can just hang on for months and remain open under the six-week ban ... Once they close, theyre typically gone for good.Jay Thibodeau, communications director at Abortion Care Network Murano is deeply worried about the future of the Orlando clinic and its sister clinic in Tampa. Both clinics are barely bringing in enough income to keep their doors open. Theyve crowdfunded only $10,000 of the $500,000 needed for the Orlando clinic to stay afloat, and the Tampa clinic has barely raised any money. Theyve had to lay off staff and cut other expenses, too. The Orlando clinic used to have an off-duty police officer at the facility three times a week because of the anti-choice protesters who harass and surveil patients and staff outside the clinic. Since the six-week ban, they can no longer pay for the officer. Violence is another everyday challenge that many Florida abortion clinics face. Multiple staffers said they believe the Dobbs decision emboldened anti-choice advocates and intensified the harassment and surveillance at clinics. At Muranos Orlando clinic, patients are harassed walking into the facility, and anti-abortion pregnancy centers set up mobile sonogram buses to try to confuse patients. Some protesters follow providers and staff to their cars, taking photos of their license plates. The clinic escort with SWAN said its standard practice for the group to wear face masks while working so protesters cant identify them and find out where they live. Last month, a protester spat on a SWAN escort; police found a gun strapped to his ankle after he was detained. The threat of violence is even worse at the Tampa abortion facility. There are more protesters in Tampa, but the real issue is that law enforcement is not helpful, Murano said. Ive personally called 911 three or four times in one day and an officer never even showed up, she told HuffPost, referring to an incident that happened in December 2023. The protesters were coming on the property, telling us that they were going to blow up the building, that they were going to kill us all, and not one police officer came out after repeated calls. Even our patients were calling them. (The Tampa Police Department did not respond to HuffPosts request for comment.) An anti-abortion protester clashes with an abortion rights supporter at Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, Florida. Paul Hennessy/Anadolu via Getty Images A view of the Center of Orlando for Women on Aug. 7. Octavio Jones for HuffPost There may be a light at the end of the tunnel for abortion rights advocates in Florida. Amendment 4, which Floridians will vote on in November, seeks to create a constitutional right to abortion before fetal viability (somewhere around 22 to 24 weeks). The measure also creates an exception beyond viability for when an abortion is necessary to protect the patients health. If the amendment passes, it would likely take effect in early 2025 and be a huge lifeline of care for the entire Southeast. Floridians Protecting Freedom, the coalition behind the pro-choice ballot measure, has raised around $40 million, a spokesperson for the group told HuffPost. Theyve hosted dozens of door-knocking and phone banking events around the state. The future of abortion rights and clinics in Florida depends on voters passing Amendment 4 this November, Diamond said. Lauren Brenzel, Floridians Protecting Freedom campaign director, is optimistic, but acknowledges that there are still many battles ahead. After getting the ballot language approved in April by one of the most conservative state supreme courts in the country, anti-choice Republicans are still trying to mislead voters by approving a deceptive financial impact statement that will appear alongside Amendment 4. The measure must get at least 60% of the vote rather than a simple majority, and even if its successful, pro-choice advocates are steeling themselves for continued legal battles from Republicans. State Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book (D), an outspoken abortion rights advocate, has promised to fundraise an additional $60 million with her heavyweight Palm Beach donors, many of whom are Republican women, to pass the pro-choice measure. They all, on principle, are behind Amendment 4, even if they vote Republican on everything else, Book said. Its an odd dynamic in a state where registered Republicans outnumber Democrats by more than 950,000. Former President Donald Trump, who is running for a second term on a right-wing manifesto that seeks to ban abortion nationwide, currently leads Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, by 7 points in Florida. But in the same poll, nearly 70% of respondents said they support Amendment 4. Even Trump said in a recent press conference that he thinks probably the vote [on the amendment] will go in a little more liberal way than people thought. If the amendment passes, some voters believe that access in Florida will be restored and the Sunshine State will go back to being a safe haven for care in the Southeast. But the damage may already be done for some of Floridas independent abortion clinics. What is the point of having a ballot initiative if you dont have any clinics to go to? Thats our biggest fear, said Jessica Hatem, executive director of Emergency Medical Assistance Abortion Fund, a Florida-based abortion fund that works primarily with independent clinics. One abortion clinic in the state has already shut down and two others have stopped providing abortion care since the ban went into effect four months ago, according to AHCAs public website and INeedAnA.com, which tracks clinic closures. At least two other clinics are at risk of closing in the coming weeks, and a total of eight clinics have shut down or stopped providing abortion care since the Dobbs decision. One staffer at the BSSI clinic had just started at the Fort Lauderdale facility a few weeks before my visit. The clinic shed worked at before a women-owned center that had been open for over 40 years closed after the six-week ban went into effect. Ellen Kimmel, a counselor at the Presidential Womens Center in West Palm Beach, recently had a patient come in who had made an appointment at another clinic, but by the time she arrived at the facility no one was there. She said they dont answer the phone, nobodys there theyre just gone, Kimmel said. She assumes the clinic has shut down. A view of the Center of Orlando for Women on Aug. 7. Octavio Jones for HuffPost A Womans Choice, in Jacksonville, used to be busier than any of its four sister clinics in other states. They were open six days a week and provided care to hundreds of patients every month when the 15-week ban was in effect. They were so busy, staff often had to ask patients companions to wait in their cars to make space for other patients in the waiting room. Since May, the clinic is down to a third of the patients they once saw, forcing them to cut staff and reduce hours. Its something that we absolutely think about, Amber Gavin said when asked if she worries about having to shut down the clinic. Gavin, the vice president of advocacy and operations at A Womans Choice, oversees the Jacksonville center as well as four other clinics in North Carolina and Virginia. People have to remember that its like any other medical office: Were paying our staff, were paying for the electricity, were paying for medical supplies, were paying for our physicians, she said. Like any other business, you need to see patients in order to continue to keep the lights on. It is a really vulnerable time. Once a clinic closes, its nearly impossible to reopen. Its extremely difficult to get a license for a new clinic, or to find providers and staff. Just finding a property that will lease to a clinic is nearly impossible, said Eskamani, the state representative. Eskamani, who worked at Planned Parenthood for six years before being elected to the Florida House, recalled when the city of Orlando did a lottery revitalization, which encouraged redevelopment and private-sector investment. They wanted to buy one of Planned Parenthoods Orlando properties to build a new community center. Planned Parenthood agreed to sell, believing this would be good for them too; they could find a bigger space with better security options. But they never found anything. We never, ever found a new footprint in this part of Orlando because nobody would rent to us. And this is Orlando! Eskamani said, referring to Orlandos status as a liberal city. Diamond, in Fort Lauderdale, is looking to offer other services at her clinic to create another avenue of income and avoid shutting down. Many clinics across the country have stayed open despite extreme abortion bans because they diversified their services, offering STI testing, contraception and obstetric care to keep themselves afloat. Sitting at her desk, Diamond took a deep breath. The workday was nearly over and she looked exhausted. I bring so many of these patients home with me, mentally, she said. That day it was the 16-year-old whose mother died from an overdose and who now needs to get a judicial bypass to get an abortion. Diamond recalled telling the teenager, You dont have anyone, but you have me whether you get this abortion or not. Even after all of this, Ill be here. Diamond isnt about to go back on her promise. An important way to show up for our community is to stay open, no matter what happens, she said. So thats what were gonna do. Related... Flying is about to become even more miserable Jennie Zeiher is a frequent flyer, but she was beginning to distrust the process. It was about 95 degrees Fahrenheit that day, June 10, in Athens, Greece, as she, her husband, and two sons boarded their flight. Zeiher recalls their pilot announcing over the speaker that the tarmac-bound Qatar Airways plane had an electrical issue. The doors were sealed, there was no air conditioning, and in the stiff, unmoving air, the heat inside the plane mounted. Hours passed. Zeiher and her 10-year-old son drank all their water. She started feeling faint, her son was crying, passengers were fanning themselves with safety pamphlets, and neither the pilot nor flight attendants had information on when they could leave. Jennie Zeiher and her son on the Qatar Airways flight. Jennie Zeiher "Everyone was up in arms," Zeiher, a 48-year-old Australian business executive, told Business Insider. "People were screaming at the flight attendants to go and get information." Finally, after three hours and cries that someone had fainted, they deboarded. The experience was "traumatic," Zeiher said. "That lack of control was quite hard." Passengers deboard the Qatar Airways flight after being trapped in the heat for hours. Jennie Zeiher A spokesperson at Qatar Airways previously told BI that the delay was due to a "technical issue," and the airline had apologized to the passengers and told them about compensation they could get under "applicable regulations." Zeiher said she never received a response to the ticket she filed. Qatar Airways didn't respond to an additional request for comment. The incident was arguably a procedural failure. But there was more to it. Greece was experiencing an unseasonably early, severe heat wave. The day before Zeiher's flight, British TV personality Dr. Michael Mosley was found dead on the Greek island of Symi after he went for a hike. By the end of June, five other tourists died on hikes in Greece's heat. A tourist drinks water under an umbrella at the Acropolis in Greece during a June heat wave. Socrates Baltagiannis/picture alliance via Getty Images The extreme temperatures turned a logistical airport mishap into a potentially dangerous situation. Summer has become a relentless barrage of heat waves, but temperatures aren't the only hazard on the rise. The climate crisis amplifies some of the worst parts of flying delays, bumpy rides, and possibly even ticket costs. Flying is still safe, and it keeps getting safer. Even so, the air travel boom means more people and planes are cruising through an increasingly extreme atmosphere. While the odds are low that you will get trapped on a hot plane or injured in violent turbulence, more incidents like this are bound to happen. On several fronts, flying is getting worse. Turbulence is getting worse Increasing turbulence was aviation professionals' top climate-related safety concern in a 2020 survey of more than 400 pilots, flight crew members, air traffic controllers, and other flight professionals worldwide by the World Meteorological Organization. One of the most dangerous types is clear-air turbulence, which is much harder to predict than turbulence from storms or mountains. A Qatar airways plane lands at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany. Michael Probst/AP Photo "It's clear blue skies, there's no storms anywhere, and there's just this invisible turbulence that, often, the first you know about it is when you're flying through it," said Paul Williams, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Reading in the UK who's been studying turbulence for about a decade. He's found that clear-air turbulence especially the most severe instances of it has already increased because rising temperatures bring more wind shear to the jet stream. In severe turbulence, an aircraft can be momentarily out of control, passengers lift out of their seats against their seatbelts, and walking down the aisle becomes impossible. That's what happened to doctors Ade Tan and Amos Chan during their honeymoon in May. The couple barely felt their plane starting to wobble before they were shooting toward the ceiling. Severe turbulence dislodged oxygen masks and caused injuries to dozens of passengers on Singapore Airlines flight SQ321. Reuters/Stringer "The last thing I saw was Amos trying to put on his seatbelt, and the next thing I registered was that he was no longer in his seat," Tan previously told BI's Kwan Wei Kevin Tan. Investigators later reported that Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 had dropped 178 feet in just four seconds due to an exceptionally rough patch of turbulence. Tan said oxygen masks were dangling where passengers had crashed into ceiling panels, and people were lying in the aisles, some with blood on their heads. A Bangkok hospital official later said in a news conference that over 100 of the 211 passengers sustained injuries. Tan said that she suffered a cervical spine fracture and spent a week recovering in a Singaporean hospital. An Australian passenger who was injured on the turbulent Singapore Airlines flight, at Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. Sakchai Lalit/AP Photo Singapore Airlines did not respond to a request for comment, but the company previously posted on Facebook apologizing for the "traumatic experience" and saying it had offered $10,000 or upward of $25,000 in compensation to injured passengers, depending on their injury. The skies could be even bumpier in the future The North Atlantic, where planes fly between North America and Europe, had 55% more severe clear-air turbulence in 2020 than in 1979, Williams found. By the 2060s, he predicts twice as much turbulence, or even three times as much. While FAA data doesn't show a rise in turbulence-related injuries there are usually less than 20 a year on US airlines flying worldwide Williams said the data may be misleading. It only counts serious injuries that require a person to be hospitalized for over 48 hours or have hemorrhaging, broken bones, or second or third-degree burns. Ambulances in Bangkok, Thailand wait to carry passengers from the Singapore Airlines flight that encountered severe turbulence. Sakchai Lalit/AP Photo Even if nobody gets hurt, more turbulence can cause more wear and tear on aircraft. "Even light turbulence is flexing the wings up and down and stressing the airframe," Williams said, adding, "That limits the life of the aircraft." More turbulence doesn't have to mean bumpier flights. Planes have more flexible wings than they used to, which reduces inflight jostling, and forecasting to help pilots avoid turbulence is improving. New onboard lidar technology can also use a laser to reveal clear-air turbulence ahead. For now, it's large and expensive, but Williams hopes one day it'll be small and cheap enough for all passenger planes. It's unclear if that technology will catch up with turbulence from climate change. Worse weather brings more delays Some parts of our flying future aren't necessarily dangerous or scary. They're just frustrating like delays, which will likely worsen in our warming world. Bad weather causes about 75% of air traffic delays in the US, according to the FAA, and mounting research indicates climate change is driving more severe thunderstorms, hurricanes, heat waves, wildfires, and hail in some places. In fact, heat alone could ground 23 times more passengers by 2050 up to 185,000 people a year a 2020 McKinsey report projected. A jet takes flight from Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona, as the sun sets. Matt York/AP Photo In some cases, extreme heat can melt runways, like it did at a UK airport in 2022. A more common issue, though, is that extreme heat changes the calculus of takeoff. Planes must be lighter or have a longer runway to get enough lift in extremely hot air, which means that on especially hot days, airlines may have to ditch some cargo and, therefore, some revenue. Then, there are cases like the Canadian wildfires in June 2023, which reduced visibility in the Northeast US so much that it delayed hundreds of flights. Wildfire smoke reduces visibility at the Portland International Airport. Carlos Barria/Reuters Changing weather patterns are already increasing flight delays in Europe, according to the International Air Transport Association. The memo warns that these weather delays have "a cost impact" for airlines and travelers alike. Even if bad weather doesn't cause delays, it can cost money. Airlines are already struggling to turn profits. The climate crisis won't help. Think of the astronomical air conditioning required to cool an airport and the planes at its gates on a hot day. In its June global outlook, IATA wasn't shy about the issue: "The industry's profitability is still fragile, leaving meager buffers with which to absorb the rising costs of climate change and decarbonization." Airports are likely to pass their costs on to airlines by increasing their landing fees, "which then get passed on to passengers however airlines can do it," Robert W. Mann, an airline industry consultant and former airline executive, told BI. Buckle up and expect delays This all means that you should brace for flying to become more annoying and possibly even scary at times. "Passengers will need to pack patience when they board aircraft" and heed instructions about wearing seatbelts, Veronica Cote, an associate professor of aviation science at Bridgewater State University and a former pilot, told BI in an email. Despite the complexity of aviation and the ever-changing atmosphere, Cote added, airlines still run "tens of thousands of operations daily safely." Even before the incident in Athens, Zeiher felt anxious while flying. She doesn't like the lack of control, and takeoffs scare her. She's even experienced extreme turbulence. Still, she's undeterred. "I'll continue flying. I enjoy travel, so you have to," Zeiher said. "They come hand in hand." Taylor Rains contributed reporting. Read the original article on Business Insider Former Ald. Munoz sent back to prison after May DUI arrest CHICAGO A judge on Thursday ordered a former longtime alderman back to prison for violating the terms of his supervised release. US District Judge John Kness ordered Ricardo Munoz to serve another seven months behind bars following his May crash and arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence. Previously | Former Ald. Munoz could go back to prison after May DUI arrest At the time of the crash, Munoz was on supervised release following his prison time on a fraud conviction. The terms of his supervised release required he stay out of trouble with the law and refrain from any use of alcohol. According to a police report on the May 23 crash, witnesses said Munozs vehicle veered into oncoming traffic and slow rolled into another vehicle in west suburban Berwyn. He was unresponsive and slumped at the steering wheel when first responders arrived, and a responding officer found a half-empty bottle of Captain Morgan rum on the passenger front seat. Munoz was appointed 22nd Ward alderman in 1993 by former Mayor Richard M. Daley. He served until 2019. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV. MOSCOW, Aug. 15 (Xinhua)--The Russian defense ministry said on Thursday that it had established a coordination council on military security issues in border areas. Defense minister Andrey Belousov held the first meeting of the council. The council is responsible for handling the military security issues covering Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk regions, said Belousov, adding that it aims to improve the efficiency of comprehensive support for battlegroups protecting the state border, the territory and population of the regions. According to the defense ministry, the newly-established council will also focus on engineering work on the territory of regions and military-medical provision, namely, coordinating forces and capabilities for evacuating affected people. URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) A former assistant principal in Champaign is suing the school district after she said her rights were violated and she was discriminated against. Rebecca Ramey, former Assistant Principal for Booker T. Washington STEM Academy, filed the lawsuit against the Unit 4 School District on Aug. 13 with the U.S. District Court in Urbana, according to documents obtained by WCIA. Asst. principal files discrimination charge against Champaign school district, reassigned to new school In the documents, Ramey claimed she was discriminated and retaliated against due to her sexual orientation and marital status. Rameys wife Diana Kistler, a teacher at BTW was among the teachers vocal about the need for safety after two groups of children exchanged gunfire near the school in September 2023. Kistler publicly criticized how district leadership handled the situation. In March, it was announced that Ramey would be relocated to Kenwood Elementary School. Ramey filed a charge of discrimination with the Illinois Department of Human Rights and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Her lawyer, Ron Langacker, argued there was no valid reason for her transfer, pointing out that Ramey has been a valued part of BTW since 2019. Booker T. Washington principal to leave position Ramey also claimed that Unit 4 violated her rights under the First and Fourteenth amendments in the lawsuit filed this week. The key figures in the lawsuit include the defendants listed as the school district and board, with the following all mentioned by name: Superintendent Sheila Boozer, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Ken Kleber and former Deputy Superintendent Laura Taylor. Ramey is seeking financial compensation as well as reinstatement to her former position as Assistant Principal at Booker T. Washington Elementary School. This is a developing story that will continue to be updated. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. Former Kentucky College Student Seen In Viral Video Using Racial Slur Pleads Guilty To Assault A white former University of Kentucky student who was seen on a viral video using racial slurs and attacking a Black student worker pleaded guilty to several charges on Monday, according to multiple news outlets. After Sophia Rosing repeatedly called Kylah Spring a bitch and the N-word while trying to hit her in November 2022, Rosing was arrested, charged and banned from the university. Following mediation between the two women on Monday, Rosing pleaded guilty to four counts of fourth-degree assault, one count of disorderly conduct and one count of alcohol intoxication, her attorney, Fred Peters, told CNN and the Lexington Herald-Leader. A felony charge of third-degree assault on a police officer or probation officer was reduced to a misdemeanor. A lot of things got said, apologies were made and we worked it out, Peters told the Herald-Leader. Her life has been on hold for the past 18 to 20 months. She has had a lot of time to think about what she has done, and she wrote a nice letter of apology, Peters added. (NOTE: The following video contains offensive language that might be triggering for some readers.) University of Kentucky student Sophia Rosing arrested and charged after assaulting another student who was at work and calling her a nigger bitchhttps://t.co/kzNRYupfj8pic.twitter.com/WuOi4Stauo philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) November 6, 2022 Spring, who can be seen in a video of the altercation attempting to restrain Rosing, talked to Lexington station WLEX-TV about the mediation on Monday. I told her that she didnt break my spirit, Spring said of Rosing. That was one of the things I said the first time I ever spoke about what happened, and that rings true today. Spring added that she has forgiven Rosing despite not believing she is remorseful. Seeing yourself act in that light is not an easy thing to see, I imagine, so I guess theres still a bit of maturing and unpacking she needs to do with that. So Ill give her the space to do that, Spring said. I forgive her more so for myself. Rosings sentencing is set for Oct. 17, 2024. She is facing up to a year in jail, 100 hours of community service and a $25 fine. Related... Former NASCAR star Kurt Busch charged with DWI in North Carolina Former NASCAR star Kurt Busch charged with DWI in North Carolina IREDELL COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) Retired NASCAR driver Kurt Busch is facing several charges related to an alleged DWI, according to the Iredell Free News. Busch reportedly will have his drivers license revoked for 30 days as a result. Iredell Free News reports that court records state that Busch was clocked going 18 mph over the speed limit by an Iredell County Sheriffs Office Deputy on Tuesday night and admitted to drinking prior to driving. NASCAR revokes Dillons playoff eligibility; driver keeps controversial Richmond win The deputy reported Busch had red glossy eyes and a strong odor of alcohol coming from his breath. A North Carolina State Highway Patrol Trooper also responded to the scene and charged Busch with DWI after he recorded a .17 BAC, the Iredell Free News reports. Buschs alleged BAC is more than double the legal limit of .08 in North Carolina. Busch was taken into custody and released early Wednesday morning with a written promise to appear in court on Sept. 19. Busch released a statement later Wednesday that reads: Im very disappointed in myself and I apologize to my family, my racing family, and to my fans. I will work with the authorities to rectify the situation and work with the county to make it a safer place in the future. Statement from Kurt Busch Busch is also being charged with careless and reckless driving as well as speeding. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX8 WGHP. Former Peanut Festival beauty queen pleads not guilty in death of boyfriends baby DONALSONVILLE, Ala. (WDHN) The former Miss Donalsonville, accused of killing her boyfriends 18-month-old, is maintaining her innocence. Trinity Pogue entered the not-guilty plea in a Georgia courtroom on Wednesday. She is charged with one count of Malice Murder, two counts of Felony Murder, two counts of Aggravated Battery, and one count of Cruelty to Children in the First Degree in the death of 18-month-old Romeo Angles. Sumter County Coroner Mathis Wright identified the infant not long after Angles was pronounced dead at Phoebe Sumter Hospital in Americus, Georgia, in January and revealed he suffered blunt-force trauma. The coroner told WDHN that Poague was dating Angles supposed father, but the childs birth certificate does not name anyone as the biological father. Following Angles death, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation opened an investigation and conducted several interviews, culminating in Pogues arrest in January. She was released from the Sumter County Jail nearly a month later on a combined $75,000 bond. Previous media reports claim Coroner Wrights office said Angles sustained his fatal injuries in a dorm room of the Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus, Georgia, but at the time of Pogues arrest, Wright disputed these claims, saying his office was not sure where the alleged crime took place. Pogue has a tentative trial date set for October, and if found guilty, could face life in prison. Pogue was crowned Miss Donalsonville in 2023 and later competed in the Miss National Peanut Festival Pageant. She is a sophomore at Georgia Southwestern State Universitys Americus, Georgia campus. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDHN - wdhn.com. The Richland County Courthouse on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. (Skylar Laird/SC Daily Gazette) COLUMBIA A former corrections employee was sentenced to three years in prison Thursday after pleading guilty to smuggling drugs, cellphones and other contraband into state prisons through food shipments. Javaris DaSant, a 22-year-old from Columbia, pleaded guilty to charges of trafficking meth, furnishing contraband to a prisoner and possessing marijuana with intent to distribute. His sentencing, which is part of a larger crackdown on contraband in prison, should serve as a warning for other employees bringing drugs, cellphones and other illegal items into jails, said Judge Daniel Coble, who determined the sentence. Because of the trafficking conviction, DeSant is not eligible for early release. A message needs to be sent, Coble said. In recent years, the department has put up 50-foot nets to prevent people from throwing packages over the fences and installed monitors to detect drones sent over the nets. South Carolina was also the first state in the country licensed to use technology that detects cellphones used within prisons, allowing officials to report them to their carriers, which then shut off the service. The technology is in use at Lee Correctional, but $10 million in this years state budget will allow the department to expand the effort to seven or eight more prisons, corrections Director Bryan Stirling has said previously. DaSants charges date back to 2022. A manager at the departments food services warehouse in Columbia, which packages food to ship to all the states prisons, noticed DaSant leaving the freezer wearing a backpack. Behind him the manager found an open box of frozen chicken containing vacuum-sealed packages of tobacco and marijuana, said Margaret Scott, a special prosecuting attorney for the state. When agents with the Office of the Inspector General searched DaSants car, they found bags of methamphetamine and marijuana, as well as cellphones and chargers, Scott said. DaSant, who had at that point worked for the department for about six months, admitted to attempting to smuggle in contraband for money twice before. Inmates had promised him $5,000 for this round of contraband, he told police officers. His job at Corrections would have paid DaSant, a high school graduate, just under $30,000 if hed lasted a year. DaSant had been released on bond for another drug-related offense days before his arrest for attempting to smuggle drugs into the prison, though that charge was later dismissed. Otherwise, he had no criminal history, said his defense attorney, Seth Rose. DaSant was struggling with depression after the death of his grandmother a couple years prior, said Rose, who is also a state House member representing Columbia. DaSants parents, both longtime corrections employees, helped get him a job at the food processing warehouse to start out his career, they told the judge Thursday. We thought we were doing a good thing, getting him a job at SCDC, his mother, Nike DaSant, said. We didnt know he was weak, because you have to be strong to work at the department, she added. When Nike DaSant started working for the department 27 years ago, she had mentors to guide her in the right direction and keep her away from bad influences, she said. With so much turnover in the department in recent years, much of that mentorship no longer exists, she said. Its young ones training young ones, she said. But Javaris DaSant should have known better, considering he went through a training about the consequences of sneaking in contraband and had family members warning him against it, Scott said. He heard from his own parents, from employees, dont do this, and he still did it, Scott, the prosecutor, said. Bringing contraband, especially cellphones, into prisons can be dangerous, Coble said. Inmates with access to phones can more easily set up ways to sneak more drugs, weapons and other illicit items into prison, as well as order crimes conducted on the outside. In the past, inmates have been convicted of using phones to order kidnappings and killings of people who interfered with their trafficking of methamphetamines and heroin outside the razor wire. Prisoners have also coordinated contraband drop-offs and, in one case, ordered the shooting of a prison guard for interfering with a drop-off, using contraband cellphones. The mandatory minimum sentence for DaSant to serve would have been one year, which Coble said he would usually give to someone young with no prior record. But because of the severity of the issue, Coble sentenced DaSant to three years, he said. Theres a problem with cellphones, and it puts peoples lives at risk, particularly for the officers who work there, which is one of my top concerns, Coble said. Former SEAL Leader Likely to Face Board of Inquiry in Coming Days over Death of Candidate Kyle Mullen Nearly a year after Navy officials said they were planning on taking disciplinary actions against three officers for their roles in the death of Navy SEAL candidate Kyle Mullen, the lawyer for one officer says that their case is finally heading toward something resembling a trial. Capt. Bradley Geary, the then-leader of the command that runs the Navy SEAL BUD/s training program, is now facing a board of inquiry in the coming days, his lawyer confirmed to Military.com on Wednesday. Geary was initially told last fall that the Navy planned to take him, as well as his boss and the command's top doctor, to admiral's mast -- a nonjudicial form of punishment -- over their roles in Mullen's death. However, Geary's lawyer, Jason Wareham, told Military.com that they refused the proceeding, arguing that he wouldn't receive a fair hearing. Read Next: The Army Is Set to Expand Basic Training, Fueled by New Recruiting Momentum Since masts like the ones Geary was set to face are nonjudicial punishments -- they don't involve many due-process protections or a jury -- service members have the right to refuse them. In a letter shared with Military.com, Wareham told Rear Adm. Keith Davids, the commander of Naval Special Warfare, in December that they refused the mast because they had a "strong reason to believe a guilty verdict has been predetermined." Wareham also argued that the command retaliated against Geary by assigning him extra work to limit his preparation time for the proceeding and restricting what evidence he could review. Typically, if a service member refuses a mast, it forces the commanders to either drop the charges or refer them to a court-martial, a formal legal proceeding that not only raises the standard of evidence but also affords a defendant more latitude in defending themselves. According to Wareham, Geary is instead headed for something in between -- a board of inquiry. "I call them quasi-criminal proceedings," Wareham said, noting that, while they are not a court, they are still governed by federal rules and "they carry such significant consequences ... more consequences than you may find in some criminal courts, as far as financial impacts and long-reaching collateral consequences." "In that strict administrative process, they have the ability to retire us as other than honorable and demote us in our retirement, which ... those have lifelong consequences associated with them," Geary told Military.com in an interview Wednesday. "It's a very, very strange way for them to use this administrative system that they will continue to tell you is not punitive, but it really is in practice," he added. Military.com reached out to Naval Special Warfare Command but did not immediately receive a reply. The Navy is charging that Geary failed in following orders and doing his duty when he "negligently failed to provide appropriate medical support during high-risk training evolutions and ensure medical personnel were properly trained and equipped," and this negligence resulted "in death and grievous bodily harm," according to Wareham, who was unable to provide the formal notice because it was designated "Controlled Unclassified Information." The Navy also argues that Geary failed "to demonstrate acceptable qualities of leadership," given the findings of one of two investigations into Mullen's death. Mullen, 24, died of acute pneumonia shortly after completing the first, brutal portion of SEAL training known as "Hell Week" on Feb. 4, 2022. His death would give rise to two investigations. The first investigation was conducted by Naval Special Warfare Command itself and revealed major problems at the legendary training program. It determined that Mullen died of pneumonia but that his condition was aggravated by an enlarged heart. However, a second investigation, this time conducted by a Navy command that was completely separate from the SEAL community, revealed even more troubling issues with the culture at the schoolhouse. Investigators said they found that the staff at the training facility was overzealous and ran largely unchecked, while students were so determined to pass that they would either lie to doctors or turn to doping. That second investigation also focused on Geary and his leadership since he had been made aware of problems with the program that were leading to more recruits than usual being dropped from the course. According to investigators, at the time, Geary largely chalked it up to the fact that "the current generation had less mental toughness" and made deliberate decisions to reduce the role of the school's civilian instructors -- veteran SEALs put in place to be a check on the less experienced and sometimes overzealous active-duty instructors. Geary fought back against the characterizations shortly after the report was made public in May. In the wake of the report, Geary went public with his version of events and criticism of the investigation, giving interviews to "Good Morning America", Fox News and The New York Post, among others. He specifically argued that the quote about the next generation being weak was incorrect. Geary told The Post that "those were not my words. I never said that." Asked Wednesday whether he still stands by his critiques of the investigation, Geary said that he feels "even stronger toward those positions." Related: Navy Looks to Punish 3 Top Officers Overseeing Navy SEAL Training After Recruit Death Former SLO County deputy dragged jail inmate by her hair. Hes going to prison for abuse A former San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs Office deputy was sentenced Wednesday to seven months in federal prison for abusing a county jail inmate, according to a Department of Justice news release. Joshua Fischer, 42, of Grover Beach, worked at the SLO County Jail for about a year from January 2017 to December 2018 While on duty Nov. 18, 2018, he dragged an inmate several feet on the ground by her hair and then threw her into a jail cell, according to the release. The incident began when Fischer instructed a shirtless female inmate to exit her jail cell and enter an adjacent cell. After arguing with Fischer, the woman turned around, crossed her arms across her chest and started to re-enter her original cell against Fischers instructions. That was when Fischer forcibly grabbed the victim by her hair and pulled her to the ground, the release said. He dragged her several feet across the floor by her hair and flung her, again by her hair, into a neighboring cell. Fischer left the woman huddling in the corner of the cell after he closed the door, according to the release. He later wrote up a report of the incident and titled it 11-18-18 (womans last name) what a drag on a Sheriffs Office computer, the release said. At a hearing Wednesday, Judge Andre Birotte Jr. said Fischer used unreasonable force and showed a level of callousness and disdain toward the victim, the release said. Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas F. Rybarczyk and Frances S. Lewis of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section prosecuted the case. Fischer plead guilty April 2 to a misdemeanor count of deprivation of rights under color of law and agreed to not seek future employment in law enforcement, according to the release. In his plea agreement, he also admitted to an unreasonable and unnecessary use of force and said he acted willfully, intending to deprive the victim of her rights, the release said. The Sheriffs Office fired Fischer before any charges were filed against him and helped in the FBI investigation of the incident, the release said. Former Trump chief tries to weasel out of Arizona's felony fake elector charges Comes now Trumps former White House chief of staff, trying to wiggle his way out of felony charges that he helped scheme up a plan to steal Arizonas vote in the 2020 election. Mark Meadows, one of 18 people charged by a state grand jury in Arizonas fake elector scheme, is hoping to move his case from Arizonas state court system to federal court where he would then demand immunity. Mr. Meadows has the right to remove this matter because he has a federal defense of Supremacy Clause immunity to the State charge and Congress has provided that federal courts are the appropriate forum to adjudicate such issues, his attorneys wrote in their petition to remove the case from Maricopa County Superior Court. The conduct giving rise to the charges in the indictment all occurred during his tenure and as part of his service as White House Chief of Staff. Since when is it part of a White House chief of staffs job to consider ways to put the pinch on any states presidential vote? Mark Meadows claims he was just doing his job U.S. District Court Judge John Tuchi has set a Sept. 5 hearing on the laughable claim that it was simply part of Meadows official duties to consider and/or pass along ideas for a scheme to install fake electors to cast Arizonas vote for the guy who didnt win the election. U.S. Reps. Andy Biggs and Paul Gosar were among 10 lawmakers who attended a Dec. 21, 2020, White House planning session with Trump, Meadows and Rudy Giuliani to strategize how then-Vice President Mike Pence could block the Jan. 6, 2021, certification of Joe Bidens election, according to the House select committee that investigated the Jan. 6 storming of the nations Capitol. With plea deals: Which fake elector will come clean first? According to Meadows, however, a meeting to consider ways to overturn Arizonas vote was just part of the job. Even assuming that the proposals being suggested to Mr. Meadows were illegal under state law, that is all the more reason why it would be appropriate for the Chief of Staff to be aware of them, he said. Only by being aware of such proposals could the Chief of Staff ensure that the President is getting sound advice to combat any unsound advice he may be receiving. Will a court agree that Arizona law doesn't apply? Meadows, who has denied any wrongdoing, also is trying to transfer his Georgia election interference case to federal court. Hes asked the U.S. Supreme Court to come to his rescue after the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sent him packing. "The events giving rise to this criminal action were not related to Meadowss official duties, that court wrote. As it stands, its up to state juries in Arizona and Georgia to determine whether Mark Meadows illegally interfered in their state elections. That is, unless Meadows can convince a federal judge that mere state laws dont apply to him. Reach Roberts at laurie.roberts@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @LaurieRobertsaz and on Threads at @LaurieRobertsaz. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Mark Meadows says Arizona fake elector scheme was just part of his job JOHANNESBURG, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- The relationship between South Africa's Durban University of Technology (DUT) and China's Fujian Agricultural and Forestry University (FAFU) is bearing fruit and benefiting the local community with knowledge and skills, said a senior DUT official Wednesday. Alan Khan, DUT's senior director of corporate affairs, made the remarks in an interview with Xinhua. More than 11 years ago, DUT signed an agreement with the FAFU to share skills and knowledge. "At the DUT, we have seen the benefit of this partnership with China. This partnership has created fantastic opportunities for the DUT staff and students," said Khan. "It has helped promote people-to-people and cultural exchange, research, entrepreneurship, and engagement." He explained that in 2021, the DUT Confucius Institute (DUT CI) developed a model featuring "Chinese+" vocational skills training which serves as a "one-stop" service center, offering language courses, cultural experiences, and support for technology, innovation and entrepreneurship, aligning with local needs. In September 2023, the DUT CI launched the China-South Africa Juncao demonstration center project, to promote cooperation between Fujian Province and KwaZulu-Natal Province in "Chinese+" agriculture skill training and local community poverty alleviation, said Khan. DUT is "actively involved in fostering academic and cultural exchanges" with China, via the DUT CI and FAFU, declared Khan, who said DUT has "several partnerships and collaborative projects" with Chinese universities and research institutes that aim to enhance research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and academic excellence. Khan also noted that DUT and its Confucius Institute closely work with Chinese enterprises, both in South Africa and in China, to develop innovative collaboration models to cultivate local talent by providing internship opportunities and skill training programs, thereby supporting local economic development. Ashraf Patel, senior researcher at the Institute for Global Dialogue, a South Africa-based think tank, suggested in an interview with Xinhua that South African universities should emulate China by having some specialized universities focusing on agriculture and other faculties. He added that South African universities should sign memoranda of understanding with Chinese counterparts and engage in fruitful exchange of knowledge, skills, students' exchanges, and exchanges in academics. WOOD RIVER, Ill. Officials are investigating a foul odor that surfaced Wednesday in Wood River, Illinois and several nearby Metro East communities, though have not yet determined its source. The Wood River Fire Department responded to a report of an unusual odor around 1:20 p.m. Wednesday near the east side of the city. Fire officials learned of similar odors Wednesday in the municipalities of East Alton, Roxana and South Roxana. Beloved Big Boy locomotive rolls through St. Louis in September. When can you see it? Wood River fire personnel utilized environmental four-gas and natural gas monitors while investigating the odor. Crews did not detect any hazardous readings. The village of East Alton says utility company Ameren is also assisting with the investigation and doesnt believe the odor stemmed from a gas leak. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News Wood River crews say weather conditions may have led to unusual odors in the municipalities of Alton and Godfrey as well. Its unclear how much the smell has mitigated in the several impacted communities as of Thursday. FOX 2 has reached out to the Wood River and East Alton fire chiefs for comment and is awaiting reply on any updates to the odor. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. Foundation raises money for family of killed Smyth Co. deputy SMYTH COUNTY, Va. (WJHL) Organizations are accepting donations to assist the family of Smyth County Deputy Hunter Reedy, who was fatally shot on Aug. 9 when a traffic stop turned into a shooting. The Greater Southwest Chapter of the Virginia Police Benevolent Association and the Police Benevolent Foundation are accepting monetary donations for Reedys family. Droves of law enforcement accompany slain Smyth Co. deputy home Reedy leaves behind a wife and three children. The Police Benevolent Foundation stated in a social media post that 100% of the funds donated go to Reedys family. Donations can be made through the foundation by clicking here. The Smyth County Sheriffs Office has also organized its own Fund the First campaigns for both Reedy and Deputy Michael Fedorchuk, who was injured in the same Aug. 9 shooting that killed Reedy. Reedys funeral services will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Chilhowie Christian Church. His family will receive friends on Friday from 3-6 p.m. at the same location. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. Four Family Members Killed Returning from Six Flags Theme Park After Alleged Street Racer Slams Into Their Car Jessie Rosales, his wife and two of their children died in the crash GoFundMe Rosales family Jessie Rosales, his wife Lorena and their children Stephanie, 13, and Angel, 6, were killed in a fiery car crash on Aug. 10 in Grand Prairie, Texas Their 17-year-old son, Anthony, survived the crash but remains in critical condition Jaime Mesa, 20, was identified as the driver of the car that crashed into the family. Anthony Morales, 22, was also identified as another alleged driver on site and fled the scene. Both face multiple charges Two parents and two of their children were killed after their car was struck by an alleged street racer when they were returning from an amusement park in Grand Prairie, Texas, on Saturday, Aug. 10, per WBAP, WFAA and KTVT. One of their other children is in critical condition. Jessie Rosales, his wife Lorena and their children Anthony, 17, Stephanie, 13, and Angel, 6, were hit when a Dodge Charger smashed into their Chevy Traverse. Three of them died at the scene, and the fourth died at the hospital. Anthony was the sole survivor, but he remains in critical condition at the hospital as of Wednesday, Aug. 14. The family was returning from Texas Six Flags and dinner at a Panda Express and headed back home around 8 p.m. Saturday. At the time of the accident, two drivers in red and white Dodge Chargers were allegedly racing each other when the Rosales family turned off the road onto a side street. The red Charger then smashed into the Rosales car at a high speed. The familys car flipped twice and then burst into flames. The white car fled the scene. Related: Girl, 9, Among 3 Generations of a Family Killed in Texas Car Crash Just Days After Christmas Getty Stock image of an ambulance Yvette Acosta, a witness at a nearby gas station, captured the crash on camera. Devastating and very hurtful because a lot of people were trying to help them, and they couldnt get close to them, she told KTVT. I havent been able to sleep well. Hearing them and not being able to get them out, its very hurtful, Acosta added. I wish I could help those people. Its an emotional and tragic event. Jaime Mesa, 20, was identified as the alleged driver of the red car, and Anthony Morales, 22, was allegedly driving the white vehicle, police said. Both are now facing charges of racing on a highway causing death and racing on a highway causing serious bodily injury. Mesa is also facing charges of manslaughter and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Getty Stock image of a police tape crime scene Anthony survived because he was thrown out of the car, according to a GoFundMe. The fundraiser page was created to help Anthony, and his other siblings, Jessie and Natalie, raise money for their familys funerals, Anthonys medical bills and any legal bills. At the time of publication, the page has raised over $56,000 more than half of its $100,000 goal. Related: 4 Members of Same Utah Family Killed in Head-On Crash: 'Our Hearts Are Shattered' "His brother Jessie and sister Natalie have stepped up to get him through this physical battle in addition to all the other battles they will face, the page description read. This sweet sibling group has a long hard road ahead of them physically, emotionally and financially. The childrens aunt, Delia Rosales, told WFAA that they are trying to see if [Anthonys] gonna be able to survive and I just want the best for him. We cannot believe it. We're still waiting for my brother to come by. He doesn't show up, Delia said. We were always together. Traveling together. Basically. We were all a united family." Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. A representative for Grand Prairie Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for more information on Wednesday. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. APPLETON, Wis. (WFRV) In preparation for another Wisconsin winter, the Fox Valley Technical College (FVTC) held its 34th annual Snowplow Roadeo and Equipment Show on Wednesday and Thursday. Wednesdays schedule featured Winter Road Maintenance Training from 7:30 a.m. until 1 p.m., which consisted of a certificate program aimed at teaching crew members about the materials and operations of the equipment. WisDOT stressing attentive driving as years-long construction continues on I-41 between Appleton and Green Bay Mechanics training was also held, as well as an equipment show social hour, featuring State of the Art equipment and products on display. On Thursday, snowplow operators were tested on their knowledge of the safety and operations of their vehicles. Their driving abilities were tested with an obstacle course which they had to navigate with snowplow equipment. Local Green Bay restaurant hosting a visit from Americas Best Restaurants The top two drivers in the obstacle course races will head to Colorado in September for the National Snow Plow Roadeo. The registration and travel expenses for that event will be covered up to $1,500 by the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Public Works Association. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. Former Senegalese soldiers pose in Frejus, southeastern France, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024 ahead of a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the Allied landings in Provence during World War II. (Christophe Simon, Pool via AP) SAINT-RAPHAEL, France (AP) France commemorated the 80th anniversary of the Allied invasion of the French Riviera in World War II to push back the Nazis, with events Thursday that especially honored the many soldiers from Africa, sent from then-French colonies, who took part. Sometimes called the forgotten D-Day, the occasion was marked by ceremonies presided over by French President Emmanuel Macron. Storm warnings Thursday around the Mediterranean coast forced the cancellation of a seaborne segment of the events. Macron and Cameroonian President Paul Biya were to give speeches at the Boulouris National Cemetery in the town of Saint-Raphael, which holds the bodies of 464 French soldiers killed in the fighting of August 1944. Other African leaders also took part in the commemorations. Six World War II veterans five French and one foreign were slated to receive the Legion of Honor, the nations highest award. An aeronautic demonstration and fireworks were also scheduled. Starting Aug. 15, 1944, hundreds of thousands of primarily American and French troops landed on the Mediterranean coast for Operation Dragoon. It was intended to coincide with the D-Day invasion of Normandy in June 1944 but was delayed due to a lack of resources. Africans made up as much as half the French contingent, soldiers from what are now some two dozen independent countries. There is no definitive Allied death toll, but the French Defense Ministry says 1,300 Allied soldiers died in the operations first two days. Operation Dragoon enabled the Allies to liberate most of southern France in only four weeks. Soldiers from the Normandy landings in northwest France met up with troops from Operation Dragoon on Sept. 12, 1944, in the eastern region of Burgundy. Free fraud and scam seminar to be held at Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) Local law enforcement and Bank of America are hosting a free seminar with the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce to help keep New Mexicans safe from online scams. 2 Albuquerque city councilors plan to withdraw controversial tipped minimum wage bill At the workshop, officials will discuss how scammers trick people, including the top five scams facing the public right now. The seminar will also cover identity theft, spotting red flags, and resources available to the public to help navigate the internet safely. The event will be held at the Hispano Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, Aug.15 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. Paul Whelan is "looking forward to rebuilding his life" and will return to his home state of Michigan next week after a 19-day resettlement stay at Brooke Army Medical Center, his attorney, Ryan Fayhee, tells ABC News. Fayhee, who raised Whelan's case with policymakers in Washington throughout his incarceration in Russia, says his client "is doing as well as can be expected" after more than five years in a Russian penal colony where the former Marine said he was subjected to forced labor. Designated as a wrongful detainee by the U.S., Whelan was swapped two weeks ago along with Americans Evan Gershkovich and Alsu Kurmasheva, in a multi-country trade that sent eight prisoners back to Russia. "He's continuing to undergo various medical related tests and treatment as any wrongfully detained American who comes home does, and he's looking forward to beginning to rebuild his life, after five and a half years away. And so he's soon to return to Michigan and looking forward to being reacquainted with friends and family and getting his life in order," Fayhee said of Whelan. Whelan was arrested in December 2018 and faced trial for espionage. He was convicted and sentenced to 16 years in a penal colony on charges the U.S. said qualified his case as a wrongful detention. PHOTO: President Joe Biden, right, places his American flag pin on Paul Whelan at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., following Whelan's release as part of a 24-person prisoner swap between Russia and the United States, Aug. 1, 2024. (Alex Brandon/AP) Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, is the "largest and most robust military healthcare organization" within the Department of Defense, caring for more than 4,000 military and civilian trauma patients annually, according to the center's website. It is the sole Level I Trauma Center in the military health care system. "That initial triage," Fayhee said, "happens really almost immediately." "When I met Paul on the tarmac in San Antonio at I think around 3:15 a.m. -- by around 6 a.m., he and Evan and Alsu were all beginning this process." Another striking moment on the tarmac: President Joe Biden handing Paul his American flag lapel pin. "He's been wearing [it] on his collar every day since," Fayhee said. Fayhee said Whelan has spent much of his days in San Antonio reading, having brought four bags of books home that were sent to him during his detention. "He's focused on reading all the things about the efforts that his family and the administration undertook to gain his release, so he can sort of put the pieces back together," he said. Fayhee reports Whelan having a couple visitors so far as he undergoes mental health treatment. He was even able to take him off base for a steak dinner -- "one of the unforgettable privileges of my life," he said. "It was surreal for me and surreal for him, for different reasons." The detention of an American abroad sets off a policy process that involves officials at the State Department, which has a dedicated office headed by the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, Roger Carstens, as well as the National Security Council at the White House -- as well as tireless work from family who advocate for their loved one and work with the government. Carstens told the Washington Post Monday when an American is taken into custody abroad, he treats it as a "forgone conclusion" that his office will secure the detainee's release. Expressing that optimism is an important feature of his strategy to rescue Americans from the most challenging of situations. PHOTO: President Joe Biden embraces Paul Whelan, who was released from detention in Russia, upon his arrival at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Aug. 1, 2024. (Nathan Howard/Reuters) Fayhee acknowledged it was "painful for Paul to see others released before him," including Trevor Reed and Brittney Griner, who were detained after Whelan and exchanged in swaps that didn't include his client. Leaving Whelan out of a deal, Fayhee said, was "part of Russia's scheme in order to sort of re-exploit Paul for the purposes of trying to divide Americans." "Paul does have some understanding of that," he said. Whelan's December 2018 arrest "really began, at least as to Russia, this modern era of hostage diplomacy," Fayhee said. "I believe that Paul's arrest really led to the arrest of all the others that came after him and they really all had to do with the Russians' desire to extract some benefit out of the United States." Fayhee said the key policy prescription for limiting Americans' exposure to the threat of wrongful detention in Russia is to educate citizens about the acute risk there. He said expediting the process by which the State Department designates prisoners as wrongfully detained -- which would increase internal pressure in the government to prioritize a case -- is an adjustment the government is weighing. "The State Department -- in discussions around Paul -- has been very open to over the years [to] finding a mechanism to escalate these arrests within the U.S. government to be evaluated for potential wrongful detention," Fayhee said. "There are key indicators at the time of the arrest that suggest potential wrongful detention and being engaged in those cases immediately, and working them up with the right team within the U.S. government, is just simply critical." PHOTO: Paul Whelan arrives at Kelly Field after being released by Russia, Aug. 2, 2024, in San Antonio. (Eric Gay/AP) Russian-American Ksenia Karelina was sentenced Thursday to 12 years in a Russian penal colony on charges of treason after her January arrest by Russian authorities while visiting her family in the country. Admiral John Kirby, the White House spokesman for national security affairs, called the sentence "vindictive cruelty" Thursday. "The sentence just proves all the more that there's no real system of justice coming out of Moscow," he said. The State Department echoed those remarks but said it hasn't made a determination on whether Karelina was wrongfully detained. Deputy press secretary Vedant Patel said the department "continue[s] to seek consular access" to make contact with Karelina. -ABC News' Shannon Kingston and Molly Nagle contributed to this report. Freed American Paul Whelan is wearing Bidens flag pin every day, his lawyer says originally appeared on abcnews.go.com TRIPOLI, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Wednesday expressed concern about recent unilateral actions taken by some political parties in the country. 'UNSMIL is following up with concern on the recent unilateral acts by Libyan political actors and institutions in the East, West, and South,' UNSMIL said in a statement. 'In the current climate, these unilateral acts serve to increase tension, undermine trust, and further entrench institutional divisions and discord among Libyans,' the statement said. The statement stressed the urgent need for consensus, dialogue, and unity and reminded all political leaders and institutions of their commitments and obligations under the Libyan Political Agreement and its amendments, in line with all relevant UN Security Council resolutions, particularly resolution 2702 (2023). The Mission called on all Libyan parties to embrace dialogue and compromise 'in a way that serves the interests of all Libyans.' The Eastern-based House of Representatives (parliament) on Monday rejected the decision of the Tripoli-based Presidential Council to create a new agency for national referendums and inquiries and demanded it be canceled. Libya remains politically divided more than a decade after the 2011 overthrow of longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi, with a UN-recognized government in Tripoli and a rival administration in the eastern city of Tobruk. French support for Ukraine in the clear, despite political deadlock at home Over a month after the French elections, the new government coalition is yet to crystallize. And the three warring political blocks that hold the majority of seats in the National Assembly have not come close to forming a workable coalition, a process French politicians are not accustomed to. French President Emmanuel Macron, who has positioned France as a vocal advocate for Ukraine's struggle against Russian aggression, charged Prime Minister Gabriel Attal to lead a caretaker government during the Paris Olympic Games. With the games over, the left-wing New Popular Front (NPF) and Macrons centrist Ensemble coalition are back to the drawing board, attempting to form a government doomed to being unstable. Yet, whatever the result of the negotiations may be, Ukraine can celebrate that its supporters represented across various parties will constitute a majority in the new French parliament, signaling that Paris's Kyiv-friendly foreign policy direction will stay its course. The far-right National Rally (RN), traditionally friendly to Russia, ended up third with little prospect of forming an alliance. And while ostensibly Ukraine-skeptic voices exist within the left-wing NPF coalition, experts agree they are not strong enough to shift France's foreign policy. Read also: French far-right lose elections following surge from left and center The French Left and Ukraine When the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) won the most votes in the second round of the elections on July 7, with Macron's centrist Ensemble coalition following behind, many in Ukraine sighed with relief. The far-right National Rally (RN), whose parliamentary leader Marine Le Pen has a long history of cozying up to Russian President Vladimir Putin and who promised restrictions on support for Ukraine, was dealt a surprising blow. The RN ended up third with 24.6% and 142 seats. NFP, which won 32.6% of the votes and 188 seats in the 577-seat assembly, was a hastily gathered alliance of left-to-far-left. On one hand, there are "moderates" like the Socialist Party (PS) or the Greens (EELV) who have decisively avowed their support for Ukraine. On the other, more radical groups like the Communists or the France Unbowed (LFI) have instead called for a "diplomatic solution" while warning against "escalation" of the war. Sebastien Maillard, an associate fellow at Chatham House and special advisor to the Jacques Delors Institute, points to deep-seated differences among individual parties on foreign policy issues. "The NFP is very divided on Ukraine and on European integration. (Jean-Luc) Melenchon's France Unbowed (LFI) are Euroskeptics, against any enlargement to Ukraine, and (are) Russia-friendly, while the rest of the alliance, especially (Raphael) Glucksmanns social democrats, are pro-EU and staunch Ukraine supporters," Maillard told the Kyiv Independent on July 8. Communist and LFI lawmakers voted against the Ukrainian-French bilateral security agreement in March. Notably, even Le Pen's RN "merely" abstained from that vote. LFI's founder and long-time leader, leftist firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon, is well known for enmity toward the U.S. and NATO. The unsuccessful presidential candidate has previously called for France's withdrawal from the alliance. Melenchon's past statements on Ukraine, most likely inspired by his distaste for the U.S., are also worth reminding. In 2014, the French far-left leader said that because of Russia's occupation and illegal annexation of Crimea, the peninsula is "lost to NATO," calling it "good news." While maintaining his criticism of the Western foreign policy, Melenchon toned down his Russia apologia after the outbreak of the full-scale war. Nevertheless, even in March 2024, he warned against the supposed risks of Ukraine entering NATO and drew comparisons between Russian mining of Ukraine and Kyiv using U.S.-supplied cluster munitions. Manon Aubry, who represents LFI in the European Parliament, said earlier in July that while it is important to support Kyiv, "we also have the responsibility of finding the way out of the war for Ukraine, and this is not going to be with military escalation." "For Putin not to win we need to all sit around the table" and return to diplomacy, she added. Melenchons France Unbowed remains the strongest party within NFP with 78 seats but does not hold a majority. The elections significantly boosted the moderate Socialists, who gained 65 seats, followed by the Greens, with 33, and the Communists, with nine. Socialist and Green leaders have been outspoken about their support for Ukraine. Raphael Glucksmann, who led the coalition of Socialists and his own small party, Place Publique, in the European elections, has been dubbed "the man of Ukraine" by Euractiv. The politician has often stressed Europe's backing of Kyiv as one of the cornerstones of his election campaign. Melenchon has repeatedly shown he is willing to concede from his most divisive foreign policy issue to seek alliances, with the latest elections being a primary example. NFP's joint program released in June affirmed the coalition's commitment to "defend Ukraine and peace on the European continent." The document also called for the cancellation of Ukraine's sovereign debt, the seizure of assets of oligarchs supporting Russian aggression, and continued military aid deliveries. Michel Duclos, a diplomat and a senior fellow at the Institut Montaigne and the Atlantic Council, said that while NFP's foreign policy orientation is hard to predict with certainty, "there are reasons to be optimistic." "The Ukrainian issue is more a priority for the anti-Russia current inside the left-wing coalition than it is the case for the other current," Duclos told the Kyiv Independent. "In other words, its difficult to imagine the Socialists and part of the Greens yielding to pressures of the other parts of the coalition on such a defining matter." Similarly, European security policy expert Ulrike Franke said that while "France Unbowed is a reasonably strong actor within the NFP coalition," she does not expect Melenchon's party's "foreign policy views to be the most important thing going forward." In a written comment for the Kyiv Independent, the senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations explained that NFP is not dominated by Melenchon's supporters, lacks a majority in parliament, and is unlikely to be focused on foreign policy issues. Some divisions may persist. France Unbowed and the Communists have opposed the delivery of long-range weapons that could strike Russian territory or the Mirage 2000 jets pledged by Macron, said Justine Brabant, a journalist at the French investigative outlet Mediapart. The formulation in NFP's joint pledge to commit "necessary" military aid to Ukraine "leaves them some leeway to decide later on what falls into this category," Brabant added in a written comment for the Kyiv Independent. Read also: Macron: Russias war against Ukraine existential for France, Europe A path toward the government After weeks of bickering and the sidelining of the most controversial candidates like Melenchon, NFP finally agreed on a candidate for the prime minister job opening Lucie Castets, an economist and senior civil servant at the Paris city administration. Castets, 37, is largely unknown to the French public, and her professional past has centered around domestic issues rather than foreign policy. Macron refused to appoint Castets, leaving the caretaker government for now. He has also rejected any deals with France Unbowed, which has often been described by French moderates as on par with radicals on the far right. The Elysee Palace knows that NFP cannot build a coalition on its own. The president's centrist Ensemble coalition, which won 27.9% of the vote and 161 seats, has several options for moving forward. "There will be lots of horse-trading among parties which are not all ready to compromise. One scenario could be a coalition spanning from the Socialists to the center-right with a minor but key role for Macronists," Maillard said. A similar plan was supported by Jean-Noel Barrot, the prime minister's secretary for European affairs from a party within Macron's bloc. "The left-wing bloc has a much lower number of deputies than the presidential majority had in 2022. The only majority that can be found is that of the moderates," Barrot said on the Public Senat program on July 11. Macron voiced a similar sentiment, calling for "republican forces" of moderates to unite while excluding Melenchon and Le Pen. "Otherwise, NFP could avoid splitting and try to attract left-leaning Macronists," Maillard added, stressing that the future development is still hard to predict. Some of Macron's allies, like former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, proposed an alliance with the conservative Republicans, who have become the fourth-strongest party in the parliament. Winning only 48 seats, however, the Republicans themselves would not be enough for Macron to build an absolute majority. Republican leader Eric Ciotti, who was temporarily fired from his position over pitching an alliance with the far right, is a proponent of aiding Ukraine against Russian aggression but has voiced opposition to Kyiv's entry into the EU. Macron's ship stays course Whatever the result of coalition negotiations will be, there is one certainty Macron is not going anywhere. Should the president appoint a prime minister from an opposing bloc a state known as "cohabitation" the Elysee Palace is expected to largely remain in charge of security and foreign policy. "I dont see any scenario in which Macron would be so distracted by domestic politics that he would be less engaged in foreign affairs," Duclos said. "On the contrary, if his power is limited at home, he will focus more on international affairs." The expert added that if Macron has to deal with a prime minister from the opposing camp, he will make sure to appoint sympathetic figures to the posts of defense and foreign ministers. Duclos stressed the president's power will not be unlimited, however. He explained that it would be more difficult for Macron to implement more "bold policy choices" that require the parliament's backing, like sending high-grade weapons. Macron has previously pitched deploying military instructors to Ukraine, a step that would require the prime minister's approval. Franke also does not expect any major shifts, both because of NFP's lack of majority and their focus on domestic issues. "Their prioritiesand importantly, the topics that the different parties that make up NFP agree onare domestic," Franke said. "Hence, the things they really want to push and on which they will try to use their political capital will be domestic ones, (like) pension reform, for example." The expert warns, however, that France is unlikely to go beyond the support it is already providing or taking on "any kind of leadership role on the issue within Europe going forward." "How they will react if the situation in Ukraine changes dramatically or if US support for Ukraine changes dramatically is unclear," Franke said. Read also: Le Pen against France providing long-range missiles, troops to Ukraine Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) A proposal to require licenses for Fresno residents who want to breed dogs and cats is being put forward at the Fresno City Council. The proposal is to amend Fresnos Municipal Code on dog and cat breeding and add requirements intended to address what was described as Fresnos ongoing pet overpopulation crisis. Councilmembers Annalisa Perea and Garry Bredefeld are both sponsoring the amendment. Either talk about euthanasia or keep watching dogs die in the streets, Fresno dog rescuer warns The amendments will be presented at the Fresno City Council meeting on Thursday, Aug. 15. If approved without any revisions, it would not allow any person to cause or allow any dog or cat harbored or kept within the City of Fresno to breed without first obtaining a breeders permit. The proposal states that each breeding permit would be valid for a year and would need to be renewed annually before it expires. It would also require a separate permit for each dog or cat allowed to breed. Additionally, anyone who had been convicted of animal cruelty or neglect would not be allowed to receive a permit. The change would be an addition to the current Fresno Municipal Code, which also requires that a breeders Unaltered Dog License number be advertised to the public when selling, adopting, or transferring their dog or cats offspring and that anyone who receives a dog or cat from a breeder to have the Unaltered Dog License number to be included on any receipt of sale or transfer document. The proposal also establishes the fines for dog or cat owners found in violation of the breeding permit provisions, including the possibility of $1,000 fines or the infraction being treated as a misdemeanor. The first reading of the proposal is Aug. 15 and the second reading is set to take place Aug. 29. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47. HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) The United States Department of Agricultures (USDA) Rural Development awarded funds to create or retain jobs in Kentuckys 21 Delta Counties. Officials explain this financial support will recapitalize Community Ventures (CV) revolving loan fund, which offers below-market rates for business expansion loans to eligible rural companies. While the businesses who have been awarded this funding are not within the Tri-State, those businesses are Buttercup Bistro, Main Street Sweets, Double G Propertys LLC and MDH Funeral and Cremations Services. Gov. Beshear announces KYs largest Build-Ready site in western KY According to the USDA, businesses located in Kentuckys Mississippi Delta region, which includes Henderson, Hopkins, McLean, Muhlenberg, Union and Webster Counties, may apply with CV for loans ranging from $50,000 to $400,000. Officials say since 2007, previous funding awards from USDA Rural Development have allowed Community Ventures to assist 317 businesses in the Delta region, creating 218 jobs. Friends of Lucy Nashs family to hold improv show Businesses are the heartbeat of Kentuckys economy; they create and retain jobs that put food on the table and this funding from the USDA will allow rural companies to grow or continue to employ Kentuckians in 21 counties in our Delta region, said Brenda Weaver, Community Ventures President of Lending and Western Kentucky Disaster Recovery. We are grateful to the USDA for partnering with Community Ventures yet again in our efforts to support Kentucky businesses. Interested businesses can apply here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW). FYI, You Can't Register To Vote Online If You Live In These States In seven states that require voter registration, you can only do so in person or by mail. Yi-Chin Lee/Houston Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers via Getty Images If you want to vote for the next U.S. president, you first need to make sure that you are registered. In all states but North Dakota which does not require voter registration registering to vote with your local election administrator is a critical step before voting. Its what ensures that eligible voters can request and receive a ballot. In most states, you can simply register online to vote. But there is no standardized nationwide process for this, and the deadlines and methods for registration can vary widely from state to state. Whats more, seven states require that you do it in person or by mail you cannot do so online. That makes voter registration harder, which is by design. Weve moved towards making it easier to register to vote in a lot of states, because were allowing citizens to use the internet to do so. But not every state has done that, said Jessica Levinson, an expert on election laws and a professor at Loyola Law School. Why is that? Those in favor of greater restrictions tend to say that it protects the process, that it promotes integrity, it deters fraud, and those in favor of reducing the thresholds to registering to vote and voting tend to argue that thats hogwash and that this is really about trying to ... make it much more difficult for certain voters to vote, Levinson explained. The use of early polling places, voter ID requirements and vote-by-mail processes are other levers that a state can pull to make it easier or harder to vote, she said. A Viral Video Highlights Why You Should Check If Your State Allows Online Voter Registration Just because you can access a voter registration form online does not mean you can submit it online. Double-check whether you actually can register to vote online or not, depending on your states requirements. Texas, for example, does not permit online voter registration, except if you are also renewing your drivers license. A popular video from a Texas resident recently highlighted how registration instructions can be confusing. Adrienne Quinn Martin, the chair of the Democratic Party in Hood County, explained in the video that an online registration form provided by the Texas secretary of states office can trick people. She pointed out that the online form ends with a submit button that may mislead voters into thinking that they can register online. Martin told HuffPost that this deceptive wording has been bugging her for years. Ill have people call me on Election Day and theyre like, Im here, I went to vote, and they said, Im not registered. And then Ill say: Did you register online? Yes, OK, well, you didnt actually register, she recalled, saying this happened to her own sister. Since her video got reposted by celebrities like Questlove on social media, the application form instructions have changed. The Texas secretary of states office confirmed to HuffPost that it recently adjusted the website button to now say continue rather than submit, to bring additional clarity that you are not submitting the application online but that you have to print, sign and mail the registration. The office did not answer a question on whether that change was because of Martins video. How To Register To Vote In States Where You Cannot Do So Online Below is the full list of states where registering to vote online is not possible, as well as what you need to do instead and by when: Arkansas In Arkansas, you can either register in person or by mail, and the deadlines for both are Oct. 7, 2024. The voter registration form is available in English and Spanish, and you may request that it be mailed to you through the United States Postal Service here. For in-person registration, you will fill out a form at your county clerks office. Here is a list that shows where county clerks are located in Arkansas. You are not registered until your county clerk records your registration. Registering in person is what the states website recommends if the deadline is looming, because it is a method of application that will ensure your eligibility. If you mail in your registration form, the postmark on your application is the submission date, so it must be Oct. 7, 2024, at the latest. Follow up with your local county clerk if you have not received confirmation of your mail-in application within two weeks. As the states voter registration website notes, Never assume you are registered to vote until you have received your voter registration card from the county clerk. Mississippi For the upcoming presidential election, you can either register in person at your local circuit clerks office or by mailing your registration form to your countys circuit clerk. The deadline for both options is Oct. 7, 2024. Here is a list of local circuit clerk locations. You can fill out and print the mail-in voter registration form from here, or you can find one at the Secretary of States Office, in public libraries, drivers license exam stations, circuit clerks offices, municipal clerks offices, [or] public schools, according to the Mississippi secretary of states website. Montana In Montana, the deadline for voter registration is 30 days prior to an election, which is Oct. 7, 2024, in the case of the upcoming general election. You can register in person, or by mail. Mail your completed form to your local county elections office by Oct. 7, 2024. Here is a list of county elections office locations in Montana. If you miss that registration deadline, there is also same-day registration at polling places on Election Day. But you should expect a wait. Missoula Countys election office states that we expect longer than normal wait times on Election Day, so we recommend you register before Election Day if possible. Based on previous years, wait time to register to vote on Election Day could be up to two hours long. New Hampshire In New Hampshire, you can register to vote in person at your town or city clerks office, or by mail. You can register by mail if you are temporarily out of town or have a disability that prevents you from applying in person, New Hampshires official pocket voter guide states. To do so, you will need to request an absentee ballot from your clerk, and you can use a state Voter Information Lookup website to check if the clerk has received your request. A mailed form must be received by your local election administrator between six and 13 days before Election Day at the latest, depending on which town you live in. But if you miss the deadline, New Hampshire also has same-day registration, so you can register to vote on Election Day which is Nov. 5, 2024 at your polling place. You will need to prove your identity, age and citizenship, as well as where you live, using identification materials listed by the state. South Dakota In South Dakota, you can either go in person to fill out a registration form with your countys auditor or mail it to them. The form must be received by the auditor 15 days before any election at the latest, and in the case of the general election, that is Oct. 21, 2024. And if you do not have access to a printer? Our office and the county auditors office frequently send forms to individuals, a South Dakota Division of Elections spokesperson told HuffPost by email. They can also come in-person and fill out the information. Texas In Texas, you must register to vote by Oct. 7, 2024, to be eligible to vote in the general election, and you can do this in person at your local voter registrar or by mail. Here is the list of local registrar locations. If you choose the mail option, you should print, sign and mail a completed application form directly to your county election office. You can also request a postage-paid voter registration form that will be mailed to you here. However, you can register to vote online if you qualify for an online drivers license renewal. Wyoming In Wyoming, you have three options for voter registration. The first option is filling out a Wyoming voter registration form in person at your county clerk or town clerks office. Here is a list of county clerk locations. The second option is mailing a completed voter registration form directly to your local county clerks office, but you will need to get it notarized before an oath-taking officer. You will also need to attach paper photocopies of your identification document. The deadline for registering in person or by mail is Oct. 21, 2024. If you miss that date, you can go for the third option and register at the polls on Election Day. You will need to bring identification which can include a valid drivers license or additional identification if you dont have one that proves your eligibility to register. What You Can Do To Help Others Register To Vote Beyond registering yourself to vote, you can make sure friends and family members get the help they need, too. It is absolutely true that in some states, you need to just make an early plan and, depending on your situation, rely on the assistance of others, Levinson said. If you need assistance with registering to vote, make a plan with a member of your community to get that help in terms of getting a printer or getting transportation, she said. Martin recommended accompanying a first-time voter to help them. The process is intimidating to first-time voters, especially young people, and then they just dont go do it because theyre not sure what theyre supposed to do, she said. Take them to go get registered, tell them how to look up the candidates and whats on the ballot. Related... The Gary Common Council repealed its welcoming city ordinance earlier this month in response to Attorney General Todd Rokitas letter warning of a lawsuit in response to the ordinance. The Gary Common Council voted 7-0, with two members absent, on Aug. 5 to repeal Ordinance 9100 and an ordinance that amended Ordinance 9100, passed in June, without discussion. Council president Tai Adkins did not respond to requests for comment. In 2017, the Gary Common Council voted 6-3 in favor of the ordinance, which required that any investigation by city officials into a persons immigration status be court-ordered and held that city resources would not be used to enforce federal immigration law. Karen Freeman-Wilson, who was the citys mayor at the time, backed the legislation, which was drafted in response to a Trump administration crackdown on undocumented immigrants. Garys ordinance prompted a lawsuit from four Indiana residents who claimed that it violated a 2011 Indiana law banning so-called sanctuary cities, which prohibits cities and other local governments from refusing to communicate or cooperate with federal immigration authorities in order to shield people who have entered the country without legal permission. The lawsuit was dismissed in 2022 after the Indiana Supreme Court ruled the plaintiffs had not suffered an injury and thus had no standing to sue. Later the same year, the state appellate court held that two plaintiffs who challenged a similar East Chicago ordinance also lacked legal standing. Senate Bill 181, a revival of a bill that failed in 2023, was authored by Sen. Eric Koch, R-Bedford in response to the litigation. The bill enabled Rokita, a Munster native, to bring lawsuits aimed at forcing governmental entities and educational institutions to comply with federal immigration authorities. Gov. Eric Holcomb signed the bill into law in March, which went into effect July 1. In a Thursday news release, Rokita credited the blunt message he sent to officials in Gary, East Chicago, the West Lafayette Police Department and the Monroe County Sheriffs Department. The MCSD is the only remaining agency that hasnt rescinded the policy. State Sen. Rodney Pol, D-Chesterton, an attorney who represents the city of Gary, said he was opposed to Senate Bill 181. Pol said it was ironic that within one legislative session the legislature approved a bill that allowed Rokita to sue the city of Gary while it allowed another bill that would end a lawsuit the city of Gary filed against gun manufacturers. I think its incredibly unfair for the city of Gary, Pol said. Were taking away a case thats determined to be valid and were allowing the attorney general to move forward with these lawsuits. The East Chicago Common Council repealed its welcoming cities ordinance in July after Rokita filed a lawsuit against the council and city. After the council repealed the ordinance, Rokita dropped the lawsuit. The council passed the ordinance in 2017 to let the community know they could feel safe in East Chicago regardless of any of the rhetoric following the 2016 election, according to the repealed ordinance. But, the council decided to repeal the ordinance after determining that it is not effective or necessary for the protection of the rights of residents and visitors nor to ensure the health and safety of all residents and visitors, according to the repealed ordinance. The City of East Chicago remains committed to upholding the Constitution of the State of Indiana and the United States, to upholding the laws of the State of indiana, protecting the rights of its residents and visitors, and to ensuring the health and safety of all residents and visitors, according to the repealed ordinance. akukulka@post-trib.com Gateway Church has canceled its annual conference in the aftermath of its founder and head pastor resigning after admitting he sexually abused a 12-year-old girl in the 1980s. The church announced the cancellation of the conference on the event website. Were continuing to pursue truth, and were filled with hope for all God wants to do in Gateway Church in the future, the announcement read. We want to let you know that after much prayer and consideration, we have decided not to hold Gateway Conference in 2024. Refunds will be issued for anybody who paid to attend the conference which, according to its Facebook page, draws thousands of pastors, leaders and staff from across the country each year. Robert Morris resigned after admitting in a statement he sexually abused Cindy Clemishire from the ages of 12 to 16. The abuse stopped because he was caught by Clemishires father, and he went into what he described as freedom ministry. Gateways website describes freedom ministry as spiritual counseling, accountability and in some cases exorcism. Morris said in the statement that he spent two years away from ministry before returning to the church he was at when the abuse happened. He said he had the permission of church elders and the young ladys father. The characterization of Clemishire, a minor the entire time the abuse was happening, as a young lady sparked further outrage. Morris resigned shortly after Clemishire shared her story with a religious watchdog blog, the Wartburg Watch. The cancellation of the conference comes as Gateway works to navigate Robert Morris resignation and the emotions surrounding it, the anouncement read. We are deeply sorry for the pain this situation caused the survivor, other survivors of abuse, and the church at large. The church in the announcement described the time since Morris abuse became public as a season and said it is trying to get through it in a healthy way and in a manner that promotes healing for everyone affected and that is why the conference will not be held. We are sincerely sorry for any inconvenience or disappointment this causes, the announcement read. The statement said Gateway has received love and support from its congregants, volunteers and staff. Thank you for your partnership and support through this season, and thank you for your love and prayers, the church leadership said in the statement. Subsequent resignations Following Robert Morris admission to sexually abusing a child, Gateway Church hired the law firm Haynes & Boone LLP to conduct an independent investigation. The firm recommended anyone who served on the board of elders between 2005 and 2007 the time period in which Clemishire said she reached out to Gateway about Morris abuse temporarily step down during the investigation. Clemishire said during that time period she was also blamed for her own abuse by Morris lawyer. It was your client who initiated inappropriate behavior by coming into my clients bedroom and getting in bed with him, which my client should not have allowed to happen, the February 2007 letter from Morris lawyer read. Earlier this month, one elder from that period announced he would be resigning. Steve Dulin decided he would go in a different direction, he said in a statement through the church. At a Sunday service July 28, Morris son also stepped down to go and plant another church. In a clearly scripted but nonetheless emotional statement given at the morning service, James Morris and wife Bridgette Morris said they loved the church and its members and would keep them in their prayers, but that they felt it was time to move on. That same Sunday, the church introduced its interim pastors: Max Lucado, a charismatic evangelical author and San Antonio pastor, and Joakim Lundqvist, a leader of an megachurch in Sweden. Palestinians search for victims following an Israeli strike that killed more than 100 people in a school sheltering displaced Palestinians. a medical source said, in Gaza City, on Saturday. U.S.-mediated cease-fire talks between Hamas and Israel are expected to resume Thursday. Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/UPI Aug. 15 (UPI) -- Gaza cease-fire and hostage negotiations resumed Thursday in Doha despite Hamas stating it will not show and amid fears of a potential Iranian strike on Israel. The United States, a mediator in the talks, has been pushing for Israel and Hamas to sign a cease-fire agreement since the deal was announced by U.S. President Joe Biden in late May. But urgency to get it done has ramped up in recent weeks as Iran has vowed to conducted a retaliatory strike on Israel over the assassinations of Tehran proxy militia leaders in Lebanon and Iran. According to the Hamas-run Palestinian Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between militant and civilian, nearly 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war. The Biden administration sent CIA Director William Burns and Brett McGurk, the White House's Middle East and North Africa envoy, to represent the United States at the talks. Israel said Wednesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the departure of his delegation, but Hamas has repeatedly said it was refusing to attend. Despite Hamas' public rejections, the Biden administration heading into Thursday voiced confidence that the negotiations would go ahead as planned. As the talks were under way, both Biden and White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby separately told the press that the militant organization was being represented by Egypt and Qatar, the other two nations mediating the discussion. Kirby told reporters during a press conference that gaps had been narrowed ahead of the talks and that Thursday would be focused on agreement implementation details with expectations for negotiations to continue Friday. "We do not anticipate coming out of these talks today with a deal," he said. Last week, Biden administration officials were vocal that the agreement was near complete, and Kirby explained Thursday that its framework was done and what was left was "individual muscle movements" to put it in place. The mediating countries of the United States, Qatar and Egypt scheduled Thursday for the resumption of talks last week, stating "there is no further time to waste nor excuses for any party for further delay" to get a deal done. Israel and Iran have been in a proxy war for years that violently erupted into a war in Gaza on Oct. 7 when Tehran proxy militia Hamas launched a bloody assault on Israel, killing 1,200 Israelis, while another 250 were kidnapped and taken back into Gaza. Israel has responded by razing much of the Palestinian enclave in its determination to eliminate Hamas and find the Israelis held captive. Meanwhile, Iranian proxy militias Hezbollah of Lebanon and and the Houthi rebels of Yemen, embolden by the conflict, have also been attacking Israel. Late last month, Fuad Shukr, the commander of Hezbollah, was assassinated in Lebanon. The next day, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Iran. Though Israel has claimed responsibility for Shukr, it has not commented on the death of Haniyeh. Iran holds Israel responsible for both assassinations and has vowed to retaliate. Fears surround the potential of an Iranian strike as one will not only potentially thwart the possibility of securing a cease-fire but also escalate and expand the more than 300-day war through the Middle East. Last week's call for the resumption of cease-fire talks comes against the backdrop of these rising tensions and the Biden administration for days was confidently stating that the cease-fire deal was nearly done and that they were working to hold off Iran's retaliation strike. On Tuesday, Biden told reporters that he believes a cease-fire agreement will halt an Iran strike on Israel. "That's my expectation, but we'll see," he said. By Andrew Mills and Nidal al-Mughrabi DOHA/CAIRO (Reuters) -Gaza ceasefire talks in Doha paused on Friday with negotiators to meet again next week seeking an agreement to end fighting between Israel and Hamas and free remaining hostages, as U.S. President Joe Biden said "we're not there yet". In a joint statement, the U.S., Qatar and Egypt said Washington had presented a new proposal that built on points of agreement over the past week, closing gaps in a way that could allow rapid implementation of a deal. Mediators would keep working on the proposal, they said. "The path is now set for that outcome, saving lives, bringing relief to the people of Gaza, and de-escalating regional tensions," they said in the statement. On Thursday, Israel and mediators began the latest round in months of talks to end the war in Gaza, which has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians. Palestinian militant group Hamas was not directly involved but was kept briefed on the talks. A senior Hamas official, Izzat al-Rishq, told Reuters Israel "did not abide by what was agreed upon" in earlier talks, citing what mediators had told them. BIDEN SAYS DEAL 'MUCH, MUCH CLOSER' In Washington, Biden said a deal was "much, much closer" than before the talks began. A senior administration official said the latest negotiations were the most productive in months, and negotiators will reconvene next week in Cairo hoping to conclude it. "It was consensus of all of the participants over the past 48 hours that there's really a new spirit here to drive it to a conclusion," the official told reporters on the condition of anonymity. "The Israeli team that was here was empowered...We made a lot of progress in the number of issues that we've been working on," the official said. Biden said in a statement he had directed his negotiating team to put forward the comprehensive bridging proposal presented on Friday, which he said offers the basis for a final agreement on a ceasefire and hostage release deal. The U.S. president said he spoke with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who he said expressed strong support for the U.S. proposal. Teams will remain on the ground to continue technical work and senior officials will convene in Cairo "before the end of the week," he said. Biden added he is sending U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Israel to reaffirm U.S. commitment to Israel and "to underscore that with the comprehensive ceasefire and hostage release deal now in sight, no one in the region should take actions to undermine this process." On Friday night, Biden told reporters he was optimistic about the ceasefire deal prospects but warned that it was "far from over." Asked when a ceasefire would start if a deal is reached, Biden said: "That remains to be seen." Israel has insisted that peace will only be possible if Hamas is destroyed, while Hamas has said it will only accept a permanent ceasefire, not a temporary one. Other difficulties have included deal sequencing, the number and identity of Palestinian prisoners to be released alongside Israeli hostages, control over the Gaza-Egypt border and free movement for Palestinians inside Gaza. An Israeli official said its delegation in Doha was heading home and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to meet Blinken on Monday. On Friday, Israeli forces pounded targets across tiny, crowded Gaza and issued new orders for people to leave areas it had previously designated as civilian safe zones, saying Hamas had used them to fire mortars and rockets at Israel. As hundreds of families fled with salvaged belongings, the United Nations called for a week-long pause in fighting for a polio-vaccination campaign with disease spreading among the displaced. The Palestinian health ministry said in a statement it has detected the first confirmed case of polio in the Gaza strip. The latest hostilities in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered on Oct. 7 when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's subsequent military campaign has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to Palestinian health authorities. It has also displaced nearly the entire population of 2.3 million, caused a hunger crisis and led to genocide allegations at the World Court that Israel denies. Israel has said it eliminated 17,000 fighters from Hamas while also adding that the group uses civilians as human shields. REGIONAL FEARS The Israeli delegation included spy chief David Barnea, head of the domestic security service Ronen Bar and the military's hostages chief Nitzan Alon, defence officials said. The White House sent CIA Director Bill Burns and U.S. Middle East envoy Brett McGurk. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Egypt's intelligence chief Abbas Kamel were also taking part. Washington hopes a ceasefire agreement in Gaza can defuse the risk of a wider war. Iran has threatened to retaliate against Israel after the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31. The U.S. has dispatched warships, submarines and warplanes to the region to defend Israel and deter potential attackers. Asked on Friday if Iran would continue to hold off on retaliating against Israel now that the ceasefire talks had been extended, Irans mission to the U.N. in New York said We hope so. The senior Biden administration official said Washington warned Tehran about conducting a major missile attack against Israel, "because the consequences could be quite cataclysmic, particularly for Iran." (Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi and Nafisa Eltahir in Cairo, Maayan Lubell and Maytaal Angel in Jerusalem, Andrew Mills in Doha and Trevor Hunnicutt, Humeyra Pamuk, Steve Holland, David Ljunggren, Kanishka Singh and Jonathan Landay in Washington and Michelle Nichols in New York; Writing by Angus McDowall and Daphne Psaledakis; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne, Rod Nickel, David Gregorio and Muralikumar Anantharaman) Israels war in Gaza has hit another grim milestone after the Hamas-run Health Ministry declared that the death toll passed 40,000 since the start of the war on Oct. 8. On Thursday, officials in Gaza said a total of 40,005 people had been killed in the conflict. That figure does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. However, Gazas Hamas-run Health Ministry has said there were about 6,000 women and 11,000 children among the dead. The Israel Defense Forces said they have killed more than 15,000 combatants throughout the course of the war. PHOTO: People stand by the tombs of a family members after corpses were unearthed from temporary graves at the al-Amal hospital in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip and handed over to their families for burial, on July 18, 2024. (Bashar Taleb/AFP via Getty Images) MORE: Israel-Gaza live updates Israel launched its war in Gaza on Oct. 8, the day after Hamas carried out a surprise terror attack in southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people, including women and children. The true death toll in Gaza, after more than 10 months of war, could be significantly higher than the Health Ministrys figure because officials in Gaza estimate that an additional 10,000 people in Gaza are unaccounted for because of the war. Casey Harrity from Wyoming, who is working in Gaza for the non-governmental organization Save the Children International, agrees that the true death toll from the war is "far higher." Harrity, who is the NGOs team lead in the Gaza Strip, said Israels military operations over the past 10 months had "squeezed" the population of Gaza "into an incredibly small area." In recent days, the IDF has been dropping leaflets in the city of Khan Younis in the south of Gaza, warning civilians to relocate ahead of military operations. The Israel Defense Forces' tactic of moving civilians has been commonplace throughout much of the war, meaning many Gazans have been displaced multiple times and much of the civilian population now lives in large encampments made up of tents. "Every available part of land is taken up by tents," Harrity told ABC News during a videolink interview from her office in Gaza. "The population doesn't have toilets. They don't have running water. They're living in incredibly dire situations. And we're seeing outbreaks of disease in these shelters and camps. We're seeing truly horrifying conditions," she said. Harrity said she hears "bombardments, every night" in Gaza. But she said she was "lucky" to be sleeping in a building. "The vast majority of the population is living outside. They have nowhere safe to go," she added. ABC News also spoke to Ghada Al-Haddad, a Palestinian in Gaza working for British-based non-profit Oxfam. PHOTO: Palestinian Maryam Abu Obeid, 65, mourns while sitting by her grandson Khaled's makeshift gravesite at their home in Gaza City's Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood on August 7, 2024. (Omar Al-Qattaa/AFP via Getty Images) MORE: US says it's preparing for 'significant' Iran attack on Israel as early as 'this week' She described how people in Gaza live in constant fear and families often congregate in the same place at night because they would rather be killed together than risk mourning the death of their loved ones. "When you go to bed, you are not sure you are going to make it to the morning," Al-Haddad said in an interview with ABC News. U.N. schools in Gaza were deemed to be "safe spaces" where displaced Palestinian families could shelter. However, the United Nations Human Rights Office said "at least" 21 schools in Gaza have been targeted by the IDF since early July. The IDF has accused Hamas of "systematically" hiding and operating from within schools. However, Al-Haddad said it was now clear that Gazas schools "are no longer safe." Both Harrity and Al-Haddad spoke of the suffering of Gazas children. Al-Haddad, from British charity Oxfam, said many children in Gaza today are so used to the brutality of war that they can now distinguish between the noise of an Israeli airstrike or an Israeli artillery shell exploding. She said many children have to walk miles to fetch water for their families or to find wood so they can make a fire to cook. "This war is very severe, very brutal and it doesn't come to an end," said Al-Haddad. Casey Harrity from Save the Children International said innocent bystanders are constantly caught up in the crossfire of the war. "Children are impacted more with their small bodies. When a blast like that goes off, they're thrown farther, they're thrown faster, their bones bend and break," Harrity told ABC News. "So children really are the largest victims in this war," she added. The IDF has said it takes multiple measures, like the use of high-precision weaponry and intelligence, to minimize civilian casualties. ABC New's Becky Perlow contributed to this report. Editor's note: This story has been corrected to report that about 6,000 women and 11,000 children have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health. Gaza death toll surpasses 40,000 in grim milestone, says Hamas-run Health Ministry originally appeared on abcnews.go.com HEFEI, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Inspired by the late legendary Chinese scientist Yuan Longping, known as the "father of hybrid rice," Rwandan Gatera is determined to contribute to solving Africa's food problem. "I want to be Africa's Yuan Longping," said the 31-year-old doctoral student at Anhui Agricultural University in eastern Anhui Province. "In China, people have easy access to crops like rice, corn and sweet potato, but crops are expensive in Rwanda," said Gatera, adding that he aims to develop more heat-resistant varieties for his motherland, a landlocked African country struggling with food shortages. According to the 2024 edition of United Nations' "State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World" report, one in five people in Africa may have faced hunger in 2023. In order to achieve his ambitious goal, Gatera concentrates on learning food crop cultivation techniques in China. Despite the lingering scorching heat at the beginning of autumn, Gatera remains busy working in a 1,333-square-meter cornfield affiliated to the university, trying to cultivate heat-resistant varieties. As a vital crop in Rwanda, corn has long suffered from outdated varieties and technologies, which affects its processing as well. Despite these challenges, Gatera's agricultural dreams remain strong. In the 1960s, China began researching hybrid rice to address severe food shortages and increase food yields. Yuan, who developed the world's first hybrid rice in the 1970s, set multiple world records for hybrid rice yields, making significant contributions to food security in China and globally. Today, China grows more than 17 million hectares of hybrid rice. Dozens of countries around the world have conducted research and demonstration planting of hybrid rice, with an annual planting area of nearly 8 million hectares abroad. Gatera said that the miracle of hybrid rice motivated him to further his study in China, where cultivation technology is world-leading. China is willing to share with those in need. "I want to make crops more affordable and accessible to every Rwandan, just like Yuan Longping." In 2019, Gatera received a scholarship from the Chinese government and came to Anhui Agricultural University for his master's and doctoral studies. "Almost every day he immerses himself in laboratories, therefore, he made rapid progress. He can now even guide younger students in research projects," said Song Youhong, Gatera's doctoral supervisor, who has mentored over 10 foreign students in the past decade, and most of them are from African countries. "After completing their studies in China, African students often return to promote food security in their home countries," Song added. Talent cultivation is just one aspect of the constant agricultural exchanges between China and African countries. By the end of 2023, China had set up 24 agricultural demonstration centers in Africa. By introducing over 300 advanced agricultural technologies, the average yield of local crops has increased by 30 percent to 60 percent, benefiting more than 1 million African farming households. "I want to establish an agricultural research institute in Rwanda to develop high-yield corn varieties and train more agricultural professionals," Gatera said. "China's development shows us that poverty and backwardness can be overcome. Hopefully, one day, Africa will achieve food self-sufficiency and abundant harvests," Gatera said. Editors note: The transcript of this interview has been edited for clarity. As it entered its second week, Ukraines cross-border offensive into Russias Kursk Oblast is showing no signs of slowing down. Although the element of surprise that overwhelmed the thin Russian defending force in the first days of the incursion has expired, Ukrainian forces continue to advance steadily on the ground, expanding their hold on territory that, as claimed by Kyiv on Aug. 12, amounted to over 1,000 square kilometers of Russian land. As an embarrassed Russian leadership rushes reinforcements into Kursk Oblast to meet the threat, big questions remain about Kyivs next move. Having brought the war to Russia, hit Moscow where it hurts, and triggered a country-wide morale boost, what is there to do next? For the moment, Ukrainian forces seem committed to holding on to territory across the border, but meanwhile, Russias advance on Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast continues to bear down on the strategic city. To discuss these questions, the Kyiv Independent sat down with retired Australian Army Major-General Mick Ryan, who has covered the war from the point of view of top-level military leadership and doctrine since the onset of Russias full-scale invasion. Ryan provides regular analysis on developments on the war on his Substack. A road sign showing the distance to the Russian town of Kursk next to the destroyed border crossing point with Russia, in Sumy Oblast, on Aug. 13, 2024. (Roman Pilipey/AFP via Getty Images) The Kyiv Independent: One thing that is not in doubt about the Kursk Oblast incursion that Ukraine did very well was this operational security, this aspect of surprise. What actually goes into making an operation like this a success, at least the start of it? Were you surprised that they managed that at this point in the war? Mick Ryan: Not really. I've never really bought into this concept of the transparent battlefield. Wars are human, and it's humans who make all the key decisions. It's humans who surprise other humans. Whilst we might have better visibility compared to previous wars, you can't see into the hearts and minds of human beings. At the end of the day, clever humans will always find ways to fool and to deceive other humans. That's what Ukraine has done here. They have clearly devised and executed a very clever plan over the last few months, if not further back, to deceive the Russians about a few key things. Firstly, Ukraine's capacity to undertake offensive operations. Secondly, where they might undertake an offensive, the geography. Third, the timing. I don't think anyone really expected Ukraine to conduct large-scale offensives this year, maybe local counter-attacks, so they deceived the Russians about that and they're probably still deceiving the Russians about what their strategic objectives are for this operation. Join our community Support independent journalism in Ukraine. Join us in this fight. Support Us The Kyiv Independent: Lets talk about the objectives. You've written often about the intersection of kinetic military objectives with political objectives and morale. What does it look like balancing all these factors? In this situation for Ukraine, with the situation on the front line in Donbas being really tricky, does it make sense to you? Mick Ryan: Well, it's certainly a big swing. This is a very risky operation; it's high risk, but potentially high return. The risk clearly is losing more terrain, including some pretty key towns in Donbas and major logistics locations, as well as more Ukrainian ground forces, every single one of which is precious. But the big return might well be that, firstly, Russia slows down or stops its offensive (in eastern Ukraine), and secondly, this really forces the Russians to rethink their overall campaign to move their forces and create other opportunities for Ukrainian ground forces to attack Russian forces, to destroy them, to liberate Ukrainian territory, but also to reinvigorate support for Ukraine in Europe and the United States, and say: one, we're still capable of advancing; two, we're still willing to fight; three, we just need your help, a bit more of it, to finish off the Russians. We need to beat them, not be stuck in this endless defend Ukraine kind of strategy. The Kyiv Independent: How important is this after almost a year of fighting only on the defensive with no one really even talking about counteroffensives? How much does it change the calculus for both sides going forward? Mick Ryan: Ukraine has changed the status quo of the war. Everyone has been talking about stalemate, even though it hasn't been that, well, it is definitely not that now. It is a war of movement. Henceforth, the Russians will have to invest far more in defending their borders, which they haven't really done. What that will do to their capacity to continue their operations in Ukraine remains to be seen. There's also a morale piece of this for, firstly, the Ukrainian people. Soldiers, when they're on the offensive like this, their morale is infinitely better. They feel like they're achieving something. There was this great quote from a young Ukrainian soldier in The Economist where he said, I felt like a tiger again. That's amazing. That's what you want them to feel. Yes, it's dangerous, and yes, young Ukrainians are being wounded and giving their lives, unfortunately, but it's a different feeling. It's a different sense of morale. A sign reading "Kursk for you!" with the Z letter, a tactical insignia of Russian troops in Ukraine, is pictured outside the village of Bolshoe Zhirovo, Kursk region, which borders Ukraine, on May 26, 2023. Photo for illustrative purposes. (Olga Maltseva/AFP via Getty Images) The Kyiv Independent: Along the front line, we've had hundreds of kilometers of very positional trench warfare. But then in the initial days of the Kursk offensive, it was pure, frantic maneuver all over the place. How does that transition look from maneuver to back to positional, meaning digging in? Mick Ryan: Well, most military operations have a pretty set template in their phases: there's obviously the preparation phase, which is everything from deception to concentrating troops. There's a break-in and breakthrough phase: were clearly through that, the Ukrainian forces have broken through two lines of Russian defenses. They are now in what we call an exploitation phase, where they're kind of running riot until the Russians can stop them from doing that. Russian resistance will naturally increase and Ukrainian friction will increase because of logistics, because people are tired, because of the distance that supply lines are stretched and so on. There will be a natural point where the Ukrainian offensive will culminate. It could be days, could be weeks. But when they do, they'll have to consolidate. After that, there are three real options. Do they stand fast where they are at the end of that exploitation phase? That's a fairly large bit of ground and a fairly long line to defend. Do they withdraw back into more defensible terrain that might actually straighten the line that the Ukrainians have to defend instead of just the frontier? Or do they withdraw entirely, which would also be a sensible thing if you want to preserve all your forces that were involved and then use them for other opportunities to go back into Russia, and other locations. Each of them have very different resourcing troop numbers and political outcomes. It'll be a very interesting calculus for the president and his advisors, as well as the senior military officials to go through. Ukrainian servicemen guard an area at a destroyed border crossing point with Russia, in the Sumy region, on Aug. 14, 2024. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Aug, 14 that Ukrainian troops are "moving further" into Russia, as Kyiv's biggest cross-border attack stretched into a second week. The Ukrainian army entered Russia's Kursk region on Aug. 6, 2024. (Roman Pilipey/AFP via Getty Images) The Kyiv Independent: What does that decision making look like on the ground? Do you think there is a real possibility that they can hold this for a longer time? Mick Ryan: Well, any retention of Russian territory will be a major effort for the Ukrainian ground forces. Not just front-line troops, but air defense, electronic warfare, medical evacuation, logistics, communications, all these things will be taxed to the limit to sustain that salient. You have the risk of losing that force that you have in Russia, and my sense is that Ukraine can't afford to be losing entire brigades. It can't when things are good, and it definitely can't when things are tough like in Donbas at the moment. Which way the president and his advisors are going to go is really hard to tell, but like you mentioned before, there are political, there are strategic, there are military considerations in this, and there are just so many different combinations that could be involved in the decision and what this force actually does eventually. The Kyiv Independent: How do you see the Russian reaction? What does it look like when you have a front line with forces deployed all along their fighting, and then suddenly, a new front, right in your backyard? Mick Ryan: Well, I'm sure the very first thing they did was offer a few choice expletives, because they would have been surprised very unpleasantly. That's a good thing for Ukraine. But then they'll be looking at contingency plans, and from what I've seen, they probably didn't have too many of them. Russian forces were still going through a command and control change in that area, so there'll be a fair bit of confusion there. Then they'll be looking at what their reserves are, where they are, how quickly they can get there, and who they will work for. Then there'll be a whole lot of subordinate questions like support, munitions, are there vulnerable targets that the Ukrainians might be getting at, both military and civil, including the Kursk nuclear power plant. All these kinds of considerations will be what they would have looked at in that first 24 hours, as they fought through the shock and surprise and came up with plans for responding. Then they would have fleshed out that with subsequent plans as more forces become available, as additional aircraft and sorties become available. Russian President Vladimir Putin (C) chairs a meeting regarding the situation in Kursk Oblast, in his residence in Novo-Ogaryovo outside Moscow, on Aug. 12, 2024. (Gavriil Grigorov//AFP via Getty Images) The Kyiv Independent: We all got very used to the idea of this trenches and drones kind of war, but now we see how difficult it can still be to see everything on the battlefield, and how well-planned armored maneuver operations can still be effective. Does this show that this kind of war is not dead yet? Mick Ryan: Absolutely, it was never dead. It just took a rest every now and then in a couple of places in Ukraine. There are a lot of lessons, and I guess we'll wait and see what the ultimate outcome of this operation is to have a full assessment, but a few occur to me. Firstly, that surprise is still possible. People still discount this in the 21st century, but we get surprised constantly, and it will continue to happen. Secondly, I think this shows the value of well-led, experienced combat formations in these kinds of operations. Last year we saw very green combat formations being used in the counteroffensive, and it didn't go well. There are also lessons around air defense, electronic warfare, deception, and so on. But I think the most important lesson is again that war is still human. It's not a technological affair, even though we use a lot of technologies. It's about humans and humans planning, about humans deceiving, about humans leading, and about humans ultimately fighting as teams on behalf of their country, behalf of their brigade, behalf of their company, behalf of their platoon. Many of these are not new lessons. We just need to have them reinforced every now and then. You can watch the video version of this interview here: Note from the author: Hi, this is Francis Farrell, reporting from a very strange time in Russia's war against Ukraine. As much as I have enjoyed all the fantastic memes about the Kursk Oblast incursion, it is always worth remembering that these are real people, real Ukrainians out there taking this risk on. In a case like this, when the fog of war is thicker than ever, we are working hard to bring what we know straight to you. Please consider supporting our reporting. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) A group of hardworking and unique students returned from a major learning experience to teach people with disabilities inclusion and independence. Meeting some of your best friends and growing together is what the Best Buddies program is all about. This dedicated group of local students just returned from putting those words into action at an international leadership conference in Bloomington, Indiana. I really, really loved it a lot. I cant believe how mature and responsible I am, said student Claire McLaughlin. The first hurdle to clear though was just getting there! We were supposed to fly down on the day of the IT outage. A flight turned into a bus ride which got canceled which turned into us driving down, and the students handled it with ease, said mentor Josh Miles. Just every single change that was frustrating and challenging, and they took it all in stride. Once they arrived, the students and mentors dove right into the workshops on independence, job training, and advocacy for people with intellectual and physical disabilities, as well as plenty of fun activities. I learned a lot about how to be a good leader and how to do a lot of fun things for my chapter, said student Lilly Keen. I learned to be included from my whole entire friends to be included in Best Buddies, added student Katie Frost. The goal of the conference and the Best Buddies program is to improve these young leaders relationships, communication, and self-pride giving them the best shot at achieving their dreams. I want to be a pop star, said student Diego Santiago. Be famous and spectacular! Just seeing them be in an environment where theyre able to grow beyond what they might be able to in a lot of other areas is just incredible, and it makes me really proud of them and all theyre able to do, Miles said. The students say they are ready to learn more about how to care for themselves, and their peers, and to make sure every buddy belongs. I like it when everyone is trying to evolve with the Best Buddies program, said student Liz Waltz. I want to learn that different people can be everyone who we are. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst. Police in Brooklyn Center fire tear gas into a crowd of people protesting the police shooting of 20-year-old Daute Wright on April 11, 2021. Photo by Chad Davis. Public safety has proven to be the most difficult governing and political challenge of Gov. Tim Walzs tenure. The pandemic fueled a spike in violent crime, while Minnesotans marched against police brutality after the murder of George Floyd. While most protested peacefully, others looted stores and set buildings on fire, including the Minneapolis Police Departments Third Precinct. That in turn set off a mass departure of MPD officers; crime continued to rise in 2020 and 2021. Vice President Kamala Harris was slammed by Republicans for encouraging people to bail out protesters after Floyds police killing. After she tapped Walz to be her running mate, the Republican National Committee immediately called the duo weak on crime, defund the police liberals who let rioters burn the Twin Cities while Kamala stepped in to fundraise for their bail. To the restive progressive base in his party, however, Walz and state lawmakers havent done enough to reform the criminal justice system. For several years, public safety had Walz stuck in a political vice grip, and events had a way of acting as a tightening turn. Like many Democrats before Floyds murder sparked a national racial reckoning, Walz was if anything pro-police. But after Floyds killing rocked the world, Walz was vocal about wanting to see the four police officers that were involved charged and convicted; nine police groups told him to back off and let the justice system do its work. Amid the rioting and arson, Walz blamed Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for the slow response, calling the citys response an abject failure; Frey blamed Walz for failing to take his requests to bring in the National Guard seriously. Former Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka recently told Fox News that The mayor of Minneapolis said to the governor, I need your help. I need the (National) Guard. And thats when the governor just sat on his hands. He froze. He didnt do anything. A 2020 report by the Republican-controlled state Senate blamed both Walz and Frey of failing to act swiftly enough due to an ill-conceived philosophical belief that such an action would exacerbate the rioting. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A Minneapolis after-action review by independent auditors concluded city officials didnt follow the necessary protocols to request assistance because the process was unfamiliar to those making the requests. Trump, at a recent rally in St. Cloud, falsely said he saved Minneapolis by calling in the National Guard, even though it was Walz who sent in the troops. And ABC News recently obtained a recording of a phone call in which Trump praised Walz for his actions at the time. Even as Walz has faced criticism for his response to the riots, he was pilloried for law enforcement targeting demonstrators and journalists. Walz took responsibility and apologized to CNN reporter Omar Jimenez after he and his crew were arrested while doing a live television report on the Floyd protest. A spokesman for the Department of Public Safety declined to comment on whether any state troopers were disciplined for their actions during the protests unless the Reformer could provide the names of the troopers involved. Days after Floyd was killed, Walz arranged to have Attorney General Keith Ellison take over the prosecution of the officers; civil rights activists applauded the move. Breaking the wheel of police violence Justin Terrell, who at the time advised the governor and lawmakers as executive director of the Council for Minnesotans of African Heritage, said because the state took over the prosecution, Ellison was able to break the wheel of police violence and convict the officers. At the time, Terrell didnt expect the divided Legislature to do much on police reform, despite heavy pressure from civil rights and anti-police brutality activists. Two months after Floyds death, however, Walz signed a sweeping package of police reforms called the Minnesota Police Accountability Act. The law imposed stricter standards for when deadly force is justified, emphasizing the sanctity of life; banned certain chokeholds; barred warrior-style police training; changed police arbitration rules; required more de-escalation training and reporting on use-of-force; and required that officers intervene if a colleague uses excessive force. Walz called it a critical step toward justice. But for progressives, it didnt go far enough. Michelle Gross, president of Communities United Against Police Brutality, said activists pushed legislation to address police misconduct, but the governors office wasnt interested in real changes. They basically passed some very milquetoast bill that wouldnt do anything to change anything, Gross said. A little-noticed development in 2021 may eventually usher in the most far-reaching changes to Minnesota policing: Walz filled seven vacancies on the Police Officer Standards and Training Board, or POST board, an obscure but important police licensing panel with rule-making authority. He also appointed two more members under legislation hed signed months earlier. Now the POST board can take cops off the street for misconduct even if they havent been convicted of a crime or disciplined by their police department. It remains to be seen if the board will use its authority to prevent the next Derek Chauvin from taking an innocent life. Walz goes hard to protect police station During a 2021 traffic stop, this time in Brooklyn Center, Daunte Wright was killed by a police officer, sparking more protests, this time at the Brooklyn Center police station. Hundreds of protesters lobbed water bottles and fireworks at police. Walz redeployed Operation Safety Net a coalition of law enforcement agencies formed to prevent rioting and looting during Chauvins trial to Brooklyn Center, where they used chemical irritants, less-lethal munitions and flash bangs, injuring protesters, bystanders and journalists. An Asian-American CNN producer was arrested and asked if she spoke English, and a Black New York Times photographer was repeatedly hit by officers, nearly breaking his camera. Walz seemed intent on preventing another conflagration and didnt apologize for the states show of force, bringing condemnation from his left flank again. Civil rights leaders and over 40 progressive political groups called for Operation Safety Net to be disbanded, saying it escalated hostility and retraumatized people already reeling from the police killings of Floyd, Wright and others. Wrights killing came at a tense time in Minnesota history, as the state was wrapping up its case against Chauvin in the Floyd killing. Ellison won a conviction against Chauvin on all three charges in April 2021, relieving pressure on the streets of Minneapolis. That fall, Walz opposed a Minneapolis ballot initiative that wouldve replaced the police department with a new department of public safety, splitting with the attorney general and U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar and siding with Frey. Voters rejected the proposals and re-elected Frey. Walz pivots, pushes for police funding The metro area was seething with tension in 2021 as carjackers hit nearly every Minneapolis neighborhood; a string of children were killed by stray bullets; and out-of-control street racing left three young people dead. In the spring of 2022, Walz directed state government to help Minneapolis tackle violent crime. Over 10% of state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension agents were pulled off their cases and redeployed to Minneapolis and the surrounding area. Around the same time, U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger began helping target violent crime, carjackings, illegal guns and gangs. Violent crime began dropping as it did in many U.S. cities. During his 2022 reelection campaign, Walz pushed for a $300 million infusion of state cash for local police departments. The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association declined to comment for this story, and after remaining neutral in Walzs first gubernatorial race, in 2022 the group endorsed his Republican opponent, Scott Jensen, in front of the burned-out remains of the MPDs Third Precinct. The MPPOA, which represents over 10,000 police officers, wanted more money to help with recruitment and retention as officers fled departments, especially in Minneapolis. Since Floyds killing, the group has gravitated toward Republicans. In 2023, Walz pushed for and got that $300 million for cities, counties and tribal governments to spend on policing. The trifecta passes sweeping reforms Despite fears that the crime epidemic could take down Democrats statewide, Walz was re-elected and Democrats took control of state government in 2022. Newly emboldened, they passed a slew of reforms in 2023, including an overhaul of the states prison system, making it more rehabilitative and less punitive. Prisoners can get out earlier and shorten their community supervision if they participate in rehabilitation programs. Walz signed legislation that legalized marijuana and the possession of drug paraphernalia; limited probation to five years for most felonies (except for homicides and sex crimes); made phone calls free for prisoners; made it easier for people to expunge non-violent crimes from their records; made it easier to get clemency; and invested $70 million in community violence prevention grants. In both 2023 and 2024, Walz signed major gun control legislation, including a so-called red flag law, mandated background checks on private sales, and a stiffer penalty for straw purchases. Still, Walz again disappointed more progressive Democrats when he yanked a murder case from Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty, a progressive former public defender. She won by an overwhelming majority, Gross said. We want the kind of reforms that shes putting into place, and the governor and attorney generals office are torpedoing those by their constant threats to take away cases that involve law enforcement misconduct So the playing of politics with police accountability has been very frustrating for us. Its just insane what hes been able to get done While Republicans have sought to paint a picture of Minnesota and the Twin Cities in particular as no-go war zones, violent crime in Minnesota remains well below the U.S. average and has fallen sharply since peaking in 2021. Terrell, now executive director of the Minnesota Justice Research Center, said Walz has signed transformative legislation. In a divided Legislature, we got 20 bills passed that made changes to police reform, he said. Terrell is most proud of restoring felons voting rights, overhauling the prison system, and restructuring the state police licensure board. As Terrell points out, the Walz administration was the first state in the nation to enter into a consent decree with a city over discriminatory policing; the federal government typically plays that role, though in the case of Minneapolis, therell be both state and federal monitoring. Its just insane what hes been able to get done in a post-George Floyd political landscape, Terrell said. Obviously, we like to press the governor on some of his leadership, but frankly, at the end of the day, the biggest demonstration of his leadership is the ability to work with the Legislature and the people to get those bills to his desk so that he can sign into law things that make a huge difference. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating a Georgia mayor after allegations of him selling alcohol to inmates. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] On June 6, Thomson police asked the GBI to investigate the city of Thomson mayor, Benjamin Cary Cranford, 52. Cranford allegedly gave alcohol to an inmate work detail who was working in the city of Thomson on June 4. TRENDING STORIES: On Wednesday, the case was presented to a McDuffie County grand jury and an arrest warrant was issued for Cranford. Cranford was arrested and booked into the McDuffie County jail. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call the GBI at 706-595-2575. Tipsters can remain anonymous by calling 1-800-597-8477, submitting a tip online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app. The investigation will be given to the Toombs Judicial Circuit District Attorneys Office for prosecution. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: Georgia State Capitol reopens after email threat hoax. What we know The Georgia State Capitol has reopened in Atlanta following an unsubstantiated email threat on Thursday. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported the Capitol was evacuated due to the threat about 2 p.m. Officers cleared the building and said there was no threat, according to the outlet. Text messages from Capitol police said, All persons inside should evacuate in an orderly fashion, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Later, texts said: ALL CLEAR! No threat was located. Email believed to be part of a hoax sent to multiple states. The Capitol is resuming normal operations. WSBTV in Atlanta, citing a statement from Gov. Brian Kemps Office, reported the governor was not in danger at the time of the evacuation. In January, several news outlets reported evacuations at state capitals due to an email threat. The Lexington Herald-Ledger reported that threats were sent out to multiple secretaries of state across the country as a mass email, according to Michon Lindstrom, a spokesperson for Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams. CNN reported that Capitol buildings in multiple states had been temporarily shut down and evacuated because of threats. The University System of Georgia Board of Regents approved a $3.6 billion fiscal 2026 budget request Wednesday. The 2026 budget, which takes effect next July, represents a $221.1 million increase over this years spending plan. By far the largest increase - $167.8 million - would cover projected enrollment growth. The regents also adopted a $193.1 million capital budget request, down slightly from the $198 million the university system sought for the current fiscal year. The largest portion of the capital budget - $91.8 million - would go toward five proposed building projects. The wish list includes $31 million for a new Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) building at the University of North Georgia in Dahlonega. Another $23 million would go toward modernizing a building in the Science and Ag Hill area of the University of Georgia campus in Athens. In fact, most of the capital spending request for construction involves renovation projects as opposed to new construction, Tracey Cook, the systems chief fiscal officer, told board members Wednesday. Both the operating and capital budget requests move next to the Governors Office of Planning and Budget for review. Gov. Brian Kemp will present his spending requests to the General Assembly in January. In other business Wednesday, the regents heard results from an internal audit showing the systems institutions are still not fully complying with a policy issued in May of last year prohibiting the schools from requiring job applicants to submit a diversity statement, typically a one- or two-page document outlining how applicants plan to advance diversity. All 26 of Georgias public colleges and universities either have implemented compliance plans or are in the process of developing a plan, Ted Beck, the university systems assistant vice chancellor for internal audit, told board members. However, there remain opportunities for improvement, he said. The audit recommended that the schools adopt a system-wide process for ensuring that all job postings ban references to affirmations, ideological tests, or oaths by applicants. The report also suggested the university system adopt uniform mandatory training procedures to be applied to all of the schools. System Chancellor Sonny Perdue said he was pleased with the audit. They are doing their best to comply with the wishes of the board, he said. Climate activists on a tarmac at Stuttgart Airport. The Last Generation Climate Initiative has launched protests in several cities. According to the organization, two activists in orange high-visibility vests entered several airports. Marius Bulling/dpa Germany's ADV airport association called for a decisive response after disruptive protests by the Last Generation climate activism group at several airports on Thursday. ADV Managing Director Ralph Beisel described the protests that caused delays at airports "a concerted act of criminal extortion." Beisel called the protests "crimes" that must be "consistently sanctioned" by the judiciary. He demanded that an approved cabinet decision be "immediately" passed by the Bundestag, or parliament, to tighten the Aviation Security Act. The step would allow for tougher penalties to prevent climate activists and others from carrying out dangerous protests at airports. Last week, the ADV made a proposal to the climate activists for a dialogue. In an open letter the group acknowledged climate change as one of the greatest challenges of modern times. The association said it wanted to inform climate activists, in a conversation, about the latest climate policy and measures airports are taking. It also wants to discuss with them the impact of runway blockades on airport safety. In a post on X, Last Generation said it would gladly accept the offer for dialogue. A Berlin-Brandenburg BER airport security car is parked behind the airport fence. The police assume that activists from the Last Generation Climate Initiative have gained access to the airport grounds through the visible hole in the fence. Julius Schreiner/dpa An airport security car at Cologne-Bonn Airport is parked behind the airport fence. The police assume that activists from the Last Generation Climate Initiative have gained access to the airport grounds through the visible hole in the fence. Benjamin Westhoff/dpa Climate activists from the Last Generation Climate Initiative are on the grounds of Nuremberg Airport. The Last Generation Climate Initiative has launched protests in several cities. According to the organization, two activists in orange high-visibility vests entered several airports. Daniel Vogl/dpa Flights were suspended at two airports after the environmental activist group Last Generation launched protest actions at several German airports on Thursday, while a minister and an airport group demanded tougher sentences for disruptions. The actions targeted the Berlin-Brandenburg, Stuttgart, Nuremberg and Cologne-Bonn airports, dpa photographers on site confirmed. Flight operations at Cologne/Bonn Airport were interrupted after around 5:45 am (0345 GMT) as two people had attached themselves to the pavement on an access road to a runway, said a spokesman for the Federal Police. They were removed and flights resumed but the airport said further delays were possible. Similar protests halted flights at Nuremberg for about an hour, a police spokesman said, after two climate activists breached the airport's perimeter early in the morning. A dpa reporter on-site reported a hole in the fence in the southern area of the runway, with two bolt cutters lying nearby. At Berlin's main airport BER and in Stuttgart, two activists glued themselves to surfaces, police reports said, noting all four were taken into custody. The protest did not affect flight operations, the police said. Last Generation: Activists peacefully express resistance Last Generation, in a statement, said two activists in orange high-visibility vests each entered the airports in Berlin-Brandenburg, Stuttgart, Nuremberg and Cologne-Bonn. The statement said the runways were not entered. It said the activists peacefully expressed their resistance by displaying banners reading Oil kills and Sign the treaty, the organization reported. It did not specify the treaty, but it likely refers to the fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty initiative. In October 2022 the European Parliament passed a resolution calling on nation-states to work on such a treaty. The Last Generation group demands radical climate protection, including the complete renunciation of coal, oil and gas and is calling for the conclusion of an international treaty to this effect. The group has been organizing road blockades since the beginning of 2022. But it had announced that it would change its strategy and that members would refrain from glueing themselves to the streets in future. The climate activists have also recently organized several disruptive actions at airports, including at Germany's largest airport in Frankfurt at the end of July. Tougher laws to act as a deterrent The German government wants to deter radical climate activists and others from carrying out dangerous protests at airports by tightening up the Aviation Security Act. The core of the planned reform, which still has to be approved by the Bundestag, or parliament, is the creation of a new provision that makes "intentional, unauthorized intrusion" onto the tarmac and runways a punishable offence if it impairs the safety of civil air traffic. Minister, lawmakers slam protests German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser called protest actions at German airports in which activists attach themselves to the tarmac "dangerous and stupid" and suggested tougher penalties. "These criminal actions are dangerous and stupid," Faeser said in a post on X of the latest protests. "The troublemakers are not only risking their own lives but also endangering others," she wrote, noting that the government has proposed a "severe prison sentence." The government is also requiring airports to "significantly improve the security of their facilities," she said. The "crimes of Last Generation" repeatedly endanger "the safety and operation of important infrastructure," said Bijan Djir-Sarai, the general secretary of the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP). "They divide our society and do a disservice to climate protection." The FDP is the junior coalition partner in the German government. Police union: Make protesters pay Climate activists should be held accountable for potential financial damages resulting from their actions at airports, according to Germany's police trade union. The union said activists are liable for the damage caused by flight cancellations and disruptions to airline operations. They should bear the costs, said Ralf Kusterer, deputy national and regional chairman of the union in Baden-Wurttemberg, in the south-west. "Anyone who deliberately brings infrastructure to a standstill by using their body as an insurmountable barrier and acting without regard for the affected legal rights and interests is acting immorally," he said. Such immorality is the basis for civil claims, Kusterer said, adding that independently, the law should pursue activists and further costs for the police operation and the removal of the disturbance should be imposed on them. Airport group demands tougher deterrents, laws Germany's ADV airport association demanded the swift passing of the law and called for a decisive response to the disruptive protests earlier on Thursday. ADV Managing Director Ralph Beisel described the protests that caused delays at airports "a concerted act of criminal extortion." Beisel called the protests "crimes" that must be "consistently sanctioned" by the judiciary. He demanded that an approved cabinet decision be "immediately" passed by the Bundestag, or parliament, to tighten the Aviation Security Act. Last week, the ADV made a proposal to the climate activists for a dialogue. In an open letter the group acknowledged climate change as one of the greatest challenges of modern times. The association said it wanted to inform climate activists, in a conversation, about the latest climate policy and measures airports are taking. It also wants to discuss with them the impact of runway blockades on airport safety. In a post on X, Last Generation said it would gladly accept the offer for dialogue. A Berlin-Brandenburg BER airport security car is parked behind the airport fence. The police assume that activists from the Last Generation Climate Initiative have gained access to the airport grounds through the visible hole in the fence. Julius Schreiner/dpa Climate activists on a tarmac at Stuttgart Airport. The Last Generation Climate Initiative has launched protests in several cities. According to the organization, two activists in orange high-visibility vests entered several airports. Marius Bulling/dpa German Environment Minister Steffi Lemke criticized controversial plans to extract gas in the North Sea, near the German island of Borkum, citing marine protection concerns on Thursday. Lemke said the North Sea is already heavily utilized and any additional industrial facility at sea poses a risk to marine animals and plants. Gas extraction is rightly subject to stringent marine and nature conservation regulations, and if undertaken near Borkum, the protection of the Wadden Sea must take precedence, Lemke said. She called the Wadden Sea a jewel, stating it is unacceptable for this valuable ecosystem to be damaged and its UNESCO status put at risk to extract natural gas for just a few years. Her comments come after the Office for Mining, Energy and Geology (LBEG) in the north-western German state of Lower Saxony said on Wednesday it granted the Dutch energy company ONE-Dyas an 18-year permit for drilling under the seabed. The drilling are intended to extend from the Netherlands under the seabed into German territory, close to the Wadden Sea National Park. However, a further agreement between Germany and the Netherlands is still needed for the gas extraction. Under the deal, the drilling and extraction would be halted if Germany no longer needed natural gas as an energy source. Europe's biggest economy aims to switch to renewable energies as part of a low-carbon future. ONE-Dyas plans to start extraction from a field near Borkum and the Dutch island of Schiermonnikoog later this year. It plans to drill at depths of 1.5 kilometres to 3.5 kilometres. The expected extractable amount of natural gas for the entire project ranges from 4.5 billion cubic metres to 13 billion cubic metres. German Major General Christian Freuding, head of the Bundeswehr's Situation Center Ukraine at the German Ministry of Defence, has praised the decision of Ukrainian forces to launch an offensive on the Russian border. Source: European Pravda with reference to DPA Details: Freuding said after a several-day visit to Ukraine that he "fully understands" the decision of the Ukrainians to launch an offensive on Russias Kursk Oblast. Quote: "Wherever a military leader has the opportunity to take the initiative, he should use it. According to my impressions and conversations, the Ukrainians are well aware of the risk they are taking, but if this operation is successful, there could be a significant impetus," he added. The Bundeswehr major general said that Ukraine has deployed four brigades (4,000 to 6,000 troops) for the offensive, with 2,000 to 4,000 soldiers supporting them from Ukrainian territory through logistics and air defence. Quote: "The depth of the occupied territory is about 30 kilometres, and the width is about 65 kilometres. We estimate the total area where Ukrainian forces are operating - not controlling but operating - at about 1,000 square kilometres. This is interesting because it is approximately the territory that Ukrainian forces have lost to Russian forces since the beginning of the year," Freuding said. He added that Russia has tried to counter the Ukrainian attack with infantry, armoured vehicles and special forces, as well as massive artillery shelling and airstrikes, "but it has not been successful so far". The general estimates that Ukraine has captured "a large three-digit, if not four-digit, number of prisoners of war" of the Russians. Freuding says that the goals of the operation in Kursk may include easing Russian pressure on the front lines in Ukraine, a psychological effect "if the war is moved deeper into Russia", and the possible use of the captured territory for negotiations. Background: US President Joe Biden, in his first comments on Ukraine's offensive in Kursk Oblast, called the operation a "real dilemma" for Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. After speaking with Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba about Ukraine's offensive in Kursk Oblast, EU diplomat Josep Borrell said that the EU fully supports the struggle of the Ukrainian people. Support UP or become our patron! Members of Thailand's ruling coalition pose for a group photo during a press conference in Bangkok, Thailand, on Aug. 15, 2024. Thailand's ruling coalition on Thursday nominated Pheu Thai Party leader and daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, as a candidate for the country's new prime minister in the upcoming parliamentary vote. (Xinhua) BANGKOK, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's ruling coalition on Thursday nominated Pheu Thai Party leader and daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, as a candidate for the country's new prime minister in the upcoming parliamentary vote. The announcement came after the largest group in the governing coalition, the Pheu Thai Party, agreed to support 37-year-old Paetongtarn as a prime minister candidate following a court-ruled dismissal of former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin in an ethics violation case. "The Pheu Thai Party is ready to advance the nation with the support from all coalition partners, as we are resolute in addressing the economic challenges," Paetongtarn told a news briefing. Anutin Charnvirakul, leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, the coalition's second-largest group, said that to ensure continuity in governance, coalition parties are prepared to collaborate with and support Paetongtarn in her bid for the premiership. The Pheu Thai-led 11-party alliance currently holds 314 seats in the House of Representatives of the parliament. A successful candidate needs a simple majority approval of the current 493 legislators to be elected prime minister. The lower house of the Thai National Assembly is scheduled to convene on Friday to select the Southeast Asian nation's next prime minister. Paetongtarn Shinawatra, leader of Thailand's Pheu Thai Party, attends a press conference in Bangkok, Thailand, on Aug. 15, 2024. Thailand's ruling coalition on Thursday nominated Pheu Thai Party leader and daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, as a candidate for the country's new prime minister in the upcoming parliamentary vote. (Xinhua) Paetongtarn Shinawatra, leader of Thailand's Pheu Thai Party, attends a press conference in Bangkok, Thailand, on Aug. 15, 2024. Thailand's ruling coalition on Thursday nominated Pheu Thai Party leader and daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, as a candidate for the country's new prime minister in the upcoming parliamentary vote. (Xinhua) German Justice Minister Marco Buschmann on Thursday said he opposes Interior Minister Nancy Faeser's plans to give the police additional search powers in a draft security bill. "As Justice Minister, I reject such ideas," Buschmann said in comments to the Bild newspaper. "If anyone were to seriously propose this, such a proposal would neither pass the cabinet nor gain a majority in parliament," he added. Details of the draft bill emerged on Wednesday, suggesting Faeser is advocating for criminal police to be given the power to conduct covert house searches in certain cases. The bill, which is being discussed by the German government, would allow officers from Germany's Criminal Police Office (BKA) to search houses covertly in the case of a "concrete threat of a terrorist attack." The BKA search would require a court order and only be permitted if it were the only method of averting an imminent danger without seriously jeopardizing the success of a criminal investigation, the bill says. The bill would amend existing legislation and also includes new authorizations for the evaluation and comparison of images, including with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). On Wednesday, an Interior Ministry spokeswoman said that the bill did not allow for "real-time surveillance and real-time facial recognition in public spaces." Climate activists on a tarmac at Stuttgart Airport. The Last Generation Climate Initiative has launched protests in several cities. According to the organization, two activists in orange high-visibility vests entered several airports. Marius Bulling/dpa German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser called protest actions at German airports in which activists attach themselves to the tarmac "dangerous and stupid" and suggested tougher penalties. On Thursday, activists from the Last Generation climate group entered airports in Berlin-Brandenburg, Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Cologne-Bonn, causing delays at Cologne/Bonn and Nuremberg. "These criminal actions are dangerous and stupid," Faeser said in a post on X. "The troublemakers are not only risking their own lives but also endangering others," she wrote, noting that the government has proposed a "severe prison sentence." The government is also requiring airports to "significantly improve the security of their facilities," she said. The core of a draft law, passed by the Cabinet on July 17 but still needing parliamentary or Bundestag approval, is the creation of a new provision that makes "intentional, unauthorized intrusion" onto the tarmac and runways a punishable offence if the action impairs the safety of civil air traffic. For example, anyone who cuts through a fence and then blocks a runway will in future face a prison sentence of up to two years or a fine. Attempts will also be punishable. Previously, only a fine was due in such cases. An airport security car at Cologne-Bonn Airport is parked behind the airport fence. The police assume that activists from the Last Generation Climate Initiative have gained access to the airport grounds through the visible hole in the fence. Benjamin Westhoff/dpa Climate activists from the Last Generation Climate Initiative are on the grounds of Nuremberg Airport. The Last Generation Climate Initiative has launched protests in several cities. According to the organization, two activists in orange high-visibility vests entered several airports. Daniel Vogl/dpa A Berlin-Brandenburg BER airport security car is parked behind the airport fence. The police assume that activists from the Last Generation Climate Initiative have gained access to the airport grounds through the visible hole in the fence. Julius Schreiner/dpa German Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser speaks at Ostbahnhof after visiting a Federal Police contact point where women who have been victims of violence can receive advice and support. Sebastian Christoph Gollnow/dpa German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser on Thursday defended the government's ban on the far-right Compact magazine, a day after a court provisionally lifted the measure. Faeser said Germany's Basic Law "expressly provides an instrument to ban organizations in order to protect democracy from enemies of the constitution." Speaking in Berlin, Faeser said her ministry would not back down in the case, which is being considered by Germany's Federal Administrative Court in the eastern city of Leipzig. In an expedited ruling on Wednesday, the court raised doubts about the proportionality of the ban and allowed Compact to resume publishing under certain conditions, ahead of a final decision in main proceedings. Faeser first banned Compact on July 16, justifying the move by describing the publication as a "central mouthpiece of the right-wing extremist scene." Following the ruling, Faeser admitted the Interior Ministry had "lost in parts," but said the court's decision was "a completely normal process" under Germany's constitutional democracy. German Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser speaks at Ostbahnhof after visiting a Federal Police contact point where women who have been victims of violence can receive advice and support. Sebastian Christoph Gollnow/dpa German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser on Thursday defended the government's ban on the far-right Compact magazine, a day after a court provisionally lifted the measure. Faeser said Germany's Basic Law "expressly provides an instrument to ban organizations in order to protect democracy from enemies of the constitution." Speaking in Berlin, Faeser said her ministry would not back down in the case, which is being considered by Germany's Federal Administrative Court in the eastern city of Leipzig. In an expedited ruling on Wednesday, the court raised doubts about the proportionality of the ban and allowed Compact to resume publishing under certain conditions, ahead of a final decision in main proceedings. Faeser first banned Compact on July 16, justifying the move by describing the publication as a "central mouthpiece of the right-wing extremist scene." Following the ruling, Faeser admitted the Interior Ministry had "lost in parts," but said the court's decision was "a completely normal process" under Germany's constitutional democracy. Faeser came in for sharp criticism from the conservative opposition and from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), as well as from the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) in the ruling coalition. FDP parliamentary head Konstantin Kuhle described the court ruling as "embarrassing" and predicted it could boost the AfD in upcoming state-level elections. AfD co-leader Alice Weidel called on Faeser to resign. Speaking to journalists in Berlin, Compact publisher Jurgen Elsasser said the publication had emerged victor over "the authoritarian, not to say fascist, overreaching of Interior Minister Nancy Faeser." The August edition would now go out as planned, even though the all the magazine's equipment had been seized, from desks to computers to files, he said. Compact lawyers have launched legal action to have the confiscated assets released. Elsasser predicted its circulation would rise. "Before Faeser's attack, perhaps 2 million Germans knew about us, and now it will be 60 million," he said. "Now, everyone wants this publication," he said. Elsasser said he would demand damages exceeding 320,000 ($350,000), equivalent to turnover for the four weeks that the magazine was shut down. "That figure will certainly go up," he predicted. And he insisted that a remark made by him "This regime must be toppled" - had been misinterpreted. While he had been accused of seeking to topple the free democratic order, his aim had always been to re-establish the free democratic order, Elsasser said. Several beds can be seen in a container at a refugee shelter run by the Aurich district adult education center. Aid organizations have called for Germany's programme for taking in refugees from Afghanistan to continue to operate and to be expanded. Hauke-Christian Dittrich/dpa Aid organizations have called for Germany's programme for taking in refugees from Afghanistan to continue to operate and to be expanded. The Berlin-based Zentrum Uberleben (Survival Centre) organization issued a statement signed by more than 50 organizations calling for Afghan human rights activists not to be left to their fate. "Three years after the takeover by the Taliban, people in Afghanistan who have worked for democracy and human rights there are in greater danger than ever," it said. The German reception programme has thus far allowed people in extreme danger in Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover in August 2021 to enter Germany, but its future is uncertain. While there is agreement within the coalition government that the approximately 3,100 people who have secured approval will be allowed in, future admissions depend on the financial situation. A number of coalition politicians have recently expressed reservations about the programme, as Afghanistan is one of the main countries of origin of irregular asylum-seekers entering Germany. The Zentrum Uberleben statement highlighted dangers facing women, girls and homosexuals in Afghanistan. It calls for approval to be accelerated and for rules on family reunification to be eased, along with an expansion of reception facilities. Deportations to Afghanistan should be banned, it said. The centre supports rehabilitation and integration of refugees and migrants. The News German authorities reportedly issued an arrest warrant for a Ukrainian man over the 2022 bombing of the Nord Stream pipeline, an attack that disrupted gas supplies to Europe. Moscow, Kyiv, Washington, and London have all variously traded blame over the act of sabotage, and though Berlin is after a Ukrainian man whom German media said subsequently escaped back to Ukraine Polish officials have previously argued signs of Ukrainian involvement were a false flag planted by Russia. The Wall Street Journal, meanwhile, reported that Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy approved a plan to blow up the pipeline before later calling it off, only for his own commander-in-chief to go ahead anyway. Kyiv denied those allegations. The 16-year-old girl was visiting the 36th District Court in Detroit on Aug. 14 when she dozed off in the courtroom of Judge Kenneth King Todd McInturf /Detroit News via AP; Paul Sancya/AP Judge Kenneth King, left, and the 36th District Court building in Detroit, right A Michigan judge is defending his actions after he had a teenager placed in handcuffs and a jail uniform after she was caught sleeping in his courtroom during a summer field trip Judge Kenneth King also allegedly threatened the teen with time in a juvenile detention facility after taking issue with her "attitude" on Aug. 14 The teen was allegedly traumatized by the Judges unnecessary disciplinary treatment and scolding," according to the nonprofit that hosted the field trip A Michigan judge allegedly had a teenager placed in handcuffs and don a jail uniform after falling asleep while visiting a local court. The 16-year-old girl was visiting the 36th District Court in Detroit as part of a field trip on Wednesday, Aug. 14, when she dozed off in the courtroom of Judge Kenneth King, said a spokesperson for The Greening of Detroit in a statement obtained by PEOPLE. The nonprofit organization hosted the field trip to help teach young people about the legal system, according to ABC affiliate WXYZ. The kids were there to see a real trial in action and speak to a judge in person when the incident occurred. Would you want someone to treat your child like that? Latoreya Hill, the mother of the teen, told WXYZ after the incident. Would you even treat your child like that? Related: 12-Year-Old Rescues Classmate Struggling to Swim During Class Field Trip: 'Ive Got to Help Him' The judge "made her wear handcuffs and a jail uniform and yelled at her for falling asleep in his courtroom," according to the spokesperson for The Greening of Detroit. "You fall asleep in my courtroom one more time, Im gonna put you in back, understood?" King said, per WXYZ. He also said at one point, You sleep in bed at your home, not at court." Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. In a video that has since been removed from YouTube, King also threatened to send the teen to a juvenile detention facility "as a lesson, according to the Detroit Free Press. The judge had the teens peers vote on whether that should be her fate, but ultimately let her go, WXYZ reported. Was I really going to do that? Probably not. Could I have? Probably so, King told the station. But that's not what I want to do to a kid who's there on a field trip. Related: No, Tenn. School District Didnt Cancel All Field Trips Due to Low Test Scores. Here's What Really Happened The Greening of Detroit spokesperson said that it is unfortunate that King chose to make an example of a 16-year-old girl in front of her peers. Although the Judge was trying to teach a lesson of respect, his methods were unacceptable, they added. The teen involved in the incident and her parents told The Greening of Detroit that she was traumatized by the Judges unnecessary disciplinary treatment and scolding," the spokesperson added. The group of students should have been simply asked to leave the courtroom if he thought they were disrespectful, the spokesperson explained. Related: Mom Wants to Cancel Daughter's Band Trip That the Teen Saved for After She's Caught Bullying a Peer Additionally, Hill told WXYZ that she and her family, including the teen, currently do not have a permanent residence. How do you know my baby got a home? How do you know my baby got a bed, her own bed she could sleep in? the mom said. She dont have that right now, so she was tired. But King defended his actions, claiming he was disturbed by the teens attitude and disposition in the courtroom that day. I felt compelled to do it because I didn't like the child's attitude," the judge explained. "I haven't been disrespected like that in a very long time. King also told WXYZ he does not believe he was heavy handed with the teen. I'll do whatever it needs to be done to reach these kids and make sure that they don't end up in front of me, he said. The teens mom has since removed her daughter from the summer program that hosted the field trip, according to WXYZ. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Aug 15, 2024, 2:05pm EDT Europe The News More than 4.4 billion people in low and middle income countries lack access to safely managed drinking water, twice as many as the United Nations and World Health Organizations had previously estimated, according to new research. The scientists used household survey data, satellite observations, and geospatial modeling to make detailed maps that traced drinking water supply across 135 lower and middle income countries. The biggest hurdle to access to safely managed drinking water was fecal contamination, affecting nearly half the population of these regions. The difference in the WHO and UNs estimates and the new estimate has to do, on some level, with the data, Esther Greenwood, the studys lead author, told Semafor. Her team looked at the household level, in contrast to the UN and WHO, which seemingly made their calculations at the population level, she said. SIGNALS Semafor Signals: Global insights on today's biggest stories. Better data on global access to safe water is needed Source: Esther Greenwood, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology Household surveys on water use are typically gathered once every 5-10 years, due in part to the vast effort and expense required, so its not possible to definitively say how many people have access to safely managed drinking water in 2024, Greenwood said. Such studies only capture water use at the moment of the survey, [and] climate, seasonality, and other factors may influence peoples water use, she added. Machine learning can help fill in some of the gaps, particularly in areas where there is little or no available household data, but in the end, every model is only as good as the data which is available and which it is fed, so if we want to improve our estimates, we need better data, she said. Water as a human right Sources: Center for Strategic and International Studies, United Nations, The Economist The UN recognized access to clean drinking water as a human right in 2010. Intertwined with other rights, such as to life and health, its realization nevertheless highlights the complexity of the international consensus that rights are indivisible, interdependent, and interrelated, a water security expert argued in the Center for Strategic and International Studies. It requires governments and institutions to navigate competing claims on resources, and lack of access is often not down to a lack of availability, he wrote. Framing water as a human rights issue raises questions as to whether it can also be a commodity: The UN argues that water would be better treated as a common good, and at least affordable, if not free, a former UN expert told The Economist. Climate change exacerbates water issues Sources: Stockholm International Water Institute, The Conversation, Council on Foreign Relations Climate experts have long argued that the climate crisis is essentially a water crisis, and that climate change is primarily experienced in terms of too much, or too little, water. Climate change is intensifying water cycles in a wet-gets-wetter-dry-gets-drier pattern, which severely limits access to fresh water supplies in ways that threaten the long-term viability of cities unless fixes like desalination are put in place, the researchers who study the changing water cycle wrote in The Conversation. Indeed, water stress when demand for safe, usable water outstrips supply particularly affects the Middle East and North Africa, and wealthy countries already have to rely on expensive, energy-intensive desalination processes, the Council on Foreign Relations noted. PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) The Legislatures Government Operations and Audit Committee plans to seek answers about how two now-former employees in separate departments of South Dakota state government allegedly enriched themselves through illegal means, according to a top lawmaker who serves on the panel. House Speaker Hugh Bartels made the comments just hours after South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley issued a statement on Thursday morning confirming a second investigation into alleged financial deception, this time within the state Department of Revenue. Great Plains Zoo welcomes giraffe and meerkats Bartels said GOAC members plan to look into both matters, starting in October, and would likely issue a report that lays out what officials believe happened and also recommend corrective actions. I think that will be a great tool and help the public understand how we move forward with this, he said. Those remarks came after the Legislatures Executive Board returned from a closed-door session Thursday morning. The House speaker and the Senate president pro tempore each appoint five members to GOAC from their legislative chambers. Executive Board members are elected from their chambers and oversee the Legislatures operation outside of the annual legislative session. In his statement, Attorney General Jackley said the latest matter involves a past employee of the state Division of Motor Vehicles. He said his office was contacted in February of 2024 about an allegation of a false or fraudulent motor-vehicle title. Plan taking shape for SD 100th legislative session The person in question, Sandy ODay, died of cancer earlier this year. She had been one of the state employees singled out for recognition in 2022 for her then-32 years of service and was described as an invaluable asset to the division. Upon her retirement last year, she was honored by the Department of Revenue in a Facebook post. That post has since been deleted. Her husband died in May. The investigation at the DMV led to the discovery of 13 forged vehicle titles by the former employee between 2016 and 2023, according to Jackley. He said the titles were used to secure almost $400,000 worth of loans. There is no evidence that others were involved in this criminal activity. Since the former employee has passed away, no charges will be filed, Jackley said. All of the forged titles were associated with various fictitious campers and pull-type trailers, according to a spokesman for the attorney generals office, Tony Mangan. He said there is not any litigation by lenders pending against state government at this time. GOAC already had planned to look into the alleged theft of nearly $1.8 million from the state Department of Social Services. The suspect, Lonna Carroll, has been arrested. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. U.S. Rep. Jared Golden. (via Congressman Jared Golden/Facebook) Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Golden hasnt endorsed a candidate for the upcoming presidential election and he isnt going to. Golden released a statement Thursday evening reiterating that he will not be endorsing a candidate, adding that this will be his final comment in response to persistent questions about the presidential race, which has become a key criticism from his Republican opponent, Austin Theriault. The statement noted that Golden has never made an endorsement in a presidential election. Let me be as clear as I can be. I will not be endorsing in the presidential race, Golden said. The congressman, who is up for reelection in Maines 2nd Congressional District, said that he isnt endorsing anyone because he is running to represent all people in his district, regardless of who they pick for president. As I have always done, I will fight for Mainers no matter who occupies the White House, he wrote. I am running to earn their vote on the merits, whether they support Harris, Trump, or none of the above. No matter who you vote for, there is room for you on Team Golden. The statement comes a little more than a month after Golden penned an op-ed in the Bangor Daily News predicting that former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, would defeat President Joe Biden, who at the time was the Democratic candidate. Golden received pushback from Democratic lawmakers and community leaders who said his piece minimized threats to human rights and freedoms. Since that was published, Biden dropped his bid for reelection and the Democratic party including others in Maines congressional delegation threw their support behind the now-Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Than Shwe, former chairman of the Myanmar State Peace and Development Council, in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, Aug. 14, 2024. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China/Handout via Xinhua) NAY PYI TAW, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here Wednesday that China firmly opposes external interference in Myanmar and will continue the support for Myanmar's efforts towards domestic political reconciliation under the constitutional framework. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks when meeting with Than Shwe, former chairman of the Myanmar State Peace and Development Council. During the meeting, Wang said China firmly opposes external interference and infiltration in Myanmar as well as any words and deeds that undermine the stability and development of the Southeast Asian country. China will continue to support Myanmar in safeguarding its independence, sovereignty, national unity, and territorial integrity, Wang said, and reaffirmed China's support for Myanmar's efforts to achieve domestic political reconciliation under the constitutional framework, hold national elections and restart the democratic transition process. During the meeting, Than Shwe thanked China for providing long-term selfless support and help to Myanmar in all aspects. China is Myanmar's "paukphaw" (fraternal friend) and friendly neighbor, and the two countries have always treated each other in a friendly manner, Than Shwe said, noting the long-time peaceful coexistence between them would never change. He expressed hope that China will continue to provide support for Myanmar, helping Myanmar guard against external interference and maintain domestic stability. During the meeting, Wang also highlighted the China-Myanmar "paukphaw" friendship has withstood the test of vicissitudes in the international landscape, becoming ever stronger over time. China has always placed the development of China-Myanmar relations at an important position in its neighborhood diplomacy, said the Chinese foreign minister. China is willing to work with Myanmar to achieve more tangible results in the building of the China-Myanmar community with a shared future, Wang said. Wang was on a visit to Myanmar Wednesday before traveling to Thailand to co-chair the ninth Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting and attend the Informal Discussion Between the Foreign Ministers of China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. Also on Wednesday, Wang met with Chairman of Myanmar's State Administration Council (SAC) Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, and Myanmar's Deputy Prime Minister and Union Minister for Foreign Affairs U Than Swe. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Than Shwe, former chairman of the Myanmar State Peace and Development Council, in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, Aug. 14, 2024. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China/Handout via Xinhua) Gonorrhoea could become untreatable amid a rise in a drug-resistant strain from abroad, health officials have warned. There have been 15 cases of gonorrhoea in England that were resistant to antibiotics in the past two years, including five that were extensively resistant to multiple lines of treatment. Before 2022, there had only been nine cases and experts have warned that the sexually transmitted infection (STI) is becoming increasingly resistant to treatment. Tens of thousands of people suffer from drug-resistant superbugs every year according to the NHS, which this week launched a subscription-style model to incentivise drug makers to develop new antibiotics. There were a record 85,223 cases of gonorrhoea diagnosed in England in 2023, up by 7.5 per cent on the 79,268 cases in 2022. Officials believe the majority of drug-resistant cases were contracted in the Asia-Pacific region. Countries in the region, including China, Cambodia and Vietnam are reporting worryingly high levels of ceftriaxone resistance, a report by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said as the authority called for global action. It said all the cases detected in England had been among straight people, mostly in their 20s and mostly caught abroad. Transmission within England has been limited, officials said. Dr Helen Fifer, consultant microbiologist at UKHSA, said: Gonorrhoea is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, risking the possibility of it becoming untreatable in the future. Untreated gonorrhoea can lead to serious health issues, including pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility. Condoms are the best defence, but if you didnt use one with a recent new or casual partner, get tested to detect the infection and prevent onwards transmission. There is a huge worry that gonorrhoea is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics Symptoms of the STI include a thick green or yellow discharge from the vagina or penis, pain when urinating and, in women, bleeding between periods, according to the NHS. About one in 10 infected men and almost half of infected women do not experience any symptoms. It is easily diagnosed with a swab or urine test and is typically treated with a single antibiotic. But growing levels of antimicrobial resistance, where the bacteria causing the infection evolves to become resistant to medication, is an increasing concern across a range of diseases that are becoming superbugs. The NHS has launched a subscription-style model to tackle antimicrobial resistance which means paying drug manufacturers an annual fee to incentivise innovation and break the link between volume sold and profit. No new classes of antibiotics have been created since the 1980s creating one of the most urgent health challenges facing the world, NHS officials have said. Prof Matt Phillips, the president of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, said: The rise of antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea infections in England is a worrying trend that must be addressed with immediate action. Antibiotic resistance of STIs poses an increasingly major public health threat, which can create physical and psychological harms and place additional demands on other parts of the NHS. He added that a sexual health strategy for England must be a priority to meeting growing demand. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) Goodwill Industries of Kansas has announced the organization is expanding its partnership with the City of Wichita, Empower, and WSU Tech to create the Goodwill Opportunity Center in north Wichita. The center will be located at 2700 N. Woodland near 27th and North Arkansas in Evergreen Park. Its goal is to address employee readiness issues in the community by providing expanded capacity for NexStep Alliance classrooms at Empower. In addition, Goodwill says the center will offer a range of other agency services to the area. This expansion marks a significant milestone in our commitment to empowering individuals in our community through education and support services, says Laura Ritterbush, President and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Kansas. We are grateful for the continued collaboration with Empower and WSU Tech, which enables us to extend our reach and impact even further. Johnson Controls will host a hiring event Thursday This is taking an under-utilized asset and partnering with organizations that will utilize it to help others, says Park and Recreation Director Troy Houtman. Parks isnt just about green space and events its improving the lives of people in our community, and this partnership aligns with that goal. The establishment of the Goodwill Opportunity Center is a transformative moment for our community, says Dr. Sheree Utash, President of WSU Tech. By partnering with Goodwill and Empower, and with the commitment from the City of Wichita, we are collectively removing barriers and opening doors to education and employment. The Goodwill Opportunity Center is expected to open early next year. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV. Google is suffering for letting staff go home early, says former boss Eric Schmidt also suggests students could copy TikTok for their own product and hire lawyers to 'clean the mess up' - MIKE BLAKE/REUTERS Google lost ground to rivals by letting staff leave the office early and work from home, the companys former chief executive has said. Eric Schmidt, who led Google until 2011 and was its chairman until 2015, told students at Stanford University in April that the company was struggling against new rivals such as OpenAI because of its work culture. Google decided that work-life balance and going home early and working from home was more important than winning, he said in a recording of the talk published on YouTube this week. And the reason the start-ups work is because the people work like hell. The video has since been removed. After embracing remote working during the pandemic, Google has struggled to coax workers back to the office. Last summer, it tightened up its hybrid working policy, ordering staff back to the office three days a week and including attendance in performance reviews. The tech giant was caught off guard by the success of OpenAIs ChatGPT bot when it launched in late 2022, prompting an AI arms race between the two companies to release new products. Google later declared a code red internally as it rushed to launch its own AI chatbot tools and challenge ChatGPT. Google has since developed its own rival AI offering, Gemini, but it has faced a series of embarrassing gaffes since its launch giving incorrect answers and generating historically incorrect and offensive images. Click here to view this content. Mr Schmidt, who has a net worth of $30bn (23bn), said: The fact of the matter is, if you all leave the university and go found a company, youre not going to let people work from home and only come in one day a week if you want to compete against the other start-ups. Mr Schmidt, 69, later rowed back on his comments, telling the Wall Street Journal he misspoke. Mr Schmidt also encouraged students to play fast and loose with copyright rules when launching a start-up. He told the students: If TikTok is banned, heres what I propose each and every one of you do: Say to your [AI] the following: Make me a copy of TikTok, steal all the users, steal all the music, put my preferences in it, produce this program in the next 30 seconds. He later added that Silicon Valley companies could simply hire a whole bunch of lawyers to go clean the mess up. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Goonies, Lord of the Rings actor Sean Astin stops in Erie to support Harris campaign Famous actor Sean Astin came to Picnicana Park on Wednesday in support of Kamala Harriss campaign for president. Astin spoke with democratic leaders from Erie ahead of this years election, which will start in about 80 days. Harris-Walz campaign announces bus tour in western Pennsylvania He said this November will be a historic election for our country and encourages voters to learn about political issues and register to vote. He also said he wants to use his platform to support a cause he believes in. Local political leaders gather for rally at Democratic Party HQ The one word you keep hearing out of the campaign is freedom, and theres something wrong when if you say the word freedom, the first reaction is to lean back and feel skeptical. Thats not okay. We need to live in a country where you can say I believe in freedom, and everyone knows thats a good thing, said Astin. Astin will be spending the day in Pittsburgh on Thursday to continue his countrywide campaign for Harrisris. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com. GOP House candidate once sued for arresting infant, forcing New York to shell out $25,000 to babys mom GOP House candidate once sued for arresting infant, forcing New York to shell out $25,000 to babys mom A former New York cop running for Congress was once sued for allegedly detaining an infant, forcing the city to shell out $25,000 to the childs mother in a settlement. Republican Alison Esposito is taking on Democratic Representative Pat Ryan in New Yorks 18th congressional district which encompasses the upstate cities of Newburgh, Beacon, Kingston, and Poughkeepsie. Esposito, who was an NYPD officer for more than 20 years, has focused on issues of immigration and crime during her campaign. Every victim has a family. Every family hurts. And crime has a ripple effect through our city, through our state, through our communities, she told Fox News last April. However twice in her career as a police officer, New York City paid to settle lawsuits from people who accused her of acting illegally, according to City & State. Esposito was sued by three Black women in 2005 over civil rights violations. In a lawsuit, the women argued they had been wrongfully detained on suspicion of shoplifting. The city later settled the case for $95,000 and the cases against the women were dismissed. In 2017, Esposito faced allegations that she arrested and assaulted a baby, with the city paying the childs mother $25,000 in a settlement. Esposito and a fellow officer went into an apartment building on East 101st Street in 2016 where they did unlawfully stop, assault, frisk, handcuff, detain, arrest and imprison infant Rebecca Cuevas, according to a complaint filed by the childs mother Chantal Vasquez. Alison Esposito (center) at an election night party on November 8, 2022 in New York City with running mate, Republican gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin. Her campaign has rejected claims she once detained an infant when she worked as a police officer (Getty Images) Espositos lawyer rejected those allegations in a legal filing. Her defense said that the plaintiffs culpable conduct caused or contributed, in whole or in part, to their injuries or damages. The city of New York later settled the case for $25,000. The Independent has contacted Espositos campaign for comment. Ben Weiner, a spokesperson for Esposito, rejected the claims in the lawsuits. He told City & State: When criminals legally and lawfully are brought to justice, they often seek to scapegoat law enforcement via the courts and the city of New York is frequently forced to settle frivolous and baseless lawsuits in order to avoid costly litigation. He added: Alison did not detain or stop, question and frisk an infant. She proudly served the NYPD for over two decades. In total, Esposito faced eight complaints via the NYC Civilian Complaint Review Board, but none were backed up. Esposito also faced a reprimand when her gun and badge were stolen after she left them in an unlocked car, Politico reported this week. During her years in the NYPD, she became a deputy inspector and commanding officer of the 70th Precinct, which covers part of Brooklyn. But after protests in the summer of 2020 following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Esposito became frustrated with the violence that officers faced, she said. I looked at the seat I was sitting in, and I looked at the hat I was wearing, and I realized I was sitting in the wrong seat and wearing the wrong hat to effect the change that New York needed, Esposito said on the Ruthless podcast in May. The 18th Congressional District, located north of New York City, is the only district in the Hudson Valley that Republicans lost in the 2022 midterms, City & State noted. In that election, Esposito ran as lieutenant governor on a gubernatorial ticket with Republican Lee Zeldin but lost to Democrat Kathy Hochul. A host of Republican lawmakers celebrated the resignation of Columbia University President Minouche Shafik following heavy scrutiny over her handling of the schools protests and tensions over the Israel-Hamas war. Shafiks tenure, which began a little more than a year ago, saw the university become ground zero for pro-Palestinian demonstrations that roiled the New York campus and other schools across the country for weeks last spring. The demonstrations at Columbia involved student encampments, a building occupation and hundreds of arrests. Shafik announced her resignation, effective immediately, in a Wednesday message to the Columbia community. It has also been a period of turmoil where it has been difficult to overcome divergent views across our community. This period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in our community, she wrote. GOP lawmakers, many of whom were central to the congressional investigation of antisemitism on college campuses, lauded her decision on social media. I stood in President Shafiks office in April and told her to resign, and while it is long overdue, we welcome todays news. Jewish students at Columbia beginning this school year should breathe a sigh of relief, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) wrote on the social platform X Wednesday, adding, We hope that President Shafiks resignation serves as an example to university administrators across the country that tolerating or protecting antisemites is unacceptable and will have consequences. Johnson, ahead of a visit to Columbia last April, called for Shafik to resign, arguing Jewish students have felt fear on their campus as a result of the protests and lack of administrative leadership. House Republican Conference leader Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), who spent much of the last year investigating university presidents for their conduct in the wake of the protests, took a victory lap on X following Shafiks announcement Wednesday. THREE DOWN, so many to go, she wrote. After failing to protect Jewish students and negotiating with pro Hamas terrorists, this forced resignation is long overdue. We will continue to demand moral clarity, condemnation of antisemitism, protection of Jewish students and faculty, and stronger leadership from American higher education institutions. She appeared to be referencing former University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill and former Harvard University President Claudine Gay, both of whom resigned during the past academic year in the wake of mounting criticism over their handling of antisemitic conduct on campus. House Education and the Workforce Committee Chair Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) said Shafiks tenure saw a disturbing wave of antisemitic harassment, discrimination, and disorder on campus, while looking ahead to future leadership. Columbias next leader must take bold action to address the pervasive antisemitism, support for terrorism, and contempt for the universitys rules that have been allowed to flourish on its campus, Foxx wrote in a statement. Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) similarly called Shafiks resignation long overdue and alleged her administration routinely undermined Jewish students rights. Columbias next president must be committed to defending free speech AND the ability of all students to walk campus safely, he wrote on X. Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), who is Jewish, wrote that Shafik failed to demonstrate the moral clarity and leadership of a university president and argued her resignation does not fix Columbias violations of Title VI, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color or national origin in programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance. Let this be a lesson to all who waver in the face of evil, Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) added on X. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) Gov. Andy Beshear is weighing in on the controversy surrounding a Kentucky school district advocating against a ballot question on public school funding this year. Gov. Beshear campaigned on his advocacy for public schools and has repeatedly spoken out against charter schools, which is the big issue this amendment may address. Woman missing in 1973 found in Kentucky River to be laid to rest Attorney General Russell Coleman issued a statement Tuesday that said public resources cant be used against Amendment 2, but the governor said the districts speech on the issue is constitutionally protected. These school districts, I believe, have First Amendment rights. It needs to be done in a certain way. But this is a public school district fighting for the future of public schools. I think thats really important, Beshear said. The district drew criticism for posting both an image and infographic advocating against Ballot Amendment 2, which would decide if public tax money may be used to fund schools outside of the public school system. On Tuesday FOX 56 reported on the response from Pulaski school leaders who defended the decision and said they have a legal right. On Tuesday evening, Attorney General Coleman released an advisory to all public school districts in Kentucky affirming the offices position that public resources cannot be used to advocate for or against the amendment and that the office will take any necessary action to ensure constitutional and statutory limitations are upheld. On Wednesday, Pulaski Schools superintendent Patrick Richardson released another statement saying the posts are taken down, but that he believes the Attorney Generals advisory is partisan politics at its worst. Richardson encouraged staff to work outside of school hours against the amendment. They look like they will lose significant funding and its not going to go to any private school there. Its going to go to private schools elsewhere. This is going to defund some districts that need the money the most, Beshear said. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: FOX 56 reached out to the campaign advocating for Yes on Amendment 2 for a statement on the controversy. A spokesperson said: Across the country, school choice has broad support from both sides of the political aisle. In fact, Kentucky is one of only two states without school choice. Our hope is that legislators and Gov. Beshear can have productive conversations on expanding opportunities for Kentuckys students. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News. HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) Governor Andy Beshear announced a new regional Build-Ready location in Henderson County. Officials say the new Build-Ready site, located in the 4-Star Regional Industrial Park in Robards, adds to the states growing list of properties certified by the Cabinet for Economic Development as Build-Ready and offers the largest graded Build-Ready-certified building pad in the commonwealth at over 1.1 million square feet. It is a regional project with support from Henderson, McLean, Union and Webster counties. The site was also previously approved in June 2023 for $1.4 million in state funding through the Kentucky Product Development Initiative to complete a site grading plan at the site. Our states Build-Ready program has grown significantly over the last several years, and Im excited to see that momentum continue in Henderson County as we announce the largest Build-Ready site in the commonwealth, said Gov. Beshear. One of the biggest draws to Kentucky for growing companies is our commitment to site development, and a collaboration like this in Western Kentucky is a prime example of what makes Team Kentucky great. I want to congratulate Henderson County on its new Build-Ready site and look forward to what new investment and job creation it will bring to Kentucky. WATCH: TVA implodes Paradise Fossil Plant stacks Gov. Beshear explains the site includes over 100 acres zoned for heavy industrial use, the largest graded Build-Ready site in the state at more than 1.1 million square feet and an additional 150,000-square-foot graded building pad. Utilities include a four-inch gas line, 10-inch sewer line and 18-inch waterline. The property includes electric service provided by Kenergy Corp. and natural gas provided by Atmos Energy Corp. and Texas Gas Transmission Corp. The site is also serviced with fiber for telecommunications. Henderson County Judge/Executive Brad Schneider spoke on the significance of the project: The new Build-Ready pad at 4-Star Industrial Park is truly a huge step forward for all four counties as we seek the next company to call Northwest Kentucky its new home. A huge thanks to the 4-Star Board of Directors, the team at Henderson Economic Development, Hazex Construction and the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development for forming the partnership that brought this project to fruition. I am certain well see the ultimate benefit of this effort very soon. McLean County Judge/Executive Curtis Dame mentioned the economic success the site will bring: McLean Countys recent economic development successes are a testament to the power of cooperation and teamwork. We remain steadfast in our commitment to the 4-Star Regional partnership, working together to create a thriving and prosperous economic opportunity for our region. Together, we, as a region, can accomplish much! KYTC road project schedule for the week of Aug. 11-17 Webster County Judge/Executive Steve Henry explained the large scope of the project: Because of the efforts of the 4-Star Board of Directors and staff, this site has ascended to one of Kentuckys most premier economic development locations. As the work progresses toward the new I-69 bridge, a site this size will only garner more national attention. Its time now for Western Kentucky to have the same exposure to growth that we have seen in other areas of Kentucky. Officials say with a Build-Ready site, much of the work aside from construction has already been completed. That includes controlling the land to be developed, completing archaeological, environmental and geotechnical studies, constructing a building pad, finishing preliminary design work, obtaining approved site plan permits and putting necessary infrastructure in place. On a Build-Ready site, construction can begin immediately. According to officials, to be certified as Build-Ready, a site must include a pad that can accommodate a building of 50,000 square feet, with the ability to expand to 100,000 square feet or more, and utilities extending to the site. Applicants usually a city, county or economic development group must have previously filed the necessary permits, as well as preliminary building plans, cost estimates and schedule projections. Applicants also are asked to provide a rendering of a potential building for the site. Other details can be found here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW). JACKSON TWP., Ohio (WKBN) The acting U.S. Secretary of Labor was in the Valley Thursday as part of a tour to visit workers across the country. Acting Secretary Julie Su spent a few hours Thursday morning at UAW Local 1112 as part of her Good Jobs Summer Tour. Her goal was to highlight the first contract between union autoworkers and the electric vehicle battery plant for General Motors. She says the June 2024 agreement between the company and the United Auto Workers secured important victories for workplace safety and health and supports an equitable transition to a clean energy future. We need to both address our climate crisis and we need to make sure that good union jobs power the industry, said Secretary Su. It took 16 months of negotiations before the contract between union workers and the battery plant was ratified. One of the grievances of the workers at Ultium Cells was unsafe working conditions. When we first started here at Ultium Cells there were no standards here going on the raw chemicals and materials that we have here at this facility, said UAW Local 1112 President George Goranitis. Since the plant started production in August 2022, OSHA has investigated and fined the plant for safety violations. Weve heard from workers that there are health and safety issues everything from your more traditional machines that need to be kept safe to chemicals, Su said. Now, the new UAW contract includes stricter safety protocols. Theres additional reps, theres additional PPE, theres checks on a lot of the chemicals that previously werent happening, said UAW Region 2B Director David Green. Another grievance of the workers at Ultium Cells was lower wages than others in the automotive industry. When we first started here at Ultium, for material drivers, we were at $15 an hour. For production workers, it was $16.50, said Goranitis. After this historical contract, we are now starting at $26.91 an hour and at the end of the contract, we will end up at $36 an hour. Su says this contract is a milestone for the automotive industry and historically union-strong communities. You are setting a course for your community, for this state, for this industry, and for this country that is going to be revolutionary, Su said. The first visit on Sus tour was to Phoenix. Other stops include Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Nevada and Michigan. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has extended the State of Emergency for Tropical Storm Debby to August 20. The Governor issued an Executive Order on Wednesday, August 15. To ensure Georgians still dealing with the after effects of Tropical Storm Debby have our full support, I have extended the State of Emergency to August 20, Kemp wrote on X. The move comes as continued recovery and rehabilitation efforts are underway in Coastal Georgia following the storm. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV. COLOMBO, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Altogether 11 Sri Lankans have died from rabies so far in 2024, consultant community physician of the Health Ministry's epidemiology unit, Athula Liyanapathirana, told journalists here on Thursday. These deaths were caused by not seeking medical treatment immediately, he said, adding that rabies medications are placed in 300 hospitals across the country and are free of charge. In 2022, a million dogs were vaccinated and 40,000 female dogs were sterilized in the country, Liyanapathirana said. According to data from the World Health Organization, Sri Lanka has reduced human rabies deaths from 377 in the mid-1970s to 38 in 2022 due to its successful vaccination drive. While the state waits for word from the White House on a major disaster declaration, Governor Phil Scott said that there is plenty of work to be done and asked residents to volunteer to help with the clean-up effort. Lending a hand for an hour or an entire day can really make a difference, and we need you, Scott said at press conference Wednesday. Scotts administration also announced the state will distribute $5 million to Vermont communities that were hardest hit by flooding. Chief Recovery Officer Doug Farnham said his office is working with the Vermont Bond Bank and State Treasurer Mike Pieciak on a second round of funding. Were meeting with the hardest hit communities to distribute these funds and know that, while the five million may help with some of the cash flow needs of municipalities, it will not be enough to close the gap, . Starting Over Strong Vermont mental health program to be extended Farnham said Vermont communities are struggling to secure other resources as well, including mental health services. IN response, the state will beef up its case management resources to support long-term recovery groups, he said. Scott said he will be checkingon the status of his request for a disaster declaration. In the meantime, hes asking Vermonters to pitch in where and when they can. Those volunteering cant do it on their own, those in municipal government cant do it on their own, so dont take for granted that someone else will do it, Governor Scott said. If you are interested in signing up as a volunteer or donating, you can visit https://www.vermont.gov/volunteer. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC22 & FOX44. Grace Bentkowski, a creative producer with the cable news outlet NewsNation, died at the age of 22 last month after an accident at a Chicago train station, it was reported this week. In a statement provided to HuffPost, NewsNations vice president of creative marketing and brand standards, Jonathan Killian, remembered Bentkowski as a rising star at the network. She started as an intern and quickly became an invaluable member, joining the company as a full-time employee this summer, Killian wrote. Her passion for journalism and eagerness to learn the ropes was infectious and her willingness to jump in and learn the TV news business was inspiring to her colleagues, he added. Grace was one of those rare people who brought light into any room in which she entered, the statement said. We are heartbroken for her loved ones and family, and she will never be far from our hearts here at NewsNation. Bentkowski graduated from Indianas Ball State University in May and was hired as an associate creative producer with NewsNation, where shed previously worked as an intern covering Indianas local elections. The journalist was commuting home to Dyer, Indiana, on July 25 when she was struck by a train while crossing ground-level tracks at Chicagos Hegewisch South Shore station. Transit authorities are investigating the death of 22-year-old journalist Grace Bentkowski, who was struck by a train at a Chicago station last month. GoFundMe She was taken to the nearby University of Chicago Medical Center with internal injuries. She underwent emergency surgery and was pronounced dead hours later. Her father, Phil Bentkowski, told local news outlet WGN there is not adequate signage or other safety measures at the station, where commuters must walk directly over the tracks to reach the parking lot. According to accounts from her family, her view was obstructed by a large concrete pillar as she followed other commuters across the tracks. Its such a safety issue. This is 2024. I dont know why there are no stop, look, listen safety signs. It doesnt make sense, Phil Bentkowski said. She was thrown 50 feet. Grace Bentkowskis death is under investigation by railway operator Metra and the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, according to WGN. Metra is in touch with NICTD to review the circumstances of this tragic incident, the rail agency said in a statement, per WGN. We extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of this young woman. In a statement to HuffPost, the NICTD extended its condolences to Bentkowskis family and friends and said it firmly believes the Hegewisch station, as designed in 2006, is safe. However, it said it is installing warning signage and reaching out to an engineering firm to determine what it will take to add active warning to the pedestrian crossings. Bentkowskis family has set up a GoFundMe page for costs related to her death. As of Thursday evening, it had raised around $29,000. Related... This summer has seen record-setting temperatures across the U.S. The west experienced a heat dome, with California's Death Valley reaching nearly 130 degrees, just five degrees below the all-time hottest temperature recorded on Earth. Just three and a half hours north of Phoenix, Arizona, lies one of the most popular national parks in the world, the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon is a popular destination for its stunning views, attracting many hikers. Its deep majestic canyons and narrow trails are also used for mail delivery to the Havasupai Tribe, located 2,000 feet below. PHOTO: Recovery crews respond to Twin Overlooks in Grand Canyon National Park, Aug. 7, 2024. (National Park Service) With the intense summer heat, it's crucial for visitors to the Grand Canyon to be well-prepared. The Preventive Search and Rescue team is there to educate people about the extreme conditions and provide support to hikers in the canyon, but being proactive in preparing for these conditions is equally important. The program was established in 1996 after a deadly heat wave claimed five lives and led to a staggering 482 search and rescue events. According to search and rescue coordinator Megan Smith, the bottom of the canyon experiences temperatures similar to those of Phoenix, averaging over 105* F during summer and getting hotter as you descend. The park's dedicated search and rescue team, made up of 70 volunteers, is always on standby to swiftly mobilize to hikers in distress -- often due to heat exhaustion or physical fatigue. Their commitment ensures the safety of all visitors. Hiking is responsible for more than 60% of heat-related deaths in the country's national parks, according to NPS data. Just last week, the body of a 20-year-old woman was recovered after she was reported missing. This marked the third death in the park in just over a week. The search and rescue team at the canyon reportedly responded to 302 incidents and assisted 455 hikers in 2023. According to Chad Hunter, branch chief of emergency services, someone ends up at the bottom of the canyon or going over the edge yearly. At Yaki Point on the Grand Canyon's South Rim, more than a dozen search and rescue volunteers simulated a rescue. "It's important that we train so that we're proficient, being able to get to them as quickly as we can to render aid and bring them back to the top," Hunter said. Rangers informed ABC News that they aim to establish the entire rope rescue operation within ten minutes of arriving at the scene. They practice this procedure every month. They emphasized that the key aspects involve the regular practice of the descent and the operation and the proper tying of knots for strength to ensure the safe rescue of individuals. "Timing is really key to it. The quicker we know that somebody is needing help, the quicker we can respond and mobilize and make that happen," Hunter said. "The longer it takes, the less likely that outcome is." Search and rescue efforts are a last resort. Smith emphasizes that the national park makes great efforts to educate hikers before they're caught in potentially life-threatening situations. Smith wants travelers to the Grand Canyon to not just look at it as a vacation to spend time with loved ones. "You have to do a ton of research. You have to be honest with yourself about your fitness," Smith said. The Grand Canyon's breathtaking beauty, seemingly endless vistas and stunning rock formations draw in nearly five million visitors annually. However, park rangers said many underestimate of the effect the 7,000- to 9,000-foot elevation change and searing heat has on the body. "Youre going to have a lot of water loss. Going to lose a lot of electrolytes. So it's important that you replenish that electrolyte. Eating food is the best way," Smith said. We recommend pretzels, salty chips, anything like that." Park rangers recommend that hikers eat breakfast and lunch with plenty of salty snacks in between. They should also bring water, sun protection and any necessary medications. The punishing environment was an unexpected wake-up call for a visitor from Wisconsin -- Madchen Ewig recalled experiencing dizziness and needing to stop to rehydrate. "I've never been out here hiking before, so we were on the first trail and the heat started to get to me," Ewig said. "We were out there hiking around 1 or 2 (pm), and it was constantly stopping and constantly just kind of that uneasy feeling of dizziness. But then after that, we realized it's like we need to start drinking water in the morning and at night." Aside from environmental stressors, search and rescue teams are facing a staffing shortage. Each call for service that could have been prevented strains the system. To limit such calls, it's crucial that tourists know how to stay cool as the temperatures rise. "The key thing that you want to watch for in your hiking companions or anyone else on the trail is altered," Smith said. "Mentation, confusion, fainting, anything indicating that the brain's not functioning is an immediate life threat. And you need to stop right away." Grand Canyon search and rescue team works to limit summer death toll originally appeared on abcnews.go.com GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) A Grand Rapids charity is getting ready to spread some holiday cheer to thousands of kids. While Wednesday was a warm summer day 133 days before Christmas, it was the first day that Santa Claus girls of Kent County started collecting donations. We are shooting for 12,000 and its just Kent County, said Tina Hudson, president of Santa Claus Girls of Kent County. Hudson and Lois Rainero with Santa Claus Girls are excited about the upcoming season but say it wasnt easy getting there. Tina Hudson (left) and Lois Rainero with Santa Claus Girls of Kent County. (Aug. 14, 2024) Its been a long year, weve had a lot of trials and tribulations over the gifts and if we would be able to utilize them, said Hudson. In November, the DeltaPlex Arena and Conference Center in Walker caught fire. More than 5,000 gifts were stored there. We were heartbroken, said Hudson. Kent Co. nonprofit hopes DeltaPlex fire doesnt impact Christmas gifts The group had to hand out gift cards to kids last year instead of presents because of smoke damage. But months later, the group got the go-ahead. The professional cleaning company has given us the thumbs up, they are good to go, Hudson said. They were able to clean up and save 5,200 gifts that can be given out this year. More donations were coming in Wednesday evening. Brenda Hiemstra knitted mittens and hats, something shes been doing for years. Donations to Santa Claus Girls. (Aug. 14, 2024) Santa Claus Girls. (Aug. 14, 2024) I hope something they can use, wear and keep warm, said Hiemstra. Each kid will receive a hat, mittens, pajamas, a book and a toy. There were only two people at work today but they expect more volunteers tomorrow. It takes a village to pull off what we pull off, and weve got a hard-working village, said Hudson. For more information on how to donate and volunteer, the Santa Clause Girls website. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) Its Thursday, August 15. Take a look at our top stories in news and weather with KELOLAND On The GO First@4. Another former state employee has been found using her position in state government to make extra money, the South Dakota Attorney Generals office announced Thursday. AG: Former state employee used fake titles to gain loans Sioux Falls police are asking residents to remove guns from their vehicles. SFPD: Take your guns out of your cars A judge incorrectly interpreted the current version of South Dakotas laws on pesticide overspray damages when he dismissed a lawsuit brought by a neighboring landowner, according to the South Dakota Supreme Court. SD Supreme Court orders pesticide case reopened After being under thick cloud cover and receiving multiple rounds of rain yesterday in the Sioux Falls area, the clouds are starting to break up here, while isolated thundershowers have popped up West River. Spotty showers before drying out for the weekend Storm Center PM Update: August 15th, 2024 Download the KELOLAND News app to find the latest headlines while on the go. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) The Grand Valley Police Department has introduced its latest addition, K-9 Scout. Grand Valley State University officials say Scout joined the department in June after spending four weeks training with his new handler, Officer Paul Weaver, at a northern Michigan facility. Both Weaver and Scout are certified for explosives detection and rescue operations. Scout, a 2-year-old labrador retriever, will fill the role held by former K-9 Koda, serving on safety operations during major university events and critical incidents and as a softer way to connect with the GVSU community. The Grand Valley Police Department introduced its latest addition on Thursday, Aug. 15, K9 Scout. (Courtesy Cory Morse/GVSU) The Grand Valley Police Department introduced its latest addition on Thursday, Aug. 15, K9 Scout. (Courtesy Cory Morse/GVSU) The Grand Valley Police Department introduced its latest addition on Thursday, Aug. 15, K9 Scout. (Courtesy Cory Morse/GVSU) We are community police officers, so we are working with our housing department, and we will work with students on campus as well as faculty and staff in addition to our purposes in explosives, Weaver said. GVSU partnership launches The Peoples Guide to help voters fight misinformation GVPD chief Brandon DeHaan said adding a new K-9 is another step in the departments commitment to campus safety. We work very hard to create a variety of different safety solutions for our community, DeHaan said. Part of those solutions are not only full-time law enforcement officers working on campus, but we also have a full-time dispatch. Scout is also a part of that another asset in our safety portfolio. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, meets with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sok Chenda Sophea in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Aug. 15, 2024. (Xinhua/Sun Weitong) BANGKOK, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- China and Cambodia should stay committed to developing their friendship and following the path of solidarity and win-win cooperation, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in Chiang Mai, Thailand on Thursday. The more complicated the external environment is, the more essential it is for the two countries to manage their own affairs well, said Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, in a meeting with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sok Chenda Sophea. Noting that China always places its relations with Cambodia at a special position in its neighborhood diplomacy, Wang said China is willing to take the implementation of the new action plan for building a China-Cambodia community with a shared future as an opportunity to intensify high-level exchanges, deepen practical cooperation, consolidate security cooperation and strengthen people-to-people and cultural exchanges, so as to push for high-quality development of their comprehensive strategic cooperation and bring more benefits to the two peoples. The law enforcement and security authorities of China and Cambodia have jointly cracked down on cross-border crimes and achieved good results, Wang said, urging both sides to continue to step up efforts to thoroughly eradicate the breeding ground for gambling and fraudulent forces. Chenda Sophea said Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni is currently visiting northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, expressing appreciation for China's thoughtful arrangements. The Cambodian foreign minister congratulated China on successfully holding the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, which drew up the blueprint for China's future development. He said Cambodia is happy to see China achieve modernization and greater prosperity, noting that China has always been selfless in helping developing countries and has been committed to safeguarding regional peace and stability. Its development will benefit the whole region, including Cambodia, he said. Wang said that the six Lancang-Mekong countries, sharing the same river and a common future, are eternal friendly neighbors and natural partners of cooperation. The rapid development of Lancang-Mekong cooperation has greatly improved the well-being of the people and promoted the development and revitalization of the six countries. All parties have agreed to abandon empty talk and take concrete action in unity to speed up building a community with a shared future for Lancang-Mekong countries, Wang said. Wang said China stands ready to work with all parties, including Cambodia, to promote the overall development of the Indochina Peninsula through Lancang-Mekong cooperation, narrow the development gap within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), promote ASEAN integration, and play a leading role in the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. BELTON, Texas (FOX 44) The historic Mount Zion United Methodist Church is one step closer to renovation. This comes after the Belton City Council authorized a contract for up to $519,068 on Tuesday, with RM Rodriguez Construction as the Construction Manager at Risk for the project. The City of Belton says this project includes both interior and exterior renovations, such as masonry repairs, window and door replacements, installation of a new HVAC unit, flooring and ceiling upgrades, bell tower restoration, and improvements to rain gutters, sidewalks and the parking lot. The renovation is supported by various funding sources, including $100,000 from the African-American Cultural Heritage Action Fund of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, with support from the Lilly Endowment. Preservation Texas will provide $75,000 through the Texas Rural African American Heritage Grants Program, funded by the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant from the National Park Service (NPS). Matching contributions from the members of the Mount Zion United Methodist Church is expected to total $25,000. The City of Beltons allocation under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 total $319,068, which is part of a $500,000 fund approved on March 22, 2022, in order to cover construction costs, design and associated services. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44. Hamas: Israel has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians in Gaza war Relatives of Palestinian who were killed in Israeli attacks mourn as they receive their bodies from the morgue at Nasser Hospital for burial in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip. Abdullah Abu Al-Khair/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa The number of people killed in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war in Gaza has risen to more than 40,000, the Hamas-controlled health authority said on Thursday. More than 92,400 Palestinians have been injured since the war began in October 2023, the authority, which is controlled by Palestinian Islamist group, said. The figures that cannot be independently verified and do not distinguish between combatants and civilians. The war began after the unprecedented massacre by Hamas and other extremists groups who killed more than 1,200 in southern Israel on October 7. Israel's response, with massive airstrikes and a ground offensive, is increasingly being criticized given the soaring number of civilian casualties and catastrophic situation in Gaza. Relatives of Palestinian who were killed in Israeli attacks mourn as they receive their bodies from the morgue at Nasser Hospital for burial in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip. Abdullah Abu Al-Khair/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Palestinians inspect the damaged following overnight Israeli bombardment of a house at the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. Naaman Omar/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa MADISON, Conn. (WTNH) More than $2.5 million in federal funding is coming to Hammonasset Beach State Park. Most of it will go towards studying the problem of coastal erosion, but the focus is not necessarily on the beach side of the park. While most people come to Hammonasset for the beaches, plenty of animal visitors prefer the salt marshes. In recent years, the Audubon Society has seen some major changes in those marshes. What were seeing with climate change is a lot stronger and more powerful storms, which is causing serious coastal erosion of the beachfront and salt marsh here at Hammonasset, said Jack Matthias, the manager of coastal resilience for Audubon Connecticut. Alcohol temporarily banned at these 7 state parks, boat launches That erosion means marshes get flooded more frequently marshes that birds like the marsh sparrow call home. So, right now, what were seeing is a lot of the habitat of the salt marsh sparrow uses is being flooded more frequently, and it cant adapt, Matthias said. It cant find other areas. So, the Audubon Society asked the federal government for money to help with that problem. Thursday, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) announced almost $2.7 million is on its way. Blumenthal calls it a first step. Right now, officials are in the studying and planning stage. We hopefully get to a point where we implement some of the projects here, but we still need more to finish off the projects here, NOAA research ecologist Jim Turek said. One thing they are thinking about building is a kind of living seawall. It would help keep the worst of waves during a storm from hitting the salt marsh. They would cover it with dirt, sand, and plants, making it blend in with the surroundings and a place for more birds to nest. Some of the federal money will also go toward educating young people about the environment, as well as other improvements to what officials brag is the states most popular park. Easy to tell why, right? said Mason Trumble, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protections deputy commissioner for environmental conservation. Two miles of beach, Meigs Point Nature Center, incredible coastal marsh, shoreline greenway trail, the list goes on. All of which benefit if erosion is kept in check. So, this money is not just for the birds. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com. The Boys and Girls Club in Portland is one of hundreds of summer meal sites. (Eesha Pendharkar/Maine Morning Star) Although Maine made school meals free for all students during the school year, providing access to free lunch and breakfast over the summer for school-aged children remains a challenge. That challenge is compounded by declining participation in summer meals, after the expiration of pandemic-era waivers brought back some barriers to access. A new report from national nonprofit Food Research and Action Center analyzed participation in summer meal programs for each state, including the number of sites, sponsors and total meals served, based on United States Department of Agriculture data. Experts said Maines summer meal program does better than most states in reaching children who need meals, but there continues to be significant barriers to access, predominantly due to the federal policies governing these programs. According to the report, released earlier this month, participation in summer meals decreased nationally in 2023 as most programs returned to normal operations. In Maine, both sponsors and sites offering meals to school-aged children over the summer saw small declines from 2022 to 2023. Maine is, in general, doing better than most other states at trying to feed the kids in the state who need it, said Justin Strasburger, executive director of Full Plates, Full Potential, a statewide nonprofit organization working to address food insecurity. But essentially, what youre looking at is a very, very low bar thats connected to a summer meals program that needs massive overhauls in terms of structure and approach, he added. From 2020 to 2022, any school district, government agency or nonprofit organization could sponsor a summer meals program and get reimbursed by the federal government through USDAs Summer Food Service Program. Sponsors also werent required to adhere to typical USDA rules outlining how to run the sites (for example, parents could pick up grab-and-go meals at any site, as opposed to requiring students to eat on site.) During those years, participation in summer meals surged nationwide because of the waivers and ease of access. At the same time, breakfast and lunch were also free for all students during the year. After the pandemic, Maine became one of a handful of states to pass legislation making school meals free, which retained increased participation in breakfast and lunch during the regular school year statewide. However, the summer meals program returned to its regular policies and participation declined. The number of sponsors which can be school districts, or nonprofit and community organizations decreased from 116 to 106 while the number of sites where families can access free meals over the summer dropped from 446 to 410, according to the FRAC report. The drop in the number of sites serving summer meals from 2021, when pandemic-era waivers were still in place, to 2022 is much more stark, with an almost 50 percent decrease from 861 sites in summer 2021. My guess is that most of those stopped because they had been sort of operating through loopholes created by the pandemic, Strasburger said. Meanwhile, according to Feeding America, 1 in 5 children face hunger in Maine. Corresponding to this decline in sites and sponsors, the average daily participation numbers in summer meals as captured in the FRAC report declined sharply from 2021 to 2022 going from more than 22,000 to just over 14,000 and continued to drop in 2023. Last years average daily participation in summer meals was about 12,600. Despite the decline in access, summer meals still serve a large number of Maine students who qualify for free and reduced meals during the school year, especially compared with other states, according to the report. Over last summer, Maine served more than 400,000 summer meals, based on federal data. Maine is ranked third in the country in terms of access to free summer meals according to a metric FRAC developed, which is based on the percentage of students that qualify for free and reduced meals during the school year who participate in summer meal programs. The state is somewhat successful because of the focus of state agencies, communities and sponsors on expanding access to summer meals, which isnt the case in every state, according to Crystal FitzSimons, FRACs interim president. The way they operate the program, the amount of outreach they do, the quality of the meals that they serve, those things all contribute to high participation, she said. The Maine Department of Education did not respond to multiple requests for comment about the summer meals program. How federal policies limit Maines summer meal program The way the USDAs Summer Food Service Program is designed creates challenges in allowing all students to access summer meals, Strasburger said. To qualify as a summer meals site, at least 50 percent of the children in the geographic area or participating in summer meals have to be eligible for free or reduced-price school meals. However, since far fewer families are filling out free and reduced price meal applications ever since the state introduced universal free meals throughout the school year, this calculation is complicated in Maine. The rural nature of the state also adds to the issue of eligibility of free meal sites, according to FitzSimons. Maine is a really hard state for summer food. Its really rural, and it also doesnt have the same kind of concentration of poverty that you might see in other rural states with higher rates of child poverty, FitzSimons said. So its harder to qualify sites because theres plenty of kids who come from low income households in Maine, but the concentration of poverty is not as high. One of FRACs recommendations in its 2024 report includes lowering the federal eligibility threshold to 40 percent, so more sites are able to offer summer meals. The other issue is also a federal program requirement that students must eat meals on-site, which a majority of Maines summer meals sites still have to follow. Sponsors are not required to provide educational or enrichment activities in conjunction with on-site meals, but it is best practice to do so, according to FitzSimons. If you have a site that doesnt have activity or enrichment, and youre in a rural area, its not going to make sense financially for the family to drive to a meal site for one meal for their child, she said. Potential solutions to boost participation This summer, due to an updated definition of rural areas, Maine was able to expand grab-and-go meal sites, although they still cant operate in densely populated centers. USDA also released a map of all summer meal sites, including grab-and-go locations. This year, Maine also introduced a grocery credit of $120 per child for all qualifying children to supplement summer meals. The program, called SUN bucks, is not new at the federal level, but many states have implemented it this school year, as a way to continue serving students meals after pandemic-era waivers expired, FitzSimons said. Nearly 100,000 students were automatically enrolled in SUN bucks this summer because they qualify for other programs, such as SNAP or TANF, according to the Maine Department of Education website. School-aged children can also qualify for the grocery credit if they are eligible for free and reduced meals during the school year. Lack of accurate data in Maine After Maine made all school meals free, the state has been struggling to accurately calculate how many students qualify for free and reduced meals, which is an important economic metric which then allows families to qualify for other benefits, including summer meals and grocery credits. Since far fewer families are filling out free and reduced price meal applications ever since the state introduced universal free meals throughout the school year, the state department of education is working on alternative models to determine eligibility, for example, partnering with other state agencies to directly qualify students who are eligible for MaineCare. Meanwhile, the FRAC report relies on free and reduced eligibility data to determine how well a state is doing with summer meals. According to the report, states should be reaching 40 students with summer meals for every 100 who received a school lunch during the 20222023 regular school year. In 2023, the report said Maine reached 31.8 children with summer lunch for every 100 children, which is the third highest in the country. However, since this calculation used free and reduced lunch data, which is undercounted, the actual ratio may be lower. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST Its hard work, but I enjoy it: Landscaper keeps rolling to Pay It 4ward OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) No one can say Bob OBrian isnt cutting it at the Baptist Village in northwest Oklahoma City. About every day, this self appointed landscaper is out cutting, trimming and collecting branches from trees and bushes across the neighborhood. His neighbor, Kendall Lucas, was blown away and nominated Bob. PAY IT 4WARD: Volunteer follows Golden Rule to feed hungry Oklahomans First Fidelity Banks Israel Garanzuay presents the prize money. On behalf of First Fidelity Bank I would like to present to you this four hundred dollars. he said. Very nice, thank you, Kendall replied. I talked to his wife, she watches this all the time, he absolutely is going to be thrilled and he has no idea so weve kept it a good secret. We head into Baptist Village for the surprise. Hello Bob OBrian. My name is Kent Ogle, I work at Channel 4. We have a little program called Pay it Forward where we honor people who go above and beyond in their community and do awesome things. Kendall nominated you for Pay it Forward for all you do in your neighborhood. We would see you in the morning, my wife and I, we would see you when we come home from work and it just impressed me your dedication, said Kendall. I would see you out there with that long thing cutting it and picking it up so she said you should nominate him. So on behalf of K-4 and First Fidelity Bank I would like to present you with four hundred dollars. Wow! Thank you, Bob said. Well, its hard work, but I enjoy it. But the main reason I do it is I think God wants each one of us to do the best we can for all of our neighbors and our neighbors are anyone we come across and I enjoy it and I get to meet a lot of nice people this way. He also has that little trailer that he pulls behind that all his equipment with him, so yes, hes an amazing guy says Martin Hall, campus director at Baptist Village. He does this in the heat of the summer and in the cold of the winter. He likes to stay busy, he and I both are kind of staying busy people. So, being here at Baptist Village, where he is able to get out and do some things like that, that is extremely important to him, said Bobs wife, Sue. I dont think we would be happy anywhere else. So he sees projects, hes out in the community a lot, sees projects, comes to me and and says do you want me to work on this, said Kyle Harness, Resident Services Director at Baptist Village. And so, hes wonderful. Him and Sue are just truly a blessing. There is a school supply drive underway at the village and the OBrians are involved in that too. Bob does a lot of things, school supplies, said Chris Finley, Director of Chaplin Services. For about 20 some odd years we have done school supplies. Bob and Sue both provide funds so we can buy school supplies. 76 children of our employees kids get school supplies this year. PAY IT 4WARD: Honoring the queen of Pecan Valley Kendall printed his nomination and pictures and framed them for Bob. He is truly moved by Bobs servant heart. And unbeknownst to you, I saw you a couple of weeks ago and I pulled over and I took those pictures of you and I followed you to the trash bin and I introduced myself, noted Kendall. I just made a new friend that day. This is neat exclaims Bob. Well, we think youre pretty neat sir. Bob OBrian. He just keeps rollin, rollin, rollin to Pay it Forward. Pay it 4Ward is sponsored by First Fidelity Bank. Nominate someone for Pay it 4Ward Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. HARLEM, Manhattan (PIX11) As Harlem is becoming more attractive to larger retailers, police say its also becoming more attractive to shoplifters. The NYPD is constantly working with the community to help. More Local News PIX 11 News spent Wednesday afternoon with Deputy Commissioner of Public Information Tarik Sheppard as he walked the beat in a neighborhood he knows well. Sheppard grew up in Harlem. Last month a man stole $1299 in merchandise from Victorias Secret on 125th Street. Surveillance video shows the incident. Earlier in the summer, police responded to calls after a man robbed two grocery stores and threatened security guards with a weapon. Commissioner Sheppard said, These are crimes of opportunity. The NYPD has already deployed extra resources to the area but nothing beats, walking the streets and having a police presence. Sheppard said its something he loves doing, he spent the afternoon walking and checking in on local businesses. I like to get out on foot on a bike to connect with people and make sure I know the heartbeat here, Sheppard said. NYPD deploys 100 additional officers to Central Park as crime soars: sources Many business owners told Sheppard they feel safe and supported by the department. The Commissioner said its one of the most iconic streets in the country, so safety is important. Once the Commanding Officer of the 28th Precinct, Sheppard is very recognizable in Harlem, as he walked down 125th Street, people embraced him. After hearing some concerns and a sense the departments efforts are working, Sheppard believes so far so good. Sheppard said he feels when you have big brands and stores, Trader Joes, Sephora you know its safe because they would not come here if 125th Street was not safe. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. (Bloomberg) -- Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris campaign is proposing a second debate with Republican counterpart Donald Trump if he follows through with their already agreed-to showdown on ABC News. Most Read from Bloomberg The two presidential candidates are slated to take the stage on Sept. 10 in a forum hosted by ABC News and their running mates, Republican JD Vance and Democrat Tim Walz, are set for their own Oct. 1 debate with CBS News. The debate about debates is over, Michael Tyler, the communications director for the Harris campaign, said in a statement Thursday. Trumps campaign accepted our proposal for three debates two presidential and a vice presidential debate. Tyler said that if Trump shows up to the ABC forum, voters will have another opportunity to see Harris and him on the debate stage in October, but did not propose any further details for that event. The two campaigns have sparred over the number of debates they will hold and their hosts following President Joe Bidens decision to end his reelection bid and endorse Harris for the Democratic nomination. Biden debated Trump in June, delivering a disastrous performance that spurred calls for him to stand aside. After Harris entered the race, Trump at first declined to commit to a second debate he had agreed to with Biden, questioning the need. But after polls showed him losing ground to his new opponent, he accepted the offer to appear at the ABC News forum. The Trump campaign has also pitched other opportunities, including one on Fox News, a conservative outlet that is friendly to the former president. A Harris campaign official last week ruled out participating in a Fox News forum. Vance, earlier Thursday, said that he would face Walz in a CBS debate in New York City on Oct. 1. The vice presidential debate will be a critical opportunity for the two running mates. Vance, an Ohio senator, has had a rocky start to his candidacy, facing criticism for past comments that mocked women who did not have children. Trump and other Republicans have defended those comments, and the former president has praised his running mates performance even as he has discounted the importance of his No. 2. Minnesota Governor Walz meanwhile has helped Harris coalesce Democrats behind the partys new ticket, but polls suggest he is still largely unknown to many Americans. The undercard debate between Vance and Walz has become increasingly contentious. Walz gained national attention by mocking Vance, Trump and their policies as weird a catchphrase which was quickly embraced by Democrats. He has made even cruder attacks against the Republican running mate at rallies. Vance and Republicans have questioned Walzs military record, accusing him of misrepresenting his service. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Harris campaign says it will participate in 2 presidential debates and 1 VP debate The Harris campaign said Thursday it will participate in a total of three debates this election season: two presidential debates and one vice presidential debate. The campaign in a statement sought to put an end to the Trump campaigns suggestion of additional debates before Election Day, declaring the debate about debates is over. Assuming Donald Trump actually shows up on September 10 to debate Vice President Harris, then Governor Walz will see JD Vance on October 1 and the American people will have another opportunity to see the vice president and Donald Trump on the debate stage in October, campaign communications director Michael Tyler said in a statement. Voters deserve to see the candidates for the highest office in the land share their competing visions for our future, he added. The more they play games, the more insecure and unserious Trump and Vance reveal themselves to be to the American people. Those games end now. Vice President Harris has agreed to debate former President Trump on Sept. 10 on ABC News. Trump has said he accepted two other proposed debates, one on Sept. 4 on Fox News and another on Sept. 25 on NBC News. But Thursdays statement makes clear Harris will not partake in either the Fox or NBC events but would instead participate in an October debate with Trump, as long as he attends the Sept. 10 showdown. On the vice presidential front, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) and Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) have agreed to an Oct. 1 debate hosted by CBS News. In accepting that date, Vance proposed a second one Sept. 18 hosted by CNN. Thursdays statement from the Harris campaign indicated there would only be one vice presidential debate, which is in line with historical norms. Trump had previously agreed to two debates with President Biden: one on June 27 and another Sept. 10. But Bidens disastrous performance in the June debate triggered calls for him to step aside as the Democratic nominee, which he did in late July. Democrats quickly coalesced behind Harris as the nominee, and she has surged in the polls, erasing Trumps lead. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. DHAKA, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Bangladeshi government has instructed all the educational institutions across the country to resume academic activities from Aug. 18 after about one month of closure. Bangladesh's Ministry of Education issued an order to resume academic activities at all the educational institutions at secondary and higher secondary levels on Thursday. According to the notification, the chief advisor has given instructions to reopen educational institutions and resume academic activities. Relevant authorities are requested to take necessary measures. Earlier, primary schools across Bangladesh reopened on Wednesday. All the educational institutions at secondary and higher secondary levels, as well as polytechnic institutes were declared closed for an indefinite period from July 17 amid tension over students' demonstration that subsequently toppled Sheikh Hasina's government on Aug. 5. (WGHP) A new poll released is showing how the presidential election could shake out with a new candidate and confirmed vice presidential choices. Emerson College released a new national poll on Thursday morning that addressed the upcoming presidential race, their first poll since Joe Biden left the race last month. The poll only used the results from registered voters polled who ranked themselves as very likely to vote in the upcoming election, while previous polling numbers were gathered from any registered voter who responded. Vice President Kamala Harris leads former president Donald Trump among likely voters by four percent, with 50% of respondents favoring Harris and 46% favoring Trump. Five percent of likely voters rank themselves as undecided. Trump shooting task force faces pressure to move quickly, avoid spectacle Adding the third-party candidates into the mix, Harris and Trump both lose 2%. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has about 4% of likely voter support. According to the Emerson College poll, support for Trump has shrunk among likely voters, dropping from 48% to 46%, while Harris surpassed previous support for Biden, racking up 50% compared to his 47%. Harris also outperforms Biden when third-party candidates are factored in. Likely voters under 30 have shifted toward Harris by nine points, 56% of whom supported Biden, 65% now support Harris. Voters over 70 also support Harris over Trump, 51% to 48% last month they broke 50% to 48% for Trump, Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, said of the demographic shifts in the past month. Independents break for Harris, 46% to 45%, flipping since last month when likely independent voters broke for Trump 45% to 44%. Black voters identifying themselves as extremely or very motivated to vote surged 11% since the pre-Harris poll, and 51% of likely voters view Harris favorably, while 45% of voters view Trump favorably. Harris is viewed unfavorably by 49% of voters and 54% of voters view Trump unfavorably. When it comes to the running mates, both Senator JD Vance and Governor Tim Walz have a 39% favorability rating, however, Vance is viewed unfavorably by 49% of voters compared to Walzs 39%. More voters have heard of Vance, with only 12% saying they dont know who he is compared to Walz, who is unknown to 22% of respondents. As far as the congressional races go, the poll states that 48% support the Democratic candidate and 46% support the Republican candidate; 7% are undecided. Last month, 46% of likely voters supported the Democratic candidate and 46% the Republican. 40% of likely voters rank the economy as their top issue, followed by immigration (17%), threats to democracy (12%), housing affordability (7%), and healthcare (7%). Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX8 WGHP. Much as President Joe Biden's campaign did before, Vice President Kamala Harris now the Democratic presidential nominee sent officials to Michigan on Thursday to meet with Arab American and Muslim leaders who continue to insist the U.S. government demand an Israel-Hamas cease-fire in Gaza. Osama Siblani, publisher of the Arab American News in Dearborn, told the Free Press on Thursday morning he was meeting with Julie Chavez Rodriguez, campaign manager for the Democratic ticket led by Harris and her vice presidential running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. On Thursday evening, a source with knowledge of the meetings confirmed Rodriguez and others from the campaign met with Arab American and Muslim leaders as well as leaders from metro Detroit's Jewish communities. One person involved in some of the meetings, Deputy Wayne County Executive Assad Turfe, told the Free Press the discussions he was involved in, which included Rodriguez and Harris' liaison to Arab American and Muslim communities, Nasrina Bargzie, went well. "I had an incredibly productive meeting today with Julie Rodriguez, Nasrina Bargzie and senior staff, where we discussed the importance of community engagement," Turfe, the highest ranking Arab American official in Wayne County, told the Free Press. "These meetings underscored the Harris teams commitment to ensuring that our community has a meaningful seat at the table. "They recognized that there is still much work ahead, but theyre dedicated to ensuring our voices are not just heard but actively involved in shaping the future," Turfe continued. "The dialogue we had today reinforced the necessity of continued collaboration, and Im confident that, together, we can make a significant impact." Turfe had previously endorsed Harris. Jordan Acker, a Jewish lawyer and University of Michigan regent who had a masked pro-Palestinian protester approach his Huntington Woods home late at night and his law firm vandalized, also told the Free Press he was involved in the discussions with Jewish leaders as well. "Kamala Harris is going to be the next president of the United States, which is why it is so important that her campaign came to Michigan and met with us today," he said. "These issues are critically important to our community and nationally and leading into the next administration. I appreciate the productive conversation, which I look forward to continuing throughout the campaign and into the transition." State Sen. Jeremy Moss, D-Southfield, also took part in the discussions with Jewish leaders. "Todays meeting demonstrates the importance of Jewish Americans to Vice President Harris and Gov. Walz as a crucial bloc for their win this November and as partners in the future administration," he said in a statement to the Free Press. "The campaign reaffirmed their commitment to tackling antisemitism both at home from the far right and from those who threaten the safety and security of Israel. Our shared goals must be releasing the hostages, de-escalating the violence, and working toward lasting peace in the Middle East." "I look forward to the continuing meaningful engagement with our community here, which is critical to a victory in Michigan," he said. While the Harris campaign didn't directly speak to the content or makeup of the meetings, a spokesman, Ammar Moussa, acknowledged that they occurred. Julie is traveling to Michigan as part of our campaigns ongoing outreach to communities across the country," he told the Free Press on Thursday evening. Siblani also did not say where the meeting he attended took place or who else was involved. A Democratic source who spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting was private said Abbas Alawieh, who is an uncommitted delegate to the Democratic National Convention and one of the founders of the movement to use uncommitted delegates to push the Biden administration toward demanding a cease-fire, was expected to be a part of the meeting as well. Neither Turfe nor the Harris campaign named participants in the meetings. The meetings come days ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, which starts Monday. There, demonstrators are expected to march in support of calls for a cease-fire and U.S. arms embargo against Israel, which has been conducting military operations in Gaza, killing tens of thousands, since Hamas, which controlled Gaza, attacked southern Israel last October. Members of the Uncommitted National Movement, which has 30 delegates including two from Michigan to the convention, are asking for space to have pro-Palestinian programming and main stage speakers if they can get them. They also are planning to host a series of speakers outside the convention. Harris and Walz also met briefly with Alawieh and Layla Elabed, another founder of the uncommitted movement in Dearborn, before a rally in metro Detroit a week ago and expressed an openness to future discussions. Harris and Biden both have urged Israeli leaders to accept a cease-fire proposal, and for both sides to release prisoners and hostages. Biden administration officials, including Harris, so far have refused the idea of an arms embargo, however. "We are frustrated that we're not hearing much from Harris herself," said Siblani, a leader in the Arab American community who has met with Rodriguez before when the then-Biden campaign sent officials to meet with leaders in Dearborn as well as Black community leaders in Detroit. "There is a frustration that has been building." Contact Todd Spangler: tspangler@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter@tsspangler. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Harris has officials meet Arab-American, Jewish leaders in Michigan JD Vance has floated the idea of more than doubling the child tax credit. Kamala Harris has repeatedly called forboth that benefit and paid leave on the campaign trail and she selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate partly because he enacted those policies in his home state. Its a striking pivot from previous election cycles: Both sides in a U.S. presidential race are playing up economic programs that would allow workers to better balance their personal and professional lives. That is evidence of growing bipartisan support for so-called care proposals as advocates spend tens of millions of dollars to drive their case home to candidates and the issues poll historically well with voters of both parties. Both Harris-Walz and Trump-Vance all four of these sides have some history of doing work on paid leave and pro-family policy in ways that we haven't really seen in a suite of candidates, and that, in of itself, is really exciting, said Adrienne Schweer, a fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center. Regardless of who wins, we're going to have a ticket that has a history of thinking about paid leave and pro-family policy. The new push for care comes after a robust pandemic response that briefly granted millions of Americans access to paid family and medical leave, an expanded child tax credit and subsidized child care. With those programs now lapsed, theres growing momentum for permanent federal support. One survey found that eight in 10 voters want lawmakers to spend more on policies like paid leave and the child tax credit. We are moving into a different environment, said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee. "We'll be able to move on these bills like we haven't been able to move in the past." The U.S. is the only wealthy nation without a federal paid leave policy. Overall, it spends just 0.6 percent of its GDP on such family benefits, according to OECD data on par with countries like Mexico and Turkey. The U.K. spends four times as much. We want to have a more pro-family policy, Vance told CBS News on Sunday when he endorsed the expanded child tax credit. It's something that both tickets have pursued in the past. As president, Donald Trump enacted paid leave for federal workers and pandemic-era paid leave for all workers. And as members of Congress, Harris and Walz co-sponsored legislation like a bill from DeLauro and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) that would give all workers 12 weeks of paid leave. Harris then campaigned in 2020 for six months of paid leave before becoming a vocal advocate for President Joe Bidens pandemic-era paid leave and child tax credit proposals, lawmakers and aides said including his unsuccessful bid to enact 12 weeks of paid leave. Harris has spoken frequently about taking paid leave to care for her mother following a cancer diagnosis. This fight is personal to the Vice President, Jennifer Klein, director of the White House Gender Policy Council, said in a statement. The President and Vice President have been fighting for families since day one of the Biden-Harris Administration. Indeed, Harris and Walz's track record has top Democrats more optimistic than ever about the odds of pushing through long-stalled legislation like the DeLauro and Gillibrand bill. I absolutely believe that when they are in office, we will get a paid leave bill done finally, said Senate Appropriations Chair Patty Murray (D-Wash.). When you go into a negotiating room on a bill and there's people in that room who are saying, No, this is our top priority, not the fifth priority it makes a difference. The vice president is expected to release her economic plan Friday. Her recruitment of former aides like Gene Sperling, as well as her own stump speeches, underscores the importance she places on policies like paid leave and the child tax credit. The fact she's raising it on the trail, in terms of her vision for the middle class, is no small thing, said Rohini Kosoglu, a former Harris aide who now serves as an outside adviser to the campaign on debate and policy. She's very intentional about her words. There may also be clues in state policies championed by Walz, who recently cited paid leave as the first thing Democrats should enact next year. Minnesota offers parents a child tax credit of $1,750 per kid, per year and workers 12 weeks of paid leave starting in 2026. The program will cover such a wide range of workers and needs that it will be one of the most inclusive in the U.S. Trump and Vances pitch, on the other hand, focuses on tax relief over Democrat-backed social spending making it unlikely that their administration would pursue proposals that go as far as those of Harris and Walz, which would reach more workers but require a bigger investment. Paid leave is not mentioned in the GOP platform. And though a tax package enacted under Trump expanded the child tax credit, cuts elsewhere meant families tax burden remained mostly the same. The Trump campaign did not respond to requests for comment. Any pivot from Trump and Vance would likely meet pushback from the rest of their party. GOP lawmakers remain resistant to the high cost of both paid leave and the child tax credit most recently, when Senate Finance ranking member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) led colleagues in voting down a bipartisan package that included a much narrower expansion of the child tax credit. Congressional Republicans have been concerned when these tax policies kind of dip their toes too much into a safety-net-program-type thing, as opposed to just tax relief, said John Shelton, policy director at former Vice President Mike Pences group Advancing American Freedom, which promotes conservative policies. He estimates Vances proposal could cost as much as $200 billion per year more than six times the bipartisan package. Crapo declined a request for comment. An economic slowdown could also make that spending an even harder sell. There are significant risks that we're going to be in a recession, and that's definitely not a time that you want to impose new taxes and mandates on workers and businesses, Heritage Foundation fellow Rachel Greszler said. In the meantime, those on the left are moving quickly to discredit the Trump campaigns overtures. If JD Vance sincerely gave a whit about working families in America, he would have shown up in the Senate a week and a half ago and voted" on the bipartisan package, Senate Finance Chair Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) said in a statement Monday. By Nate Raymond BOSTON (Reuters) - Harvard University has settled a lawsuit accusing the Ivy League school of ignoring sexual harassment by a professor who three graduate students said had threatened their academic careers if they reported him. In a filing on Wednesday in federal court in Boston, the three women - Margaret Czerwienski, Lilia Kilburn and Amulya Mandava - voluntarily dismissed their 2022 lawsuit following months of mediation with Harvard. Their lawsuit gained national attention with its claims that John Comaroff, then an anthropology professor, for years kissed and groped students and threatened to sabotage students' careers if they complained. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed. The law firm that represented the women, Sanford Heisler Sharp, said it was "glad that our clients will now be able to move on with their lives and careers." "We're proud of our clients' courage in coming forward, speaking up about their experiences, and shedding light on important issues," the law firm said in a statement. Harvard and Comaroff's lawyer did not respond to requests for comment on Thursday. Comaroff, who retired earlier this year, issued a statement on his website in July calling the allegations false. When the suit was filed, his lawyers said he categorically denied ever harassing or retaliating against any student. The #MeToo-era lawsuit followed an internal Harvard investigation that found Comaroff had engaged in verbal conduct that violated professional conduct and sexual harassment policies. The three women said they were among the students who reported Comaroff to Harvard officials. Despite their warnings, Harvard watched as he retaliated by ensuring the students would have "trouble getting jobs," the lawsuit said. They said Harvard's inaction allowed Comaroff to repeatedly and forcibly kiss Kilburn and grope her in public, and claimed he graphically described ways she would be supposedly raped or killed in South Africa for being in a same-sex relationship. The lawsuit alleged Harvard violated Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which protects students from discrimination based on sex, and various Massachusetts laws. A judge largely rejected Harvard's bid to dismiss the case in March 2023. Comaroff was not a defendant. On his website, he said that as a result of the "fact-free allegations" he had before his retirement become the subject of an "ugly, ferocious campaign" by activists on campus who had occupied his classrooms and pressured students not to take courses with him. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Howard Goller) Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley pushed into the jostling breakfast crowd at the Missouri State Fair on Thursday seeking his opponent, Democrat Lucas Kunce. He quickly found him. What followed was an extraordinary 10-minute exchange between the two men, surrounded by a scrum of reporters and cameras. They argued about who was avoiding who and whether they would debate. Insults were hurled and challenges made. The episode offered a preview of how the rest of the fall election season may play out, as the two candidates for U.S. Senate use confrontation and showmanship to gain an edge. The battle between the candidates has already taken a sharp negative turn in the first week of the general election race. The public back-and-forth played out at the Governors Ham Breakfast, a mainstay of the fair and the traditional kickoff of the fall election season. As Hawley and Kunce argued, curious onlookers took in the scene while munching down their meals of ham, eggs and coffee. Why are you so weird, man, why are you so creepy? Kunce asked Hawley. Debate today, debate today lets do it, Hawley said at another point. Hawley and Kunce have both spent the opening days of the general election campaign trying to define the other as harmful to Missouri. Hawley and Kunce are both aggressively attacking each other, with Hawley attempting to paint Kunce as an enemy of farmers and ranchers and Kunce highlighting Hawleys opposition to abortion rights. The Thursday morning argument capped a week of fighting between Hawley and Kunce over whether they would debate at the Missouri State Fair or in Sedalia generally, where the fair is located. The dispute began in the hours after the Aug. 6 primary election, when Kunce secured the Democratic nomination. Hawley ran unopposed in the Republican race. Kunce quickly accepted several invitations to televised debates, including a KSDK and KSHB offer for a Thursday debate in Sedalia. The proposed debate would have been taped during the day and broadcast unedited in the evening. Hawley, in his first rally of the general election, challenged Kunce to a Lincoln-Douglas style debate at the State Fair. Traditional Lincoln-Douglas debate is closer to a series of speeches than the rat-a-tat of modern political debate. Hawley said no moderators would be needed and that he would let Kunce speak first. On Friday, the Missouri State Fair Commission released a statement tamping down on the prospect of a debate at the fairgrounds. The statement said the commission believed the fair should highlight the states agricultural industry and that it had worked hard to set the fairs agenda. Therefore, we are unable to accommodate any request for political debates on the fairgrounds during the duration of the Missouri State Fair, the statement said. The same day the Missouri Farm Bureau, whose political arm has endorsed Hawley, invited both candidates to a debate that would be dominated by questions from the public. The debate would take place just outside the official fairgrounds, sidestepping the commissions objections. Hawley accepted but Kunce declined, pointing to the Missouri Farm Bureaus support for his opponent. Kunce said the debate would have violated Federal Election Commission rules about who can host debates because of the Farm Bureaus political activity. FEC rules generally restrict debate hosts to nonprofits that dont endorse candidates, as well as news outlets. On Wednesday, the Kunce campaign sent a letter to Missouri Farm Bureau Federation President Garrett Hawkins declining the invitation to debate, warning that if Lucas attended the event it would expose the Farm Bureau to having made an illegal corporate contribution to campaign committees. He put their (nonprofit) status in jeopardy by coordinating with them in violation of FEC rules, Kunce said during the exchange with Hawley. Hawley rejected the idea that a Farm Bureau debate would have run afoul of federal rules. Theyre a nonprofit organization, No. 1, Hawley said. No. 2, they havent expended any money. Kunce quickly countered that Hawley was really obsessed with this stunt. Josh Hawley and Lucas Kunce argue and answer questions amid a scrum of reporters at the Missouri State Fair on Thursday. Fight over debates The exchange between the two men came after Hawleys campaign had gathered reporters on the edge of the Ham Breakfast, saying the senator would answer questions. When Hawley arrived, he said lets go find Lucas Kunce and walked into the crowd. At times, Hawley and Kunce appeared engaged in a joint news conference as they answered questions amid the roar of the breakfast crowd, which included hundreds of attendees. They appeared to slowly circle around each other as cameras maneuvered for position. They grabbed each others shoulders and pointed at one another. When asked about his recent overtures to organized labor, Hawley said he no longer supported right-to-work, which prevents unions from requiring employees to pay union dues despite his previous support of the idea. I dont think its fair to ask union organizers to have to organize for people who are not paying union dues, Hawley said. Kunce responded by attacking Hawleys previous stances on organized labor. Hawley interrupted him by again asking for a debate. He was a right-to-work candidate. He doesnt believe in labor, he said. Hes tried to remake himself in an election year because he knows that taking away our rights is not something that people want. The encounter broke up after about 10 minutes, with the candidates splitting up but both continued to answer reporter questions for several more minutes. Afterwards, House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, a Springfield Democrat running for governor, said voters are tired of the divisiveness in politics. I think for the governors race, youre gonna see conversations around policy and really where we differ, instead of maybe the flamethrowers and things that weve been seeing on TV lately, she said. She said that while the exchange between Hawley and Kunce was happening, she walked over to her Republican opponent Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, shook his hand and gave him a hug. A very different dynamic here, she said about the race for governor. The lieutenant governor and I obviously have very stark differences in public policy and what we believe is best for the state of Missouri, but I, myself, and Missourians want something different. Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, the Republican candidate for governor, didnt comment directly on the Hawley-Kunce exchange. But speaking with reporters, he said he has known Quade for a long time. I mean, her viewpoints are probably 100% different than most of mine, but were old fashioned in that we can disagree and still have a relationship with each other, Kehoe said. No public polling on the U.S. Senate race has become available since the primary election. Saint Louis University-YouGov poll conducted in February found at least 50% of respondents approved of Hawleys job performance while 41% had some level of disapproval. Its possible Hawley and Kunce will eventually face each other in a debate. Hawley told reporters last week he was open to a debate even if the two candidates didnt debate at the fair, and Kunce has accepted multiple invitations to TV debates. I mean, state Rep. Keri Ingle, a Lees Summit Democrat, said after the exchange, it would probably have been more effective if they had just wrestled a hog and got it over with. AUSTIN (KXAN) A Hays County grand jury cleared a San Marcos police officer in the deadly shooting of a 22-year-old man that happened in April, according to a news release from Hays County District Attorney Kelly Higgins. The shooting happened on April 11 in the parking lot of an H-E-B in the 600 block of East Hopkins Street in San Marcos, the release said. Around 9:30 p.m. that night, two men told police they were being followed by a man when they were walking in the area of East Hopkins and Cheatham Street in San Marcos. The men said the man followed them from a convenience store on Cheatham Street. That man was later identified as Malachi Williams, according to police. San Marcos police chief provides statement on deadly shooting involving officer The men eventually made it to their home, and Williams pulled out two knives and threatened them both, according to police. Then, shortly after 10:30 p.m., Williams made his way back to the convenience store, where police waited near the front door of the store for him to come out, according to the DAs office. Williams eventually stepped outside but ignored commands from an SMPD officer to turn around and put his hands behind his back. Instead, Williams ran away cut through a parking lot and was headed for the H-E-B. The officer shot Williams twice, according to the DAs office. Officers provided first aid to Williams, and he was then taken to a hospital in Kyle where he was pronounced dead, according to police. We are saddened by the loss of life, but the actions of Mr. Williams posed a threat to public safety. This officer was forced to make a difficult decision in order to protect the public, Higgins said in the release. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. A former special education teacher for Horry County Schools arrested last year had a history of aggressive behavior toward students, according to a recently filed lawsuit. Gabriel Hernandez was arrested on April 14, 2023, and charged with cruelty to children, a misdemeanor, while working at St. James Intermediate School. That case is still pending, and an attorney representing Hernandez did not immediately return a voicemail seeking comment. Hernandez had dragged a child by his arms across the room and put all of his body weight on the boys legs by sitting on him for about 30 seconds before picking the boy up and slamming him into a chair, according to the Horry County Police incident report. That students mother, who previously told The Sun News that the incident left her son afraid to return to school, filed a lawsuit against Hernandez for the assault and HCS for negligent supervision and training. Horry County Schools declined to comment on the pending litigation, according to spokeswoman Lisa Bourcier. Before the incident that led to his arrest, Hernandez was accused in 2021, while working at Waccamaw Elementary, of grabbing and squeezing a students neck, the lawsuit states. After being transferred to St. James Intermediate, Hernandez was accused in 2022 of holding a student down by their shoulders, inappropriate conduct not in line with proper training, and stepping on a students hand, according to the complaint. The allegation of Hernandez stepping on a students hand during Oct. 2022 led to questioning by HCPD and the teacher being placed on administrative leave. But police deferred to the districts internal investigation, and Hernandez was allowed allowed to return to work a few weeks later with no discipline, the suit states. The letter from HCS informing Hernandez he can return to work, obtained by The Sun News through open records request, states:, Although you are allowed to return to work, it is imperative that you understand that conduct of this nature will not be tolerated and could place your employment in jeopardy. Hernandez was later placed on administrative leave again during March 2023 after the alleged assault that led to his arrest. He resigned Apr. 17, 2023, three days after his arrest, for personal reasons, his email to district officials states. Hernandez was the third HCS employee arrested last school year on charges related to alleged abuse of special education students. An Ocean Bay Elementary School teacher pled guilty to charges involving child neglect, while charges were later dropped against Ocean Bays principal, who was accused of failing to report that neglect. The district has also faced more than a dozen other lawsuits filed since 2018 alleging damages suffered by students receiving special education services, The Sun News has previously reported. How healthy in Lake Champlain? Here's what the scientists are seeing Bacteria, microplastics and trash from landfills are all serious concerns when looking at the health of Lake Champlain, especially after the flooding last year and this summer. With the high water flow after flooding a variety of debris floats down rivers and into the lake. Lake Champlain Sea Grant Director Anne Jefferson says water pollution comes in many forms; for example, someone's Tupperware something not intended to be trashed floating out of their house during flooding. Early indicators have led local scientists to conclude that recent flooding is not impacting Lake Champlain's health as much as last year's storms, although there are still concerns for the watershed's well-being. They continue to monitor the watershed and keep the public up-to-date with their findings. Sea Grant Executive Program Leader Kris Stepenuck and UVM Agroecology Fellow Nora Beer prepare to drop a Secchi disk into Lake Champlain to measure water clarity July 18, 2024. That said, the July 10 and 11 storm added large amounts of phosphorus to the lake, which can drive cyanobacteria blooms later in the summer, said researchers aboard the Marcelle Melosira on July 18 as part of a presentation by Lake Champlain Sea Grant, University of Vermont and the Lake Champlain Basin Program. Too much of a harmful bacteria can make the water unsafe, leading to closed beaches. While bacterial blooms happen naturally with warm weather and stagnant water, flooding exacerbates it. A new way to study The Marcelle Melosira, the University of Vermont's research and teaching vessel is named after donor and former Sen. Patrick Leahy's wife and the previous research vessel. It began sailing Lake Champlain July 23, 2023. It's docked outside the Rubenstein Ecosystems Science Laboratory on the Burlington waterfront. The "one-of-a-kind" boat hosts cutting-edge technology and research equipment, according to Kris Stepenuck, Lake Champlain Sea Grant associate director. The Marcelle Melosira runs tests to monitor water clarity, track invasive species and erosion. UVM professors and students, Lake Champlain Basin Program researchers and others use the vessel depending on what they're monitoring at that time. College interns also help the researchers on the boat. Water has turned murky where the Winooski River meets Lake Champlain. The change in the color is due to bacteria buildup from the recent flooding. The hybrid boat can run for up to three hours on electric energy, according to interim Capt. Taylor Resnick. He is aboard the Marcelle Melosira Monday to Friday, collecting data on the lake and how the basin with waterways from Cabot to Rutland, and from Saranac Lake to Quebec all play a role in lake health. The boat is 20 meters long and 6 meters wide, with a capacity of 32 people. It was projected to be a 60% reduction in fossil fuel use from the previous vessel. The boat is equipped with: First-of-its-kind winch technology. Echo-sounding technology to ID and map underwater species distribution. Multi-net plankton and fish larvae sampler. Profiler to study large particles and zooplankton. Echoview software to process hydroacoustic data. Gas analyzer to measure gaseous compounds. Corer for sampling lake bottom sediment. Watershed Alliance offers K-12 programs on the R/V Marcelle Melosira, which give elementary, middle and high school students and teachers the opportunity to learn firsthand about the study of limnology the study of inland aquatic ecosystems and to collect their own data on Lake Champlain with the aid of professional educators and lab research staff. Protecting our waters On July 23, Sen. Peter Welch, D, Vt., Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., introduced the bicameral Lake Champlain Basin Program Reauthorization Act legislation that would reauthorize the Lake Champlain Basin Program for 10 years at $55 million to support interstate conservation and the health of the Lake Champlain Basin. The bill would establish the Lake Champlain Basin Program to "formally administer the program to promote climate resilience and mitigation through ecosystem restoration," according to a press release. Jefferson said that prevention is the best course of action. Removing bacteria or microplastics is extremely challenging, especially at such a large scale. Learning about the watershed and finding the best solutions to preserve it is the work they're going to focus on. Sydney P. Hakes is the Burlington city reporter. Contact her at SHakes@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Vermont's Lake Champlain: Tracking bacteria, microplastics and trash Here's everything you need to know about Indiana's alcohol laws If you're new to living (and drinking) in Indiana, the laws might differ from your last home state. Indiana's alcohol laws have changed a few times over the years most recently this year, when the happy hour ban was lifted. Here's what to know about Indiana's alcohol laws as of 2024. Can you buy alcohol on Sunday in Indiana? Yes, but only during certain hours at stores. Restaurants or bars can serve drinks (beer, wine and cocktails) from 7 a.m. to 3 a.m., but if you are planning to purchase at a liquor, grocery or convenience store on a Sunday, you can only purchase it between noon and 8 p.m. You used to be unable to purchase alcohol in Indiana on Sundays, but a law passed in 2018 changed that. Happy hour in Indiana: After 40-year ban, Hoosiers celebrate return of happy hour Why was it illegal to buy beer on Sunday in Indiana? Banning alcohol sales on Sunday dates back to Prohibition-era blue laws in which religious groups sought to reserve the day for worship. However, Indiana's Sunday ban lingered for years due mostly to economic reasons, with religious objections rarely being part of the debate. The biggest roadblock had been the liquor store industry, which sought to protect its market share from groceries, pharmacies and big box stores. With Sunday the second busiest grocery shopping day of the week, liquor stores were worried they would lose sales if the public stocks up on their regular Sunday trips to Target. Liquor stores have also objected to the added costs of staffing on Sundays. Finally, some anti-alcohol organizations just don't want to give consumers another day to buy alcohol. When did it become legal to buy alcohol on Sunday in Indiana? On March 4, 2018, for the first time, Hoosiers were able to buy beer (and other alcoholic products) from liquor stores, groceries, pharmacies and convenience stores from noon to 8 p.m. What time of day can you purchase alcohol in Indiana? State law permits the sale of alcohol at restaurants and bars from 7 a.m. to 3 a.m. Sunday through Saturday. The only exception is if you are buying liquor and carrying it out on Sunday, you can only do so from noon to 8 p.m. from all grocery, liquor and convenience stores. Can you buy cold beer for carryout in Indiana? Yes, but only at liquor stores. Grocery stores, convenience stores and pharmacies are not allowed to sell cold beer. This is another rule liquor stores have objected to changing over the years as it sets their business apart from other retailers. What states allow liquor sales in grocery stores? Only four states, Alaska, Delaware, Maryland and Rhode Island, do not permit grocery stores to sell alcohol at all. Most states have their own rules on what types of alcohol can be purchased in grocery stores. Some allow beer and wine, others only allow beer and all hard liquor must be purchased at liquor stores. Indiana is one of only 21 states that allow the sale of hard liquor outside of liquor stores. What is the open container law in Indiana? Indiana has no restrictions on the open carrying of alcohol in public spaces. Patrons are allowed to carry an alcoholic beverage in its original container out of a premise and consume it on the sidewalks. However, the premise may not allow drinks to be carried out as part of its policy. People in motor vehicles are not permitted to have an open container unless you're paying for a ride in vehicles such as a cab, Uber, etc. or in the living quarters of an recreational vehicle. Can you buy alcohol on Election Day? Yes. The law banning alcohol sales while the polls were open was changed in 2010, and was put into practice for the first time during the 2012 election. Can you buy alcohol on Christmas Day? Yes; stores and restaurants that are open on Christmas Day are allowed to sell liquor. The law banning alcohol sales on Christmas Day was changed in 2015 and was first allowed Dec. 25, 2015. The Sunday time period rule does apply if the holiday falls on a Sunday. Eating out in Indy: Dining deals for Indianapolis date night, happy hour and a Brazilian steakhouse Is happy hour illegal in Indiana? Not anymore. As of July 1, 2024, the happy hour ban was lifted. Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a new law that repealed the 40-year-old ban on discount drinks during specified hours, a measure that arose in the 1980s amid a public push against drunk driving. House Enrolled Act 1086 also gives restaurants the ability to sell in-house cocktails to-go a nod to the post-COVID-19 business world in which they now operate. More: Gov. Holcomb signs law repealing 40-year-old 'happy hour' ban in Indiana Reminders about alcohol consumption The legal drinking age in the United States is 21 years old or older. Minors should know that it is illegal to knowingly possess or consume alcohol or transport alcohol on a public highway when not accompanied by at least one of his or her parents or guardians. Indiana law requires permittees and their employees to check identification of any person younger than 40 when conducting carryout sales. Alcohol is a controlled substance. Please drink responsibly and never drink and drive. Isabela Butera contributed to this report. Katie Wiseman is a trending news reporter at IndyStar. Contact her at klwiseman@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @itskatiewiseman. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana's alcohol laws: All the rules and restrictions as of 2024 VIENTIANE, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Representatives from the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have gathered in Laos to discuss greater collaboration for economic integration, digital transformation, and a sustainable future. The representatives gathered in the Lao capital Vientiane for the 46th meeting of the High-Level Task Force on ASEAN Economic Integration, according to a report issued by the Lao Ministry of Industry and Commerce on Thursday. The participants discussed and exchanged opinions to formulate recommendations for policies to drive ASEAN economic integration, and to prepare for the 56th ASEAN Economic Ministers' Meeting, which Laos will host in mid-September. The meeting was briefed on progress in implementing the ASEAN Priority Economic Deliverables under Laos' ASEAN chairmanship in 2024. The meeting was also briefed on the progress in implementing the initiative for good regulations related to the electric vehicle and battery industries and for guiding this issue. In addition, the meeting discussed other issues related to the ASEAN economy, such as the blue economy, integration, and promotion of people-to-people ties, trade and investments in the region. The 7 things the rich are ordering at bars right now The 7 things the rich are ordering at bars right now Business Insider asked bar professionals about the drinks wealthy customers are actually ordering. Luxury spirits seem to be popular among the affluent crowds at high-end spots. The bartenders also said people order individual pours that sometimes cost $400. Even though cocktail prices across the board have been on the rise, that hasn't stopped specialty drinks like $40 martinis from becoming a new kind of status symbol. But what are the wealthy drinking right now? It turns out what's in their cups ranges from three-figure pours to mocktails with fresh herbs. To peel back the curtain on how the other half lives, Business Insider asked bartenders and beverage directors at high-end restaurants, bars, and catering companies which drinks the upper class is ordering right now. Spirit-forward cocktails are extremely popular. You can't go wrong with a classic Negroni made with top-shelf gin. Auster Pics/Shutterstock Tyler Ledbetter, a bar manager for TH/RST Hospitality Group, told BI one of the major trends among its biggest spenders is spirit-forward cocktails. Popular examples include old-fashioneds, martinis, and Negronis but upgraded with higher-end spirits. Since they're usually the stars of these drinks, quality matters. "These spirits are a little pricier because they have so much flavor complexity, and in a spirit-forward cocktail, this taste comes through more so than a fruity cocktail like a margarita," he said. The bar manager highlighted Macallan single-malt Scotch, Blanton's bourbon, and Don Julio 1942 tequila as spirits to watch. Single pours are also more common than you may think. Some pours can cost hundreds of dollars. Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Haute Living Carlos Ruiz, a bartender and mixologist at Le Malt Imperiale, said many patrons at his private social dining club in New York City opt for single pours. He told BI that Pappy Van Winkle 12-year bourbon and Macallan 25 are popular top-priced items that cost $200 and $400 a pour, respectively. Espresso martinis are popular for a reason. A classic espresso martini is an elegant cocktail for a night out. Denis Bukhlaev/Shutterstock Hailey Knight, the beverage director at Felix Cocktail et Cuisine, said espresso martinis have won and maintained their status as a trendy signature cocktail for affluent customers. "Its adaptability to different settings and times of day adds to its appeal," she told BI. "The caffeine is also appealing in social settings to stay energized during evening events or after dinner." Classic cocktails with a luxury twist are becoming a fan favorite. Stuffed olives can elevate a martini. Johana Mlichova/Shutterstock When it comes to cocktails, the elite may still gravitate toward classic bar staples but with a luxurious twist. Will Kriebel, the head bartender at Chelsea Living Room in NYC, said he serves plenty of dry martinis with blue-cheese-whipped olives. Some customers even splurge on a caviar-stuffed upgrade. He said going out for drinks isn't just an activity, it's an experience and people are looking to be impressed by new combinations. Caviar has become a popular drink garnish for those who can afford it. Champagne and caviar is already a classic combo, but mixologists are doing more with the delicacy. AtlasStudio/Shutterstock Hector Maneiro, a bartender at Only Love Strangers in New York, told BI that caviar yes, fish eggs has become the ultimate cocktail garnish. "For the wealthy, it's a way to showcase their discerning taste and appreciation for the finer things in life," he said. But it can also pair well with some types of alcohol. "We use classic Ossetra caviar for our martini because of its delicate, nutty flavor and buttery texture, which complements the clean flavors of gin or vodka perfectly," Maneiro told BI. A quality, 1-ounce tin of Ossetra caviar typically costs at least $100. But when the bar is shouldering the up-front cost and using it as a drink garnish, customers can enjoy the delicacy for a fraction of the price. Drinks with quality, locally sourced ingredients are highly sought after. Farm-to-table cocktail bars may be on the rise. Milkshake Creative/Shutterstock Nancy Parrague Barclay, a partner and vice president of client relations at Paula LeDuc Fine Catering & Events, said she's had more high-profile clients requesting farm-to-table drinks incorporating fresh herbs and locally sourced ingredients. "Incorporating seasonal ingredients offers fresher, more distinctive flavors compared to mass-produced alternatives, making this a more artisanal experience," she told BI. Parrague Barclay said this movement toward local, fresh ingredients is part of a larger trend and generational shift. Gen Z, sometimes referred to as the Sustainable Generation, has demanded more attention for environmental concerns in recent years and that stretches into the beverage industry. Choosing cocktails made with local ingredients can help reduce carbon emissions since they don't have to be shipped as far. Low-ABV cocktails are also on the rise. Most cocktail bars now serve fancy mocktails. siamionau pavel/Shutterstock Frankie Gabriel, the director of restaurants for TH/RST Hospitality Group's Sweetbriar in the Park South Hotel, told BI that mocktails and drinks with lower alcohol content have been a steady trend among their customers in the past few years. They're popular for those trying to gradually go completely alcohol-free and individuals who just want a lighter aperitif, like Le Mone. "Drinking an aromatic spritz in the sunshine has taken the place of a scotch and cigar in a basement," he told BI. Ledbetter said many of his customers have been particularly interested in Hugo spritzes with St-Germain elderflower liqueur, muddled mint, and prosecco or Limoncello spritzes with the Italian lemon liqueur and prosecco. Read the original article on Business Insider Democrats held a rally Tuesday calling on U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson to allow a vote on an extension and expansion of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. They called on GOP House candidate Yvette Herrell to pressure Johnson to release the bill from his desk. Johnson and Herrell will campaign next week in Las Cruces, Herrell said. (Photo by Patrick Lohmann / Source NM) Amid increasing Democratic criticism, Republican Congressional candidate Yvette Herrell said Wednesday that she is broadly supportive of extending and expanding the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, including the $50 billion bill that sits unheard on GOP House Speaker Mike Johnsons desk. Herrell is seeking to reclaim her House seat from incumbent Democrat Gabe Vasquez in one of the nations most hotly contested elections. She told Source New Mexico on Wednesday that she believes RECA should be expanded. I will support any and all of the efforts, Herrell said. I think theres a responsibility from the government, the federal government, to the downwinders and the uranium workers. She said the program should be expanded to downwinders in New Mexico and multiple states who havent been compensated, and uranium mine workers exposed after 1971. Among those deserving, she said, are downwinders in Guam, who were exposed to nuclear weapons testing between the 1940s and 1960s. A group of House Democrats, including Vasquez, gathered Tuesday evening in Albuquerque for a campaign rally, calling on Johnson to give the RECA bill a vote before the general election. Johnson in late May announced he would not bring to a vote a bill extending RECA, citing the price tag. Several of the roughly 30 attendees at the rally wore oxygen masks, which they said they needed due to lung damage sustained from exposure to uranium mines or mushroom clouds decades ago. Advocates say thousands in New Mexico were sickened, along with their descendants for generations. Think about the trauma that weve suffered, said Paul Pino, who grew up in Carrizozo about 40 miles from the Trinity Site and said he lost a mother and brother to cancer. And think about how people like Mike Johnson just are unmovable, just like they have no heart. Vasquez and other House Democrats also criticized Herrell. He alleged she didnt support the RECA expansion for New Mexico downwinders, which Herrell denies. Democrats also said she was unwilling to hold Johnsons feet to the fire about the issue. What action do you think Yvette Herrell will take when shes in Congress, supported and endorsed by the very person who is blocking this legislation? Vasquez told the crowd at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. The refusal to support the reauthorization and expansion of this critical act is not a failure of government, but a deliberate disregard for the suffering of New Mexicans for generations. Johnson will campaign for Herrell in New Mexico next week, including a visit to Las Cruces on Wednesday, Herrell said. The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act expired about two months ago, despite bipartisan calls to extend and expand the program for different categories of workers and residents sickened by radiation exposure. The bill that Johnson refuses to bring to the floor, sponsored by U.S. Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) and Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), passed the Senate 69-30. Twenty Republicans voted for the measure. Time is running out for the expired RECA program to be reauthorized and expanded this year. Congress meets in Washington D.C. for only a few weeks in September before the general election, and Democrats said it was unlikely Johnson would change his position. Vasquez, citing a recent Albuquerque Journal article, told reporters after the meeting that he believed Herrell was opposed to expanding the program for downwinders in the Tularosa Basin area, which falls into Congressional District 2. Tina Cordova, a longtime advocate on behalf of downwinders impacted by the Trinity blast in 1946, also told Source New Mexico on Wednesday that Herrell has been quoted or paraphrased in news articles having different positions on RECA, including advocating for less than a full expansion or saying she wanted a separate program for downwinders. Hoping to set the record straight, Herrell said she endorses an expansion. She said she believes she and her opponent want the same groups of people to be covered by RECA, even with the high price tag. She pointed to her record as a cosponsor to the RECA Amendment Act when she served in Congress before Vasquez took her seat. Out of office, she said shes met with uranium workers in Grants and brought the issue up with Johnson in private. Herrell stopped short of saying she disagreed with Johnson about his decision, saying it was his discretion to bring bills for a vote, but shell urge him to take action on the bill when they meet next week in Las Cruces. Ill be meeting with him privately. Obviously, this is the top of my list for something that Id like to see them take action on, she said. Cordova called on Herrell to go a step further and arrange a meeting between downwinders and Johnson during his visit. Everybody across this country whos a downwinder and a uranium worker has been begging to meet with him, she said. While Herrell supports a full expansion, she said she understands why some of her former colleagues in the House are worried about costs, citing the mounting national debt and other spending. That kind of money gives a little bit of pause to some of the members, she said. Herrell said she was more optimistic than her Democratic opponents about chances for a RECA expansion this year. She pointed to a separate bill that she hoped would spur the House leaders into action, should it pass the House Judiciary Committee and head to the Speakers desk. Sponsored by U.S. Rep. Harriet Hagemen (R-Wyoming), the bill provides compensation to uranium miners in 11 states, including New Mexico, and extends but does not expand RECA. It also uses unspent COVID-19 pandemic funds to pay for it, she said, which might make it more appealing to fiscal conservatives. Certainly having both bills at the speakers table would be a great catalyst and opportunity for the speaker to broker a deal with a compromise bill, she said. Source New Mexico reporter Danielle Prokop contributed to this report. One month ago, former President Donald Trump seemed poised to retake the White House from an ailing President Joe Biden. Now that he's falling behind Vice President Kamala Harris, people close to Trump's campaign are complaining to Vanity Fair that the GOP nominee is only making matters worse. Its like hes choosing to lose, one of them vented. The first obvious signs of the unraveling came in late July, as Harris' entry into the race seemed to re-awaken Trump's deep-seated impulse to attack rivals based on their identity. At a July 31 conference for Black journalists, Trump said that Harris, who is mixed-race, changed her identity from Indian to Black for political gain, an attack line he continues to use on the campaign trail. At a rally in Georgia days later, Trump spent 10 minutes ranting about Brian Kemp, the state's popular Republican governor, for being insufficiently loyal during his attempt to overturn the 2020 election. "Little Brian, little Brian Kemp. Bad guy," he taunted. On Truth Social, Trump has been posting far-fetched conspiracy theories, including a prediction that Biden will crash the Democratic National Convention to wrest back the nomination and disproven claims that Democrats are creating AI images of Harris' packed rallies. "It's nuts," one Trump confidante told Vanity Fair. The Biden theory might reflect the implausible hopes of a candidate who prepared his campaign for a rematch against the president but is now struggling to adjust to a Harris-led ticket. Trump has repeatedly claimed that the swap and alleged AI-image scheme is tantamount to "cheating" and should, in the latter case, disqualify the vice president from appearing on the ballot, potentially setting the stage for him to dispute the election results should he lose. Trump's allies fear that Harris' momentum has thrown their candidate into a panicked fury, and are urging him to focus on the policy debate. I do think its counterproductive to call her stupid, longtime Trump adviser Roger Stone told Vanity Fair, referring to one of several epithets that Trump has lobbed against Harris alongside nicknames like "Laffin Kamala" and "Kambala." Trump is reportedly unmoved, telling his circle: "I know what I'm doing." According to Vanity Fair's sources, another theory floating among Trump's circle is that he is suffering from the trauma of the assassination attempt against him in July. Hes been watching that seven-second clip of how close he was to getting shot right in the headover and over and over again, said a Republican close to the campaign. He may actually legit have PTSD. A campaign official confirmed that it continues to affect Trump. Hes been through a lot, he said. The creeks around East Palestine, Ohio, were so badly contaminated by last years disastrous Norfolk Southern derailment that some workers became sick during the cleanup. Workers who reported headaches and nausea while shooting compressed air into the creek bed, which releases chemicals from the sediment and water were sent back to their hotels to rest, according to a report obtained by The Associated Press about their illnesses. The findings were not released to the public last spring, despite residents concerns about the potential health effects of exposure to the long list of chemicals that spilled and burned after the disaster. The workers symptoms, as described in the report, are consistent with what Centers for Disease Control and Prevention workers going door-to-door in town had reported shortly after the Feb. 3, 2023, derailment. Since then some residents have also reported unexplained rashes, asthma and other respiratory problems, and serious diseases including male breast cancer. Researchers are still determining how many of those health problems can be linked to the derailment and how the disaster will impact the long-term health of residents in the area near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border. Many wonder whether there will be cancer clusters down the road, which of course wont be clear for years. In the meantime, residents have until Aug. 22 to decide whether to accept up to $25,000 as part of a $600 million class action settlement with the railroad to compensate them for any future health problems. Accepting that money though means giving up the right to sue later, when the cost of health care coverage and specific treatments needed will become more clear. Norfolk Southern spokesperson Heather Garcia said none of the workers who got sick during the cleanup reported lingering or long-term symptoms. The health and safety of our employees, contractors, and the community has been paramount throughout the recovery in East Palestine, Garcia said. The creek cleanup work continued, but nearly three weeks later, another worker got sick. This time, it was halted altogether. While thereve been other cleanup projects since then, theyve stopped using high-pressure air knife tools. Independent toxicologist George Thompson who has been following the aftermath of the Ohio wreck said the cleanup contractors, overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency, should have known the work they were doing would release chemicals from the sediment into the air and water. In fact, that is what CTEH was monitoring while the project was underway. And with one of the main streams, Sulphur Run, going directly through town and in culverts under homes and offices, Thompson said those chemicals could have infiltrated buildings. Youre just spreading out the chemicals for exposure, Thompson said. And I just think that it was not an informed decision to use air knifing at all. Resident Jami Wallace said she lost her voice for two weeks after she got too close to one of the air knifing machines, which was placed near her driveway. She said when the machine was turned on, it felt like being hit by an invisible wall emitting a sweet chemical smell much like when the train derailed. The report from CTEH was submitted to Unified Command, the group overseeing disaster response which included federal, state and local officials along with Norfolk Southern but no one released it despite significant public interest. CTEHs principal toxicologist Paul Nony confirmed the report was given to the command center, and officials there were alerted about the illnesses. When CDC workers got sick also with headaches and nausea it generated headlines nationwide. East Palestine resident Misti Allison said not enough is being done to monitor long-term health effects on the community, and this report substantiates their health concerns. She said this report should have never been kept from the public. Its absolutely egregious, and that shouldnt happen. I think that any type of information like that just like when the CDC workers came to the area and got sick that should be disclosed instead of diminished, Allison said. Especially when it comes to human health, nothing should be swept under the rug. The East Palestine derailment that happened on the night of Feb. 3, 2023, was easily the worst rail disaster since a crude oil train leveled the small Canadian town of Lac Megantic and killed 47 people in 2013. It prompted a national reckoning with rail safety and calls for reform although proposals for new industry rules have stalled in Congress. Thirty-eight cars derailed, including 11 carrying hazardous materials such as butyl acrylate and vinyl chloride. After the crash, a fire burned for days. Fearing the five vinyl chloride cars would explode, officials then needlessly blew them open, and intentionally burned the toxic plastic ingredient. That created a massive plume of thick black smoke over the area. The NTSB determined that the decision-makers that day never received the key opinion that the cars were not likely to explode from the chemical manufacturer. The major freight railroads responded by pledging to add hundreds more trackside detectors nationwide to help spot mechanical problems. They also reevaluated the way they respond to alerts and even before alerts, the way they track rising temperatures from an overheating wheel bearing. This summers completion of the NTSB investigation into the crash brought renewed hope that Congress might pass a rail safety bill, but little action has been taken outside of a House hearing on the subject last month. CTEH said that its environmental testing around the creeks confirmed there were elevated levels of an assortment of chemicals in the air and sediment. Still, the group didnt find either of the two chemicals of greatest concern: vinyl chloride or butyl acrylate. Sediment testing at nine locations along the creeks where cleanup workers reported strong odors did show 37 different chemical compounds that were primarily either hydrocarbons or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Because of that, CTEH said it was clear that some of the contamination in the creeks came from industries that operated in the area years before the 2023 derailment. Still, those compounds could have also been created from chemicals burning after the train crash. Nony, the head CTEH toxicologist, said that his companys responsibility during the air knifing operation was primarily to monitor air quality. The EPA has said that it doesnt believe people are being exposed to any toxic chemicals on an ongoing basis because concerning levels of chemicals havent been found in their air and water tests since the evacuation order was lifted. In follow-up testing this year, the agency did find small amounts of vinyl chloride and other chemicals at the crash site, but citing only small amounts and the fact that the contaminated soil was removed, the agency said they dont represent a risk to human health. The overall clean up effort in East Palestine is expected to be completed sometime later this year. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW Salvatore Night-Life Lawyer Strazzullo was found dead in Brooklyn Saturday (Aug. 10). His body was discovered in his car, where he was parked in front of his parents home. A cause of death has not been revealed, The New York Post reports. Famous throughout NYC for his noteworthy clients and unique defense tactics, Strazzullo represented Foxy Brown in 2011 over accusations of mooning neighbor Arlene Raymond, with whom she was feuding. This wouldve been a violation of a protective order placed on Brown stemming from her pleading guilty in 2008 to menacing Raymond with her cellphone. The Ill Be Good rappers charges were eventually dropped due to Raymond choosing not to testify in the case, The Post reported at the time. Strazzullo, however, was prepared to use an underwear defense if needed, arguing that the rapper born Inga Marchand was going commando the day of the alleged mooning, with Raymond claiming Brown removed her panties before the alleged disrespectful deed. NEW YORK JANUARY 17: Recording artist Foxy Brown talks with reporters as she leaves after appearing in a Manhattan Criminal Court January 17, 2007 in New York City. Brown received a sentence of probation, and must take anger management classes, related to charges stemming from a fight at a nail salon last year. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images) In addition to the Brooklyn rapper, the attorney also represented exotic dancer Milana Dravnel, who sued boxer Oscar De La Hoya for $100 million in 2007 over his attempt to stop her from selling compromising photos of him. The case was quietly put to bed in 2008 after Dravnel dropped the allegations and signed a confidentiality agreement with the boxers representatives, The Post reports. NEW YORK FEBRUARY 15: Milana Dravnel (L) and her attorney Salvatore Strazzullo speak to the media before entering Federal Court February 15, 2008 in New York City. Dravnel is suing boxer Oscar De La Hoya for defamation, over alleged photographs of him taken by Dravnel. Hoya claims the images were manipulated by her. (Photo by Brad Barket/Getty Images) Strazzullo found himself facing some legal trouble, as well, as he was sued by Desiree DeMartino, a paralegal and former employee, in 2011 for sexual harassment and other accusations. More recently, he was accused of criminal theft and fraud via a Ponzi scheme used to allegedly rip off the elderly to fund his lifestyle. He was accused of stealing a total of nearly $3.8 million, pleading not guilty to first-degree grand larceny, four counts of second-degree grand larceny, and one count of first-degree scheme to defraud. A December 2023 case also found the lawyer accused of stealing $1.5 million from three other clients. Both cases were still pending at the time of his passing, The Post confirms. More from VIBE.com Video: Prior coverage of Hollywood Gaming in Dayton. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway is celebrating its 10-year anniversary with a weekend bash. Beginning on Friday Aug. 16, the racino will host the Dayton Funk All-Stars. The group, known for their R&B and titular funk sound, will play on the Sunset Stage from 7-10 p.m. On Saturday Aug. 17, more musicians will appear, as well as over 15 food vendors. The Growlers, known for their classic rock stylings, will play at 4 p.m., then the Ryan Mundy Band will take over the stage with their country sound at 6 p.m., followed by the Parrots of the Caribbean at 8:30 p.m. Food trucks will be available to visit on Saturday Aug. 17, from 4-10 p.m., and the vendor fair will be held in the Lower Racing area of the racino from 4-8 p.m. Saturdays festivities will conclude with a fireworks display. Guests are invited to bring a chair or blanket and kick back and enjoy the festivities. All ages are welcome to attend the weekend events. Click here to learn more about the live performers, vendors and events scheduled for the event. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. Homeless man faces up to 15 years in prison for robbery BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) A homeless man could get up to 15 years in prison after being found guilty of robbing another homeless man on Chester Avenue in December, according to prosecutors. John Williams III, 43, was found guilty Wednesday of robbery and providing false identification to police. Hes scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 12. Williams has a lengthy criminal history, court records show, including felony assault and vehicle theft convictions. Man charged with murder in womans death previously assaulted his mother: docs Everyone in our community deserves to feel safe, and it is necessary that all victims of crime receive justice for the offenses committed against them, District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer said in a release. On Dec. 17, Williams displayed a pellet gun as he demanded the victim hand over items hed collected, prosecutors said. The other man dropped his belongings and walked away. Williams followed him, and the man yelled at the occupant of a nearby car to call 911. Never miss a story: Make KGET.com your homepage The man also called 911 after running to Sam Lynn Ballpark, prosecutors said. Police found Williams at a strip mall and located both the pellet gun and the victims belongings, according to the release. He initially gave a false name, prosecutors said. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17. MORRIS COUNTY, N.J. (PIX11) Morris County is taking a simple approach to tackle the complex problem of opioid abuse, using street outreach to connect with people in need. Since its inception in 2017, the Hope One mobile access recovery vehicle has connected with more than 50,000 people, placing more than 1,500 people into programs. The Hope One van serves as a judgement-free safe space and one-stop shop for help overcoming addiction and mental health issues. They might not know where to turn or where to start, said Al Shurdom, a certified peer recovery specialist for Hope One. We can sit down and literally draw a blueprint for that individual on how to go forward, based on whatever services they require. And, we can also make those connections right from here. More Local News The Hope One van travels across Morris County, stopping in various locations. On a rainy Thursday, the van sat parked next to a food pantry in Morristown. Hope One distributed snacks and pamphlets and provided free samples of Narcan, as well as fentanyl and xylazine test strips. We just have a cup of coffee a conversation, said Cpl. Erica Valvano of the Morris County Sheriffs Office. We just give them a blessing bag and we say were here when youre ready. Were out on the streets almost every single day, trying to help those who essentially cant get up and get those services themselves, said Jon-Erik Randazzo, a Hope One certified peer recovery specialist. Hope One is the brainchild of Morris County Sheriff Jim Gannon, who said he made it a day-one mission to address opioid abuse after learning it was a top concern among residents. We need to identify the at-risk population and then we need to bring services to them, said Gannon. Too many times, were dragging people to brick-and-mortar operations when theyre not ready. The program has since expanded to nine New Jersey counties and has been recognized by the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Our fatal overdoses since the inception of the program are down 20-plus percent, said Gannon. If you identify the at-risk population the homeless community, people without support and we bring services to them, thats the magic of Hope One. For more information about Hope One and a schedule of its upcoming locations, click here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. The Wichita school district is launching an experimental microschool in hopes of luring back some families that have left public schools. The new Creative Minds program features a one-room schoolhouse approach, with about 20 students from kindergarten through sixth grade learning from one teacher. It is housed at the for-profit Learning Lab space inside Union Station downtown an education collaborative with ties to Wichita-based Koch Inc. District officials revealed the program during a special school board meeting recently, after quietly developing it behind the scenes. Its inaugural class includes about 15 children who were recruited from area families that had already left public schools or were considering it. This classroom is kind of invite-only, or word-of-mouth, said Superintendent Kelly Bielefeld. We didnt want to go super public and then have everyone say, What about this? What about this? Really, were just trying it. This is like educational research and development. The district will pay Learning Lab $6,000 a year to rent space. It will not provide transportation or meals for students attending the school. District spokeswoman Susan Arensman said there were still a few spaces available in the program, and the schools website points families to an interest in enrollment form. But its unclear whether or how district officials would select more students for this academic year. Classes began at the K-6 school on Wednesday. Rob Dickson, Wichitas chief information officer, said Education Imagine Academy the districts online school became hugely popular during and after the COVID pandemic. He said the virtual-school program as well as a recent exodus of students from public schools illustrates that families are looking for something different for their children. Kansas public schools have lost about 16,000 students over the past four years. Many went to private schools or homeschools. Others went to so-called microschools or co-ops a hybrid model of learning thats catching on across the nation. We targeted those families to find out, All right, what was it? What was the reason you exited Wichita public schools? Dickson said. Could we entice you to come back, and what would that look like? District leaders are calling Creative Minds a vertical classroom, which means children wont be divided into traditional grade levels. But they still will be tested on district and state standards, the superintendent said, and will take all the required Kansas assessments. The microschool will have a home-base classroom inside the Learning Lab. Students also will have access to the Learning Labs common areas, including a kitchen, STEM lab, podcast studio and outdoor patio. Learning Lab opened last fall on the second floor of Union Station. Stand Together, a philanthropic organization founded by Koch Inc. CEO Charles Koch, partnered with California-based Khan Lab School to develop the collaborative. The Wichita site houses Khan Lab School Wichita, the first expansion of Sal Khans project outside of California, as well as Guiding Light Academy, a K-8 virtual school and microschool hybrid that partners with the Buhler school district. Learning Lab also offers memberships and day passes for home schools and microschools to use its spaces and equipment. Wichita Independent Secular Educators, a local homeschool community, meets several times a week at the downtown Wichita space. Learning Lab director Lydia Hampton says the company wants educators to rethink how students learn. The goal is to help education overall move from a one-size-fits-all to more personalized options, Hampton said. Our hope here is that we can shine a light and provide opportunities that let people try things at a more low-risk situation, and then people can see whats possible. Wichita district leaders say they plan to watch the pilot project closely and collect feedback from parents and others. If its successful, they could consider expanding it or creating new and different microschools. Hampton, the Learning Lab director, approached Wichita school officials more than a year ago to talk about possibilities at the new space. She said she admires educators who are willing to explore new ways to reach children and families. Its a little bit of creative destruction in action, she said They recognize that our society is changing, that parents and families want something different. They could have either stepped out and said, Nope, or they could lean into the discomfort and do something about it. For the Wichita district, anything that brings families back to public schools will mean an enrollment bump and more state funding. But Bielefeld, the superintendent, said the new partnership is about more than money. My hope would be that were always looking to the future to see: What do kids and families want and desire? he said. And making sure we are that opportunity for those families. This story is shared from KMUW through the Wichita Journalism Collaborative, a coalition of 11 newsrooms and community groups, including The Wichita Eagle. TOKYO, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida sent a ritual offering to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine on Thursday, as the country marked the 79th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II. Kishida dedicated the Tamakushi fees to the shrine, a symbol of Japan's past brutal militarism, in his capacity as president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). It came a day after Kishida took the public by surprise by announcing that he would not run in the ruling party's presidential race next month, ready to step down as prime minister after three years in power. While Kishida has not visited the notorious shrine in person, several LDP lawmakers, including Shinjiro Koizumi, a former environment minister and son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, on Thursday visited the shrine to pay homage. The Yasukuni Shrine, located in central Tokyo, honors 14 convicted Class-A Japanese war criminals from World War II. It has long been a source of diplomatic friction for Japan and its neighbors. Visits and ritual offerings made by Japanese officials to the controversial shrine have consistently sparked criticism and hurt the feelings of the people of China, South Korea and other countries brutalized by Japan during the war. Thursday: Thursday will stay hot and humid with a low chance for a pop-up shower/storm with a partly cloudy sky. Highs will be in the lower 90s, and the heat index around 100. Friday: NW flow aloft will bring scattered showers and storms from the north across Alabama. Some of the storms could be strong with gusty winds. SPC has placed the northern third of Alabama in a Level 1/5 Marginal risk for strong winds. High temperatures will be in the middle 90s, and the heat index will be around 100-105. Weekend Outlook: The muggy weather will continue on Saturday ahead of a cold front. A cluster of storms, MCS, could be moving across Central Alabama. These storms will move through during the afternoon into the evening. Then the cold front will push across the state late on Saturday. Some storms could be strong to possibly severe with gusty winds and heavy rain. Highs will be in the lower 90s, and the heat index will be around 100-105 before it storms. The cold front will move into South Alabama by Sunday afternoon. It will be partly cloudy with spotty showers and storms mainly in the first half of the day. Highs will be in the lower 90s. It will become less humid by Sunday night into Monday after the cold front with cooler lows in the 60s. Tracking the Tropics: Hurricane Ernesto continues to strengthen as it moves north of Puerto Rico. Ernesto will turn north as it rides along the western edge of high pressure in the central Atlantic and strengthen into a Category 3 hurricane by Thursday night and track near Bermuda by Saturday morning. Then it will continue to move north toward Nova Scotia on Monday. Be sure to follow the CBS 42 Storm Team: Follow Us on Facebook: Chief Meteorologist Dave Nussbaum, Meteorologist Michael Haynes, Meteorologist Alex Puckett, and Meteorologist Jacob Woods. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42. The hotties are joining the ranks of the white dudes and the cat ladies to support Vice President Kamala Harris, with a Hotties for Harris party helping round out next weeks Democratic National Convention festivities. The Tuesday eventco-hosted by Vox Media star Liz Plank, Vocal Media, and the @Feminist Instagram account, among othersaims to be an immersive experience designed to help you create awesome content about protecting reproductive freedoms, according to the invite. And also to party, the invite read. White Dudes For Harris Seemed Weird: I Was Wrong The party is one of hundreds scheduled in the late hours after the DNCs daily events, scheduled to run from Aug. 19-22. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is holding court at The Salt Shed, a new concert venue featuring a performance by Democratic staple John Legend. The Equality PAC is hosting a party with performances from RuPauls Drag Race stars Chad Michaels, Silky Nutmeg Ganache, and Jackie Cox. Illinois Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth are also welcoming attendees to the city relic Wrigley Field. Handout The Hotties for Harris group continues a series of affinity groupssome demographic-based, some notshowing their support for the Vice President. The White Dudes for Harris groups raised more than $4 million over a Zoom call that featured the likes of The Dude Jeff Bridges, Star Wars legend Mark Hamill, and Mark Ruffalo gabbing with Pritzker and a pre-VP pick Gov. Tim Walz. Former President Donald Trump also has some groups trying to target various demographics, including a $20 million Send the Vote effort backed by podcast hosts the Nelk Boys and former Trump aide Taylor Budowich. The group is officially nonpartisan due to its nonprofit status, but co-founder John Shadidi told The Wall Street Journal he wanted to target young voters who wanted a pro-freedom, pro-America agenda for the U.S. The Hotties for Harris party also borrows its name from the fanbase of rapper Megan Thee Stallion, who endorsed Harris last month and performed at an Atlanta rally. The event featured signs across the arena adorned with the Hotties for Harris name, part of the Harris campaigns reliance on Gen Z culture in its social media campaigns. Its made TikToks using songs from Charli XCXs Brat and Chappell Roans The Rise and Fall of a Midwestern Princess, and Harris first campaign ad relied on Beyonces Lemonade track Freedom to reinforce her campaign message. The song is also her walk-up song at rallies. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) The Birmingham Police Department arrested a 15-year-old student at Huffman High School after a student was cut with a knife Wednesday morning. According to BPD, school resource officers were alerted of a fight inside the school around 9:15 a.m. Officers arrived when they learned school security and school admin staff broke up a fight between a 15-year-old male student and a 17-year-old male student. Homicide suspect sought in deadly Birmingham shooting Birmingham Fire and Rescue personnel and a school nurse treated the student who was cut during the incident. The 15-year-old student was arrested and transported to the Jefferson County Family Court. Following the incident, a Birmingham City Schools spokesperson issued this statement: Earlier today an attempted stabbing was averted at Huffman High School. A student smuggled a knife into the school and tried to stab a classmate. A security officer intervened; however, a student was nicked by the knife. Security is investigating to determine how the knife made it past the scanners. The safety of our scholars and our employees is a priority at Huffman and in Birmingham City Schools. No further information is available at this time. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42. As the Nicolas Maduro regime escalates the levels of violent repression to hold on to power amid accusations it stole the recent presidential election, more than 40% of all Venezuelans say that they are now considering fleeing their South American homeland, a new survey shows. Venezuelan polling firm Meganalisis surveyed 1,007 people between Aug. 8-11. Results showed that 43% of those interviewed are currently considering leaving Venezuela. This time the mass migration could happen quickly, the Meganalisis survey suggests, finding that the equivalent of about 600,000 people are considering leaving before the middle of next month, while an additional 930,000 would leave between October and December. Were such an enormous exodus to happen, it would add about 10.4 million to whats already the biggest external displacement in the Western Hemisphere, with over 7.7 million Venezuelans having left their country over the past decade. File photo. A group of Venezuelan migrants wait in line to have their passports stamped at the immigration office next to the bridge in Cucuta, Colombia. Such a massive wave of migration would have a devastating effect on the region, already under strain amid large levels of irregular migration because so many Latin American countries are currently experiencing political and humanitarian crises at the same time. Colombia, which shares a long land border with Venezuela, is home to almost three million Venezuelan migrants already. But hundreds of thousands Venezuelans have also made the trip north to the U.S.-Mexico border in an attempt to enter the United States, which the Biden administration has attempted to discourage through several policies, including limits on asylum for those who cross unlawfully. A large-scale exodus out of Venezuela would likely exacerbate political tensions in the U.S., where migration is at the front and center of the upcoming presidential election between Republican former President Donald Trump and Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris. The Meganalisis survey also showed that 93% of Venezuelans dont believe Maduro won the election. The government-controlled National Electoral Council said Maduro won with nearly 52% of the vote, but even voters who support the government believe that the Venezuelan strongman lost the election, according to the poll. The opposition, basing its case on a paper trail of the voting record, has made a credible case that challenger Edmundo Gonzalez won with a more than 2-1 margin of the vote. Ruben Chirinos, president of Meganalisis, said that Venezuelans who say they are considering leaving in the next four weeks hae pretty much made up their minds to go. Right at this moment, we have about 100,000 people saying they are planning to leave right now. Those have already made up their minds, Chirinos told the Miami Herald in a telephone interview. Those that say they are considering doing it in a couple of months might be because they know they have to first work on the preparations, and those who say they are considering leaving next year is probably because they are leaning towards doing it but are still dealing with doubts. The survey also showed that 70% of respondents said they are angry at the state of affairs in Venezuela, while at times also experiencing helplessness (59%), indignation (59%) and anxiety (48%), in response to a question where participants could select more than one of 10 different choices. Only 2.8% said they were happy. Opposition leaders gathered and published the results of 80% of voting stations, which showed that Gonzalez actually won the election with more than 65% of the vote. They have been warning that regional leaders, including Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, and the U.S., dont appear to understand that Venezuela is a ticking time bomb that will result in millions of refugees flooding their streets and traveling towards the U.S.-Mexico border. Meanwhile, discontent continues to grow amid a massive crackdown that has led to the deaths of 25 people, injured dozens more and landed more than 2,000 in prison. The repression has recently taken on a more violent streak with the regimes employment of armed paramilitary groups witnesses say open fire at demonstrators without justification. Maduro announced in recent days that those arrested will soon be sent to Tocoron and Tocuyito, two of the nations worst prisons, and are now being held without access to legal representation. In an attempt to increase its control over the Venezuelan population, Maduro has taken steps to clamp down on the usage of social media, banning the use of X for 10 days and discouraging the use of Whatsapp, Tik Tok and Instagram while the government-controlled National Assembly prepares new laws to combat what it calls the spread of hate on social media. While the opposition, headed by leader Maria Corina Machado, is backing demonstrations around the world in favor of a democratic transition and regional leaders seek to hold a presidential summit to facilitate it, Florida officials and leaders are raising the alarm on the possibility of a mass migration. Scenes from Caracas make clear that Venezuelans are holding their ground and rejecting Maduros election theft despite widespread violent repression. Concern about refugees is only part of the reason we must have their back, said Democratic U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who represents swaths of Miami-Dade and Broward County, in a statement to the Miami Herald. She said that there was a rare opportunity to bring pressure towards a democratic transition and remedy the root cause of Venezuelan migration autocracy and corruption because of the resilience of Venezuelans and the Biden administrations tireless diplomatic efforts. Republican U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar of Miami warned in a statement that other nations in the Western Hemisphere would experience an exodus of Venezuelans flooding their countries like never before if Nicolas Maduro is successful in stealing the elections and remaining in power. Millions of Venezuelans are clinging to the hope that the nightmare of Chavista brutality is finally coming to an end, and that they can remain in their home country. The Biden Administration needs to be doing everything possible, including revising oil licenses so that Maduro and his secuaces know that its time to go, she added, using the Spanish word for henchmen. Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio criticized the Biden-Harris administration, calling it directly responsible for perpetuating the agony of the Venezuelan people after waves of concessions to the narco-regime. Any individual with common sense has concluded that Maduros sham electoral victory would lead to yet another wave of mass migration, Rubio said The Venezuelan people overwhelmingly voted for Edmundo Gonzalez as their president and dictator Maduro wants to steal yet another election. The Biden administration has negotiated with Venezuela to resume direct deportations of undocumented migrants to the South American country. It also lifted oil and gas sanctions after Maduro pledged to hold free elections, although it restored them again in April. The U.S. has said that Maduro lost the election, but the administration has not officially recognized Gonzalez as the winner and president-elect. It has also said it is willing to discuss any proposal that would lead to a democratic transition in Venezuela, but denied reports from the the Wall Street Journal saying that it had offered Maduro who faces federal corruption and drug-trafficking charges in the U.S. amnesty if he steps down. Miami Herald reporter Ana Claudia Chacin contributed to this story. Families and supporters of Israelis held hostage by Palestinian militants group Hamas in the Gaza Strip since the October 7 attacks, protest to demand their release after 300 days since their abduction, amid the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa Against the backdrop of ongoing talks in Qatar regarding a ceasefire in the Gaza war, hundreds of relatives of hostages and supporters demonstrated in Tel Aviv for quick results. Participants in the march through the central area of the coastal city called out to the Israeli negotiators: "Don't come home without a deal," Israeli media reported on Thursday evening. The talks in the Qatari capital Doha aim for a ceasefire as well as the release of 115 hostages held by Hamas. Among those participating in the negotiations in Qatar are CIA Chief William Burns, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel, as well as the head of Israel's foreign intelligence service Mossad, David Barnea. Hamas is not participating, but the Palestinian militant organization is reportedly being continuously informed about the content of the talks, dpa has learnt from sources. With flags at half-staff, police vehicles lining the streets and a Fort Worth fire truck holding a huge American flag over a stage, hundreds gathered Wednesday to honor and remember Sgt. Billy Randolph. Randolph, a police officer in Fort Worth for 30 years, was killed Monday while working a fiery crash on Interstate 35W, near Sycamore School Road, where an 18-wheeler spilled fuel and caught fire, according to police. A memorial has been set up at the police station since his death. Hes being remembered by family and friends as a husband, father and grandfather who was passionate about serving his community and country. Wednesday night, family, friends, police officers and others outside the Fort Worth police South Division station. They shared memories, lit electric candles and recognized that Wednesday would have been Randolphs birthday by singing Happy Birthday. He would have been 57 years old. Matt Randolph, Randolphs brother, said he was 14 when Randolph joined the Air Force. Four years later, his older brother called and told him he was getting out of the military and going to join the Fort Worth police. Billy Randolph was described as a cops cop, a leader who wouldnt ask anybody to do something he wasnt willing to do himself. Being a cop wasnt just a job to Randolph, his younger brother said during the vigil. He joined law enforcement to help people, and he carried that mindset with him everywhere. Even on vacation, Randolph would have his head on a swivel, looking for trouble or for anybody who needed help. Thats how the phrase, Damn it, Billy, came about, Matt Randolph said. It was repeated by Matt Randolph and officers who knew the sergeant throughout the night. Damn it, Billy means Damn it, Billy, you found more bad guys, Matt Randolph said he learned from those who worked with his older brother. His insistence that he do the same jobs he asked of officers under his command was a recurring theme as people took the stage to speak. They said Randolph would respond to the worst calls. That, Fort Worth police Chief Neil Noakes said at a news conference Monday, was why he was there on the interstate to begin with. He could have delegated the work to officers under his command, but he wasnt that type of leader. Authorities said Randolph was hit by DeAujalae Evans, 25, when she drove the wrong way on the exit ramp to Sycamore School Road. Investigators think she was drunk, and court records show she was on probation. Jake Montgomery, an officer who worked under Randolph, said the sergeant had the respect of those he commanded. He also had respect of people in the community who knew him, Montgomery said. Not least because he lived in the same area he policed. Randolph asked to be assigned to South Division, and asked to be on the midnight shift, Noakes said. Another sergeant said it wasnt common to see a man with Randolphs years in the department on the midnight shift, something that was repeated by other officers. First thing I thought was, What is this old dog doing on the midnight shift running around with the young guys? the sergeant said. While many people cried recalling time spent with Randolph, others laughed, too. His age got him the nickname Pepaw, though Montgomery joked that was only when officers were outside the range of his hearing aids. Caleb Knotts said Randolph was his sergeant for three years. He taught him a lot about being a good police officers. Hes also the reason I have an 80-pound pit bull in my garage, Knotts said. He was on patrol with Randolph one day when they came across the pit bull, at the time just a puppy, in a park. Knotts said many officers would move on or call animal control, but Randolph reached into a bag and pulled out a leash. He secured the dog, and Knotts ended up being the one to give it a new home. The experience Randolph brought to that shift made him a better mentor for the younger officers assigned to the late shift. One officer, a duty shift supervisor who didnt share his name, recalled one time officers responded to a shooting in the middle of a street. When police discovered it was a suicide, Randolph started sending officers away to other calls or home. Thats when the officer said he learned that Randolphs son was dead. It was the anniversary of his sons death, the officer said. He didnt call it the anniversary, he called it the angelversary. He recalled Randolph telling him how he hated what the parents were going to feel when they got the notification in the morning. He said they would feel anger, pain and loss. Matt Randolph ended his time sharing memories of his brother with what he has been told Randolph said to officers every time he sent them out for their shift after a briefing: Go forth, conquer, stay safe and take care of each other. I love you, Matt Randolph said after tearfully reciting the line. Damn it, Billy, I miss you. The family will have a celebration of life for Randolph at 10 a.m. Saturday at Christ Chapel Bible Church in Fort Worth. Tarrant County Blue is working to raise money to help Randolphs family. Fourteen pro-Palestinian protesters were taken into NYPD custody as they clashed with police in Harlem across the street from a fundraiser for Vice President Kamala Harris presidential bid, cops said Thursday. Roughly 300 demonstrators were barricaded at W. 135th St. and Broadway on Wednesday evening, with some of their placards declaring Kamala=Genocide and Silent on Genocide while chanting, Genocide is not a single issue, genocide is every issue. The surging presumptive Democratic presidential candidate did not attend the fundraiser. Were protesting Kamala Harris, Manhattan lawyer J.J. Abbas, 34, said. The U.S. gave another $20 billion out of our taxpayers dollars to kill Palestinians. The entire Biden administration is complicit in the annihilation of Palestinians in Gaza. After the event, protesters tussled with police trying to clear the area. Videos on X show cops and protesters fighting. In one video, it appears a smoke bomb was thrown into the crowd as the clash continued. Cops were recorded picking up and carrying demonstrators out of a nearby restaurant after protesters crashed an after-party for the fundraiser. Fourteen demonstrators were zip-tied and taken into custody. Of that number, nine were given Criminal Court summonses and sent home. Of the remaining five, three were given desk appearance tickets, and demonstrators Aida Kapica and Keli Sutter were criminally charged. Kapica, 27, was charged with attempted assault and disorderly conduct, cops said. Sutter was facing resisting arrest, riot and criminal mischief charges. Their arraignments in Manhattan Criminal Court were pending Thursday. New York Assembly District Leader Corey Ortega called the fundraising event an old-school rally. Not even [Donald] Trump had this kind of showing. America is great, we all have the freedom to express our opinions, he said in response to the demonstration. What is happening to the Palestinians is what was done to the Jews in World War II. Israel is doing to the Palestinians what the Nazis did to us, said Holocaust survivor Jeanie Dubnau, 86. Ross Blake/Getty Hurricane Ernesto, then a tropical storm, knocked out power for half of Puerto Rico on Wednesday and is moving toward Bermuda with increased strength. A hurricane warning is currently in effect for the British Overseas Territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Expect building swells and dangerous surf with rip currents to develop by Friday in advance of the onset of tropical storm to hurricane force winds, the Bermuda Weather Service advisory reads. While the storm is staying clear of the continental United States, the swell from Ernesto is likely to cause cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions at beaches along the East Coast of the US this weekend, the National Hurricane Center said in a public advisory on Thursday. In Puerto Rico, tropical storm conditions have passed, according to a Thursday travel advisory from Discover Puerto Rico, the islands Destination Marketing Organization. However, parts of Vieques, Culebra, and the eastern coast of Puerto Rico are still recovering from heavy rains, flash floods, and tropical winds. The Puerto Rico Ferry Service to Vieques and Culebra is suspended until later this week, when ocean conditions are expected to fully improve. Safety remains our top priority for travelers and residents, and visitors should avoid all bodies of water and areas prone to flooding, such as beaches and rivers, the Discover Puerto Rico advisory continues. Major airports are operating fully, but may experience interruptions or cancellations due to the storm's passing. Visitors currently in Puerto Rico or with upcoming travel plans should contact their airlines, travel providers, lodging operators, and local businesses directly to inquire about changes in operations and plans during the storm. As of late afternoon on August 15, nearly 86% of flights through San Juans Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (SJU) were delayed, according to data from Cirium, an aviation analytics company. Only one SJU flight was canceled. In Florida, Fort Lauderdale International Airport (FLL) and Miami International Airport (MIA) saw delay rates of 88.35% and 91.11% respectively, while Palm Beach International Airport (PBI), Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW), and Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ ) saw 100% of flights delayed. Several cruise ships have altered itineraries in the Caribbean this week in order to avoid the storm, listed below: Carnival Cruise Line Carnival Pride departed Baltimore and arrived in Bermuda on August 13, one day earlier than scheduled. Carnival Magic, which is sailing an Eastern Caribbean cruise from Miami, cancelled a visit to San Juan, Puerto Rico on Wednesday, Aug. 14. Instead, a visit to Nassau, Bahamas was added on Friday, Aug. 16. Two additional ships sailing Caribbean itineraries, Carnival Freedom and Mardi Gras, are being closely monitored for potential changes, but no changes have been made at this time, the cruise line said in a weather update. Norwegian Cruise Line Three Norwegian Cruise Line itineraries have also been modified as result of Hurricane Ernesto. Norwegian Breakaways Aug. 11, 2024 Eastern Caribbean voyage has been modified to a Western Caribbean itinerary, and will now call to Roatan, Honduras; Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; and our private resort-style destination, Harvest Caye, Belize, a spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line tells Conde Nast Traveler. Norwegian Skys Aug. 12, 2024 Eastern Caribbean sailing was also replaced to sail to the same aforementioned Western Caribbean destinations as well as George Town, Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Norwegian Joys Aug. 11, 2024 sailing has also been adjusted, and it will arrive to Bermuda on Aug. 13, 2024, a day earlier than scheduled. The ship will [stay] overnight at the Royal Naval Dockyard for two days, however it will now depart on Aug. 16, 2024. We will continue to monitor the storm and update guests as needed. Royal Caribbean International As for Royal Caribbean, Liberty of the Seas August 15 sailing will now visit Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos in place of Bermuda. The mega ship Icon of the Seas switched its August 10 Eastern Caribbean sailing with a seven-night Western Caribbean itinerary visiting Cozumel, Mexico; Roatan, Honduras; and Costa Maya, Mexico. Meanwhile, the Rhapsody of the Seas has swapped the order of its ports of call for its August 11 cruise to avoid the storm and the Symphony of the Seas August 9 sailing will visit Nassau, The Bahamas in place of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. This is a developing news story and will be updated with more information as it becomes available. Originally Appeared on Conde Nast Traveler The Latest Travel News and Advice Hurricane Ernesto may affect your Florida beach plans. Here's timeline and what to expect While Hurricane Ernesto is expected to stay well away from Florida and the United States, don't let your guard down, especially if you're making beach plans. Ernesto is expected to become a major hurricane before the center passes over or near Bermuda Saturday, according to the National Hurricane Center. Track Hurricane Ernesto Weather alerts via text: Sign up to get updates about current storms and weather events by location A major hurricane is one with sustained winds of at least 111 mph, making it a Category 3 storm or higher. The U.S. isn't expected to feel any direct impacts from the hurricane but dangerous beach conditions, including life-threatening rip currents, are in the forecast starting Thursday and lasting through the weekend along the East Coast. Hurricane Ernesto: What you need to know Watches, warnings issued across Florida A high rip current risk has already been issued for some areas of Florida's coast, lasting until Sunday evening, according to the National Weather Service. Impacts: What can Florida, US East Coast expect from Hurricane Ernesto? The only impact the U.S. can expect from Hurricane Ernesto are marine impacts, including swells affecting the coast and beach erosion, but the biggest impact will be a significant risk for rip currents, said Adam Douty, AccuWeather senior meteorologist. Timeline: See when beach conditions will deteriorate from Hurricane Ernesto The impacts will start in the south and spread north starting Thursday. "For Florida and a lot of the Southeast Coast (of the U.S.) swells will pick up late today (Thursday) and more so tonight. By the time you wake up Friday morning, swells from Ernesto will be seen from Florida to the Outer Banks," Douty said in a telephone interview. "Through Friday, Virginia Beach to the Jersey shore will see swells arrive, and by the end of the day Long Island will see increasing surf. "Friday, Saturday and Sunday we'll see dangerous beach conditions, although for the Northeast, those conditions won't start until Saturday." Expect dangerous beach conditions to last through the entire weekend, Douty said. Stay informed. Get weather alerts via text What are swells and why are they dangerous? Swells are those rolling waves offshore, Douty said. "They can be fairly dangerous. The move more water than typical wind waves, and when more water moves in, more water moves out. That causes more dangerous rip currents. "Generally, we're looking 3- to 6-foot swell heights and 4- to 8-foot swells at the highest." Why are rip currents 'life-threatening'? "Even strong swimmers can be overwhelmed by rip currents," Douty said. "Water is a very powerful thing. Once you're in a rip current, it's too late to do anything except to ride it out. You're never going to win a battle of swimming against it. You'll wear yourself out competing against it. Best advice? "If you're going to venture into the water, do so at a beach with a lifeguard. Heed flags and don't enter the surf if it's too dangerous," Douty said. "If caught in a rip current, relax and float. Don't swim against the current. If able, swim in a direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the shore and call or wave for help," the National Weather Service Jacksonville said. What does a rip current look like? Signs that a rip current are present include a channel of churning, choppy water, a line of foam or seaweed moving seaward, an are with a notable difference of water color or a break in the oncoming waves. Before you even go near the water, check the conditions. There are several ways. Check the forecast. The National Weather Service issues rip current statements or you can check current Florida rip current risks at weather.gov/beach/florida. At the beach, look for warning flags at beach approaches or lifeguard station. Red flags mean dangerous rip current activity is expected. Double red flags mean the water is closed to the public. Ask a lifeguard. Don't be shy, any lifeguard would be happy to let you know if it's dangerous to go in the water. Stand back where you can see the ocean's surface and check for visible gaps of darker, flat spots in lines of breaking waves; a channel of churning, choppy water; a difference in water color; or a line of foam, seaweed or debris moving back toward the sea. But rip currents can be subtle and hard to identify, according to NOAA. What do the beach warning flags mean? Beach warning flags. Watch for beach warning flags at lifeguard towers, stations and other locations for a heads-up on current conditions and potential dangers. Double red flags mean the water is closed to the public. A red flag is high hazard, meaning high surf and/or strong currents. A yellow flag is medium hazard, meaning moderate surf and/or currents. A green flag is low hazard, meaning calm conditions, exercise caution. A purple flag means that dangerous marine life spotted. This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Hurricane Ernesto bringing Florida beach dangers, rip currents HELSINKI, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- The transport ministers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden signed a key declaration on Wednesday to enhance cooperation in the development of commercial electric flights. Electric-powered aviation is vital for transforming the transportation sector. Together with other sustainable fuels, electric flight could cut emissions and accelerate the shift towards a fossil-free sector. The Nordic countries are well-positioned to lead in large-scale commercial electric aviation, which could enhance accessibility, particularly in the region's more remote areas, said Swedish Infrastructure and Housing Minister Andreas Carlson in a press release on Wednesday. The declaration was signed during a meeting of Nordic transport ministers in Gothenburg, Sweden. In November 2022, at a meeting in Fredrikstad, Norway, the Nordic transport ministers committed to establishing Nordic fossil-free air routes by 2030. This includes promoting a global fossil-free aviation sector and encouraging ongoing Nordic collaboration. The declaration adopted in Fredrikstad, combined with the new joint declaration, provides a strong foundation for advancing Nordic cooperation and the development of electric aircraft routes, Carlson added. The National Hurricane Center says the storm is slowing down but warned that the U.S. could see "dangerous beach conditions" until early next week. A man boarded up a house to protect it from the approaching Hurricane Ernesto in Bermuda on Friday. (Mary F. Calvert/Reuters) Hurricane Ernesto made landfall in Bermuda on Saturday as a Category 1 storm. The Weather Channel reported that as of 5 a.m. ET on Sunday morning, half of Bermuda was without power due to storm-related damage. The National Hurricane Center said in its latest advisory that Ernesto's center is now moving away from Bermuda and toward the East Coast of the United States. It's expected to bring "dangerous beach conditions" and potentially "life-threatening surf and rip current conditions" to North Carolina and South Carolina, as well as the Bahamas and Bermuda, over the next couple of days, though it's not likely to make landfall in the U.S. By Monday night, Ernesto is expected to pass near southeastern Newfoundland, Canada, forecasters said. Where is the storm, exactly? Ernesto's location as of Sunday morning. (National Weather Service) As of 5 a.m. ET, Ernesto was moving away from Bermuda. Location: Around 690 miles south of Halifax, Nova Scotia Maximum sustained winds: 70 mph Present movement: North-northeast at 9 mph What are the watches and warnings? Life-threatening rip currents are possible along the East Coast of the United States, particularly in North Carolina and South Carolina, as Ernesto continues to churn in the Atlantic, per the Weather Channel. Beachgoers should use extreme caution. As of Sunday morning, lifeguards in Wrightsville Beach, N.C., reported 23 rip current rescues. Meanwhile in Tybee Island, Ga., lifeguards reported at least four mild, ongoing rip currents in the area. According to the National Weather Service, over 630,000 people were under high surf advisory with over 10.2 million residents currently living in rip current situations. What are the biggest risks associated with Ernesto? Strong winds, flooding and rip currents are some of the main concerns for the Bahamas, Bermuda, states along the East Coast of the U.S. as well as Newfoundland, Canada. The hurricane center advises the swells generated by Ernesto may cause "life-threatening surf and rip current conditions" in these areas. The center of Ernesto is expected to pass near southeastern Newfoundland late Monday. Thousands without power in Puerto Rico and Bermuda Satellite video of the Atlantic Ocean, showing Hurricane Ernesto. Electricity and water have been restored to Puerto Rico in recent days, but more than 85,000 customers were still without power on Sunday morning, while around 100,000 customers were still without water, according to a Puerto Rico Emergency Portal System. President Biden has approved federal assistance requested by the governor of Puerto Rico. Meanwhile, cruise lines like Carnival, Celebrity and Norwegian that had ships planning to travel to the northern Caribbean have reportedly adjusted their itineraries to avoid Ernesto. The Weather Channel reported that "half of Bermuda is without power" as of 5 a.m. on Sunday morning. What damage has Ernesto done? Photos showing the damage caused by Ernesto's heavy rains and strong winds in Puerto Rico are starting to emerge: The La Plata River overflows onto a road where Ernesto passed through in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, as a tropical storm on Aug. 14. (Alejandro Granadillo/AP) The damage wrought by Ernesto after if hit Fajardo, Puerto Rico, on Aug. 14. (Jaydee Lee Serrano/AFP via Getty Images) A drone view shows a bridge submerged by the flooded La Plata River in the aftermath of Ernesto in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, on Aug. 14. (Ricardo Arduengo/Reuters) A man surveys the damage to his boat in the aftermath of Ernesto in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, on Aug. 14. (Ricardo Arduengo/Reuters) A bridge submerged by the flooded La Plata River is seen in the aftermath of Ernesto, in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, on Aug. 14. (Ricardo Arduengo/Reuters) People survey the damage to a restaurant from Ernesto in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, on Aug. 14. (Ricardo Arduengo/Reuters) This is an ongoing story; please refresh for the latest updates. (KRON) An ice cream truck crashed into a wall of a home on Wednesday afternoon, the San Francisco Fire Department said. The fire department received a call around 2:21 p.m. about the truck running into a home in the Outer Richmond neighborhood. Video from the Citizen App (above) shows SFFD responding to the incident. No injuries or structural damage at the home were reported, according to SFFD. Crews were seen responding to the ice cream truck in front of a home at 639 45th Ave. Clint Eastwoods former Carmel-by-the-Sea mansion hits market for $21M An ice cream truck runs into a home in the Outer Richmond on Wednesday, Aug. 14 (Citizen App). SFFD did not say what caused the truck to run into the home. No other information was immediately available. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. What happens when the Idaho Legislature represents a minority of Idahoans? You get a citizens initiative. It happened with Medicaid expansion, which saw 61% of Idaho voters do what Idaho legislators refused to do for years. It happened with public education funding, with an initiative that forced Idahos Republican majority to preemptively increase funding in a special session. Its happening this year with the Open Primaries Initiative, which seeks to make Idahos elections more representative. When the Legislature fails to act, the citizens are compelled to step in. Such is the case with Idahos unreasonably restrictive abortion ban, which allows an abortion only when the life of the mother but not the health of the mother is at risk, and in cases of rape or incest, but with conditions so restrictive, it often renders the exceptions useless. A group called Idahoans United for Women and Families announced Thursday that it has begun the process to put a citizens initiative on the ballot in 2026 to change Idahos abortion ban, which went into effect by a trigger law when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and turned decisions about abortion back to the states. Idaho would follow several other states that have put the abortion issue before voters and those states have so far all restored or protected reproductive health care rights. The reason Idaho stands at this juncture is that over the two years since Idahos abortion ban went into effect, we have seen the negative effects its had: Idaho has lost 22% of its OB/GYNs in the past two years. Because of the uncertainty over whether an abortion is allowed to protect the health of the mother, pregnant Idaho women with health complications have had to travel out of state for basic medical care, some via air ambulance. Idaho hospitals report having difficulty recruiting doctors to Idaho, a state that already has the nations lowest rate of physicians per capita. Anecdotally, we have heard that businesses are having difficulty recruiting workers to Idaho, and parents worry about their children staying in Idaho. Some Idaho legislators who voted for the trigger law in 2020 have admitted they didnt think it would ever go into effect, and some have admitted they didnt know what the effects were going to be. State Rep. John Vander Woude, who co-sponsored Idahos trigger ban, told NBC News that he and other Republican legislators did not foresee all the ripple effects of the law. For two years, groups of well-meaning and thoughtful citizens, doctors and medical groups have been trying to work with the Idaho Legislature to at least provide for exceptions for the health of the mother not just when the life of the mother is in imminent danger. To no avail. Idahos Republican legislators wont listen to the concerns and the real-life problems being experienced by everyday Idahoans. They dismiss the concerns as overblown or, in mind-boggling fashion, simply made up. Idahos Republicans are likely afraid of getting a more radical challenger in the next primary and being attacked by groups of anti-abortion absolutists such as Idaho Chooses Life, a political action committee that espouses an extremist position on abortion shared by only a small minority of Idahoans, according to recent polls. Only 6% of Idahoans said abortion should be illegal with the only exception being to save the life of the mother, and 7% said it should be illegal in all situations, according to a recent Idaho Statesman poll. That same poll showed 26% of Idahoans said they believe abortion should be legal in all cases and another 25% said abortion should be legal with some limitations. The annual Idaho Public Policy Survey in 2023 showed 58% of Idahoans favored changing Idahos existing abortion law. Meanwhile, a poll by Idahoans United for Women and Families in 2022 showed that 63% of Idahoans believe that abortion should be legal in some or almost all cases. The ultimate poll, though, would be a vote of the people in November 2026. With Idahos Republican legislators listening to only a small percentage of loud Idahoans, a citizens initiative is the only way to truly have representative government. Statesman editorials are the unsigned opinion of the Idaho Statesmans editorial board. Board members are opinion editor Scott McIntosh, opinion writer Bryan Clark, editor Chadd Cripe, newsroom editors Dana Oland and Jim Keyser and community members Greg Lanting, Terri Schorzman and Garry Wenske. The Idaho State Capitol received a bomb threat via email early Thursday morning, according to Idaho State Police spokesperson Aaron Snell, but ultimately the building was deemed safe after no devices were found. The bomb threat, which came in around 5:30 a.m., was also sent to address in multiple states, Snell said. It was not immediately clear where those other locations were, although the Arkansas State Capitol was evacuated Thursday morning after a bomb threat was received there, media outlets reported. While these types of calls arent specifically tracked, they have increased, Snell wrote in an email to the statesman. Typically, ISP responds to 3-4 incidents a year. While every incident is treated as a real threat, to date, nothing suspicious has been located. Four Idaho State Police troopers and a K-9 dog responded. Capitol security staff also had four personnel, Snell said. Several public buildings in recent months have received fake threats, including a fake bomb threat to the Vallivue School District in December 2023 and a threatening note at the Mountain Home courthouse in January 2024, according to previous Statesman reporting. Update: Idaho may get to choose whether to protect abortion. 4 options floated for initiative Idaho residents could vote to restore access to abortion and protect reproductive health care after a nonprofit took the first step Thursday toward a 2026 citizen ballot initiative. Idahoans United for Women and Families filed four petitions with the Secretary of States Office for review, each of which would create an initiative with varying degrees of protection for abortion rights based on feedback from doctors and other Idaho residents. Idaho has had one of the strictest abortion bans in the nation since 2022, when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and returned abortion decisions to the states. The procedure is legal only in cases of ectopic or molar pregnancy, reported cases of rape or incest or when a pregnant patients life is at risk. For two years, the Idaho Legislature had full power and ability to fix this problem, and they have failed to act, Dr. Loren Colson, a family medicine physician in Boise and president of the Idaho Coalition for Safe Healthcare, said in a news release. As health care professionals, we are committed to making decisions based on the best interests and health of our patients. These proposals will allow us to do just that, free from unnecessary and dangerous government overreach. State lawmakers have considered amending the law to address maternal health, but none of the efforts have gained traction in the Legislature. The narrow exception for abortions to prevent the death of a pregnant woman has been the subject of a federal lawsuit against Idaho that ascended to the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this year. Melanie Folwell, spokesperson for the group, told the Idaho Statesman that inaction is part of what spurred Idahoans United to start its ballot initiative. We believe that politicians got us here, (and) politicians are not going to get us out, Folwell said. So this is a citizen-led effort for citizens, by citizens in Idaho, seeking a solution for everyday lives. Whats next for abortion ballot initiative? Folwell said the group spent the last year drafting the petitions it submitted to the secretary of state. Three of them are similar and would create a Reproductive Freedom and Privacy Act in Idaho law. The initiative would protect wide-sweeping reproductive rights that include pregnancy, contraception, infertility treatments, abortion and miscarriage care. The three petitions propose different limits on gestational cutoffs for abortion care: 20 weeks, 24 weeks or before fetal viability. The fourth petition would cover only a right to abortion under certain circumstances. It expands exceptions to the states abortion ban to remove the law enforcement reporting requirement for rape and incest survivors and include cases of fetal anomalies and preserving a pregnant persons health. Attorney General Raul Labradors office has 20 business days to recommend revisions or alterations, which the group can incorporate or reject, and create titles that will be used for signature collection and appear on the ballot if enough signatures are collected. Folwell said organizers are preparing ourselves for litigation if they feel Labradors titles are unfair or skewed. Last year, Idahoans for Open Primaries sued Labradors office over the titles he created for ranked choice voting petitions. The Idaho Supreme Court ordered Labrador to rewrite the titles, which will appear on the ballot in November. Labrador has been outspoken about his anti-abortion stance as his office has defended Idahos abortion restrictions. I look forward to working with the proponents to craft true and impartial ballot titles for these proposed initiatives, as required by Idaho law, Labrador told the Statesman in an emailed statement. When Idahoans United has a final approved petition, organizers will have 18 months to collect voter signatures to get the initiative on the ballot. A petition must have signatures from at least 6% of registered voters in 18 of the states 35 legislative districts. If enough signatures are gathered, the initiative will appear on voters ballots in the November 2026 general election. An initiative needs a simple majority 51% or more of the vote to pass. Widespread enthusiasm for initiative, nonprofit says Though it will likely be months before Idahoans United begins collecting voter signatures, organizers said theres already a wave of enthusiasm from Idaho residents. Weve got a list of a few thousand people who are interested in standing at the ready to volunteer, Folwell said. She said the group has also seen an outpouring of incredibly heart wrenching stories from women and doctors who are affected by the abortion ban. Their experiences vary, Folwell said, and they reflect the groups desire to move away from the message that abortion stances only provide binary options, either pro-life or pro-choice. It doesnt reflect where normal Idahoans are at on this, and it doesnt reflect the fact that theres all kinds of us in this coalition, she said. Idahoans United has tapped board members from around the state with backgrounds ranging from health care providers to concerned parents and religious leaders. Mike Conner, a pastor at Pocatello First United Methodist Church, told the Statesman he was driven to join the group after hearing from church members and experiencing firsthand during his wifes pregnancy the anxiety created by Idahos laws. He said he wanted to show Idaho residents that there are people of faith who care about what theyre going through. I think all the time about the scripture that says, There is no fear in love, Conner said. And I think that the fruit of these more recent restrictive policies has been a lot of fear, and I think its unnecessary. Cynthia Dalsing, a retired nurse midwife from Sandpoint, also serves on the board. Dalsing said shes seen OBGYN services in North Idaho dwindle in recent years, including the closure of the labor and delivery department at Bonner General Health in 2023. Every health care decision with a woman is individual and so complex with respect to that woman and who her family is, or her support or her income or insurance status, Dalsing told the Statesman. I think losing (health care options) in our state, and certainly in our town, has just kind of left a hole about where women are going for their health care. Idahoans disagree with abortion ban, polls say Folwell said Idahoans United has discussed the possibility of a ballot initiative since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned federal protections for abortion, triggering Idahos ban on the procedure. Our sense was that this trigger ban is completely out of alignment with where most Idahoans are, Folwell said. Polling confirmed that suspicion. Idahoans United commissioned polls in 2022 that showed many residents disagreed with the strict ban. About 60% of people said they believe abortion should be legal in some or all instances. A Statesman poll returned similar results. Idahoans United said 63% of poll respondents said they think abortion is a private decision, and nearly 70% said they strongly or somewhat agree with the statement that people should not impose their beliefs about abortion on others. Polling showed 12% of residents are against abortion in all instances, and 28% said it should be legal in just a few cases. Our conversations have told us over and over that a strong majority of Idahoans believe that very personal medical decisions like an abortion should be made between a patient, her doctor, her family, and not the attorney general, the Legislature, lawyers and politicians, Folwell said. People are very clear on that. Idaho doctors cite impacts of abortion law Doctors have said political involvement in the exam room, as well as the threat of prison time and losing their license, has made it difficult to give patients the care they need. St. Lukes Health System, the largest hospital system in the state, told the Statesman earlier this year that it was sending patients out of state for abortion care when doctors were unsure whether an at-risk patients abortion would be considered legal. The state has lost nearly one-quarter of its OBGYNs since 2022. Many of them have cited the strict abortion laws as the reason they left. The laws have faced several legal challenges, including from the U.S. Department of Justice in a case that was heard at the U.S. Supreme Court. The agency alleged Idaho violated a federal law requiring hospitals that receive Medicaid funding to stabilize patients in medical emergencies. The Supreme Court in June remanded the case back to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Several women sued Idaho after they were forced to leave the state for abortions when doctors determined their pregnancies were not viable. A trial is scheduled to begin in November. Florina Ruvio, an early childhood development specialist and board member of Idahoans United for Women and Families, signs the petition to submit four ballot initiative proposals to restore abortion access in Idaho Florina Ruvio, an early childhood development specialist and board member of Idahoans United for Women and Families, signs the petition to submit four ballot initiative proposals to restore abortion access in Idaho. (Courtesy of Melanie Folwell) Editors note: This story was updated at 10: 27 a.m. with a statement from Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador. The organizers of an Idaho ballot initiative to restore access to abortion and protect all other types of reproductive care have filed four proposals with the offices of state attorney general and secretary of state the first hurdle the initiative needs to clear before gathering signatures. Melanie Folwell, organizer and spokesperson for Idahoans United for Women and Families, said the group is putting forward four policies for approval but will only select one to be circulated for signatures. Weve worked on these for a year now with stakeholders and lawyers, and we want to put that work in front of the secretary of state and the attorney general and, quite frankly, in front of the public, and then we will decide on the best course of action moving forward, Folwell said. Idaho has a near-total ban on abortion with narrow exceptions for rape and incest during the first trimester of pregnancy and to save the pregnant patients life. Those convicted of performing an abortion face two to five years in prison and the revocation of their medical license, along with potential civil lawsuits from family members of the person who terminated a pregnancy. Idaho was also at the center of a U.S. Supreme Court case this year over whether the ban conflicts with the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, or EMTALA, which requires hospitals to provide stabilizing emergency care to anyone who comes to a hospital that accepts Medicare funds. During a four-month span when the Supreme Court was weighing the case, doctors in Idaho airlifted six patients to neighboring states for maternal complications rather than risk prosecution. A year earlier, only one needed to be airlifted. Rather than rule on the question of whether the ban means physicians would be subject to prosecution for providing an abortion in an emergency, the court sent it back to an appeals court to be further litigated. It may return to the U.S. Supreme Court next year after the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals holds its hearing in the case in December. Folwell said the national focus on the case was helpful for raising awareness of the issue. It certainly drew attention to the fact that there was a problem, and in doing so highlighted the stories of doctors, hospitals and women being (airlifted) out of the state, she said. I think for most folks, thats not necessarily the Idaho they want to live in or raise a family in, or have their kids raise a family in. It doesnt feel consistent with their values. Three proposed policies would establish right to contraception, fertility treatments in Idaho The group, which includes residents from across the state as well as obstetricians and family medicine doctors, launched in mid-April with a goal of qualifying the measure for the 2026 midterm election. Eight states will have an abortion question on their November ballots this year, and the results may be instructive for those that intend to try for the same in 2026. Idaho has a citizen ballot initiative process, but only its Legislature can propose constitutional amendments, unlike many other states. So instead of a constitutional amendment, the voters are asked to approve a citizen-crafted piece of legislation to be adopted. Photos of the official petition for a ballot initiative to restore abortion access in Idaho The measure requires a simple majority of voters to pass. Three of the proposed policies that were submitted include the establishment of a fundamental right to contraception and fertility treatments, including in vitro fertilization, to make decisions about pregnancy and childbirth, and legalizing abortion with differing limits, including: Before fetal viability, as well as preserving the right to abortion after viability in medical emergencies. Before 20 weeks and in cases to protect the life and health of the pregnant patient. Before 24 weeks. The fourth proposal does not include the rights to contraception and fertility treatments, and only establishes exceptions to the existing abortion policy, legalizing abortion in cases to protect the life and health of the pregnant patient, in a medical emergency, for fatal fetal anomalies and in cases of rape and incest. The full piece of legislation includes language that says the new policy applies Notwithstanding any other provision of law, which Folwell said is meant to disentangle it from existing laws that may be in conflict and prevent future attempts to continue to restrict abortion access even if the measure passes. Although the Idaho Legislature could repeal the legislation entirely if it passes, Folwell said they are prepared to follow up with a referendum in that case that would ask voters to reaffirm the question. Dr. Loren Colson, a family medicine physician in Boise and president of the Idaho Coalition for Safe Healthcare, which has been outspoken about changing Idahos abortion law, said in a press release that repeated attempts to change the law through traditional means have failed. For two years, the Idaho Legislature had full power and ability to fix this problem, and they have failed to act. We tried our best to meet with legislators and make our plea for a fix, but our personal accounts of the harms these laws have caused to Idahoans fell on deaf ears, Colson said. Theyve failed doctors, pregnant women and patients throughout this state. As health care professionals, we are committed to making decisions based on the best interests and health of our patients. Preparing for possible legal battles with state attorney general over ballot titles Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador now has 20 working days to review the language, provide any feedback and provide a certificate of review to Secretary of State Phil McGranes office. Idahoans United would then submit the final versions for titling by Labradors office. Folwell said the group is prepared to respond if Labrador, who has been outspoken about his anti-abortion views, titles the proposals in a misleading or prejudicial way. That happened one year ago with another ballot initiative in Idaho that may change the states electoral process the organizers of the petition, Reclaim Idaho, said Labrador titled the measure in a misleading and inaccurate way, and they prevailed after an appeal to the Idaho Supreme Court. The justices ordered Labrador to retitle the initiative. I look forward to working with the proponents to craft true and impartial ballot titles for these proposed initiatives, as required by Idaho law, Labrador said in an emailed statement on Thursday. In Missouri, which has a similar near-total abortion ban, organizers announced this week that their initiative to restore abortion access up to viability officially qualified for the November ballot. In that case, organizers submitted 11 versions to the state attorney generals office, and spent months in court battling over what they argued were prejudicial ballot titles. Once the petition is approved, Idaho organizers can gather signatures for 18 months before April 30 of the election year, and must meet a signature threshold equal to at least 6% of registered voters from the prior election in 18 of the states 35 legislative districts. At the moment, that is projected to be about 70,000 to 80,000 voters, Folwell said. If all goes well, signature gathering would likely begin in January, and hundreds of people have already expressed a desire to volunteer, according to Folwell. Fundraising for the initiative has been robust and dollars have come entirely from Idahoans so far. She declined to specify a dollar amount that the 501(c)(4) group has taken in so far, but future donations will be public once the petition is filed and ready to circulate. The group intends to hold a house party fundraiser at the end of the month that was originally planned to be a small gathering, but now it has 250 people scheduled to attend. The momentum were feeling, the enthusiasm were feeling, speaks to the need to fix this, Folwell said. (People) understand this is a problem, they understand the urgency and they are expressing that through donations. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Lori Johnson is a College of Education PaCT student at Idaho State University. The Paraprofessional to Certified Teacher, or PaCT, Program tackles the issue of teacher shortages and retention. (Courtesy of Idaho State University College of Education) Shell-shocked. That is how I felt after a long-term substitute teaching assignment in Idaho Falls more than 20 years ago. I taught sixth grade, which was an experience that a few colleagues called The Crucible. It was a firsthand experience of the many challenges that Idaho teachers deal with annually. Working as an educator for more than 30 years has allowed me to witness the significant impact upon students achievement and self-esteem that a caring, attentive adult who truly knows a child can make. Having worked with numerous paraprofessionals, it is hard to overstate the qualities they bring to their roles. Much has been written over the last few years about the teacher shortage in Idaho. At any given moment, there are thousands of people who are certified to teach in Idaho who choose not to, said state Sen. Carrie Semmelroth, D-Boise, who is also the strategic initiatives project director for Boise State Universitys College of Education. Carrie Semmelroth Idahos 10 teacher-prep programs have produced a steady supply of around 1,200 teachers every year. When we talk about the teacher shortage, its not coming from the teacher prep side, Semmelroth said. Theres something happening once they enter the field. (Schools are) leaking teachers faster than we can replace them. Idaho State University College of Educations Paraprofessional to Certified Teacher, or PaCT, Program addresses this problem in a way that tackles teacher shortages and retention. While too many educators either leave Idaho or leave teaching, PaCT develops working professionals who come from the community and are acutely aware of its needs and challenges. The participants are already invested and integrated into schools and classrooms. They earn a bachelors degree and teacher certification in elementary, special education, or English as a Second Language, or ESL. One notable strength of the PaCT Program is its emphasis on continuous field experience as eligible paraprofessionals work full-time in schools while completing their program, allowing them to immediately apply lessons from their courses in K12 classrooms. The school districts involved in the PaCT Program also benefit from this structure. By supporting their paraprofessionals participation in the program, they are investing in their staffs professional growth and development. Upon successful program completion, these paraprofessionals can become certified elementary or special education teachers, filling much-needed positions within the districts. Affordable and practical, paraprofessionals participating in the PaCT Program pay the cost of books and certification testing fees. The programs cost is covered by a partnership between school districts and Idaho State Universitys College of Education. In the Hybrid Online Program, paraprofessionals enroll in online synchronous (set time) courses and asynchronous (no set time) courses. This allows paraprofessionals to continue working and finish their schoolwork during a time that suits them. These flexible and accessible paraprofessionals can access their classes online, from anywhere, at any time, with both eight-week and 16-week courses. Additionally, teachers shoulder a significant responsibility to meet the diverse needs of all students, including those from low-income backgrounds, English language learners, and those with special needs. Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the teaching workforce was trending younger and less experienced, with a nearly 50-percent attrition rate within the first five years. This situation has undoubtedly intensified since then. So, what could be better than enhancing the training and credentials of skilled professionals, who are already successfully dealing with these issues in the specific classrooms where they are most needed? Want to know more? To learn more about the Idaho State University College of Educations PaCT program, visit isu.edu/pact. Expanding access to programs like PaCT not only addresses the immediate need for qualified teachers, but also recognizes the invaluable experience and dedication of paraprofessionals already embedded in educational settings. These individuals bring firsthand knowledge of their students needs and the operational dynamics of their schools, which is crucial in fostering continuity and stability in education. By supporting their transition to certified teachers, PaCT not only fills critical vacancies but also boosts morale and teacher retention within school communities. Investing in programs like PaCT is a proactive approach to addressing systemic challenges within Idahos education system. It acknowledges that the issues contributing to teacher shortages are multifaceted and require targeted solutions that empower educators to thrive in their roles. By offering a flexible pathway to certification through online and practical coursework, PaCT adapts to the realities of modern education, accommodating the diverse circumstances and schedules of aspiring teachers. This adaptability not only attracts new talent, but also demonstrates a commitment to nurturing a sustainable teaching workforce equipped to meet the evolving needs of Idahos students. Paraprofessionals identified attributes such as patience, open-mindedness, and positivity along with being principled, honest, flexible, collaborative, and good communicators. All these qualities were commonly found in the experiences shared throughout discussions, as well as the willingness to learn from each other, ask questions, and identify more effective strategies for teaching and scaffolding student learning and behavior. Teaching assistants have gained my utmost respect due to their supportive and caring nature and the cultural and linguistic insights that they provide to classroom teachers. The invaluable time and effort they invest to get to know students brings the importance of relationships further into focus. Lori Johnson is a 52 year-old, first-generation college student who completed her first year in the PaCT program in May 2024. Having worked in the school system as a paraprofessional for over 14 years, Johnson describes the PaCT program as helping her to finally accomplish her lifelong dream of becoming a special education teacher. In my world, college was not an option because I needed to work to support my family, Johnson said. This program is set up so I am an online student and I can get the work done at home. The professors are available for any help that I have needed. The things that I am learning make sense, because I can use the knowledge in my job. I am so thankful for this life changing opportunity. The PaCT Program is starting its third cohort and has impacted 15 school districts across the state from Wendell to Idaho Falls with the majority being rural districts. The first cohort began fall 2022, and PaCT students are on track to graduate either fall 2025 or spring 2026. In busy classrooms, paraprofessionals build relationships with children, often in one-to-one or small-group contexts, which enable them to really get to know a student and provide students individualized attention and support. Programs like PaCT embody a holistic strategy to bolster Idahos educational landscape. They not only provide a lifeline for current paraprofessionals seeking career advancement, but also serve as a beacon of hope for the educational future in the state. By bridging the gap between classroom experience and formal certification, PaCT helps ensure that Idahos schools are staffed. These resolute professionals are not only prepared but also deeply invested in the success and well-being of every student they serve. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will be able to continue to control the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt without a constant physical presence, IDF Chief of the General Staff Herzi Halevi said ahead of ceasefire talks in Doha on Thursday. In the event that the IDF withdraws from the area, it would still be able to deploy to the border as required, Halevi said during a visit on Wednesday to the Philadelphi Corridor, according to Israeli radio. The Philadelphi Corridor runs for 14 kilometres along the Gaza Strip's border with Egypt, reaching from the border with Israel to the Mediterranean Sea. It was under Israeli control until Israel withdrew from the Gaza in 2005. The IDF retook control of the corridor, which includes the Rafah Border Crossing. again in May. It is seen as key to controlling arms and other goods entering the Gaza from Egypt. While Hamas has demanded that the IDF withdraw completely from the Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that the IDF retain control of the Philadelphi Corridor. During his visit, Halevi said the IDF would increase operations until all hostages held by Hamas were released. "The return of the hostages is a war aim," he told IDF troops. "Hamas must know that every additional day that they keep our hostages will be more bitter than the day before," he added. This aerial photo released by the Danish Ministry of Defense on Sept. 27, 2022 shows the Nord Stream gas pipeline leak site. (Danish Defense Ministry/Handout via Xinhua) German media reported that the Federal Prosecutor General of Germany has issued an arrest warrant for a Ukrainian suspect believed to be involved in the bombing of the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea. BERLIN, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Federal Prosecutor General of Germany has issued an arrest warrant for a Ukrainian suspect believed to be involved in the bombing of the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea, according to reports from several German media outlets. According to German daily newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung, the suspect is a diving instructor who currently resides in Poland. In September 2022, the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipelines exploded and sustained severe damage in the territorial waters of Sweden and Denmark. Given the scale of the attack, investigators believe it was likely the result of human sabotage. Prior to the explosions, Russia used the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to transport natural gas from Siberia to Germany and other European countries. Due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Nord Stream 2 was never put into operation, and Germany halted imports of Russian natural gas, leading to a sharp increase in domestic energy prices. Aerial photo provided by the Swedish Coast Guard on Sept. 28, 2022 shows a gas leak on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline. (The Swedish Coast Guard/Handout via Xinhua) In addition, according to a joint investigation conducted by Germany media outlets Suddeutsche Zeitung, ARD and Die Zeit, prosecutors have identified two other suspects: a man and a woman from Ukraine, both of whom are divers and may have planted explosives on the underwater natural gas pipeline. However, as of now, the German authorities have not issued arrest warrants for these two individuals. Wolfgang Buchner, the deputy spokesperson for the German federal government, has said that clarifying the act of sabotage is the government's "top priority." He refrained from commenting on whether the Polish authorities have fully cooperated. Buchner emphasized that the investigation is conducted in accordance with the law, regardless of the individuals involved or the outcomes. He also noted that the investigation will not impact Germany's future support for Ukraine or its extent. SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) Illinois will offer residents a $4,000 rebate on the purchase of an electric vehicle, beginning in 2025. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency will also give a rebate of $1,500 off the purchase on an electric motorcycle. The Illinois General Assembly appropriated $14 million for the rebate program, which opens in mid-January, 2025, and will remain open until the funding runs out. The money was made available by the Illinois Climate and Equitable Jobs Act. This year, the IEPA awarded 3,000 rebates from a $12 million fund after 5,587 applications were received. In 2023, 7,669 applications were received and 4,872 were awarded from a $19 million rebate fund. Applications must be postmarked on or after the first day of the next open cycle and within 90 days of purchase of the vehicle and meet all other eligibility criteria: The purchaser must reside in Illinois at time of vehicle purchase and at the time the rebate is issued. The vehicle must be purchased from a dealer located in Illinois and licensed by the Illinois Secretary of State. Rented or leased vehicles do not qualify for the rebate. The vehicle cannot have been the subject of a previous EV rebate under this program in Illinois. VIN numbers can be checked here . Only individuals can receive a rebate and can only receive one rebate. Businesses, government units, organizations, and other entities that are not individuals will be denied a rebate. The rebate amount cannot exceed the purchase price of the vehicle. The purchaser must retain ownership of the vehicle for a minimum of 12 consecutive months immediately after the vehicle purchase date. The purchaser must apply for the rebate within 90-days after the vehicle purchase date. Both new and used cars can qualify for the rebate. The IEPA says it will prioritize low-income applicants. The federal government is also offering tax credits for EVs, up to $7,500 for a new vehicle and up to $4,000 on a used vehicle with a sticker price below $25,000. The tax credit amount available is based on an individuals tax liability, and some car dealers, who have registered with the government program, can offer the tax credit as a rebate at the time of sale. CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated the rebate cycle would open on January 1st, 2025. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports. Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza said Thursday she is immediately suspending what are called offset fund payments to Dolton for the villages failure to turn over annual financial reports to her office. The money this year is on pace to total $135,000, and Mendoza said she is also threatening fines if Dolton doesnt file the required reports. Those fines could total $78,600. The offset money comes from things such as parking ticket and traffic fines that an individual who lives in the community has not paid, according to Abdon Pallasch, a spokesman for Mendozas office. The money owed is withheld from individual state income tax refunds by the comptroller, then distributed to municipalities. Pallasch said many Chicago-area communities, including Chicago and Dolton, contract with the comptrollers office to collect and distribute the money. The money that went to Dolton last year totaled $120,000, according to her office. In a news release, Mendoza said that for about two years, the administration of Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard has willfully refused to turn over the annual reports all municipalities are required to file with her office. That includes an annual financial report, financial audit and reports on the performance of Doltons three tax increment financing districts. When municipalities around Illinois are having legitimate problems filing their annual reports with us, based on staffing or other issues, we earnestly work with them to get them into compliance, Mendoza said in the release. Dolton is different. The Mayors office has refused to communicate with us or address the problem. If Mayor Henyard refuses to follow state law, my office will use the tools at our disposal to safeguard the interests of Doltons citizens. She said her office has been notifying the village of this delinquency over the past two years. In a report she presented to the public and Dolton trustees at a meeting Aug. 8, former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the village had not been in compliance with state law requiring the filing of annual financial reports. Hired by trustees as a special investigator to look into village finances and Henyards administration, Lightfoot said there is no annual report for Dolton beyond fiscal year 2021 and that no audited financial statements are available after that point. The villages fiscal or budget year runs from May 1 through April 30, and Lightfoot noted at the meeting that the Village Board has yet to adopt a spending plan for this fiscal year. Dolton Trustee Jason House, a candidate for Dolton mayor next year, responded to the comptrollers action saying it goes to many of the issues the board of trustees has raised already. It is unfortunate it has come to this, he said. Were going to press the (village) administration to take all steps necessary to provide the state with the required information. Mendoza said state statute requires the comptroller to initiate forced audits of municipalities that stop complying with laws to file annual reports with the office. It also has the authority to level fines. If Dolton continues failing to file reports, Mendoza said her office will initiate forced audits and fines. She said her office can assess fines of about $7,000 per year per unfiled report, totaling $78,600 for Dolton as of now. That would be in addition to the roughly $135,000 the village could lose in offset fines our office sends the village on an annual basis if its administration does not resume filing reports. Mendoza said her office notified the village Thursday of the immediate suspension of offset funds and that a forced audit and fines will begin soon if the village does not come into compliance with the law. The actions by the comptroller, a Democrat, represent the first such penalization of Dolton by a state agency, particularly by one headed by someone of Henyards own political party. Mendoza said Dolton Village Clerk Alison Key emailed her office, frustrated that the village is also not complying with the states Freedom of Information Act. As Village Clerk, I have been unable to reply to FOIAs because the Village Administrator, Keith Freeman, has instructed department heads not to reply to any FOIA request coming from me, Key said in an email to the comptroller. Key, in her email to Mendoza, said that Freeman has illegally removed me as FOIA officer without board of trustees knowledge or vote of approval. He has continued to interfere with the FOIA process for the past 2 years. In February, in response to a lawsuit filed by Nexstar Media, Attorney General Kwame Raoul filed a binding opinion ordering Dolton to turn over documents the state requested of the village via the state FOIA law, but Dolton disregarded the order. A Cook County judge Thursday found Dolton acted willful, intentional and in bad faith in failing to comply with the Freedom of Information Act and ordered Dolton to turn over documents. The case will back in court Sept. 23. mnolan@southtownstar.com Illinois woman who stole $1.5M worth of chicken wings sentenced to 9 years in prison CHICAGO, Ill. (WTVO) A woman who worked as a Chicago-area school official has been sentenced to 9 years in prison for stealing $1.5 million worth of chicken wings. According to the Cook County States Attorneys Office, Vera Liddell, 68, pleaded guilty on Friday to stealing more than 11,000 cases of chicken wings from the Harvey School District during the COVID-19 pandemic. Liddell, who worked as food services director, stole the wings from July 2020 to February 2022. The wings were meant as take-home meals for students who were on remote learning, according to WGN. Authorities said Liddell ordered hundreds of unauthorized food items through the schools main supplier, Gordon Food Services. The school was billed for the items, court documents said. The crime was uncovered during an audit after the food service department exceeded its annual operating budget by $300,000 midway through the school year. Upon closer review, [the districts business manager] discovered individual invoices signed by Liddell for massive quantities of chicken wings, an item that was never served to students because they contain bones, the court document said. Liddells attorney said she expressed a great deal of remorse for the crime, The New York Times reported. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports. An Independence man has been charged with murder in a shooting Wednesday at an apartment building in midtown Kansas City. Eryn D. Holt, 21, was charged with second-degree murder for his alleged role in the shooting of 22-year-old Adrian Terry. Holt also faces two charges of armed criminal action, as well as a charge of unlawful use of a weapon. All four charges are felonies. The shooting took place Aug. 14 at 400 E. Armour Blvd., near the Midtown and Hyde Park neighborhoods. Kansas City firefighters alerted police when they heard gunshots while responding to an unrelated medical call at the building. Kansas City firefighters took Terry to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 12:11 p.m. Holt was taken into custody at the scene of the shooting after witnesses pointed him out to police. One of the responding firefighters said that while attempting to enter the building and check on another resident, he heard Holt and Terry arguing near the entrance to the building, according to court documents. The firefighter told police detectives that he heard Terry telling Holt he should know better than to come back to the apartments, court documents read. The argument then moved outside the building, where at least three witnesses reported watching Holt shoot Terry in the chest, according to court documents. There was a second loud sound before Terry re-entered the lobby and collapsed, according to court documents. The shooting was also captured on surveillance cameras in the lobby. After allegedly shooting Terry, Holt attempted to hail an Uber and leave the area, but he was taken into custody before the Uber arrived, court documents show. Holt told police detectives that he did not know Terry personally and that he believed Terry had been about to stab him as a result of their verbal argument. A Jackson County prosecutor set Holts bond at $250,000, according to court records. If he is released on bond, Holt will have to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet until his trial. Terrys death was the 93rd homicide reported in Kansas City this year, according to data tracked by The Star. At the same time last year, 123 homicides had been reported in the city. Tens of thousands of Indian women took part in protests in West Bengal and across the country overnight demanding protection from sexual violence in the wake of the rape and murder of a female junior doctor working the night shift at a public hospital in Kolkata. Photo by Piyal AdhikaryEPA-EFE Aug. 15 (UPI) -- Tens of thousands of women in eastern India took to the streets overnight to protest the rape and murder of a female junior doctor working the night shift at a public hospital in Kolkata. The Reclaim the Night march on the eve of a holiday to mark 77 years of independence from Britain capped off five days of nationwide demonstrations by medics sparked by the killing of the unnamed 31-year-old resident at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on Friday. A man who volunteers at the hospital has been arrested in connection with the killing but the women are demanding "independence to live in freedom and without fear" while the medics called for a federal law to protect female doctors and nurses. Almost 30% of India's doctors and 80% of nurses are women. The protesters are also calling for justice amid fears of a cover-up after the hospital allegedly initially claimed the woman, a doctoral student, took her own life. The sudden resignation Monday of the college's principal in the midst of the crisis sparked further anger after it was revealed he had moved straight into a new post at the city's National Medical College and Hospital. On Tuesday, the Central Bureau of Investigation in New Delhi took over the case and custody of the suspect ahead of Wednesday's protests as the row escalated. The ER of the hospital was stormed and vandalized Wednesday night by a mob who attacked police and damaged police vehicles. Police responded by firing tear gas. Reports circulated on social media said the mob ransacked the crime scene -- a seminar room where the female doctor was attacked as she slept -- claims police moved quiclky to quash, threatening to prosecute those putting out false information. "Scene of Crime is Seminar Room which is intact and has not been touched. Don't spread fake news. We will take legal action," Kolkata Police said in a post on X. Elsewhere, the protests across the state of West Bengal and in Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune, in which many men also took part, mostly went off without incident. Mamata Banerjee, the state's chief minister, who had been heavily criticized for the handling of the case, pleaded Wednesday with doctors to stand down and give authorities the time and space to properly investigate, saying that innocent people were being hurt. "Give the death penalty to those who are actually responsible for the crime but innocents should not be punished," said Banerjee, the leader of the ruling All India Trinamool Congress party (an offshoot of the Congress Party) she founded. "I plead before you, if needed I am ready to touch your feet, to go back to work. Three people have lost their lives, one of them a child and another a pregnant woman." Banerjee stressed she respected both senior and junior doctors but asked for their patience saying she was confident the CBI would meet the Aug. 18 deadline she had set for police to complete the investigation. However, state Gov. Ananda Bose, a member of the opposition BJP party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accused the police of corruption and blamed the government for what he called a "bloodbath." "It is a shame for Bengal and India and humanity. The custodians of law have themselves become conspirators. A section of the police is politicized and criminalized. This rot has to end," he told a news conference Thursday after inspecting the damage from the previous night's attack. "The government is responsible for this. The first responsibility lies with the government," said Bose. "We want security so that when you go to work at night you are safe. It is nothing but a bloodbath going on." In his Independence Day address Thursday, Prime Minister Modi called for the "strictest punishment" for perpetrators of "atrocities against our mothers and sister" both as deterrence and so that people do not lose faith in society. "The country, society, our state governments need to take this seriously. Crimes against women need to be probed as soon as possible and those involved in demonic acts must face strict punishment at the earliest," said Modi who did not directly refer to events in West Bengal. The Indian Embassy in Moscow issued an advisory for Indian nationals in Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk oblasts on Aug. 14, encouraging them to evacuate the areas amid the ongoing Ukrainian incursion into the areas. "In view of the recent security incidents" in the oblasts, "Indian nationals are advised to take necessary precautions and temporarily relocate outside these regions," the embassy wrote. Ukraine's cross-border incursion into neighboring Kursk Oblast began on Aug. 6, and by Aug. 13, Ukraine said it controlled 74 settlements in the region. On Aug. 14, Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov declared a state of emergency, citing an "extremely difficult" and tense situation due to ongoing attacks from Ukrainian forces. Belgorod Oblast, which borders Ukraine's Kharkiv Oblast and is adjacent to Kursk, has been regularly targeted by Ukrainian drones. According to an undated statement by the Indian Embassy in Moscow, there are about 14,000 Indians in Russia, including 4,500 students. It is unclear if the figure includes temporary workers. Multiple cases of Indian men coming to Russia for work or tourism before being coerced to join the war against Ukraine and, in some cases, dying in battle have been reported. India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said in March it had identified 35 cases of Indian men being lured to fight for Moscow in Ukraine. At least two have been confirmed as killed in combat. Following a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow in July, Indian media reported that Russia had agreed to release all Indians serving in its army and facilitate their return home. Read also: Kursk incursion deals blow to Putins prestige marking first ground invasion of Russia since World War II Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. This photo provided by Ray Rice shows Ferguson Police Officer Travis Brown, who continues to "fight for his life" after suffering a brain injury when a protest turned violent on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Ferguson, Mo. (Ray Rice/Ferguson Police Department via AP) FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) A Ferguson, Missouri, police officer who was critically injured during a protest on the 10th anniversary of Michael Browns death is showing small but significant signs of progress from a severe brain injury, according to a post on a GoFundMe page set up to support the officer and his family. Travis Brown, 36, has undergone several surgeries and other procedures to address swelling and fluid on his brain since he was attacked on Friday, the statement said. As of Thursday morning, more than $78,000 had been donated through the GoFundMe site. In the past few days, weve witnessed a few small but significant signs of progress three coughs, and slight movements in his leg and hand. These moments, though brief, filled us with hope and joy, the statement read. Today, the doctors checked TJs brain activity, and the results were encouraging. While weve been told that the road to recovery will be long and challenging, we remain hopeful. Hundreds of people gathered in Ferguson Friday to remember Michael Brown. As midnight approached, only a few dozen demonstrators remained, and some of them began shaking and damaging a fence outside the Missouri town's police station, prompting Travis Brown and other officers to begin making arrests. Police on Tuesday released body camera and surveillance video showing one suspect, identified as 28-year-old Elijah Gantt of East St. Louis, Illinois, charging Brown on a sidewalk and knocking him backward. The video shows Brown landing hard, his head striking the pavement. Both Brown and Gantt are Black. Separate footage from Browns body camera, released Wednesday, shows his shadow on the face of a building and the shadow of another person ramming into him. The camera is suddenly angled upward after Brown hits the sidewalk. An officer crouches over Brown and repeats his name, seemingly trying to get a response, as he says officer down into his radio and calls for emergency medical services. He yells for people to back away from the scene. Amid shouts and screams, someone says, Hes fallen on his head. About a minute later, officers grab Browns legs and move him. There are audible screams of Watch his head and Support his head. Someone can be heard saying, Come on, T.J., followed later by, T.J., youre good, bud. Hes lifted into a patrol car. T.J. look at me. Look at me. What day is it? someone asks him. He does not answer. The patrol car speeds off. Gantt is charged with assault and jailed on $500,000 bond. He does not yet have a listed attorney. Ferguson became synonymous with the national Black Lives Matter movement after Michael Brown, a Black 18-year-old, was killed by Ferguson Officer Darren Wilson Aug. 9, 2014, in the St. Louis suburb. Travis Brown is not related to Michael Brown. Three separate investigations found no grounds to prosecute Wilson, who resigned in November 2014. But Michael Browns death led to months of often violent protests. It also spurred a U.S. Department of Justice investigation that required anti-discrimination changes to Ferguson policing and the courts. Travis Brown is the son of a retired St. Louis city police officer and the father of two young daughters. He worked for the St. Louis County Police Department for 11 years before joining the Ferguson department in January, part of a wave of Black officers hired into the department since 2014. He wanted to be part of the change, Ferguson Police Chief Troy Doyle said. The GoFundMe page is raising money to help pay expenses and support Brown's children, an earlier posting states. It calls Brown a devoted father, son, brother, uncle, godfather, and friend. A man of strong faith, his heart is as big as his smile, and his positive energy is truly contagious. TOPEKA (KSNT) Last night a storm caused intense damage to parts of north Topeka. City Councilwoman Christina Valdivia-Alcala took to social media to inform Oakland residents of the current situation. According to Valdivia-Alcala, there was intense damage to the Oakland, north Topeka and Potwin areas. Valdivia-Alcala said public works crews are assessing damage and clearing tree debris. She said some streets and areas wont be open until Evergy moves the powerlines. Over 7,000 without power in the Topeka area Photo by Matthew Johnstone. Photo by Matthew Johnstone. Photo by Matthew Johnstone. Photo by Matthew Johnstone. Photo by Matthew Johnstone. Crews in public works and utilities are out already this morning and I just encourage everyone to be patient, Valdivia-Alcala said. USD 501 also informed parents that there would be a 2-hour delay. For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. International astronomy group joins calls for a lunar clock to keep time on the moon An image of the moon is projected at the Iziko Planetarium in Cape Town, South Africa, Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024 as part of the World Astronomy Conference. (AP Photo/Nardus Engelbrecht) WASHINGTON (AP) Time moves a tad faster on the moon. Now an international group of astronomers has joined calls to give the moon its own clock so that future space missions can keep track of minutes on the celestial body. The International Astronomical Union voted Thursday encouraging space organizations across the globe to collaborate on a timekeeping standard for the moon, where one day lasts 29.5 Earth days. Thats the crux of our resolution: to work together to establish this standard time, U.S. Naval Observatorys Susan Stewart said this week at the group's conference in Cape Town, South Africa. Stewart helped propose the resolution. The moon has less gravity compared to Earth, so time ticks by about 58.7 microseconds quicker every day. As more countries and private companies set their sights on future lunar missions, astronomers want to ensure perfect synchrony with a unified clock. Currently, a moon mission runs on the time of the nation that's operating the spacecraft. The European Space Agency pushed last year for the creation of a lunar clock. And earlier this year, the White House directed NASA and other agencies to cobble together an initial idea by the end of the year with a final plan due by the end of 2026. Astronomers are still in the early days of determining exactly how lunar time will tick, said Bijunath Patla, a physicist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. I think that the community has realized that this needs to be done, Patla said. And this is the beginning. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content. KIEV, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine has taken control of 82 settlements in western Russia's Kursk region, Oleksandr Syrsky, commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said on Thursday. Since the beginning of their operation in the Kursk region, Ukrainian troops have advanced 35 km along the Russian army's defense, and controlled over 1,150 sq km of territory, Syrsky said on his official Telegram channel. Since the beginning of Thursday, Ukrainian troops have advanced between 500 meters and 1.5 km further into the Kursk region, he said. The Ukrainian troops have captured the town of Sudzha in the Kursk region, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, adding that a military commandant's office is being established there. Russia's defense ministry announced that in the past 24 hours, their forces successfully repelled six Ukrainian attacks in the Kursk region. Additionally, it claimed to have destroyed 117 drones and four tactical missiles launched by Ukraine at several regions including Kursk. The ministry also added that Ukraine had lost up to 2,300 soldiers and 37 tanks during its incursion into Kursk. SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) The 2024 Iowa Mission of Mercy dental clinic is looking for people in the community willing to help out. Dr. Kiya Stack-Miller with the clinic told KCAU 9 that theyll need about 1,000 volunteers. Theyre looking not just for dentists and other dental professionals, but also for members of the general community who can serve other roles. Sioux City Career Academy house begins move to rural Jefferson The free two-day clinic will be held at the Tyson Events Center on Oct. 4 and 5. Doors open at 6 a.m. both days. The clinic is first come, first served. It will stay open both days until the Tyson Events Center reaches capacity. Dr. Stack-Miller and Dr. Jeff Hemmingsen were in the KCAU 9 studio Wednesday to speak in more detail about the event and the kinds of volunteers they need. You can view the full interview in the video player above. If youd like to sign up to volunteer, click here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. (The Hill) An Iranian-backed cybergroup is carrying out an aggressive, multi-pronged effort to target the U.S. and Israel and interfere with the American presidential election, Google analysts said in a blog post on Wednesday. The group, APT42, is associated with Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and has consistently targeted high-ranking U.S. and Israeli officials, including current and former government ones, Google said. In the past six months, the U.S. and Israel accounted for roughly 60% of APT42s known geographic targeting, including the likes of former senior Israeli military officials and individuals affiliated with both U.S. presidential campaigns, the blog post reads. These activities demonstrate the groups aggressive, multi-pronged effort to quickly alter its operational focus in support of Irans political and military priorities. The FBI is investigating concerns that Iran stole documents from former President Trumps campaign and sent them to reporters, as well as allegations that Tehran attempted to gain access to Vice President Harriss campaign. FBI investigating after Trump campaign says it was hacked Media outlets reportedly received an email from an AOL account named Robert that included a research dossier on Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), Trumps running mate. Trumps campaign had announced previously that it was hacked by Iran, shortly after Microsoft published a report indicating Iranian and other foreign election interference. Trump told reporters on Wednesday that it looks like its Iran doing it. The reason is because I was strong on Iran, he said. I was protecting people in the Middle East that maybe they arent so happy about that. The FBI also suspects that three staffers associated with President Bidens former campaign or Harriss current one were targeted with phishing campaigns. Trump was also under enhanced Secret Service security after Iran had threatened his life, part of an Iranian campaign to target and threaten former Trump administration officials who were aggressive with policy against Tehran. Trump survived an assassination attempt on July 13 that officials believe is unrelated to Iran. State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters on Wednesday that the U.S. has long spoken about how Iran has had lines of efforts to maliciously influence elections. Its something that we are consistently vigilant about, he said. APT42 has previously targeted officials during U.S. elections, but during the current cycle, personal email accounts from roughly a dozen individuals associated with Biden or Trumps campaign were targeted, Google said. Google said it has blocked several malign attempts, but some have been successful, including one on a high-profile political consultant. Former aide: Trump feels this election slipping away Israeli military officials, diplomats and other key figures have also been targets of the phishing campaign from Iran. Iran has masqueraded as legitimate organizations, including the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, the Brookings Institution and the Institute for the Study of War, according to Google. The phishing efforts often involve emails containing some type of phishing link to lure users and allow them to gain access to accounts and steal information. In the past six months, Google said it has blocked more than 50 campaigns involving Google Sites scams. As we outlined above, APT42 is a sophisticated, persistent threat actor and they show no signs of stopping their attempts to target users and deploy novel tactics, analysts wrote in the blog post. The concerns around Irans election interference come as Iranian officials have publicly warned they will retaliate against Israel for what the death of top Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran two weeks ago. Iran has blamed his death on Israel, which has neither confirmed nor denied it. The U.S. and Israel are bracing for an attack, with Washington moving additional military assets to the Middle East to prepare. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. KOCHO, Iraq (AP) Ten years ago, their village in Iraq's Sinjar region was decimated by Islamic State militants. Yazidi men and boys were separated and massacred, Yazidi women and children were abducted, many raped or taken as slaves. Now the survivors are coming back to Kocho, where Yazidi community leaders on Thursday announced plans for an internationally funded new village nearby to house those displaced in what was one of the bloodiest massacres by the Islamic State group against their tiny and insular religious minority. On Aug. 15, 2014, the extremists killed hundreds in Kocho alone. During their rampage across the wider region of Sinjar the Yazidi heartland IS killed and enslaved thousands of Yazidis, whom the Sunni militants consider heretics. To this day, the Kocho massacre remains as a glaring example of IS atrocities against the Yazidi community. Out of 1,470 people in Kocho at the time, 1,027 were abducted by the IS, 368 were killed and only 75 managed to escape, according to a report by the Middle East Center at the London School of Economics. All the permits have now been finalized and construction for the new village will break ground on Sept. 5, said Naif Jaso, a prominent Yazidi leader. The New Kocho is planned to be built near the village of Tel Qassab, 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) north from the original Kocho, now mostly in ruins. The International Organization for Migration, the U.N. Development Program and Nadias Initiative, an nonprofit founded by Yazidi survivor Nadia Murad, are hoping it will provide much-needed housing and infrastructure to encourage displaced Yazidis to return to their historic homeland. Their return is a thorny issue and few Yazidis have trickled back to their former homes. In Sinjar, the situation is particularly grim, with destroyed infrastructure, little funding for rebuilding and multiple armed groups vying to carve up the area. Though IS was defeated in Iraq in 2017, as of April this year only 43% of the more than 300,000 people displaced from Sinjar have come back, IOM says. Jaso said 133 displaced families have said they are willing to return and settle in New Kocho Village, which envisages parks, marketplaces, a health facility, a psychiatric support center and recreational spaces along with homes for people. Each house will be built according to the size and needs of each family, Nadias Initiatives spokesperson Salah Qasim said. Alyas Salih Qasim, one of the few male survivors from Kocho says he plans to go back once the new village is ready. He has been living for years in a displacement camp in northern Iraqs semi-autonomous Kurdish region and plans to settle in the new village. I would love to return to my original house, he said but was not optimistic about others many Yazidis have since migrated and started new lives elsewhere. But it's difficult ... to return to an empty village, and its better if we settle in the New Kocho once they finish constructing it," he said. Earlier this year, Iraq's government ordered displacement camps in the Kurdish region housing thousands of Yazidis to be closed by July 30 and even offered payments of 4 million dinars (about $3,000) to those who leave, but later postponed the order. Fatima Ismael, another survivor of the Kocho massacre who has been living in the same camp as Qasim for nine years and also hopes to settled in the new village, said the old village of Kocho contains too many painful memories. The remains of her husband and two of her sons were found in a mass graves while three other sons are still missing, with empty graves waiting for them at the local cemetery. I can never return home because I cant look at the empty rooms, she said, though she misses the old village community. How can I live with that? Survivors still live in fear of IS and part of the reason for placing the new Kocho at a distance from the old village is to be closer to mountains where many Yazidis took refuge during the militants' rampage. Since their defeat, IS militants have gone underground but are still able to stage surprise attacks. Commemorations and ceremonies like Thursday's bring back traumatic memories. It feels like the first day every time theres a ceremony or event to remember these days, Qasim said. Whatever they do for us, or how hard they try, what we saw is unbearably terrible and impossible to forget. Theia Chatelle Tal Mitnick was the first Israeli to publicly refuse to enlist in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) after October 7. Enlisting in the military is not just a rite of passage in Israeli society, it is something every eighteen-year-old Israeli is legally obligated to do. In announcing his refusal to enlist, Mitnick, 18, became a conscientious objector to the countrys mandatory conscription into the military. While there is a long history of this type of refusal in Israeli society it helped bring an end to Israels invasion of southern Lebanon in 1982 doing so can be akin to announcing oneself as a social pariah and it is at odds with the beliefs and culture of mainstream Israeli society. Refusal carries a range of social, political, and economic consequences. Mitnick was sentenced to 185 days in six consecutive stints in prison. On July 10, Israels committee on conscientious objectors approved Mitnick for release. Im relieved to be exempted after such a long time, he tells Teen Vogue. Luckily, I had an opportunity to play a part in the struggle against the war and the occupation. In recent years, some refusers cited concerns about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus unpopular conservative government and his attempts to consolidate power, and others took issue with Israels occupation of the West Bank, which the top court of the United Nations has deemed illegal. Before Hamas October 7 attack and Israels subsequent invasion of Gaza, it was typical for conscientious objectors to spend around three weeks in Israeli prison. After the war began, as Israel sought to clamp down on dissent and limit challenges to its ongoing military campaign, sentences seem to have ballooned. While there have long been Israeli youth who refuse to enlist, since the start of the war on Gaza, the stakes are even higher. And while the total number of refusers in the current conflict is quite small, theyre part of a larger community of the Mesarvot Network (or refusers in Hebrew), an autonomous collective of current and former conscientious objectors. Deliberately taking the feminine form of the word mesarvim, Mesarvot is a committed pacifist and feminist organization. In order to avoid violating Israeli law around mandatory conscription, those involved with Mesarvot are careful to refer to themselves as a network focused on supporting those during their time in prison and then their return to Israeli society. Noah Shabtai-Levin, who is 20 years old and lives in Tel Aviv, is an active member of Maki, Israels communist party, and works with Mesarvot to support the next generation of refusers. Shabtai-Levin and I met at the partys offices, known as the Left Bank, in Tel Aviv. Shabtai-Levin decided to refuse after Netanyahu announced a series of controversial judicial reforms in 2023, which sparked mass protests in Israel. Shabtai-Levin spent 130 days in prison for refusing to enlist in the IDF. But, he says, his decision to do so was a long time in the making. Theia Chatelle Shabtai-Levin was born, as he puts it, to a Communist mom and a military officer dad. His parents divorced when he was young and he spent his childhood traveling back and forth between his parents homes, bearing witness to their political differences. Shabtai-Levin recounted a story where one of his classmates told him that all people in Gaza are terrorists and he went home to tell his mother. She encouraged him to question the idea and the otherization of Palestinians in Israeli society. He remembers her asking, If all Palestinians are terrorists, so too are the children and the elderly? As Shabtai-Levin went to visit his father only intermittently, his mother chose to enroll him in a democratic school, a form of alternative education in Israel where collaboration and collective decision-making are emphasized, similar to Montessori-style education. Shabtai-Levin says he remembers being encouraged to question everything: why students had to study certain topics, why the school day lasted as long as it did, and even the purpose of education. From an early age, Shabtai-Levin knew that joining the IDF wasnt right for him. I knew that I had to cut my hair if I joined the army and I was not okay with that, he says. But as he grew older and learned about Israels occupation of the West Bank and, he says, the war crimes that are being committed against Palestinians, Shabtai-Levin became increasingly certain of his decision. If it were not for his mother or unique schooling, he likely wouldnt have made the choice: Enlisting in the military is part of the social contract of Israel, he says. Israeli youth are told stories of the nations military heroes, those who died in combat to protect their safety, Shabtai-Levin recounts. Even at Shabtai-Levins democratic school, which by all accounts sits on the far left of Israeli society, when he told his classmates, he says they were shocked. I'm surrounded by people who are open-minded, but still, when you're saying that you're going to refuse to enlist in the army it's a big shock because the army is located within the heart of Israeli society, he says. Theia Chatelle Theia Chatelle Theia Chatelle Theia Chatelle At first, Shabtai-Levin thought he would find a way to qualify for an exemption. While all Israelis are required to enlist in the military, some can volunteer instead or are exempted altogether. According to Channel 13, the Israeli TV channel, around 30 to 40% of all Israeli youth are approved for an exemption each year. After learning about the cycle of bloodshed and war and death, Shabtai-Levin decided, You either fight for peace or you fight for war. And I chose to fight for peace. This decision seems to be one born of hope, as Shabtai-Levin imagines a future in which his children coexist peacefully with Palestinians rather than in this colonized game of pretend. Yuval Dag, who is 21 and lives in Haifa, says hes one of the oldest refusers still active in Mesarvot. Dag and I met at a cafe in Haifa, which he likes to call his adopted city. He was born in a moshav, a type of cooperative agricultural community. Theia Chatelle While his campaign was framed as the first refusal since Netanyahu announced the controversial judicial reforms last year, Dag says, It's the Fascist government that pushed me. Unlike others in Mesarvot, Dag had a hard time convincing his parents to accept his decision. He describes them as center-left Israelis who strongly believe in the duty to serve their country. His decision came as a shock to them and the rest of his family. There are still a few relatives, according to Dag, who refuse to speak to him. To them, Somebody gave three years of [their life], so you should too. So when you don't, it's like a personal, disrespectful thing, Dag says. Dag spent 180 days in prison. He is clear that he doesnt view refusing to enlist as something exceptional. Critics of Israel abroad often dismiss the choice, saying, according to Dag, You're doing the minimum and you're not heroes or whatever. He emphasizes, And it's, for us, always important to emphasize that we also consider it the minimum. Dag sees himself as standing in solidarity with Palestinians, and according to him, if you do so, you cannot serve in the Israeli military. And spending time in jail, where he says inmates and soldiers alike endure long days and nights under bright fluorescent lights and receive rough treatment from commanding officers, further darkened his view of the military. This is how they treat their own soldiers. You can only start to imagine how they treat Palestinians, he says. Israels Channel 12 recently reported on incidents of rape, torture and abuse of Palestinian prisoners by members of the Israeli military. (Teen Vogue reached out to the Israeli Ministry of Justice for comment, but didnt hear back.) Sofi Orr, 18, along with Mitnick and Ben Arad, 18, was one of the three Israeli youths who refused to enlist after October 7. While Orr had decided to refuse long before the Hamas attack, she says that Israels ongoing assault on Gaza reaffirmed her decision. The Gaza Health Ministry says the death toll from the war exceeds 39,000, though a recent study published in the Lancet suggests that the number of Palestinians killed in the conflict could be as high as 186,000. Nimrod Flashenberg At the time of our interview, Orr had been out of prison for one month after being declared a conscientious objector by an Israeli military panel on May 29. She had served 85 days in prison. I managed to convince them that I do fit that definition and Tal didn't [convince them]. But I think that he is not any less of a conscientious objector than me, Orr says. Orr, like Shabtai-Levin, attended a democratic school in Pardes Hanna, a leftist enclave just to the south of Haifa. At around 12 or 13, she says she started asking herself whether she would enlist and quickly decided that she would not. This choice was supported by both of her parents, who are also involved in left-wing activism in Israel. Above all else, Orr is a committed pacifist: Trying to solve this problem with violence will never work, and it's only hurting more and more people. There are millions of Israeli Jews here and there are millions of Palestinians here and no one is going anywhere, she adds. We have to live together. Stay up-to-date with the politics team. Sign up for the Teen Vogue Take Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue More great activism coverage from Teen Vogue: Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir attends an event at which new weapons are distributed to Israel's police volunteer security teams in Ashkelon JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was known as a hardline extremist even before he became one of the lynchpins of the most right-wing coalition in Israel's history. Burly, bespectacled and rough-spoken, Ben-Gvir, 48, has appeared to delight in offending anyone not aligned to the views of the pro-settler, nationalist-religious constituency behind his Jewish Power party. His visit on Tuesday to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, just as ceasefire negotiators were preparing for another bid to end the fighting in Gaza and halt a spiral into regional war, was the latest in a series of actions that have often seemed designed to inflame outrage. The visit, and his declaration that Jews should be allowed to pray there in defiance of decades-old status quo arrangements covering a site holy to both Muslims and Jews, drew international condemnation. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quickly disavowed and rebuked Ben-Gvir, whose visit also outraged Orthodox Jews who consider the Temple Mount, revered as the site of Judaism's two ancient temples, too sacred a place for Jews to enter. For Ben-Gvir, who was photographed brandishing a gun at Palestinian demonstrators in East Jerusalem during the 2022 election campaign, the row served merely to reinforce his status as a firebrand. Together with his fellow hardliner, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, he has clashed repeatedly with Netanyahu and other members of the cabinet, notably Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, a representative of the Israeli defence establishment he has always deeply distrusted. Like many on the Israeli right, Ben-Gvir, who lives in a West Bank settlement, entirely rejects any talk of an independent Palestinian state and has pressed for an intensification of the war in Gaza, even as the death toll among Palestinians has passed 40,000. A disciple of Meir Kahane, a rabbi who wanted to strip Arab Israelis of citizenship and whose party was designated a terrorist organisation by the United States, Ben-Gvir was convicted in 2007 of racist incitement and support for a group on both the Israeli and U.S. terrorism blacklists. WORLD OPINION Over the years, he has toned down his rhetoric, saying he no longer advocates expulsion of all Palestinians, just those he deems traitors or terrorists. But his appointment in 2022 by Netanyahu as National Security Minister, with responsibility for the police, was one of the clearest signs that the new government would pay little heed to world opinion. His position in government assured by the kingmaker role he and Smotrich played in forming Netanyahu's government, which holds a narrow but stable 4-seat majority in the 120-seat parliament, he has paid little heed to criticism. He has repeatedly attacked the army and Netanyahu over the conduct of the war in Gaza, opposing any deal with Hamas and threatening at times to bring the government down if it agreed to a deal without destroying Hamas. So far, he has not given any serious indication that he would carry out such a threat, which would tip his party from power along with the prime minister. But he has repeatedly drawn the ire of the United States, Israel's most important ally, over his rejection of a political solution with the Palestinians and his support for violent Jewish settlers who attack Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. And, as demonstrated by his visit to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, one of the most sensitive locations in the Middle East, he has lost none of his willingness to provoke. (Writing by Michael Georgy; Editing by Angus MacSwan) By Andrew Mills and Nidal al-Mughrabi DOHA/CAIRO (Reuters) -A new round of Gaza ceasefire talks was under way in the Qatari capital Doha on Thursday, officials said, with Israel's spy chief joining his U.S. and Egyptian counterparts and Qatar's prime minister for the closed-door meeting. Separately, Gaza health officials reported that the death toll in the Palestinian enclave had surpassed 40,000 people after more than 10 months of fighting. An official briefed on the talks said negotiations continued in Doha into the evening, and all participants were expected to continue meeting on Friday. The negotiations, an effort to end bloodshed in Gaza and bring 115 Israeli and foreign hostages home, were put together as Iran appeared poised to retaliate against Israel after the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31. With U.S. warships, submarines and warplanes dispatched to the region to defend Israel and deter potential attackers, Washington hopes a ceasefire agreement in Gaza can defuse the risk of a full-out wider regional war. Hamas officials, who have accused Israel of stalling, did not join Thursday's talks. Mediators planned to consult with Hamas' Doha-based negotiating team after the meeting, the official told Reuters. Israel's delegation includes spy chief David Barnea, head of the domestic security service Ronen Bar and the military's hostages chief Nitzan Alon, defence officials said. CIA Director Bill Burns and U.S. Middle East envoy Brett McGurk represented Washington at the talks, convened by Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, with Egypt's intelligence chief Abbas Kamel also in Doha. Israel and Hamas have each blamed the other for failure to reach a deal yet neither side has ruled out an agreement. On Wednesday, a source in the Israeli negotiating team said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has allowed significant leeway on a few of the substantial disputes. Gaps include the presence of Israeli troops in Gaza, the sequencing of a hostage release and restrictions on the free movement of civilians from southern to northern Gaza. White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters negotiators were focused on narrowing the gaps and implementing a framework agreement, which he said had been "generally accepted" by both sides. "The remaining obstacles can be overcome, and we must bring this process to close," he said. "Today's a promising start." In the lead-up to Thursday's talks, Hamas, which rejects any U.S. or Israeli intervention in shaping the "day after" the war in Gaza, told mediators that if Israel made a "serious" proposal in line with Hamas' previous proposals the group would continue to engage in negotiations. Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters on Thursday the group was committed to the negotiation process and urged mediators to secure Israel's commitment to a proposal Hamas agreed to in early July, which he said would end the war and required a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. 'GRIM MILESTONE' Even as negotiators worked in Qatar, fighting continued in Gaza, with Israeli troops hitting targets in the southern cities of Rafah and Khan Younis. Palestinian health officials said at least six Palestinians were killed on Thursday night in an Israeli air strike on a house in Jabalia in northern Gaza Strip. U.N. human rights chief Volker Turk said the Gaza death toll of more than 40,000 reported by the enclave's health ministry was a "grim milestone for the world". "This unimaginable situation is overwhelmingly due to recurring failures by the Israeli Defense Forces to comply with the rules of war," he said in a statement from Geneva. Separately, Israel's military said it had "eliminated" more than 17,000 Palestinian militants in its Gaza campaign. In shattered Gaza where the war has driven almost all of its 2.3 million population from their homes, there was a desperate desire for an end to the fighting. "Enough is enough, we want to get back to our homes in Gaza City, every hour a family is getting killed or a house getting bombed," said Aya, 30, sheltering with her family in Deir Al-Balah in the central part of the Gaza Strip. "We are hopeful this time. Either it's this time or never I am afraid," she told Reuters via a chat app. In Tel Aviv, families of some of the hostages protested outside the headquarters of Netanyahu's Likud party. "To the negotiating team - if a deal is not signed today or in the coming days at this summit, do not return to Israel. You have no reason to return to Israel without a deal," said Yotam Cohen, whose brother Nimrod Cohen is a hostage in Gaza. The hostages were taken in the Hamas raid on southern Israel on Oct. 7 in which Israel says the militants killed some 1,200 people, triggering the war in Gaza. (Reporting by Andrew Mills in Doh, Nidal al-Mughrabi in Cairo, Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem and Steve Holland and Susan Heavey in Washington; Writing by Andrew Mills and Cynthia Osterman; Editing by Angus MacSwan) An Italian court has ruled to keep in Italy the 57 Ukrainian orphans aged 6 to 16 who were taken from Berdiansk after Russia's full-scale invasion. They will be placed in three centres in Bergamo. Source: European Pravda with reference to Ansa Details: The Juvenile Court of Brescia has confirmed the immediate transfer of Ukrainian minors in the province of Bergamo to the custody of Italian social services "so that they can continue to stay in the places where they are now", with virtually no time limit. Previously, the court had granted a two-week extension of the childrens stay, but the court ruling cancels this decision and makes it indefinite for now. The Ukrainian authorities requested the return of the children. The court ruling, however, notes that "as reported in recent days by the guardians, the Ministry of Justice and UNHCR", many children have filed, and others intend to file, an application for international protection with the territorial commission, "fearing for their safety in connection with the return to areas close to the theatre of hostilities". Therefore, "in the light of this new fact", the court considered it "appropriate to temporarily suspend the return to Ukraine of the above-mentioned minors in order to allow the Commission to conduct an investigation and make the necessary decisions on the applications submitted by the minors". The Brescia Court, which has jurisdiction over the Bergamo region, also emphasises that "the return should be suspended for all minors, as they have, since their arrival in Italy, constituted essentially a single group represented by a single responsible person and therefore cannot be separated". The group of children arrived in Bergamo in March 2022 with several carers and were immediately accepted by the city's citizens. The group came from two orphanages in Berdiansk, from which they had fled during the Russian offensive. The consideration of the Ukrainian request for the repatriation of the children was scheduled for Friday, 16 August, but has now been frozen by the Italian authorities. This is also because many of the orphans are being treated in hospitals in Bergamo for various serious pathologies. The agency notes that there is no clear reason to rush the return of children without families: the Italian authorities say that their interests should be given priority, and therefore the children will remain in Italy indefinitely. Background: The EU has become an observer in the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children. The first meeting of the newly formed International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, co-chaired by Ukraine and Canada, took place on 2 February in Kyiv. The International Coalition is working to bring home Ukrainian children forcibly transferred from the occupied territories of Ukraine to other occupied oblasts or to Russia. In winter, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted a resolution on the situation of Ukrainian children. Support UP or become our patron! Mothers in Italy have launched a campaign to reduce the length of the countrys school holidays because they are sick of entertaining their children for 14 weeks over the summer. There is a growing revolt against the long break, with mothers in particular appealing to the government for reform. They want the scholastic year extended so that kids spend more time in the classroom and less time driving their long-suffering parents to distraction. An online petition to have the school year changed and the summer holidays reduced has already attracted more than 60,000 signatures. The petition was drawn up by a childrens charity called We World and an irreverent blog run by two activist mothers called MammadiMerda, which loosely translates as sh---y mum. They intend to present the petition to the education minister in a bid to open up a serious political debate about shortening the school holidays. Sarah Malnerich and Francesca Fiore, the women behind the blog, say that Italy has the longest school summer holidays in the world alongside Malta and Latvia. They point out that the 14 week-long summer holiday was originally instituted so that children could help their parents work in the fields and bring in the harvest. Sarah Malnerich and Francesca Fiore, the women behind the irreverent blog MammadiMerda - YouTube Society has changed since then, but the school year has remained frozen in time, Ms Fiore told The Telegraph. I find it absurd that schools close down for three months of the year. Many more Italian women now work compared to the past, when their mothers and grandmothers were content or at least resigned to looking after the kids all summer while their husbands went to work. Were stuck with the old agriculture-based calendar when kids had to stop school in June to work in the fields, but that was 100 years ago, one exasperated mother, Chiara Faggioli, 34, an architect with two children, told La Repubblica newspaper. Families rely on a hotchpotch of solutions to survive the endless summer months. Some are lucky enough to have grandparents nearby, who take care of children during the day. Others resign themselves to having their kids glued to screens for most of the day while they work from home. Millions of others have to pay for their offspring to attend summer camps but it comes at considerable cost an average of 1,200 euros per child. For families with two or three children, the expense can be a huge burden. Some families are lucky enough to have grandparents nearby, who take care of children during the day - Yuliya Taba/E+ Dont trust all those idyllic photos you see on Instagram, La Repubblica commented. Summer is a nightmare for hundreds of thousands of Italian families. Even those lucky enough to go on holiday for two or perhaps three weeks still have 11 weeks to try to fill. Thats nearly 80 days the time it took Phileas Fogg to go round the world, the paper noted. If children are to remain in school into July, rather than breaking up in early June, then air conditioning will be essential. Hardly any classrooms have air con at the moment, said Ms Fiore. Climate change means it is going to get even hotter in Italy. We need government investment so that every school in the country has air con. If not, what are we going to do in 15 years time when it could be 40C from May to September? Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Sales of Italy's Vespa scooter may be limited by EU laws due to the excessive exhaust emissions of its petrol-powered version. Although an electric version looks equally retro, Italy is stepping in to try and save sales of the fume-belching original. Nicolas Armer/dpa Italy is trying to get around European Union emissions regulations by having the petrol-powered Vespa scooter recognised as a symbol of "national cultural heritage". If granted, the status would mean the two-wheeler is spared sales restrictions due to its excessive exhaust emissions, the Italian newspapers Corriere della Sera and Il Giornale both report. A bill to this effect from the right-wing governing Lega party led by Transport Minister Matteo Salvini has been tabled in parliament in Rome. Experts said the move was odd considering that the Vespa is available as an electric scooter in several versions which retain the curvaceous look and style of the ICE original. Italy's attempt echoes voices within the EU which seek to push back a planned ban on the sale of internal combustion-engined vehicles beyond the 2035 deadline. Germany wants the same for cars which run on synthetic fuels. "In view of its symbolic value and outstanding manufacturing quality, as well as its historical, artistic and cultural value", the Vespa Piaggio motorbike, patented in 1946, is to be recognised as "national cultural heritage," according to the bill, which is actively supported by Salvini. "Including the Vespa in the list of vehicles of national interest in order to protect it from any kind of traffic restriction is a common sense proposal that we actively supported in order to defend a heritage, a myth and an Italian symbol on two wheels that is known and admired all over the world," Salvini said in a letter. Savlini fears the scooter could be axed. Salvini said the Vespa must "ride freely" regardless of any traffic restrictions in connection with pollutant emissions. The Vespa, with its petrol engine, will otherwise end up being "crushed under the axe of the European 'Green Deal'". The Vespa is known the world over and for many years it was powered by a smelly two-stroke engine which burned a climate-unfriendly mixture of petrol and oil. Modern versions use much cleaner four-stroke engines with electronic ignition. MOSCOW, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Russian authorities confirmed on Thursday that there is no threat of monkeypox spreading in the country. "In Russia, all necessary measures to detect the infection are being implemented timely and systematically. The situation is under constant control, and there is no threat of the disease spreading in Russia," Rospotrebnadzor, the country's consumer rights and human well-being watchdog, said in a statement. The statement follows the WTO's categorization of the monkeypox outbreak in Africa as "a public health emergency of international concern." Rospotrebnadzor said Russia has sufficient advanced test systems for rapid monkeypox detection, adding that developed by Russian scientists, these highly efficient tests can be used outside laboratory settings. Russia is also prepared to assist African countries affected by the monkeypox outbreak. "Rospotrebnadzor will provide scientific and technical assistance and training specialists to the African countries affected by the epidemic, as well as to the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention," the statement added. Dream Roman Holidays may be more like a nightmare for anyone visiting Italy over the next few days. Such huge numbers are expected to descend on the countrys popular destinations around a major holiday that special measures are being put in place to keep tourists in check. Italys Tourism Ministry says 13 million Italians will be traveling within the country around August 15 as the country jointly celebrates Ferragosto, an ancient holiday first instituted by Roman Empire founder Augustus to give workers a break, and the Catholic Feast of the Assumption of Mary. Add those to the millions of tourists visiting from outside the country and its a recipe for the kind of mayhem, bad behavior and unfortunate accidents which regularly make headlines both in Italy and across the world. Which is why many places are invoking new rules and technology to try to control the chaos. From the island of Sardinia to the heel of Italys boot in Puglia, access to many popular beaches is now only being granted by booking on an app in an effort to control crowd sizes. Meanwhile, plastics, smoking and in some cases even towels and chairs have been banned from the sand during the coming days, according to Italian media reports. Night swimming ban Some beaches on the island of Sardinia, which has seen a record number of tourists this summer, have banned the use of rocks to anchor beach umbrellas. The communities of Santa Teresa di Gallura and SantAntioco say anyone failing to comply will be fined 500 euros ($550), according to local media reports. Still in Sardinia, the mayor of northeastern Olbia has banned late-night swimming, beach camping, bonfires and even the use of chairs and towels overnight to try to curtail all-night revels although a 5 a.m. music shut-off deadline might seem overly generous to some. Elsewhere the rules are stricter. In Sassari, northwestern Sardinia, the music must stop at 2 a.m. In the resort enclaves of Platamona, Porto Ferro and Argentiera, the cutoff is 3 a.m., according to an ordinance published by the islands mayors. Venice daytrippers are charged an entry fee to the city on peak days. Now other places in Italy are also adopting charges. - Stefano Mazzola/Getty Images In Rome, Florence, and Venice, temporary stop lights have been installed as a crowd control measure in high pedestrian traffic areas to stop people from taking selfies and blocking the flow. On the Amalfi Coast, authorities will be regulating the number of vehicles clogging the picturesque roads by alternatively limiting even and odd numbered license plates from entering certain smaller streets during busy times of the day, the local Campania tourist board says. Trail closures The island of Capri will be taking a cue from a tourism entrance fee introduced by Venice earlier this year. Its charging double its usual landing fee for arrivals over the busy holiday weekend. Some mountain destinations in northern Italys Trentino region are using monitors to track the flow of hikers and will be closing trails that get too busy, the regional government says. Along the Mediterranean riviera coastline of northwestern Liguria, Augusto Sartori, the regional councilor for tourism, announced Wednesday that hotel occupancy was now at 99%, and the region was effectively sold out for Ferragosto. Some hiking trails in Italy's Trentino region will be closed if they get too busy. - Albert Ceolan/De Agostini/Getty Images Even escaping to sea isnt really an option for those who havent booked ahead. Italys cruise ship tourism sector estimates that there will be more than 65,000 passengers in Genoa, with six ships making 12 port calls during the two weeks before and after August 15. In Civitavecchia near Rome, around 59,000 cruise ship passengers are expected during the same period. In Naples, there will be 45,000 and in Bari some 25,000 passengers will disembark to join the mix. Italys tourism minister, Daniele Santache called the issue of overtourism blasphemy, but insisted Italy was getting to grips with it as it braced for more major surges in visitor numbers in coming years. Overtourism is blasphemy for me, if anything the problem is managing and governing it as we have started to do since we have been in government, she told the La Nazione newspaper in her Tuscany hometown. We are also preparing the ground for future challenges, from Milan-Cortina [2026 Winter Olympics] to the Jubilee [a 2025 religious festival in Rome] which will be an opportunity to make lesser-known realities known, build diversified tourist offers and enhance our wonderful villages. Italy, like many places around the world, is facing problems with overtourism during peak season, an issue that can adversely affect both the quality of life for people living in popular destinations and the quality of the vacation experienced by those visiting. Which is probably not what Emperor Augustus imagined when he designated the midsummer holiday. Correction: This story has been updated to correct that Sassari is in Sardinia. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com I've been to the 10 most-visited US national parks. The most popular ones weren't necessarily my favorites. When considering iconic US landscapes, many people envision the most-visited major national parks. As someone who has visited all 10 of them, they're all worth seeing but I still have my favorites. Great Smoky Mountains came in last due to the crowds, but Grand Teton was my favorite to visit. After visiting 59 of the 63 major United States national parks, it's easy to see how each earned the prestigious designation which makes picking favorites feel wrong. Each park is unique in its own way, with incredible diversity and sights that are well worth visiting. The top 10 most-visited national parks are no exception. These parks, which saw visitation between about 2.5 million and over 13 million people in 2023, are likely what most people envision when they think of a US national park. With national park visitation on the rise, I'm often asked which of the most-popular parks are my favorites. Although I enjoyed my time in all of the most-visited parks, there are some I'd visit again over others. Here's how I'd rank them. The crowding has detracted from my experience at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Emily Hart Joshua Tree National Park is uniquely beautiful, but it can get overly hot. Joshua Tree National Park's unique landscape isn't one to miss. Emily Hart The word "otherwordly" gets thrown around a lot in travel writing, but California's Joshua Tree National Park the ninth most-visited park is one of the few places I think truly lives up to the moniker. This park has a unique feel, from the unique Joshua trees and the cholla cacti to the fascinating geology and boulders. The only reason it's ninth on my list is that the park and surrounding area have become very popular in the past several years. This has made accommodations more expensive and the park more crowded than I'd like. It's also dangerously hot in the summer months, reaching over 100 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. Yellowstone is worth making the trip to Wyoming or Montana for but beware of the crowds. Despite the crowds, I'll always stop to watch Old Faithful erupt at Yellowstone. Emily Hart Yellowstone is undoubtedly legendary. As the first designated national park in the US, it's on most people's travel bucket list for a good reason. However, it feels very crowded as the fourth most-visited park in 2023, with many visiting the same geothermal sights. Although I'll stop to see Old Faithful erupt on every visit, I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a bit annoying to jockey for a parking space in the summer and be stuck in traffic when trying to get outdoors. Zion National Park is beautiful, but I prefer visiting some of Utah's other parks. Zion National Park is stunning, but I'd prefer to visit Capitol Reef or Canyonlands instead. Emily Hart Zion National Park isn't the park I'd expect to be the third-most visited, even with its dramatic and awe-inspiring landscapes. The Utah park is famous on social media for the Angel's Landing hike, which requires a permit and includes dangerously steep dropoffs and exposed edges. Although its proximity to Las Vegas makes it an easier trip than many of the state's four other major national parks, the crowds can be overwhelming. For that reason, I'd prefer to visit other Utah parks like Capitol Reef or Canyonlands. The Grand Canyon needs to be seen in person. The Grand Canyon is simply jaw-dropping. Emily Hart Arizona's Grand Canyon National Park is a place you must see to believe. The steep-sided canyon is more massive than any photo could convey. The second most-visited park has fascinating history and geology, ample hiking opportunities, and viewpoints perfect for staring in awe. Despite being the first stop on my solo national park quest nearly a decade ago and having visited over a half dozen times since then it's not higher on my list simply due to the crowds. Olympic National Park is easily one of my favorites. I love the range of sights Olympic National Park offers. Emily Hart Although Washington's Olympic National Park barely made the list of the top 10 most-visited parks in 2023, it's consistently one of my top-five favorites. The diverse landscapes are mind-boggling, from the quiet and lush Hoh Rainforest to the dramatic waves on the coast and the high-elevation alpine of the Hurricane Ridge mountains. Even as one of the most-visited parks, Rocky Mountain doesn't feel as crowded as others. Rocky Mountain National Park has a great system in place to mitigate the effects of the crowds. Emily Hart As a resident of Colorado, I may be biased, but in my opinion, Rocky Mountain National Park will forever be one of the most stunning places in the world. Whether I'm driving along Trail Ridge Road, hiking the popular Bear Lake Corridor, or heading into some of the less-visited areas of the park, there is nothing quite like the mountain majesty you experience here. As the fifth most-visited national park, it's always near the top of the list for visitors. But with its large size of 415 square miles and timed vehicle entry reservation system, it doesn't tend to feel as crowded as some of the other parks with similar visitation. Maines Acadia National Park offers lots of unique experiences. I've been to all of the top 10 most-visited US national parks. Emily Hart Although Maine's Acadia National Park can get crowded, the beauty is still worth the hassle to me. Watching the sunrise or sunset from atop the summit of Cadillac Mountain or hiking the Ocean Path Trail sets Acadia apart from other parks. From driving the Park Loop Road and biking the carriage roads to stopping at Jordan Pond House for its famous popovers and prosecco, this park is simply magical at every turn. To get away from the crowds, I love visiting the Schoodic Peninsula area of the park and getting out on the water on a tour boat. Yosemite National Park never fails to inspire me with its unparalleled beauty. Yosemite sometimes uses a reservation system to help prevent overcrowding. Emily Hart Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park is a place that brings me to tears every time I visit. The dramatic granite cliff faces, towering waterfalls, and giant sequoia trees are awe-inspiring. Beyond the valley, the California park offers lots of activities like hiking and rock climbing, drawing millions of visitors annually. However, to mitigate some of the crowding, the park uses a timed-entry system during certain parts of the year. Despite being a popular park, I'll still happily return to this magical landscape. Grand Teton National Park is my favorite. I've visited Grand Teton National Park over a dozen times. Emily Hart I always hesitate to name Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park my favorite and draw even more visitors. Although it's the eighth most-visited national park, it's never felt unmanageably crowded in the over a dozen times I've visited. The jagged peaks are unlike any other mountain range I've seen, and the wildlife, lakes, and proximity to Jackson make it one of my favorite national parks to visit. Read the original article on Business Insider Typically, an election cycle has two or three presidential debates and just one showdown between the vice presidential candidates. But J.D. Vance wants to mix that formula up. On Thursday, the Ohio senator announced that he would commit himself to more debates against Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, believing that the American people deserve as many debates as possible. Not only do I accept the CBS debate on October 1st, I accept the CNN debate on September 18th as well. I look forward to seeing you at both! Vance wrote on X (formerly Twitter) Thursday morning. But there may be more than meets the eye to the unprecedented second debate invitation, as September 18 holds a different kind of significance for the Republican campaign: It also marks Donald Trumps sentencing date after a New York court found the former real estate mogul guilty of felony business fraud charges. Its not yet clear if Walz has agreed to the second debatebut doing so could divert attention from the first criminal sentencing of a former president in U.S. history. CNN invited both Senator Vance and Governor Walz to a Vice Presidential debate this fall, and Senator Vance has accepted, a CNN spokesperson told CNBC in a statement. We are always in communication with the campaigns around opportunities for the American public to hear from leading candidates for President and Vice President of the United States, and we look forward to this programming in the fall, the spokesperson said. BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (WTNH) A Jamaican citizen was sentenced to 32 years in prison on Thursday for narcotics trafficking in Bridgeport as well as other offenses. Minor among recent arrests for illegal ATVs, dirt bikes in Waterbury Oniel Wilks, 45, allegedly was removed from the United States to Jamaica in February 2014. He used a fraudulent passport with a fake identity to re-enter the states and obtain a drivers license and to travel overseas, including Japan and Thailand. He was arrested in 2019 after police found four kilograms of fentanyl/xylazine, items used to process and package narcotics, false identifications and more than $160,000 in cash in residences and vehicles connected to him. He has been detained since his arrest and was sentenced to 384 months. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com. Japan on Thursday lifted a megaquake advisory that was issued last week. Photo by Jiji Press/EPA-EFE Aug. 15 (UPI) -- Japan Thursday lifted a week-long megaquake advisory that urged increased preparedness for a possible huge earthquake along the country's coast. The advisory was ended after monitoring showed no new seismic activity in the vicinity of the Nankai Trough. "We urge the public to remain prepared, as the possibility of a major temblor has not been eliminated," disaster management minister Yoshifumi Matsumura said during a Thursday press conference. In 2012 the Japanese government estimated up to 323,000 people could be killed or go missing should a megaquake strike in the Nankai Trough. Potential damages were estimated at $1.36 trillion. The Nankai Trough is a trench along the ocean floor located between Eurasian and Philippine Sea tectonic plates. It runs along Japan's Pacific coast. During the advisory, 707 municipalities across 29 prefectures were instructed by Japan's Meteorological Agency to reinforce disaster safety preparations to make sure people in the area could evacuate quickly if a massive earthquake hit. While the advisory was lifted, the government urged residents to stay vigilant and remain prepared. A megaquake would cause an expected tsunami of over 37 yards high in Kuroshio in western Japan's Kochi Prefecture. Kochi has set up more than a hundred evacuation centers. Based on its history, major earthquakes are expected to happen around the Nankai Trough every 100-150 years. It's been about 80 years since the most recent major earthquake in that region. When the megaquake advisory was issued University of Tokyo professor emeritus Naoshi Hirata said the chances of a major quake in the Nankai Trough area were greater than usual. "The possibility of a (Nankai Trough) earthquake occurring is now several times higher than usual," he said. "We can't tell exactly when or where a megaquake will occur, but we want people to reaffirm their preparedness." Memorial service ceremony marking the 79th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War Two, at Budokan Hall in Tokyo Memorial service ceremony marking the 79th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War Two, at Budokan Hall in Tokyo By Tim Kelly TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan marked the anniversary on Thursday of its defeat in World War Two with visits by at least three cabinet ministers to the controversial Yasukuni shrine that other Asian nations see as a symbol of the country's wartime aggression. Defence Minister Minoru Kihara, Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi, and Yoshitaka Shindo, the economic revitalisation chief, visited the site in Tokyo, the capital. Fourteen prominent convicted war criminals, including wartime prime minister Hideki Tojo, are among the 2.5 million war dead honoured at the shrine. "I would like to express my heartfelt condolences today to all those who sacrificed their precious lives and pay my deepest respect," Kihara said at the shrine, in comments aired on television. The visits are the first by senior government officials since Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol agreed with U.S. President Joe Biden to pursue deeper security ties. "I understand that all of them visited the shrine in their private capacity and that it is not a matter for the government to comment on," Japan's top government spokesperson, Yoshimasa Hayashi, told a regular press conference. "It is natural for any nation to pay respect to those who have given their lives for their country." South Korea, a Japanese colony for 35 years, and China, which was invaded by Japan, see the shrine as a magnet for conservatives who want to gloss over their neighbour's wartime actions. "Our government urges responsible Japanese leaders to face history and demonstrate humble reflection and genuine introspection," South Korea's foreign ministry said. "This is an important foundation for the development of forward-looking relations," it added in a statement. China has made serious representations to the Japanese side and has made its position clear, its foreign ministry said on Thursday. "The actions of some Japanese dignitaries regarding the Yasukuni shrine once again reflect the wrong attitude of the Japanese side toward the issue of history," the ministry said in a statement. Supporters of Yasukuni, established in 1869 as Japan emerged from more than two centuries of isolation, say it commemorates all the war dead and not only those blamed for waging war on neighbours. "We can live happily now because our ancestors fought in the war," said Yuka Watanabe, 50, a visitor to the shrine, where men wearing World War Two-era military uniforms bowed and marched with flags. "I don't think we should ever forget that." Kishida, who plans to step down in September, stayed away, sending an offering instead, Japanese media said. Takaichi is among about half-a-dozen people touted as his possible successor. No serving Japanese prime minister has visited Yasukuni, which means "peaceful country" in Japanese, since Shinzo Abe in 2013, a visit that prompted an expression of disappointment by then-U.S. President Barrack Obama. (Reporting by Tim Kelly, Akiko Okamoto, Komiya Kantaro and Hyonhee Shin; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) An F-16 Fighting Falcon piloted by Lt. Col. Mike May from the 85th Test and Evaluation squadron sits on the ramp at Eglin Air Force Base on October 2, 2019 with a JASSM-ER. The 85th TES released the extended range missile as part of an operational test sortie. The United States is reportedly open to providing Ukraine with the AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile or JASSM, to arm its newly arrived F-16s, and which would provide a very powerful new long-range strike capability. The reports from Washington come around six months after Ukrainian officials stated that the country would receive an undisclosed type of air-launched cruise missile with a range of up to 300 miles for its F-16s. Citing an unnamed official in the Biden administration, as well as two other people familiar with internal deliberations, Politico reported today that the U.S. government is considering whether to approve JASSM for Ukraine, but is open to the idea. Furthermore, the same sources confirm that the Pentagon is already working on how to integrate these missiles on Ukraines F-16s, which are upgraded older-model jets drawn from European NATO stocks. Maj. Jacob Rohrbach, a test pilot with the 40th Flight Test Squadron, flies a test mission with two JASSM-ERs onboard an F-16 on July 25, 2018, at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Brandi Hansen The jets being supplied to Ukraine are to the F-16AM/BM standard, which has undergone the Mid-Life Update (MLU) program, although none of these currently employ JASSM. The only F-16 operators that today use the missile are the U.S. Air Force and Poland, operating more modern versions of the aircraft. It is likely the case that the MLU jets can accept the software needed to use JASSM, or already have it, but this may require activation or some associated hardware tweaks, which would probably be limited. Although a final decision is reportedly yet to be made, the same Biden administration official states that the details of the transfer including how to address the missiles sensitive technologies are now being worked out. A Ukrainian Air Force F-16s armed with two AIM-120 AMRAAM and two AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. Ukrainian Air Force Although in service for some 20 years and already integrated on some F-16s, among other combat aircraft, JASSM is very much a high-end weapon and one that had, until now, been widely seen as less likely to be provided to Ukraine. When the idea of transferring F-16s to Ukraine became a reality, we examined the weapons likely to be included, and judged that the JASSM was the biggest wild card of them all. This is on account of its complex and classified technologies, not least of which is its low-observable (stealth) characteristics that make it highly survivable, even against the latest air defense systems. Transferring these weapons to Ukraine involves considerable technological risk, but it appears that officials are now very much considering whether that risk is worthwhile. Air Force personnel load AGM-158 JASSM-series cruise missiles onto pylons under the wing of a B-52. U.S. Air Force www.twz.com As well as the possibility of JASSMs, or their wreckage, ending up in Russian hands, theres also the issue of the missiles relatively very long range. In its initial AGM-158A form, the JASSM has a range of around 330 miles and weighs 2,250 pounds. The extended-range AGM-158B variant, or JASSM-ER, has a publicly stated range of at least 575 miles. An even longer-range version of the JASSM is in the works, but this has not been fielded yet by the U.S. military. Powered by a small turbojet engine, JASSM uses an inertial navigation system (INS) and GPS to find its intended target, with an imaging infrared with automatic target recognition used to ensure a high level of accuracy on the run-in to the target. The missile is designed to operate in heavily degraded GPS environments, which would be particularly relevant in Ukraine, where Russia employs intense GPS jamming, including to degrade Ukrainian-guided weapons. JASSM carries a dual-mode blast-fragmentation/penetrator warhead in the 1,000-pound class. Were the United States to provide Ukraine with JASSM, there would be a big question as to whether it would be permitted for use against targets within Russias borders. That question is thrown into sharper focus by the Ukrainian push into Russias Kursk region, which is now entering its second week. For missions inside Ukraines borders, the weapons range is far in excess of the countrys needs, although this could potentially be altered to address this. One of the first Ukrainian F-16s to arrive in the country, armed with four AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. Ukrainian Ministry of Defense screencap While Western sources have generally discounted the possibility of supplying JASSM to Ukraine, officials in that country have struck a more optimistic tone. Back in February, Lt. Gen. Serhii Naev, the commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said that the countrys F-16s would receive an undisclosed type of air-launched cruise missile with a range of 300-500 kilometers 186 to 310 miles. Naev added that the weapons were expected to arrive in further military aid packages, but provided no more details. As we explored at the time, JASSM seemed to be the most likely candidate, based on this description. Last month, a Ukrainian delegation visited Washington, reportedly with a specific request to approve the transfer of JASSM. That visit is said to have led to the issue reaching the desk of National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. Meanwhile, in some U.S. political circles, there is growing support for giving Ukraine longer-range weapons and relaxing restrictions on their use. Ukrainian troops advance in the Kursk region, last week. via X Twitter screencap For example, a group of pro-Ukraine U.S. lawmakers is calling upon the administration to permit Ukraine to launch U.S.-supplied weapons deeper into Russian territory, especially in support of the new Kursk offensive. Should Washington be poised to hand JASSM over to Ukraine, the missile, even if supplied in its oldest form, would be a huge leap in capability for the country. In particular, it would be especially effective for deeply penetrating the dense Russian air defense overlay that sits atop occupied territories in Ukraine. It would also not be the first time that an item of high-end weaponry was provided to Ukraine after a policy about-turn. That applies to the U.S.-supplied M1 Abrams tanks, Patriot air defense systems, and the Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), as well as the F-16 itself. Meanwhile, other long-range cruise missiles have been delivered to Ukraine already, namely the U.K.-supplied Storm Shadow, and the similar French-supplied SCALP EG cruise missiles. Both have already been used to significant effect, launched by Ukrainian Su-24 Fencer strike aircraft, although stocks are limited and the JASSM may well also be required simply to keep the Ukrainian Air Force stocked with cruise missiles. A Ukrainian Su-24 carrying a SCALP-EG cruise missile. Ukrainian Ministry of Defense A Ukrainian Su-24 carrying a SCALP-EG cruise missile. Ukrainian Ministry of Defense The Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG export configurations have a range of around 155 miles, while the non-export configurations are roughly double that, putting them in broadly the same class as JASSM. Neither of those European-supplied cruise missiles is currently permitted for use against targets deep within Russia. There is also the question of how long it would take to get JASSM operational with the Ukrainian Air Forces newly arrived F-16s. While reports suggest that studies, at least, into the integration of this missile onto Ukrainian F-16s are already underway, it would also take some significant time for pilots and maintainers to be trained to use it. At the same time, JASSM requires a significant backend infrastructure for planning missions, which in turn requires weaponeering training. Mission planning is a critical factor for JASSM, with the latest threat information needed to give it the best chance of surviving as it flies through a heavily defended area. So far, Ukrainian F-16s have only been seen with air-to-air load-outs, with the likelihood that air defense missions will be mastered first, before adding offensive capabilities. With Ukraine long having sought weapons with more reach, to attack high-value Russian targets like air defense systems, command posts, logistic storage sites, air defenses, and docked vessels, JASSM would be a welcome addition to its armory, as it seeks to target objectives further from the front lines. Its unclear at this point if Washington will decide to provide Ukraine with AGM-158s, but todays reports are, at the very least, the strongest indication yet that the issue is very much under discussion, and JASSM-armed Ukrainian F-16s are becoming closer to reality. Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com OSLO, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- In response to a surge in violent gang conflicts, Danish police have ramped up efforts to prevent young individuals from being drawn into the gang environment, with a specific focus on the capital city of Copenhagen. The implementation of visitation zones marks a significant step in these efforts, as law enforcement now prioritizes closer collaboration with local communities. The situation has necessitated an increased presence and proactive engagement with residents, Tommy Laursen, police inspector in Copenhagen, told the national broadcaster DR on Wednesday. "We are massively present. We talk to the population. We try to tell those who are part of the conflict that it is inappropriate," Laursen said. The police are not undertaking this preventive campaign in isolation. Various community stakeholders, including youth clubs, have been mobilized to support these initiatives, Laursen noted. Simultaneously, SSP Copenhagen -- a collaborative effort among schools, social services, and the police -- has intensified its own preventive measures. Additional personnel have been deployed on the streets of Copenhagen to bolster security and divert young individuals from falling under the influence of gangs. The surge in gang-related violence has garnered nationwide attention in Denmark. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has voiced deep concern over the increasing number of incidents. Rolling Stone An altar stone that lies within the heart of Stonehenge in Southern England has turned out to be from the faraway hinterlands of Scotland, a surprising find that suggests it's far older than any other rock at the prehistoric complex. That also means the architects behind Stonehenge somehow transported this gigantic six-ton stone at a distance of more than 400 miles, an astonishing feat, according to researchers who published their findings in the journal Nature. With Stonehenge's other rocks being locally sourced or from relatively nearby Wales, the Scottish origin of the altar stone casts a new light on the Neolithic society responsible for Stonehenge, which dates back to 3000 BCE. "It completely rewrites the relationships between the Neolithic populations of the whole of the British Isles," University College London honorary senior research fellow and study co-author Rob Ixer told The Guardian. "The science is beautiful and its remarkable, and its going to be discussed for decades to come... It is jaw-dropping." Shore to Sea By analyzing its composition and age, the researchers discovered that the slab of sandstone came from the far north of Scotland, even as far as the Orkney Islands. Which leaves the question: how did the altar stone get to Stonehenge? "The difficulty of long-distance overland transport of such massive cargo from Scotland, navigating topographic barriers, suggests that it was transported by sea," reads the paper. "Such routing demonstrates a high level of societal organization with intra-Britain transport during the Neolithic period." "We seriously underestimate their abilities and technologies," University of York field archaeologist Jim Leary, who was not involved in the research, told Nature. "Weve never found any of their boats, but we know they were able to transport cattle, sheep, and goats by sea." No matter how it got there either by dragging it on land or floating it down via water the altar's far-flung origins certainly give us an even deeper appreciation of one of the wonders of the world. More on Stonehenge: New Insight Into the Purpose of Stonehenge Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance on Thursday said he now agrees to debate Democratic rival Tim Walz on two occasions after previously appearing reluctant to commit to a faceoff. Not only do I accept the CBS debate on October 1st, I accept the CNN debate on September 18th as well, the Ohio Republican wrote in a social media post directed at Walz. I look forward to seeing you at both! The American people deserve as many debates as possible, which is why President Trump has challenged Kamala to three of them already. Not only do I accept the CBS debate on October 1st, I accept the CNN debate on September 18th as well. I look forward to seeing you at both! https://t.co/63FyI99dKU JD Vance (@JDVance) August 15, 2024 Walz has so far not said whether he agrees to the proposed CNN event, but on Wednesday he confirmed his acceptance of CBS News invitation to debate. The CBS event is set to take place in New York City with anchors Norah ODonnell and Margaret Brennan moderating, the network confirmed. On Thursday, the Walz-Harris campaign released a statement reaffirming Walz commitment to the Oct. 1 debate. The debate about debates is over, the statement reads. Donald Trumps campaign accepted our proposal for three debates two presidential and a vice presidential debate. Assuming Donald Trump actually shows up on September 10 to debate Vice President Harris, then Governor Walz will see JD Vance on October 1 and the American people will have another opportunity to see the vice president and Donald Trump on the debate stage in October. Interestingly, the September date coincides with a sentencing hearing in former President Donald Trumps hush money trial in New York. Vance also said, The American people deserve as many debates as possible, adding that this is why Trump has challenged Vice President Kamala Harris to square off in three debates. However, both Vance and Trump have previously appeared unwilling to commit to debating their Democratic opponents in the White House race. Speaking to Fox News Laura Ingraham on Wednesday evening, Vance appeared evasive about the prospect of debating Walz. I strongly suspect were going to be there on October the 1st, but were not going to do one of these fake debates, Laura, where they dont actually have an audience there, where they dont actually set the parameters in a right way, where you can have a good exchange of ideas, Vance said. When Joe Biden was still in the race, the president and Trump had agreed to two debates: one hosted by CNN in June, followed by a second on ABC News in September. However, Bidens poor performance in CNNs Atlanta debate led to his withdrawal from the presidential race, laying the groundwork for Harris to take over. After that, Trump at first said that he would not appear at the ABC debate, citing the change at the top of the Democratic ticket, but later changed his mind and recommitted to showing up at the event. During a press conference last week, Trump said he was also looking to debate Harris on Fox News on Sept. 4 and NBC News on Sept. 25. Harris has not said whether she agrees to participate in those additional debates with the former president. Related... JD Vance accepted CBS News invitation for a vice presidential debate on Oct. 1, one day after Tim Walz agreed to participate in the live event. In response to the Minnesota Governors Wednesday challenge, which said See you on October 1, JD, the Ohio Senator agreed to attend the debate. The American people deserve as many debates as possible not only do I accept the CBS debate on October 1st, I accept the CNN debate on September 18th as well, Vance posted on social media. I look forward to seeing you at both! the senator added. The American people deserve as many debates as possible, which is why President Trump has challenged Kamala to three of them already. Not only do I accept the CBS debate on October 1st, I accept the CNN debate on September 18th as well. I look forward to seeing you at both! https://t.co/63FyI99dKU JD Vance (@JDVance) August 15, 2024 On Wednesday, CBS News invited both Walz and Vance to participate in their first debate. The network proposed four options including Sept. 17, Sept. 24, Oct. 1 and Oct. 8. We look forward to their responses and providing voters with an opportunity to hear directly from the vice-presidential candidates, CBS News said in a statement. The debate, set to be held in New York City, will be moderated by CBS Evening News anchor and managing editor Norah ODonnell and Face the Nation moderator and CBS News chief foreign affairs correspondent Margaret Brennan. Both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have agreed to participate in a faceoff on Sept. 10, hosted by ABC News. Other networks including Fox News and NBC News have proposed additional debate opportunities, but neither campaign has agreed to any other dates at this time. The post JD Vance Agrees to CBS News Debate With Tim Walz appeared first on TheWrap. The Pittsburgh region was back in the political spotlight Wednesday as JD Vance made a campaign stop in Lower Burrell Wednesday morning. The invite-only event at VFW Post 92 was for local veterans and was not open to the public. Secret Service was on site since our crews arrived around 4 a.m. and canvassed the entire building before anyone was allowed inside. Vance spoke about the honor and sacrifice of military members and how we, as a country, need to prioritize the 300,000 homeless veterans nationwide. He said that includes getting veterans the healthcare choices they need. He also talked about policy and how he believes a Trump-Vance administration could help the economy rebound. Weve got 300,000 veterans who are homeless in this country right now. Lets take care of them first, Vance said. I think we ought to be giving veterans more choice in their healthcare, and if we do, thats how we stay faithful in the promises he made to them. Much of what he said resonated with local veterans, including the commander of VFW Post 92, Lee Johnson. The benefit part is the biggest thing we need to get straightened out, and hes gonna touch on that, and I think the benefits and the better care, Johnson said. This weekend, Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Governor Tim Walz, will kick off their bus tour in Pittsburgh on Sunday, ahead of the Democratic National Convention. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW (Bloomberg) -- Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey will appoint his former chief of staff to replace Senator Bob Menendez, who was convicted on federal corruption charges last month, people familiar with the matter said Wednesday night. Most Read from Bloomberg The appointment of George Helmy, a fellow Democrat, will be announced on Friday, according to the people, who were granted anonymity to discuss the decision. The move awards a prestigious though short-term post to one of the governors closest confidants and ensures Democrats maintain their narrow 51-49 Senate majority. Menendez last month announced he would resign effective Aug. 20 after Democratic colleagues threatened to expel him following the conviction. The pending appointment was reported earlier by the New Jersey Globe. A federal jury in Manhattan found that the senator had received bribes of gold bars, hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and a Mercedes convertible in return for official favors extended to three businessmen and on behalf of Egyptian interests. Earlier: Bob Menendez Convicted of Bribery, Foreign-Agent Charges In early January, the winner of Novembers general election will take the seat. Previous governors, including Murphys Republican predecessor, Chris Christie, have also turned to close aides to fill short-term Senate vacancies. Murphys decision to install a member of his inner circle comes just months after the governor faced accusations of nepotism and riled party activists while his wife, Tammy Murphy, ran for the Senate seat with the backing of New Jerseys most influential Democratic power brokers. She later dropped out of the race and Representative Andy Kim won the primary. Helmy is an executive vice president at the New Jersey health system RWJ Barnabas Health and is on the Board of Commissioners of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. He was the governors chief of staff for nearly five years and has experience with the Senate. He was state director for New Jerseys other US senator, Cory Booker, also a Democrat. Murphy could have appointed Kim, who is heavily favored to win a full term in November. That would have given the Democratic nominee an advantage in the ongoing campaign and a head start on building seniority, which conveys added power over time. Yet bruised feelings from the primary remain, and appointing Kim would have created a vacancy in the states House delegation, costing Democrats a vote in the closely divided lower chamber. New Jersey hasnt elected a Republican to the Senate since 1972. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. A controversial Miami ballot question about the installation of Joe Carollo-sponsored gym equipment in one of the citys downtown parks will remain on the ballot, and the votes will be tabulated and released as usual, according to a new ruling. On Thursday, Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Jose Rodriguez denied a motion for a temporary injunction to invalidate the referendum, which asks voters if already-installed gym equipment in Maurice A. Ferre Park should remain. Rodriguezs order landed three days after a half-dozen residents sued the city over what they called a misleading ballot question that they said omits key information like the fact that the citys Planning, Zoning and Appeals Board had reversed the citys approval of the outdoor gym, determining that it did not adhere to proper permitting and design procedure. The residents had sought to invalidate the ballot question by barring officials from tabulating and releasing the results. READ MORE: Should Joe Carollo-sponsored gym equipment stay in Ferre Park? Miami voters will decide But Michael Valdes, an attorney for the county Elections Department, said during a Wednesday hearing that with early voting and vote-by-mail already underway, its too late to stop the tabulation of results. Its not as simple as just turning a switch on or off with this particular equipment, he said. The machines have already been programmed, Valdes continued, and we cannot reprogram the machines without doing significant potential harm to all of the other races on the ballot. ... Wed have to re-code the entire election. Eric Eves, an attorney for the city, also emphasized the timing issue. They sat on this case for months, Eves said at the hearing. This ballot question was approved in May, and here we are in August, less than a week before Election Day. Rodriguez noted in his order that it has now been over three months since the commission agreed to send the ballot question to voters. Under Carollos chairmanship, a semi-autonomous city agency called the Bayfront Park Management Trust hired a contractor to install the outdoor gym equipment in Maurice A. Ferre Park in the fall sparking outrage among a group of neighbors who said they were never informed. Then in November, after a downtown condo association filed an appeal, the citys Planning, Zoning and Appeals Board voted to reverse the city Planning Departments approval of the gym after determining that it was not installed according to proper permitting and design procedure and should not have been approved. In early May, following the reversal from the appeals board, Carollo asked his colleagues on the City Commission to send the question to voters. His request came in the form of a pocket item, meaning it was not included on the publicly available meeting agenda. Carollo said he brought the proposal forward on an emergency basis to ensure there was enough time to get it on the August ballot. It passed with a 3-1 vote. Two weeks after that, the City Commission upheld the appeals board decision, effectively directing the gym equipment to be removed. The case law says you cannot hide the ball, you cannot have a question that flies under false colors, Marc Burton, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said Wednesday. This does both. It hides the ball because it doesnt disclose to voters that this project has already been deemed to violate the city code in a final decision and that the voters would effectively be overriding, in some unclear legal mechanism, the City Commissions final zoning determination. In response to Burtons comment, Carollo said of the plaintiffs: What theyre trying to do is take the ball, the glove and the bat from voters. He also said the decision to install gym equipment in the park wasnt made by him alone, but by the entire Bayfront Park Management Trust board. Valdes said that, at best, the Elections Department could exclude the results for that specific question from official reports and abstain from posting them to the county website. However, he said the results would still be available through a public records request. In denying the temporary injunction, Rodriguez pointed to the lack of remedies available due to the time constraints. Rodriguez noted, however, that all parties conceded at the hearing that the Court may consider whether to declare the Referendum null and void even after the election has already taken place and that the issue can be challenged post-election. The plaintiffs plan to do so. The Courts decision makes clear that we may continue to pursue our effort to protect the integrity of the electoral process even after the election is held, and we intend to do so, Burton, the plaintiffs attorney, said in a statement. The city did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Screenshot of Florida GOP Sen. Joe Gruters speaking on a remote conference call on August 15, 2024. Ron DeSantis has publicly stated that one of the main reasons why Floridians should reject a measure legalizing recreational cannabis for adults in November is that the smell of people smoking the herb will make the state a less enjoyable place to live. This state will start to smell like marijuana in our cities and counties, he said days after the Florida Supreme Court approved putting Amendment 3 on the ballot. It will reduce the quality of life. To combat that concern, Sarasota Republican state Sen. Joe Gruters said Thursday that hell introduce legislation next year banning smoking in all public places in Florida. The former Republican Party of Florida Chairman stunned some of his colleagues two weeks ago when he came out in support of the proposed constitutional amendment, but said that he wants to get ahead of the concerns that DeSantis and others have expressed about side effects. People dont want to go outside and smell it, Gruters said on a remote conference call with reporters. They dont want to see it in public places. And so, to me, lets follow the Arizona law and lets go ahead and ban public smoking in all public places. I think this is easy to do, this is well within our authority, and I think that we need to get ahead of this. And thats the whole purpose of the bill. Its very simple. In the referendum that Arizona voters passed in 2020 legalizing cannabis for recreational use, the specific text of the law says that it does not allow any person to smoke marijuana in a public place or open space. Florida law limits proposed constitutional amendment ballot summaries to 75 words. Thats allowed DeSantis and other critics to suggest some wild scenarios if the measure passes, such as allowing individuals to bring 20 joints to an elementary school. Gruters said he is confident the Legislature will address all of those unanswered questions if the measure passes in November. When this passes, the implementation portion of the bill that the Legislature will come up with, thats the easiest time to put some of these guardrails in place, Gruters said. And I would not want to wait for all the local governments to come around and do something but, at the same time, you gotta come up with a solution for a bill that will pass. Dr. Jessica Spencer, director of advocacy for the Vote No on 3 campaign, called Gruters proposal a stunning admission that Amendment 3 is filled with flaws that will turn Florida into New York and destroy our tourism industry by allowing unlimited marijuana consumption in public places. Its ironic that the same people who support legalizing recreational marijuana through constitutional amendment instead of trusting the Legislature to do so, are now changing their tune and claiming they trust the Legislature to fix the problem that their amendment creates, Spencer said in a written statement. Whats worse, Gruters proposal doesnt even fix the fact that Amendment 3 would still allow neighbors to smoke in their own apartments and condos and smell up the whole building. Amendment 3 and the failed plan that Gruters is proposing to bail it out must be rejected. According to the proposed bill language, the term public place means a place to which the public has access, including, but not limited to, streets; sidewalks; highways; public parks; and the common areas, both inside and outside, of schools, hospitals, government buildings, apartment buildings, office buildings, lodging establishments, restaurants, transportation facilities, and retail shops. Freedom Doesnt Stink Immediately after Gruters concluded his remote press conference, Smart & Safe Florida, the political committee campaigning for passage of Amendment 3, announced a new website called FreedomDoesntStink.com that lays out the Legislatures ability to regulate recreational cannabis in the same way it does alcohol and tobacco. What really stinks is politicians lying to Florida voters about the realities of living in a state with more individual freedom and safer communities, said Morgan Hill, spokesperson for Smart & Safe Florida. Amendment 3 will put an end to arrests for simple marijuana possession, give adults the right to make their own choices, and provide Floridians access to safe, tested products. Smells pretty good to me. Joining Gruters on the conference call was Tampa Bay Democratic state Sen. Darryl Rouson and Broward County House Republican Chip LaMarca. Rouson said he is signing on as a co-sponsor of the bill in the Senate, while LaMarca will sponsor it in the House. LaMarca worked with Gruters on the 2022 law that allows local governments to restrict smoking on public beaches and public parks that they own, with the exception of cigars. Cigars would be included as part of this legislation, Gruters said. Florida is known for its clean water and its clean air, and we dont want people to come down in public places regardless of what happens on Nov. 5, said LaMarca, who said that the proposal was a good idea and thats why he wants to be involved with it. It really has nothing to do with the amendment, but I think its a good idea either way. I want to make sure that we keep our pristine environment, and people can go enjoy themselves at sidewalk cafes, beaches, parks, and quite honestly their own neighborhood. Neither Rouson nor LaMarca would say whether they support Amendment Three. Split with DeSantis In supporting measure, Gruters is going up against Gov. DeSantis and the entire Republican Party of Florida both have come out in opposition to the proposed amendment and are raising funds to defeat it in November. I have not talked to [DeSantis] specifically about this bill in particular, but I have reached out regarding my support for the amendment, and Ill leave it at that, Gruters said. Amendment 3 needs 60% support to become law later this year. The measure is getting 56% support from Floridians, according to a poll released on Wednesday from Florida Atlantic University. Other polls, however, have shown it receiving more than the 60% required for passage. This story was updated with a comment from the No on 3 campaign. Johannes Kepler thought he sketched Mercury orbiting across the sun. What he actually captured has solved a solar mystery Sign up for CNNs Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. German astronomer Johannes Kepler made sketches of sunspots in 1607 from his observations of the suns surface and centuries later, the pioneering drawings are helping scientists solve a solar mystery. Even though everything in the solar system revolves around the sun, scientists have yet to unlock many of the stars secrets. However, studying the variability of the sun over time, including the solar cycle, could answer some of the most longstanding questions about the fiery orb and how it changes. Some of those questions revolve around solar activity in the 17th century, which was a pivotal time for studying the sun. Astronomers observed sunspots with telescopes for the first time in 1610. At the same time, the sun was making an unusual transition into an extended period of weakened activity. And Keplers long disregarded sketches, overlooked because they were drawings rather than telescopic observations, could provide crucial historical insights. A new study that recreates the circumstances during which Kepler made his drawings appeared on July 25 in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. Kepler contributed many historical benchmarks in astronomy and physics in the 17th century, leaving his legacy even in the space age, said lead study author Hisashi Hayakawa, assistant professor at Nagoya Universitys Institute for Space-Earth Environmental Research, in a statement. Here, we add to that by showing that Keplers sunspot records predate the existing telescopic sunspot records from 1610 by several years. His sunspot sketches serve as a testament to his scientific acumen and perseverance in the face of technological constraints. The suns tumultuous activity The sun experiences an 11-year cycle of waxing and waning activity, known as the solar cycle. Currently, scientists believe that the sun is reaching or nearing solar maximum, the annual peak of its activity for the current solar cycle, called Solar Cycle 25. Solar maximum is typically associated with an increase in the number of sunspots visible on the suns surface. These dark regions, some of which can reach the size of Earth or larger, are driven by the suns strong and constantly shifting magnetic fields. Today, scientists track solar activity using data from ground and space-based observatories, magnetic maps of the solar surface, and ultraviolet observations of the suns outer atmosphere. A cluster of sunspots appears on the surface of the sun on October 18, 2014. - NASA Goddard But just trying to observe the sun was a difficult feat centuries ago. Sunspots were observed with the naked eye through fog, haze, wildfire smoke, or near sunrise or sundown when the atmosphere helped to dim the suns brightness, said Mark Miesch, research scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder, Colorado. Miesch was not involved in the new research. Kepler used an apparatus called a camera obscura, which utilized a small hole in the wall of the instrument to project the suns image on a sheet of paper and sketched the features he observed. Kepler mistakenly believed he had captured Mercury moving in orbit across the sun in May 1607, but he later retracted his report 11 years later and determined he had observed a sunspot group. Since this record was not a telescopic observation, it has only been discussed in the context of the history of science and had not been used for quantitative analyses for the solar cycles in the 17th century, Hayakawa said. But this is the oldest sunspot sketch ever made with an instrumental observation and a projection. We realized that this sunspot drawing should be able to tell us the location of the sunspot and indicate the solar cycle phase in 1607 as long as we managed to narrow down the observation point and time and reconstruct the tilt of the heliographic coordinates meaning the positions of features on the Suns surface at that point in time. A grand solar minimum Sunspots arent the only way scientists can understand changes in the sun. Variations within the suns magnetic field regulate the movement of high-energy particles, called cosmic rays, through space, Miesch said. When cosmic rays hit Earths atmosphere, they can change its chemistry, including the balance of carbon. In time, this carbon is incorporated into plants and animals, even ourselves, Miesch said. Tree rings provide a unique opportunity to trace the change in carbon from one year to the next. Some rings in ancient trees can be traced back for thousands of years. Isotopes of carbon and other elements can similarly be traced through air bubbles trapped in glacial ice cores. The carbon isotopes trapped in tree rings and ice cores have been used to contextualize ancient sunspot observations and extend our understanding of solar activity before sunspot observations occurred, Miesch said. Such data has been used to help astronomers understand the Maunder Minimum, a period of extremely weak and abnormal solar cycles between 1645 and 1715. During this so-called grand solar minimum, sunspots virtually disappeared, and the few that were observed appeared only in the southern solar hemisphere. The background mechanism of the grand solar minimum is still debated by astronomers today, especially as they try to work out when and if it could occur in future centuries. But astronomers agree that the pattern of solar activity shifted from regular cycles to the grand minimum gradually. A previous tree-ring analysis suggested a brief solar cycle, Solar Cycle minus 14, was only about five years long and led to an extremely long solar cycle of 16 years, known as Solar Cycle minus 13. If true, this would indeed be interesting, Hayakawa said. However, another tree-ring-based reconstruction indicated a sequence of solar cycles with normal durations (11 years). Then, which reconstruction should we trust? It is extremely important to check these reconstructions with independent preferably observational records. So, he turned to Keplers sketches. An 1825 illustration depicts German astronomer Johannes Kepler. - Universal History Archive/Getty Images Hayakawa and his colleagues translated Keplers original report, written in Latin, to understand the exact orientation of his sunspot sketches, as well as narrow down the time range and locations during which Kepler made the observations. Hayakawa then visited sites in Prague, including Keplers residence at the French Crown and the workshop of court mechanic Justus Burgi, to better understand the topography from where Kepler saw the sunspots. Modern data tools enabled Hayakawa and his colleagues to calculate the inclination of the sunspot and determine its location on the sun. They also applied Sporers law, first observed by English amateur astronomer Richard Christopher Carrington but further developed by German astronomer Gustav Sporer, who described a migration of sunspots from higher to lower latitudes during a solar cycle. The research team determined that the sunspot group observed by Kepler belonged to the tail-end of Solar Cycle minus 14 rather than the beginning of Solar Cycle minus 13. The findings support the idea that Solar Cycle minus 13 had a regular duration of 11 years rather than 16 years. The researchers were also able to estimate that Solar Cycle minus 13 likely began between 1607 and 1610. This shows a typical transition from the preceding solar cycle to the following cycle, in accordance with Sporers law, said study coauthor Thomas Teague, an observer at the Solar Influences Data Analysis Center at the Royal Observatory of Belgium, in a statement. Given that the longest solar cycle ever recorded within the past three centuries lasted for 14 years, its time to find another scientific precursor for the Maunder Minimum, Hayakawa said. Keplers enduring legacy There is still much to learn from historical figures like Kepler, said study coauthor Sabrina Bechet, a researcher at the Royal Observatory of Belgium. As one of my colleagues told me, it is fascinating to see historical figures legacy records convey crucial scientific implications to modern scientists even centuries later, Bechet said. In the case of Kepler, we are standing on the shoulders of a scientific giant. Keplers sketches are helping to inform ongoing debates about the solar cycles that led up to the Maunder Minimum, which could also help astronomers model the conditions before the event, Hayakawa said. By situating Keplers findings within broader solar activity reconstructions, scientists gain crucial context for interpreting changes in solar behaviour in this pivotal period marking a transition from regular solar cycles to the grand solar minimum, he said. Miesch called the new study an impressive piece of work and an example of detective work that teases new insights from historical records. The long history of sunspot observations provides a link through the ages to generations of astronomers who have regarded the sun with reverence and curiosity that has progressed from superstition to scientific scrutiny to understanding. It is inspiring to see that astronomers of the past continue to contribute to scientific discovery. And their efforts are more important now than they could have ever imagined, as our technological society becomes increasingly vulnerable to the timeless waxing and waning of solar activity. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com At least three suspects were served search warrants by the LAPD homicide bureau in connection to the death of Johnny Wactor, law enforcement sources told the Los Angeles Times on Thursday. Two were detained in lieu of bail. The 37-year-old, who featured on General Hospital, was shot and killed in downtown Los Angeles on May 25 during a suspected catalytic converter theft attempt. The Times reported that anonymous law enforcement sources shared that the Wactor investigation is looking into Florencia 13 gang members tied to catalytic converter thefts in the area. A statement of probable cause was used to obtain warrants for three individuals, whose fingerprints matched those lifted from a floor jack that was employed to steal Wactors catalytic converter. More from Variety A GoFundMe was launched shortly after Wactors death, seeking donations to support the actors family. The fundraiser has raised more than $144,000 since its launch. Wactors godmother, Michaelle Kinard, launched the campaign. On May 25, my dearest and best friends son was murdered. He was the victim of the most senseless crime, Kinard wrote on the page. Early Saturday morning, Johnny was leaving his evening job with a coworker when they came upon three guys attempting to steal his catalytic converter. He thought he was going to be towed and said Am I being towed? The person stood up with a mask on and said nothing and shot him. With Gods will, the killer will be arrested and the family will see him face to face, Kinard added. This may help bring closure to this tragedy. Any excess donations will be donated to the charities the family chooses in memory of Johnny. On General Hospital, Wactor portrayed Brando, the son of Gladys Corbin (Bonnie Borroughs) and husband to drug addict Sasha Corbin (Sofia Mattsson). Wactors tenure on the show spanned from 2020 to 2022 and stretched for more than 160 episodes. Best of Variety Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. MOSCOW/KIEV, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine hit four Russian military airfields Wednesday overnight in its "largest long-range drone strike" during the conflict as it furthered its offensive into Russia's Kursk region, media reported. According to a statement from the Ukrainian General Staff on Telegram, the primary objectives of the drone attack in Russia's Voronezh, Kursk, and Nizhniy Novgorod regions were the fuel warehouses and aviation weapons. "We continue to advance further in Kursk," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Telegram, "from one to two kilometers in various areas since the start of the day." Foreign media reported that approximately 12,000 Ukrainian soldiers have entered Russia's Kursk region, establishing a strategic buffer zone in the border areas. Zelensky said a military commandant's office will be established "if needed" in the occupied area that Ukraine claims exceeds 1,000 square kilometers. Russian President Vladimir Putin had earlier characterized the Ukrainian offensive in Kursk as a "large-scale provocation" and accused Ukraine of indiscriminately targeting civilian areas. He stated that Ukraine would face a "proper response" for its actions. Russia's defense ministry announced that in the past 24 hours, their forces successfully repelled six Ukrainian attacks in the Kursk region. Additionally, it claimed to have destroyed 117 drones and four tactical missiles launched by Ukraine at several regions including Kursk. Also, the ministry added that Ukraine had lost up to 2,300 soldiers and 37 tanks during its incursion into Kursk. In response to the conflict, Russia's National Guard said it has increased security measures at the Kursk nuclear power plant, which is located only 35 kilometers away from the conflict zone. SEDALIA, Mo. Missouri U.S. Senate candidates Josh Hawley and Lucas Kunce clashed face-to-face during a tense, informal encounter at the Missouri State Fair as the two work to negotiate terms for a debate. Hawley and Kunce have sought to debate each other since their Republican and Democratic primary wins for a Senate seat, though are at an apparent impasse over debate terms. In video from Missouri Nexstar affiliate WDAF, Hawley and Kunce squabble with one another over the possibility of a debate, though it doesnt appear they officially have agreed to structure. Beloved Big Boy locomotive rolls through St. Louis in September. When can you see it? Hawley, the incumbent, has asked Kunce to a debate with involvement from the Missouri Farm Bureau, an organization which has publicly endorsed him. Kunce, the challenger, has pushed for a series of five televised debates. In the video, Hawley was asked if he would agree to a televised debate, to which he said, Sure. But [Kunce has] got to show up. Hawley also insists on keeping the debate at a site near the Missouri State Fairgrounds and with the Farm Bureau keeping time. Kunce has declined such arrangements. His campaign tells FOX 2 that the Missouri Farm Bureaus involvement would violate Federal Election Commission law due to its endorsement of Hawley. Hawley and Kunce both originally set sights to debate Thursday shortly after their primary campaign wins, though its unclear if a formal debate will happen due to ongoing disagreements over debate terms. The two met at the Missouri State Fairgrounds early Thursday morning around the Hams Breakfast, though the fairgrounds has declined to host a Hawley-Kunce debate. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. When it comes to one of Californias most beloved plants, the forecast is dire. Projections suggest that much of Joshua trees habitat will become unsuitable by the end of the century as the planet continues to warm. Now, a new study has revealed that the icons of the Mojave Desert are experiencing conditions vastly different from those in the early 20th century, and that those conditions are changing the frequency of their reproductive activity. This is reinforcing the point that climate change impacts are already here, said author Jeremy Yoder, associate professor of biology at Cal State Northridge. The study, recently published in Ecology Letters, draws on observations from citizen scientists to reconstruct the effects of 120 years of climate change on Joshua trees. Its the first systematic examination of exactly what triggers the spiky, Seussian succulents to mast, or flower, the first step in their reproductive process. Its also the first study to examine how the plants are faring across their whole range. The results were so surprising that Yoder spent days digging through the data trying to understand what was going on. He found that, counterintuitively, climate change, by driving bigger swings in precipitation and warmer winters, is causing Joshua trees to flower more frequently. While that sounds like a good thing, those same changes are probably reducing the survival of delicate Joshua tree seedlings, which need a consistent supply of water to grow into robust adult plants. A piece of fruit hangs from a Joshua tree in Joshua Tree National Park. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) We have all these predictive models about whats going to happen in the future with Joshua trees, but this is showing us some real change just in the last 100 years, said Kelly Herbinson, executive director of conservation nonprofit Mojave Desert Land Trust, who was not involved in the study. Its also helping us see this broader picture, which is that even though they may be flowering more often, these changes in precipitation and temperature are not advantageous for survival of the tree. Joshua trees are important for the entire desert community. Yoder likes to refer to them as umbrella species two species, to be precise because they provide food and habitat for other wildlife unique to the Mojave. The researchers looked at both the eastern and western Joshua trees, which have some differences for instance, each is pollinated by a different species of yucca moth but also hybridize and occupy overlapping climates, as the study notes. If we protect Joshua trees, were probably protecting this whole category of things that live in the desert, Yoder said. Its long been a challenge for researchers to assess the range-wide population health of Joshua trees, an undertaking that requires collecting scores of observations over a relatively lengthy time frame. But Yoder realized that 15 years of data on Joshua trees reproductive activity could be gathered via the iNaturalist database, where users can upload photos of plants and animals from their smartphones. Joshua trees are a popular spectacle to photograph: easily identifiable, theyre often the largest plants on the landscapes in which they grow. Theyre culturally prominent as a symbol of the Mojave Desert, the namesake of the popular national park, as well as the 1987 U2 album. And they produce large, showy clusters of milky-white blooms that grow at the end of their branches, making the flowers easy to pick out in photos. Yoder and his fellow researchers used more than 10,200 images of Joshua trees gathered from iNaturalist to train machine learning models to predict flowering from annual weather records. They then used weather records to hindcast flowering activity to 1900 to see how it has changed over time, resulting in the surprising projection that its frequency has increased from a median of once every five years to more than once every four years. The model indicated that Joshua trees are more likely to flower when they experience a wet year following a dry year, as well as winter low temperatures above freezing. The plants are also more likely to flower when drought stress is relatively low, and temperatures and drought stress have been relatively stable over a couple of years, it found. The researchers validated the results by checking them against news stories about Joshua tree blooming events, including a 1924 Los Angeles Times article about road trippers who recounted seeing seed-laden Joshua trees around the Cajon Pass. The researchers model correctly predicted that and other flowering events, Yoder said. A Los Angeles Times story published on June 15, 1924, reported that Joshua trees with "an extremely heavy crop of seeds" could be seen just beyond the summit of the Cajon Pass, which was said to portend a rainy winter. (Los Angeles Times) Evaluating the health of Joshua trees is a complex undertaking, and more research needs to be done to understand exactly how climate change is affecting each aspect, Yoder said. For instance, he said, in one area north of Death Valley, where conditions are cooler but also drier than much of the rest of their range, the researchers recorded a slight decline in conditions supporting flowering frequency. That area has been identified as a likely climate refuge, where Joshua trees may be able to survive in the future even as other portions of the desert grow inhospitable. Read more: As California's climate grows ever more hostile, a Joshua tree rescue plan takes shape Still, if cooler conditions are supporting better seedling survival, those Joshua tree populations may still end up being healthier than those in places farther south, where flowering is increasing, Yoder said. On the other hand, Joshua trees rely solely on the yucca moth for pollination. Some limited studies have speculated that these moths are less active in cooler, high-elevation climates. That could mean that in other climate refuges like the San Bernardino Mountains, the changing conditions are making the trees flower more frequently, but theyre not producing fruit and seeds because the pollinators arent showing up, Yoder said. Read more: Solar project to destroy thousands of Joshua trees in the Mojave Desert The news isnt all bad. An increase in flowering frequency may mean conservationists have more opportunities to collect seeds for restoration purposes after major disturbances such as fires. In 2020 and 2023 alone, two wildfires wiped out an estimated 1.8 million Joshua trees. The iNaturalist approach also shows promise for future studies. For instance, because fruit can be seen on Joshua trees only when their pollinators have been active, its possible to take a subset of the iNaturalist data to model the yucca moths activity, Yoder said. Its also possible to adapt this modeling approach to other species a postdoctoral scholar in his lab may try it with Saguaro cacti, he said. Really low-effort, voluntary contributions like participation in iNaturalist have real-world impacts for how we are understanding the natural world, Yoder said. This study would not be possible without a whole bunch of people who were out in the desert, took out their phones and said, Hey, thats neat. Im gonna take a photo of that Joshua tree.' Read more: How large fires are altering the face of California's Mojave Desert This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. JSO: Man who lived in home with 6-year-old child charged with her murder Jacksonville Sheriffs Office has charged a man with murder for the death of a 6-year-old girl. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< On Feb. 18, 2024, officers responded to Allison Street and found a 6-year-old girl unresponsive. She was transported to a local hospital by the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department and was pronounced dead by hospital staff. Action News Jax learned a week later that Tyrone Golson, who lived in the house where the child was found, was arrested as part of a Florida Department of Children and Families investigation for sexual activity with a minor. Read: 60-year-old man living in Jacksonville home where girl was found dead arrested Now, after further investigation by JSO and an autopsy by the Medical Examiner, it was determined that the child died of multiple blunt-force traumas and diphenhydramine toxicity. Golson has now been charged with murder for the childs death. Action News Jax will continue to follow the story and update you as we learn more. Read: JSO: Childs death under investigation after she was found unresponsive in Woodstock home [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) A contentious 3,000-home development proposed for a high-risk fire zone in Santee was blocked by a judge on Friday in an ongoing lawsuit filed against the city over its approval of the project. It marks the third rejection over the last decade to the citys approval of proposed development in the 3,000-acre plot of land where the proposed Fanita Ranch commercial and housing complex was set to be located. This ruling is another huge setback to the citys attempts to develop the rich wildlife habitat and very high fire hazard area of Fanita Ranch, Van Collinsworth of Preserve Wild Santee said in a statement. All of these attempts have failed for at least a quarter century. Its time to put this dangerous project proposal to rest once and for all. Tension building over county-funded safe parking site in East County The most recent iteration of the controversial Fanita Ranch project was first approved by the city in 2020, but it later got shot down by a judge due to issues with the city of Santees consideration of fire hazards and other environmental impacts. The most recent challenge, which was filed by the Center for Biological Diversity and other environmental groups, argued the city improperly revived the latest version of the project in 2022, running afoul a 2020 referendum that created a requirement for certain development projects to obtain voter approval. Measure N, as it was called, specifically called for voter approval when a proposed project would increase residential density or intensity over the threshold to trigger an amendment to the citys general plan. This would allow voters to weigh in on contested land use actions. The Fanita Ranch project would have applied for this secondary greenlighting, according to the Center for Biological Diversity who said the complex was estimated to bring an additional 10,000 residents to the site land that had burned 65 times in the last century. According to the complaint, however, the city of Santee bypassed this requirement, approving the project again in order to use the project to further goals laid out in its Housing Element a state-mandated blueprint that outlines a citys plans to meet residents housing needs. After bee attack kills family dog, Lemon Grove mother speaks out The court rightly rejected the citys attempt to ram through the Fanita Ranch project, John Buse, senior counsel at the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a statements. This decision is a victory for the exceptionally diverse wildlife here and for neighboring residents who wont face an increased risk of wildfire ignition now that this project is again blocked. In a statement, Santee Mayor John Minto said city officials were aware of the court ruling and plan to meet with their counsel to discuss any actions related to this outcome. The City stands behind our efforts to meet state demands to create additional housing in our city in a way that benefits our community and our residents, Minto continued. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. Judge delays sentencing in drug case after defendant picks up new drug charge YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) Sentencing was delayed Thursday for a man expected to be sentenced to prison on a drug charge because of a new charge he picked up in Struthers. Jose Valentin, 28, was expected to be sentenced by Judge Anthony DApolito to six to eight and a half years in prison after pleading guilty in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to a first-degree felony count of possession of fentanyl. Free on bail while awaiting sentencing, Valentin was arrested Aug. 5 by Struthers police on a second-degree felony count of possession of fentanyl. Details of the arrest are not available. Judge DApolito said he was not comfortable going ahead with the sentencing in the case until the other case could be resolved or moved over to common pleas court. Valentin was arrested May 17, 2023, by Boardman police while serving a warrant at an apartment connected to him in the 100 block of Shields Road during a drug investigation. Reports said Valentin was in a bedroom when officers went inside and slammed the door shut. He came out a short time later without incident. Reports said police found 3,700 pills and a .40-caliber semiautomatic handgun while serving the warrant. Assistant Prosecutor Steve Maszczak did make a motion to revoke Valentins bond, which the judge did. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. Supporters of the highly debated law sought to welcome conservative students pursuing higher education, but opponents feared it would actually chill the freedom of speech. (Getty Images) A federal judge on Wednesday dismissed a professor-led lawsuit alleging the states new university intellectual diversity requirements are unconstitutionally vague, and declined to issue a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of the new law. Judge Sarah Evans Barker, of the U.S. District Court in Indianas Southern District, ruled that the professors allegations are premature because their universities havent finalized policies implementing the new law. The source of Plaintiffs alleged injury (or) injuries lies in university policies that do not yet exist, rendering their allegations unfit for judicial review, Barker wrote in the 17-page order. Legislators approved the law, Senate Enrolled Act 202, in March. It deals with public institutions for higher education and their boards of trustees: altering diversity-oriented positions and policies for tenure, contract renewals, performance reviews and more. The law also establishes new reporting and survey requirements based on free inquiry, free expression, and intellectual diversity. The bills supporters said conservative faculty members and students are increasingly ostracized at progressively liberal college and university settings or at least perceive such shunning. Faculty and students, who overwhelmingly opposed the law, said it would micromanage their institutions and have a chilling effect on free expression. Bill author Sen. Spencer Deery said he carefully crafted the law to protect academic freedom, promote free speech and strengthen the quality of education Hoosiers receive. It was designed to withstand desperate measures from those who do not want to see changes in the culture and practices of higher education or who insist their narrow worldview is the only one that counts, he added, in a Thursday statement. Case filed The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Indiana filed a lawsuit in May, initially on behalf of two Purdue University Fort Wayne professors. Professors Steven Alan Carr and David Schuster worried the law could require faculty to give debunked theories equal time in their classrooms alongside rigorously studied academic analysis. Carr, for example, teaches about the Holocaust and doesnt want to indulge Holocaust denialism or revisionism, per the lawsuit. Two Indiana University professors David McDonald of the Bloomington campus and James Scheurich of the Indianapolis campus have since joined. The plaintiffs alleged that the law is so vague intellectual diversity is defined but free inquiry and free expression are not that theyre unsure how to avoid running afoul of its requirements. They said theyve already engaged in self-censorship via changes to their courses, like scrapping previously included materials and adding materials they otherwise wouldnt have used. They sought a preliminary injunction. But the defendant universities and the state as an intervenor moved to dismiss the complaint. They argued the professors lacked standing because the potential harm faced would come from university policies; neither institution has finished such rules. Plaintiffs attempt to manufacture an injury by pointing to self-inflicted wounds, they argued. The judge agreed. Court weighs in Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US Barker wrote that federal courts can only solve concrete disputes involving real harms faced independently of contingent future events. In First Amendment cases, plaintiffs can allege harm before facing enforcement and through self-censorship, but their fear of enforcement cant be speculative. The judge observed that the law deals explicitly with institutions and their boards of trustees, not individual educators. Because the policies arent yet finalized, she wrote, it is impossible to determine whether Plaintiffs do in fact have an objectively good reason' for self-censoring. When the universities implement and enforce their policies, those steps will inform whether such policies conflict with Plaintiffs conceptions of intellectual diversity; compel changes in their curricula; or otherwise infringe on their asserted constitutional right to academic freedom. She also noted the plaintiffs also didnt take on the universities interim policies. Because the judge dismissed the case for jurisdictional reasons and without considering the merits of the case, the move was made without prejudice. That means the plaintiffs can re-file or alter their claims and their request for declaratory judgment. Note: This story has been updated with comments from the laws author. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A federal judge ruled Tuesday the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) cannot allow Jewish students to be blocked from classes, school buildings or campus activities. UCLA was sued by three Jewish students after Gaza protesters set up check points on campus in the spring, only allowing through students through who wore wristbands and supported their cause. Judge Mark Scarsi issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting the school from offering programs or activities on campus when they know the pathway is blocked to Jewish students. Jewish students were excluded from portions of the UCLA campus because they refused to denounce their faith. This fact is so unimaginable and so abhorrent to our constitutional guarantee of religious freedom that it bears repeating, Jewish students were excluded from portions of the UCLA campus because they refused to denounce their faith, Scarsi wrote. Instead, UCLA claims that it has no responsibility to protect the religious freedom of its Jewish students because the exclusion was engineered by third-party protesters. But under constitutional principles, UCLA may not allow services to some students when UCLA knows that other students are excluded on religious grounds, regardless of who engineered the exclusion, the judge added. UCLA leadership called the ruling improper. U.C.L.A. is committed to fostering a campus culture where everyone feels welcome and free from intimidation, discrimination and harassment, Mary Osako, UCLAs vice chancellor for strategic communications, said, according to The New York Times. The district courts ruling is improper and would hamstring our ability to respond to events on the ground. The complaint from the Jewish students said the pro-Palestinian encampment on campus would not allow individuals in if they wore the Star of David. The protests in the spring occurred on campuses across the nation, with more than 2,000 individuals arrested. Multiple universities have been sued for their responses to the protests, with a judge in Massachusetts recently letting an antisemitism case against Harvard proceed and saying the Ivy League failed its Jewish students. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A federal magistrate judge has recommended that Joe Carollos Miami City Commission wages not be garnished to satisfy a portion of a multimillion-dollar judgment, marking the second major win for Carollo this summer as he seeks to protect his assets from seizure. Since January, the city has held 25% of Carollos paychecks in escrow after the court ordered his wages to be garnished in the wake of a $63.5 million judgment against him. Last year, a jury found that Little Havana businessmen Bill Fuller and Martin Pinilla, the owners of the Ball & Chain nightclub, were victims of a political retaliation campaign pushed by Carollo. Carollo has said the garnishment has caused a significant financial hardship for himself and his wife, Marjorie, who stopped working in May of last year, a few weeks before a jury handed down its verdict. His legal team sought to dissolve the writ of garnishment under a Florida statute that protects the head of family from having their wages garnished. In a report issued Wednesday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Lauren Louis determined that, from May 2023 to the present, Mr. Carollos salary from the City of Miami accounted for nearly all his wifes support. The recommendation follows three lengthy hearings in July and August where Carollo, his wife and an accountant hired by Carollos legal team testified in detail about the couples finances, with the opposing side picking apart tax returns and bank statements from 2023 and 2024. Louis issued the recommendation to U.S. District Court Judge Rodney Smith, who is presiding over the case. Last month, Louis also recommended to Smith that Carollos Coconut Grove home, valued at $2.5 million in Carollos most recent financial disclosure form, be protected from seizure. Post-trial spending habits During the hearings, Carollo testified that, with his salary and additional benefits, his gross income is about $100,000 per year as a city commissioner his only source of income. The accountant testified that Carollos major expenses are about $30,000 per year in property taxes and a monthly mortgage payment of about $2,500. Prior to the writ of garnishment, Carollos City Commission paychecks were about $7,800 per month, but after the city began withholding a portion, they decreased to $4,490, according to Louis report. According to testimony, Marjorie Carollos company, MTC Group, had about $34,000 in the bank at the start of 2023. But those funds were spent on various expenses, including $1,000 checks that Marjorie wrote to herself. By May of last year, nearly all of that money had been depleted. Carollos team argued repeatedly that Marjorie could not support herself without her husbands income. But attorney Jeff Gutchess, who represents Fuller and Pinilla, raised questions about whether Carollo actually covered the majority of expenses. Based on his legal teams calculations, Gutchess said Marjorie paid about $50,000 of the couples expenses or more than half by a long shot in the first half of 2023 before the trial ended. Carollos attorney Mason Pertnoy, however, accused Gutchess of double counting money that moved between the couples accounts in order to inflate Marjories household contribution. (The couple testified that Carollo would withdraw cash, which he would then give to Marjorie to pay various expenses.) Attorney Jeff Gutchess, who represents Little Havana businessmen who successfully sued Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo, talks to reporters outside federal court downtown Miami on March 1, 2024. Gutchess argued that the bank records show the Carollos spending habits changed dramatically after the trial for the express purpose of thwarting the plaintiffs efforts to collect on the judgment. Pertnoy accused Gutchess and his team of offering up conspiracy theories instead of evidence. In a statement issued Wednesday night, Gutchess said the records show that the familys annual household expenses exceeded Carollos commissioner earnings by over $120,000, and that if you extrapolate that back for the 7 years in which he served as a Commissioner, that is more than $800,000 in expenses that were paid by someone other than Joe Carollo. Gutchess said in the statement that the post-trial changes in spending habits included Carollo depleting all the funds in his accounts, and Mrs. Carollo testified that she ceased working for money at that point, expressly due to the trial and verdict. We do not believe the law allows a judgment debtor to manipulate the family income or spending habits in that manner to defeat a Writ of Garnishment, Gutchess added. Gutchess team had sought to expand their scope to analyze the Carollos finances prior to 2023, as well as financial records for MTC Group. But Louis wrote in her recommendation that the relevant time period begins when the writ of garnishment was served on the city, which was late 2023. By that point, the records show that Marjorie was financially dependent on her husband. READ MORE: Facing legal woes, Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo reports negative $64 million net worth Attorney Marc Sarnoff, who represents Carollo, said the commissioner and his family are thrilled that the federal court validated his exemption as the head of his family because he provides more than half of his wifes support. Today, the Head of Family wages of Florida residents are protected by a Federal Magistrate ruling against predatory creditors attempt to garnish a judgment debtors wages, Sarnoff said in a statement. Gutchess said his team plans to object to Louis recommendation. Smith will next rule on Louis recommendations for the wage garnishment, as well as Carollos home. This embedded content is not available in your region. Former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters enters the courtroom during her trial in Grand Junction on the morning of Aug. 12, 2024, when her defense team and prosecutors delivered closing arguments. (Sharon Sullivan for Colorado Newsline) More than three years after Tina Peters took part in a scheme to prove a false theory of fraud in her own elections office, the former Mesa County clerk has been held to account. As of this week, Peters is a felon. She gave a California man access to some of the most sensitive data on her countys election machines and deceived state public officials about his identity. A Grand Junction jury found that the 68-year-old Republican election deniers actions constituted serious crimes and pronounced her guilty on seven counts. Peters is Colorados most notorious big lie believer, and her place in the firmament of MAGA bandits was cemented by national press attention and her association with prominent election conspiracists like MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell. This weeks verdict advances the countrys reckoning with the harm that came from misinformation around the 2020 election and former President Donald Trumps false claims that he won. It joins the suspension in May of former Trump attorney Jenna Ellis law license in Colorado, as well as the criminal prosecution of those accused of interfering in the election on Trumps behalf around the country, in reassuring Americans that their institutions, in some cases, are still capable of impartial feats of democracy and justice. And there is reason to believe more criminal charges could come Peters way. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX What happened in Mesa County has been the subject of a yearslong federal investigation on top of the local district attorneys investigation that brought Peters to trial in recent weeks. Federal authorities have communicated very little about the case, but we know the federal probe persisted to this year from other sources. It started in 2021, when FBI agents executed search warrants at Peters home and the homes of several of her associates, including conspiracist Sherronna Bishop, who during the trial was portrayed as a Peters go-between for national election-denying operators. In September 2022, FBI agents in Minnesota working on the Mesa County investigation seized Lindells phone. As late as January, Peters lawyers in a document filed with the U.S. appellate court in Denver said, The Department of Justice, including the FBI, has continued its investigation to determine if any federal crime had been committed by Peters. An FBI spokesperson this week declined to comment on the case, as did a spokesperson for the U.S. attorneys office in Denver. There appear to be several potential criminal charges of interest to federal authorities, as well as several possible targets. The state case against Peters, brought by Mesa County District Attorney Dan Rubinstein, largely focused on her dishonesty, such as when she presented to state election officials the California man, conspiracist Conan Hayes, as Gerald Wood, a Fruita resident who had been approved to enter secure elections areas in Peters office. America's institutions might have proved effective in checking some of Trump's followers, but they have crumbled before Trump himself. Peters allowed Hayes, who used Woods access badge, into the secure area in May 2021. A substantial amount of sensitive data from election system computers then made it into the hands of unauthorized people, and some of it was posted on the internet. The Mesa County grand jury indictment that led to Peters conviction implies that prosecutors thought computer crimes had occurred. The public dissemination of this sensitive information constituted an unauthorized data breach, the indictment said. The compromised sensitive data included images depicting a proprietary hard drive with unlawfully downloaded/imaged software from Mesa Countys election management servers hard drive. But while the state prosecution avoided potential culpability related to computer activity in the charges it brought, it cant be ruled out as the basis for possible federal allegations. We have clues about how federal authorities view the matter. The FBIs search warrants for Bishop and Lindell both pointed to parts of federal law related to intentional damage to a protected computer and conspiracy to cause intentional damage to a protected computer. The warrants also variously cite identity theft, conspiracy to commit identity theft, wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and the Lindell search warrant mentions as co-conspirators Peters, Bishop, Hayes, Lindell and others. Dan Hartman, an attorney for Peters, told Newsline this week that he does not expect federal charges to emerge for his client. But even if Peters or others who were involved in the Mesa County election security breach face federal charges, no degree of accountability in the case can satisfy the nations need for justice so long as the person ultimately responsible goes unpunished. What occurred in Peters election office can be traced directly back to the early morning hours after Election Day 2020 at the White House, when Trump said, This is a fraud on the American public Frankly, we did win this election. The big lie was born at that moment, leading to incalculable legal and political wreckage, including the Jan. 6 insurrection, that will only deepen as the next presidential election approaches. Americas institutions might have proved effective in checking some of Trumps followers, but they have crumbled before Trump himself. The verdict achieved in Mesa County this week is a triumph for the community. But Peters played only a small part in a much larger offense for which accountability has proved elusive. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST The murder trial against Robert Telles -- the former Clark County public administrator accused of killing journalist Jeff German in September 2022 -- began with opening statements on Wednesday. Telles, 47, has been accused of stabbing the Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter to death outside his home after an investigation into corruption in his office destroyed his political career and marriage. German's story detailed the alleged hostile work environment in Telles' office, which included accusations of bullying, retaliation, and an "inappropriate relationship" between Telles and a staffer. Telles denied the allegations. In her opening statement Wednesday, Chief Deputy District Attorney Pamela Weckerly walked through the timeline of the murder and how Telles came to be pinpointed as the suspect. "In the end, this case isn't about politics," Weckerly said. "It's not about alleged inappropriate relationships. It's not about who's a good boss or who's a good supervisor or favoritism at work -- it's just about murder." Telles was arrested days after German was found dead outside his Las Vegas home. DNA evidence found in Telles' home tied him to the crime scene, according to police, and a straw hat and sneakers -- which the suspect was seen wearing in surveillance video -- were found cut up in his home. His DNA was also found on German's hands and fingernails, police said. PHOTO: Booking photo for Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles. (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department via Getty Images) MORE: Trial begins for Nevada official accused of murdering journalist Police took Telles into custody with what they said were non-life-threatening, self-inflicted stab wounds. Telles' attorney, Robert Draskovich, defended his client in his opening statement, suggesting he was framed for German's death. Draskovich said the "old guard" in the public administrator's office was upset by Telles' efforts to root out and eliminate internal corruption. He also claimed that, due to German's track record of reporting on corrupt figures, other people may have wanted him dead. "There were others that had far more motive to make it look like [Telles] was the killer, and to conduct this killing because Jeff German was a good reporter -- he would ultimately get to what the truth was," Draskovich said. Draskovich suggested Telles should be presumed innocent due to a lack of DNA evidence found in his car and on his clothing, and said police "never positively identified" a car present at the crime scene -- which matched a description of Telles' car -- as his. MORE: 'He was our hero,' county worker says of journalist her former boss allegedly killed He also emphasized that Telles' cell phone was not detected in the area at the time of the murder. Police have said they believe Telles left his phone at home during the alleged murder. His suicide attempt, Draskovich contended, was not out of guilt, but because his "life was coming apart." Draskovich praised Telles, detailing his career and describing him as a "loving father and husband." "He's a family man," the defense attorney said. Testimony in the case against Telles is now underway, and Draskovich has said Telles will testify during the trial. Telles has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and could face life in prison if convicted. German was the only journalist killed in the United States in 2022, with a total of at least 67 journalists killed worldwide that year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Las Vegas Sheriff Joseph Lombardo previously described the case against Telles as "unusual," and said that "the killing of a journalist is particularly troublesome." "It is troublesome because it is a journalist. And we expect journalism to be open and transparent and the watchdog for government," Lombardo said. "And when people take it upon themselves to create harm associated with that profession, I think it's very important we put all eyes on and address the case appropriately such as we did in this case." Jury hears opening arguments in trial against Nevada official accused of killing journalist originally appeared on abcnews.go.com MADRID, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Through various initiatives, the official Spanish Tourism Institute (Turespana) has gained firsthand knowledge of Chinese outbound tourism, with digital ecosystem playing a key role in response to changes in the Chinese market, which Spain considers strategic. Ana Lafuente, tourism counselor at the Tourist Office of Spain in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, told Xinhua in a recent interview that Spanish travel service providers need to listen to Chinese travelers as they are seeking more unique experiences and become more mature. Lafuente emphasized the importance of finding cultural connection points, deeply understanding the tastes of Chinese tourists, being aware of their basic travel needs, such as preferred payment methods, and recognizing what they miss when tourist destinations don't align with their preferences. According to Lafuente, the target is that Spanish destinations and tourism service providers can reach Chinese tourists at all points of the value chain and take advantage of technologies to overcome language barriers. A recent study by Turespana identified big growth potential in tourism from faraway locations like China. This trend is facilitated by the operation of direct flights between the two countries. The Spanish side has placed great emphasis on "the Chinese digital ecosystem," which is "so different from ours and so omnipresent in the life of Chinese tourists," Lafuente said, adding that the ecosystem is constantly changing and one of the most popular platforms today, WeChat Channels, emerged just four years ago. She pointed out that working with key opinion leaders is fundamental, because they know how to capture the interesting aspects of tourist destinations that attract the Chinese public, and do so in their language. Chinese tour operators, online travel agencies and influencers were invited to share their perspectives in a conference in the capital city of Madrid in July. During the conference, recommendations were made to boost demand and supply at a time when Chinese tourism to Spain is going on "spectacularly well, both in terms of spending figures, connectivity, and overall statistics." Maria Llinares, tourism counselor at the Spanish Embassy in China, agreed that Chinese tourists are becoming more mature and want more colorful experiences. Jose Sanchez, commercial manager of the International Tourism Fair (FITUR) in Madrid, told Xinhua that these initiatives are fundamental to raising awareness of the Chinese outbound market, from new trends to cultural sensitivity when interacting with Chinese tourists. For the first half of the year, the Spanish Statistical Office recorded 337,446 Chinese tourists, compared with 382,207 for last year's total. DECATUR, Ala. (WHNT) Jury selection began Wednesday in the capital murder case of Frederic Rogers, one of two men charged with killing seven people in Valhermoso Springs in June 2020. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Rogers. John Legg, who is also charged in the killings does not have a trial date. Capital murder charge dropped against Florence man in 2015 parking lot shooting The jury pool included about 100 people Wednesday, and Morgan County Circuit Judge Stephen Brown laid out a plan for attorneys to question would-be jurors in groups of 25 over the next few days. Courtroom discussion between the lawyers and the judge suggested they hoped to select a jury Friday afternoon, with opening statements in the case to begin Tuesday. Judge Brown told one prospective juror the trial could last until the week of Sept. 16. Rogers is charged with killing seven people as part of an apparent dispute within their motorcycle club known as the Seven Deadly Sins, according to investigators. Rogers and Legg were arrested in Oregon 18 days after the killings. The victims were, William Zane Hodgin, 18; Jeramy Roberts, 31; James Benford, 22; Roger Jones Jr., 19; Emily Payne, 21; Tammy England Muzzey, 45; and Dakota Green, 17. A dog also was killed at the home, investigators said. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com. Vice President Kamala Harris campaign announced Wednesday that she will propose a federal ban on corporate price-gouging in the food and grocery industries, CNBC reported. Harris is expected to make the announcement at an economy-focused speech on Friday in Raleigh, N.C. when she plans to outline her agenda targeting big companies maintaining high costs for consumer staples. Theres a big difference between fair pricing in competitive markets, and excessive prices unrelated to the costs of doing business, the Harris campaign said in a statement. Americans can see that difference in their grocery bills. The Democratic candidates shift to blame high prices on corporate America are similar to what the Biden administration has pursued for years targeting corporate consolidation and price gouging, including encouraging more competition in the meat industry and this year's Federal Trade Commission's lawsuit attempting to block the merger of two major grocery retailers, Kroger and Albertsons, the New York Times reported. Although Harris campaign didnt delve into the specifics of how a price gouging ban could be enforced or which specific corporate behaviors could potentially be outlawed, they did claim that the vice president would work to enforce the federal ban within her first 100 days. She will do so by setting clear rules of the road to make clear that big corporations cant unfairly exploit consumers to run up excessive corporate profits on food and groceries, the campaign said. Harris in the speech is also expected to announce measures to revive the Child Tax Credit, expand the housing supply to address rising costs, and pursue limits on prescription drug pricing, according to The Washington Post's Jeff Stein. Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris is emphasizing her middle-class bona fides, and one of the lines shes coming to rely on in public appearances to make that case is a lesser-known entry on her resume: former McDonalds worker. In an ad that debuted Friday, the Harris campaign highlighted her stint at the Golden Arches. As the camera pans across a set of vintage family photos, the narrator intones: She grew up in a middle-class home. She was the daughter of a working mom. And she worked at McDonalds while she got her degree. Subscribe to The Post Most newsletter for the most important and interesting stories from The Washington Post. Harris also mentioned the job at Saturdays rally in Las Vegas, where she told an enthusiastic crowd that only in America could two middle-class kids - referring to herself and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz - grow up to be on a ballot for the nations highest offices. I had a summer job at McDonalds, she said, by way of underscoring her humble background. Harris has mentioned her time at McDonalds before. But her experience as a visor-sporting fast-food worker certainly isnt as widely known as many of her other biographical signposts, such as California attorney general, senator, vice president - or even avid cook and Converse sneakerhead. And so to many people just getting to know Harris after President Joe Biden dramatically dropped out of the race three weeks ago, this is brand-new information. Name-checking the fast-food giant is - like everything in high-level politics - a deliberate move, calibrated to achieve an effect. In this case, the mention is in part about relatability. And thats because of this staggering fact: One in 8 Americans have worked at McDonalds at some point in their lives, according to the fast-food chain. McDonalds announced that statistic last year when it introduced the 1 in 8 initiative, a campaign to celebrate its vast army of current and former workers. The company said it surveyed a representative sample of American adults and found that 13.7 percent of people said they had worked or currently work for the chain. Martha McKenna, a media strategist who makes TV ads for Democratic candidates, says that drawing out this part of Harriss resume isnt just a matter of seeming folksy. The service sector is the largest part of the American economy, she notes. Millions of people work in food service, and for her to say I have had this experience, and it has shaped my policies is powerful, she says. And it draws further contrast, she says, with her Republican opponent, former president Donald Trump. Its a great part of her life and experience to highlight against a guy who inherited his wealth, who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, McKenna says. Walz pushed that distinction during a Tuesday speech to a union crowd, questioning Trumps work ethic in contrast with Harriss fast-food hustle. Can you simply picture Donald Trump working at a McDonalds, trying to make a McFlurry or something? Walz asked. He couldnt run that damn McFlurry machine if it cost him anything. Other famous people have worn the McDonalds uniform, including Jeff Bezos, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Pharrell Williams, Shania Twain and former vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan. Harris has previously offered some details about her tenure at the Golden Arches, including during an April appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show. She described her duties as fry-making and operating the register. (On Facebook, she also described working the chains notoriously finicky ice cream machines.) And, when pressed, she revealed what she would order at her previous employer: a Quarter Pounder with cheese and fries. We dont know precisely when Harris worked at McDonalds. The ad said it was while she earned her degree but didnt specify whether it was during her undergraduate or law school years. She also invoked her summer job in 2019 when she joined Las Vegas McDonalds workers who were protesting and striking for higher wages. I was a student when I was working at McDonalds, she told the crowd, in a video posted on her Facebook page. There was not a family relying on me to pay the rent, put food on the table and keep the bills paid by the end of the month. But the reality of McDonalds is that a majority of the folks who are working there today are relying on that income to sustain a household and a family. Harris expressed solidarity with employees in Detroit that same year when they were campaigning for a $15 wage and said she supported the McDonalds workers who claimed they endured rampant sexual harassment at a location in Mason, Mich. (The franchises former owner eventually settled the class action case for $1.5 million; the McDonalds corporation successfully argued that it did not employ the women who were harassed.) So many people in the United States begin their working career with jobs like that, says Georgetown history professor Joseph McCartin, who is also the executive director of the Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor. Many people, of course, stay in those jobs for a long time and raise families, or try to, and for anybody who has worked in the industry, I think immediately that tells them something about Kamala Harris and what shes come through on her way up. Both campaigns, McCartin said, are taking particular pains to appeal to working-class voters this cycle, including Trumps pick of JD Vance - who has made his own working-class upbringing a prominent part of his identity - as his running mate. He credits the focus in part to a surge in dissatisfaction from workers who feel they havent been treated fairly. Youve got an incipient class discontent that gets expressed in lots of different ways - it can be expressed in unionizing efforts like the ones youre seeing at Starbucks, or it can also be expressed in a kind of right-wing populist mode as well, McCartin says. Class issues are mattering quite significantly in this campaign. Of course, Trump is no stranger to McDonalds, although his experience is on the other side of the register. Trump is an avid fan of the chain, and according to son-in-law Jared Kushner, his go-to order is a Big Mac, a Filet-O-Fish and a vanilla shake. Campaign-finance disclosures have shown Trumps presidential campaign is spending heavily at the chain. He had delivery orders brought in during both his fraud trial in October and his hush-money trial in April. And he famously served Big Macs several times to athletes visiting the White House. Trump has said he likes McDonalds cleanliness, and author Michael Wolff claims in his book Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House that the preference is partly fueled by Trumps fear of being poisoned. When Trump ordered from the fast-food chain, nobody knew he was coming and the food was safely premade, Wolff wrote. Harris isnt known to be as big an aficionado of fast food, and although we know shes an adventurous home cook with a sophisticated palate, shes not above food that some might consider lowbrow. In a video in which she schools her then-colleague Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) on how to make tuna sandwiches, she professes love for Miracle Whip and declares fried bologna to be delicious. She is an avowed fan of the ketchup packets that come with McDonalds fries. That ketchup is especially thick and its got a little sweetness in it, she said during her appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show. And then theres her hack for eating on the fly. The vice president told Barrymore how she protected her clothing from spills and crumbs while campaigning. We would just cut open a garbage bag, she said. Its a really great, massive bib. Like so many things in politics, highlighting her experience as a fast-food worker could be a double-edged sword for Harris. Turns out, it might have created some high expectations. Alright Kamala, one prospective supporter posted on X, guarantee the ice cream machine always works at @McDonalds going forward and you might get my vote. Related Content Some Jewish voters are glad Josh Shapiro wasnt picked for VP Kamala. Hillary. Nancy. But not Joe, Donald or Barack. Why? The worlds priciest drug may save lives. Can kids get it in time? CHICAGO Vice President Kamala Harris husband, Doug Emhoff, headlined three Chicago-area fundraisers Wednesday, including one hosted by the former president of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and his wife. Just today, she was in the situation room dealing with the security of Israel, Emhoff said of Harris as he spoke in the West Loop home of former AIPAC President Lee Rosy Rosenberg. So this is something that is personal. Its something that is meaningful, and its something that she will continue to do as president of the United States. The fundraisers came less than one week before the second gentleman is scheduled to return to Chicago, along with all of the most prominent Democratic power players, for the Democratic National Convention. Emhoff said he visited the site of the DNC earlier in his visit to Chicago and predicted that it would be a magnificent convention. He will travel to Pennsylvania this weekend before returning to Chicago for the DNC, he said. The convention is expected to draw large groups of protesters, many of whom will be demonstrating against Israels handling of the war with Hamas and critical of President Joe Bidens policies. Harris has largely aligned with Bidens views on handling the war in Gaza, while both also have at times empathized with the plight of Palestinians. Some progressive Democrats have hoped that Harris will take a tougher stance on Israel than Biden. Rosenberg and Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland emphasized Harris record of supporting Israel. I know her views on these issues, and its exactly what we need for Israels security and for strengthening the ties between our two countries, Cardin, who presided over Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus address to Congress in Harris stead earlier this year, said at the fundraiser. Emhoff, who is Jewish, discussed his efforts to fight antisemitism as he spoke at Rosenbergs home and later at a lakefront high-rise apartment overlooking Navy Pier. Rosenberg praised those efforts as well as the administrations record on Israel. For our nation, for Israel and for our community, these have been difficult days. The use of the term existential has found a meaning, and as Americans, Jewish Americans, a predominant sense of loneliness, Rosenberg said. What has given us hope, though, has been the stalwart backbone of the Biden-Harris administration, speaking with moral clarity that America stands with Israel, that America is committed to Israels security. Cardin, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, also praised the Biden-Harris administration for the times when theyve had Israels back when Israels isolated globally. Emhoff was scheduled to attend a third fundraiser later Wednesday on the North Shore. Thousands of people in Gaza have died and been driven from their homes as a result of Israels attacks since Oct. 7, when Hamas attacked Israel and killed more than a thousand people. _____ Vice President Kamala Harris Friday will propose a federal ban on what her campaign called corporate price-gouging on food to lower grocery prices for consumers. She will unveil the proposal in a campaign rally in Raleigh, North Carolina as part of a larger economic policy platform. Photo by Rena Laverty/UPI Aug. 15 (UPI) -- Vice President Kamala Harris will propose a federal ban on corporate food and groceries price gouging when she lays out her policies in a North Carolina campaign speech Friday. According to the campaign, the proposal against price gouging is part of the larger Harris economic policy platform she plans to roll out publicly at a Friday campaign rally in Raleigh. "There's a big difference between fair pricing in competitive markets, and excessive prices unrelated to the costs of doing business," the Harris campaign said in a statement. "Americans can see that difference in their grocery bills." Directly addressing soaring meat prices, Harris will focus on corporate consolidation in that market as one reason meat prices are so high. "Soaring meat prices have accounted for a large part of Americans' higher grocery bills, even as meat processing companies registered record-breaking profits following the pandemic," the Harris campaign said. If elected, Harris will direct her administration to examine potential supermarket and food producer mergers, with the intent of determining whether they will raise grocery prices. Harris will propose that the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general investigate corporations engaging in price gouging and take action against consolidations that empower a few corporations to raise prices. Harris will also release proposals to lower prices in prescription drugs and housing. If Vice President Kamala Harris wins the presidential election, she will usher in several firsts: first woman, first Black woman and first Indian-American in the White House. Shell also be the first president who graduated from an HBCU or is a member of a Divine 9 sorority or fraternity. Harris is a graduate of Howard University in Washington and an Alpha Kappa Alpha two factors that Democrats think could help get-out-the-vote efforts and fundraising. That status matters to those who attended a historically Black college or university, or who are in the Divine 9, which is a group of prominent Black Greek-letter organizations. Devin Freeman is a senior at N.C. Central University, an HBCU in Durham, and a member of Kappa Alpha Psi, one of the Divine 9. Its so exciting to support the vice president because she is the fighter for a better future not only for me, but my generation, Freeman said at a news conference days after President Joe Biden stepped aside in the race and threw his support behind Harris as the nominee. Freeman said its so meaningful to me to have an HBCU grad as our future president. Devin Freeman, a senior at North Carolina Central University and delegate at this years Democratic National Convention, speaks during a rally in support of Vice President Kamala Harriss presidential campaign in Raleigh on Thursday, July 25, 2024. Freeman met Harris when he was invited to her home along with other HBCU student leaders in 2022, and talked to her again when she was campaigning in Greensboro, then as the VP. He described her character then, just before Biden passed the baton and now, as ready for anything. It was great to see what the new face of this next generation looks like. And in particularly, what politics, what good democracy and good politics, will look like in the future, Freeman said in an August interview. Freeman is one of those new faces, too, and as a delegate will cast his vote for Harris during the Democratic National Convention. He wont be the only Divine 9 member doing so. Millions of Divine 9 members The power of the nine Black sororities and fraternities is millions of people, said state Sen. Natalie Murdock, a Delta Sigma Theta. Their voting power is strong, and some members are politically active, including by participating in the annual Divine 9 Day at the N.C. General Assembly. The bonds arent just something that members have while in college; Divine 9 members form lifelong memberships and communities. Four million people are in the Divine 9, according to the National Museum of African American History & Culture. The nine are Alpha Kappa Alpha, Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Delta Sigma Theta, Omega Psi Phi, Phi Beta Sigma, Zeta Phi Beta, Sigma Gamma Rho and Iota Phi Theta. Its more than just your undergraduate years or your time in grad school. It really is a lifetime of sisterhood, said Murdock, a UNC-Chapel Hill graduate who served as a social action chair for the Durham Alumni Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Inc. She said Delta Sigma Theta hosted voter registration drives on campus, as well as nonpartisan election forums where folks can come together and hear about the candidates. It really is historic. And we feel that energy when it comes to the HBCUs and our Divine 9 organizations. Folks are stepping up to the plate, and theyre being leaders. Folks are activated, the energy and the enthusiasm and the momentum are all there, and folks are laser-focused over the next 80 or so days and getting VP Harris across the finish line, Murdock said. That will include Stroll to the Polls, she said a reference to the coordinated dances at Divine 9 social gatherings when Divine 9 members will go to their polling places together. State Sen. Natalie Murdock, a Durham Democrat, speaks during a rally in support of Vice President Kamala Harriss presidential campaign in Raleigh on Thursday, July 25, 2024. Democratic State Auditor Jessica Holmes is an AKA, like Harris. Shes a DNC delegate, too. To see the vice president, who is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., earn the Democratic nominee for President of the United States, is absolutely surreal, and I am personally inspired. I never imagined that I would cast a delegate vote to make a woman of color the Democratic nominee for president, Holmes said in an interview. Holmes has met Harris several times. Shes kind, shes warm, shes intelligent and just a wonderful representation of strong women across our country, Holmes said about Harris. The Divine 9 is energized in a way that I have never seen before. And in terms of people across North Carolina, I havent seen this level of enthusiasm since President Obamas 2008 campaign, and recent increases in Democratic voter registration, volunteerism and excitement, evidence just how ready we all are to break glass ceilings in November. Holmes, a UNC-Chapel Hill grad and former Wake County Commissioners chair who was appointed in December to finish the term of former Auditor Beth Wood, is the first Black woman on the Council of State. She is running this fall to keep her seat. North Carolina State Auditor Jessica Holmes, right, with Vice President Kamala Harris, left, during a Harris visit to Greensboro in July 2024. Both Holmes and Harris are in Alpha Kappa Alpha, a historically Black sorority. HBCUs, college student voters Holmes said she believes that young people, college graduates and HBCU graduates, will turn out in similar ways that they turned out in 2008. There is an excitement and a fire to to be a part of this history. Harris campaign visits leading up to the election will include stops on HBCU campuses, her campaign told The N&O. In North Carolina, she has previously held events at N.C. A&T State University in Greensboro, which is the nations largest HBCU, at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, and at Shaw University, a private school in downtown Raleigh where the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee was formed during the Civil Rights Movement. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during her Economic Opportunity Tour at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte on Tuesday, June 12, 2024. This will be her fifth visit to the state this year and her 13th since being sworn in. Harris has visited Durham but has not so far held an event at N.C. Central University. NCCU political science professor Jarvis Hall, a graduate of A&T, said that Harris leading the ticket has generated all types of excitement on campus and in the community. He said that get-out-the-vote efforts on campus extend to the places where students are from, too. Hall said when the presidential race was still Biden vs. Trump, young people especially were not satisfied with the people who were at the top of the ticket for both political parties. I think this has changed it considerably, especially for the Democratic side. I think now that (the Democratic nominee) is not an old white man anymore, it has really energized, especially young people, the Black community, and other segments of the community that were threatened to to be on the sideline in terms of this election, Hall said. Hall expects Democrats to get a bump because of the convention, but that theyll need to turn that excitement into mobilization. Crystallizing the campaign Harris senior adviser Trey Baker, an HBCU alum and member of Kappa Alpha Psi, said that Harris being a Howard alum really just sort of crystallizes something that weve known our entire lives, is that HBCUs are, in fact, where leaders throughout this country are built, and they can hold any office across the board. They can run any organization across the board. And so what this is, is its a crystallization of that concept for us. HBCU grads have been a part of every great movement in this countrys history, and that continues to be the case, he told The News & Observer in an interview. He said the Divine 9s millions of members already do community service as part of their missions, from mobilizing voters to mobilizing after disasters. To have the power of that kind of organizational strength, and that kind of mobilization strength, its just really something that the vice president thinks will be effective as we go forward, to try to mobilize communities all over the country and particularly in battleground states like North Carolina, Baker said. Kamala Harris sudden political rise echoes that of another female politician, New Zealands Jacinda Ardern Kamala Harris quick, unexpected transformation from a low-profile vice president to the headline-dominating Democratic presidential nominee has upended the 2024 election in just a few short weeks. Across the Pacific Ocean, Harris story may resonate with New Zealanders, like myself, who see parallels with Jacinda Ardern, a young, politically astute liberal, and her sudden rise to her partys leadership in 2017. Arderns swift ascension disrupted the foregone conclusion that her political party was headed for a decisive defeat in an upcoming election. Since President Joe Biden announced on July 21, 2024, that he would not run for reelection, Harris closed the gap in at least one major poll between Biden and Republican contender Donald Trump. Harris also brought in a surge of donations and volunteer sign-ups, won support from 99% of Democratic National Committee delegates and has been lauded for injecting joy into the campaign and for giving Democratic voters hope. Ardern, similarly, became the leader of her party and a prime minister contender after New Zealands Labour Party leader Andrew Little, 52, saw no pathway to victory and stepped aside just seven weeks before the September 2017 election. Arderns 11th-hour promotion gave the campaign a jolt of energy and infused it with what Ardern called relentless positivity. Ardern quickly unified her party and ultimately, when the votes were counted and a coalition formed, landed the top job as prime minister. Arderns whirlwind campaign and tenure also shows some pitfalls other women leaders, like Harris, might face, including being compelled to appear as competent and likable while fending off hateful attacks. Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris is photographed with supporters at a campaign rally in Glendale, Ariz., on Aug. 9, 2024. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images No pathway ahead In the first few months of 2017, it seemed like the center-right National Party in New Zealand would win reelection after nine years leading the government. After months of dismal poll results, Little, the Labour Party leader, believed his party would lose the election. Little also trailed his deputy leader, Ardern, in preferred prime minister polls despite Arderns repeated declarations that she did not want to be prime minister. Little resigned on July 31, 2017. Within hours, Labour politicians unanimously nominated Ardern as their replacement leader. Ardern, then 37, accepted the nomination. She promised that she and her team would be positive, organized and ready. She gave herself three days to overhaul the campaign. A campaign of unity By connecting with voters and focusing on positivity, Arderns short campaign united a party known for fractious infighting. What followed might seem familiar to many people closely following American politics today. Ardern kicked off her campaign with a photo of her smiling, captioned: Lets Do This. She held lively campaign rallies across the country. And the public responded. As a culture, we New Zealanders often avoid exuberance. So, the phenomenon of Jacindamania was remarkable. Crowds swarmed for selfies with Ardern. Arderns face was plastered on merchandise and showed up in political memes across social media. Donations and volunteer sign-ups to the Labour Party surged. So, too, did donations to the opposing National Party, as Ardern had sparked a genuine competition. A common message of joy As a prime minister candidate, Ardern embraced and promoted her brand of relentless positivity, as she put it. The opposition tried to depict her as inexperienced and superficial and then launched attack ads milder than what U.S. voters expect to see in a political campaign, but a rarity in New Zealand politics. The attacks did little to dispel Arderns stardust. If anything, the jabs stood in contrast to her positive messaging. Arderns Facebook Lives with supporters were consistently upbeat. Her interviews and press conferences combined charm with detailed policy knowledge. It seems relentless positivity landed with New Zealanders on the strength of Arderns charisma. Her opponent, in his own words, specialized in being boring. A prominent journalist wrote of a mood for change, despite the economy being strong overall by most measures, a housing crisis notwithstanding. Harris early polling gains against Trump suggest a similar story. The sexist and racist attacks against Harris appear to be largely falling flat, at least so far. Instead, memes and clips of Harris dancing, laughing and speaking to large crowds of supporters have gone viral. Harris, responding to Trumps attacks, has dismissed him as the same old show. Evolving gender politics Gender stereotypes still play a role in voters perception of leaders. Both Democratic and Republican women politicians are perceived as more liberal than their male counterparts. Yet also, in a study of 35 countries including New Zealand but not the U.S. women-led parties are seen as less extreme. Both Ardern and Harris are liberals with relatively moderate voting records. Trumps attempts to cast Harris as a radical left lunatic do not square with her former prosecutor credentials and overtures to corporations. Arderns advantage, meanwhile, was that she attracted both centrist voters and those further to the left. She did this by making kindness and positivity central features of her campaign, while also making controversial calls, such as coming out against tax reform, which frustrated some hoping for more progressive leadership. Harris may also have opportunities to win both centrist voters and offer a better alternative to Trump. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announces her resignation in January 2023 in Napier, New Zealand. Kerry Marshall/Getty Images Lessons for American voters Should Harris succeed in her presidential bid, Arderns experience provides a note of caution. Ardern was targeted by unprecedented degrees of violent hate speech, misogyny and death threats. These worsened throughout her leadership and peaked during an April 2022 violent occupation of Parliament by protesters who wanted to end the countrys COVID-19 restrictions. By 2023, Arderns support had dropped, forecasting her partys ouster from leadership. Disinformation researcher Kate Hannah suggested that violent speech against Ardern may have contributed to her decision to resign in January 2023. At the time, Ardern said, I know what this job takes, and I know that I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice. Republicans attacks on Harris may, for now, be less effective with less time to embed themselves in voters minds. But attacks tend to accrue over time. Arderns last-minute rise to leadership may give some Democrats an example to consider as they look to November. But Arderns story offers reasons for trepidation for those who hope for less malicious politics. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Lydia Nobbs, The New School Read more: Lydia Nobbs does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. With buildings in disrepair and estimated construction costs mounting, Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools officials are putting forward a $180 million bond issue to finance school rebuilds that voters may consider Nov. 5. The seven-member elected school board voted 6-0 Tuesday to advance a proposed investment in aging buildings that district leaders say is long overdue. In dollars and cents, the new proposal is less than half of the more ambitious plan that voters widely rejected during a single-issue special election three months ago. And district leaders say its passage would not increase the tax rate, a major sticking point during the last round. Potential projects under the revised plan include Central and Argentine middle schools. Each could be razed and built new at a combined estimated cost of $132.7 million. Elementary schools Silver City and Noble Prentis could be knocked down and built as one for an estimated $38 million. Also proposed is a $7 million addition for classroom space at Sumner Academy of Arts and Science. In May, Kansas City, Kansans voted 58% to 42% to reject a larger bond issue that would have invested $420 million toward building five new schools along with millions in other expansions and maintenance needs. Roughly 8% of registered voters cast ballots. Proponents highlighted the needs around the district, where some students take daily classes in outdoor trailers, and climate control is a challenge in the older buildings. The proposal faced opposition from residents concerned with the effect the bond issue would have on property taxes. Students walk in the rain to get to the mobile classrooms at Central Middle School on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, in Kansas City, Kansas. After a return to the drawing board, district leaders developed two alternative plans and started shopping them in recent weeks. The $180 million option, which officials say should not increase the tax rate, was offered alongside a costlier one with a gentler increase than the initial proposal. During the public meeting Tuesday, Wanda Brownlee Paige, a board member and opponent to the earlier and costlier option, said she believes the smaller capital plan is reasonable. We have to consider that people are struggling, and it doesnt mean that they dont care, said Paige, who last week won a Democratic primary to be an incoming Kansas House representative next year. I think everybody in this room wants better schools, wants better things. But those of us who live in this city, who pay taxes, theyre killing us, and theres not a lot of options. Rachel Russell, a board member since 2022, said the building of newer and better schools is one way the community can attract more residents to live in Kansas City, Kansas and widen the tax base. Regardless of where you stand, I have no doubt that people in KCK care about our schools, care about our kids, Russell said, adding: I understand that we want to take care of folks who are already here, but the biggest investment that we can also make for the people who live here is also creating a community where other people want to be a part of as well. The push for a bond to pass comes as construction costs are projected to rise and some board members have questioned what level of support the state will provide for capital projects in the future. For example, the rebuilds of Central and Argentine have already increased by roughly 7% in a scenario where the bond issue is approved in November, according to the districts figures. The states responsibility for repaying bonds issued for the project would amount to roughly 31% of cost. The step is not the last before the question ends up on the November ballot. Over the coming weeks, the district faces a series of deadlines for publication of legally required notices, approval from the states education department and submission of documents to the county clerk. All questions appearing on the ballot must be submitted to the Wyandotte County Election Office by Sept. 3. KCPS $424 million bond proposal would close, open and move schools and increase your taxes Editor's Note: This story was originally published by The Beacon, a nonprofit news organization serving Missouri and Kansas. The Star is republishing up to two stories a week as part of a new partnership with The Beacon. Superintendent Jennifer Collier understands why families werent inspired by the last Kansas City Public Schools building plan. It really just felt like trying to convince people why they should be OK with us taking away their school, she said. A new plan to build at least two new schools and renovate others, reshuffle students and close some older buildings has more to offer, she said. Any school where the students would be moving, they would typically be moving into new sites, new buildings or highly renovated spaces, Collier said. Were able to actually give our students and our staff and our families something. But the district is also asking more of the community higher property taxes. KCPS needs to persuade at least four out of every seven voters to approve a general obligation bond in April. The bond allows the district to borrow hundreds of millions of dollars, with the promise that it can raise taxes to pay back the debt. In many districts, bonds are a routine way to build and update schools. KCPS hasnt convinced voters to pass a bond in nearly 60 years, though it did receive an influx of money in the 1980s and 90s as a result of court-ordered taxing and spending related to a desegregation case. Some of its newer schools were built in that time period. The lack of a bond has left the district behind on repairs and upgrades. KCPS says it needs $1.25 billion about $650 million to fix basic maintenance problems and another $600 million for upgrades. Its seeking about half of that amount over the next 10 years. Collier said students notice the difference when they visit other schools. All of that impacts the way a child views themselves, she said. We want our kids to know theyre important, that theyre worthy, and they have the same kind of spaces and learning environments as other children. The initial bond proposal was presented to the school board Aug. 14, but it wont be finalized until November. Between now and then, residents can weigh in. What is a bond? A bond is a way for a school district to borrow money for big building projects, ones it wouldnt be able to afford as part of its normal yearly budget. KCPS would pursue two types of bonds under the current proposal. A general obligation bond requires voter approval and would result in higher property taxes. A certificate of participation bond doesnt require a vote and doesnt raise taxes, but it would cover a smaller amount of money. How much money is the district seeking? Overall, KCPS wants to raise $680 million for its 10-year building plan. In the first stage of the plan, it would borrow $100 million, and ask voters to approve another $424 million bond in April 2025. Charter schools, which cant borrow against the ability to raise taxes on their own, might also participate. Eight of the 20 local charter schools are interested and have building needs totaling more than $168 million. Theyll prioritize those needs, include up to $50 million worth in the bond and finalize agreements with KCPS by October. That could push the bond total to $474 million. During the second half of the plan, KCPS would seek the remaining $156 million, including through another bond. How much would my taxes go up? KCPS predicts that for a $474 million bond, someone with a home valued at $200,000 would pay an additional $231.80 per year in additional property taxes. A commercial property with the same value would pay an additional $390.40 per year. The median home value in the district is $180,000, Deputy Superintendent Derald Davis said. How will the money be used? Funds will be used in three main areas: Deferred maintenance, such as roof repair, electrical, HVAC and plumbing. Making buildings more suitable for teaching and learning. Moving sixth graders out of elementary schools and into middle schools. During Phase I of the plan, the district plans to spend: $64.2 million on general maintenance and improvements in 18 schools. $136 million building two new schools. $104.8 to 135.4 million for major renovations at up to four schools. $48.9 million to combine four school sites into two. $62.4 million to relocate students to five existing school buildings. The Beacon KCPS also expects savings as some buildings close. Some plans are still unsettled. The proposal includes a new South Middle School to create enough space for sixth graders. KCPS is considering whether it should renovate the closed Southwest High School into a middle school or build a new school at one of two proposed sites. The district is also considering merging two Montessori schools and making Border Star Montessori into a neighborhood school instead of expanding Hale Cook Elementary School. Can I influence the bond plan? KCPS is seeking feedback on the bond plan before the board approves it in November. Much of this wont be a surprise, Collier said, but sometimes there are things that maybe we just didnt think of. Maybe theres some brilliant ideas out there in our community. KCPS has a recent track record of modifying plans in response to community feedback. An initial proposal to close 10 schools was scaled back last year to only close two after pushback. The district also decided not to add armed security to elementary schools after parents said they didnt like the idea. Opportunities for feedback Dates to remember: Aug. 22: Bond 101 Community Workshop Sept. 9: Bond 102 Community Workshop Sept. 10 to Oct. 11: School Site Meetings Oct. 29: Bond 103 Community Workshop Nov. 20: Board vote School Improvement Priorities Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/kcpsbond Would any schools close? Yes. Phillis Wheatley Elementary School, built in 1955, would close. Its students would be split between J.A. Rogers and Wendell Phillips Elementary Schools, both built in the 1990s. The district would spend extra money renovating those schools. Thats the only example of students being scattered to other buildings as a school completely closes a notable difference from an earlier school closure plan. But other buildings will close as students move into brand new or renovated buildings, special programs relocate or schools merge into shared sites. What happens to the building when a school closes? KCPS can keep a school for future use, demolish it or try to sell it. While the district has struggled to find buyers for several schools, KCPS has been recognized for its overall success at finding ways to reuse schools and involving the community in school repurposing decisions. Some schools that closed in the past like Satchel Paige Elementary School and Southwest High School could get new life as part of the plan. What new schools would be built? KCPS would build two new campuses centered around elementary schools. One $68 million project at the former King/Weeks site is called the King Empowerment Campus. It would house a new K-5 King Elementary School, a family empowerment center, Richardson Early Learning Center and the Wheatley special education program. A family empowerment center will include services such as a food pantry, clothing closet, mini laundromat, dental clinic and a site for students to receive physicals, Collier said. The King project is a top priority because the district promised a new school at that location years ago. The district would spend the same dollar amount on a Woodland Empowerment Campus on the current Woodland site. It would house a new K-5 Elementary School for Whittier Elementary School students, Woodland Early Learning Center, a family empowerment center and the Global Academy for students new to the U.S. What schools would move? King Elementary School would move into a brand new building, vacating the former Kansas City Middle School of the Arts building on the Paseo Academy campus. George Washington Carver Dual Language Academy would move into that building. The move would allow the program to expand and strengthen its connection to the Paseo dual language program. Melcher Elementary School would move into the former Carver building, which is newer and in better condition. The school grew dramatically during the 2023-24 school year. The African-Centered College Preparatory Academy would move out of its current building, which is oversized and built in the 1960s, into the former Satchel Paige Elementary School, built in 1991. What schools would get major renovations? Renovations and a new addition at Central High School would allow the school to house career and technical education programs, which could also serve other districts and charter schools. The district could then close Manual Career and Technical Center instead of doing $100 million worth of work to update the building. KCPS two alternative schools, Success Academy at Knotts and Success Academy at Anderson, would merge at the Knotts location. The district would renovate the building to maintain separation between elementary and secondary students. Northeast and Central Middle Schools would get renovations aimed at moving sixth graders in from elementary schools. Southwest High School could become a new middle school. If funding is available, East, Southeast and Lincoln College Preparatory High Schools could also see major renovations, such as a new competition gym or a relocated cafeteria. What if Im not moving or getting a new school? KCPS is suggesting districtwide updates to keep schools warm, safe and dry and improve learning environments. The district would spend between $1.3 million and $6 million on each elementary school in Phase I of the plan. Throughout the 10-year plan, they could receive between $4.5 million and $12.5 million each. The Beacon KCPS would also spend between $2.9 million and $6.1 million on each middle and high school in Phase 1. They could eventually receive between $4.8 million and $25.3 million each. The Beacon Thats not counting schools reopening, changing buildings or expecting major renovations. Can buildings improve academics? Physical spaces are an integral part of how students learn, said Jordan Gordon, the school districts chief operating officer. Research shows a connection between certain building improvements especially fixing infrastructure like heating and air conditioning, roofs, plumbing and furnaces and higher achievement. They have (a) real impact on our students ability to learn and process information, Gordon said. What happens if the bond doesnt pass? If the bond doesnt pass, KCPS will evaluate what went wrong and prioritize projects that keep schools safe and clean, Gordon said, but will be limited by how much money it can set aside. Well continue to find ways to do the best we can, he said. But candidly speaking, that is not a sustainable way, a proper way, to support kids education. Kentucky man accused of using hidden camera to take nude photos of a minor MANCHESTER, Ky. (FOX 56) A Wendover man has been accused of using a hidden camera to take explicit photos of a minor. James Hayes, 49, was booked in the Clay County Detention Center on Tuesday, according to jail records. Read more of the latest Lexington & central Kentucky news According to an indictment, Hayes allegedly used a hidden camera to take nude photos of a minor. He is also accused of inappropriately touching a minor through their clothes on several occasions. Hayes was arrested and charged with promoting a sexual performance by a minor and first-degree sexual abuse. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: He is being held on a $125,000 bond and is due to be arraigned on Aug. 26, per court records. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News. MOSCOW, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Thursday that it has foiled a terrorist attack attempt on an Interior Ministry facility in the Tyumen region in West Siberia. "The FSB jointly with the Investigative Committee has foiled an attempted terrorist attack in Tobolsk of the Tyumen region," the FSB said, adding that two Russian citizens plotting to detonate an explosive at the Interior Ministry facility were arrested. Two improvised incendiary devices and a self-made explosive were seized during the raid. The authorities have initiated a follow-up investigation, the FSB said. A 33-year-old Berea man died shortly after he starved and was left in his own excrement for days at a time during his week-long incarceration at the Madison County Detention Center in 2023, a new lawsuit claims. A Kentucky medical examiner ruled in an autopsy that medical neglect contributed to Brandon Bakers death three weeks after he was taken by ambulance from the Richmond jail. At the time of his death, Baker was diagnosed with infectious endocarditis, hepatitis C, renal failure, sepsis and hemorrhaging in his brain, according to the autopsy. An Aug. 14 lawsuit filed in Madison County Circuit Court outlines how guards at the facility allowed Baker to go days without eating and stepped over his body to hand out food trays while he was lying in his own excrement without offering him medical attention. Penny Baker, Brandons mother, filed the lawsuit, which alleges deliberate indifference, negligence, wrongful death, and medical indifference, according to court documents. Penny Baker is represented by Lexington attorney James Yoder. Part of your sentence for a nonviolent crime shouldnt be the risk of death, Yoder said in a statement to the Herald-Leader. The Madison County Detention Center, Jailer Steve Tussey, the Madison County Fiscal Court, West Kentucky Correctional Healthcare and unknown jail guards and medical staff are listed as defendants. Tussey declined to comment on the lawsuit, and had not reviewed the complaint. Jail nurse: It feels like you are going to die, but you wont Baker was jailed at the facility on July 18, 2023, for public intoxication and possession of a controlled substance. He was living with hepatitis C and polysubstance use taking two or more drugs either intentionally or unintentionally. That day, he appeared unwell on video surveillance and struggled to stand without help, according to the suit. Over the course of the next week, Baker would only take two bites of food, vomit, seize, urinate and defecate on himself, and lie unconscious on a mat on the floor. Other people held in the same cell would call out for help on his behalf, screaming and kicking on the doors, according to the complaint. One man is alleged to have yelled out to jail staff, Whats it going to take for you all to call a f---ing ambulance? Another incarcerated person died in the jail a week prior, they were heard saying on video surveillance. According to an article from the Richmond Register, there were four publicly reported deaths at the facility from August 2022 to February 2024. Inmates spend time in their shared cell together on Thursday, June 30, 2022, at the Madison County Detention Center in Richmond, Kentucky. Guards and medical staff repeatedly enter and quickly exit multiple times while asking if Baker is okay; Baker would tell them, no, and say he needed help, according to video surveillance footage. On one occasion, a staff member took his blood pressure. Another medical staff member offered him medication and asked if he was taking anything. Baker replied he was previously taking Suboxone, a prescription opioid agonist used to treat substance use disorder. Heroin is terrible coming off of it, it is terrible, the nurse replied before exiting his cell. It feels like you are going to die, but you wont. In another instance documented in the lawsuit, a guard asks Baker what is wrong. He replied, everything, and asked for medical attention. The guard did not respond and left the cell. A nurse never came to check on Baker. On July 25, 2023, a nurse checks Bakers vital signs around 8 a.m. EMS arrived at 9 a.m. to transport Baker to the hospital, where he died 21 days later. It is unclear from the lawsuit if Baker was conscious at the time of his transport. EMS records cited in the suit said Baker had a low body temperature, was breathing rapidly and had an elevated heart rate, and was found lying in his own urination and feces. In the final diagnosis by state medical examiner Meredith Frame, she found Baker died of endocarditis, an infection of the lining of the heart often caused by injection drug use. Medical neglect is considered contributory, she added. Frame noted that prior to arrival of EMS, it appears that a medical staff member was examining him and taking his vitals, but there is no written documentation of this exam or record of his vital signs at the time. Jail staff did not record Bakers inability to eat, court documents say. There was no documentation of any medical examinations conducted during Bakers period of incarceration, Frame wrote. The only available medical documentation from the jail at the time of this report is that of an apparent medication log, which is partially illegible and incomplete, she concluded. Penny Baker is seeking actual, punitive and compensatory damages. The Madison County Detention Center is a 184-bed facility in Richmond. The week of July 20, 2023, the facility was housing 321 people, according to weekly jail population reports. As of August 8, there are 307 people incarcerated inside the jail. A Kernan Middle School student who allegedly made a threat to conduct a shooting at the school has been arrested, Duval County Public Schools said Thursday morning. DCPS sent a message to Kernan Middle families saying that the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office received a tip about the threat. In an abundance of caution the school had additional police and the districts gun detection K-9 on campus Thursday morning after the arrest, the message said. DCPS thanked the person who reported the tip and reminded families and students about the importance of see something, say something. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Below is the full message that was shared with families: Hello Kernan Middle School families, this is Duval County Public Schools calling. I apologize for interrupting your morning, but any time we have information related to school security, we want to make sure that you are informed. The Jacksonville Sheriffs Office received a tip early this morning alleging that a student had threatened to conduct a shooting at the school. The person alleged to have made the threat has been arrested; however, in an abundance of caution, we will have additional police and our gun detection K-9 on campus this morning. Our appreciation goes out to the individual who shared this information with the police. This is a great example of see something, say something and how we can all play a role in keeping our schools safe. Again, we just want to ensure you are informed. Thank you. Good bye. Action News Jax is requesting the arrest report and working to get more information on the incident. We will update this story with the latest information as we receive it. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. Jasveen Sangha, the woman authorities have accused of supplying the ketamine that actor Matthew Perry died from using, is said to have had an extensive network for distributing the drug, but little is known about the woman police say is known as the ketamine queen. Sangha, according to the Department of Justice, which held a press conference about the investigation on Thursday, took advantage of Mr. Perry by selling large amounts of ketamine to Mr. Perry over a two-week period in October of 2023, and sold approximately 50 vials of ketamine for approximately $11,000. Working together with urgent care doctor Salvador Plasencia, a broker named Erik Fleming, and Perrys live-in assistant Kenneth Iwamasa (who would inject Perry with the drug himself), Sangha took advantage of Perrys relapse, according to authorities. A second doctor, Mark Chavez, was also charged. A search of Sanghas home uncovered a drug -selling emporium, they also said, which housed 80 vials of ketamine, thousands of pills containing methamphetamine, cocaine, bottles of Xanax and other illegally obtained prescription drugs. According to The Daily Mail, Sangha was living well off that emporium. Matthew Perrys Aide Injected Him With Fatal Ketamine: Feds The site reports that the ketamine queen had been bragging about lavish vacations, like to Playa del Carmen, Mexico, where she showed off her beachfront home and posted photos of herself lounging by the pool. The site also reports that Sangha took another trip, this time to Tokyo, just two weeks after Perrys deathwhere she stayed in an expensive hotel that likely cost over $1,800 a night. Sangha was aware that her sales had caused Perrys death, authorities noted on Thursday, as shed texted Fleming to Delete all our messages, following the news of the actors death. To make matters worse, Sangha has been accused of causing another deaththat of Cody McLaury in 2019after shed also sold him ketamine. Authorities said that after a family member of McLaurys told Sangha that it was ketamine that had killed him, she continued to sell the drugand in October 2023, she sold the doses that would result in Perrys death. The Daily Mail reports that Sangha googled whether ketamine could be listed as a cause of death after McLaury died, indicating that she was aware she could be criminally liable not only for drug distribution, but also for his death. Though Sangha is just one of five people arrested and charged in connection with Perrys death, she, along with the Plasencia, is a lead defendant, in the case, authorities said. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. A Gary man is in custody after being charged with multiple felonies related to the alleged kidnapping of a 16-year-old girl and her father as they visited the childhood home of Michael Jackson. Its a crazy feeling because nothing like that has happened in this area, said Lathaniel Staten, who has lived on the block of the Jacksons house for 30 years. The suspect, 69-year-old Oasia Barnes, faces 16 felony counts, including kidnapping, criminal confinement, armed robbery, and rape, according to court records. The brutal attack began outside of Jacksons childhood home, Garys most prominent tourist attraction. The house, located just behind Garys historic Roosevelt High School, is a point of pride for the community, making the recent crime all the more startling for its neighbors. Prosecutors said Barnes approached the man and his daughter on Aug. 9 while they were taking photos outside Jacksons childhood home at 2300 Jackson St. Barnes allegedly shoved a gun into the girls abdomen, and demanded money. Despite being given nearly $300 cash, he forced both the man and the teen at gunpoint into a vehicle, directing the man to drive to an alley behind an abandoned house, police said. Once there, Barnes exited the vehicle with the juvenile, ordering the father to stay in the car while threatening him at gunpoint. The girl later told police that Barnes led her into nearby woods and forced her to perform sexual acts. The ordeal ended later that day when police discovered them at a residence in the 2200 block of Washington Street, about a half mile from the Jackson family home, thanks to surveillance technology and community tips. Gary Police Chief Derrick Cannon commended the swift actions of his department and their collaboration with local law enforcement agencies. I am proud of the responsiveness shown by the Gary Police Department, who worked closely with the FBI and Lake County Sheriffs Office to rapidly locate and arrest this depraved criminal in less than six hours, Cannon said. I also commend the members of the public who answered the call to help find the missing victim and bring her to safety. This is what coming together as a community looks like. If convicted, Barnes could face up to 300 years in prison. The charges should send a clear message, Cannon added. In Gary, if you engage in criminal activity, we will take every legal measure to ensure you face the maximum penalty under the law. Mayor Eddie Melton said he was devastated by the horrific crime. My heart goes out to the victim and her family. As mayor, my primary goal is to make Gary a safe place for all. This isolated incident does not reflect who we are as a community, Melton said. I commend the citizens for their vigilance. Thanks to their help, law enforcement was able to locate the victim in less than six hours. We will continue to support our law enforcement officials as they work towards prosecuting this perpetrator. Looking ahead, Staten said he hopes that the city or Gary police will enhance safety measures to protect the residents who live in the area every day. Visitors from around the world come day and night to see the Jackson home. They need to do something to make sure we have safety, Staten said, referring to his neighborhood. Other people come and go from the house. We live here. Were here for good. Staten suggested that increased police patrols could make a difference. We cant afford to let this happen again. If people think its possible, it could happen again. The post Kidnapping at Michael Jacksons Childhood Home Alarms Neighbors, Provokes Spirited Response From Gary Officials appeared first on Capital B Gary. DINUBA, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) The family of two women who were killed in a DUI crash almost eight months ago are speaking up after the charges were filed against a former Dinuba elementary school principal. On Wednesday, the Tulare County District Attorneys Office announced 43-year-old Blake Benhams multiple charges, including two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. There is a sense of relief because you know its a long time its been almost seven months, almost eight This person was still out here living when my mom and sister werent and it wasnt fair, said a daughter and sister to the two women, Jennifer Quinonez. According to court officials, on Dec. 3, 2023, Benham was driving under the influence south of Reedley resulting in a crash that killed two women and injured others. The two victims were identified as 55-year-old Gloria Jamie Barajas and her daughter, 35-year-old Brenda Quinonez. A remarkable person: Friends and co-workers of Tulare County DUI victim honor her memory My mom, my sister our family revolved around them. They made our lives keep going and he didnt just kill my mom and my sister, he also killed our family in a way that now we dread every holiday coming up, we dread its hard, Quinonez said holding back tears. Quinonez was one of the other two people who sustained major injuries from the crash, describing how she could not walk for months or move her arms. She recalled what took place moments before her familys lives were changed forever. My mom was just trying to get gifts for her grandkids, my sister was trying to get gifts for her nieces and nephews, for her family My eyes closed for a minute and then I wake up and Im in a hospital without them and I didnt know that they were gone yet, she said. Following the discovery that the DUI driver was Benham, who was a principal for Dinubas John F. Kennedy Elementary School, the school district had placed him on leave where he held the position of a classroom teacher. After he was arrested and charged on Wednesday, the district acknowledged the charges and says they will continue to work with law enforcement. Former principal arrested: Dinuba Unified responds The Quinonez family expressed their frustration with the district for allowing Benham to continue as a teacher despite the collision that took place. I dont understand how a district could still allow somebody to work and continue to live their day-to-day life when another family is ruined and destroyed There was no, any type of repercussions for him, there was nothing. He was still able to live his day-to-day life I wasnt able to, Quinonez expressed. And while a gray cloud looms over the Quinonez family as they continue to mourn the loss of two women they say were the strength that built them up, the Quinonez family says they are grateful for the support they have received from the community. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47. Kim Dotcom to be extradited from New Zealand after 12-year fight with US FILE PHOTO: German tech entrepreneur Kim Dotcom sits in a chair during a court hearing in Auckland, New Zealand By Lewis Jackson and Lucy Craymer WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Kim Dotcom, who is facing criminal charges relating to the defunct file-sharing website Megaupload, will be extradited to the United States from New Zealand, the New Zealand justice minister said on Thursday. German-born Dotcom, who has New Zealand residency, has been fighting extradition to the United States since 2012 following a FBI-ordered raid on his Auckland mansion. Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith signed an extradition order for Dotcom, a spokesperson for the Minister of Justice said I considered all of the information carefully, and have decided that Mr Dotcom should be surrendered to the U.S. to face trial, Goldsmith said in a statement. As is common practice, I have allowed Mr Dotcom a short period of time to consider and take advice on my decision. I will not, therefore, be commenting further at this stage. In a post on social media website X on Tuesday, Dotcom said "the obedient US colony in the South Pacific just decided to extradite me for what users uploaded to Megaupload", in what appears to be a reference to the extradition order. Reuters could not immediately contact Dotcom for a response. U.S. authorities say Dotcom and three other Megaupload executives cost film studios and record companies more than $500 million by encouraging paying users to store and share copyrighted material, which generated more than $175 million in revenue for the website. The company's chief marketing officer Finn Batato and chief technical officer and co-founder Mathias Ortmann, both from Germany, along with a third executive Dutch national Bram van der Kolk were arrested with Dotcom in 2012. Ortmann and van der Kolk entered plea deals that saw them sentenced in 2023 to jail terms in New Zealand but allowed them to avoid extradition. Batato died in 2022 in New Zealand. (Reporting by Lewis Jackson in Sydney and Lucy Craymer in Wellington; Editing by Christian Schmollinger) Gubernatorial hopefuls Brian King, a Democrat, and Phil Lyman, a Republican running a write-in campaign, appear in a joint ad against Utah Gov. Spencer Cox. (Screenshot of King campaign ad) If gubernatorial hopeful Phil Lyman had accomplished his goal to be on the general election ballot as the Republican candidate, he would have officially faced Democratic nominee Brian King in November. But, after losing the primary and a legal challenge contesting the election, Lyman showed up beside King in a new ad, mimicking a promotion of Gov. Spencer Coxs Disagree Better campaign. Among winks and cheeky remarks, including a description of Lyman as former (or current depending on who you ask) GOP candidate for Utah Governor, *litigation pending*, the two hopefuls made clear they disagree on policies on public lands, education curriculum, reproductive rights, election processes and the role of government. However, they said, theres something they do agree on. Spencer Cox should not be our next governor, they said in unison in the ad. King and Lyman are both in the last stretch of their tenures in the Utah House of Representatives, roles they gave up to run for the states executive office. The ad promotes Kings campaign in a state that predominantly votes red and hasnt had a Democratic governor since 1985. King hopes that a coalition of pragmatists made up of Utahns who are looking for change Democrats, Independents, and Republicans alike, make a change this year. Unfortunately, the Spencer Cox who has been in the governors office for the last 4 years is not the Spencer Cox who was elected in 2020. Regardless of which side of the aisle you are on, Cox has proven that he is unreliable, unprincipled, and untrustworthy, King wrote in a statement released with the video. On this, Phil and I agree. Let us know what you think... While Lyman is a Republican, he has been a vocal critic of Cox, most recently unsuccessfully requesting that the Utah Supreme Court annul the GOP primary election result, make him the Republican candidate based on his convention votes, and unseat Cox for the remainder of his term. In a King campaign news release, Lyman condemned Coxs leadership. Utah needs leaders with unshakable character those who will confront challenges head-on and engage in direct, honest conversations to move our state forward, Lyman said. While Representative King and I may not see eye to eye on everything, Ive sat beside him in the House for years and have seen his unwavering commitment to his principles and the causes he believes in. Despite his unexpected appearance alongside King, Lyman continued to promote a write-in campaign on his social media accounts, confirming his quest for the governors office is serious. The ad should confirm my seriousness. I am running as a write in candidate because I believe Utahns deserve a conservative choice, instead of two Democrats, Lyman wrote on X. The ad sparked buzz across social media. After a King campaign post on X, some Democrats jumped on to praise the ad while Republicans criticized Lymans involvement. In response to the ad, the Cox campaign didnt mention Lyman by name, and seemed to address the states Republicans, speaking on what it would mean to have King as governor. The choice, Matt Lusty, Cox campaign spokesperson said, is between Utah values or liberal, California-style policy positions. Brian King is ranked every year as one of the most liberal members of the Utah Legislature. He has sponsored bills to dramatically increase taxes and limit the Second Amendment rights of Utah citizens, Lusty said in a statement. Losing is hard, but encouraging others to elect someone who believes in a Gavin Newsom style of government is the wrong solution for Utah. Correction: A previous version of this story stated Lyman showed apparent support for King. Despite Lymans appearance in the ad, the King campaign said Lyman isnt supporting King. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Democratic candidate for governor Brian King and former Republican primary candidate Phil Lyman who has launched a write-in campaign teamed up for a Disagree Better-style attack ad against Utah Gov. Spencer Cox. The ad is modeled after a viral video filmed in 2020 by then-gubernatorial candidate Spencer Cox and his Democratic opponent, Chris Peterson, as well as later ads filmed with Republican and Democratic lawmakers across the country as part of Coxs Disagree Better campaign, which aims to turn down the temperature in political rhetoric. Now, Phil and I disagree better about most issues, King says at the beginning of the 30-second ad, winking at the camera. A graphic then appears showing Kings and Lymans opposing stances on public lands, education curriculum, reproductive rights, election processes and the role of government. But, they say in unison, the biggest thing the two of us agree on is that Spencer Cox should not be our next governor. While @phil_lyman and I disagree on just about everything, theres one thing we agree on: @SpencerJCox should not be our next Governor. pic.twitter.com/P3PMYPWkn9 Brian S. King (@KingForUtah) August 15, 2024 Following his loss to Cox in the Republican primary in June, Lyman has since launched a write-in campaign, a move that drew criticism from some Republican party leaders. At the conclusion of the ad, Lyman and King ask for voters support before they both mouth Kings campaign slogan, for the better, as Kings logo appears on screen. The ad says it was paid for by Brian for Utah. In response to the Lyman-King ad, the Cox campaign highlighted Kings liberal record and framed Lymans write-in campaign as sour grapes after losing in the GOP primary by more than 37,500 votes. The choice voters have this fall is clear: Utah values or liberal, California-style policy positions, Coxs campaign spokesperson, Matt Lusty, said. Losing is hard, but encouraging others to elect someone who believes in a Gavin Newsom style of government is the wrong solution for Utah. Utah Republican Party Chair Rob Axson issued a strongly-worded statement on Thursday reaffirming the partys support for their nominees and calling Lymans decision to film an anti-Cox ad with King an endorsement of the Democratic candidate. We condemn Phil Lymans endorsement and promotion of Brian King, which will only benefit Democrat candidates whose extreme policies are out of step with Utahns, the statement posted on X said. Not-so-clever clickbait videos attempting to divide Republicans against each other only serve to remind us what is at stake; Utahns must not fall for it. Axson said Lymans campaign is not representative of most Utah Republicans and invited Lyman to change course(.) The campaigns of King and Lyman have said the ad does not represent an endorsement. Why did Lyman and King film a Disagree Better-style ad? When Cox first ran for governor in 2020, after serving as lieutenant governor for seven years, he made headlines for a video he made with Democratic nominee Chris Peterson. In the clip, the two candidates, standing against a white backdrop, with red or blue ties corresponding to their respective parties, express their shared commitment to democratic values and mutual respect. The success of this unorthodox campaign ad inspired Coxs national Disagree Better initiative as chairman of the National Governors Association. The campaign featured more than a dozen bipartisan ads, depolarization trainings, conferences with high profile speakers and academic studies on the effects of politicians modeling healthy dialogue. Im not sure this has ever been done before...but as our national political dialogue continues to decline, my opponent @PetersonUtah and I decided to try something different. We can disagree without hating each other. Lets make Utah an example to the nation. #StandUnited #utpol pic.twitter.com/Tkr2sDCYTB Spencer Cox (@SpencerJCox) October 20, 2020 While King and Lyman expressed interest in filming a Disagree Better ad with Cox in March, the two candidates have since centered their candidacies around criticizing Coxs approach to politics. Disagree Better appears disingenuous, King argues, when you have a GOP supermajority in the state. King has appropriated an amended version of Coxs slogan, saying elected officials need to go beyond civil rhetoric and disagree for the better to incorporate the views of a diverse swath of Utahns. As Utah House minority leader, King proposed gun control legislation and led opposition to Utahs 2020 abortion prohibition. During the 2024 legislative session, he was also an outspoken critic of Coxs decisions to back Republican bills banning some diversity, equity and inclusion practices, and increasing penalties for individuals who use public bathrooms that dont match their biological sex. Lyman has attacked Cox from the right for being too soft on these issues, campaigning on decreasing the size of Utah government, stopping the flow of immigrants into the state and taking a hard line on culture war issues. Lymans messaging has been heavily focused on Disagree Better, with the candidate referencing the initiative over 80 times on his X account so far this year. But despite being ideological opposites, Lyman and King say they share a twin desire to see Cox out of office. Lyman and King join forces. Will it hurt Cox? Lymans post-primary messaging has featured numerous suggestions that a vote for King would be better than a vote for Cox in the general election. Kings campaign has cheered on Lymans decision to run a write-in campaign, seeing it as a way to take advantage of a divided GOP. Any Utahn who agrees that our state needs different leadership is welcome in our campaign, and I plan to continue talking to voters of all political backgrounds across the state between now and November, King said on Thursday. In a post following the release of the ad, Lyman said, The ad should confirm my seriousness. I am running as a write in candidate because I believe Utahns deserve a conservative choice, instead of two Democrats. Utah Sen. Mike Lee, who enjoys consistently high approval ratings among Utah conservatives, said on Wednesday he would be voting for Cox in November and expressed concern that Lymans write-in campaign would prove harmful to Utah and the Republican Party Primary elections are where Republicans vigorously debate policy differences. The Primary is over. We cannot risk Utah turning into California. We must defeat the Democrats by uniting behind our fellow Republicans, Lee said in the statement on X. Marty Carpenter, a GOP consultant who managed former Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.s 2020 gubernatorial campaign, told the Deseret News that write-in campaigns are rarely competitive and predicted that Lymans effort wont be enough to really make a significant impact on the general election one way or the other. Lymans 195,000 votes from the primary likely form a ceiling of support, Carpenter said, explaining there is an ardent group that dislike the governor enough to write Lymans name on their ballot. But compared to the 919,000 votes received by Cox and Henderson in the 2020 general election, and the 443,000 received by their Democratic opponent, Lymans vote total appears more likely to secure him a third-place finish in 2024, according to Carpenter. Debra L. Lee is the former CEO of BET Networks. Illustration: HuffPost; Photo: Sharon Suh This column is part of HuffPosts She the People series, stories by Black women exploring Kamala Harris historic candidacy. To read more, visit our hub. I met Kamala Harris in 2007, when she was the district attorney of San Francisco. A mutual friend asked that I have dinner with her while she was in Washington for a conference. He added, She will be president one day, and you should know her. I had dinner with Harris, shared her commitment to many issues and have supported her ever since. I remembered that conversation as I heard the news that President Joe Biden was not standing for reelection and that he was endorsing his vice president to be the Democratic Partys nominee for president. I also remembered the excitement I felt in Chicagos Grant Park the night Barack Obama was elected as the first Black president of the United States. During the Obama years, I saw so much hope from people all over the world for equality and the future of our democracy. We lost that hope more recently. Now is the time to restore that hope. I unconditionally support Harris for president. As we reflect on the challenges that Black women have bravely confronted throughout modern history, including the indomitable spirit of Fannie Lou Hamer and the trailblazing leadership of Shirley Chisholm, it is clear that Kamala Harris stands as a beacon of hope and progress for all Americans. I know that she is qualified for the job. Biden has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to empowering Black women, exemplified by his unwavering support for Harris and, in 2022, the historic nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. This commitment is seen clearly in his endorsement of Harris to be the next president of the United States. Lets be clear, Harris will face challenges well known by Black women as they attempt to climb the corporate ladder, run for political office or start their own businesses. I have faced similar challenges over the years as CEO of BET Networks, a senior executive of Paramount Global and in many corporate boardrooms. For example, I have made suggestions that have been overlooked only to be accepted later when offered by a white male colleague. I have been overlooked for promotions to see others less qualified than me be given those opportunities. I have been left out of the inner circles filled with white men who support each other without giving consideration to well-qualified diverse candidates. Our vice president has been criticized for her demeanor, including her laugh, her dating history and her supposed lack of experience. She has been called a DEI candidate. She has also been labeled as discovering her Blackness just recently. To quote Former President Donald Trump, One day she turned Black. All of these criticisms are outlandish and have no place in a political campaign. These statements take our attention away from the real issues at stake. Vice President Harris exceptional educational background and political experience have been completely ignored by her opponents. It is time for us to unite as a nation and elect our first Black female president. Harris has put in the work, and she has the qualifications. I believe Kamala will lead with integrity, compassion and a commitment to unifying our country. She will fight for our reproductive rights. We need a more just and inclusive America. We need an America where individuals can succeed regardless of their race or gender. Lets put the Republicans frivolous arguments aside and elect the most qualified person to be our next president. That person is Kamala Harris. MINSK, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Russia would send its troops to help if Belarus were attacked, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Thursday. "In accordance with our agreement, Russia will send its troops to Belarus. As for which units exactly, it is defined in the text," Lukashenko was quoted as saying by the BelTA news agency. "We do not want an escalation, and we do not want a war against entire NATO," he said during an interview, adding that if invaded, Belarus would have no other choice but to make a quick response. Lukashenko stressed that Belarus' response to aggression will be "quick and adequate." Belarus reinforced its border with Ukraine last week, accusing Ukraine of violating its airspace during a military incursion into Russia's Kursk region. Evacuated residents of Russia's Kursk Oblast are being taken to recreational facilities in Russian-occupied Crimea, Suspilne Crimea reported on Aug. 15. The Ukrainian military launched a surprise incursion across the border into Kursk Oblast on Aug. 6, bringing regular Ukrainian forces into Russia for the first time. Following the incursion of Ukrainian troops into Kursk Oblast, local authorities announced evacuation, particularly to Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Oblast. An employee of one of the Crimean recreational facilities told Suspilne Crimea on condition of anonymity that since Aug. 13, local authorities had begun bringing refugees from Kursk Oblast to their city, which was not disclosed by the source for security reasons. "Yesterday (on Aug. 14), we were told that it is likely that families with children will be vacationing with us (at a recreational facility) from the next shift. The free places will be allocated for them. Now this issue is being resolved," the source said. Deputy Permanent Representative of Ukraine's President in Crimea, Denys Chystikov, told Suspilne Crimea that the regional branch of the Red Cross in Kerch initiated the resettlement of Kursk Oblast's residents to the territory of the Crimean city. Thirty-five people had already moved into facilities in Yevpatoriya, Chystikov claimed. Read also: General Mick Ryan on Ukraines strategic calculus in Kursk Oblast Chystikov said that Russia's transfer of population from the Russian territory to occupied Crimea is a violation of Article 4 of the Geneva Convention. The official suggested that Russia is continuing the policy of population displacement that it has been employing since 2014 when it began to massively move people from Russia to occupied Crimea through various programs. About 600,000 Russian citizens were brought to occupied Crimea by official calculations, and according to unofficial data, this figure may have reached one million, Chystikov said. According to Russian authorities, some 121,000 residents of Kursk Oblast have been evacuated so far, and a preliminary total of 180,000 evacuations is planned. Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said on Aug. 14 that Ukraines military is creating a "security zone" on Russian territory to protect Ukrainian border areas. Vereshchuk said that Ukraine would be conducting humanitarian operations in the area, including creating safe corridors for civilians to evacuate both toward Ukraine and to other parts of Russia. International humanitarian organizations will also be allowed to enter the area to support the civilian population and monitor the situation, she added. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said on Aug. 14 that Russian civilians residing in parts of Kursk Oblast where fighting has been ongoing had been "abandoned" by authorities, who fled without leaving in place basic humanitarian necessities. The Interior Ministry would assist in the provision of food, water, medicine, and hygiene products to help support the local civilian population, Klymenko added. Read also: As Ukraines Kursk incursion wins US support, will fears of Russian escalation fade? Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Kyiv authorities report on aftermath of nighttime Russian attack on Kyiv Oblast Four houses and one car were damaged by falling wreckage from downed Russian targets in Kyiv Oblast on 15 August. Source: Ruslan Kravchenko, Head of Kyiv Oblast Military Administration Quote: "We continue to record the aftermath of the nighttime attack on Kyiv Oblast. As of 13:00, four houses and one car have been damaged by falling wreckage from the downed targets. The damage is minor. Windows and doors were smashed and roofs were damaged. All operational groups are working on the spot." Details: Kravchenko added that there were no direct hits to residential or critical infrastructure. The authorities pledge to provide all necessary assistance to the residents of the damaged buildings. Background: On the night of 14-15 August, Russian forces targeted Kyiv Oblast with attack drones, leading to air-raid warnings being issued three times throughout the night. The Russians attacked Ukraine with 3 Kh-59 air-to-ground missiles and 29 Shahed loitering munitions on the night of 14-15 August. Ukraine's Air Force noted that all Russian Shaheds were destroyed. Support UP or become our patron! Ukraine has opened a hotline for Russian citizens in Kursk Oblast who wish to receive humanitarian aid or want to be evacuated to Ukraine amid the ongoing fighting in the area, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said on Aug. 14. Writing in Russian so that "Russians can understand," Vereshchuk said that Ukraine "must be prepared to receive Russian refugees." "The Reintegration Ministry opened a 24-hour hotline for residents of Kursk Oblast who need humanitarian aid or want to evacuate to Ukraine," she wrote. The Kyiv Independent has reached out to Vereshchuk's office for comment on the hotline and potential evacuation of Russians into Ukraine, but has not received an answer at the time of this publication. Ukraine's cross-border incursion into neighboring Kursk Oblast began on Aug. 6, and by Aug. 13, Ukraine said it controlled 74 settlements in the region. As the Russian territory under Ukrainian control has expanded, questions have arisen about how the areas should be managed. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Aug. 14 that the creation of different civil administrative bodies in Kursk Oblast should not be ruled out. Ukraine's Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said on national television that military command posts "will be needed to provide humanitarian aid to local residents." Separately, Vereshchuk said on Aug. 14 that Ukraine's military is creating a "security zone" on Russian territory to protect Ukrainian border areas. There are Russian civilians in the area, Vereshchuk said, which necessitates a response that adheres to international law. Vereshchuk said that Ukraine would be conducting humanitarian operations in the area, including creating safe corridors for civilians to evacuate both toward Ukraine and to other parts of Russia. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said on Aug. 14 that Russian civilians residing in parts of Kursk Oblast where fighting has been ongoing had been "abandoned" by authorities, who fled without leaving in place basic humanitarian necessities. The Interior Ministry would assist in the provision of food, water, medicine, and hygiene products to help support the local civilian population, Klymenko added. According to Russian authorities, some 121,000 residents of Kursk Oblast have been evacuated so far, and a preliminary total of 180,000 evacuations is planned. Read also: As Ukraines Kursk incursion wins US support, will fears of Russian escalation fade? Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. KYLE, Texas (KXAN) A 45-year-old man was sentenced earlier this week to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to sexual abuse of a child, according to the Hays County Criminal District Attorneys Office. Jarratt pleaded guilty to the offense of continuous sexual abuse of a child, two counts of indecency with a child by contact, one count of indecency with a child by exposure and 30 counts of possession of child pornography, according to the DA. The DAs office said Jarratt will not be eligible for parole and must serve the full 40-year sentence due to the conviction of continuous sexual abuse of a child. According to a release from the Hays County DA, Jarratt sexually abused a child in his home for several years. In 2021, that child told a friend, which led to an investigation into Jarratt by the Hays County Sheriffs Office. The child victim also told detectives that Jarratt possessed child pornography, and a search warrant was obtained for Jarratts home, where detectives found multiple computers and electronic devices that contained more than 1,000 videos and images of child pornography. During the search, detectives also found multiple explicit videos and photos that Jarratt took of a child, along with other evidence. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. Angela Rayner has also doubled the megawatt threshold below which councils have to handle planning for energy infrastructure - Ian Forsyth/Getty Images Councils will be ordered to approve a raft of wind and solar farms across the English countryside under a shake-up of planning rules imposed by the Housing Secretary Angela Rayner. Local authorities will have an obligation to support projects that contribute to green energy production and the push for net zero, according to draft planning documents released by the Housing, Communities and Local Government department. It means any council or other planning authority rejecting a proposal will risk expensive legal appeals that developers are likely to win. The guidance in the new National Planning Policy Framework says: Local planning authorities should support planning applications for all forms of renewable and low-carbon development. It follows the Scottish governments decision last week to approve the biggest wind turbines ever seen in the UK, standing more than 823ft tall comparable with Londons Shard, which is just over 1,000ft. Scotland has 25 similar applications in its planning system, with others of a similar size in Wales almost all provoking widespread protests. Ed Milibands decision last month to lift the ban on onshore wind farms in England is expected to generate a rash of similar applications. Last week he rejected calls for height limits on wind farms anywhere in the UK, including England. Under the new rules, councils and other planning authorities will be obliged to identify suitable areas for renewable and low-carbon energy sources, and supporting infrastructure in their local plans. They will also become responsible for approving all applications for wind and solar farms up to 100 megawatts double the current limit. Although councillors on planning committees will be free to go against the guidelines requiring them to approve renewable power schemes, any projects they refuse will be almost certain to win an appeal. The aim is to remove the bottleneck created by the last governments rule that anything over 50 megawatts roughly 12-20 turbines must be processed by the national Planning Inspectorate. Along with Ms Rayners planning shake-up, the rule changes open the way for mass wind farm developments across England, similar to those in Scotland and Wales but using much larger machines than have previously been available. A spokesman for Ms Rayner said she still wanted wind and solar developers to engage with local communities, which should also benefit from hosting such projects. He said: Under our plans communities will still have a say in what is built in their area, and we have been clear the rollout of renewables must not come at the expense of nature. However, Mustafa Latif-Aramesh, a lawyer at BDB Pitmans who specialises in infrastructure planning and has worked on over 20 major national projects, said the changes would make it significantly harder for councils to reject wind and solar developments. He said: Landscape impacts will still be considered in the round, but the changes will make it more difficult to turn down low-carbon infrastructure, helping us reinforce our energy resilience. Further changes are likely required given the scale of the task. Others want the Government to go much further in loosening planning restrictions. Britain Remade, a think tank that promotes development, argues that a core problem holding the country back is that planning rules make it too difficult to build essential infrastructure. Sam Dumitriu, head of policy, said that swathes of English countryside should be deemed inherently suitable for solar and wind farms so that developers no longer need to carry out time-consuming environmental assessments. He said: The criteria should be that such areas are near grid connections, close to population centres and on lower-grade farmland, he said. Lincolnshire would be a classic example which is why solar developers are already targeting it. Some areas will retain protection from large developments, especially those designated as national parks, national landscapes and sites of special scientific interest. It means organisations such as Natural England are accelerating efforts to classify large tracts of English countryside as national landscapes in order to protect them from the thousands of new pylons, turbines and new housing developments planned by the Labour Government. The Yorkshire Wolds and Sandstone Ridge in Cheshire, both currently unprotected, are considered particularly vulnerable and are in line to be reclassified as protected areas. Jackie Copley, of CPRE, formerly the Campaign to Protect Rural England, who is also a town planner, said renewable energy was important but planners needed to be given not just the power but positive encouragement to protect treasured landscapes. She said: Landscape protection and enhancement should be a key consideration in the next generation of planning rules. Kathryn Brown, director of climate change and evidence at The Wildlife Trusts, said low-carbon energy was important but landscapes and wildlife must be protected. She said: Building a sustainable supply of green energy is fundamental for addressing the climate crisis. We fully support onshore wind and solar projects while underlining the importance of building infrastructure in the right way and right place to avoid unnecessary damage to nature. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Theres a lack of respect when youre poor in Sacramento. California needs to act, residents say Tak Allen, a 36-year-old mother of five, garnered thunderous applause with her description of obstacles she has faced as a result of where she lives and what she earns. Poverty looks like playing by all the rules that were laid out in the dream and still taking a loss. It looks like coming home with your college degree and not finding a job thats going to pay you enough to survive but you get paid too much to get welfare benefits. Pattie Shaw, a 73-year-old who lives in East Del Paso Heights, expressed moral repugnance at how her homeless neighbors are being treated. What poverty means is a total lack of respect, a total lack of dignity, Shaw said. I watch people who are on the streets be treated like human garbage, like they arent worth anything, being thrown in jail for just being poor. Dawn Basciano, a Natomas resident who grew up in Del Paso Heights, said being poor means being told you cant because you dont have the economic means to better yourselves. Poverty is despair. Allen, Shaw, Basciano and others spoke during a Friday listening session organized by former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs, who has conducted such conversations statewide as a way to elevate the voices of the poor and remain in touch with their needs. He personally led the discussion on at Sacramentos Hagginwood Community Center, and Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg joined in to listen. Session participants talked about long-delayed infrastructure improvements that they would like to see done or infrastructure projects that seemed to take forever to get completed. And, then, they also expressed frustration that neighbors whose lives had been impacted by the criminal justice system are having a hard time finding work. Charles Goodman, a North Sacramento resident who has a past history with the justice system, said he knows there are times when incarceration looks more appealing to some people than life on the streets. Inside, he said, they have toilet paper and a safe place to sleep. Marjorie Beazer, a homeless Sacramento resident, said many people have a poverty of spirit, and shed like to see programs that will empower residents with the training, credentials, access and confidence they need to succeed. EPIC: End Poverty in California Tubbs teamed up with Stanford University researchers to study potential strategies that could alleviate poverty, and they compiled a 51-page blueprint for a just and inclusive economic system. Tubbs is best known for his experiment with a guaranteed basic income in Stockton, something nonprofits, local governments and philanthropists have since embraced around the United States. The California Department of Social Services already has begun a pilot program in this area, starting with concepts that serve state residents who age out of extended foster care at or after 21 years of age or who are pregnant individuals. Since leaving office, Tubbs has served as an unpaid adviser to California Gov. Gavin Newsom on economic mobility and opportunity, and he founded a nonprofit organization known as EPIC: End Poverty in California. The comprehensive EPIC blueprint actually includes a number of items that Sacramento residents suggested during the listening session. For instance, it calls for expanding the number of slots in job training programs in certain sectors and subsidizing trial employment opportunities among some subpopulations. The researchers also urged governments to look at ways to use tax credits to subsidize training, employment, and new models for real-time data-driven casework to advise and mentor the trainees. This extra assistance could help with a critical issue that Del Paso Heights homeowner SaQuoia Durham said she and her mother faced as a child, where they struggled to meet even basic needs for food and shelter. To me, (poverty) looks like unnecessary resilience, she said. Oftentimes when my mother was evicted, wed go from house to house. Us not being stable was a big deterrent to me thriving as a child. Reports offer strategies to end Black poverty The blueprint also calls for more widespread use of guaranteed basic income and including households without any workers or with only part-time workers in safety net programs by reforming eligibility rules or providing parallel state-funded programs. Like her mother, Durham said, she too has faced incredible difficulty with housing expenses. There were times, she said, when she had to spend more than 80% of her small income on housing. Only when that percentage significantly decreased, she said, was she able to invest in enrichment programs for her daughter or in supporting neighborhood businesses. I didnt start seeing myself thriving until I wasnt paying more than 80% of my income toward my house, she said. The Stanford researchers called for expanding programs that provide home buyers with loans and down payment assistance, expanding self-help housing plans, and expanding shared equity programs that let borrowers buy a home at a below-market price. The Black Futures Lab, a think-tank established by Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza, recently released a Black Economic Agenda that proposes some of the same ideas in the EPIC blueprint. To develop the agenda, the Black Futures Lab surveyed more than 200,000 African Americans to determine the obstacles they faced to financial security. Echoing the frustrations that Allen expressed at Fridays listening session, the report from the Black Futures Lab stated: The economic insecurity experienced by Black communities cannot be resolved solely by individual actions like working more hours, getting a college degree, or saving money to buy a home. These issues are systemic, and government intervention is required to eliminate these inequities and improve outcomes for our people. Even though the U.S. political system, laws and policies have continually failed to protect Black prosperity, the Black Futures Lab researchers said, African American communities still believe that government can lead in solving these inequities if leaders do their job. Ultimately, they said, policies that benefit indigent African Americans will benefit everyone living in poverty. Bloomberg Philanthropies is betting that government leaders, working directly with citizens, can solve these challenges. Through the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund, Bloomberg has provided Sacramento and seven other cities with $75,000 each to develop strategies to address the racial wealth inequities in Black communities. Its known as the CityStart initiative. The wealth gap is evident when you look at the median net worth of U.S. households by race. In 2021, Asian households led with a median net worth of $320,900, compared with $250,400 for white households, $48,700 for Hispanic households and $27,100 for Black households, according to the Pew Research Center. As part of the CityStart grant, city leaders must engage in intensive stakeholder roundtables to identify key challenges and opportunities, including a deliberate resident engagement effort. Over the last eight months, Sacramento Community Engagement Manager Lynette Hall said, the city has worked with its consultants to draft a blueprint that focuses on three key areas: housing, banking, and workforce development. She expects to present that draft to the public early this fall. Allen and other residents said theres been a lot of talk about the issues that the poor face, but not enough seems to come of discussions like the one they were in. North Sacramento resident Sebastian Montalban, for instance, elicited thunderous applause with his call to action. A lot of people (are) in the streets, and the law is just punishing them rather than helping them, he said through an interpreter. Lets do something. Lets do it as a neighborhood. More action and less words. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Lake Oswego School District is the latest to prohibit cell phones in the classroom for its upcoming academic year. In a message shared on Wednesday morning, Superintendent Jennifer Schiele informed families that cell phones will be banned during the school day at all schools starting with the 2024-2025 term. Gov. Kotek to join Democratic women governors panel with Julia Louis-Dreyfus Implementing this change is rooted in a commitment to our students academic success and overall well-being, Schiele wrote. According to the superintendent, the decision came after administration conducted extensive research on the impacts of cell phones in academic settings. She specifically referred to research from the Pew Research Center, which found that 95% of teenagers have access to smartphones. She also cited the American Psychological Associations findings that linked excessive smartphone and social media use to higher levels of anxiety and stress among adolescents. Man caught whipping dog on camera sought by Portland police Additional data from Common Sense Media revealed that about 50% of teens feel addicted to their phones, and 78% of survey respondents said they check their devices at least hourly. Schiele said LOSDs school board is still finalizing its cell phone policy. Once the ban goes into effect, guardians are encouraged to contact the main office if they need to reach their children for any reason. However, the district will still allow students to use their cell phones in certain circumstances. Exceptions may be granted for health, safety, or emergency reasons with prior approval from the principal or when use is stipulated in a students individualized education program (IEP) or 504 plan, Schiele said. Families support will be vital in making this transition smooth and effective. Public hearing set for new concert venue proposed at Portlands Lloyd Center Portland Public Schools is also considering banning cell phones within the next year. Under the proposed policy, students will only be allowed to use their phones before or after school, and during lunch. The school board would require devices to be shut down and stored away during the day. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. EDITORS NOTE DC News Now reached out to Angela Alsobrookss campaign team for a similar profile piece. We are in conversation with them at the time of this publication. ANNAPOLIS, Md. (DC News Now) When Larry Hogan was Marylands governor, he consistently ranked as one of the top three governors in the country but the Republicans run for U.S. Senate this November poses a different challenge. Now, he has to secure votes from Democrats who are worried about keeping the very slim majority in the upper chamber. Biden, Harris to appear in Maryland this week, first joint trip since Biden dropped out Stop 1: Iglesia Hispana Emmanuel Church in Annapolis, Md. (Susan Tran/DC News Now) On a sunny Sunday morning, we met up with Hogan as he was leaving a two-hour service at Iglesia Hispana Emmanuel Church in Annapolis. He shook hands, took photos and chatted with members of the congregation before we drove to Ellicott City for lunch. The 68-year-old took us to one of his favorite Korean restaurants, Chosun Hwaro, which has a large Hogan for Senate sign on its front lawn. His Korean-American wife of 20 years, Yumi, took over the ordering duties. I like spicy stuff. So, its a lot of that food thats got a kick to it, Hogan shared. Im a unicorn, you know. Its kind of like a Republican guy getting elected in the bluest state in America. When Hogan married Yumi in 2004, he also became a dad to her three daughters, which recently put him at odds with JD Vance, the Republican Partys Vice Presidential nominee. A clip from an interview he did in 2021 recently resurfaced during which Vance made a comment about childless cat ladies, referencing women like Vice President Kamala Harris who did not give birth to children. Trump backs Larry Hogan in Maryland Senate race Hogan called the comment inappropriate. I love my daughters and my grandkids. And I thought it was a huge mistake, he said. Theres an awful lot of people that have difficulty having children or that marry later in life or for whatever reason, choose to not have kids. Stop 3 was in Clarksville, Md. with voters from the Indian and Sikh communities. (Susan Tran/DC News Now) Hogans third campaign stop of the day was in Clarksville. Dr. Daisy Uppal at Charter Radiology organized an event there to introduce him to hundreds of voters from the Indian and Sikh communities. After a quick speech, Hogan warmly greeted the crowd, posed for photos and met with supporters. Several people shared that they want to do everything they can to get him elected. One woman told Hogan shes a Democrat and is voting for him. Another thanked him for his support of the Jewish community. Hogan was sworn in as Marylands 62nd governor in January 2015. Five months later, he was diagnosed with stage three non-Hodgkins lymphoma. He turned his hospital room into the governors office and continued to work. People just voted for me and I had to say, Hey, Im going to be going through some stuff. Then right after that, I was in 24-hour-a-day chemotherapy in a hospital, Hogan explained. He shared how his dad sobbed when he heard about Hogans diagnosis. He felt like I cant help my little boy, you know, even though I was 50-something years old, Hogan recalled. Alsobrooks beats Trone, faces Hogan in US Senate election His father, Lawrence Hogan Sr., was a three-term congressman for Marylands 5th District. Notably, he was the first Republican to vote to impeach President Richard Nixon. The independent streak continued with the younger Hogan, who maintains hes long held a moderate view on any potentially pivotal votes on abortion rights. We asked him to clarify a March 2024 interview where he said he would not speak specifically on legislation to guarantee abortion rights. What I said was, I havent seen the wording of the bill. And later I said, I saw the compromise bill. Thats the one Joe Manchin, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski were on and I said Id co-sponsor and vote for that bill, Hogan explained. We asked Hogan why he doesnt just become an Independent if hes more of a centrist, considering the Republican Party now seems to be fully in the same vein as Former President Donald Trump. Ive been very independent my whole life, but you could either walk away and give up and say, You know, just let the Party go down the tubes, or you can stand up and fight. And so, I just chose to stand up and fight, he responded. Stop 4: The Ruth Kirk Family Festival in Baltimore City, Md. (Susan Tran/DC News Now) By late afternoon, we were in Baltimore for a neighborhood block party. The Ruth Kirk Family Festival. Its a great day in the streets. Music is playing, theres lots of people. Its going to be fun. Its a guy named Squeaky Kirk who runs it. And hes a wonderful guy. Does a lot for the community. And itll be a fun party in the streets, Hogan shared. Data from the Maryland State Board of Elections shows Baltimore voters are 91% Democrats and in his last election in 2018, Hogan got 31% of the votes. Despite the statistics, when Hogan arrived on Sunday he was greeted like family. WATCH: Q&A Speed Round with Larry Hogan Everyone called out to him as Governor Hogan, wanting a picture, to shake his hand or to share some praise. Hogan chatted with Kirk, who referred to his friend as a brother. They dont believe we all are brothers. I keep telling them we are. That is my brother, Kirk said. After a glowing introduction from Squeaky Kirk, Hogan took the microphone and said a few words about meeting Kirk 10 years ago being one of the most important things to happen in his life. Hogan was at his fourth event and on hour 11 of his day but he said it felt like a day off and they were slacking. Hogan didnt appear depleted, but the energy of the people surrounding him seemed to fuel his energy. We asked him what it was like to see such a diversity of support. Its wonderful, he said. I mean, thats one of the keys to my entire success. DC News Now reached out to Angela Alsobrookss campaign team for a similar profile piece. We are in conversation with them at the time of this publication. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Las Vegas police are asking for the publics help as they continue to investigate the murder of a driver hit by gunfire along I-15 on Thursday. The shooting took place before 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 8 as Darin Algee, 30, drove his gray 2017 Audi Q5 SUV in the fast lane of I-15, according to Las Vegas Metro detectives. Detectives said they believe the shooting took place between the Spring Mountain Road on-ramp and the Flamingo Road off-ramp of I-15 Southbound. Detectives also believe the unknown suspect and vehicle also traveled southbound on the I-15 HOV lane. (LVMPD) Detectives said they believe the shooting took place between the Spring Mountain Road on-ramp and the Flamingo Road off-ramp of I-15 Southbound. Detectives also believe the unknown suspect and vehicle also traveled southbound on the I-15 HOV lane. During the shooting, Algees wife and four-year-old son were also in the gray Audi at the time of the shooting but were unharmed, police said. The shooting took place before 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 8 as Darin Algee, 30, drove his gray 2017 Audi Q5 SUV in the fast lane of I-15, according to Las Vegas Metro detectives. (LVMPD The shooting took place before 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 8 as Darin Algee, 30, drove his gray 2017 Audi Q5 SUV in the fast lane of I-15, according to Las Vegas Metro detectives. (LVMPD The shooting took place before 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 8 as Darin Algee, 30, drove his gray 2017 Audi Q5 SUV in the fast lane of I-15, according to Las Vegas Metro detectives. (LVMPD The shooting took place before 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 8 as Darin Algee, 30, drove his gray 2017 Audi Q5 SUV in the fast lane of I-15, according to Las Vegas Metro detectives. (LVMPD Darin Algee, 31, was driving home on a Las Vegas freeway with his wife and five-year-old son in the car when he was fatally shot, according to family. (Mozella Gayfield) Darin Algee, 31, was driving home on a Las Vegas freeway with his wife and five-year-old son in the car when he was fatally shot, according to family. (Mozella Gayfield) Darin Algee, 31, was driving home on a Las Vegas freeway with his wife and five-year-old son in the car when he was fatally shot, according to family. (Mozella Gayfield) Family of man killed in Las Vegas freeway shooting speaks out When police located the family Algee was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds he was then taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. UPDATE: I-15 SB lanes reopen near Las Vegas Strip after deadly freeway shooting Las Vegas police ask that anyone who recalls seeing the gray Audi before the shooting or can provide any suspicious activity that could lead to the arrest and identification of the suspect involved to contact the LVMPD Homicide Section by phone at 702-828-3521, or by email at homicide@lvmpd.com. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers by phone at 702-385-5555, or on the internet at www.crimestoppersofnv.com. No information regarding the suspect or the suspects vehicle was mentioned in a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department video news release on Wednesday. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. NEW YORK, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Columbia University President Minouche Shafik announced her resignation Wednesday amid continuous tensions arising over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Shafik's resignation took effect on Wednesday and Katrina Armstrong, CEO of Columbia University Irving Medical Center, will serve as interim president. It has been a period of turmoil where it has been difficult to overcome divergent views across the Columbia University community and "this period has taken a considerable toll on my family," said Shafik in her announcement. Shafik has been under pressure in recent months as her handling of the encampment at Columbia University drew criticism on and off campus. Together with three other officials from the university, Shafik testified before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce on antisemitism on campus in April. Columbia University started to restrict campus access starting from Monday, only allowing Columbia-affiliated persons to visit its campus. As a British-American academic and economist, Shafik started to serve as the 20th president of Columbia University in July 2023. Following her counterparts at Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania, Shafik is the third president of an Ivy League university to step down in the wake of campus protests over Gaza. Shafik is expected to chair a review of the British government's approach to international development and how to improve capability, according to her announcement. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Two Las Vegas sisters and a man are accused of luring another man for sex with the intent to rob him, during which he was shot in the head, according to a declaration of arrest. Nathan Nava, 22, Skylar Bailey, 23, and Emiley Ridout, 20, all face charges of open murder, battery to commit robbery, and conspiracy to commit robbery, records showed. Nathan Nava, 22, (left) Skylar Bailey, 23, (middle) and Emiley Ridout, 20, (right) (LVMPD/KLAS) On July 19 around 7:55 p.m., police responded to several reports of gunshots and a person possibly shot at an apartment complex 4700 block of Arid Avenue near Nellis Boulevard and Cheyenne Avenue. When officers arrived they found a man later identified as 19-year-old Conner Rebolledo lying in the parking lot unresponsive with blood coming from his head area while holding a gun with his finger on the trigger, police said. Rebolledo was pronounced dead at the scene. The Clark County Coroners office determined his cause of death to be a gunshot wound to the head. A resident in the apartment complex told police that she was in her apartment in front of an open window when she saw Rebolledo walking with a woman when suddenly three men ran up and jumped Rebolledo, police said. All three of the men beat Rebolledo and one of the men had a firearm and used it to pistol whip him several times. The witness said the woman stood nearby and did not do anything to defuse the situation and ran away once the gunshots started, according to the report. During the fight, the man who pistol-whipped Rebolledo shot him two to three times. After the gunshots, the three men ran in different directions with one of the men running to the woman, police said. Minutes after police dispatch broadcasted the description of the suspects, an LVMPD detective in plain clothes and an unmarked police vehicle entered the apartment complex when she noticed that behind her was a vehicle following the same path through the complex. As the detective continued to drive she noticed a woman and two men, who matched some of the physical and clothing descriptions of the suspects, walk into the parking lot and wave her down, appearing to be in a hurry, police said. The detective realized that the group thought she was their rideshare so she continued driving and saw them enter the vehicle behind her. Police followed and stopped the vehicle, detaining the occupants, Nava, Bailey, and a family member of Nava, according to police. Nava told police that he and his babys mother, Bailey, were hanging out at a friends place who lived in the complex with some other people when Robelledo showed up. Nava claimed that two of the men at the apartment said Robelledo owed them money and wanted to rob him, however, Nava did not want to be a part of the plan, the report said. Nava claimed the two men jumped Rebolledo and that he never actually saw a gun. Nava then asked his family member to send him and Bailey a rideshare to pick them up. Bailey told police that she was walking with Rebolledo when the men ran up and jumped him. She alleged that she met Rebolledo about a month prior at a party, according to police. When detectives spoke to Rebolledos mother and girlfriend, they said that on the night of his murder, Rebolledo got a message around 8:30 p.m. and told them that he was meeting a friend and would be back in about 30 minutes. That was the last time they saw Rebolledo alive, police said. Police then spoke to Rebolledos co-worker who told them that Rebolledo was messaging a girl on Instagram by the name of Emiley and was waiting to meet and hook up with her. The two were originally supposed to meet on July 16 but Emiley canceled, They were then supposed to meet on July 18, the day before Rebolledos murder, however, Emiley said she got a flat tire, according to the report. Rebolledo then sent screenshots of his messages with Emiley who was making plans with him and assuring him that they would for sure meet tomorrow which was the date of his murder, police said. Text messages Police searched Rebolledo, Nava, and Baileys phones where they found messages between Bailey and Ridout, who police later identified as the Emiley Rebolledo was messaging on Instagram. Police also discovered that Ridout and Bailey were sisters. When detectives looked through messages between Bailey and Ridout, it was apparent that Nava and Bailey were experiencing severe financial difficulties, and had been evicted from their home with their children, police said. On July 2, Bailey and Ridout texted each other about Rebolledos Instagram with Ridout saying, Okay already done. Like I unfollowed you and removed you, and Bailey responded, He got me blocked and sent a screenshot of his Instagram, police said. The same day Ridout sent a screenshot of her conversation with Rebolledo saying, Only for yall, to which Bailey replied, We win you win, according to the report. In another conversation, Ridout asks Bailey How you know he even gonna have the money on him and Bailey responds, He always brings w [Sic] him he likes to look flashy and show off, police said. From July 2 to July 16, there was constant communication between Rebolledo and Ridout, and Bailey. There were even instances where Bailey typed out messages for Ridout to copy and send to Robelledo, according to police. On July 19, Bailey instructed Ridout to no longer reply to Rebolledo because she was going to take over and text him directly from a different number, the report said. Police also went through the messages between Bailey and Nava which appeared to show that Nava had a history of robbing people, dating back to 2023, with him saying, I promise this month over Im going hard baby no more robbing, the report showed. In a text thread on July 16, the first day that Rebolledo and Ridout were supposed to meet, Nava texted Bailey, Is he talking to you, to which she responded Hes checking his messages and I love you too my stomach in knots. On July 18, Nava and Bailey were texting each other asking who they could borrow a gun from. On July 19, around 7:24 p.m., Bailey texted Nava the address where Rebolledo was later killed, police said. Police also found texts between Nava and a contact named Spazz Out from July 19 where Nava tells him Bros can you grab me cuh ready, and He trynna link and everything bro. The messages go on to say, He just came back from the casino, and He got bread tho bro he jus came back from the casino. Police said they are investigating the identity of Spazz Out as it appears they are also one of the people who conspired with Nava to rob Rebolledo. Police later learned that Rebolledo worked at a business that refilled ATMs, meaning he would work with large sums of cash. While reviewing Rebolledos Instagram page, police noticed that he would regularly post photos with large sums of cash, which was consistent with Baileys description of him as flashy and a show-off. However, when detectives spoke to Rebolledos manager, he said the manner the money in the post was packed was the same as how the money is packaged before being put into ATMs, police said. The manager said he previously told Rebolledo not to post those pictures because he could become a target for a robbery, according to police. Nava, Ridout, and Bailey are all scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 17 for a preliminary hearing, records showed. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. Climate activists on a tarmac at Stuttgart Airport. The Last Generation Climate Initiative has launched protests in several cities. According to the organization, two activists in orange high-visibility vests entered several airports. Marius Bulling/dpa The environmental activist group Last Generation started protest actions at several German airports on Thursday, forcing suspension of flights in at least one, the group and police said. Two activists in orange high-visibility waistcoats each entered the airports in Berlin-Brandenburg, Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Cologne-Bonn, the organization said. Dpa photographers on site confirmed this. They did not enter the runways, the group said Flight operations in Nuremberg were suspended until further notice, a police spokeswoman said. The activists peacefully expressed their resistance by displaying banners reading Oil kills and Sign the treaty, the organization reported. It did not specify the treaty, but it likely refers to the fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty initiative. In October 2022 the European Parliament passed a resolution calling on nation-states to work on such a treaty. Climate activists from the Last Generation Climate Initiative are on the grounds of Nuremberg Airport. The Last Generation Climate Initiative has launched protests in several cities. According to the organization, two activists in orange high-visibility vests entered several airports. Daniel Vogl/dpa Climate activists on a tarmac at Stuttgart Airport. The Last Generation Climate Initiative has launched protests in several cities. According to the organization, two activists in orange high-visibility vests entered several airports. Marius Bulling/dpa Flights were suspended at two airports after the environmental activist group Last Generation launched protest actions at several German airports on Thursday. The actions targetted the Berlin-Brandenburg, Stuttgart, Nuremberg and Cologne-Bonn airports, dpa photographers on site confirmed. Flight operations at Cologne/Bonn Airport were interrupted after around 5:45 am (0345 GMT) as two people had attached themselves to the pavement on an access road to a runway, said a spokesman for the Federal Police. They were removed and flights have since resumed, though the airport said there could still be delays. A search was also underway for a third person who may also be on the apron, the spokesman said, noting a hole was discovered in a fence on the airport grounds. Flight operations in Nuremberg were suspended for about an hour after two climate activists had forced their way onto the airport tarmac in the early morning, a police spokesman said. A dpa reporter on site reported a hole in the fence in the southern area of the tarmac. Two bolt cutters were lying nearby. According to the Brandenburg state police, two people aged 21 and 22 attached themselves to the runway at the Berlin airport. They were removed shortly afterwards and taken into custody. The police are now investigating the two for damage to the fence, trespassing and an offence against the Aviation Security Act. Both are known to the police for "similar offences." The police did not provide information on the gender of the activists. Last Generation, in a statement, said two activists in orange high-visibility vests each entered the airports in Berlin-Brandenburg, Stuttgart, Nuremberg and Cologne-Bonn. The statement said the runways were not entered. It said the activists peacefully expressed their resistance by displaying banners reading Oil kills and Sign the treaty, the organization reported. It did not specify the treaty, but it likely refers to the fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty initiative. In October 2022 the European Parliament passed a resolution calling on nation-states to work on such a treaty. The Last Generation group demands radical climate protection, including the complete renunciation of coal, oil and gas and is calling for the conclusion of an international treaty to this effect. The group has been organizing road blockades since the beginning of 2022. But it had announced that it would change its strategy and that members would refrain from glueing themselves to the streets in future. The climate activists have also recently organized several disruptive actions at airports, including at Germany's largest airport in Frankfurt at the end of July. Tougher laws to act as a deterrent The German government wants to deter radical climate activists and others from carrying out dangerous protests at airports by tightening up the Aviation Security Act. The core of the planned reform, which still has to be approved by the Bundestag, or parliament, is the creation of a new provision that makes "intentional, unauthorized intrusion" onto the tarmac and runways a punishable offence if it impairs the safety of civil air traffic. An airport security car at Cologne-Bonn Airport is parked behind the airport fence. The police assume that activists from the Last Generation Climate Initiative have gained access to the airport grounds through the visible hole in the fence. Benjamin Westhoff/dpa A Berlin-Brandenburg BER airport security car is parked behind the airport fence. The police assume that activists from the Last Generation Climate Initiative have gained access to the airport grounds through the visible hole in the fence. Julius Schreiner/dpa Climate activists from the Last Generation Climate Initiative are on the grounds of Nuremberg Airport. The Last Generation Climate Initiative has launched protests in several cities. According to the organization, two activists in orange high-visibility vests entered several airports. Daniel Vogl/dpa Latest IREAD scores show slight improvements, but more than 14K Indiana third graders still behind Indiana's Department of Education released new IREAD scores on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024, which showed 82.5% of Hoosier third graders were competent readers. (Getty Images) Foundational reading competency among Indianas third graders improved slightly from last year, according to new standardized test results released Wednesday. But overall IREAD performance is still low, with roughly one in five test takers struggling to read. Data from the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) shows 82.5% out of the roughly 82,000 third graders at public and private schools in Indiana passed the 2024 Indiana Reading Evaluation and Determination, also called the IREAD test. Tests were administered statewide this spring and summer. Public school students passed at a rate of 81.5%, compared to 92.5% of students attending private schools. The results ticked up from the last academic year, when 81.9% of students scores indicated reading mastery. The state education departments goal is that 95% of students in third grade can read proficiently by 2027. As of this spring, 277 elementary schools have reached that goal an increase from 242 schools a year ago. IDOE officials noted 20% of participating Indiana elementary schools received a proficiency rate of 95% or higher. Ensuring Hoosier students are able to read is key to not only the future of Indiana, but to the individual success of every child, Gov. Eric Holcomb said in a statement. The historic literacy investments we have made over the past several years are beginning to show return on investment, which is a testament to the hard work of teachers, families and students in every corner of our state. Lets keep this positive momentum going. Test score breakdown The latest results indicate Indianas younger students also still lag behind pre-pandemic reading fluency. Black students: 3.2 percentage point increase from 2023 to 2024 6.6 percentage point increase from 2021 to 2024 Students in special education: 2.2 percentage point increase from 2023 to 2024 4.7 percentage point increase from 2021 to 2024 Students receiving free/reduced price meals: 1.8 percentage point increase from 2023 to 2024 3.4 percentage point increase from 2021 to 2024 Scores are 4.8% behind the results from the 2018-2019 school year, which is the last data set available prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Indiana schools did not give standardized tests in 2019-2020 due to the pandemic. Reading scores were on the decline even before the pandemic, however. The Hoosier literacy rate has seen a significant drop from Indianas high of 91.4% in 2012-13. In total, about 14,300 Hoosier third grade students more than 17% of those in the state will need additional support to meet grade-level reading standards, according to state officials. A student who does not pass the IREAD-3 test typically must receive remediation, or risk being retained in third grade. The IREAD-3 scores roll in as the state shifts its literacy instruction to implement the science of reading as part of an effort to improve students reading skills. The phonics-based literacy approach incorporates phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Education experts say it gives students the skills to decode any word they dont recognize. During the 2024 session, state lawmakers additionally approved a separate requirement for schools to administer the statewide IREAD test in second grade a year earlier than current requirements. Local educators must direct new, targeted support to at-risk students and those struggling to pass the literacy exam. But if, after three tries, a third grader cant meet the IREAD standard, legislators want school districts to hold them back. Those changes take effect in the upcoming 2024-25 school year. IDOE officials optimistic State leaders touted that the 2024 proficiency rates for students increased 0.6 percentage points, marking the largest single-year increase since the assessment was launched in 2013. What were looking at right here is an outstanding thing, said Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education. Its unbelievably exciting because it moved the needle significantly more. IDOE officials boasted, too, that literacy rates for Black students, students in special education, and students receiving free/reduced price meals have increased for three consecutive years. However, Hispanic students and English learners both saw decreases in literacy rates of 0.3 and 0.4 percentage points each this year, respectively. Even so, the pass rate for Black and Hispanic groups was 68.6% nearly 14 percentage points lower than the state average. White students continue to pass at a higher rate of 88.3%, according to the latest numbers. Jenner emphasized that educators already trained in the science of reading through the states literacy cadre program helped students in their schools to earn higher scores on IREAD some schools in the program jumped more than 20 percentage points on the assessment, according to IDOE. Around 75% of eligible schools have already opted into the cadre. Students at participating schools passed the standardized exam with an 82% rate in 2024 up from 54% in 2021. Jenner said expanding the test to younger students has also helped. About 78% of schools administered IREAD to second grade students in 2024, a jump from just 38% of schools that participated the year before. Allowing that to be taken in grade two was in many respects, a big bet for us as a board, because its another assessment, Jenner said. We allowed it to be opt-in. We saw the numbers grow with schools who opted in. You can see that 97% of our second graders are on-track passing, and obviously our schools and our teachers are providing interventions to those students who are at risk, Jenner continued, adding that 56% of all second graders who took IREAD in 2024 already earned passing scores. What an opportunity we have to turn that corner even more and get a higher percentage of students who are at-risk to passing. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX American, Israeli, Egyptian and Qatari negotiators have convened in Doha, Qatars capital, for talks which the Biden administration hopes will finally lead to a ceasefire in the nearly year-old Israeli war against the militant group. White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby told reporters on Thursday that the negotiations were just starting as of 10:20 am Eastern Time and suggested that they could continue through Friday. Kirby also said the framework for a hostage and ceasefire deal proposed by the Biden administration has been generally accepted by all sides. Our team is, is hoping for some constructive talks here today ... we expect that those talks will continue into tomorrow, he said. Where the gaps are [is] in the execution of the deal, the individual muscle movements that go with putting the deal in place. The negotiations are the first such talks since Israel assassinated Ismail Haniyeh, the groups political leader and lead negotiator, by way of a hidden bomb that exploded in a Tehran guest house where he was staying. The White House spokesperson repeatedly declined to get into the details of what was being discussed at the Doha talks, citing a need to protect the integrity of the negotiations. The way negotiations work is that you start with some text on a piece of paper, and both sides work on that text. Usually both sides make amendments to that text, cycle it back around again. You have some more discussions about the amendments. That leads to even more discussions and on and on you go, and both sides have had the opportunity look at the texts that either side recommended and make amendments and changes and suggestions as negotiations pursued, he said. And here we are today with essential framework being agreed to, and negotiating on on the details. So Im just not going to get into the business of saying on this date, this person or this side added this or took that out or wanted to change that. This is the business of negotiating. And the last thing Im going to do is prejudice that process by getting into the details. In the weeks since the assassination of Haniyeh, Hamas has named Yahya Sinwar, the leader of the groups armed wing and the mastermind of the October 7 terror attacks that prompted the retaliatory Israeli war effort, as his replacement. But Kirby said Sinwar, who is understood to be hiding somewhere in Gaza, will not directly participate in the talks. He explained that mediators in Doha would have discussions, then mediators would communicate with Hamas leaders, who would in turn communicate directly with Mr Sinwar for for final answers. So the process that is playing out in Doha, very much, in keeping with the process that has played out in the past, he said. By law, all 95 Tennessee counties must have a sexual assault response team. Just 15 do. Only 15 of Tennessee's 95 comply with state law and have sexual assault response teams. (Photo: Getty Images) Only 15 of Tennessee's 95 comply with state law and have sexual assault response teams. (Photo: Getty Images) More than a year after lawmakers passed legislation to prod local law enforcement into establishing trained sexual assault response teams, just 15 of Tennessees 95 counties have one in place. In wide swaths of Tennessee, victims are still encountering untrained personnel in police and sheriffs departments, district attorneys offices and emergency rooms and an often confusing-to-navigate maze of public and private services. Theres just not an equitable distribution of these sexual assault response teams, said Jennifer Escue, executive director for the Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence. Counties with established sexual assault response teams: Coffee Davidson Hamilton Hawkins Henry Madison Maury McMinn Putnam Rutherford Scott Shelby Sullivan Warren Washington Source: Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence In some places, its been great, she said. In other jurisdictions, you just dont have any momentum. And in some Tennessee counties, Escue said, tensions between law enforcement and advocates have prevented the kind of collaborative team response to sexual violence the law is intended to foster. The lack of coordinated response can result in fewer prosecutions of perpetrators and poorer outcomes for victims, she said. The Sexual Response Team Act was enacted with bipartisan support in 2023. It set a deadline of January 1 this year for each law enforcement agency in the state to establish so-called SART teams multidisciplinary groups of professionals involved in all aspects of responding to sexual assault, including nonprofit advocates, law enforcement, prosecutors, mental health providers and hospitals. SART teams have been set up across the country to guide survivors through what can be a confusing and frightening criminal justice system, identify gaps in services and train first responders. The teams typically meet regularly to design comprehensive plans intended to provide survivors support and access to justice, while minimizing the potential for re-traumatization. Tennessees law, cosponsored by Sen. Becky Massey and Rep. Elaine Davis both Knoxville Republicans included no state funding for local SART teams, even as state fiscal experts estimated the measure could cost local governments in Tennessee a collective $20 million annually. The final version of the law also included no accountability for law enforcement agencies that do not comply. Originally, the measure required law enforcement to report they had established the SART teams to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Sen. Becky Massey sponsored a bill to require all 95 Tennessee counties to have a sexual assault response team. (Photo: John Partipilo) That provision was stripped from the bill as it made its way through the legislative process. Currently, no state agency is in charge of keeping tabs on whether law enforcement agencies have established SART teams in their jurisdictions. Massey said in a phone interview Wednesday she had not heard concerns about spotty implementation of the law but was prepared to meet with advocates ahead of the next legislative session to consider additional legislation. Whether its something that needs to be strengthened or whether we just need to remind people about it, I dont know, she said. That may be whats happening in some of our smaller counties. They may just need to be reminded. Escue said her agency by default, has been left to keep track of which counties have SART teams in operation, and calls the 15 teams they have accounted for a moving target. No law enforcement agency is required to reports its progress on creating a SART team to Escues organization. Escue and other advocates say they are hoping to impose more accountability on local law enforcement when the legislature reconvenes in January. Rachel Freeman, president and CEO of the Sexual Assault Center in Nashville, said a priority is funding. The state has funded child protective investigative teams and domestic violence coordinating councils that similarly collaborate in local teams to address child abuse and domestic violence, she noted. There is funding behind those so that the coordination is housed somewhere, making them more effective. I think we will need to explore a similar model for SARTs to be more effective and active as well, she said. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST A pair of Democratic lawmakers are asking senior defense leaders to clarify the rules for deploying military personnel on U.S. soil amid increasing political rhetoric about changing such restrictions so that units can respond to immigration or protest problems. In a Wednesday letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. C.Q. Brown, the representatives Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey asked the leaders to clearly and publicly explain the limits of military use for domestic issues, calling it a matter essential to maintaining our democracy in the near future. We feel compelled to look ahead to decisions that you, as the most senior defense officials, may be called upon to make in the next six months, the pair wrote. These decisions will fall squarely into the constitutional roles that you swore to uphold and we know you both respect. We are relying on you to preserve the system that our Founding Fathers designed. Trump hints at expanded role for military. US law has few guardrails. In their letter, Slotkin and Sherrill a former Navy pilot asked the military leaders for public assurances that the limits on domestic use of military forces are still in effect, and that federal laws prohibit any president from ordering troops to circumvent those rules for political purposes. They also asked for assurances from the Pentagon leaders that if a President were to issue such an [unlawful] order, you would refuse to carry out the order. Defense Department officials declined comment on the letter but said they would follow up directly with the two congressional offices. What the military can and cannot do on American soil has been a friction point among Republicans and Democrats in recent years, particularly concerning comments from Donald Trump during and after his presidency. Trump has suggested he would use active-duty troops and guardsmen in the deportation of immigrants from America, and said the military could be used as a domestic police force to respond to urban violence or public protests. In addition, officials with the Project 2025 Presidential Transition Project which Trump has sought to distance himself from, despite having numerous connections to organizers have suggested that the next president could deploy military personnel to fill domestic law enforcement roles across the country as he or she sees fit. How would Project 2025 impact troops and veterans? The Posse Comitatus Act currently prohibits federal military forces from such domestic law enforcement work unless the president invokes emergency powers. It does not limit state governors ability to deploy National Guard troops from responding to local emergencies, such as natural disasters or riots. New laws in Brazil are allowing the use of toxic pesticides and putting the biodiversity of the Amazon Rainforest and local Indigenous populations at risk. What's happening? Mongabay reported that the Brazilian Congress has approved new, conservative bills under the rule of Brazil's new president that reduce environmental protections in favor of agribusiness. One such piece of legislation, the Poison Bill, allows for the sale and use of pesticides banned in the European Union. Not only does the Poison Bill present risks for plant and animal life at the edge of the Amazon Rainforest, but it also threatens the food and water supplies of native people living in the region. "Dangerous pesticides are directly affecting human lives and the environment," said Sonia Corina Hess, a chemical engineer and retired professor. "There is violence associated with the use of agrochemicals, a chemical war that expels Amazonian populations from their lands and poisons all forms of life." Brazil has increased its use of pesticides by at least 78% in the last decade and already uses more of these deadly chemicals than the U.S. and China combined. Why are pesticides in Brazil important? Pesticides are harmful everywhere on the planet, but the Amazon Rainforest is particularly vulnerable. Most of Brazil's pesticide usage is for corn, soybeans, cotton, sugar cane, and pasture crops all of which grow in the rainforest's border that is seeing the highest deforestation rates. Research shows that biodiversity is well-established in the Amazon and slow to adapt to changes. When pesticides contaminate water and soil, entire food chains could suffer and cease to exist. Meanwhile, there are significant public health concerns in Brazil now that carcinogenic, mutagenic, teratogenic, and hormone-disrupting chemicals are no longer banned. Indigenous populations' cancer risks are now higher while agribusiness and chemical companies profit from the new laws. What's being done about pesticide use worldwide? Activists in Brazil have been protesting against the Poison Bill and speaking out about its harmful effects on traditional communities and the environment. Researchers and authors are now publishing reports and books about the increasing cases of pesticide poisoning victims and telling their stories to inform the public. You can fight for pesticide restrictions and reduce toxic chemicals where you live by starting in your own backyard. By using basil for pest control and making DIY insecticides, you can protect your family and neighborhood from the harmful effects of traditional pesticides and encourage others to do the same. To discourage pesticide use in the Amazon Rainforest, avoid buying from brands that use materials linked to Amazon deforestation and consider eco-friendly or secondhand items instead. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Lawsuit Alleges Hackers May Have Stolen More Than 2.7 Billion Records, Including Social Security Numbers The class action lawsuit, filed on Aug. 1, alleges hackers have access to personal information including addresses and family members' names Getty Stock photo of social security cards A new class action lawsuit claims that hackers have gained access to personal information including Social Security numbers of billions of individuals. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of California resident Christopher Hofmann, alleges that a National Public Data breach resulted in his personal information being leaked to the dark web. Bloomberg Law was the first to report the lawsuit. In the data breach, which allegedly happened around four months ago, a hacker group named USDoD attained unencrypted information of billions of people from National Public Data, which is a Florida-based background check company, according to the lawsuit. A hacker then allegedly leaked a version of the stolen data for free on a hacking forum tech site, technology news website Bleeping Computer reported. Related: Hackers Found a Way to Open Hotel Room Locks Using Keycard Trick The stolen information allegedly includes physical addresses for nearly 3 billion individuals and names of siblings and parents all of which could allow cyber criminals to have unauthorized access to financial accounts or to have the ability to take out loans on behalf of other individuals, according to CBS News. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The lawsuit also alleges that those who may have had their personal information compromised werent alerted to the development. Related: Details Revealed of Real Estate Mogul Brandon Miller's Sudden Death as His Wife Speaks Out: 'Devastated' "In fact, upon information and belief, the vast majority of Class Members were unaware that their sensitive [personal information] had been compromised, and that they were, and continue to be, at significant risk of identity theft and various other forms of personal, social, and financial harm," the lawsuit claims. If the hack is confirmed, it would be the largest-ever data breach in terms of affected people, per Bloomberg. In light of the lawsuit, experts suggest consumers should think about freezing their credit files at the three big credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. (Bloomberg) -- Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. posted an anemic 4% rise in revenue after its Chinese commerce business shrank for the first time in at least a year, driving home the malaise plaguing the worlds No. 2 economy and its leading online retailer. Most Read from Bloomberg The companys profit plunged 27%, dispelling hopes of a quick turnaround at the company that pioneered Chinese e-commerce two decades ago. Alibabas American depositary receipts dropped at the start of trading in New York before rising about 2% with a broad market rally. Chief Executive Officer Eddie Wu is spearheading an overhaul at a conglomerate that since the big tech crackdown of 2020 has struggled to consistently deliver on growth and innovation. Wu, who replaced Daniel Zhang at the helm about a year ago, is focused on enhancing its twin businesses of commerce and cloud computing, while making bets on AI technology for the longer term. Investors worry that Alibabas drive to win market share back from Temu-owner PDD Holdings Inc. and JD.com in China will compress margins. The companys operating margin fell to 15% in the most recent quarter from 18% a year earlier. In the three years before its report Thursday, the company has posted a loss or decline in net income for the majority of its quarterly results. Last week, PDD founder Colin Huang became Chinas richest man, a potent symbol of his companys ascent at Alibabas expense. Click here for a live blog on Alibabas numbers. Executives including Wu on Thursday reassured investors profitability is still a top priority, as they seek to make most of Alibabas units break even within one to two years. Competition will remain a key issue for Alibaba, said Shawn Yang, an analyst at Arete Research. Some investors may have high hopes for the increase of Alibabas take rate, as it began testing a new advertising tool this past quarter. But the actual numbers we are seeing in the results shows it may take longer for that effort to pay off. Compounding its issues is the uncertainty shrouding the worlds No. 2 economy. Data released Thursday showed Chinas economy failed to pick up after its worst stretch in five quarters, as domestic demand falters under a prolonged housing downturn. On Wednesday, bigger rival Tencent Holdings Ltd. posted better-than-anticipated earnings but warned that flagging consumption was hitting the giant fintech and cloud division that houses its payments and lending businesses. Story continues Alibaba reported revenue of 243.2 billion yuan ($34 billion) in the June quarter, versus the average projection for about 249.9 billion yuan. Revenue from Taobao and Tmall Alibabas core platforms dropped a surprise 1%. Alibaba ADRs Fall After Revenue Miss Disappoints: Street Wrap Net income fell about 27% to 24.3 billion yuan, reflecting the heavy cost of attracting and retaining shoppers. Adjusted earnings closely watched metric by many analysts beat expectations. In contrast, smaller rival JD.com Inc. reported results that beat expectations, though sales climbed just 1.2%. Still, the three-way battle raging in Chinas e-commerce arena shows signs of intensifying. Alibaba and its rivals PDD and JD pulled out the stops during the annual 618 shopping festival, using deep discounts and A-list celebrities to try and move products from cosmetics to cake. Alibaba promised billions in cash rewards and experimented with novel approaches such as a streaming section exclusively for company CEOs. Overseas, Alibabas Singapore-based Lazada arm is fighting a resurgent Sea Ltd. and even ByteDance Ltd., which recently expanded its footprint in Asia by swallowing Indonesias Tokopedia. Alibabas international division remains one of the fastest-growing businesses, growing 32% in the quarter. But analysts say losses there will persist. To counter the market gloom, Alibaba has stepped up share repurchases most recently tacking on $25 billion to an already record buyback program for the company. What Bloomberg Intelligence Says Alibabas fiscal 1Q Taobao-Tmall revenue decline of 1.4% year-over-year vs. JD.coms retail gain of 1.5% raises concerns about its abilities to monetize new online efforts such as live-streaming in China. This potential weakness may offset the upside to the firms fiscal 2025 outlook from a narrower-than-expected overseas e-commerce loss and strong cloud margin upticks in 1Q. - Catherine Lim and Robert Lea, analysts Click here for the research. As with Tencent, the economic downturn is likely to suppress Alibabas once fast-growing cloud business, which hosts computing for corporate clients. After years of driving growth across its businesses, the division has managed only single-digit percentage growth in recent quarters as state-backed rivals such as China Telecom Corp. and the likes of Huawei Technologies Co. stepped up. In response, the company is aggressively cutting prices slashing prices by as much as 55% on more than 100 services in March, triggering a round of industry discounting. Cloud revenue grew about 6%, while the divisions adjusted earnings more than doubled. What Bloomberg Intelligence Says The revenue pick-up in Alibabas Cloud Intelligence division during calendar 2Q24 - though anticipated - might not be sustainable, given rising corporate uncertainty and the ongoing price wars in Chinas Cloud and Gen-AI sectors. We expect Tencent, Baidu and Alibaba to continue to lose cloud market share to Huawei and the State Telcos through 2024. Rising AI demand, seasonal effects and pre-Olympics contracts boosted Alibabas top-line Cloud growth to 6% in the quarter, up from 3% the prior period. - Robert Lea and Catherine Lim, analysts Click here for the research. Both Alibaba and Tencent have invested in the majority of Chinas up-and-coming generative AI startups, fueling a costly battle that could in turn bolster their cloud sales thanks to growing appetite for AI training and inferencing. AI products will help cloud revenue from external clients return to double-digit growth later this year, executives said, adding such demand isnt hampered by Chinese economic risk because corporations need to integrate the technology. --With assistance from Vlad Savov, Yazhou Sun, Peter Elstrom, Henry Ren and Edwin Chan. (Updates with share move in the second paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. NEW MEXICO (KRQE) Some big changes are coming for people looking to buy or sell a home. The new rules will affect how realtors do their work. While some claim it could reduce the cost of buying or selling a home, others worry realtors will leave the industry. Story continues below The National Association of Realtors settlement agreement comes after a federal lawsuit. That agreement brings new rules for sellers, buyers, and realtors. With any change, theres always the sense of panic and uncertainty, but I truly feel the spirit of this settlement is a good thing, said President of the Greater Albuquerque Association of Realtors Morgan Cannaday. The National Association of Realtors reached a settlement after a federal lawsuit was filed over how home sales are done. The new rules will change realtor commissions. Cannaday said realtors in the state are getting ready for what this means. The two biggest changes that were seeing in our industry right now required by the settlement, the first of which is that buyer broker compensation can no longer be communicated through our multiple listing service, said Cannaday. The second big change is before touring a home, a buyer will now be required to sign a buyer agreement with their realtor. The intent of that is not to lock them into to some type of long-term agreement. Its specifically pro-consumer in an attempt to be more transparent with buyer broker commissions and how theyre being paid, added Cannaday. Now that home buyers and sellers will negotiate fees upfront, there are some concerns with how it could impact first-time buyers. If they have saved up for years and years to be able to have enough for a down payment, and if they have a seller on the other side of the transaction unwilling to help them assist with their buyer broker compensation, they either have to find a different house or have to go through that process without their own representation. The new rules started locally on August 1 ahead of the national deadline on August 17. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. Lawyer for teacher on trial for sexual relationship with recent graduate argues 'no exploitation' Former high school teacher Jason Selby had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old former student two weeks after she graduated in 2018. To be convicted, the judge must find Selby continued to be in a position of power over the teen after she graduated. (Court exhibit - image credit) A former Calgary high school teacher who had sex with a 17-year-old former student, weeks after she graduated, was not in a position of trust or authority over her, the defence argued Wednesday. Jason Selby, 41, who taught at Western Canada High School, is charged with sexual exploitation. A charge of sexual assault was withdrawn by the Crown mid-trial. In Canada, the age of consent is 16 years old. But sexual exploitation can apply if the accused was in a position of trust or authority over the alleged victim. The only issue in the trial is whether Selby continued to be in that position over the teenager after she graduated. "There's no exploitation, no control or influence, no trust relationship, no power imbalance," said Selby's lawyer, Alain Hepner, in his closing arguments Wednesday. Court heard evidence that Selby, who was 33 at the time, taught the girl in the first but not the second semester of her Grade 12 year, which spanned 2017-18. Hepner pointed out that Selby was "not her teacher; he was not involved in any of her classes" in 2018. A publication ban protects the young woman's identity. 'A mutual attraction' Throughout the piecemeal trial, which began a year ago, court heard evidence that the girl and Selby began texting in 2018 when she was still a student at Western. The girl testified that she and Selby had sex at his home in June of that year, about two weeks after she graduated. Text messages between the two show "two people having small talk equally interested in each other," said Hepner. "This girl was not a shrinking violet, there was a mutual attraction there I don't see control or influence by Mr. Selby over [the teenager]." 'Keeping secrets' But prosecutor Pam McCluskey argued for a conviction, telling Justice Sean Dunnigan that Selby "was in a position of trust" over the recent grad. "That she'd graduated did not change her status as a young person or the accused's status as a person in position of trust or authority toward her," said McCluskey. McCluskey also pointed to the complainant's testimony that Selby told the teenager to lie about their relationship in order to protect his job. "He told her, 'you can't tell anybody that you're even here' the deception, the keeping secrets is a significant factor," said McCluskey. The Crown prosecutor will finish her closing arguments on Friday. The complainant reported her former teacher to police in 2021 after she came to believe Selby had a sexual relationship with another teen. By then, she said, she'd realized how young she was when her own relationship with the teacher began. Matthew Perry - Credit: David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images Five people have been charged in connection with the death of Matthew Perry, federal prosecutors said Thursday. Perry, an actor best-known for playing Chandler Bing on the hit sitcom Friends, died on Oct. 28, 2023, at the age of 54 from the acute effects of ketamine, his autopsy determined. He was found face down in a hot tub at his home in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. Two doctors, Perrys live-in assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, and Jasveen Sangha described as the Ketamine Queen of North Hollywood were among those named in the 18-count superseding indictment returned Wednesday, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said at a press conference. More from Rolling Stone These defendants took advantage of Mr. Perrys addiction issues to enrich themselves, Estrada said. In the end, these defendants were more interested in profiting off Mr. Perry than caring for his wellbeing. Sangha, 41, and Dr. Salvador Plasencia, 42, were arrested early Thursday and arraigned in the late afternoon. Estrada called them the lead defendants in the case. He said that starting in September 2023, Plasencia and another doctor facing prosecution, Dr. Mark Chavez, distributed approximately 20 vials of ketamine to Perry in exchange for $55,000 in cash. Authorities said the doctors charged Perry $2,000 for a single vial that cost Dr. Chavez approximately $12. I wonder how much this moron will pay?[Lets] find out, Plasencia allegedly texted Chavez on Sept. 30, 2023, according to the indictment. Later that day, Plasencia injected Perry with ketamine at the actors house and left vials behind for Iwamasa to administer to Perry even though the assistant had no medical training, the filing states. After the meeting, Plasencia allegedly texted Chavez that the interaction was like a bad movie. In subsequent text communication, Iwamasa and Plasencia referred to vials of ketamine as bottles of dr. pepper, prosecutors allege. Sangha and Plasencia pleaded not guilty at their separate arraignments in the same federal courtroom in downtown Los Angeles Thursday afternoon. Plascencia was granted release on a $100,000 bond secured by the deed to the home he owns with his wife, who was in the courtroom. Sangha, who appeared wearing purple highlights in her hair, a bright green Nirvana tee shirt, and ankle chains, was denied bond and ordered into detention. She turned to look at her mother in the courtroom gallery when the court decided she was a flight risk, in part due to her dual U.S. and British citizenship. Assistant U.S. Attorney Haoxiaohan Cai argued Thursday that it was ketamine supplied by Sangha that ultimately killed Perry. The prosecutor said Sangha knew the drug was dangerous because someone reached out to her in 2019 to say her ketamine had killed their brother. Cai described Sangha as callous and unrepentant, saying Sangha took a very nice trip to Tokyo two weeks after Perrys death and allegedly continued to sell ketamine leading up to a search of her apartment in March. In a filing Thursday, prosecutors alleged that Sangha, whos facing 10 felony counts including distribution resulting in death, is leasing a 2024 BMW and paying thousands in rent each month though technically shes been unemployed since 2019. Sanghas lawyer Alexandra Kazarian, a partner at Geragos & Geragos, argued valiantly for her clients release, saying Sangha didnt attempt to flee after she was granted a $100,000 bond on a prior charge linked to the March raid. While the court expressed concern that Sangha allegedly asked a co-conspirator to delete her texts within minutes of Perrys death, Kazarian said theres no evidence there was a mass destruction of evidence. Cai then stood up to say it was the co-conspirator who handed over the Oct. 28, 2023, text from Sangha that allegedly read, Delete all our messages. During Plasencias arraignment, the judge said the doctor will be allowed to keep practicing medicine while hes out on bond, but that he must inform his patients that he has surrendered his DEA registration to prescribe controlled substances, and that hes facing charges. The judge said Plasencia must post a sign at his clinic and have patients sign a form confirming they still agree to be treated by him. If a patient returns for a second time, do they need to sign the form again? Plasencia asked while wearing a light gray dress shirt, gray pants and shackles on his wrists and ankles. Yes, and those forms must be dated, Judge Alika Sagar replied. The defendant essentially acted as a street-corner drug dealer peddling a dangerous substance to somebody he knew was addicted, Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian Yanniello said of Plasencia shortly before Judge Sagar granted the bond. He commented to another patient that the victim was spiraling out of control, yet he still offered to sell [Perry] more ketamine. Plasencias trial is currently set for Oct. 8, 2024 while Sanghas trial is set for Oct. 15, 2024. Prosecutors said they expect the dates will be consolidated. At the press conference announcing the charges, Estrada called the alleged drug conspiracy a broad underground criminal network. He said Plasencia exploited Perrys struggle with addiction and stated in text messages that he wanted to be Perrys sole source of supply. Estrada alleged that Plasencia knew injecting Perry was dangerous because, on one occasion, he allegedly saw the actor freeze up and suffer a spike in his blood pressure. Despite that, he left additional vials of ketamine for defendant Iwamasa to administer to Mr. Perry, Estrada said. It was in mid-October 2023 that Plasencia allegedly told one of his patients that Perry was spiraling out of control with his addiction, the prosecutor said. Anne Milgram, head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, spoke after Estrada and explained that Perry sought treatment for depression and anxiety at a local clinic and became addicted to intravenous ketamine. When clinic doctors refused to increase his dosage, he turned to unscrupulous doctors who saw Perry as a way to make quick money, Milgram said at the press conference. Iwamasa, 59, pleaded guilty on Aug. 7 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death, officials said. He admitted he repeatedly injected Perry with ketamine without medical training and performed multiple injections on him the day he died, prosecutors said. Estrada said that Perry stopped buying from Plasencia and turned to the alleged street dealers charged in the indictment to save money. He said that during the two weeks leading up to Perrys death, Sangha sold him 50 vials of ketamine for $11,000 cash, going through a broker identified as Eric Fleming. He said Sangha knew what she was doing was dangerous due to the death of her customer in 2019 that was reported to her directly by the victims relative. The ketamine you sold my brother killed him. Its listed as the cause of death, a relative of the man texted Sangha after the overdose, according to the indictment. Within days of receiving this text, Sangha allegedly conducted a Google search that read, Can ketamine be listed as a cause of death, the indictment claims. Prosecutors further allege that the day Perry died, Sangha called Fleming on the encrypted messaging app Signal to discuss how they could distance themselves. She also updated her Signal settings to automatically delete her communications with Fleming and sent him the message that read, Delete all our messages, the indictment claims. Two days after Perrys death, Fleming allegedly reached out to Sangha again on Signal and asked her to call him. Got more info and want to bounce ideas off you. Im 90% sure everyone is protected. I never dealt with [Perry]. Only his Assistant. So the Assistant was the enabler. Also they are doing a 3 month tox screening Does K stay in your system or is it immediately flushed out? he asked her in a text message, according to the indictment. Prosecutors said Thursday that Sangha is facing the possibility of life in prison if convicted as charged. They allege that the search of her home in March turned up 79 vials of ketamine, three pounds of orange pills containing methamphetamine, psilocybin mushrooms, cocaine, and prescription drugs that appeared to be fraudulently obtained. In a Thursday court filing arguing for Sanghas pretrial detention, prosecutors said that a search of her phone revealed videos of Sangha allegedly cooking liquid ketamine on a stove to convert it to powder form. Prosecutors allege she also sent a photo of a package of ketamine to a buyer the day before she was raided in March along with a Signal message that read, I think youll like these but remember theyre double strength. Estrada said Plasencia is facing up to 120 years if convicted as charged. Fleming, 54, pleaded guilty on Aug. 8 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death, officials said. He admitted in court documents that he distributed 50 vials of ketamine to Perry through Iwamasa half of them four days before Perrys death, prosecutors said. Iwamasa and Fleming are facing up to 15 years and 25 years, respectively, at sentencing. According to the indictment, Iwamasa confirmed to Plasencia on Oct. 4, 2023, that he had successfully injected Perry. Found the sweet spot but trying different places led to running out, Iwamasa allegedly texted the doctor as he asked for more cans of dr. pepper. On Oct. 10, 2023, Iwamasa sent a text message to Fleming that read, How much do you want per bottle and what is the nice tip you want, per the indictment. Fleming replied that his supplier, allegedly Sangha, wanted $300 per vial, and he wanted a $1,000 brokering fee. Fleming then sent Iwamasa a screenshot saying, Just got this from my person. She only deal[s] with high end and celebs. If it were not great stuff shed lose her business, according to the filing. On Oct. 13, 2023, Fleming texted the assistant, Let me know how many and Ill confirm what she can get. But as of now she said she can fill any order. According to prosecutors, Dr. Chavez has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. The doctor, 54, admitted in his plea agreement to selling ketamine to Plasencia, including ketamine that he had diverted from his former ketamine clinic, officials said. Chavez also obtained additional ketamine to transfer to Plasencia by making false representations to a wholesale ketamine distributor and by submitting a fraudulent prescription in the name of a former patient without that patients knowledge or consent, prosecutors said Thursday. He is due to be arraigned Aug. 30. In January, the Los Angeles Police Department closed an investigation into Perrys death, having launched a preliminary investigation despite not having any suspicion of foul play. However, following the autopsy report from the Los Angeles medical examiner, the LAPD launched a joint investigation with the Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Postal Inspection Service. The involvement of the USPS suggested that the mail service was used to transport either drugs or payments. The autopsy report, filed in December, revealed high levels of ketamine found in Perrys blood at the time of his death, likely resulting in him lapsing into unconsciousness and, in turn, causing him to drown. The report also cited coronary artery disease and buprenorphine effects as contributing conditions. Perrys death was ruled an accident. In the report, the medical examiner noted that while Perry had reportedly been undergoing ketamine infusion therapy to treat depression and anxiety, the substances in his system at the time of his death could not have been from the treatment. His last known treatment was 1 1/2 weeks prior to death, the report read. The ketamine in his system at death could not be from that infusion therapy, since ketamines half-life is 3 to 4 hours, or less. This article was updated on Aug. 15, 2024, at 9:20 p.m. ET to include details from the arraignment for Jasveen Sangha and Dr. Salvador Plasencia. Best of Rolling Stone Matthew Perrys live-in assistant, two doctors and a woman dubbed the ketamine queen are among the five people indicted and charged in the investigation into the actors death, which unearthed a broad underground criminal network, a coalition of law enforcement agencies announced at a press conference in L.A. on Thursday. Jasveen Sangha, the 41-year-old woman prosecutors refer to as the ketamine queen, and Salvador Plasencia, also known as Dr. P., who worked as a physician at an urgent care center, are the lead defendants in the case. Sangha is accused of maintaining a stash house in North Hollywood where thousands of dollars worth of illegal drugs were discovered when a warrant was executed there in March, according to a superseding indictment filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. The two are charged with conspiracy to distribute ketamine, distribution of ketamine resulting in death, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, altering and falsifying records related to a federal investigation and other charges. Both were arrested and taken into custody Thursday morning, according to authorities. More from The Hollywood Reporter The Friends stars assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, along with Erik Fleming, who has been described as a friend of Perrys and a street drug dealer, and another doctor, Mark Chavez, have accepted lower charges during court dates in August. Plasencia was working with Dr. Chavez to obtain ketamine, which he would then provide to Iwamasa, who would then inject the ketamine into Perry. From September 2023 until his Oct. 28, 2023 death, the three worked to distribute approximately 20 vials of ketamine to Perry for $55,000, authorities said on Thursday. These defendants took advantage of Mr. Perrys addiction issues to enrich themselves. They knew what they were doing was wrong, Estrada said at a Thursday press conference. They knew what they were doing was risking great danger to Mr. Perry, but they did it anyway. In the end, these defendants were more interested in profiting. Estrada said that over two weeks in October, Sangha is alleged to have sold approximately 50 vials of ketamine for around $11,000 in cash. She worked with Fleming and Perrys assistant to distribute the ketamine. Authorities searching the phones belonging to all of the defendants found text messages using encrypted apps, including Signal, that detailed the network theyd developed that led to Perrys death. The criminal probe launched in May included investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Postal Service. Detectives indicated they were tracing the actors procurement of the illegal drug, which has been used recreationally for decades but has recently been discovered as broadly useful in the treatment of depression. Perrys body was found by an assistant after he had drowned in his swimming pools hot tub at his Pacific Palisades home on Oct. 28, 2023 after the lethal dose of ketamine caused him to have cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiners office. The amount of ketamine found in his blood was about the same as what would be used during general anesthesia, the medical examiner said. The office lists the acute effects of the drug as the main cause of his death and added drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine, a drug used to treat opioid use, as contributing factors. Estrada said on Thursday that it was Sangha who sold the batch of ketamine that resulted in Perrys death. According to the indictment against her, officers searched her L.A. home and found what amounted to a drug-selling emporium there. The search turned up 80 vials of ketamine, 1,000 pills containing methamphetamine, cocaine and bottles of Xanax and other illegally obtained prescription drugs, he told reporters. A ledger of names and weights was also found in her home, Estrada added. The DEA has also filed a drug distribution charge related to the death of Cody McLaury, a 33-year-old who died after being sold the deadly narcotic by Sangha in 2019. Yet she continued to distribute massive amounts of a variety of illegal drugs, despite this tragedy, Estrada noted at the press conference. The defendants are alleged to have attempted to cover up what they had done after reading news reports of Perrys death. After Perrys death, Plasencia allegedly falsified medical records and notes to legitimize his practices concerning the star. Fleming, 54, pleaded guilty last Thursday to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death; he admitted in court documents that he distributed the lethal ketamine dose from Sangha and distributed 50 vials of ketamine to Iwamasa. Iwamasa, 59, pleaded guilty on Aug. 7 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death. He admitted to the court that he repeatedly injected Perry with the drug and had no medical training other than instructions given to him by Dr. Plasencia; he performed multiple injections on Perry on the day the actor died. Chavez, 54, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. In his plea deal, he admits to selling ketamine to Plasencia, including some diverted from a ketamine clinic he had owned. He also made false representations to a wholesale ketamine distributor and used a phony prescription for ketamine losenges using the name of a former patient. After his death, friends confirmed that Perry was undergoing ketamine therapy. However, the actors most recent session had been a week and a half before his death, according to the medical examiners report. No other drugs were found in Perrys system, and there was no paraphernalia discovered in his home, officials said. In his memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, Perry wrote about undergoing ketamine therapy. I often thought that I was dying during that hour, he said. Oh, I thought, this is what happens when you die. Yet I would continually sign up for this shit because it was something different, and anything different is good. He added, Taking K is like being hit in the head with a giant happy shovel. But the hangover was rough and outweighed the shovel. Ketamine was not for me. Perry had been open about his decades-long struggles with addiction to alcohol and opioids, recalling in his 2022 memoir how, at the height of his addiction, which was during his later years on the classic NBC sitcom, he was taking 55 Vicodin pills a day. According to the medical examiners report after his death, a psychiatrist and an anesthesiologist who also served as Perrys primary care physician were the medical professionals known to be treating Perry in October. Neither were named in the indictments released on Thursday. This story was first published on Aug. 15 at 7:37 a.m. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Speaker of the Lebanese parliament Nabih Berri (R) receives French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne in the latest diplomatic bid to calm tensions and avert a potential war. Marwan Naamani/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Lebanon's acting Prime Minister Najib Mikati expressed hope on Thursday for de-escalation at the Lebanese border with Israel in order to avoid all-out war between the two states. "In this difficult time that we are going through, we can only be silent, be patient and pray," Mikati was quoted by the state-run news agency NNA as saying following a meeting with French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne in the Lebanese capital Beirut. Sejourne, for his part, reiterated France's support for Lebanon during the meeting, according to NNA. "What matters to us is working to reduce the escalation," the French diplomat said after meeting House Speaker Nabih Berri, a main ally of the Iranian-back Lebanese Hezbollah militia. "This is the message I conveyed to the Lebanese authorities and the same message I will convey to the rest of the countries in the region. "We hope that the situation will calm down in these very sensitive times. "What matters to us before anything else is a ceasefire in Gaza, and this is the basic and necessary factor that is indispensable if we want to seek peace in the region," Sejourne added. The government in Lebanon is hardly visible or able to act in the current crisis, only being in office on an executive basis with the political leaders using the vacuum to advance their own goals. Hezbollah acts like a state within a state in the small Mediterranean nation. It has great political influence, and the Lebanese state has little control in the areas it controls. This also includes the south of Lebanon. Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in daily exchanges of fire since the Gaza war began in October. There have been fatalities on both sides. French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne meets with Speaker of the Lebanese parliament Nabih Berri (Not Pictured) in the latest diplomatic bid to calm tensions and avert a potential war. Marwan Naamani/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Speaker of the Lebanese parliament Nabih Berri (R) receives French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne in the latest diplomatic bid to calm tensions and avert a potential war. Marwan Naamani/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Lebanon's acting Prime Minister Najib Mikati expressed hope on Thursday for de-escalation at the Lebanese border with Israel in order to avoid all-out war between the two states. "In this difficult time that we are going through, we can only be silent, be patient and pray," Mikati was quoted by the state-run news agency NNA as saying following a meeting with French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne in the Lebanese capital Beirut. Sejourne, for his part, reiterated France's support for Lebanon during the meeting, according to NNA. "What matters to us is working to reduce the escalation," the French diplomat said after meeting House Speaker Nabih Berri, a main ally of the Iranian-back Lebanese Hezbollah militia. "This is the message I conveyed to the Lebanese authorities and the same message I will convey to the rest of the countries in the region. "We hope that the situation will calm down in these very sensitive times. "What matters to us before anything else is a ceasefire in Gaza, and this is the basic and necessary factor that is indispensable if we want to seek peace in the region," Sejourne added. The government in Lebanon is hardly visible or able to act in the current crisis, only being in office on an executive basis with the political leaders using the vacuum to advance their own goals. Hezbollah acts like a state within a state in the small Mediterranean nation. It has great political influence, and the Lebanese state has little say in the areas it controls. This also includes the south of Lebanon. According to Hezbollah's deputy head, US attempts to mediate between his organization and Israel are just a "show." In an interview with Hezbollah's television station al-Manar, Naim Kassem criticized the fact that the US envoy Amos Hochstein did not make a concrete proposal during his visit to Beirut on Wednesday. Hochstein travelled to Lebanon to advocate for a detente in the military conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. Speaker Berri said the meeting with Hochstein had "created positive results," according to Arab media. Hochstein himself said after the meeting with Berri: He and I agree that no more time should be wasted." There are no longer any valid reasons for delays. A deal in the Gaza war would make a diplomatic solution possible in Lebanon and prevent the outbreak of a broader war. Hochstein's efforts are considered crucial in trying to prevent an even greater escalation between Israel and Hezbollah. Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in daily exchanges of fire since the Gaza war began in October. There have been fatalities on both sides. Hezbollah has sworn revenge after Israel killed its military commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut two weeks ago. A large-scale barrage by Hezbollah on Israel, perhaps in coordination with an attack by Iran, has been expected for days. Shukr was killed hours before Ismail Haniyeh, chief of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, was killed in Tehran on July 31. Israel claimed responsibility for the attack on Shukr but has neither confirmed nor denied a role in Haniyeh's death. In addition to Hezbollah, Iran and Hamas have also announced retaliation. French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne meets with Speaker of the Lebanese parliament Nabih Berri (Not Pictured) in the latest diplomatic bid to calm tensions and avert a potential war. Marwan Naamani/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Don Fox Park in Lebanon will get a new splash pad through a $350,000 state grant, according to an announcement by Tennessee Rep. Clark Boyd, R-Lebanon. The 6,000 square foot splash pad will replace a 30-year-old wading pool and include accessible parking and pathways at the park on West Baddour Parkway, according to the city. Don Fox Park is an incredible asset to our community, Boyd said. This new splash pad will provide additional opportunities for residents and their families to stay active outdoors." The project must go through a design phase before construction will begin, according to the city. The process could take up to two years to complete, Jimmy Floyd Family Center Director Alex Major said in the city's announcement. Benefits to the switch is that a splash pad will not need a lifeguard and can be open longer during the summer months, Major said. The plan is to keep the splash pad open from May 1 to Oct. 1, Major said. The Jimmy Floyd Family Center staff oversees the current wading pool and the future splash pad, and the city-owned indoor and outdoor pools. Ward 1 Councilor Joey Carmack has supported upgrades to Don Fox Park. The grant is part of $21 million in funding awarded to communities across the state from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservations Local Parks and Recreation Fund. It was approved by the General Assembly in the 2024-25 state budget. The Local Parks and Recreation Fund provides state funding to match local government investments for recreation projects and the purchase of land for parks, natural areas, greenways and recreational facilities. All grant projects must be on publicly owned land. The Tennessean will provide more details as information becomes available. Reach Andy Humbles at ahumbles@tennessean.com or 615-726-5939 and on X, formerly known as Twitter @ AndyHumbles. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Lebanon's Don Fox Park to get new splash pad through state grant CORUNNA, Mich. (WLNS) Given less than 30 days notice to move out of their home, some seniors say they are facing being unhoused. Its a frightening thought for many of those now having to leave Fiddlers Green, a senior living community in Shiawassee County. Seniors were given less than a month to pack up and find a new place to live. Now people like 72-year-old Kathy Thomas are scrambling to find a new place to live. Im homeless, 72 years old and Im homeless. I just have nowhere to go, Thomas said. Thomas said she does not know what to do. They dont care about me over there. I just want somewhere to go, if somebody can help me stay in a motel until I can figure out what Im gonna do. I need money, I dont even have money to eat on right now, Thomas said. 6 News obtained the letter residents say management handed them telling them they have to move. It was sent out on Aug. 7th and says people have until the 31st to leave. That is less than 30 days which, Michigan real estate and finance attorney David Soble said is not generally standard. The letter also claims that if the business is stopping operations, it can ask people to leave with just 5 days notice. Soble said that if this is like any other common tenant landlord contract, generally the tenants should get 30 days notice. Provided that these people are not late with their monthly payments, they would be required to serve what we call a 30 notice to quit. Thats generally how these things work, Soble said. Soble said he would need to see the contract the residents signed to know for sure and only a judge can truly say if a contract is legal, though there are caveats. Generally speaking a provision in a contract doesnt make it valid. Even this landlord cannot forcibly remove these people. they would have to go through the court system, Soble said. For Kathy though, she said she doesnt have the money to fight this and needs the communitys help. I was thinking about getting a tent and staying in a backyard, but I cant do that I have health issues I dont like to ask for money but right now I do need money, I got to live. What am I gonna do? Fiddlers Green did release a statement saying they are looking for places for the seniors to go. Kathy says most of the places there have long wait lists though. 6 News reached out to the senior community management to ask about giving 30 days notice but has not heard back yet. Soble reminds people to keep track of all the documents you sign. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News. SOUTHINGTON TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WKBN) Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over. Thats the message from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Beginning Friday through September 2, the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign shifts into high gear, with local and state officials teaming up to find and arrest impaired drivers before they crash or cause serious injury. Everybody behind me has seen this. Over and over again, we show up at a crash involving a drunk driver and its not so much that driver, its who did you affect the families, the vehicle they hit, the people who are senselessly injured. It takes a toll on you after a time, said Trumbull County Sherriff Paul Monroe. OVI crashes continue to be an issue in Trumbull County. In 2023, there were 20 crashes involving a fatality, killing 24 people. Seventy-five percent of those crashes involved an impaired driver. We see impairment in different ways. Not only with just alcohol but mixing alcohol with other drugs methamphetamine has grown in our area, Monroe said. Troopers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol arrested 295 drivers for OVI in 2022 and another 263 in 2023, but law enforcement says its not a problem you can simply solve by making arrests. We could arrest someone and it might affect them or a few other people. But if we can get the message out before a problem occurs, thats the best-case scenario. Id rather the problem get resolved beforehand and us not have to make any arrests, said Lt. Dan Morrison, with the Ohio State Highway Patrol. With Ohio legalizing the sale of recreational marijuana, its another element of the campaign that law enforcement is honing in on. More people are using marijuana. If you do use marijuana and you feel any effects of that, youre not to drive. Just because its legal to possess it doesnt mean you can drive after you smoke it, Morrison said. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's Ant Group posted a net profit of 12 billion yuan ($1.68 billion) for the three months to March 31, down 10.25% from a year earlier, Reuters calculations based on Alibaba Group Holdings' earnings released on Thursday showed. The e-commerce giant reports profit from Ant one quarter in arrears. Chinese authorities in July last year announced a fine of 7.12 billion yuan for Ant Group for violating laws concerning consumer protection and corporate governance, ending a years-long regulatory overhaul of the fintech company. Both groups were co-founded by Chinese billionaire Jack Ma. Alibaba holds a 33% stake in Ant. (Reporting by Casey Hall; editing by Jason Neely) MIAMI COUNTY, Ohio (WDTN) Another day, another scam to be wary of. The Miami County Sheriffs Office is warning residents of a new scam that is becoming more frequent in the area. Jury Duty scam targeting Darke County residents The office said on social media that the scam entails the victim receiving a phone call from the scammer claiming to be an employee of the Miami County Sheriffs Office. The scammer will leave a message saying that they need to discuss a legal matter with the receiver and will then provide them with a call back number. The sheriffs office says that these calls are not legitimate. Residents are reminded to not call a number given over a message without verifying it first. Calls can be verified by calling the records section at 937-440-6085 during business hours or the non-emergency dispatch center after business hours at 937-440-9911. It should also be noted that no member of the Miami County Sheriffs Office will call you and ask for your personal information or for you to provide any type of payment, the sheriffs office posted. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. (Stock photo from Westend61 via Getty Images) Its like something out of one of those old Mickey Rooney/Judy Garland musicals: Hey gang, my dads got a barn! Lets put on a show! Instead of putting on a show, the states Department of Education and some legislators are eager to follow in the footsteps of several school districts that have banned students from having cellphones in school. Hey gang, this sounds like a great idea! Lets make it a rule for everybody! The fact that the department and lawmakers are even talking about taking action on a cellphone ban for students underscores the myth of local control. Supposedly, each local school board is in charge of making its own rules and regulations. Thats true until some hot idea sweeps the Capitol, causing lawmakers and policymakers to hype each other into a frenzy and start making rules that apply to everyone, or in this case, every school district. What got the buzz going in legislative circles is the decision in some South Dakota school districts to prohibit students from using cellphones during the school day. Gettysburg, Kimball and Platte-Geddes are among the schools that have implemented this policy. Students phones will be placed in pouches that need to be opened with a magnetic key. In some cases, phones will remain available to students who need an app to monitor a medical condition. Schools are implementing this policy because, in many cases, students are too connected to social media. Administrators want their lunchrooms to be filled with student conversations, not just the sounds of chewing and tapping. (Its easy enough to consider someone else giving up their cellphone while you, ahem, read this column on your phone.) There have been some questions raised about whether this is the right way to get students to use their phones responsibly. With the phone locked in a bag, can they be responsible to an employer who needs to tell them about a schedule change? Can they be responsible to a parent who needs them to pick up younger siblings after school? Is hiding away their phones really the right way to teach them how to use social media responsibly? These questions arent stopping conversations from taking place about how to implement these kinds of policies in other schools. Conversations like that taking place at the legislative level means that someone will probably come up with a one-size-fits-all bill that forces this kind of policy on school districts, whether they want it or not. According to a story in The Dakota Scout, there has been talk about the school cellphone bans among members of the summer study committee on Artificial Intelligence and Regulation of Internet Access by Minors. According to Rep. Will Mortenson, a Pierre Republican, How to bring this about while respecting local control is the part were working through. Yes, theres the rub: how lawmakers can inflict their will on school districts while maintaining the myth of local control. Yes, theres the rub: how lawmakers can inflict their will on school districts while maintaining the myth of local control. Lawmakers love local control until they want to be the ones in control. School districts learned that lesson the hard way in the last legislative session when lawmakers decided the states school districts needed to implement a $45,000 minimum salary for teachers. Lawmakers mandated the salary, but failed to provide any extra funding for the 37 school districts that didnt yet meet the salary minimum. While some school districts are scrambling to find the funding to pay their teachers the legislatively enforced minimum salary, others will be looking for money to get them started on their own school-wide cellphone ban. According to The Dakota Scout, the Gettysburg School district needed about $4,000 to start the program. Maybe the school cellphone ban is a good idea. It certainly has generated some interest from educators and lawmakers. But just because its popular doesnt mean that it has to be the law in every school district. Lawmakers should fight their baser instinct to try to make everything right by passing a new law. Instead of mandating the school cellphone ban, they could consider funding it: Leave the decision about banning cellphones up to each school district, but start a fund those schools can tap to cover their costs. That would give a leg up to what may be a good idea for some schools while allowing school boards to go on believing that they are in control. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) On Thursday, State Rep. Justin Humphrey, R-Lane, called on Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Todd Hiett to resign. The call for resignation comes as allegations of sexual molestation and public drunkenness have taken a political spotlight on Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Hiett. Rep. Justin Humphrey stated in his latest public release that he believe it is time for more accountability from elected officials whom represent the State of Oklahoma. Humphreys went on to say that he is very disappointed and disgusted by the reported actions of Oklahoma corporation Commissioner Todd Hiett, after being accused by two witnesses of groping a man while attending a conference in Minnesota earlier this summer. According to Rep. Humphrey, Commissioner Hiett in light of the accusations admitted he has no memory of the incident and current no longer serves in the capacity of the chair position although Hiett still remains on the Corporation Commission while undergoing treatment. It is my understanding that additional reports of similar sorts of behavior by Commissioner Hiett are surfacing. Rep. Justin Humphrey, R-Lane Representative Humphrey continued in his latest release stating, I have devoted my life to helping others cope and overcome addiction. Can Oklahomans merely accept Hietts apology for his embarrassing actions and illegal behavior? Shouldnt our elected officials be held more accountable for illegal actions. Apologizing seems very insufficient for such an excessive severe abuse and conduct. Humphrey concluded saying, I am thankful the Corporation Commission is pursuing an independent investigation into this matter and commended Commissioner Hiett in taking the first step by relinquishing his chairmanship of the commission. However, Rep. Humphrey remained dead set on calling on Commissioner Heitt to do whats right and resign his office. If he refuses to act appropriately, I anticipate filing a resolution calling for his resignation. Rep. Justin Humphrey, R-Lane On Thursday evening, KFOR received this statement from Hiett: As I have stated, I have apologized for my abuse of alcohol, begun treatment, stepped aside as Chairman of this Commission, and will continue to cooperate fully with any ongoing personnel investigation being conducted by the appropriate body. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. KANSAS CITY, Mo. After the Board of County Commissioners Chairman Mike Kelly came to an assignment agreement with reStart Inc. last month for a 24/7 homeless center in Lenexa, the City of Lenexa City Staff have responded. According to a release on the citys website, and a statement from reStart, city staff will recommend the denial of the special use permit, which would turn a La Quinta Inn into a homeless center. That hotel is expected to close by the end of October 2024. 5 people charged in connection with Matthew Perrys death As is our customary process for Special Use Permit applications, the City of Lenexa verbally informed representatives for the proposed homeless service center in Lenexa of staffs intention to recommend denial of the pending application to the Planning Commission, said the citys statement. Staff is working on the report that will outline specific details of the recommendation of denial, which will be released on Aug. 22 as part of the packet for the Aug. 26 Planning Commission meeting. The Planning Commission will consider the SUP at their Aug. 26 meeting after hearing from the staff, applicant and members of the public. reStart, a company with 40 years of experience in fighting homelessness in Kansas City and the surrounding areas, responded with its own statement release. reStart believes that the proposed Homeless Services Center will meet a known community need and will benefit vulnerable populations throughout Johnson County, reads the statement. We also recognize this is a bold new approach, and therefore reStart and the county have worked diligently to address all questions and concerns raised by the city so far and will continue to do so. Lawrence Police make second big drug bust of August, two in one week The board action has already reallocated $3.7 million of funds, which were originally COVID-19 funds, to the project. However, without the special use permit that city staff are trying to reject, reStart will not be able to begin working. Staff is working on the report that will outline specific details of the recommendation of denial, which will be released on Aug. 22 as part of the packet for the Aug. 26 Planning Commission meeting, said Lenexas statement. The Planning Commission will consider the SUP at their Aug. 26 meeting after hearing from the staff, applicant and members of the public. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. The city of Lenexa is recommending that officials deny the request for a special use permit to operate a homeless shelter, potentially throwing a wrench in Johnson Countys ability to close on the sale of the hotel it wants to convert in a tight timeline. Last month, reStart, Inc., the Kansas City-based homeless services organization selected to own the site, submitted to the city of Lenexa an application for a permit to operate the hotel building as a shelter. Johnson County has committed roughly $10.5 million in federal funds toward purchasing and renovating the La Quinta Inn and Suites off of Interstate 35 and 95th Street. The permit is required to both close on the real estate purchase and to run the shelter. But the county and reStart are now facing a major roadblock as city staff has informed officials of the intention to recommend the application be rejected. Denise Rendina, city spokeswoman, declined to provide details explaining why the city is recommending the permit be denied. She said more information will be released next week, ahead of the planning commission considering the application at its Aug. 26 meeting. The council would vote on the request next, at its Sept. 17 meeting. Its unclear what criteria reStarts application fails to meet, or how easily the organization could address the citys concerns. Denial of the application could at least send officials back to the drawing board, pushing back the countys ambitious timeline for closing on the sale and opening the shelter as early as next year. Part of the timeline hinges on the countys deadline to spend federal COVID-19 relief funds, the money officials have dedicated to getting the project done. The county believes that the proposed Homeless Services Center will meet a known community need and will benefit vulnerable populations throughout Johnson County. We also recognize this is a bold new approach, and therefore reStart and the county have worked diligently to address all questions and concerns raised by the city so far and will continue to do so, Johnson County spokeswoman Anne Christiansen-Bullers told The Star in an email. We appreciate the ongoing collaboration with City of Lenexa staff throughout this process, and we respect the work they do on behalf of residents. The City of Lenexa is on the front line of meeting this community need. Lenexa officials consider special use permits using specific criteria, including the character of the neighborhood and how the project will affect nearby properties, the suitability of the property for the type of development, and gain to public health and safety. Lenexa added homeless shelters as an allowable use in its city code a few years ago, which made it possible for the nonprofit Project 1020 to operate its temporary winter shelter out of a church, plus laid out regulations for a potential permanent shelter. City officials made the move after Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist Church sued the city and won for its right to house the winter shelter. Under city code, applicants seeking special use permits for homeless shelters must provide the city with plans for the buildings layout, site plan, security, staffing, transportation, rules of conduct for guests and services provided. The applicant must also verify that it complies with all building and fire codes. Typically, city staff review such requests and work on revising it with the applicant until the project is considered ready to be reviewed by the planning commission. The commission will take the city staff recommendation and either approve the permit, approve it with conditions, or deny it. The request then goes to the city council, which can either approve the permit, with or without conditions, remand it back to the planning commission with directions on what should be reconsidered, or deny it. If the special use permit is denied, the same application cannot be resubmitted for one year, unless that rule is waived, according to the city. Plans include turning the hotel into a 50-bed shelter, with private rooms and bathrooms. Another part of the project would include 25 transitional housing units, to help residents move into permanent homes. The organization intends to provide residents with several resources, including access to health care, job opportunities and more. The beds would be for adults, as Johnson County lacks such a permanent shelter, while it does have some beds for families and women. Johnson Countys Point in Time Count this year a count of all people experiencing homelessness on one night in January showed there were 250 homeless people in the county, up from 180 in 2020. The majority, 85% were single adults, meaning they did not have children with them. The application also details that residents would only be allowed to stay at the shelter after being referred through the county system, which includes Johnson County Mental Health and other agencies. It includes details on parking, as well as security, such as a curfew for guests, full-time staffing, security cameras and bag searches. Meanwhile, Johnson County and reStart also are asking each city to contribute annual funding to help run the shelter in its first five years. Stephanie Boyer, CEO of reStart, said the $1.7 million needed annually to run the shelter would be funded mostly by grants and private donations, as well as revenue generated from services. But leaders are asking the county and its cities to help fund $500,000 of the annual operating cost. Johnson County has already committed $62,000 each year. A handful of cities including Leawood, Merriam, Fairway, Mission Hills, Mission Woods and Westwood Hills have agreed to pitch in. The Spring Hill City Council committed its share, but only for the first year, rather than the full five. The Edgerton City Council rejected the funding request, which would have had the city contributing $1,310 each year. The proposal seeks different amounts from each city, based on population. The countys most populous city, Overland Park, could provide $150,000 the first year. Olathe would be asked for $112,000, Shawnee for nearly $53,000, down to Mission Woods for $150. Misinformation thrives when local news dies. Local news is critical to keeping residents informed and holding government officials accountable. But thanks to dominant tech companies like Google and Meta, the local news industry in the U.S. and Canada is dying, helping misinformation thrive and accelerating the growth of news deserts (areas that lack local news source). In California, legislators are considering Oakland Asm. Buffy Wicks Assembly Bill 886, the California Journalism Preservation Act, which would require large tech companies like Google and Meta to compensate digital journalism providers for their California content. California legislators could learn a lesson from their neighbors up north. Last year, in an effort to help save local news, the Canadian Parliament passed The Online News Act. This groundbreaking new law requires dominant tech platforms to compensate news publishers for their content. Opinion Prior to the introduction of the act and in an effort to thwart it Google and Meta adopted a divide-and-conquer approach by doping deals with large publishers and leaving smaller independent publishers like me out in the cold. But tech giants should not be picking winners and losers. Months after the bill was enacted, to avoid being forced into arbitration under the law, Google agreed to pay Canadian publishers and broadcasters $100 million in Canadian revenue annually. Now, with a similar bill working its way through the California Legislature, I am speaking to you from the future, where news publishers are compensated fairly for the work their journalists produce and monies are reinvested in newsrooms. In Canada, the Online News Act has provided a lifeline for many news organizations. This financial support is not a handout; it is a recognition of the vital role that journalism plays in a democratic society. Its also a recognition of the vital role that our news stories play in making Google and Meta two of the largest companies in the world. As a small Canadian newspaper publisher and proud third-generation owner of Le Courrier de Saint-Hyacinthe the oldest French language newspaper in North America, founded in 1853 as well as several other newspapers in Quebec, Ive witnessed firsthand the challenges that local journalism faces. Before the Online News Act, advertising revenue had dwindled as it flowed toward the digital platforms, leading to newsroom closures, job losses and a decline in the quality and quantity of local news coverage. Our communities suffered as a result, becoming less informed and more susceptible to misinformation. The benefits of Canadas legislation will soon begin to materialize. Small- and medium-sized publishers will receive compensation needed to invest in quality fact-based, fact-checked journalism, allowing them to rebuild their newsrooms, foster investigative journalism and ensure that important local stories are told. Moreover, it will rebalance the power dynamic between news publishers and tech giants, ensuring that those who produce valuable content are paid what they are due. Drawing on lessons learned here in Canada, its clear that the California Journalism Preservation Act will be crucial for preserving the future of independent journalism. Passing the bill will compel tech platforms to pay for the journalism from which they benefit tremendously, providing essential funding to Californias news organizations. This, in turn, will help sustain and revitalize local journalism throughout the state, ensuring that communities remain informed and engaged. In an era of rampant misinformation, the importance of reliable, local journalism cannot be overstated. The California Journalism Preservation Act is a step toward ensuring that news organizations have the resources they need to continue serving their communities. Benoit Chartier is president and editor-in-chief of Le Courrier de Saint-Hyacinthe and chair of Hebdos Quebec. To the editor: First, let's distinguish what an abortion is and isn't. An abortion is the termination of a viable pregnancy for medical or personal reasons. Proper management of an ectopic pregnancy is not an abortion, because the embryo is not viable. ("Dozens of pregnant women, some bleeding or in labor, being turned away from ERs despite federal law," Aug. 12) Yes, the diagnosis of an ectopic pregnancy, which can have devastating consequences for the patient, is not always clear. Inserting a needle into the abdominal cavity (easily done in an emergency room) can determine if there is blood, which would constitute a surgical emergency. I remember one woman whose doctor delayed her surgery; she died from internal bleeding as she was finally being put on the operating room table. I find it unconscionable that an ER doctor would send away a patient suspected of having an ectopic pregnancy because the physician is scared of possibly receiving jail time. Texas law shields doctors from prosecution for terminating an ectopic pregnancy, even if the diagnosis is incorrect. Still, I fault Texas and other states for putting this fear into doctors because of their zeal to stop all abortions, despite the lawmakers' lack of medical knowledge of the repercussions of their edicts. Do we want the fate of these women and girls to be in the hands of these ideological politicians and antiabortion zealots? Or do we want it in the hands of doctors who know the realities here and how to save their patients' lives? J. Kelly Mantis, M.D., Manhattan Beach .. To the editor: The Associated Press article about women being sent home from emergency rooms while suffering miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies ran on Page A4 of the print edition. It should have been on the front page. This religious-based idiocy perpetrated in red states by the supposed pro-family party has resulted in women possibly losing their ability to have children because doctors and hospitals are afraid to run afoul of these antiabortion laws. Please, think twice before you vote Republican. Janet Cerswell, Rancho Cucamonga This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Sen. Van Wanggaard, chair of the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, listens to testimony at an informational hearing Aug. 6 on conditions at Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake youth correctional facilities. (Screenshot | WisEye) Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and Republican legislators are at odds over a consent decree that has mandated change at Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake Schools, juvenile correctional facilities in Irma, Wisconsin. In 2018, the state of Wisconsin settled J.J. vs. Litscher, a class action lawsuit against Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Wisconsin, the Juvenile Law Center and Quarles & Brady. The lawsuit was filed over cruel conditions children encountered there, including painful pepper spray, extended solitary confinement, humiliating strip searches, and oppressive arm and leg restraints, the ACLU has said. The settlement resulted in an agreement mandating changes. Evers said his administration is in partial compliance with all items of the consent decree and substantial compliance with 43 out of 50. After the death of youth counselor Cory Proulx in an assault at Lincoln Hills and testimony about staff safety concerns at a state Senate hearing, Republican legislators asked Department of Corrections Secretary-Designee Jared Hoy to petition United States District Court Judge James Peterson to revisit and revise the consent decree and permanent injunction requirements. The letter bore the signatures of the Republican members of the Assembly Committee on Corrections and the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety. In their letter to Hoy on Aug. 8, legislators said Lincoln Hills has become less safe since the consent decree went into effect. They said that no one wants to return to the conditions at Lincoln Hills that required the consent decree to happen, but said it appears that we may have reached the point where attempting to be fully compliant with the consent decree is causing more harm than good. They said the consent decree has greatly limited the tools available to Lincoln Hills staff to ensure their safety, and the safety of the inmates at the facility. In a letter to Peterson on Aug. 14, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers made a case for not revisiting and revising the consent decree. He said the consent decree exists because the conditions at Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake under the Walker-Kleefisch Administration were inhumane and unlawful. Evers said the consent decree increases safety for youth and helps keep staff safe. As you know from the monitors reporting over the last five years, our administration has made important progress at Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake Schoolsprogress that, most especially given the state of these facilities when I took office, I am incredibly proud we have accomplished, Evers wrote. Scott Kelly, staff for Sen. Van Wanggaard, the chair of the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, said Evers is trying to cover up his administrations mismanagement of Lincoln Hills by blaming the situation on the [former] Governor Walker. As a result, Governor Evers is doubling down on a policy that is so clearly making Lincoln Hills less safe for inmates and staff, Kelly said in an email response to a request for comment about Evers letter. In a statement, the Wisconsin ACLU and the Juvenile Law Center said the consent decree must be fully implemented to ensure the safety of the staff and youth at Lincoln Hills. In the long term, they said, it is clear that Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake must close. David Gwidt, deputy communications director for the ACLU of Wisconsin, sent the Examiner the statement for the organizations. The death of Lincoln Hills counselor Corey Proulx is a terrible tragedy, the organizations said. Any loss of life at Lincoln Hills whether a staff member or a child incarcerated there is heartbreaking, and everyone at the facility deserves safety. But rolling back the reforms made at Wisconsins youth prisons will not lead to more safety. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Small commodity hub fuels China-Africa trade Xinhua) 08:14, August 15, 2024 Tao Juying, an executive of Zhejiang Yilingnuo Technology Co., Ltd., introduces products to a customer from Africa in Yiwu City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Aug. 12, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Mingxiang) HANGZHOU, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- At Yiwu Finder Import and Export Co., Ltd. in Yiwu City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Ai Bin busily loads two containers bound for Zambia and Ethiopia with various products, including small welding machines, tile cutters and pliers. "Africa is our main market and currently we ship out containers almost daily," said Ai, the company's sales department manager. With an abundant variety of commodities, convenient and fast logistics, and a good business environment, Yiwu is often referred to as "the world's supermarket." China has remained Africa's largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years, with bilateral trade reaching a record 282.1 billion U.S. dollars in 2023, according to the Ministry of Commerce. Thanks to growing China-Africa trade relations, the city's exports to Africa make up about one twelfth of China's total exports to the region in 2023, while its imports from Africa are increasing. In the first half of this year, Yiwu's imports and exports to Africa reached 57.83 billion yuan, up 17.1 percent year on year. "As Africa undergoes industrialization and urbanization, many countries and regions require an extensive supply of construction and agricultural equipment, presenting significant business opportunities," said Deng Chaofeng, general manager of Zhejiang International Trade Supply Chain Service Co., Ltd. "We rely on cost-effective products and good after-sales service to attract more customers," Deng added. Currently, over 560,000 overseas merchants make purchases in Yiwu each year, with African traders representing more than 10 percent of that number. Tirera Sourakhata, a merchant from Senegal, introduces his products in Yiwu City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Aug. 12, 2024. (Xinhua/Shang Yiying) Additionally, over 3,000 merchants from Africa reside in Yiwu. Tirera Sourakhata, originally from Senegal, is one of them. After living in Yiwu for 21 years, he even speaks Mandarin with a strong Yiwu accent. "I source various daily necessities from Yiwu and even purchase relatively affordable new energy vehicles for my clients from Africa. The products are highly popular with local governments and businesses," said Sourakhata. To help Yiwu businesses better engage in international trade, the city has innovatively created a digital trade platform accessible via www.chinagoods.com, assisting merchants in building overseas networks and connecting with global trade partners. The platform can even leverage AI technology to help business owners create and enhance product videos and translate Chinese versions into 36 languages. "With the platform, our exports to the African market increased by over 30 percent last year," said Tao Juying, an executive of Zhejiang Yilingnuo Technology Co., Ltd., adding that the cutting-edge technology allows the company to reach more customers. "Today, African countries are seeking higher-quality Chinese products to replace old ones and meet consumers' demand for niche products, creating vast market potential. We are very optimistic about the future of China-Africa trade cooperation," said Huang Junqiao, an official with the commerce bureau of Yiwu. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) BI Homebuyers that wait for lower mortgage rates will pay more for the house, Barbara Corcoran said. She told Bloomberg TV that there's a tremendous amount of demand waiting for lower rates. Previously, she said that prices could jump as much as 10% once rates hit 6%. With the decline in mortgage rates picking up steam, sidelined homebuyers are likely anticipating a more affordable market. If that's the case, they should brace for disappointment, Barbara Corcoran told Bloomberg TV. The "Shark Tank" star advised prospective buyers to instead enter the market now, without waiting for lower borrowing costs. She told Bloomberg that when mortgage rates slip just one more point, it will unleash a wave of "tremendous demand" that will only add to unaffordability pressures. "You need one more point to bring everybody out into the market, and what's going to happen is you're going to pay more for the house," she said. According to Freddie Mac, the 30-year mortgage rate dropped to 6.47% last week, marking its lowest level since May 2023. Rates have been elevated for years now amid tighter monetary policy, discouraging both buyers and owners from participating in the market. Consumers have also stayed back due to a lack of both existing and new housing supply, which has contributed to runaway price appreciation. In the second quarter, the median single-family home and condo price surged to a new high of $360,000, data from ATTOM showed last month. The same report found that mortgage payments, insurance, and property taxes also boosted housing costs to a record $2,114. In this context, it might be tempting to think that the better time to buy will come once mortgage rates drop. But every homebuyer is thinking this, Corcoran said. In March, she outlined that home prices could jump as much as 8%-10% once mortgage rates reach 6%. Therefore, buyers should snap up a property now, as they're likely paying costs in the form of rent, anyways. "If you have any way of getting cash together and getting into the market and buying a house and getting out of a rental, which is tempting to keep because it's a little cheaper, don't do it," she said similarly in December. "Buy yourself a house." Bank of America similarly told Business Insider that it's a bad idea to try and time the market. It noted high mortgage rates can always be refinanced once these borrowing costs drop. Read the original article on Business Insider His life was transformed through faith and education. Now he aims to give back to others A Stillwater veteran who spent more than 45 years in and out of prison aims to help others now that his life has been transformed through faith and education at a local Christian university. Keith Barton, 67, said he became connected to a prison ministry while he was incarcerated and he began studying the Bible, finding love, hope and purpose. Eventually, he began leading a prison Bible study and it was after teaching a Bible lesson to his fellow inmates one evening, that he realized the Lord was offering him a choice on how to live once he was released. He could go back to the criminal lifestyle he'd maintained off and on since he was in his late teens, or he could do something completely different. "The Lord was giving me an opportunity to straighten out my life and I knew that if I didn't get out and get connected with the church, that I was going to end up back in there prison," Barton said. "That's the options I was looking at, either spending the rest of my life in a penitentiary, ending up dead, or doing something for the Lord." More: Good heavens, Batman! A comic book store is the latest United Methodist outreach ministry When he said goodbye to prison for good, he enrolled in Mid-America Christian University. He graduated from the university in May, almost 50 years after graduating from high school. Through his Christian faith, his university education and the fellowship of the Rev. Calvin Miller and Stillwater's New Zion Missionary Baptist Church, Barton decided he would return to prison one day to share his testimony. He now visits the Oklahoma County jail as a member of New Zion's outreach team, determined to tell inmates that he has been in their shoes and that he comes offering help and hope. Mid-America Christian University graduate Keith Barton is pictured outside the Oklahoma County jail in Oklahoma City, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. A committed student Barton graduated from MACU in May with a 3.9 grade average and a bachelor of science in Christian ministries. He was selected as Online Student of the Year for the university's Christian ministries program, and Julie Nance, associate professor and program director for the university's school of Christian ministries, had good things to say about him. "Keith Barton is one of those rare students who comes along that you hate to see graduate because of the joy they bring to each course," Nance said. Mid-America Christian University graduate Keith Barton is pictured outside the Oklahoma County jail in Oklahoma City, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. She said he was a "superb thinker and researcher" who demonstrates his passion for God's word through prison ministry. "His life experiences help him connect with the inmates and provide a pathway for them to trust his Gospel message," Nance said. More: Thrift store ministry offers help and reset to those in need: 'One heck of a blessing' "We often shared in great bantering sessions throughout the weekly discussions. I appreciated how he pushed me on the course topics. I was always excited when he was enrolled in the next course I taught. I can't wait to see what comes next for Mr. Barton as he pursues graduate work. I hope that, someday, he can come back as an instructor for MACU." Mid-America Christian University graduate Keith Barton stands outside the Oklahoma County jail in Oklahoma City. BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN Barton said he does intend to return to his university studies, this time in pursuit of a master's degree in divinity specializing in biblical studies. He said he'll continue going to the jail to offer support and guidance to inmates. And, he hopes to create a ministry for young people in juvenile detention. Barton said he wants to prevent young people from making some of the mistakes he made. The recent graduate said his children often tell him that they are proud of him. He said he has told them that any praise and gratitude for his transformed life belongs to God. "I'm doing all this for the Lord," Barton said. "I want to give him the best that I can because he's given me the best that he can." This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Former Oklahoma inmate offers hope, guidance as prison minister Lithuania bans entry to all cars registered in Belarus starting from Friday All cars registered in Belarus will be banned from entering Lithuania starting from 16 August, the State Border Committee of Belarus has announced. Source: European Pravda Details: The ban applies to all passenger cars, regardless of the owner's or driver's nationality. European Pravda reiterates that the restriction on the entry of passenger vehicles registered in Belarus into Lithuania, introduced on 18 July, did not apply to cars not intended for sale or to cars owned by Belarusian citizens holding a valid visa or temporary/permanent residence permit in the EU. As of Friday, the ban applies to all cars registered in Belarus. Background: Cars with Belarusian registration plates cannot enter Latvia starting from 16 July. Following Latvia and Lithuania, Estonia has also banned the entry of cars with Belarusian registration plates. Support UP or become our patron! The latest batch of military aid to Ukraine. Photo: Lithuania's Ministry of National Defence Lithuania's Ministry of National Defence reported on Thursday, 15 August, that it had sent another batch of military aid to Ukraine. Source: European Pravda Details: Ukraine received forklifts, trailers and folding beds for its Armed Forces from Lithuania on Thursday. Background: In August, Ukraine will receive 14 M113 armoured personnel carriers, short-range air defence systems and missiles, electronic warfare equipment, off-road vehicles with spare parts, tractor trucks, forklift systems, small arms and ammunition and spare parts. Lithuania's National Defence Ministry reports that the country has provided Ukraine with military assistance worth over 641 million since the start of the full-scale war. Lithuania's overall support for Ukraine is long-term and has exceeded 1 billion. Earlier, it was reported that combat drones from five Lithuanian manufacturers had been tested by Ukraine's Defence Ministry in battlefield conditions and would be sent to Ukraine in September. Support UP or become our patron! TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) We are staying Rooted in Progress and there is a lot of progress underway in the city of St. Petersburg. From the redevelopment of the historic Gas Plant District and Rays stadium deal to affordable housing and the rise in crime among youth. With all the change and the future of the city on the rise, we wanted to bring this straight to the kitchen table and address the citys top leader: Mayor Ken Welch. Mayor Welch joins hosts Deanne King and Terrance Middlebrooks in this episode to discuss these very important topics. We also open up the conversation to you. During this show, the community shares their pressuring concerns and questions as the mayor answers them live in real time. The mayor suggests that if you would like to further discuss these matters with him, email his office at mayor@stpete.org We also get to know Mayor Welch outside of being a city official, as he celebrates his 60th birthday with us. Can you guess what his favorite restaurant is in Pinellas County? Tune in to find out! Be sure to check out the full episode of Rooted in Progress at 11 a.m. on WFLA.com, the WFLA app, and join the conversation on the WFLA Facebook page. You can also catch up on past episodes on any platform where podcasts are streamed. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. If you live in this metro county, you will now get charged to challenge someones voter eligibility The board of elections in one of metro Atlantas largest counties says it will start charging people who challenge the eligibility of voters. At the weeks meeting, the Cobb County Board of Elections for 4-1 on the measure, with a Republican member voting against the move. The new rule comes as Republican activists are challenging thousands of voters in Georgia as part of a wide-ranging national effort coordinated by former President Donald Trumps allies to take names off voting rolls. Most of the people they are targeting have moved away from their old addresses, and the activists argue that letting those names stay on the rolls invites fraud. But Democrats and liberal voting rights activists argue Republicans are challenging voters either to remove Democrats or to sow doubt about the accuracy of elections in advance of the 2024 presidential election. Democrats have been pushing to start charging for each challenge filed, in part as an effort to deter people from targeting hundreds or thousands of voters using software programs such as EagleAI or IV3 that facilitate mass challenges. TRENDING STORIES: A 2021 Georgia law specifically says one person can challenge an unlimited number of voters in their own county. The board voted to charge for the cost of printing the challenge notice and for postage to mail it, likely to be less than a dollar per challenge. But that could add up. Cobb County Elections Director Tate Fall estimated that it cost about $1,600 to mail out notices from one batch of 2,472 challenges filed last month. Democrats have also wanted counties to charge challengers for staff time to research and process challenges. But Daniel White, a lawyer for the board, said Tuesday that he concluded that the board couldnt do that unless state law is changed to grant specific authorization. However, he said he concluded the board has the inherent power to charge for sending notices, in the same way, a court has the inherent power to charge someone for serving notice of a lawsuit on the defendants. If youre talking about 3,000 voters being challenged and notice having to go out to 3,000 voters being challenged, that really increases your costs, White said. But Republicans opposed the measure. Debbie Fisher, a Republican member of the board, called the measure egregious and just wrong to charge people for exercising their challenge rights. Cobb County Republican Party Chairwoman Salleigh Grubbs said the board is failing to do its job of ensuring clean voter rolls, while challengers are stepping in to help. When the Board of Elections is trying to charge people for doing the job they should be doing, thats a disgrace, Grubbs said. Counties are making rules in part because the state hasnt issued guidelines to counties on handling challenges. Thats leading to differences in how counties handle the same types of challenges. A new law that took effect July 1 could lead to a surge in challenges by making it easier for challengers to meet the legal burden of removing someone. Some groups have sued to block the Georgia measure, arguing it violates federal law. The Associated Press contributed to this article. RELATED NEWS: Update 10:11 p.m. A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Douglas, Jackson, Jefferson, Osage Shawnee and Wabaunsee Counties until 11 p.m. Update 9:53 p.m. The National Weather Service continued a severe thunderstorm warning for Jackson, Jefferson, Osage, Pottawatomie, Shawnee and Wabaunsee Counties until 10:15 p.m. Kansas Museum of History gets new look, set to open in 2025 Update 9:43 p.m. The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Osage, Shawnee and Wabaunsee Counties until 10:15 p.m. Update 9:33 p.m. The National Weather Service issued a Flood Advisory for Marshall, Nemaha and Pottawatomie Counties. Update 9:32 p.m. The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Jefferson and Shawnee Counties. Update 9:02 p.m. The National Weather Service canceled the tornado warning for Jackson and Pottawatomie Counties. Update 8:45 p.m. The National Weather Service extended the tornado warning for Jackson and Pottawatomie Counties until 9:15 p.m. Update 9:40 p.m.: A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Morris County until 9 p.m. East Topeka apartments condemned after carbon monoxide leak, raw sewage found Update 8:10 p.m. A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Riley, Pottawatomie and Marshall Counties. The warning is in effect until 8:45 p.m. A tornado warning has been issued for Jackson, Nemaha and Pottawatomie Counties until 8:45 p.m. Update 7:59 p.m.: The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Clay County until 8:15 p.m. Update 7:44 p.m. The tornado warning for Marshall and Pottawatomie Counties has extended, and Nemaha County is now included in the tornado warning. This warning is in effect until 8:15 p.m. Update 7:12 p.m.: A tornado warning has been issued for Marshall and Pottawatomie Counties. The warning is in effect until 7:45 p.m. Update 6:59 p.m.: The tornado warning for Marshall County will expire at 7 p.m. A Severe thunderstorm warning is still in effect for Marshall and Washington Counties. Update 6:43 p.m. A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Marshall, Riley and Washington Counties. With this storm comes 60 mile per hour wind and half dollar-sided hail. This warning is issued until 7 p.m. Update 6:24 p.m.: A tornado warning has been issued for Washington and Marshall Counties. This storm is capable of producing a tornado, ping pong ball size hail and 60 mile per hour wind gusts. The warning is in effect until 7 p.m. TOPEKA (KSNT) The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a tornado warning for a northeast Kansas County. The NWS issued a tornado warning for Washington County. This warning will be in effect until 6:45 p.m. This storm is capable of producing a tornado near Linn, as well as ping pong ball size hail. For more weather news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. The LJD Jewish Family & Community Services (JFCS) announced it has launched its annual Match Challenge. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< Until Sept. 30, the Block Family will match every dollar donated to the Max Block Food Pantry. This effectively doubles the impact of every contribution. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] The need for food in the Jacksonville community has grown exponentially, with the Max Food Pantry serving almost 32,000 people last fiscal year -- a significant increase from the 19,000 individuals served the year before, JFCS said in a statement. All monetary donations will be used to stock the pantry with essential food items for local residents in need. Also doubling is the Max Block Food Pantry itself. JFCS said the expansion and renovation is set to be completed by early October. The facility will double its size, allowing more shelf space for donations, increased refrigerator capacity, a new walk-in freezer, and even a pet supply shelf. JFCS wants to remind everyone that while money being accepted through Sept. 30, non-perishable donations are also accepted. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. Local charity raises money for new shoes and hot meals PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) A local charity helps put people back on their feet. In June, WMBD highlighted a CI Hero making a difference close to home. Now because of his mission, more than 50 people will have new shoes and a hot meal. Nicholas Delgado of Morton made his vision a reality when he collaborated with the Salvation Army in Peoria to make the Going The Distance 5K Walk/Run. In its second year, the charity raises money and collects shoes through a shoe drive for the Salvation Army shelters. This year the Going The Distance charity saw a donation value of more than $5,000, with the charity raising more than $16,000 in the last two years. Salvation Army Peoria wrote on their Facebook page to Nicholas, Your incredible efforts have once again made a profound impact. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com. ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) The Democratic National Convention begins Monday as delegates from around the country will travel to the United Center in Chicago for the four-day event. After President Joe Biden stepped out of the race in July, there has been a heightened interest in this years event. There will be 119 delegates from Virginia among the thousands in attendance. According to the Democratic Party of Virginia, all 119 delegates have already voted to nominate Kamala Harris. Virginia senatorial debate to air live on Oct. 2 I think were all very unified as delegates, said Josh Throneburg, a delegate from Virginias Fifth District who is making his first appearance at the DNC. I think democrats across the state are very unified. Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea Sr. will also be at the DNC as a first-time attendee. He feels confident in Harris position as the Democratic nominee. Shes the right person at the right time and were excited about that, he said. I have all the confidence in the world that she will show out well. Questions remain regarding how she will introduce herself to the nation and position herself in relation to her predecessor, President Biden. Your Local Election HQ on WFXRtv.com How does she put together the various positions and performances and policies of the Biden administration into a continuous package that becomes more clearly a Harris administration, questioned Dr. Karen Hult, a professor of political science at Virginia Tech. Throneburg is confident in her ability to make the most of the opportunity. Donald Trump is known and very few people are changing their minds on him, he said. [Harris] is not as well known so there is a downside if she doesnt do well but there is a huge upside if she comes out and really defines herself well. While Harris will be the star, President Biden will also be in attendance and could receive the loudest cheers of the week. In the minds of Democrats, hes actually been an unbelievably productive president and he made the selfless decision to help move the party forward, said Throneburg. Harris narrowly leads Trump in nearly all battleground states: Cook poll The other key figure will be Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who was announced as Harris running mate in early August. Weve gotten to know him, said Lea Sr. The country has gotten to know him and I think he has really enhanced the ticket. Harris will officially accept the nomination next Thursday, the final day of the event. The Democratic ticket will then focus back on the campaign trail with eyes on the general election matchup against the Republican ticket of Donald Trump and J.D. Vance. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv. CARTER COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL)In March, the Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI) and the Tennessee State Fire Marshalls Office (SFMO) announced that 104 rescue squads across the state would receive grants totaling $3 million through the Rescue Squad Grant Program. The Carter County Emergency and Rescue Squad received $24,681 from the program. Deputy Director Nancy Garrison said the grant money goes towards expenses not covered by the county. PHOTOS: Local response teams return home following Debby relief efforts We get some funding from our EMS side where we bill for services, said Garrison. We also get some funding from the county and the city. But anything thats extra, all of the rescue equipment is expensive. And when things need to be replaced, thats a lot of our budget that we dont really have in our budget for. Garrison added that they were thankful to receive any grant money. We werent sure we were going to qualify because not everyone in the area who applied did receive any grant money, said Garrison. We were really happy to learn that we had gotten everything we had applied for. Garrison said their grant money went towards purchasing outdated equipment, including their cutters. The ones we had were hydraulic, said Garrison. So they required a generator to be operating and all the lines and for there to not be leaks. So were replacing them all with battery-powered electronic tools that are a lot more portable. And we have extra batteries with them as well. Other squads receiving grants include Johnson County EMS and Ambulance Service, Bluff City Rescue Squad and the Unicoi County Emergency Management. A complete list of qualifying rescue squads and volunteer fire departments can be found below: Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. View of a logo with the word "Boeing" on a hall at the Boeing distribution center. Georg Wendt/dpa Israel's flagship carrier, EL AL, finalized an order for up to 31 737 MAX jets with US manufacturer Boeing, the two airlines said in a press statement released on Thursday. In the order, EL AL chose 737 MAX to modernize and grow its single-aisle fleet, according to the statement. The order supports the airline's plans to renew its fleet of Next-Generation 737 aeroplanes. With the 737 MAX family, the airline is expected to achieve the best per-seat economics in its class, improved environmental performance and increased passenger comfort, the statement said. The 737 MAX will also reduce fuel use and emissions 20% compared to the aeroplanes it replaces and have a 50% smaller noise footprint. Boeing noted that the 737 MAX order is EL AL's largest airplane purchase in its 76-year history. EL AL earlier this year had purchased three additional 787-9 aeroplanes with options for six more, as the airline further expands its 787 Dreamliner fleet. The carrier will take delivery of a new 787-9 this year and plans to receive two more new 787-9s on lease in the coming years. Dina Ben-Tal Ganancia,chief executive at EL AL Israel Airlines, said, "This is a significant milestone for EL AL, which will allow us to offer our customers the most advanced service and technology experience in the industry. "The implementation of the long-term procurement plan, which began with the purchase of additional 787 Dreamliners earlier this year and culminates in the current deal, once again demonstrates our commitment to the Israeli public and the state." One of the worst consequences of lockdown has been its impact on children. The chief economist of the World Bank has described the closure of schools in both advanced and developing countries as the biggest mistake of the pandemic. Academic studies suggest children lost roughly a third of what they would have learned in a normal school year. But decisions made four years ago are now spilling over into the benefits system, with consequences both for children and the taxpayer. There has been a huge rise in parents claiming disability living allowance (DLA), with behavioural disorders in boys one of the biggest drivers of the increase. Only parents of children under 16 can make a new DLA claim. And parents of sons are twice as likely to be claiming the benefit as those of daughters. More than 730,000 under-18s are now the subject of DLA. This is up by almost 40pc since November 2019, when the number of claimants stood at 534,000, according to figures published by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Dig a bit deeper and one of the most startling statistics is that parents of children with behavioural disorders have seen the biggest rise in claims since lockdown, with claims rising much faster than for children with ADHD or autism. Payments to support children with behavioural disorders have more than doubled to 182,000 since before the pandemic. DWP does not have a single definition of behavioural disorders. But experts say oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is one example. NHS guidance says children with ODD are more likely to be stubborn and ignore instructions from adults, while they can also be hostile and prone to outbursts of anger. Another example is conduct disorder, a more aggressive form that is often diagnosed in teenagers. More than 120,000 parents of sons with a behavioural disorder were receiving DLA in Feb 2024, compared with just under 62,000 girls. Boys aged between five and 10 years old are the most common subjects of claims. DWP data show the parents of 63,132 boys aged between five and 10 are claiming DLA to support children for this reason. However, DWP figures also show nearly 30,000 children under five are receiving benefits for severe behavioural disorders, with numbers trebling in the wake of the Covid lockdowns. Dr Jen Lamacq is helping children to deal with the consequences of lockdown every day. The child psychologist specialises in helping primary school children, but says the problem among young boys cannot be ignored. Lamacq says its often not until boys are teenagers that they can articulate their problems. Particularly among older boys, who are more able to tell their story, a lot of them identify lockdown it happened when they were in year five or year six, when they were aged nine, 10 and 11 as being a time when everything started going wrong for them. They really remember being unhappy and miserable and frustrated and missing out on things which were really important to them. And what I hear from those children is that they never got back on track. In terms of benefit claims, the trends are clear. In 2002, around 2.5pc of school-age children received a disability benefit, but by 2022, that had increased to roughly 7pc. Thats the equivalent of a couple of children in every single classroom across the country claiming DLA. There are 497,000 boys who are subject of a DLA claim, compared with 241,000 girls, with the split roughly unchanged over time. The cost of paying these benefits is mounting. DLA payments can rise to a maximum of 9,583 a year for children with the most severe conditions. Parents who successfully claim DLA are also eligible for at least an extra 1,873 top-up per year in Universal Credit, which rises to 5,851 for children with the most severe disabilities. They are not subject to the benefit cap of up to 25,323 a year in London and just over 22,000 outside the capital. DWP forecasts show taxpayers will be footing a 5.7bn DLA bill by the end of the decade, up from 4.2bn this year and more than double (in real terms) the 2.75bn spent on the benefit in the year before the pandemic. Louise Murphy, an economist at the Resolution Foundation, says there is a clear incentive for parents to apply. Its a really high stakes kind of decision to be awarded these benefits because it can have such a transformational impact on peoples incomes and experience claiming benefits, so any rational parent of a child with a disability would go through that application process. A government spokesman said it was committed to ensuring parents with children with disabilities are supported fairly. Nicky Wright, a lecturer in psychology at Manchester Metropolitan University, says the erosion of public services to help parents and children has also played a role. Ten or 15 years ago a child could be referred to mental health services for behavioural problems and receive parent training, which is an intervention thats been shown to be effective to reduce behavioural problems, she says. And now there are very few services across the country that are actually offering parent training. One example she cites is The Incredible Years, an early intervention program designed to prevent, reduce and treat behavioural and emotional problems in young children. It used to be funded through the NHS. Today much of that funding has been stripped back. Wright, co-author of the The Wirral Child Health & Development Study that showed teenage boys were hit hardest by the Covid lockdown, says there has been a clear impact on them. One reason why it looks like girls are more affected by lockdown is because depression in girls rapidly increases in early adolescence, she says. So thats why we had to do this analysis that separated out the effects of ageing from time, because between 11 to 14, girls depression rates massively increase. So its not that girls are not suffering more, its just that this increase found in other studies would have happened anyway with age, and the pandemic hasnt added to that. Whereas in boys, typically their mental health problems should decrease with age, because boys typically have more problems in childhood, and then their ability to regulate increases with adolescence and [boys] experience a decrease in problems in adolescence. She also cites a famous study in New Zealand that showed those who exhibit persistent conduct problems in childhood tend to use significantly more services as adults than those with low levels of childhood conduct problems. Wright says: Theres very good evidence that there are some children who show early onset behavioural problems who then have life-long persistent problems. And these children will go on to have the problems that are the most costly to society, in terms of contacts with the criminal justice system, health and social care, and unemployment and receipt of benefits. So childhood conduct problems have been shown to be very predictive of poor future outcomes. Lamacq fears the scars of lockdown run deep. One of the most common problems she sees today are what she describes as emotional regulation difficulties, which generally manifest as angry outbursts, anxiety and depression. It forms a barrier to so many areas in life learning, making friendships and all the things that you would expect a child or young person to experience, she says. The whole point of lockdown is that we didnt see other people. And one thing about children is that being outdoors, being able to play, having freedom, having social connections, all of those things are really essential for development, and children just didnt have that. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. London man arrested, nearly a pound of drugs seized in trafficking investigation LONDON, Ky. (FOX 56) London police seized nearly a pound of methamphetamine along with multiple bags of marijuana, scales, and scales while serving an arrest warrant on Tuesday. The London Police Department (LPD) posted on Facebook Wednesday that officers went to a home on the 300 block of Morgan Street in London to serve an arrest warrant on 44-year-old Robert Laws. 3 arrested in connection to Pulaski County shooting investigation According to court documents, when the LPD arrived, officers saw Laws inside the home holding a crystal-like substance. Police then announced their presence and entered the home, where Laws was holding a knife. A police report said Laws was handcuffed and the LPD searched the home, where officers found approximately a pound of suspected methamphetamine, two scales, pipes, dozens of empty baggies, six bags of marijuana, and a cell phone. The London Police Department said officers seized nearly a pound of meth and multiple bags of marijuana on Tuesday, as well as drug paraphernalia and a cell phone. (London Police Department) 44-year-old Robert Laws was lodged in the Laurel County Detention Center on Tuesday. (London Police Department) According to London police, Laws was arrested outside the home and charged with: First-degree trafficking in a controlled substancefirst offense Trafficking in marijuana first offense Possession of drug paraphernalia Laws was lodged in the Laurel County Detention Center. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News. Legislators in Nassau County, New York approved a controversial bill banning people from using masks as a means to disguise or conceal their identity. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman signed the bill into law at a public event on Wednesday. The County Legislature approved it last week in a vote that saw all 12 Republicans voting in favor while all seven Democrats abstained. Take your mask off. Dont be a coward, Blakeman said at a press conference after the signing, insisting that this is a bill that is going to protect the public. The bill was drafted by Nassau County Legislator Mazi Melesa Pilip, a Republican who was once drafted by the state party to run in the special election to replace expelled Rep. George Santos. According to the bill, wearing a mask to conceal your identity will now be classified as a misdemeanor, punishable by up to $1,000 in fines and up to one year in prison. Ben Afflecks Daughter Violet Demands Mask Mandates in L.A. Hospitals The ban extends to all people on a sidewalk, walkway, alley, street, road, highway or other public right-of-way or public property, the law states. It also extends the ban to private property without the consent of the owner or tenant. It also gives police officers the ability to force drivers to remove masks during traffic stops if they suspect the wearer is committing or intends to commit a crime. The bill includes carve-outs for people wearing a mask for health or safety of the wearer, as well as religious or cultural purposes, and people celebrating a holiday where the wearing of masks or facial coverings are customarily worn. Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams have voiced support for similar bans on masked protestersat least in the subway. Hochul floated the idea for a mask ban in the New York City subway in June in the wake of antisemitic incidents linked to some pro-Palestinian protesters, including an incident where masked demonstrators chanted raise your hand if you're a Zionist to subway riders. Youre sitting on a subway train and someone puts on a mask like this and comes inyou dont know if theyre going to be committing a crime, theyre going to have a gun, or whether theyre just going to be threatening or intimidating you because you are Jewish, which is exactly what happened the other day, the governor said in an interview with CNN. Absolutely unacceptable in the State of New York. Hochul later softened her stance, telling the New York Post she would rather support an enhanced penalty for criminals wearing masks. The New York Civil Liberties Union, who have also opposed the bans proposed by Adams and Hochul, said Blakeman was waging a culture war over protecting the rights and well-being of his own residents. The bans so-called health and religious exceptions will result in police officerswho are not medical or religious experts, but who do have a track record of racially-biased enforcementto determine who needs a mask and who doesnt, and who goes to jail, NYCLU Director Susan Gottehrer said in a statement sent to the Daily Beast. Surprisingly, New York state already had a mask ban until very recentlyan archaic law passed in 1845 as a response to the Anti-Rent Wars that took place in the Hudson Valley and Albany County. The NYPD has occasionally used this statute to prosecute protesters, including anti-Vietnam War protesters in the 1960s and Occupy Wall Street protesters wearing Guy Fawkes masks in 2011. The law was repealed by former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2020 during the height of the pandemic. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. A teacher who has worked for more than two decades at a Murrieta middle school was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of sexually abusing two minors. Police are now seeking other potential victims. Wayne Kenneth Conklin, a 50-year-old teacher at Thompson Middle School, is accused of sexually abusing two minors at a home in Murrieta in 2016. Police said they became aware of the allegations on July 16. Conklin was arrested Wednesday morning on three felony charges: lewd or lascivious acts on a child younger than 14, continual sexual abuse of multiple victims and discouraging a witness or victim from reporting to police. He was booked into the Cois M. Byrd Detention Center, where he was being held in lieu of $1-million bail. A Murrieta Valley Unified School District spokesperson confirmed Conklin was a teacher in the district and had been placed on unpaid administrative leave. He is not allowed on school district property, according to a statement from the district to the Thompson Middle School community that was shared with The Times. Read more: 'Mercenary group' with ex-L.A. County deputies hired in extortion scheme, feds allege "The district takes every reported act of misconduct seriously. The top priority of the district is the safety of all students and staff," the statement said. "We hold this responsibility at the highest level and are grateful for our partnership with the Murrieta Police Department." According to Conklin's page on the Thompson Middle School website, which has since been taken down, he graduated from Cal State San Marcos and worked at the school for 23 years, spending summers in professional development at UCLA. Authorities asked those with information, or any potential victims, to contact Det. Eric Velazquez at (951) 461-6340 or evelazquez@murrietaca.gov. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A look at college presidents who have resigned under pressure over their handling of Gaza protests FILE - Columbia University President Nemat (Minouche) Shafik testifies before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce hearing on "Columbia in Crisis: Columbia University's Response to Antisemitism" on Capitol Hill in Washington, April 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File) Protests against the war in Gaza have put intense pressure on U.S. college leaders, who are charged with bridging bitter campus divides while balancing free speech rights with concern for safety on campus. On Tuesday, the president of Columbia University, Minouche Shafik, became the latest to resign under pressure for the handling of protests. Like many of her counterparts, Shafik faced blowback from many corners: Some students groups blasted her decision to invite police in to arrest protesters. Republicans in Congress and others called on her to do more to call out antisemitism. And the university's arts-and-science faculty passed a no-confidence resolution against her. Here is a look at other college leaders who have resigned or faced hard questioning. University of Pennsylvania Liz Magill of Penn was the first of three Ivy League presidents to resign following contentious appearances before Congress, ahead of Harvard's Claudine Gay and Shafik at Columbia. Magill stepped down in December after less than two years on the job. She faced pressure from donors and criticism over testimony at a congressional hearing where she was unable to say under repeated questioning that calls on campus for the genocide of Jews would violate the schools conduct policy. Criticism of Magill rained down from the White House, Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and members of Congress. Lawyers for a major donor to Penn, Ross Stevens, threatened to withdraw a gift valued at $100 million because of the universitys stance on antisemitism on campus unless Magill was replaced. Harvard University Claudine Gay, Harvards first Black president, faced similar criticism for offering lawyerly answers at the same hearing before a U.S. House committee on antisemitism on college campuses. Gay apologized, telling the student newspaper she failed to properly denounce threats of violence against Jewish students. Gay resigned in January, announcing her departure just months into her tenure. Following the congressional hearing, Gays academic career came under intense scrutiny by conservative activists who unearthed several instances of alleged plagiarism in her 1997 doctoral dissertation. Gay, in her resignation letter, said it was distressing to have her commitment to confronting hate questioned and frightening "to be subjected to personal attacks and threats fueled by racial animus. Columbia University Shafik lamented in her resignation letter that during her tenure it was difficult to overcome divergent views across our community. Pro-Palestinian protesters first set up tent encampments on Columbias campus during Shafiks congressional testimony in mid-April, when she denounced antisemitism but faced criticism for how she responded to faculty and students accused of bias. Despite weathering the tumult that followed, she said she decided over the summer to step down. This period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in the community, she wrote. Her announcement also came just days after the school confirmed three deans had resigned after officials said they exchanged disparaging texts during a campus discussion about Jewish life and antisemitism. Others who have been on the hot seat Many other administrators have endured calls to resign from members of Congress and segments of their campus communities. President Sally Kornbluth of MIT, for one, was questioned at the same hearing as Magill and Gay but did not face the same pressure to step down. She said at the hearing that speech targeted at individuals, not public statements, would be considered a violation of bullying and harassment policies. The chair of the MIT Corporation signaled its support for Kornbluth, who is Jewish. Others, including University of Massachusetts Chancellor Javier Reyes, have faced ferocious criticism from faculty members for calling in police to break up peaceful demonstrations when protesters refused to leave. Reyes has defended calling in law enforcement as the last resort. College leaders who struck agreements with students to resolve demonstrations also have faced the ire of Congress members. At a hearing last May, Northwestern President Michael Schill and Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway told lawmakers they defused the danger without ceding ground to protesters. ___ The Associated Press education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. Loose emu rounded up after several days near Indiana highway An emu on the loose for several days was rounded up by deputies next to an Indiana highway. Photo by HOerwin56/Pixabay.com Aug. 15 (UPI) -- An emu spotted running loose for several days in an Indiana county was rounded up by sheriff's deputies with the help of a state trooper. The Vermillion County Sheriff's Office said on social media that dispatchers had received multiple calls over the course of several days about an emu on the loose in the area of State Road 63 and U.S. 36. Deputies finally located the emu on SR 63 and Indiana State Patrol Trooper Tyler Turchi "went from patrolling for dangerous drivers to assisting with capturing the emu." The responders used a long dog leash laid out with a loop to attempt to trap the large bird, native to Australia. "Officers pushed the emu toward the lead and to everyone's surprise it stepped right in it," the post said. "The lead was snatched tight around the leg and the emu was eventually pinned to the ground." A livestock trailer was brought to the scene and the emu was safely returned to its owner's property. SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) The Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency hosted its quarterly Health is Wealth fair at the David Raines Center. At the fair, they celebrated their first-anniversary theme, Living in Motion. Every event, we have a different community partner come out to provide access to resources that may not be easily accessible or that you may not even think about, Lopa community educator Shainne Williams. The fair partnered with Oschner LSU Health and SPAR to provide free blood pressure testing, glucose screening, and more. LOPA had guest panelists, from nutritionists to organ donors and recipients. Its important to get the word out to the community, so well have more people who are organ donors. Because at one time, before my transplant, I was not an organ donor 14 yr liver/kidney recipient, Rufus Thompson. LOPA says their Health and Wealth fairs aim to bridge the gap between organ donation, health education, and resource access. Its the simplest thing: knowledge is power. When we know better we do better. When we know better, we do better, our generations after us can live longer, Williams. The health fair anniversary theme recognizes National Multiethnic Donor Awareness Month, which raises awareness about the critical need for organ, eye, and tissue donations in multiethnic communities and honors minority donors. Lopas community educator says in Louisiana, the most needed organ for donation is kidneys. and of those waiting, over sixty percent are people of color. African Americans and people of color are the most in need, and we dont have as much education, or we dont know enough, Williams said. One nurse who attended says she felt powerful after attending the fair. Knowledge is power. When you understand whats going on and why its going on, thats why its so important that we attend events like this, because when we dont know, things happen. Teaching and understanding is so important, said retired registered nurse Linda Hall. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com. Susan Lorincz: Defense presents arguments in trial of woman who fatally shot neighbor through door Susan Lorinczs defense attorneys continued to present their case to jurors Thursday. Lorincz is accused of fatally shooting her neighbor, Ajike Owens, through a door in June 2023. The defenses case is built around proving that Lorincz was not right up against her front door when she pulled the trigger as prosecutors have insinuated. A ballistics expert said that Lorincz was halfway into her apartment -- about 10 to 12 feet -- when she shot Owens through her locked front door. Read: Prosecutors use Susan Lorinczs own words against her, rest case The experts opinion was that crime scene technicians did not calibrate their equipment properly when they took their measurements. Prosecutors then pounced on that expert, bringing up these points: Firstly, that based on the angle of the bullet hole, they said that Lorincz would have been holding her pistol over her head if she fired it that far away from the door. Secondly, the experts opinion was centered on an assumption that the shell casing found its own way onto Lorinczs counter when she shot the gun. It then somehow goes back into the kitchen ... and just lays flat right by the onion, a prosecutor said. So thats what you want the jury to believe? Well, I think thats the best possible scenario, the defenses ballistics expert said. Read: FHP working a fatal accident along the Florida Turnpike Several jurors of the six-person jury own guns. The trial is expected to conclude Friday. It is unknown if Lorincz plans to testify in her own defense. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Read: What you should do when your bank ask for updated income information LOS BANOS, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) On Tuesday, a group of Los Banos firefighters delivered a truck-load of bottled water to community members living in a parking lot homeless encampment. In a social media post, the Los Banos Fire Department said members of their crew had the opportunity to help out some area residents, so they did. It was a great opportunity to interact and get to know each other, a social media post by the Los Banos Fire Department reads. The firefighters said the cases of water were from a surplus that had been originally donated to them. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47. State Rep. Denise Marcelle, D-Baton Rouge, sponsored a new law to reduce the fines politicians have to pay to the state when they miss a deadline for a campaign finance report. (Greg LaRose/Louisiana Illuminator) The Baton Rouge lawmaker who pushed through a new state law to reduce fines for political candidates who dont file campaign finance reports on time has failed to submit her own paperwork properly several times over the 15 years she has been in public office. State Rep. Denise Marcelle, a Democrat, missed deadlines to turn in campaign finance reports and personal financial disclosure forms at least eight times since 2009, according to documents the Illuminator received from the Louisiana Board of Ethics through a public records request. On six other occasions, ethics staff questioned whether the personal financial disclosure forms Marcelle had submitted were filled out properly, the records show. In total, the state ethics board has assessed Marcelle $9,020 in fines over the years she has served in the Louisiana Legislature (2016-present) and on the Baton Rouge Metro Council (2008-2016). She ended up only having to pay $6,030 after the ethics board voted to reduce or waive her penalties in certain cases. Marcelle would have faced even lower fines had the new law she sponsored been in place before this year. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX When legislators are late with campaign finance reports, they are assessed a late fee of $60 per day until they file them. Local parish council members, a job Marcelle held for eight years, and constables, an elected position Marcelle is seeking this fall, pay $40 per day for the same infraction. Total daily fines for the offense used to max out at $2,000 for legislative candidates and $1,000 for those seeking parish-level council seats and the constable position. But Marcelles new law cuts both penalties in half as of Aug. 1. Also under the new law, Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays no longer count when late fees are calculated. In an interview, Marcelle said she didnt bring the legislation just to benefit herself. Many local candidates who fund their own campaigns cant afford to hire someone to handle their finance reports, and they should not be expected to pay large fines, she said. I thought the fines were absurd, Marcelle said. I think the idea of penalizing someone for a late filing is fine, but they should be limited in scope. You can be late with your house note or car note [and you get fined], but not to this degree, she added. Im easy to find One of the main purposes of campaign finance reports is to inform the public about how a candidate is paying for their campaign, including who their political donors are. Personal financial disclosure forms are related documents that unveil a politicians sources of personal income, business interests and property. Both sets of documents make elections and governance more forthright. They allow people to learn who is supporting a particular candidate and what that persons conflicts of interest might be if they are elected. Reports are required to be filed by a certain day so that elections are transparent, Louisianas Ethics Administrator Kathleen Allen wrote in an email to a legislator the Illuminator obtained through the public records request for Marcelles documents. The new law that Marcelle authored doesnt help every person who files their campaign finance reports late. It only benefits candidates who are extremely delinquent. Under her new law, those who are a few days overdue will face the same penalty as before. Legislative, parish-level council candidates and constables who are a month or more past deadline will now face fees that are 50% less. Some of Marcelles fines have been for minor infractions; she missed a deadline by two days once. But in two cases, she filed reports more than a year after they were due, according to documents from the ethics board. After a failed run for state representative in 2011, Marcelle didnt turn in a campaign finance report due on Dec. 29, 2011, until after July 2013. She was also late with a 2012 report for her 2008 East Baton Rouge Metro Council campaign. It wasnt turned in until 2015, according to notices from the Louisiana Board of Ethics. In a more recent election, Marcelle submitted two campaign finance reports for her 2020 East Baton Rouge Parish mayor-president campaign weeks late. One set of documents was due July 6, 2020, and she submitted it Aug. 7, 2020. Another was due Nov. 25, 2020, and she filed it Feb. 28, 2021, according to ethics board records. Her 2020 late race filings wouldnt have been affected by the law Marcelle helped to pass, however. The Baton Rouge mayor-president is considered a major office and subject to different campaign finance rules than ones for legislative and parish-level races she helped change. Marcelle said she has often been late with filing ethics paperwork because she hasnt receive written notices from the ethics board indicating her fines are piling up. For the 2020 election infractions, she blamed the late filing on the complications of doing business during COVID-19. The person responsible for the preparation of [Marcelles] campaign finance reports has closed her office due to the impact of COVID-19 and was unaware of the deadline and only filed the report once she was made aware it was past due, Rodney Braxton, a business lobbyist who represented Marcelle before the ethics board, wrote in a letter pleading her case in 2021. Documents from the ethics board back up Marcelles claims that she has not always received these warnings. In emails and letters, ethics board staff said some of the mail they sent Marcelle has bounced back to their office. In one email about the 2020 fines, the ethics staff acknowledged they likely had been using the wrong ZIP code for her mailing addresses. The ethics board typically relies on addresses and other contact information the candidates provide themselves during the election sign-up period. Marcelle said these addresses are sometimes a temporary campaign headquarters location that shouldnt be used over the long term. Once I find out [about a fine], I pay it, Marcelle said. She said she would like to see the state ethics staff make more of an effort to find a person before they accrue large late fees for failing to file paperwork. In her case, Marcelle said the ethics staff could have easily approached her in person about her fines if they werent getting a response from the written warnings they sent. Marcelle sits on the Louisiana House and Governmental Affairs Committee, which oversees matters related to the ethics board and holds hearings most weeks during the regular legislative session. No one ever said they were trying to find me. Im an elected official. Im easy to find, she said. You all see me at the Capitol. What do you mean you couldnt get in touch with me? SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Bipartisan support, including from Landry Marcelles proposal to cut fees for late campaign finance reports enjoyed overwhelming bipartisan support this year in the Louisiana Legislature. It was also one of several bills lawmakers approved either to weaken government transparency measures or limit the ethics boards tools for enforcement. Marcelle first brought her proposal in 2022. It passed the House on an 86-1 vote but failed on the Senate Floor. This year, the exact same bill got through the House in an 80-19 vote was approved in the Senate, 32-2. Republican Gov. Jeff Landry also went out of his way to sign Marcelles legislation. With several other new statutes this year, Landry withheld his endorsement and let them become law without his signature. Our governor certainly feels like the ethics department needed some fine tuning, Marcelle said. Landry has had his own run-ins with the ethics board. The governor has spent a year in negotiations with board members over charges they brought against him for not disclosing a flight to Hawaii he took on a political donors private plane. In 2022, the board also chastised him for improperly using his campaign funds to pay off a vehicle purchase. Though he never publicly pushed for Marcelles bill, the governor put pressure on legislators to pass other measures that restrict the publics access to records about the governors activity. He also lobbied for a bill to give him and lawmakers more authority over the ethics board. It takes effect in January. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST BEIJING (Reuters) -China will impose export limits on antimony and related elements in the name of national security, its commerce ministry said on Thursday, Beijing's latest move to restrict shipments of critical minerals in which it is the dominant supplier. China accounted last year for 48% of global mined output of antimony, a strategic metal used in military applications such as ammunition, infrared missiles, nuclear weapons and night vision goggles, as well as in batteries and photovoltaic equipment. The restrictions are being imposed "in order to safeguard national security and interests, and fulfill international obligations such as non-proliferation", the ministry said in a statement. At a regular weekly briefing on Thursday, the ministry said the curbs were not directed at any specific country or region. "It's a sign of the times," said Christopher Ecclestone, a principal and mining strategist at Hallgarten & Company in London. "The military uses of Sb (antimony) are now the tail that wags the dog. Everyone needs it for armaments so it is better to hang onto it than sell it," he said. "This will put a real squeeze on the U.S. and European militaries." The limits, effective from Sept. 15, apply to six kinds of antimony-related products, including antimony ore, antimony metals and antimony oxide, the ministry said in a statement. The rules also ban the export of gold-antimony smelting and separation technology without permission. DUAL USE Exporters of affected products must apply for export licenses for dual-use items and technologies - those with potential military as well as civil applications - it said. The U.S. and other countries are scrambling to ease their reliance on China for key materials, setting out policies and support packages for their critical minerals sectors, including rare earths. In an April research note, analysts at China Securities said increasing demand for arms and ammunition due to wars and geopolitical tensions was likely to see tightening control and stockpiling of antimony ore. Perpetua Resources, which is building a U.S. antimony and gold project with support from the Pentagon and the U.S. Export-Import Bank, had initially planned to begin production by 2028, should it obtain final permits this year. But China's moves meant the company is studying ways to produce antimony faster. "We are looking at things that we can do during construction to get antimony out the door sooner for some of these strategic needs," Jon Cherry, Perpetua's CEO, told Reuters. Story continues "The (U.S.) Department of Defense is aware of the critical nature of antimony and the short supply available. We've been hearing from a lot of different sources about the lack of supply for antimony, that the market is very tight and getting tighter daily." Shares of Perpetua jumped as much as 19% on Thursday to levels not seen in three years. WIDENING CURBS China's latest curbs follow a wave of such restrictions introduced since last year. In December, China banned the export of technology to make rare earth magnets, which came on top of a ban already in place on exporting technology to extract and separate the critical materials. Beijing has also tightened exports of some graphite products, and imposed restrictions on exports of gallium and germanium products widely used in the semiconductor industry. Prices of antimony surged to record highs this year, fueled by tight supply and growing demand, especially from the photovoltaic sector, where the metal is used to improve the performance of solar cells. That has helped push up the share prices of Chinese producers including Hunan Gold, Tibet Huayu Mining and Guangxi Huaxi Non-Ferrous by between 66% and 93% so far in 2024. One antimony producer in Hunan province said they were waiting to see the results of the latest move, but added: "We believe in the short term prices should be supported by a wave of rush stockpiling from overseas buyers." They declined to be identified as they were not authorized to speak to the media. While China is the biggest supplier of refined antimony, it is a net importer of concentrates and depends on ore from countries including Thailand, Myanmar and Russia, customs data showed. Imports from Russia have fallen sharply this year. "A lack of concentrate feedstock remains the key feature of the antimony market at present," said Jack Bedder, co-founder of consultancy Project Blue. (Reporting by Qiaoyi Li, Amy Lv, Siyi Liu, Bernard Orr in Beijing, Polina Devitt in London, Seher Dareen in Bengaluru, and Ernest Scheyder in Houston; Editing by Christina Fincher, Tony Munroe and Jan Harvey) DENVER (KDVR) A man who was wanted on a warrant for second-degree assault and child abuse charges related to an incident at a Loveland In-N-Out turned himself in to police. Videos of the incident have garnered attention on social media. A viewer shared a video of the incident with FOX31. Juvenile arrested after 3 men hurt in 16th Street Mall shooting The Loveland Police Department responded to the restaurant at 1 a.m. on Aug. 4, according to a release. Officers spoke with a 15-year-old male who said he and two of his friends were inside the restaurant engaging in horseplay, splashing water on each other and accidentally splashing a woman nearby, the police department said. The juvenile male approached her table to apologize when an adult male accompanying the woman suddenly grabbed him, placed both hands around the front and back of his neck, pulled him down to the table and threw him backward onto the floor, the police department saod in its release. Police said the man and woman left before officers arrived. Over the next week, police said they interviewed witnesses and reviewed several videos of different views of the incident. Witnesses identified the man and officers confirmed his identity as Lucas Kalisher, a 55-year-old Loveland resident. After officers presented the case to the Larimer County District Attorneys office, a no-bond arrest warrant was issued for him on Tuesday. Police said he turned himself in Tuesday night. Kalisher was booked into the Larimer County Jail on charges of assault in the second degree for strangulation and child abuse. Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed or has information about the incident to call the Loveland Police Department tip line at 970-962-2032 or Larimer County Crime Stoppers at 970-221-6868. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. A pharmacy technician fills a container with pills to put into a drug dispensing machine for an automated line at a pharmacy in Midvale, Utah. As prescription drug prices continue to rise, states increasingly have been turning to lawsuits to fight the power of pharmacy benefit managers the middlemen in the drug supply chain. George Frey/Getty Images Last month, the Federal Trade Commission released a scathing report suggesting that pharmacy benefit managers, the middlemen in the drug supply chain known as PBMs, are profiting by inflating drug costs and squeezing Main Street pharmacies. The FTC found that because of consolidation in the industry, the three largest PBMs now manage nearly 80% of all prescriptions filled in the United States. PBMs use that power, the agency concluded, to raise drug prices, control patients access to them, and steer people away from independent pharmacies and toward the pharmacies they own. A week after the FTC released its report, Vermont filed a lawsuit against CVS, Evernorth Health Services (a subsidiary of insurance giant Cigna) and nearly two dozen affiliated entities, claiming they have distorted the market to their benefit at the expense of Vermont patients and the state. The PBMs, the suit claims, are driving up drug prices and foreclosing patients access to life-sustaining treatments in order to increase their profits. Vermont was the first state to file a lawsuit specifically citing the FTC report, but it probably wont be the last. States increasingly have been turning to lawsuits against PBMs in their drive to lower prescription drug prices. Theyve done so partly because of the barriers theyve faced in trying to address the problem through legislation, including fierce lobbying by PBMs and a federal law that prevents them from helping the two-thirds of Americans who get their health coverage through their employers and so-called self-funded plans. In taking their fight to courthouses, states also are turning the tables on corporations that have used lawsuits to block legislative attempts at regulation. Pharmaceutical companies themselves have a scorched-earth policy towards any legislative or regulatory changes. In other words, the industry will throw every claim it can think of at the states to try to block implementation of the law, said Robin Feldman, a professor at UC Law San Francisco and an expert on pharmaceutical law. State legislators and policymakers have decided that if [their laws] are going to end up in court, perhaps they might have their own claims to bring, Feldman told Stateline. In the past couple of years, Arizona, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Utah have sued PBMs, and complaints from dozens of states and municipalities across the country have been consolidated into multidistrict litigation in New Jersey. And in June, 32 state attorneys general and five pharmacist trade groups joined a lawsuit in support of an Oklahoma law that would place tough new regulations on PBMs but which the companies have blocked in court. Illinois Democratic state Sen. Laura Fine, who serves on the Health and Human Services Committee and has pushed for new regulations on health care companies, said she has been frustrated by the limitations of legislation. Im glad that we have attorneys general who will take on these issues and these causes on behalf of the people in our state, Fine told Stateline. I think its an important tool in the toolbox for everyone to know that if we cannot accomplish what needs to get done, we have our attorneys general behind us to make sure that they can be out there to protect the consumer. Major players As intermediaries in the drug supply chain, PBMs determine which drugs are available under a persons insurance plan, set copayments and decide how much pharmacies must pay to acquire drugs. The PBMs argue that they use their bargaining power to negotiate lower drug prices for consumers and pharmacists. They blame drug manufacturers often known as Big Pharma for prices that are higher in the United States than anywhere else. Greg Lopes, vice president of public affairs and communications for the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, a trade association representing PBMs, wrote in an email to Stateline that any notion that PBMs are increasing prescription drug costs is patently false. Employers choose to hire PBMs because they have a proven track record of lowering drug costs for health plan sponsors, which translates to lower premiums and lower out-of-pocket costs for patients, Lopes wrote. PBMs protect the ability of employers to offer quality health coverage by serving as the only check against Big Pharmas unlimited pricing power. David Winthrop, vice president of external affairs at CVS Health, which owns the PBM CVS Caremark, said the company is proud of the work we do to make medicine more affordable for American businesses, unions and patients. Any policies that would limit PBM negotiating tools would instead serve as a handout to the pharmaceutical industry, leaving those who pay for prescription drugs at the mercy of the prices drugmakers set, Winthrop said. The Federal Trade Commission sees the problem differently. It notes in its report that CVS Caremark is among the three major players that dominate the PBM landscape, along with Express Scripts and Optum Rx. Express Scripts is a subsidiary of Cigna, and Optum Rx is owned by UnitedHealth. Together, the FTC asserts, the three companies use their supremacy to wield enormous power and influence over patients access to drugs and the prices they pay. This can have dire consequences for Americans, with nearly three in ten surveyed Americans reporting rationing or even skipping doses of their prescribed medicines due to high costs, the FTC report states. The agency also notes that PBMs harm independent pharmacies, who struggle to navigate contractual terms imposed by PBMs that they find confusing, unfair, arbitrary, and harmful to their businesses. Between 2013 and 2022, the report states, about 10% of independent retail pharmacies in rural America closed. Health plans and PBMs are often just trying to protect the status quo as it remains today, for obvious reasons, because the environment has benefited them significantly, said Antonio Ciaccia, CEO of 46brooklyn Research, a nonprofit that studies drug pricing data. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Daniel Aaron, an associate professor at the S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah who specializes in health care policy, pointed out that pursuing litigation allows states to sidestep PBMs lobbying power in legislatures. Aaron argued that legislation and litigation can work in tandem. Lawsuits can actually help form policy, Aaron said in an interview. And because these lawsuits attract a lot of attention and capture the public interest and expose a lot of documents, they can actually buttress policymaking and attract even more public attention. He also noted that by taking on unpopular defendants, state attorneys general can raise their political profiles and many of them aspire to be governors. Ben Widlanski, the co-lead attorney in a lawsuit involving insulin prices, agreed that lawsuits are valuable because they shine a light on companies conduct in a way that state and federal regulators have been unable to do. Because theres not a lot of oversight and because the government agencies responsible for it have not really been doing their jobs for a very long time, the only immediate response that has any chance of making a difference is litigation, said Widlanski, a partner at Florida-based Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton. In suing large corporations, state attorneys general often hire outside law firms on a contingency fee basis. The limits of litigation Aaron said successful lawsuits can hold parties accountable, at least in theory, for illegal conduct and for causing harm. It can increase the cost of engaging in illegal conduct by making that conduct more expensive. Im not going to say that lawsuits dont have any impact. But they dont have nearly the impact as what legislative change would have. Ron Howrigon, president and CEO of Fulcrum Strategies and former Cigna executive But Ron Howrigon, a former Cigna executive, cautioned that using litigation to rein in deep-pocketed corporations isnt as effective as enacting strong laws however difficult that might be. Howrigon said many large health corporations consider expensive legal settlements to be merely the cost of doing business. I dont think theyre really necessarily worried that the individual litigation is something thats going to shut it down, said Howrigon, who is now president and CEO of Fulcrum Strategies, a firm specializing in insurance contracts. As a friend of mine put it, its putting Band-Aids on bullet wounds. What health care corporations are really scared of, Howrigon said, are sweeping policy changes. If Im an insurance company, Id much rather pay millions of dollars in fines than have a new law that I have to comply with going forward, he said. So, Im not going to say that lawsuits dont have any impact. But they dont have nearly the impact as what legislative change would have. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A pharmacy technician fills a container with pills to put into a drug dispensing machine for an automated line at a pharmacy in Midvale, Utah. As prescription drug prices continue to rise, states increasingly have been turning to lawsuits to fight the power of pharmacy benefit managers the middlemen in the drug supply chain. (George Frey/Getty Images) Last month, the Federal Trade Commission released a scathing report suggesting that pharmacy benefit managers, the middlemen in the drug supply chain known as PBMs, are profiting by inflating drug costs and squeezing Main Street pharmacies. The FTC found that because of consolidation in the industry, the three largest PBMs now manage nearly 80% of all prescriptions filled in the United States. PBMs use that power, the agency concluded, to raise drug prices, control patients access to them, and steer people away from independent pharmacies and toward the pharmacies they own. A week after the FTC released its report, Vermont filed a lawsuit against CVS, Evernorth Health Services (a subsidiary of insurance giant Cigna) and nearly two dozen affiliated entities, claiming they have distorted the market to their benefit at the expense of Vermont patients and the state. The PBMs, the suit claims, are driving up drug prices and foreclosing patients access to life-sustaining treatments in order to increase their profits. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Vermont was the first state to file a lawsuit specifically citing the FTC report, but it probably wont be the last. States increasingly have been turning to lawsuits against PBMs in their drive to lower prescription drug prices. Theyve done so partly because of the barriers theyve faced in trying to address the problem through legislation, including fierce lobbying by PBMs and a federal law that prevents them from helping the two-thirds of Americans who get their health coverage through their employers and so-called self-funded plans. In taking their fight to courthouses, states also are turning the tables on corporations that have used lawsuits to block legislative attempts at regulation. Pharmaceutical companies themselves have a scorched-earth policy towards any legislative or regulatory changes. In other words, the industry will throw every claim it can think of at the states to try to block implementation of the law, said Robin Feldman, a professor at UC Law San Francisco and an expert on pharmaceutical law. State legislators and policymakers have decided that if [their laws] are going to end up in court, perhaps they might have their own claims to bring, Feldman told Stateline. In the past couple of years, Arizona, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Utah have sued PBMs, and complaints from dozens of states and municipalities across the country have been consolidated into multidistrict litigation in New Jersey. And in June, 32 state attorneys general and five pharmacist trade groups joined a lawsuit in support of an Oklahoma law that would place tough new regulations on PBMs but which the companies have blocked in court. Illinois Democratic state Sen. Laura Fine, who serves on the Health and Human Services Committee and has pushed for new regulations on health care companies, said she has been frustrated by the limitations of legislation. Im glad that we have attorneys general who will take on these issues and these causes on behalf of the people in our state, Fine told Stateline. I think its an important tool in the toolbox for everyone to know that if we cannot accomplish what needs to get done, we have our attorneys general behind us to make sure that they can be out there to protect the consumer. Major players As intermediaries in the drug supply chain, PBMs determine which drugs are available under a persons insurance plan, set copayments and decide how much pharmacies must pay to acquire drugs. The PBMs argue that they use their bargaining power to negotiate lower drug prices for consumers and pharmacists. They blame drug manufacturers often known as Big Pharma for prices that are higher in the United States than anywhere else. Greg Lopes, vice president of public affairs and communications for the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, a trade association representing PBMs, wrote in an email to Stateline that any notion that PBMs are increasing prescription drug costs is patently false. Employers choose to hire PBMs because they have a proven track record of lowering drug costs for health plan sponsors, which translates to lower premiums and lower out-of-pocket costs for patients, Lopes wrote. PBMs protect the ability of employers to offer quality health coverage by serving as the only check against Big Pharmas unlimited pricing power. David Winthrop, vice president of external affairs at CVS Health, which owns the PBM CVS Caremark, said the company is proud of the work we do to make medicine more affordable for American businesses, unions and patients. Any policies that would limit PBM negotiating tools would instead serve as a handout to the pharmaceutical industry, leaving those who pay for prescription drugs at the mercy of the prices drugmakers set, Winthrop said. The Federal Trade Commission sees the problem differently. It notes in its report that CVS Caremark is among the three major players that dominate the PBM landscape, along with Express Scripts and Optum Rx. Express Scripts is a subsidiary of Cigna, and Optum Rx is owned by UnitedHealth. Together, the FTC asserts, the three companies use their supremacy to wield enormous power and influence over patients access to drugs and the prices they pay. This can have dire consequences for Americans, with nearly three in ten surveyed Americans reporting rationing or even skipping doses of their prescribed medicines due to high costs, the FTC report states. The agency also notes that PBMs harm independent pharmacies, who struggle to navigate contractual terms imposed by PBMs that they find confusing, unfair, arbitrary, and harmful to their businesses. Between 2013 and 2022, the report states, about 10% of independent retail pharmacies in rural America closed. Health plans and PBMs are often just trying to protect the status quo as it remains today, for obvious reasons, because the environment has benefited them significantly, said Antonio Ciaccia, CEO of 46brooklyn Research, a nonprofit that studies drug pricing data. Daniel Aaron, an associate professor at the S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah who specializes in health care policy, pointed out that pursuing litigation allows states to sidestep PBMs lobbying power in legislatures. Aaron argued that legislation and litigation can work in tandem. Lawsuits can actually help form policy, Aaron said in an interview. And because these lawsuits attract a lot of attention and capture the public interest and expose a lot of documents, they can actually buttress policymaking and attract even more public attention. He also noted that by taking on unpopular defendants, state attorneys general can raise their political profiles and many of them aspire to be governors. Ben Widlanski, the co-lead attorney in a lawsuit involving insulin prices, agreed that lawsuits are valuable because they shine a light on companies conduct in a way that state and federal regulators have been unable to do. Because theres not a lot of oversight and because the government agencies responsible for it have not really been doing their jobs for a very long time, the only immediate response that has any chance of making a difference is litigation, said Widlanski, a partner at Florida-based Kozyak Tropin & Throckmorton. In suing large corporations, state attorneys general often hire outside law firms on a contingency fee basis. The limits of litigation Aaron said successful lawsuits can hold parties accountable, at least in theory, for illegal conduct and for causing harm. It can increase the cost of engaging in illegal conduct by making that conduct more expensive. Im not going to say that lawsuits dont have any impact. But they dont have nearly the impact as what legislative change would have. Ron Howrigon, president and CEO of Fulcrum Strategies and former Cigna executive But Ron Howrigon, a former Cigna executive, cautioned that using litigation to rein in deep-pocketed corporations isnt as effective as enacting strong laws however difficult that might be. Howrigon said many large health corporations consider expensive legal settlements to be merely the cost of doing business. I dont think theyre really necessarily worried that the individual litigation is something thats going to shut it down, said Howrigon, who is now president and CEO of Fulcrum Strategies, a firm specializing in insurance contracts. As a friend of mine put it, its putting Band-Aids on bullet wounds. What health care corporations are really scared of, Howrigon said, are sweeping policy changes. If Im an insurance company, Id much rather pay millions of dollars in fines than have a new law that I have to comply with going forward, he said. So, Im not going to say that lawsuits dont have any impact. But they dont have nearly the impact as what legislative change would have. Stateline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@stateline.org. Follow Stateline on Facebook and X. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson is set to be in Huntersville Thursday morning. Hes scheduled to speak at the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce business luncheon starting at 11:45 a.m. Queen City News will be in attendance for the event. The appearance comes on the heels of Robinsons appearance Wednesday night at a Donald Trump campaign event in Asheville. MORE FROM QUEEN CITY NEWS Elections 2024 Meanwhile, VP Kamala Harris will be in North Carolina on Friday, visiting the state capital for a campaign rally. The trip had been previously scheduled for last week but was disrupted by Tropical Storm Debby. North Carolina is being considered a battleground state for the upcoming November presidential elections. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has once again called for negotiations in light of the Ukrainian offensive in the Russian border region of Kursk. "We should sit down at the negotiating table and end this dispute. Neither the Ukrainians nor the Russians nor the Belarusians need it," Lukashenko said in an interview with Russian state television channel Rossiya, the Belarusian news agency BelTA reported on Thursday. Belarus is an ally of Russia and supports Moscow in its war against Ukraine. At the beginning of the war, the country made its territory available to Russian troops to invade northern Ukraine. At the same time, the authoritarian Lukashenko has repeatedly offered his services as a mediator for peace talks. He also emphasized that the West, and especially senior representatives of the United States, are interested in an escalation of the conflict. "They want us to destroy each other," said Lukashenko. Ukraine has been defending itself against a full-scale Russian invasion since February 2022. In dealing with homelessness in Madera, the police chief wants the City Council to approve new rules that would ban any unauthorized group from congregating in a public park if they make the space unusable to others. Critics say plans like this amount to new discriminatory measures against homeless people and fail to account for the regions need for more housing and service access. They also point out that some shelters require residents to leave during the day. Those more open to tightening Maderas anti-encampment rules say its OK for the city to create tougher laws to have more control over its public spaces. Police Chief Giachino Chiaramonte said during last weeks City Council meeting that officers have struggled to deal with groups often consisting of 5 to 10 homeless people who bring their belongings to parks from their encampments. He told The Fresno Bee later that the groups will often leave trash behind, and that its disgusting when its done. Rotary Park in Madera, located adjacent to Highway 99, attracts groups of homeless people who leave trash behind, says Police Chief Giachino Chiaramonte. Theyre doing almost like a park takeover, he said of the groups. Theyll show up right when the park opens and stay until it closes, and its just not a safe feeling for people. I dont understand why, said Andrea, 45, a homeless woman who lives in a tent under an overpass near Maderas Rotary Park. She told The Bee that any group of homeless people that happen to congregate at the park keep to themselves and do not bother other visitors. When were out there, were together, but we do our own thing. She said homeless people tend to group up in one section of the park, but we dont take over the whole park. Homeless women especially prefer to be with a group for their own safety reasons, she said. It could be several weeks before the Madera City Council considers the ordinance updates requested by the chief, but Mayor Santos Garcia told The Bee on Friday that a change in the citys encampment law is inevitable: Theres no doubt that day will come. At the county level, the Sheriffs Office is still determining whether an anti-encampment ordinance is necessary, spokesperson Kayla Gates said in an email to The Bee: Our focus remains on offering services and assistance to those in need, and we prioritize connecting individuals with housing and programs. However, when services are refused and individuals continue to violate the law, we will enforce the ordinances, which may include fines or arrests as a last resort. La Abeja, a newsletter written for and by California Latinos Sign up here to receive our weekly newsletter centered around Latino issues in California. The conversation about how to strengthen Maderas anti-encampment law comes as cities and counties across the San Joaquin Valley are considering changes to how they deal with the homelessness crisis and people living in public areas. This new focus follows a U.S. Supreme Court ruling from late June that allows local governments to fine and jail people who camp in public areas and have no other shelter. Also, Gov. Gavin Newsoms issued an executive order in July that directs state agencies to create policies for clearing encampments on state property and also pushes local governments to follow suit. In Fresno, the City Council and the countys Board of Supervisors are set to push through heavily-criticized updates to their anti-encampment laws that will allow jail time and fines to be used as punishment. Chiaramonte said his department is studying the actions Fresnos local elected officials are taking, but said that what works in Fresno may not necessarily be right for Madera. Fresno and Madera together make up one region in the biennial Point In Time count of homeless residents. The latest count, from January 2023, found 541 homeless people in the city of Madera, with 205 having no shelter at all. Mayor Garcia said it is highly likely those numbers are higher now. He said hes withholding judgment about a potential ordinance update until the citys legal team informs the City Council about what it can legally do. I dont want to criminalize folks, put them in jail, take their belongings and dump them in the trash, because were not taking care of the underlying problem, the Madera mayor told The Bee. Chiaramonte also said last week that its not so much that were trying to jail our way out of this. Rather, the police chief wants to work with the court system to mandate treatment for homeless people, he said. The Madera Police Department also recently launched its Community Response Team to go out and connect homeless people to services. The area along the Fresno River in Madera has been the focus of the citys Police Departments enforcement of anti-encampment laws in recent years, Police Chief Giachino Chiaramonte says. Over the past eight months, Madera police removed 159 encampments. Enforcement has focused along the Fresno River, which runs east-west through Maderas north side and has become a hotbed for crime, Chiaramonte said, including assaults, drug and gun sales, and dog attacks, among other issues, and the Madera Fire Department confirmed that 38 fires started there between April and May. Those committing the offenses are often not the homeless people living in the riverbed, said some of the homeless residents interviewed by The Bee. The citys current encampment ordinance charges unlawful camping as a misdemeanor, which is punishable with up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine. On Friday, Chiaramonte told The Bee that hes waiting for the Madera city attorney to make recommendations on fines, and that officers do not arrest homeless people unless they refuse to clear encampments (usually they are given a 72-hour notice) or if they become violent. The muddy waters of the fast-flowing Fresno River rises on a homeless encampment under the Schnoor Street bridge as it makes its way through Madera Wednesday afternoon. But Maderas current ordinance does not cover the groups of homeless people who Chiaramonte said congregate in parks during daytime hours because theyre technically not setting up 24-hour encampments. He said an updated ordinance would not exclusively target groups of homeless people in parks and would also apply to any other groups that dont have permits and inhibit the free use of public spaces, including the Boy Scouts or college students who protest by setting up encampments. The goal of our ordinances is not to have disparate treatment towards any individual or any group, Chiaramonte said. What were doing is trying to find some ways to have practical and protectable ordinances that are useful and help all citizens within this town. Alejandro Sanchez, who was formerly homeless and advocates against these types of ordinances in the Fresno-Madera region, said he does not believe the police would treat every group equally under an updated encampment ordinance. He called the updates Maderas police chief is seeking unfair and just morally wrong, and said the city is using vague language to be able to discriminate against homeless people instead of working harder to increase resource availability. The primary emergency shelter in Madera County requires residents to leave during the day, according to a homelessness report from last year. The only day center for homeless people in the city of Madera, Hope House, limits services for adults to mornings and focuses on people with mental health needs. The report also notes that people who are unable to use Hope House often have no central location to go during the day, no place to receive supportive services. Private property owners already kick them off of their property, Sanchez said. If they cant be on the side of the road, if they cant be on private property, if they cant be in the park, where else can they go? Former President Donald Trumps advisors who are scrambling to put out yet another fire after he reportedly lashed out at Republican mega-donor Miriam Adelson. New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman revealed the details of the GOP candidates latest temper tantrum during a CNN interview Wednesday night with Kaitlan Collins. Trump sent Adelson, his fourth-biggest donor who has given $5.8 million to his campaign, an angry text undermining her PACs efforts to support him in the 2024 presidential race. According to Haberman, Trumps scathing slew of text messages sent via aide Natalie Harp accused Adelsons Preserve America PAC of being run by RINOS, or Republicans in Name Only, which has now caused an urgent rift that his team is now struggling to repair. "It's a mess that Trump world would like to not be dealing with," Haberman told Collins. Haberman and her Times colleague Jonathan Swan published a report detailing "the worst three weeks" of Trump's campaign after Harris replaced former President Joe Biden as the Demcoratic nominee. The Times reporter told Collins that in some ways Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, is doing a better job as an attack dog. She explained that the Republican running-mate is "actually delivering a more coherent message than Trump is about Harris, however even this comes with its limits. Leaked texts from JD Vance exposed Trumps running mates crude dismissal of Miriam Adelsons late husband Sheldon Adelson who was an avid Trump supporter and donor, Mediaite reported. Trumps recent actions show that his anger is seeping out, which is causing erratic behavior that people around him are seeing and seeing during times of stress," Haberman said, adding that this only complicates his campaign efforts to stay on message. Major insurance companies drop churches from coverage as natural disasters become more frequent: 'This does not make sense' Due to a perfect storm of climate-related factors, stress has arrived at some ministry doors, leaving people concerned about the financial future of those churches. What's happening? The Baptist Paper reported that an "ongoing wave of disasters," including hurricanes, wildfires, and floods, are combining with ballooning construction costs to send insurance companies into a panic. As a result, church insurers have begun dropping "high-risk" churches or charging exorbitant price increases to recoup their losses. Insurers are feeling the pressure in places like Texas, California, and Louisiana, all of which have seen an increase in extreme climate-related weather. Now, churches in those areas are scrambling to assess whether they can afford to continue paying insurance or operating at all. The Paper quoted John Parks, a pastor in Houston who remembered feeling bewildered when he heard that his congregation had been dropped by their insurer. "This does not make sense," he said. "We've never filed a claim." After a long search, they settled on a new $80,000 policy quite a leap from the $23,000 they were paying. "It's been an adventure," Parks told the Paper. "That's putting it politely." Why is this concerning? Parks' story is not unique. Hundreds of churches in the Rio Texas Annual Conference recently lost their coverage; with less than a month's notice, they didn't have time to find new policies. "It was a shock," Kevin Reed, the conference president, told the Paper. After 30 years of smooth sailing, they were left "high and dry." Jeff Julian, a pastor in Mount Pleasant, disclosed that his church's premiums were going to increase by 85%. "That is going to be where we're starting to have to take away from ministries, probably," he said. Without insurance, churches may not be able to function as community resources, serving vulnerable people from all walks of life. But this pattern extends beyond churches, too. Insurance companies have been dropping homeowners, business owners, and farmers because of weather-related concerns. In some particularly high-risk states, insurers have completely pulled out of the market. Given the accelerated rise of global temperatures and the correlating increase in extreme weather events, people around the world are concerned that a single natural disaster could leave them penniless, unhoused, or both. What's being done? Most of the onus for rising global temperatures falls on the shoulders of corporations and governments, but some faith-based communities are taking it upon themselves to start implementing grassroots efforts. Creation Justice Ministries is incorporating climate education and preparation into their ministerial teachings to empower their community members. Village Solutions works with faith-based communities to provide access to renewable energy solutions, both in churches and in homes, like solar panels and heat pumps. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Major university makes historic agreement that would affect 100% of campus operations here's what it entails Get ready to be inspired by a historic move in higher education. Bentley University in Massachusetts just inked a deal that's set to power its entire campus with 100% clean energy through 2027, according to Renewable Energy Magazine. This deal is a breath of fresh air for students and the planet alike literally. Bentley has partnered with the Kibby Wind Farm in Maine to purchase all of the electricity needed to run their campus operations. This ambitious agreement aligns perfectly with the university's goal of significantly reducing carbon pollution by 2030. By sourcing nearby renewable energy, Bentley is not only moving toward its sustainability goals but also creating incredible learning opportunities for its students. Imagine taking a field trip to a wind farm as part of your college coursework. Plus, this move should help reduce energy costs for the university, so it's fair to speculate it could keep any potential tuition increases in check. But the benefits don't stop at the campus gates. By supporting renewable energy production in the Northeast, Bentley is helping to reduce regional reliance on dirty gases. That means cleaner air and a healthier environment for everyone in the area. Natalie Hayes, director of Bentley's Office of Sustainability, explains the impact: "When considering the next steps in the university's renewable energy strategy, we determined that sourcing electricity from local, renewable resources was the most impactful choice." Sophie Rodgers, a key player in securing this agreement, added: "Approximately 50% of Bentley's carbon footprint comes from electricity use, so purchasing electricity generated by the Kibby Wind Farm is a huge step for the university to stay on the path toward carbon neutrality through clean energy sources." This forward-thinking approach shows that with a little creativity and commitment, we can all find ways to power our lives more sustainably. Whether you're running a university or just looking to make smarter energy choices at home, Bentley's example proves that clean energy solutions are within reach. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Man accused of choking girlfriend and later stabbing man in Sacramento before Highway 50 pursuit Authorities on Thursday morning arrested a man suspected of assaulting his girlfriend, stabbing a man in a random attack in Sacramento and leading officers in a pursuit on Highway 50 before a standoff with the California Highway Patrol in Yolo County. The assault occurred Wednesday night at the suspects home not far from where the stabbing occurred later, at a 76 gas station at the corner of Fair Oaks Boulevard and Watt Avenue, said Sgt. Amar Gandhi, a Sacramento County Sheriffs Office spokesman. Gandhi said deputies responded to the reported assault and learned the suspect, a 34-year-old man, had choked his girlfriend multiple times in a domestic violence incident before he drove away in his vehicle. Gandhi said the girlfriend would survive her injuries. Early Thursday morning shortly after midnight, a suspect rammed his vehicle into another mans vehicle in the parking lot of the 76 gas station in Arden Arcade. The sheriffs spokesman said the suspect then got out of his vehicle, reached into the victims vehicle and stabbed that man several times. The suspect then drove away in his vehicle. Gandhi said the stabbing victim suffered wounds to his face and stomach, but he was taken to a hospital and expected to survive his injuries. Deputies learned that the stabbing suspect and the victim at the gas station did not know each other. Gandhi said the two men did not exchange any words before the stabbing, which is believed to have been just a random attack. He said investigators at the time did not know the assault suspect and the stabbing suspect were the same man. The Sheriffs Office shared information about the gas station stabbing and the suspect with other law enforcement agencies in the area. Officers from the Fairfield Police Department spotted the suspects vehicle, after which the man led police and CHP officers on a pursuit. It ended near Jefferson Boulevard in West Sacramento when the suspect crashed his car and climbed onto an overpass, sheriffs officials said. The suspect threatened by suicide before the CHPs negotiators convinced him to surrender peacefully. The suspect was booked into jail after being treated at a hospital. The 34-year-old man faces two felony charges related to assault, injuring a spouse or a cohabitant and threatening to commit a crime resulting in death or great bodily injury, according to the jail log. He also faces a misdemeanor charge of resisting or obstructing peace officers. The man is beind held in lieu of $150,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned Monday. China's population shrinkage is having a big effect on its economy. Marriage rates have halved over the last decade, with only 3.4 million couples marrying in the first half. Economists warn that an aging population could lead to sluggish growth and lower productivity. China's population has been shrinking for the past two years, and the trend appears having a big impact on its economy, according to government data spanning the first half of 2024. Chinese consumers are pulling back on spending, a possible consequence of an aging population saving up for retirement, according to a recent report from the research firm Rhodium Group. Household savings have been rising over the last 11 years, the firm said, around the time China's working-age population peaked. Meanwhile, retail sales in the nation grew just 2% in June, well below the nation's pre-pandemic trend of 8% retail sales growth. Romance seems to be another victim of a shrinking population. Marriage rates continue to tumble, with 3.4 million couples tying the knot from January through June of this year. That's half the number of couples who got married in the same timeframe a decade ago, according to data from China's Ministry of Civil Affairs. Spending on romance looks to be particularly anemic. Diamond imports to China have slumped 28% over the first half of the year compared to the first half of 2023. Jewellers appear to be selling down their existing inventory of diamonds rather than placing new orders, De Beers, the world's largest diamond producer, said in a note. "In China, the ongoing economic challenges, particularly within the property market and low consumer confidence, have delayed the expected recovery from the sharp decline in 2023," the miner said of its financial results so far this year. "Although demand in the US has been steady and India remains robust, consumers in China are buying substantially fewer luxury products. Retailers are very cautious as they restock, creating higher than normal levels of midstream inventory." Waning sales and lower growth stemming from an aging population could be a reason investment in the country has stalled. Foreign direct investment in China dropped $15 billion over the last quarter, the second-biggest investment drop in the last quarter century, according to government data. China's population, which is about 1.4 billion, declined for the second year in a row in 2023, with the nation losing over 2 million people as the death rate surpassed the birth rate. Its total population could halve by the end of the century, the United Nations projected in its latest World Population Prospects report, predicting that the nation could have just 770 million people in it by 2100. Read the original article on Business Insider NEW MEXICO (KRQE) The man accused of killing New Mexico State Police Officer Justin Hare will not face the death penalty, according to a notice filed by prosecutors in federal court on Wednesday. Investigators said Jaremy Smith of South Carolina shot and killed Hare on Interstate 40 west of Tucumcari in March. Hare pulled over to help Smith who was stranded along the highway when Smith shot him, according to court documents. Smith then fled in Hares police unit and crashed it. Federal charges filed against suspect accused of shooting elderly man outside Santa Fe Best Buy The same day, law enforcement launched a manhunt for Smith and he was arrested two days later in Bernalillo County, officials said. In the court notice submitted by United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico Alexander M.M. Uballez, prosecutors wrote that they would not seek the death penalty in the case. Smith is charged with carjacking resulting in death and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Smith, who has an extensive criminal history in South Carolina, is also listed as a person of interest in connection to the death of South Carolina paramedic Phonesia Machado-Fore. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. A former North Carolina paramedic charged with fatally poisoning his wife with eye drops was free on $1.5 million bond when he used eye drops to poison his daughter, authorities said. Prosecutors alleged that Joshua Lee Hunsucker, 39, poisoned his then-10-year-old daughter last year with tetrahydrozoline an ingredient used in over-the-counter eye drops and nasal sprays as part of a larger scheme to frame the parents of his wife, Stacy Robinson Hunsucker, for her 2018 killing. Originally, Stacy Hunsuckers cause of death had been listed as a heart attack, and it wasnt until her mother, Suzanne Robinson, contacted the North Carolina Department of Insurance and accused him of insurance fraud that a criminal investigation was launched, prosecutors said. Suzanne and John Robinson would later claim in court documents that Joshua Hunsucker was inspired by another criminal case in which eye drops were used as poison as he sought to kill his wife to cash in her $250,000 life insurance policy. But that was only the beginning of a bizarre saga as laid out by prosecutors. Hunsucker would allegedly go on to set fire to a medical helicopter while it was midair, stage a kidnapping to prevent his in-laws from testifying against him, and abuse and neglect his daughters. He is now in custody as he awaits trial on charges of murder, insurance fraud, intimidating a witness, obstruction of justice and arson. His attorney did not respond to a request for comment by HuffPost. The Robinsons addressed their late daughter in a statement shared with a journalist shortly after Hunsuckers arrest. Stacy, your mother and father promise you that we will not rest until justice is served. We will do everything in our power to support and care for your beautiful daughters. We will love them as we loved, and still love you. We will never let your children forget what a truly amazing mother you were to them. Your spirit and your smile live on through them every day. Stacy Hunsucker's husband, Joshua Hunsucker, was charged with fatally poisoning her with eye drops in 2018. Stacy Hunsucker / Facebook Stacy Robinson Hunsucker died in September 2018 at age 32. The former paralegal and preschool teacher had a heart condition that required a pacemaker, the Gaston Gazette reported, which was originally believed to be a factor in her death. The pacemaker was installed in 2015, according to WSOC-TV, which cited a GoFundMe campaign created to support the family in the wake of her death. The couple had started dating in high school and were married eight years when she died, the Gaston Gazette reported. Although Stacy Hunsucker was registered as an organ donor, Joshua Hunsucker said he did not want her to be cut up and refused to allow an autopsy to be performed, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by WBTV. He immediately had her body cremated and filed a claim for her $250,000 life insurance policy two days after her death, investigators said. A criminal investigation was only launched after her mother contacted the North Carolina Department of Insurance and accused him of insurance fraud, prosecutors said. Though her organs were not preserved for donation, a blood sample was taken before her cremation and preserved because of her status as an organ donor, according to court documents. Investigators obtained the sample and sent it to a lab, which reported that it contained 30 to 40 times the therapeutic level of tetrahydrozoline according to an arrest warrant obtained by the Gaston Gazette. When ingested, tetrahydrozoline can cause sleepiness, low blood pressure, a dangerously slow heart rate, heart rhythm abnormalities and difficulty breathing according to Poison Control. Prosecutors alleged in court documents that Joshua Hunsucker poisoned his wife over a period of time by putting eye drops in her beverages. He even allegedly told two coworkers before her death that if he ever wanted to kill someone, hed poison them with Visine or another brand of eye drops. As the murder investigation was ongoing, Hunsucker, a flight paramedic, allegedly set a piece of medical equipment on fire inside a helicopter while it was in the air in November 2019. The pilot was forced to make an emergency landing at a car dealership, but no one was injured. About a month later, in December 2019, Joshua Hunsucker was arrested and charged with his wifes murder. Atrium Health fired him the same day, and he was later arrested again and charged with arson in connection to the helicopter fire. The hospital system said it was thankful there had been no patients on board the helicopter at the time. If what Mr. Hunsucker is charged with is true, it is unfathomable to us what may have possessed him to endanger himself and others in such a way, Atriums statement said. Stacy Robinson Hunsucker died in September 2018 at age 32. Stacy Hunsucker / Facebook In June 2020, after Stacy Robinson Hunsuckers cause of death was formally changed from heart attack to homicide, her parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit, the Gaston Gazette reported. Stacy Hunsuckers family claimed in the lawsuit that Joshua Hunsucker was inspired to poison their daughter with eye drops within days after learning about a similar case. On August 31, 2018, South Carolina nurse Lana Sue Clayton was accused of fatally poisoning her husband after toxicology reports found high levels of tetrahydrozoline in his body. Stacy Hunsucker died on Sept. 23, less than a month later. Clayton was sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2020 after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter, WCNC reported. According to investigators, she said she had only wanted him to suffer after she put Visine in his drink. In addition to suing Hunsucker, Suzanne and John Robinson were also fighting for custody of their two granddaughters. Following his first and second arrests, Joshua Hunsucker had been released on bond, The Charlotte Observer reported. A judge granted full custody of the girls to Joshua Hunsuckers sister as his case proceeded, and he had unsupervised visitation rights with them every other weekend, the Gaston Gazette reported. His court-mandated daily curfew was later extended so he could attend his daughters lacrosse games and other school activities, WSOC-TV reported in December 2021. He also continued to see his wifes parents. The Robinsons said that Hunsucker repeatedly harassed them, filming and taking pictures of them at his daughters lacrosse practices, making vulgar gestures at them in public, following them in his car and routinely driving by their home, according to court documents. His daughters were present during many of the incidents, prosecutors said. Then on Feb. 4, 2023, prosecutors alleged that Hunsucker staged his own kidnapping. According to court documents, he told authorities that John Robinson had attacked him while he was stopping to change a tire. Hunsucker claimed that he had been pistol-whipped, zip-tied and drugged. Authorities said they found no evidence to support his claim. Twenty days after the alleged staged kidnapping, his eldest daughter became gravely ill, prosecutors said, with symptoms including low blood pressure, a low heart rate, sleepiness and extreme exhaustion, constricted blood vessels and transient alteration of awareness, or a brief loss of normal awareness or behavior. Hunsucker told medical professionals who were treating his daughter that it appeared she had been given Visine not a reasonable conclusion given her symptoms at the time, prosecutors said. The girl, now 11, was hospitalized in two different medical facilities after the alleged poisoning, authorities said in court documents, and has since recovered. In addition to tetrahydrozoline, tests showed that she also had a drug prescribed as an adult antidepressant in her system, according to the court documents. Investigators responding to Hunsuckers kidnapping report said they found an adult antidepressant pill in the back of his truck. It matched the drug found in his daughters system, prosecutors said. Hunsucker poisoned his daughter and staged the kidnapping as part of a larger attempt to implicate his in-laws in the death of his wife and remove the Robinsons from the lives of his daughters, prosecutors said. In a hearing Friday, Hunsuckers attorney requested that a public defender be appointed to represent Hunsucker on the new charges related to the allegedly staged kidnapping and his daughters poisoning. A motion by prosecutors to revoke his bond will be addressed in a court hearing scheduled for Oct. 7, WCNC Charlotte reported. Until then, he will remain in Gaston County Jail. The Robinsons attorney stressed that keeping their daughters children safe was their primary concern right now. From the Robinsons perspective, safety is paramount for their family, their grandkids, he told WCNC Charlotte. They are thankful and appreciative of the district attorney and the continued effort to investigate and seek justice for Stacy. Dive deep into true crime cases and follow the latest headlines with HuffPosts Suspicious Circumstances newsletter. Sign up here. Related... YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) A West Side man was arrested Wednesday on a charge of felonious assault after reports said he damaged a mans eye when they argued over trading cards. Stephen Zitello, 33, is expected to be arraigned on the charge, a second-degree felony, Friday in municipal court. Zitello was arrested around 6 p.m. Wednesday in the 600 block of Halls Heights, a day after a man made a police report and told officers Zitello punched him in the eye after the man went to Zitellos home to buy some trading cards. Reports said the victim told police some of the cards were fake and he tried to give them back and Zitello would not take them. The victim was walking back to his car when Zitello punched him in the eye, reports said. Reports said the man drove himself to the emergency room at St. Elizabeth Health Center where he was told the punch damaged his eye and he needed to see a specialist. Zitello was arrested on warrants for felonious assault and a probation violation. He is presently in the Mahoning County Jail. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. Man banned from JJs Grill in Conway for allegedly using racial slurs toward employee CONWAY, Ark. A man has been fired from his job and permanently banned from an Arkansas restaurant after allegedly making racist remarks towards a former employee. The former employee is Jamarchay Boyd who started working for JJs Grill in Conway in 2016 as a security guard. On Sunday morning, Boyd said he received a social media message calling him the N-word and telling him hed be hung from an oak tree. City leaders, Miss Arkansas Ebony Mitchell work to overcome racist stigma tied to Harrison Afterward, Boyd posted the message along with the senders profile to his own social media page. I wanted to make sure people are aware of the experiences I experienced here, Boyd said. The man who sent the message was a guest at JJs Grill in Conway. I dont know how you can wake up and be so full of hate, said Boyd. JJs Grill in Conway posted to their social media saying that guest will no longer be allowed at any of their eight locations. The man was also terminated from his place of employment, Powers Building HVAC, Controls and Services. City leaders, Miss Arkansas Ebony Mitchell work to overcome racist stigma tied to Harrison Boyd said the racism from this guest wasnt just from social media. He said it started earlier this year at the Conway restaurant when Boyd said he was groped by the guest while working as security. I did push, and I established a boundary, and I spoke in a stern way, Boyd said. Boyd said after the altercation, the man would consistently make racist remarks towards him when visiting the restaurant. It bothered me, like heavily, Boyd said. He said he would tell his managers but, whenever I would complain nothing would be done about it. Boyd said this made him feel that the work environment at JJs Grill in Conway wasnt safe. I dont want to work in this type of environment where you dont stand up for whats right and whats wrong, he said. Boyd said hes glad that he was able to bring forward racial awareness, but wants to advise people to not let one incident dictate how you perceive an entire group of people. Republican leaders urge party to steer clear of racist, sexist attacks on Harris JJs Grill in Conway released the following statement about the incident: We were recently made aware of troubling allegations involving racist comments made by a former guest at JJs. We want to be clear: this individual has never been an employee of JJs Grill, and we take this matter extremely seriously. In response, we have permanently banned the person from all JJs locations. Its important to note that none of our staff members have faced discipline or termination for standing up against racism or in connection with this incident. At JJs, our commitment to a safe, welcoming, and fun environment for everyone is unwavering. We have a zero-tolerance policy for any form of discrimination, including racial discrimination. We are dedicated to taking whatever steps are necessary to protect and support our guests and employees. JJs Grill Powers Building HVAC, Controls and Services released the following statement: My name is Alan Hope, and I am CEO of Powers. We have experienced a situation unprecedented in our 40+ year history this weekend and I would like to personally address this matter. Based upon Jesses racist and threatening comments posted over the weekend, there was never any question about whether this would result in his termination. It has been rumored in social media comments that he is related to current leadership at Powers, but this is false. After conferring with legal counsel to ensure proper procedures were followed related to employment law, we have terminated his employment. We are deeply troubled that our companys core values have been jeopardized by a former employees actions and heinous prejudice towards others. That is not who we are, what we believe nor how we treat others. Alan Hope, Powers Building HVAC, Controls and Services Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLRT - FOX16.com. HENDERSON, Ky (WEHT) A man caught on camera being captured by an Evansville Police K9 was sentenced back to prison. Shawn Grigsby was sentenced to one year in Vanderburgh County Circuit Court. Grigsby was on parole for a prior offense before stealing the truck. Video captured from Eyewitness News saw him jumping out of the truck and trying to run before being taken down by an Evansville Police K9. WATCH: K9 captures suspect on Green River Road Court officials state the Indiana Department of Corrections parole board will determine how much more time will be added Grigsby was originally supposed to be released in 2030. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW). Kevin Lynn Harris (Photo provided by Wichita Police Department) Editors note: This story has been updated to correct Harris plea. WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) The Wichita Police Department is asking for the publics help to find a man convicted in another mans death. Kevin Harris was out on bond and wearing an ankle monitor after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter in April. Prosecutors said he shot and killed 51-year-old Jose Lumbreras in August 2023 on North Broadway. He was supposed to be sentenced Wednesday, but police say he cut off his ankle monitor Wednesday and did not show up in court. The district court has issued a warrant for Harris arrest. Another speeder, another ticket for over 100 mph When Harris was first arrested, KSN News reported that he was from Lawrence. The WPD says it is working with local, state and federal law enforcement partners to find him. If you know where he is, call 911 or investigators at 316-268-4407. To remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111 or submit a tip at https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=217. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV. A man who had been kicked out of a Tampa strip club early Tuesday morning returned and drove a semitruck into the building, killing one man and injuring two others, police said. Tampa police responded about 4:20 a.m. to a call about a crash involving a truck and at least one pedestrian in the parking lot of the Emperors Gentlemens Club, 5718 E. Adamo Drive, according to a Tampa Police Department news release. Officers found a semitruck had been crashed into an area of the building that leads to the entrance. Police soon learned from witnesses that the semi driver had earlier been kicked out of the club after an argument with another patron. The semi driver then lied in wait for a half-hour or so before he saw the person with whom he had argued exit the club, Tampa police Maj. Patrick Messmer said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon. The semi driver accelerated toward a group of about a half-dozen people, Messmer said. One man was killed and two other men were injured and are expected to survive, according to police. Police have not released their names. Neither the person who was killed nor the two people injured were the mans intended target, Messmer said. He said the three people hit were patrons and not employees. The semi driver, who police said is a 25-year-old man, was taken into custody and hospitalized in critical but stable condition. Police did not immediately release his name or say how he was injured. Once released from the hospital, he will face charges of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, DUI manslaughter, vehicular homicide and DUI with serious injury, Messmer said. This is an unbelievably tragic and completely avoidable incident, Tampa police Chief Lee Bercaw said in a prepared statement. We will work to get justice for the victims and their families. We are thinking of all those impacted including the innocent bystanders who witnessed this horrific ordeal. Times staff writer Chris Tisch contributed to this report. HOBOKEN, New Jersey (PIX11) A man was found dead in a popular Hoboken park Thursday morning, authorities said. The unidentified man was discovered in Maxwell Place Park on Sinatra Drive in Hoboken, police said. Authorities are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the mans death. More Local News A longtime Hoboken resident who goes for walks every morning in the park said its usually packed with runners early in the morning. He said homeless people often frequent the space and would be surprised if it was a crime. If its foul play that would be extremely upsetting and surprising, if it was a drug overdose or something that would be sad, he told PIX11 News. No other information about the incident was immediately available. Mira Wassef is a digital reporter who has covered news and sports in the NYC area for more than a decade. She joined PIX11 News in 2022. See more of her work here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. WEST CHESTER, Ohio (WDTN) Butler County authorities are investigating after a man was found dead in a vehicle. According to West Chester Police, officials were called Thursday around 1:30 p.m. to a parking lot in the 7300 block of Tylersville Road in West Chester. Officers were sent to the location in reference to a parked vehicle that had been there awhile. Heavy police presence expected Thursday in Dayton Police arrived at the location and located an adult male inside of the vehicle. The Butler County Coroner also responded to the scene to investigate. The Butler County Coroners Office identified the man as Michael R. Craycraft, 71, of West Chester. At this time, police claim foul play is not suspected. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. FAIRMONT, W.Va. (WBOY) The man accused of beating a Michigan man to death with a bat in Fairmont has been found guilty on all charges and will not receive mercy during his sentencing. After a three-day trial, a jury made up of eight women and four men found Naquan Warren guilty of first-degree murder, first-degree robbery, burglary, assault during the commission of a felony, and conspiracy. Naquan Warrens mugshot from when he was arrested in 2022 The victim, Sean Gardiner from Detroit, Michigan, was found dead in a Fairmont home in October 2022. Warren and Shekea Fox, who testified against Warren during the trial on Wednesday, were arrested the next week. Law enforcement said that the pair conspired to rob Gardiner of a large amount of cash that he had taken a photograph with just a few hours before he was killed. Foxs testimony said that she saw Warren standing over the victim with a bat, although the weapon was never found. Suspect in Westover sexual assault from 24 years ago arrested in Connecticut During the third day of the trial on Thursday, Aug. 15, Warrens lawyers made a motion to dismiss the case after closing arguments, but it was denied by Judge Patrick Wilson. On Wednesday, Warrens defense rested without calling any witnesses, relying on the fact that there was no DNA evidence against Warren and no murder weapon. Jurors deliberated for about an hour and a half before reaching a guilty verdict. After hearing statements from Warren, investigators and the victims family members, the jury deliberated for less than an hour and decided that Warren will not receive mercy during his sentencing, meaning he will not be eligible for parole and will spend the rest of his life in prison. During the mercy phase of the trial, Warren offered condolences to the victims family, saying he did not murder Sean Gardiner. I promise to God I didnt, he said. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com. Code reviews -- peer reviews of code that help devs improve code quality -- are time-consuming. According to one source, 50% of companies spend two to five hours a week on them. Without enough people, code reviews can be overwhelming and take devs away from other important work. Harjot Gill thinks that code reviews can be largely automated using artificial intelligence. He's the co-founder and CEO of CodeRabbit, which analyzes code using AI models to provide feedback. Prior to starting CodeRabbit, Gill was the senior director of technology at datacenter software company Nutanix. He joined the company when Nutanix acquired his startup, Netsil, in March 2018. CodeRabbit's other founder, Gur Singh, previously led dev teams at white-label healthcare payments platform Alegeus. According to Gill, CodeRabbit's platform automates code reviews using "advanced AI reasoning" to "understand the intent" behind code and deliver "actionable," "human-like" feedback to devs. "Traditional static analysis tools and linters are rule-based and often generate high false-positive rates, while peer reviews are time-consuming and subjective," Gill told TechCrunch. "CodeRabbit, by contrast, is an AI-first platform." These are bold claims with a lot of buzzwords. Unfortunately for CodeRabbit, anecdotal evidence suggests that AI-powered code reviews tend to be inferior compared to human-in-the-loop ones. In a blog post, Graphite's Greg Foster talks about internal experiments to apply OpenAI's GPT-4 to code reviews. While the model would catch some useful things -- like minor logical errors and spelling mistakes -- it generated lots of false positives. Even attempts at fine-tuning didn't dramatically reduce these, according to Foster. These aren't revelations. A recent Stanford study found that engineers who use code-generating systems are more likely to introduce security vulnerabilities in the apps they develop. Copyright is an ongoing concern, as well. There are also logistical drawbacks of using AI for code reviews. As Foster notes, more traditional code reviews force engineers to learn through sessions and conversations with their developer peers. Offloading reviews threatens this knowledge sharing. Gill feels differently. "CodeRabbit's AI-first approach improves code quality and significantly reduces the manual effort required in the code review process," he said. Some folks are buying the sales pitch. Around 600 organizations are paying for CodeRabbit's services today, Gill claims, and CodeRabbit is in pilots with "several" Fortune 500 companies. Story continues It also has investments: CodeRabbit today announced a $16 million Series A funding round led by CRV, with participation from Flex Capital and Engineering Capital. Bringing the company's total raised to just under $20 million, the new cash will be put toward expanding CodeRabbit's 10-person sales and marketing functions and product offerings, with a focus on enhancing its security vulnerability analysis capabilities. "We'll invest in deeper integrations with platforms like Jira and Slack, as well as AI-driven analytics and reporting tools," Gill said, adding that Bay Area-based CodeRabbbit is in the process of setting up a new office in Bangalore as it roughly doubles the size of the team. "The platform will also introduce advanced AI automation for dependency management, code refactoring, unit test generation and documentation generation." A DeKalb County murder suspect was arrested in Gwinnett County on Thursday after he was found hiding in a home. Caleb Nicholi Lincoln was found at a home on Back Creek Chase and arrested after a massive sheriffs office response in the neighborhood. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Photos and videos shared with Channel 2 Action News show dozens of deputies surrounding the house in the neighborhood. Lincoln had active warrants in Gwinnett and DeKalb counties. But his most serious charge of murder stems from a July 7 shooting on Woodcrest Walk. DeKalb police officers found a 25-year-old man, whose identity has not been released, dead from several gunshot wounds inside the home. Lincoln and the victim were roommates and had gotten into an argument. TRENDING STORIES: In Gwinnett County, he was wanted on four counts of failure to appear, aggravated assault on a law enforcement office, obstruction and fleeing and attempting to elude. He is currently being held in the DeKalb County Jail on charges of murder and two counts of identity fraud. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: Man gets over a decade in prison for deadly wrong-way US-131 crash GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) A man charged in a wrong-way crash that claimed the life of a West Michigan pastor last year will spend more than a decade behind bars. The family of Dean Elliott remembers him as an amazing person with so many gifts and talents. There arent enough pages or time to tell you the impact hes had on me, my family, and friends, said Brenda Elliott, Dean Elliotts wife. Dean Elliott. (Courtesy) On the morning of April 2, 2023, Dean Elliotts life was cut short. While traveling on to Manistee for Palm Sunday services, Elliott, who was a pastor, was struck head-on by another vehicle on US-131 near Burton Street. That vehicle was driven by 31-year-old Marcel McMillan, who was going the wrong way down the highway. Police say he was over the legal limit for alcohol and had marijuana in his system at the time. Man charged with felonies in deadly wrong-way crash on Palm Sunday It was like a very tragic and sad movie, but it was my reality, Brenda Elliott said. In June, McMillan pleaded no contest to operating while intoxicated causing death and being a habitual offender. As McMillan stood in a Kent County courtroom on Wednesday for sentencing, he was visibly emotional. I just want to apologize to the family. This was not purposely done, I know I put you guys through a lot. I didnt mean to do that, McMillan said while addressing the court. Judge Paul Denenfeld sentenced him to 11 to 22.5 years in prison. He referenced the amount of cases involving wrong-way drivers that hes seen before handing down the sentence. Senator requests $3 million to reduce wrong-way crashes It is the fourth case Ive had in the last year where someone got drunk and drove the wrong way on 131 and people died, Denenfeld said. Elliotts children are now left to navigate life without their father. Two months after our wedding, my wife and I had exciting news to share with our family, we were expecting our first child and his first grandchild. Instead of being able to share the vast range of emotions from a son to his father, there is no longer that, said Nathan Elliott, Dean Elliotts son. Dean Elliotts daughter, Lauren Burgess, said she hopes McMillan gets the resources in prison so he can eventually make a positive impact. It is my belief that the best apology is changed behavior, Burgess said. Over the years, the Michigan Department of Transportation has made changes on US-131 due to wrong-way drivers. This includes lowering do not enter signs, using new systems to detect wrong-way drivers and alert others, and adding more pavement markings. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) A man who admitted to sexually abusing a teenage student decades ago will spend years in a state prison. Shackled hand and foot as he stood in a Grand Rapids courtroom Wednesday, James Christians was sentenced to between three years, two months and 15 years behind bars. When he gets out of prison, he will have to register as a sex offender. I was wrong. I know that I truly hurt (the victim) and I am ashamed of my conduct. And I am sorry, Christians said when given the chance to speak, reading from a prepared statement. When she was a student in my class, I did violate her trust, her vulnerability and I did violate societys trust in me as a teacher. Court records: Man admitted to abusing student decades ago Christians also apologized for comments he made in jail calls and messages to his wife, which were recorded. The entirety of those comments were not read verbatim in court, but the prosecutor handling the case said they consisted of victim-shaming and that Christians and his wife were dismissive and insulting. They werent being very nice to the victim, Judge Paul Denenfeld agreed, also saying the remarks were nasty and acerbic. However, Denenfeld did not indicate that the comments significantly affected his sentencing decision. It didnt help Mr. Christians in my view. Its also not dispositive of anything, Denenfeld said. Christians said facing his own words when his attorney brought them to his attention the day before sentencing was eye-opening. I will not for one moment try to justify or excuse those statements, Christians said. Those words should not have been said. Theyre not the truth, and I need to be fully honest with my wife and with the court, (the victim) and myself. Why survivors of sexual assault may take time to report Earlier this year, the victim in the case, now an adult with a daughter of her own, came forward to report that Christians abused her starting in 1998 when she was 13. She was a student at Northview Public Schools north of Grand Rapids at the time and Christians was a teacher. When interviewed by authorities, Christians admitted to having sexual contact with the victim during the 1998-1999 school year and again a few years later. The woman said the abuse continued through 2003 and included instances on school property. Northview said Christians last worked for the district in 2000, after which he was hired at Lowell Area Schools, where he was still working as an English teacher when he was arrested in February. He was placed on leave when the allegations surfaced and formally resigned March 9, the district told News 8. Christians was initially charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct. On May 8, he pleaded guilty to a count of third-degree CSC with a victim between the age of 13 and 15. Project will extradite cold case sex assault suspects The victim was present for sentencing Wednesday, but did not address the court and instead made her victim impact statement in a letter to the judge. *Correction: A previous version of this article misstated the date of Christians resignation from Lowell Area Schools. We regret the error, which has been fixed. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. Man injured in shooting at Community Beach Park in Norfolks Ocean View A man was injured in a shooting at Community Beach Park on Wednesday, according to Norfolk police. Police responded to reports of a shooting at the park at 700 East Ocean View Ave. around 6:20 p.m. The man was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, police said. No additional information was made available on Wednesday evening. 16-year-old killed in Durham crash may have been wanted for carjacking in Morrisville A 16-year-old teen killed in a single-vehicle crash in Durham early Thursday morning may have been involved in a robbery and carjacking a short time earlier in Morrisville, according to Durham police. The Raleigh teen, whose name has not been released because of his age, was ejected from the BMW SUV when it crashed into a field off South Miami Boulevard, just south of the intersection with Emperor Boulevard. A passerby saw the SUV and contacted Durham police. Durham police later learned that Morrisville police had been pursuing the BMW after a robbery and carjacking call earlier in the morning. But the Morrisville officers lost sight of the SUV and gave up the chase, according to Durham police. Morrisville police say they got a call about an armed robbery and carjacking at 2:23 a.m. on West Shore Court, in the Camden Westwood Apartments off Chapel Hill Road. The victim said four men, one carrying a handgun, assaulted him and took his 2016 BMW SUV, police said. Less than 10 minutes later, Morrisville officers spotted the SUV on Chapel Hill Road heading toward Durham. The officers gave chase but discontinued near where Chapel Hill Road becomes South Miami Boulevard. Thats near where a passerby spotted the SUV in the field shortly before 5 a.m. The teen was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. They ask anyone with information about the crash to contact Durham police investigator J.T. Rose at 919-475-4149, and anyone with information about the robbery and carjacking to contact Capt. Brad Shirley of the Morrisville Police Department at bshirley@morrisvillenc.gov or 919-416-1637. South Miami Boulevard remained closed between Emperor Boulevard and Surles Court for several hours as officers investigate the crash. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) A man is recovering after two dozen authorities searched his Greene County property. He says they came searching for illegal marijuana, but he insists the search was unwarranted. Chris Thompson says his plants follow Ohio regulations, but he was still met with a sea of law enforcement surrounding his property. Caribbean restaurant closing in Yellow Springs Traumatized by the experience, Thompson says he can barely sleep after the incident. Now, hes questioning law enforcement. You cant give us a right and then strip it away in less than six months, this is just, its just unheard of, said Thompson. On Tuesday at 3 p.m., Thompson felt his entire home shake. When he stepped outside, he found a Greene County Sheriffs Office helicopter hovering above his property. He says around 30 law enforcement personnel came to search his property for what they believe could be unregulated marijuana. Some personnel were even wearing ski masks. Like, you know, even though its been legalized, we are still being treated as criminals involved in illegal activity. And its scary, said Thompson. Thompson says they inspected his property and his marijuana plants but refused to identify themselves. Kettering passes moratorium on gas stations, car washes at city council meeting He says after the search they did not find his plants to be out of violation of Ohios new recreational growing regulations, they left with no explanation for the overwhelming police presence. Thompson says hes uneasy about the situation and is demanding more from Ohio. Ohio needs to do better. We need to do better. You know, we cant we cant enforce restrictions on things that have already been deemed legal. Making criminals out of law-abiding citizens is not something that Ohio should or should do or condone, said Thompson. 2 NEWS reached out to the Greene County Sheriffs Office for comment but has not heard back. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) A man will spend more than a decade behind bars for shooting an 18-year-old worker in the leg outside a Providence convenience store, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha announced Thursday. Emmanuel Narcisse, 21, was sentenced to serve 14 years at the ACI, plus an eight-year suspended sentence to be served if he violates probation. In January, Narcisse was found guilty of assault with a dangerous weapon, discharging a firearm while committing a crime of violence, and carrying a pistol without a license. The shooting happened at G.I. Joes Convenience Store on Smith Street on the evening of Oct. 1, 2020. The victim told police that two men had walked into the store and left without paying for a drink. The victim confronted the men outside, which led to a fight, according to Neronha. Two more individuals joined, one of them being Narcisse, who fired shots at the victim and his car. We all should be able to feel reasonably safe from harm while at work, and yet this victim nearly lost his life at the hands of a criminal with access to a gun, Neronha added. This defendant used a firearm to resolve a fistfight, and thankfully, the victim survived to help investigators deliver justice. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Breaking News Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) A man was sentenced in court this week on charges stemming from a burglary case in April. Anthony Talbert appeared in court Wednesday where he was sentenced to 12 months in prison after pleading guilty to several amended charges. Talbert pleaded guilty to possession of heroin, attempted trespass in a habilitation with another person present or likely to be present, aggravated possession of drugs, and possession of a fentanyl-related compound. He was sentenced to 12 months in prison, to be served concurrently with an unrelated case. The charges stem from an April incident where police responded to a house in the 500 block of Parkman Road NW after a caller said they saw two people in a home that should have been empty. The report states when officers arrived, they found the front door unlocked and discovered Talbert, along with codefendant Brittany Shook, inside the home. The pair told police they had permission to be there in order to clean, but reports state the home appeared ransacked and there was no indication any cleaning had been done. Shook pleaded guilty to an amended indictment of attempted trespass into a habitation when a person is likely to be present in July. She is set to be sentenced Aug. 29. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) Hartford police say a man suffered non-life threatening injuries after a shooting Wednesday evening. Officers responded to the 130 block of Martin Street on a ShotSpotter activation around 6:30 p.m. Minor among arrests for illegal ATVs in Waterbury While investigating the area, police said they were advised a man arrived at a nearby hospital with multiple gunshot wounds. Police said preliminary information confirmed his injuries were related to the scene on Martin Street. The HPD Major Crimes Division is investigating the shooting. Anyone with relevant information is asked to contact the HPD Tip Line at 860-722-TIPS (8477). Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com. ZURICH (Reuters) -UBS is to liquidate a $2 billion real estate fund it acquired when it bought Credit Suisse, the Swiss bank said on Thursday, in the latest sign of investors selling out of troubled commercial property markets. The fund, which holds four-fifths of its assets in offices, had faced investor redemption requests but the Swiss bank said meeting those would require selling assets at an "inopportune time", impacting existing investors. UBS concluded it was better to wind down the entire fund. Commercial real estate markets, particularly in the United States, have suffered a sharp fall in valuations since 2021 after office vacancy rates jumped in the wake of the pandemic. Analysts are predicting more pain for lenders and owners ahead. Commercial real estate finance company Blackstone Mortgage Trust in July slashed its dividend, while the Starwood Real Estate Income Trust (SREIT) in May temporarily limited share redemptions to avoid forced sales of its holdings. The Credit Suisse Real Estate Fund International's total net assets were worth 1.88 billion Swiss francs ($2.17 billion) as of the end of June, UBS said. The fund's value fell significantly during 2023, the bank said earlier this year. According to a fund document dated June 30, 83% of the fund's investments were in offices. The largest country exposures were the United States, at 22%, followed by Germany at 16% and Canada at 14%. UBS acquired Credit Suisse in 2023 after its long-time rival collapsed amid a string of financial setbacks. In a statement, UBS said 36% of the fund's total units in circulation in 2022 had been redeemed by the end of 2023. "The process to sell assets over the past 18 months to meet ... redemptions has demonstrated the limited depth of the real estate markets," UBS Fund Management (Switzerland) said. UBS said to meet the outstanding 2023 redemptions would require the sale of the portfolio's most liquid assets, but doing so would negatively impact remaining investors, decrease the attractiveness of the remaining portfolio and thus be likely to drive further redemptions. The value of assets in the fund has been falling, and the portfolio's annualised net returns for the last three years stood at -10.6%, performance data to end-June showed. ($1 = 0.8654 Swiss francs) (Reporting by Rachel More, Dave Graham and Tommy Reggiori Wilkes; Editing by Miranda Murray and Mark Potter) A man snuck onto 2 flights in 2 days by reportedly tailgating passengers with tickets, and managed to fly over 800 miles A man snuck onto 2 flights in 2 days by reportedly tailgating passengers with tickets, and managed to fly over 800 miles A man in Germany snuck onto two flights on two consecutive days and managed to fly to Sweden. Bild reported he raised suspicions on arrival because he immediately wanted to return to Munich. Munich Airport and local police are investigating how he bypassed security and boarding checks. A man managed to board two flights in two days without a ticket at Munich Airport. A spokesperson for the Bavarian State Police told Business Insider that the 39-year-old Norwegian, who hasn't been named, is under investigation for trespassing and fare evasion. On August 4, he boarded a plane to Hamburg, in the north of Germany, with other passengers but was apprehended and handed over to police before it took off, according to the spokesperson. The following day, the spokesperson added, the man returned to the airport and was able to fly to the Swedish capital, Stockholm, despite not being properly booked onto the flight. The German newspaper Bild reported that he raised suspicions in Stockholm because he wanted to return to Munich immediately after landing. The report added that it was a Lufthansa flight. A spokesperson for Munich Airport told BI it's investigating how the man was "able to bypass the automated boarding pass check in front of the security checkpoint." Bild reported that the 39-year-old was able to sneak through by closely following another passenger at the automated check. The airport spokesperson added that the airline is investigating how he passed the boarding pass check at the gate. A Lufthansa spokesperson told BI the airline is aware of the case and in close contact with the authorities, but further details are unavailable as the investigation is ongoing. The Bavarian State Police spokesperson said it believes the man posed no danger. This isn't the first time in recent months that somebody has managed to get onto a plane without a ticket. In March, a man was arrested after prosecutors said he boarded a Delta flight using a photo of another passenger's ticket. A month earlier, another man boarded a flight at London Gatwick Airport by tailgating other passengers through checkpoints. Read the original article on Business Insider The 24-year-old jogger was chased by a female bear after he encountered her and her cub on the side of a road Getty Stock image of black bear A California man was attacked by a black bear near the Sierra Nevada foothills. On Monday, Aug. 12, a man, 24, was on a run in the Long Barn community when he was chased and attacked by a female bear after he said he saw the bear with what he believed to be a cub by the side of the road, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The bear reportedly chased the jogger up an embankment where she continued to charge him. "The man picked up large stick and hit the bear on the head and tried to seek protection from the bear behind a tree," a department spokesperson told PEOPLE. Getty Stock image of a black bear The man then made his way to a residential area where he climbed on top of a vehicle as the bear attacked him while he was on the car. "The owner of the residence where the vehicle was parked heard the commotion out front. She looked out front and observed the man on top of her car with a bear next to the vehicle," the spokesperson said. "The homeowner yelled at the bear and made noise, causing the bear to run away. She then called 911." Officials say the man is in stable condition, but suffered injuries to his back, side and legs. The man was treated for his injuries at Adventist Health in Sonora, Calif. In an interview with CBS, homeowner Heather Silfies said she saw the man looking disheveled as he ran from the bear. "I see this young man running down the road and a bear literally chasing and biting at him, and his shirt flapping in the wind. It was just shredded and he didn't have one of his shoes on all the way, so he's literally running with the shoe not on," she shared. Related: 2 Polar Bears Kill Worker at Remote Canadian Arctic Radar Base: 'Tragic Incident' Silfies continued to detail what she saw of the shocking attack. "The young man is standing on the roof of our Escalade. The bear is standing at the Escalade and she's trying to climb up. So she has her foot on the running board and she's literally jumping up at him, wanting to get on the roof, just wanting to attack him," she added. Related: Wild Black Bear Tranquilized and Removed from Tree in Suburban Pennsylvania Neighborhood As of now, officers have obtained DNA samples for the bear from the incident scene and the victim. They are still trying to capture the bear. On Wednesday, Aug. 14, local outlet Union Democrat reported that a CDW spokesperson said that the bear will be euthanized if located. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The CDW website states that black bear encounters rarely result in human injury in the state. Most attacks are brought on in defense, such as if a bear is protecting a cub. Other situations of aggression can be caused if a bear becomes conditioned to human food. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Man threatens to kill police officer in text to Circuit Attorneys Office: Police ST. LOUIS A St. Louis man is slated to appear in St. Louis Circuit Court Thursday afternoon for allegedly threatening to kill a police officer. According to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Departments probable cause statement, the threat was made on August 4 from an apartment in the 3500 block of Morgan Ford Road in the Tower Grove South neighborhood. Police said Andrew V. Bourland, 24, sent the text to the St. Louis Circuit Attorneys Office requesting charges be dropped in another case or he would personally murder one of the officers involved in the case. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News Bourland completed a suspended sentence in January for two counts of fourth-degree assault. Its unclear if this is the aforementioned case. Bourland was arrested on August 13. Police said Bourland backed away from officers and then struggled while being handcuffed. City prosecutors charged Bourland with tampering with a judicial proceeding and resisting arrest for a felony. Bourland remains jailed without bond. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) A 48-year-old man wanted for homicide in Colorado was arrested in Las Cruces this week after he was suspected of shoplifting at a Walgreens store, according to Las Cruces Police. Police say Oscar Martinez, 48, from Denver, Colorado, was arrested shortly before 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13, near the intersection of Roadrunner Parkway and Foothills Road after police were looking for a man who was suspected of shoplifting at a nearby Walgreens store. Martinez matched the description of the shoplifting suspect and was arrested. After positively identifying Martinez, police confirmed he had an active warrant for a homicide that happened on or before Aug. 1 in Denver, Colorado. Martinez is currently being held without bond at the Dona Ana County Detention Center until he can be extradited to Colorado, police say. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. Man wanted out of North Carolina arrested in East Providence EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) Police arrested a Providence man wanted out of North Carolina for felony assault Wednesday night. London Clyde, 45, was taken into custody at the Rumford Motor Inn in East Providence after investigators were tipped off that he had been staying there. Clyde is being charged as a fugitive from justice in Rhode Island. He was wanted for aggravated assault with a firearm, as well as the sale or delivery of narcotics. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Breaking News Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. Maps show how much Russian territory Ukraine is thought to have captured just over a week into its invasion Maps show how much Russian territory Ukraine is thought to have captured just over a week into its invasion Ukrainian forces have advanced miles into Russia since launching their cross-border incursion. The shocking invasion has seen Kyiv capture at least 1,000 square kilometers, by some estimates. Ukraine's advances can be seen in maps published by the Institute for the Study of War. Ukraine carried out one of its boldest and riskiest moves of this war last week by launching an offensive that saw its forces invade Russia, stunning Moscow, Kyiv's international partners, and general observers of the conflict. The Kremlin has been scrambling to respond to the incursion into Russia's western Kursk region, which is on its 10th day and marks the largest attack by a foreign enemy on Russian soil since World War II. Kyiv claimed earlier this week that its forces had captured about 1,000 square kilometers, or roughly 386 square miles, of Russian territory almost as much as Moscow has seized in Ukraine this year and more than 80 settlements within that area since the assault began on August 6. While the overall goal of the incursion remains somewhat unclear, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has suggested the operation may contribute to negotiations. "Our advance in the Kursk region is going well today we are reaching our strategic goal," he said Wednesday in his nightly address to the nation. "The 'exchange fund' for our state has also been significantly replenished." These advances have been documented by the Institute for the Study of War think tank, which has published daily maps depicting the territory thought to have been taken by the Ukrainians. The creation of these maps relies on uncontradicted Russian sources and other available information on the Ukrainian invasion. Claimed limit of Ukrainian advances as of August 7. Institute for the Study of War Claimed limit of Ukrainian advances as of Friday. Institute for the Study of War Claimed limit of Ukrainian advances as of Monday. Institute for the Study of War Claimed limit of Ukrainian advances as of Wednesday. Institute for the Study of War While these maps chart Ukraine's advances, at least as well as can be understood in the fog of war, it's unclear exactly how much territory the military actively holds. Still, the rapid advances over the past 10 days have undoubtedly been significant harkening back to its fall 2022 counteroffensive in Ukraine's Kharkiv region but the tempo of operations appears to have slowed as Kyiv faces increasing Russian resistance. The Biden administration has said the Ukrainian operation has prompted Russian President Vladimir Putin to "make adjustments" to the country's force deployment. John Kirby, a White House National Security Council spokesperson, said that Russia had redirected some units from operations in and around Ukraine to the Kursk region, though it's unclear how many forces have been moved and how many more could still go. Ukrainian service members on a self-propelled howitzer near the Russian border in Ukraine's Sumy region on Sunday. REUTERS/Viacheslav Ratynskyi "We see signs that they are trying to reinforce themselves in and around the Kursk area as a result of Ukrainian operations there," Kirby told reporters Thursday. "Doing that means you're taking assets that were in one place doing one thing, and now they have to go do another." He added that this "certainly presents a dilemma in the decision-making process." The intense fighting in the Kursk region has forced more than 130,000 civilians to flee the area, and Ukraine said its forces had also taken hundreds of Russian prisoners of war during the operation. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces captured the town of Sudzha and are setting up a military commandant's office there, Zelenskyy said Thursday, citing a report from his military's commander in chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi. Sudzha, which is adjacent to a key gas terminal, is the largest town in Russia that the invading Ukrainian forces appear to have captured. Read the original article on Business Insider This year's election cycle has generated a massive political shakeup at Maricopa County, weeks before November's general election. Several of the county's top positions will be occupied by new faces regardless of who wins in November. Supervisor Jack Sellers lost his primary race to Republican challenger Mark Stewart. Supervisors Bill Gates and Clint Hickman had previously announced they would step down at the end of their terms because of harassment they received for defending the integrity of the 2020 election. Gates will lead a laboratory at ASU focused on election administration. After the general election, at least three of the five seats on the county's governing board will be held by new people. The two remaining supervisors Thomas Galvin, a Republican, and Steve Gallardo, the lone Democrat on the current board are also up for reelection this year. The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office will also have a new leader in 2025. Sheriff Russ Skinner, who took over for Paul Penzone in January, lost his Democratic primary to Tyler Kamp. Kamp will face off against Republican Jerry Sheridan, who served as chief deputy for Joe Arpaio. The office that administrates elections in Maricopa County also will have a new chief. Recorder Stephen Richer came under fire for defending the integrity of the 2020 and 2022 elections and lost his primary on July 30 to Justin Heap, who questioned the process. Here are other major stories we're tracking this week: The Arizona Secretary of State verified enough signatures for a ballot measure that seeks to codify abortion access into the state Constitution to appear on the November ballot. It will appear as Proposition 139. Former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey offered his endorsement for Republican candidates on the ballot, including Senate candidate Kari Lake and former President Donald Trump. Arizona's top Democrats will be traveling to Chicago next week for the Democratic National Convention. They include Gov. Katie Hobbs, Attorney General Kris Mayes and Sen. Mark Kelly, who was on Vice President Kamala Harris' short list for vice president. The Briefing, hosted by Arizona Republic reporter Rafael Carranza, explores news and issues through interviews with other reporters and newsmakers in a fast-paced, easy-to-digest format. The Briefing publishes on azcentral.com and YouTube, where The Republics audience has grown to nearly 130,000 followers. The Briefing is just one layer of The Republic's coverage of politics and the 2024 election. Find our podcast, The Gaggle. Its a must-listen for political junkies and people who prefer news delivered by a podcast. Catch up with us wherever, whenever, by subscribing in your podcast app. You can subscribe to The Gaggle on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher. New episodes post Wednesdays. Get The Republics Election 2024 newsletter, Republic Recount. Each week, Maricopa and Pinal county reporter Sasha Hupka reports and curates must-know campaign news, insider exclusives and service-style voter tips from Arizonas largest and most talented elections team. Sign up for the newsletter at https://profile.azcentral.com/newsletters/the-recount/. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Maricopa County shakeup: Election means massive change in leadership It's well into a tense election season, and the Navy and Marine Corps are reminding their troops of what they can and cannot do when it comes to political activity. Navy and Marine leaders have until Sept. 15 to bring troops up to speed on "permissible and impermissible" political activities, the services said in respective messages issued July 17 and Aug. 12. Service members are held to a higher standard than the general public when it comes to expressing their political beliefs. Those standards are governed by policy and enforced by the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Read Next: He Died Trying to Save Fellow Marines from a Burning Osprey. Now, Spencer Collart Will Be Awarded for His Valor. "Yes, do vote. Yes, it's OK for you to be a member of a political party. No, it's not OK for you to wear your uniform to rallies, because it connotes that the military is supporting this candidate," retired Lt. Col. Joe Plenzler, a former Marine infantryman and current volunteer election poll worker, told Military.com in an interview Wednesday. "We don't pick winners or losers as a service," he said of the rules surrounding an apolitical military. "Everyone's free to vote their conscience, but with civilian control of the military, it is absolutely important we maintain not just the perception of it, but the reality of it." Generally, the rules bar service members from appearing partisan while representing the military, including while in uniform, or directing "contemptuous" speech at elected officials, according to military regulations. Other regs prohibit using official authority to influence an election, marching or riding in a partisan political parade, or displaying partisan signs or banners at a residence on post. "Active-duty members will not engage in partisan political activities, and all military personnel will avoid the inference that their political activities imply or appear to imply [Department of Defense] sponsorship, approval or endorsement of a political candidate, campaign or cause," Pentagon policy states. The Marine Corps' latest force-wide directive, issued Aug. 12, comes in response to a July 17 message to troops from Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro on the merits -- and pitfalls -- of participating in the political process. "The Department of the Navy celebrates democracy and is committed to continuing to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, as our sailors, Marines and civilian personnel have done for nearly 250 years," the department-wide memo said. "Now that the 2024 election season is upon us, it is more important than ever for us to remember that the [Department of the Navy] is an apolitical body. ... Public trust and confidence depend on this." Commanders across the department must ensure their subordinates are briefed on the do's and don'ts by the deadline or -- in case operational requirements get in the way -- run a request for an extension up the chain of command, the memo said. It's unclear what the department will use to educate sailors and Marines on prohibited activity. The Marine Corps message notes that commanders may turn to alternative materials as long as they meet the military's requirements. The Corps noted that it is developing a course on permissible political activity for MarineNet, the service's distance-learning platform. Once available, Marines can take the MarineNet course to satisfy the training requirement. The Navy and Marine Corps are so far the only two branches of the armed forces to mandate such training this election cycle. The Department of the Air Force, which also oversees the Space Force, began issuing its own warnings on political activity to airmen and Guardians in the spring. In an Aug. 2 memo obtained by Military.com, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall doubled down on the message of caution while encouraging all members to exercise their right to vote. "My expectation is that all personnel will comply with these requirements, but in particular, no one will: wear their uniform at political events; use their authority or position to attempt to influence how others vote; or engage in political activities in the workplace, on government time, or while utilizing government equipment," Kendall said. While the Air Force and Space Force have not mandated political activities training, Kendall pointed troops to their local legal offices for in-depth guidance. The Army created a training video for soldiers and service civilians on restrictions around politicking, issued prompts on scenarios troops might face, and incorporated political issues into its annual ethics training, service spokesman Christopher Surridge said in an email Wednesday. The service plans to issue further guidance on political activities for soldiers and civilian staff but does not require them to complete the training, Surridge said. Spokespeople for the Marine Corps and Navy did not respond to a request for additional details on their election-year guidance by press time Wednesday. The training aims to keep troops out of trouble as they navigate the often-confusing complexities of when they can and cannot express their political beliefs. Exceptions to the rules offer service members the ability to display a political bumper sticker on their personal vehicle, attend a political club while not in uniform, engage in voting activities, or donate money to a political organization (with limitations). Sometimes, those regulations can seem murky if one is not intimately familiar with them. For example, service members can "write a letter to the editor of a newspaper expressing personal views on public issues or political candidates (if the letter identifies the member as on active duty, the letter should clearly state the views expressed are those of the individual and not those of the DoD or Marine Corps)," the Corps said in a separate memo on politics in February. Plenzler pointed to social media as an environment where service members often get in trouble for breaking apolitical rules. "While you're in uniform on active duty, collecting a paycheck every 1st and 15th from the Department of Defense, it's probably a great idea for you not to voice your opinions about elected officials on social media," said Plenzler, who also served as a public affairs official for three Marine Corps commandants. Reservists who are not on active-duty orders face similar restrictions, including a ban on using their military rank, title and photos in uniform as part of campaign literature to imply a military endorsement. The rules make an exception for those whose pictures aren't the main graphic on a website or in an ad, and that come with a clear disclaimer that the armed forces don't endorse a candidate. Violations of those policies are punishable under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, including Article 92, for failure to obey a lawful order; Article 88, for contempt toward officials; or any applicable provision of military or federal law. Federal employees' partisan activities are also restricted by the Hatch Act, the 1939 law designed to prevent executive branch workers from using their office to push a campaign agenda. Plenzler noted that some service members may be tempted to participate in the political mudslinging among elected officials or candidates. Those lines can further blur when military spouses or family members might think the rules that govern their service member's political activity also apply to them. "If you are a Marine or Navy spouse, teenage kid, adult dependent, it's easy to assume that all of these rules also apply to you to its fullest extent," Sarah Streyder, executive director of the Secure Families Initiative, a nonpartisan, nonprofit group that encourages military families to engage in civic activities such as voting, told Military.com. "They don't, but the nuances can be tough to navigate." Troops' family members may be concerned about their own political advocacy -- which they are allowed to participate in -- being perceived as an extension of their service member's political views or activities, Streyder said. For instance, she said, spouses can solicit funds for a candidate, but if it comes from a social media account or email they share with their military spouse, it may give the appearance of military involvement. "The problem isn't that I've broken a rule," said Streyder, who is a military spouse herself. "It's that it might give the perception that my service member has broken a rule." On the other side of the restrictions and nuances lies encouragement for service members to thoroughly research candidates' positions and to vote. Plenzler recalled telling his Marines to exercise their right to vote as a young voting assistance officer in Okinawa, Japan. "You put your paw in there to support and defend this thing called the Constitution, and foremost among our rights is the ability of American citizens to choose our leaders," he told Military.com. "We fought an entire war to get rid of a king who was trying to tell us what to do so we could govern ourselves. And you really, really, really, really, should vote." Service members and their families are allowed to vote using absentee ballots while stationed away from their home of record in the United States or overseas. According to the Federal Voting Assistance Program, which Plenzler recommended service members and their families use to learn about their potentially unique voting situation, three-quarters of active-duty troops are eligible to vote via absentee ballot because they are stationed away from their election residence. "Helping them get the ballot is the most important thing -- and turn it in on time," Plenzler said. He encouraged service members and their families to register to vote, and to call their home of record's county election board or visit sites such as vote.gov for information. Service members are often thrust into the political eye during an election season, placing them -- sometimes of their own volition -- into precarious partisan positions. Two veterans, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, and Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., have joined their respective parties' tickets as vice presidential candidates this election, renewing discussions of the value of military service in politics ahead of Election Day on Nov. 5. In April, uniformed Marines were photographed supporting a nonprofit event at former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, which went viral on social media and was criticized as a breach of apolitical norms by commenters, including former Illinois Republican congressman and veteran Adam Kinzinger. The Marine Corps denied the claims and issued a statement defending the appearance, stating that "the event was neither a political fundraiser, nor was the 45th president of the United States in attendance." President Joe Biden also received criticism in 2022 for including Marines in the backdrop of a speech he made in Philadelphia that admonished "MAGA Republicans." Last year, Republicans criticized Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, for cautioning its airmen from attending a local conservative rally. Base officials later walked back the message, saying that it was based "on incorrect data and sent outside of official base messaging platforms," according to The Associated Press. Streyder said service members and spouses should feel confident when casting their ballot, regardless of whether they temporarily live away from where they're registered to vote. "When you vote, you not only are reflecting your opinions, your values for yourself, but you are doing so for your family, for your neighbors, and for anyone who is affected by U.S. policy across the globe," she said. "Your perspective is just so much more broad, and I see that as being such a precious gift that you give your community when you allow that to reflect how you vote at the ballot box." Related: Can Military Retirees Make Political Statements or Attend Protests? In a case of life imitating art, Law & Order: SVU's Mariska Hargitay played an instrumental role in the investigation of over 11,000 sexual assault cases in Detroit, Michigan. On the August 15 episode of the podcast Dateline True Crime Weekly, prosecutor Kym Worthy talked about how the actressknown for playing Captain Olivia Bensonhelped to fund the examination of thousands of untested rape kits found on the shelf in a police evidence room. As podcast host Andrea Canning told the Today show on August 13, They found 22 serial rapists among these kitsand they needed money for this effort so who stepped in? None other than Law & Orders Mariska Hargitay. She helped them raise the money to get this done and its having a ripple effect across the country. Its making changes everywhere, from police departments to prosecutors offices. On the podcast, Worthy explained how Hargitay's involvement galvanized her efforts, even testifying in front of Congress about the letters she received from real-life victims of sexual assault. "She testified about real-life letters she was receiving...and so after we were finished testifying I kind of grabbed her and asked her to come to Detroit and she said she would and she did," Worthy said. "She shows up...I am telling you, that legislation that helped us crack this problem in Michigan sailed through." Related: Mariska Hargitay Details Harrowing Attack She Faced From 'a Friend' Hargitay, 60, opened up about her own experiences as a rape victim in a first-person essay for People in January 2024. "A man raped me in my thirties," she wrote. "It wasnt sexual at all. It was dominance and control. Overpowering control." Hargitay's rapist was a "friend," she explained. "Then he wasn't." "I couldnt process it. I couldnt believe that it happened. That it could happen. So I cut it out. I removed it from my narrative," Hargitay continued. "Now Im able to see clearly what was done to me. I understand the neurobiology of trauma. Trauma fractures our mind and our memory. The way a mirror fractures," she added. Next: Mariska Hargitay Supports New Initiative to Help Abuse Victims and Their Pets U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, now the GOP nominee for vice president, speaks to reporters in the spin room following the CNN Presidential Debate between President Joe Biden and the Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump, at the McCamish Pavilion on the Georgia Institute of Technology campus on June 27, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) WASHINGTON Ohio Republican Sen. J.D. Vance Thursday agreed to an Oct. 1 vice presidential debate against Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz on CBS News. Walz agreed to the October debate invitation from CBS on Wednesday. It will take place in New York City. Vance also argued for more debates against Walz, including one on CNN on Sept. 18. Not only do I accept the CBS debate on October 1st, I accept the CNN debate on September 18th as well, he wrote on X. I look forward to seeing you at both. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The Harris-Walz campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from States Newsroom. Sept. 18 is also the date that GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump is scheduled for his sentencing in his hush money trial, in which he was convicted on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in an attempt to conceal payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels in an effort to influence the 2016 presidential election. In a letter dated Wednesday, but made public Thursday, attorneys for Trump asked the judge overseeing his sentencing to delay it until after the presidential election, according to CNN. Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris are scheduled for a presidential debate Sept. 10, hosted by ABC News. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, now the GOP nominee for vice president, speaks to reporters in the spin room following the CNN Presidential Debate between President Joe Biden and the Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump, at the McCamish Pavilion on the Georgia Institute of Technology campus on June 27, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) WASHINGTON Ohio Republican Sen. J.D. Vance Thursday agreed to an Oct. 1 vice presidential debate against Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz on CBS News. Walz agreed to the October debate invitation from CBS on Wednesday. It will take place in New York City. Vance also argued for more debates against Walz, including one on CNN on Sept. 18. Not only do I accept the CBS debate on October 1st, I accept the CNN debate on September 18th as well, he wrote on X. I look forward to seeing you at both. The Harris-Walz campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from States Newsroom. Sept. 18 is also the date that GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump is scheduled for his sentencing in his hush money trial, in which he was convicted on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in an attempt to conceal payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels in an effort to influence the 2016 presidential election. In a letter dated Wednesday, but made public Thursday, attorneys for Trump asked the judge overseeing his sentencing to delay it until after the presidential election, according to CNN. Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris are scheduled for a presidential debate Sept. 10, hosted by ABC News. Former Donald Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows is attempting to move his Arizona election subversion criminal case to federal court in an effort to have the charges against him dismissed. If the bid is successful, it could give Meadows a significant boost by invoking federal immunity extended to certain individuals who are prosecuted or sued for conduct tied to their US government roles. A grand jury in Arizona handed up an indictment in April against Meadows and 17 other associates of former President Donald Trump over their efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss, including the fake electors from that state and several individuals connected to his campaign. Meadows has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Attorneys for Meadows argued in court papers filed Wednesday that the indictment squarely relates to Meadows official conduct as Trumps last chief of staff. Nothing Mr. Meadows is alleged in the indictment to have done is criminal per se. Rather, it consists of allegations that he received (and occasionally responded to) messages from people who were trying to get ideas in front of President Trump or seeking to inform Mr. Meadows about the strategy and status of various legal efforts by the Presidents campaign, they wrote. This is precisely the kind of state interference in a federal officials duties that the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution prohibits, and that the removal statute shields from adjudication in a state court, the attorneys argued. US District Judge John Tuchi scheduled a hearing for September 5. Tuchi was a nominee of former President Barack Obama. Meadows is no stranger to the legal gambit. Last year, he mounted a similar effort in Georgia after he was indicted in Fulton County on similar 2020 election subversion state charges. In a major gamble, he testified under oath at the evidentiary hearing in that case about his White House role and how he tried to guide Trump through the 2020 transition. But the federal judge in that case concluded that the evidence overwhelmingly suggests that Meadows was not acting in his scope of executive branch duties during most of the actions alleged in that Georgia indictment. A federal appeals court later affirmed the judges ruling, and Meadows has asked the US Supreme Court to review the matter. The Arizona indictment is separate from the Georgia case, though some of the alleged conduct overlaps, related to Meadows activities after Trumps 2020 loss. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Mass conservation efforts grant 'permanent protection' for over 800 acres of wildlife habitat: 'Important in so many different ways' In a remarkable win for local communities and nature alike, over 800 acres of land in Barre, Massachusetts, are now under permanent conservation protection. As reported by The Gardner News, the newly designated Hawes Hill Conservation Corridor will not only preserve the natural beauty and wildlife habitat of the area but also contribute to the well-being of residents by securing clean drinking water, supporting local farms, and enhancing climate resilience. This ambitious conservation effort is the result of collaboration between multiple organizations, including the Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust, Massachusetts Audubon Society, and several state and local entities. These groups have worked to secure conservation restrictions on eight properties, ensuring that this land remains protected for future generations. The land, managed by private landowners for forestry, agriculture, and passive recreational activities, represents a crucial piece of the larger puzzle in preserving Massachusetts' natural resources. "The farms and forests around the Quabbin are important in so many different ways," said executive director of Mount Grace Emma Ellsworth. "Amazing places like these urgently need to be protected before they are lost, so it was truly inspiring to see so many neighbors join together to make sure this land was conserved right now." The Hawes Hill Conservation Corridor connects a diverse range of habitats, including streams, wetlands, woods, and fields. This connectivity is vital for wildlife, ensuring that species can move freely across the landscape, which is increasingly fragmented by development. Additionally, by protecting these forests and fields, the corridor plays a critical role in filtering water and mitigating the impacts of our overheating planet, directly benefiting the local community. The significance of this achievement extends beyond environmental preservation. By safeguarding these lands, the project supports local agriculture, a cornerstone of Barre's economy, and ensures that future generations can continue to enjoy the area's natural beauty. This conservation success story is part of a broader movement in Massachusetts to protect 30% of the state's land by 2030. Similar projects include the preservation of the Quabbin Reservoir watershed and the recent expansion of protected land in the Berkshires. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Mass Deportation Now plans fall apart under scrutiny, for Kansas and U.S. Thats not the point. Kansas delegates represent their state July 17, 2024, at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom) He wouldnt say the name. Surrounded by delegates waving Mass Deportation Now signs during the Republican National Convention, NBC reporter Jacob Soboroff winner of several awards for his reporting, as well as his book on immigration policy refused to repeat the name of the Eisenhower Administration program upon which former President Trump models his largest deportation program in American history. Its an offensive name, and racist, Soboroff told his colleagues in the studio. Ikes effort flopped. It repatriated only a scant faction of targeted immigrants. Scores died in hell-hole ships returning them to Mexico. Corrupt growers thwarted attempts to detain workers. Its leader, who had been convicted years earlier of killing a Latino man, folded the program after a year. Trumps proposal is destined to the same fate, but that doesnt matter to him or his followers. The mass deportation pledge of 2024 is this years wall: Trumps shorthand to incite his followers. The wall became the signature issue in his 2016 campaign. In his acceptance speech, Trump falsely claimed that most of it is finished. The U.S.-Mexico border is 2,000 miles long. During his administration, the United States constructed just 50 miles of new border wall. And Mexico didnt pay. But a real wall was not the goal, just as a legislative solution to border security was never the point. Trump told us so. He demanded his congressional allies oppose a bipartisan border bill so he could campaign on the issue. They did, and they dont have a solution. Now his supporters are waving Mass Deportation Now signs but know nothing about the proposal. It is devoid of detail, cost estimates and without regard for the consequences. How would Kansas find the personnel and money for Trumps plan? The states comparatively small population of undocumented migrants outnumbers by nearly eight to one its law enforcement force. Kansas would have to detail every single law enforcement officer state, county, and local solely to the door-to-door sweeps, traffic stops and detention activities the program would require. It could easily cost as much as $770 million in Kansas alone. Who would be detained? The French native who overstayed her visa by two years to live with her law firm partner boyfriend in Overland Park, or the undocumented Honduran working construction in Pratt, married, with children, and in the country for 15 years? Nearly two-thirds of the undocumented migrants in Kansas have been here longer than 10 years; only an extremely small proportion have arrived in the last five years. The same share is married, more than 10% of them to U.S. citizens. More than half own their homes. Which families will be torn apart? Who makes those decisions? There arent enough lawyers and courts in Kansas to handle the inevitable avalanche of legal challenges. Which buildings would go unbuilt, which factories would close, which farms and restaurants would limp along understaffed? For every two unfilled jobs in Kansas, there is only one available worker, a ratio that would balloon to crippling levels. National studies suggest a drastic drop in growth if immigrants are removed from the work force; the Kansas economy is not immune. What about the downstream costs? The state and local budgets would suffer an immediate shock of lost revenues. Contrary to what Trump said at his convention, undocumented migrants cannot receive Social Security or Medicare, but the taxes they pay on their wages help finance these programs. They pay state and local taxes, too taxes that help pay for the salaries of the public officials who would remove them. Wouldnt the crime rate fall? The crime rate is already falling. It has dropped sharply in the last few years. Native U.S. citizens are far more likely to commit crimes than immigrants, far more. So, no. The answers to these questions, the details, and fallout dont matter to Trump and his followers, including most Kansas Republican office holders and candidates. They are irrelevant to the real point. The attack on the other, the retrograde false dream of a country of white, Anglo-Saxon Christians, is being unleashed solely to get votes. Mass Deportation Now? Its a base appeal to the worst in politics. If Ikes program is the proposals model, its demagogic forebearers are Sen. Joseph McCarthys Red Scare; Alabama Gov. George Wallaces Segregation today, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever; President Reagans welfare queens and President George H.W. Bushs Willie Horton; and even Trumps own Muslim ban. It sits with them in the abyss of political rhetoric. Soboroff was right. The name of the Trump model is offensive, degrading, and, thankfully, disappeared from contemporary discourse. But its important to know it and say it, once to understand the depths of the division Trump is sowing: Operation Wback. We banished that racist term from our lexicon, as we should have. Its 2024 descendant deserves the same fate. Raised in McPherson, Greg Frazier served in high-level positions at the USDA and Office of the United States Trade Representative, as well as on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He has extensive experience dealing with the Chinese government. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here. Montpelier, VT A Massachusetts therapist pleaded not guilty in Vermont Superior Court on Thursday to multiple counts of Medicaid fraud. Prosecutors allege that Dr. Robert Martin DuWors, 71, of Cotuit, MA, let an unlicensed associate practice on his patients while billing Vermont Medicaid at a full clinical rate. Investigators also say DuWors, a licensed psychotherapist, falsely billed Vermont Medicaid for impossible time, saying he claimed to have personally provided more than 24 hours of Medicaid service on a single date. In June, the Vermont Attorney Generals office filed a civil suit against DuWors, his associate and his corporate practice for alleged violations of the Vermont False Claims Act. That lawsuit is pending in Vermont Superior Court. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC22 & FOX44. Five arrests have been made amid a drug investigation into the death of Friends star Matthew Perry. The Department of Justice said in a press conference Thursday morning that an investigation revealed a broad underground criminal network, including Perrys assistant and doctors, who took advantage of the actor by selling him ketamine. More from Variety This network included a live-in assistant, various go-betweens, two medical doctors and a major source of drug supply known as The Ketamine Queen,' said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada, announcing the charges. These defendants took advantage of Mr. Perrys addiction issues to enrich themselves. They knew what they were doing was wrong. They knew what they were doing was risking great danger to Mr. Perry, but they did it anyways. In the end, these defendants were more interested in profiting off Mr. Perry than caring for his well being. The 54-year-old actor was found dead in the hot tub of his L.A. home on Oct. 28, and traces of the drug ketamine were found in his system. At the time, it was ruled an accidental overdose. But in May, the LAPD said it was working with federal authorities to investigate the source of the ketamine he had consumed. According to the L.A. Times, search warrants were served to those being investigated and evidence has been seized. Federal charges have been filed against multiple people, the Times reported, one of which has a medical license. A news conference has been scheduled for later Thursday morning, where more details will be shared. First responders were initially called to Perrys home for cardiac arrest, but the Los Angeles County Medical Examiners Office found that he died of acute effects of ketamine. Contributing factors included drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine (used to treat opioid use disorder). Prior to his death, Perry had reportedly been undergoing ketamine therapy for depression and anxiety. According to the medical examiners toxicology report, At the high levels of ketamine found in his postmortem blood specimens, the main lethal effects would be from both cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression. Perry was beloved for his performance as the hilarious and lovable Friends character Chandler Bing. Following his death, his Friends co-stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer wrote in a statement that they were utterly devastated. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family. There is so much to say, but right now were going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss, the statement read. In time we will say more, as and when we are able. For now, our thoughts and our love are with Mattys family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world. Best of Variety Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Matthew Perrys assistant allegedly injected him more than 20 times with ketamine in the four days before he died, according to California prosecutors who have brought charges against five people in connection with his death. Two doctors, an acquaintance and a woman known as the ketamine queen are among those charged with providing the actor with the ketamine in September and October last year. One doctor named in an indictment filed on Wednesday said in a text message that he wonder[ed] how much this moron will pay for the drugs. Some allegedly involved in distributing the drugs referred to vials of ketamine using code words such as Dr Pepper, cans and bots, the prosecutors said. Salvador Plasencia, a doctor at an urgent care centre, and Jasveen Sangha, a woman prosecutors said was known as the ketamine queen, were arrested on Thursday and are accused of supplying drugs to Perry, who was found dead aged 54 at his LA home last year. Click here to view this content. A grand jury indictment, unsealed on Thursday, said the two people worked to procure ketamine despite knowing that he had a history of drug abuse. Prosecutors named Perrys assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, an acquaintance named Erik Fleming and another doctor, Mark Chavez, as co-conspirators in an underground criminal network responsible for distributing [a] large quantity of ketamine to Perry and others. Martin Estrada, a US attorney, said in a press briefing on Thursday that the defendants took advantage of Mr Perrys addiction issues, adding: They knew what they were doing was wrong. Illegal narcotics seized from Jasveen Sangha's Hollywood home In a 34-page court filing, prosecutors described how the co-conspirators communicated with each other to procure and administer ketamine to Perry. In September last year, Mr Iwamasa made contact with Dr Plasencia, a registered doctor, in the hope of buying ketamine. Over the following weeks, prosecutors said the doctor trained Mr Iwamasa to inject his boss with the drug, and supplied syringes to do so. He is in turn accused of buying the ketamine from Dr Chavez, another medical doctor, who allegedly bought it from a wholesaler by making fraudulent statements about how he would use the drug. In one text message, Dr Plasencia described meeting with Perry to Dr Chavez as like a bad movie, the court filing said. On Oct 10, Dr Plasencia is accused of meeting Perry in a car park in Long Beach, California, and injecting him with ketamine inside the car. Prosecutors say that Sangha's distribution of ketamine led to Perry's death - US Department of Justice Over the following weeks, the pair arranged for Mr Iwamasa to buy more ketamine, which was first administered by Dr Plasencia himself, then by the assistant. On one occasion, Dr Plasencia allegedly injected Perry with enough ketamine to make him freeze and for his blood pressure to significantly spike, said prosecutors. Over the same period, Mr Iwamasa also allegedly bought ketamine from Mr Fleming, an associate who in turn obtained it from Ms Sangha, a ketamine queen accused of acting as a drug dealer to the rich and famous in Hollywood. Prosecutors said Mr Fleming told Mr Iwamasa that the ketamine was great stuff and that Ms Sangha only deal[s] with high end and celebs. On Oct 14, Mr Iwamasa allegedly bought 25 vials of ketamine from Mr Fleming for $5,500 (4,275). The indictment alleges that the defendants sold Perry a vial of ketamine that cost $12 for $2,000 Ten days later, he is accused of buying another 25 vials, which included Perrys fatal dose. Between Oct 25 and 27, he allegedly injected Perry with six doses of ketamine each day, followed by three more doses on Oct 28. Later that day, Perry was discovered dead, face down in his hot tub. The coroners report after Perrys death found that he had a high dosage of ketamine present in his system at the time of his death, which was ruled an accident. The same day, the court filing shows Ms Sangha instructed Mr Fleming: Delete all our messages. Authorities tracked communication between the five defendants - US District Court Earlier this year, Ms Sangha was charged with possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Police raided her home in March and found 79 bottles of ketamine and almost 2,000 methamphetamine pills. She has pleaded not guilty. Authorities said that contributing factors to Perrys death had included drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine, a drug used to treat opioid use disorder. The actor, who was best known for his role as Chandler Bing in the American sitcom, had been open about his struggle with alcohol and substance abuse before his death, although he said he had stopped using drugs. Perry posted this photograph of himself in his hot tub five days before his death - Instagram An aerial view of the pool and hot tub where Matthew Perry was found dead - AKGS The medical examiners report after his death found levels of ketamine in his body equivalent to the amount that would be used for anaesthesia. Perry had been undergoing ketamine infusion treatment for depression, but the quantity of the drug in his body at the time of death could not be attributed to the treatment alone, the examiner said. In his memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, Perry wrote extensively about his struggles with addiction, including during his time filming the hit sitcom. The Friends cast at a reunion in 2021 - SOME He said he had taken ketamine as part of treatment for his mental health conditions in a Swiss clinic. Ketamine was a very popular street drug in the 1980s. There is a synthetic form of it now, and its used for two reasons: to ease pain and help with depression, he wrote. He said his addiction had begun in 1997, three years after Friends first aired, when he was prescribed the drug Vicodin to deal with the pain from a jet skiing accident. During some of the series, he was taking 55 pills a day and said he thought his hangovers had affected his performance on the show. One time, in a scene in the coffee house when Im dressed in a suit, I fell asleep right there on the couch, and disaster was averted only when Matt LeBlanc nudged me awake right before my line, he wrote. No one noticed, but I knew how close Id come. His death prompted grief from his co-stars, including Jennifer Aniston, who played Rachel Green. He was happy. He was healthy. He had quit smoking, she said in December. I was literally texting with him that morning, funny Matty. He was not in pain. He wasnt struggling. He was happy. Lisa Kudrow, who played Phoebe Buffay, said she had begun rewatching the show in tribute to her friends death. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Matthew Perry, 2015. - Credit: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images The family of Matthew Perry applauded the indictments of five people allegedly connected to the actors 2023 death. We were and still are heartbroken by Matthews death, but it has helped to know law enforcement has taken his case very seriously, the family of journalist Keith Morrison, Perrys stepfather, told NBC. We look forward to justice taking its course. On Thursday, Perrys live-in assistant, two doctors, and a person the media has nicknamed the Ketamine Queen were among those indicted by federal prosecutors. These defendants took advantage of Mr. Perrys addiction issues to enrich themselves, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said at a press conference in Los Angeles. In the end, these defendants were more interested in profiting off Mr. Perry than caring for his wellbeing. More from Rolling Stone Perry, who was open about his struggles with addiction going back to his days on Friends, was found dead face down in a swimming pool last October. The Los Angeles medical examiner proclaimed the cause of death to stem from the acute effects of ketamine. He was 54. Earlier this year, Morrison, who married Perrys mother in 1981, explained on Hoda Kotbs podcast how difficult losing Perry has been for them. Its not easy, especially for his mom, he said, adding that Toward the end of his life, they were closer than Ive seen them for decades. He also said that Perry was happy around the time of his death and even said so. He hadnt said that for a long time, Morrison added. So its a source of comfort. Also, he didnt get to have his third act, and thats not fair. Best of Rolling Stone Matthew Perry investigation: What we know about the people charged in his death Daisy Muro leaves flowers at a memorial for actor Matthew Perry in front of his home in Pacific Palisades on Oct. 30, 2023. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) For the record: 6:29 p.m. Aug. 15, 2024: An earlier version of this article referred to Dr. Cesar Chavez. The physicians name is Mark Chavez. Two doctors and a live-in personal assistant to Matthew Perry are among the people charged following a months-long investigation into how the prescription drug ketamine that contributed to the actor's death was procured. Prosecutors on Thursday charged five people in connection with the death of the "Friends" star, who was found dead in the hot tub at his Pacific Palisades home on Oct. 28. Trace amounts of ketamine which is sometimes used to treat depression were found in his stomach, according to the Los Angeles County medical examiner. But the level found in his blood was about the same as would be used during general anesthesia, his autopsy showed. Since then, authorities have been working to determine how Perry got the drug, which caused cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression. Ketamine is a legal medication commonly used as an anesthetic, but it can be abused recreationally. According to the American Addiction Centers, users have described ketamine as producing "out-of-body experiences" and making them feel as if they're "melting in their surroundings." The Times reported in June that investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Postal Service had linked several people to procurement of the ketamine. Read more: A dealer known as 'Ketamine Queen' and 2 doctors among 5 charged in death of Matthew Perry The named defendants in the case include two physicians, Perry's live-in personal assistant who authorities say injected him with ketamine and a dealer dubbed the "Ketamine Queen" by federal agents. Here's what we know about the people named in the indictment, which was unsealed Thursday: Jasveen Sangha, 41, also known as the Ketamine Queen The North Hollywood woman was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute ketamine and five counts of distribution of ketamine, according to the indictment. Prosecutors say Perrys personal assistant began obtaining ketamine for the actor from Sangha and a street dealer in mid-October. She is accused of selling about 50 vials of the drug to the actor for $11,000. Prosecutors allege in court documents that Sangha engaged in a five-year-long drug business selling meth, ketamine and other drugs. But her specialty was ketamine, and she held "herself out as a celebrity drug dealer with high quality goods," according to court records. Sangha rented the "stash house" where authorities said she conducted her drug-selling business for several thousands of dollars per month and is leasing a 2024 BMW, but she has been unemployed since 2019, prosecutors wrote. Previously, she claimed to be self-employed as an artist and singer. In court papers, prosecutors highlighted the contents of her social media accounts to suggest how enmeshed she is in the drug culture. A photo posted on social media shows Sangha wearing a beaded bracelet with the word "mushy" on it and adorned with mushrooms. The bracelet is a type of kandi, an item popular in the rave culture intended to be worn and sometimes given to fellow ravers. On the photo, she wrote "#ravetothegrave" Dr. Salvador Plasencia, 42, referred to as Dr. P" Federal prosecutors say a month before Perrys death, Plasencia learned that the actor was interested in obtaining ketamine. He is accused of injecting Perry with ketamine at his Pacific Palisades home on Sept. 30 and then leaving vials of ketamine, syringes and injection instructions for Perry's assistant. Plascencia was charged with seven counts of distribution of ketamine and two counts of altering and falsifying documents or records related to the federal investigation. Dr. Mark Chavez, 54, a San Diego-based physician Chavez admitted in a plea agreement that he sold ketamine to Plasencia, including some he diverted from his former ketamine clinic, according to prosecutors. He also made false statements to a wholesale ketamine distributor and submitted a false prescription in the name of a former patient without that patient's knowledge or permission, prosecutors said. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine in connection with Perry's death. Chavez and Plasencia apparently have known each other for years, according to their respective LinkedIn profiles. Chavez wrote in a recommendation on Plasencia's page that they've "worked closely" and that Chavez acted as a "coach and mentor over many years." Chavez wrote about Plasencia: "He is inquisitive and clever and is a committed life long learner and teacher. Dr. Plasencia is committed to providing his patients with family centered care as well as running socially responsible businesses." Returning the favor, Plasencia wrote in a recommendation of Chavez that his mentoring "has been extremely helpful to me as I navigated my own path as a medical entrepreneur." Kenneth Iwamasa, 59, Perry's live-in personal assistant Iwamasa pleaded guilty Aug. 7 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death. He admitted to injecting Perry with ketamine without medical training, including performing several injections on the actor the day he died, authorities said. Erik Fleming, 54 Fleming, described by prosecutors as a drug dealer and acquaintance of Perry's, admitted to authorities that he received vials of ketamine from Sangha and distributed 50 vials of the drug to Iwamasa, half of them four days before Perry's death. Fleming pleaded guilty Aug. 8 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of ketamine that resulted in death. Sangha was arrested in March on narcotics charges and posted a $100,000 bond in a separate case. During a raid at Sangha's home on March 19, authorities seized 1,978 grams of methamphetamine pills, 79 bottles of liquid ketamine, 2,127 grams of pills suspected of being Xanax, 323 grams of a substance suspected of being psilocybin mushrooms and 128 grams of suspected cocaine, according to federal prosecutors. Authorities also found a journal in her home that detailed thousands of dollars in drug transactions, according to Thursday's indictment. Prosecutors say that Perry was not the only victim who overdosed on Sangha's product. In August 2019, she sold ketamine to Cody McLaury hours before his death. One of McLaury's family members texted Sangha: "The ketamine you sold my brother killed him. Its listed as the cause of death, according to court records. Days later, according to the records, Sangha searched on Google, "can ketamine be listed as a cause of death[?] Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A post office in Florida will soon be renamed for a mail carrier who died in 2022 after being viciously mauled by dogs. The Pamela Jane Rock Post Office at 859 North State Road 21 in Melrose will be dedicated on Monday, Aug. 26, the United States Postal Service said in a release. Rep. Aaron Bean, R-District 4, and Rep. Kat Cammack, R-District 3, sponsored a bill to dedicate the facility to her and President Biden signed it into law in May. Pam had a servants heart, and it was obvious in the way she lived her life. While her time on this earth was tragically cut short, she served the U.S. Post Service with passion and integrity, said Congressman Bean. "Im looking forward to this special renaming ceremony where we will be able to see Pams name on display for the first time, officially memorializing her commitment to Floridians. What happened to mail carrier Pamela Jane Rock? A Florida post office will be renamed to honor mail carrier Pamela Jane Rock from Interlachen who died in 2022 after being attacked by dogs. Rock, 61, was delivering mail on Aug. 21, 2022, when her vehicle broke down in the Interlachen Lake Estates area, according to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office. Her brother Tom Rock later said she had called for help and was delivering mail on foot. Witnesses said they heard a woman screaming for help and found Rock on the ground being mauled by five dogs. Several neighbors attempted to pull the dogs off and one shot a rifle into the ground to frighten them away, they said. First responders did what they could, even restarting her heart at one point, and the severely wounded Rock was transported to a hospital and then flown to a trauma center in Gainesville. While attempting to save her doctors were forced to amputate her right leg, her right arm and her left ear, Tom Rock said. Despite their efforts, Rock died the next day. She had been with the mail service for seven months. Vicious dogs are seen behind a cage. Five dogs killed a woman in rural Florida when her vehicle became stranded carrying mail. The neighbor with the rifle, Richard Carr, told First Coast News that the dogs had been a nuisance before but were usually kept in their owner's yard. Investigations by the Putnam County Sheriff and the State Attorney's Office revealed a history of attacks involving the same dogs in previous months. The State Attorney's Office declined to file charges against their owner as the owner had tried to surrender them twice, including once 10 days before the attack, according to News4Jax. The dogs were euthanized. Who was Pamela Jane Rock? Plantation, Florida native Rock was the youngest of 14 children. "After graduating from the University of Florida, she worked for the Alachua County Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program" Tom Rock, said. "She also served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala for three years and later worked on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana teaching nutrition. She vociferously advocated on Capitol Hill for the needs of women and children trapped in poverty before joining the Postal Service as a letter carrier in January 2022." Dedicating the Melrose Post Office as the Pamela Jane Rock Post Office Building has a profound significance to our family, said Rock's niece, Heidi Wright. It represents a lasting tribute, honoring Pamelas contributions, her public service abroad serving in the U.S. Peace Corps, as a local postal carrier, and countless years spent caring for others in her own community. "This recognition not only immortalizes her legacy but also brings a sense of pride and honor to our family, reinforcing the values and accomplishments she was able to achieve. Florida ranks high in dog attacks on mail carriers Incidents involving dog attacks on U.S. Postal Service employees rose to more than 5,800 cases last year, according to a USPS release, and Florida was the 7th highest state in the country for dog bites with 193 incidents. California was by far the most dangerous place for mail carrier legs with 727 attacks reported, and Texas reported 411. Ohio, with half our population, was No. 3 with 359. Letter carriers are exposed to potential hazards every day, none more prevalent than a canine encounter. All it takes is one interaction for a letter carrier to possibly suffer an injury, said Leeann Theriault, USPS Manager, Employee Safety and Health Awareness. The U.S. Postal Service consistently encourages responsible pet ownership." How to keep your dog from attacking postal workers Any dog, even normally non-threatening ones, can attack if they feel their turf is being invaded. Even though a customers dog is friendly to most people, it can always have a bad day, said letter carrier Tara Snyder. I know, from experience, even when a dog is in the house, customers need to make sure their door is secure so their dog cant push it open and bite the letter carrier. It's not just the carrier who will be affected, although that's enough. If a postal employee is injured the dog owner may be responsible for medical bills, lost wages, uniform replacement costs and pain and suffering for the carrier. According to the USPS, quoting the Insurance Information Institute, the average cost per insurance claim for a dog bite is $64,555. It can also mean your mail will be delayed, as the USPS prioritizes the safety of its workers and will ask you to come pick it up at a facility until the carrier feels safe returning to your home. If your dog is free to roam about, your neighbors also may have to go pick up their mail at the post office as well. The USPS has suggestions to keep everyone safe: When it's time for a letter carrier to arrive, keep dogs inside the house or behind a fence, in a different room with the door closed, or on a leash. Dogs can burst through screen doors or plate-glass windows if they feel threatened. Don't let children take mail directly from a mail carrier as the dog may view the carrier as a threat to the child. Sign up for Informed Delivery to get a heads-up on when the mail will arrive (and get photos of your mail before it gets there). This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Florida post office's name to honor mail carrier mauled by 5 dogs By Julie Zhu and Xie Yu HONG KONG (Reuters) - Ernst & Young (EY) and KPMG have snapped up over half of PwC's corporate clients in China that have fled the market's leading accounting firm as it faces a regulatory probe, filings show. Chinese authorities have been investigating PwC's role in auditing China Evergrande Group, after the securities regulator accused the troubled property developer in March of a $78-billion fraud. PwC audited Evergrande for almost 14 years until early 2023. Regulators have also asked several large state-owned clients of PwC to drop the auditor since at least April. "Compared to previous years, what we're seeing this year is certainly an unusual client exodus from PwC," said Fan Zhongwen, an accounting professor at City University of Hong Kong. A Reuters calculation based on filings showed more than 40 Chinese firms, many of which are state-owned enterprises or financial institutions, have either dropped PwC as their auditor or canceled plans to hire the firm in recent months. Among them are some of PwC's largest clients, including Bank of China (BOC), China Life Insurance and PetroChina, which last year paid accounting fees of nearly 200 million yuan ($28 million), 64 million yuan and 46 million yuan, respectively, the filings showed. PwC declined to comment for this story. EY and KPMG did not respond to requests for comment. Last year, domestic regulators reiterated state-owned firms and listed companies should be "extremely cautious" about hiring auditors that have received regulatory fines or other penalties in the past three years. Those advisories and potentially hefty penalties for PwC have worried some existing clients, prompting them to consider alternatives, said sources. "PwC's client losses will likely continue in the short term as its audit of Evergrande has caused great damage to its reputation," Fan said. "It will take time for PwC to restore the reputation." PwC's main onshore arm PwC Zhong Tian LLP recorded revenues of 7.92 billion yuan in 2022, making it China's top-earning auditor that year, followed by EY, Deloitte and KPMG, according to official figures. The Big Four firms audited 12% of the companies listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and 5% of companies on the Shenzhen exchange as of this March, per a PwC calculation shown on its website. EY AND KPMG GAIN A Reuters calculation found EY had won at least 12 clients from PwC, including large state-backed financial institutions China Life, PICC and China Cinda Asset Management. Story continues The 12 companies' total combined audit fees were over 230 million yuan last year. Among non-state companies, Hong Kong-listed Fuyao Glass and Shenzhen-listed Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics canceled plans to reappoint PwC as their auditor and hired EY instead in early August and May, respectively, according to filings. With companies flocking to EY, it has been able to cut spending on attracting new business and is offering a 10%-20% reduction in audit fees to former PwC clients, said two sources. It also plans to raise pay rates by 10% for new employees hired through campus recruitment this fall as the firm needs more staff to cope with the sudden increase in workload, said one of them. KPMG has taken on at least 12 companies from PwC that paid total audit fees of about 160 million yuan in 2023. They include state-owned China Telecom and China Taiping Insurance as well as eight subsidiaries of state conglomerate China Merchants Group that dropped plans to go to PwC and went to KPMG, according to filings. PwC's biggest client, Bank of China, said in June it shortened a services agreement. It has yet to mandate a new auditor. Other accounting firms that have taken over PwC's audit clients include BDO's onshore arm Lixin and domestic firm Pan-China, filings show. Before the spotlight fell on PwC's work for Evergrande, Deloitte's Beijing branch in March last year was fined 211.9 million yuan by Chinese authorities and its operations were suspended for three months after serious deficiencies were found in its audit of China Huarong Asset Management. The penalties, despite being imposed on Deloitte's Beijing branch rather than Deloitte China, have left the auditor in a disadvantaged position to take on new clients, in particular large state-backed ones, said two separate sources. A Deloitte spokesperson referred to a previous statement, which said: "To be clear, there is no suggestion by the MOF (Ministry of Finance) that either Deloitte Hua Yong, its Beijing branch, or any of its people have done anything unethical," adding the firm is committed to "the highest standards of audit quality". Sources declined to be named as they were not authorised to speak to the media. ($1 = 7.1476 Chinese yuan renminbi) ($1 = 7.7883 Hong Kong dollars) (Reporting by Julie Zhu and Xie Yu; Additional reporting by Engen Tham; Editing by Sonali Paul) EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) El Paso Mayor Oscar Leesser Will hold a press conference this afternoon to discuss the City manager selection process, timeline, and next steps. Four named finalists are currently in the running for the city manager position, a role that will replace Tommy Gonzalez. This comes after a highly competitive selection process, with over 80 applicants vying for the job. The finalists selected by the El Paso City Council were announced on July 12, 2024, and they are Chief Financial Officer Robert Cortinas, Deputy City Manager Mario DAgostino, Climate and Sustainability Officer Nicole Alderete-Ferrini and Deputy City Manager Dionne Mack. City announces final candidates for city manager position Last week, on August 7 and 8, interviews were conducted and included nine-member council-appointed community interview panels: -Citizen Advisory Committee Panel *Panel Focus: Public perception, transparency, and the candidates vision for community improvement. -Community Leaders/Stakeholders Panel *Panel Focus: Community engagement, responsiveness to public needs, and building strong community relationships. From Left to Right: Robert Cortinas, Mario DAgostino, Dionne Mack, Nicole Ferrini. Photos: City of El Paso. The selection has been criticized by City Rep. Josh Acevedo, who said it fell short of being transparent. The City Council never received a report from staff or Baker Tilly, the search firm, on candidate rankings nor were given a draft of candidate finalists, according to a news release by Acevedos office. Mayor Leeser responded to this claim: The decision-making process was a comprehensive data-driven effort, resulting in the identification of the top four candidates and an alternate, with a tie occurring for the alternate position. Each step was guided by rigorous evaluations and analyses, ensuring transparency and accountability in our selection criteria. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. Mayor speaks about downtown reopening as demolition comes to an end YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) A big announcement out of downtown Youngstown Wednesday provided some hope after the city was rocked almost three months ago by a deadly gas explosion at the Realty Building. Theres finally a light at the end of the tunnel in the form of a release sent on behalf of the Realty building owners Wednesday afternoon. A release from K-Squared Marketing on behalf of Live Youngstown/Yo 47 Properties said pending the City of Youngstowns official approval, residents and businesses can take steps toward re-establishing their routines at work and at home as early as next week. Mayor Tito Brown was downtown Wednesday watching the demolition progress. He said hes cautiously optimistic. They have a method and the method is getting there. So hopefully in the next few days, well have some good news that our tenants can move back in, the hotel can open up and the traffic downtown can start moving again, Brown said. The demolition began about a month ago. Photos of the entire process in consecutive order can be seen in the Realty Building demolition progress gallery. The statement on behalf of Live Youngstown/Yo 47 properties also said the buildings demolition will be completed to the fourth floor or the safe level by the weekend. Currently, Brown says crews are working on the fire escape which is the tallest piece left Thats kind of the piece theyve been kind of gentile and working really slow around so they get it and do it the right way so it doesnt fall the wrong way, he said. What Im learning in construction is what you think on one day, it might change as you cut and move things. It may not move in the right direction. Businesses around the Realty Building and residents of International Towers have been eagerly waiting to return to normal. The statement ended by saying, The redevelopment of this site will be an extensive process. In the interim, the site will be leveled and will remain vacant as we begin the lengthy process of reimagining and planning a new project worthy of this historic site. Nick Rich contributed to this story. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. Jennifer McCormick, the Democratic nominee for governor, pictured at the Indiana Democratic Convention on July 13, 2024, has released her proposal to address property taxes. (Whitney Downard/Indiana Capital Chronicle) Indianas Democratic nominee for governor unveiled her $600 million plan Thursday for addressing rising property taxes, including fiscal impact and estimated savings for taxpayers. Jennifer McCormicks campaign team published a fact sheet Thursday morning, touting the plan as a way to provide targeted relief to those who need it most without cutting essential police, fire, and school services to Hoosiers. It impacts a lot of Hoosiers, our plan not everyone, but most Hoosiers, gain a little bit. That was the goal: that Hoosiers would have some relief and not just this group or this group, McCormick said in a virtual press conference. And not place the burden solely on our towns and local governments. Similar proposals released by her Republican and Libertarian opponents U.S. Sen. Mike Braun and Donald Rainwater, respectively have been criticized for not providing fiscal estimates or naming alternative funding sources for key local services like public safety. McCormick relied on bipartisan lawmaker proposals previously vetted by the General Assemblys Legislative Services Agencies, a nonpartisan entity which calculates a fiscal impact for each bill filed by legislators. We did not want to go out on a limb here by ourselves and be irresponsible. We feel like thats what the Braun and (running mate Micah Beckwith) plan did, McCormick said. Also, we want to stay away from targeting and taking away critical services to Hoosiers and really putting a burden on our local government. Thats not our intent and we feel like our plan certainly did not do that. McCormick seemed optimistic that relief could be adopted quickly by the General Assembly under her plan because it used bills and fiscal reports from both Republican and Democrat lawmakers. The big piece of this is its ready on day one. We did not want a plan that people had to take time to figure out the fiscal impact, to figure out what would work to get that bipartisan buy-in. Its already there, McCormick said. They could call the General Assembly into session and, boom, pass it and then (provide) relief for Hoosiers. According to an analysis by the Association of Indiana Counties and Policy Analytics, the gross assessed value of homes jumped 16.5% on average between 2022 and 2023 and property tax bills increased by 18.2% on average. Plan details McCormicks plan includes capping property tax increases at 10%, combined with increasing the homeowner property tax deduction by 40%; increasing personal exemptions by 150%; and increasing the renters tax deduction by 33%. All changes provide relief through income tax filings, as opposed to reforming the underlying system. That had the benefit of addressing property taxes in light of a Hoosiers entire tax burden, said running mate Terry Goodin, a former state lawmaker. What weve done is weve actually taken a comprehensive look, because taxes are taxes, right? What weve figured out is, Hey, its better to take this comprehensive approach and weld these together and make it into one machine instead of just all these different parts, Goodin said. Justin Ross, an economist and professor with the Indiana Universitys School of Public and Environmental Affairs, is a member of the states two-year State and Local Tax Review Task Force. He likened McCormicks proposal to a subsidy for local governments paid for by the state. What theyre looking to do is grant property tax relief through the income tax system, rather than restricting what local governments can raise or how they can raise money, Ross said. One advantage of that type of thing is that it holds local governments harmless in granting property tax relief. A second thing is that its easier to build in progressivity with means testing. So, if youre trying to restrict what property taxes can be raised from somebody on the basis of their income, thats hard to do in our existing property tax system. Because the property tax system doesnt track income, Ross continued. Whereas (in) our income tax system, thats what were doing. Indiana already provides some property tax relief through its income tax system, including through some of the areas that McCormick suggests increasing. I want to give credit where credit is due, McCormick repeatedly emphasized, citing the legislation and lawmakers that inspired the proposals. She also said that committee members serving on the states two-year task force which includes Ross might have new ideas that could be adopted. Ross said the task force had heard many of the same concerns motivating gubernatorial candidates to propose relief. The committee, which met last in April and doesnt yet have another meeting scheduled, has not reached the point of crafting recommendations. Capping increases at 10% could save homeowners roughly $23 million in the 2024 calendar year or $7 million in the subsequent year, according to the fiscal calculations for a 2023 bill filed by Republican Sen. Brian Buchanan, of Lebanon. Schools, libraries, counties and towns would lose that funding, however. Property tax caps are a thing that sounds simple from the taxpayer side, but in the reality of running governments and having transparency it makes it complicated, Ross noted. A 40% increase in the homeowner property tax deduction, from $2,500 to $3,500, would save an estimated $8.8 million, according to LSA. For seniors, individuals making up to $40,000 and households making up to $50,000 with assessed values up to $300,000 would qualify an increase from $30,000 and $40,000, respectively, for property up to $200,000 currently in statute. LSAs estimated cost for this is between $15 million and $22 million; it would impact local units of government. For disabled veterans which includes Hoosiers with total disabilities or veterans over the age of 62 with at least a 10% disability the cap on assessed values moves from $240,000 to $350,000. Local governments would lose the estimated $6.8 million that these taxpayers would save. The 150% increase in exemptions on personal income, on the other hand, would raise the limit from $1,000 to $2,500. Taxpayers would save an estimated $500 million while the state would lose roughly $333 million and local government units would lose $173 million. Lastly, increasing the renters deduction from $3,000 annually to $4,000 annually could cost an estimated $28 million in state and local revenues. Legislative inspiration At least three of the included ideas the renters deduction, a 150% increase in personal income exemptions and the 40% homeowner deduction come from a 2023 proposal offered by Indianapolis Sen. Fady Qaddoura, a Democrat. Lawmakers took no action on that proposal, however. Lawmakers also didnt act on two other proposals cited in McCormicks plan, including the disabled veterans cap on assessed values and the 10% cap on property tax increases, which came from Fort Wayne Reps. Chris Judy and Buchanan, respectively. The sole proposal to advance centered on changes for senior Hoosiers. It passed the Senate unanimously in 2022 only to die in the House without a hearing. A January 2022 hearing on the bill, authored by Markle Sen. Travis Holdman, didnt have any opposing testimony. Judy, Buchanan and Holdman are all Republicans. McCormicks plan would still cut revenues to local taxing units, including public schools and libraries. She said that the state would pick up the majority of this tab, saying it had a surplus, while municipalities would see between $173-175 million in revenue loss. When you look at the impact for 92 counties, it is not nearly what that impact was for the Beckwith-Braun ticket, which was unbelievable, McCormick said. But it would be a minor impact and so we did look at that. Our goal was to minimize that as much as possible. Comparison to opponents U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, McCormicks Republican opponent, released his property tax proposal without any fiscal analysis and adjusted some aspects after promising a reset to 2021 levels something not included in the original plan. Brauns plan points to the states homeowner deduction, which is designed to reduce the taxable value of a home but has not kept pace with rising home values, according to the campaign. Homeowners with an assessed value of over $125,000 would be allowed to deduct 60% of their homes assessed value from their tax bill, while those below that threshold would take the standard deduction of $48,000 in addition to a 60% supplemental deduction. Additionally, future tax increases would be capped annually to 2% for senior, low-income Hoosiers and families with children under the age of 18. All other homeowners would be capped annually at 3%. The Braun campaign said the average Hoosier homeowner would have saved $1,000 over the last five years with this tax cap. Brauns plan also included revisions to referendum ballot language, among other provisions. Meanwhile, the property taxes plan from Libertarian Donald Rainwater would cap taxes based on purchase price. Rainwater added that the state would send more dollars to local governments to offset losses. McCormick criticized Braun for his plan that only impacted local coffers, as opposed to the state budget pointing to his 2015 vote in the General Assembly for a failed bill that would have made several tax code changes. McCormick contrasted her proposal with Brauns plan, which she said left a lot to be desired, and would have a brutal impact on local budgets. when you isolate the General Assembly from a plan its never a good idea when youre sitting in the executive office of a governor, McCormick said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX CANFIELD, Ohio (WKBN) The Mahoning County Career & Technical Center Adult Career Center has been awarded a grant to help provide services to adults in Mahoning and Columbiana counties. The Aspire Adult Workforce Education Readiness Grant will help provide several services, including basic math, writing and reading instruction, and high school and college preparation courses. The MCCTC Adult Career Center in Canfield will hold an Aspire kick-off open house on Thursday. It runs from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Its free and open to the public. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. MESA COUNTY, Colo. (KREX) On Wednesday morning, a traffic violation led to Mesa County deputies allegedly discovering fentanyl pills and heroin. According to the Mesa County Sheriffs Office, the incident occurred on Interstate 70 near Fruita. Upon a consent search of the vehicle, deputies found around 50,000 small pills consistent with fentanyl and 3 lbs. of believed heroin. Carlos Fernandez-Marquez California resident Carlos Fernandez-Marquez, 35, was taken into custody and transported to the Mesa County Detention Facility. He was charged with two counts of possession with intent to distribute, two counts of special circumstances for importing drugs into Colorado and a federal immigration violation. The estimated street value of the fentanyl is around $150,000-$500,000 while the heroin is estimated to be about $35,000. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WesternSlopeNow.com. Arkansas Sen. Linda Chesterfield, D-Little Rock, voices concerns about the state's medical marijuana industry during a Joint Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee on Wednesday, August 14, 2024. (Screenshot/Arkansas Legislature) More than half of Arkansans using medical marijuana in 2021 used the drug as a pain reliever, and a large proportion of patients have used it to treat post-traumatic stress disorder, according to study findings presented to state lawmakers Wednesday. The study, conducted by the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement, is the first ever population-based study of medical marijuana funded by a federal health agency, the National Institutes of Health. As of this month, more than 3% of Arkansas adults have received permission from physicians to use the drug to treat one or more of the states 18 qualifying medical conditions. The state currently has more than 105,000 cardholders, an increase of roughly 29,000 in three years, according to ACHIs study. Lawmakers on the Joint Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee asked ACHI CEO Dr. Joe Thompson for more specific data and expressed concerns about some of the information in the study, such as the fact that one-third of the certifications for medical marijuana cards in 2021 came from just seven doctors, with little evidence of a physician-patient relationship in many cases. (Screenshot/Arkansas Legislature) Thompson said ACHI is seeking another federal grant to do further research on medical marijuana use, including rates of substance use disorder among users. Theres been very little clinical research because theres no federal money flowing for clinical research, so we dont really know much about marijuana other than anecdotal reports and small studies, Thompson said. Arkansans voted to legalize cannabis for medicinal use via a constitutional amendment in 2016, though the first products were not sold until 2019. Five years later, medical marijuana has grown to be a billion-dollar industry with 37 dispensaries throughout Arkansas. Marijuana is federally illegal because it is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance. The Drug Enforcement Administration has recommended that the Department of Justice reclassify it to Schedule III, the category for regulated but legal substances. Thirty-eight states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana to some extent, and Arkansas is one of 14 states in which the drug is legal only for medicinal purposes. Physicians are not allowed to prescribe specific amounts or dosages of marijuana because of its current federal status compared to other drugs, said committee co-chair Sen. Missy Irvin, R-Mountain View, in response to some lawmakers questions. Cardholders visit dispensaries every 11 days on average, and the amount of product sold daily far exceeds existing clinical recommendations for consumption, according to the report. All dispensaries are required to have consultant pharmacists who can provide advice on the distribution of marijuana, but most of them work remotely, and several facilities employ the same few pharmacists, Thompson said. Findings and concerns The study relied on a variety of data sources, including the state medical boards licensure database and the All-Payer Claims Database, which tracks how and where healthcare is being delivered and how much is being spent, according to its website. The APCD showed that in 2021, about 92% of medical marijuana cardholders had seen a physician in the previous year, and 62% had seen a physician regarding a diagnosed condition that they used medical marijuana to treat, the report states. The study examined the clinical impact of medical marijuana on conditions it is frequently used to treat, and data showed that there was no significant difference in prescription medication use for PTSD patients whether they did or didnt use medical marijuana, according to the report. However, non-users of medical marijuana were hospitalized more frequently for PTSD symptoms than those who used the drug for the illness. Researchers have not found proof that medical marijuana use plays a role in the opioid epidemic, Thompson said in response to a question from Sen. Fred Love, D-Mabelvale. Thompson gave the committee several policy recommendations from the results of the study, such as strengthening the requirements to prove physicians relationships with the patients they are certifying for a medical marijuana card, altering purchase limits based on consumption recommendations and creating stronger enforcement policies to discourage users from giving away or selling unconsumed products. (Screenshot/Arkansas Legislature) Rep. Zack Gramlich, R-Fort Smith, said he was concerned that the growth of the medical marijuana industry might unintentionally give children access to marijuana products. Medical marijuana cardholders must be at least 18 years old. Kids who would never normally be around this stuff are now getting connected to it, said Gramlich, citing his experience teaching middle school. Thompson said he was aware of the real challenge parents and educators face trying to keep children away from controlled substances but was not aware of any existing ways the state can identify which medical marijuana cardholders have children. Sen. Linda Chesterfield, D-Little Rock, said she wanted more state oversight of the medical marijuana industry to confirm that from seed to sale, we are making sure that the product is a good product. She also said she was more concerned about the industry itself and dispensaries being managed by very few people despite there being dozens of facilities and owners throughout the state. A Little Rock law firm was sued last year in Pope and St. Francis counties over fraud and legal malpractice claims regarding the creation of ownership groups to obtain four of the states first 32 dispensary licenses in 2019. The defendants responded with a defamation lawsuit in Pulaski County Circuit Court. Both cases are still pending. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The first round of Medicare drug price negotiations will save an estimated $6 billion, according to the Biden administration. Democrats touted the results with much fanfare Thursday, as they seek to campaign on lowering health costs. The savings from Medicare negotiations represents what they said is a long-sought victory over the pharmaceutical industry. Because Medicare is now able to negotiate lower prescription drug prices for seniors, American taxpayers are expected to save $6 billion on these 10 drugs alone when the negotiated prices go into effect, White House domestic policy adviser Neera Tanden told reporters. The negotiations were made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, which has been one of President Bidens biggest legislative accomplishments. But he has struggled to make the public aware of its benefits. Medicare drug negotiation is an easy-to-understand and broadly popular idea, but a poll from nonpartisan health research group KFF in May showed only 48 percent of seniors were aware Biden was doing it. Thursdays announcement was made two weeks before the legal deadline and days ahead of the start of the Democratic National Convention, an indication that the Biden administration including Vice President Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee is eager to campaign on the savings. The new negotiated rates represent a savings from 38 percent to 79 percent over the 2023 list prices of the drugs, which were some of the priciest in Medicare. Officials said the prices dropped more than 50 percent on nine of the 10 drugs based on the 2023 list price. The negotiations were comprehensive. They were intense. It took both sides to reach a good deal, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said. But its difficult to tell just how much seniors are actually saving on a drug-by-drug basis, as the administration said it couldnt disclose the net price the amount paid after rebates. For individual patients, the amount they save will largely depend on their insurance plan and their drug costs. A separate provision of the Inflation Reduction Act caps out-of-pocket spending at $2,000 per year starting in 2026, which could also save money for people who take expensive drugs. The negotiated prices also wont take effect until 2026, but senior White House officials said they dont expect the savings that year to be materially different from the estimates released Thursday. We estimate that Medicare enrollees will save $1.5 billion when the new prices go into effect in 2026, said Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. For so many people, being able to afford these drugs will mean the difference between debilitating illness and living full lives. The drugs were chosen for being among the highest total Part D gross covered prescription drug costs. They accounted for $3.4 billion in out-of-pocket costs for an estimated 9 million Medicare enrollees in 2022, according to the Biden administration. The medications that were chosen treat conditions including heart failure, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and blood cancers. The Congressional Budget Office predicted a $100 billion savings over 10 years from the initiative, with at least $3.7 billion in savings in the first year alone. Brooks-LaSure proclaimed the government had achieved all of our goals in the negotiating process. These negotiated prices are not just about costs. They are about helping to make sure that your aunt, your father, your grandfather or you can live longer and healthier. Today is a momentous day, she said. The initiative is set to be scaled up, as Medicare will negotiate 15 drugs in 2025 and 2026, and 20 drugs in subsequent years. The negotiated prices will be in effect until the drugs are no longer eligible for the program. Negotiations were marked by a slew of lawsuits filed by the pharmaceutical industry seeking to halt the process and have it declared unconstitutional. So far, no drug companies or allied trade groups have come away victorious. Several of those lawsuits have been dismissed, or federal judges ruled in favor of the government. But the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) trade group filed an appeal of its lawsuit in the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, considered to be one of the most conservative in the country, with a history of ruling against the Biden administration. Drug companies on Thursday were quick to attack the administrations maximum fair price (MFP) as unfair government price-setting. The imposed ELIQUIS MFP does not reflect the substantial clinical and economic value of this essential medicine, which is widely recognized for its effectiveness in reducing stroke-related events, hospitalizations, and extended rehabilitation needs, Bristol Myers Squibb, the manufacturer of Eliquis, a blood thinner, said in a statement. Stephen Ubl, president and CEO of PhRMA, said the new prices dont take into account the other players in the drug pricing marketplace, and wont stop insurers and pharmacy benefit managers from their own efforts to keep prices, and profits, high. The administration is using the IRAs price-setting scheme to drive political headlines, but patients will be disappointed when they find out what it means for them, Ubl said in a statement. There are no assurances patients will see lower out-of-pocket costs because the law did nothing to rein in abuses by insurance companies and PBMs who ultimately decide what medicines are covered and what patients pay at the pharmacy. Chris Meekins, a health policy analyst at Raymond James, said drug companies won, even though they are complaining. For all the rhetoric from Democrats about going after Big Pharma, the result was not nearly as bad as it could have been. This isnt really that consequential. And the fact that CMS felt the need to try to make it seem like these cuts are huge by comparing it to list price, which was never what the comparison was going to be to, just makes it that much more misleading, Meekins said, noting that many of the drugs likely had only a small discount from existing rebates. He added drug companys stocks have been largely unaffected. When you peel back the numbers, if it was that big of a win, you wouldnt see stock prices up, he said. Still, Democrats and Democratic-allied groups have been heaping praise on the effort as a victory over the pharmaceutical industry. Exorbitant prices should never stand between Americans and the life-sustaining medications they need. This announcement will save patients and taxpayers billions of dollars and these savings will grow as Medicare negotiates the prices of even more drugs, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) said in a statement. Klobuchar, who for years has sponsored bills to allow Medicare drug price negotiation, said during a call with reporters Wednesday that she knows the work isnt done and acknowledged industry lobbying and lawsuits. Weve got the law on our side. Weve got the facts on our side, and we have the people on our side. Were going to get this done, Klobuchar said. Leslie Dach, chair of Democratic-aligned group Protect Our Care, said the announcement was 40 years in the making. The Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress stood up to the greed of big drug companies and won, and now prices will come down for millions of seniors, Dach said. Biden and Harris are expected to give remarks about the end of the negotiations Thursday. Updated at 12:10 p.m. ET Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Concerns raised at B. Riley Financial Inc. over certain dealings could mean trouble for some fashion firms and retailers. Well-known in the distressed and special situations field, the investment bank takes on advisory roles in recapitalizations, debtor-in-possession financing, and exit facilities when companies are set to put their tour of bankruptcy court behind them. The company also is an investor in the fashion and retail sectors through its investment arm. More from Sourcing Journal Now B. Riley has bigger headaches as short sellers ponder the investment banks future. On Monday, B. Rileys stock price tumbled by more than 50 percent following a profit warning and the suspension of its dividend. The companys second-quarter report estimated a net loss for the quarter ended June 30 in the range of $435 million to $475 million due to a write-down on its investment in Franchise Group (FRG) of between $330 million to $370 million and a Vintage Capital loan receivable. The loans primarily collateralized by equity interests in FRG. B. Riley acquired the FRG stake last year as part of a management-led buyout. According to a Bloomberg company profile, Vintage is an asset management firm founded and managed by Brian R. Kahn, who was the former CEO of FRG. Bryant Riley, B. Rileys chairman and co-CEO, during a call to Wall Street referenced issues related to alleged misconduct by Kahn, which resulted in the company and himself receiving subpoenas in July from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Kahn was the former hedge fund manager at the now collapsed Prophecy Asset Management. These primarily related to the companys dealings with Brian Kahn. We are responding to the subpoenas [and] are fully cooperating with the SEC, Riley said. A Bloomberg story indicated that the SEC probe is widening to include whether B. Riley had sufficiently disclosed the investment risks in some of its assets. A B. Riley spokeswoman on Tuesday declined comment regarding the reported widening SEC probe. Instead, she referenced the companys prior disclosures of two separate investigations, one an internal review with the assistance of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP as outside counsel, and a separate independent investigation with the assistance of Winston & Strawn LLP as independent legal counsel. She also said that the both investigations concluded that the company and its executives, including Mr. Riley, had no involvement with, or knowledge of, any alleged misconduct concerning Mr. Kahn or any of his affiliates. Story continues We are confident that the SEC will reach the same conclusion, Riley told investors during the company call. Concerns have surfaced regarding Kahns role in the 2020 collapse of Prophecy. Neither Kahn nor B. Riley have been charged with any wrongdoing. And each one has maintained in published reports that theyve done nothing wrong. Moreover, there are no ties between B. Riley and Prophecy. B. Rileys CEO tried to assuage investor concerns during the company call by noting it has significant cash on the balance sheet. He also said a review of the Great American business is advancing, and that B. Riley was going back to our roots and refocusing on a core financial services business. Bryant Riley founded the company in 1997 as a stock-picking firm. It later acquired a boutique investment firm and years after that merged in 2014 with asset appraisal and asset disposition specialist Great American Group to form B. Riley Financial. The company went on to acquire several other businessincluding restructuring advisory firm GlassRatner Advisory & Capital Group in 2018as it expanded operations. Short sellers are concerned that as the SEC probe widens, that will open doors to areas where regulators will want to dig even deeper. And one area is expected to be a wider exploration into the business ties between Kahn and B. Riley. Kahn is believed to have been investing money for Prophecy while building up FRG. Prophecys former president and chief compliance officer John Hughes pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud last November. Hughes admitted to defrauding $294 million from clients, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office in N.J. There is still a pending SEC complaint against Hughes based on the same set of facts. According to the SEC, its civil case alleges violations of anti-fraud provisions of federal securities laws. Short sellers are focused on a reference in court documents in the criminal case against Hughes regarding alleged co-conspirators. While not identified by name, prosecutors described one as Prophecys CEO and the other as Prophecys investment manager who, around 2019, also was the CEO and president of a multi-billion dollar company that owned and managed large and diversified retail franchises. The latter was described in the separate SEC complaint as individual 2 residing in Florida, who controlled entities that traded Prophecys capital. Bloombergs profile listed an address in Orlando, Fla., for Vintage. It didnt take long for short sellers to focus their speculation on Kahn, given that he was wearing two hats. In July, FRG investors sued Kahn and B. Riley in a Delaware Chancery Court. The purported class-action suit alleged that the FRG buyout deal undervalued their shares and that B. Riley helped Kahn cheat investors, among other claims. With all the probes and legal action in the background, short sellers believe that the intense scrutiny and pressure eventually could result in a B. Riley collapse. Meanwhile, Kohls Corp. might want to count its blessings that its then board rejected FRGs acquisition offer, given that now both Franchise and its parent B. Riley Financial are in the hot seat. Activists had been pushing Kohls to shake things up, including the sale of the company. In June 2022, the department store retailer was in exclusive talks with Franchise Group to hammer out a $7.74 billion deal at $60 a share. But the retail environment was starting to show signs of a slowdown and on July 1, 2022, the Kohls board ended talks following Franchises revisedand lower$6.84 billion offer at $53 a share. In retail circles, FRG was known for a portfolio that included The Vitamin Shoppe, Badcock Furniture, and Buddys Home Furnishings, among other holdings. Badcock was sold to Conns last December, with the help of a $100 million loan from B. Riley. Last month saw speculation that Conns Inc. was contemplating a Chapter 11 filing. The home retailer on July 24 filed a Chapter 11 petition to orderly wind-down operations, which resulted in the shut-down of the Conns banner as well as that of the W.S. Badcock nameplate. A separate B. Riley affiliate, B. Riley Retail Solutions LLC, is handling the store closing sales. Riley said during the conference call that the investment bank will continue to benefit from the steady cash flow generated by our communications and brands portfolios. Those brands include a fashion portfolio launched in November 2019 when B. Riley invested $116.5 million to become the 80 percent majority ownerBluestar Alliance retained a 20 percent interestof six fashion brands that include Catherine Malandrino, Joan Vass, Limited Too, and Nanette Lepore. In July 2023, B. Riley added Scotch & Sodas U.S. operations to its equity holdings, in partnership with Bluestars acquisition of the Scotch & Soda brand. Other brand deals the two are parties to include Hurley in 2019 and Justice a year later. Bebe, the womens specialty chain turned online-only operation became an affiliate of B. Riley, its lender, in January 2018. The investment bank took a 29 percent stake through the conversion of a $16.9 million loan into 2.82 million shares of common stock at $6 a share, as well as the acquisition of an additional 250,000 shares. That stake became part of the B. Riley Principal Investments portfolio. B. Riley invested another $18.5 million in Bebe in September 2023 through the acquisition of an additional 3.7 million shares, at $5 a share. It acquired the stake from Bebe founder Manny Mashouf, giving the investment firm a 76 percent interest in the fashion brand. The B. Riley name also has had a steady presence in the retail space over the years. Its asset disposition group handled the closure of Payless Shoe Source stores when it liquidated in 2019. And it has acted as financial advisor to retailers that include Ruby Tuesday and Bed Bath & Beyond, both in 2021. B. Riley was also the investment banker to RTW retailwinds in its Chapter 11 case that resulted in the companys sale of the e-commerce business and related IP to Saadia Group in 2020. Those assets included the fashion operations under the banners New York & Co. and Fashion to Figure. Saadia went on to acquire the bankrupt Lord & Taylor and Le Tote assets, as well as Aquatalia. Saadia is also no stranger to the court system. Rumblings of trouble at Saadia surfaced earlier this year. In March, Saadias lender White Oak Commercial Finance obtained a preliminary injunction against Saadia over certain assets after it defaulted on a $45.3 million loan agreement. Operations, including Lord & Taylor, were shut down. The lender is working on selling all remaining inventory and other assets, a source said. The investment bank has an extensive reach in the fashion and retail sectors, both as investor and advisor. The companys CEO said transactional activity is increasing for both capital raising and M&A, while the restructuring business is also seeing increased activity. But how all the legal matters surrounding Kahn and B. Riley eventually will shake out remains uncertain. Yet one thing is clear: Moodys Investors Service last month downgraded FRGs corporate rate to Caa1 from B3. That indicates credit analysts belief of a very high risk of default. If that were to happen, the impact likely would not bode well for either B. Riley or the fashion brands in its investment portfolio. Meet Kamala for the first time. How this DNC could be different than past conventions Who is Vice President Kamala Harris? That could be a recurring theme presented at the Democratic National Convention over four days in Chicago. Typically, a political partys national convention is used to choose a presidential nominee and update their party platform. But the Democratic National Convention that starts Monday could be unlike any other. Thats because until July 21, President Joe Biden was the presumed presidential nominee for the party. But after giving a poor performance on June 27 in a presidential debate against his opponent, former President Donald Trump, Biden was asked to step aside. Bidens announcement he was ending his campaign came just three days after the Republican National Convention wrapped on July 18. And on Aug. 5, Harris became the partys official nominee, without any opposition. She soon announced her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota. Voters are still getting to know Kamala Harris and theyre certainly getting to know Tim Walz, and so theyre going to present different views of themselves, said Chris Cooper, a political science professor at Western Carolina University. Cooper said with Trump, people know who he is, but they were are looking to see if he could smooth his rough edges and temper himself around Harris. Theres still a sense people are trying to get to know her, Cooper said of Harris. And so I would imagine that the programming, the speeches, the messaging, will reflect that. Asher Hildebrand, a political science professor at Duke University who served as chief of staff for Rep. David Price, a Democrat, and worked on President Barack Obamas 2012 campaign, said the convention will be used to reintroduce Harris to voters. They might remember her from the 2020 campaign, but I think for the most part, theyre getting to meet Kamala for the first time, Hildebrand said, so I think both introducing herself, her personal story, the way that her family history, in many ways, represents the United States and the future that she envisions for the United States, and then also connecting that personal story to her policy vision, at least in broad details. Historical context Harris is in a rare position, having launched her campaign and secured her partys nomination within weeks of the convention. What isnt rare is that Harris was chosen by delegates to the DNC, instead of primary voters. Seth Masket, a political science professor at the University of Denver, previously told The News & Observer that major national parties have chosen the nominee at national conventions sine the mid-1800s. Historically, he said, several names would be floated at the convention and it wasnt until the convention that voters would know the partys final choice. That changed after the 1968 election, which Hildebrand said is the closest historical analogy he can find to what took place this election cycle. Prior to that year, only five presidents chose not to seek reelection. And President Harry S. Truman is the only other president who withdrew his name from the race after launching a reelection campaign. But on March 31, 1968, as Lyndon B. Johnson, the incumbent president, watched his popularity decline partially due to the Vietnam War and barely pulled out a win in the New Hampshire primary, Johnson addressed the nation and announced he would withdraw from the race. At the time, he was facing Sen. Eugene McCarthy, an anti-war senator from Minnesota, and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, who would be assassinated before the election. And nearly a month later, Johnsons vice president, Hubert Humphrey, announced his candidacy. Despite avoiding all primaries, Humphrey became the partys nominee at the DNC in Chicago. Anti-war activists were incensed that the Democratic Party ignored voters opinions, and violent riots broke out. Cooper said choosing a nominee at the time was an elite-driven process. Pre-1972 changes, primaries were just sort of beauty contests, Cooper said. They didnt really matter. They werent pledged in any way. But after the backlash to Humphrey, who ultimately lost his election, the two political parties chose to base delegates votes at the conventions on the results of their states primaries. Right up until that point, there was often a lot of intrigue and drama and vote trading, and all of the things that parties do in the final selection of that nominee, Hildebrand said. So theres certainly plenty of historical precedent for nominees being chosen close to or at the convention, but it is, I think, pretty rare historically for Harris to be her partys nominee without having gone through a primary competition or the sort of open convention that used to occur and that some Democrats were calling for. Is Harris nomination a sure thing? Biden became the third president in U.S. history to withdraw from his reelection campaign, then endorsed Harris to succeed him. Delegates from states like North Carolina and Tennessee quickly announced that they would unanimously vote for Harris as the partys nominee. Enough states followed that Harris locked in the 1,976 delegates she needed to secure the nomination well before it was put to a vote. Typically that vote would have taken place during the convention, but Ohio lawmakers required that the nomination be solidified 90 days prior to the election, which demanded that Democrats make their decision by Aug. 7. Democrats began a roll call vote on Aug. 1, and Harris quickly secured the nomination. In Chicago, a second roll-call vote will take place, this one ceremonial. And like Trump did at RNC in Milwaukee, Harris plans to give an acceptance speech, likely on Thursday. Cooper said it is extremely unlikely, but possible, that Democrats could change the rules and vote someone else in as their nominee. But thats not going to happen, he added. Setting policy and the role of the platform Conventions are also used for the party to decide on its platform for the next four years. The Democratic National Committee released a draft of its party platform on July 13. This Platform highlights the progress that weve made since day one of the Biden-Harris Administration and recommits Democrats up and down the ballot to our mission to give every American a fair shot, said Jaime Harrison, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, in a news release. He went on to criticize the Republican National Committee for creating their platform behind closed doors. Typically, the party platform is shaped at the convention and broadcast on C-SPAN. But this year, Republicans prevented the public from witnessing the process, and cut the platform from 66 pages to 16 pages, saying they wanted to prevent Democrats from using the platform as a way to attack them. Harrison said in his statement that he believes Project 2025, a political initiative created by conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation, is the partys true platform, an accusation many Republicans rebuke. The contrast couldnt be clearer, Harrison said. Our Drafting Committee incorporated a diverse set of expertise and perspectives, inviting Democrats from across the nation to participate in our process and contribute to our Platform. The breadth and depth of this Platform is rooted in our collective experience and reflects a bold agenda that affirms Democrats commitment to protecting fundamental freedoms. Hildebrand said the use of a national convention to set policy has diminished significantly within both parties. The parties used to be the primary engines for policy development within the party, but now thats largely played by the presidential campaigns or the presidents if theyre running for reelection, Hildebrand said. He added that Harris has a need and an opportunity to begin sharing her policy positions and her vision for the countrys future. What do conventions do for candidates? So if policy isnt being set and the nominee is already chosen, what is the purpose of the convention? Cooper called it a big public relations show for the party. Were going to see a TV advertisement, a well-orchestrated advertisement, with the Democratic Party for a few days; just like we saw with the Republican Party, Cooper said. He also expects the excitement shown to Harris by the party to continue at the convention. There was a reservoir of discontent with Biden as the nominee, fairly or unfairly, Cooper said. And I dont think that reservoir is there with Harris the same way, and if it is, nobody is talking about it. So I do think this is going to be a more excitable crowd, and I think that its important, but I think we need to remember that your vote doesnt count twice if youre super pumped to cast it. Hildebrand said that historically candidates also receive a small bounce in polls and popularity following conventions, though the bounce has become narrowed due to polarization and campaigns having started earlier. But Hildebrand thinks this year could be different. For Trump, his convention came right after an attempted assassination, bringing extra attention. But all the attention dissipated quickly as Biden ended his campaign, and as Harris began hers and picked a vice president. All the attention has gone to Harris, Hildebrand said. It feels to me that this could very well be a year where the convention matters in a way that it hasnt for some time, Hildebrand said. Because its not only putting a candidate whos been in the race for a long time, sort of in the front pages of the news, but its actually introducing that candidate to the country in a way that she hasnt been used before and that makes the stakes of it higher. Under the Dome Get the latest news about North Carolina politics from The News & Observer's award-winning team. Get the free digest sent to your inbox by signing up here. SAN DIEGO (Border Report) Mexicos National Committee for Epidemiological Defense has issued a warning about a possible mpox outbreak in the country. The World Health Organization has issued a similar warning. Cases, with a new variant, have been reported in Asia and Africa. The WHO is worried the new variant will spread to other regions, including the Caribbean and the Americas. Mexican health officials say that so far this year, there have been 212 probable cases with 49 confirmed throughout Mexico. But they say all the cases involved the known variant and not the new one. 3 out of 9 human cases of West Nile virus in Texas have more severe form of the disease The virus can initially cause fever, intense headaches, inflamed lymph nodes, back aches and lack of energy. Small blisters on the skin can form three to five days after infection. In order to avoid infection, people are advised to wash their hands frequently with soap and water followed with a lathering of sanitizer. Residents are also being asked to wash clothes and bedding materials used by people who come down with symptoms. According to the WHO, an mpox rash can be painful. It warns the disease can spread in various ways: People: Through touch, kissing, or sex Animals: When hunting, skinning, or cooking them Materials: Such as contaminated sheets, clothes, or needles Pregnant people: Who may pass the virus on to their unborn baby Visit the BorderReport.com homepage for the latest exclusive stories and breaking news about issues along the U.S.-Mexico border Mpox was previously known as monkeypox because it was first seen in research monkeys. It mostly occurs in central and western Africa, but anyone can get it. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. NEW MEXICO (KRQE) Education leaders in the state celebrated the opening of a new network, that looks to connect hundreds of thousands of New Mexican students. The Statewide Education Network (SEN) is a broadband system that allows access across all connected schools into one centralized location. Albuquerque Public Schools to host State of the District on August 28 This will make things like maintenance and cyber security easier for schools. The schools currently are connected to the internet. But they handle that and manage that on their own, with their resourcessometimes with no resources. And they do the best they can. This network is a huge leap in terms of connectivity, says broadband and technology manager Ovidiu Viorica. This first phase of the project will connect eight schools. Phase two will bring in 50 more schools. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. Mexico waiting on U.S. for flight details behind capture of drug kingpins FILE PHOTO: A plane believed to have carried Mexican drug lord Mexican drug lord Ismael "El Mayo" and Joaquin Guzman Lopez arrested in El Paso, is seen in Santa Teresa By Lizbeth Diaz MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -Mexico's attorney general's office said on Thursday it has yet to receive detailed information from U.S. authorities about a flight that carried two notorious drug traffickers to the U.S. last month, amid rising tensions between the two countries over the arrests. In a statement, the office said it requested details from the U.S. Department of Justice about the flight, including detailed records on its pilot, the aircraft, and related migration and customs authorizations. Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, a co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel, was detained on July 25 at a New Mexico airfield along with one of the sons of his incarcerated Sinaloa Cartel co-founder Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. Mexico is investigating the events to determine whether treason was committed via the forcible abduction of a Mexican citizen and their delivery to U.S. authorities. The dramatic arrest was a major coup for U.S. law enforcement but has provoked consternation from the Mexican government, which was not given prior warning and was not involved. Zambada, through his lawyer, has said he was taken against his will by El Chapo's son Joaquin Guzman Lopez. Guzman Lopez's lawyer has denied Zambada was forcibly taken, saying it was a voluntary surrender. Authorities say the two main factions of the Sinaloa Cartel, one headed by Zambada and the other headed by El Chapo's sons, have at times had a rocky relationship since El Chapo's 2016 capture. The statement on Thursday said the U.S. had allowed Mexican authorities to investigate the airfield in New Mexico but that it had not helped answer the questions they still have. Mexican investigators added they have identified a clandestine airstrip in Sinaloa from which the flight is believed to have departed. The attorney general's office also said it had uncovered evidence concerning the murder of recently elected federal lawmaker, Hector Cuen. Zambada alleges Cuen was present at the meeting between himself and Guzman Lopez and was killed in the ensuing ambush. Sinaloan authorities, in contrast, had said it appeared Cuen was killed at a gas station in Culiacan. In the statement, the attorney general's office said the investigation of Cuen's murder had been poorly conducted by state authorities and that the victim's body had four gunshot wounds whereas in a video circulated of the alleged gas station murder only one gunshot could be heard. The Sinaloan state attorney's office did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. On Wednesday, Sinaloan prosecutors said they were also investigating the disappearance of two bodyguards who had not been seen since the day of the arrests. U.S. ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar said last week that no U.S. personnel were on the ground when Zambada and Guzman Lopez boarded the plane that took them to the U.S. "No U.S. resources were used in the surrender. It was not our plane, nor our pilot, nor our people," he said in a statement. (Reporting by Lizbeth Diaz, writing by Brendan O'Boyle; Editing by Stephen Eisenhammer and Sonali Paul) GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) The Michigan Supreme Court has denied Allegan County prosecutors request to revoke the bond of a man convicted of criminal sexual conduct, the latest development in a yearslong back-and-forth prompted by private emails exchanged between a judge and the county prosecutor during the mans trial. On Aug. 2, the Allegan County Prosecutors Office said it filed an emergency motion to revoke the bond of Daniel Loew and remand him to the custody of the Michigan Department of Corrections. This motion was based upon numerous risk factors including the safety of the victim, the safety of the community, the seriousness of the convictions, and the risk of flight of the Defendant, the office said in an Aug. 2 release. Prosecutor seeks to revoke mans bond amid back-and-forth On Wednesday, the states high court denied the motion. YEARS OF BACK-AND-FORTH An Allegan County jury in 2019 found Loew guilty of sexually assaulting a girl repeatedly, beginning when she was 13 and he was 21. He was sentenced to prison in November of that year, according to the prosecutors office. Then, in 2020, it was discovered that Judge Margaret Zuzich Bakker, the circuit court judge who had presided over Loews trial, had sent private emails to Allegan County Prosecutor Myrene Koch during the trial, and Koch who was not trying Loews case herself had responded. Allegan County District Court Judge William Baillargeon granted Loew a new trial based on the ex parte communication, which he said called into question the judges impartiality. But in January 2022, the Michigan Court of Appeals reversed Baillargeons order for a new trial, prompting another appeal by Loews attorneys. On July 16, the Michigan Supreme Court also rejected a new trial for Loew, though it said the private emails were unethical. Dishonor and shame: West Michigan judge blasts colleagues over private emails in trial Two days later, Baillargeon revoked Loews bond and remanded him to the custody of the Michigan Department of Corrections. He also criticized the behavior of both Koch and Bakker at the July 18 bond hearing, saying their actions have brought dishonor and shame to the courts of Allegan. Koch previously told News 8 that her emails were specifically and solely about policies and procedures moving forward and said the focus should be on achieving justice for Loews victim. But after a motion for reconsideration by Loews attorneys, the prosecutors office says Baillargeon again granted bond and released Loew into the community. Thats what prompted the office to file the emergency motion with the Michigan Supreme Court. On Thursday, Koch explained in an email to News 8 that her offices Aug. 2 motion was for exceptional issuance: for the Supreme Court to immediately enforce the time frames of their July 16 decision affirming all of the Criminal Sexual Conduct convictions of this defendant. That motion is rare but we felt strongly we needed to act in this matter, Koch said. This defendant should not be on bond when he was convicted of multiple counts of criminal sexual conduct on a child. Though the motion for exceptional issuance was denied, the prosecutor says she hopes the Michigan Supreme Court ends this debate in response to Loews attorneys motion for reconsideration of the July 16 decision. We pray the Supreme Court ends this debate and orders the bond revocation and imposition of sentence with the Michigan Department of Corrections for the 20 years to 40 years, Koch said. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. TEL AVIV, IsraelAs Israelis awaited an imminent attack by Iran, Hezbollah, or both this week, the U.S. dispatched senior officials to a Middle East on the brink of a wider war. On Thursday, they will meet with Arab state representatives and Israeli negotiators in Qatar for the latest and perhaps final push to broker a ceasefire-for-hostages deal with Hamas. Speaking here Wednesday, diplomats from the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States made the urgent case for an agreement the Biden administration hopes will defuse tensions across the region as Iran and its proxies vow to retaliate for the assassinations of terror chiefs in Tehran and Beirut last month. U.S. Middle East envoy Brett McGurk arrived in Egypt on Tuesday and CIA director Bill Burns will reportedly attend ceasefire talks Thursday. Secretary of State Antony Blinken delayed a planned trip to the region amid the looming threat of escalation. President Joe Biden said Tuesday that while efforts to reach a ceasefire were getting harder, he was not giving up. Asked by a reporter if he thought Iran would hold off on a retaliatory strike against Israel if a deal with Hamas is reached, the president responded, Thats my expectation. But by relying on negotiations over Gaza to manage the threat posed by Iran, the U.S. may have cornered Israel into making a binary choice: Reach a deal, even if its on unfavorable terms, or risk a multifront war. Unnamed senior Iranian officials told Reuters Tuesday that Tehran and its allies would launch a direct strike against Israel should talks fail. Meanwhile, new Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar could view the prospect of Irans intervention as a reason to harden his own demands or ditch the negotiating table altogether. Hamas refused to send a delegation to Qatar on Thursday, though Arab state officials will communicate Israels conditions to the terror group for ending more than 10 months of hostilities in Gaza. Its in the interest of Sinwar that there be a war between Israel, Iran, and Hezbollah, Michael Oren, the former Israeli ambassador to the United States, told The Dispatch. Hassan Nasrallah, the head of Hezbollah, and the Iranians have said that if Sinwar reaches a ceasefire, theyll cease fire as well. So that essentially becomes an incentive for Sinwar not to reach a ceasefire, because what will a war with Israel and Iran and Hezbollah do? It will draw all of Israels military attention to the north, exhaust Israel, and isolate Israel further. And significant daylight between the two warring parties remains. Hamas, which continues to obfuscate about the number and identity of living hostages it still holds, has demanded a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in phase one of the agreement. But Israel appears determined to retain control over the strategically important Philadelphi Corridor, an 8-mile stretch of land between Egypt and Gaza through which Hamas smuggles arms and cash into the Strip. Israel also wants to vet the people returning to northern Gaza, to prevent Hamas from reconstituting there. Relatives and supporters of Israelis held hostage by militants in Gaza since the October 7 attacks hold placards as they demonstrate calling for their release in Tel Aviv on August 10, 2024. (Photo by OREN ZIV/AFP via Getty Images) Other sticking points, like whether Jerusalem can exercise veto power over the Palestinian prisoners Hamas requests to free as part of a deal, also threaten to disrupt progress toward even a temporary truce. The groups wish list includes people serving life sentences for murdering Israeli civilians, reportedly including Marwan Barghouti, a popular Palestinian nationalist and the planner of multiple lethal bombings during the Second Intifada. This issue became even more politically fraught on Monday, when a Hamas terrorist who was released as part of Novembers temporary ceasefire and hostage deal shot and seriously injured an Israeli man in the West Bank. Zooming out, a permanent ceasefire looks even further off, despite pressure from the U.S. and its European allies. Theres the big picture in which the two sides are fundamentally at odds. Israel insists that it is not going to stop until it achieves its war aims, which include toppling Hamas as a military and governing organization. Thats victory for Israel, and theyve said it at every stage, said Lazar Berman, a Jerusalem-based analyst and diplomatic correspondent at the Times of Israel. Hamasand its been consistent as wellwants the exact opposite. They want to win, and winning for them is surviving. As it pushes for a diplomatic resolution, the U.S. has also moved additional military assets to the Middle East to help Israel defend itself in the event of escalation by Iran or Hezbollah. On Monday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the deployment of a guided-missile submarine and expedited the transit of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier to the region. But a strong defense posture alone may not be enough to deter a broader war, as Hezbollah proved in October by joining Hamas in attacking Israel despite U.S. warnings and deployments. In northern Israel, near-daily rocket, drone, and missile attacks have killed scores of soldiers and civilians and forced some 100,000 people from their homes for more than 10 months. And with Israels counterstrikes against Hezbollah commanders, including the killing of senior military chief Fuad Shukr in Beirut last month, the simmering conflict risks boiling over into an all-out war. Though Hezbollah will likely hold its fire in the event of a Gaza ceasefire deal being reached, it would continue to pose an unbearable threat to northern communities and beyond. The group possesses a trained fighting force and an arsenal in Lebanon of more than 200,000 rockets and missiles capable of striking deep into Israeli territory. In order to get the close to 100,000 residents of Israels north from 43 different communities home, there is going to have to be a major change in the way Hezbollah operates, Enia Krivine, senior director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies Israel program, told The Dispatch. Where diplomacy has failed to push the terrorist group back over the last 18 years, she added, military force might be needed. The question is: Is that time now, or is that time six months from now, or nine months from now? Its not a matter of if, its a matter of when. Correction, Aug. 15, 2024: A previous version of this article stated that an Israeli man was killed in the West Bank by a terrorist who was released in a November deal. The Israeli man was shot and severely injured. Read more at The Dispatch The Dispatch is a new digital media company providing engaged citizens with fact-based reporting and commentary, informed by conservative principles. Sign up for free. Editors Note: The video above first aired in September of 2022. MIDLAND COUNTY, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- A Midland man accused of using a sex toy to rape a woman in 2022 was convicted this week by a Midland County jury on one count of Sexual Assault. 54-year-old Tony McCoy was then sentenced to 40 years in prison. According to evidence presented at trial, on July 3, 2022, officers with the Midland Police Department responded to a home on Dengar to investigate the assault. At the scene, police met with the victim and two other men who were all present in the home when the assault occurred. All three were taken to the police station for questioning. At the station, police spoke with a man who said he spent the previous night at his grandmothers house with the victim and that they had been intimate. He said when he awoke the morning of the 3rd, he left his partner asleep in bed while he sat on the back porch. Shortly after leaving his room, he got a phone call from the victim who was frantic. The victim told her partner she thought she was having sex with him, but when she turned around, she realized it was someone else. The man said he then confronted McCoy, who the victim identified as her assailant, about the incident. Officers then spoke with the woman who said she was asleep naked, lying on her side, and woke up when she felt someone crawl into bed behind her. She said she was then kissed from behind and that she started having sex again with the man she assumed to be her partner, but when she turned around, she realized it wasnt him. She said at the time she did not know who had gotten into bed with her and that when she realized it wasnt the man shed spent the night with, she pushed McCoy away and began crying. Investigators then spoke with McCoy who was found wearing a strap-on sex toy. McCoy reportedly said the assault was revenge. He then claimed he didnt assault the victim at all and claimed the encounter was a consensual one. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Midland woman speaks out about sexual assault Officers then asked the victim about the sex toy and stated she was shocked to the point of throwing up and said she had no idea he had used the toy on her. She stated again that the encounter was not consensual. Jurors heard two days of evidence from MPD, witnesses at the scene, a DNA expert from the DPS Crime Lab in Lubbock, and a SANE Nurse from Midland Memorial Hospital. The defendant had a lengthy criminal history, including two prior incarcerations in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. His criminal history enhanced his punishment range to a minimum of 25 years confinement and up to life in prison. Because of the nature of the offense, McCoy must serve at least half of his sentence before the possibility of parole. The case was prosecuted by Midland County Assistant District Attorney Katie Hill. McCoy was represented by Scott Layh. The trial was held in the 142nd District Court and presided over by Judge David Rogers. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin. Franki is a social discovery and video-based review app where users can interact with a community of foodies, discover local dining spots and create their own videos showing off their favorite restaurants. Franki recently underwent a brand refresh, which included the introduction of a new "Social Club" rewards program. This program rewards creators for posting about their favorite restaurants by allowing them to earn cash back when they order food with a linked card. The new program aims to encourage more users to sign up and earn rewards, ultimately helping promote local businesses. Additionally, Franki launched a new feature this week called Adventures, which are similar to scavenger hunts but for finding nearby restaurants. Launched in 2021, the company calls itself the TikTok for restaurant reviews and aims to move away from the typical written five-star review. As users become more hesitant about trusting often fake reviews online, which the FTC officially banned yesterday, consumers are turning to social media and short-form video apps for more authentic opinions. Eugene Varricchio, CEO and co-founder, told TechCrunch, Customers are [evolving]... They use Yelp and Google because they're easy, but our research says that, on average, to find the right experience and be sure they don't make a mistake, they're looking at three and a half different sources, and they're going to two and a half different sites to book an experience, so it's quite cumbersome at the momentThey don't necessarily trust the sources. Everybody that we've spoken to in the marketplace, at the Yelps and the Googles of the world says, Yeah, we take the five-star reviews with a grain of salt because we don't know [which] businesses pay for those, Varricchio added. Frankis Social Club program is designed to reward loyal customers through a cash-back system. This means that when customers make purchases, they receive a percentage of the amount spent as cash rewards, encouraging repeat spending in the process. Franki users link either their bank account or credit card through Plaid and start earning rewards whenever they shop at local businesses they find on Franki, post videos, give a rating and recommend restaurants to others on the app. The money can be taken out of the in-app wallet feature. When users dine at participating restaurants and activate a cash-back offer, they get 5% cash back based on their spending. Creators who share videos of their dining experiences earn an additional 1%. Plus, there are recommendation bonuses for all purchases people make through the creators content. Story continues One of the best examples we've seen is a user who posted a video at an ice cream shop that drove a purchase of $500, which is an insane amount of ice cream. And so the business got a $500 purchase, and the creator got a $10 kickback for doing so, co-founder and CPO Nick Bennett explained, adding that on normal platforms, the business and the creators wouldnt have known where the customer came from or be rewarded for helping the business. Franki also incorporates gamified elements, offering different tasks users can complete. For instance, there are Adventures, where users are encouraged to explore and discover similar local spots in their area, such as going to several different cocktail bars. There are also Gigs, or challenges where users must submit a video review to be considered for cash prizes. For instance, Franki offers $5 to 50 users who submit enticing 10-second walk-through videos of them buying a frosty delight, such as an ice cream cone, frozen lemonade or a milkshake. Franki's Social Club feature Franki also offers "Level Up" bonuses to motivate users to continue using the app, which gives users additional benefits when they reach a new tier in the Social Club program. The company explained that the most active members unlock bigger and better rewards as they progress to higher levels. Theres also a referral bonus for friends joining the app: 10% cash back for a month and $10 when a friend completes their first purchase. A few restaurant discovery apps already offer rewards programs, such as Mogl (which is shutting down later this year) and InKind. However, Franki believes it stands out for its short-form video-based approach that rewards creators. Franki operates in 30 U.S. cities, including Austin, Dallas, Denver, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York and San Diego, among others. Its target is to expand more broadly across the U.S. beginning this fall and into 2025, and then roll out to international markets in two years. Its overall goal is to become an all-in-one discovery app, expanding to travel destinations, hotels and other experiences. The aim is to have around 80 to 100 major travel destinations in 2026, Bennett said. The company secured an OpenTable partnership last year, allowing users to make reservations without leaving the app. According to the company, Franki has paid out over $500,000 to creators on the platform. Revenue doubled quarter over quarter and is growing 30% month over month. In addition, Franki is in the process of closing its seed funding round, led by First Class Capital. We've got a fairly ambitious target We think we can be a half-a-billion-dollar revenue business in five years, Varricchio said. Franki currently has around 25,000 monthly active users and over 5,000 restaurant listings. Its available on iOS and Android devices. Republican politicians applauded embattled Columbia University president Minouche Shafiks sudden resignation Wednesday with some accusing the scholar of allowing antisemitism to run rampant on the Ivy League campus. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Shafiks resignation was long overdue and comes four months after he encouraged her to step down from the job. As a result of President Shafiks refusal to protect Jewish students and maintain order on campus, Columbia University became the epicenter for virulent antisemitism that has plagued many American university campuses since Hamas barbaric attack on Israel last fall, the lawmaker said in a scathing statement. Embattled Columbia University president Minouche Shafik suddenly resigned on Wednesday. Getty Images Jewish students at Columbia beginning this school year should breathe a sigh of relief We hope that President Shafiks resignation serves as an example to university administrators across the country that tolerating or protecting antisemites is unacceptable and will have consequences. Shafik confirmed she was leaving the elite university after just one year at the helm, a tenure that was marred by constant and sometimes destructive anti-Israel protests. She admitted in a letter to the student body that the period of turmoil inspired her shock departure. Speaker Mike Johnson said Jewish students at Columbia beginning this school year should breathe a sigh of relief following Shafiks resignation. James Keivom Several members of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce who probed Shafik and other Ivy League presidents over rising antisemitism on their campuses recognized Shafiks departure as a result of their investigation. New York Rep. Elise Stefanik celebrated the news in a statement referencing the fallen presidents of the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who resigned from their roles earlier this year. THREE DOWN, so many to go, Stefanik wrote, adding that her failed presidency was untenable and that it was only a matter of time before her forced resignation. We will continue to demand moral clarity, condemnation of antisemitism, protection of Jewish students and faculty, and stronger leadership from American higher education institutions, she added. New York Rep. Elise Stefanik praised the resignation amid the failed presidency, saying it was only a matter of time. Tom Williams/UPI/Shutterstock Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), who chaired the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, accused Shafik of allowing a disturbing wave of antisemitic harassment, discrimination, and disorder to flourish on Columbias campus. Jewish students and faculty have been mocked, harassed, and assaulted simply for their identity. Every student has the right to a safe learning environment. Period. Yet, flagrant violations of the law and the university rules went unpunished, Fox wrote. Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) also referenced Shafiks testimony in front of the house committee where she refused to say whether the phrase From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free should be considered antisemitic. This is long overdue, Lawler said on X. I have been calling for President Shafik to be ousted or resign ever since her abysmal failure to condemn Columbias antisemitic outbursts or ensure the safety of Jewish students on her campus. Let this be a lesson to all who waver in the face of evil. Rep. Virginia Foxx accused Shafik of allowing a disturbing wave of antisemitic harassment, discrimination, and disorder to flourish on Columbias campus. ZUMAPRESS.com Even Democrats piled on. New York Rep. Richie Torres said the university under Shafiks tenure had been exposed as ground zero for campus antisemitism in NYC. I hope the new leadership will summon the moral clarity and the moral courage to confront the deep rot of antisemitism at Columbias core, he fumed. Shafik announced she was leaving Columbia in a shocking letter to the school community Wednesday following months of mounting calls to resign over her handling of the protests, which broke out following Hamas Oct. 7 invasion of Israel. Critics claimed Shafik was not sufficiently cracking down on campus protests until the tent encampments took over the Ivy League schools lawn in the weeks leading up to graduation. Rep. Mike Lawler felt that Minouche Shafiks resignation from her role at Columbia was long overdue. CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images The scholar said the period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in our community. Over the summer, I have been able to reflect and have decided that my moving on at this point would best enable Columbia to traverse the challenges ahead, she wrote. Dr. Katrina Armstrong, the CEO of the Columbia University Irving Medical Center, will step in as interim president, the school announced. Both nominees in the Missouri governor's race spoke to reporters separately following the governor's ham breakfast at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia Thursday morning, giving hints at what a debate may look like between the two (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent). SEDALIA Republican gubernatorial nominee Mike Kehoe and Democrat Crystal Quade agreed Thursday to a debate next month hosted by the Missouri Press Association. Kehoe did not participate in several Republican debates in the run up to the Aug. 6 primary. News stations have offered to moderate a Kehoe-Quade debate, but a date has not yet been set though Kehoe said both parties were interested. Both gubernatorial candidates spoke briefly to reporters following the annual governors ham breakfast at the Missouri State Fair Thursday morning, an event packed with elected officials and candidates for office up and down the ballot. They promised a debate on the issues, rather than name-calling and performance. I am excited to have a conversation about policy differences and trying to get away from the flamethrowers and ridiculousness that we saw in the primary, Quade said. Kehoe said Quades viewpoints are 100% different than his, but he expects the race to remain cordial. We are old fashioned in that we can disagree and still have a relationship with each other, he said. Quade also emphasized their differences Thursday, saying that although other candidates in the Republican primary appeared extreme, she believes Kehoe would ultimately govern similarly. While folks may say that one (Republican candidate) is more moderate than the other, the reality is Lt. Gov. Kehoe would sign the same pieces of legislation that the extremists in Jefferson City would send him regardless, she said. Quade spoke about their differences in workers rights and labor law, noting that Kehoe advocated for Missouris right-to-work law in 2017, prohibiting labor union membership from being a condition of employment. There is a ballot initiative that seeks to raise the minimum wage and establish a mandatory minimum for paid sick leave, potentially bringing more hourly workers to the polls in November. When asked about the ballot initiatives, Kehoe said he preferred for businesses to set wages. But overall, his priority was rejecting a second ballot initiative seeking to amend the state constitution to legalize abortion. We need to make sure that amendment goes down, he said. Protecting innocent life is one of our highest, if not the highest, priority. When the Missouri Secretary of States Office released the news that legalizing abortion would be on the November ballot, Quade issued a statement that condemned Kehoes anti-abortion stance and labeled him an extremist. Within 15 minutes of the fall of Roe, Missouri Republicans, led by extremists like Mike Kehoe, cheered as the rights of women all across Missouri were stripped away, she said in a statement. Missourians will vote for their next governor Nov. 5. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Millions of kids still skip school. Could the answer be recess, and cash? MEDFORD, Mass. (AP) Flerentin Flex Jean-Baptiste missed so much school he had to repeat his freshman year at Medford High outside Boston. At school, you do the same thing every day, said Jean-Baptiste, who was absent 30 days his first year. That gets very frustrating. Then his principal did something nearly unheard of: She let students play organized sports during lunch if they attended all their classes. In other words, she offered high schoolers recess. It gave me something to look forward to, said Jean-Baptiste, 16. The following year, he cut his absences in half. Schoolwide, the share of chronically absent students declined from 35% in March 2023 to 23% in March 2024 one of the steepest declines among Massachusetts high schools. Years after COVID-19 upended American schooling, nearly every state is still struggling with attendance, according to data collected by The Associated Press and Stanford University economist Thomas Dee. Roughly one in four students in the 2022-23 school year remained chronically absent, meaning they missed at least 10% of the school year. That represents about 12 million children in the 42 states and Washington, D.C., where data is available. Before the pandemic, only 15% of students missed that much school. Society may have largely moved on from COVID, but schools say theyre still battling the effects of pandemic school closures. After as much as a year at home, school for many kids has felt overwhelming, boring or socially stressful. More than ever, kids and parents are deciding its OK to stay home, which makes catching up even harder. Melinda Gonzalez, 14, poses at Fresno High School where shell be a freshman in Fresno, Calif., Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Gary Kazanjian) In all but one state, Arkansas, absence rates remain higher than they were pre-pandemic. Still, the problem appears to have passed its peak; almost every state saw absenteeism improve at least slightly from 2021-22 to 2022-23. Schools are working to identify students with slipping attendance, then providing help. Theyre working to close communication gaps with parents, who often arent aware their child is missing so much school or why its problematic. So far, the solutions that appear to be helping are simple like postcards to parents that compare a childs attendance with peers. But to make more progress, experts say, schools must get creative to address their students needs. Caring adults and incentives In Oakland, California, chronic absenteeism skyrocketed from 29% pre-pandemic to 53% in 2022-23 across district and charter schools. Officials asked students what would convince them to come to class. Money, they replied, and a mentor. A grant-funded program launched in spring 2023 paid 45 students $50 weekly for perfect attendance. Students also checked in daily with an assigned adult and completed weekly mental health assessments. Paying students isnt a permanent or sustainable fix, said Zaia Vera, the districts head of social-emotional learning. But many absent students lacked stable housing or were helping to support their families. The money is the hook that got them in the door, Vera said. More than 60% improved their attendance after taking part, Vera said. The program is expected to continue, along with district-wide efforts aimed at creating a sense of belonging. Oaklands African American Male Achievement project, for example, pairs Black students with Black teachers who offer support. Kids who identify with their educators are more likely to attend school, said Michael Gottfried, a University of Pennsylvania professor. According to one study led by Gottfried, California students felt its important for me to see someone whos like me early on, first thing in the day, he said. A caring teacher made a difference for Golden Tachiquin, 18, who graduated from Oaklands Skyline High School this spring. When she started 10th grade after a remote freshman year, she felt lost and anxious. She later realized these feelings caused the nausea and dizziness that kept her home sick. She was absent at least 25 days that year. But she bonded with an Afro-Latina teacher who understood her culturally and made Tachiquin, a straight-A student, feel her poor attendance didnt define her. I didnt dread going to her class, Tachiquin said. Another teacher had the opposite effect. She would say, Wow, guess who decided to come today? Tachiquin recalled. I started skipping her class even more. In Massachusetts, Medford High School requires administrators to greet and talk with students each morning, especially those with a history of missing school. But the lunchtime gym sessions have been the biggest driver of improved attendance, Principal Marta Cabral said. High schoolers need freedom and an opportunity to move their bodies, she said. Theyre here for seven hours a day. They should have a little fun. Stubborn circumstances Chronically absent students are at higher risk of illiteracy and eventually dropping out. They also miss the meals, counseling and socialization provided at school. Many of the reasons kids missed school early in the pandemic are still firmly in place: financial hardship, transportation problems, mild illness and mental health struggles. In Alaska, 45% of students missed significant school last year. In Amy Lloyds high school classes in Juneau, some families now treat attendance as optional. Last term, several of her English students missed school for vacations. I dont really know how to reset the expectation that was crushed when we sat in front of the computer for that year, Lloyd said. Emotional and behavioral problems also have kept kids home from school. Research shared exclusively with AP found absenteeism and poor mental health are interconnected, said University of Southern California professor Morgan Polikoff. For example, in the USC study, almost a quarter of chronically absent kids had high levels of emotional or behavioral problems, according to a parent questionnaire, compared with just 7% of kids with good attendance. Emotional symptoms among teen girls were especially linked with missing school. How sick is too sick? When chronic absence surged to around 50% in Fresno, California, officials realized they had to remedy pandemic-era mindsets about keeping kids home sick. Unless your student has a fever or threw up in the last 24 hours, you are coming to school. Thats what we want, said Abigail Arii, director of student support services. Often, said Noreida Perez, who oversees attendance, parents arent aware physical symptoms can point to mental health struggles such as when a child doesnt feel up to leaving their bedroom. More than a dozen states now let students take mental health days as excused absences. But staying home can become a vicious cycle, said Hedy Chang, of Attendance Works, which works with schools on absenteeism. If you continue to stay home from school, you feel more disengaged, she said. You get farther behind. Changing the culture around sick days is only part of the problem. At Fresnos Fort Miller Middle School, where half the students were chronically absent, two reasons kept coming up: dirty laundry and no transportation. The school bought a washer and dryer for families use, along with a Chevy Suburban to pick up students who missed the bus. Overall, Fresnos chronic absenteeism improved to 35% in 2022-23. Melinda Gonzalez, 14, missed the school bus about once a week and would call for rides in the Suburban. I dont have a car; my parents couldnt drive me to school, Gonzalez said. Getting that ride made a big difference. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. Acting Labor Sec. Julie Su speaks in Milwaukee after the Biden administration labeled the city as a "workforce hub." When it comes to job creation and resources, Milwaukee has a direct connection to the Biden administration after being labeled a workforce hub. Milwaukee is one of 12 cities with the designation and it will allow the city to work with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation to speed up the timeline to remove lead pipes. Its a project that will take more than a decade to accomplish, here in Milwaukee at least, Mayor Cavalier Johnson said. The original projection to replace the lead pipes was 60 years and the Biden administration is allocating $83 million to address lead pipes in Milwaukee. Those lines are not going to come out of the ground on their own, it takes people to actually do that work, Johnson said. In order to have the people to take those lines out of the ground, they have to have a career opportunity...where they know about the chance to do that. On Wednesday Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su met with Johnson and Oak Creek Mayor Daniel Bukiewicz who is also president of Milwaukee Building Trades Council, to talk about the importance of boosting training opportunities for the building trades. We are all in on job creation; were all in on making sure those are good jobs and the mayor is helping lead the way, Su said, adding that the designation is intended to help Milwaukee area job seekers get connected to jobs and training. Making sure that organizations that have been serving those communities also have a seat at the table as we build out strong infrastructure that connects people to jobs to help meet employer needs and also create real opportunity. Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Amy Pechacek and Officials from Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership/BIG STEP also participated in a closed door meeting with Su. In recent years WRTP/BIG STEP has gotten the attention of the Biden administration for its efforts to train and place workers in Milwaukee. In January the Department of Labor announced it was providing the organization with $1.5 million to modernize and upgrade the facility. Carshella Porter is now a labor apprentice after graduating from WRTP/BIG STEP. If it wasnt for them it would have been really hard for me to get into construction because I didnt have any construction experience, Porter said. This program helped me take the test as needed to get into construction. Sheet metal worker Dwayne Sampson Jr. said he was going down a different path when WRTP/BIG STEP visited his high school, Milwaukee Academy of Science, twice. That program introduced me to things I never saw, Sampson said. This program is very life changing. I hope it gets more young men like me an opportunity to change their familys life. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: New job training effort will accelerate Milwaukee lead pipe removal New minister takes on old work of saving Underground Railroad history in Lexington | Opinion The stairs are barely a foot wide, a mahogany tower that curves upward into darkness. No one is allowed into the tiny room at the top of the stairs next to the altar at Historic St. Paul AME Church; its not safe until the staircase and foundation have been fortified. But even sealed off, the space once used to hide passengers on the Underground Railroad in Lexington is a crucial part of the heart and history of one of the citys oldest sanctuaries. Interior shot of the upper room located in the Historic St. Paul AME Churchs used to hide enslaved people escaping north to freedom through the Underground Railroad. (Courtesy St. Paul AME) I believe the church was built here for the sole purpose of the Underground Railroad, said Priscilla Sullivan, a multi-generational parishioner and historian of the church, who remembers playing in the room in the 1960s. Built in 1826 on North Upper close to Third Street, the church was just a block away from the route on Limestone that went straight to Maysville, the Ohio River and the freedom on the other bank. According to Sullivan, the original space ran along the upper floor of the whole length of the building. When it was remodeled in 1906, well after the Civil War, they left just a small area as a hiding place, either to commemorate the Underground Railroad or just in case a hiding places were still needed, which, in Jim Crow Kentucky, they often were. Church members always knew about the space, but the church didnt make it public until after 1976 when Kentucky became the second-to-last state to officially ratify the 13th Amendment, which ended slavery in the U.S. in 1865. We didnt trust the system, Sullivan said. I believe they felt like they didnt need the space anymore, but they didnt want to lose it entirely. With a new leader, Dr. Stephanie Raglin, who started last year, the church is hoping to start a new fundraising campaign to save this crucial piece of Lexington history so that it can be opened to the public as part of the future Lexington Freedom Train. We are praying to God, Raglin said. Its already been done in His name. Pastor of Historic St. Paul AME church, Rev. Dr. Stephanie M. Raglin, on the right, stands with church historian, Priscilla Sullivan on the church steps on North Upper St. In March, the church received $140,000 from the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, a program from the National Trust for Historic Preservation that headed by Paducah native and UK graduate Brent Leggs. Buildings tell a story Sullivan said that St. Paul has left very little in the written record, perhaps because the enslaved were not supposed to know how to read or write. Shes tracked down information through property records of various trustees of the church who aided in property sales, such as Henry Tandy, the Black builder for whom Tandy Park is now named. Interior shot of hidden stairway leading to an upper room at Historic St. Paul AME Church used to hide enslaved people escaping North to freedom through the Underground Railroad. (Courtesy St. Paul AME) Buildings really tell the story, Sullivan said. Nonetheless, other historical narratives have confirmed St. Paul AME as a station on the Underground Railroad, says local historian Yvonne Giles, who is also helping to lead the Lexington Freedom Train project. Its very important because it was a station, a place where people sheltered, she said. Theres much more research to be done because it was 64 miles to Maysville, and there must have been other stations along the way. We just dont know exactly where. The Lexington Freedom Train project is starting with a statue on North Lime and Fourth Street honoring Lewis and Harriet Hayden who made it on the Underground Railroad from Lexington to Boston, but Giles said St. Paul AME will be an important part of the educational piece of the project. St. Paul AME will keep fundraising for the project, which will help with the upkeep of the entire 198-year-old church, its beautiful stained glass windows and its priceless piece of the historical record. If you wish to donate, go to https://spame.org/index.php/donate. North Dakota Rep. Randy Schobinger died Aug. 13, 2024, at age 54. (Photo provided by the North Dakota Legislative Assembly) It may have been unconventional to roll a beat-up pickup onto a political convention floor, but that was in character for Rep. Randy Schobinger. In 1996, that was a resounding success for the Minot lawmaker, according to his friend and former campaign staffer. Schobinger, 54, who died Tuesday, started his career as North Dakotas youngest lawmaker but went on to become an experienced mentor. Former Republican Committeeman Shane Goettle, who worked on Schobingers 1996 campaign for state treasurer, recalled how they raised money with a 1972 Toyota truck he received from his grandfather. People just came up and started piling the money into the back, it was so fun, Goettle said. We were just so elated that this had worked so well I suppose it was a few thousand dollars. Schobinger was not elected state treasurer but served a total of 18 years in the North Dakota Legislature. He was not seeking reelection this fall. His obituary said he died at his home in Tennessee, where he had been planning to retire. He was regarded as someone who was even keeled and extremely knowledgeable, said Rep. Matt Ruby, R-Minot. I dont think I couldve asked for a better mentor, said Ruby, who won election to the House while campaigning with Schobinger in 2016. Schobinger represented the Minot area in the state Senate from 1995 to 2006 and in the House from 2017 to 2024. Ruby said when Schobinger stood up to speak from the House floor, everyone listened. Some of Rubys fondest memories of his fellow lawmaker, whom he described as a brother, were waving signs from street corners in the lead-up to an election and the conversations they would have while collecting yard signs following those elections. After we won, the day after we would put up thank you signs and wed do the same corners and wave the signs to thank people, he said. He was very gracious to be elected and honored to be bestowed that role as a representative. Schobinger was the youngest senator to be elected to the Legislature at that time, Goettle said. When he was in his 20s, he was just taking on the world, Goettle said. I think a lot of people saw him as, sort of, a young whippersnapper. In a statement, Gov. Doug Burgum said Schobinger had a passion for public service and a measured approach that earned the respect of lawmakers throughout the state. His support and advocacy for Minot flood control, hub city funding, higher education, tax relief, corrections and rehabilitation including a new womens facility and other initiatives will continue to benefit North Dakotans for many years to come, Burgum said. Schobinger served on the House Appropriations Committee as well as the interim Budget, Economic Development and Information Technology committees. It will be up to the Republican District 40 executive committee to appoint a replacement for Schobinger to serve the remainder of his term, which is through early December. Ruby, a member of the executive committee, said an appointment will be made within 21 days. He said he did not believe the committee would appoint any District 40 Republican Senate and House candidates to the seat so they would not lose a term of eligibility under the states term limits law. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) On Thursday, the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) released the results from the 2023-24 Mississippi Academic Assessment Program (MAAP). The results showed that student achievement reached an all-time high in mathematics, English Language Arts (ELA) and science. Overall, for 2023-24, the percentage of students scoring proficient or advanced reached a record high of 47.8% in ELA, 56.3% in mathematics and 63.4% in science. U.S. History decreased slightly from 71.4% in 2022-23 to 70.9% in 2023-24. Mississippi sees slight increase in chronic absenteeism rate in 2023-24 One-year Change in Percentage of Students Scoring Proficient or Advanced Subject 2023 2024 Change since 2023 Mathematics 52.6% 56.3% +3.7% English Language Arts 46.7% 47.8% +1.1% Science 59.4% 63.4% +4.0% U.S. History 71.4% 70.9% -0.5% The continued rise in student achievement across Mississippi is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our students, teachers and school leaders, said Dr. Lance Evans, state superintendent of education. Our focus now is on building more momentum to guarantee that all our graduates are prepared for the challenges and opportunities they will encounter in college, their careers, and life. MAAP measures students progress toward academic goals that equip them with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in college and the workforce. The results make up a large portion of the A-F accountability grades schools and districts earn annually. Accountability grades for the 2023-24 school year will be released at the Mississippi State Board of Education meeting on September 17. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJTV. JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) Mississippi officials are challenging a 2021 executive order signed by President Joe Biden that directs federal agencies to participate in voter outreach and registration. Current law allows for states and federal agencies to enter into agreements to assist in voter registration efforts, but Secretary of State Michael Watson (R-Miss.) said the executive order goes too far. The states are in charge of voter registration and cleaning our voter rolls. This is what were supposed to be doing, not the federal government, Watson said. His office has been working against Bidens order since 2022. Watson filed multiple Freedom of Information Acts and found that several Mississippi counties had agreements with the U.S. Marshals Service. Jackson City Councilwoman Angelique Lee resigns after federal charge You think about the U.S. Marshals Service, who do they come in contact with? Illegal immigrants, many times. And so, what the guidance was, was No. 1: educate them on how to register to vote. No. 2: help them register to vote, and No. 3: if they so choose, help them vote by mail. In Mississippi, theoretically, by the law, we should catch every one of them. The problem is, what if one somehow slips through? he questioned. Watson did not say whether illegal immigrants attempted to or had registered to vote in Mississippi. Previous legal challenges to the order have been dismissed due to a lack of standing. Matt Steffey, a professor at the Mississippi College School of Law, said the lawsuit has a slim chance of being found unconstitutional. It doesnt seem on its face to be an overreach. It would be if it was only to register Democrats. That, the constitution doesnt permit, the mechanisms of government to take sides, Steffey said. It isnt a question of, Do we want people to register to vote? Absolutely, but there are laws that we have to follow in this country and in this state, said Watson. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJTV. In an effort to meet the increasing demand for nurses in California, Modesto Junior College has been selected to participate in a statewide initiative to expand nursing programs. The project, aligned with the Vision 2030 strategic framework for community colleges, is led by the California Community Colleges Chancellors Office. It aims to address the needs of Californias aging and diverse population. Modesto Junior College is excited to be included in this nursing expansion demonstration project. The need for nurses in our region is immense, and we have far more applicants to our program than we can accept, MJC President Brian Sanders said in a statement. We are committed to working with the Chancellors Office, our fellow colleges and our healthcare partners to increase the number of nurses serving our local community. The initiative aims to boost enrollment in associate degree nursing programs to alleviate the shortage of registered nurses in rural and remote areas, while also promoting equitable access to the profession. It will emphasize career advancement for current workers and expand opportunities for individuals from underserved communities to enter the nursing field. For more on the associate degree nursing program at MJC, go to www.mjc.edu/instruction/alliedhealth/adnprogram. California community colleges offer accessible, flexible, hands-on training that leads to high-wage careers, which makes these institutions uniquely positioned to address the states healthcare workforce shortage, said California Community Colleges Chancellor Sonya Christian. By leveraging the resources and reach of community colleges, California cannot only bridge the nursing gap but also foster equity in healthcare delivery. During the demonstration project, colleges can enroll students on a rolling basis, with the next cohort beginning in spring 2025 and new cohorts starting every fall and spring semester thereafter. The other 11 participating community colleges are Butte College, Cabrillo College, Monterey Peninsula College, Bakersfield College, Cuesta College, Ventura College, Golden West College, Saddleback College, Mt. San Jacinto College, Riverside City College and College of the Desert. According to estimates from the UC San Francisco Health Workforce Research Center on Long-Term Care, California is facing a shortage of approximately 36,000 licensed nurses. A report from the Healthforce Center at UCSF shows that the registered nurse shortage in the Central Valley is expected to worsen in the coming years due to insufficient educational capacity and migration of nurses to the region, which are unable to keep pace with population growth. This project aims to improve access to the nursing profession and increase the number of registered nurses in other parts of the state to prevent future shortages. No single institution can solve Californias health workforce challenges, but with a shared vision and evidence to guide us, HCAI, California Community Colleges and our many other critical partners can start to make concerted progress toward meaningful change, said Libby Abbott, deputy director for HCAI Health Workforce. The project will develop a statewide plan to increase nursing associate degrees by working with regulators and employers. It will also create flexible pathways to help current workers enter nursing programs. Our shared mission with the California Community Colleges chancellor is to empower incumbent workers to advance into higher-wage clinical roles and ensure Californians have equitable access to care providers that represent our communities, said Rebecca Hanson, executive director of The Education Fund, a partnership between 22 healthcare industry employers and six SEIU local unions. Our members, 70% of whom are workers of color, will benefit from this initiatives emphasis on developing accessible pathways into nursing. The pilot program is expected to expand associate degree nursing program capacities at community colleges. This includes integrating simulation labs and increasing night rotations to offer hands-on, flexible clinical experiences. The Labor and Workforce Development Agency is proud to partner with Californias community colleges on this important effort to recruit, train and graduate more nurses than ever before, said Labor and Workforce Development Agency Secretary Stewart Knox. Californias community colleges have the resources and capacity to help Californians reach their career goals and find good jobs like nursing that are in very high demand. (Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi once again called for a replacement of Indias religion-based laws with a uniform civil code, a move thats been opposed by some minority groups. Most Read from Bloomberg I want comprehensive discussion on the subject, Modi said in his Independence Day speech in New Delhi on Thursday. A secular civil code in the country is the need of the hour Currently, matters of marriage, divorce, adoption and inheritance are governed by multiple religious and customary laws. A uniform civil code will erase any independent religious practices in the implementation of these laws and bring them under one common umbrella a move that critics have said is part of Modis majoritarian social push. Modis Bharatiya Janata Party has included the implementation of a uniform civil code in its election manifestos for decades and campaigned aggressively on the subject in the latest elections. The party sees the current system as allowing non-Hindu communities especially Muslims to operate on their own terms. The current civil code is in a way communal and promotes discrimination. It divides the country along religious lines and promotes inequality, Modi said. Modi stopped short of announcing any measures that his government will take on the issue. In June, the BJP lost its parliamentary majority in the national elections after a decade and is currently governing using the support of regional allies. Their support will be essential if the government needs to roll out the controversial legislative measure. The prime minister also reiterated the need to hold simultaneous state and national elections, saying the constant poll cycles are becoming an impediment to the nations progress. During the almost 100-minute speech, Modi spoke about his governments commitment to reforms and the ongoing revamp of the countrys infrastructure. He also addressed the middle class, assuring them that the government would ensure jobs. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company has announced a C$575 million project to modernise and expand its plant in Napanee, Ontario. This investment will help Goodyear create an energy-efficient, end-to-end manufacturing process and increase its production capacity, including of EV and all-terrain tires, the firm says. The project will create 200 new, highly skilled manufacturing jobs by 2027 and secure 1,000 jobs in Napanee. This project will get Goodyear's Napanee plant to net-zero emissions by 2040, helping achieve Canada's goal of a net-zero economy by 2050. Goodyear Canada will receive federal funding of up to $44.3 million from the Strategic Innovation Fund for this expansion project. The Government of Ontario, through Invest Ontario, will contribute $20 million to support key components of the project, including the implementation of innovative technologies and skills training programs. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, said: Companies from across the world are choosing Canada. Today's announcement that Goodyear is modernizing its Napanee plant will create manufacturing jobs, grow our EV industry, and use modern technology to keep our air clean. It's another vote of confidence in Canada's auto sector workers." "Goodyear investing $575 million to expand Ontario plant" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) It has been one year and one week since the first families and individuals seeking asylum arrived in Rochester from New York City by way of mobile medical company DocGo. The temporary shelter location, per contract with DocGo/NYC, was the Holiday Inn on State Street. Last August, Governor Kathy Hochul also approved the National Guard to have members remain stationed on-site at the hotel, similar to other areas also included in the Upstate NY Asylum Influx Program. When asking the state to confirm whether or not National Guard members were still in Rochester, News 8 was deferred to New York City, however no specific agency nor contact was provided. County officials confirm to News 8 the Emergency Housing Executive Order, first issued by County Executive Adam Bello in May of 2023, is no longer in effect. It had been continuously re-issued on a rolling basis, however the Holiday Inn remained the sole applicant and recipient of any permission to shelter asylees. Irene Sanchez is the Executive Director of the Western New York Coalition of Farm Worker Serving Agencies, one of the main groups assisting in the overall coordination of services during DocGo/NYCs program. She tells News8, to-date, 381 asylum seeking individuals, which includes children, have completed the program; 84 families from countries all over the globe. Many of the new arrivals included people from Spanish-speaking countries, such as Venezuela and Columbia; other families made their journey from Russia, Haiti, and Uzbekistan. Thirteen families returned to New York City. When we first arrived to the hotel on August 7th, the families were residing in the 4th floor and the third floor was empty it, it was a floor that was not being in use and both of our organizations, IBERO and other agencies helped to clean it up and organize it as a way to be able to establish the case management services offices there, Sanchez says, reflecting on how operations evolved during the past 11 months. In the meantime, the hotel where families were being temporarily sheltered is dealing with several issues. According to public records, there are 149 current code violations associated with the property. Public records also show the current owner listed as Horizon Edge Hospitality LLC, however the City Communication Director confirmed to News8, Nayan Patel is still the owner. More recent public records dated from Monday, August 12th show code violations including from infestation of insects and rodents throughout the 1st floor, to inspectors not being able to even access the 5th floor, to another violation stating emergency lighting system must be made operable in the boiler room. While unable to get into specifics, Sanchez did confirm the Coalition did address any issues which came up leaders and law enforcement. As an advocacy organization ourself we are very committed to make sure that people were treated with dignity in a respectful way and that the services were provided adequately, so since we have been there weve been advocating specifically for that, whatever we have identified or seen, we address it immediately, and I know that there has been other concerns about the hotel and the things that we have witnessed, we have reported to the authorities and the proper authorities including the Rochester Police Department, the county officials and also to the Attorney Generals Office, Sanchez says. As News8 previously reported, the City of Rochester says it issued several tickets to the owner of the hotel for non-compliance as well as a cease and desist notice. Due to new LLC laws in Rochester, the owner is also now facing penalties. News 8 has been working to confirm in total amount. Wednesday, the Attorney Generals Office confirmed to News 8 its investigation into DocGo is still ongoing. News8 reporter Isabel Garcia also directly reached out to the hotel to ask for the owner and was, once again, told he is out of town. News 8 also reached out to the Holiday Inn parent group, IHG Hotels in an attempt to reach the owner and have not yet heard back. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst. More than 100 major companies are demanding new systemic changes from world leaders here's what they want An estimated 130 companies have come together to urge government officials to make bold changes for sustainability. According to Food and Drink Digital, multinational businesses including Nestle, Unilever, and Danone have united under the Business for Nature organization umbrella. Business for Nature is a global coalition on a mission to connect businesses with conservation efforts. Together, these companies and Business for Nature have created an open letter to world leaders demanding new and upgraded sustainability policies. One element of the letter includes the Biodiversity Plan, which calls for government officials to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. Other demands include restoring damaged ecosystems, fortifying global agreements that address nature loss, and ensuring that businesses integrate nature as part of decision-making. With the steadily approaching United Nations Biodiversity Conference COP16, the letter calls for swift government action. COP 16, held in Colombia by the Convention of Biological Diversity from Oct. 21 through Nov. 1, asks that participating entities share their biodiversity strategies. Many of the letter's contributing companies are at the forefront of sustainability efforts. Nestle, for example, has committed to procuring 50% of its ingredients from regenerative agricultural methods by 2030. The CEO of Nestle's business in Latin America, Laurent Freixe said: "Colombia is home to 10% of the planet's biodiversity. Biodiversity loss is a critical risk we cannot ignore, and the success of our business relies on a healthy natural world," per Food and Drink Digital. Massive companies like Unilever and Nestle employ thousands of people across the globe, and securing their future also secures the jobs they offer and their financial contributions to the economy. When businesses make decisions to protect their future while also contributing to a healthier planet, everyone stands to win. Many companies now participate in sustainability efforts. Switzerland-based Antidoto SA is adding electric vehicles to its offering, while PepsiCo is expanding its electric fleet. REI and Intuit, meanwhile, have come together to launch a solar farm providing more communities with access to clean energy. Eva Zabey, CEO of Business for Nature, said, "Only through collective effort will we be able to drive the global systemic change needed for a nature-positive, net zero and equitable economy." Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. More than 40,000 killed in Gaza, Hamas-run health ministry says Relatives of Palestinian who were killed in Israeli attacks mourn as they receive their bodies from the morgue at Nasser Hospital for burial in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip. Abdullah Abu Al-Khair/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa The number of people killed in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war in the Gaza Strip has risen to more than 40,000, the Palestinian territory's health ministry said on Thursday. More than 92,400 Palestinians have been injured since the war began in October 2023, the health authority, which is controlled by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, said. The figures cannot be independently verified and do not distinguish between combatants and civilians. "Today marks a grim milestone for the world," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said, adding that most of the dead are women and children. "This unimaginable situation is overwhelmingly due to recurring failures by the Israel Defense Forces to comply with the rules of war." Turk said said that, on average, about 130 people have been killed every day in Gaza over the past 10 months. He called the extent of the destruction of homes, hospitals, schools and places of worship by the Israeli military "deeply shocking." The war began after the unprecedented massacre by Hamas and other extremists groups who killed more than 1,200 people in southern Israel on October 7. Around 250 people were taken hostage. Israel's response, with massive airstrikes and a ground offensive, has been criticized given the number of civilian casualties and catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza. Turk said his office has recorded violations of international humanitarian law by both Israeli forces and armed Palestinian groups, including Hamas. Palestinians inspect the damage to the house of Jamil Mazhar, deputy secretary-general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which was targeted in an overnight Israeli airstrike in the Nuseirat refugee camp. Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa Palestinians carry their belongings as they flee Hamad City towards Al-Mawasi after the Israeli army dropped leaflets demanding that residents of a northern neighborhood in Khan Younis evacuate immediately ahead of a new military operation in the Gaza Strip. Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa Palestinians carry their belongings as they flee Hamad City towards Al-Mawasi after the Israeli army dropped leaflets demanding that residents of a northern neighborhood in Khan Younis evacuate immediately ahead of a new military operation in the Gaza Strip. Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) Charges are now filed in two states on the multi-state crime spree case that involved two Sioux Falls men facing charges from stolen cars and child abuse. Authorities in Weld County, Colorado have filed arrest warrants for the arrest of 20-year-old Marquise Spotted Eagle. Hes accused of several crimes including child abuse, a weapons charge and felony assault. 2 men arrested after multi-state crime spree, involving stolen cars and missing girls The charges stem from Monday, when a Sioux Falls girl told police in Colorado that Spotted Eagle and Datavion Taylor left her along the side of a highway. She claimed shed been assaulted and that the men still had her 13-year-old friend in their car. Hours later, authorities in Nebraska arrested the men. Theyre being held in a central Nebraska jail, where they face several charges including child endangerment, possessing a stolen vehicle and possessing a stolen gun. At this point there are no charges in South Dakota, but there could be in the future. Sioux Falls Police tell us they werent aware of any missing or runaway girls, until one of the girls talked to police in Colorado. But, they were aware of a stolen car and gun. Police say someone left their car running outside a business at 14th and Minnesota, on the edge of downtown, on Saturday. Someone stole the car, which also had a gun inside. At this point, police arent sure if the two men stole the vehicle themselves or if it was stolen by someone else, and they were just driving it when they left the state. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. SARASOTA COUNTY (WFLA) More than a week after flooding damaged dozens of homes in the Laurel Meadows community, everything from drywall to furniture is lining the neighborhood streets. Many residents are in the process of gutting their homes and drying them out. Peace River levels concern Bartow officials as peak of hurricane season looms A disaster response team with Rotary International District 6960 of Southwest Florida has mobilized in both the Laurel Meadows and Pinecraft communities. Theyre helping homeowners gut and clear out their homes and help get them into the next phase of recovery. Theyve been on site in the neighborhoods for eight days now. However, theyve noticed a drop in their volunteer force and hope to see that change, as the need for more helping hands is still great. To put it in perspective, just here in Laurel Meadows, there are 85 homes, said Andy Lyman with Rotary District 6960. Four homes had flood insurance. The typical muck and gut process is $15,000 at the low end to $50,000, so by you coming as a volunteer, that gives them a leg up with that amount of money to be able to get their life back in order and recover. The floodwaters have receded and things for most people are back to normal, however, Lyman says thats still far from the truth for people in the hard hit pockets of the community. He hopes to have between 50 and 100 volunteers a day. On Wednesday, he said four volunteers showed up in Laurel Meadows. If we had 50 to 100 volunteers a day at Der Dutchman and at Bayside Church, that would be productive for us to start helping get these folks in order, Lyman said. He said they are now reaching a point where they dont just need people to help move furniture and pull out drywall. They are looking for volunteers who can also help residents pack valuables and other belongings that made were undamaged in the storm. Those interested in volunteering can meet daily at Der Dutchman Restaurant on Bahia Vista St. and Bayside Community Church on Bee Ridge Rd. at either 9 a.m. or 1.p.m. County officials are asking volunteers to keep safety at the top of mind. When there is a big flood like this and it is affecting multiple homes, it can bring things out in the water that wouldnt otherwise be there. We encourage people to keep themselves safe, by drinking a lot of water, wearing gloves, and wearing masks if possible, and really just taking precautions to keep themselves and their families healthy, said Cole Washko, county public information officer. County officials said volunteers can also fill out a form to volunteer at scgov.net. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) High school graduates will soon start their first year of college, but some of them may feel a bit nervous about taking such a big step. Morningside University is offering a mentorship program to make sure first-year students have all the help they need. The program was started last year with only a select amount of students. Officials say that after a successful first year, they decided to make sure every freshman is matched with a mentor to teach them the proper guidance and make sure they feel right at home. Sioux City Career Academy house begins move to rural Jefferson Personally, I think its huge, Steph Peter with the universitys admissions office said. I think its some reassurance for our parents as well, so these parents that are sending these students to this new place, to know that theres someone else thats kind of a safeguard for them, a confidant for them, a place for support or guidance as well. University officials say they go through a process to make sure the peer mentor they select is the right pick for each incoming freshman. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. Mother of five, 34, mauled to death by her own dog Michelle Hempstead died following a dog attack - GoFundMe A mother of five was mauled to death by her own dog, an inquest has heard. Michelle Hempstead, 34, was attacked on July 29 by one of two dogs she lived with in her ground-floor flat in Southend-on-Sea, Essex. Neighbours recalled how she climbed over her balcony railing to escape and ran away screaming, before collapsing near a playground area. Local residents ran out of their homes to give her first aid before paramedics arrived. The dog involved is said to have been a bullmastiff-type breed which Ms Hempstead kept in her flat along with a Pomeranian. Essex Coroners Court in Chelmsford heard how she died of her injuries on July 30. The inquest was opened and suspended by Lincoln Brookes, a senior Essex coroner, after he revealed that police had launched a criminal investigation into the death. Andy Flack, the court co-ordinator, told the hearing that Ms Hempstead had been found with lacerations to her left arm on July 29. She was taken to Southend Hospital before being transferred to the Royal London Hospital where she died the next day. A post-mortem by Ben Swift, a Home Office pathologist, gave the provisional cause of death as multiple organ failure, hypovolemic shock, transection of a left axillary artery and a dog bite wound to her upper left arm. Mr Brookes said: Ordinarily, I would adjourn for an inquest to be heard, but I have had a request from Essex Police to suspend the coroners proceedings pending a criminal investigation, and I grant that request. I will review that suspension after three months. The coroner said he wanted to pass his deepest condolences to Ms Hempsteads family. Liah Smith, Ms Hempsteads friend of ten years, revealed in a GoFundMe appeal launched to help pay for the funeral and support her children that she had only just lost her daughter. The appeal said: Thank you for clicking onto this post. My name is Liah and with permission I will be speaking on behalf of the Hempstead family as well as friends and anyone close who knew our Chelle. I truly appreciate you taking a moment to read her story. Myself and her nearest and dearest have been completely blindsided by this news. Michelle wasnt just a mother to five beautiful children, she was a daughter, a friend, a neighbour, a big support system for the people around her but undoubtedly the kindest soul to have crossed everyones paths. We are absolutely heartbroken by her absence, and wed like to do her justice by coming together as a community at this unfortunate time. Describing Ms Hempstead as fun, bubbly and selfless and who was fun no matter the situation, Ms Smith said her death had left her family absolutely heartbroken. The entrance to Ms Hempstead's flat in Southend-on-Sea - EAST ANGLIA NEWS SERVICE Acting Detective Inspector James McLean-Brown, who is leading the investigation into Ms Hempsteads death, said earlier this month: My officers have worked tirelessly for the last three days. That work has been supported by a number of members of the public who have come forward to assist our enquiries. This was a very distressing incident to witness, so Id like to thank everyone who has spoken to us so far and ask anyone else with information to contact us. The details you have may be important, and we need the fullest picture of Monday evening to complete our enquiries. Our sympathies remain with the family of the victim, who are being supported by our specialist officers. One neighbour of Ms Hempstead who asked not to be named said: I was at home with my partner when we heard screaming. He went to help, and I called an ambulance. By the time he had got down to her, she had run across to near the playground area and had collapsed. She was unconscious and had a really nasty wound to the top of her arm. It was evidently a dog bite. I think she had climbed out of her flat out over her balcony. I came out to help. She had run screaming and made it against a wall. We had to move her to see where the blood was coming from. It is just awful that she has died. I can only think it was because of the blood loss. The neighbour said Ms Hempstead had a partner and was devoted to her dogs. She added: She was quite friendly. We had a puppy last year and she would stop us to see how he was getting on. I was not aware of any problems with her dogs. There was a boy aged around 14 or 15 who would come to her flat to walk the big dog. We saw both dogs being taken out early in the morning and they were both walking happily on a lead. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Nearly one year ago, Gisele Lara was killed in a murder-suicide on the campus of Columbus State University. Now, her mother plans to file a wrongful death lawsuit against CSU and the University System of Georgia. According to authorities, 25-year-old Nathaniel Janik shot and killed 21-year-old Gisele Lara inside a car on the universitys campus before turning the gun on himself. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Her mother, Rebecca Lara, has now filed a motion that she intends to sue Columbus State University, the University System of Georgia Board of Regents and state officials for $25 million. In the filing, Rebecca Lara claims that the university didnt do enough to protect her daughter, even though she expressed her concerns to professors. It details one instance where Gisele Lara reported to a professor that she had been sexually assaulted by Janik and was then separated from him, but claims her concerns were not reported to the university until her boyfriend specifically asked for them to be just two days before her death. TRENDING STORIES: They claim that after the report was made, CSU informed Janik of the report. While the full evidence has not yet been made public, when it is released, it will clearly show that if CSU employees had been properly trained and followed the law, Gisele would still be alive today, said attorney Brian Stewart who is representing Rebecca Lara. CSU failed Gisele. My beautiful daughter deserved safety measures and protection. I am utterly heartbroken, but I am committed to seeking justice for Gisele and ensuring that such tragedies do not befall other families, Rebecca Lara said. Columbus State University shared a statement with Channel 2 Action News that read, While the university does not comment on pending litigation, we continue to mourn the loss of Gisele Lara and respect the grief of Giseles family. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: (Bloomberg) -- A California federal judge said he will order Alphabet Inc.s Google to open up its app store in the coming weeks and chided the tech giant for not accepting a jury verdict that it monopolized Android app distribution and billing. Most Read from Bloomberg Jurors in December sided with the maker of the popular video game Fortnite and concluded that Google unlawfully abused its power over Android apps, which brought in $14.66 billion in revenue in 2020 for the tech company. US District Judge James Donato in San Francisco is now deciding what policy changes Google must make to comply with federal antitrust law. Donato said at a hearing Wednesday that he intends to issue a ruling in the coming weeks and is considering a remedy that would apply outside the US because the jury found anticompetitive practices occurred globally. The judge scolded Google for balking at some of the remedies proposed by Epic Games Inc. Build a Fence When you build a fence to keep everyone out there is going to be a stampede when you finally open the gate, Donato said. You shouldnt have built a fence in the first place. Google had estimated that it could take 12 to 16 months to implement the proposed changes, but Donato indicated he wants a faster timeline. Its Google, he said. You can do better than that. Donatos ruling will be the first in the US to attempt to correct Googles dominance after years of European competition cases and fines totaling more than 8.25 billion euros ($9.1 billion). Hanging in the balance is billions of dollars in revenue for Google Play, which charges commissions of as much as 30% to software developers who typically have few other options of platforms to market their apps. Antitrust Scrutiny In the December verdict, the jury found that Google, which has been under antitrust scrutiny for the last decade, engaged in illegal monopolization worldwide, excluding China. Last week, a judge in a different federal court ruled that Google has illegally monopolized online search and advertising markets. The Justice Department, which filed the search case along with a group of state attorneys general, is mulling whether to seek a breakup of the company in the wake of that decision, Bloomberg reported. Epic had asked that some of the remedies, such as giving third-party app stores access to the millions of apps in the Google Play store, be in place for six years. Google countered that a year or two should be long enough for apps to gain traction on their own, after which Google should no longer be forced to support its competitors. Story continues Donato indicated that his ruling will likely last at least three years. He also said he intends to appoint a three-member technical committee to oversee the companys compliance with his order. The judge repeatedly assured Googles lawyers that he was not interested in micromanaging its business. I have no intention of having a highly detailed decree that ends up impairing competition, Donato said. Epic has also waged a long-running antitrust challenge to Apple Inc.s app store. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. LENNOX, S.D. (KELO) With school right around the corner, many families may start to worry about how theyre going to pay for school lunches. While Lennox School may be empty right now, soon it will be filled with children some of whom cant afford school lunches. Because of this, the U.S. Military Vets Motorcycle Club decided to raise money to help buy them lunch. Once a month we pick an organization that we want to help out, and then we will have games, food, well have, like lemonade, drinks, stuff that people can come in. Its all free will donation, U.S. Military Vets Motorcycle Club, Tyler Burnout Lau said. Our main role as a club is to help local veterans in need. And sometimes helping local veterans is seen as taking a step beyond that and helping the children of the veterans that we have, U.S. Military Vets Motorcycle Club, Dustin Pigpen Lau said. The U.S. Military Vets Club has raised over 1600 dollars for the Lenox School lunch debt, in hopes that no kids have to experience what some of the members have experienced. There were times that I would be sitting there eating food or the sack lunch that theyd give you, and its just barely enough to get you by where everyone else was sitting there eating their full meal, getting full, Tyler said. Rapid City school board fires superintendent As the club members do their part to keep all bellies full in the Lennox School District. Its one of those things that the children have no control on. You cant control what you have for money in the bank, Dustin said. And it just felt that I was being looked at differently because we couldnt afford lunch and we just dont want a kid to feel that, Tyler said. The club is presenting a check for $1,650 to the school on Saturday. Click here for more information on the U.S. Military Vets Motorcycle Club and this weekends event. Click here for more information on how to pay for school lunches in Lennox. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. I moved from Dallas to Dubai with my husband and 3 kids. It's surprisingly similar to the US. I moved from Dallas to Dubai with my husband and 3 kids. It's surprisingly similar to the US. After her husband received a job opportunity in Dubai, Katie Miller relocated their family. Miller, 39, said that the move to Dubai was smooth due to its similarities to the US. She finds Dubai more culturally diverse and values the learning opportunities for her kids. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Katie Miller, a stay-at-home mother of three who recently moved to Dubai. It has been edited for length and clarity. My husband and I raised our three young kids in what we thought was our forever home in Dallas. But in February, my husband, who works in the oil industry, got an opportunity to work in Dubai. Being unfamiliar with the region, I was hesitant at first, but eventually got excited about a new adventure. So, when the school year ended in May, we packed our bags and moved to Dubai. It's only been a few months, but I love it here. It's convenient to quickly get services like food delivery, and I don't think I've ever lived anywhere where I felt so safe. This is not our first time relocating. In 2015, my husband and I moved to London for 15 months for his work. While it was an amazing experience, our move to the UK was much harder than it was in Dubai. I found it difficult to find the things that I was used to in America when living in London. We were surprised to see so many American fast-food chains Miller was pleased to find a variety of food options in Dubai. Katie Miller The Cheesecake Factory is my favorite because, being a true Texas girl, I can get a big glass of iced tea, along with free refills. It teleports me back to the US. We also go to Five Guys, Buffalo Wild Wings, Raising Caines, Papa Johns, and KFC. We can eat out and feel at home. But Dubai also has amazing local restaurants. That's one thing I love about the city: If you want to feel at home, you can; and if you want to explore new things, you can. The malls are similar to those in Texas The malls in Dubai carry familiar brands, Miller said. Katie Miller Dubai's malls carry familiar brands like H&M, American Eagle, and Gap. As an American mom, the only thing I miss is a hearty Target shopping trip, where I can get everything in one place. Still, Dubai has big grocery stores where I can find many items that my family is used to. One of them Park n Shop is gold if you are from the US or Europe. My kids' favorite discovery was Chick-fil-A sauce. This was a win coming from the US with kids who love chicken nuggets. I drive around, like in the US The roads here are big, and the parking system is great. Unlike in the US, a lot of parking is covered or underground. I rarely get into a hot car here, which is helpful, especially in Dubai's hot summers. The downside is that the GPS does not work well here and often takes me in circles. But it has also created funny memories for the kids we've discovered and explored places we chanced upon because we drove the wrong way. Miller said the cultural diversity of Dubai will benefit her children. Katie Miller Before our move, my husband and I considered that living in Dubai could be a great learning opportunity for our children, aged 5, 7, and 8. The city is more culturally diverse than Dallas. According to the Dubai Statistics Center, 92% of its 3,655,000-person population is non-Emirati. The number of foreigners grew by almost 100,000 between 2022 and 2023. As such, you can experience every other culture and learn about different parts of the world. It seems you can have two experiences in Dubai: You can come here and stay in your own culture, or you can step out of your comfort zone and learn about other cultures. We've been able to do both, and that has been really exciting for us. We're still unsure when we will return to the US, as it depends on my husband's job. But so far, I love it more than I thought I would. If I could relocate all the people I love from the US to here, I would stay here for decades. Do you have a story about moving abroad that you want to share? Get in touch with the reporter, Erin: eliam@businessinsider.com. Read the original article on Business Insider WASHINGTON (DC News Now) The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said an 18-year-old man has been arrested for fatally shooting another man from Maryland in Northeast D.C. back in April. MPD said the shooting happened on April 25, at around 12:30 a.m. Officers responded to the 4500 block of Sheriff Road and found a man who had been shot multiple times. 14-year-old boy killed in double shooting outside DC recreation center The man, 38-year-old Ricky Canty, of Temple Hills, Md., was taken to the hospital where he later died. This shooting was among a few others to happen that night where three others were killed and another person was hurt. On Aug. 14, MPD officers arrested 18-year-old Jaylen Suggs and charged him with first-degree murder while armed (felony murder). At the time of the shooting, Suggs was 17 years old but he will be charged as an adult. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. On Aug. 14, 2024, the World Health Organization declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern. There have been over 15,600 cases and over 530 deaths reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring countries in Africa. The disease had previously caused a global outbreak from 2022 to 2023. Mpox previously called monkeypox isnt a new disease. The first confirmed human case was in 1970, when the virus was isolated from a child suspected of having smallpox in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Though usually mild, mpox can still potentially cause severe illness. Health officials are concerned that more cases will arise with increased travel. Im a researcher who has worked in public health and medical laboratories for over three decades, especially in the realm of diseases with animal origins. What exactly is happening in the current outbreak, and what does history tell us about mpox? A cousin of smallpox Mpox is caused by the monkeypox virus, which belongs to a subset of the Poxviridae family of viruses called Orthopoxvirus. This subset includes the smallpox, vaccinia and cowpox viruses. While an animal reservoir for monkeypox virus is unknown, African rodents are suspected to play a part in transmission. The monkeypox virus has only been isolated twice from an animal in nature. Diagnostic testing for mpox is currently only available at Laboratory Response Network labs in the U.S. and globally. The name monkeypox comes from the first documented cases of the illness in animals in 1958, when two outbreaks occurred in monkeys kept for research. However, the virus did not jump from monkeys to humans, nor are monkeys major carriers of the disease. The virus that causes mpox belongs to the Poxviridae family of viruses, which includes smallpox. CDC/ Cynthia S. Goldsmith Epidemiology Since the first reported human case, mpox has been found in several other central and western African countries, with the majority of infections in the DRC. Cases outside of Africa have been linked to international travel or imported animals, including in the U.S. and elsewhere. The first reported cases of mpox in the U.S. was in 2003, from an outbreak in Texas linked to a shipment of animals from Ghana. There were also travel-associated cases in July and November 2021 in Maryland. The outbreak of mpox that began May 2022 is ongoing. Because mpox is closely related to smallpox, the smallpox vaccine can provide protection against infection from both viruses. Since smallpox was officially eradicated, however, routine smallpox vaccinations for the U.S. general population were stopped in 1972. Because of this, mpox has been appearing increasingly in unvaccinated people. Indonesia began screening travelers after an mpox case was reported in Singapore in May 2019. Jepayona Delita/Future Publishing via Getty Images Transmission The virus can be transmitted through contact with an infected person or animal or contaminated surfaces. Typically, the virus enters the body through broken skin, inhalation or the mucous membranes in the eyes, nose or mouth. Researchers believe that human-to-human transmission is mostly through inhalation of large respiratory droplets rather than direct contact with bodily fluids or indirect contact through clothes. Health officials are worried that the virus may currently be spreading undetected through community transmission, possibly through a new mechanism or route. Where and how infections are occurring are still under investigation. Signs and symptoms After the virus enters the body, it starts to replicate and spread through the body via the bloodstream. Symptoms usually dont appear until one to two weeks after infection. Mpox produces smallpox-like skin lesions, but symptoms are usually milder than those of smallpox. Flu-like symptoms are common initially, ranging from fever and headache to shortness of breath. One to 10 days later, a rash can appear on the extremities, head or torso that eventually turns into blisters filled with pus. Overall, symptoms usually last two to four weeks, while skin lesions usually scab over in 14 to 21 days. While mpox is rare and usually nonfatal, one version of the disease kills around 10% of infected people. The form of the virus currently circulating is thought to be milder, with a fatality rate of less than 1%. Vaccines and treatments Treatment for mpox is primarily focused on relieving symptoms. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, no treatments are available to cure mpox infection. Evidence suggests that the smallpox vaccine can help prevent mpox infections and decrease the severity of the symptoms. One vaccine known as Imvamune or Imvanex is licensed in the U.S. to prevent mpox and smallpox. Vaccination after exposure to the virus may also help decrease chances of severe illness. The CDC currently recommends smallpox vaccination only in people who have been or are likely to be exposed to mpox. Immunocompromised people are at high risk. This is an updated version of an article originally published on May 20, 2022. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Rodney E. Rohde, Texas State University Read more: Rodney E. Rohde has received funding from the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS), U.S. Department of Labor (OSHA), and Texas State University. Rohde is affiliated with ASCP, ASCLS, ASM, and serves on several scientific advisory boards. SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) The World Health Organization declared a global public health emergency for a mpox outbreak on Wednesday after health officials reported a growing number of cases and deaths in Central Africa. As the public health emergency extends across the globe, a Utah public health official spoke with ABC4.com to explain the virus and the extent of the potential risk for Utahns. What is mpox? Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a poxvirus that causes bumps, pustules, and lesions on the skin. Other symptoms can include a headache, muscle aches, and chills. Jade Murray, the preparedness and respiratory disease manager for the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, said the healing process can be long as the lesions need to scab over and grow new skin underneath. It can be a long, drawn-out uncomfortable process on the skin when you are infected with the disease, she said. READ NEXT: Utah DWR calling on anglers to step up their game on 4 waterways Mpox is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can spread from animals. Historically, people were infected by animals such as rodents and monkeys with the disease. However, in recent years Murray said it has begun to be commonly spread through person-to-person contact, such as kissing or sexual activities. It can also spread through dirty linens. Since 2022, which is kind of when we saw this occurrence of mpox spreading nationally, the type of spread is now more person-to-person meaning once a person is infected with mpox its really easy for them to spread it to somebody else, Murray said. The spread of the disease The CDC says mpox was first detected in a human in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. While the disease is endemic in parts of Central and West Africa, it spread globally in 2022. The CDC says the clade, or variant, that is being spread now is more severe than the clade that spread globally in 2022. This clade can kill up to 1 in 10 patients who contract the disease, although in recent years the mortality rate has been lower. FILE This 1997 image provided by the CDC during an investigation into an outbreak of monkeypox, which took place in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), formerly Zaire, and depicts the dorsal surfaces of the hands of a monkeypox case patient, who was displaying the appearance of the characteristic rash during its recuperative stage. The World Health Organization is creating a new vaccine-sharing mechanism to stop the spiraling outbreak of monkeypox in more than 30 countries beyond Africa. (CDC via AP, File) More severe means more pox, immunocompromised people are more likely to be hospitalized. and people unfortunately are dying from this disease, Murray said. According to WHO, there have been more than 15,600 cases and 537 deaths in the DRC this year which exceeds the total number of cases last year. The current upsurge of mpox in parts of Africa, along with the spread of a new sexually transmissible strain of the monkeypox virus, is an emergency, not only for Africa, but for the entire globe. Mpox, originating in Africa, was neglected there, and later caused a global outbreak in 2022. It is time to act decisively to prevent history from repeating itself, WHO Committee Chair Professor Dimie Ogoina said in a news release. Mpox in Utah While the spread of a more severe variant is cause for concern, Murray said they have not seen an uptick in Utah as of yet. For Utah specifically, we havent seen a lot of cases spreading around. Since the beginning outbreak in 2022 we still see a very small number of cases, she said. However, Murray was quick to add that nobody is fully protected from infection and it is important to take the necessary precautions, such as observing good hand hygiene, safe sex practices, and getting vaccinated if at a higher risk. FILE Vials of single doses of the Jynneos vaccine for monkeypox are seen from a cooler at a vaccinations site on Aug. 29, 2022, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Scientists say a new form of mpox detected in a mining town in Congo might more easily spread among people. Already, Congo is seeing its biggest mpox outbreak with more than 19,000 suspected infections and 900 deaths. (AP Photo/Jeenah Moon, File) While vaccines used to be offered through local health departments, at the beginning of the year, mpox vaccines became available across commercial pharmacies, according to Murray. Health officials recommend getting a vaccine if you plan to travel to areas with higher concentrations of mpox, have had sex at a commercial venue, or are a male who has had sex with more than one male partner or a partner with a sexually transmitted disease in the past six months. Murray said the emergency declaration helps health officials and the general public be aware of the spread of the virus and take the necessary precautions to contain the outbreak and stay safe. By declaring it a global emergency it really kind of puts it in the forefront of public health and healthcare, Murray said. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. NEW YORK (PIX11) The MTA was hit with serious allegations over worker safety from the federal government. The agency could lose federal funding if it doesnt comply with new measures set by the Federal Transit Administration. The death of a track worker in November sparked an investigation into the MTA. More Local News There were 38 close calls with MTA employees alone in 2023, according to the report. The close calls are incidents that couldve resulted in death. In 2022, there were 24 close calls and in 2021, there were 23, the report said. More Transit News A majority of the close calls involved a worker almost being struck by a train, according to the FTA. Many incidents involved flagging, which is how trains are notified that workers are on the tracks, and other communication failures, per the federal agency. The MTA disputed the FTAs findings, sending a letter saying it planned to appeal the report. We strongly dispute FTAs view that NYCT has somehow been negligent when it comes to addressing the safety of track workers, one of our most essential priorities. Demetrius Crichlow, interim president of NYC Transit The Transport Workers Union blasted the MTA, arguing that no real fixes were put into place and that the agency simply posted safety notices in break rooms. The federal directives make it clear that MTA boss Janno Lieber and New York Governor Kathy Hochul are asleep at the wheel the FTA directives should be a wakeup call for every transit rider in New York. We demand accountability lives are at stake. TWU International President John Samuelsen The MTA is asking the FTA for more time so it can talk to those who compiled the report, as well as wait for the National Transportation Safety Boards full report on the death of the worker that sparked the review. Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell holds a meeting with veterans at the Community House of Prayer in Pensacola on July 11, 2024. (Photo courtesy of the Mucarsel-Powell campaign) Florida Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful Debbie Mucarsel-Powell announced the launch of a Veterans for Debbie coalition on Thursday, declaring that shes not conceding their votes to Rick Scott, who served in the U.S. Navy and has been making regular stops with veterans as he campaigns for re-election. Im proud to have the support of brave Florida veterans who deserve a senator who will fight for them, Mucarsel-Powell said in a written statement provided to the Phoenix. Time after time, Rick Scott has chosen his extreme agenda over the needs of our veterans. As governor, Scott vetoed $15 million in funding for veterans programs, including aid for homeless veterans and veterans hoping to attend college. As senator, he launched a national policy platform that would raise taxes on Floridas active-duty servicemembers and tried to block historic PACT Act, which provides health care to toxic-exposed veterans. Our veterans should be able to not only survive but thrive in Florida, and they deserve better than a senator who pretends to support them while actively against working against their interests. Mucarsel-Powell served in Congress from 2019 to 2021 representing parts of Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. During her one term in federal office, she supported a number of bills to benefit veterans, including: Voting to authorize the Department of Veterans Affairs to reimburse housing costs for homeless veterans; Voting to establish punishments for people who defraud veterans out of benefits; Voting to revise veteran educational assistance requirements so they, their survivors, or dependents have greater access to apprenticeship programs; Voting to prioritize hiring veterans and related preference-eligible individuals for positions within the Transportation Security Administration. Mucarsel-Powells top challenger in next weeks primary, Stanley Campbell, is like Scott a Navy veteran. Appearing in St. Petersburg on Tuesday night, he criticized Scott for not speaking out against Alabama Republican U.S. Sen. Tommy Tubervilles controversial hold on all military promotions for months last year over objections to the Pentagons policy that paid for all service members travel to seek abortion care. Scott supported Tubervilles stance, saying, I think what the Biden administration did with regard to the abortion policy is not in compliance with the law, according to The Hill. And after criticism from Democrats and some Republicans in 2023 for his 12-point plan that called for sunsetting all federal programs every five years, Scott revised it to include specific exemptions for Social Security, Medicare, national security, veterans benefits, and other essential services, he wrote in an op-ed in the Washington Examiner. As governor, Scott frequently wore his Navy ball cap when dealing with the various hurricanes that invaded the Sunshine State. He was enlisted for 29 months and ended his service as a radar technician, according to the Tampa Bay Times. The Florida Republican held a Veterans for Rick Scott event in Pensacola on Wednesday. The Scott campaign says that his coalition is made up of more than 250 veterans from across the state who support his bid for re-election. The Scott campaign responded to Mucarsel-Powells announcement early Thursday. Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, and Congresswoman Mucarsel-Powells sad attempt at copying Senator Scotts veterans coalition is a prime example, said spokesperson Will Hampson. The only difference is Senator Scott has hundreds of veterans from across the state endorsing him and his record of supporting our veterans. Meanwhile, Congresswoman Mucarsel-Powell has a couple of liberal activists who are clearly unaware of her anti-veteran record. Congresswoman Mucarsel-Powell voted to make it harder to hold Iran accountable, voted against a pay increase for our troops, and even threatened to tank the NDAA and make our troops go without pay if her Progressive Caucus liberal demands werent met. While she can continue to lie, her record of fighting against our troops stands in clear opposition of Senator Scott fighting for our troops. This story was updated to include a response from the Scott campaign. So much life ahead of him: Utah dad drowns while saving son who jumped in to save woman BOX ELDER COUNTY, Utah (KTVX) A father from Layton, Utah, drowned after jumping into Willard Bay to save his son, who had jumped in himself to save another person, according to Utah State Parks. Andre Leon Debose, 38, was boating and swimming with his 17-year-old son and a few other people on Saturday afternoon, just before stormy weather hit the area. His sister, Anyea Debose, said he had just moved to Utah a few years ago to start his business. Its been hard, Anyea Debose told Nexstars KTVX. WATCH: Deputy rescues missing 5-year-old found clinging to log in large pond Her brother, she said, was out on Willard Bay with his son and the sons girlfriend when the incident happened. Amid the stormy weather, a 19-year-old woman began struggling in the water, prompting the mans son to dive in to help her back to the boat, officials for Utah State Parks said. This woman, identified as the sons girlfriend, reportedly had a life jacket and was able to reboard the boat. But when Andre Debose saw his son struggling in the water as well, he jumped in to save him. There was only one life jacket between the two of them, said Anyea Debose. He gave it to my nephew and he went under the waters and did not resurface, she told KTVX. Park rangers responded to the area immediately to begin a search for Andre Debose, per a press release from Utah State Parks. The 17-year-old was evaluated and cleared by medical personnel. Its been rough on the family, Anyea Debose said. Especially for my nephew, who was there and visually saw my brother go under and not resurface. Hes blaming himself. Its coming to a point where the survivor remorse is kicking in. Anyea Debose has set up a GoFundMe fundraiser to cover her brothers funeral expenses and support his three children, who are devastated by the loss. My other nephew, who didnt go said, If I was there, I would have been able to operate the boat to get it back to him,' Aneya Debose told KTVX. Theres a lot of unanswered questions. 38 dogs, close to drowning, saved by fishermen from Mississippi lake She is now remembering her brother as a family man, just like their father. And shes also urging others to be safe while recreating outdoors. This was an unforeseen event that happened, she said. He had so much life ahead of him I would want the Utahns to know that life can have unexpected events befall us. Saturdays incident marked the second drowning death at Willard Bay State Park last week, after a father and son from Weber County, Utah, got caught in a storm while swimming. The son was able to return to the boat, but his father, identified as 51-year-old Robert Mittendorf, went under and did not resurface. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. The post Multiple People Arrested in Connection with Matthew Perrys Drug Overdose: Report appeared first on Consequence. Multiple people have been arrested in connection with the drug overdose death of actor Matthew Perry, according to the New York Times. Perry, 54, died on October 28th, 2023, after being found face down in a hot tub at his Los Angeles-area home. A coroner ruled his cause of death to have resulted from the acute effects of ketamine, prompting the Los Angeles Police Department to open an investigation into the source of the drugs. Now, the Times reports that Perrys personal assistant, two doctors, and several others have been taken into custody and are facing a litany of charges related to Perrys death. In particular, Salvador Plasencia, a doctor, has been charged with conspiracy to distribute ketamine; distribution of ketamine resulting in death; possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; and altering and falsifying records related to a federal investigation. Perrys personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa; another doctor, Mark Chavez; and Erik Fleming, an acquaintance of Mr. Perrys, are all charged separately with counts including conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Both Iwamasa and Fleming have already accepted plea deal. Also listed in the indictment is Jasveen Sangha, who prosecutors say is known as the Ketamine Queen. Sangha is accused of maintaining a stash house in North Hollywood and selling vials of ketamine to Perry and his associates. The Friends actor underwent ketamine infusion therapy to treat depression and anxiety, but his last session took place a week-and-a-half prior to his death. In his autopsy, the medical examiner noted that the ketamine in Perrys system could not be from that infusion therapy given its short half-life. According to the indictment, Plasencia sold thousands of dollars worth of ketamine to Iwamasa and personally injected Perry with the drug at Perrys residency, as well as at a Long Beach, California parking lot. Fleming also procured ketamine from Sangha on behalf of Perry, which was delivered to Iwamasa. Iwamasa allegedly injected Perry with more than 20 shots of ketamine in the four days between October 24th and the day of Perrys death on October 28th. The indictment includes text messages from Perry discussing his interest in obtaining ketamine and how much he was willing to pay for the drugs, as well as correspondence between those charged. Multiple People Arrested in Connection with Matthew Perrys Drug Overdose: Report Scoop Harrison Popular Posts Subscribe to Consequences email digest and get the latest breaking news in music, film, and television, tour updates, access to exclusive giveaways, and more straight to your inbox. One of the most impactful decisions on your retirement finances is the age at which you claim Social Security. Most people become eligible for retirement benefits starting at age 62. But claiming as soon as possible comes with the drawback of a reduced benefit. To get the biggest check possible from Social Security, most retirees have to wait until 70 to claim. And more and more seniors have decided it's worth the wait. The percentage of seniors waiting until 70 to start collecting benefits has climbed dramatically since the start of this century. There's a clear reason, and it should become an even more attractive option over the next few years. Here's what seniors need to know. The big change in claiming ages The last 25 years have seen a significant increase in seniors delaying Social Security until age 70, with the trend accelerating in the past 15 years or so. Just 0.8% of men and 1.6% of women claiming Social Security in 2009 were 70 or older. By 2022, those percentages climbed to 8.1% and 8.8%, respectively. A chart depicting the rising percentage of seniors claiming Social Security at age 70 or older. But the big shift in claiming age predates the turn of the century. It goes all the way back to 1983 when Congress passed major Social Security reforms. There were two key parts of the reforms that changed retirees' behavior. First, there was the gradual increase in the full retirement age from 65 to 67. Anyone born prior to 1938 would still get their full benefit at age 65, but full retirement age would increase by 2 months for each year someone was born after 1938 until reaching 66 for anyone born in 1943 or later. A second tranche of increases would begin starting for people born after 1954, again increasing 2 months per year until reaching 67 for those born in 1960 or later. One of the effects of the increase in retirement age was a greater penalty for claiming at age 62. While those with a full retirement age of 65 would receive 80% of their normal benefit if they claimed at 62, those with a full retirement age of 67 who claimed at 62 would receive only 70% of their normal benefit. Image source: Getty Images. Another effect is that retirees have fewer years to collect delayed retirement credits, which increase benefits for delaying past full retirement age up to age 70. In order to balance the impact, the reforms also included an increase in the amount of the delayed retirement credit. Previously, retirees could increase their benefit by 3% per year, up to 5 years (from 65 to 70). That gave them a maximum of 115% of the benefit they would receive at age 65. The 1983 reforms gradually increased the delayed retirement credit to 8% per year. That gave those born between 1943 and 1954 the opportunity to receive up to 132% of their full benefit. Story continues Incentivizing a delay in Social Security The changes gave retirees clear incentives to wait longer to claim benefits. Before, you could receive 80% of your benefit starting at age 62. That would only increase to 115% at 70, a 44% increase in the value of your check for waiting eight years. For those contemplating retirement claims at the turn of the 21st century, though, they had to decide between 75% of their full benefit in 1999 or 132% of the value in eight years, a 76% increase. There's another shift occurring right now with the second tranche of increases to full retirement age, though it's not as big a jump. Seniors turning 62 in 2024 have a full retirement age of 67. That means they're only eligible for 70% of their full retirement benefit if they claim this year. If they wait until they turn 70, they'll receive 124% of their full benefit, a 77% increase. As such, the incentives to wait are growing. Another factor pushing seniors to wait On top of the increased financial incentive for delaying Social Security, waiting until 70 makes more sense for more people every year. That's because average life expectancy for seniors continues to improve. The biggest factor determining whether you should claim benefits early or delay is how long you expect to live. If you have health problems that threaten your life expectancy, it usually makes sense to claim earlier. If you're in better-than-average health, you'll get more from Social Security over your lifetime by waiting longer to apply for benefits. While the dynamics are more complex for couples, it usually makes sense for the higher-earning spouse to wait until age 70. If the higher-earning spouse passes away, their partner can receive survivors benefits. These can boost the surviving spouse's monthly check to equal the higher of the two spouses' original benefits. With the growing incentive for delaying benefits and the increased likelihood of living long enough for delaying benefits to pay off in the long run, it shouldn't be a surprise to see more and more seniors wait until age 70 to claim Social Security. Most readers will be best off joining this growing group too. The $ 22,924 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $22,924 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies. View the "Social Security secrets" The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. A Growing Number of Retirees Are Claiming Social Security at 70. Here's Why. was originally published by The Motley Fool Two doctors among five people charged in 'Friends' star Matthew Perry's death By Lisa Richwine, Jorge Garcia and Tyler Clifford LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Two doctors and three others including a personal assistant to Matthew Perry have been charged with supplying the "Friends" star with ketamine, the powerful sedative that caused his overdose death nearly a year ago, authorities said on Thursday. The defendants, including a woman known as the "Ketamine Queen," were part of a criminal network that distributed the drug to Perry and others, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said. "These defendants took advantage of Mr. Perry's addiction issues to enrich themselves," Estrada said at a news conference. Each defendant played a role in falsely prescribing, selling or injecting the ketamine that led to the actor's death in October 2023, Anne Milgram, administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, said. Two of the defendants - Jasveen Sangha, 41, and Dr. Salvador Plasencia, 42 - pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday. According to authorities, Sangha was known as the "Ketamine Queen" and sold the doses that killed Perry from her "stash house" in North Hollywood. Ketamine is a short-acting anesthetic with hallucinogenic properties, sometimes prescribed to treat depression and anxiety but also abused by recreational users. Plasencia was accused of distributing ketamine to Perry and to his personal assistant, 59-year-old Kenneth Iwamasa, without a legitimate medical purpose on at least seven occasions. Iwamasa, who lived with Perry, admitted to repeatedly injecting the actor with ketamine including multiple times on the day he died, according to court documents. He has pleaded guilty to one criminal count. Plasencia taught Iwamasa how to administer ketamine, authorities said, adding that the doctor also personally injected Perry with the drug without proper safety equipment, including once inside a parked car. Attorney Stefan Sacks, speaking to reporters outside the Los Angeles courthouse, said Plasencia had prescribed ketamine to Perry appropriately and had properly supervised the treatment. "While the U.S. attorney may disagree with Dr. Plasencia's medical judgment, there was nothing criminal," Sacks said, adding that the drug that killed Perry was not supplied by his client. Authorities said Plasencia obtained ketamine from Dr. Mark Chavez, 54. In text messages to Chavez, Plasencia discussed how much to charge Perry for the drug, stating, "I wonder how much this moron will pay." An investigation found that the defendants distributed roughly 20 vials of ketamine to Perry for $55,000 in cash between September and October 2023. Chavez admitted to selling ketamine to Plasencia and has agreed to plead guilty to one charge, according to court documents. The fifth person charged was Eric Fleming, 54, who admitted to obtaining ketamine from Sangha and to distributing 50 vials to Iwamasa. He has pleaded guilty to two criminal counts. Perry died at age 54 from "acute effects" of ketamine and other factors that caused him to lose consciousness and drown in his hot tub, a December 2023 autopsy report said. Toxicology tests found Perry's body contained ketamine at dangerously high levels typically found in general anesthesia patients being monitored by professionals during surgery, the report said. Other contributing factors were drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of the opioid-addiction medicine buprenorphine. Perry had publicly acknowledged decades of drug and alcohol abuse, including during the years he starred as Chandler Bing on the hit 1990s television sitcom "Friends." Witness interviews in the autopsy report said he had been undergoing ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety. But his last known treatment was a week and a half before his death, so the ketamine found in his system by medical examiners would have been introduced since that infusion, the autopsy said. At sentencing, Iwamasa faces up to 15 years in federal prison and Fleming faces up to 25 years. Chavez could be sentenced to up to 10 years. If convicted on all charges, Sangha would face between 10 years to life in federal prison. Plasencia would face up to 10 years for each ketamine-related count and up to 20 years for each records falsification count. (Reporting by Tyler Clifford and Lisa Richwine; Editing by David Gregorio and Cynthia Osterman) Multnomah Countys ambulance crisis poised to end two years after AMR raised the alarm PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) The controversial debate surrounding Multnomah Countys ambulance crisis is expected to end this week as the county considers a plan that, if passed, would lead to major changes in paramedic staffing. A tentative agreement between the county and American Medical Response (AMR) its contracted ambulance company is expected to fix the countys dangerously long ambulance response times that have left patients relying on TriMet buses, police cars, and fire engines to get to the hospital. New PDX main terminal opens, greets visitors the Oregon way But a former paramedic and EMS director Dr. Stephen Dean said the development is bittersweet, as the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners plan to vote on a plan this week that resembles what AMR had suggested years ago. Its ironic that today, more than two years since March of 2022, the county is poised to adopt a one paramedic, one EMT staffing model, Dr. Dean said. For months, AMR has advocated for temporarily allowing ambulances to be operated by one paramedic and one emergency medical technician (known as the 1-1 model), which was a deviation from the previous requirements for a minimum of two paramedics. Rain returns: Portland forecast for wet weekend Dr. Dean has 50 years of experience in emergency medical services that have led him to advocate for this change from the beginning, saying that all of the medical research, all the medical evidence, strongly supports the idea that response times are the most important thing. The model put forth Aug. 1, as recommended by Chair Jessica Vega Pederson, involves a 12-month staffing plan that separates staffing models into three tiers: Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulances with two EMTs Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances with two paramedics Hybrid ALS ambulances with one paramedic, one EMT But the switch is something the Chair Vega Pederson has stonewalled since stepping into office. She and Commissioners Jesse Beason and Lori Stegmann, EMS Medical Director Dr. Jon Jui, and the paramedics union had all worked together to oppose the move. Portland chef Naomi Pomeroy remembered as protector, food guide Meanwhile, Commissioners Sharon Meieran and Julia Brim-Edwards backed by every other fire agency and city within Multnomah County maintained it was the only viable solution to urgently protect public safety. I think its really unfortunate that the EMS medical director did not immediately adjust the standard in light of the paramedic shortage, which AMR had no control over, Dr. Dean said. And had the paramedic standard been adjusted back in March of 2022, we never would have had this ambulance crisis. Now, Dr. Dean says residents can look to the future. This is going to be great for the patients, he said. There is now finally a credible medical plan to end the ambulance shortage and to ensure that patients get the rapid response times that are needed in these critical medical emergencies. Stay with KOIN 6 News as this story develops. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. Murder suspects children say they urged father to divorce mother before his murder PINEVILLE, Mo. The sons of a deceased McDonald County man testified during the second day of their moms murder trial that her financial negligence caused constant arguments and they had urged their father to divorce their mother in the days before he was fatally shot. McDonald County authorities dispute wifes suicide or accidental shooting claim in husbands death Wynn, 50, of Anderson, is charged with first-degree murder in the fatal shooting death of her husband, Harold Wynn. The state rested their case on Wednesday afternoon after calling 12 witnesses. The defense called one witness, Mike Hall, former McDonald County sheriffs deputy and current Director of the McDonald County Health Department, before dismissing for the day. The case is expected to go to the jury on Thursday. Prosecutors alleged Wynns financial instability is linked to the fatal shooting. Nora Leonard, Rausch Coleman, HR Director, testified Wynn had increased the life insurance policy she had taken out on her husband up to $100,000 in the weeks before his death. The increase from $35,000 to $100,000 went into effect on November 1, 2021, and was noted on her November 15, 2021, check. Harold Wynn was fatally shot in the head on November 16, 2021. Leonard testified Wynn never did cash in the life insurance policy. Court records show she was taken into custody on the day of the shooting. McDonald County Deputy Coroner Jonathan Fletcher testified on Tuesday Wynn repeatedly asked at the scene, When could she get the death certificate. Getting the death certificate was her priority, Fletcher testified. That was her first question. Wynn told Fletcher her husband did not have a history of mental health, drug, or alcohol issues. Testimony showed Harold Wynn was found dead in a 5th-wheel camper, lying partially on the right side of his back. His right arm was under his body, and his left arm was underneath the blanket and sheet of the bed, according to trial testimony. A .40 caliber Smith & Wesson semi-automatic pistol was found at Harold Wynns head. The gun was facing an outward wall along with a second pillow where Dawn Wynn told investigators she slept. Tuesdays testimony showed Harold Wynn had a quilt and sheet up to his neck. A hole in the pillow underneath Harold Wynns head was about five inches from where the pistol was located, according to an arrest affidavit. Chief Medical Examiner Ransom Ellis testified a penetrating gunshot wound to Harold Wynns head was the manner of death, and the cause of death was a homicide. He ruled his death a homicide rather than a suicide, based on the scene investigation and lack of trace evidence, Ellis testified. Ellis also testified the gunshot wound to Harold Wynns head was not a through-and-through shot, and the pillow found near the gun with a hole in it would not have acted as a silencer. Wynns Children Testify During the trial, Dawn Wynns three adult children, Braedon, Ethan, and Savannah Wynn, sat in the courtroom benches behind the prosecutors table after testifying against their mother. During cross-examination by Charles Oppelt, Wynns attorney, and Prosecutor Maleia Cheney, the adult children testified their mother was very unemotional, but they never saw a physical altercation between their parents. The siblings said their mother was angry over how their father would spend his time. Dawn Wynn remained stoic and showed no emotion during her childrens testimony, even when Savannah teared up during her testimony. Each child testified the family life was full of fighting, enduring months of silent treatment when Dawn was upset with them and their mothers playing the siblings against each other and their father. Brothers Ethan and Braedon Wynn testified on the eve of their fathers fatal shooting; they had spoken with him about starting a new plumbing business with one caveat because of their mothers financial mismanagement: she was not to be part of the business. The brothers also testified that their parents had stayed together for the kids, but the brothers told their dad the younger two siblings would be better off living in two houses instead of one where there was so much arguing. The men had planned to meet at 9 a.m. on Nov. 16, 2021, to discuss the details of opening the business. Savannah Wynn tearfully testified that, at times, most of the problems she had with her mother were because Dawn dumped the raising and care of the two youngest siblings on her. I helped with homeschooling and all the housework, said Savannah Wynn. I wanted to have a life outside of raising kids. We got along when we did things her way, Savannah Wynn said. One time she didnt talk to me for three months when I went back to doing all the housework and everything she started talking to me. Braedon Wynn testified that many of the familys conversations were quarrelsome over money, and he left the family plumbing business because he wasnt getting paid. Money was owed to a church, so the family sold the family home to pay off the debt, Braedon Wynn said. Brandon Wynn said their father had a problem with alcohol from the 1990s to the early 2000s. Ethan Wynn, the couples middle child said he left home at 16 because Wynn had never repaid $10,000, she borrowed from him. Ethan Wynn testified recently Wynn had drained his bank account after his parents banking accounts were frozen. I worked out a deal with dad; they were to pay me back $2,500 they had borrowed, Ethan Wynn said. Savannahs husband, Lane Bridenstine testified that his father-in-law was like a friend. He was easygoing; it took a lot to make him mad, Bridenstine said. Bridenstine said he wasnt close to Dawn Wynn. She kept to herself, Bridenstine said. She was real quiet. Bridenstine testified the younger two Wynn siblings ran over to his house on the morning of the shooting, saying, Moms on the phone saying a gun went off, and dads not moving. The trial resumes on Thursday. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com. Wyandotte County District Attorney Mark Duprees 39-year-old nephew, Billy Ivan Dupree, is scheduled to go on trial next month for the 2014 murder of 16-year-old Deleisha Kelley. She was strangled in Kansas City, Kan. and then dumped in Kansas City, Mo, where a homeless man looking for cans found her body covered with branches in an abandoned garage. This young woman, who was part of a dance team at her church and talked to her family about becoming a cop, was tossed out with the garbage. And as of now, the trial of her alleged killer will be held in the county where the defendants uncle is the most powerful law enforcement officer. It will be held in the courthouse thats the DAs home turf. This important case has been a long time far too long in coming, and I hope prosecutors will reconsider the decision to try it in Wyandotte County. It isnt being prosecuted by Duprees office, but by the Kansas attorney generals office. After I emailed Jessica Domme, the associate deputy attorney general in charge of the prosecution, and asked why the trial is being held in Wyandotte County, given the relationship between the defendant and the DA, a spokeswoman for the AGs office called me back. The case is definitely going to be tried there, she said, beginning on Sept. 16. And thats not a problem, she said, because the local DA isnt prosecuting the case. It is a problem, though. Mark and Billy Dupree arent distant relations; Billy is the eldest son of Marks eldest sister, Ivy Dupree Bradley. Would you want to serve on a jury in a homicide case against the DAs nephew in his own house? Would you feel comfortable as a witness for the prosecution there? Every judge in that courthouse has a longstanding relationship of some kind with the DA, and no matter how the case is handled, why put that cloud of doubt over the proceedings in such a serious matter? Thats especially the case since one of the key witnesses is Billy Duprees brother, Glen Blount. Another key witness, the mother of one of Blounts children, years ago fled to another state out of fear for her own safety. Further complicating this all-in-the-family situation, Billy Duprees court-appointed defense attorney is Antwone Floyd, who used to work for Mark Dupree. Floyd was fired from the DAs Conviction Integrity Unit in 2021 after he and another attorney were caught on tape disparaging several whole swaths of humanity, including gay and disabled people, and laughing that convicts claiming to be innocent are already right where they belong, in prison. There is a lot of damning physical evidence in this case, and according to pretrial motions, some compelling testimony, too: In a probable cause hearing, Billy Duprees former next door neighbor testified that the defendant came to his apartment one day and essentially asked him to help get rid of a body. The defendant said he had found out the girl was 16 years old and that he had (choked) and killed her. Why? According to a motion from the prosecution, The state asserts that the defendants prior convictions for sex crimes involving minors is relevant to his motive in killing (Deleisha Kelley) because he did not want to go back to prison if someone had found out he had had sex with yet another underage girl. A cousin of the murder victim testified at the pretrial hearing that Deleisha, who was called DeeDee, had been staying with Billy Dupree and that he beat her up. Why did it take 8 years to arrest Billy Dupree? Because Kelleys body was dumped in KCMO, the case was originally investigated by the Kansas City Police Department, and then when it became clear that the crime had been committed in KCK, by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. But the way the case was handled raises questions, too: Why did eight years go by between the time Billy Dupree was first brought in for questioning on Jan. 28, 2015, and the time he was charged in January of 2023? Why did it take years even after a DNA hit from semen found in the young woman was matched to Billy Dupree for him to be charged? Why were the six search warrants of Billy Dupree separated by years, with the first two being executed in January and February of 2015 and the last two in 2022? The last call placed from Kelleys cellphone, at 4:33 p.m. on the day of her death, was to 911. It lasted two seconds, and never really connected. According to a motion from the prosecution, cell tower information places the victims phone within .1 miles of the defendants residence. People can lie, but cell towers do not. Billy Dupree was already in prison in Lansing for another violent crime when he was finally charged in January of 2023. A Kansas Court of Appeals opinion denying his appeal in that earlier, 2019 case summed it up this way: A jury convicted Billy Dupree of robbery, criminal restraint, and possession of methamphetamine all stemming from a long, erratic day involving accusations of adultery, drugs, threats, and marital strifemost of which Dupree captured on video. The facts support a nexus between the crime and the defendants residence, one of states motions says. They also support the necessity of Mark Dupree staying a million miles away from this case against his nephew. If hes the upright man that he purports to be, then hell be among the first to say this case should absolutely not be tried in his town. (Bloomberg) -- A super political action committee Elon Musk helped launch to support Donald Trump is ramping up its efforts after being sidelined for a month by a leadership shuffle. Most Read from Bloomberg Its the latest sign of how the worlds richest man is looking to bolster the Republican nominees presidential campaign during a rocky stretch in the race against Democrat Kamala Harris. The group, America PAC, is spending $5.8 million, according to its latest Federal Election Commission filings on Wednesday. Most of that money, some $3.6 million, is going for canvassing and field operations to help Trump with his ground game, with the remainder going for printing and postage. The FEC disclosures dont detail the states where the work is being done, but recent polls show Harris has erased the lead Trump enjoyed much of the summer nationally and in many of the swing states that will determine the outcome of Novembers election. The group is under new leadership with Phil Cox and Generra Peck taking charge, according to a person familiar with the super PAC who spoke on condition of anonymity to detail the changes. Cox, a longtime GOP strategist, worked for the super PAC that backed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis presidential bid. Peck ran DeSantis 2022 gubernatorial reelection campaign and also served as campaign manager for his White House bid, before being replaced. America PAC is using Colorado-based Blitz Canvassing LLC for, which was paid $14.7 million by DeSantis super PAC, as its primary contractor for door knocking. Synapse Group LLC, which lists a Wyoming address, is also being paid for canvassing and field operations, according FEC filings. Ground Game Musk has increasingly been deploying his wealth and influence to aid Trumps bid to return to the White House. The billionaire entrepreneur endorsed Trump after the failed assassination attempt against the former president last month and earlier this week hosted a conversation with the Republican nominee on the X social-media platform he owns. Musk donated to America PAC in July but the amount will not be known until the group files its next quarterly report with the FEC in October. The groups spending, however, which must be publicly disclosed within 48 hours of an expenditure made to influence the 2024 election, can offer an indication of its financial strength. It has spent $21 million so far, filings show. America PAC raised $8.8 million in the second quarter. Palantirs Joe Lonsdale and crypto billionaires Cameron Winklevoss and Tyler Winklevoss were among other big donors to the group. Earlier: Musk Donates to Trump, Tapping Fortune to Swing 2024 Race America PAC is one of several outside groups aiming to help Trump with his ground game, with a focus on get-out-the-vote efforts. Though candidates are barred from coordinating with super PACs on advertising buys, the FEC ruled in March that campaigns can consult with them on get-out-the-vote initiatives. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (WAVY) A mysterious black ring appeared in the sky over southeastern Virginia on Tuesday. Nexstars WAVY started receiving messages shortly after 11 a.m. as viewers of reached out with images and video of the ominous looking ring floating in the sky. Ron Stepp, who sent in video, said he was working in the vicinity of Eastern State Hospital in Williamsburg when it appeared overhead. He described it a huge smoke ring and said it disappeared after about 10 minutes. Another person in the area of Old Mooretown Road stopped to snap some photos of it. Photo taken Aug. 13, 2024 in Williamsburg, Va. Courtesy: Johnny Bartlett Photo taken Aug. 13, 2024 in Williamsburg, Va. Courtesy: Johnny Bartlett Photo taken Aug. 13, 2024 in Williamsburg, Va. Courtesy: Johnny Bartlett Photo taken Aug. 13, 2024 in Williamsburg, Va. Courtesy: Joshua Bean (WAVY Viewer Photo Peggy Olszyk) (WAVY Viewer Photo) WAVY viewer Peggy Olszyk sent in a photo that she took around 11 a.m. Tuesday in Williamsburg, and another viewer sent a photo of the ring taken on Interstate 64 westbound in the area of the Fort Eustis exit. Renee Fisher snapped a pair of photos (seen below) of the black ring in the sky in the Waller Mill area of Williamsburg. (WAVY Viewer Photo Renee Fisher) (WAVY Viewer Photo Renee Fisher) Articles and social media posts describing similar sightings in other regions pointed to a fire or some type of explosion that likely created the ring. WAVY reached out to the James City County Fire Department to ask if there were any reports around the time the Williamsburg circle was reported. The fire chief hadnt heard of any. WAVY has reached out to other authorities in the region and has yet to hear of any possible sources. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. A group of Ukrainian businessmen financed the notorious September 2022 attack that sabotaged the Nord Stream pipeline network, plunged Europe into an energy crisis andat one pointthreatened to spark World War III. A high-ranking Ukrainian general coordinated the plan. And Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed off on itthat is until the CIA got wind and warned him to stand down. After Zelenskyy tried to call off the attack, hatched at a boozy May 2022 gathering of military and business elites, Ukraines former top general Valerii Zaluzhnyi ignored the order and pressed on. Two undersea pipelines bringing natural gas from Russia to Germany were ultimately sabotaged. Thats the crux of an explosive new report in the Wall Street Journal, citing multiple law enforcement and security sources. It could deal a major blow to the close relationship between Kyiv and Berlin, one of Ukraines strongest backers in its fight against Russias ongoing full-scale invasion. An attack of this scale is a sufficient reason to trigger the collective defense clause of NATO, but our critical infrastructure was blown up by a country that we support with massive weapons shipments and billions in cash, one senior German official told the Journal. Ramaswamy Claims U.S. Wrongfully Bombed Nord Stream Pipeline Zaluzhnyi and an official with Ukraines intelligence agency SBU denied their involvement in the attack, while the latter rebuffed the suggestion that Zelenskyy ever approved the plan. Zelenskyy advisor Mykhailo Podolyak denied the countrys involvement Thursday in a statement to Reuters. Dutch and German media outlets reported last year that the CIA warned Ukraine in June 2022 not to blow up the pipeline, three months before the sabotage and shortly after the agency received an alarming message from the Netherlands military intelligence service MIVD, which was tipped to an imminent attack on Nord Stream. Zelenskyy heeded the advice, but couldnt rein in his general, who is now Ukraine's ambassador to the United Kingdom. While the potentially seismic impact of the Journals story plays out in diplomatic circles, German police are hunting for a prime suspect believed to have planted the explosives. A joint investigation by German broadcaster ARD and newspapers Suddeutsche Zeitung and Die Zeit published this week said federal prosecutors obtained an arrest warrant against a Ukrainian national, identified only as Volodymyr Z., last seen in the Polish capital Warsaw but who has since gone into hiding. Reached by the German outlets, he denied his involvement. The suspect, said to be a stocky 44-year-old with a goatee, is a diving instructor. He was found out in part because he was caught on camera on the night of Sept. 8, 2022, near the northern German island Rugen, one of the passengers in a speeding white Citroen that was likely ferrying crew and supplies to the Andromeda, the 50-foot yacht that officials suspect was used to carry out the attack. (The boat was rented in the mainland coastal city Rostock on September 7, and on the 8th was in Wiek, a town on Rugens east coast). According to the Journals story, German investigators believe the yacht was leased via a Polish travel agency secretly set up by Ukrainian intelligence a decade ago. The crew consisted of four divers and one military officer with sailing experience. One of them was a woman, chosen in part to lend credence to their cover story as a group of friends on holiday. Its possible that Germany could have nabbed Volodymyr Z. if not for a simple administrative error. German prosecutors sent the arrest warrant for him to Poland, his last known country of residence, in June, but Polish officials confirmed that he crossed the border into Ukraine last month. He wasnt stopped by border officials because German officials didnt enter his name in a database of wanted persons. In the immediate aftermath of the Nord Stream sabotage, governments engaged in heated sparring over who is responsible for the attack and its sophistication. But, according to the Journal, the total financing was just $300,000. I always laugh when I read media speculation about some huge operation involving secret services, submarines, drones and satellites, an officer who was involved in the planning told the Journal. The whole thing was born out of a night of heavy boozing and the iron determination of a handful of people who had the guts to risk their lives for their country. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. The West Virginia NAACP filed a lawsuit Thursday against the state Department of Homeland Security, Department of Human Services and the Department of Education, alleging they failed to collect data meant to improve the juvenile justice system. (Getty Images) The state NAACP filed a lawsuit this week against three West Virginia departments, alleging they failed to collect data meant to improve the juvenile justice system. The organization filed the lawsuit Thursday in Kanawha County Circuit Court. The complaint lists as defendants the state Department of Homeland Security, Department of Human Services and the Department of Education. The West Virginia State Conference of the NAACP has long advocated for the state to address racial inequities in how young people of color are being treated in schools and carceral settings, including racial bullying, school suspension and truancy concerns in West Virginia, Loretta Young, president of the West Virginia State Conference of the NAACP, said in a news release Thursday. This data is an important tool in that work and by not collecting it, the state is hindering the NAACP from fulfilling its mission, she said. West Virginians deserve to have a government that fulfills its obligations to know that when the state legislature passes a law near-unanimously and the governor signs it, the state agencies follow that law, just the same as ordinary West Virginians do. According to a report from the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, in 2013, West Virginia confined youth at a rate of 510 per 100,000, and Black kids were nearly three times more likely to be confined than white kids. Between 2006 and 2011, the lawsuit states, West Virginias rate of youth incarceration increased 5%, despite a national drop of 35%. Former Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin signed Senate Bill 393 into law in 2015. The legislation had unanimous support from both chambers of the Legislature. It followed the work of a task force made up of lawmakers, law enforcement, judges, public defenders, teachers and others that Tomblin convened to work on juvenile justice reform. The panel found, among other things, that the state lacked information about youth recidivism rates. The legislation required the state to collect data on recidivism, the outcomes of diversion programs, the outcomes of truancy programs and the proportion of minority youth who are involved in the juvenile justice system compared to those in the general population involved in the system. According to a report last year from the state Department of Education, about one in five Black students in West Virginia public schools were suspended during the 2021-2022 school year. Young said the high rate of suspensions for students of color indicates that theyre being targeted. About 3.6 percent of West Virginias population is Black, according to 2020 Census data. Young said that many children of color who are suspended are being punished for responding to the use of racial slurs or other discriminatory behavior used against them. All children, she continued, should have a safe place in school and access to equal education. When children are suspended and not in school, they dont learn, she said. My ultimate goal is that we would look at policies that would help administrators and teachers not to turn a blind eye to the use of racial slurs and name calling, but see that as a very serious offense and that they would develop policies and training for teachers so that this might be curbed, Young said. Aleshadye Getachew, an attorney with the Democracy Forward Foundation, which is representing the NAACP in the lawsuit, said the organizations previously filed broad Freedom of Information Act requests relating to all the data that the agencies named in the suit were required by law to collect. Some of the agencies had collected some of the data, she said, but none had developed procedures to make the data accessible and usable. I cannot say enough about how important the data is, because the data could also show us what actions brought about better results, Young said. And we all need to learn. Data that is king in order for us to make policy changes. The complaint seeks to require the state agencies to comply with the law by collecting the data. The NAACP is also being represented in the lawsuit by Mountain State Justice. Representatives of the three state agencies did not immediately return an email seeking comment Thursday. This story has been updated with further comment from Loretta Young, president of the West Virginia State Conference of the NAACP, and Aleshadye Getachew, an attorney with the Democracy Forward Foundation. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX NASAs Boeing Crew Flight Test Commander Butch Wilmore (L) and Pilot Suni Williams walk out of the Operations and Checkout Building on May 06, 2024 in Cape Canaveral, Florida, during their first attempted launch. Credit - Joe RaedleGetty Images You wouldnt get on a plane if your probability of not making it home alive was 1 in 270. Those odds, however, are what NASA considers an acceptable LOCor loss of crewprojection for a 210-day stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Beating that mortal math was very much on the minds of NASA officials at an Aug. 14 press conference during which they discussed the agencys efforts to ensure the survival of Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, the two astronauts currently stranded aboard the ISS. Wilmore and Williams left Earth on June 5, aiming for a mere eight-day flight of Boeings new Starliner spacecrafta brief ISS stay that would certify the ship for future missions and give the U.S. a much-needed additional option if SpaceXs Crew Dragon spacecraft, which has been ferrying astronauts to the ISS since 2020, ever has to go offline. Before the Starliner crew even reached the ISS, however, five of the spacecrafts thrusters began misfiring, and the supply of a gaseous helium that keeps the thrusters pressurized sprang five leaks. Crew and ship made it to the station intact, but the eight-day mission has now stretched to more than eight weeks, as Boeing and NASA troubleshoot the problem and determine if the Starliner is safe to carry Wilmore and Williams back home. Last week, NASA revealed that it is considering an extreme contingency plan that would involve flying the Starliner home empty. A SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, intended to carry four people for a five-month station stay beginning in September, would instead be launched with just a crew of two, leaving the other two seats empty to bring Williams and Wilmore home in February. Read More: Heman Bekele Is TIMEs 2024 Kid of the Year "We still believe in Starliner's capability and its flight rationale," Boeing said in an Aug. 7 statement after that possible plan was announced. One week later, at the Aug. 14 press conference, it became clear that NASA might not have nearly as much faith in the new ships mettle. Instead, Ken Bowersox, associate administrator of NASAs space operations mission directorate, announced that before the end of August, NASA will hold a high-level flight readiness review to make a final determination on Starliners fate. That compressed schedule is due partly to the limited life of Starliners batteries. They are designed to hold power for just 45 days; ever since that six-plus week period elapsed, they have been getting recharged by the station, but there is only so much of that powering up they can take before failing altogether. Its a fairly major decision about whether were going to have crew on-board for a Starliner return, Bowersox said at the press conference. Weve got time available before we bring Starliner home and we want to use that time wisely. We're expecting that the data analysis will be ready for a flight readiness review around the end of next week, potentially beginning of the following week. In the meantime, Boeing finds itself in the hot seat. This first flight of Starliner came seven years after its initially promised 2017 launch, and the ship has cost $1.5 billion more than the original $4.2 billion contract NASA awarded the company. We've had very honest discussions with each other, Bowersox said about NASA and Boeing. They have confidence in their vehicle. That's what we would like from them. But what the NASA team thinks is important, and when we get to a decision, we'll work through it together. Read More: What to Do if You Come in Contact With a Shark Part of the reason NASA is taking every one of the few days it has left to make that decision has to do with Starliners limited reusability. The crew capsule itself is designed to be recovered and reflown, but the faulty thrusters are housed in a section called the service module, which is jettisoned before reentry and burns up in the atmosphere. That makes it impossible to conduct any kind of engineering forensics after the ship comes home, and NASA is thus trying to learn as much as it can from telemetry and data monitoring before the service module is lost forever. At the Aug. 14 press conference, one reporter asked if it might be possible for a station astronaut to perform a spacewalk to assess the state of the thrustersa suggestion Joe Acaba, the agencys chief astronaut, quickly shot down. Were not looking at doing a spacewalk, he said. The way the system is designed right now, we just don't get this hardware back, and there's not much we can do in real time. In the past, NASA might have been willing to push the crew a little harder, challenging those 1 in 270 odds and flying Wilmore and Williams home in a less-than-perfect ship. Astronauts have made it safely back to Earth in far-more damaged spacecraft in the pastnotably Apollo 13, which suffered a near-catastrophic explosion on its way to the moon in 1970; and Gemini VIII, which spun out of control in orbit in 1966, nearly costing the lives of astronauts Neil Armstrong and Dave Scott, before Armstrong wrestled the ship back under control and then hightailed it home. But the twin losses of the shuttle Challenger in 1986 and Columbia in 2003 have left the agency much more risk-averse and led to institutional changes designed to encourage mission managers to raise concerns well in advance of such tragedies. Read More: Separating Truth From Fiction in the New Space Race Movie Fly Me to the Moon For me, personally, Ive been very hyper-focused lately on this concept of combating organizational silence, said Russ DeLoach, chief of NASA safety and mission assurance. If you look at both, unfortunatelyChallenger and Columbiayou can see cases where people had the right data or a valid position to put forward, but the environment just didnt allow it. Challenger launched during a Florida freezecontributing to its foreseeable explosionand Columbia was flown home when it was not fit to reenter the atmosphere. A rescue shuttle might have helped save that crew. That new caution leaves Wilmore and Williams stuck. Their initial work schedule for their eight-day mission involved spending most of their time checking out the systems of the Starliner. They have long since finished that job and in the ensuing months, have been pitching in, conducting experiments and maintenance on the ISS, much as they did during their previous tours of duty aboard the station. I spoke to both of them in the last day or so, said Acaba. They have fully integrated into the crew. But, you know, we are humans, and this is hard on crew members and their families, and we take that into account. Still, Acaba adds, there is only so much accommodation Wilmore and Williams will get in the added months they may be facing aloft: They will do what we ask them to do; that's their job as astronauts. Correction: The original version of this story misstated NASA's acceptable loss of crew. It is a 1 in 270 chance of not making it home safely, not a 1 in 270 chance of making it home safely. Write to Jeffrey Kluger at jeffrey.kluger@time.com. Here's How Much Berkshire Hathaway Will Earn In Dividends From Its Stake In Bank Of America Stock Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK) has a significant stake in Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) stock. As of Aug. 1, Berkshire Hathaway owns about 942.43 million Bank of America stock shares. Its stake is worth approximately $36.1 billion, representing about 12.1% of Bank of America's total market capitalization and about 11.8% of Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio. Bank of America currently pays a quarterly dividend of $0.26 per share, which equates to an annualized dividend of $1.04 per share and gives its stock a yield of about 2.7% at the time of this writing. Dont miss out on the next NVIDIA you can invest in the future of AI for only $10. **This is a paid advertisement. Carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the Fundrise Innovation Fund before investing. This and other information can be found in the Fund's prospectus. Read them carefully before investing. Let's find out how much Berkshire Hathaway will earn in dividends from its investment. How To Calculate To determine the total annual dividend income from this investment, we multiply the number of shares by the annual dividend per share: Total Annual Dividend = Number of Shares x Annual Dividend per Share So ... Berkshire Hathaway shares of Bank of America: 942,429,882 Bank of Americas annual dividend per share: $1.04 Total Annual Dividend = 942,429,882 x 1.04 Result: $980,127,077.28 in dividends annually Dont Miss: Nearly $1 Billion Annually Berkshire Hathaway will receive about $980.13 million annually in dividends from its investment in Bank of America, not including reinvesting those dividends. If those dividends were reinvested, the annual dividend income would grow accordingly. The income Berkshire Hathaway receives from Bank of America aligns with Buffetts investment philosophy, which emphasizes steady, predictable returns this is why he loves banking and financial services stocks. Berkshire Hathaway also holds stakes in Ally Financial, American Express and Capital One Financial, to name a few. Investors must also note that Bank of America has raised its annual dividend payment for 11 consecutive years, so Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway can count on a growing stream of dividends in the years ahead. Story continues Looking For Higher-Yield Opportunities? The current high-interest-rate environment has created an incredible opportunity for income-seeking investors to earn massive yields, but not through dividend stocks... Certain private market real estate investments are giving retail investors the opportunity to capitalize on these high-yield opportunities and Benzinga has identified some of the most attractive options for you to consider. For instance, the Ascent Income Fund from EquityMultiple targets stable income from senior commercial real estate debt positions and has a historical distribution yield of 12.1% backed by real assets. 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Boeing's Starliner capsule approaching the International Space Station. | Credit: NASA NASA has pushed back the decision to return its stranded Starliner astronauts to the end of August pending a "major discussion" about the spaceship's flight readiness, agency officials have said. Originally planned to last just 8 days, numerous leaks and other technical issues suffered by Boeing's Starliner spacecraft on its way to the International Space Station (ISS) in June delayed the planned return flight by more than two months, and left its two astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams stuck in space. As engineers continue to collect and debate test results on the craft's problems, NASA bosses are still mulling over whether to return the two astronauts on Starliner, or take them back on a SpaceX Dragon capsule six months later instead. "It's a fairly major discussion to decide whether or not we're going to have crew on board for Starliner's return." Ken Bowersox, associate administrator for NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate, said at a news conference Wednesday (August 14). "We're expecting that the data analysis will be ready for a program board by the middle to end of next week, and will be ready for a flight readiness review around the end of next week." Boeing built the Starliner capsule as a part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, a partnership between the agency and private companies to ferry astronauts into low Earth orbit following the retirement of NASA's space shuttles in 2011. Starliner blasted off on its inaugural crewed test flight from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on June 5. But not long after entering orbit, a number of faults appeared including five helium leaks and five failures of its reaction control system (RCS) thrusters. This forced engineers to troubleshoot issues from the ground. Tests conducted at Starliner's facility in White Sands, New Mexico, revealed that during the spacecraft's climb to the ISS, the teflon seals inside the five faulty RCS thrusters likely got hot and bulged out of place to obstruct the propellant flow, according to NASA. Related: Fixing Boeing's leaky Starliner and returning NASA's stranded astronauts to Earth is much harder than it sounds A hotfire test conducted while the craft was docked to the ISS on July 27 showed the thrust was normal, but NASA engineers are concerned the earlier thruster problems could reappear during the craft's descent back to Earth. They are also worried that the helium leaks could knock out some of the craft's orbital maneuvering and attitude control system (OMAC) thrusters, which maintain the spacecraft on its flight path. "The worst case would be some integrated failure mechanism, between the helium leaks and the RCS thrusters," Steve Stich , the program manager for NASA's Commercial Crew Program, said at a previous news conference on Aug. 7. "Then you could end up in some cases that aren't as easily controlled more stressing cases that the team is worried about." RELATED STORIES NASA set to launch 2 rockets into the northern lights China discovers strange glass beads on moon that may contain billions of tons of water NASA offers SpaceX $843 million to destroy the International Space Station NASA's leading contingency plan is to bring the astronauts home aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule instead. The vehicle will be sent to the ISS as early as Sept. 24 carrying members of the ISS's Crew-9, who will take over from the current Crew-8 aboard the space station. Instead of Crew-9's usual four person crew, two astronauts will go to the ISS to leave space for Wilmore and Williams to return in February 2025. "I do want to keep this in perspective, if Butch and Suni do not come home on Starliner, they will have about 8 months in orbit," Russ DeLoach , NASA's chief of safety and mission assurance, said at the Aug. 14 news conference. Yet despite Starliner's problems, NASA said that its astronauts are safe and comfortable aboard the ISS. "This mission was a test flight... they knew this mission might not be perfect," Joe Acaba , NASA's chief astronaut, said at the press conference. "Human space flight is inherently risky, and as astronauts, we accept that as part of the job." Nashville cop fired, charged after appearing on OnlyFans gives up police certification An ex-Nashville police officer who appeared in an OnlyFans skit agreed to suspend his post certification status indefinitely pending the outcome of criminal charges. Sean Herman faces felony official misconduct after investigators say he helped make an adult video while he was on duty. The Tennessee POST Commission on Thursday agreed with Herman, voting to suspend the officer's certification. The commission said Herman could seek reinstatement after his criminal case was resolved. Neither Herman nor his attorney appeared during Thursday's commission meeting. A three-year Nashville Police Department veteran, Herman was fired May 9, a day after investigators learned about the OnlyFans skit, which featured a uniformed Herman groping a woman's exposed breast in the footage, according to a police release. Herman, 33, of Sumner County, is out on $3,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court Sept. 19. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Ex-Nashville cop Sean Herman's certification suspended after OnlyFans skit One of the biggest question marks looming over state Democrats in the fight for a western Wisconsin swing seat is just how involved their national counterparts will be in the race. On Thursday, they got a hint at an answer. House Democrats' main campaign arm added non-profit owner Rebecca Cooke to their "Red to Blue" program, a list of top candidates they intend to support as they seek to flip Republican-held seats and win back the majority. Cooke on Tuesday won a three-way Democratic primary race and will face freshman Republican U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden in November. Rebecca Cooke The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's addition of Cooke to the list is the latest signal national Democrats could focus on Wisconsin's swing 3rd Congressional District. The group last year listed the district as among more than two dozen "in play" for 2024. But the Red to Blue addition indicates the group is "invested in providing Cooke... with the support needed to continue building a winning campaign," the DCCC said Thursday. "Western Wisconsinites can trust Rebecca Cooke to deliver for them because thats what shes done her whole life from opening a small business in Eau Claire, to helping other women in her community become entrepreneurs, to working with Governor Evers to create jobs in Wisconsin," said DCCC Chairwoman Suzan DelBene, a congresswoman from Washington. Just how involved national Democrats will be in the 3rd Congressional District this year has been a point in question since Wisconsin Democrats last cycle accused the national party of abandoning their candidate. Van Orden defeated Onalaska Democratic state Sen. Brad Pfaff by about 4 points to flip the seat red for the first time in 26 years. Van Orden vastly out-raised Pfaff and received hundreds of thousands of dollars in support from outside Republican groups during the race as the DCCC and other Democratic groups left Pfaff in the lurch. The DCCC, in fact, did not invest any money in Pfaff, and Pfaff was not put on the group's Red to Blue list. U.S Representative Derrick Van Orden for the Third Congressional District speaks on a Federal Legislator panel during the 2024 Republican Party Of Wisconsin State Convention on Saturday May 18, 2024 at the Fox Cities Exhibition Center in Appleton, Wis. House Majority PAC, Democrats largest outside group for congressional campaigns, reserved $1.68 million in ad buys for Pfaff at the end of the campaign but later canceled those reservations. Republicans this year, meanwhile, have seized on Democrats' negative primary race as a sign Van Orden is better positioned to win in November. National Republican Congressional Committee has attempted to label Cooke as "extreme" as Democrats have zeroed in Van Orden's temperament. "Congressman Derrick Van Orden continues to deliver results for Wisconsin veterans and workers, while extreme Democrat Rebecca Cooke has been left outright unelectable," NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella said. The DCCC's move on Thursday does not guarantee the group will invest heavily in Cooke's campaign against Van Orden. But Wisconsin Democrats in recent months have gained confidence that support will come. House Majority PAC late last month reserved nearly $4 million in television ads for October around the district. The sum included about $1.2 million in the La Crosse media market, $1.2 million in the Madison media market, and $1.4 million in the Wausau market. Cooke on Wednesday told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that her campaign has been doing "everything that we can to make the case for people to want to invest in this district." She said she is determined to convince people the 3rd Congressional District is a "prime pickup opportunity" as Democrats seek to flip Republicans razor-thin House majority. She said she plans to reach moderate and independent voters by campaigning not only in the more populated cities of Eau Claire, La Crosse and Stevens Point but also in the district's rural, red towns. "I know we share a lot of similar values," Cooke said. "So that's going to be really critical work for us to be doing in order to bring people off the sidelines and to swing voters over." Cooke reported raising more than $2 million entering the primary the most by a Democrat in the race and had about $590,000 in cash on hand. Van Orden raised nearly $4.9 million so far this cycle. He had $2.4 million in cash on hand at the end of last month. "I think it's all about doing the work and spending the time doing the voter outreach, building a grassroots campaign," Cooke said of getting national Democratic help. She added: "We're continuing to raise the resources on our own to show that we've got strength in this race." This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: National Dems shift Van Orden race onto priority 'Red to Blue' list Yulia Navalnaya, widow of leading Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny, said on Thursday that the Russian authorities had offered no convincing explanation for his death in a penal colony six months ago. In a video posting on X, Navalnaya said she had received a three-page document stating that Navalny's death had not been the result of a crime and that there were consequently no grounds for a criminal investigation. Navalny died in a Siberian penal colony in the Arctic Circle on February 16 while serving a 19-year sentence on what he termed politically motivated charges. The prominent activist and critic of President Vladimir Putin survived a poisoning attack with the nerve agent Novichok in 2020 after being flown to Germany for treatment. He was arrested on his return to Russia in January 2021. A series of trials followed. The official document from the Russian authorities has been published in social networks by Navalny's team. It attributes his death to a "combined illness," including a gall bladder infection, a slipped disc and staphylococcus infection, with cardiac arrhythmia ultimately causing death. "When I first saw these pathetic three pages, I couldn't believe my eyes," Navalnaya said of the document. "It's another pathetic attempt to cover up what really happened: a murder," she said. Navalnaya noted that every third Russian had illnesses of the kind described in the document, but did not die from them. In addition, the rules stipulated that Navalny should have undergone a comprehensive medical examination on entering the penal colony and this had turned up no evidence of these ailments. Leonid Volkov, an opposition activist who was close to Navalny, also criticized the official document. The investigators had taken six months to formulate their version and had come up with nothing, he wrote on Telegram. Yulia Navalnaya, widow of leading Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny, said on Thursday that the Russian authorities had offered no convincing explanation for his death in a penal colony six months ago. In a video posting on X, Navalnaya said she had received a three-page document stating that Navalny's death had not been the result of a crime and that there were consequently no grounds for a criminal investigation. Navalny died in a Siberian penal colony in the Arctic Circle on February 16 while serving a 19-year sentence on what he termed politically motivated charges. The prominent activist and critic of President Vladimir Putin survived a poisoning attack with the nerve agent Novichok in 2020 after being flown to Germany for treatment. He was arrested on his return to Russia in January 2021. A series of trials followed. The official document from the Russian authorities has been published in social networks by Navalny's team. It attributes his death to a "combined illness," including a gall bladder infection, a slipped disc and staphylococcus infection, with cardiac arrhythmia ultimately causing death. "When I first saw these pathetic three pages, I couldn't believe my eyes," Navalnaya said of the document. "It's another pathetic attempt to cover up what really happened: a murder," she said. Navalnaya noted that every third Russian had illnesses of the kind described in the document, but did not die from them. In addition, the rules stipulated that Navalny should have undergone a comprehensive medical examination on entering the penal colony and this had turned up no evidence of these ailments. Leonid Volkov, an opposition activist who was close to Navalny, also criticized the official document. The investigators had taken six months to formulate their version and had come up with nothing, he wrote on Telegram. Navalnaya, who lives in exile, said her lawyers would challenge the document and demand the release of all relevant medical documents. They would also demand a criminal investigation, while Navalny's team continued with its own investigation, she said. State Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood, right, talks with Speaker John Arch of La Vista. July 26, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN A day after state lawmakers pared down Gov. Jim Pillens latest property tax relief proposal, a small group of senators tried to punish him for stepping into budget discussions. State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha and State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln hammered a special session budget bill for including more than $28 million in Pillen-suggested cuts to various state agencies and the Legislature. The overall bill trims about $117 million. Several other senators joined them in stalling Legislative Bill 2 over the course of the day, trying to restore $25 million to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and $3.5 million to the Legislative Council. Protecting legislative autonomy Conrad argued that the Legislature should protect its authority to set spending rates in a stable, predictable budgeting process that takes place during the regular legislative session and not let the administration dictate adjustments midstream. Cavanaugh and others said lawmakers should not approve budget cuts to such a major state agency when HHS leaders and the governor wouldnt explain what the cuts would affect. My issue is not the cuts themselves, Cavanaugh said. I just want to know what they are. Its the process that this was not transparent and it was not done with our own processes. State Sen. Anna Wishart of Lincoln said she needed to know more about the cuts to be able to make mid-year adjustments. She backed a failed effort by State Sen. George Dungans failed effort to amend LB 2 by restoring the HHS funding. Filibuster fatigue Many in the Legislatures conservative majority became perturbed on the second straight long day of debate and swatted down two amendments that would have restored some of the funds to ease passage. State Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood defended the willingness of the Appropriations Committee he chairs to work with Pillens budget officials and agencies to cut unspent funds and fees. We reviewed 22 state agencies with millions of dollars in unspent funds, Clements said. The key was not taking away 100 percent of the unused dollars of each agency. During the meandering debate, lawmakers on the left and right complained about wanting to do more about high property taxes than simply pulling forward income tax credits for property taxes paid (or paying people the credit up front) and capping local spending. That was the measure senators passed Tuesday as Legislative Bill 34. Originally a bill offered by north-central Nebraska State Sen. Tom Brewer, the bill that was replaced by the Revenue Committees fallback position. The Revenue Committee chairwoman, State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Omaha, said she and others who support LB 2 and its companion funding bill, LB 3, to help fund LB 34 wouldnt budge. Ill stay here as long as it takes, Linehan said. Wanting more from relief package State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha and State Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard said they were willing to stay and talk and do more during the special session which will hit its 13th day on Thursday if lawmakers were willing to have serious discussions about resolving the property tax situation. Erdman said he keeps trying to suggest potential structural property tax relief, pointing to his EPIC Option Consumption Tax proposal as something lawmakers could have considered. What weve done this special session will be a decrease in your increase, Erdman said. Thats exactly what this bill will do and what this special session will accomplish. Wayne suggested lawmakers consider Legislative Resolution 2CA, a constitutional amendment proposed by State Sen. Tom Brandt of Plymouth that would give senators more flexibility in handling valuations of owner-occupied residential properties. LR 2CA would let lawmakers value residential properties differently depending on whether they were owner-occupied. The measure would have to be considered by voters at the ballot box. Wayne said if voters approved it, lawmakers could tax those residential properties at a lower percentage, like agricultural land. Brandt said he modeled his proposed amendment off how Nebraska values ag land at 75% of market value. He said having the flexibility to do that for residential properties would help. What this says is somebody who owns the property has the opportunity to be treated differently by the Legislature, Brandt said. Wayne and Linehan called out colleagues who filibustered broader efforts to reform property taxes but then voted for what remained. Wayne said lawmakers were settling and doing the bare minimum. Senator Erdman is right, Wayne said. The solution is youve got to change everything. Weve got time and opportunity right now to fix it. Committee cut less than governor proposed Erdman, who often calls for the vote to end filibusters he disagrees with, said he disagreed with senators on Wednesday who were simply trying to take a pound of flesh. He said the Appropriations Committee took its work seriously and proposed cutting unspent funds from agencies. He said the committee worked to ensure the plan would not take money that might be needed. The committee bill proposed cutting less than the governor and his staffers and agency directors recommended, Clements said. He said they did so to keep from cutting agencies too close to the bone. Christy Armendariz of Omaha defended the committees process. The committee member said lawmakers needed to take emotion out of their arguments and look at the numbers. I think its fair for a new governor to come in and say this is the way we will budget moving forward, Armendariz said. Senators wanted more info State Sen. Tony Vargas of Omaha, who sits on the Appropriations Committee, said that he did not believe the HHS cuts were transparent and that lawmakers needed more specifics about what was being cut than just being told HHS found efficiencies. Conrad called the suggested cuts truly unnecessary and primarily performative. Both she and Cavanaugh criticized the value of the consultant Pillen hired to help find trims, called Epiphany. Theres absolutely no reason to move forward with the measures in LB 2 or 3, Conrad said, arguing that the Legislature should consider them during the regular 2025 session. Bill moving forward Speaker John Arch tried multiple times to move debate along, urging calm during the dog days of a special session some lawmakers resented because of when it was called and why. We have been following a process, he said. At the conclusion of that the body can decide to stay in session and consider other bills. Once it became clear that LB 2 would have enough votes for passage, Cavanaugh criticized colleagues for not thinking for themselves. The cloture vote was 34-10. The bill advanced to the second round of voting 33-11. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST Judges of the Nebraska Supreme Court (and when they were appointed), front row from left: Lindsey Miller-Lerman (1998), Chief Justice Michael Heavican (2006), William Cassel (2012). Back row, from left: Jonathan Papik (2018), Stephanie Stacy (2015), Jeffrey Funke (2016) and John Freudenberg (2018). (Courtesy of the court) LINCOLN The Nebraska Supreme Court is set to hear a lawsuit seeking to force Secretary of State Bob Evnen to register voters with past felony convictions under a new state law. Civic Nebraska and voting rights advocates announced the lawsuit July 29. Oral arguments are set for Aug. 28 in a case that revolves around whether the Legislature can remove the voting rights disqualification for felons after theyve completed their sentence. Lawmakers passed two versions: Legislative Bill 53 in 2005, which established a two-year waiting period after felons have completed their sentence, and LB 20 in April, to remove the disqualification as soon as they have served their sentence. LB 20, from State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, passed 38-6 and took effect July 19, three months after the Legislature adjourned. But two days before the law took effect, on July 17, Evnen directed county election officials not to register new voters who had felony convictions, unless they previously had their voting rights restored under the 2005 law, with the waiting period. Evnen consulted with Attorney General Mike Hilgers, who wrote an opinion arguing that the restoration, either immediately or after two years, was unconstitutional. He said it was the sole constitutional authority of the executive branchs Pardons Board to restore a felons civil rights. The three-member Pardons Board is composed of Evnen, Hilgers and Gov. Jim Pillen. Evnens office has said he would ask the board to restore voting rights of Nebraskans who registered to vote under the 2005 law. The lawsuit argues that only courts can stop a law, that the will of voters and lawmakers is being ignored and that Evnens action threatened peoples freshly restored rights. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) The Hays County Commissioners Court pushed a $450 million transportation bond program plan forward on Tuesday. It will go in front of voters in November. The program would allow the municipality to take on around 30 road projects, fairly evenly dispersed across the county. Before the court approved the measure on Tuesday, many during the public comment period protested plans outlined in the bond package for Fitzhugh Road. Im concerned, very concerned, and strongly oppose, one person in public comment said. [This] would have massive impacts to that neighborhood, that community, and to the environment particularly to water quality. The original language called to design a four-lane divided roadway on Fitzhugh Road with shoulders from Travis County to RM 12. Currently, Fitzhugh Road only has one lane in both directions. What they [presented] is overkill, said Carrie Napiorkowski, who lives along the road and spoke at Tuesdays commissioner court meeting. Napiorkowski said there is a need for road changes that prioritize safety. But she said the addition of two more lanes goes too far. Theyre trying to put forth a four-lane divided highway with shoulders on each side which would encroach upon private property, she continued. They would have to be taking out dangerous curves and bends. After more than a dozen people voiced concerns about the road in person or through written comment, the commissioners court decided to revise the description for the Fitzhugh Project to focus more on improving safety along the road, rather than moving cars through. I think that our commissioners and our judge made the right decision in listening to us. So it feels good to know that we have been listened to, Napiorkowski said. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. Photo illustration by Getty Images. Nine states, including Montana, are challenging an executive order by President Joe Biden that would enlist federal agencies to help register residents to vote, and those states say the order undermines their power to control elections, calling it federally subsidized program aimed at boosting Democratic and left-leaning blocs. Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach and Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen filed the federal lawsuit in court in Wichita, Kansas. The nine states are Montana, Kansas, Iowa, South Dakota, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Carolina. The heart of the lawsuit is Executive Order 14019, which was issued on March 10, 2021. The states challenging the executive order say that Biden converts various federal agencies, turning them in part into a voter registration organization illegally. The attorneys general say that elections, including voter registration, are solely the province of states, guaranteed by the Tenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. Moreover, the states said that its an example of the federal government trying to usurp the sovereignty of the states, and giving the states no other choice than to resort to federal court. The lawsuit said the states were never invited into the process, never allowed to comment, and they accuse the Biden administration of hiding the plans. In response to requests under the Freedom of Information Act, the Biden-Harris Administration has asserted the plans are subject to privilege and may be withheld from public scrutiny, the lawsuit claims. The lawsuit lists a number of federal agencies as defendants, including the U.S. Treasury, the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of The Interior, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the U.S. Department of Education. The lawsuit also claims that the National Voter Registration Act means that federal agencies cannot stand in the way of citizens voting, but it also said that voter registration activity is left to the states, and Bidens order oversteps its authority. The 41-page suit outlines a number of ways the executive order commands the federal agencies to help bolster the efforts to register voters, for example: The suit accuses the Department of Justice of providing information to those who remain eligible to vote while in federal custody, as well as preparing prisoners about voting laws and rights before reentry. It says that the Department of the Interior will disseminate information about registering and voting at schools operated by the Bureau of Indian Education and tribal colleges and universities. The order also encourages the Department of Agriculture to provide nonpartisan voter information through its borrowers and lenders about registration and voting. Designating 2,400 American Job Centers, which provide employment guidance, training and career services, to become voter registration agencies under the National Voter Registration Act. Allowing public housing community areas space for certain election-related activities, including voter registration or voter drop boxes for early voting. The lawsuit said that the order allows the Department of Education to allow federal work study funds to support voter registration activities. There is little detail about how agencies determine whether a third-party organization is approved, non-partisan, or what third-party organizations an agency can work with to promote voter registration, the lawsuit said. A rule that permits federal agencies to engage in voter registration activities trenches on States constitutionally protected sovereign rights. From a practical standpoint, the states claim that the federal governments executive order doesnt just exceed the constitution, but could threaten efforts in the individual states. The vast resources of the federal government render it unique among all possible entities engaged in voter registration. Because of the resources it can bring to bear, the federal government can engage in voter registration activities on a scale that will, as a practical matter, swamp any states attempt to regulate the governments actions, the lawsuit said. Knudsen, Montanas Attorney General, echoed that sentiment when he announced the lawsuit from Helena on Tuesday. Fair elections are an essential part of our countrys republic. Congress gave the states the power to oversee elections years ago, Knudsen said. I will not stand by while the Biden-Harris administration attempts to shamelessly garner votes by employing its own agencies to register voters and disregard states own voter registration systems, putting the integrity of our elections at risk. The states also said that encouraging a variety of different agencies without proper training put the elections at risk of fraud. They failed to consider the risk of fraud or to implement actions to prevent fraud, which threatens the integrity of state administration of elections, the states said. This includes, at a minimum, ensuring that illegal aliens do not register to vote through the plans the agency defendants put in place. It is already against federal law for non-citizens to vote in elections. The states conclude the lawsuit by saying that the plans in the executive order werent motivated to help resident register to vote, rather they are part of a Democrat plan. (The executive order) was motivated by a partisan desire to unfairly increase the Democrat vote as shown by the fact that the order came from left-wing, progressive groups, the suit claims. The purpose is to promote left-wing politicians and policies at elections. 1-2024-08-13-complaint The Justice Department successfully argued that Google acted as an illegal monopoly. Now comes the tricky part: Deciding what to do about it. DOJ attorneys are considering a number of options they could propose to US District of Columbia District Court Judge Amit Mehta as early as next month, according to reporting by Bloomberg and the New York Times. The remedies range from an outright breakup of Google (GOOG, GOOGL) to forcing the company to make its search engine data available to competitors to ending agreements that secure its search engine as a default on mobile devices and internet browsers. The DOJ and Google have until Sept. 4 to propose these or other changes to Mehta, who ruled earlier this month that the tech giant violated antitrust law. A hearing to discuss next steps is set for Sept. 6. "I think it's going to be more complicated coming up with injunctive relief than it was finding the liability," antitrust attorney Carl Hittinger said. Google CEO Sundar Pichai leaves a federal courthouse in Washington, DC, last October after closing arguments in the antitrust case against Google. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) The remedies proposed by prosecutors could remake the market for online search or have little impact at all, according to legal experts, depending on what takes place over the coming months. Google has promised to appeal. And its lawyers could ask Judge Mehta to hold off on any orders to alter its behavior while it challenges his ruling in D.C.s Circuit Court of Appeals. "Weve passed a key milestone, but theres still a lot of history to be written," a spokesman for Google search rival DuckDuckGo wrote in a statement following the district court's ruling. The judge would lose the right to impose remedies if Google is found not to have broken the law on appeal. And even if Google fails and is ordered to change its behavior, Judge Mehta could later adjust his orders to better ensure competition is restored. A breakup Certainly, a breakup of Googles empire has the most potential to reorder the tech universe. That could include divestitures of its Android operating system, Chrome browser, or AdWords platform all of which steer users into Google search. Any one of the three solutions would rip away a multibillion-dollar revenue stream from the tech giant, plus cut off data that fuels its broader search and advertising ecosystem. Legal experts disagree about whether this will actually happen. Hittinger said its unlikely because Judge Mehta must select a remedy that best serves the public interest. "You can't just yank the rug out from under the American public that's been using Google's service, now ingrained in our culture, without a substitute," Hittinger said. "Unless other competitors have a platform which is the same or better than Google, what's the public supposed to use in the meantime?" Story continues He instead expects Judge Mehta to fashion a remedy similar to the one imposed against Xerox (XRX) in 1975 to end its dominance of the office copier market. IN 1964 Xerox CEO Joseph Wilson holds 2400 copies of an original reproduced in one hour on a new Xerox copier. (AP Photo) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) The company opened up its ecosystem by no longer allowing it to configure its copiers so that ink cartridge suppliers and other third-party components could not run on its machines. But Bill Baer, former attorney general for the Justice Department's antitrust division, said he could foresee Judge Mehta requiring Google to divest Android or Chrome. "The judge, in order to make this remedy meaningful, is going to have to do something that allows competition to flourish," Baer said. "Because they're a monopolist, they charge the advertisers, who in turn charge us, a whole lot more than if the market were competitive." Sharing data with rivals The judge could also force Google to share more search data with rivals and force it to offer choice screens to device owners and browser users so that they can pick their preferred search engine. A spokesman for Google search rival, DuckDuckGo, told Yahoo Finance before the trial that the company hoped remedies would require Google to share click and query data. The data, which helps search engines track what users are searching for and how they navigate to a particular website, could help DuckDuckGo and other more privacy-oriented search engines compete against Google. Unlike Google, DuckDuckGo does not assemble user search profiles or search histories and then use that data to target users with advertisements. Tim McGinn, an antitrust litigation attorney with Gunster, predicted that remedies would require mobile devices, browsers, and wireless carriers to let consumers choose between Google, Bing (MSFT), Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, or other platforms. Amit Mehta, left, when he was an attorney arguing before the New York State Supreme Court in 2012. He is now the federal judge who will decide remedies in the Google monopoly case. (DON EMMERT/AFP via Getty Images) (DON EMMERT via Getty Images) "Its possible well eventually see more phones and browsers pre-programmed to use another search engine," McGinn said. A likely scenario, the antitrust lawyers said, is for the judge to put an end to agreements that secure Googles search engine as a default on mobile devices and internet browsers. Google pays as much as $26 billion per year to maintain its position on mobile devices like Apple and Samsung smartphones. These agreements were at the center of Judge Mehtas ruling, said Proskauer antitrust lawyer Colin Kass, leading him to suspect any remedies will focus on the contracts that formalize them. "This was a relatively narrow complaint and an even narrower ruling," Kass said. No 'dramatic effect' An end to the revenue-sharing contracts would have considerable consequences for Apple (AAPL). The contracts which require Apple to install Google Search as the default across its Safari browser, Spotlight Search, and Siri bring in an estimated $20 billion for Apple each year. Targeted search platforms like Yelp (YELP) and Amazon (AMZN) could also benefit from fewer search users being automatically directed to Google. On the other hand, McGinn said, device manufacturers and browser services could choose Google as a default even if a court blocks Google from default placement agreements. Plus, he said, it's possible that the court could still allow Google to secure default placements for search but under new non-exclusive contracts that dont raise antitrust concerns. Even if Google were forced to divest search-related entities, or unravel contracts for default placement, these moves may not have a dramatic effect on the company, according to Jefferies senior analyst Brent Thill. Its bigger threats, Thill said, are from new AI-assisted search engines and recent gains made by rival Meta in attracting advertisers. "I don't think spinning off a browser or an Android operating system is going to have a dramatic impact on the company," Thill said. Alexis Keenan is a legal reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow Alexis on X @alexiskweed. Click here for the latest technology news that will impact the stock market Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance NJ Transit will be free for a week as apology for ugly summer, governor says NJ Transit customers will get a week of free rides to compensate for a summer of service disruptions. The fare holiday will cost $19 million. (Dana DiFilippo | New Jersey Monitor) NJ Transit riders will get free rides for a week as an apology and token of appreciation for a summer of service suspensions and delays primarily on the systems northeast corridor, Gov. Phil Murphy said Thursday. Monthly customers will get a 25% discount on their September passes in lieu of daily customers weeklong fare holiday, which will last from Aug. 26 through Sept. 2 and apply to rail, light rail, and bus service. State officials want to end the summer on a grace note, Murphy said on Fox 5 New Yorks morning show Thursday, where he announced the fare break. This summers extreme heat, the systems ancient infrastructure, and finger-pointing between NJ Transit and Amtrak have stranded thousands of rail riders sometimes every day, sometimes for hours, and at least once in a hot, dark tunnel under the Hudson River. Im not naive enough to think that if youve had the summer that our commuters have had, that one week will do it, Murphy said. Given the lack of service that weve seen over the summer, I think its the least we could do. The fare holiday is expected to cost the state $19 million, NJ Transit spokesman John Chartier said. It comes six weeks after the troubled transit agency hiked fares as much as 15% to cover a budget shortfall created partly by a pandemic-related drop in ridership that hasnt yet fully rebounded. State lawmakers in June approved a new business surtax, which is expected to generate about $1 billion in its first year, to help the troubled transit agency. We are fixing it, Murphy said. The governor attributed two-thirds of our delays, plus or minus to Amtrak infrastructure. The federal rail agency has applied for $300 million in federal grants to fix the overhead catenary wires on the rail system, Murphy said. Those wires can fail on extremely hot days, and officials often blame them for summer service disruptions. Im extremely frustrated, Murphy said. Again, a lot of this is out of our hands. Michele Siekerka, president and CEO of the New Jersey Business & Industry Association, said in a statement Thursday that the fare holiday smacks of unfairness to New Jerseys business community. Providing this fare holiday on the heels of a massive corporate tax increase to support the budget woes for NJ Transit is a frustrating message and wholly disregards the latest hit our business community just took on competitiveness, Siekerka said. Both state and federal officials continue investigating the root causes of the service problems, with NJ Transit staffers increasing equipment inspections on platforms and Amtrak focusing on the catenary wires, track signal systems, and northeast corridor substations, Murphy said. The northeast corridor is the busiest rail route in the country, with about 750,000 passengers daily, according to the Federal Railroad Administration. The River Line, light rail service that runs along the Delaware River between Camden and Trenton, also has come under fire in recent weeks for service cancelations and delays. NJ Transit temporarily expanded bus service along the route until the River Lines service problems improve. Its been a really ugly summer, Murphy said. Heres the good news: The trajectory from where we were to where we are and where were going is very positive. Still, he acknowledged, good luck telling that to somebody whos stuck in a train under the Hudson River for two or three hours. Nikita Biryukov contributed. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX MARQUETTE, Mich. (WJMN) Northern Michigan Universitys Regional Police Academy held its scenario training on Thursday at the Jacobetti Complex. Scenario training allows the recruits to use the knowledge theyve learned in the classroom and apply it to real life situations. NMUs Regional Police Academy is a 16-week, 800-hour police training school designed to provide basic law enforcement training to employed and pre-employed recruits. Scenario training is the last step before graduation, where all 28 recruits already have jobs lined up after graduation. We have some minor possession or drug type scenarios. We have a traffic stop and drunk driving or drug driving. We have kind of a hands-on defensive tactics type class, virtual reality shoot, dont shoot simulator, some report writing, said Adam Maynard, training director for NMUs Public Safety Institute/Regional Police Academy. So, kind of a little bit of everything. We just try and give them a mixture, especially coming down to emotional distress you know, EMS type scenarios where probably will be the first ones there. So, its really important to get that training in. Eric Blau is a recruit from Iron Mountain. He is sponsored by the Dickinson County Sheriffs Department, where he will work following the academy. The scenario trainings are really big because we get to do real life situations where they throw us into things that could actually happen out in the field, and it helps prepare us and get us ready for real life situations that could happen, said Blau. Blau goes on to explain why he wanted to go into law enforcement. Ive always felt the need to want to help people and protect my family and protect my community and kind of be a be a change, be a good change. NMUs Regional Police Academy will be holding its graduation ceremony tomorrow, August 16 at 2 p.m. in the Jacobettis Innovation Hall. It is open to the public to attend. For more information on NMUs Public Safety Institute and Regional Police Academy, please visit nmu.edu/publicsafetyinstitute. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJMN - UPMatters.com. No, Pennsylvania Dad Brian Posch Is Not Missing. Heres What Really Happened The father was found dead inside his submerged truck on Tuesday, April 9 Brian Posch/Facebook Brian Posch Social media posts claiming that a deceased Pennsylvania father is missing have begun to surface months after his death. Brian Posch, 36, was found dead inside his submerged truck on Tuesday, April 9, in the Monongahela River, days after he was reported missing to the Brighton Township Police Department after he failed to show up to work on Friday, April 5. According to CBS News Pittsburgh, while it was unclear how Posch ended up in the river, police were led to the area due to data from Posch's cellphone. PEOPLE reached out to the Allegheny County Medical Examiners Office for comment. Four months after his death, however, posts on local Facebook groups have begun to surface suggesting that the deceased father is alive but missing. Brian Posch/Facebook Brian Posch Related: Pennsylvania Father Found Dead Inside Submerged Truck 4 Days After Not Showing Up for Work "HELP FIND HIM - 36-year-old Brian Posch went missing yesterday morning here in #limerick," one Facebook group post reads. Another Facebook post, written in a similar format, has surfaced on another group page, reading, "HELP FIND HIM - 36-year-old Brian Posch went missing yesterday morning here in #Danielson." The posts, which have also been shared on individual user accounts, contain additional false information that "his truck was found last night with his baby girl inside" and that "a silver alert has been issued for Keith, who is considered to possibly be in EXTREME danger and in need of medical assistance." Various social media users have begun to speak out about the false post. Brighton Township Police Department Brian Posch Related: California Man Stung Over 200 Times by Swarm of Bees, His 2 Horses Killed: 'I Am Strong' "If you see a post saying that Brian Posch is missing, do not share! Instead, report the post to the group administrators. It is a scam. Sadly, Brian Posch is dead. He went missing April 5 and his body was found four days later. We feel so awful for his family who has to see this scam being posted over and over again. These scammers are sick," a post on a Facebook community page reads. In his obituary, Posch was remembered as someone who "has always been surrounded by countless friends." Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "Brian had a strong passion for the outdoors. He spent his lifetime duck hunting, boating and dirtbike riding. Brian is a well respected foreman for Steamfitters Local 449. He was unquestionably happiest being with his wife Alanna and daughter Mila," the obituary adds. A GoFundMe created after his death raised $57,587 for his wife and daughter. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Thousands of South County students will go back to class on Thursday without a tool that many have deemed essential: their cell phones. Lucia Mar Unified School District which serves nearly 10,000 students across 11 elementary schools, three middle schools, three high schools and various other education programs has implemented a new personal-tech-free policy across its campuses this school year. The policy prohibits the use of personal electronics like cell phones and smart watches during class time. At the elementary and middle school level, this means students will be required to put away their electronics from the time they arrive at school until they leave, according to a message sent to parents and guardians ahead of the first day of classes. High school students will be allowed to use their electronics during breaks and lunch. This policy takes effect this year and is rooted in our dedication to fostering a conducive learning atmosphere where students can fully engage with their studies and interact meaningfully with their peers, Superintendent Paul Fawcett said in the email. The policy allows students to keep their electronics on them at all times, and not have to lock them away in bags or safes as some other school districts have begun to do. Owyhee High School junior Chloe Bowman, 17, checks her phone one last time before storing it in the VAULT at the start of class, Thursday, May 2, 2024. Owyhee High School uses a system called VAULT (Valuing Academics, Utilizing Learning Time) having students place their cell phones in a pocket holder during class instruction time and retrieving them when class ends. Parents or guardians who need to reach their children during the school day were asked to call the school office. In the email, Fawcett encouraged open communication between parents, teachers and administrators as the district launches this new policy. We understand that technology plays a significant role in todays world, and we will continue to integrate it thoughtfully into our curriculum where appropriate, Fawcett said. However, we believe that limiting personal electronics during instructional hours will ultimately benefit our students academically and socially. CA governor calls on schools to enact smartphone restrictions Lucia Mar is hardly the first school district to implement phone-free policies in fact, one of its own schools has had such a policy for nearly five years. Lopez Continuation High School in Arroyo Grande implemented a phone-free policy in 2019. Meanwhile, in Santa Barbara County, students at San Marcos, Dos Pueblos and Santa Barbara high schools this year will be required to put their cell phones in a cell hotel at the beginning of each class, according to a Noozhawk report. California Gov. Gavin Newsom even recently penned a letter urging school districts to enact policies that would restrict cell phone use in schools. Leveraging the tools of this law, I urge every school district to act now to restrict smartphone use on campus as we begin the new academic year, Newsom wrote. The evidence is clear: reducing phone use in class leads to improved concentration, better academic outcomes and enhanced social interactions. In his letter, Newsom claimed schools that limited phone use during class reported higher test scores, grades and student engagement, as well as fewer instances of bullying and damage to school facilities. He cited a June Pew Research Center survey that found 72% of high school and 33% of middle school teachers said cell phone distractions were a major problem in class. Every classroom should be a place of focus, learning and growth. Working together, educators, administrators and parents can create an environment where students are fully engaged in their education, free from the distractions on the phones and pressures of social media, Newsom wrote. A waiter delivers food to patrons at a restaurant, Jan. 21, 2022, in Miami Beach, Fla. Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump found common ground recently when they both supported slashing taxes on tips. | Marta Lavandier After former President Donald Trump said he would like to eliminate taxes on tips for service workers, Vice President Kamala Harris followed suit, announcing she also supported eliminating taxes on income raised through tips. But is it a good idea? Trump first raised the idea in a June speech in tourism-heavy Nevada. Hotel workers and people that get tips, youre going to be very happy because when I get to office, we are going to not charge taxes on tips, he said. Were going to do that right away, first thing in office, he pledged. Trump proposed this idea after talking to a server in Las Vegas. But I said to her, let me just ask you a question. Would you be happy if you had no tax on tips? She said, what a great idea, he said. Harris followed suit. Speaking to a crowd at a campaign rally also in Las Vegas on Saturday, she promised the same as Trump. We will continue to fight for working families, including to raise the minimum wage and eliminate taxes on tips for service and hospitality workers, Harris said. The swing state is home to more than 350,000 workers employed as waiters, bartenders and cocktail servers. Across the U.S. there are at least 6 million tipped workers, according to IRS data from 2016. Could this policy help this demographic or supply the government with a list of unintended consequences? How would slashing tax on tips affect workers? Howard Gleckman, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute, a think tank dedicated to economic and social policy research, said it is largely unclear whether the two politicians are suggesting repealing the payroll or income tax on tips. The consequences for workers get pretty complicated, he said. If its affecting the payroll tax, a worker will have a little more take-home pay ... but if you dont pay Social Security payroll taxes or Medicare payroll taxes, you dont get Social Security or Medicare when you retire. Should Trump or Harris slash the income tax on tips, it wont affect a low-income tip workers after-tax income, since those making below $29,000 are already exempt from federal income tax. But there are other consequences. A tip jar contains one dollar and five dollar bills, Sept. 6, 2017 in New York. Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump found common ground recently when they both supported slashing taxes on tips. | Mark Lennihan In a scenario where someones income comes only in the form of tips, they may not file a tax return and can inadvertently lose the opportunity to claim various tax breaks. The child tax credit and the earned income tax credit, available to low- and moderate-income households, are worth $2,000 and $4,000 per child, respectively. Those credits are refundable, which means that if you receive more in credits than you owe in tax, the government writes you a check for the difference, Gleckman said. Effects on high-income workers Higher-income tip workers theres a small fraction of them who make between $50,000 to $60,000 would enjoy a bigger tax break with such a policy but they can also lose out on tax credits and entitlements. Cutting tax on tips would also incentivize earning income on tips and not wages. Say youre a warehouse worker, earning $35,000 a year, the same as a server at a restaurant, the warehouse worker would have to pay taxes on their earnings but the server wouldnt. It isnt fair. It doesnt make a lot of sense but the other thing its going to do is its going to encourage more people to become tip workers, Gleckman said, and we dont want that. All this depends on how the law is written, he added. The IRS currently defines tips as intermittent and unpredictable, barring freelancers or one-time sellers from categorizing their income as a tip, but this definition could be tweaked. Would slashing tax on tips be fair? It wouldnt be the first time changes in the tax structure are modified. Most times, the alterations affect tax codes for the affluent, who are motivated to recategorize their income into the lower taxed version. But if the tax rate on one form of income is 37% and on another form of income is zero, as you can imagine, theres a giant incentive for me to recategorize my income and make it look like its a tip and not ordinary income, said Gleckman. So, there will be a lot of lobbying pressure to write the legislation in a way that allows for these kinds of loopholes. The tax expert noted that large loopholes will allow more income to be categorized as tips, costing the U.S. Treasury money and adding to the ballooning U.S. national debt of more than $35 trillion. Thats going to put some constraints on Congresss willingness to make this kind of a completely free ride, Gleckman added. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, introduced the No Tax on Tips Act last month, as did Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., in the House at the same time. This common-sense, pro-worker legislation allows millions of tipped workers including bartenders, waiters, and beauty professionals to keep more of their hard-earned paycheck, Cruz said in July. The bill doesnt single out any specific type of tip worker. Gleckman said he has one question for lawmakers supporting this bill: Why do you want to give tip workers tax free income but not the wage workers making the same amount in a different occupation? Whats the possible justification for that? (KRON) A Northern California woman was mauled to death by dogs before sheriffs deputies rounded up 23 Great Danes that were running loose in her neighborhood. Davina Corbin, 56, of Feather Falls, Calif., died on Blackhawk Trail near where dozens of domestic Great Danes were roaming, according to the Butte County Sheriffs Office. In the early morning hours of August 8, a resident found Corbins body riddled with bite marks and called 911. A forensic pathologist performed an autopsy on the victim. Sheriffs officials wrote, The forensic pathologist located numerous bite marks and injuries, and concluded that her cause of death was attributed to a domestic dog attack. Detectives served a search warrant at a house located next where the woman was found dead. Twenty-five Great Danes were running loose nearby, investigators said. Deputies and detectives spent the entire day capturing the dogs, who were running loose in the area. To date, approximately 23 dogs have been captured and turned over to animal control. Detectives are currently attempting to capture the two outstanding dogs, the Sheriffs Office wrote. Video: Huge great white shark follows Half Moon Bay kayakers Investigators said they found evidence showing Corbin was walking on the trail when she was attacked. Domestic dog DNA was found on clothing that the victim was wearing. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife sent the clothing to a lab for DNA analysis to determine which dogs attacked Corbin. Great Danes are one of the largest dog breeds. The American Kennel Club writes, Owning a dog of such imposing size, weight, and strength is a commitment not to be entered into lightly. Danes tower over most other dogs, and when standing on their hind legs, they are taller than most people. Despite their sweet nature, Danes are alert home guardians. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. Passengers land at the airport in Pyongyang in 2017, on a flight from the Chinese city of Dandong. File Photo by KCNA/UPI SEOUL, Aug. 15 (UPI) -- North Korea is set to allow international tourism to resume by the end of the year, a pair of China-based tour operators said, nearly five years after the isolated state sealed its borders to the COVID-19 pandemic. In separate announcements Wednesday, Koryo Tours and KTG Tours said that tourism to the mountainous northeastern city of Samjiyon, near the border with China, will open in the winter. Samjiyon is located in the foothills of Mount Paektu, a site considered by both North and South Koreans to have an almost mystical significance. "We have had confirmation from our local partner that tourism to Samjiyon and potentially the rest of North Korea will officially resume in December 2024," Beijing-based Koryo Tours wrote in a blog post. "Our partner informed us that the official itinerary and dates will be announced in the coming weeks," the blog said. KTG Tours, based in Shenyang, said in an online posting that "borders are set to open in winter, presumably December, 2024." "Two years ago, our Korean partners sent us new programs, hotels and facilities available to travelers in Samjiyon," the post said. "As for the rest of the country, including Pyongyang, there has been no official confirmation," it added. "Our personal opinion is that they will open too soon, but nothing has been confirmed regarding this." North Korea has been renovating tourism facilities in Samjiyon in recent years, according to state-run media. Last month, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited the area and touted plans for a remodeled airport, a ski resort and new hotels targeting "friendly foreign guests." Kim "gave important instructions for building a tourist resort in the world-famous Mt. Paektu for our people and the world people and making tourism a major driving force of the development of the region," the official Korean Central News Agency said. In North Korean lore, Mount Paektu is revered as a stronghold in the fight for independence from Japanese imperialism and the birthplace of Kim Jong Il, the father of Kim Jong Un. In ancient Korean mythology, it is the sacred birthplace of the Korean people. Samjiyon was a popular destination for Chinese tourists before North Korea sealed its borders in January 2020 at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The country remained completely closed for more than three years until a limited reopening began last August. The first post-pandemic tour group -- around 100 visitors from Russia -- arrived in Pyongyang in February, amid strengthening ties with Moscow. The U.S. State Department classifies North Korea as "Level 4: Do Not Travel" in an advisory on its website. U.S. passports are invalid for travel to, in, or through North Korea unless specially validated by the department. The News North Korea will reopen the country to tourists almost five years after it sealed its borders amid the COVID-19 pandemic. North Korea will allow foreign visitors into the city of Samjiyon beginning in December. Tourism groups expect that Pyongyang will broaden the areas visitors can go in the future. Nevertheless, the decision to reopen Samjiyon first is significant: The nearby Mount Paetku is tied to the origin story of the ruling Kim family, and the area was a popular destination for Chinese visitors coming across the two countries shared border. Tourism there provided the North with vital revenue amid international sanctions. Earlier this year, a handful of Russian visitors were allowed into the country, a sign that Pyongyang may feel comfortable enough about its alliances with China and Russia to open itself up with courting them in mind. JERUSALEM (Reuters) - El Al Israel Airlines said on Thursday it had signed a deal with Boeing for the purchase of up to 31 737 MAX aircraft worth as much as $2.5 billion. El Al, Israel's flag carrier with an all-Boeing fleet, said the agreement includes the purchase of 20 737 MAX airliners for $1.5 billion and options for 11 more. Delivery is expected to begin in 2028, although the carrier said it would consider bringing forward the operation of several 737 MAX aircraft to as early as 2027 through a dry lease. The new planes will replace the airline's current short-haul fleet of ageing Boeing 737-800 and 737-900 aircraft. (Reporting by Steven Scheer; editing by Jason Neely) North Korea will reopen to international tourists this December, nearly five years after closing its borders at the outset of the Covid pandemic. The Beijing-based tour operator Koryo Tours will be among the first to send travellers to the reclusive country. We have received confirmation from our local partner that tourism to Samjiyon and potentially the rest of the country will officially resume in December 2024, the tour company said on its website, adding that the official itinerary and dates would be announced soon. Another tour operator called KTG Tours, based in Shenyang, China, posted on Facebook: We have just been told that tourists will be able to go to Samjiyon (Mount Paektu area) this winter. Exact dates to be confirmed. So far just Samjiyon has been officially confirmed but we think that Pyongyang and other places will open too. In January 2020, North Korea became the first country in the world to shut its borders in response to the pandemic. While the rest of the world reopened to international tourism some countries sooner than others North Korea has remained largely closed to the world. Limited international flights did resume last year, but primarily for travelling diplomats, and in February 2024 a Russian group was welcomed into the country on a one-off tour, with an itinerary including visits to Pyongyang and the Masikryong ski resort. A tourist takes a selfie in a Pyongyang subway station The focus of North Koreas proper reopening this winter, Samjiyon, is a new tourist destination just 10 miles from the Chinese border. The city is close to Mount Paektu, the tallest mountain in North Korea, which has cultural significance for both North and South Koreans, featuring in the national anthems of both countries. According to North Korean propaganda, Mount Paektu is where North Koreas founder, Kim Il-sung, fought Japanese occupation forces and launched the revolution. It is also said that Paektu is where current leader Kim Jong-uns father, Kim Jong-il, was born, although most historians say he was actually born in Russia. The redevelopment of Samjiyon is one of the biggest economic initiatives overseen by Kim Jong-un, and includes new apartments, hotels and a ski resort, with space to accommodate 4,000 families. According to the Korean Central News Agency, Kim described the city as an oasis of our people and the world [which will] make tourism a major driving force of regional development. He has also described it as a socialist utopia and North Korean state media has labelled it the epitome of modern civilisation. However, construction of Samjiyon has been hampered by a shortage of materials and labour, and human rights groups say that youth labour brigades were drafted in under poor conditions to help complete the project. A plane belonging to Air Koryo, North Korea's flag carrier, on the runway in Samjiyon, a new tourist destination just 10 miles from the Chinese border - Getty Simon Cockerell of Koryo Tours has suggested that access to Samjiyon will likely be via a land crossing in the north of China not previously used by Western tourists. However, Chad OCarroll, the chief executive of US-based analysis firm Korea Risk Group, told the BBC that he has doubts around the reopening plans given that the Samjiyon redevelopment is not yet fully finished. If it does get completed in time, I can imagine only Russian tourists and possibly Chinese visiting in any real numbers at first, he said. Unless [the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea] offers direct Samjiyon flights to a neutral connection country like Mongolia, I will believe it when I see it. For now, I am quite sceptical we will see any real movement in December. Some British tour operators are keeping a close eye on developments. Andrea Godfrey, head of Regent Holidays, says: We believe that travel is a force for good, and that it broadens the minds of both visitors and locals alike. That said, every destination and situation needs careful assessment, and whilst we would like to go back into North Korea at some stage, we have always been clear that this would depend on the circumstances. We dont feel the time is right, but well keep a close eye on it and certainly hope that the time comes when we can responsibly feature it again. Tourists look out from the Panmungak pavillion on the North Korean side of the border in the Demilitarized Zone - Getty Along with the city of Samjiyon, North Korea is developing a tourist area around Wonsan-Kalma international airport on the countrys east coast. The resort will be home to a reported 10,000 new hotel rooms when it is completed next May. There have also been new buildings for the service and tourism industries popping up in Pyongyang all indicators that something is brewing, suggests Carl Meadows of Regent Holidays. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) currently warns against all but essential travel to North Korea. It says that North Korean authorities have reportedly detained some foreign nationals and denied them access to consular support. The security situation can change quickly with no advance warning about possible actions by the authorities. This poses significant risks to British visitors and residents, the FCDO advises. The US has even stronger travel warnings against visiting North Korea any visit must be specially authorised by the Department of State. The United Nations condemns North Koreas human rights record, while Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International highlight the lack of free speech in the country and prisoner camps for those found guilty of political crimes. It is reported that between 80,000 and 200,000 prisoners are subjected to forced labour, physical abuse and possible execution. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The public is being asked to be on the lookout for a 79-year-old northern Ohio woman who walked away from church Wednesday afternoon and has not returned. >> Man surrenders after barricading himself in a home, firing at law enforcement Doreen Hill has dementia and high blood pressure and law enforcement is concerned for her safety. This incident occurred on Stonegate Circle in Cleveland, the Cleveland Police Department said. She reportedly walked away about 5 p.m., according to police. Hill is 5-foot-8, about 212 pounds, has gray hair and brown eyes. Authorities released a photo of Hill with the alert issued Wednesday night. Her photo appears with this report. Call or dial 911 if you see Hill. We will update this report as information becomes available. Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. HAMMOND, La. (WGNO) On Jan. 26, 27-year-old Nicholas Platt was found dead by the Hammond Police Department due to an apparent drug overdose. In response, the department contacted the Fentanyl Overdose Response Team to assist in the case. The team responds to overdoses to investigate if there was fentanyl involved. This is something that was tried in other states or had happened in other locations, but its the first time that its happening in Louisiana, and its the first time definitely in our region, Hammond Police Chief Edwin Bergeron Jr. said. Family identifies shooting victim found in Metairie field Through a series of tests, the response team determined that Platt died of a fentanyl overdose. When that was discovered, those on the team started looking for the seller. I will tell yall that this type of case has never been prosecuted in the 21st Judicial District, Bergeron said. In April, they determined that 26-year-old Trystan McMillion was the man who allegedly sold Platt the drugs. In early August, McMillion was booked on second-degree murder charges. Any police department, any chief of police, any sheriff, any anybody in the leadership role is only as good as the people below me. I cant tell you how proud I am of this whole team and how theyve come together, how they worked, Bergeron said. Four people arrested following Slidell drug bust Due to the work of the team, Patts family says they are one step closer to getting justice for their son. He was a loving father and son. He had a daughter that he adored dearly. Without their tireless efforts, we would never see justice done, Nicholas Platts father Jay Platt said. Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter. Latest Posts Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGNO. Former President Donald Trump's lawyers are seeking to postpone the Sept. 18 sentencing in his New York hush-money conviction until after the election. Trump's lawyers asked Judge Juan Merchan to delay the sentencing until after the November vote, according to a letter dated Aug. 14. Merchan earlier this week denied Trump's request to recuse himself in the hush-money case. Merchan wrote that it's the third time Trump has asked for his recusal based on "innuendo and mischaracterizations" concerning Merchan's daughter and her work with the Democratic Party. Trump's lawyers say a delay in sentencing would "mitigate the asserted conflicts and appearances of impropriety, which are also the subject of an ongoing congressional inquiry." "By adjourning the sentencing until after that election... the Court would reduce, even if not eliminate, issues regarding the integrity of any future proceedings," reads the Aug. 14 letter. But Syracuse University College of Law professor Gregory Germain said Trump's trying to create fodder for a future federal court challenge. "I think Trump's request to delay sentencing is a clever ploy to make a record to argue in federal court that the judge was politically motivated to interfere with the federal election," Germain told Salon. "I doubt that the court will delay sentencing, but it will give Trump an additional argument to challenge the sentencing on appeal, or collaterally in a habeas corpus case if he's sentenced to prison." And legal experts say they expect Trump to fight the imposition of a sentence regardless. Former federal prosecutor Andrew Weissmann said there's no reason Trump can't go to jail if he loses the election and receives a jail sentence. And conversely, Weissmann said if Trump wins, any jail sentence would get delayed until he leaves office. "But little reason Trump [should] not be sentenced on 9/18," Weissmann said on X. "But he will make MANY motions to avoid imposition of a sentence in September." Jurors in the Manhattan criminal trial in May found Trump guilty of 34 charges of falsifying business records including invoices, accounting ledger entries and checks as part of a scheme to disguise $130,000 in hush money as a legal expense and keep potentially damaging stories about alleged extramarital encounters from voters. Each of the 34 count carries up to four years in prison though legal experts said Trump would likely serve less than four years given his previous lack of a criminal record. National security attorney Bradley Moss said on X that "Trump has no intention of just sitting back and allowing sentencing to go forward even if delayed until after the election." "If he wins, he will say a sitting president cannot be imprisoned and argue any imprisonment has to wait until after his term finishes in January 2029 (at which point he'll say he is too old to be imprisoned)," Moss wrote. "If he loses, he'll say he is too old, too frail, needs too much medical assistance and requires too much USSS protection to make imprisonment a worthy use of resources." Georgia State College of Law constitutional law professor Anthony Michael Kreis said: "Trump is not entitled to favoritism. He should be sentenced on a schedule just like anyone else." On July 2, Merchan delayed sentencing until September "if," he wrote, "such is still necessary." Trump's lawyers cited that July 2 correspondence in their Aug. 14 letter, which argues that Trump shouldn't be sentenced at all because of the Supreme Court's recent ruling on presidential immunity. The Supreme Courts landmark 6-3 ruling said that presidents have "absolute immunity from criminal prosecution" for acts that fall within the "exercise of his core constitutional powers he took when in office." Presidents, according to the ruling, have "at least presumptive" immunity for other official acts, and no immunity for unofficial acts. Five of the nine justices also agreed that presidents cannot be indicted based on conduct for which they are immune from prosecution. That means prosecutors aren't allowed to use evidence that concerns a president's protected official conduct. Trump lawyers argue that prosecutors improperly used evidence meaning the case should be tossed. The Manhattan D.A., meanwhile, says that's not the case and that any improperly used evidence wouldn't have made a significant difference in the outcome. Hofstra Law professor James Sample said the Supreme Court's presidential immunity ruling makes it hard to predict how Trump's arguments will fare. "The Supreme Courts debacle of a decision in the presidential immunity context invites the arguments for differential - and preferential - treatment that Trump is making," Sample told Salon. "Should they succeed in a rational legal world? No. Might they, nonetheless succeed in ours, though? Its very possible. Trump's lawyers say that while the judge weighs the impact of the immunity ruling on his New York conviction, the D.A. should not be allowed to file a public sentencing submission that "will include what the Supreme Court described as the 'threat of punishment,' in a manner that is personally and politically prejudicial to President Trump and his family, and harmful to the institution of the Presidency." Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course. His lawyers also said the adjournment would provide him more time to pursue state and federal appellate options for a potential adverse ruling. "Put simply, until DANY's Presidential immunity violations are addressed fully and finally, this Court may not 'adjudicate' this matter including at sentencing," wrote the lawyers. The court has said it'll issue a decision on the immunity motion on Sept. 16, ahead of the Sept. 18 sentencing. "A single business day is an unreasonably short period of time," wrote Trump's lawyers. Trump's lawyers said that in Trump's election interference case in D.C., the special counsel's office had yet to release a position on a briefing schedule as that court weighs the impact of the immunity decision on the case. "There is no basis for continuing to rush," reads the letter. Trump's lawyers pointed out that the September sentencing would begin after some states have started early voting. MSNBC legal correspondent Lisa Rubin said that the start of early voting may undercut Trump's timing argument. "If anything, it means many voters have the chance to cast their ballots before a sentence, if any, is handed down," she wrote on X. No plan survives first contact with the enemy. This is especially true if one ends up fighting an enemy they did not prepare for. Donald Trump and his campaign developed a strategy specifically to defeat President Biden in the 2024 Election. Once Biden was defeated Trump would become the countrys first dictator and systematically destroy multiracial pluralistic democracy. As detailed in Project 2025, Agenda 47, and elsewhere, Donald Trump and his regime are very well-prepared to accomplish that goal. Their plan was working. Trump was leading or tied with President Biden in the polls, both nationally and in the key battleground states. Trump continued to bypass or smash through the obstacles in his path and to turn the (incorrect) conventional wisdom on its head about how the walls were closing in and that the rule of law, the institutions, and American decency would stop him and the MAGA movement. President Biden and the Democrats were not mounting an effective defensenever mind a counterattack. The one direct confrontation between President Biden and Donald Trump during the first debate went horribly. Biden imploded and appeared to be impotent before Trumps barrage of lies and manic energy. Sensing imminent defeat, President Biden made the wise decision to step aside and allow Kamala Harris to become the Democratic Partys presidential nominee. Donald Trump and his campaigns strategy is now falling apart, nullified and frustrated by an enemy they did not plan for. Trumps leadership is also being tested. At this point, he is failing the test. Kamala Harris is now tied with or leading Trump in the national polls and key battleground states. The Democratic Partys base is energized. Fundraising has increased dramatically. With the selection of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her vice-presidential running mate, Harris has infused the party (and campaign) with a type of populist energy and vibrance it has lacked for a long time. It has only been three weeks since Kamala Harris became the Democratic Partys presumptive presidential nominee. In that very short time, Donald Trump appears to be experiencing one of the greatest reversals in political momentum in recent American history. In an attempt to gain a better perspective on these whiplash-like changes, I recently spoke with Rick Wilson. He is a co-founder of The Lincoln Project, a former leading Republican strategist, and the author of two books, "Everything Trump Touches Dies" and "Running Against the Devil: A Plot to Save America from Trump - and Democrats from Themselves." In this conversation, Wilson explains how and why Donald Trumps campaign has lost momentum and focus so quickly. He also details the advantages that Kamala Harris possesses against Donald Trump advantages that may be very difficult for the corrupt felon ex-president to counter. Wilson warns that Donald Trump and his campaign will attempt to use racism and misogyny against Kamala Harris in ways that will likely shock many members of the public but that such a tactic may actually backfire. At the end of this conversation, Wilson cautions against premature celebrations and the bandwagon effect because the 2024 election will be a long one and a Kamala Harris victory, at this early stage, is far from guaranteed. These last few weeks have been a whirlwind. How are you feeling? How are you managing this torrent? I'm doing alright. Donald Trump laid a trap to try to beat Joe Biden, and that trap was to tell every American that the old man couldn't hack it, and now Trump is the old man who can't hack it in the race. Were in a much different and better position than we were in a few weeks ago. Here at the Lincoln project, we've had a remarkable run of communicating to the voters we're trying to persuade. Over the last few weeks, we've seen a lot of movement in the polling. The 2024 election is fundamentally changed. This is not Donald Trump's race anymore. Trump no longer controls the narrative. He doesn't have control of the flow of information, and it's really hurting Trump. Given your decades of experience in American politics at the highest levels, have you experienced anything like these twists and turns these last few weeks in the story that is the Age of Trump? Both the frequency and the amplitude of the changes are increasing. We are seeing an election that has really been shaken up and redefined in a way that has not occurred in a political campaign in my lifetime. We are in a moment where the politics of the country are demanding that we pay attention every day. Our team at the Lincoln Project is very seasoned at this point. They've been around this fight for four years. Our staff is now very accustomed to the cadence and the work and the pace that we maintain. That is great. But we try to emphasize balance here. People need time to rest and to take a breather. This is going to be a long fight. When people email me seeking guidance about what to do about the election and just trying to make sense of the Age of Trump and its misery and how to manage it, I tell them it is going to be a long war and not a fight. I also counsel that they must fight small battles each day. There will be good days and bad days for Vice President Harris and her campaign from here to Election Day in November. One of the lessons that I emphasize with my colleagues is that "perspective in politics is a weapon." It's a superpower. Knowing how to manage your own expectations for what good days and bad days look like is really important. Donald Trump had a period of time which were, to be frank, the best six weeks I've ever seen in politics. Those six weeks culminated with a coronation at the Republican National Convention. Some broke that night when Trump took the stage. Guess what? Vice President Harris has had three amazing weeks where she has consolidated the Democratic Party base, won over a cohort of Republican women voters who are pro-choice, and has made a ton of progress in redefining not only what the Democratic Party can look like for Americans, but also in what people should expect from a campaign. The hope and optimism element of her campaign is driving the Republicans crazy. Why? Because the Republicans view campaigns as reductive and negative, and they're really having trouble processing how to counter that. After the assassination attempt when Trump rose from the ground and pumped his fist in the air while saying "fight! fight! fight!", I watched that iconic moment and said aloud that is the next president of the United States. Then Trump is elevated as some type of fascist god king at the Republican National Convention and what should have been something out of "Triumph of the Will" and Hitler and the Nazis was something more somnolent and akin to a tired premier giving a speech before the Supreme Soviet. Now, Harris is leading Trump, and the momentum is decidedly hers. How did things go so wrong so quickly for Donald Trump and his campaign? Donald Trump has no one but himself to blame for his political fortunes right now and how he has lost the momentum so fast. I will say this about the assassination attempt. There was an attempt by the Trump campaign, smartly to show or to say that this was part of a larger conversation in America, and this was about hatred of Donald Trump, and the overall tone of our politics in the country right now. But it turned out we very quickly learned it was about a sick young man who like a lot of other lost young men in this country, has easy access to guns but does not have friends. They have the internet but no real meaningful relationships. This young man went out to shoot a famous person. The narrative that Trump and his people were trying to impose on this horrible event did not match up to what the motivation turned out to really be. And then Trump himself turned it into a clown show, with the huge bandage on his ear. The drama Trump tried to create around the assassination attempt did not work. Trump himself has conditioned Americans to change the subject and he has conditioned Americans over and over again, to believe and to know that everything's going to change. The American people know that Trump is going to change his mind. He is going to change his message. That is not going to change. Trump's own temperament and behavior redounded against him in this case because he wanted everybody to think of him as a glorious martyr. He isn't. Earlier in our conversation, you said that Donald Trump has a "superpower" and that he also built his own trap. Trump is a character in a story that he is writing in his own mind in real-time where he is the hero. How did he lose control of his own story? You have to maintain pressure on Donald Trump all the time. Trump is like trying to give a cat a bath. You're going to have to make sure that you are prepared to get cut up and scratched and bitten. You have to be sure you are never going to take your hand off the scruff of that cat's neck until you get it into the bathtub. Trump will fight and scrap and twist and turn and do everything he can to get out of trouble. Once you deliver a message about Donald Trump, you have to keep hammering that message home. You can never give Donald Trump even 10 seconds to come up off the mat. You can never give Trump a break or a breather or grace or any respite. The assassination attempt on Trump's life does not change that fact. That event changed nothing about him and how we should approach defeating him. Donald Trump is still exactly who and what he's always been. Period. Kamala Harris's campaign is very different in terms of style, messaging, and tone. To this point, it is much more effective than was President Biden's. Where was this approach from President Biden and his campaign team? Every campaign is an organic creation. Every campaign is its own thing. This means that every campaign reflects the person leading the campaign, the candidate. Right now, this campaign is reflecting Vice President Harris pretty well. Her campaign is giving the public a look at who she really is. She is not the same sort of institutionalist figure that President Biden is. I don't mean that as a critique of President Biden. Not at all. Kamala Harris is just a different person. She is also of a different generation. She has a different energy, pose and stature. Kamala Harris has a different kind of delivery. That presentation as somebody who is younger, sharper, more and more connected to pop culture and the world as it exists now is going to be the focus of how she is presented to the American people. She's a different candidate than Biden which means that we are going to see a very different type of campaign. The New York Times recently reported that Trump has been "triggered" by Kamala Harris and the early success of her campaign. There is other reporting about how Trump's campaign is in tumult, and he is raging and lashing out. What is your assessment of Trump's behavior and reaction to Harris? Donald Trump is shook. He's not happy. Trump is particularly upset about how on paper, the 2024 election looked like it was in the proverbial bag for him already. And when that didn't work out, as it is slipping away, Trump's reaction has been extremely ugly internally. All of Trump's people are leaking information to the press now. That is a sign of a bad campaign, one that is in real trouble. Everybody's trying to defend themselves; they're trying to blame shift. Kamala Harris is taking the lead in the swing state polls. That has really upset Donald Trump. He really thought he had a campaign that was absolutely perfect for this, for this moment and targeting Joe Biden. Now that is all thrown out the window. Donald Trump and his agents, especially JD Vance, are already launching racist and sexist attacks on Kamala Harris. What they are going to try to do to Kamala Harris will make Birtherism look kind. This is going to be some old school racism and white supremacy and hatred of Black women. I have been trying to warn people that what Trump's campaign is going to do will be Willie Horton 2.0if not worse. How does Trump's campaign balance those types of racist and sexist attacks on Harris with not turning off larger portions of the American electorate? When the Willie Horton ad was put out, that was the late 1980s, the average voter was much more likely to be older and more suburban and rural and whiter. We are in a very different time now. That was also an era where it was harder to fact check, and harder to vet and verify the claims being made in political ads. You could get away with stuff back then that you in no way could get away with now. There are plenty of ways where the countervailing messages to push back on Trump's use of racism and sexism can become very painful for him and his campaign. I have no doubt they are going to try some Willie Horton old school racism attacks. Trump and his people in the media and elsewhere are going to do everything but say the N-word in public by the time this is over. I 100% believe in private that Trump is saying such things. We're in a moment where the desperation on their side is showing. You can see it in their communications. You can see it in the media coverage. You can see it in Trump's behavior on social media. You can see it in the campaigns press releases and statements. Donald Trump does not know how to get out of this. Kamala Harris's rise is a dark moment for him. I do not see any light on the horizon for Trump. Yet, we've got a long way to go. The vice president has moved up in the surveys by some three to seven points, depending on the state. The Democratic National Convention in Chicago is going to be unified and happy and raucous and fun. That's going to help her win a few more points here and there. I won't say the whole race is stacked against Trump right now. But it sure is not built for him. How do you assess the matchup between Tim Walz and JD Vance? Walz connects with ordinary people. He gives a lot of moderate sort of midwestern north central American Republicans a way to go. I know that guy. Yeah, maybe he's a Democrat, but he knows about ice fishing and he is of their culture. Vance is weird. That is obvious. But he is playing that part, almost like a stereotype, every day. I am deeply amused by Vance's inability to connect with regular people. What are the public opinion polls, which are a snapshot in time, indicating about the 2024 Election at this point? What I find most surprising is all the growth that's left is in the middle. Harris is solidifying the Democratic base at a breakneck pace, Trump has not been able to solidify more moderate Republicans, those Nikki Haley voters, those non-Trump voters, and I don't think he can at this point. When the Republicans do a post-mortem of this era, if they are being honest with themselves, they will see that the Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade was the most fatal political moment in their party's modern history. I am very concerned about how too many members of the news media and pundit class (and general public) are leaping to far too early conclusions about Harris and her momentum being somehow determinant of a victory over Trump in November. The lesson from history I keep coming back to is how Michael Dukakis was way ahead of George H.W. Bush and then lost to him in the election. That was my first big campaign, 1988. At this point in the election contest, Dukakis was ahead by 17 points. Here are the lessons from that defeat. Don't ever take anything for granted. Run through the tape. Never take your foot off the pedal. It's a simple and what should be an inviolate rule. You have to run all the way through. You have to fight all the way down. You can never, ever, take a break from the campaign at this early point. You've got to drive through the tape. One of the things we have to watch for here is that Trump can beat Trump. Harris can beat Trump. Trump I do not believe can beat Harris with the popular vote. But Trump could beat Harris because of the Electoral College. How is your hope tank doing as compared to a few weeks ago? What about your worry tank? My worry tank is diminished meaningfully. My hope tank is on three-quarters, but I'm going to stop for gas again soon before Election Day in November. RUTHERFORD COUNTY, N.C. (WSPA) The National Transportation Safety Board has released an aviation investigation preliminary report on the July 7 plane crash that killed three people near the McDowell-Rutherford County line. According to the report, the plane took off from Johnson County Airport in Tennessee around 8:30 p.m. Sunday for Rutherfordton. All three occupants, the pilot, Adam Plummer, and two skydiving instructors, Scott George and Charles Mather, Jr., worked as independent contractors. On this day, Plummer worked for Airstar Aviation, and both skydiving instructors worked for Skydive Mountain City. According to the owner of Skydive Mountain City, the airplane had a normal day of skydiving operations. Before the flight back, the owner of Skydive Mountain City, the pilot and instructors had conversations about the weather during the day. Three plans were in place due to the weather, officials said. The first one was for the owner of Sky Dive Mountain City to drive them back to Rutherford County, and the pilot would pick the airplane up on another day. The second was to fly to Rutherford County. The third was to divert to Asheville, North Carolina, in case the weather had not cleared over Rutherford County. The pilot decided to fly based on the weather appearing to have cleared in Rutherford County. Monday morning, Skydive Mountain City was informed by the Plummers wife, who advised the company that the pilot had never come home. According to the FAA, a Cessna 182 crashed in the mountains near the McDowell-Rutherford County line. Emergency crews were able to find the wreckage using UTVs deep in the woods near the last known location of the plane. The full report detailing the events that led to the fatal crash can be found below. NTSB Preliminary Report_Rutherford CountyDownload Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS. NYC mayor's sex assault accuser IDs people with knowledge of her claims, but his lawyer demands more info NEW YORK A woman whos accusing Mayor Eric Adams in a civil lawsuit of sexually assaulting her over three decades ago recently filed papers identifying more than 50 people who allegedly have personal knowledge about her claims but the mayors lawyer argues her information is overly vague and wants a judge to order she provide more specifics. Adams accuser, Lorna Beach-Mathura, divulged the identities of the individuals in question last month in filings made as part of the discovery process in her lawsuit against the mayor, according to a letter filed in Manhattan Supreme Court on Monday by Alex Spiro, a high-profile attorney retained to represent Adams in the case. Spiros letter says her filing alleges those she named generally have personal knowledge about her accusation that Adams sexually assaulted her in 1993 while they were both working for the citys since-defunct Transit Police Department a claim he vehemently denies. In his filing, Spiro also wrote Beach-Mathura has provided the names of a list of individuals she says she spoke directly with about the alleged assault. However, Spiro wrote in the letter that the information Beach-Mathura has provided is deficient for several reasons. For instance, he said Beach-Mathura hasnt identified a date or approximate date in 1993 on which she claims to have told three individuals directly about the alleged assault. This omitted information is highly relevant, Spiro wrote, arguing he suspects Beach-Mathura isnt providing those details because shes trying to backfill the details of her story. Spiro does acknowledge in his letter that Beach-Mathura identified approximate dates (month and year) for when she told other individuals later on about the alleged assault. Still, Spiro wrote Beach-Mathura must furnish more information about details surrounding the alleged assault and requested that Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Richard Latin schedule a hearing on the matter to require her to do so. Beach-Mathuras lawyer, Megan Goddard, declined to comment Wednesday. Spiro didnt respond to emailed questions, and the mayors office didnt return a request for comment. Beach-Mathura first filed a notice of claim in November notifying Adams she was suing him and the city for at least $5 million under the Adult Survivors Act, which opened up a one-year window for sexual misconduct victims to sue their perpetrators even if statutes of limitations had expired. Beach-Mathura, an ex-Transit Police administrative employee, filed a lawsuit in March alleging that Adams tried to force her to perform oral sex on him in his car in 1993 after meeting with him to talk about a work issue. Beyond denying the accusation, Adams has said he doesnt recall ever meeting Beach-Mathura. Spiro, a celebrity attorney known for representing Elon Musk and Jay-Z, was retained by the city as Adams attorney in the case this spring after the city Law Department said it needed his help in representing the mayor to ensure the agency can maximize its existing resources on our numerous other matters. The city is working along with Spiro on the case. NYC Public Schools is hiring: Dozens of jobs open on Department of Education website NYC Public Schools is hiring: Dozens of jobs open on Department of Education website NEW YORK (PIX11) With back-to-school time right around the corner for New York City, dozens of positions are open in the citys public schools. More Local News On New York Citys Department of Education website, over 50 open positions are waiting for applicants to apply. More positions are available in the Big Apples school system outside of being a teacher, from school business managers to kitchen staff and staff nurses. The complete list of open positions can be seen by clicking here. Those interested will need to register an account here before applying. Jonathan Rizk is a digital journalist who has covered local news in New York City and Washington, D.C. He has been with PIX11 since August 2022. See more of his work here, and follow him on X and Facebook @OfficialRizk. Get in touch at jonathan.rizk@pix11.com. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. CENTRAL PARK, Manhattan (PIX11) Theres an increased police presence in Central Park for the foreseeable future in the wake of recent robberies and assaults. Mounted police and bike cops will join foot patrols and hi-tech drones to help protect the park. More Local News NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Public Information Tarik Sheppard joins PIX11 Morning News to discuss what else is being done to stop the crime trend. Watch the video player for more on this story. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. (Bloomberg) -- Ant Group Co.s profit dropped 10% in the March quarter, following a structural shakeup and ramped up efforts to grow overseas. Most Read from Bloomberg The Hangzhou-based fintech company contributed 3.9 billion yuan ($545 million) of profit to Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. Based on Alibabas one-third stake in Ant, that translates to an estimated 11.7 billion yuan in profit for the three month ended in March, according to Bloomberg calculations based on the listed companys disclosures. The results compared with a 19% plunge in earnings for the previous three months, when Ant was hit by an investment loss. Its earnings lag a quarter behind Alibabas. Ant declined to comment in an emailed statement. The company made broad overhauls to its business in March, setting up independent boards for international, database and digital technologies units to pave the way for future spinoffs. The company has been expanding its overseas operations to offset slowing growth at home, tying up with at least 25 e-wallet platforms for cross-border payments in regions including Southeast Asia and Europe. The moves come after billionaire Jack Ma gave up control of Ant last year. China wrapped up its crackdown on the once high-flying internet sector by slapping more than $1 billion in fines on Ant and Tencent Holdings Ltd. in July last year. Ants international business has also been building its treasury management platform known as Whale, underpinned by blockchain technology. Separately it worked with DBS Group Holdings Ltd. to start a treasury token pilot project to improve the efficiency of fund movements between bank accounts. Domestically, Ant is considering selling its stake in Baihang Credit Co., a personal credit reporting firm, as it awaits a license approval for another similar entity known as Qiantang, a person familiar said in June. Ant proposed buying back as much as 7.6% of its shares last year, giving investors such as Fidelity Investments and T. Rowe Price Group Inc. an opportunity to sell some stock. Under the repurchase plan, the companys valuation was trimmed to about $79 billion well off its peak of $280 billion before regulators scrapped an initial public offering three years ago. The fintech company is awaiting a financial holding company license, which would help revive the IPO. Initially catering to Chinese tourists traveling outside the country, the company has expanded its services into a backbone for cross-border payments known as Alipay+ that can be used by different wallets. The network connected more than 88 million merchants in 57 countries and regions as of early March. Story continues Ants affiliate Alibaba saw revenue rise by only 4%, after aggressive promotions and new shopping features failed to drive spending in China. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- A young local chef and 7th-grade student at Texas Online Preparatory School (TOPS) from Odessa, shared her cooking journey after competing alongside six budding chefs from around the country in the 2024 K12 National Cook-Off. Out of the over 350 young chefs who applied for one of the six spots to compete in the K12 National Cook-Off, 14-year-old and seventh-grade student Alivia Spice Spinner Adams from Odessa was chosen after submitting her first-ever attempt at French-cut lamb chops. Related Stories: UTPB art student wins Odessa sports complex logo contest Adamss finalist spot-winning meal included French-cut lamb chops with her own spin-off demi-glaze that she served over golden mashed potatoes, a poblano cream and spinach rue plating sauce, with a side of carrots and asparagus which was garnished with deep-fried poblano strips, dehydrated spaghetti squash, and micro greens. I like to experiment with new foods and lamb is a new ingredient for me. I enjoy making up my own plating sauces and demi glazes. My spice rubs are made from fresh ingredients and produce that I dehydrate, grind, and mix to create my own taste. Since Ive never cooked Lamb, I chose this dish to challenge myself, Alivia wrote to judges in her submission. The judging panel included Chef David Ho, the youngest Chopped champion, special celebrity chef Isabel Cross, and Kitchen of Purpose director Daniela Hurtado. Adams shared that after submitting her original recipe and meal, awaited the results from the judging period, then by June 11, finalists were notified. I got an email saying that I was invited to go all the way to Virginia for the final competition and it was very exciting, Adams said. The competition, which can be now viewed on the K12 YouTube channel, was hosted in Arlington Virginia, at the Kitchen of Purpose, a nonprofit committed to helping low-income people and solving food insecurity issues. Upon receiving the news of making it to the finals- with the help of her brother, Austin Neer, and some K12 trip funds- Adams and her mother traveled nearly 2,000 miles to Arlington, Virginia to compete against the six other young finalists ranging from 6th to 12th grade. Chef Alivia Adams, later nicknamed Chef Alivia Spice Spinner Adams (for her love of growing her own herbs, dehydrating, and creating spices,) was one of the youngest finalists who competed in the K12 National Cook-off. Adams shared that the stress level was high during the competition, especially because it involved a blind draw. Despite the stress and uncertainty while competing, Adams successfully completed and showcased her meal, which ended up being a beef tenderloin entree served over mashed yukon gold potatoes with a side of carrots and asparagus. News you might have missed: YWLA unveils newly renovated greenhouse, learning space It was so fun to be there with other kids that I knew shared the same passion as me, Adams said when sharing her competition experience and displaying her unwashed apron. It has stains from when I was cooking- which is just the best memories. Adams also shouted out her brother, Austin Neer, thanking him for his support- which made the entire trip to Virginia and competition experience possible. Now back in West Texas, the 7th-grade chef hopes to continue her passion. Cooking runs in my family and its definitely something I want to keep doing, Alivia said. To watch Alivia cook and compete, click here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin. BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) An off-duty New York City employee was arrested in Brooklyn Wednesday night, according to the NYPD. Kalena Lorainey, 29, was taken into custody at around 9 p.m. More Local News Lorainey, who works as a police communications technician, is facing endangering the welfare of a child and assault charges, police said. Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Ben Mitchell is a digital content producer from Vermont who has covered both local and international news since 2021. He joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of his work here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. Getty Images Some years ago, while planning my upcoming retirement, I asked a fellow school administrator what it was like for him to be physically and emotionally away from the job and career. Every day is Saturday morning, he replied without hesitation. In my case, as a way to resist the every-day-is-Saturday-morning syndrome, I signed up to be a volunteer with several organizations, including a community arts group and a hospital. But the volunteer assignment I love most during retirement comes several times each year, when I assist the Ohio Coalition for Equity & Adequacy of School Funding and its allied group Vouchers Hurt Ohio by staffing an exhibit booth at the Ohio School Boards Association Capital Conference as well as the Ohio State Fair. Staffing a booth at the State Fair provides a unique opportunity to observe a cross section of the states citizens and engage with them in assessing attitudes and perceptions on a variety of public issues. Moreover, a good ear at the fair can also discern individual and family needs as well. This year, a colleague and I greeted nearly two hundred Ohioans who stopped by our booth one day to learn more about the EdChoice Voucher Expansion scheme sneaked through the legislature at the end of a session, hidden in the budget details like a Russian nesting doll. We shared these facts: The universal voucher scheme is illegal because it clearly violates the Ohio Constitutions requirement in Article VI, Section 2 that no religious or other sect or sects, shall ever have any exclusive right to any part of the school funds of this state. Vouchers use public funds for private purposes, and these monies come from the same line item in the state budget used to fund public schools. In addition to being illegal, vouchers increase the reliance on local property taxes to fund public schools, guaranteeing more ballot measures in the future. Participants in the Ed Choice Expansion voucher program increased more than 274% over the previous fiscal year, the result being that nearly $1 billion could have been used to adequately fund public schools. The great majority of public funds for vouchers are consumed by religious schools, with Catholic schools being the greatest beneficiaries of tax dollars. The idea of school choice, where proponents claimed for years that poor families can escape failing public schools has been proven false. Instead, the Economic Policy Institute determined that vouchers benefit the wealthy at the expense of low-income and rural communities. Moreover, the EPI study found that since vouchers typically do not cover the full cost of private school, low-income families are still unable to afford private school education even with a voucher and few rural students have access to private schools. When this information was shared with the citizens that stopped by our booth, we soon realized that they were mostly unaware of the basic facts as outlined in these bullet points. The contacts made at the State Fair and at subsequent events allowed us not only to share information but also use the experience as a product from a focus group, where our message is refined and passed on to colleagues, the media, and to neighbors and friends. Our team of volunteers at the Ohio Coalition and Vouchers Hurt Ohio will continue to inform our fellow citizens that public funds are a public good. That conversation is focused on what is at stake in the legislatures illegal and reckless behavior in funding private and religious school tuition for high-income families that looks like a blatant attempt to destroy public education. Nearly one-third of the states school districts have joined the lawsuit to end the voucher program because of its questionable constitutionality in supporting private and religious schools as well as its obvious funding of multiple systems of education. In addition to the language in Article VI, Section 2 that prohibits the use of state funds for religious or other sect or sects, the first part of that section calls for the General Assembly to secure a thorough and efficient system of common schools throughout the state Note the use of the singular form system in the language of the Ohio Constitution. The lawsuit supported by the states public school districts challenging the voucher program is set to begin on Nov. 4 in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas. Regardless of the outcome, it is expected that the appeals process will propel the case to the Ohio Supreme Court. Those who have chosen to defend public education from this flagrant assault on societal norms are asking the public to also serve as volunteers in spreading this information so that an informed citizenry can be a true arsenal of democracy. Click here to see if your school district has joined the lawsuit to ensure that public funds are used for our public schools that are open to all and who otherwise do not discriminate, as is the practice of most private and religious schools. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST An investigation by the inspector general has found the former leader of the Department of Early Education and Care unfairly chose a company to work with, IG Jeffrey S. Shapiros office said Wednesday. Samantha Aigner-Treworgy worked with Illinois company Aim and Arrow in her role as Chicagos Chief of Early Learning before heading the EEC for the Bay State and sending the firm over $2.1 million for strategic planning purposes. The OIG found that EECs procurement of the Aim and Arrow contract violated 801 CMR 21.06, Competitive Procurement Standards, in multiple capacities, and that Aigner-Treworgy conducted the procurement process with clear preconceived intent of only selecting them. The OIG found that EEC did not advertise its RFP for strategic planning services sufficiently and engaged in exclusive communications outside of the RFP process. Procurement rules exist to ensure that state contracts are awarded fairly and that all qualified vendors have a fair chance to bid. In this instance, EECs process for procuring strategic planning services through a request for proposals (RFP) was not competitive, and there was clear favoritism, IG Shapiro said in a statement. Aigner-Treworgy resigned amid the states investigation in 2022 after serving as EEC Commissioner since August 2019. 25 Investigates: EEC Commissioner resigns, under investigation by MA Inspector General In 2022, 25 Investigates obtained documents that indicated Aim and Arrow received $2 million from the EEC over two years. An online review of public records in both Massachusetts and Illinois revealed Commissioner Aigner-Treworgy worked in Illinois education agencies that also contracted with Aim and Arrow founder, M. Elizabeth Cole, before coming to Massachusetts in 2019. 25 Investigates: $1.8+ million contracts Mass. gave to Illinois consultant prompts state probe Investigative reporter and anchor Kerry Kavanaugh examined state data bases and found between November 2019 and November 2021, EEC paid Aim and Arrow $1,804,053 for Consultant services for departments. The bulk of the payments - $981,650 occurred in 2020 when most state agencies and daycares were closed for the pandemic. The first payment to Aim and Arrow was in the amount $329,300.80 in November 2019, state records show. That payment, however, shows up in Fiscal Year 2020 records. According to its website, Aim and Arrow builds the capabilities of leaders, teams, organizations, and systems to achieve greater impact. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW A Critical Components Aerospace worker manufactures a landing gear axel at at the company's Oklahoma City facility. The company, which has partnered with the state's ACES Program, produces flight and space components. (Photo by Kennedy Thomason/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY A small state-run aerospace program is helping drive companies to Oklahoma fast and furiously, the programs director said. The states Aerospace Commerce Economic Services Program, or ACES, has helped secure 54 projects generating $1.9 billion in new investments since its launch in 2018, according to 2023 state analysis. The four-member unit landed nearly a quarter of those projects expected to generate about $702.7 million in investments in 2023 alone, according to the report. Its letting people know that Oklahoma is open for aerospace business, said Sandra Shelton, a spokesperson for the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics. Thats really important, because when people think about Oklahoma, they dont think about Oklahoma being the aerospace capital of the world. Shelton said the unit, which is an arm of the Department of Commerce, helps the state continue to grow its No. 2 industry. Theres all these companies that are supporting the aerospace mission, Shelton said. And so we have many veins that are kind of flowing into the arteries of the heartbeat of our aerospace economy. And I think thats whats really strengthening our economy, diversifying it from oil and gas. In 2018, House Bill 2578 created the ACES Program to gain high-level aerospace expertise and offer consulting services to aerospace-related companies, including aviation and defense. The program also works with other entities such as colleges and CareerTech to expand the industry in the state. I would say in my wildest dreams, I didnt think it would take off like it did, Sen. Paul Rosino, R-Oklahoma City, who authored the legislation. No pun intended there, but it did. Rosino served at Tinker Air Force Base for about 10 years of his 25-year tenure with the U.S. Navy. The programs budget for fiscal year 2025 is about $1.8 million. The program has received $6.2 million from the Legislature since its creation, according to the analysis. Leshia Pearson, ACES Program director, said she has seen it grow fast and furiously. Our goals are to grow Oklahomas aerospace and defense industry, and we do that by supporting existing business in the state, as well as bringing new business to the state, Pearson said. Tim Frisby, managing partner for Critical Components Aerospace, which makes landing gear and space components, said the company has worked with the ACES program almost since its launch. The company attends trades shows with the ACES team, and has a booth in Oklahoma Alley, the nickname for where exclusively Oklahoma-based companies promote their products. After many shows, Critical Components Aerospace has outgrown the ACES booth, and now it has its own, Frisby said. Through the ACES program, the company has been able to land a multi-million dollar Air Force contract, Frisby said. So they facilitated awards of STEP grants that helped pay for the trade shows, and they were really indispensable for that kind of thing, Frisby said. The grants help companies promote their products. Frisby said the company will likely stay partners with the program to continue to be advocates for aerospace in Oklahoma. ACES recently targeted the Farnborough International Airshow in England. Throughout the year, the division attends and offers events like airshows, career fairs and industry days to network with other companies and recruit people to the aerospace industry in Oklahoma. Pearson said about 15 Oklahoma-based companies traveled with ACES to the airshow, which is the largest group the program has taken. While there, the companies were able to network with other attendees. Recently, the program also worked with the Air Force to host an Oklahoma industry day for the fourth time, she said. In April, Pearson said the ACES program held a career fair where Tinker Air Force Base hired about 125 of the 835 attendees on the spot. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST An Oklahoma County district judge on Thursday denied a motion to disqualify her from overseeing a major embezzlement case against the co-founders of Epic Charter School. The matter will be appealed to the chief judge at the Oklahoma County Courthouse. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY A judge presiding over the major embezzlement case against the co-founders of Epic Charter School faces a call to recuse, with a defense attorney accusing her of being an advocate for the prosecution. District Judge Susan Stallings denied the request for her disqualification during a hearing Thursday at the Oklahoma County Courthouse. Both she and prosecutors from the Attorney Generals Office disagreed with the defenses argument that she is unable to be impartial. The court finds there were a lot of assumptions made but no facts, Stallings said. Defense attorney Joe White, who filed the motion, said he intends to appeal Stallings decision. First, the matter would come before the chief judge in Oklahoma County, a responsibility the district judges share on a rotating basis. Then, if rejected again, White could raise it to the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. Its not uncommon for a judge to receive a request to recuse, but most are resolved in private. Far fewer disqualifications are ever disputed in a public hearing. White said Stallings should be disqualified because of her work history at the Oklahoma County District Attorneys Office, which investigated Epic and filed charges against the schools co-founders. Stallings is a former Oklahoma County prosecutor who led the DAs Domestic Violence Unit. You may well have been a participant at least in hearing information about the Epic case, White told the judge during the hearing. There is reasonable evidence, reasonable reasons that I question your impartiality. What matters not is the reality of bias but its appearance. Stallings said she had no knowledge of the Epic investigation until the charges were filed years after she left the DAs office. The DAs office charged Epics co-founders, Ben Harris and David Chaney, in 2022 with racketeering and a litany of financial crimes, accusing the defendants of creating a complex scheme to enrich themselves with millions of public education funds. Harris and Chaney deny ever misusing taxpayer dollars. The Attorney Generals Office has since taken over prosecution of the case. Epics former chief financial officer, Josh Brock, faces many of the same charges as Harris and Chaney. He has since agreed to testify against the co-founders in exchange for a plea deal that would guarantee him no prison time. Although more than two years have passed, multiple delays have kept the court proceedings in their early stages. A weeklong preliminary hearing in March laid out the evidence against Harris and Chaney, but a week wasnt enough to get through all the witness testimony. Special judge Jason Glidewell handled the preliminary hearing. He would decide whether prosecutors have established enough probable cause for the case to continue to trial with Stallings, who is Glidewells superior. The preliminary hearing was set to resume in May, but it was stalled again by a motion to disqualify Chaneys attorney, Gary Wood. Brocks attorneys said Wood used to represent their client and therefore should be barred from cross-examining him. Wood denies ever representing Brock. In an unexpected turn of events, Stallings decided to handle Woods disqualification hearing herself, rather than the special judge overseeing the preliminary hearing. White, who represents Harris, said Stallings work history came to light during meetings leading up to Woods hearing. He said she should have disclosed the information sooner. The attempt to force Stallings off the case adds another delay to an already stalled case. It remains unclear when the preliminary hearing will resume or when the request for Woods disqualification will be resolved. White complained Stallings cant remain unbiased in Woods disqualification hearing when her old boss, former Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater, could be called as a witness. Praters former first assistant, Jimmy Harmon, said there is zero basis to remove Stallings and called Whites complaints an attempt at judge shopping. Now the head of the attorney generals criminal division, Harmon said any information about the Epic investigation stayed between himself and the DA. He said Stallings wouldnt have known any details because team leaders didnt talk in front of each other about ongoing, sensitive investigations. Thats not the way Mr. Prater ran his office, Harmon said during Thursdays court hearing. White also contended that Harmon revealed details of confidential negotiations between Prater and Wood information that he says now spoils the judges ability to be impartial. The information was disclosed in a witness list Harmon filed for the hearing on Woods disqualification. The witness list states Prater would testify that Wood attempted to negotiate a settlement agreement on behalf of Harris, Chaney and Brock. The settlement, which never ended up happening, would involve the defendants paying a significant sum up-front in restitution in exchange for no criminal charges being filed, the witness document states. The fact that Stallings is now aware of this information is disqualifying and reeks of bias, White said. Prater declined to comment on Stallings and Woods disqualification proceedings. I believe its appropriate for any information about the Epic case to come out at future hearings in open court, he told Oklahoma Voice. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Gov. Kevin Stitt speaks at the Disagree Better Summit held at the Oklahoma City Memorial and Museum on Wednesday. (Photo by Emma Murphy/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY Gov. Kevin Stitt is urging Oklahomans to disagree better when theyre discussing controversial political topics or their differing faiths. At an event derived from the Disagree Better initiative started by the National Governors Association, the Republican governor pushed Oklahomans to engage in civil discourse in political discussions. Stitt serves as the vice chair of the NGA and spoke on two panels at Wednesdays event at the Oklahoma City Memorial and Museum in tandem with its Better Conversations initiative, which offers tools for Oklahomans to engage in conversations on sensitive or controversial topics. The national Disagree Better initiative, launched by former NGA chair Utah Gov. Spencer Cox in 2022, has a goal of helping Americans work through differences when it comes to hot button issues in the United States Avoiding hateful rhetoric and listening during political conversations were major themes at the summit, that included lawmakers and higher education officials. The panels focused on topics like having conversations with people across political divisions, free speech at higher education institutions and navigating faith. Speaking on a panel with Rep. Suzanne Schreiber, D-Tulsa, Stitt said it was important to model the way politics should be discussed across party lines. We may have a difference of opinion between each other, but we dont have to do it hatefully, and we can argue, Stitt said. The two Oklahoma politicians, for instance, disagreed about a controversial immigration law and the topic of school choice. Schreiber said both were instances where she felt legislation could have benefited from conversations like these. But both found common ground when it came to social medias role in promoting hateful rhetoric in political conversations. The important thing is to really sit down and get out of your assumptions that you may be seeing and assuming about someone that has a D or an R label, Schreiber said. Be curious and find out where they are coming from. Allyson Shortle, an associate professor of political science at University of Oklahoma, said Wednesdays summit will not solve any problems all at once but is a starting place for Oklahoma. Shortle said that events like the Disagree Better Summit demonstrate a growing distaste for hateful rhetoric in political discussions. I think we can see in a state like Oklahoma a lot of divisive rhetoric on the part of a few, but a real willingness of most people to reject those messages but still feel that the environment has shifted to a hostile one because of those few loud voices, Shortle said. She said many state legislators and Stitt have demonstrated that they are not willing to enter into too negative of dialogue and that the summit is encouraging more positive political conversations. At the end of the day, in order for a democracy to function and for local politics and state politics to function, there needs to be more trust and nobodys going to trust each other if were all calling each other heathens or, you know, evil doers, Shortle said. Stitt was one of four Republican governors who attended the National Governors Association conference in July. The governors of Utah, Wyoming and Virginia also attended. In total, 13 governors attended with the other nine governors being Democrats. Cox, who was NGA chair at the time, made a plea at the summer meeting asking the countrys governors to not tear down the institution of the NGA following low participation from fellow governors. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, who currently serves as NGA chair, said at the July meeting that the Disagree Better initiative is an important reminder to all of our fellow Americans that theres a healthier and more productive way to deal with conflicting opinions. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST For five days in July, a group of Oklahoma residents and police officers discussed the often tense relationship between Black communities and law enforcement. The sensitive topic has been the focus of forums, small-groups, news conferences and town halls across the country, but people who took part in a recent OK Justice Circle trip had discussions and experiences in a unique format: a trip to Washington, D.C. Justice group members the Rev. Jon Middendorf and Wayland Cubit, a retired Oklahoma City police lieutenant currently serving as director of security for Oklahoma City Public Schools, led a group of northeast Oklahoma City residents and metro-area police officers to the nation's capital on a trip aimed at enhancing dialogue and establishing relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve. The trip included representatives from the Edmond, Del City and Oklahoma City police departments. A retired Midwest City police leader also participated. More: UCO students can now receive college credit from OKC police academy Middendorf, senior pastor of OKC First Church of the Nazarene, said the trip exceeded his expectations and will culminate at an OK Justice Circle "Breaking Bread" event during Black History Month in February. He said a film about the trip will be shown, and members of the group will have opportunities to talk about their experiences. The minister said there also will be time for community members to ask questions about the trip. "It went well enough that we feel like we have to keep doing this kind of thing, so we're going to do it again next year," he said. "The point of this is not even that these were police officers, and it's not that these other folks were Black. The point is the friendship that allows people to see somebody that they may not have seen or understood before." 'Incredible resources for peacemaking' Middendorf said the group's visit was paid for through a grant from Flourish, the philanthropic arm of Oklahoma City-based Hobby Lobby. The trip included visits to the White House, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Law Enforcement Museum and Arlington Cemetery. The Oklahomans also met with U.S. Sen. James Lankford, whom Middendorf said helped the OK Justice Circle with certain aspects of the trip. Middendorf said he was optimistic about the potential for connection and movement toward peace. Oklahomans visiting Washington, D.C., with the OK Justice Circle pose for a photo with Sen. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma City. "We think that there are incredible resources for peacemaking," he said. Cubit, a candidate for Oklahoma County sheriff, said OK Justice Circle members have seen friendships form between people of different backgrounds as they gather for meals at Breaking Bread events. He said the hope was that the D.C. trip would result in similar friendships and it did. "It ended up being more conversations about who we are and what kind of people we are in the community, and what we do in the community, and why we do it in the community," he said. "What we thought was going to be the overarching theme became the sub theme. Friendship became the major theme." This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma Justice Circle brings cops, citizens to DC for program (Getty Images) (This image cannot be republished unless you have a Getty subscription.) OKLAHOMA CITY Hospitals have seen a significant increase in violence against health care workers, prosecutors were told Thursday. It is kind of getting to a tipping point, said Maggie Martin, Oklahoma Hospital Association chief legal officer. Her remarks were made to those attending the District Attorneys Council meeting in Oklahoma City. Over the years, there has been a 63% increase in violence against health care workers, Martin said. About every hour, two nurses are assaulted in a hospital, Martin said. Assault and battery against a health care worker remains a felony, she said. While hospitals can remove someone who is a credible threat, they still have to allow access to emergency rooms, she said. That is where a number of incidents occur, Martin said. Bennett Geister, president of OKC Communities Mercy, described a recent incident where a family member gave alcohol to a hospital patient who then assaulted staff and did widespread room and equipment damage. The patient had to be sedated, he said. The highest compliance we have with employees pressing charges is in the emergency room, Geister said. They are the most used to it. They see it the most. Smaller rural facilities dont have their own security or the resources to handle the violence, he said. Hospitals put together detailed reports on what happened in an effort to prevent it in the future, he said. It sure sounds like you have a great amount of information, but that information doesnt ever make it into a law enforcement report, said Steve Kunzweiler, Tulsa County district attorney. Kunzweiler said the information is critical to prosecutors when they are trying to evaluate the strength of a case. He questioned how prosecutors could get better access to that information because they are not getting it through ordinary channels. There is a big difference between a hospital attorney and an attorney representing a doctor, he said. Kunzweiler said would rather go to the doctors attorney instead of the hospital attorney to gain access to a witness because hospitals are concerned about insulating themselves from liability. Tammy Powell is president of SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital Oklahoma City. Weve had employees that have been paralyzed, she said. We have an employee right now with a fractured back. Greg Mashburn, the district attorney for Cleveland, Garvin and McClain counties, said his office gets a lot of push back from the Norman hospital when his employees try to get information, which makes it difficult to prosecute the cases. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST (Bloomberg) -- Lenovo Group Ltd. reported better-than-expected quarterly profit, affirming hopes for a gradual computing industry recovery driven by global AI spending. Most Read from Bloomberg Net income grew 38% to $243 million in the three months ended June, Lenovo said in a filing on Thursday. That compares with an average estimate for $231 million. Revenue rose 20% to $15.4 billion. The results reflect how growing demand for the servers essential in artificial intelligence development is lifting the computing hardware market from its post-Covid slump. From Amazon.com Inc. to Google and Baidu Inc., big tech companies are raising spending on data centers at a rapid clip, preparing for an envisioned boom in AI services. Lenovo extended its lead over HP Inc. and Dell Technologies Inc. with 14.7 million PCs shipped during the June quarter, according to research firm IDC. But the Chinese firms stock has lagged its rivals this year, in part because of worries about the worlds No. 2 economy and exposure to geopolitical tensions. Chief Executive Officer Yang Yuanqing is betting on AI-powered devices to boost Lenovos global business in coming years, though that market remains untested. The global PC markets growth will accelerate to somewhere between 5% and 10% next year, with the new refresh cycle driven by both AI-PC as well as Windows 11 replacement, Yang told Bloomberg in an interview on Thursday. What Bloomberg Intelligence Says Despite Lenovos 1Q earnings beating consensus with revenue growth of 20%, rising trade tension could cap tightening of its dollar bonds, given the already-tight ratings headroom. We estimate an increase in $650 million of operating cost could lead to an increase in leverage to over 1x in 2024, triggering the negative ratings guideline. AI-powered devices could be a catalyst in the coming year. Cecilia Chan, BI analyst Geopolitical risks, including possible new PC tariffs or chip-export restrictions by US or European regulators, remain a question mark for the 40-year-old company. The Biden administration has already slapped a series of curbs on exports to China of advanced chipmaking technologies and processors, including Nvidia Corp.s most capable AI-training chips. Lenovo is by far the top seller of servers in the country. Some of Nvidias GPUs, which are in hot demand for training AI models, are still limited in supply, but overall the situation is getting better, Yang said. Story continues Lenovo shares slumped as much as 2.9% in Hong Kong in afternoon trading after the company published its financial results, before recouping some losses. (Updates with share price, CEO comments) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. This article was originally published in Oklahoma Voice. OKLAHOMA CITY Several House Republicans have signed a letter asking for an investigation into alarming actions from state Superintendent Ryan Walters and the Oklahoma State Board of Education and asked for an inquiry into whether the failures justify impeachment. Rep. Mark McBride, R-Moore, wrote the letter and sent it to House Speaker Charles McCall on Tuesday, along with 16 co-signing lawmakers. McBrides office said four more lawmakers have signed the letter since he submitted it to the speaker. The letter, which Oklahoma Voice obtained, marks the first time that public calls for an impeachment inquiry have come from within Walters own Republican Party. House Democrats have made similar requests since last year. Get stories like these delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter Walters said the lawmakers who signed the letter are liberal Republicans who have joined the far-left Democrats to try to thwart the will of Oklahoma voters. Related Ryan Walters: How a Beloved Teacher Became Oklahomas Top Culture Warrior Their calls are baseless and have no merit, Walters said in a statement. They reek of political desperation from those who are failing in their misguided attempts to stop the positive education reforms that parents and voters have demanded from their elected leaders. McCall said he would not consider the letters request until 51 or more Republicans sign it, according to a response he sent to his caucus. House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, has said previously it would take a criminal act by state Superintendent Ryan Walters for his chamber to consider initiating impeachment proceedings. (Photo by Carmen Forman/Oklahoma Voice) He said criminal investigations should be handled by the Attorney Generals Office, not the Legislature, and the financial concerns listed in the letter could be answered in public budgetary meetings with officials from the Oklahoma State Department of Education. I take elections very seriously, and anyone who was duly elected by the people of this state should not be removed from that office, given to them by the people unless absolutely required by the Constitution, McCall said. He said previously his chamber wouldnt initiate impeachment proceedings against Walters unless somebody puts forth an allegation of something criminal (in) nature. Many of the co-signers, like McBride, sit on education-related committees, including the Common Education Committee leader Rep. Rhonda Baker, R-Yukon, and the committees vice chair, Rep. Mark Vancuren, R-Owasso. McBride, who has long been an outspoken critic of Walters, listed six concerns that arose since the 2024 Legislative Session ended on May 30. First on the list is the state Board of Educations refusal to allow lawmakers to attend the boards executive session meetings. State law grants permission to legislators who sit on related committees to attend a boards closed-door executive sessions, which are kept private from the rest of the public. Multiple lawmakers have said in recent months they were blocked from attending the private meetings. McBride also cited a lack of responsiveness from Walters administration to lawmakers requests for information and to open records requests from the public. The education funding committee leader also referenced a failure to comply with the Legislatures budgetary directives on school security funds and funding for childrens asthma inhalers. Rep. Mark McBride, R-Moore, leads a House education budget hearing Jan. 10 at the state Capitol. McBride wrote a letter calling for an investigation into state Superintendent Ryan Walters. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice) The variety of complaints add up to a pattern of overreach, disregard for legislative oversight and policy making, and lack of concern for student safety and budgetary stability, McBride wrote. The letter calls for a special investigative committee on the state Department of Education. The committees responsibility would be to investigate internal and external failures to follow the law by Walters and the state Board of Education. It also would look into whether those failures amount to willful neglect of duty or incompetency, which the Oklahoma Constitution says are grounds for impeachment. It saddens me that I must make such a request of you, McBride wrote to the speaker. However, I believe that all other remedies have been exhausted. I hear daily from constituents from my district and taxpayers from across the state pleading for this body to take action and hold the superintendent and the state Board of Education accountable for their rogue behavior. The House speaker would have to agree to create such a committee. McCall will be in office until he is term-limited in November. The House is responsible for drawing up articles of impeachment and presenting the case to the Senate, which would act as a court of impeachment, according to the state Constitution. Rep. Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City, said it is time for the Republican supermajority in the Oklahoma Legislature to begin impeachment proceedings against state Superintendent Ryan Walters. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice) House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City, said her caucus has made five unheeded calls for impeachment proceedings against Walters. She said on Tuesday she is glad members of the Republican supermajority are now on board. Republicans hold the power in both legislative chambers and the Governors mansion, Munson said. It is time for them to use their power to hold the state superintendent accountable to the people of Oklahoma. We have all waited long enough. Vocal discontent from Republican lawmakers escalated this week, even among those who didnt sign McBrides letter. The next House speaker who will succeed McCall, Rep. Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, echoed other lawmakers objections to the Education Departments untimely responses and refusals to allow legislators into executive sessions. Hilbert did not sign the letter requesting an investigation. Instead, he issued a statement Tuesday urging the rhetoric toward educators to not only be toned down, but reversed. This past week my daughter started kindergarten in a public school where I know she is loved and supported by phenomenal teachers and support staff, Hilbert said. School districts across the state are back to school but instead of talking about the excitement of a new year, we are discussing these issues due to the statements being put out by (the state Education Department). Two of the lawmakers who signed the letter, Rep. Ty Burns, R-Pawnee, and Rep. Josh West, R-Grove, also voiced frustration over Walters disparaging comments about the superintendent of Bixby Public Schools. Burns and West joined Rep. Chris Banning, R-Bixby, in a statement Monday defending Bixby Superintendent Rob Miller, a former marine. The three lawmakers also are military veterans. Miller had complained the state Education Department has been slow to provide estimates for Oklahoma schools annual Title I funding. Walters responded by calling Miller a liar and a clown. Burns, West and Banning said the name-calling is unbecoming of any leader, especially the highest-ranking person in the Oklahoma public school system. As elected officials, paid with taxpayer dollars and entrusted with the future of our state, we must hold ourselves accountable to Oklahomans and have the integrity to admit when we are wrong, they wrote. We had hoped Walters would eventually grow into his role, but after two years of problematic leadership tactics, our patience is wearing thin. Editors note: This story has been updated to reflect additional lawmakers who signed McBrides letter after initial publication and responses from McCall, Walters and Hilbert. Oklahoma Voice is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oklahoma Voice maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Janelle Stecklein for questions: info@oklahomavoice.com. Follow Oklahoma Voice on Facebook and X. Oklahoma State Department of Education to be investigated by state watchdog agency Rep. Kevin Wallace, R-Wellston, right, announced he has initiated an investigation into the Oklahoma State Department of Education through the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency. He said House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, left, approved. (Photo by Barbara Hoberock/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY Amid calls for a probe of state Superintendent Ryan Walters, Oklahoma lawmakers announced a legislative watchdog agency would investigate spending concerns at the state Department of Education, where Walters is chief. Rep. Kevin Wallace, R-Wellston, announced Thursday he directed the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency to investigate. LOFT answers to the Oklahoma Legislature and makes recommendations designed to increase efficiency and ensure programs and services are effective. Wallace leads the influential House Appropriations and Budget Committee and is the chairperson of LOFT. He said he initiated the inquiry with approval from House Speaker Charles McCall. This isnt about Superintendent Walters, Wallace said in a statement. This is about the transparency of a state agency and getting answers for our constituents. Walters did not immediately comment Thursday afternoon. Lawmakers have complained in recent weeks that the state Education Department was withholding funds for school security, asthma inhalers and teacher maternity leave. The agency said quirks within state law havent allowed it to disburse the money. That and other disputes culminated this week into two dozen House Republicans signing a letter asking for an investigative committee to look into Walters rogue behavior and whether he has committed an impeachable offense. McCall said he would not consider an investigative committee unless 51 House Republicans, about two-thirds of the chambers GOP caucus, signed the letter. His response was effectively a bucket of cold water on the impeachment inquiry. LOFT, though, is designed to examine whether state agencies are responsibly spending taxpayer funds, McCall said in a statement Thursday. This investigation by LOFT allows us to address these concerns efficiently without the need for a costly special session, McCall said. Attorney General Gentner Drummond has said he is investigating the state Education Department for potential violations of the state Open Records Act and Open Meeting Act. Drummond cited complaints that the Walters administration hasnt answered open records requests and refused to let lawmakers attend private executive session meetings of the state Board of Education, despite the Open Meeting Act permitting them entry. The House speaker said his office will share all relevant information with the AG in this investigation. It is unclear when either investigation will be complete. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST BISON, Kan. (KSNW) The oldest living veteran in Rush County celebrated his 100th birthday this week. Tech. Sgt. Alex Freidenberger says it was his calling to serve his country when he was drafted into the Army in 1944, a few years after graduating from high school. After Freidenberger received his draft letter, he learned he would be sent to the Philippines to serve in the infantry. I got a notice. They wanted me to join, to go to the Army, he said. During training, Freidenberger shot eight out of 10 targets from 500 yards, quickly attracting attention from higher ranks. There was a lieutenant watching me. Afterwards, he came up to me, he said, Soldier, thats pretty darn good shooting. Look, I was raised on a farm; I love to shoot, he said. One morning, Fridenberger was told hed be leaving on the first C-47 plane at 5 a.m. I dont see any life jackets or anything. He said, If this plane goes down, your Army career is over,' he said Fridenberger was transferred to Australias armed forces headquarters, which he calls one of the most exciting moments of his military career. But the plane didnt go down. I looked out at the window and seen the wing, seen it flopping. I didnt know, but we made it, we made it, he said After leaving the Army in 1946, Fridenberger returned to the States and married Alberta Josephine Hoffman in 1949. They were together for more than 60 years before her passing in 2012. He says they enjoyed life back in Kansas, but the journey was a bumpy one. In the morning, when I fired up my tractor, she started her tractor, and we farmed all day long. Ya, she helped me; she liked that, he said. Fridenberger has kept busy in his later years by going to Washington, D.C., on a Kansas Honor Flight, and even skydiving at 95 years old, which is a friendly competition with his grandkids. He says if life gets boring, he recommends jumping out of a plane. I had some grandchildren that tried to show me up; I wasnt about to let that happen; I said no way, he said. Loved ones celebrated Fridenbergers 100th birthday this week, blowing out a candle for each year of life lived. Theres a lot more people in the service, that done more than I did, I was happy to do what I could do. I never regretted any part of military life. I enjoyed it, he said. Fridenberger said he had wild adventures behind enemy lines with his best friend Buck, and if he got that draft letter today, he would do it all over again. If you want to nominate a veteran for our Veteran Salute, email KSN at news@ksn.com. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV. Olympic flags are headed to L.A. City Hall. Not everyone is happy A Shinto priest dedicates a shrine in front of Japanese and L.A. city officials, including Japanese Consul General Yukio Hasumi and L.A. Councilmember Edward Roybal on August 18, 1960. The shrine was recently removed from City Hall. (Los Angeles Examiner/USC Libraries/Getty Images) The model ship from South Korea and the shrine from Japan stood on the third floor of Los Angeles City Hall for decades. Ordinary residents and the citys most powerful hurried by, often with barely a glance. Tour groups stopped to learn about their history. Recently, the ship and the shrine gifts given long ago by sister cities Busan and Nagoya were removed to make way for Olympic flags as L.A. prepares to host the 2028 Games. Some in the local Korean and Japanese communities are upset, saying the planned new location for the artifacts at the Los Angeles Convention Center is a poor substitute. And City Controller Kenneth Mejia has questioned the $500,000 cost of transferring the artifacts and replacing them with the new display, amid an ongoing budget crunch. A large clock that delighted children with its chimes and "cuckoos," as well as a bust of Mexican President Benito Juarez, were among the historic items also moved from the grand hallway near the mayor's office. Construction siding rises on the third floor of L.A. City Hall. A Olympics exhibition is planned on the site where Japanese and Korean artifacts were held. August 13, 2024 (Dakota Smith/Los Angeles Times) L.A. Mayor Karen Bass returned this week from the Paris Olympics, where she made history as the first Black female mayor to receive the Olympic flag. As she got off the plane at LAX, she held up the white flag bearing the five Olympic rings. Casey Wasserman, chairman of LA28, had said earlier at a press event in Paris that the flag would be placed outside Bass' City Hall office. A spokesperson for LA28, the private group that is paying for the 2028 Games, declined to comment this week on the flag exhibit, which is part of a larger effort to decorate City Hall with Olympics items, including some from the 1984 L.A. Games.. Jieun Kim, Bass' deputy director of Korean language communications, said the items are being moved to locations where they will be seen by more people. "The gifts are undergoing full restoration and conservation, some of which for the first time in decades," Kim said in a statement. "We look forward to hosting a celebration of the new displays in coordination with community members and Consuls General at the Los Angeles Convention Center once the restoration is complete." Scott Suh, former president of the Los Angeles Wilshire Center Koreatown Neighborhood Council, said the artifacts were at City Hall during the 1984 Olympics and should remain there today. Read more: 'The clock is ticking.' Olympic flag arrives in L.A. and LA28 gets to work After 60 years, after 40 years, you dont remove them you highlight them, said Suh. "Its just the wrong message that Mayor Karen Bass is sending. The model Korean ship, which Busan gave to L.A. in 1982 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Korea, is known as the "turtle ship" for its resemblance to a turtle shell. The original turtle ship was designed by Admiral Yi Sun-shin in the 16th century to defeat Japanese invaders and is often portrayed in Korean cinema and television. This magnificent model is now on permanent display on the third floor of our City Hall, then-Mayor Tom Bradley wrote to the City Council in 1982. Media outlets in South Korea have been covering the backlash to the artifacts removal. According to a recent report on the Korean-language TV station MBC America, which reaches 20 million viewers in the U.S., many Koreans in L.A. believe that removing the ship from City Hall is unilaterally demolishing a symbol that promotes Korea, U.S. and Japan relations." A senior official at the South Korean consulate in Los Angeles said consular officials respect the city's decision, but the city should have consulted them before deciding to move the ship. In an Aug. 2 letter to the city, the consulate expressed the hope that "the Turtle Ship can be displayed in a place where more people can have access, given its historical significance." Nagoya became a sister city to L.A. in 1959 and gifted the shrine, known as a mikoshi, the following year. Ten feet tall and made of black lacquered wood decorated with gold, the shrine was carried in the Nisei Week Festival parade in Little Tokyo in August 1960, The Times reported. L.A. City Councilmember Kevin de Leon, whose district includes Little Tokyo, said several locals approached him about the shrine's removal during a Nisei Week event on Monday night. They are adamant that it should stay in City Hall because of diplomatic protocols, said De Leon, who said he hopes to serve as a bridge between Bass office and community groups. Mayor Karen Bass holds the official Olympic flag as it returns to Los Angeles. A forthcoming Olympics exhibit is sparking controversy. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) (Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times) David Ikegami, president of the Little Tokyo Business Assn., said L.A. regularly hosts officials from Nagoya and the two cities take part in high school exchange programs. Its just a shame, he said. I dont know if anyone realizes the significance of the relationship. Peter Langenberg, a representative for the nonprofit Los Angeles Nagoya Sister City Affiliation, questioned why the artifacts are heading to the convention center, which is mostly used for conferences. "These are museum-quality pieces," he said. The Juarez statue, given to the city in the 1970s by then-Mexican President Luis Echeverria Alvarez, is being moved to downtown's El Pueblo, according to a sign posted on the construction board covering the artifacts' former home at City Hall. A bust of Juarez's wife, Margarita Maza, is also headed to El Pueblo. A spokesperson for City Council President Paul Krekorian, who submitted the motion to move the artifacts and create the City Hall Olympics exhibit, declined to comment on the $500,000 expense, which was approved by the City Council last month. Councilmember John Lee, who is Korean American and represents the western San Fernando Valley, hasn't publicly spoken out about the matter. "He is confident that the relocation of these treasured items to the Convention Center will allow a new, broader audience to view, enjoy and appreciate them," said Roger Quintanilla, a spokesperson for Lee. Times staff writer David Wharton contributed to this report. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Three civilians killed and three injured in Donetsk Oblast as a result of Russian attacks Three civilians have been killed and three injured in Donetsk Oblast as a result of Russian attacks. Source: Vadym Filashkin, Head of Donetsk Oblast State Administration Quote: "One person was killed and three were injured as a result of todays attacks on Donetsk Oblast. The Russians killed a 37-year-old man in the settlement of Mykolaivka in Kostiantynivka hromada, striking his house using tube artillery [a hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories ed.]." Details: Three people were injured in an attack on a petrol station in the Pokrovsk district. Updated at 20:47: Filashkin later reported that two more civilians were killed in Verkhniokamianske, Zvanivska hromada, in Donetsk Oblast. "The Russians shelled the village with artillery in the evening, killing a 39-year-old man and a 60-year-old woman," he wrote. Support UP or become our patron! Multiple People Charged in Connection with Matthew Perry's Death, Including Doctors and His Assistant Matthew Perry died in October 2023 at the age of 54 from acute effects of ketamine, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner Michael Kovac/FilmMagic Matthew Perry Multiple people have been charged in connection with the death of Matthew Perry, authorities announced on Aug. 15. Two of the suspects were doctors and one was Perry's personal assistant. Jasveen Sangha who United States Attorney Martin Estrada said is referred to as "The Ketamine Queen" and Dr. Salvador Plascencia were named as the first two defendants in the case. Sangha is facing one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute ketamine and five counts of distribution of ketamine, the Department of Justice announced. Plascencia, a licensed physician, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Kenneth Iwamasa (who was Perry's assistant), Erik Fleming and Dr. Mark Chavez have been charged separately in connection with the actor's death, per the DOJ. Iwamasa pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death. He "repeatedly" injected Perry with ketamine "without medical training, including performing multiple injections on Perry on October 28, 2023 the day Perry died," the DOJ release states. Fleming pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death. Chavez will plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, per the DOJ. Related: Authorities Investigating Circumstances Surrounding Matthew Perry's Death from Fatal Ketamine Dose Michael Kovac/FilmMagic Matthew Perry During the press conference on Aug. 15, Estrada said the investigation into Perry's death revealed a "broad underground criminal network responsible for delivering a large quantity of ketamine to Matthew Perry and others." He also stated that it was discovered that Perry fell back into addiction in Fall 2023. "In the end, these defendants were more interested in profiting off Mr. Perry than caring for his well being," Estrada said. The former Friends star died on Oct. 28 at age 54 from an accidental drug overdose. An autopsy report concluded that Perry died from acute effects of ketamine. Other contributing factors included drowning, coronary artery disease and effects from buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder. David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Matthew Perry The Los Angeles Police Department began an investigation into the stars death in May. An investigative source with the LAPD told PEOPLE at the time that the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. postal inspectors were also involved in the investigation. Related: Courteney Cox Says Matthew Perry 'Visits Me a Lot' After His Death and She Can 'Sense' When He's 'Around' Perry, who was undergoing ketamine infusion therapy at the time of his death, talked about his struggles with addiction in his memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. I wanted to share when I was safe from going into the dark side again, Perry told PEOPLE for a 2022 cover story. I had to wait until I was pretty safely sober and away from the active disease of alcoholism and addiction to write it all down. I was pretty certain that it would help people if I did. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) Items from Alabamas Surplus Property Division will be up for auction starting Saturday, including used vehicles, computers, furniture and more. The auction will be held through an online bidding site from 7:30 a.m. on Aug. 17 until 6 p.m. on Aug. 25. The items will be listed online starting Saturday. Bidders must be registered on GovDeals, the website hosting the auction. Alabama National Guard offers an inside look at summer training Additionally, items can be inspected at the divisions warehouse in Montgomery on Aug. 23 through Aug. 25. from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Auction items include state equipment and property abandoned by passengers at southeastern U.S. airports. For more information on the bidding process, click here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42. Only 7 red wolves remained in the wild. Heres how the species began to recover. ALLIGATOR RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, N.C. - In April, the latest glimmer of hope appeared here in the only spot on Earth where endangered red wolves remain in the wild. Five pups were born to a pair of wolves - a female known as 2413, and a male known as 2444 - marking the third year in a row that at least one new litter begun life in this corner of coastal North Carolina. Subscribe to The Post Most newsletter for the most important and interesting stories from The Washington Post. The births sparked joy among red wolf advocates and the small team of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employees who oversee the decades-long effort to restore a native animal that once roamed widely throughout the Southeast, but saw its numbers in the wild plummet to single digits by 2020. The elation didnt last. On June 5, the father of the litter, 2444, was struck and killed by a vehicle on Highway 64 - one of four red wolves to meet such a fate over the past year alone. The mother soon abandoned the litter of pups, leaving heartbreak and frustration in their place. Its a serious roller coaster, Joe Madison, the red wolf recovery program manager in North Carolina for the Fish and Wildlife Service, recalled just after dawn on a recent morning, as he drove near the site of the recent vehicle strike. It takes a toll, Im not gonna lie. A roller coaster might be the best way to describe a recovery effort that has been underway since the 1970s, when officials rescued the last genetically pure red wolves from a population that had been decimated by government-sanctioned hunting. The species Canis rufus was declared extinct in the wild in 1980, though captive breeding has continued. Since 1987, the push to save red wolves from extinction has been based around an experimental population on the Albemarle Peninsula, with its vast swamp forests, marshes and open farmland. The effort has endured a dizzying series of ups and downs over that time. It is a complex story of shifting priorities within the federal government, of conflict with nearby landowners, of animals stricken down by gunshots and cars, of scientific disputes and legal challenges, of miscommunication and simmering resentments, of ongoing distrust but also of determination and dedication. There are always peaks and valleys, said Kim Wheeler, who for almost two decades has run the Red Wolf Coalition, an outreach and educational nonprofit in Columbia, N.C. The last few years have seen the program slowly emerge from one of its darkest valleys, when the red wolf population that once grew to 120 here shrank to only seven, and the future of the species and the government effort to save it seemed precarious at best. During the Biden administration, the federal government has recommitted to helping red wolves thrive in this landscape - and eventually, elsewhere across the Southeast. Officials have begun once again to strategically release some of the nearly 300 captive-bred wolves into the wild. Multiple litters of pups have been born in the five-county area that surrounds the Alligator River refuge. And the government has launched a concerted effort to mend fractured local relationships that have bred acrimony, fostered misinformation and imperiled the prospects of long-term success. The hope is that this time we are going to get it right, said Ron Sutherland, chief scientist for the Wildlands Network, who has worked for more than a decade on red wolf issues. Im optimistic that all the pieces are there. Still, with fewer than 20 known red wolves on the landscape and their presence a delicate issue, their future here remains inherently uncertain. No one understands that better than Madison. Weve still got a long way to go, he said as he peered from the window of his government-issued Chevy truck one morning. I dont think anybody thinks its going to be easy or short. And yet, he insists the work of restoring endangered red wolves remains very much worth it.. They are a missing piece of the ecosystem out here, he said. And without that, things are out of whack. - - - A fraught history, a fragile future Francine Madden, an outside mediator hired by the federal government, spent much of the past year and a half talking with more than 150 people impacted by the red wolf recovery efforts. A 37-page conflict assessment she published in June summarizes hours spent with farmers and hunters, business owners and community leaders, federal and state officials, red wolf advocacy groups and many others. In these conversations, I sensed great concern about the depth and history of the conflict. I heard despair, anger, frustration, exhaustion and bitterness, she wrote. But I also heard feelings of positive resolve, and even occasional hints of cautious optimism about what it could mean to really hear one another. To understand those long-held tensions and the hope for a less volatile future, its helpful to look at the not-too-distant past. Barely a decade ago, the red wolf recovery program in North Carolina seemed largely on solid footing a quarter century after it had begun. In 2012, the number of wolves in the wild reached a peak of about 120, according to federal officials. But those growing numbers also coincided with growing conflict in the area. Much of the anger was tied up in a broader set of frustrations over land management, and a sentiment among some that the federal government was imposing its will with little regard for or input from locals. Some landowners and hunters bristled at coyote hunting restrictions and complained of the wolves presence on their lands as they ventured from the nearby federal refuges. Some landowners argued that red wolves were a detriment to deer populations - a charge that advocates and biologists have maintained is unfounded. Amid the discord, the number of wolves went into a steep decline. Numerous red wolves - the average adult weighs as much as 80 pounds and stands about 26 inches tall, with characteristic penny-colored fur - were found illegally shot to death, with some hunters claiming they mistook the wolves for coyotes. Others were mowed down by passing cars. By 2015, the federal government was facing charges of poor coordination with local authorities and mounting anger from vocal landowners. State wildlife officials called on the Fish and Wildlife Service to end its recovery program and once again declare the red wolf extinct in the wild. That same year, the federal government said it would not release any more endangered wolves in eastern North Carolina while it studied the feasibility of the program. Conservation groups sued, claiming the Fish and Wildlife Service had neglected its obligations under the Endangered Species Act. In 2018, a federal judge agreed, writing in a scathing opinion that an agency sworn to protect the endangered species had failed to do so, in part by planning to give landowners more leeway to kill red wolves that came onto their property. Meanwhile, the number of red wolves kept dwindling. No new pups were born in the wild in 2019, 2020 or 2021. The number of wolves being tracked with radio collars shrank to seven, with no mating pairs. We came remarkably close to extinction, Sutherland said. Since then, the tide has begun to turn once again. Amid a legal challenge from conservation groups, the federal government in 2021 began to release captive-bred wolves into the wild once more. In 2022, a litter of six critically endangered red wolves were born in a den at the Alligator River refuge - the first in four years. Last August, as part of a settlement with advocacy groups, the Fish and Wildlife Service again recommitted to annual red wolf release plans and vowed to manage the eastern North Carolina population in a manner consistent with the [Endangered Species Act]. Months later, the agency released a long-awaited recovery plan, which calls for the government to eventually establish at least three viable populations of red wolves across their historic range, each of them self-sustaining and genetically diverse. That goal, the agency acknowledged, could take 50 years and ultimately cost several hundred million dollars. But it will never succeed, the government wrote, unless the Fish and Wildlife Service works in tandem with local residents, scientists, advocacy groups and other government agencies. Recovery of threatened and endangered species cannot be done by a single agency or organization, the plan states. The Service must work with others to be successful. Plenty of frustration and wariness remain, Madden said in an email, but some individuals, from local landowners to federal officials to conservation activists, seem willing to roll up their sleeves and give it one more try. Were still in the early stages, she wrote, but already I see glimmers of optimism on all sides. - - - Ongoing threats, from cars to climate change While Madden and others work to repair frayed relationships, another critical task looms: preventing more red wolves from dying at the hands of humans. In recent years, vehicle strikes along Highway 64 and other roads have become the largest cause of mortality, with each death dealing a significant blow to the recovery program. Nearly a quarter of known adult red wolves in the wild died on area roads last year. Its maddening, says Madison, whose agency has placed electronic message boards along the highway warning drivers of the presence of endangered red wolves. One development that could help is the construction of wildlife crossings, which could aid not only red wolves but also bear, deer, turtles, snakes and other animals that have perished along this stretch. The 2021 infrastructure bill passed by Congress includes $350 million in grants for wildlife crossings, and state and federal officials plan to apply soon for a project that would provide crossings along Highway 64, which slices through the Alligator River refuge. Right now, road mortality is the main thing holding the population back, Sutherland said on a sweltering afternoon as he checked trail cameras his group maintains in the area. If we dont start now, they will never get built. An anonymous donor offered to give $2 million to help build crossings if conservation groups could raise an extra $2 million in matching funds this summer. The idea is that $4 million could be leveraged to obtain an additional $16 million in federal funding. Its a great opportunity, Sutherland said. And yet, not a slam dunk. It turns out that its not that easy to go out and find $2 million, especially in an election year. Meanwhile, the Fish and Wildlife Service has taken other measures to try to mitigate risks. It now puts orange reflective tape on the radio collars that it places on red wolves, in an effort to reduce confusion with coyotes. And the service is working with state officials to more quickly clean up other road kill that can attract red wolves. Madison said the agency also is trying to more frequently let landowners know when red wolves venture their direction. Were more transparent than in the past, he said. We want to tell people when they are on their land. One other threat for which there is no simple answer: sea level rise and climate change. As rising waters intrude on the refuge, scientists say, the area available to red wolves could shrink over time. Future habitat loss from sea level rise and increased flooding is expected to impact red wolves, the government wrote in its recent recovery plan, and could affect the populations ability to reach viability. - - - We cannot give up on this animal For now, on any given day in eastern North Carolina, its possible to encounter a mixture of skepticism and steadfastness, of wariness and resolve when it comes to red wolves. Blake Gard, who grew up in the area and is president of the board of directors for the Manns Harbor Fire Department, said many residents are largely indifferent, and that the hard feelings that exist are often less about the animals and more about a general distrust of the federal government. There hasnt been a lot of involvement or outreach, said Gard, who has advocated for locals to have more say in how the program operates and is promoted going forward. The lack of communication has led to people filling in the blanks themselves. Stephen Fletcher, who owns 170 acres of land in nearby Beaufort County, is among those who still bristle at restrictions on coyote hunting that were imposed in the five counties around the refuge to try to reduce shooting of red wolves - restrictions that dont exist elsewhere in the state. It affects my wildlife management plans on my own property, Fletcher said. Were going on close to 40 years of this At what point do we say its a lost cause in this area? Despite the lingering frustrations, fervent support remains for the effort to reestablish red wolves in the wild, researchers and advocates say.. We have to find some middle ground We cannot give up on this animal, Wheeler said one day inside the small office of her coalition, where wolf prints hang on the walls and wolf books line her shelves. The red wolf has a place on the landscape. At dusk on nearly any evening, the gravel roads along the Alligator River refuge are dotted with visitors scanning the landscape for a glimpse of one of the planets most endangered creatures, along with the black bears, quail, snakes and other creatures with which it shares these fields and forests. And not long after dawn on many mornings, Madison is out checking on the whereabouts of the red wolves that remain, even as he and his small team work to help their numbers grow. Were definitely on an upswing, he said on a recent day as he drove through the refuge. But, he added, Until we get to the point where its self-sustaining, its always fragile. The early light glinted through his red and white beard. In his truck, he carried an antenna and a handheld receiver. The collars of each red wolf in the wild have a different frequency, and he flipped through them until he arrived at the signal for 2191 - a male that Madison hopes might father another litter of pups in the coming year. The red wolf was nearby, though nowhere in sight. But the steady beep of his collar let Madison know that, for now, he was alive and well. Related Content Some Jewish voters are glad Josh Shapiro wasnt picked for VP Kamala. Hillary. Nancy. But not Joe, Donald or Barack. Why? The worlds priciest drug may save lives. Can kids get it in time? Citrus County deputies shut down clinics illegal opioid pill mill operation CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) Citrus County officials announced the results of their Operation Flip the Script, an undercover operation for narcotics trafficking and organized crime. The Citrus County Sheriffs Office took down an opioid pill mill after they initially received a tip that Tri-County Medical Center, LLC, a licensed primary care medical facility in Crystal River was illegally operating as a pain-management clinic. Suspected murder-suicide investigated in parking lot of Tampa hospital: HCSO It was discovered that the clinic illegally distributed 39,905 controlled substance prescriptions, most of them being opioid-based medications, bringing the total pill count to at least 3,413,377. When officials analyzed just Oxycodone and Methadone, they found that 21,856 prescriptions were issued, totaling 2,420,949 pills. This quantity has the potential to kill roughly 1,210,000 people, which is equivalent to 7x the entire population of Citrus County. The facilitys owner and manager, 46-year-old Ernest Bernard Scriven, orchestrated the scheme with an employee, 35-year-old Kendra Lynn Johnson to get the substances sent to various pharmacies for illegitimate patients. The sheriffs office said they would receive cash from the buyers. Undercover operatives received several prescriptions over a few months without ever visiting the medical center, making payments directly to Scriven and Johnson. On June 12, the DEA and detectives raided the facility and seized a large quantity of records, and arrested Johnson. A raid of Scrivens home led to his arrest and the discovery of additional substances, firearms, and documentation of his criminal activity. Citrus County Sheriffs Office At least one arrested in connection with Matthew Perrys death: law enforcement Detectives also searched several Citrus County storage units, seizing vehicles, trails, and vessels that were mostly stolen, along with marijuana, along with a narcotic kilo press, along with more evidence. Additionally, 160 firearms were seized which included 156 linked to a 2019 burglary in Hernando County. Scrivens associate, 37-year-old David Alfonso Henriquez, was found to be connected to this burglary. Citrus County Sheriffs Office Scrivens sister, 44-year-old Shalena Tashaca Scriven, was receiving the substances without ever being an actual patient. She received a total of 3,300 pills of Oxycodone and Methadone. Ernest Scriven is charged with racketeering, three counts of trafficking in Oxycodone and Methamphetamine, possession of fentanyl, possession of cannabis with intent to distribute, three counts of possession of cannabis over 25 pounds, 157 counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and two counts of unlawful use of a two-way communication device. Johnson is charged with six counts of trafficking in Oxycodone and unlawful use of a two-way communication device. Shalena Scriven is charged with trafficking in Oxycodone and the conspiracy to traffic Oxycodone. Henriquez is charged with trafficking in cannabis and 156 counts of grand theft of a firearm. All suspects are being held without bond. Additional charges are pending. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the sheriffs office at 352-249-2790. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. As becomes clearer with each passing day, the Ukrainian foray into Russias Kursk Oblast, which began on Aug. 6, is no minor incident. Kyivs unexpected operation on Russian territory could fundamentally change the character of Russias war against Ukraine. Ukraines attack represents a novel development in a least six ways. First, Ukraines Kursk incursion is a large-scale military offensive being carried out by Ukraines official military, unlike previous infantry raids into Russian territory, which were conducted by smaller, semi-regular units like the Free Russia Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps, composed of Russian citizens fighting for Ukraine. This distinction is both practically and symbolically significant. Unlike the limited incursions by pro-Ukrainian Russian fighters, this offensive is a major Ukrainian military operation involving a large number of personnel and a wide range of weaponry. While the earlier raids were embarrassing for Moscow too, they were relatively minor, carried out by paramilitary units with limited arms. Now, the regular Ukrainian military is, in many ways, mirroring what the Russian military has done in Ukraine since 2014. Second, the initial days of the Ukrainian incursion into Russia have been unexpectedly successful for Kyiv. Reports indicate that Ukrainian forces have occupied around 1,000 square kilometers of strategically important Russian territory while sustaining moderate losses in soldiers and equipment. The Ukrainian military also reportedly controls 74 settlements, including the administrative center of Sudzha. Read also: Opinion: Modis Kyiv visit will be a tightrope walk between Washington and Moscow Though a small town of about 5,000 citizens, Sudzha was an important logistics hub for the Russian military. In the Tsarist period, it was largely Ukrainian-speaking, and in 1918, it briefly served as the first capital of the emerging Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. Sudzha also hosts a Gazprom metering station, through which all of Russias remaining onshore natural gas transportation to the European Union passes. This has caused nervous reactions in European markets, with gas prices rising since Aug. 6, though these fears may be overblown. Gas has continued to flow through Sudzha throughout the entire war since 2014, from Ukraine to Slovakia and further into Central Europe. Both Moscow and Kyiv have maintained, and presumably will continue to maintain, a commercial interest in upholding the remaining Russian-EU gas trade. This suggests that military developments around Gazproms infrastructure whether on Ukrainian or Russian territory do not necessarily pose a threat to these mutually profitable gas flows, as strange as that may sound. Third, the Kursk incursion has led to the largest and quickest change in the wars front line since Ukraines liberation of Russian-controlled territory in Kharkiv and Kherson oblasts in the fall of 2022. Until recently, all territorial gains or losses by either side have been smaller and less significant. For the first time in a long period, the map of the front between Russia and Ukraine looks markedly different. Fourth, the Kursk incursion can be seen as a belated implementation of the much-discussed Ukrainian counteroffensive that stalled in 2023. A year ago, a Ukrainian retaliatory attack on Ukrainian soil was unsuccessful; now, a more successful attempt is being made on Russian soil. With the Ukrainian troops relatively deep incursion into western Russia, the war has somewhat shifted from attrition to maneuver warfare. Fifth, and perhaps more importantly, with the Kursk incursion, the land war between Russia and Ukraine has transitioned from a confrontation almost exclusively on Ukrainian territory to one now being fought on both countries legal state territories. This shift has already become a source of embarrassment and a distraction for the Kremlin. If the Ukrainian advance into Russia proves to be more than a short episode, Kyivs shift to offensive warfare on Russian soil will have significant strategic, and possibly paradigmatic, implications. Sixth, the initial success of the incursion into Russian territory raises questions about the significance of the Russian military doctrines statements and frequent oral threats concerning the use of nuclear weapons since 2022. The August incursion arguably constitutes the gravest possible violation of Russias sovereignty. Yet, during the first week of Kyivs rapid offensive, Moscow issued no warnings about nuclear escalation. Instead, the Kremlin announced a so-called anti-terrorist operation under the command of the Federal Security Service (FSB), thereby downgrading the Ukrainian militarys deep incursion into Kursk Oblast to an ordinary national security threat. For Moscow, the new Ukrainian strategy, even with its currently limited achievements, complicates the planning, conduct, and presentation of Russias expansionist war against Ukraine. In light of recent developments, Russia will need to retain and deploy more troops within its own territory rather than Ukraine's. Reversing, preventing, and deterring the Kursk offensive and potential future Ukrainian attacks on Russian soil has become a new strategic priority for Russia's general staff. A Ukrainian tank crew takes a break while operating a Soviet-era T-72 tank in Sumy Oblast near the Russian border on Aug. 12, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Roman Pilipey/AFP via Getty Images)" Previously, the Russian military focused on fighting in foreign lands whether in Moldova, Georgia, Syria, Ukraine, or other countries. This exclusively offensive, interventionist, or irredentist period of Russian military deployment is now ending. It is being replaced by the novel task of defending legitimate Russian state territory while continuing interventions in the former Soviet space and elsewhere. For Kyiv, the incursion into Kursk Oblast is partly a diversionary move to tie up Russian troops that would otherwise be attacking, ravaging, and terrorizing Ukraine. Additionally, Ukraine may be attempting to influence Russia's domestic and foreign affairs. Kyiv appears to be trying to undermine the Kremlin's political reputation, propaganda strategy, and information policy among both the Russian population and the international community, whether in the West or beyond. Kyiv hopes that the various Russian administrative lapses that led to Ukraine's success on Russian soil will become problematic for Russian President Vladimir Putin's standing, particularly among the Russian political elite and pro-Russian groups worldwide. Much of the support for Putin is driven not by genuine attraction to Putinism or belief in Russian narratives about NATO expansion, "Ukrainian fascism," or Western subversion, but by cynical respect for the apparent success of Putin's ruthless domestic and foreign policies. The unexpectedly deep and, so far, successful Ukrainian incursion into Russian territory creates cognitive dissonance among these audiences. The success of Ukraine's incursion illustrates once more Russia's strategic ineptitude, administrative deficiencies, and material shortcomings. These weaknesses were already evident in 2022 during the failed Russian attack on Kyiv in the spring and the successful Ukrainian counteroffensives in Kharkiv and Kherson oblasts in the autumn. The current Ukrainian operation again undermines the narrative of Russia's alleged invincibility and superiority a mirage often propagated to justify a Russian victor's peace with Ukrainian territorial concessions. Ukraine's new offensive and risk-taking behavior in the war is less a reaction to Russian aggression than the result of a decade of insufficient global support for Kyiv in its largely defensive struggle. Iraq's 1990 annexation of Kuwait was quickly reversed by an international coalition within a year. In the 1990s, Serbia's irredentism was eventually subdued by NATO forces. In contrast, international support for Ukraine has been not only indirect but also slow and inadequate, despite such early provocations as Russia's annexation of Crimea in March 2014 and the downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH-17 in July 2014. Read also: Opinion: Its time for a major overhaul of US policy on Ukrainian strikes in Russia Western economic sanctions against Russia and military support for Ukraine have indeed become more significant since 2022. However, they remain insufficient to defend Ukraine's territory, citizens, and infrastructure from Russia's genocidal assault. Worse, many private companies in the West and countries in the so-called Global South continue to fuel Russia's war through direct or indirect trade with the aggressor. Western decisions to support Ukraine's defense have been slow, hesitant, and half-hearted. In response, after two and a half years of intense fighting and suffering during the full-scale Russian invasion, Kyiv now seeks to fundamentally change the character and context of the war. Regardless of the outcome of the recent incursion, Kyiv will continue to use various means to demonstrate to international audiences that the war's development and outcome remain uncertain and that the assumption of unquestionable Russian dominance is misleading. A further objective of Ukraine's strategy is to reframe potential future negotiations with the Kremlin over territorial issues. For instance, in upcoming multilateral talks possibly during a second international peace conference following the July summit in Switzerland Kyiv could adopt a new approach. In addition to continuing to assert moral, normative, and legal arguments, Ukraine's leadership may now propose transactional exchanges of captured Russian lands for annexed Ukrainian territory. To be sure, Kyiv's new approach is risky for both Ukrainian and international security. Recent developments could evolve in various directions. The incursion has, in Putin's words, "created a large-scale provocation." However, those foreign observers who agree with Putin should first blame their own countries' limited or absent interest in Ukraine's sovereignty and integrity. The lack of sufficient international support for Ukraine's efforts to restore its borders since 2014, coupled with continued large-scale trade with Russia, has led Kyiv to shift from a defensive to an offensive stance. Whatever the outcome of Ukraine's current operation in Kursk, Kyiv will continue to exploit weak points along the entire perimeter of its contact with Russia, as well as among its allies, agents, and proxies. Russia will need to invest in fortifying its border with Ukraine and pay more attention to other theaters of the war beyond Ukraine's east and south. The Ukrainian incursion into Russian territory challenges perceptions both within Russia and around the world. Editors Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. The article is based on a commentary by the Stockholm Centre for Eastern European Studies. Submit an Opinion Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. What Is Limited Guardianship and How Does It Work? A limited guardianship is a legal arrangement where a guardian is appointed to assist an individual, known as the ward, with specific areas of decision-making while allowing the ward to retain some level of autonomy in other areas. Unlike full guardianship, which grants the guardian broad authority over the wards life, limited guardianship is tailored to meet the specific needs of the ward. This arrangement is often used when an individual is deemed partially incapacitated or unable to manage certain aspects of their life, such as financial matters or healthcare decisions, but can still handle other responsibilities independently. For help with your own estate planning, consider talking to a financial advisor. How a Limited Guardianship Works A limited guardianship is a legal framework designed to offer support and oversight to individuals who need assistance with certain aspects of their lives while allowing them to maintain independence in other areas. This type of guardianship is commonly used for individuals who are partially incapacitated, such as seniors with mild cognitive impairment or adults with developmental disabilities. The aim is to tailor the guardianship to the specific needs of the ward, and the individual requiring guardianship so that they can exercise autonomy where possible and receive guidance where necessary. In limited guardianship, the court defines the specific duties and powers granted to the guardian, restricting them to particular areas where the ward needs help. These areas might include managing finances, making healthcare decisions or handling legal matters. Unlike full guardianship, which grants the guardian complete authority over the wards life, limited guardianship focuses on empowering the ward by limiting the guardians powers to only what is essential. This targeted approach ensures that the wards rights and freedoms are respected and that they can continue to make personal choices in areas where they remain capable. The establishment of limited guardianship involves a legal process where the court assesses the wards capabilities and the necessity for guardianship in specific areas. The court then issues an order outlining the scope of the guardians responsibilities and the limitations of their authority. The guardian is legally obligated to act in the best interest of the ward, providing support and decision-making assistance as outlined by the courts directive. Regular reviews may be conducted to reassess the wards condition and adjust the guardianship arrangement as needed. Story continues Limited Guardianship vs. Full Guardianship Guardianship is a legal mechanism that appoints an individual, known as a guardian, to manage the affairs of someone who cannot do so themselves, referred to as the ward. The differences between limited guardianship and full guardianship lie primarily in the extent of the guardians authority and the level of independence retained by the ward. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for families considering the best course of action to support a loved one while preserving their autonomy and dignity. Here is a closer look at how limited guardianship vs. full guardianship diverge: Limited Guardianship vs. Full Guardianship Limited Guardianship Full Guardianship Who Its For Individuals who can manage some aspects of their lives independently but require assistance in specific areas Those with severe cognitive impairments or profound disabilities where complete oversight is required to ensure safety and well-being What Powers the Guardian Has Restricted to certain areas where the ward genuinely needs help, such as managing finances, healthcare decisions or legal matters Comprehensive authority over the wards affairs, often extending to all major life decisions, including financial, medical and personal matters When It Can Be Appropriate This tailored approach ensures that the ward maintains as much independence as possible, promoting personal agency and empowerment This type of guardianship offers complete protection and management, though it also significantly reduces the ward's autonomy The choice between limited and full guardianship depends on the wards specific needs and capabilities. Limited guardianship is preferable when the ward can exercise decision-making power in some areas of life, promoting a balance between independence and necessary support. On the other hand, full guardianship is suited for individuals who need comprehensive care and protection. In both cases, the courts role is to evaluate the wards situation, establish the appropriate level of guardianship and ensure that the guardian acts in the wards best interest. Ultimately, the goal is to provide the necessary support and protection while respecting the ward's dignity and potential for independence. How to Appoint a Limited Guardian What Is Limited Guardianship and How Does It Work? Appointing a limited guardian is a legal process designed to provide targeted assistance to individuals who need help managing specific aspects of their lives while allowing them to retain independence in other areas. The following steps outline the general process of appointing a limited guardian, from determining the need for guardianship to complying with court orders. Step 1: Determine the Need for Guardianship Before pursuing limited guardianship, its crucial to assess the specific needs of the individual who may require assistance. This step involves evaluating the areas in which the person is capable of making decisions independently and those where support is needed. Consider consulting with medical professionals, social workers or legal experts to gather information and documentation that demonstrates the individuals limitations and needs. Step 2: Consult with an Attorney Hiring an attorney who specializes in guardianship cases can provide invaluable guidance throughout the process. The attorney will explain the legal requirements and help you understand the rights and responsibilities of a limited guardian. They will also assist in preparing the necessary legal documents and advise you on gathering evidence that supports the need for limited guardianship. Step 3: File a Petition with the Court To initiate the process of appointing a limited guardian, you must file a petition with the appropriate probate or family court in the jurisdiction where the individual resides. This petition should outline the specific areas where guardianship is needed and provide evidence of the individuals incapacity in those areas. The court will require detailed information about the proposed guardian, including their relationship to the individual, their qualifications and any potential conflicts of interest. Once filed, the court will review the petition and schedule a hearing to consider the request. Step 4: Attend a Court Hearing During the court hearing, the judge will evaluate the evidence presented and determine whether a limited guardianship is necessary. This hearing is an opportunity for the petitioner to explain why the guardianship is in the individuals best interest and to address any objections or concerns. The court may also appoint an independent evaluator to assess the situation and make recommendations. If the judge is satisfied with the evidence, they will issue an order appointing the limited guardian and defining the scope of their authority. Step 5: Comply with Court Orders and Monitor the Guardianship Once the limited guardianship is established, the guardian must adhere to the courts orders and fulfill their responsibilities diligently. This includes managing the specific areas outlined in the court order and regularly reporting to the court on the individuals progress and well-being. The guardian must also be prepared for periodic reviews by the court, which may adjust the terms of the guardianship as the individuals needs change. Maintaining open communication with the court and other involved parties ensures that the guardianship arrangement remains effective and appropriate. Bottom Line What Is Limited Guardianship and How Does It Work? Limited guardianship is a nuanced legal arrangement that balances support with personal autonomy, catering to individuals who require assistance in specific areas while allowing them to retain independence in others. It is particularly beneficial for those who are partially incapacitated, such as elderly individuals or adults with developmental disabilities, as they can continue making personal choices in their daily lives. Tips for Estate Planning Building an estate plan and navigating those decisions can be hard. A financial advisor can help you think through and protect your assets for the long haul. Finding a financial advisor doesnt have to be hard. SmartAssets free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can have a free introductory call with your advisor matches to decide which one you feel is right for you. If you're ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now. Consider this list of estate planning documents you may need before starting your own planning process. Photo credit: iStock.com/Motortion, iStock.com/fizkes, iStock.com/South_agency The post What Is Limited Guardianship and How Does It Work? appeared first on SmartReads by SmartAsset. As the chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP Committee), I have heard from Americans of all ages about their struggles with Long COVID and the challenges they face are absolutely heartbreaking. In America today, far too many patients suffering from Long COVID have struggled to get their symptoms taken seriously. Far too many doctors and medical professionals have either dismissed or misdiagnosed those who have contracted Long COVID. Far too many people with Long COVID have found themselves stuck at home, unable to socialize, unable to work, unable to spend quality time with their families, unable to get out of bed and desperate for help. These Are the 12 Major Symptoms of Long COVID That is unacceptable and that has got to change. Long COVID is real. It is negatively impacting tens of millions of people throughout the United States and the world. We can no longer ignore it or sweep it under the rug. Earlier this year, I chaired a hearing on the Long COVID crisis. It made me more determined than ever to address this ongoing public health emergency. This is what we heard: A former athlete from Los Angeles told us that her chronic Long COVID symptoms of insomnia, brain fog, confusion, sleep apnea, heart palpitations, fever and severe migraines prevent her from socializing with friends and leaving her house on most days. Adding insult to injury, her initial symptoms of blood clots, mini strokes, brain swelling, seizures, severe shortness of breath, and numbness in her face, hands, and legs were brushed off by her doctors as just a case of anxiety. A human resources director at a community college in Southeastern Virginia told us that Long COVID forced her to leave the job she loved three years ago and that she continues to experience extreme fatigue, chronic pain, headaches, and dizziness. These debilitating symptoms have made it difficult for her to just get out of bed and she is no longer able to lead an active life with her children. A mother in rural Virginia told us that before her 16-year old daughter came down with Long COVID she received straight As and was an active member of the schools marching band. Today, she struggles with extreme fatigue, low blood pressure, an increased heart rate, severe joint pain, nausea, vomiting, a severe inability to concentrate, and depression. Her daughter is now isolated, struggles to do her schoolwork and is slowly working on her GED from home. Sadly, they are not alone. In America today, nearly 18 million adults suffer from Long COVID. And, despite what you may have heard, Long COVID does not just impact adults and the elderly. It impacts people from all ages and all backgrounds. In fact, nearly 6 million children in our country have been affected by Long COVID. Further, recent studies have found that only 8 percent of people who have Long COVID have been able to recover from this debilitating disease after 2 years. What is deeply concerning to me is that Long COVID can affect anyone who has tested positive for COVIDfrom those who experienced mild symptoms to those who were severely ill. Furthermore, although you may not have Long COVID after your first COVID infection, each reinfection can substantially increase the risk of developing it. This escalating danger, particularly for those who have suffered repeated infections, poses a severe threat to public health that demands our immediate and focused attention. Lets be clear. The impact of long COVID-19 is not just a health issue. Its an economic one as well. Its estimated that as many as 4 million Americans are out of work due to long COVID-19. The annual cost of those lost wages alone is about $170 billion a year. In my view, the time has come to start treating the Long COVID crisis as the public health emergency that it is. What does that mean? It means we need to educate medical professionals on how to adequately diagnose Long COVID, better understand the risks associated with it, and identify potential therapeutic options. This crisis is made even worse by the fact that Long COVID patients often require multiple specialists to treat their complex systems. We need to do a much better job at disease prevention. The best way to avoid getting Long COVID is to prevent people from getting COVID in the first place. That means making sure that people throughout the world get the most up-to-date vaccines. It means wearing masks when appropriate. And it means making rapid tests available to people when they are feeling sick. Most importantly, we need to do everything we can do to find treatments and cures for Long COVID. We can no longer tolerate patients trying to address their symptoms without any guidance on effective therapies from our nations public health professionals. That is why I recently introduced the Long COVID Research Moonshot Act of 2024. This legislation provides the worlds largest investment into Long COVID and is critical to support research, expand care, and provide relief to the millions of Americans suffering from it. It provides $10 billion in federal funding to the National Institutes of Health, the largest funder of biomedical research in the world, to develop treatments for Long COVID and to find potential cures for those who suffer from it. Importantly, this bill will give patients, researchers, and advocates a seat at the table to determine how these funds are spent. It will require data on Long COVID research to be broadly shared with other researchers so that potential treatments and cures may be found as quickly as possible. And, among many other things, it will make sure that once treatments are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) they are reasonably priced so that every patient can afford to take them. The fight against Long COVID is not just a medical challenge. It is a moral one. While we have learned much about this disease and its aftermath, the truth is theres still a great deal we dont know about Long COVID. But heres something we do know: We can no longer turn our backs on the tens of millions of people in America and throughout the world who continue to struggle with Long COVID or the millions more who may contract it in the future. Long COVID is a very serious illness that has devastating consequences for those who contract it. Yes. The time has come for a Long COVID Moonshot. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. MINEOLA, N.Y. (PIX11) Police can stop a person and question them if theyre wearing a mask, and officers determine that the mask is being worn for suspicious reasons. Thats what a new, first-in-the-nation law allows. It was formally adopted in a signing ceremony Wednesday morning, and within minutes, opposition to the measure started building. Legal challenges to the new law are expected shortly. More Local News At the signing ceremony at the Nassau County Legislature building here on Wednesday, County Executive Bruce Blakeman said that the law was meant to prevent masks from being worn at protests, especially pro-Palestinian demonstrations. There have not been any pro-Palestinian protests in Nassau County at which masking has been an issue. However, because its been an issue with incidents that have taken place in New York City, Blakeman said that the new measure is needed. If youre going to spew racial epithets, and anti-semitism, dont be a coward, Blakeman said during the signing ceremony. Take your mask off. Mazi Pilip, the sponsor of the bill that became law, is a Republican county legislator. She and her fellow GOP legislators approved the bill strictly along party lines, with all 12 voting in favor, and all seven Democrats voting to abstain. Nassau County executive to sign controversial mask ban into law The Democrats had said that they had a bill of their own that fights antisemitism without banning masks. Their abstention, according to Nassau County Democratic Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, was in protest of GOP legislators choosing to ignore any opportunity for bipartisan compromise or [to] even consider the Democratic bill a bill that upholds the rule of law, offers a fairer approach for residents and imposes firmer penalties on actual offenders. For her part, Pilip, at the signing ceremony, said that even though the measure was partisan, it was meant to be broadly applied. This bill is made to protect all citizens of Nassau County, she said. She and the laws supporters say that its also meant to prevent crimes, by allowing police to question mask wearers. They can sniff out somebody whos lying, Blakeman said, and this gives them the ability to stop them and ask them, What are you doing?' He said that the law is written to allow for mask-wearing for health, religious and celebratory reasons like Halloween, or masquerade parties. I think its stupid: New Yorkers react to possible mask ban on NYC subways Despite that, there is opposition among some county residents. Lisa Dresner is a local teacher. Im gonna keep wearing a mask, she said, as she walked to her car from a supermarket. I want to protect my students. I want to protect myself. If she were asked by police why shes wearing a mask they are not allowed to force anyone to remove their mask she said that it would make her uncomfortable. It would make me feel a little like Show me your papers, but I would list my medical conditions. and hope that person [making the inquiry] was reasonable. Meris Zanarini, another local resident said that the new law compromises peoples independence. It should be my decision, she said, as she loaded her groceries into her car. I dont want to be stopped. Wildfire smoke from Canada arrives, affecting air quality in New York City A growing list of groups, including Disability Rights NY, and the New York Civil Liberties Union, oppose the mask ban. Paula Frome, a retired attorney, is on the board of Nassau Residents for Good Government. Her organization also opposes the new law, and she predicts legal challenges right away. This is all going to cost Nassau County a good deal of money, she said, in an interview. I dont believe a court is going to find it constitutional. I do believe that were going to spend a fortune on legal fees for a doomed piece of legislation. No official legal challenge has yet been filed. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. ORANGE CITY, Iowa (KCAU) The City of Orange City is going to highlight its growing population and diversity at an upcoming event. According to a release, Orange City has seen an influx of new residents in recent years. This influx has led to the towns Latino population comprising 15% of the population alone. The release states that the city comprises of residents from a variety of places around the globe such as Russia, Brazil, China, Ukraine, Columbia, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Micronesia, and more filling jobs as college professors, business professionals, agricultural works, and more. The city is hosting the Tables Across America event to help bring all these different cultures together for a community meal, conversations, and other activities. Serving Siouxland: Junior League of Sioux City finds several ways to make an impact The day-long event will take place on Aug. 21 and will consist of two separate sessions. A morning session will take place starting at 9 a.m. at the Prairie Winds Event Center at 908 8th Street, and a second evening session will take place from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Central Avenue in downtown Orange City. There will also be more at 101 2nd Street NE including a Big Check presentation awarding a local nonprofit. The idea for the event comes from Atlanta-based nonprofit The Same House which hosts a similar event in Atlanta every year called the Beloved Benefit. The Same House CEO Rodney Bullard will be delivering a keynote speech during the morning session. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) An Oregon City woman will spend four and a half years in prison for her involvement in a local fraud ring that stole more than $150,000 from multiple victims in the Portland area, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office in Oregon. Investigators say Mary Phoenix Nguyen, 41, used others personal information to gain access to bank accounts, apply for multiple vehicle loans, and produce various financial documents such as social security cards and drivers licenses. Man caught whipping dog on camera sought by Portland police Nguyen was arrested in October 2022 when police searched her residence and found hundreds of stolen, altered, or counterfeit documents and identifications, equipment used to produce counterfeit items, and master U.S. Postal Service keys. Following an indictment in 2023, Nguyen pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and possessing stolen or reproduced keys. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler addresses camping ban enforcement challenges On Wednesday, she was sentenced to 54 months in federal prison and three years supervised release. She will also need to pay $158,286.85 in restitution to her victims. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) The New Orleans Police Department has found and arrested the man accused in a deadly St. Roch area shooting. On Thursday, Aug. 15, NOPD officers announced they were searching for 31-year-old Erick Garrison who is accused of shooting and killing 32-year-old Brandon Hayward in the 3100 block of St. Roch Avenue. The shooting happened on Aug. 3 at 12:46 a.m. Responding officers reported finding Hayward lying in the median suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead on the scene. Through an investigation, detectives identified Garrison as the suspect whos wanted for second-degree murder. NOPD Violent Offender Warrant Squad detectives, with the help of the United States Marshals NOLA Task Force, said Garrison was found in the Dallas, Texas area. Through the help of the Dallas Task Force, he was arrested and is currently being held as a fugitive. Anyone with information on Garrisons location or on the homicide is asked to call NOPD homicide detectives at 504-658-5300 or Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111. Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter. Latest Posts Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGNO. New Orleans Woman Got Whooped In Court For Her Role in the Murder Three Young Children A New Orleans woman was attacked in a courtroom Monday as she pleaded guilty to her role in a heinous crime that has sparked courtroom chaos more than once. Shanyka A. Phillips acknowledged in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court that she helped Joseph Washington escape after killing his three children on Oct. 17, 2023, when the childrens mother called 911 alleging Washington was threatening to burn their house down, police said. She told the dispatcher she heard her children screaming in the background while on the phone with Washington. By the time police arrived, they said the house was engulfed in flames. Avery Washington, 3, was pronounced dead on the scene while 8-year-old Joseph Jr. and 5-year-old Jayla succumbed to their injuries later at the hospital, police said. Phillips, with whom Washington had a romantic relationship, allegedly gave him a ride to safety as the cops searched for him. However, Phillips lawyer told PEOPLE she had no idea of the crime until after the fire. Eventually, Washington was caught by U.S. Marshals and arrested. Phillips was charged with two counts of accessory after the fact. Upon entering her guilty plea, a relative to the children let Phillips have all the smoke. Read more from PEOPLE: Passing the nearest deputy, Angel Dounseroux allegedly made contact with the defendant, before another deputy restrained her, Casey McGee of the Orleans Parish Sheriffs Office tells PEOPLE. The courtroom disruption occurred in the midst of a plea and victim impact statement hearing in which Shanyka A. Phillips admitted to helping her boyfriend elude authorities after he set fire to his home, killing his three young children inside. On Monday, ignoring the judges warning against any disturbances, Dounseroux, the childrens aunt, physically attacked Phillips, who was in handcuffs, according to Phillips lawyer, Stas Moroz. Judge Kimya M. Holmes held Dounseroux, 28, in contempt of court, per the online docket, and sentenced her to 24 hours in Orleans Parish Prison. This wasnt the first time somebody got whooped in relation to this case. When Washington pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder and obstruction of justice back in April, all hell broke loose in the courtroom. Moments after the plea was entered, The Times-Picayune reports another woman related to the children ran from the spectating benches and knocked Washington to the floor, throwing punches. Following that, more relatives emerged and jumped on him. Washington is currently spending the rest of his life in prison. Phillips will be sentenced Thursday, Aug. 14. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. WELCH, Okla. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and Craig County Sheriffs Office are asking the public for help solving a nearly 16-year-old cold case. Leota and William Huls were found dead in their Welch, Oklahoma home on November 9, 2008. The couple was in their 60s and appeared to have been shot. Leota and William Huls, courtesy of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Authorized Page The OSBI cold case unit asks anyone who owns a Smith & Wesson SW9F that may have been previously owned by someone else, to contact investigators. The unit is seeking information from anyone who may have bought, sold, or traded that specific firearm type before or after the Hulses bodies were found in November 2008. They are specifically looking in northeast Oklahoma, southeast Kansas, or southwest Missouri. The OSBI is offering a $5,000 reward for information that may lead to the arrest of anyone responsible for the crime. The bodies of the couple were found inside their rural home after they didnt show up for church on Sunday, November 9, 2008. A family friend found the bodies. Authorities say they were both shot in the head and Leotas purse was never found. The couple is buried at G.A.R. cemetery in Miami. William Huls was self employed as a mechanic and Leota Huls retired from her nursing career at St. Johns Hospital in Joplin. OSBI can be reached at 1-800-522-8017, or tips can be emailed to tips@osbi.ok.gov Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com. How Limited Guardianship Works in Michigan Limited guardianship in Michigan is a legal arrangement where a guardian is appointed to make certain decisions on behalf of another individual who can't fully care for themselves. In Michigan, the process of establishing limited guardianship involves filing a petition in probate court, where a judge evaluates the necessity of guardianship and outlines the specific responsibilities of the guardian. In the case of legal guardianship for an adult, which is what the majority of this article covers, this arrangement provides necessary support while empowering the individual to remain involved in their own life decisions. If you need advice navigating how a limited guardianship can play a role in your personal and financial life, don't hesitate to reach out to a professional such as an attorney or financial advisor. What Is Limited Guardianship? Limited guardianship is a legal framework that provides a structured approach to supporting an individual who needs some assistance in certain aspects of their life. This individual, known as the ward, might be a minor or an adult who either is legally incapacitated or has a developmental or intellectual disability. Adults in this situation may need help managing specific areas like finances or medical decisions but are capable of making other choices independently. Unlike full guardianship, where a guardian takes full responsibility over the wards affairs, limited guardianship fits an individuals specific needs. The guardian only has authority in the areas where the ward requires support. Establishing limited guardianship involves a legal proceeding in which a court assesses the individuals needs and determines the extent of the guardians responsibilities. This assessment ensures that the guardianship addresses only those areas where support is necessary, protecting the wards rights and independence. Throughout this process, the court evaluates evidence and hears from relevant parties, including the prospective ward and guardian, before issuing a guardianship order. This order outlines the specific duties of the guardian, ensuring these duties provide necessary support without overstepping the boundaries of the wards autonomy. Benefits of Limited Guardianship Limited guardianship offers several benefits by focusing on empowering the individual rather than imposing unnecessary restrictions. Below is a sample of ways this arrangement can benefit the family, guardian and ward involved: For families , a limited guardianship can provide peace of mind knowing their loved one is receiving the support they need while still being able to exercise their independence in other areas of life. For the guardian and ward , this arrangement encourages collaboration and fosters an environment of mutual respect and understanding. For all parties involved, limited guardianship offers flexibility in balancing the ward's needs and autonomy, making sure both are accounted for. Story continues Families considering this option can consult with legal professionals to navigate the process and ensure a well-structured guardianship. How to Create a Limited Guardianship in Michigan How Limited Guardianship Works in Michigan Creating a limited guardianship in Michigan involves several carefully outlined steps. By understanding the process, families can establish a guardianship that provides the right amount of support for the ward. Here are the steps necessary to create a limited guardianship in Michigan: Assess the need for limited guardianship: Before beginning the process, evaluate whether limited guardianship is the best solution. Consider the individuals ability to manage various aspects of their life independently, and determine the areas where they need support. Consulting with a legal professional can provide clarity and ensure that limited guardianship is the best solution. File a petition with the probate court: To begin the legal process, file a petition with the probate court in the county where the individual lives. This petition should outline the reasons for seeking limited guardianship, specify the areas in which the ward needs help and provide details about the proposed guardian. The petition should demonstrate that limited guardianship is a necessary and appropriate arrangement. Notify interested parties: Once the petition is filed, all interested parties, including the proposed ward and close family members, must be notified about the guardianship proceedings. This notification ensures transparency and allows anyone to express concerns or support for the petition. The notice includes the date and location of the hearing, allowing interested parties to attend and participate in the process. Attend the court hearing: A court hearing will be scheduled to evaluate the petition for limited guardianship. During the hearing, the judge will review the evidence, listen to testimony from the proposed guardian, the ward and any other relevant parties, and assess the necessity and scope of the guardianship. Get the court order: If the court approves the petition, it will issue a limited guardianship order. This legally binding document specifies the guardians responsibilities and the areas where the ward needs support. The guardian is then responsible for carrying out their duties in compliance with the order, maintaining the ward's well-being and respecting their independence. Limited vs. Full Guardianship in Michigan In Michigan, guardianship is a legal mechanism designed to help individuals who cannot manage certain aspects of their lives independently. The state offers two primary forms of guardianship: limited and full. Understanding the differences between these options can help families trying to provide appropriate support for their loved ones. Limited guardianship in Michigan makes sense for individuals who require assistance only in specific areas, like financial management or healthcare decisions. This form of guardianship is particularly suited for adults with disabilities who can make certain decisions independently or minors whose parents aren't available or capable of making decisions for their child for some time. In a limited guardianship arrangement involving an adult ward, the court defines the specific responsibilities of the guardian, allowing the ward to retain decision-making power in areas where they're able. In contrast, full guardianship involves a more comprehensive transfer of decision-making authority from the ward to the guardian. This form of guardianship is typically reserved for minors or adults who are unable to make informed decisions in most areas of their lives due to severe cognitive or developmental impairments. Under full guardianship, the guardian assumes responsibility for the wards personal, financial and healthcare decisions, ensuring their well-being and safety. Limited guardianship Full guardianship Ward only needs assistance in certain areas Ward needs assistance in most areas Best for minors who need temporary guardianship or adults with some degree of legal incapacitation or disability Best for minors who need permanent guardianship or adults who can't make informed decisions due to severe impairments Guardian assumes all responsibility for the ward's decisions, well-being and safety Guardian assumes all responsibility for the ward's decisions, well-being and safety Deciding between limited and full guardianship depends on the specific needs and capabilities of the individual involved. Limited guardianship makes sense when the ward can manage some aspects of their life and requires support only in specific areas. This option is best for promoting independence while providing necessary assistance. On the other hand, full guardianship is necessary when the ward can't make informed decisions in most areas and requires full oversight to protect their well-being. Families will have to evaluate the individuals needs and circumstances, often with the guidance of legal professionals, to choose the best guardianship arrangement. Bottom Line How Limited Guardianship Works in Michigan By allowing individuals to maintain control over certain areas of their lives while receiving assistance where needed, limited guardianship strikes a balance between independence and care. This framework ensures that the ward maintains their rights and autonomy while receiving any necessary support. Families considering this option should consult with legal professionals to navigate the process and tailor the guardianship to meet the specific needs of their loved ones. Ultimately, limited guardianship in Michigan offers a compassionate solution that promotes independence, dignity and a collaborative relationship between the guardian and ward. Tips for Estate Planning Establishing your own estate plan is important to protect your loved ones and your finances. A financial advisor can help you think through these unique situations and help you protect your assets. Finding a financial advisor doesnt have to be hard. SmartAssets free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can have a free introductory call with your advisor matches to decide which one you feel is right for you. If you're ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now. If you want to get started on your plan on your own, consider this estate planning checklist. Photo credit: iStock.com/Ilya Ginzburg, iStock.com/Hispanolistic, iStock.com/Prostock-Studio The post How Limited Guardianship Works in Michigan appeared first on SmartReads by SmartAsset. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) Reports said a helicopter from the Ohio State Highway Patrol helped police late Wednesday track and arrest a man who failed to pull over for a traffic violation. Read next: Cold case: Anonymous phone call leads police to mans body on South Side street in 01 homicide Tillman Douglas III, 34, was booked into the Mahoning County jail on charges of failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer, a third-degree felony; possession of fentanyl, a fifth-degree felony; and obstructing official business, a second-degree misdemeanor. He is expected to be arraigned Friday in municipal court. Reports said Douglas was driving at about 10 p.m. at Southern Boulevard and East Lucius Avenue when police tried to pull him over because the vehicle only had one headlight. The car failed to stop and was traveling at 70 miles per hour, reports said. The officers backed off and a helicopter took over, tracking the car to the 800 block of Palmer Avenue, where the driver bailed out and began running. The helicopter tracked the driver while he was running and police were able to arrest him on Roxbury Avenue, reports said. Reports said a bag of fentanyl was found in the car when police searched it. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. OTC is no more, rebrands itself as Ozarks Tech SPRINGFIELD, Mo. Ozarks Technical Community College has moved away from using OTC as an acronym. According to Donna Barton, the College Director of Communications, the school is refreshing its branding and nickname. Though the school will still be Ozarks Technical Community College, it will also be known as Ozarks Tech instead of OTC. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOLR - OzarksFirst.com. BALD HEAD ISLAND, N.C. (WNCN) A diver who was overdue from a solo dive off the North Carolina coast was rescued by the United States Coast Guard and some good Samaritans, the Coast Guard said. The rescue happened Tuesday afternoon 24 miles east of Bald Head Island. Around 12:26 p.m., the wife of 54-year-old diving instructor Steve Oatman notified Coast Guard Sector North Carolina watchstanders that he had not resurfaced 30 minutes past his planned hour-long dive. Oatmans wife told the Coast Guard he was wearing a wet suit and had his diving equipment with him as well as a personal locator beacon. Oatman also had a highlighter green safety sausage with him. An HC-130 Hercules airplane crew and a Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew were sent to search for Oatman, as well as a 45-foot Motor Lifeboat crew from Coast Guard Station Wrightsville Beach. According to the military, the Jayhawk crew arrived on scene around 2 p.m. and saw Oatman waving his arms. They directed the Coast Guard boat to the divers location, and the crew along with some good Samaritan divers got Oatman out of the water. (Photo by U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Ryan Noel) (Photo by U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Ryan Noel) (Photo by U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Ryan Noel) (Photo by U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Ryan Noel) No injuries were reported, the Coast Guard said. Oatmans experience and preparation, which included a float plan and the proper safety gear, helped him get rescued, the Coast Guard said, and they encouraged everyone going out in the water to let someone know where theyre going and when they plan to be back. This divers preparedness and experience played a major factor in his rescue. Having the right safety gear, filling a float plan, and staying calm under pressure can help any diver or mariner in danger, Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Sparks said. Being prepared for whatever comes your way can result in the Coast Guard reunited you with your family and friends. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS17.com. Pa. public service leaders look to do more in preventing opioid deaths (WHTM) A coalition of public service leaders in Pennsylvania is asking the Shapiro administration to provide more tools to prevent opioid deaths. According to the Pennsylvania Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), Naloxone, or Narcan, is currently the only reversal antagonist approved for use in Pennsylvania. Two-thirds of states in the U.S. have expanded to additional FDA-approved agents. Pennsylvanias law enforcement officers see first-hand the devastation opioids are causing in communities across our commonwealth, Pennsylvania FOP President Joe Regan said. We cannot delay because new challenges are emerging every day. With the prevalence of fentanyl in our drug supply, we need a state policy that allows for new tools to be accessible to Pennsylvanians. According to the Office of Drug Surveillance, a Pennsylvanians life is taken by drug overdose every two hours, and 84.3% of said deaths were opioid overdoses in 2022. Synthetic Opioids are the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18-45, according to a study from Opiant Pharmaceuticals. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now abc27 Evening Newsletter The coalition fighting for access to more tools to prevent opioid deaths includes leading members in law enforcement organizations, hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, non-profit organizations, and more. Its time for Pennsylvania to give first responders every tool available to save lives when seconds count, Regan said. We look forward to working with the Shapiro administration to get this done. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. Advocates for ending life sentences rallied on the state Capitol steps in September 2022 as the Coalition Against Death By Incarceration called on lawmakers that would make those sentenced to life in prison eligible for parole. (Capital-Star photo) The Pennsylvania Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Oct. 8 in an appeal that could bring hope for freedom to more than 1,000 people serving life in prison without the possibility of parole for murders they didnt commit. The court in February agreed to consider the case of Derek Lee, who is serving life in prison without parole after he was convicted in 2016 of second-degree murder, robbery, and conspiracy. Lees accomplice in a 2014 home-invasion robbery killed Pittsburgh homeowner Leonard Butler. Under Pennsylvanias felony murder rule, a person charged with a felony can be held criminally liable for a death that occurs during the commission of the crime, even if the defendant was not the killer and had no intent to kill. In Pennsylvania, conviction for felony murder comes with a mandatory sentence of life without parole. Lees appeal, filed in May 2022, argues that mandatory life without parole violates the Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment, and the state Constitutions bar on cruel punishment. Constitutional law scholars, former Pennsylvania corrections secretaries, and elected leaders including Gov. Josh Shapiro have filed briefs in the case in support of Lees appeal, arguing that life without parole for felony murder is excessive and does little to accomplish the goals of punishment. A lower appeals court found earlier in the case that it was bound by precedent to uphold Lees sentence. But Superior Court Judge Christine Dubow urged the Supreme Court to revisit whether a mandatory life sentence without parole is constitutional under Article I, Section 13 of the Pennsylvania Constitution. While the Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibits cruel and unusual punishment, Lees attorneys from the Abolitionist Law Center and the Amistad Law Project contend the corresponding section of Pennsylvanias Constitution requires only that a punishment be cruel to be impermissible. They argue that the inclusion of the term unusual in the Eighth Amendment is interpreted to refer to punishments that are no longer common. Therefore, the terms omission from the Pennsylvania Constitution permits challenges to common punishments if there is a basis for determining they are cruel in a constitutional sense. Lees lawyers also say that Pennsylvanias prohibition on cruel punishments historically has been interpreted as barring penalties that are unduly harsh but not imposed with cruel intent; and they note thats in line with other states interpretations of their constitutional prohibitions of cruel punishment. Finally, Lees lawyers argue policy considerations support the abolition of life without parole as a punishment. They note Pennsylvania is an outlier in the practice of imposing the sentence without consideration of the defendants involvement or intent in the crime. Among those serving such sentences, 70% are Black and many are aging or elderly. Criminologists have found that involvement with crime correlates strongly to age and older incarcerated people pose little risk to public safety. Lees attorney Quinn Cozzens told the Capital-Star in February one of Lees main goals if he is released from prison is to be able to mentor young people to counsel them away from the kinds of decisions that led to his circumstances. Thats something that life without parole is unable to account for that when people are able to mature they age out of the kind of antisocial behavior that leads to their involvement in criminal behavior, Cozzens said. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST LINCOLN (Nebraska Examiner) Nebraska voters will decide this fall whether workers will be able to rely on their employers to provide paid sick time. Secretary of State Bob Evnen confirmed Tuesday that the Paid Sick Leave for Nebraskans petition collected enough signatures from registered voters to qualify for the November ballot. PlyWood Trail Foundation provides updates on trails connecting Siouxland communities Organizers from local nonprofits, worker advocacy, civil rights organizations and political groups announced in June they had turned in 138,000 signatures in support of the ballot measure. First of several potential initiatives on ballot Election officials stopped counting after verifying 97,557 signatures. Thats 11,000 more than the 86,500 needed for the 7% threshold statewide to change state law. Nebraska also requires that its petition gatherers collect valid signatures from 5% of registered voters in at least 38 of the states 93 counties. The effort hit 5% or more in 47 counties, according to a release from the Secretary of States Office. Sick leave is the first of several petitions expected to qualify for what could be a crowded fall ballot. County and state election officials are still reviewing signatures on other issues, including petitions on abortion rights, abortion restrictions, medical marijuana and the future of the states new voucher program for private K-12 schools. The state has until Sept. 13 to certify the ballot. Dakota Valley students returning to school on schedule despite recent flooding What the measure would do If voters pass the sick leave measure, businesses with 20 or fewer employees would be required to fund at least five paid sick days a year for full-time employees. Larger businesses would be required to fund at least seven sick days per year per full-time employee. Full- and part-time employees would earn an hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. Workers would be able to use the time for personal and family illnesses. Supporters, including some small business owners, have testified that factory, farm and service workers would benefit the most from the change. Some said they lost jobs when their kids got sick. Morgan Spiehs, a local worker and advocate for the petition drive, said in a statement that she lived with a lot more stress and fear as a preschool teacher with no sick leave. When I felt unwell, I scrutinized my symptoms every hour, wondering how quickly I could return to work so I could stop losing money, she said. Critics of the proposal have said it unnecessarily complicates an issue where responsible businesses can compete by offering benefits when they cant compete as easily on pay. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. More than 40,000 Palestinians have died in the Israel-Hamas war, the territorys Health Ministry announced Thursday, as the conflict pushes into its 11th month. In a report, the Health Ministry said 40,005 people have been killed since early October, The Associated Press reported. The ministry, which works under the government led by Hamas, does not distinguish between civilians and militants, and health officials said the actual toll could be thousands of people higher, as bodies remain buried under the rubble from airstrikes. An estimated 92,401 people have been injured in Gaza, the Health Ministry reportedly added. The numbers come as international leaders push for a cease-fire and hostage-release deal between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas. President Biden, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Qatari leader Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani issued a joint statement last week cementing this push, saying there is no further time to waste nor excuses from either side. Hamas leadership said earlier this week it will not attend negotiations expected to continue Thursday, and urged the U.S., Egypt and Qatar to show how they can implement last months proposal instead of going to more rounds of negotiations or new proposals that provide cover for the occupations aggression. The groups statement came after an Israeli strike hit a school in Gaza over the weekend, killing about 100 people. The war has raged on for more than 11 months since Hamass Oct. 7 surprise assault that killed about 1,200 people. Hamas, recognized as a terrorist group by the U.S. government, also kidnapped about 250 people, bringing them to Gaza as hostages. About 105 of the hostages were released in a brief November truce, and Israel claims 111 hostages have not been released, including the bodies of 39 people. The hostages include 15 women and two children under the age of 5, the AP reported. Hundreds of thousands of civilians have been forced out of their Gaza homes, equal to nearly 85 percent of the territorys 2.3 million population, according to the AP, in the wake of ground offensives. They have been forced into shelters, where humanitarian aid is low in supply. The entire territory is at risk of famine, and more than 495,000 people are expected to face the most severe level of hunger in the coming months, the AP added. Israel has pushed forward with its military campaign, stating its goal is to eliminate Hamas, and pins the civilian deaths on the militant groups operations in civilian areas and extensive underground tunnels. Biden insisted earlier Sunday that the cease-fire proposal is still viable, despite some pushback from Israeli leaders. The plan I put together endorsed by the G7, endorsed by the U.N. Security Council, etc., is still viable, Biden said in a CBS News Sunday Morning interview. And Im working literally every single day to and my whole team, to see to it that it doesnt escalate into a regional war. But it easily can. The Associated Press contributed. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) meets with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the Presidential Complex. -/Turkish Presidency/dpa Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to address the Turkish parliament in the capital Ankara on Thursday. Abbas arrived in Turkey on Wednesday, a day after he met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Abbas held talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday in Ankara to discuss the ongoing Gaza war, Erdogan`s communications office announced on the social media platform X. The two discussed "the steps that need to be taken for a permanent ceasefire" in Gaza, among other things, the office said. The statement also accused Israel of committing a "massacre" in Gaza. Abbas called for an immediate ceasefire and Israel's complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported. Abbas, 88, is president of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and chairman of Fatah. He has little support within the Palestinian population. Meanwhile, a decisive round of negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza is expected to start in Qatar on Thursday. The Islamist Palestinian group Hamas said it will not attend the talks but is willing to be briefed afterward on the discussed points. Hamas is responsible for the massacre on October 7 in Israel, which started the current war. Fatah and Hamas are the two largest Palestinian organizations and bitter rivals. In 2006, Hamas won the Palestinian parliamentary election. The following year, it seized control of the Gaza Strip by force and drove Fatah out of the area. Since then, Abbas has de facto only ruled in the West Bank. Escorted by tugboats, the LNG tanker "Rias Baixas Knutsen" (R) transports a cargo of LNG to the "Deutsche Ostsee" energy terminal. The operator of Germany's first onshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal is suing the European Commission for approving state subsidies for a rival terminal, the Hanseatic Energy Hub (HEH) said on Thursday. Stefan Sauer/dpa The operator of Germany's first onshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal is suing the European Commission for approving state subsidies for a rival terminal, the Hanseatic Energy Hub (HEH) said on Thursday. HEH, a private consortium of companies working without subsidies, is taking legal action against the European Commission at the EU court in Luxembourg as the Brussels authority approved subsidies provided by the German government to a rival project in Brunsbuttel at the mouth of the river Elbe to the north-west of Hamburg. Germany aims to use LNG to offset the loss of Russian gas supplies. Berlin had previously depended heavily on Russian gas but rapidly sought alternatives after Moscow invaded Ukraine in 2022. HEH argues that the Brunsbuttel project could proceed without state funding. HEH said a normal market participant would have simply charged higher prices to customers and managed without state money. HEH's lawyers also say the support encourages operators to be less economically efficient. HEH, the consortium responsible for the LNG project in Stade upriver from Brunsbuttel on the Elbe, is based in Hamburg and includes the Hamburg port logistics company Buss-Gruppe, the Swiss private equity firm Partners Group, the Spanish network operator Enagas and the US chemical company Dow. HEH began building the terminal in Stade just outside Hamburg in June, and it is scheduled to become operational in 2027. The European Commission let the German government support the Brunsbuttel terminal with state subsidies amounting to 40 million ($43 million) in 2023, a sum that could rise to 125 million under certain circumstances, according to the Brussels authority's funding decision. However, the German government is involved with significantly more money, having set aside 740 million in the 2022 budget, according to a letter from the Finance Ministry to the Bundestag's Budget Committee from April 2022. The German government is 50% involved in the company responsible for the Brunsbuttel terminal, German LNG, through Germany's KfW development bank. From left, Jennifer Barela, a public defender for the Second Judicial District, Karl Swanson, deputy district attorney of the Second Judicial District, Alison Pauk, senior attorney for the Administrative Office of the Courts, and New Mexico Supreme Court Justice Briana Zamora listen to a statements by Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto (D-Albuquerque) during a meeting of the Courts, Corrections and Justice Committee about mental health and competency. The meeting was held at the Central New Mexico Community College, Tuesday, August 13, 2024. (Photo by Eddie Moore / Albuquerque Journal) State lawmakers were given a starting point this week to connect mental health treatment to more people accused of crimes, but who are unable to stand trial. At a meeting of the Courts, Correction & Justice Committee on Tuesday, New Mexico Supreme Court Justice Brianna Zamora was part of an expert panel who presented a draft bill on criminal competency. She was joined by representatives from the Law Offices of the Public Defender, the Second Judicial District Attorneys Office, and the Administrative Office of the Courts. The proposed law would allow courts to order people who are accused of felony-level crimes and are found incompetent to stand trial to participate in community competency restoration programs, without necessarily requiring them to be in a locked facility. Zamora said the draft bill would give trial court judges alternatives besides incarceration, pretrial services and hospitalization at the New Mexico Behavioral Health Institute in Las Vegas. Changing New Mexicos criminal competency law to make it easier to find someone dangerous and put them in a locked facility for treatment was one of the proposals that Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham brought for the recent special session; advocates said her bill could have led to unjust outcomes, while lawmakers in her own party declined to sponsor it during the gathering in July at the Roundhouse. Whats competency? Criminal competency is someones ability to effectively communicate with their attorney, assist in their own defense, or rationally and factually understand the charges against them, said Tess Williams, an Albuquerque public defender who handles almost exclusively mental health and competency cases. Someone can have mental health issues or a formal diagnosis by a doctor and still be competent to stand trial, Williams said. Conversely, someone can have no known mental health issues or no diagnosis by a doctor and be incompetent, she said. When someones competency is questioned, the case is paused while a mental health professional evaluates them. If theyre found competent, their case proceeds normally, sometimes to trial. If theyre facing a misdemeanor charge and are found incompetent, their case is dismissed. If theyre found incompetent in a felony case, the court must determine whether theyre dangerous. Whats competency restoration? If someone is found incompetent and dangerous in a felony case, they are sent to the New Mexico Behavioral Health Institute in Las Vegas for competency restoration. Competency restoration is the process of educating and training someone to a point where they are competent enough to aid their defense. It may or may not look like mental health treatment. The person can return to court when they become competent, or they can stay confined in Las Vegas until the maximum sentence of their alleged crime. The draft was a collaborative effort by the Supreme Courts Commission on Mental Health & Competency, with members from all three branches of state government, police departments, local governments, and advocacy organizations. Zamora is the non-voting liaison to the commission. The statute alone will not be sufficient, Zamora said. This will lay the groundwork to create programs. A new law alone wont be enough because there is no statewide competency restoration program in New Mexico, said Jennifer Barela, an Albuquerque public defender. There are only a handful of evaluators in some jurisdictions in the state, she told the committee, resulting in a wait in the proceedings. One of the bigger issues is, we have to build some of these programs, Barela said. We dont have outpatient competency, restorative competency in New Mexico. I think its something we should move toward. Competency evaluations are delayed due to an insufficient number of qualified and certified evaluators, according to a report in July by Legislative Finance Committee staff. New Mexico has about 22 certified competency evaluators working under contracts, the report states. The states ability to fully reach and treat these individuals is hindered by a shortage of qualified behavioral health practitioners, the LFC staff wrote. On average, it can take one to three months for an incarcerated person to be seen by an evaluator, and six months to over a year if they are not incarcerated, the report states. Legislative Finance Committee staff are recommending state lawmakers give money to the Administrative Office of the Courts for certified competency evaluators. Out of all felony cases in New Mexico, only 2 percent are dismissed because of competency, according to the Legislative Finance Committee report. Bill would create off-ramps to treatment The draft bill proposes adding off ramps to connect defendants to behavioral health treatment, Zamora said this week. For people facing misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies, judges would be able to divert them away from the criminal justice system and into mental health treatment and services, the Justice for New Mexicos high court said in her testimony to lawmakers. It would also have a possibility of diverting them to assisted outpatient treatment, where we have it, and if theyre ordered to it, Zamora said. What is assisted outpatient treatment? Assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) is court-ordered mental health treatment for adults with mental illness who are found to be dangerous. AOT is done in the community and not in a locked facility. It can be started by a petition filed by family, mental health providers or guardians. In cases where people are diverted to assisted outpatient treatment, they are no longer within the criminal system, but rather the civil side, Zamora said. The proposal is a preliminary draft meant to give lawmakers a framework, and not an official proposal by the judicial branch, she said. In the meantime, the Administrative Office of the Courts is setting up a pilot assisted outpatient treatment program in Santa Fe and pilot competency diversion programs in Las Cruces, Las Vegas, Santa Fe and Lincoln and Otero counties, Zamora said. I think after we implement four pilot sites we do a thorough evaluation and we refine them where they need to be. I would love to see similar programs all over the state, Zamora said. The $3 million appropriated to the Administrative Office of the Courts during the July special session is being used to implement these programs in 2024. Zamora said if they are effective, recurring funds from state lawmakers will be needed to continue. I dont have a dollar amount, but certainly it would be pretty significant, although cheaper than incarceration and hospitalization, she said. Who is paying for the 2024 DNC in Chicago? The price tag for political conventions is usually in the tens of millions, with the Milwaukee host committee for last month's Republican National Convention raising upwards of $85 million dollars for the multi-day event. And the Democratic counterpart, slated for next week in Chicago, is upping the ante: the convention's host committee has raised nearly $95 million for the event, which is the most any host committee has ever raised for a convention of either party, according to POLITICO. So where is all that money coming from? It turns out we won't know for sure until months after both conventions wrap up. Here's why the DNC host committee sponsors aren't public yet and what we do know about who's funding the Chicago convention. Vice President Kamala Harris greets a cheering crowd at a campaign stop Wednesday, August 7, 2024 at the Eau Claire Event District in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Harris will officially accept the Democratic presidential nomination in Chicago next week. Why aren't the DNC host committee sponsors public? Up until 2012, national party conventions were publicly funded with taxpayer dollars. In 2014, however, former President Barack Obama signed legislation allowing political conventions to create host committees to help organize and fundraise for the events every four years. The host committees, which are non-profit and nonpartisan organizations, are legally required to disclose their donors but not until the convention is long over. The committees must submit financial reports at least 20 days before the general presidential election, according to the Federal Election Commission. That means we won't see a full list of donors and donation amounts until mid-October for both the RNC and DNC host committees. In addition to financial donations, the host committee can accept in-kind donations or services from retail businesses, labor organizations and the local and state government of the convention's host city. Liz Gilbert, president of the Milwaukee 2020 Host Committee speaks during a press conference. The convention ended up being largely virtual that year due to the pandemic. Which Wisconsin-based companies are (and aren't) supporting the DNC? Though the DNC host committee hasn't released an official sponsor list, some organizations have already confirmed their support for the Chicago convention. Molson Coors, the Chicago-based brewing company that produces Milwaukees famous Miller brand, is supporting both the 2024 RNC and DNC. The company did not share how much it had donated to each host committee but told the Journal Sentinel it gave the same figure to both groups this year. Other companies supporting the DNC host committee include Peoples Gas, Archer Daniels Midland, Cboe Global Markets, CME Group, United Airlines, BMO, Clayco, McDonald's Microsoft, Pfizer and Lyst, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Some of the top donors to the 2020 DNC host committee are also likely to support the convention again. Given the convention's virtual format, the host committee raised under $43 million that year and projected a small deficit. Major contributors included the National Education Association, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Bank of America, Priorities USA and the Democratic Governors Association. These are the top donors to the 2020 DNC host committee. The Potawatomi Hotel & Casino was the second-highest donor, but the hotel's support was likely driven by Milwaukee being the host city. In fact, several organizations with Wisconsin ties that supported both the 2020 DNC and 2024 RNC are sitting out this month's convention in Chicago. The Milwaukee Brewers and Northwestern Mutual, the Milwaukee-based financial services company, are among the previous sponsors that will not be supporting the Chicago DNC. "Our 2020 and 2024 support was about the local economic impact and Milwaukees growing opportunity to host large conventions as a city," Northwestern Mutual spokesperson Julia Fennelly said in an email. Who were the RNC host committee sponsors? Unlike the DNC host committee, the Milwaukee-based host committee for last month's RNC posted a graphic of its "partners" ahead of the convention. This graphic likely doesn't represent the full slate of people and organizations who donated to the RNC, but the major contributors. Sponsors of the 2024 RNC in Milwaukee. The partners ranged from local Milwaukee businesses to national corporations. These are some of the RNC host committee sponsors with Wisconsin ties: Fiserv , the financial services technology company that's also the naming sponsor of Fiserv Forum, the main venue of the RNC Forest County Potawatomi , a federally recognized tribe of Potawatomi people 3rd Street Market Hall , a food hall blocks from the convention sites Visit Milwaukee , an organization promoting local tourism Driftless Ranch , a hunting ranch in Prairie du Chien Dynamic Events by David Caruso , a Milwaukee-based event planning company Wisconsin Realtors Association , a statewide trade association headquartered in Madison Foley and Lardner LLP , an international law firm headquartered in Milwaukee Zizzo Group , a marketing agency in Milwaukee American Conservation Coalition , a national organization advocating for a conservative energy and climate policy, founded and headquartered in Appleton Majic Productions , an audiovisual equipment rental service based in Waukesha Central Standard Craft Distillery , a distillery and kitchen in Milwaukee Neenah Foundry , a national manufacturing company headquartered in Neenah Neumann Companies , a real-estate development company in Pewaukee Trade Hotel, a downtown hotel adjacent to Fiserv Forum What are the DNC and RNC host committees? Convention host committees are nonprofit, nonpartisan organizations working to ensure national political conventions run smoothly every four years. While the conventions are run by the national political party, the host committees are usually steered by local organizers. They serve as a liaison between the city, state and national political party. In Milwaukee last month, the host committee's primary purpose was to secure venues, sign contracts and organize RNC programming. Donations from official host committee partners supported a welcome party for delegates, a convention concert and an off-site convention park in Milwaukee. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Who are the 2024 Chicago DNC host committee sponsors? HARRISBURG, Pa. (WTAJ) Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry has joined a coalition of 21 attorneys general in support of state and federal regulations that govern gun sales, arguing that these laws are critical for public safety. What are Pennsylvanias gun laws? The coalition, led by New York, filed an amicus brief Thursday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in the case U.S. v. Steven Perez. The brief supports federal laws that prohibition individuals from transporting or receiving firearms from outside their state of residence, stressing that these regulations help prevent illegal gun and reduce violent crime. Preventing guns from crossing state linesexcept when federally allowedwill keep guns from getting into the wrong hands through unlawful transfers like straw purchases, Henry said. My office will continue our efforts to combat gun violence by exposing and holding bad actors culpable for violating the laws. The case involves Steven Perez, who was convicted in New York after receiving illegally purchased weapons from an unlicensed firearms dealer in South Carolina. Perez is appealing his conviction, arguing that it violates his Second Amendment rights. The attorneys general argue that regulations on gun transport do not infringe on constitutional rights but instead enhance state gun laws and assist law enforcement. They cite the importance of laws that require licensed firearms dealers to maintain detailed records, which are instrumental in investigating gun-related crimes. Get the latest news, weather forecasts and sports stories delivered straight to your inbox! Sign up for our newsletters. The amicus brief was joined by the attorney general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTAJ - www.wtaj.com. Key: Navy - D+5,000 or more, Blue - D+1,001 to D+4,999, Light Skyblue - D+1 to D+1,000. Light Salmon - R+1 to R+1,000, Red - R+1,001 to R+4,999, Maroon - R+5,000 or more. (Map by Nick Field via Daves Redistricting) What a difference a few weeks can make. Just three weeks ago, Pennsylvania Republicans were cruising along as they continued to eat into the Democratic Partys registration advantage in the Keystone State. Of course, that last voter registration update happened to be published right after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris. So, ahead of next weeks Democratic National Convention, we wanted to take a first look at whether Harris ascension caused any noticeable change in the numbers. As you can see in the map above, some of the commonwealths bluest counties are finally starting to get excited about this presidential contest. Before we get into that, though, lets take a quick look at the overall numbers. Pennsylvania Democrats were able to reverse their slide they lost 2,214 registrants between April and July for instance and actually added 11,650 registrants in the past three weeks. On the other hand, over that same period of time Republicans collected 16,425 registrants while Independent and third parties brought in 11,871. As a result, the Democratic Partys statewide advantage continued to shrink, from 360,982 to 356,207. Yet within all these statewide numbers, were already seeing some intriguing county trends that give us crucial hints of the campaign ahead. Lets dive in. A quick note: I explore our changing voter trends by tracking the gains one party accumulated in registrations over the other party. For example, R+500 means that the Republican Party gained a net 500 more registered voters in that county than the Democratic Party did over this period, while D+500 indicates the opposite. Central Blair: R+86 Bradford: R+148 Cameron: R+4 Centre : R+96 Clearfield: R+144 Clinton: R+45 Columbia: R+84 Elk: R+65 Huntingdon: R+61 Juniata: R+40 Lycoming: R+94 McKean: R+41 Mifflin: R+83 Montour: R+29 Northumberland: R+97 Potter: R+33 Snyder: R+40 Sullivan: R+10 Tioga: R+57 Union: R+13 For this region, I always pay particular attention to Centre and Union Counties the homes of Penn State and Bucknell universities as a gauge of student voters. Since school still isnt back in session, however, well just have to wait until next time to get an accurate read on how students are affecting registration. Northeast Carbon: R+88 Lackawanna: R+175 Luzerne: R+328 Monroe: R+88 Pike: R+59 Schuylkill: R+184 Susquehanna: R+55 Wayne: R+118 Wyoming: R+8 With Scranton Joe off the ballot, Former President Donald Trump, the GOP nominee, is bound to work this corner of the state even harder. Hes already made Wilkes-Barre one of his regular campaign stops, and hes coming back to the city on Saturday. This strategy makes sense, as the ancestrally Democratic corridor that runs through Lackawanna and Luzerne is arguably his most appealing target for November. Northwest Clarion: R+88 Crawford: R+105 Erie: R+165 Forest: R+13 Jefferson: R+79 Mercer: R+186 Venango: R+33 Warren: R+43 Another encouraging sign for the GOP came in Erie, an Obama-Trump-Biden county where Pennsylvania Republicans continue to make gains. If Trumps going to win back the Keystone State, hell need to post record margins even in these rural Northwest counties. South Central Adams: R+148 Bedford: R+84 Cumberland: R+71 Dauphin: D+39 Franklin: R+108 Fulton: R+40 Lancaster: R+350 Lebanon: R+107 Perry: R+47 York: R+460 Democrats made their first breakthrough in Dauphin County, home to the capital city of Harrisburg. The Harris-Walz team will try to break Obamas 2008 high-water mark here, and get as close as they can to flipping Cumberland, which is just over the Susquehanna River. Meanwhile, Republicans must be heartened to see those gains in Lancaster and York, the most populated red counties in the commonwealth. In recent years, Democrats have managed to do surprisingly well in these two counties Gov. Josh Shapiro nearly won Lancaster in 2022 and the Harris campaign is actively aiming to cut down Trumps margin here. Southeast Berks: R+374 Bucks: R+270 Chester: D+353 Delaware: D+316 Lehigh: D+13 Montgomery: D+439 Northampton: R+171 Philadelphia: D+1,682 As one might expect, the largest shift of all came in Philadelphia, perhaps aided by last weeks Harris-Walz rally at Temple University. The Pennsylvania Democratic Party also saw gains in three of Phillys four collar counties, where the Harris-Walz team will need massive margins to win the Commonwealths crucial 19 electoral votes. Conversely, Republicans continue to post impressive numbers in Bucks, which flipped to a GOP plurality last month for the first since spring 2008. Theyre also making up ground in Northampton, the states other Obama-Trump-Biden county. At the same time, the party did see a bit of slippage in neighboring Lehigh, which is worth keeping an eye on. If Harris is indeed picking up steam among the states Hispanic voters, well see signs of it in the Lehigh Valley. Southwest Allegheny: D+31 Armstrong: R+127 Beaver: R+222 Butler: R+400 Cambria: R+314 Fayette: R+268 Greene: R+68 Indiana: R+114 Lawrence: R+164 Somerset: R+84 Washington: R+172 Westmoreland: R+400 Once again, Republicans posted some of their strongest gains in the Appalachian region of the state: the once ancestral Democratic southwest that helped power Donald Trump to victory eight years ago. The one exception is Allegheny County, where Dems are at last gearing up for November, when theyll try to break the 60% barrier for the first time since 1964. To that point, Harris and Walz are kicking off a bus tour in Pittsburgh Sunday, with other stops in Pennsylvania reportedly planned. This pre-convention trek actually mirrors a post-convention journey that Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine took together across the commonwealth in 2016. Undoubtedly, the 2024 team is hoping for more success with this trip. So what do these results tell us? Well, there are some real signs of hope for Pennsylvania Democrats, as Harris nomination is inspiring palpable enthusiasm for the first time in this election cycle. But the Pennsylvania GOP has considerable momentum less than three months out from Election Night. Well just have to keep watching these numbers until then. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST Pennsylvania man arrested for attempted murder in Frederick County road rage incident, police say FREDERICK COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) Maryland State Police (MSP) Troopers arrested a Pennsylvania man for his suspected involvement in a road rage incident in Frederick County Wednesday morning. Shortly after 7:30 a.m., MSP responded to the area of SB US15 at Tippin Drive for a road rage incident involving shots fired. At the scene, troopers saw shots through the passenger side of the victims car. The victim was not hurt, despite the gunshots. New safety measures considered for Montgomery County public high schools Police identified 37-year-old Bryand Paradine as the suspect after putting a lookout for a maroon Chevrolet SUV with Pennsylvania tags. His SUV was found parked outside of a business in Thurmont, Md. Investigators found Paradine inside and executed a search warrant on his car, finding a loaded 9mm handgun and spent shell castings. He was charged with attempted murder, use of a gun in commission of a felony and related offenses. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. Pennsylvania man pleads guilty in Seattle court for online refund fraud and money laundering According to the Department of Justice, a Pennsylvania man has pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Seattle to wire fraud and money laundering related to a large-scale fraudulent online refund scheme. Leonardo Vidal, 29, of Wilkes-Barre, admitted to running the scam, which defrauded online retailers of more than $6 million between 2021 and 2023. When sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert S. Lasnik on November 7, Vidal faces up to 20 years in prison. Vidal operated a scheme called Ressu Refunds from June 2021 until April 2023, amassing over 2,800 subscribers who sought to exploit online retailers. The scheme involved customers purchasing high-value goods and falsely claiming refunds while keeping the items. Vidal would then take a cut of the fraudulent refunds, enriching himself in the process. Beginning in June 2022, Vidal collaborated with 25-year-old Sajed Al-Maarej from Dearborn, Michigan, who ran a similar scheme called Simple Refunds. The two men used Telegrams messaging service to communicate with customers and coordinate the fraud. They even recruited insiders at UPS and the U.S. Postal Service to manipulate tracking data, making it appear that packages were lost, stolen, or returned. In December 2022, Vidal acquired Simple Refunds from Al-Maarej, who had facilitated over $726,000 in fraudulent refunds through the platform. Vidal continued the scheme until April 2023, profiting more than $87,000 from Simple Refunds and $640,000 from Ressu Refunds. Vidal has agreed to pay restitution of more than $6 million, the total value of the fraudulent refunds during his operation of the schemes. Although wire fraud and money laundering carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, prosecutors have agreed to recommend a sentence of no more than 87 months. Judge Lasnik will determine the final sentence based on federal guidelines and other considerations. Al-Maarej also pleaded guilty to conspiracy, mail fraud, and wire fraud on July 15 and is scheduled for sentencing on November 7. How Penske uses AI to prevent costly truck breakdowns and improve repairs How Penske uses AI to prevent costly truck breakdowns and improve repairs Penske offers transportation services with a fleet of over 446,000 vehicles. The company uses AI platforms that predict issues and recommend efficient vehicle repairs. This article is part of "Build IT," a series about digital-tech trends disrupting industries. Penske Transportation Solutions is a heavyweight leader in transportation services, including truck leasing and rental, fleet maintenance, and logistics and supply-chain solutions. The company, which is headquartered in Reading, Pennsylvania, has a fleet of more than 446,000 vehicles. The scale of its enterprise requires highly streamlined and automated workflows within its operations, including vehicle maintenance. To achieve this efficiency, Penske has turned to artificial intelligence. Solving expensive problems Vehicle-maintenance issues can be costly for Penske and affect customer experience, said Sarvant Singh, the vice president of data and emerging digital solutions at Penske. If a truck breaks down miles from its destination, "we have to provide a substitute vehicle," he said, adding that "the truck has to be towed" and sometimes technicians and parts aren't immediately available. In 2018, to troubleshoot vehicle mechanical issues, Penske launched a platform called Guided Repair built with Hitachi, a technology and innovation company. The system uses decades of data that Penske has collected about its fleet and implements "prescriptive AI," including deep-learning models, to make repair recommendations, Singh said. For instance, if a driver notices a check-engine light is on and brings the vehicle to a Penske shop, technicians hook it up to a probe and download its data. Singh said Guided Repair quickly analyzes the data and generates a recommendation, such as that a certain sensor needs to be replaced. He said the system, which is now used on most Penske vehicles, has decreased repair times and repeat repairs. It has also helped the company collect real-time data from trucks, including geolocation, performance metrics, and fault codes, which identify maintenance issues. Sarvant Singh is the vice president of data and emerging digital solutions at Penske Transportation Solutions. Courtesy of Penske Transportation Solutions As a next step, Penske wanted to anticipate and respond to maintenance problems before they occurred. The company worked with Hitachi to develop Proactive Diagnostics, a predictive model using artificial intelligence and machine learning to flag vehicles with imminent mechanical problems so they can be fixed before they break down. Putting AI to the test Proactive Diagnostics, which launched in 2021, combines Hitachi's "robust data-science capabilities" with Penske's "rich datasets," Singh said, to predict when a truck is going to fail. An external device is attached to the vehicles to collect data in real time, Singh said. The technology uses AI to analyze patterns in fault codes and other fleet data and flag problems before they happen, which ensures trucks are repaired quickly. The device also alerts customers about potential vehicle problems and automatically sends a service request to a designated maintenance facility to help them schedule service, according to the company. Singh said the system saves drivers time because they can avoid vehicle breakdowns and waiting for replacements, which can be hefty operating expenses for Penske. By quickly identifying problems and scheduling repairs, the technology also allows customers to stick to their schedules and meet delivery deadlines. Proactive Diagnostics is being used on about 150,000 vehicles, and Penske plans to expand the technology across its fleet, Singh said. The results of an AI-driven solution Last year, Proactive Diagnostics helped prevent about 90,000 trucks from breaking down, Singh said, adding that it also reduced the time it takes to repair a vehicle by 15 minutes to an hour. The maintenance insights generated by Guided Repair and Proactive Diagnostics help technicians work more efficiently, he said. Technicians can accept or reject the information based on the situation. "It's not about replacing humans with machines," Singh said, adding that AI had been especially helpful for new technicians learning on the job. Looking ahead Penske continues to develop AI use cases, Singh said, including building AI tools that allow customers to analyze their own fleets. In April, Penske Truck Leasing, a Penske company, debuted Catalyst AI, an AI platform that lets customers' fleet managers automatically compare their trucks with other similar fleets to see how they're performing based on fuel usage and other metrics. This is traditionally a manual and time-consuming process that relies on industry benchmarks. "The transportation industry is getting revolutionized by AI," Singh said, adding that Penske would continue to use emerging technologies to provide better customer experiences and make its work more efficient. Read the original article on Business Insider PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) A Peoria sculpture is being dedicated to a well-known local figure. The sculpture, called Flight of the Cakewalkers, is located in Liberty Park on the riverfront. On Wednesday, Peoria officials gathered for an official dedication ceremony. The painted steel and cast bronze sculpture was created by Preston Jackson in 2001. Peoria resident, Joy Kessler sponsored the restoration to honor her husband, Steve Shostrom. Shostrom is known for opening Running Central, creating the Illinois Valley Striders, and is the founder of the Steamboat Classic. Today, we rededicate this sculpture not just as a work of art, but as a living, breathing piece of our communitys heart and soul. This rededication is made all the more meaningful as we honor Steve Shostrom and his efforts as a beloved riverfront and community advocate, said Peoria Mayor Rita Ali. Joy Kessler added, Steve has always felt the Riverfront should be the crowning jewel of downtown Peoria. He worked for years with groups to complete the multi-use trail and encouraged recreation and the arts to draw people to this space. The sculpture was first displayed at Navy Pier in Chicago, and then re-located to the riverfront shortly after. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com. SINGAPORE, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- For the fourth year in a row, LUXASIA has been recognized as one of Singapore's Best Managed Companies by Deloitte. In light of these four consecutive wins, LUXASIA was also conferred the coveted Gold status. This is testament to the company's industry-leading performance, excellent business practices, and sustained growth over time. LUXASIA & Deloitte Teams at the Singapores Best Managed Companies Award Ceremony 2024 Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/9284251-luxasia-attains-gold-with-its-fourth-consecutive-win-of-deloitte-best-managed-companies-singapore-award/ LUXASIA first won the award back in 2021, at the end of its successful rigorous five-year transformation which made it the peerless omnichannel distribution platform for luxury beauty and lifestyle in the Asia Pacific. Not resting on its laurels, LUXASIA continued driving strong business growth and portfolio diversification, while investing heavily into its talents, culture, capabilities, and operations. The company's clear yet agile strategic imperatives and focus on solid execution, backed by its compelling results, ensured these four consecutive annual wins and the attainment of Gold status from Deloitte. The Best Managed Companies Awards program inspires, celebrates, and builds communities of private companies globally. It evaluates businesses based on domains of strategy, culture and commitment, capabilities and innovation, as well as governance and financials. Companies are subject to a rigorous and independent evaluation process, benchmarked against a global standard framework applied across thousands of aspiring companies in 46 countries. LUXASIA is powered by a 2700-strong team, with a solid track record of driving brand growth and success for more than 120 world-renowned luxury beauty and lifestyle brands. Notwithstanding recent industry headwinds, LUXASIA has strategically navigated the waves of change and judiciously enhanced its presence across many markets in the region. With long-term growth in mind, LUXASIA invested heavily in both retail and regional expansion, while forging strategic partnerships with multiple brands and channel partners alike. Over the past 12 months, the Group has launched multiple boutiques for the likes of Acqua di Parma, Diptyque, and La Prairie. In partnership with SK-II, LUXASIA launched the brand's first-ever Concept Store in the world at Mid Valley Megamall in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Furthermore, escentials, LUXASIA's luxury niche beauty omni-retail concept has also expanded its regional presence significantly. In just one year, escentials has opened four new boutiques in prime retail destinations such as The Exchange TRX Mall in Kuala Lumpur, Crescent Mall in Ho Chi Minh City, EmSphere in Bangkok, and ION Orchard in Singapore. For all its efforts, LUXASIA also scored a hattrick win as Luxury Retailer of the Year for Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand at the Retail Asia Awards 2024 last month, for its stellar growth and top-notch retail initiatives in these markets. Most recently, the company even formed a strategic partnership with Agence de Parfum in Australia and New Zealand to become the preeminent beauty omni-distributor Down Under. "Winning the fourth time and with it, this coveted Gold status, is a prestigious and precious recognition for us at LUXASIA. Since our first win, challenges facing businesses globally continue to evolve and intensify growth and success do not come easy. Through it all, we are deeply grateful for the contributions and dedication of our passionate One Team, as well as the trust and support from all our partners. We celebrate this win together," says Dr. Wolfgang Baier, Group CEO of LUXASIA. "It is still an exciting time for the luxury beauty and lifestyle in Asia Pacific, with much growth to be unlocked in the region. Thank you to Deloitte for your continued affirmation of the way we plan, operate, and grow. This win is a great encouragement for our team to continually drive brand success, develop talents, and delight consumers," says Mr. Patrick Chong, Founder & Chairman of LUXASIA. CONTACT: Brynner Jananto brynnerjananto@luxasia.com T: +65 6488 8928 M: +65 9856 7597 Third Diptyque boutique in Singapore at ION Orchard Mall LUXASIA named Luxury Retailer of the Year for Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia at Retail Asia Awards 2024 First escentials Vietnam boutique in Crescent Mall, Ho Chi Minh City Global first SK-II Concept Store opened at Mid Valley Megamall, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/luxasia-attains-gold-with-its-fourth-consecutive-win-of-deloittes-best-managed-companies-singapore-award-302222953.html SOURCE LUXASIA The Perseid meteor shower, one of the most highly anticipated celestial events every year, just took place and at Stonehenge, one photographer managed to capture it in an image that he calls a "window to the universe." The image, a composite of dozens taken over three hours the night of Aug. 9, shows the meteor shower and the Milky Way glowing over the U.K. historic site. "I always like to remember them as ancient fireworks because they are," astrophotographer Josh Dury, who captured the image, told CBS News. "The Perseus meteor shower is created by one of the oldest objects of our solar system, comets ... I thought, 'this is such a pertinent narrative through that sense of mystery and time.'" Astrophotographer Josh Dury captured a photo of the Perseids meteor shower's The image, a composition of 40 images taken over a three-hour period, was so dazzling that even NASA featured it as the Astronomy Picture of the Day on Aug. 12, an honor that Dury said "words can't explain." "It's insane," he said. "... In a career as a landscape astrophotographer, it can't get any bigger than that." Dury has been photographing the night sky since he was 7 years old after he watched the animated series "Biker Mice from Mars." "That just encapsulated my curiosity from such a young age for life on other worlds. And if you imagine that we're lucky enough to have this composition for life here on Earth, as astronomers, when we're observing galaxies, nebulas or star clusters, you can't help but imagine thinking that there must be life somewhere out there in the universe," he said. "And I do believe that's what drives people forward, is that curiosity [of] what's out there amongst the veil of darkness?" Dury hopes his viral photograph will help today's children feel as inspired as he was, and that it can help bring awareness to the importance of dark sky preserves and environmental conservation. Artificial light is a major problem for catching these glimpses into space, he said. But it goes beyond disrupting what could be a mystical experience with the cosmos. Light pollution can also disrupt nocturnal wildlife, he said, and even people. "Our bodies produce melatonin at night for our sleep patterns. And so if we don't protect the night, we're almost creating a ticking time bomb by not having the right condition," he said. "...When we see dark sky places under threat more than ever before ... the view of the night sky, it could well change within the period of our lifetime." Dark sky preserves, protected areas with minimal light pollution, are also under threat. Canada's Jasper National Park, the second-largest dark sky preserve in the world, just suffered its worst wildfire in a century. "It's so important to protect our environment, culture and heritage," he said, adding that it's his mission to capture images such as this to provide inspiring "windows to the universe." "... That's another reason why I take photographs, is to inspire that next generation of 7-year-old youngsters like I was to look up at the night sky." Sneak peek: Andreen McDonald: A Millionaire Vanishes Why Kamala Harris is going to Wisconsin during DNC in Chicago What's coming for Day 2 of DNC in Chicago For nearly four decades, the Diablo Canyon Power Plant has been the backbone of Californias clean energy ambitions. Today, Diablo Canyon Californias only operating nuclear power plant generates roughly 9% of Californias electricity, enough to meet the energy needs of more than 3 million people. All of this is clean, zero-emission, carbon-free energy. In fact, every year it operates, Diablo Canyon saves between 6 to 7 million tons of greenhouse gasses from entering the atmosphere compared to other generation sources. In recent weeks, a lot has been said about the cost of keeping Diablo Canyon operating. I believe Californians deserve a full accounting of both the costs and financial benefits of operating Californias largest source of clean energy. Opinion The math is clear that keeping Diablo Canyon open through 2030 will not only ensure that California can keep the lights on without backsliding on its climate goals, it will also save customers $200 million per year on average or more than $1 billion over the duration of the extended operations period. Heres how things break down: Operating Diablo Canyon from 2024 to 2030 will cost roughly $8.3 billion dollars, $1.2 billion of which is being paid for by state and federal programs. That leaves a remaining $7.1 billion that will be paid by customers over the six-year period in question. For the average customer in PG&Es service area, this works out to roughly $2 per month in 2025. The cost is significantly less for customers in Southern California, and the cost for all customers is expected to decrease significantly in the later years to $0 in some years of the plants extended operations. These costs represent only one side of the financial equation. There are significant financial benefits for customers that come from extended operations of the plant, and when you add everything up, Diablo Canyons revenues and reliability value will be more than $8.2 billion more than $1.1 billion higher than the operating costs to be paid by customers. Heres how: The energy generated by Diablo Canyon will generate market revenues to the tune of $6.1 billion, 100% of which must be returned to customers to offset the costs of operations. In addition, operating Diablo Canyon means that energy companies wont be required to sign new and costly energy contracts to ensure that Californias grid can maintain electric reliability during periods of extreme demand. This reliability value comes out to roughly $2.1 billion in additional value, which is used to offset customers energy costs. Simply put, Diablo is the most affordable way to maintain reliability. And, according to the California Energy Commission, the only resource available that wouldnt rely on harmful fossil fuels to generate that power. Together, these revenues and reliability values means California energy customers will see a net benefit of roughly $200 million per year on average. But Diablo Canyons value doesnt stop there. As aforementioned, Diablo Canyon saves between 6 to 7 million tons of greenhouse gasses from entering the atmosphere. These avoided emissions have societal benefits that can be quantified through things like avoided health care costs, agriculture impacts, medical expenses and impacts to the labor field and broader economy. For Diablo Canyon, the societal benefit of avoided greenhouse gas emissions has been pegged at nearly $400 million per year. These figures, paired with the fact that keeping Diablo Canyon online prevents the state backsliding on its clean energy goals by having to integrate more fossil fuel generation into its energy, make Diablo Canyon a sound investment for all Californians one that saves customers money and benefits society while keeping the lights on. Maureen Zawalick is the vice president of business and technical services at the Diablo Canyon Power Plant. State Rep. Phil Lyman has launched a write-in campaign for governor after the Utah Supreme Court dismissed his petition to remove Gov. Spencer Cox from office and name himself as the Republican nominee in Novembers election. Lyman lost to Cox in the GOP primary election on June 25 by more than 37,500 votes. He has not yet conceded, citing concerns over the transparency of signature packets and a 10-year-old law that provides an alternative route to primary elections other than the GOP nominating convention, which Lyman won in April. A few of Lymans colleagues in the Utah Legislature say Lyman, who will continue to represent southeastern Utah until January, is drawing attention to real reforms that need to be made to Utah election law. But several GOP lawmakers in the states House and Senate expressed worry that his last-ditch efforts to appear on the general election ballot are the wrong way to advertise or achieve such reforms, and will help Coxs Democratic opponent, state Rep. Brian King, while hurting the Utah Republican Party. Lyman launches write-in campaign On Tuesday, the Utah Supreme Court denied Lymans request to remove Cox and Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson from office and advance himself to the general election. The justices said they had already rejected the same arguments in previous cases and Lyman did not show any legal basis for setting aside the primary results. In the hours since the ruling was released, Lyman has dived headlong into a write-in candidacy, saying he will provide supporters with write-in yard signs and expressing confidence that his campaign now unaffiliated and unsupported by the state Republican Party can tilt the 2024 gubernatorial race in his favor. We will absolutely continue to fight, Lyman said in a post on Sunday. We question not only the primary election results; we also reject the entire apparatus that allows corrupt establishment politicians to retain their power and influence year after year, without any transparency. The Deseret News reached out to Lyman for further comment on his decision to run as a write-in candidate but he referred back to his Sunday press release. Lyman has until Sept. 3 at 5 p.m. to file as a write-in candidate. As soon as he does, counties can begin printing ballots. While the Utah Republican Party supported Lyman as the convention nominee following his 67.5%-32.5% win over Cox among convention delegates, state GOP Chair Rob Axson said a write-in candidate is not something that we would ever support. We are Republicans for a reason. We believe in our nominees, Axson told the Deseret News. If somebody believes in the platform and the tenets of the Republican Party, they should not be working against the Republican Party and its candidates. Can Lyman win as a write-in candidate? The odds are stacked against Lymans plan to challenge both major parties nominees. Marty Carpenter managed former Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.s 2020 gubernatorial campaign when he lost to Cox by less than 2 percentage points. After the narrow defeat, Huntsman was encouraged to reenter the race as a write-in candidate. But the realities of a campaign where the candidates name does not even appear on the ballot made the decision to forego a write-in candidacy fairly simple, Carpenter said. Its a long shot, at best, for a write-in candidate to even really compete, Carpenter said. Theres virtually no way that a write-in candidate wins; and while he may draw some support away from Spencer Cox (because) the voters who have been big Phil Lyman supporters are likely to vote for him it wont be enough to really make a significant impact. Lymans 195,000 votes from the primary likely form a ceiling of support, Carpenter said, explaining there is an ardent group that dislike the governor enough to write Lymans name on their ballot. But compared to the 919,000 votes received by Cox and Henderson in the 2020 general election, and the 443,000 received by their Democratic opponent, Lymans vote total appears more likely to secure him a third-place finish in 2024, according to Carpenter. Veteran Utah GOP operative Jason Powers said the countrys last successful statewide write-in campaign was likely that of Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, in 2010 after she was ousted in her primary. But Murkowskis historic win relied on high name I.D. as a sitting senator and millions of dollars. A successful statewide write-in campaign in Utah would be very expensive, in the neighborhood of $11 million, Powers said. With the general election just 12 weeks away, a challenger raising that amount of money in this state is a nearly impossible task. Will Lymans write-in candidacy hurt Cox? Rep. Kera Birkeland, R-Morgan, doesnt believe her colleagues quixotic write-in campaign poses a threat to Cox. But she worries it could help Democrats by further dividing Utah Republicans. What I think itll do is just create more factions within the Republican Party which will harm a lot more Republicans running for office statewide, Birkeland said. Lymans post-primary messaging has featured numerous suggestions that a vote for King the Democratic Party nominee would be better than a vote for Cox in the general election. In a post on Tuesday, Birkeland said Lymans write-in campaign reveals that Lyman has a preference for Brian King over Spencer Cox for governor. Kings campaign has cheered on Lymans decision to run a write-in campaign, seeing it as a way to take advantage of a divided GOP. If you feel that your party has left you, there is a place for you in our campaign, King said in a statement. Cox and the Utah Republican Party have tried to counter Lymans strategy by laying out the difference between Coxs and Kings policy platforms. During his first term as governor, Cox supported the passage of measures enhancing constitutional firearm carry, abortion restrictions and election security, while King voted against each piece of legislation. Gov. Cox looks forward to working hard to earn the trust of Utah voters in the upcoming general election against a liberal Democrat who wants to turn Utah into Gavin Newsoms California, said Cox campaign manager Matt Lusty in a statement In a post on Wednesday, Sen. Mike Lee, who enjoys consistently high approval ratings among Utah conservatives, said he would be voting for Cox in November. Primary elections are where Republicans vigorously debate policy differences. The Primary is over. We cannot risk Utah turning into California. We must defeat the Democrats by uniting behind our fellow Republicans, Lee said. What are Lymans election concerns? Some Lyman supporters in the Legislature said fears that Lyman could spoil the election for King are overblown and that his campaign is drawing attention to important issues with the voting system. Lyman opposes Utahs signature path to the primary ballot and says Utah privacy laws have made it difficult for him to verify the signatures Cox gathered. Conjecture about how candidates will interfere with each others chances is not the issue Utahns are concerned about. They want to know that the election process is handled in a fair and honest manner, said Utah Rep. Mike Petersen, R-North Logan. Petersen is one of the few lawmakers to have publicly endorsed Lyman. He said political parties should be able to decide how they select nominees without the state interfering. As far as he is concerned, Petersen said, Phil Lyman is the Republican nominee for governor. This view is shared by Rep. Rex Shipp, R-Cedar City, who also endorsed Lyman during the primary. He believes Lyman should be the party nominee after winning at convention and is glad Lyman is using his campaign to highlight voters concerns with transparency in the signature-gathering process and mail-in voting. I think the people are just upset about the whole process, frankly. And I think Phil is doing what he feels is right for Phil, Shipp said, later clarifying that he thought Lyman was acting on behalf of concerned voters. I dont fault him at all for what hes doing because there are inconsistencies. Another Utah elected official, who supported Lyman during the primary, spoke with the Deseret News on the condition of anonymity and said Lymans write-in bid will damage the party and reveals a side of Lyman he hadnt seen: I like Phil. Hes a good man. But this is not the Phil Lyman that I know. What is toxic, specifically, is when Phil, or supporters of Phil, have said that they would be happier if King won over Cox. Thats a very dangerous sentiment to have, the source said. He clearly fully understands his political career is over and its one last ditch effort and hes the one thats going to go down with that ship. Will lawmakers address election concerns? Utah state Sen. Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork, said legislators will learn from this election cycle, which has been marked by legal fights over protected voter information and late postmarked ballots. But these issues are best resolved in the Legislature, not the courts, he said. We dont do it through overturning elections. We do it through the legislative process, said McKell, who is Coxs brother-in-law. Now that Lyman has rejected the results of the primary and called Cox and Henderson election stealers, McKell is not confident that Lyman will accept the election results in November either. Theres a scenario where I would envision Phil Lyman continuing to run even after the November election, McKell said. Sen. Dan McCay, R-Riverton, introduced a bill during the 2024 legislative session that would have prohibited a candidate who already filed a declaration of candidacy from running as a write-in candidate for the same election. The bill failed in committee. McCay said the fact Lyman performed well in the primary, coming within 9% of Cox, shows hes speaking to issues voters care about, including those concerning the electoral system. McCay agrees there should be more transparency surrounding voter information but said the place to protest and fix problems is the Legislature, not the campaign trail. There are already open bill files dealing with the ballot curing process, preventing late postmarked ballots, cleaning voter rolls for vote-by-mail ballots and increasing transparency in the signature-gathering process, McCay, and other lawmakers, confirmed. The more transparent an election process can be, the less there will be perception that something is amiss, McCay said. When you hurt transparency, you hurt trust. Pierce Brosnan and More Show Support for Anti-Whaling Activist Paul Watson, Who Remains Detained in Greenland Pierce Brosnan and French president Emmanuel Macron are among those calling for the release of the activist and "Whale Wars" star Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic Paul Watson Many people, including several public figures, are speaking out in support of anti-whaling activist Paul Watson, who has been detained in Greenland on an international arrest warrant from Japan. Police said Watson, 73, was arrested on Sunday, July 21, when his ship docked in Nuuk, according to the Associated Press and Reuters. Watsons ship was attempting to intercept Japans newly-built factory whaling ship Kangei Maru in the North Pacific when the ship stopped in Greenland to refuel, according to a statement from the Captain Paul Watson Foundation. Watson has the support of public figures, including actor Pierce Brosnan and French president Emmanuel Macron, who are calling for his release. Brosnan, 71, showed his support for Watson on Monday, Aug. 12, with a Facebook photo of the actor holding up a piece of paper that says #FreePaulWatson on it. Pierce Brosnan/Facebook Pierce Brosnan showing his support for former "Whale Wars" star Paul Watson The Remington Steele star has previously spoken out in support of Watson in May 2012. Brosnan raised awareness on Facebook after Watson was detained in Germany with the possibility of being extradited to Costa Rica. He will surely endure much hardship for trying to do the right thing by our oceans and her diminishing wildlife, Brosnan wrote at the time. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Macrons office announced on Tuesday, July 23, that the French president was pressing Danish authorities not to extradite Watson, according to Agence France-Presse. Watson is known for founding the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which has a mission to protect and conserve the worlds oceans and marine wildlife by defending all marine wildlife without exception. Pascal Le Segretain/Getty French President Emmanuel Macron showed his support for Paul Watson shortly after the anti-whaling activist was arrested in July 2024 The Canadian-American citizen is also well-known for appearing on the reality television series Whale Wars, which followed the anti-whaling activists attempts to stop the killing of whales off the coast of Antarctica by Japanese vessels. The show aired on Animal Planet from from 2008 to 2015. Japan issued the warrant for Watsons arrest more than a decade ago, claiming he allegedly caused injury and property damage upon breaking into a Japanese vessel in the Antarctic Ocean in 2010, according to the AP and Reuters. Related: Gray Whale Extinct in the Atlantic for 200 Years Seen Near Nantucket: An Incredibly Rare Event Danish authorities claim that the arrest was made due to an international arrest warrant issued by Japan, related to his anti-whaling campaigns in the Antarctic more than a decade ago, a petition on the CPWF website says. More than 65,000 signatures have been collected through the petition on the CPWF website calling for Watsons release. Watson will be detained until Thursday, Sept. 5, while authorities consider his extradition to Japan, according to the AP and Reuters. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Is Pierce County doing enough to address homelessness? Tacoma city leaders dont think so Tacoma city leaders are calling on Pierce County to step up its efforts to address homelessness. During the Aug. 13 Tacoma City Council meeting, a letter to the Pierce County Council and County Executive was approved by the City Council. City spokesperson Maria Lee told The News Tribune the letter was brought to the council by Mayor Victoria Woodards. The letter expressed a growing concern over the escalating issue of homelessness across Pierce County. While we recognize and appreciate the work you have done to support sheltering and resources in Tacoma over the years, the letter to Pierce County leaders reads, additional action from the county to prevent the burden from disproportionately continuing to fall on our city alone is required. According to the writers, Tacoma provides over 80% of all sheltering in Pierce County while accounting for a little less than 25% of the population. As our programs have expanded, it has become increasingly clear that our efforts alone are insufficient to address the broader regional crisis, the letter wrote. Many individuals experiencing homelessness are either residing or seeking refuge in unincorporated areas, where access to essential services and shelter is extremely limited. The letter urges county leaders to provide the necessary support and resources in unincorporated areas, and specifically for the County Council to pass Ordinance O2024-540, which would allow the county to streamline the process of setting up temporary stability sites. The ordinance was recommended to come before the county council by a subcommittee on Aug. 5. It follows the failure of an emergency ordinance with the same intent. The emergency ordinance failed on party lines after Democrats on the council tried to push the legislation through without committee input, citing homelessness as an emergency in the region. The legislation is intended to amend county zoning codes that prohibit projects such as the countys planned stability site a temporary housing shelter the council stipulated be built outside Tacoma with the recognition that there is a need for homelessness resources outside the city. The letter states the ordinance would alleviate the pressure on Tacoma by allowing non-congregate housing projects like tiny-home villages to be established in unincorporated Pierce County. We know that keeping residents in their own communities and near their support networks, and providing services there leads to better outcomes for them, the letter read. The absence of adequate County-supported services not only exacerbates the issue but also places an undue strain on our city resources as we strive to accommodate the growing needs of our houseless neighbors. The city cited data from the 2024 Pierce County Point-In-Time Count that showed nearly 30% of homeless people counted were found to be sleeping unsheltered with the overall number of unsheltered homeless individuals increased 59.4 percent between 2023 and 2024. Tragically, between January 2022 and July 2023, 158 people died while living unsheltered in Pierce County, clearly indicating a growing emergency that requires county-wide solutions, the letter stated. The City of Tacoma declared homelessness an emergency in 2021. Pierce County has not declared homelessness an emergency, despite evidence that suggests the number of those living homeless in Pierce County continues to rise. Under Pierce Countys charter, it is the executives job to declare a state of emergency Bruce Dammeier has said he will not do so. The responsibility of providing shelter cannot rest solely on the shoulders of Tacoma, The citys letter read. It is imperative that Pierce County steps up to provide the necessary support and resources in unincorporated areas. In response to the letter, Pierce County Council Chair Ryan Mello called the dynamic between Tacomas homeless services and the countys an imbalance that puts vulnerable people at risk. Its time for the county to do its part, and this County Council knows it, Mello told The News Tribune on Aug. 14. Mello pointed out the councils appropriating $2.5 million to establish a stability site outside the city as well as putting forward a proposal to allow the siting of temporary housing communities like tiny-home villages. I hope the County Executive is listening because we need tools to help people right now, and we need him to work with us to bring those solutions forward, Mello said. Pierce County Executive Bruce Dammeier wrote a response to the letter in which he expressed his opposition to Ordinance O2024-540, supported by both the City of Tacoma and Mello. I am concerned Ordinance 2024-540 would allow large tent encampments to be established throughout Pierce County with almost no public notice, Dammeier told The News Tribune. I cant support establishing stability sites like this in unincorporated Pierce County. Instead, Dammeier said he would prefer to support long-term supportive housing projects. Placer County sheriffs deputies arrested a juvenile suspect accused of emailing a bomb threat that forced authorities on Wednesday to evacuate students and staff from a Roseville school. Creekview Ranch School at 8779 Cook Riolo Road in Roseville was evacuated after the reported bomb threat made toward the school, according to the Placer County Sheriffs Office. The school offers classes for students in transitional kindergarten through eighth grade. The Sheriffs Office said school officials acted swiftly Wednesday morning by reporting the bomb threat and evacuating all 800 students to a safe location as deputies spent the next few hours searching the campus for any explosives. Shortly before 1 p.m., the Sheriffs Office announced that the campus was deemed safe for students to return to class, and school officials resumed classes for the remainder of the day. No explosives were found. On Thursday, the Sheriffs Office announced that an emailed bomb threat had been sent Wednesday morning to Creekview Ranch School. Sheriffs officials said deputies investigated the threat and traced it to a juvenile who was arrested and booked at the county juvenile detention center. They also said investigators found no evidence that indicated the juvenile had the means to carry out the bomb threat. Law enforcement agencies do not release the names of juveniles arrested on suspicion of committing crimes because they are minors. The Sheriffs Office did not release any further details about the arrested juvenile. RALEIGH, N.C. (WTNH) A commercial flight on its way to Connecticut made an emergency landing in Raleigh Thursday morning after reports of a possible odor in the cabin, according to representatives with American Airlines. FlightAware records show American Airlines 2392 took off from Charlotte Douglas International Airport at 7:19 a.m. and was expected to land at Bradley International Airport at 9:39 a.m. New airline coming to Tweed New Haven Airport Instead, the Boeing 738 landed at Raleigh-Durham International Airport around 8:40 a.m. Passengers News 8 spoke to said they heard a boom and smelled smoke. The flight attendants, you can tell, there was something not right, said Lisa Peterson, a passenger from Glastonbury. The captain came on shortly thereafter and said, Were going to divert and well be at the closest airport in 10 minutes.' Carl Peterson said that the plane started tilting back and forth, but landed with no problems. ABC 11 reported the aircraft had to be towed to the gate so passengers could exit, and the runways briefly paused traffic so the plane could land. Passengers then boarded a different plane. According to American Airlines, oxygen masks did not deploy and no injuries were reported. Plane headed to Connecticut makes emergency landing in Raleigh on Aug. 15, 2024. Plane headed to Connecticut makes emergency landing in Raleigh on Aug. 15, 2024. American Airlines said the aircraft was taken out of service to be inspected. FlightAware says the flight was set to leave Raleigh at 12:52 p.m. and land in Connecticut around 2:32 p.m. Customers will continue on to BDL on a replacement aircraft shortly. We thank our crew members for their professionalism and apologize to our customers for the inconvenience, American Airlines said around 11:15 a.m. Passengers want answers. There was such a lack of communication, said Lisa Boitet, a passenger from Florida. That was the most disappointing thing, as well. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com. Soft earnings didn't appear to concern Heineken Malaysia Berhad's (KLSE:HEIM) shareholders over the last week. Our analysis suggests that while the profits are soft, the foundations of the business are strong. Check out our latest analysis for Heineken Malaysia Berhad Zooming In On Heineken Malaysia Berhad's Earnings In high finance, the key ratio used to measure how well a company converts reported profits into free cash flow (FCF) is the accrual ratio (from cashflow). To get the accrual ratio we first subtract FCF from profit for a period, and then divide that number by the average operating assets for the period. You could think of the accrual ratio from cashflow as the 'non-FCF profit ratio'. That means a negative accrual ratio is a good thing, because it shows that the company is bringing in more free cash flow than its profit would suggest. While it's not a problem to have a positive accrual ratio, indicating a certain level of non-cash profits, a high accrual ratio is arguably a bad thing, because it indicates paper profits are not matched by cash flow. To quote a 2014 paper by Lewellen and Resutek, "firms with higher accruals tend to be less profitable in the future". Over the twelve months to June 2024, Heineken Malaysia Berhad recorded an accrual ratio of -0.44. Therefore, its statutory earnings were very significantly less than its free cashflow. To wit, it produced free cash flow of RM544m during the period, dwarfing its reported profit of RM400.0m. Heineken Malaysia Berhad's free cash flow improved over the last year, which is generally good to see. That might leave you wondering what analysts are forecasting in terms of future profitability. Luckily, you can click here to see an interactive graph depicting future profitability, based on their estimates. Our Take On Heineken Malaysia Berhad's Profit Performance Happily for shareholders, Heineken Malaysia Berhad produced plenty of free cash flow to back up its statutory profit numbers. Because of this, we think Heineken Malaysia Berhad's underlying earnings potential is as good as, or possibly even better, than the statutory profit makes it seem! Better yet, its EPS are growing strongly, which is nice to see. Of course, we've only just scratched the surface when it comes to analysing its earnings; one could also consider margins, forecast growth, and return on investment, among other factors. With this in mind, we wouldn't consider investing in a stock unless we had a thorough understanding of the risks. While conducting our analysis, we found that Heineken Malaysia Berhad has 1 warning sign and it would be unwise to ignore it. Story continues This note has only looked at a single factor that sheds light on the nature of Heineken Malaysia Berhad's profit. But there are plenty of other ways to inform your opinion of a company. Some people consider a high return on equity to be a good sign of a quality business. While it might take a little research on your behalf, you may find this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks with significant insider holdings to be useful. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Pokrovsk residents urged to evacuate as Russian forces are nearly 10 km from city's outskirts The military administration of the city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast on Aug. 15 called on residents to evacuate immediately, as the Russian army was about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the city's outskirts. Moscow began concentrating its efforts in the east, "throwing everything they have" in the Pokrovsk direction after Russia's Kharkiv Oblast offensive failed, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in late July. Pokrovsk is an important logistical hub for the Ukrainian forces that supports their operations in Donetsk Oblast. "We see that today the enemy is close to our community, to the city of Pokrovsk. Just a little over 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the outskirts of Pokrovsk," Serhii Dobriak, the head of Pokrovsk's military administration, said. Dobriak called on the city's residents, including families with children and the elderly, to evacuate immediately. Donetsk Oblast Governor Vadym Filashkin, in early August, announced an evacuation of over 700 children from four communities in Donetsk Oblast as heavy battles continued in the direction of Pokrovsk. As Russian forces concentrate more of their recourses on the offensive in Donetsk Oblast, the situation in the area in the Pokrovsk direction remains "extremely challenging," Kyiv acknowledged. Russian forces have been slowly but consistently gaining ground in Donetsk Oblast, and the front-line areas of Pokrovsk and Toretsk have borne the brunt of attacks in recent weeks. Read also: Eye of the storm: A day in the life of Ukrainian infantry on the zero line near Toretsk Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Poland showcases its growing army on a holiday that celebrates its historic defeat of the Red Army Poland displays its growing and modernising military during annual observances on Poland's armed forces holiday in Warsaw, Poland, on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski) WARSAW, Poland (AP) NATO member Poland paid tribute Thursday to its historic 1920 victory over the Red Army by honoring fallen Poles and showing off modern tanks and other equipment that it hopes will deter the threat it sees in modern-day Russia. More than 2,500 Polish troops, joined by dozens of U.S. and other allied soldiers, rode in military vehicles or tanks, or flew in fighter jets and helicopters in Warsaw, the Polish capital, on the Armed Forces Day holiday. We must arm ourselves and build such potential that no one will ever dare to attack us, President Andrzej Duda said before the parade, the culmination of state commemorations. Some of Poland's new weapons have replaced Soviet- and Russian-made equipment sent to neighboring Ukraine after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of its democratic neighbor on Feb. 24, 2022. Since Poland broke free of Moscow's control starting in 1989 and then joined NATO, it has worked to modernize its army. Those efforts moved into higher gear after Russia, under President Vladimir Putin, first invaded parts of Ukraine in 2014, and then began its full-fledged assault in 2022, with fears heightened all along the strategic stretch of NATO's eastern flank from the Baltic nations to Poland to Romania. Muscovites always threatened the peace here, said Radoslaw Prokop, a 49-year-old who watched the parade. For hundreds of years. U.S., British and Romanian soldiers riding in tanks with their national flags waving joined their Polish allies. They are here at our invitation, Duda said in his speech, recalling how in the past there were those here whom we did not invite, who came here by force. Jacek Szelenbaum, a 60-year-old truck driver, was among the thousands of spectators. His grandfather was forced to serve in a mounted infantry division of the Russian czar in the early 20th century, the waning years of a long Russian occupation over Warsaw and the surrounding region of Poland. He said that he realizes the parade is mostly for show, but is still encouraged when he sees the military having more modern weaponry as the years go by. We feel a bit better because we see this good equipment, and we feel the presence of our allies, Americans, British, Romanian and others," Szelenbaum said. "It's necessary in this situation, because Poland could never defend itself alone. Only in an alliance can we manage against Putin. The holiday falls on the anniversary of the 1920 Battle of Warsaw, in which Polish troops defeated Russian Bolshevik forces advancing on Europe, halting their western march. The war in Ukraine has reminded Poland of the enduring threat the country has long faced on the flat plains of Central Europe, wedged between larger, more powerful and often aggressive neighbors. Even membership in NATO hasn't eased the sense of threat after Russia's invasion of Ukraine and a migration crisis that erupted in 2021 along Poland's border with Belarus. Warsaw saw a sudden surge that year in large-scale migration from the Middle East and Africa as a form of hybrid warfare organized by Moscow and Minsk. Polish Defense Minister Wadysaw Kosiniak-Kamysz wrote a letter to soldiers, saying that the holiday is a reminder of the most glorious episodes of the Polish army, of the price of independence and freedom. On this day, we pay tribute to all the heroes who fought for the homeland from the dawn of our country," he added. Russia's war against neighboring Ukraine, and the Poland-Belarus border crisis, have led many Poles to fear what the Kremlin might do next, should it succeed in Ukraine. Poland signed a $10 billion deal earlier this week with the U.S. government for 96 Apache attack helicopters. Kosiniak-Kamysz said the Apaches, with their modern technology, mark a milestone for Poland's efforts to modernize its military, and would allow Abrams tanks and F-35 aircraft to be used to their full capacities. The U.S. Embassy said before the parade that the sky will be filled with American F-35s and Apaches flying alongside our Polish allies!" Americas commitment to defending every inch of NATO is unwavering, the embassy said in a post on X. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) The Dayton Police Department have arrested an alleged suspect following an incident that left one person dead. 2 NEWS previously reported on the incident last Friday, Aug. 9, when we learned that police, detectives and SWAT were in the area of Grand Avenue and Catalpa Drive on report of a shooting. The Dayton Police Department told 2 NEWS that an arrest was made by detectives from the Homicide Unit as they took into custody a person alleged to be a suspect in the incident. The department said that officers responded to reports of a person shot. On scene, officers located the individual and proceeded to administer first aid. The person was pronounced deceased at the scene. The individual was identified by the Montgomery County Coroners Office as Terry Whatley, 53. An investigation commenced, revealing that an alleged suspect was inside of a residence. This is what initiated SWAT Team and Hostage Negotiations Team call outs. Further investigation later revealed that no one was inside of the location in question. Detectives from the Homicide Unit were then called to the scene. The arrest was made on Wednesday, Aug. 14. Anyone with any information related to this case is asked to call 937-333-1232 to speak to detectives. If you wish to remain anonymous you can do so through Crime Stoppers at 937-222-7867 or by submitting a tip on their website. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) A 20-year-old man is dead after being shot at Community Beach Park on East Ocean View Avenue in Norfolk Wednesday evening, police said. Police said the call for the shooting came in around 6:20 p.m. for a shooting in the 700 block of East Ocean View Avenue, and they said the man, later identified as 20-year-old Andrew F. Saafi, was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. Saafi later died as a result of his injuries. Witnesses in the area at the time of the shooting said they heard several shots ring out while they were just enjoying a quiet evening on the popular beach. We were just hanging out on the beach and then when we came back up here trying to leave it was all zoned off and we werent allowed to leave. So, apparently shots fired; people heard it, said Ben Bilbrey. Police said they are actively investigating. If you have any information about this case, you can submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-888-LOCK-U-UP, downloading the P3 tips app to a mobile device, or visiting www.P3tips.com and submitting a tip. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. William Lester Suff, 73, who is on death row in California, has been accused of killing 19-year-old Cathy Small in 1986. Screen capture courtesy of Los Angeles Country Sheriff's Office/YouTube Aug. 14 (UPI) -- After nearly four decades since the body of 19-year-old Cathy Small was found riddled with stab wounds in a South Pasadena street, authorities in California said they have, through the use of DNA testing, identified a suspect -- a serial killer convicted of murdering 12 other women in the late 1980s and early 1990s who is currently on death row. Authorities said Tuesday during a press conference that DNA evidence has linked Small's murder to William Lester Suff, 73, who was convicted of murdering a dozen prostitutes in Riverside County from 1989 to 1991 and was sentenced to death, a punishment that has been placed under a moratorium in the state since 2019. When informed that his DNA matched that found at the crime scene, Suff allegedly confessed to killing the mother of two and dumping her in the street, authorities said. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna described the development Tuesday during a press conference as a "major breakthrough" in the cold case. Luna explained that the connection was only made possible due to the hard work of law enforcement, the "power" of modern forensic science and collaboration between agencies. Cathy Small was killed February 1986. Nearly 40 years later, authorities announced a suspect in the case. Screen capture courtesy of Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office/YouTube "We believe we're bringing a sense of long overdue justice and closure to the victim and her family," he said. Small was discovered the morning of Feb. 22, 1986, in a South Pasadena street wearing a nightgown and suffering from multiple stab wounds throughout her body. Police arrived on the scene and pronounced her dead. With no identification on her person, she was labeled Jane Doe #17, until days later a Lake Elsinore-area resident called police after hearing news of the death, stating the description of the deceased appeared to match his roommate whom he hadn't seen since the 10 p.m. Feb. 21. On seeing the remains, he confirmed they belonged to Small, whom he called a prostitute, and said he had last seen her the night before her death getting into the car of man she had said was named Bill who was going to pay her $50 to drive with him to Los Angeles. Not long after, the case went cold. And it stayed that way for decades. That is until Oct. 11, 2019, when police were called to the residence near where Small's body was found over the death of a 63-year-old man who lived alone. Inside his residence, "disturbing items" were found, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Homicide Lt. Patricia Thomas said Tuesday. Among the numerous photos of women who appeared to have been assaulted and held against their will, a newspaper article was found in the deceased's bedroom concerning Small's murder. After DNA was taken from the deceased, authorities discovered that DNA from Small's sexual assault kit, body and clothing she was wearing the night of her death had never been tested. On Aug. 19, 2020, detectives were informed that the testing of DNA from Small's crime scene revealed the presence of two men, neither of which were the deceased who has not been linked to any crimes. However, one of the two male DNA was identified as belonging to Suff, Thomas said. Thomas said that during seven hours of interviews held over two days, Suff confessed to killing Small. He allegedly told detectives that in 1986 he was working at a computer repair shop in Lake Elsinore when Small came in and gave him her phone number. According to Thomas, Suff confessed to having driven Small to Pasadena where he became enraged after she knocked his glasses off his face, seemingly during an argument. He then allegedly grabbed a knife he kept in the vehicle, stabbed her multiple times in the chest and then pushed her body into the street before driving away. Suff was presented photos of the crime scene and he allegedly told detectives they depicted how he had left her body, according to Thomas. "This case, which started with what seemed like a routine investigation, ultimately connected the murder of a young woman to her killer," Luna said. During the press conference, Thomas read a letter from Small's younger sister who said Suff, in allegedly murdering her sister "destroyed" her, her family and the families of others. "I will always miss my sister Cathy. Nothing will bring her back. Bill Suff is where he is supposed to be and he can no longer hurt anyone," said Thomas as she read the letter. VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) Virginia Beach Police said one of the children abducted out of Virginia Beach Wednesday evening, which prompted an Amber Alert, has died after a pursuit ended in a vehicle crash in Maryland. Shortly before 8:45 a.m. on Thursday, the Virginia State Police received a call from a motorist traveling north on I-95 in Fairfax County about seeing the suspect vehicle wanted for the Virginia Amber Alert issued on behalf of the Virginia Beach Police Department. Virginia State Troopers confirmed that the vehicle was the black 2024 Honda Passport SUV with Virginia license plate 37550R wanted by Virginia Beach Police in connection with the abduction of three children. The Amber Alert ended in a vehicle crash on I-495 in Prince Georges County, Maryland State Police confirmed. Shortly before 9 a.m. on Thursday, Maryland State Police received a call for assistance from Virginia State Police requesting assistance in an active Amber Alert. Maryland State Police said the crash happened on the ramp to Route 5, from the outerloop of I-495. A few minutes after 9 a.m. Plummers SUV crossed the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and tried to take the ramp to southbound Route 5/Branch Avenue. The driver of the Honda crashed into two other vehicles, and subsequently overturned, landing in the middle of the ramp. Because the Hondas driver was wanted for felony abduction of the young children, Virginia State Police supervision authorized the troopers to continue with the fleeing Honda across the state border and into Maryland. .@mdsp on scene of crash in Prince George's Co on the ramp to Route 5, from the outerloop I-495. Driver and three children transported from the scene to area hospitals. Crash team en route to the scene. pic.twitter.com/1PrDgRoqsD MD State Police (@MDSP) August 15, 2024 According to the Virginia Beach Police Department, the suspect, 36-year-old Dana Plummer, was apprehended at the scene and the three abducted children were located. The 16-month-old, Zariyah Plummer, was then transported to Childrens National Hospital by a helicopter, where she later succumbed to her injuries. The two other children, identified as Zayin Plummer, 7, and Zayir Plummer, 5, were taken by ambulance to the hospital. State Police did not provide an update on their conditions. The driver, identified as Dana Plummer, was also taken to the hospital for medical treatment. Charges are pending in Maryland. Virginia Beach Police secured warrants for Plummer, charging him with two counts of aggravated malicious wounding, three counts of parental abduction, four counts of contributing to delinquency of a minor, and domestic assault. Virginia State Police canceled the Amber Alert, saying the children were located. The only injuries reported were to Plummer and the three children in the vehicle with him, according to state police. Traffic cam footage shows the police pursuit leading up to the crash on I-495. Maryland State Police is handling the crash investigation. Virginia State Police is leading the investigation into the police pursuit. Virginia Beach Mother and Child Stabbed One adult and one child have serious injuries after being stabbed in the 900 block of Jay Are Court near Virginia Wesleyan University in Virginia Beach Wednesday night. Virginia Beach Police responded around 8:48 p.m., and discovered two stabbing victims, a 37-year-old woman and 12-year-old girl, mother and daughter. Virginia Beach Police confirmed Dana Plummer is the 12-year-olds step parent. Both stabbing victims were taken to a local hospital and are considered to be in stable condition. Ricky LaBlue, VBPD Media and Communications Coordinator, said at the scene that its serious, not critical injuries at the moment, but again, this is very recent, so things are very volatile. An Amber Alert was issued after police said Plummer abducted the three other children, all under age 7. Virginia State Police issued the Amber Alert for the three children around 2 a.m. Plummer left with the children in a black 2024 Honda Passport SUV with Virginia temporary tag 37550R and headed in an unknown direction, police said. 10 On Your Sides Nick Broadway spoke with a neighbor of Plummer, who said around 6:30 p.m., Plummer knocked on his door and asked to use his cell phone. The neighbor said Plummer told him it was urgent and that his children were in the car. Amber alert suspect from VB borrowed a neighbors phone before taking off Neighbors also told WAVY-TV 10 that Plummer and his wife had been separated for about a year, and that he lived just down the road from his wife. The two were said to also have an older daughter. 10 On Your Side later confirmed Plummers step daughter is the child that was stabbed. Court documents reveal that Plummer and his wife were both active duty Navy when they divorced in 2022. The paperwork also states Plummers guns were surrendered as a part of a Red Flag Law, which allows people to petition a judge to temporarily remove firearms from an individual found to be at risk of harming themselves or someone else. Continue to check WAVY.com for updates. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. FLORENCE, Ala. (WHNT) The scene is clear after the Florence Police Department and Bomb Squad checked out a suspicious package found behind a thrift store. According to police, officers and the Florence Police Bomb Squad responded to a report of a suspicious package left behind at Americas Best Thrift Store at 990 Cox Creek Parkway Thursday afternoon. Boaz Police say officer shot aggressive dog after it charged at them A News 19 crew on the scene said the bomb squad x-rayed the package and was able to determine it was not a bomb. Authorities said the package contained some sort of makeshift device. The scene was cleared and shoppers were able to return to the store as of 3:23 p.m. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com. Del. Luke Clippinger, right, moderates a panel on police use of drones. Others on panel are, from left, Montgomery County Police Lt. Tony Galladora, Montgomery County Councilmember Dawn Luedtke and Jay Stanley of the American Civil Liberties Union. Photo by William J. Ford. The ACLUs Jay Stanley acknowledges that hes paid to think about the ways this could go wrong but he said hes thought of 10 issues that communities should be concerned about before they let their local police use drones to respond to calls. Drone supporters said that they understand the concerns, but that police use of drones can help departments stretch their resources and improve their response times, while installing safeguards to protect peoples privacy rights. That was the debate that played out at a session on drones at a Maryland Association of Counties session Wednesday morning at the associations summer conference in Ocean City. Supporting viewpoints came from Montgomery County Councilmember Dawn Luedtke (D) and Montgomery County Police Lt. Tony Galladora, who talked about the countys Drone as First Responder program that began last year. The countys use of the device, also known as an unmanned aerial vehicle, is limited to downtown Silver Spring and Wheaton. Galladora said those two areas were chosen because of high service calls for burglaries, assaults and other offenses. Using the drone, officers can see live images of a scene and track the movement of people from above. From November 2023 when it began through June 30 of this year, according to county data presented Wednesday, the drone program was most often used to respond to calls for theft/larceny (35% of the time); suspicious circumstances, person or vehicle (14%); and assault (12%). During that time frame, drones responded to nearly 1,100 calls. With a decrease in officers at the department, Luedtke said, the use of a drone allows officers to tend to more serious situations, or do other work. The department ensured that cameras are not on until the drone reaches its destination. Luedtke said that was a response to public meetings and community concerns about wanting the cameras only to start recording once it arrived on site. So while the drone is in flight out to its destination, the cameras are pointed upward and they are not on, she said. That was the direct result of community feedback. Luedtke said the county plans to expand into Gaithersburg, Germantown and Montgomery Village, although it is not known exactly when that will happen. She also said Montgomery County is the biggest jurisdiction in the nation to operate a drone program, which costs about $200,000 that includes $35,000 for a drone and software. Screen capture of January 2024 video taken by Raven 1, the Montgomery County Police Departments drone unit, as it tracked two theft suspects from a Silver Spring Safeway. Courtesy Montgomery County Police video. The cost is just one of the factors for officials to consider, said Stanley, senior policy analyst with the national American Civil Liberties Unions Speech, Privacy and Technology Project. Communities need to determine whether that money could be best used elsewhere, he said. More law enforcement agencies could implement similar drone programs thanks to the Federal Aviation Administration. Amazon announced in May the federal agency that the company could operate drones beyond visual line of sight, expanding its reach to customers. In terms of law enforcement agencies launching drone programs, Stanley noted that there are an estimated 14,000 to 16,000 police departments nationwide. Im paid to be paranoid and to think about the ways this could go wrong, he said. Among the 10 drone issues he outlined were the need for communities to think about the importance of democratic process, usage limits and mass surveillance. He highlighted a court case the ACLU filed with a nonprofit organization, Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle, against the Baltimore Police Departments unauthorized use of a surveillance program taking footage throughout the city. In 2021, a federal appeals court ruled the departments program was unconstitutional and ordered it to get rid of all the data collected. The courts are struggling with these issues, and theyre going to apply to drones, he said. As the drones explode over us, theres a lot of unanswered legal questions. Del. Luke Clippinger (D-Baltimore City), chair of the House of Delegates Judiciary Committee, moderated Wednesdays discussion. He said there could possibly be a briefing for his committee on drones when the 90-day legislative session begins in January. What happens when a private security company decides that theyre going to run a drone over [and] follow them [people] out of the building, in the building, and then out of the building, and then presumably, somewhere else, Clippinger said after the more than one-hour discussion. You could track them for quite a while. You could do it independent of the need to contact a police officer, at least initially, he said. So that creates a whole range of different questions. LAURENS COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) Officers were investigating an armed robbery Thursday morning in Laurens. Officers said the incident took place at a Marathon gas station at 1013 North Harper Street. A large police presence is currently at the scene. Police said no evidence at the scene suggests that there is a threat to the community at this time. 7NEWS will continue to update this story as more information becomes available. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS. The Biden administration released the prices of the first-ever negotiated Medicare Part D prescription drugs before markets opened Thursday. But the announcement appears to have had little impact on stocks in premarket trading. The yearlong negotiation process will yield savings of $6 billion in 2026 from net prices paid by Medicare, according to US Health Secretary Xavier Becerra. That is almost double the Congressional Budget Office estimates of $3.7 billion in the first year and $100 billion in savings over ten years, Becerra said. In addition, the new prices will save seniors $1.5 billion in out-of-pocket costs. The price list marks the first time in US history that Medicare has negotiated drug prices directly with the manufacturers. Senior administration officials told reporters on a call that the newly negotiated prices apply to all Medicare Part D plans in 2026, including Medicare Advantage plans, making the prices universal for all seniors. The power to negotiate was part of the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022. Medicare can target small-molecule drugs, typically pills, nine years after they enter the market and large-molecule drugs, delivered via IV, 13 years after they hit the market. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has noted that it is particularly interested in drugs that have no generic or biosimilar competition. Here is the list of the drugs, their manufacturers, and the negotiated prices: Eliquis, Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY) and Pfizer (PFE): $231 per month Jardiance, Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly (LLY): $197 per month Xarelto, Johnson & Johnson (JNJ): $197 per month Imbruvica, Johnson & Johnson and AbbVie (ABBV): $9,319 per month Stelara, Johnson & Johnson: $4,695 per month Januvia, Merck (MRK): $113 per month Farxiga, AstraZeneca (AZN): $178 per month Entresto, Novartis (NVS): $295 per month Enbrel, Amgen (AMGN): $2,355 per month Fiasp, Novo Nordisk (NVO): $119 per month The largest industry lobbying firm, PhRMA, which is suing the government over the negotiation process, said the IRA did not do enough to protect patients from unintended consequences. "As a result of the IRA, there are fewer Part D plans to choose from and premiums are going up. Meanwhile, insurers and PBMs are covering fewer medicines and say they intend to impose further coverage restrictions as the price-setting scheme is implemented," the organization said in a statement. But the Biden administration has already planned to contribute $5 billion to help balance the anticipated spike in premiums. Story continues The 10 listed drugs are just the first in what will become an ongoing process as more drugs are selected each year. In addition, Medicare will soon start to negotiate for Part B, or prescription drugs that are administered in hospital environments or in doctors' offices. The newly negotiated prices are, unsurprisingly, lower than the published list prices of the drugs. However, experts have warned that looking at list prices is not an accurate way to compare the differences. Instead, the net prices after rebates and discounts should be weighed against the new prices but those are not available to the public. Top line impact CMS had until Sept. 1 to reveal the list, and companies were already in possession of the final prices. Executives recently hinted they were fine with the final negotiated prices during second quarter earnings calls. Drug price victory? President Joe Biden speaks at the White House. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) Bristol Myers Squibb CEO Christopher Boerner, for example, said on an earnings call last month, "Now that we have seen the final price, we're increasingly confident in our ability to navigate the impact of IRA on Eliquis." The blood thinner Eliquis is a top seller for Bristol Myers Squibb. CMS Medicare Part D data shows the government spent $15 billion in 2022 on the drug out of a total of $46.4 billion spent on drugs that year. The same year Bristol Myers Squibb earnings data showed $11.8 billion in sales for Eliquis, and Pfizer, which co-markets the drug, reported $6.5 billion in sales a combined $17.3 billion. Wall Street had priced in the impact of the negotiations, so stocks of companies barely moved when the list was first announced last August. Some drugs, like Johnson & Johnson's Stelara, are less of a concern as they are going off patent next year prior to when the new price goes into effect in 2026. The Crohn's disease treatment brought in $9.7 billion for 2022, and Medicare claims it costs the government $2.3 billion per year for Part D. Other drugs contribute less to companies' top lines, so a lower price in the long term will not have a significant impact. Sales of Novo Nordisk's insulin, Fiasp, for example, totaled less than $320 million in 2023. Compare that to its blockbuster GLP-1 diabetes drug Ozempic, which accounted for more than 40% of the company's 2023 sales with a total of $14 billion. Novo has already indicated on earnings calls that it expects GLP-1s to be targeted for negotiations in 2027, which would mark 10 years since Ozempic debuted on the market. But the drug does have competition, with Lilly's Mounjaro, so it remains to be seen if CMS does, in fact, end up targeting GLP-1s in the future. What's next? The completion of the first year of negotiations hasn't had a drastic impact on the pharmaceutical industry, but it has had its fair share of drama notably from the companies that sued before a drug target list was ever published. More than a dozen lawsuits were filed against the federal government in hopes of finding the negotiation powers unconstitutional. That includes lawsuits from the companies themselves, the US Chamber of Commerce, and lobbying firm PhRMA. To date, six of the 15 lawsuits have been dismissed, upholding the Biden administration's right to negotiate. Some of the lawsuits are being appealed. The lawsuit by PhRMA is awaiting a change in location after a Texas judge dismissed the case saying his court lacks jurisdiction. No new location has been selected. As the process continues, and as the government expands to include Part B drugs (more complex or administered by healthcare professionals), experts and insiders expect a more pronounced impact on the industry in years to come. To counter criticisms of its pricing, industry insiders pointed to the lowered cost trend in recent years in net pricing instead of list pricing, which is often never paid. The latest data available shows that in 2022, annual drug price increases reached 15.2%, compared to 11% the prior year, but net prices dropped by 9% for the fifth consecutive year. Anjalee Khemlani is the senior health reporter at Yahoo Finance, covering all things pharma, insurance, care services, digital health, PBMs, and health policy and politics. Follow Anjalee on all social media platforms @AnjKhem. Click here for in-depth analysis of the latest health industry news and events impacting stock prices HONOLULU (KHON2) Big Island police are closely monitoring Mayor Mitch Roths residence after an email circulated inviting the islands homeless to stay at his home. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You The email, which includes the mayors personal address, suggests that individuals are welcome to stay from tonight through Sunday without needing to knock. County officials confirmed the authenticity of the email and noted that, as a precaution, officers have been deployed to the mayors home. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news The police are currently investigating the origin of the email and working to determine how it was distributed. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) Oklahoma City Police say theyre investigating after a 72-year-old woman was hit by a stray bullet while in bed. According to the Oklahoma City Police Department, officers responded to a home in the 4000 block of NW 36th St. on Wednesday, August 7, at 6:45 p.m. Upon arrival, they found Kathleen Cade, 72, in her bed with a head wound. Originally, officers thought she had a laceration to her head and she take taken to a nearby hospital. Officials say after evaluating Cade, hospital staff told police that her laceration was actually a gunshot wound. LOCAL NEWS: Police searching for suspect in SW Oklahoma City Investigators believe she was hit by a stray bullet while in bed during the early morning hours of August 7. It is believed that the bullet came from NW 36th St. Cade later passed away from her injury while at the hospital on Wednesday, August 14. Her death is now considered a homicide. According to OKCPD, no arrests have been made and the investigation is still ongoing. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Homicide Tip Line at 405-297-1200. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. Four people have been arrested in connection with the murder of "General Hospital" actor Johnny Wactor, the Los Angeles Police Department said Thursday. Three suspects, all 18, were booked on an arrest warrant for murder, police said: Robert Barceleau, of Huntington Park; Leonel Gutierrez, of Los Angeles County; and Sergio Estrada, of Los Angeles County. A fourth suspect -- Frank Olano, 22, of Inglewood -- was booked on an arrest warrant for accessory, the LAPD said. The four were arrested after officers executed search warrants at several locations throughout Los Angeles earlier Thursday, police said. ABC News was not immediately able to locate legal representatives for the men. MORE: Slain actor Johnny Wactor's friends push for arrests; DA says police 'have a number of leads' Following the arrests, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement that "we must ensure that those who are responsible for this brazen and heinous act are held fully accountable." Wactor was shot "without provocation" around 3:25 a.m. on May 25, after he ended his shift at a bar and walked to his car, according to police. He was confronted by three people who had his car "raised up with a floor jack and were in the process of stealing the catalytic converter," police said in a statement. In a press conference Tuesday, Wactors mother, Scarlett Wactor, urged Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and District Attorney George Gascon to strengthen the criminal justice system. It needs to start with LA. People watch you from across the country. And this is where change needs to start, Scarlett Wactor said. Scarlett Wactor told reporters what the loss of her son has meant to her. I'm beginning to sound like a broken record, but grief is my constant companion, she said. PHOTO: Scarlett Wactor, the mother of late actor Johnny Wactor, speaks during a news conference outside Los Angeles City Hall in Los Angeles, Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, asking to help find the suspects that murdered the former 'General Hospital' actor. (Damian Dovarganes/AP) Earlier in August, police released new images of the three suspects accused of killing Wactor and the car they fled in. Police asked for public assistance in identifying the three suspects. The suspect accused of shooting Wactor has a tattoo above the left eye and on the right cheek, according to police. The three individuals fled the scene in a black Infiniti Q50 Sedan, which police said was stolen. MORE: Catalytic converter theft in spotlight after fatal shooting of 'General Hospital' actor Johnny Wactor In an emotional press conference in June, Wactor's family and friends pushed for arrests to be made in the case. "I'm here because one of the best men -- if not the best man -- I've ever known, was tragically and brutally taken from this earth," Wactor's friend, Micah Parker, said at the news conference. "He was taken from his mother, his brothers, his extended family, his friends and his fans."' Just before he was shot, Wactor had been with a female co-worker, and he immediately stepped in front of her to try to protect her, according to his family and friends. "They had a mask on and they pulled out a gun," Wactor's friend, Colin Flynn, told ABC News. "And from what I understand, Johnny literally stood in between himself and his colleague. And the shooter just pulled the trigger and ran away." PHOTO: Actor Johnny Wactor is seen in Old City in Philadelphia, PA, Oct. 29, 2023. (Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images) In a message to the culprits, Parker vowed, "We are going to find you." "You do not get to terrorize our streets, stealing and killing with impunity anymore," Parker said. "To the LAPD, who are out there risking their lives every day, who are here with us today, I first want to say thank you," Parker said. "But I also implore you to please -- not rest, do not relent, until these three killers are brought to justice." Wactor played a recurring character in "General Hospital" from 2020 to 2022. He also appeared in other TV series, including "Criminal Minds," "Siberia" and "Westworld." He was called "one of a kind" in a statement on the official Instagram account for "General Hospital." "The entire General Hospital family is heartbroken to hear of Johnny Wactor's untimely passing," the statement read. "He was truly one of a kind and a pleasure to work with each and every day. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones during this difficult time." Wactor's manager said in a statement to ABC News at the time that he was "still processing this unfortunate and senseless tragedy." "Johnny Wactor was such a kind soul, a talented actor and an inspiration to those around him. His professionalism, his enthusiasm and love for his craft was infectious and made him such a joy to work with. He pursued his dreams and achieved them, all the while remaining a good human being caring for others," he said. "I am proud to say I was Johnny's manager and friend. He will always be cherished in my memory." Editor's note: This story has been updated. 4 arrested in connection with fatal shooting of 'General Hospital' actor Johnny Wactor: LAPD originally appeared on abcnews.go.com GLOCESTER, R.I. (WPRI) The Glocester Police Department is warning residents that a familys dog was attacked by a rabid bobcat Wednesday. Police said the dog was attacked by the bobcat on Slavin Path. Its unclear whether the dog was severely injured. The bobcat, which was captured, later tested positive for rabies, according to police. Residents are urged to take the following precautions: Make sure your pets are vaccinated against rabies Keep an eye on your pets while spending time outside Do not feed or approach wildlife Seek medical help immediately if bitten or scratched by a wild animal Suspicious wildlife should be reported to Glocester Animal Control by calling (401) 568-3885. Residents can also call the Glocester Police Department at (401) 568-2533 or the R.I. Department of Environmental Management at (401) 222-3070. NEXT: Bat from Roger Williams Park tests positive for rabies This embedded content is not available in your region. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. Police searching for 11-year-old boy missing from Myerstown: Can you help? Editor's Note: Pennsylvania State Police reported Monday, Aug. 19, that Ace Smook was located. Pennsylvania State police are searching for a missing 11-year-old boy who ran away from his grandmother's home on Wednesday. Pennsylvania State Police responded to 212 E. Main St., Myerstown, at approximately 11:25 p.m. Wednesday night for a report of a runaway. Through investigation it was discovered that Ace Snook, 11, ran away from the location without shoes, money or his cell phone. Police are searching for 11-year-old Ace Snook, who ran away Wednesday. Snook had been residing at the address with his grandmother for the past two weeks, according to police. "An extensive canvass was conducted by patrol units with negative contact," police said in a release. "Aviation, K-9, and a SERT drone responded to the scene and assisted." The K-9 alerted in the area of South Cherry Street and Madison Alley, but yielded negative contact. Snook was entered in CLEAN/NCIC as missing/runaway. Anyone with information can contact the Pennsylvania State Police Jonestown Station at 717-865-2194. Daniel Larlham Jr. is a reporter for the Lebanon Daily News. Reach him at DLarlham@LDNews.com or on X @djlarlham. This article originally appeared on Lebanon Daily News: Police searching for 11-year-old boy missing from Myerstown PA After a recent cyber incident that left North Miami City Hall closed for nearly a week, the city is still in the process of getting everything back on track. On Sunday, Aug. 4, North Miami detected a breach in its cybersecurity system, leading officials to close City Hall that Tuesday. It reopened Monday morning under usual business hours but with limited services. Councilman Scott Galvin told the Miami Herald that while the threat was detected Aug. 4, its possible the threat actors were in the system for weeks before. Galvin said employees have been hesitant about using their computers and unsure of which programs are safe to operate. Its a painstaking examination of evidence as they go long and figure out ... what systems are okay to use now, he said. While many services and operations remained operational last week, several services remain delayed or altered. Residents are unable to pay their utility bills online for the time being and must pay in person in cash or with a money order. Galvin said residents utilities will not be shut down even if payments are stalled, given the situation. Passport services are also still unavailable. Galvin said there might be delays in other processes as the city continues to probe the depth of the cyberattack. The world becomes pre-Aug. 4 and after Aug. 4 with data, he said. If you come in and file a new building permit, great. Itll be digital, just like everything, but we wont be able to look back at pre-Aug. 4 yet. While emergency services never went down, Galvin said computerized car systems for police are still not working, forcing officers to resort to radio communication to communicate addresses. According to Galvin, the city is still unsure which departments the breach impacted. The city did not respond to an interview request about the incident, directing the Herald to the citys website for updates. Mayor Alix Desulme previously told the Herald that his personal information was targeted in the attack, an account that was confirmed in a recent Axios report. CBS Miami reported that Desulmes passport information, bank statements, credit card information and personal images were at risk. Galvin, who does not yet know if his personal information was hacked, said it will take weeks before everything is back to normal. We are committed to serving our residents and will continue to provide updates as we work towards full restoration, the city said in a statement Friday. WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) A 23-year-old woman with four toddlers was arrested after police say three of the children were left alone at an apartment complex, and the fourth was with the stepdad in violation of a protective order. Nyjaiah Battle is jailed on $45,000 bonds on three counts of abandoning or endangering children and the stepfather is charged with violation of a protective order. Plea deals for burglars who traded items for fentanyl It began when police were called to the Murphys gas station on Lawrence Road Tuesday morning, August 14, about an aggressive panhandler who had a small girl with him. Police say records showed the 5-year-old was his stepdaughter and was listed as one of the protected persons he was not supposed to be around. Police contacted Battle, the girls mother, who came to the scene, as did Child Protective Services because they had an open case involving Battles four children. The CPS officer asked where the other three kids were, and the officers said Battle became confrontational and evasive about the children. After police handcuffed her, they say she told them her other children, ages 1, 2 and 3, were with her mother at an apartment off Taft. Police contacted the childrens grandmother, who told them she was not with the children and, at that time, was traveling near Temple, TX. Officers went to the apartment and said no one was in it, but they found the 1-year-old wandering alone outside. CPS arrived and located the 2 and 3-year-olds alone in another apartment. They say all of them were in urine-soaked diapers. CPS officials also said there was a strong odor of marijuana in the apartment, and there were burned marijuana butts scattered around the apartment. Grandmother charged with assaulting grandson after argument over alcohol The man with the 5-year-old, Eddie Leroy Williams, was arrested for violation of a protective order. He also has a charge of continuous family violence filed in July when police said he got into an argument at the apartment complex with the woman over money and punched her multiple times. He has also been investigated for an alleged assault in June. This is a developing story. Stick with Texomas Homepage for updates as more information becomes available. All individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Texomashomepage.com. VCU graduates walked out commencement in May over curriculum decisions on teaching about the history of race. (Courtesy of Cassandra Loper/Capital News Service) Most Virginians agree that public K-12 schools should teach the history of race, but fewer say it should be required in colleges and universities, according to a poll conducted by the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University. The poll found that 75% of respondents supported such a curriculum for K-12, the remaining 15% disagreed. But less than half of Virginians, or 49%, said those lessons should be required in postsecondary education in the commonwealth. The study indicated that Democrats and independents were more likely to support a college requirement, while 6 in 10 Republicans polled disagreed. Wilder School used telephone interviews from 809 Virginians, ages 18 or older, between June 24 and July 3. The margin of error is plus or minus 4.81 percentage points. Since 2022, Gov. Glenn Youngkins administration has been examining and revising educational content related to race and equity, which the governor branded divisive in his first executive order. Last spring, the governor directed his administration to review VCUs racial literacy syllabi and the diversity-themed coursework from George Mason University. VCU students sought to make racial literacy general education a requirement for graduation, but the universitys Board of Visitors, which is appointed by the governor, killed it in May. While VCU still offers racial literacy classes to VCU students, the graduating students walked out of the commencement address given by the governor the day after the boards decision. George Mason delayed its courses until the 2025-26 school year. Rao still remains health system chair Following the release of the poll data, the Wilder School was criticized by the university for errors it identified in the release accompanying the poll, specifically that the General Assembly recommended VCU President Michael Rao step down as chair of the VCU Health System Board of Directors and that Rao resigned from the board after an unsuccessful development project costing the university millions. Rao remains the chair, VCU stated. Unfortunately, this is the second time in 2024 former Gov. Wilders personal agenda has skewed polls regarding VCU and President Rao, the university wrote. His continued bias runs the risk of tarnishing the Wilder Schools otherwise strong reputation. VCU is proud of the Wilder School dean, leadership and its dedicated and award-winning faculty, staff and students. They deserve better from their namesake. Rao told lawmakers in June that plans to develop a medical tower on the site of Richmonds former Public Safety Building at Clay and 10th streets ended due to concerns over the unsuitable site conditions and increased construction costs. VCU officials are still reviewing an agreement to pay the city of Richmond approximately $2.5 million annually in lieu of taxes for a development that was never built. The school paid the city, investors and developers nearly $80 million to exit the project. The Wilder Schools study indicated that 84% of Virginians think Rao should provide a public accounting of where VCU spent the money, and 53% said Rao shouldnt receive his comprehensive salary. According to a Richmond Times-Dispatch report in 2018, Raos compensation was $875,284. Editors note: This story was updated to provide Raos compensation calculated by the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Popular Japanese pancake restaurant to close first US location in San Francisco (KRON) A popular Japanese pancake cafe is closing its Stonestown location in San Francisco. Gram Cafe & Pancakes last day of operation at the SF mall is on Aug. 27, the business announced on social media. The restaurant, which opened back in 2019, is located between the Target and Apple stores. The Stonestown location serving Premium Pancakes is the first Gram Cafe & Pancakes in the United States. Gram Cafe & Pancakes is calling the closure bittersweet. However, the restaurant says they plan on relocating somewhere in the Bay Area soon but didnt specify when and where. One Instagram comment on Gram Cafe & Pancakes USA page which has nearly 14,000 followers suggested that the business open in the South Bay. Maybe (wink face emoji), Gram Cafe & Pancakes replied in response. Uniqlo opens new store in Bay Area Customers sit inside Gram Cafe and Pancakes on April 18, 2019 in San Franciscos Stonestown Galleria. This is the first Gram Cafe to open in the United States. People are lining up, sometimes for hours, to try the Premium Pancakes at the new Gram Cafe and Pancakes. The fluffy and jiggly souffle pancakes are made three times a day and only 30 servings per time slot. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) The only other Gram Cafe & Pancakes location in the U.S. is in Los Angeles at Monterey Park, which opened last year. Popular Asia-based toy store opens first San Francisco location at Stonestown Gram Cafe & Pancakes was founded in 2014 by Takeshi Takata in Osaka, Japan. There are more than 60 total locations in other countries like Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia and the Philippines. KRON4 asked Gram Cafe & Pancakes where its new Bay Area location will be. We did not receive a response in time for publication. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. If you havent been to downtown Bellevilles West Main Street lately, I have some tasty news for you. The storefront of Golden Dragon Chinese Restaurant, which closed at the end of June, displays a banner stating that the restaurant will soon reopen. Starting Wednesday, Sept. 4, folks will be able to enjoy the same food that Golden Dragon served for many years under the ownership of Truc Truong. Golden Dragon Chinese Restaurant, 128 W. Main St., Belleville Truong said in a phone interview that one of his former employees asked to take over the restaurant. Golden Dragon will reopen under the ownership of Dat Nguyen, the chef who worked for Truong for 20 years. In a separate phone interview, Nguyen said that the restaurant had two different owners over the last two years since Truong closed the business in 2022. Since reopening, the previous owners had changed the food that customers enjoyed over the years, according to Nguyen. Now Nguyen and his business partner, Han Bui, are bringing back the menus original recipes. (This is the part where you cheer, good readers.) Truong still owns the building at 128 W. Main St. Golden Dragons long history in Belleville Truong closed Golden Dragon in April 2022, saying they had too much business and not enough employees to accommodate them. He sold the business to Dung Ng Phan, who reopened the restaurant Aug. 1, 2022. Nguyen said that Phan later transferred ownership to another party before the closure earlier this summer. Son Dien To and Nam Van Nguyen first opened Golden Dragon in November 1988 at 203 W. Main St. Truong bought the business in February 1995 and reopened the restaurant a few weeks later. In December 2002, he announced that the restaurant would move to 128 W. Main St. This file photo shows former Golden Dragon owner Truc Truong (second from right) and Dung Ng Phan (far right), who took over the business in 2022. About Golden Dragon Chinese Restaurant Golden Dragon is located at 128 W. Main St. in downtown Belleville. Hours will be 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. For more information, call 618-233-7714. Thursday, Aug. 15 GOAT Network, Bitcoin L2 Using Decentralized Sequencer and BitVM2, Publishes Economic Model in Beigepaper PROTOCOL VILLAGE EXCLUSIVE: GOAT Network, describing itself as the "first Bitcoin layer 2 to share network ownership," published their economics beigepaper detailing their economics and solution to sustainable BTC yield. According to the team: "The beigepaper outlines the economic model of GOAT Network, revealing how its BTC layer 2 addresses challenges with security and limited BTC income generation and leverages the decentralized sequencers framework with shared rewards in order to generate sustainable yields on BTC for BTC holders in BTC numeraire." An executive summary reads: "GOAT Network leverages decentralized sequencer, BitVM2 and zkVM technologies to create a platform that inherits the security of BTC mainnet, while accommodating investors diverse financial needs." Schematic from GOAT Network economics beigepaper illustrating the Solana-Based Restaking Protocol Solayer Launches Mainnet PROTOCOL VILLAGE EXCLUSIVE: Solayer, a Solana restaking protocol, has launched its mainnet. The announcement comes a week after the project received backing from Binance Labs. According to the team: "Offering a decentralized cloud infrastructure on Solana in partnership with Bonk, AltLayer, SonicSVM, Hashkey Cloud, Solayer allows Solana dApps to secure network bandwidth and processing power by exchanging staked tokens, enhancing network efficiency and reliability. Solayer's system introduces a trustless restaking framework focused on native Solana dApps, empowering them to manage staked tokens, secure block space and prioritize transactions." Wormhole's 'Era3' Roadmap Calls for UX/UI Improvements, Streamlining Deployment Wormhole, a blockchain interoperability platform powering multichain bridges and applications, released its updated roadmap on Wednesday, according to the team. "Wormhole Era3 introduces significant UX/UI improvements, a suite of new products designed to streamline the development and deployment process, and simplifies the process of integrating Wormhole's cross-chain standards and tooling. Wormhole Institutional, a product line offering interoperability solutions, will roll out to entice institutional players to interact with the entire crypto ecosystem." Cronos Labs Launches Cronos ZkEVM on Alpha Mainnet Cronos Labs has launched Cronos zkEVM, a layer-2 chain built on Ethereum, on the "Alpha" mainnet. According to the team: "Developed in collaboration with Matter Labs, Crypto.com, and others, it expands Cronoss ecosystem, introducing $zkCRO as its gas token. The network features enhanced security with a native Ethereum bridge and supports various DeFi, NFT, and gaming applications. The launch includes a Pioneer Program, offering rewards for network participation. The alpha phase will run until September 2024." Story continues Lumia, 'Hyper-Liquid' Rollup, Announces Strategic Fundraising, Led by Nomura's Laser Digital Lumia, describing itself as a "next-gen, ultra capital efficient, hyper-liquid restake layer 2 rollup," has announced a strategic fundraising round led by Laser Digital, Nomura's digital asset arm, with participation from key investors including DWF Labs and TRGC. According to the team: "This round aligns with Lumia's milestone of surpassing 25,000 nodes sold, a significant step in their mission to revolutionize DeFi and Real-World Assets (RWAs) integration. The funds will support the development of Lumia's innovative layer-2 solution and liquidity infrastructure, which aims to set new industry standards by enhancing the integration and utility of RWAs on the blockchain." Terms of the fundraising were not disclosed. According to the project documentation, Lumia is built with a "cutting edge tech stack" that includes: "PolygonCDK, NearDA and private DAC, Polygon AggLayer, EigenLayer AVS, Account Abstraction and more, thanks to joint co-development efforts between GatewayFM (RaaS) and Lumia's tech team." Lumia will have its "own custom private Data Availability Committee (DAC), own liquidity network (a.k.a Lumia Stream), decentralised sequencers, fast finality and validity proofs for a secure and decentralized Web3 experience." Schematic illustrating Lumia's architecture (Lumia) Burnt Banksy's XION Introduces XION Foundation, Plans XION Token XION, a proof-of-stake network where Burnt Banksy is core contributor, introduced XION Foundation, a non-profit organization "dedicated to guiding the XION ecosystem and upholding its core values," according to a message. "The team also introduced XION, the utility token powering the XION Proof-of-Stake (PoS) network that establishes a solid foundation for a flourishing, self-sustaining ecosystem. It serves to secure the network, and is designed to encourage participation, collaboration and growth of the ecosystem, while ensuring continued decentralization and resilience of the network." Ham Chain, L3 Atop Coinbase's Base, Launches SocialFi Application 'Hamcaster,' Built on Farcaster Ham chain, a layer-3 network atop Base, which is Coinbase's layer-2 network atop Ethereum, has launched Hamcaster, described as a "SocialFi application built on top of Farcaster and the Ham ecosystem." According to the team: "Hamcaster is a unique SocialFi app that takes the concept of social tokens and social tipping further. It's built on top of the Ham ecosystem, an already thriving community of crypto natives and crypto curious early adopters. Ham already features a precise social ranking system and a daily rewards system both important aspects to the success of a SocialFi app like Hamcaster. Hamcaster builds on top of these systems and allows participants to monetize their Farcaster account." people on the purple app pic.twitter.com/CfhY9ocUZY HAM ($TN100x) (@HamOnWarpcast) August 8, 2024 Holonym Foundation, Developer of Privacy-Preserving Identity Protocol Zeronym, Raises $5.5M Holonym Foundation , developer of the privacy-preserving identity protocol Zeronym , has secured $5.5 million in seed funding led by Finality Capital and Paper Ventures, with backing from Draper Dragon and Arrington Capital. According to the team: "The organization aims to transform digital identity through 'Human Keys,' cryptographic protocols that use biometrics to secure personal data. Co-founder Shady El Damaty emphasized the importance of self-sovereign identity in Web3, aiming to provide global digital personhood with enhanced privacy and security." Chainlink's Data Streams and VRF Go Live on Coinbase-Incubated L2 Base Chainlink, a blockchain data-oracle project, announced that Chainlink Data Streams and Chainlink VRF, the industry-standard decentralized computing platform, have gone live on Base, the Ethereum layer-2 blockchain incubated by Coinbase. According to the team: "With these new integrations, the entire Chainlink product suite is now available to Base developers. 'Were excited to see all of Chainlinks infrastructure solutions are now on Base for developers to build next-gen onchain apps,' said Tom Vieira, head of product at Base." {{LINK}} Cyber, Ethereum L2 for Social Apps, Launches 'CyberDAO' With Dual-Token Governance Cyber, an Ethereum layer-2 network for social apps, "has launched CyberDAO with a unique dual-token governance model, giving decision-making power to the most active contributors not just token holders," according to the team: "The first proposal, up for a vote on Aug. 15, will ratify CyberDAO's Working Constitution. Early delegates include Dorothy L. (AltLayer CGO) and Charles Wayn (Galxe co-founder). As data ownership and misinformation concerns rise on social media, CyberDAO offers a transparent, community-driven approach to social media governance." Offchain, Developer Behind Arbitrum, Prysm, Launches 'Tandem' to Help Build Blockchain Apps Offchain Labs, the team of initial core developers behind the layer-2 blockchain ecosystem Arbitrum and Ethereum consensus client Prysm, announced the launch of Tandem, "the first Offchain Labs partner studio that will focus on assisting select projects building blockchain applications," according to the team: "Tandem seeks to nurture partnerships with the most innovative applications building on-chain, leveraging Offchain Labs' market positioning to drive significant growth across emerging technologies and strengthen the next wave of industry-altering projects." Rhinestone, Specialist in Modular Smart Accounts on Ethereum, Raises $5M in Seed Round Rhinestone, a provider of infrastructure and tooling for building products with modular smart accounts, has raised $5 million in a seed round, led by 1KX with support from CoinFund, Lattice, Heartcore, Circle Ventures, Alchemy Ventures, zkSync and Cyber, as well as angels, including industry leaders from Biconomy, WorldCoin, WalletConnect, Lit Protocol, and Pimlico. According to a blog post, the team will "well use this seed round to accelerate the ERC-7579 smart account and module ecosystem by investing in the technology to power the most compelling application use cases." Pyth, Blockchain Oracle, to Feed DeFi Projects on TON Pyth Network, a blockchain oracle project, said it will begin supplying its "high-fidelity, real-time prices" to the TON blockchain, affiliated with the Telegram instant-messaging app. "Pyth specializes in low-latency data designed to scale to thousands of feeds and assets," according to a tweet. "Pyth can allow game developers on TON to build more immersive and financially viable gaming experiences." Rebar Labs Announces Rebar Shield for 'MEV-Protected Bitcoin Transactions' Rebar Labs announces Rebar Shield, described as "a new product offering MEV-protected Bitcoin transactions." According to the team: "Rebar Shield allows users to submit transactions via RPC through a private mempool, bypassing the public mempool and protecting against emerging MEV strategies. Key benefits include reduced MEV exposure, enhanced privacy, easy integration for users and wallet providers, and new revenue streams for miners." According to a blog post, Rebar Shield consists of two main components: Rebar Shield Server: A JSON-RPC server with an interface similar to Bitcoin Core's JSON-RPC. Rebar Client: Software run by mining pools alongside their Bitcoin Core node. Nebra, Provider of Zero-Knowledge Solutions, Introduces 'Universal Proof Aggregation' Protocol Nebra, a provider of zero-knowledge solutions, introduced the Universal Proof Aggregation (UPA) protocol for ZK proofs, "setting a new standard as the industry's fastest and most cost-effective ZKP verification engine," according to the team: "UPA is also the first to go live on the Ethereum Mainnet, marking a major milestone in the scaling and privacy of blockchain technology as Nebra drives the future of proof aggregation by accelerating the adoption of a proof-based ecosystem. UPA aggregates multiple ZK proofs from diverse parties into a single, recursive proof, reducing verification costs at least 10-fold." Covalent Integrates Ethereum Wayback Machine Into Cronos ZkEVM for Long-Term Data Availability Covalent, a modular data infrastructure provider, unveiled an integration with Cronos zkEVM, "to further secure blockchain scalability and security while empowering developers to innovate," according to the team: "Utilizing Cronos zkEVM's zero-knowledge proof system, Covalent's Ethereum Wayback Machine ensures long-term data availability for all Cronos zkEVM users. This significant integration provides wider ecosystems unlimited access to verifiable blockchain data, which fosters growth through powerful data tooling and ultimately shapes the future of DeFi and other decentralized applications." Schematic illustrating the Marinade, Liquid Staking Protocol on Solana, Launches 'Stake Auction Marketplace' Marinade, the leading native and liquid staking protocol built on Solana, announces the launch of Stake Auction Marketplace (SAM), a "public auction platform where validators can bid for staked SOL." Marinade has previously revealed plans for SAM in June and has now officially begun live bidding. This public market is designed to benefit both validators and stakers. Validators can receive more stake while stakers receive the best staking yield on the market with an APY of 9.99%. Marinade is committed to elevating staking on Solana alongside Marinade Native and Protected Staking Rewards." Supra, Blockchain With MultiVM Support and In-Protocol, Launches Testnet Supra, a layer-1 blockchain, has launched its testnet. According to the team: "With features like MultiVM support, in-protocol oracles and cross-chain communication, Supra's testnet achieved over 500K TPS in recent tests. Currently in a controlled environment, the testnet is open to select partners for stress-testing. An open testnet will soon follow, allowing broader user engagement. Supra aims to support Move and EVM smart contracts, with plans for Solana and Cosmos integration post-Token Generation Event." Protocol Village is a regular feature of The Protocol, our weekly newsletter exploring the tech behind crypto, one block at a time. Sign up here to get it in your inbox every Wednesday. Project teams can submit updates here. For previous versions of Protocol Village, please go here. The fiance of a man charged with international kidnapping in the disappearance of his two-year-old daughter is now the third person indicted in the case. On May 29, Nadia Cole vanished from Seattle Tacoma International Airport just before she was supposed to board a flight to Italy with her parents. They say the trip was a celebration after she graduated with honors from Washington State. Parents say that before boarding the flight, Nadia asked her mom to watch her phone and luggage while she went to the restroom. Instead, police say she met up with her fiance, Aaron Aung from Moscow, Idaho, and his 2-year-old daughter from a previous relationship. According to court documents, Aung was supposed to return the girl to her mother but never did. The three ran away to Mexico together and police say they were detained by authorities in July. The girl is now in the care of Arizona Child Protective Services. Cole is scheduled to appear in court on September 6. The other person charged in the case is Aungs father. Residents of Port Royal are calling for restrictions on future construction of personal storage units, arguing that a glut of the unsightly lockers already line the towns main roads. Theyre not getting much resistance from town officials. Town Council members on Wednesday unanimously gave preliminary approval to an ordinance that would remove personal storage facilities as a permitted use inside the so-called T4 Neighborhood Center-Open Zoning District. The vote followed a previous 4-1 recommendation from the Planning Commission. One more town council vote is required for final approval. The T-4 district includes some 20 properties fronting some of the towns busiest roads including Highway 170, Parris Island Gateway, Robert Smalls Parkway and Savannah Highway, said Noah Krepps, the towns planning director. The proposal comes as the growing town of more than 16,000 continues efforts to beautify its roads and attract new commercial business to boost its tax base. But the push to rein in new construction of storage facilities is not being driven by a particular project or coming from the town. Rather, Rebecca Bass, a real estate agent who calls herself an average citizen, is leading the effort to put the brakes on storage rentals. We dont want to become the storage capital of the Lowcountry, Rebecca Bass told the Town Council Wednesday. In July, Bass went to Town Hall and paid $250, which is the cost of proposing a text amendment to the zoning map. She proposed removing personal storage facilities from the list of permitted uses T4 Neighborhood Center-Open Zoning District. The types of development shes seen along some of the towns major roads, she says, like personal storage units and giant apartment buildings, dont fit with the comprehensive plan. She read portions of that plan when she lobbied for removal of storage units from the T4 zone. This is a small and delicate place, and its evolution needs to be carefully considered so that the balance and harmony that make it special is not lost to ubiquitous could be anywhere-ness. We dont believe that Port Royal needs any more storage units, she added. Rebecca Bass speaks about personal storage units at a Port Royal Town Council meeting Wednesday. Bass is proposing that storage units be removed as an acceptable use from the T4 Neighborhood Center-Open Zoning District. A Google search for personal storage units, she noted turned up more than 30 in Port Royal area. The idea of limiting personal storage units has generally received a welcome response from the town. It shows what we are doing is going back, renewing and looking at things to see what betters suits the community, Councilwoman Mary Beth Heyward said. And thats what this is all about is going back and taking a second look at whats good today where it might not have been good 10 years ago. While the reason storage units tend to be along major roads is they offer free advertising that comes when people drive by, Mayor Kevin Phillips said, That frontage space, theres only so much of that and we do want to get the best use of that for our citizens. Theyre right on the main drag and thats where you see all these storage units and Ive always wondered, why cant they just be back one row, why do they got to be on the main stretch? Phillips said. There have been voices of caution too. Councilman Jerry Ashmore, while voting for the ordinance, said he likes people coming into the town of Port Royal and many who do must rent first. He added that Port Royal has a large military population, which he supports, and those in the military are often in situations where they are renting space to store their belongings. I appreciate everybodys concern, but I want that to be on the record, Ashmore said. Theres more to Port Royal than we dont want renters, because we do. I know a lot of people in here are renters and they vote and they pay taxes and they show up and support our community. Town Administrator Van Willis says one real estate agent has called the town to express concerns with how the proposed ordinance change could affect plans for property along Highway 170. The town, Willis added, already is addressing existing storage units by preventing expansion when they are considered non-conforming uses. Bass said she built her dream house in Port Royal after falling in love with the cool coastal ambiance and natural beauty of the area. But shes become disappointed with the kinds of development she sees alongside the big roads the bisect the town including Parris Island Gateway including a proliferation of rental storage facilities. Some 20 vacant lots are located within the T4Neighborhood Center-Open Zoning District, she says, and half of those are large enough to accommodate storage units. Construction of additional units, she says, would lead to additional run-off to the areas estuaries. She would like to see projects on that vacant land that complements the natural beauty and preserves the character of our build environment, which she says would be in line with the stated purposes of the towns own comprehensive plan. David Strange, a resident who served on a committee that put together the towns most recent 10-year comprehensive plan, said open lands in the T4 should be developed in a way that boosts the tax base and bring people together so the town doesnt lose its identity. When he spoke in favor of the plan to limit storage units, he cited the towns motto: Cool, Coastal and Far from Ordinary. Storage units are not cool, he said. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Its no secret that the City of Portlands controversial camping ban has had a rocky rollout. The most recent version of the revised camping ban has hit major enforcement setbacks: First due to extreme heat, then a public refusal to jail violators by Multnomah County Sheriff Morrisey ODonnell. Man caught whipping dog on camera sought by Portland police Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said he wants some bite to our enforcement of our local rules, adding that has already met with the sheriff once and feels the disconnect between the city and county will reach a resolution quickly. The ordinance to restrict illegal camping in public spaces was slated to go into effect on July 1, but has yet to be fully enforced. Wheeler said he expects it to soon grow some teeth though he maintains the ban is not about criminalizing homelessness. Its important that we have that law enforcement mechanism there as a backstop for those who just simply refuse to play by the rules that the rest of us play by to protect our own health and safety and frankly, their health and safety, Wheeler said. Two men arrested with 60 pounds of fentanyl pills in Southern Oregon As of Friday, Aug. 9, Wheelers office has reported seven citations and 11 referred sites as Portland police cite people who are camping illegally and bring those who refuse shelter back to the precinct until they have a court date assigned. As with other citations, PPB will issue a ticket with a court date, and forward that on to the DA and the courts, a spokesperson for Wheelers office said. If the cited individual does not appear at that court date, then a warrant could be issued for their arrest. In practice, Wheeler said law enforcement engagement is rare. He noted that, in the roughly 4,000 camps referred to the city last month, only seven citations were issued because most people accepted shelter. But homeless advocate and Rose Haven Development Director Liz Starke said she has already seen how the camping ban has negatively impacted families they serve. People are more escalated, theyre upset, theyre losing their stuff, Starke said. And there were a lot of sweeps that happened in Old Town over the past few weeks. Meanwhile, she says social service providers are already bursting at the seams. Lets not be angry at the people that are suffering, Starke said. Lets be angry at the systems that put them there. New PDX main terminal opens, greets visitors the Oregon way Another service provider, Blanchet House, said in a statement that they have yet to see anyone they serve get cited, adding that what were seeing on the ground and our impacts today are the same as theyve been for a few years now an extraordinary amount of suffering and desperation. Meanwhile, the Multnomah County Sheriffs Office declined to say whether the sheriff shifted her position since meeting with the mayor, but did share the following statement: Both of our offices continue to work together to find solutions to achieve our desired outcomes. Working together includes meetings with various staff from both of our offices, including the Sheriff and Mayor. Were happy to follow up with you when we have a concrete path forward. Wheeler is expected to meet with Sheriff ODonnell on Thursday. Stay with KOIN 6 News as this story develops. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. Snak Atak opened in March in the former Indian Country Mini Mart on land within Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation reservation. (Cami Koons for Kansas Reflector) The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation in a federal lawsuit accuses the Jackson County sheriff of threatening to arrest tribal police over a tax dispute with a gas station on the reservation. The lawsuit against Sheriff Tim Morse signals an escalation in longstanding tensions over law enforcement jurisdiction on the nations land. Joseph Zeke Rupnick, Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation chairman, said the sheriff does not collaborate with the nation. We have really had a checkered past with Jackson County, specifically the sheriff, Rupnick said, noting Morse and his wife are former employees of Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. In late May, the lawsuit says, Jackson County sheriffs officers interfered with tribal police who were trying to serve cease and desist orders at Snak Atak. The nation alleges the gas station failed to charge and report tribe-specific taxes. Last week, the nation was granted an order of exclusion, allowing tribal police to escort management from the business and to close its doors. Snak Atak opened in March in the space formerly known as Indian Country Mini Mart. It sits just off northbound U.S. Highway 75, within the bounds of Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation reservation. Prairie Band Potawatomi Tax Commission officials arrived on site after several months of the business selling contraband cigarettes which means they dont have the tribal tax sticker and failing to submit necessary reports, the lawsuit says. The court filing alleges tax commission officials were denied access to investigate the store. Tax commission officials left to seek a cease and desist order. When they returned to the business on the same day, May 28, with tribal police to serve the order and to chain the doors of the business, Jackson County sheriffs officers arrived and told tribal officials they could be subject to arrest if they did not leave. Our civil regulatory authority is absolute within the boundaries of the reservation, Rupnick said. Plus (Snak Atak) agreed to abiding by our laws. According to the court filing, Snak Atak applied for, and the tax commission approved, liquor, tobacco, business and motor fuel licenses. The licenses state the applicant be bound by and comply with all laws of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation and do hereby consensually submit to the jurisdiction of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. Raja Rain, manager at Snak Atak, said he did not know about the implications of his store with Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation and the tribal police until they showed up at the business in May. Rain said, in an interview before the shuttering of his business, he was not part of the permitting and paperwork phase of the business, but has managed the store since it opened. We dont mind paying the taxes, but they need to make it clear: are we paying state or tribal? Rain said. They need to figure out to who we need to pay the taxes. Rain said he pays taxes to the state and has everything legal, since he and the owners are not members of Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. The nation maintains that tribal membership is irrelevant to following its laws if a business is on the reservation. Rain expressed concerns about maintaining the business if it has to pay additional taxes. We came to have a business, Rain said. How (are) we going to survive? Rupnick said the business, which is registered as Wamego Store LLC, did not appeal the cease and desist order in Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation District Court. Prairie Band Potawatomi Tax Commission officials returned in June on two additional occasions to investigate compliance, according to the order of exclusion. The order of exclusion, granted by the nations district court to the tax commission, restricts the business from operating on the reservation and permits tribal police to escort employees from the reservation and to secure the business. The tax commission and tribal police enforced the order without interference from sheriffs officers on Aug. 8, according to a press release from the nation. Theyve pretty much made their own bed, Rupnick said in an Aug. 7 interview with Kansas Reflector. So I think that its time for us to end our relationship with them. Snak Ataks attorney did not return requests for comment. The lawsuit against Morse points to the jurisdictional disagreement at Snak Atak, but cites several additional instances, some related to parking violations, where Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation argues county law enforcement overstepped its bounds by dealing with civil, rather than criminal, actions. The complaint says Morse and his office have repeatedly and intentionally overstepped their lawful authority and interfered with the nations authority over activities on its reservation. Morse did not respond to requests for comment. The nation, according to its complaint, seeks a declaration from the sheriff that the department lacked the authority to interfere at Snak Atak and lacks civil jurisdiction within the reservation, as well as a permanent injunction prohibiting sheriffs officers from interfering in the nations civil-regulatory jurisdiction on the reservation. You would think that you would want to work together, Rupnick said. If you dont have to dispatch an officer down to the reservation, why not try and work together with that? Public Law 280, established in 1953, gave Kansas civil and criminal jurisdiction on tribal lands, which, according to a University of Nebraska Lincoln publication, led to virtually continuous disputes and jurisdictional uncertainty between tribal, city, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. Native advocacy groups have called for the end of the law, claiming it cedes power from the tribal police to the county. Rupnick said the same. Rupnick said he has tried to develop a memorandum of understanding with the sheriff to establish which entity has jurisdiction where, but he said Morse was unwilling. He said he hopes the lawsuit can help forge a greater understanding and collaboration between the law enforcement agencies. We shouldnt be adversaries, Rupnick said, Of course, I dont want crime, but I also dont want my sovereignty infringed upon either. Correction: The lawsuit accuses the Jackson County sheriff of threatening to arrest tribal police. An earlier version of this story misidentified who was threatened. Kansas Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kansas Reflector maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sherman Smith for questions: info@kansasreflector.com. Follow Kansas Reflector on Facebook and X. President Joe Biden speaks from the stage at a Tulane University event to announce a $23 million investment in cancer research at the school. President Joe Biden announces a $23 million investment in cancer research at Tulane University on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. (Safura Syed/Verite News) NEW ORLEANS Environmental activists from Louisianas so-called Cancer Alley had mixed reactions to President Joe Bidens announcement Tuesday that researchers at Tulane University will receive up to $23 million to create an innovative cancer imaging system. The funding is part of the White Houses Cancer Moonshot Initiative, which has invested over $400 million in cancer detection, treatment and prevention through the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health. The initiative aims to cut cancer deaths in half by 2047. This year, the National Cancer Institute estimates that over 600,000 people will die of cancer and over 2 million new cases will be diagnosed. The $23 million given to Tulane is part of a $150 million funding project that will bolster research in cancer imaging across the country. Tulanes imaging project, called MAGIC-SCAN, would allow doctors to visualize tumors during surgery, ensuring that cancerous cells are not left in the patient while reducing the need for follow-up surgeries. During his speech, Biden said his administration is focused on helping fence-line communities facing disproportionate cancer rates. Louisiana has among the highest rates of cancer diagnoses in the country, according to data from the National Cancer Institute. Cases are concentrated in Cancer Alley, the stretch of land between New Orleans and Baton Rouge with an elevated exposure to air pollution from nearby industries, which disproportionately affects predominantly Black areas. Everyday we live with the fear of being diagnosed with cancer, said Tish Taylor, a member of the environmental justice group Concerned Citizens of St. John Parish. Thats what hovers over people who live in Cancer Alley, the fear that its you next, while youre watching your loved ones fight for their lives, or that youve buried already. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Taylor said she was happy with everything that Biden has done to acknowledge Cancer Alleys plight both in his speech on Tuesday and in a 2023 private meeting with Concerned Citizens of St. John at the White House. Under the Biden administration, the Environmental Protection Agency tightened regulations for factory pollutants and launched a campaign for environmental justice meant to tackle systemic inequalities. Others, like Joy Banner, the co-founder and co-director of The Descendants Project, a nonprofit committed to cultural protection of Black descendants in Louisiana, said she thinks the Biden administration is not being ambitious enough. Industrial plants are allowed to continue polluting communities in St. John the Baptist and St. James parishes. In June, the EPA dropped an investigation into whether the Louisiana government discriminated against Black residents by allowing polluters to build in predominately Black areas, which came as a blow to activists. I still think that we need to focus on ending the production of these chemicals that are creating a higher risk for cancer, Banner said. It needs to be a reduction in consumption, reduction in production, and it means that we have to look at shifting our models of economic development. Protesters call out hypocrisy Shreyas Vasudevan, an organizer for pro-Palestine activism group New Orleans Stop Helping Israels Ports, or NOSHIP, agrees with Banner. NOSHIP, the New Orleans branch of Jewish Voice for Peace and other organizations protested Bidens appearance just outside the security barriers set up for the event. Vasudevan said the funding for cancer research amounted to hypocrisy, given what he sees as the administrations inaction to prevent cancer in Louisiana through firmer industry regulation. Theres been very little improvement with the facilities in Cancer Alley, whether its the Nucor deal or whether its the various refineries that exist there, the various fertilizer companies that exist there, he said. Activists protesting Bidens appearance have also been demonstrating in New Orleans for months against Israels war in Gaza, including a brief encampment on Tulanes campus. On Tuesday, they tried to connect the public health crisis in Louisiana with the war in Gaza, where a majority of hospitals are now nonfunctional due to Israels bombardment and invasion of the Palestinian territory, according to a Reuters report. Protesters also pointed to disparities between cancer research and military funding. The U.S. has provided Israel with $3.3 billion annually in military funding since 2009. Military funding has increased after the Oct. 7 attacks, and the Biden administration has given at least $12.5 billion worth of military aid to Israel so far. So far, the Cancer Moonshot project is a $400 million investment in research. Proactive vs. reactive Given the money and resources at the governments disposal, Banner believes the Biden administration can do more. Were dealing with entities at the State Department and the administration who have the ability and have the resources to really shoot for the moon, Banner said. Beyond cancer treatment, she said the government should put more of its focus into eliminating cancer risks. Lets really get to the details, lets tackle the underlying issues. And Taylor pointed out that new technologies may not help the problem of health care inaccessibility for Black and rural populations. I believe that its wonderful to have money to treat cancer, but its so much more important that we be proactive, not reactive, Taylor said. We need testing. We need adequate health care available. We shouldnt have to drive 30 miles to the nearest hospital for treatment. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST This article first appeared on Verite News and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. (WFRV) The Eastern District of Wisconsins U.S. Attorneys Office announced on Tuesday that Senior U.S. District Judge William Griesbach sentenced a 32-year-old man to 12 1/2 years in prison for multiple charges. Christopher Turner is a previously convicted felon and he pled guilty to his charges of fentanyl possession with intent to distribute, firearm possession in furtherance of drug trafficking as well as the possession of firearms as a convicted felon. Two with open felony cases arrested in Clintonville, traffic stops yields meth & fentanyl In Oct. and Nov. 2023, officials with the Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group used informants to buy controlled amounts of fentanyl from Turner, who was subsequently arrested on Dec. 14 when he arrived at Turner Furniture, a storefront he was maintaining in Grand Chute. Search warrants at the storefront and two residences linked to Turner in Menasha and Kaukauna unveiled more than 18 grams of cocaine, 264 grams of fentanyl and two pistols. 73-year-old Wisconsin man cited for 2nd OWI offense after running over construction worker Due to his previous convictions on robberies in Outagamie and Winnebago Counties, Turner is prohibited from owning firearms under federal law. Turner will also be supervised for eight years after his release. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Stanley Campbell spoke at the Mt. Zion Primitive Baptist Church in St. Petersburg on Aug. 13, 2024. (Photo by Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix) Tech entrepreneur and former Naval pilot Stanley Campbell campaigned in South St. Petersburg on Tuesday night, telling a group of Baptist ministers that he intends to stun the Florida political world next week and capture the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate. I am a real solid candidate. Im going to win the nomination, and Im going to beat Rick Scott like he stole something, Campbell said while speaking at the Mt. Zion Primitive Baptist Church. The Miami native and Florida A&M graduate is the decided underdog in the Aug. 20 Democratic Party primary to former South Florida U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, who has out-fundraised him and received the lions share of endorsements in Florida and nationally as the party attempts to take down Scott in November. The Democratic Party has picked their choice, he said, referring to Mucarsel-Powell. They picked her nine months before I got into the race. They dont call her a candidate; they call her the nominee. That means theyve forgotten all the democratic principles that we want to blame other people for ignoring. I say democracy is alive, and Im going to be here to prove it. Democracy will not die on my watch. Thats the Democratic Partys platform for this year. I told them at the [Democratic] Black Caucus [of Florida] that I agree with that. That democracy in the Democratic Party will not end on my watch. Mucarsel-Powell has ignored Campbell during the primary race, putting all her focus on ousting Scott, the Democrats bete noire who has tortured them at the ballot box with narrow margins of victories in three different statewide elections over the past 14 years. Mucarsel-Powell pounced on a USA Today/Suffolk University survey released on Tuesday that showed the GOP lawmaker with only a 35% approval rating. Polls have consistently shown Scott leading Mucarsel-Powell in the race this summer, with a Florida Atlantic University survey released Wednesday showing Scott up by 4 percentage points over Mucarsel-Powell, 47%-43%. There hasnt been any significant polling in the Democratic primary race, and Campbell has already gone on the record to express his disappointment with how party leaders have treated his candidacy. But theres no question that hes a substantive candidate. Campbell is CEO of his own global data analytics and health care technology companies, EagleForce Associates and EagleForce Health. His LinkedIn page lists seven patent submissions in the business, intelligence, security, and health care arenas, and he says that overall that he has 14 patents in artificial intelligence. Platform He touched on abortion rights, climate change, property insurance, gun safety, and veterans care in his 40-minute speech to the Baptist Ministers Conference of St Petersburg and Vicinity on Tuesday night. A former U.S. Navy pilot, Campbell last month proposed the Veterans and Families Bill of Rights, which would guarantee a free college education for veterans children and expand health care coverage for veterans and their families, including mental health and dental services. On abortion rights, Campbell said that his wife had an ectopic pregnancy with twins that had ruptured, resulting in her undergoing an abortion. If that had happened today in the state of Florida, she would have died, and I would not have my youngest son. Because thats the law, he said, referring to the recently enacted six-week abortion ban in Florida. The Florida Agency for Health Care Administrations emergency rules outlining medical exceptions to the six-week ban says that doctor can perform abortions after six weeks in the case of an ectopic pregnancy or the womans water breaking early. However, doctors dont always provide services in these conditions for fear of prosecution. Campbell criticized Scott for his rejecting $2 billion of federal funds in 2011 that would have paid for a high-speed rail network between Tampa and Orlando and his rejection of expanding Medicaid in 2013. He also criticized Project 2025, the conservative presidential transition plan created by the Heritage Foundation which has become increasingly unpopular with the American public the more they learn about it. Ive worked in Washington for the majority of my adult life, he said. Ive worked with the Brookings Institute and the Heritage Foundation. Heritage is just not the same. When you know have conservative ideals and ideologies and you weaponize them? Weve got a problem. Key endorsement The high-water mark of his campaign was receiving the endorsement of the Florida AFL-CIO in June. His candidate questionnaire, required of all the candidates seeking endorsement, was beyond impressive, said Rich Templin, director of politics and policy for the labor organization. And in our interview, he demonstrated an understanding of the issues that were facing in Washington, D.C. Just a lot of really in-depth knowledge on what the problems are and some really innovative ideas on how to solve them. But Campbell has never leveraged that endorsement into boosting his campaign. He has raised only a little more than $90,000 in contributions, along with the $1 million he has loaned his effort. Mucarsel-Powell, on the other hand, has raised more than $14 million, according to FEC records. And while his speech was impressive on Tuesday night, there were only about a dozen Baptist ministers in the church to hear his comments (he is expected to appear before a much larger crowd on Saturday night at the Hillsborough County Kennedy-King Gala in Tampa). Campbell was introduced on Tuesday night by his wife, Cheryl Campbell, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services assistant secretary for administration. Florida needs change, Ms. Campbell said. And the only person who can go up against a Rick Scott is this man right here, nodding towards her husband who stood beside her. Last Friday, Scott simultaneously attacked Campbell while praising him. Stanley Campbell is a Kamala Harris liberal, and he and I stand on opposite sides of almost every important issue, he said in a written statement. But Stanley is being underestimated. He is an outsider, with some real business experience, which makes him a threat to Democrats like Debbie Mucarsel-Powell. Her campaign is being propped up by Washington insiders and career politicians like Joe Biden. That doesnt get you far in Florida. You never know what could happen in a Democrat primary, and I look forward to a big win against either in November. Former state Rep. Brian Rush and veteran Rod Joseph are the other two Democrats running in next Tuesdays U.S. Senate primary. Scott is running against Keith Gross and John S. Columbus in the GOP primary. Sable Resources Ltd. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sable Resources Ltd. ("Sable" or the "Company") (TSXV: SAE | OTCQB: SBLRF) is pleased to announce that it has filed all materials for the Companys upcoming Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders (the Meeting) that is scheduled for Thursday, September 5, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. (Vancouver time). Full details of the matters to be voted on at the Meeting can be found in the Management Information Circular under the Companys issuer profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. At the Meeting, shareholders will be asked to elect a slate of directors that will include three new directors Mary Little, Andres Perez and Robert Shaw. Current directors Tom Obradovich, Brent Gilchrist, Terry Harbort, Jonathan Rubenstein and Andres Tinajero will not be standing for re-election. These changes to the board of directors will bring more diversity to the Sable board, as well as strong Latin American, ESG and technical experience, which are key to supporting Sables ongoing exploration strategy in the Americas. Dr. Ruben Padilla, President and CEO of Sable stated: The Company wishes to thank the directors that are not standing for re-election for their contributions to the Company and to wish them the best in their future endeavors. The addition of the new director nominees will bring a good balance between business, legal, corporate responsibility and technical knowledge and expertise to the board. Marys impressive mix of technical knowledge and corporate expertise, extensive network, and experience in international business development will undoubtedly bring invaluable insights to our team. Andres understanding of legal processes, community relations and permitting requirements for successful mineral exploration and development will be a tremendous asset to the Company. Robert brings strong expertise backed by years of exploring and discovering ore deposits, and funding successful exploration companies in different countries of the Americas. We believe that these nominees, along with myself and Barry Quiroz, will strengthen the Sable board to increase our chances of success in mineral exploration and consequently shareholders value creation. New Director Nominees Mary Little Mary Little has over 25 years of experience in the exploration and evaluation of epithermal precious metals deposits, porphyry and sediment-hosted mineral environments, including 15 years based in Latin America. Mary was the founding CEO of Mirasol Resources Ltd., a precious metals exploration company focused in Latin America, where she led Mirasols growth as a prospect generator and its corporate development activities from 2003 to 2014. Prior to this, she held exploration and leadership positions such as business development manager and country manager for major mining companies, including Cyprus Amax, WMC Ltd. and Newmont Exploration. Mary serves as a board member of Capella Minerals Ltd., Pure Energy Minerals Limited, Sandstorm Gold Royalties Ltd. and Tinka Resources Limited, and on the Council of the Society of Economic Geologists. She holds a Master of Science degree in Earth Sciences from the University of California and an MBA from the University of Colorado. Story continues Andres Perez Andres Perez has over 18 years of experience as a lawyer specializing in mining law in Mexico. He is the founding Partner and Chairman of Molina, Hanff & Perez-Howlet, SC, a law firm specializing in mining law since 2006 and former Director of Contracts and Procedures with the Office of the Attorney General of the Republic of Mexico and Advisor to the Chief Official of the Officer of the Attorney General of the Republic of Mexico. He holds a Masters degree in Public Administration and Public Policies from the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, Mexico, a Masters in Administration from the University of Chihuahua, Mexico and a Law Degree from the University of Chihuahua, Mexico. In addition to his legal practice, Andres has served on City Council of the City of Chihuahua as President of the Finance and Planning Commission and as Deputy counselor of the State Electoral Institute of Chihuahua and he was a Substitute of Federal Congressional LVIII Legislature and as an Advisor of the Chihuahua State Government. Robert Shaw Robert Shaw holds a Master of Science in Economic Geology from the University of Alberta (1990) and has accumulated over 35 years of mineral exploration experience throughout the Americas. With Gold Star Resources/Cambior Inc., he worked with the generative and development teams at Omai (Guyana) and Gros Rosebel (Suriname). He was a founding member and Exploration Manager with Metallica Resources Inc. (Cerro San Pedro, Mexico; Gramalote, Colombia; Mara Rosa, Brasil; El Morro-La Fortuna, Chile). In Peru he was co-founder of Compania Minera Phosphex, responsible for re-discovery of the giant Mantaro phosphate deposits (Sprott Resource Corp.-Stonegate Agricom). With AngloGold Ashanti he served as Chief Geologist, Colombia and Consultant for the Americas, and was a formulative member of the generative team which identified and advanced numerous projects including Gramalote, La Colosa and La Quebradona, which presently contain drill indicated resources exceeding 40 million ounces of gold. He also served as Editor and lead author for a major Springer Nature volume (2019) describing the geology, tectonics and metallogeny of the northern Andean region. Most recently, Robert has served as co-founder and director of the Western Canada Greenfields Group and Monteoro Minerals Ltd., private companies dedicated to generative greenfields exploration throughout North and South America. ABOUT SABLE RESOURCES LTD. Sable is a well-funded junior grassroots explorer focused on the discovery of Tier-One new precious metal and copper projects through systematic exploration in endowed terranes located in favourable, established mining jurisdictions. Sable's focus is developing its large portfolio of new Greenfields projects to resource level. Sable is actively exploring the San Juan Regional Program (163,969 ha) incorporating the Don Julio, El Fierro, and Los Pumas Projects in San Juan Province, Argentina; and the Mexico Regional Program (1.6Mha in application, 26,373ha titled) incorporating the Vinata and El Escarpe projects. For further information, please contact: Ruben Padilla, President & CEO at ruben.padilla@sableresources.com or +1 (520) 488-2520 Related link: sableresources.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider, as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on Sables current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. Although such statements are based on reasonable assumptions of Sables management, there can be no assurance that any conclusions or forecasts will prove to be accurate. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof, and Sable is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. Prince Harry and Meghan are in Colombia. Heres what to know about their visit Editors Note: This is a version of CNNs Royal News, a weekly dispatch bringing you the inside track on Britains royal family. Sign up here. Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, arrived in the Colombian capital of Bogota on Thursday, for a visit to support initiatives that protect children from online harm. The four-day visit came together following an invitation from Vice President Francia Marquez, the first Afro-Colombian to hold executive powers. The couple were warmly welcomed to Bogota by Marquez and her partner, Rafael Pinillo. The meeting lasted around 30 minutes, during which the group had drinks and pan de bono (Colombian cheese bread) before exchanging gifts. The two parties held talks at the residence of the vice president, who said the Sussexes share the same ideals and goals when it comes to championing a better, safer digital future and mental health landscape for our children and the world, according to a journalist traveling with the Sussexes. Marquez, who also serves as the nations minister for equality, told reporters Thursday: This is their first visit to Latin America. The goal is to build bridges and open doors to attend an issue that affects the whole of humanity: cyber harassment and online discrimination. The royal couple attend the "Responsible Digital Future" forum at EAN University in Bogota, Colombia - one of several engagements they will carry out while in the country aimed at safeguarding young people from online harm. - Juancho Torres/Anadolu/Getty Images She pointed to her own background as an environmental defender of African heritage - as part of the reason she is pushing for a safer digital landscape. Cyber harassment is a problem that doesnt affect us only around racial issues, but also for gender and political issues. Women who want to do politics today are exposed to a level of violence on social media that affects us as human beings, affects our dignity, she explained. And this is not only happening to women, but the most worrisome aspect of cyber harassment is also that its affecting children and teenagers. Marquez also reiterated the importance of the Invictus Games, launched by Prince Harry a decade ago, saying the couple will meet the Colombian delegation on Friday. Colombia is the only country in Latin America taking part in these Games and were preparing for the next edition to be held in Canada in 2025, she added. Because of over 60 years of almost permanent civil conflict, Colombia has hundreds of thousands of military veterans, some of whom suffer from long-term injuries or chronic conditions as the result of their service. The duke and duchess' first day in Colombia also saw the pair head to the National Centre for the Arts, where they celebrated Colombian culture and met folkloric performers. - Nathalia Angarita/Reuters During their stay in the South American nation, the couple are expected to travel beyond the capital and visit the cities of Cartagena and Cali in the days ahead. Harry and Meghan will see these vibrant locations, while engaging with leaders, youth, and women who embody the aspirations and voices of Colombians committed to progress, the vice presidents office said when announcing the visit earlier this month. While the trip could bear a resemblance to a traditional royal visit, it is not an official state visit as the couple are not visiting on behalf of the UK government. The Sussexes stepped back as working royals in 2020. The couples visit to Colombia their third international trip this year following Canada and Nigeria comes ahead of the first Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children in November. The vice president has previously emphasized the need to confront issues such as cyberbullying, online exploitation, and the mental health impact of these threats. Youth online safety is a key priority of the duke and duchess Archewell Foundation and the royal couple will be keen to learn about Colombias efforts in that area. Harry and Meghan recently launched The Parents Network, a support network for those whose children have been negatively affected by social media. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Washington Corrections Center, a prison in Shelton, Washington. (Grace Deng/Washington State Standard) Washingtons Department of Corrections pledged to end solitary confinement as a punishment in 2021 but isolation is still widely used across state prisons for what the agency calls administrative purposes. Thats according to a 400-page June report from the Office of the Corrections Ombuds, the independent investigations office for the Department of Corrections. The report was requested by state lawmakers, who are considering ways to reduce or end solitary confinement. The report found over 3,000 currently incarcerated individuals in state prisons who had served more than 120 days in solitary confinement or were held in solitary for more than 45 days from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023. About 200 of those individuals were over 60 years old, the report found. Some people are in solitary confinement for years, said Angee Schrader, a senior corrections ombuds. During that time period, there were 13,538 people in prison, according to Office of Financial Management data. Thats an enormous number of people subjected to extended isolation, said Rachael Seevers, an attorney at Disability Rights Washington working on criminal justice policy reform. She pointed out that the United Nations considers isolation for more than 15 days a form of torture. In 2023, the Department of Corrections pledged to reduce solitary confinement by 90% in five years and told the Standard it has reduced the use of solitary confinement by approximately 50% since its peak in 2008. The agency also disagrees with the Office of Corrections Ombuds definition of solitary confinement. Mental health and solitary confinement At least 176 people from 2014 to 2023 have attempted suicide while in solitary confinement at a Washington prison, according to the report. Of that number, 14 died by suicide. Seevers noted that 56% of those who attempted or died by suicide while in segregation were either classified as having mental illness symptoms with moderate severity or serious impairment requiring intensive treatment. Another 6% were classified at an even higher level of mental health need. A lot of it just becomes routine. Its not too shocking, said Jeffrey McKee, a prisoner at Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla who wrote about three suicides that happened in one week at the prison. I cant say it fazes me anymore. The report said prisoners attempted suicide using razors, swallowing objects, overdosing on medications and hanging or self-strangulation using bed sheets, shoelaces, clothing or a suicide smock, a piece of clothing given to people at high risk of suicide that is supposed to be harder to rip up than other clothes. If someone is so acute as to require a suicide smock, how long are they being unobserved? said Seevers. The Department of Corrections said losing even one individual to suicide is one too many and pointed to a number of projects to improve mental health access for prisoners, including barriers that make it more difficult for prisoners to jump to their deaths. Defining solitary confinement The Department of Corrections told the Standard 602 individuals were in solitary confinement conditions as of July 1, 2024. But Schrader, the corrections ombuds, said solitary confinement is a constant revolving door of people going in and out, meaning a snapshot in time will not capture the extent of how many people spend time in solitary confinement. The report notes the Department of Corrections defines solitary confinement as restrictive housing where the individual is confined to a single-occupancy cell for more than 20 hours a day without meaningful human contact, out-of-cell activities, or opportunities to congregate and acknowledges that these conditions exist within restrictive housing areas such asAdministrative Segregation Units or other isolated settings within prisons. The department doesnt like to refer to it as solitary confinement, but I feel like thats kind of a mincing of words, Schrader said. When you use all that different language, it makes it sound different than what it is, Schrader said. But really, what were talking about is an individual who has been stripped of most of their property, whos living in a cell by themselves, who only gets three showers a week. There are eight different kinds of segregation identified in the report. While maximum custody, the most restrictive form of housing, is used sparingly and involves a 12-person committee approval process, administrative segregation is commonly used for a wide variety of reasons, including for people awaiting disciplinary action, pending transfers and medical reasons. It appears that in the OCO report they may have been defining solitary confinement as Maximum Custody, the Department of Corrections said. Using administrative segregation for people awaiting disciplinary action is essentially using solitary confinement as a punishment, said Seevers, with Disability Rights Washington. That infraction may be upheld and it may be dismissed, but no matter what, youve just spent serious time in solitary, Seevers added. While Department of Corrections policy states people should not be in administrative segregation for more than 30 days without a clear reason, a 2021 report from the Office of Corrections Ombuds found the department routinely extends segregation placements. Reasons people go to solitary confinement The most common reason a person is put in solitary confinement is for refusing a housing assignment, making up 36% of initial segregation placements. Other reasons include threat to orderliness of facility which includes a broad range of reasons including COVID-19 infection, awaiting medical treatment and refusing staff instructions contraband and violence. Violence only encompasses 4% of first placements in solitary confinement, although 11% of second placements have to do with violence, the report said. Prisoners often refuse housing assignments because theyre concerned about their safety, Seevers and Schrader said, and will move to a housing option theyre comfortable with if given the option. Weve asked for years for DOC to go in and look at the people who are refusing housing and actually assess what it is that those people are asking for and whether it can be done. I dont know that theyve done that for a lot of people, said Seevers, who often works with clients refusing housing assignments. McKee, who has been behind bars for over 20 years, has received several infractions for refusing housing assignments, including, he said, after his cellmate stole some of his property. I told [officers]: My stress level is so high, my anger is so high, Id probably beat the sh*t out of him if I saw him right now. The response was sending me to segregation and giving me a major [infraction] for assaulting him because attempting is the same as doing, McKee said. He spent 16 months in solitary confinement after that, he said, transferring between close observation areas and other restrictive units. The Department of Corrections acknowledges the safety concern, but said people may also refuse housing assignments because they feel safe only in restrictive housing settings or prefer to be assigned to or remain in restrictive housing to avoid confrontations, especially if theyre nearing release and want to ensure they dont get in trouble again. When people refuse housing, they are often willing to go to great lengths to do so, engaging in violent or disruptive acts, the agency said. The department works diligently with this group of individuals to mediate these transfers, to encourage forward progress to less restrictive settings, and to creatively support additional time out of cell regardless of housing location. Ill. (WTVO) Governor J.B. Pritzker is looking to address the needs of aging Illinoisians. To start the decades-long process of providing those needs, Pritzker signed an executive order to hire a Chief Planning Officer for the Illinois Department of Aging. A fourth of the Illinois population is expected to be 60 or older by 2030, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The Chief Planning Officers role will be to create a strategic, 10-year plan to make Illinois a more aging-friendly state. The governor said the plan is not just about aging adults. We know that its not just about supporting aging adults, but also being mindful of caretaker needs and the complex needs of individuals with disabilities, and this plan will ensure no one is left behind, Pritzker said when announcing the executive order. The Illinois Caregiver Support Program has been providing resources to those who take care of the elderly for over two decades, but the program is small and relatively obscure. Past administrations have only used two-year plans to do with aging, including Pritzker. The 10-year plan is said to span across multiple agencies like the Departments of Corrections, Insurance and Housing. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports. Pupils at Roedean, the independent girls' school in Brighton, react to their A-Level results on Thursday - Christopher Pledger for The Telegraph Privately educated pupils in England were almost three times more likely to receive an A* or A grade in their A-levels this year than their peers in state secondaries. The share of top-marked papers overall rose from 27.2 per cent in 2023 to 27.8 per cent in 2024 its highest level ever outside of the pandemic when alternative assessment methods were in place, according to the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ). Nearly half (49.4 per cent) of all candidates from independent schools got at least one A* or A this summer, a record high. Only 17.2 per cent of those educated in state high schools did the same. The share of top grades from private schools went up by two percentage points on last year, closely followed by grammar schools (1.8 points). The improvement in performance was only surpassed by a 3.3-point increase from free schools. Meanwhile, state secondaries registered the most meagre improvement at just 0.3 points. As a result, the achievement gap between the public and private sector at a critical time for young people competing for university places is at its widest since Ofqual began collating results by centre type in 2018 (discounting the period when exams were cancelled due to coronavirus). Sir Keir Starmer posted on X, formerly Twitter, to congratulate those who received their A-level results this morning. Students receiving their A-Level results at Ark Globe Academy in south-east London on Thursday - Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire The Governments plan to impose VAT on private school fees has come under fire in recent months, with many providers warning of an exodus from the sector that would overwhelm the state system. The policy has already been cited as a factor by institutions closing their doors. I remember opening that envelope, the Prime Minister wrote. My results allowed me to become the first in my family to go to university. Thats why I will shatter the class ceiling, so that all young people have the opportunities they deserve. Sir Keir attended Reigate Grammar School in Surrey, which became fee-paying during his time there, before going on to the University of Leeds. Affluent counties with high proportions of privately schooled children regularly come top in terms of the share of A*/A grades achieved at A-level, and this year proved no exception. Candidates in Rutland where more than a quarter of primary and secondary pupils (26 per cent) were educated in independent schools over the past academic year fared better than in any other county, with 39.7 per cent of students receiving top marks. Surrey came second, with 35.6 per cent. The privately schooled ratio there is only slightly lower at one in five, while the national average is around 6 per cent. But disparities are even starker between wealthy and deprived regions more broadly. London led the way in the share of A*/A grades received, at 31.3 per cent, followed closely by the South East on 30.8 per cent. These areas are also ahead in median incomes, at 41,800 and 37,500 respectively, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The rule holds true at the opposite end of the prosperity spectrum: pupils in the East Midlands, where average annual earnings are among the lowest in the UK at 32,500, fared worst of all (22.5 per cent), and improved by the slimmest margins (0.2 percentage points). A linear regression of the results across England suggest that for every 10,000 in extra income in a region, the chance of achieving a top grade in 2024 went up by 8.3 points. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. CHICAGO Protesters fueled by fervent opposition to American support of Israel remain dedicated to demonstrating outside the Democratic National Convention next week, despite the partys last-minute change to a nominee who is seen as more sympathetic to their cause. Protest groups readying for the event say tens of thousands of people will descend on Chicago for the event to coronate Vice President Kamala Harris as the nominee after President Joe Biden abandoned his re-election bid. Chartered buses will bring demonstrators from Minnesota, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and beyond, said a chief organizer behind planned marches next week, Hatem Abudayyeh, the national chair of the U.S. Palestinian Community Network advocacy group. Abudayyeh said he held a virtual meeting with members across the country to gauge interest in changing direction after Biden stepped aside from seeking the nomination. There was quick consensus, he said. Were not going to do anything different. Were going to mobilize, Abudayyeh said. Harris represents the administration; she represents Biden. There is nothing that she has expressed independently that tells us she does not support the policies. Predictions about large, disruptive protests once dominated discussions about the convention. But since the upheaval within the party, talk of protests has died down. Harris and her vice presidential candidate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, are drawing crowds of 10,000 or more in battleground states, and money is flowing into the campaign at breakneck speed tamping down concerns in the party that disaffected Arab and Muslim voters in key states like Michigan could cost Democrats the race. Harris has called for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war but has largely echoed the language of the Biden administration. Biden has increased pressure on Israel to accept a cease-fire agreement, but he has been one of the strongest supporters of Israel since Hamas' attack on Oct. 7, which killed more than 1,100 people and led to hundreds of others being taken hostage. Israel's response has killed tens of thousands of civilians in the Gaza Strip, where Hamas fighters continue to hold hostages a retaliation that has outraged critics of both Israel and the U.S. and fueled domestic opposition to Biden. Since she became the nominee, Harris has clashed with protesters at her rallies, including one event where she warned that the opposition risks electing former President Donald Trump. But pro-Palestinian groups say theyre expecting the same level of engagement from their members as if Biden were the nominee next week. They have already added Killer Kamala to Genocide Joe in protests, including Sunday outside a fundraiser in San Francisco. Abudayyeh said his group will be satisfied when the U.S. stops sending money to Israel to support a war that has killed thousands of civilians. He also said he fears an escalation is unfolding in the region. "The movement is saying not only are we needing to stop the genocide, but we need to stop the possibility that this thing is going to be a regional war," he said. Law enforcement officials in Chicago say that after a year and a half of planning, both the convention and the city will be safe regardless of what unfolds. We do feel very prepared; we are very ready. What people really need to understand is this is a national security event. Every resource of the federal, state, county and local government will be used, Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said. Its the highest security designation that the United States can give to anything. ... We feel very confident in the security plan in the Chicago Police Department. Were going to work hand in glove to make sure that the DNC is safe and that Chicago is safe. Still, Robert Grant, the former FBI special agent in charge in Chicago, warned that aside from those who attend to peacefully protest, there are often bad actors who try to take advantage of large-scale events. Its summer. Its Chicago. Theres always knuckleheads that come into town, Grant said. You could be a Republican, you could be a Democrat, you could be a Libertarian or independent, theyre there to cause chaos. Thats all they care about. Grant referred to the 2012 NATO summit in Chicago, the most recent major event in the city that necessitated a high level of security protections though still not as high as the Democratic convention, he said. Before the summit, investigators identified locations where homemade weapons, like socks filled with rocks, were covertly stashed. Law enforcement monitored social media for cryptic public messages some of the groups communicated in real time and was able to relay the intelligence to bike patrols that disrupted bad actors before they struck. A menacing-looking video circulated on social media Tuesday in which the narrator, whose face was cloaked, said, As home to the largest Palestinian diaspora in the country, we want to give Killer Kamala, her partners in crime, and her future VP a warm welcome to our city. Guglielmi said the Secret Service was aware of the video: We are tracking that. We are seeing that. We are going to make any adjustments necessary. But he pointed to an FBI statement that there are currently no credible threats to the convention. At this time, the FBI is not aware of any specific and articulable threats related to the DNC, the FBI statement said. We will continue to evaluate and share intelligence received from domestic and international partners related to the DNC just as we would for any large-scale event within the Chicago area. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com More than three dozen pro-Palestinian protesters accused of blocking a main road into the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in April are set to have misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and failing to disperse dropped. City of SeaTac prosecutors agreed this week to dismiss the charges after a maximum of six months on the conditions that each defendant attends any needed court hearings, has no crime violations and does not visit Sea-Tac Airport property except for traveling, The Seattle Times reported. Those charged can file for immediate dismissal if they do 10 hours of community service, or after three months if they meet the conditions. The people charged were ready to take the deal rather than take their cases to trial, said Hope Freije, a spokesperson for The Sea-Tac 46 but not a defendant herself. SeaTac spokesperson Catherine Rogers wrote in an email to the newspaper that prosecutors wouldnt refile charges against some of the protesters who already had their cases dismissed because they couldnt get a public defender. On April 15, the demonstration closed the main road to the airport for several hours, according to the Washington State Patrol. Social media posts showed people holding a banner and waving Palestinian flags while standing on the highway. Demonstrators also blocked roadways near airports in California, Illinois and New York in a coordinated effort that day. The protesters were calling for an immediate cease-fire in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and an end to military aid to Israel. Less than 24 hours after the protest, Port of Seattle police referred charges of disorderly conduct and failure to disperse to the SeaTac Legal Department. All 46 people charged were released from jail after posting $500 bail. Several days ago, San Francisco prosecutors filed charges against 26 protesters who blocked the Golden Gate Bridge for hours on the same day. The protesters face several additional charges such as felony conspiracy, false imprisonment, and obstruction of a thoroughfare, the San Francisco District Attorneys Office said. The San Francisco Public Defenders Office said it anticipates it will represent some of those charged and asked that the charges be dropped. In March, the San Francisco District Attorneys Office dropped criminal charges against 78 protesters who blocked traffic on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge for hours in November to demand a cease-fire in Gaza, prosecutors said. People calling for a cease-fire in Western Washington have disrupted traffic and events for months. In May, six people pleaded not guilty to charges in connection with a protest that temporarily closed Interstate 5 in Seattle in January. In Burlington, a new program is helping businesses bring their food to Church Street. Church Street Marketplace has many vendor carts and food tents for local outdoor markets. Johanna Schneider often works with these micro businesses. A lot of them start with a table and a tent set up at the BTV market here in city hall park, but then they have aspirations of growing their business, said Schneider. Over time, however, Schneider and her team noticed a snag in the process, which is when the idea came to for the Cart Vendor Incubation Program. This program, created by the City of Burlington, Micro Mobile Kitchen, and the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity, is designed to alleviate financial barriers for food vendors. Schneider told us that Church Street is the most heavily trafficked location and we have limited spots for carts. By making it easier for more individuals to have access to sharing their food on church street, we all benefit. The program is also sponsored by M&T bank. Heidi Stumpff, Regional President for M&T Bank, said theyre excited to be a part of this initiative. Stumpff also told us that It really aligns nicely with our mission to help support our communities, help grow our small businesses, and just being visible out in Burlington. Through the program, vendors have access to a commercial kitchen for food storge and prep, and an electric food cart for one season of vending on Church Street. Vendors also get business mentoring from Daryoush Khamnei, the owner of Micro Mobile Kitchen. Khamnei has been serving Iranian style kebabs on the cart for five years, and always eyed the idea of a communal cart. Khamnei said Its been functioning really well and supporting me on this journey, they can support families and themselves and their future dreams of being part of the food entrepreneurs of the city of Burlington. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC22 & FOX44. As former President Donald Trump tries to distance himself from Project 2025, its becoming more clear how devastating it will be for our veterans. The conservative personnel and policy program, intended to guide the next Republican administration, is gaining attention as the presidential campaign heats up. Despite Trumps attempts to distance himself from its policy blueprint, he knows precisely what the project entails and who helped put it together. Many of Trumps former allies and appointees are deeply embedded in Project 2025. Six of his ex-Cabinet secretaries, four former ambassadors, and numerous enforcers of his immigration policies contributed to the projects 887-page Mandate for Leadership, which outlines far-right policy priorities for Trump to pursue in his second term. Former senior Trump administration officials Russ Vought and John McEntee have both been involved with Project 2025, and are expected to serve in top roles if Trump wins again. Notable figures like former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows and advisor Stephen Miller both lead organizations that have been part of Project 2025. Additionally, lawyers involved in Trumps impeachment and election disputes, such as Jay Sekulow, Cleta Mitchell, and John Eastman, are key players. In total there are nearly 240 individuals with ties to both Project 2025 and Trump. Key contributors include former U.S. Attorney Brett Tolman, who was pivotal in Trumps criminal justice reform law, and other influential figures like Ben Carson, Christopher Miller, and John Ratcliffe. Project 2025s goals include disbanding federal agencies, privatizing others, and expanding presidential control over the executive branch. These proposals align closely with Trumps official campaign plan, Agenda47, which was recently adopted as the Republican Partys national platform. One of the most troubling aspects of Project 2025 is its clear hostility towards LGBTQ and transgender individuals, including veterans. Trumps administration has consistently targeted these communities, raising serious questions about his genuine support for all veterans. The project proposes eliminating federal protections for sexual orientation and gender identity, and enforcing a biblically based, social science-reinforced definition of marriage and family. On education, it seeks to bar public education employees from using a name or pronoun different from what is listed on a students birth certificate without parental permission, directly impacting transgender youth and their families. Additionally, Project 2025 calls for a 50 percent reduction in federal employees within a year and 75 percent within four years. It includes measures such as cutting federal jobs, disbanding agencies like the Department of Education and the Department of Homeland Security, and privatizing the Transportation Security Administration. These proposals aim to radically reshape the federal government, aligning with Trumps agenda of reducing government size and influence. Veterans make up roughly 30 percent of the federal workforce, with approximately 300,000 veterans currently employed by the federal government. These individuals, having served their country in the military, have chosen to continue their service in a civilian capacity. They bring unparalleled dedication, discipline, and unique skill sets often not found in the private sector. Many of these veterans, including a substantial number who are disabled, find employment in agencies that Project 2025 targets for elimination, such as the FBI and the Justice Department. Many federal agencies are veteran-heavy workplaces, offering opportunities for those who have served to continue contributing to public service, national security, and justice. These agencies are integral to a healthy and functioning government. Their employees include many veterans who have transitioned from military service to civilian roles. Drastically cutting jobs in federal agencies would disproportionately affect veterans, many of whom rely on these positions not only for employment but also for a sense of purpose and community. The ramifications of reducing the federal workforce extend beyond job losses; it would jeopardize the livelihoods of veterans and undermine the effectiveness of the government. Federal employees are crucial to the operation of various essential services, and the proposed reductions would severely limit the governments ability to function. During Trumps first term, the dismantling of federal agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Education left many veterans in those agencies unemployed or with reduced roles. This proposal by Project 2025 to go even further is alarming, not just for its potential effects on the efficiency and efficacy of government operations, but for the impact it would have on one of the nations most revered groups: our veterans. Cutting federal jobs amid economic recovery is not a decision to be taken lightly. There is a responsibility to consider the broader societal implications, beyond immediate political gains. Veterans, who have already sacrificed so much, should not bear the burden of hasty political decisions. Trump and Republicans are pledging to take care of our veterans by ending luxury housing and taxpayer benefits for undocumented immigrants, redirecting those savings to shelter and treat homeless veterans. However, states like New York are left to find their own ways to fund migrant support, raising doubts about whether any real savings would actually be available for veterans programs. The Trump administrations reforms to expand veterans health care choices are widely recognized within the veteran community as a push to privatize the Department of Veterans Affairs an approach fiercely opposed by all major Veterans Service Organizations in the U.S. Trump also promises to hold low performers at the VA accountable, but during his first term, more than 2,600 employees were fired, with only five being top officials. Most of those terminated were housekeepers, food service workers, and nursing assistants. This did little to reform the VA and instead caused staffing shortages, further denying veterans the care they need. Four years later, the VA is still struggling to catch up with staffing needs. Specific recommendations in Project 2025 include eliminating concurrent eligibility for disability and retirement benefits, restricting disability coverage, closing low-priority VA medical care enrollment, and privatizing the Department of Defenses TRICARE system. These measures aim to save billions but would substantially impact veterans benefits and services. If these policies are enacted, veterans previously eligible for service-connected disabilities may see those benefits revised or taken away. The Project 2025 manual additionally criticizes the 1991 Agent Orange Act and the 2022 PACT Act, which aid veterans exposed to toxic substances, for overwhelming the VAs ability to process claims and increasing spending. As someone who worked on the 2022 PACT Act and met with sick and dying veterans, I couldnt disagree more with Project 2025s assessment. The removal or reduction of these expanded benefits would be detrimental to veterans who rely on these provisions for health and financial support, undermining the commitments made to those who have served their country. Real solutions should prioritize retraining and better allocation of resources, rather than drastic cuts that disproportionately impact veterans. For a nation that prides itself on honoring its veterans, eliminating their jobs should never be considered a viable policy. The push for such extreme measures under Project 2025, and their alignment with Trumps policies, reflects a broader agenda that prioritizes political strategy over the welfare of those who have served our country. It is vital to scrutinize these proposals and consider their real-world impact on veterans and the functionality of our government. Thoughtful and measured approaches are essential to maintaining a robust and effective federal workforce while honoring commitments to veterans. By dismantling key agencies and slashing federal jobs, Project 2025 threatens not only government efficiency but also the livelihoods of tens of thousands of veterans. These actions will have far-reaching consequences, weakening the nations administrative capabilities and betraying our veterans. We must ask ourselves what is more important: the livelihoods of our veterans and the health of our economy, or the desires of a few who seek to dismantle the government. Michael Embrich is a veteran, former member of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee on the Readjustment of Veterans, and former congressional staffer. More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone (Reuters) - Japanese technology investor SoftBank dropped plans of producing an artificial intelligence chip with Intel to compete with Nvidia, the Financial Times reported on Thursday. The partnership did not materialize after the U.S. chipmaker struggled to meet SoftBank's requirements, according to the report, citing people familiar with the matter. SoftBank has blamed Intel for the collapse of the talks, claiming Intel was incapable of meeting its demands for volume and speed, the report said, adding that SoftBank is now focusing on discussions with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), the world's largest contract chipmaker. The talks failed in advance of Intel's drastic cost-cutting plans, which included thousands of lay-offs in early August, the report added. Intel and SoftBank did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. (Reporting by Shivani Tanna in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich) EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) Project BRAVO received a $150,000 grant from Wells Fargo to support the new AguaEsperanza Project, the nonprofit announced Wednesday, Aug. 14 in a news release. The grant will enable the Project BRAVO to distribute hydropanels to 11 families in the Hueco Tanks community, ensuring that access to clean drinking water is no longer a daily struggle, according to the nonprofit. Hydropanels, an advanced technology designed by SOURCE Global, harvest drinking water from the atmosphere using solar power, read the news release. The technology has been available for years in other parts of the world and is a proven solution to providing safe and delicious drinking water to households that are not connected to a municipal water source. The nonprofit said the hydropanels use solar power and do not need to be connected to an electrical source to work. Each hydropanel collects enough water for drinking and cooking to meet the needs for two adults. Once collected, the hydropanels add minerals to the water for taste and the reservoir is connected to a designated faucet in the households kitchen sink, according to the nonprofit. The collaboration between Wells Fargo, SOURCE Global, and Project BRAVO underscores the power of partnerships in driving positive change and fostering resilient communities, said Laura Ponce, the executive director for Project BRAVO. Low-Income residents of Hueco Tanks may contact Project BRAVO at (915) 562-4100 ext. 350 or Commissioner Carlos Leons office at (915) 546-2014 to be placed on an interest list. Individuals must apply for services from Project BRAVO to determine eligibility for the free hydropanels that will be installed on their land and become property of the participant. For more information on all our programs and services visit www.projectbravo.org or call (915) 562-4100. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. Where does your Sea Pines visitor gate fee go? Quest for answers may go to SCs top court As visitors pass through the guarded gates at the entrance to the Sea Pines community, many have the same question: Where does my $9 go? Resident Dana Advocaat had the same question. What started as a request for financial transparency has turned into a lengthy legal battle against the Hilton Head Island real estate giant, with a series of appeals carrying the case to the steps of the state Supreme Court. After more than four years and two court decisions in the homeowners favor she still cant access documents outlining how her community spends one of its largest revenue sources. Advocaat, a longtime Realtor in the Hilton Head area, sued Sea Pines Community Services Associates, Inc. in March 2020 after the organization denied her request to inspect its gate fee agreement. The document dictates how much visitors pay to enter the large community and how leadership spends that money. In 2023, the CSA collected $4.3 million from daily passes, making up about a fifth of its total yearly revenue. Historically, CSAs gate agreement was available to Sea Pines homeowners if requested. But the organization quietly approved a controversial amendment to the agreement in 2018, which raised the daily gate fee from $6 to $8. Since then, requests from members to review the document have been denied. In the summer of 2018, an early version of that amendment was leaked to the public, prompting claims that the plan was made in secrecy and a petition protesting its adoption. After another fee hike in 2020, visitors to Sea Pines currently pay $9 to access the 5,000-acre oceanfront neighborhood. Current bylaws allow for the CSAs board of directors to further increase gate fees with the approval of the Sea Pines Resort. After developments in a Beaufort County courtroom and a lengthy series of appeals, a 2020 lawsuit against Sea Pines Community Services Associates, Inc. could make its way to the South Carolina Supreme Court. The suit claims residents have a right to view the finance documents for gate fees, which earn the organization millions of dollars every year. Advocaat is fighting for access to the gate agreement and other financial documents so the CSA can be held accountable for potentially misappropriated funds, she said. The draft leaked in 2018 proposed diverting gate fee revenue into a marketing fund; some residents contend that would violate the communitys covenant, which requires all gate fees to be spent on community services. The ownership of properties (in Sea Pines) is individual. We all own our own properties, Advocaat told The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette. But the fact is, were blended with commercial, and those commercial owners have really manipulated CSA to favor the commercial sector of our community. In court proceedings, the CSA has argued the 2018 amendment is not a bylaw and thus not subject to open records law for nonprofits. South Carolinas legal system largely disagrees. Its about transparency to the members, and its about accountability of the board. said Ian Ford, a Charleston-based trial lawyer who represents Advocaat. Those are basic principles of nonprofits. The CSA was unable to provide any comment at this time due to the ongoing litigation, a spokesperson said Wednesday afternoon. In an update sent to residents Monday, leaders of the Sea Pines Property Owners Association said the gate fee agreement would remain unavailable to members throughout the appeal process. In a 2018 file photo, Sea Pines security officer Hugh Williamson collects the entry fee for a day pass into Sea Pines from a motorist at the Greenwood gate. As of 2024, visitors pay $9 for a day pass into the massive gated community in southern Hilton Head, which is home to thousands of residents and comprises about a fifth of the island. Sea Pines lengthy legal battle When the lawsuit saw its day in court in September 2020, a circuit court judge ruled in Advocaats favor, arguing that she or any other community member was entitled to inspect the document due to the states Nonprofit Corporation Act. As a stakeholder in the association, Advocaat has a right to view the records because the agreement affects (her) property value, Judge Brooks Goldsmith wrote, also requiring the CSA to reimburse Advocaat for all attorneys fees if she wins the case. After their loss in Beaufort County circuit court, the CSA then took the case to the South Carolina Court of Appeals, which also ruled in Advocaats favor this February. Now, the CSA hopes to elevate its appeal to the South Carolina Supreme Court. The organization filed a petition Aug. 7 asking for the states highest court to consider taking on the case. Meanwhile, Advocaats counsel at the Ford Wallace Thomson law firm will submit an argument asking the justices not to grant a hearing. At that point, the Supreme Court has its options, Ford said. It may say, Were not going to hear this case, at which point the Court of Appeals ruling stands. Or they could say We want to hear this case. We have questions. The Harbour Town Lighthouse stands tall in Sea Pines on Hilton Head Island. For more than four years, the community association for the 5,000-acre gated community has grappled with a lawsuit concerning residents access to a key financial document. But the gate agreement is only a small part of the CSAs financial decision-making. Ideally, the lawsuit is a first step toward earning members full access to the associations accounting records, Advocaat said. Theres a number of things that wed like to get to the bottom of, she told The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette. But we need to have a ruling, and I think that this gate agreement is going to be the can opener for all the other agreements. The cases eventual outcome could have widespread ramifications on Hilton Head, where 70% of land belongs to privately owned neighborhoods such as homeowners associations. Members regularly clash with their organizations views on spending and transparency: In June, residents of Hilton Head Plantation protested the boards decision to limit members access to committee meetings where vital policy decisions are made. Residents of local private communities are regularly denied access to financial documents despite most likely being legally entitled to that information, said Ford, Advocaats lawyer. But due to real estate corporations relative power over individual residents, those decisions are seldom challenged. Its very rare for a member to actually take the time and expense and trouble to enforce their rights in the court. There are very few cases on it, Ford said. And the reason is because its very hard for a member to fight the power and do this: fighting against a multi-million dollar organization for a principle. So thats what Mrs. Advocaat is doing here. I salute her, and I think her fellow citizens should salute her. As the lawsuit drags into its fifth year, Advocaat is staying confident. She knows she has the law on her side, she said. I never imagined in 2020 that four years later, we still wouldnt have this resolved, Advocaat said of the fight for the gate agreement document. Its a very simple lawsuit. It doesnt accuse anyone of anything. It merely states that by the right of law, we have the right to see it. MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A committee in Mexico's lower house of Congress approved two constitutional reforms that would prohibit open-pit mining and fracking, as well as restrict the use of genetically modified corn. The proposals, passed on Wednesday, will be taken up for discussion by the full lower house after lawmakers return to session in September. The changes would also prevent the exploitation of water in areas with water scarcity, with the exception of extraction in populated areas for domestic use, according to a statement released Wednesday night. The changes are part of a package of constitutional reforms presented in February by President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, which contains other proposals, including one to restructure the judiciary. In Mexico, constitutional changes must be approved by a two-thirds vote in the plenary session of the both the lower house and the Senate, and by the majority of local congresses. In the June elections, Lopez Obrador's ruling Morena party and its allies achieved a qualified majority in the lower house and were just two seats short in the Senate. Lopez Obrador has criticized the mining contracts with private companies signed by his predecessors and says that his administration has not granted any new private concessions in the sector. The Mexican Mining Chamber (Camimex) opposes the ban on open-pit mining, saying such a prohibition would cause a 1% contraction in the country's GDP and threaten some 200,000 jobs. Regarding the genetically modified corn, the proposal comes as Mexico and the United States have an ongoing dispute at a panel of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. The lower house committee's reform would allow for the entry of genetically modified corn into Mexico only for non-human consumption and only if the grain dos not have the capacity to germinate. (Reporting by Ana Isabel Martinez and Raul Cortes Fernandez; Editing by Aurora Ellis) Prosecutors use Susan Lorinczs own words against her, rest case Prosecutors use Susan Lorinczs own words against her, rest case Prosecutors ended their case against Susan Lorincz Wednesday with a bold flourish: by largely relying on Lorinczs own words as she was interrogated by deputies in the days following the shooting. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< Action News Jaxs sister station WFTV reported that for several hours, jurors watched detectives turn against Lorincz as she claimed fear for her life caused her to shoot Ajike Owens just 2 minutes after she called 911 to report Owens kids for trespassing. No one that weve interviewed so far said she wanted to kill you, one detective could be heard saying. Read: The Social Security number of every American may have been stolen in Florida company data breach Lorincz had told the detectives that she believed Owens was trying to break through her front door, that Owens repeatedly pounded on the door hard enough to potentially break it, and the exchange lasted upwards of 10 minutes before she decided to squeeze the trigger of her gun. Detectives repeatedly found faults in those statements and questioned Lorincz repeatedly about her choice to use deadly force while Owens was on the other side of a deadbolt-locked door asking Lorincz to come outside and talk, per a recording detectives reviewed. I cant get to the point where pounding on the door leads to you getting hurt or killed, one detective said. CLICK HERE to read the full story by WFTV. Read: First Alert Weather Team tracking a few showers, a brief dip in temperature, humidity [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. Prosecutors ended their case against Susan Lorincz Wednesday with a bold flourish: by largely relying on Lorinczs own words as she was interrogated by deputies in the days following the shooting. For several hours, jurors watched detectives turn against Lorincz as she claimed fear for her life caused her to shoot Ajike Owens just two minutes after she called 911 to report Owens kids for trespassing. No one that weve interviewed so far said she wanted to kill you, one detective could be heard saying. Lorincz had told the detectives that she believed Owens was trying to break through her front door, that Owens repeatedly pounded on the door hard enough to potentially break it, and the exchange lasted upwards of 10 minutes before she decided to squeeze the trigger of her gun. Read: Which 3 Florida airports rank among the worst in TSA experiences? Detectives repeatedly found faults in those statements and questioned Lorincz repeatedly about her choice to use deadly force while Owens was on the other side of a deadbolt-locked door asking Lorincz to come outside and talk, per a recording detectives reviewed. I cant get to the point where pounding on the door leads to you getting hurt or killed, one detective said. He also heavily questioned Lorinczs use of the words reasonable and prudent to justify her actions. The detectives noted that the words were ripped straight from Floridas Stand Your Ground law, and the interrogators insinuated that Lorincz had researched the law while preparing to speak to them. Read: Hurricane Ernesto dumps more than 1 foot of rain on Puerto Rico Prosecutors final witness was the man who extracted data from Lorinczs seized cell phone, which included a series of short videos she took of the neighborhood kids playing in the hours before the shooting. The clips, each just a few seconds, were taken a few minutes apart from one another and seemingly presented to contradict Lorinczs earlier claims that the kids provoked her into a confrontation. The final clip was shot 30 seconds before Lorincz made her first 911 call and showed a pair of abandoned roller skates, along with an otherwise quiet street. The defenses launch was even rockier than the prosecutions one day earlier. With the jury out of the room, the defense previewed their opening question to a woman who lived in the neighborhood and heard the shooting by asking the woman to describe where she lived. Read: City of Orlando, Orange County eye possible joint homeless shelter location The judge disallowed her answer one step above the hood which he ruled was unnecessarily prejudicial. It kept with his practice of minimizing the role of race in the case, which gained attention because Lorincz is white and Owens was Black. The woman was ultimately only allowed to testify that her neighborhood was economically disadvantaged. Otherwise, her contributions did not add anything jurors hadnt heard five times over. Defense attorneys are expected to interview an expert witness most likely a psychologist or something similar when court resumes Thursday. They still have not said if they plan to have Lorincz testify in her own defense. The judge said the trial is well on track to wrap up by the end of the week. If convicted of manslaughter, Lorincz faces up to 30 years in prison. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Providence PD hosts National Night Out on Thursday PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) The Providence Police Department is hosting its National Night Out event at the Temple to Music in Roger Williams Park from 5-8 p.m. on Thursday. The family-friendly event aims to create positive relationships between police and the community. BACKGROUND: National Night Out events postponed due to rain Police stations across the country held National Night Out events last week, but a number of local departments had to postpone their events due to inclement weather. Mayor Brett Smiley, Police Chief Oscar Perez, and other city leaders will be in attendance. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) Its been nearly four years since Rhode Islanders voted to remove Providence Plantations from the states legal name. Though the phrase was quickly stripped from legal documents, it has still been present throughout the Rhode Island State House. That is, until now. The State House is in the process of being modernized, according to Rhode Island Department of Administration spokesperson Laura Hart. Hart said the state had experts evaluate where the words appeared throughout the building and which could be removed without damaging the facade. So far, the brass elevator doors with the states original seal on them have been replaced. Hart estimated that this cost the state more than $200,000. The state has also already covered the phrase on seals, decals, plates and plaques throughout the building. Hart said the state is currently working on having a new rug made for the State Room, which is expected to cost around $300,000, as well as a marble ring to cover the phrase on the seal at the center of the rotunda. The granite near the lower level entrance is in the process of being flipped over so a new seal can be installed, Hart added. The states legal name the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations was first established back in 1790 when it declared statehood. Rhode Islanders voted to remove and Providence Plantations from the states formal name in the wake of George Floyds murder, which spurred a nationwide reckoning with racial injustice. Though the word plantations itself didnt specifically refer to the place where slaves labored, those who sought the its removal argued that it was offensive because it elicited such imagery. Its unclear exactly how long the process to remove the phrase from the State House will take. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. Commerce Street Apartments will be adjacent to Elizabeth Street Apartments shown here. (Photo: Greg Childress) Construction equipment beeped and whirred in the background and dump trucks roared in the distance during a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday for Commerce Street Apartments, a 172-unit, mixed-income apartment complex in downtown Durham. Local, state and national housing officials called the construction noise sounds of progress. I thought that was an intentional soundtrack for today, said Scott Farmer, executive director of North Carolina Housing Finance Agency. Theres no better soundtrack for whats happening in Durham than the sound of construction. The sound of the dump truck backing up is a joy to most folks in the affordable housing business because it means that progress is being made. When completed, Commerce Street Apartments will offer 172 mixed-income apartment homes in two four-story buildings. Eighty-eight of the units will be reserved for seniors 62 or older, while 84 will be available to individuals and families of all ages. Seventy-one of the apartments will be public housing replacement units, while another 58 will serve households with incomes below 60% of area median income. The remainder of the units will be market-rate. The apartment complex is a project of the Durham Housing Authority (DHA) and its development partner, Laurel Street Residential. Its part of a major redevelopment at Main and Liberty streets in downtown. The project is DHAs fourth affordable housing development funded in part by the City of Durhams Forever Home Durham affordable housing program. It involved demolition of 26 existing public housing units along Commerce Street. Anthony Scott, CEO of DHA, said the housing crisis has elevated the challenge of finding quality, affordable housing. Its an issue that we in public housing absolutely understand, Scott said. We struggle with the inconsistent nature of congressional funding. Adrianne Todman The Commerce Street Apartments project is also the first development supported by the $40 million Choice Neighborhoods Initiative Grant administered by the U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and awarded to DHA and the City of Durham in 2022. Elizabeth Street Apartments (not part of the Choice Neighborhoods grant) is currently under construction nearby with a completion date of December 2024. Adrianne Todman, acting HUD secretary, traveled to Durham to celebrate the groundbreaking. Its not just hopes and dreams that build housing, it needs money, Todman said. And while HUD did contribute $40 million, it also takes leadership and business partners to bring other funding to the table. Todman said HUD doesnt often get to flex about its community development efforts. Its about the housing, dont get me wrong, because the people who put this tent up need affordable housing. Todman said. The people teaching our kids need affordable housing. The people putting out our fires and making sure people are healthy need affordable housing. Im sure some of yall up in here need affordable housing. What this is, it is all about housing but its all about the community were going to create with that housing. Todman and other housing leaders paid tribute to former Congressman David Price, who long represented the states Fourth Congressional District. They said Price was an unwavering champion for affordable housing while serving in Congress. Every now and then a leader comes a long to make sure the right thing is being done not just for where hes from but for Americans across the county, she said. Ive seen the gentleman in front of me [Price] fight getting these kinds of funds is not easy for funds for affordable housing for people who need it the most, whether they were homeless or trying to become a first time homeowner. Valerie Foushee Congresswoman Valerie Foushee, D-Orange, said theres a need for more affordable housing across the nation. We have seen how the rapid growth in our area has resulted in higher housing costs, making it difficult for an increasing number of residents to find safe and affordable housing, Foushee said. With the steep rise in rental rates, those on low or fixed incomes are left particularly vulnerable. In Durham, 46% of renters have difficulty affording their homes, according to the N.C. Housing Coalition. Families that spend more than 30% of their income on housing are considered cost-burdened. Foushee said that stable housing is a basic human need and the foundation upon which people build their lives. Without safe, decent, affordable places to live, it is nearly impossible to thrive in school, succeed at work, raise a family or stay healthy. A push for change The upbeat, celebratory ground-breaking was interrupted by tenants of JFK Towers, a 172-unit apartment complex in Durham for low-income seniors and people with disabilities. Residents have long complained about poor management and maintenance at JFK Towers. The building is managed by Cleveland-based The Millennia Companies. The company has been barred from entering any new contracts with government agencies due to concerns about its management practices. Todman stepped in after JFK residents began to complain about living conditions at JFK Towers. I know that that site is funded by HUD, so let me commit to you now that the senior leader for this region Tiffany Cobb [HUD Southeast deputy regional administrator] that shes going to come by the site and take a look at things and provide a report to me about what we need to do to move forward, Todman said. Durham Mayor Leonardo Williams also pledged to address tenants concerns. I want everybody to know that were going to try our best, Williams said. JFK Towers, youre not going to be ignored by this mayor. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) Digital healthcare company Pumpspottings Feel Better, Feed Better tour will make a stop in Birmingham on Saturday. Pumpspotting aims to deliver technology-driven solutions to improve maternal health outcomes and increase confidence in breastfeeding. The goal of the tour, which is scheduled to stop in 15 cities through October, is to create impactful experiences to create support for breastfeeding mothers. Pumpspotting partners with organizations to incorporate their resources into workplaces and other spaces in an easy, accessible way. Fairy Tale Ball set for August 24 in Mountain Brook According to their website, they plan on uniting communities, brands, and employers to build baby-feeding confidence and community one city, one mother, one feed at a time. The tour will stop at the BJCC with Pumpspottings nursing and pumping bus for Babypalooza and the Black Maternal Health Expo. The nursing and pumping bus is described as a nursing, pumping, feeding and parenting space. Resources include breast pumps and products, interactions with lactation consultants, a snack pantry and tea bar, a self-care station and the opportunity to connect with local experts and other parents. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42. A Massachusetts family is seeking $450 million in damages in a lawsuit filed against Eversource on Tuesday, years after a beloved husband and father was killed in a house explosion caused by an underground gas leak. A lawsuit filed in Middlesex County Superior Court by Sweeney Merrigan Law alleges that the Westwood-based utility company discovered the gas leak in 2018, years before Greg Sharrigan died in 2021 but did nothing to address it, instead prioritizing more lucrative maintenance projects. As shocking as this case already was, its even more staggering that Eversources alleged safety system is riddled with cost-saving measures. Eversource fails to properly track and repair leaking natural gas pipes because it prioritizes cost over danger, said J. Tucker Merrigan, co-managing partner at Sweeney Merrigan. It represents a classic corporate failure of profits over people. It actually detected the underground gas leak years before it killed Greg Sharrigan, but then didnt do anything about it. Sharrigan lost his life when a leaking natural gas line ignited in a crawlspace of his home at 27 Park Street in Maynard in September 2021, sparking a fire that led to the deadly blast, investigators said. Sharrigan, a licensed union electrician, noticed an unusual musty smell the day before the blast but he figured it was caused by recent heavy rain and their slab and rock basement, the complaint stated. Sharrigan called the fire department the next day after the odor intensified overnight, but before firefighters arrived at his home, he attempted to turn on a hanging lightbulb, sparking the explosion. The force of the blast sent the homes windows into the street, caused a significant structure fire, and killed Greg Sharrigan, who was inside, the lawsuit stated. Subsequent investigations conducted by the local authorities, state police, Eversource, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, among others, determined that the explosion was caused by a preventable natural gas leak due to a severely corroded gas main owned and operated by Eversource. Natural gas migrated from the leak through the earth, pooling in the Sharrigan basement before exploding, the lawsuit stated. The investigations identified multiple systematic failures that led to the explosion. Eversource misclassified and improperly tracked leaks, corrosion, and failing infrastructure and failed to respond to information about these issues after being made aware of the dangers posed to the community. The lawsuit contends that Eversource prioritized cost-saving and profit-producing measures in its gas service planning, implementation, maintenance, and operation over the safety of the people it serves. As a result of Eversources choices, Greg Sharrigan lost his life, a wife lost her husband, two sons lost their father, and a community lost a hero, the lawsuit alleges. In the filing of the lawsuit, Gregs wife, Carol Sharrigan, broke her silence in the hope of preventing similar tragedies in the future. What Eversource did is very hard for me to talk about because the pain they caused is truly unspeakable. Nothing can ever fix this kind of damage, Carol said in a statement. But I am raising my voice to prevent this from ever happening again. The public needs to know that Eversource has been cutting corners and putting lives at risk. Jason Sharrigan, Gregs youngest son, said his father was beloved in the community. Everyone in our neighborhood and everyone who worked with him knew his generosity, Jason said of his father. It could have been any house in the neighborhood, and my dad would have been the first to be there to help out. But it was my house, our house, and my father was inside. We lost our dad, and the community lost a great man. In response to the lawsuit, Eversource said it was disappointed to have not been able to resolve the matter with the Sharrigan family, while strongly disputing the allegations in the complaint. The 2021 fire in Maynard was an isolated, tragic accident and we continue to extend our sincere sympathies to family and friends impacted by it. We are also disappointed that we have not been able to resolve this matter with the family and remain hopeful that we can bring this matter to a fair resolution, an Eversource spokesperson said in a statement. We take very seriously our daily work to maintain our natural gas distribution system to enhance safety and reliability for all of our customers as we focus on helping the commonwealth achieve its clean energy and decarbonization goals. While we strongly dispute the assertions made in the complaint, we will continue to work through the appropriate legal processes to reach a resolution based on the facts of this tragic accident. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW IowaWORKS hosted its 8th annual success fair Wednesday at NorthPark Mall. Its one of the largest job fairs in eastern Iowa. More than 80 employers and community resource organizations worked to help people find jobs. They offered on-site interviews and networking opportunities. There was also accessibility services so that everyone can be included. Emily Sindt is just one of many who attended the Quad Cities success fair. She is excited at the prospect of a new career. So far Ive had a good time, seeing everybody and getting to know the people that are actually looking for jobs, cause its rough just going from place to place, just hoping that someone is hiring, said Sindt. Its very broad and I think thats a good thing, cause everyones skills are different. Sindt has worked many jobs, so she hopes that will give her options. Originally I started out working retail, then I went on to serving and so I worked in a lot of restaurants, said Sindt. I was also an assistant manager at Claires and Ive worked on the railroad for CPKC, and Ive also worked in the Navy, I was an engineman. This fair offers a helpful and convenient way to find a new job. This event is very important to not only me, but to the rest of the Quad Cities area, said Sindt. It really boils down to accessibility, and this place is just one-stop shop, you already know where you can go to look for a longer career. Now Sindt is looking for something she can do the rest of her life. Im looking for a career, I want something thats going to be stable, that I can make a life out of, said Sindt. Something that uplifts me and keeps me interested and motivated, IowaWORKS will also be hosting an Opportunity Knocks event at their center on September 20th. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. Quantez Burks mother and fiancee react to plea deals offered to two officers charged in his death Quantez Burks mother and fiancee react to plea deals offered to two officers charged in his death BECKLEY, WV (WVNS) Two former Southern Regional Jail corrections officers charged in the 2022 death of Quantez Burks pleaded guilty in United States District Court of the Southern District of West Virginia in Charleston on Thursday, August 8, 2024. Ashley Toney and Jacob Boothe pleaded guilty to depriving Burks of his civil rights under color of law, a charge that carries up to 10 years in prison, $250,000 in fines and possible restitution to Burks family. Each also posted a $10,000 bond. They got a good deal. They really did, said Kimberly Burks, Burks mother, one day before the judge accepted the plea agreements. Not satisfied with it, but we appreciate everything. We are so thankful because if it was up to the state, we wouldnt be here. Kimberly Burks said Southern Regional Jail officials never notified her of her sons death at the jail on March 1, 2022. West Virginia Department of Homeland officials told media, in the hours following Burks death, that he had been combative with arresting officers and guards and that he had tried to push past SRJ corrections officers and later collapsed in his cell when corrections officers were attempting to restrain him. Mom wants answers for Cameron Dunbracks death at Southern Regional Jail Details of his death only emerged after the Burks family campaigned publicly for answers, hired attorneys and paid for a private autopsy, eventually gaining the attention of the U.S. Department of Justice, which opened a criminal investigation. Kimberly Burks said on Wednesday that she does not trust official reports kept by state agencies. The first thing they said about Quan was a lie, she said, referring to the early statement WVDHS officials gave to reporters. As part of their plea agreement, Toney and Boothe admitted that they had witnessed other officers parading a handcuffed Burks to different places in the jail and beating him on March 1, 2022, while he was restrained. They accepted responsibility in the plea deal for failing to intervene. Each were initially charged with multiple felonies in Burks death. Mother questions policies at Southern Regional Jail after Steven Robinson reportedly overdoses in jail In her plea agreement, Toney admitted that she was aware, based on her experience at the jail, that officers were leading Burks to blind spots, which were places without cameras and which, according to the complaint, corrections officers at SRJ would take inmates so they could use unreasonable force without video evidence which could lead to retribution. Photos taken of Burks body show head-to-toe bruising and lacerations, which Kimberly Burks has said brings into question the State Medical Examiners Office ruling that Burks died of natural causes. Family of Quantez Burks release photos showing injuries They took him to several blind spots and they did beat him, handcuffed, said Latasha Williams, Burks fiancee, on Tuesday. We appreciate everything the DOJ has done, like my mother-in-law said, but that time, that 10 years, thats really a slap in the face, honestly. Kimberly Burks said she hopes the plea agreement offered to the SRJ officers will eventually lead to light being shined on the interactions between various state agencies when incarcerated people die under suspicious circumstances. Kimberly Gilley allegedly dies as a result of sexual assault at Southern Regional Jail We believe in Quan, said Kimberly Burks, adding that their faith led them to continue pushing state officials for answers about how he had died. They (the guards who will go to trial) need to really set an example of, so that this doesnt keep happening. A number of West Virginia families have said they were not given clear answers on how their loved ones died at Southern Regional Jail. Daughter says complaint shines light on Alvis Shrewsburys death at Southern Regional Jail Prosecutors allege a total of eight corrections officers participated in beating Burks and later falsifying official incident reports and lying to federal investigators in order to try to hide the crime. Two of the officers, Andrew Fleshman and Nicholas Wimmer, pleaded guilty late last year and also face 10 years in prison. In the first statement WVDHS officials had issued in the hours after Burks death, they said SRJ corrections officers had attempted to save Burks life. A civil lawsuit filed by attorney Stephen New contradicts the official statement. The lawsuit alleges a nurse employed by PrimeCare Medical, the private company which provides health care to incarcerated West Virginians, suggested to the corrections officers that Burks should be injected with insulin, arguing it could make his death appear natural. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS. Queens nonprofit needs volunteers to help sort and pack shoes for homeless kids Queens nonprofit needs volunteers to help sort and pack shoes for homeless kids QUEENS, N.Y. (PIX11) A nonprofit in Queens needs help sorting and organizing a massive shipment of shoes and socks for homeless children. The nonprofit reached out to PIX11 News for help getting volunteers and donations. The Floating Hospitals headquarters in Long Island City is expecting a shipment of shoes on Friday, thanks to the nonprofit Soles4Souls. More Local News The Floating Hospital helps thousands of children in more than 300 family shelters in New York City. The nonprofit provides health care and connects families to resources, helping them thrive. Cyrenia Elliott and her 13-year-old son Kingston Elliott, BedfordStuyvesant, said they get hope, help, and healing at the Floating Hospital. They are just one of thousands of families the Floating Hospital helps every day. Dr. Meghan Miller helps lead a team of 10 who are on the frontlines of New York Citys homelessness crisis. The nonprofit relies on donors and volunteers to provide health care, food, clothing, diapers, formula, and even summer camp. The nonprofit now needs some helping hands with the shipment of shoes and volunteers to help fill backpacks for a sleepaway summer camp. Kingston said that he wants to be a therapist one day because of his experience at the Floating Hospital. If you can help sort shoes on Aug. 16 between 12-3 p.m. at 21-01 41st Ave. in Queens, reach out to sstanarevic@thefloatinghospital.org Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. Race for White House going through NEPA Race for White House going through NEPA WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) The race for the White House will once again come to northeastern Pennsylvania. Former President Trump will hold a campaign rally in Luzerne County in the coming weekend. He and Democratic Candidate Vice President Kamala Harris are campaigning in battleground states. Most political analysts say whoever wins Pennsylvania will likely be the next president of the United States. Former President Trump will hold a rally at Mohegan Arena on Saturday afternoon. Recent polling shows that he and Vice-President Kamala Harris are in a virtual dead heat nationwide and here in Pennsylvania. File image File image The Mohegan Arena near Wilkes-Barre is very familiar to former President Trump. Hes been here five times since he was first elected in 2016. This appearance comes as he and Vice-President Harris are in a knockdown, drag-it-out, campaign fight. Congressman Dan Meuser will be with the former president. So President Trump is coming in to talk about his record and compare his record to that of Kamala Harris. Trumps record is one of strength, Meuser said. Attorney Todd Eagen from Scranton is a member of the Democratic National Committee. PD: Shooting near Northumberland County Courthouse I think Trumps visit to Wilkes-Barre is indicative of he knows, that he knows hes fully behind in Pennsylvania and hes starting to make more stops here. I really think that Pennsylvania is going to be in the democrat side come November, Eagen stated. Gene Ziemba is chairman of the GOP in Luzerne County. He says Trumps message this weekend should include the following. First of all jobs jobs jobs well-paying jobs. I think that our area is primed is taking off because of our geographics and because of our transportation, Ziemba explained. Tom Shubilla is chairman of the Luzerne County Democrat Party. He says the Harris candidacy is motivating people to get involved. At our democrat office, theres an up swell of enthusiasm of people who I have never seen before. People who are not necessarily political people asking for signs and asking how they could volunteer, Shubilla stated. The Trump Rally starts at 4:00 p.m. Saturday and 28/22 News will be there with full coverage on Saturday. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com. NEWCASTLE, UNITED KINGDOM - AUGUST 07: Anti-racism activists stage protest against potential far-right protests, with officials taking precautions to ensure the safety of the public in Newcastle, United Kingdom on August 07, 2024. Fearing threats to safety and possible looting, some businesses in the city decided to close shop early. In more than 30 locations across England, far-right rioters are expected to show up late Wednesday amid ongoing violent disorder in towns and cities across the country. - Photo: Oguz Kagan Meydan (Getty Images) Given the news cycle of the past few weeks, you couldnt be blamed if you havent been paying attention to whats been going on in the United Kingdom. In fact, you probably havent kept up to whats happening across the pond since Queen Elizabeth passed away. But believe me, theres something you might take some interest in right now. According to reports, right wing rioters have been targeting people of color, particularly Blacks and Muslim Middle Easterners. The violence has been a result of misinformation that spawned from a stabbing that left three children dead in the northern U.K. town of Southport, about an hour flight from London. In that July 29 incident the girls, aged 6, 7, and 9, each of them white were fatally attacked while attending a Taylor Swift-themed dance class, police said. A 17-year-old boy identified as Axel Rudakubana was charged with their deaths. The suspect was born in Wales to Rwandan immigrant parents. This set off a deluge of misinformation spread by right-wing instigators who have become more prevalent in European politics over the past decade. They spread rumors that the suspect was a political asylum-seeker or Muslim immigrant. The information was not true, but as you know, a lie gets halfway around the world before the truth puts its Air Jordans on. Inciting them more is the recent election in the UK that the Labour Party won, which is basically like a socialist-lite version of the Democrats winning in the U.S. The total result has been agitators setting fire to hotels where they believe asylum seekers were staying, staging anti-immigrant marches in which they clash with police, and attacks on mosques. And in a now viral video, a Black man was attacked by a mob of white rioters in Manchester. Several arrests have been made in that case. So whats that got to do with Black people here? Well weve had our own problems with the far-right here in the States. The most memorable in recent years is that little party they had Jan 6, 2021 when hundreds burst into the U.S. Capitol demanding the necks of Rep. Nancy Pelosi and former Vice President Mike Pence. Five people died in that incident, which was triggered by the god of all U.S. fascist extremists, former President Donald Trump. You may not have heard about this, but Trump just happens to be running against the current Vice President Kamala Harris to regain the Oval Office. If he wins, a lot of people from conservative billionaires who traffic in misinformation, to confederate battle flag-wielding yokels will be satisfied. But if he loses, their penchant for political violence makes you wonder how they will act. The Jan 6 insurrection was a reaction to President Joe Biden winning the election, with the rioters echoing the false claim that Trump had won instead. So what will happen in the event of a Harris win? Will there be random attacks? Mass demonstrations? Mass social media misinformation campaigns? These same people will easily claim that Black Lives Matter organized hundreds of thousands of people to burn down cities in the wake of the murder of George Floyd in 2020. Nobody can defend the damage done, but data shows that the demonstrations were mostly peaceful, and criminal opportunists were mainly responsible for the violence, not BLM. But like the case of Jan. 6, there are other incidents that may raise eyebrows. These include an Alabama man being arrested for making violent threats to the Maricopa County, Ariz., election office; a Virginia man being arrested for making threats against Harris; and right-wing media perpetuating a propaganda campaign claiming that migrants are increasing the crime rate, just as it made bogus claims against DEI initiatives. There is no telling what will take place after the November election and inauguration of a new president in January. Most extremist plots are conjured, discovered and ended before we even hear of them. But the behaviors of the far right in the UK are really not that much different than the history of angry white mobs in America, which were once encouraged by the highest leaders in the land. A Black and South Asian Democratic woman as president, who is a white mans boss, would be the antithesis of pretty much everything they believe in. Im not trying to scream the sky is falling, and Im not the man who goes around triggering people with thinkpieces. But political violence goes back a long way in this world, and its well worth it to keep an eye on factions in America who would feel they have nothing to lose by behaving like those in Europe. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- Rance Norton, a local businessman and lifelong Texan, today announced his plans to see an At-Large seat on the Midland City Council. I am incredibly excited about this opportunity to serve on Council. I have spent my life in the private sector, working to improve our community as an outsider and not a politician. I love this City and am eager to serve on City Council. This is an opportunity to continue the commitment I have made my whole life to building, serving, improving and celebrating this great state, Norton said. Representing the residents of Midland would be an honor and something I take very seriously. We need Councilmembers who understand this community, its unique challenges that we are presented but also the amazing opportunities that lay ahead. I am running to ensure that Midland continues to improve and become more prosperous than ever before. I want to focus on improving our infrastructure, ensuring that your tax dollars are being spent wisely and efficiently and to be a voice for all Midlanders. I ask the voters of the City of Midland to allow me to represent them. Norton currently serves as Business Development at Solnexus Chemical and AgriEmpresa. Prior, he was the Chief Executive Officer of PureFrac, a Permian-based hydraulic fracturing company. Mr. Norton has over 9 years of experience in the energy services sector, starting his career in nuclear energy. Norton has also held multiple positions at ProPetro Services in operations, supply chain, sales and marketing. Prior to his time at ProPetro, he served numerous roles in safety, compliance, training, continuous improvement, finance, and project management for nuclear power plants. He holds a bachelors degree from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. RELATED: Midland puts local non-profit expansion on November ballot There are two At-Large seats open, others who have file to run for these seats include Robin Poole, Eric Davidson, and John Burkholder. The last day to file and secure a spot on the November ballot is August 19. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) A bee native to San Clemente Island has left researchers puzzled after the insect was spotted over 70 miles away at Cabrillo National Monument. This wasnt the first time as a population of the San Clemente Digger Bee, or Anthophora urbana clementina, was spotted at the popular tourist attraction in Point Loma in September 2020, the National Park Service said in a press release Wednesday. During this time, scientists gathered data about the bee and published a journal called Apidologie. However, the bees were not found the following years until last month. Rare sighting: Doomsday fish found near La Jolla Shores The San Clemente Digger Bee was seen July 29 at Cabrillo National Monuments Bayside Trail foraging on a California Aster plant, as well as two days later on the same trail on a California Buckwheat, according to park officials. The great mystery as to why and how the San Clemente Digger Bee made its way to Cabrillo National Monument has yet to be solved, said Amanda Gossard with NPS. However, its presence prompted an uptick in observations and recorded data of other bees by researchers and community scientists, expanding our knowledge of local species. Cabrillo National Monument encourages visitors to use science apps like iNaturalist to record nature observations as nearly 3,200 observations of native bees were made on the app since March 2021, with over 60 species of bees being confirmed. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. A rarely seen deep sea fish is found in California, and scientists want to know why This image provided by The Scripps Institution of Oceanography shows a team of researchers and science-minded snorkelers working together to recover a dead oarfish from La Jolla Cove, Calif., Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. (Michael Wang/The Scripps Institution of Oceanography via AP) SAN DIEGO (AP) A rarely seen deep sea fish resembling a serpent was found floating dead on the ocean surface off the San Diego coast and was brought ashore for study, marine experts said. The silvery, 12-foot-long (3.6-meter) oarfish was found last weekend by a group of snorkelers and kayakers in La Jolla Cove, north of downtown San Diego, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography said in a statement. It's only the 20th time an oarfish is known to have washed up in California since 1901, according to institution fish expert Ben Frable. Scripps noted that oarfish have a mythical reputation as predictors of natural disasters or earthquakes, although no correlation has been proven. Oarfish can grow longer than 20 feet (6 meters) and normally live in a deep part of the ocean called the mesopelagic zone, where light cannot reach, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Swimmers brought the La Jolla Cove oarfish to shore atop a paddleboard. It was then transferred to the bed of a pickup truck. Scientists from NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center and Scripps planned a necropsy on Friday to try to determine the cause of death. Angela Rayner has suggested parts of her flagship workers rights overhaul face delays in a blow to union bosses. In a meeting to discuss the plans at 70 Whitehall, the Cabinet Offices headquarters, the Deputy Prime Minister told union leaders and business lobby groups that not everything proposed could make it into the upcoming Employment Bill. Although the Government is on track to give workers greater rights by Oct 12, meeting its promise of delivering within 100 days of entering power, it is not yet clear what will be tabled as law in the coming months. The flagship package of measures designed to boost employee rights includes protection from unfair dismissal from day one, ending zero-hour contracts, banning fire and rehire practices and increasing the minimum wage. One Labour insider said: The Bill is just one piece of the puzzle and the Deputy Prime Minister was clear that we need to get this right there are some complex policies in there. One source suggested there could be as many as four waves of employment reforms as civil servants sift their way through the plans, which have been described as the biggest overhaul of workers rights in a generation. Another source close to Ms Rayner argued that she wants this to be right and wants it to work. Its realistic that with only 100 days [until the Employment Bill is introduced] not everything can go into it. Paul Nowak, the head of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) who was at the meeting, said that ministers reiterated plans to consult with business and introduce an Employment Bill within 100 days. Despite lobbying from UK plc, he said the overhaul is not being diluted. Mr Nowak said: Some would prefer this agenda just went away. Its not going to go away that was made very clear today. Its how theyre going to take it forward, not if theyll take it forward. Another person who was at the meeting suggested more knotty issues could be delayed amid fears of economic consequences, adding that everything is still in draft mode. They added the complexity involved in some areas, such as employment status, is huge and there is loads of work to do. Labour has promised worried business leaders that the more extreme changes will be consulted on before being implemented as law. Commitments to consult do not stop policies from being included in the Bill. Ms Rayner said that this first-of-its-kind meeting has kicked off a new era of partnership that will bring benefits to everyone across the country striving to build a better life. Justin Madders, the employment rights minister, said We are getting cracking on the Bill, it will be delivered in the first 100 days and its great to get together to share insights that will help us to make sure it does what we intend it to. A Government spokesman did not detail what would go in the Bill but said it would deliver on policies requiring primary legislation. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. We recently compiled a list of the 33 Most Important AI Companies You Should Pay Attention To. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM) stands against the other important AI stocks. Artificial intelligence has led to a much-needed market rally in the technology industry over the past year. The benchmark S&P 500, dominated by tech giants, is up nearly 20% in the past year. The tech-heavy NASDAQ Composite is up over 21%. In light of easing inflation numbers and rate cuts, market analysts had forecast a jump in interest around growth options for 2024. However, the AI buzz has served to snowball this ordinary interest into an extraordinary wave of optimism around the whole economy. Although tech stocks have been the biggest beneficiary, there is little doubt that AI will soon penetrate other sectors of the economy, from manufacturing and supply chain, to transportation, entertainment, and retail. There are numbers that illustrate this argument in quantifiable terms. Across the economic spectrum, investments in AI are increasing at a rapid pace. For example, according to a recent report on the AI industry by renowned investment bank Goldman Sachs, established businesses around the world are expected to spend nearly $1 trillion on developing AI infrastructure in the coming years. Investments in AI startups are also booming. So far in 2024, venture capital firms have made around 200 deals with AI firms, investing nearly $22 billion. The average size of a round of funding for AI startups is more than $100 million with an average valuation of more than $1 billion. In contrast, these numbers for non-AI startups are $20 million and $200 million. Key players who were early to catch on to the AI trend have leapfrogged competitors. Stocks of companies that make graphics processing units (GPUs), specialized AI chips, and generative AI products have soared. In general, the median returns of AI-linked firms on the S&P 500 are 20% compared to 2% for non-AI stocks. On the NASDAQ Composite, AI firms are responsible for 90% of the overall returns on the border index. Analysts expect these gains to translate into earnings and GDP growth. Joseph Briggs, a senior global economist at Goldman Sachs, argues that in the next ten years, AI is likely to automate 25% of all work tasks and raise US productivity by 9% and GDP growth by more than 6%. Research presented in the keynote address to the 2024 EMW Conference by Philippe Laffont of Coatue Management suggests that these gains may be the beginning of a new super cycle for the tech industry, following previous cycles such as PCs in the 1980s, networking in the 1990s, wired internet in the 2000s, and mobile internet in the 2010s that led to the popularity of the cloud. However, investors have more reason to be optimistic about this growth since it compares favorably to cycles of the past. Software and internet experts Kash Rangan and Eric Sheridan contend that tech companies seem to be investing in AI products by tying the spending to the revenues, ensuring a safety net that had not existed in previous cycles. Story continues Since the beginning of the AI wave in early 2023 following the launch of ChatGPT by California-based Open AI, the focus of the industry has shifted from software towards AI hardware and infrastructure. AI infrastructure firms have added nearly $6 trillion to their market capitalization since the first quarter of 2023. Before a killer AI application can emerge or large scale AI automation can begin - Daron Acemoglu, a Turkish-American economist at MIT, predicts this will take more than a decade - new areas of AI infrastructure are emerging. These include utilities, energy, internet, and industrials (see 20 Industrial Stocks That Are Already Riding the AI Wave). The gains of prominent utility, industrial, energy, and internet firms critical to AI development rival the returns of traditional AI stocks. Investments in energy and utilities are important if this AI potential is to be realized. Goldman analysts Carly Davenport and Alberto Gandolf expect the proliferation of AI technology and the accompanying need to maintain data centers to drive an increase in demand for utilities that has not been seen in a generation. It remains to be seen, however, if the pace at which AI is progressing will keep pace with investments in power. This is because the utilities sector is highly regulated and has supply chain constraints that will not be easily overcome. If investments are made at the levels needed, it might still be a few years before their full benefits make their way towards AI firms. All this hullabaloo around AI has investors on edge, with ghosts of previous bubbles haunting their memories. Although comparisons to the past are the surest way of finding your footing in unfamiliar territory, data shows that this may not be the wisest strategy considering present market dynamics. For example, at the height of the dotcom bubble just before the turn of the millennium, some software firms were trading at 132x their earnings. The five-year average for this value in 1999 was only 37x. In contrast, in 2023, even the biggest AI stocks were trading at P/E multiples of around 39x. The five-year average for this last year was 40x, showcasing why AI valuations may not be overextended. Indeed, AI firms can target multi-trillion dollar valuations, in line with some of the biggest software and internet firms on the market presently. That is the revolutionary power of AI technology. Over the past decade, tech giants have achieved a scale that few other businesses have before them. By combining billions in users, hundreds of billions in revenue, and tens of billions in net income, these handful of firms have reached 80% of the valuation of the Fortune 500. They are category leaders in fields such as smartphones, ecommerce, cloud, and software as a service (SaaS) - all of which AI promises to disrupt - and ahead of competitors in research and development spending. This is why many of these firms are aggressively incorporating AI into their business models, in hopes of holding onto their thrones. Some investors remain concerned about AI firms bullying software companies on the market in the near and long term. A cursory glance at the Price-to-Sale (PS) ratios for software stocks in the past decade reveals that after topping out in 2021, the valuations for SaaS firms are near their all time lows. Some of this pessimism around software can also be attributed to slower earnings growth. Coatue research shows that over the next twelve months, only 1% of SaaS stocks expect 30% earnings growth, down from 30% at the peak of the Saas craze. As the future of human-machine interaction moves towards communication in natural language, software firms who adapt to AI changes are more likely to survive than those that do not. As the markets become decoupled from rate hikes, inflation figures go down, and the prospects of a soft landing become brighter, the macro outlook for AI looks favorable as well. The main driver for future S&P 500 growth in terms of earnings remains AI. According to Coatue research, in the next three years, AI-linked stocks will grow at a compound annual rate of almost 20%, beating their non-AI counterparts by nearly 14 percentage points. 40% of the earnings from tech will be accelerated by AI tailwinds in the period. All indicators point towards a brighter future for AI investors in the long term. Our Methodology For this article, we selected AI infrastructure stocks with more than 25% gains in 2024 that are also popular among hedge funds. These are the best AI stocks to buy according to the market participants and hedge funds. Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletters strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here). Is TSM Stock a Good Long Term Buy? A close-up of a complex network of integrated circuits used in logic semiconductors. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM) Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 135 YTD Return as of August 1: 86% Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM) makes and sells integrated circuits and semiconductors. The company dominates the semiconductor manufacturing industry, controlling 90% of the market for leading process nodes. These nodes underpin the success of companies like NVIDIA and Broadcom who rely on the technical and manufacturing expertise of TSM for their AI chip success. The rapid integration of AI into computers and smartphones is likely to bolster the dominant position of the firm in the AI world. This position has increased the pricing power of TSM, and the new N2 node marketed by the firm, designed to be faster while requiring less power, will be close to 20% higher in price than the predecessor. CC Wei, the CEO of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM), said during the second quarter earnings call that the foundry business was likely to grow globally by 10% year-on-year in 2024. The CEO detailed that strong AI and high-end smartphone-related demand would fuel further upside for his company in the coming months. Overall TSM ranks 8th on our list of the most important AI stocks to buy. While we acknowledge the potential of TSM as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than TSM but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: Michael Burry Is Selling These Stocks and Jim Cramer is Recommending These Stocks. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Real-time crime centers are rapidly expanding nationwide and likely to become commonplace in policing soon. Photo by Pixabay/Pexels In 2021, a driver in Albuquerque, N.M., ran a red light, striking and killing a 7-year-old and injuring his father. The suspect fled the scene and eventually escaped to Mexico. Using camera footage and cellphone data, the Albuquerque Police Department's real-time crime center played a crucial role in identifying, apprehending and charging the person at fault. The driver was ultimately sentenced to 27 years in prison, providing a measure of justice to the grieving family. Real-time crime centers are specialized units within police departments that use the latest technology to monitor public spaces and record incidents. The New York City Police Department was the first to institute a real-time crime center in 2005. Real-time crime centers often focus on video surveillance, using closed-circuit television systems, license plate scanners, body cameras worn by officers and drone cameras. The centers sometimes also include gunshot detection and computer-aided dispatch systems, live or static facial recognition, cellphone tracking and geolocation data, and access to probation, parole and arrestee information. Police departments are adding the latest innovations, such as video analytics driven by deep learning artificial intelligence, to identify objects and assess subjects' behavior. Some real-time crime center operations and surveillance methods are controversial, especially those using technologies that are rapidly evolving, such as drones and automated image analysis. As a professor of criminal justice and criminologist formerly embedded within the Miami Police Department, I can explain how these centers function -- and the safeguards they employ to assure accountability and appropriate use. Instant assistance Real-time crime centers typically function around the clock and fulfill several critical roles. They provide real-time video feeds and other essential data to officers responding to incidents. Police departments also use them to monitor ongoing situations such as protests or threats to critical infrastructure. In some real-time crime centers, like those used by the Chula Vista Police Department, near San Diego, and Metro Atlanta, drones act as an initial first responder and can stream live footage from the field back to the center. Real-time crime centers also can support investigations after an incident has occurred. The monitoring technologies can track the movement of a suspect's vehicle, assist in documenting video evidence for prosecution or even pinpoint where gun casings may be found at a crime scene. Many incidents showcase how this process leads to faster resolutions of criminal investigations, often allowing investigators to locate suspects in hours instead of days. Agencies of various sizes increasingly collaborate with business communities and large institutions to share live CCTV video footage. This collaboration allows agencies to access video feeds from locations like hotels or arenas without needing to install their own expensive equipment, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars per unit. Expanding, but effective? Real-time crime centers are rapidly expanding across the United States, growing by 148% over the past four years. Around 150 police agencies have adopted these units. Despite this growth, real-time crime centers are still considered relatively new in policing, used by less than 1% of all agencies nationwide. Even among larger police agencies, characterized by the amount of full-time personnel and corresponding budgets, only 12% have done so. Despite the increasing presence of real-time crime centers, only a few major studies have investigated their impact. A 2019 evaluation of decentralized real-time crime centers within the Chicago Police Department showed a 3% to 7% decrease in both violent and property crimes after the centers had been installed. A study of real-time crime center effectiveness using data from the same source revealed a 5% increase in solving violent crimes, a 12% increase in solving property crimes and an 11% overall improvement in case clearance rates. A more recent Miami Police Department real-time crime center evaluation found a 66% higher likelihood of clearing cases of violent crime incidents compared with cases not supported by the center. Clearance rate is a measure of how many reported crimes the police successfully handle. A crime is considered cleared when the police arrest and charge those involved, or if it's resolved in other ways, such as if the suspect dies or if the victim decides not to cooperate. Nonetheless, real-time crime centers have shown limited effectiveness in addressing some types of violent crime such as sexual assault and domestic violence, likely due to the typically private nature of these offenses. Further research is needed to fully understand how effective real-time crime centers can be across all types of crimes. Safeguards against abuse Accountability in policing is essential. The rapid advancement of technology raises particular concerns about privacy, surveillance and secure storage of sensitive information. These issues underscore the need for strong safeguards, which are rapidly evolving and are sometimes overlooked by the police or those in charge of the systems they acquire. Recently, police departments have made changes to address these concerns to alleviate systemic issues or biases in investigations, including changing policies for the use of technologies like facial recognition. Human verification remains crucial for validating information and outcomes in each case. Departments keep detailed records whenever any search or monitoring occurs, both to improve transparency and to justify additional support or funding. People can request these records through a Freedom of Information Act or request information from their local agencies records unit, though fees may apply. Commonly documented materials include video footage and license plate reader data. Records related to less severe offenses are generally retained for no more than 30 to 90 days, while evidence pertinent to homicide investigations may be preserved indefinitely. Ongoing investigation data is typically withheld until the case is resolved. Of the over 1,100 agencies that use drones, most offer the public access to a live drone flight map to improve transparency, and most are cautious that negative community feedback could result in a program eventually being cut. Becoming commonplace Real-time crime centers are rapidly expanding nationwide and likely to become commonplace in policing soon. The technologies they use are powerful, particular when combined in real time, but some of the concerns they raise are valid. Kimberly Przeszlowski is an assistant professor of criminal justice at Quinnipiac University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author. Former President Donald Trump has again vowed to take on the so-called deep state with a mission laid out on his own website to root out wrongdoers, fire corrupt employees and get woke Leftwing Democrats fired as soon as possible. Trump has repeatedly railed against the "deep state" as a core theme of his rallies and promised revenge on his political enemies including President Joe Biden and his administration officials. Trump failed to eliminate the administrative state in his first term, and courts prevented many of his administration's attempts to flout settled agency law. But Trump is poised to go farther than previous Republican administrations in his efforts to try to replace civil servants en masse with political appointees if he wins a second term, University of Illinois Chicago political science professor E.J. Fagan, told Salon. "They want to fire lots of people, so lots of people working in expert roles in places like the Environmental Protection Agency, across the Justice Department, et cetera," Fagan said. "And that's kind of scary, right? Especially you think about those places like the Defense Department, Justice Department. You do a lot of bad things if you remove everybody who's willing to say no to you." Conservatives have long argued that Ivy League, liberal-leaning experts in federal agencies hold far more power than Congress ever envisioned, and that their budgets are a burden on taxpayers. Such ideology fit well with Trump's style of campaigning, featuring rallies where he rails against shadowy, deep state, elite and liberal enemies whom he often refers to as a nebulous "they" to raucous applause. Pomona College politics professor Amanda Hollis-Brusky told Salon that Trump is "saying the quiet part out loud" about the modern conservative movement's decades-old fight against the administrative state. "Since Reagan, I would say conservatives have tried to rein in what they saw as a largely unaccountable bureaucracy," Hollis-Brusky said. "They rail against the civil service because they believe that civil servants are enacting their own mostly liberal agendas, and they're not able to be controlled through political accountability." Trump's expected focus on loyalty above all as a requirement for his new administration could weaken the power and competence of federal agencies, according to Wake Forest University School of Law professor Sidney Shapiro. "If loyalty really is the watchword, then competence isn't and that's a really scary prospect for everything the government does right now, whether it's delivering the mail or Social Security or you name," Shapiro told Salon. Shapiro said federal agencies do everything from tackling complex issues like climate change to ensuring people get their mail. "Politicians come, politicians go," he said. "But when we've had the right combination, and the country wants to make big improvements and do important things, it's really these folks that have driven all that. And I think it's really scary that the most experienced of them, the ones who really day to day make this work, could get replaced." Over the past year, Trump allies have argued they have the plans and personnel to take Trump's fight against the administrative state to the next level. Project 2025 the 922-page manifesto backed by the Heritage Foundation, other conservative groups and scores of former Trump officials outlines a plan to remove thousands of bureaucrats and replace them with Trumps own appointees. The manifesto also calls for placing the Department of Justice and FBI under the president's control. In his own Agenda 47, Trump promises he "will clean out all of the corrupt actors in our National Security and Intelligence apparatus, and there are plenty of them." "The departments and agencies that have been weaponized will be completely overhauled so that faceless bureaucrats will never again be able to target and persecute conservatives, Christians, or the left's political enemies, which they're doing now at a level that nobody can believe even possible," reads part of Agenda 47. Trumps allies are also drawing up lists of loyalist, right-wing lawyers for his second administration, according to The New York Times. That's a stark contrast with the Trump administration's reliance on Federalist Society recommendations for executive branch legal roles during his first term Trump often called his lawyers "weak" and "stupid." Conservative nonprofits have said they're coming up with their own lists of loyalists who could serve as lawyers or fill the 4,000 appointments potentially available in a Trump administration. THE THREAT OF SCHEDULE F In Agenda 47, Trump also said he would "immediately reissue" a sweeping 2020 executive order that launched what he called Schedule F: a plan to make it much easier to fire federal employees in policy positions. "First, I will immediately re-issue my 2020 Executive Order restoring the President's authority to remove rogue bureaucrats," reads Trump's Agenda 47. "And I will wield that power very aggressively." Biden rescinded the order in the first month he took office. But University of Cincinnati College of Law Dean Emeritus Joseph Tomain said talk of re-instituting Schedule F alone has "demoralized many civil servants already." Trump's plan would have impacted an estimated tens of thousands of the more than three million civil servants who work in federal agencies from the EPA to the Department of Education to NASA. "You take a job in government, which I think is a noble thing to do, historically, you've had a lot of freedom and civil service protections so that you could do your job as a professional," Tomain told Salon. "These agencies have an internal professional culture. I want to be a good economist, I want to be a good lawyer, I want to be a good scientist, and so that my reputation in the profession is respected. If I'm under the gun all of the time, that's going to put a real damper on how I could actually do my work." Trump's executive order directed agencies to provide lists of all the civil service positions with substantial decision-making responsibility. Trump sought to classify those employees as at-will workers and exempt them from civil service protections and processes include seniority and testing, according to Bowdoin College government professor Andrew Rudalevige. "Trump folks would say that they were rooting out the deep state. Those more sympathetic to bureaucratic expertise would say it's really a way of making sure that there is no substantive pushback on the crazier things that they want to do," Rudalevige told Salon. This year, the Biden administration issued regulations aimed at ensuring civil servants have protections including hearings and due process. Congress, however, hasn't passed a law providing stronger protection against a renewed Schedule F. It's unclear how long it would take Trump to fire or replace disloyal civil servants en masse. "Now, would all those people all be fired immediately and replaced?" Rudalevige said. "I don't know, but maybe it would be potentially possible. It would take some time." Rudalevige said the Biden regulations could "probably delay the implementation of a new Schedule F" if Trump tried again. But, Rudalevige added: "I don't think it completely cancels it out, because, if nothing else, a new Trump administration could issue regulations rescinding Biden's regulations." Kenneth Warren, a professor at St. Louis University whose research includes the administrative state, told Politico that it is ordinarily "very, very tough" for federal agencies to undo and replace regulations. And the Supreme Court's string of administrative rulings limiting the power of federal agencies could also backfire for a renewed Schedule F effort. Berkeley Law School Daniel Farber told Politico that such rulings mean courts won't defer to agencies without clear approval from Congress. In March, Trump's running-mate Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, told Politico that if the Supreme Court tries to prevent Trump from firing scores of midlevel federal employees, he believes Trump should defy such an order. "You need the bureaucracy to be responsive to the elected branches of government, Vance told Politico. The counterargument is, you know, Arent you promoting a constitutional crisis? And my response is no Im recognizing a constitutional crisis. If the elected president says, I get to control the staff of my own government, and the Supreme Court steps in and says, Youre not allowed to do that like, that is the constitutional crisis. Its not whatever Trump or whoever else does in response." Dartmouth College sociology professor John Campbell said he expects "a major battle in the courts" about whether Trump could invoke a new version of Schedule F. "You can assume if he gets elected again, part and parcel of this Schedule F business, he would try to weaponize the Department of Justice by putting people in that he wanted," Campbell told Salon. "You can bet that there would be major pushback." THE POTENTIAL FOR A WEAKENED CIVIL SERVICE Fagan said modern civil service protections date back to Watergate and stem from concern about corruption and incompetence. "Civil service protections were originally created because parties were given jobs to people who were unqualified in return for political work, in return for campaign work, campaign contributions, et cetera," Fagan said. "And that has created a professional class that has been very important to American policy making, regardless of who's president. Republicans have clashed with this class of people many times." Fagan said federal employees have traditionally felt empowered to question the legality of executive branch decision-making. Congress, he said, has intentionally provided checks and balances by delegating authority to agencies to roll out policy rather than leave all the decisions to the White House. But he said he questions whether federal employees could still serve that role under a Trump administration with weakened civil service protections. "If it's illegal, the HHS secretary can say, or the Defense secretary can say, 'I'm going to resign if you make me do this.' The president can fire that person," Fagan said. "And eventually it gets down to a civil servant, who he can fire, and if it's illegal, they won't do it. And I'd worry about what Donald Trump will make people do or else they get fired." Republican attorney George Conway said if Trump weakens civil service protections to make it easier to fire civil servants, they would face enormous pressure to fall in line or lose their livelihoods. "You're going to see a lot of other people who are just going to say: 'That's enough, I've had enough. I don't want to do this anymore. I could make more money on the outside, or I'm just going to sit out quietly and hide out my next two years," Conway said at a July panel, later adding: "People who would have been respectable aren't going into this administration, and everybody else is going to have to basically choose between fighting or succumbing. And that's a scary thought." In 2017, Trump's EPA head ousted scientists who had received EPA grants from key advisory groups, including the Clean Air Science Advisory Committee. In 2019, the Trump administration purged Homeland Security Department leaders including general counsel John Mitnick, who The New York Times reported was replaced by an ally of far-right Trump senior policy adviser Stephen Miller. And in January 2021, senior members of the Justice Department threatened to quit en masse if Trump followed through with his plan to install loyalist Jeffrey Clark as Attorney General and have Clark pressure Georgia to flip its vote for Trump, The New York Times reported at the time. Clark who served as acting head of the Department of Justices Civil Division under Trump faces a two-year suspension of his bar license for his role in efforts to overturn the 2020 election. A series of Supreme Court rulings this year further reigned in agency power a trend that Hollis-Brusky said could be amplified if Trump were to restructure the bureaucracy into a system of political appointees. She said federal agencies increasingly must ensure their regulations are "exactly in line with the Congressional meaning" of statutes. "It forces Congress to do the job of a civil servant and a policy expert, and if they don't, the judges are going to step in and become policy experts," Hollis-Brusky said. PROMISES OF REVENGE Trump would enter his second term with a longer list of perceived grievances he blames on the deep state: from his erroneous belief that he truly won the 2020 election, to his lengthy list of criminal and civil trials. On posters lining the walls of Trump's Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, one quotation stood out for capturing Trump's self-styled image as the selfless victim of a vast leftwing witch hunt who's vowed to fight to "obliterate the deep state" he claims is behind it all. "Theyre not after me, theyre after you Im just standing in the way! reads the quotation. Trump has said he will appoint a real special prosecutor to go after the most corrupt president in the history of the United States of America, Joe Biden, and the entire Biden crime family. Trump has erroneously claimed that Biden had authorized deadly force in the 2022 raid on Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate. Last year, a D.C. federal grand jury indicted Trump on four charges in August 2023 accusing the former president of conspiring to thwart his 2020 electoral defeat and the peaceful transfer of power to President Joe Biden. The Supreme Court's immunity ruling granted Trump immunity for talking to administrational officials such as his acting attorney general about investigating purported election fraud and sending states letters about such concerns. The ruling also tasked the judge in that case with weighing whether Trump has immunity for other conduct that could count as official acts. Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed his classified documents case last month, agreeing with Trump's lawyers that the appointment of special counsel Jack Smith by the Department of Justice violated the appointments clause of the U.S. Constitution. The Special Counsels position effectively usurps that important legislative authority, transferring it to a Head of Department, and in the process threatening the structural liberty inherent in the separation of powers, Cannon wrote in her order, calling for Congress to specifically provide that authority. Smith has filed a notice of appeal, and a spokesperson told The Associated Press that Cannon's dismissal "deviates from the uniform conclusion of all previous courts to have considered the issue that the Attorney General is statutorily authorized to appoint a special counsel." Despite legal victories, Trump has promised he'll seek "revenge" against perceived deep state opponents. "Look, when this election is over, based on what theyve done, I would have every right to go after them, and it would be easy because its Joe Biden," Trump told Fox News Sean Hannity in June. In a June interview with TV personality Phil McGraw, Trump offered his thoughts on whether revenge would impact his agenda. Well, revenge does take time. I will say that, Trump said. And sometimes revenge can be justified, Phil, I have to be honest. You know, sometimes it can." In the moments after correctional officers raided their units, dozens of men incarcerated at Idahos highest-security prison south of Boise were isolated in barren cells, breathing air that not long ago contained fumes from pepper spray and tear gas. Members of the Idaho Department of Corrections tactical response team, outfitted in tactical gear and gas masks, had deployed chemical munitions to access the units. Then they stormed cell after cell, removing everything even the mattresses and stripped 27 men of their clothing. The men were thrown back into their empty cells without a blanket, leaving them to sleep on the cold concrete floor. IDOCs February raid was a response to a broken policy. The 27 men had covered their cell windows, obstructing any view into the space, to protest systemic issues at the prison, Shawn Madewell and Bobby Templin told the Idaho Statesman. The two men witnessed the incident from their cells at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution. The correctional agency confirmed the details of the raid they described. An image of Idaho Maximum Security Institutions C Block, where civil commitment patients are held. In May, at least 90 men housed in the prison participated in a hunger strike. IDOCs response to the protest only spurred more dissent. And a few months later, in May, prisoners organized a mass hunger strike to demand better treatment and services. The six-day strike involved about 90 incarcerated men, according to IDOC, most of them housed in the Idaho Maximum Security Institution. Men housed in the units described it as one of the largest demonstrations theyve seen in the states prison system. Correctional officers constant raids of their cells planted the seed of the strike, Madewell said. But complaints detailed to the Statesman, and presented to prison leaders in May, described more alarming living conditions for the prisoners: long bouts of isolation; serious delays in medical care; an HVAC system that hadnt been cleaned; and cages IDOC used for recreation time, covered in human feces. The prison created this strike and rebellion, not us, Madewell told the Statesman. Prison officials also confirmed that they halted many services, including access to certain religious practices, in 2020 as they faced an unprecedented staffing crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. They promised a return to normal when the spread of the virus died down and staffing levels rose. Some of those services havent returned. IDOC made a few improvements shortly after the strike, and prisoners attributed those changes directly to their protests. They told the Statesman they expect more changes, that the protests were just the start of a movement to demand better living conditions. IDOC officials cast blame on the prisoners for the raids. The revoked privileges were results of the prisoners violations of the rules, prison officials told the Statesman: In recent months, correctional leaders removed fruit from meals to combat homemade alcohol, increased cell searches to address contraband, and restricted out-of-cell time following an upsurge in violent incidents. While the department plans to increase programming, religious services and recreational time, spokesperson Sanda Kuzeta-Cerimagic said in a statement that the residents actions have a significant amount of say in the privileges theyre afforded. As convenient as it can be to try to attribute violence and gang-related activity to some deeper meaning, actions have consequences, she said. Their behavior will determine whats next. IDOC responds to complaints Men housed in solitary confinement at Idahos maximum security prison told the Statesman they get one daily reprieve from isolation: a single hour of recreation time. They take off their shoes, sliding them through a slot in the door for a guard to inspect, back up and place their hands through a slot in the cell door, according to accounts by Madewell and Templin that were confirmed by IDOC. The guards then cuff the prisoners hands, open their cells, pat them down, and allow them to slide their shoes back on untied before moving them to an outside area. The prisoners told the Statesman thats when the smell hits. The recreational cages, which are large chain link-like metal boxes each man is placed into, are littered with human urine and feces that have soaked into the concrete, Madewell and Templin told the Statesman. Men placed in a lower security level in the maximum security prison, known as closed custody general population, go outside to a more open recreational area and get more time. Prisoners told the Statesman that area is still covered with trash and bodily fluids, partly because the men said they dont have access to a bathroom while outside. Prisoners also complained of an HVAC system they said they believed hadnt been cleaned in decades. Vents to the HVAC system had been used by prisoners to communicate and were littered with trash, they said. Prisoners also sometimes retaliate against neighboring prisoners by pouring urine and feces through the ventilation holes, leaving the system filthy, Templin and Madewell told the Statesman. All we ask is for the right to breathe clean air, to be warm in the winters and cool in the summers, Madewell said. Our cells are some of the cleanest places you could ever find, but whats in our HVAC system could be classified as a biohazard. Men housed in the Idaho Maximum Security Institution complained of long bouts of isolation, delays in care and cages covered in urine. Kuzeta-Cerimagic said the cages are regularly inspected and cleaned by incarcerated workers. The HVAC systems at the maximum prison and the Idaho State Correctional Center were cleaned after the hunger strike, she said. But men housed in the prison said the strike wasnt the first time they had communicated these complaints to IDOC. Templin and Madewell told the Statesman that other men in the prison presented a range of complaints to several prison leaders from their cells on Feb. 22. Hours later, at 3 a.m. the next day, correctional officers woke up several men who had talked to staff about their concerns and forced them out of their cells. The prisoners covered their windows in part as a response to IDOC removing the men, Templin and Madewell said. Kuzeta-Cerimagic said the men were removed because they were planning a large-scale incident, adding that six men, identified as leaders of gangs, were taken to different units within the maximum security prison and the Idaho State Correctional Institution. Kuzeta-Cerimagic said IDOC officials believed the protest would have happened regardless of whether IDOC had removed them. IDOC in February had said the protest was an attempt to force staff members to segregate housing by gang and racial affiliation, the Statesman previously reported. Madewell told the Statesman that gang affiliation had nothing to do with it and called prison officials previous statement a lie. Kuzeta-Cerimagic said the pepper spray and tear gas, deployed the next day, were only used on people who didnt follow orders. Out of the 27 men who covered their windows, guards used tear gas and pepper spray on 26 of them after they refused to comply with being restrained and escorted without force, she said. At a minimum, the hunger strike expedited changes, said Dewey Lewis, who participated in the strike from the Idaho State Correctional Center. On top of addressing some of the unsanitary conditions, IDOC staff also installed exercise equipment into the recreational cages, another one of the mens demands, shortly after the protest. Some of the things that was done was against our rights, Lewis told the Statesman. And that was the first time that maybe somebody had to answer for that. Hunger strike begins After officers raided their cells in February, Madewell said, he knew he wanted to do something else to demand better living conditions. He said he grew angrier as he watched the correctional officers handcuff Templin behind his back, despite knowing that it worsened the chronic pain Templin deals with from an untreated fractured thumb. We could always refuse to eat, Madewell recalled he told Templin. Bob Templin visits his son, Bobby Templin, through a glass panel at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution in Kuna. From there, Madewell said, it didnt take much convincing for men to join. They created a list of demands and planned the strike for May 1. Collin Young, a deputy warden for the maximum security prison, disputed use of the term hunger strike. He pointed to the agencys policy definitions and said the May demonstration didnt qualify as a hunger strike, because the men had access to commissary items in their cells. Staff members dont have to observe that men are eating their commissary, only that they can access the food, he said. When officers came around with meals for the men, they refused, according to the prisoners. It wasnt until after the sixth day of the strike that the men agreed to eat a meal, after 18 pull-up bars were installed in the recreational cages for men in solitary confinement, Templin said. Within a day of the hunger strike, Young and other leaders from the prison met with five incarcerated men, including representatives from prison gangs, to discuss their concerns. Templin, who attended the meeting, said everyone was united on this, even members of rival gangs. We all sat around the table, and they took our handcuffs off and let us sit as equals, Templin said. It wasnt like one was superior over the other, and we were able to sit and have a conversation. Young said the conversation highlighted a need for better communication with the prisons population, but that the issues certainly didnt require the men to refuse their meals. He added that the incarcerated population wasnt aware of IDOCs intentions to bring back some of the services they had demanded during the hunger strike. Since his arrival at the prison in September, Young said, IDOC officials brought back educational programs that were removed four years ago. The COVID-19 pandemic hit prisons particularly hard given the crowded environment and Idahos correctional facilities were already dealing with a staffing crisis. One of the biggest needs Young said he saw was the lack of behavioral classes being offered to the men. Since June, he said, IDOC officials have offered a class called Thinking for Change to the closed custody general population thats focused on building social and problem-solving skills. Theyre also considering offering alcoholics and narcotics anonymous classes. Congregate religious services were also taken away at the height of the pandemic and brought back. That includes smudging ceremonies for Native Americans and the ability for people to participate in feasts. Men in solitary confinement can participate in religious services in a confined space, one behavioral intervention class and non-contact visitation. Lewis said he wasnt able to participate in smudging, a purification ceremony, for years. As a Native American, 52-year-old Lewis, said the cultural practice gives him and other incarcerated Indigenous men a way to connect. Its something that we can hang onto that makes us feel like were human beings, Lewis said in a phone interview. Religious services returned to the maximum security prison in February, according to IDOC. But for men housed at the Idaho State Correctional Centers closed custody unit, or the G Block, the services didnt return until after the hunger strike, Lewis said. Since being transferred over to the maximum security prison, Lewis said, hes been able to smudge. We are offering so much to our resident population, Young said. I can just assure you and I stand by it all day that we provide opportunities and off-ramps to residents that are consistent with their level of maturity and responsibility. But Young said anytime rules are broken in the prisons, initiatives and projects take a backseat again. He pointed to the prison escape in March, when a prisoner faked self-inflicted injuries and planned an ambush at a hospital to flee custody. Two steps forward, one step back, Young said by phone. Idaho Department of Correction Director Josh Tewalt said implementing services isnt just dependent on staffing but on how the prison population behaves. He said some of the revoked privileges prisoners raised concerns about were direct responses to an uptick in violence and homemade alcohol. We can only tell them to knock it off so many times, Tewalt told the Statesman in an interview. Tewalt echoed Youngs comments that the strike highlighted a need for better communication, given that many of the mens concerns were being addressed behind the scenes. But he stressed the importance of IDOC officials being cautious with what they say. You want to be particularly careful that you dont over-promise and under-deliver, Tewalt told the Statesman. As a rule of thumb, we dont go out to the population and say, Look, its going to be Christmas. Youre going to get all these things, if we arent prepared to do that immediately. We want them to change their culture For maximum security prisoners, visiting family in person without a glass panel dividing them hasnt been an option for years. IDOC restricted the visitation right in 2018, according to IDOC. In early June, prison officials brought the option back. Young said administrators had been discussing the return of contact visitation since December and told all prisoners in closed custody that theyd remove the option if a fight broke out. Within two weeks, two men assaulted someone who was being taken out of his cell for a visit, Young said. And that was it, Young said, adding that theyve now paused physical visitation for all of the men in closed custody. There are 186 men living in that housing classification, according to IDOC. Those in solitary confinement, or what the prison refers to as restrictive housing, arent allowed to have contact visitation at all. About 140 men live in varying classifications of the prisons solitary confinement. They just did it to punish all of us for the actions of a couple people, Madewell said, referring to the removal of contact visitation. About solitary confinement In the Idaho Maximum Security Institution, 142 incarcerated men are housed in solitary confinement. (IDOC refers to it as restrictive housing, because inmates have frequent contact with staff, the agency told the Statesman.) An expert said plenty of research supports concerns that the prolonged isolation causes long-term harm. Lauren Brinkley-Rubinstein, an associate professor at Duke University who researches the health impact of incarceration, told the Statesman in a phone interview that incarcerated people feel their well-being decline even without staying in isolation long term. She also pointed out that the United Nations considers solitary confinement a form of torture. There is a giant body of literature that shows any amount of time spent in solitary confinement can have a deeply negative effect on peoples mental and physical health, Brinkley-Rubinstein said. Brinkley-Rubinstein said the U.S. still sees an overuse of solitary confinement, but some prison systems like New Jersey and Colorado have placed restrictions on how long an individual can be isolated. Though the United Nations opposes the overall use of solitary confinement, if prisons and jails do plan to use it, the UN said solitary confinement shouldnt exceed 15 days. None of the 255 men in the Idaho State Correctional Centers G Block, which has a higher security level, have had any type of in-person visitation since October 2018. Instead, they have to visit family through paid video calls. Kuzeta-Cerimagic said contact visitation was suspended there because of significant disturbances and altercations that took place in the visiting rooms. Over at the maximum security prison, officials said members of opposing gangs tend to fight each other when they come out of their cells, and the problem was exacerbated when IDOC brought back in-person visitation because so many more men wanted those visits. If I could just put it simply, we want them to change their culture, Young said. Wanda Bertram, a spokesperson for the Prison Policy Initiative, a Massachusetts-based nonprofit focused on criminal justice reform, said restricting incarcerated peoples access to services can make prisons more unsafe. Bertram pointed to a study in Tennessee by Face To Face Knox, an advocacy group for incarcerated people, which documented the effects of restricting visitation. In 2014, the Knox County Sheriffs Office banned in-person visits at its jails, instead only offering visits through a paid video system, over safety and contraband concerns. The report, which pulled data from several years before and after the ban, found that violent interactions went up and contraband was still making its way into the jails. Bertram added that in and out of prison, people are more safe, more stable when they have contact with family. Often prison officials aim for a zero incident rate for contraband or fights, Bertram told the Statesman. But thats not realistic, right? Bertram said. Its very counterproductive for department of corrections to be instituting rules that make life so much harsher. Restrictive policies cause unrest, prisoner says Many services, especially within the maximum security prison, can only be offered if theres enough staff to make them happen. In 2021, Idahos prisons were plagued with understaffing issues, and the low number of correctional officers led to the assault of a female staffer, the Statesman previously reported. The department saw record-low staffing, with 26% of its positions being vacant in August 2022, according to an IDOC strategic plan. Tewalt said the department has made significant progress on the hiring front, and that while prisons nationwide were affected by the pandemic, IDOC has come out of it quicker than just about every other correctional system in the country. In June 2023, only 12% of positions in the prison system were vacant. The department called it a significant gain that was a part of IDOCs efforts to examine internal recruiting, hiring and retention practices, according to the agencys 2024-2027 Strategic Plan. Idaho is one of the leading states in rates of incarceration and supervision per capita, with roughly 9,000 people in custody and thousands more on probation or parole, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. Nobody felt the brunt of staffing shortages in the same way that the maximum security prison did, Tewalt said. But incarcerated people have a pretty sizable say in the opportunities theyre offered, he said. The correction departments goal is to manage everybody in the least-restrictive environment possible, Tewalt added, but the men have a role to play in that. Whether they punish a few versus the many depends on how widespread the issue is, he told the Statesman. Templin and Madewell said punishing many for the actions of the few is a common occurrence. Templin told the Statesman that he understands people have to be punished for breaking the rules but that the recent decision to take away visitation from everyone, because of a fight between a couple of people, only causes unrest and disparity. When people dont have hope or something to look forward to in here, then they have nothing to lose, he said, and it becomes a dangerous place. Investigative Reporter Kevin Fixler contributed. Under fire for his interaction with women, Rep. Daniel Grossberg is no longer on any interim committees of the Kentucky House of Representatives. House Democratic leadership informed Grossberg Tuesday he has been removed from the committees, according to Grossbergs attorney Anna Whites. The Louisville Democrats profile page on the Legislative Research Commission confirms he is no longer on any interim committees. Whites told the Herald-Leader Thursday that Grossberg and his team are looking at appropriate legal response to the action because it effectively disenfranchises his constituents. She said no reason was given when he was informed of the move. A statement this morning from House Democratic leaders pushes back on that claim and mentions new information from the Legislative Research Commission, known in Frankfort as LRC. In light of new information Leadership received from LRC officials it was deemed appropriate to relieve Rep. Grossberg of his committee responsibilities during the interim. Many committees do not cast votes during the interim, and Rep. Grossbergs constituents will not be impacted by this decision, the statement reads. Grossberg, 45, is under investigation by the LRC, multiple sources confirmed to the Herald-Leader two weeks ago, including his lawyer. A spoksesperson for House Democratic leadership has not responded to a question about what that new information referenced entails. LRC spokesperson Mike Wynn told the Herald-Leader the organization is still reviewing information on Grossbergs conduct. LRC is reviewing information on this matter as it becomes available and communicating with legislative leaders. But as a neutral, nonpartisan administrative office, we do not comment on possible investigations or actions that may involve legislators, including committee assignments, Wynn wrote. Whites said she has not seen or heard of recent behavior that she finds sexually harassing or inappropriate. Do I love using the word exotic in a message to someone of the opposite gender? No, she said. However, Whites said shes not seen a text message that crossed the line and was sexual harassment against women. There is a bunch of rumor out there, she said. Pushing back against rumors is very difficult. The Louisville lawmaker is still listed as a member of three session House committees, which meet during the spring when the General Assembly is in session. Herald-Leader reporting revealed Grossberg had sent at least three women texts they described as creepy or weird and made them feel uneasy. The inappropriate texts, often received late at night, were sent to women who worked with lawmakers and often centered around their appearance. Later, the Herald-Leader reported that Grossberg was the subject of campus controversy at Grinnell College in the early 2000s when he penned a satirical advice column that seemingly tried to play off a reputation hed gained for making women uncomfortable. In his Sketchy Dan column, he recommended that lonely, horny and creepy young men aggressively pursue women on campus, even if the women werent interested. In response to the investigation and to initial reporting, the Kentucky House Democratic Caucus temporarily suspended Grossberg from its membership and called for a separate investigation by the Legislative Ethics Commission. Kentucky Young Democrats, a political activism group for Democrats younger than 40, also called on Grossberg to resign from office immediately Representatives from the Democratic and Republican caucuses have not responded to Herald-Leader inquiries on the matter. Republicans hold a four-fifths majority in the House, which means the GOP ultimately controls committee assignments and the vast majority of legislation. Whites expressed frustration that the action barred Grossberg, who won election to the Louisville district in 2022 and narrowly defeated a primary opponent this year, from representing his constituents. An estimated 46,000 people live in Grossbergs House District 30. Its one of the most diverse districts in the state, with a population thats roughly 41% Black, 33% white, 18% Hispanic and 7% Asian. It just looks like more political infighting, and this time its harming tens of thousands of racially diverse constituents. I dont recall a time ever when a House District has been told no, your representative cannot represent you, Whites told the Herald-Leader. In an earlier defense of Grossberg, Whites said the lawmaker has a neurodivergent diagnosis, placing him on the autism spectrum, which means his brain processes information differently. Rep. Destin Hall isnt NC House Speaker yet, but he is fundraising like one Rep. Destin Hall, a 37-year-old Republican from Caldwell County, is not yet North Carolina House speaker, but he has already stepped into one of the positions most important election-year roles: fundraising. And hes pulling in big donations. Hall, who has gained the support of top leaders in the House Republican Caucus to replace Speaker Tim Moore in 2025, has raised over $1.5 million this election, according to campaign finance reports. And the bulk of that money is going to his fellow House members. Jordan Shaw, an adviser to Hall, told The News & Observer that Hall transferred $1 million to the House Republican caucus campaign committee. Thats the largest single contribution to the caucus in history, according to House GOP Caucus Director Stephen Wiley. Im thrilled by the level of support were seeing across the state for continued conservative leadership in Raleigh, Hall said in a statement to The N&O. We are focused on protecting and expanding our Republican majority in the North Carolina House this November, and I will continue to work as hard as I can with my fellow House members and candidates to ensure we have the resources to be successful. Shaw said Hall has given an additional $134,000 in individual contributions to other House Republicans, though he did not provide a list of the candidates who received those donations. Because Halls contribution to the caucus happened after the second quarter of the year, it has not yet been reported in quarterly campaign finance reports. Hall aims to carry on Speaker Moores fundraising legacy After Moore announced he was running for Congress making his record-breaking fifth term as speaker his last leaders of the caucus quickly united behind Hall to be his successor. As chair of the Rules committee, Hall already wielded considerable influence over the chamber. He and House Majority Leader John Bell were each contenders for the speakership, but the two ultimately agreed, alongside other party leaders, to support Hall for the top position and select Bell as the next rules chair, the Associated Press reported. Moore has set a high standard for fundraising during his time as speaker, most recently bringing in over $3 million in the 2022 midterms over $2 million of which he gave to the caucus, Wiley said. This years fundraising efforts come as Republicans aim to maintain or grow their fragile one-seat supermajorities in the House and Senate. With complete control over the General Assembly, Republican lawmakers have been able to overturn a record number of Democratic Gov. Roy Coopers vetoes, enacting major conservative legislation like a 12-week abortion ban with exceptions, stricter election laws and restrictions on gender-affirming care. But if Republicans lose just one seat in either chamber, they also lose the power to override the governors veto unless at least a few Democrats vote with them. If Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson wins the gubernatorial race, this likely wont be a major issue for the party. But if Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein wins, Republicans would not be able to pass conservative laws by themselves. House Democratic Leader Robert Reives isnt surprised that Hall is delivering on fundraising for the opposition. In my mind, he is raising as a speaker should raise, Reives told The N&O. But the top-down approach to fundraising has its drawbacks, he said. Speaker Moore has always been kind of the big overall fundraiser, and has distributed money and (support from) donors to people who are not Speaker Moore, Reives said. So it makes their caucus a little bit more dependent on the top of the leadership scale, whereas with us, a lot of our fundraising comes in a more diverse way. Reives himself has raised about $417,000 this cycle and the Democratic House caucus has about $409,000 in its account. Even when Democrats were in the majority, they relied more heavily on individual fundraisers within the caucus rather than letting leadership take charge, Reives said. He pointed to several consequential House races where Democrats are currently outraising their opponents, including Nicole Sidmans campaign to unseat Democrat-turned-Republican Rep. Tricia Cotham in Mecklenburg County. In the last reporting period, Sidman raised more than $260,000 over four times as much as Cotham, The Charlotte Observer reported. Democrats also lead Republicans in fundraising for several statewide races. In the governors race, Stein raised $13.6 million last quarter to Robinsons $5 million. And in the race for attorney general, Democratic U.S. Rep. Jeff Jackson raised three times as much as his Republican opponent, U.S. Rep. Dan Bishop. The next batch of campaign finance reports are due on Oct. 29 and will show Halls contribution to the caucus and individual House Republicans. All members of the General Assembly are up for reelection this year on Nov. 5. Dental therapist Sarah Chagnon treats a patient at the Swinomish Dental Clinic in La Conner, Wash., as part of a school-based sealant week program. More states are considering authorizing licensures of dental health aide therapists, also known as dental therapists. Experts say the midlevel practitioners can help fill gaps in access to dental health care. (Courtesy of Swinomish Dental Clinic) Alabamians face substantial challenges in oral health and accessing dental care, according to a new report released by the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH). According to the report, nearly half of Alabamas kindergarten and third-grade students suffer from tooth decay while rural residents face significant barriers to accessing dental care, with fewer practicing dentists and higher rates of disability, poverty and lower educational levels. Tommy Johnson, the ADPHs State Dental Director, described parts of the state as a dentistry desert after a meeting of the ADPHs governing board on Thursday morning. The demographics have so much to do with it, he said. Its just that weve got such a huge number of rural areas where people live and people cant drive 50 miles to get to a dentist. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The report found that 41% of kindergarteners have experienced tooth decay, and 22% have untreated cavities. By third grade, 50% showed signs of tooth decay and 23% had untreated dental issues. These figures are significantly higher than national averages. Nationwide, 22% of kindergarteners and 20% of third graders show signs of tooth decay. The burden of oral disease is not limited to children. 96% of seniors 65 and older in Alabama are disproportionately affected by tooth loss, with 42.5% of seniors are completely edentulous due to teeth decay or gum disease, meaning they have lost all their natural teeth, compared to 17% across the nation. Like Johnson, Jennifer Harris, health policy advocate at Arise Alabama, also described the state as a dentistry desert, with over half of dental graduates leaving Alabama, leading to a chronic shortage of dental practitioners, especially in rural areas. Were only retaining about four out of every ten dental students, she said, adding that this shortage severely limits access to timely and preventive care. Dental care is also expensive, even when a person has dental insurance, Harris said, which leads to people skipping treatment and opting for an extraction instead. The cost is prohibitive for a lot of people that are not able to afford treatment if there is something thats discovered, and this is very unfortunate because when it comes to going to our overall health, our prevention starts in our mouth, Harris said. Environmental factors also play a role in worsening oral health in Alabama. Harris said there are ongoing concerns about inadequate fluoride levels in some areas, potentially contributing to higher decay rates among children. We really need to get back to doing a better part of the education component, of making sure that people dont look at oral health as being optional, and then supporting them and being able to find what works for them, Harris said. Even when someone can secure transportation, the first appointment is often just a consult, Johnson said, meaning they have to find a way to come back for treatment, which contributes to a lack of access. What if we could do something like from a telehealth standpoint or a teledentistry standpoint? he suggested. He suggested expanding dental hygienists roles as Community Dental Health Coordinators (CDHCs), a certification program he said is strongly promoted by the American Dental Association ADA). Its kind of like being a social worker for dentistry. They are very much attuned to access to care issues, how to find better ways to get transportation for people to get to and from a certain area, Johnson said. General recommendations included in the report suggest expanding access to preventive dental services, increasing the number of practicing dentists in underserved areas and enhancing public health initiatives on oral health education. Its tough. We have all these really good ideas, and its like, Well, itd be great if we could do it, so were trying, Johnson said. This story was updated at 11:47 a.m. on Aug. 16 to correct a statement from Tommy Johnson. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST The Justice Department said Thursday a woman known as "Ketamine Queen", Matthew Perry's personal assistant, two doctors and one other person have been indicted and charged in the actor's death. Three have already pleaded guilty in the case, according to the DOJ. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI Aug. 15 (UPI) -- The Justice Department said Thursday a woman known as "Ketamine Queen," Matthew Perry's personal assistant, two doctors and one other person have been indicted and charged in the actor's death. Perry's personal assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, the DOJ said, performed "multiple injections on Perry on October 28, 2023 -- the day Perry died." The U.S. Justice Department said in a statement that Jasveen Sangha, 41, aka ,"The Ketamine Queen" of North Hollywood, and Dr. Salvador Plasencia, 42, aka "Dr. P" of Santa Monica, were charged with conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Sangha also faces charges of maintaining drug-involved premises, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute ketamine and five counts of distribution of ketamine. Plasencia is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, seven counts of distribution of ketamine and two counts of altering and falsifying documents or records. "Today we announce charges brought against the five individuals who, together, are responsible for the death of Matthew Perry," said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram in a statement. "We allege each of the defendants played a key role in his death by falsely prescribing, selling or injecting the ketamine that caused Matthew Perry's tragic death. Milgram said Perry's journey started with unscrupulous doctors who abused their position of trust "because they saw him as a payday, to street dealers who gave him ketamine in unmarked vials." U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement, "These defendants cared more about profiting off of Mr. Perry than caring for his well-being. Drug dealers selling dangerous substances are gambling with other people's lives over greed." The three other defendants charged separately have already pleaded guilty in the case. In addition to Iwamasa, 59, they are Eric Fleming, 54, of Hawthorne, and Dr. Mark Chavez, 54, of San Diego. The Justice Department said Fleming pleaded guilty on Aug. 8 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death. Fleming admitted in court documents that he distributed the ketamine that killed Perry. According to the DOJ, Fleming also admitted to getting the ketamine from Sangha and said he distributed 50 vials of ketamine to Perry's personal live-in assistant. Iwamasa, who allegedly conspired with other defendants "to illegally obtain ketamine and distribute it to Perry," pleaded guilty Aug. 7 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death. He admitted to repeatedly injecting Perry with ketamine without medical training, according to the DOJ. Chavez has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, according to the DOJ. Some of the ketamine he supplied for Perry was diverted from his former ketamine clinic. Chavez built an online brand called "The Health MD," describing himself as a medical doctor and longevity coach. Of the three who have already pleaded guilty, Iwamasa and Fleming face up to 15 years and 25 years, respectively, when they're sentenced. Chavez, who will be arraigned Aug. 30, faces up to 10 years in federal prison. If convicted on all charges, Sangha would face a mandatory 10 years in prison and a statutory maximum of life imprisonment. Plasencia would face up to 10 years in prison on each ketamine-related count and up to 20 years for each records falsification count. Police have been working with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration to investigate Perry's death, including the source of the ketamine in his system when he was found dead. Perry died Oct. 28 after being discovered unconscious in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home. He had reportedly been getting ketamine infusions to treat depression and anxiety. But autopsy results showed levels of ketamine in Perry's blood far higher than therapeutic doses, equivalent to the amount of the drug used during general anesthesia. Perry played Chandler on the NBC sitcom Friends and had a history of alcohol and opioid addiction that he wrote about in his 2022 book Friends, Lovers and The Big Terrible Thing. At the time of his death, it was believed he had drowned, with no sign of foul play. Donald Trump beat Nikki Haley in the Republican primary by repeatedly calling her "birdbrain," and even driving home the insult by sending a birdcage and bird food to her hotel room. Yet she still wants to offer him advice on how to win the White House in November. "I want this campaign to win," the former governor of South Carolina told Fox News Tuesday. She begged Trump to "quit whining" about Vice President Kamala Harris and instead "focus" on what she believes voters care about, policy. "The campaign is not going to win talking about crowd sizes. Its not going to win talking about what race Kamala Harris is. Its not going to win talking about whether she is dumb," Haley told Fox host Bret Baier. She added that the campaign "needs to focus." 'QUIT WHINING': @NikkiHaley has blunt message for Trump, Republicans as Harris gains momentum. The former presidential candidate gets candid on the state of the 2024 race and what Republicans need to do to win in November. https://t.co/dkrZnmRCCq pic.twitter.com/VpZxXCnSnO Fox News (@FoxNews) August 14, 2024 Trump won't listen to a woman, of course, but Haley is speaking for a larger crowd of Republicans who are anxious that their candidate's odious personality will lose this election for them. Reports from across Capitol Hill quote GOP advisors and officials from all corners begging Trump to stop fantasizing about President Joe Biden rejoining the race or falsely claiming crowds at Harris rallies are AI-generated. Fox News pundits like Sean Hannity and even Jesse Watters are imploring Trump to stop "talking about [the] nationality or background" of his opponent and tell himself "it's not about her, it's about her policies." All that is unlikely to happen. The New York Times reported over the weekend that Trump told "rattled donors" he thinks "I was right" to mock Harris for being biracial. He shrugged off concerns about his gutter-style politics, saying, "I am who I am." Certainly, the Harris campaign is only too happy to let Trump continue confirming their accusation that he's "old and quite weird." But Republicans may be overly optimistic that a pivot-to-policy approach would do much better for Trump. If there's anything the majority of Americans hate more than Trump's vile personality, it's his policy agenda. Want more Amanda Marcotte on politics? Subscribe to her newsletter Standing Room Only. We can see this in the reaction to Project 2025, which was set up to be a substitute for the usual policy arm and transition team that a presidential campaign would employ, with a separate website and funding from the campaign itself. It was structured this way because it wasn't too long ago that Republicans understood that voters hate their policies. The goal was for donors and advocates to know about Project 2025, but not most voters. The strategy backfired, however. The secretive nature of the project drew more journalists and public attention since people love uncovering hidden information. Soon far more people were talking about Project 2025 than would have ever spoken about an official Trump agenda. Polling shows at least 7 out of 10 Americans now say they've heard of Project 2025 and they do not like it. Just based on the name, 43% of Americans oppose the program, and only 11% say they favor it, with the rest saying they don't know enough to decide. When respondents are asked about specific policy items in Project 2025, disapproval soars even higher, pollsters at the University of Massachusetts Amherst found: Large majorities of Americans oppose the key pillars of Project 2025, such as the replacement of career government officials with political appointees (68% opposed), restricting a womans right to contraception (72% opposed) and eliminating the Department of Education (64% opposed).... Even former Trump voters exhibit opposition to many of these policies, a bad omen for the Republican Party and Trump campaign. Facing these numbers, the Trump campaign panicked, forcing the head of Project 2025 to resign and pretending the initiative was "disbanded." It's all a lie, of course. The people who put it together are still doing the work and secretively collaborating with the Trump campaign, even without the official banner of "Project 2025." As Sabrina Haake pointed out for Salon, the first phase of the plan is already in action, due to multiple far-right decisions by the Supreme Court. Over the weekend, ProPublica leaked training videos developed by Project 2025 to prepare Trump's potential appointments on how to get away with breaking the law if he gets into office. Photos of Trump hanging out with Kevin Roberts, a Project 2025 leader he claimed not to know, were also leaked. Trump flew privately with Project 2025 leader in 2022 to speak at a Heritage Foundation event. There, he discussed plans for his movement. A photo shows Trump and Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts on the plane. pic.twitter.com/RzdExw3diD Robert C. Fried (@RobertCFried) August 11, 2024 Roberts was also set to publish a book this fall that is a shorter, more readable version of the Project 2025 playbook, complete with a foreword by Trump's running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio. Realizing the last thing Trump needs is for more information about his policies to be in the hands of the voting public, Roberts delayed the release of "Dawn's Early Light" until after the election, but Media Matters got their hands on a galley copy anyway. It's easy to see why Trump worries about people learning his policy positions. Roberts denounces contraception because it "made having a child seem like an optional and not natural result of having sex." He denies that workers have a right to unionize and demands the public school system be gutted. He even comes out against dog parks, echoing Vance's weird complaint about "childless cat ladies," positing that people get pets instead of having children. Trump and Vance's strategy to hide these unpopular views is to lie about them. Lying has worked well for Trump in the past, so one can see why he thinks it would work. But he and Vance keep letting their true views leak out during interviews. When Vance is asked about his "childless cat lady" remarks, he can't help but let slip his belief that child-bearing should be compulsory. Trump insists he won't sign a national abortion ban (he would), but, in his babbling way, let on to reporters that he's fine with the Project 2025 scheme to create a back door ban by forcing the FDA to repeal approval of abortion medications. Even in the pseudo-interview Trump did with Elon Musk on Monday, the few times Trump mentioned policy views, they were unpopular, like his suggestions that employers should fire workers for joining unions and that nothing should be done to slow climate change. Trump doesn't talk about policy because it bores him and he will never take the time to learn enough about it to say anything meaningful about it. Project 2025 was set up precisely because Trump doesn't care about such things, and will delegate all those decisions to the wild-eyed fanatics who populate the conservative activist world in the MAGA era. When Republicans beg him to talk about "the issues," the best they can hope for is that he will offer incoherent non-answers like "we're going to look into that" and "we'll have a policy in two weeks," or his other strategies to pretend he has answers while avoiding any actual details. But he'll get bored with that, inevitably. So there's almost no chance he doesn't return to his favorite well: being a loudmouthed, racist weirdo. Who can request removal of offensive books in Columbus libraries? That policy has changed Before this vote, anyone offended by an item in the Chattahoochee Valley Libraries collection could have submitted a request for it to be removed. But that policy change when the CVL board approved the directors recommendation Thursday. The board unanimously approved the policy amendment proposed by Director Alan Harkness, who was named the states library director of the year in January by the Georgia Public Library Service. The amendment changes the phrase denoting who may request reconsideration of materials from any individual to any resident of the Chattahoochee Valley Libraries Service Area. That service area comprises seven libraries serving the counties of Muscogee, Chattahoochee, Marion and Stewart. This is a trend in public libraries nationally to ensure that only local residents have influence over a local collection, Harkness told the Ledger-Enquirer in an email. We havent had any issues in this area, but it is a good thing to consider proactively. Why recommend this change for Chattahoochee Valley? Only four challenges of an item in CVLs collection have been submitted since Harkness was hired 11 years ago, according to the records he shared with the Ledger-Enquirer. All of those requests were from residents of Columbus, so what prompted Harkness to recommend changing the policy? I cannot point to any particular incident, he wrote. This is more about what Ive read in the literature/news over time, and have noticed other libraries adopting. Harkness said he started thinking about such a change last year, when the board amended its policy to allow only residents in the CVL service area to speak during the public portion of its meetings. This is the same spirit Im suggesting for reconsideration of materials, he wrote. Those that live here (and pay taxes) get to influence the decision-making, the process. It is better to have that thought through ahead of time, rather than be on ones back foot for lack of foresight. What has been requested for removal in Chattahoochee Valley? A committee of library staff members considers each request, Harkness said. None of the four submitted requests resulted in removal, but two of them prompted the CVL to make some changes. On March 29, 2018, Recheal Jacobs of Columbus objected to the content in an ebook, Dark Cities by Sherrilyn Kenyon et al, at the North Columbus Public Library. The collection of short stories begins with a story that contains bestiality and depicts a dog raping a woman, Jacobs wrote. The theme centers upon promoting things that are vile and unlawful. Please withdraw this book. I feel that this type of material could be read by a high school student or younger. In his April 4, 2018, letter to Jacobs, Harkness explained why he agrees with the committees decision to retain the book. The book featured numerous popular authors, including Sherilynn Kenyon, Cherie Priest, and Paul Tremblay, who have been regularly read and requested by library users, Harkness wrote. This particular title has been checked out five times this year. We know that all materials in our collection are not for everyone, and we aim to provide something for all members of our diverse community. On Sept. 20, 2019, Francine Andrews of Columbus objected to the content in a book, The Truly Brave Princesses by Delores Brown, at the Columbus Public Library. I object to the page in the book referring to two princesses being married, Andrews wrote. My daughter is only 3 years old, and this is a distasteful impression to display to toddlers. I would like the library to both re-evaluate and withdraw this book from the childrens section. In his Sept. 25, 2019, letter to Andrews, Harkness explained the decision to retain the book. Library professional publications highlighted the books celebration of diversity among women and real-life princesses, Harkness wrote. He also referenced four published reviews praising the book. In both of those letters, Harkness added, The American Library Associations Library Bill of Rights, Freedom to Read and Freedom to View documents serve as guidelines for our collection development policy. We do not endorse all opinions expressed in all of our materials. On May 22, 2022, Adam Hon of Columbus objected to the content in a book, You Know, Sex by Cory Silverberg and Fiona Smyth, at the North Columbus Public Library. This book not only explains sex to children, it teaches masturbation, homo-sex, trans-gender sex, and a whole lot more that children should not be able to access in a public library, Hon wrote. Sex should be explained at home by parents to their own children. Please withdraw this book and any other books in the childrens department on this subject. In his May 31, 2022, letter to Hon, Harkness said, as a result of the committees findings, the book will be retained, but a note will be added in the catalog to indicate the book is for ages 10 and older. At CVL, our Childrens section includes materials through age 11, Harkness wrote. Library professional publications highlighted the book as a modern approach to learning about puberty, sex, and gender for kids ages 10+. Many parents look for titles on these subjects, and rely on the library to help them. On Aug. 15, 2023, Arianna Marealle of Columbus also objected to the content in You Know, Sex at the North Columbus Public Library. Explicit depictions of sexual acts, graphic sexual content, discussion of chest binding, erections, ejaculation, intercourse are the reasons for her objection, Marealle wrote. The theme is graphic sexual information targeted to a young audience. I recommend nothing similar in its place. Please withdraw this item entirely from the childrens section. My 4 and 8 year old children should never have to see it. In his Aug. 17, 2023, letter to Marealle, Harkness said the committee decided to move the book to the teen section of the library. We agree that this location is a better overall fit for this title, Harkness wrote. After citing reviews praising the book, Harkness wrote, We work diligently to provide options for parents in their difficult role, guiding their childrens reading and library use as matches their familys needs. Asked whether the way the committee handled the first and second complaints about You Know, Sex is an example of listening to local opinion, Harkness told the Ledger-Enquirer, We took the feedback from the second customer on this title seriously. The second time this was brought up, we checked against national catalogs again, noticing that more libraries had the book in their Teen departments, rather than in Childrens. . . . So, yes, we take feedback to heart when we get it, Harkness said. Sometimes we will agree, and sometimes not, but it has to be taken into our communitys context. When the committee rejects a residents request to remove an item, that resident may appeal the decision to the board. No appeals have been made in these four cases, Harkness said. The rate of these requests is about what youd expect for a library and community our size, he wrote. We do try to have conversations with people who have issues with materials that they do not agree with, and most of the time they appreciate being informed about the purpose of a library and having a diverse collection. When they dont agree, we are happy to give them the form and explain the process. These represent maybe half of the people who ask for the form. Morgan Sindall Group plc (LON:MGNS) recently posted some strong earnings, and the market responded positively. We did some digging and found some further encouraging factors that investors will like. See our latest analysis for Morgan Sindall Group A Closer Look At Morgan Sindall Group's Earnings One key financial ratio used to measure how well a company converts its profit to free cash flow (FCF) is the accrual ratio. In plain english, this ratio subtracts FCF from net profit, and divides that number by the company's average operating assets over that period. You could think of the accrual ratio from cashflow as the 'non-FCF profit ratio'. As a result, a negative accrual ratio is a positive for the company, and a positive accrual ratio is a negative. While having an accrual ratio above zero is of little concern, we do think it's worth noting when a company has a relatively high accrual ratio. To quote a 2014 paper by Lewellen and Resutek, "firms with higher accruals tend to be less profitable in the future". Morgan Sindall Group has an accrual ratio of -0.18 for the year to June 2024. That indicates that its free cash flow quite significantly exceeded its statutory profit. To wit, it produced free cash flow of UK168m during the period, dwarfing its reported profit of UK124.0m. Morgan Sindall Group shareholders are no doubt pleased that free cash flow improved over the last twelve months. That might leave you wondering what analysts are forecasting in terms of future profitability. Luckily, you can click here to see an interactive graph depicting future profitability, based on their estimates. Our Take On Morgan Sindall Group's Profit Performance As we discussed above, Morgan Sindall Group's accrual ratio indicates strong conversion of profit to free cash flow, which is a positive for the company. Because of this, we think Morgan Sindall Group's underlying earnings potential is as good as, or possibly even better, than the statutory profit makes it seem! And on top of that, its earnings per share have grown at an extremely impressive rate over the last year. The goal of this article has been to assess how well we can rely on the statutory earnings to reflect the company's potential, but there is plenty more to consider. So if you'd like to dive deeper into this stock, it's crucial to consider any risks it's facing. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for Morgan Sindall Group you should know about. Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of Morgan Sindall Group's profit. But there is always more to discover if you are capable of focussing your mind on minutiae. Some people consider a high return on equity to be a good sign of a quality business. So you may wish to see this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks with high insider ownership. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Vultures have long had a bad reputation as spooky scavengers, but a new study is bringing to light how important this creature that's part of "nature's cleanup crew" is to humans. What's happening? The New York Times reported that by 2006, India's vulture population had declined by 95% because of mass poisoning from exposure to an anti-inflammatory medicine for cows that is toxic to these birds. Though the drug was banned from veterinary use that year, the damage was already done. Now, a forthcoming study has revealed that the sudden near-disappearance of this keystone species led to more than a half million excess human deaths estimated over five years, as the Times detailed. The news outlet explained that rotting livestock carcasses no longer cleaned up by vultures began to pollute waterways. This, in turn, led to an increase in feral dogs, which can carry rabies. Why is this study important? This is just one example of the unintended consequences of the loss of wildlife. For instance, the Times also cited a Wisconsin study that found that the presence of wolves reduced deer-vehicle collisions by about a quarter. "Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning do matter to human beings," Eyal Frank, an economist at the University of Chicago and one of the authors of the vulture study, told the Times. "And it's not always the charismatic and fuzzy species." Meanwhile, we are in the midst of a biodiversity crisis. Human-driven species loss is happening at 1,000 times the rate it did in the 60 million years before humans arrived, according to one study. As an example of such loss, 21 species were recently removed from the Endangered Species Act listing after it was determined that they had gone extinct. What's being done about biodiversity loss? Though the situation seems grim, there is hope. For instance, Cambodia announced a conservation success for the endangered Irrawaddy dolphin, whose population had dipped to 89 in the country by 2020. Now, about 105 of these marine mammals are present in Cambodia's waterways, thanks to government-led efforts. And in the United Kingdom, a national meadow restoration project has led to the return of a rare native bumblebee. Plus, officials in the United States are putting $90 million into rescue efforts for the threatened Arkansas River shiner, a fish that they believe could be delisted within the next three decades. Meanwhile, the United Nations has asserted that, though the destruction of ecosystems for agriculture and land use is "the main driver" of biodiversity loss, rising global temperatures and associated effects are "playing an increasingly important role." To this end, it's important that we all do our part to protect species from the threat of an overheating planet. One way you can get involved is by reducing your dependence on dirty energy in your home, which will also save you money. Some ideas include signing up for community solar, washing your clothes with cold water, installing a heat pump, and unplugging energy vampires. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Editors note: After this story aired, News 2 heard from many residents who expressed their support for Paradiso Social Club. They say its not a problem and some even called it an integral part of the community. NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C (WCBD) One Mixson community resident is calling for a stricter noise ordinance, claiming a neighborhood social club is causing the area to lose its charm. Jessica Daab lives near the Paradiso Social Club and said its causing significant issues in her neighborhood. Weve had nothing but problems with the new ownership of Paradiso Pool Club, which has now turned into a nightclub and our once peaceful community. We are forced to listen to music outdoors every day at 7 a.m. We all think it is our legal right as homeowners to have peace of quiet in our homes, Daab explains. The club is a family-friendly social club with activities like a pool, food, drinks, a fitness center, and more. Daab said the social element of the club is causing a disturbance for people who live nearby. The City of North Charleston said theyve responded to several complaints about the noise, but the business has not violated the citys noise ordinance. We have had people go out multiple times during the day and evening. We didnt hear any excessive noise; it was mostly just music at the community or private pool. There is nothing to be up in arms about, said Tony Tassarotti, the communication coordinator for North Charleston. News 2 reached out to the owners of Paradiso Social Club about the accusations against the business, and they provided us with a statement saying. Paradiso Club is proud to be a family-oriented establishment deeply rooted in the North Charleston neighborhood. Our success is a direct result of the support and engagement of our community members, who are also our valued club members. We assure you that we strictly adhere to all local ordinances and have always enjoyed a positive relationship with our members and the City of North Charleston. Officials said noise complaints can be reported to the police departments non-emergency line at 843-743-7200. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCBD News 2. Residents of Pokrovsk, Donetsk Oblast, urged to evacuate: Russian forces are only 10 km away The Russian army has approached the city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast and is currently only 10 kilometres away from the citys outskirts. Ukrainian officials are urging the residents of Pokrovsk to evacuate. Source: Serhii Dobriak, Head of Pokrovsk City Military Administration, on Telegram Quote from Dobriak: "Today we are seeing the enemy very close to our locality, the city of Pokrovsk. [Russian forces] are just over 10 kilometres away from the outskirts of the city of Pokrovsk. We are seeing that during the attacks on our locality and our city, the enemy ruthlessly hits critical infrastructure and private residential neighbourhoods. People are being killed." Details: Dobriak urged civilians who live in Pokrovsk, particularly families with children and elderly people, to evacuate. Those who want to evacuate are asked to contact one of the following numbers: 0-800-408-911, or Pokrovsk City Military Administration: 0-800-300-101; Skhid SOS (East SOS), an NGO, can be contacted regarding evacuation with children or pets, and evacuation of seriously ill and disabled people who need accommodation: 0-800-332-614, Monday to Saturday, 08:0018:00; Proliska NGO can be contacted regarding medical support for seriously ill people: 0-932-022-232 or 0-964-041-034. Support UP or become our patron! LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Nevada gaming regulators are going after Resorts World for allowing a culture that tolerated money laundering by gamblers with suspected and actual ties to illegal bookmaking, filing a 31-page complaint on Thursday morning. The Nevada Gaming Control Board action follows previous enforcement directed at a former Resorts World president, Scott Sibella. In May, Sibella was given a years probation and a $9,500 fine in a federal court case involving his activities at MGM Grand and Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Those resorts paid a combined $7.45 million fine. In that case, Sibella could face a $750,000 fine and his gaming license could be revoked. That case involved one known illegal bookmaker. The new complaint brought by gaming regulators lays out violations involving four illegal bookmakers who placed millions of dollars in bets at Resorts World. One of the gamblers, Mathew Bowyer, is an Orange County man who took bets from L.A. Dodger star Shohei Ohtanis former interpreter, according to The Associated Press. Mathew Bowyer, left, a Southern California bookmaker, arrives with his attorney, Diane Bass, right, at federal court in Santa Ana, Calif., Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) would not comment on the potential fines Resorts World is facing. State law indicates the resort could be fined $25,000 to $250,000 for each violation detailed in the 31-page complaint. The culture within Resorts World created the perception, or the reality in certain instances, that Resorts World is an avenue to launder funds derived from illegal activity, according to a Thursday news release. The NGCB investigation revealed acceptance among Resorts World executives of a culture where information of suspicious or illegal activity is, at a minimum, negligently disregarded, or, at worst, willfully ignored for financial gain. Resorts World Las Vegas is aware of the Nevada Gaming Control Board (GCB) complaint, a statement issued Thursday by a Resorts World spokesperson said. We are committed to doing business with the utmost integrity and in compliance with applicable laws and industry guidelines. We have been actively communicating with the GCB to resolve these issues so we can move forward and focus on our guests and nearly 5,000 team members. The complaint asks the Nevada Gaming Commission to take appropriate action against Resorts Worlds gaming license. NGC-24-04-Genting-BerhadDownload Nevada has vigorously pursued penalties when the reputation of the states casinos is at issue. Wynn Resorts was fined $20 million in connection with sexual harassment accusations against Steve Wynn. That was five years ago. Steve Wynn agreed to pay a $10 million fine in 2023. The agreement ended his involvement in Nevada casinos. The complaint alleges that Resorts World failed to fulfill its responsibilities as the holder of a privileged Nevada gaming license. Resorts Worlds inactions or inactions caused damage to the reputation of the State of Nevada and Nevadas gaming industry, a Thursday news release said. The complaint details activities involving Bowyer, Edwin Ting and Chad Iwamoto. Bowyer has pleaded guilty in federal court to operating an unlawful gambling business, money laundering and filing a false tax return. Ting has a federal conviction for operating an illegal gambling business and has known ties to organized crime. Iwamoto was convicted in federal court of transmission of wagering information and failing to file monthly tax return for wages. Another unnamed individual is suspected of being an illegal bookmaker. A separate complaint was filed involving Nicole Bowyer, who is Mathew Bowyers wife. She has not cooperated with the investigation and was allowed to directly profit from casino wagering by her husband and his friends at Resorts World, the complaint alleges. She is a registered independent agent with a Resorts World contract. She received payment despite surely knowing that her husbands source of funds derived, at least in part, from illegal activity, according to regulators. The case against Sibella involved another gambler. Wayne Nix, a gambler from Orange County, California, who received comps at the MGM Grand and gambled at the MGM, The Mirage and Aria, was identified in documents in the Sibella case as an illegal bookmaker. Sibella was president of the MGM Grand at the time of the violations involving Nix. Sibella was dismissed by Resorts World in September 2023 after the company said he violated company policies and the terms of his employment. The Nevada Gaming Control Board is committed to protecting the State of Nevada, its citizens and visitors, and Nevadas vital gaming industry, NGCB Chairman Kirk Hendrick said. All suspected violations of Nevadas gaming laws and regulations will be fully investigated and disciplinary action will be filed when warranted. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) The Huber Heights Buc-ees is caught in the middle of a legal battle. A Judge granted Clark Countys request for a temporary restraining order against the city of Huber Heights. This comes after the countys board of commissioners filed a lawsuit over a dispute related to water and sewer services in the area where Buc-ees will be located. Ohios first Buc-ees location breaks ground in Huber Heights Court documents show Huber Heights plans to pump sanitary flow from Centerpoint 70 to the Fairborn Water Treatment Plant rather than the Clark County pump station. The city also plans to separate its water main at the west end of Centerpoint 70 Boulevard into two different systems. The Board of Clark County Commissioners claim that two agreements (made in 1988 and 1995) give the county exclusive jurisdiction in regards to water and sewer services from Centerpoint 70. Commissioners requested the restraining order to put a pause on the changes while the two jurisdictions work out the dispute. City leaders say this will not affect Buc-ees construction, which broke ground last week. A trial to dispute rights over water and sewer services in the area is scheduled for Oct. 21. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. Vice presidential candidate JD Vance agreed with a podcast host in 2020 that the whole purpose of the postmenopausal female is to help raise grandchildren. The remark came during an appearance on a podcast called The Portal, hosted by Eric Weinstein, who at the time was the managing director of an investment firm founded by billionaire Vance backer Peter Thiel. Vance was speaking about how the mother of his wife, Usha Vance, took a sabbatical for a year to help take care of their newborn son. The podcast was resurfaced by Heartland Signal. You can sort of see the effect it has on him to be around them, they spoil him, all the classic stuff that grandparents do to grandchildren, Vance said. But it makes him a much better human being to have exposure to his grandparents. Thats the whole purpose of the postmenopausal female in theory, Weinstein replied. Vance agreed with the remarks in the middle of the statement. Later, Weinstein said that having grandparents on hand to help with a newborn was a weird, unadvertised feature of marrying an Indian woman. Vance, whose in-laws immigrated from India, didnt push back on that remark. NEW VANCE AUDIO: In an interview from 2020, JD Vance agrees with a podcast host who says having grandmothers help raise children is the whole purpose of the postmenopausal female. He also agrees when the host says grandparents helping raise children is a "weird, unadvertised pic.twitter.com/W4KwHfZyw2 Heartland Signal (@HeartlandSignal) August 14, 2024 A spokesperson for the Ohio senator, who officially became Donald Trumps running mate at last months Republican National Convention, rejected claims that Vance had agreed with the statements. The media is dishonestly putting words in JDs mouth of course he does not agree with what the host said, the spokesperson told the Daily Beast. JD reacted to the first part of the hosts sentence, assuming he was going to say: thats the whole purpose of spending time with grandparents. Its a disgrace that the media is lying about JD instead of holding Kamala Harris accountable for her policies that caused sky high prices for groceries and everyday necessities, a disaster at the southern border, and a historic drug overdose epidemic. The remarks add another hitch to Vances efforts to shore up support for the Trump ticket before the November election. Last month, past comments hed made lumping Harris into his description of the left wings childless cat ladies who are miserable with their lives caused an uproar on the campaign trail. Democratic organizers, however, embraced the designation and have used it to draw more support for her campaign. Related... Retired NASCAR driver Kurt Busch charged with DWI, has license revoked, sheriff says Retired NASCAR driver Kurt Busch was charged with DWI and speeding late Monday and had his drivers license revoked for a month, Iredell County Sheriffs Office records show. Busch also was charged with careless and reckless driving, according to sheriffs office arrest records. Busch didnt immediately reply to a request for comment from The Charlotte Observer on Wednesday night. Iredell Free News first reported the arrest. Just after 11:30 p.m., a deputy stopped the 46-year-old Busch in his 2024 Lexus on Brawley School Road in Mooresville, near Lake Norman, for going 63 mph in a 45-mph zone, according to court documents. Busch lives off Pine Meadow Lane off Brawley School Road, public records show. Busch had red glassy eyes and a strong odor of alcohol coming from his breath, Iredell Free News reported, citing court records. Defendant admitted to drinking prior to driving. Busch had a blood-alcohol content of .17%, according to court records. The legal limit for driving in North Carolina is .08 percent. A State Highway Patrol trooper filed the charges against Busch, Charlotte Observer news partner WSOC reported. Busch, who retired from the Cup series in 2022, was released from the Iredell County jail early Tuesday on a written promise to appear in Iredell County Court on Sept. 19, records show. This is a developing story that will be updated. This embedded content is not available in your region. An escaped North Carolina inmate convicted of killing a 1-year-old girl was captured by police early Friday after a manhunt that involved hundreds of local officers and federal agents. Ramone Alston, 30, fled Tuesday morning as he arrived at a hospital for a medical appointment. He was apprehended shortly before 2 a.m. at a hotel in Kannapolis, a city north of Charlotte. "He was taken into custody without injuries to anyone," the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction said in a statement. Alston will now be charged with felony escape from prison and will be placed in a high-security state prison, where he will continue his life sentence while waiting for a court appearance. The department confirmed the arrest in a statement and also said a woman, Jacobia Crisp, was arrested in Alamance County and charged with aiding and abetting a fugitive, which is a felony. "The investigation will continue to determine [Alston's] movements since he escaped on Tuesday, any additional accomplices that aided him, and if he committed any other crimes while on the run," the department said. The reward for information that led to his capture had grown to $50,000, with $30,000 authorized by Gov. Roy Cooper, $10,000 from the U.S. Marshals Service, and $10,000 from the FBI. "I am grateful to our DAC staff and thankful for the support and effort from hundreds of local, state and federal public safety officers who helped in the search and investigation that returned Alston safely to custody," said Todd Ishee, Secretary, North Carolina Department of Adult Correction. "This was an incredible collaborative effort of many people and agencies." Alston escaped at around 7 a.m. Tuesday shortly after his transport vehicle arrived at the UNC Hospitals Hillsborough Campus. He freed himself from leg restraints and jumped out of the vehicle, and while still in handcuffs, ran into the adjacent woods, the Department of Adult Correction said. Officials said Wednesday that more than 300 law enforcement personnel from 19 agencies searched 1,335 acres around the medical facility. Officers with the North Carolina Prison Emergency Response Team search for Ramone Alston in Hillsborough on Wednesday. Alston was convicted in 2018 of first-degree murder in the Christmas Day 2015 shooting that killed 1-year-old Maleah Williams in Chapel Hill. She was playing outside her apartment when someone opened fire from a vehicle, and she was struck as a bystander. Alstons defense argued that he was present but did not kill the girl. Two other men were arrested, but only one has been targeted for prosecution. Alston was handed a life sentence. He has been serving his sentence at the Bertie Correctional Institution in Windsor, North Carolina. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Between a bizarre photo with a bear carcass and brushing off allegations of sexual assault, independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s presidential campaign has faded into the background as Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump take the spotlight. Now, Kennedy is trying to worm his way into either of his opponents administration in exchange for his endorsement. On Wednesday, The Washington Post reported that Kennedy attempted to schedule a meeting with Harris last week to float the idea of working under her administration. Kennedy campaign officials said that he planned to discuss supporting her as the Democratic nominee and if she wins, potentially joining Harris team as a Cabinet secretary. Unfortunately for Kennedy, Harris and her advisers have left the third-party candidate on read and have yet to show interest in the request. Last month, sources told the Post that Kennedy had also discussed the possibility of ending his campaign and endorsing Trump in exchange for a position in his administration in the event he wins a second term in November. Hours after the assassination attempt on the former president, Trump reportedly called Kennedy. Sources indicated that the two spoke about a possible Cabinet-level position or a role where Kennedy would oversee a portfolio of health and medical issues, although it was unclear who pitched the idea. However, some of Trumps campaign staff expressed concern over the optics of trading an administration post for an endorsement, and no deal was made. From the beginning of this campaign, we were saying people should be talking to each other, Kennedy told the Post on Wednesday, adding he hopes Harris will reconsider the meeting. I think it is a strategic mistake for them. Thats my perspective, he said. I think they ought to be looking at every opportunity. I think it is going to be a very close race. Following President Joe Biden bowing out of the race and endorsing Harris, the vice president currently holds a lead in the national polling average. Harris now leads Trump in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, while the former president leads in five of the crucial seven battleground states. More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone The 2020 presidential election took days to be decided, but its possible that 2024 could take even longer, thanks to a specific voting process used in two states that arent typically the focus of national political campaigns. Maine and Alaska each use ranked choice voting to determine the winners of their electoral votes for president, and with independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on the ballot in Maine and aiming to qualify for access in Alaska, its more likely that this process will come into play. Under the system, voters rank the candidates in order of preference. If someone wins a majority of first-choice votes, that candidate is elected. But if not, voters other choices are used to determine a winner. First, the candidate with the fewest first-place votes is eliminated. The votes that had gone to that candidate are then redistributed to the second choices listed on those voters ballots. The process continues until a winner with majority support emerges. Advocates for ranked choice voting argue that the process minimizes the issue of spoiler candidates by allowing voters to support both the candidate they like best and a candidate more likely to win. But one of the downsides of the system is that it can take some time to get a final result. In Maine, for example, if no candidate wins a majority on election night, election officials must gather vote data from across the entire state and deliver it a central location in the state capital, where the actual tabulation takes place. That process could take more than a week, the Maine secretary of states office told CNN in 2020. Maine has been using ranked choice voting since 2018, and its been needed twice in federal races since then both times in the highly competitive 2nd Congressional District. In 2018 and 2022, Democrat Jared Golden didnt receive a majority of first-choice votes but prevailed over Republican Bruce Poliquin after the ranked choice tabulation. To make it even more complicated, Maine is one of two states (Nebraska is the other) that award two of their electoral votes to the statewide winner and then an additional vote to the winner of each congressional district. That means the ranked choice tabulation could be applied at the statewide or congressional district level, or both, depending on the results. This process was in place for the presidential election in 2020, but since Joe Biden won a majority of first-choice votes statewide and in the 1st Congressional District, and Donald Trump did the same in the 2nd District, the state didnt need to apply the ranked choice tabulation. Four years ago, CNN projected Biden had won Pennsylvania, and with it the presidency, on the Saturday after the election, although several other states wouldnt be projected for days. Now imagine its November 2024, and alternative candidates like Kennedy are taking a larger share of the vote than they did in 2020, leaving neither Trump nor Vice President Kamala Harris with a majority of first-choice votes in Maine. If CNN were to project every other state this year in the same order as 2020, and for the same parties, the Pennsylvania projection would leave the Democratic nominee just a few electoral votes short of victory, and waiting for either another state to be projected or for the ranked choice voting tabulation in Maine. And even if Harris has a lead in Maine on election night, polling has suggested that Kennedys supporters are more favorable toward Trump than they have been toward Democrats. So a strong third-place showing by the independent could translate into more support for Trump in later rounds. This year will be the first time that Alaska will use ranked choice voting for a presidential election, although the state used the process in 2022 for Senate and House races. While Alaska is less competitive on the presidential level, there are scenarios under which the presidency could hinge on the states ranked choice tabulation, which is scheduled for 15 days after the election. But this could also be the last time that Alaska uses the ranked choice voting process. While voters rank their choices for president this fall, theyre also expected to decide on a ballot measure to ditch the system altogether. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com As of mid-August 2024, the U.S. stock market has been on a positive trajectory, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq extending their winning streaks to five sessions following favorable inflation data. This recent performance has bolstered investor confidence, particularly in dividend stocks that offer both stability and income potential. In light of these conditions, identifying strong dividend stocks can be a prudent strategy for investors looking to capitalize on steady returns while navigating an evolving economic landscape. Top 10 Dividend Stocks In The United States Name Dividend Yield Dividend Rating BCB Bancorp (NasdaqGM:BCBP) 5.67% WesBanco (NasdaqGS:WSBC) 4.88% Columbia Banking System (NasdaqGS:COLB) 6.17% Silvercrest Asset Management Group (NasdaqGM:SAMG) 5.05% OceanFirst Financial (NasdaqGS:OCFC) 5.04% Huntington Bancshares (NasdaqGS:HBAN) 4.60% Premier Financial (NasdaqGS:PFC) 5.39% Dillard's (NYSE:DDS) 5.37% Regions Financial (NYSE:RF) 4.79% OTC Markets Group (OTCPK:OTCM) 4.73% Click here to see the full list of 186 stocks from our Top US Dividend Stocks screener. Here we highlight a subset of our preferred stocks from the screener. Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: Overview: Spok Holdings, Inc., with a market cap of $311.05 million, provides healthcare communication solutions through its subsidiary Spok, Inc., operating in the United States, Europe, Canada, Australia, Asia, and the Middle East. Operations: Spok Holdings generates $138.27 million in revenue from its Clinical Communication and Collaboration Business segment. Dividend Yield: 8.2% Spok Holdings has a high dividend yield of 8.17%, placing it in the top 25% of US dividend payers, but its dividends are not well covered by earnings or free cash flow, with payout ratios at 162.3% and a cash payout ratio of 119%. Despite stable and growing dividends over the past decade, recent financial results show declining revenue and profit margins. The company declared a quarterly dividend of US$0.3125 per share on July 24, 2024. NasdaqGS:SPOK Dividend History as at Aug 2024 Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: Overview: CompX International Inc. manufactures and sells security products and recreational marine components primarily in North America, with a market cap of $367.22 million. Operations: CompX International Inc. generates revenue from two primary segments: $126.27 million from Security Products and $31.11 million from Marine Components. Story continues Dividend Yield: 3.8% CompX International has declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.30 per share and a special cash dividend of $2.00 per share, both payable in August and September 2024. The companys dividends are well-covered by earnings (64.3% payout ratio) and free cash flow (56.5% cash payout ratio). Despite stable dividends over the past decade, recent earnings reports show mixed results with slight declines in sales but increased net income year-over-year for Q2 2024 at US$4.84 million. NYSEAM:CIX Dividend History as at Aug 2024 Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: Overview: DRDGOLD Limited, with a market cap of $813.25 million, is a gold mining company that focuses on the surface gold tailings retreatment business in South Africa. Operations: DRDGOLD Limited generates revenue from two primary segments: Ergo, contributing ZAR 4.34 billion, and FWGR, adding ZAR 1.47 billion. Dividend Yield: 5% DRDGOLD's dividend yield of 5% places it in the top 25% of US dividend payers. However, its dividends have been volatile over the past decade and are not well-covered by free cash flows or earnings. Despite a reasonable payout ratio (54.8%) and a low price-to-earnings ratio (11x), sustainability is questionable due to inconsistent cash flow coverage. Earnings grew by 14.9% last year, but high non-cash earnings may affect quality. NYSE:DRD Dividend History as at Aug 2024 Where To Now? Dive into all 186 of the Top US Dividend Stocks we have identified here. Shareholder in one or more of these companies? Ensure you're never caught off-guard by adding your portfolio in Simply Wall St for timely alerts on significant stock developments. Simply Wall St is your key to unlocking global market trends, a free user-friendly app for forward-thinking investors. Ready For A Different Approach? This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include NasdaqGS:SPOK NYSEAM:CIX and NYSE:DRD. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com RI receives federal funding to keep beaches safe and clean WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has granted Rhode Island $210,000 to help ensure beach safety and cleanliness. Sen. Jack Reed joined other elected officials at Goddard Memorial State Park Beach on Wednesday afternoon to announce the funding. The EPA awards grants to state, tribal and territorial applicants to help monitor water quality at coastal and Great Lakes beaches under the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act. The BEACH Act requires the EPA to develop performance criteria for testing, monitoring, and notifying public users of possible coastal recreation water problems. Ocean, Bay & Beach // A look at the conditions at the coast Reed, who supported, passed and funded the act, believes it has been incredibly helpful for Rhode Island. It helps states and local communities team up to protect swimmers and our waters by collecting, testing and posting water quality sample results, he said. The EPA has awarded nearly $230 million in BEACH Act grants since 2001, with around $5 million allocated to Rhode Island for water testing to protect beachgoers health. This specific project will allow us to test the beach water throughout Rhode Island, of our 69 saltwater beaches to determine that the beaches are safe for swimming, for playing for our residents and visitors, the Rhode Island Department of Healths Dr. Olutosin Ojugbele said. SEE ALSO: Beachgoers urged not to enter water with open wounds Without these tests, toxic bacteria levels can rise too high for swimming, causing local agencies to issue advisories or close beaches. The funding will also support infrastructure improvements to minimize water hazards. Our beaches are one of the main attractions for people coming to visit Rhode Island and stay here so we have to keep our beaches pristine and attractive to everyone, Reed stressed. Reed noted that total beach closures every summer are now half of what they were two decades ago. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Ocean, Bay & Beach Report Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) Teaching cursive writing seems to be a thing of the past or so you would think. The Richmond County Board of Education is proposing new guidelines to teach cursive writing to elementary students around the district. But school leaders say the idea is to introduce the concept to elementary students at an earlier age than they are now. What weve done is basically added to it and made it a longer process. So instead of it being just being 4th and 5th grade technique, its now 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade, said School Board Chairman, Charlie Walker. Cursive writing is currently being taught to 4th and 5th graders around the districtbut theyre working to introduce the idea at the 3rd grade level. The proposed guidelines were discussed at last nights school board meeting, as part of the new Georgia K-12 English Language Arts Standards. School Board Chair Charlie Walker says the idea is to enhance the process of learning what he calls a lost art. So the 3rd grade is basically forming the letters, understanding the connectivity, recognizing them. As you move into 4th grade, it becomes more of a connectivity thingcan you spell words, can you make sentences, can you read those. And then in 5th grade, its a little bit more expanded, a little bit more advanced. As youre able tohopefully to some proficiencywrite in cursive, but also be able to read and understand whats trying to be communicated. So, its a gentle progression through those three grades, said Walker. According to the standards, 3rd graders would be expected to practice forming cursive letters and connectors in words, and use appropriate spacing between cursive words in a sentence. The goal for 4th graders is to form cursive letters and words legibly, using connectors between letters inside words, and use appropriate spacing between cursive words in a sentence across lines on a page. The idea for 5th graders is to produce texts using cursive writing legibly and efficiently, and use appropriate spacing throughout the body of a text when writing in cursive. Students in South Carolina learn cursive starting in 5th grade, but earlier this year two bills were introduced from the House and Senate that would aim to teach cursive as early as the 2nd grade. So by following a similar path here in Richmond County, Walker says this could lead to higher academic achievement. I would also hope that it would knock down any obstacles that might come somebodys way in the future. If youre presented with something, and its not a skillset that you have, then that becomes an obstacle, Walker said. So, if we can erase that obstacle, or at least try our best to erase that obstacle, it only gives somebody more of a chance to succeed. The new school year for elementary students began just over a week ago on Monday, August 5th. The proposed guidelines have not been implemented, but once they are approved by administration, they would be put in place for the 2025-26 school year. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF. Suppose the city where you live could show up at your house, demand that you dig a giant hole in your driveway or maybe the front lawn, plonk down a concrete box and reroute the pipes from your kitchen and the sewer main to this new contraption, all on your dime? It would cost you at least $50,000 and maybe more than $100,000. If you refuse, you would risk a daily fine of up to $10,000. Suppose there was a more cost-effective choice, one that would still satisfy the end goal, but the city wouldnt let you use it? Tacomas small food businesses are facing such a predicament in a policy fight that has pitted the citys environmental goals against the viability of the local restaurant industry. The issue: fats, oil and grease (known as FOG) tumbling down drains, which, left untamed, can cause sewers to clog and backflow into businesses, homes or the street. The contraption: a gravity grease interceptor, as big as a Volkswagen Beetle, which goes in the ground and costs a hefty sum. The alternative: a hydromechanical grease interceptor, about the size of a large cooler or storage trunk, which can be tucked into various locations and does not cost more than a luxury vehicle more like a used Honda Civic with 75,000 miles on the odometer. Sandy Jang has encountered the expensive hurdle firsthand at his new restaurant in the South End, a neighborhood with limited foot traffic. The menu at Rolls House centers on Korean wraps and yakisoba, foods basically built for takeout and delivery, but the city wont let him use services like DoorDash unless he tears a Beetle-sized hole in the parking lot to install, at minimum, a 1,000-gallon, under-the-pavement tank. The $120,000 quote Jang received from a local contractor is far outside his budget. His landlord offered to split the cost, but even then he would lose a months worth of revenue to accommodate construction. He averages under $1,000 in daily sales, a number that barely sustains payroll, let alone other expenses. He has yet to pay himself or his sister, who moved to Tacoma from Portland, where the family ran a successful food truck in one of Rose Citys popular food pods. Without delivery service, our sales per day is not good, he said in July, just four months into operation. That way I cannot survive. Had he known about the issue, he would not have signed a lease for the building Rolls House is in or probably any in Tacoma that was not already equipped with the infrastructure. The city estimates that 1 in 5 existing restaurants has a gravity grease interceptor. Its a ratio that Tacomas Environmental Services department seems intent on changing, no matter the cost to the small businesses being asked to foot the bill. The City of Tacoma told Sandy Jang that to offer delivery, which keeps his business profitable, he must first install a gravity grease interceptor. The $120,000 quote he received is simply not affordable. How do I survive? he asked on July 3. Shawn Madison, who oversees the citys FOG program, insists the policy is middle-of-the-road and certainly not the most strict. The city granted The News Tribune two 30-minute interviews with environmental staff for this story, with a spokesperson in the room. Madison attended one of them. City spokesperson Maria Lee answered follow-ups in writing. We all want restaurants in Tacoma, but we also have a commitment to our community to protect their health, and to the state Department of Ecology, said Kurt Fremont, a business compliance manager, in a June conversation. Were kind of caught in the middle but the image is that were being punitive. An expensive, often impassable hurdle Jang is not alone in hitting the pricey and for many small business owners insurmountable roadblock that many view as hindering the growth and development of the local restaurant scene. The citys FOG jurisdiction extends to Ruston, Fircest and Fife, through interlocal agreements approved by Tacoma City Council. Within that area are approximately 1,200 active food-service establishments, a number that includes grocery or convenience stores, catering kitchens and coffee shops. Last year, 142 food businesses applied for a Tacoma license. Young hospitality professionals have turned toward midsize cities like Tacoma, where real estate is generally more affordable and the market is far from saturated. A few years ago, Dave Flatman made the move south from Seattle, where he still owns a bar, to buy a house with his spouse and raise their two children. He intended to build a business here, and in 2023 opened the rock n roll-themed Busy Body in the Sixth Avenue district. Despite two decades in the industry, he was flustered when he ran into Tacomas grease-trap gauntlet. Tacoma is kind of a cool, younger city with a lot of people who have a lot of cool ideas, he said in June. They wanna do fun things, and just the high cost of entry into this business and really the complications around it there are so many steps to take. Theres not really a good road map for it. He and his three business partners heard horror stories from peers, so they tried to get ahead of it at 2717 6th Ave., a space that has been a restaurant for decades. It had two grease interceptors in a setup that Flatman admitted was a little antiquated but was still working. He called Madison to inspect the system in person. Madison instructed them to replace the current interceptor with a slightly bigger unit, recalled Flatman, so thats what we did we got the exact model he recommended. A few months later, after reviewing cleaning records, Madison told them it was falling short, according to emails reviewed by The News Tribune. To continue operating, they would need to have it professionally cleaned twice a month, which Flatman said costs around $1,600. No matter that city code allows the smaller machines to be self-cleaned on a regular basis, with quarterly professional cleanings expected to be logged in an online database. Busy Body! took over a space that has been a restaurant for decades. The industry-veteran owners were surprised when they encountered Tacomas grease-trap gauntlet. The conundrum began when Busy Body applied for a catering license and a menu review with the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department. The restaurant wanted to fulfill the occasional party order and add weekend brunch, Flatman said. Madison emailed them again, saying they would need to install the giant, in-ground box to proceed with that plan. Expense and inconvenience aside, there was nowhere to put it, because theirs is a zero-lot line property, meaning its surrounded by public right-of-way. Those kinds of discrepancies between laws and policies versus in-practice demands have frustrated Flatman and dozens of restaurant owners and managers, especially in the last three years. While onboard with the public health and environmental mission, they see the citys grease-trap policy as inflexible, disappointingly obtuse and exclusionary: rules fashioned and enforced in ways that artificially inflate the cost of entry, in turn benefiting well-funded, corporate-backed entities over local entrepreneurs. The citys answers to specific questions are scarce. When received, they conflict from one day to the next, one restaurant to another, owners say. Different city employees offer different interpretations of the same code and department policy. No one, the industry professionals say, seems to understand how modern restaurants function. Few would speak on the record, fearful of the repercussions to their existing or future business in Tacoma. Conversations with them and those who agreed to participate in this story paint a frustrating picture of an evolving midsize city with under-resourced offices where immense power is in the hands of one overworked employee. Madison works with around 600 sites a year, the city confirmed. There are definitely city guidelines behind it, but theres not a whole lot of specific city code on it, so everything seems to be kind of on a case-by-case basis, said Flatman. It stifles creativity, it stifles small business, and it doesnt support the community at all. The only people this is helping are, like, larger corporate chains. Juan Parada, the lead technician at West Coast Renewables, a Sumner-based cleaning company, empties the large, concrete, gravity grease interceptors under the street behind Edison Square in Tacoma in July. They are accessible only through a sewer manhole. Eric Thompson of Schier Products, a Kansas-based manufacturer of both gravity and hydromechanical grease interceptors, collaborates with thousands of municipalities in his role as a regulatory compliance manager. Tacoma is not on an island, he said in an early summer phone call, but the land mass is shrinking. When a grease interceptor is a stumbling block to opening a restaurant, thats a red flag, he said. Thats something the business community should know, and council members should know: It costs too much money to do business here. Grease traps are relatively new requirement These days, restaurants in Tacoma and other municipalities across the United States and around the world are required to have grease traps, which were first patented in the late 19th century. The machines do basically what it sounds like: trap, or intercept, FOG after it goes down the drain but before it hits the sewer main. Grease interceptors, like this one outside Edison Square in South Tacoma, act as a barrier between kitchen sinks and sewer mains. FOG is lighter than water, so it floats to the top, while heavy solids fall to the bottom. Left in the middle, water can then continue to flow. This captured sludge is known as brown grease, which differs from deep-fryer yellow grease, typically dumped into a standalone bin thats picked up by grease-collection companies. The latter can be recycled into lubricants, animal feed, biofuels and even clothing. Brown grease has less of an afterlife, usually ending up in landfills or incinerated, although new research aims to find ways to also turn it into fuel. Awareness of FOGs potential to inflict pain on aging infrastructure has escalated in the past 30 years. In the early 2010s, United Kingdom sewer systems were snarled by headline-grabbing fatbergs, the British term for hardened globs of greasy residue and other coagulated materials that dont biodegrade. Joel Ducoste is an engineering professor at North Carolina State University and a leading expert in the field. When FOG breaks down, he explained, it goes through a process not unlike saponification, as in forming household soaps. These solids are much harder and attach themselves to the wall of the sewer line, he said. As they accumulate, they then restrict water flow. They can occupy a good percentage of the pipe cross section. The EPA estimates that sewer blockages occur anywhere from 23,000 to 75,000 times a year in the United States, according to a 2015 report to Congress. FOG is the leading culprit at 47%, but its not clear how many of those clogs could be blamed on poorly outfitted restaurants. The number also encompasses industrial sources, some of which are required to have grease protection, and residences, which are almost always unprotected. In Tacoma, any business with on-site food service, such as assisted living facilities, school cafeterias, hospitals and prisons, is required to have grease protection. Multifamily housing, even a new high-rise, is not. Educational campaigns have implored the public to avoid dumping common cooking byproducts like bacon grease and salad dressing down the kitchen sink. They and signs in public restrooms also remind us to stop flushing non-septic-safe stuff like baby wipes, tampons or tissues. At restaurants, staff should be trained in best management practices: tossing food waste into the trash or compost and wiping down pots and plates with paper towels before washing them. People kind of get it, but I dont know that they really get it, said Fremont, the citys environmental compliance manager. Are there bad actors? Of course, but none of the dozens of restaurant professionals The News Tribune spoke with over many months want to cause sewer backups not into the street, not into their neighbors place and assuredly not into their own business. They also dont have a spare $50,000, let alone $100,000. The city has a loan program of about $1 million annually to support small businesses, and in 2022 and 2023 offered some funding for infrastructure improvements like grease interceptors. There are currently 11 active non-COVID loan borrowers, city spokesperson Lee confirmed, nine of which are restaurants. Three of them involved a grease interceptor. News Tribune reporter Kristine Sherred covers her nose near the exterior grease interceptors being cleaned by Juan Parada of West Coast Renewables in July. It definitely smells sulfuric, mostly, like rotten eggs stuck in an airtight box for a little too long. Are restaurants to blame for clogged sewers? Data provided by the city to the Washington Department of Ecology reveals that food service is likely not the biggest fish to fry when it comes to Tacomas sewer problems. We dont have a lot of sanitary sewer overflows, said Fremont, who likened grease interceptors to an invisible healthcare service. In 2023, Tacoma reported 13 overflows to Ecology, as required by state law. Five were caused by grease, with three referencing nearby restaurants and two noting residential education. The bulk was caused by debris, such as cloth or other material that doesnt break down. Tree roots, collapsed pipes, construction, vandalism and heavy rain also contribute to blockages. In the five years prior, dating back to 2018, the city reported 85 blockages, attributing 11 to grease. Two of those mentioned food service as the potential culprit. Asked about the residential challenge, Lee said in an email that the city identifies areas of concern and distributes informational materials like mailers and door hangers. Tacoma Public Utilities also features informational flyers with its utility bills, while the city has collaborated with big buildings such as schools and hospitals to prevent the disposal of non-flushable items into the sewer system. When a sewer backs up and flows into a business, a home or the street, noted Ducoste, its harmful in more than just dollars and cents. Its not just the monetary cost its the cost to the environment. The cost of a sanitary sewer overflow is a big deal and it affects everyone. Worst-case scenario, one-size-fits-all Every restaurant is different, yet Tacoma appears to have embraced a one-size-fits-all approach using a worst-case scenario calculation to a potential problem FOG-clogged sewers and hazardous overflows that experts say can be prevented in various ways. Internal policy decisions have all but disavowed the cheaper and less-intrusive alternative grease-trapping machines that municipalities across the country allow, from neighboring Seattle and Portland to Flagstaff, Arizona, and Salt Lake City, Utah. Owner Sandy Jang lifts the airtight lid of the under-sink grease trap at Rolls House on July 3. It is professionally cleaned on a consistent schedule, he said. The smaller interceptors could fit under the sinks of restaurant kitchens or be installed relatively easily in the floor indoors or outside. They vary in size, measured by how many gallons can flow through per minute, and cost $5,000 to $10,000 up front, including installation. When properly sized taking into account the scope of the restaurant, the style of food, the hours of operation and maintained, meaning regularly pumped and cleaned, they can be nearly as effective as their gravity counterparts, according to several private-sector engineers. In Hampton Roads, a series of coastal towns that includes Norfolk and Virginia Beach, updated rules have gone so far as to shun the bigger, in-ground systems because their typical material concrete or steel, once the only option erodes over time. Usually underground and reachable only through a sewer manhole, cracks go unnoticed. To repair them, a technician must spend hours in the depths of that dark box, which can cost thousands. Tacoma touts in-ground interceptors as superior to the in-kitchen style that Rolls House, Busy Body and most restaurants (approximately 80%) use, believing they are more reliable and require less maintenance in the long run, said Lee. The city is responsible for making sure the sewer system works properly, and it does not want to risk problems caused by failing interceptors, she said. The massive gravity grease interceptors are typically made of concrete and installed underground outside the building. Juan Parada said repairing them is a dirty job that can take hours and cost the restaurant thousands. Tacoma city officials say they are easier to access and require less maintenance than the hydromechanical alternative. Without seeing the specifics, Ducoste, the FOG researcher, said that Tacoma appeared to be focusing on the worst-case scenario in an effort to prevent sewer overflows. Bigger is not necessarily better, he added, and there are always physical and financial constraints to consider. Neither are grease traps a catch-all solution, which is why he champions a three-pronged approach of using the right technology, educating the workers and maintaining the machine. We have to be mindful of the limitations as well, and what the food-service establishment is doing to make the technology even fail, he said in an interview this spring. No technology will just solve everything. Maintenance has to be done, education. If you do those effectively, then youll be able to manage it and reduce costs overall. Regarding maintenance, Tacoma follows whats known as the 25% rule, a near-universal barometer. When the trap reaches 25% of its grease-holding capacity, it should be cleaned. Anything above that threshold is considered deficient, even though in theory the machine could continue to restrict grease past that point. (Tacoma received 942 cleaning reports last year, and per that metric, 47% failed.) How long it takes to reach that level varies. Is the restaurant cooking steaks, dressing salads, washing pots and pans, plates and silverware? Or is it assembling sandwiches with cold-cuts and wrapping them in paper? How many customers could the kitchen handle? Are the hours limited to weekday lunch, or is the restaurant open all day, every day? Ducoste views the 25% metric as somewhat arbitrary in part because the bigger the trap, the more grease that percentage represents. In an ideal world, consistent maintenance is key. He prefers a standard every-30-day clean-out no matter the machine. An example of the excavation work required to install a large gravity grease interceptor in the floor of a restaurant. Amor Wine & Tapas dug this hole in early 2023 during a complete renovation of its space on Pacific Avenue downtown. Nothing changed, or did it? Jang of Rolls House, where the grease trap is routinely cleaned, has tried to persuade the city to reconsider its DoorDash refusal. In an email reviewed by The News Tribune, Madison told him the code is specific and allowing one person an exception is not fair to all the others that must incur the costs to protect the city assets and our environment. In reality, the code says nothing about food delivery. According to environmental staff, the code has not changed in more than a decade, but in 2021, as the food-service industry hobbled past pandemic upheaval, something did change: The city completed a years-long code revision process. It was around that time that the city began enforcing laws that for years it had mostly left to good faith. The health department also began looping Madison, at his request, into email conversations with any restaurant applying, renewing or altering a food permit. We didnt make our language more stringent, said Fremont. We just made it easier to interpret. Previously, language was just squishy. For eight years, Burger Seoul used the commercial kitchen space inside the convenience store at 1750 S. Prospect Ave. in Tacoma. In 2023, the city had the food trailer shut down for what it deemed an undersized grease trap. The timeline coincides with the local industry noticing a shift. In 2021, Madison visited the convenience store where Burger Seoul had a commissary kitchen, equipped with an under-the-sink grease-collecting machine that the food truck owner, Young La, said he regularly cleaned. Two years later, Madison returned to the site and emailed the health department. I would like to discuss closing them down, he wrote, according to emails The News Tribune obtained in a public records request. Also that year, Madison literally scared the staff of Infinite Soups when he showed up unannounced, recalled co-owner Wendy Clapp. He decided the restaurants grease trap, which they also routinely cleaned, was insufficient and that he would issue a $5,000 fine every day until they installed a big, in-ground interceptor. This was out of the blue to us that we were out of compliance, Clapp said in March. Madison agreed to let the shop keep its current setup if it showed proof of contract with a professional cleaning company for a $250 monthly visit. Clapp also had been waiting for more than a year to get the green light on a second location at the Rhodes Center, due in part to the citys grease-trap demands. Despite not planning to do any cooking on-site just reheating soup Madison wanted them to get the Beetle. According to Clapp, he advised her to throw a couple of tables in the cafe to avoid being considered a takeout operation. Thats not a code! she said, exasperated. I told him, You are rigging the system against small family businesses. To city engineers, restaurants like Infinite Soups and Rolls House those that offer, or want to offer, takeout or delivery had suddenly become mega-food machines, churning out chicken sandwiches faster than the busiest Chick-fil-A. Any kitchen acting as a commissary for even a single food truck, as was the case with Burger Seoul, was also capable of unlimited meals. No tables? Same. More than 40 seats, or more than 40 meals maybe leaving the kitchen in an hour? Thats how Tacoma dictates its grease-trap policy. Sandy Jang never anticipated that the city would deny him the ability to use standard modern services like DoorDash and Uber Eats. Rolls House specializes in Korean-inspired wraps, a food basically built for takeout and delivery. Is anybody listening? Responding to several specific questions, the city repeated that it has a responsibility to ensure a productive and safe sewer system. The News Tribune also asked two City Council members who expressed interest in restaurants grease-trap battles if those are the kinds of policies they wanted to uphold. In a statement provided by city spokesperson Lee, Council member Olgy Diaz said she wants to improve how we proactively communicate about grease interceptor requirements while championing programs that educate small and first-time business owners on issues that can arise in the permitting process, especially for immigrants and people of color. After Burger Seouls La contacted her last December, Kristina Walker told city manager Elizabeth Pauli in an email that grease traps continue to come up in conversation and Id like to learn more about them and the process. Walker said in a statement that making sure our businesses can thrive while keeping our sewer system clean and operational is the goal. Both council members referenced support for small businesses, in part through low-interest loan programs, but neither addressed the policys effect on restaurants. The thing to understand about the citys approach to this, and many other, community-facing issues is that the city always looks at things holistically, said Lee by email. We care very deeply about our small businesses and want to see them succeed. We also want to protect our infrastructure and waterways. With specific regard to grease management, the city prioritizes working with businesses to find good long-term solutions that meet their individual needs. Its never purely transactional and there are a lot of back-and-forth conversations. If told they must upgrade, businesses that want or need to use an alternative could apply for a variance, said Fremont, a process that requires them to hire and pay a private engineer who would endorse the existing setup as capable of achieving similar results. The city pointed to that exception as evidence of wiggle room within the rules, but approval is not guaranteed. As several restaurant owners recounted to The News Tribune, getting there can be a months-long headache. Sandy Jang in a moment of levity during his interview with The News Tribune in July. Without delivery, he said, his business wont survive. In March, about two dozen of them gathered at Manuscript, which was under a probationary period with Madison over its current machine. Everyone in the group either owned or worked in a local restaurant, bar, coffee shop, food truck or bakery and everyone had a grease-trap saga to share. If Tacoma continues down this path, they worried aloud, existing independent restaurants would close and potential newcomers would look elsewhere. It took months for Busy Body to resolve its situation, but the bar can finally serve brunch, be on DoorDash and offer limited catering. At Rolls House, Jang is at an impasse. He has the restaurants existing hydromechanical interceptor cleaned regularly. He wants to follow the rules, but he has heard that other restaurants offer delivery but dont have the big, expensive machine. I never think about doing delivery services without permission, right? So now Im still thinking, how can I survive? By mid-summer, he felt he had just two choices: risk being caught or close. Rio Verde man faces up to 10 years after pleading guilty to threatening federal officials A Rio Verde man faces up to a decade in federal prison after pleading guilty to threatening federal officials and public servants. The U.S. Department of Justice announced on Wednesday that 37-year-old Michael Lee Tomasi pleaded guilty on Tuesday to making threats against federal officials. The agency said that, between May 2021 to November 2023, Tomasi shared desires to incite violence and threatened various people over social media in Arizona and Colorado, including a city district attorney, a state court judge, a member of Congress and other federal officials and law enforcement officers. The DOJ highlighted one such post made on Aug. 26, 2023, in which Tomasi threatened to fatally shoot any FBI agents who visited his home. Threats of violence against elected officials, judges, and FBI agents pose immense danger to the physical safety of individual victims and undermine our very system of government, Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a written statement. The Justice Department will hold to account anyone who targets public servants with illegal threats of violence. U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino who represents the DOJ's Arizona district echoed Garland's sentiments that such threats need to be taken seriously and come with serious consequences. "This disgruntled defendant threatened officials from all three branches of government, Restaino said. Moreover, he was prepared to carry out his threats: when arrested he had a loaded handgun in his vehicle, as well as other firearms and body armor in his home. The prosecution of threats offenses makes Americans safer. Tomasi is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 23 in federal court where he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Rio Verde man pleads guilty to threatening federal officials Riots in the UK spurred by racist posts on X. Experts warn of a repeat in the US On July 29, in a coastal town in northwest England, a 17-year-old burst into a Taylor Swift-themed dance party and began stabbing children, killing three and injuring at least eight others. The 17-year-olds name was not initially released, but people across the UK soon learned that he was a newly arrived Muslim immigrant. Within days, unrest had boiled over across the country, with attacks on immigrants, immigration facilities and mosques. The story, of course, wasnt true. The suspect wasnt an immigrant; he had been born in Wales. But the false narratives and anti-immigrant sentiment that sparked the political violence had been rocket-fueled, just as other recent unrest had been spread in other European countries: via social media platforms that experts warn are too friendly both to disinformation and the influence of all sorts, especially the far-right. Now, with a presidential election less than three months away, the United States could face the same spread of lies and manipulative posts, experts told USA TODAY. In a race already saturated from a steady drip of false claims about immigrants and election fraud, the country is primed for a comparable flashpoint. There's no reason why we couldn't see exactly the same pattern here in the U.S., said Heidi Beirich, co-founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism. As we get closer to the election here in the United States, and tempers flare, any incident like the incident that happened in England could spark the same fury here. Demonstrators clash with police officers during an anti-immigration protest in Rotherham, Britain, Aug. 4, 2024. A crucial player in the swirl of misinformation, experts say, is X, the platform long known as Twitter, and its owner Elon Musk, who commands a personal following of almost 200 million users. X did not respond to an email seeking comment. Musk did not respond to a request for comment made on X. But Musk has shown public support for the racist backlash abroad (at one point tweeting Civil war is inevitable in the U.K.,), and also for election disinformation at home. And efforts to curb misinformation and shut down hate-speech have been largely abandoned on X. Beyond Musks platform, similar efforts across all of social media have also largely fallen apart. Increasingly Facebook owner Meta and other platforms have cut staff tasked with policing potentially harmful content and loosened strict content moderation policies. And some platforms, notably Telegram, have become hotbeds of rumor, conspiracy and discussions of political violence. What we have seen in the UK is really much bigger than X or Musk, said Katherine Keneally, head of threat analysis and prevention at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue. This has been percolating for years. The effects come not just from the social platforms, Keneally said, but from their most-followed users. Musks influence mirrors various far-right influencers who hold sway on subject matters as widely varying as anti-abortion politics or white supremacy. And the events in Europe, Keneally said, reveal how quickly that influence can turn to violent action. Floral tributes lie near the scene where a teenage suspect was arrested after children were stabbed in Southport, Britain, August 5, 2024. REUTERS/Manon Cruz UK political violence driven by lies In the hours after the horrific knife attack in the coastal UK town of Southport, social media sites were rife with conspiracy theories about the attacker. Tensions were already high in the country after an incident a few days earlier at Manchester Airport, where two men were involved in a violent altercation with police. One of the men was kicked in the head by a police officer, leading to the suspension of the officer and sparking demonstrations in Manchester and nearby Rochdale against police violence. Following these events, far-right, anti-Islamic influencers inside and outside the UK posted repeatedly about Muslim immigrants and asylum seekers, making claims that were often spurious. The initial wave was based on the prejudiced presumption that if something awful has happened, it will be a Muslim that's done it, said Joe Mulhall, director of research for the London-based activist group HOPE Not Hate. One of the most prominent voices pushing anti-Muslim sentiment was Tommy Robinson (real name Steven Yaxley-Lennon), a British commentator who posts Islamophobic material, and who fled the country last month on the eve of a hearing in a contempt-of-court case. Even as the Southport attackers real identity was revealed, Robinson doubled down with more disinformation as political violence spread across the U.K. In a weeklong string of posts that eventually accumulated more than 430 million total views, according to an analysis from the Center for Countering Digital Hate, Robinson falsely linked the Southport stabbing to Islam, claimed investigators were lying about the identity of the attacker, and spread an inaccurate story that far-right protesters had been stabbed by Muslims. As Robinson and others propagated these lies, white supremacists and others took to the streets in several cities in the UK, surrounding immigration centers and mosques, burning and overturning cars and clashing with police. These seemingly organic riots, in fact, have a lot of inorganic elements to them, said Joel Finkelstein, co-founder of the Network Contagion Research Institute, which studies the spread of online disinformation. The resulting clashes were just the latest example of real-life violence stemming from online disinformation campaigns, Finkelstein said. A similar pattern has played out in other cities in the U.K. and in Ireland and Portugal in recent months, he said. Bad actors not just far-right influencers but also foreign governments and even bots have been able to take advantage of an online ecosystem that is completely unprepared, and in some cases unwilling, to tackle misinformation campaigns, Finkelstein said. The disease has evolved much faster than the immune system has, Finkelstein said. I think we're approaching a place of maximum information entropy, where these things are going to be harder and harder to see, especially as the situation becomes more unpredictable. But while public officials in the UK condemned the riots, and the disinformation that fed them, one notable influencer stepped up to spread them: X owner Elon Musk. Elon Musk, X/Tesla CEO, arrives before the start of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senators Rounds, Heinrich And Young hosting the Inaugural Artificial Intelligence Insight Forum With Key AI Stakeholders To Help Forge Bipartisan Consensus On Legislation To Capitalize On This Transformative Technology. Musks role in spreading UK disinformation Throughout last weeks violence, Musk helped amplify the anti-Muslim rhetoric and false claims spreading across his platform and others. According to an analysis by the British news outlet Tortoise, Musk responded to a Robison tweet criticizing British Prime Minister Keir Starmers handling of the riots, questioned Robinsons recent arrest and allowed Robinsons documentary which includes false claims about Syrian refugees and has been banned from being shown in the UK to rack up 33 million views on X. People on this side of the Atlantic have been open-mouthed, watching him interact with extremely well known, very extreme far-right figures in the last two weeks, Mulhall said. At a time when most of the country was reeling from this horrifying wave of far-right violence, Elon Musk decided to engage with people from extraordinarily extreme and fringe groups. Divisive and misleading content has flooded X since Musk a self-described free speech absolutist bought Twitter in 2022, pledging to remake it as an anything-goes platform. Musk gutted the policy and trust and safety staff who were tasked with keeping misinformation and other harmful content off the platform, and he overhauled the blue-check verification system, giving anyone willing to pay for a subscription an algorithmic boost. He also welcomed back white supremacists, conspiracists and election deniers who had been deplatformed. One beneficiary was Robinson, who was banned from Twitter in 2018. Since being reinstated under Musk, Robinsons audience has more than doubled. Musk preaches a philosophy of freedom of speech, not freedom of reach, meaning X may leave up misleading or abusive content but will limit the number of people who see it. But nothing seems to curtail Musks own reach. In recent weeks, he has fed conspiracy theories, such as claiming that Bidens withdrawal from the presidential race was a coup, or insinuating that the Secret Service intentionally failed to protect former President Trump from an assassination attempt. Musk posted a deepfake video of vice president and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris which makes it appear as if she is saying that she is the ultimate DEI hire. Some accounts supporting Harris say they have faced unexplained restrictions in recent weeks. Just this week, Musk opened up the platform to Trump for a friendly conversation he billed as an interview, in which the former president talked for two hours unchecked, repeating disproven claims on the environment, the economy and more. When designing guardrails to protect users, company leaders never anticipated that a future owner would be the one to flout the rules, four former Twitter employees told USA TODAY. They spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation. We had good policies. We had good enforcement. But we had very few safeguards in place to protect against our own leaders, one former employee said. So much of what we were working on at that time was to create guidelines or rules so that no one would be able to put their thumb on the scale, another former employee said. The breathtaking part of this is: What do you do when the most important user has constantly got his finger on the scale? A counter-protest against racism gathers outside the headquarters of political party Reform UK in London, Aug. 10, 2024. A pervasive challenge Across social media, the challenge remains difficult to solve without a shared or even universal effort to remove disinformation across platforms, experts say. Instead, the momentum has been in the opposite direction. Over the last four to five years, the pendulum has swung back more to the center and companies are more hands-off about moderating content, said Nu Wexler, who was Twitters first communications staffer in Washington, D.C., and head of global policy communications None more than X. Musk embraces content that other platforms have tried very hard to avoid, said Wexler, now a partner with Four Corners Public Affairs. I dont think anyone really ever considered the possibility that the owner of a platform would participate and amplify some of this stuff, he said. That combination troubles Emerson Brooking, a director of strategy and resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab. Musk "is sole owner and operator of the most politically consequential social media platform in the United States, Brooking said. With the troubles in Britain, Musk has seemed almost eager to use his platform to elevate the forces of racism, hate, and violence. While U.S. law offers little in the way of limits on disinformation, trouble may be brewing for X in Europe, fueled by the recent clashes with British officials furious over his tweets. Starmer's office said there was no justification for Musks comments. New UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer celebrates historic election win X is facing an investigation into charges it breached the EUs Digital Services Act or DSA which requires social media platforms to prevent the spread of harmful content. If the company is found in violation, the European Commission has the power to levy fines of as much as 6% of Xs global annual revenue. In our view, @X doesnt comply with the DSA in key transparency areas, Margrethe Vestager, European Commissioner for Competition, wrote in July. Musk replied: "The DSA IS misinformation!" This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Riots in UK spurred by false tweets spell important warning for US JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) History lovers gathered at the Jackson Convention Complex on Thursday for the Road to 60 summit, which honors the anniversary of Freedom Summer in Mississippi. Mississippi Civil Rights Museum wins Tripadvisors 2024 Travelers Choice Award For the next three days, organizers will commemorate the legacy of the Freedom Riders from the summer of 1964. Attendees will be able to participate in workshops and panel discussions. These are people, who put their lives on the line not only for themselves and for their right to vote, but for all of us to have the right to vote today. And I think about their incredible legacy, how they have inspired generations to come to understand why its so important, how lucky we are in this country to have that right to vote, and our responsibility to carry it forward for future generations, said Margaret Huang, Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) president and CEO. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJTV. Robert F Kennedy's support has fallen significantly since Kamala Harris took up the Democrat ticket - AP Click here to view this content. Robert F Kennedy Jr, the independent presidential candidate, has revealed he attempted to meet Kamala Harris to broach the prospect of endorsing her in exchange for a cabinet position. The son of the late former US attorney general launched his third party presidential bid in October and surprised many pundits by securing double-digits in some polls of the 2024 White House race. His support has fallen dramatically since Joe Biden withdrew from the race and Ms Harris replaced the president at the top of the Democratic ticket. Mr Kennedy, 70, sought a meeting with Ms Harris, 59, last week to discuss the possibility of backing her campaign in exchange for a high-level position in her administration should she win, his campaign aides told The Washington Post and CNN. Ms Harris and her advisers did not take up the offer to meet and have shown no interest in the proposal, which Mr Kennedy called a strategic mistake. He told The Washington Post: I think they ought to be looking at every opportunity. I think it is going to be a very close race. Mr Kennedy also attempted to contact Mr Biden via his former White House chief of staff and longtime adviser Ron Klain, according to the newspaper. It comes after Mr Kennedy made similar overtures to Donald Trump last month at a meeting at the Republican national convention in Milwaukee. Mr Kennedy also recorded a phone call between himself and the Republican candidate in which Trump said: I would love you to do something and I think it would be so good for you and so big for you. The Kennedy campaign claims to have polling demonstrating that Ms Harris or Trump would receive a boost by announcing Mr Kennedy could have a cabinet role in their administration. Despite his outreach to both main parties, Mr Kennedy told The Washington Post he intended to continue his longshot White House bid. Click here to view this content. However, his advisers said he was open to withdrawing if he finds another way to bring about the change he seeks in the country. Stefanie Spear, a spokesman for the Kennedy campaign, told CNN that Mr Kennedy was willing to meet with leaders of both parties to discuss the possibility of a unity government. Democrats have cast Mr Kennedy as a spoiler candidate who could hand victory to Trump, and highlighted his support from the Trump-backing Republican mega-donor Timothy Mellon, to argue the point. No one has any intention of negotiating with a MAGA-funded fringe candidate who has sought out a job with Donald Trump in exchange for an endorsement, said Matt Corridoni, a spokesman for the Democratic National Committee. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Robinson alleges Steins wife was deeply embedded in DHHS. AG says his claim is ridiculous Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein (L) and Lt. Governor Mark Robinson (R) (File photos) Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, in a speech Wednesday at an event for former President Donald Trump, slammed the weaponization of government as he likened state oversight of his familys businesses to Trumps ongoing investigations and legal battles. And he alleged that Attorney General Josh Steins wife was deeply embedded in the agency charged with that oversight a claim that Stein, a Democrat running against Robinson for governor, called ridiculous and completely false. We have got to stop the weaponization of our government, Robinson said in Asheville. It is dangerous. My wife and I have felt the sting of it. A daycare owned by Robinson and his wife Yolanda Hill was cited almost 20 years ago during inspections by the Department of Health and Human Services. And Balanced Nutrition, a nonprofit led by Hill following the daycare business, owes the state money after allegedly falsely claiming reimbursement, a recent audit found. Robinson said after folks inside of he and his wifes business found out who I was, the games began. The harassment began, and now we find out that my opponents wife is deeply embedded into the very agency that holds sway over my wifes business, Robinson said. Stein, in a statement provided to NC Newsline, said this attack is ridiculous and completely false. A spokesperson for his campaign echoed that sentiment. These shameful attacks are baseless and exactly what youd expect from someone doing everything in his power to avoid responsibility for a dangerous daycare and allegations of six-figure fraud, spokesperson Kate Frauenfelder said. Robinsons campaign released a statement Wednesday alleging that after Mark Robinson announced his campaign for governor, DHHS suddenly began to have issues with his wifes business. Now, after reviewing public documents, we find out that Marks political opponents wife is a lawyer at the very same agency making these false attacks against Mrs. Robinson, spokesperson Mike Lonergan said. But for some reason, all the reporters who have covered this story dont seem to think thats a relevant point. Weve seen the weaponization of government against President Trump, and now the Robinson family is experiencing it first-hand. Anna Stein works in separate division, now in part-time role, at DHHS Steins wife Anna has worked for the states Division of Public Health since 2011. She is an agency legal specialist, working with the Chronic Disease and Injury Section and focused on tobacco-free living, health eating, active living and injury prevention policies. Her role is in a different division than the one that oversees Balanced Nutrition, and she has never spoken to anyone at the agency about the nonprofit or Hill, the campaign said. A spokesperson for DHHS confirmed that Stein has not been involved in any CACFP or Balanced Nutrition work. She worked on the Community Transformation Grant Project from 2012-2014, and currently serves on the Injury and Violence Prevention Branchs opioid overdose prevention team. As of October 2023, she became a part-time, temporary employee at DHHS limited to focusing on a health care toolkit for use in jails and detention centers, DHHS spokesperson Kelly Haight said. On average, she works 10 hours or less each week with the agency, and her temporary role will end by Sept. 9. This is not the first time Robinson has suggested the investigations into the family businesses were driven by political motivation. At the Faith & Freedom Coalition prayer breakfast last month in Milwaukee, Robinson told the audience of RNC delegates that he and his wife had been through the fire and when they came after me, they came after her as well. The state agency has described the reviews of Balanced Nutrition as routine and federally required. Robinson, who spoke briefly ahead of Trump at Wolfe Auditorium on Wednesday, went on to criticize weaponization at all levels of government. It does not jive with being able to have a good economy, he said. Why? Because people should be able to work and earn a living and run a business without fear of reprisal from their own government. Its bad at the state level for me and you, and its bad at the federal level when its done against someone like President Trump. RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (R) is accusing a state agency of having a conflict of interest in its review of his wifes nonprofit because that agency also employs the wife of his opponent in the governors race, Atty. Gen. Josh Stein (D). The state Dept. of Health and Human Services recently found serious deficiencies at Yolanda Hills nonprofit organization Balanced Nutrition, which helped adult and childcare providers get access to federal subsidies to provide food. The state has ordered Balanced Nutrition to repay more than $132,000. Robinsons campaign spokesman Mike Lonergan now says that because Steins wife Anna is employed at NCDHHS, its a sign of the weaponization of government and accused the agency of persecuting Balanced Nutrition. Robinson himself referenced the matter during an event in Huntersville Thursday. State agencies, federal agencies, the agencies that are there to protect us should not be weaponized against our citizens. They are there to protect us, said Robinson. Kelly Haight Connor, a spokesperson for NCDHHS, said Anna Stein has not had any involvement in the review of Balanced Nutrition and gave more details about the nature of her employment. Following more than 10 years of full-time work with the agency in the public health division as A legal consultant, Anna Stein became a part-time employee in October 2023. Her duties have been limited to supporting the team developing a health care toolkit for use by jails and detention centers. On average, she works 10 hours or less each week, Haight Connor said. In a statement, Atty. Gen. Stein said, This attack is ridiculous and completely false. Steins campaign also noted that Anna Steins work is in a division that has no oversight of Balanced Nutrition and that she has not spoken to anyone at the agency about the matter. Attorneys for Balanced Nutrition have requested an informal conference with NCDHHS regarding the review. In an email obtained by CBS 17, Yolanda Hill wrote to NCDHHS officials on July 26, Balanced Nutrition Inc. DOES NOT OWE the state agency $132,118.86 and I look forward to bringing this in front of an IMPARTIAL review team which DOES NOT have a political vendetta against me and/or my husband. As CBS 17 reported earlier this year, Hill announced she was ending the nonprofit due to the demands of her husbands campaign for governor. Documents show the state also was conducting its compliance review with the organization. State officials proposed disqualifying Balanced Nutrition from participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program again, as well as Yolanda Hill, Kimberly Cephas and Renee Matthews-Jones. They noted issues in various areas including recordkeeping, fiscal integrity, civil rights, and monitoring among others. Balanced Nutrition was placed on the states Suspension of Funding list on July 12, 2021. The reason cited was failing to submit reports to NCDHHS. A spokesperson for NCDHHS confirmed that Balanced Nutrition was added to that list because it did not submit audit reports to the agency in 2019 and 2020. However, the nonprofit continued to receive funding. The only employees listed on Balanced Nutritions tax documents in recent years include Hill and her family members. Hill is listed as the chief financial officer. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS17.com. Rochester man arrested on gun charge after he was fired from gas station ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) A man was arrested on a weapon charge after he was fired from his job at a gas station in Chili. On Tuesday, the Monroe County Sheriffs Office was sent to the Speedway location on Chili Avenue to provide support as 35-year-old Jovon Williams was being fired. MCSO obtained information that he illegally possessed a pistol. Deputies said 37-year-old Valerie Webb dropped Williams off at the Speedway. Upon discovering the vehicle registration was suspended, Williams was ordered to get out of the car and was told not to take anything out of it. It was alleged that Williams got out of the car, but went towards the back, which led deputies to arrest him. A search of the car uncovered a loaded revolver and suspected drugs. Deputies said Williams and Webb did not have pistol permits. Williams was charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, second-degree obstruction of governmental administration, seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, and resisting arrest. He was arraigned in Chili Town Court and taken to the Monroe County Jail. In addition, Webb was charged with operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended registration and without insurance. She was given an appearance ticket. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst. NEW YORK Vice President Kamala Harris was able to bring Wall Street donors off the sidelines on the strength of her vibes. Now she has to keep them interested. Enthusiasm surged in the weeks since Harris took over from President Joe Biden, who was hemorrhaging support with high-dollar donors. It took less than a month for Harris to smash former President Donald Trumps cash advantage. And she did it without offering many details on her economic policy vision. Business leaders, from Lazard President Ray McGuire to Blackstone Group President Jonathan Gray, lined up behind her as she erased Trumps lead in the polls. Trump has powerful allies on Wall Street. His pledges to reduce taxes and slash regulations helped revive his relationships with GOP megadonors who had repudiated him after he attempted to overturn the 2020 election. The business-friendly policies offered by Trump less extreme regulation, low corporate tax, etc. are attractive to Wall Street, no doubt. But many players find other aspects of the Trump package unrelated to finance overwhelmingly negative, former Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein told POLITICO. Like most people, folks in finance weigh a variety of interests and concerns and may find the lesser-known Harris more attractive than the Trump they know. But with Harris poised to give her first major policy address in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Friday, donors and Democratic financiers will be clamoring for any indication that the California Democrat would adjust Biden-era economic policies areas that have been dominated by allies of Wall Street foe Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). Harris' campaign messaging has largely stuck to forward-looking versions of current White House priorities albeit with a greater focus on elements of the care economy. Harris and her senior campaign advisers are developing a plan that would largely build on elements of the administrations existing agenda to fashion a sweeping new vision focused intently on slashing the costs Americans are most fixated on such as groceries, housing and health care. The emerging plan, some of which Harris is due to lay out in her speech this week, would take a sharper stance than Biden in some areas, such as more aggressively targeting "corporate greed" as a driver of higher consumer prices. It would position Harris as eager to crack down on powerful industries and the wealthy, calling for higher taxes and lower tolerance for poor corporate behavior priorities that Biden pursued but struggled to consistently articulate. Story continues And it would nod toward her more expansive ambitions on housing and child care two areas that have consumed an outsize portion of families budgets and attention in the run-up to the November election. But Harris speech on Friday is expected to be more of an overview of her top priorities than a comprehensive series of detailed policy prescriptions, advisers and allies familiar with the matter said. And while shes certain to frame her vision far more forcefully and forward-looking than Biden did during his aborted reelection bid, Harris isnt expected to break substantially from his overarching goal of bolstering the working class. Advisers also cautioned that the speech is not expected to be comprehensive, emphasizing instead that it will be narrowly focused on lowering costs. Harris is expected to articulate more of her economic worldview in the coming weeks, as her team compiles ideas and hammers out the specifics of her agenda in the weeks ahead of the election. That will leave open specific questions on how shell address looming battles over the tax code, bank regulation or market rules. Many corporate Democrats believe that Harris will be more receptive to their feedback when it comes to policy and personnel, according to interviews with top party bundlers, industry lobbyists, Wall Street executives and CEO whisperers. Others are simply relieved that they no longer have to wonder about Bidens ability to win or carry out a second term. There's a deep hope right now a very deep hope that she will at least have a diverse set of views as it relates to economic and financial services policy, said Michael Bright, CEO of the Structured Finance Association and former acting president of Ginnie Mae. Still, there's a lack of clarity around Harris specific policy agenda, who she will listen to and how she will solve the Rubiks Cube of holding different factions of her coalition together on critical economic policy questions if she wins in November. Many of the top economic advisers to her campaign, including Brian Deese and Gene Sperling, played key roles in crafting Bidens agenda. Her roster of official and unofficial advisers includes key staffers from her Senate career, such as Rohini Kosoglu and Deanne Millison. She once proposed taxing financial transactions and sought to tax corporate profits to remedy gender pay disparities. She extracted a $20 billion settlement from big banks for mortgage relief during the financial crisis and moved to block major health care mergers. Her stump speech takes aim at bank fees and price gouging meat-and-potatoes Bidenomics fare and derides Trumps plan to slash corporate taxes. Taken collectively, its a platform that should be sending C-suites into a tizzy. To Democrats on Wall Street, it hasnt mattered a bit. A lot of it is just vibes. They don't want the same anti-corporate vibes that the Biden administration had, one Democratic venture capitalist said in an interview. Harris has family ties to the investment world. Her time as a U.S. senator and California state attorney general provided her with a greater understanding of how Silicon Valley operates, they added. She's just in a different milieu. Democratic donors, consultants, staffers and CEO whisperers who spoke with POLITICO over the last three weeks have shrugged at the positions Harris took in prior campaigns. Her platform during the 2020 Democratic primary was left-of-center, but that was a very different political environment, one top party bundler said. Harris was competing for air time against Warren and Bernie Sanders progressives who had a hammerlock on the partys base when it comes to economic policy. She tacked closer to the center when Biden selected her as his running mate and donors have taken their cues from how shes operated on the national level, in the Biden-Harris administration, the bundler said. As vice president, she has frequently served as a bridge between Biden and corporate America. She oversaw public-private partnerships between the administration and major banks focused on small business investment as efforts to extend federal contracts to minority-owned businesses. Wall Street executives bristled at the administrations regulatory approach over the last three-and-a-half years, often griping that their views werent being taken seriously by the White House, or that regulators like FTC Commissioner Lina Khan or SEC Chair Gary Gensler were pursuing rules and enforcement actions that were legally spurious. Harris has largely avoided that criticism at least from industry centrists. With Biden gone from the ticket, her allies have been telling business leaders that she represents a more stable alternative to Trump. They wont have to worry about responding to midnight policy shifts published on social media accounts, or interference in core market functions like Federal Reserve rate-setting. Her rolodex is aiding that pitch. She has a lot of relationships here, not just Wall Street, said Kathy Wylde, president and CEO of the Partnership for New York City, a nonprofit organization that represents the citys top business leaders. Biden did not have as many deep personal connections here. But some have also taken that as a sign that shell be open to changes that would dramatically shift how the administration has previously addressed markets or regulation. Some Democratic megadonors like LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman and Expedia Chair Barry Diller have publicly called for Harris to show Khan the door if elected. Few expect her to publicly delve into personnel plans at this stage. And as for her broader policies given the sprint between when she became the presumptive nominee and the election many Democrats dont expect her to get too specific on policies that would ignite more intraparty fights. Progressives have been gunning for her to tack left on the administrations existing policies. She has already endorsed capping rents, a Biden administration proposal that was rolled out to industry derision last month, but housing advocates want her to go even further. The Roosevelt Institute, a left-leaning think tank, released a policy blueprint for how the Biden-Harris administration should tighten rules around bank mergers and capital requirements. Financial services leaders Democrat or otherwise would bristle at all of those policies. The question now is how shell hold those groups together. I dont foresee there being a huge leftward tilt between now and November, the bundler said. Shes got a general election in such a truncated period of time. While shell have to speak to the specifics more, I dont see it being too divergent from the current Biden platform. Is Botox a sin? A bearded man wearing a traditional white Muslim cap reads the question from a sheet of paper, then looks up to address his TikTok audience. Yes, it is a sin, he smirks. You must accept that you will age. Do you still want to look like you are 20, when you are 80? No one will believe you. Abul Baraa, a German-speaking Salafi preacher, is reaching thousands of followers with Q&A clips like this, which counterterrorism experts say can eventually leave followers ripe for recruitment by terror groups. Salafism is an ultra-orthodox, puritanical strain of Islam followed by a minority of Muslims. The preachers casual and relatable style has helped him amass a following of more than 82,000 on TikTok and tens of thousands more on other social media platforms, where he has published more than 2,000 videos. The most commonly known influential preacher in the German-speaking world right now, the It model, so to say, is Abul Baraa, Nicolas Stockhammer, a counterterrorism expert at the University of Vienna, explains. TikTok radicalization it is a new term for this phenomenon And ISIS-K is one of the profiteers of this dynamic. They appeal specifically to those very young adolescents. A TikTok spokesman told CNN last month: We stand firmly against violent extremism and remove 98% of content found to break our rules on promoting terrorism before it is reported to us. In light of an alleged terror plot on a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna, there is renewed concern about online extremism among youth. The 19-year-old alleged mastermind of the attack was radicalized online, Austrian authorities say, although it is unclear how. Preacher and social media star Abul Baraa has a wide reach among German-speaking young Muslims. - Abul Baraa/YouTube Abul Baraa, a 51-year-old German citizen, has repeatedly denied any connection to ISIS or any other jihadi groups. But his content is seen as the first stop on the path to extremism, according to Kaan Orhon, a deradicalization case worker at the Green Bird association in Bonn, Germany. He says Abul Baraas name comes up as a common denominator in the radicalization of almost every youngster he works with. He is the rock star of the Salafist scene in Germany, Orhon explains. He is extremely popular with young people because he caters to needs, questions, interests that young people have, but that are not picked up by any other Islamic theological institutions. CNN has made multiple attempts to contact Abul Baraa but as of publication he has yet to respond. Like a gateway drug Questions answered by Abul Baraa may be as benign as Is it okay to play Fortnite? a popular video game. Abul Baraa answers this one in a two-minute stylized clip, with images of the video game in his backdrop. These games are not to be played. We are Muslims. We love Allah and we hate pluralism, he says. Keeping young people from engaging in the modern world is Abul Baraas objective, experts say. In promoting an anti-West, Salafi ideology, Orhon says, his content pulls viewers away from their communities, leaving their young minds vulnerable to extremist influence. What makes him dangerous is that he is like a gateway drug for more radical actors, explains Orhon, who describes Baraas discouragement of activities and interests that are not religiously permissible as laying a groundwork of isolation. In one short Q&A posted on YouTube, Abul Baraa asks: Can you be friends with a kafir? That means that you are friends with someone who is not a Muslim. This is against our religion. Once isolated, the teenagers influenced by Abul Baraa may become ripe for the picking by radical groups like ISIS-K, an active affiliate of ISIS stemming from central Asia, say Stockhammer and Orhon. Thats the point where his distancing becomes insincere, because he knows that he lays the groundwork where other actors are picking his target audience up and leading them further into radicalization, Orhon says. Every time they try to find something new so they can silence us German security services have had Abul Baraa on their radar for years. Born Ahmed Armih, the preacher grew up in Lebanon before moving to Germany around 2002. He became the chief imam of Berlins As-Sahaba Mosque, where he built and maintained connections with violent jihadi figures, according to local German authorities. The mosque was searched by police in 2018 on suspicion of terrorist financing. It is now closed. Preacher and social media star Abul Baraa has a wide reach among German-speaking young Muslims. - Abul Baraa/YouTube Baraa eventually moved his preaching to Lower Saxony, a state in northwestern Germany, where he joined an association of preachers known as the German-speaking Muslim Community, or DMG. He delivered sermons at the groups mosque in Braunschweig until June of this year, when German authorities banned and dissolved the DMG for extremist activity. The ban on the DMG is a hard blow to the Salafist scene in Lower Saxony and beyond. By banning the scene, we are depriving German-speaking Salafist preachers of their most important platform for spreading their extremist ideology, Daniela Behrens, Lower Saxonys minister of the interior and sport, said in a statement announcing the ban. The crackdown pushed Abul Baraa to establish and develop a presence on social media, where he remains a prolific producer of content. This week he responded to media reports linking him to the suspected Taylor Swift concert plot with a TikTok video and a livestream. Dear brothers and sisters, as youve observed, there is currently a massive campaign against us, he says in the TikTok clip. Every time they try to find something new so they can silence us. Abul Baraas followers are likely to be presented with more extremist content by social media algorithms built to fuel and feed their interests. And groups like ISIS-K are ready to take advantage, actively seeking to recruit minors because it presents a challenge to law enforcement. The calculation of ISIS-K and those people who are behind this dynamic is that its not so easy to prosecute them by law because they are too young, Stockhammer says. The suspected Taylor Swift concert plot was stopped, but European security officials fear ISIS-K is already recruiting for its next attack from the fringes of the internet, where young minds may be susceptible and alone. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Rockford woman accused of attacking two nurses on two different occasions ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) Police arrested Vanessa Sweet, 65, for allegedly attacking two different nurses at two separate times on the same day. On August 14, officers went to Swedish American Hospital for an aggravated battery call. The nurse told officials Sweet was placed on an involuntary admission form at the hospital. A witness said they both were trying to get blood work from Sweet when she refused and tried to leave, according to authorities. The nurse then blocked the door and the suspect slapped her in the face, the witness told police. Sweet admitted to officials under her Miranda Rights she slapped the nurse. She was then placed on hospital hold to receive treatment. Hours later, officers responded again for another battery call involving the suspect. A different nurse told authorities Sweet hit her multiple times after denying medication. Sweet is being charged with two charges of aggravated battery to a nurse. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports. LEANDER, Texas (KXAN) A Rouse High School student was injured after being hit by a vehicle in the school parking lot Thursday morning, school officials said. In a letter to parents, Principal Vincent Hawkins said the incident happened around 8 a.m. during the student arrival period as the student was walking through the parking lot. The student was treated by the school nurse until emergency services arrived, Hawkins said. The extent of the students injuries was not disclosed. The safety of our students is top priority, and our campus staff will continue to be vigilant during drop-off and pick-up times to help create the safest possible environment, Hawkins said. This embedded content is not available in your region. School leaders are asking drivers to exercise patience and caution, and parents are being asked to encourage children to use crosswalks when crossing streets or parking lots. Last year, Leander City Council passed an ordinance requiring radar display signs be installed in any new school zones within city limits. At the time, the Leander Police Department said speeding had become a problem in school zones in the city. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. New rules for realtors go into effect soon: How will it change Texas homebuying AUSTIN (KXAN) New rules for real estate agents go into effect on Saturday, but Texas Realtors Chairman Jef Conn said that they wont greatly change the process for sellers and buyers. The biggest change youre going to see is you will be required to sign a agreement with an agent prior to looking at a home, Conn said. The process of buying and selling a home is going to look very similar today as it will Saturday and beyond. The changes came as part of a multi-lawsuit settlement by the National Association of Realtors, which was accused of monopolistic practices that inflated realtors commissions. The NAR also paid $418 million in the settlement. NerdWallet: What the big realtors settlement means for home buyers and sellers Agent compensation and commissions are a big part of the new rules, with sellers no longer setting the rate for a buyers commission. That rate will now be handled between the buyer and their agent. Conn said this change is unlikely to affect home prices. The price of a home is a product of supply and demand. Its not a product of the compensation. [Buyers] need to talk to their agent about compensation and make sure they get pre-qualified, he said. Home buying is complicated, so make sure you talk to your realtor about what the entire process is going to take, and they can guide you through it. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. Linus Thuston, left, walks with his defense attorney, Scott Poor, as they leave the Neosho County District Court after a hearing Aug. 14, 2024 Linus Thuston, left, walks with his defense attorney, Scott Poor, as they leave the Neosho County District Court after a hearing Aug. 14, 2024. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) ERIE A rural Kansas prosecutor retired from office this week after being accused of numerous crimes, disciplined for telling a woman she owed him a sexual favor and working out an undisclosed plea deal with state authorities. Linus Thuston, the Neosho County attorney for the past 12 years, retired at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, according to a letter filed with the county clerks office and obtained by Kansas Reflector. It has been my distinct pleasure to serve the citizens of Neosho County as County Attorney, Thuston wrote in the letter. I have worked in government service in Kansas the majority of my adult life. My wife and I prayed in 2020, and decided that I would retire in 2024. Kansas Reflector also obtained a previously undisclosed document from the Kansas Disciplinary Administrators Office that reveals Thuston received an informal admonishment in April for requesting the sexual favor. Thuston appeared in court Wednesday for a first appearance after the Kansas Attorney Generals Office charged him with two misdemeanor financial crimes. Retired District Judge Merlin Wheeler, who was appointed to oversee the case, slammed the brakes on a plea deal over concerns it was moving too fast. In an unusual move, the AGs office apparently worked out a deal with Thuston before filing the misdemeanor charges and setting aside cases where he is accused of felonies including one in which he persuaded about 50 women who were his private practice clients to send him nude photos. The terms of Thustons plea deal havent been disclosed. Thuston and his attorney walked away from reporters without taking questions after Wednesdays hearing. Local officials have voiced frustration with Thuston for years over his willingness to grant high-dollar diversion agreements and reduce charges for serious crimes, as well as concerns about his use of office funds. Sheriff Greg Taylor has said the Kansas Bureau of Investigation reviewed evidence in 2022 that Thuston committed sexual extortion while asking private practice clients for nude photos in exchange for continuing to provide legal services, leaving the women feeling like they had no choice. Thuston also prosecuted some of the women, Taylor said. In one case, there was evidence that Thuston used his county credit card to pay a woman who had sent him nude photos. That case, and 10 others, were turned over to the AGs office for consideration. In standard offense reports obtained by Kansas Reflector, Thuston also was accused of using confidential information for personal gain, intimidating a witness or victim, disseminating a criminal history record, theft by deception, preventing reporting of victimization, and other felonies. Those crimes were reported between 2018 and 2023. Last week, the AGs office charged Thuston with just two misdemeanor charges: Misuse of public funds in 2019, which corresponds with accusations of paying the woman who sent him nude photos, and violating the Retailers Sales Tax Act in 2021, which matches a case where Thuston was accused of falsifying the sale of a vehicle to avoid paying $617 in sales tax. Wheeler acknowledged during Wednesdays hearing that the charges were tied to a plea deal reached between Thuston and state prosecutors. Thustons attorney told the judge he was prepared to enter into the agreement in the interest of a speedy resolution. Staff from the AGs office were present in the courtroom. Given the overall nature of the case and the speed at which it has been processed, I am of the opinion that I do not want to proceed today, Wheeler said. The judge set a hearing for Sept. 4 to consider the plea deal and sentencing. Thuston could be fined between $500 and $12,500 or sent to jail for up to 18 months. Adam Stolte, an Overland Park defense attorney who is not involved in the case but has negotiated plea deals for his clients for 12 years, said he had never seen a case where a plea deal was reached before charges are filed. He offered his perspective at the request of Kansas Reflector in an interview for this story. That kind of speaks to more of like a two-tier system of justice where people in the know get special treatment, whereas the typical offender or accused wouldnt get that ability to even avoid the filing of felony charges, Stolte said. Its not rare to have a felony case dropped to a misdemeanor or reduced to a misdemeanor, but it would be extremely rare for them to agree to not even file felony charges. Stolte said the evidence of alleged crimes makes it seem like its more likely than not that there is a two-tier system of justice where theres not supposed to be. In July, the Reynolds Law Firm of Fort Scott filed a civil lawsuit against Thuston and the Neosho County Board of Commissioners, seeking payment for legal services that were provided to Thuston in disciplinary cases where he was accused of violating ethics rules. The lawsuit claims Thuston or the county owe the law firm $22,535.20. Thuston has faced multiple disciplinary complaints since being appointed as county attorney by former Gov. Sam Brownback in 2012, and winning subsequent elections. In 2022, a disciplinary panel decided not to punish Thuston for a conflict of interest after reviewing eight letters of support from people in the community, including one from county health director Teresa Starr. Starr told Kansas Reflector she didnt write the letter, and Thuston admitted in a recorded interview with Kansas Reflector that he wrote the letter for her. Starr also said Thuston threatened her with retaliation if she didnt go along with it. Taylor, the sheriff, filed a complaint with the Disciplinary Administrators Office over the letter and comments Thuston made to Starr. In a letter dated April 24 from deputy disciplinary administrator Matt Vogelsberg to the sheriff, Vogelsberg said a review committee determined there wasnt clear and convincing evidence that Thuston had forged Starrs letter. However, Vogelsberg wrote, the review committee took issue with Thuston telling Starr that she owed him oral sex because he had advised the county commission not to fire her. In response, the Disciplinary Administrators Office imposed an informal admonition, Vogelsberg wrote. Ukraine launches biggest drone attack on Russian airfields as incursion puts Kremlin on the back foot Ukrainian drones targeted four Russian airfields Wednesday in the largest such attack of the war, as Kyivs troops advance further into Russia following their surprise cross-border incursion that has left the Kremlin embarrassed and scrambling. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the military for the attacks, which he described as precise, timely and effective, in a video address released the same day he said Kyivs forces had captured Russian soldiers in southern Russia and destroyed a Russian fighter jet. Our Ukrainian drones work exactly as they should. Still, there are things that cannot be done with drones alone, Zelensky said. A source in Ukraines security service told CNN it was the biggest attack on Russias airfields since the war began and targeted four bases in the southwest regions of Kursk and Voronezh, and Nizhny Novgorod, east of Moscow. It comes as Ukraines massive ground incursion has forced tens of thousands of Russians from their homes and put Russia on the back foot as it struggles to repel Kyivs troops. Damaged fighter jets are seen at the Borisoglebsk Air Base in Russia after an attack by Ukrainian drones on Wednesday, August 14. - Planet Labs PBC/AP Russias defense ministry said Wednesday it destroyed 117 aircraft-type drones and four tactical missiles over Kursk and neighboring regions. More than 35 Ukraine-launched drones were destroyed over Voronezh, its Gov. Aleksandr Gusev said Wednesday on Telegram. While there were no casualties, the attack damaged properties, vehicles and municipal infrastructure, Gusev said, adding there was a risk of further drone attacks. A statement by the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Wednesday claimed that Ukraines Air Force destroyed a Russian SU-34 fighter-bomber in the Kursk region on Tuesday night. In Belgorod, which neighbors Kursk, Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov declared a regional emergency Wednesday, calling the situation on the ground extremely difficult and tense in a message on Telegram. Residents began evacuating Monday because of Ukrainian advances. Regional authorities are now appealing to the Kremlin to declare a federal emergency, Gladkov said. People gather in the courtyard of a building which was hit by debris from a destroyed Ukrainian missile in Kursk on August 11. - Anatoliy Zhdanov/Kommersant Photo/Reuters In his address Wednesday, Zelensky called for further support from Ukraines Western supporters, saying: We need other weapons - missile weapons. And we continue to work with our partners on long-range solutions for Ukraine. Ukraines Western partners have been reluctant to supply Kyiv with long-range missiles that can penetrate deep into Russian territory. Zelensky said his forces had advanced in Russias Kursk region by 1 to 2 kilometers since the beginning of the day and had captured 100 Russian servicemen. Kyiv has already claimed to have control over some 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles) of Russian territory since the start of its surprise assault. A video posted by the Agence France-Presse news agency at the border crossing between Ukraines Sumy region and Kursk showed a Ukrainian truck carrying blindfolded men in Russian military uniforms traveling away from Russia. CNN has reached out to the Ukrainian military for comment on the video. Ukrainian servicemen operate a Soviet-made T-72 tank in the Sumy region, near the border with Russia, on August 12. - Roman Pilipey/AFP/Getty Images Buffer zone Ukraines incursion which poses a major embarrassment for the Kremlin represents a notable change in tactics for Kyiv, marking the first time foreign troops have entered Russian territory since World War II. Since the incursion began, tens of thousands of Russians have fled their homes while Moscow scrambles to contain the attack, imposing counter-terror operations in Kursk, Belgorod and another border region, Bryansk. Russia has pulled reserves from key battleground areas in Ukraine and Russian-occupied Crimea to repel Kyivs advances, a Ukrainian military commander told CNN Wednesday. Dymtro Kholod, commander of the Nightingale battalion, told a CNN team on the ground in Sumy that the military had information suggesting Russian soldiers were being pulled from Zaporizhzhia, Crimea and Kharkiv to halt Kyivs forces. A Ukrainian minister said the aim of the operation in Kursk is to create a security zone on Russian soil to protect border communities, particularly in Sumy, which have seen persistent Russian artillery and missile fire throughout the war. The creation of a buffer zone in the Kursk region is a step to protect our border communities from daily enemy attacks, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said on Telegram. Ukrainian deputy prime minister Iryna Vereshchuk also said Ukraine would open humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians either to Ukraine or within Russia. Video released by Russias Defense Ministry reportedly showing Su-34 bomber jets carrying out strikes on Ukrainian targets in Kursk. - Russian Defense Ministry Ukraines latest move has prompted an angered Russia to take peace negotiations off the table for the foreseeable future. The Russian Foreign Ministrys special envoy, Rodion Miroshnik, said at a briefing on Wednesday that Moscow will be at minimum putting the talks with Ukraine on a long pause. Peace negotiations between the warring nations have proven unsuccessful since the start of the war in February 2022. Russias National Guard said on Wednesday it had tightened security around the Kursk nuclear plant in Russias southwest. Last week, the director general of the United Nations nuclear watchdog urged both sides to exercise maximum restraint to avoid a nuclear accident. On Monday, Kyiv claimed to have gained control of nearly the same amount of land that Russia had seized so far this year though that is still dwarfed by the total Ukrainian territory held by Russia since the conflict started in 2014. On Tuesday, Zelensky said Kyivs forces were in control of 74 settlements in Kursk and they are making preparations for next steps in the region. Russian President Vladimir Putin has meanwhile vowed to kick the enemy out of Russia. US President Joe Biden addressed the incursion on Tuesday, saying he was receiving regular updates from staff and that it was creating a real dilemma for Putin. CNNs Alex Stambaugh, Jessie Yeung, Caitlin Danaher, Duarte Mendonca and Sergey Gudkov contributed reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Ukrainian military armoured vehicles driving from the side of the border with Russia in Sumy Oblast. Photo: Getty Images Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) believe that Ukrainian operations in Kursk Oblast are having a significant impact on defence, logistics and security in Russia. Source: ISW Details: Russian military bloggers have reported that Ukrainian forces made small gains in Kursk Oblast, although overall, Ukrainian operations in the area have slowed. Russian forces are trying to stabilise the front line. Satellite images from the Maxar company, taken on 12 August, reveal newly constructed defence positions, including trenches and anti-vehicle ditches, located southwest of Lgov along the E38 Lgov-Rylsk-Hlukhiv road (northwest of the Russian city of Sudzha). Additional images published on 13 August and collected between 6 and 11 August show new fortifications near the 38K-024 road just south of Lgov. These new defences are positioned about 17 kilometres north of the furthest reported Ukrainian advances in Kursk Oblast, indicating that Russian forces are worried about the possibility of Ukrainian forces rapidly advancing further north. The focus on major roads suggests that Russian forces are trying to protect key ground lines of communication (GLOCs), particularly along the E38 and 38K routes, to prevent Ukrainian movements. Ukrainian operations in Kursk Oblast are also reportedly affecting Russian railway logistics. The Belarusian Railway Workers Community reported on 13 August that internal sources claim Russian Railways had informed Belarusian Railways to stop sending trains from Belarusian stations to the Oryol-Kursk branch of the Moscow Railway starting on 12 August, due to a "large-scale operational transfer of troops in the direction of Kursk Oblast" and the movement of freight trains for military purposes. To quote the ISWs Key Takeaways on 14 August: Russian milbloggers claimed that Ukrainian forces marginally advanced in Kursk Oblast amid a generally slower tempo of Ukrainian operations as Russian forces continue attempts to stabilise the frontline in the area. Ukrainian officials continue to discuss ongoing Ukrainian operations in Kursk Oblast and offer their interpretations of the political impact that Ukraine may aim to generate. Ongoing Ukrainian operations in Kursk Oblast are generating tangible defensive, logistical and security impacts within Russia. The Russian government continues recruitment efforts to support operations in Kursk Oblast. Chechen Akhmat Spetsnaz Commander Apty Alaudinov seems to be posturing himself as the spokesperson for the Russian defence in Kursk Oblast, but his claims have consistently been false and largely contradict claims made by relatively reliable Russian milbloggers. Ukrainian forces conducted a large series of drone strikes against Russian air bases in Russia on the night of 13 to 14 August, damaging several airfields. Georgias ruling Georgian Dream party furthered a narrative echoing a Kremlin information operation meant to justify Russias violence against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of states formerly colonised by the Soviet Union and Russian Empire. Russian forces advanced north of the city of Kharkiv and southeast of Pokrovsk. Support UP or become our patron! Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry declared a federal emergency in Belgorod Oblast on Aug. 15, as Ukraine's incursion into Russia marks its 10th day. Belgorod Oblast is sandwiched between Kursk Oblast to the northwest and Ukraine's Kharkiv Oblast to the south. The region also shares a border with Ukraine's Sumy Oblast to the west. Ukrainian troops entered Kursk Oblast from Sumy Oblast on Aug. 6. Ukraine said on Aug. 13 that its military had control over 74 settlements in the region. Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov declared a state of emergency on Aug. 14, citing an "extremely difficult" situation in the region, and said he would request for a federal state of emergency to be declared. Emergency Situations Minister Aleksandr Kurenkov announced that a federal emergency had been declared during an extraordinary meeting of the Russian government's Commission on Preventing and Eliminating Emergency Situations. The authorities in Belgorod Oblast have organized "comprehensive assistance to the affected population," Kurenkov said. "However, the scale of what is happening does not allow the region to independently eliminate the consequences of the current emergency situation," he added. The Emergency Situations Ministry also said there are reports of "unjustified price increases for food and essential goods" in the region. Kurenkov reportedly instructed the Federal Antimonopoly Service to control the situation. Gladkov claimed that multiple settlements on the border with Kharkiv Oblast had been attacked over the past day by Ukrainian drones and munitions. Russian attacks on Kharkiv Oblast are regularly launched from Belgorod Oblast. Gladkov said on Aug. 13 that 11,000 residents of the region's Krasnoyaruzhsky district, which borders both Kursk and Kharkiv oblasts, had evacuated their homes. The district was home to around 14,000 residents, according to a 2020 census. Read also: Kursk incursion deals blow to Putins prestige marking first ground invasion of Russia since World War II Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Russian opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza is escorted for a hearing at the Basmanny court in Moscow on October 10, 2022. Credit - NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA/AFP Getty Images When Evgenia Kara-Murza learned that her husband, the prominent Russian opposition politician and journalist Vladimir Kara-Murza, was released from a Siberian penal colony, she was inside the Oval Office. There, she and her children along with other family members of those wrongfully detained by the Kremlin stood by President Joe Biden as, one by one, their loved ones were phoned in. That video will always make me cry, Evgenia said of the moment they heard Vladimirs voice on the other end of the linethe culmination of more than two years of tireless advocacy in which Evgenia traveled the world campaigning for the freedom of Vladimir and other political prisoners being held inside Russia. To this day, it still feels surreal, Vladimir tells TIME two weeks later, speaking from his and Evgenias home in Virginia on Aug. 14. While both concede that they could use a break to recuperate from their ordeal, neither believes they have the privilege of taking one. With Russias invasion of Ukraine ongoing, and with hundreds of political prisoners still behind bars, they believe they wont be able to rest in their fight against Russian President Vladimir Putin until the war is over and his regime toppled. Read More: The Woman Fighting to Free Her Husbandand All Political Prisonersin Russia A historian by training, Vladimir still says its only a matter of time before it does. The arc of history may not bend as fast as we wish, but it does bend towards liberty, Vladimir says. Russia will be a democracy, and we need to support those people who are the basis for this future democracy now. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. TIME: To start, what was the prisoner exchange process like for you both? Evgenia Kara-Murza: On Sunday [July 28], we started hearing that certain political prisoners had begun to disappear. And then on Tuesday, a few more names were added to that list. In Vladimirs case, the lawyer was told that Vladimir was still in [a maximum-security prison in] Omsk and that he had been sent to a different medical facility for some testing. This had already happened before, so we didnt think too much of it. Read More: Who Was Released in the U.S.-Russia Prisoner Swap? But I thought the names on that list sort of indicated that something was happening because Lilia Chanysheva, Ksenia Fadeyeva, and Vadim Ostaninthese are people from [Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalnys] Anti-Corruption Foundation. Theres Oleg Orlov from Memorial and Ilya Yashin and Andrei Pivovarov, Vladimirs colleagues and friends, both politicians. This obviously indicated that something was happening and I decided for the first time in over two years to stay silent, to keep quiet. I was afraid that even if Vladimir was not on that list himself, if he was still in Omsk, I didnt want to botch it up for others because it felt like something was happening. When did you know for certain? Evgenia: The kids and I found out in the Oval Office. Really? Evgenia: Yes. The night before the meeting with the President, I got a call from the White House requesting our presence the next morning. They didnt tell me if it was good or bad news. They just said that the President requested our presence. And so we presented ourselves at the White House on Thursday, and I saw the three other families there: Paul Whelans family, Alsu Kurmashevas family, and Evan Gershkovichs family. We came around 9 a.m., but we waited until after 11. I think that they actually were waiting for confirmation. I think that they were cautious until the very last moment and just wanted to make sure that it actually happens because, well, they were dealing with Vladimir Putin and the thing that he does the best is lying. Vladimir, what was the experience from your side? Vladimir: Well, the short answer is I found out on the bus at the last moment. This is the case for all of us. But for me it all began earlier, on Tuesday the 23rd of July. Suddenly, the door of my prison cell opened and two officers came in, uniformed, and they said I need to get out. And they led me to a prison office. There was a desk, a big portrait of Putin on the wall, and there was a blank piece of paper, a pen, and a template next to it, and they told me to sit down and write a petition for pardon, addressed to Vladimir Putin, in which I was supposed to say that I fully admit my guilt of all the crimes Ive been convicted of. Originally I thought it was a joke, so I actually started laughing in these peoples faces. But they just looked at me and said please write this. I said, no, Im not going to write this because I do not consider Putin to be a legitimate president. Im not going to admit my guilt because Im not guilty of anything. They asked me five more times. I said no. They led me back into my cell. Two days later, on Thursday, July 25th, the same two guys walk in and take me to the same room. Theres a different piece of paper this time, like a pre-prepared form with a pen. And they tell me, Two days ago, you allowed yourself some offensive comments about our president, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. The director of the prison requests that you write an official explanation. And I say, okay, this Im going to be very happy to write. As [the Soviet-Russian writer Mikhail] Bulgakov wrote, It is easy and pleasant to tell the truth. So I sit down and I write everything that I said on paper: That Putin is a dictator, a usurper, a murder; that hes personally responsible for the death of [the liberal Russian politician] Boris Nemtsov, that hes personally responsible for the death of Alexei Navalny, that hes personally responsible for the death of thousands of civilians, including children, in Ukraine, and that I very much hope to see the day when he stands trial for everything he has done; and how Im not going to admit any guilt because Im not guilty of anything and that the criminals are those who are waging this war, not those who are speaking out against it. I signed it, I dated it, and I gave it to them. I hope they kept it somewhere, that piece of paper. They brought me back into the cell, and at this stage, I have absolutely no idea why this is happening. And then, on Saturday night at about 3 a.m., the doors of my cell burst open again, and theres a massive bunch of people. There are two uniformed officers and six plain clothes and the director of the prison. At that moment, I was certain that I was being led out to be executed. I thought they're just going to shoot me in some nearby wood and say I was trying to escape. I mean, thats the usual trick. But then, instead of the wood, they took me to the airport. What was that experience like? Vladimir: I was in solitary confinement for 11 months, so not being able to speak to anybody ever; just sitting alone in my cell all the time. And suddenly I'm in the middle of a normal civilian airport. And it was crazy. They boarded me on a normal passenger plane and flew me to Moscow. Needless to say, they dont take prisoners on planes. I know that theyre probably not going to shoot me, because why take me to Moscow for that? When we landed in Moscow, I was taken down in handcuffs, put on a paddy wagon and driven somewhere. They didnt tell me where, but I'm a Muscovite. I know what Lefortovo looks like. This is the notorious prison in Moscow where everybody from [Russian dissidents Aleksandr] Solzhenitsyn to [Natan] Sharansky to [Vladimir] Bukovsky were held. As a historian, Ive read so much about this prison in books. Now, Ive been there. They took me to the cellobviously solitary confinement, as it was everywhere else. But I have to say it was like a sanatorium compared to my prison in Omsk, because there was actually a normal bed. In Omsk, I had this bunk that got attached to the wall at 5 a.m. until lights out at 9 p.m., so all day you could either walk inside the cell or sit on this really uncomfortable small stool. Here, there was a normal bed. The food was much better than what I had in Omsk. In Omsk I only got a pen and paper for 90 minutes a day. That was the only time I could write anything. In Lefortovo, nobody cared. I had my Spanish textbook, I had my notepads, my pens, I could do whatever I wanted. I could read. Frankly, it was like I was on holiday. I was just enjoying this time. Nobody explained anything. I tried to ask what is happening here. They said, Youll know in good time. By this stage, Im thinking there's going to be a new criminal case. And then, on the morning of the first of August, the deputy director of Lefortovo comes in. They bring me all my stuff, like all the bags that I brought from Omsk and they say, Put the civilian clothes that you have with you. They took me down to the ground floor. It was like a scene out of some kind of Hollywood movie. There was a row of men in black balaclavas. Ive seen a lot of stuff in prison, but it was still really scary, just the sight of that. They walked me out with these men in balaclavas into the courtyard and there was a bus standing there with black-tinted windows. Theres no light in the bus, so its really dark. And in every row in that bus, there is a man in a black balaclava, and next to each of them I see a friend, a colleague of mine. The first guy I saw was Oleg Orlov from Memorial. The second one I saw was Andrei Pivovarov from Open Russia. The third person I saw was Ilya Yashin. And only at that moment I realized what was happening here, because there could only be one reason why we would all be sitting in the same bus from different regions, from different prisons. As a historian, did your knowledge of Russian dissidents throughout history provide a kind of comfort during your own experience of political imprisonment? Did history help you cope with the present? Vladimir: Oh absolutely, in many different ways. First in a very practical sense, because a lot of the stuff that Soviet dissidents write abouttheyre exactly the same now. From the daily schedule to the setup of the prison cell to how you communicate with the prison officials, everything is just exactly the same. I knew they survived it, so so can we. Frankly, my education as a historian has never helped me in my life more than it helped me in prison. All these things have happened in Russian history before. This happened under the tsars, this happened under the Soviets. And we know that it ended. And we also know how it ended. And this will end exactly the same way. We do not know when, precisely. We dont know precisely in what circumstances. But the Putin regime will end, and the people who are in prison only for their views and their convictions will get out. And Russia will be democratic. I dont just think this or believe this. I know this, because history is just as much a science as chemistry or physics. It has its own laws, it has its own logic. And nobodynot even Putincan bypass or amend or cancel the logic and the laws of history. Its sort of funny and ironicI can laugh about it now because it wasnt so funny in prison. But theres this belief that its every historians subconscious dream to actually personally experience the era of his study. If thats the case, I got the best possible [laughs] including Lefortovo. Be careful what you wish for. Vladimir: Absolutely. Evgenia, when we first spoke last year, you had already begun taking up the mantle of Vladimirs activism. And today, you were awarded alongside Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya the 2024 Lantos Human Rights Prize for your work fighting against tyranny and autocracy. Evgenia: I am truly humbled by this. I have no other words. Vladimir: Its a well-deserved recognition if ever there was one. Thats all I can say. Well, you became a Russian opposition figure in your own right. Your friend, Bill Browder, told me that hes never seen somebody, including Vladimir, whos as effective at convincing people to take action. Vladimir: She is better than me! Theres no question about it. I guess my question is: Do you plan to continue that work? Or are you both taking time to rest and spend time with your family first? Vladimir: Not as much as wed wish, to be honest. Evgenia: The Americans who have been released sort of went into hiding, to process all of that, to recuperate, to do all these things. This would be the normal thing to do under these circumstances. But the United States is not at war with a neighboring country. The Russian state is at war with Ukraine. People continue dying on a daily basis. The number of political prisoners in Russia is on the rise. It continues growing every day. And these people who were released, including Vladimir, theyre very prominent public figures and politicians and activists, and they feel like they need to step in right away. In our case, going into hiding to spend time with the family and just breathe is a luxury. And this scares me, honestly, because I dont know how much strength Ive got left. And I dont even imagine how it is for Vladimir and for other now-former political prisoners. The PTSD that theyre going through is there, its a real thing. So were going to take it one step at a time, I guess, hoping that our bodies and our minds are strong enough to keep on for as long as is required of us, and trying to fit in some family time here and there. But Vladimir will be here for Thanksgiving, and that is my favorite holiday, because this is a day to gather around the table and say thanks. And he missed two Thanksgivings and hes finally here, and hes going to be here for Christmas and hes going to be here for the kids birthdays. So thats what matters, and that is what we need to make happen for other political prisoners as well. What does the future of the Russian opposition look like? Vladimir, youve been targeted multiple times at this point, including two poisonings. Do you feel safe embarking on this work? Evgenia: This has never been safe for Vladimir, and its not safe for any of us. Vladimir always talks about being paranoid and how that is absolutely destructive, and I fully agree with this. If you give into fearthe fear that is very natural to experience in this situation, you lose and they win. As for the work, I will continue working with the Free Russia Foundation, this civil society organization that encompasses, supports, and encourages different civil society groups, initiatives, et cetera. Of course, we will continue building up the 30 October Foundation, which was set up on Vladimirs request using his prize money from the Vaclav Havel and other prizes that he received since his imprisonment to provide financial aid and support to families of political prisoners. I will also continue being the advocacy director at the Free Russia Foundation, speaking on behalf of Russian civil society, political prisoners. It's going to be hard to divide the work because before Vladimirs imprisonment it had been his work entirely. Then it became my work, and now we need to find out whos better at what. Vladimir: Unfortunately, there will be a lot of work for both of us. Evgenia: It's going to be team work, as always. But Im afraid that I will have to remain a public figure. I set myself a goal: When there is peace and when there is change in Russia, then Ill reconsider and if my voice is no longer needed, I will be very happy to step aside and go and grow roses and bake cookies for the kids. Vladimir: First of all, I just want to say that I dont know enough words in any language to adequately express how grateful I feel to my wife for everything she has donenot only on my behalf, but on behalf of everybody who has been unjustly imprisoned in Putins Russia for opposing the war, for opposing the dictatorship. We have this long standing tradition in Russia, the tradition of the Decembrist Wife. These were the wives of the military officers who in 1825 under Tsar Nicholas I tried to stage an insurrection, unfortunately unsuccessful, where they tried to overthrow autocracy and introduce a constitution. Some of them were executed, many more were sent out into exile in Siberia, including to Omsk where I was imprisoned. And their wives essentially took on their missions, they took on their work, as well as the work they also took on caring for the families and the children and the homes, and many of them actually followed their husbands into exile to be next to them and to stand with them and to support them. So, there are many unfortunate and tragic traditions that have been brought back in our countryfor example, the tradition of imprisoning people for their views and their convictions. But there are also some good ones coming back, and the tradition of the Decembrist Wife is certainly back, and Im very fortunate to be a beneficiary of that. Everything in Russia still stands on strong women. In terms of the work, well well have a lot of work cut out for us, to be honest. And I think its a long time yet before Evgenia can grow her roses. What are your main goals going forward? Vladimir: Were going to be here for two hours if I start mentioning all of it, but Ill just name the three most important things: One is the continued advocacy on behalf of political prisoners in Russia and in neighboring Belarus. The second part is to continue what Ive been doing for so many years: public diplomacy, if you will, to finally open the worlds eyes to the nature of the Putin regime. We need to continue to talk about the crimes and the aggression committed by Putins regime. We need to continue to be the voices not just of the political prisoners in Russia, but frankly speaking of all the normal, democratically-minded people in Russia, of whom there are many. The Kremlin propaganda tries to portray that everybody in Russia supported Putin and his war on Ukraine. It is a lie. There are millions of people who dont, and they dont have any voice. We need to be the political representatives of those millions and millions of people in Russia who reject Putins dictatorship, who are against his aggression in Ukrainethe people, frankly, who are the future of our country. And the third point, and this is going to be one of the most important areas of our work: We need to start working on a roadmap on a future, post-authoritarian transition in Russia towards a democracy. And this has two sides: One is the work we will need to conduct and undergo and engage in domestically in Russia, to try to heal and frankly re-educate our society after a quarter century of Putinism. Thats a trauma on society, the consequence of which were going to feel for years and years. And there needs to be public reflection, there needs to be public accounting for, there needs to be some sort of rethinking of Russia as a country, as a state, and a society. From the international side, and this is just as important, this roadmap needs to include a path to reintegrate a future, post-Putin, democratic Russia back into the civilized world, back into the rules-based international order, back into Europe. We cannot have stability, peace, and security in the world without the worlds largest country. We cannot have a Europe that is free and at peace without Europes largest country, which is Russia. That needs to be a part of the construct going forward. How soon do you envisage this happening? Vladimir: The way major historical changes happen in Russiaand, again, this is me speaking as a historianis usually like this: Nobody can predict it even a week before. I mean, both the Romanov Empire at the beginning of the 20th century and the Soviet regime at the end of the 20th century went down in three days. This is not a figure of speechliterally in three days. And this is how things will happen the next time. We dont know exactly how, we dont know exactly in which circumstances, but this is how it will happen. You sound pretty certain of this. Vladimir: I know it will happenits only a question of time, and we need to be preparing for that now. When my plane was taking off from Vnukovo for the exchange to Ankara, the FSB guy who was sitting next to me turned to me and said, Look out the window. Its the last time youll see your motherland. I just laughed in his face and said, No. I can tell you as a historian, I dont only think, I dont only believe, I know I will be back here. And its going to happen much quicker than you ever think. Write to Yasmeen Serhan at yasmeen.serhan@time.com. (Reuters) - Authorities in Russia's Kursk region have decided to evacuate the population of its Glushkov district, acting governor Alexei Smirnov said late on Wednesday, amid the continued advance of Ukrainian forces into the border region. The district directly borders Ukraine and has a population of about 20,000 people and Smirnov said on the Telegram messaging app that police and other state bodies would coordinate the evacuation process. Ukraine said on Wednesday its cross-border invasion had advanced one to two kilometres into the Kursk region since the start of the day and that its troops had finished clearing the Russian border town of Sudzha of Moscow's forces. Russian officials have said that nearly 200,000 people were being evacuated following the attack. (Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Michael Perry) Striking staff at a Jacobs Creek winery in Australia have reached an agreement with Pernod Ricard to end industrial action. The Barossa Valley winery employees obtained a 5% wage increase that is backdated to 1 July. Workers will also get one additional day off per year and an increase from three to five of medically certified days off. Staff at the winery were seeking pay levels that are more in-line with Australias CPI which is up 16% in the last three years, while workers pay has only gone up 7%, the union claims. Approximately 120 staff endorsed 24-hour stoppages, the first of which occurred on 30 July. Workers were represented by the United Workers Union. In the bargaining agreement reached with Pernod Ricard, the Barossa Valley winery workers received a tiered payout system for personal leave upon contract termination, which in some cases could be up to 30%. Staff also won improved progression to higher job grades and fewer obstacles regarding upskill opportunities. This is a huge win for members in South Australia and another example of what can be achieved when workers stand united and take action for a fair-deal, a spokesperson for the United Workers Unions said. However, the fight isnt over. Good, secure jobs are the lifeblood of regional communities. Members are already gearing up for next years bargaining with new owners, Accolade Wines. Last month, Pernod Ricard struck a deal to offload a clutch of wine assets to Australian Wine Holdco Limited (AWL), the owner of Australia-headquartered Accolade Wines. That deal included Jacobs Creek. The United Workers Union said its members had been left uncertain of their futures following the deal to sell the assets to AWL, citing ambiguity around the impact of the transaction. The Jameson whiskey maker said the sale of the assets will help it hone in on its global spirits and Champagnes portfolio which drive the growth of its business. Pernod Ricard expects the sale to be completed by the first half of 2025. The deal will include the wine brands Jacobs Creek, Brancott Estate and Campo Viejo, as well as seven wineries. The French wine and spirit group is retaining wine brands including Etchart in Argentina, Chateau Sainte Marguerite in France and Kenwood Vineyards in the US. "Workers at Jacobs Creek winery reach deal with Pernod Ricard" was originally created and published by Just Drinks, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. By Guy Faulconbridge and Maxim Rodionov MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia said on Thursday that it would beef up border defences, improve command and control and send in additional forces nearly 10 days after Ukraine made the biggest attack on Russian sovereign territory since World War Two. The lightning incursion into Russia unfurled on Aug. 6 when thousands of Ukrainian troops smashed through Russia's western border in a major embarrassment for President Vladimir Putin's top military brass. Russia's military, ranked as one of the most powerful alongside the United States and China, has yet to explain in public how Ukrainian forces were able to carve out a slice of the world's biggest nuclear power. Putin's defence minister, Andrei Belousov, said the general staff had prepared a series of measures to defend Russia's border regions of Kursk, Bryansk and Belgorod - which cover an area the size of Portugal. "First of all, we are talking about improving the effectiveness of the command and control system in cooperation with other law enforcement agencies," Belousov was shown telling top generals and officials from the Belgorod region. Belousov, appointed by Putin in May, said Russia was "allocating additional forces and funds" to ensure the integrity and inviolability of Russian territory. While the Ukrainian attack has revealed weaknesses in Russia's border defences and changed the public narrative of the conflict, Russian officials said what they cast as a Ukrainian "terrorist invasion" would not change the course of the war. Russia, which invaded Ukraine in 2022, has been advancing for most of the year along the 1000-km (620-mile) front in Ukraine and has a vast numerical superiority. It controls 18% of Ukraine. WAR On the ground in the Kursk region, where Ukraine has carved out at least 450 square km (175 square miles) of Russian territory, both Ukraine and Russia claimed successes. Russia said it had regained control of the settlement of Krupets in the Kursk region. "We have burned everything that moves, everything that we have been able to find," Major General Apti Alaudinov, who commands Chechnya's Akhmat special forces who are fighting in Kursk. Ukraine's top commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi said Ukraine had advanced 1.5 km over the past 24 hours and had set up a military commandant's office to ensure order. A source in the Ukrainian Security Service said a group of more than 100 Russian soldiers had been captured. Separately, a Ukrainian minister said Kyiv was carving out a buffer zone to protect its population against attack. By bringing the war to Russia, Zelenskiy faces the risk of weakening Kyiv's defences along the front. Ukraine said there was no sign Russian military pressure was receding along the eastern front, and reported the heaviest fighting in weeks near Pokrovsk. Russia said it had taken control of a village just 16 km (10 miles) from the city, which sits abreast of major roads that supply Ukrainian forces in the area. WESTERN WEAPONS The West, which backs Ukraine and has said it will not allow Putin to win the war, has repeatedly said it knew nothing of the Ukrainian plans to attack Russia. Russian officials say they do not believe such statements. Putin said on Monday that Ukraine "with the help of its Western masters" was aiming to improve Kyiv's negotiating position ahead of possible peace talks. Russia's defence ministry published footage which it said showed a Russian drone destroying a U.S.-made Stryker armoured combat vehicle in the Kursk region. Russian officials have warned that if Western weapons were used on Russian territory, then Moscow would consider that a grave escalation. British weapons can be used by Ukrainian forces in operations on Russian territory, Britain's Ministry of Defence said on Thursday, but restrictions on the use of long-range Storm Shadow missiles remain. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge in Moscow and Maxim Rodionov in London; editing by Philippa Fletcher) A Russian court sentenced Russian-American dual national Ksenia Karelina to 12 years in prison for treason Thursday after she donated $50 to a Ukrainian-American charity. Karelina, a 33-year old former ballerina who was living in Los Angeles and became a U.S. citizen in 2021, was first detained in February while visiting relatives in Yekaterinburg, the central Russian city where shes from. Russias lead security agency, the FSB, alleged Karelina collected money in the interests of one of the Ukrainian organizations, which was subsequently used to purchase tactical medical supplies, equipment, weapons, and ammunition for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, according to the exiled, independent Russian-language news publication Meduza. They also accused her of repeatedly joining public events in support of Ukraine. Putin Frees Gershkovich and Other Americans in Exchange for Russian Hitman But, according to Pervy Otdel (Department One), a human rights law group set up by exiled lawyer Ivan Pavlov, the extent of evidence in her case was merely one $51.80 bank transfer from her American account to Razom, a Ukrainian-American human rights non-profit. Pervy Otdel said that, according to Karelinas lawyer Mikhail Mushailov, she was originally detained on charges of petty hooliganism and put under administrative arrest for 14 days. This is when, he says, they seized and hacked her phone, finding evidence to lay harsher charges. Mushailov said he plans to appeal the verdict against his client, and told Meduza that the court ordered the destruction of Ksenias phone, raising the question of how material evidence was handled. State prosecutors demanded Karelina be jailed for 15 years at her June trial, which was held at the same court as Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal reporter who was freed as part of a prisoner swap earlier this month after he was falsely convicted of espionage charges. In fact, the same judge that heard Gershkovichs case, Andrei Mineev, rendered her 12-year sentence, to be served at a penal colony. She was also fined 300,000 rubles ($3,375). Razom is appalled by reports that a U.S.-Russian dual national has been arrested by Russian authorities for purportedly making a charitable donation to Razom for Ukraine in the immediate aftermath of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine, said the non-profit, in a statement. Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly shown that he holds no sovereign border, foreign nationality, or international treaty above his own narrow interest. Earlier this month, the U.S. and Russia completed their largest prisoner swap since the collapse of the Soviet Union, with 24 people including Gerskovich, former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, and a Russian hitman changing hands. Karelinas sentencing comes just a day after Moscows Meshchansky district detained another American national, identified as Joseph Tater, for 15 days over suspicions he attacked a police officer. Karelinas boyfriend, the South African pro boxer Chris van Heerden, expressed his frustration that she wasnt included in that prisoner swap to CBS News Thursday. Ksenia should be home, and Im angry, and Im trying to hold my composure, he told the broadcaster. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Russia is moving some forces to Kursk Oblast, but its unclear how many White House John Kirby, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the White House, has confirmed that Russia has begun to move some forces to Kursk Oblast, where the Armed Forces of Ukraine are advancing. Source: European Pravda citing MSNBC Details: Kirby declined to give an assessment of the situation in Kursk Oblast, but confirmed that the US is monitoring Russia's response "in terms of diverting some military manpower and resources to the Kursk area". "[Its] not clear to us exactly how much theyre going to do, I mean how many forces theyre going to put there or what their intentions are, or what theyre going to do about what the Ukrainians are doing," he added. The White House official noted that the United States is in contact with Ukraine "in real time" to better understand the situation on the ground. "In the meantime, were going to continue to make sure that Ukraine has the weapons and capabilities that it needs to defend itself," Kirby stated. He refused to specify what kind of equipment he was talking about but added that the US would be announcing new military assistance packages to Ukraine "in the coming weeks". The Wall Street Journal recently reported on the deployment of Russian forces in Kursk Oblast, citing sources. According to Reuters, the US currently regards Ukraine's unexpected incursion into Russia's Kursk Oblast as a defensive move that allows Kyiv to use American equipment, but it has expressed concern about potential complications as Ukrainian troops move deeper into Russian territory. Support UP or become our patron! Russia offers workers up to $4,000 to dig trenches in Kursk Oblast Russian job portals are advertising trench-digging positions in Kursk Oblast as Ukrainian forces continue to gain ground in the Russian border region, CNN reported on Aug. 14. Ukraine's cross-border incursion into neighboring Kursk Oblast began on Aug. 6, and by Aug. 13, Ukraine said it controlled 74 settlements in the region. The job ads call for "general workers" who are able to dig fortifications in Kursk Oblast, with posted pay rates ranging between 150,000-371,000 rubles (approximately $1,600-4,000). In the days following Ukraine's surprise incursion across the border into Russia, reports surfaced of Russian personnel digging trenches near the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) in preparation for Ukraine's advance. Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) also reported on Aug. 11 that Russia was working to build up its border fortifications but had not dedicated adequate personnel to the task. "Sparsely manned and equipped border fortifications proved insufficient at preventing Ukrainian gains at the outset of the Ukrainian incursion into Kursk Oblast, and the Russian military command will likely conclude that further manpower and equipment commitments to the international border will be required," the ISW wrote. Tge Foreign Ministry has said that the aim of Ukraine's incursion is to prevent Russia from sending reinforcements to the front lines in Donetsk Oblast. The offensive is also designed to disrupt Russian logistics and halt cross-border attacks in lieu of conducting long-range strikes with Western arms, which remain restricted by international partners. Read also: Ukraine war latest: Over 100 Russian troops captured in Kursk Oblast in less than a day, Syrskyi says Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. British Challenger 2 tanks have been used in Ukraines daring cross-border raid into Russia, it emerged on Thursday. A UK military source confirmed to The Telegraph that the tanks had been deployed on Russian soil for the first time as Kyiv pressed on with its incursion in the Kursk region. Moscows defence ministry shared footage of a Challenger 2 racing through the Russian countryside. The unverified video appeared to show a Russian kamikaze drone striking the tank near the Ukrainian-occupied town of Sudzha. Western analysts questioned the heavily-edited footage and said it was unlikely that the tank had been destroyed, as claimed by Russian sources. Britain sent Ukraine 14 Challenger 2 tanks last year the first donation of Nato-standard main battle tanks. Kyiv has used them sparingly during offensive operations. Last September, a Challenger 2 was destroyed by enemy fire in southern Ukraine when Ukrainian forces were bogged down by Moscows defences. The Ministry of Defence has never placed restrictions on the use of conventional British weapons on Russian soil, as long as they are used against targets in accordance with international law. However, Storm Shadow cruise missiles have been restricted to targets on Ukraines sovereign soil and the occupied peninsula of Crimea. Classified US intelligence documents leaked shortly after their delivery to Ukraine said the Challengers were assigned to Kyivs 82nd brigade. Elements of the brigade were part of the initial thrust into Russia, made up of four elite brigades trained and equipped by Nato. A now-deleted photograph shared by the 82nd Air Assault Brigade, elements of which are fighting on Russian soil, showed the British-donated tank in the background. Ukraine has captured more than 1,000 square kilometres of the Kursk region since its forces launched the surprise cross-border raid into the region early last week. Kyivs has made use of US-supplied Stryker armoured fighting vehicles, German-made Marder tanks, mine-clearing machines and tank transporters, and at least one French armoured personnel carrier. Click here to view this content. Washington also granted Ukrainian forces permission to use its Himars rocket launchers, which killed hundreds of Russian troops in a reinforcement convoy en route to the main area of fighting in Kursk. Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a former British tank commander, said the introduction of the Challenger 2 was likely to be a sign that Kyiv was attempting to reinforce success. He added: Its a mark piece of kit and has a psychological hold over the Russians. The demonstration of combined arms manoeuvre is the first time in this war and very impressive. It must have taken months of training in secret, which is amazing on this transparent battlefield. Click here to view this content. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Russia has begun to deploy its forces to Kursk Oblast, but the exact number of Russian troops currently in place or awaiting redeployment is unknown, U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said on Aug. 15 in an interview with MSNBC channel. Ukraine has achieved tactical success in its Kursk incursion, claiming to control 82 Russian settlements, including the town of Sudzha, as of Aug. 15, according to Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. Ukraine also established the first military administration in the Ukrainian-held parts of Russia's Kursk Oblast, which will be led by General Eduard Moskaliov, a former commander of the Joint Forces, Syrskyi added. Kirby declined to assess the Ukrainian operation in Kursk Oblast but said that the U.S. was monitoring Russia's reaction and the redeployment of its troops. The U.S. is in "real-time" contact with Ukraine to better understand the situation in Kursk Oblast, he added. "In the meantime, we are going to continue to make sure that Ukraine has the weapons and capabilities that it needs to defend itself. We are going to continue to talk to Ukrainians," Kirby said. Kirby refused to answer a question about further missile shipments to Ukraine, adding that the U.S. will announce new aid packages "in the coming weeks." While U.S. officials have not yet determined the exact number of troops Russia has sent to combat Ukraine's incursion into Kursk Oblast, "multiple brigade-sized elements made up of at least 1,000 troops each appeared to have shifted" to the region, CNN reported on Aug. 15, citing two unnamed senior U.S. officials. On Aug. 15, a source close to President Volodymyr Zelensky's administration told the Kyiv Independent that discussions between Ukraine and U.S. President Joe Biden's administration about supplies of long-range cruise missiles are "in the advanced stages." The timeline of when the missiles could arrive in Ukraine is unclear, the source said, adding that sometime this fall is in consideration. President Zelensky's Office declined to comment on the matter. According to Politico, the U.S. is considering providing Ukraine with JASSM missiles, which can be launched over 200 miles (nearly 322 kilometers) from fourth-generation F-16s. While the U.S. currently has a ban on supplying long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine, a reversal of the ban would not be unprecedented. Since the beginning of the war, the U.S. has reversed policies banning Patriot air defense systems, M1 Abrams tanks, F16 fighter jets and many other weapons platforms from entering the battlefield. Read also: General Mick Ryan on Ukraines strategic calculus in Kursk Oblast Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. American-Russian ballerina Ksenia Karelina was sentenced to 12 years in prison in Russia on Thursday. Photo by Stringer/EPA-EFE Aug. 15 (UPI) -- Former ballerina Ksenia Karelina, who holds dual American-Russian citizenship, was sentenced on Thursday to 12 years in a penal colony for allegedly trying to raise money for the Ukrainian military. Karelina, who lives in California, was arrested in Russia in January for supposedly organizing pro-Ukrainian rallies and posting messages against Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Karelina, who also goes by Khavana, was sentenced in the Sverdlovsk Regional Court but plans to appeal. Karelina's attorney Mikhail Mushailov said he would seek an appeal of the verdict and look to have her request to be freed in a prisoner exchange fulfilled. When asked about Karelina, following a prisoner swap that saw the release of Wall Street Journal Reporter Evan Gershkovich, former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan and others State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said work will continue to free all Americans who are wrongfully detained. "Let me be very clear that this government, this administration, is not going to stop working," he said. Karelina's boyfriend Chris Van Heerden said he had been calling for her to be sent home for eight months, citing the exchange. "There was a prisoner swap two weeks ago and Ksenia was not on that list," he said. "Ksenia should be home, and I'm angry, and I'm trying to hold my composure." Russian prosecutors had called for a 15-year penal colony sentence for Karelina for high treason for donating $51 to a charity that supported Ukraine. The charity she donated to, Razom for Ukraine, said it does humanitarian aid work and was "appalled" that it was used in the arrest of Karelina. She was arrested in Yekaterinburg, the same city where Gershkovich was arrested and charged with espionage last March. He was recently freed in a massive multi-nation prisoner swap. Karelina was in the city visiting her elderly parents when she was taken into custody. Russia sentences US citizen to 12 years imprisonment for donating to Ukraine charity A Russian court has sentenced dual U.S.-Russian citizen Ksenia Karelina to 12 years in prison for treason, Russian independent media outlet Mediazona reported on Aug. 15. Karelina, a resident of Los Angeles, was arrested in Russia earlier this year while visiting her grandparents. Russian authorities charged her with treason because she donated $51.80 to the nonprofit organization Razom for Ukraine. Russia claimed she had provided funding to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Karelina's trial began June 20 at a court in Yekaterinburg and was held behind closed doors. Her lawyer said on Aug. 7 that she pleaded guilty to the charge. Karelina was not included in a major prisoner exchange that occurred on Aug. 1. Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, and Russian dissident Vladimir Kara-Murza were all released as part of the swap. According to the local media outlet Vecherniye Vedomosti, Karelina was sentenced by Andrey Mineyev, the same judge who sentenced Gershkovich in July, shortly before the swap took place. The prosecution asked for Karelina to be sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. Razom for Ukraine responded to Karelina's arrest in February that it was "appalled by reports that a U.S.-Russian dual national has been arrested by Russian authorities for purportedly making a charitable donation" to the organization. Sign up for our newsletter WTF is wrong with Russia? Sign up Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. FILE PHOTO: A portrait of Ksenia Karelina with her former in-laws and ex-husband in Maryland YEKATERINBURG, Russia (Reuters) -Dual Russian-American citizen Ksenia Karelina was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Thursday after a Russian court found her guilty of treason for donating money to a charity supporting Ukraine. The Los Angeles spa worker pleaded guilty at her closed trial in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg, where her case was heard by the same court and judge that convicted Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich of espionage in July. The court said investigators found that on Feb. 24, 2022 - the first day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine - Karelina had "transferred funds in the interests of a Ukrainian organisation, which were subsequently used for the purchase of tactical medicine items, equipment, means of defeat and ammunition by the Armed Forces of Ukraine". She had donated $51.80 to Razom for Ukraine, a New York-based charity that provides humanitarian aid to children and elderly people in Ukraine. The charity has denied it provides any military support to Kyiv. White House national security spokesman John Kirby called the sentencing cruel and said the United States would continue to seek consular access to her and press for her release. "Its nothing less than vindictive cruelty. Were talking about 50 bucks to try to alleviate the suffering of the people in Ukraine, and to call that treason is just absolutely ridiculous," Kirby told reporters. Christopher van Heerden, Karelinas boyfriend, said he was "angry and sad" at the 12-year sentence, and called on the U.S. State Department to declare her "wrongfully detained", a designation that would make winning her freedom a U.S. government priority. "What about this is not wrongful?" said van Heerden, 36, a professional boxer from South Africa who met Karelina four years ago and planned to propose to her after she returned from visiting her family in Russia. "Shes facing 12 years in prison for a $51 donation that she made as an American citizen on American soil." The U.S. State Department, which advises Americans not to travel to Russia, said it reiterated its "strong warnings" about the danger they face there and urged any U.S. citizens currently in the country to leave. In a separate development, the Moscow court service said on Thursday that another American, Joseph Tater, had been placed in pre-trial detention until Oct. 14 on a charge of assaulting a police officer. He is already serving a 15-day prison sentence for abusing staff in a Moscow hotel, which he denied, and could face up to five years if convicted on the assault charge. HOPED-FOR EXCHANGE Karelina, 33, was not included in a major prisoner swap between Russia and the West two weeks ago that freed Gershkovich and 15 others from Russian and Belarusian jails in exchange for eight prisoners held in the West. She appeared in court in a white sweatshirt and blue jeans, sitting calmly in a glass cage. Speaking to reporters outside the courtroom, her lawyer Mikhail Mushailov said he was working to include her in a future exchange. "We will certainly perform legally-significant actions to start the exchange procedure and finalise it as soon as possible," he said, adding that Karelina planned to appeal. Mushailov said that while Karelina admitted she had donated the money, she "did not envision that the funds that she transferred would be used for these anti-Russian activities." INTERROGATIONS AT THE AIRPORT Karelina was born in Russia and emigrated to the United States in 2012 via a work-study program, receiving American citizenship in 2021. Family and friends have described her as someone who didn't much care for politics and said they were shocked by her arrest. Problems began immediately for Karelina on her arrival in Russia to visit family at the start of the year, when authorities learned she had a U.S. passport. Officers of the FSB security service interrogated her and took her cellphone, on which they found the 2022 donation to the charity, Razom. The FSB interrogated her for up to two hours during mandatory weekly check-ins and banned her from leaving the city, according to the website Three days before she was due to return to Los Angeles, Karelina was arrested on a hooliganism charge and jailed for 15 days. Just before her release, she was slapped with the state treason charge. (Reporting by Reuters in Moscow and London and Jonathan Landay, Steve Holland and Susan Heavey in Washington; Writing by Lucy Papachristou and Mark Trevelyan) (Bloomberg) -- Sequoia Capital-backed Quantum Circuits Inc. raised more than $60 million from investors including a fund set up by the US Central Intelligence Agency, as concern grows about quantum computings potential security implications. Most Read from Bloomberg Sequoias only portfolio company in the nascent field said on Thursday it won an investment from In-Q-Tel Inc., a nonprofit that deploys funds from US intelligence agencies. Quantum Circuits will use the money to commercialize time on its superconducting quantum computer which boasts built-in error-detection. Quantum computers are still years away from delivering world-changing performance, but fears around the military and economic advantages they might give rivals are keeping investments flowing. Touting computing speeds millions of times faster than classical computers, quantum technologys promise is attracting bets from the likes of Alphabet Inc., Honeywell International Inc. and International Business Machines Corp., as well as governments around the world. Spun out of Yale University, Quantum Circuits seeks to make error correction more efficient in quantum computers, thereby making them more commercially viable. The conventional approach is to scale up first and then deal with errors, but the New Haven-based company provides a superconducting architecture based on so-called dual-rail cavity technology to make real-time correction possible, according to co-founder Robert Schoelkopf, an applied physics professor at Yale. We basically are building much more robust qubits, and we correct them first and then scale, he said, referring to the basic unit of quantum processors. Catching errors at the single-qubit level leads to more consistent and repeatable computing results, according to Schoelkopf, who added that conventional qubits in large arrays favored by Alphabets Google and IBM make error correction a challenge. In addition to Sequoia, Arch Venture Partners, F-Prime Capital Partners and Hither Creek Ventures led the Series B round, which also included investments from Canaan Partners and Fitz Gate Ventures. Riverlane, a startup that designs chips to help reduce quantum computing errors, last week said it raised $75 million. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Russian attacks across Ukraine over the past day killed at least five people and injured at least 21 others, regional authorities reported early on Aug. 15. Ukrainian air defenses downed all 29 "kamikaze" drones launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported. Russia also reportedly attacked Ukraine with three Kh-59 missiles from Kursk Oblast. Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported that two people had been killed in the region over the past day, and four people were injured. In Bilyi Kolodiaz, a village located around 10 kilometers (6 miles) from Vovchansk, a drone attack on a vehicle killed a male and female combat medic from the Hospitallers Medical Battalion. The attack also injured three civilians traveling in another car, Syniehubov said. A 64-year-old man was also injured in the city of Kupiansk when a Russian drone hit his car. Syniehubov reported four combat clashes with Russian forces in the direction of Vovchansk and Sotnytskyi Kozachok, while nine combat attacks were recorded in the direction of Kupiansk. Russian attacks in Kherson Oblast killed one person and injured 13 others, including a child, governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported. Attacks damaged 16 houses, critical infrastructure, gas pipelines, and farm buildings, among other infrastructure across the region. A drone attack on the city of Kherson killed one man and injured two other men aged 62 and 75. An attack on the city earlier in the day hit a house, injuring a 39-year-old woman, her 15-year-old daughter, and a 41-year-old man. In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, two men and two women were injured by Russian shelling in Vasylivskyi district, the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration reported. In total, Russian forces hit 14 settlements in Zaporizhzhia Oblast 397 times over the course of the day. Russian attacks in Donetsk Oblast killed two civilians over the past day, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported. One person was killed in the village of Maksymilianivka in Pokrovsk district and another person was killed in the village of Zoria in Kramatorsk district. Russian forces shelled populated settlements 10 times over the course of the day, Filashkin said. Other regions in Ukraine, including Sumy, Mykolaiv, and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts, came under attack over the past day, but there were no reports of civilian casualties. Read also: Updated: Ukraine hits 4 Russian airbases in largest such attack, source says Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. A Russian airstrike on the village of Prykolotne in the Kupiansk district of Kharkiv Oblast has killed two people and injured six others. Source: Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor's Office Quote: "The investigation says that on 15 August at around 15:20, the Russian Armed Forces carried out airstrikes on the village of Prykolotne in the Kupiansk district. A strike was recorded on the territory of a civilian enterprise. A fire broke out in a warehouse building with a total area of 800 square metres. Two men aged 44 and 57 were killed. Five other people - two women and three men - were injured. Those who were killed and injured were employees of the company." Details: Later, the prosecutor's office reported that the number of injured had increased to six. A 47-year-old man, also an employee of the company that came under Russian airstrike, asked for medical assistance. Support UP or become our patron! A Russian court has sentenced a Russian-American woman to 12 years in prison for treason after she made a donation of just over $50 to a US-based charity supporting Ukraine. Ksenia Karelina, 33, had pleaded guilty to the charges. She was detained in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg earlier this year while visiting her grandparents. The verdict was announced Thursday after a closed-doors trial at Sverdlovsk regional court that ended last week. Investigators said Karelina had sent money to purchase equipment and ammunition for the Ukrainian army, RIA Novosti reported. Karelinas lawyer, Mikhail Mushailov, told Russian media he would appeal the verdict. John Kirby, a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, said I think the way we would describe this sentence of 12 years is vindictive cruelty. He added: Were talking about 50 bucks to try to alleviate the suffering of people and to call that treason, is just absolutely ludicrous. Karelinas conviction comes two weeks after Russia and the West carried out the largest prisoner swap since the Cold War, where 24 people, including former US Marine Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, were released as part of a sweeping deal involving at least seven countries. Ahead of the verdict, Mushailov told Reuters she hoped to be included in a future swap. An exchange is impossible until the court verdict comes into force, he told reporters. After the verdict, of course, we will work in this direction. Karelina, a Los Angeles resident and amateur ballerina who became a US citizen in 2021, traveled to Russia in January to visit her grandparents. Chris Van Heerden, Karelinas boyfriend, told CNN her sentence was ridiculous and expressed anger that she had not been included in the prisoner swap earlier this month. Im sad, Im angry. Im trying to process all of this trying to figure out how did we end up here? he said. I know its been eight months, but it feels like yesterday I said goodbye at the airport in Istanbul, and I was going see her in a month. And now shes going to prison for 12 years. He wrote a letter to Karelina on Wednesday night, knowing she may not receive it until she reaches her prison camp. I wanted to make sure she knows that shes loved, that shes not forgotten, that we are fighting for every single day. That its not just me, but its America. And I wanted to let her know that America has not forgotten you. Stay strong, van Heerden said. The organization to which Karelina reportedly gave money, the New York-based non-profit Razom for Ukraine, has said it was appalled by her detention. Karelinas conviction comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin in April last year increased the maximum sentence for treason from 20 years to life in prison, as part of the crackdown on dissent that has intensified over two-and-a-half years of war. Her trial was held in the same court in Yekaterinburg where just last month Evan Gershkovich was convicted of espionage and sentenced to 16 years in prison, before his release in the prisoner swap. Both cases were heard by Judge Andrei Mineev. CNNs Jennifer Hansler and Sam Fossum contributed reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Ksenia Karelina, a dual American-Russian citizen, was sentenced Thursday to 12 years in a Russian penal colony on treason charges, local media reported. Karelina was arrested in January, according to Russian state media and the court. She plans to appeal the verdict, her lawyer told ABC News on Thursday. The prosecution had sought a 15-year prison sentence after Karelina entered a guilty plea, according to the court. The prosecution had also asked for a two-year probation period and a fine of 500,000 Russian rubles, or about $5,600, according to the court. PHOTO: A portrait of Ksenia Karelina with her former in-laws and ex-husband in Maryland, on Dec. 13, 2015. (Eleonora Srebroski via Reuters) MORE: Former ballerina detained in Russia has appeal denied in Siberian court A former ballerina who lives in California, Karelina holds both U.S. and Russian citizenship. She was jailed for allegedly organizing fundraisers for Ukraine's military, attending pro-Ukraine rallies and posting messages against Russia's war in Ukraine, according to Russian state media. Karelina also goes by Khavana. Her boyfriend, Chris Van Heerden, spoke to ABC News Live hours after her sentencing, saying she did nothing wrong. He said all she did was donate $50 to a Ukrainian charity. "I'm bleeding, I'm bleeding. My Ksenia is harmless. She's a sweetheart," he said. "She does not belong there. Ksenia is very proud to be American. And I'm bleeding to the American government bring her back because she believes in you. Do not disappoint her." The Sverdlovsk Regional Court had earlier extended her pretrial detention in a jail in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Investigators accused her of committing a crime under Article 275 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. She was charged under that code with "high treason." PHOTO: A general view shows the Sverdlovsk Regional Court building before a hearing for Russian-American dual citizen Ksenia Karelina, accused of treason for making a donation to a charity supporting Ukraine, in Yekaterinburg, Russia August 8, 2024. (Dmitry Chasovitin/Reuters) At a State Department briefing Thursday, deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said that despite the Biden administration's objections to Karelina's detention and now her sentencing, she has still not been declared wrongfully detained. "We've not made any formal determination," he said, adding the steps for determining a wrongful detention designation were part of a "separate deliberative process." Mikhail Mushailov, a lawyer for Karelina, told ABC News at the time of her guilty plea that after the verdict he would seek her exchange, a move that Karelina had asked for. PHOTO: Ksenia Karelina, also known by the last name of Khavana, sits in a defendant's cage in a court in Yekaterinburg, Russia, on June 20, 2024. (AP) MORE: Russia denies US access to American-Russian former ballerina accused of treason The U.S. State Department was asked earlier this month about Karelina and other dual American citizens who were being held aboard. The question came as former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and Alsu Kurmasheva, a Russian-American journalist, were brought back to the United States through a mutlicountry prisoner swap. The U.S.'s message for those who were still detained was "pretty simple," Patel told reporters during a press briefing. He added that "while today is a good day, that the work doesn't stop." "And to the American citizens who continue to be wrongfully detained or held hostage around the world, let me just be very clear that this government, this administration, is not going to stop working," Patel said. ABC News' Joe Simonetti, Will Gretsky and Shannon K. Kingston contributed to this report. Russian court sentences American Ksenia Karelina, former ballerina, to 12 years for treason originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Russian court sentences US citizen to 15 days in prison for attacking police officer A US citizen, who was sentenced to 15 days in a Russian prison for attacking a police officer, will spend the next two months in pre-trial detention, according to Moscow court officials. The American man, identified as Joseph Tater, was on Wednesday given an administrative penalty in the form of administrative arrest for a period of 15 days by the Meshchansky Court of Moscow, according to a post on the official Telegram channel of the Moscow City Courts of General Jurisdiction. Tater was found guilty of disorderly conduct, Russian state media TASS reported, following previous reports of police detaining a foreigner who violated public order while staying at a hotel in Moscow. He behaved aggressively, swore, and used foul language, TASS quoted the courts press service as saying, adding that Tater had hit a [female] police officer during detention. On Thursday, the Meshchansky District Court of Moscow granted a request made by an investigator to have Tater placed in detention until October 14, the courts press office announced on Telegram. It relates to a criminal case he faces for allegedly using violence against a government official. If convicted, the American could face imprisonment for up to five years, TASS said. Tater has submitted an application through his lawyer not to be placed in detention. The US embassy in Moscow was aware of the arrest of a US citizen identified as Joseph Tater but declined further comment due to privacy concerns, embassy spokesperson John Fer told CNN on Thursday. The US State Department said Wednesday it was aware of the reports about Tater. I dont have specifics given privacy concerns, State spokesperson Vedant Patel said. Were working to get as much information as we can, working to ascertain the consular situation, and see if consular access is available, he said, without giving further details. There are several American citizens serving sentences in Russia on drug or theft convictions, including Marc Fogel, who was convicted in 2022 for illegal possession of cannabis. Fogel, who worked in Moscow as a teacher, was arrested on drug charges in 2021 after entering the country with cannabis. He was sentenced to 14 years at a hard labor camp in Russia. US citizen Joseph Tater attending a court hearing in Moscow, Russia in handout picture released on August 14, 2024. - Moscow Court Press Service His family and lawyer have said a doctor had recommend cannabis to him to treat severe spinal pain. Fogel was not included in the largest prisoner exchange between Russia and the West since the end of the Cold War, which happened earlier this month. Twenty-four detainees were freed in the historic swap, which included Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, former US Marine Paul Whelan and Russian American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva. Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian opposition politician and one of President Vladimir Putins fiercest critics, was also freed. Separately, TASS reported that Russian-US dual national Ksenia Karelina pleaded guilty in a Russian court to treason charges, after being arrested for donating $51.80 to a charity that provides humanitarian aid to people affected by the war in Ukraine. Karelina, 33, was detained in Yekaterinburg in February while visiting her grandparents. CNNs Niamh Kennedy contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Russian hackers target former US ambassador to Ukraine in password theft attempt Kremlin-affiliated hackers have launched a cyber attack on Steven Pifer, former US ambassador to Ukraine, in a bid to obtain his password. Source: Bloomberg, citing security researchers from Access Now and the University of Torontos Citizen Lab, as reported by European Pravda Details: Since February, the hackers have targeted former US government officials, academics, prominent Russian opposition figures in exile, and media organisations in their efforts to steal passwords. This information was detailed in reports released Wednesday (14 August) by Access Now and Citizen Lab. In one instance, hackers attempted to deceive Steven Pifer, the US ambassador to Ukraine from 1998 to 2000, into handing over his password. The hackers impersonated a former US ambassador known to Pifer to gain his trust and persuade him to enter his credentials on a malicious website. It has not been reported whether they succeeded in accessing Pifer's email account. After analysing the malicious files that the hackers sent to the victims, the researchers concluded that the attackers were part of a group known as Cold River. Western governments and cybersecurity firms have previously associated the Cold River group with Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB). In December, both the US and UK governments accused Cold River of participating in a broad array of cyber-espionage activities. Background: In July, the US Department of the Treasury announced sanctions against the leaders of the hacker group Cyber Army of Russia Reborn, which attempted to attack US critical infrastructure. In May, the United States imposed sanctions on the leader of the Russian cybercriminal group LockBit, which was involved in attacks on US companies. Support UP or become our patron! Russian troops have intensified their activity near the village of Krynky in Kherson Oblast, prompting Ukrainian forces to seek new positions, Dmytro Lykhovii, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Tavria group of forces, said on Aug. 15. The small village of Krynky is a key settlement in the heavily contested Dnipro bridgehead in Russian-occupied Kherson Oblast. Before the start of the full-scale war, fewer than 1,000 people lived there. "Seven (Russian) attacks were repelled at a bridgehead on the left bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson Oblast, north of the village of Krynky, where our units moved to new positions. The enemy has become more active there than last week," Lykhovii said on national television. Due to the swampy terrain, it is challenging to build fortifications, set up observation posts, and firing positions in the area, according to the spokesperson. If Russian troops use artillery and drop incendiary munitions from drones in hot weather, fires break out. This complicates the holding of positions, and Ukrainian forces have to relocate, Lykhovii added. There are no drastic changes in the tactics of the Russian troops or its personnel quantity. No significant decrease in the number of Russian soldiers has been observed in this sector of the front line, the spokesperson said. "At the same time, there are no signs of the formation of assault forces for the Russian offensive. Positional battles continue in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, where Ukraine's Tavria Group is located," he added. Ukrainian marines first crossed the river and gained a foothold on the Russian-occupied side in October last year. Over the next two months, they secured a thin, long bridgehead along the coast. Marines achieved the most success in Krynky in December, advancing around roughly 2.5 kilometers from the river coast. Fighting for the village has been fierce for months. In February, Ukraine said Russian troops were conducting "human wave" assaults without armored vehicles in an attempt to recapture it. The Defense Forces of Southern Ukraine said in mid-July that Ukrainian troops are still fighting in Krynky, but their positions are "completely destroyed." Read also: With Krynky lost, what did the perilous operation accomplish? Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. A Russian Tu-22M3 bomber crashed in Irkutsk Oblast of Siberia due to a malfunction, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Aug. 15. The crew managed to eject. No damages or casualties were reported, as the plane fell in a deserted area, according to the ministry. Irkutsk Oblast Governor Igor Kobzev claimed that the plane went down during a routine flight near the village of Mikhaylovka, around 120 kilometers (75 miles) northeast of the city of Irkutsk. All four crew members have been found and are being provided with medical care, the governor said. The Ukrainian authorities have not commented on the crash in Irkutsk Oblast, over 5,000 kilometers (3,106 miles) from the Ukrainian border. Russian forces regularly use Tu-22M3 long-range strategic and maritime strike bombers, commonly armed with AS-4 heavy anti-ship or Kh-22 cruise missiles, in airstrikes against Ukraine. Some of these planes carried out the heavy bombardment of Mariupol in 2022 using unguided bombs. In April, Ukrainian anti-aircraft units shot down a Russian Tu-22M3 bomber for the first time. The Tu-22M3 bomber crashed in Russia's Stavropol Krai on the morning of April 19, just after Russia launched an attack on Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed the aircraft crashed due to a "malfunction" while returning to its base airfield after completing a combat mission, according to Russian state-controlled media. In August 2023, Ukraine's military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said Russia fielded 27 operable Tu-22M3 strategic bombers. Read also: Opinion: 6 ways Ukraines Kursk incursion is changing the tide of war Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Russians dropped aerial bombs in Sumy Oblast: one killed and one wounded photos Russian troops dropped two bombs, likely guided aerial bombs, on the civilian infrastructure in the Sumy district on the evening of 15 August. As a result, a man was killed and two more people were injured. Source: Sumy Oblast Prosecutor's Office Quote: "The investigation says that on 15 August 2024 at about 17:30, the enemy dropped two guided aerial bombs on the civilian infrastructure in Krasnopillia hromada of the Sumy district, using methods of warfare prohibited by international law [a hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories ed.]. A damaged vehicle. Photo: Sumy Oblast Prosecutor's Office A 40-year-old civilian man was killed and two more were injured as a result of the occupiers' attack." A damaged vehicle. Photo: Sumy Oblast Prosecutor's Office Details: The premises of a local enterprise and the vehicles of its employees were also damaged. Smashed windows as a result of a Russian attack. Photo: Sumy Oblast Prosecutor's Office Support UP or become our patron! Rust Director Shot by Alec Baldwin Says I Dont Know If Justice Was Served After Actors Case Was Dismissed Souza also told 'Vanity Fair' in a new interview that he and Baldwin have no relationship whatsoever: Were not friends. Were not enemies Ron Adar/SOPA Images/Shutterstock; Mark Sagliocco/Getty Images 'Rust' director Joel Souza and Alec Baldwin Rust director Joel Souza says hes not sure if justice was served after armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and Alec Baldwins charge was dismissed: I dont know, he told Vanity Fair in a new interview. Baldwin was holding a prop gun on the New Mexico set of the Western movie in 2021 when it discharged, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring Souza, who was struck in the shoulder. The 66-year-old actor has long insisted he did not pull the trigger or know why the gun accidentally contained live ammunition, but a grand jury indicted him on a charge of involuntary manslaughter in January. In a dramatic twist on the third day of Baldwin's trial in July, the star's lawyers claimed prosecutors had withheld evidence and asked the judge in the case, Mary Marlowe Sommer, to dismiss the charge. Sommer agreed to the defense's request, and issued a stinging rebuke of the prosecutors in the case. Related: Juror In Alec Baldwin Trial Calls Manslaughter Charge Pointless, Says Prosecutors Wanted to Pin Crime on Him (Exclusive) If convicted, Baldwin would have faced 18 months in jail. Because Sommer dismissed the case with prejudice, Baldwin cannot be charged again in connection to the shooting. Ramsay de Give-Pool/Getty Alec Baldwin in court on July 11. Gutierrez-Reed was convicted at trial in March and is currently serving an 18-month sentence, which she is appealing. In 2023, assistant director Dave Halls, took a plea deal for negligent use of a deadly weapon. Asked by the Vanity Fair if justice was done, Souza demurred. I dont know, and I dont know what that even is anymore Ill be very honest with you about that, he said. No one feels good about someone going to jail. If you feel good about that, take a hard look in the mirror. Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office/ZUMA Press Wire Service/Shutterstock Alec Baldwin on the set of 'Rust.' In the wide-ranging interview, Souza also recalled the moments right before he was struck by the bullet. They were rehearsing a scene in which Baldwins character is in a church and points the gun towards the camera. Souza stood behind Hutchins to see how the scene would look. Related: How Rust Prosecutors Case Against Alec Baldwin Fell Apart in Stunning Fashion: What Have They Done? (Exclusive) I kept wanting to try to look over her right shoulder, to see that little monitor down below. To see what the angle looked like. But I couldnt see over her. I got in behind her. When I tried to get a look, thats when the gun fired. And thenyeah, all hell broke loose, he said. It felt like a horse kicked me in the shoulder or someone hit me with a bat, he continued. The whole right side of my body went numb, completely numb, but it also hurt excruciatingly at the same time, if that makes sense. Its bizarre to have been shot, Souza added. And then, who was holding the gun? Thats bizarre. I had this weird thought, like, God, I remember watching The Hunt for Red October in the movie theater when I was a kid. Its like your older self whispers to your younger self, Hey, that guysomeday Fred Hayes/Getty Halyna Hutchins in 2019 Souza was good friends with Hutchins, and said he initially hoped he would succumb to his injuries, too. The morning after he was shot, he was in disbelief. Related: Alec Baldwin Speaks Out Following Rust Shooting Case Dismissal: 'I Appreciate Your Kindness' I had hoped it was a bad dream. It was just the beginning of the aftermath, and the beginning of a lot of grief for everybody. I was trying to pick up the pieces, such as they can be picked up, he said. In 2023, Souza eventually finished making the movie with Baldwin, filming the remainder in Montana. Its an experience Souza called tough, adding. We got through it. I got the performance I wanted. Were not friends. Were not enemies. Theres no relationship. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. (FOX40.COM) A formerly convicted felon was arrested on Tuesday evening in Sacramento County after deputies found him with guns, meth, cocaine, fentanyl, hydrocodone, and about $30,000 in cash. The Sacramento County Sheriffs Office said the drugs were discovered when its deputies conducted a traffic stop in the southern portion of Sacramento County on a Toyota Camry. Traffic stop in Northern California uncovers pounds of meth, fentanyl, in spare tire After attempting to pull the vehicle over, deputies said they were led on a pursuit and followed the vehicle with the help of the agencys helicopter. The pursuit ended when the man crashed into the back of an uninvolved civilians vehicle and attempted to flee on foot, but deputies were able to detain him quickly. A search of his vehicle revealed nearly 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine, a quarter pound of cocaine, and nearly a half-pound of fentanyl and hydrocodone pills, along with about $30,000 in cash, deputies said. The agency provided context for the amount of drugs found during their search, saying that a 2mg dose of fentanyl is enough to kill an adult. According to the Sacramento County Sheriffs Office, the man, later identified as Gabriel Quintero was a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. California Highway Patrol finds over 500 grams of drugs during I-80 traffic stop He was previously arrested in a 2012 South Sacramento gang shooting, where a 3-year-old was murdered. Due to a 10-2 hung jury, Quintero was released from custody and the case was never retried, the sheriffs office said. Quintero is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday and is currently in custody at the Sacramento County Main Jail after being deemed ineligible for bail. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40. A plan to convert a shuttered Sacramento motel into affordable housing for people exiting homelessness will receive millions of dollars in new grant funding through the states Homekey program. Sacramento County Housing Authority and project developer Danco Communities will get the $17 million award to buy and rehabilitate a former Super 8 motel at 4317 Madison Ave. The 118 rooms at the planned Madison Square Studios will become permanent supportive homes for people exiting homelessness, along with a unit for an on-site manager. The Sacramento award is part of a $130.6 million package of Homekey grant funding announced by the Governors office for nine projects across California, including projects in the Bay Area, the San Joaquin Valley and Inland Empire. The projects are expected to create more than 550 homes for those leaving homelessness or in danger of becoming homeless. Homekey provides state funding to cities, counties and other local entities to buy, rehabilitate and convert lodging, homes, apartments and commercial properties into new housing. We are proud to stand with local partners who are serving their communities by providing much-needed housing to alleviate homelessness, Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement announcing the grants. Well continue to support local governments who are doing the work to ensure everyone has a place to call home. Newsoms administration has invested $24 million into combating homelessness. In late July, Newsom signed an executive order directing local governments to sweep homeless encampments on public property, potentially impacting tens of thousands of people living unhoused in California. The U.S. Supreme Court recently gave state and local governments the power to arrest and fine people camping on public property. Local homeless rights advocate Faye Wilson Kennedy was encouraged by the Homekey news. But she hoped that transportation and other support services would be part of the new development and questioned Newsoms executive encampment order. Kennedy and other advocates are preparing for a third solidarity summit on homelessness in September. Im glad to see more funding. But this after (Gov. Newsom) told people to clear out their encampments. Where are they supposed to go? Kennedy said. Hopefully, this provides some funding to help them have some kind of transportation they get the housing, a roof over their head, but nothing else. This shouldnt be piecemeal. The grants are awarded by the states Department of Housing and Community Development. The program was born in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic to slow the virus spread among homeless communities and has grown to award $3.6 million to fund more than 250 housing projects, say state housing officials. SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) A San Angelo man was booked into the Tom Green County Jail on Aug. 14 after he allegedly shot at two women before shooting himself in the head. According to court records filed within Tom Green County, San Angelo Police Department officers were dispatched to the River Pointe Apartments on Benedict Drive at approximately 2:46 a.m. on March 2 regarding a shooting victim. Upon arriving at the scene, one officer spoke with a witness, who stated that they saw a pool of blood and blood spatter as well as a handgun next to a vehicle in the complexs parking lot. The officer told an SAPD detective that a man, later identified as 41-year-old Nathan Burnett, had shot himself and left the scene on foot prior to the arrival of law enforcement. The officer also stated that blood droplets were observed on a nearby sidewalk leading eastward. The investigator then learned from two victims that Burnett had discharged a gun at a vehicle they were inside. An SAPD officer noted that the back windshield of the vehicle the victims were in was shattered. San Angelo woman arrested for aggravated assault with bat The officer stated that a witness said they heard a pop sound outside their apartment and saw one of the two victims reversing the vehicle and driving away. The witness also told the officer that they saw Burnett shoot himself with a handgun and fall over next to a parked vehicle in a parking lot. The witness then saw Burnett leave the scene and observed a blood trail on the sidewalk going east. The officer told the detective that they observed a blood trail leading east, glass fragments on the ground and a handgun lying on [the] ground near blood on the ground near a parked vehicle. The officer said they had secured the crime scene upon arriving in the area while other responding officers went to look for Burnett and speak with other witnesses. The investigator spoke with the first victim, who stated that she was in a dating relationship with Burnett. The detective then reviewed text messages sent between the first victim and Burnett, discovering that Burnett had sent the victim several text messages threatening to shoot himself just before he shot at the two victims. A photo found on the first victims cell phone showed Burnett pointing a handgun at his head. The woman told the investigator that she was dropping off a relative at her apartment and that Burnett continued texting her, stating that he was going to shoot himself in the head. She stated that she was in the vehicle with her relative when she heard a loud pop and her back windshield shattering. She said that she was not injured and was able to reverse her car and leave the scene, returning after law enforcement arrived. Coleman PD arrest suspects in storage unit burglaries The detective then spoke with the second victim, who said that she entered the first victims vehicle after arriving at her apartment and heard the first victim arguing with Burnett over the phone. She stated that she heard the gunshot and the back window shattering, adding that she saw Burnett banging on the vehicle window. The second victim also reported that, while the vehicle reversed out of the parking lot to flee, she heard a second gunshot and saw Burnett fall over. Burnett was located inside a residence a few miles from the initial scene. It was learned that he had suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head but was still conscious and breathing, and he was transported to Shannon Medical Center for treatment. According to the Tom Green County Sheriffs Office inmate roster, Burnett was booked into the Tom Green County Jail at 1:47 p.m. on Aug. 14. As of the time of publication, he remains there and is faced with one charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and another charge of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. His bond is set at $120,000. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ConchoValleyHomepage.com. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) A San Diego man is facing federal charges after prosecutors say he sent a threatening email to a member of the LGBTQ+ community who spoke to a reporter following the high-profile, hate-related murder of a Lake Arrowhead business owner last year. George Joseph Wellinger II, 48, was arrested on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty during his first court appearance to two felony counts of transmitting a threatening communication, according to court documents. It came about a week after a sealed indictment was filed in federal court against Wellinger by prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California. Smart streetlights could get easier for San Diego police to deploy According to prosecutors, the indictment details the email Wellinger is accused of sending the unnamed victim who had been interviewed by a reporter with Nexstars KTLA following the murder of 66-year-old Laura Ann Carleton over a Pride flag displayed in her business. In the email, prosecutors allege Wellinger called the victim another alphabet clown that wants to take a dirt nap too, attaching a link to the KTLA report she had been interviewed for regarding the Lake Arrowhead communitys reaction to the fatal shooting. As prosecutors say is detailed in the indictment, Wellinger went on to add, We know what you look like and know where are you are.only a matter of time.Love it.get ur ghey on sister.scissor it up.we coming for ur rainbow azz. Click Click!!!! It was then forwarded by the victim to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who launched an investigation into the threat. Prosecutors said they believe the email was a targeted threat based on her sexual orientation. Hate crimes are designed terrify both the victim and the community, said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath in a statement about the case. The U. S. Attorneys Office works tirelessly on prosecuting these cases to send our own message: San Diego is no place for hate. A federal judge set Wellingers bond at $50,000 and ordered the 48-year-old to be held in home detention during his arraignment Tuesday. The case against Wellinger is one of several with ties to San Diego regarding crimes based on an anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment that remain ongoing. Court grants custody of Maya Milletes children to her sister According to the San Diego Police Department, there has been an surge in hate crimes targeting individuals based on their sexual orientation or gender over the last few years, including incidents of vandalism as well as a violent pellet gun attack in Hillcrest earlier this summer. Federal authorities encourage anyone who believes they may have been the victim of a hate crime to contact FBI investigators using their electronic tip portal or by calling local authorities. there is no room for hate in our community, Stacey Moy, Special Agent in Charge for the FBI San Diego Field Office, said in a statement. Hate crimes remain one of the top FBI priorities and we will continue to protect and safeguard our communities. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) It has not been a good week for passengers trying to fly to Rome from San Francisco. For the second day in a row Wednesday, United Airlines Flight 507, destined for Rome from San Francisco International Airport, was diverted before leaving the continent. The Rome-bound flight departed on time from SFO at 4:49 p.m. PT Wednesday and was in the air for around 3 hours and 40 minutes, nearing the Hudson Bay in Canada, when the Boeing 777-200 began to turn around, according to tracking tool Flight Aware. The United flight landed at Edmonton International Airport at 11:15 p.m. PT after a 6-hour 26-minute flight. A passenger suffered a medical incident onboard the flight, United told KRON4 in a statement Thursday. The current condition of the passenger or further details of the medical issue were not disclosed. Popular Japanese pancake restaurant to close first US location in San Francisco A total of 265 passengers and 14 crew were on board Wednesdays diverted flight. At 12:37 a.m. PT Thursday, the flight then took off from Edmonton to return to San Francisco, where it landed at 3:26 a.m. PT, tracking data showed. Passengers will continue to Rome on United flight 3035 this afternoon, according to United. Caltrain is selling Well, a Caltrain Earlier this week on Tuesday, UA507 was diverted from SFO to Sacramento International Airport after experiencing mechanical issues involving the Boeing 777-200s engine, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Tuesdays flight landed safely, United said, and the airline worked to rebook those passengers. It is unknown if any of the passengers on Wednesdays diverted flight were also aboard Tuesdays diverted flight. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. (KRON) A 10-year-old girl found her mothers lifeless body after violence broke out inside a San Mateo home, prosecutors said. The girl made the tragic discovery on August 4 when she was dropped off at home. Her mother, 37-year-old Kirsten Castle, had been strangled to death in the family room, according to prosecutors with the San Mateo County District Attorneys Office. Castle was nine months pregnant. Her boyfriend, 32-year-old Andrew Coleman, was quickly identified as the suspected killer, according to police. Coleman was the father of Castles unborn baby, investigators said. Police said Coleman murdered his girlfriend and unborn child inside their duplex apartment at 1314 South B Street. After the killings, he stole a safe from the apartment with $37,000 cash inside, and stole the victims car, according to the DAs office. San Mateo police used automatic license plate reading cameras to track the stolen car as Coleman drove south to Southern California. Police stopped the car in West Covina, Calif., and arrested the boyfriend. Accused San Mateo Facebook killer declared incompetent to stand trial The district attorneys office charged Coleman with two counts of first-degree murder. If convicted, he could face life in prison without possibility of parole. Kirsten Castle (Image courtesy GoFundMe) Coleman made his first court appearance on Tuesday and he did not enter a plea. A judge ordered the boyfriend to return to court on September 4 for arraignment. The father of Castles surviving children created a GoFundMe page to help her family with expenses. The father wrote on GoFundMe, Kirsten was very self-driven and focused. She was a great mother to her four children and a strong, resilient woman. This devastating loss has left our family, friends, and neighbors reeling. The lives lost were precious and full of promise. A candlelight vigil organized by the victims loved ones will be held in San Mateo Central Park on Saturday. Coleman remains in custody with no bail. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. (KRON) Police are investigating an attempted homicide after a 20-year-old Santa Rosa man was shot in the face on Tuesday. The man was driving with at least one passenger on the 900 block of Sunset Avenue at around 11:30 p.m., the Santa Rosa Police Department said. At least two shots were fired into the victims partially opened side window, with one of the bullets hitting him in the face. Santa Rosa PD said it is unknown if the rounds were fired by a suspect from another vehicle. The victim pulled over after driving a short distance away, police said. His front-seat passenger switched seats with the driver and drove the gunshot victim to an area hospital. 33-year-old mother killed in Oakland shooting A suspect has not yet been identified, police said. According to investigators, the shooting is believed to be gang-related. The relationship between the suspect(s) and victim, if any, is currently being investigated, Santa Rosa PD said. There is no description of the suspect(s) or any related vehicles at this time. The Santa Rosa Police Departments Gang Crimes Team is asking for anyone with information to contact 707-543-4021 or use the tip line at www.srcity.org/crimetips. A reward of up to $2,500 is being offered for information leading to an arrest, police said. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. (FOX40.COM) Save Mart is planning to close its Roseville distribution center, impacting nearly 300 jobs in Placer County. A Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification filed by the company on Aug. 6 said the permanent closure will go in effect on Oct. 12. The closure of the distribution center, located on 9999 Niblick Drive, would result in the loss of 273 people jobs. New coffee shop opens in Sacramento, replaces old Starbucks location In a statement to FOX40.com, a Save Mart spokesperson said the closure comes after an extensive review of the companys infrastructure and processes. The grocery industry changes rapidly and requires continuous improvement and innovation to remain competitive, Save Mart in its statement. We are confident this change will help us compete, grow our business, and meet the needs of our customers and communities most effectively. We are committed to supporting everyone impacted through this transition. Save Mart is headquartered in Modesto and operates hundreds of stores throughout the Central Valley, Northern California and Western Nevada. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40. SC has 2nd deadliest tourism city for pedestrians, report says. But is that true? What we found Myrtle Beach is home to beautiful beaches where tourists from all over come to swim, fish, surf and shell. But a new report claims the city also has one of the highest rates of car crashes involving pedestrian deaths among tourist hot spots in the United States. Florida-based personal injury law firm InjuredInFlorida found that Myrtle Beach was the travel destination with the second-most crashes resulting in pedestrian fatalities per 100,000 in the United States between 2018 and 2022. The report ranked cities on AAA travel website TripCanvass list of the top 50 travel destinations in the United States using data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrations Fatality Analysis Reporting System. To rank the cities, the report analyzed the total number of crashes with pedestrian deaths and the population of each destination. According to the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, the city of Myrtle Beach had 14 such crashes between 2018 and 2022, and in 2022, the city had an estimated population of 38,417. Using these numbers, Myrtle Beach had 36.44 crashes resulting in pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people. Tourism discrepancies But is the ranking reflective of public safety in tourist hot spots? Not necessarily. Although the report focuses on tourism hubs, it doesnt factor tourists into calculations. For areas with lots of tourists, the year-round population often isnt representative of how many people are in the city. The report, which a representative for the Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce called, obviously inaccurate, looks only at each citys population, so the number of crashes with pedestrian fatalities compared to the number of people in the area annually isnt reflected in the ranking. Myrtle Beach, for instance, has a permanent population of less than 40,000, but there can be many more people in the city. Its difficult to find information about how many tourists visit the city of Myrtle Beach specifically, but travel performance data company DK Shifflet estimated that the Grand Strand had 17.6 million visitors last year. With 14 car crashes resulting in pedestrian deaths in four years, the city of Myrtle Beach has the fewest number of any city in the top 10 ranking its also the only city in the top 10 with a population of less than 100,000. Factoring in the millions of visitors in Myrtle Beach would change the 36.44 crashes per 100,000 people metric, but thats true for every city. Without factoring in data about the number of people that visit each city, theres no comprehensive way to determine the true number of crashes that killed pedestrians per 100,000 people. Top 10 deadliest cities Using the reports calculations without looking at tourists, the top 10 tourism destinations with the highest rate of car crashes fatal to pedestrians are: 1. Fort Lauderdale, Florida: 45.32 crashes per 100,000 Population: 183,146 Crashes with pedestrian deaths from 2018-2022: 83 2. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina: 36.44 crashes per 100,000 Population: 38,417 Crashes with pedestrian deaths from 2018-2022: 14 3. Baltimore, Maryland: 34.39 crashes per 100,000 Population: 569,931 Crashes with pedestrian deaths from 2018-2022: 196 4. Albuquerque, New Mexico: 34.22 crashes per 100,000 Population: 561,008 Crashes with pedestrian deaths from 2018-2022: 192 5. St. Louis, Missouri: 31.75 crashes per 100,000 Population: 286,578 Crashes with pedestrian deaths from 2018-2022: 91 6. Detroit, Michigan: 29.66 crashes per 100,000 Population: 620,376 Crashes with pedestrian deaths from 2018-2022: 184 7. Phoenix, Arizona: 29.07 crashes per 100,000 Population: 1,644,409 Crashes with pedestrian deaths from 2018-2022: 478 8. West Palm Beach, Florida: 27.29 crashes per 100,000 Population: 120,932 Crashes with pedestrian deaths from 2018-2022: 33 9. Miami, Florida: 26.92 crashes per 100,000 Population: 449,514 Crashes with pedestrian deaths from 2018-2022: 121 10. New Orleans, Louisiana: 25.96 crashes per 100,000 Population: 369,749 Crashes with pedestrian deaths from 2018-2022: 96 The above shows the space in the Department of Corrections' Columbia prisons complex for executions, as seen from the witness room. The firing squad chair (left) was added following a 2021 state law that made death by firing squad an option. The electric chair is under the cover. (Provided by the S.C. Department of Corrections) COLUMBIA A civil rights group argues a death row inmate should be allowed to give a recorded interview for publication before he is scheduled to die. A motion this week is part of an ongoing federal lawsuit challenging a Department of Corrections policy that bars prisoners from giving interviews to reporters or members of other organizations. After the state Supreme Court ruled July 31 that death by electric chair and firing squad are constitutional, the question took on a newfound urgency, the state American Civil Liberties Union said in a statement Thursday. Marion Bowman, a 44-year-old death row inmate who has exhausted his appeals process and could be scheduled for execution, is one of the prisoners the group would like to interview for publication. Department policy does not allow reporters or other groups to record or publish interviews, either over the phone or in person, out of concerns for the victims, so they dont have to relive the ordeal, and so inmates dont profit off their crimes through book contracts or other money-making deals, a department spokesperson has said previously. The ACLU argues the public has the right to hear from the condemned prisoner. The public deserves a chance to meaningfully encounter the person being murdered on their behalf, ACLU of South Carolina Legal Director Allen Chaney said in a statement. We aim to give them that. Bowman was convicted in 2002 of fatally shooting a 21-year-old Orangeburg mother who owed him money, putting her body in her trunk and setting the vehicle on fire in rural Dorchester County. He is one of five men who have exhausted their normal appeals process and are not waiting for any court decisions, meaning they will likely be the first scheduled for execution. Once a death warrant is issued, the prisons agency must schedule that inmates execution four Fridays from the date of the court order. Marion Bowman could be executed within weeks, reads the motion, which was filed Tuesday. The court has not ordered any executions since issuing its decision upholding all three options in state law for carrying out a death sentence. The states last execution was in 2011. After that, the drugs the state used for lethal injections expired, and officials were unable to restock until September of last year, with the help of a new law protecting the privacy of the company providing the drugs. Bowman is planning to ask the governor to commute his sentence from death to life in prison. Giving the public the ability to hear Bowmans story in his own voice might influence that decision, the motion reads. Without a judges decision, the ACLUs First Amendment rights to receive, record, and publish the speech of Marion Bowman in furtherance of his clemency petition will be permanently and incurably violated, the motion reads. Prisoners can write letters to anyone they want, including reporters. Department officials sometimes authorize tours of the states 21 prisons, but any photos or videos taken in the facilities must not show identifiable features, such as an inmates face or tattoos. The department sometimes allows interviews with inmates to talk about their accomplishments in prison, such as work and study programs, but those inmates can be identified by first name only. The policy is meant to protect victims by keeping them from having to see the person who harmed them or their loved one on the news, department spokesperson Chrysti Shain said previously. Interviews about life in prison could also pose security risks by revealing sensitive information on how the prison is run or endangering inmates if they get famous from an interview, Shain said. The ACLU is arguing the departments policy violates inmates First Amendment rights. Although the group does not have a comprehensive list of other states policies, it called South Carolinas policy the most draconian prison press policy in the country in a Thursday news release. North Carolina, for instance, allows reporters to interview inmates as long as the reporter submits an official request and the inmate agrees. Georgia allows interviews during certain times as long as the inmate has had no recent disciplinary actions. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) Navigating busy sidewalks takes skill. New York City wants to clear away unnecessary sidewalk sheds and scaffolding. More Local News Surendra Patel owns Healthy Eats, a juice and snack shop along West 35th Street at 8th Avenue. He said the metal poles and panels have been in place for more than a decade and removing them would help his business. Mayor Eric Adams released a new study with Mastercard on the economic impact of the structures on Manhattan businesses. It shows cardholders spend between $3,900 and $9,500 less each month at businesses located in buildings with sidewalk sheds. Restaurants and bars are most impacted, with a 3.5% to 9.7% decrease in weekly transactions in the six months following shed construction. Deadline approaches for outdoor dining structures in NYC In 2023, the Adams administration released a plan called Get Sheds Down to apply nine initiatives aimed at compelling building owners to make needed repairs quickly. Those sheds may have gone up to keep people safe, but theyre still up because its cheaper for building owners to leave them up than to fix their buildings. Thats bad for public safety, bad for our city, and, as this study shows us, bad for business, too, the mayor said. Inspectors check to make sure work is being done at a building or on a facade. If not, there should be a higher fee for use of the public space says New York City Department of Buildings Commissioner Jimmy Oddo. This study makes it clear that we need stronger enforcement tools in place to compel owners to get their building repairs done faster so that these sheds stay up only as long as necessary and dont needlessly depress our commercial corridors, Oddo said. New York Community Trust distributes $200M in grants The city says it has already removed 173 miles of sheds this year. Dan Biederman is the president and co-founder of the 34th Street Partnership. Theyve worked on issues in the commercial district for decades. They say this time, its different. Many structures have been removed in the past months. People are afraid of the Department of Buildings. Just the call is helpful, he said. Officials are working on a new legislative package with the City Council to address repairs and enforcement. The city is also working on 6 new designs for the barriers with a variety of price points. They would become mandatory in the city building code. Local Law 11 sets standards for building facade safety and inspections. The administration will review regulations for potential changes or upgrades, including rules that consider the age of buildings. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. Dan Shively had been a bank president who built floats for July Fourth parades in Cody, Wyoming, and adored fly-fishing with his sons. Jeffrey Dowd had been an auto mechanic who ran a dog rescue and hosted a Sunday blues radio show in Santa Fe. By the time their lives intersected at Canyon Creek Memory Care Community in Billings, Montana, both were deep in the grips of dementia and exhibiting some of the diseases terrible traits. Shively had been wandering lost in his neighborhood, having outbursts at home, and leaving the gas stove on. Dowd previously had been hospitalized for being confused, suicidal, and agitated, medical records filed in U.S. District Court in Billings show. When Dowd entered Canyon Creek, managers warned employees in a note later filed in court that he could be physically/verbally abusive when frustrated. On Shivelys fourth day at Canyon Creek, carrying a knife and fork, he walked over to a dining room table where Dowd was sitting. Dowd told Shively to keep the knife away from his coffee, according to a witness statement filed in court. Shively, who at 5-foot-2 and 125 pounds was half Dowds weight and 10 inches shorter, turned to walk away, but Dowd stood up and shoved Shively so hard that when he hit the floor, his skull fractured and brain hemorrhaged, according to a lawsuit his family filed against Canyon Creek. The doctor said theres not much they could do about it, his son Casey Shively said in an interview. Dan Shively died five days later at age 73. Police did not charge Dowd, then 66. He stayed at Canyon Creek for nearly three more years, during which time he repeatedly clashed with residents, sometimes hitting male residents and groping female ones, according to facility records filed in the court case. His anger would flare quickly. Im literally scared to death of Jeff, one nurse wrote in a filed statement describing Dowds dispute with another resident. In court, Canyon Creek denied liability for Shivelys death. Its privately held corporate owner, Koelsch Communities, declined to answer questions from KFF Health News. Chase Salyers, Koelschs director of marketing, said in an email to KFF Health News that the company prioritizes the health, well-being, safety, and security of our residents. Dowds relatives said in a statement via text they would not comment because they had no firsthand knowledge. We were very pleased with the care Jeffrey received at Canyon Creek, they added. Dowd was not named in the lawsuit and his current whereabouts could not be determined. Violent altercations between residents in long-term care facilities are alarmingly common. Across the country, residents in nursing homes or assisted living centers have been killed by other residents who weaponized a bedrail, shoved pillow stuffing into a persons mouth, or removed an oxygen mask. A recent study in JAMA Network Open of 14 New York assisted living homes found that, within one month, 15% of residents experienced verbal, physical, or sexual resident-on-resident aggression. Another study found nearly 8% of assisted living residents engaged in physical aggression or abuse toward residents or staff members within one month. Dementia residents are especially likely to be involved in altercations because the disease damages the parts of the brain affecting memory, language, reasoning, and social behavior. More than 900,000 people with Alzheimers or other types of dementia reside in nursing homes and assisted living centers. Many of the most seriously impaired live in the roughly 5,000 facilities with locked dementia floors or wings or the 3,300 homes devoted exclusively to memory care. These places are mostly for-profit and often charge thousands of dollars extra a month, promising expertise in the disease and a safe environment. Clashes can be spontaneous and too unpredictable to prevent. But the chance of an altercation increases when memory care homes admit and retain residents they cant manage, according to a KFF Health News examination of inspection and court records and interviews with researchers. Homes that have too few staffers or nonexistent or perfunctory training for employees have a harder time heading off resident conflicts. Homes also may fail to properly assess incoming residents or may keep them despite demonstrated threats to others. As much as long-term care providers in general do their best to provide competent, high-quality care, there is a real problem with endemic violence, said Karl Pillemer, a gerontologist at Cornell University and lead author of the JAMA study. There needs to be much more of an effort to single out verbal and physical aggression that occurs in long-term care, he said, and begin to create a model of violence-free zones in the same way we have violence-free zones in the schools. Casey Shively holds a photo of a family ski trip with his father, Dan, and his sister, Katie, in 1996. - Jessica Plance for KFF Health News A danger to others The first signs of Shivelys vascular dementia emerged in 2011 as confusion, but the disease accelerated in 2016, according to interviews with his wife and children and his medical records. He began referring to mountains he knew well by the wrong name and forgot how to tie flies on his fishing line. The decline was so slow at first we thought we could manage, his wife, Tana Shively, said in an interview before her death this year. As the disease progressed, his outbursts became hard to handle. He took a swing at one of his sons when upset about the temperature in the house. He refused to swallow his medications and fell repeatedly. He would start walking the neighborhood and get lost, Casey said. He would turn on the gas stove but not light the stove, and the room would start filling up with gas. He would put clothing in strange places. I found socks in a punch bowl. It got to the point where we couldnt do this anymore. Dowd, meanwhile, had lived in a Santa Fe nursing home and had a long history of dementia with behavioral issues, major depressive disorder with psychotic features, and hypertension, according to medical records filed in court. Dowd entered Canyon Creek in October 2018 to be closer to his brother, who lived nearby in Wyoming, according to an admission notice the facility provided to employees that was included in the court record. The notice said Dowd suffered from dementia caused by excessive and long-term alcohol use. Two months later, Shively moved in. Montana licenses Canyon Creek, which has 67 beds, as a Level C assisted living facility, which permits it to house people with cognitive impairments so severe that they cannot express their needs or make basic care decisions. Montana law says these facilities cannot admit or retain a resident who is a danger to self or others. In the lawsuit, Shivelys family argued that, given that law, Canyon Creek never should have accepted or kept Dowd. The Shively familys lawyer, Torger Oaas, noted in court papers that Canyon Creeks intake assessment form for Dowd categorized his behavior as physically and/or verbally abusive/aggressive 1x per month. Oaas also wrote in court papers that in Dowds first weeks at Canyon Creek, he mocked and threatened to hit other residents and threw someones silverware to the ground during dinner. In its defense filings in the lawsuit, Canyon Creek said the Montana statute was too broad to be the basis of a negligence claim and argued that all memory care residents are unpredictable. And while Dowd had yelled and cursed at other residents at Canyon Creek, he hadnt had physical confrontations or any conflicts with Shively, Canyon Creek said. The accident was not reasonably foreseeable, Canyon Creek argued. In the days after Shivelys fall, nurses noted that Dowd was more anxious, angry toward others. Dowd yelled at a nurse to get off the phone and do your job, a nurse wrote in a logbook entry filed in court. He got into my face, the nurse wrote. It looked like he was going to hit me he had his hand/fist raised. As bad as Ive ever seen it People with dementia will lash out because they no longer have social inhibitions or because its the only way they can express pain, discomfort, fear, disagreement, or anxiety. Some common triggers overstimulation from loud noises, a frenzied atmosphere, unfamiliar faces are hallmarks of dementia care institutions. We cant expect someone who is constantly and unfailingly disoriented to adapt to our environment anymore, said Tracy Wharton, a licensed clinical social worker and dementia researcher in Florida. We have to adapt to them. Eilon Caspi, a University of Connecticut researcher, analyzed 105 fatal incidents involving dementia residents and found 44% were fatal falls in which one resident pushed another. Some people are aggressive, and some are violent, Caspi said, but if you look closely, the vast majority are doing their best while living with a serious brain disease. Jeffrey Dowd stayed at Canyon Creek for roughly three years, during which time he repeatedly clashed with residents, sometimes hitting male residents and groping female ones, according to facility records filed in the court case. - Jessica Plance for KFF Health News Holly Harmon, a senior vice president at the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living, an industry trade group, said in a written statement that conflicts cannot always be averted despite facility operators best efforts. If they do occur, she said, providers respond promptly with interventions to protect the residents and staff and prevent future occurrences. But Richard Mollot, executive director of the Long Term Care Community Coalition, a resident advocacy group, said many operators of assisted living centers, including memory care units, are driven by the bottom line. The issue that we see quite often is that assisted living retains people they should not, Mollot said. They dont have the staffing or the competency or the structure to provide safe care. Conversely, he said, when facilities have enough rooms filled with paying customers, they are more likely to evict residents who require too much attention. They will kick them out if theyre too cumbersome, Mollot said. Teepa Snow, an occupational therapist who founded Positive Approach to Care, a company that trains dementia caregivers, noted that the space inside many facilities, with double rooms, tight common areas, and restricted outdoor access, can fuel conflicts. She said the pandemic degraded conditions in long-term care, as dementia residents with limited social skills atrophied in isolation in their rooms and staffing grew even sparser. Its as bad as Ive ever seen it, she said. Very common fits of rage The following account of Dowds time at Canyon Creek is based on 44 pages of nurses notes, witness statements, and internal resident-on-resident altercation reports; all were contained in the facilitys records and filed as exhibits in the court case. After Shivelys death in December 2018, Dowd was given new prescriptions, although the court record is unclear if the change was because of Shivelys death. Still, the records show, Canyon Creek was unable to head off recurring altercations involving Dowd. Some were verbal threats. Once, Dowd yelled at residents in the living room to shut up, called them retards and told them they should all die, a caregiver wrote in a witness statement. He grabbed one residents face and threatened to kill him, according to a nurses note. Another time, Dowd went up to a resident sitting on a sofa and grabbed his walker. Dowd shook it and told him to shut up. According to a witness statement, as a nurse took the resident to the bathroom, Dowd muttered under his breath: Stuff his head in the toilet. Other conflicts were physical. Dowd shoved a resident down on his back so hard his head bounced off the floor, a nurse recorded in a note. In a different incident reported by a nurse, Dowd pushed a resident who had been agitated and cursing into a chair. On separate occasions, Dowd hit two residents on the head, once causing bleeding, according to two resident altercation reports. The notes detail that Dowd was not always the initiator. Once, Dowds roommate scratched and punched him after Dowd told him to use the toilet rather than pee on the floor, resulting in a fight. Caregivers separated the two. Another day, a resident named Bill wandered into Dowds room and pulled Dowds hair and beard. Dowd told the nurses he felt unsafe and VERY angry, a nurses note said. The nurse led Bill out of Dowds room, but Dowd followed, yelling at Bill that he was a fat bastard and saying he was going to make Bills wife a widow. Jeff kept making a closed fist as tho he was going to hit Bill, the nurse wrote in a witness statement. I was legit scared because there was nothing I could do to defuse the situation. Im literally scared to death of Jeff. Im scared to approach him and talk to him when he gets into these very common fits of rage. Dowd ultimately went back to his room and a worker locked his door so no other resident would go in. The records describe how Canyon Creek caregivers intervened after altercations began, often separating the fighting residents and updating Dowds brother on the clashes. Nurses would remove Dowd or the other resident from a room and discourage such acts. Tried to explain it was inappropriate to hurt others, one nurse wrote after one incident. Salyers, the company marketing director, said in his email that the workers at Canyon Creek and other Koelsch facilities are highly qualified and extensively trained. He said the companys memory care communities are distinctively designed and staffed for people with Alzheimers and other forms of dementia. Its nice to have a girlfriend The nursing notes and statements in the court file suggest that incidents were frequent enough that nurses commented on Dowds occasional serenity. No agitated or aggressive behaviors this shift, one note said. Another nurse note said Dowd continues to isolate at meals, sitting at a table by himself. While Dowd enjoyed reading books and doing puzzles, he was overheard saying he was depressed and was wondering if he wouldnt be better off if he wasnt around anymore. Nurses noted Dowd repeatedly exhibited sexual behavior that was either inappropriate making crude oral gestures while looking at younger females or ambiguous, such as placing his hand on a residents shoulder and commenting, Its nice to have a girlfriend. Someone saw Dowd grabbing on multiple residents[] private areas, a witness statement said. When nurses caught the behavior, they separated those involved and rebuked Dowd. A staff member wrote in a statement that Dowd was inappropriate throughout her shift, making sexual jokes and trying to grab me. According to nursing notes, in summer 2021, Dowd told one female resident he wanted to see her genitals and later touched her breast. In August, a caregiver walked into Dowds room and found him touching the same resident under her shirt and pants. The caregiver told Dowd to stop it and not ever do that again and brought the woman out to meet her family, who had come to visit her. After that incident, Canyon Creek sent Dowd to the emergency room at Montana State Hospital, a public psychiatric facility, according to a nurse administrators testimony in a deposition filed in court. The nurse testified Dowd was no longer at Canyon Creek. That is the last mention of Dowds whereabouts in the public record. A spokesperson for the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, which oversees the hospital, would not confirm whether he was a patient. At a pretrial hearing, the judge excluded discussion about Dowds altercations after Shivelys death. In a court filing, Shivelys lawyer asked permission to share evidence with the jury that Canyon Creek gave its executive director a bonus any month when 90% or more of the beds were filled so he could argue Canyon Creek had a financial motivation to admit Dowd. But the judge also barred that information from the trial, which Canyon Creek said in a court filing was irrelevant. The Shively case went to trial in 2022 before a federal civil jury in Billings. Despite the exclusions, the jury decided Canyon Creeks negligence caused Shivelys death. It awarded the family $310,000. For us, the money wasnt a huge factor, said Spencer Shively, another of Dan Shivelys sons, who called the damages so modest as to be a victory for Canyon Creek or its insurer. At least they were negligent per se. But I dont know it really changed anything. For me, I got some closure. I feel like these facilities are just continuing to do the same things theyre going to do because there hasnt been systemic change. KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF the independent source for health policy research, polling, and journalism. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com DENVER (KDVR) An Aurora Public Schools bus caught fire with 14 children aboard on Wednesday afternoon. Aurora Fire Rescue said it happened around 4 p.m. near East 11th Avenue and North Picadilly Road. Firefighters responded to find the bus heavily engulfed in flames. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox All 14 children aboard were safely evacuated and unharmed, according to Aurora Fire Rescue. A charred school bus Fire officials credited the bus driver for taking action to protect the students. The bus drivers quick thinking and bravery were also instrumental in the safe evacuation of the children, reads a release from the fire department. Upon noticing the fire emerging through the dashboard as he turned the bus, he immediately pulled over and assisted in evacuating the children. His prompt and courageous actions were crucial in ensuring everyones safety. The fire started in the engine compartment and has been deemed accidental. Aurora Fire originally said the bus was with Arapahoe County but corrected that information to Aurora Public Schools. Aurora Public Schools sent FOX31 the following statement Thursday morning: We are extremely grateful that no one was injured in an incident this afternoon involving one of our buses. While taking students home after school, the bus driver noticed a small fire in the engine compartment and immediately stopped the bus and evacuated everyone on board. We then called emergency responders who put the fire out. Another APS bus picked up the students and took them to their stops. We want to give our utmost thanks to our bus driver for his awareness and quick action. His response kept everyone safe. The safety of our students and staff is our top priority. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. School districts crack down on cellphone usage in classrooms As a new school year begins, theres a growing push to crack down on cellphones in classrooms. In South Carolina, state leaders passed a rule this summer telling schools to put a cellphone policy in place or risk losing state funding. RELATED: Lawmakers, researchers push for school phone bans citing mental health concerns Pew research shows more than 70% of high school teachers say cellphone use continues to be a major problem in schools. School districts across the country are putting policies in place in an attempt to remove distractions and improve learning. The new policies come as studies show students report a rise in worsening mental health linked to social media. The U.S. Surgeon General declared the problem the defining public health crisis of our time. (WATCH BELOW: CMS to ban student cellphone use during class this year) The science of reading comes to Ohio classrooms. What's that? How can parents help? All Ohio schools will teach the science of reading this school year in an attempt to bring up literacy rates across the state. Gov. Mike DeWine is a huge proponent of this phonics-based approach to literacy, which he proposed as part of the state's budget. Lawmakers approved the push and now all Ohio schools are retraining teachers and getting new curricula to teach kids how to read. Ohio teachers must complete a science of reading course by June 30, 2025. But what is the science of reading? Here's what parents need to know ahead of the 2024-25 school year. What is the science of reading? The science of reading is one of two widely taught literacy methods. The science of reading is also referred to as structured literacy and teaches students to break down words by letters and sounds. The other commonly known method is called balanced literacy or whole language. This approach teaches students strategies to uncover unknown words by looking at other words in a sentence or pictures. 'We know what works': DeWine pushes Ohio schools to adopt science-based literacy education Many experts, and DeWine, are now saying that evidence points to the science of reading as the best approach. Is the science of reading a specific curriculum or program? No. The science of reading is a collection of research that shows, over time, the best ways to teach kids how to read. It does have basic principles, or five "big ideas," according to the National Center on Improving Literacy. They are: Phonemic awareness, which is the ability to identity and play with individual sounds in spoken words. Phonics, which is understanding how letters and groups of letters link to sounds. Fluency, which is the ability to read words, phrases, sentences and stories correctly with speed and expression. Vocabulary, which is knowing what words mean and how to use them properly. Comprehension, which is the ability to understand what you are reading. What is Ohio's youth literacy rate? About 38% of the state's third-graders are not proficient in reading, according to the most recent Ohio report card data. This is a slight increase from the 2021-22 school year. Kids who are not reading at grade level must be on reading improvement and monitoring plans aligned to the science of reading, and receive high-dosage tutoring. Are all teachers being retrained? How much does that cost? The state has set aside up to $43 million for professional development in the science of reading for teachers. All teachers and administrators must complete a science of reading course by June 30, 2025. This course was developed in partnership with Keys to Literacy, an educational consultant company based in Massachusetts. The course is provided by the state and is free, and all teachers who complete the course will receive a stipend of $400 or $1,200. Administrators will not receive stipends. How can parents support literacy at home? The state refers to the National Center on Improving Literacy's guide for parents and families when it comes to helping kids learn to read and write. The center recommends the following activities to help with your child's early literacy development: Read together, taking turns with your child reading parts of a book. Ask your child, in open-ended questions, what they think about the story and how they might connect to it. Sing nursery rhymes. Play audiobooks or read aloud. This increases the amount of language your child is exposed to. Label objects in your home. Talk about everyday experiences and tell stories to help your child build background knowledge on various topics. For older kids, the center recommends playing word games, talking about the meaning of different words and still reading together and talking about books. Ask questions before, during and after reading together. Parents can support adolescents in literacy by talking with them about all things including school and current events, providing various, age-appropriate reading materials around your home and being a good role model by reading yourself. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: What is the science of reading? Ohio schools use method this year Although everyone learns that the Earth is neatly divided into seven continents (at least for now), a scientist from the University of Derby recently suggested that things may not be so clear cut. Analyzing the Greenland Iceland Faroes Ridge, the study surmises that a newly discovered that a proto-microcontinent under the Davis Straita body of water separating Greenland and Canadais still in the process of breaking apart. While rewriting elementary school geography books isnt likely, this new insight is a surprising example of how plates dont divide as neatly as we might think. The facts we learn in elementary school might feel immutable, but science is never static, and our understanding is always evolving. For example, you may have learned about the three phases of matter (or four, if your school was hip to plasma), but Bose-Einstein condensates likely werent on your fifth grade cirriculum. Oh, and Plutothats not a planet. In other words, things can change. And now, a new immutable fact is under some scientific scrutiny, as two new studies suggest that the Earth technically contains six continentsnot seven. While Antarctica, Africa, South America, Asia, and Australia remain as separate continents, new research centered around Greenland and Iceland shows evidence that North America and Europe might still be in the process of breaking up. The results of these studies were published in the journal Gondwana Research and Geology. The discovery indicates that the North America and Eurasian tectonic plates have not yet actually broken apart, as is traditionally thought to have happened 52 million years ago, Jordan Phethean, lead author of the study, told Earth.com . However, you dont have to throw out the core concepts of elementary school geography quite yetPhetheans hypothesis is controversial and only in the conceptual phase. The evidence for this extraordinary claim centers around the Greenland Iceland Faroes Ridge (GIFR), which is actually connected to Canada via a proto-microcontinent under the Davis Strait. Because this area is still experiencing rifting and microcontinent formation, Phethean suggests that the two continents are still technically linked. These interconnected landforms are part of a larger kind of geologic formation called Rifted Oceanic Magmatic Plateaus, or ROMPs. According to the Geology study, Phethean and his team analyzed a similar structure in Central Afara relatively young rift system in eastern Africato better understand the early phases of how these structures form, and to glimpse into the geology of the North Atlantic ROMPs distant past. Central Afar represents the early stage of development of a specific type of oceanic plateau: a rifted oceanic magmatic plateau, the paper reads. These features begin their formation before continental rifting and develop into wide magmatic rift systems capable of isolating slivers of continental crust within the new igneous crust. Of course, geography textbooks arent going to be reprinted just yet. After all, it took nearly 30 years after the mass of Pluto was first calculated to bestow on the object its new dwarf planet status. But, so far, Phethean and his teams work provides compelling evidence thatat the very leastthe continents dont divide up as cleanly as our ten-year-old selves believed. You Might Also Like In new research, scientists find that flocks of birds may become ordered after a disordered start. The way flocks and other collective motions form has eluded scientists for a long time. Understanding physics this way could help us understand trends in the human bodys cells. Particles, in many senses, are one of the most vibrant parts of popular and academic culture in 2024. Our video games and movies are marked by how many particles are represented in order to mimic reality. Our science is moved forward by supercomputer models that can sledgehammer through billions of individual points in a simulation. These models allow scientists to combine models from different disciplines and calculate likelihoods rather than certainties. Real life is also crammed with particlesand things that act a surprising amount like particlesthat were coming to understand more and more. For instance, new research published in the Institute of Physics peer-reviewed Journal of Statistical Mechanics: Theory and Experiment lays out why the transition to collective motionthe catalyst moment where discrete (separate) things with individual directions all turn together and act as one thingis so hard to pin down. Collective motion is a well-known phenomenon of particle physics, but its not exclusive to the micro-realm. Fish, for example, are icons of collective motion, and scientists believe that their sophisticated ability to change direction is a result of better sensory organs and sharper senses than we previously thought. But that doesnt completely explain the physics of how the groups stay orderly, respond in shockingly fast ways, and group up in the first place. Is a flock of birds the same as the plasma inside a nuclear fusion tokamak reactor in some ways? The answer, fascinatingly, is yes. And both show qualities shared by fluids like water and wind. Its the why behind these similarities thats still contested. How can it be that self-propelled thingslike fish, birds, individual cells, and even magnetsmodel the same physical ideas as particles? In a statement from the SISSA Lab in Italy, Julien Tailleur of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) said that his professional curiosity about this topic dates back to an observation made by fellow scientist Hugues Chate 20 years agothat group responses of magnetic particles are dependent on pressure and temperature. As scientists observed fish and birds, they thought something like this property of magnetism could explain how those groups form as well. Within the right parameters, the magnetized particles behave in an orderly way, and animals certainly look orderly as they change, group, and regroup. But in this new experiment, the scientists found that, instead, these groups pivoted based on fluctuations. In statistical mechanicsa field that studies large groups, like bodies of water molecules, using methods from probability and statisticsfluctuation is a specific formula that shows the rise of entropy (propensity for disorder) in a system like a flock of birds or a bloodstream. This entropy comes in forms like noise, which (in this case) is just a variable for what affects one part of a flock or system in order to create change. In their experimental setup, even magnets responded to the noise in a discontinuous, or less orderly, way that led to an orderly grouping. Despite the outcome of a neat flock or grouping, the catalyst to move into those groups was disordered. The finding was not true of all the models that the scientists tested. But it did end up applying even to what seem like much more complex scenarioslike pigeons that group based on what they can see and mentally compute, rather than through their other senses. By creating their own novel model in order to calculate findings similar to what is already known about collective motion, the scientists hope they can encourage future work using this or other novel models to move our knowledge forward. To illustrate the usefulness of our approach, they explain, we highlight that it has been successfully applied to the case of active particles experiencing nematic torques. Nematic torques are a response in the unusual phase of matter known as time crystals, when atoms line up neatly in parallel and can be synced up (torque in this case is torsion, or turning, of those atoms as a collective motion). The scientists found that fluctuations make the particles more responsive to one another and, in a way, more persistent in that response. This means that this collective behavior could explain the formation of time crystals themselves, as atoms are able to slow and sync up. And this is just one step toward the long road of understanding these phenomena. As Tailleur said in the statement, We are making progress! You Might Also Like Oropouche, a.k.a. sloth virus, has been detected in Europe for the first time. The disease can cause intense symptoms that come on fast. There is no vaccine or treatment for the sloth virus. From COVID-19 to MPox to Alaskapox, theres no shortage of viruses making headlines. Now, theres a new one to note: Sloth virus, a.k.a. Oropouche. The so-called sloth virus has appeared in Europe for the first time, raising plenty of questions about what this is and how to lower your risk. In June and July, there were 19 imported cases of the virus reported in Europe, including 12 in Spain, five in Italy, and two in Germany, according to a recent risk assessment released by the European Center for Disease Control. This is the first time the disease has been reported in these areas. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also notes that there are currently outbreaks of Oropouche in parts of Brazil (where the Pan American Health Organization reported two deaths from the virus), Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, and Cuba. Its even landed in America. There are cases that have been diagnosed in Florida in travelers, says Amesh A. Adalja, M.D., an infectious disease expert and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. Meet the experts: Amesh A. Adalja, M.D., is an infectious disease expert and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security; William Schaffner, M.D., is an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine This disease is usually spread by insect bites but tends to originate in certain species of sloths, non-human primates, and birds. But what is Oropouche and how concerned about it should Americans be? Heres the deal, according to infectious disease doctors. What is Oropouche, a.k.a. sloth virus? The sloth virus is a name people are using to refer to Oropouche virus. This is a viral illness that can spread to people of any age and is usually mistaken for dengue, a serious infection that spreads from mosquitoes to people, per the CDC. The virus is not spread from person-to-person through coughing, touching, or sneezing, the CDC notes. Oropouche is most common in sloths, non-human primates like monkeys, and birds, but it can spread to people through certain insects. It is usually diagnosed by a blood test. Sloths are usually OK when they have Oropouche, though. They are a reservoir species and reservoir species dont usually suffer very severe consequences, Dr. Adalja says. Oropouche was first identified in 1955, Dr. Adalja says. Since then, it has caused major outbreaks in South and Central America, he says. But the virus is on the move. Now travelers from Europe who have been to those countries have picked it up and are bringing it back to Europe, says William Schaffner, M.D., an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Some insects in Europe have bitten those people and can then pass it on, he explains. Can sloths transmit diseases to humans? Sort of. Sloths can indirectly transmit Oropouche to humans. It infects sloths, but humans are infected by midges and mosquitoes, Dr. Adalja says. (In case youre not familiar with them, midges are tiny flies that are sometimes referred to as no-see-ums.) Sloths can be a reservoir of Oropouchemeaning, they can carry itDr. Schaffner says. But non-human primates and birds can also be infected. Worth noting: The European Center for Disease Control says that there is a lack of evidence on whether European midges or mosquitoes could spread the virus. Symptoms of the sloth virus According to the CDC, these are the main symptoms of Oropouche: Headache Fever Muscle aches Stiff joints Nausea Vomiting Chills Sensitivity to light Meningitis (in severe cases) Dr. Schaffner says the illness can come on fast, with symptoms usually starting four to eight days after someone has been bitten. Its usually ushered in rather abruptly and lasts for several days, he says. People may also have lingering fatigue and joint aches for several weeks afterward, he adds. Oropouche can cause an illness that transiently makes you miserable, Dr. Schaffner says. But [most] people recover. With this current outbreak, there is some concernas there was with Zikaof mother-to-fetus transmission, leading to fetal abnormalities, Dr. Adalja says. This has not been confirmed, but is a subject of investigation. How is the sloth virus treated? Unfortunately, there are no vaccines to prevent Oropouche or medicines to treat the disease. Its symptomatic treatment, Dr. Schaffner says. That can include pain relief to help with the fever and muscle aches, as well as medications to help ease the nausea and vomiting. Oropouche can be deadly, too. The virus can invade the nervous system, causing meningitis, encephalitis, or other serious neurological complications, per the CDC. This happens in about 4% of people who are infected, per CDC data. Sloth virus prevention While a lot of the focus on Oropouche is currently on Europe, and Central and South America right now, Dr. Adalja says there is a chance that the disease could spread in the U.S. There is a risk that mosquito populations or midge populations in the U.S. could acquire the virus, he says. Still, Oropouche is not considered a big threat to Americans at this point. If youre traveling to areas where Oropouche is common, Dr. Schaffner recommends using bug spray with an active ingredient thats endorsed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) like DEET, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or picaridin. If youre traveling, spray it on liberally, he says. And, if you happen to develop symptoms of Oropouche after traveling to one of the areas with known cases, reach out to a doctor. If one believes they may have this virus, they should seek medical attention, not only to be tested for it but for other diseases like malaria that have overlapping symptoms, Dr. Adalja says. You Might Also Like PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) A judge incorrectly interpreted the current version of South Dakotas laws on pesticide-overspray damages when he dismissed a lawsuit brought by a neighboring landowner, according to the South Dakota Supreme Court. In an opinion publicly released on Thursday, the justices unanimously decided that Circuit Judge Chris Giles erred when he relied on a 1982 decision by the Supreme Court on pesticide application laws. The Legislature has changed parts of those laws since then. State lawmakers discuss adding an internet-age law Justice Scott Myren wrote the new opinion, saying the current case presented the high court with the first opportunity to interpret the current version of the pesticide chapters requirements regarding damages. The justices returned the case to Judge Giles for further action. The dispute involves two McCook County farmers with abutting properties. Nathan Schulz applied a chemical spray on his land that allegedly drifted and damaged Kevin Juchts soybeans. Jucht sued. Schulz asked for dismissal because Jucht hadnt given him notice. Jucht argued that failing to give notice shouldnt bar a claim. Judge Giles granted the dismissal, because Jucht didnt provide notice. Jucht appealed to the Supreme Court. Justice Myren stated that whether or not Jucht gave notice wasnt the standard for whether a claim could be made. Instead, it was whether Jucht had refused to allow Schulz the opportunity to check the alleged damage, as required by the next section of pesticide law. While SDCL 38-21-46 requires that the person claiming damage give notice of the alleged damage to the pesticide applicator, failure to provide such notice does not bar the claimant from bringing their claim. Instead, a claimant is barred from seeking recovery under SDCL 38-21-47 when the claimant fails to allow entry to the pesticide applicator to observe and inspect the alleged damage, Justice Myren wrote. Justice Myren said there are questions that must be answered at the circuit court level. Further proceedings will establish the nature and timing of the notice Schulz received regarding the alleged damage and whether he was afforded the opportunity to exercise his statutory right under SDCL 38-21-47 to inspect the alleged damage, he wrote. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. MANASSAS PARK, Va. (DC News Now) Concern and frustration are growing among neighbors and friends of missing Manassas Park mother Mamta Kafle Bhatt, who hasnt been seen or heard from in two weeks. According to police, Bhatt was last seen on July 31, and her husband reported her missing on Aug. 5. Bhatts friends say she was last seen at home the night of July 31, adding she did not report to work on August 1 or 2. Her absence caused alarm among her coworkers, triggering a call to police about her whereabouts. On Wednesday, officers with the Manassas Park Police Department told DC News Now they were not able to share pertinent details of the case or where things stand in this ongoing investigation. In an impromptu press conference with community leaders and concerned neighbors outside the police department Wednesday afternoon, her husband, Naresh Bhatt, spoke in front of reporters asking the community for its continued support saying in part, I need your help in a positive way. Thank you for doing what you are doing, keep doing what you are doing during this difficult time. Around 10 people went to Blooms Park Trail late Wednesday morning to hang up flyers and to aid in the search for clues and answers. If anything happened to her. I want her to get justice. I dont think anybody should go through this. There is a person missing, said her friend and neighbor Sammy Choudhary, who helped organize Wednesdays search. 1 year after 10 dogs died in District Dogs flood, families left with unanswered questions She said her friend often visited the park and enjoyed going for walks along the trail with her 11-month-old baby. Friends said the missing moms family is halfway around the globe in Nepal. Several strangers heard about her story and showed up to help in the search today. I know, like, as a mom, if this was my girls and they were in another country, I couldnt imagine, relying on other people, said Melissa Dewitt. Id want others to do the same for me. Police said they have followed up with Bhatts husband and her friends since she was reported missing earlier this month. Her husband did not participate in Wednesdays search along the trail. If you have any information on the case, you are asked to get in touch with the Manassas Park Police Department at 703-361-1136. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. Actor Johnny Wactor was fatally shot on May 25 after interrupting gang members who were trying to steal his car's catalytic converter, authorities say. (Willy Sanjuan / Invision/Associated Press) Four men have been arrested in the slaying of "General Hospital" actor Johnny Wactor, Los Angeles police announced Thursday. Law enforcement sources told The Times the investigation had focused on Florencia 13 gang members tied to catalytic converter thefts in the region. After reviewing videos and interviewing witnesses, homicide detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department identified three men, one with distinctive facial tattoos, who they say jacked Wactors car on Hope Street near Pico Boulevard to steal its catalytic converter before shooting and killing him May 25. A statement of probable cause used to obtain search warrants named Robert Barceleau, Sergio Estrada and Leonel Gutierrez, all age 18, as suspects. The three were targeted after police said their fingerprints matched those lifted from a floor jack they used while trying to steal Wactor's catalytic converter. Barceleau, Gutierrez and Estrada were booked on suspicion of murder on Thursday and held in lieu of $2-million bail, according to L.A. County Sheriff's Department records. An additional person, Frank Olano, 22, was arrested on suspicion of being an accessory to murder. Read more: Johnny Wactor slaying: LAPD investigation focuses on gang members tied to catalytic converter thefts Wactor had finished a shift at the nearby Level 8 bar about 3:20 a.m. when he and co-worker Anita Joy were walking to his car and interrupted the thieves. Wactor first thought his car was being towed, Joy said. After realizing that wasnt the case, he asked the men to leave, showing his open hands to indicate he wasnt a threat. Nevertheless, he was shot at close range, Joy said. A security guard from the bar said he found Joy and the mortally wounded Wactor and called 911. Joy asked Wactor whether he was OK, and he responded, "Nope. I've been shot," according to the statement of probable cause. After the shooting, the suspects fled north on Hope Street in a stolen getaway car described as a 2018 black four-door Infiniti Q50 with a tan interior, police said. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass addressed the arrests Thursday, saying, I want to thank LAPD for their partnership and hard work on this case and for their continued efforts to keep Angelenos safe and to bring justice to victims of violence. Now, we must ensure that those who are responsible for this brazen and heinous act are held fully accountable. Thieves target catalytic converters because they contain precious metals, including rhodium, palladium and platinum. They can sell for hundreds of dollars to auto parts suppliers or scrapyards, where they can be melted down and the valuable metals extracted. Thefts of catalytic converters skyrocketed in California during the COVID-19 pandemic. That prompted new state laws that make it illegal for recyclers to buy the parts from anyone other than the vehicles legal owner or a licensed dealer. Penalties were increased for buyers who fail to certify that a catalytic converter wasnt stolen. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. 'Second only to a nuclear bomb' the controversial arms Russia is using in Ukraine When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Russian forces are 'finally bringing to bear their heaviest firepower' in their war against Ukrainian forces. | Credit: ID1974 / Shutterstock Russia has trained its navy to target sites deep inside Europe with nuclear-capable missiles if there is a conflict with Nato, according to leaked secret files. Maps of targets as "far-flung" as "Barrow-in-Furness" in northwest England are included in a presentation for officers that "predates the full-scale invasion of Ukraine", which began in February 2022, said the Financial Times. The news comes as controversy grows over some of the weapons Moscow has used during the conflict in Ukraine, including the thermobaric bomb, which produces a blast that is "second only to a nuclear bomb", said news.com. What weapons are Russia using? Moscow announced this week that it had used a thermobaric bomb against Ukrainian forces. Also known as a vacuum bomb, the missile's extra hot blast is "capable of vaporising human bodies", said Sky News. It can also kill people by making their lungs "explode", said The Sun. Thermobaric bombs are conventional weapons in that they are not guided by satellites and can be launched as a rocket or dropped as a bomb from aircraft. The Russians are "finally bringing to bear their heaviest firepower", said Forbes, by "lobbing powerful glide bombs" at Ukrainian troops. Glide bombs are remote-controlled warheads that can fly towards targets over long distances. With a range of 25 miles or more, and containing "hundreds of pounds of explosives", glide bombs weigh as much as three tons and are "powerful but inaccurate", so they "pose a serious danger" to civilians. "Assuming, of course", that "the civilians themselves aren't the target". "There are no words to describe the aftermath of a glide bomb attack," a Ukrainian police chief told the BBC. "You arrive to see people who are lying there, torn apart." Moscow has also been criticised for its use of cluster munitions on the battlefield, particularly RBK-500 bombs. They contain more than 80 "bomblets", said Forces News, each of which is about the size of a hand grenade. Its shaped charge can "kill infantry", but also "penetrate" light-skinned vehicles. Are they used elsewhere? Thermobaric bombs are believed to have been used in Afghanistan, in different locations in the Middle East, including the Syrian Civil War, and "even in a terrorist attack in Bali, Indonesia", said European Security & Defence. Glide bombs were devised during the First World War but didn't start to be used until the Second World War. The "widely condemned" use of cluster bombs can also be traced back to the 1939-45 conflict, said Al Jazeera. They were used during the Vietnam War, when the US dropped 413,130 tonnes of cluster munitions. They've also been used by British armed forces in the Falklands War, Yugoslav troops during the Bosnian conflict, and in various wars in the Middle East. What do international conventions say? International law does not prohibit the use of thermobaric munitions against military targets and all past attempts to regulate and restrict the weapons have "failed", said news.com. However, targeting civilians with the weapons is against international law. The legal status of glide bombs is less clear, so Russian pilots have inflicted this particular "scourge" with "impunity", said The Economist. Under the leadership of Jens Stoltenberg, Nato barred 124 member nations from stockpiling, using or manufacturing cluster bombs because of their indiscriminate nature and long-term humanitarian impact. Second suspect taken into custody in LA in shooting death of Carrboro man A second suspect has been arrested and charged with murder in the death of a 41-year-old man that took place in late May in Carrboro. Dolores De Jesus Benavides Zelaya of Burlington was charged with killing Juan Maldonado Espinoza at Estes Park Apartments. Benavides Zelaya was arrested July 31 in Los Angeles and is being extradited to North Carolina, the Carrboro Police Department announced Thursday. He also faces felony conspiracy and felony attempted kidnapping charges. Ex-girlfriend previously charged The first suspect, Karla Maria Machuca of Burlington, was charged in June for her suspected role in Maldonado Espinozas death. In July, Machuca was arrested in Los Angeles, then extradited to North Carolina. She also faces felony conspiracy and felony attempted kidnapping charges, according to Carrboro police. Machuca had dated Maldonado Espinoza and was previously charged with misdemeanor domestic violence against her ex-boyfriend, court records show. Carrboro police responded to calls from neighbors who heard gunshots around 11:40 p.m. on May 29. After arriving at the apartment complex, officers found Maldonado Espinoza dead from a gunshot wound. His neighbors tried to help him, 911 calls obtained by The News & Observer showed. One witness told the 911 operator they saw two or three people drive away in a silver car after the shooting. Maldonado Espinozas death marked the second shooting with an injury in Carrboro this year, according to police. The Secret Service has begun bolstering Donald Trumps security detail and plans to surround the former president with bulletproof glass at campaign rallies. A senior official told CNN that additional security measures also include increasing the number of agents and certain technological changes, though the official declined to provide more details for security reasons. The measures are being implemented in the wake of the assassination attempt against Trump at his rally last month in Butler, Pennsylvania. Some of the measures have already been rolled out. Ballistic glass is commonly used for the protection of sitting presidents and is moved into place by the Department of Defense, which has an extensive transportation operation including planes. For Trump, the Secret Service will strategically place the glass around the country in areas where Trump is expected to visit because the agency doesnt have its own aircraft, the official told CNN. A team of dedicated agents will be in charge of moving and preparing the new measures for each campaign event in the lead-up to the November 2024 presidential election. It is a significant undertaking when it comes to logistics, the official told CNN. Some of these moves had previously been announced by leadership in the Secret Service, including the increase in manpower for Trump that Kimberly Cheatle announced before she resigned as director of the agency last month amid intense criticism following the rally shooting. Ballistic glass is generally used for outdoor events, whereas indoor events usually dont require such a measure because individuals are screened before entering. The official told CNN that the glass could be used in both indoor and outdoor locations depending on the security at each location. The Secret Service declined to comment when asked about the new measures. The safety of our protectees is our highest priority, a spokesperson told CNN. Due to operational security, we cannot comment on specific protective means and methods. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com The Secret Service is planning on protecting former President Donald Trump at outdoor rallies by surrounding his podium with bulletproof glasses, a measure usually only employed when guarding sitting presidents, ABC News reported. It comes after the assassination attempt on July 13 when Trumps right ear was grazed by a bullet at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. One rally attendee was killed and two others were injured. It was the first attempted assassination of a candidate for president since the 1972 attempt on the life of George Wallace. President Ronald Reagan was shot but survived after an assassination attempt on March 30, 1981. The Secret Service advised the Trump campaign to stop holding outdoor rallies following the July shooting, when a 20-year-old gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, took aim at Trump from a rooftop about 400 feet from the podium. Former President Donald Trump is rushed offstage by U.S. Secret Service agents after being grazed by a bullet during a rally on July 13, in Butler, Pennsylvania. Now, according to a report, the Secret Service wants to put bulletproof glass around Trumps podium at future outdoor rallies. (Getty Images) All of Trumps campaign events have subsequently been indoors but the former president has said that he wants to return to outdoor rallies and has asked if it would be safe, sources told ABC. On July 31, about two weeks after the shooting, Trump noted the size of the indoor arena during a rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Theyd prefer that we be in an arena. I dont know why. But were not giving up the outdoor rallies, he said at the time. You know, all those people that we had to turn away today, at an outdoor rally you can have. Trump is set to have glass panels cover him from three sides at the podium at future outdoor rallies, but it remains unclear when the practice will begin. Retired Secret Service agent Don Mihalek told the outlet, This isnt just a piece of glass but a large, bulky, and heavy armored glass that will require extensive logistics capability, normally reserved for large-scale outdoor events. Trump is set to have glass panels cover him from three sides at the podium at future outdoor rallies, but it remains unclear when the practice will begin (REUTERS) The ballistic glass is usually transported on a military cargo plane but for Trump, the Secret Service is set to purchase several sets to store across the country so that they can be taken by truck to a rally venue, sources told ABC. Following the Butler shooting, former Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle, who was recently forced to resign, increased security for Trump, Vice President Kamala Harris as well as the two vice presidential contenders, Ohio Senator JD Vance and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. This also applies to other protectees, such as Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff. PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) Organizers remained tight-lipped Wednesday about the specifics surrounding Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walzs fundraising stop in Newport, set for Thursday afternoon. While the campaign hasnt publicly announced where the fundraiser will be held, attendees were informed Wednesday that the event will take place at Salve Regina University. Organizers had also scouted the Community College of Rhode Islands Newport campus as an alternative. The campaign has indicated press access to the event will be limited. Newport Mayor Xay Khamsyvoravong told 12 News that any information about potential street closures would be communicated to residents in coordination with law enforcement. Walz, the governor of Minnesota, is making a fundraising swing through the Northeast to raise money for his campaign with Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, including a stop in Boston on Wednesday. The Newport events organizers surpassed their goal of raising at least $500,000 for the campaign as of late Wednesday, according to a person familiar with the effort. The minimum contribution to attend the event is $1,000, according to an invitation obtained by 12 News, and anyone who gives at least $10,000 will get a photo with Walz. Former Providence Mayor Joe Paolino, who is on the host committee for the fundraiser, said security is an even bigger concern for Walz than it has been for previous major fundraising events hes helped put together. Quite frankly, security has changed a great deal since the assassination attempt on President Trump, Paolino told 12 News, citing those concerns as a reason so few details about the event have been made public. But Paolino was upbeat about the response from the event, saying enthusiasm for the Democratic ticket has surged since Harris replaced President Biden on the ticket. Gov. Dan McKee, another member of the Walz event host committee, told reporters hes excited about bringing the candidate to Rhode Island. The pair know each other from serving together as Democratic governors. Hes a regular guy that happens to have achieved an awful lot in his life, and now hes right on the edge of becoming vice president of the United States, who I have a personal relationship [with], and thats why its a really good thing for Rhode Island as much as it is for the country, McKee said. After leaving Newport, Walz will travel to the Hamptons for another fundraiser later Thursday, according to the campaign. Ted Nesi (tnesi@wpri.com) is a Target 12 investigative reporter and 12 News politics/business editor. He co-hosts Newsmakers and writes Nesis Notes on Saturdays. Connect with him on Twitter, Threads and Facebook. Kate Wilkinson and Kristin Burnell contributed to this report. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Nesi's Notes Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. See how Listeria outbreak from Va.-based Boars Head products could impact you Watch the Digital Desk with ODU on Listeria in the video player. PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) A Listeria outbreak linked to Boars Head deli meats caused more than 40 illnesses in 13 states. Three people have died, including one in Virginia. Senior in Va third person to die in Listeria outbreak tied to Boars Head deli meats According to the CDC, Boars Head Ready-To-Eat Liverwurst products and other Boats Head Deli Meat Products from their Jarratt, Virginia facility have been recalled. Rishi Drolia, Ph.D., a professor of biological sciences at Old Dominion University, was at the Digital Desk to discuss the current Listeria outbreak. Watch the segment in the video player on this page. After deadly Listeria outbreak reaches Hampton Roads, ODU scientist says bacteria is hard to kill At first, the recall only included liverwurst, but then grew to a total of 71 products. This amounted to more than 700 million pounds of products. Currently, recalls include sell-by dates ranging from July 25 to Aug. 30. It is not uncommon to find Listeria, especially in the food chain, Drolia said. And deli meat provides the perfect environment for Listeria. Listeria is bacteria that can contaminate foods, leaving people who eat those foods to be infected. Symptoms can vary, but can be serious and life-threatening. Once it is in the bloodstream, a majority of patients have to get hospitalized, get IV antibiotics, Drolia said. Out of the 43 infected by this outbreak, are all hospitalized. Drolia said about 94% of people infected by Listeria are hospitalized. Along with the high rate of hospitalization, Listeria also has a fatality rate of 30%. Listeria impacts certain groups more. The CDC says Listeria can be more harmful for pregnant people, newborns, adults aged 65 or older and people with weakened immune systems. For those groups, Drolia recommends eating meat that is not raw, and make sure to heat meat up before you eat it. The food industry is also impacted by Listeria outbreaks. It is also affecting all of the grocery stores, Drolia said. When there is an outbreak, they also have to get rid of the food and food in the supply chain, so that is impacting everyone from the manufacturer to where its sold to people who use it. It is not only prevalent in deli meat and products, but also other items and produce at the grocery store. The unique thing of Listeria is it has the innate ability to withstand harsh conditions, said Drolia. Listeria can withstand harsh environments our food has like acidic, high pH. It also can withstand different temperatures, such as frozen, refrigerated or room. The United States has different Listeria guidelines than other countries. The Food and Safety Inspection Service (USDA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have guidelines to control Listeria. Drolia said other countries have different guidelines and can have different outbreaks. He said Canada is experiencing an outbreak of Listeria in some plant-based milk. Here are some tips to help with prevention: Make sure to follow guidelines to properly clean, cook and chill. Do not cross-contaminate and separate where you handle raw meat products, such as putting it right from the package into a pan. Stay updated on the latest food recalls and outbreaks. Click here to find out the latest details about the recent outbreak. Click here to find out more information about Listeria and prevention. Watch the full Digital Desk segment to hear more about Listeria and the impact. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. Semi Bird admits defeat in WA governor race during fiery podcast. But whos he endorsing? Failed gubernatorial candidate Semi Bird says only one person can save Washington. Its not Dave Reichert, though. My full endorsement and support goes to Donald J. Trump, for Washington state, Bird said Wednesday evening on his live podcast. You may not like the person, but were looking at someone who can bring the policy that America needs to survive. And when you are so afraid of Bob Ferguson, that is the answer at the national level thatll bring a balance of protection for citizens of Washington state, Bird continued. The oddly-timed endorsement capped a rigorous 21-month campaign by the Tri-Cities Republican hoping to break out into the states political scene. It also was a tongue-in-cheek moment to rebuff the hopes of moderate Republicans that the retired Army Green Beret member would change his mind and endorse Reichert for governor during the Nov. 5 general election. Bird instead claims mainstream Republicans engaged in a smear campaign by tarnishing his reputation with claims of stolen valor and by digging into his past. He believes the party is driving people away. Do yall remember Ronald Reagan? Eleventh Commandment? Republicans shall not speak ill of other Republicans? But you all lost your minds. You not only speak ill, you will literally take I mean, Im surprised nobodys come down my street with torches yet, he said. Bird placed third in the Aug. 6 primary election, receiving 11% of the vote. He was beat by Democrat Bob Ferguson, the states current attorney general, who got 45%, and Republican Dave Reichert, a former U.S. representative and retired King County sheriff, who received 27%. He acknowledged his campaigns shortcomings on the podcast and in a statement Wednesday. Im not done, Im not defeated. But Im willing to call it what it is, Bird said. He also said Reicherts campaign has not reached out to him for an endorsement. Have you asked Dave Reichert: Does he want the endorsement of, as Dave says, a con man, a snake-oil salesman, a crook and a thief? Does he want to be saddled with the baggage of my support? Bird asked his podcast audience. Bird instead implored his audience to vote for whoever you want to in the election for governor, but that there was no way in heck hed be voting for Ferguson. New citizens initiative? During the fiery, hour-long podcast, Bird also announced plans to lead an effort to pass a voters initiative that returns Washingtons voting systems back to in-person, same-day paper voting. The talk is cheap. Its time to take action. So, were going to start a fund for election integrity and to bring an initiative, Bird said. The plan comes on the coattails of four popular citizen initiatives due for the Nov. 5 general election ballot that have earned the backing of some moderate and Republican voters. If passed, independently, those initiatives would prohibit government natural gas restrictions, repeal the states capital gains tax, prohibit sections of the Climate Commitment Act and allow employees to opt out of the tax funding the states long-term care benefits program. Details are scant so far, but Bird said he wants his new initiative project to be supported by a diverse swath of Washington voters. Washington has had mail-in voting for more than a decade now and ballots have had prepaid postage on them since about 2018. Most counties had switched to vote-by-mail systems when the state Legislature, in 2011, enshrined it into law. Vote-by-mail requires fewer poll workers, provides an auditable paper trail, allows more time for voters to research candidates and promotes higher turnout, elections officials say. But there are some downsides, including more material prep time, a higher level of staff expertise and a longer time to report final results Shot down chairman rumors Bird also vehemently denied rumors that he planned to leverage his grassroots support to oust Jim Walsh as chairman of the Washington State Republican Party and install himself. He also explained he was unable to surmount a write-in campaign for governor due to Washingtons sore loser laws. No. 1, why would I want to replace a party that did everything to participate in the ruination of my life and my family, to undermine my campaign? Thats No. 1, he said. No. 2, Ive never had a discussion with anybody to do that. I never even had the thought, said Bird, who currently serves as the Benton County Republican Party chair. Bird claims rumors he would pursue Walshs role were amplified in an opinion piece published last week by journalist Jason Rantz of 770 KTTH in Seattle, who said Bird would destroy the party as we know it. Semi Birds background Bird, a behavioral scientist from Richland, has emerged as a populist playmaker and change agent in this years race for governor, rallying Washingtons devoted MAGA base behind his cause in early fashion. He jumped in the race in November 2022, announcing his first statewide run from the Washington State Capitol Rotunda, and was among the first candidates to declare. Despite calls to drop out early on from high-ranking Washington Republicans, with Reicherts candidacy imminent, Bird continued campaigning at dozens of events spanning the Cascade Mountains. After Richland voters resoundingly recalled Bird from his school board seat the only elected office hes ever held in August 2023 over a questionable COVID mask vote, he doubled down on his campaign for governor by asserting he did nothing wrong and asked for donations. Bird also brushed off various controversies from his background that came to light throughout his time campaigning, including allegations of stolen valor from his time in the military, a misdemeanor conviction for lying on a credit application, and an arrest over a missing law enforcement-issued revolver. Despite earning the state partys endorsement in April at a raucous Washington State Republican Party convention, Birds campaign failed to gain any momentum in the polls or with financial donors. Several professional political polls conducted since the beginning of the year placed Bird from 7% to 11%, with Ferguson and Reichert coming in much higher. Bird failed to get support in his own backyard, too. Results as of Wednesday showed the Richland Republican at just 25% in both Benton and Franklin counties. Both Reichert and Ferguson lead him by several points in his home county. Bird said during the podcast hes not planning to run for public office in the next election cycle. Sen. John Thune encourages Republicans to focus on issues if they want to win Senate Republican Whip John Thune, R-S.D., speaks after receiving the Titan of Public Service Award during a special gala event of the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation at Salt Lake City's Grand America on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Sen. John Thune said Republicans need to focus on the issues in the 2024 election if they want to win the presidency and control of the Senate. Thune, the Senate Republican whip, made the comments in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, where he received the Titan of Public Service Award from the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation. Thune served with the late Sen. Hatch for years, and he called Hatch one of the Senates most effective lawmakers. Last years award winner was Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who Thune hopes to replace as leader of the Republican conference when McConnell steps down in a few months. Besides Thune, Sen. John Cornyn of Texas and Sen. Rick Scott of Florida are in the running for the leadership role. Thune was introduced Wednesday by Rep. John Curtis, who is the Republican nominee for the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Mitt Romney. Curtis has not yet said who hell support if he wins the Senate seat, which is considered a safe Republican seat. Another of Thune and Hatchs Senate colleagues, former Oregon Republican Sen. Gordon Smith, engaged the South Dakota senator in a center-stage, back-and-forth conversation before lawmakers, business leaders and other distinguished community members gathered in the ballroom of the Grand America in Salt Lake City. Smith asked Thune about his family and faith, his views on American involvement in Ukraine and Israel, and whether he thinks Republicans can win the Senate majority in November. Thune attended Biola University, a private religious college in California, where he met his wife Kimberley, who also attended the Hatch Foundation gala. Senate Republican Whip John Thune, R-S.D., sits down for a fireside chat with former U.S. Sen. Gordon H. Smith, R-Ore., prior to receiving the Titan of Public Service Award during a special gala event of the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation at Salt Lake City's Grand America on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Thune: Republicans need to focus on issues if they want to win Smith asked Thune to weigh in on whether Republicans can win the Senate majority and the presidency, and keep their majority in the House. Its a great map, a map unlike anything weve seen in a few decades, at least, Thune said. And weve got some really high quality candidates. But you have to have a good performance at the top of the ticket. The presidential race matters, and that race looks to be very competitive at the moment. While the presidential race has gotten more competitive since Vice President Kamala Harris entered the race against former President Donald Trump, Thune said he still thinks Republicans are well positioned to win if they keep the focus on the issues. You know, I would say elections are about differences, and the differences couldnt be more clear, the choices couldnt be more clear for the American people, but we have to execute and and stay focused and have a consistent, coherent message that is attractive to voters around the country, he said. Thune has traveled the country this year to help Republican Senate candidates fundraise and said he is hopeful Republicans can win the majority in the Senate. The election calendar favors Republicans this year, with close races expected in several states with Democratic incumbents, including Nevada, Montana and Pennsylvania. Republicans also hope to win open seats in West Virginia and Arizona. If Trump wins the White House, Republicans only need 50 seats to capture the Senate majority, because Sen. JD Vance would, as vice president, cast tie-breaking votes. But if Harris wins, they will need 51. Senate Republican Whip John Thune, R-S.D., poses for a photo after receiving the Titan of Public Service Award during a special gala event of the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation at Salt Lake City's Grand America on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Thune on wars in Gaza and Ukraine Thune said he views Israels war against Hamas in Gaza as part of a larger regional fight against Iran. By fighting Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as the Houthis, Israel is standing between the U.S. and Iran, Thune said, pointing out that Iranian proxies have also attacked U.S. troops in recent months. Thune said he thinks the Biden administration has been weak when it comes to deterrence, especially related to the Iranian nuclear deal, and said he finds the way the administration has handled the war in Gaza troublesome. If you look at whats happening on college campuses around this country, and the antisemitism that were seeing, the evidence that people, for whatever reason, have become sympathetic to terrorists. Hamas is a terrorist organization, he said. Thune said he was in Israel two weeks after the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas, and said emotions were still very raw. And you realize when youre there, just the proximity of all this and the threats that exist on the borders, you cant live with a terrorist organization that is bent on your destruction every single day, Thune said. Hamas and terrorist organizations like it have to be destroyed. Thune said he also backs continued support for Ukraine in its war against Russia, despite calls from within his party to stop funding Ukraines efforts to defend itself. He pointed out that a majority of Republicans in the Senate supported the latest measure to provide more aid to Ukraine, saying it was evidence there was still bipartisan support for pushing back against Russian aggression. By supporting Ukraine, he said, it puts them in a position of strength if they enter into negotiations with Russia to end the war. Winston Churchill used to say that the only thing worse than fighting wars is fighting wars without allies, and NATO has proven to be a very successful alliance against a lot of really bad behavior for the last 80 years, Thune said. He said the doctrine of peace through strength, coined by former President Ronald Reagan, has served the country well. But Ive always said, and this is understood in my office, when it comes to ... how I vote on things, we always say that if you dont get national security right, the rest is conversation. If you cant protect the country and defend the country then everything else we talk about really becomes temporary, he said. The Titan of Public Service Award sits on a table during a special gala event of the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation at Salt Lake City's Grand America on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Senate filibuster could be back on the table in 2025 In early 2022, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said he wanted to change the Senates filibuster rules to make it easier to pass legislation with a simple majority. In the Senate, most legislation requires 60 votes to move forward. Defenders of the Senate filibuster, including the late Sen. Hatch, say it promotes compromise, protects the minority and keeps the country from experiencing legislative whiplash when Congress changes hands from one party to another. The two senators who kept Schumer from killing the filibuster, Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema and West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, who were both Democrats at the time but later switched to become independents, are not running for reelection this year. Smith said he views the filibuster as a way to keep the extreme members of both parties from passing legislation. If you get rid of the filibuster, you change the essence of the Senate. You change the country, Smith said. Thune agreed, saying the filibuster helps maintain a level of predictability around the nations laws, especially as congressional control shifts from party to party. And I think if you do away with the filibuster, you will forever change not only the United States Senate, how the Founders intended it to operate, but you will have fundamentally changed the country, Thune said, saying it would be a bad outcome. Will Trump tax cuts be extended? On whether congressional Republicans will be able to extend the tax cuts passed in 2017 under Trump, Thune said the calculation gets much more difficult if Republicans dont hold both the House and Senate, as well as the presidency. Several of the provisions in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will sunset in 2025, and if Democrats control one of the chambers in Congress or if Harris is in the White House, Republicans will have to negotiate over extending the cuts, Thune said. I think we have to get there, he said. Its that important to the economy. Thune said he thinks the tax cuts helped boost the economy before the pandemic, and said he hopes to make some of the provisions permanent. Audience members find their tables as they attend the Titan of Public Service Award Gala of the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation at Salt Lake City's Grand America on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) hasnt been able to set up a debate with Democratic challenger Lucas Kunce, so he decided to take matters into his own hands on Thursday. And he did it at the Missouri State Fair. Kunces campaign has agreed to five televised debates, according to St. Louis Fox affiliate KTVI-TV. But Kunce would not participate in a non-televised debate hosted by the Missouri Farm Bureau that his campaign contends would violate campaign finance law, since the group endorsed Hawley and donated $5,000 to his campaign, according to the Missouri Independent. In a letter to the bureau, the Kunce campaign cited Federal Election Commission law preventing organizations that endorse and financially back candidates from hosting debates, the website said. Lucas does not wish to expose the Farm Bureau or your members to unnecessary risk, Kunce campaign manager Caleb Cavaretta wrote. The two U.S. Senate nominees have been at an impasse over debate terms since emerging from their party primaries on Aug. 6. But Hawley apparently decided the best way to get a debate going was to track down Kunce at the State Fair in Sedalia on Thursday and demand they do it then and there. And, yes, he made sure a camera crew was following him. Hawleys video shows him walking around the fair like a man on a mission. Guys, how are you? Lets go find Lucas Kunce. Lets go find him, he says to bystanders. Come on, wheres he been? I havent seen him. You guys seen him? He hasnt been out of his basement in two weeks, lets go find him. Where is he? Where is he? Where is he? Where is he? About 23 seconds into the video, Hawley connects with Kunce, who says, How you doing, man? to which Hawley replies, We gonna debate today? After Kunce says he doesnt know what Hawley is talking about, the senator responds, You dont know? I read your bullshit letter to the Farm Bureau. Are you going to sue the Farm Bureau? The exchange continued ... Kunce: Dude, youre really obsessed with this stuff. Hawley: Come on! Kunce: Youre really obsessed with this stuff. Hawley: Come on! Are you going to debate me today? Kunce: You already got the Farm Bureau and the state fair in trouble, man. Hawley: Lets go! At one point, Hawley taunted Kunce, saying, By the way, are you gonna do any campaign events around the state or just media? Kunce responded using that W word that has been on many Democrats lips in recent weeks. Josh, why are you so weird? Kunce responded. Man, why are you so creepy? You can see the encounter from Hawleys perspective below. Kunce has been hiding out for two weeks - I finally found him today. And he STILL wont debate. But Ill be there pic.twitter.com/aRjKIByq5b Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) August 15, 2024 Kunce offered his own post, one that showed Hawley not committing to the debates hes already agreed to. Josh Hawley's one rule to debate: No one sees it. From robbing us of $250k in taxpayer dollars, to voting against IVF, he's terrified of being exposed to Missouri voters. That's why he's refused to accept a single televised debateeven on Fox News. #MOSenpic.twitter.com/lbRkaMkcAA Lucas Kunce (@LucasKunceMO) August 15, 2024 Not surprisingly, the skirmish between the Senate candidates attracted attention on social media. Its WEIRD that you wont do a televised debate. Why would he debate you at the fair when hes there to meet and connect with voters? PLUS - televised debates are FACT-CHECKED. You scared of the fact checks, dude? We all know you promoted the #BigLie about the election! #Cowardpic.twitter.com/HNTE2QtIx3 Ashley Votes Blue (@KuckelmanAshley) August 15, 2024 Run away, Hateful Hawley pic.twitter.com/JpH8lCM9Ul Tara Dublin, Rock Star Author & Kamala Voter (@taradublinrocks) August 15, 2024 Josh, were in the same party and youre a great Senator and warrior but this is low for you. Valentina Gomez (@ValentinaForUSA) August 15, 2024 You really seem to be trying to overcompensate for something, Josh. The whole macho senator act is so weird. Luke Zaleski (@ZaleskiLuke) August 15, 2024 I'll fight you, but only if no one sees you kick my ass. Machine Pun Kelly (@KellyScaletta) August 15, 2024 When you rely on aggression to make your point, it often signals that you don't trust your ideas to speak for themselves.https://t.co/ayy2yZ0NP3 P a u l (@ybarrap) August 15, 2024 This is VERY low, Josh. VERY low. Don't do this sh*t. It makes you look like an obsessed stalker. pic.twitter.com/vYsLIxApUb Cory Legendre (@corylegendre) August 15, 2024 Related... FAIRMONT, W.Va. (WBOY) The Marion County Chamber of Commerce honored businesses and organizations from around the county Wednesday night as it hosted its 70th annual awards dinner on the campus of Fairmont State University. Members of the chamber said that this is one of its largest events of the year. On top of awards and honors, the annual dinner also allows area businesses to fellowship with other local business owners and entrepreneurs to create a stronger business community. Were seeing some growth right now. There was a little bit of a downturn with the pandemic, but Marion County is coming back strong. We are kind of bookended by Mon and Harrison Counties which have seen tremendous growth and were right in the middle of it, Marion County Chamber of Commerce President Patrick Snively said. West Virginia attempts to spur housing construction through tax incentives Officials with the chamber told 12 News that having family-owned and operated businesses along with large and new developing businesses that give back to their communities is what creates growth. U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (I-WV) joined the dinner, spoke to those in attendance and received an award for his dedication to Marion County during the welcoming remarks. This has always been special for me for many, many, many years, even before I got into the political process and that was back in 1982. And just bringing the county together, bringing everyone working together, trying to help all different areas. Manchin said. Some people say well its only the Fairmont area and it really isnt. The Marion County Chamber of Commerce looked after all of us, whether it be Farmington, Mannington, Barrackville, you know, Rivesville, everybody. We want everybody to survive and do well and succeed. So, this is what its all about how we do work, who needs help more, and how can we help them grow too. Those businesses that received recognition at the annual dinner include: Family-owned Business of the Year, Short Story Brewing Community Impact Award, Alex Petry Small Business of the Year, Mikey Cs Cuisine Educator of the Year, Krista Blankenship Entrepreneur of the Year, Jared Rogers Francis Pierpont Visionary Award, WVU Hospital Fairmont Medical Center Rev. Donal M. Squires Lifetime Achievement Award, Murvyn McDowell Public Servant Award, Senator Mike Caputo and Judge David R. Janes Chairmans Award, Jay Rogers Presidents Award, Amy Snively Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com. Senate Democrats Up For Reelection Are Doing Well. It Might Not Be Enough To Win A Majority. Senate Democrats facing reelection this year are running strong in every single presidential battleground state, but it still might not be enough to maintain the partys hold on the upper chamber next year. What once looked like a brutal map for Democrats with half a dozen vulnerable incumbents in the Senate, hindered by an unpopular Democratic president in the White House now appears to be less so, according to new polling from The Cook Political Report. In Pennsylvania, Sen. Bob Casey leads wealthy businessman Dave McCormick 53% to 40%. In Wisconsin, Sen. Tammy Baldwin leads entrepreneur Eric Hovde 50% to 43%. And in Nevada, Sen. Jacky Rosen leads veteran Sam Brown by a whopping 18 percentage points. Democrats are also faring well in races for two open Senate seats. In Arizona, Rep. Ruben Gallego is leading Republican election denier Kari Lake 51% to 42%. In Michigan, Rep. Elissa Slotkin tops former House GOP Rep. Mike Rogers 50% to 42%. The renewed enthusiasm for Vice President Kamala Harris, who replaced President Joe Biden on the Democratic presidential ticket last month, is helping boost not only her campaign against former President Donald Trump but down-ballot candidates as well. Democrats improved their vote share in every race since Cook last conducted polls on the presidential battlegrounds in May. The surge has been particularly large in Nevada, which had been one of Bidens worst states, Cooks Jessica Taylor wrote on Thursday. However, polling averages show very tight races in most of these states, Election Day is still nearly three months away, and the risk of polling error cant be discounted in some areas, as evidenced in previous elections. The big problem for Democrats is that, unless they expand the map and flip a Republican seat, all their efforts to retain a majority in the Senate might be for naught. With Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) retiring and his seat all but certain to flip to the GOP next year, Democrats can afford to lose only one more seat if they keep the White House. Sens. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) two red-state Democrats defending seats where Trump is extremely popular are viewed as the most vulnerable to a GOP challenge. Polls have shown Brown with an edge over his businessman opponent Bernie Moreno, but Tester has trailed veteran Tim Sheehy in recent surveys. Both Tester and Brown are running on their bipartisan legislative accomplishments in the Senate, such as providing veterans care and manufacturing stimulus, as well as highlighting times they bucked their party. Tester is one of the few Democrats who has yet to endorse Harris, for example. Democrats have also gone on the offense by seeking to unseat Sens. Ted Cruz and Rick Scott in the GOP strongholds of Texas and Florida, but those campaigns are viewed as more of a long shot. One recent poll found Scotts Democratic challenger, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, within striking distance, however. Top Democrats are riding high for now. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said he felt exhilarated and gratified by the surge of enthusiasm behind Harris, predicting his party would hold the Senate and win back the House next year. We are so enthusiastic about the prospects of winning the presidency, keeping the Senate and winning the House, Schumer told The Associated Press earlier this month. Recent audits in three school districts have uncovered officials awarding contracts without opening bids, purchases not supported by financial records, and other instances of waste or mismanagement. (Photo by Edwin J. Torres/Governors Office) A Republican legislator called for expanded audits of schools finances and tougher penalties for districts that are found to be poor stewards of taxpayer dollars. Sen. Declan OScanlon (R-Monmouth), the chambers GOP budget officer, said recent audits by the state auditor, a legislative office, that found procurement breakdowns and waste at multiple school districts underscore the need for enhanced oversight. Youve got to ask the question: Is it laziness? Is it incompetence? Is it nefarious? Youve got to ask those questions, but it does exist, and its prevalent apparently wherever they look, so how do we combat this? the senator said. The state auditor is tasked with examining finances at state agencies and school districts that post a budget with a deficit and those where state aid accounts for at least 80% of a districts spending. Recent audits of school districts in Plainfield and Salem City which draw a large percentage of their funding from state coffers and Lakewood, which is running a deficit, uncovered numerous instances of waste or mismanagement. Salem awarded contracts without open bids to 57% of the vendors included in the auditors review, and Lakewood, over a period of years, paid its general counsel $2.4 million, much of which came from a retainer agreement and not for specific work the attorney undertook. In Plainfield, poor controls left laptops worth tens of thousands of dollars unaccounted for, contracts with debarred vendors, and roughly $281,000 in purchases that were not supported by district records. Though the offices reviews regularly uncover at least some level of financial mismanagement and improper procurement, it can do little to reprimand the school districts found to have spent funds inefficiently. It performs audits at a handful of districts each year. OScanlon, who called on the attorney general to probe spending in Salem City that he said may have risen to the level of a criminal offense, suggested empowering the state Board of Education or a similar body to withhold state aid from districts found to be poor stewards of public dollars. He acknowledged the policy would have practical barriers. You dont want to punish the students, so thats a problem, he said. If you claw this money back, you hamper the districts ability to educate kids. Because the moneys already been squandered, its impossible to give back. You need to have a balance. He suggested personal liability for administrators found to have wasted public funds could be a solution without committing to the policy. You dont want administrators to be tempted to get away with things by sending the message that nothing will ever happen because the state doesnt want to punish the students, OScanlon said. You dont want to invite them being dishonest, ignoring bidding rules and other financial rules. He added the state auditor should probe a greater number of districts each year, perhaps including ones that fall outside its current mandate. The office has probed finances in three districts so far this year, up from one in 2023. Sen. Vin Gopal (D-Monmouth), who chairs the chambers education committee, agreed districts should face heightened scrutiny and more accountability. OScanlons call is the latest step in a long-simmering quarrel over school funding that began to be redistributed from historically overfunded districts to historically underfunded ones when lawmakers in 2018 approved a bill phasing out adjustment aid meant to keep districts whole after the state adopted its new funding formula in 2008. More recent spats over the funding formula have focused on steep swings to state aid spurred by unexpectedly high property valuations and shifts in enrollment in the final years of the bills phase-in. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A convicted serial killer confessed to killing a Southern California teenager in 1986 after DNA testing linked him to the crime, authorities said this week. William Bill Lester Suff, now 70, confessed to killing 19-year-old Cathy Small, whose body was found at 7 a.m. on Feb. 22, 1986, lying in the middle of a South Pasadena street in her nightgown, Los Angeles County Sheriffs Lt. Patricia Thomas said at a news conference Monday. A medical examiner later determined that Small, a mother of two, had been stabbed multiple times and strangled. Suff, also known as the Riverside Prostitute Killer and the Lake Elsinore Killer, was sentenced to death in 1995 and remains incarcerated in San Quentin. (California in 2019 put a moratorium on capital punishment.) He had been convicted of murdering 12 women, all sex workers, in Riverside County between 1989 and 1991. Hed previously been in prison for beating his 2-month-old daughter to death in Texas but was released on parole in 1984 after serving just 10 years of a 70-year sentence. Small was initially listed as a Jane Doe when her body was found. Several days after her death, her roommate learned about the killing in a newspaper article and contacted police, Thomas said. The roommate identified Smalls body and told detectives that she had been living at his Lake Elsinore house for the past few months. The roommate, who was not named at the news conference, said he last saw Small, who was a sex worker, alive at around 10 p.m. the night before her body was found. She told him a man named Bill was picking her up and giving her $50 to drive with him to Los Angeles. She left wearing a nightgown, he said. The case went unsolved for more than three decades until an unrelated death investigation prompted detectives to reexamine Smalls case file. A convicted serial killer confessed to killing Southern California teenager Cathy Smalls in 1986 after DNA testing linked him to the crime, authorities said. Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department In October 2019, a coroner investigator contacted detectives when she found numerous photographs of women who appeared to have been assaulted and held against their will at the home of a 63-year-old South Pasadena man who had died of natural causes. The investigator also found a newspaper article in the mans home about Smalls killing. Detectives learned that her body had been found directly across the street from where the man lived, Thomas said. Detectives initially considered the deceased 63-year-old a suspect, but his DNA wasnt linked to any crimes, including Smalls murder. Detectives then realized that DNA testing had never been conducted on evidence collected during the investigation into Smalls killing, including her clothing and a rape kit. After a DNA sample was submitted for analysis, a DNA profile was submitted to CODIS, the FBIs national database of convicted offenders, and it was determined to be a match for Suff. During an interview with detectives in May 2022, Suff said he had asked Small to ride with him to visit his boss. They got into an argument in the car, he said, and he became so enraged when she knocked off his glasses that he stabbed her multiple times in the chest while she was sitting in the passenger seat. He said he then pushed her out into the street where she was found and drove away, Thomas told reporters Monday. Authorities did not immediately explain what took place between Suffs 2022 confession and the public announcement about the case on Monday. HuffPost reached out to the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department for comment. Small was funny, smart and caring, her younger sister, Deanna Larson, said in a statement Thomas read aloud at the news conference. She had a big heart and would do anything for anyone. Cathy was talented, but her life was cut short before she could even begin to make her own dreams come true. Small was seeking sobriety, Larson continued, and working hard to put her life back in the right tracks. Before she could take another step forward, her life was ended. The Los Angeles District Attorneys Office told HuffPost it has decided not to file additional charges in this case. We understand the pain and loss experienced by the victims families and our community. This decision does not diminish the severity of the crimes but recognizes that additional charges would not alter the current circumstances or bring further justice, the district attorneys office said. I will always miss my sister, Cathy, Larson said. Nothing will bring her back. Bill Suff is where hes supposed to be, and he can no longer hurt anyone. Dive deep into true crime cases and follow the latest headlines with HuffPosts Suspicious Circumstances newsletter. Sign up here. Related... BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) Six fire departments across Erie County have been granted thousands of dollars in federal funding, Rep. Nick Langworthys (NY-23) office said Thursday. The grants are through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response programs. The following departments will receive grants: Village of Depew Fire Department: $32,879.04 West Seneca Fire District: $62,641.90 Scranton Volunteer Fire Company (Hamburg): $80,622.53 Village of Angola: $67,428.57 Village of North Collins: $91,971.13 Evans Center Volunteer Fire Co. (Angola): $152,000 The funds are set to enhance fire response capabilities and support staffing and safety initiatives for first responders. They will also go towards recruiting and retention. These grants are a critical investment in the safety of our communities and the brave men and women who protect us, Langworthy said in a news release. Our first responders face significant risks every day, and these funds will provide them with the equipment and resources needed to carry out their duties safely and effectively. Latest Local News Aidan Joly joined the News 4 staff in 2022. He is a graduate of Canisius College. You can see more of his work here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo. SFPD: Take your guns out of your cars SIOUX FALLS S.D. (KELO) Sioux Falls police are asking residents to remove guns from their vehicles. At police briefing Thursday morning, SFPD spokesman Sam Clemens said there were four reports of stolen guns from unlocked vehicles on all sides of the city. Clemens said the department sees multiple reports of stolen guns from cars each week. AG: Former state employee used fake titles to gain loans Theres been too many examples of guns that are stolen that are used in other crimes, Clemens said. We just see too much of this. Clemens said while locking your vehicle is the first step, removing guns from cars is the biggest preventative step. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. Earlier this year, southern Arizona was staring down a crisishomelessness on steroids, as Pima Countys top official described it. Federal funding for the states migrant shelters was about to run dry as near-record numbers of migrants were entering the state from Mexico. Diego Pina Lopez, then the executive director of one of the states largest shelter operators, was among the leading voices warning in local and national media about the dire local consequences of the budget fight in Washington. I think thats going to lead to a lot of chaos, and a lot more cost across the board for folks to get services, he told The Arizona Republic just days before funding was expected to run out. Casa Alitas, a Tucson shelter run by a large local charity, Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona, or CCS, would be forced to close some of its facilities, sending as many as 400 migrants a day out into the streets. Thirty staffers had already been told theyd be out of a job if funding didnt come through by months end. Congress, as is its wont, waited until the eleventh hour to pass a $1.2 trillion bill to fund the government, which staved off the feared crisis in southern Arizona. But one notable CCS employee did lose his job in the spring: Pina Lopez. The circumstances of his exit have been murky, at least until now. Documents shared with The New Republic by an anonymous source reveal that a laundry company hired by the CCS employees who ran Casa Alitas had been overcharging the federally funded charity by at least $200,000. But thats not all: The owner of the laundry company is Pina Lopezs mother. The story of Casa Alitasits rapid expansion from an all-volunteer community group to a multimillion-dollar operation, Pina Lopezs meteoric rise from intern to executive director, and now an apparent corruption scandalis in some ways exceptional. But in other ways, its a deeply familiar tale about the myriad, unpredictable local ripple effects of Americas failing national immigration system. Diego Pina Lopez was finishing grad school, where he studied social work and public administration, when he joined Casa Alitas as an intern. The shelter had begun in 2014 as an all-volunteer, grassroots effort when U.S. Border Patrol began dropping off asylum-seekers in the middle of Tucson, leaving them to fend for themselves for months as they awaited their court proceedings. Casa Alitas was still a humble program of CCS as recently as 2019, located in a modest old house in central Tucson and serving no more than 30 asylum-seekers a day. But then, demand for its services exploded as the number of migrants entering Arizona skyrocketed. Casa Alitas went from processing around 18,000 asylum-seekers in 2019 to 85,000 in 2022 to 195,000 in 2023, according to local reporting by Arizona Luminaria. As of several months ago, the shelter was serving as many as 1,800 asylum-seekers per day. Casa Alitas is hardly alone. The migration crisisand the glut of federal funding to address ithas led to an explosion of shelters in border states, part of a billion-dollar industry of migrant housing, care, and transportation that is fueled by federal dollars. But this rapid growth has not been matched with heightened oversight, putting taxpayer money at risk of misuse or fraud. For instance, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 allocated $110 million to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for emergency food and shelter for migrants encountered by the Department of Homeland Security. The inspector generals office of DHS audited local recipients of the funds in California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, and concluded, per the title of its March 2023 report, FEMA Should Increase Oversight to Prevent Misuse of Humanitarian Relief Funds. Sample testing had found that 58 percent of the recipients claimed expensesrepresenting $7.4 millionwere missing the required supporting documentation. The audit also found financial discrepancies, such as $7,000 in miscalculated or unsupported expenses and a duplicate $40,000 reimbursementbut nothing approaching the scandal smoldering in Tucson, Arizona. The first hint that something was amiss came in a vaguely worded May 17 memo by Pima County Administrator Jan Lesherthe one who had warned of homelessness on steroidsto the countys Board of Supervisors. The memo said that CCS, which last year spent $14.5 million in federal money, had discovered that a vendor that provided services to the shelter was working without a contract, in violation of county and federal law. Elena Dwyre, the CEO of CCS, was quoted in the memo saying that the vendor had overcharged the nonprofit. Upon further investigation, Dwyre added, we learned that two employees had violated our conflict of interest and purchasing policies. Those employee relationships were quickly terminated, the contractor relationship was likewise discontinued, and program partners were promptly notified of the issue. The memo did not mention the names of the two employees or the name of the vendor and the services it provided. In the ensuing weeks, the few news items about the matter in the local press were equally vague because neither Leshers office nor CCS offered additional details. Dwyre, in fact, even appeared to mislead the public. The Green Valley News interviewed Dwyre, who claimed that her organization, in the papers words, did not identify any personal relationship between the terminated employees and the vendor. But thanks to an anonymous source who shared with The New Republic internal documents from Casa Alitas and Catholic Community Services, we are now able to reveal the full story. Just outside the town of Amado, 30 miles north of the Arizona-Mexico border, sits a sprawling residential ranch estate surrounded by rolling desert hills and jagged purple mountains. With its sage green front gates shut tight under a 15-foot-tall log archway, the ranch house doesnt look like the sort of place where mass orders of laundry are washed or dry-cleaned. Yet this is the registered address of the Amado Laundry Service. For nearly a year, until this past January, the company submitted at least 37 laundry invoices to CCS and Casa Alitaswhich is located nearly 40 miles away in Tucsonfor tens of thousands of pounds of towels, blankets, comforters, and other laundry. The total bill came to $411,967. An analysis of rates of several comparable laundry operators in Tucson reveals that Amado was grossly overcharging CCS by as much as nearly 300 percent. (Amado charged between $3.10 and $4.50 per pound, whereas competitors charged as little as $1.15 and no more than $2.80.) Whats more, CCS may have overpaid Amado: Photocopies of checks written to the company by the nonprofit amount to $438,940.55. It gets shadier. According to records from the Arizona Corporation Commission, Amado Laundry wasnt even created until May 2023several weeks after it began submitting invoices, on March 31and is registered to Irene A.G. Pina. Shes the mother of Pina Lopez, the CCS executive director at the time. He, of course, is one of the two employees whose relationship with CCS was, in Dwyres words, quickly terminated; the other was his immediate supervisor, CCS director of operations Teresa Cavendish. Pina Lopez declined to comment on the record. His mother couldnt be reached for comment. Teresa Cavendish didnt respond to several phone calls and texts from The New Republic. But a March report submitted to the Federal Audit Clearinghouse by Keegan Linscott & Associates, a Tucson-based accounting firm that had prepared CCSs tax returns in recent years, cites a significant deficiency in CCSs hiring of an unnamed vendor. CCS, according to the report, did not utilize a formal procurement method in selecting the vendor, apparently due to an immediate need to obtain services and an oversight to subsequently conduct a formal procurement method. The firm recommended that all staff receive periodic training to ensure that they comply with procurement policies. An addendum to the report signed by the chief financial officer of CCS, Jesus Fernandez, agreed with the findings and recommendations, and pledgedas part of a corrective action planto update its purchasing policies and provide better training in the future. Fernandez did not respond to multiple requests for comment from The New Republic. Dwyre did not answer questions about why the charity selected Amado or about the discrepancy between the invoice amounts and the amount paid to Amado, but she stated that we can confirm that the services were providedin other words, that Amado did indeed launder clothes for Casa Alitas. Jan Lesher, the Pima County administrator, also did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Her communications director, Mark Evans, referred The New Republic to the details of the May 17 memo and noted that some questions will be provided to you in the public records request you filed May 28. Those records are still under review by the County Attorney and until the County Attorney releases them, we are not going to comment about information that may be included in those records due to the risk that it may have been redacted and not subject to release under the states records law. Democratic Congressman Ruben Gallego, who is facing off with Republican Kari Lake for a Senate seat this November, has called for an overhaul of FEMAs shelter and services program, which funds CCS to operate Casa Alitas. As with any grant program, it is important that funds are being spent appropriately by fiscal agents and grant recipients, he wrote in a policy paper released last November. However, since SSP was created with one sentence [in the 2023 fiscal omnibus package], there is no codified structure in place for oversight and accountability. And this insufficient oversight extends well beyond nonprofits like CCS. Migrant services has become a billion-dollar industry dominated by giant nonprofits like Southwest Key, which the Justice Department sued in July, alleging that its staff at multiple facilities (mainly in Texas but also in Arizona) sexually abused migrant minors in their care; and for-profit companies like DocGo, whose employees and subcontractors in New York City have allegedly mistreated and lied to migrants, provided them with fake work papers, wasted staggering amounts of food and hired unlicensed security guards, according to The New York Times. Both organizations have been accused of financial improprieties: self-dealing in Southwest Keys case, and billing fraud in DocGos case. Such cases only provide another opening for the right to attack migrant shelters, which anti-immigration pundits and politicians have long claimed bring crime to towns and citiesa lie that nonetheless gains purchase in some communities, imperiling the funding needed to sustain the shelters. In fact, thats exactly what happened in Pima County at a contentious Board of Supervisors meeting in October 2023. Then-Supervisor Sharon Bronson, a Democrat, joined the lone Republican on the five-person board to oppose accepting federal funding for the shelters. We have just become enablers, and the problem rests with the federal government, she said. They were on the losing side of a 32 vote, but all five seats are up for grabs this November, with well-funded Republican candidates in the running. The leaders of Bronsons party have also been trending toward more punitive, restrictive immigration policies. In early June, President Biden instituted a new border policy that effectively bans asylum requests between ports of entry whenever unauthorized crossings exceed 2,500 per day. This came after a bipartisan deal in the U.S. Senatewhich, while increasing Border Patrol resources and expanding Immigration and Customs Enforcements detention capacity, also would have sped up the asylum process, in part by funding thousands of new officers to process asylum claimsfell apart over Republican fears that it would help Bidens reelection campaign. So for the foreseeable future, humanitarian relief will play an essential role in Americas patchwork immigration systemand that includes Casa Alitas. Without these migrant shelters, communities like Tucson might indeed face homelessness on steroids. Last Sunday morning, as L.A. County lifeguards planned to tow a 51-foot fin whale carcass 20-plus miles offshore, Keith Poe was in intercept mode. Poe, who tags and photographs great white sharks for scientific research, had hoped to be on site when the carcass was cut loose because dead whales usually attract sharks. But the mission went awry. The 60,000-pound whale carcass, which was prepared in a manner to facilitate sinking after it was safely offshore, began to sink soon after it was dragged off Torrance Beach, where the subadult whale had stranded and died late Saturday. Photo: Keith Poe This created insurmountable drag on the boat, so lifeguards left the carcass only 2.5 miles offshore. It sank at a depth of 535 feet, Poe told FTW Outdoors. Poe, giving up on the sinking carcass, ventured into the offshore pelagic zone, midway between the Palos Verdes Peninsula and Santa Catalina Island. When the whale sank I just went offshore to chum for mako sharks, Poe said. And then that girl showed up. Photo: Keith Poe "That girl" is the fully grown great white shark featured in the accompanying images, which Poe captured during the 30 minutes he spent alongside the apex predator. Poe estimated the shark to measure 16 to 18 feet. He captioned his Facebook post: Giant visitor from yesterday. SoCal. The images were inspected by the Marine Conservation Science Institute and the shark was not in its photo ID database for California white sharks. Poe told FTW Outdoors that the shark is now in the database with the name Catalina. Photo: Keith Poe Poe said he did not tag the shark because of a permitting issue. While its not rare for adult great white sharks to cruise the San Pedro Channel, many Southern California residents might not be aware that such large sharks exist in the region. As for the malnourished fin whale, it washed ashore with no obvious trauma or visible evidence of a ship strike. It died roughly two hours later. The Pacific Marine Mammal Center stated Tuesday via Instagram: While large whale strandings are heartbreaking, we are very thankful we had the opportunity to collect samples and photo document this animal to try to help determine cause of death. These findings will help us better understand threats to this endangered species and by sharing this information with policymakers we can be champions to their road of recovery. Several agencies and groups, including NOAA, collaborated on the beached whale operation. This article originally appeared on For The Win: Shark tagger ditches sinking whale but finds 'giant visitor' off L.A. One dead, several families displaced following apartment fire in Lebanon LEBANON, Va. (WJHL) Lebanon, Virginia Police Chief Eric Deskins confirmed a woman has died following an apartment fire Wednesday evening. Russell County Sheriff Bill Watson told News Channel 11 that several families have been displaced following the fire. Watson said the fire took place at Fox Meadows Apartments, where witnesses nearby reported hearing several explosions. Watson noted those explosions were possibly from oxygen tanks in the apartments. According to the sheriff, the fire has been extinguished, but crews will remain on the scene to monitor in case of a rekindling. Chief Deskins said a 62-year-old woman died as a result of the fire and the investigation into her death is ongoing. Watson said several agencies responded and a Virginia State Police (VSP) arson investigator has been called in to assist. Several families were displaced as a result of the fire, according to Watson. No identities will be released until positive identification can be made, Deskins said. This is a developing story and updates will be provided as they become available. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. Sheriff uses image of VP Harris in mailer to Democratic primary voters, funded partly by Republican DeSantis allies Sheriff Gregory Tonys political action committee moved swiftly to take advantage of Vice President Kamala Harris surging popularity to tout his bona fides to voters in the Aug. 20 Democratic primary. A mailer from Tonys PAC features a picture of him with Harris, paired with a quote from former President Barack Obama. Its notable for the speed. The mailer from the Broward First PAC arrived in Democratic voters mailboxes in Broward County on Friday, just 20 days after Harris entered the presidential race when President Joe Biden ended his campaign for a second term. Harris has generated enormous excitement among Democratic voters exactly the supporters he needs in the four-way primary for sheriff. (A Florida Atlantic University poll released Wednesday found that 94% of likely Democratic voters in the state said theyd vote Harris for president). The winner of the Democratic primary for sheriff Tony, Steve Geller, David Howard or Al Pollock faces only nominal opposition from an independent candidate in November, and is virtually certain to win the general election. The photo of the sheriff in uniform standing next to the vice president was taken in March, on the day Harris toured the site of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas mass shooting to discuss gun-violence prevention efforts. The photo was posted months ago on Tonys Instagram page. The Broward First mailer is one of many about the sheriffs race landing in Democratic voters mailboxes from candidates and their associated political committees. The mailing featuring Harris is careful. It doesnt state that theres an endorsement of Tony from Harris or Obama. Its theme is change, given that Harris would be the nations first woman president and the first with parents who were from Jamaica and India. It reminds voters that Tony changed the agency as the first African American to serve as Broward Countys sheriff. In case all thats too subtle, the Obama quote states, We are the change we seek. Theres an ironic element to Tonys Broward First committee paying for a mailer featuring Harris. Some of the financial muscle behind Broward First comes from Republicans close to Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is not exactly a fan of the Democratic presidential nominee. Example of a DeSantis comment: Her tenure as VP has been disastrous. Related Articles Tony is sheriff because of DeSantis, and the Stoneman Douglas massacre. DeSantis appointed Tony in 2019 after he suspended previous Sheriff Scott Israel. The governor charged Israel with incompetence and neglect of duty in connection with the 2018 school massacre, in which 17 people were killed and 17 injured, and the 2017 mass shooting at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, in which five people were killed and six injured. In 2020, when Tony ran and won a full term as sheriff, his political action committee Broward First got fundraising help from big-name Republican DeSantis allies. As he geared up for the 2024 election, the Republican heavyweights close to the governor again helped raise money for Broward First. Since Broward First geared up its fundraising for this years campaign in the spring of last year, it has raised $820,000. About two-thirds came during the second six months of 2023. Voters have received some negative information about Tony as well. Democrats received an anti-Tony, pro-Geller mailer from a committee called Honesty and Integrity for Broward Citizens. Gregory Tony is a proven liar who is not fit to serve, it declares above a picture of the incumbent. The flip side declares that Our current Sheriff has lied and broken the rules time and time again. The beneficiary of the mailer, Geller, is shown in a picture from his time in the Plantation Police Department and praised as a candidate of Integrity. Leadership. Experience. And it attempts to remind voters of Tonys links to DeSantis including a news headline when DeSantis called Tony a favorite Democrat. It came from December 2023, when DeSantis was seeking the Republican presidential nomination. Asked to name his favorite Democrat in Florida during a CNN town hall, he said Tony was one of the good ones. The committee has taken in $172,000, according to reports filed with the Florida Division of Elections. All but $7,000 came via four contributions on July 6 and July 10, from Mark Groban, a family friend, of Rockville, Md. Anthony Man can be reached at aman@sunsentinel.com and can be found @browardpolitics on Bluesky, Threads, Facebook and Mastodon. Siga says mpox drug helps sickest, not all patients, needs more data By Jennifer Rigby LONDON (Reuters) - Siga Technologies' antiviral drug tecovirimat helped the very sickest mpox patients in a trial in Democratic Republic of Congo recover more quickly than those given a placebo, the company said, indicating the treatment could have a role in controlling the disease now spreading in parts of Africa. Topline results from the trial, released on Thursday, showed that the drug, branded TPOXX, helped those treated within seven days or with severe disease classed as having 100 or more skin lesions make meaningful improvement. However, the majority of patients in the trial did not recover more quickly than those given a placebo, which meant that the drug failed in the main goal of the study. To describe these results as mixed is not a negative result, said Jay Varma, Sigas chief medical officer. Its simply a pathway to get more data to be studied. Mpox, a viral infection, was declared an emergency this week by the World Health Organization after it spread from Democratic Republic of Congo to neighbouring countries. There have been more than 17,000 suspected mpox cases in Africa this year and more than 500 deaths, according to data from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, mainly among children in Congo. The trial of TPOXX, originally developed and licensed for smallpox, began in 2022 during a previous mpox outbreak that the WHO declared a global health emergency. Due to the emergency, the trial accepted any patients who wanted to take part when they presented with symptoms at hospitals in Tunda and Kole, in central Congo regardless of underlying conditions or time since symptom onset. That complicated the results, as antivirals are best given as soon as possible after patients fall ill, Siga said. Participants were also hospitalized throughout to ensure data could be collected accurately as well as to give them reliable access to food, the company said. That level of care also helped many people, including in the placebo arm, recover more quickly than previously seen in observational mpox studies in Congo. The study included 295 patients who received a 14-day course of tecovirimat, and 302 who received a placebo. Around 75% of the participants were children, who are known to be at higher risk of complications from mpox. Varma said it was important that the drug remained available under compassionate use protocols for the sickest patients. A number of other mpox trials in the United States and Europe are testing outcomes among different patient groups, including more people with HIV, who are at higher risk from mpox. Tecovirimat is not currently available in Congo outside clinical trials, although the WHO and some countries have small stockpiles. The PALM 007 trial was co-led by Congos National Institute for Biomedical Research (INRB) and the United States National Institutes of Health, and detailed results are expected soon. (Reporting by Jennifer Rigby, editing by Michele Gershberg and Susan Fenton) UPDATE: Rex Casteel, 90, has been found after the Maryville man had been the subject of a TBI Silver Alert Wednesday evening. MARYVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) The Maryville Police Department is asking for the publics help to locate a missing 90-year-old man. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has issued a Silver Alert for Rex Casteel, who was last seen Wednesday afternoon in the area of East Lamar Alexander Parkway. Blount County man discovers odometer rolled back on recently-bought used car Casteel is described as 510 tall, weighing 220 lbs. with gray hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing gray gym shorts and a white Nike pullover shirt. He may be traveling in a beige 2010 Nissan Altima with Tennessee tag 254BGXX. Anyone who may have information on his whereabouts is asked to call the Maryville Police Department at 865-273-3870 or 1-800-TBI-FIND. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side. MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WKRN) The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) issued a Silver Alert Thursday for a man with a medical condition who went missing from Murfreesboro. Officials posted the Silver Alert just before noon on Thursday, Aug. 15, saying 71-year-old Oren Oliver was last seen earlier in the day near Sulphur Springs Road wearing a teal shirt and blue jeans. Silver Alert issued in Giles County for missing 82-year-old Authorities described Oliver as 5-feet 10-inches tall and 180 pounds with brown eyes and gray hair. In addition, he has a medical condition that may have impaired his ability to return safely without help. Then, shortly before 1 p.m., the TBI announced Oliver had been found safe in Murfreesboro. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com No additional details have been released about the circumstances surrounding Olivers disappearance or his discovery. Download the News 2 app to stay updated on the go. Sign up for WKRN email alerts to have breaking news sent to your inbox. Find todays top stories on WKRN.com for Nashville, TN and all of Middle Tennessee. This is a developing story. WKRN News 2 will continue to update this article as new information becomes available. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) After losing their lifelong home to the Big Sioux River flood and staying in a travel trailer for the past two months, Dave and Judy Oberg are finally getting their new home. Ive been waiting for this for two months, Judy said. Very exciting day. After a summer of devastation, the Obergs were able to watch their fresh start in front of them as their new house was moved outside the construction trades building. I was just hoping it would get out the doors, it looked pretty tall and pretty wide, but they all did a good job getting her out, Dave said. Its sitting outside now, so its like the first hurdle is over and now the next one is the journey he is going to take up the highway and across country and over the hills. PlyWood Trail Foundation provides updates on trails connecting Siouxland communities With this monumental day, the Obergs were finally able to meet a few of the students from the Sioux City Career Academy who helped create their new home. Theyre excited to see it go and were excited to meet them and see what great work they did, Judy said. Its kind of fun to meet the guys, some of the young people that did the work on the house, Dave said. They mustve learned a lot because the quality of the house shows they care [about] what they did. Not only were the students able to see their finished project one last time, they saw how their hard work made a difference. Its a really great feeling knowing that we actually did something good, North High School senior Franklin Lopez said. Missouri River to close temporarily for fireworks at Yankton Its very rewarding, East High School senior Braxton Berndt said. It makes you feel complete, a little bit, knowing that you can help people when bad times happen. While today closed the door on the Career Academys first house project, it opened a new door for the Obergs. There is not a better ending to this chapter and better way for them to begin again, for Dave and Judy, than to have a house built by us, said Sioux City Career Academy principal Eric Kilburn said. When I speak to them, they couldnt be happier that they were able to celebrate with us a new recovery, a new start. Due to Wedensdays rain, the moving of the house was delayed to Thursday, Aug. 15. It will take roughly four hours to move the home from Sioux City to rural Jefferson, South Dakota. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. Trinity United Methodist Church in Colebrook, N.H., leases its building to the local branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. | Mariya Manzhos, Deseret News COLEBROOK, N.H. Along a quiet residential road leading into the center of Colebrook, a rural New Hampshire town of about 2,000 people, two signs adorn a lawn in front of a spare white church with two dark green towers. Trinity United Methodist Church says one sign, noting that Sunday worship begins at 10:30 a.m. Across a paved walkway, a smaller sign announces that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints service starts at 1 p.m. The two faith groups worship separately, but for 15 years, theyve been sharing a home a historic Methodist church built in 1870. By renting space from the Methodists, Latter-day Saints from Colebrook and the surrounding area can worship closer to home without driving to the closest chapel in Randolph, a town 60 miles away. For the Methodists, welcoming the Latter-day Saints into their building offered a necessary financial boost. The congregation thats been aging and dwindling in size now has the funds to pay for heat during biting New England winters and can make the necessary repairs to keep the building safe and up to code. While the arrangement was born out of need, the shared stewardship of the church spurred a unique partnership, and even a friendship, between the two congregations. Many of the members didnt know much about the others faith before they started worshiping in the same building. As both congregations have declined in size over the years and struggled growing, sharing a church has become a way to sustain each other and stave off yet another church from closing its doors in a state that ranks the highest nationwide for people who seldom or never attend church, according to Pew Research Center. The population claiming to rarely or never attend church in New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine all ranging between 66 and 75% is much higher than the national average of 46%, according to this years Axios analysis. Earlier this year, Gallup found that only about 20% of people in the U.S. report weekly church attendanceLatter-day Saints a notable exception, with two-thirds saying they attend a service each week. Trinity United Methodist Church in Colebrook, N.H., leases its building to the local branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. | Mariya Manzhos, Deseret News In Colebrook, New Hampshire, there are five churches and all are struggling, according to Sylvia Goodrum, a member of the Methodist congregation and a longtime resident of the town. None of us have big congregations, but none of us want to give up our church, she told me. Its not uncommon for faith groups to share a building with another denomination or local community groups. For instance, in Manhattan, the evangelical Rock Church hosts a Reformed Baptist congregation, a collaboration that allows the evangelical church to relieve its high rent costs. In Ramona, California, a United Methodist church announced plans to rent its space to the Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church. Centre Congregational Church in Brattleboro, Vermont is sharing its building with Muslims, Buddhists and Jews, as well as an Alcoholics Anonymous group and yoga practitioners. And during the renovations of a Latter-day Saint temple in New York City, the West End Collegiate Church will temporarily host the Latter-day Saint congregation. In rural communities especially, these collaborations can offer sustainable solutions that allow churches to remain open when they otherwise might have to shut down. The churches are the public gathering places in many rural communities, said Rochelle Stackhouse, senior director of programs at Partners for Sacred Places, a nonprofit that helps communities use and maintain historic houses of worship. Thats why when a rural church closes, the impact on the community is even greater than in an urban church. Dwindling congregations In the early 20th century, the Methodist congregation in Colebrook was thriving. As automobiles became more widely used, Methodists came from the countryside into Colebrook and in 1908, an addition was built onto an 1870 church to accommodate a growing congregation. During its peak, around in the 1940s and 1950s, nearly 200 people filled the church on Sunday, according to Arnold Goodrum, who is part of the Colebrook Historical Society and Sylvia Goodrums husband. The church had a Methodist Youth fellowship, which then had more than a hundred people and was active until 2000. One family would take up one pew, Arnold Goodrum told me. Today, the Methodist congregation no longer has the same vibrancy. The pastor is responsible for seven churches and the parishioners sometimes get the sermons via broadcast. Officially, there are about 50 members, but only about 20 come on Sunday if nobody is sick. The youngest member is in their 50s and most members are women in their 80s, Goodrum told me. The Latter-day Saints group is slightly bigger around 40 people on Sundays in part because of all the children and a few youths. On a recent weekday morning, Goodrum and three other women gathered inside the Methodist church to walk laps around the pews, away from the heat and the sun. One woman has been a member of the Methodist congregation since she was 8 years old. It feels like home, she told me. Two other women were Catholic, but joined in for the weekly routine. The church makes for a stunning location for exercise. Colorful panels of stained-glass windows commemorate various social and service organizations: the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, The Knights of Pythias and the Colebrook Grange, an agricultural community organization. The original organ, made by Vermonts Estey Organ Company, is nestled into an opening in the chancel area, framed by a wooden arch. A rose-colored window glows over the altar area. There are also signs of the Latter-day Saints worship: the green Latter-Day Saint hymnal sits next to the Methodist one in the rack in the pews. A community news board features an ad for the FlexGE program at Brigham Young University, a program that allows nonadmitted students to earn university credit. The hymnals of the Latter-day Saint and Methodist congregations share a hymn book rack inside the Methodist church in Colebrook, N.H. | Mariya Manzhos, Deseret News These people are our neighbors Goodrum played a key role in facilitating the lease of the Methodist church. She was the trustee chair of the Methodist church 15 years ago, a role that oversees the use of the buildings. So when the Latter-day Saints approached the Methodists, looking for a place to meet, she signed the contract to lease the building. Back then, not everyone in the Methodist congregation supported the decision. Some people didnt like it when I signed the contract with them, Goodrum told me. But shed known Latter-day Saints for years; some were her neighbors. I said: I dont think there is a problem, Goodrum recalled. They were looking for a space, they werent trying to convert us. Her husband Arnold shared her thinking. These people are our neighbors theyre people we know, Arnold told me. It would be turning your back on people who were your neighbors. The money the Methodists received from the lease was helpful, too. With the funds from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they reshingled the steeple, repaved the parking lot and heated the building in winter, which can cost up to $8,000 per season. They have certainly helped us survive and pay our bills, Arnold said. Bob and Sandra Ferrini are longtime residents of Colebrook, N.H., and members of the Latter-day Saint congregation, which meets inside the town's historic Methodist church. | Mariya Manzhos, Deseret News A steady warming Bob Ferrini, 86, a Latter-day Saint who lives in Colebrook, was the branch president when the two congregations started sharing the church, and recalled the initial skepticism from the Methodists about the new arrangement. It was difficult at first, said Ferrini, who grew up Baptist and converted to the church in his 30s. Its not that they didnt like us they didnt know what we were all about. But over the years, as the two groups intermingled more and overlapped during various activities, the preconceived notions seemed to ebb away. For a time, Latter-day Saint missionaries helped serve meals for the community, although the tradition has died down since the COVID-19 pandemic. Goodrum said she occasionally saw Latter-day Saints at the Methodist service, and in winter, they all pitch in to shovel snow. Were friendly now, she said. Ferrini echoed the warmth between the two groups. They took us for what we were and lived with us, Ferrini told me. Now, they like us. Dan Skousen, who is one of the leaders in the Latter-day Saint congregation and owns a phone and electronics store down the street from the Methodist church, told me that by sharing a building, they feel more part of the community with other religious groups in town. Before The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints secured the space within the Methodist church, the branch met in his living room. Its up in the air where the branch is going to meet long term, he told me. The youth group is small, and many young adults tend to move out of town. We have a difficulty growing, said Skousen, who is from Arizona. All of his 11 children left Colebrook and scattered throughout the states: Utah, Arizona, Mississippi, Arkansas. There arent a lot of economic opportunities here, he said. Partnering with local community organizations to maximize the use of the church building for the arts or a healthcare clinic can also help sustain churches on the brink of closing, said Stackhouse from Partners for Sacred Places. Church buildings and synagogues are really civic spaces, and they have civic value, she said. I asked Ferrini if worshipping in the Methodist church, which has a more ornate interior than a typical Latter-day Saint chapel, feels different. Were mostly listening, were not looking around, he said. As long as youve got a seat and as long as youre with other members there, its like our church. Goodrum recited the Methodist churchs motto to me Open hearts, open minds, open doors. She continued: So if thats what you believe what are you going to do? Social Media Reacts To U.S. Ballerina's 'Harsh' 12-Year Jail Term In Russia Over $51 Donation To Ukrainian Charity Ballerina Ksenia Karelina has been sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment in a Russian general regime colony. The Russian-born American ballerina pleaded guilty to the charges of high treason brought against her, which her family, employer, and partner have insisted that she's innocent of. The high treason charges were based on Karelina's donation to a Ukrainian humanitarian organization, which authorities claim was used to fund their ongoing war. Now, Ksenia Karelina's lawyer hopes she will be included in a future prisoner swap, just like the exchange that released Evan Gershkovich. Ballerina Ksenia Karelina Is Sentenced To 12 Years In Russia US and Russian citizen Ksenia Karelina was sentenced to 12 years in prison. She was found guilty of treason for collecting funds for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. - Russian media She donated $51.80 to a Ukrainian charity. pic.twitter.com/9Lei1G86d5 Kvist.P (@kvistp) August 15, 2024 Karelina, the American ballerina charged with treason in Russia, was given a 12-year prison sentence in a general regime colony. The Russian-born dancer moved to Los Angeles and obtained citizenship after marrying an American. According to the Daily Mail, Karelina was arrested in Yekaterinburg in February when she returned for a visit to relatives, including an aging grandmother. After being charged with high treason against the state, Karelina was detained and taken to trial at the Sverdlovsk Regional Court. Since her arrest, her family, friends, and current partners have appealed for her release. Her employer, the Ciel Spa at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills, also posted about her arrest on Facebook in February and claimed that Kareline had been "wrongly accused." The U.S.-Based Ballerina Pleaded Guilty To The Charges When Karelina arrived in Russia through Koltsovo airport, she was checked by law enforcement officials, which included her gadgets and luggage. The police searched the keyword "Ukraine" on her phone, allegedly leading them to evidence of a bank transfer Karelina made to a pro-Ukrainian foundation in America. According to news reports, Karelina pleaded guilty to the high treason charges at the Sverdlovsk Regional Court. A statement released by the court read, "The court found Ksenia Karelina guilty of high treason and sentenced her to 12 years imprisonment in a general regime colony." Ksenia Karelina Donated To A Ukrainian Humanitarian Organization Ukrain/US citizen Ksenia Karelina pleads guilty to treason in Russian court over donation to Ukraine, state media reports. pic.twitter.com/uYLxPoDzCX ken keeping(Billy) (@KeepingKen) August 8, 2024 The claims against Karelina originated from her donation to a Ukrainian humanitarian organization. She allegedly donated $51.80 to Razom for Ukraine, a New York-based charity that provides humanitarian aid to children and elderly people in the war-torn country. According to Russia's Federal Security Service, Karelina "transferred funds in the interests of a Ukrainian organization, which were subsequently used for the purchase of tactical medicine items, equipment, means of defeat and ammunition by the Armed Forces of Ukraine." Karelina's donation came on February 24, 2022, which was the first day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which is still an ongoing war. Razom for Ukraine has since insisted that it does not provide any military support to Kyiv. Netizens Brand Ksenia Karelina's Sentencing As 'Harsh' And 'Outrageous' People on social media have reacted with shock at the lengthy prison sentence handed to Karelina over her $51 donation to a Ukrainian charity. One person wrote, "A harsh sentence over such a minor act highlights severe political tensions and the crackdown on dissent in Russia." Another stated, "This seems a bit over the top ... but i can understand the Russian authorities reasoning, they want to set an example." A third noted, "That's such a shocking and severe punishment for something that seems so minor. It's deeply troubling to see how political tensions are affecting individuals, especially in such harsh ways." "This is a shocking overreach of power," a fourth person commented. "Jailing someone for a small donation to a charity is absolutely outrageous." The Ballerina Hopes She Would Be Included In A Prisoner Exchange Ksenia Karelina was found guilty of 'high treason' by a Russian court on Thursday and sentenced to 12 years imprisonment in a general regime colony. pic.twitter.com/Huy8tjNuAf News News News (@NewsNew97351204) August 15, 2024 With Karelina's conviction, she joins a number of Americans who have been incarcerated in Russia for various reasons. The 33-year-old ballerina missed the slots for the major prisoner swap that was held between Russia and the West last week. However, her lawyer, Mikhail Mushailov, said she hopes to be included in any future prisoner exchanges. Unfortunately, it's not clear when such exchanges would take place, as there's a strained relationship between Russia and Western countries. The court at Yekaterinburg was the same court that convicted Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich of espionage in July. He was one of the Americans released in the major prisoner swap, along with former US marine Paul Whelan and 14 others. It was the biggest prisoner swap between Russia and the West since the Cold War. SPRINGFIELD, Mo. Imagine youre at home, and theres a knock at the door. You answer and its someone who says they think theyre at a place listed online for rent. That cant be, because youre actively living in the same space. So you explain there must be a mistake, and they leave. Then it happens again. And again. And another time. Welcome to Serenity Barnetts life for the past several weeks. Potential scammers are posting her and her neighbors rental on social media as if its available to rent, only to find that its already being lived in. Two weeks ago, we had some people drive up. They said, Hey, do you live here? and we said, we live in this one. Hes like, What about that, the one next door? I tell him some people live in there and hes like, We signed a contract and we paid our dues and were here to pick up the keys, Barnett said. We told them that there wasnt a way that they could do that because somebody already lived in there and they would need to contact the property company. They told us that they had reached out to somebody on Facebook who is posting rentals on Marketplace and that they had paid her and they just came to get the keys. This wasnt the only case. Once a day we had people coming by knocking on our door asking [if we live here] and well, yes, we live here, Barnett said. They have the same story. They reached out to somebody in Facebook Marketplace with a rental, and they had signed a lease, paid their dues and were coming to pick up the keys. One of the people even said, Hey, theres a key box somewhere. Can you show me where it is? We notified our property company and they said they were aware of it and already reported her, but shes still posting. I had gone on Facebook and was able to find my apartment or my house, the interior of mine, with all the pictures of my specific address, the posted with the neighbors address. Its led to some unhappy potential tenants. [One person] lost quite a bit. He had paid first months rent, a deposit and half of second months rent already, Barnett said. One of the last couples that approached us was an older couple me lived somewhere else in Missouri. It was like a three-hour drive away. He was saying I just got a job up here. Ive got a week to move. This lady, we gave her the money and she told us to come here and then she blocked us and we cant get a hold of her anymore. I absolutely felt terrible for them The unsolicited visits have made Barnett, her child and her husband change their approach to enjoying their home. I really dont go outside much. Me and my little one, we used to play outside every single day, but right now I dont want people approaching me. We stay in the house and now were extra cautious. We see anybody approach our front door and we wont even open the door now, Barnett said. I dont really like having to tell these people like, you know, this place already has somebody living in it because I dont know how people are going to react. Pamela Hernandez with the Better Business Bureau says this is a scam more seen in other cities. Phishing scams are typically preying on reward for fear, and when it comes to renting, renting a home or renting an apartment, its a little bit of both. You get excited because maybe you have found something thats in your price range in a neighborhood youve been looking at, then theres the fear, Hernandez said. The fear that youre going to lose it, that you have to act now, and so scammers are preying on both of those things, trying to give somebody a great deal on rent in a tight market and a hard market for a lot of people, but youve got to act. If you want to secure this, you need to pay a deposit. You need to go ahead and get this credit check done. Thats how theyre able to entice people. She says its easy for scammers to put a post online under false pretenses. It is very easy to take images from other websites to take images from Google to put those out there and create a fake listing. It doesnt take a lot to do that. The scammer will create a very realistic looking social media post or listing on some sort of online marketplace, offering a great deal, Hernandez said. Theyll try to typically connect through social media or through messaging of some sort, and then they start asking for a lot of information and even money from you upfront. They again try to instill that fear [the idea that] you have to act now. As for remedies, Hernandez says there are options. It depends on how they paid that deposit or for that credit check. If they use a credit card, there are some protections built into credit cards. You can report that fraud to the credit card company. Consumers often tell us when they report this type of scam that theyre asked for that money be some sort of peer-to-peer payment app, but with [payment methods like] cash app, you dont have the same type of protections, Hernandez said. You want to report it. So whether thats your local police department, certainly want to report it to BBB, that way we can share the information with consumers. You can report it to the attorney Generals office. They have a consumer protection area, so theres a number of places you can report it. Barnett says its important to do due diligence and look at places before you invest. I would suggest, because Ive looked for housing on Facebook as well before, I always take the address of its provided and I search it into Google. You can use the Zillow, Trulia and all that stuff to see who actually owns it, Barnett said. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOLR - OzarksFirst.com. Reality Check is a Herald series holding those in power to account and shining a light on their decisions. Have a suggestion for a future story? Email our journalists at tips@miamiherald.com. For years, a software company owned by a Miami billionaires private equity firm has been helping some of the countrys largest landlords spike their profits by fixing and inflating rents, violating state and federal laws banning collusion among property owners, according to lawsuits filed by tenants and state prosecutors across the U.S. RealPage, which offers software to suggest the price of rents and draw up leases, is the subject of an antitrust investigation by Floridas attorney general, one of several digging into the companys business practices. Dozens of lawsuits including two in Miami-Dade County have been filed against RealPage by tenants throughout the country who say their rents have been significantly increased by the companys clients. The software used to to price about half of the 300,000 multifamily rental units in South Floridas tri-county area, according to one lawsuit relies in part on private information shared by landlords to recommend the price of rents, which critics say flouts laws meant to stop property managers from colluding. It was banned last month from use in San Franciscos housing market, and reportedly is under the scrutiny of the U.S. Department of Justice. This is price fixing, Arizonas attorney general wrote in a lawsuit filed this year against the company. And it is illegal. Among the defendants named in a federal case in Tennessee is private equity firm Thoma Bravo, which purchased RealPage in 2021, months after the firms founder, Orlando Bravo, moved to Miami. Bravo is among a group of wealthy Miamians who have joined together under a new nonprofit to tackle Miamis problems, including affordable housing. But several tenants at Miami-Dade apartment complexes identified as RealPage clients told the Miami Herald that they were forced to pay escalating rents that jumped as much as 30% from 2021 to 2022. One said he tried to negotiate, and was told there was nothing to be done: his rate had been set by a computer program. Bravo declined to be interviewed through a Thoma Bravo spokesperson, who told the Miami Herald the firm does not believe RealPage violated any competition laws and that the lawsuit in Tennessee a consolidation of more than 30 suits should have never been brought against either company. We are proud of our relationship with RealPage and fully support the company, whose innovative solutions benefit residents and housing providers alike, the Thoma Bravo spokesperson said in an email. The company attempted unsuccessfully last year to convince the judge assigned to the case to drop several Thoma Bravo entities as defendants. Orlando Bravo is not a defendant in any of the cases filed thus far. RealPage denies any wrongdoing. The companys spokesperson, Jennifer Bowcock, told the Herald that the complaints are based on a fundamental misunderstanding of how revenue management software works and the significant benefits that it offers for residents, property managers, and the rental housing ecosystem as a whole. Myriad legal complaints The controversy around RealPages software emerged in 2022 after ProPublica published an expose detailing how influential and widespread the companys technology had become in an increasingly expensive U.S. housing market. Two RealPage executives cited in the story said they were seeing rent increases like never before and credited the companys software, YieldStar, for pushing up rates. One of the software developers was quoted as saying that leasing agents have too much empathy compared to computer-generated prices. Dozens of tenants started filing lawsuits, which were ultimately consolidated as a federal antitrust case in Tennessee last year. A group of U.S. senators opened an investigation into the company in November 2022, and in early 2024 they raised their concerns again to the U.S. Department of Justice. The company offers several software programs providing different services to clients in property management, but its three revenue management software programs are the subject of the price-fixing allegations in court. Two of them, YieldStar and its updated version AI Revenue Management, use non-public information such as rent prices, occupancy levels and lease transactions plugged in by landlords. The data is anonymized and aggregated with public information to recommend the price of rents. The third software, Lease Rent Options, relies solely on information provided by landlords to suggest prices, which can include information from competitors collected by property operators and managers. Property managers using the three products decide if they want to accept the softwares recommendations, but the plaintiffs in the lawsuit claim that the company discourages changes to the rates given by the software and monitors compliance with the recommendations through advisors who approve any deviation from the suggested rent prices along with senior management from the property owners. In the tenants consolidated lawsuit, which includes Miami residents, they claim that the widespread adoption of RealPages revenue management software has caused rent to increase explosively in recent years, with Miami renters paying 23% more in rent in 2021 than they paid in 2016. With the assurance that their competitors are respectively setting Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville, and Tampa rental prices using the same algorithm, each Defendant property manager could allow a larger share of their units to remain vacant while maintaining higher rental prices across their properties, says the Miami-filed lawsuit, among those consolidated in Tennessee. This increased their revenue at the expense of renters. The Miami plaintiffs did not reply to requests for comment, but other tenants whose landlords were identified as RealPage clients in the Miami lawsuit spoke with the Herald and relayed similar stories. Arianna Bracho, a shipping manager who moved to 7 West near Fontainebleau in 2020, says the rent on the three-bed, two-bath apartment she shared with her husband, aunt and two kids shot up from an affordable $1,946 a month to $2,950 in two years. At first, she says, the increase was a modest $284 in 2021. But with just a month left to renew her lease in 2022, she received a renewal offer for about $2,950 a month an increase of 32%. Her building is owned by Greystar, the largest apartment owner in the U.S. She received the lease contracts from a RealPage email address, according to screenshots reviewed by the Herald. We were in shock, Bracho told the Miami Herald in Spanish. In 30 days we were not going to solve anything, so we stayed. She says she decided to move to a two-bedroom apartment nearby in 2023 after becoming frustrated with crime, maintenance and a third rate increase. The Miami Herald reached out to Greystar for comment but received no response. Entrance to 7 West apartments complex in Miami, a property owned by Greystar. Miami renters feeling the spikes Bracho is just one of many tenants who have faced spiking rents in recent years. By 2022, rents were high across the state of Florida and were rising at a fast level, with Miami seeing a 31% year-over-year growth, according to data from online real estate broker Zillow. Between 2019 and 2023, rents jumped 30.4% nationwide, while wages struggled to keep up, according to an analysis from Zillow and StreetEasy. Since the pandemic, rent growth has far outpaced wage growth in 44 out of the 50 largest metro areas, the analysis says. RealPage argues that rent increases at client properties in past years were consistent with the national market, and blames rent spikes on the lack of affordable housing. Its the lack of supply of housing that is creating an imbalance of supply and demand, said RealPages outside counsel, Stephen Weissman. But for political purposes, its easier to point the blame at things like software and the landlords who are using the software because it scapegoats them and makes them look like theyre the bad actors. The company also says its critics, including the many people who have sued them, misunderstand what its software does and are repeating wildly inaccurate information about how closely its clients follow its recommendations. To be clear, customers always have 100% discretion to accept or reject software price recommendations and are never punished for declining recommendations, the companys spokesperson, Bowcock, told the Herald. But in Coral Gables, Frank Andreu says he was told otherwise when he tried to negotiate down a rent increase in 2023 at Gables Grand Plaza a building owned by Highmark Residential, a named defendant in lawsuits for allegedly using RealPages revenue management software. He says the office manager at the property told him that the computer system spits out the rate and they couldnt battle it. Highmark Residential did not respond to requests for comment from the Herald. Andreu, a business owner who told the Herald he lived with his wife and three kids in the building between 2017 and 2023, says his rent jumped $1,500 from 2020 to 2022, going from $2,965 a month to $4,474. He says he got out when the rent increased for the third time in 2023, which he describes as salt on a wound created by an apathetic management and a litany of problems with broken elevators, pool closures and packages stolen off doorsteps. At that point I said, wait a minute, this is disgusting, what theyre doing to us, he said. They know that we dont have anywhere to go, so they basically raise the rent because they dont care. Frank Andreu, former resident at Gables Grand Plaza Apartments and local business owner, poses out front on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Coral Gables. In 2022, Andreus rent was increased by 25%. The Herald spoke with three other former residents and reviewed a database compiled by more than 20 tenants from the Gables Grand Plaza building that detailed their maintenance concerns and rent increases. The rent spikes range from nearly $350 to $1,200 between 2020 and 2022. Andreus apartment is one of thousands of units whose prices are set with input by RealPages revenue management software. In court documents, the plaintiffs say that the YieldStar, its updated version AI Revenue Management and a third software, Lease Rent Options, are used by over 52% of the 300,000 multifamily rental units in South Florida. They say that the use of the three revenue management software services are the linchpin of the anti-competitive scheme. RealPages spokesperson, however, said the use of its software is less widespread than alleged in lawsuits, with only 23% of South Florida rentals made up of five units or more actually using the technology. In a public statement issued in June, the company said the actual data shows that RealPage revenue management software has low penetration rates that cannot possibly support a conspiracy to fix prices or collude through the software. RealPage also notes that its purchase of Lease Rent Options received antitrust clearance from the Department of Justice in 2017. The companys announcement of the purchase of its competitor stated that the software would be integrated into YieldStar, but that never happened, according to Weissman, the attorney representing RealPage. The company also says its critics who say that landlords agree up to 90% of the time to implement the companys lease recommendations are vastly overstating how often its suggestions are adopted. In Miami, the price acceptance rate for new leases between January 2020 through June 2023 was 47.8% for YieldStar and AI Revenue Management, which is similar to the national acceptance rate, Bowcock said. Any changes to the suggested price include discounts or concessions that benefit renters, she said. A single customer that owns or manages multiple properties often accepts our rental price recommendations at widely varying rates even among its own properties, she said. Local leaders outside Miami take action RealPage is now arguing its case in court and in public, as cities, state attorneys general and, reportedly, the U.S. Department of Justice scrutinize its business practices. Attorneys general from the District of Columbia and Arizona have filed lawsuits. Their counterpart in North Carolina announced an investigation earlier this year, and Floridas attorney general confirmed to the Herald that they have opened their own antitrust investigation. The Justice Department has said in a legal filing that the allegations against the company should play out in court, urging a judge to shoot down efforts to dismiss the consolidated case in Tennessee. Politico has reported that Justice, which declined to comment for this story, is preparing a lawsuit against RealPage. Last month, the city of San Francisco approved legislation prohibiting the use of algorithms that set multifamily rents and manage occupancy levels. Housing affordability has been a major concern in Miami, where renters are among the most cost-burdened in the country. But its unclear if the controversy involving RealPage is on the radar for city or county governments. Bravo, whose firm purchased RealPage in 2021 for $10.2 billion, has financially supported Miami Mayor Francis Suarezs political career, making two $500,000 donations to the mayors short-lived presidential bid and $100,000 to his 2021 mayoral campaign. Suarez has championed technology as an economic driver and potential equalizer for Miami residents. FIle art: Orlando Bravo Bravo sits on the board of Partnership for Miami, a nonprofit organization of business leaders working on solutions for the most pressing issues in the area, including a lack of affordable housing. Representatives for Suarez did not respond to requests for comment from the Herald about RealPage. Likewise, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cavas office did not reply to requests for comment. Somebody Come Get Stephen A. Smith: His Crazy Talk About Kamala Got Conservatives Giddy Professional clown and commentator Stephen A. Smith has found the gaul to address Vice President Kamala Harris and share his thoughts on her lack of televised interviews or press conferences. Smith has been known for saying ridiculous things and standing on his soapboxand his latest remarks are no different. Weve had one week, two weeks, three weeks and one day since Joe Biden stepped aside. The only damn place weve seen Kamala Harris is at pep rallies. Whats up? Somebody gotta say something and it cant just be the conservatives. Right is right, Smith said on his podcast this week. His words have garnered praise from conservative talking heads like Charlie Kirk. Smiths sentiments echo that of Charlamagne Tha God, who also stated that Harris has super main character energy but needs to engage the media the way that her opponent Donald Trump has. [Trumps] always calling into conservative talk radio, which is one of my biggest issues with the Democratic Party, Charlamagne stated in an interview with ABC News on Sunday (August 11). They dont use the media that supports them the way the right uses the media that supports them. Stephen A. Smith BLASTS Kamala Harris for ducking the press: Youre running for the Presidency of the United States of America. What are you hiding for? 24 days without a single one-on-one interview or press conference. Shameful. pic.twitter.com/9JSQEuBRx2 Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) August 14, 2024 Smith wholeheartedly agrees with that view, though he wrongly accused Harris of hiding. Im talking to my sister here. Come on now. Youre running for the presidency of The United States of America, Smith continued. You got my vote. Youre running for the presidency of the United States of America. What you hiding for? And I mean hiding in plain sight. Somebody gotta say it. Somebody gotta say it...Now, you cant be running for the presidency of the United States. Not one single press conference...Thats not fair. Though Charlamagne and Smith may have a point, they also have zero experience in running a presidential campaign. Their approach is to pressure Harris into doing what they want. Harris will surely do a sit down interviewbut on her own accord. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Upper Marlboro, Maryland President Joe Biden has come out swinging like never before against his one-time opponent, Donald Trump. The guy were running against, whats his name? Biden asked as the crowd laughed during his first campaign trail appearance with Democratic nominee Kamala Harris on Thursday. Donald Dump? Or Donald Whatever? In a fiery 22-minute speech at a Prince Georges County gymnasium in Maryland, Biden roared about his policy accomplishments, poked fun at concerns about his age, and hit hard against the man who is no longer his opponent. Among adoring fans in a blue state, the president seemed perhaps even more determined to win in November than he did when he was actually on the presidential ticket. Let me tell you what our Project 2025 is, he said later. Beat the hell out of them! Trumps Truly Terrifying Project 2025 Is Already Underway Walking on and offstage side-by-side with Harris, Biden strode slowly and stiffly but appeared at ease as he blew kisses and fist-pumped. He beamed and nodded as the crowd chanted, Thank you, Joe! Going in, the pair were greeted like a has-been rocker paired with a flashy new act. Many attendees wore pink and green, the colors of her sorority; others could be spotted in Kamala Harris 2024 and Karma is Kamala T-Shirts. The crowd cheered at the mention of Biden but got much louder Harris name was brought up. The vice president spent almost her whole speech praising her boss, calling him the most extraordinary human being, and American, and leader. I could speak all afternoon about the person that Im standing on stage with, Harris said, appearing emotional. Instead of standing over Bidens shoulder like she did when she introduced her running mate, Tim Walz, in Philadelphia last weekHarris walked all the way offstage after opening for the president. President Joe Biden in his first campaign trail appearance with Vice President Kamala Harris. Reuters/Elizabeth Frantz At first, Biden spoke quietly, mumbling about drug costs. He seemed to stumble over his words at times. His biggest applause line might have ended up centering on Harris: Shell make one hell of a president! But he quickly found his voiceand his sense of humor. I served in the Senate for 270 years, Biden joked as the whole crowd chuckled. I know I only look 40, but I'm a little bit older. For the longest time, I was too damn young because I was only 29 when I got elected, now I'm too damn old. That wasnt the only time he reframed his age and health concerns as a strength. The president seemed right at home talking about lowering drug costs as many other seniors looked on, even making a rare mention of a condition that nearly killed him in 1988. Years ago, I had two craniotomies, because I had an aneurysm, he said. My bill, if I didnt have insurance, was in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Well, guess what? It matters. It matters whether or notif I didnt have insurance, the rest of my life, I couldnt do anything. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCBD)- New legislation that state leaders say will help law enforcement better combat human trafficking and strengthen protections for victims is now law in South Carolina. Gov. Henry McMaster (R) held a ceremonial signing on Thursday for S.142, a bill that expands the definition of human trafficking to include certain sex crimes against minors, such as exploitation and prostitution. According to a recent report from the South Carolina Attorney Generals Office, more than 350 investigations into human trafficking were opened across the state in 2023, the majority of which involved minors being sex trafficked. Protecting our children and victims of human trafficking is essential to building safe communities and allowing our state to continue to thrive, Gov. McMaster said. By enacting this legislation, we are not only defending our people but equipping our prosecutors and law enforcement with additional tools to ensure criminals are held accountable. The bill also creates the offense of luring a child, which applies to adults who lure or entice someone under 16 years old or attempt to with the intent to harm them. The offense is a felony punishable by a fine of up to $10,000, up to 10 years in prison, or both. The addition is a win for Rep. Lee Hewitt (R-Georgetown) and other leaders across the state who have repeatedly voiced the need for such a charge in recent years. He first filed a child luring bill in 2019 alongside Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) when she was a member of the South Carolina House after an alleged incident the previous year. A gentleman pulled up in a van and he tried to get some children by saying would yall like to pet my dog over to his van, Hewitt explained in September. We found that there seemed to be a gap between kidnapping and what is luring that leads to that. Calls for state legislators to pass the law were renewed last year after a similar incident in Mount Pleasant. A parent told News 2 that a man was approaching children on Pitt Street and asking them to get in his car to go fishing. Hewitts bills stalled in the House Judiciary Committee, with some lawmakers arguing that the states kidnapping statute already addressed the issues. Hewitt and others disagreed. It [was] only against the law once they shut that door, he said. Well, we all know thats too late. That child is gone. The child luring portion was ultimately added to the comprehensive human trafficking bill in June during the conference committee process. Every year weve been filing this bill, Hewitt said. Thank goodness were able to finally get it across the finish line this year. The whole bill also includes a provision that would allow victims to petition the court to have certain nonviolent offenses expunged if the crimes were committed under duress or through coercion while as a victim of human trafficking. When you have minors getting sucked into a life of traffickinga lot of that involves committing other types of crimes, Wilson said. For instance, a child or victim selling marijuana or committing some other crime because they were a victim of a human trafficking ring should be able to have an easier pathway to expunging that record. It also extends safe harbor protections to victims under 18 wherein they cannot be prosecuted for prostitution or any other non-violent misdemeanor or class F felony while entangled in a human trafficking ring. Additionally, the bill creates a program within the attorney generals office that would allow victims of domestic violence, trafficking, stalking, harassment, or sexual offenses to keep their addresses confidential. Victims and their advocates should not fear their abusers finding them and punishing them for speaking out, the bills primary sponsor Sen. Katrina Shealy (R-Lexington) said. This is an important step forward in protecting the innocent and making it easier for them to come forward. The new law has been in effect since July 2. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCBD News 2. (Bloomberg) -- South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol offered aid, dialogue and a path to unification to North Korea, making new approaches to the neighbor that has berated him with insults and threatened to annihilate his government in Seoul. Most Read from Bloomberg In a speech Thursday to mark end of Japanese colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula in 1945, Yoon called unification an unfinished task, which he aims to pursue on a freedom-based path. Only by firmly defending our freedom can we become the leading force driving free and democratic unification, Yoon said. He also pledged to raise awareness about human rights abuses in North Korea, which has bristled for years at criticism of its rights record. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un started the year with a strident tone by eliminating the concept of peaceful unification from his states national policy and abolishing laws for economic cooperation with South Korea, driving a wedge deeper between the neighbors. This has led to some speculation that Kim has turned the corner on his bellicose outbursts and is readying for battle. But Yoon reiterated he could offer rewards for moves to roll back Kims atomic ambitions, saying we will begin political and economic cooperation the moment North Korea takes just one step toward denuclearization. He also proposed setting up a so-called Inter-Korean Working Group that could take up issues ranging from relieving tensions to economic cooperation. Kim this month ratcheted up friction by displaying hundreds of new mobile missile launchers to deploy at the border that can deliver conventional or nuclear strikes on South Korea and US bases in the country. North Korea has shown no signs of being ready to talk. Kim has strengthened his hand by providing munitions to Russia in exchange for aid propping up his economy, the US and South Korea have said. Kims regime this month turned down an offer for humanitarian assistance from Seoul after North Korea was hit by heavy floods from late July, saying enemies are enemies. Even though the North Korean regime rejected our offer yet again, we will never stop making offers of humanitarian aid, Yoon said. Bringing the two Koreas together, either through the collapse of the Kim regime or a peaceful reconciliation comes with enormous costs as well as opportunities for South Korea. Its population of 52 million, which is aging and dwindling, could get a jolt by absorbing North Koreas 26 million people. This would allow South Korean companies to benefit from low-cost workers and open new avenues for commerce, according to analysis by Bloomberg Economics. But, the budget office for South Koreas parliament said in a 2015 report that Seoul would need to spend 4.8 quadrillion won ($3.45 trillion) over 50 years to boost the Norths income level to 66% of the average income of the South. The Aug. 15 anniversary for the end of Japanese rule with its World War II surrender is one of the few days marked in North and South Korea. They have both offered criticism of prominent Japanese politicians on the day visiting Tokyos Yasukuni Shrine, where 14 Class-A war criminals are honored alongside other war dead. Three members of Prime Minister Fumio Kishidas cabinet Economic Security minister Sanae Takaichi, Defense Minister Minoru Kihara and Economic Revitalization Minister Yoshitaka Shindo visited Yasukuni on Thursday, Kyodo News reported. The shrine is seen by many across Asia as a symbol of Japans past militarism. South Korea expressed disappointment over the officials visit, its Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. 79th National Liberation Day celebration at Sejong Center of the Performing Arts, in Seoul 79th National Liberation Day celebration at Sejong Center of the Performing Arts, in Seoul By Hyonhee Shin SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol offered on Thursday to establish a working-level consultative body with North Korea to discuss ways to ease tension and resume economic cooperation, as he laid out his vision on unification of the neighbours. In a National Liberation Day speech marking the 79th anniversary of independence from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule after World War Two, Yoon said he was ready to begin political and economic cooperation if North Korea "takes just one step" toward denuclearisation. Yoon used the speech to unveil a blueprint for unification and make a fresh outreach to Pyongyang, following his government's recent offer to provide relief supplies for flood damage in the isolated North which he said had been rejected. But a unified Korea appears a distant prospect with relations between the neighbours at the lowest point in decades as North Korea races to advance its nuclear and missile capabilities and takes steps to cut ties with the South, redefining it as a separate, hostile enemy state. At the start of the year, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called South Korea a "primary foe" and said unification was no longer possible. Yoon said launching the "inter-Korean working group" could help relieve tensions and handle any issues ranging from economic cooperation to people-to-people exchanges to reunions of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War. "Dialogue and cooperation can bring about substantive progress in inter-Korean relations," he said. In Washington, the White House senior director for the East Asia region, Mira Rapp-Hooper, said North Korea had shown no interest in dialogue, but the U.S., South Korea and Japan would continue to coordinate diplomatic strategies towards that end. "Ultimately, we do hope that Pyongyang will see fit to engage with at least one of us at some point," she told the Hudson Institute think tank. Yoon's speech came amid a dispute with opposition lawmakers over his appointment of what they view as a pro-Japan, revisionist former professor to oversee a national independence museum, another sign of divisions and political polarisation over Yoon's efforts to boost security ties with Tokyo. Major independence movement groups which had for decades co-hosted the annual National Liberation Day events with the government held a separate ceremony for the first time in protest, joined by opposition lawmakers. Yoon's office has said there were "misunderstandings" about the appointment, and was seeking ways to resolve them. CONFERENCE ON HUMAN RIGHTS Yoon, in the speech, also raised the idea of launching an international conference on North Korea's human rights and a fund to promote global awareness on the issue, support activist groups, and expand North Koreans' access to outside information. "If more North Koreans come to recognise that unification through freedom is the only way to improve their lives and are convinced that a unified Republic of Korea will embrace them, they will become strong, friendly forces for a freedom-based unification," he said. Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North Korean studies in Seoul, said North Korea could take Seoul's plans to promote human rights and outside information while offering aid and talks as contradictory and a threat to Kim's regime. "Those plans look good on the surface, but from Pyongyang's perspective, they are nothing but programmes that could contribute to overthrowing the regime," Yang said. Yoon's speech marked a departure from his focus on Japan during past anniversaries, even as at least three Japanese cabinet ministers visited the controversial Yasukuni shrine which Seoul calls a symbol of the country's wartime aggression. Seoul's foreign ministry expressed deep disappointment over the visit, urging Tokyo to "face history and demonstrate humble reflection and genuine introspection on the past". The main opposition Democratic Party denounced Yoon's speech as a plot to consolidate his "pro-Japan, ultra-right forces" and instigate war with North Korea. Yoon's office said the speech showed Seoul's confidence by seeking cooperation with Tokyo while raising thorny historical issues, as well as laying groundwork for future North Korean unification even without Pyongyang's help. "We cannot be optimistic about when and how they (the North Koreans) will respond," an official told reporters. (Reporting by Hyonhee Shin; Additional reporting by David Brunnstrom in Washington; Editing by Ed Davies, Michael Perry and Bernadette Baum) On August 6, 2024, an outburst flood from the Mendenhall Glacier caused major flooding in the Mendenhall Glacier Basin. Multiple homes and roads are inundated. No reports of injuries have been reported. The City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ) issued an evacuation order on the evening of August 5 and established an emergency shelter for residents displaced by the flooding. (Alaska National Guard courtesy photo) ANCHORAGE, Alaska A southeast Alaska tribe is continuing to respond to a glacial outburst that flooded some 290 homes in Juneau, the state capital. Early estimates show around 14.6 billion gallons of water were released from an ice dam on the Mendenhall Glacier. Thats according to Aaron Jacobs, a senior service hydrologist at the National Weather Service office in Juneau. The Mendenhall River gauge crested at 15.99 feet at 3:15 a.m. on Aug 6. The National Weather Service had issued alerts two days before about the likelihood of major flooding from a glacial dam outburst. It had happened before. In 2023, two condo buildings were demolished when erosion undermined their foundations, and flooding to a lesser degree also occurred in other years. So, many homeowners took precautions. They piled up sandbags and lifted things off their basement floors. However, the flooding was deeper and more widespread than expected. As many as 500 tribal citizens live in the flood zone, but a door-to-door check showed not all were impacted, said Chalyee Eesh Richard Peterson, who is Tlingit and Haida, and heads the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. Its devastating to see what people are going through and then to hear people had minutes to respond in some cases, depending on where they were located. Hearing the story of just, I was just trying to get my kids out. Thats all they thought. And then they lost their family dog and their other animals and its devastating, but they got their kids out, he said in a Facebook video posted by the council. Robbert Holland, age 9, said in the video, I was nervous, but I just went for it to save my life. Peterson said the council and the Tlingit-Haida Regional Housing Authority set up an emergency operations center within hours of the floods peak. Sabrina Grubitz, Tlingit, is incident commander for the tribe. The first phase is dewatering and getting the debris out of the homes in order to dewater the homes. We were not able to move into a second phase with standing water in those houses, she said in an Instagram post. Next comes removal of hazardous materials such as refrigerators, dishwashers, washers, and dryers that are no longer working, and then removal of drywall and insulation. By removing those, were ensuring that mold will not be growing in those homes in the next few days. And then our phase three is moving into sanitization, so we wanted to ensure that we were able to put together sanitization kits consisting of Simple Green, Clorox, gloves, masks, anything that someone whos done a self demolition of removing drywall and installation in their home would need to spray on afterwards and use so that they can ensure that the molds not going to grow back and have later health concerns, Grubitz said. The tribe has 65 staff in the field working closely with 20 National Guard assigned to them to assist. It has issued an emergency declaration, which will help it access resources. Next steps include the tribe helping tribal citizens connect with other services to rebuild as needed. Jacobs said scientists need to continue to improve their understanding of complex glacial systems, especially as the climate continues to change and warm throughout Alaska. A large group of animals were seized from a Riverside County property after authorities found them malnourished and dehydrated amid extreme desert heat. On July 23, Riverside County Animal Services visited a Cabazon property on the 50000 block of Esperanza Avenue after receiving a tip reporting horses in poor condition. All of them were underweight, three of them significantly, said Lt. Lesley Huennekens with Riverside County Animal Services. Two days later they visited again and asked the owner to surrender the horses as the animals conditions had not improved. He also reportedly refused to accept assistance to rehome the emaciated horses. On Aug. 14, authorities arrested the owner, Rafael Leal, 58, on felony animal cruelty charges. We served some search warrants after we were unable to gain compliance, Huennekens said. Horses and animals were seized from a Cabazon property on August 14, 2024 after authorities found them emaciated and malnourished. (Riverside County Animal Services) Horses and animals were seized from a Cabazon property on August 14, 2024 after authorities found them emaciated and malnourished. (KTLA) Horses were seized from a Cabazon property on August 14, 2024 after authorities found them emaciated and malnourished. (KTLA) A collection of animals were seized from a Cabazon property on August 14, 2024 after authorities found them emaciated and malnourished. (KTLA) A collection of animals were seized from a Cabazon property on August 14, 2024 after authorities found them emaciated and malnourished. (KTLA) A collection of animals were seized from a Cabazon property on August 14, 2024 after authorities found them emaciated and malnourished. (KTLA) Riverside County Sheriffs Deputies responded to a Cabazon property on August 14, 2024 to help with a mass seizure of malnourished animals. (KTLA) Horses were transferred to the Jurupa Valley Animal Shelter. (KTLA) Over 100 animals were seized from an Aguanga property in Riverside County on the same week as the Cabazon seizure. (Riverside County Animal Services) Over 100 animals were seized from an Aguanga property in Riverside County on the same week as the Cabazon seizure. (Riverside County Animal Services) Over 100 animals were seized from an Aguanga property in Riverside County on the same week as the Cabazon seizure. (Riverside County Animal Services) Over 100 animals were seized from an Aguanga property in Riverside County on the same week as the Cabazon seizure. (Riverside County Animal Services) Over 100 animals were seized from an Aguanga property in Riverside County on the same week as the Cabazon seizure. (Riverside County Animal Services) Horses were transferred to the Jurupa Valley Animal Shelter. (KTLA) The animals confiscated from the property included three mares, two stallions, four dogs, six puppies and 45 birds, mostly hens and roosters. Officers said they couldnt locate any food or water source for the birds. The horses were transported to a Jurupa Valley Shelter. Authorities believe the owners were breeding horses for profit. This incident was one of two major animal seizures in Riverside County that occurred in the same week. While deputies were assisting with Nixon Fire evacuations, they discovered an Aguanga property where over 100 animals were taken in. Jacyln Schart with Riverside County Animal Services said the vast collection of animals was shocking. Wolf hybrid types, there were reptiles, amphibians, all different types of birds, Schart said. There were farm animals, horses and even hamsters and roaches. Schart said the volume of animals exacerbated local shelters that were already experiencing overcrowding. This time of year is always hard for animal shelters, Schart explained. In the summer, around kitten season, were just more full. Certainly, taking in 100 animals in a 12-hour period was totally overwhelming. All the animals that were seized will be put up for adoption after receiving medical check-ups and clearance from veterinarians. The Cabazon seizure and investigation will be turned over to the Riverside County District Attorneys office for review. A crew of Riverside County sheriffs deputies and rescue workers assisted with the case. When we get complaints, it is our duty to respond, said Erin Gettis, Animal Services Director. This is an example of partnerships with fellow county agencies and great follow-through by our officers. Its a shame to let horses get to this state and we look forward to nursing them back to a much healthier weight. Riverside County animal shelter workers are asking anyone who may have extra supplies to donate to a local shelter if possible. Information on supplies needed can be found here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. A Southwest Airlines employee was charged with theft after police say he printed $79,000 in flight vouchers at a Missouri airport A Southwest Airlines employee was charged with theft after police say he printed $79,000 in flight vouchers at a Missouri airport A Southwest Airlines employee has been charged with theft. The employee told police he printed $79,000 worth of flight vouchers, according to a complaint obtained by BI. He has since pleaded not guilty to the charges. A Southwest Airlines customer service agent based at St. Louis Lambert International Airport has been charged with theft after police say he printed $79,000 worth of flight vouchers. An internal investigation carried out by the airline found that Brooklyn Jones printed the vouchers "using past passengers' names and redeemed them for himself," according to a complaint obtained by Business Insider from the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. An investigator from Southwest said Jones had "made a written statement confessing to these allegations" and that he "was willing to relinquish" the vouchers he had, the complaint says. Jones is said to have shown officers to his locker, where he turned over 119 flight vouchers worth a total of $36,300 to the airline's investigator, it continues. Jones was then arrested. In subsequent interviews, he told officers that he "received money for the vouchers on 4 separate occasions" and that he printed vouchers totaling $79,000, per the complaint. Police said they believe Jones printed the vouchers between August 1, 2023, and September 28, 2023. Jones has since pleaded not guilty to the felony, USA Today reported. Bert Fulk, an attorney for Jones, said in a statement that the allegations were based on a "probable cause statement that appears to rely heavily on third-party statements," per USA Today. "We look forward to the discovery process and reserve the right to comment in the future upon receipt and review of the specific discovery in this matter," he added. In response to a request for comment from BI, Southwest Airlines deferred to local law enforcement. Jones' attorney did not respond to a request for comment from BI. In 2023, another customer service representative for Southwest was charged after federal prosecutors said he created and sold fake travel vouchers valued at around $1.9 million. DaJuan Martin, who worked for the airline at Midway Airport in Chicago, "used fictitious customer names to fraudulently generate the vouchers without the airline's knowledge or approval," according to an indictment filed in federal court in Chicago. Martin then sold the vouchers, which are known as "Southwest LUV Vouchers," at a discounted price in exchange for cash, per the indictment. Jonathan Bedi, Martin's lawyer, previously told BI: "Mr. Martin is a wonderful family man, who has young children and he is loved by all who know him." "He is looking forward to his day in court," he added. Martin reached a plea deal with prosecutors in July, USA Today reported. Read the original article on Business Insider When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Liftoff of the Maxar WorldView Legion 3 and 4 satellites aboard SpaceX Falcon 9 on Aug. 15, 2024. | Credit: SpaceX SpaceX launched two Earth-imaging satellites today (Aug. 15), continuing to build out the WorldView Legion constellation for Maxar. A Falcon 9 rocket carrying the WorldView Legion 3 and 4 satellites lifted off today from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 9:00 a.m. EDT (1300 GMT). As usual, the first stage of Falcon 9 landed successfully some eight minutes after litoff, landing nearby the launch site. SpaceX confirmed deployment of one of the satellites roughly 50 minutes after launch on its livestream on X (formerly Twitter), and its fourth satellite was deployed nearly two hours after launch. rocket lifting off The WorldView Legion constellation will eventually consist of six satellites. The first two are already up, having gotten to orbit aboard a Falcon 9 this past May. Related: SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 2 Maxar satellites on record-tying 20th flight (video) "When all six WorldView Legion satellites are launched, it will triple Maxar Intelligence's capacity to collect 30-centimeter-class [12 inches] and multispectral imagery," Maxar representatives wrote in a description of the network. (Maxar Intelligence is a division of Maxar Technologies.) "The full Maxar constellation of 10 electro-optical satellites will image the most rapidly changing areas on Earth as frequently as every 20 to 30 minutes, from sunup to sundown," they added. RELATED STORIES: 8 ways that SpaceX has transformed spaceflight SpaceX inks landmark deal to launch European navigation satellites: report The top 10 views of Earth from space Today's launch continues a busy stretch for SpaceX: Elon Musk's company has launched three missions in the past five days, two of which were dedicated to building out its ever-growing Starlink megaconstellation. SpaceX has launched nearly 80 missions already in 2024, more than 70% of them Starlink flights. This story was updated at 9 a.m. EDT with news of the successful launch, again at 9:49 a.m. EDT after the first of the satellites was deployed, and again at 11:40 a.m. after the second satellite deployed. Dumping Sludge A Texas agency has given Elon Musk's SpaceX a slap on the wrist for spewing toxic wastewater into the fragile ecosystem around its sprawling Starbase launch site, according to CNBC. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) accused SpaceX of "discharging deluge water" without their approval in early August, adding to a total of 14 complaints against the aerospace company for polluting the surrounding environment. The notice could potentially delay SpaceX's ambitions of launching more than two dozen rockets annually at its Starbase facility in Boca Chica, in addition to any plans for space missions at Cape Canaveral, Florida (where SpaceX has also received environmental complaints). SpaceX responded to the Texas notice and CNBC report in a lengthy post on the social media platform X-formerly-Twitter, saying that the company has been careful about any "excess water" not coming into contact with "local groundwater." This all comes amid the fact that SpaceX has actually been working alongside the TCEQ and the US Environmental Protection Agency on the subject of the violation notice, its water deluge system, which uses water to cool "the heat and vibration from the rocket engines firing." "Throughout our ongoing coordination with both TCEQ and the EPA, we have explicitly asked if operation of the deluge system needed to stop and we were informed that operations could continue," SpaceX tweeted. https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1823080774012481862 Captain Planet Besides this latest violation, residents and environmentalists have already complained about the impact of rockets launched at the Boca Chica site, which is situated next to a beach where endangered sea turtles breed and a critical migratory bird habitat. Rocket launches at the site have scorched the lands, blasted apart the nests of migratory birds, and rained rocket debris on fragile flora, but Musk, SpaceX CEO, has been able to successfully yield his influence within the Federal Aviation Administration while running roughshod over upset officials at the US Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service, according to a July report in The New York Times. In Florida, Musk and SpaceX are already facing complaints about how the company may potentially launch more than 70 rockets at Cape Canaveral, with a whole array of disparate stakeholders residents to commercial fishermen upset at the impact of that unprecedented, high number of rocket launches in a single year. Any complaint taken far enough could, theoretically, forestall these rocket launches. Though given the sheer tonnage of financially and politically incentivized parties lined up behind Musk and SpaceX it would likely take an advocacy effort as ahistorical as Musk's ambitions to slow them, if there's even one to be had. More on SpaceX: Elon Musk Slammed for Filling Orbit With Space Junk A view of the SPD party headquarters in Berlin sprayed with red paint. Paul Zinken/dpa The Berlin headquarters of Germany's ruling Social Democratic Party (SPD) were sprayed with red paint and daubed with apparently pro-Hamas symbols in the early hours of Thursday morning. "Reason of state = genocide" and two triangles pointing downwards were painted on the Willy Brandt House in central Berlin, a police spokeswoman said. The symbols are linked to sympathizers of the Palestinian militant organization Hamas, and police are assuming a political motive. The phrase is a reference to long-standing German policy towards Israel. Shortly after the unprecedented massacre by Hamas and other extremist groups who killed more than 1,200 people in southern Israel on October 7, Chancellor Olaf Scholz of the SPD told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a phone call, "The security of Israel is Germany's reason of state." Speaking to the Judische Allgemeine, a German-language Jewish weekly, SPD General Secretary Kevin Kuhnert said: "Those who use Islamist symbols are not standing up for the protection and self-determination of Palestinian civilians, but the opposite." He added: "Hamas is the cause of most of the problems in Gaza. Supporting it means increasing the misery." Police initially attributed the incident to climate activists but later withdrew this, saying that it remained unclear who was responsible. While Germany's SPD-led centre-left coalition government, along with the conservative opposition, tends to a pro-Israeli line in the current conflict, there have been violent pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Berlin and other centres. Scholz has made clear his broad support for Israel, while also backing a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. A view of the SPD party headquarters in Berlin sprayed with red paint. Paul Zinken/dpa As Sphere looks to crank up the volume, Las Vegas residents weigh in As Sphere looks to crank up the volume, Las Vegas residents weigh in LAS VEGAS (KLAS) It is already the brightest object on the Las Vegas Strip, but it might soon become the loudest with Sphere looking to turn up the volume. People come from all over to catch the sights and sounds of Sphere, but for people like Caleb Bears, he would not want to live next to it especially if they turn it up. I think it definitely is going to be a nuisance for those around here, Bears said. There is not too much residential area around, but it is definitely going to be an irritant to anyone who isnt going there. For those nearby like Jacob Brady, he said they do not hear a lot of the current sound coming out Spheres speakers that surround the exterior of the building. You really cant hear a whole lot over there and were actually in the building which is the closest, I dont see it being too bad, Brady explained. Sphere is looking to increase audio levels for special occasions which have yet to be determined and they told 8 News Now that they want to be a good neighbor. They are asking for an increase to 87 decibels with a limit of 18 days a year and a hard stop at midnight. But for residents in Clark County, you can be penalized if your music is heard from 75 feet away. One 8 News Now viewer weighed in with her feelings in a Facebook comment. Its unfair to people who live around there, she wrote. She is not alone, with some thinking that adding more sound will bring more people around. It is still one of the biggest draws to that part of the Strip and has many flocking to see it. With this sound it is okay, Montui Mendigoria, a Las Vegas tourist with Sphere on his must-see list, said. Seeing it outside is enough already for me. The Paradise Town Advisory Board met Tuesday to discuss the issue and after much debate, it was approved. Now, it heads to the Clark County Commission for a vote on Sept. 4. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) After being under thick cloud cover and receiving multiple rounds of rain yesterday in the Sioux Falls area, the clouds are starting to break up here, while isolated thundershowers have popped up West River. This afternoon an upper level low will continue to push into Minnesota, on the backside, rain chances will return. Spotty showers could pop up, but with daytime heating, a rumble of thunder is possible. By the overnight hours, the rain moves out and we will stay quiet. Temperatures continue to slowly warm up, but it is still seasonably cool along and east of I-29. Otherwise, the rest of KELOLAND is staying near average for highs. The wind has stayed breezy from the northwest and will calm down heading into the night. We will start to dry out just in time for the weekend with sunshine and temperatures staying in the 80s. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. St. Lawrence Co. DA announces sentencing in murder of Gouverneur inmate CANTON, N.Y. (WWTI) The St. Lawrence County District Attorneys Office announced that a state prison inmate that admitted to killing his cellmate has been sentenced 18 years to life. District Attorney Gary Pasquas office announced that 49-year-old Wilfredo Noe was sentenced for the killing of 26-year-old Luigi Cappellino. Inmate pleads guilty to murdering cellmate at Gouverneur prison The murder took place in June 2023 at the Gouverneur Correctional Facility. Noe pleaded guilty to the crime in May of this year. Authorities said that Noe strangled Cappellino while the two were having altercation. The district attorneys office said the sentence will be served in addition to the sentence that Noe is already serving. He was indicted by a grand jury on murder, manslaughter, assault, strangulation and assault charges. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWTI - InformNNY.com. George Brauchler is the former district attorney for the 18th Judicial District and is a candidate for district attorney in the newly created 23rd Judicial District. He has served as an Owens Early Criminal Justice Fellow at the Common Sense Institute. Follow him on Twitter(X): @GeorgeBrauchler. SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) A 23-year-old St. Lawrence County man was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to sexually abusing a child. Skyler Keleher was officially convicted of two counts of sexual exploitation of a child. In a prior guilty plea, Keleher admitted that at least two separate times in 2017 he sexually abused a 2-year-old child and livestreamed the abuse on Facebook Messenger and Facebook Live. Since then, recordings of the abuse have circulated around the internet and have been recovered by law enforcement in at least 26 investigations across the U.S. and abroad. The videos were first documented by law enforcement in 2018, but Kelehers identity was not confirmed until 2022, at which time he was arrested. After his prison sentence is complete, Keleher will serve a life-term of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSYR. ST. LOUIS A St. Louis man with a prior felony conviction appeared in federal court on Wednesday and admitted committing arson on two occasions in 2022 and later being caught with firearms during the investigation. Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorneys Office of the Eastern District of Missouri said Vaely Berry, 52, threw a gasoline-filled bottle on the roof of a supermarket and grill in the 8300 block of North Broadway on July 15, 2022. Berry also tossed two gas-filled bottles to ignite a fire on the roof of a liquor store in the 5900 block of Lillian Avenue on Dec. 8, 2022. Beloved Big Boy locomotive rolls through St. Louis in September. When can you see it? An ATF agent investigating the fires conducted a court-approved search of Berrys home and found a revolver and shotgun, which Berry is not allowed to own or possess due to a prior conviction. Berry pleaded guilty to two counts of arson and illegal possession of a firearm. He faces between 5 and 20 years on each arson charge, and up to 15 years in prison on the firearm charge. Each count also carries the possibility of a $250,000 fine. Berry will be sentenced on November 13. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. UPDATE, 8/15/24, 11:15 a.m.: Meshaya Johnson has been charged with aggravated kidnapping and simple battery, authorities said. ORIGINAL STORY: ST. MARTINVILLE, La. (KLFY) A normal daycare pickup Tuesday afternoon quickly evolved into a statewide missing child search after a woman was ambushed and her 2-year-old grandson was taken by a person wearing a disguise. According to St. Martinville Police Chief Ricky Martin, the disguised person, the toddlers non-custodial mother Meshaya Johnson, came from behind the grandmother and pushed her down before grabbing the child and driving away. The daycare workers immediately reacted to the incident, Martin said. They called 911. They tried to stop the person. They did everything they could do in their power, Martin said. So yeah, definitely nothing falls back on them for sure. Son shot, house lost in fire: Port Barre woman speaks on unbelievable week The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisiana State Police and local law enforcement worked together in the search to find the missing boy. Investigators had reason to believe the mother and son were going out of state, but the FBI was able to get information that they may be at a residence in Kenner. We got some information and was able to follow up on that. We sent somebody to the house to check up on it. Thats where they were, Martin said. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now KLFY Daily Digest Martin said all the work that was involved in the search is nothing short of impressive. He said the scenario could have been worse, but they treated it like they would for any abduction case. With all the child trafficking and everything going on, I think everybody is more aware of things, you know, in the public and law enforcement, Martin said. We all get in a lot more training when it comes to that. The resources that the FBI has is phenomenal. Martin said it is possible that Johnson will face charges of aggravated kidnapping and simple battery. Latest News Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLFY.com. St. Pete police arrest 2 in one of the largest drug busts in 20 years: officials ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) St. Petersburg police arrested two people after making one of the largest drug busts in two decades, officials said. On Aug. 7, the St. Petersburg Police Department executed several search warrants including one on 3101 29th Street North, better known as the warehouse. St. Petersburg police Chief Anthony Holloway said during the search, dubbed Operation Cookie Dough, officers confiscated: 10.7 kilos of Fentanyl 10.6 kilos of Powder Cocaine 10.2 ounces of Oxycodone 11 pounds of Marijuana Half a million dollars Three handguns and firearms I want to also thank Mr. Watson for the cash because once we get that cleared through our city, we be able to take his cash that we received from him and put it to good use instead of what he was using it for, for illegal gain, Chief Holloway said. (St. Petersburg Police Department) (St. Petersburg Police Department) (St. Petersburg Police Department) (St. Petersburg Police Department) (St. Petersburg Police Department) (St. Petersburg Police Department) (St. Petersburg Police Department) (St. Petersburg Police Department) (St. Petersburg Police Department) With the help of FDLE and citizens, the St. Petersburg Police Department was able to arrest two suspects and are currently looking for one. David Lee Watson, 36, is facing charges of felon in possession of a firearm, trafficking in cocaine, trafficking in fentanyl, money laundering, and structuring transactions to evade reporting. Kelvin Maysonet, 34, has been booked into the Orange County Jail on operating a drug house, trafficking in cocaine, trafficking in amphetamines, and possession of marijuana with intent to sell charges. Alexander Graham, 34, is currently a wanted suspect. Operation Cookie Dough was a nine-month-long investigation funded by the FDLE S.A.F.E (State Assistance for Fentanyl Eradication) grant. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. Relatives of Lincoln Hills youth counselor Corey Proulx who died from injuries sustained in an assualt, testified before a legislative committee | Screenshot via Wisconsin Eye The loss of youth counselor Corey Proulx hung heavy over a state Senate hearing in the auditorium of Merrill High School. Proulx died from injuries he received from an assault at Lincoln Hills School on June 24. On Aug. 6, the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety heard testimony about Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake Schools, juvenile correctional facilities in Irma, Wisconsin. Multiple Wisconsin Department of Corrections (DOC) administrators and Lincoln Hills staff members wore apparel with Proulxs name ribbons on the suits of the administrators, T-shirts for the staff members but staff and administrators told different narratives about Lincoln Hills in their testimony to the committee. One tragic event led to the hearing, DOC Secretary-Designee Jared Hoy said, but we must not lose sight of the good work and significant improvements we have achieved over the years. Hoy said he didnt know if we will know the answer to whether Proulxs death was preventable. He said he has spent hours having hundreds of conversations with staff at Lincoln Hills, and began traveling and working on site at the facility each week since June 25. He said he will remain open to staff suggestions and to making changes. We must strike a balance that ensures the safety and well-being of everybody involved, Hoy said. We believe in the importance in rehabilitative and evidence-based practices, but that doesnt mean staff shouldnt be safe. Lawmakers heard testimony from staff and Proulxs family who argued Lincoln Hills hadnt found this balance. Cory Proulxs sister-in-law Sarah Proulx said she feels the tragedy of his death could have been prevented. The correctional officers and youth counselors depend on you, those in positions of power, to keep them safe, Sarah Proulx said. And with the death of youth counselor Corey Proulx, you have failed all correctional officers. Lincoln Hills is not the only facility under scrutiny. Last month, lawmakers heard concerns regarding Wisconsins corrections system in an informational hearing of the Assembly Committee on Corrections. The DOC was in negotiations with a consulting and management firm to conduct a review of DOC policies and procedures and offer recommendations, the Examiner reported. Wisconsin Eye host Lisa Pugh raised the issue of increasing oversight of the Department of Corrections in an interview with two lawmakers featured on Monday. Rep. Mark Born (R-Beaver Dam), co-chair of the joint committee on finance, said he didnt know what this will look like yet. He said he has started talking with Rep. Michael Schraa (R-Oshkosh), chair of the Assembly Committee on Corrections, about bringing legislation forward next session. Right now, were thinking about creating something that Im familiar with from my time working in the county jail, where theres a state jail inspection office, at DOC, that inspects all the county jails to make sure that youre complying with state statute and administrative code and constitutional protections, Born said. And so I think were going to try to develop something similar to that that will have the same type of oversight at the Department of Corrections. Staff testify about assaults, safety concerns Youth counselor Nicole Thompson told the Senate committee how she was assaulted at her job. She said that a youth who made threats to harm staff was taken off administrative confinement and allowed out of his room. The youth approached the booth, requesting a toothbrush from me, Thompson said. As I was opening the door, he lunged in at me, punching me in the face, causing my tooth to go through my lip and knocking me to the ground. And he proceeded to hit and kick me in the back of the head and neck areas until a supervisor could get him off of me. Lincoln Hills detention facility Lincoln Hills youth counselor Michael Teal said an incarcerated youth who has been charged in the aftermath of the attack on Proulx made threats prior to the attack. Ive been talking to a lot of my coworkers, this is where Im getting my information, Teal said. It was brought to the attention of the administration that [the youth] had been making threats and we didnt deal with it. All staff go through training for a physical intervention program called Mandt, said Klint Trevino, superintendent for Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake. Multiple staff members criticized Mandt. Mandt, in my opinion, is not a safe procedure for staff to be using, Teal said. Trevino said it is a misconception that individuals cant use restraints, and that youth counselors can place a youth in handcuffs if they feel there is an imminent threat of danger. Teal testified that he hadnt thought he had the authority to cuff someone. Worker compensation claims, staff injuries and staff fearing for their safety have declined since Mandt was implemented, said Ron Hermes, administrator of the Division of Juvenile Corrections. I fully acknowledge, since Corys death, there has been an increase of staff fearing for their safety and an uneasiness around interactions with the youth, Hermes said. This is to be expected after such a traumatic event. The trust that existed between staff and youth has been fractured. It will take time for that trust to be restored. Sen. Mary Felzkowski (R-Tomahawk) said that on July 8, she attended a meeting for past or current staff and families connected to Lincoln Hills. We had over 40, maybe 45 people came to that, Felzkowski said at the hearing. And theyre angry. Theyre afraid. Much different testimony than what were hearing from you today. Across the two schools, the number of youth completed assaults on staff has declined from 189 in fiscal year (FY) 2021 to 166 in FY 2023, according to Department of Corrections data. Lincoln Hills had 44 completed assaults during the first eleven months of FY 2024, while Copper Lake had 106. This DOC data categorizes incidents as either completed assaults or attempted assaults. According to the data, youth assault of staff has become less common at Lincoln Hills, but when a reported assault does happen, it is more likely to be successful. In FY 2017, about three-quarters of the assaults on staff were completed, according to the DOC, while the other quarter were classified as attempted. For the first eleven months of FY 2024, 93% of assaults were successful assaults. Staff, family members call for change Sarah Proulx suggested policy changes, including keeping incarcerated juveniles in a separate unit until their mental health and well-being are known. She advocated for new limits on hygiene products with irritants, saying that conditioner was used as a weapon to attack Cory Proulxs partner. We understand that, in the past, there were correctional officers and youth counselors who abused their positions of power with excessive use of solitary confinement and the use of bear mace or pepper spray, Sarah Proulx said. However, the transgressions of a few should not affect the safety of all. The Department of Corrections is under a court-ordered consent decree following a lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin that cited abuses of youth detainees. The consent decree mandated changes to Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake, and Hoy said the consent decree does not allow for the use of pepper spray. Prohibiting the use of chemical agents and pepper spray in youth facilities is backed by research and aligns with national norms and trends, Hermes said, demonstrating our dedication to creating a safer and more supportive environment for the youth in our care. Randy Forsterling, who used to be incarcerated at Lincoln Hills, also testified at the hearing. He said he hopes that when we think about quality, and what were doing here, that means getting quality training and sentences. Because otherwise were going to just keep having these same hearings, over and over, and its not going to matter whos in charge or whos responsible, Forsterling said. In her testimony to lawmakers, Sarah Proulx supported helping staff as well as incarcerated people impacted by the loss of Cory Proulx. Because to youth counselor Cory Proulx, they were more than just inmates, Sarah Proulx said. They were young men with whom stories were shared and respect was given. The Department of Corrections did not send replies to questions from the Examiner. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX (Photo via Getty Images) Pulling open the wooden door of Montezumas old Carnegie library took some muscle, a good heave. The reward was immediate. Sometimes I still smell that alchemy of dust, old books, and wood polish in used book shops or less visited stacks at other libraries, and am transported back to the magical portal that was my childhood librarys interior staircase. I read age-appropriate books Shel Silverstein, Judy Blume, the Choose Your Own Adventure series, Ann Martins Baby-Sitters Club, and Carolyn Keenes unflappable Nancy Drew but I also devoured the works of Agatha Christie, Stephen King, Maya Angelou, Shakespeare, and Betty Smiths A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I loved biographies of Sojourner Truth, Abraham Lincoln, Sacajawea, Joan of Arc, and Annie Oakley. I especially enjoyed histories of the Titanic, Union spies during the Civil War, and all the ghost or vampire stories I could get my hands on. Are you really going to read all those books? an adult asked once as I stood at the librarians desk, watching her stamp the due date inside each one of my mighty pile. I remember looking up at this woman, face flushed, and stating, Yes, I do read them all. Our town didnt have any museums when I lived there. There were no art galleries, water parks, or movie theaters. My family didnt vacation in other countries or go on cruises. I didnt have the access a city kid or a rich kid might have to interact with many people whose lives were very much different from my own, or my familys. But, in the time it took me to ascend the librarys steps and hunker down among its shelves, I traveled continents and centuries. Iowas Republican legislators apparently want you to believe that this library endangered me. They might judge the librarian and my parents as neglectful in allowing me such freedom to read. Alabama Republicans recently introduced legislation proposing to jail librarians for shelving books that are harmful to minors. Iowas Republican legislators have not gone that far, yet, but the Heritage Foundations Project 2025 calls for registering such librarians as sex offenders. Iowans have stood up to book bullies before. Leanore Goodenow taught English in a 12-grade consolidated school in Argyle, Iowa in 1929. Two school board members were also members of the Ku Klux Klan. Goodenow was lucky to find an ally in the school board secretary, whom Klan members had once pulled from his horse and severely beaten. Promoted to superintendent, Goodenow instituted school-day reforms limiting the KKKs attempts to recruit students from the school. Klansmen showed up at the next school board meeting with guns. The Argyle school lacked a library, so Goodenow ordered books from the State Traveling Library. One Friday, a student shared that all the books had been borrowed. He eyed the copy of Knut Hamsuns Growth of the Soil sitting on the corner of Goodenows desk and begged to borrow it. Goodenow had ordered it for herself, but consented. For this act, the students parent, a Klan member, argued that Goodenow should lose her job. There were inappropriate scenes in the book, the parent insisted. The school board called for a special meeting. Goodenows job was in jeopardy. Undeterred, Goodenow attended the meeting and read passages of the book aloud. She doubted that any of the school board members had ever been read to, much less from such a moving story. Theres worse things than that in the Bible, replied one of the school board members. Indeed. The board unanimously reelected Goodenow as superintendent. Today, Iowas white nationalists arent beating school board secretaries. They arent yet bringing their guns to school board meetings. They do speak freely from the highest levels of elected government, and they are still obsessed with censoring books. Iowa Senate File 496 requires schools to remove books with depictions of sexual acts from K-12 libraries and classrooms, and prohibits education about gender identity and/or sexual orientation in kindergarten through sixth grades. A federal judge had temporarily blocked this legislation in December 2023. The State of Iowa appealed and, in July 2024, won. Iowas legislators seem to believe that stories by and about LGBTQ people may somehow turn kids LGBTQ. My childhood obsession with vampire and ghost stories did bring me some bad dreams. I was a thrilling guest at slumber parties. But, try as I might, I never was able to turn myself into a supernatural creature. The best books are transformative. There is a difference, though, between a storys resonance and actually becoming the characters. Kids understand this even if Republican legislators dont. Iowas Republicans are right that reading does change hearts and minds. Books provide a safe harbor to kids who may otherwise feel alone in their families, schools, and communities just because they are different. Reading about difference can help all of us to develop more empathy and respect. Have Iowans tried reading to their Republican legislators? They might try it. Its not books Republicans really fear, but the empowerment of any child who pulls open that library door. This column is part of Mary Swanders Emerging Voices. It is republished here via the Iowa Writers Collaborative. Editors note: Please consider subscribing to the collaborative and its member writers to support their work. HONOLULU (KHON2) A stalled boat on H-1 heading eastbound near the Kalaeloa offramp in Kapolei meant a cramped start for morning commuters. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You According to motorists, the boat had been there overnight. Zoo animals health called into due to enclosure concerns KHON2 reached out to the Department of Transportation to see what the issue could be. According to DOT, they referred to Honolulu Police Department to remove the item. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news After much back and forth between officials and towing companies, Chris Muraoka of SureCan LLC and Carrick Towing were able to removed it from traffic. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2. LANSING, Mich. (WJMN) Over the month of July, Michigans seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 4.4 percent, three-tenths of a percentage point, according to the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget. The national unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage points over the month, to 4.3 percent. Michigans July jobless rate was one-tenth of a percentage point larger than the U.S. rate. The uptick in Michigans jobless rate reflected an increase in both unemployment and the total workforce during July, said labor market information director for the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics Wayne Rourke. Industry employment was mixed over the month, which resulted in a slight decline in payroll jobs, Rourke added. July was the second consecutive month with a statewide increase in the unemployment rate. Total unemployment in the state rose by 7.8 percent over the month, while the national unemployment level advanced by 5.2 percent. Despite minor employment gains across multiple industries, total payroll jobs fell during July due to an over-the-month employment decline in the leisure and hospitality sector (-5,000). Nonfarm employment in the state declined in July. According to the monthly survey of employers, Michigan seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll jobs fell by 2,000 from June to July, resulting in a total job count of 4,497,000. On a seasonally adjusted basis, Michigans total nonfarm payroll jobs rose by 35,000, or 0.8 percent, over the year. Since last July, the national unemployment rate has risen by 0.8 percentage points, while the statewide rate has increased by 0.6 percentage points since July 2023. Michigans over-the-year workforce gain of 0.7 percent was similar to the +0.8 percent national labor force gain seen between July 2023 and July 2024. The states July labor force level was the largest workforce total seen in Michigan since April 2005. The most pronounced over-the-year numerical industry jobs gains occurred in the government (+18,000) and private education and health services (+17,000) sectors. Michigans construction sector recorded the most notable over-the-year industry employment gain on a percentage basis, rising 7.4 percent. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJMN - UPMatters.com. State objects to change of venue in University of Idaho student murders trial Prosecutors in the case against accused murderer Bryan Kohberger are objecting to a motion from the defense team. According to a court document filed Monday, the defendant failed to establish that a fair and impartial trial cannot be held in Latah County. Kohberger is accused of killing four University of Idaho students in November of 2022 in an off-campus home. Prosecutors say changing the venue would be inconvenient for people involved in the trial, including witnesses. A hearing to discuss changing the venue will occur on August 29. The trial is set for June 2025. BELTON, Texas (FOX 44) The investigation into last weeks structure fire at the Stillhouse Hollow Marina has concluded. Bell County Fire Marshal Chief Shane Geers says the incident occurred at 4596 Simmons Road in Belton. It has been determined to have been the result of an accident. The Fire Marshal led the investigation into the event, which occurred at 7:16 a.m. on Wednesday, August 7. A man was reportedly aboard his 24-foot boat in the water near the Marina dock, when the fire/explosion occurred. PREVIOUS STORY: Fire breaks out at Beltons Stillhouse Hollow Marina Chief Geers says the man suffered serious burns to his body and jumped from the vessel before swimming to the dock for help. The boat continued to drift, while still in flames, towards the Marina. The boat ultimately contacted the building, causing a secondary fire and resulting damages to the structure. No other injuries were reported, and no other vessels have been reported to have been damaged by the fire. The State Fire Marshals Office, Army Corp of Engineers Office, Bell County Emergency Management, Bell County Sheriffs Department Patrol, Central Bell VFD, City of Belton FD, City of Nolanville FD and the State Fire Marshals Office all assisted in the investigation. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44. An overarching vision to revitalize Old Colorado City, which supporters say would create new entrepreneurial opportunities and establish consolidated leadership that would better guide rejuvenation efforts, is on its way for voters to decide this fall. The Colorado Springs City Council voted for the first time Tuesday, 8-1, to determine if it is necessary to establish an Old Colorado City Downtown Development Authority. The council supported referring several questions to the Nov. 5 ballot that would create the development authority, establish a special tax rate within district boundaries to fund it, and authorize the proposed district to take on up to $5 million in debt to pay for development and redevelopment projects. Councilman Mike O'Malley was the sole opposing vote. The district is proposed to be bounded at the Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs line to the west; to the north by the alley between West Pikes Peak Avenue and Colorado Boulevard; to the east by Interstate 25; and to the south by the alley between West Cucharras Street and Colorado Boulevard. It would also include the southern nodes at I-25 and 21st Street. About nine Old Colorado City residents and business owners told the council on Tuesday an established downtown development authority would allow for more diverse funding options to revitalize the area, bringing more opportunity for growth and economic development in Old Colorado City. A development authority uses its tax revenue for downtown development and redevelopment; public and private investment made possible by the proposed special district will transform the community, they said. Longtime west-side resident Becca Sickbert, who has helped advance efforts to establish an Old Colorado City DDA, said that despite Colorado Springs' efforts in recent years to clean up neighborhoods and waterways, Old Colorado City needs more robust funding mechanisms to address issues like parking and vandalism. "What I see is that our problems look like downtown problems. We've got parking congestion, traffic, theft, vandalism and trash. Because we have those kinds of issues, we need the kinds of financial tools that help downtown districts, like a DDA," she said. If Old Colorado City voters created the special district, Colorado Springs would be the first municipality in the state to have two board-governed development authorities in its boundaries. Its Downtown Development Authority, approved by voters in 2006, encompasses just over 1 square mile of downtown. "It's almost an embarrassment," O'Malley said about why he opposed establishing the district for Old Colorado City. "They're telling us the city is not doing its job, the government is not doing its job." A development authority will give new and diverse companies the chance to establish themselves and contribute back to the local economy, neighbors said. Ryan Lloyd, an architect and the owner of a retail building on Colorado Avenue, said he previously worked with the Colorado Springs Downtown Development Authority to bring in several businesses to downtown, including the Trolley Block, Catalyst Campus for Technology and Innovation, and Sushi Row. Featured Local Savings "Those businesses wouldn't have happened without the help of the DDA, and we just could use that help in Old Colorado City," he said. The Old Colorado City DDA would consolidate several stakeholder groups, including two special improvement maintenance districts currently located within its proposed boundaries, said Jamie Giellis, president of Denver-based consultant firm Centro Inc. Joining these groups into a development authority will create a sustainable revenue source, allows the district to leverage additional funding to top up its projects and will establish clear leadership for revitalization efforts, she said. Like the Colorado Springs Downtown Development Authority, the proposed Old Colorado City DDA would be funded first through a capped, annual 5-mill tax levy to support operations. The mill levy taxes all commercial and residential property owners in the district's boundaries. It would also be funded through a mechanism called tax increment financing. This is when the district uses future sales and property tax revenue from new and redeveloped properties to help pay for development and redevelopment projects; the development authority often partners with the private sector in these cases. Giellis did not present tax increment financing revenue projections on Tuesday. Jariah Walker, executive director of the Colorado Springs Urban Renewal Authority that restores and redevelops blighted areas, cautioned that lack of tax increment financial modeling could invite more scrutiny over other projects that also use this kind of funding, like the transformation of the historic Union Printers Home east of downtown. If the development authority was established, it would include about 425 businesses, 350 commercial properties, and 250 residential properties representing about 700 residents, Giellis said. Under the development authority, the average Old Colorado City residential property owner within the district would pay about $136 a year in assessed special taxes. The average commercial owner would pay around $686 a year, according to financial projections. Old Colorado City residents would no longer pay the SIMDs' assessed tax rate of about 13 mills. An Old Colorado City DDA tax rate would generate about $300,000 in 2025, its proposed first year, Giellis said. It would generate low revenue in its early years, until additional economic activity generates larger tax increment financing revenues. The ballot questions are not being coordinated with the Nov. 5 election run by the El Paso County Clerk and Recorder's Office, Giellis and City Clerk Sarah Johnson said. Eligible voters living within the proposed authority boundaries will receive a second ballot this fall, separate from the ballot mailed by the county clerk, to vote on just the authority-related questions. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) Dayton Police has released numbers on guns stolen since 2018, with consistently increasing figures. Authorities say a majority of gun crimes involve guns stolen from those with lawful ownership. Data shows gun thefts in Dayton have gone up every year since 2018. Police say most of these guns will be targeted for use in a crime. Those guns are going to be used to do harm onto other people. Thats the only reason they are being stolen, said Deputy Chief Matt Haines with the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office. In total, 1,898 guns have been reported stolen in Dayton from 2018 to July of last year. Last year, 306 guns were reported stolen in Dayton. Through July 25 of this year, 179 guns have been stolen. This is already more than halfway to the numbers set last year. The Montgomery County Sheriffs Office has been closely watching stolen gun trends. They say many are left in cars either in plain sight or only somewhat hidden. Some of the suspects tell us when we caught them and charged them that, yes, they are definitely looking for guns in unlocked cars and that seems to be the biggest thing, said Haines. Guns can still be stolen inside your homes as well, emphasizing the importance of securing your guns in a lockbox or safe. Its best if you can, to keep it locked up somewhere. So it keeps it out of unauthorized hands. Because these people are stealing these guns because they cant run down to a gun store and purchase it, they are doing it because they are prohibited from having a gun, and those guns are also worth quite a bit of money on the street for other people who are not allowed to have guns, said Haines. And with no requirements to register your firearms authorities say guns are now more common in communities than ever before. Guns have become more prevalent in society, because now you necessarily dont need to carry a permit to carry a gun, said Haines. Authorities say the most important thing to do to protect yourself and your community, is to report a stolen firearm immediately. There are times when we are tracking down the owners of firearms after they have been used in crimes, only to find out that it was stolen, and maybe somebody didnt even report it to law enforcement. If you have a firearm, and it is taken, report that immediately. So that if we spot it on the street, we can enter it into a nationwide database, and try to get it recovered and get it out of the hands of a criminal, said Haines. Montgomery County Sheriffs Office recommends storing firearms in a locked box or safe. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com. LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) The IRS has automatically revoked the nonprofit status of Veteran Service Dogs Organization in Howell. The automatic revocation was issued on May 15, 2024, and posted on the IRS.gov website on Aug. 12, 2024. Automatic revocation happens to nonprofit organizations when the entity fails to file required tax documents for three consecutive years. Kirk Lanam (WLNS) Veteran Service Dogs Organization has come under scrutiny following an Aug. 1, 6 News investigation that revealed Founder, President and Executive Director Kirk Lanam had embellished his military service record and rank as well as claimed educational attainment that could not be confirmed. The IRS website only has one return from VSDO for 2019. A 2020 return, known as a 990, was filed on the Guidestar website, a nonprofit website that monitors charities. Guidestars website entry on the organization has been updated to reflect the automatic revocation of the nonprofit status of the group. Screenshot of Guidestars entry on Veteran Service Dogs Organization showing the nonprofit exemption from the federal government for the organization had been revoked. (WLNS) In late July, Lanam told 6 News his 990s were unavailable for public review because of a Microsoft software update that had locked him out of his computer systems. He told 6 News he was requesting the filing from the organizations accountant. VSDO IRSDownload Lanam has not yet provided those tax documents, as requested. Federal law requires 990s to be available for review during regular business hours for any nonprofit organization with a tax-exempt status issued by the IRS. VSDO received its tax-exempt determination letter on May 10, 2019. The determination letter and tax-exemption status allow individuals and businesses to make donations to organizations deductible on personal and business tax returns. State records from the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs VSDO was incorporated in Michigan July 20, 2018. Annual reports for 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 were all filed with the state on July 27, 2022, when Lanam filed a change of address for the organization with LARA. A screen capture of the LARA business entity database information for Veteran Service Dogs Organization. (WLNS) The Office of the Michigan Attorney General informed 6 News Veteran Service Dogs Organization was not a registered nonprofit with that office nor was it registered to solicit donations. Both registrations with the Office of the Attorney General are required under Michigan law. The top law enforcement office in the state told 6 News it was sending a letter to the organization to gain compliance with Michigan law. Oceola Township officials told 6 News a zoning investigation had been initiated following an inquiry by 6 News Investigates Team members about as many as 11 dogs being housed in the warehouse facility that serves as the headquarters and training facility for the organization. The investigation was into an unlicensed kennel. Lanam did not respond to a text message seeking comment about the revocation. Read the Stolen Valor Series Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News. Stonehenge: What we know and dont know about iconic megalith after shock discovery New light has been shed on the origins of Stonehenge after it was discovered the Altar Stone did not come from south Wales (via REUTERS) New scientific research has changed our understanding of Stonehenge as tests uncover an unexpected Scottish connection. Mineralogical tests on the monuments central stone has shown that it could have come from some part of Scotland, even as far as the remote northern island of Orkney. This challenges the previous notion that the furthest the stones had travelled was from southwest Wales, which is nearly 600 miles closer. The implications of the discovery are wide-ranging. The monument has long given historians clues into how Neolithic Britain operated, and the newly found Scottish link sheds a new light how society might have operated over 5,000 years ago. Archeologists and historians will no doubt have many new questions and theories about the ancient monument in light of the new findings. Heres an overview of what is known and what is unknown about Stonehenge: What we know about Stonehenge There are 93 pieces of stone visible at Stonehenge, and this doesnt include the ones that are buried or presumed missing. Until now, all were thought to originate from local or regional sources. The furthest was believed to come from southwest Wales, around 120 miles away. The most prominent stones are arranged in a circular formation around the Altar stone which is located in the centre. This is the rock that has now been linked to Scotland through expert tests. Stonehenges Altar Stone (Nick Pearce/Aberystwyth University via AP) It was built in several stages, with the first formation thought to be erected around 5,000 years ago. However, it is not just the stones that are of historic significance, but the entire area. The Stonehenge and Avebury heritage site is a massive 6,500 acres, and is home to over 350 burial mounds which continue to cause debate amongst experts. Excavations are ongoing, with as much historically significant material under the ground as there is on top of it. What we still dont know about Stonehenge While the discovery of the Scottish connection to Stonhenge is exciting, it has lead to more questions than answers. Experts say the fingerprint of the rock could even match those found in Orkney, far in the north beyond even the Scottish mainland. This would increase the distance Stonehenges rocks have travelled from 120 miles to as far as 700. How or why Neolithic Britons would have moved such a substantial stone this great distance may never be fully revealed. But it does tell us something about the culture of the period, which spans from Neolithic period to the Bronze age. The Independents archeology correspondent David Keys explains: the newly discovered Stonehenge-Scotland link, when combined with the Welsh origin of some of the Stonehenge stones, suggests that there might also have been a pan-British aspect to how Neolithic Britons lived. Experts still dispute how the stones were transported to the site over long distances, as well as what the purpose of the site was. However, English Heritage gives the working theory that the fact that the sun rises over the Heel Stone on the longest day of the year (summer solstice) and sets over it on the shortest day (winter solstice) suggests that it was a prehistoric temple aligned with the suns movements. Your Stories Q&A: When will the lower section of Delphi Falls County Park reopen? TOWN OF CAZENOVIA, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) You ask, we answer! Viewer Question: When will the lower section of Delphi Falls in Madison County reopen? Delphi Falls located in the Town of Cazenovia, right near the Onondaga/Madison County line, is a true gem in Central New York. It became a park in 2018 when Harold and Barbra Jones donated 66 acres of land to Madison County. For the past two years, Madison County has been in the midst of a nearly $6 million renovation project. Phase I of the project is complete. It included a new trail to the Upper Falls, a paved parking lot, restrooms and a walking bridge that goes over Limestone Creek. Phase II is nearing completion. It calls for a conference/visitor center. The center will have a patio that will allow visitors to sit and enjoy a view of Delphi Falls. Courtesy: Madison County A Madison County spokesperson said the county plans to rent the center during the week to businesses and organizations to hold conferences and retreats. Courtesy: Madison County Community members will be able to reserve the building on the weekend at no charge. The county said its still working out all the details. Near the center, there will be another set of restrooms that will be open to the public from dawn to dusk. The county is hoping to complete construction by mid-October. That timeline could change if the weather doesnt cooperate this fall. Submit a form. More Your Stories Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSYR. PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) This years Hasbro Childrens Hospital Heroes Ball was postponed after the remnants of Debby severely damaged the events tent. The hospital said its team is still working to assess the situation and find an alternative. Due to the unforeseen circumstances, the online auction was extended until 5:30 p.m. Thursday. People could bid on a variety of experiences including a sunset cruise and lunch with Judge Frank Caprio. Hasbro said the proceeds from the auction will go toward the hospitals areas of greatest need. You can check out the online auction here. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. STOW, Ohio (WJW) Authorities on Thursday said they may never know the motive behind a suspected murder-suicide Wednesday evening outside the Taco Bell along Graham Road in Cuyahoga Falls. Police responded to a report of a shooting just before 7:30 p.m. There, they found two people shot in the drive-thru. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. [Watch previous FOX 8 News coverage in the player above.] Suspected murder-suicide outside Taco Bell in Stow: I-Team This embedded content is not available in your region. The Summit County Medical Examiners Office on Thursday identified the victim as Megan E. Keleman, 25, of Stow, whose death has been ruled a homicide caused by gunshot wounds to the neck; and the reported shooter as Jason S. Williams, 53, of Cuyahoga Falls, whose death has been ruled a suicide by a gunshot wound to the head. Witnesses told detectives that Keleman pulled in front of Williams in the drive-thru line. Williams then blew his horn and struck the rear of her vehicle. Keleman then asked Taco Bell employees to call police. Witnesses said Williams then got out of the car, shot Keleman, then himself. A police reports lists the firearm as a .40-caliber Sig Sauer P229. WJW photo WJW photo Police currently dont have any indication that the two knew each other, Film said. This is a true tragedy, he said. Not only have the Kelemans lost a daughter, but we as a community lost one of our daughters. We do not at this time have any answer for why this happened and we may never know why. According to her social media posts, Megan Keleman had just finished her MBA at Cleveland State University. She also spent the last two years working at Shelter Care, Inc. in Tallmadge, a drop-in center for runaway, homeless and at-risk youth. Four killed in 3 separate crashes on Ohio Turnpike As for Jason Williams, Summit County Court records show he was arrested in Hudson in March for OVI, open container and improper handling of a firearm in a vehicle. He was terminated from the alcohol monitoring program at Oriana House for failing to show up. By court order Williams was not allowed to possess a gun. It appears the person was in crisis. I dont think well ever be able to explain the motivation behind his decision-making, Film said. Police believe Keleman and Williams were the only two people involved in the incident. A dog that was in Kelemans car was turned over to animal rescuers who bathed and cared for the dog until it was returned to its family on Wednesday night, Film said. Kelemans family issued a statement on Thursday that reads: In light of the recent events, our family is enduring an immensely painful loss of Megan Elizabeth Keleman. We kindly ask for the media and the publics understanding for our privacy during this difficult time. We appreciate the communitys support and hope that our request for privacy will be honored so we can continue to focus on supporting each other through this difficult period. The family of Megan Keleman Film said the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation was called to help police process the crime scene. Homicides are rare in Stow the last one was several years ago, he added. A spokesperson from Taco Bell also issued a statement: We are shocked to hear that this happened. The franchise owner and operator of this location has informed us that they are working with the local authorities in their investigation of this customer incident and that they will be offering support to all team members present. Taco Bell Corp. The city is nestled between Kent and Akron and home to about 34,000 people, according to Census data. Our community is a great community, a safe community. This is just a tragic event were dealing with now and trying to understand, Film said. See an archived live blog below: Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. Bag and Tag More than two months into what was supposed to be a week-long journey, the stranded NASA astronauts who hitched a ride to the International Space Station on board Boeing's doomed Starliner spacecraft are apparently being forced to deal with some pretty undignified living standards. As Time notes, the space station was already occupied by seven astronauts before NASA's Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams arrived via the Starliner in early June. Because the Boeing-built craft immediately sprung several helium leaks during its journey to the station, the pair are now stuck on board the ISS indefinitely and as they previously told the magazine, that means they're not exactly sleeping in style. Williams seems to have gotten the better end of the deal by spending the last two months camped out on board the space station's Crew Alternate Sleep Accommodation (CASA) sleep chamber with another of the extra astronauts hanging out on board the European Space Agency-built Columbus module. Wilmore, however, has been forced to contend with a sleeping bag in the Japanese Space Agency's Kibo module. "Butch is going to have to rough it a little bit," Williams told Time back in May when she and her copilot thought they'd only be slumming it for a mere eight days. No Scrubs It sounds less than ideal but as the report notes, Williams and Wilmore's difficulties don't end with their sleeping arrangements. As with every ISS mission, the Starliner astronauts initially had specific jobs to do on board the station that would have eaten up their eight-day journey. As Time reports, their main priority was checking in on the Boeing capsule and making sure its communications, life support, and other essential functions were in good shape. With that checklist done and their journey having been extended until possibly February due to Starliner's technical issues, Wilmore and Williams have instead been assisting their fellow crew members with their tasks and experiments, including repairing a urine processing pump. Beyond that lovely job, Wilmore and Williams were also forced to stretch their clothing rations because there's no laundry on board the ISS. Generally speaking, astronauts pack enough clothes for the length of their journey, and with their trip home having been pushed back repeatedly, the Starliner crew had to make do until a Northrop Grumman resupply mission finally came to deliver them new clothes earlier this month. There was never much dignity to life on board the ISS, to begin with and now that they're stranded there, Williams and Wilmore are likely feeling the burn of Boeing's shoddy Starliner work. More on Starliner: NASA Clown Car Plan Would Stuff Extra Astronauts Into SpaceX Capsule to Avoid Return Journey in Disastrous Boeing Starliner STRUTHERS, Ohio (WKBN) A Struthers man was sentenced this week after a child in his care ingested a THC gummy. Jamie Hall was found guilty of an amended charge of possessing criminal tools, a first-degree misdemeanor. He was originally charged with child endangering. Hall was sentenced to one year of probation and will have to perform 100 hours of community service. Hall was indicted by a Mahoning County grand jury in June, but the county court remanded the case back to Struthers Municipal Court. According to a police report, a 5-year-old child in Halls care was treated at Akron Childrens Hospital in April for an overdose after the child ingested a THC-laced gummy. When officers questioned Hall, he told them he had the bottle of gummies out and took one of them but got distracted and forgot to put the bottle away. Thats when the child got a hold of them, the report stated. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. Editors Note: This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org Five Ocean Springs High School students have personal reasons for supporting a suicide prevention program in Jackson County schools. Each of them has counseled friends through mental health crises, struggled with the common issues teens face, or both. They all served last year on the Principals Student Advisory Council and talked about doing something to promote mental health. The students hoped their efforts could save lives. Several Jackson County students had died by suicide since April 2022, most recently Ocean Springs Middle School student Aubreigh Wyatt, who was only 13. Aubreigh took her own life on Sept. 4. It was all so hard for them to understand because of the finality of it, said middle school behavior specialist Tory Murray. Its not a temporary thing. In 2023, the Centers for Disease Control reports, 40% of high school students said in response to a youth survey that they experienced feelings of hopelessness. The CDCs Youth Risk Behavoir Survey, released Aug. 8, showed that 20% of high school students seriously considered attempting suicide, while 9% tried to die by suicide. Concerned adults in Jackson County had by 2022 started working to help struggling teens. They settled on a program that the counties four school districts are rolling out this school year: Hope Squad. Hope Squad is unique in that students help students because a struggling child is more likely to talk with a peer. Hope Squad members then connect that peer with a trusted adult. The four school districts Jackson County, Ocean Springs, Moss Point and Pascagoula-Gautier are rolling out Hope Squad this week and plan to continue the program in the coming years. The Singing River Foundation, which supports Singing River Health Systems philanthropic initiatives, and the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce raised funds for the program from Coast businesses, said chamber CEO Paige Roberts. She hopes the program can be expanded statewide. What we know of it is that it creates a culture of inclusivity and kindness, Roberts said. In doing that, the kids will be more aware and more trained in the idea of their own feelings, how their feelings and behavior affects others but also how to look out for each other. Because when you have a true culture of inclusivity and kindness, nothing else can survive. Emma Benoit of Louisiana and Paige Roberts, CEO of the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, got a photo together when Benoit spoke at a Coast event on mental health and suicide prevention. The chamber has been working with the Singing River Foundation and other groups on mental health initiatives, especially for the countys youth. Teen instantly regretted suicide attempt In its suicide prevention efforts, the Singing River Foundation brought motivational speaker Emma Benoit of Louisiana to the Coast in July 2023. She spoke at a mental health summit in Gulfport about her suicide attempt in 2017 at age 16. At Singing River Health System, we recognize that mental health is a cornerstone of overall well-being, a recent statement from the foundation said. At the beginning of 2023, we made it a priority to focus on the mental health of our children, understanding that early intervention and support can have profound impacts on their future. We have continued hosting community events throughout the year to support these vital initiatives. Benoit has told her story to many groups, including students. She also shares her story in a documentary, My Ascension. By age 12, Benoit has said, she was suffering from anxiety and depression. She felt like she should just deal with her problems and didnt confide in anyone, although she now sees silence can be deadly. As a teenager, the popular cheerleader didnt believe she had the right to feel so depressed. She talks about the moment that she tried to end her life. I was filled with instant regret and I was basically reminded of all the reasons that I did have to live, all of the reasons that I did have hope, and only when it was nearly too late, she said in one video. Emma learned about Hope Squad as she began to heal and share her story. If a Hope Squad had been in her school, maybe she could have talked to a peer, she said. Maybe she wouldnt have tried to end her life, an act that left her in a wheelchair. When she visited the Coast, Emma told Singing River and chamber representatives about Hope Squad, Roberts said. They checked into the program and liked what they learned. Benoit spoke again in October at a mental health summit the foundation, chamber and Pascagoula-Gautier School District sponsored at Pascagoula High. In December, representatives from the countys four school districts visited schools in Oklaloosa County, Florida, to see Hope Squad in action. Okaloosa schools started their program in 2021. I just really think this is going to be such a good program, said TaLaceia Lamb, a school counselor at Colmer Middle School in Pascagoula who made the trip to Florida. Emma Benoit of Louisiana speaks to students at a mental health summit in October hosted by Singing River Health System, with the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce and Pascagoula-Gautier School District. Benoit, who attempted suicide in 2017, encourages young people to seek help rather than struggling silently with depression, anxiety or other mental health issues. MS educators visit Hope Squads Educators in Okaloosa County, Lamb said, have so far been pleased with Hope Squads positive influence on students. Lamb hopes the program will spread positivity and kindness in Jackson County schools. She and all other Hope Squad advisors in Jackson County school districts have received training to work with the Hope Squads being set up in each school. Lamb and the Hope Squad advisors in Ocean Springs said theyll be introducing the program to students this week. The students will nominate fellow students to serve on the Hope Squads. Theyll understand before nominations begin that they should nominate students who are easy to approach, include others, are good listeners and show kindness. What I hope is this is going to help (students) connect, and not just with their phones, so they can have support and new friends, Lamb said. Hope Squad members will learn, among other things, the risk factors and warning signs for suicide, how to help struggling peers and get them support, and how social media influences mental health. Theyll also learn more about self care. Lamb and other counselors have their own ideas about which students would be good for Hope Squad, but theyre interested to see the students picks. Advisors will select Hope Squads from the student nominations. Colmer, a school with 530 students, will start out with 10 to 15 Hope Squad members, Lamb said. She and other counselors think the program will work because the students will be directly involved. Its not just another box teachers must check off their list of duties. Also, Hope Squads will meet and learn on a regular basis about suicide prevention and topics such as bullying. Theyll learn to tell the difference between someone who is having a bad day and a fellow student experiencing serious problems. The students at Ocean Springs High who looked into mental health programs that might work in their school will be on its inaugural Hope Squad. The districts student services director, Cecilia Zahedi, expects the 1,965-student high school to have about 40 Hope Squad members. One of the Ocean Springs High students who will be on the Hope Squad, 10th-grader Janyah Glasco, said her peers have always felt they could confide in her. She cares about mental health and wants to help others feel better. I think Hope Squad will make people more comfortable talking about their problems, Glasco said. TaLaceia Lamb, a counselor at Colmer Middle School in Pascagoula, poses for a portrait in her office on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. Lamb is one of the Jackson County school district employees trained to start Hope Squad, a teen suicide prevention initiative starting this year. Signs promoting kindness and the Hope Squad in counselor TaLaceia Lambs office at Colmer Middle School in Pascagoula on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. Lamb and other employees in Jackson County school districts have been trained to oversee Hope Squad, a teen suicide prevention initiative that is enlisting middle and high school students to help struggling peers. NEW YORK (AP) As students return to colleges across the United States, administrators are bracing for a resurgence in activism against the war in Gaza, and some schools are adopting rules to limit the kind of protests that swept campuses last spring. While the summer break provided a respite in student demonstrations against the Israel-Hamas war, it also gave both student protesters and higher education officials a chance to regroup and strategize for the fall semester. The stakes remain high. At Columbia University, President Minouche Shafik resigned Wednesday after coming under heavy scrutiny for her handling of the demonstrations at the campus in New York City, where the wave of pro-Palestinian tent encampments began last spring. Some of the new rules imposed by universities include banning encampments, limiting the duration of demonstrations, allowing protests only in designated spaces and restricting campus access to those with university identification. Critics say some of the measures will curtail free speech. The American Association of University Professors issued a statement Wednesday condemning overly restrictive policies that could discourage free expression. Many of the new policies require protesters to register well in advance and strictly limit the locations where gatherings can be held, as well as setting new limits on the use of amplified sound and signage. Our colleges and universities should encourage, not suppress, open and vigorous dialogue and debate even on the most deeply held beliefs, said the statement, adding that many policies were imposed without faculty input. The University of Pennsylvania has outlined new temporary guidelines for student protests that include bans on encampments, overnight demonstrations, and the use of bullhorns and speakers until after 5 p.m. on class days. Penn also requires that posters and banners be removed within two weeks of going up. The university says it remains committed to freedom of speech and lawful assembly. At Indiana University, protests after 11 p.m. are forbidden under a new expressive activities policy that took effect Aug 1. The policy says camping and erecting any type of shelter are prohibited on campus, and signs cannot be displayed on university property without prior approval. The University of South Florida now requires approval for tents, canopies, banners, signs and amplifiers. The schools speech, expression and assembly rules stipulate that no activity, including protests or demonstrations, is allowed after 5 p.m. on weekdays or during weekends and not allowed at all during the last two weeks of a semester. A draft document obtained over the summer by the student newspaper at Harvard University showed the college was considering prohibitions on overnight camping, chalk messages and unapproved signs. I think right now we are seeing a resurgence of repression on campuses that we haven't seen since the late 1960s, said Risa Lieberwitz, a Cornell University professor of labor and employment law who serves as general counsel for the AAUP. Universities say they encourage free speech as long as it doesn't interfere with learning, and they insist they are simply updating existing rules for demonstrations to protect campus safety. Tensions have run high on college campuses since Oct. 7, when Hamas militants assaulted southern Israel and killed 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took about 250 hostages. Many student protesters in the U.S. vow to continue their activism, which has been fueled by Gaza's rising death toll, which surpassed 40,000 on Thursday, according to the territorys Health Ministry. About 50 Columbia students still face discipline over last springs demonstrations after a mediation process that began earlier in the summer stalled, according to Mahmoud Khalil, a lead negotiator working on behalf of Columbia student protesters. He blamed the impasse on Columbia administrators. The university loves to appear that theyre in dialogue with the students. But these are all fake steps meant to assure the donor community and their political class, said Khalil, a graduate student at Columbias School of International and Public Affairs. The university did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday. The Ivy League school in upper Manhattan was roiled earlier this year by student demonstrations, culminating in scenes of police officers with zip ties and riot shields storming a building occupied by pro-Palestinian protesters. Similar protests swept college campuses nationwide, with many leading to violent clashes with police and more than 3,000 arrests. Many of the students who were arrested during police crackdowns have had their charges dismissed, but some are still waiting to learn what prosecutors decide. Many have faced fallout in their academic careers, including suspensions, withheld diplomas and other forms of discipline. Shafik was among the university leaders who were called for questioning before Congress. She was heavily criticized by Republicans who accused her of not doing enough to combat concerns about antisemitism on the Columbia campus. She announced her resignation in an emailed letter to the university community just weeks before the start of classes on Sept. 3. The university on Monday began restricting campus access to people with Columbia IDs and registered guests, saying it wanted to curb potential disruptions as the new semester draws near. This period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in the community, Shafik wrote in her letter. Over the summer, I have been able to reflect and have decided that my moving on at this point would best enable Columbia to traverse the challenges ahead. Pro-Palestinian protesters first set up tent encampments on Columbias campus during Shafiks congressional testimony in mid-April, when she denounced antisemitism but faced criticism for how she responded to faculty and students accused of bias. The school sent in police to clear the tents the following day, only for the students to return and inspire a wave of similar protests at campuses across the country as students called for schools to cut financial ties with Israel and companies supporting the war. The campus was mostly quiet this summer, but a conservative news outlet in June published images of what it said were text messages exchanged by administrators while attending a May 31 panel discussion titled Jewish Life on Campus: Past, Present and Future. The officials were removed from their posts, with Shafik saying in a July 8 letter to the school community that the messages were unprofessional and disturbingly touched on ancient antisemitic tropes. Other prominent Ivy League leaders have stepped down in recent months, in large part due to their response to the volatile protests on campus. University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill resigned in December after less than two years on the job. She faced pressure from donors and criticism over testimony at a congressional hearing where she was unable to say under repeated questioning that calls on campus for the genocide of Jews would violate the schools conduct policy. And in January, Harvard University President Claudine Gay resigned amid plagiarism accusations and similar criticism over her testimony before Congress. ___ Perry reported from Meredith, New Hampshire. Gecker reported from San Francisco. ___ The Associated Press education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. A union that represents licensed doctors and advanced-practice clinicians is calling on the National Labor Relations Board to investigate what is being described as punitive and fearful retaliatory workplace protocols at Colorado Springs-headquartered Peak Vista Community Health Centers. Charges of unfair labor practices filed Tuesday by attorneys representing the Sacramento, Calif.-based Union of American Physicians and Dentists comes in the wake of six Peak Vista providers being fired over the past two and a half weeks and at least four voluntarily quitting, according to sources. Stories of doctors being removed from exam rooms in front of patients and then immediately fired in the hallways have been circulating. Some employees who spoke to The Gazette say they believe they were terminated after speaking out against new productivity mandates or being involved with starting a union. Its not unusual to set expectations; these are unusually high, and the punishment is unusually severe, said Andrew Guttman, a representative of the Union of American Physicians and Dentists. Peak Vista, which provides medical, dental and behavioral health care for low-income and indigent residents at 22 outpatient clinics, is in receipt of the filing and is investigating, the organizations president and CEO, Dr. Emily Ptaszek, said in a statement sent to The Gazette in response to a request for comments. We take these accusations very seriously and are confident they are unfounded, she said. At Peak Vista, we strive for organizational excellence and adhere to the shared values of respect, stewardship and teamwork among nearly 800 team members serving 74,000 patients, many of whom have barriers to quality health care. Peak Vista enacted a requirement that began Jan. 1 for physicians, physicians assistants, nurse practitioners, psychologists and other prescribing mental health providers to see more patients on a daily basis above the national median. On top of that, administrators told providers if they did not reach the new expectations, they would need to extend their remaining workdays for the rest of the year or forgo paid time off to make up for the shortfall in patient visits. Such action constitutes unlawful rules and provisions, correlating to sudden discharge or retaliation and thereby violates employees rights, according to the charges submitted to the federal labor agency. In her statement, Ptaszek said, We are committed to a healthy workplace where performance goals and timely health care service delivery is a top priority. The demands administrators have made were based solely on projected expenses and not workforce capacity, reads a letter Union President Dr. Stuart Bussey sent Tuesday to Peak Vistas board of directors. Providers were told that increasing patient encounters was the only way to address the organizations financial struggles, Bussey said in his letter. The organizations 990 tax filings show an excess of $11 million in revenue over expenses in 2021 and $4.6 million more revenue than expenses in 2022. Tax statements from 2023 are not yet publicly available. Nonetheless, providers stepped up and increased daily scheduled patient encounters from 22 to 28, former employees said. The organizations administrators also reduced the time that could be spent with each patient to 15 minutes. Featured Local Savings The industrys median productivity is 20 patients per day, said a family practice provider, who was recently terminated from Peak Vista and requested anonymity. If we didnt, we were labeled as unproductive and bullied to do additional work without pay which a lot of us felt it was inappropriate, and some of us refused to do it, the family practice provider said. We started talking about organizing with a union, and the firings came within a week of that. My firing came very abruptly and left my clinic without a provider. Its been rough, said a longtime pediatrician who also recently was terminated and asked not to be named because she fears retribution. To make 22 encounters a day, you have to schedule 28-30 clients a day, figuring in a 9% to 11% no-show rate. The day all 28 show up is a really bad day, she said. Its not ideal care. Its been so focused on the numbers, the guarantee of quality care has been harder and harder to reach. And regardless of whether a patient has a sore throat or a tracheotomy tube, you have 15 minutes. Period, she said. The pediatrician said her contract for this year stipulated she provide 4,004 patient encounters, which she said meant she had to use lunch time or after-hours time at home to complete administrative paperwork and other duties. Everybody was like What the heck is going on? I dont want to do that, the doctor said. Asking providers to see more patients in a given time isnt new at Peak Vista. A few years ago, the organization upped the number of patient encounters from 23 to nearly 30, said a former employee who was laid off two-and-a-half years ago. That made it very difficult to see a patient in a healthy and productive way, the employee said. He complained about rule, was told he needed to reapply for his job as an operations director, then was informed he wasnt qualified for that job or any other position at the organization. The main problem with the rash of recent terminations of doctors who worked in different capacities at Peak Vista clinics that are scattered about the Pikes Peak region and Eastern Colorado is that about 20,000 underserved children and adults are left without their familiar physician, the former operations director said. "To me, that is a disservice to the community," he said. The union is calling for the board of Peak Vista to stop the assembly line medicine and the sweatshop atmosphere at the clinics, as well as halt alleged retaliation against providers and allow them the lawful right to unionize, according to Busseys letter. The human body doesnt age steadily throughout middle age and instead goes through bursts of rapid aging typically at around age 44 and again at 60, according to a new study published Wednesday in the academic journal Nature Aging. Stanford University researchers tracked age-related changes in more than 135,000 types of molecules and microbes in samples collected every three to six months from more than 100 adults between the ages of 25 and 75 years old. Researchers gathered more than 5,400 blood, stool, skin nasal swab and oral swabs as part of the study, and as a result were able to track more than 135,000 different kinds of chemical compounds, bacteria and cell parts affected by aging. Scientists found the abundance of these molecules and microbes did not change steadily over time but rather increased and decreased rapidly around two ages first around the onset of a persons 40s and again in their 60s. While researchers found evidence that cellular changes are more likely to occur around these ages, more work needs to be done to figure out why. When people become old, the molecules in your body change, Xiaotao Shen, a computational biologist at Singapores Nanyang Technology University and co-author of the study, told The Washington Post. What we dont know is what drives this change. The findings could help researchers better understand age-related illnesses and why certain diseases such as cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases commonly pop up at certain ages, specifically at around age 40 and 65, respectively, researchers wrote in the study. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A key border crossing for humanitarian aid to enter Sudan will be reopened, the countrys government said Thursday, as the war intensifies, causing a growing number of people in the country to need food, water, shelter, and medical care. Sudans Sovereign Council announced it will open the Adre crossing, on the countrys border with Chad, for a period of three months. It was closed in February by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), which alleged that the crossing was being used to move weapons. The vital crossings reopening follows growing calls for greater humanitarian assistance in Sudans Darfur region, as civil war between the SAF and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continues to ravage the country. Sudan is at a breaking point, one United Nations agency said earlier this week. At a UN Security Council meeting on August 6, the United States accused the SAF of restricting humanitarians from accessing supplies through the critical Adre crossing. Similarly, the United Kingdom said the armed forces were obstructing aid delivery into Darfur, including shutting the Adre crossing, the most direct route to deliver assistance at scale. This comes as famine conditions are prevalent in parts of Sudans North Darfur state, including in the Zamzam camp located near the states capital El Fasher and home to around half a million people displaced by civil war according to an Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report released in July. Some 26 million people are in need of assistance in Sudan more than half of the countrys population, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). More than 10 million people have fled their homes since civil war broke out in April 2023 and over half the population faces acute hunger, UN OCHA detailed. On Tuesday, UNICEF, the UNs childrens agency, said Sudans humanitarian crisis was the biggest in the world for children, by numbers, Tens of thousands of Sudanese children are at risk of death if action is not urgently taken, UNICEF spokesperson James Elder warned at a press briefing. Thousands of children have been killed or injured in Sudans war. Sexual violence and recruitment are increasing. And the situation is even worse where an ongoing humanitarian presence remains denied, Elder said. This is a developing story and will be updated. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com For most of human history, cosmic events werent understood to be the simple result of physicsinstead, they were messages from the divine or omens regarding the future. This is especially true for a total solar eclipse, where the moon entirely obscures the sun, bringing nighttime for a few bizarre minutes during the day. An event as unmissable and odd as a total solar eclipse was, quite reasonably, something our ancestors considered worthy of recording. The earliest recorded solar eclipse took place in 1223 BCE, etched into an ancient Mesopotamian clay tablet. In the millennia since that initial recording, cultures across the globe have documented and interpreted solar eclipses in many different waysand those historical records are even helping solar scientists better understand the sun in the modern age. Nowadays, we understand a solar eclipse as the coincidental (but predictable) alignment of the Earth, moon, and sun, such that the moon blocks out the sun as seen from our perspective. Although other planets quite likely experience partial eclipses, our moon is uniquely situated such that its apparent size precisely matches up to that of the sun, fully blocking out its bright light. Astronomy: a view of London in 1748, with diagrams of an eclipse. Engraving. Wellcome Collection. Source: Wellcome Collection. Some of the oldest eclipse records are found in literature, such as the History of the Peloponnesian War by ancient Greek scholar Thucydides: In first days of the next summer there was an eclipse of the sun at the time of new moon. Petroglyphs in Ireland and the American Southwest also hint at long ago eclipse observations, with spirals and other symbols corresponding to the Earth, moon, and Sun in their celestial dance. Some ancient Chinese records also describe when the sun has been eateneven including a gruesome note that two of the emperors advisors were killed for failing to successfully predict the eclipse. An ancient Hindu text called the Rig Veda told how the sun disappeared around 4000 BCE, until it was liberated by the religious figure Rishi Atri. Although some texts werent written until many years after an eclipse actually occurred, astronomical stories generally sustain well in peoples memory because the sky repeats itself every year, even if events like eclipses are rare, explains University of Mumbai astronomer Mayank Vahia. We have seen this in stories of tribes in India who can remember events that were 3000 years old, woven into a nice mythical story about Ursa Major. Eclipses could represent misfortune or a great destiny, depending on who you ask. Kings and emperors from nations like ancient Mesopotamia often saw an eclipse as a sure sign of their downfall. King Henry I solidified the European superstition of ill omen eclipses, as he died shortly after an eclipse and rumors spread wildly after that coincidence, but some major civilizations like the Aztec didnt seem to care much at all. Indigenous people of North America had quite different perspectives on eclipses, too; the Southern Paiute saw the eclipse as a time for reflection, love, and giving, while others like the Ho-Chunk and Crow treat them as a time for new beginnings. Astronomy: eclipses (top), and the Moons passage around the Earth. Coloured engraving by J. Emslie, 1851, after himself. Source: Wellcome Collection. Around the 1600s, solar science as we know it today came into being. Famous astronomer Johannes Kepler suggested the coronaa ring of filaments and tenuous light that becomes visible around the sun during an eclipsewas actually a part of the sun, which we now know to be true. In the 1800s, people took the first photographs of a solar eclipse, and today people across the globe take selfies as an eclipse sweeps through their part of the world. The history of eclipses not only connects us with humans across timesharing that sense of wonder at our place in the cosmosbut also sheds light on the subtle motions in our solar system. For example, eclipse records suggest that Earth rotates at just about the same rate as it did 3,000 years ago and allow us to track changes in the planets motions. The movement of the earth is gradually slowing down but occasionally there are sudden changes due to geological events, adds Vahia. Records of ancient eclipses, especially Solar Eclipses, are important in providing high-quality data to validate our calculations. Plus, eclipses have been responsible for some major scientific breakthroughs, like the discovery of the element helium and tests of Einsteins famous general relativity theory. If you missed the most recent total solar eclipse earlier in 2024, the next total solar eclipse for the continental U.S isnt until 2045but you can see one before then if youre willing to do a bit of travel. Whenever you get a chance, its worth it to witness a cosmic event so rare and weird that our ancestors have been talking about it for thousands of years. The Kansas City Chiefs have had an unbelievable record at the Super Bowl in recent years, racking up three titles since the turn of the decade. The early 2020s are best remembered, however, as the beginning of the COVID pandemic, and one woman's actions during those days is prompting one Chiefs player to come to her defense. Chicago-area school district director Vera Liddell pleaded guilty on Aug. 9 to the bizarre crime of stealing $1.5 million worth of chicken wings, receiving a nine-year prison sentence for her actions. But she's found a supporter in Chiefs defensive tackle and three-time Super Bowl champ Chris Jones, who is offering to help free her by paying off the cost of the wings. "I'll pay for the wings that she stole to get her free," Jones wrote on X. Ill pay for the wings that she stole to get her free https://t.co/0mr1Bl9dWR Chris Jones (@StoneColdJones) August 13, 2024 It all started when Liddell was given the job of ordering meat for take-home meals for students who were learning remotely during the pandemic, according to WGN. Prosecutors said she placed the orders and did the billing between July 2020 and February 2022, per ABC News. The jig was up last year when an audit uncovered that the district's food service department went $300,000 over its annual budget. The district's business manager found the invoices for $1.5 million worth of chicken wings, which raised eyebrows, as food items with bones aren't served to students. Prosecutors said she ordered more than 11,000 cases of chicken wings between August and November 2021 and picked them up in a district cargo van, according to CBS News. It remains to be seen whether local authorities will take up Jones on his offer. A sign at Anchorage's Service High School, seen on Aug. 13, 2024, explains that tobacco use is prohibited at the property. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon) A sign at Anchorage's Service High School, seen on Aug. 13, 2024, explains that tobacco use is prohibited at the property. High school students' use of electronic cigarettes has declined since 2019, one of the positive trends emerging from the latest Alaska Youth Risk Behavior Survey. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon) Alaska teens are more likely to be depressed and have suicidal thoughts than were teens a decade ago, and some mental health problems have increased notably among girls, according to results from the states most recent Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Administered in 2023 to nearly 1,200 high school students around the state, the survey found numerous negative trends. Of the respondents, 19% reported attempting suicide at least once over the past year, compared to 8.7% in the 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Twenty-three percent said they had considered suicide, compared to 14.5% in 2011. And 43% reported feeling sad or hopeless for such extended periods that they were not able to carry out some of their usual activities, compared to 25.9% who reported feeling that way in the 2011 survey. Alaskas Youth Risk Behavior Survey is administered to students every two years, though 2021 was skipped because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting school closures. Results were released this month by the Alaska Division of Public Health. In many mental-health measures, girls reported more problems than boys. Among female respondents in 2023, 56% reported feeling too sad to engage in their usual activities, versus 32% for male respondents. While 20% of all respondents reported being cyberbullied up from 15% in 2011 25% of the girls said they had been victimized that way. Other survey results revealed worsening lifestyle habits. High schoolers maintaining a healthy weight dropped to 64.3% in 2023 from 71.9% in 2011. More students, 53.1%, reported drinking at least one sugary beverage in the prior week in the 2023 survey, compared to 44.9% in 2011. Those engaging in the recommended 60 minutes of daily exercise dropped to 18% in 2023 from 21.3% in 2011. Lindsey Kato, director of the Alaska Division of Public Health, said she was saddened by the findings. My heart breaks for our young Alaskans who are struggling and for families across the state, Kato said in a statement. These statistics reinforce the continued work that is needed to support our children and families to improve community connectedness, economic stability, and access to quality health services; the need for public health and public safety to work side by side our violence prevention work, so that Alaskans can focus on things like physical activity, education, and nutrition. We know that all of this is connected, we know that these results are felt in our communities and seen in the states increased rates of overdose and high rates of suicide. The Alaska results mirror some of the national trends, as reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nationally, surveys show more mental health distress, including thoughts of suicide, particularly among girls. However, the Alaska survey also shows some positive trends. Members of the Barrow High School football team practice at the Utqiagvik field on Aug. 3, 2022. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon) Use of tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes, and exposure to tobacco smoke is down, as is consumption of alcohol, according to the results. Tobacco use continues its long-term decline among high schoolers, according to the results. For example, 6.5% of the 2023 survey respondents said they had smoked a cigarette in the prior 30 days, compared to 14% in 2011. Of the students responding to the survey, 16.9% said they had consumed an alcoholic beverage in the prior 30 days, compared to 29% in 2011. The use of e-cigarettes, a relatively new product, has changed significantly in recent years. The latest survey suggests that the popularity of vaping among Alaska high schoolers is declining. In 2023, 17.3% reported vaping over the prior 30 days, significantly lower rate than the 26.1% measured in 2019 and similar to the 17.7% rate recorded in 2015, the first time the youth survey queried students about e-cigarettes. The decrease in vaping is obviously a really exciting thing to see, said Katie Steffens, deputy program manager for the Alaska Tobacco Prevention and Control Program. The program, which is part of the Division of Public Health, has a wide-ranging strategy to discourage vaping, including working with schools, community groups and a Not Buying It campaign to counter e-cigarette companies youth-focused marketing. Its a very comprehensive effort, Steffens said. I dont know that theres any one thing that would lead to this, but we have a lot of strategies that weve learned with cigarette use among the youth in the past that weve been using to address e-cigarette use today. One part of the strategy is establishing alternatives to academic suspensions that have been routinely meted out to students who smoke or vape at school. Students lost more than 1,800 school days in 2018 and 2019 because of such suspensions, according to the Tobacco Prevention and Control Program. An alternative response, which is supported by the American Lung Association, is an educational program that informs students about the health risks while allowing them to continue attending class as normal. The Tobacco Prevention and Control program recommends that schools and communities that have the capacity for it use the alternatives to suspension so students can get that education, that they need to understand more about what these products are doing to their health, Steffens said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Survey shows disaster-prone Southeast Asia is also best prepared, suggesting lessons can be learned FILE - Rescuers carry the body of a victim of a flash flood in Tanah Datar, West Sumatra, Indonesia, on May 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Ali Nayaka, File) BANGKOK (AP) Southeast Asia is among the regions most prone to natural disasters, but a new analysis released Thursday shows its people also feel the best equipped to deal with them. It seems logical that the countries in and around the Pacific Ring of Fire, vulnerable to earthquakes, typhoons, storm surges and other dangers, are also the best prepared, but the survey by Gallup for the Lloyd's Register Foundation shows that's not always the case in other regions. Frequent exposure to hazard isnt the only factor that determines how prepared people feel, Benedict Vigers, a research consultant with Gallup, told The Associated Press. The report found the Association of Southeast Asian Nations has played a key role in disaster risk reduction, and Vigers said the region's wider approach includes widespread and effective early-warning systems, scaled-up community approaches and regional cooperation, and good access to disaster finance. Southeast Asia success in feelings of disaster preparedness can be linked to its high exposure to disasters, its relatively high levels of resilience - from individual people to overall society, and the regions approach to and investment into disaster risk management more broadly, he said. Forty percent of people surveyed in Southeast Asia said they had experienced a natural disaster in the past five years, while a similar number 36% in Southern Asia said the same. But 67% of Southeast Asians felt among the best prepared to protect their families and 62% had emergency plans, while Southern Asians felt less ready, with 49% and 29% respectively. Respondents from North America, which is significantly less disaster-prone than Southeast Asia, said they only felt slightly less prepared, while those in Northern and Western Europe were in the middle of the pack. The results from Southeast Asia, primarily made up of lower-middle-income countries, suggest wealth is not a deciding factor in disaster response and preparation, said Ed Morrow, senior campaigns manager for Lloyd's Register Foundation, a British-based global safety charity. Southeast Asia is a region that clearly has much to teach the world in terms of preparing for disasters," he said. Globally, no country ranked higher than the Philippines for having experienced a natural disaster in the past five years, with 87% of respondents saying they had. It was also among the top four countries where the highest proportion of households have a disaster plan. All were in Southeast Asia: the Philippines (84%), Vietnam (83%), Cambodia (82%) and Thailand (67%), followed by the United States (62%). Those with the the lowest proportion were Egypt, Kosovo and Tunisia, all with 7%. The data were drawn from the World Risk Poll, conducted every two years, with the main results from the 2023 survey published in June. Questions on disasters focused on natural hazards instead of conflicts or financial disasters, and excluded the coronavirus pandemic. Surveys were conducted of people aged 15 and above in 142 countries and based on telephone or face-to-face conversations with approximately 1,000 or more respondents in each country with the exception of China, where some 2,200 people were contacted online. Margin of error ranged from plus or minus 2.2 to 4.9 percentage points, for an overall 95% confidence level. It is our intention that this freely available data should be used by governments, regulators, businesses, NGOs and international bodies to inform and target policies and interventions that make people safer, Morrow said. Allen Myers grew up in Paradise, California, which for him is sacred land. At age 11, he sat beside his mothers bedside as she passed away in his beloved family home. Years later, that house, along with 90% of the town, burned to the ground in the devastating 2018 Camp fire, which killed 85 people. Today, he is demanding the fossil fuel industry be held accountable for its role in that deadly blaze and other climate disasters. Myers and 1,000 survivors of climate disasters signed a letter delivered in person to the US Department of Justice on Thursday, demanding federal investigation into the fossil fuel industrys climate crimes. The Camp fire bore the fingerprints of the climate crisis, said Myers, a board member of the local organization Regenerating Paradise. The fossil fuel industry knows that what theyre doing is dangerous, and we have millions of people, not only in this country, but around the world, that are feeling the effects of the climate crisis. Related: We should have better answers by now: climate scientists baffled by unexpected pace of heating The letter was organized by the environmental group Chesapeake Climate Action Network and consumer advocacy group Public Citizen. We have survived hurricanes, floods, extreme heat, fires and other hazards impacting our lives more frequently and with greater intensity due to climate change, it reads. While our stories and experiences are diverse, the fossil fuel industrys misconduct is a consistent through-line. The missive was also signed by 9,000 Americans whose loved ones have survived climate disasters and cites evidence that big oil has known for decades about the dangers of their products and has sought to cover up that evidence. Instead of acting responsibly on their own scientists warnings, they waged a decades-long disinformation campaign to muddy the science and confuse and mislead the public, it says. The letter comes as part of a growing movement for climate accountability. Dozens of municipalities have filed civil lawsuits against the oil and gas industry for allegedly spreading climate disinformation, and some states are crafting legislation seeking to collect climate damages from big oil. Last year, Public Citizen proposed filing criminal charges including homicide against oil majors an idea that sparked interest among prosecutors. In May, climate victims and non-profit groups in France filed the worlds first-ever criminal climate lawsuit against big oil, but no such case has been filed in the US. Climate survivors and their allies have had enough and our message to the justice department is clear: prosecute the fossil fuel industry and make polluters pay, said Clara Vondrich, senior policy counsel on climate at Public Citizen. Survivors of climate crimes deserve justice no less than the victims of homicide, arson, assault and battery, armed robbery and other felonies. Another letter signatory, Roishetta Ozane, has survived hurricanes, fires, tornadoes and pollution on the US Gulf coast. In a statement, she said survivors were tired of being resilient. It is high time we hold these companies accountable for their actions and demand that they pay for the climate crimes they have committed, said Ozane, who is also chief executive officer of the environmental justice group Vessel Project. We must make polluters pay for the damage they have caused to our environment and communities. Theyve caused this mess and they need to pay to mitigate it. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) The Kingston Police Department on Thursday announced it had arrested a man suspected in a hit-and-run Wednesday on Woodlawn Drive involving a 12-year-old who suffered minor injuries. According to Kingston Police, Nicolas Debord, 34, was placed under arrest for reckless driving, driving on a suspended license, leaving the scene of an accident and reckless endangerment. New court opinion spurs lawsuit in deadly 2016 Sevier County wildfires On Wednesday, Aug. 14, Kingston Police officers responded to a report of a hit-and-run. Officers spoke with the 12-year-old at the scene, who suffered what appeared to be minor injuries. Officers learned that a black sedan had come up behind the victim and struck him on his left side with the passenger side and mirror of the vehicle, a news release states. Officers then reviewed video footage from a neighbors camera system, which showed a dark gray Chrysler 200 sedan driving at a high rate of speed. Officers checked the area and found a gray Chrysler 200 in the 100 block of King Circle. The vehicle had damage consistent with the victims injuries and statements. Soon after, officers made contact with Debord, who allegedly admitted to officers that he had struck the victim and left the scene because his license was suspended. DA: Man convicted in 2022 Kingston double homicide gets lengthy sentence This incident is still under investigation and more charges may be filed, Kingston Polices release states. We would like to thank the officers and detectives for their hard work and quick response that resulted in the arrest of Nicolas Debord. We would also like to thank the citizens that helped in the investigation. The Kingston Police Department would like to take this opportunity to remind motorists to slow down, drive safely, watch for pedestrians and keep our roadways safe. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side. Authorities in Virginia have issued an arrest warrant for Toby Shane Kessler, 39, in connection with Sunday's break-in at a Donald Trump campaign office. Photo courtesy of Loudoun County Sheriffs Office/Release Aug. 14 (UPI) -- A suspect has been identified in the weekend break-in at former President Donald Trump's campaign office in Virginia. The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday it has issued an arrest warrant for Toby Shane Kessler after the 39-year-old was allegedly caught on surveillance video forcing his way into the Ashburn building that houses Trump for President 2024 campaign and the Virginia 10th District Republican Committee. "Suspect identified and warrant issued for burglary at Trump Campaign headquarters," the sheriff's office announced Wednesday, with a photo of Kessler, in a post on X. MEDIA RELEASE: Suspect Identified and Warrant Issued for Burglary at Trump Campaign HQ The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) has secured a warrant for the arrest of Toby Shane Kessler, 39, of no fixed address, on the charge of Burglary (Code of Virginia: 18.2-91. Entering... pic.twitter.com/oLQ6QWcT1y Loudoun County Sheriff's Office (@LoudounSheriff) August 14, 2024 Investigators say Kessler spent a brief period of time inside the campaign office Sunday night before leaving. "He appears to have left nothing behind, and it is still unclear what, if anything, he took with him," LCSO added. The sheriff's office said Kessler was wearing dark clothing, a dark cap and a backpack. They are asking anyone who knows Kessler's whereabouts to contact them. Loudoun County is working with other law enforcement agencies in its search for Kessler, who has a California driver's license and no fixed address. "Mr. Kessler has a history of criminal behavior and appears to have been in the Washington metropolitan area since at least 2018." HARTFORD, Conn. (WBOY) DNA evidence and the combined effort of U.S. Marshals and law enforcement from multiple states led to a man accused of committing a sexual assault in Westover, West Virginia in 2000 to be arrested last month. In May 2000, a victim reported a sexual assault to the Westover Police Department, but a suspect was never identified, according to a press release from the U.S. Marshals Service. However, in January 2021, authorities from California matched DNA evidence from a sexual assault case in Montana with evidence from the Westover case. Based on the DNA evidence, Tyron Jermaine Walker, 50, of Waterbury, Conn., was named the suspect in the case, and in June 2023, a warrant for his arrest was issued by a magistrate court in Monongalia County, according to the release. Walker was apprehended by U.S. Marshals on July 23, 2024, and as of that date, was pending extradition to West Virginia on a charge of second-degree sexual assault. Walker is not listed in the West Virginia Division of Corrections jail database as of Aug. 14. Lewis County Sheriffs Office searching for missing woman According to Westover Police Chief Joe Adams, who referenced the arrest during the Aug. 5 Westover City Council meeting, the evidence match happened through of the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). During his administrative update on Tuesday, Aug. 13, Gov. Jim Justice (R) credited the arrest to the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI), a grant program that aims to reform how sexual assault cases are handled, and announced another almost $1.2 million in SAKI grants for 21 projects in West Virginia. This grant paid for testing and services to link, you know, this guy, you know, that has been living in Montana for the last few years, and everything. And, with all that being said, a crime that was horrible, but has been solved by the great work of one of these grants, Justice said during the briefing. The grants will fund a number of organizations that provide domestic violence and sexual assault services and response, including the Victim Outreach Remote Technology Project, which was just expanded into Harrison County. A full list of organizations is available on the governors website here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com. Lawmakers have been told to prepare for a special session this month, presumably to tackle a compromise, under which Colorado residents and businesses would get more tax relief and halt two initiatives that would significantly decrease local governments' revenue. Sources said the governor will issue the call on Thursday for the Colorado General Assembly to convene for a special session, which is slated for Aug. 26, 27 and 28. "The session is happening," one source said. If the special session, indeed, takes places, it would be the second time in less than a year that Gov. Jared Polis would have convened such a session to tackle property taxes. After voters rejected Democrats' proposed solution to soaring property valuations some have seen 40% to 50% increases last November, the governor convened a special session, in which lawmakers passed legislation that reduced home's assessment rate and increased the amount that would be exempted from tax liability purposes. In the last several days, lawmakers and political advocates have hinted that negotiations are underway to stop Proposition 108 and its companion measure, Proposition 50, in exchange for a bigger tax cut than what the legislature approved earlier this year. Proposition 50 has already qualified for the ballot, while election officials have yet to conclude whether Proposition 108 also turned in enough signatures to appear on the November ballot, though its proponents are confident of its chances. During a special meeting of the state Commission on Property Tax on Monday, lawmakers began to digest the framework for such a compromise, notably that it would cut both residential and commercial property tax rates, decrease the commercial assessment rate over three years and cap revenue growth. Just before the special meeting, more than 40 organizations and the mayors of Aurora, Denver, and Colorado Springs Mike Coffman, Mike Johnston, and Yemi Mobolade, respectively expressed worries about the potential effect of the ballot measures and urged lawmakers to convene a special session in order to eliminate what they described as the risk of cuts to an array of services. The threat of significantly more tax cuts than what lawmakers enacted earlier in the year and the corresponding loss in government revenue has compelled the parties to try to negotiate and head off Propositions 50 and 108. Proponents have argued that the legislature has failed to provide meaningful and lasting relief to both residents and businesses. The parties must act quickly, as the deadline to remove measures from the ballot is Sept. 6. On Monday, analysts briefed members of the Commission on Property Tax on what the current tax regime looks like under Senate Bill 24-233, which Republicans and Democrats earlier passed, the fiscal effects if voters approved Propositions 108 and 50, and the parameters of the potential compromise that, assuming a deal is reached, lawmakers would then approve in the special session. Property tax compromise framework Featured Local Savings All told, the compromise would reduce property taxes by $255 million in tax year 2025, and by $295 million by 2025 compared to the base as modified by SB 233. Analysts said the fiscal impact would be greater in the out years. Finally, the plan would require a smaller increase in state aid $83 million more in fiscal year 2025-26 and $105 million the year after compared to the figures under the tax initiatives. Just before the special meeting, more than 40 bipartisan organizations and the mayors of Aurora, Denver, and Colorado Springs Mike Coffman, Mike Johnston, and Yemi Mobolade, respectively submitted letters to the commission, expressing concerns about the potential impact of Propositions 108 and 50. Most of the 19-member committee seemed agreeable to the compromise frameworks core elements, which include changes to residential assessment rates, non-residential assessment rates, and a revenue cap for both schools and local government rates. An outline of the potential compromise said it would do the following: The residential assessment rate for local governments would drop from 6.7% to 6.25% for the 2025 tax year. Assessment rates for commercial and agricultural properties would decrease to 25% in the 2027 tax year. The change won't apply to the oil and gas industry. Local government revenue growth would be capped at 5.25% annually, and school districts will see a new limit of 6%. Some have remained skeptical, citing fears that even a compromise today would not stop a future ballot initiative seeking more tax cuts. Most of us dont object to the policy, most of us dont even object to a special session, Summit County Commissioner Tamara Pogue said. But I think what a lot of us do object to is being here over and over again and having no assurances whatsoever that we won't be back here next June having the same conversation. Proposition 108 seeks to reduce assessment rates to 5.7% for residential properties and 24% for commercial properties. Proposition 50, a constitutional amendment, would cap tax revenue growth to 4% and require voter approval for local government to retain dollars above the limit. Proposition 50 already qualified for the ballot, while election officials have yet to conclude whether Proposition 108 also turned in enough signatures, though proponents are confident it will get on the ballot. A compromise would provide certainty to both sides: Proponents wouldn't have to spend money in what's likely to be an expensive fight to persuade people to vote for or against the two measures. To critics, a compromise opens the possibility of tax cuts that wouldn't be as deep as what Propositions 108 and 50 seek. "We saw in May that the commission supported SB24-233," Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, R-Brighton, said of the legislation approved earlier this year. "And I believe they will support the negotiated framework. This is a common sense approach that makes minor changes to the historic bipartisan legislation that I co-prime sponsored and it will lead to Initiatives 50 and 108 coming off the ballot." STOW, Ohio (WJW) Law enforcement agencies are investigating a suspected murder-suicide that happened outside the Taco Bell in Stow Wednesday evening, sources told the FOX 8 I-Team. According to the Stow Police Department, officers were called to a shooting outside the restaurant at 993 Graham Road around 7:23 p.m. This embedded content is not available in your region. Four killed in 3 separate crashes on Ohio Turnpike When they got there, officers found two people shot in the drive-thru lane. They were both pronounced dead at the scene. The Summit County Medical Examiners Office on Thursday identified the victims as Megan Keleman, 25, of Stow, whose death has been ruled a homicide caused by gunshot wounds to the neck; and Jason Williams, 53, of Stow, whose death has been ruled a suicide by a gunshot wound to the head. WJW photo WJW photo Stow police said the shooting is being investigated as a murder-suicide. According to the Summit County Medical Examiner, the two were pronounced dead at 7:41 p.m. According to Stow police, early reports indicate that while in line at the Taco Bell drive-thru, a man got out of his car, approached a woman in her car and shot her. Police said the man then used the gun to take his own life. Man sentenced in crash that killed woman who just dropped off daughter at preschool The Bureau of Criminal Investigation told FOX 8 that Stow police asked them to assist with the investigation. The BCI was on the scene with police Wednesday night. Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call the Stow Detective Bureau at 330-689-5770. The family is expected to issue a statement to the police department Thursday, according to a press release. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) The Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office was investigating a suspected murder-suicide that happened in a parking lot of a Tampa hospital. According to HCSO, at 6:37 p.m. on Aug. 14, deputies responded to a call regarding two possible deceased individuals in a parking lot of HCA Florida West Tampa Hospital. Once they arrived at the scene, HSCO deputies said they found a woman with gunshot wounds and a man with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Officials identified the woman as 67-year-old Zelica Martucci and the man as 75-year-old Philip Martucci. Deputies said this was an isolated incident and there is no general threat to the public. This is an unimaginable tragedy, and our hearts break for the families and loved ones affected by this senseless loss, Sheriff Chad Chronistersaid. Violence like this is never the solution. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone impacted by this tragedy. This remains an ongoing investigation. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. Sweden reports first case of new mpox variant outside Africa Sweden on Thursday recorded the first case outside Africa of the new, more contagious variant of mpox linked to the Congo epidemic, which the World Health Organization (WHO) a day earlier declared a global public health emergency. A person was diagnosed with the disease in Stockholm after returning from a stay in a part of Africa that is experiencing an outbreak of the disease, Swedens public health agency said. The infected person has received care and rules of conduct, according to state epidemiologist Magnus Gisslen, and the Swedish public health agency said the country is prepared to diagnose, isolate and treat people with mpox safely. The fact that a patient with mpox is treated in the country does not affect the risk to the general population, a risk that the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) currently considers very low, the press release read. A new assessment is expected shortly. However, occasional imported cases like the current one may continue to occur, the release continued. WHO on Wednesday declared the mpox outbreak in Africa a global health emergency, warning the dangerous disease might continue to spread beyond the continent. More than 96 percent of cases and deaths so far are in Congo, but the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported last week that mpox was detected in at least 13 African countries, The Associated Press reported. The WHO said there have been more than 14,000 cases and 524 deaths from mpox this year, already exceeding the total from last year. The new strain of mpox, clade 1, is thought to cause more severe illness than the cases linked to the 2022 outbreak. Mpox is not airborne and typically requires skin-to-skin contact to spread. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. TTaliban security personnel ride on a vehicle as they celebrate the third anniversary of Taliban takeover of Afghanistan near the Ahmad Shah Massoud square in Kabul on August 14, 2024. Credit - Wakil KohsarAFP/Getty Images When the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan three years ago this month, one of the first things they did was paint over the images of women on billboards and murals. Since then, women and girls themselves are being erased. Girls cannot go to high school, women are officially banned from working in most jobs, movement outside the home is heavily restricted and often punished. Many of the women who defied these impositions have been tortured and detained. Others are in hiding. The flogging and stoning of women in public has resumed as a matter of policy. Yet, the world looks away. There are dedicated journalists and human rights advocates who continue to report on Afghan women, girls, and minorities, but the horrors inflicted on them have long slipped off the front pages. Governments occasionally issue statements of concern but nothing more. It is only on moments like this, the third anniversary of the Talibans takeover, that we remember Afghanistan. For the rest of the year, Afghans are kept out of sight, quietly abandoned to their fate, as if nothing can be done. But there is something that can be done: the Taliban can be held accountable. The militant group is responsible for some of the most serious breaches of international criminal law. Just as the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants against Russian President Vladimir Putin and five senior government and military officials, it could do the same with individual Taliban leaders. The ICC has the jurisdiction, as there is already an investigation on Afghanistan. The persecution of women and girls constitutes a crime against humanityone of the most serious categories of crimes, along with genocide and war crimes. The Prosecutor can prioritize the investigation, gather evidence, and request arrest warrants. The Taliban can also be brought before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), also known as the World Court. The ICJ decides cases that are brought between states. It is currently hearing important human rights related cases, including on torture, racial discrimination, and genocide. As the group in control of Afghanistan, the Taliban can be brought before the court to answer for its violations of the Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the main treaty protecting womens rights, which has been ratified by 189 countries. All it needs is for one country to bring the case. The organization I lead, the Open Society Foundations, has detailed in a report published this year how this can be done. Were in a moment when, amid the many horrors around the world, dozens of countries are seeking justice in international courts for the most serious crimes, whether its on Ukraine, Israel and Gaza, Syria, or Myanmar. Afghanistan should be on that list, too. For the past three years, the international community has pursued a failed strategy of applying economic pressure on the one hand and seeking engagement on the other. Neither approach has worked in restraining the Taliban, and both have made the situation for Afghan women and girls worse. The withdrawal of international assistance and the imposition of sanctions has plunged the Afghan people deep into a humanitarian crisis, with more than 23 million in need of urgent assistance, most of them women and girls. And the talks with the Taliban have prioritized issues like regional security and narcotics, but never the rights of women and girls. There are observers who point to positives, saying there is now peace in a country that has not known it for 40 years. But for half the population, the war continues, and they are the targets. Read More: The Women of Afghanistan Wont Be Silenced Anymore By taking the Taliban to The Hague, there can be a new approachone that centers the rights of the Afghan people. The Taliban is not going to cooperate with either court, and will denounce the proceedings as a conspiracy against it. But the courts decisions can set clear parameters for the international communitys engagement with the Taliban and give a voice to their victims. When I worked as a human rights investigator on post-conflict situations, including in the wake of the genocide in Rwanda, the women I spoke to didnt just want their perpetrators punished. They wanted the crimes against them acknowledged, the truth of what happened to them heard, and the futures that were stolen from them returned. For all their defiance, the Taliban is vulnerable to international pressure. They crave legitimacy for their regime. They want to take up seats at the United Nations as the representatives of Afghanistan and to have diplomatic relations with the neighboring region and the rest of the world. This is where engagement is important, but it must be principled. There can be cooperation with the Taliban as far it helps the people of Afghanistan, especially on easing the humanitarian and economic crisis. But the rest is up to the Taliban. They can begin by living up to the promises they made to the world when they said they wouldnt resume the cruelties they inflicted the last time they were in power. There are also grave dangers in not pursuing justice, in allowing these brutal practices to slowly become accepted, and creating a world of exceptions when it comes to the rights of women, where some are entitled to them and others are not, just because of where they live. Womens rights in Afghanistan have never been a foreign-imposed project, as some claim, alien to the country. It is the women of Afghanistan who always fought for them, whether it was securing laws to protect women from violence under previous governments or whether its resisting the Taliban from exile, on the streets, and even from inside their homes. We owe it to them to stand with them in this fight. Contact us at letters@time.com. TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) A Tampa man was sentenced to six years and five months in federal prison after he threatened a federal prosecutor and a jury in the middle of his trial. Dempsey Emmanuel Gilmore, 33, was found guilty during a federal jury trial on March 9 for threatening to kill an assistant United States attorney. Citrus County deputies shut down clinics illegal opioid pill mill operation The U.S. Department of Justice said after the jury was polled, Gilmore got up from the table, approached the jury, and began threatening them. After the jurors left the courtroom, Gilmore lunged at the Assistant United States Attorney and threatened to kill her. He was restrained by several court security personnel and federal agents, according to the DOJ. Along with the more than six months he will spend in federal prison, Gilmore was also given an additional 24 months of imprisonment, to be served after his previous sentence of 30 years. Gilmore pleaded guilty to the offense on March 29. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. Tampa woman smuggled more than $100K in clothes, luggage on flights from Cuba: SAO Tampa woman smuggled more than $100K in clothes, luggage on flights from Cuba: SAO TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) A Tampa woman has pleaded guilty to smuggling more than $100,000 into the country on her flights from Cuba, according to the State Attorneys Office. On Thursday, it was announced that Mirtza Ocana, 39, pleaded guilty to bulk cash smuggling and conspiracy to commit bulk cash smuggling. Victims identified in suspected murder-suicide at Tampa hospital: HCSO Back in February, Ocana was on a flight back from Cuba, concealing over $31,000 in her luggage despite telling U.S. Customs and Border Protection that she had no cash to declare. After the agents found the cash on her, she then told them she frequently smuggled cash, admitting she had smuggled money two to three times a month since June 2023. She also told officials she was paid $1,000 to $2,500 every time. The SAO said agents searched Ocana, discovering an additional $71,300 in her clothing. At least one arrested in connection with Matthew Perrys death: law enforcement Ocana was found with roughly $102,700 in cash between her clothes and her luggage. The woman faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. Her sentencing date has not been set. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. Taylor Swift returned to the stage at Londons Wembley Stadium on Thursday, just over a week after three of her Eras Tour concerts in Vienna were canceled when police in the Austrian city thwarted a terror attack plot targeting one of her shows. Swift did not acknowledge the situation at Thursdays show as some anticipated. She began the concert, as usual, by welcoming the audience with a short speech about how much of a delight and a thrill it is to perform for them. The superstar has also yet to make a comment about the matter on her social media. CNN has reached out to Swifts representative for comment. During the acoustic set toward the end of the show, Ed Sheeran joined Swift on stage for a series of songs, including Everything Has Changed, a song on Swifts Red album on which Sheeran is a featured artist, and Endgame from her Reputation album. They also sang Sheerans hit song Thinking Out Loud. Swift last performed her concert in front of audiences in Warsaw, Poland in the beginning of August. She was supposed to begin a three-show stop in Vienna on August 9 when Austrian authorities said they had prevented an ISIS-inspired plot to attack one of her concerts during that leg. Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran perform onstage during the Eras Tour at Wembley Stadium on August 15, 2024 in London, England. - Gareth Cattermole/TAS24/Getty Images Three teenagers have since been detained in connection with the investigation and are suspected of plotting a suicide attack. Investigators found a stockpile of chemicals, explosive devices, detonators and over $20,000 in counterfeit cash at the home of the main suspect, a 19-year-old ISIS sympathizer who had been radicalized online, according to Franz Ruf, public security director at Austrias interior ministry. Thursdays concert kicked off the first of five shows Swift is scheduled to perform at Wembley Stadium, the run serving as her final European tour stop before she heads back to North America. The band Paramore opened for Swift on Thursday, with supporting opening act Sofia Isella. Holly Humberstone, Suki Waterhouse, Maisie Peters and Raye will respectively fill that role over the remainder of the London tour stop. Paramore, who was set to open for Swift at the three Vienna shows, did not address the cancellations or terror threat while on stage on Thursday either. CNN previously reached out to representatives for Paramore and each supporting artist for comment, and have not heard back. Heightened safety measures With safety and security top of mind following the Vienna cancellations, both Wembley Stadium and London authorities have publicly outlined their plan to keep concertgoers safe. London Mayor Sadiq Khan told Sky News in an interview last week that the capital city has a huge amount of experience in policing these events and that theyre never complacent. Recalling the many lessons learned from the horrific 2017 Manchester Arena attack, which left 22 people dead and injured hundreds at an Ariana Grande concert, Khan said that they would be working closely with police (and) ensuring that the Taylor Swift concerts can take place in London safely. CNN has reached out to a representative for Grande for comment. London plays host to a significant number of very high profile events each year with millions of visitors having a safe and enjoyable experience, a spokesperson for the London Metropolitan Police told CNN in a statement on Tuesday. The statement continued: There is nothing to indicate that the matters being investigated by the Austrian authorities will have an impact on upcoming events here in London. As always, we will continue to keep any new information under careful review. A police officer stands outside Wembley Stadium ahead of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour concert on Thursday in London. - Alishia Abodunde/Getty Images The Met Police are working closely with the venues security teams and other partners to ensure that the appropriate safety measures are in place for the shows, the statement added. Wembley Stadium also outlined on their official website that the venue will collaborate closely with police, the Safety Advisory Group and relevant authorities to ensure that the stadiums security protocols meet the highest standards. Wembley Stadium which already hosted Swift for Eras Tour shows in June also specified that people who do not have tickets to the concerts are not allowed to stand outside of the venue, outlawing a tradition that many Swifties have participated in at various venues throughout the tour. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com TAYLORVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) Local leaders in Taylorville are addressing rumors over an alleged assault that happened earlier this year between students within the school district. The school district is aware of a concern in the community regarding the behavior and safety of individual children, Superintendent of the Taylorville School District Brandi Bruley said in a release. WATCH: Man takes off from traffic stop with Taylorville police officer in car We are grateful for our close relationship with law enforcement that works to keep us apprised of situations they can share with us, and for the communitys communication about their children and what they know, Bruley added. Illinois State Police confirmed with WCIA their agents investigated an alleged assault that took place on a Taylorville School District Bus after the Christian County Sheriffs Office contacted them in February. They then submitted their findings to the States Attorneys Office. The Taylorville Police Department said in a statement that a juvenile was charged in relation to the incident. WCIA reached out to the States Attorney Thursday morning, but has not heard back yet. New K9 working for Taylorville Police Department Both the school district and police department said the amount of information that can be released is extremely limited by state law as the alleged perpetrator and victim are both minors. This is standard for all juvenile criminal matters outside of traffic offenses, the Taylorville Police Department said. As such, it is understandable that people may feel that this matter is being ignored, because when communication is lacking, it is natural to assume the worst. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. (WJHL) An Elizabethton man was arrested on Thursday after allegedly abusing his adult sister who lives with a developmental disability. Sean David Moody, 39, was arrested on Thursday for allegedly abusing a disabled adult under his care, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI). Court must try to find jurors in Sullivan Co. for Boswell trial, judge rules The TBI began investigating after receiving a referral from Adult Protective Services regarding a woman in Elizabethton, a news release states. A warrant was obtained charging Moody, the brother of the victim, with abuse of a vulnerable adult. Moody was booked into the Carter County Jail on a $10,000 bond. Special agents from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) Medicaid Fraud Control Division and the Carter County Sheriffs Office are working on the ongoing investigation. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. The state-level case against Robert Lewis Dear Jr. the man who allegedly shot and killed three people at a Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood in 2015 continues to be delayed. Attorneys on Thursday appeared in court for a brief status conference hearing, where they informed the court that they are awaiting Dear to be forcibly medicated to proceed with the case. Dear's state case has been in limbo for years after he was found incompetent to stand trial. Attorneys on Thursday said that his state case, where he faces 179 charges, will be on hold until there is a resolution with ongoing competency issues. U.S. District Judge Robert Blackburn determined in September 2022 that Dear could be forcibly medicated in an attempt to have him stand trial. Dear's attorneys at the federal level attempted to appeal the ruling, but in June the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Blackburn's decision. Since the ruling, Dear's attorneys have filed a motion for rehearing "en banc," which granted would allow Dear's attorneys to argue the case a second time in front of the 10th Circuit. The motion argues that the rehearing is necessary because the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Virginia ruled that the government must show a proposed treatment plan that would work "as applied to this particular defendant." The motion argues that the prosecution only outlined how the forcible medication would be "generally effective" and not how it would be specifically effective for Dear. The motion goes on to argue that the 10th District court did not properly consider the opinions and testimony of the defense experts, giving weight only to the opinions of the prosecution expert. Featured Local Savings Dear's attorney made that argument during the first appeal process, but the opinion from 10th Circuit Judge Nancy Moritz stated the district courts decision to give more weight to the testimony of the prosecutions experts than the defenses experts was not clearly erroneous. The motion is pending, because the prosecution has until Sept. 4 to file a written response. State-level prosecutor Kelson Castain informed the court on Thursday that Dear's attorneys have yet to raise the issue to a higher court. Attorneys in Dear's state-level case will return to court Nov. 14 for a status conference hearing. Dear is being held at the federal correctional facility in Englewood. Dears status as incompetent has long delayed his cases at the state and federal levels. A federal case against Dear in which he faces 68 felony charges was opened in 2019 and remains in limbo. KeArre Stewart, Jennifer Markovsky and University of Colorado Colorado Springs police Officer Garrett Swasey died in the November 2015 shooting. Nine other people five of them law enforcement officers were wounded during the course of a five-hour standoff. Dear called himself a warrior for the babies during his first court appearance in December 2015. He yelled over attorneys at least 15 times. Im guilty theres no trial! Dear said minutes into that initial hearing. The $2 million Brianna Coppage says she made on OnlyFans in the last year proved a lot more lucrative than her day job as a high school teacher. You know what I need right now? she says in an Instagram promo video. Someone to take me to dinner, and then bring me home and have me for dessert. Before beginning to produce saucy videos in 2023, Coppage was a high school English teacher in suburban St. Louis, Missouri, and struggling to make ends meet after her husband was laid off. I made $42,000 per year, she told Ashan Singh in an interview with "Nightline." Missouri is one of the lowest paying states in the country for teacher pay. She spotted a friends page on OnlyFans, the subscription-based video hosting service primarily associated with adult sexual content, and decided to give it a try. So at first, it was just like me and my husband. Just like boy-girl stuff, girl stuff, just me. But didn't show my face at all, she said of her early videos on the platform. This added $5,000 a month to her income, she told "Nightline." OnlyFans has more than 3 million creators, pulling in more than $1 billion a year, according to parent company Fenix International Limiteds 2022 earnings report PHOTO: Brianna Coppage says she made $2 million on OnlyFans the last year (ABC News) We could pay our rent, but I also didn't know how much of a risk there was going to be. So at the time it was me thinking, Well, can they actually fire me for this? Despite this concern, Coppage didnt see her OnlyFans career as being at odds with her work as a teacher. I wasn't doing anything illegal, she said. I'm there to teach reading and writing. Like I'm not there to instill their morals. She found out exactly what her employer thought after a school employee suspected that she was the woman hiding her face in one of her videos. And I was like, I guess I need to tell the school, she said. And then I just started, like, kind of panicking. And then someone called and reported it to the school. This resulted in Coppage going on leave from her teaching job, with global media picking up on the story. Seeing my name and my face in every news article around the world was like a huge shock to me, she said of that moment. Coppage quit shortly after her OnlyFans career became public knowledge. Despite this, she says she wouldnt have a problem with someone teaching her children who had a similar side-hustle. As long as they were not, like, bringing it to school, talking to my kid about it, she said. Even though her career as a teacher was cut short, Coppage has embraced her life as an OnlyFans creator. I don't have any regrets, she said. Coppage fits the traditional mold of an OnlyFans creator -- young and female but the site caters to a wide range of desires. Joe Gow is a 63-year-old whose porn work bumped up against his 16-year career as chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. We felt a little more liberated, if you will, and just thought Let's experiment and just see. Would anybody be interested in these videos? he told "Nightline." Gow has been making sexy videos with his wife Carmen Wilson for 10 years. So Joe was like, Well, I don't know how to ask you this, but how do you feel about porn? I'm like Yeah, I'm OK with porn, Wilson said of the moment that kicked off this escapade. They recorded about 20 videos over a decade, but didnt make them public. That changed in late 2023, when they started uploading the videos to their Sexy Happy Couple OnlyFans account. When that failed to attract many subscribers, they tried using a free porn video hosting site. I didn't expect it to get out in kind of the explosive way that it did, Wilson said. And there are so many millions of videos to watch on the free sites, how would we even get noticed? Well we did, quickly. This prompted the University of Wisconsin-La Crosses legal team to send Gow an email asking about the video. He acknowledged that it was indeed he and Wilson, and he was terminated as chancellor. In recent days, we learned of specific conduct by Dr. Gow that has subjected the university to significant reputational harm. His actions were abhorrent, it said in a statement at the time. PHOTO: Joe Gow and his wife Carmen Wilson didn't get many subscribers on OnlyFans, but found success on a free porn video hosting site. (ABC News) The incident was widely reported, with Gow telling outlets he believes he was punished for making porn videos with his wife. The media reaction was just stunning, Gow said. We've been in several British papers. We were in The Economic Times." Despite losing his job as chancellor, Gow believed his tenured teaching position in media studies would be safe. I wasn't surprised when they said, You can't be chancellor, he said. But We're going to go after you as a tenured faculty member. Wow. That's new. At a hearing in June, Gow acknowledged making the videos. We did so on our own time, using our own money, he said at the gathering. Colleagues aired their beliefs that Gow had damaged the universitys reputation. We don't want to be known as Porn U, Interim Chancellor Betsy Morgan said at the hearing. We want to be known for the quality of our academic programs. Ultimately, the university released a unanimous decision to dismiss him for unethical conduct. Gow continues to fight, despite his health insurance benefit potentially hanging in the balance. He says if he walked away willingly he could keep the benefit -- estimated to be worth $313,000. But by choosing to fight, he risks losing it. His appeal could be heard sometime in August. Teachers' OnlyFans side hustles lead to resignation, public battle originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Teen told Georgia deputies he bought fake weed on Temu after they offered him a free ride Looking to beat the heat? A Georgia sheriffs office says if youre offered a free ride you may want to call a taxi if you have anything illegal on you. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< Jones County Corp. Sullivan and Dep. Ren noticed a teen boy walking south of Highway 49. The sheriffs office said that due to the hot weather and heat advisory, they offered the teen a ride. Deputies said he accepted the offer and told them that he lived in Bibb County. Read: Georgia 15-month-old boy dies after mom leaves fentanyl next to car seat, bed According to officials, the Jones County Sheriffs Office says a pat down search is required for any individual getting into the back seat of a patrol car. Jones County deputies said they smelled marijuana and asked the teen about the smell. The teen told deputies it was fake marijuana that he purchased from Temu. CLICK HERE to read the full story by WSB-TV. Read: Georgia city mayor accused of giving alcohol to inmates [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. Teenage boy now facing 1st-degree murder in death of 65-year-old Mount Pearl woman: RNC Police vehicles are parked at a home on Smallwood Drive in Mount Pearl on Monday afternoon. (Ted Dillon/CBC - image credit) Police vehicles are parked at a home on Smallwood Drive in Mount Pearl on Monday afternoon. A 65-year-old woman was found dead inside a Mount Pearl home on Smallwood Drive in August of 2023. (Ted Dillon/CBC) A year after a teenage boy was accused of second-degree murder, the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary has announced it's upgraded his charge. In August 2023, a 14-year-old boy who cannot be named due to his age was accused of killing a 65-year-old woman in Mount Pearl. He was initially charged with second-degree murder. "However, given additional investigation, the charge has now been upgraded to first-degree murder," said the RNC in a Thursday morning news release. It added the boy will appear in court at an unspecified date. Police have said the victim and accused knew each other but have not disclosed the nature of their relationship. The teen has not yet stood trial, but in April Crown prosecutors Diedre Badcock and Holly Holm said they intended to seek an adult sentence for the accused. The Youth Criminal Justice Act allows people as young as 14 to be sentenced as adults. While the maximum youth sentence for murder is 10 years, an adult sentence can come with life imprisonment. Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Click here to visit our landing page. Tennessee offers driver tests in only five languages. This group is trying to change that Tennessee residents can only take drivers tests in five languages, and a group of immigrant rights activists is taking action to get that changed. The Our State, Our Languages Coalition, created by local immigrant groups in 2022 to address this specific issue, filed complaints with the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Transportation on Thursday against the Tennessee Department of Homeland Safety and Security, the state agency that administers driving tests and issues driver licenses. The group argues that not offering the test in more languages or providing interpretation or translation services amounts to discrimination by national origin in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, according to a news release from the organization. Citizens wait their turn at the Nashville/Hart Lane Driver Services Center Monday, Nov. 18, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. Driver's license tests in Tennessee are currently offered in English, Spanish, German, Korean and Japanese. While testers can bring a translation dictionary, no other interpretation or translation services are available. Missing from the list are the third and fourth most spoken languages in Tennessee: Arabic and Chinese. In addition to those two languages, they believe federal guidelines from the U.S. Department of Transportation require the inclusion of Vietnamese, Somali and Kurdish, and likely several others. Those involved in the Our State, Our Languages Coalition say they were pushing for more inclusion on drivers tests for years before the coalition was started. Sabina Mohyuddin, executive director of the American Muslim Advisory Council (AMAC), one of five organizations that make up the coalition, said they've been dismissed or told such changes would be too expensive. "Were tired of waiting. Driving is an essential need to get to work, buy groceries, access health care and stay involved in your childrens education," Mohyuddin said in the news release. Our communities cannot afford to wait any longer for the language services they are entitled to. As part of their investigation for the complaints, volunteers for the coalition visited or called all driver services centers in the state, according to a news release from the group. Diana Sanchez-Vega, founder and CEO of Sanchez-Vega Communications, a translation company, said excluding some non-English speakers from being able to easily obtain a driver license "thwarts their access to basic needs services and perpetuates systemic discrimination based on national origin. The Our State, Our Languages Coalition is made up of AMAC; API Middle Tennessee, which advocates for Asian and Pacific Islanders in the region; the Ethiopian Community Association in Nashville; Never Again Action Tennessee, a Jewish-led mobilization against the "persecution, detention, and deportation of immigrants in the United States"; and the Somali Community of Middle Tennessee. Evan Mealins is the justice reporter for The Tennessean. Contact him at emealins@gannett.com or follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @EvanMealins. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee group files federal complaint for more driver test languages The march began with a call on social media that soon went viral: For womens independence on the midnight of Independence, a Facebook post by 29-year-old student Rimjhim Sinha read. As India celebrated 77 years of independence from British colonial rule on Aug. 15, women around the country took to the streets in anger over a brutal case of alleged rape and murder that occurred in the city of Kolkata last week. Tens of thousands of women and men marched for a Reclaim the Night event at midnight on Thursday in Kolkata and other cities, holding candles, signs, and flaming torches in the rain as they demanded speedy justice for the victim. In interviews and on social media, many women have expressed frustration for having to fear for their safety in public The victim was a 31-year-old woman training to be a doctor at RG Kar Medical College, a government-run hospital, who fell asleep in a seminar room after a 36-hour shift. The next morning on Aug. 9, colleagues discovered her severely injured body on the podium. Local police arrested a hospital volunteer worker as a key suspect, but not before facing accusations that it had botched the case, which led Kolkatas High Court to transfer it to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday. Read More: The Rape and Murder of a Medic Leads to Nationwide Physician Strike Across India In response, thousands of doctors and healthcare providers went on strike to demand better protections for women in the medical workplace this week, with the Reclaim the Night march seen as an additional way to mobilize women across the country to demand that authorities do more to protect them. To many, the timing of the march coinciding with Indias Independence Day was a stark reminder that the countrys women were still fighting for their freedoms and liberation. A doctor was raped and killed in her workplaceit could have been any of us, one marcher wrote in Scroll, an Indian digital news outlet. The streets, homes, and public spaces were already spaces of brutalization. We did not expect the rot to find us at our offices too. The case has brought renewed attention to the countrys longstanding problem with sexual violence. In 2012, a 23-year-old student named Jyoti Singh Pandey was raped and killed on a public bus in a case that received widespread global coverage and became known as Nirbhaya, meaning fearless. Since then, India has made headlines for rapes that occurred in Unnao in 2017, Kathua in 2018, and Hathras in 2020. Sexually violent crimes against women in India are now so common that a report by the National Crime Records Bureau revealed that the country recorded 1 rape case every 16 minutes in 2022. During Independence Day celebrations at New Delhis Red Fort, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told crowds that crimes against women should be investigated expeditiously to create better faith in society. Theres outrage against the atrocities being committed against our mothers, sisters, and daughters, Modi said in his speech. Read More: Nothing Has Changed. 7 Years After a Gang Rape That Shocked a Nation, Brutal Attacks Against Women Continue The Kolkata case has also raised alarms in the medical community. A 2015 survey conducted by the Indian Medical Association found that 75% of doctors had experienced some form of violence while on the job, with women accounting for nearly 30% of Indias doctors and 80% of its nursing staff. The safety concerns for medical workers arent new: The BBC notes that one of the most shocking cases involved a nurse in a Mumbai hospital named Aruna Shanbaug, who was raped and strangled by a ward attendant in 1973 which left her in a vegetative state. She died in 2015 from severe damage and paralysis. Since the most recent incident, medical associations have called for an overhaul of security measures at hospitals after several female doctors and nurses reported worrying about their safety at work. When I was in college, we would not go to the restroom alone during night duty because it was often in an area which was isolated and we were scared. one doctor based in Bengaluru told local outlet Scroll on Aug. 14. In an open letter penned on Tuesday, the Indian Medical Association told Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda that doctors are abused, trolled, sued and even beaten to death because of violence unleashed on them in the medical profession. It warned that the Kolkata case would not be the first or the last if corrective measures are not taken. As the Independence Day gatherings grew in numbers in various locations across Kolkata, and then spilled into neighboring towns like Siliguri in the north and Canning in the south, the marchers chanted about justice, safety, and respect, undeterred by the rain. From time to time, women's individual anger, fear, and hope coalesce with one another, says womens rights lawyer Karuna Nundy. Reclaiming the night is a reclaiming of freedom and of women as a whole. Write to Astha Rajvanshi at astha.rajvanshi@time.com. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) on Tuesday threatened to take legal action against the city of Dallas if the State Fair of Texas a nonprofit that holds the annual event does not reverse its new policy prohibiting open and concealed carry of firearms at the state fair next month. Paxton argued that because the state fair is held at Fair Park owned by Dallas but leased to the nonprofit the event is still subject to laws prohibiting state governments in Texas from blocking licensed gun holders from accessing government property. As you may know, the State Fair of Texas has announced that persons with a license to carry (LTC) cannot bring their firearm to the fair, Paxton wrote in a letter Tuesday to Dallass interim city manager, Kimberly Tolbert. Our office views this statement by the State Fair of Texas as an implication that the City of Dallas (a political subdivision of the state) is prohibiting a license holder from entering or remaining on premises or other place owned or leased by the City of Dallas in violation of Tex. Govt Code 411.209(a), he continued. On Tuesday, Paxton said the city has 15 days to reverse the fairs policy, or his office will sue for injunctive relief and seek civil penalties between $1,000 and $1,500 for each day the policy is in place. The fair runs from Sept. 27 to Oct. 20. A spokesperson for the city said in a statement to The Hill, We are reviewing the letter from the Texas Attorney Generals Office and will respond accordingly. Karissa Condoianis, a State Fair spokesperson, said the organization is aware of Paxtons letter and said, We stand ready to cooperate with the City of Dallas, as needed. Condoianis made clear, however, that the organization is independent from the city government, adding, It appears from the letter that the Attorney Generals Office is seeking clarification regarding the Citys relationship with the State Fair of Texas. The State Fair of Texas isand always has beena private entity. As a private, not-for-profit organization, the State Fair of Texas leases property from the City of Dallas for its event. The State Fair is not a government entity nor is it controlled by a government entity. As such, our volunteer board of directors, representing a mix of viewpoints from throughout our community have made a decision regarding weapons at the Fair, she said. The State Fair of Texas passed the new policy this year after a man opened fire in a crowded food court last year, wounding three people. The suspect told police he was defending his family. Condoianis pushed back on the suggestion that the fair will be gun free, noting it spends millions of dollars each year on safety and security measures and that more than 200 uniformed and armed officers will be present at the fair whenever the gates are open. The State Fair of Texas has long been, and continues to be, a strong supporter of the rights of responsible gun owning Texans, Condoianis said. We know that this is an important issue for many Texans, and that the Fairs decision may disappoint potential fairgoers who regularly and responsibly practice License to Carry or Constitutional Carry, she added. However, the Fair strongly believes that this is the right decision moving forward to ensure a safe environment and family-friendly atmosphere. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. After a judge blocked the release of Texas A-F accountability ratings for the second year in a row this week, districts and education experts have responded with a wide range of perspectives on its impact on school communities. Tarrant County school districts, in addition to state and federal education experts, have come forward with a variety of reactions on what it means going forward to have these ratings put on hold again; Some have voiced worries about how parents will be able to analyze their childs school performance while others have encouraged stakeholders to turn to their attention to other measurements of success. The ratings were scheduled to come out on Thursday, but Travis County Judge Karin Crump blocked their release on Monday. Various Texas school districts also filed on Monday a second lawsuit challenging the states changes to performance measure metrics, which comes about a year after several districts challenged the accountability rating system in light of state officials announcing there would be further re-examination of the baseline data used in the calculation of (school) progress just before the scheduled release of the 2023 ratings. The ratings issued to districts and campuses by the Texas Education Agency give a snapshot of how theyre faring with student achievement, school progress and closing the gaps. The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, carry a heavy weight on these annual ratings. The STAAR has been especially scrutinized recently as its undergone changes with more written-response questions and a new computer-based grading system. Angelica Ramsey, superintendent of the Fort Worth Independent School District, said the fact that the scores wont be published as scheduled was disappointing, in a way. Ramsey said Fort Worth ISDs STAAR scores show that the number of D- and F-rated campuses declined compared to the last time scores were published. Although the ruling blocked TEA from publishing the scores publicly, school districts have access to their own STAAR scores, which they can use to calculate their own letter grades. That being said, the question of whether or when A-F scores are released doesnt change the work the district is doing, Ramsey said. Fort Worth ISD collects its own data on student achievement and progress, and uses that information to guide instructional decisions. So state accountability scores dont offer any insight district leaders didnt already have, she said. We know that achievement isnt where we want it to be, and we need to continue working on increasing that, she said. Susan Therriault, an institute fellow at American Institutes for Research whos studied ways to improve K-12 outcomes at the state and federal level for more than 20 years, echoed Ramseys point of view that both campuses and districts still have access to data that can help them measure how theyre performing internally. Beyond test scores and academic performance, factors such as attendance, chronic absenteeism, school climate surveys, educator retention and relationship dynamics among students, teachers and staff are valuable indicators that can be utilized when measuring school and district performance. In terms of how families utilize school ratings to get a pulse on how their childs school is doing, state designations are important to consider but identifying a students needs and the resources that the school offers are most important, Therriault added. The accountability status of a given school is important to know over time. But theres a lot of ways to look at the data, and really, ultimately, you have to decide, Is the school serving my student? Therriault said. I dont think people should be lost without a grade on their school. Texas A-F scores seldom see the light of day Kate Greer, managing director for policy and state coalition at the Dallas-based Commit Partnership, said A-F accountability scores were designed to give parents and community leaders a clear, consistent metric to see how their schools are faring academically compared to other campuses across the state. But Greer pointed out that scores have only been released in their entirety once since 2017, when lawmakers passed the bill that created the accountability system. In 2018, the agency issued letter grades for school districts, but not individual campuses. In 2019, it issued A-F grades as called for in state law. Then, in 2020 and 2021, no ratings were issued due to the pandemic. The following year, lawmakers directed the agency to issue only A-C ratings. A Travis County judge blocked the release of last years ratings after 120 school districts, including Fort Worth ISD and Crowley ISD, sued the agency, arguing they hadnt received enough notice about changes to the way scores were calculated. Greer said the fact that those ratings have so seldom been released as lawmakers originally intended leaves parents without a clear, easy-to-understand tool to help them decide where they want to send their kids to school. Miguel Solis, president of the Commit Partnership and a former teacher, administrator and board member in the Dallas Independent School District, said public school leaders dont do themselves any favors by opposing the release of A-F scores. At a time when Gov. Greg Abbott and a number of state lawmakers are pushing legislation to create a school voucher system, districts need to be forthcoming with information showing where theyre helping students make progress and, if they arent doing so, their plans to improve. Assuming lawmakers show up in Austin with a genuine interest in looking for solutions in education, school leaders need to be as transparent as possible about how theyre doing, so lawmakers can make informed decisions about issues like whether to increase school funding, Solis said. The second that we start stripping away that transparency, then all that the legislature is left with are anecdotes, Solis said. Out of the 19 school districts in Tarrant County besides Fort Worth ISD, three responded to the Star-Telegram when asked for their comments and reactions to the news of the ratings being blocked. Godley ISD officials said their families put standardized testing at the bottom of the list when measuring student success and turn to a community-based accountability system. Our parents consistently rank standardized test scores the lowest among ways to monitor the success of our students, and these lawsuits and judicial rulings reflect the many flaws with the current state system. In Godley, we developed a community-based accountability system based on the hopes and dreams of our community. We work diligently on several key areas and regularly report on our progress, according to officials. Kennedale ISD officials noted that they are analyzing the resulting impacts and are awaiting guidance on how to move forward. Kennedale ISD is aware of the recent court ruling and is carefully reviewing its impact and implications. We will remain focused on providing our students with a high-quality education as we await further guidance on the next steps, officials said in a statement. In Grapevine-Colleyville ISD, spokesperson Rosemary Gladden told the Star-Telegram that the district was unaffected by the blocked release of ratings. The A-F accountability ratings release being blocked will not impact GCISD. We received our spring 2024 STAAR and EOC individual student scores during the spring and summer, she said. The 2024 STAAR test results were publicly released on June 14 with state officials characterizing them as a mixed bag of gains and declines across various grades and subjects. Other available data sources and reports that include Fort Worth ISD measures include the 2023 Texas Academic Performance Reports, 2022 School Report Cards and the 2023 Federal Report Cards. Parents and students are pushing back against an update to the dress code at an El Paso middle school that bans all-black outfits due to their association with mental health issues, according to school officials. Nick DeSantis, the principal of Charles Middle School, sent a letter to parents letting them know about upcoming changes to the dress code for this school year. We have put a great deal of time and effort into adjusting our dress code policies based on feedback from families, faculty, staff, and community stakeholders. Our goal with dress code, as well as everything else we do, is to provide a safe environment that inspires and empowers all Chargers to thrive, he wrote. As for the part of the dress code about black outfits, he added, We are eliminating a look that has taken over on campus with students wearing black tops with black bottoms, which has become more associated with depression and mental health issues and/or criminality than with happy and healthy kids ready to learn. Norma De La Rosa, the president of El Paso Teachers Association, said that for teachers, seeing a student go from wearing colorful clothes to dressing in all black can be a red flag that that student is experiencing mental health problems. What they are not allowing for students to wear clothing that is black from top to bottom, De La Rosa explained to local news outlets. They can wear black shorts to go to PE. And they can wear it on free dress day, but they just cannot wear it from top to bottom. However, parents have been pushing back, saying that banning clothing does nothing to address the actual issue: If kids are actually struggling, they need help, not different outfits. The color of clothing has nothing to do with your ability to do anything or feel any emotion, one parent commented on an online poll about the rule change. making students wear a different color isnt going to magically make them a completely different person, another weighed in. The El Paso Independent School District issued a statement about the dress code change, which reads, Charles Middle School is updating its uniform policy to enhance students well-being and sense of pride. This decision, carefully considered and approved by the Campus Improvement Teamcomprising parents, faculty, staff, and community stakeholdersaims to foster a positive self-image among students and more effectively showcase the schools colors and pride. The dress code changes were a response to concerns and recommendations brought forward by the stakeholders of Charles Middle School. The school appreciates the communitys feedback and collaboration in making these changes. Several days after Kelsie Norris-De La Cruz found out she was pregnant in Texas, she started to experience bleeding and cramping. When she went to the emergency room, she was told that she was likely having a miscarriage and to seek medical care if the symptoms continued. Over the next several weeks, her symptoms worsened. She went to the emergency room at Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital, where staff noted she was showing signs of an ectopic pregnancy, which is when a fertilized egg implants and grows outside of the uterus in the abdomen, a female's cervix or more commonly, the fallopian tubes. An ectopic pregnancy is a life-threatening condition; there is no way that an ectopic pregnancy can become a full-term pregnancy. But when Norris-De La Cruz spoke to the hospitals on-call OB-GYN, the doctor said once again she was experiencing a miscarriage. After being denied care, and being told hospitals around the state were delaying treatment for ectopic pregnancies, Norris-De La Cruz explained her situation to a friend who was an OB-GYN. She showed the doctor a photo of her sonogram. Immediately, the OB-GYN friend brought her in for emergency surgery. However, it required the removal of most of her right fallopian tube. Despite the fact that my life was clearly in danger, the hospital told me that they could not help me, Norris-De La Cruz said in a media statement. I ended up losing half of my fertility and if I was made to wait any longer, its very likely I would have died. This week, the Center for Reproductive Rights filed two complaints against two Texas hospitals Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital and Ascension Seton Williamson Hospital alleging that the two hospitals violated the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) and refused to provide stabilizing treatment, including emergency abortion care for ectopic pregnancies. Similar to Norris-De La Cruzs story, a Texas woman named Kyleigh Thurman was turned away from an emergency room while experiencing cramping and dizziness. Several days later, she experienced severe pain on her right side, bleeding, and almost passed out. She was eventually rushed into surgery and also had to have her right fallopian tube removed. Her story is told in the second complaint filed by the Center for Reproductive Rights. For weeks, I was in and out of emergency rooms trying to get the abortion that I needed to save my future fertility and life, Thurman said in a media statement. This should have been an open and shut case. Yet, I was left completely in the dark without any information or options for the care I deserved. Want more health and science stories in your inbox? Subscribe to Salon's weekly newsletter Lab Notes. In 2022, Texas enacted laws that prohibit all abortions except when the life or health of the pregnant patient is at risk, including an exception to terminate ectopic pregnancies, which are always nonviable and life-threatening. Still, these complaints show that some doctors in Texas are fearful of terminating ectopic pregnancies. If physicians violate the law in Texas, they face up to 99 years in prison, loss of their medical license, and at least $100,000 in fines. This is the first time that patients with ectopic pregnancies who were denied timely care have submitted EMTALA complaints since Roe was overturned, Molly Duane, a senior attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights, told Salon. And I think that is an indication of something much more insidious about state abortion bans. Duane emphasized that Attorney General of Texas, Ken Paxton, would surely agree that this is an EMTALA violation. The Attorney Generals in Idaho and Texas and everywhere else are fond of saying there's an explicit exception in our lives for at ectopic pregnancies, but the reality is that when the rubber hits the road, that is not how medical care functions in practice, Duane said. In fact, in June, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that the states abortion bans are clear in their exceptions. Texas law permits a life-saving abortion, the court wrote. Under the Human Life Protection Act, a physician may perform an abortion if, exercising reasonable medical judgment, the physician determines that a woman has a life-threatening physical condition that places her at risk of death or serious physical impairment unless an abortion is performed. Duane said medical professionals are deeply confused and concerned that if they are wrong about, for example, an ectopic pregnancy diagnosis, they're going to spend the rest of their lives in jail. I think it is really important in this situation, regardless of what the Supreme Court does and when, that the federal government clarifies that patients with ectopic pregnancies need to be treated immediately, Duane said, adding that since the complaints have been public shes received outreach from other patients in Texas. Saying the same thing happened to me with my ectopic pregnancy, these are not one-offs, this is a pattern of behavior that is continuing to harm patients every single day. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court had an opportunity to clarify EMTALA beyond the state of Idaho. Instead, it dismissed the case "improvidently granted without considering the core issues in the case, returning it to the lower courts for further litigation leaving access to emergency care for pregnant people across the country in a precarious situation. According to Planned Parenthood, one in 50 pregnancies are ectopic. Texas law clearly allows for abortions to treat ectopic pregnancies, and federal law requires it. Yet, Kelsie and Kyleigh were denied absolutely urgent care, said Beth Brinkmann, senior director of U.S. Litigation at the Center for Reproductive Rights. Its impossible to have the best interest of your patient in mind when youre staring down a life sentence. Texas officials have put doctors in an impossible situation. It is clear that these exceptions are a farce, she added. (Bloomberg) -- Thailands assets fell, weighed by worries over a potential delay of policy implementation following the ouster of the nations Prime Minister. Most Read from Bloomberg The benchmark SET Index dropped as much as 1%, even as equities in most Asian markets gained. The baht declined, underperforming regional peers. Market watchers say concerns about elevated household debt and investment attractiveness remain a priority, which may not be addressed by the government until a new leadership is established. A multi-party coalition led by Pheu Thai looks poised to nominate former law minister Chaikasem Nitisiri as its candidate for the premiership, signaling a continuity of policies, including a $14 billion cash handout program to boost consumption. Heres what market watchers are saying: Kaushal Ladha, analyst at Macquarie Securities The Thai market was caught off-guard by the court decision, and given a period of uncertainty, recommends investors stick with defensive names in health care and telecommunication sectors Bangkok Dusit Medical Services, Bumrungrad Hospital, Advanced Info Service and Bangkok Bank could benefit Philip McNicholas, strategist at Robeco Singapore Pvt.: We are positioned for the yield curve to move lower as the removal of Srettha may mean a delay in the digital wallet scheme, which will weigh on near-term nominal growth prospects The change also removes Bank of Thailand from the spotlight, possibly giving them a freer hand to consider policy easing without such action raising questions about their independence Kaseedit Choonnawat, analyst at Citigroup Inc.: Expects overall SET Index to face short-term pressure with domestic sectors including consumer finance, banks and property facing more downside compared to internationally exposed and utility sectors While it is still too early to tell, a new cabinet that is able to provide a good balance between coalition parties may stand to last the remainder of the four-year term and provide some medium-term political stability Kitpon Praipaisarnkit, analyst at UOB Kay Hian: The courts verdict raises concerns for the equities market and sector regarding policy continuity and economic stimulus, especially commerce There are opportunities to buy on dips with CP All as top pick; utilities are a good way to hedge against economic uncertainties Krystal Tan, economist at Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd.: The decision wont be taken well by markets given the rise in political uncertainty and the associated downside risks to growth stemming from potential unrest and delays to economic policy implementation. We need to see whether we end up with a prolonged political vacuum. Wei Liang Chang, macro strategist at DBS Bank Ltd.: Prolonged uncertainty over Sretthas replacement could hinder policy formation and implementation, which pose downside risks to growth Baht could ease with foreign equity investors turning more cautious and the rates markets could also anticipate a more dovish Bank of Thailand outlook Nirgunan Tiruchelvam, an analyst at Aletheia Capital: Events raise uncertainty in the market, though history shows that stock market has been able to flourish despite political upheaval This is an opportunity for investors to see through the uncertainty and take a medium term position in Thailand Theres opportunity to buy stocks exposed to tourism including Airports of Thailand and Minor International (Updates market moves, adds comments from Macquarie and Robeco) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. A shooting Wednesday evening on Colorado Springs' east side resulted in four people being shot, one fatally. The Colorado Springs Police Department were on scene of the shooting in the 300 block of Ellers Grove, near the intersection of Kitfield View and Airport Road following an initial call around 5:30 p.m. Lt. Jason Newton with the Falcon substation confirmed that a shooting had occurred. He said there was no active shooter, and that all parties involved in the incident have been accounted for. "Multiple people, multiple victims, not a random shooting," he said. In a social media post, police state that three people were found at the scene with apparent gunshot wounds, with a fourth person with an apparent gunshot wound was later found at a nearby gas station. One of the initial three apparent victims died on the scene. The surviving three were taken to an area hospital. Their conditions were not immediately known. Featured Local Savings Police on the scene could be seen taping off a broad section of the block, and entering a condo ground unit. Blood droplets could be seen along the condo complex sidewalk. Police said the blood trail was from the individual who had fled to the gas station. "This wasn't a random act of violence. They all appear to have known each other," Lt. Newton said in a 7:30 p.m. news conference at the scene. "Right now it's a very complex puzzle we're trying to put together." He said investigators were still trying to sort out who was the shooter and their motive. No arrests have been made yet. This is an active investigation and anyone who was witness to or has information regarding this incident is asked to contact CSPD at 719-444-7000. Reporter Mackenzie Bodell contributed to this report. History has a habit of repeating itselfbut rarely as frequently as it does in Thailand. On Wednesday, Srettha Thavisin of the populist Pheu Thai party became the fifth Prime Minister in the last 20 years to be ousted by Thailands conservative elites. In a 5-4 vote, Thailands Constitutional Court ordered Srettha removed from office after a group of senators accused him of an ethical violation, citing his cabinet appointment of a lawmaker who had previously been jailed for bribery. While his political fate hung in the balance on Wednesday, Srettha himself had appeared quite unbothered, touring a market in Bangkok and getting his secretary-general to attend court on his behalf. After the verdict, a somber Srettha told reporters at the Government House that he accepted the decision. I reiterate that for the almost one year I have been in this role, I have tried with good intentions to lead the country with honesty, he said. This is not the first time that the Pheu Thai Party has encountered obstacles, the party said on social media. Every time we fall, we fall forward. And rise up again with confidence. But rather than genuine ethical concerns, critics say, politics was behind the verdict: Like his predecessors who have been toppled by the army or judiciary, Srettha was widely seen as a proxy for Pheu Thai founder Thaksin Shinawatra, whose own premiership was cut short by a military coup in 2006. Sretthas dismissal also comes just days after the opposition Move Forward Party was dissolved in another Constitutional Court ruling over its supposedly seditious campaign to amend the countrys royal defamation law. Its the latest setback to the popular progressive party that emerged as the biggest vote-getter in last years general election but was ultimately blocked from forming the government by a hastily-made coalition between Pheu Thai and the military- and monarchy-aligned conservative establishment. The developments over the past week have only confirmed the cyclical nature of Thailands ongoing political crisis. But experts say that, though forces like the unelected and unchecked Constitutional Court and a conservative-dominated Thai Senate remain viewed as defenders of the old guard, the movement for democracy in the country, which is increasingly popular at home and abroad, will continue to gain momentum. Thailands younger populationand the younger population that will come after themwill support more progressive, more democratic ideals, Mark S. Cogan, associate professor of peace and conflict studies at Japans Kansai Gaidai University, tells TIME. Those dinosaurs will die out eventually, he says, referencing a pejorative nickname given to Thailands conservative elites. But until then, he adds, like a wounded animal, those whose power is under threat will use every tool at their disposal in order to survive. Sretthas dismissal and Move Forwards dissolution are even more extreme than what has happened over the last two decades, Napon Jatusripitak, a visiting fellow at the Singapore-based ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, tells TIME. I think its been made plain that [the Constitutional Courts] legitimacy should be questioned. But while both moves follow a clear playbookMove Forwards predecessor party Future Forward was similarly dissolved by a unanimous verdict in 2020Sretthas unexpected removal by a split judicial vote has proved a head-scratcher for even the keenest observers of Thai politics. Srettha was elevated to the premiership last August as part of a post-election devils bargain between Pheu Thai and their former conservative rivals, united in the goal to keep Move Forward from power. Some see Wednesdays verdict as a sign that their alliance is crumbling; others suspect that Srettha was only intended as a placeholder to fend off Move Forward while Pheu Thai and the conservatives continued the politicking over their preferred leader. Srettha quickly carved out a reputation as a salesman for Thailand, pitching economic projects abroad while touting populist policies at home. But while the business-oriented leader had banked so hard on soft power, says Cogan, his short-lived efforts have now been diluted by the recent political upheavals that have damaged Thailands international image. Last week, Move Forwards dissolution was met with statements of concern from Amnesty International, the United Nations, the European Union and the U.S. Department of State. As Thaksins camp and the conservatives negotiate over the imminent selection of a new Prime Minister, the progressive movement is intent on breaking Thailands cycle of political crisis. While Move Forwards former leader Pita Limjaroenrat is barred from politics, the dissolved partys 143 lawmakers have regrouped under the new name the Peoples Party. The reincarnation of Move Forward announced on Wednesday that it opposed the verdict to remove Srettha from office, decrying the powers of the Constitutional Court and saying that it believes that todays events will make all sectors of society more aware of the urgent need to draft a new constitution. And while the next governmentwhether led by Pheu Thais Chaikasem Nitisiri, Thaksins daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra, conservative power broker Anutin Charnvirakul, or some other contenderis unlikely to help the Peoples Party enact its liberal reform agenda, the progressive movement has its sights on a landslide general election victory in 2027, when its hoping to finally form a government of change. The establishment has been attempting to kill democracy, but that hasnt been successful because now you can see Move Forward is back in business, Titipol Phakdeewanich, a political scientist at Ubon Ratchathani University, tells TIME. Its still possible for progressive parties to make a move, because they cannot entirely shut down progressive parties. At least they cannot stop elections anyway. But Cogan warns that the Peoples Party cannot rest on its popularity alone. There has to be some other development than just at the ballot box, he says. So you can have all the success at the ballot box. But if youre prevented from taking power, what does it matter? Thats not democracy, says Cogan. They must start cracking at the edges of the pillars that hold up those conservative elites. Contact us at letters@time.com. Pheu Thai Party's leader and Prime Minister candidate Paetongtarn Shinawatra attends a press conference on the announcement of prime ministerial candidate ahead of a pivotal parliamentary vote on a new prime minister in Bangkok Pheu Thai Party's leader and Prime Minister candidate Paetongtarn Shinawatra attends a press conference on the announcement of prime ministerial candidate ahead of a pivotal parliamentary vote on a new prime minister in Bangkok By Panu Wongcha-um and Chayut Setboonsarng BANGKOK (Reuters) -Thailand's ruling alliance on Thursday backed the daughter of divisive tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra to become the next prime minister, a surprise move that could prolong a power struggle and reignite political turmoil. Political newcomer Paetongtarn Shinawatra, 37, will be nominated at a special vote of parliament on Friday and if successful, would become Thailand's second female premier and the third Shinawatra to hold the top post. The announcement followed a flurry of backroom talks in the 24 hours since a court dismissed Srettha Thavisin as premier, in what was the latest blow for Pheu Thai, the populist juggernaut of the billionaire Shinawatra family that has locked horns for two decades with Thailand's influential establishment and royalist military. "The country has to move ahead, Pheu Thai is the main party in forming a government and will push the country forward," Paetongtarn told a joint press conference, flanked by leaders of the party's 10 coalition partners. "We are determined, together, and will push the country forward." Srettha was the movement's fourth premier to be removed by a court ruling and his downfall suggests a breakdown in an uneasy detente between Thaksin and his enemies in the conservative elite and military old guard, which had enabled the tycoon's return from self-exile in 2023 and ally Srettha to become premier the same day. SURPRISE GAMBLE Pheu Thai's decision will come as a surprise to some political analysts, who had expected heavyweight Thaksin, 75, Pheu Thai's founder and figurehead, would delay his political dynasty and shield his youngest daughter from Thailand's cutthroat politics for a little longer. Pheu Thai and its predecessors have borne the brunt of the tumult, with two Shinawatra governments ousted in coups in a long-running grudge match that began when former telecoms magnate Thaksin tried to upend established patronage networks, angering elites with far-reaching connections. Uncertainty about political upheaval could add more strain to an underperforming economy that Srettha had hoped to revive with a raft of stimulus measures, some that could now be in question, including his vaunted plan to give 10,000 baht ($285) handouts to 50 million people. Providing the 11-party alliance stays intact, Paetongtarn should have no difficulty in winning the vote in parliament, where the coalition holds 314 seats, or nearly two thirds of the current 493 lawmakers. The approval of more than half of the house is required to become prime minister. If elected, Paetongtarn has multiple challenges to overcome, including assumptions that she will be a puppet of Thaksin, whose claims to have retired from politics since his return after 15 years abroad have fallen on deaf ears. As an indicator of his immense clout, discussions late on Wednesday between the coalition partners took place at Thaksin's residence, with media showing live images of the leaders arriving. The gamble on neophyte Paetongtarn comes at a sensitive time in Thai politics, when a Shinawatra dynasty risks the kind of backlash that drove her father and aunt Yingluck Shinawatra into self-imposed exile. "She would be open to attack," said Titipol Phakdeewanich, a political scientist at Ubon Ratchathani University. "The risk for Paetongtarn is higher. If Pheu Thai can't deliver anything then it could be the end of the Shinawatra family in politics." (Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um, Chayut Setboonsarng and Panarat Thepgumpanat; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Miral Fahmy and Angus MacSwan) (Bloomberg) -- The daughter of former Thai leader Thaksin Shinawatra is now the favorite to become the Southeast Asian nations next prime minister, a move that would signal continuity after another party member was ousted from the top job on Wednesday. Most Read from Bloomberg Paetongtarn Shinawatra, 37, received the backing of a majority of lawmakers in Thaksins Pheu Thai party at a meeting on Thursday. The final decision will be taken by party executives, who plan to meet at 4 p.m. local time, senior party member Suriya Juangroongruangkit told reporters. Paetongtarn is the youngest of Thaksins three children and the nominal leader of Pheu Thai, the biggest group in an 11-party coalition seeking to retain power after a court disqualified fellow Pheu Thai member Srettha Thavisin as prime minister. Local media earlier reported that another party member, former law minister Chaikasem Nitisiri, 75, was the frontrunner to become the next premier. The 500-member elected House of Representatives is scheduled to hold a special session on Friday to choose a new leader after Srettha was removed from office by the nations Constitutional Court for an ethical violation. The appointment of either Paetongtarn or Chaikasem would signal few changes to policies pursued by Sretthas administration, which focused on bolstering growth through looser fiscal policies and tackling the high cost of living and near-record household debt. Pheu Thai, which is effectively controlled by Thaksin and his family, has secured the support of some of the nations biggest pro-royalist conservative parties after a deal that brought the former leader back to Thailand following a prolonged exile. As long as the alliance holds, it has the support of more than 300 lawmakers in the lower house, enough to overcome any opposition. Thai Political Upheaval Shows Royalists Are Still in Charge Anutin Charnvirakul, leader of the second-biggest group Bhumjaithai Party and a top contender from the conservative camp, said his party would back any Pheu Thai nominee. While it is still too early to tell, a new cabinet that is able to provide a good balance between coalition parties may stand to last the remainder of the four-year term and provide some medium-term political stability, according to Kaseedit Choonnawat, an analyst at Citigroup Inc. --With assistance from Eduard Gismatullin and Pathom Sangwongwanich. (Recasts with lawmakers backing Thaksins daughter.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Ed OKeefe, CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, speaks during a ceremony commemorating the placement of the last steel beam at the library in Medora on Aug. 14, 2024. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor) MEDORA, North Dakota The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library will produce its own heat and energy using geothermal sources. The facility will emit zero carbon emissions, produce zero waste and serve as a catalyst for continued development in North Dakotas scenic western border region. And, as of this week, its halfway to completion. The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library will be one of the most sustainable museums in the world upon opening, said Ed OKeefe, the librarys chief executive. Donors, lawmakers and other dignitaries gathered Wednesday in Medora to celebrate the milestone of laying of the final steel beam into position, which marked the midpoint in the construction process. Theodore Roosevelt said, Believe you can and you are halfway there. Folks, we are halfway there, OKeefe said during an on-site ceremony to more than 100 attendees. The next goal for construction teams will be to beat the snow and frozen temperatures and enclose the structure by November so interior work can begin. The library is scheduled to open to the public on July 4, 2026, to commemorate the countrys semiquincentennial. Its going to be one of the 1,000 architectural wonders you need to see before you die, OKeefe said. Its really going to have a lot of significance for many different audiences. During the event, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum said the beam placement was only the beginning of milestones for the presidential library. Were on a journey to create the best presidential library in the nation, Burgum said. Theres 14 others, but this will be the best. This will have the biggest impact on generations to come. Burgum, along with first lady Kathryn Burgum and other visiting officials, signed the last steel beam before it was raised into position in what will become The Arena at the Roosevelt library, commemorating one of the 26th presidents famous speeches. The governor noted another famous quote from Roosevelt, who said he would not have been president if not for his time in North Dakota. All that will come here will draw inspiration from that life that Roosevelt lived, the courageous and bold life, and theyll learn about his time that he spent here, Burgum said. U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., said one his favorite parts about the library and its design is how it incorporates itself into the landscape of the Badlands and Theodore Roosevelt National Park. This is so Roosevelt, right? Cramer said. So much of construction and development replaces nature with a structure. In this case, theyve built a structure into nature and that tells the story of Theodore Roosevelt so beautifully and with such integrity. Cramer, Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., and Rep. Kelly Armstrong, R-N.D., spearheaded an effort to acquire the land and federal funding for the project across three different bills in Congress. One of the bills, the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Act, would allocate $50 million to the project through the U.S. Department of the Interior and grant access for the library to display some of Roosevelts personal items that are housed at various federal agencies. The legislation was introduced in April. Cramer said hes hopeful the bill will be added to a continuing resolution to fund the federal government and appropriated by the end of the year. If not, he joked with Hoeven during the event that they may not come home for Christmas. He also added that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is from New York, Roosevelts home state. As long as hes not bitter about North Dakota getting the project, he should help us preserve Theodore Roosevelts heritage, Cramer said. The librarys foundation has raised $320 million of a revised $450 million fundraising goal, OKeefe said. Fundraisers are hopeful to add the federal $50 million to that total before the end of the year. Joe Wiegand, a Theodore Roosevelt impersonator who stars in a one-man show in Medora, said he thinks the library will appeal to multiple generations. That really is the cornerstone of the Roosevelt experience, Wiegand said. Its a family experience its not just for guys in suits, its not just for historians, its for the families of this country and the families of the world who will come out and be inspired. This story was originally produced by the North Dakota Monitor which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network, including the Daily Montanan, supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Times up for two alleged watch thieves. Federal authorities have charged two men with stealing a million-dollar Patek Philippe from a diner at a Beverly Hills hotel earlier this month, as reported by Bloomberg. More from Robb Report The robbers, who were visiting the U.S. from South America, allegedly took the watch at gunpoint from a man who was sitting with his wife and twin daughters at the patio restaurant of the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on August 7. One suspect pointed the gun at the victim, while the other removed the timepiece from his wrist. They then fled in a blue Toyota Corolla, according to documents filed Tuesday in federal court in Los Angeles. Three days later, police caught the duo driving a different vehicle that had been linked to a previous armed robbery in which a $30,000 Rolex was stolen in Beverley Hills. The Patek in question is one of the rare, gem-set Nautilus models (Ref. 5711/113P-001) the Swiss watchmaker released in the late 2010s. Produced in limited numbers for VIP clients, the coveted wrist candy features a 40.5 mm platinum case and a bezel set with dazzling emeralds. This particular iteration of the Nautilus 5711 was discontinued in 2021, rendering examples such as this extremely rare. The stolen timepiece is worth approximately $1 million, per the court documents. The Beverly Wilshire Hotel. The suspectsJamer Mauricio Sepulveda Salazar of Colombia and Jesus Eduardo Padron Rojas of Venezuelaare believed to be part of a South American Theft Group. Federal authorities say that members of the group commonly exploit the U.S. immigration system and make fraudulent claims to enter the country. They often live nomadic lives in Airbnbs and cash-focused motels to avoid arrest. They also use counterfeit identification and aliases to conceal their identity and criminal history. Sepulveda, 21, admitted to driving the Corolla, living at an Airbnb on Browning Boulevard, and seeing several firearms at said accommodation. He added that the crew engaged in surveillance and had been watching for the Patek for two weeks. He also admitted to stealing the aforementioned Rolex. Padron, 19, admitted to carrying the firearm out of the Airbnb on August 9. If convicted on all counts, Sepulveda faces life in federal prison and Padron faces 20 years. Luxury watch thefts are increasing globally, with more than $1 billion worth of high-end timepieces reported missing or stolen last year alone. Robberies are now commonplace in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and London. So what can you do? Stay vigilant on the streets, wear long sleeves to cover your watch, and maybe leave the prized Pateks and Rolexes at home. Best of Robb Report Sign up for Robb Report's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. The U.S. Coast Guard Healy Class Icebreaker HEALY (WAGB 20) sits in the ice, about 100 miles north of Barrow, Alaska, in order to allow scientists onboard to take core samples from the floor of the Arctic Ocean on June 18, 2005. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Public Affairs Specialist 2nd Class NyxoLyno Cangemi) (Released) A fire that recently broke out onboard the medium icebreaker USCGC Healy has forced the vessel to abandon its annual summer Arctic patrol. The incident highlights the inadequacy of the Coast Guards current icebreaker fleet, which Healy represents half of and the other ship is in dry dock getting a much-needed overhaul in an attempt to extend its service life even further. Healy originally departed from Seattle for its summer Arctic patrol on June 12, traveling through the Bering Strait off Alaska into the Chukchi Sea further north. It was around July 25, while traveling in Canadian waters near Banks Island, the westernmost island in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, when a fire broke out in the engineering compartment. Healy turned around from her position on July 26, and was due back in Seattle yesterday. The Coast Guard Cutter Healy breaks ice, January 2012. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Charly Hengen Details on the fire, which was quickly extinguished and did not result in any casualties, were broadly confirmed by Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard Admiral Kevin E. Lunday during a talk at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., on August 7. Coast Guard Cutter Healy had just begun her summer patrol and was up north of Alaska and the Chukchi Sea. It had an electrical fire in the engineering spaces; shes [Healys] now having to return to home port to try and affect repairs, Lunday said. Healy, which is largely used for research purposes, was due to partake in three separate research missions during her Arctic deployment. Whether she will complete those missions remains in question. Most of the machinery systems aboard are antiquated and for some there arent even parts. Were going to work as hard as we can to repair it and try to preserve the rest of the patrol but thats in doubt, Lunday noted. At present, the icebreaker, which was commissioned in late 1999, is one of only two in the Coast Guards fleet the other being the heavy icebreaker USCGC Polar Star. Polar Star, commissioned back in the 1970s, is currently undergoing service life extension work at the Mare Island Dry Dock in California, which is expected to be completed this month. Polar Stars sister ship, USCGC Polar Sea, is not seaworthy due to her cannibalization of parts to keep Polar Star going. The heavy ice breaker USCGC Polar Star breaks ice approaching McMurdo Station, Antarctica, 2023. U.S. Navy photo by Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist RJ Stratchko Senior Chief Petty Officer RJ St The incident is not the first fire to impact Healys summer missions. Back in 2020, a fire broke out while the vessel was 60 nautical miles off of Seward, Alaska, en route to the Arctic. The fire was extinguished within a half hour. Problems have faced the much older USCGC Polar Star, too. Back in early January 2018, issues with Polar Stars 1970s-era electrical system caused an engine failure and flooding on board during a cruise, which it set off from Seattle for in November 2017. At the time, the vessels main mission was to cut a path through the Antarctic ice for access to the U.S. Antarctic Programs McMurdo Station. These various incidents have sparked major concern over the limitations of the Coast Guards icebreaker fleet. While Healy can only cut through around eight feet of ice compared to Polar Stars ability to break up miles of ice up to 21 feet thick, her availability is vital, particularly in the context of Polar Stars ongoing upgrades. Healys recent engine fire is a concern, Lunday revealed earlier this month, because if she cant continue that patrol the U.S. will have no surface presence in the Arctic this summer. A group of scientists and engineers deploy an ice tethered profiler on the Arctic ice Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018, about 350 miles northeast of Barrow, Alaska, with USCGC Healy in the background. NyxoLyno Cangemi/U.S. Coast Guard Senior Chief Petty Officer NyxoLyno Cangemi Given the strategic importance of the Arctic region, which has grown exceptionally recently, the lack of U.S. icebreaking capabilities there is significant. Being able to pave pathways through the melting ice is crucial for opening up new shipping routes as well ones used for military applications. The push for new routes up north has only been bolstered by the recent conflict in the Red Sea, Russia, for example, is massively expanding its aviation facilities in the region at Nagurskoye Air Base, adjacent to its large Arctic Trefoil outpost. The country has more icebreakers than any other nation on Earth with dozens on hand, including a new 9,000-ton Project 23550 combat icebreaker which can reportedly break through ice up to five and a half feet thick. Russia is also the only operator of nuclear-powered icebreakers. Image of the airfield at Nagurskoye Air Base taken on August 19th, 2021. The northern apron area is being expanded to a very large degree. PHOTO 2021 PLANET LABS INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION. Major concerns regarding the Coast Guards overall icebreaking capacity has only increased even as resources have been funneled to addressing the issue. The contract for the first new heavy icebreaker as part of the Polar Security Cutter program (PSC), designed to recapitalize the U.S. icebreaker fleet, was issued in 2019 to the Halter Marine shipyard, now Bollinger Shipyards. However, since then, the delivery of the vessel has been delayed several times. The U.S. Government Accountability Office is anticipating delivery in 2028, compared with earlier predictions of this year, and the overall timeline of the PSC program remains uncertain. The services Fiscal Year 2025 budget zeroed out a previous request for $47.2 million for the PSC program, with a Coast Guard spokesperson indicating to National Defense that the service is working to re-baseline the program despite it remaining a top acquisition priority with the goal of devising a new program schedule at some point later this year. Artistic rendering of a future Polar Security Cutter. USCGC In the meantime, in an effort to bolster its icebreaking capabilities, the Coast Guard has looked into acquiring the commercially available icebreaker Aiviq, a 360-foot Arctic ice class anchor handler. Discussions about the service potentially acquiring the vessel to assist Healy and Polar Star have been ongoing since 2015. More recently still, the U.S., along with its allies Canada and Finland, has agreed to a resource-pooling plan to help meet projected demand for as many as 90 icebreakers among allied nations over the next decade via the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort, or ICE Pact. While such future planning is welcome, the Coast Guard badly needs greater icebreaking capabilities now which the fire on board the aging Healy underscores. Contact the author: oliver@thewarzone.com Ford BlueOval City, photographed while under construction in April 2023. (Photo: John Partipilo) As West Tennessee awaits a population boom expected to coincide with the opening of Fords new BlueOval City electric vehicle plant, a Tennessee think tank is urging local policymakers to take a hard look at their zoning laws. The Beacon Center, a nonprofit think tank that advocates for free markets and limited government, called on West Tennessee counties to overhaul outdated and arbitrary zoning laws in a report published Tuesday. Zoning laws regulate the use of private land, restricting density, lot size, home types and sizes and whether or not accessory buildings are allowed. The Beacon Center examined current zoning regulations across West Tennessee counties located near the BlueOval City site. Single-family housing is broadly permitted throughout Haywood, Tipton, Madison, Fayette, Crockett and Henderson counties and in many areas in Memphis. Duplexes a generally more affordable housing option for lower- and middle-income families are far more restricted, with Haywood being the most friendly for two-family homes and Fayette County allowing duplexes under certain lot size and location conditions. Areas where housing for four or more families can be developed are sparse. The whole region is going to grow as a result (of BlueOval), but certain areas are naturally going to end up growing more than others, and thats probably going to be dictated a lot by where the homes are built, and the zoning laws are going to dictate a lot of where those homes are built, Beacon Center Director of Policy and Research Ron Shultis told Tennessee Lookout Wednesday. What you dont want to see is current West Tennesseans being priced out of their homes or their apartments due to rapidly increasing prices due to this growth when you have the ability to plan for it on the front end. Beacon Center Director of Policy and Research Ron Shultis The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development estimates that more than 176,000 new residents will move to West Tennessee in the next 20 years, and the region will need more than 70,000 new housing units to accommodate them. If left as-is, restrictive zoning could limit housing supply and artificially inflate housing costs, the report states. The consequences are many: sprawl into more rural areas creates longer commutes and saps productivity costing residents both money and time. What you dont want to see is current West Tennesseans being priced out of their homes or their apartments due to rapidly increasing prices due to this growth when you have the ability to plan for it on the front end, Shultis said. Shultis said the way local governments approach housing is a delicate balancing act. For many Americans, their home is their top asset, he said, and families depend on that asset maintaining and growing in value. But the longer a family cant afford to purchase a home, the more it slows their accumulation of wealth. First-time homebuyers need options, too, and that can range from a smaller single-family starter home to middle-density housing like duplexes, triplexes and quadplexes. Generally, zoning laws prohibit that missing middle on the housing continuum, limiting housing options to either single-family lots or apartments with no in-between, Shultis said. In West Tennessee, Shultis found a surprisingly wide variety in zoning laws among cities and counties that are otherwise similar in makeup, with one or two towns surrounded by rural land. Madison County generally allows accessory dwelling units (think backyard in-law flats or above-garage apartments) and mixed-use commercial areas. But neighboring cities and counties have almost completely banned everything other than single family housing, Shultis said. Haywood County, Tipton Countys Gilt Edge and Fayette County allow housing developments for two or more families on more than 90% of their zoned land. Milan and Alamo allow multifamily homes on around 30% of their zoned land. A handful of jurisdictions offer no options for multifamily development, including Arlington, Collierville, Piperton, Three Way and Rossville. The Beacon Centers West Tennessee Zoning Atlas provides an interactive map to explore current zoning regulations. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Thousands of Army reservists could get pensions in life-changing landmark ruling Thousands of Britains reservists could be in line for Army pensions following a landmark ruling. A tribunal has found that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) was not justified in excluding reservists from a pension scheme before 2015, in a ruling that could be life-changing for thousands of soldiers. Retired Major Charles Milroy had brought a David and Goliath lawsuit against the MoD claiming that he should have been allowed on to a military pension scheme for his service in the Territorial Army (TA) between 1982 and 2015, including a tour in Iraq. The veteran was not allowed to enrol because the MoD claimed it was administratively burdensome and extremely expensive to provide pensions to all reservists, the tribunal heard. Employment Judge Frances Eccles has now ruled in his favour, finding that it was disproportionate of the MoD to deny all reservists pensions because some of them, like Maj Milroy, should have qualified. Retired Major Charles Milroy Chartered civil engineer Maj Milroy, who said he was the test case, is now set to pocket from a pension of about 7,300 per annum. The landmark ruling has raised hopes that thousands of reservists could be entitled to pensions. Slade de Lacey, solicitor at Beers LLP for Maj Milroy, said: We were pleased with the unanimous findings of the panel whose decision finds that reservists with enough service are eligible for a pension for their part-time reserve service and all reservists will benefit from the decision on parity of pay with full-time personnel. Posting on social media before his case, Maj Milroy wrote: This case is a bit like David versus Goliath with an individual taking on such a large organisation. I am the test case. If I am successful, other TA soldiers will be able to make similar claims, and for some of them this may be life-changing. Judge Eccles said: To deny all reservists access to the Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) 1975 in circumstances where a relatively small number of reservists would qualify for a pension was disproportionate. The TA was formed in 1907 to provide a national reserve for service at home and overseas, before its 2012 name change to Army Reserve. The Glasgow tribunal heard a 2015 AFPS was put in place after the MoD faced pressure to justify exclusion of reservists following the introduction of part-time workers rights. The panel was unable to identify any aspect of the work undertaken by a reservist that was materially different from that of a regular and accepted they were interchangeable in terms of the training and tasks that they undertake to prepare for mobilisation. It was heard that the MoD saw it as administratively burdensome and extremely expensive to provide pensions under the 1975 scheme to cover the ad hoc and irregular training pattern of the volunteer services. However, Judge Eccles said the employment of a reservist was not inherently different to that of a regular. The panel therefore ruled the MoD guilty of less favourable treatment towards Maj Milroy for denying access to a pension under the 1975 scheme. Army Reserve hosts walk-in Covid vaccination centre in Poole - FINNBARR WEBSTER/GETTY IMAGES She said: [Maj Milroy] was excluded from the AFPS 75 because as a reservist he worked part-time. The AFPS 75 and successor schemes were only designed for regulars who worked full-time. They were not intended for reservists. When he sought access to the AFPS 75 scheme it was considered unsuitable and too expensive to administer because as a reservist he worked part-time. The tribunal was persuaded that his exclusion from the AFPS 75 was because of his part-time status and not for some other reason or number of different reasons. The judge found that the MoD should have recognised that Maj Milroy worked significantly more than usual for a reservist. The judge concluded: The tribunal was not persuaded that exclusion of reservists from the AFPS 75 scheme had been objectively justified. Including reservists in the scheme would inevitably increase the administrative burden and cost to the MoD. [The MoD] cannot be criticised for seeking to avoid unnecessary costs and administrative burdens on the public purse. It is a legitimate aim. The tribunal was not persuaded however that the administrative burden and costs of allowing reservists to join the AFPS 75 scheme was sufficiently high to justify their exclusion. She pointed out the MoD has the training records of reservists. The projected administration costs provided by [the MoD] were comparatively small when compared with the pension that a qualifying reservist such as [Maj Milroy] might receive from the scheme, she said. If mobilised reservists were allowed to join the AFPS 75 scheme as submitted by the MoD, but which based on the evidence before it the tribunal was unable to conclude was the case, it is similarly difficult to understand the basis on which [the MoD] rely on the irregularity of part-time service to justify exclusion from the scheme. The tribunal was not persuaded that to exclude all reservists from the AFPS scheme regardless of their length of service was proportionate in all the circumstances. No objective justification defence has therefore been made out. She concluded Maj Milroy had therefore been treated less favourably as a part-time worker than the MoD treated a comparable full-time worker. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Thousands Protest Across India After Rape and Murder of Doctor Who Was Sleeping in a Hospital One suspect has been arrested in connection with the case Avijit Ghosh/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Kolkata protests Protests have broken out across India after a medical trainee was found raped and murdered in a hospital in Kolkata. The trainee was a 31-year-old woman, according to reports from the BBC, Reuters and Al Jazeera. One suspect, who has not been identified, was arrested, according to the outlets, citing police. The BBC and Reuters reported that the woman had worked a 36-hour shift at the RG Kar Medical College and had gone to sleep in a seminar room on Friday, Aug. 9. The woman was found the next morning half-naked on a podium having suffered serious injuries, according to the report from the BBC. Reuters reported that hundreds of thousands of women marched in cities across the country, though, according to the BBC, the largest gathering occurred in Kolkata, where the crime occurred. The protests have been dubbed Reclaim the Night, the outlets reported, and are meant to raise awareness about women's safety. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. "We have come here to demand justice because even I have a daughter, protestor Rinky Ghosh said, according to Reuters. I am scared to send her anywhere... I am scared to send my daughter to study. So I am here today because something... must be done, this injustice must stop." Prime Minister Narendra Modi also responded to perceived anger at violence against women during an Independence Day Speech, according to Al Jazeera, though he did not directly address the incident in Kolkata. As a society, we have to think about the atrocities being committed against our mothers, daughters and sisters, Modi reportedly said. There is outrage against this in the country. I can feel this outrage. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. A Blue Angels F/A-18 Super Hornet departed the Jet Centers of Colorado on a very special flight Wednesday. When it returned roughly 30 minutes later, its passenger was left wide-eyed and nearly speechless. Holy cow! Mollie Venable managed to say after she climbed down from the aircraft. That was incredible! Venable was treated to a Blue Angels ride-along as part of the Navy flight demonstration teams Key Influencer program, which offers youth-involved residents the chance to take to the skies in one of its fighter jets. The precision flight team defines a key influencer as a person who has a positive impact on the attitudes and opinions of young people in their community. Venable, a longtime educator and former District 49 special education teacher, was an ideal candidate, according to her husband, Dan. Mollie has worked in early childhood special education for the last three years here, and she has been in education, in some shape or form, for over 13 years, said Dan, who nominated his wife for the Key Influencer flight. She was also a regular volunteer at Woodmen Valley Chapel, and she has been involved in several COS I Love You projects over the years. About 70 area residents applied for the airborne ride-along, officials said. The Blue Angels, in town to headline the sold-out Pikes Peak Regional Airshow on Saturday and Sunday, selected Mollie from the list of finalists. When the Venables learned that Mollie had been chosen, they were in the process of changing duty stations. Dan, who had been working at the Air Force Academy, left for Edwards Air Force Base in California in late June. Mollie had been visiting friends in Tennessee when she got the call. I was in tears, she said. I couldnt believe it. Sign up for free: Springs AM Update Your morning rundown of the latest news from Colorado Springs and around the country overnight and the stories to follow throughout the day delivered to your inbox each evening. Sign Up View all of our newsletters. Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. View all of our newsletters. She called me as soon as she heard, Dan said. I said, Okay, then. Were heading back to Colorado Springs. In addition to her husband, several friends, family members and former District 49 colleagues were on hand for the flight. Beverly Baker, Mollies mother, had tears in her eyes as she watched her daughter take off in the fighter jet. Were so proud of her, Baker said. Shes been so excited from the minute she got the news, said Jim Baker, Mollies father. Im actually a little jealous. Mollie said she was awestruck at the view of Pikes Peak from the aircraft, and a little surprised at the lack of turbulence. That was the smoothest flight Ive ever had, she said. It was incredible. But I also feel like I just ran five miles. After the flight, she was presented with a framed Blue Angels photograph, with autographs from the team members. This has been a great experience, she said. Im really honored. Thousands of WV kids could lose child care. State mum on plans to fix it. A girl plays in the sand at King's Daughters Child Care Center in Wheeling. The center is one of many that are struggling financially in West Virginia. (Submitted photo) Child care in West Virginia is facing a funding cliff, according to lawmakers and advocates, that could push thousands of kids from child care assistance by next month. As the crisis looms, the governor and state Department of Human Services havent offered concrete information about how theyll fix the problem. State lawmakers are doubtful about whether it will be dealt with in an August special session. Pandemic-era funding had allowed child care providers that serve families receiving state assistance to be paid based on enrollment in their programs rather than daily attendance so they could stabilize their income. The federal government has now mandated that change. State lawmakers estimated that DoHS needs around $30 million by the end of August to fully fund child care due to that change. DoHS told lawmakers earlier this year that theyd need an additional $23 million for it. On Tuesday, Gov. Jim Justice didnt give a clear answer about whether DoHS would fund the shortfall or if hed ask lawmakers to allocate money for the problem in a possible August special session. Well be absolutely sure that its being addressed and being spent in the right way, he said. Well get to the bottom of it I would just stay tuned and let us handle that. DoHS did not respond to questions for this story. Senate Finance Chairman Eric Tarr, R-Putnam, said he hadnt heard from DoHS leaders regarding the need for additional funds. Theyve not brought a shortfall to me, he said. Without a financial investment, Del. Kayla Young, D-Kanawha, estimated that 2,000 children will lose eligibility for state child care assistance. This is probably the most disheartened Ive been. Jamie Remp, director of King's Daughters Child Care Center Unless we fund it by Sept. 1, theres a good chance that folks will get cut off, and we dont want that to happen, she said. Its probably people who cant afford child care on their own, and it probably puts their jobs into question. Brian Dayton, vice president of policy and advocacy for the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, echoed Youngs concerns. The concern we have is that if the funding isnt provided, then theyll reduce eligibility to cover the cost. This needs dealt with, and this needs dealt with now, he said. Nearly 26,000 kids in West Virginia already cant access child care, and centers have shut down this summer while waiting and asking for DoHS and lawmakers to address the reimbursement issue. Owlet Childcare Center in Fairmont closed this week after trying to stay afloat for three months. The center served 30 families. Tammy Cole, the centers director, said 80% of those families were using the states child care assistance program and the reimbursement method hadnt been financially sustainable. Weve done everything we can to keep our doors open, but without continued support, we simply cant sustain the rising costs. The children and families we serve deserve better, and it breaks my heart to know we can no longer be there for them, she said. Jamie Remp is director of Kings Daughters Child Care Center, a nonprofit in Wheeling. The center has a waitlist of 170 kids ages two and under, and she raised money to add on more classrooms. Yet, she loses around $12,000 a month as she pays for staff salaries, wipes, learning supplies and more. Its not a profitable business. What I need to charge my families is probably about $100 more a week to break even on the cost of care for their child, Remp said. Im still raising money, but I feel overwhelmed, she continued. This is probably the most disheartened Ive been. Justice child care tax credit faces uncertain future in Legislature Many of West Virginias child care issues were expected to be dealt with in a stack of bipartisan bills rolled out during the regular legislative session earlier this year, including one that would have mandated the enrollment-based attendance reimbursement. Due to mid-session budget drama, none of the measures went up for a vote in the House of Delegates or Senate. Now, Justices central idea on the issue a Child and Dependent Care tax credit for families already using child care doesnt address a shortage of day care spots or financially stabilizing the industry. His plan would allow 16,300 eligible families to claim up to 50% of the allowable federal tax credit. Lawmakers didnt take up Justices idea during the regular session; the governor hoped theyd approve it in an August special session. Weve got to do this. West Virginia needs young families, Justice stressed during a virtual press conference earlier this week. I dont know why we keep putting our heads in the sand about this. Were going to fight for it as hard as we possibly can, and hopefully the Legislature will see the wisdom to go along. Tarr couldnt comment on whether the Senate would approve Justices child care tax credit, saying that neither he nor his colleagues had heard from the governor about the idea. He doubted lawmakers would vote on it in August. Its hard to convince me to do tax credits any given tax credits for any purpose. You have everyone else pay for it, he said. [Child care] is not an easy one to solve. This is one that hits home on almost every legislator up here because we all have family members who have the issue or were employers who have lost employees because of this issue. I havent heard a really good solution other than the feds trying their enrollment [reimbursement] plan. House Speaker Roger Hanshaw said he strongly supports expanding child care as the father of two young daughters whose mother also works a full-time job. The details of what the governor would like to propose have not yet been shared with the Legislature, so its too early to say with confidence whether or not it would fit into a sustainable, enrollment-based child care system that meets the needs of families and employers, just as its too early to confidently say what that would look like in terms of funding, said Hanshaw, R-Clay. While Young said Justices idea was good, she noted it only helped families who are already using child care. West Virginia parents pay around $800 a month per child for care. Its great to get money back in the pockets of families, but its too late in the process where people need it, she said, adding that the governors plan wouldnt create any needed child care spots. Child care shortage affecting states workforce The West Virginia Chamber of Commerce has linked the child care shortfall to West Virginias low workforce participation rate (the second lowest in the country behind Mississippi). What were hearing from our members is that they cant get workers because of the child care situation, Dayton said. In an effort to open up more child care spots, Dayton said the Chamber will continue to advocate for legislation that would provide 100% tax credit on the cost of operation for employers who have employee child care on or offsite. Another piece of legislation could expand a 50% tax credit for businesses that develop onsite child care that was created in 2022 legislation. The new legislation will look to bump the rate up to 100%. Were open to anything that would help solve the problem best, he said. Its going to be a multi-pronged approach. Remp hoped that the states child care shortage and financial problems wouldnt continue to be pushed off. She thinks many state leaders and legislators thought of it as a babysitting service not an investment into childrens education and the states workforce. I dont know how to get the state to understand the importance of child care, she said. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST Three arrested in Freeport VICE raid uncovering drugs, weapons, and cash WALTON COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) A search warrant executed by Walton County Sheriffs Office led to the arrest of three individuals in Freeport on Tuesday morning. WCSO VICE/Narcotics unit alongside the Florida Department of Law Enforcement executed a search warrant at 532 Piney Point Road in Freeport. During the search, officers found methamphetamine, around $5,000 in cash, two handguns, ammunition, and multiple items of drug paraphernalia, WCSO said. Adam Hill, 46, who was already out on bond for burglary and theft, and Audrey Whitehead, 41, who lived at the residence were both arrested. DeFuniak Springs man arrested after violation of protection order William Leary, 47, was also arrested after authorities found a suitcase in the residence that contained fentanyl and needles. Leary is charged with possession of fentanyl and possession of drug paraphernalia. Whitehead is being charged with possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Both were given a $10,000 bond. Hill is charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of weapons and ammo by a convicted felon, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Hill was given no bond, according to officials. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com. Three Longhorn cattle on the loose in Cumberland County Three Longhorn cattle on the loose in Cumberland County ROSEBORO, N.C. (WNCN) Since earlier this week, three Texas Longhorns have been wandering rural Cumberland County after escaping a farm near Roseboro. Two cows named Vivian and Madeline and a prize-winning bull named Imperial Baron disappeared on Monday. (l-r): Missing Longhorn cattle Vivian, Imperial Baron, and Madeline. The owners, Greg and Marissa Dillion brought them home over the weekend after purchasing them in Indiana. They believe something spooked the cattle at night, causing them to jump over the fence and leave. The Dillion family has been searching along over 10,000 acres of property for their cattle. The three Longhorns were spotted by people at the Bladen County line, and most recently in a cow pasture, several miles from the farm. Anyone who sees Vivian, Madeline, or Imperial Baron is urged to call 814-244-0260. Missing Longhorn cow Vivian. Missing Longhorn cow Madeline. Missing Longhorn bull Imperial Baron. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. (WGHP) The Piedmont will see increasing temperatures and humidity. Friday will be partly cloudy with highs in the middle 80s. With increasing humidity, a few afternoon or evening thunderstorms are possible. The best chances for rain on Friday afternoon and evening will be across the mountains and foothills. In the Piedmont, our rain chance is at 25%. Rain chances will increase a little bit more on Saturday with highs in the upper 80s with feels like temperatures in the low to perhaps middle 90s. The chance of rain is 30%. A cold front will bring us our best chances for scattered afternoon and evening thunderstorms. Sunday will not be a washout with only a 40% chance of rain. Our highs will be in the middle 80s under partly cloudy skies. Behind the cold front, our humidity will drop on Monday with highs in the lower 80s. Look for partly cloudy skies with a 30% chance of a leftover shower. Less humid and cooler air will continue to move into the Piedmont Tuesday through Thursday. Under mostly sunny skies, morning lows will be in the low to middle 60s and highs in the lower 80s. In the tropics, Hurricane Ernesto will move across the open Atlantic. The hurricane will gain strength and begin to send large waves toward the east coast. So if you are going to the beach, you could see rough surf and rip currents on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Late Friday into Saturday, Hurricane Ernesto will bring high winds and heavy rain to Bermuda. By Sunday, Hurricane Ernesto will move away from Bermuda and race into the open Atlantic. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX8 WGHP. Thurston Countys Board of Commissioners has removed Commissioner Emily Clouse from advisory boards and commissions after a closed-door meeting Tuesday. Commissioners Wayne Fournier, Carolina Mejia and Gary Edwards voted to replace Clouse with alternates until an investigation can be completed. The decision followed a 35-minute executive session, so details about what exactly prompted the investigation were not publicly discussed. The agenda for the meeting indicates the commission would receive and evaluate complaints or charges brought against a public officer or employee. Fournier led the meeting in the absence of board chair Commissioner Tye Menser. County Manager Leonard Hernandez told the board that Menser did not attend based on input from our Prosecuting Attorneys Office and the recommendations about the process that was outlined in the last set of executive sessions. At the start of the meeting, Fournier asked Clouse if she objected to the executive session being held. So, we scheduled this as an executive session due to the sensitive nature of the topic, Fournier said at the start of the meeting. However, the county has been contacted by an attorney representing Commissioner Clouse, stating that there may be some desire not to hold the executive session. The agenda says a public hearing or a meeting open to the public shall be conducted at the request of the involved public officer or employee. Clouse said she did object to the meeting being held, but she said she did not want the meeting to be moved into open session. Clouse and Hernandez did not respond to a request from The Olympian for comment on the commissions decision and the nature of the complaint or charge. County spokesperson Meghan Porter told The Olympian that Hernandez directed her to respond in his stead. The Olympian is awaiting answers to several questions, including what was alleged in the complaint or charge and who is investigating the matter. Though Clouse seemed to be the subject of the hearing, it was not explicitly stated who the complaint or charge is against or when or how it arose. No timeline for the investigation was given during the meeting either. The Olympian has asked Porter to describe what comes next for the commission and Clouse. Clouses official county biography indicates she has been representing the county on the following boards and committees. Animal Services Disability Board Emergency Food & Shelter Program Law and Justice Council ORCAA Regional Housing Council Thurston Climate Mitigation Collaborative Executive Committee Thurston-Mason Behavioral Health Administrative Services Organization She is the vice chair of the Regional Housing Council and is a member of the Board of Health, according to her biography. Clouse, a veteran with a human services background, won the District 5 seat in the November 2023 election as a Democrat. She was sworn in that same month. She founded the non-profit CARE Olympia in 2021 to help justice-involved youth reintegrate into society. The Washington Secretary of State Office lists Clouse as president of the non-profit. However, the website for the non-profit has been made private, rendering it inaccessible. Clouse also has worked for the Department of Social and Health Services Office of Forensic Mental Health Services. She has a bachelors degree in psychology with a minor in Global Engagement from the University of Washington Tacoma. Tijuana mayor still at odds with her political party that wants to oust her SAN DIEGO (Border Report) The internal review to oust Tijuana Mayor Montserrat Caballero from the Morena Party is complete according to her, but party leaders in the state of Baja California say the process is far from over. Caballero has been at odds with Morena, Mexicos ruling party led by President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, ever since it turned down her bid for reelection. Morena chose to go with another candidate who ended up winning the election held in July. Caballero insists she has always remained loyal to the party in spite of its decision not to support her. But Morena leaders in Baja say she acted behind the scenes to help a candidate from another party. Drive to oust Tijuana mayor from Morena Party gains steam Last month, the Morena party launched an inquiry to see if there was enough evidence of insubordination. I was brought in to see evidence against me, but nothing compelling was presented, Caballero said. This process is over, I was never part of any formal investigation against me, its over. She also criticized party leaders during a meeting with reporters earlier this week saying Morena has never had any concrete evidence against her. But Catalino Zavala Marquez, president of the Morena Party in Baja, stated the investigation is ongoing. The process is being driven by Morenas National Commission, Zavala Marquez said. In time, it will make formal announcements about how the investigation is proceeding, Visit the BorderReport.com homepage for the latest exclusive stories and breaking news about issues along the U.S.-Mexico border He said it should be another two to three months before a decision is rendered. She is under investigation over actions considered to be in violation of party rights held by others and for failing to support and respect fellow party members. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. The Washington Post/Getty Images/Amanda K Bailey With his addition to Vice President Kamala Harriss presidential ticket on August 6, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz stepped into the political spotlightand since then, perhaps nothing has been more clearly illuminated than his bright record on reproductive rights. In one of his first campaign events, Walz clarified that freedom, to him, includes the freedom to make your own health care decisions, sharing the personal experience that he and his wife Gwen had with fertility treatments. Within hours of his nomination, far-right activists used Walzs support of a law stipulating free menstrual products in public schools (!) as fodder for (what they viewed as) an insult: a meme of his face on a tampon box plastered with the phrase Tampon Tim. And plenty of headlines reminded us, too, that hed joined Harris in her recent visit to a Minnesota Planned Parenthoodthe first time a vice president has publicly visited an abortion provider. It wasnt long before reproductive rights orgs like the National Organization for Women, Reproductive Freedom for All, and Planned Parenthood released statements celebrating his selection, calling Walz a longtime champion of sexual and reproductive health and naming the duo the most pro-reproductive freedom presidential ticket in US history. Theres arguably no stronger signal that Harris could send to the public about the importance of reproductive rights in her campaign than the choice of Walz as her running mate. Read on to learn what hes said about abortion, IVF, and more, and how hes backed up his words with action. On abortion Walz was the first governor in the country to sign abortion rights into state law after the fall of Roe, ensuring that Minnesotans would retain autonomy over their own health care decisions no matter who sits on future courts. But he didnt stop there: Next, he signed a shield bill, protecting people who travel from out-of-state to have abortions in Minnesota, as well as their providers, from any legal attacks or criminal penalties from elsewherea big deal given that Minnesota is surrounded by states with abortion bans or highly restrictive policies, like Iowa, Wisconsin, and the Dakotas. Walz also took steps to undo legislation aimed at limiting reproductive freedom, signing a bill that removes a bunch of abortion red tape, like a mandated 24-hour waiting period between counseling and the procedure, and a provision that an abortion has to be performed by a physician (all of which was also previously deemed unconstitutional by a Minnesota district court judge). Plus, Walz has made moves to pull state funding from so-called crisis pregnancy centers, which are widely known to provide misleading information in an attempt to sway people away from abortion. Speaking candidly on abortion with CNNs Kaitlan Collins in March, Walz said, I think old white men need to learn how to talk about this a little more. And I think the biggest thing is: Listen to women. Listen to what theyre saying. At one of Walzs first campaign events, he practiced what hed preached, responding to an audience member chanting, My body, my choice! without missing a beat: Damn right, it is. On fertility and IVF Walz has spoken on multiple occasions about his support of IVF as a topic thats relevant not only to people trying to get pregnant, but also to anyone who has one of these folks in their lifeand Walz, of all people, should know, because he and his wife struggled with infertility for seven years. During several of his first campaign events, Walz expressed the unique agony of striving and failing to conceive. To attendees in Glendale, Arizona, he said: When we wanted to have children, we went through years of fertility treatment. And I remember it like it was yesterday, just waiting for good news. Then the phone would ring, and you would be tensed up. And then you would hear that the treatments had failed. It would blot out the sun that you just wanted something so beautiful and so simple to have a child. As Gwen recently shared with Glamour, the couple used a treatment called intrauterine insemination (IUI), which involves placing sperm directly into the uterus (and is often a first-line approach before IVF). When it was finally successful for them, and the Walzes daughter was born, we didnt hesitate at all. We named her Hope, Tim told crowds in Detroit. As his campaign bio states, Walzs personal experience with fertility treatment cements his commitment to ensuring all Americans have access to this care. When an Alabama Supreme Court ruling threatened access to IVF in Februaryit said that embryos (whether in utero or in vitro, a.k.a. outside the body) are children and therefore protected under the states Wrongful Death of a Minor Act, meaning anyone who discards them could face potential legal consequencesWalz took to Facebook to express his disapproval: Dont let these guys get away with this by telling you they support IVF when their handpicked judges oppose it. Actions speak louder than words, and their actions are clear. Theyre bringing anti-science government into your exam room, bedroom, and classroom. Alabama lawmakers moved quickly to grant legal immunity to IVF providers in the state, allowing them to offer the treatment without fear of liabilitybut not all are convinced that IVF is 100% legally safe, given that the ruling deemed embryos as people. While some Senate Republicans have claimed IVF is not in jeopardy anywhere in the country, they also blocked the passage of the Right to IVF Act, which wouldve legally protected access to this fertility treatment nationwide. In the wake of this mess, Walz told the Star Tribune that extra clarity is needed in the language of the primary Minnesota abortion-rights law he signed to be sure it also safeguards IVF. His reason is refreshingly simple: Everyone should be able to decide how to plan for and build their own family. Even if we wouldnt make the same choice for ourselves, theres a golden rule: Mind your own damn business, Walz said to crowds in Philadelphia. On menstruation Remember the A-for-effort attempt by Republicans to deride Walz as Tampon Tim? It sprang from his signing of a bill to ensure menstrual products would be freely available in Minnesota public schools. The misdirected jab was intended to flame Walz for allegedly requiring tampons and pads to be stocked in boys restrooms, specifically; but what the law actually stipulates is that the products be available to all menstruating students in restrooms regularly used by students in grades 4 to 12 (without a gender specification). Which, honestly, is great, because people of all gender identities can have a period. Far from insult-worthy, the law is a commendable step in fighting period poverty, in particular. With free menstrual products provided at school, kids can go about their days focused on their studiesnot worrying about whether theyll bleed through their underwear. Not to mention, its far from the first law of its kind; 28 states and the District of Columbia either require free menstrual products be provided in schools, offer funding for that, or both. By surfacing the Tampon Tim moniker, Republicans actually brought more attention to the progressive law, as Hillary Clinton wrote on X: How nice of the Trump camp to help publicize Gov. Tim Walzs compassionate and common-sense policy of providing free menstrual products to students in Minnesota public schools! Lets do this everywhere. On family leave and child care If you were to just follow the money during Walzs tenure as governor, one thing would be super clear: Hes committed to investing heavily in future generations and the people raising them. (We love to see it!) Perhaps his biggest accomplishment in that realm is signing into law the Midwests first statewide paid leave program, which goes into effect in January 2026; nearly all workers will be eligible to receive up to 12 weeks of paid leave for medical reasons or family care, or a maximum of 20 weeks, if you take off for both. (Just 12 other states and DC have a similar offering.) A few other major wins: Allocating $311 million (over the next several years) to Early Learning Scholarships for lower-income students up to age 4, and $316 million to increase the wages of childcare providers; ensuring Minnesota public schools offer free breakfast and lunch to all students, regardless of income; and expanding the states child tax credit to $1,750 a year per child, making it the highest in the country. Clearly Walz has taken big strides toward his goal to make Minnesota the best state in the country for kids to grow up. And we have all the reason to think hes bringing the same vision to the Harris campaign. When he was recently asked by Ezra Klein what should be passed first by a new Democratic administration, he replied with paid family and medical leave. Were the last nation on earth basically to not [have a federal paid leave program], he said. It is so foundational to just basic decency and financial well-being. And I think that would start to change both finances [and] attitudestrengthen the family. Your health is always on the ballotand your vote is more powerful than you realize! Read all of SELFs coverage of the 2024 election and make sure you're registered to vote. Related: Get more of SELFs great service journalism delivered right to your inbox. This article was updated on August 22 to reflect that the Walzes used IUInot IVFto have their first child, Hope. Originally Appeared on SELF A traffic accident blocked all lanes near the intersection of North Gate Boulevard and Voyager Parkway Thursday morning, according to a social media announcement from the Colorado Springs Police Department. Officials announced the crash just after 8 a.m. Police asked motorists to seek alternate routes. Officials announced the crash cleared at 9:46 a.m. Vice presidential candidates Tim Walz and JD Vance have agreed to debate each other at least once this fall, with both men accepting a Tuesday, Oct. 1 invitation from CBS News. Minnesota Governor Walz who was announced as Kamala Harris running mate in the 2024 presidential election earlier this month was first to agree to the CBS-hosted debate. On Wednesday, shortly after CBS News announced that four potential debate dates had been offered to the vice presidential candidates, Walz wrote in an X post, See you on October 1, JD. More from TVLine Vance, a Republican senator from Ohio who joined Donald Trumps campaign in July, then agreed to the Oct. 1 event via X on Thursday, writing, The American people deserve as many debates as possible, which is why President Trump has challenged Kamala to three of them already. Not only do I accept the CBS debate on October 1st, I accept the CNN debate on September 18th as well. I look forward to seeing you at both! A CNN spokesperson confirmed to TVLine that both Vance and Walz have been invited to a debate hosted by the network this fall, and Vance has thus far accepted. We are always in communication with the campaigns around opportunities for the American public to hear from leading candidates for President and Vice President of the United States, and we look forward to this programming in the fall, CNNs statement reads. CBS News October debate will take place in New York City, but a time has yet to be announced. CBS Evening News anchor Norah ODonnell and Face the Nation moderator Margaret Brennan will serve as moderators. Trump and Harris, meanwhile, will face off in their first debate on Tuesday, Sept. 10, at 9/8c. ABC News David Muir and Linsey Davis will moderate; a location has not been confirmed. Election Day this year is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Best of TVLine Get more from TVLine.com : Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , Newsletter The VP candidates are scheduled to face off on CBS News on Oct. 1. CNN has also invited the candidates to debate on Sept. 18, though their invite has not yet been accepted by Walz Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty; Chip Somodevilla/Getty Vice presidential candidates Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. J.D. Vance Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance have agreed to participate in a vice presidential debate on Tuesday, Oct. 1, which will be moderated by CBS News' Margaret Brennan and Norah O'Donnell. CNN's proposed vice presidential debate on Wednesday, Sept. 18, remains in limbo until both campaigns accept the invitation. Related: Donald Trump Agrees to ABC News Debate with Kamala Harris in September After Previously Saying He Wouldn't CBS News revealed on Wednesday, Aug. 14, that they had invited the VP candidates to join them for a debate on one of four dates this fall. Within minutes, Walz responded to the invitation, selecting Oct. 1 as his preferred date. "See you on October 1, JD," the Democratic VP candidate wrote on X. On Thursday morning, Vance accepted Walz's challenge and upped the ante, writing on X: "Not only do I accept the CBS debate on October 1st, I accept the CNN debate on September 18th as well. I look forward to seeing you at both!" The American people deserve as many debates as possible, which is why President Trump has challenged Kamala to three of them already. Not only do I accept the CBS debate on October 1st, I accept the CNN debate on September 18th as well. I look forward to seeing you at both! https://t.co/63FyI99dKU JD Vance (@JDVance) August 15, 2024 CNN confirms to PEOPLE that the vice presidential candidates were invited to debate on Sept. 18, and that Walz had not immediately accepted the invitation. "We are always in communication with the campaigns around opportunities for the American public to hear from leading candidates for President and Vice President of the United States, and we look forward to this programming in the fall," a network spokesperson said. Related: Tim Walz Joins Kamala Harris on Stage Hours After Hes Named Her 2024 Running Mate On the day that Harris announced Walz as her running mate, the governor attacked Vance's qualifications before a crowd of supporters, saying, "I cant wait to debate the guy." Andrew Harnik/Getty Democratic running mates Tim Walz and Kamala Harris visit a campaign office in Glendale, Ariz., on Aug. 9, 2024 Debates have become a contentious topic in the 2024 presidential election, after Donald Trump briefly backed out of ABC News' agreed-upon Sept. 10 presidential debate, citing that he only wanted to do it against President Joe Biden, not Vice President Kamala Harris. (He eventually conceded that he would attend the ABC News event.) Trump is currently pushing for Harris to agree to two additional debates, the first of which would be on Fox News on Sept. 4. The other would be on NBC News on Sept. 25. Related: Donald Trump Agrees to Fox News Debate in September as Kamala Harris Sticks to ABC Debate Plan Even If He Doesnt Attend The last debate Trump did during this election cycle led to Biden exiting the presidential race. Harris and Walz will need to use their airtime to prove to voters that they're in a stronger position to lead the Democratic Party. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Time to take this space back: NYC residents call out NYPD for sidewalk parking TRIBECA, Manhattan (PIX11) Residents in one Manhattan neighborhood say they want police cars off their sidewalks. Tribeca residents took to Reddit on Tuesday to air their frustrations over NYPD cars parked on the West Broadway sidewalk. Other New Yorkers also chimed in, saying the parked squad cars in their neighborhoods block trucks from turning and pedestrians from crossing. Adams administration will address NYPD illegally parking police cruisers: official The NYPD has taken over the West Broadway sidewalk. Its time to take this space back, read a post from the account NYC Bike Lanes on the social media site X. The post mainly refers to the portion of West Broadway that runs from Canal Street to Sixth Avenue. PIX11 News walked the stretch from Canal Street to Worth Street on Thursday morning and found some squad cars parked on the sidewalk on Ericsson Place. New Yorkers could call out NYPD for illegal parking, new bill proposed A representative from Councilmember Christopher Martes office told PIX11 News that they receive regular complaints about police parking in the district because of its proximity to 1 Police Plaza, the NYPDs headquarters. the difficulty is the enforcing agency is the agency thats violating the law so weve been advocating for legislation to return parking tickets to DOT so that we can have better enforcement, the representative said in a statement. More Local News The Department of Transportation only issues permits to block the sidewalk for construction. A spokesperson said the situation was brought to the NYPDs attention. In April, the Department of Justice sent a warning to the NYPD. Parking around precincts and NYPD facilities is a persistent challenge due to our thriving, complex city and the limited space we all must share, said a spokesperson for the NYPD. But the NYPD strives each day to achieve a balance as we continue to work toward solutions. Meanwhile, residents in Tribeca and other neighborhoods say they plan to report sidewalk parking to 311 until the city resolves the issue. Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. The pygmy rabbit, found in northern and western Utah and parts of Wyoming, Idaho, Nevada, Montana, Colorado, California and Oregon, is pictured. (Photo courtesy of Miranda Crowell) Environmental groups say a lawsuit is imminent unless the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service takes steps to protect the pygmy rabbit, a small species found in Utah and other Western states. On Wednesday, attorneys for the Center for Biological Diversity, Western Watersheds Project and WildEarth Guardians filed a 60-day notice of their intent to sue, accusing the Fish and Wildlife Service of violating the Endangered Species Act. The service declined to comment on pending litigation. The pygmy rabbit, which depends on sagebrush for its habitat, is found in northern and western Utah and parts of Wyoming, Idaho, Nevada, Montana, Colorado, California and Oregon. Its the smallest rabbit in North America, with its burrows usually just three inches in diameter, according to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX On March 6, 2023, the environmental groups filed a petition arguing the pygmy rabbits health and habitat is threatened by livestock grazing, oil and gas production, invasive plants and wildfires, exacerbated by a new virus lethal to rabbits first found in Nevada in 2022. In whats called a positive 90-day finding, the Fish and Wildlife Service released a report in January 2024, writing that the groups petition presented substantial information indicating that listing the pygmy rabbit may be warranted. According to court filings, if the government issues a positive 90-day finding, it must then release a more detailed 12-month finding a year from when the initial petition was submitted. March 6, 2024, came and went without that 12-month filing, the environmental groups allege in their notice. Under the law, the Service has 12 months to respond to petitions from the public with a determination about whether a species is eligible for Endangered Species Act protection, said Michael Freeman, an attorney for Earthjustice, the law firm representing the environmental groups, in a statement. The agency has blown that deadline by many months and is failing pygmy rabbits by not stepping up to protect them. If the Fish and Wildlife Service doesnt promptly issue the overdue 12-month finding, the groups say they will follow up with a lawsuit. Protection delayed is protection denied, said Greta Anderson, deputy director of Western Watersheds Project. The effort to list pygmy rabbits under the Endangered Species Act spans decades, with the first proposal filed in 1991. Another petition was submitted in 2003, which the Fish and Wildlife Service denied in 2010. The agency has been aware of the pygmy rabbits imperiled status since 1991, but it has never been protected under the Endangered Species Act. Were not willing to let this species go extinct on our watch, and we hope todays notice will spark action on behalf of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anderson said. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST This photo, provided by the Wildlife Conservation Society's Queens Zoo, shows a southern pudu fawn, one of the smallest deer species in the world, born at the zoo at about 2 pounds, June 21, 2024, in the Queens borough of New York. (Terria Clay/Wildlife Conservation Society's Queens Zoo via AP) NEW YORK (AP) A tiny South American deer that will weigh only as much as a watermelon when fully grown is making its debut at the Queens Zoo in New York City. The southern pudu fawn weighed just 2 pounds (just under 1 kilo) when it was born June 21, the Wildlife Conservation Society, which runs New York City's zoos, said in a news release Thursday. It is expected to weigh 15 to 20 pounds (7 to 9 kilograms) in adulthood. The southern pudu, one of the world's smallest deer species, is listed as near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It is native to Chile and Argentina, where its population is decreasing because of factors including development and invasive species. The Queens Zoo breeds southern pudus in collaboration with other zoos in an effort to maintain genetically diverse populations, the conservation society said. Eight pudu fawns have been born there since 2005. The newborn fawn will share a Queens Zoo habitat with its parents. There are two more pudus at the conservation society's Prospect Park Zoo in Brooklyn. These tiny worms live in eyes, feed on tears and could transmit to humans Scientists have found over a dozen parasitic worms in the eyes of a black bear, renewing fears that humans could face an emerging danger from the tiny worms that can cause blindness. The black bear was killed in rural Pennsylvania in November of last year. The researchers extracted DNA from the tiny, less-than-2-centimeter worms, connecting them with Thelaziosis, an "emerging zoonotic disease," they wrote in the paper. Caroline Sobotyk, the principal author of the study and an assistant professor of clinical parasitology at the University of Pennsylvania, said the discovery marked the first time the parasite was found in a wild animal in the U.S. The worms have previously been found in pets in the U.S. Researchers say finding the worms in a wild bear furthers concerns that the eyeworm could expand across the U.S. "This does increase the risk for us humans to get this parasite as well, and for our pets and other animals," she said. The worms pose a risk of "transmission to humans and domestic animals," according to a new research paper published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Emerging Infectious Diseases journal on Wednesday. "It wouldn't come directly from any of our wildlife species into people. But wildlife could act as what we call a reservoir" of indirect infection, said Kevin Niedringhaus, an assistant professor of wildlife pathology at the University of Pennsylvania who co-authored the study. Scientists found a dangerous eyeworm that causes blindness in a black bear killed in Pennsylvania last year. The worms are transmitted by infected flies, which pass them to animals and potentially humans by landing near their eyes and feeding on their tears, according to the CDC. In serious cases, they can trigger ulcers on the surface of the eye and even blindness. "Offspring of the worm is probably being collected by the fly, and then that's being carried over to another host, whether it's another animal or a human," Niedringhaus said. Flies carrying the parasite then lay eggs on the face of the host, transmitting the worm to its eye. More: 5 people with Legionnaires' disease exposed through cooling tower in Lincoln, NH Worms identified in American pets in 2018 The broad range of land inhabited by black bears in the U.S. and their frequent interactions with humans and pets has scientists worried that the worm could spread. The worm also poses a threat to infect endangered and threatened species, according to the researchers. "We do not know the impact that these worms can cause in wildlife," Sobotyk said. The first case was identified in the U.S. when the worms were found in a Labrador retriever in 2018, with more cases identified in American pets in the years since, mostly in the Northeast. A research paper published in February found cases of the worm in two cats and 11 dogs that had not traveled outside American borders, leading researchers to believe "this parasite is emerging in North America." "Not only are dogs and cats probably playing a role in the maintenance of this new parasite here," Niedringhaus said. "Wildlife were probably playing a role as well." The worms were first widely identified in southeast Asia, before cases started to pop up in Europe, beginning in the early 90s, according to an article from the academic journal Trends in Parasitology. Niedringhaus said human cases have been reported in Asia. Since then, cases have been reported in almost all European countries. Red foxes "seem to play a large role" in their transmission, according to the paper. Sobotyk said people shouldn't be worried about severe or fatal health consequences of the worms. They are restricted to the eyes, meaning they won't migrate to other parts of the body like organs. "No one's going to die because of eyeworms," she said. "Worst case scenario, they can cause blindness," she added. Still, someone infected would likely visit a doctor before it escalated to that level, she said. Brazilian psychiatrist Frederico Garcia, associate professor in the Department of Mental Health of the Faculty of Medicine and researcher responsible in the development of Calixcoca, a vaccine for cocaine and crack addiction, looks at micro-organisms under a microscope, at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), in Belo Horizonte, state of Minas Gerais, on June 7, 2023. Niedringhaus said pet owners can stay on the alert for the emerging parasite by taking their pets for regular check-ups and keeping an eye open for any signs of disease around their eyes, like excessive wateriness. "The best thing to do is to keep an eye probably on your pets first and foremost, because they're probably going to act, more than likely, as the means of potential transmission," he said. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Eyeworm found in black bear may transmit to humans, scientists warn Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Dick Durbin (D-Ill) is urging Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to reconsider a decision to revoke the plea deals reached with accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two of his accomplices. In a letter to Austin, Durbin said the best path to achieving justice would have been a fair trial in the 9/11 case. Families of the deadly terrorist attacks, he wrote, have been waiting for more than two decades for justice, and the trial has not even started. Durbins letter comes as a judge at the Office of the Military Commissions that is overseeing the case against Mohammed, also known as KSM, and his accomplices, is reviewing the authority of Austin to revoke the plea deals earlier this month. After years of endless pretrial proceedings, it has become painfully clear that these cases are on a road to nowhere, Durbin wrote. One brave woman who lost her brother on 9/11 testified at a hearing I chaired in the Senate Judiciary Committee about the pain of watching many other 9/11 family members pass away without justice or closure as the military commissions continued to flounder for years on end. Children who lost a parent in the attacks have grown into adults, all without the finality of a guilty verdict, he continued, adding he was troubled by your decision to revoke the guilty pleas that, in the reasoned judgment of the prosecutors of the case, were the best path forward to finality and justice. Durbin urged Austin to consult military commission prosecutors involved in the case and 9/11 families. The Convening Authority of the military commissions had approved the plea deal on July 31 for Mohammed and his two alleged accomplices, who have been held since 2006 at the Guantanamo Bay facility in Cuba and charged twice in the case. Two others at Guantanamo Bay are accused of plotting the 9/11 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people, but they did not reach an agreement with military commission prosecutors. The plea deal had spurred a mixed reaction, with some families of the attacks supporting it and others opposing it. Republicans hammered the Biden administration for negotiating with terrorists. Two days after the deal was reached, Austin, who was returning from vacation at the time it was announced, revoked it, saying he had the ultimate authority over the case. The Pentagon has said Austin wants to see a trial. The U.S. has only ever convicted one person related to plotting the 9/11 attacks, a hijacker who was caught before the planes crashed into the Twin Towers in New York, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field. More broadly, the military commission has struggled to reach convictions in cases because of allegations of torture used to extract evidence, including those against Mohammed and his alleged accomplices. A military judge overseeing the Mohammed case ruled in a special order this week that he was considering what authorities Austin had in the case to revoke the plea deals. He is asking for legal briefs by Aug. 20. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Supporters of Austin Tice gathered at the National Press Club on Wednesday to mark the twelfth anniversary of his abduction in Syria, a sober event that served as a call to action for the Biden administration to renew its efforts to secure his return. Family members, friends and press executives attended the gathering, which included a concert by Scotty Hasting celebrating Tices valor as a journalist and former U.S. soldier, and remarks from Tices commanding officer during his time in the Marines. But all those who spoke shared a similar message: Patience has worn thin with promises from government leaders of a grand diplomatic effort that have led to no tangible results. Tice disappeared in Syria in August 2012 while covering the countrys civil war as a freelance journalist for McClatchy, The Washington Post and other publications. U.S. officials believe he was detained at a Syrian government checkpoint southwest of Damascus on Aug. 14 of that year. A video emerged six weeks after his disappearance purporting to show him in captivity. READ MORE: Secret contacts revive the search for Austin Tice, missing for 10 years in Syria Debra Tice, Austins mother, told the event that diplomatic conditions are near-perfect to revive talks over Austins case with Syria and accused the administration of unwillingness to offer diplomatic concessions to the Assad government. I truly believe that Austins freedom is closer now than ever before, Debra Tice said. This is the time we need to press in, because the government is well-poised to act, and they are deservedly encouraged by their recent success. They must make deals. Every kind of hostage situation requires engagement, negotiation, and concession. These are essential. Missed windows are a huge reason Austin is still missing after 12 long years. We are in a window now, she said. Our government must act now. In a sharply-worded video message, Tony Hunter, CEO of McClatchy, rebuked the Biden administration for not doing enough to ensure Tices release, noting the White House has found success in its other efforts to secure freedom for Americans wrongfully detained abroad when it has prioritized those missions. Bidens team has secured the release of several other Americans detained abroad by hostile states, including from Iran, Venezuela and Russia, which imprisoned another American journalist, Evan Gershkovich, on political charges until his release earlier this month. But the Syrian government has consistently refused to discuss the specifics of Tices case, frustrating three consecutive presidents. The Biden administration has stated that the recovery and return of Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained is a top priority. Yet, despite these words, the actions required to bring Austin home remain insufficient. It is clear that when the administration places emphasis on returning one of our citizens, they find a way, even if it requires negotiating with a dictator, Hunter said. I call on the U.S. government to confirm the meeting with Syria in Oman, to engage with Syrian authorities, use every available resource, and exhaust every diplomatic channel, he said. And if all else fails, go get him. Stay there in face-to-face meetings until Austin is released. Do not leave until the job is done. It is time to pull out all the stops, Hunter continued. Bring him home, President Biden. Matt Murray, executive editor of the Washington Post, emphasized the importance of the press to keep its focus on Tices case, telling members of the Biden administration: Our patience is wearing thin. His is a gut-wrenching and, frankly, infuriating case, and his ordeal has lasted so long that we must collectively and regularly reaffirm our determination to keep his cause in front of our eyes, as well as the eyes of government officials and others whose help we need to win his release. Robert OBrien, who served as U.S. special envoy for hostage affairs and national security adviser under former President Donald Trump, said in a video statement that he had confidence his successors in the Biden administration are doing everything they can to bring Tice home. The Trump administrations failure to do so, OBrien said, still weighs on me. Its a heartbreak of mine. Little is known by the U.S. government about Tices fate or whereabouts. Even getting the Syrians to acknowledge his existence has been a years-long challenge. At the Press Club event, Debra Tice said, we are completely confident that Austin is alive, pointing to a statement Biden issued in 2022 that the U.S. government knows with certainty that Tice has been held in Syria. In a statement on Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Tice has been held in unknown conditions and issued a plea to Syria to open an honest dialogue on his case. For more than a quarter of his life, Austin has been separated from his family and kept in unknown conditions, Blinken said. We know the Syrian government has held Austin, and we have repeatedly offered to find a way to bring him home. This has gone on for far too long, Blinken added. We call on the Syrian government to work with the United States to end Austins captivity. TOPEKA (KSNT) After a night of disruptive storms, General Director of Instructional Services Dr. Aarion Gray alerted families of a delayed start for USD 501. At 6:33 a.m., Gray sent a letter to Topeka Public Schools staff and families. Gray said Chase, State Street Meadows and Quincy will be on a 2-hour delayed schedule. Those making early morning commutes could see downed street lights and debris littering the roads. Over 7,000 without power in the Topeka area For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. SOMERSET COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) A tractor-trailer rolled over in Somerset County near the Maryland border, leaving the driver trapped and cabbage left to clean up. The crash happened on Route 160 (Cumberland Highway) in Southampton Township just after 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 14. According to state police, the driver, a 20-year-old male from Detroit, was traveling south when he left the roadway and drove into an embankment followed by hitting a utility pole and several trees. The tractor-trailer then rolled over, leaving the man trapped. Photo: Wellersburg Pennsylvania on Facebook Photo: Wellersburg Pennsylvania on Facebook Photo: Wellersburg Pennsylvania on Facebook Photo: Wellersburg Pennsylvania on Facebook Photo: Wellersburg Pennsylvania on Facebook Photo: Wellersburg Pennsylvania on Facebook Photo: Wellersburg Pennsylvania on Facebook Photo: Wellersburg Pennsylvania on Facebook Photo: Wellersburg Pennsylvania on Facebook Photo: Wellersburg Pennsylvania on Facebook Wellersburg Fire Department, Meyersdale Fire Department and numerous Maryland units all responded to the scene and were able to free the driver. He was taken to UPMC Cumberland with suspected serious injuries. One member of the Wellersburg Fire Department told WTAJ the trailer was full of cabbage. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTAJ - www.wtaj.com. A trainee doctor is raped and killed in India, sparking protests and an attack at a medical college Students join other protesters in a midnight rally protesting against the murder of a 31 year old post-graduate trainee demanding proper investigation in Kolkata, India, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Bikas Das) KOLKATA, India (AP) A trainee doctor was raped and killed, sparking protests in several cities and an attack on a medical college campus as doctors and paramedics in several cities across India demand better and safer working conditions. Scores of people went on a rampage at a medical college campus in eastern India, attacking vehicles and ransacking patient wards Wednesday night, police said Thursday. Police did not identify who was behind the rampage, but media reports said several police officers were injured and police fired tear gas in the clash at the R.G. Kar Medical College in Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal state. The unrest began when police said a 31-year-old trainee doctor was found raped and killed Aug. 9. A police volunteer was arrested in connection with the crime, and police handed the case to federal investigators following a court order. Government hospitals in several cities across India have since suspended medical services except for emergency departments as protesters demanded justice, claiming that it was a case of a gang rape and more were involved. Police in India recorded 31,516 reports of rape in 2022, a 20% increase from 2021, according to the National Crime Records Bureau. Many cases of crimes against women go unreported in India due to stigma surrounding sexual violence, as well as a lack of faith in the police. Womens rights activists say the problem is particularly acute in rural areas, where the community sometimes shames victims of sexual assault and families worry about their social standing. On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned atrocities against women in the country. "There is outrage against this in the country. I can feel this outrage, Modi said in an address to the nation on its 78th Independence Day. State Governor C.V. Ananda Bose visited the medical college Thursday to review the situation. Rahul Gandhi, leader of the opposition Congress party, said in a statement that he saw an attempt by some state government officials to protect the suspects rather than punish them. Rape and sexual violence have been under the spotlight since the brutal 2012 gang rape and killing of a 23-year-old student on a New Delhi bus. The attack galvanized massive protests and inspired lawmakers to order harsher penalties for such crimes, and the creation of fast-track courts dedicated to rape cases. The rape law was amended in 2013, criminalizing stalking and voyeurism and lowering the age at which a person can be tried as an adult from 18 to 16. Despite stringent laws, rights activists say the government is still not doing enough to protect women and punish attackers. AUSTIN (KXAN) The Travis County Sheriffs Office is teaming up with Hyundai to host an anti-theft software event Saturday in Pflugerville. During the briefing Thursday, TCSO and Hyundai Motor America shared details on a series of Hyundai vehicle thefts. Hyundai vehicles have been hit by vehicle thieves throughout Travis County and across the nation. PREVIOUS: Hyundai installs anti-theft software in Austin TCSO Captain Scott Crow said, since Jan. 1, 2024, 50 Hyundai vehicles have been stolen in Travis County. We do have transient criminals in this area, they travel up and down the I-35 corridor plus they also travel on (U.S. Highway) 290 and Highway 71. They will start stealing vehicles between Travis (County) and Austin and then spread out to try and hit as many neighborhoods as they can, Captain Crow said. The result of these targeted thefts, according to Hyundai representative Dave VandeLinde, is a social media challenge. Hyundai vehicles, between the years of 2011 and 2021 specifically with a key turn start-up, have been turned on by thieves with a USB plug. In order to prevent this, the Hyundai team launched an anti-theft software in February 2023. The companys solution is extremely effective and if you own these vehicles call your dealer today to receive the software, VandeLinde said. Hyundai and Travis County are teaming up to host an event Saturday, Aug.17 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for all Hyundai vehicle owners. The event will take place at the Pflugerville Travis County Community Center, where they will provide anti-theft software and steering wheel locks completely for free. No appointment is necessary and no form of identification is required, all they need is a vehicle serial number to complete the process. This is the 32nd clinic Hyundai has held across the nation and the third in the Austin area to help Hyundai vehicle owners keep their cars safe and prevent any theft. If you are not able to make the Saturday anti-theft clinic, Hyundai encourages you to visit your Hyundai dealer at any time for the same services or visit their website to check if your vehicle needs the software upgrade. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) The trial of a former politician accused of stabbing a long-time Las Vegas investigative reporter to death in 2022 is set to continue, bringing with it more witnesses and cross-examination as the trial moves into day four. We all know killing a journalist does not kill a story, Defense Attorney Robert Draskovich said Wednesday during his opening argument in the trial of Robert Telles for the stabbing death of journalist Jeff German. The tone of day three was said to be somewhat subdued but dramatic by those in the courtroom. The defenses apparent strategy: proving that Telles was framed for the murder of German, and showing that there were so many officers at the crime scene for such an extended period that there was ample opportunity to plant evidence. Stephanie Smissen, a senior crime scene analyst for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, was asked about crime scene details by the defense but was unable to say for sure who else was there or exactly what was going on. Day three ended with Cliff Mogg, a retired Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department detective, being questioned regarding video evidence of a red Yukon SUVs path to and from the crime scene. Thursday is expected to begin with the defenses cross-examination of Mogg. Retired Detective Cross-Examined Just before 11:15 a.m. on Thursday, Mogg took the stand and was questioned by Draskovich regarding his investigation of vehicles potentially involved in the killing of German. The defense attorney asked the retired detective several questions about what he did not know about the previous locations of the SUV. Draskovich then questioned Mogg on the accuracy of the timestamps of the video in question, as well as the volume of cameras on the street of Telles home. Mogg told the defense that houses dont all necessarily have cameras, and just because they do have cameras does not mean the cameras caught something with evidentiary relevance. Murder suspect Robert Telles listening to witness testimony on Aug. 15, 2023. (KLAS) Defense attorney Robert Draskovich cross-examines witness Cliff Mogg, a retired Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department detective, working as a private consultant for Metro during the investigation. (KLAS) Draskovich asked Mogg if he was aware that there were 67 red Yukon Denali SUVs in the Las Vegas area, seeming to insinuate that the details to which he previously testified are not noteworthy and could be any Denali. Youre saying that thats the one that belongs to the Telles residence, but thats it, thats youre drawing this conclusion based on this image, Draskovich asked Mogg. Oh no, I was present for the execution of a search warrant at Mr. Telles residence, where several items of evidence were recovered that absolutely confirmed my belief that Mr. Telles vehicle was the one used in the commission of Jeffery Germans murder, Mogg responded. Just after 11:40 a.m., it was announced that the next witness would be arriving at 1 p.m. Therefore, the court went to recess for lunch until that witness arrived. Who is Robert Telles? In this March 24, 2014, file photo, Immigration Reform for Nevada supporter Robert Telles is seen during an event outside the office of U.S. Rep. Joe Heck, R-Nev., in protest of Congress not taking action on comprehensive immigration reform. Police say they are serving search warrants in connection with the fatal stabbing of a Las Vegas newspaper reporter last week. In a statement Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022, Metro Police didnt specify where they were searching in connection with the death of reporter Jeff German. But the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported uniformed officers and police vehicles were seen outside the home of Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP) Robert Telles is a lawyer and former public official with Clark County. According to the county, Telles has lived in the area for at least 20 years. He was the focus of several investigative stories by Review-Journal investigative reporter Jeff German. Telles graduated from UNLVs Boyd School of Law in 2014. One year later he founded Accolade Law, which was located on West Charleston Boulevard between Rancho Drive and Valley View Boulevard and focused on estate planning and probate. In 2018, Telles first ran for Clark County public administrator as a Democrat. He claimed victory over Republican candidate Thomas Fougere and took office in January 2019 to serve a four-year term, which ended on Jan. 2, 2023. Telles ran for re-election, losing to fellow Democrat Rita Reid. His campaign was mired in controversy surrounding stories written by the Review-Journal, specifically German, who uncovered claims of bullying and retaliation within his office. Who was Jeff German? Jeff German, investigative reporter for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. (Elizabeth Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal) Jeff German had been an investigative reporter for the Las Vegas Review-Journal since 2010 after more than two decades at the Las Vegas Sun, where he was a columnist and reporter who covered courts, politics, labor, government, and organized crime. Glenn Cook, the Review-Journals executive editor, said German was known to break big stories and develop impactful investigations across every part of Southern Nevada life. German had published several stories about Telles office, saying it was in turmoil in the months leading up to his stabbing death on Labor Day weekend of 2022. German was found with seven stab wounds, including ones to his neck and torso, according to police documents. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. After falsely claiming that images of Vice President Kamala Harriss supporters at an Aug. 7 rally were artificially generated, Donald Trump appeared to do an about-face on the topic when confronted by a reporter Wednesday, telling her that he cant say what or who was there. After voting early in Floridas primary, Trump was asked about his disproven claims sowing doubt over the large crowds that Harris has been addressing in recent campaign stops in battleground states like Michigan, Wisconsin and Arizona. You said Harriss crowds were AI and that there werent people there. Theres all kinds of video evidence and people who were there that have proven that false, CNNs Kate Sullivan began, referring to how Trump argued that nobody attended Harriss Detroit rally and that she A.I.d it. According to the Harris campaign, 10,000 people were present. I asked Trump why he claimed Harris crowd was AI & didn't exist when theres so much video evidence & people who were there to disprove that. "I cant say what was there, who was there, I can only tell you about ours, we have the biggest crowds ever in the history of politics." pic.twitter.com/2UJjSdakko Kate Sullivan (@KateSullivanDC) August 14, 2024 Trump opted not to repeat his baseless assertion. Well, I cant say what was there, who was there. I can only tell you about ours, he said, before again fixating on the size of his own crowdsa strategy that some in the GOP dont see as a winning strategy. We have crowds that nobodys ever seen before. Some Democrats have pointed to Trumps insistence that people should ignore whats clearly visible as evidence that he is priming his supporters to deny the results of the upcoming election if he loses. If you can convince your supporters that thousands of people who attended a televised rally do not exist, it will not be hard to convince them that the election returns in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and elsewhere are fake and fraudulent, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders wrote in a statement Tuesday. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Former U.S. President Donald Trump appears ahead of the start of jury selection at Manhattan Criminal Court on April 15, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Jabin Botsford-Pool/Getty Images) Former President Donald Trump asked a New York court Thursday to delay until after Novembers presidential election his sentencing for the 34 state felonies the court convicted him of in May. Judge Juan Merchan scheduled a sentencing hearing for Sept. 18. But that date overlaps with early voting in the presidential election and gives Trump too little time to appeal a potential ruling against him on a request to vacate the conviction, which Merchan is scheduled to issue two days prior, attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove wrote to Merchan in a letter dated Wednesday. The one-page letter was not on the courts official docket Thursday morning, but Blanche provided a copy to States Newsroom and said it had been filed with the court. Merchans schedule is unrealistic and ignores several related issues, Trumps attorneys wrote. A sentencing proceeding could improperly affect voters perception of Trump leading up to Election Day, and Merchans daughters ties to elected Democrats could undermine the publics faith in the court, they wrote. While Merchan has rejected three requests from Trump that he recuse himself from the case because of his daughters employment at a company that produces advertising campaigns for Democrats, Trumps lawyers said delaying the sentencing would help mitigate any potential appearance of a conflict of interest. Trumps Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, continue to discuss the case on the campaign trail. And the founder of the firm where Merchans daughter works has expressed his support for Harris on social media, Blanche and Bove wrote. Election entanglements The Sept. 18 sentencing is also scheduled after the commencement of early voting in the Presidential election, they wrote. By adjourning the sentencing until after that election the Court would reduce, even if not eliminate, issues regarding the integrity of any future proceedings, they wrote. Pennsylvania law allows the earliest voting, according to a database compiled by the National Conference of State Legislatures. Pennsylvania counties are permitted to hold early voting 50 days before Election Day, which is Sept. 16. It is unclear if any counties in the key battleground state are planning to make voting available that soon. No other states allow voting before Sept. 18, according to the NCSL database. Blanche did not answer an emailed question about what early voting he was referring to in the letter. Presidential immunity Trumps attorneys said the sentencing hearing should also be moved to accommodate another issue in the case: Trumps presidential immunity argument. Trump has asked for his conviction to be overturned following a U.S. Supreme Court decision that ruled presidents were entitled to a broad definition of criminal immunity for acts they take in office. Merchan set a Sept. 16 date to rule on the request the state conviction be set aside, but Trumps attorneys said that does not leave enough time for Trump to appeal a potentially unfavorable ruling on the immunity issue. The requested adjournment is also necessary to allow President Trump adequate time to assess and pursue state and federal appellate options in response to any adverse ruling, they wrote. The Supreme Court decision that established presidential immunity arose from a pretrial appeal, they wrote. A New York jury convicted Trump in May of 34 felony counts of falsified business records, making him the first former president to be convicted of a felony. Trump was accused of sending $130,000, through attorney Michael Cohen, to adult film star Stormy Daniels in the weeks before the 2016 election to buy her silence about an alleged sexual encounter years earlier. Merchan initially set sentencing for July 11. But after the Supreme Court ruled on July 1 that presidents enjoy full immunity from criminal charges for their official acts, the New York judge agreed to delay sentencing to first rule on how the Supreme Court decision affected the New York case. While much of the conduct alleged in the New York case took place before Trump was in office, his attorneys have argued that the prosecution also included investigations into Oval Office meetings with Cohen that could be impermissible under the Supreme Courts standard. The Trump campaign has reportedly hired long-time Trump adviser Corey Lewandowski as it seeks to regain momentum in the face of the Harris campaigns growing lead in the polls. Lewandowski, the manager of the 2016 Trump campaign, will come on to advise senior leadership, alongside other hires such as Alex Pfeiffer and Alex Bruesewitz, both former officials at the Trump-aligned PAC MAGA Inc, Politico reports. As we head into the home stretch of this election, we are continuing to add to our impressive campaign team, Trump co-campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita said in a statement to the outlet. Corey Lewandowski, Taylor Budowich, Alex Pfeiffer, Alex Bruesewitz, and Tim Murtaugh are all veterans of prior Trump campaigns and their unmatched experience will help President Trump prosecute the case against Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, the most radical ticket in American history. Corey Lewandowski speaks with reporters in the spin room before the presidential debate between President Joe Biden and Republican presidential candidate President Donald Trump. He is now set to rejoin the Trump campaign, despite being fired from previous campaigns. (AP) The Trump team previously sought to put distance between itself and Lewandowski, a longtime adviser to the former president, after he was accused of pursuing unwanted sexual advances against a major donor during a charity event in Las Vegas in 2021. Trashelle Odom accused Lewandowski of being verbally and physically aggressive and forceful, touching her leg and buttocks, using graphic language, and stalking her during the event. Lewandowski was charged with misdemeanor battery, but cut a deal with prosecutors in 2022, where he did not admit guilt to any crime and got the charges dismissed in exchange for receiving eight hours of impulse control counseling, serving 50 hours of community service, avoiding further criminal charges for a year, and paying a $1,000 fine. The allegations prompted some in the MAGA orbit to cut ties with Lewandowski, including South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem. Corey Lewandowski will be going on to other endeavors and we very much want to thank him for his service. He will no longer be associated with Trump World, Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich said in a statement at the time. The Trump campaign, which once looked poised to trounce the Democrats when Joe Biden was still on the ticket, has struggled in recent weeks to counter the enthusiasm for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. Donald Trumps campaign is expanding its ranks as he seeks to regain his footing in the presidential campaign, bringing on a handful of top allies including former Trump 2016 campaign manager Corey Lewandowski. Lewandowski, who has remained an informal Trump adviser since his first campaign, is being brought on to advise the campaigns senior leadership team, according to a person familiar with the move and granted anonymity to speak freely. He joins several other former Trump aides who will play similar roles. The staffing additions come as Trump has fallen behind Vice President Kamala Harris in fundraising and some swing state polling. Some Republicans have grown concerned about Trumps standing in the race, saying he has struggled to find a consistent line of attack against Harris. Those close to the campaign say the new hires are not a shakeup, but rather a buttressing of the campaigns leadership roster in the crucial last few months leading up to the election. Tim Murtaugh, who was the communications director on Trumps 2020 campaign, will also be joining. So, too, will be Alex Pfeiffer and Alex Bruesewitz, who were top officials on the Trump-aligned MAGA Inc. super PAC. Bruesewitz is known for having a wide following on social media. POLITICO reported early this week that Taylor Budowich, who had been leading MAGA Inc., had left the super PAC to join the Trump campaign in a senior capacity. As we head into the home stretch of this election, we are continuing to add to our impressive campaign team, Trump co-campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita said in a statement. Corey Lewandowski, Taylor Budowich, Alex Pfeiffer, Alex Bruesewitz, and Tim Murtaugh are all veterans of prior Trump campaigns and their unmatched experience will help President Trump prosecute the case against Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, the most radical ticket in American history. In 2021, Lewandowski was removed from a top position in a Pro-Trump super PAC after he was accused by the wife of a donor to the former president, Trashelle Odom, of making unwanted sexual advances towards her at a charity dinner in Las Vegas. Following the Las Vegas incident, a spokesperson for the former president said Trump World was no longer associated with Lewandowski. But Trump has long remained loyal to Lewandowski and has kept him in the fold. Lewandowski played a role at the 2024 Republican National Convention and has also consulted for the Republican National Committee. Trump has a long history of campaign shakeups he had two in 2016 and one in 2020. But despite his current struggles in the race, Trump has remained solidly behind his current leadership. The former president told The New York Times last week that he was thrilled with Wiles and LaCivita. During a press conference at his Bedminster resort on Thursday night, Trump, when asked about the staffing changes, replied, Susie is fantastic, as you know. And Chris is fantastic. They are leading it. He also said Lewandowski will be a personal envoy or he'll be at some level. Ex-president Donald Trump is pulling out all the racist stops as he desperately attempts to regain the White House come November. On Tuesday (August 13), his campaign shared a post that showed two side-by-side images that denigrated Black immigrants. It included the caption Import the third world. Become the third world. Trump has used offensive tropes and stereotypes to court followers ever since he entered the political realm: he has labeled Mexicans as rapists, called African and Haitian nations sh*thole countries, and insisted that white supremacist protestors were very fine people. He has also launched racist attacks against Vice President Kamala Harris as she challenges him in the upcoming presidential election. Trump has questioned her Blackness, reportedly called her a b*tch in private conversations, and has constantly insulted her intelligence. However, he is not the first Republican president to use white fear to gain political power and influence. George Bush did it with an 1988 ad against Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis, using Black convict Willie Horton to paint all Black men as violent predators to denounce prison furloughs. In a 1990 commercial, Jesse Helms showed a white mans hands to degrade his Black opponent, Harvey Gantt, for his alleged support for quotas. In the ad, the hands of a white man are put on full display as he crumples up a rejection from a job he applied to. A voiceover can be heard saying You needed that job, and you were the best qualified. But they had to give it to a minority because of a racial quota. Is that really fair? (The Democratic Party has had its instances as well. In 1996, Bill Clintons crime bill led to a drastic increase in the amount of Black men being incarcerated a population that Hillary Clinton described as super-predators.) Trump has always used derogatory tactics to keep the spotlight on him, no matter how harmful they may be. Sadly, its how the right has always operated. Dont just take our word for it. [Republicans] are showing all of us just how racist they are, stated NAACPs X account. This is whats on the ballot this November. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Trump is either delusional or confused. He's unfit for the White House either way Republican presidential nominee former President Trump talks about the size of the room as he speaks to reporters during a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate Thursday in Palm Beach, Fla. (Alex Brandon / Associated Press) Who except a deranged person would concoct a story about being in a scary helicopter emergency landing with a guy who wasnt even there? If not deranged, that person is at least delusional. Maybe confused, but thats just as worrisome. What rational mind cant remember the details of plummeting from the sky and facing possible death in a chopper? I was riding in a helicopter that was forced to make an emergency landing 58 years ago and still remember every detail, including the other passenger. Political writer Peter Kaye of the San Diego Union and I were covering Gov. Pat Browns last 1966 campaign swing in Los Angeles when our chopper lost power and almost smacked into an apartment building. A sound person doesnt forget specifics of such a frightening venture. More likely in the above case, it was just another example of Donald Trumps perpetual, pathological lying. And it was clearly weird, to use Minnesota Gov. Tim Walzs favorite description of the former president, who again is the Republican nominee for leader of the free world. Regardless of the root cause, even the 78-year-old Trumps most loyal lemmings should seriously wonder about his mental fitness to again serve as Americas president its commander in chief with access to nuclear codes and our negotiator with foreign leaders, allies and adversaries alike. Read more: Willie Brown wasn't on that frightening helicopter ride with Trump. Here's who was In deep blue California, theres no evidence that Trumps continued bizarre behavior is eroding his support, such as it is. But undecided voters have been shifting to the Democratic ticket of Vice President Kamala Harris and running mate Walz. Harris leads Trump by 59% to 34%, with Harris running 7 percentage points higher than President Biden did in late February, according to a new state survey by UC Berkeleys Institute of Governmental Studies. Trumps vote hasnt changed. Trumps inaccurate yarn about almost crashing in a helicopter with former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown while Brown was telling terrible things about Harris was just nutty. Trump went off the rails during a rambling, hourlong news conference at his Mar-a-Lago Florida resort last week. NPR counted 162 lies and distortions by the former president in his Q&A. Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown speaks outside John's Grill in San Franciscoin 2023. (Eric Risberg / Associated Press) Trumps fabrication that got the most attention, of course, was this spiel: Well, I know Willie Brown very well. In fact, I went down in a helicopter with him. We thought maybe this is the end. We were in a helicopter going to a certain location together and there was an emergency landing. This was not a pleasant landing. And Willie was he was a little concerned. So I know him. I know him pretty well. I mean, I havent seen him in years. But he told me terrible things about [Harris]. He was not a fan of hers very much at that point. First , this showed Trumps stupidity. He didnt realize or perhaps didnt care that reporters would immediately call Brown, 90, who debunked the entire story. To start with, Trump does not know Brown very well. In fact, he barely knows him at all. Theyve talked only once in their lives, Brown told me, and that was 30 years ago at a New York lunch where Trump sought the then-state Assembly speakers advice on trying to develop the old Ambassador Hotel site in Los Angeles. The project collapsed. Read more: Column: Even at 90 and with deteriorating eyesight, Willie Brown's political vision remains unmatched Brown says he has never been in a helicopter with Trump. Most importantly, anyone who really knows Brown knows he would never badmouth Harris. The two dated for a year or two in the mid-1990s and Brown helped launch her political career, starting with San Francisco district attorney. The two remain friendly. And at the top of Browns values list is loyalty to friends and allies. Noooooo, Brown replied when I asked whether he had ever talked to Trump about Harris. Hell, no. Not at all. Hes in total panicsville, he said of Trump. You cant attribute anything that equates to logic to him. What I see is a slumping candidate so desperate that he invented Browns chopper conversation to take a swipe at Harris. Brown is a Black man and Trump did go down in an emergency helicopter landing with another Black California politician in the 1990s. Nate Holden, a former L.A. City Council member and state legislator, also was invited to New York separately from Brown to discuss the Ambassador project with Trump. Willie is the short Black guy living in San Francisco, Holden said. Im the tall Black guy living in Los Angeles. As they say, we all look the same, Holden, 95, told Times reporter Don Lee, laughing. Trump incredulously continued to insist it was Brown aboard the crippled chopper and claimed he had maintenance records and logs to prove it. But theyve never been produced. Barbara Res, once a top Trump executive, was also on that flight. She essentially confirmed Holdens account in a 2013 book, All Alone on the 68th Floor. Thats the story, OK, Res told Politico. No Willie Brown. Holden said Trump either mixed it up or he made it up. Maybe a little of both. He certainly made up Browns bashing of Harris. His unhinged pattern of loony behavior should scare America. And the puzzling question is why the once-formidable California GOP keeps following this unstable character into a sump. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Trump had a big lead in North Carolina. Not anymore, a new poll says A new poll of swing states released by the Cook Political Report on Wednesday shows Vice President Kamala Harris registering a slight lead, well within the margin of error, over former President Donald Trump in North Carolina. In a match-up that includes third party candidates, Harris leads Trump 46% to 44%. In a head-to-head contest, the Democrats lead narrows to one percentage point: 48% to 47%, with the remaining roughly 6% of respondents saying they would not vote or are undecided. The poll, which was conducted between July 26 and Aug. 2, surveyed 403 likely North Carolina voters, and had a margin of error of plus-or-minus 4.9%. The latest figures show Trump losing ground since the Cook Political Reports last Swing State Project poll in May, which found the Republican former president leading Democratic President Joe Biden by eight percentage points in North Carolina in a match-up that included third party candidates, and seven percentage points in a head-to-head race. An average of recent North Carolina polls collected by RealClearPolitics shows Trump with a lead of 2.4 percentage points over Harris. Those polls were all conducted between July 19 and Aug. 8. In May, Trump was leading Biden in all but one of the seven states the Cook Political Report is polling this year. The two candidates were tied in Wisconsin. A new poll released by the Cook Political Report shows Kamala Harris registering a slight lead over Donald Trump in North Carolina. The latest poll shows Harris now leading Trump in all (Arizona, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin) but two states: Georgia, where the two candidates are tied, and Nevada, where Harris has narrowed the margin, but Trump maintains a lead. Harriss recent surge in the polls has been driven by her consolidation of the Democratic base, and increased support among independent voters, wrote Amy Walter, the publisher and editor-in-chief of the Cook Political Report. Bidens decision on July 21 to end his campaign has shaken up the presidential race, with polling over the last few weeks showing the race becoming much more competitive. Trump, who won North Carolina in 2016 by 3.6% and in 2020 by a closer margin of 1.3%, returned to the state on Wednesday to deliver remarks in Asheville about the economy and the cost of living. A few weeks prior, Trump held a rally in Charlotte, and in May, he dropped by a NASCAR race in Concord. Harris, meanwhile, is planning to make her eighth trip to North Carolina on Friday, when she will visit Raleigh to talk about her plans to bolster the economy and prevent price gouging, McClatchy reported. Under the Dome Get the latest news about North Carolina politics from The News & Observer's award-winning team. Get the free digest sent to your inbox by signing up here. Donald Trump summoned reporters to one of his properties for the second time in as many weeks to deliver a campaign message but they would be hard-pressed to find something new or interesting to write about. He spoke for roughly 40 minutes before taking questions at his Bedminster, New Jersey golf resort. His lengthy diatribe touched on Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, and a wide range of other issues trucks, domestic energy policy, China and the wars in Gaza and Ukraine all while flanked by two tables covered in groceries including Cheerios, a pack of quickly-warming raw bacon, and tins of coffee. It was a spectacle that was clearly focused by his campaign to provide a platform for the GOP contender to attack Harris over economic issues, particularly inflation and the cost of consumer goods. However, the lack of focus led to Thursday nights event dragging on. In his first question, he was asked about Israel and his communications with Benjamin Netanyahu, rather than the economy. Questions were largely softballs and teed up the ex-president to launch attacks at Harris and set out a plan for his second-term agenda. But the president didnt offer much of a vision for the future or how he would tackle the issues. Instead, he opted to look to the past to talk about the conditions when he was in the White House. Donald Trump delivered meandering, largely unfocused remarks generally on the issue of the economy (though not entirely) at his Bedminster, New Jersey, resort on Thursday (AP) Journalists failed to ask about newly-uncovered remarks from JD Vance, his running mate, agreeing with a podcast hosts assertion that the whole purpose of post-menopausal women is to assist with child-rearing. Youve spoken very passionately about how God saved your life. And Im wondering, have you put much thought into why God saved your life? As in, for what purpose has he been shielding you? one reporter, veering closely towards cheerleading, asked Trump. The ex-president responded by riffing about his teleprompter and a chart displayed behind him at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where he was nearly assassinated in July, before quipping: Yeah, God has something to do with it. Its, its a miracle, and God had something to do with it. And maybe its [because] we want to save the world. One change of pace for Trump appeared to be his apparent newfound acceptance that Harris will be his opponent. While he derided the pressure placed on Joe Biden to exit the 2024 race as a coup, there was no repeat of his past suggestion that Biden would appear at the upcoming Democratic National Convention to attempt to take back his partys nomination. Trump also attempted to back away from his remarks in support of Elon Musk firing striking workers, though he vaguely suggested he wanted workers to accept wages that would allow companies to make profits. More than anything else, this was a rehashing of the same flustered response to Harriss sudden recovery in the polls: none of his criticism of her or Tim Walz, her running mate, was any different from what Republicans have been saying for weeks. Perhaps the clearest sign of that was Trumps ongoing inability to pronounce Harriss name Kamala, he repeated several times, with different pronunciations at different moments during his remarks. He also claimed that people did not know Harriss last name: Its Harris, he informed reporters at his presser. Harriss campaign, meanwhile, had been busy hours before Trump even took the microphone. TODAY: Donald Trump To Ramble Incoherently and Spread Dangerous Lies in Public, but at Different Home, the vice-presidents campaign declared in a news release. It then presciently advised: Tune in for the same old thing. Trump Hit With Harsh Dose Of Reality After Blatantly Trying To Rewrite History Donald Trump offered alternative facts about the end of his tenure on Wednesday, prompting critics to pile on with some actual truths. The former president spoke in Asheville, North Carolina, in what was supposed to be an economic address but ended up including many of his usual tangents and attacks on enemies. At one point, he spoke at length about the surging economy he claims he handed over to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, asserting that we had some of the greatest periods of economic growth and health that any country has ever seen, I think, probably more than any country has ever seen. You never had it so good. Now youre not doing so well, he said. In January 2021, when Trump left office, the U.S. was experiencing its deadliest month of the COVID-19 pandemic, with over 95,000 lives lost over the course of the month. Just six days into 2021, a violent mob of Trumps supporters had laid siege to the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn the 2020 election that he lost. The unemployment rate was 6.3%, as the nation struggled to recover from the massive job losses of March and April 2020, when Trump was still downplaying COVID-19, casting doubt on government medical advice and suggesting the virus would just go away. (The unemployment rate was 4.3% last month). Journalist Aaron Rupar shared a clip of Trumps quote. Critics who can remember what life was like at the time shared some memories in return. In January of 2021, my husband, who worked as an ICU doctor with COVID patients and their families for months, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia He nearly died several times in the 3 weeks it took for him to come home. I was never allowed to visit him in the hospital. https://t.co/fpwiG6seL3 Holly Figueroa O'Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) August 14, 2024 Remember how awesome it was back in 2021 when we were stuck inside our houses during month TEN of a completely bungled response to a pandemic and got to watch Trumps sycophants try to end democracy on TV? Truly our golden age. https://t.co/NfjqtPuJsd Jay Black (@jayblackisfunny) August 14, 2024 The Harris campaign doesnt even have to do much with thus one but do an ad with split screens with news reporting from January 2021. https://t.co/emr3f1Yhxq Bradley P. Moss (@BradMossEsq) August 14, 2024 A few CNN headlines from Jan 2021: https://t.co/WBySf7CzDspic.twitter.com/BnQMm4sVmo Caroline (@carolinefan) August 15, 2024 He gave them an economic miracle? IT WAS A FUCKING UNMITIGATED PLAGUE. WTF IS HE TALKING ABOUT ABOUT?! https://t.co/sp5ijMUfhJ SenverDammy (@SenverDammy) August 14, 2024 I had covid in January 2021. While watching the January 6th riot. https://t.co/5k8w5pqhkG Secrecy Envelope (@bigstape) August 14, 2024 4000 Americans were dying from COVID a day when Donald Trump handed the keys over to Joe Biden. https://t.co/XIjf7h7lTC The Biden Accomplishments Guy (@What46HasDone) August 14, 2024 Not a single truth being told https://t.co/JpNJmsDWAw Zakk Wilson (@ZakkMelvin) August 14, 2024 Related... Trump Keeps Sharing Wild Theories About Biden Weeks After He Dropped Out Its been nearly a full month since President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race and declared his support for Vice President Kamala Harris, who swiftly became the Democratic Partys presumptive and now official nominee. But former President Donald Trump cant stop talking about his erstwhile opponent. Writing on social media and speaking in front of cameras around the country, Trump has continually brought up theories about what Biden is thinking, feeling and potentially plotting all without evidence. Trumps preoccupation with Biden comes as Harris makes gains in the polls, turning what was a contest that favored Trump into a dead-even heat. His most bizarre claim over the last several weeks has been the idea that Biden is going to swoop in at the eleventh hour of the Democratic National Convention and take back the presidential nomination. What are the chances that Crooked Joe Biden, the WORST President in the history of the U.S., whose Presidency was Unconstitutionally STOLEN from him by Kamabla, Barrack HUSSEIN Obama, Crazy Nancy Pelosi, Shifty Adam Schiff, Cryin Chuck Schumer, and others on the Lunatic Left, CRASHES the Democrat National Convention and tries to take back the Nomination, beginning with challenging me to another DEBATE, Trump wrote last week on Truth Social. He also speculated that Biden feels that he made a historically tragic mistake by handing over the U.S. Presidency. The claim amounts to nothing more than wishful thinking. Biden is slated to give a speech on Monday, the first night of the Democratic National Convention, to pass the baton to a new, younger generation of leadership: Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. No serious challenge to Harris ever materialized, but Democratic delegates were, of course, not forced to vote for her. Of the nearly 4,700 party delegates, 99% ended up supporting Harris. The usual process of holding state primaries was not possible due to the late date at which Biden dropped out, after it became clear that his odds of beating Trump were slipping. Along with his campaign staffers, Trump has now taken to painting Bidens willful decision as a coup and claiming the Democratic Party acted disrespectfully toward Biden. They are throwing him out on the Monday Night Stage, known as Death Valley, Trump wrote Thursday on Truth Social. [Biden] now HATES Obama and Crazy Nancy more than he hates me! He is an angry man, as he should be. They stole the Presidency from him It was a Coup! He claimed Harris rise was unconstitutional during the chaotic press conference he gave last week and touched on the supposed coup during his interview with billionaire Elon Musk on Monday. Trump has also dropped the term in his campaign speeches. A Politico report this week suggested Biden does harbor lingering frustrations with top Democratic leaders like former President Barack Obama and House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi for the way in which they handled the controversy over Bidens decision. Publicly, though, Biden has said that he made the right call; it was his obligation to the country. Related... Former President Trump asked the New York judge who oversaw his recent criminal trial to delay his sentencing until after Novembers presidential election. Judge Juan Merchan previously agreed to push the date back until September so he can first decide whether the Supreme Courts presidential immunity decision requires tossing Trumps guilty verdict. [S]etting aside naked election-interference objectives, there is no valid countervailing reason for the Court to keep the current sentencing date on the calendar, Trump attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove wrote in a letter to the judge, which was made public Thursday. There is no basis for continuing to rush, the letter continued. Accordingly, we respectfully request that any sentencing, if one is needed, be adjourned until after the Presidential election. In May, a New York jury convicted Trump on all 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from voters. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D) accused Trump of disguising reimbursements to his then-fixer, Michael Cohen, after he paid porn actor Stormy Daniels $130,000 just before the 2016 presidential election to stay quiet about her alleged affair with Trump. Trump denies any affair or any wrongdoing with the payments and has vowed to appeal. Trump has repeatedly sought to delay the hush money case and his three other criminal proceedings which have not yet gone to trial as he hopes to first win this years presidential election and grind his indictments to a halt upon retaking the White House. Braggs office declined to comment on the new letter. Trumps sentencing in New York was originally slated for July, but the judge pushed it back to Sept. 18 after the Supreme Court carved out at least presumptive criminal immunity for former presidents official acts. Trump does not claim immunity from the hush money charges themselves, but he asserts that prosecutors at trial improperly introduced immunized evidence, so his verdict must be wiped as a result. Prosecutors have pushed back on the argument, and Merchan is set to rule on the matter two days before sentencing. Trumps attorneys said the small gap is an unreasonably short period of time, signaling the former president will immediately attempt to appeal if the judge rejects his immunity arguments. The requested adjournment is also necessary to allow President Trump adequate time to assess and pursue state and federal appellate options in response to adverse ruling, the letter reads. The letter also noted Merchans third refusal to recuse from the case Wednesday. Trumps lawyers have latched onto the judges daughters employment at a digital agency that does work for prominent Democrats, but the judge has insisted he has no conflict, citing guidance from a state ethics advisory group. Notwithstanding the Courts ruling on the disputed recusal issue, the requested adjournment would prospectively mitigate the asserted conflicts and appearances of impropriety, which are also the subject of an ongoing congressional inquiry, Blanche and Bove wrote in the letter. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. NEW YORK Attorneys for Donald Trump asked the judge overseeing the former presidents Manhattan criminal case to postpone his sentencing, now set for Sept. 18, until after Novembers presidential election. In a letter to the court dated Wednesday but made public Thursday, Trumps lawyers noted that the sentencing for the Republican presidential nominees conviction on falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment to a porn star is currently scheduled to take place after the start of early voting. And they argued that the sentencing should be delayed in order to allow Trump to weigh appellate options in response to Justice Juan Merchans upcoming ruling on whether Trumps conviction should be tossed out in light of the Supreme Courts July 1 decision on presidential immunity. Merchan is set to rule on Sept. 16, two days before the scheduled sentencing, on whether the presidential immunity decision should have an impact on Trumps conviction. If Merchan as many legal observers expect rejects Trumps bid to overturn the conviction on immunity grounds, the judge should not proceed to sentencing until higher courts can review that ruling, Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove wrote. [S]etting aside naked election-interference objectives, they wrote, there is no valid countervailing reason for the Court to keep the current sentencing date on the calendar. Trumps lawyers bid is likely a long shot. Merchan already pushed the sentencing from July to September in order to weigh the immunity ruling, and noted in a recent filing that the Sept. 18 sentencing date remains unchanged. But Trump has succeeded in some of his numerous attempts to delay aspects of the proceedings in the Manhattan case, including pushing back the start of the trial in the spring by three weeks due to a document dispute. For his conviction on 34 felony counts, Trump faces a range of possible punishments, including community service, home confinement and up to four years in prison. Legal experts have said they believe it is unlikely Trump will be sentenced to prison, in part because he is a first-time offender. And even if he is sentenced to prison he is unlikely to have to serve time until after the appeals process has been exhausted, which could take at least several months and if hes elected president after being sentenced to prison, the sentence almost certainly would be suspended while hes in office. (Bloomberg) -- Donald Trump asked a New York judge to delay sentencing in his hush-money criminal case until after the November presidential election, arguing that going ahead with the hearing before voters go to the polls would advance naked election-interference objectives. Most Read from Bloomberg The former president made the request in a letter Wednesday to Justice Juan Merchan in Manhattan, who is scheduled to sentence Trump on Sept. 18. Trump faces as long as four years behind bars after becoming the first former president convicted of a crime, though a far shorter term is also possible. There is no valid countervailing reason for the court to keep the current sentencing date, Trump attorney Todd Blanche said in the letter, which was made public Thursday. There is no basis for continuing to rush. The letter came shortly after Merchan rejected Trumps third request to step down over allegations of bias involving the judges daughter, who partly owns a digital marketing and fundraising firm that has worked for Trumps Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump is also awaiting a decision on his request to vacate the verdict and dismiss the indictment following the US Supreme Courts landmark ruling that former presidents have broad immunity from criminal charges. Trump, 78, was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a hush money payment to a porn star on the eve of the 2016 presidential election. A Manhattan jury found him guilty on all counts following a weeks-long trial. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs office declined to immediately comment. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. The leaders of the House task force created to investigate the assassination attempt against former President Trump are feeling the time pressure to investigate the shooting in just a few short months and keep the panel that got strikingly bipartisan support from succumbing to spectacle. Task force Chair Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) and ranking member Jason Crow (D-Colo.) laid out the priorities and challenges for the panel in interviews with The Hill. At the end of this investigation, the American people cannot be still wondering what happened, Kelly said. Were going to have a clear answer to what happened. And whatever it is that we have to do, were going to do, including having some people subpoenaed. But the panel will have to move at a much faster pace than typical congressional investigations to produce a thorough final report by a Dec. 13 deadline. We only have four months here, so its going to be a really quick burn, Crow said. Were going to have to make sure that this is accurate. Accuracy is very important here; we dont want there to be misunderstanding. We dont want to fuel any of these alternative theories that are flying around. The task force took its first official action earlier this week with letters to the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice requesting briefings and any documents in the works based on requests from other House panels. And it is staffing up, which Crow said has not been difficult because people realize the historic nature of this. A visit to the shooting site for the task forces members is in the works for the week of Aug. 26, Kelly said. Some members have already been there as part of a House Homeland Security Committee trip in the days after the July 13 shooting. One panel member, Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.), who went to the site with fellow members of that committee earlier this month, posted a selfie on the social platform X pointing at the roof from which the gunman fired at the former president, killed one attendee, and left two others critically injured. Kelly expects the panel will hold public hearings, perhaps even in September when lawmakers return for a three-week period before breaking again in October ahead of the election. But that scheduled time away from Washington, D.C., is complicating the work for the task force. One member of the panel, granted anonymity to speak candidly, expressed frustration earlier this month about the panel moving too slowly. The biggest challenge were going to be facing is the ability for us to be together, to look at things together, and thats going to be my responsibility, Kelly said. As the panel ramps up, information continues to trickle out about security failures around the rally. Videos show rally attendees trying to warn law enforcement about the suspected shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, acting suspicious. In a Senate hearing last month, officials detailed communication breakdowns. With Trump and Vice President Harris actively campaigning, there is also a question about what the task force can do to address security before the November election. Well have to decide whether or not were in a position to make preliminary recommendations that could be implemented in a shorter time frame, Crow said. Rep. Lou Correa (D-Calif.), a member of the task force, said the tight turnaround leaves the task force in a position of having to trust but verify that the Secret Service is already taking needed steps to rectify known issues. These candidates were out last weekend campaigning, so this stuff is happening in real time. Thats my frustration, is we dont have time, Correa said. We have time to do the check, the verify, but the Secret Service has to be on it yesterday. One action the panel is not considering: bringing in the former president. I dont know what the advantage would be in talking to President Trump about it, Kelly said. Task force leaders hope to avoid spectacle. The House authorized the panel in a rare unanimous roll call vote in July, and the goal is to keep up that bipartisanship. Kelly said the makeup of the panel, 13 members announced jointly by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), shows it will be a serious operation. Nobody would say, Oh, I know who that is. I see them on the front steps of the Capitol all the time. I know who that is, Theyre on TV every night yelling at somebody from the Secret Service or the FBI or something, Kelly said. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.), another task force member, said Kelly has reached out to make sure that we were all on the same page, and that if anything strayed from that, to tamp it down. But the selection of the members was not without controversy. Frustrated with not making the panel despite looking into the matter himself, Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.) said he would run a parallel independent investigation into the assassination attempt. Crow said theyre otherwise hoping for a cohesive effort from those on the task force, saying he and Kelly were focused on putting in place the right team, in setting the right tone, to do this quickly and to do this in a serious way. For Kelly, the task force is personal. A lifelong resident of Butler, Pa., he grew up showing animals at the Farm Show fairground that became the Trump rally site. Later, as an automobile dealer, he had exhibits at the venue featuring trucks and other vehicles. Kelly was in the front row at Trumps July 13 rally, and his wife, son, and three of his grandchildren were in attendance elsewhere in the crowd. I actually thought the president was dead, Kelly said when he saw a bloodied Trump go down to the ground after the shots were fired. Later, he had trouble reconnecting with his family. Reflecting back now, Kelly has questions about the Farm Show site being chosen for the rally. When the site was chosen? Who chose it? Why did they choose it? Kelly said. What was the coordination between the Secret Service and the different law enforcement groups that were there to try and have safety and security of the whole operation? In some corners, there have been concerns raised over Trumps preference for large outdoor rallies. The big question that I keep asking that Ive not gotten an answer to is, whos really in charge? Correa asked, casting the Butler Farm Show site as not secure. Some of the people [were] insinuating to me, maybe the campaign had too much decisionmaking when it came to the site, how the stage was set up, said Correa, also visited Butler during the House Homeland Security Committee trip to the site. Houlahan, meanwhile, is interested in the drones that the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, had flown over the rally site. The gentleman who attempted this assassination was using technology, drones specifically, that I think the Secret Service and others werent prepared for, Houlahan said. In the wake of the shooting and a disastrous appearance before Congress Kimberly Cheatle resigned from her post as Secret Service director. Her deputy, Ronald Rowe, has stepped in as the acting director and has promised to undertake a number of changes to regain the publics trust in the agency. That includes using drones to better survey sites, as well as using Secret Service countersnipers at all events, rather than relying on local law enforcement. But he said it would be difficult to better connect communications systems with local assistance, telling reporters that the interoperability challenge, its not an easy fix. He also resisted repeated demands from lawmakers to fire Secret Service personnel responsible for planning and response at the rally, saying he would not rush to judgment and would let an internal investigation play out. Crow said the panels report was one method for beginning that process. I would expect it will have very concrete recommendations for accountability, he said. Mychael Schnell contributed. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Donald Trumps obsession with convincing his supporters to surveil the upcoming presidential election may ultimately be hurting his campaign. The Republican nominee has repeatedly claimed that Republican Party officials only need to focus on ensuring election integrity in November, and has centered his campaigns efforts on recruiting thousands of poll watchers and poll workers. As a result, the campaign is relying on a constellation of outside groups to rustle up the traditional networks of volunteer door-knockers and canvassers. These groups include Elon Musks incredibly shady America PAC as well as Turning Point Action, the advocacy arm of white-nationalist Charlie Kirks organization. A recent FEC rule change from March now allows for canvassing super PACs to coordinate directly with campaigns on messaging and campaign data. As a result, Trumps scrappier in-house volunteer program can be boosted by funds from megadonors. However, outsourcing this aspect of the campaign could prove problematic if strong personnel and structural dynamics dont fall into place. The America PAC recently underwent a change in leadership, which caused it to clean house with its vendors supplying the workers. The Trump campaign said it has rounded up more than 150,000 poll watchers and poll workers, reviving concerns about voter intimidation that first cropped up in 2020. The number of employed campaign staff and campaign volunteers is far smaller. James Blair, the campaigns political director, posted about the campaigns operations on X Thursday, following a report from Axios that relied on numbers hed shared last week. In his update, Blair wrote that the campaign was bolstered by 14,500 community volunteers called Trump Force 47 captains. He said 2,500 of them had been trained in the last week alone, and has previously estimated that another two thousand would join every week until election day. Last week, Blair had said that outside groups had employed more than 1,000 canvassers in battleground states, which would rise to 2,500 by election day. He said that the campaign employed hundreds of staff across the battleground states. The Republican National Committee had plans in place for a more expansive canvassing effort, those plans were discarded once Trumps team took over in March, according to documents obtained by The Washington Post. While Trumps focus on election integrity may not have been a detractor when he was running against President Joe Biden, it certainly looks that way now. Since announcing her candidacy, Vice President Kamala Harriss campaign said it has worked with 330,000 volunteers and has a staff of 15,000 people. Whats happened in the last couple of weeks is we actually have a real race. This is a real presidential campaign. The Biden-Trump version of this was one event a week by each candidate, very rarely on the campaign trail and no real engagement, Kevin Madden, a Republican strategist, told the Post. Now this is going to be one of those campaigns where strategies matter, resources matter, time matters, and there is not much room for error. Several people close to the Trump campaign told the Post that there was an ongoing effort to get the easily distractible candidate to focus more on attacking Harris and other Democrats. Trump has falsely claimed that Democrats are actually encouraging illegal immigration for the purpose of bolstering their voter base. Meanwhile, he was the one who killed a bipartisan border deal earlier this year that would have helped curb the entry of undocumented immigrants in the United States. Trump has repeatedly said the priority of the Republican Party is to tighten election restrictions, but his fearmongering is fed by his own baseless claims of election fraud and conspiracy theories about widespread noncitizen voting. Trumps election martyrdom from 2020 may be the nail in the coffin of his 2024 campaign. This story has been updated. FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux said Vice President and presidential candidate Kamala Harris used a 2014 press conference as a photo opportunity to boost her political fortunes in a new ad that is airing on television and social media. Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward, who was also present at the 2014 press conference, deferred to Sheriff Boudreaux on the matter, and Kings County Sheriff David Robinson, who was there as well, agreed with Boudreaux. I did not want to have my face associated with the perception that I was supporting Kamala Harris for president, Boudreaux said. The video used in the advertisement was shot when Harris was serving as California Attorney General. Boudreaux said he only found out about his appearance in the ad after it aired, when others who saw it informed him. I was sitting in a briefing conducting regular business of the day, and I started receiving text messages, voicemails, pictures of the pictures of the ad, he said. Boudreaux said he doesnt support Harris for president and fears her latest ad is deceiving. Theres a lot of power in pictures and photographs, and thats how people are influenced. I saw my picture there with the implication that Im supporting Kamala Harris. I have a lot of constituencies that I support. We support public safety. We support law and order. And Kamala Harris, quite frankly, has a track record of not doing so,, Sheriff Boudreaux said. Sheriff Boudreaux recalled the day of the clip used in the political ad. I remember I was a young sheriff at the time, Sheriff Boudreaux said. She came in, didnt shake anybodys hands. When she left, she came in and did the spot and left. That clip also features Kings County Sheriff David Robinson. Robinsons office released a statement on Facebook, stating, Sheriff Robinson is aware of his picture being used in the Harris campaign. Sheriff Robinson condemns this unethical use of his image without his permission and will be requesting the picture be removed. The ad is extremely misleading. Sheriff Boudreaux said he will not be seeking legal action against the Harris campaign. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47. ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey and Iraq have signed a memorandum of understanding on military, security and counter-terrorism cooperation, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Thursday, after two days of high-level security talks in Ankara. The neighbouring countries have in recent years been at loggerheads over Ankara's cross-border military operations against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants based in northern Iraq's mountainous region. Iraq has said the operations violate its sovereignty, but Ankara says they are needed to protect itself. Ties have improved since last year, when they agreed to hold high-level talks on security matters, and after a visit in April by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan to Baghdad, where he said relations had entered a new phase. Ankara and Baghdad held a fourth round of meetings this week as part of the dialogue mechanism. In March, Iraq labelled the PKK a "banned organisation in Iraq" - a move welcomed by Turkey. Fidan, speaking alongside his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein following their talks in Ankara, said the accord signed by the defence ministers of either side carried "historic importance", while Hussein said it was "the first in the history of Iraq and Turkey" in this field. "Through the joint coordination and training centres planned in this agreement, we believe we can take our cooperation to the next level," Fidan said. "We want to advance the understanding we are developing with Iraq on counter-terrorism through concrete steps on the ground," he added. A Turkish diplomatic source said that, with the agreement, a Joint Security Coordination Centre would be established in Baghdad along with a Joint Training and Cooperation Centre in Bashiqa. Hussein, speaking about the Bashiqa training camp, said "the onus will lie on the Iraqi armed forces", without elaborating. On Monday, Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler told Reuters that recent steps taken by Turkey and Iraq on counter-terrorism marked a turning point in ties, adding Ankara wanted Baghdad to go a step further and label the PKK a terrorist organisation as soon as possible. The PKK, which has been waging an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984, is designated a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. More than 40,000 people have been killed in the conflict. (Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu in Ankara and Enas Alashray in Cairo; Additional reporting by Burcu Karakas in Istanbul; Editing by Hugh Lawson) FILE PHOTO: Garip, a stray dog, who has been taken care by the shopkeepers at a local market, is pictured in Istanbul FILE PHOTO: Garip, a stray dog, who has been taken care by the shopkeepers at a local market, is pictured in Istanbul ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) applied to the Constitutional Court on Thursday to annul an animal protection law that critics say will lead to many dogs being put down. Last month, Turkey's parliament passed the law, which aims to round up millions of stray dogs and put them into shelters, despite protests by animal lovers and criticism from the CHP. The CHP has repeatedly said municipalities under its control would not implement the law. Turkey has an estimated 4 million stray dogs and supporters of the law cited concerns about attacks, road accidents and rabies. Under the new rules, any dogs showing aggressive behaviour or that have untreatable diseases will be put down. "We call on the Constitutional Court to cancel all articles of the related law and prevent the inhumane treatment of innocent lives," senior lawmaker Gokhan Gunaydin said on Thursday. The CHP also asked the court to halt the law's enforcement. Thousands of people in the country have taken to the streets over the past few weeks to protest against the law, occasionally scuffling with police and carrying banners including slogans such as "You cannot kill them" and "Take back the law". Turkey currently has 322 animal shelters with a capacity for 105,000 dogs, far short of what would be needed to round up the number of strays. Residents of the country's towns and cities often take care of street animals, putting out makeshift shelters, food and water for them. One survey showed less than 3% of people supported putting them down, while nearly 80% were in favour of dogs being put in shelters. (Reporting by Ece Toksabay; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta) A dog stands on the shore near the empty karaoke square during the two-day curfew imposed by the Turkish government to stem the spread of the coronavirus. Turkey's main opposition party appealed to the country's Constitutional Court on Thursday to cancel a controversial law that paves the way for the mass culling of stray dogs. Yasin Akgul/dpa Turkey's main opposition party appealed to the country's Constitutional Court on Thursday to cancel a controversial law that paves the way for the mass culling of stray dogs. The law violates animal rights and international treaties, Republican People's Party (CHP) lawmaker Gokhan Gunaydin wrote on X. The CHP, which won the most mayoral posts in the country in the March local elections, said earlier it would not implement the law. At the end of July, despite massive protests, the Turkish parliament passed the law that allows for the killing of stray dogs in certain cases. The amendments to an existing animal rights law mandate that municipalities collect stray dogs and place them in animal shelters for adoption or other measures, including culling. The amendment allows dogs classified by veterinarians as sick or aggressive or that pose a "danger to the health of humans and animals" to be put to sleep. Veterinarians should decide on this. Municipalities are now obliged to catch street dogs and place them in animal shelters. They should be rehomed with owners - if possible. Animal rights activists fear that majority of the animals will be killed, citing what they call the inadequate and poorly regulated animal shelter infrastructure in Turkey. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government justifies the measure, among other things, by arguing that stray dogs repeatedly attack locals. According to the government, there are an estimated 4 million street dogs in Turkey, but only around 100,000 places in animal shelters. Some municipalities have already started collecting dogs from the streets, Haydar Ozkan from animal rights group Haykonfed told dpa. Last week, a discovery by Haykonfed and other groups of 12 buried dog carcasses in the capital Ankara stirred a debate. Altindag district authorities in Ankara said the animals died of natural causes. Animal rights activists, however, suspect that the dogs had been poisoned and are investigating the incident. She was beautiful inside and out, Grace Bentkowski's grandmother said following her death at Chicagos Hegewisch South Shore station last month Grace Bentkowski/facebook Grace Bentkowski A journalist for NewsNation was killed late last month after being hit by a train in Chicago. Grace Bentkowski, 22, a creative producer for the network, was struck at Hegewisch South Shore station on July 25, according to FOX59, Deadline and WGN-TV. Grace Bentkowski was a rising star at NewsNation, Jonathan Killian, Vice President, Creative Marketing and Brand Standards, said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE. Her passion for journalism and eagerness to learn the ropes was infectious and her willingness to jump in and learn the TV news business was inspiring to her colleagues. Grace was one of those rare people who brought light into any room in which she entered. We are heartbroken for her loved ones and family, and she will never be far from our hearts, added Killian, the head of her department. According to Bentkowskis LinkedIn page, she started working at NewsNation in May and graduated from Ball State University in Indiana. Related: 6 Dead After Train Hits Family SUV Crossing Railroad Tracks in Devastating Accident Her family told WGN-TV that shortly before her death, she had messaged them to say she was going shopping after getting off early from her shift at NewsNation, which is based in downtown Chicago. She then began her commute back home to Dyer in Indiana, and when exiting her train at Hegewisch station where passengers have to walk across the train tracks to access the parking lot, according to the outlet her family said she saw other commuters in front of her cross the tracks, however, her view was obstructed by a concrete pillar. Grace Bentkowski/facebook Grace Bentkowski We have the kids on a Life360 app and we saw that she got on the train, Graces father Phil Bentkowski told the outlet. And then a delay came up on the South Shore website. The next one said train-pedestrian accident. I thought, Glad its probably not her.' I got a bad feeling she was the one who was hit, as soon as I saw she ended up at University of Chicago I hopped in the car and drove down there, he added. I spoke to District 3 CPD or transit police and they asked Are you related to Grace Bentkowski?' Related: Man Killed by Subway Train in Philadelphia During Altercation, Suspect Charged Google maps Hegewisch South Shore station in Chicago Grace was transported to the emergency room at the University of Chicago Medical Center alive, per the outlet, but after hours of surgery, she was pronounced dead. According to Deadline, Grace suffered internal injuries in the incident. My initial thought was thats not possible,' her father told WGN-TV. Was under the assumption that if you were hit by a train leaving the station, obviously it wouldnt be that fast and worst case was maybe a broken leg. Its the worst nightmare ever. Alamy A South Shore Line commuter train The family said they viewed video of the incident and no horn was blown by the conductor and the train accelerated. No noise, no nothing. From the video all you hear is a thud. Then the engineer blows a horn, Phil said, adding that his daughter was thrown 50 feet in the accident. She was beautiful inside and out, her grandmother Maryann ONeill told the outlet. She knew what she wanted to do in life and it was the news. (When asked about other schools) she said No, its Ball State thats where I want to go. She was blessed in so many different ways. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. A GoFundMe organized by Graces brother, Aidan, to pay for medical costs, cremation and a celebration of life for Grace, has raised over $27,000 as of the time of publication. I wish this was all a dream and I could just wake up and hold my sister one more time, the pages description reads. As her brother, this is tough on me, losing my best friend, but to my parents, this is so much harder. The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, which operates the South Shore Line, told WGN-TV that they will install interim warning signs while reaching out to an engineering firm to determine what it will take to add active warning to the pedestrian crossings. Metra, who owns most of the station, according to the outlet, said they will review the incident. Metra is in touch with NICTD to review the circumstances of this tragic incident, they said in a statement, per the outlet. We extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of this young woman. Metra did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Tennessee Valley Authority offices in Knoxville. (Photo: TVA) (This story was originally published by The Institute for Public Service Reporting at the University of Memphis.) More than 11 months since she was nominated to become the only Black member of the Tennessee Valley Authoritys Board of Directors, Memphian Patrice Robinson is still waiting to take her seat. Robinson, a former Memphis City Council member, was nominated by President Joe Biden to the nine-member TVA board on Sept. 11, 2023. She has yet to be confirmed. In fact, she has not even had a confirmation hearing, and it doesnt look like one will be scheduled any time soon. Memphis City Councilmember Patrice Robinson. (Photo: Memphis.gov) I am still waiting to be confirmed by the Senate. This has just not been a priority, Robinson said. It has been a little nerve wracking, but I am not there yet. Currently, eight people are seated on the nine-member board. All are white. None are from West Tennessee. A federally owned utility company, TVA supplies electricity to parts of seven states. It is the exclusive supplier of electricity to Memphis. As TVAs single largest power customer, city-owned Memphis Light, Gas & Water pays $1 billion a year for electricity. Yet the city has not had anyone on the TVA board since John Ryder, a Memphis attorney and former general counsel for the Republican National Committee who died in May 2022 just months after leaving the board. That is unacceptable, said state Rep. Justin J. Pearson. It is imperative that we get representation on the TVA board, said Pearson, D-Memphis, a frequent critic of TVA. We provide a significant amount of revenue for TVA. And we in Memphis have the greatest energy burden for any place in the country. We are spending a lot of our money on energy. Our voice is critically important. The Robinson nomination awaits approval from the Senate Environment and Public Works committee. When contacted on July 25 about the status of Robinsons approval, a spokesperson for the committee offered a one-line email response: The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee has yet to schedule further consideration of Patrices Robinsons nomination. Gridlock on Congressional confirmations is nothing new and not unique to Robinsons appointment. On July 30 at a U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration hearing, an official with the nonprofit Partnership for Public Service urged Congress to streamline the process of approving presidential appointments, which she said hurts local communities and even threatens national security. The work required to select, nominate and vote on presidential appointees is longer, more complicated and more uncertain, testified Jenny Mattingly of Partnership for Public Service in a written statement. Many positions remain vacant for months or even years; some never will be filled. Previous appointments to the TVA board have also waited long periods before getting confirmed. Current board member Beth Geer of Brentwood, who works as the chief of staff for former vice president Al Gore, and two others were first nominated in spring of 2021 but waited until December of 2022 to be approved. Bidens 2021 TVA board nominations included Kim Caudle Lewis, an African-American businesswoman from Huntsville, Alabama, but she withdrew to make an unsuccessful run for the Alabama state senate. Robinson, 68, completed her two terms on the Memphis City Council in December, where she served as the councils liaison to MLGW. She also spent 17 years as a supervisor with MLGW. The TVA board position became vacant in January with the retirement of former TVA board chairman Bill Kilbride of Chattanooga. At the time of her nomination, U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., praised Robinson as the ideal person to represent Memphis and West Tennessee on the TVA board. Patrice Robinson has a lifetime of experience in utility management and public service and is the ideal candidate for the TVA Board. I am happy to see a Memphian again appointed to the board, Cohen said in a statement. Robinson said she has talked to a representative of the Senate committee, but she is right now in a holding pattern. Four of TVAs current eight board members are from Tennessee. But none of those four live anywhere close to Memphis (Nashville, Brentwood, Chattanooga and Johnson City). The others are from Alabama, Mississippi, Virginia and Kentucky. It makes no sense that we have no representation on the TVA board. We need someone to help elevate our issues. And to speak out against the horrible direction that the TVA is going. Rep. Justin Pearson, D-Memphis Scott Brooks, TVA representative, said TVA has no influence on who is nominated nor confirmed for its board. The board has met twice since January, being one member short for each of those meetings. The board meets again on Aug. 22 in Florence, Alabama. Memphis has had previous TVA board members in addition to Ryder. Cohens office reported that Robinson would follow in the footsteps of these Memphians who previously served on the TVA board Ron Walter, V. Lynn Evans, and Bishop William Graves. Pearson suggested that public pressure could help get Robinsons nomination confirmed as it has worked in the past when Congressional confirmations have been delayed. Pearson has been highly critical of TVAs pursuit of fossil-fuel generating plants at the expense of green energy such as wind and solar power. It makes no sense that we have no representation on the TVA board, Pearson said. We need someone to help elevate our issues. And to speak out against the horrible direction that the TVA is going. Robinson declined to comment on whether Memphis and West Tennessee citizens should be concerned that such an important component of the areas energy supply has no representation. She said she would prefer to focus on her credentials for the job. I do believe I would represent West Tennessee and our community well. I have a utility background and a political background, and I cannot think of a better candidate, Robinson said. Two Little Ohio Boys Lost Their Mom to Gun Violence. A Grand Jury Indicted the Police Officer Who Shot Her. The month of August has been devastating for TaKiya Youngs family since she was gunned down by an Ohio police officer 23 days after her 21st birthday. Young was an excited mom of two little boys, and pregnant with her first daughter, when she encountered Connor Grubb at a Kroger supermarket parking lot. Young and her unborn baby, who was due that November, were killed on Aug. 24. This week, a Franklin County grand jury indicted Grubb on four counts of murder, four counts of felonious assault, and two counts of involuntary manslaughter after evaluating evidence for two days, prosecutors said. Grubb entered a plea of not guilty at his arraignment on Wednesday, and a judge set bond at $250,000. Blendon Township Police Chief John Belford said in a video statement that his disciplinary process began. Montgomery County Prosecuting Attorney Mat Heck Jr.s office was called in by Franklin Countys outgoing chief prosecutor, Anthony Pierson, to handle Youngs case. Blendon Township is a northeast suburb of Columbus and is located in Franklin County. Grubb is the fourth Franklin County law enforcement officer to be indicted for killing a Black person since 2020, and the second prosecuted by a special prosecutor an increased effort in recent years to avoid potential biases between police officers and prosecutors. The attorney for TaKiya Youngs family called the indictment against Blendon Township, Ohio, officer Conner Grubb a step, not the conclusion, of our collective journey towards justice for TaKiya and her unborn daughter. (Courtesy of Young Family. and Walton + Brown LLP) We thank the grand jury, but we insist that this is but a step, not the conclusion, of our collective journey towards justice for TaKiya and her unborn daughter, Sean Walton, the attorney for Youngs family, wrote in a statement. The announcement gave advocates like Karla White Carey, whose hometown is Columbus, hope for other counties to follow their lead with holding police officers accountable. But she is concerned that with terms like federal immunity floating around, police accountability may look completely different after Nov. 5. Federal immunity is a term misused by former President Donald Trump when referring to qualified immunity a civil liability protection for law enforcement officers to which he has said police should be immune from prosecution. But I hope that what we are doing here, there is a light that we can shine on it, and show people that it is possible to indict these officers. It is possible to hold them accountable, Carey told Capital B on Tuesday. When you look at it nationwide, this is a drop in the bucket because we really dont see this. We see more payouts to the families than we actually see accountability of the officers. On a national scale, there have been 3,386 Black people killed during an encounter with law enforcement since 2013, and nearly 80% of those cases have not had any charges filed, according to the database. I hope that [Vice President] Kamala [Harris] is as aggressive a prosecutor as I hear she is, said Carey, a newly appointed board member for the Ohio Families Unite Against Police Brutality. Maybe, she will appoint a special person to oversee this [fatal police cases] so that some laws can be changed, so that families can actually take a deep breath and say, You know, Ill never get my child back, but that officer will never be able to do this to another person because theyre behind bars. A step in the right direction Young was accused by a store employee of shoplifting, police said. As one officer stood by her drivers side window repeatedly ordering her to get out of her car, she refused, according to police body camera footage that was released weeks after the killing. The actions that led to the death of TaKiya the unnecessary aggression, the chilling commands that amounted to comply or die were there for us all to witness in dreadful clarity, Waltons statement read. TaKiyas life and that of her daughter were extinguished in an act of brutality, becoming yet another symbol of the urgent need for reform in police conduct and accountability. Seconds into the encounter, Young turned her steering wheel while continuing to argue with the unidentified officer as Grubb joined in the barrage of orders with his gun drawn. Grubb was standing in front of her car as the car began to inch forward. A single shot was fired. Carey said she was overjoyed for Youngs grandmothers, Danielle Rivers and Nadine Young, when they learned about the grand jurys decision. TaKiya Youngs sons are in their great-grandmothers custody Youngs mother passed away a year prior, the Associated Press reported. Its disheartening to speak to families across the country who go through this process and never see an ounce of accountability, Carey said. This decision is a step in the right direction. I think it is sending a very strong message to our police officers here in Franklin County. While the families of Young, Casey Goodson, 23; Andre Hill, 47; and Donovan Lewis, 20, have received a small degree of justice with grand jury indictments, there have been 17 other Black people killed by a law enforcement officer in Franklin County since 2020, according to the Mapping Police Violence database. That consists of 11 heartbroken families who learned that no known charges were filed, and six waiting for their loved ones investigation to conclude, hopefully, with positive results. Residents previously told Capital B that they didnt support Pierson because of his own failure as a special prosecutor to land an indictment against eight Akron police officers who killed Jayland Walker in June 2022 during an alleged traffic violation. Police fired 94 bullets at Walker, hitting him nearly 50 times. The residents were also not keen on Pierson passing high-profile cases to other prosecutor offices to handle, despite the special prosecutor strategy being effective in at least two cases Young and Goodson so far. Pierson lost in the Democratic primaries in March to Shayla Favors, who will go against Republican John Rutan in the general election on Nov. 5. I dont want to say that we are on a roll, but were going in the right direction as it pertains to accountability, Carey said. The families say, We want justice. For me, youll never get justice, because that would mean bringing your loved one back. The next best thing is to hold these officers accountable for their actions. The post Two Little Ohio Boys Lost Their Mom to Gun Violence. A Grand Jury Indicted the Police Officer Who Shot Her. appeared first on Capital B News. Two members of Haitis Transitional Presidential Council are calling for an internal investigation on a bank bribery scandal currently engulfing the ruling entity and threatening U.S.-backed efforts to lead the troubled country to elections next year. Frinel Joseph and Regine Abraham, the two non-voting observers on the nine-member panel tasked with bringing political stability to Haiti, are proposing that the embattled council name a commission of inquiry to investigate allegations that three of its members sought a hefty kickback from the head of one of the countrys leading banks to keep his job. They also propose that the council adopt a code of ethics for members. They made the proposition in a letter, dated on Monday, to the council that was obtained by the Miami Herald. The allegations in question are likely to undermine the good reputation of the council, the letter states and risk altering the credibility of its leaders. So far, the council, which has remained silent as a group about the corruption allegations, has not said if the proposal will be adopted or even put to a vote among the seven voting members, who represent a. cross-section of political parties and civic organizations. Joseph, an evangelical pastor and former treasurer of the electoral council, represents civil society. Abraham, an agronomist who has worked in the ministry of environment and for the World Bank and European Union, represents the religious sector. They were sworn in as a group in late April after the U.S. and the 15-member Caribbean Community bloc led efforts to help forge a new political transition after demanding the resignation of Ariel Henry as prime minister amid a violent uprising by armed gangs in Port-au-Prince. The allegations center around council members Louis Gerald Gilles, Smith Augustin and Emmanuel Vertilaire, who are accused of asking the director of state-owned National Bank of Credit, BNC, to pay 100 million Haitian gourdes, about $758,000, to keep his job. The three have vehemently denied the allegations and two have filed defamation complaints in court. The kickback accusations became public last month when the banks director, Raoul Pierre-Louis, wrote to Prime Minister Garry Conille asking for beefed up security for himself and his family, and detailed what the council member had allegedly demanded from him on May 25. The governments Anti-Corruption Unit soon launched an investigation. Last week, days after appearing before the Anti-Corruption Unit to tell his side of the story, Pierre-Louis received a letter from Conille telling him that he was out of a job and was being replaced by a commission, a move his lawyer said is illegal and usually reserved for banks that have been mismanaged. The scandal has set off a political firestorm in Haiti, where the council has been embroiled in a number of other scandals since its formation. Members are accused of misusing the National Palace intelligence budget and of seeking kickbacks from the countrys powerful private sector and from other heads of government agencies in exchange for keeping their posts during the ongoing transition. At least one other director of a government agency confirmed to the Herald that he was asked by someone close to a council member for nearly $300,000 to remain in his job. While some political parties and alliances have come to the defense of the council, accusing Pierre-Louis of trying to jeopardize the already fragile political transition, others have called for the dismissal of the three accused council members. One of the groups represented on the council, known as December 21, which nominated Gilles for his current position, is dividied about whether the veteran politician and former senator should be replaced. Gilles is scheduled to serve as head of the council when Haiti is supposed to head to elections; Augustin is scheduled to take over from current council President Edgard Leblanc Fils in October. In a social media post, Andre Michel, a lawyer and part of the December 21 coalition, said he and his supporters encourage the courageous initiative of the two observers proposing the formation of a commission of inquiry. The conclusions of the investigation should allow the necessary consequences to be drawn, Michel said. The scandal of the 100 million gourdes of the BNC risks engulfing the [Transitional Presidential Council] and the entire transitional process. It deserves to be dealt with as quickly as possible. Michel said that the three accused council members must avoid any obstruction of the investigation, in any form whatsoever, for any reason whatsoever. Beyond their particular interests, the nine stakeholders involved in the establishment of this transition must do everything to save the ongoing political process. On Tuesday, Finance Minister Kethleen Florestal and the governor of Haitis Central Bank, Ronald Gabriel, installed members of the management board of BNC. They have been tasked with improving the banks portfolio. BNC is a state-owned commercial bank that the International Monetary Fund previously wanted to see privatized because of political cronyism and poor governance. The bank, Pierre-Louis supporters say, has not been mismanaged. The bank has provided dividends to the Ministry of Finance during the last four years he was in charge, including sending the government a check for close to $12 million. Two Myrtle Beach residents were sentenced in federal court for committing fraud against the US. Department of Veterans Affairs. DiGorio Jr., 66, and Edward Kessler, 69, who both formerly lived in Pittsburgh, pleaded guilty to the fraud charges and were sentenced Aug. 13, 2024, to one year of probation, including 100 hours of community service, and ordered to pay a fine of $50,000, along with $403,142 in restitution to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, according to a press release. DiGorio and Kessler were the owners of two construction companies, ADDVETCO Inc., and Hi-Def Contracting Inc., operating in Pittsburgh, according to the release. DiGorio and Kessler formed the companies for the purpose of bidding on and acquiring set-aside contracts issued by the VA to small businesses owned and operated by service- disabled veterans of the U.S. military and pre-certified by the VA as Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses. Neither DiGorio nor Kessler had served in the military, nor were they service-disabled, the release said. DiGorio and Kessler executed a classic Rent-A-Vet scheme, in which they paid service-disabled veterans to falsely represent themselves as the primary owners and operators of their businesses to falsely attest to ownership of the companies on critical documents submitted to the VA as part of the service-disabled veteran-owned businesses certification process. During the period of 2007 to 2018, ADDVETCO and Hi-Def were awarded 67 contracts that were intended for such businesses, 50 of which were valued at $1 million or more. The two charges to which DiGorio and Kessler each pleaded guilty in March 2024 arose from the two most recent contracts awarded to the companies, for which the defendants received more than $400,000 in profits, the release said. In imposing the sentences, U.S. District Judge William S. Stickman IV emphasized the serious nature of the defendants offenses and their shameful disregard for the disabled service members who had served their country, characterizing the defendants conduct as akin to stolen valor. Typical Austin homeowner could pay nearly $1K more in property taxes next fiscal year AUSTIN (KXAN) Local governments and tax entities are approving their tax rates and budgets for fiscal year 2024-25, which means the decisions they make now will impact your wallet before the end of the calendar year. Adding it all up if Central Texas entities move forward with their proposed tax rate increases and you vote for additional bumps in tax rate on your November ballot the average homeowner could pay roughly $950 more next fiscal year, or roughly $80 more a month. Thats only calculating how much more youll pay in proposed or approved tax rate increases from local entities, not individual property value increases. Your property taxes are greatly impacted by the value of your home and homestead exemption qualifications. Budget staff calculate expected costs using the average homeowner, the specifications for which have to be laid out for the public in accordance with state law. If you want a better idea of how those proposed rate increases could impact you specifically, you can type your address into this website, which Travis Countys Tax Office links to in its truth-in-taxation resource page. City of Austin Wednesday, Austin City Council signed off on a $5.9 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2024-25. Its the largest budget in city history. A typical Austin homeowner will see property taxes go up nearly $16 a month, or roughly $188 per year, according to the city of Austin. Add rates and fees (including things like trash, water and electric), and youll see a roughly $30 increase every month shaking out to $361.92 per year. Austin City Council approves record budget, here are the changes they made The new budget will include a 4% pay increase for civilian employees, millions for sheltering people experiencing homelessness, money for staffing new fire and EMS stations and additional funding for the police department. You can find more on the city of Austins budget here. Travis County According to Travis Countys proposed budget, which Travis County Commissioners are expected to vote on next month, the countys portion of your property tax bill could go up by roughly $287 for the year that is, if you vote for a tax rate increase in November. Tuesday, Travis County Commissioners unanimously voted to send a property tax rate hike to your ballot this November. The proposed 2.5-cent property tax rate increase will go toward creating new affordable child care. Travis County Commissioners send affordable child care to your ballot According to county staff, the tax rate increase would generate roughly $75 million in the first year. It would cost the average homeowner roughly $125 in the same time period. Austin Independent School District AISD will also consider sending a tax rate increase to your November ballot next week to help chip away at the budget deficit the school district is predicting it will see next fiscal year. If voters approve that tax rate increase, the average homeowner will pay $412 additional dollars, or $34 extra a month. AISD has a tax rate calculator. You can find it here. Austin Community College The ACC Board of Trustees signed off on a $534 million budget in July. Much of the colleges funding, roughly 67%, comes from property taxes, but the board is not considering a bump in tax rate this fiscal year. The board is considering a no-new-revenue tax rate of $0.1013 (10.13 cents) per $100 valuation, consisting of $0.0881 for Maintenance and Operations and $0.0132 for Debt Service. The proposed rate would mean the average property tax bill would not increase, ACC staff wrote. Central Health Central Health is still working through its budget process. After its board of managers sign off, Travis County Commissioners still need to weigh in. Central Health is proposing a tax rate of 10.7969 cents per $100 of property valuation. This increase, amounting to $66 for the average taxable homestead in Travis County, will help fund bold initiatives to transform healthcare access for our community. We are grateful for the trust taxpayers place in Central Health as we work to create a more equitable healthcare system, Central Health wrote. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland visited Wichita Thursday morning to meet with local and state law enforcement leaders. He also announced an $846,000 Department of Justice grant to fund rape crisis centers and other services for sexual assault victims in Kansas. I mostly came here to thank the people who are sitting around this table who are really responsible and, with their law enforcement officers, risk their lives every day to keep people in Kansas safe, he said. They also represent the collaborative approach the Justice Department is using as its method of fighting violent crime as the best possible strategy. Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, U.S. Attorney for Kansas Kate Brubacher, and Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan meet in Wichita on Aug. 15, 2024. (KSN News Photo) Garland recalled his time as an assistant U.S. attorney in the early 1990s and later as a supervisor of U.S. attorneys in the late 90s. I did guns and drug cases myself, and I supervised those cases, and what I very soon learned was it was the collaboration of state, local and federal law enforcement that was the key to resolving the issues of violent crime. 2 Kansas school districts cancel classes over power outage Garland said that is why he is focused on fortifying law enforcement with the latest technological advances to get the biggest drivers of violent crime off the streets. He said it is working. Here in Kansas, violent crime was down 3.7% last year, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, he said. Nationwide, we saw one of the lowest violent crime rates in 50 years and the largest drop in homicides in 50 years. He said the progress appears to be continuing in 2024. Last week, the Major Cities Chiefs Association reported violent crime was down an additional six percent across 70 major cities over the same six months in 2023. But we know that progress is uneven and that in many communities, violent crime has not fallen, Garland said. We also know that there is no level of violent crime that is acceptable. Dates when Big Boy, the 1.2 million pound Union Pacific train, will be in Kansas He said the Justice Department is working in Kansas and across the country to arrest violent felons, to seize and trace drugs used in crimes, and to disrupt violent drug trafficking. The Justice Department has made clear that it does not matter if you are a trafficker in a drug cartel or a medical professional. If you profit from the unlawful distribution of controlled substances, you will be held accountable, he said. Garland said the $846,000 grant for Kansas sexual assault services programs is from the Department of Justices Office on Violence Against Women. Governor Laura Kellys office got notice of the award on Wednesday. A spokesperson said solicitation for this grant program will be released this fall for programs to apply. Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter and Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan were two of the many law enforcement leaders who met with Garland and U.S. Attorney for Kansas Kate Brubacher. Brubacher said it was their chance to speak with the U.S. attorney general about their concerns and the crimes they see in their communities. The meeting was held behind closed doors. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland stopped in Wichita on Thursday to talk about efforts to stop violent crime and drug trafficking through ongoing partnerships between the Department of Justice, federal law enforcement field offices and local police departments. Wichita was his last stop on a tour through Idaho, South Dakota, New Mexico and Kansas. Garland gave a five-minute opening statement to news organizations and took no questions. Garland then had a closed-door meeting with officials including Wichita Police Chief Joseph Sullivan and Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter. It was Garlands first trip to Wichita. He was appointed by President Joe Biden and has served as the top law enforcement in the United States since March 2021. Our strategy, the initiative, beginning of my term at the Justice Department, was to build on those collaborations (with local law enforcement), make sure they worked as smoothly as possible, and then to fortify them with the latest technological advances that we now have for finding the biggest drivers of violent crime and taking those people off the streets, Garland said. Now, we have seen results, he said. Here in Kansas, violent crime was down 3.7% last year, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. And nationwide, we saw one of the lowest violent crime rates in 50 years, and the largest drop in homicides in 50 years. The total number of violent crimes (murders, rapes, robberies, aggravated assaults and batteries) in Kansas dropped by 3.7% in 2023 compared with 2022, from 13,808 to 13,294. But the violent crime index rate (the number of violent crimes per 1,000 people) was 9.8% above the 10-year average, the KBI report says. Garland said the drop in violent crime nationwide has been uneven and that, in many communities, violent crime has not fallen. We also know that there is no level of violent crime that is acceptable, so the Justice Department is working here in Kansas and across the country to arrest violent felons, to seize and trace drugs used in crimes and to disrupt drug trafficking, Garland said. SOUTH DAKOTA (KELO) From sheriffs to police chiefs to federal agents and tribal law enforcement leaders, this mornings meeting with the attorney general was a whos who of law enforcement in the state. Im grateful to be here in South Dakota, said Garland. Our cameras were not allowed to stick around for the meeting, but the attorney general did talk about several issues, including the successful prosecution of drug dealers, kidnappers, and child molesters. Softspoken at times, the attorney general appeared to become a bit emotional talking about protecting kids and the arrest of seven suspected sexual predators during the Sturgis Rally. Overton assigned $1 million bond in Tea murder case This is this office and this groups effort to protect the most vulnerable among us, said Garland. Before he became Attorney General, Garland was a prosecutor and a judge. U.S. Attorney for South Dakota, Alison Ramsdell, also highlighted a program to locate, apprehend, and prosecute people who exploit children using the Internet, We have led the nation consistently in Project Safe Child prosecutions. And every day, we work tirelessly to protect women, children, and families in Indian country from violent crime, said Ramsdell. Garland also focused a portion of his prepared remarks on violence on the reservations. And the partnerships with South Dakotas nine tribal governments in addressing the crisis surrounding Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons. In June of 2023, the department announced the creation of a new MMIP regional outreach program to prevent and respond to these terrible tragedies. The program has placed a regional coordinator here in South Dakota, said Garland. Garland says he and the Department of Justice are committed to working closely with tribal law enforcement to curb violent crime. Garland also traveled to Wagner on Wednesday to meet with tribal leaders and Senator Mike Rounds. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. UCLA pushed back Thursday on a federal order that would protect Jewish students access to campus areas occupied by pro-Palestinian protesters, calling U.S. district judge Mark C. Scarsis ruling improper. UCLA is committed to fostering a campus culture where everyone feels welcome and free from intimidation, discrimination and harassment, Mary Osako, UCLAs vice chancellor for strategic communications, said in a statement. The district courts ruling is improper and would hamstring our ability to respond to events on the ground and to meet the needs of the Bruin community. Were closely reviewing the Judges ruling and considering all our options moving forward. In late April, an encampment was erected by pro-Palestine protesters on UCLAs centrally located Royce Quad. The entrances to the encampment were guarded, and passersby were only allowed to enter if they wore a wristband that indicated they supported Palestine. The lawsuit comes from three Jewish UCLA students Yitzchok Frankel, Joshua Ghayoum and Eden Shemuelian who say they faced religious discrimination because they have a religious obligation to support the Jewish state of Israel. Because of Royce Quads location, the exclusionary encampment made it more difficult for students who supported Israel to get to class. UCLA has maintained that, though it agrees these students faced religious discrimination, the university has no responsibility to protect the religious freedom of its Jewish students when it comes to third-party protestors. After a failed negotiation between the two parties, Scarsi issued a court order about the case on Tuesday. In his ruling, he repeatedly wrote, Jewish students were excluded from portions of the UCLA campus because they refused to denounce their faith and called what happened so unimaginable and so abhorrent. As part of his ruling, Scarsi ordered that UCLA is prohibited from offering any ordinarily available programs, activities or campus areas to students if these activities or areas are not fully and equally accessible to Jewish students. UCLA is also prohibited from knowingly allowing or facilitating the exclusion of Jewish students. By Thursday, UCLA must inform its Student Affairs Mitigator/Monitor as well as all campus security teams that they cannot obstruct access to regularly available activities, programs or locations to Jewish students. Under the definition of this court order, the exclusion of Jewish students also applies to excluding students based on religious beliefs concerning the Jewish state of Israel. The ruling also doesnt prevent UCLA from excluding Jewish students who violate the universitys code of conduct. The post UCLA Pushes Back on Federal Order to Protect Jewish Students Campus Access After Pro-Palestine Protests, Calls Ruling Improper appeared first on TheWrap. Aug 15, 2024, 10:46am EDT The News Ukraine is using weapons provided by Western governments, including the UK, US, and Germany, as part of its ongoing incursion into Russia. Ukraine is free to use British weapons on Russian soil, a spokesperson for the UK Ministry of Defence said, adding that Ukraines right to self-defense can include operations inside Russia. German and US armored fighting vehicles, as well as UK tanks have been involved in Ukraines ground operation, the largest direct attack on Russia since World War II. SIGNALS Semafor Signals: Global insights on today's biggest stories. Russian threats carry less and less weight in Western capitals Sources: Profile, Alexander Graef on X NATO countries, which were reluctant to let Ukraine use donated weapons to target Russia over fears of the Kremlin escalating the conflict, are no longer criticizing Kyiv for using them in its massive incursion. This is likely because Russias threats dont carry the same weight they used to. Supposed red lines have turned pink over time, a European official told Semafor in June. Some Russian experts suggested that because of diminishing Western fears, Moscow ought to consider more aggressive responses, such as setting off a nuclear weapon to convince our opponents of Moscows readiness to escalate, a member of a Kremlin-affiliated think tank argued. The objective would be to to re-establish deterrence, a Russian nuclear policy researcher wrote on X. Limits remain on Western weapons in some cases Sources: The International Institute for Strategic Studies, The Associated Press, The Washington Post Despite Kyivs repeated demands, NATO countries continue to forbid Ukraine from using Western long-range missiles to strike targets deep inside Russia. Although Washington, London, and Paris have provided Ukraine long-range missiles, these weapons are restricted to being used inside Ukraines territory. With long-range missiles, Ukraine could target command centers on Russian soil that are currently out of reach, an artillery commander told The Associated Press. Normal ammunition cant get at them. Ukrainian officials have asked to be allowed to use US missiles to hit airfields in Russia, saying it would help Kyiv hold the territory it has there, The Washington Post reported. Western officials say they were not informed of Russian incursion Sources: Marc Polymeropoulos on X, The Independent Western countries have said they were not given advance notice of Ukraines assault on Russia, leading some analysts to wonder whether Kyiv had received permission to use their donated weaponry in this way, or whether the assault was planned as a to push Western weapons policy in a more lenient direction. One former CIA officer questioned whether the US really could have been in the dark about the operation, suggesting that American officials likely either said meh, or winked or even assisted. A Ukrainian official told The Independent that there were discussions between partner forces, just not on the public level. UK intelligence on how Russia's annual Army Forum changed in 2024 Russia held its annual Army 2024 International Military-Technical Forum in Moscow earlier this week with some changes. Source: UK Defence Intelligence review dated 15 August on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda Details: The event, which includes an arms sales exhibition, usually attracts Russian and foreign defence manufacturers. However, international attendance has decreased since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The event was held alongside Russias International Army Games in previous years but was called off again this year. The event was opened by Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin and Russian Defence Minister Belousov. Belousov stated that the "special military operation" [as the war against Ukraine is called in Russia ed.] in Ukraine is an "armed conflict between Russia and the collective West". This year's shortened forum focused on attracting business delegates from the defence industries rather than the general public as in the past. The event was attended by various national delegations, including those from Belarus, Iran and North Korea. Iran and North Korea are significant arms suppliers to Russia. Russian arms manufacturers are under pressure to increase production to support the war in Ukraine. Some foreign sales contracts to key international partners have been postponed due to the need to supply the Russian Armed Forces. Background: UK intelligence analysed the situation in the Russian army and reported a likely shortage of drinking water. The UK Ministry of Defence also published satellite images of some buildings destroyed by Russia in the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. Support UP or become our patron! A small Ukrainian crew disguised as a pleasure boat cruise was behind the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal. The operation was concocted during a drunken night in May 2022, as Ukrainian military officers celebrated halting Russia's full-scale invasion of the country and were looking to deal another blow to Moscow, the newspaper said, citing four anonymous sources familiar with the plan. Nord Stream is a network of pipelines running under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany to provide Western Europe with natural gas, meaning it provided billions to the Kremlin's coffers. The scheme reportedly cost around $300,000 (273,000) and involved a six-member crew on a small rented yacht. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy initially approved it before the US intelligence agency CIA caught wind and asked him to stop. The Ukrainian president ordered a halt but his commander-in-chief, Valeriy Zaluzhniy, went ahead with the operation anyway, the WSJ said. The outlet said it had spoken to four senior Ukrainian defence and security officials who either participated in or had direct knowledge of the plot and that all of them considered the pipelines as a legitimate target as it defended itself against Russia. Euronews could not independently verify the claims made by these sources. Germany and Poland doubt Ukraine's involvement The WSJ also said that portions of the sources' accounts had been corroborated by a German investigation into the matter. Yet, German intelligence officials have said that they doubt that Ukraine was really behind the sabotage and that it's possible it was a "false flag" operation by Russia. This is supported by Polish authorities who sent the names of Russian suspects to Germany's intelligence service. The WSJ article comes after German media reported that prosecutors had issued the first arrest warrant in their investigation into the Nord Stream attack. The report identified the man as Volodymyr Z, without citing sources, and suggested he had recently returned to Ukraine. Polish authorities have since revealed they attempted to arrest Volodymyr Z at his address in a town near Warsaw in July but that he had already gone back to his native country. He wasn't stopped at the Polish-Ukrainian border because German authorities failed to enter his name in the wanted database, the Polish prosecutor's office said on Wednesday. German reports also named two other suspects: married couple Svitlana and Yevhen Uspenska, who run a diving school in Ukraine. They have both denied being involved in the attack, as their maximum diving depth is 30 metres, compared to the approximately 80 metres at which the explosions happened. Ukraine brings back 2 families with kids from Russian-occupied areas in Kherson Oblast Two families with kids have been brought back from the Russian-occupied areas on the left (east) bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson Oblast. Source: Oleksandr Prokudin, Head of Kherson Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram Details: Prokudin said that three young boys have been brought back to Ukraine. The youngest is 10 and the oldest is 17. "The kids and their parents are finally safe. All relevant services are now helping the families settle in the new place," Prokudin said. He added that volunteers from the Save Ukraine NGO have helped bring the families back from the Russian occupation. Prokudin also said that 167 children have been evacuated to Ukraine-controlled territory from the occupied parts of Kherson Oblast since the beginning of 2024. Background: Families with six children were brought back to Ukraine-controlled territories from the Russian-occupied areas in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts. Ukrainian kids were forced to celebrate Russian holidays and adults to obtain Russian documents. Support UP or become our patron! Despite Vladimir Putins vows to drive out the enemy, he has failed to expel or even halt the ongoing Ukrainian incursion into Russia. This is the first time the Motherland has been invaded since the Second World War. Kyivs forces now claim to have seized control of 74 settlements and more than 1,000 square km of Russian territory, prompting the evacuation of 200,000 people. This is a full-blown crisis for the Kremlin. Despite this, after 10 days of enemy troops on Russian soil, there has been no nuclear sabre-rattling from Moscow. Bold military action by Ukraine has, at a stroke, exposed as a bluff Moscows key strategy for keeping the West backed off: the fear of nuclear escalation. President Putins red lines mean nothing, and it is time our leaders in this country and across the West realised this. On February 23, 2022, on the eve of the invasion, Putin addressed his nation, warning of unimaginably catastrophic consequences if any country interfered with Russias Special Military Operation. Ukraine has now done that conclusively. But in fact Putin has done nothing since the Ukrainians made their move. That has to be at least in part because he doesnt have any nuclear option which would magically solve his current problem: it would hardly help him to drop a nuke on Russian territory, after all. Then, the US has long since promised terrible consequences for Russias war if Putin should go nuclear. Americas massive superiority in conventional weapons means it could cripple Russias war machine inside Ukraine without needing to use nukes itself and without needing to set a boot or fly a plane outside Nato territory. Add to that the fact that President Xi of China would never condone the use of nukes, and we can see just how unlikely the nuclear scenario is. Meanwhile the Ukrainian strike into Ukraine was a brilliant tactical move, one which the great British general, Viscount Slim, would have approved of. As Slim put it: Theres only one principle of war, and thats this. Hit the other fellow, as quickly as you can, as hard as you can, where it hurts him most, when he aint lookin. In fact, Slims World War II campaigns against the Japanese in Burma have certain similarities to Ukraines current manoeuvres. Judging by their actions this past week, I would surmise that some members of the Ukrainian high command have read Slims epic account of the Burma war, Defeat Into Victory. If not, my copy is in the post to Kyiv but I suspect they already have the knowledge and skills required. Moscow will struggle to respond effectively using non-nuclear means. Its troops are in a sorry state, and pulling units from the existing front inside Ukraine to contain the Kursk incursion will weaken or halt its current offensive, or even cause Russians lines to collapse. Russia has completely lost the sense of momentum it had when laying the groundwork for the invasion. Nothing now stops the West from further supporting Kyiv. Ukraine can win the war outright, evict Russian troops from its territories, stop the bloodshed on both sides, and vanquish another tyrant determined to subjugate Western Europe without fear of escalation and nuclear attack. Our new Prime Minister is leaning into efforts to obtain peace in the Middle East, for which he deserves credit. However, the much closer war in Eastern Europe, a far greater threat to these islands, today requires his urgent and undivided attention. It must be made clear, even to the most timid leaders in Europe, that the nuclear option is not actually available to Putin. The West both can and should remove the shackles it has put on Ukraine and allow that bold nation to fight with its hands free, using its Western weaponry to its full range and capability. This decisive action by Ukraine is an opportunity for Starmer and his new team to make decisions that could hasten peace in Eastern Europe. Such opportunities rarely come in warfare. Churchill and Slim would have grasped this one. Sir Keir Starmer has a chance to make history lets hope hes up to it. Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon is a former British Army officer Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Ukraine captures over 100 Russian, Chechen soldiers in a day in Kursk Oblast, source says Editor's note: The Kyiv Independent obtained more footage of the prisoners of war but chose not to publish them due to ethical concerns. Ukrainian special forces captured 102 Russian and Chechen soldiers in Kursk Oblast on Aug. 14, a source in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) told the Kyiv Independent on Aug. 15. As part of Ukraine's cross-border incursion into neighboring Kursk Oblast, special forces from the SBU carried out an operation on a Russian military base on Aug. 14 that resulted in the largest single capture of Russian troops so far in the war, according to the source. The prisoners of war (POWs) belong to the 144th Guards Motor Rifle Division and the Akhmat unit, a Chechen group of forces that fights for Russia, the source said. Apti Alaudinov, the commander of the Akhmat unit, was the first Russian commander to acknowledge Russian troop losses sustained by Ukraine's Kursk incursion. Alaudinov, a close ally of Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov and an official at the Russian Defense Ministry, admitted on Aug. 7 that "our people died, that's a fact. The enemy has entered several settlements." The source in the SBU described the base in Kursk Oblast as a "sprawling, concrete, and well-fortified company stronghold," which had facilities including personnel quarters, a canteen, and an armory. Read also: As Ukraines Kursk incursion wins US support, will fears of Russian escalation fade? Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said in a report to President Volodymyr Zelensky on Aug. 14 that Ukrainian forces operating in Kursk Oblast had captured more than 100 Russian troops. The source did not clarify if Syrskyi was referring to the results of the same special operation. Zelensky said on Aug. 14 that he was "grateful to all involved," and the taking of Russian prisoners would allow Ukraine to return more of its own POWs that Russia is holding. "This will speed up the return home of our boys and girls," he said. Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi told reporters on Aug. 13 that "unlike Russia, Ukraine does not seek to seize territory" but wants to "protect the lives of our people." Ukraine's incursion into Russia's Kursk Oblast aims to prevent Moscow from sending additional reinforcements to the front in Donbas and stop Russian cross-border strikes, Tykhyi said. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday that Ukrainian forces have taken control of the Russian town of Sudzha, over a week after his forces launched a cross-border incursion into Russias Kursk region. Kyivs forces have been in the town, located 105 kilometers (65 miles) southwest of the city of Kursk, since last Wednesday, but this is the first confirmation from the Ukrainian president that his army had captured it. Ukrainian military chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said Ukrainian troops have advanced 35 kilometers (21.7 miles) through Russian defenses since the start of their surprise assault, capturing 1,150 square kilometers of territory and 82 settlements. Syrskyi said a military commandants office has been set up in Sudzha to maintain law and order and meet the priority needs of the population in the controlled territories. Sudzha is located next to a Russian gas terminal, a key point for supplying gas from Russia, via Ukraine, to Europe. This has prompted speculation that one of Kyivs goals could be to curtail a lucrative source of funding for Moscow. Ukraines ground incursion has forced tens of thousands of Russians from their homes and put Russia on the back foot as it scrambles to repel Kyivs troops. Wednesday saw Ukrainian drones target four Russian airfields in the largest such attack of the war. A source in Ukraines security service told CNN the attack targeted four bases in the southwest regions of Kursk and Voronezh, and Nizhny Novgorod, east of Moscow. Russias defense ministry said it destroyed 117 aircraft-type drones and four tactical missiles over Kursk and neighboring regions. Ukraines assault which poses a major embarrassment for the Kremlin represents a notable change in tactics for Kyiv, marking the first time foreign troops have entered Russian territory since World War II. Russia has pulled reserves from key battleground areas in Ukraine and Russian-occupied Crimea to repel Kyivs advances, a Ukrainian military commander told CNN Wednesday. The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed in an update posted on Telegram Thursday to have recaptured the first village from Ukrainian forces in Kursk region the settlement of Krupets. Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed on Monday to kick the enemy out of Russia after it emerged that dozens of Russian villages were under Ukrainian control. Ukraine meanwhile continues its struggle along the eastern front, where Russian forces have been making incremental gains for months. Ukraine on Thursday reported the heaviest fighting in weeks near the eastern city of Pokrovsk. Serhii Dobriak, head of Pokrovsk city military administration, wrote on Telegram that the enemy was almost right up close to our community and little more than 6 miles (10km) from the city. Dobriak continued to urge all citizens to evacuate without delay. CNNs Darya Tarasova contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com British Challenger 2 tanks have been used during Ukraine's cross-border incursion into Russia that has been ongoing since last week, the BBC and Sky News reported on Aug. 15, citing undisclosed sources. The U.K. Defense Ministry previously confirmed that there has been no change of policy and Ukraine has the right to use British-supplied weapons except for long-range Storm Shadow missiles on Russian territory. While the ministry did not comment on what specific weapons this entails, sources told the BBC and Sky News that this includes the modern Challenger 2 tanks, 14 of which have been in service with Ukraine at least since January 2023. At least one British tank was confirmed as destroyed in September 2023. Equipped with state-of-the-art targeting technology and advanced armor, the Challenger 2 is considered to be superior to the Soviet-era tanks currently operated by both sides in the war. Kyiv and its partners have remained tight-lipped about the equipment used in the incursion, focused in Russia's Kursk Oblast. Russian media have reported on the use of American Bradley and Stryker armored vehicles, as well as German Marders. Ukraine's 82nd Air Assault Brigade, which has been operating the Challenger tanks, is reportedly one of the units involved in the Kursk incursion. It remains unclear how many British tanks were deployed and at what capacity. Ukraine has achieved tactical success in its Kursk incursion, claiming to control 74 Russian settlements as of Aug. 13. Military experts quoted by the BBC said that the quick pace of advance was thanks to the effective use of combined arms like armored vehicles, artillery, and drones. Read also: Opinion: 6 ways Ukraines Kursk incursion is changing the tide of war Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukraine established a first military administration in the Ukrainian-held parts of Russia's Kursk Oblast, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Aug. 15. In a report to President Volodymyr Zelensky, Syrskyi said the administration will be led by General Eduard Moskaliov, a former commander of the Joint Forces. Zelensky said earlier that the creation of special administrative bodies in Kursk Oblast could not be ruled out as the cross-border incursion stretches into its second week. "Ukrainian forces in Kursk Oblast advanced 35 kilometers deep and control 1,150 square kilometers of Russian territory," Syrskyi said, adding that 82 Russian settlements are now under Ukraine's control. Over the past day, Ukraine's troops advanced between 500 meters and 1.5 kilometers in the Russian region, the commander-in-chief reported. "Except for Sudzha, (Russian forces) have been cleared out from three more settlements of Kursk Oblast," Syrskyi noted. The general reported already on Aug. 14 that Sudzha, a town some 10 kilometers (6 miles) from Ukraine's border, had been cleared of Moscow's troops. Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi told reporters on Aug. 13 that "unlike Russia, Ukraine does not seek to seize territory" but wants to "protect the lives of our people." Ukraine's incursion into Russia's Kursk Oblast aims to prevent Moscow from sending additional reinforcements to the front in Donbas and stop Russian cross-border strikes, Tykhyi said. Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said that Ukraine's military is creating a "security zone" on Russian territory to protect Ukrainian border areas. Vereshchuk said that Ukraine would be conducting humanitarian operations in the area, including creating safe corridors for civilians to evacuate both toward Ukraine and to other parts of Russia. International humanitarian organizations will also be allowed to enter the area to support the civilian population and monitor the situation, she added. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. FILE PHOTO: Gas bubbles from the Nord Stream 2 leak reaching surface of the Baltic sea in the area shows disturbance of well over one kilometre diameter near Bornholm By Pavel Polityuk KYIV (Reuters) - Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak denied his country's involvement in explosions which damaged the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and instead pointed the finger at Russia in comments to Reuters on Thursday. "Such an act can only be carried out with extensive technical and financial resources ... and who possessed all this at the time of the bombing? Only Russia," Podolyak said as part of his written comments. The multi-billion dollar Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines transporting gas under the Baltic Sea were ruptured by a series of explosions in September 2022, seven months after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Polish prosecutors said on Wednesday that Poland had received a European arrest warrant issued by Berlin in connection with the attack, but the suspect, a Ukrainian man named as Volodymyr Z, has already left Poland. On Friday, the Wall Street Journal reported that top Ukrainian officials were involved in what happened. "Ukraine has nothing to do with the Nord Stream explosions," Podolyak said, adding that Ukraine did not gain any strategic or tactical advantage from the blasts. Russia has already blamed the United States, Britain and Ukraine for the blasts, which largely cut Russian gas off from the lucrative European market. Those countries have denied involvement. Germany, Denmark, and Sweden all opened investigations into the incident, and the Swedes found traces of explosives on several objects recovered from the explosion site, confirming the blasts were deliberate acts. (Reporting by Pavel Polityuk; Writing by Anastasiia Malenko and Pavel Polityuk; Editing by Jason Neely and Shounak Dasgupta) KYIV (Reuters) -Ukraine said there was no sign Russian military pressure was receding along the eastern front inside its borders on Thursday, more than a week after its incursion into Russia, and reported the heaviest fighting in weeks near Pokrovsk. Ukraine launched a major assault into Russia's Kursk region on Aug. 6, carving out a strip of land in what military analysts have said is, in part, an attempt to divert Russian reserve forces to act as reinforcements. Military spokesman Dmytro Lykhoviy said Russia had moved some troops from Ukraine's occupied south to other areas, but that it had not constituted a big redeployment for now. "No significant changes in the size of the group were detected, and the number of the personnel is not changing enough to indicate any differences or weakening in ... hostilities," Lykhoviy said on national television. Serhiy Tsehotskiy, an officer with the 59th Motorized Brigade, said there had been no letup in Russian pressure in the partially-occupied Donetsk region where Russia has concentrated its attacks for months. "The enemy, despite what is happening on the territory of Russia, is still... keeping the bulk of its troops in this direction and trying to achieve success," Tsehotskiy said on national television. Russian forces had used all its available reserves in the eastern Donetsk region and had "truly pressured" Ukraine there, he said. The Ukrainian military's General Staff said there had been 58 battles between Kyiv and Moscow's forces on the front near the Kyiv-controlled logistics city of Pokrovsk, the most it has reported on any single day this month. The head of the Pokrovsk military administration Serhiy Dobriak appealed to locals to evacuate. "The enemy has come almost right up to the city of Pokrovsk. Just over 10 kilometers from the outskirts of the city," he said on Telegram. DeepState, a popular Ukrainian military blog, reported Russian advances in the villages of Zhelanne and Orlivka on Ukraine's eastern front late on Wednesday. (Reporting by Anastasiia Malenko; editing by Tom Balmforth and Philippa Fletcher) Ukraine says it now controls over 80 Russian settlements, including town of Sudzha Ukraine now controls over 80 Russian settlements, including the town of Sudzha, since launching its major incursion into the Kursk region last week, Ukrainian officials said Thursday. Ukrainian troops have advanced more than 21 miles inside Russia and are now in control of 82 settlements and approximately 444 square miles of territory in the Kursk region, Ukrainian Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi reported on Thursday. MORE: Ukraine trying to push deeper into Russia, as advance appears slowed by Russian reinforcements Ukraine has also set up its first military office in the region, Syrskyi said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video message Thursday that a Ukrainian military commandant's office is being established in Sudzha following "the completion of the liberation of the town" from the Russian military. "Several other settlements have also been liberated. In total, there are already more than 80 of them," he said. PHOTO: Ukrainian servicemen operate a tank on a road near the border with Russia, in the Sumy region of Ukraine, on Aug. 14, 2024. (Roman Pilipey/AFP via Getty Images) Ukrainian forces have continued to advance since launching their incursion into Russia. As of Tuesday, Zelenskyy said 74 communities -- which are largely small villages and hamlets -- were under Ukrainian control in the Kursk region. Syrskyi said Wednesday that Ukrainian forces had completed search-and-destroy operations for Russian forces still in Sudzha, the main border town from which Ukrainian forces have been expanding their bridgehead inside Russia. PHOTO: Ukrainian servicemen operate an armoured military vehicle on a road near the border with Russia, in the Sumy region of Ukraine, on Aug. 14, 2024. (Roman Pilipey/AFP via Getty Images) Amid the advance, mass evacuations are underway in the Kursk region and elsewhere. MORE: Nearly 200,000 Russians being evacuated after massive Ukrainian attack Over 720 people have left border areas in the Kursk region over the past 24 hours, the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry said on Thursday. Provisional accommodation centers in 14 regions have received 9,500 people, including more than 6,500 in the Kursk region, the ministry said. PHOTO: Alona, 8 years old, who together with her mother Yulia and brother Oleg evacuated from the town of Novogrodivka, boards an evacuation train in Pokrovsk, in the eastern Donetsk region, on Aug. 2, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Roman Pilipey/AFP via Getty Images, FILE) Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov said Thursday that the military is "allocating additional forces" among its measures to increase security in regions bordering Ukraine. "We are talking, first of all, about increasing the efficiency of the troop command and control system in interaction with other law enforcement agencies and the administration of the Belgorod region, about identifying responsible officials, as well as allocating additional forces and means that will be sent to carry out the main tasks," Belousov was quoted by the defense ministry as saying. Meanwhile, in Ukraine, Russian forces have been trying to advance towards the logistics hub of Pokrovsk for months, inching forward incrementally. The head of the Civil Military Administration in Pokrovsk said Thursday that the "enemy almost approached our community to the city of Pokrovsk" and was a little more than six miles from the outskirts of the city. Ukraine says it now controls over 80 Russian settlements, including town of Sudzha originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Ukraine set up a military office in an occupied part of Kursk on Thursday as Kyiv sought to cement its control over the Russian region. Oleksandr Syrsky, Kyivs top general, said his forces now hold 1,150 sq km of the border region in southern Russia. He told Volodymyr Zelensky that his forces had complete control of Sudzha, the home of Russias last gas terminal for shipments to Europe, and were still advancing throughout the region. We are moving forward in the Kursk region, Gen Syrsky wrote on the Telegram messaging app. A military commandants office has been created which must ensure order and also all the needs of the local population. Ukraine launched its daring cross-border raid into Russian territory early last week. It was the first foreign invasion of Russian soil since the Second World War. Click here to view this content. Maj Gen Eduard Moskalyov has been put in charge of the management of the captured territory, which includes around 82 villages, towns and cities. The administration was required to maintain law and order and address the populations urgent needs, Gen Syrskyi said. Each Ukrainian region has been given its own military administration since Russia invaded in February 2022 to help co-ordinate civilian-military issues. Western analysts have recorded a slowing in Ukraines operational tempo after the lightning assault captured large swathes of Russian territory. Moscow has ordered the digging of trenches and the building of a network of fortifications some 30 miles north of its border with Ukraine. Ukraine also said Moscow had attempted to initiate the first talks over an exchange of prisoners of war since the start of the full-scale invasion to free Russians captured in the rout. The negotiations came after what Kyivs domestic security services hailed as the biggest capture of the enemy that has been carried out at one time. Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraines human rights ombudsman, said his Russian counterpart had contacted him in the hope of opening discussions. There was a proactive conversation with our Russian counterpart on this issue, he said. We have priority categories that we are ready to exchange. First of all, these are the seriously wounded, the official added. Secondly, Ukrainian women, and thirdly, all those who remain in captivity. Number of captured prisoners not disclosed Ukraine has not disclosed the exact number of Russian prisoners its forces have captured in Kursk but a video shared online by one unit suggested the number could be between 400 and 500. One video shared on social media purported to show the capture of at least 102 Russian soldiers. Western analysts said Moscow had likely reached out to open negotiations because it was trying to secure the release of Chechen fighters from the Akhmat special forces unit. The Khorne Group of Ukraines 116th Mechanised Brigade shared video online of its troops rescuing injured Russian troops, which the unit said could be swapped for fighters from the Azov battalion still held by Moscow. Many of the troops captured by Kyivs forces are young Russian conscripts, a particular sensitivity for Moscow as it seeks to swell its invasion forces. While Mr Zelensky has not publicly praised the capture of the prisoners, he had said his soldiers are building an exchange fund. Moscow was believed to have been holding about 6,500 Ukrainian troops compared to Ukraines 1,300 Russians before the Kursk operation. Kyiv launched the ambitious incursion into Russias Kursk 10 days ago. Its forces have continued to capture land defended by poorly trained conscripts trusted with guarding the frontier region. Ukrainian troops were advancing between 500 metres and 1.5km each day in different directions, Gen Syrsk said. One Ukrainian unit has brought British Challenger 2 tanks into the fight, a UK military source told The Telegraph, in what was the first time the vehicles have been involved in a combat mission on Russian soil. Local authorities ordered the evacuation of 20,000 more civilians in Glushkov district of Kursk as Ukraines advances continued. Local officials in Kursks neighbouring region of Belgorod also announced that additional resources would be freed up after a state of emergency was declared. Iryna Vereshchuk, the deputy Ukrainian prime minister, said Kyiv was setting up a humanitarian corridor from Russias Kursk region to Ukraines neighbouring Sumy. Russias defence ministry said it had engaged enemy forces in at least 15 different settlements as it sought to quash the invasion. It has been hoped by Kyiv that its operation in Kursk would have stalled military pressure along the front lines in eastern Ukraine. Russian forces have been relentlessly advancing towards Pokrovsk, a vital garrison city in the Donetsk region, in recent months. On Thursday, the citys military administrator ordered the evacuation of locals because Moscows troops were just over 10 kilometres from the outskirts of the city. Gen Syrsky told Mr Zelensky that the situation was difficult but under control. The main efforts are focused on preventing the enemy from advancing in the directions of Toretsk and Pokrovsk, inflicting maximum losses, and creating favourable conditions for further actions, he added. 03:33 PM BST Thanks for following todays live blog Thank you for following todays live coverage of the war in Ukraine. Well be back soon with more updates and analysis from the conflict. 03:32 PM BST Russia considers three border regions under threat by Ukraine Russias defence minister has drawn up plans to protect three regions that border Ukraine: Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk. Ukraine launched its cross-border assault into Kursk 10 days ago and has increased military action in Belgorod, prompting a federal state of emergency in both regions. There is no such level of emergency in Bryansk, though Andrei Belousov, the defence minister, said he would personally oversee plans to protect the region. Mr Belousov said on Thursday this would include ensuring territorial integrity and protection of the population and infrastructure. 03:05 PM BST Ukraine using British tanks to invade Russia British Challenger 2 tanks have reportedly been used by Ukrainian troops inside Russia for the first time. The Ministry of Defence and Ukraines armed forces have not commented on the use of the tanks, though UK government policy allows Kyivs forces to use British weapons, with the exception of Storm Shadow missiles, on Russian soil. A video posted by a Russian Telegram account purports to show Vladimir Putins forces attacking a Challenger 2 inside Kursk. A source told Sky News that the British tanks have been used in Ukraines cross-border assault into Kursk, which was launched last week. The 82nd Air Assault Brigade, which has been operating British tanks since last year, has been involved in the ongoing incursion. Kyiv claims it is in control of more than 1,000 sq km of Russian territory, while Moscows forces have been seen digging trenches around 17km north of Ukraines furthest position in Kursk. 02:55 PM BST Pictured: 102 Russian soldiers captured in Kursk Ukraines special forces captured 102 Russian soldiers in Kursk on Wednesday. A new pictured released by Ukraines Security Service (SBU) shows the captured soldiers, including some who are blindfolded, sitting in what appears to be a warehouse. Those captured include soldiers from the 488th Guards Motor Rifle Regiment and the Chechen Akhmat special forces unit, SBU sources said. This is reportedly despite holding ample supplies and ammunition. Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) special forces captured 102 Russian soldiers on Wednesday - SBU 02:47 PM BST Russia to send troops to defend Belgorod Moscow has said it will send more troops to defend Belgorod as Ukraines invasion of Kursk continues. The situation in Belgorod, which borders Kursk, was upgraded to a federal-level emergency on Thursday due to an increase in Ukrainian military activity in the area. The Russian army has prepared concrete actions to defend the Belgorod region from Ukrainian attacks, minister Andrei Belousov said at a meeting with officials including Belgorod region governor Vyacheslav Gladkov. They include the allocation of additional forces. 02:39 PM BST Watch: Bodycam footage shows Ukrainian troops ambush Russian van This is the moment Ukrainian soldiers ambushed a truck filled with Russian troops in a deadly attack as part of their Kursk offensive. Ukrainian troops are filmed running through nearby woods at pace, firing through trees and launching hand grenades. A group of at least six soldiers attack the van, which is eventually destroyed by what appears to be a mini-rocket launcher. Click here to view this content. 02:13 PM BST Our readers react to Kursk offensive 01:59 PM BST Ukraine fully in control of Sudzha, says Zelensky Ukraines troops have taken full control of the Russian town of Sudzha, the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday, Zelensky said Kyivs forecs had reported on the completion of the liberation of the town of Sudzha from the Russian military. It is the largest town captured by the Ukrainian military so far and is located around five miles from the border. Moscow claimed earlier today that it was still fighting for control of the town. 01:40 PM BST Zelensky initially supported Nord Stream sabotage - report Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian President, initially supported a plan to sabotage the Nord Stream gas pipelines in 2022, according to a new report. The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that Ukraines top military commander at the time, Valery Zaluzhny, oversaw the plan to blow up the pipelines used by Russia to deliver gas to Europe. Zelensky initially gave the go-ahead to the plan until the CIA ordered him to stop it from going ahead. But is understood Mr Zaluzhny pushed ahead anyway and the execution team was unable to be recalled. The Nord Gas Stream was sabotaged in 2022 - AFP 01:06 PM BST Watch: US-made Stryker tank destroyed in Kursk A US-made Stryker has been destroyed in Kursk, a video released by Russias defence ministry shows. The armoured vehicle was destroyed by the Russian army near Kauchuck, which is located around 30km north of Sudzha. It is not clear when the footage was recorded. Click here to view this content. 12:50 PM BST Ukrainian troops wave as they drive Putins best tank in the world Ukrainian troops have been pictured waving from a Russian T-90M tank in the Sumy border region. The tank has been marked with Ukraines white triangle, a symbol that has been daubed across Ukrainian weaponry since its invasion of Kursk last week. It also displays the word Pirozhok - which translates to meat pie in Ukrainian - written on the side. Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, previously lauded the T-90M as the best tank in the world. It is not known when the tank was taken by Ukraine. Ukrainian servicemen operate a tank on a road near the border with Russia, in the Sumy region of Ukraine - ROMAN PILIPEY A T-90 tank during the Army International Military and Technical Forum in 2021 - Sergei Fadeichev 12:18 PM BST UN says has asked Moscow for access to under-fire border areas The UN rights office said on Thursday that it has asked Moscow to allow it to visit the Russian regions affected by a cross-border attack by Ukrainian forces. Liz Throssell, a spokesperson for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said they had requested permission to enter Belgorod, Bryansk, and Kursk regions to further to our human rights monitoring and assessment mandate. The request was sent on Wednesday. The office has already asked Russia on several occasions for access to both Russian territory and to Ukrainian territories under Russias control, to no avail, she said. 12:08 PM BST In pictures: Battles continue in the east A Ukrainian serviceman of 24th Mechanized brigade fires mortar rounds in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region - Reuters The brigade, named after King Danylo, are fighting near the ruins of the town of Chasiv Yar which Russia claimed last month - Reuters The key hilltop town sits west of Russian-occupied city of Bakhmut, won in one of the deadliest battles of the war so far - Reuters 11:45 AM BST Challenger 2: The British tank being used by Ukraine inside Russia Britains Challenger 2 tank, now reportedly being used inside Russia by Ukraine, is considered a relatively mobile vehicle, despite being heavily armed and armoured. Having previously been used in conflicts in Iraq, Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ukraine was given 14 Challenger 2 tanks to help Ukraine fight off Russias invasion. Each tank, worth more than 4 million, has an operational range of 550km and can travel speeds of up to 59kmh. Its accuracy has been praised by Ukrainian troops, with one soldier describing it as a sniper rifle among tanks. In a video released by Ukraines Ministry of Defence last year, the Ukrainian soldier said: Ill tell you that this tank is like a sniper rifle among tanks, among all tanks in general. It undoubtedly set a world record when it hit a T-55 [main battle tank] from a distance of more than five kilometres. In 2021, the UK Ministry of Defence set about upgrading the long-standing tank, which will be known as the Challenger 3. This tank will be network-enabled and will have upgraded survivability and target acquisition capabilities. Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank during a training exercise on Salisbury Plain Training Area in 2020 - Getty Images Europe 11:34 AM BST Russia claims capture of village close to key hub in east Ukraine The Russian defence ministry said on Thursday that Russian forces have taken control of the village of Ivanivka in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. Their claim cannot be independently verified, however the frontline village is just nine miles from the Kyiv-held transport hub of Pokrovsk in east Ukraine, where fierce battles continue. 11:00 AM BST Russia jails woman for 12 years after donating to Ukraine charity Ksenia Karelina, a Russian-American woman, has been jailed for 12 years for treason after donating to a Ukraine charity, Interfax news agency said. The Los Angeles spa employee and ballet dancer pleaded guilty last week at her trial in the city of Yekaterinburg. The charge against her was based on a donation of just over $50 (39) she made in February 2022 to a charity supporting Ukraine. Ksenia Karelina sits in a defendant's cage in a court in Yekaterinburg, Russia on June 20 - AP 10:50 AM BST MoD says no change in policy as tanks used inside Russia The Ministry of Defence has said there has been no change in government policy following reports that British Challenge 2 tanks were used inside Russia. There has been no change in UK government policy, under Article 51 of the UN Charter Ukraine has a clear right of self-defence against Russias illegal attacks, that does not preclude operations inside Russia, an MoD spokesperson said. We make clear during the gifting process that equipment is to be used in line with international law. All British weapons supplied to Ukraine can be used on Russian soil except Storm Shadow cruise missiles, Ben Wallace, the former defence secretary, told The Times. 10:34 AM BST Moscow orders 20,000 more evacuations in Kursk Authorities in Russias Kursk border region have ordered the evacuation of 20,000 more civilians as Ukraine advances further into its territory. Alexei Smirnov, the governor of Kursk, said on Telegram on Thursday that police would coordinate the evacuation from the Glushkov district, which borders Ukraine. On Wednesday, Kyiv said its cross-border assault, which was launched last week, advanced one to two kilometres into the Kursk region. Kyiv has claimed that it has control of more than 1,000 square kilometres. Displaced Belgorod region residents arriving at the Stavropol region Photo by Russian Emergencies Ministry Displaced Belgorod region residents arriving at the Stavropol region Photo by Russian Emergencies Ministry 10:24 AM BST Zelensky praises forces for creating Kursk buffer zone Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, has praised his armed forces for creating a buffer zone in Kursk. The creation of a buffer zone in the Kursk region is a step to protect our border communities from daily hostile shelling, President Zelesnky said. On Wednesday Kyiv announced plans to organise humanitarian assistance and evacuation corridors for civilians heading to either Russia or Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelensky - Anadolu 09:49 AM BST Pictured: Ukrainian forces advance towards Russian border A Ukrainian armoured military vehicle travels past a burned car near the Russian-Ukrainian border - AP A view of military equipment as Ukrainian soldiers carry out a mission in a AS-90 to shoot at Russian positions in Kupiansk, Ukraine - Anadolu 09:31 AM BST Russia declares federal level emergency in Belgorod region Moscow has declared a federal-level emergency in the Belgorod region, local authorities said on Thursday. The region, which borders Kursk, initially declared its own state of emergency after Ukraine began bombarding it early on Wednesday. The situation in the region remains complex and tense. As a result of terrorist attacks by Ukrainian armed groups in the Belgorod region, residential houses and infrastructure facilities have been damaged, there are dead and injured citizens, Alexander Kurenkov, the regional governor, said on Thursday. 09:21 AM BST Ukraine denies involvement in Nord Stream explosions Ukraine has denied any involvement in the explosions which damaged the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and has pointed the figure at Russia instead. Such an act can only be carried out with extensive technical and financial resources... And who possessed all this at the time of the bombing? Only Russia, Mykhailo Podolyak, Ukrainian presidential adviser, said on Thursday. His comments come after German prosecutors issued an arrest warrant on Wednesday for a Ukrainian man over the 2022 sabotage. 09:07 AM BST Russia offers 1,300 salary to dig trenches in Kursk Russian authorities have appealed for citizens to apply for jobs which involve digging trenches in Kursk. Avito, a Russian job site, posted the listings with a salary 150,000-371,000 rubles (around 1,300-3,200). A second job listing details round the clock working involving digging trenches on the second line of defence. We provide: Three meals a day; All necessary tools; Work clothes; Transportation to the place of work at the expense of the company, one advertisement read. Click here to view this content. 08:45 AM BST Pictured: Russian fighter jets damaged after Ukraine drone strike Satellite images show the devastating impact of Ukrainian drone strikes on an airfield in Russia. Four air bases were hit in a massive Ukrainian drone strike in the early hours of Wednesday morning, including the Borisoglebsk Air Base (pictured below). Ukrainian drones hit the northwestern part of the airfield, destroying several hangars in the process. This satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows damaged fighter jets at the Borisoglebsk Air Base in Russia - Planet Labs PBC This satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows a damaged hangar at the Borisoglebsk Air Base in Russia - Planet Labs PBC 08:29 AM BST Why Kamala Harris may spell doom for Ukraine Kamala Harriss painfully obvious description of the war in Ukraine went viral after she was anointed Democratic presidential nominee when Joe Biden, the US president, dropped out last month, writes Tom Teodorczuk. Her defenders pointed out that she had been asked by The Morning Hustle radio show to break [Ukraine] down in laymans terms, shortly after Vladimir Putins illegal invasion in 2022. But for the Democratic nominees detractors, Harriss memorable description was indicative of her simplistic shortcomings surrounding the invasion, which have been exacerbated by what some perceive to be an uneasy personal relationship with Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president. Read the full story here. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US Vice President Kamala Harris smile at the end of a press conference at the Munich Security Conference - AFP 08:17 AM BST Moscow concerned about Ukraines rapid advances in Kursk Moscow is concerned about Ukraines rapid advancements northwards into Kursk, military analysts have claimed. Analysis from the Institute for the Study of War, a US-based think tank, suggests Russian troops are rapidly digging trenches 17km north of Ukraines highest position in Kursk. It added that Russian forces are particularly concerned about the regions main highways and will be attempting to protect its primary lines of communication to stop further Ukrainian advances. 4/ These new fortifications are about 17 kilometers north of the furthest claimed limit of Ukrainian advances in Kursk Oblast, which suggests that Russian forces are concerned about potential continued and rapid Ukrainian mechanized northward advances within Kursk Oblast. pic.twitter.com/mrHCiR0f5I Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) August 15, 2024 08:03 AM BST Watch: Soldier tosses Russian flag off building in Kursk This is the moment an armed soldier is filmed pulling down a Russian flag three miles north of the Ukraine border in Kursk. The video, which was reportedly captured in the Vnezapnoe area of the region, shows the soldier taking the flag from a canopy roof before throwing it onto the ground. Click here to view this content. 07:21 AM BST Ukraine downs 29 Russian drones overnight, says air force Ukraines air force said on Thursday that it shot down 29 Russian drones that were launched over eight regions overnight. Russia also launched three Kh-59 guided missiles during the attack, the air force said in a statement, which officials said caused only minor damage. 07:19 AM BST Welcome to our live coverage Good morning and welcome to our live coverage. Well be bringing you updates on the war in Ukraine throughout the day. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The Sky News TV channel reports with reference to its own sources that Ukrainian forces deployed the British Challenger 2 tanks during their offensive in Kursk Oblast in Russia. Source: European Pravda with reference to Sky News Details: If this is confirmed, this will be the first case of Ukrainian forces deploying British tanks in combat action on the territory of Russia. The Ministry of Defence of the UK confirmed that Ukraine may freely deploy British armament on Russian territory in accordance with the governmental policy. A source of the channel reported that the armament in question was Challenger 2 tanks and indicated that they had been used during the Ukrainian operation which had started on 6 August. The details regarding how and when Ukrainian troops deployed Challenger 2 in Russias Kursk Oblast are unknown, same as the specific number of tanks deployed. The 82nd Air Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which has been deploying the British attack tanks, partook in the Kursk operation. Background: The UK agreed to supply Ukraine with 14 Challenger 2s in January 2023 which encouraged Germany and the US to also provide tanks. The policy of the UK government indicates that the deployment of any weapons provided for Ukraine must follow international law. The military assistance was destined to help Ukrainian soldiers defend themselves against the Russian aggression. On 14 August Times reported that Ben Wallace, a former UK defence minister, revealed that while in office, he allowed Ukraine to strike targets in Russia using "any armament it was supplied with", except the Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles. He assumed these rules also apply to Ukraines Kursk operation in Russia. Wallace stated that if the purpose of the attack was to destroy the logistics and infrastructure which supported the Russian invasion of Ukraine, then it was "absolutely legal" for Ukraine to deploy British weapons. The Telegraph reports that the UK did not let Ukraine use Storm Shadow missiles in its offensive in Kursk Oblast. Markus Faber, Head of Germanys Bundestag Defence Committee, stated that Ukraine may use the weapons provided by Germany for its current offensive on Russian territory. Support UP or become our patron! Key developments on Aug. 15: Zelensky confirms full capture of Russian town of Sudzha in Kursk Oblast US-Ukraine discussions about long-range cruise missiles 'in advanced stages,' source says Ukraine captures over 100 Russian, Chechen soldiers in a day in Kursk Oblast, source says Russian troops intensify activity near Krynky, Ukrainian forces withdraw to new positions, military says Russia declares federal emergency in Belgorod Oblast President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed in his address on Aug. 15 that Ukrainian forces had captured the entire Russian town of Sudzha in Kursk Oblast. Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported that Ukrainian troops had taken control of more than 80 settlements in Kursk Oblast during the ongoing operation, Zelensky added. Ukraine is establishing a military administration in the town of Sudzha, according to Zelensky. Earlier on Aug. 15, Syrskyi said that Ukraine established the first military administration in the Ukrainian-held parts of Russia's Kursk Oblast, which will be led by General Eduard Moskaliov, a former commander of the Joint Forces. Ukrainian forces in Kursk Oblast advanced 35 kilometers deep and controlled 1,150 square kilometers of Russian territory, Syrskyi said in his report. In total, 82 Russian settlements are under Ukraine's control as of Aug. 15, according to Syrskyi. Sudzha is located less than 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the border with Ukraine, while the city of Kursk lies 85 kilometers (53 miles) to the northeast of Sudzha. The Russian Defense Ministry said on Aug. 9 that Ukrainian troops reached the western outskirts of the town. Ukrainian soldiers posted video footage later, claiming to be in Sudzha. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Heorhii Tykhyi, said on Aug. 13 that the incursion, which had been launched by Ukraine on Aug. 6, aims to prevent Moscow from sending reinforcements to the front in Donetsk Oblast. It is also designed to disrupt Russian logistics and halt cross-border attacks in lieu of Ukraine's long-range strikes with Western arms, which remain under unofficial restrictions from partners. Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said on Aug. 14 that Ukraine's military is creating a "security zone" on Russian territory to protect Ukrainian border areas. Vereshchuk said that Ukraine would be conducting humanitarian operations in the area, including creating safe corridors for civilians to evacuate both toward Ukraine and to other parts of Russia. International humanitarian organizations will also be allowed to enter the area to support the civilian population and monitor the situation, she added. Read also: General Mick Ryan on Ukraines strategic calculus in Kursk Oblast US-Ukraine discussions about long-range cruise missiles 'in advanced stages,' source says Discussions between Ukraine and U.S. President Joe Biden's administration about supplies of long-range cruise missiles are "in the advanced stages," a source close to President Volodymyr Zelensky's administration told the Kyiv Independent. The timeline of when the missiles could arrive in Ukraine is unclear, the source said, adding that sometime this fall is in consideration. President Zelensky's Office declined to comment on the matter. Earlier on Aug. 15, Politico reported, citing undisclosed sources, that Biden's administration is "open" to supplying Kyiv with long-range cruise missiles to bolster the recently provided F-16 fighter jets, among other purposes. Kyiv has been urging the U.S. to provide its long-range missiles for Ukrainian forces to be able to strike at Russian military infrastructure and logistics deep inside Russia since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. Read also: As Ukraines Kursk incursion wins US support, will fears of Russian escalation fade? The U.S. has not yet made a decision about the missile deliveries but is working out the "complicated details," Politico said, citing one Biden administration official. Those "details" include reviews of the transfer of sensitive technologies and ensuring Ukraine's jets can launch the 2,400-pound (around 1,089 kilograms) missile that carries a 1,000-pound (around 454 kilograms) warhead, according to the media outlet. The Pentagon declined to comment on Politico's request about the possible shipment of missiles but said that it is considering "a range of options to meet Ukraine's security assistance requirements." According to Politico, the U.S. is considering providing Ukraine with JASSM missiles, which can be launched over 200 miles (nearly 322 kilometers) from fourth-generation F-16s. If delivered to Ukraine, JASSMs, developed by Lockheed Martin, would be the last missiles the U.S. has ever banned from being supplied to Kyiv. JASSM missiles can significantly boost the combat capabilities of F-16s, as in that case they are not expected to fly close to the border with Russia because of the risk of being shot down. An administration official warned that there is "plenty of work to be done" before any missiles arrive in Ukraine, including making sure that Kyiv's existing Soviet-era aircraft and recently delivered F-16s can launch a missile at targets more than 230 miles (nearly 370 kilometers) away, Politico said. Two undisclosed sources told Politico that the Pentagon is already working with Ukraine on these technical issues. Ukraine has air- and ground-launched missiles provided by the U.S., U.K., and France that can reach almost 200 miles from the launch point, but restrictions on the use of missiles against Russian territory remain in place. The U.S. gave Ukraine permission on June 1 to use some American-supplied weapons, including HIMARS rockets, to strike targets in Russia located near the border with Kharkiv Oblast after Russia launched a renewed offensive in the region on May 10. Ukraine is still prohibited from using ATACMS and other long-range U.S.-supplied weapons for strikes deeper inside Russia. The United States will decide on the use of American-made weapons provided to Ukraine, including F-16 fighters, for strikes in Russia depending on the situation on the battlefield and the needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, according to the U.S. State Department. Kyiv has repeatedly called on its partners to allow attacks on Russian military and industrial facilities to prevent Russia from fueling its aggression in Ukraine. Heorhii Tykhyi, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said on Aug. 13 that the Ukrainian incursion into Kursk Oblast would be "less necessary" if Kyiv were allowed to "fully utilize (its) long-range capabilities" against Russia. Read also: Kursk incursion deals blow to Putins prestige marking first ground invasion of Russia since World War II Ukraine captures over 100 Russian, Chechen soldiers in a day in Kursk Oblast, source says Ukrainian special forces captured 102 Russian and Chechen soldiers in Kursk Oblast on Aug. 14, a source in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) told the Kyiv Independent on Aug. 15. As part of Ukraine's cross-border incursion into neighboring Kursk Oblast, special forces from the SBU carried out an operation on a Russian military base on Aug. 14 that resulted in the largest single capture of Russian troops so far in the war, according to the source. The prisoners of war (POWs) belong to the 144th Guards Motor Rifle Division and the Akhmat unit, a Chechen group of forces that fights for Russia, the source said. Apti Alaudinov, the commander of the Akhmat unit, was the first Russian commander to acknowledge Russian troop losses sustained by Ukraine's Kursk incursion. Alaudinov, a close ally of Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov and an official at the Russian Defense Ministry, admitted on Aug. 7 that "our people died, that's a fact. The enemy has entered several settlements." The source in the SBU described the base in Kursk Oblast as a "sprawling, concrete, and well-fortified company stronghold," which had facilities including personnel quarters, a canteen, and an armory. Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said in a report to President Volodymyr Zelensky on Aug. 14 that Ukrainian forces operating in Kursk Oblast had captured more than 100 Russian troops. The source did not clarify if Syrskyi was referring to the results of the same special operation. Zelensky said on Aug. 14 that he was "grateful to all involved," and the taking of Russian prisoners would allow Ukraine to return more of its own POWs that Russia is holding. "This will speed up the return home of our boys and girls," he said. Read also: How Ukraines Kursk incursion threw Russias top propagandists into crisis Russian troops intensify activity near Krynky, Ukrainian forces withdraw to new positions, military says Russian troops have intensified their activity near the village of Krynky in Kherson Oblast, prompting Ukrainian forces to seek new positions, Dmytro Lykhovii, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Tavria group of forces, said on Aug. 15. The small village of Krynky is a key settlement in the heavily contested Dnipro bridgehead in Russian-occupied Kherson Oblast. Before the start of the full-scale war, fewer than 1,000 people lived there. "Seven (Russian) attacks were repelled at a bridgehead on the left bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson Oblast, north of the village of Krynky, where our units moved to new positions. The enemy has become more active there than last week," Lykhovii said on national television. Due to the swampy terrain, it is challenging to build fortifications, set up observation posts, and firing positions in the area, according to the spokesperson. If Russian troops use artillery and drop incendiary munitions from drones in hot weather, fires break out. This complicates the holding of positions, and Ukrainian forces have to relocate, Lykhovii added. There have been no drastic changes in the tactics of the Russian troops or the quantity of personnel. No significant decrease in the number of Russian soldiers has been observed in this sector of the front line, the spokesperson said. "At the same time, there are no signs of the formation of assault forces for the Russian offensive. Positional battles continue in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, where Ukraine's Tavria Group is located," he added. Ukrainian marines first crossed the river and gained a foothold on the Russian-occupied side in October last year. Over the next two months, they secured a thin, long bridgehead along the coast. Marines achieved the most success in Krynky in December, advancing around roughly 2.5 kilometers from the river coast. Fighting for the village has been fierce for months. In February, Ukraine said Russian troops were conducting "human wave" assaults without armored vehicles in an attempt to recapture it. The Defense Forces of Southern Ukraine said in mid-July that Ukrainian troops are still fighting in Krynky, but their positions are "completely destroyed." Russia declares federal emergency in Belgorod Oblast Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry declared a federal emergency in Belgorod Oblast on Aug. 15, as Ukraine's incursion into Russia marks its 10th day. Belgorod Oblast is sandwiched between Kursk Oblast to the northwest and Ukraine's Kharkiv Oblast to the south. The region also shares a border with Ukraine's Sumy Oblast to the west. Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov declared a state of emergency on Aug. 14, citing an "extremely difficult" situation in the region, and said he would request for a federal state of emergency to be declared. Emergency Situations Minister Aleksandr Kurenkov announced that a federal emergency had been declared during an extraordinary meeting of the Russian government's Commission on Preventing and Eliminating Emergency Situations. The authorities in Belgorod Oblast have organized "comprehensive assistance to the affected population," Kurenkov said. "However, the scale of what is happening does not allow the region to independently eliminate the consequences of the current emergency situation," he added. The Emergency Situations Ministry also said there are reports of "unjustified price increases for food and essential goods" in the region. Kurenkov reportedly instructed the Federal Antimonopoly Service to control the situation. Gladkov claimed that multiple settlements on the border with Kharkiv Oblast had been attacked over the past day by Ukrainian drones and munitions. Russian attacks on Kharkiv Oblast are regularly launched from Belgorod Oblast. Gladkov said on Aug. 13 that 11,000 residents of the region's Krasnoyaruzhsky district, which borders both Kursk and Kharkiv oblasts, had evacuated their homes. The district was home to around 14,000 residents, according to a 2020 census. Read also: Kursk incursion and Crimea strikes could ease pressure on Ukraines Donbas forces Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The Ministry of Defence has announced that the first Ukrainian firefighting ground robot, which can operate within the range up to two kilometres from its operator in open areas, has been put into operation in the Armed Forces. Source: Ministry of Defence Details: The robot consists of a movable tracked platform and equipment with water or special foam. It can operate up to two kilometres from the operator in open areas and up to 400 metres in rough terrain. The operator uses a control panel to direct the robot to the fire's epicentre from a safe location. The water flow can be adjusted remotely. Additionally, thanks to an objective video camera installed on the platform, the operator receives images from the dangerous area where the fire is being contained. The Ministry of Defence noted that the firefighter robot was initially developed for the needs of civilian emergency services, but then, the military became interested in the machine. "Such a robot is needed, for example, in areas with unexploded munitions, when there's a need to approach burning equipment with a risk of ammunition detonation, and in other potentially dangerous cases involving a risk to the life and health of servicemen. At the request from the military, this robotic platform received reinforced running gear. The control range and battery life have also been increased," the statement said. Thanks to its tracked platform, the robot can also cross difficult terrain, move over burning wreckage, operate at extreme temperatures and create a water wall with its water cannon (A water wall is a spray of water that acts as a barrier to shield personnel and equipment against radiant heat, harmful gases, and flames ed.). Support UP or become our patron! Ukrposhta, Ukraine's national postal service, is ready to open a branch in the Ukrainian Armed Forces-controlled town of Sudzha, Kursk Oblast, Russia, if it receives instructions from the headquarters for work in the liberated territories under the Cabinet of Ministers (Ukrainian government). Source: Ukrposhta CEO Ihor Smilianskyi in a comment to Interfax-Ukraine Details: The company responded to a request from Interfax-Ukraine by saying that two main conditions must be met: ensuring the safety of the company's employees and the availability of funding sources. Quote: "Ukrposhta is ready to open in Sudzha under two key conditions: the first is a sufficient level of security, in particular for our employees and people in the territories. It is not about guaranteeing 100% security, as this is impossible in Ukraine today, but about an acceptable level of risk. The second is to make the appropriate decision and sources of funding," said Smilianskyi. Sources of funding for pensions or humanitarian and social assistance in Kursk or Belgorod oblasts could be frozen Russian funds, the company added. Quote: "The same applies to the delivery of parcels to our guys and ladies in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. In this case, we open and deliver, or deliver by mobile offices. Perhaps a new type of mobile office will be needed - something like the Kozak vehicle [armoured personnel carrier ed.]," the Ukrposhta press service suggested. It is noted that the permission to open Ukrposhta offices in Russian territory may be granted by the headquarters for work in the liberated territories under the Cabinet of Ministers. Quote: "Usually, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine creates a headquarters for work in the liberated territories. The headquarters develops decisions that are submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers or the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (Ukrainian Parliament) (following the example of Kharkiv and Kherson Oblasts in 2023). Therefore, all the mechanisms have already been worked out, and as soon as there is a decision, we can apply it," Ukrposhta added. Background: At a special meeting on 14 August, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy brought up the issue of establishing military commandants' offices if required in the territories of Russia's Kursk Oblast that are under the control of Ukraine's defence forces. Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada Human Rights Commissioner, stated that Ukraine might establish military commandants' offices in Kursk Oblast in Russia to provide locals with humanitarian aid. On 15 August, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, informed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the creation of the first military commandants office in Kursk Oblast in Russia, headed by Major General Moskalov. Support UP or become our patron! Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak on Aug. 15 denied Kyiv's involvement in the Nord Stream explosions after recent media reports pointed to Ukrainian citizens as suspects. "Such an act can only be carried out with extensive technical and financial resources... and who possessed all this at the time of the bombing? Only Russia," Podolyak said in a written comment for Reuters, reiterating Ukraine's position. The statement comes after several German outlets wrote that Berlin issued a European arrest warrant for Volodymyr Z, a Ukrainian diving instructor allegedly involved in the September 2022 explosions. The manidentified by the Swedish outlet Expressen as 44-year-old Volodymyr Zhuravlovis believed to have resided in Poland but, according to Polish authorities, left for Ukraine in early July 2024. At least two other Ukrainian nationals a man and a woman are also considered suspects, the German media investigation said. In a separate story, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) wrote that six people, including trained civilian divers, carried out the operation while sailing on the Baltic Sea in a small rented yacht. The WSJ also claimed that, according to undisclosed official sources, President Volodymyr Zelensky initially sanctioned the operation but later ordered it aborted. Valerii Zaluzhnyi, then-Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces and the current ambassador in the U.K., went ahead with the operation anyway, the WSJ wrote. While the German probe now focuses on Zaluzhnyi and his aides, the investigators have no evidence of their involvement that could be presented in court, the outlet alleged. The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims, while Zaluzhnyi has denied the accusations as a "provocation" in a comment for the WSJ. Echoing Zaluzhnyi, Podolyak said that "Ukraine has nothing to do with the Nord Stream explosions" and that Kyiv had nothing to gain from them. Read also: Merkel withheld information about Russias intention to blackmail Europe with gas, German outlet reports The explosions occurred on Sept. 26, 2022, on three of the four Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipes connecting Russia to Germany via the Baltic Sea. Germany, Denmark, and Sweden launched their own investigations into the incident, though the latter two countries dropped the probe earlier this year. The West and Ukraine have repeatedly traded accusations with Russia over the explosions. Some German investigators have previously linked the explosions to Ukraine, accusing a crew of Ukrainians of carrying out the sabotage, but did not say whether it was officially authorized by Kyiv. Sources with knowledge of the German investigation told the Wall Street Journal in January 2024 that they believe the attack was launched from Poland and said that the Polish government has been hesitant to provide information to investigators and withheld other evidence. In January 2023, investigators said they had discovered traces of explosives on a boat they believed transported the charges used in the blast. The construction of Nord Stream 2, which began in 2018, came under heavy criticism from the U.S., Ukraine, and other European countries. The new gas pipeline threatened to deepen the energy dependency of the EU's leading economy on Russia and effectively create a new leverage for Moscow. While completed in 2021, the pipeline was never put into service. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz suspended its certification in February 2022, shortly before the start of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine and a breakdown of relations between the EU and Russia. Read also: Germany issues arrest warrant for Ukrainian over Nord Stream explosion, media claim Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Group negotiating prisoner swaps with Russia to be expanded, says head of Ukraine's Security Service The negotiating group which prepares prisoner exchanges on behalf of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War is to include representatives of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU), the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Foreign Intelligence Service, and the Human Rights Commissioner. Source: SSU Head Vasyl Maliuk at a joint briefing by these institutions Details: Maliuk said the negotiating group is expanding to include representatives of the SSU, DIU, the Interior Ministry, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Foreign Intelligence Service, and the Human Rights Commissioner. He noted that the group will be organising swaps not only of military personnel, but also civilians, including those illegally detained by Russia since 2014. The SSU chief recalled that the Security Service's Special Group Alpha has captured more than a hundred Russian servicemen during the fighting in Russias Kursk Oblast, including officers and representatives of the Akhmat Special Forces unit. "We are already thinking about how to make the most of this in order to bring our defenders home," Maliuk said. He also stressed that military counterintelligence and SSU investigators are currently working with the Russian prisoners to document war crimes. Ukraine will then be able to negotiate their exchange with Russia. Support UP or become our patron! Zelenskyy says Ukrainian troops have taken full control of the Russian town of Sudzha KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday that his country's troops had taken full control of Sudzha, the largest Russian town to fall to Ukraine's forces since the start of their cross-border incursion more than a week ago. Although it had a prewar population of only around 5,000 people, Sudzha is the administrative center for the border area of Russia's Kursk region and is larger than any of the other towns or settlements that Ukraine says it has taken since the incursion began on Aug. 6. Zelenskyy said Ukraine was setting up a military command office in Sudzha, which suggests that Ukraine might plan to remain in the Kursk region long-term or just signal Moscow that it may intend to do so. He didn't elaborate on what functions the office might handle, though he said earlier this week that Ukraine would be distributing humanitarian aid to Sudzha residents. Russia didn't immediately respond to Zelenskyy's claims, but its defense ministry said earlier Thursday that Russian forces had blocked Ukrainian attempts to take several other communities. The surprise Ukrainian incursion has reframed the war and caused chaos in the Kursk region, leading to the evacuation of more than 120,000 civilians, according to Russian authorities, and the capture of at least 100 Russian troops, according to Kyiv. Zelenskyy has said one of the reasons for the incursion was to protect neighboring Ukrainian regions. The more Russian military presence is destroyed in the border regions, the closer peace and real security will be for our state. The Russian state must be responsible for what it has done, he said Tuesday. Russia has seen previous raids of its territory in the war, but the Kursk incursion is notable for its size, speed, the reported involvement of battle-hardened Ukrainian brigades, and the length of time they have stayed inside Russia. As many as 10,000 Ukrainian troops are involved, according to Western military analysts. The incursion also marks the first time foreign troops have invaded and held Russian territory since Nazi Germany did in World War II. Although Russian military bloggers reported that Russian reserves sent to the Kursk region had slowed Ukrainian advances, questions remain over whether the incursion might force Moscow to move troops to Kursk from front-line positions in eastern Ukraine, where they've made slow but steady advances this year. As Kyiv was trumpeting its gains in Kursk on Thursday, officials in the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, which had a prewar population of about 60,000, warned civilians to evacuate ahead of rapidly approaching Russian troops, who were about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the city's outskirts. If Russian troops capture Pokrovsk, where theyve been trying to breach Ukrainian defenses for weeks, they would further advance toward their goal of capturing Ukraine's entire Donetsk region. White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Thursday that Russia had withdrawn some forces, including infantry units, from Ukraine and was shifting them to Kursk, but that the U.S. didn't know how many troops were involved. However, a U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of not being authorized to comment publicly, said it doesn't appear that Russia has moved a sufficient number of armored battalions or other types of combat power from the front line in Ukraine to Kursk, and that Moscow will need to shift more troops to repel Kyiv's forces. Asked Thursday if the Pentagon was considering limiting any support to Ukraine in light of the latest incursion, spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said it doesnt affect what the U.S. is sending, but that, youve seen us modify and give different capabilities over time, and we reserve that right to continue to do that. Russian military bloggers reported that small Ukrainian mechanized groups have continued to probe Russian defenses. And satellite images analyzed by The Associated Press on Thursday show that a Ukrainian drone attack on Russian air bases damaged at least two hangars and other areas. Images taken Wednesday by Planet Labs PBC show that two hangars at Borisoglebsk Air Base have been struck, with a field of debris around both. It was not immediately clear what purpose the hangars served. There also appeared to be potential damage to two fighter aircraft at the base. Separately, at Savasleika Air Base, one burn mark could be seen just off the runway in images Wednesday, though there was no apparent damage to the fighter jets and other aircraft there. As of Thursday, the Ukrainian military claimed to be holding more than 80 towns and settlements in the Kursk region. Kursk's acting governor, Alexei Smirnov, on Thursday ordered the evacuation of the Glushkovo region, about 45 kilometers (28 miles) northwest of Sudzha. The order suggests Ukrainian forces were gradually advancing toward the area. At a facility receiving evacuees, Tatyana Anikeyeva told Russian state television about her ordeal fleeing from the fighting. We were rushing from Sudzha. We hid in the bushes. Volunteers were handing out water, food, bread to people on the go. The sound of the cannonade continued without any break. The house was shaking." Evacuees milled around and waited in long lines for food and other supplies. One man stroked his pet dog and tried to comfort her, while saying that he felt nauseous and had no appetite. Russia also declared a federal-level state of emergency in the Belgorod region, a day after a regional-level declaration was made for the area. The change in status suggests that officials believe the situation is worsening and hampering the regions ability to deliver aid. Ukraines chief military officer, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, said earlier this week that Ukrainian forces had taken 1,000 square kilometers (about 390 square miles) of the Kursk region, though his claim couldn't be independently verified. The contact lines in Kursk have remained fluid, allowing both sides to maneuver easily, unlike the static front line in eastern Ukraine, where it has taken Russian forces months to achieve even incremental gains. Russian officials have pushed back on Syrskyi's territorial claim. Speaking to reporters Wednesday at the U.N., Russia's deputy ambassador, Dmitry Polyansky, called the incursion an absolutely reckless and mad operation, and said Ukraine's aim to force Russia to move its troops from eastern Ukraine is not happening because we have enough troops there. Sudzha has a measuring station for Russian natural gas that flows through Ukrainian pipelines and a ccounts for about 3% of Europes imports. There has been no indication of any disruption to the gas flow. ___ This story was updated to correct the spelling of Pokrovsk. ___ Associated Press reporters Jim Heintz in Tallinn, Estonia, Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations, and Tara Copp and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed to this report. Ukrainian forces advance 0.5-1.5 kilometres into Russia's Kursk Oblast and now control 82 settlements Oleksandr Syrskyi. photo by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine The Armed Forces of Ukraine have advanced up to 1.5 kilometres on some axes in Kursk Oblast since the beginning of the day and now control 82 settlements in Russia. Source: Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, at a meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief on 15 August Details: Syrskyi reported that since the beginning of the day on 15 August the defence forces of Ukraine advanced a distance from 500 metres to 1.5 kilometres on some axes in Kursk Oblast and repelled three Russian attacks. The Ukrainian offensive is underway. In total, since the beginning of the operation in Kursk Oblast, the Ukrainians advanced 35 kilometres and gained control over 1,150 square kilometres of Russian territory and 82 settlements. Read also: Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi's raid: how the Ukrainian offensive in Russia's Kursk Oblast is progressing and what to expect next Background: On 15 August, sources in the Security Service of Ukraine told Ukrainska Pravda that the day before, they captured 102 Russian soldiers in Russias Kursk Oblast. Russian authorities are evacuating people from the border areas of Kursk Oblast. The Ministry of Reintegration of Ukraine offered residents of Kursk Oblast assistance in evacuating to the territory of Ukraine. On 13 August, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported to President Zelenskyy that 74 settlements in Russias Kursk Oblast are under Ukrainian control. Support UP or become our patron! Office of the President. Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine Mykhailo Podoliak, an adviser to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, denied Ukraine's involvement in the blowing up of Russia's Nord Stream pipeline in the Baltic Sea and blamed the incident on Russia. Source: Mykhailo Podoliak in an interview with Reuters, reports European Pravda Details: Mykhailo Podoliak noted that such an act could only be carried out if there were extensive technical and financial resources. Quote from Mykhailo Podoliak: "And who possessed all this at the time of the bombing? Only Russia." "Ukraine has nothing to do with the Nord Stream explosions," Podoliak stressed, adding that Ukraine did not gain any strategic or tactical advantage. Polish prosecutors said on Wednesday that Poland had received a European arrest warrant issued by Berlin in connection with the blowing up, but the suspect, a Ukrainian national Volodymyr, had already left Poland. Background: On Friday, The Wall Street Journal reported that Ukrainian officials were involved in the blowing up of Nord Stream. In particular, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy allegedly approved the operation to blow up the pipeline and then tried unsuccessfully to cancel it after an intervention from the CIA. The operation allegedly took place under the supervision of Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the former commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Support UP or become our patron! The Nord Stream pipelines were blown up by Ukrainian saboteurs who were told to call off the plan by Volodymyr Zelensky but then launched it anyway, US media reported on Thursday. The $300,000 (230,000) plot was dreamed up by the operatives during a night of heavy drinking and was less sophisticated than some previous reports have suggested, according to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ). It involved renting a small yacht with a crew of six divers, with undercover identities as holidaymakers, who blew up the pipelines, intended to ship Russian gas to Germany, with small quantities of the explosive material HMX. Mr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, it is claimed, initially approved the sabotage attack east of the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea but then called it off after coming under pressure from the CIA. The team, overseen by Mr Zelenskys then commander-in-chief, Valeriy Zaluzhniy, launched the attack anyway, the WSJ reported. Gen Zaluzhniy is reported to have told Mr Zelensky that, once dispatched, the team went incommunicado and could not be called off because any contact with them could compromise the operation. All communication about the plot was carried out verbally to avoid creating a paper trail, according to the newspaper. I always laugh when I read media speculation about some huge operation involving secret services, submarines, drones and satellites, an officer involved in the plot told the WSJ. The whole thing was born out of a night of heavy boozing and the iron determination of a handful of people who had the guts to risk their lives for their country. While Ukrainian officials strongly denied the details of the report, it was based on four Ukrainian sources who either took part in the plot or had direct knowledge of it. President Zelensky with Gen Zaluzhniy - UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE/REUTERS Gen Zaluzhniy, who is now the Ukrainian ambassador to Britain, denied any knowledge of the plot when approached for comment by the US newspaper, dismissing it as mere provocation. A spokesman for Mr Zelensky has also denied the claims. A senior official from Ukraines main intelligence service, the SBU, also denied any knowledge of the plot. They emphasised that Mr Zelensky did not approve the implementation of any such actions on the territory of third countries and did not issue relevant orders. The attack, which took out three of the four Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, occurred in September 2022, some months after the Russian invasion of Ukraine and exacerbated an ongoing energy crisis triggered by the war. Yacht Andromeda, believed used for the operation - OLIVER DENZER/REUTERS Russia was initially blamed for the attack but a report by The New York Times later cited evidence suggesting it was launched by a pro-Ukrainian group. This week, it emerged that German authorities issued an arrest warrant in June for a Ukrainian suspected of taking part in the attack, whose whereabouts is currently unknown. Nord Stream 1 pipeline in Lubmin, Germany - LISI NIESNER/REUTERS According to the WSJ, the plotters initially drew up an elaborate plan to blow up Nord Stream which was shelved as it was too expensive and costly. They instead settled on the use of a small yacht disguised as a pleasure boat and a small crew of six to avoid raising suspicions. A skilled female professional diver in her 30s was added to the crew to bolster their image as a group of tourists, the newspaper said. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) The war in Ukraine is entering a new stage, as Ukrainian forces take over the Kursk region inside Russia. Ukraine says its now captured nearly 400 square miles of the area and more than 100 Russian soldiers. The Pentagon says the U.S. was not aware of the operation ahead of time. Were still working to get more from the Ukrainians on their objective, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said. In response, some Russian troops are moving from Ukraine to the Kursk region. It comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy implores allies to provide long range missiles, calling them essential to winning the war. He wrote on X: This must be done. The bolder our partners decisions, the less Putin can do. The U.S. says its not changing its policy against using U.S. weapons for long range attacks inside Russia. Thats because Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh says under existing policy, Ukraine has been successful in pushing back. That doesnt necessarily happen by doing long-range, deep strikes within Russia. Of course were worried about escalation, Singh said. The State Department says though policy hasnt changed, the U.S. is still committed to helping Ukraine defeat Russia. What were focused on is making sure that our Ukrainian partners have what they need to defend themselves from Russian aggression, State Department Spokesperson Vedant Patel said. Meanwhile Russias defense minister has ordered the establishment of coordination committees made up of military authorities, meant to protect its border territories. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. Activists of Students against Discrimination movement protest as part of the so-called 'Resistance Week' road march at the Dhaka University campus to press home their four-point demand that includes the trial of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Syed Mahabubul Kader/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa A United Nations fact-finding mission is expected to arrive in Dhaka next week, according to information on Thursday, to probe alleged atrocities committed during the violent protests that ousted the government led by Sheikh Hasina earlier this month. The UN is working on the modalities and terms of reference for the mission, Gwyn Lewis, the UN resident coordinator in Bangladesh, said after a meeting with Touhid Hossain, the foreign affairs adviser to the interim government, in Dhaka. The mission will act independently, she told reporters. The government will extend every-possible assistance the UN to make the investigation credible and impartial, Hossain told a news conference after meeting the UN official. Earlier, the government announced that the UN would probe the atrocities after a phone conversation between Bangladeshs interim leader Muhammad Yunus and UN human rights chief Volker Turk on Wednesday. More than 500 people were reportedly killed in violence during the weeks of nationwide student protests in July to demand to an end to the controversial job quota system, and that eventually turned into mass uprising, forcing Hasina to step down. On August 5, Hasina resigned and fled to neighbouring India by a military helicopter, upon which protesters carried out further attacks on public establishments, and homes and businesses owned by Hasina loyalists and minority Hindus across Bangladesh. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mohammad Yunus took over as head of an interim administration three days after Hasina resigned. Local authorities have launched investigations into allegations of murders, genocide and crimes against humanity committed by the deposed prime minister Hasina, her cabinet colleagues and top security officials over their handling of the protests. Activists of Students against Discrimination movement protest as part of the so-called 'Resistance Week' road march at the Dhaka University campus to press home their four-point demand that includes the trial of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Suvra Kanti Das/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa SPRING VALLEY - East Ramapo's school board on Wednesday evening passed a dramatic directive by the state Education Commissioner to increase the 2024-25 property tax levy to a total of 5.38%, more than four times higher than the 1% hike voters approved in June. The majority of board members voted for the increase, they said, under protest. "I vote yes as directed by the commissioner," said Trustee Moshe Samuel Feder. "It is an unfair and unlawful decision." Trustee Moses Koth said he believed Rosa's ruling was illegal. But he voted for the tax-levy change, as well. Koth and others noted that violating an order of the commissioner could lead to a board member's removal. Education Commissioner Betty Rosa, in a surprising July 31 order, said the board's decision to propose a 2024-25 budget plan that raised the tax levy by 1% was "arbitrary, capricious and violative of education policy due to the ways in which it inequitably favors nonpublic school students at the expense of public school students." The board's vote to comply with Rosa's order will increase the tax levy by an additional 4.38%, bringing the total hike for the school year that began July 1 to 5.38%. East Ramapo has limited resources and divided needs Rosa's order came in response to a public-school parent's formal appeal to her, which sought increased spending on public schools in the district. In East Ramapo, the overwhelming majority of the more than 10,000 public-school students are Black and brown and the majority or English language learners; the district's test scores are among the lowest in the state and the percentage of kids considered homeless is among the highest. Even with $90 million in federal COVID aid set aside for building fixes, the schools would still need hundreds of millions of dollars of repairs; after eight years of all school water fountains being inaccessible for kids due to high levels of lead, only a fraction are expected to be fixed when school opens this fall. State orders East Ramapo: Hike tax levy by 4.38% and use money on public school kids Meanwhile, another 30,000-plus children who live within the district's boundaries attend private schools, mostly yeshivas that serve the Hasidic and Orthodox Jewish community. For over a decade, the public school community has seen the school board as favoring the private-school communitys needs. Oft cited is an expensive universal busing system that is the most complex of any school system in the state outside of New York City. Commissioner Rosa's order called inflammatory East Ramapo school board President Shimon Rose made clear his dissatisfaction with the directive. He questioned how the current board was saddled with blame for past boards' actions. Rose called the link "concerning." "The only similarity between the board of now and the board of 10 years ago, which the actions the commissioner brings up in the letter, is that they are visibly Orthodox and we are visibly Orthodox," Rose said before the rollcall vote. "This inflames tension and cause hate and animosity between community members." Cheers and jeers: East Ramapo residents, leaders react to state tax hike order Rose said more focus was needed on fixing the state's formula for dispersing "Foundation Aid" to school districts, which ignores private-school enrollment even though the district still provides legally mandated services to private school kids. Trustee Yitzchok Gruber said that that Rosa's directive was "ludicrous." "What it does is fuel hate and all these boos and screaming that we hear tonight," Gruber said. But he voted to approve the tax levy increase, he said, because Rosa ordered it and "she's the boss." Trustee Eric Young-Mercer, who joined the board in June and is a alumnus of East Ramapo, said "absolutely yes" when asked his vote. Trustees Sherry McGill and Sabrina Charles-Pierre also voted a clear yes. Last-minute attempt to derail board vote Earlier Wednesday, a parent group attempted to get a court injunction to stop the board's vote. The school board's lawyer, Douglas Gerhardt, agreed with the plaintiffs, Parents Against Stealth Taxes. But state Supreme Court Judge Sherri Eisenpress didn't. She allowed the vote to go forward. East Ramapo: Judge says vote on state-ordered tax hike for public schools must go through "Either the kids wait for (English as a Second Language instruction) for a year and half or the taxes are issued and (later) have to be refunded," Eisenpress said during a virtual hearing, just hours ahead of the school board's vote. "I just really dont see what the irreparable harm is to allow this to go forward." Many expect that court challenges to the state-imposed tax increase will continue. This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: East Ramapo board OKs tax levy hike ordered by NY state commissioner For much of the 2024 presidential campaign, Donald Trump has attempted to maintain strategic ambiguity and plausible deniability about what he would do with abortion policy during a second term. In a rambling and incoherent press conference that touched on the topic last week, Trump stayed true to form in one critical sense: No one knew exactly what he was talking about. While some understood the former president to be saying he was open to using executive power to limit access to mifepristone, a drug used in more than half of all abortions, others thought that Trump seemed not to grasp what mifepristone was. Whichever of these interpretations is correct, the upshot seems to be the same: Trump would likely outsource abortion policy to those opposed to it, as he did in his first term, a move that would lead to unprecedented losses for reproductive rights. Throughout the 2024 campaign, Trumps position on abortion has been to obfuscate. He has refused to answer questions about key issues, like whether he agrees with his vice presidential pick, J.D. Vance, that the Comstock Act, a 19th-century obscenity law, is actually an abortion ban. He has run on a platform that favors fetal personhood and endorses in vitro fertilization. Trump has claimed (implausibly) that he knows nothing about Project 2025, even though he flew on a private jet with its director, and even though the architects of Project 2025 are a veritable whos who of Trump administration veterans. Trump once sounded unwilling to touch mifepristone access. When the Supreme Court rejected an effort to block access to mifepristone mounted by a group of anti-abortion physicians (the court unanimously held that the doctors did not have standing to sue), Trump said he agreed with the decision. But when a reporter at last weeks press conference asked Trump about revoking access to mifepristone, he sounded open to the idea. He signaled interest in humane federal moves that would supplement state bans but then reiterated, You have to be able to have a vote. I admit to having no idea what any of this means. The Washington Post and Newsweek observed that Trump seemed open to federal limits on the drug. New York magazine and the prominent commentator Jessica Valenti suggested instead that Trump did not know what mifepristone is. I am unsure which of these positions is right, but Im inclined to think that it wont matter. In imagining what a second Trump administration would look like, it makes sense to look at his first. Trump outsourced much of abortion policy to prominent anti-abortion activists. He selected Roger Severino, one of the authors of Project 2025 and a prominent abortion opponent at the Heritage Foundation, to lead a new conscience and religious freedom division at the Department of Health and Human Services. Before Roe had even been overturned, Severino worked to expand the power of health care providers to refuse patients based on religious or moral objections to who those patients were or what they were doing. With Roe now gone, you dont need to imagine what Severinoor someone just like himmight be able to do in a second Trump term. When Trump had the good fortune to select three justices for the Supreme Court, he turned to Leonard Leo, the Federalist Society chairman and major funder of the anti-abortion movement, to identify candidates and shepherd them through Congress. Organizations linked to Leo, who has shaped a network of nonprofits and a major conservative for-profit consultancy, have provided tens of millions of dollars to leading anti-abortion groups, including the Alliance Defending Freedom, the group that litigated Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, and Students for Life, a group for which Leo long served on the board of directors. Even Trumps communications team had clear ties to the anti-abortion movement. He tapped Charmaine Yoest, then the head of Americans United for Life, one of the nations most prominent anti-abortion groups, to a senior communications position in the HHS. It is true that in the aftermath of Dobbs, Republicans have tended to pay a much higher price for staking out absolutist positions on abortion. Trump himself has acknowledged this, beseeching voters and colleagues to tailor what they need to say to win. But all the signs point to the fact that Trump doesnt personally care much about reproductive issuesand never has. In 2016 he infuriated anti-abortion leaders by telling Chris Matthews that women who chose abortion deserved some kind of punishment, contradicting carefully framed movement talking points. This election cycle, Trump made a similar move in a sit-down interview with Time, suggesting that states could monitor womens menstrual periods. All of this shows that Trump hasnt paid attention to what the anti-abortion movement says or demands. Thats because he doesnt have to. He assumescorrectly, it seemsthat voters opposed to abortion will pull the lever for him no matter what. And he understands that if he has a second term, he will not need to understand the ins and outs of abortion policy because he can just give that job to those who do. Some credulous observers might genuinely believe that Trump will abandon anti-abortion voters once he can no longer run for reelection. Freed from the need to please the base, the theory goes, Trump would act on his supposedly genuine (and presumably more moderate) beliefs. Trumps past has been littered with sexist tropes, crass comments, and sexual assault accusationsnotably, a jury found him liable in the E. Jean Carroll casebut he hasnt conveyed the impression that he has any principled position about reproductive issues at all. When he has no election to win, he seems far more likely to do what he always does: play to his base and to the voters who have helped him cling to power, or fund his postpresidential future. Attempting to sort out Trumps word salad at his press conference when answering questions about mifepristone is a fools errand. But if past is prologue, we already have a good idea of what is coming if he is back in the White House. United Way and City of Providence team up to offer grants address racial and economic inequity Left to right are Lisa Ranglin, president and CEO of Rhode Island Black Business Association; Providence Mayor Brett P. Smiley; and Cortney Nicolato, president and CEO of United Way of Rhode Island at an event at Building Futures in Providence on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. (Courtesy of United Way Rhode Island.) The United Way of Rhode Island has awarded $1.5 million to over a dozen Providence organizations supporting educational and economic opportunities for underserved populations, including people of color and those experiencing poverty. The 15 recipients were announced at a press conference Wednesday and are all organizations working to improve education, economic mobility and social equity in Rhode Islands capital city. The unrestricted grants max out at $50,000 a year for two years and will be used for general operating costs. This is a pivotal, milestone moment for our state to address the systemic racial inequities and injustices that have perpetuated for generations, and which continue to hold back our BIPOC communities, Cortney Nicolato, United Ways president and CEO, said in a statement. Grantees were chosen for offering programming that addresses the racial wealth gap, gentrification, side-effects from urban renewal and culturally competent resources for BIPOC youth in grades K-12. The grants are part of the Providence Equity Fund program, which United Way opened to Providence nonprofits in May. The grants funding source are American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money and donations from United Way donors. ARPA funds were approved by the Providence City Council as part of the Providence Municipal Reparations Commission, which was established in 2020 by former Mayor Jorge Elorza to advance reparative justice initiatives in the city. The targeted investments from the Providence Equity Fund will have a tangible impact on the lives of Providences residents who we know have been historically marginalized, Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said in a statement. Im proud to support the incredible work of these nonprofit organizations who are making meaningful progress towards closing local racial and social equity gaps and building a more equitable and inclusive Providence. The following grantees awarded funding are: Building Futures, which offers construction pre-apprenticeship programs. Center for Indigenous Peoples Rights helps Indigenous people with legal support. Center for Women & Enterprise helps women to build their businesses. College Unbound helps adult learners pursue a college education. DARE, or Direct Action for Rights and Equality, which organizes low-income families and communities of color around various sociopolitical goals. Justice Assistance provides unique solutions for people to navigate the criminal justice system. Manton Avenue Project is a year-round program for Olneyville children that offers playwriting and performance classes when school is out of session. Mini Entrepreneurs of Rhode Island offers workshops and mentorships to help kids learn about entrepreneurship. Olneyville Neighborhood Association is a community organizing group that serves Providences Olneyville neighborhood, which includes Wards 15 and 16. Providence Promise helps plans for kids education from birth and early childhood through higher ed. Providence Revolving Fund offers programs for affordable home repair loans and also embarks on historic preservation. Rhode Island Black Business Association helps Black business owners build generational wealth and access capital and career opportunities. Rhode Island Black Heritage Society collects, records, interprets and preserves historical materials and artifacts relating to Black people in Rhode Island. Sojourner House provides housing and support services to survivors of abuse. Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council pushes for economic development along the Woonasquatucket River and supports green infrastructure projects. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) A team of researchers led by a University of Michigan archaeologist has found a hoard of gold coins in Turkey that could prove to be a key datapoint in clarifying Persian history. The coins were found by the Notion Archaeological Project in the ancient Greek city of Notion, about 30 miles south of modern-day Izmir. U-M archaeologist Christopher Ratte is the director of the project and a professor of ancient Mediterranean art and archaeology. He says the coins were found buried in a small pot and are believed to be from the fifth century B.C. The discovery of such a valuable find in a controlled archaeological excavation is very rare, Ratte said in a university blog post. No one ever buries a hoard of coins, especially precious medal coins, without intending to retrieve it. So only the gravest misfortune can explain the preservation of such a treasure. Sign up for the News 8 daily newsletter The gold coins include a figure of a kneeling archer, the known design of the Persian daric, a type of coin issued by the Persian empire. According to Ratte, darics were minted from the sixth century B.C. until the Persian empire was toppled by Alexander the Great in 334 B.C. Historians have tried to assemble a chronological sequence of darics by comparing the changes in coin styles. Andrew Meadows, the former curator of coins at the British Museum, told the university that this find could go a long way to solidifying that sequence. A team of researchers led by University of Michigan archaeologist Christopher Ratte has discovered a hoard of gold coins in Turkey. (Courtesy University of Michigan) If it can be established accurately by other means, (it would) allow us to fine-tune the chronology of the Achaemenid gold coinage. This is a spectacular find, Meadows said. The Notion Archaeological Project first started excavations in 2022. The coins were discovered in July of 2023, but the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism has only now given permission to announce the discovery. Possible human bones found on campus of University of Michigan Notion is considered one of the best-preserved remains of the Hellenistic period, between the third and first centuries B.C., but other evidence from the excavation found it was likely inhabited earlier than previously thought. Fragments of pottery and other finds date back to the fifth century B.C. Ratte says the find is also important because many past discoveries of darics have been found by looters who have no concern for history. An archaeological find without contextual information is like a person suffering from amnesia a person without memories, Ratte said. It is still interesting and important, but the loss of knowledge is incalculable. In the case of this hoard, we know precisely where it was found, and we have a great deal of circumstantial evidence for when it was deposited. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. Yahoo Sports Week 5 is in the books and oh my there's a lot of panic on these fantasy streets. Dalton Del Don joins Matt Harmon for another edition of the 'People's Panic Meter' to answer all of your listener submissions. The duo examines the situations for Breece Hall, Buffalo Bills, Bijan Robinson and many more. Things are heating up between this elections vice presidential candidates. J.D. Vance posted Thursday morning hed accepted Tim Walzs offer to debate him on CBS on Oct. 1, but also challenged the Minnesota governor to meet him on stage for a second debate even sooner. The American people deserve as many debates as possible, which is why President Trump has challenged Kamala to three of them already, Vance wrote Thursday. Not only do I accept the CBS debate on October 1st, I accept the CNN debate on September 18th as well. I look forward to seeing you at both! The American people deserve as many debates as possible, which is why President Trump has challenged Kamala to three of them already. Not only do I accept the CBS debate on October 1st, I accept the CNN debate on September 18th as well. I look forward to seeing you at both! https://t.co/63FyI99dKU JD Vance (@JDVance) August 15, 2024 If Walz does step up to Vances challenge, itd set a new precedent for vice presidential candidates. Since VP debates first became a thing in 1976, theres either been no debates between the candidates, like in 1980, or theres been only a single one. Never has there been multiple debates. The challenge is quite the curveball for Walz, 60, who reportedly conceded to Harris during VP vetting that hes not an experienced debater. Walz is yet to accept the second debate date, but, if he does, thatd give him two less weeks to prepare for the showdown than he had with the single debate. Despite his lack of debate experience, Walz has looked comfortable dropping digs on Vance, 40, while speaking at campaign rallies the last two weeks. That may not be so easy of a task when staring down Vance in person, however, along with CBS Evening News anchors Norah ODonnell and Margaret Brennan, whos set to moderate the Oct. 1 debate. I cant wait to debate the guy, Walz said of Vance in a rally clip that quickly went viral last week. That is if hes willing to get off the couch and show up... These guys are creepy and just weird as hell. On the presidential candidate side, Donald Trump has suggested hes willing to debate Kamala Harris as many as three timesa sharp shift from when Joe Biden first bowed out of the race, when Trump suggested he shouldnt debate Harris at all. As of Thursday morning, only a single debate date has been finalized between the networks, Trump, and Harris. That showdown will be aired on ABC News the evening of Sept. 10. Fox News has reportedly proposed a debate between Harris and Trump for Sept. 4 and NBC News has pushed to air one on Sept. 25. During a recent event in Michigan, Harris said she was happy to have a conversation about scheduling additional debates. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) This coming Monday, the architects behind plans to build a casino in Norfolk are once again scheduled to be in front of the city of Norfolks Architectural Review Board, in an effort to start the long-delayed development process. This will be the third round of renderings submitted to the advisory board since the Pamunkey Indian Tribe first announced its intent to build a resort casino on the banks of the Elizabeth River, next to Harbor Park, back in December 2018. Two-thirds of voters endorsed the idea in November 2020, but since then not a speck of dirt has been turned on the roughly 13-acre plot of land. The size of the project has continued to shrink over the years and last July tensions between the development team and the city over the lack of progress spilled over into the public. A look at the proposed Norfolk Casino (Courtesy: HKS Inc) A look at the proposed Norfolk Casino (Courtesy: HKS Inc) A look at the proposed Norfolk Casino (Courtesy: HKS Inc) A look at the proposed Norfolk Casino (Courtesy: HKS Inc) A look at the proposed Norfolk Casino (Courtesy: HKS Inc) A look at the proposed Norfolk Casino (Courtesy: HKS Inc) A look at the proposed Norfolk Casino (Courtesy: HKS Inc) The new renderings once again show changes from the set submitted late last year. Mainly, the orientation of the building. At last check the tribe, in partnership with Tennessee billionaire Jon Yarbrough, planned for an at least $500 million investment with 65,000 square feet of gaming floor, a variety of restaurants including a steak and seafood restaurant, a hotel with a raised amenity deck with a pool, spa and fitness center, a ballroom, meeting spaces, and a 1,200-spot parking garage. The name, Headwaters Resort & Casino, doesnt appear on the renderings as it did in the past. A spokesperson for the tribe was not immediately available for comment. The economic development project, planned for between Harbor Park and the Norfolk Southern Railroad line, was supposed to have been open by now. Delays have been blamed on site complexity, as well as the pending Norfolk and Army Corps of Engineers coastal resiliency project. Mayor Kenny Alexander on several occasions expressed frustration with past proposals that called for the project to be built in phases. Theres no agreement to what they submitted, Alexander said last July. Alexander also said he was waiting to see a construction schedule. The lack of casino development has caused the city to delay projects, such as the construction of a new Norview Elementary School, according to the citys FY 2025 budget. Roughly 30% of the local gaming tax revenue, as well as the proceeds of the land sale for the casino are earmarked for school construction debt. Time is running out. Under state law, the casino must be open by November 2025. With that in mind, last year the Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism at WHRO reported Norfolk City Attorney Bernard Pishko said the city had contemplated the purchase of the property by another developer. Del. Barry Knight (R-Virginia Beach), who sponsored the bill to legalize casino gaming in the commonwealth, said that wasnt allowed. I thought maybe they should read the state code, Knight remarked at the time. Neither Mayor Alexander, a city spokesperson or the spokesperson for the tribe were immediately available to comment on what may be different this time around. Alexander though did share this statement with WAVY: Great news for Norfolk residents and visitors! The luxury casino resort project, approved by citizens in 2020, is moving forward. The developer has submitted plans to the Architectural Review Board (ARB), a crucial step towards completing construction and obtaining licensing by November 2025. The Citys unwavering support and the developers expertise will bring a top-notch casino experience to the Elizabeth River waterfront, nestled between Harbor Park and the Amtrak station. The wait will be worth it, as the luxury casino promises to be a fantastic addition to the area! Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. SOUTH CAROLINA (WSPA) The South Carolina Attorney Generals Office announced the arrest of two men on 12 total charges connected to minor sexual exploitation. Task Force investigators with the Internet Crimes Against Children made the arrests with the Greenville County Sheriffs Office and the Pickens County Sheriffs Office in these unrelated cases. Investigators received a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which led them to 56-year-old Grant Neth Herman, of Taylors, and 27-year-old Brett Kenneth Willis, of Easley. Investigators stated Herman distributed and possessed files of child sexual abuse material and Willis possessed files of child sexual abuse material. Herman was arrested on August 8 and is charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, second degree, and one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, third degree. Willis was arrested on Wednesday and is charged with 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, third degree. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS. Urbana shares parking enforcement changes during U of I move-in week URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) The City of Urbana and Urbana Police Department are offering leniency on some parking enforcements with University of Illinois move-ins. As car and foot traffic increases with the arrival of students, police advise drivers and pedestrians to get familiar with Urbana laws around campus. Champaign-Urbana MTD announces new changes as 2024-25 service year begins From 6 a.m. on Aug. 18 25, their Parking Enforcement Division will not enforce restricted areas in the campus district to accommodate incoming student traffic. City officials said students moving in between Aug. 20 22 must adhere to the following traffic flow: Map provided by the Facebook page of Urbana, Illinois City Government. Parking meters will continue to be enforced, except for streets blocked by Public Works. For more details, see the City of Urbanas webpage. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. Invasive carp are taking over the United States, and they have their sights set on the Great Lakes. Officials are set to spend whatever it takes to stop them. What's happening? Not to be confused with other carp, invasive carp outcompete fellow fish for resources, growing and reproducing at astonishing rates and lowering water quality. Since being introduced from Asia in the 1970s to control algal blooms in confined areas, they escaped to the Mississippi River Basin and beyond. Now, the federal government will spend $1 billion to protect the Great Lakes from bighead, silver, and black carp as well as other invasive species, Newsweek reported. Michigan will pitch in $64 million and Illinois $50 million. The Army Corps of Engineers will erect a barrier at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam in Joliet, Illinois, about 25 miles southwest of Chicago, which would keep the creatures from the Des Plaines River while maintaining commercial shipping avenues. "They consume large quantities of phytoplankton, which form the basis of the lakes' ecosystem," Newsweek stated. "... These invasive carp also have no natural predators in the Great Lakes." Why is this important? Invasive species cost Americans $21 billion every year, and the carp could destroy the Great Lakes. Not only would they wreck the ecosystem, but they would also endanger people; the large fish can leap over 10 feet out of the water, according to a news release about the barrier project. If invasive carp established a breeding population in the Great Lakes, it would cost more than $1 billion and impact tens of thousands of jobs in the $20 billion fishing and boating industries, per the release. Removing carp from an environment is almost impossible, the U.S. Geological Survey reports. A 10-day effort at the end of last year set a record with 750,000 pounds of the fish removed from the Illinois River. It was a state high and believed to mark a freshwater milestone in the U.S. Despite harvesting about 1 million pounds of carp every year, though, the animals still thrive in the Land of Lincoln, necessitating other management tactics. "The Great Lakes hold countless memories for many of us, from catching our first fish to watching loved ones play on their shores," Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel stated. "They are central to our Pure Michigan identity. This landmark agreement marks a significant victory in protecting these lakes from invasive, dangerous carp, ensuring the joy and beauty of these waters remain for all to enjoy." What's being done about invasive carp? The federal funding for the barrier comes from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The project partnership agreement is also the first with two non-federal sponsors. Municipalities across the country are working on various ways to keep carp from entering certain waters, including via sound barriers and $100 bounties. Similar methods have been used to control other invasive species, such as "a water-filled elevator" in the Chesapeake Bay to keep out northern snakehead. When it's too late, they ask people to eat them. One way to make the "ugly" fish seem appetizing is by rebranding it as "copi." Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. US ballerina jailed in Russia for sending $50 to charity supporting Ukraine Ksenia Karelina was arrested while visiting family in Russia - FACEBOOK A US ballerina has been jailed for 12 years in Russia for sending $51 (39) to a charity supporting Ukraine. Ksenia Karelina, 33, was sentenced after pleading guilty in a trial behind closed doors. Karelina, who has Russian and American citizenship, was arrested while visiting her family earlier this year in Yekaterinburg, about 1,000 miles east of Moscow. Investigators seized her phone and found that she had donated the money to Razom, a charity that provides aid to Ukraine, from her American bank account on the first day of Russias 2022 invasion. Russias FSB security service accused Razom of providing arms to Ukraine, a claim the New York-based charity denies. It said Karelina proactively collected money in the interests of one of the Ukrainian organisations, which was subsequently used to purchase tactical medical supplies, equipment, weapons and ammunition for the Ukrainian armed forces. Ksenia Karelina sits in a glass cage during her treason trial - STRINGER/EPA-EFE/SHUTTERSTOCK Karelina was sentenced to imprisonment in a penal colony for high treason by the court in Yekaterinburg. Prosecutors had sought a 15-year jail term. Earlier this year, Razom (Together in Ukrainian) said it was appalled by the amateur ballerinas arrest and firmly denied any involvement in raising funds for weapons or ammunition. Karelinas lawyer Mikhail Mushailov said her client believed the funds were intended to aid victims on both sides and that she plans to appeal the sentence. Karelina gained US citizenship in 2021 after marrying an American and relocating to Los Angeles, where she worked at a spa. She went on trial last month in the same court where The Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich had been prosecuted for espionage. Mr Gershkovich was released earlier this month as part of a historic prisoner swap that involved 24 individuals between Russia, the US and several other nations. Mr Mushailov said Karelinas legal team is trying to secure her inclusion in a future prisoner swap. Her partner, Chris van Heerden, 36, has said that he has faith that America will bring her back and has campaigned for her release. Since Russias 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Vladimir Putins regime has cracked down on dissent. More than 1,000 criminal cases have been initiated against anti-war activists, according to human right organisations. Click here to view this content. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. US citizen put in 2-month pre-trial detention, Russian court says U.S. citizen Joseph Tater, accused of petty hooliganism, attends a court hearing in Moscow MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Russian court has put U.S. citizen Joseph Tater in pre-trial detention until Oct. 14, the court said on Thursday. The American is accused of violence against a policeman, the court added. On Wednesday, a court sentenced Tater to 15 days in jail for petty hooliganism. Russian news agency Interfax had previously reported that Tater was detained on Aug. 12 for hooliganism and subsequently assaulted a police officer, leading to a separate criminal case being opened against him. (Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Hugh Lawson) US hesitates over use of its weapons by Armed Forces in Kursk Oblast media The United States currently sees Ukraine's unexpected advance into Russia's Kursk Oblast as a defensive move that allows Kyiv to use American equipment, but it has expressed concern about potential complications as Ukrainian troops move deeper into Russian territory. Source: European Pravda, citing Reuters Details: The US officials said Kyiv's main objectives remain unclear. "It complicates the policy the more they progress into Russia without defined terms," said a US official, speaking on condition of anonymity. He said that if Ukraine starts seizing villages and other non-military targets using American weapons and equipment, it could raise questions about whether it is within the limits imposed by Washington. Another official said that Washington's arms policy is not designed for Ukraine to launch an incursion into Russian territory, although Kyiv technically complies with these restrictions. Therefore, the official said, the Joe Biden administration has not taken a strong public position in support or condemnation of the operation. It was unclear what US-made weapons or equipment were used in the incursion. The administration is working to determine what Ukraine's objectives are in its offensive, which US officials said caught Washington by surprise. One official said that intelligence indicates at least some movement of Russian troops from Kharkiv Oblast towards Kursk Oblast. "We'll have a clearer picture in the weeks ahead," the official said. Background: US President Joe Biden commented on Ukraine's offensive in Russia's Kursk Oblast for the first time, stating that this attack presents Russian leader Vladimir Putin with a "real dilemma". After speaking with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba about Ukraine's offensive in Russias Kursk Oblast, EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell said that the EU fully supports the struggle of the Ukrainian people. Support UP or become our patron! Houthi militant secures the vicinity of United Nations offices where people demonstrated to demand for reopening of Sanaa airport in Sanaa, Yemen WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States on Thursday issued more sanctions targeting Houthi and Hezbollah trade networks, the U.S. Treasury Department said, as Washington increases pressure on Tehran and the Iranian-backed groups. The U.S. Treasury Department in a statement said it targeted companies, individuals and vessels accused of being involved in the shipment of Iranian commodities, including oil and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to Yemen and the United Arab Emirates on behalf of a Houthi financial official's network. It said the revenue from Said al-Jamal's network helps finance the Houthis' targeting of shipping in the Red Sea and civilian infrastructure. Attacks on vessels in the Red Sea by Iran-aligned Houthi militants have disrupted a shipping route vital to east-west trade, with prolonged rerouting of shipments pushing freight rates higher and causing congestion in Asian and European ports. Also targeted on Thursday were Hezbollah shipments of LPG, including through the designation of a Hong Kong-based ship manager and operator as well as several tankers. The Treasury said the Hezbollah-controlled Talaqi Group used two of the tankers to ship LPG worth tens of millions of dollars from Iran to China. Todays action underscores our continued commitment to disrupting Irans primary source of funding to its regional terrorist proxies like Lebanese Hizballah and the Houthis, said Treasury's Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Bradley Smith. Our message is clear: those who seek to finance these groups destabilizing activities will be held to account. Thursday's action freezes any U.S. assets of those targeted and generally bars Americans from dealing with them. Financial institutions and others that engage in certain transactions with them also risk being hit with sanctions. (Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis; editing by Rami Ayyub and Chizu Nomiyama) US seeks to move alleged Mexican drug kingpin 'El Mayo' to Brooklyn for trial Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, the co-founder of Mexico's Sinaloa drug cartel, due to appear in court, in El Paso By Luc Cohen NEW YORK (Reuters) - Federal prosecutors are seeking to move alleged Mexican drug kingpin Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada from Texas to face trial in the same Brooklyn courthouse where his Sinaloa Cartel co-founder Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman was convicted in 2019. In a court filing on Thursday, federal prosecutors in El Paso, Texas said Zambada would be prosecuted on charges he faces in the Eastern District of New York before returning to face separate charges in Texas. They asked U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone to schedule a hearing to order him moved. Zambada pleaded not guilty to the Texas charges. His lawyer, Frank Perez, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Prosecutors said in their filing that they had not yet heard back from Zambada's defense counsel about their position on his removal. The septuagenarian Zambada was taken into custody on July 25 at a New Mexico airfield alongside one of Guzman's sons, Joaquin Guzman Lopez. The dramatic operation was a major coup for U.S. law enforcement. The U.S. Embassy in Mexico said Guzman Lopez surrendered voluntarily, but Zambada seemed to have been brought north of the border against his will. Guzman Lopez has pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges he faces in Chicago. The charges Zambada faces in Brooklyn, which were brought in February, include conspiring to manufacture and distribute fentanyl, a synthetic opioid fueling an epidemic throughout the United States. In Texas, Zambada faces drug trafficking and racketeering charges brought in 2012 stemming from alleged conspiracies to ship cocaine and marijuana to the United States. Thursday's filing did not say when Zambada may be transferred to New York. Guzman is serving a life sentence at a maximum security prison in Colorado. (Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Alistair Bell) US space industry struggles with constitutional crisis in quest to bring shipments back to Earth US space industry struggles with constitutional crisis in quest to bring shipments back to Earth Western Air Force bases could become ports of entry for pharmaceuticals manufactured in space if Congress approves this years massive defense omnibus. Under the Houses version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Western missile ranges could someday enable a steady stream of new cargo returning to Earth: parachute-borne orbital labs carrying lucrative and highly potent forms of existing drugs. Those labs are the creation of Varda Space Industries, the first company to successfully carry out commercial space manufacturing and to date the only commercial space company to bring cargo back to U.S. soil. A member of Vardas recovery team inspects the reentry capsule. As first entrants into orbital manufacturing, Varda is at the forefront of a rapidly evolving and still-confusing dispute within the U.S. government over how to govern Americas nascent commercial space industry and who should do it. Space manufacturing is roughly where the internet was in the 1980s, said Ajay Malshe, a professor of mechanical engineering at Purdue University: struggling to emerge from its Cold War legacy of control by the military and academia, and to build the infrastructure including regulation that will make future technology possible. While much of the space economy from orbital manufacturing to asteroid mining currently seems outlandish, Malshe said, the operative word is currently. Imagine, he said, how hard it would be to project the internets trajectory toward the iPhone and the cloud economy from its first stirrings. The still open-ended nature of space manufacturings development is why the House, Senate and White House are in a historic fight over who should control the passage to orbit and who takes responsibility if a launch or reentry ultimately ends in disaster. At the core of those questions is a consideration of both the potential benefits of private-industry spaceflight in an age of governmental retreat from the sector, in which deliveries to the International Space Station come from private companies SpaceX and Northrop Grumman, and its very real risks. While space is vast, the most valuable parts of orbital real estate are increasingly crowded, and any mishap or disaster in orbit risks spreading junk that makes future missions more dangerous. At the extreme end of those dangers lies the risk of Kessler syndrome, an unintended cascade of space-based destruction which would severely limit or even close off human use of the orbit, as The Hill reported last year. Further complicating the questions, getting to orbit requires companies to traverse a contested patchwork of regulatory regimes. If rockets launch from a military base such as Floridas Cape Canaveral, theyre under the jurisdiction of the Department of Defense (DOD); on their trip up (or back down), theyre under the watch of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); and in orbit, theyre governed by the Federal Communications Commission. As the federal government struggles to allocate control and responsibility in the emerging sector, the space industry argues its being held back by having too many agencies in charge of regulating it. Varda has, since its founding, been stuck in what representatives portray as a regulatory black hole: Its products can go up, but they cant easily come down. Founded in 2020, the California-based Varda makes capsules that ride to orbit on the side of other companies rockets, such as those built and operated by Elon Musks SpaceX. According to co-founder and CEO Will Bruey, Vardas fundamental business is delta-v arbitrage, meaning the company sells the ability to expose products or manufacturing processes to wildly different levels of gravity than are accessible on earth. That means if the military wants to see how a hypersonic missile guidance system would function at 25 times the speed of sound (about 17,500 miles per hour) a problem that formerly would have required it build a new rocket Varda can offer the opportunity to put that system in a capsule and send it to orbit on the side of a SpaceX Falcon 9. Then there are space drugs. The crystal lattices that make up pharmaceutical molecules form differently under microgravity, which can give existing medications different properties, or make them more potent. Pharmaceutical giant Merck proved that was possible in the International Space Stations National Laboratory, where researchers made higher-quality versions of the cancer medicine Keytruda. At the time, this discovery was a dead end, because the space station is a research institution, not a factory. Varda hopes to provide a way forward: Bruey described its orbital capsules as offering the pharmaceutical industry an off-ramp to develop similar ideas, in the same way public and private labs across the country do for technology developed at other national labs. But to offer any such opportunity, Varda needs to be able to reliably get cargo back to its customers on Earth. And in trying to do that earlier this year, Bruey said, the company found itself in the middle of a constitutional crisis due to the ongoing questions over whose job it is to regulate the commercial space industrys activity. Faced with clamor from the space industry to simplify the process of getting into and back out of orbit, in 2020, the FAA created a new, streamlined way for companies to apply for a simplified launch and reentry process, called Part 450. That was the framework under which Varda launched its first payload into space last summer a mission that was, in one sense, a smashing success for the company. The Varda team successfully fabricated a new, more stable crystal form of ritonavir, an Abbott Labs HIV drug notoriously recalled in 1998 because it was so prone to forming rogue crystal lattices that it proved impossible to dissolve in capsules. Because that case was so notorious, to anyone in the pharmaceutical industry, you say, Varda flew ritonavir, they know what were doing, our business case, our value proposition, Bruey said. And Varda succeeded, showing we can create a delicate geometric lattice, and a very delicate polymorph in space, he said. But when it came time to bring the cargo back from orbit, trouble arose. With FAA permission, Varda had launched without first securing a reentry permit which last November left the company, suddenly, with a capsule in orbit and no way to bring it down. Why? Because as the capsule circled the Earth and conditions in the upper atmosphere shifted, shuffling the complex math of reentry, agencies on Earth principally the FAA and the DOD-run Utah missile range where Varda sought to land couldnt agree on who would assume the liability if something went wrong. Negotiations were complex. Its continuous negotiation with continuous communication in a continuous feedback loop from a multiparty system, Varda co-founder Delian Asparouhov told NBC at the time. As in many constitutional crises, part of the problem was that the problem itself was so very new. While there are commercial spaceports across the Western U.S., Vardas plan to parachute its capsule down onto the grounds of the Utah Test and Training Range represented the first time that a commercial space company had landed cargo on U.S. grounds as opposed to splashing down offshore. The agencies finally agreed all the entities involved would, separately, assume all of the risk: The FAA and commandant of the Utah Test and Training Range each determined they were comfortable with assuming all of the liability if the capsule exploded and debris littered the Utah desert. That decision only came after lengthy deliberations, however: By the time Varda, the FAA and DOD agreed on a new launch window, the capsule had spent an unplanned six additional months in orbit. Varda, the FAA and the commercial space industry as a whole viewed that situation as unacceptable. In April, the FAA ended the practice of allowing commercial flights to apply for a reentry license in orbit with reentry missions only subject to approval if they had less than a 1-in-10,000 chance of taking out an unsuspecting Earthling, according to space news site Payload. The debacle also increased calls from the commercial space industry for faster permitting and ideally, a one-stop shop where a single agency can sign off on a launch and reentry. As commercial launch and reentry operations get more frequent, range operators and the FAA need to collaborate to ensure safe and efficient management of the airspace and ground safety around such operations, Dave Cavossa, president of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, told The Hill in a statement. The FAA itself in March promised to study how to improve the Part 450 launch and reentry guidelines beginning this fall. We knew there would be some initial learning and we would need to come back to the drawing board, Kelvin Coleman, FAA associate administrator, said at the time. What a reformed regime to oversee the process looks like remains a matter of bitter debate. On one side, the White House wants the departments of Commerce and Transportation to share authority over authorizing missions. On the other, Reps. Brian Babin (R-Texas) and Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) have also introduced legislation to make it the sole responsibility of Commerce. Industry, in general, prefers the House version, according to SpaceNews, though this solution is complicated by the fact Commerce doesnt want the job of monitoring human spaceflight. Thats where the dueling copies of the NDAA come in. In the House, which is controlled by the GOP a party whose 2024 platform promises to create a robust Manufacturing Industry in Near Earth Orbit the version of the bill passed earlier this summer includes language, supported by Varda, that compels the DOD to update and formalize its reentry agreements with the FAA. That bill would also direct the Air Force and FAA to work together to ensure new commercial reentry technologies can access test ranges across the West, whose sprawling expanse makes the test ranges therein far more suited to capsules bouncing down than the more confined territories of Cape Canaveral or Californias Vandenberg, where reentry is technically permitted already. That language would get the two agencies thinking and planning about how to streamline that process for commercial reentry operators, Josh Martin, Vardas head of government affairs, told The Hill with the ultimate end of having missile ranges do double duty as spaceports for reentry. Such reform is a long way off, however. While the House has passed its version of the NDAA, the Senate has not and the Senate version of the NDAA doesnt include any such language. Instead, the Senate version would allow the secretary of any military branch such as the secretary of the Air Force to make a launch and reentry deal with a commercial company, so long as that company pays the U.S. military back. As the battle to determine who is in charge of regulating the industry continues, Varda is landing further afield: at the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia, which offers vast, flat plains like Utahs as well as an easier reentry environment. From there, company capsules will commute back across the Pacific by freighter. That would be just as good as landing in the U.S., Bruey said if not for national pride. The best manifestation of Varda would land on American soil as much as possible, he said ideally a daily cadence of pharmaceutical deliveries. SpaceX, he argued, launches a Starlink satellite per day on average. Theres no reason that cant happen from a reentry perspective. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The U.S. State Department has approved the sale of the latest variant of Patriot missiles to Germany in a deal that could be worth an estimated $5 billion, according to a Thursday Defense Security Cooperation Agency notification. The possible Foreign Military Sale to Germany would involve 600 of the Lockheed Martin-manufactured Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) missiles, which includes 10 fly-to-buy missiles, according to the announcement. The State Department notified Congress on Aug. 15, which decides whether to approve the deal. Germany has invested heavily in its Patriot air and missile defense capabilities this year as it sends both Patriot batteries and interceptors to Ukraine to support the countrys years-long fight against Russias invasion. In March, Germany ordered $1.2 billion worth of Raytheon-manufactured Patriot systems, and another $1.2 billion for system components in July. Combining both contracts, Raytheon, an RTX company, will deliver eight complete Patriot fire units. Raytheon also received earlier this month, a $478 million contract from NATO to replenish the Patriot Guidance Enhanced Missile, or GEM-T, that Germany had sent to Ukraine. The contract stems from a partnership between Ukraine, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and Germany countries who have agreed to finance the procurement of GEM-T missiles to replenish stockpiles. The multinational coalition jointly agreed to order up to 1,000 GEM-T missiles as part of a $5.5 billion production and delivery contract of the weapons from a joint venture between MBDA Germany and Raytheon. Patriots dominance in Ukraine has attracted fresh attention and potential customers from around the world. Germany is a longtime user of Patriot. Patriot serves as the air defense for 19 countries, with 15 of those countries using PAC-3 MSE in its missile inventory. Lockheed Martin was already fully funded to build 550 missiles per year in order to replenish the PAC-3 MSE missiles sent to Ukraine. The company had been building 350 missiles per year by 2018 and was already ramping that number up to 500 per year before war broke out in Ukraine. The company is also invested internally to ramp up 650 PAC-3 MSE missiles annually by 2027 at its Camden, Arkansas, production facility. US considering sending Ukraine first long-range cruise missiles this fall, source says Talks between Ukraine and U.S. President Joe Biden's administration about supplies of long-range cruise missiles are "in the advanced stages," a source close to President Volodymyr Zelensky's administration told the Kyiv Independent. The timeline of when the missiles could arrive in Ukraine is unclear, the source said, adding that sometime this fall is in consideration. President Zelensky's Office declined to comment on the matter. Earlier on Aug. 15, Politico reported, citing undisclosed sources, that Biden's administration is "open" to supplying Kyiv with long-range cruise missiles to bolster the recently provided F-16 fighter jets, among other purposes. Kyiv has been urging the U.S. to provide its long-range missiles for Ukrainian forces to be able to strike at Russian military infrastructure and logistics deep inside Russia since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. The news comes as Ukraine continues its Kursk incursion into Russian territory, which has been deemed a tactical success. Ukraine claimed to control 82 Russian settlements as of Aug. 15. Groups of Ukrainian soldiers have also reportedly entered neighboring Belgorod Oblast as Russian authorities scramble to evacuate its population and send in reinforcements. The U.S. has not yet made a decision about the missile deliveries but is working out the "complicated details," Politico reported, citing one Biden administration official. Those "details" include reviews of the transfer of sensitive technologies and ensuring Ukraines jets can launch the 2,400-pound (around 1,089 kilograms) missile that carries a 1,000-pound (around 454 kilograms) warhead, according to the media outlet. The Pentagon declined to comment on Politico's request about the possible shipment of missiles but said that it is considering "a range of options to meet Ukraine's security assistance requirements." Read also: Kursk incursion and Crimea strikes could ease pressure on Ukraines Donbas forces According to Politico, the U.S. is considering providing Ukraine with JASSM missiles, which can be launched over 200 miles (nearly 322 kilometers) from fourth-generation F-16s. If delivered to Ukraine, JASSMs, developed by Lockheed Martin, would be the last missiles the U.S. has ever banned from being supplied to Kyiv. JASSM missiles can significantly boost the combat capabilities of F-16s, as in that case they are not expected to fly close to the border with Russia because of the risk of being shot down. An administration official warned that there is "plenty of work to be done" before any missiles arrive in Ukraine, including making sure that Kyiv's existing Soviet-era aircraft and recently delivered F-16s can launch a missile at targets more than 230 miles (nearly 370 kilometers) away, Politico said. Two undisclosed sources told Politico that the Pentagon is already working with Ukraine on these technical issues. Ukraine has air- and ground-launched missiles provided by the U.S., U.K., and France that can reach almost 200 miles from the launch point, but restrictions on the use of missiles against Russian territory remain in place. The U.S. gave Ukraine permission on June 1 to use some American-supplied weapons, including HIMARS rockets, to strike targets in Russia located near the border with Kharkiv Oblast after Russia launched a renewed offensive in the region on May 10. Ukraine is still prohibited from using ATACMS and other long-range U.S.-supplied weapons for strikes deeper inside Russia. The United States will decide on the use of American-made weapons provided to Ukraine, including F-16 fighters, for strikes in Russia depending on the situation on the battlefield and the needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, according to the U.S. State Department. Kyiv has repeatedly called on its partners to allow attacks on Russian military and industrial facilities to prevent Russia from fueling its aggression in Ukraine. Heorhii Tykhyi, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said on Aug. 13 that the Ukrainian incursion into Kursk Oblast would be "less necessary" if Kyiv were allowed to "fully utilize (its) long-range capabilities" against Russia. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. US urges compromise on both sides in Gaza ceasefire talks in Doha US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby speaks during a press briefing at the White House. Oliver Contreras/White House/dpa The United States has urged both Israel and the Palestinian militant Hamas movement to show readiness to compromise during talks in Doha on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. "Both sides need to show compromise. Both sides need to show some leadership," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told broadcaster CNN. The talks under way in the Qatari capital were "about the implementing details of the deal itself, the smaller gaps that we absolutely believe can be narrowed in terms of how the deal is executed" and not about the deal itself, Kirby said. "Sometimes, you know, when you get to the end of a negotiation and you're talking about those kinds of details, that's when it gets the hardest and the most gritty," he said, expressing the hope that there would be progress over the coming hours and days. Kirby was responding to a question whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was consistent or was constantly changing his demands. The negotiations opened on Thursday and are set to continue on Friday, with Israeli negotiators staying in Qatar overnight, a person familiar with the situation confirmed to dpa. The Islamist Palestinian movement Hamas said it will not negotiate any new conditions for a ceasefire or the release of hostages, as the new round of negotiations began. "We in the Hamas movement do not see the need for a new agreement," Osama Hamdan, a high-ranking Hamas official, told dpa. "More negotiations are no longer required, but rather an American decision to pressure Israel to accept" the proposal presented by US President Joe Biden few months ago, he added. A Hamas source earlier said the movement has made clear to mediators that it "will not accept more manoeuvring" by Israel, amid reports that Netanyahu's government is attempting to secure the release of 33 hostages in an initial phase. Qatar, Egypt and the United States have been acting as mediators for months between Israel and Hamas. Hamdan blamed the US for failing to pressure Israel to agree to a deal. "Despite efforts by Qatar and Egypt, the US administration, while it made commitments and pledges, did not succeed - or perhaps did not want to - in pressuring the occupation [Israel] to abide by the initiatives it presented," he said. He also said Israel "has always obstructed the negotiation process," by sending delegations unauthorized to negotiate, setting new conditions, and refusing to withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor - a narrow stretch on the Gaza-Egypt border - nor withdraw from the Rafah crossing. Thursday's discussions are seen as a pivotal moment in the attempt to secure a ceasefire and facilitate a hostage exchange in the Gaza conflict, which began after the unprecedented October 7 attacks on Israel. It is hoped that a breakthrough could also prevent a significant retaliatory strike by Iran against Israel and a substantial escalation of the war. CIA chief William Burns, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Egypt's intelligence chief Abbas Kamel are reportedly involved as they have in past talks, sources told dpa. David Barnea, head of the Mossad foreign intelligence service, is believed to be representing Israel. The Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper earlier said Israel has given representatives a list of 33 names - reportedly women, children and elderly or sick people - it wants released as a condition for an agreement. According to Israeli calculations, Hamas still holds 115 hostages, of whom Israel has declared 41 dead. Other hostages whose fate is unknown are presumed dead. US urges compromise on both sides in Gaza ceasefire talks in Doha US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby speaks during a press briefing at the White House. Oliver Contreras/White House/dpa The United States has urged both Israel and the Palestinian militant Hamas movement to show readiness to compromise during talks in Doha on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. "Both sides need to show compromise. Both sides need to show some leadership," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told broadcaster CNN. The talks under way in the Qatari capital were "about the implementing details of the deal itself, the smaller gaps that we absolutely believe can be narrowed in terms of how the deal is executed" and not about the deal itself, Kirby said. "Sometimes, you know, when you get to the end of a negotiation and you're talking about those kinds of details, that's when it gets the hardest and the most gritty," he said, expressing the hope that there would be progress over the coming hours and days. Kirby was responding to a question whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was consistent or was constantly changing his demands. The negotiations opened on Thursday and are set to continue on Friday, with Israeli negotiators staying in Qatar overnight, a person familiar with the situation confirmed to dpa. The state-affiliated Egyptian TV channel al-Qahera News also reported on X, citing senior sources, that the negotiations would last another day. The Islamist Palestinian movement Hamas said it will not negotiate any new conditions for a ceasefire or the release of hostages, as the new round of negotiations began. "We in the Hamas movement do not see the need for a new agreement," Osama Hamdan, a high-ranking Hamas official, told dpa. "More negotiations are no longer required, but rather an American decision to pressure Israel to accept" the proposal presented by US President Joe Biden few months ago, he added. A Hamas source earlier said the movement has made clear to mediators that it "will not accept more manoeuvring" by Israel, amid reports that Netanyahu's government is attempting to secure the release of 33 hostages in an initial phase. Qatar, Egypt and the United States have been acting as mediators for months between Israel and Hamas. Hamdan blamed the US for failing to pressure Israel to agree to a deal. "Despite efforts by Qatar and Egypt, the US administration, while it made commitments and pledges, did not succeed - or perhaps did not want to - in pressuring the occupation [Israel] to abide by the initiatives it presented," he said. He also said Israel "has always obstructed the negotiation process," by sending delegations unauthorized to negotiate, setting new conditions, and refusing to withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor - a narrow stretch on the Gaza-Egypt border - nor withdraw from the Rafah crossing. Thursday's discussions are seen as a pivotal moment in the attempt to secure a ceasefire and facilitate a hostage exchange in the Gaza conflict, which began after the unprecedented October 7 attacks on Israel. It is hoped that a breakthrough could also prevent a significant retaliatory strike by Iran against Israel and a substantial escalation of the war. CIA chief William Burns, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Egypt's intelligence chief Abbas Kamel are reportedly involved as they have in past talks, sources told dpa. David Barnea, head of the Mossad foreign intelligence service, is believed to be representing Israel. The Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper earlier said Israel has given representatives a list of 33 names - reportedly women, children and elderly or sick people - it wants released as a condition for an agreement. According to Israeli calculations, Hamas still holds 115 hostages, of whom Israel has declared 41 dead. Other hostages whose fate is unknown are presumed dead. Against the backdrop of ongoing talks in Qatar, hundreds of relatives of hostages and supporters demonstrated in Tel Aviv for quick results. Participants in the march through the central area of the coastal city called out to the Israeli negotiators: "Don't come home without a deal," Israeli media reported on Thursday evening. (Bloomberg) -- The US Department of Agriculture is pushing for eased tax credit requirements regarding crops used as ingredients in the production of renewable fuels, according to Secretary Tom Vilsack. Most Read from Bloomberg Current guidance on a subsidy aimed at encouraging production of sustainable aviation fuel which can be made from ingredients including corn-based ethanol and soybean oil requires US farmers to adopt a bundling of practices that include the planting of cover crops during the off season and no-till farming. Producers say such demands are sometimes impractical. The biofuels industry is awaiting guidance from the Treasury Department on the so-called 45Z clean fuel credit under President Joe Bidens landmark climate legislation. The subsidy will take effect in January. The USDA is working on a proposal with the aim of giving farmers flexibility to choose from a menu of activities and actions under the new rules, Vilsack said during an ethanol conference in Nebraska. Another goal is to make sure that crops potentially benefiting from the new subsidies are not restricted to corn and soybeans, which are dominant in the US farm belt, he added. Producers of US ethanol and the corn used to make it are worried that if the US Treasury sticks to its current guidance for the upcoming credit, they wont be able to participate meaningfully in the growing market for sustainable aviation fuel. Vilsack on Thursday also warned against a push to prevent US biofuels made with foreign ingredients from reaping the benefits of the 45Z tax credit, saying it could hurt American trade. If every country does this, then theres no trade, he said. If theres no trade, then what do we do with the 20% to 30% of the crops we are currently selling overseas? What would that do to prices? (Adds Vilsacks comments on trade starting in the 6th paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) As new vehicles become even more connected to the internet, how can drivers feel safe knowing their car could be the target of a cyberattack? That seems to be a question researchers at the University of Tennessee will be working to resolve using funds from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. On Thursday, the TDECD announced it would be awarding seven collaborative teams with a total of $2.9 million through the Transportation Network Growth Opportunity Initiative. The initiative was awarded $5 million through the Tennessee General Assembly during the 2023 legislative session, as well as another $2.5 million this spring as part of the states efforts to make Tennessee the top destination in the Southeast for automotive and mobility research and development investment. Suspect arrested after Kingston hit-and-run that injured 12-year-old boy Of the $2.9 million, The University of Tennessee is set to receive $500,000 to develop an advanced research infrastructure for controlled environment testing to improve automotive systems security and reliability, in response to increasing cyber threats. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration explains that cybersecurity, in this context, is the protection of automotive electronic systems, communication networks, control algorithms, software, users, and underlying data from malicious attacks, damage, unauthorized access, or manipulation. Currently, an example of one system that the NHTSA is working to protect from a cybersecurity stand point is driver assistant technologies, such as forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and vehicle safety communications. Some of the other research that is being funded by the Transportation Network Growth Opportunity Initiative include projects focusing on using AI to update parents, students and district staff on school bus route management in real time; using specialized sensors to enhance traffic safety while avoiding privacy concerns that may come up when cameras are used; and creating a user interface to give users real-time information on the best ways to get to work using public transportation. Motorcyclist dead, driver charged after crash on Wears Valley Road In addition to the University of Tennessee, the University of Tennessee Space Institute in Tullahoma, the Williamson County Emergency Management Agency in Franklin, the University of Tennessee Chattanooga, Vanderbilt University in Clarksville, the Middle West TN Clean Fuels Coalition in Nashville, and the University of Memphis in Memphis and Chattanooga were selected to receive funds from the initiative. For decades, Tennessee has been leading the nation with our strong manufacturing workforce. In partnership with the General Assembly, weve made strategic investments to further diversify our business environment and attract research and development companies that will create more high-quality jobs, said Gov. Bill Lee. Our state is fortunate to have a vast network of educational institutions that are training the next generation of workers, and we want companies to know that our pro-business climate can support the entire mobility supply chain. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side. Utah officials urge you to poop with a plan when youre in the desert SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) Many people in Utah spend the summer months outdoors and whether youre an experienced outdoorsman or a beginner, there is one question you may not want to ask: How do you use the bathroom properly? As it turns out, there is a wrong and illegal way to do it. The Southeast Utah Health Department recently released an infographic to explain the best way to deal with your waste when out in the desert, and it included a reminder that cat holes or small holes where people dispose of their waste are illegal in Grand County. READ NEXT: Water safety tips: Life jackets only work if you wear them Human waste does not break down as quickly in desert environments and aside from being smelly and unsightly [it] can expose others to disease-causing bacteria, viruses, and parasites, the Southeast Utah Health Department said. The department suggested three waste-disposal methods: Outhouses, portable toilets, and WAG bags (or single-use toilet systems). Officials said you should poop with a plan and that plan should include packing out your toilet paper and waste. Improperly disposed of human waste has become a growing issue across the trails and dispersed camping areas of public lands in our district, officials explained. The Southeast Utah Health Department also reminded those visiting outdoor areas that they should not dispose of WAG bags or trash in outhouses, as there are dump stations for portable toilets and identified containers in Moab for WAG bags. The Southeast Utah Health Department and Grand County Active Transportation and Trails partnered up to create a campaign to educate people on how to responsibly recreate and defecate when visiting public lands. The program is funded through 2025, officials said. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. Va. Mom, Boyfriend Charged with Murder of 2-Year-Old Who Died of Blunt Force Trauma Sadia DeWese and Jaytrez Mason were both charged with felony murder Petersburg Bureau of Police Facebook (2) Sadia Dewese (left) and Jaytrez Mason A Virginia mother and a 27-year-old man have been arrested and charged with felony murder in connection with the death of a 2-year-old child. On Tuesday, Aug. 13, at around 3 a.m. local time, police and emergency services responded to a call that a child was unresponsive in Petersburg, Va., the Petersburg Bureau of Police said in a statement on Facebook. The toddler was transported to the hospital where he later died. In a criminal complaint obtained by local outlet WWBT, police said there was blood coming out of the child's nose and mouth when they found him. Sadia Dewese, 29, and Jaytrez Mason, 27, were arrested and both were charged with felony murder and child neglect, while Mason is also charged with possession of a firearm by a violent felon, according to police. Dewese and Mason are both being held without bond. It is not immediately clear if either has retained an attorney or entered a plea. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. The child, who was only identified as a boy by police, died of blunt force trauma to the head, WWBT reported, citing the criminal complaint. Both WWBT and WTVR reported that DeWese and Mason were a couple. PEOPLE has reached out to the Petersburg Bureau of Police for comment, but did not receive an immediate response. If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) There is a growing concern involving a homeless floating flotilla on London Bridge Creek, and in recent weeks the flotilla has only expanded. The last time 10 On Your Side saw Matt Gross, which was the name he gave us, we were on the creek. WAVYs Andy Fox told him we were surprised there arent more people at his homeless campsite. Well, I run them off I told them they cant stay here, he said. That was on March 20, 2023, when we found Gross living at a campsite along the London Bridge Creek, north of the 264 overpass at Lynnhaven Drive. New waterfront homeless camp sets up on London Bridge Creek He was homeless living on the property with another man named Chris. Gross also had a vessel called the Feebus which may or may not have been operable. Some of the vessels in the flotilla on London Bridge Creek in Virginia Beach (WAVY image) The owner of the property was alerted to the homeless presence in our report on March 20. He said at the time they had to leave the property, which they eventually did. Seven months later on October 31, 2023, we found the Feebus tied up down London Bridge Creek near Potters Road and Lynnhaven Drive. At the time, 10 On Your Side didnt see anyone at the site where the vessel was tied up in the middle of the creek. There was also a raft with an American flag and what looked like a submerged jet ski. Then 10 months later on Monday, August 12, we found the Feebus again. But the flotilla site has expanded to 10 vessels on the water: three boats, three rafts or barges, three kayaks and one submerged vessel. WAVYs Andy Fox stood on a recently cleared Virginia Beach-owned piece of property thats parallel to the floating flotilla, and yelled: Is anyone on the two boats? Another look at the flotilla on London Bridge Creek in Virginia Beach (WAVY image) The man who we saw in March 2023, Matt Gross, suddenly appeared on a vessel that was now tied up to the Feebus. Are you going to leave the vessel? Fox asked. Gross shrugged his shoulders, suggesting I dont know. Matt Gross shrugs (WAVY image) Gross, once homeless on land, is now homeless on the sea, the creek. He would argue he is living on a boat, but it is a vessel that he is not given permission to live on by the owner. Do you know who owns the boats? Fox yelled. Gross yelled back: They both are mine. However, that is not true. According to the Feebus certificate of title with register #3301, it is owned by Bobby Kung of Fredericksburg, not Matt Gross. Gross would not come to shore, so 10 On Your Side had to yell across the water: The son (of the man who owned the Feebus) has the title and it is in his name. Are you aware of that? Gross gives a thumbs up suggested he does know that. 10 On Your Side yells back: The son has the title, are you aware of that? Gross gave a thumbs up. You are, now he wants you to leave that vessel. Are you going to leave that vessel? Gross shrugs his shoulders, suggesting he doesnt know. 10 On Your Side spoke with Kung by phone. His name is on the Feebus title and is the official owner of the vessel. I understand it is causing a nuisance, and, yes, it would probably benefit all those people in the community around it for him to vacate, and for Mr. Provost to dispose of it. Mike Provost talks to WAVYs Andy Fox (WAVY image) Mike Provost has made a name for himself, removing to date 51 derelict vessels like the one Gross is now considered squatting on. He founded and operates the Vessel Disposal and Reuse Foundation (VDRF). Provost decided to take this case in October 2023. He has been given written permission by Kung to remove the vessel, and Provost has the money from Virginia Beach to do it. Several members of the adjacent neighborhood had contacted us via email and expressed concern about the growing homeless encampment here on the London Bridge Creek. It should be noted that, according to Kung, after his father died the fathers wife had the Feebus. And at some time either gave Gross or someone the Feebus. However, Kung said his fathers wife did not have the authority to give the boat to anyone, because it is Kung whose name is on the boat title, and he was put on the title by his father. In the meantime, residents in the nearby Brookegreene Commons neighborhood are frustrated by their neighborhood being the gathering spot for homeless people, whom they claim steal water from residents. They are also concerned about the growing flotilla out on the creek. Theyre passing the buck back and forth to each other, said Rich Madden about the city and law enforcement. He said they go back and forth on who should patrol the creek to control the growing flotilla. When I hear about the flotilla. What do I think? Its horrible, Madden said. Madden sent pictures of the wayward boat. The boat was vacant. I got a picture of the boat floating by. It comes by every couple of days with the tide. Its loose with nobody in it. When the tide gets low it gets stuck on the banks. Provost is extremely concerned about the growing flotilla. In October, the first time I came out here, the damage that was being done environmentally was half. This site has now doubled in the past 10 months. There are vessels, more debris, more floating barges than in October 2023. Provost compares the flotilla to the problem of graffiti. It is just like graffiti on a side of a building. If you do not clean it up, more graffiti follows. If you do not clean up these vessels, more vessels show up. Provost also wondered: if the city does not do something now, will things get even worse? So, in 10 months the site has doubled. So, what happens if nothing gets done for another 10 months? Is it going to double again? Its not fair to the neighborhoods. We need to get these things cleaned up as soon as possible. The city of Virginia Beach declined any on camera interviews, but sent this statement from Virginia Beachs Director of Communications, Tiffany Russell. It says in part: (The) vessel is inhabited by an individual the owner has not authorized this individual is known to the City, and the City has offered resources to the individual numerous times that have been declined and (we) are actively working to resolve the issue within the framework provided by state code. Provost adds the importance of continued coverage of whats happening on the creek, So, the main thing that WAVYs helped, the foundation with is exposure and putting a light on these issues. Without WAVYs assistance we would not be able to maintain momentum and get these programs complete. This is months in the making. We are hoping that WAVY can help find a way to get these things removed and disposed of. As for Matt Gross, he gets that he is not the owner. But city of Virginia Beach officials, listen up. Gross told us: If you get Bobby Kung down here, I will turn the boat over to him. I have no problem doing that. I will not turn it over to the city I am not leaving until I have to. Heres the full statement from the city of Virginia Beach: Abandoned and derelict vessels are a well-documented issue facing Virginia as outlined in the two public resources attached Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plan and the Virginia Abandoned and Derelict Vessels Work Group report. I thought these might be of interest to you for your story. However, unique to this case at London Bridge Creek is that the abandoned and derelict vessel is inhabited by an individual that the owner has not authorized. This individual is known to the City, and City has offered resources to the individual numerous times that have been declined. The General Assembly passed a new code section effective July 1 that allows for alternative options for the City to handle abandoned vessels. What I can share at this time is that we are in active communication with the unauthorized inhabitant, the vessel owner and Vessel Disposal & Reuse Foundation (VDRF), and are actively working to resolve the issue within the framework provided by state code. Tiffany Russell, City of Virginia Beach spokesperson Virginia Abandoned and Derelict Vessels Work Groups summary pageDownload Virginia Marine Debris Reduction Plans June 2022 reportDownload Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. Vance agrees to CBS VP debate with Walz on Oct. 1 and proposes another in September JD Vance, senator of Ohio and the Republican vice presidential nominee, said Thursday that he has accepted a debate with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on CBS on Oct. 1, and also challenged Walz to an earlier debate on CNN in September. The American people deserve as many debates as possible, which is why President Trump has challenged Kamala to three of them already, Vance wrote in a post on X. Not only do I accept the CBS debate on October 1st, I accept the CNN debate on September 18th as well. I look forward to seeing you at both! CBS News confirmed that both campaigns have agreed to the Oct. 1 debate, which will be moderated by CBS Evening News anchor and managing editor Norah O'Donnell and Face the Nation host Margaret Brennan in New York City. "See you on October 1, JD," Walz wrote on X. The Minnesota governor, who had already agreed to the Oct. 1 debate, has not yet committed to the proposed CNN event. The Harris-Trump debate(s) Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. (Photo illustration: Yahoo News: photos: Alex Brandon/AP, Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images) Earlier this month, former President Donald Trump agreed to debate Vice President Kamala Harris on ABC on Sept. 10 an event he had initially agreed to with President Biden and then canceled when Biden exited the race. I think its very important to have debates, Trump told reporters gathered at Mar-a-Lago on Aug. 8 after weeks of suggesting he might not agree to the ABC debate. Trump then challenged Harris to two other debates: one hosted by Fox News on Sept. 4, and the other by NBC on Sept. 25. Harris confirmed that she would face Trump on Sept. 10 and told reporters she would be open to other debates after that. I am happy to have that conversation about an additional debate after Sept. 10, for sure, she said. Confirmed debates Sept. 10: Harris vs. Trump, ABC News (location yet to be announced) Oct. 1: Vance vs. Walz, CBS News, New York City Unconfirmed debates (times and locations TBD) Sept. 4: Harris vs. Trump, Fox News Sept. 18: Vance vs. Walz, CNN Sept. 25: Harris vs. Trump, NBC The Harris-Walz campaign said Thursday that it would agree to one additional presidential debate in October. Assuming Donald Trump actually shows up on September 10 to debate Vice President Harris, then Governor Walz will see JD Vance on October 1 and the American people will have another opportunity to see the vice president and Donald Trump on the debate stage in October, Michael Tyler, director of communications for the Harris-Walz campaign, said in a statement. Voters deserve to see the candidates for the highest office in the land share their competing visions for our future, he added. The more they play games, the more insecure and unserious Trump and Vance reveal themselves to be to the American people. Those games end now. What to expect at the Walz-Vance debate Walz and Vance have each been on debate stages before, though not as high-profile as a vice presidential debate. In October 2022, Vance took on Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan in a contentious debate that descended quickly into attacks, the Associated Press reported at the time: Vance said Ryan had supported policies that led to a 10-year-old girl in Ohio being raped. Ryan said Vance had started a fake nonprofit to help people overcome addiction issues. The two accused each other of being beholden to their party, with Ryan echoing a comment from former President Donald Trump in calling Vance an a kisser and Vance saying Ryans 100% voting record with President Joe Biden means hes not the reasonable moderate he says he is. The same year Walz participated in three gubernatorial debates in Minnesota against Republican challenger Scott Jensen, who criticized Walzs response to the violent protests that followed the murder of George Floyd and the COVID-19 pandemic. Both Walz and Vance have traded barbs in public this summer, with the Minnesota governor calling Vance weird while questioning his small-town bona fides. Vance, a military veteran, and other Republicans have openly questioned the timing of Walzs departure from the Army National Guard. During his first solo campaign appearance after being named Harriss running mate, Walz pushed back. I firmly believe you should never denigrate another persons service record, Walz said in Los Angeles on Tuesday. To anyone brave enough to put on that uniform for our great country, including my opponent, I just have a few simple words: Thank you for your service and sacrifice. Why the debates werent set in stone this year President Biden at the presidential debate on June 27. (Jabin Botsford/Washington Post via Getty Images) From 1988 through 2020, the bipartisan Commission on Presidential Debates ran the general election debates, with three presidential debates and one vice presidential debate each cycle. While the moderators included various television news hosts, the debates were not hosted by any specific network, meaning that they ran on an array of cable and network news channels and streamed widely online with no commercial interruptions. In 2022, the Republican National Committee warned the commission that it would not allow future nominees to participate in CPD debates because GOP voters have lost trust in the body. (In 2020, Trump accused the moderators of bias.) Nonetheless, the commission again proposed three presidential debates and one vice presidential debate for the 2024 cycle. But both the Trump and Biden campaigns refused to participate, saying the proposed dates (in September and October) were too late. The campaigns then agreed to two unsanctioned debates, in June on CNN and in October on ABC. But Biden's halting performance in the first debate in June in Atlanta raised concerns about his fitness for office and ultimately led to his decision not to seek reelection. Vice presidential candidate JD Vance defended Donald Trumps comments about firing striking workers during a rally in Michigan, saying Wednesday that Trump wasnt talking about terminating autoworkers in the state but instead firing the employees of Twitter. He was talking about firing the employees of Twitter who use their power to censor American citizens, Vance told the crowd in in rural Kent County. Those people ought to be fired. If you censor Americans from exercising their First Amendment rights, you absolutely should be fired. Donald Trump is exactly right. The Trump-Vance campaign did not immediately respond to a request for clarification on whether Vance was referring to X employees who have gone on strike or not. It is illegal to fire striking workers or those who threaten to strike because it is a violation of the National Labor Relations Act. Vances explanation of Trumps comments comes after the former president told Musk in an X interview Monday that he wont mention the name of the company, but they go on strike and you say, Thats OK, youre all gone. You walk in, you say, You want to quit? They go on strike, Trump said of Musk. Trumps comments on striking workers drew backlash from United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain, who called Trump a scab in a statement attacking him for siding with Musk. The UAW also filed an unfair labor practice charge against Trump and Musk on Tuesday because of their comments on firing striking workers. Trumps comments came as the former president is trying to make inroads with rank-and-file union members after most unions endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race. The comments also drew ire from Sean OBrien, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, who told POLITICO that Firing workers for organizing, striking, and exercising their rights as Americans is economic terrorism. Vance on Wednesday was careful to note that he liked OBrien but he was wrong on his interpretation of Trumps comments. Teamsters has not made an endorsement in the 2024 presidential race. I like the Teamsters President, Vance said. I think hes a good guy, but hes wrong because Donald Trump was not talking about firing Michigan autoworkers. COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Ohio Sen. JD Vance have agreed to debate each other on Oct. 1, setting up a matchup of potential vice presidents as early voting in some states gets underway for the general election. And Vice President Kamala Harris has forecast the scheduling of a second debate between Donald Trump and herself, although that matchup appeared to be contingent on the GOP nominee participating in an already scheduled Sept. 10 debate with Harris. CBS News on Wednesday posted on its X feed that the network had invited both Vance and Walz to debate in New York City, presenting four possible dates Sept. 17, Sept. 24, Oct. 1 and Oct. 8 as options. Walz reposted that message from his own campaign account, See you on October 1, JD. The Harris-Walz campaign followed up with a message of its own, saying Walz "looks forward to debating JD Vance if he shows up. Vance posted on X that he would accept the Oct. 1 invitation. He also challenged Walz to meet on Sept. 18. Officials with the Harris-Walz campaign did not immediately return a message seeking comment on Vances acceptance of the earlier debate that he said would be on CNN or whether Walz would participate in that one as well. Representatives for CNN confirmed that Vance had accepted the network's debate invitation. CBS Evening News anchor Norah ODonnell and Margaret Brennan of Face the Nation will moderate the Oct. 1 debate, according to the network. Whether or not Walz and Vance would debate before the Nov. 5 general election had been in question. In just the past several weeks, President Joe Biden left the campaign and Democrats selected Harris to lead their ticket. Vance has largely kept his focus trained on Harris, whom he would have been set to debate before Biden's departure from the race. Vance has lobbed critiques against Walz, including questioning the retired Army National Guardsman's service record. Trump has said he wanted Vance to debate Walz on CBS, which had been discussing potential dates for that meeting. The debate is expected weeks after the Sept. 10 top-of-the-ticket debate recently solidified between Trump and Harris on ABC News. Trump has said he negotiated several other debate dates, on three different networks. Fox News has also proposed a debate between Harris and Trump to take place on Sept. 4, and NBC News is angling to air one on Sept. 25. During an appearance in Michigan, Harris said she was happy to have that conversation about an additional debate. On Thursday, Harris' campaign said Trump had accepted our proposal for three debates, meaning one between the vice presidential running mates in addition to two presidential debates. Provided that Trump follows through on participating in the Sept. 10 ABC debate, Harris-Walz spokesperson Michael Tyler said that "the American people will have another opportunity" to see Harris and Trump on the debate stage in October, without mentioning a specific date or network. Neither campaign immediately responded to a message seeking comment on whether a date or network had been agreed to for a second presidential debate. ___ Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP ___ AP Media writer David Bauder in New York contributed to this report. (Left Photo) Democratic vice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz appears with Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris at a campaign rally in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024. (Right Photo) Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, speaks at a campaign event at Shelby Township Police Department, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Shelby Township, Mich. Vance and Walz have agreed to debate each other on Oct. 1. | Matt Rourke (Left Photo) and Alex Brandon (Right Photo), Associated Press Vice presidential candidates Ohio Sen. JD Vance and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz have agreed to debate each other, with both men accepting CBS News invite to host the event in New York City on Oct. 1. Earlier this week, CBS proposed four potential dates for the debate, Sept. 17, Sept. 24, Oct. 1, and Oct. 8. In response to the networks invitation, Walz wrote on X on Wednesday, See you on October 1, JD. On Thursday, Vance replied, The American people deserve as many debates as possible, which is why President Trump has challenged Kamala to three of them already. Not only do I accept the CBS debate on October 1st, I accept the CNN debate on September 18th as well. I look forward to seeing you at both! The debate will be moderated by Margaret Brennan, CBS News chief foreign affairs correspondent and moderator of the Face the Nation program, and Norah ODonnell, CBS Evening News anchor and managing editor, according to the network. Despite Vances acceptance of a potential second vice presidential debate, it appears only one event is scheduled for now. Michael Tyler, the communications director for Vice President Kamala Harris campaign, said Walz will only participate in the CBS debate on Oct. 1, CBS reported. What we know about a presidential debate Donald Trumps campaign accepted our proposal for three debates two presidential and a vice-presidential debate, Tyler said, according to reporting from The New York Times. Tyler added, The debate about debates is over. Voters deserve to see the candidates for the highest office in the land share their competing visions for our future, Tyler continued, per CBS. The more they play games, the more insecure and unserious Trump and Vance reveal themselves to be to the American people. Those games end now. 2024 marks the first election year that presidential and vice presidential debates are not being organized or sponsored by the Commission on Presidential Debates, an organization that has sponsored such events during every election cycle since 1988. According to the CPDs site, the organization establishes guidelines for general election presidential and vice presidential debates, but that In 2024, Joe Biden (D) and Donald Trump (R) announced they would not participate in CPD-sponsored debates. Last week, Harris and Trump both agreed to face off in a Sept. 10 presidential debate a date that had been previously arranged when Biden was still running for reelection hosted by ABC News. On Thursday, the Harris campaign declined to participate in additional September debates with Trump and Vance, per CNN, but Harris is open to a second debate with Trump the following month in October, according to a senior campaign adviser. Assuming Trump does the first, the adviser said, Harris is open to a second debate. According to the network, the ABC News debate on Sept. 10 between Harris and Trump will be hosted by ABC News Live Prime anchor Linsey Davis and World News Tonight anchor and managing editor David Muir. Regarding an additional potential October presidential debate, NBC News is reportedly discussing the possibility with both campaigns, according to reporting from The New York Times. In a news conference last week from his Mar-a-Lago property in Florida, Trump said, We think we should do three debates, suggesting two additional events that he said would be hosted by Fox News and NBC, BBC News reported. Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance and his Democratic counterpart, Tim Walz, are set to participate in a debate hosted by CBS on October 1 after the Ohio senator accepted the invitation Thursday, a day after the Minnesota governor did the same. Vance also accepted CNNs invitation for a vice presidential debate this fall, but the Kamala Harris campaign declined a second onstage showdown between the two running mates. The debate about debates is over. Donald Trumps campaign accepted our proposal for three debates two presidential and a vice presidential debate, Harris campaign spokesman Michael Tyler said in a statement Thursday. Harris and Trump have agreed to meet for a presidential debate on ABC on September 10. Trump has also agreed to debates on Fox News and NBC. Harris is open to an additional debate with the former president in October, a senior campaign adviser told CNN, but the details will not be settled until the first debate is in the books. Traditionally, there has only been one vice presidential debate in an election cycle, though Vance on Thursday called for holding as many debates as we possibly can. He responded on social media to the news that his Republican counterpart had committed to a sole debate by saying, Tim Walz refuses to deploy! (Vance has accused Walz of ducking service in Iraq when he left the Army National Guard to run for Congress.) A CNN spokesperson said Thursday that the network had invited both Vance and Walz for a fall debate. We are always in communication with the campaigns around opportunities for the American public to hear from leading candidates for President and Vice President of the United States, the spokesperson said. Vance, whom Trump named as his running mate last month, said earlier Thursday on social media that he was looking forward to debating Walz. The American people deserve as many debates as possible, which is why President Trump has challenged Kamala to three of them already. Not only do I accept the CBS debate on October 1st, I accept the CNN debate on September 18th as well. I look forward to seeing you at both! he wrote. Walz, who joined Harris on the Democratic ticket last week, accepted the CBS invitation Wednesday, writing on social media, See you on October 1, JD. CBS News offered the candidates two dates in September and two dates in October as options for a debate in New York City. Speaking to reporters Thursday after a campaign stop outside Pittsburgh, Vance called for more debates while accusing Walz and his ticket mate Harris of running from every media interview. I think we ought to do as many debates as we possibly can, he said in New Kensington, Pennsylvania. President Trump has invited Kamala Harris to do three debates. Shes only agreed to one. Tim Walz, I guess we agreed to do a debate on October 1, the senator said. CNN wants to do a debate in mid-September. And I said, Yes, absolutely, because the American people deserve it. Asked by CNN about the rules for the vice presidential debates, Vance said that his team didnt really didnt ask or require much. We just wanted to make sure that we had an opportunity to do a real exchange of views, Vance said. That was my only directive, and I told my staff, Agree to whatever we have to agree to, because I think its important, again, to be able to stand before the American people and actually ask for their vote, not just pretend its going to be given to you. In May, before President Joe Biden dropped out of the race, Harris accepted an invitation from CBS to debate Trumps future running mate on either July 23 or August 13. Trump said on his Truth Social platform at the time that his campaign had accepted an invitation for his future running mate to participate in a Fox News debate. Following Bidens exit and Harris rapid ascension to the top of the Democratic ticket, Vance expressed disappointment that he wouldnt get the chance to face off against Harris onstage. I was told I was gonna get to debate Kamala Harris, and now President Trumps gonna get to debate her? Im kind of pissed off about that, if Im being honest with you, Vance said at a hometown rally in Middletown, Ohio, last month. This story has been updated with additional information. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Caught on video: Vandals destroy Logan pride flag in ongoing rash of similar thefts LOGAN, Utah (ABC4) Logan Police are working to track down suspects after the most recent incident in a series of pride flag thefts and vandalism was caught on video. Lt. Brad Franke with the Logan City Police Department said there have been approximately 10 cases of theft or vandalism regarding pride flags or related property this year. He said five of those incidents took place in just the past few weeks. READ NEXT: Family of man who drowned in Willard Bay shares his story On Wednesday, Aug. 14, the police department shared a video of two suspects tearing a pride flag and a transgender flag off their posts outside of the Logan Pride Center near 60 East 100 North. Screenshot from a video capturing a suspect in the latest pride flag vandalism case in Logan. (Credit: Logan Pride Center via the Logan City Police Department) At this time, Franke said they do not know if the two suspects are responsible for any of the other vandalism and theft incidents as this is the only recent incident that was caught on video. Franke says he hopes there are not a lot of people engaging in these crimes and would certainly like whoever is doing this to stop. Were really disappointed that anyone would choose to violate other peoples property and rights here in this community. This is not the kind of community we have here in Logan, Franke said. Franke added that these acts are not just about the destruction of a flag or a piece of property but is something that is important to the victims and affects people personally for weeks and months. What really bothers us is that people would treat other people like this in our community, Franke said. Dorothy Wallis, president of the board at the Logan Pride Center, said this is the second time in two weeks that the flags have been vandalized. She said these acts will not deter them from operating as usual and preparing for their upcoming festival. Its really not worth your time, we can get flags replaced at very little cost or no cost, Wallis said. Well be able to continue to have our flags out and continue to provide our services. She said the way the flag was destroyed, rather than stolen or taken down, caused some trepidation and nervousness among community members. Screenshot of a suspect in the latest pride flag vandalism case in Logan. (Credit: Logan Pride Center via the Logan City Police Department) You can see the video, you can hear the sound of the knife cutting so that creates a lot of insecurity, frustration, she said. Chad Call, the executive director of the Utah Pride Center, released a statement after the most recent case saying that the removal and vandalism of a pride flag is not only inappropriate, but is a constitutionally protected right of free speech. All too often, symbols in the LGBTQ+ community, are met with discomfort or uncertainty, and in this case, they have been met with hate, the statement read. Logan police are asking anyone with information on the suspects or the recent crimes to contact the police department at 435-753-7555 or Officer Harflinger at 435-716-9317. Police said they are working to catch the suspects and hold them accountable for their crimes. Its a frustrating spot to be in because we know that overall we get a lot more love than we do hate, but its just sometimes these acts, this kind of hatred, feels a little louder even when its not, Wallis said. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. By Vivian Sequera, Mayela Armas and Tibisay Romero CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's opposition coalition is still pushing for recognition of what it says is its resounding victory in last month's presidential election, but its options are narrowing as international attention is drawn elsewhere, opposition sources and analysts said. Electoral authorities declared President Nicolas Maduro won a third term in the July 28 contest, while tallies collected by the opposition show a victory for opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez. Decrying electoral fraud by Maduro, demonstrators took to the streets. The protests, classed by the government as fascist violence, have killed 23 people and led to some 2,400 arrests. It is a familiar scenario for Venezuela, where protests, sanctions and the declaration of an opposition-led interim presidency that was recognized by Western countries have all failed to dislodge Maduro in recent years. With military leaders vowing to stand by him, the opposition's paths forward look limited. For now, the opposition is focusing its response on a demand for the publication of full voting tallies, according to four opposition sources who declined to be named. They said the opposition was open to negotiations with the ruling party and is hoping international pressure could eventually bear fruit. Gonzalez and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who spearheaded his campaign, have also called for supporters to keep up protests, with Machado floating the idea of possible incentives for ruling party figures to leave power. The government had so far refused to enter talks "because within the ruling party there is not an agreed position," Machado told journalists this week. "There are groups who are clearly willing to negotiate and press for that to occur, and others who are not, who are dug in and willing to do anything." Tallies in possession of the opposition and posted online show Gonzalez won some 7 million votes, more than double Maduro's 3.3 million. The numbers are in line with independent exit polling. The national electoral council has not published full tallies, but says Maduro won with around 51% of the vote. Its website has been down since the early hours of July 29. Venezuela's top court - considered by the opposition to be an arm of the ruling party - has said it is still verifying results but that the opposition failed to give evidence of its tallies. The government is also still reviewing its calculations about how many votes the opposition may have received, said a source close to the ruling party, declining to be named. "A dialogue would have to recognize an electoral process where the opposition was the victor," said Maria Isabel Puerta, professor of political science at Florida's Valencia College, adding that conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine could pull international attention from Venezuela. INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE One opposition source said they were confident Brazil, Colombia and Mexico can exercise pressure over Maduro but "internal pressure must not cease." The United States, Argentina and Chile, among other countries, have repeatedly demanded the government publish full tallies, while Brazil, Colombia and Mexico - whose leaders have traditionally been more friendly with Maduro - are working to establish talks between Maduro and Gonzalez. But Western nations, wary of the previous diplomatic failures, have shown few signs they plan to quickly implement tougher measures, including fresh sanctions, in response to the dispute. Russia, China and others have congratulated Maduro on his victory. "I feel that at least the willingness in not having completely closed the (communication) channel with Brazil, Mexico and Colombia is a good sign and we hope to see what happens this week, which I think is crucial," Machado said. Machado has ruled out repeating the election, two diplomatic sources told Reuters this week. Asked last week if he would accept a conversation with Machado, Maduro said she should speak with the attorney general's office. "She should turn herself over to justice and show her face and respond for the crimes she has committed. That's truthfully the only negotiation that fits," he said. The attorney general's office said last week it was launching a criminal probe against opposition leaders, including Machado, for inciting police and military officials to break the law, conspiracy and other crimes. The opposition "evidently won, but it doesn't have the capacity to make its victory matter. The government lost and is trying to forcefully impose itself, which it can achieve, but at high cost," said Ricardo Rios, director of Caracas consulting firm Poder y Estrategia. International isolation could damage already weak investment, Rios said, while governing via repression could increase instability. In the meantime, demonstrations have continued, with some reduced attendance that advocates put down to fear of arrest. Machado and Gonzalez have called for more marches on Saturday. Asked how long the opposition can continue its campaign over the results, Machado told journalists: "Nobody knows." (Reporting by Vivian Sequera and Mayela Armas in Caracas and Tibisay Romero in Valencia, additional reporting by Mircely Guanipa in Caracas and Marco Aquino in Lima; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien) With the state primary behind us, Vermonts Democratic Party is now investigating potential election interference in Windham County. The party alleges that anonymous letters attacking a democratic candidate were sent to voters in Guilford days before the election. The anonymous letter largely mentions Zon Eastes, the current Chair of the Guilford Selectboard, who was running as a democrat for the open state representative seat in Vermonts Windham One District. Although Eastes did end up winning his primary race, democrats still want to find out who sent the letters. Vermonts Democratic Party alleges that one candidate may have taken part in illegal efforts to mislead voters about his opponent heading into Tuesdays primary. Jim Dandeneau, Executive Director of the Vermont Democratic Party, said that This is a very clear attempt to undermine peoples faith in free and fair elections in Guilford and Vernon. The letter accused democratic house candidate Zon Eastes of criminal activity and election fraud, saying he used his position as Guilford Selectboard Chair to access the towns vault and mess with ballots. Director Jim Dandeneau said the real election fraud here is from that letter, which was spreading misinformation about Eastes. This is criminal election interference. This is a violation of campaign finance law, this is a violation of laws around electioneering communications, Dandeneau continued. Its also very shady that it was made to look like official correspondence from the town, and we believe that that was in part an attempt to suppress some votes. While theres no proof yet as to who sent the letter, democrats have a sneaking suspicion it may have been Eastes opponent Jason Herron, who ran as a republican previously, but changed parties for this years primary. It has all of the hallmarks of a typical MAGA extremist attack on our election system We dont know whether or not Jason Herron is connected to these letters, but we do know he has a history of MAGA extremism, Dandeneau told us. In a statement posted to social media, Herron denied the claims, and pointed the finger back at Eastes, saying he sent the letters to make people think he was being attacked. Herron wrote This was done with the intention to discourage citizens from voting for me while simultaneously encouraging citizens to vote for my opponent This letter is a vicious attack with the purposeful intent of destroying my character on election day and was committed by wealthy and influential members behind the Democrat partys steel curtain (Ive) never sent an anonymous letter to anyone, ever. In the end, Eastes is projected to win the primary by a large margin over Herron. The unofficial tally is 743 votes to 256, but the Secretary of State will take a few days to certify the results. While Eastes now turns his attention to Novembers election, the democratic party has begun its own investigation into the anonymous letters, filing public records requests with the town of Guilford and reporting the situation to Vermonts Secretary of State. Eastes said he just learned of the situation last night, and hasnt read the letter yet. He told us he was deeply honored and humbled by the support Ive received from voters in Vernon and Guilford. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC22 & FOX44. TOPEKA (KSNT) Born in Topeka and growing up in the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, Sgt. E5 Robert Jackson along with his cousin Wishkno joined up with the Kansas Army National Guard. In the 2000s, Robert served overseas across multiple deployments to Egypt and Iraq. Being able to serve with a family member, it just made it a lot easier, Jackson said. A lot of prayers, a lot of family members and community that really touched and reached out to us, and additionally kept us safe. The duo joined up at the same time through the battle buddy program. Overseas they served as personal security for ambassadors and dignitaries. We spent a year in Baghdad Iraq, in the international zone, Jackson said. Funny story about that, they never teamed us up. We was always in separate squads. He would be either in advanced squad and Id be in the rear, or vice versa. I think they knew we had some type of protection, and some type of power with us. Jacksons skillset was put to the test as a gunner and a driver. You have to make the judgment calls, He said. It was tough at times, I mean split decision things. But we trained, and we trained to fight, and that was essential, and that was valuable to what we did. That training came in handy across his decade of service, volunteering for a deployment to Egypt and a second tour to Iraq. From providing security for a refugee camp to protecting vital ambassadors, Jackson took pride in the responsibilities and self-sacrifice that came with his roles. It was important, it was important to the mission, the overall mission that we were there for, He said. The dignitaries, they needed to complete their job. It was a daily task, so we took our duties seriously, ensuring that they were safe. If something got hot we was out of there, we needed to make sure they were safe. It was an important part of what we were doing. Jacksons qualities of selflessness continue to this day. He works for the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation a part of their Veterans program We-ta-se. For over half a decade, Jackson has helped out with transporting fellow veterans for their medical, nutritional or recreational needs an essential service for those living in that rural area. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. A new victim witness waiting room at the Westmoreland County District Attorneys Office was unveiled Thursday after more than a year of design and construction. The room, which will be known as Es Room, is a tribute to a younger victim who was at the district attorneys office awaiting a verdict for a sexual assault case. Her family was not comfortable sitting in the previous room because of its surroundings. According to a release, the room was dated in its concept and messaging. We know, often times, people come to this office on the worst day of their lives. As a trauma-assumed office, if we can assist in making this experience less distressing, then I believe we can help in healing and prevention of crime, said Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole W. Ziccarelli said. The room was designed by the Fred Rogers Institute at Saint Vincent, who also donated books and childrens games to the room. Fred Rogers put special care into providing safe and welcoming spaces to children, whether it was through his television connection or in-person interactions. The Fred Rogers Institute at Saint Vincent College was honored to partner with the Westmoreland County District Attorneys Office to design a comfortable, safe, and welcoming space for children and families, Director of Fred Rogers Institute, Emma Swift Lee, said. The Richard King Mellon Foundation provided a grant to the Fred Rogers Institute to implement the design, in addition to contributions from Sen. Kim Ward. Ziccarelli said the room is the first victim witness waiting room in the country to be designed by the Fred Rogers Institute and will serve hundreds of victims and witnesses annually. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW (Bloomberg) -- Vietnams To Lam is set to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing in the coming week in what would be his first overseas trip since taking over the countrys top leadership barely a month ago. Most Read from Bloomberg Communist Party General Secretary Lam, who is concurrently Vietnam president, will visit China from Aug. 18 to Aug. 20, Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. He is expected to have an audience with Xi who traveled to Vietnam in late 2023. Lam is scheduled to attend next months United Nations General Assembly in the US, and possibly meet with President Joe Biden, according to people familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified because theyre not authorized to speak about his plans. Vietnams Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The back-to-back China-US trip underscores Vietnams enduring flexible foreign policy it calls bamboo diplomacy in approaching geopolitical issues. Beijing as the first stop for Lam instead of the US follows an informal rule that Vietnams new leader will often first travel to Laos and Cambodia before China, according to Le Dang Doanh, an economist and former government adviser in Hanoi. Lam visited Laos and Cambodia in July as president. The US would be next on Lams international itinerary, said Alexander Vuving, an Asia expert at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Hawaii. Vietnams top leader should go to China before going to the United States, he said. Doing so will signal Hanois deference to Beijing, which is an important element of Vietnams current approach to relations with the great powers. No Changes The visit would reassure the Chinese there will be no changes in policy since Lam took over after the death of long-time leader Nguyen Phu Trong last month, according to Carl Thayer, emeritus professor at the University of New South Wales in Australia. China is Vietnams largest trade partner and also with whom the country also has territorial disputes with in the South China Sea. Lam will seek to ensure that dozens of agreements signed during Xis trip to Hanoi in December including boosting trade and funding a cross-border railway will materialize, Thayer said. He wants to be seen as someone who stands up to China and also works with China as an equal, Thayer said. Party to party relations are the most important conduits between China and Vietnam. As for the US, Vietnam earlier this month expressed displeasure with the Biden administrations rejection of Hanois request to be classified officially as a market economy. The decision was seen as a blow for the countrys efforts to boost exports to its most important market. Yet Lam, most likely, wont use his meeting with Xi as a way to tweak the US, Thayer said. He is not gong to do anything in China that alienates the US, he said. Lam will serve the remainder of Trongs third term, which ends in early 2026 when a new general secretary will be picked during the Party Congress. He became president in May. (Updates with US trip in the third paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Viral recipe for Jolly Rancher candy grapes are sending kids to the ER with burns TikTok user @bethanybreanne shows off a second-degree burn on her finger she received while attempting to make candy grapes. The recipe to make the candy has gone viral on TikTok and requires users to melt candy. The molten candy has caused severe burns to several adults and children attempting the trend (@bethanybreanne / TikTok) There's a new TikTok trend sending children and adults to the hospital with burns, according to a report out of Pittsburgh. Creating "candy grapes," a Jolly Rancher-like sweet inspired by Chinese candied fruit, has become popular on the platform, but the recipes are leading to injuries. In Pittsburgh, a nine-year-old wound up in the hospital with severe burns after attempting to create the candy based on the TikTok video. "I've had a lot of mom guilt for even thinking this was a good idea," the child's mother, Christina Blackstone, told KDKA, a local broadcaster in Pittsburgh. Her son, Caidan, reportedly still struggles to use his hand. TikTok user @bethanybreanne shows off a second-degree burn on her finger she received while attempting to make candy grapes. The recipe to make the candy has gone viral on TikTok and requires users to melt candy. The molten candy has caused severe burns to several adults and children attempting the trend (@bethanybreanne / TikTok) After watching a step-by-step video illustrating how to create the candy, Blackstone decided that a treat-making activity would be a fun bonding experience with her son. On a rainy day when they pair were stuck inside, Blackstone decided to give the recipe a try. One step in the process requires candy to be melted in a bowl. After Blackstone had removed the molten candy from the microwave, Caiden took it and began walking to a different part of the kitchen, presumably preparing to dip grapes into the melted sweets. He tripped along the way and spilled the contents of the bowl into his hand, causing an immediate burn. He ultimately suffered a second-degree burn from the liquid sugar. TikTok user @its.just.leah swabs a grape on a skewer into a glass of molten candy while making viral candy grapes for a video. The user and several others who have attempted the recipe have suffered burns while making the sweets caused by the high temperature of the molten candy (@its.just.leah / TikTok) The searing candy immediately began to harden on the child's hand. In a frenzy to help her child, Blackstone went to tear the superheated candy off, but because it had dried she feared she was instead "tearing skin." She removed it regardless. That was the right move, according to a Pittsburgh doctor who spoke to KDKA. Dr Ariel Aballay told the broadcaster that if she hadn't removed the hardening candy, it would have caused even worse burns on her son's hand. "The doctor at West Penn told me if I would not have gotten that off sooner, it would have resulted in a third-degree burn and it would have gone into his nerves. He wouldn't have feelings in his hands at that point," Blackstone told the broadcaster. Several finished candy grapes cool while skewered into a stick of butter. The skewered grapes are dipped in the molten candy to create the candy, but the high temperature of the melted sweets has caused burns for TikTok users attempting the viral trend (@its.just.leah / TikTok) He also said that Caidan wasn't the only one to suffer burns from the viral trend. According to the doctor, four others two adults and two children also suffered a burn attempting to make the candy. Another TikTok user, going by the name Bethany Breanne, shared a video showing the second-degree burns she received from trying to make the candy, and offered a warning. "If you're going to make the Jolly Rancher-covered grapes, make sure you wear gloves or your hand is going to end up possibly looking like mine," she said. Aballay said that molten candy is 350 degrees Fahrenheit, which is more than 100 degrees hotter than boiling water. Caidan's skin and fingernails are growing back, but he still struggles to use his hand three weeks on. He has to squeeze a stress ball and touch his fingers together to slowly regain his ability to control his digits, his mother said. Doctors at Shriners Children's Hospital in Boston are also warning parents that the trendy snack could lead to severe burns if they aren't extremely careful with the molten candy. Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz has faced accusations that he exaggerated his military service, including his rank upon retirement and whether he served in combat during his 24 years in the National Guard. The Harris campaign modified its online biography of Walz regarding his rank, and Walz himself has acknowledged that he misspoke when saying he carried weapons in war. But a viral tweet with 2.7 million views that claims Walz lied about being deployed to Afghanistan is itself false, and it is actually undercut by the very video clip included in the tweet. It gets worse for Walz, media personality Rob Smith captioned a clip of then-Rep. Walz speaking with a Gold Star family about mental health support for veterans. Unearthed footage from 2004 shows then-Rep. Tim Walz telling a Gold Star family that he deployed to Afghanistan. IT GETS WORSE FOR WALZ: Unearthed footage from 2004 shows then-Rep. Tim Walz telling a Gold Star family that he deployed to Afghanistan and that he and the troops under his command struggled with PTSD. WOW.pic.twitter.com/wrqIWXBcxH Rob Smith (@robsmithonline) August 13, 2024 In the video clip, Walz never claims he was in Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom. We were in support of OEF, Walz told the families in the video. As we noted in an earlier Dispatch Fact Check: Between 2003 and 2004, Walz served in Italy as part of the Minnesota National Guards 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery in support of active forces in Afghanistan. My battalion provided base security throughout the European theater from Turkey to England in the early stages of the war in Afghanistan, he said in a 2007 C-SPAN interview. If you have a claim you would like to see us fact check, please send us an email at factcheck@thedispatch.com. If you would like to suggest a correction to this piece or any other Dispatch article, please email corrections@thedispatch.com. Read more at The Dispatch The Dispatch is a new digital media company providing engaged citizens with fact-based reporting and commentary, informed by conservative principles. Sign up for free. Voters asked to approve money to build new Beavercreek high school this fall As students return to class in Beavercreek, the school district is asking voters for money this fall to build a new high school. >>WHIO BACK TO SCHOOL PAGE As reported Thursday on News Center 7s Daybreak, school superintendent Paul Otten said the district has a growing student population. It means that buildings are reaching capacity and need more space for students. There will be a levy request on the November ballot to fund the project. They are asking voters to approve a $265 million bond issue. Our kids have great opportunities in Beavercreek, but the one area that we know we feel a lot of stress and strain is really on space, and for us looking at it, Otten told News Center 7. I would say to our community, this is a great opportunity for us to have something for our district, for our community, that serves our kids. If approved, the 4.9 mill bond issue would cost the owner of a $100,000 home an additional $172 each year. Otten says the district would renovate the old high school and turn it into a new middle school if the levy passes. It would also convert the existing middle schools into elementary schools. COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Republican vice presidential nominee U.S. Sen. JD Vance is preparing to dissolve the vestiges of a charitable effort he launched in Ohio after publication of his best-selling memoir Hillbilly Elegy, the Trump-Vance campaign said. Vance formed two like-named nonprofits starting in 2016 to address problems in Ohio and other Rust Belt states. They were primarily supposed to focus on boosting job opportunities, improving mental health treatment and combating the opioid crisis. The original organization folded within five years and Vance put the other on hold when he ran successfully for the Senate in 2022. He faced criticism during the race over how little the groups accomplished. Despite Vance's stated intentions to identify and produce national solutions to those problems, the nonprofits only notable achievement was paying to send an addiction specialist to southern Ohio for a year who had questioned the well-documented role of prescription painkillers in the national opioid crisis. Vance has acknowledged that the groups' efforts fell far short of his aspirations. One of the groups a foundation filed paperwork in April reinstating the corporate status it had allowed to expire in 2022. Trump-Vance campaign spokesperson Taylor Van Kirk told The Associated Press that that filing was required because the foundation still had money left in its bank account and did not signal that Vance intended to resume the foundations efforts. She said he plans to close out its accounts and distribute the remaining balance to causes benefiting Appalachia. Records the group filed with the state and obtained by the AP through a public records request show it reported about $11,000 remaining in the foundations account. Vance's first nonprofit, Our Ohio Renewal, was formed not long after Hillbilly Elegy was published in 2016. It was registered as a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization. Such groups are able to endorse candidates, though this one never did. Its contributions were not tax-deductible. Vance said his goal was to raise $500,000 a year to fund its work. A year later, he created the Our Ohio Renewal Foundation. As a 501(c)(3) charitable group, it operates with more restrictions but also allows donors to receive tax deductions for donations. The groups failed to catch on, in part because a key organizer was diagnosed with cancer. Our Ohio Renewal reported raising $221,000 in 2018 $80,000 of which was Vances own money. It raised less than $50,000 a year thereafter, before being shut down in 2021, records show. Meanwhile, the foundation appears to have raised and spent only about $69,000 from 2017 to 2023 although figures in its annual reports don't all add up. Neither Jai Chabria, a Vance political adviser who formerly worked as a consultant to the foundation, nor the campaign was able to explain the discrepancies, citing the passage of time and changes in personnel. The AP reported in 2022 that the residency funded by Vance's charitable efforts for Dr. Sally Satel in Ironton, Ohio, was clouded by ties between her, the American Enterprise Institute, where she was a resident scholar, and OxyContin manufacturer Purdue Pharma. Satel cited Purdue-funded studies in some of her writings while being paid by the institute, which at the time was receiving funding from the drugmaker, according to reports in ProPublica. Vance's Senate campaign said the candidate whose family's experience with addiction figured heavily in his book and helped inspire his charity work was unfamiliar with Satels reliance on Purdue research in her work when she was selected for the 2018 residency. But he said he remained proud of her work treating patients in one of Ohios hardest hit areas. Satel said at the time that she came to her conclusions independently, and AEI said it maintains a firewall between its scholars and its donors. Wallace Wally Amos, founder of the chocolate chip cookie brand Famous Amos, has died. He was 88. Amos died Tuesday at this home in Honolulu, Hawaii, his children Shawn and Sarah Amos told the New York Times. The cause was complications of dementia. Born on July 1, 1936, in Tallahassee, Fla., Amos moved to Harlem in his early teens to live with his aunt, Della Bryant, who would bake cookies for him. After serving in the Air Force from 1954 to 1957, Amos returned to New York and joined the William Morris Agency. He started in the mailroom and worked his way up the ranks to become the agencys first Black talent agent. He notably signed Simon and Garfunkel and worked with Motown artists such as the Supremes, Diana Ross, Sam Cooke and Dionne Warwick. In 1967, Amos moved to Los Angeles, where he began to bake as a pastime as he struggled to set up his own personal management company. I began to bake as a hobby; it was a kind of therapy, Amos told the New York Times in 1975. Id go to meetings with record company or movie people and bring along some cookies, and pretty soon everybody was asking for them. With the help of a $25,000 loan from his celebrity friends, music legends Marvin Gaye and Helen Reddy, Amos opened the first Famous Amos store on Sunset Boulevard in L.A. The bite-sized cookies, derived from a recipe Amos learned from his aunt, were known for their natural ingredients and lack of preservatives. Famous Amos sold $300,000 worth of cookies its first year and reached $12 million in revenue by 1982. Due to mismanagement and financial struggles, Amos gradually sold off equity stakes in Famous Amos through the mid-to-late 80s. In 1988, he sold the remainder of the cookie brand to a private equity firm, the Shansby Group, for $3 million. Amos went on to sell baked goods under other names, including Uncle Noname, Uncle Wallys Muffin Co. and the Cookie Kahuna. Outside of the Famous Amos cookie empire, Amos appeared as a guest on the television series The Office, Taxi and The Jeffersons. Amos is survived by his wife, Christine Harris-Amos, and children Shawn, Sarah, Gregory and Michael. Best of Variety Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The world is slightly less sweet after the death of Black icon Wally Amos, who lived many different lives across his 88 years here. Following his youth in Tallahassee, the multi-talent moved to Harlem to live with his aunt, Della Bryant, while he was still a teen. Amos dropped out of high school but later returned to obtain his GED; like many young men in the 50s, he felt the call to serve his country. Amos was a member of the US Air Force from 1954-57 but ultimately decided he craved something more glamorous out of life. While working his way to the top at William Morris Agency, Wally Amos settled down with his wife, Carol Williams, who he leaves behind. The couple welcomed four children Gregory, Michael, Shawn and Sarah who are already doing their part to make sure the family legacy lives on forever. They no longer own the Famous Amos cookie company their father launched in 1975, but theyll always have his tasty recipes and infectious smile to remember him by. How Did Wally Amos Die? (Photo by Diana Walker/Liaison) Making it to your late 80s is an impressive achievement, though family, friends and fans are mourning the unexpected loss of Wally Amos. The 88-year-old passed away on Tuesday, Aug. 13th in his Honolulu home. Our dad inspired a generation of entrepreneurs, his kids told CBS News. With his Panama hat, kazoo, and boundless optimism, Famous Amos was a great American success story and a source of Black pride. Its also part of our family story for which we will forever be grateful and proud. The businessmans death was a result of complications related to his dementia battle. Building the Famous Amos Empire Before Baking Won His Heart, Wally Amos Was the First Black Talent Agent Amos was driven to succeed when he returned from the Air Force in 1957. While he was just a mailroom employee when he started at William Morris Agency that year, he later became the first-ever Black talent agent in the industry, as per History. Little do music buffs know, without his efforts, we mightve never heard classic groups like Simon and Garfunkel or the Supremes both of whom were virtually unknown when Amos signed them. After a decade of proving himself to contemporaries and clients, the visionary relocated to the West Coast in 1967 to open his own agency. Around this time, Amos wanted calming hobbies to keep him present while juggling his busy schedule, leading him to baking. It was kind of therapy, he once told the New York Times. Id go to meetings with a record company or movie people and bring along some cookies, and pretty soon everybody was asking for them. A Generous Gift From Marvin Gaye and Helen Reddy Made His Dreams Come True With more people seeking out Wally Amos famous cookies, those closest to him knew there was only one answer convince him to open a store dedicated to his chocolate chip treats. Vocalist Marvin Gaye and Australian star Helen Reddy gave the amateur baker $25K to start, and the rest is history. The first Famous Amos location opened on Sunset Boulevard in 1975, building a strong reputation thanks to their natural ingredients and preservative-free recipe. In his first year of business, Wally made $300K. As the 1980s began, Famous Amos had earned $12M in revenue, with dozens of stores opening nationwide. In addition, grocery stores began carrying pre-packaged options, making the Black-owned brand more accessible than ever before. Midway through the decade, President Reagan gave the company founder one of the first-ever Awards of Entrepreneurial Excellence. This honor continued his trailblazing run, which sadly took a turn when financial troubles hit in the late 80s. Entrepreneur Tried to Make a Comeback Under a Different Name Wally Amos sold his cookie company to Ferrero Group for $3M in 1988, at which point he lost the use of his name and image though he returned as a spokesperson for Famous Amos in 1999. In 2024, the brand is still owned by Ferrero, who shared a statement after hearing about Wallys death. [We] are saddened by the loss of Wally Amos and our thoughts are with his family. He brought joy to millions with his cookies and is an inspiration to generations of entrepreneurs. We will continue to work to honor his legacy, they wrote via Instagram. More recently, the Famous Amos founder tried to make a comeback under other names, such as Uncle Noname, Uncle Wallys Muffin Co. and the Cookie Kahuna. He pitched the latter on Shark Tank, offering the shows investors a 20% stake in his Hawaii-inspired dessert company that seemingly shut down in 2018. Regardless of that downfall, Wally Amos always kept a positive attitude, making him a powerful inspiration to other Black entrepreneurs. To get into a similar headspace, check out his book, The Path to Success is Paved with Positive Thinking. RIP. Wally Amos, known to most as Famous Amos, has died at the age of 88. A statement released by his children attributed the death of the entrepreneur behind the Famous Amos cookie enterprise to a battle with dementia. With his Panama hat, kazoo, and boundless optimism, Famous Amos was a great American success story and a source of Black pride, detailed the statement, per NPR. Our dad taught us the value of hard work, believing in ourselves, and chasing our dreams. According to the outlet, Amos passed away at home peacefully with his wife, Carol, by his side on Tuesday (Aug. 13). According to NBC News, Amos was born in Tallahassee, Fla. before moving to New York at the age of 12 to live with his aunt following his parents divorce. That aunt, Della Bryant, is the person who taught him how to bake cookies. He dropped out of high school to join the Air Force, before working as a mailroom clerk at the William Morris Agency, where he became a talent agent, leading to him working with notable acts such as The Supremes, Simon & Garfunkel, and Marvin Gaye. Amos then leveraged his connections and secured a $25,000 loan to launch his own business. Amos inspired a generation of entrepreneurs when he founded the worlds first cookie store as he opened his shop in Los Angeles on the famous Sunset Blvd in 1975, says his children. According to The New York Times, the company sold $300,000 in cookies that year, and by 1982, revenue reached $12 million. The Jeffersons, a CBS television situation comedy. Episode: The Jeffersons Go to Hawaii: Part 2. Episode aired November 16, 1980. Pictured is Wally Amos (as Man #1) According to NBC News, in 2007, Amos noted that the cookies consumers are familiar with today are not the sweet treats he created, which had lots of chocolate, real butter, and pure vanilla extract. You cant compare a machine-made cookie with [a] handmade cookie, he explained. Its like comparing a Rolls Royce with a Volkswagen. After his initial success, Amos faced years of financial struggles. He was forced to sell the brand to a private equity group in 1988, per CNN. Ferrero, the current owner of the Famous Amos, also owns brands including Butterfinger, Keebler, Ferrero Rocher, Nutella, and more. Ferrero and the Famous Amos team are saddened by the loss of Wally Amos and our thoughts are with his family, relayed a statement shared on social media by the Ferrero brand. He brought joy to millions with his cookies and is an inspiration to generations of entrepreneurs. We will continue to work to honor his legacy. VIBE sends our condolences to the family and friends of Wally Amos. More from VIBE.com The 12th China Acrobatic Exhibition is set to take place from Aug. 23 to Sept. 5 in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MCT) on Wednesday. This year's event will feature 36 acrobatic shows, eight acrobatic dramas and 10 magic shows. It is co-sponsored by the MCT and the People's Government of Liaoning Province. During the exhibition, public welfare performances will be carried out at the grassroots, with preferential ticket prices offered, to attract more spectators to the theater, according to Lu Xichao, deputy head of the Liaoning provincial department of culture and tourism. In the meantime, Shenyang will launch tour packages incorporating performing arts to provide tourists with a travel experience full of acrobatic fun, said Liu Kebin, a culture and tourism official of the city. In early 2016, Tim Walz sat down with CSPAN for a bipartisan discussion about his opposition to President Barack Obama's push to reduce troop levels overseas. To begin the panel, the host introduced Walz -- at the time in his fifth term as a U.S. representative -- in part by incorrectly outlining his military service. "Enlisted in the Army National Guard at 17 and retired 24 years later as Command Sergeant Major," she said of Walz, "and served with his battalion in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan." Walz nodded in agreement at that statement, despite the fact that -- according to military records and his own admission -- although he served in Operation Enduring Freedom in Italy, he never served in Afghanistan. MORE: What to know about Walz's military record and Vance's accusations of 'stolen valor' The incident is emblematic of the episodes that have drawn criticism from some Republicans over the way Walz and others have sometimes described his decades-long military service since retiring in 2005, or have not corrected others who have incorrectly described his service. Since being chosen as Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate, Walz has been accused by his opponent Sen. J.D. Vance of "stolen valor" -- a serious allegation that's punishable under federal law. Walz has fiercely defended his service, saying at a campaign rally this week that he is "damn proud" of his military record. "These guys have -- are even attacking me or my record of service," Walz said on Tuesday during a speech in Los Angeles. "And I just want to say, I'm proud to serve my country, and I always will be." While there is no evidence that Walz has committed the crime of stolen valor, an ABC News review of hours of footage from his past interviews and speeches, along with years of records from his initial campaigns, shows that journalists, some of his colleagues in the National Guard, and even voters have sometimes been left with an inaccurate picture of his military service that has led to criticism dating back years. These inaccuracies, which at times went uncorrected, include Walz not denying the statement that he served in Afghanistan, and Walz repeatedly saying that he retired with a rank he achieved but did not retire with, as well as an instance in 2018 of Walz claiming that he carried weapons of war "in war," about which the Harris-Walz campaign said that he misspoke. During Walz's 2016 CSPAN interview, he said later in the 41-minute segment that his "guard unit backfilled to Europe" and at times his job "was to make sure the troops and their families were taken care of." But the instance underscored the ways in which descriptions of Walz's record -- which can be nuanced and complicated -- have at times been left murky to those watching. "After 24 years of military service, Governor Walz retired in 2005 and ran for Congress, where he was a tireless advocate for our men and women in uniform -- and as Vice President of the United States he will continue to be a relentless champion for our veterans and military families," A Harris-Walz campaign spokesperson said in a statement to ABC News. 'The balloon was deflated' Those who served in the National Guard with Walz -- or after him -- have been split in their opinions of the controversy. Thomas Behrends, who took over as command sergeant major of Walz's battalion after Walz retired from military service in 2005, has been a vocal Walz critic for years, accusing him of using a false rank after retiring and criticizing his decision to retire before his battalion was deployed to Iraq. "At the point when he quit, the balloon was deflated and all the soldiers out here, basically it was like one of their main senior leaders had died. They couldn't believe it," Behrends said in an interview with ABC News. Walz has said he decided to retire in 2005 to run for Congress, and there is no indication that Walz, at that time, had been formally notified he would be deployed to Iraq. According to National Guard records, the 1st Battalion of the 125th Field Artillery received an alert order on July 14, 2005 -- two months after Walz retired from service. PHOTO: Minnesota Governor and Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz gestures during a campaign rally at the Thomas and Mack Center, University of Nevada in Las Vegas, Aug. 10, 2024. (Ronda Churchill/AFP via Getty Images) Nevertheless, Walz appears to have been aware prior to his retirement that his unit was under consideration for deployment. Shortly after announcing his first run for Congress in March 2005, Walz issued a statement saying his unit had been notified of a "possible partial mobilization," stating that he had a "responsibility not only to ready my battalion for Iraq, but also to serve if called on." "On Thursday, March 17 the National Guard Public Affairs Office announced a possible partial mobilization of roughly 2,000 troops from the Minnesota National Guard," Walz posted to his campaign website in 2005, according to a version viewed by ABC News via the Wayback Machine. "I do not yet know if my artillery unit will be part of this mobilization and I am unable to comment further on specifics of the deployment," Walz posted on the site. "As Command Sergeant Major I have a responsibility not only to ready my battalion for Iraq, but also to serve if called on. I am dedicated to serving my country to the best of my ability, whether that is in Washington DC or in Iraq." Walz also stated he intended to remain in the race even if he were to be deployed. "I don't want to speculate on what shape my campaign will take if I am deployed, but I have no plans to drop out of the race. I am fortunate to have a strong group of enthusiastic supporters and a very dedicated and intelligent wife. Both will be a major part of my campaign, whether I am in Minnesota or Iraq." The post on his 2005 campaign website ends by stating, "If called to duty, Walz would leave behind his wife Gwen and four-year-old daughter, Hope." Walz won his congressional race that November -- a few weeks after his unit ended up being mobilized for deployment. Others have defended Walz. Allan Bonnifield said he first met Walz during their service in the late 1990s, and served with him until he retired in 2005. He recalled Walz carefully mulling over the decision to retire, a decision he said "weighed real heavy on him." Records with the Minnesota National Guard's Director of Manpower and Personnel show that Walz remained with the National Guard for nearly three additional years after he was notified of his eligibility for retirement in August of 2002. "He came in and talked to me and one other person for 30 or 45 minutes behind closed doors," Bonnifield recalled. "He said, 'I want to run for Congress, but I think we're going to be deployed -- but where do I do better for the soldiers in Minnesota?'" Bonnifield said when Walz retired they had not yet been given the alert order notifying them they would be deployed -- despite saying that "everyone kind of knew"-- and called criticism of Walz "way overblown." "He served 24 years, 24 great years," Bonnifield said. "There's no reason to be flushed in the toilet like this. He's a veteran, I'm a veteran." 'It's quite a title to have' In the National Guard, Walz began serving as command sergeant major, a leadership position, in 2004, and was officially appointed to the role in April 2005, shortly before he retired from service, according to National Guard records confirmed by ABC News. However Walz did not remain in the role long enough to keep the title in retirement. Still, Walz repeatedly referred to himself as a "retired command sergeant major" for years. In 2016, Behrends penned a private letter to Walz, thanking him for his service but imploring him to stop using the title, which he said Walz didn't earn. "It saddens me that after your long career in the National Guard, that you did not fulfill the conditions of your promotion to Command Sergeant Major," said the letter, a copy of which was provided to ABC News. "It's quite a title to have, when it has been earned. I would hope that you haven't been using the rank for political gain, but that is how it appears." MORE: Walz says he's 'damn proud' of military record, thanks Vance for his service A former battalion commander of Walz's National Guard unit also issued a scathing rebuke of the way the Minnesota governor has described his military rank since retiring and entering politics, writing on Facebook that Walz "did not earn the rank or successfully complete any assignment as an E9," referring to the governor's repeated use of the title. "It is an affront to the Noncommissioned Officer Corps that he continues to glom onto the title. I can sit in the cockpit of an airplane, it does not make me a pilot. Similarly, when the demands of service and leadership at the highest level got real, he chose another path," wrote John Kolb, who became lieutenant colonel of his Minnesota unit shortly after Walz retired and launched his bid for Congress. When reached for comment, Kolb told ABC News that his statement "speaks for itself." A line in Walz's bio on the Harris-Walz campaign website also initially described Walz as a "retired Command Sergeant Major in the Army National Guard," according to a review of the webpage via the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine. The campaign later changed the wording to say Walz "served as a Command Sergeant Major." 'Artful omission' Responding to criticism of Walz, the Harris-Walz campaign has acknowledged there have been some discrepancies in how the Minnesota governor has described his military service in the past. The campaign told ABC News last week that Walz "misspoke" when he referred to "weapons of war that I carried in war" in a video clip from March 2018 that circulated online, in which the then-candidate for governor was shown arguing why weapons of war should not be on the streets. "In his 24 years of service, the Governor carried, fired and trained others to use weapons of war innumerable times," the campaign said in a statement responding to accusations from Vance. On his congressional campaign website in September 2005, according to the Wayback Machine, Walz is described as "Command Sergeant Major Walz," who retired after serving "overseas with his battalion in support of Operation Enduring Freedom." While correct, the website does not specify that Walz deployed to Italy, rather than to Iraq or Afghanistan where he may have faced combat. MORE: Despite new criticism, Trump told Walz in 2020 he was 'very happy' with his handling of George Floyd protests Walz's website at the time also promoted multiple articles about his campaign for Congress, including headlines stating "After Hackett's Close Call, Iraq War Veterans Are in Demand" and a link to an article titled "Other Iraq War Veterans Running." Later, Walz's campaign website for his 2018 gubernatorial bid also said Walz "joined his battalion overseas in support of Operation Enduring Freedom," without specifying that he deployed to Italy. And although Walz reiterated last week that he's never claimed to have been in combat, some in the past criticized the way he characterized his service. "Tim Walz is misleading us about his military service," wrote one person in the Winona Daily News in November 2006. "As Minnesota military reservists who served in Iraq, we are disappointed." MORE: 'A good man': George Floyd's brother supports Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz for VP The writer said that Walz served "honorably," but claimed that through "artful omission, Walz is leaving the impression that he served in the combat zones." In another latter to the Albert Lea Tribune, the writer said, "I also feel misled about Tim Walz's military service." That writer pointed to "pictures he has on his Web site that make it look like he was in combat" as well as "links to articles such as 'War veterans for office' in which he was featured." "Tim Walz is not a combat veteran and was never even stationed in the middle east," the letter said. "Governor Walz would never insult or undermine any American's service to this country -- in fact, he thanks Senator Vance for putting his life on the line for our country," the Harris-Walz campaign said in its statement last week responding to accusations from Vance. "It's the American way." Tim Walz previously faced criticism over the way he characterized his military service, records show originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Donald Trump and JD Vance may have avoided talking about Project 2025 but Tim Walz is determined to make the controversial conservative guidebook the focus of the touted first prime time vice presidential debate on October 1. After agreeing to take part in the proposed CBS debate, Walz went on the attack and made it clear he will be targeting the 900-page blueprint that calls for a ban on sales of the abortion pill, a crackdown on woke ideology, the dismantling of the Department of Education and other federal bodies and the sacking of thousands of civil servants. JD Vance shares Donald Trumps dangerous and backward agenda for this country, Walz wrote in a fund-raising email to supporters in which he says: Folks, I just agreed to debate JD Vance on October 1. Boy, Ive got to tell you, I cant wait to debate the guy. Trove of Project 2025 Videos Stars Trump Admin Officials Heck, adds Walz. He even wrote the foreword for the architect of the Project 2025 agenda. The Democratic Partys vice presidential hopeful is referring to Vances praise in the foreword of an upcoming book by Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts that he says articulates a genuinely new future for conservatism. The Heritage Foundation is the conservative think tank behind Project 2025. I am going to do my best to make sure everyone watching our debate knows just that, writes Walz. JUST IN: Tim #Walz via email I just agreed to debate JD Vance on October 1. Boy, Ive got to tell you, I cant wait to debate the guy. JD Vance shares Donald Trumps dangerous and backward agenda for this country. Heck, he even wrote the foreword for the architect of the Olga Nesterova (@onestpress) August 14, 2024 Vance hasnt yet confirmed he will take part in the Oct.1 debate on CBS, but he said he strongly suspects he will participate and says he would like to debate Walz more than once. But were not going to do one of these fake debates where they dont actually have an audience there, where they dont actually set the parameters in a way where we can have a good exchange of ideas, he told Fox News host Laura Ingraham. Trump has disavowed Project 2025 and Vance has also sought to distance himself from the document. But CNN has said that at least 140 people connected to the Trump administration have been involved in the plan. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), former President Trumps vice presidential nominee, is slated to deliver remarks in New Kensington, Pa., Thursday morning. The campaign rally comes a day after Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) Vice President Harriss running mate agreed to a debate against Vance on Oct. 1 to be hosted by CBS News. While Vance has not accepted the terms yet, the Ohio senator said he would like to debate him more than once. The two have traded barbs over their respective military records, and Trump has been urged to cool down his personal attacks and focus more on policy. Vance will be joined by GOP Reps. Jim Banks (Ind.), Brian Mast (Fla.), and Michael Waltz (Fla.) at the campaign stop. Watch the live video above. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) A key piece of the Realty Building came down Thursday afternoon during demolition. Crews have been working to demolish the building in downtown Youngstown after a gas explosion damaged the building in May. See more: Photos of Realty Building demolition progress One of the major parts of ending the evacuation order surrounding the building is the removal of the fire escape stairwell, which is located near the neighboring International Towers building. Those living at the International Towers were ordered to evacuate the building during the demolition. Thursday, crews pulled down the top two floors of the stairwell attached to the building. It was the tallest part of the building that was still standing. City officials previously said that when demolition reached the fourth floor, the evacuation order would likely be lifted. Crews have been working from the top down. City officials have not yet released an update on the end of any evacuation order, but Youngstown Mayor Tito Brown said Thursday he was encouraged by the progress but pointed to work that still needed to be done on the fire escape. They have a method and the method is getting there. So hopefully in the next few days, well have some good news that our tenants can move back in, the hotel can open up and the traffic downtown can start moving again, Brown said. A representative of the Realty Buildings owners said they expected the demolition to be completed down to the fourth floor by the weekend. Friday, crews spent much of their time focused on the stairwell and taking that piece down. Jason Vinkler contributed to this report. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. WEST ORANGE, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) Body camera video from the West Orange Police Department showed officers in southeast Texas making the dramatic water rescue of a woman whose vehicle was almost completely submerged in a pond in late July. Jonquetta Winbush is now recovering after driving off the road while suffering from a seizure on Wednesday, July 24. Winbush then passed out and put her foot on the gas pedal, plunging her vehicle into the water. West Orange Assistant Police Chief Jessie Romero said Winbushs two children were able to get out of the car. Footage from veteran patrolman Charles Cobb, who was nearby monitoring traffic, shows Winbushs son frantically approaching the officer. Shes having a seizure. Shes sunk, the boy told Cobb. Shes in the water. Help her. WATCH: Burglars drive car into Nashville coffee shop Cobb put the boy in the back of his patrol car and raced to Winbushs vehicle, which was almost completely underwater. Two workers from a local plant were already in the water to get Winbush out, Romero said. After dragging Winbush from the pond, Romero said Cobb administered chest compressions. And after three weeks in the Intensive Care Unit, Romero said Winbush is expected to make a complete recovery. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin. This July 21, 2024, image provided by Michael Ketterer shows vegetation from Acid Canyon and lower Los Alamos Canyon near Los Alamos, N.M., after being milled as part of a sampling project. (Michael Ketterer via AP) ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) Watchdogs are raising new concerns about legacy contamination in Los Alamos, the birthplace of the atomic bomb and home to a renewed effort to manufacture key components for nuclear weapons. A Northern Arizona University professor emeritus who analyzed soil, water and vegetation samples taken along a popular hiking and biking trail in Acid Canyon said Thursday that there were more extreme concentrations of plutonium found there than at other publicly accessible sites he has researched in his decades-long career. That includes land around the federal government's former weapons plant at Rocky Flats in Colorado. While outdoor enthusiasts might not be in immediate danger while traveling through the pine tree-lined canyon, Michael Ketterer who specializes in tracking the chemical fingerprints of radioactive materials said state and local officials should be warning people to avoid coming in contact with water in Acid Canyon. This is an unrestricted area. Ive never seen anything quite like it in the United States, the professor told reporters. Its just an extreme example of very high concentrations of plutonium in soils and sediments. Really, you know, it's hiding in plain sight. Ketterer teamed up with the group Nuclear Watch New Mexico to gather the samples in July, a rainy period that often results in isolated downpours and stormwater runoff coursing through canyons and otherwise dry arroyos. Water was flowing through Acid Canyon when the samples were taken. The work followed mapping done by the group earlier this year that was based on a Los Alamos National Laboratory database including plutonium samples from throughout the area. The U.S. Department of Energys Environmental Management Los Alamos Field Office said Thursday said in a statement to The Associated Press that the information presented by Ketterer and Nuclear Watch is consistent with department data that has been publicly available for years and that the canyon remains safe for unrestricted use. The field office continues to collect and monitor sediment and water samples in the Acid Canyon area and the results have consistently shown the levels of plutonium remain very low and well within the safe exposure ranges, it said. Jay Coghlan, director of Nuclear Watch, said plutonium contamination in the heart of Los Alamos is a concern, particularly as the lab under the direction of Congress, the Energy Department and the National Nuclear Security Administration gears up to begin producing the next generation of plutonium pits for the nation's nuclear arsenal. He pointed to Acid Canyon as a place where more comprehensive cleanup should have happened decades ago. Cleanup at Los Alamos is long delayed, Coghlan said, adding that annual spending for the plutonium pit work has neared $2 billion in recent years while the cleanup budget for legacy waste is expected to decrease in the next fiscal year. From 1943 to 1964, liquid wastes from nuclear research at the lab was piped into the canyon, which is among the tributaries that eventually pass through San Ildefonso Pueblo lands on their way to the Rio Grande. The federal government began cleaning up Acid Canyon in the late 1960s and eventually transferred the land to Los Alamos County. Officials determined in the 1980s that conditions within the canyon met DOE standards and were protective of human health and the environment. The environmental management field office pointed to a 2018 DOE study that estimated the radiation dose to a person who might recreate in the canyon is less than 0.1 millirem per year. According to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the annual average dose per person from all natural and man-made sources is about 620 mrems. Ketterer and Coghlan said the concerns now are the continued downstream migration of plutonium, absorption by plants and the creation of contaminated ash following wildfires. Ketterer described it as a problem that cannot be fixed but said residents and visitors would appreciate knowing that it's there. It really cant be undone, he said. I suppose we could go into Acid Canyon and start scooping out a lot more contaminated stuff and keep doing that. Its kind of like trying to pick up salt thats been thrown into a shag carpet. Its crazy to think youre going to get it all. WAUKEE, Iowa A 16-year-old accused of fatally stabbing an adult man last week has been officially charged with second degree murder the Waukee Police Department said Thursday. At around 11:29 a.m. on August 5 the Waukee Police Department responded to a report of a stabbing with a victim in the 600 block of Prairie Park Lane. When first responders arrived on scene they found 23-year-old Brian McGee suffering from stab wounds. McGee was transported to a hospital where he died later that day. Creston police say person of interest turns himself in after morning shooting According to the police department, McGee was stabbed during a family dispute and that a 16-year-old had been arrested in connection to the stabbing. On Thursday police announced that 16-year-old Jayden Delerme has been charged with second-degree murder. Delerme remains in the custody of the Dallas County Sheriffs Office. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com. Wawa to hold groundbreaking ceremony for first Dayton-area location next month Wawa will begin construction on its first Dayton-area location next month. A groundbreaking ceremony will take place on Sept 10 from 10-11 a.m. at the site on Chambersburg Road. >> RELATED: People gather for first Wawa groundbreaking in Ohio Wawa said since the ceremony takes place on Hunger Action Day they plan to donate $10,000 to The Foodbank. Attendees will also get a chance to meet Wally Goose, Wawas official mascot. Wawa just opened a gas station in Warren County and has plans to build in Fairborn. Webasto Group facility in Fenton Township, Michigan. Photo by Jon King. Workers at the Webasto-Detroit auto parts plant are raising legal action against their employer for reported federal labor law violations. On Wednesday, workers filed charges with the U.S. Department of Labor that accuse leadership at Webasto, a German-based auto parts maker, of implementing rules and procedures intended on intimidating workers. According to the lawsuit, as Detroit Webasto workers firm up a union, Webasto has promised workers who dont join the union benefits and better working conditions and threatening employees with retaliation if they join a union. Further, the lawsuit says new rules have been taken up at the plant to retaliate against employees who appear to be involved in union activities including restrictions on using the bathroom, segregating employees to discourage union activity and surveilling employees cars for union paraphernalia. We know our rights. We are ready to stand up for whats fair, Shawnteyia Williams, a worker at Webasto-Detroit said in a news release from the United Auto Workers Union, or UAW. We know that every worker needs to be treated with dignity and respect. These charges are just the beginning of how we plan to unite to hold Webasto accountable. By joining together as a union, we can make sure that there is fairness and equality in our plant. The plant, which makes parts for the Ford Bronco, has a majority of the more than 500 workers prepared to unionize, the UAW says. Workers have filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to order a union election after Webasto has failed to voluntarily recognize the union. Efforts to unionize the Detroit Webasto plant come at the heels of the unionization of Webastos Plymouth plant, Webasto Pilot Road, in May. The unions first contract included raises of up to 51% over three years, according to the UAW. And leading up to the formation of Webasto Pilot Roads union, Webasto hired anti-union consulting firm LRI Consulting Services, Inc to educate employees regarding exercising their rights to organize and collectively bargain according to documents the company filed with labor. Webasto spent over $300,000 to bring LRI in an effort Webasto employees call union busting. Webasto did not respond to comment in time for publication. Vice president Kamala Harris in Las Vegas early this year to address what the national media assures us is the most politically powerful organization in the history of this or any other state. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) No tax on tips is a bumper sticker-ready campaign jingle originally yelped by Donald Trump at the same Las Vegas rally in June where he so eloquently pondered death by shark versus death by electric boat. Though shocking (pun intended), Trumps wet battery vs. big fish story would not have as big an impact on the campaign cycle as his no tax on tips stunt. We can tell because no Democratic politicians have echoed Trumps opposition to battery-powered boats. Yet. Maybe Democrats are waiting for Culinary Workers Union Local 226 to declare its position on electric watercraft. All aboard Awarded imprimatur by the Culinary, Democrat politicians, including both Nevadas U.S. senators and, last weekend, Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, have parroted Trumps call to end federal income taxes on tipped earnings. Their support for the gimmick came after the Culinary or as the national press always calls it, the politically powerful Culinary (the union appears to have its own entry in the the Official East Coast Mainstream Media Style Guide) publicly concurred with Trumps call to end income taxes on tips. Democrats and the Culinary cuddling up with Trump campaign tchotchke makes sense, not on a policy level, but a political one. The Culinarys mission is to look out for its members. Its members who make tips would prefer not to pay taxes on those tips, because duh. And the Culinary would prefer that those members not vote for Trump, for a lot of reasons (perhaps not least being that the Culinary is backing Harris and if a critical mass of the unions members voted for Trump, the union wouldnt look how does the national media put it? oh right powerful). The Culinary had initially dissed Trumps idea. Relief is definitely needed for tip earners, but Nevada workers are smart enough to know the difference between real solutions and wild campaign promises from a convicted felon, the union said in a statement the day Trump uttered the official slogan of his 2024 campaign in Nevada, no tax on tips. Hmm. If Culinarys leadership believes Nevada workers are smart enough to know the difference between real solutions and things that are the opposite of that, why did the Culinary make a big deal last year of having state lawmakers go through the motions of supporting an initiative to maybe possibly create a lottery someday? Even though under the most optimistic scenario the lottery wouldnt produce a dime for youth mental health services until the end of the decade at the very earliest, if ever? And then why did the proposal disappear from public view as if it never existed? Oops, sorry, I forgot. Were supposed to politely forget about that, or pretend it didnt happen. In any case, in what seems an admission that workers may not be as keen to draw distinctions between real solutions and wild campaign promises as Culinary leaders originally suggested, the Culinary quickly confirmed that yes, ending taxation of tips would be a fine thing. Just like Trump said. Harris, along with Nevada Democrats including and especially Sen. Jacky Rosen, who is up for reelection, would very much like the Culinary to live up to its brand and be as politically powerful as possible this year, in the unions customary Democratic-friendly, door-knocking way. Rosen & Co. also embraced Trumps call to end federal income taxes on tipped earnings. And just like that, no tax on tips is the flavor of the month. Its almost like its the new Yucca Mountain of Nevada politics. Except when it comes to Nevada-centric issues that can trigger Pavlovian responses from a critical mass of Nevada voters, theres a huge difference between creating a giant nuclear waste dump and ending federal taxes on tipped income. Yucca poses a potential and for all practical purposes permanent radioactive threat to public health and safety while forcing Nevadans to accept something they overwhelmingly dont want. Eliminating federal taxation of tipped incomes, by contrast, might provide hedge fund managers yet another way to avoid paying taxes on their jillions, but mostly its just dumbed down political cotton candy. In thrall to the Pied Piper of Mar-a-Lago The Culinary, the Trump campaign, Rosens office, the campaign of Rosens opponent (and big time no tax on tips booster) Sam Brown, Sen. Catherine Cortez Mastos office each of them have been asked how many Nevada workers would actually benefit if tips werent taxed, and what that average benefit might be, in dollar amounts. Not one of them has provided an answer. The closest thing to an answer that has surfaced since Trump bestowed the campaign cycle with his little present at Sunset Park in June might be an analysis from the Yale Budget Lab. That work estimates at least a third of tipped workers dont make enough to pay any federal income taxes, and even for tipped workers who do make enough to pay federal income taxes, whatever tax relief the vast majority of them might receive would be slight to negligible. More importantly, while a small group of unusually handsomely tipped workers may benefit, eliminating taxes on tips provides zero benefit to the far, far larger group of people in the low wage jobs that are among the most common in the state and who do not get tipped people working in janitorial, home health care, retail, warehousing, security, office administration, and countless other employment sectors that typically dont pay great. Given the challenges facing those hundreds of thousands of Nevada workers, challenges that spill over into household stress and strain, it is a travesty for Democrats to follow Trump as if hes the Pied Piper of Mar-a-Lago, and join him in prioritizing an incidental at best proposal like no tax on tips. To be fair, at least Democrats are trying to leverage their humiliating acquiescence to Trumps gimmickry into a ban on tipped wages legally as low as $2.13 in some states. That would have no impact in Nevada, where paying subminimum wages to tipped workers is already illegal. But it would be beneficial for workers throughout much of the rest of the country, and should have been low-hanging fruit during the first two years of Joe Bidens presidency when Democrats also controlled both houses of Congress. There are other policies that, in stark contrast to eliminating taxes on tipped income, would substantially improve the lives of workers, tipped and untipped alike. Harris will presumably be outlining some of them Friday in a scheduled address on economic issues. Hopefully, now that shes been out of Nevada for a few days, cooler campaign heads will have prevailed and Harris wont be regurgitating Trumps no tax on tips drivel. Ideally, if not Friday then later in the campaign, Harris will detail an agenda designed to improve working conditions, health and child care, housing and other economic considerations, proposals that will move the U.S. toward a more fair and sane economy in which workers dont have to rely on tips in the first place. One of the strongest narratives of the Harris campaign presents voters with a choice of going forward with her or going backward with Trump. But by surrendering to a talking point popularized by a Republican, Rosen, Cortez Masto, and Harris are repeating a pernicious pattern that has bedeviled Democrats for decades, almost always at the expense of the public good. Hopefully, no tax on tips will (like a Potemkin lottery proposal) soon be something that everyone will forget, and the focus can turn instead, as the Culinary put it, to real solutions. NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56) You arent a country artist until youve played this, Brad Paisley said, pointing at the Grand Ole Opry stage on Wednesday evening. Over the past year, music fans have watched Post Malone integrate himself into the world of country music. In June, the Grammy Award-winning rapper announced that his country album F1 Trillion would be released on Aug. 16, featuring iconic names like Dolly Parton, Hank Williams Jr., Billy Strings, and even Kentucky native Chris Stapleton. Reba McEntire, Post Malone and Andra Day to sing during Super Bowl pregame On Wednesday evening, Brad Paisley, whos also featured on the album, welcomed Post Malone to the Opry Circle. Whats going on Nashville? My name is Austin Richard Post, he said. But he wasnt alone. He brought a whole lineup of country stars to accompany him, including Nicholasville native John Michael Montgomery. Circle All Access caught up with Walker Montgomery, John Michaels performing artist son, ahead of the performance. Hes excited and as soon as Post called him and asked him to do it, he said yes. He learned about Post when he was watching the ACMs, Walker said. He called me and was like, Man I like this Post Malone guy. They talked about what they could do together, and this is what they ended up on. This isnt technically Posts introduction to country music. The Circle reported that his first-ever gig was playing country covers in an Italian restaurant in his Texas hometown. Read more of the latest Lexington & central Kentucky news How cool it is to rock out to people that Ive listened to my whole entire life, Post said before he welcomed John Michael to join him to perform his 1994 hit Be My Baby Tonight. Welcome to Nashville, Post, John Michael said. Glad to have you here buddy. I have to say Im impressed with the videos I saw of you singing some of my songs. The crowd went wild as the two embraced before Post invited the next guest up. Im having the frickin best time of my life, Post said as he smiled from ear to ear. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Walker emphasized that Wednesdays performance is a sign that Post has been welcomed into the country music scene with open arms. You can tell when people are genuine, and he genuinely loves country music, Walker told Circle All Access. Post loves it, he was raised around it, and he can sing it really well and I think thats why hes been accepted with open arms, because hes genuine. F-1 Trillion will be available on Friday, wherever you listen to music. Welcome to country music, Lainey Wilson said. Heres a look at whats to come: Wrong Ones (featuring Tim McGraw) Finer Things (featuring Hank Williams Jr.) I Had Some Help (featuring Morgan Wallen) Pour Me a Drink (featuring Blake Shelton) Have the Heart (featuring Dolly Parton) What Dont Belong to Me Goes Without Saying (featuring Brad Paisley) Guy For That (featuring Luke Combs) Nosedive (featuring Lainey Wilson) Losers (featuring Jelly Roll) Devil Ive Been (featuring Ernest) Never Love You Again (featuring Sierra Ferrell) Missin You Like This (featuring Luke Combs) California Sober (featuring Chris Stapleton) Hide My Gun (featuring HARDY) Right About You (LYRICS) M-E-X-I-C-O (featuring Billy Strings) Yours You can watch Posts Grand Ole Opry debut here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News. West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James and the federal Small Business Administration are hosting a small business town hall for local entrepreneurs Wednesday, Aug. 22, at Palm Beach Atlantic University's Weyenberg Center. The town hall, where James will be joined by SBA Southeast Regional Administrator Allen Thomas, is being held in celebration of National Black Business Month. James, Allen and business leaders will discuss access to capital, legislative updates, growth opportunities, trends and the current climate for small business in West Palm Beach. Helping small businesses in general and Black-owned small businesses in particular has been a point of emphasis for James' administration. Last year, the mayor launched the First Steps program, which provided grants to 43 firms doing business in a broad range of areas, including media, bookkeeping, floral, bakery and vacation rentals. Demand for the grant funding was fierce, with more than 230 businesses applying for a combined $9.4 million to help them with inventory and equipment, marketing, new businesses and property improvement. The city had already decided to forgive about $95,000 in COVID relief loans given to local small businesses and those owned by women and minorities. James said the town hall, which is free, is a continuation of his administration's focus on helping small businesses and those owned by women and minorities. West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James WEST PALM BUSINESS NEWS: City feels growing pains amid wealth influx as neighborhoods navigate change WEST PALM BUSINESS NEWS: Cars? Coffee? Why not both? Sunday Motor Co. Cafe coming to city This event is a testament to our commitment to supporting and empowering our small business community in West Palm Beach," he said. "By encouraging collaboration and providing vital resources, we ensure our local entrepreneurs have the tools to thrive in today's competitive landscape. Allen, a former mayor of Greenville, North Carolina, and the co-founder of a health care start-up, said small businesses are thriving. Small businesses are the engines of the nations economy, and that engine is running strong, he said. The small business ecosystem is experiencing a sustained startup boom across the country with the first, second, and third strongest years of new business application rates on record starting in 2021. "Leveraging our relationships with local governments, like the city of West Palm Beach, not only gives us a terrific opportunity to educate the public about the impactful products and services provided by the SBA, but it also gives us another venue for listening to the wants, needs, and concerns of Americas entrepreneurs. How to register for Small Business Town Hall in West Palm Beach The deadline to register for the town hall is Aug. 19. Business owners can learn more by visiting blackbusinessloop.com. Wayne Washington is a journalist covering West Palm Beach, Riviera Beach and race relations for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at wwashington@pbpost.com. Help support our work; subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: West Palm mayor, SBA administrator to host business forum at PBAU MORGANTOWN W.Va. (WBOY) The West Virginia Department of Economic Development gave a presentation at the Morgantown Area Partnership on Wednesday concerning the Build WV Act, which is meant to provide tax incentives with the goal of encouraging companies to build middle-income residential housing. Business leaders from the construction, real estate, and baking industries were in attendance to learn about the act and how the north central region of West Virginia, specifically the area within 20 miles of Browns Mill, was one of 16 regions throughout the state selected for this program. Monongalia County Schools approves cellphone ban for all students What happens is when these factories and plants come in and employers in the communities grow and expand, theyre trying to recruit employees, West Virginia Department of Economic Developments Manager of Business Development Meghan Smith said. Smith added that recruiting workers requires the area to have adequate housing, and so the Build WV Act is trying to spur the construction of that housing. The tax incentives include a sales tax exemption on activities related to constructing approved projects as well as a personal or corporate income tax credit for the projects valued at potentially $100,000 per year. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com. While the Armed Forces of Ukraine advance in Russia's Kursk Oblast, Russians are striking back, seizing new territory in Donetsk Oblast, Politico reports. Source: Politico Quote from Politico: "While the successes of the surprise Kursk operation have boosted Kyiv's morale, Russian forces are striking back, capturing more territory around Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast." Details: The journalists write that the situation in certain parts of the frontline in Ukraine has worsened since the beginning of the offensive in Kursk. Quote from Ivan Sekach, spokesperson of Ukraine's 110th Mechanised Brigade: "I would say things have become worse in our part of the front [the 110th Mechanised Brigade is deployed in the Pokrovsk district of Donetsk Oblast ed.]. We have been getting even less ammo than before and the Russians are pushing." Politico reminds that, as reported by DeepState over the past 24 hours, Russia has occupied the villages of Zhelanne and Orlivka and advanced towards New-York, Krasnohorivka, Mykolaivka and Zhuravka in Donetsk Oblast. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has not yet confirmed or denied this information. However, the General Staff reports daily that intense fighting continues in these areas and that most Russian attacks are taking place on the Pokrovsk front. Background: On 15 August, Ukrainska Pravdas sources in the Security Service of Ukraine reported that the day before, the SSU had captured 102 Russian soldiers in Russias Kursk Oblast. Russian authorities are evacuating people from the border areas of Kursk Oblast. The Ministry of Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine offers Kursk Oblast residents humanitarian aid or assistance in evacuation to Ukraine. On 14 August, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had advanced from 1 to 2 kilometres in certain areas in Kursk Oblast since the beginning of the day [on 14 August ed.]. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy brought up the issue of establishing military commandants' offices, if required, in the territories of Russia's Kursk Oblast. On 13 August, Syrskyi reported to Zelenskyy that 74 settlements in Russias Kursk Oblast are under Ukrainian control. Support UP or become our patron! President Joe Biden and the State Department are again calling for the release of American journalist Austin Tice, who was abducted in Syria in 2012. The call comes on the heels of the largest US-Russian prisoner swap in history, which saw the return of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and Marine Paul Whelan. Tice was working as a freelance reporter in Syria when he was kidnapped in Damascus, according to the FBI. The agency has offered a $1 million reward for information leading to the safe location, recovery, and return of the journalist. "For more than a quarter of his life, Austin has been separated from his family and kept in unknown conditions," the State Department said in a statement. "We know the Syrian government has held Austin, and we have repeatedly offered to find a way to bring him home." On Wednesday, Biden issued a statement calling for Tice's return to the US. Austin Tice has been held hostage in Syria for 12 years. Joe Biden and the US State Department once again demanded the Syrian government release Tice back to his family. (Austinticefamily.com) This week marks 12 long, terrible years since American Austin Tice was abducted in Syria, he said. We have repeatedly pressed the government of Syria to work with us so that we can, at last, bring Austin home. Today, I once again call for his immediate release. The US cut ties with Syria in 2011 in response to the civil war in the Middle Eastern nation. We stand in solidarity with Austin, his family, and all Americans wrongfully detained and held hostage abroad," Biden said. "I will continue to do everything possible to advocate for and pursue his release and support his loved ones until he is safely returned home. The Syrian government has denied holding any Americans, including Tice, but the State Department has maintained that the reporter is still being held in the country. "This has gone on for far too long. We call on the Syrian government to work with the United States to end Austins captivity and to provide an accounting for the fate of other Americans who went missing in Syria," the department said in its statement. "Over the past three and half years our government has secured the release of dozens of Americans held hostage or unjustly detained around the world and we continue to pursue any available path that may lead to Austins return." In anticipation of the upcoming anniversary of Tice's abduction, Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas), joined by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, called on the Biden administration to give its "full and active support of our government to secure his release" and to provide Congress with updates on the effort to secure the reporter's release, according to The Hill. Marc and Debra Tice, the parents of Austin Tice, speak at a press conference. Debra admitted she had a mixed reaction to the recent US-Russia prisoner swap with her son still being held. (Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) As an American and a veteran, Austin deserves the full and active support of our government to secure his release. We also encourage your administration to utilize all available means to further discourage the hostage taking of American citizens," the lawmakers said in their statement to the Biden administration. Tice's mother, Debra Tice, last saw her son when he was 30 years old. He's now 43, a reality that she told Voice of America she simply "gets past." She said waiting for the government to secure her son's release has been difficult as presidents and geopolitical circumstances have change. Every year it seems like its different, because the news is different, and what were hearing from the White House changes year to year, Tice's mother told VOA. I never know what to expect, which is also just another stressor. She had a bittersweet reaction to the recent prisoner swap, noting that she was happy the released Americans were returned, but also frustrated that her son is still in captivity. It is just an incredible tumbler of emotions. And as a human and as a mother and as a woman of faith, of course were overjoyed to see these people walk free, she said. And then theres the details about how long [the U.S. government] worked on it, and how diligently they worked on it, and how many countries they worked with on it. And thats the part where I just become so frustrated. President Joe Biden caused a stir on Thursday when he appeared to say he supports holding new presidential elections in Venezuela, following similar comments by his Brazilian counterpart earlier in the day. The South American nation is consumed by a political crisis after the Venezuelan National Electoral Council declared the countrys strongman, Nicolas Maduro, as the winner of the July 28 election, with numbers widely believed to be fraudulent and contested by the opposition. On Thursday, a Voice of America reporter asked Biden, Do you support new elections in Venezuela? to which he replied, I do, during brief comments to reporters in the afternoon at the White House. Earlier on Thursday, Brazils president, Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, proposed that Maduro form a coalition government with the opposition or call for new presidential elections as possible solutions to the political crisis ideas that the Venezuelan opposition has forcefully rejected. However, a National Security Council spokesperson said Biden was not calling for a new election but speaking to the absurdity of Maduro and his representatives not coming clean about the July 28 elections when he answered the question. It is abundantly clear to the majority of the Venezuelan people, the United States, and a growing number of countries that Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia (the opposition candidate) won the most votes on July 28, the spokesperson said. The United States again calls for the will of the Venezuelan people to be respected and for discussions to begin on a transition back to democratic norms. Before the clarification and following media reports about Bidens response suggesting he favored new elections, Gonzalez said on X: The presidential elections in Venezuela were held on July 28 and were overwhelmingly won by Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia. We reiterate our commitment to democracy, peace and Venezuela. Several countries, including the United States and Brazil, have not recognized Maduros victory and have urged the Venezuelan National Electoral Council to release a detailed vote tabulation. The Biden administration has said it supports efforts by Brazil, Colombia and Mexico to facilitate talks between Maduro and the opposition. However, the White House has not called Gonzalez president-elect and avoids explicitly calling him the winner of the election, despite acknowledging that he won most of the votes. But Lulas call for new elections, echoed by Colombian President Gustavo Petro in a publication on X, adds to the doubts about their mediation efforts because Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has reiterated that the opposition will not negotiate the electoral results nor share power with Maduro. So we are going to a second election. If they dont like the results, are we going to a third, fourth or fifth election until Maduro likes the result? Would you accept that in your countries? she told reporters after Lulas comments to Brazilian Radio T were published Thursday morning. There were people who risked their lives to prove the fraud, Machado said. People who were murdered. To ignore that is disrespectful. Popular sovereignty is to be respected. Speaking of Brazil and Colombias efforts to find a solution to the crisis, Lula suggested Maduro can form a coalition government with the opposition or call for new elections. Maduro still has six months left in his term, Lula said. He is the president regardless of the election. If he has good sense, he could call upon the people of Venezuela, perhaps even call for new elections, create an electoral committee and allow observers from around the world to monitor. The Brazilian and Colombian presidents had a call Wednesday to discuss the situation in Venezuela, followed by meetings of their foreign ministers Thursday. Mexico was supposed to join the discussions, but its president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, seems to have pulled back from the diplomatic effort. On the diplomatic front, the U.S is also pushing to pass a resolution at the Organization of American States condemning the violence after the elections and urging Venezuelan electoral authorities to release the vote tabulation. But it is unclear yet if Brazil would support it. A similar resolution failed to pass shortly after the election. On Thursday, Colombian President Petro said on X that it was Maduros call to accept an internal political agreement in Venezuela as the best path to peace. He then listed what appeared to be some of the main points of such an agreement: Lifting of all sanctions against Venezuela, general national and international amnesty, full guarantees for political action, transitional cohabitation government, new free elections. Such a plan would require that the Biden administration lift sanctions on Venezuela and give amnesty to Maduro, who is wanted in the U.S. for narco-trafficking. Biden administration officials said the U.S. government had not offered amnesty to Maduro but was considering a range of options to facilitate a transition to democracy in Venezuela. Though Machado has rejected some of the conditions listed by Petro, she has said the opposition was willing to offer incentives and safeguards to get the Maduro regime to the negotiating table. Maduro, who is supported by Russia, China and Cuba, remains defiant. He has dismissed talks about negotiations, threatened Machado and Gonzalez with prison, and arrested at least 1,260 people, including 160 women and more than 100 children, according to U.N. experts. In his radio interview, the Brazilian president said he still did not recognize Maduros electoral victory but also did not acknowledge the evidence of the vote presented by the opposition and validated by the Carter Center and other independent entities, showing that opposition candidate Gonzalez won in a landslide with 67% of the vote. The Atlanta-based Carter Center, which had people in Venezuela to observe the voting said the data in the paper tallies printed by the voting stations in Venezuela is identical to the data the electoral council already has but has not disclosed. Those who want the opposition to win, I cant say the opposition won because I dont have the data. And I cant say Maduro won because I dont have the data, Lula said. He urged the Venezuelan National Electoral Council, which has not presented the tabulation of the vote despite calls by the international community, to say who won. Maduro knows he owes an explanation to his people and the world, he said. (Bloomberg) -- The White House on Thursday walked back President Joe Bidens apparent suggestion that Venezuela hold a new election after the comment prompted questions about the US position on a July vote that it has consistently said Nicolas Maduros regime rigged. Most Read from Bloomberg Biden was asked as he left the White House to board his Marine One helicopter for an afternoon event in Maryland whether he supported new elections in Venezuela, and he responded I do. But the scene was chaotic, with reporters shouting other questions and cast members from the long-running TV drama, The West Wing - including fictional President Jed Bartlet, otherwise known as the actor Martin Sheen - on hand. A spokesperson for the White Houses National Security Council said Biden intended to speak to the absurdity of Venezuelan President Maduro failing to come clean after claiming victory in the July 28 vote, with data suggesting that opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez prevailed. It is abundantly clear that Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia won the most votes, White House National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett added in a message posted to social media. We call for the will of the people to be respected and for discussions to begin on a transition back to democratic norms. Responding to Bidens remarks later Thursday, Maduro said he completely and absolutely rejects that the US government intends to become the electoral authority of Venezuela or any other place in the world. They have a lot of problems, he said, tauntingly, of the US, let them be left with their problems because here in our homeland we Venezuelans are in charge. Bidens comments echoed some leaders in the region, including Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who have suggested the possibility Venezuela could hold fresh elections. That stance was seen as more forgiving than other regional powers like Argentina that have recognized Gonzalez as president-elect, as well as three weeks of US calls for countries to acknowledge his victory. Lula on Thursday said that Maduro owes the world an explanation about what happened in Venezuelas election, and that the ongoing dispute over the outcome has caused relations between Brasilia and Caracas to deteriorate. Earlier: Lula Warns Maduro Brazils Ties With Venezuela Are Worsening Maduro, the incumbent socialist, says that he defeated his opposition rival by about 1 million votes in the disputed election, the result announced by Venezuelas National Electoral Council. Maduro earned 52% compared to 43% for Gonzalez, according to the councils tabulation of 97% of ballots cast. But Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who was banned from running, has accused Maduro and his allies of fraud. She says her party has compiled results from witnesses and a network of citizen observers that show Gonzalez, her stand-in candidate, received nearly 70% support. Maduro has called for Machado and Gonzalez to be jailed for fomenting protest. He has already arrested 2,400 people, including protesters, and promised to send them to maximum-security prisons for 30 years, the same sentence doled out to murderers. More than a dozen media workers have been deported, according to the countrys union for journalists. (Updates with Maduro comments, starting in sixth paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) Multiple agencies responded to a house fire in Whitesville. The Fordsville Fire Department says they assisted the Whiteville Fire Department, along with Ohio County EMS. Officials say everyone in the residence was able to escape without any injuries but, the home is considered a total loss. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time. We will update with more information as it becomes available. (Courtesy: Fordsville Fire Department) Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW). Why did the FBI take U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles phone? What to know about the case Federal agents recently took possession of U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles cell phone as part of an investigation he believes centers around his federal campaign finance filings. Ogles, R-Columbia, is seeking reelection in Tennessee's 5th Congressional District in the November election, with former President Donald Trump's endorsement. This month, he won a competitive Republican primary against well-funded challenger Metro Nashville Council member Courtney Johnston. The day after declaring victory, Ogles' phone was confiscated by the FBI. The congressman faces ongoing scrutiny over his federal campaign finance filings and personal finance disclosures. More: FBI confiscates U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles' phone amid campaign finance issues Heres what to know: Specifics on FBI probe are unknown Its not clear exactly what the FBI is investigating. Ogles has faced scrutiny and multiple complaints over his federal campaign finance disclosures for more than two years. In a statement confirming that the FBI had taken his phone, Ogles immediately mentioned mistakes in his campaigns initial financial filings. Ogles has had to refile every disclosure but one since first declaring his candidacy in early 2022. While its common for campaigns to correct disclosures or to fix minor issues like dates or transaction details, it is uncommon for a candidate to have to refile almost every filing at least once. Representatives for the FBI's Memphis Field Office and U.S. District Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Tennessee declined to confirm or deny the existence of a search warrant or search, and did not offer any details on the subject of the investigation. Ogles says he is cooperating with the FBI Ogles has said he intends to cooperate with the FBI and the Federal Election Commission. It has been widely reported for months that my campaign made mistakes in our initial financial filings, Ogles wrote in a social media post. We have worked diligently with attorneys and reporting experts to correct the errors and ensure compliance going forward. It is my understanding that they are investigating the same well-known facts surrounding these filings." "I am confident all involved will conclude that the reporting discrepancies were based on honest mistakes, and nothing more," he added. Ogles has said publicly that he hired an outside campaign finance compliance consultant to go back "with a fine-toothed comb" and fix mistakes reported to the FEC. Ogles campaign finance filings chronically riddled with errors Until last month, Ogles had never filed a campaign finance disclosure for the 5th District that he didnt later have to go back and correct one, two or even three times. Shortly before the primary in 2022, an FEC complaint was filed against him alleging a "pattern of malfeasance" in financial dealings. Ogles' attorney responded to a request for comment with a threat of legal action. He's also had to deal with chronic problems stemming from his campaign finance disclosures. He was required to pay $5,750 in civil penalties for campaign finance violations after the 2022 cycle, the Nashville Scene first reported. Most recently, Ogles is the subject of a complaint filed with the Office of Congressional Ethics by the Campaign Legal Center in January requesting an investigation into discrepancies in the congressman's financial disclosures, including a reported personal loan of $320,000. Ogles re-filed 11 FEC forms, eliminating mention of $320k loan In May after reporting to the FEC for more than two years a self-loan of $320,000 to his 2022 campaign Ogles admitted that the self-loan he had reported as cash was in fact a pledge for funding for which the need never arose. In a radio interview explaining the mishap, Ogles said he and his wife "set aside every penny we had to put into the race" when he decided to run for Congress. We set money aside. It was in a joint account, which you can't do we know that now so technically we have to go back and say the campaign didn't have full control, Ogles said. Ogles' personal finance disclosures filed with the U.S. House Clerk also do not reflect a savings or checking account under Ogles' control with the amount he said he made available to his campaign. His disclosure does include a mortgage loan initiated in January 2022 in the corresponding amount range. Maury County property records do not reflect any property purchase in January 2022 by Ogles. But he did buy a house adjacent to his family home in September, just after winning the primary. He later sold that home to his congressional district director at a $60,000 loss. Early on in the 2022 primary, Ogles' disclosure of a huge fundraising haul helped propel him toward other donors as a serious candidate and ultimately contributed to his victory in the crowded Republican primary. That money was real, it existed, and it was ready to be used. Fortunately, we didn't have to use it, Ogles said, adding that it was "money that we had saved over time being frugal" and "a big commitment." If the money was truly saved over time being frugal," whether in a checking, savings or investment account, as Ogles said, he never disclosed it to the state of Tennessee as Maury County mayor, nor has he disclosed it to Congress. State, federal finance disclosures dont align In addition to his campaign finance reports, Ogles was required to make disclosures of his personal financial interests to the state when he was Maury County mayor and to the U.S. House Clerk as a member of Congress. In those disclosures, Ogles omitted several significant assets and undervalued an investment property. In his state filings, Ogles twice failed disclose a line of credit with Bankcorp South taken out in February 2020. Ogles later reported to Congress a line of credit valued between $250,000 and $500,000 initiated in 2020. That line of credit does not appear on any of his mayoral disclosures from 2021 onward. He twice signed under penalty of perjury that he did not hold any outstanding loans other than an Interfirst home mortgage initiated in 2022. Ogles also did not disclose a state retirement account on state disclosures that he later reported to Congress. On his 2022 congressional disclosure, Ogles also significantly undervalued an investment property, according to Maury County property records. Ogles in 2022 purchased a 2,683 square foot home with an extra garage on 2.27 acres, adjacent to his family home on Neeley Hollow Road, for $660,000. The sale was finalized in September, weeks after Ogles won the Republican primary in 2022 and before the November general election. On his congressional disclosure filed in May 2023, Ogles reported the investment property but valued it under $500,000, not at its real value of $660,000. Ogles congressional office and campaign have declined to respond to questions on the matter. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: US Rep Andy Ogles FBI probe: What to know about his campaign finances Why is everyone saying demure? The meaning behind the latest social media trend Unless you've been living under a rock, you've likely heard the word "demure" being used, especially on social media. As "brat summer" comes to an end, the internet is shifting away from the "messy" aesthetic and taking up a new one in stark contrast. If you understand all of that already, it may be your sign to spend less time on the internet. So what does demure mean when used on TikTok? And what is "brat summer" anyway? Here's a breakdown of the trends. People are also reading: 'Jeetyet?' 'Fixin' to': A guide to Texas slang, twang and weird phrases What does demure mean? Without the social context, Merriam-Webster defines "demure" as "affectedly modest, reserved or serious." Its meaning is similar to that of "coy." The dictionary may have the literal meanings of hundreds of thousands of words, but it's limited when it comes to social uses and slang. While the current trend does somewhat refer to the literal definition of "demure," it's not the whole picture. Demure TikTok trend It's called being "demure," an attitude that's now going viral largely thanks to Jools Lebron, a TikTok personality with 1.2 million followers who's clarified what the trend means and what it stands for in several viral videos. TikTok influencer Jools Lebron (@joolieannie) has taken the internet by storm, advising users on how to remain demure, mindful and considerate in various aspects of life. In short, being "demure" means being cutesy, clean and mindful; not drawing attention to yourself; not being messy or loud; and getting things done and going about your day with quiet confidence and gentility. Dressing modestly at work? That's demure. Patiently waiting to get out of your seat until the plane is ready to de-board? So demure. "You see how I do my makeup at work? Very demure, very mindful," Lebron says in one video with around 18 million views. "I don't come to work with a green-cut crease. I don't look like a clown when I go to work. I don't do too much. I'm very mindful while I'm at work. See how I look very presentable? The way that I came to the interview is the way I go to the job." As of Thursday morning, the viral TikTok video had nearly two million likes. Despite the countless users posting content for the "demure" trend, it's unclear whether it's sincere or satirical. Several people have used the "demure" trend seemingly ironically. Bob the Drag Queen, for instance, posted a TikTok putting on outrageous makeup to Lebron's audio describing a demure makeup look in the workplace. "You see how I take my antidepressants every day? Very demure, very mindful, so I don't fall into a manic episode, depressive episode," another TikToker says before taking a psychiatric medication. "Be mindful of why your doctor prescribed you an antidepressant. Very demure." See how we explain the demure trend? Very mindful, very cutesy. Brands: 'So demure, so mindful' Brands have gotten in on the trend, too. "not standing immediately when the plane lands is so demure," United Airlines commented on TikTok. Google added, "vacation responder set to on, very demure." As the "demure" trend continues to grow, some brands are even incorporating the trend in their original content. United Airlines recently posted a TikTok depicting a traveler with a suitcase in an airport, using Lebron's sound. The caption reads, "very demure, very mindful boarding." What is brat summer? The demure trend stands in stark contrast to the brat trend. Inspired by the Charli XCX album of the same name, "brat" is all about unabashedly embracing your messy side. This includes loud makeup, clubbing, partying and general chaos. In a TikTok interview, Charli XCX broke down her definition of "brat": You are just that girl who is a little messy and maybe says dumb things sometimes, who feels herself but then also maybe has a breakdown but parties through it. It is honest, blunt and a little bit volatile. Thats brat. Read more: 'Brat summer' is upon us. What does that mean? Kamala Harris is game for it. Charli XCX is not encouraging fans to misbehave like spoiled children. Instead, "brats" put more emphasis on having fun than on societal expectations; it's about embracing individuality and breaking away from the status quo. Even presidential candidate Kamala Harris has been included in the "brat summer" trend. Shortly after President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 race and endorsed Vice President Harris, Charli XCX announced her support for Harris in a simple statement: "kamala IS brat." kamala IS brat Charli (@charli_xcx) July 22, 2024 This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: What is demure trend? Here's what it means 2 astronauts have been stuck in space for months. How they get back to Earth is the biggest safety decision in decades. 2 astronauts have been stuck in space for months. How they get back to Earth is the biggest safety decision in decades. Boeing's spaceship problems have left NASA uncertain about how to return two astronauts to Earth. The Boeing Starliner spaceship faced thruster problems and helium leaks, causing safety concerns. But bringing the astronauts back on SpaceX's Crew Dragon has its own safety risks. Boeing's spaceship problems have put NASA in an extremely difficult position. Two astronauts, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, have been stuck on the International Space Station for more than two months because of issues with the Boeing vehicle they flew there. The Starliner spaceship had thruster issues and helium leakage as it approached the ISS. Since then, weeks of testing and troubleshooting haven't fully assuaged NASA's concerns, though assessment is still ongoing. Boeing's Starliner spacecraft docked to the International Space Station, as seen from a window on a SpaceX Crew Dragon. NASA Now, NASA officials aren't sure what to do. They have two options either send Williams and Wilmore home on Starliner, or wait and send them back on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. Both options are risky. The NASA officials who must make this call ideally by the end of the month are thinking back to the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. Because of damage to one of the vehicle's wings, that shuttle disintegrated as it reentered the atmosphere in 2003, killing all seven astronauts on board. That's why NASA's been assessing its options for Williams and Wilmore for weeks, running tests with a Boeing thruster on the ground, and is now convening multiple boards and decision-making bodies. "We've got time, and it's a fairly major discussion," Ken Bowersox, the associate administrator of NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate, said in a press briefing on Wednesday. After all, this could be the agency's biggest safety decision in decades with two astronaut lives on the line. The astronauts are at risk either way NASA could send Williams and Wilmore back to Earth aboard Starliner, as they originally planned before the technical issues. Boeing has expressed full confidence in the vehicle, but some NASA officials still worry they don't have enough certainty about how the thrusters would behave when it comes time for the spaceship to push itself into a fall back to Earth. Williams and Wilmore on a call with journalists from the International Space Station. NASA TV Alternatively, NASA could deploy the backup plan it's hatched with SpaceX. Williams and Wilmore could hitch a ride home with SpaceX's next astronaut crew, aboard the company's Crew Dragon spaceship. They wouldn't come home until February, but at least they would be on a ship with a yearslong record of safe flights. There are risks to that plan, too. It would leave Williams and Wilmore without a reliable emergency evacuation plan for a few days. That's because Starliner would have to undock and plunge back to Earth empty, making way for the new Crew Dragon ship. In the days between Starliner's departure and the new Dragon's arrival, the astronauts on the ISS would be relying on the single spaceship remaining on the station another Crew Dragon to evacuate them in case of an emergency. Williams and Wilmore don't have spacesuits compatible with that ship. They won't have SpaceX spacesuits until the new Dragon arrives with them. "There are some of our contingency situations that require suits, so we don't have full protection in those situations," Bowersox told BI during the press briefing. "Those are the types of things that raise the risk level and complicate our decision process." Why NASA hasn't made a decision yet So NASA is taking the time to run its data and options through three "technical authorities:" a chief engineer, a chief health and medical officer, and a chief of safety and mission assurance. The agency has also brought in "new propulsion system experts" to give feedback, Bowersox said. Once those various reviews are complete, the agency will complete a flight readiness review with representatives from across the agency and make its decision. "I've been very hyper-focused lately on this concept of combating organizational silence. If you look at both, unfortunately, Challenger and Columbia, you can see cases where people had the right data or a valid position to put forward, but the environment just didn't allow it," Russ DeLoach, the chief of NASA's Office of Safety and Mission Assurance the third technical authority said in the briefing. "I recognize that that may mean, at times, we don't move very fast," he added. Willams' and Wilmore's mission, which is Starliner's first crewed test flight, was supposed to last about eight days, though that was the minimum mission length. There was always a possibility it would take longer than that. Read the original article on Business Insider Why the Summer Olympic Games in Paris may have been a COVID 'success' story As the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris came to an end this weekend, most of the conversation surrounded the number of medals won, and the number of records broken. However, there was also another topic at hand: the presence of COVID-19 at the Olympics. At least 40 athletes tested positive for COVID, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), including several Australian swimmers, a British swimmer and a German decathlon competitor. MORE: What to know about COVID at the Olympics after track star Noah Lyles tests positive Additionally, American track and field star Noah Lyles won bronze in the 200-meter race after testing positive for COVID-19 two days prior. Despite the number of cases, public health experts told ABC News that the Paris Games were actually a success and a testament to how far the world has come since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. "COVID-19 was so less disruptive in Paris than it was in Tokyo or Beijing because of what science and medicine have done over the past four years," Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease physician and senior scholar at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told ABC News. "That should be the story, that we went from something that was disrupting the entire world to something that is now kind of a rank-and-file respiratory virus. I think that's the real story. Here is the success of humanity with tackling this scientific problem, and the minds that went to work on this problem and made it something that is no longer a major concern for a lot of the population." PHOTO: COVID-stricken Noah Lyles lies on the track after competing in the men's 200-meter final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Aug. 8, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (Petr David Josek/AP) How the Paris Olympics were different The Paris Olympics were billed as the first games with some sense of normalcy after the strict restrictions seen during the 2021 Summer Games in Tokyo and the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing. Athletes were under strict testing and quarantine protocols and had to follow stringent mitigation measures to participate in the 2021 or 2022 Games. No spectators were allowed at the Tokyo Games while a limited number were allowed at the Beijing Games. Comparatively, there were no formal requirements for regular COVID-19 testing or reporting for the Paris Games, either in general or for specific events. An athlete testing positive did not require them to sit out from an event either. Participating following a positive test was left up to the discretion of the athlete, team and medical staff. Additionally, there were no restrictions regarding spectators. MORE: Coco Gauff to make Olympics debut: See the US women's tennis team roster "The Paris Olympics were something that really resembled pre-COVID Olympics, nothing like what we saw in Beijing, nothing like what we saw in Tokyo," Adalja said. "And I think that reflects the fact that the context regarding the virus that causes COVID-19 has changed a lot over the past four years." COVID at the Paris Games Only about 40 COVID-19 cases were confirmed among athletes at the 2024 Summer Games. Experts say it's not out of the ordinary that cases would occur and that, likely, the total is an undercount of cases. "I am sure that that is a gross under-representation of the actual number of cases," Dr. Pedro Piedra, a professor in the Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology and Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, told ABC News. "[COVID] testing is not required, and testing for other respiratory viruses has really not been required either, and whenever you have such an event, it is an excellent ground for viruses to transmit. And that's not just unique to the Olympics. That's anytime you have a lot of individuals cluster over time together," he continued. The Australian Olympic Committee said last week that 16 athletes tested positive for COVID, at least seven of whom were swimmers. PHOTO: In this July 27, 2021 file photo, Simone Biles of Team United States is embraced by coach Cecile Landi during the Women's Team Final on day four of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Gymnastics Centre in Tokyo. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images, FILE) The British Olympic Committee said swimmer Adam Peaty tested positive for COVID-19 less than 24 hours after winning silver in the men's 100-meter breaststroke final. Perhaps, most famous, Lyles -- the American sprinter -- revealed after winning bronze in the 200-meter men's final that he had tested positive two days beforehand. Lyles drew a great deal of criticism for running the race unmasked and not publicly revealing his diagnosis before the competition. However, experts said that COVID-19 is beginning to be considered an endemic virus, meaning it is typically present, and should be treated like other endemic viruses, like the flu. "A lot has changed, and this virus is now what we would call an endemic virus; it's basically part of the new respiratory viruses that circulate within our community," Piedra said. "We don't try to test every virus for every illness that we have. If we did, I think it would cost significantly, and on many occasions, we don't have any form of treatment or prevention methods." Adalja said because COVID-19 is being considered an endemic respiratory virus, each individual case is less significantly important. "We have so many tools that science and medicine have given us that make COVID-19 so much more manageable in 2024 than it was in 2020, 2021, 2022," he said. "So, in that sense, the fact that you're not hearing about every case as it occurs is just like you don't hear about every case of influenza that occurs." He continued, "I think that the fact that people are back to their lives, that people are winning medals when they have COVID-19 really shows that despite all of the obstacles the governments put in place to deal with COVID appropriately, scientists, physicians delivered and developed so many tools that were able to now live our lives in the midst of COVID-19 and not have It be as disruptive as it once was." Why the Summer Olympic Games in Paris may have been a COVID 'success' story originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Why are you so weird?: Lucas Kunce taunts Josh Hawley during squabble about debates Republican U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, left, confronts his Democratic challenger, Lucas Kunce, over who is ducking debates during a meeting Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, at the Governor's Ham Breakfast at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent). SEDALIA A confrontation between U.S. Senate rivals Thursday on the Missouri State Fairgrounds may be the closest thing to a live debate in the 2024 campaign. U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, a Republican seeking his second term, arrived at the Governors Ham Breakfast looking for Lucas Kunce, the Democrat hoping to unseat him. He found him, and for about 20 minutes until the emcee asked them and the mass of reporters clogging the main aisle to move they jabbed at each other with personal digs, disputes about whether campaign ads are accurate and when, or if, they would meet formally before television cameras. Its great to see you out of your basement, Lucas, Hawley said at one point. By the way, are you gonna do any campaign events around the state or just media? Josh, why are you so weird? Kunce responded. Man, why are you so creepy? Over the two weeks since the primary election, Hawley and Kunce have been arguing about the location and format for debates. In the hours after Kunce won the nomination, Hawley called for a Lincoln-Douglas style debate at the fairgrounds. Kunce, in return, said he would accept all invitations for televised debates, including one from Fox News, but declined to do so at the fair. The State Fair Commission shot the idea down on Aug. 9 with a statement that it did not allow political events. Commission chairman Kevin Roberts told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the commission knew nothing of Hawleys challenge when it was issued and never received a request to use the grounds. The Missouri Farm Bureau, which has endorsed Hawley and donated $5,000 to his campaign, volunteered to host it at a location across the street from the fairgrounds. Kunces campaign, in a Wednesday letter to the insurance and agriculture advocacy organization, said such a debate would violate campaign finance laws that bar not-for-profit groups organized like the Farm Bureau from hosting debates. The law cited by Kunce says groups that endorse and back candidates financially cannot host debate. Lucas does not wish to expose the Farm Bureau or your members to unnecessary risk, Caleb Cavaretta, Kunce campaign manager wrote. During their back-and-forth, Hawley accused Kunce of trying to intimidate the Farm Bureau. Threatening the Farm Bureau with legal action is the most unbelievable thing Ive ever heard in a farm state, Hawley said. Its unreal. Its unreal because its a lie, Kunce said. We didnt threaten the Farm Bureau. The letter states the law could only be enforced by the Federal Election Commission and there is no allowance for a private lawsuit over alleged violations of the campaign finance law. Kunce is making a second bid for the Senate after losing the 2022 Democratic primary. He is the best-funded Democrat in a statewide race and the only one with television ads airing. Hawley, who defeated incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill in 2018, used Thursday mornings meeting in a fundraising appeal sent out about an hour after it ended. This run-in doesnt change the fact that Democrat Lucas Kunce is sitting on a jackpot of cash, and so far, his campaign has outraised me 2:1 this year, Hawley told supporters. There are two other candidates running Jared Young, on the ballot after petitioning to form a new political party, the Better Party, and W.C. Young of the Libertarian Party. The back-and-forth on debates between Hawley and Kunce didnt resolve anything. Lets debate, Hawley said. Lets do it, Kunce replied We got all five, and I agreed to Fox News. So, right over there, Hawley said. Ill see you on Fox News, bro, we offered you a safe space, Kunce replied. One of the most substantive exchanges between the two was over union rights and worker protection. Hawley, who supported the anti-union right to work effort as a candidate for attorney general in 2016, has done a complete turnaround since the overwhelming vote against right to work in the August 2018 primary. Missouri, No. 1, we voted not to be a right to work state, Hawley said Thursday, explaining his position. No. 2, I dont think its fair to ask union organizers that organize for people who are not putting in union dues. When you get a union contract, its for all the workers in the shop, in the organization, that if a bunch of those people dont pay dues, and yet they get the benefit of the contract, I just think thats not fair. Hawley has won the support of the national Teamsters Union, which gave his campaign $5,000 in March from its PAC. Hawley also promoted his proposal to increase the national minimum wage to $15 an hour at companies that have more than $1 billion in annual receipts. We ought to be raising the national minimum wage and protecting workers, Hawley said. Kunce, who has taken $80,000 in donations from16 different union PACs, said Hawleys love of unions is an election-year conversion. When the Senate voted in 2022 on the CHIPS Act, Kunce said, then-U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt supported requiring prevailing wages to be paid on projects initiated under the law while Hawley opposed it. Prevailing wages are required on major public construction projects to prevent unfair competition between union and non-union contractors. He was a right to work candidate, Kunce said. He doesnt believe in labor. In fact, hes called half of labor hostage takersHes tried to remake himself in an election year because he knows that taking away our rights is not something that people want, and hes scared about it. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Lawyers are slamming The Walt Disney Co.s surreal defense for the accidental death of a woman at one of their restaurants. According to the House of Mouse, the contract that they signed to start a Disney+ free trial means they cannot sue. Attorneys for the mega corporation argue that the fine print of the online agreement states that all future disputes with the company will be decided through the use of mandatory, binding, third-party arbitration apparently, even including cases that have nothing to do with Disney+, whatsoever. Jeffrey Piccolo filed a wrongful death suit in February, in which he says its the Disney Springs resorts fault his wife Kanokporn Tangsuan died in October 2023 after mistakenly ingesting an allergen at Raglan Road Irish Pub located in The Landing near the companys Florida theme park. In an Aug. 2 filing, Piccolos lawyer Brian Denney called the companys argument fatally flawed, according to court papers first reported by Law & Crime. Denney argued that Disneys take on the situation would mean that anyone who signs up for a Disney+ free trial will have forever waived the right to a jury trial enjoyed by them and any future Estate to which they are associated. He added, this argument borders on the surreal. The notion that terms agreed to by a consumer when creating a Disney+ free trial account would forever bar that consumers right to a jury trial in any dispute with any Disney affiliate or subsidiary, is so outrageously unreasonable and unfair as to shock the judicial conscience, and this Court should not enforce such an agreement, Piccolos lawyers wrote. They added that Disney is explicitly seeking to bar its 150 million Disney+ subscribers from ever prosecuting a wrongful death case against it in front of a jury. In his suit, Piccolo says that his wife had repeatedly talked to the restaurant staff about her severe nut and dairy allergies, and they had incorrectly assured her the food she ordered did not contain either. A court hearing on Disneys motion is set for Oct. 2 in Orange County, Fla., according to NPR. After the lawsuit was filed, staffers at Raglan Road told the New York Post in February, I dont know if this is because of the incident, but now the first thing we ask when we take the order is whether anyone at the table has any allergies. The post Widower Condemns Disney for Outrageous Claim He Cant Sue for Wifes Theme Park Death Due to Disney+ Account appeared first on TheWrap. Wildebeest, out of options, has no choice but to run off steep bank A herd of wildebeests were being chased by hyenas in Kenyas Masai Mara National Reserve when one wildebeest turned from the main herd and created its own escape route, albeit a very risky one. Michael Laubscher of Wild Eye Mara Camp captured video of the wildebeest running straight toward a steep embankment with no option but to jump or turn and fight the chasing hyena. It ran straight for the edge, not even hitting the brakes before leaping right off, Laubscher described for LatestSightings. It was almost a scene from a movie, as it flew for a few meters before smashing into the bank head-first! The impact was so hard that the adrenaline-filled wildebeest was left completely dazed for a few seconds, Laubscher continued. This allowed the hyena to catch up, making the jump almost pointless. With the hyena right on top of it, the wildebeest luckily managed to get its footing back and dashed quickly into the water just below. The hyena refused to run in after it, so ultimately, it was the river that saved the day. Luckily for the wildebeest on this day, there were no reports of crocodiles. This article originally appeared on For The Win: Wildebeest, out of options, has no choice but to run off steep bank Man dies after being thrown from car following Lyons crash ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) A man from Williamson is dead after being ejected from his car in Lyons following a crash Wednesday morning, troopers said. According to New York State Police, Brandon Hunter, 26, was driving down Maple Street in Lyons just after 9 a.m. when he left the road and crashed into an embankment, causing the car to roll over multiple times. Troopers said he was then thrown from the car. Hunter was airlifted to the hospital where he later died. The investigation remains open. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst. Winter is coming. Here's what the Farmers' Almanac predicts for southcentral Pennsylvania The Farmers' Almanac has issued its prediction for winter 2024-2025, and the publication is describing it as a "wet whirlwind," according to a news release. It predicts "a season of rapid-fire storms that will bring both rain and snow, with little downtime in between," the website states. But will that mean snow for southcentral Pennsylvania? The Farmers' Almanac has issued its winter predictions for the coming winter. Southcentral Pennsylvania could expect a wet and mild one. Here's what to know about the prediction: What does the Farmers' Almanac predict for southcentral Pennsylvania? The Farmers' Almanac, which dates to 1818, predicts a stormy winter for the New England and the Northeast with above-normal amounts of precipitation and near- to above-normal temperatures, the website states. "Snow will be most prevalent over the interior and mountainous terrains, while sleet and rain will be more common near the coast, especially near and along the I-95 corridor," it states. The publication's map shows southcentral Pennsylvania in the "mild and wet" zone. The almanac notes that La Nina, colder than normal water temperatures around the equator in the Pacific, is expected to be present this winter, the website states. Farmers' Almanac issues warning for the middle of winter The Farmers' Almanac predicts that an active storm track in late January for the eastern half of the country could bring "frequent bouts of heavy precipitation, as well as strong and gusty winds." The publication also warns that Arctic air will plunge temperatures across most of the nation at the end of January and into early February, the website states. Almanacs issue their winter predictions weeks before meteorologists offer their outlooks. A University of Illinois study found that predictions made by almanacs are only correct about half of the time, according to Popular Mechanics. This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Southcentral Pennsylvania to see a wet, mild winter: Farmers' Almanac After Wisconsin dams failed in a massive storm, 23 could be decommissioned. What to know. VIROQUA - Local officials in a flood-prone pocket of Wisconsin's Driftless region are weighing whether to take 23 flood control dams out of service. In August 2018, five of the dams failed during a massive rainstorm, sending a deluge of water gushing through the valleys. A study of other dams in the area found several more were also at risk. In Vernon County home to the majority of the dams examined in the study county board members voted Thursday to take a step forward in the process, securing federal funding for the project and greenlighting the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service to begin designing what the decommissioned dams might look like. The plan to dismantle the dams has drawn mixed reactions from the public. Some see it as a necessity to prevent future catastrophes, while others are nervous about what largely unchecked floodwaters could do to downstream properties that have been protected by the dams for decades. Residents who spoke at Thursday's meeting, along with some county board supervisors, raised such concerns. The vote to move forward with the design process passed with heavy emphasis from county staff that it doesn't preclude a later decision to keep some of the dams down the road. "If we're very likely to decommission a good number of them ... let's get the money, let's get the design," said Vernon County conservationist Ben Wojahn. The plan for the dams is a historic one for the area, which has a long history of pioneering conservation work aimed at protecting its unique landscape. Residents say recommitting to that work could help them learn to live without the dams and that other communities with aging dams can start exploring it too, particularly as climate change brings more frequent and severe floods that threaten to overwhelm them. "A national conversation is needed here," said Nancy Wedwick, president of the Coon Creek Community Watershed Council. "Because, boy, we're the first, but we're not alone." Here's what to know about the dams, what led up to this point and what could come next. Where are the dams? After the 2018 breach, federal officials launched a study of all of the dams in the Coon Creek and West Fork Kickapoo watersheds, where the failures occurred. Those watersheds are largely in Vernon County, but include some of the southernmost parts of La Crosse and Monroe counties too. A map of the West Fork Kickapoo watershed in southwestern Wisconsin, where several dams are proposed to be decommissioned. Starred dams failed in a massive flood in 2018. During the storm, three of the Monroe County dams failed, as well as two in Vernon County. Those include: Luckasson Dam Blihovde Dam Korn Dam Mlsna Dam Jersey Valley Dam Work to decommission Mlsna Dam has already started, using state grant money. A map of the Coon Creek watershed in southwestern Wisconsin, where several dams are proposed to be decommissioned. Starred dams failed during a massive flood in 2018. PL-566 dams were built decades ago; a third have 'high hazard potential' The dams were constructed in the 1950s and 1960s by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as part of a nationwide project to control floodwaters in smaller watersheds. Picture a dam, and these ones likely aren't what you're thinking of. They're made from the earth, are covered in grass and stand around 30 feet high. Moreover, most of them are dry dams, meaning they don't hold back a pool of water, but instead stand at the ready to hold back floodwaters during heavy rains. The dams are known as PL-566 dams because they were a product of Public Law 83-566, in which the federal government paid for the structures in return for a "local sponsor" in this case, the three counties becoming legally responsible for them. The counties also had to get farmers upstream of the dams to use conservation practices on their land that would help hold water and soil on the fields instead of sending it downstream. The Jersey Valley dam in Vernon County is shown July 31. The dam was constructed in the mid-20th century by the Natural Resources Conservation Service as a way to control floodwaters. There are currently 7,779 of these kinds of dams across the country, according to a Natural Resources Conservation Service spokesperson, including 80-some in Wisconsin. About one in three nationally are classified as having a high hazard potential, which means dam failure could cause loss of life and significant property damage. (That's not a remark on their condition, which can range from "satisfactory" to "unsatisfactory.") 5 Wisconsin dams failed in catastrophic 2018 storm, causing millions in damage Southwest Wisconsin is no stranger to the problem of flooding. The flashy Kickapoo River, a tributary of the Wisconsin River, has jumped its banks several times throughout history, leading to major flood damages that even prompted some communities to relocate to higher ground. The steeply sloped topography that defines the Driftless region also makes water coursing over the landscape run faster. But the storm that hit the night of Aug. 27, 2018, proved to be the most catastrophic yet. Up to 12 inches of rain pounded the area over just a few hours in the biggest raindrops Wedwick said she'd ever seen in her life bursting through the sandstone of five area dams. Residents say it was a miracle no one was killed. Flooding near the Monroe-Vernon county line is shown after a massive storm swept through the area Aug. 27 and 28, 2018. Mark Erickson, Vernon County resource conservationist, remembered getting the call that the Jersey Valley dam one of the few that held back water to create a lake had failed. When he got to the scene, all he could do was watch the torrent. Tree-sized clay masses from the dam were falling and being rushed away. "I just couldn't believe it," he recalled. In Vernon County alone, the flooding caused an estimated $29 million in damage. Study found all area PL-566 dams at risk, not cost-effective to rebuild Many people wanted to have the breached dams immediately repaired after the storm, said Steve Becker, Wisconsin's state conservation engineer for the Natural Resources Conservation Service. But the agency urged a deeper analysis of how all the PL-566 dams in the two watersheds had performed over the past few decades and how they could perform in the future. Becker said the analysis found that in retrospect, most of the dams had done great. The future, on the other hand, didn't look so good. Vernon County resource conservationist Mark Erickson points to the work being done to decommission Mlsna Dam in Vernon County July 31. Mlsna Dam was one of five dams in the area that failed during a massive storm in 2018, and now several other dams are proposed to be decommissioned. All of the dams had what Becker called a "geotechnical vulnerability to failure": they were built on the fractured sandstone of the Driftless region, which engineers at the time of construction didn't take into account. At the dams that breached during the 2018 storm, he said, water seeped into those fractures to move around and underneath the dams and eventually washed them out. "If the storm would have lasted longer, or if we were to get another storm of the same magnitude, there's a high probability we would lose other dams," Becker said. But the cost to repair them would be steep a few million dollars apiece outweighing the dams' benefits, by the agency's analysis. Staff recommended decommissioning them all, and offered to cover nearly all the cost of doing so. Only Jersey Valley Dam was recommended for replacing, because the lake it held back before it breached was popular for recreation. What happens if the dams are decommissioned? If the counties move forward with decommissioning, the dams would not be removed from the valley floor completely. Instead, they would each get a U-shaped notch cut out of them, enough to let a sizable flood pass through unimpeded. Ownership of what's left would likely be returned to the people who own the land the dams are on. In public comments on the draft plan to decommission the dams, concerns were raised about loss of habitat for brook trout and the potential for the notched dams to still pose a safety risk if they are damaged in future storms. American Rivers, a nonprofit environmental group that advocates for dam removals, wrote in a letter that "a notched dam is a missed opportunity to restore the natural ecosystem, especially where so much funding is available for dam removal and river restoration." Becker said the decision to notch the dams instead of remove them came down to cost, and that removing them would have been almost as expensive as rebuilding. He also said the smaller size of these dams will mean the notch will greatly reduce that size. "By the time we take this notch out, what's left isn't going to look any different than all the hills and valleys of the Driftless," Becker said. Vernon County resource conservationist Mark Erickson holds a clump of earth from the Mlsna Dam in Vernon County July 31. The dam failed in August 2018 during a massive rainstorm and is being decommissioned. Are there options other than dams for slowing floodwaters? In absence of the dams, landowners could take steps to slow water down when it falls on their properties, like planting perennials and rotationally grazing livestock. It's something Wedwick feels area residents are uniquely positioned to do. The Coon Creek watershed was the site of the nation's first large-scale demonstration of soil and water conservation, which began 91 years ago this October. And the Coon Creek Community Watershed Council, which formed to help residents build resilience after the 2018 flood, has a goal of "making running water walk," so more of it sinks into the earth and less flows downstream. There are disagreements over how much impact widespread land conservation practices could have on slowing particularly large floods, and hesitance over whether enough landowners would voluntarily adopt such practices. Wedwick said she feels the Natural Resources Conservation Service study didn't give enough credence to the idea that landowners would do so. She offered the conservation project that began 91 years ago as an example: it wasn't easy to convince people then to improve their farming practices to curb soil erosion, she said, but it got done. Wojahn, the Vernon County conservationist, said he's hopeful that the county can procure more funds and more staff to implement conservation practices to slow water down. He called on the region's elected officials to help them find creative ways to build resilience across the landscape. How much will decommissioning the dams cost? It will cost about $4.4 million to decommission the 14 dams in the Coon Creek watershed, about $7.7 million to decommission nine in the West Fork Kickapoo watershed, and about $17.8 million to replace Jersey Valley, most of which will be covered by NRCS. Wojahn said prior to Thursday's meeting while there's no formal deadline after which the county would lose that federal funding, a presidential administration change or other political headwinds could put it in jeopardy, and that a decision needs to be made sooner rather than later. Residents walk through the area where the Jersey Valley Dam in Vernon County breached during a catastrophic storm in 2018 on July 31. The dam is proposed to be decommissioned, and a new one would be built just downstream to preserve a recreational lake. "Some people have said it's being rushed, but 2018 was quite a while ago," Wojahn said. "We do need solutions, especially for the breached (dams). They can't just stay like that." Do residents support decommissioning the dams? In La Crosse County, which would have two dams decommissioned, and Monroe County, which would have seven, residents have been supportive of the proposal, said Matt Hanewall and Bob Micheel, who direct each county's land conservation department. The Monroe County board is expected to vote on the dam decommissioning resolution Aug. 28, and in La Crosse, Sept. 19. Some Vernon County residents have been more leery. There aren't many properties in the two to three miles downstream of the dams, Becker said, but they'll hurt the most the structures allowed them to plant cropland, and protected county roads that otherwise might have been washed out. Especially if people live behind a dam that hasn't failed, he said, they might be averse to getting rid of it. Wedwick worries that too many residents still don't know the dams are being decommissioned, and that the study's cost-benefit analysis didn't fully represent human interaction with the dams. "To say, 'Well, they're not protecting enough in order for them to stay,' that's a little hard to handle when what they're protecting, maybe, is your home," she said. Madeline Heim is a Report for America corps reporter who writes about environmental issues in the Mississippi River watershed and across Wisconsin. Contact her at 920-996-7266 or mheim@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin counties could decommission 23 PL-566 dams after 5 failed Wisconsin man charged with hate crime for 2023 incident at the UW-Madison campus MADISON, Wis. (WFRV) Authorities in Wisconsin say one man has officially been charged with several felony hate crimes following an incident at the UW-Madison campus in the fall of 2023. According to a release from the UW-Madison Police Department, at 12:00 a.m. on November 28, 2023, three men entered several rooms inside the Humanities building on the UW-Madison campus and interrupted one student organizations meeting. I was lonely: Wisconsin man facing 15 counts of possessing child pornography Police say the men made threats and racist comments towards the group of students before harassing them with more profane language and other offensive conduct. Following an investigation from the FBI and the Madison Police Department, the three suspects were quickly identified and were determined to have no affiliation with the university. Of the three suspects, the primary suspect was identified as 20-year-old Lukas Nowak from Madison. Since the incident, Nowak has now been officially charged with the following: One count of Terrorist Threats Public Panic or Fear (hate crime enhancer) One count of Disorderly Conduct, Use of a Dangerous Weapon (hate crime enhancer) Two counts of Disorderly Conduct (hate crime enhancer) Court records show that Nowak made his initial appearance in court on Monday and has a signature bond set for $500 per case. Green Bay woman accused of stealing from assisted living facility has status conference As part of the bond, Nowak is banned from the UW-Madison Campus and he is to not consume or possess any alcohol or possess any type of dangerous weapon. Nowaks next court date is scheduled for September 16 at 1:40 p.m. for a status conference. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. (WFRV) A Wisconsin State Trooper is garnering praise after saving an adorable dog from a hot truck during one of the states warmer days. According to a release, Wisconsin State Trooper Barker was called to assist a warm pup-in-a-truck at a rest area during one of Wisconsins recent warmer days. World War II Veteran turns 100 years old surrounded by dozens of friends & family The Wisconsin State Patrol posted this on its social media page to remind motorists of how hot it can get in a vehicle during the summer heat for both children and pets. Over the past 25 years, more than 970 children have died of heatstroke because they were left or became trapped in a hot car. Its important for everyone to understand these tragedies can happen to anyone but are always preventable. A childs body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adults. When a child is left in a vehicle, that childs temperature can rise quickly, and the situation can quickly become dangerous. Heatstroke begins when the core body temperature reaches about 104 degrees. A child can die when their body temperature reaches 107 degrees. Smiles and laughs fill fairgrounds as the 143rd Brown County Fair begins Additionally, the Wisconsin State Patrol says that cracking your window does not make much of a difference when it is hot. For more information, click here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. LAKE GENEVA, Wis. (WFRV) Police in southern Wisconsin say one woman was arrested Wednesday after driving recklessly with a child passenger while fleeing police. According to a release from the Lake Geneva Police Department, officers responded at 7:37 p.m. to the area of Cook and Main Streets for reports of a vehicle driving through red lights and into oncoming traffic. Wisconsin State Patrol, local agencies increasing efforts for Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over August campaign Officers say they spotted the vehicle in question drive through the red light at Cook Street and Main Street and attempted to stop the Vehicle at the intersection of Madison and Geneva Streets. During the attempted stop, the driver of the vehicle, 39-year-old Alesha Imhoff from Edgerton, allegedly drove around the officers nearly hitting one of them and a patrol vehicle. Imhoff then continued to repeatedly flee from police throughout the 900 block of Main Street until stop sticks were successfully deployed. Officials report that the vehicle stopped just long enough for a child to exit and run from the vehicle to the safety of the police on the scene. From there, Imhoff is said to have driven around the stop sticks and continued eluding police on the same block of Main Street before losing control of her vehicle and crashing into a parked car near the intersection of Geneva and Madison Street. Imhoff, who was not injured in the crash, was taken into custody without further incident and allegedly admitted to police that she had ingested ketamine and cocaine prior to the start of the reckless driving incident. Wisconsin man charged with hate crime for 2023 incident at the UW-Madison campus Officers took Imhoff into the Walworth County Jail where she is being held on the following charges: Fleeing/eluding an officer Recklessly endangering safety OWI with a passenger under 16 years of age Failure to stop at a stop sign Poice say Child Protective Services released both the child who exited the vehicle during the pursuit and a second child who exited the prior to police arrival into the care of family. No other details on this incident are available at this time. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) This Wednesday, Jacquie Walker was honored and inducted into the Erie County Hall of Fame for her great contribution to WNY broadcasting. See that special moment and other interviews from the day here. Jacquie Walker Best in show beer Long legs Mike Cece the pig Taras cast iron grill Skyriver Butterflies exhibit Agriculture Discovery Center Latest Local News Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo. How does the prospect of a year of unlimited flights within Europe and as far as the Maldives for a flat fare of 9 per hop sound? Well, if youre tempted, you have until midnight tonight (Thursday 15 August) to sign up for the Wizz Air all you can fly deal in return for a payment of 430 miss the deadline and the same deal will cost 85 more. The offer is effectively a standby deal: you can only book your flight 72 hours ahead and, as you may imagine, a fair number of terms and conditions apply. I have been wading through the rules and rewards so you didnt have to. Is the idea of unlimited standby flights new? No. They were big in the 1990s, in the US at least. You paid around 300 to Delta or Northwest and flew around America and even Canada on a shoestring for a month. Like the new deal with Wizz Air, it was a standby ticket but it was also completely free. You would turn up, show your ticket and step on board if there was at least one empty seat. The Wizz Air All you can fly deal is rather different. You pay the upfront fee of 499 (430) by midnight on 15 August, which works out at 37 per month. From 16 August onwards the fee rises to 599 (515). For each flight you book online a maximum of three days ahead, and you must pay a flat fee of 9 for each flight. Even so, once youve made the down payment, 9 per flight sounds an amazing deal? Yes. The deal extends across almost all the Wizz Air network, which extends far and wide: North to Reykjavik in Iceland and Tromso in Norway East to Almaty in Kazakhstan and Samarkand in Uzbekistan South to Oman and the Maldives West to Madeira and the Canary Islands Reaching some of those is a bit of a stretch: to get from Luton to the Maldives you will need to fly to somewhere in eastern Europe, then to Abu Dhabi and onwards to the Maldives. Under the scheme you can take up to three flights a day theoretically over 1,000 in a year. The 9 fee stays the same as long as you dont want a pre-assigned seat, any baggage bigger than a small backpack or anything to eat or drink on board. All of those are extras. Are seats available on every flight? No and be warned that even if seats are still on sale to the public theres no guarantee you will be able to avail of the deal. Wizz Air wants this offer to help it fill seats on flights that the airline knows it will never completely fill. Wizz is being coy about availability, saying: The provision of flight tickets depends on a number of internal and external factors These factors include, but not limited to the a) number of total registered members of Wizz All you can fly, b) number of overall passengers with booking to the given flight, and the c) seat capacity of the given flight. Any other catches? The big one is: most of us want to go there and back when we travel. But you can only book 72 hours ahead. So for a one-week holiday, halfway through youd need to be searching for a seat on a flight home. The airline says: If there is no return flight available due to seat unavailability ... you can book a flight using the regular booking process. The deal works better for a short weekend trip, because you should be able to book both legs with the deal. Other issues: You can buy today but youll need to wait until 25 September for your first flight. If substantial disruption occurs (such as the air-traffic control meltdown last August bank holiday), seats will evaporate. The deal is not available for Italian domestic flights such as Milan or Venice to Sardinia or Sicily. If you are a no-show on three occasions, you will be barred from future flights with no refund. Are you a buyer? No one likes a cheap ticket more than I do, but I am not tempted. I typically fly around half-a-dozen times a year with Wizz. Assuming I could get on every one of those six flights with my standby pass, I would be paying 475 a hefty 79 per trip. The Wizz Air network overlaps substantially with other airlines British Airways, easyJet and Ryanair. So I might be able to double the number of flights to 12. Each of that dozen would cost 44 with the airpass. That figure is pretty close to the average I pay for Ryanair. I prefer to maintain the flexibility to choose the optimum flight time rather than restrict myself to a single carrier. So who would it suit? Frivolous flyers who have time on their hands. For those who want to explore Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia, and for whom the burden of being unable to book the desired flight is not too heavy, the prospect of a year in the skies may well be tempting. People lucky enough to live near Luton, Wizz Airs main UK base; reaching the airport will add extra cost. Travellers who regularly commute on routes with relatively high frequency. Twice a month for a year is potentially 48 flights, or less than 10 each. Add on the 9 charge for each flight, and you are still paying less than an express rail ticket from London to Luton or Gatwick. If you have two homes, then the problem of luggage will evaporate, too. Unlimited flying seems extremely damaging for the environment? As long as the passenger is occupying a seat that would otherwise be empty which is Wizz Airs firm plan the marginal impact is the small amount of fuel burnt to fly the extra weight of the person and their baggage. So it is less damaging than buying a ticket normally, which creates demand and informs airlines decisions about future flight planning. But the question for every traveller should be: is your journey really necessary? Woman arrested on alleged assault of family member in Central El Paso Woman arrested on alleged assault of family member in Central El Paso EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) A woman has been arrested in El Pasos Five Points area for assault causing bodily injury on Wednesday, Aug. 14, according to the El Paso County Constables Office Precinct Three. Ophelia Seeley Sanchez, 48, was arrested Aug. 14 at the 3400 block of Tularosa Ave., after officers received information of a criminal warrant for assault causing bodily injury on a family member, according to the El Paso County Constables Office. Sanchez was booked into the El Paso County Jail with a $5,000 bond and no further incident, according to the El Paso County Constables Office. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. MEMPHIS, Tenn. A woman is now in jail for assaulting an officer after a fatal shooting at a nightclub Wednesday on Summer Avenue, according to Memphis Police. Raven Crawford, 32, is charged with assault on a first responder and disorderly conduct. She is being held in jail on a $7,500 bond. Two dead, one hurt in Summer Avenue nightclub shooting MPD says they were on the scene of a shooting that left two people dead and another critically injured at James Lounge in the Highland Heights area. A woman, later identified as Raven Crawford, refused to step out of the crime scene and began to push one of the police officers. When another officer stepped in to help, Crawford allegedly pushed that officer too. The second officer then punched Crawford, who returned the hit, reports state. The officer says they hit Crawford again before backing off. Arrest made in deadly shooting, fiery crash on American Way At that time, the first officer was able to arrest Crawford and take her into custody. Raven Crawfords next court date is scheduled for Thursday morning. Police say they are still looking for those responsible for the shooting. If you have any information that could help police, call CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. A woman in her 40s was rushed to the hospital Tuesday evening, after falling about 15 feet behind Steilacoom High School. The response team included West Pierce Fire & Rescue firefighters, Central Pierce Fire & Rescue, Gig Harbor Fire & Medic One, and East Pierce Fire & Rescue because the call required a technical rescue. Crews responded tonight to a rope rescue behind Steilacoom High School. One patient fell approximately 15 feet and was transported to the hospital. Thank you to our neighbors at @CentralPierce, @GigHarborFire and @EastPierceFire for assisting us with this technical rescue. pic.twitter.com/zlfhrSeZVg West Pierce Fire & Rescue (@WestPierce) August 14, 2024 According to Spokesperson Jenny Weekes, the woman was trying to climb up the slide when she slipped backwards and fell. She was transported to the hospital with injuries. At last check, she is stable. A civilian woman has been killed in the village of Tokarivka in Kherson Oblast. Source: Kherson Oblast Prosecutors Office Details: The investigation reports that on 15 August 2024 at about 16:30 Russian forces struck the village of Tokarivka, likely from artillery. A woman received fatal injuries on the porch of a private house. Quote: "Under the procedural guidance of Oleshky District Prosecutors Office, a pre-trial investigation on the fact of breaking the laws and customs of war combined with a premeditated murder (Art. 438.2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) has been initiated." Support UP or become our patron! ST. LOUIS A woman seen harassing a south St. Louis family in a viral video more than two years ago appeared in federal court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to interfering with the familys housing rights. Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Missouri said Judy Kline, 55, broke into the familys home in the Princeton Heights neighborhood on Jan. 5, 2022, while armed with a hammer. According to court documents, Kline lived at the home decades prior and mistakenly believed her family still resided there. Kline told the court she entered the basement, struck the dryer with the hammer, then charged up the stairs toward one of the residents. That person was able to close and lock the door before Kline reached the top of the stairs. Kline exited the basement, walked around to the front of the home, and struck the front door with the hammer. She shouted for the Hispanic family living there to leave the property. Kline admitted in court that she intimidated or interfered with the family based on their race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or natural origin, making it a federal offense. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Breaking News The homeowners eldest daughter shared the Ring security video on social media and lamented that nothing had been done to protect her family. That video, which allegedly shows Kline taking mail and sitting outside the residence overnight, went viral on TikTok. A U.S. District Court judge sentenced Kline to five years of probation, which is the maximum term of probation for the crime. The judge ordered Kline to remain in the nursing home where she currently resides and is receiving mental health treatment, or in a similar facility. Kline cannot contact the victims or go to the home where they live, the judge said. At the sentencing hearing, Kline apologized for her actions and stated she is receiving ongoing help for her mental illness. Meanwhile, Kline still faces charges in St. Louis Circuit Court for the same crime. Her case has been continued until September 12. Based on prior continuances, it is possible city prosecutors will let the matter go since its been adjudicated in federal court. My parents are good people. So they said, as long as shes not able to get close to the house or to my little sister, then theyre fine with whatever she gets, Fatima Suarez, the familys spokesperson, said. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. Woman who stole $1.2 million from Southlake luxury home business sentenced to prison A woman who stole $1.2 million from her former Tarrant County employer was sentenced this week to 35 years in prison. Staci Blackmon, 39, in April pleaded guilty to two counts of theft over $300,000, and Judge Julie Lugo on Tuesday sentenced her in the 372nd District Court in Tarrant County. From May 2020 to June 2022 Blackmon stole money from accounts owned by SCH Homes, a Southlake luxury home builder, according to the indictment. Blackmon used most of the stolen money to purchase TikTok coins, according to the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorneys Office. She also paid for a Dallas Mavericks suite, furniture and travel. The victim in the second theft case is an individual. More top stories from our newsroom: Woman accused of killing Fort Worth officer was on probation Layoffs with no warning at Dr. Phils Fort Worth media company More jailers sued by family of man killed in Tarrant County Jail [Get our breaking news alerts.] A woman and her parents are suing Gateway Church and a former youth group attendee, alleging she was sexually assaulted and groomed by a high school senior when she was 13 years old. The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in a Tarrant County District Court. The plaintiffs are seeking more than $1 million in damages. The plaintiffs allege the girl was groomed and sexually assaulted by a teenage boy she was in a church youth group with. The group was hosted by Gateway leadership at The Kings University in Southlake. The school and the North Texas megachurch are associated through a partnership. The nighttime youth group was held for children ranging in ages 11 to 18, where there were often more than 200 children in attendance with little to no supervision by Gateways counselors, pastors, leaders, chaperons, or volunteers, according to the suit. The assault began in 2016, the suit says, when the defendant, Gabriel Reece Snyder, was a senior in high school about four years older than the then 13-year-old, who is now an adult. The suit alleges Snyder began grooming the girl at the youth group meetings. He cynically used the Gateway pastors and ministers biblical beliefs and teachings to convince the girl that it was the will of God and the church leaders to submit to him because he was a male and she was a female, the suit says. Snyder took the 13-year-old outside of the university at nighttime and sexually assaulted her multiple times, beginning in December 2016, according to the suit. The assaults continued into February 2017, when the victim was still 13 and Snyder was 18, according to the plaintiffs account. Although there were surveillance cameras above the areas where the victim was assaulted, no one from the church came to her aid, the suit alleges. Upon information and belief, (the victim) was not the only young teenage youth group member that Defendant Snyder groomed and sexually assaulted at The Kings University, the suit reads. Snyder is currently serving a sentence in Dayton, Texas, in connection to an assault of another minor, according to the suit. The plaintiffs seek to hold Gateway liable because the church allowed Snyder unsupervised and isolated access to the victim, when the churchs leaders should have known the dangers posed by allowing hundreds of children to be without supervision at night, the suit says. It further alleges she suffered physical, mental, and emotional suffering in the past and will likely continue to experience suffering in the future. The assault damaged her personal, social, and educational relationships, the suit reads, in addition to causing her psychological pain. These damages were caused by Gateways negligence, the suit alleges. Gateway did not immediately respond to the Star-Telegrams request for comment Thursday. The suit comes after Gateways founder and senior pastor, Robert Morris, resigned from the Southlake church after admitting to sexually assaulting a woman, Cindy Clemishire, who is now in her 50s, when she was 12 and he was in his 20s in the 1980s. Two lawsuits were filed shortly before Morris resignation, one alleging the church attempted to cover up a sexual abuse of a child and the other accusing the church of discrimination. Community Medical Center pictured on January 17, 2021. A little more than a month after a Missoula emergency room physician appeared in state district court on seven counts of sexual assault, at least two of the victims are suing Dr. Tyler Hurst in civil court. The case was filed in Missoula County on Wednesday morning and names two victims, a Jane Doe, but also Angela Mock, who said that she wants her name to be public in order to share her story about what she said happened when she went to the emergency room of Community Medical Center in Missoula. Normally, the Daily Montanan does not use the name of victims of sexual assault in stories even if they are available to help shield their privacy. Last month, Missoula County prosecutors charged Hurst with four counts of sexual assault without consent and three counts of sexual assault all felony charges that could bring a mandatory minimum of more than 85 years to life, according to Missoula television station KPAX. Hurst pleaded not guilty to all charges. When contacted about the civil suit on Wednesday, Megan Condra, the director of community relations for Community Medical Center, released the following statement: When Community Medical Center was notified earlier this year of a patient allegation regarding Dr. Tyler Hurst, an independent physician, we immediately removed Dr. Hurst from the facility. We have zero tolerance for inappropriate conduct towards our patients. To the extent the allegations against Dr. Hurst are true, he took advantage of the trust placed in him by our patients, our staff members and our community. When a predator evades policies and procedures and takes advantage of the access they gain in healthcare settings, they should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. We will be fully cooperating with those efforts, and our team continues to work closely with local law enforcement and relevant agencies to ensure full accountability. These alleged actions of Dr. Hurst do not reflect the great care and patient experience that our team provides every day. We are proud to serve our fellow Missoulians and will continue to put our patients first in all that we do. While Hurst faces a lengthy jail sentence and fines of more than $200,000 if convicted in the criminal case by prosecutors, the case filed by the victims is a civil case in which a trial could result in the women receiving assets of the doctor. Missoula County officials say there are at least 15 victims of Hurst. A check of the Montana Board of Medical Examiners shows that he is no longer an active physician. The two victims who have brought suit against Hurst reported incidents separated by nearly two years. Mock had come to the emergency department in early December 2022 complaining of uterine pain. Hurst and a nurse came in to assess Mock, and she said that during that assessment, Hurst used his fingers to penetrate her vagina, according to the court documents. When she complained of pain, the nurse touched his arm and he stopped. But, shortly after the incident and administering drugs for the pain, Mock said Hurst returned, this time without a nurse, and began touch her genitals again. Finally, Hurst is accused of pulling down his pants, having sexual intercourse with Mock despite her cries of pain, and eventually having Hurst finish, telling her that no one would believe her because she was just an Indian; no one will believe you. Then, two years later, near New Years Day 2024, Hurst was examining Jane Doe, who was complaining of kidney pain in her upper back. However, according to court records, Hursts exam kept on getting lower and lower on her abdomen, finally culminating in him removing her underwear and attempting to massage her genitals, under the pretense of providing pain relief. When she insisted that his hands were nowhere near the pain, she told Hurst he was hurting her and began to pull her pants back up, according to court documents. However, Hurst is reported to have pulled her pants down again and starting to touch her buttocks and started inserting his fingers forcefully into her vagina. (She) forcefully pushed Hurst off her and told him to stop the examination. Hurst apologized for hurting her, the court case said. At this time, Hurst had a noticeable erection and began touching himself in an attempt to push the erection down. Hurst stated, Im so sorry, I just got too excited. Im so embarrassed that went too far. Several television stations in Missoula reported that during the criminal court hearing, Hurst appeared remotely from a sexual addiction treatment center in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Whether youre cruising Woodward or a car fan watching on the sidelines, appetites will certainly rev up for the annual Woodward Dream Cruise happening this Friday-Saturday. More than a million people are expected to be in the area for the two-day event that dates back to 1995 and covers miles of Woodward Avenue, stretching from Ferndale to Pontiac. Many restaurants along the route are prime viewing spots for cruise car watchers. Some restaurants will have special events like hosting car clubs and/or special food and drink menus geared toward the annual event. (Keep in mind some places might also be closed for private events.) More: Smash burgers, duck pasties, craft beer: Whats new at Michigan Stadium concessions From 3:30-6 p.m. Thursday, Berkleys Vinsetta Garage, part of the Union Joints group of restaurants and smack dab at 27799 Woodward, hosts Jon Moss, retired GM concept and show car guru, for a book signing of Keys to the Kingdom. On Saturday Vinsetta hosts Ferndales Tin Can Cocktails on its patio offering tastings of their new Jobbie Nooner vodka sodas. A stretch of restaurants in Ferndale includes the Fly Trap known as the "finer diner" (opens at 8 a.m. daily), Como's (Detroit-style pizza), and the Emory. Heading north on Woodward, there's the Whistle Stop in Pleasant Ridge. All area open during the Woodward Dream Cruise. More: Achatz Pie Collective reintroduces fan-favorite Cadillac pie for limited time Here are other events with food highlights Birmingham Cruise Event In downtown Birmingham, South Old Woodward will be shut down between Maple Road and Lincoln Street where more than 240 classic cars will be parked on display. Downtown Birmingham restaurants will open during the 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday event. There will also be food trucks such as the Joe Vicari Restaurant Group's food truck that features all their restaurant brands. M1 Concourse M1 Concourse's Woodward Dream Show and festival runs Friday and Saturday. Right off Woodward Avenue, M1 Concourse features cars, culture and entertainment from 1964 including Pontiac GTOs lined along the M1 concourse Event Center Plaza. The event feature live music from tribute bands, food from food trucks and family fun in the Meijer Family Fun Zone. On tap will be a German biergarten serving beer and giant pretzels. Several food trucks, including Green Lantern Pizza will be on site. Tickets to enter the event are $35 (plus $5 fee) and $150 (plus $10 fee) for adults; ages 7-17 are $10 (plus $5 fee). For information and tickets: m1concourse.com. Downtown Pontiac Dream Cruise From 2-6 p.m. Saturday along Saginaw Street near Pike is the Downtown Pontiac Dream Cruise. A parade of classic GTO cars takes place at 3 p.m. along with other classic cars on display. Nearby restaurants featured in Pontaics social district, known as The Circuit), are Alley Cat Cafe, Biscuits & Bourbon, Fillmore 13 Brewery and Kegger Burger. Po Sams Cafe food truck at the Flagstar Strand Theater. For information visit pontiac.mi.us. Restaurants along the Woodward route While the food and restaurant options along either side of the 16-mile stretch of historic Woodward Avenue are plentiful, here's a sampling of a dozen options. During the Woodward Dream Cruise keep in mind restaurants may adjust or have special hours and offer limited menus. Bills 39556 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills Harris O. Salad at Bill's restaurant in Bloomfield Hills, From restaurateur Bill Roberts, the eponymous Bill's on Woodward in Bloomfield Hills is celebrating 10 years. Its comfortable neighborhood vibe surrounds a menu featuring an array of French bistro and Italian trattoria classics plus offerings of American fare. A highlight of its menu is the Harris O. salad in honor of the late founder of the Machus Red Fox. The salad includes romaine and iceberg lettuces, crumbled Roquefort, bacon, tomato, red onion and a sweet and sour dressing. For info: 248-646-9000 or billsbloomfieldhills.com Crispelli's 28939 Woodward Ave., Berkley Part bakery, part pizzeria, Crispellis is on Woodward at 12 Mile Road. They'll serve their regular menu and have a tent outside and live music. There are no online or call-in orders during the cruise, however walk-in carryout is available.For info: 248-591-3300 or crispellis.com. Duggans Irish Pub 31501 Woodward Ave., Royal Oak Duggan's Irish Pub on Woodward in Royal Oak expects thousands of people during the annual Woodward Dream Cruise. This popular spot in Royal Oak along the Woodward Dream Cruise route tents its north parking lot. Under the tent is live music on Friday and Saturday all day and a full bar. A little menu of its Big Chiefs (a double-decker burger) and Little Chiefs (single patty burger) and hot dogs are offered. Inside there is also a limited menu.For info: 248-549-3659 or dugganspub.com Hazels 1 Peabody St., Birmingham Hazel's in Birmingham summertime Lobster Pound menu is back and will be available during the Woodward Dream Cruise. Cruise watchers are in for a treat as summertime at Hazel's means lobster. Hazel's transforms to its Lobster Pound menu offering fresh lobster flown in from Maine that makes its way to menu items including lobster rolls and lobster bisque. Also on the menu are oysters, shrimp clam chowder, Hazel's fried chicken and burgers.For info: 248-671-1714 or eatathazels.com The Hunter House 35075 Woodward Ave., Birmingham This iconic hamburger joint is a popular spot on Woodward at Hamilton Row near a busy intersection. Since 1952, according to its website, The Hunter House has been serving up its classic sliders and fries. They also serve breakfast daily. For info: 248-646-7121 or hunterhousehamburgers.com Imperial 22828 Woodward Ave., Ferndale This is the place for Sonoran-style hot dogs. The bacon-wrapped hots have a variety of toppings. There are also vegan and vegetarian options. Imperial also is home to elote, street-style tacos, nachos and torta sandwiches. For info: 248-850-8060 or imperialferndale.com M1 Grill 50501 Woodward Ave., Pontiac In downtown Pontaic the M1 Grill has an extensive menu of its signature dishes. Its M1 Burger and Cali Burger are listed as favorites on its website. M1 Grill serves breakfast, a huge variety of sandwiches and wraps, soups and salads, milkshakes and more. For info: 248-338-0228 or m1grill.com Mt. Chalet 32955 Woodward Ave., Royal Oak This restaurant has been a mainstay on Woodward for years. According to its online menu, among Mt. Chalet offerings build-your-own burgers, soups, salads, tacos and other items. For info: 248-549-2929 or mtchaletroyaloak.com O.W.L. 27302 Woodward Ave., Royal Oak Owl is a small spot on Woodward Ave., in Royal Oak with a Mexican-American menu. This small spot offers Mexican-American fare for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night. On the O.W.L. menu are a variety of egg sandwiches, eggs any style, chorizo and sausage, burgers, chilaquiles, nachos, tacos and tortas. For info: 248-808-6244 or owlwoodward.comPura Vida Jamaican and Costa Rican Cuisine 44768 Woodward Ave., Pontiac As the name implies, this Pontiac restaurant offers a mix of Jamaican and Costa Rican fare. Its online menu lists jerk dishes, tacos, salads, Caribbean dishes and plenty more. For info: 248-775-5621 or puravidajamaicancostaricancuisinemi.com Redcoat Tavern 31542 Woodward Ave., Royal Oak Home of the 1/2 pound classic Redcoat Tavern burger. The burger is a proprietary blend of beef and served with tomato, shredded lettuce and special sauce on a toasted sesame bun, according to its menu. There are also plenty of ways to modify burgers with a variety of cheese, dressings and sauces, toppings and type of bread/bun.For info: 248-549-0300 or redcoat-tavern.com Treat Dreams Treat Dreams offers a variety of over-the-top ice cream concoctions and flavors. 22965 Woodward Ave., FerndaleThis is the spot where ice cream is fun. There are unique flavors, and concoctions of its small-batch ice cream. You'll find classic favorites and new creations to indulge in. Treat Dreams also has vegan and gluten-free options. For info: 248-544-3440 or treat-dreams.com Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter. Subscribe to the Free Press. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Woodward Dream Cruise 2024: 12 restaurants to check out along route SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) If youre looking to add a dog to your family, or simply want to support a local cause, a nonprofit in Sioux Falls is set to host a special event. 4-year-old Sage and 10-year-old Junior are dachshunds, and will be part of Saturdays lineup at Woofstock. Kind of a knockoff on Woodstock. The very first year we did this we tried to tie in to Woodstock, nobody cares about Woodstock any more, thats old news, its Woofstock, so its all about dogs, Dakota Dachshund Rescues Doug Wade said. Woofstock is a day of music, vendors, and dogs. Its also a fundraiser for Dakota Dachshund Rescue. Our biggest thing is medical, and we spend over $100,000 a year on medical expenses, Wade said. Nearly 20 adoptable dogs will attend Woofstock, but the organization currently has about 40 dogs in foster care. The adoption fees dont even cover half the costs of the dogs, on average, so weve got to raise the money for it, Wade said. Its just a great opportunity for a lot of exposure for these dogs, Remedy Event Coordinator Aaron Nelson said. Aaron Nelson is event coordinator at Remedy Brewing Company, which will host Woofstock for a fourth straight year. If theres any chance that we can give back to the community, we try our best with it. We try to do our best to bring the community together and dogs is definitely one way to do it, Nelson said. Wade says the event is just as much about raising awareness as it is money. We really want people to consider fostering. You can foster, if youre on the fence, you could do a short-term foster, like somebodys going to go away for two, three days and you can try it, see if its something for you, but we desperately need foster homes thats for sure, Wade said. Helping put a dog on the path to their forever home. Woofstock runs from 1:00 to 5:00 Saturday afternoon at Remedy Brewing Company at 8th & Railroad in downtown Sioux Falls. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. Last Thursday, 63-year-old John Mark Rozendaal performed a Bach cello suite outside the Citibank headquarters in New York City, as part of the Summer of Heat on Wall Street climate protests. Citibank is the worlds largest investor in fossil fuel expansion since the 2015 Paris Agreement, and the protesters were calling on the bank to stop funding new oil, gas, and coal projects. Rozendaals cello bore the slogan, This machine loves, serves, and protects lifea more peaceful variation on the famous words on Woody Guthries guitar in the 1940s: This machine kills fascists. Now, for bringing high culture for free to the public while standing up to one of the worlds most powerful polluters, Rozendaal could face seven years in prison. Police arrested him Thursday, saying his cello playing violated the restraining order that was placed on him in July after a former New York City Police Department detective who now provides security services to Citibank claimed that Rozendaal assaulted him. The protesters believe the restraining order was unconstitutional and deny that Rozendaal assaulted anyone. The security worker, they told Inside Climate News, hit his head on a PVC pipe that was being used to blockade the banks doors. Rozendaal is not alone in facing ludicrously extreme criminal charges and penalties for climate protest. Its becoming disturbingly common, as the ruling class seeks to use the criminal justice system to make anyone who disagrees disappear. Sixty-one demonstrators who protested against Cop City, Atlantas awful plan to build a military-style police academy on the site of a beloved urban forest, have been charged under RICO (a conspiracy law aimed at criminal racketeering), for example. They face a possible 20 years in prison, some for the crime of putting up flyers. In the United Kingdom, too, climate protesters are facing alarming crackdowns. Last month, five Just Stop Oil protesters who had nonviolently stopped traffic on a major roadway in southern England were sentenced to four years each, with the leader of the group receiving a five-year sentence. As if these examples werent bad enough, the fossil fuel industry is attempting to codify criminal penalties for some forms of climate protest. Pressed by industry donors, Congress has been working to broaden preexisting laws against destroying pipelinesa felony mandating up to 20 years in prisonwith more expansive language extending such penalties to people who [impair] the operation of pipelines. Indigenous and other environmental activists rightly fear that the whole range of pipeline protestsfrom sacred rituals to Willie Nelson concertscould be effectively outlawed. Exxon Mobil, Koch, and other bad actors have been lobbying hard for this, even as peaceful pipeline protesters are already finding themselves facing stiff prison sentences. While climate protesters are facing the most severe sentences, any protest that makes the ruling class feel unsafe meets with draconian punishment these days. Some of those who protested on university campuses against the war in Gaza this past year were initially charged with felonies (thankfully most of those have been dropped). Students at George Washington University are facing orders to stay away from campus, which will vastly complicate their academic lives, and is, according to local experts, a dramatic departure from past prosecution of protest in the District of Columbia. Other than the Anglo-American world, where else is protest criminalized to this extent? The answer isnt pretty: China, Cuba, Bangladesh, Belarus, the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, and other places with authoritarian regimes. These arent countries whose political culture most Americans would like to emulate. But some elites clearly disagree. Just as Donald Trump and Elon Musk think its legitimate (and even funny) to talk about firing striking workers, billionaire snowflakes who profit from the climate crisis want to punish anyone who threatens their complacency, or their ability to ravage our planet unimpeded. This isnt the image that most Americans have of our society. In states where teaching about racial oppression hasnt yet been banned, children still learn in school about the arrest of Rosa Parks, a civil rights heroine, in 1955 for refusing to give up her seat on the bus to a white man. Of course, many civil rights activists were brutally beaten and some even lost their lives, but in this widely taught and iconic incident, Parks spent a couple hours in jail and paid a fine of $14. Parks is honored with a statue in the U.S. Capitol, a symbol of how highly protesters are esteemed and venerated. Today, if a few billionaires didnt approve of her protest, things would undoubtedly have played out quite differently. Democrats have, over the past yearOK, admittedly eight yearsnattered on ad nauseam about saving our democracy from Donald Trump. But Rozendaal is facing this punishment in New York, a blue city in a blue state. And most of the elite college campuses where protesters were arrested this past year are run by liberals, as any right-wing news outlet will be happy to tell you. Democrats Save our democracy pitch might resonate more if liberals werent helping to turn our society into a dictatorship dedicated to protecting the delicate sensibilities of the ruling class. Maybe its good that Democrats have pivoted in their campaign pitch to The other guys are weird. That, at least, is indisputable. Rust director Joel Souza, in his first interview since the movies fatal shooting in 2021, has recalled the moment that a prop gun held by Alec Baldwin shot him and cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, and how he later came to the decision to finish the film. In a Vanity Fair article published online Thursday, Souza described the whole incident as bizarre, saying he remembered watching Baldwins 1990 spy thriller The Hunt for Red October as a kid and imagining himself now saying, Hey, that guysomeday When I tell someone it ruined me, I dont mean in the sense that people might generally think, he said of the shooting, which killed Hutchins. I dont mean that it put my career in ruins. I mean, internally, the person I was just went away. Director Joel Souza testifies in a trial against Hannah Gutierrez-Reed on March 1, 2024. via Associated Press Souza said he was positioned behind Hutchins on the films New Mexico set when there was an enormous bang and not the poof and a pop associated with the blanks commonly used in movies. A prop gun given to Baldwin had been loaded with live ammunition. A bullet passed through Hutchins chest and into Souzas shoulder, where it became lodged with the director saying it narrowly missing his spine and lung. Souza staggered backward, he said, and amid his disorientation and the panic around him, he saw Hutchins being lowered to sit down as blood seeped through her white shirt. They were both rushed to hospitals, with him in an ambulance and her in a helicopter. Members of the film community and others mourn the loss of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Anadolu via Getty Images At the hospital, the doctor was like, You have a bullet in you. And I was just like, What the hell are you talking about? Youre wrong, he said. I kept explaining that Id come from a movie set and its not possible for there to be a real bullet on a movie set. Its not allowed. You cant have it. This is the biggest sin you could ever commit on a movie set. Souza said he hadnt spoken out publicly about what happened before now because of his grief Hutchins was not only a colleague but a friend, he explained. He also didnt want to impact the criminal cases that followed. The films armorer who loaded the live ammunition, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was sentenced in April to 18 months in prison for involuntary manslaughter. Assistant director David Halls accepted a plea deal and was convicted of negligent use of a deadly weapon for failing to check the prop and declaring it safe before handing it to Baldwin, who had an involuntary manslaughter charge against him dismissed last month. Souza said he doesnt have a personal opinion on whether the dismissal was right or wrong, and said he has no relationship with Baldwin. Gutierrez-Reed, a former armorer for the movie "Rust," listens to closing arguments in her trial on March 6, 2024. Pool via Getty Images Following some initial hesitancy, production resumed on the film a year and a half after the shooting, and the movie was completed this past March, Souza said. He said he returned as director in part to help Hutchins family members; they reached a settlement with producers allowing them to collect a percentage of the films earnings. He also wanted to preserve Hutchins cinematography. If it was me that had gotten killed instead of heras it should have beenshe would do the same thing. She would push for my final work to be seen, he said. Much of the film was reshot some of the younger actors had to be replaced due to the amount of time that had passed, all gunfire was edited in digitally, and a scene in a church where the shooting occurred was completely cut from the movie. But Souza said he did his best to preserve Hutchins work. This aerial photo shows the Bonanza Creek Ranch that was used for the film "Rust." via Associated Press Asked about the criticisms and rumors that swirled around the productions low budget and safety standards immediately following the shooting, Souza dismissed much of them as misguided. On reports that the armorer was set to receive $7,900 for four weeks of work, Souza said to extrapolate that outthats over $100,000 a year. And a crew walkout on the day of the shooting only allowed for more time to prepare, he said. In that downtime, there was plenty of time for people to be doing things they needed to do, he said. There was plenty of time for the armorer to be checking through ammunition, to be loading the weapons. There was no rush that morning. He also said there was no evidence to back one rumor that crew members had been putting real ammunition in the prop guns to shoot bottles and cans for fun. As for when Rust could be released, Souza said there is no date yet as it hasnt been shopped to distributors. Read more at Vanity Fair. Related... Almost three months after Texas sparked a firestorm of criticism for a new curriculum heavily infused with Bible lessons, state education officials still wont say who authored the material or how much they were paid. And because of the pandemic, they say they dont have to. A state official told The 74 that the work an $84 million contract the state signed in March 2022 falls under a disaster declaration Gov. Greg Abbott issued to speed up delivery of masks, vaccines and other critical supplies during the height of the pandemic. That means the paper trail that typically follows people who contract with the state, including work and payment reports, doesnt exist in this case, the official said. Get stories like these delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter Some members of the state board of education, which will vote on the curriculum in November, are accusing education Commissioner Mike Morath and his staff of a lack of transparency. I did not get a lot of my questions answered when it came to who wrote the curriculum, said Evelyn Brooks, a Republican board member whose district includes the Fort Worth suburbs. Shes one of at least three members who asked officials at the Texas Education Agency for more details. Its hard and it shouldnt be. Someone knows this information. I did not get a lot of my questions answered when it came to who wrote the curriculum. Evelyn Brooks, Texas Board of Education Morath said the overhaul will bring classical education to over 2 million K-5 students in Texas. The model is designed to strengthen kids reading skills while also teaching them culture, art and history, including the Bibles influence. Interviewed in early May, the commissioner would only say that hundreds of people worked on the project. But that doesnt satisfy board members who say the curriculum borders on proselytizing and promotes a distinctly evangelical view of American history. Related Exclusive: Texas Seeks to Inject Bible Stories into Elementary School Reading A teachers guide for a third-grade lesson on ancient Rome, for example, devotes eight pages to the life and ministry of Jesus presenting many of the events as historical facts, scholars say. But the Islamic prophet Muhammad isnt named anywhere. A kindergarten lesson on Goldilocks and the Three Bears draws parallels to Jesuss Sermon on the Mount. And an art appreciation lesson walks 5-year-olds through the creation story from the Book of Genesis. Who are the people that sat down in this fancy room and said this is the knowledge that every Texas student should have? asked Staci Childs, a Democrat who represents the Houston area. She said she understands teaching the importance of religion in American history, but thinks the balance is off. I just dont think that its fair to have that many biblical references in the text in public schools across the state. The comments come a day before a Friday deadline for the public to submit feedback or suggest corrections to the curriculum. Who are the people that sat down in this fancy room and said this is the knowledge that every Texas student should have? Staci Childs, Texas Board of Education Texas wont force districts to use the materials, but is offering up to $60 per student a total of $540 million to any that adopt the program. Thats an incentive many are unlikely to turn down at a time school systems are projecting deficits and calling for tax increases to offset them. The controversy is occurring against the backdrop of GOP support for teaching the Bible in several states, including Texass neighbors. A new Louisiana law requires schools to hang the 10 Commandments in classrooms, while Oklahoma state Superintendent Ryan Walters is mandating that educators use the Bible for instruction. Related I Cant Wait to Be Sued: Louisiana Ten Commandments Law Not Just About Schools But no state has invested as much time and money as Texas in connecting its curriculum to Judeo-Christian messages. As The 74 first reported in May, Morath signed a contract for K-5 reading and K-12 math materials with the Boston-based Public Consulting Group. In turn, the organization subcontracted with curriculum writers and experts, including officials at the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation and Hillsdale College. At Hillsdale, Kathleen OToole, who leads work with charter schools affiliated with the Christian college, said her team only offered resources on a few units having to do with early American history. The college performed the work for free, she said. The Texas Public Policy Foundation declined to comment on its role. The contract Morath signed with the Public Consulting Group requires the company to submit monthly progress reports documenting all subcontractor payments. But when The 74 requested the documents in June under the states Public Information Act, Sherry Mansell, a coordinator in the general counsels office, said the state dropped the requirement because of the governors pandemic emergency order. The absence of those spending reports understandably could cause some confusion, Mansell wrote in an email. In a follow-up, she said the agency is ensuring we receive the goods and services as specified in our contract. The Public Consulting Group did not respond to phone calls or emails. When Mansell said no reports were available, The 74 asked an education agency spokesman to identify who wrote the new lessons and how much they were paid. He didnt respond until asked again Tuesday night. This time, he replied absolutely when asked if the public had a right to know the information and emailed a series of zip files containing over 100 pages of Public Consulting Group invoices for the past three years. None of them contained details about the religious lessons authorship. Reached again Wednesday, the spokesman declined to address the matter further. Hillsdale College, a conservative Christian college in Michigan, is among the groups that provided expertise on Texass proposed K-5 reading curriculum. (Chris duMond/Getty Images) Political considerations If board members are expected to approve the materials in November, Brooks said, they should know who wrote them. She isnt the only Republican on the board with reservations. Pat Hardy, a longtime GOP board member, said the state developed the new materials to placate the far-right wing of the party, which has pushed hard in recent years to expand Christianitys presence in public schools. Theyre going to appeal to the Christian nationalists with their Bible stories. Theyre just trying to gather votes, said Hardy, who lost in the primary to a candidate who accused her of not being conservative enough. Nonetheless, shell remain in office for the vote on the curriculum in November. The Republican members views could hold sway on a board where they retain 10 of the 15 seats. Morath needs at least eight members to vote yes on the proposed curriculum for it to pass. Other Republicans on the board were less outspoken. Tom Maynard, whose district includes Austin, said there are definite positives in the curriculum as well as some needed cleanup, but didnt offer specifics. Keven Ellis and L.J. Francis said they would save their comments until after a September meeting when the board will review the materials. Questions about who wrote the biblical lessons are especially salient when the curriculum is so shocking, Democratic Rep. James Talarico, a seminary student and former teacher, told The 74. Talarico has been critical of the materials minimal attention to other world religions. Texas Rep. James Talarico (left), a Democrat, asked questions about the proposed K-5 reading materials at a House education committee hearing on Monday, Aug. 12. (Committee on Public Education) At a House education committee hearing Monday, he grilled Morath about whether political considerations influenced the overhaul. Talarico specifically named Tim Dunn, vice chair of the board of the Texas Public Policy Foundation and an oil magnate who has donated millions of dollars to conservative candidates from Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump to voucher supporters running for the state legislature. Related Anti-ESA Republicans Fall in Texas Primaries, Setting Stage for School Choice Expansion Is the Texas Public Policy Foundation an expert in curriculum design? Talarico asked the commissioner. He also noted that the state unveiled the material four days after the Texas GOP adopted a platform calling for required Bible instruction in public schools. Are those two related? he asked. Morath dismissed the suggestion. The agency sought expertise from a pretty broad swath of individuals, he said. Those included experts in Texas history, which figures prominently in the curriculum. Lessons with engaging stories, including from ancient texts like the Bible, can improve students vocabulary and comprehension skills, he told the lawmakers. He shared data from Lubbock, one of the districts that piloted early versions of the curriculum, where the percentage of third graders meeting expectations increased from 36% in 2019 to 47% this year. Texas education Commissioner Mike Morath says a new K-5 reading curriculum would improve student performance, but some state board members are concerned about who wrote the biblical lessons. (Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle/Getty Images) But Talarico questioned whether teachers are adequately trained to respond to students questions about religious topics raised in the curriculum like the Resurrection of Jesus and the Eucharist. When youre talking about faith and youre talking about theology, youre working with fire, he said. These are serious topics. To me, this seems not only reckless, it seems that it could do great harm to students, whether theyre Christian or not. Related New Curriculum Sparks Texas-Sized Controversy Over Christianity in the Classroom Republicans on the committee said their constituents have been craving such lessons. Rep. Matt Schaefer rejected Talaricos concerns that students of other faiths might feel left out. Other major world religions, like Islam and Hinduism, he said, did not have an equal impact on the founding belief systems of our country. Biblical experts who have analyzed the new lessons, however, find inaccuracies and say some of the material is misleading. The Texas Freedom Network, which describes itself as a watchdog for monitoring far-right issues, released an analysis of the curriculum Thursday, saying several lessons give students a distorted view of history. The authors of the curriculum smuggled in lengthy passages on Christianity when a sentence or two would have been sufficient, David R. Brockman, a religious studies scholar at Rice University and the reports lead author, said in an interview. He pointed, for example, to a reading from the Book of Matthew on the Last Supper as part of a fifth grade study of Leonardo da Vincis painting. I really wanted to keep an open mind, he said, adding that the emphasis on the Bible makes sense when teaching students about Western civilization, but doesnt help them learn to live in a diverse society. Are they looking purely backward or are they looking forward? Texas students are not going to be living in 1787. Mark Chancey, a religious studies professor at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, said he submitted over 80 comments to the state. Some focus on a second grade lesson about Queen Esther, which talks about her faith in God, prayer and protecting the Jewish peoples freedom to worship. The curriculum authors edited biblical material to their liking to make it more religious, he said. The Book of Esther never mentions God, prayer or worship not even once. His analysis of at least four other lessons that include Bible verses showed the authors exclusively relied on the New International Version of the text, a 1978 work he called a distinctively evangelical translation that was made by evangelical scholars for evangelical Christians. A spokesman for the education agency did not address specific criticisms but said officials would examine potential inaccuracies revealed in the comments. Will it teach students to read? Pam Little, another Republican board member, said her constituents are split about 50-50 over the significance of the biblical material. Some conservative parents, she said, are upset because they dont feel like public schools are the place to teach Christianity. Will it teach students to read? For some reason, we seem to be having problems in Texas with that. Pam Little, Texas Board of Education But others, she said, are more concerned with whether the lessons will improve student performance. This years elementary test scores show theres still a long way to go. The results were mixed, with declines in third and fifth grade and an increase in fourth. The real question is Will it teach students to read? Little said. For some reason, we seem to be having problems in Texas with that. The News New York City Mayor Eric Adams is cheering Kamala Harris for touting her law enforcement background despite progressives past resistance to tough-on-crime messaging. The Democratic Party has a tendency to run away from public safety, but it is a very attractive criterion and is a very attractive part of your resume, Adams, whose own successful 2021 run played deftly on his life as a crime-fighter with deep ties to Black New Yorkers, told Semafor. I think that shes really using that as front and center, and thats really, really impressive. Harris built her career in California as a smart on crime prosecutor who sometimes positioned herself to the right of other Democrats on issues of law enforcement. But during her 2020 presidential bid, and amid nationwide protests against police brutality, Harris downplayed that reputation and took positions intended to win her friends on the left, praising demonstrations aimed at defunding the police, or at least shifting funding toward other services. This whole movement is about rightly saying we need to take a look at these budgets and figure out whether it reflects the right priorities, she said on a New York radio show. Adams thinks that was a mistake. She did run away, he said. I dont think she should have moved away from it. I think that now you see, shes leaning into it. Harris and Adams are both Black former law enforcement officers: The vice president was district attorney of Alameda County in California and of San Francisco before serving as the states attorney general and senator. Adams is a retired police officer with more than two decades of service before his mayoralty. Kadias view Despite Adams depiction of her top-cop posture as focused on public safety, Harris prosecutorial rhetoric is more directed at Donald Trump these days. 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. So hear me when I say, I know Donald Trumps type, she told staff soon after taking the reins of what was President Joe Bidens reelection campaign. Lately, shes also homed in on her efforts to target banks during the wave of foreclosures that hit homeowners more than a decade ago. But we have yet to see her talk about public safety in the same terms as Adams, who last year broke so sharply with Biden that he got dropped from the presidents 2024 advisory board, as Axios reported at the time. So its most helpful to view Adams plaudits for Harris in the context of the past chasm between him and Biden, which focused on the presidents handling of migration across the southern border that left New York and other cities severely overtaxed. Room for Disagreement Harris recently released an ad that cites her prosecutorial experience in plugging her support for Bidens bipartisan Senate border deal a proposal that Trump encouraged the GOP to kill. That suggests her law enforcement background might play an even bigger role in her pitch going forward, as Adams suggested. And while Adams campaigned on vows to curb crime, hes familiar with the political balance between public safety and equitable policing that Harris tried to strike in 2020. Back in the mid-1990s, as a police officer, he helped found a group called 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care that focused on addressing tensions between Black New Yorkers and law enforcement over alleged misconduct. But Harris might not want to take too many political cues from the New York City mayor given his own political struggles. Adams approval rating sank to 28 percent in a poll released in December, and in April the Manhattan Institute found just 16 percent of likely voters in the city would support his reelection. Notable Axios has more on Harris border ad that cites her past as a prosecutor. The Boston Globe dug more deeply into Harris role as she and other state attorneys general conducted high-profile settlement talks with banks back in 2011. For nearly a decade and a half, New Yorkers have awaited the arrival of a self-filtering, cross-shaped pool floating in the citys East River after the proposal was partially crowdfunded and eventually approved by the city. Now the futuristic design has an official home. Last week, Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams announced that the summertime facility, called + POOL, will be built at Pier 35, near Manhattans Lower East Side though swimmers may need to wait until summer 2026 for opening day. The pools filtration system, which is expected to clean more than a million gallons of river water daily without the use of chemicals or additives, per a project press release, will undergo two rounds of testing. The first will begin this month on a floating barge in the waters close to Pier 35; next year, a portion of the open-air pool will be built to carry out the final tests. This past January, Governor Hochul announced a major breakthrough for the project by way of $16 million in joint city and state funding, part of a statewide $150 million initiative called NY SWIMS. Mayor Adams said in a press statement that + POOL will help expand equitable access to swimming for all New Yorkers, especially our children. The city of more than 8.3 million people only maintains around 50 public pools deep enough to swim in, according to New York City Council data from 2022, creating long lines during summers amid longer and more intense heat waves. + POOL's design can be configured multiple ways, hosting up to 300 swimmers at a time. - + POOL rendering. Designed by Family New York & Playlab, Inc. Image by Family New York Originally a collaboration between four designers from creative studio PlayLab and the now-defunct firm Family, + POOL was conceived as an ambitious and eye-catching way to open the citys waterways for public use. Once built, the 9,000-square-foot cross-shaped pool will be able to accommodate up to 300 swimmers at a time and can be divided into four sections for activities such as childrens swimming, lounging, laps and sports. The design can also be configured lengthwise to offer Olympic-sized lanes, or the four arms of the cross can be connected into a single large pool. Layers of filtration membranes will not only make the water safe for swimming but will clean the surrounding river, too, according to Friends of + POOL, the nonprofit organization that the designers co-founded in 2015 as they expanded their team and appointed new board members. Keeping community focus The pool was the first civic architecture proposal to launch through Kickstarter, according to the project, which raised over $300,000 through the crowdfunding site between 2011 and 2014 to fund testing. An early estimate in 2011 put the total cost of the project at $21 million, though Kara Meyer, managing director of Friends of + POOL, told CNN over email that this figure has since increased to around $50 million, with a more detailed cost estimate still to come. One of the most beautiful things about this project is that it has truly been community-driven, Meyer said. We kickstarted the project with thousands of small donations and the nonprofit continues to raise small-level funds from a vast array of community members that want access to their rivers and believe in the work we are doing around water safety education and water stewardship. A rendering of +POOL at its newly revealed location by Pier 35 on Manhattan's Lower East Side. - + POOL rendering at Pier 35. Designed by Family New York & Playlab, Inc. Image by Luxigon But the initiative faced criticism from one of its creators earlier in the year. Following Governor Hochuls announcement in January, one of the four co-founders, Dong-Ping Wong, wrote an Instagram post expressing various concerns, including a lack of diversity on the + POOL board. While he welcomed the $16 million funding as a huge and commendable commitment from the City and State, he questioned whether the public facility would properly serve the nearby Chinatown community, the majority of whom are people of color and lower income, he explained. Following last weeks announcement, Wong told CNN in an email that he has been replaced on the project by other architects. Meyer refuted the claim he had been frozen out, telling CNN the project had evolved beyond the design stage, which Wong had focused on, to encompass engineering, programming and advocacy work. From the organizations perspective, up until he declared publicly he was not, he was always a key part of the project, said Meyer. Wongs name still appears on the +POOL website. Meyer added that four of the nonprofits 10 board members identify as women and people of color, and pointed to the organizations community partnerships, including free swim lessons for local schoolchildren and workforce programs for residents, who she said will be trained for roles in lifeguarding, filtration system maintenance and water-quality testing, among others. Considering the horrific history of racial discrimination that has impacted Americas public pools, our commitment to accountability to the community and providing access where its lacking guides all of our decisions with the communities we serve, she said. Though New Yorkers should see the pool taking shape off of Pier 35 as testing finishes up next year, an exact timeline for its completion is yet to be announced. By helping filter a historically polluted river, organizers hope the project will offer new frameworks for the city to make use of its rivers in creative ways. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Lawmakers in New Yorks Nassau County enacted the nations first ban on wearing face masks in public on Wednesday. The Mask Transparency Act, which was signed into law by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, makes it illegal for people to wear face masks for the purposes of concealing an individuals identity in public places, WABC-TV in New York City reported. Those who violate the law could face a fine of $1,000, up to a year in jail, or both. The law was proposed in response to antisemitic incidents, often perpetrated by those in masks following Hamas surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7, which prompted Israel to launch an ongoing attack on Palestinians in Gaza, ABC News reported. The ban, which takes effect in the Long Island county immediately, is aimed at those who intend to commit crimes while hiding their face, and Nassau police will make the determination on intent, Blakeman said, according to NBC News. Were not looking to lock up innocent people, Blakeman said at a news conference. [Police] can sniff out somebody whos lying in most circumstances. And this gives them the ability to stop them and ask them, What are you doing? But the ban has drawn criticism from lawmakers and rights groups, such as the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU), who worry that the law will result in the persecution of people trying to protect themselves and others against the surge of COVID-19 cases and who see the ban as a means of clamping down on protesters who want to hide their identities. NYCLUs Beth Haroules told NBC News that the law targets political protesters who have a right to their anonymity and that the ban will result in selective police enforcement. The truth is, a mask ban wont do anything to stop crime. In reality, it will just push disabled people further into the margins, target protestors with controversial views, and give police new reason to unfairly stop Black, Brown, and Muslim people who are already disparately surveilled and policed, the NYCLU wrote in a statement. The law has a few exceptions, stating that it does not apply to facial coverings worn for medical or religious reasons. But some say that the exceptions are too vague and raise concerns about who would be in violation of the law for wearing a mask. I know that there are some vague exceptions for medical conditions, but I dont know if I fit under that or not, so I think it would be somewhat better not to have that, Lisa Dresner, a teacher who wears a mask, told NBC News. In a post on the X social media site, former New York state Rep. Yuh-Line Niou described the law as wild and thoughtless. I dont know what people are thinkingbut it isnt about each other, she wrote about the ban. New York state Sen. Iwen Chu posted a statement on X last week saying that the ban could result in a rise of anti-Asian hate since mask wearing is a common practice in many Asian cultures. I am concerned about the possibility of bias and hate crimes stemming from this new mask prohibition legislation, she wrote in the statement. Legislation like this may lead to anti-Asian hate and discrimination towards [those who wear masks] due to health, culture, religious reasons. The ban comes months after New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said she would ban masks on subways in order to address issues of people hiding their faces while committing antisemitic hate crimes. North Carolina has passed legislation to restrict the wearing of masks. Related... A controversial ban on wearing face coverings in public spaces was enacted Wednesday in New York's suburban Nassau County, a move quickly criticized by civil rights advocates and state officials as violating free speech rights. During a news conference early Wednesday, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman signed the ban, the first of its kind in the U.S., which criminalizes the wearing of face masks to hide identities in public spaces except in cases of medical, religious or cultural purposes. Supporters of the ban have called it a public safety measure, targeting people who commit crimes while wearing a mask to hide their identity. Those who violate the law face a misdemeanor that can be punished with up to one year in prison and a $1,000 fine. "This is a broad public safety measure," Blakeman said at Wednesday's news conference. "What we've seen is people using masks to shoplift, to carjack, to rob banks, and this is activity that we want to stop." But civil rights advocates and state officials said the law infringes on free speech rights and expressed concerns over potential consequences of the ban, including safety risks for protesters and health risks for local communities. "Masks protect people who express political opinions that are controversial. Officials should be supporting New Yorkers' right to voice their views, not fueling widespread doxxing and threatening arrests," Susan Gottehrer, Nassau County regional director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, said in a statement. "Masks also protect peoples health, especially at a time of rising COVID rates, and make it possible for people with elevated risk to participate in public life," Gottehrer added. "We should be helping people make the right choice for themselves and their loved ones not letting the government exile vulnerable people from society." What is the Mask Transparency Act? The Mask Transparency Act was approved earlier this month by the Republican-controlled Nassau County with all 12 Republicans in the county legislature voting in its favor and seven Democrats abstaining. Republican legislator Mazi Melesa Pilip introduced the bill after concerns grew over alleged antisemitic incidents committed at protests across the country. The U.S. saw months of protests against the Israel-Hamas war, including a wave of demonstrations across college campuses that sparked widespread scrutiny over police response. The country has also seen a spike in hate crimes including Islamophobia, anti-Muslim, and antisemitic incidents since the start of the war last year. Lawmakers in Nassau County have said the measure aims to prevent protesters who engage in alleged violence and antisemitism from hiding their identity, according to Reuters. "This legislature finds that masks and facial coverings that are not worn for health and safety concerns or for religious or celebratory purposes are often used as a predicate to harassing, menacing or criminal behavior," the bill states. The bill allows law enforcement to enforce the removal of face coverings during traffic stops or "when the officer has reasonable suspicion of criminal activity and/or intention to partake in criminal activity." Stories of justice and action across America. Sign up for USA TODAY's This is America newsletter. Mask ban faces backlash from civil rights advocates, state officials The New York Civil Liberties Union said the ban is an attack on free speech and called the ban's exceptions "inadequate." The civil rights organization added that mask bans have been recently used nationwide to target pro-Palestinian protesters. "Masks protect people who express political opinions that are unpopular. Making anonymous protest illegal chills political action and is ripe for selective enforcement," Gottehrer said in a statement earlier this month. After Nassau County legislators approved the mask ban on Aug. 5, other civil rights groups and state officials also pushed back on the law. The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the law, saying it "paves the way for political censorship." Earlier this month, New York state Sen. Iwen Chu posted a statement on X and argued that the ban "may lead to anti-Asian hate and discrimination" against those who wear masks for health, cultural and religious reasons. "Wearing masks is also a common practice in many Asian cultures, especially in the aftermath of health crises such as SARS and COVID-19," Chu said. "Many Asians over the world have adopted this mask culture and sense of public safety as a societal responsibility to prevent health crises from spreading." Gottehrer also noted that the ban puts residents' health at risk, adding that there has been an uptick in COVID-19 cases across Long Island over the summer. "With COVID-19 on the rise across Long Island, face coverings are critical to protecting the health of an individual, their family, and their community," Gottehrer said. "Nassau County police officers are not health professionals or religious experts capable of deciding who needs a mask and who doesnt." Contributing: Alexandra Rivera, Rockland/Westchester Journal News; Reuters This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New York county mask ban sparks backlash from civil rights advocates NEW YORK (PIX11) A rallying cry for New York Democrats in West Harlem Wednesday night. About 200 people packed into an event on West 135th Street billed as the New York City Kickoff to Elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. The Harlem to the Heights Campaign Committee paid for it. More Local News Top Democratic leaders addressed the crowd, which included union members, local voters and Democratic Party delegates. Speakers included New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, Mayor Eric Adams and Congressman Adriano Espaillat. From people not wanting to go to the convention to people trying to get tickets to get into the convention. I had a we were on a call the other night, and they said tickets are like, people are selling the tickets on the black market or up to $5,000 for the convention, Serena Grey, a delegate from Staten Island, told PIX.11 News Shes thrilled with the momentum of the Harris-Walz ticket. Grey said. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators lined the outside of the venue. At least three demonstrators made their way inside the event. One was escorted out as he yelled at Adams. Adams responded from the podium, Make sure you vote, make sure you vote, tell him to vote! Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. Kathy Westphal spent more than 40 years creating foods eaten around the world, crafting everything from slushee drinks to calorie-rich meals designed to treat acute malnutrition in developing nations. Yet shes best known for her first project after graduating from UC Davis in 1982, a frozen treat that spread from Disney parks to the rest of the United States. At just 24, Westphal invented Dole Whip in the companys San Jose laboratory. The dairy-free pineapple soft serve (other flavors such as raspberry, lime and mango came later) started out at Disney Worlds Magic Kingdom in 1984 and became a universally beloved fixture at the companys California and Florida theme parks before landing in grocery stores last year. Disney adults and children alike devoured Dole Whip at the amusement parks, giving it a cult following that inspired countless imitators before Dole began selling the fruity concoction at large. Carmichael cafe Natures Goodness tops their housemade oat milk soft serve with a dollop of Dole Whip, while Old Sacramentos Boxcar Eats serves three flavors to heat-stricken tourists. It was designed to be this refreshing true fruit. Not a candy flavor, just a real refreshing, juicy, sweet-tart (dessert), said Westphal, now semi-retired in Atascadero. Vanilla ice cream is nowhere near as refreshing as something cold and fruity. A year prior to inventing Dole Whip, Westphal (then Kathy Smith) was a food science major making mint ice cream with UC Davis food tech club, the only club member of legal age to buy the necessary creme de menthe. The ice creams were mostly for fun, but the students used the food science departments pilot plant, and Westphal got good at making frozen desserts. Dole awarded her a scholarship during her senior year, then hired her upon graduation. UC Davis graduate Kathy Westphal, who invented Dole Whip in the 1980s, visits a Froyo location in San Luis Obispo in July, where they sell the product as Dole Soft Serve Pineapple. The Dole Whip brand is used at Disney properties. Westphals first project was to create a fruit-forward, just-add-water soft serve mix that didnt require refrigeration. It was the kind of task the company might have otherwise assigned to an intern, she said. After much trial and error, Westphal landed on the formula. Dole employees then took 46-pound cubes of her pineapple juice concentrate to a facility that reduced it to juice crystals, then shipped those to a Chicago company to mix with sugar, binding gums and coloring. The mixture was placed in secure pouches and shipped to Disney World, where employees combined it with water in giant buckets and poured the resulting solution into soft serve machines. Thats still the way its done today, Westphal said. Westphal went on to work for Venezia Italian Foods before spending the final 30 years of her career at Mattson, a food and beverage consulting company based in the San Francisco Peninsula. She didnt realize that Doles Rodney Dangerfield of desserts, an internal nickname for the lack of respect management gave it at the time, was a national phenomenon until about a decade ago. Even 15-20 years ago, most people she told about her creation didnt know what it was, she said. Todays version of Dole Whip has more artificial ingredients but tastes mostly the same, if bit icier and faster-melting, Westphal said. No other dessert would do for her retirement party last summer. I just think its really cool that its kind of a thing now, Westphal said. Of all the things Ive worked on, its surprising that thats the one that lasted ... and it seemed to become popular later in its life. What Im Eating Rejoice, downtown Sacramento workers: an excellent new breakfast-and-lunch spot has emerged on the ground floor of affordable housing development 7th & H Apartments. Little Morocco Cafe, opened by Moroccan immigrant Jamaleddine Kabbaj in February, celebrates the North African nations cuisine with trademark touches of warm hospitality. The halal restaurant (menu boards are designed to look like Islamic arches) doubles as a caffeine bar, where a small espresso corner plays second fiddle to cups of mint-infused green tea poured from ornate silver kettles. Couscous is a Friday-only special, along with mahi mahi in spiced cream sauce, but tagines and kebabs are available throughout the week along with Moroccan-influenced salads and sandwiches. That tea pairs great as a breakfast pick-me-up with baghrir ($4.50), a trio of miniature pancakes soaked in honey and butter. Made with semolina flour, theyre left unflipped in the pan to fill with spongy air bubbles. Dates and harissa-tossed chickpeas add some flair to Little Morocco Cafes green and quinoa salads. The Marrakech chicken sandwich ($11) is an unassuming gem served with krinkle-cut fries: lemon-marinated shredded chicken, salty green olives and a touch of heat meld beautifully together on the chewy baguette. France has buf bourguignon, Mexico has birria and Morocco has tangia ($17), the name of both the beef dish and the clay pot in which its cooked. Two slow-cooked hunks of tender, stringy beef were bathed in a delicious yellow sauce made with preserved lemon, saffron and cumin. Little Morocco Cafe Address: 716 7th St., Sacramento. Hours: 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday. Phone: (916) 246-0009 Website: https://www.littlemorocafe.com/ Drinks: Tea is the house drink, but theres a coffee bar as well, and refreshing mint and strawberry lemonades for the summertime heat. Vegetarian options: All breakfast items and salads are meatless, but only the Berber veggie delight sandwich (grilled eggplant, zucchini, red bell peppers and harissa aioli on a baguette) and Friday couscous among the heartier items. Noise level: Quiet. Outdoor seating: None. Openings & Closings Saffron, a sit-down kebab house with Persian and Afghan influences, opened Aug. 2 at 1392 E. Main St., Suite B in Woodland. Look for items such as kalubi pulao (slow-cooked basmati rice pilaf with lamb, raisins and carrots) or grain bowls with koobideh kebab meat. Pier 50 Sushi Bar opened Monday at 330 Palladio Parkway, Suite 2045 in Folsoms Palladio shopping center. Its the second location (an Arden Arcade iteration opened in March) for the all-you-can-eat Japanese concept owned by Fukumi Restaurant Group. Nash + Tender just opened at 8451 Elk Grove Blvd., Suite 10 in Elk Groves Laguna 99 Plaza. Armando Rodriguezs halal hot chicken joint not to be confused with Nash & Proper has preexisting locations in Stockton and Lodi, plus a former location in Folsom that closed last year. A group of teenagers checking their cellphones. (Courtesy of SDI Productions via Getty Images) Virginia is moving closer to restricting cell phone use in schools after the Virginia Department of Education published a draft of its cell phone-free guidelines on Thursday after a series of public input events. The draft defines cell phone-free education as bell-to-bell, meaning phones should be turned off and stored away from the first school bell until dismissal. This includes lunchtime and breaks between class periods. On July 9, Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued Executive Order 33, directing his administration to create guidelines to limit students time in front of addictive cell phones and eliminate clear distractions in the classroom. The education department said over 600 community members, parents, teachers and school officials attended public events to provide input on the guidelines as well as other community events to understand concerns about cell phones and personal electronic devices. The extensive input we received from Virginians was clear and direct, said Superintendent of Public Instruction Lisa Coons. They asked for cell phones and personal electronic communication devices to be removed from our childrens public schools during the school day at every level elementary, middle and high school. By refocusing our students attention back into learning and away from their phones and social media, all our children will have a better opportunity to learn and succeed academically. Studies have shown that students use cell phones to browse the internet and social media apps, and message people during instructional time. Students have also used the devices to record events at schools and post them on various platforms. The draft guidance includes age-appropriate cell phone restrictions in Virginias elementary and secondary public schools. According to the draft, if a parent determines an elementary student needs to bring a cell phone or personal electronic communication device to school, it must be stored, off, and away from the student during the school day. Students should not use cell phones in the school building or on the school grounds before or after school. In middle and high school, students should not have a readily available cell phone or personal electronic communication device during the bell-to-bell school day. Middle schools should establish local policies that determine cell phone and personal electronic communication device use within the school building or on school grounds outside of bell-to-bell, including before and after school. Cell phones and personal electronic communication devices may be used on a high school campus before or after school. Exemptions will be permitted for students with disabilities and EL students with a documented language barrier. Feedback on the draft guidelines closes Sept. 15. School boards must adopt the final guidance by Jan. 1. Some of Virginias school boards have already banned or restricted cell phone use in schools. Gov. Glenn Youngkin announces an initiative to support formerly incarcerated people as they re-enter society in Richmond on Aug. 15, 2024. Charlotte Rene Woods / Virginia Mercury Gov. Glenn Youngkin formally announced a cross-agency strategy to support formerly incarcerated people after their release. Executive Order 36 directs several state departments to coordinate with each other on data sharing and programming and to bolster partnerships with organizations for programming. Theres no magic wand, Youngkin said of a single method to improve post-incarceration experiences. Its a comprehensive collection of initiatives and relationships. He was joined by cabinet members, his wife Suzanne, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, Attorney General Jason Miyares and formerly incarcerated people who shared stories of getting back on their feet. The goal, they said of the initiative, is to help people become less likely to commit a crime and instead find success in the workplace and their home lives. Youngkin said that when people who have been released from jail or prison end up back in prison, it reminds us that we must do better. Youngkin said the initiative can help people with employment, healthcare access, mental health resources and substance abuse treatment, and appropriate supervision levels. Measures also include implementing a statewide partnership between the Department of Corrections and Virgnias Community College System and exploring increased opportunities to utilize Pell Grants for people behind bars to earn degrees. The expansion of access to Virginias Community Colleges and intentional efforts to stimulate workforce readiness are hallmarks of striving to build systems of restorative justice, Rev. Linwood Blizzard said in a statement. The reverend is a board member with the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, which has praised government efforts to support incarcerated people and their families. While calling Youngkins re-entry strategy a good first step, Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, criticized the governor for rescinding previous administrations automatic restoration of voting rights. Around the time Youngkin said his administration began testing out the efforts outlined in the new executive order April 2023 hed also adjusted the restoration of rights process. Once an automatic process upon completing a sentence, people now must apply with little knowledge of criteria for being granted or denied. Restoration numbers have dropped during Youngkins tenure compared to three previous governors that had streamlined the process. His administration has also pushed back over laws to expand earned sentence tax credits, which incarcerated people can earn through good behavior and completing programs to shorten their time behind bars. The states new budget allowed the credits to be fully implemented. The states supreme court also ruled in favor of a man whod served longer time despite earning credits. The Supreme Court this past year was very clear on the current sentence credits, and so were fully complying, Youngkin said Thursday. In the meantime, he reported that efforts already underway from his initiative have helped 3,000 formerly incarcerated people find work and helped 7,000 people get health insurance. MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) The Young Womens Leadership Academy, partnered with ExxonMobil, opened its newly revamped learning space and greenhouse. The project aimed to transform the area into a thriving educational hub dedicated to water conservation, native plant cultivation, and outdoor learning. Midland ISD said key features of the revamped space include: The rehabilitation of cisterns to capture rainwater, along with the renovation of the greenhouse into a functional classroom/lab, creates a sustainable ecosystem. The addition of benches and the optimization of existing structures provides ample space for learning and hands-on exploration of native plants. The project also fosters a sense of community through planned volunteer workdays involving students, families, Exxon employees, and members of the Southside communities. We are excited to unveil this enhanced space that aligns perfectly with our educational goals, said YWLA Principal Laura Doughty. This project not only promotes environmental stewardship, but also creates a dynamic outdoor learning environment for our students. We are honored to inherit the space and continue the work of those who came before us at Booker T. Washington and grateful to ExxonMobil for having the vision and providing us the funding to help us build upon the work started by PTOs of the past. RELATED: Local organizations partner with non-profit to launch NASA grant for STEM Space Education Initiative We are thrilled to support the renovation of the YWLA Outdoor Education space, said Keith Underwood, Midland Production Manager at ExxonMobil. This project aligns with our commitment to fostering educational opportunities and environmental stewardship in our community. We believe that providing students with a dynamic and engaging outdoor learning environment will inspire the next generation of leaders and innovators. Congratulations to everyone involved in making this vision a reality. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin. WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) A New Zealand charity working with homeless people in Auckland unknowingly distributed candies filled with a potentially lethal dose of methamphetamine in its food parcels after the sweets were donated by a member of the public. Auckland City Mission said Wednesday that staff had started to contact up to 400 people to track down parcels that could contain the sweets, which were solid blocks of methamphetamine enclosed in candy wrappers. Three people were treated in hospital after consuming them, but were later discharged, authorities said. The amount of methamphetamine in each candy was up to 300 times the level someone would usually take and could be lethal, according to the New Zealand Drug Foundation, which is a drug checking and policy organization that first tested the candies. Disney argues wrongful death suit should be tossed because of Disney+ trial Ben Birks Ang, a Foundation spokesperson, said disguising drugs as innocuous goods is a common cross-border smuggling technique and more of the candies might have been distributed throughout New Zealand. The sweets had a street value of NZ$1,000 ($608) per candy, which suggested the donation by an unknown member of the public was accidental rather than a deliberate attack, Birks Ang said. The authorities initial perceptions were that the episode was likely an importation scheme gone awry, Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin said, but the nature and scale of the operation was unknown. Officers had recovered 29 of the candies, but did not know how many were circulating, he said Thursday. Police were investigating reports that someone had attempted to sell one of the sweets online, he added. The City Missioner, Helen Robinson, said eight families, including at least one child, had reported consuming the contaminated candies since Tuesday. The revolting taste led most to immediately spit them out, she said. The charitys food bank accepts only donations of commercially produced food in sealed packaging, Robinson said. The pineapple candies, stamped with the label of Malaysian brand Rinda, appeared as such when they were donated, arriving in a retail-sized bag, she added. Ohio family reaches $7M settlement in fatal police shooting of Casey Goodson Jr. Auckland City Mission was alerted Tuesday by a food bank client who reported funny-tasting candy. Staff tasted some of the remaining candies and immediately contacted authorities. One staff member was taken to hospital after sampling the sweet, Baldwin said, adding that a child and a young person were also treated in hospital before being discharged. The candies had been donated sometime in the past six weeks, Robinson said. It was not clear how many had been distributed in that time and how many were made of methamphetamine. Rinda said in a written statement that the company learned through New Zealand news reports that its candies may have been misused and would cooperate with authorities. We want to make it clear that Rinda Food Industries does not use or condone the use of any illegal drugs in our products, General Manager Steven Teh said. Methamphetamine is a powerful, highly addictive stimulant that affects the central nervous system. It takes the form of a white, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder that easily dissolves in water or alcohol. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. President Volodymyr Zelensky submitted on Aug. 15 a package of bills to Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, to ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Ukraine signed the Rome Statute in 2000 but has not ratified it since then. In 2015, Ukraine declared the necessity of ratification through a decision made by the National Security and Defense Council. Following the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Ukrainian authorities considered ratifying the Rome Statute, but only after the end of the war. One of the draft laws stipulates that Ukraine will ratify the provisions of the Rome Statute, which will mean the country's full accession to the International Criminal Court. Yet, the draft law includes a clause saying that Ukraine does not recognize the International Criminal Court's jurisdiction over its citizens for crimes under Article 8 of the Rome Statute. The Ukrainian government has not yet commented on how this provision will be applied. But Ukraine has already allowed the ICC to investigate crimes committed on its territory, which de facto recognizes the body's jurisdiction. The Rome Statute is the first international criminal law that recognizes forms of sexual violence like rape, sexual slavery, and enforced sterilization as distinct war crimes. The document has been ratified by 124 states. China, India, Belarus, Turkey, and Kazakhstan were among the states that did not sign the statute. Like the United States, Russia signed the statute but later withdrew its signature. On March 17, 2023, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Russian Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights Maria Lvova-Belova, as the Russian official allegedly overseeing the forced deportations of at least tens of thousands of Ukrainian children to Russia and Russian-occupied territories. The ICC asserts that there are "reasonable grounds to believe" that Putin holds direct accountability for supervising the deportations and that he neglected to exert authority over Russian soldiers and civilians executing the crime across occupied Ukrainian regions from the onset of Russia's all-out war against Ukraine. Read also: Breaking: International Criminal Court issues arrest warrants for Russias Shoigu, Gerasimov Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, pictured at a press conference at the Ukraine Conference. Kay Nietfeld/dpa Ukrainian troops have taken control of the small Russian town of Sudzha and will establish a military command office there, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday. The office will oversee the maintenance of law and order and cater to the basic needs of the local Russian population, Zelensky said following a meeting with Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. Sudzha only had a pre-war population of around 5,000 people. But it is the administrative centre of a border district in Russia's Kursk region, making its fall to Ukraine an embarrassing defeat for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelensky, in a video message posted on social media, said more than 80 other settlements had been captured and that Ukraine's 10-day-old cross-border incursion continued to advance deeper into Russia. About 1,150 square kilometres of Russian territory is now under Ukrainian control, Kiev said. Moscow announces more troop reinforcements Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov announced more reinforcements in troops and materiel for the Kursk, Belgorod and Bryansk regions on the border with Ukraine. "In the first instance, this is about improving the efficiency of the troop management system in cooperation with the security authorities," Belousov said during a meeting on protecting the border region with the focus on Belgorod, located next to Kursk. He said he would personally monitor the plan's implementation. The aim was better coordination between the Defence Ministry, the domestic Federal Security Service (FSB), the national guard and other security organizations, he said. Russia evacuates wider areas of Kursk Russian authorities ordered the evacuation of another district in the embattled Kursk region, according to acting Governor Alexei Smirnov. People in the Glushkovsky district are to be brought to safety, he said in a post late on Wednesday. The district, about 10 kilometres from the Ukrainian border, had more than 17,500 registered inhabitants before the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The Russian governor reported in the morning that there was an air-raid alert in the Kursk area again due to the threat of missile attacks from the Ukrainian side. Smirnov urged people in other regions with air alerts to seek safety in shelters or rooms without windows. More than 120,000 people have been brought to safety in Kursk, according to Smirnov. Russia has declared its border regions of Kursk, Belgorod and Bryansk as zones for anti-terrorism operations so the army can deploy more personnel and resources. In the Belgorod region, Moscow raised the state of emergency to a national emergency, similar to what it did in Kursk. Fierce fighting in battle for Kursk In parts of the Kursk region, there are reportedly heavy clashes between Moscow's and Kiev's armies, according to Russian military bloggers, after Ukraine launched a ground offensive on Russian territory last week as it seeks to repel Russian forces. About 12,000 Ukrainian soldiers, including mercenaries, are said to have infiltrated the area, according to Russian military reports unconfirmed by Kiev. Zelensky says Ukraine aims to put pressure on Russia in order to halt the fighting and start peace negotiations. Meanwhile Moscow reported the capture of more settlements in the Ukrainian region of Donetsk as Russia seeks to overpower the eastern area. Lukashenko calls for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has once again called for negotiations in light of the Ukrainian offensive in the Russian border region of Kursk. "We should sit down at the negotiating table and end this dispute. Neither the Ukrainians nor the Russians nor the Belarusians need it," Lukashenko said in an interview with Russian state television channel Rossiya, the Belarusian news agency BelTA reported on Thursday. Belarus is an ally of Russia and supports Moscow in its war against Ukraine. At the beginning of the war, the country made its territory available to Russian troops to invade northern Ukraine. At the same time, the authoritarian Lukashenko has repeatedly offered his services as a mediator for peace talks. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asked the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) to meet and adopt a "defence legislative package for Ukraine", which will include the issue of determining the status of the Ukrainian military in Kursk Oblast and others. Source: Zelenskyy's address on Telegram Quote: "In August, some legal positions of our state need to be strengthened. It is time to adopt important legislative things a defence legislative package for Ukraine. These are decisions that will help Ukrainian soldiers, the entirety of Ukrainian society, and our state institutions. First. We must clearly guarantee at the legislative level that our soldiers, who are taking part in the Kursk operation, for example, and will take part in all our other actions on the territory of the aggressor state [Russia ed.], will receive absolutely all the payments and preferences that are provided for the front line. And this should be done by law so that all our people have confidence that the state will work as it should. Second. Every warrior who defends the Ukrainian state, protects our people and defends our independence deserves recognition and maximum support. This applies, in particular, to those of our soldiers - Ukrainian legionnaires - who currently hold citizenship of other countries but not yet of Ukraine. They deserve to be our citizens, citizens of Ukraine and should receive such honour from the Ukrainian state. It is also fair to extend this to their families, to the families of our heroes. The third decision. The issue of trophy weapons that our soldiers win in battles must be settled. We must resolve this issue." Details: Zelenskyy also said that "traitors who fled to Russia after 24 February" should be deprived of any titles and awards in Ukraine. "The relevant bills are already in the parliament. And I ask the Verkhovna Rada to meet to consider these issues immediately in the near future," the president said. Support UP or become our patron! Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has submitted to the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) a package of bills concerning the ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Source: European Pravda Details: Draft Bill No. 0285, which has been posted on the Verkhovna Rada website, concerns the ratification of the provisions of the ICCs Rome Statute by Ukraine, which will ensure Ukraines full accession to the ICC. The bill stresses that Ukraine will ratify the Rome Statute with a provision that, within seven years after the ratification enters into force, "Ukraine will not recognise the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court over its citizens for crimes under Article 8 of the Rome Statute". It is not yet clear how this provision will work, given that Ukraine has granted the ICC the right to investigate crimes committed on its territory. Zelenskyy also introduced a separate bill, Bill No. 11484, which provides for the amendment of articles of the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine related to international crimes in accordance with the ICCs Rome Statute. Ukraine hopes to accede to the updated version of the ICC statute, which includes Article 8bis, which was introduced as part of the Kampala Amendments in 2010 and provides for liability for the crime of aggression. However, the ratification is retrospective (not retroactive), and the liability does not apply to countries that have not ratified the Kampala Amendments (including Russia, which is not a member of the ICC). Therefore, in order to bring the Russian leadership to justice for the aggression in 2022, Ukraine will continue to work on the creation of a special tribunal. As of today, 124 states have ratified the ICCs Rome Statute. China, India, Belarus, Turkiye, and Kazakhstan, among others, have not signed or ratified the statute. Russia, like the United States, signed the statute but later withdrew its signature. Ukraine signed the Rome Statute back in 2000 but has not ratified it, even though the need for ratification was recognised in 2015 by a decision of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine. One of the reasons given was the fear that the ICC could prosecute Ukrainian citizens. Still, Ukraine granted the ICC the right to investigate crimes on its territory, therefore effectively recognising its jurisdiction. After Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian officials talked about the possibility of ratifying the Rome Statute, but only after the end of the full-scale war. In recent months, however, Kyiv has stated that there are no risks of ratifying the Rome Statute sooner. Support UP or become our patron! Zelenskyy reportedly approved operation to blow up Nord Stream and then tried to stop it after CIA intervention WSJ The Wall Street Journal has published an investigation into the Nord Stream pipeline explosions in September 2022, claiming that the operation was approved by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who later attempted to cancel it once the CIA became aware of it. Source: The Wall Street Journal, citing source, as reported by European Pravda Details: The article notes that in May 2022, several high-ranking Ukrainian military officers and businessmen gathered at a meeting, at which one participant proposed a radical step to destroy Nord Stream. An agreement was supposedly reached that businessmen would finance and help implement the project, as the army did not have the funds to do so. People involved in the operation said that it took US$300,000 to implement the plan. The operation involved a small rented yacht, the Andromeda, with a crew of six people, including trained civilian divers and a woman whose presence supposedly helped create the illusion that the divers were friends on a cruise. The WSJ reports that the operation was led by an unnamed general with experience in special operations, who directly reported to the then Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valerii Zaluzhnyi. He also involved some officers in coordinating the attack, including former intelligence officer Roman Chervinskyi. More details: Zelenskyy initially approved the plan verbally, as several sources and one officer involved said. But later, when the CIA found out about it and asked Zelenskyy to abort the operation, he ordered that it be stopped. Nevertheless, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces at the time, who supposedly supervised the operation, decided to move forward with the plan. Three people mentioned that Zaluzhnyi told Zelenskyy that the sabotage team, once dispatched, was incommunicado and could not be stopped because any contact with them could compromise the operation. Zaluzhnyi, now Ukraine's ambassador to the UK, said in text correspondence that he was unaware of such an operation and that any suggestion about it was "a simple provocation". He added that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are not authorised to conduct foreign missions, and therefore he did not take part in them. WSJ reports that in September 2022, participants of the operation rented a 50-foot recreational yacht, the Andromeda, in the German port city of Rostock on the Baltic Sea. According to Ukrainian officers and individuals familiar with the German investigation, the yacht was rented through a Polish travel agency established by Ukrainian intelligence nearly ten years ago to cover financial transactions. At the site of the sabotage divers worked in pairs and planted an explosive device deep underwater. Quote: "Operating in pitch-dark, icy waters, they handled a powerful explosive known as HMX that was wired to timer-controlled detonators. A small amount of the light explosive would be sufficient to rip open the high-pressure pipes," the publication writes. WSJ also notes that the operation participants discussed the possibility of cancelling the mission due to stormy weather: "Inclement weather forced the crew to make an unplanned stop in the Swedish port of Sandhamn. One diver accidentally dropped an explosive device to the bottom of the sea. The crew briefly discussed whether to abort the operation due to the bad weather but the storm soon subsided, two people familiar with the operation said." The article also states that German investigators were able to find traces of explosives, fingerprints, and DNA samples from the crew because the sabotage group, in their haste, did not clean the rented vessel. Later, investigators identified their mobile phone numbers. The WSJ spoke to four senior Ukrainian defence and security officials who were either involved in the planning or had direct knowledge of it. They all stated that the pipelines were a legitimate target in Ukraine's defensive war against Russia. The German investigation did not establish a direct link between President Zelenskyy and the covert operation. Background: In the fall of 2022, three out of the four lines of the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines were damaged. The United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union called it a deliberate act of sabotage. The Russian authorities claimed that the US and its allies had a vested interest in the incident. The US has denied these allegations. In November 2023, The Washington Post referred to Chervinskyi as the coordinator of the attack on the Nord Stream pipelines. Ukrainian authorities and military intelligence denied Ukraine's involvement in the Nord Stream explosions. On 14 August, several German media outlets, including ARD, Suddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) and Die Zeit, reported that in early June, German Prosecutor General Jens Rommel issued the first arrest warrant for the main suspect in the operation, Ukrainian diving instructor Volodymyr. However, Spiegel reported that Volodymyr, whom Germany was going to arrest in Poland for his participation in the Nord Stream gas pipeline bombing, left Polish territory as he had probably been warned about their intention to have him arrested. The investigation into the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipeline is Germany's highest priority, but its results will not harm relations with Ukraine, Deputy Federal Government Spokesperson Wolfgang Buchner said. Support UP or become our patron! 11-year-old Ruvarashe Takamhanya - Screenshot: The Herald Zimbabwean student Ruvarashe Takamhanya was walking to school with her best friend when she was hit and killed by a speeding car. The 11-year-olds mother, Juliana Vito, found out about the June 3 accident from neighbors and quickly ran to the scene, according to BBC. When she got there, however, the vehicle used to kill her daughter was no where to be found. The driver of the car is believed to be U.S. Diplomat Eric Kimpton, and because of his diplomat status, it appears unlikely Takamhanyas family will ever see proper justice. As a government, we do not believe that the diplomat concerned set out to kill our national. It was an accident regardless of his culpability for it, government spokesman Nick Mangwana said. There is an expectation that the parties involved would take responsibility and do the right thing by the family of the victim as well as by the laws of this country. According to The Herald, after allegedly killing the 11-year-old, Kimpton fled the scene and returned to the states less than 24 hours after the accident. Kimpton allegedly said he was traumatized by the incident and chose to immediately seek counseling in the U.S. In response to Kimptons excuse, Zimbabwes presidential spokesman George Charamba said, When a diplomat is involved in a fatal traffic accident, uses the pretext of counseling, which he thinks is only available in his country, and then decides to stay away from police, he or she moves from being a diplomat to a fugitive. Gogo Beullar Machingura (left) and her son John Maunganidze (right) show the gave of Ruvarashe Takamhanya who was killed on June 3, 2024 - Screenshot: The Herald No one, from whichever country or continent, is allowed to spill innocent Zimbabwean blood and get away with it, Charamba continued. The behavior of diplomats must be consistent with the dignity of their profession but also with the expectations of the Vienna Convention. Kimptons colleagues apologized to Takamhanyas family on his behalf, but the family said the diplomat never spoke to them directly. I am not demanding much, but the killer should understand that this child had her own dreams, Takamhanyas father, Silvester, said to the Herald. He [Kimpton] should come back and say sorry, he continued. Kimpton has not returned to Zimbabwe since the accident, but Silvester said the U.S. embassy gave them $2,000 to cover his daughters funeral. The U.S. State Department spokesperson said the embassy provided support to the girls family, and representatives also attended Takamhanyas funeral, according to BBC. Despite these efforts to support Takamhanyas family, its been over two months, and the family said they still dont have closure. I still cant believe she is gone. She was my only child. I thought she was going to take care of me one day, Vito said. Im just surviving but my life and my hope is gone. Im dying day by day. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. This article was originally published in CalMatters. Like most kids, Aahil Valliani has been frustrated by the filters that his school uses to block inappropriate websites. Often, he has no idea why certain sites are blocked, especially when his web browsing is tied to his schoolwork. Many students in this situation find a way around their districts web filters. They access the internet on their phones instead, or use proxy servers or virtual private networks to essentially access a different, unfiltered internet. Aahil, searching for a more systemic solution, teamed up with his younger brother and father to start a company called Safe Kids, raise almost $2 million in venture funding, and design a better filter. As The Markup, which is part of CalMatters, reported in April, almost all schools filter the web to comply with the federal Childrens Internet Protection Act and qualify for discounted internet access, among other things. Most schools The Markup examined used filters that sort all websites into categories and block entire categories at once. Others scan webpages for certain off-limits keywords, blocking websites on which they appear regardless of the context. In both cases, the filters are blunt tools that result in overblocking and sometimes keep kids from information about politicized topics like sex education and LGBTQ resources. Get stories like these delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter Aahil, now 17, points out that schools overly strict controls disappear as soon as kids graduate. Thats a recipe for disaster, he said. Kids, he contends, need to learn how to make good choices about how to use the internet safely when trusted adults are nearby so they are ready to make good decisions on their own later. Related Trove of L.A. Students Mental Health Records Posted to Dark Web After Cyber Hack The Safe Kids filter turns web blocking into a teachable moment, explaining why sites are blocked and nudging students to stay away from them of their own accord. It uses artificial intelligence to assess the intent of a students search, reducing the number of blocks students see while conducting legitimate academic research. One example: if a student searches for Civil War rifles for a class assignment, Safe Kids would allow it. If a student tries to shop for an AK-47, it wouldnt. Other filters would block both. The filter also keeps student browsing data private, storing only categories of websites accessed, not URLs or search terms themselves. And it works through a Chrome browser extension, which means students cant simply get around it with a proxy server or VPN while using that browser. Safe Kids got its start during the early COVID-19 lockdowns. Sitting around the dinner table with his father, a tech entrepreneur; his mother, a self-employed fashion designer; and his younger brother Zohran, a budding computer scientist, Aahil got his family to strategize how to help all the kids getting sucked into dark corners of the web and battling the mental health consequences of their internet use. Related AI Companions are Patient, Funny, Upbeat and Probably Rewiring Kids Brains Their idea, building off of the invasive and ineffective filters the brothers saw in school, essentially puts better training wheels on the internet. Aahil said his father did a bit of hand-holding in these early days, helping find board members and angel investors, as well as the data scientists who would train the AI machine learning model behind the filter and psychologists who could craft and test the filters hallmark pop-ups directing students toward more appropriate browsing. The company also spent time and money getting their designs patented. Aahil has three patents under his name and Safe Kids has five. As Aahil and his family were preparing to chase seed funding for Safe Kids, the ACLU of Northern California was demanding the Fresno Unified School District stop using a product called Gaggle, which districts use to monitor students internet use, block potentially harmful content, and step in if student browsing patterns indicate they may need mental health supports. The problem, according to ACLU attorneys, was that Gaggle amounted to intrusive surveillance, trampling on students privacy and free speech rights. The Electronic Frontier Foundation levied similar accusations against another web filter called GoGuardian after getting records from 10 school districts, including three in California, that revealed the extent of the softwares blocking, tracking and flagging of student internet use during the 2022-23 school year, when Aahil was piloting Safe Kids. Jason Kelley, a lead researcher on EFFs GoGuardian investigation, The Red Flag Machine, looked into Safe Kids in response to an inquiry by The Markup. Accustomed to pointing out how bad filters are, he offered surprised praise for Safe Kids, commending its focus on privacy, its open source code that offers transparency about its model, and its context-specific blocking. This is, really, I think, an improved option for all the things that we are generally concerned about, Kelley said. So far, Safe Kids has not been able to break into the school market. Still, Aahil hopes to one day sign a contract with a school district, and he is marketing to parents in the meantime, offering them a way to put guardrails on their kids home internet use. While Safe Kids started out charging for its filter, Aahil said an open source, free version will be released next month. Related Whistleblower: L.A. Schools Chatbot Misused Student Data as Tech Co. Crumbled One of the company patents is for a pause, reflect, and redirect method that leans on child psychology to teach kids healthy browsing habits when they try to access an inappropriate website. When kids go to a site the first time, we consider that a mistake, Aahil said. We tell kids why its not good for them and kids can make a choice. For example, if a student tries to play games during a lesson, a pop-up would say, This isnt schoolwork, is it? Students can click a take me back button or tell me more link to get more information about why a given site is blocked. When students repeatedly try to access inappropriate content, their browsing is further restricted until they address the issue with an adult. If that content indicates a student might be in crisis, the user is advised to get help from an adult, and in a school setting, a staff member would get an automated alert. The teen expects to keep building the company, even as he shifts his focus to college admissions this fall. A rising senior at the selective Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia, one of the nations best public high schools, Aahil plans to major in business or economics and make a career out of entrepreneurship. Safe Kids stands out in a web filtering market where products blunt restrictions on the web have barely become more sophisticated over the last 25 years. Nancy Willard, director of Embrace Civility LLC, has worked on issues of youth online safety since the mid-1990s. She submitted testimony for the congressional hearings that resulted in passage of the Childrens Internet Protection Act in 2000 and describes the filtering company representatives that showed up as snake oil salesmen, selling a technology that addresses a symptom, not the root of a problem. Related Bill to Protect Kids Online Could Buoy a Far-Right Push Against Trans Youth We need to prepare kids to manage themselves, Willard said. When traditional filters block certain websites with no explanation, kids dont learn anything, and theyre often tempted to just circumvent the software. This approach helps increase student understanding, and hopefully theres a way also in the instructional aspects (to increase) their skills, she said about Safe Kids. Students on Chromebooks in particular cant circumvent Safe Kids and its design aims to keep them from wanting to. Now Aahil and his family just need to find buyers. Kelley said hes not surprised Safe Kids hasnt been able to yet, given the hardening of school security and student safety efforts over the last decade. Weve gone from having cameras and some pretty standard filters to having metal detectors, and locked doors, and biometrics, and vape detectors in the bathrooms, and these much more strict filters and content moderating control software, he said, and all this is hard to undo. This story was originally published on CalMatters. Electric vehicle company Polestar has started production for the Polestar 3 in South Carolina. Polestar 3 cars from this location are intended for consumers in the US and Europe. The Volvo-owned company's first SUV debuted in 2023, but the shift to a US production facility will help it to avoid huge tariffs for importing EVs from its facility in Chengdu, China. "Manufacturing Polestar 3 in the USA is a crucial step for us," Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath said. "Now we offer customers in America an electric SUV that is built in America. Exporting the South Carolina produced Polestar 3 to Europe will strengthen our business on a broader scope." Earlier this year, the Biden administration placed a sizable increase on the costs for imports of electric vehicles from China. The White House move to quadruple the tariff on Chinese-made EVs was meant to "protect American manufacturers." Even before that change was announced, we'd heard that Polestar 3 production would be shifted to South Carolina. The Polestar 4 , on the other hand, will be manufactured at the company's plant in South Korea when production begins in mid-2025. Proposed high-speed train would cut travel time between 2 major US cities in half: 'It's time to make the big leap' A proposal to build a high-speed train line between New York City and Boston is finally gaining steam a decade after it was proposed, Fox 5 New York reported. Anyone who has ever traveled from NYC to Boston (or vice versa) via Amtrak knows what a grueling experience that journey is. The 216-mile trip is billed as taking around four hours, but it often takes far longer because of unexplained delays. The proposed North Atlantic Rail would change the trip completely, allowing passengers to zip between the two cities in a mere one hour, 40 minutes. The train would travel at speeds of up to 225 mph, rivaling some of the fastest trains in the world. The coalition behind the project includes the Chicago-based High Speed Rail Alliance. "Amtrak has made steady progress on improving the serviceand now it's time to make the big leap and go to true high speed rail," Rick Harnish, executive director of the High Speed Rail Alliance, told Fox 5. Potential roadblocks include cost the project would require a reported $50 billion in funding and possible opposition from residents of Port Jefferson, New York, and Milford, Connecticut, as a 16-mile tunnel would be dug in the Long Island Sound. The benefits, however, seem to massively outweigh those downsides, as the East Coast would receive a functioning public transit line between two of its major cities as well as a massive influx of jobs created by the project. Data has shown that high-speed rail, particularly when it is powered by electricity, is the most planet-friendly form of long distance travel, creating far less planet-overheating air pollution per passenger than cars or airplanes. While the United States lags behind many other countries (most notably, China) in terms of developing this infrastructure, the fact that projects such as this one are gaining steam is a good sign. The West Coast has a good amount of high-speed rail in the active construction phase. If the project is approved, construction would begin in 2028. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. The fresh newsletter for the International Community in Hungary - described by readers as a "Great read each week" - is now available for your interest and use via the link below. More than 11,000 Ukrainian children have been given the chance to spend their holidays in Hungary since the start of the war two and a half years ago, primarily thanks to charity organisations, the state secretary in charge of church and ethnic minority relations said. Miklos Soltesz, who is also the head of the National Humanitarian Coordination Council, visited a camp in Gyenesdias, next to Lake Balaton, organised for Ukrainian children who lost parents during the war. He said that a total of 11,400 children have spent holidays in Hungary, including more than 4,000 this year. Hungary has gone above and beyond to help those who have suffered as a result of the war, and instead of providing support with weapons, ammunition and soldiers, it has been using all means to work towards establishing peace, Soltesz said. From the Hungarian Interchurch Aid: Children need to be children no matter the circumstances. Whether they are displaced within Ukraine, or had to flee their home country completely, HIA aims to bring respite to their life, making them forget even if only for a day or two that they are far away from the place they once called home, their friends and family. In the camps, children had the chance to spend time and have fun with their peers who they share a common culture and language with. Experiencing moments of happiness and joy while participating in various games and activities allows a group of children to turn into a real community something that these children miss dearly since they have left their home. While proving to be tremendous fun for the children, the summer camps also relieve parents from having to watch over their children until school starts again in September. ********************************* You're very welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more stories via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews + via XpatLoops groups: Budapest Expats / Expats Hungary You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters Do you want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value expat customers? Then just contact us here! Hungarian film Without Air, the first feature film of director Katalin Moldovai, has been shortlisted for the European Film Awards, the National Film Institute (NFI) said. The film, supported by the Incubator Programme, shows the story of a literature teacher against whom parents file a police report for recommending her students to watch Total Eclipse, a film on French poets Arthur Rimbaud and Paul Verlaine, the NFI said. Written by Zita Paloczi and Katalin Moldovai, the film was produced by Attila Bela Kovacs and Andras Muhi. The main characters are played by Agnes Krasznahorkai, Tunde Skovran, Soma Sandor and Aron Dimeny, among others. The film has won awards in Toronto, Arras and Warsaw, among other festivals. The European Film Awards ceremony will be held on Dec 7 in Luzern, Switzerland. See below to watch the trailer. ********************************* You're very welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more stories via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews + via XpatLoops groups: Budapest Expats / Expats Hungary You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters Do you want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value expat customers? Then just contact us here! New Delhi: The shares of Adani Energy Solutions Ltd (AESL) at the last trading session on Wednesday jumped 3.8 per cent despite the flattish markets, as the street is expecting strong inflows by the end of August from the inclusion in the MSCI Indexinflows of USD 250 million according to brokerage houses. On Tuesday MSCI announced that it has lifted Embargo' on Adani Group stocks, which means the stock is eligible for inclusion in the MSCI India Index, after removing the group company last year in late January 2023, due to uncertainty over free-float. Lifting this restriction means that any recent changes in free float plus equity raises are eligible for inclusion. Furthermore, stocks that were excluded can be included again. Earlier in August, Adani group's power transmission, distribution and smart metering company completed a USD 1 billion QIP, which has led to a significant increase in the company's free float. Adani Enterprises, another group company has also proposed fundraising of nearly USD 2 billion. If it goes through, it could also see USD 110 million inflows, according to brokerage firms. However, Adani Total Gas, another group stock which was also removed from the MSCI Index last year is unlikely to be included in the near future as the stock is trading significantly below the previous year's high. New Delhi: Workplace sexual harassment remains a persistent issue in India with more than 400 cases reported annually from 2018 to 2022, as reported by Business Standard, based on data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). Despite growing awareness and efforts to address this serious problem the average number of cases per year during this period stood at 445. In 2022, 419 cases were reported, averaging about 35 per month. In 2022, Himachal Pradesh recorded the most workplace sexual harassment cases with 97 incidents followed by Kerala with 83, Maharashtra with 46, and Karnataka with 43. Surprisingly, West Bengal, despite ongoing protests over the alleged rape and murder of a doctor at Kolkatas R G Kar Hospital did not rank among the top five states. The state reported only one such case that year. Sexual Harassment Complaints Across Companies In the financial year 2022-23, companies reported 1,160 sexual harassment complaintsthe highest in the past decade, according to a report from the Centre for Economic Data and Analysis at Ashoka University. The data was gathered from a sample of 300 companies, including those ranked in the top 100 on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) by market cap, as well as firms ranked between 957 to 1057 and 1,914 to 2,013. Pending Workplace Sexual Harassment Cases In 2022-23, 202 workplace sexual harassment cases remained unresolved, according to the report. The gap between reported and resolved cases often occurs due to complainants withdrawing their complaints or either the complainant or the accused leaving the company. The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act (POSH Act), enacted in 2013, aims to protect women and provide mechanisms to address such issues. Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud on Thursday highlighted the significance of freedom while addressing the Independence Day ceremony held at the Supreme Court premises. Reflecting on the recent turmoil in Bangladesh, the CJI said, "What has happened in Bangladesh reminds us of the value of freedom." Chandrachud said that the country's choice of adopting the Constitution in 1950 also meant embracing the uncertainty of freedom over slavery. He shared his personal experience, "Many of us lawyers were born after Independence, including myself. However, we have also witnessed the Emergency era... Today, we can take freedom lightly, but the past struggles remind us of its priceless value." #WATCH | Addressing Independence Day celebrations at the Supreme Court, CJI DY Chandrachud says, "...We chose in 1950, the uncertainty of freedom. What is happening today in Bangladesh, is a clear reminder of how precious liberty is for us... It's very easy to take freedom and pic.twitter.com/HP3NQjQJHd ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024 "Today, we celebrate the dedication of those who have lived and are working to enhance our nation. We reflect on our Constitution against the backdrop of the colonial era and our country's tribulations. This morning, I read an eloquent piece by renowned Karnataka vocalist Chitra Sri Krishna titled 'Songs of Freedom', he added. "The essence of liberty is interlaced with Indian poetry," he said. "In 1950, we embraced the uncertainty of freedom, and current events in places like Bangladesh remind us of liberty's value. Taking freedom for granted is easy, but remembering historical narratives is crucial to appreciate its significance," added the CJI. He also paid homage to the freedom fighters who abandoned their legal careers to join the national movement. "Numerous lawyers quit their practices to serve the nation's cause. Figures like Babasaheb Ambedkar, Jawaharlal Nehru, Alladi Krishnaswamy Iyer, Govind Vallabh Pant, Devi Prasad Khaitan, and Sir Syed Mohammed Saadullah were pivotal in India's liberation and the establishment of an independent judiciary," he stated. "Having served as a judge for 24 years, I can assert that the judiciary's work mirrors the daily struggles of ordinary Indians. The Supreme Court of India witnesses a multitude of litigants from diverse villages and cities, across all castes, genders, and religions, seeking justice. The legal fraternity empowers the court to deliver justice to these individuals," he continued. He emphasized that a modern judiciary, at the intersection of citizens and the legal profession, necessitates accessible and inclusive infrastructure. "Facilitating lawyers' court navigation not only aids their efficiency but also enhances their sense of belonging," he concluded. On the occasion of the 78th Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the national flag today, Thursday at Red Fort in the national capital, for the 11th consecutive time. PM Modi also addressed the nation from Red Fort and spoke about several issues like 'one nation one election',Women's Safety, Education System, Natural Disaster, Bangladesi Hindus and other. Key Highlights of Modi's 78th Independence Day Speech - Viksit Bharat 2047:PM Modi stressed the importance of India becoming a developed nation by 2047, calling on citizens to unite in pursuit of this goal. - Women's Safety: Prime Minister said that its the needed to publicize punishments for crimes against women to instill fear of consequences among perpetrators. - Talking about medical seats Prime Minister said the creation of 75,000 new medical seats in the next five years. "In the past decade, we have increased medical seats to nearly one lakh. Today, around 25,000 youths go abroad every year for medical education. Therefore, we have decided that in the next five years, 75,000 new seats will be created in the medical field," said PM Modi. -PM Modi also took an unequivocal pitch for a uniform civil code in the country, assert that a "secular civil code" in place of the existing "communal" one is the need of the hour. "The laws that divide the country on the basis of religion, the laws that become the reason for the discrimination--such laws should have no place in society," PM said. -Bangladesh Voilance: While addressing the Bangladesh issues, PM Modi expressed concerns of 140 crore countrymen to ensure the safety of Hindus and minorities. " India always wants our neighbouring countries to walk the path of prosperity and peace. We are committed to peace...In the days to come, we will continue to wish well for Bangladesh in its 'Vikas Yatra' because we think about the welfare of humankind," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed hope on Thursday that the situation in violence-affected Bangladesh would soon normalize, and conveyed that 140 crore Indians are concerned for the safety of Hindus and other minorities there. During his Independence Day address at the Red Fort, Modi stated India's commitment to peace and its continued support for Bangladesh's development. Amid rising concerns in New Delhi due to attacks on the Hindu minority following the resignation and flight of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India on August 5 after weeks of violent protests, Modi's comments were particularly poignant. "Being a neighboring country, we understand the concerns arising from the events in Bangladesh. We hope for a swift return to normalcy," Modi said. #WATCH | PM Narendra Modi says, "As a neighbouring country, I can understand the concern regarding whatever has happened in Bangladesh. I hope that the situation there gets normal at the earliest. The concerns of 140 crore countrymen to ensure the safety of Hindus and minorities pic.twitter.com/R7ldy91uP9 ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024 He highlighted the safety of minority communities as a significant concern. "The concern of 140 crore Indians is to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and other minorities there. India desires for its neighbor to progress on the path of peace and prosperity," he added. Modi indicated India's willingness to collaborate with Dhaka's new leadership, affirming India's role as a well-wisher in Bangladesh's journey towards development. "We are dedicated to peace. We will continue to support Bangladesh's development journey, as we are committed to the welfare of humanity," Modi declared. Shortly after Hasina's departure, Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel Laureate, was sworn in to lead an interim government on August 8, along with 16 advisors. Hasina, aged 76, who governed Bangladesh for 15 years, stepped down amid extensive protests that escalated from a job quota scheme opposition to a widespread movement demanding her removal from office. The contentious quota system allowed for 30 percent reservations in civil service jobs for the descendants of veterans from the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. Reports from Dhaka indicate that close to 500 individuals lost their lives in the violent clashes leading up to Hasina's resignation.. New Delhi: Army and police on Thursday paid tributes to Captain Deepak Singh who was killed in an encounter with terrorists in nearby Udhampur district, officials said. A search operation to track down the terrorists who fled the site of encounter is underway in Assar belt of Doda district. A wreath-laying ceremony was held in Jammu in which General-officer-Commanding (GoC) White Knight Corps Lieutenant General Navin Sachdeva, Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar, Additional Director General of Police Anand Jain laid wreaths and paid tributes to Singh at the IAF station here. Several officers of civil administration, army, police and paramilitary forces also paid tributes of the captain. On Wednesday, Captain Deepak Singh and one terrorist were killed in an encounter in Assar area of Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district on Wednesday. One civilian was also injured in the encounter. Singh was critically injured in the operation and shifted to a military hospital where he breathed his last. Searches for the terrorists is going on in the area as the security forces expanded the area of operation in the hilly belt of Doda and Udhampur districts. This is fourth encounter in the recent days in the Udhampuri-Doda-Kishtwar region. Security forces engaged terrorists in two encounters on Sunday as well -- in the remote forest areas of Nownatta in Kishtwar and the Basantgarh area of Udhampur. Following these encounters, terrorists escaped into Doda hills. On June 26, three terrorists, suspected to be affiliated with the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), were killed in a gunfight on Gandoh area of Doda district. The 2024 Shanghai International Literary Week has kicked off its main forum at the China Securities Museum in Shanghai's Hongkou district, delving into the theme of "The Boundaries of Stories", on Aug 13. The annual Shanghai Book Fair opened at the Shanghai Exhibition Center, the major venue of the event, on Wednesday. [Photo by Gao Erqiang/chinadaily.com.cn] The event commenced with a moving narrative by Li Jingze, vice chairman of the China Writers Association, drawing inspiration from his illiterate yet naturally gifted grandmother in storytelling. He emphasized the importance of honoring all storytellers and those immersed in narratives. Established in 2011 as a significant part of the annual Shanghai Book Fair, the Shanghai International Literary Week has now evolved into a crucial platform for cultural exchange and literary discussions among both Chinese and international writers. Over the years, the event has hosted nearly 300 writers and scholars from across the globe during the book fair, including four Nobel Prize laureates in literature. The main forum showcased thematic speeches by a diverse array of international literary figures, featuring luminaries such as Jose Eduardo Agualusa from Angola, poet Forrest Gander from the United States, writer Christian Garcin from France, Yevgeny Vodolazkin from Russia, Japanese authors Kanae Minato and Shingetsu Tsujimura, Andres Barba from Spain, Attila Bartis from Hungary, comic artist Dan Nott from the United States, and a lineup of esteemed Chinese writers. Reflecting on the boundaries inherent in writing, Agualusa, an International Dublin Literary Award winner, emphasized his endeavors to push the limits in his craft, expanding the boundaries of ignorance and bridging the gaps between individuals. Gander, the American poet and translator, expressed a preference for writing that sparks associative thinking, diverging from traditional "narrative realism." Science writer Liang Guibai stressed that setting boundaries catalyzes continual breakthroughs, suggesting that in the realm of science, the limits of human cognition represent the ultimate frontier. He highlighted the pivotal role of science writers in bringing readers closer to the cutting edge of scientific knowledge. Barba from Spain, underscored the power of literature in fostering mutual understanding and perception. Emphasizing the writer's duty not only to narrate stories but also to ensure comprehension, facilitating genuine communication by aligning language with emotions and contexts. Mystery novelist Kanae Minato explored how boundaries in detective fiction symbolize law, ethics, and norms. Expressing a desire to transcend the confines of justice in her storytelling, she aims to prompt reflection on why individuals adhere to certain boundaries and under what circumstances they might cross the threshold of justice. In the days ahead, 32 distinguished guests will partake in over 50 events, including "Poetry Night," literary dialogues, and signing sessions at various venues across Shanghai. These events will be livestreamed online, enabling a broader audience of literature enthusiasts and readers to engage with the literary festivities firsthand. This year's event also introduces a new city-walk segment, inviting writers and artists from seven countries to explore Shanghai's cultural and urban landmarks through a literary lens, offering a unique perspective on the city's charm and allure. Allow Cookies This website uses cookies to ensure best user experience. If you continue browsing, we assume that you consent to the use of our cookies. Privacy Policy Hyderabad: In a shocking revelation, a recent study by the renowned environmental journal Toxic Links has found alarming levels of microplastics in common household items like salt and sugar sold across India. This discovery has raised significant health concerns, as these microplastics are being unknowingly consumed by millions daily. In today's DNA, Anant Tyagi analyses the serious health implications of microplastics. According to the study, various types of salt, including white salt, black salt, and rock salt, along with five types of sugar, were tested. The results revealed that every type of salt and sugar contained microplastic particles. For instance, a one-kilogram packet of salt was found to contain 89 pieces of microplastic, while a similar quantity of sugar contained 68 particles. Even organic black salt, commonly known as Himalayan rock salt had seven microplastic particles detected per kilogram. Microplastics are tiny, almost invisible particles of plastic that have found their way into our food, water, and even the air we breathe. The study warns that these microplastics are gradually accumulating in the human body, leading to serious health risks. Previous studies have shown that an individual can ingest between 39,000 to 52,000 microplastic particles annually. Alarmingly, research by the American Institute of Physics suggests that the amount of microplastic consumed by an average person in just one week could be enough to form a credit card. The presence of microplastics in such widely consumed items as salt and sugar poses a direct threat to public health. Experts warn that long-term exposure to microplastics could lead to severe health issues, including heart attacks and cancer. In response to these findings, there is an urgent call for stricter regulations and immediate government action to address this invisible yet pervasive threat. The presence of microplastics in everyday food items is a stark reminder of the broader environmental challenges we face and the urgent need for solutions to protect public health. Local residents and health professionals have expressed concern over these findings. Dr. Prakhar Garg, Senior Consultant at Yatharth Hospital in Noida, emphasized the potential health hazards, noting that the continuous consumption of microplastics could have serious long-term effects on the human body. As this issue continues to unfold, it highlights the importance of raising awareness and taking collective action to mitigate the dangers posed by microplastics in our food supply. New Delhi: The country is all set to celebrate the 78th Independence Day today, Thursday. In the national capital, historical monuments, iconic landmarks, and government buildings were illuminated in the colours of the national flag to honour the freedom movement that culminated in the countrys independence in 1947. Historic Red Fort is all prepared to witness India's 78th Independence Day celebration. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hoist the national flag for the 11th consecutive time, today. #WATCH | Historic Red Fort in Delhi is all decked up to witness India's 78th Independence Day celebration. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to hoist the national flag for the 11th consecutive time, today. pic.twitter.com/voesRymKlJ ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024 The India Gate, North Block, Samvidhaan Sadan (Old Parliament House), Safdarjung Tomb, and Vikas Minar were illuminated in the tricolour for the patriotic day Meanwhile, security has also been heightened in the national capital as vehicles are being checked in the wake of Independence Day celebrations. In Mumbai, numerous buildings and landmarks were also lit up in tricolour on the eve of the 78th Independence Day, showcasing the citys vibrant spirit and celebration of freedom. The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminal, Mantralaya Building, SBI Building, Shipping Corporation and the Bandra-Worli sea link were lit up in the tricolour. Kolkata Murder-Rape Case: Nine people have been arrested following an outbreak of violence at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata early Thursday morning. The violence occurred during a protest against the horrific rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the hospital the previous week. The incident began late Wednesday night when a vigil titled "Women, Reclaim the Night" was organized by women in Kolkata and across the country. During the vigil, which started around 11 PM, a group of people entered the hospital premises and began vandalizing property. Vehicles were attacked, public property was damaged, and the police had to resort to lathicharge and teargas to control the situation. Fifteen policemen were reported injured. Pronoy Das, a security guard at the hospital, who was on duty when the incident took place, said, "Around 1 am last night when about 500-1,000 people came here. We locked the gate here, but they broke it down. We went to another gate, but they broke down that too. They were too many, we were 10-12 people and the Police. So we were no match. They barged in and vandalised the property. They have damaged everything, from computers to medicines. They damaged even the CCTV cameras. On Thursday morning, the Kolkata Police released photos of individuals believed to have participated in the mob and sought information on them. The photos were shared on social media, with the faces of the suspected vandals circled. The arrests were announced later in the day. Although the identities of those arrested have not been disclosed, Dr. Anubhav Mondal, a protester at the hospital, stated that he was among those circled in the photographs. "Our protests will continue and grow stronger. Those who think they can intimidate us will fail. We demand justice at any cost, with a neutral investigation monitored by the court," Dr. Mondal told NDTV. Meanwhile, the Kolkata Police dismissed claims circulating on social media that the seminar hall, where the trainee doctor was raped and murdered, was also vandalized. The police warned against spreading unverified information, stating, "The crime scene is the seminar room, and it has not been touched. Don't spread unverified news. We will take legal action against those spreading rumors," they posted on X. West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose visited the hospital on Thursday, offering support to the doctors and medical students who expressed feeling insecure and traumatized following the incidents. "I am with you. We will fight this and not allow such ghastly acts. We will take exemplary action," the governor assured the doctors. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which took over the investigation into the rape and murder on Tuesday, has met with the family of the victim. The body of the trainee doctor was discovered last Friday, and an autopsy revealed multiple injuries were inflicted on her before she was smothered to death, with the time of death estimated between 3 and 5 AM. The police have already arrested a civic volunteer, Sanjoy Roy, who is now in CBI custody. The victim's parents have informed the Calcutta High Court that evidence indicates she was gang-raped, as 150 mg of semen was found on her body. "No action has been taken to arrest other suspects, despite evidence clearly indicating that this was a gang rape and murder that could not have been committed by one person alone," the parents stated in their petition. Hyderabad: Padma Bhushan awardee and outstanding aerospace scientist, Dr Ram Narain Agarwal, who was instrumental in the development of India's long-range missile, Agni passed away today after a brief illness.He was 83 and is survived by his wife and two children.Dr Agarwal led the country's ambitious Agni missile programme for over two decades right from its beginning in 1983 as Project Director. He inspired the team to successfully test the Technology demonstrator missile in May 1989.Thereafter, various versions of the missile were developed and inducted into the defence forces. Today, Agni V, the nuclear-capable, intermediate-range ballistic missile has the capability to strike targets beyond 5000 kms.Dr Agarwal retired as the founder and director of the Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL), Hyderabad in 2005. He was a distinguished Scientist of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and worked on the Agni and other missile programmes alongside Dr Arunachalam and Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, Dr Agarwal played a key role in establishing the re-entry technology, all composite heat shield, onboard propulsion system, guidance and control etc for missiles during a distinguished tenure of 22 years. In 1995 he was appointed Programme Director of Agni for weaponisation and deployment of Agni 2. Within 4 years in 1999, Dr Agarwal and team established the new version with road-mobile launch capability too with enhanced strike distance from Agni-1.In subsequent years, the demonstration of the powerful Agni-3 missile weapon system has put India into a select club of countries with nuclear-capable missile power of long-range with strengths in indigenously developing all systems.The Agni missile was the most ambitious of the 5 missiles sought to be developed under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme launched in 1983 by the Government of India. The others were --Prithvi, Akash, Nag and Trishul.Dr Agarwal won many laurels for his contributions. Among these are the Lifetime Achievement Award 2004 for contributions to the field of aerospace and Agni by the Prime Minister; the DRDO Technology Leadership Award, Chandrasekhara Saraswati National Eminence Award along with PM, PV Narasimha Rao and Bharat Ratna M S Subbalaxmi and the Biren Roy Space Sciences Award. He was conferred the Padma Sri in 1990 and Padma Bhushan in 2000 by the President of India.Born in Jaipur into a traders family on July 24, 1941, Dr Agarwal did his Aeronautical Engineering from MIT, Guindy and Masters from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. He obtained a doctorate from the University of Rajasthan.He was a member of various national academies and delivered lectures on self-reliance and missile technology at various forums. He was a fellow of the Aeronautical Society of India and the National Academy of Engineering. Independence Day 2024: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 78th Independence Day celebrations at the historic Red Fort on August 15. The theme for this year, Viksit Bharat 2047, highlights the governments vision for India to become a developed nation by 2047. When India achieved independence from British rule at midnight on August 15, 1947, Goa remained under colonial control. Goa remained a Portuguese colony until December 19, 1961, fourteen years after Indias independence. Established as a Portuguese territory in 1510, Goas colonial history predates British presence in India by nearly a century. Despite India's sovereignty, Portugal refused to cede control over Goa. Throughout the 19th and mid-20th centuries, various revolts and uprisings fueled the Liberation Movement, which aimed to expel the Portuguese. After several unsuccessful attempts at negotiation, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru sanctioned military intervention, leading to Goas eventual integration with India and the conclusion of Portuguese rule. On December 18, 1961, India launched 'Operation Vijay,' a coordinated military action involving the Army, Navy, and Air Force against Portuguese Goa, which just 3,300 Portuguese soldiers defended. By the end of the day, the Portuguese Governor-General Manuel Antonio Vassalo-e Silva had agreed to surrender. The following morning, December 19, Major General Candeth hoisted the Indian national flag at the Secretariat. The operation resulted in the loss of seven young Indian sailors and other personnel, commemorated as Goa Liberation Day. Independence Day weekend sees Gen Z embracing a range of activities that reflect their interests and values. From traveling and family time to binge-watching shows and sleepovers, each choice offers this generation a unique way to relax, connect, and fully enjoy the holiday break. A recent poll conducted by a user on the Hunch app asked the Gen-Z community how they plan to spend their weekend. Let's explore the diverse ways these respondents choose to celebrate Independence Day weekend and the significance of these activities in shaping their experiences and memories during this festive time. Hunch is a social discovery app that helps users connect with like-minded individuals. Intriguing insights revealed that about 10.1k Gen Z voters shared their preferred ways of spending Independence Day weekend. A compelling 34.9% admitted that they would spend their weekend traveling, as they prioritize experiences and adventure. For them, travel during this time offers an opportunity to explore new destinations, meet diverse people, and create lasting memories. For many in this group, travel offers a chance to step out of their comfort zones, immerse themselves in different cultures, and gain fresh perspectives. The long weekend is ideal for travel, as those with jobs may only need to take an extra day off to enjoy an extended break. These respondents enjoy traveling during Independence Day weekend to seek new experiences, create lasting memories, and embrace the spirit of adventure. Goa leads the pack with 41.4% of voters favoring it, thanks to its stunning beaches and lush monsoon greenery. Coorg follows with 29.7%, attracting those who enjoy misty hill station vibes, trekking, and the majestic Abbey Falls. Shillong, known as the "Scotland of the East," takes third place with 18.6%, offering tranquil beauty enhanced by the monsoon. Munnar rounds out the list with 10.3% of the votes, drawing nature lovers and bird watchers to its verdant landscapes during the rainy season. 24.8% of voters cherish the Independence Day weekend as a valuable opportunity to spend quality time with their families. For them, its a chance to create lasting memories, engage in family traditions, and strengthen bonds. Whether enjoying a barbecue, watching fireworks, or playing games, these moments of togetherness offer a sense of connection and belonging, helping them disconnect from their hectic lives. Meanwhile, 22.6% of young voters see the long weekend as the perfect time for binge-watching their favorite shows and series. Binge-watching offers an escape into different worlds, intriguing storylines, and the lives of captivating characters. Its a way to unwind and de-stress, with the convenience of streaming services providing easy access to a wide variety of content to enjoy during the break. For this group, binge-watching is a popular way to relax and enjoy their favorite series or movies. *Mirzapur* continues to captivate viewers, with an impressive 68.1% of poll voters eagerly looking forward to binge-watching the new season on the OTT platform. *Kota Factory 3*, garnering 20.5% of the votes, has established itself as a relatable and inspiring series, resonating with audiences through its portrayal of students' real-life struggles for academic success. *Paatal Lok 2*, chosen by 5.5% of voters, is appreciated for its gritty and thought-provoking narrative. 17.6% of voters feel that their busy daily lives often push sleepovers with friends or loved ones to the sidelines. Sleepovers offer a chance to spend quality time together, share stories, play games, watch movies, and enjoy each others company. They provide an opportunity to relax, engage in late-night conversations, and foster a sense of camaraderie. During holidays like Independence Day, sleepovers allow this group to strengthen friendships, have fun, and fully enjoy the extended weekend. In conclusion, the Hunch poll highlights the diverse ways Gen Z respondents prefer to spend their Independence Day weekend. Whether it's traveling, spending time with family, binge-watching shows, or having sleepovers, the common goal is to seek connection, relaxation, and enjoyment. These activities showcase the varied interests and values of this group, from pursuing adventure and new experiences to cherishing moments with loved ones and friends. For these respondents, Independence Day weekend is an opportunity to unwind, create memories, and celebrate in ways that align with their personal preferences and desires for fun and connection. Mumbai: As protests erupt across India following the tragic rape and murder of a young doctor in Kolkata, actor Ayushmann Khurrana penned a heart-wrenching poem on women's safety. Taking to his Instagram account on Wednesday, Ayushmann shared a video reciting the poem, which reflected the pain and fear many women feel in today's society. His poem reads, "Main bhi bina Kundi lagakar soti, Kaash main bhi ladka hoti, Jhalli banke daudti udti, Saari raat doston ke saath phirti, Kaash main bhi ladka hoti..." (I would sleep without locking the door, I wish I were a boy. Carefree, I would run and fly, Roaming with friends all night, I wish I were a boy...) Earlier in the day, Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi took aim at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the sexual assault and death of the female trainee doctor. Calling for serious punishment for the accused in the death and rape of the doctor at Kolkata's hospital, Rahul Gandhi, in a post on X, mentioned that the entire country is shocked by the gruesome incident of the rape and murder of a junior doctor in Kolkata. "The way the layers of the inhuman act against her are being revealed, there is an atmosphere of insecurity among the doctors' community and women. The attempt to save the accused instead of providing justice to the victim raises serious questions on the hospital and the local administration," he said. "This incident has forced us to think that if doctors are not safe in a place like medical college, then how can parents send their daughters outside for studies? Why are even the strict laws made after the Nirbhaya case unsuccessful in preventing such crimes?" the LoP questioned. Further, the Congress MP asserted that every party, every section of the society will have to hold serious discussions and take concrete steps on the continuously increasing incidents against women from Hathras to Unnao, and from Kathua to Kolkata. "I stand with the victim's family in this unbearable pain. They should get justice at all costs and the culprits should be given such a punishment that it is presented as an example in the society," he added. The incident that took place on August 9, has sparked widespread outrage and led to protests within and beyond the medical community. The post-graduate trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. The family has alleged that the victim was raped and murdered. In a strong display of support, doctors across the nation continue to protest over the murder and alleged sexual assault of a post-graduate trainee (PGT) doctor, demanding justice for the victim. The protests were held in the cities of Kolkata, Guwahati, Hyderabad and Mumbai on Wednesday. The protestors were holding placards, "Justice needs to be served", "No duty without security" and "Justice delayed is Justice denied". New Delhi: The Kolkata rape-murder case has shaken the entire nation. Bollywood is now speaking out against the heinous crime involving a trainee doctor at RG Kar Hospital in Bengal which led to nation-wide protests by doctors and nurses demanding justice for the victim. Celebrities including Alia Bhatt, Richa Chadha, Sara Ali Khan, Vijay Varma, and others are calling for justice and stronger measures to ensure women's safety. Heres what celebrities have said as they urge for justice. The women of this country expect a fair and impartial investigation from you @MamataOfficial , and swift justice. You're the only woman currently to occupy the post of Chief Minister. #JusticeForMoumita We are watching you. August 14, 2024 Actor Vijay Verma took to Instagram to write, 'At least, protect our protectors.' He later posted another post,' Why we should pay attention to what doctors are saying right now'. Ayushmann Khurrana Pens a Heart-Wrenching Poem titled 'Kaash Main Bhi Ladka Hoti'. Ayushmann shared a video reciting a poem that captures the pain and fear many women experience in todays society. Tahira Kashyap khurrana also posted a video on her Instagram handle Parineeti Chopra also took to her Instagram handle and wrote ''If its too difficult for you to read, imagine what it was for HER!, Disgusting, Horrific. Hang him by his b****!!!'' Mrunal Thakur also shared a post Kareena Kapoor took to her Instagram handle and shared a heartbreaking post about the Kolkata rape-murder case Other celebrities like Janhvi Kapoor, Ananya Panday, Rashmika Mandanna, Preity Zinta, Varun Dhawan, and Bhumi Pednekar, among others, voiced their outrage, strongly reacted, and demanded justice. According to PTI, the body of a 31-year-old doctor was found in a lecture hall at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on the morning of August 9, 2024. On Tuesday, the Calcutta High Court ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take over the investigation of the trainee doctor's alleged rape and murder from the Kolkata Police. (Inputs: PTI) Washington: Gena Rowlands, the acclaimed actress renowned for her powerful performances and groundbreaking work in cinema, has passed away at the age of 94. Rowlands died at her home in Indian Wells, surrounded by family, after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Rowlands' remarkable career spanned over six decades, during which she earned critical acclaim for her roles in both television and film. She received Oscar nominations for her compelling performances in 'A Woman Under the Influence' (1974) and 'Gloria' (1980). In 'A Woman Under the Influence', Rowlands portrayed an emotionally fragile housewife, while in 'Gloria', she starred as a tough protector entangled with the Mob. Despite her nominations, she did not win an Academy Award, though she was later honoured with an honorary Oscar at the 2015 Governors Awards. Throughout her career, Rowlands collaborated closely with her late husband, director John Cassavetes. Cassavetes directed Rowlands in several influential films including 'Faces' (1968), 'Opening Night' (1977), and 'Love Streams' (1984). Together, they pushed the boundaries of conventional filmmaking, exploring complex human emotions and societal issues. In an interview at the 2015 Governors Awards, Rowlands reflected on her acting career, saying, "You don't just live one life -- yours -- you live many lives," according to The Hollywood Reporter. Rowlands also made significant contributions to television, winning three Emmy Awards for her roles in 'The Betty Ford Story' (1987) and 'Hysterical Blindness' (2002), among others. Her versatility extended to roles in 'The Notebook' (2004), where she played an elderly woman with dementia, and 'Unhook the Stars' (1996), in which she portrayed a lonely widow. Born Virginia Cathryn Rowlands on June 19, 1930, in Madison, Wisconsin, she began her acting career in theatre and television before making her mark in film, according to The Hollywood Reporter. After studying at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, Rowlands met Cassavetes, and the two were married in 1954. Rowlands' legacy is further carried on by her children, Nick, Zoe, and Xan Cassavetes, all of whom have followed in their parents' footsteps in the film industry. Her final film appearances included works like 'Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks' (2014) and 'The Skeleton Key' (2005). As per The Hollywood Reporter, in tribute to Rowlands, Sidney Lumet once remarked, "The highest compliment I can pay to her -- to anyone -- is that the talent frightens me, making me aware of the lack of it in so many and the power that accrues to those who have it and use it well." New Delhi: Chinese smartphone brand Realme has introduced the new 320W SuperSonic fast charging technology in the world for smartphones in the future. However, the brand hasn't revealed which phone will get this new fast-charging technology. Notably, the new tech has been demonstrated at the Realme 828 Fanfest event in China by the company. To recall, the Chinese company Realme introduced 240W fast charging, with its Realme GT 3 smartphone. 320W SuperSonic Charge is officially unveiled today! Click the video to learn more about the technology behind it and see how long it takes to charge a phone fully!#realme828Fanfest #320WFastestCharge pic.twitter.com/osefpxcRlT realme Global (@realmeglobal) August 14, 2024 In Realmes demo video, the 320W SuperSonic charge technology promises to be a game-changer, as it can fully charge a phone with a 4,420mAh battery in four minutes and thirty seconds. Meanwhile, Xiaomis 300W charging tech took around 5 minutes to charge the device with a 4,100mAh battery. Realme has also introduced a folded battery, with 4,420 mAh capacity. Is Fast Charging Technology Safe To Use? To address safety concerns for high-power charging, Realme representatives have introduced the "AirGap" voltage transformer, designed to isolate high voltages from smartphone batteries during electrical faults, such as circuit breakdowns, to prevent damage. This transformer uses "contact-free electromagnetic conversion" technology. It reduces the voltage to 20 volts, thereby safeguarding battery life and ensuring the fast charger maintains a 93% power efficiency while charging. A new member has joined the board of directors for the River District Association as two others depart. Danielle Montague started her term on the board in June. I am interested to be involved in the development of the downtown area specifically the North Main portion of downtown, she said in a statement Montague grew up near the North Main area. I hope to bring my strategic development, planning and programming experience to board as the River District Association revives all the downtown areas, she said. Two other members of the board Kelvin Perry and Billy Crumpton have stepped down after serving for nine years. One of the reasons that RDA is successful in our work is the contribution by our board leadership, Diana Schwartz, CEO of the River District Association, said in a statement. No nonprofit organization can be successful without a strong board, and we can confidently say that we have a stellar membership. Schwartz expressed gratitude to Perry and Crumptom while welcoming Montague to the team. Will Mackaman, who has worked at the groups director of economic vitality, also has departed. Mackaman is credited for using the Dream Launch Bootcamp and Ignite Pitch Competition to make amazing contributions to small businesses in the River District, a news release stated. The slate of RDA board members for 2024-25 are: Emma Sellers, Averett University, president Kunal Patel, Caesars Virginia, vice president Irving Perez, First Citizens Bank, secretary Austin Bunn, Aoss Ventures, treasurer Steven Osborne, International Mission Board Christy Harper, Danville Pittsylvania Chamber of Commerce Drew Herring, West Main Baptist Church Dr. Andrew Hessler, Danville Dental Associates Sandra Chinn-Gilstrap, Chinn Gilstrap Law Rachel Timm, Ruby B. Archie Public Library Daniella Montague, Virginia Rural Health Association Learn more online at www.riverdistrictassociation.com. French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday congratulated the people of India on their 78th Independence Day and expressed his eagerness to work with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to achieve the ambitious goals set for the strategic partnership between the two nations. Macron shared a picture on X and wrote, "Congratulations to the Indian people on your 78th Independence Day!" "I remember your warm welcome during my visit to India in January and look forward to working with my friend @NarendraModi on achieving the ambitious goals we have set for our strategic partnership," he added. Many other nations also extended warm wishes to people of India on Independence Day. Slovak Ambassador to India, Robert Maxian, extended greetings and saluted the heroes who fought for India's freedom and wished for the country's continued prosperity and peace. The envoy shared a video on X and stated, "Happy #IndependenceDay ! On this special day, let's salute the heroes who fought for the freedom of India. May India continue to flourish and prosper in #peace and #harmony." Bhutan's Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay extended wishes to India on the occasion of Independence Day and expressed hope for the continued strengthening of the special friendship between both nations. "Wishing the government and people of India a very happy Independence Day! May the special friendship between grow ever stronger," Bhutan PM said on X. Nepal Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba also took to social media handle X and extended warm greetings to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and to the people of India on Independence Day. She further expressed hope for continued strengthening of friendship and cooperation between both nations and wished peace, prosperity, and progress for the Indian people. "On the occasion of the 78th Independence Day of India, I wish to extend warm greetings and felicitations to His Excellency @DrSJaishankar and the friendly people of India," Deuba said on X. "May the ties of friendship and cooperation between Nepal and India continue to strengthen. Wishing peace, prosperity, and progress to the people of India," she added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the national flag on Thursday at the Red Fort in the national capital for the 11th consecutive time on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day. He was warmly welcomed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other dignitaries as he arrived earlier for the celebrations at the Red Fort. This year's celebration marks the 11th time PM Modi addressed the nation from the Red Fort on Independence Day, making him the third Prime Minister after Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi to achieve this milestone. The theme for this year's Independence Day is 'Viksit Bharat @ 2047,' aiming to drive the Government's efforts to transform India into a developed nation by 2047. CHAMPAIGN Technical upgrades at Virginia Theatre will cost nearly $400,000 more than Champaign Park District staff originally estimated and are expected to result in a three-month closure of the facility, with the latter issue leading local productions to pivot when it comes to their venue of choice. Jenette Jurczyk, national director of That's What She Said, said next year's event, set for Feb. 8, will be moved to Parkland College. She said the show is scheduled to return to the Virginia on Feb. 28, 2026, "when the renovations are completed!" Park District Executive Director Sarah Sandquist estimated the theater will be closed from January to March, with the upgrades ready in time for Ebertfest, which is set to run from April 23-26. She added that they've discussed shifting some events to State Farm Center or Krannert Center during the closure, similar to how Krannert hosted some events at the Virginia when it was closed last year. "We don't have any dates or events solidified for that, but both entities have been really open to the idea of partnership," Sandquist said. The park district's board will vote on whether to approve a bid to replace and upgrade the computer controls to the theater's fly system at its next meeting. Theater director Steven Bentz said in May that the fly system itself has a long lifespan, and the computer system is the only piece being replaced. "The fly system are those elements backstage that raise, suspend and lower items over the stage," he said. "Everything from set pieces to backdrops, light fixtures, monitor speakers, curtains, screens and so forth." Parks staff are recommending that the board accept a $635,990 bid from Bodine Electric of Decatur. According to a report from Bentz, the only other bidder on the project was Urbana-based Glesco Electric, which submitted a $651,281 proposal. Sandquist said the park district originally budgeted $242,500 for this project in its fiscal year 2025 capital plan. Champaign-based GHR Engineers and Associates later estimated that the project would cost $750,000 overall. "When we initially contracted with GHR on the proposal, and they got into some of the design, (we) realized that the scope of the project is much larger than we had originally estimated, and then that was confirmed when we put it out to bid," she said. To make up the difference, park district staff asked the Champaign Parks Foundation board to allocate $393,490 from the Virginia Theatre Restoration Fund for the project, and the board approved the expense, Bentz said. "Every ticket that's sold at the Virginia Theatre has $1 added onto it that goes into the Virginia Theatre Restoration Fund," Sandquist explained. "And it goes really to projects like this and other restoration activities throughout the theater." Bentz wrote in a report that the Virginia previously closed in spring 2012 for 11 months for a restoration project that included replacing the theater's historic "pin rail" fly system with a motorized, computer-controlled system. "Unfortunately, the new motorized system was produced by a division of a company that was subsequently sold off, and the product line was discontinued," he said. "Updates to its software and hardware are no longer available. "This development has caused the Virginia Theatre to experience an escalating increase in troubling performance issues, culminating in several incidents over the past three (3) years where the Virginia fly system was not operational and required extensive repairs." Renowned director Hu Mei's latest movie adapts "Dream of the Red Chamber," fulfilling a long-held ambition to revive interest in the Chinese literary classic. The cast and crew pose for a group photo at the premiere of "The Dream of the Red Chamber," Beijing, Aug. 11, 2024. [Photo courtesy of Bona Film Group] Hu's film, "The Dream of the Red Chamber," based on Cao Xueqin's 18th-century seminal novel, offers a fresh take on the story. The project required 10 years of preparation and officially started production in 2017. The cast includes Lin Peng, Bian Cheng, Huang Jiarong and Guan Xiaotong. Set for national release on Aug. 16, the new movie adaptation has already sparked online discussions and controversies about its plot and casting. Hu said that was exactly what she wanted. "My original aspiration for making this movie was to bring this story back into current hot topics and regenerate attention," Hu said. Hu, 65, directed the popular historical TV series "Yongzheng Dynasty" (1999), which was critically acclaimed on the Chinese mainland. Her other hit series include "The Emperor in Han Dynasty" (2005), "Qiao's Grand Courtyard" (2006) and "Cao Cao" (2014). Previously, she had repeatedly said that adapting "Dream of the Red Chamber" for film was her ultimate dream. "My movie is just one interpretation," Hu said at the Beijing premiere on Aug. 11. "There's a saying that goes, 'There are a thousand Hamlets in a thousand people's eyes.' Similarly, a thousand people have their own interpretations of 'Dream of the Red Chamber.' Given this, even if there are regrets in my version, it doesn't matter. I hope to spark further interest for more works related to the novel." She added that her perspective on the novel had changed with time. She also noticed that fewer young people are willing to settle down to read it in today's fast-paced digital era. "I wanted to bring it to the silver screen to make it a hot topic again more than 200 years after it was written. As long as it attracts attention, people will pick up the book again." A poster for "The Dream of the Red Chamber." [Image courtesy of Bona Film Group] "Dream of the Red Chamber" chronicles the rise and fall of four wealthy families in 18th-century China. The first 80 chapters are attributed to Cao Xueqin, with the last 40 believed to have been written by Gao E. The book is to be semi-autobiographical, mirroring the fortunes of Cao's own family. The story centers on a tragic love triangle involving Jia Baoyu and his two cousins, Lin Daiyu and Xue Baochai. The novel is considered a masterpiece of Chinese literature and is one of China's four great classical novels. It even spawned a field of study called Redology and inspired a popular 1987 TV series that influenced modern Chinese pop culture. Hu added modern perspectives and conspiracy elements to strengthen the drama. She also cast young actors to appeal to younger viewers. "This movie has always been intended for young people," Hu said. "With many young actors in the cast, I felt their vibrant energy and power. I believe their performances will draw more young people to this classic novel. Only when they embrace it can our culture be passed down from generation to generation." As mentioned above, there were lots of people angry over the annexation of Bosnia Herzegovina by Austria Hungary, especially the Bosnians, the Herzegovinians, and the Serbian government, although not all for the same reasons. In June of 1914, in his capacities as Inspector General of the army, Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie traveled to Sarajevo to, well, do an inspection of the troops there. On their way back to city hall, there was going to be another ceremony of some kind (it must've be exhausting to be an heir apparent to an empire). Advertisement That's when a member of the Bosnian Youth, who knew about Ferdinand's visit, hurled a bomb as the motorcade passed. The bomb missed its targets but injured some of the officers in the motorcade. Despite the close call, Franz Ferdinand went through with the event at the Sarajevo city hall. He was advised to leave immediately, but first he insisted on visiting the injured officers in the hospital. One Wrong Turn (Don't Blame the Driver) The trip was by now getting pretty chaotic, as could be expected. It was decided that the motorcade would take a short, straight drive to the hospital. Unfortunately, the finer points of this new route were not understood by everybody in the party, and at a certain point, a wrong turn was made. Realizing his mistake (probably because the Governor of Bosnia, who was riding with Franz Ferdinand and his wife, and who actually knew the right way, started shouting), the driver put the car in reverse, but upon trying to back up, stalled it. Two Lives Lost This gave Gavrilo Princip, who happened to be on the street where the Archduke's car had just stalled, the opportunity he needed. He stepped up and shot both Franz Ferdinand and Sophie at point blank range. (Princip later claimed he had been trying to kill the governor, not Sophie.) Sophie lost consciousness almost immediately and died shortly thereafter. Franz Ferdinand's life was over in a matter of minutes, as his bullet wound to the jugular vein meant he rapidly lost a critical amount of blood. Telecommunication companies Telstra and Optus announced they will delay the closure of their 3G networks by 28 October 2024. Telstra said in a statement it will use the extension to conduct a public safety awareness campaign to inform Australians what actions they need to take. The extra time will be used to "execute one last push for mass public awareness of the impending closures." The campaign aims to ensure that anyone who still depends on the 3G network for connectivity - for mobile and data - "is aware of the actions they need to take to stay connected ahead of the closure of each network." Telstra stressed once again that customers should check their devices if they are compatible with 4G or 5G network to ensure they can call emergency services and act upon any communications they receive from their service provider. Users of connected devices like medical monitors, IoT sensors, and Eftpos need to check whether they rely on the 3G network by contacting the manufacturer or supplier. The 3G shutdown is necessary to free up spectrum for 4G and 5G networks so faster mobile services can be provided. "We have been communicating to customers about the need to prepare and make the move for almost five years. This has included multiple letters, bill messages, SMS, public awareness campaigns, and advertising - even door knocking and sending free phones to people in vulnerable circumstances and our support for customers won't end the day the network closes," says Telstra CEO Vicki Brady. "Adding to our extensive direct communications and marketing efforts to date, we are joining with Telstra to launch a final public awareness campaign to really drive home the safety message and get the final groups of customers to act," says Optus interim CEO Michael Venter. Last March, iTWire reported that the 3G shutdown may be delayed as customers still using 3G services may be unable to access Triple Zero services. At that time, the government formed a working group comprising Telstra, Optus, TPG Telecom and the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Authority (AMTA) to manage the switch from 3G to 4G "in a safer way." It was reported that around 740,000 4G handsets still in circulation could lose access to Triple Zero. However, in July, the number dwindled to 102,000, according to a statement released by Communications Minister Michelle Rowland. Last June, Telstra announced it would provide 12,000 free mobile phones to its most disadvantaged, elderly, remote customers across Australia. Optus followed suit, offering mobile handsets to eligible customers at no cost. Telstra reminded again customers to check the status of their phones. "Send '3' to '3498' (3GXT) and the response will let you know if you need to take action. The closure will impact 3G only and some 4G capable devices, including those that aren't VoLTE or 700Mhz (band 28) enabled, or handsets hardwired to use 3G to call Triple Zero." Flash Editor's note: Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has made arrangements for social stability, border development, ecological protection and ethnic unity in Xizang Autonomous Region and opened a new chapter of improving governance, stability and people's wellbeing there. Here, China.org.cn presents key quotes from President Xi on promoting Xizang's development. GUEST OPINION: As organisations navigate the challenges of remote work, effective business travel has become crucial, providing opportunities for market expansion, valuable insights, and professional growth. However, new research from SAP Concur highlights the complexities involved in maintaining this essential function. The 2024 Global Business Travel Survey examined trends and challenges faced by 3,750 business travellers and 600 travel managers across global markets in the last year. Travel managers feel unappreciated, unsupported, and overburdened. Many are considering new opportunities, with a significant number likely to search for new positions in the coming year. For those who stay, change is crucial. Business travellers expect flexibility and will often go outside company policy to ensure their safety, maintain work-life balance, or adhere to their social, political, and environmental values during travel. Travel managers face the challenge of balancing traveller expectations with their organisations demands for cost-cutting measures. Prioritising sustainable travel options while offering the lowest-cost choices adds to their stress. Additionally, 88% of business travellers from Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) have been forced to make last-minute changes in the past year due to unexpected delays or cancellations, further complicating travel management. Most travel managers anticipate a more challenging year ahead, needing more training and tools, especially when asked to take on strategic roles and demonstrate return on investment using artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tools. Jonathan Beeby, managing director, SAP Concur Australia and New Zealand, said, Despite the relief AI can offer, many travel managers find it difficult to adopt these tools due to insufficient training. The research reveals the uncertain future companies face unless they align their tools and support systems with the growing demands of these complex roles. The survey results from organisations in ANZ, juxtaposed with global findings, provide a comprehensive perspective for executive leaders. Key research findings include: Flexibility versus cost management The survey reveals a growing tension between travel flexibility and cost management. Globally, 91% of business travellers have seen cuts to travel flexibility over the past year. In ANZ, 89% of business travellers report similar reductions. These cuts include fewer overnight stays to avoid long day trips, more indirect flights instead of non-stop options, and limits on combining personal travel with business trips. Additionally, 80% of ANZ business travellers now book extra time to counteract unexpected travel disruptions, underscoring the need for better travel policies. Jonathan Beeby said, Balancing cost management with traveller needs is achievable. Companies can approve overnight stays to reduce travel fatigue, offer non-stop flight options, and allow the combination of personal and business travel. Safety and wellbeing concerns Safety is a top priority for business travellers. Globally, 44% of travellers cite safety concerns as a reason for the decline in business trips. In ANZ, 37% of respondents share this concern. Political and social issues also play a role, with 35 per cent of global and 36% of ANZ travellers considering these factors. Many travel managers experience burnout due to the range of factors they must consider when planning and provisioning for business trips, with over a third (35%) of those in ANZ feeling that they are expected to take on more strategic roles without adequate training. Jonathan Beeby said, Ensuring traveller safety requires proactive measures. Organisations can provide detailed safety guidelines for high-risk destinations, offer real-time updates on political and social conditions, and include flexibility in travel plans to handle unexpected changes. Sustainability challenges Sustainability influences travel decisions significantly. Over a quarter (27%) of global business travellers are willing to decline trips due to environmental concerns. In ANZ, this figure is 28%. Additionally, 36% of global travel managers and 39% of ANZ travel managers struggle to meet sustainability goals due to budget constraints. Companies in ANZ are equally pursuing three priorities: increased use of sustainable travel options (32%), meeting employees demands for flexible travel options (35%), and cutting back on travel costs (33%), which increases pressure on travel managers. Jonathan Beeby said, Aligning sustainability initiatives with budget constraints is possible through strategies such as implementing carbon offset programs, encouraging eco-friendly transportation options, and providing clear guidelines on sustainable travel practices. The role of AI and technology AI and technology offer potential solutions to streamline travel management. Globally, 95% of business travellers are open to using AI-enabled booking options; however, fewer than one in 10 are currently comfortable using the tools. Similarly, 95% of ANZ travellers are open to AI solutions, yet only four per cent are comfortable using these options. Jonathan Beeby said, Adopting AI tools can enhance travel management efficiency. Steps for successful implementation include providing comprehensive training for travel managers and business travellers, ensuring data privacy and protection, and using AI-driven insights to optimise travel plans. Business travellers demand flexibility and safety, often bypassing organisational policies to meet these needs. Companies must use spend management tools to track every dollar, travel management tools to connect trips and keep travellers safe, and sustainable travel tools to meet eco-friendly goals. By leveraging these advanced solutions and aligning corporate travel policies with employee expectations, organisations can effectively support their travel managers and adapt to the evolving business travel environment. Special Notes: The SAP Concur Global Business Traveller Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research between April 05 and April 26, 2024, among 3,750 business travellers in 24 markets. These markets included the United States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg), Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Italy, Spain, ANZ (Australia, New Zealand), Middle East (United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia), Japan, Korea, India, Mexico, Brazil, SEA (Singapore, Malaysia), South Africa, Portugal, Switzerland, and Austria. Data has been weighted to facilitate tracking. The SAP Concur Global Travel Manager Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research between April 05 and April 26, 2024, among 600 travel managers, defined as those who direct or administer travel programs for businesses, across six markets. These markets included Germany, Canada, Japan, ANZ (Australia and New Zealand), the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. Click here to read the full Global Business Travelers Report and the Global Travel Managers Report. CHICAGO The local host committee for next weeks Democratic National Convention in Chicago said on Wednesday it had raised $94 million for the four-day event, a record for a nominating convention for either party. The announcement came five days before the start of the convention and after the Tribune reported in July that the committee, led by prominent Chicago Democratic donor Michael Sacks, had secured the commitments needed to reach the $85 million it agreed to raise as part of Chicagos $30 million line of credit agreement that helped the city win its convention bid. The host committee for Milwaukees Republican National Convention last month said it raised $85 million. Todays announcement is a reflection of the unified love for our city, and we couldnt be more grateful for the broad coalition of partners who came together to ensure Chicago could put its best foot forward at this convention, Christy George, the host committees executive director and a former aide to Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, said in a statement. The official announcement names only three sponsors AT&T, Invenergy and United Airlines and a more complete financial picture wont be publicly available until after the convention. Thats when the host committee, officially named Development Now for Chicago, will be required to disclose details of its contributions and expenditures in federal tax and campaign finance filings. But based on interviews and public records, the Tribune previously reported corporations, labor unions and Democratic political organizations have opened their checkbooks to help the Chicago DNC committee, which had hoped to raise up to $100 million to cover the full cost of the convention and related events. The committees fundraising efforts are separate from the $75 million in federal funding Chicago and Milwaukee each received from Congress for security-related costs, including police overtime and equipment. Pritzker, who was instrumental in bringing the convention to Chicago and will play the role of de facto host, has not disclosed how much he personally contributed to the committee. Like so many people, I got a suite, and that costs money, but I didnt pay any more than anybody else did for their space, Pritzker told reporters Wednesday at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield when asked about personal contributions to the convention. Im really excited about the fact that we raised more money than anyone expected, more than any other Democratic convention ever has, Pritzker said. A Pritzker campaign spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for clarification on whether the billionaire governor made a separate contribution to the host committee. In a statement, Pritzker said that because of the contributions, not only will we nominate Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in style, but we will be able to make investments for years to come that will benefit the best city in the world. Pritzker, an ardent supporter of 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, gave $1.25 million to the host committee for that years DNC in Philadelphia, making him the largest individual donor, according to the committees disclosures to the Federal Election Commission. Records show the governor did not contribute to the Milwaukee DNC host committee in 2020, when the convention was largely virtual amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But he did make contributions totaling more than $2.5 million that year to the Wisconsin Democratic Party, campaign finance records show. Aside from United and Invenergy, the list of corporate contributors to this years convention, previously reported by the Tribune, features prominent Chicago companies such as McDonalds, Archer Daniels Midland Co., CME Group, Cboe Global Markets Inc. and Peoples Gas. Officials for many companies declined to comment on the size of the contributions. Some also gave to the Milwaukee RNC. The Reinsdorf and Wirtz families, who own the United Center, where the prime-time action of the convention will take place, made a cash contribution totaling $2 million, according to a source familiar with the donation. Available public records show other contributions as well. U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, for example, in June donated $250,000 from his campaign fund, federal campaign finance records show. Labor unions also have been big givers. Groups such as the Service Employees International Union, the United Steelworkers, the United Food & Commercial Workers, the National Association of Letter Carriers and the American Federation of Teachers all have chipped in. SEIUs political education committee gave $875,000 in March, while the Steelworkers and UFCW each have given $500,000, according to federal campaign finance records. On the state level, two funds affiliated with the Laborers International Union of North America the LiUNA Chicago Laborers District Council and the Laborers Political League-Great Lakes Region each have kicked in $1 million, Illinois campaign finances records show. Tribune reporter Jeremy Gorner contributed from Springfield. Photos: Illinois State Fair political days through the years 2012 State Fair 2012 State Fair 2015 State Fair 2015 State Fair 2015 State Fair 2007 State Fair 2008 State Fair 2008 State Fair 2009 State Fair 2012 State Fair 2012 State Fair 2005 State Fair 2004 State Fair 2003 State Fair 2003 State Fair 2006 State Fair 2007 State Fair 2012 State Fair 2018 State Fair 2012 State Fair 2021 State Fair 2021 State Fair China releases revised draft regulation on marriage registration for public comment 08:20, August 15, 2024 By Yu Xi ( Global Times Photo: Chen Xia/GT China's Ministry of Civil Affairs recently released the revised draft of regulation on marriage registration for public comment. The revised content includes an individual's household register not being required and no regional restrictions for marriage registration, which experts believe will streamline the process and help build a family-friendly society. The public can submit their feedback before September 11, according to the civil affairs ministry. The revised draft points out that the regulation is formulated based on the Civil Code of the People's Republic of China and other laws. According to the draft, the country will enhance information-based marriage management, improve the national marriage information database, and establish an information-sharing mechanism to ensure that marriage data is timely, accurate, complete, and secure. In comparison to the original regulation on marriage registration issued in 2003, the draft removes the requirement to present a household register during marriage registration. There will no longer be regional restrictions for registration, with the original regulation requiring that it should be handled at the household registration location of the parties involved. Jiang Quanbao, a professor from the Institute for Population and Development Studies at Xi'an Jiaotong University, told the Global Times on Wednesday that the original regulation has been implemented for more than 20 years, which requires revision and updating in the face of changing social habits. The draft standardizes marriage registration, safeguards marriage freedom and equality, and helps build a family-friendly society in many aspects including simplified procedures, said Jiang. The draft calls for marriage registration authorities to provide marriage and family counseling services, fully leverage the expertise of professionals, and guide the parties involved in marriage to establish equal, harmonious, and civilized marital and family relationships. Jiang said that this also helps enhance its service function, giving marriages with the potential for reconciliation another chance to be saved, and helping to prevent impulsive divorces. In the chapter on divorce registration, the draft further elaborates on the cooling-off period for divorce, stating that within 30 days from the date the authority receives the divorce registration application, if either party is unwilling to divorce, they may withdraw the divorce registration application. Then the marriage registration authority shall terminate the divorce registration process. The regulation aims to "promote the importance of marriage and family," reduce impulsive divorces, uphold social stability, and better protect the legitimate rights of the parties involved, according to Jiang. If one party is coerced into marriage, the coerced party can request cancellation of the marriage according to law. If one party has a serious illness, they should truthfully inform the other party before the marriage registration; if they do not truthfully inform the other party, the other party can request termination of the marriage, the draft details. China's local authorities have implemented multiple measures to establish a family-friendly society over recent years, such as creating traditional Chinese group wedding ceremonies for young couples, and implementing cross-regional marriage and divorce registration pilot policy. According to data from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, 3.43 million couples in China registered for marriage in the first half of this year, down by 498,000 couples during the same period from 2023. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun) An aerial drone photo shows a view of Chongji Village of Taining County, Sanming City, southeast China's Fujian Province, Aug. 11, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua] The annual carbon-sink capacity of China's forests and grassland has exceeded 1.2 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents, ranking first in the world, an official said Wednesday. A carbon sink is anything that absorbs more carbon from the atmosphere than it releases. Forests and grassland are typically carbon sinks. China has set ambitious goals of achieving carbon peak by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060, taking a prominent role in the global fight against climate change. China's unavoidable carbon emissions are predicted to reach approximately 2.5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents in 2060, and forests and grassland will be able to absorb over half of them, thus contributing significantly to carbon neutrality, said Guo Qingjun, an official of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration. To increase the carbon-sink capacity, China will move to expand the area of forests and grassland, as well as stepping up efforts to protect these resources, Guo said at a press conference on ecological conservation and restoration a day ahead of National Ecology Day. Last year, China's top legislature voted to designate Aug. 15 as the country's National Ecology Day, with the aim of enhancing public awareness and actions to protect the ecological environment. In the history room of the Davie County Library on Mocksvilles Main Street, librarian Marcia Phillips always makes sure to open the blinds to the windows that look onto the parking lot. The only staff member with such a view, Phillips reason for opening the blinds isnt so much about natural light as it is keeping an eye out for troublemakers who, over the last two years, have left her and her colleagues on edge. I watch a lot and look out the windows because I feel also the weight of responsibility for my fellow staff members, Phillips told the Davie County Board of Commissioners last month. Amid colorful posters on summer reading activities and display of Native American stone tools, patrons wouldnt guess that staff members at the library have been in a heightened state of alertness for nearly two years. Thats about the time that a small group of people began moving and hiding books those with LGBTQ content have been a particular target and confronting staff members with harassing questions about certain books, leading to low morale, according to the minutes of the librarys board of trustees meeting from March 2023. The harassment culminated in June when a car bumped library director Derrick Wold in the parking lot of the library as he attempted to confront the driver, who had been seen moving and hiding books, the Davie County Sheriffs Office reported. The driver, John Howard Tarolli, 53, of Mocksville, was arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon. Wold was not injured. The harassing behavior, which had begun to taper before Wold was struck, is just one of several concerns among library supporters. Last year, the county manager ordered a book removed from the librarys collection around the same time that county commissioners began changing the way they appoint people to the librarys board of trustees after years of approving the recommendations of the sitting trustees. Taken together, library supporters worry that this small, quiet library is being drawn into the culture wars at a time of surging book bans and challenges. Their concerns are not unfounded. Earlier this year, the American Library Association reported that the number of individual titles challenged is up 65% from the previous year, a level it called unprecedented. Small libraries in rural areas across the country, from Washington to Louisiana, are facing pressure over the type of material on their shelves. One library, in Dayton, Wash., nearly dissolved, such was the intensity of the uproar. Khristen Mears, a longtime Davie County library user and, until a month ago, a member of the librarys board of trustees, said she feared that the pattern of disruption inside the library could lead to violence. Employees have told trustees that they feel on guard while at work. One staff member broke down in tears while describing the tense climate to trustees. Another quit rather than deal with the harassment, Mears said. I was extremely shocked and disappointed but not surprised, she said of the assault on Wold. This is what we were afraid was going to happen. Wold declined to be interviewed for this story and directed questions to the county manager. In response to the assault, the county, for the second time in about 18 months, has strengthened security measures at the library by adding even more cameras and installing panic buttons for staff members. The sheriffs office has stepped up its patrols around the library, and staff members have also been trained in de-escalation tactics. The number of cameras in the 5,000-square-foot library is now up to 15, a cost of nearly $34,000 to local taxpayers. Panic buttons will cost another $2,600, County Manager Brian Barnett said. Nationally, among the most challenged books is Flamer, a young adult graphic novel about a boy struggling with his sexuality. Its the book that Barnett ordered Wold to remove from the librarys collection, bypassing the librarys own multistep process on how to challenge material. Ordinarily, a formal complaint would be filed, with the final decision on whether to remove the material falling to the seven-member board of trustees. Reviewing challenged books is among several duties of the trustees. They create and modify policy, including the process to review challenged material, and generally advocate for the library and its employees. It has no say in what materials the library keeps in its collection. Staff members have that duty. Mark Jones, the chairman of the Davie County Board of Commission, vigorously pushed back on the notion that the books removal equates to censorship, saying at Julys commissioners meeting that though the book is no longer on the shelves, interested readers can get a copy through the states interlibrary loan program known as N.C. Cardinal. Getting a copy may take weeks. Jones questioned Wold about the removal of Flamer, in an attempt to clarify who ordered it removed. That decision was made by you and Mr. Barnett, correct? he asked Wold. No, that is not correct, Wold replied. I did not make that decision. Barnett said last week that he wanted Flamer removed as a preventative measure. If you Google it, it has become a hotbed, and I didnt want it to be a distraction, he said. In that July meeting, supporters of the library packed the board room, addressing a number of issues, including what they believe is an attack on LGBTQ books, such as Flamer. I dont know if Im delivering news to you, but reading gay books does not turn you gay, Nathan Linville, 20, told commissioners. I know how it is to grow up gay in Davie County. I deserve to see myself in the books I read if I choose to. Library supporters are concerned that the removal of Flamer is the tip of the iceberg, and that a movement is afoot to fill the board of trustees with people who will make it easier to challenge books. As it is now, if a book challenge fails, it cant be reviewed for another three years. According to county policy, commissioners have the final say-so on who gets appointed to the countys 16 advisory boards. These voluntary boards, made up of Davie County residents, advise commissioners on a range of issues in the county, including juvenile crime, agriculture and aging. Of the 16 boards, the library board is the only one that for years has recommended candidates. Typically, sitting trustees will nominate someone who they see frequently patronize the library, figuring that such a person will have a built-in knowledge of and passion for the library. Thats how Mears wound up on the board. A mother of three children, she was a regular at the librarys story time and summer reading programs, using the library as a sort of de facto media center for her homeschooled children. I was glad to give back, Mears said. Upon the recommendation of the trustees, commissioners twice appointed Mears to serve, with, as far as she knows, little discussion. Thats how the process went for as long as anyone can remember. In May, 2023, commissioners approved only one of two candidates recommended by the trustees, signaling a change in course. The candidate they rejected, Jane McAllister, was director of the library for 10 years before retiring in 2019. Two months later, commissioners voted on two more vacancies. This time, they approved McAllisters appointment, but they rejected two other trustees recommendations, choosing instead to appoint Teresa Bivins of Cooleemee. Mears said she was shocked that an established precedent had changed suddenly and without explanation. We were blown away, she said. They had always taken the recommendations of the trustees, people we have looked into, vetted and stand for what the library represents. Suddenly, you dont want to listen to our recommendations? In July, two more vacancies opened. As is custom, trustees put forth three candidates, including Mears. Before commissioners voted, several county residents, including Julie Whittaker, the former Youth Services Librarian, urged commissioners to reappoint Mears, lauding her commitment to the library. She also questioned why the appointment process had changed. The board of trustees does not need administrative, moral or political monitoring, Whittaker said. She said the library has never had a better advocate for childrens material than Mears. Shes been absolutely wonderful, Whittaker said. Phillips, the history room librarian, also vouched for Mears. Im not sure why someone of that caliber would be replaced, she said. All three recommended candidates were rejected. Instead, commissioners voted 3-2 to reappoint Brent Ward, who was chosen over McAllister in May, 2023; and appoint Glenn Mace. Commissioners Terry Renegar and Richard Poindexter cast the dissenting votes, saying that the old method had worked well. That system has worked very well over the years, Poindexter said. We should consider every person that has brought before us from the boards first before we go look outside. Commissioners Jones, Brent Shoaf and Benita Finney said there is no hidden motive behind the change in selecting library trustees. Finney said the board of trustees needs to reflect all viewpoints and that the concern over the selection process is misplaced. We do have to represent all people. Thats our responsibility for all citizens to be represented. she said. I hope moving forward we will not have all this misinformation, all of this publicity and all of these unnecessary reactions to an advisory board appointment. Under questioning by Jones, Wold said that Ward, has shown no sign of a political agenda in the year he has been a trustee. Hes actually been supportive of everything weve done in our meetings, said Wold. Commissioners have also had no input on library materials, he said. But those statements have not allayed the concerns of library supporters who worry that the board of trustees is being pulled in a more conservative direction. Next summer, there will be two more vacancies on the board of trustees. We fear next year, when two trustees rotate off, Mears said. Youve got to assume that theyll put their own appointments on and have a majority. In the meantime, on Aug. 24, a multipurpose room at the library that is available to community members has been reserved for a Brave Books story hour, one of many taking place across the country. Brave Books is a conservative Christian publishing company that focuses on Pro God, Pro America books. The stories take place on the mythical Freedom Island, whose geographical features include the Car-a-Lago Coast, a play on former President Donald Trumps home. Among Brave Books authors are Jack Posobiec, a conspiracy theorist who spread the hoax that Democrats were holding child sex slaves in a Washington D.C., pizza parlor, and Chaya Raichik, known for creating anti-LGBTQ content on the social media account, Libs of TikTok. The public library has not endorsed the story hour. Teresa Bivins, one of the trustees that commissioners selected without library input, will be the host. Bivins did not return an email or phone call. On Thursday, Commissioner Finney declined to talk to the Journal about the library. There are no issues at the library, she said before hanging up. You are here: China The 2024 China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week will be held in southwest China's Guizhou province from Aug. 20 to 25, according to a press conference on Wednesday. More than 70 activities are scheduled for this year's education cooperation week, the event's organizers have said. The event will showcase the latest achievements of educational exchange and cooperation between China and ASEAN, and share the experience and outcomes of China and ASEAN countries in areas including higher education and vocational education, according to the organizers. The week will play an improved role in serving people-to-people exchange, deepening educational cooperation, and promoting regional economic and social development, they said. This year's event will be co-hosted by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Education, as well as the provincial government of Guizhou. The education cooperation week, which was first held in 2008, has developed into a high-end platform and bridge making positive contributions to China-ASEAN relations. EVENTS Bumble Bee Atlas: A Community Science Project, 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Rowe Sanctuary at 44450 Elm Island Road, southwest of Gibbon. 308-468-5282; Rowe.Audubon.org. Learn how to conduct a bumble bee survey for conservation efforts through Xerces Societys Bumble Bee Atlas. Storybook Walk, featuring Finders Keepers by Keiko Kasza, 1-3 p.m. Sunday beginning at the Harmon Park Activity Center at 3100 Fifth Ave. Read pages of the book as you walk through Harmon Park, engaging in fun activities that keep you guessing whats next in the story. Free admission. Presented by Kearney Park & Recreation. Pub Quiz @ Cunninghams Journal, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Tuesday at Cunninghams Journal at 15 W. 23rd St. Presented by Kearney Public Library. The theme is Thats All. A Meryl Streep Movies Quiz. Teams will answer 30 trivia questions. The team with the most correct answers will win a prize. Devices and notes are not allowed to help answer questions. Register by emailing James at JTidei@KearneyGov.org. Blue Gold Welcome, 5-8 p.m. Friday Aug. 23 at UNK Campus Green. The event celebrates the beginning of the school year for the University of Nebraska at Kearney. More than 100 student groups and organizations will provide information about the events at UNK during 2024-25 school years. Includes a picnic dinner. Free admission. Nebraska State Fair, Aug. 23 through Sept. 2 at the Nebraska State Fairground at 700 E. Stolley Park Rd., Grand Island. 308-382-4515; Visit StateFair.org for a schedule and more information. . Loper Lot Party, 4-9 p.m. Aug. 28 at Hilltop Mall parking lot at 5022 Second Ave. The event will feature food trucks, games, a DJ and a drone show. Presented by UNKs Student and Family Transitions. Free admission. For details call Kelly Tuttle Krahling at 308-865-1603 or visit UNK.edu. Who Hijacked My Fairy Tale? with comedian Kelly Swanson, presented as part of the Tassel Performance Season, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 5 at The Tassel Performing Arts Center at 1324 Tilden St., Holdrege. 308-995-2717; TheTassel.org. Grandparents Day, presented by Kearney Park & Recreation, 1-3 p.m. Sept. 8 beginning at the Harmon Park Activity Center at 3100 Fifth Ave. $8 per participant. Crafts and activities will be geared for children ages 4-12 but all ages are welcome. Register by Aug. 29. Visit CityOfKearney.org for details and registration. Memoir Writing Workshop with author and poet Bruce Whitacre, noon Sept. 10 at Kearney Public Library at 2020 First Ave. 308-233-3282; KearneyLib.org. $10 fee includes lunch. Register in advance. Poetry Reading with Bruce Whitacre, 7 p.m. Sept. 10 at Kearney Public Library at 2020 First Ave. 308-233-3282; KearneyLib.org. The writer is a former Kearney resident. CONCERTS Casting Crowns with special guest, Anne Wilson, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 25 Heartland Events Center at 700 E. Stolley Park Rd., Grand Island. 308-382-4515; HeartlandEventsCenter.com. The concert is part of Nebraska State Fair. The concert is sold out. The Gatlin Brothers with Lorrie Morgan, 2 p.m. Aug. 26 Heartland Events Center at 700 E. Stolley Park Rd., Grand Island. 308-382-4515; HeartlandEventsCenter.com. The concert is part of Nebraska State Fair. Tickets are $21. Little River Band, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 27 Heartland Events Center at 700 E. Stolley Park Rd., Grand Island. 308-382-4515; HeartlandEventsCenter.com. The concert is part of Nebraska State Fair. Tickets are $25-$50. Riley Green, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 28 Heartland Events Center at 700 E. Stolley Park Rd., Grand Island. 308-382-4515; HeartlandEventsCenter.com. The concert is part of Nebraska State Fair. Tickets are $47-$67. Los Huracanes Del Norte, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 29 Heartland Events Center at 700 E. Stolley Park Rd., Grand Island. 308-382-4515; HeartlandEventsCenter.com. The concert is part of Nebraska State Fair. Turnpike Troubadours, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 29 TD Landing at 700 E. Stolley Park Rd., Grand Island. 308-382-4515; HeartlandEventsCenter.com. The concert is part of Nebraska State Fair. The band is touring for the first time in three years. Tickets are $75-$90. Yung Gravy with Tayler Holder, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 31 Heartland Events Center at 700 E. Stolley Park Rd., Grand Island. 308-382-4515; HeartlandEventsCenter.com. The concert is part of Nebraska State Fair. Tickets are $46-$67. Jack Botts, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 7 at The Lark at 809 W. Second St., Hastings. 402-469-5446; TheLarkDowntown.com. Admission is $35. Botts will perform his latest song, Hand-Me-Down Heart. The Phil Collins Experience, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 14 at Minden Opera House at 322 E. Fifth St., Minden. 308-832-0588; MindenOperaHouse.com. Tickets are $35. The performance features Terry Adams Jr. and a 12-piece band. On 14 August, the former governor of Mexicos Puebla state (2005-2011) who was jailed in 2021 for ordering the torture of a prominent journalist, was released from prison on house arrest. End of preview - This article contains approximately 399 words. Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article Not a Subscriber? Choose from one of the following options On 14 August Argentinas former president(2019-2023) resigned as president of the opposition Peronist movement (Partido Justicialista, PJ) after prosecutors asked for gender violence charges to be brought against him. End of preview - This article contains approximately 390 words. Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article Not a Subscriber? Choose from one of the following options On 14 August justices on Brazils supreme court (STF) denied recent allegations that STF justicebreached proper procedure in investigations into far-right figures. End of preview - This article contains approximately 392 words. Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article Not a Subscriber? Choose from one of the following options Google has added a new tool that permits Android users to create digital versions of many kinds of identification (ID) cards and event passes for device wallets. The tool is part of the Google Wallet app. It was first announced in May along with other changes to the latest operating system, Android 15. The change is explained on a Google Wallet help website. The tool is now available for Android users in the United States who have the latest update of Google Wallet. Digital wallets are designed to permit users to save non-physical versions of credit cards, personal IDs, membership passes and event tickets to their smartphones or other devices. Credit cards in wallets are linked directly to the banks that offer them and can be used to pay for things just like with a physical credit card. The use of digital wallets has expanded over the years as people depend more on digital IDs and other documents. Supporters say this reduces the need to carry a lot of cards in a physical wallet. Until now, Google Wallet divided its digital document offerings into categories. Examples of these categories would be payment or gift cards, transportation passes for bus, train or air travel as well as official IDs. Googles new tool is designed to permit device users to easily add many more kinds of documents to its Wallet service. These could include the kinds of passes many people carry in their physical wallets, such as gym memberships and medical or insurance cards. These digital versions can be created by the user taking a picture of the physical document or by doing a screen capture of a digital version from a device. Some documents have an electronic barcode or QR code that can be entered into the Wallet app. Google Wallet then uses artificial intelligence (AI) technology to use information from the photo to create a new digital pass. The process of creating these digital documents is similar to adding new documents to Google Wallet. Users open the app and then click on Add to Google Wallet (+). The app then gives users a choice of what kind of card or pass to create. These include groups like Payment Card, Transit Pass or ID Card. The new Google Wallet has a new category, called Everything Else. This offering was created to permit users to make digital copies of just about any card, pass or document they want to keep in their devices. Google offers additional security steps to users storing official documents on Android devices. These private passes can also be added to Google Wallet. Google says data contained in official digital documents is only saved on the device as an extra security measure. People in some American states can create a digital ID to be used to officially prove their identity. Google explains that this service is currently only available in Arizona, Colorado, Georgia and Maryland There is a process users must follow to have their digital IDs verified by each state. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) even accepts this form of state ID at many major U.S. airports. Online technology website Android Authority recently reported Google Wallet will soon be equipped to also create digital versions of American passports. To create this official digital document, users would need to be holders of a U.S. government issued e-Passport. The online publication said one of its writers discovered the Google Wallet passport is still in development at Google. Android Authority noted that having a passport saved in Google Wallet might remove the need to present an actual passport in some cases. However, the digital version is not designed to replace the physical passport, which the user should continue to carry. Im Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from Google and Android Authority. Quiz - Tech Tip: Google Wallet Now Creates Digital IDs from Photos Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ___________________________________________ Words in This Story wallet n. a small container used to carry money and credit cards, or a digital version used for the same purpose app n. a computer program that is designed to do one task or set of tasks and is usually aimed at use on mobile devices category n. a group of people or things that are similar in some way gym (gymnasium) n. a business where people go to exercise or play sports insurance n. an agreement in which you pay a company to cover necessary costs in case there is an accident that causes damage or injuries barcode n. a small, printed pattern of thick and think black lines that is printed on products and documents verify v. to prove that something exists or is true In the green hills of central Bosnia and Herzegovina, Halim Zukic has recreated a nature park in the form of one of Vincent van Gogh's most famous paintings, The Starry Night. Zukic is from the town of Visoko. He decided to create a park after buying some land and a small house in a nearby village 20 years ago. But he had no clear idea of what the park should look like. Then he saw tractors moving among fields of tall grass six years ago. He also saw that the tractors made circular shapes in the earth. This reminded him of similar shapes in Van Goghs painting. "From that moment, I was no longer in doubt," Zukic told Reuters news agency. But his effort took him time, money, and a lot of work. To match the painting, Zukic brought in 130,000 lavender plants in six colors. Plants known for their aromas and medicinal uses were also planted. These include sage, echinacea, wormwood and chamomile. Together, they form colorful circles and help recreate the appearance of Van Goghs painting. Zukic also planted more trees and created 13 small lakes using water from the area. Zukic did the work to form the land into the same shape as the painting by himself. He said recreating the painting has helped him better understand artists and the creative problems they face. "This is the largest representation of The Starry Night, and the result of 20 years of dreams, of living those dreams to make them real," he said. The park is 10 hectares in size. Zukic said it will show art programs and promote central Bosnia's cultural heritage. Zukic also wants the park to offer visitors a place to rest and think. Van Gogh was born in 1853 in the Netherlands and died in 1890 in France. Im Andrew Smith. Daria Sito-Sucic reported this story for Reuters news agency. Andrew Smith adapted it for VOA Learning English. _____________________________________ Words in This Story tractor n. a vehicle with a strong motor that is used to pull things in doubt phrase to be in a state of indecision aroma n. a pleasing smell promote v. to tell people about something in an effort to make it more popular heritage n. the traditions, beliefs and objects that make up the history of a people At least 28 people have died and hundreds have been injured after a weekend of rioting in Los Angeles. Armed National Guards have been deployed on the streets of the Californian city, where many of the shops and businesses now lie in smouldering ruins. About 500 businesses, most of them white-owned, are reported to have been destroyed or damaged in what is a predominantly black neighbourhood. The trouble began in the Watts area of the city four nights ago when a black man was stopped on suspicion of drunken driving. A crowd gathered around the car as the driver and his brother began arguing with the police officers. Their mother then joined the argument. When all three were arrested the trouble began. The crowd began throwing bricks and bottles. Shop windows were broken and stock looted. Black youths ran through the streets setting fire to churches, offices and other buildings. The Governor of California, Edmund Brown, who has just flown back from Europe, said: We are involved in a state of insurrection there. William Parker, the police chief of Los Angeles, said: We havent the slightest idea when this can be brought under control. Over the weekend, sniping and looting have continued. The cost of repairs is now put at $100m. Television pictures show black shopkeepers have posted notices on their businesses reading Blood brother or Negro-owned in an attempt to prevent attacks on the premises. One National Guard officer was injured when he was hit by a car reportedly driven by a black man. After that incident, officers were authorised to load their rifles and attach bayonets. Some 18,000 National Guards have been deployed. About 2,000 were flown in from San Francisco. President Lyndon Johnson, who spent the weekend at his Texas ranch, has called for an end to the violence. [] Civil rights leader Martin Luther King is on his way to Los Angeles. He claims the poor social conditions are the underlying cause for the discontent Courtesy BBC News In context In 1964 the United States passed the Civil Rights Act, which was intended to herald a new era in race relations. But many states acted quickly to circumvent the law. California blocked the fair housing legislation thus ensuring segregation continued. It led to a great feeling of injustice and resentment in the inner cities. The riots in Los Angeles lasted six days, left 34 dead and about 1,000 people injured. Nearly 4,000 people were arrested and hundreds of buildings were destroyed. A commission headed by former CIA Director, John McCone, concluded the riots were the result of many socio-economic problems like unemployment, poor housing and lack of education, but little was done to address the problems. Los Angeles was the scene of another riot in 1992, triggered by the acquittal of four white police officers accused of beating a black motorist, Rodney King. People in Kiribati went to the polls yesterday for the first round of voting in a national election expected to serve as a referendum on rising living costs and the governments stronger ties with China. A second round of voting is scheduled on Aug. 19 for all parliamentary seats that are not won by a majority vote. Results from the first round are expected today. The nation of low-lying atolls with 120,000 people is one of the most threatened in the world by rising sea levels and does not command the resource wealth or tourism branding of other Pacific islands. But its proximity to Hawaii and its huge ocean expanse have bolstered its strategic importance and provoked an influence skirmish between Western powers and Beijing. The Kiribati government switched its allegiance from pro-Taiwan to pro-Beijing in 2019, citing its national interest and joining several other Pacific nations that have severed diplomatic ties with Taipei since 2016. Kiribati is one of the most aid-dependent nations in the world and is rated at high risk of external debt distress by the International Monetary Fund. Its existence is threatened by coastal erosion and rising seas that have contaminated drinking water and driven much of the population onto the most populous island, South Tarawa. Analysts say few details about the campaigning or this weeks vote have appeared online and there are few English-language news sources in the country. The blocked or delayed entry of Australian officials to Kiribati and a stalled flow of information between the governments in recent years have prompted anxiety in Canberra about the scale of Beijings influence. A lot of countries in the region are really trying to find their place with a lot of geostrategic competition, said Blake Johnson, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. Kiribati has taken the approach of keeping its cards pretty close and is not divulging details that might impact the way those relationships are trending, he said. The election will decide 44 of the 45 seats in Parliament but not the Kiribati presidency, which is due to be resolved in October. A public vote will be held to choose the leader from three or four candidates selected from among those elected this month. The incumbent, Taneti Maamau, who has been in office since 2016, is expected to seek another term as leader if returned to his seat. The increased cost of living, scarce medicine supplies and fuel shortages are expected to be central issues for voters. Analysts say voters are likely to reward the incumbent government for the introduction of universal unemployment benefits and increased subsidies for copra, or dried coconut flesh. People are taking time to link that the challenges theyre facing are a result of the policies that are in place, Rimon Rimon, an independent journalist in Kiribati, said by phone. He said the prospect of incumbents being reelected was quite strong at the moment. The question of how much influence Beijing has is not a simple one. Dismay from Australia, New Zealand and the United States about Chinas sway is not always specific or well-articulated and has often caused frustration in the Pacific, Johnson said. He said Australias worries include reports that Beijing has trained and equipped Kiribati police officers, and the suspension of foreign judges serving in the island nation. Interestingly, these Western countries maintain their own connections with China, but when small island states do the same, it suddenly raises concerns, said Takuia Uakeia, director of the Kiribati campus of the University of the South Pacific. This is well understood by the people. Rimon, the journalist, said policy shifts since Kiribati switched to a pro-Beijing stance include a requirement that researchers and reporters apply for permits for filming and a more hard-line approach to information access. The government remains very secretive about the content of 10 agreements signed between Kiribati and China in 2022, he added. Voters who spoke by phone yesterday said a list of polling places had only been published by the government on Tuesday and there had been uncertainty before voting opened about whether identification cards were required to vote. Political parties are loose groups in Kiribati, and lawmakers do not confirm their allegiance until elected to office. Kiribati was traditionally a society governed by consensus, with strong democratic principles and respect for its constitution, but the contest for foreign influence had sowed divisions, Rimon said. How were seeing things in terms of donors and cooperation with partners is that were not sure how this is helping us that theyre competing in this sense, he said. There are 115 candidates contesting the election, including 18 women. Candidates were unopposed for four seats three of them incumbent lawmakers from the governing Tobwaan Kiribati Party, according to Radio New Zealand. CHARLOTTE GRAHAM-McLAY, WELLINGTON, MDT/AP Flash The Ukrainian military forces are creating a "buffer zone" in Russia's western Kursk region, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets said on Wednesday. "Our military formed a 'buffer (sanitary) zone' on the territory of the Kursk region for self-defense purposes," Lubinets said on Telegram after taking part in a meeting on the situation in the Kursk region. The meeting, headed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, discussed the possible involvement of international organizations, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations, in humanitarian measures in the area. There is a need to ensure supplies of food, medicines and other key goods to civilians living in the "buffer zone," Lubinets said. Meanwhile, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk, who also took part in the meeting, said that Kiev is planning to establish humanitarian routes for civilians who want to leave the conflict-hit areas either to Russia or Ukraine. On Tuesday, Zelensky said that Ukraine had taken control of over 74 settlements in the Kursk region. A charity working with homeless people in Auckland, New Zealand unknowingly distributed candies filled with a potentially lethal dose of methamphetamine in its food parcels after the sweets were donated by a member of the public. Auckland City Mission yesterday said that staff had started to contact up to 400 people to track down parcels that could contain the sweets which were solid blocks of methamphetamine enclosed in candy wrappers. Three people were treated in hospital after consuming them, New Zealand authorities said, but were later discharged. The amount of methamphetamine in each candy was up to 300 times the level someone would usually take and could be lethal, according to the New Zealand Drug Foundation a drug checking and policy organization, which first tested the candies. Ben Birks Ang, a Foundation spokesperson, said disguising drugs as innocuous goods was a common cross-border smuggling technique and more of the candies might have been distributed throughout New Zealand. The sweets had a high street value of NZ$ 1,000 ($608) per candy, which suggested the donation by an unknown member of the public was accidental rather than a deliberate attack, Birks Ang said. The authorities initial perceptions were that the episode was likely an importation scheme gone awry, said Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin, but the nature and scale of the operation was unknown. Officers have recovered 16 of the candies, but do not know how many are circulating, he said. The City Missioner, Helen Robinson, said eight families, including at least one child, had reported consuming the contaminated candies since Tuesday. The revolting taste meant most had immediately spat them out. The charitys food bank only accepts donations of commercially produced food in sealed packaging, Robinson said. The pineapple candies, stamped with the label of Malaysian brand Rinda, appeared as such when they were donated, arriving in a retail-sized bag, she added. Auckland City Mission was alerted Tuesday by a food bank client who reported funny-tasting candy. Staff tasted some of the remaining candies and immediately contacted the authorities. One staff member was taken to hospital after sampling the sweet, Baldwin said, adding that a child and a young person were also treated in hospital before being discharged. CHARLOTTE GRAHAM-McLAY, WELLINGTON, MDT/AP The Guangdong government will issue RMB2.5 billion (MOP2.8 billion) worth of offshore local government bonds in Macau later this month. The bonds, which will be offered to professional investors only, include green bonds and government bonds, and will be used to support major infrastructure construction projects in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. This bond issuance marks the fourth consecutive year since 2021 that Guangdong province has issued municipal government bonds in Macau. Notably, this will be the first-ever Hengqin-themed bond to be issued in Macau. Related As Xs owner and most followed user, Elon Musk has increasingly used the social media platform as a megaphone to amplify his political views and, lately, those of right-wing figures hes aligned with. There are few modern parallels to his antics, but then again there are few modern parallels to Elon Musk himself. Of course, none of this should come as a surprise. Back in 2022 when he was trying to buy Twitter, Musk said he was doing so because it wasnt living up to its potential as a platform for free speech. Protecting free speech not money was his motivation because, as he put it, having a public platform that is maximally trusted and broadly inclusive is extremely important to the future of civilization. Musk often ruminates on the future of civilization. For one, he appears fixated on a coming population collapse, threatening to wipe out humanity. And he joined prominent scientists and tech leaders last year in warning the world about artificial intelligence doing the same. Musk has framed threats to free speech as yet another existential crisis looming over the world. And he is going to try his best to save it. Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated, Musk said in an April 2022 post, adding hearts, stars and rocket emojis to highlight the statement. Two years on, the platform now called X has indeed become a haven for the type of free speech Musk has come to champion. In the U.S., hes spread memes and sometimes misinformation about illegal immigration, alleged election fraud and transgender policies, and he formally endorsed former President Donald Trumps presidential bid this summer. In May 2023, he co-hosted Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis official presidential bid announcement. That turned out to be a disastrous rollout marred by technical glitches but it underscored Musks desire to turn X into a digital town square. After the event was marred by technical difficulties, Musk extended an open invitation to any other presidential candidate who wants to do one. Trump took him up on it, agreeing to an interview with the billionaire Tesla CEO on Monday evening. The conversation started with technical glitches with people unable to join in and began some 42 minutes late. Ive not been very political before, Musk said during his conversation with Trump. Overseas where most X users live hes feuded with top officials in Australia, Brazil, the European Union and the U.K. over the balance between free speech and the spread of harmful misinformation. And he accused a political party in his native South Africa of openly pushing for genocide of white people. Elon Musk is a master of the media and controls one of the worlds largest microphones. Musk understands the power of social media in shaping a political narrative, said Emarketer analyst Jasmine Enberg. The concern is that as he pushes his own political agenda, X could suppress viewpoints that oppose Musks own, either intentionally or by nature of the platform becoming more partisan. That could turn off users who feel marginalized on the platform, and disillusion some who may have earlier bought into his free speech mantra. Musks political shift playing out on X comes as other social media platforms, notably Metas Facebook and Instagram, are shying away from politics. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has never endorsed a presidential candidate and in February, the worlds largest social media company announced it would avoid recommending political content to people who dont already follow such accounts. Lately, Zuckerberg appears to contrast Musk in other ways too. While as recently as January, the Facebook founder was testifying before Congress about the harm his platforms have caused children, he seemed to have embraced a more stylish look that includes gold chains, longer curls and a beaming confidence coupled with slightly self-deprecating humor that seems to embrace his eccentricities. On July 4th, for instance, he posted a video of himself riding an electric surfboard, wearing a tuxedo and holding a can of beer in one hand and an American flag in the other. The online response was far more positive than to a 2021 surfing photo, where hes seen slathered in so much sunscreen it looks like he is wearing a white mask. Musk, meanwhile, is veering from cool nerd territory into what Kara Swisher, the elder stateswoman of tech journalism, recently called the Howard Hughes portion of an inevitable decline. Hes sparring with those who disagree with him be they foreign governments or people infected by what he calls the woke mind virus. Last week, the British government called on Elon Musk to act more responsibly after the tech billionaire used X to unleash a barrage of posts that risk inflaming violent unrest gripping the country. Justice Minister Heidi Alexander made the comments after Musk posted a comment saying that Civil war is inevitable in the U.K. Musk later doubled down, highlighting complaints that the British criminal justice system treats Muslims more leniently than far-right activists and comparing Britains crackdown on social media users to the Soviet Union. BARBARA ORTUTAY, MDT/AP Gerry Cushman has seen Maines iconic lobster industry survive numerous threats in his three decades on the water, but the latest challenge which might sound tiny could be the biggest one yet. Lobster fishing is a game of inches, and the number of inches is about to change. Fishing regulators are instituting a new rule that lobster fishermen must abide by stricter minimum sizes for crustaceans they harvest. The impending change might be only 1/16th of an inch or 1.6 millimeters, but it will make a huge difference for fishermen when the fishery is already facing major threats from climate change and new rules designed to protect whales, numerous lobster fishers told The Associated Press. Interstate fishery regulators, however, say the change is necessary to preserve the future of the lobster population off New England as the species shifts farther north with warming waters. In addition to causing a dispute between fishermen and regulators, the change has led to confusion about the ramifications for international trade in one of the worlds most popular seafoods. We dont need any more, really, on our plate. Its just a lot going on, one fight after another, Cushman, 55, a boat captain who fishes out of Port Clyde, said. We dont need anything in the marketplace to lower the price of lobsters. Fishermen pushing back Fishermen are pushing back at the new rules slated to go into effect next summer, because they fear even such a small change could dramatically alter their ability to fish. They also say it would put them at a competitive disadvantage with Canada, which harvests the same lobster species and has more relaxed rules. Some worry the size change could glut the market with lobsters in future years. But recent surveys have shown a decline in baby lobsters off Maine, and regulators with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission say that could foreshadow a decline in catch. Were seeing a decline in recruits that will probably result in a decline in adults later on, said Caitlin Starks, a senior fishery management plan coordinator with the commission. Americas lobster catch is already dipping the haul in Maine, which harvests most U.S. lobster, fell from a high of 132.6 million pounds in 2016 to 93.7 million last year. The minimum size change applies to the Gulf of Maine, a piece of ocean off New England thats one of the most important lobster fishing grounds in the world. Under commission rules, the legal harvesting size for lobsters would change there if the young lobster stock in the gulf dropped by 35%. Officials said last year the stock declined by 39% when comparing 2020-22 to 2016-18. That surprised both regulators and fishermen, and led many fishermen to question the accuracy of the commissions data. Nonetheless, regulators say the minimum size on the gauges fishermen use to measure lobsters will increase to 3 5/16 inches (8.4 centimeters) on July 1 and grow another 1/16th of an inch two years later. Conservationists support Some conservationists support of the changes, which they feel will protect lobsters from depletion from overfishing. Thats especially important in the face of unprecedented climate change in the Gulf of Maine, said Erica Fuller, an attorney in the ocean program at Conservation Law Foundation. Scientists say the gulf is warming faster than most of the worlds oceans. Analysis shows that the proposed increase in gauge size will contribute to the long-term health and resiliency of the lobster stock by increasing its spawning stock biomass, Fuller said. The changes do not apply in Canada, which has an even larger lobster fishing industry than the U.S. Some fishing grounds there already allow smaller lobsters to be caught than U.S. rules allow. Canadian authorities and trade groups are closely watching regulatory actions in the U.S. This month, the Atlantic States commission approved new rules to prevent the U.S. from importing sub-legal lobsters from Canada. The Canadian government is committed to working with the Canadian fishing industry to help ensure continued market access, said Barre Campbell, a spokesperson for Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Inability to sell lobsters to the U.S. could result in Canadians relying more on other foreign markets, said Geoff Irvine, executive director of the Lobster Council of Canada. China is a major buyer from both countries. If we cant sell those percentages of that size lobsters to the U.S. anymore, we have to find places to sell it, Irvine said. What does that mean for prices, what does that mean for harvesters? Major impact on lobster trade The changes will likely have a major impact on the lobster industry but might not trickle down to U.S. consumers, said John Sackton, a longtime seafood industry analyst. Prices this summer have been down compared to recent years, according to trade data. Whether that continues depends in part on how large the catch is for the rest of the year, Sackton said. Some scientists who study the fishery have supported the minimum size change. Richard Wahle, a retired University of Maine marine sciences professor who has studied lobsters for decades, called it a prudent measure to protect the fisherys future. But the lobster industry sees a different story, said Patrice McCarron, executive director of the Maine Lobstermens Association, the oldest and largest fishing industry association on the East Coast. The association believes the action isnt needed at this time. While recent lobster hauls are down from the 2010s, the group argued in commission testimony that they remain much higher than previous decades and that lobsterman also face extreme regulatory uncertainty due to future whale rules. Rep. Jared Golden, a Democratic congressman who represents the Maine coast, proposed an amendment in July to block the size changes. Its clear that regulators need to work much closer with fishermen to keep the industry sustainable and competitive, Golden said. PATRICK WHITTLE, PORTLAND, MDT/AP A court in Thailand yesterday removed Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin from office over an ethical violation, further shaking up Thai politics after the court-ordered dissolution of the main opposition party a week ago. The Constitutional Court ruled on a case involving Sretthas appointment of a Cabinet member who had been imprisoned in connection with an alleged attempt to bribe a court official. The court voted 5:4 against Srettha and the ruling removed him from office immediately. The Cabinet will remain in place on a caretaker basis until Parliament approves a new prime minister. There is no time limit for Parliament to fill the position. The caretaker Cabinet could also dissolve Parliament and call a new election. The acting PM is expected to be Phumtham Wechayachai of the Pheu Thai party. Phumtham was first deputy prime minister and commerce minister under Srettha. If Parliament is given the task of choosing a new prime minister, it can select from a roster of candidates nominated for the post last year by the major political parties. The Pheu Thai Party, to which Srettha belongs, has two eligible candidates, including Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Another frontrunner would be Anutin Charnvirakul, head of the Bhumjaithai Party, which ran third in last years election. He is currently a deputy prime minister and interior minister. Anuthin, a powerbroker in the vote-rich northeast whose family owns a major construction group, has served in both a military-backed government and the civilian one that it replaced. Also in the running would be two former senior military officers: Prayuth Chan-ocha, who served as prime minister for nine years after staging a coup in 2014, and Prawit Wongsuwan, who was one of Prayuths deputy prime ministers. Srettha, speaking at Government House shortly after the verdict, thanked the judges for giving him the opportunity to defend himself. He said he respected the ruling and that he always sought to act ethically during his time in office. Im sorry that Id be considered as a prime minister whos unethical, but thats not who I am, he said. Srettha had appointed Pichit Chuenban as a minister of the Prime Ministers Office in a Cabinet reshuffle in April. Pichit was jailed for six months in 2008 on contempt of court charges after he allegedly tried to bribe a judge with 2 million baht ($55,000) in cash in a grocery bag over a case involving Thaksin, the former prime minister. Pichit resigned from the post weeks after being appointed when controversy over the incident was revived. The court said that although Pichit has already served his jail term, his behavior as ruled by the Supreme Court was dishonest. Srettha as prime minister has sole responsibility for vetting the qualifications of his Cabinet nominations, the court ruled. It said he knew about Pichits past but still nominated him, and therefore it ruled that he violated the ethics codes. The petition against Srettha was initiated by former members of the military-installed Senate who had refused to approve Move Forwards prime ministerial candidate when the party was attempting to form a government after its election victory. The petition against Srettha was seen as a move favoring a pro-military political party in his coalition government. Thailands courts, especially the Constitutional Court, are considered a bulwark of the countrys royalist establishment, which has used them and nominally independent state agencies such as the Election Commission to issue rulings to cripple or sink political opponents. Srettha became prime minister in August last year, despite his Pheu Thai party finishing second in the general election. After Move Forward was denied power by the Senate whose term ended in May, Pheu Thai then the biggest partner of Move Forward excluded it from the coalition and joined hands with parties affiliated with the previous military-controlled government to gather enough support from other parties and the Senate to approve a new prime minister. Srettha, 62, was a real estate executive before entering politics. He prioritized opening up Thailand after almost a decade of military-backed rule, frequently traveling abroad for trade negotiations. His party pushed a populist plan for a 10,000-baht ($286) handout policy to stimulate the economy, a key promise in its campaign last year, though it has been delayed by technicalities largely involving funding. His government also promoted Thai cultural products through a soft power agency and the critical tourism sector by loosening entry requirements and other measures. Srettha, who tried to project an image of a strong CEO, was seen by critics as an agent for Thaksin, who returned last August to submit to a plea deal his detractors say was essential to Srettha gaining the premiership. The Constitutional Court last week ordered the dissolution of the progressive Move Forward Party over an accusation that the party violated the constitution by proposing an amendment to a law against defaming the countrys royal family. The party has already regrouped as the Peoples Party. JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI, BANGKOK, MDT/AP Flash People carry the body of a victim at Nasser Hospital in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, Aug. 13, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua] A Hamas official announced on Wednesday that the movement will not participate in the upcoming ceasefire negotiations in Qatar. Suhail Hindi, a member of Hamas's Political Bureau, stated at a press conference that the group "will not participate in the upcoming negotiations scheduled to resume on Thursday in the Qatari capital." Hindi clarified that Hamas had sought a clear commitment from Israel to adhere to the agreement made on July 2, which was based on a proposal from U.S. President Joe Biden. He added that Hamas is prepared to engage in the implementation mechanisms of the agreement should the commitment be made. The announcement by Hamas came shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved sending a negotiating delegation to Qatar to discuss a ceasefire in Gaza, with full authority granted. The meeting in Qatar is scheduled following an invitation from Egypt, Qatar, and the U.S. to resume talks on Aug. 14 or 15 in Cairo or Doha. The discussions aim to resolve outstanding issues and address the humanitarian situation in Gaza, according to an Egyptian statement. Previously, Hamas had requested that Egyptian, Qatari, and American mediators present a plan for implementing Biden's ceasefire proposal for Gaza. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. While its unlikely Ukraine will be able to hold parts of the Kursk region for long, the brief occupation could force Russia to redeploy some troops from Ukraine. Ukraine may even be able to swap the land it controls for some of it's own territory in a future peace treaty. A 71-year-old man who spent nearly five decades in prison for a murder he did not commit is to receive a $7.15 million settlement from the US city that convicted him. Glynn Simmons, who is Black, served more time behind bars before being exonerated than any other inmate in US history, according to The National Registry of Exonerations. - Advertisement - Simmons was released last year after serving a total of 48 years, one month and 18 days in prison. On Monday, councillors in Edmond, Oklahoma, voted to proceed with a settlement for Simmons to resolve claims against the city and one of the detectives who helped put him away, public records showed. Lawyers for Simmons said the payment represented a partial settlement of his lawsuit against the cities and police who falsified evidence to frame him for murder. Mr. Simmons spent a tragic amount of time incarcerated for a crime he did not commit, said lead attorney Elizabeth Wang. Although he will never get that time back, this settlement with Edmond will allow him to move forward while also continuing to press his claims against, Oklahoma City and a leading detective. A spokesperson for Edmond declined to comment when approached by AFP. Simmons and another man, Don Roberts, were sentenced to death in 1975 for the murder the previous year of a 30-year-old liquor store clerk during a robbery in Edmond. Their sentences were later commuted to life in prison. Simmons and Roberts were convicted solely on the basis of the testimony of a teenage customer who was shot in the head during the robbery, but survived. She picked them out of a police lineup but a subsequent investigation cast significant doubt on the reliability of her identifications. Both men had said at trial that they were not even in Oklahoma at the time of the murder. US District Court Judge Amy Palumbo threw out Simmonss conviction in July last year. He was officially declared innocent in December. Roberts, Simmonss co-defendant, was released from prison in 2008, according to The National Registry of Exonerations, a project run by three US universities. The World Health Organization (WHO) convened its Emergency Committee in Geneva on Wednesday August 14, in response to the spread of mpox in Africa, also known as monkeypox. The UN organization triggered its highest level of international health alert. The day before, the African Unions health agency, Africa CDC, had declared a public health emergency. The current epidemic, which originated in the DRC, is currently confined to Africa. Today, the emergency committee met and informed me that, in its opinion, the situation constitutes a public health emergency of international concern. I have accepted this opinion, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press conference. Only the head of WHO can declare a public health emergency of international concern, on the advice of an ad hoc committee of experts. The 15 members of this committee who took part in the meeting all felt that the criteria had been met to declare an international public health emergency, the panels chairman, Dimie Ogoina, told reporters. Last years appearance of clade 1b and its rapid spread in the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo), which seems to spread mainly through sexual networks, and its detection in the DRCs neighboring countries, are particularly worrying and are one of the main reasons why I decided to convene this emergency committee, the WHO chief said at the opening of the meeting. But we are not facing a single epidemic and a single clade. We are facing several epidemics with different clades in different countries, with different modes of transmission and different levels of risk, he continued. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Professor Colin Rees led the COLO-DETECT study. Credit: Newcastle University Newcastle University has led a successful trial using artificial intelligence (AI) in colonoscopies to spot abnormalities that could potentially lead to bowel cancer. Newcastle University, South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust led the COLO-DETECT trial involving 2,032 patients from 10 centers across England. The research is published in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology journal. The trial used the GI Genius AI device, a computer module powered by AI, which is added to the existing technology used during a colonoscopy. The findings showed greater effectiveness in detecting tumors that could potentially become cancerous (adenomas). As a result, the Trust will continue to make the equipment available to its teams based at Endoscopy units at South Tyneside District Hospital and Sunderland Royal Hospital. 'It is spotting things we can miss with the human eye' Professor Colin Rees, who led the trial, and Professor of Gastroenterology at Newcastle University, said, "We are delighted with the outcome of this trial. Simply put, it will save lives. "This trial has demonstrated that using artificial intelligence can significantly increase detection of the kinds of abnormalities in the bowel that may progress to cancer. It allows us to find these lesions, remove them, and stop them from turning into cancer. "Crucially, we know that some of the polyps that lead to cancer are small polyps or flat polyps. The AI helped us find more of these lesions, it is finding the things we are concerned about as well as spotting things that we can miss with the human eye." 'It is only going to get better' COLO-DETECT was a randomized controlled trial, with half of the 2,032 participants in the procedure having a colonoscopy using AI, and the other half having a "traditional" colonoscopy. A colonoscopy is a procedure where a camera is used to look inside the bowel, with the aim of spotting cancerous and precancerous polyps (adenomas). The trial involves putting a green box around possible polyps on the screen, which shows what the camera can see, with the clinician ultimately deciding whether to remove the polyp. There are around 43,000 new cases of bowel cancer in the U.K. each year, and Professor Rees hopes this technology will now be adopted more widely to detect early signs of the disease. Professor Rees added, "It is a tragedy because bowel cancer is a disease that people shouldn't be dying from. We have a long window of time when these polyps develop, probably about 10 to 15 years from developing to a point to them becoming cancer. "We are now using this technology routinely in our practice, and I really hope that it will be used more extensively, and the fantastic thing about AI is that it learns. It is trained by looking at images, using the data to find the differences between the images, and it is adding to its knowledge all the time, so it's only going to get better." More information: Alexander Seager et al, Polyp detection with colonoscopy assisted by the GI Genius artificial intelligence endoscopy module compared with standard colonoscopy in routine colonoscopy practice (COLO-DETECT): a multicentre, open-label, parallel-arm, pragmatic randomised controlled trial, The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology (2024). DOI: 10.1016/S2468-1253(24)00161-4 Journal information: The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Scanning electron microscope image of Vibrio cholerae bacteria, which infect the digestive system. Credit: Ronald Taylor, Tom Kirn, Louisa Howard/Wikipedia The head of the World Health Organization on Thursday called for increased production of cholera vaccines, highlighting what he called a "critical shortage" around the globe. The UN health agency said 307,433 cases of cholera and 2,326 deaths have been reported in 26 countries up to July 28. "The response continues to be affected by a critical shortage of the vaccine, as demand continues to outpace supply," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X, formerly Twitter. Some 105 million doses have been requested by 18 countries since January 2023but only 55 million doses have been produced in the same period, Tedros added. In a fresh situation update, the WHO said that between January and May 2024, the oral cholera vaccine stockpile "was entirely depleted". Tedros urged "further investment in scaling up vaccine production", and called on all countries to spend more on "water and sanitation, and emergency preparedness to prevent further outbreaks". The eastern Mediterranean region, Africa and southeast Asia have recorded the highest numbers of cases, said the WHO, which considers the global risk from cholera to be "very high" due to the growing number of cases and the shortage of vaccines. The WHO says that after decades of progress against cholera, cases have been on the rise again since 2021, including in countries that had not seen the disease in years. The cases registered so far should be interpreted cautiously due to potential reporting delays, the WHO said. The disease, which causes severe diarrhea, vomiting and muscle cramps, generally arises from eating or drinking food or water that is contaminated with the bacterium, according to the WHO. 2024 AFP This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Cell Metabolism (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2024.07.005 Fat cells come in three colors: white, brown, and beige. White fat cells store fat in our body as an energy reserve. We need these cells, but having too many creates health problems. Brown fat cells are particularly active in infants. They produce heat and thus maintain the baby's body temperature. However, the amount of brown adipose tissue decreases over a person's lifetime; adults have very little of it. Then, finally, there are beige fat cells. These can also produce heat, albeit somewhat less well than brown fat cells. Beige fat cells occur in adults as well, scattered throughout the white fatty tissue, especially in the neck and shoulder area, and burn excess energy. Now, an international research team has discovered and described a new type of beige fat cell that differs from the others. "Fat cells of this new beige type play an important role in energy metabolism in the human body and have a positive effect on metabolic diseases and obesity," says Anand Sharma, a postdoc in ETH Professor Christian Wolfrum's group and co-author of the study. "That's why it's so important to understand in detail how they work." The study, published in Cell Metabolism, was led by ETH Zurich, the University of Basel, the University of Leipzig Medical Center and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. Numerous other hospitals and research institutions around the world were involved in the project. Independent of a known protein The beige fat cells that researchers were already familiar with generate heat in the same way as brown fat cells, via a protein called UCP1. This protein is located in the inner of two membranes that surround the mitochondria, the structural units often referred to as the powerhouse of the cell. As part of their normal function, mitochondria pump protons into the space between the two membranes. Protons are electrically charged elementary particles that generally play an important role in energy conversion processes in cells. Brown fat cells and the classic beige fat cells described earlier have the protein UCP1. It forms a very narrow channel in the inner membrane through which the protons flow back into the mitochondria, thereby generating heat from friction. In recent years, scientists have discovered that there are also beige fat cells without the UCP1 protein, and that these also consume energy and thus produce heat. The research team from ETH Zurich and the participating institutions has now precisely characterized the new class of beige fat cells and shown how they do this, by means of a "Sisyphus mechanism." Here's how it works: All biochemical processes that take place in cells always generate some heat. The new class of beige fat cells takes advantage of this and allows individual processes to run back and forth, seemingly without purpose. This primarily involves two conversion processes. In one, the cells break fats down into their components (fatty acids) at full speed and then assemble them into new fats just as quickly. In the other, they apply an enzyme to convert molecules of creatine into creatine phosphate, a related molecule, only to immediately convert it back into creatine. Scientists call these back-and-forth processes "futile cycles." They don't add anything to the biochemical budget overall, but they consume energy and generate heat. Adipose tissue of a mouse with white and beige fat cells. The smaller cells with several droplets inside are beige fat cells (microscopic image). Credit: Anand Sharma / ETH Zurich Preventing diabetes and obesity The research team first described the new type of beige fat cells in mice. They then examined human adipose tissue and were able to show that these fat cells occur there, too. While less than half the population has the previously known type of classical beige fat cells, almost all humans have the new futile-cycle type, albeit in differing amounts. As the researchers were able to show, people with a high number of beige fat cellsof either the previously known type or this new typeare slimmer and tend to have better metabolic health. That makes them less prone to obesity and metabolic disorders such as diabetes. "Because beige fat cells convert energy into heat, they help to break down excess fat," explains Tongtong Wang, an ETH doctoral student in ETH Professor Wolfrum's group and lead author of the study. The researchers also explain how the new findings could be used medically in the future. For example, it may be possible to transplant beige fat cells into people who have only a few of them and suffer from metabolic diseases or weight problems. It would also be conceivable to develop drugs that activate the beige fat cells, which are often inactive. Such drugs could be used to treat people with high blood sugar levels or formerly overweight people who have reduced their weight through surgery or other means. "Activating their beige fat cells could help them to maintain their lower body weight in the long term," Sharma says. More information: Tongtong Wang et al, Single-nucleus transcriptomics identifies separate classes of UCP1 and futile cycle adipocytes, Cell Metabolism (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2024.07.005 Journal information: Cell Metabolism This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: CC0 Public Domain A new study has found that Americans have the lowest life expectancy of similar English-speaking countries. The researchers from Penn State University who conducted the study compared mortality rates from 1990 to 2019 from six English-speaking nations and found that people in Canada, Ireland, the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand all on average live longer than their American counterparts. In the U.S., the average life expectancy for men is 76.5 while the average for women is about 81.5 years. In Australia, on the other hand, women live nearly four more years and men five more years than men and women in America. The study also found that men and women in California and Hawaii lived longer than other Americans though still not as long as Australianswhile people in the Southeast's life expectancy is well below the U.S. average (72.6 for women, 69.3 for men). The study's author attributes the lower rates to more young Americans dying from preventable deaths like drug overdoses, murder, and car accidents than in other countries, as well as middle-aged Americans having higher rates of death from cardiovascular disease. Unlike the U.S., the other English-speaking countries have strict gun laws, fewer smokers and universal health care, all of which can lead to better outcomes. "One lesson we Americans can learn about life expectancy from looking at comparable countries is where the frontier of best performance lies," Jessica Ho, associate professor of sociology and demography at Penn State and senior author on the paper, said. "Yes, we're doing badly, but this study shows what can we aim for. We know these gains in life expectancy are actually achievable because other large countries have already done it." 2024 New York Daily News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Flash Chinese State Councilor Shen Yiqin visited Serbia from Aug. 12 to 14, meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and holding talks with Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic. Vucic asked Shen to convey his sincere greetings to Chinese President Xi Jinping. He stated that Xi's successful visit to Serbia in May has opened a new chapter of history for bilateral relations. He added that Serbia values the ironclad friendship between Serbia and China, and is willing to work with China to deepen cooperation in all aspects, including sports, to bring more benefits to the two peoples. Vucevic said that the Serbian government will work with the Chinese side to actively implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state, take EXPO 2027 to be held in Serbia as an opportunity to jointly deepen the Belt and Road cooperation, and steadily advance the building of a Serbia-China community with a shared future in the new era. Shen conveyed cordial regards from President Xi to President Vucic, and greetings from Chinese Premier Li Qiang to Prime Minister Vucevic. Shen said that China attaches great importance to the development of China-Serbia relations, and will continue to work with Serbia to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, focus on advancing the building of a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era, deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields, including economy, sports, tourism, and women's cause, and solidify the ironclad friendship. During her stay in Serbia, Shen learned about the development of Serbia's sports. She also visited the Chinese Cultural Center in Belgrade and the construction site of the Belgrade-Budapest railway. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain The WHO on Thursday warned further imported cases of the new, more dangerous mpox strain in Europe were likely, after Sweden announced the first such infection outside Africa in an outbreak that has killed hundreds in the DR Congo. The case recorded in a traveler in Sweden was announced the day after the World Health Organization declared the mpox surge in Africa a public health emergency of international concernthe highest alarm it can sound. The UN health agency was concerned by the rise in cases and fatalities in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the spread to Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. Sweden's Public Health Agency told AFP on Thursday that it had registered a case of the Clade 1b subcladethe same new strain of the virus that has surged in the DRC since September 2023. "A person who sought care" in Stockholm "has been diagnosed with mpox caused by the clade 1 variant. It is the first case caused by clade I to be diagnosed outside the African continent," the agency said in a separate statement. The person was infected during a visit to "the part of Africa where there is a major outbreak of mpox Clade 1", state epidemiologist Magnus Gisslen said in the statement. The agency added, "The fact that a patient with mpox is treated in the country does not affect the risk to the general population, a risk that the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) currently considers very low." The WHO's European regional office in Copenhagen said it was discussing with Sweden how best to manage the newly detected case. "The confirmation of mpox Clade 1 in Sweden is a clear reflection of the interconnectedness of our world," it said in a statement. "There are likely to be further imported cases of Clade 1 in the European region over the coming days and weeks, and it is imperative that we don't stigmatize travelers or countries/regions." "Travel restrictions and border closures don't work and should be avoided," it added. 548 deaths in DRC The outbreak has centered on the DR Congo. Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba said in a video message that the country "has recorded 15,664 potential cases and 548 deaths since the beginning of the year", with all 26 provinces affected. The DRC's population is around 100 million. He said the government had put in place a "national strategic plan for vaccination against mpox", as well as improving surveillance of the disease at borders and checkpoints. The minister said government-level working groups have been set up to boost contact tracing and help mobilize resources to "maintain control of this epidemic". Formerly called monkeypox, the virus was discovered in 1958 in Denmark, in monkeys kept for research. It was first discovered in humans in 1970 in what is now the DRC. Mpox is an infectious disease caused by a virus transmitted to humans by infected animals but can also be passed from human to human through close physical contact. The disease causes fever, muscular aches and large boil-like skin lesions. Vaccine drive The US Department of Health said Wednesday it would be "donating 50,000 doses of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved JYNNEOS vaccine to DRC". "Vaccination will be a critical element of the response to this outbreak," it said in a statement. And Danish drugmaker Bavarian Nordic said it was ready to produce up to 10 million doses of its vaccine targeting mpox by 2025. There are two subtypes of the virus: the more virulent and deadlier Clade 1, endemic in the Congo Basin in central Africa; and Clade 2, endemic in West Africa. In May 2022, mpox infections surged worldwide, mostly affecting gay and bisexual men, due to the Clade 2b subclade. The WHO declared a public health emergency which lasted from July 2022 to May 2023. That outbreak, which has now largely subsided, caused some 140 deaths out of around 90,000 cases. The Clade 1b subclade causes more severe disease than Clade 2b, with a higher fatality rate. 2024 AFP This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The research team and their pets. Credit: Harvards Nurses Health Study They are said to be our best friends, and a new study suggests the possibility there may in fact be a mental health dividend for pet owners who feel a real bond with Fido. Researchers at Harvard's Nurses' Health Study exploring conflicting findings on whether pet ownership is good for our mental health have found that havingand lovinga dog (sorry, cat people) is associated with lower symptoms of depression and anxiety. The Gazette spoke with Eva Schernhammer, a Nurse's Health Study researcher and adjunct professor of epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health about the research, published recently in JAMA Network Open. Schernhammer said the work is an initial step to discover connections between ourselves, our physical and mental health, and the pets we keep. What did you find? We used several different measures for depression and for anxiety and found overall that there is an inverse association between pet attachment and negative mental health outcomes. That means the more attached you are to your pet, the lower your risk of depression and anxiety. The effect was particularly strong among women who had a history of sexual or physical abuse in childhood, who made up the majority of our study population. I think those findings were mostly driven by dogs, because the majority of the pets owned in the study were dogsit was about two-thirds dogs and one-third cats. The association was similar to what we found when restricting the analysis just to dogs, but not as strong. With cats, there doesn't seem to be an association between pet attachment and mental health outcomes. There was a smaller number of respondents though, so we cannot rule out that we don't see anything because there were too few cats in the survey. I think we all were a bit surprised that there's such a big difference between dogs and cats. It'll be interesting to explore this further. Is this a topic you've been studying for some time? This is part of a bigger study to examine humananimal interaction, specifically with pets. We felt that this is understudied, and there was a great opportunity to explore it in the Nurses' Health Study cohort. It's also something that people like to shareit turns out that the nurses in the study were more than willing to provide interesting details about their pets. Many studies have been done on the effects of pet ownership, but the premise of this study is that it may matter more how much you are attached to the pet than if you simply own a pet. Many people have pets, but not every owner is attached to their pet. Plenty of people don't enjoy having to walk their dogs in the morning because the dog is the beloved pet of their child, for example. So the goal was to sort out whether attachment is the more important variable that links pets to health outcomes in humans, and then to study mechanisms. We have completed, to some extent, the first part of this project and are now starting to look at mechanisms that could explain why higher pet attachment could be linked to better mental health outcomes in these cohorts. The primary hypothesis is that this could be mediated by the microbiome and metabolomics. We are just starting to look at this and the findingin the paper that we're discussingthat there's a big difference between dogs and cats. That was not entirely expected but it's strong. Interestingly, in our preliminary metabolomics analysis, we see quite different patterns between cats and dogs. It'll be interesting to understand whether some of these hypothesized microbiome mechanisms indeed differ by cats and dogs and might explain what we see in this first paper. That's interesting. So in Nurses' Health Study II, which is the cohort that you're using, there were biological samples taken? Yes, but this cohort is from a sub-study, the Mind Body Study, conducted about 10 years ago. The goal of that study was to take a closer look at psychosocial factors, which had not been a main focus of the Nurses' Health Study, which was initiated to study breast cancer risk and lifestyle factors. The Mind Body Study captured a lot of different aspects of the psychosocial context of participants and one of them was pet attachment, which is usually not assessed. So it gives us a rare opportunity to look at that. They also provided two samples of blood, urinepretty much everythingat the beginning of the study and a year later. And, because of its focus on psychosocial aspects, they also oversampled women who had experienced some form of childhood abuse. About three-quarters of the women in this cohort have experienced some form of abuse, be it sexual or physical. You mentioned a follow-up study on the microbiome as a potential mechanism for these effects. What did you examine? Were there stool samples taken? There are stool samples. We have a studywe are trying to get funding to run additional analysesthe Nurses' Health Study 3, which is still recruiting and is online-based. We have started querying about pets, because it's fairly easy with online questionnaires to send questions to the participants. And we have started to collect stool of the participants and of their pets. That means we have concurrent samples from both the owner and their cat or dog. We want to analyze them to look for specific patterns in the microbiome that have previously been shown in depressed individuals. Perhaps we will see those patterns diverging between those attached to pet dogs and pet cats, for example, which could provide an explanation for the information for the lower risk of depression. By looking at concurrent owners and their pets' stool, we can also see whether there's microbial transfer going on, thereby altering their depression risk. I had always thought that the positive benefits of pet ownership were due to companionship and the affection they give, but it all might boil down to physical, biological reasons? Yes, we want to understand whether there are some biological mechanisms that we can explore. It makes sense, because even for some of the psychosocial variables in humans that have been linked with health outcomes, usually when you start looking they also have an impact on biology. Stress can alter your susceptibility to glucose intake, for example. So, it wouldn't be entirely surprising, even if this is driven primarily by psychosocial factors, that those translate into something more mechanistic. That's something very tangible and could also explain why, for instance, this might differ for cats, as most cats are indoor cats. That's part of what we will look at too, whether there are big differences between the microbes that we find in the dogs' feces versus the cats' feces. Is the take-home message that everyone should get a dog? The cat owners might not like that. Moreover, the cats might not like it. An important message is that in our subgroup of women who were abused, these findings were particularly strong. Maybe in the future, we can define more subgroups who might particularly benefit from having a pet. We shouldn't prescribe a pet to somebody who doesn't like animals, but if somebody wants a pet and can accommodate it in their living environment, then this might be one good way to deal with depression-related symptoms. This also helps us understand better this subgroup of women who suffered childhood abuse. They were the vast majority in our sample, and I think that's an important point to make. I do hope that there's going to be more well-done studies that illuminate this. It's an interesting potential way to do something about mental health in humans and, at the same time, increase physical activity and alter other aspects of our lives that are affected by pets. We're just starting to understand the benefits of pets, and this may be one important step. More information: Magdalena Zebrowska et al, Pet Attachment and Anxiety and Depression in Middle-Aged and Older Women, JAMA Network Open (2024). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.24810 Journal information: JAMA Network Open This story is published courtesy of the Harvard Gazette, Harvard University's official newspaper. For additional university news, visit Harvard.edu. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The African Union's health agency Africa said200,000 doses of the drugmaker's vaccine were to be deployed in Africa. Shares in Danish drugmaker Bavarian Nordic, which manufactures a vaccine targeting mpox, soared Thursday after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared an mpox surge in Africa a global public health emergency. Worried by the rise in cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the spread to nearby countries, the WHO hastily convened a meeting of experts to study the outbreak and on Wednesday said the "situation constitutes a public health emergency of international concern." Bavarian Nordic, whose vaccine has been licensed for preventing mpox since 2019, saw its shares rise more than eight percent on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange by midday on Thursday. This built on a share price climb of 12 percent on Wednesday. On Tuesday, the African Union's health agency Africa CDC announced that over 200,000 doses of the Danish drugmaker's vaccine were to be deployed in Africa, following an agreement with the European Union (EU) and Bavarian Nordic. Mpox cases in Africa. A total of 38,465 cases of the disease, formerly known as monkeypox, have been reported in 16 African countries since January 2022, with 1,456 deaths. There has been a 160 percent increase in cases this year compared to the previous year, according to data published last week by the health agency. Bavarian Nordic mainly supplies it's mpox vaccinecalled Jynneos in the United States and Imvanex in the European Unionto governments and international organizations, but began marketing it on the US market in April. 2024 AFP A correctional officer who worked in McDowell County was charged with eight counts of a child sex offense on Tuesday. Andrew Clay Devinney, 30, of Morganton, was charged with eight counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, according to warrants filed at the Burke County Courthouse. Charges against Devinney came after a joint investigation by the Burke County Sheriffs Office and the FBI after allegations were made about the distribution of child pornography, according to a release from the sheriffs office. A search warrant was executed at his home on Ridge Court. A second search warrant was executed at another location, the release said. The release did not specify the second location. The arrest warrants said Devinney sent videos of unknown girls ages 8-14 engaged in various sex acts to at least one person. Devinney has been a corrections officer for the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction since 2017, according to information from the department. Brad Deen, a spokesperson for the agency, said Devinney is on investigatory leave with pay. He could be separated from employment, pending the outcome of the investigation or he could resign before the investigation is over, Deen said. Devinneys bond was set at $500,000 secured, the release said. Flash Srettha Thavisin attends a press conference in Bangkok, Thailand, Aug. 14, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua] Thailand's Constitutional Court on Wednesday removed Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin from office over his ethical violation for appointing a cabinet member with a prison record. The judges agreed by five votes to four to end Srettha's premiership status for breaching ethical standards under the country's constitution. The court also dismissed his cabinet but the remaining members will continue to perform caretaker duties until a new cabinet takes office. The appointment of Pichit Chuenban as Minister of the Prime Minister's Office, despite knowing that he was unqualified to hold a political post, indicated that Srettha committed a serious ethical breach and was disqualified under the constitution, the nine-panel court said. The verdict came after a group of 40 former senators petitioned the court to decide whether Srettha's appointment of Pichit, who served a six-month prison sentence for contempt of court following a bribery attempt, was unethical conduct and violated the Constitution. Srettha said after the ruling that he respected the court verdict. "I performed duties to the best of my ability and adhered to ethical principles throughout my nearly one-year tenure in office." The current administration's policies could be adjusted depending on the decision of the new government, he told reporters at the government house. He added that Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai is currently returning to Thailand from overseas to take over as caretaker prime minister, while a new prime minister selection by the parliament is underway. Srettha, 62, previously headed property giant Sansiri and joined politics only before the 2023 election and became one of the prime ministerial candidates of the ruling Pheu Thai Party. The prime minister candidates are required to have been nominated by their party prior to the election. Paetongtarn Shinawatra, 37-year-old daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and 75-year-old Chaikasem Nitisiri are two eligible candidates from the Pheu Thai Party. According to the Thai parliament, the 500-member House of Representatives is scheduled to convene on Friday to select the Southeast Asian nation's next prime minister. COTU-K Secretary General Francis Atwoli has issued a stark warning to the newly appointed Treasury Cabinet Secretary, John Mbadi, urging him to exercise caution in his interactions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Atwoli emphasized that the conditions attached to IMF assistance could pose significant risks to Kenyas economy if not handled carefully. It is the position of COTU (K) that if the new National Treasury Cabinet Secretary adopts a rigid approach and implements 100% of the IMFs economic and finance adjustments advice, then such an approach will not succeed, Atwoli stated, highlighting the potential for negative outcomes if Kenya blindly follows IMF guidance. He warned that such an approach might push the country into a precarious situation, further burdening the finances of ordinary Kenyans. This cautionary advice followed a meeting on Wednesday, August 14, between John Mbadi and Selim Cakir, the IMF Representative in Kenya, which took place ahead of the anticipated disbursement of over Kes.181 billion from the IMF. Atwoli expressed concern about the conditions tied to this financial injection, suggesting that they could have devastating implications for Kenyas economy. We call upon the new Treasury Cabinet Secretary to approach IMF conditionalities with caution and a deep understanding of their potential impact on ordinary Kenyans. In fact, the further we stay away from the IMF and its accomplices, the better for this country, Atwoli urged. Atwoli also warned against strategies that would increase the tax burden on Kenyans and potentially lead to social unrest. Drawing from historical examples, he noted, Following the IMFs advice without scrutiny has led to negative consequences for citizens and workers. He compared the current situation to the era of former President Mwai Kibaki, who carefully weighed IMF recommendations against the welfare of Kenyan citizens. Atwoli stressed the importance of a balanced approach to economic policies, cautioning that blindly following IMF advice without considering local contexts and needs could ultimately result in unrest and social upheavals. A 17-year-old witness testified in a Mombasa court about her harrowing experience surviving solely on water for 38 days in Shakahola Forest before police rescued her. Now under state protection, the teenager shared a chilling account of her forced removal from school and her subsequent life in the starvation cult led by Paul Mackenzie. In her testimony before Mombasa Chief Magistrate Alex Ithuku, the minor detailed how her mother withdrew her from school in Grade 4 in 2020 without her fathers consent. I remember the day my mother picked me up from school; it was on a Friday. She brought me to Mombasa, and we attended church at Mlango Wa Saba in Mshomoroni, one of Mackenzies branches, she said. By September 2020, the family had moved to Furunzi in Malindi and began attending Paul Mackenzies church. Mackenzie preached against education, advising his followers to sell their possessions and avoid medical treatment. In October, we learned about land available in Chakama. My mother bought two acres, and we relocated to Shakahola, she recounted. Move to Shakahola The minor testified that her mother sold all their belongings except for a mattress and some utensils. On the day we moved to Shakahola, we spent the night at Malindi Furunzi church. Mackenzies followers were transported in a lorry named Times TV the Final Trumpet, with Mackenzie on board, she added. Upon arriving in Shakahola, they settled in a village called Galilea, initially living in tents before transitioning to temporary structures. We were allocated land by Mackenzies guards, including Alex, one of the accused, she said. The minor revealed that Mackenzie selected her to spread his message door-to-door. There was no church in the forest; we held meetings in a village called Judea. I was assigned the role of a servant to preach door-to-door, she explained. In 2023, Mackenzie instructed his followers to start fasting under what he termed an Express Lockdown. The minor testified, I witnessed the deaths of six children from our village. Mackenzie announced their deaths during Saturday meetings to motivate others to fast and expedite their own deaths. She disclosed that she was coerced into fasting for 38 days before authorities intervened. I had to steal water to drink whenever my mother left the house, she said. Paul Mackenzie faces charges of murder, child torture, and terrorism related to the deaths of over 400 people. The trial of Mackenzie and his 94 co-accused for manslaughter resumed on Monday. The head of the Kenyan support mission in Haiti has refuted claims that Kenyan police officers needed rescuing from their Haitian counterparts during a joint operation aimed at protecting a city from armed gangs. The operation, conducted 28 miles east of Port-au-Prince, focused on defending the rural town of Ganthier near the Dominican Republic border. Godfrey Otunge, commander of the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, highlighted the effective collaboration between Kenyan police and the Haiti National Police (HNP). My officers and my vehicles were shot at, Otunge told the Miami Herald. And the officers fought fiercely alongside the HNP. He emphasized, At no point did the HNP or MSS seem to be competing with each other. These statements follow criticisms from Frantz Duval, editor-in-chief of Haitis oldest daily newspaper, Le Nouvelliste, who labeled the operation in Ganthier a failure. In an interview with the Miami Herald, Duval criticized the operation as indicative of the unfulfilled promises by the United States and Canada to restore security in Haiti. Duval noted that despite the arrival of the first contingent of 400 Kenyan police officers on June 25, the security situation in Haiti showed little improvement. He specifically cited the July 21 attack on Ganthier by the powerful 400 Mawozo gang, claiming that when the situation deteriorated, the HNP had to provide cover for the Kenyan forces. The Kenyans went on a mission to Ganthier with the HNP. When things went awry, it was the HNP that shielded the Kenyans because the Haitians are better equipped than the Kenyans, Duval said. Despite these reports, Otunge remains adamant that the mission was a unified effort, dismissing any notion of competition between the Kenyan and Haitian forces. The High Court has ordered the Inspector General of the National Police Service to prohibit plain-clothed officers from masking their faces during protests. This directive comes after the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) filed an application expressing concern over the practice. Advocate Dudley Ochiel, representing LSK, argued that deploying plain-clothed officers who cover their faces creates a chilling effect, discouraging citizens from exercising their constitutional right to protest. He warned that these unidentified officers, who often use excessive force, evade accountability due to their anonymity. Ochiel urged the court to intervene, cautioning that without judicial action, Kenyans could face serious risks, including death and the violation of their constitutional rights. Justice Bahati Mwamuye, who presided over the case, instructed the IG to ensure that officers do not conceal the identification or registration of any vehicles used during demonstrations. The Judge emphasized that such practices undermine accountability and the publics right to peaceful assembly. In response to the urgency of the case, Justice Bahati also ordered the IG to comply with paragraph 10 of the sixth schedule of the National Police Service Act. This provision mandates that all uniformed officers must display a name tag or identifiable service number, which should be clearly visible during demonstrations or while providing security. The respondents in the case include the police officers involved, the Inspector General, and the Attorney General. The court has directed LSK to serve its papers on the respondents, with further directions to be issued on September 17. Raila Odinga has revealed that former President Uhuru Kenyatta played a crucial role in establishing the broad-based government. According to Raila, Uhuru Kenyatta requested that he meet with President William Ruto to address concerns raised by Gen Z protesters. Raila followed Uhurus advice and held discussions with Ruto about the national issues at hand. When the country was burning, former President Kenyatta called me and asked me to reach out to President Ruto to address Gen Zs concerns. We talked, and I shared my views on managing the situation, Raila stated in Elgeyo Marakwet. The former Prime Minister explained his decision to collaborate with President Ruto based on their established working relationship. He recalled serving as Prime Minister during the Grand Coalition government, while Ruto was the Minister for Agriculture. Raila also noted that Uhuru Kenyatta and Prime CS Musalia Mudavadi were his deputies at that time. We agreed on the need for dialogue among Kenyans because the issues raised by Gen Z are affecting our nation. We decided that open discussion was essential to find solutions to these problems, Raila said. He added, I reached out to Ruto because he is my friend, and I have worked with all of them. Mudavadi and Uhuru were my deputies, and Ruto was the agriculture minister. Raila reported that Uhuru had warned that ongoing chaos would affect everyone, highlighting the urgent need for a resolution. Ruto approached me, and I spoke to him openly because I prefer addressing issues directly. We had candid discussions, but the media mistakenly reported that we had already reached a handshake agreement, he said. Raila reaffirmed that ODM has not joined the government and clarified that President Ruto had asked him to help select opposition leaders to support the Kenya Kwanza administration and move the country forward. I am not part of the government. We did not agree with Ruto on forming a coalition government. He requested my assistance in identifying individuals from my side to serve in his administration, and I complied. I am confident we will advance as a nation, Raila stated. He emphasized that his primary focus remains on ensuring peace in Kenya, even as he seeks the position of Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC). I have shown interest in the AUC chairperson role, but I cannot settle in Addis Ababa while my home country is in turmoil. It is my responsibility to help stabilize Kenya for future generations, Raila concluded. Former Gender Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa is embroiled in a legal dispute with a property owner over a Kes.250 million house she purchased last year. Bejav Furniture Limited has taken the matter to court, demanding that Jumwa pay an outstanding Kes.60 million, which was part of the agreed sale price. The case, initially seeking to have the former CS declared bankrupt, has been referred to mediation. The dispute traces back to four months after Jumwa was sworn in as Cabinet Secretary on October 27, 2022. Prior to being sworn in, Jumwa had declared a Kes.100 million net worth during her vetting for the CS position. According to court submissions, the recently sacked CS approached Roselyn Wambui to purchase a house valued at Kes.250 million. Wambui claimed that Jumwa negotiated the price down to Kes.215 million. I instructed my advocate, Kinyanjui Kirimi and Company Advocates, to draft a sale agreement and send it to the defendants advocate, the firm of Mohamoud, Gitau & Jillo LLP Advocates, which was done on February 25, 2023, Wambui stated in her case on July 26, 2024. Sale Agreement Wambui noted that Jumwas lawyers acknowledged receipt of the sale agreement but informed her that the politician was securing financing. It was later revealed that Jumwa could only secure Kes.145 million from the Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB). To accommodate the financing, Wambui added that Jumwas advocate proposed on March 1, 2023, an agreement to satisfy the banks (KCB and Gulf), along with an addendum covering the additional amount agreed upon, which was not being financed. According to Wambui, Jumwa was supposed to pay an additional Kes.70 million. She reportedly paid Kes.10 million and committed to paying the remaining Kes.60 million within 12 months. The 12-month payment period was mutually agreed upon and clearly outlined in the first draft of the agreement. It was undisputed that the houses price was set at Kes.215 million, Wambui explained. Wambui stated that she transferred the house to Jumwa, and it was registered as collateral for a loan with KCB. Despite repeated attempts to contact the former Malindi Constituency Member of Parliament regarding the outstanding balance, Wambui said she received no response after her lawyers reached out on May 25, 2023. Wambui contended that Jumwa should have clarified if the balance was not payable. Despite numerous demands and requests for the defendant to pay the remaining amount, the defendant has completely ignored, neglected, and refused to pay the balance, causing significant harm and breaching the contract, Wambui claimed. Debt Recovery Case The property owner instructed her lawyers to file a debt recovery case against Jumwa, seeking to have the then-minister declared bankrupt. However, she noted that the bankruptcy case is awaiting mediation or settlement and has since stalled. The businesswoman is now seeking a court order to compel Jumwa to pay the outstanding amount, along with 18.5 percent interest until full payment is made. In contrast, Jumwa is seeking to have the case dismissed and for Wambui to cover the legal costs. The former CS filed an objection, arguing that the court lacks jurisdiction over the case. Her lawyers pointed out that the agreement between the parties stipulated that any disputes would be resolved through arbitration, and the matter has already been referred to a mediator. This honourable court does not have jurisdiction to hear and determine the applicants application, read Jumwas response, filed by Prof. Tom Ojienda and Associates on August 5, 2024. Flash At the invitation of General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and Vietnamese President To Lam will pay a state visit to China from Aug. 18 to 20, the Chinese foreign ministry announced on Thursday. During this visit, Xi will hold talks with Lam. Premier Li Qiang, Chairman Zhao Leji of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, and Chairman Wang Huning of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, will meet with Lam respectively, according to a foreign ministry spokesperson. China and Vietnam are working intensively to implement the outcomes achieved during Xi's historic visit to Vietnam at the end of last year, the spokesperson said, adding that efforts to build the China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance have had a good start. Noting that China is the first country that President Lam will visit after assuming office, the spokesperson said this fully demonstrates the great importance that he attaches to the relations between the two parties and countries. "Through this visit, China looks forward to carrying forward traditional friendship, deepening the building of the China-Vietnam community with a shared future, and working with Vietnam to achieve success on our respective socialist paths toward modernization with distinctive characteristics, jointly advance the global socialist cause, and contribute to regional and global peace, stability and development," the spokesperson added. On-campus housing options are often associated with undergraduates and first-year move-in days. But Emory graduate and professional students are already enjoying their new housing option. Dubbed The Ridge, this housing integrates two primary needs highlighted during the universitys master planning: a lack of graduate housing on Emorys core campus and a space for Emory graduate students to gather and support community building. For the first time Emory is providing residences on our Atlanta campus designed for our graduate and professional students, said Emory President Gregory L. Fenves. The Ridge will enrich the lives of students pursuing research and the professions, he said. And Im grateful to everyone who has worked to make this long-held dream a reality. While housing at The Ridge is reserved for graduate and professional students, its not limited to one program or college meaning that students from across disciplines may be living together, forming connections they might not otherwise make. This housing initiative has amplified the importance of graduate and professional students on campus, bringing visibility to their contributions to our community and intentionally creating space for creative and interdisciplinary collisions, said Kimberly Jacob Arriola, dean of the James T. Laney School of Graduate Studies and vice provost for graduate affairs. We know that it is not enough to provide a rigorous academic experience and student-centered programming that honors the whole student. We need physical space and additional programming that honors the unique needs of graduate and professional students. The Ridge does just that, Arriola said. The Graduate and Professional Student Housing Initiative broke ground on Phase I in September 2022. Students began moving in as early as July 2024, depending on their program, and an official ribbon-cutting was held Tuesday, Aug. 13. Weve always placed a high priority on interdisciplinary learning and that learning is not confined to the classroom, said Brian Mitchell, associate dean at Goizueta Business School. We understand that it also entails student interactions with each other, regardless of where students are from or what theyre studying. Living in a community where youre surrounded by that is inevitably going to have a positive impact on your own education, experiences and intellectual growth. Phase I of The Ridge, which consists of two buildings and a parking structure, features 535 beds with a mix of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units at Haygood Drive and North Decatur Road. The site is a 15-minute or less walk to every graduate program, lab and library on Emorys Atlanta campus, so students can reach their campus destination without needing a car. The housing will also have Emory shuttle and MARTA bus access. Before starting construction, Emory coordinated focus groups and solicited feedback to learn what students most wanted to see in graduate housing. These ideas were incorporated into the project. Our master plan framework development for graduate school students pointed to the lack of on-campus graduate housing and congregation areas solely for graduate students, said David Payne, associate vice president for planning and engagement. Those were two of the needs we heard most often. Were hoping that when students are deciding which graduate school they want to attend, theyll consider this housing option as a competitive edge. Linda McCauley, dean of the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, pointed to the meticulous planning that has gone into the project. It is a thrill to see this graduate housing community come to fruition at Emory, as it is the culmination of years of planning and a testament to the universitys commitment to graduate education, said McCauley. Students will live and learn alongside colleagues from all disciplines, enhancing their educational experience and preparing them for the world that awaits them after graduation. As the dean of a school with a majority graduate student population, I know this community will fill a great need and strengthen Emorys graduate student experience. The Ridge is an ideal place for students to expand their horizons, too. The new building is anticipated to be LEED Gold certified and offers a graduate commons, featuring group and individual study spaces, lounge areas, recreational areas and a kitchen for group cooking. Architect Dennis Lynch, part of the Ayers Saint Gross architectural firm, said hes most looking forward to students experiencing the great views and daylight in each unit as well as the community center. Theres a community center on the ground floor that also has the shared kitchen and roll-up doors that can be opened when its nice outside, Lynch said. We put a lot of time and thought into the open spaces that surround the buildings. Theres a breezeway to the building closer to North Decatur Road that connects the space to a courtyard, and we were able to preserve some of the more mature trees in those spaces, too. Having that indoor/outdoor access to encourage students to enjoy open spaces is pretty exciting. On-campus housing that feels like home Not only is the on-campus housing conveniently located, but its also a differentiator from many comparable graduate and professional programs across the nation. And for students moving to Atlanta from other cities, states or even countries, it can provide peace of mind. Weve already seen the option for on-campus housing play a role in helping prospective students make a decision, said Kara Robinson, senior associate dean of enrollment management and student affairs at the Rollins School of Public Health. Both students and parents were elated about a housing option that was close to their building, part of campus, didnt require a car and offered a safe environment with peers. She added that it also relieves anxiety around logistics like procuring furniture, turning on utilities or finding a co-signer. In fact, those aspects are so valuable that one-third of tenants in the 2024-25 academic year are international students. Jiangyan Shi, a full-time MBA student from Qujing, China, speaks to that ease. I chose to live at The Ridge because it was convenient, quite safe, eliminates commuting issues and has great facilities, Shi said, pointing to the fact that the rooms are furnished and the building offers a great gym and leisure center. Pablo Hoyos, also a full-time MBA student, echoeed Shis values. Living on-campus meant comfort and a more efficient use of my time and resources, said Hoyos, who is from Medellin, Colombia. His favorite feature so far? The community and possibility of having friends all around in the same situation as I am, he said. Planning for Phase II is currently underway, with an estimated opening as soon as 2027. Phase II is envisioned to have approximately 400 additional beds and will be built adjacent to Phase I, wrapping around the parking structure. When both phases are complete, Emory anticipates having nearly 1,000 beds of housing for its graduate and professional students. Phase II is sure to be equally as enticing. As Shivani Sandu, a full-time MBA student from Goa, India, said, Everything at The Ridge is impressive, from the gym to the apartment itself. However, if I had to choose, I would highlight the community center. Its a fantastic space with well-equipped meeting rooms perfect for studying and working on projects with my study group. Additionally, the community center offers recreational facilities, which makes it an ideal place to relax and connect with fellow residents. Photos by Kay Hinton and Sarah Woods, Emory Photo/Video. Opioid-exposed newborns were 41% more likely to be discharged home from the hospital with their biological mother when the mothers receive medication for opioid use disorder (OUD) during pregnancy, according to a study published by JAMA Health Forum on July 12. The study led by researchers from Emory Universitys Rollins School of Public Health and Vanderbilt University analyzed the outcomes for all of the reported opioid-exposed infants born at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, between March 1, 2018, and Jan. 1, 2022, who were a gestational age of at least 35 weeks and without critical illness. Stephen Patrick, MD, the studys senior author and chair of the Department of Health Policy and Management at Rollins, highlights the significance of this research and the existing barriers that need to be addressed to ensure future newborns have an equitable opportunity to return home with their biological mothers. What inspired this study and what did it show? Infants are the fastest growing group in the U.S. foster system today of any group of children and most of that is due to parental substance use. So, we wanted to understand if women who received treatment for opioid use disorder during pregnancy treatment were more likely to leave the hospital with their child as opposed to that child being placed in foster care or with a family member. We found that engaging in treatment is associated with a reduction in the risk of having your baby end up in foster care. This is significant for several health and non-health outcomes are important to families. And one of the big motivators for pregnant women who engage in treatment, is they are worried about losing access to their children. These findings showed it helps. What is the public health benefit of addressing this problem? The opioid crisis has just continued to expand. More than a hundred thousand people died in the last year from an overdose and among them are women who are pregnant. In fact, overdose within a year of delivery is a leading cause of maternal mortality. So, there are the health and the public health complications of the opioid crisis. But then there are all these ripple effects, one of which is the child welfare system. One of the challenges is the systems related to health, public health and human services are all siloed, but people experience all those systems collectively. This paper, for example, took a public health problem, analyzed a possible medical intervention and linked that to the human services outcome of foster care placement. As we think about having healthy populations, so much of what makes people healthy occurs outside the health care system and in addressing social determinants of health. The more we can harmonize those systems, the better. What are the health benefits of providing opioid treatment to pregnant women? We know that use of medications for abuse disorder provide lots of benefits to mom and baby. Moms are less likely to die of an overdose, less likely to relapse and less likely to get infections like HIV and hepatitis C from injection. The infant is more likely to be born at term, less likely to be born low birth weight. Is there any risk to the infant for mothers receiving this medication? There is some risk of drug withdrawal for the infant, but this is time limited and treatable. And in the immediate period of time after birth, one of the things we're trading off are late- or full-term infants who are pretty healthy but have drug withdrawal for babies that are born really preterm because their moms couldnt get into treatment and those babies are too immature to have drug withdrawal. This is oftentimes missed from the conversation. When we get people treatment, especially pregnant people, it is a win for both mom and baby. Why should the general public care if children are kept out of the foster care system? As a pediatrician, my focus is on the baby and doing whats best for the baby, and being removed from your parents is an adverse child experience. In Tennessee for example, one third of children placed in foster care went to three different homes in that year. Yet weve still seen this rapid increase infants being placed into foster care. We need to recalibrate things a little bit and look at how we can do better moving forward. There is this foregone conclusion that these children end up in foster care, when instead we could be better caring for their families before it gets to that point. There are also issues of equity. We know that non-Hispanic Black families are overrepresented among infants placed in the U.S. foster care system. We know that Black women are more likely to be drug tested and even with similar drug use compared to white women, theyre 10 times more likely to be referred to the child welfare system. If their child is placed into foster care looking at national data, theyre less likely to be reunified with their child. The same issues occur among American and Alaskan native populations who were overrepresented in the U.S. foster care system by about threefold. Vietnam leader to visit China Vietnamese President To Lam will pay a state visit to China from Aug. 18 to 20. File photo: AFP China on Thursday announced Vietnamese President To Lam would visit for three days from Sunday, just weeks after he was formally named his country's top leader. "General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and Vietnamese President To Lam will pay a state visit to China from August 18 to 20," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said, adding he had been invited by President Xi Jinping. (Xinhua/Agencies) SIUs Gateway Journalism Review finds minimal reforms 10 years after Michael Browns death by Pete Rosenbery CARBONDALE, Ill. The Aug. 9, 2014, shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, shocked a community and crystalized a nationwide call by many for police reform. On the 10th anniversary of Browns death, Ferguson 10 Years Later, a series by Southern Illinois University Carbondales Gateway Journalism Review (GJR) looking at the state of racial justice particularly in Missouri and Illinois concludes that reforms sought after Browns death and those in other officer-involved shootings in the nation has been limited. The conclusion from stories within the 80-page quarterly magazine is that much more needs to be done, said William H. Freivogel, a professor in SIUs School of Journalism and Advertising and GJR publisher. Martin Luther King Jr. said the arc of moral universe bends toward justice. But the momentum for reform that flowed out of the killing of Michael Brown, The 1619 Project and the murder of George Floyd has largely dissipated in a conservative backlash, he said. Black Lives Matter signs that once spread through suburban lawns have come down. Police reforms proposed by President Obamas commission have not been enacted and DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) has been outlawed in a score of states. So, despite some reforms in municipal courts in St. Louis County, the progress toward reform since Browns death has been limited. Among the stories in the magazine are police accountability efforts in both Illinois and Missouri; police decertification laws to prevent abusive officers from wandering from department to department, and how Browns death resulted in a racial awakening and a discovery of lost Black stories. SIU Carbondale graduated students Amelia Blakely, Kallie Cox and Brian Munoz contributed to the current report, and Jackie Spinner, a notable SIU journalism graduate and a professor at Columbia College in Chicago, is the GJR editor. Freivogel hopes readers understand that police and justice reforms have been minimal, and that new laws, policies and ethics are needed to enact the reforms that many Americans thought were important after Ferguson and Floyd. Numerous special projects Freivogel noted GJR, which analyzes media in the Midwest, has given extensive coverage to Ferguson and its aftermath. Stories in 2014 and 2015 explored the criminal investigation into whether Officer Darren Wilson should be charged with murder in Browns death. The reporting showed that the Department of Justice investigation had found that no credible witness who supported the Hands Up, Dont Shoot mantra of the protesters, he said. But it also showed that Fergusons policing grossly violated the civil rights of citizens. Ferguson: Americas Arab Spring: Social Media and the Civil Rights Movement, a special edition in 2016, tracked the way social media was the primary method for broadcasting the protesters message to the world, Freivogel said. The communications revolution of millions of tweets and videos pumped energy into a burgeoning Black Lives Matter movement, he said. The 1857 Project, published in spring 2020, which included works by SIU students and faculty, offered a historical perspective on slavery, segregation and other aspects of racism in the St. Louis metro area and Illinois. It earned a Sigma Delta Chi Award in Journalism and an honorable mention from the American Bar Associations 2021 Silver Gavel Awards for Media and the Arts. In December 2021, another special edition examined the Legal Roadblocks to Police Accountability and involved 20 journalists from around the country. That project was named a finalist for a national Silver Gavel. Register now for SIUs Aug. 26 no-cost workshop on successful marketing strategies by Christi Mathis CARBONDALE, Ill. Operating a successful small business in todays competitive world requires successful marketing strategies. The Illinois Small Business Development Center at Southern Illinois University Carbondale will present a transformational one-day conference featuring the latest marketing techniques and tools for businesses on Aug. 26, and entrepreneurs are invited to attend at no cost. A diverse group of experts will share their insights and experiences during Marketing Unleashed: Creative Strategies for Small Businesses from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center, 1740 Innovation Drive. Workshops, speakers and more Guest speakers and titles of their presentations include: Jeff Harmon, chief marketing and communications officer for SIU Carbondale/executive director of University Communications and Marketing, will present Right Audience, Right Message, Right Time. Dylan Street, CEO of Guerrilla Marketing, a Paducah, Kentucky, based digital marketing and film production company, will speak about Mastering Lead Generation: From Acquisition to Conversion. Dick Slackman, a SCORE mentor and subject matter expert who holds several patents in search engine algorithms and records management, will address Power Your Business Using Email Marketing. Tobias Merriman, assistant director of the Center for Virtual Expression in the SIU Carbondale College of Liberal Arts, will discuss Marketing with AI. Britni Bateman, assistant vice chancellor for development and alumni communications and chief marketing officer for the SIU Foundation, will focus on Efficient Multitasking Strategies for Solo Marketers. Devin Miller and Todd Ellis, owners of Big Muddy Media, a digital content creation company specializing in video production for health care and documentary storytelling, will present Video Production for Digital Platforms. Niki Davis, SIU Hospitality, Tourism and Event Management Program manager and professor of practice, and Bridget Lescelius, associate lecturer in the School of Journalism and Advertising and manager of the Saluki AdLab at SIU, will offer Using AI to Boost Your Social Media Performance. Amy Dion, marketing specialist at the Illinois Small Business Development Center at SIU, will present Maximizing Your Business Visibility with Google Tools and More. A complimentary lunch is provided, and during the luncheon, participants can enjoy networking with experts and peers. Workshop participants will receive additional materials to take home as well. Follow the event on Facebook for the latest updates Sign up now Register online in advance as soon as possible because seating is limited. Visit SIU's SBDC website or call 618-536-2424 for additional information. The Illinois Small Business Development Center at SIU is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Workshop sponsors include the SIU Office of Innovation and Economic Development, Carbondale Chamber of Commerce, SI Now and the city of Marion. On its 78th Independence Day, India takes another step towards becoming a Viksit Bharat by the 100th year of gaining freedom with different sectors contributing to make India into a developed nation. Digitalisation is highlighted as making a crucial contribution to growth and positively influencing the trajectory of the country in achieving its goal of Viksit Bharat 2047. Vinod K Singh, founder and CTO of Concirrus said, "On India's 78th Independence Day, the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 stands as a testament to our unified goal of transforming India into a developed nation by its 100th year of independence. The digital transformation of our traditional industries is essential for driving economic growth and enhancing societal pillars." "As Indian companies lead this technological shift, we are transitioning from a tech support hub to a global frontrunner, recognized for our leadership, innovation, and the resilience of our people. It's our collective journey, and we're all in this together, striving to make India truly remarkable," he said. With advancements in technology and growing modernisation, there is potential for the economy to boost and for India to become a developed nation. Rajiv Lamba, co-founder and CEO of Surveysensum said, "India's traditional industries, like agriculture, manufacturing, and retail, hold immense potential. Digital transformation can modernize these sectors, boosting productivity, efficiency, and reach. By integrating technologies like AI, SaaS, IoT, and blockchain, these industries can enhance value chains, improve quality, and create new business models." He further discussed the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, stating, "This alignment with Viksit Bharat 2047 can generate employment, increase exports, and contribute significantly to the nation's GDP. India's journey from a technology back-end provider to a global frontrunner is key to its goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047." Though digitalisation is advancing rapidly, it is the responsibility of its people to ensure this process harmonizes with environmental considerations. Talking about India's trajectory and net-zero goals, Ambalika Gupta, VP for Sustainability at Snowkap, said, "As we celebrate India's 78th Independence Day, it's a moment for us to reflect on our collective journey and look towards the future with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. In August 2022, India took a crucial step forward by updating its NDC. We've set ambitious targets to cut emissions intensity by 45 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030 and to ensure that 50 per cent of our energy comes from non-fossil sources by 2030. These targets are not just numbers--they represent a genuine commitment to sustainable growth". Gupta further said, "As we work towards these goals, we are supporting the broader vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, where our progress as a nation is deeply connected to our responsibility towards the environment. This integrated approach will help us build a future where development and sustainability go hand in hand." India is becoming a global leader in various respects. Bhavesh Thakkar, CEO of RASPN, said, "The Viksit Bharat 2047 vision is transforming Indian industries, positioning them for global leadership." "Central to this transformation is the government's focus on shipbuilding and new port development, crucial for advancing India's maritime capabilities. The growth of new shipbuilding companies will not only bolster India's exports but also enhance the nation's competitiveness in global trade. We are aligning with the national vision by helping vessel owners and shipping companies enter into long-term agreements with the company via leasing and chartering mechanisms. With new vessels being manufactured in India, our vision will help exporters drive increased export volumes and contribute to India's goal of becoming a $10 trillion economy by 2047. The future of Indian industries is bright, with maritime trade playing a pivotal role in realizing a developed India." The Director of Mediagraphics PR pointed out how digitalisation is elevating businesses and how promoting their stories globally will support the ambition of Viksit Bharat. He stated, "It's crucial that the global narrative recognizes and amplifies the contributions of Indian industries, as they embody the dynamic spirit of our progress through technology and innovation. Emerging businesses play a pivotal role in realizing this dream. By elevating their stories on the global stage, we reinforce India's leadership in shaping a prosperous and advanced future. These businesses are not only fueling economic growth but are also at the forefront of innovation and sustainability--key pillars of a developed nation." The core objective of Viksit Bharat 2047 is to foster inclusive participation in the country. A key component of this ambition is to elevate India to the third-largest economy. (ANI) Bangladesh is a big contributor to India's medical tourism sector and the ongoing instability may lead to a decline in footfalls. CareEdge Ratings anticipates that if the unrest persists, the footfalls are likely to decline by 10-15 per cent from Bangladesh during 2024. India's neighbor Bangladesh typically accounts for 50-60 per cent of India's total international medical tourism inflow. In a report, the rating agency asserts that a considerable number of these travelers have either canceled or postponed their visits to India. India's healthcare system is popular the world over and it has been witnessing significant growth, driven by the country's competitive treatment costs, high-quality medical facilities and services, and relatively short waiting time for treatment. India ranks among the top 10 countries for medical tourism globally and is especially preferred amongst South Asian, African, and Middle East countries. "Nearly 70-80 per cent of medical tourists arriving in India are from Bangladesh and Middle East countries." One of the significant factors driving this is the cultural and linguistic similarities, quality treatment at competitive prices, access to advanced facilities, the rating agency said. Bangladesh stands out as the leading contributor to medical tourism among neighbouring countries, surpassing the Middle East, Myanmar, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. "This highlights Bangladesh's crucial role in the Indian medical tourism sector. However, recent socio-political instability in Bangladesh poses a risk to this flourishing segment of the industry." As per CareEdge estimates, international medical tourism footfalls to India had increased by approximately 33 per cent year-on-year in 2023. Considering the drop in footfalls from Bangladesh along with its gradual revival to normalcy by the end of 2024, CareEdge Ratings expects a minimal impact on the sector. Although 2021 saw some growth in medical tourism following the significant impact of the Covid-19 pandemic the previous year, it remained subdued due to the ongoing travel restrictions in parts of that year. However, 2022 marked a significant comeback, with medical tourism nearly returning to pre-Covid levels, and the trend continued in 2023. India's initiative to extend the e-medical visa facility to nationals from dozens of countries is expected to further boost medical tourism in the coming years. (ANI) To become a successful entrepreneur, one requires a clear vision, relentless drive, and the ability to seize opportunities. From disrupting hospitality and public mobility to quick commerce to shaping new frontiers in fintech, there are young visionary Indians who have left an indelible mark on their industries. Earlier this week, on August 12, International Youth Day was celebrated, and it is an apt time to tell the tale of a few such inspiring young founders who leveraged new-age technologies to disrupt their sectors and create an enterprise of immense public value at a very young age. They truly proved that when the fire of entrepreneurship converges with innovation, age is not a roadblock to success. Ritesh Agarwal: Founded OYO Rooms in 2013 at the age of 19. Ritesh Agarwal is the founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of OYO Hotels and Homes. His entrepreneurial journey started when he was just 19 years old. His personal experiences while travelling all over India helped him realise that there were hardly any budget hotels offering affordable, good services -- this led to the birth of OYO in 2013. OYO is one of the biggest hotel chains in the world. By leveraging advanced technology, OYO has made booking affordable and quality accommodations effortless and accessible. Agarwal's story is an inspiring example of turning a simple, idle observation into a global business. Vidit Aatrey: Co-founded Meesho in 2015 at the age of 24 Meesho, a Bengaluru-based start-up that allows the selling of products through platforms, including social media, founded the company in December 2015 at the age of 24. A graduate of IIT-Delhi, Aatrey worked for two big companies before his urge to be an entrepreneur made him create India's social commerce platform. Meesho innovatively integrates technology to make payment and shipping services easier and more secure for users. His vision has helped Meesho become one of the most promising start-ups in the social commerce space. Pavan Guntupalli (24), Aravind Sanka (25), and SR Rishikesh: Co-founded Rapido in 2015: The trio co-founded Rapido in 2015 by launching India's first and largest bike taxi app. Loaded with technology, the app connects commuters with bike taxis for an easy and pocket-friendly way of getting around cities quickly. Within nine years of its inception, Rapido undertook technology and business innovation to foray into all three verticals of ride-hailing services, including Rapido Bike-taxis, Auto rickshaws, and cabs. Rapido is available in dozens of cities in India. Harshil Mathur: Co-founded Razorpay in 2014 at the age of 24. Mathur started the fintech venture in 2014 as there was a strong need for payment solutions in India. The graduate from IIT Roorkee left behind his corporate job to make transactions easier for businesses in the country. Razorpay quickly caught up against all odds, processing a sizable portion of online payments in India and achieving unicorn status in 2021. With Razorpay's cutting-edge payment solutions, businesses can now handle transactions smoothly and securely, revolutionising the payment landscape in India. Adit Palicha, founder, Zepto: Founded in 2021 by Aadit Palicha, Zepto offers a quick commerce service, delivering online groceries, fruits, vegetables, electronics, and many more in a few minutes. Palicha, born in Mumbai, began his business career as an entrepreneur at the age of 17. The startup's valuation reportedly surpassed USD 200 million after just one month of operation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the idea of quick online commerce gained much currency in India. As per reports, Palicha was studying for a bachelor's degree in Computer Science at Stanford University when he made the decision to drop out and pursue his startup. These young entrepreneurs have achieved high milestones in their early years and inspired many others to pursue their dreams. Their stories remind us that if there is vision, determination, and innovation, then anything is possible. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his address from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of 78th Independence Day outlined India's commitment towards becoming a global leader in semiconductor production. PM Modi said, "Semiconductors, modern technologies and Artificial intelligence are inextricably linked to our future and we have started working on the Indian Semiconductor mission". He also exhorted that why can't every piece of equipment have a 'Made In India" chip? He further added that the country has the potential of fulfilling this dream and therefore the production and semiconductor-related work will happen in India. "India has started working on its Semiconductor Mission. We are moving ahead rapidly with 5G, and towards further boosting our production capacity. And, I assure you we won't stop here" said PM Modi. In March this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for three new semiconductor plants - two in Gujarat and one in Assam. Tata Group will set up two out of the three plants. The semiconductor plants were approved by the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi under the 'Development of Semiconductors and Display Manufacturing Ecosystems in India' initiative. The semiconductor units will be located in Dholera and Sanand in Gujarat, and Morigaon in Assam. Notably, the unit in Morigaon will mark the Northeast's first semiconductor facility, with an investment of Rs 27,000 crore. This unit is expected to produce chips for major automobile companies globally. Another unit, set to be established in Dholera, Gujarat, is being developed by Tata Electronics Private Limited (TEPL) in collaboration with Taiwan's Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp (PSMC). This Rs 91,000 crore facility will focus on high-performance computer chips using 28 nm technology and will cater to various sectors, including electric vehicles (EVs), telecom, defence, automotive, consumer electronics, and power electronics. Additionally, Tata Semiconductor Assembly and Test Pvt Ltd (TSAT) is also setting up a manufacturing facility in Morigaon, Assam, with an investment of Rs 27,000 crore. This unit will cover sectors such as automotive, EVs, consumer electronics, telecom, and mobile phones. On Wednesday Prime Minister Modi also met with Young Liu, Chairman of Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn), to discuss the opportunities India offers in futuristic sectors. The Foxconn chairman explored the company's investment plans in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh. Foxconn, the world's largest electronics manufacturer and a major global science and technology solutions provider, has been expanding its business in India. Last year, Foxconn announced plans to double its workforce and investment in the country, including a Rs 5,000 crore investment in Karnataka through two projects. (ANI) PNN Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 15: Established by Deshbandhu Kagzi in the year 1970, the SHRIJEE brand started as a leader in blouse fabrics, well known for its 2x2 Rubia. This commitment to innovation and quality was furthered by his son, Brijendra Kagzi, who expanded the company's footprint across India and international markets like the UK, EU, Middle East & Latin America. Shrijee Lifestyle Group has become a recognized force in shirting, women's wear, and kids' wear, and it is known for its value-added and digitally printed fabrics. Brijendra Kagzi, Chairman & Managing Director of Shrijee Lifestyle Group continues to steer the Group towards new heights, backed by a New Dynamic Team led by his elder son, Abhay Kagzi, and supported by his younger son, Krishang Kagzi. This new generation is energizing the company by leveraging Shrijee's core strengths and loyal customer base, while harnessing modern tools like AI (Artificial Intelligence) and analytics to drive growth. Shrijee Lifestyle Group achieved a turnover of Rs 400 crore in 2023-24, which is expected to reach Rs 500 crores in 2024-25. The Gen Z leadership has charted a roadmap to achieve Rs 1200 crore turnover for the Group by 2030, focusing on expanding the product portfolio while continuing to grow the reach of the company's established brands across India and abroad. These brands include 'Shrijee' - Blouse & fancy ladies wear fabrics, 'Avant Moda' - High-end digital printed and piece-dyed shirting and suiting for men & women, 'Cranberry' - Creative shirting and kurta fabrics, 'Gizanni' - Pure Giza yarn-dyed and piece-dyed fabrics and 'Linen Villa' - Pure linen and innovative Lyocell linen blends. "Shrijee Lifestyle Group is synonymous with quality, consistency, and reliability," stated Abhay Kagzi. "We see this as the perfect time to scale up and establish Shrijee as a global leader in the fabric industry, particularly for large garment houses and leading fashion brands. AI will be a crucial driver of our accelerated growth, helping us position Shrijee as a dominant force in a sector poised for double-digit growth over the next decade." For further information, please contact: info@shrijeelifestyle.com (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) PNN New Delhi [India] August 15: As India celebrates its Independence Day, a new chapter in the digital era begins with the launch of Bataiyo. This revolutionary platform, opening for registration today, aims to reshape how service providers and consumers connect in the digital landscape. As India rapidly advances in the digital age, important questions arise: Are we all truly benefiting from this technology boom? Can we rely on the information we find online? Most crucially, is every Indian able to fully engage with this digital transformation? When we need a service--whether it's finding a good restaurant, consulting a new city's healthcare providers, or locating a skilled craftsman--we often depend on online reviews and ratings. But with the prevalence of fake reviews, bots, and purchased ratings, how trustworthy are these sources? Introducing "Bataiyo", a groundbreaking platform launching its registration on August 15, 2024--India's Independence Day. Bataiyo aims to address these issues with its zero-commission model, transforming the way service providers and consumers connect. This innovative platform will offer a transparent and reliable method to find quality services through personal recommendations, avoiding the pitfalls of traditional online reviews. In today's service economy, high commission fees reduce profits for service providers and drive up costs for consumers. Bataiyo eliminates these fees, allowing service providers to keep their full earnings and offering fair prices to consumers. This creates a more equitable and trustworthy digital marketplace. Bataiyo also has a significant social mission. By launching on Independence Day, the platform is committed to including those who have been excluded from the digital world so far. Through its initiatives, Bataiyo will provide digital education and training, aligning with national goals to ensure every Indian has the opportunity to become digitally savvy. Founded by Jitender Bhutani of Hansi, Haryana, Bataiyo envisions a platform where every Indian can build their digital presence and contribute to the country's progress. Starting August 15, 2024, Bataiyo will ensure a fair and transparent system, marking a new chapter in the digital era, built on trust and inclusivity. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) Guizhou attracts tourists during peak summer travel season Xinhua) 08:36, August 15, 2024 Tourists enjoy their leisure time at an ancient town in Zhongshan District of Liupanshui, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Aug. 8, 2024. Guizhou Province, with its cool climate and rich tourism resources, attracts tourists from all over the country during the peak summer travel season. (Xinhua/Tao Liang) People visit Jiaxiu Pavilion scenic area in Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province, Aug. 13, 2024. Guizhou Province, with its cool climate and rich tourism resources, attracts tourists from all over the country during the peak summer travel season. (Xinhua/Tao Liang) Tourists visit a park in Zhongshan District of Liupanshui, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Aug. 8, 2024. Guizhou Province, with its cool climate and rich tourism resources, attracts tourists from all over the country during the peak summer travel season. (Xinhua/Tao Liang) People visit Jiaxiu Pavilion scenic area in Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province, Aug. 13, 2024. Guizhou Province, with its cool climate and rich tourism resources, attracts tourists from all over the country during the peak summer travel season. (Xinhua/Tao Liang) Tourists visit an ancient town in Zhongshan District of Liupanshui, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Aug. 8, 2024. Guizhou Province, with its cool climate and rich tourism resources, attracts tourists from all over the country during the peak summer travel season. (Xinhua/Tao Liang) An aerial drone photo shows tourists at the Minghu Lake National Wetland Park in Zhongshan District of Liupanshui, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Aug. 7, 2024. Guizhou Province, with its cool climate and rich tourism resources, attracts tourists from all over the country during the peak summer travel season. (Xinhua/Tao Liang) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) PNN New Delhi [India], August 15: Shri Keshav Cement & Infra Limited (BSE - 530977), engaged in the manufacturing of Cement and Solar Power Generation and Distribution in the state of Karnataka has announced its Unaudited Financial Results for the Q1 FY25. Key Financial highlights Q1 FY25 * Total Income of Rs 31.24 Cr * EBITDA of Rs 8.06 Cr * EBITDA Margin of 26.50% * Profit After Tax of Rs 1.78 Cr * PAT Margin of 5.71% * EPS of Rs 1.14 Q1 FY25 Developments & Future Plans: * Paid debt worth Rs 6.42 Cr in Q1 FY25. * continued its focus on the lucrative solar business * The Company's expanded capacity of 1 Mn Ton will be operational by Q4 FY25. Commenting on the performance, Venkatesh Katwa, Chairman of Shri Keshav Cement & Infra Limited said, "We are pleased to report a robust EBITDA margin of 26.50% on a total income of Rs31.24 Cr. Our strategic shift in focus from cement to solar power is proving to be a significant milestone for us. We are excited to announce the commissioning of an additional 3 MW solar plant at Biserahalli in Koppal District, Karnataka, which will elevate our total solar capacity to 40 MW. This expansion marks another significant step in our journey towards renewable energy leadership, reinforcing our commitment to sustainable growth and long-term value creation. The solar power generated will be used primarily for self-consumption, with 35% utilized internally and 65% outsourced to other sectors. In addition, our technical improvements are expected to elevate our cement production capacity to 1 million tonnes by the end of Q3 FY25. These achievements reflect our unwavering dedication to innovation, sustainability, and excellence." (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) PNN Indore (Madhya Pradesh) [India], August 15: This Independence Day, Dr. Dinesh Shahra, the driving force behind India's Yellow Revolution, returned to his roots at St. Paul High School in Indore. The 78th Independence Day celebration became a memorable event as Dr. Shahra delivered a heartfelt speech to the students, blending his journey with India's progress. He spoke passionately about the importance of embracing our rich cultural heritage while pursuing excellence on a global scale, leaving a lasting impact on young minds. Dr. Shahra's commitment to sustainability shone through during the event. As a symbolic act, he planted a tree alongside the students, a gesture that not only reinforced his dedication to environmental causes but also encouraged the younger generation to become guardians of nature. His foundation, the Dinesh Shahra Foundation, has long championed education and sustainability, offering scholarships to deserving students and supporting green initiatives. The Independence Day celebration extended beyond the school premises, as Dr. Shahra visited his soya agrifield along with the cultivators in Indore to commemorate the day with his employees. The act of planting saplings on the factory grounds underscored his belief in leading by example and his dedication to community welfare. These gestures not only boosted the morale of his employees but also reflected his deep-rooted values of gratitude and social responsibility. Through his actions and words, Dr. Shahra exemplified the spirit of independence--one that is not just about freedom but also about responsibility, sustainability, and giving back to society. His visit to St. Paul High School and his engagement with his employees on this significant day served as a powerful testament to his vision of a prosperous and harmonious India. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) Gena Rowlands, the acclaimed actress renowned for her powerful performances and groundbreaking work in cinema, has passed away at the age of 94. Rowlands died at her home in Indian Wells, surrounded by family, after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Rowlands' remarkable career spanned over six decades, during which she earned critical acclaim for her roles in both television and film. She received Oscar nominations for her compelling performances in 'A Woman Under the Influence' (1974) and 'Gloria' (1980). In 'A Woman Under the Influence', Rowlands portrayed an emotionally fragile housewife, while in 'Gloria', she starred as a tough protector entangled with the Mob. Despite her nominations, she did not win an Academy Award, though she was later honoured with an honorary Oscar at the 2015 Governors Awards. Throughout her career, Rowlands collaborated closely with her late husband, director John Cassavetes. Cassavetes directed Rowlands in several influential films including 'Faces' (1968), 'Opening Night' (1977), and 'Love Streams' (1984). Together, they pushed the boundaries of conventional filmmaking, exploring complex human emotions and societal issues. In an interview at the 2015 Governors Awards, Rowlands reflected on her acting career, saying, "You don't just live one life -- yours -- you live many lives," according to The Hollywood Reporter. Rowlands also made significant contributions to television, winning three Emmy Awards for her roles in 'The Betty Ford Story' (1987) and 'Hysterical Blindness' (2002), among others. Her versatility extended to roles in 'The Notebook' (2004), where she played an elderly woman with dementia, and 'Unhook the Stars' (1996), in which she portrayed a lonely widow. Born Virginia Cathryn Rowlands on June 19, 1930, in Madison, Wisconsin, she began her acting career in theatre and television before making her mark in film, according to The Hollywood Reporter. After studying at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, Rowlands met Cassavetes, and the two were married in 1954. Rowlands' legacy is further carried on by her children, Nick, Zoe, and Xan Cassavetes, all of whom have followed in their parents' footsteps in the film industry. Her final film appearances included works like 'Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks' (2014) and 'The Skeleton Key' (2005). As per The Hollywood Reporter, in tribute to Rowlands, Sidney Lumet once remarked, "The highest compliment I can pay to her -- to anyone -- is that the talent frightens me, making me aware of the lack of it in so many and the power that accrues to those who have it and use it well." (ANI) Directed by Tommy Wirkola, the film, now titled 'Beneath the Storm', is scheduled to make its theatrical debut on August 1, 2025, confirmed The Hollywood Reporter. The announcement, made by Sony Pictures on Wednesday, revealed that 'Beneath the Storm' will be hitting theatres in the summer of 2025. While specific plot details have yet to be disclosed, the film is expected to revolve around a shark-related storyline, adding an element of suspense and adventure. In addition to Dynevor, known for her breakout role as Daphne Bridgerton in Netflix's 'Bridgerton', the cast includes Whitney Peak and Djimon Hounsou. The film is produced by Adam McKay and Kevin Messick, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The release date of 'Beneath the Storm' will see it competing against Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Animation's 'The Bad Guys 2', which also premieres on August 1, 2025. Notably, 'The Bad Guys 2' features an anthropomorphic shark among its lead characters, setting up an intriguing coincidence. Tommy Wirkola, known for his work on films such as 'Dead Snow', 'Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters', and 'Violent Night', directs this new thriller. His recent animated feature, 'Spermageddon', made waves at the Annecy Animation Festival earlier this year. Phoebe Dynevor recently made headlines for her performance in the psychological thriller 'Fair Play', which garnered significant attention at the Sundance Film Festival before its release on Netflix. Co-star Djimon Hounsou's recent work includes 'Shazam! Fury of the Gods' and 'Gran Turismo'. Meanwhile, Whitney Peak, recognized for her roles in the 'Gossip Girl' reboot and 'Hocus Pocus 2', also joins the cast. Sony Pictures's recent romantic drama 'It Ends With Us', starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni was released in theatres on August 9, 2024. (ANI) The 'Wolfs' stars Brad Pitt and George Clooney delved into the realities of ageing within the acting profession, shedding light on their personal perspectives regarding the future of their careers. At 60 years old, Brad Pitt expressed his belief that he is nearing the "last leg" of his acting journey, though not for the reasons one might assume. According to The Hollywood Reporter, in a recent interview, Pitt elaborated on his use of the phrase "last leg", saying, "I meant that as seasons. You know, there was moving out from the safety of the Ozarks. You embark on this thing and it's all about discovery and it's really exciting and interesting and painful and awful and all of it." "And then when you're allowed into the big leagues, it becomes another game of responsibilities and things to answer to. But also opportunity and delight and working with people you really respect," he said. Reflecting on his current phase of life, Pitt continued, "And then it's this time now. It's: What are these last years going to be? Because I see my parents are very... I see just what George was explaining. In your 80s, the body becomes more frail. And yet I look at Frank Gehry. He's just the loveliest man. And he's 95 and still making great art and he's got a beautiful family. And I think that's kind of the formula to stay creative and keep loving your life." This isn't the first time Pitt has mused about the final phase of his career. According to The Hollywood Reporter, in an earlier interview, he had already begun contemplating what this next stage might entail. George Clooney, who joined Pitt for the discussion, commented on their professional longevity, noting, "We're in a profession that doesn't force you into retirement." As per The Hollywood Reporter, Clooney also addressed the common fear among actors about the decline in job opportunities as they age, suggesting that there are "two ways" to handle this challenge. "The phone stops ringing if your decision is that you want to continue to be the character that you were when you were 35, and you want a softer lens," Clooney explained. "But if you're willing to, say, move down the call sheet a little bit and do interesting character work, then you can kind of... you have to make peace with the idea that you're going to die," he added, as per The Hollywood Reporter. Clooney humorously added, "I will walk up to people and they'll be like, 'Oh, you're older than I thought.' And I'm like, 'I'm 63, you dumb shit!' It's just: That's life. And so as long as you can make peace with the idea of change, then it's okay. The hard part is, and I know a lot of actors who do this -- and you [Pitt] do too -- who don't let that go and try desperately to hold onto it." 'Wolfs' will be available on Apple TV+ starting September 27. Apple has also revealed that the studio has already greenlighted the sequel to the series. (ANI) Taking to Instagram, Kareena wrote, "12 years later; the same story; the same protest. But we are still waiting for change." Kareena used several hashtags including 'Kolkata Rape And Murder Case', 'Violence Against Women', 'Justice For Women', 'Women Safety' and 'Freedom For Women'. She also added a broken heart emoji to her note. On Wednesday, actor Alia Bhatt also expressed outrage over the shocking incident. "Another brutal rape. Another day of realisation that women are not safe, anywhere. Another horrific atrocity to remind us that it's been over a decade since the Nirbhaya tragedy, but still nothing much has changed," she posted. The post-graduate trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9.The family has alleged that the victim was raped and murdered. In a strong display of support, doctors across the nation continue to protest over the murder and alleged sexual assault of a post-graduate trainee (PGT) doctor, demanding justice for the victim. The protests were held in the cities of Kolkata, Guwahati, Hyderabad and Mumbai on Wednesday. The protestors were holding placards, "Justice needs to be served", "No duty without security" and "Justice delayed is Justice denied" (ANI) The 'At Home' cum Governor's Award for distinction in the field of Art's, Music and literature was held at Dr. Imkongliba Ao Hall in Raj Bhavan, Kohima, on Independence Day. The ceremony recognized outstanding talents in Nagaland. Speaking on the occasion, Governor La. Ganesan highlighted the importance of Independence Day saying, "We stand today at the threshold of a new era - what our Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi has aptly termed 'Amrit Kaal.' This golden period signifies a time of renewal and resurgence and also a moment to re-imagine our future and work collectively towards a stronger, more prosperous India." "The vision for a 'Viksit Bharat' - a developed India - is within our grasp. It is an India where every citizen, irrespective of their background, has the opportunity to thrive. It is an India with robust infrastructure, inclusive growth, and a leading position on the global stage. This vision calls for dedication, innovation, and unity from every one of us," he added. "As we celebrate our achievements, we must also look towards the future with a sense of responsibility and resolve. Our youth are the torchbearers of this new India. It is your creativity, energy, and passion that will drive us forward. Embrace the spirit of patriotism not just as love for the motherland, but as a commitment to contribute positively to your country. Patriotism is not confined to words or ceremonies; it is reflected in our daily actions, our respect for our fellow citizens, and our dedication to the principles of justice, equality, and freedom. Let us hold steadfast to these values and work towards a nation where harmony and prosperity reign supreme," the Governor said. "As we reflect on our journey, it is imperative to also recognize the integral role of culture in shaping our identity. Art, music and literature are not merely forms of expression but are vital threads that add colours to our diverse heritage. They inspire, unite and offer solace, forging connections that transcend barriers," the Governor added. He also said that it is a privilege to honor the exceptional talents of individuals who have distinguished themselves in these fields through the Governor's Award for distinction in Arts, Music, and Literature. These awards stand as a testament to the vibrant cultural landscape of Nagaland and the exceptional creativity that flourishes within our society. The Governor extended his heartfelt congratulations to the awardees highlighting that their dedication and passion have not only enriched our cultural heritage but have also inspired countless others. The Governor was also glad that this award was instituted to honour the distinguished and talented artists from the state in the fields of Art, Music and Literature. He further urged the talented Naga artists, musicians and intellectuals to harness the creativity and richness of the culture and display it to the rest of the world. Additional Chief Secretary and Finance Commissioner, Sentiyanger Imchen, IAS, in his speech, said that the Governor's Award for distinction in the field of Arts, Music and Literature was instituted in the year 2003 to recognize and award eminent personalities in these fields. The Department of Art and Culture is the nodal Department overseeing the award and the selection process starts at the district level by committees headed by the respective Deputy Commissioners. Their recommendations are then considered at the state level by a committee headed by the Chief Secretary. The day being the 78th Independence day to pay homage to our freedom fighters, it is also fitting that we honor those in our state who have distinguished themselves in the field of Arts, Music and Literature. By bestowing them with this award, we recognize and celebrate their talent and creativity and also acknowledge their contribution in enriching our culture. "As one of the world's enduring tribal societies, our strength and resilience has allowed us to, by and large, preserve our rich cultural heritage. Today, we are proud custodians of a diverse range of art, customs and traditions. However, no society is static and face the challenge of Change. Therefore as our society progresses, our unique folk arts must evolve while retaining their essence," he said. The Governor's Award for Arts, Music and Literature is one of the government's effort to nurture and preserve our cultural heritage. On behalf of the Department of Art and Culture and the State level Committee for the Governor's Award for Arts, Music and Literature, he thanked the Governor, La. Ganesan and the Chief Minister of Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio for their steadfast support and patronage in this endeavor. "Apart from government support and patronage, it is crucial to engage the society at large to preserve our cultural heritage. Apart from the awards given, let us appreciate the arts and nurture the talent amongst us to ensure that the rich culture of ours is preserved and enable our talented artists to flourish and reach their full potential," he added. Minister, Roads and Bridges, G. Kaito Aye, addressed the gathering by saying that Nagaland is well known for her rich artistic heritage and traditions. These numerous art forms constitute the culture of the Naga people. Art influences everyone in one way or another and plays a pivotal role in the progress of the people through its activities. With the vast advancement in technology, today we have a greater tendency to relegate our cultural values to the backseat, which is detrimental to our society and, if allowed to happen, may even lead to decline of life itself. The Minister said, "it is rewarding to note that the creativity to produce great arts and music exists in the Naga Society. These latent talents need to be harnessed so that artistic expressions are reproduced for the entire world to notice, so the government has taken the initiative to institute these vital awards to harness the talents and to expose our society through the means of Arts, Music and Literature. The Government will continue to lay important stress on the progress of the arts and congratulated the deserving Awardees of 2024." This year, three persons and one society received the Governor's Award. Temjen Aier and Throngkiuba Yimchungru in the field of Arts, N.K. Naga in the field of Music and Lidi Kro-u Society also in the field of Music. (ANI) The horrific rape and murder of a trainee doctor at a medical college in Kolkata has shocked the entire country. As doctors across the nation continue to protest against the crime, Bollywood actor Preity Zinta penned a note expressing outrage over the shocking incident. The horrific rape and murder of a trainee doctor at a medical college in Kolkata has shocked the entire country. "We are the fifth-largest economy in the world. This election saw about 66 per cent voter turnout, with women voters predicted to outnumber men in future elections," she began. "It's time Women's safety is prioritized by the government," Preity raised her concern over the safety of women. It's heartbreaking and disgusting to see a rapist's face hidden/covered when arressted, while victims of rape and violent sexual crime have their names and faces leaked in the media. Justice is never swift, punishment is never severe and people are never held accountable." "I am sorry to every girl that has been wronged. I'm sorry I didn't fight hard enough for you in the past. BUT NOT ANYMORE!" she wrote, emphasising that collective action is crucial for change. Earlier in the day, Kareena condemned the gruesome rape and murder of the trainee doctor in Kolkata. Taking to Instagram, Kareena wrote, "12 years later; the same story; the same protest. But we are still waiting for change." On Wednesday, actor Alia Bhatt also expressed outrage over the shocking incident. "Another brutal rape. Another day of realisation that women are not safe, anywhere. Another horrific atrocity to remind us that it's been over a decade since the Nirbhaya tragedy, but still nothing much has changed," she posted .The post-graduate trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. The family has alleged that the victim was raped and murdered. In a strong display of support, doctors across the nation continue to protest over the murder and alleged sexual assault of a post-graduate trainee (PGT) doctor, demanding justice for the victim. The protests were held in the cities of Kolkata, Guwahati, Hyderabad and Mumbai on Wednesday. The protestors were holding placards saying, "Justice needs to be served,", "No duty without security" and "Justice delayed is Justice denied." (ANI) Oscar winner Halle Berry has shared insights into the dedication and lifestyle choices that have contributed to her impressive, age-defying looks. At 58, Berry continues to be celebrated for her youthful appearance and remarkable ability to tackle physically demanding roles. However, the actress emphasized that maintaining her vitality is far from effortless. "It's hard work and you have to work at it. It's a lifestyle," Berry said in an interview with E! News. "It's a choice you make," she further added. Berry attributed part of her success to her early diagnosis of diabetes. "I think being diagnosed with diabetes when I was 19 years old has kept me away from the number one ageing substance which is sugar," she explained. "I think it's managing to get enough rest, prioritizing your sleep and your health and your wellbeing is important. And it's hard to do that sometimes." In discussing her fitness routine, Berry humorously noted her preference for more reasonable workout hours compared to her costar, Mark Wahlberg, who is known for his early gym sessions. "Oh hell no!" Berry exclaimed regarding Wahlberg's 3 am workouts. "Mama does not work out at 3 am. No, I work out, but at a more decent hour," she said during an interview with E! News. Berry and Wahlberg are set to star together in the upcoming action film, 'The Union', which premieres on Netflix on August 16. In the film, Berry and Wahlberg play Mike and Roxanne, former high school sweethearts who reconnect when Roxanne enlists Mike, a construction worker, for a high-stakes intelligence mission. Reflecting on the film, Berry said, "It was fun. I think many of us fantasize about that one that got away or what if I would have stayed with my high school sweetheart, what would my life be like?" Berry also shared her surprise at her enduring career. "I never thought I'd be doing this as a career, and then at this age and stage still being able to work at the level that I work on," she said, adding, "But I came along at the right time when women are having longevity. There was a time when you were 40, you were kind of done. So it's so nice to be a part of Hollywood now." 'The Union' is set to debut on Netflix this Friday, August 16. (ANI) On Thursday, Raveena dropped a video on Instagram where she can be seen singing the song with our National Flag. In the next video, Raveena's children, Rasha and Ranbirvardhan also joined her in the celebrations. Along with the post, she wrote, "Needed to get the lip sync right! In the Spirit of it all!!!! Happy Independence Day! jai Hind. (Sorry for the repost - phone or Insta, something glitching since morning." https://www.instagram.com/p/C-sCZYnyrWR/?img_index=1 Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the national flag at the Red Fort in the national capital for the 11th consecutive time on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day. This year's celebration marks the 11th time PM Modi addressed the nation from the Red Fort on Independence Day, making him the third Prime Minister after Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi to achieve this milestone. The theme for this year's Independence Day is 'Viksit Bharat @ 2047,' aiming to drive the Government's efforts to transform India into a developed nation by 2047. Meanwhile, on the work front, Raveena has been seen in the movie 'Ghudchadi' alongside Sanjay Dutt. Sanjay Dutt and Raveena have been seen reuniting in this film, which also features Khushalii Kumar and Parth Samthaan. 'Ghudchadi' is produced by Nidhi Dutta, Binnoy K Gandhi, and directed by Binoy Gandhi. Apart from this, she will be seen in 'Welcome 3'. The star-studded cast includes Akshay Kumar, Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi, Disha Patani, Lara Dutta, and Paresh Rawal. (ANI) Bollywood actress Suhana Khan and Navya Naveli Nanda, granddaughter of legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan, have expressed their profound anger over the recent rape and murder of a female trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. On Thursday, Suhana Khan shared a message from Navya Naveli Nanda on her Instagram stories. "Yet another horrific rape has unfolded in front of our eyes. First and most importantly, let us pray for her and her family.Women have always played a very important role in the growth and development of our country. The workplace, the classroom and the home must be an enabling and safe space for us.Men and women need to unite against those mindsets and belief systems that continuously objectify women or think of them as easy prey," read the Instagram post. "The times we are out at night or what we wear are NOT signs for anything other than the fact that we have a right to live our life the way we desire. And for this, we cannot be made to live in continued fear or under threat.While nothing can ever compensate the pain and suffering the doctor went through that day, we need to take concrete steps to ensure this NEVER happens again. Whether it's stricter law enforcement or building safety protocols - steps need to be taken immediately. We deserve better. We will continue to fight for better. Because nothing and no one should ever be able to override the agency and dignity of women," it further read. https://www.instagram.com/p/C-rqhuRPHCK/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Earlier in the day, Kareena condemned the gruesome rape and murder of the trainee doctor in Kolkata. Taking to Instagram, Kareena wrote, "12 years later; the same story; the same protest. But we are still waiting for change." Actor Alia Bhatt also expressed her shock and outrage over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata. On Wednesday night, Alia took to Instagram and shared her thoughts about the horrific incident. In the post, she raised concern over the safety of women. "Another brutal rape. Another day of realisation that women are not safe, anywhere. Another horrific atrocity to remind us that it's been over a decade since the Nirbhaya tragedy, but still nothing much has changed," she posted. The post-graduate trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. The family has alleged that the victim was raped and murdered. In a strong display of support, doctors across the nation continue to protest over the murder and alleged sexual assault of a post-graduate trainee (PGT) doctor, demanding justice for the victim. The protests were held in the cities of Kolkata, Guwahati, Hyderabad and Mumbai on Wednesday. The protestors were holding placards, "Justice needs to be served", "No duty without security" and "Justice delayed is Justice denied" (ANI) Twinkle Khanna, a Bollywood actor, expressed her outrage and disappointment on Instagram over the recent rape and murder of a young trainee doctor in Kolkata. Sharing a note with the Indian flag as the background, she wrote about the harsh reality of women's safety in India. In the note, Twinkle shared her concern about having to teach her daughter the same safety precautions she was taught as a child, including: Never going alone to public places like parks, schools, or beaches; Avoiding going alone with men, even if they're relatives or friends and being cautious during all times of day, especially at night. https://www.instagram.com/p/C-sKS4ioY62/ Earlier, Preity Zinta also penned a note expressing outrage over the shocking incident. Kareena Kapoor and Alia Bhatt also condemned the gruesome rape and murder of the trainee doctor in Kolkata. The post-graduate trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. The family has alleged that the victim was raped and murdered. In a strong display of support, doctors across the nation continue to protest over the murder and alleged sexual assault of a post-graduate trainee (PGT) doctor, demanding justice for the victim. The protests were held in the cities of Kolkata, Guwahati, Hyderabad and Mumbai on Wednesday. The protestors were holding placards saying, "Justice needs to be served,", "No duty without security" and "Justice delayed is Justice denied." (ANI) The tragic incident involving the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at a medical college in Kolkata has left the nation in shock and grief. In response to the tragedy, Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan expressed his deep anger and concern on social media. On his X account, Roshan wrote, "Yes we need to evolve into a society where we ALL feel equally safe. But that is going to take decades. It's going to hopefully happen with sensitizing and empowering our sons and daughters. The next generations will be better." "We will get there. Eventually. But what in the interim ? Right now justice would be to put a hard stop to such atrocities. And the only way to do that is a punishment so harsh that it scares the living daylights out of such perpetrators. That's what we need. Perhaps ? I stand with the victim's family in seeking justice for their daughter and I stand with all the Doctors that were attacked last night," his post further read. https://x.com/iHrithik/status/1824115729303482401 Earlier in the day, Kareena condemned the gruesome rape and murder of the trainee doctor in Kolkata. Taking to Instagram, Kareena wrote, "12 years later; the same story; the same protest. But we are still waiting for change." Actor Alia Bhatt also expressed her shock and outrage over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata. On Wednesday night, Alia took to Instagram and shared her thoughts about the horrific incident. In the post, she raised concern over the safety of women. "Another brutal rape. Another day of realisation that women are not safe, anywhere. Another horrific atrocity to remind us that it's been over a decade since the Nirbhaya tragedy, but still nothing much has changed," she posted. The post-graduate trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. The family has alleged that the victim was raped and murdered. In a strong display of support, doctors across the nation continue to protest over the murder and alleged sexual assault of a post-graduate trainee (PGT) doctor, demanding justice for the victim. The protests were held in the cities of Kolkata, Guwahati, Hyderabad and Mumbai on Wednesday. The protestors were holding placards saying, "Justice needs to be served," "No duty without security" and "Justice delayed is justice denied." (ANI) Taking to Instagram, Namrata posted several pictures from her sacred visit. She was also accompanied by her sister and actor Shilpa Shirodkar. "Feeling deeply blessed at the #Tirupatilemple. When He calls, everything aligns itself...#Grateful and #Blessed," she captioned the post. https://www.instagram.com/p/C-sFNdKoo6l/?igsh=aHdpdTFkbDBwcmp2 Namrata is quite active on social media. She often posts glimpses from her personal life. She recently dropped a heartfelt post for Mahesh Babu to wish him on his birthday. Taking to Instagram, Namrata posted, "Another year, another reason to celebrate the amazing man you are. Life with you is a blockbuster that just keeps getting better. Happy birthday my superstar, my partner, and my love. Here's to many more @urstrulymahesh." Mahesh Babu and Namrata got married on February 10, 2005. Namrata never misses a chance to express her unconditional love for Mahesh on social media. In February, she celebrated their wedding anniversary with a special post."Celebrating another year of love, laughter, and happily-ever-afters with you... My forever and always (heart emojis) @urstrulymahesh," she had posted. Meanwhile, on the work front, Mahesh Babu was last seen in the commercial entertainer "Guntur Kaaram," directed by Trivikram Srinivas. The film featured a stellar cast including Sree Leela, Meenakshi Chaudhary, Prakash Raj, Ramya Krishnan, Jagapathi Babu, and others. Speaking of his upcoming projects, Mahesh Babu is gearing up for his role in SS Rajamouli's highly anticipated film, tentatively titled SSMB29. The pre-production phase is in full swing, with the script finalized. Recently, Mahesh embarked on a trip to Germany to prepare for his physically demanding character in the movie. (ANI) Months after the passing of Matthew Perry, at least one individual has been arrested in connection with the death of the 'Friends' star. More details will be shared at a press conference in Los Angeles, Variety reported, citing information from the Los Angeles Times. Perry was found dead in the hot tub of his L.A. home on October 28, 2023, and traces of the drug ketamine were found in his system. At the time, it was ruled an accidental overdose. But in May, the LAPD said they were working with federal authorities to investigate the source of the ketamine he had consumed. According to the L.A. Times, search warrants were served to those being investigated and evidence has been seized. Federal charges have been filed against multiple people, the Times reported, one of which has a medical license. First responders were initially called to Perry's home for cardiac arrest, but the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office found that he died of "acute effects of ketamine." Contributing factors included drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine (used to treat opioid use disorder), as per Variety. Perry's death shocked everyone. His 'Friends' co-stars Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer, Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow released a join statement expressing grief over Perry's demise. "We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family. There is so much to say, but right now we're going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss," the statement, released by their individual representatives, added. "In time we will say more, as and when we are able. For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty's family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world," the statement read. Perry was 54 when he breathed his last. (ANI) Actor Kriti Sanon has demanded justice for the trainee doctor who was raped and murdered at a Kolkata hospital. In an Instagram post, Kriti on Thursday wrote, "While we celebrate our 78th year of Independence and feel proud on how far we've come as a country globally.. it breaks my heart to see the terrifying reality that women are still not Safe in their own country. There is absolutely no fear in the people who commit these inhumane acts. And even today, its the woman being blamed for being a victim!!!" Raising concern over the safety of the women in the country, she asked, "Unless there is faster justice, severe punishments and more importantly better upbringing, nothing is gonna change. Are we really FREE when our basic safety is in question??" She captioned the post, "Heavy heart and angry soul. Aaj wish karne ka mann nahi kiya.." A while ago, Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan expressed his deep anger and concern over the shocking incident. On his X account, Hrithik Roshan wrote, "Yes we need to evolve into a society where we ALL feel equally safe. But that is going to take decades. It's going to hopefully happen with sensitizing and empowering our sons and daughters. The next generations will be better." "We will get there. Eventually. But what in the interim ? Right now justice would be to put a hard stop to such atrocities. And the only way to do that is a punishment so harsh that it scares the living daylights out of such perpetrators. That's what we need. Perhaps ? I stand with the victim's family in seeking justice for their daughter and I stand with all the Doctors that were attacked last night," his post further read. Earlier in the day, Kareena condemned the gruesome rape and murder of the trainee doctor in Kolkata.Taking to Instagram, Kareena wrote, "12 years later; the same story; the same protest. But we are still waiting for change." The post-graduate trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9.The family has alleged that the victim was raped and murdered. In a strong display of support, doctors across the nation continue to protest over the murder and alleged sexual assault of a post-graduate trainee (PGT) doctor, demanding justice for the victim. The protests were held in the cities of Kolkata, Guwahati, Hyderabad and Mumbai on Wednesday. The protestors were holding placards saying, "Justice needs to be served," "No duty without security" and "Justice delayed is justice denied." (ANI) After a violent mob vandalised vehicles and the building of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal lashed out at the media, alleging that what happened was the result of 'wrong and malicious media campaign'. Addressing media, Goyal said, "My DCP, who was protecting the boys, is unconscious and what has happened here is because of the wrong, malicious media campaign, which has been going as far as Kolkata police are concerned. What Kolkata Police not done?" This came after a mob entered the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital campus, damaging the protesting site and public property, forcing security officials to disperse the mob. Goyal further stated that the Kolkata police have done everything under his command and have also arrested the main accused in the case. "In this case, they have done everything and I am saying everything under my command. My men have worked day and night to collect evidence. They have collected the best evidence. The main accused have been arrested," he said. He further said that he was extremely angry about the rumours spread on this issue and added that due to the malicious media campaign, the people have lost trust in Kolkata Police. "We have tried to satisfy the family but the rumours are being floated that some Mahapatra is being connected with a political Mahapatra. He is an intern who comes from a small place. His father is a primary school teacher and doesn't have any kind of background. People are spreading these rumours and some of them are his friends, these doctors. Pathetic... I am extremely angry. We have not done anything wrong... Because of this malicious media campaign, people have lost trust in Kolkata Police. We never said there is only one person; we are waiting for scientific evidence as we don't have anything to support," he said. Goyal also mentioned that it's not in his conscience to arrest someone based on rumours and said that they haven't tried to save anyone related to this matter. "I can't just some kind of rumour can't arrest an intern; it's against my conscience... As far as I am concerned, my team is concerned we have done what is right. Now the case is already gone... CBI will be investigating it... We have been transparent with everyone... We wanted the students to form a seven-member committee on Sunday to share everything with them but they haven't come up with the committee till today. It's the most unfortunate thing--the motivated media campaign that was being run has portrayed the Kolkata Police in a very bad light. We are always with the people of Kolkata, but unfortunately, this kind of incident wouldn't have happened if this kind of malicious campaign wasn't run by the media...We have not tried to save anyone," he said. The mob also vandalised a car belonging to the Kolkata Police. Speaking to ANI, the driver of the car that was vandalised, Badyu Jamaan, said, "The crowd came suddenly and damaged the car. A brick hit me on my back when I was standing by the side of my car." Meanwhile, speaking to the media about the rape-murder incident, CPI (M) General Secretary D Raja said, "What happened in Kolkata was a heinous crime and such crimes should not take place anywhere in the country. We are celebrating 78 years of Independence. What is the meaning of independence if we cannot provide security and protection to our own women and children? If this happens to a lady doctor in a city like Kolkata, think of the condition of our working women in the agricultural field in tribal areas. What is happening? This is a very serious issue. What the Bengal government has done so far is not satisfactory. The Union government should take note and provide adequate security to our women and children." On August 9, a post-graduate trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The victim's family has alleged that she was raped and murdered. This incident has triggered a nationwide protest by doctors and medical fraternities. (ANI) Naveem Basha joined the force as a constable in the year 1995 and has worked for 28 years in the Railway Protection Force. Basha assisted the RPF recruitment committees of constables and sub-inspectors, Ancillary staff recruitments of Inspector/Sub-Inspector in Railway Protection Force and promotional courses in preparation of data of candidates and completed the process in record time without any complaints for which he was appreciated by the Chairman/Members of all the recruitment Committees. Additionally, he has been tasked with dealing with the Railway Passengers (Manner of Untoward Incident) 2020. During his stint, as many as 530 claim investigation cases were sent to the Claims Branch of SCR with DRM's approval. Basha's analysis and explanatory notes were quite useful during the trial of these cases in Railway Claims Tribunals for the respondent side. Divisional Railway Manager of the Vijayawada Division, Narendra A. Patil expressed his happiness on the recognition received by the RPF and said that the division would continue to excel in its primary duty of providing security to the rail users. Shri Valleswara B. Thokala. Senior DSC congratulated Shaik for bagging the medal in recognition to his meritorious service. On Wednesday, President Droupadi Murmu approved one President's Tatrakshak Medal (Distinguished Service), one Tatrakshak Medal (Gallantry) and two Tatrakshak Medals (Meritorious Service) to the Indian Coast Guard personnel on the eve of Independence Day 2024. These honours recognise the exceptional bravery, devotion to duty and meritorious service demonstrated by the recipients. According to an official release from the Ministry of Defence, the President's Tatrakshak Medal (Distinguished Service) will be awarded to IG Donny Michael, TM (0258-L) and the Tatrakshak Medal (Gallantry) will be awarded to Dy Comdt Aaqil Pathan (1544-J). (ANI) Each time we see the Tricolour fluttering in the wind, it reminds us of the sacrifices made by countless freedom fighters and the enduring spirit of unity and diversity that binds us together. India celebrates its 78th Independence Day today with the spirit of patriotism surrounding us. Hearts resonate with the national colours, driven by national solidarity. On this big and significant day, you can see the national flag being sold in every shop and on the streets. The Indian flag holds magnanimous significance, for it represents the diversity the country holds. The flag, in its present form, was adopted during a meeting of the Constituent Assembly on July 22, 1947, just twenty days before India's independence. On August 15, 1947, it became the official flag of the country. The spinning wheel was replaced by the Dharma Chakra of Emperor Ashoka, symbolising truth and life. This came to be called the Tiranga. The three colours--saffron, white, and green--have no communal meaning. The three colours are spread in equal ratios. As per the flag code of India, the flag has a width: height aspect ratio of 3:2. At the centre of the white band is a navy-blue wheel, which represents the Ashok Chakra, a depiction of the Dharma Chakra. Ashoka Chakra has 24 spokes, representing continuous progress. The saffron colour of the national flag represents the strength and courage of the country. The white in the middle is a symbol of peace, while the green colour symbolises fertility, prosperity, and the auspiciousness of the land. The design of the Indian tricolour is largely attributed to Pingali Venkayy. It all started in 1921, when Mahatma Gandhi first proposed a flag to the Indian National Congress. Venkayya met Gandhi in Bezwada at the All India Congress Committee in 1921 and proposed a design consisting of two red and green bands. The Flag Code of India was modified in 2002, allowing citizens to display and use the national flag on any day, not just national days as was the case earlier, but with respect and dignity. Citizens are permitted to hoist and unfurl the flag throughout the year, provided they adhere to the guidelines, which include hoisting the flag between sunrise and sunset unless adequately illuminated at night. However, there are certain rules associated with hoisting the Tricolour. One must keep in mind that the flag should always be in the right hand of the speaker, for 'right' represents authority. Whenever the national flag is displayed, it should be spread out. It cannot be deliberately allowed to touch the ground. In conclusion, our national flag represents the citizens of the country. It signifies our unity and sovereignty. It must not be disrespected or looked down upon in any way. On Independence Day, the flag is positioned at the bottom of the pole and is raised (hoisted) by the Prime Minister, from the bottom to the top. However, on Republic Day (January 26), the flag is folded or rolled up and attached to the top of the pole. It is then unveiled (unfurled) by the President, who does so without pulling it up. On Independence Day, the Prime Minister hoists the flag from the bottom of the pole. Embracing the Tiranga is not just about honouring our past, but also about committing to the values of justice, equality, and progress that it represents. It is a beacon of hope and a source of immense pride for every Indian, inspiring us to strive for a brighter and more inclusive future. (ANI) The Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court has issued bailable warrants against five senior officials of the Madhya Pradesh Government for failing to comply with court directives regarding wage parity for contractual employees. The warrants were issued against them in response to a contempt petition filed by one Parthan Pillai, highlighting the non-compliance with an earlier court order. The court has ordered the government officials to secure their presence before the court by the next hearing date on September 11. The series of legal proceedings began with a Writ Petition, filed by Parthan Pillai, a 48-year-old Computer Programmer, under Article 226 of the Constitution of India. The petitioner sought directives for the state authorities to grant him wages equal to 100% of the salary paid to regular employees, in line with policy directions issued by the General Administration Department on July 22, 2023. On November 2, 2023, Justice Vivek Rusia of the Indore Bench of MP High Court passed an order and directed the petitioner to file a fresh representation within two weeks, and the respondents were instructed to decide on the representation within four months. The court emphasised that the respondents should consider the circular dated July 22, 2023 and extend the benefits to the petitioner if found entitled within an additional two weeks. Further, on April 8 2024, despite the court's clear directives, the petitioner, represented by advocate Yashpal Rathore, filed a contempt petition due to the respondents' inaction. The contempt petition highlighted the respondents' failure to comply with the court's order, seeking enforcement of the directive to grant 100% wages as per the policy. Thus, on August 12, 2024, in light of the non-compliance, the High Court issued bailable warrants against the respondents, mandating their appearance in the upcoming hearing on September 11, 2024. (ANI) Indian High Commisioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma paid a courtesy call on the Adviser for Foreign Affairs of the interim Government of Bangladesh Md. Touhid Hossain at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka on Wednesday. The High Commissioner congratulated the Adviser for Foreign Affairs on his new responsibilities, said a statement issued by the Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday afternoon. He referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's good wishes to the Chief Adviser and expressed the willingness of the Government of India to work with the interim government to fulfill the shared aspirations of peoples of both countries for peace, security and development, stated the press release. During the meeting, the Adviser for Foreign Affairs briefed the High Commissioner about the current situation in Bangladesh. The Adviser mentioned that the most pressing task before this interim government is to bring normalcy to the overall law and order situation and bring the economy on track, said the press release. The Adviser thanked the Government of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his good wishes extended to the Chief Adviser on his assumption of his new responsibilities. He also said that Bangladesh wants to work closely with India for promoting bilateral relations. He stressed on more 'people centric engagement' in the upcoming days, said the statement. Hossain affirmed the Interim Government's commitment to ensure peaceful coexistence of different communities in Bangladesh including the minorities. He mentioned that the government is pledge-bound to ensure the safety and security of all religious and ethnic groups and will not tolerate any violence or intimidation against them. He added that all religious groups and other political parties are also working to ensure safety and security of the minorities. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the national flag on Thursday at Red Fort in the national capital, for the 11th consecutive time, on the occasion of 78th Independence Day. From early this morning the Delhi sky was overcast and witnessed a slight drizzle. After hoisting the Tricolour the Prime Minister received a 'Rashtriya Salute'. The Punjab Regiment Military band, consisting of one JCO and 25 Other Ranks, played the National Anthem during the hositing, of the National Flag and presented the 'Rashtriya Salute'. The Band was conducted by Subedar Major Rajinder Singh. Earlier, the Prime Minister took to his social media app X to greet the country. "Independence Day greetings to my fellow Indians. Jai Hind!," PM Modi posted on X on Thursday. Upon his arrival at the Red Fort, PM Modi was received by Union Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, MoS Defence Sanjay Seth and Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane. The Defence Secretary introduced the General Officer Commanding (GoC), Delhi Area Lieutenant General Bhavnish Kumar, to the Prime Minister. The GoC, Delhi Area, conducted PM Narendra Modi to the Saluting Base, where a combined Inter-Services and Delhi Police Guard presented a general salute to the Prime Minister. Thereafter, the Prime Minister inspected the Guard of Honour. The Guard of Honour contingent for the Prime Minister consists of one officer and 24 personnel each from the Army, Air Force and Delhi Police. After hoisting the flag, PM Modi began his customary address to the nation from the ramparts of the iconic monument. The Indian Navy is the coordinating service this year. The Guard of Honour was commanded by Commander Arun Kumar Mehta. The Army contingent is in the Prime Minister's Guard, commanded by Major Arjun Singh, the Naval contingent by Lieutenant Commander Gulia Bhavesh NK; and the Air Force contingent by Squadron Leader Akshara Uniyal. The Delhi Police contingent was commanded by Additional DCP Anurag Dwivedi. With the aim to increase Jan Bhagidari in this festival of national fervour, around 6,000 special guests have been invited to witness the celebrations at Red Fort this year. As soon as the National Flag was hoisted by the Prime Minister, flower petals were showered at the venue by two Advanced Light Helicopters Dhruv of the Indian Air Force in the Line Astern Formation. The captains of the helicopters were Wing Commander Amber Agarwal and Wing Commander Rahul Nainwal. The theme of this year's Independence Day is 'Viksit Bharat @ 2047'. The celebrations will serve as a platform to provide a renewed push to the government's efforts towards transforming the country into a developed nation by 2047. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday arrived at Rajghat in the national capital and paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on the country's 78th Independence Day. Taking to X the Prime Minister said, "Independence Day greetings to my fellow Indians. Jai Hind! From Rajghat, PM Modi will reach Red Fort and hoist the tricolour on the iconic Red Fort and give his customary address to the the nation. Prime Minister Modi is leading the nation as the country marks its 78th Independence Day as the grand stage is all set for celebrations at the iconic Red Fort in the national capital. The theme of this year's Independence Day is 'Viksit Bharat @ 2047'. The celebrations will serve as a platform to provide a renewed push to the Government's efforts towards transforming the country into a developed nation by 2047, an official statement released on Wednesday said. With the aim to increase Jan Bhagidari in this festival of national fervour, around 6,000 Special Guests have been invited to witness the celebrations at Red Fort this year. These people from different walks of life categorised as youth, tribal communities, farmers, women and other special guests, have excelled in various fields with the help of various government schemes/initiatives. Students benefiting from the Atal Innovation Mission & PM SHRI (Prime Minister's Schools for Rising India) scheme, and volunteers of Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) & National Service Scheme under 'Meri Maati Mera Desh' will attend the event. The guests also include Tribal artisans/Van Dhan Vikas Members and Tribal Entrepreneurs funded by National Scheduled Tribes Finance & Development Corporation; and beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and representatives of Farmers Producing Organisations. Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA), Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) & Anganwadi workers; elected women representatives; beneficiaries of Sankalp: Hub for Empowerment of Women, Lakhpati Didi & Drone Didi initiatives and Sakhi Kendra scheme; and workers of Child Welfare Committee & District Child Protection Units will also witness the ceremony. The Indian contingent which took part in the recently-concluded Paris Olympics has also been invited to participate in the celebrations. One guest from each block of the Aspirational Blocks Programme; workers of Border Roads Organisation; students from the PRERANA School programme; and sarpanches of Gram Panchayats which achieved saturation in priority sector schemes will also attend the event. Nearly 2,000 people from various States/Union Territories dressed in traditional attire have also been invited to witness the grand ceremony. Three thousand (3,000) winners of different online competitions, organised by the Ministry of Defence in collaboration with MyGov and Akashvani, will also be part of the celebrations. Upon his arrival at the Red Fort, the Prime Minister will be received by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Mos Defence Sanjay Seth and Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane. The Defence Secretary will introduce the General Officer Commanding (GoC), Delhi Area Lieutenant General Bhavnish Kumar to the Prime Minister. The GoC, Delhi Area will then conduct PM Narendra Modi to the Saluting Base where a combined Inter-Services and Delhi Police Guard will present a general salute to the Prime Minister. Thereafter, the Prime Minister will inspect the Guard of Honour. The Guard of Honour contingent for the Prime Minister will consist of one officer & 24 personnel each from the Army, Navy, Air Force & Delhi Police. The Indian Navy is the coordinating service this year. The Guard of Honour will be commanded by Commander Arun Kumar Mehta. The Army contingent in the Prime Minister's Guard will be commanded by Major Arjun Singh, the Naval contingent by Lieutenant Commander Gulia Bhavesh NK and the Air Force contingent by Squadron Leader Akshara Uniyal. The Delhi Police contingent will be commanded by Additional DCP Anurag Dwivedi. Lieutenant Sanjeet Saini will assist the Prime Minister in unfurling the National Flag. It will be synchronised with the 21 Gun Salute by the valiant gunners of the 1721 Field Battery (Ceremonial). The ceremonial battery, utilising the indigenous 105mm Light Field Guns, will be commanded by Major Sabnis Kaushik and the Gun Position Officer will be Naib Subedar (AIG) Anuthosh Sarkar. The National Flag Guard, comprising one officer and 32 Other Ranks each from the Army, Navy & Air Force and 128 personnel of Delhi Police, will present the Rashtriya Salute at the time of unfurling of the National Flag by the Prime Minister. Commander Vinay Dubey will be in command of this Inter-Services Guard and Police Guard. The Army Contingent in the National Flag Guard will be commanded by Major Dinesh Ngangom, the Naval contingent by Lieutenant Commander Sachin Dhankhar and the Air Force Contingent by Squadron Leader CS Shravan Devaiah. The Delhi Police contingent will be commanded by Additional DCP Achin Garg. After being unfurled, the Tricolour will receive a 'Rashtriya Salute'. The Punjab Regiment Military band, consisting of one JCO and 25 Other Ranks, will play the National Anthem during the unfurling of the National Flag and present the 'Rashtriya Salute'. The Band will be conducted by Subedar Major Rajinder Singh. As soon as the National Flag is unfurled by the Prime Minister, flower petals will be showered at the venue by two Advanced Light Helicopters Dhruv of the Indian Air Force in the Line Astern Formation. The captains of the helicopters will be Wing Commander Amber Agarwal and Wing Commander Rahul Nainwal. After the showering of flower petals, the Prime Minister will address the Nation. At the conclusion of his speech, the cadets of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) will sing the National Anthem. A total of 2,000 boy and girl cadets (Army, Navy and Air Force) from different schools across the country will participate in the celebrations. These cadets will be seated on Gyanpath, opposite the Rampart. They will be forming 'My bhaart' logo with customised tricolour kits. A total of 500 National Service Scheme (NSS) Volunteers will also take part. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the reforms undertaken by the central government in the past 10 years and said that this has increased self-confidence in the youth and their desire to take giant leaps. While addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day celebrations, the Prime Minister said that after the independence there was an atmosphere of status quo in the country that needed to be broken. "People waited for reforms, we got an opportunity and we implemented major reforms. Our commitment to reform is not restricted to editorials, our reforms are not for small praise it is for making the country strong. This has resulted in the rise in self-confidence. There are now many avenues open for our youngsters. The youth now does not want to walk slowly they want to jump to achieve new things, and they want to take giant leaps. This is a golden era for India," PM Modi said. "We should not let this opportunity go. We will then achieve the goals of Viksit Bharat by 2047," he added. "From tourism to MSME to health--in every sector there is a new modern system. We have adopted best practices. Each sector needs new things, to use technology and we have to ensure these sectors get support. Let's all walk with all our strength and achieve all our goals," he said. The Prime Minister highlighted the women's self-help groups which have now around 10 crore women working in different sectors. "When women become financially independent this changes society," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his concern over the increasing frequency of natural disasters in recent years and offered his sympathies to the affected families. "This year and for the past few years, due to natural calamity, our concerns have been mounting," the Prime Minister said. "Many have faced devastating losses, including the loss of loved ones, property damage, and significant financial burdens. Today, I want to express my deepest sympathies to those affected and assure them that the nation is standing by their side through these challenging times," PM Modi said while addressing the nation. Remembering the sacrifices of those who fought for the nation decades back, PM Modi said that the nation is indebted and grateful to them. "This is the day to salute those who have fought and sacrificed their lives for the nation's independence. We bow down to every brave heart and pay our respects with reverence," PM Modi said. He further highlighted the efforts and dedication of farmers, soldiers, and youth among other sectors in taking the country to new heights. "They are our farmers, our soldiers, the courage of our youth, the contribution of our mothers and sisters, the Dalits, the exploited, the deprived and the oppressed. Today the feeling for national security and national development is there. I salute all these people today," he said. The Prime Minister also urged the nation to work towards a developed nation to be achieved by 2047. He said that 40 crore Indians showed strength and courage to drive away the British decades back. "Before independence, 40 crore Indians showed courage, dedication and bravery and moved with one motto, and broke the shackles of colonial rule despite all adversaries. Their only goal was freedom. If 40 crore Indians could do this, then 140 CR Indians of my family can do wonders if they take one pledge then despite all challenges we can make a Viksit Bharat by 2047," PM Modi said. "Now is the time to live for Viksit Bharat 2047 and we Indians are determined. We have to become Atmanirbhar in every field. It is the determination of the Indians that is driving my resolve. India can become a developed nation by 2047. There was a time when people had a do-or-die attitude and we got freedom and now we must have the strength to live for the nation and that can make a strong India," he added. Earlier, PM Modi was warmly welcomed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other dignitaries as he arrived for the celebrations at Red Fort. The Prime Minister was pictured dressed in a white kurta and blue attire and a traditional multicolour safa. This year's celebration marks the 11th time PM Modi addressed the nation from the Red Fort on Independence Day, making him the third Prime Minister after Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi to achieve this milestone. The theme for this year's Independence Day is 'Viksit Bharat @ 2047,' aiming to drive the Government's efforts to transform India into a developed nation by 2047. (ANI) A wreath-laying ceremony was held in Jammu on August 15 to pay tribute to Captain Deepak Singh of the Indian Army, who was killed in an encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. In a solemn wreath-laying ceremony, Lt Gen Navin Sachdeva, GOC White Knight Corps laid a wreath to pay homage to Capt Deepak Singh who made the supreme sacrifice in the highest traditions of the Indian Army. Divisional Commissioner Jammu Ramesh Kumar and Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Anand Jain, present on the occasion, also paid their respects and tribute to the killed soldier. Capt Deepak Singh was killed in action during an encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district on Wednesday. On Thursday, General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of Army Staff and all ranks of the Indian Army saluted the supreme sacrifice of Capt Deepak Singh, who laid down his life in the line of duty in J&K and expressed deepest condolences to the bereaved family. Following the killing of the Army officer, former Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir targeted the Centre. Mehbooba Mufti posted on X on Wednesday, "The endless cycle of violence and mayhem in J-K continues to devour the lives of innocents despite tall claims of normalcy by the administration. My deepest condolences to his family." Omar Abdullah said, "It is highly unfortunate that the situation in some parts of Jammu region has been allowed to deteriorate like this." Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday convened an important meeting on the "rising" terror-related incidents in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. As per officials, Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane, National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Director General of Military Operations-Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma and heads of the security-related agencies were present in the meeting. In recent months, Jammu has seen an increase in terror attacks, including an assault on an army convoy in Kathua and skirmishes in Doda and Udhampur. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday, expressed his distress over atrocities against women and batted for the speedy investigation of such crimes stating that the perpetrators should be awarded strict punishment at the earliest. Amid the nationwide protests over the alleged rape and murder case of a trainee doctor at a hospital in Kolkata recently, PM Modi said that there is outrage in the country against the atrocities meted out to women and the country, the society and the State Governments will have to take this seriously. "I would like to express my pain once again, from the Red Fort today. As a society, we will have to think seriously about the atrocities against women that are happening - there is outrage against this in the country. I can feel this outrage. The country, society, and state governments will have to take this seriously," the Prime Minister said. "Speedy investigation of crimes against women, those executing these monstrous deeds be awarded strict punishment at the earliest - this is important to instill confidence in society," the Prime Minister said in his address to the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort on the occasion of Independence Day. PM Modi emphasised that the punishment given to perpetrators of such atrocities must be extensively discussed to instill fear among the people committing this sin. "I would also like to say that when rapes and incidents of atrocities on women occur, it is widely discussed. But when a person of such monstrous tendency is punished, it is not seen in news but restricted to a corner. It is the need of the hour, that extensive discussion on those receiving punishment be held so that those committing this sin understand that this leads to hanging. I think it is very important to instil this fear," he said. A post-graduate trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. The family has alleged that the victim was raped and murdered. The incident has sparked widespread outrage and led to protests within and beyond the medical community. In a strong display of support, doctors across the nation continue to protest over the murder and alleged sexual assault of a post-graduate trainee (PGT) doctor, demanding justice for the victim. The Prime Minister also highlighted the women's self-help groups which have now around 10 crore women working in different sectors. "When women become financially independent this changes society," he said. Prime Minister said that maternity leave has been increased from 12 weeks to 26 weeks so that the government doesn't become a hindrance for working mothers. "For working women, maternity leave has been increased from 12 weeks to 26 weeks. We not only just respect women, we not only take decisions for her sensitively, we make decisions to ensure that the government does not become a hindrance in the requirements of the mother to make her child a quality citizen..." the Prime Minister said. Remembering the sacrifices of those who fought for the nation decades back, PM Modi said that the nation is indebted and grateful to them. "This is the day to salute those who have fought and sacrificed their lives for the nation's independence. We bow down to every brave heart and pay our respects with reverence," PM Modi said. The Prime Minister also urged the nation to work towards a developed nation to be achieved by 2047. He said that 40 crore Indians showed strength and courage to drive away the British decades back. "Before independence, 40 crore Indians showed courage, dedication and bravery and moved with one motto, and broke the shackles of colonial rule despite all adversaries. Their only goal was freedom. If 40 crore Indians could do this, then 140 CR Indians of my family can do wonders if they take one pledge then despite all challenges we can make a Viksit Bharat by 2047," PM Modi said. "Now is the time to live for Viksit Bharat 2047 and we Indians are determined. We have to become Atmanirbhar in every field. It is the determination of the Indians that is driving my resolve. India can become a developed nation by 2047. There was a time when people had a do-or-die attitude and we got freedom and now we must have the strength to live for the nation and that can make a strong India," he added. PM Modi was warmly welcomed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other dignitaries. The Prime Minister was pictured dressed in a white kurta and blue attire and a traditional multicolour safa. This year's celebration marks the 11th time PM Modi addressed the nation from the Red Fort on Independence Day, making him the third Prime Minister after Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi to achieve this milestone. The theme for this year's Independence Day is 'Viksit Bharat @ 2047,' aiming to drive the Government's efforts to transform India into a developed nation by 2047. (ANI) Designed by freelance art director and illustrator Varindra Javeri, the doodle pays homage to India's diverse and iconic architecture. https://doodles.google/doodle/india-independence-day-2024/ Each year, Google marks India's Independence Day on August 15 with a special doodle, and 2024 is no exception. This year's theme focuses on India's rich architectural landscape, featuring a visual montage of various architectural styles that represent the country's cultural and historical richness. The Doodle, illustrated by Varindra Javeri, showcases a broad spectrum of India's architectural marvels. The editorial illustrations, cell animations, and style frames used to create the doodle, beautifully weaves together the architectural heritage from different regions of India. From ancient temples and historic forts to modern skyscrapers and traditional houses, the doodle highlights the beauty and significance of Indian architecture in celebrating the nation's freedom. In previous years, Google has also featured artistic representations of India's cultural heritage. For instance, the 2023 doodle focused on India's textile crafts, showcasing various embroidery and weaving techniques from different regions. Independence Day commemorates India's liberation from British rule on August 15, 1947. The day is marked by flag-hoisting ceremonies, tributes to freedom fighters, and cultural performances across the country. At the Red Fort in Delhi, the Prime Minister leads the nation in paying homage to those who sacrificed their lives for India's freedom, while schools and colleges organize events to celebrate the spirit of patriotism. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the national flag today at Red Fort in the national capital, for the 11th consecutive time, on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day. The theme of this year's Independence Day is 'Viksit Bharat @ 2047'. The celebrations will serve as a platform to provide a renewed push to the government's efforts towards transforming the country into a developed nation by 2047. (ANI) Leader of Opposition (LOP) in Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday extended greetings to the nation on the occasion of 78th Independence Day adding that freedom is a protective shield woven into the constitutional and democratic values. Taking on to the social media platform x he said "Happy Independence Day to all countrymen. For us, freedom is not just a word - it is our biggest protective shield, woven into constitutional and democratic values". He further stated, "This is the power of expression, the ability to speak the truth and the hope to fulfil dreams". "Jai Hind" he added. Delhi Education Minister and Aam Admi Party (AAP) leader Atishi also extended greetings to the nation on this occasion highlighting the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy case. "Today is Independence Day when India got freedom from British dictatorship in 1947. Hundreds of freedom fighters faced lathi charge, went to jail and sacrificed their lives - to get us this freedom. They would not have even imagined in their dreams that one day, in independent India, an elected Chief Minister would be framed in a false case and kept in jail for months," the AAP leader said in a social media post on X. She appealed to fight against dictatorship "Let us pledge on this Independence Day that we will continue to fight against dictatorship till our last breath" Earlier on the morning of August 15, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the tricolour and addressed the nation from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort in Delhi on the occasion of India's 78th Independence Day. Taking to X this morning, the Prime Minister said, "Independence Day greetings to my fellow Indians. Jai Hind!" Prime Minister Modi first went to Rajghat and paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. From Rajghat, PM Modi reached the Red Fort where he inspected the Guard of Honour. He then proceeded to hoist the tricolour at the iconic Red Fort and give his customary address to the nation. "Today is the day to pay tributes to the uncountable 'Azaadi ke deewane' who made sacrifices for the nation. This country is indebted to them." PM Modi said as he began his address. Today's address of Prime Minister Modi marked his 11th consecutive Independence Day address as the prime Minister of the country. (ANI) Inspector General (IG) Border Security Force (BSF) Jammu frontier DK Boora assured the countrymen that the borders are safe as he greeted them on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day. Speaking on the security arrangements along the international border, IG Boora said, "We have manned all borders and we will ensure that the nation continues to celebrate all our Independence Days with equal zeal. BSF will stand guard and ensure no infiltration takes place." "On behalf of the BSF, I would like to assure all the countrymen that our borders are safe. I wish the countrymen a happy 78th Independence Day," he said. IG Boora added, "I hope our National flag will keep flying high. We will not leave our posts at the border no matter what". In recent months, Jammu has seen an increase in terror attacks, including an assault on an army convoy in Kathua and skirmishes in Doda and Udhampur. Meanwhile, a wreath-laying ceremony was held in Jammu on August 15 to pay tribute to Captain Deepak Singh of the Indian Army, who was killed in an encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. Lt Gen Navin Sachdeva, GOC White Knight Corps laid a wreath to pay homage to Capt Deepak Singh who made the supreme sacrifice in the highest traditions of the Indian Army. Divisional Commissioner Jammu Ramesh Kumar and Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Anand Jain, present on the occasion, also paid their respects and tribute to the soldier. Capt Deepak Singh was killed in action during an encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district on Wednesday. On Thursday, General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of Army Staff and all ranks of the Indian Army saluted the supreme sacrifice of Capt Deepak Singh, who laid down his life in the line of duty in J&K and expressed deepest condolences to the bereaved family. (ANI) A crucial meeting was held between of RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) and BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) top leaders on the ongoing attacks against minorities (Hindus/Sikhs/Buddhists) in Bangladesh. During this meeting held in the national capital, discussions took place regarding the organisation of a silent protest and a "Nari Shakti March" on Friday to condemn the atrocities against Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh. Senior leaders of RSS and BJP gathered to deliberate on the security and rehabilitation of violence-affected Hindus in Bangladesh during the meeting held on Wednesday. The discussion, which lasted over 6.5 hours, also focused on how to raise the issue of Bangladeshi Hindus at the international level, as their plight has not been receiving the global attention it deserves. In addition to this, the meeting also detailed the plans for the proposed protest on Friday. Preparations to ensure the success of the protest were thoroughly discussed. There was also a discussion about reaching out to foreign countries and their parliamentarians to raise awareness about the security of minorities in Bangladesh through their respective parliaments or governments. The leaders also talked about engaging with international NGOs that work for human rights and the protection of minorities. The march to be carried out will begin at 11 AM from Mandi House, culminate at Jantar Mantar and will witness the participation of women from various sectors. Earlier in his Independence Day speech RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat said, "Many atrocities are taking place in the neighbouring country, the Hindu brothers living there have to bear the heat without any reason. The tradition of India has been that India that always comes forward to help others in need. We never attacked anyone, and whenever we helped the one who was in trouble, we did not see how they behaved with us. We have to continue like this, we do it for the people suffering around the world. We must ensure that those people who are facing anarchy and instability do not come to any harm." The RSS, VHP, BJP, and various other organisations have already condemned the attacks against Hindus and minorities and have urged the interim government of Bangladesh to take necessary steps. Meanwhile, Indian High Commisioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma paid a courtesy call to the Adviser for Foreign Affairs of the interim Government of Bangladesh Md. Touhid Hossain at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka on Wednesday. (ANI) After an unidentified mob vandalised the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) issued a statement condemning the violence. The IMA has stated that such vandalism with impunity points to anarchy. The IMA lashed out at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government saying that the state government is directly responsible for this collapse of public order. "RG Kar Medical College which is at the centre of national attention for the past week due to the rape and murder of the Chest medicine PG student has been vandalised by hooligans. The protesting young medical students have been targeted. The authorities who by their negligence had allowed such a heinous crime to happen have once again failed to maintain law and order when the all-important CBI investigations are going on," the IMA stated. "Such vandalism with impunity points to anarchy and the breaking down of law and order. The state Government is directly responsible for this collapse of public order. IMA condemns this mindless violence and is apprehensive of the loss of crucial evidence. IMA has called for an emergency consultation meeting with all its state branches today to chart out further action," the IMA added further. Meanwhile, the newly appointed principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Suhrita Pal said that she doesn't know anything about the people who initiated vandalism at the hospital. "If you know anything, please tell me. I don't know anything about them," she said. The nurses working in RG Kar Medical College and Hospital demanded security after Wednesday's mob violence during a protest over the rape & murder of a woman doctor. They say, "We need security, we don't want to hamper patient care." A hospital staff, while speaking to ANI broke down. He said, "Some people came and broke everything and went away. A protest was going on and despite the police, those people broke everything. This is a very bad incident. When I came at 4:00 am, I saw that they had broken everything and left. This is my workplace and I feel like crying when I see this. Many poor people come here and I feel very bad for them." (ANI) Union Ministers S Jaishankar and Kiren Rijiju hoisted the national flag at their official residences on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day, while Union Minister JP Nadda hoisted the national flag at the Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters in the National Capital. Referring to PM Modi's speech, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in a post on X, "Prime Minister @narendramodi's address on India's 78th Independence Day focused on the aspirations of 21st century India. It was a message of energy, with the Nation first, that would meet the expectations of our youth. It was one of enthusiasm, with which India will engage and work with the world. It was with a spirit, with which we will achieve the goal of a #ViksitBharat by 2047. Kiren Rijiju, who is the Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, said in a post on X, "Hoisted the National Flag with great pride at my residence today. Happy Independence Day to all my fellow Indian brothers and sisters! As we celebrate our freedom, let's honour the sacrifices that have shaped our nation & commit to a future of unity & progress." JP Nadda said, "Hoisting our National Flag at BJP HQ in New Delhi on the occasion of 78th Independence Day. The Union Health Minister also referred to PM Modi's address from the ramparts of the Red Fort. https://x.com/JPNadda/status/1823965043920085077 He said in a post on X, "Hon'ble PM Shri @narendramodi ji's address from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of Independence Day strongly reflected India's progress and future aspirations. In his speech, he outlined a series of ambitious goals aimed at driving the nation's growth and establishing India as a global superpower across various sectors." He added, "Reflecting on the progress made over the last 10 years, PM Modi ji emphasized the nation's achievements and reiterated the vision of 'Viksit Bharat@2047'. As India celebrates its 78th Independence Day, this vision inspires us to continue striving toward a prosperous and inclusive future." Earlier in the day, PM Modi addressed the nation from the Red Fort on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day. (ANI) Union Minister Jitendra Singh said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has rolled out a roadmap for Viksit Bharat (developed India) during his Independence Day address from the Red Fort. India is celebrating its 78th Independence Day. After hoisting the national flag at his residence on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day, the Union Minister referred to PM Modi's address. Speaking with ANI, he said, "... The PM's address to the nation on Independence Day is kind of a declaration of intent of the government's past achievements and the roadmap ahead..." He also said that PM Modi shed light on the need for having one nation, one election and spoke about the unfolding situation in Bangladesh. "He talked about the political situation in Bangladesh, the need for a secular common code, one nation, one election, India's strides in space, the National Research Foundation, and Olympic medalists...," he said and added, "PM Modi put forth a roadmap of our vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047..." Earlier in the day, PM Modi hoisted the national flag on Thursday at Red Fort in the national capital, for the 11th consecutive time, on the occasion of 78th Independence Day. In his speech, PM Modi said, "I would say that it is the need of the hour that there be a secular civil code in the country...We have spent 75 years in the Communal Civil code. Now we will have to move towards the secular code. Only then would we be free of discrimination on the basis of religion..." The theme of this year's Independence Day is 'Viksit Bharat @ 2047'. The celebrations will serve as a platform to provide a renewed push to the government's efforts towards transforming the country into a developed nation by 2047. (ANI) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan acknowledged the impact of the recent landslides that hit Wayanad and criticised the lack of a precise disaster warning system in the country while addressing the state on the occasion of 78th Independence Day celebrations in Thiruvananthapuram. During his address on Thursday, the Kerala CM also emphasised collective efforts for the overall resilience and recovery of the state. While expressing sorrow, the Chief Minister urged citizens to move beyond their grief and focus on collective resilience and recovery. "Today, we celebrate India's 78th Independence Day in an atmosphere of profound sorrow due to the Wayanad disaster. This grief is not limited to Kerala alone; the entire nation shares in this pain. However, we cannot afford to be paralyzed by sorrow. We must rise above the adversity and focus on collective efforts for the overall resilience and recovery of our state," he said. The Chief Minister said that the need for precise predictions has been demonstrated by numerous previous experiences. He also urged the country to take necessary steps to rise to that level of preparedness. "Even though we boast of achievements in science and technology, it's troubling that, even in the 21st century, our country still struggles to accurately predict natural disasters and establish effective defences to protect lives and property. The need for precise predictions, rather than general warnings, has been demonstrated by numerous experiences worldwide," CM Vijayan said. CM Vijayan highlighted the state's achievements in health, education, and governance. "Kerala leads in sustainable development goals and is recognized for its effective governance and low corruption rates. The state also boasts impressive indicators in law and order, health care, and education," he said. The CM also reaffirmed Kerala's commitment to evolving into a "Nava Kerala," aligned with modern needs and aspirations. The Chief Minister also addressed various state-level reforms and projects. He highlighted plans to develop temple eco-tourism, reinstate old educational policies, and enhance the ration distribution system. Vijayan emphasized a commitment to social justice and the use of artificial intelligence for state welfare. He reiterated his administration's focus on eliminating poverty, combating violence, and supporting weaker sections of society. The Chief Minister paid tribute to the brave hearts of India's freedom struggle. "One of their foremost dreams was to establish a democratic system of governance," Vijayan noted. He praised India's enduring democracy, highlighting that while many newly independent nations have faced democratic backsliding, India has successfully preserved and strengthened its democratic institutions. While reflecting on the nation's democratic achievements and challenges, CM Vijayan also addressed India's significant progress over the past 78 years, citing advancements in literacy, education, health, and technology. He noted that India has become a global hub for IT and startups and has achieved remarkable milestones in science and space exploration. Expressed concern over the revival of superstitions and regressive practices, the Chief Minister said, "At the same time, we cannot ignore the decline in our collective scientific consciousness. It's not just a mere lapse; we're witnessing a revival of superstitions, harmful practices, and regressive rituals." "Forces are attempting to bring back the darkness we once overcame, using caste and communalism as weapons. This threatens not only our progress but also the very fabric of our secularism," he added. CM Vijayan outlined several key initiatives, including the initiatives promoting solar energy and green hydrogen of the central government, new industrial clusters, and enhanced infrastructure development. He emphasized the need for precise disaster predictions and effective defenses, a call for improvement that resonates with recent challenges. (ANI) Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Prashant Kumar hoisted the national flag at police headquarters and extended his greetings to the police personnel of the state and their families on the occasion of 78th Independence Day. He highlighted the efforts of the state police to ensure a secure Uttar Pradesh. "Greetings to every individual who holds faith in India on this special day. Independence Day greetings to the police personnel of Uttar Pradesh and their families as well," the DGP, Uttar Pradesh, said. He said, "The officers of the Uttar Pradesh Police have risked their lives to provide security in challenging situations. On this occasion, all the police personnel of Uttar Pradesh are being honoured today." While highlighting the works of the Uttar Pradesh government under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, he said, "Under the guidance of the Honourable Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh has successfully become a state free from corruption and fear. Today, Uttar Pradesh Police have broken the backbone of criminals. The network of mafias has been dismantled today. By reforming the justice process, criminals are now being punished promptly. Improvements in UP 112 have enhanced public communication today. UP 112 has initiated a public awareness campaign." He further stated, "The recruitment process for Uttar Pradesh Police constables is ongoing. The Uttar Pradesh government has launched several campaigns for women's safety". "The Mission Shakti campaign has provided security to women. According to the NCRB, women in Uttar Pradesh are safe today. Recruitment of female police officers is being carried out for the safety of women. With the introduction of women's pink booths and women's police stations, women's concerns are being heard immediately today", he added. Earlier today on the 78th Independence Day, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath highlighted the state's achievements in the previous seven years, during his address to the public in Lucknow. "If India has become the 5th largest economy from 10th place in the previous 10 years then Uttar Pradesh, in the previous 7 years, has also become India's second largest state economy from the 6th or 7th economy. Now, Uttar Pradesh contributes 9.2% to India's GDP and is on its way to becoming India's growth engine." CM Yogi said. CM Yogi further said that UP has given a "model of security and infrastructure." CM Yogi listed the works that have uplifted the poor. "Every poor and needy person is being provided the benefits of government schemes in Uttar Pradesh. Over 56 lakh poor individuals have been given benefits under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. 1 crore 86 lakh cooking gas connections have been provided. Over 2 crore 65 lakh families are being given potable water. 150 lakh people are receiving free rations." Yogi said. (ANI) The Delhi High Court has expressed concern over the handling of cases involving those who sustain injuries during training and are not commissioned into the Indian Air Force (IAF). The court asked the counsel representing the respondents' authorities to provide the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) or guidelines established for handling cases of trainees who are injured during their training and are subsequently not commissioned into IAF. In an order passed last week, the bench of Justice Rekha Palli and Justice Shalinder Kaur described the situation as a "sad state of affairs." The case involved a young woman from a rural area in Haryana whose training was terminated, leaving her to handle all current and future medical expenses with only a minimal monthly ex-gratia payment. The court found the explanation provided by the respondents unsatisfactory, noting that there are no provisions for medical assistance for trainees injured during training who are not commissioned into the Indian Air Force (IAF) The counsel informed the court that such assistance is only available to ex-servicemen and pensioners, leaving the petitioner without future medical support despite the injuries being service-related. On this, the court expressed concern over the IAF's apparent reluctance to take responsibility for injured trainees and highlighted that an inquiry had already identified training shortfalls and recommended improvements. The court issued its direction while hearing a petition filed by Nidhi Verma, who sought to quash an order dated March 1, 2012, which terminated her training and cadetship at the Air Force Academy. As an alternative, Verma requested that if she cannot be commissioned into the Flying Branch, she should be inducted into the Technical Branch or any other Ground Duty Branch of the Indian Air Force for which she is eligible. The Delhi High Court bench further noted that, a court of inquiry was held to investigate the circumstances that led to the injury caused to the petitioner. The said Court of Inquiry not only opined that the injury suffered by her was attributable to service, but also opined that the system of training being imparted by senior cadets to junior cadets could lead to further injuries, and therefore, should be stopped. Further, the Court of Inquiry also observed that the optimum procedure for rolling cadets after the training steps was not being properly followed and therefore, recommendations were made that these steps should be incorporated into the training. The respondents authorities opposed the petition, arguing that Nidhi Verma, despite being fit and free from disability, cannot be inducted into the Indian Air Force at her current age of 36. They also contended that induction into Ground Duty is not feasible because she did not select Ground Duty as an option when filling out her application form for commissioning. During the last hearing, the respondents' counsel informed the court that, due to the termination of Nidhi Verma's training on medical grounds, she would be entitled to a monthly ex-gratia payment for life, along with an additional disability award, totalling approximately Rs 22,000 per month. However, petitioner Nodhi Verma submitted that, even if she accepted she could not be commissioned in the IAF, provisions should be made for her ongoing medical treatment for the spinal injury she sustained during training. (ANI) On the occasion of Independence Day, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha hoisted the national flag at his residence in Agartala Tripura on Thursday. CM Manik Shah remembered the freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of the country. CM Shah said, "We celebrated the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign in the state... We remembered and honoured all those who sacrificed their lives for the freedom and independence of the country" CM also congratulated the Police and Home Guard personnel from Tripura, who received the President's Medal for Meritorious Service. He congratulated the personnel in a Facebook post. Deputy Superintendent of Police Kamal Krishna Alai, Subedar, Kshirod Debbarma, Havildar Nihar Debbarma, Constable Sujan Kanti Chowdhury, Naik Nirmal Das, Constable Jayanti Chakraborty, and Home Guard Naba Kumar Sarkar from Tripura received President's Medal for Meritorious Service. In his message, the Tripura CM said, "We got the freedom following selfless Sacrifices & contributions of countless Patriots. Today, we are celebrating the glorious 78th year of Independence when India stands as a shining name globally for progress & prosperity. At the state-level Independence Day event held at Assam Rifles Ground, hoisted the National Flag, paid my homage to all the brave Freedom Fighters & inspected the beautiful Parade." During the Independence Day celebrations, a cultural program was also conducted at the Assam Rifles ground, Agartala. The colourful cultural event organized by the School Education department reflected the true spirit of patriotism. The event featured a dance drama promoting drug-free Tripura, mesmerizing dance performances showcasing the state's rich Janajati culture & a wonderful yoga session. Earlier in the day the Tripura CM extended his wishes to the people on Independence Day, "I pay my heartfelt tribute to the fearless freedom fighters who laid down their lives for our nation's liberty, and to the brave soldiers who continue to safeguard our country's sovereignty. Their sacrifices will forever be etched in our hearts. Let's celebrate the spirit of freedom and unity." (ANI) On the occasion of the 78th year of Independence, Yog Guru Baba Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurved MD Acharya Balakrishna hoisted the national flag at Patanjali Yogpeeth in Haridwar on Thursday. While celebrating Independence Day along with children, Swami Ramdev and Acharya Balakrishna chanted the slogan 'Vande Mataram', and sang the national anthem. Swami Ramdev remembered the sacrifices and the bravery of the freedom fighters of the country. While talking to ANI Ramdev said, "we have got this independence just because of the bravery and sacrifices of more than five lakhs freedom fighters of our country". Ramdev talked about British rule and the financial exploitation that happened during the British period. Ramdev said that the Britishers, along with the East India Company, had looted more than a thousand crores from the nation. "On this day of independence, we have pledged to bring financial independence in the country", said Ramdev. Earlier, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami after hosting the national flag, said that Uttarakhand will emerge as the best state in the country. "From the land of Baba Kedar, for the first time, the Prime Minister said that the third decade of the 21st century will belong to Uttarakhand. Today, we have to take oath that in the next 10 years, Uttarakhand will emerge as the best state of the country, as a self-reliant, developed state." CM Dhami said. Addressing the public, CM Dhami announced a bunch of schemes to boost the state's development. The schemes include developing one local body in each district as a model body, increasing the pension scheme account from Rs 4000 to Rs 6000, to connect youth with skill development schemes, and developing a welfare scheme for senior citizens. (ANI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu participated in the 78th Independence Day celebrations held in Vijayawada on Thursday. CM Naidu extended Independence Day wishes to the citizens and highlighted the NDA government's commitment to the welfare and development of the state. While addressing the state on the occasion, the Chief Minister said, "The state is now burdened with Rs 9.74 lakh crore in debt due to the previous government. Andhra Pradesh state public is now witnessing independence after the new government formation. A 100-day plan of action was implemented for the destruction of violence. Simple governance and effective governance is our motto." CM Naidu said that after assuming the charge he signed on a mega DSC project addressing the unemployment issue in the state as promised in the manifesto in the run-up to the assembly elections. "Andhra Pradesh was formed on October 1, 1953, and later, on November 1, 1956, Hyderabad became the capital of Andhra Pradesh. Potti Sriramulu fought for a separate state. In the short span following the bifurcation of the state, we began constructing the capital of Andhra Pradesh at a rapid pace. Andhra Pradesh has received investments totalling Rs 16 lakh crore. For the welfare of farmers, Rs 68,000 crore was spent on irrigation from 2014 to 2019. During the period from 2014 to 2019, 73 per cent of Polavaram works were completed. If the TDP had continued for five more years, Polavaram would have been completed," he said. The Chief Minister said that the state fell into disarray due to the previous government. "Government and private lands were looted, starting with the vandalism of Praja Vedika, which continued across the state. The construction of Amaravati as capital was left in ruins. Illegal activities such as land grabbing, sand mining, liquor smuggling, and mining increased, and rowdyism and terrorism grew under the previous government," he said. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded his Independence Day address from the ramparts of the Red Fort by greeting children and spectators in the audience circle. After his speech, PM Modi interacted with students, shaking hands with the crowd, and waving as they cheered and raised slogans like 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai.' This year's celebration marks the 11th time PM Modi addressed the nation from the Red Fort on Independence Day, making him the third Prime Minister after Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi to achieve this milestone. The theme for this year's Independence Day is 'Viksit Bharat @ 2047,' aiming to drive the government's efforts to transform India into a developed nation by 2047. During his address, PM Modi highlighted that India is moving towards self-reliance by improving domestic manufacturing and has even started exporting to other countries. He emphasized that India has become self-reliant in mobile phone manufacturing and is now exporting to other countries. "There was a time when we imported mobile phones, but today we have built a mobile phone manufacturing ecosystem, and now we have started exporting mobile phones to the world," the PM said. PM Modi highlighted the women's self-help groups which have now around 10 crore women working in different sectors. "When women become financially independent this changes society," he said. He also expressed his concern over the increasing frequency of natural disasters in recent years and offered his sympathies to the affected families. "This year and for the past few years, due to natural calamity, our concerns have been mounting," the Prime Minister said. "Many have faced devastating losses, including the loss of loved ones, property damage, and significant financial burdens. Today, I want to express my deepest sympathies to those affected and assure them that the nation is standing by their side through these challenging times," PM Modi said while addressing the nation. Remembering the sacrifices of those who fought for the nation decades back, PM Modi said that the nation is indebted and grateful to them. "This is the day to salute those who have fought and sacrificed their lives for the nation's independence. We bow down to every brave heart and pay our respects with reverence," PM Modi said. He further highlighted the efforts and dedication of farmers, soldiers, and youth among other sectors in taking the country to new heights. "They are our farmers, our soldiers, the courage of our youth, the contribution of our mothers and sisters, the Dalits, the exploited, the deprived and the oppressed. Today the feeling for national security and national development is there. I salute all these people today," he said. The Prime Minister also urged the nation to work towards a developed nation to be achieved by 2047. He said that 40 crore Indians showed strength and courage to drive away the British decades back. "Before independence, 40 crore Indians showed courage, dedication and bravery and moved with one motto, and broke the shackles of colonial rule despite all adversaries. Their only goal was freedom. If 40 crore Indians could do this, then 140 CR Indians of my family can do wonders if they take one pledge then despite all challenges we can make a Viksit Bharat by 2047," PM Modi said. "Now is the time to live for Viksit Bharat 2047 and we Indians are determined. We have to become Atmanirbhar in every field. It is the determination of the Indians that is driving my resolve. India can become a developed nation by 2047. There was a time when people had a do-or-die attitude and we got freedom and now we must have the strength to live for the nation and that can make a strong India," he added. (ANI) West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Thursday hit out at Kolkata Police and accused a section of the police of being politicised and criminalised. CV Ananda Bose on Thursday visited the emergency department in RG Kar Medical College and hopsital after a mob vandalised parts of the hospital campus where a protest was going on by doctors and students over the rape and murder of a female trainee doctor. "What I saw, what I heard, what I was told and what is reported. The incident which took place here is shocking, shattering and deplorable. It is a shame for Bengal India and humanity. This is the greatest degeneration we have seen around us" the West Bengal governor said. He further said "The custodians of law have themselves become conspirators. A section of the police is politicised and criminalised. This rot has to end...The government is responsible for this. The first responsibility lies with the government. We want security so that when you go to work at night you are safe...It is nothing but a bloodbath going on." Earlier, while speaking to the students He said "You will get justice, I have come here to listen to you personally. I am with you; we will fight out. we shall overcome." "We will not allow these ghastly things to be done with our sisters anymore in the state. We are all with you. We will fight it out everywhere" the West Bengal governor added. Assuring fast action in the case, Governor Bose said "We will work together, I will devote myself to your service, This Bengal society, should be made a society where a woman could live happily." When students asked him about the actions of the mob that vandalised the medical college premises he said "Let me go to the police and take stock of the situation, I will discuss it with you and get your opinion and then only we will take action". Earlier, on Thursday Kolkata Police clarified that the crime scene of the brutal rape and murder of a junior doctor at the RG Kar Medical College in the city had not been disturbed during the mob vandalism that broke out late on the night of August 14. In a post on 'X', the Kolkata Police said, "The crime scene is the seminar room and it has not been touched. Don't spread unverified news. We will initiate legal action for spreading rumours." On Wednesday night, a mob entered the RG Kar hospital campus vandalised the site of the protest and attacked vehicles and public property, forcing security officials to disperse the mob. On August 9, a post-graduate trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The victim's family has alleged that she was raped and murdered. This incident has triggered a nationwide protest by doctors and medical fraternities. (ANI) Lucknow-based Darul Uloom Nizamia Farangi Mahal, the country's first Islamic seminary of Sunni Muslims on Thursday celebrated the 78th Independence Day with zeal and enthusiasm. Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali, Chairman of the Islamic Centre of India led the flag hoisting ceremony, marking the patriotic occasion. The flag hoisting at the seminary resonated with a shared commitment to the nation's values and heritage, fostering a sense of national pride and cohesion among the attendees. Speaking to ANI, the cleric extended his Independence Day wishes to the people of the country and underlined the importance of the date, August 15. "Like every year, this year too we had a flag hoisting programme and after that, the children sang the National Anthem. Prayers were also offered for the progress and protection of our country. Children were also made aware of how our country became independent. How people together fought for the freedom of the country. This is the beauty of 15th August that all Indians celebrate this occasion on a large scale," Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali said. After the flag hoisting ceremony, the event was kicked off by the students with the national anthem 'Jan Gana Man', sung by the children. Maulana further said that prayers at the seminary were also offered for the development and progress of the country. On this day, children celebrated India's freedom from British rule by showcasing their patriotic spirit in various ways, including through their attire. Wearing the colours of the Indian flag - saffron, white, and green, they displayed their patriotism. This day marks the anniversary of India's freedom from nearly 200 years of British colonial rule, achieved on August 15, 1947, after a long and challenging struggle by many courageous individuals. (ANI) Himachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri reiterated the demand for the formation of a Himalayan Regiment in the Army on Thursday. Speaking at a ceremony to celebrate the 78th Independence Day, he urged the central government to reconsider its stance on regional regiments in light of current geopolitical tensions. He argued that such a move would foster patriotism and honour the state's contributions to national security. He highlighted the valour of Himachal Pradesh's soldiers, noting that the state has won four Param Vir Chakras, including the first ever awarded. Agnihotri also expressed deep concern over the state's ongoing disaster crisis. He said that Himachal Pradesh has endured significant losses this year, with over 200 lives lost and damages amounting to around Rs 1,000 crore. Last year's disaster had similarly devastating impacts, with over 500 casualties. Despite these challenges, he criticised the central government for its lack of support, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Union ministers to visit the state and provide the necessary financial assistance. Agnihotri also announced the upcoming construction of the world's second-longest ropeway in Shimla and detailed other state development initiatives, such as the addition of 256 new buses to the HRTC fleet and advancements in cooperative institution computerisation. Agnihotri also took the opportunity to criticise the BJP, accusing it of attempting to destabilise the state government while simultaneously talking about reform and stability. He called on the Prime Minister to reconsider his statements about national elections and instead focus on supporting Himachal Pradesh during this period of recovery and reconstruction. The Independence Day celebrations in Shimla were marked by calls for greater regional recognition and urgent disaster relief, reflecting the state's ongoing struggles and its demands for increased central support. Shimla hosted a district-level celebration on the 78th Independence Day, marked by foggy weather, speeches, and a parade. Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, the chief guest, hoisted the national flag and inspected the parade, which featured contingents from the Police, Home Guard, Traffic Police, NCC, NSS, Scout and Guide, and a band. (ANI) Deputy Chairman Rajya Sabha Harivansh lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech from the Red Fort on 78th Independence Day on Thursday and said that today his whole speech was a call and a blueprint for a New India, Empowered India, and a Viksit Bharat by 2047. Speaking to ANI in an exclusive interview Harivansh said that today's speech of the Prime Minister was a call to build a strong India, a developed India. In his entire speech, the Prime Minister spoke about what should be the path of our duty and our goal and with what resolve we have to achieve a developed India by 2047. Our developed India path is made through tenacity, sacrifice, hard work. His whole speech was inspired by these things, Harivansh said. Harivansh further told ANI that PM reminded what is the strength of India... He said that this is the country when terrorists used to come and attack here... the whole country used to feel insecure. When and in which area attacks would happened nobody knows and we all have seen that whether we were able to return home safely or not.. Today this is the same country where there have been no terrorist attacks in 10-11 years... Surgical strikes and air strike by entering the homes of the country which wants destroy India... India's capability to carry out air strikes has been shown in the last 10 years... "A natural calamity like Covid-19 which comes after 400 years, also came. How to turn this calamity into an opportunity will be remembered by our generations for 100 years. If the entire world is working towards dealing with it in the best possible way during the Covid-19 period, if anyone did it, India did it under the leadership of Narendra Modi ji... today India is going to become the third largest economy in the world... This is the power of India," Harivansh added. Deputy Chairman Rajya Sabha further told ANI that today the Prime Minister said very important things from the Historic Red Fort that the big investors of the world are eager to invest but he said that this is the responsibility of the states because the real power is with the states... law and order is with them... health is states' subjects. The land is with the states. The real engine of development is the states. Centre will provide them all possible help. The Prime Minister also said from the Red Fort that states should compete for development and investment... States will have to be accountable then development will happen rapidly... From the ramparts of Red Fort, PM Modi said, "For Viksit Bharat 2047, we invited suggestions from the countrymen. The many suggestions we received reflect the dreams and aspirations of our citizens. Some people suggested making India the skill capital, some others said that India should be made a manufacturing hub and the country must become self-reliant. "Reforms in governance and justice system, creation of greenfield cities, capacity building, India's own space station -- these are the aspirations of the citizens....When the people of the nation have such big dreams, it takes our self-confidence to newer heights and we become more resolute," PM said. (ANI) Former President Ram Nath Kovind extended his greetings to the nation on the 78th Independence Day and urged citizens to continue contributing towards making India a 'Viksit Bharat.' Speaking to ANI on Thursday, former President Kovind said, "We are celebrating the 78th Independence Day. My Independence Day wishes to all Indians. I appeal to everyone to keep giving your participation to make this country 'Viksit Bharat." Prime Minister Narendra Modi early on August 15 morning hoisted the tricolour and addressed the nation from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort in Delhi on the occasion of India's 78th Independence Day. Taking to X this morning, the Prime Minister said, "Independence Day greetings to my fellow Indians. Jai Hind!" Prime Minister Modi first went to Rajghat in the national capital and paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi and then reached the Red Fort where he inspected the Guard of Honour. After hoisting the flag, PM Modi began his customary address to the nation from the ramparts of the iconic monument. PM Modi led the nation in celebrating the 78th Independence Day from the iconic Red Fort in the national capital and said that women are leading the way in every sector, from the Air Force to beyond, showcasing unparalleled excellence. The Prime Minister said that women are leading the way in every sector, from the Air Force to beyond, showcasing unparalleled excellence. "Their achievements are a testament to the strength and spirit of Nari Shakti. As we move forward, let us continue to support and celebrate their remarkable contributions to our nation's progress," PM Modi said. From early this morning the Delhi sky was overcast and witnessed a slight drizzle. After hoisting the Tricolour the Prime Minister received a 'Rashtriya Salute'. The Punjab Regiment Military band, consisting of one JCO and 25 Other Ranks, played the National Anthem during the hositing, of the National Flag and presented the 'Rashtriya Salute'. The Band was conducted by Subedar Major Rajinder Singh. The Indian Navy was the coordinating service this year. To increase Jan Bhagidari in this festival of national fervour, around 6,000 special guests were invited to witness the celebrations at Red Fort this year. As soon as the National Flag was hoisted by the Prime Minister, flower petals were showered at the venue by two Advanced Light Helicopters Dhruv of the Indian Air Force in the Line Astern Formation. The captains of the helicopters were Wing Commander Amber Agarwal and Wing Commander Rahul Nainwal. The theme of this year's Independence Day is 'Viksit Bharat @ 2047'. The celebrations will serve as a platform to provide a renewed push to the government's efforts towards transforming the country into a developed nation by 2047. (ANI) Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Shatrughan Sinha on Thursday praised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, describing her as a woman of substance and a symbol of women empowerment. He also criticised the BJP, accusing the party of being 'desperate and frustrated' in its continuous attacks on the Chief Minister over incidents in the state. Sinha said that Mamata Banerjee was an example of 'women empowerment' who faced numerous challenges to achieve success as a leader and said that the entire nation takes pride in her accomplishments. "There is only one woman CM in the entire country and we talk about women empowerment. Mamata Banerjee is a woman of substance and she has struggled a lot to reach this position. She proved herself as a successful leader. The entire country is proud of her," Sinha said while speaking to ANI. "We have noticed this thing about the BJP. They become very desperate and frustrated and always attack. They directly blame the CM. Even in the Sandeshkhali incident, the CM was directly attacked and attempts were made to defame her. She was told to resign and insulting remarks were made against her. This is very shameful," Sinha claimed. This statement follows public outrage and protests over the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata. Earlier in the day, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) issued a statement condemning the violence and stated that such vandalism with impunity points to anarchy. The IMA lashed out at the Mamata Banerjee-led government in West Bengal, saying that the state government is directly responsible for this collapse of public order. Earlier, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia on Wednesday accused CM Mamata Banerjee of mishandling the situation by delaying the transfer of the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which he argued would have ensured a more impartial investigation. The BJP leader criticized Kolkata Police for their initial response to the incident, claiming that they failed to register an FIR and instead categorized the case as an "unnatural death." West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose also criticized the Kolkata Police on Thursday, accusing some officers of being politicized and criminalized. Bose visited the emergency department of RG Kar Medical College and Hopsital after a mob vandalised parts of the hospital campus where a protest was going on by doctors and students over the rape and murder of a female trainee doctor. "What I saw, what I heard, what I was told and what was reported. The incident which took place here is shocking, shattering and deplorable. It is a shame for Bengal India and humanity. This is the greatest degeneration we have seen around us" the West Bengal governor said. He further said, "The custodians of the law have themselves become conspirators. A section of the police is politicised and criminalised. This rot has to end. The government is responsible for this. The first responsibility lies with the government. We want security so that when you go to work at night you are safe. It is nothing but a bloodbath going on." Kolkata Police on Thursday clarified that the crime scene of the brutal rape and murder of a junior doctor at the RG Kar Medical College in the city had not been disturbed during the mob vandalism that broke out late on the night of August 14. On Wednesday night, a mob entered the RG Kar hospital campus vandalised the site of the protest and attacked vehicles and public property, forcing security officials to disperse the mob. On August 9, a post-graduate trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The victim's family has alleged that she was raped and murdered. This incident has triggered a nationwide protest by doctors and medical fraternities. (ANI) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and National Congress Party chief Ajit Pawar on Thursday said that the NCP's vision is to bring development in the state," asserting that the Chief Minister of the state will be of Mahayuti. In an exclusive interview with ANI, Ajit Pawar said that despite being allies with Congress in 1999, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) fought the local bodies polls independently. "This always happens. In 1999, the Rashtrawadi Congress Party was formed, on 10 June 1999 in Shivaji Park. In October we formed a coalition with Congress. We ran the government for 15 years but in local bodies elections we used to fight elections against each other. That time also during Assembly polls, and Lok Sabha elections we used to contest elections together," Ajit Pawar said. He further asserted that he doesn't have to look back on whatever happened in the past as he is looking forward. "Pawar sahab was the leader. But during the local bodies elections, we used to ask the district president of Bombay and MLAs to decide whether we should do a coalition with the other parties or not. In a few districts, Congress and the Rashtrawadi Party used to fight elections together. We don't have to see what happened in the past. I am looking forward. Through your medium, I want to tell you that we will and always respect our Constitution. Jo mahool banaya tha iss vajh se SC and ST log humse dur hogai the," he added. Ajit Pawar further said that until the Maharashtra Elections take place in the state he will only talk and discuss about the development. "When I met the people during the 'Jan Samman Yatra', then and there I decided that I would only talk and discuss about development until the Assembly elections take place in Maharashtra. Mujhe development krna bhut acha lagta hai. In the Maharashtra budget, we have brought many good yojanas. There are around 7 schemes. Before presenting the budget I discussed and took suggestions from various people including farmers, young people etc," Pawar said. When asked about the infrastructure of Maharashtra during the rainy season, the NCP chief said that the main cause of the problem the people are yet not aware of it. "Pune is a very old city, it is from the time of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Whether it is the Mahayuti Government, Maha Vikas Aghadi or Shiv Sena-BJP government, everyone tried their best to improve the conditions but the situation of the city is little unique. Our government is trying our best," he said. Responding to the political career of Supriya Sule and comparing her style of politics with Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar said that the political style of everyone is different. "Nehruji working style was different, Indira ji style was different, Rajiv ji was different and Rahul ji's style is different. There is always a generation gap. Abhi ki generation ki soch alag hai, purane vale alag sochte hai. Pawar Sahab always tries to adjust with everyone," he said. When asked whether he was upset about getting the MoS position in the cabinet, he said, "No, it is not like that." "Jab aap ek mai hissa ban jaate hai toh nakhush, khush kuch nhi hota. Sabko mil kar kaam krna hota hai. Our figure was also less. Anupriya Patel is very senior to us, we have just come into alliance with them," he said. On the Maharashtra Assembly polls, Ajit Pawar asserted that "we will try our best to form the government in Maharashtra with good seats. We are getting good response from our sisters." When asked who will be the Chief Minister if the alliance wins the state elections, the NCP chief said that "the Chief Minister will be of Mahayuti. It will be decided after the results. Right now our focus is on how we will get higher numbers of seats in the elections." Earlier on July 21, the National Congress Party Chief announced that his party would fight the local body elections in the state independently. "Despite having contested Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha together as Mahayuti, every party will contest local body election as per their strengths. Therefore, party workers in Mahanagar Palika, Nagar Palika, Zila Parishad, and taluka Panchayat shall start their work and try to spread government schemes among people," Pawar said. The Nationalist Congress Party split last year when Ajit Pawar led some MLAs joined the ruling Eknath Shinde Sena-led BJP government. In the Lok Sabha elections, the NCP bagged only one of the four seats it contested, whereas the NCP-SP won eight of the ten seats it contested. The Mahayuti alliance -- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena and the NCP -- collectively bagged 17 seats in Maharashtra with BJP securing nine seats and the Shiv Sena seven. (ANI) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday expressed his lack of interest in contesting from the Baramati assembly constituency and hinted that his son might replace him on the seat. He also said that it was for his party to decide whether his son, Jay Pawar would contest in his place from Baramati. Ajit said, "It's democracy. I am not much interested in it because I have been part of 7-8 elections. If people and party workers think in such a way, then the parliamentary board should think about it. If the parliamentary board and the local party workers want it then we are ready to do it." Baramati assembly seat has been considered a stronghold for Pawar as he was re-elected from the same in 1995,1999, 2004, 2009, 2014, and 2019. He is currently on a state-wide tour to promote schemes launched by the state government for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly Polls. Earlier on Tuesday, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said that he made a huge mistake by fielding his wife, Sunetra Pawar, against Supriya Sule from Baramati in the Lok Sabha elections in 2024. "I love all my sisters. One shouldn't allow politics to enter homes. I made a mistake in fielding Sunetra against my sister. This shouldn't have happened. But the parliamentary board (of NCP) made a decision. Now I feel it was wrong," Pawar said. Following a split in the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, the Ajit Pawar-led faction of the NCP announced Sunetra Pawar as its candidate from Baramati. NCP (SP) candidate Supriya Sule retained her Baramati Lok Sabha seat by more than 1.55 lakh votes in the Lok Sabha elections 2024. Supriya Sule emerged victorious in the Lok Sabha polls from the Baramati seat, defeating the National Congress Party's Sunetra Ajitdada Pawar. Sule polled 7,32,312 votes, while Sunetra Pawar garnered 5,73,979 votes. (ANI) Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, on Thursday met with a group of citizens from Manipur who live in Delhi. He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi once again to visit the violence-hit state. The people included all major ethnic groups in Manipur and Rahul spent more than two hours with them after attending the Red Fort Independence Day celebration. "Today, I met with a group of Manipuri people living in Delhi who shared their heartbreaking struggles since the onset of the conflict in their region. They spoke of the pain of being separated from loved ones and the physical and mental toll the conflict has taken on their communities," Rahul Gandhi posted on X. "Out of concern for their safety, they requested that their faces not be shown, fearing retribution. This is the harsh reality our brothers and sisters in Manipur endure--a state of constant fear," he added. The Congress leader said that true freedom remains elusive in Manipur and urged the nation to reflect on the plight of the state as India celebrates Independence Day. "I urge the Prime Minister once again to visit Manipur and impress upon both Central and State governments to work towards a peaceful resolution at the earliest," he said. Members of the group who met Rahul shared their pain of being cut off from their friends and family and about the friendships that have ended as a result of the conflict, according to a Congress release. They also spoke of the problems of physical safety, mental health, and the challenges to relief efforts being faced by the people of Manipur. Rahul has attacked PM Modi multiple times for not visiting Manipur since violence erupted there between the valley-based Meitei community and the hills-based Scheduled Tribe Kuki-Zo communities in May 2023. Violence erupted in the northeastern state following clashes during a rally organized by the All Tribals Students Union (ATSU) to protest against the demand for the inclusion of the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe category. Intermittent incidents of violence between the two communities are still being reported and the state is under heavy security cover. (ANI) On the occasion of the 78th Independence Day, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann highlighted the state's immense contribution to India's freedom struggle in a heartfelt message to residents. He stated, "The contribution of Punjabis in the fight for independence has been unparalleled. Countless martyrs like Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Lala Lajpat Rai, and Madan Lal Dhingra laid down their lives to free our nation." Chief Minister Mann also addressed the sacrifices made by Punjab during the partition. "While the entire country was celebrating independence, Punjab was enduring the pain of partition. Millions were killed during this time, but Punjab showed its resilience and defended the nation by sacrificing its sons at the borders," he said. He lauded Punjab's role in agricultural production, which helped the nation during its most challenging times. "When the country was on the brink of famine, Punjab stepped up and provided grain to the entire nation, helping it recover from the crisis," Mann remarked. Highlighting his government's efforts to address the water crisis, the Chief Minister said, "We have initiated steps to revive old canals and ensure the supply of agricultural water to villages. The Malwa Canal project, which will be the first canal constructed in Punjab after independence, is a significant step in this direction. This canal will be 149 kilometers long and will run from Harike Pattan to the Rajasthan border." Mann also discussed the issue of youth employment, stating, "Our government is committed to providing employment opportunities to the youth of the state. Transparent recruitment processes are being implemented in government departments, which will help increase job opportunities." Emphasizing the importance of infrastructure and road safety in the state's development, he said, "The roads and infrastructure of Punjab play a crucial role in the state's progress. To reduce road accidents, we have established the SSF (Road Safety Force)." On the significance of Independence Day, the Chief Minister said, "This day is not just a day of celebration, but also a day to remember the sacrifices of our martyrs and to pledge to fulfill their dreams." He urged the youth to learn about the martyrs and their sacrifices and to adopt their ideals. Concluding his message, Mann shared a famous quote by Shaheed Bhagat Singh: "Love is everyone's birthright, so why not make the land of our nation our beloved this time?" Bhagwant Mann paid tribute to all martyrs and freedom fighters, stating, "It is because of their sacrifices that we live in a free and democratic country today. Those who love their land are the greatest of all." The Chief Minister ended his message by extending his best wishes for Independence Day. (ANI) On Independence Day, Governor Lt General Gurmeet Singh on Thursday hoisted the national flag at the Raj Bhavan, paid tribute to freedom fighters and congratulated people on the occasion. On this occasion, the Governor said that the new India of the 21st century is full of possibilities and potential, which is moving rapidly on the path of sustainable development. He said that along with this development journey, Uttarakhand is also moving forward on the path of continuous progress with strong resolve. Our state is one of the fastest developing states in the country today. The Governor said that there are infinite possibilities in technology, AI, space, cyber, quantum, robotics science, efforts will have to be made to further strengthen our reach in these areas, so that we can succeed in becoming the leading state of the country. He said that let us take a pledge now that we will all give our best contribution in the development of the country and the state. Earlier Uttarakhand Cheif Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also hoisted flag and celebrated the 78th Independence Day. Dhami said "From the land of Baba Kedar, for the first time, the Prime Minister said that the third decade of the 21st century will belong to Uttarakhand. Today, we have to take oath that in the next 10 years, Uttarakhand will emerge as the best state of the country, as a self-reliant, developed state". The Chief Minister also announced various bunch of schemes to boost the development of the state. The schemes include developing one local body in each district as a model body, increasing the pension scheme account from Rs 4000 to Rs 6000, to connect youth with skill development schemes, and developing a welfare scheme for senior citizens. (ANI) India and Sweden share warm bilateral diplomatic relations that span diverse fields, including defence relations. The visit by INS Tabar to Gothenburg, Sweden aims to strengthen these bonds and also explore newer avenues of bolstering the relationship in the maritime domain, the Defence PRO stated. INS Tabar is equipped with a versatile range of weapons and sensors and is amongst the earliest stealth frigates of the Indian Navy. The ship is part of the Indian Navy's Western Fleet which is based at Mumbai under the Western Naval Command. Further, the ship during her inbound transit to Gothenburg, Sweden conducted a Maritime Partnership Exercise with the Swedish Navy Ship HMS Munter, involving visual signalling and escort operations. The ship's crew will participate in various bilateral professional interactions with the Swedish Navy. These engagements seek to enhance best practices between the two navies. The Indian Navy remains committed to fostering partnerships with navies across the world. INS Tabar celebrated the 78th Independence Day in Gothenburg, Sweden. "Gp Capt Amit Budhawar, Indian Defence Attache, Stockholm and Capt MR Harish, Commanding Officer, Flagged Off 7.7 kms of run today to commemorate 77 years of Indian Independence with participation by 77 Indian Navy and Swedish Armed Forces personnel," Spokesperson Navy posted on X. (ANI) Prof Suborno Isaac Bari, renowned as the world's youngest professor from New York University, USA, has visited the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) and addressed thousands of students and other participants, including faculty members, on the topic "The Impact of Early Stem Education." Apart from the huge number of USTM students, more than 500 children and participants from different schools and institutions attended this historic event and interacted with the "Einstein of our time" making it a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Prof. Suborno Bari has been accompanied by his father, Rashidul Bari who is a teacher at Brooklyn Tech New York USA, and Pranesh Debnath, State representative, North East India Vyomika Space Academy (ISRO Space tutor) and India coordinator for Prof Suborno Issac Bari. The world's youngest professor received a warm and grand welcome at USTM. A human chain formed by students greeted him as he moved to the programme venue. The programme began with the felicitation of the guests by USTM Chancellor Mahbubul Hoque, Vice Chancellor Prof GD Sharma, Dr RK Sharma Advisor USTM, and Dr BK Das, Pro Vice Chancellor USTM. The welcome address was made by students of USTM. Prof Suborno Isac Bari delivered an insightful lecture on the impact of early stem education. In his speech, he also incorporated the life stories of two great Indian scientists - Dr Vikram Sarabhai and Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. After his speech, Prof Bari responded to different questions related to Physics, Maths as well as general questions asked by students. Prof. Bari said that math and science are important subjects and in the modern education system, young students should deeply study both subjects. Addressing the gathering, the 12-year-old Bari said that he wanted to help people understand mathematics and science. "I want to help people around the world understand math and science," he said, adding that "my goal is to be a professor and try to help those in need of a good resource." He thanked USTM for inviting him and also shared his experience of his active interaction with the students of CPS Patharkandi and CPS Badarpur yesterday. He visited the two schools of the ERD Foundation in two programmes held in Karimganj yesterday. Rashidul Bari, father of Suborno Bari, also addressed the audience and shared his feelings as a proud father of a genius. The programme ended with a vote of thanks delivered by Prof GD Sharma, Vice-Chancellor, USTM. Prof Sharma said, "USTM always encourages students, scholars, and faculty members from across various institutions in the region to attend such knowledge events here." The programme is designed to inspire and motivate the participants, fostering a spirit of inquiry and innovation among the attendees. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Mahbubul Hoque, Chancellor of USTM, stated, "We are delighted to welcome Prof. Suborno Isaac Bari to our campus", stated Mahbubul Hoque, Chancellor of USTM. "His visit signifies the university's commitment to fostering global academic collaborations and providing our community with access to world-class intellect and innovation. His visit will inspire the young minds of the North East to work even harder and more enthusiastically on their academic and research pursuits," he added. (ANI) Congress on Thursday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government for making the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi "sit in the fifth row" at the Independence Day celebrations at Red Fort in the national capital. Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate claimed that Prime Minister Modi is a person with a "petty mindset" and he keeps on giving proof. "It is futile to expect big things from small-minded people. Narendra Modi certainly showed his frustration by making Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi sit in the fifth row during the Independence Day celebrations, but this did not make any difference to Rahul Gandhi and he will keep raising issues of the people as he has been doing," Supriya Shrinate said in a video statement on X. "However, it shows that you and your government do not have any respect for democracy, democratic traditions and the Leader of Opposition," she added. Shrinate said the rank of the Leader of the Opposition is that of a cabinet minister and the ministers of the government were sitting in the first row. "Not only Rahul Gandhi was made to sit in the fifth row but Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's designated place was also in the fifth row," she said. "A foolish statement has come from the defence ministry that 'this was done as we wanted to honour Olympians'. They should be honoured and so should Vinesh Phogat, but did Amit Shah, J P Nadda, S Jaishankar and Nirmala Sitharaman, not want to honour them?" Shrinate added. Shrinate further said that the Leader of the Opposition is important because he makes the government accountable and raises people's issues. "Whether Rahul Gandhi sits in the fifth row or the fiftieth, he will remain a people's leader" she added. According to the top sources of the Congress Party Rahul Gandhi was allotted 5th seat in the Fifth row and he has not broken any protocol and did not desire to shift the seat allotted to him, he sat on the seat designated for him, Congress President and LoP Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge was also allotted the seat next to him but Kharge didn't attend the function. Meanwhile, "the Defence Ministry followed the protocol table of precedence. This year, it was decided to honour the Olympic winners," Defence Ministry Sources when asked to comment on the alleged controversy over seating arrangement for the leader of the opposition during Independence Day celebrations. LoP and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was seen sitting behind a few rows of seats, which were occupied by members of the Indian contingent that took part in the recently-held Paris Olympics Games. Rahul Gandhi became the first LoP in a decade to attend Independence Day celebrations at Red Fort. (ANI) The Assam Police carried out searches for explosive devices in several places across the state on Independence Day after "suspicious articles" were found in a few cities and towns, including Guwahati. Assam Director General of Police, GP Singh said, "Assam Police has carried out extensive searches throughout the State today for explosive devices. At two places in Guwahati, suspicious articles were found which were opened by the Bomb Disposal Squad of Police." "These articles do not have ignition devices inside although some circuits and batteries are seen. The substance inside is being sent for forensic, chemical examination. Similar articles have been seen at Lakhimpur, Sivasagar, Nalbari and Nagaon which have been safely disposed of," it said. Accordingly, an appropriate lawful investigation has been initiated in this connection. Guwahati Police Commissioner Diganta Barah also spoke on the matter and said, "This morning another information was given by the chief of ULFA Independent that there are 8 locations in Guwahati where they have planted IEDs." "From our police side, we have done a thorough search of all 8 locations, and in 6 locations we did not find any suspicious objects. But in two places, one in the Panbazar area and the other in Gandhibasti, we found two objects, they are IED-like objects that have circuits, detonators, and batteries, but the ignition mechanism is absent," said the official. "We can say, it is an IED-like object but the ignition or triggering mechanism is absent. Whether the substance we have found is explosive or not can be ascertained only by chemical testing, he added. Earlier on Wednesday, Assam Police launched a crackdown on drug trafficking, conducting two anti-narcotics operations and seizing over 635 grams of heroin. In the first operation, Karimganj Police intercepted a vehicle at Gilaiti Hills that was travelling from a neighbouring state. Upon inspection, officers discovered 305 grams of heroin concealed within the vehicle. Two individuals were apprehended in connection with this incident and are currently under investigation, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in a post on X. Earlier, in June, the Assam Police seized 1.7 kilograms of heroin worth approximately Rs 8.5 crore and arrested one person in the Dholaikhal area near the Assam-Mizoram border. (ANI) After hoisting the national flag in Imphal on Thursday, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren said that every Indian citizen should come together and contribute in every way possible to promote national unity. While talking to reporters, Biren said, "India is great, Manipur is great. So, every citizen of India should get involved in every manner to unify India." Lauding the successful implementation of 'Har Ghar Tiranga' across the state Manipur CM said, "So, at many places all across the districts, we organised 'Har Ghar Tiranga' under the guidance of PM Modi successfully...Today, I am very happy. Despite having some troubles, many people have come and taken part in marchpast." "I really appreciate the people of Manipur and extend them greetings on Independence Day," he added. Stating about the current scenario of the state, he said, "Peace lies on us. There will not be a specific roadmap because it is a conflict, not an accident. We are making every kind of effort. Peace has been restored in Jiribam. Similarly, we are trying to do this in district by district and trying to meet people in person." Manipur CM N Biren Singh hoisted the Tiranga at the First Manipur Rifle Ground in Imphal on Independence Day. India is celebrating its 78th Independence Day today, embracing a spirit of patriotism and national solidarity. The theme of this year's Independence Day is 'Viksit Bharat @ 2047'. The celebrations will serve as a platform to provide a renewed push to the government's efforts towards transforming the country into a developed nation by 2047. On Thursday morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the national flag at the Red Fort in the national capital. In his Independence Day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi outlined the goals of Viksit Bharat 2047, urging all Indians to work on a mission mode 24X7 to achieve these goals. (ANI) On the 78th Independence Day, the Director General of Delhi Prisons announced a special remission for a total of 1,160 convicts. Director General of Delhi Prisons Satish Golcha announced the special remission for convicts on Thursday after hoisting the tricolour at the Prison Headquarters. "The 78th Independence Day was celebrated with great enthusiasm and valour within the Prison Department. On this significant occasion, Satish Golcha, IPS, Director General of Prisons hoisted the National Flag at the Prison Headquarters," as per a press release. In his address, the Director General (Prisons) announced a special remission for convicts. A total of 1,160 eligible convicts were granted remission ranging from 15 to 25 days based on their conduct during their time in prison. "New Laws have been implemented in all jails of Delhi prisons and work is at an advanced stage regarding Online Court Production of Inmates before courts. Officers, staff have been informed, trained in aspects of release, bails etc regarding various relevant sections of BNS, BNSS and BSS," as per the release. Additionally, the Prison Department is reinforcing its focus on the theme of Correctional Philosophy by emphasizing education and skill development programs for inmates. In line with this initiative, the department is collaborating with Max Healthcare Facilities, Primero, Ministry of Tourism GoI, IOCL , FICCI YFLO and Art of Living to provide vocational training and further enhance rehabilitation programs at Delhi Prisons. Several other organizations are also contributing to skill development initiatives across various jails. "Director General of Delhi Prisons highlighted recent advancements in prison security, including the installation of 1,248 additional CCTV cameras equipped with facial recognition technology to enhance the safety of inmates. Furthermore, the latest mobile jammers have been installed in six jails of the Tihar prison complex, specifically targeting high-security wards," as per the release. Health and well-being were also a focus of the Jail Administration. Screening tests for HIV, Hepatitis B, and Syphilis were conducted for 10,573 prisoners. Additionally, a special cervical cancer screening camp was organized in collaboration with AIIMS at Jail No 06. Number of Ambulances and Recruitment of Doctors for Delhi prisons have been taken up on priority. "Special Focus needs to be given on enhancement of welfare of staff through Pension Grievance Cell for Delhi Prison Retired employees, Rosters have been prepared for timely grant of MACPs and other promotional avenues to all officials working under Delhi Prisons," as per the release. A proposal for creation of 3200 new posts in Delhi Prisons is at an advance stage of consideration. "To acknowledge the efforts of the prison staff, the D.G.(P) awarded the D.G. Disc to commendable Jail Officers and Jail Staff members. The Additional Inspector General (Prisons) and Deputy Inspector General (Prisons) also presented "Appreciation Letters" to various officials in recognition of their distinguished service," as per a press release. The event concluded with a combined parade by personnel from the CRPF, ITBP, and TSP, adding to the grandeur of the celebrations. (ANI) After Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena hoisted the national flag at his official residence on Independence Day, Delhi Minister and AAP leader Gopal Rai said on Thursday that this was the first time that while the whole country including Delhi were celebrating the occasion, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was behind bars. Speaking to ANI, Rai said, "This is happening for the first time since independence that an elected Chief Minister has been put behind bars. In such a situation, the question arises about who would hoist the flag in the national capital." Further, he added that after discussions, it was decided that Kailash Gahlot would raise the flag and this is a positive step. "We came to the conclusion after several decisions that Kailash Gahlot would raise the flag. It is indeed a positive step. It is clearly visible that even after all the allegations on Arvind Kejriwal, he has been doing his work very well and the people are very happy. All the facts and the work done by Kejriwal's government was put in front of the people today. I am sure the people of Delhi are missing their CM and I promise he will be out soon," Rai said. Earlier today, led by Sunita Kejriwal, wife of Arvind Kejriwal, a veiled attack on the centre was launched after the tricolour was not hoisted at the CM's residence. In a post on X in Hindi, Sunita Kejriwal said, "Today the tricolour was not hoisted at the CM's residence. It is very sad. This dictatorship can keep an elected Chief Minister in jail, but how can it stop the patriotism in the heart..." Sunita Kejriwal had responded to a tweet from Delhi Minister Atishi, who said, "Let us pledge on this Independence Day that we will continue to fight against dictatorship till our last breath." Atishi said in a post on X, "Today is Independence Day when India got freedom from British dictatorship in 1947. Hundreds of freedom fighters faced lathi-charge, went to jail and sacrificed their lives to get us this freedom. They would not have even imagined in their dreams that one day, in independent India, an elected Chief Minister would be framed in a false case and kept in jail for months... Let us pledge on this Independence Day that we will continue to fight against dictatorship till our last breath." (ANI) Bhartiya Janata Party Mahila Morcha will organise silent candle march in all the district headquarters on the evening of August 16, 2024, against the rape and murder of a female doctor in West Bengal. With great grief and anger, BJP Mahila Morcha draws attention to the recent brutal rape and murder of a female doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. This heinous act highlights the grave situation of women's safety in West Bengal and demands our immediate and collective action. In protest against this incident, this march will be taken out outside RG Kar Medical College by the BJP Mahila Morcha under the leadership of National Mahila Morcha President Vanati Srinivasan along with National Office Bearer of Mahila Morcha and Rajya Sabha MP Darshan Singh, Sangeeta Yadav, Geeta Shakya and Indu Bala Goswami and West Bengal Incharge Pooja Kapil Mishra at 6 pm on August 16. Also, Mahila Morcha will organise a silent candle march in all the district headquarters on the evening of August 16, 2024. This march will not only be a symbol of solidarity with the victim but also a protest against the state government's failure to ensure the safety and dignity of women. Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged on Thursday that the Left is in connivance with the Ram (the Bharatiya Janata Party) to create unrest in West Bengal."Left and Ram want to create unrest in Bengal and they both have come together to do this," she said while referring to the vandalism at RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata on Wednesday.The Bengal chief minister said that the mob was not connected to the student movement and alleged that "they are BJP people" who created a ruckus inside the emergency ward of the hospital."The people who vandalised RG Kar Hospital yesterday and created this ruckus are not connected to the student movement of RG Kar Medical College, they are outsiders, I have seen as many videos, I have three videos as I can see, in which some people are holding national flags, they are BJP people, and some are DYFI are holding white and red flags," CM Banerjee said.On August 9, a post-graduate trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The victim's family has alleged that she was raped and murdered. This incident has triggered a nationwide protest by doctors and medical fraternities. (ANI) In a landmark event celebrating India's 78th Independence Day, nearly 400 elected representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions from across the nation gathered at the iconic Red Fort as special guests. This initiative, spearheaded by the Central Government, brought rural India's heartbeat to the National Capital, fostering a sense of unity and shared purpose, as per a press release. From the ramparts of the Red Fort, the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed the nation, emphasizing the crucial role of local governance in the progress and prosperity of India. He exhorted the country's three lakh institutional units, including panchayats, to implement two meaningful reforms annually. "If we achieve 25-30 lakh reforms in a year, the common man's confidence will soar, propelling our nation to new heights," the Prime Minister declared. The Prime Minister also highlighted the Constitution's 75-year journey in strengthening Indian democracy and protecting the rights of marginalised communities. He stressed the importance of duty, stating, "When duty is performed, the protection of rights is inherent." The Red Fort's courtyard transformed into a vivid canvas of India's diversity, with Panchayat representatives donning traditional attire from various regions. United by the tricolour and a shared spirit of patriotism, these grassroots leaders embodied the essence of 'Unity in Diversity'. On the eve of the 78th Independence Day, a special felicitation ceremony was held to honour the Elected Women Representatives (EWRs) of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). The event, attended by approximately 400 participants from various parts of the country, acknowledged these well-performing panchayat leaders who were invited as special guests. Union Minister of Panchayati Raj Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh and Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Prof. S. P. S. Baghel, recognised the pivotal role of women in local governance, further encouraging their participation and leadership. Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj Shri Vivek Bharadwaj, Special Secretary Dr. Chandra Shekhar Kumar, Joint Secretaries Shri Alok Prem Nagar, Smt. Mamta Varma, Shri Vikas Anand, Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh, Economic Adviser Dr. Bijaya Kumar Behera, officials from various states, and other participants were present on this occasion. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj facilitated an enriching experience for the visiting Panchayat representatives, including a post-event luncheon. This platform allowed delegates to share experiences, learn from each other's best practices, and gain insights into the Ministry's innovative initiatives during August 14-15, 2024. This unprecedented invitation to Panchayat representatives has infused new energy into grassroots governance across the country. It emphasises the government's commitment to empowering rural local bodies and recognising their indispensable role in nation-building. As India strides confidently into its 78th year of independence, the active participation of Panchayat representatives in this historic celebration marks a significant milestone in the country's journey towards inclusive growth and sustainable development. (ANI) As nationwide anger erupts over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, Union Minister Chirag Paswan on Thursday slammed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for remaining "silent" over the issue and said that he is "surprised" that such an incident occurred where there is a woman chief minister. "Such incidents cannot be accepted in any civilized society, no matter which state it is in, under the rule of any government. Strict action should be taken in his matter. I feel sad when such topics are politicized. The way thousands of anti-social elements went to the spot late last night and vandalized it, was it under any conspiracy? Was it to destroy any evidence? Was it to save someone or to implicate someone, these things are a matter of investigation," Paswan told reporters. "I am surprised that where there is a woman Chief Minister, such an incident happens and she is silent, all her women MPs are silent. This incident is reprehensible and shameful, what all the doctors there are saying should be heard. This is not just a matter related to one area, it is a matter of women's safety on which every government needs to work sensitively," he added. Earlier today, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged that the Left is in connivance with the Ram (the Bharatiya Janata party) to create unrest in West Bengal. "Left and Ram want to create unrest in Bengal and they both have come together to do this," She said while referring to the vandalism at RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata on Wednesday. On Wednesday night, a mob entered the RG Kar Hospital campus, causing damage to the protest site, vehicles, and public property. Security officials were forced to intervene to disperse the crowd. On August 9, a post-graduate trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The victim's family has alleged that she was raped and murdered. This incident has triggered a nationwide protest by doctors and medical fraternities. (ANI) Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma announced on Thursday that the government will appoint locals as 'tourist assistants' in a phased manner. These semi-uniformed personnel will serve as tour guides, provide security, and offer information to tourists. "The goal is to make tourists feel safe and ensure they receive accurate information," he said while addressing a consultation with tourism stakeholders at the State Convention Centre in Shillong. This initiative will also create job opportunities for local youths. The Chief Minister highlighted the recent law and order issues that affected tourism, emphasising the need for collective action. "We must work together to condemn such incidents and promote a positive environment for tourism," he stated. "We are engaging traditional leaders, local organisations, and stakeholders in our discussions to boost tourism in the state. Over the past six years, the government has introduced various tourism initiatives to position and brand Meghalaya", he added. He urged stakeholders to provide suggestions for further developing the tourism ecosystem. "Our aim is not only to increase tourist footfall but also to create unique tours and circuits that enhance their experience," he added. The government is upgrading tourism infrastructure and facilities, including hotels, resorts, restaurants, promenades, and amenities like skywalks and museums. Shillong and other tourist destinations are receiving a facelift with new infrastructure to enhance their aesthetic appeal. During the conclave, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh also unveiled the autumn tourism calendar, which included dates for the much awaited Shillong Literary Festival on Nov 12-14, Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival on Nov 15-16, Me'gong Festival on Nov 29-30, The Hills Festival on Dec 6-7, Bryan Adam India Tour on Dec 10 and Winter Takes on Dec 12-14, etc. The official partnership with Japan as partner country for Shillong Cherry Blossom was also announced. As part of this initiative, a Japan Zone will be created that would showcase the diversity and rich culture of Japan. (ANI) On the occasion of 78th Independence Day, BSF DG Daljit Singh Chaudhary said that BSF will always ensure unity and integrity of the country by maintaining its glorious tradition of valour, courage and sacrifice. Addressing media persons, BSF DG Daljit Singh Chaudhary said, "On this auspicious occasion of the national festival, I want to assure all the countrymen that the Border Security Force will always be ready for the unity and integrity of the country by maintaining its glorious tradition of valour, courage and sacrifice. We are proud that the freedom fighters born on the soil of Punjab have made a very important contribution to the independence of our country. Brave freedom fighters like Lala Lajpat Rai, Shaheed Bhagat Singh, and Sukhdev Singh have contributed to the freedom struggle by sacrificing their lives." Meanwhile, on the occasion of Independence Day, the Inspector General of Border Security Forces (BSF), Harbax Singh Dhillon, hoisted the flag at the frontier headquarters in Umpling, Shillong, on Thursday. Celebrating the occasion with great enthusiasm, the BSF personnel deployed at the border also hoisted the national flag. Additionally, a weapon exhibition was organised for the local students and sweets were also distributed to the personnel deployed at the border with Bangladesh, fostering a spirit of camaraderie and mutual respect. Adding to the patriotic fervour, students from BSF Schools presented a series of cultural programmes that highlighted the rich cultural heritage and unity of the nation. Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Inspector General Harbax Singh Dhillon extended his heartfelt wishes. He encouraged the students to uphold national values and strive to become responsible citizens of India. He also conveyed his greetings to the people of Meghalaya, all force members and their families. (ANI) During the meeting, the Chief Minister assured the delegation that the State Government would consider their legitimate demands with a positive outlook, as per a press release. Additionally, Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that making Patwaris and Kanungos state cadres was a policy decision and asked the association to cooperate in this important initiative. Further, he said that the Patwaris and Kanungos play a crucial role in implementing government schemes at the grassroots level. He also stated that the government was working on a mission mode to address the issues faced by the common people, with Patwaris and Kanungos being key contributors to this mission. The Chief Minister assured the delegation that the state government was committed to enhancing the facilities for Patwaris and Kanungos. Additionally, he said that the state government has restored the old pension scheme and the state government is committed to providing benefits to its employees in a phased manner. President of the State Patwari and Kanungo Association, Satish Chaudhary, expressed full support for the government's initiatives and assured the Chief Minister of the association's cooperation. Additionally, he said that all Patwaris and Kanungos would donate one day's salary to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund as a gesture of goodwill. On this occasion, Deputy Chief Whip Kewal Singh Pathania, MLAs Sanjay Ratan, Sudarshan Bablu, and Malendra Rajan, former MLA Ajay Mahajan, Additional Chief Secretary of Revenue Omkar Chand Sharma, along with other officials of the State Patwari and Kanungo Association, were present. (ANI) Union Minister of Panchayati Raj and Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh urged the representatives of Panchayati Raj to take the lead in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in rural India. According to an official release from the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, "Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh urged the elected women representatives and elected representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and rural local bodies (RLBs) to take the lead in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in rural India in a momentous event held at Dr Ambedkar International Centre, Janpath, New Delhi on August 14." To honour the Elected Women Representatives (EWRs) and Elected Representatives (ERs) invited as special guests to the Independence Day celebrations, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj organized a Felicitation Function yesterday. The event took place at Dr Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi, in the presence of Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Prof SP Singh Baghel, Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj and Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Dr Chandra Shekhar Kumar, Special Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj. The event, marked by a spirit of empowerment and recognition, witnessed the felicitation of distinguished women leaders of Panchayats from across the country, whose exceptional contributions have brought pride and progress to their communities and constituencies. Around 400 Elected Women Representatives (EWRs) and Elected Representatives (ERs) of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) have been invited as Special Guests. Union Minister of Panchayati Raj Rajiv Ranjan Singh acknowledged the special guests for their vital contributions to India's development journey. In his keynote address, Union Minister of Panchayati Raj Rajiv Ranjan Singh emphasized the significance of women recognizing their inherent strength and potential. He urged the women leaders to take full advantage of technological advancements, particularly the integration of eGram Swaraj-Bhashini, to enhance governance and public service delivery in rural areas. "Create your identity on the basis of your work," he exhorted, highlighting that the true essence of leadership lies in action and impact. Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh also lauded the Prime Minister's visionary decision to invite Panchayat representatives to the Independence Day celebrations in Delhi. He highlighted the central role of Panchayats in the resolution of a developed India. He praised the Ministry of Panchayati Raj for its robust training and capacity-building initiatives, which have empowered Panchayat leaders with the administrative and technical skills necessary for effective governance. "The sincere efforts of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj have made it possible for Panchayat representatives to receive training in premier institutions like Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs)," he noted, urging continuous improvement in their skills to win the affection and trust of the people they serve. While extending his best wishes for the 78th Independence Day, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh called upon Panchayats to establish themselves as strong pillars of democracy. "The existence of Panchayats is constitutionally recognized; they are constitutional units. Therefore, their identity should be firmly rooted in their work," he added. Singh reminded the attendees that the invitation to the Independence Day celebrations was extended in recognition of their exemplary work, a testimony to the crucial role they play in the nation's progress. The highlight of the function was the felicitation of several distinguished women leaders of Panchayats by the Union Ministers Rajiv Ranjan Singh and Prof SP Singh Baghel. The events on August 14, 2024, concluded with a strong message of unity, resolve, and a shared vision for a prosperous and inclusive India. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj reaffirmed its dedication to empowering women leaders and strengthening the Panchayati Raj Institutions, ensuring that the Ministry continues to serve as the foundation of India's democratic and developmental aspirations. (ANI) Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on Thursday hosted the annual 'At Home' reception for the distinguished invitees on the occasion of 78 Independence Day in the lawns of Punjab Raj Bhavan. "The Punjab Governor and Administrator, Union Territory, Chandigarh, Shri Gulab Chand Kataria hosted the annual 'At Home' reception for the distinguished invitees on the occasion of Independence Day of India in the lawns of Punjab Raj Bhavan, Chandigarh," as per a press release from the Public Relations Department, Chandigarh. The program began with the arrival of the Governor at the venue at 5.00 PM. The Governor was given a ceremonial welcome by the Police band with the National Anthem played by it. "The invitees from different walks of life converged at the Punjab Raj Bhavan which was tastefully decorated on Independence Day. The Governor greeted the guests present and exchanged pleasantries with them," as per the release. A beautiful cultural bonanza by the artists of North Zone Cultural Center (NZCC) was featured in the At Home reception at Punjab Raj Bhavan, Chandigarh. The initiative to promote the artists of North Zone was well received by the audience. The presence of National Awardees was another feature of the reception. At Home function was attended by Governor Haryana, Bandaru Dattatreya, Chief Minister Punjab S Bhagwant Singh Mann, Chief Minister Haryana Nayab Singh Saini, Speaker Vidhan Sabha Punjab S Kultar Singh Sandhwan, Rajya Sabha MP Satnam Singh Sandhu, MP Amritsar Gurjit Singh Aujla, Punjab Cabinet Minister Harjot Singh Bains, Satya Pal Jain, Additional Solicitor General, GOI, Punjab Chief Secretary Anurag Verma, Haryana Chief Secretary, TVSN Prasad, ACS to Punjab CM VK Singh, Additional Chief Secretary to Governor, Punjab K Siva Prasad, Advisor UT, Rajeev Verma, DGP Punjab Gaurav Yadhav, DGP UT Surendra Yadav, DGP Haryana Shatrujit Kapoor, Ex MP Kirron Kher, officers of Armed Forces, Vice Chancellors, Chairmans of various Boards and Corporations, Doctors, Journalists, Industrialists, officials of civil and police administration of Punjab and Chandigarh as well as other eminent citizens. (ANI) Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra on Thursday took a dig at BJP at suspense over the resignation of Disaster Relief Minister Dr Kirodi Lal Meena, saying the BJP should sort out its internal issues at a time when parts of Rajasthan are facing problems due to heavy rains. He claimed that Meena is not being provided with a helicopter. "The government should focus on resolving internal issues," he said. State BJP chief Madan Rathore had earlier said that Meena's resignation has not been accepted. Dotasra also greeted people on Independence Day. Earlier, Congress leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot took a dig at the BJP government in Rajasthan over the loss of lives due to heavy rains in the state, saying that there was uncertainty over the resignation status of the minister handling disaster management and such a situation at the time of difficulties faced by the state amounts to "deceit" with people. "More than 25 lives have been lost due to heavy rains and related accidents across the state. It is unfortunate that in such a situation, people do not know whether the state's disaster relief minister is still holding the portfolio or his resignation has been accepted," Gehlot said on X. He said Chief Minister should clarify the situation so that proper monitoring and directions are issued for relief and rescue operations. "Such a state of confusion in difficult circumstances is like deceit with people of the state," Gehlot added. Rajasthan Minister Kirodi Lal Meena, whose portfolios include Rural Development and Disaster Management, had said early last month that he has resigned from his post as the BJP had lost the Dausa seat in Lok Sabha polls. There has been suspense over his resignation. The Chief Minister has held meetings and officials have been told to strengthen arrangements related to disaster management immediately. The Chief Minister appealed to people to stay away from the water-logged areas and avoid using basements of buildings during rain. Parts of Rajasthan has witnessed intense rains, causing severe waterlogging in many areas and loss of lives due to large water flow in some rivers and water coming out of a dam. (ANI) On the occasion of the 78th Independence Day, 78 swimmers from Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) completed the "Independence Day Swim" from Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island to Marina Bay to 21 islands named after the Param Vir Chakra awardees on Thursday. The swim was part of an expedition called Param Vir by the tri-services of the ANC. The ceremony also saw the presence of Air Marshal Saju Balakrishnan, Commander in Chief Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN), who marked the end of the expedition. In his address, Air Marshal Balakrishnan said, "As we celebrate 78 years of freedom, we also showed the strength of a triumph of a journey that was flagged off on March 22, 2024, that tested the limits, challenged the resolve and ultimately revealed the power of immense spirit and determination to the team. We have gathered to celebrate the successful completion of the remarkable swimming expedition. It's our tribute to the bravery, sacrifice and unwavering spirit of our nation's true heroes, our Param Vir Chakra Awardees." Taking to X, the ANC said, "On the 78th Independence Day, 78 swimmers from ANC completed the "Independence Day Swim" from NSCB Dweep to Marina Bay. Air Mshl Saju Balakrishnan, CINCAN, graced the ceremony, marking the end of Expedition PARAMVIR, swim to 21 islands named after Param Vir Chakra awardees." Speaking to ANI, Air Marshal Balakrishnan said that ANC has taken up various programmes under the Union government's Viksit Bharat initiative. "A number of missions have been launched by the government of India, like 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam', 'Swatch Bharat Abhiyaan,' and we are also involved in a number of welfare missions that we are doing for each of the villages. Every unit of the command has adopted one village and we do a number of welfare missions in those villages. We continue to provide them with medical aid, help in assistance in education, and we look after orphanages and also old people... It is also to reach out to the ex-servicemen of our island," he added. Air Marshal Balakrishnan also awarded commendations to outstanding Armed Forces personnel of ANC for their exceptional service on Thursday. (ANI) Lauding the ties between the nations, the United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, extended wishes to India on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day on Thursday. Blinken said that the US celebrates the 'rich and diverse history' of the Indian people on the country's Independence Day, which is celebrated on August 15 every year. "On behalf of the United States of America, I congratulate the people of India as they celebrate the anniversary of their country's independence on August 15. On this momentous day, we celebrate the rich and diverse history of the Indian people and the bright future of US-Indian relations," Blinken said in a press statement, according to the US Department of State. "Our comprehensive global and strategic partnership is grounded in the deep bonds between our peoples, our economies, and built on the foundation of our shared commitment to democracy, freedom, and human dignity," he added. Wishing India, the US State Secretary further stated that "US-India cooperation is expanding at a rapid pace" as two countries continue to work together to advance their shared vision of a free, open, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific. "From climate and clean energy to defence and space technologies, US-Indian bilateral cooperation is more wide-ranging and stronger than ever before," Blinken said. "I wish all those celebrating today, in India, in the United States, and globally through the Indian diaspora, a joyous Independence Day," he added. India is all set to celebrate its 78th Independence Day on August 15, Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hoist the national flag on the occasion at the Red Fort in Delhi. He will deliver his 11th consecutive speech to the nation from the ramparts of the historic monument. From Srinagar and Ladakh to the nation's capital, the country will come together to celebrate its freedom on August 15. (ANI) Demonstrating a strong stance against China's transnational repression against Uyghur minorities, 11 human rights organisations jointly formed a coalition to voice support in Germany, a statement by the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) reported on Tuesday. The coalition titled "Coalition against Transnational Repression in Germany" represents victims of transnational repression, which is believed to originate from China, Azerbaijan, Vietnam, Belarus, Egypt, Turkey, Syria, and Iran. Reportedly, transnational repression is a strategy employed by authoritarian governments to silence their critics abroad. The statement mentioned that individuals who are exiled often cannot live safely in Germany either; they face threats, intimidation, or even violent persecution from their respective native countries. The coalition aims to collectively combat threats and intimidation in Germany. The spokesperson for Tibet Initiative Germany, David Missal, said in the statement, "When people are persecuted in Germany, they have so far been alone with their fears. Transnational repression is not only a threat to individuals but also a challenge to democracy and the rule of law. This requires more attention and political responses in Germany. We have come together as a coalition to send a clear message: victims of transnational repression must be taken seriously and protected." The Transnational Repression Coalition is committed to raising awareness among the public, policymakers and authorities dealing with vulnerable groups at risk. It advises on the development of political and civil society solutions and serves as a strong voice for those affected. The founding members of the coalition include Tibet Initiative Deutschland, Mikroskop Media, JAM, Human Rights Defenders' Network - German Section, the Law and Democracy Support Foundation (LDSF), Freiheit fur Hongkong, MangMang Magazine, Reporter ohne Grenzen (RSF), Belarusische Gemeinschaft Razam, the World Uyghur Congress (WUC), and Verein der Tibeter in Deutschland. These German human rights and diaspora organizations aim to raise awareness about the threat of Transnational Repression (TNR) and its impact on human rights, freedom and security in Germany. Growing authoritarianism worldwide is forcing more and more critical voices, dissidents, human rights defenders, members of persecuted people, and journalists into exile. Germany is an important harbour for members of these groups. Open criticism, networking within the diaspora and outreach in the regions of origin make them a target for authoritarian regimes and their supporters. In Germany, too, critical voices and members of threatened groups are subjected to repression from their countries of origin, according to the statement of the WUC. According to the WUC, the TNR is a strategy employed by foreign governments reaching across borders to intimidate, silence, or harm members of diaspora and exile communities to prevent them from exercising their human rights as defined in the German Basic Law. TNR includes physical and digital attacks, stalking, surveillance, obstructing mobility, coercing people back to their home countries, and threats from afar, such as coercion by proxy. The WUC elaborated that some threats may be punishable under German criminal law, while in many cases, attacks are purposefully conducted below the threshold of criminal liability. It is often obvious that they originate from state actors, but it is often difficult to prove in court. Important contact points, such as law enforcement agencies, lack experience with transnational repression. This makes it difficult to acknowledge, understand, persecute and counteract TNR in Germany. (ANI) In a statement released on Pakistan's 78th Independence Day, Shafi Burfat, Chairman of Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM), has called for the recognition of August 14 as a day of enslavement rather than celebration in Pakistan. Burfat argues that the creation of Pakistan was not driven by the notion of a unified Muslim nation but was instead a deliberate strategy by British colonial powers to divide India by exploiting religious differences. Burfat contends that the so-called "two-nation theory," which served as the ideological foundation for Pakistan, was a fabrication designed to enslave historical nations, particularly Sindh and Balochistan, under the military dominance of what he describes as the "landlocked Punjabi nation." He claims that Sindh's vast resources, which contribute significantly to Pakistan's budget, have been systematically exploited, leaving the Sindhi people in poverty and misery despite their land's wealth. The statement criticises the Pakistani state's exploitation of Sindh's resources, including minerals, rivers, lands, and maritime assets, all of which have been used to benefit Punjab at the expense of the Sindhi population. Burfat accuses the federal government, the military, and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of perpetuating this exploitation, with Sindh's contributions being funnelled to Punjab under various pretexts. Burfat also highlighted the cultural and linguistic oppression faced by the Sindhi people, arguing that Sindh's history, language, culture, and Sufi traditions have been distorted by what he describes as Pakistani fundamentalism. He calls for the youth of Sindh, regardless of their linguistic background, to unite in the struggle for the freedom of Sindhudesh from what he terms "Punjabi imperialism, occupation, and fascism." In his statement, Burfat also calls on Punjabi intellectuals, writers, political leaders, and journalists to acknowledge the historical realities and inform future generations that the two-nation theory was not a divine command but a political strategy that has led to the suffering of millions, including the genocide of three million Bengali Muslims in 1971. Shafi Burfat concludes by asserting that the true meaning of Pakistan today is synonymous with Punjabi imperialism, and he calls for the natural right of Sindhudesh and other oppressed nations to gain their freedom from what he describes as an "unnatural and forcibly annexed state." (ANI) Nepal's House of Representatives endorsed the enforced disappearances, Enquiry, Truth and Reconciliation Commission (third amendment) Act 2024 on Wednesday. The recently amended bill comes after an agreement in between the major parties to list intentional and arbitrary killings as serious violations of human rights and to reduce the sentence of the guilty in serious violations of human rights by 75 per cent. A victim who is unwilling to reconcile, can move the court against the perpetrators. Also, all the disqualified Maoist combatants, including child soldiers, along with the families of security personnel who lost their lives or were injured during the insurgency, will get reparation and compensation. The bill has been hailed as a legislative measure which would deliver justice to thevictims of the 1996-2006 insurgency who have had to wait for it for around two decades. "With the endorsement of this act, we will work on formation of the commissions that are required to be formed and they would be directed by this new law. From the government side, I would like to assure that these commissions would be formed with consensus and would be effective. The government would fully endorse it and I expect the same from all the existing political parties that they will be supporting the enforced disappearances, Enquiry, Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Moving ahead with the conclusion of it, we will be sending message to the world that Nepal has been instrumental in solving the issues of transitional justice in short duration," Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said while addressing the parliament Wednesday. Other lawmakers, including top leaders from the ruling CPN-UML, Nepali Congress and main opposition party, CPN (Maoist Centre), also lauded bill and expressed confidence that it would be a milestone in concluding the peace process initiated by then-CPN (Maoist) and the seven mainstream political parties on November 16, 2006. "The tabled bill in the parliament consists all the basic recognitions of transitional justice. It emphasizes on search for truth, deliver justice, compensate victims and prevent conflict. This bill comes in line with our existing law, verdict from the Supreme Court and the International parameters," former Prime Minister and President of Nepali Congress Sher Bahadur Deuba claimed. The bill, which aims to resolve issues relating to transitional justice, was tabled by Ajay Kumar Chaurasiya, minister for law, justice and parliamentary affairs. House Speaker Devraj Ghimire put the bill for vote and subsequently announced that it was passed by voice vote. Bimala Subedi, chairperson of the law, justice, and human rights committee of the House, presented a report on the bill before parliament on Tuesday. The committee endorsed the bill unanimously on August 8 after considering it for over a year. A three-party panel formed to iron out the differences over the amendment to the enforced disappearances enquiry, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Act, submitted its report to top leaders on August 14. After a stalemate on TRC issues for nearly two decades, three major parties-Congress, UML and Maoist Centre--had formed a task force, comprising Ramesh Lekhak from Congress, Janardan Sharma from Maoist Centre and Mahesh Bartaula from UML to iron out the differences. On August 1, the panel reached an agreement on contentious issues, clearing the way for the federal Parliament to endorse it. Then, the panel led by Lekhak submitted the report to Prime Minister and UML chair KP Sharma Oli, Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba and Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who led the decade long insurgency and came into mainstream politics signing a peace accord, has also has lauded the billendorsed by the parliament. (ANI) "The peace process in Nepal is ideal for the world. If the same process were adopted by countries in Europe or the Western part of the globe, then it would have carried a different meaning. Wars across the world either end with victory or loss but in the context of Nepal, it have remained unparallel. We have original experiences and haven't copied any of the countries. It basically has two aspects and have succeeded in both fronts. In the first, we have been able to abolish the monarchial parliamentary system and establish a federal democratic republic. New constitution has been promulgated by the constituent assembly, formally institutionalising political achievements. Likewise, another was the technical and the integration of military forces, which we executed with much ease in comparison to other countries," former Prime Minister and Chairman of the CPN-Maoist Centre, the former guerilla group Pushpa Kamal Dahal said. Though the leaders have been claiming the bills to be progressive and address theissues of transitional justice, victims of the conflict whom the law is mandated to serve has long been standing against it demanding amendments. In addition, activists claim that the new bill also doesn't address crimes against humanity and war crimes. The former warring parties--the Maoists and the state security forces--maintain that no acts of crime against humanity and war crimes ever happened in Nepal. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission of Investigation on enforced disappeared persons have been paralyzed for over two years in absence of chairpersons and members. Their appointment process will commence with the Act's endorsement. In its verdict on a writ petition jointly filed by dozens of conflict victims, the Supreme Court in February 2015 had turned down several provisions in the Act as they allowed amnesties in serious violations of human rights. Nine years after the ruling, the Act is yet to be amended despite several attempts to do so. (ANI) Several representatives of Awami Tehreek, along with several NGOs and social organisations, recently organised a press briefing in the Skardu district of Pakistan Occupied Gilgit Baltistan (PoGB) to register their dissent against the survey and digitalisation of the wheat distribution network in PoGB, Skardu TV, a news organisation from PoGB, reported. Reportedly, the local government of the PoGB has proposed to use a biometric system for the distribution of subsidised wheat. However, the locals condemn the move, stating that all this is just a tactic to postpone and mislead the locals of PoGB. Before this, the food department had organised several similar surveys but nothing has improved on the ground. A local social and political leader, Agha Ali Rizvi, stated during the press brief, "Among several other issues that we face in PoGB, such a survey is just another way to tease the people of PoGB. This subsidised wheat is not an entity of the government, it belongs to the people and must be given to them. No government has the right to question or stop the subsidised wheat and if something like this is orchestrated, then a major protest will be triggered and that will be born by the government." Rizvi further stated, "This is not the first and last time that you are proposing such measures, several meetings, announcements and promises have happened previously, but it seems that you don't want to give us wheat and that is why something like this is being proposed. Currently, neither they are completing the survey nor they are rejecting it completely. They are threatening and filing complaints against people who condemn their actions, which is not acceptable". Another local leader stated, " I don't understand, why is the government proposing such measures that cannot be sustained by the current infrastructure. And this is not the first or last time such measures are being taken. Our lands don't even have proper internet services, so how will the system manage the digitalization of such records? Several such measures have been rejected by the public and in several meetings they have made baseless promises. What is the guarantee that this time the results will be different?" "We have seen these dubious tactics several times, they make different promises at the time of negotiations, release a different notification and then give nothing to the people ultimately so we are not ready to accept this." (ANI) The representatives of the Baloch Voice Association (BVA) and the Government of Balochistan in Exile (GOB) convened with a delegation of French senators to address the ongoing crisis in Balochistan, the largest and most sparsely populated province in Pakistan. The meeting, held on Wednesday, aimed to raise international awareness about the challenges facing the region and to explore potential solutions for peace, security, and prosperity. The Baloch representatives presented a forward-looking document that included a comprehensive dossier on the current situation in Balochistan and a detailed roadmap for the region's future. This document highlighted the urgent need for international attention and intervention to mitigate the humanitarian crisis affecting millions of Baloch people due to the ongoing conflict. According to a press statement, the French senators praised the proactive efforts of the BVA and GOB in promoting peace and stability. They commended the initiative to bring the plight of the Baloch people to the global stage and emphasized the importance of engaging with international institutions to seek a peaceful resolution to the conflict. During the discussions, the Baloch representatives underscored the critical need for immediate international intervention to prevent further escalation of the crisis in Balochistan. They expressed their readiness to share and discuss their "Roadmap for Balochistan" with global organisations, state representatives, and allies of the Baloch cause worldwide. In response, the French senators recommended that the roadmap and dossier be presented to prominent French think tanks, including the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI) and the Institute for International and Strategic Affairs (IRIS). They recognised the value of these documents in fostering informed dialogue and shaping future policies regarding Balochistan. "The meeting concluded with the Baloch representatives expressing their deep gratitude to the French senators for their support and interest in the Balochistan issue. They reaffirmed their commitment to collaborating with the international community to achieve lasting peace and prosperity for the people of Balochistan," the press statement said. (ANI) Further, he read out the address to the nation by the President of India at a flag-hoisting ceremony held at the embassy premises on August 15. This event commemorates India's independence from British rule, achieved on August 15, 1947. https://x.com/indianembtokyo/status/1823874135895969869?s=46&t=TbrKHKgG29uXA1CMFN38Pw Indian Embassy shared some pictures of the envoy hosting the flag and stated on X, "Glimpses of the Flag hoisting ceremony at @IndianEmbTokyo to celebrate the 78th Independence Day of India." "Ambassador @AmbSibiGeorge hoisted the tricolour and read address to the Nation by President of India," the post added. Following this, the High Commission of India in Singapore also held a flag-hoisting ceremony and hoisted the National flag at the event. https://x.com/HCI_Singapore/status/1823885042940305700 The High Commission of Indian in Singapore shared a video of flag hosting on X and stated, "Flag hoisting ceremony at @HCI_Singapore to celebrate the 78th #IndependenceDay of India. High Commissioner hoisted the tricolor." Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the national flag on Thursday at Red Fort in the national capital, for the 11th consecutive time, on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day. After hoisting the Tricolour the Prime Minister received a 'Rashtriya Salute'. The Punjab Regiment Military band, consisting of one JCO and 25 Other Ranks, played the National Anthem during the hositing, of the National Flag and presented the 'Rashtriya Salute'. The Band was conducted by Subedar Major Rajinder Singh. Earlier, the Prime Minister took his X to greet the country."Independence Day greetings to my fellow Indians. Jai Hind!," PM Modi posted on X on Thursday. Upon his arrival at the Red Fort, PM Modi was received by Union Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, MoS Defence Sanjay Seth and Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane. After hoisting the flag, PM Modi began his customary address to the nation from the ramparts of the iconic monument. (ANI) United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken congratulated the people of India on the occasion of their country's 78th Independence Day and highlighted the strong partnership between the two nations, built on shared values of democracy, freedom, and human dignity. "On behalf of the United States of America, I congratulate the people of India as they celebrate the anniversary of their country's independence on August 15. On this momentous day, we celebrate the rich and diverse history of the Indian people and the bright future of US-Indian relations," Blinken said in an official statement. "Our comprehensive global and strategic partnership is grounded in the deep bonds between our peoples, and our economies, and built on the foundation of our shared commitment to democracy, freedom, and human dignity," the statement added. Further, Blinken wished a joyous Independence Day to those celebrating in India, the US, and around the world through the Indian diaspora and highlighted the growing bilateral partnership in areas such as climate, clean energy, defence, and space technologies "US-India cooperation is expanding at a rapid pace as we continue to work together to advance our shared vision of a free, open, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific. From climate and clean energy to defence and space technologies, US-Indian bilateral cooperation is more wide-ranging and stronger than ever before," said Blinken "I wish all those celebrating today, in India, in the United States, and globally through the Indian diaspora, a joyous Independence Day," the statement added. Earlier in the day, Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli also congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of India on the country's 78th Independence Day. He further expressed hope that the occasion would further strengthen the friendship and cooperation between both nations. "Warm congratulations to Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji and the people of India on 78th Independence Day!," Nepal PM said on X. "May this day strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between our nations. Looking forward to advancing Nepal-India relations," he added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the national flag on Thursday at Red Fort in the national capital, for the 11th consecutive time, on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day. As soon as the National Flag was hoisted by the Prime Minister, flower petals were showered at the venue by two Advanced Light Helicopters Dhruv of the Indian Air Force in the Line Astern Formation. (ANI) Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu extended congratulations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Droupadi Murmu, and the people of India on the occasion of India's 78th Independence Day. Further, he highlighted the enduring friendship between the two nations, which has contributed to prosperity and development in the Maldives and the region. https://x.com/mmuizzu/status/1823922349781213666?s=46 "On the occasion of India's Independence Day, I extend heartfelt congratulations to President @rashtrapatibhvn , Prime Minister @narendramodi , and the people of India," Muizzu said in a post on X. "Our enduring friendship, rooted in history, has evolved to foster prosperity and development in the Maldives and the region," he added. Muizzu expressed confidence that the partnership will continue to strengthen, driving mutual prosperity and shared goals. "As we look to the future, I am confident that our partnership will continue to strengthen, driving mutual prosperity and shared goals," Muizzu said on X.' Following this, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) President Abdulla Shahid congratulated India on its 78th Independence Day, extending wishes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and the Indian government and people. He further acknowledged India's role as an invaluable partner and stated India has proved to be an "all-weather" friend of the Maldives. https://x.com/abdulla_shahid/status/1823908114464432536?s=46&t=m-HOd78EUiH8mSxk_l-Lgw Shahid shared some pictures of him and PM Modi together on X and stated, "Happy Independence Day #India ! I wish Prime Minister @narendramodi , EAM @DrSJaishankar , the Government and the warm and friendly people of India best wishes and prosperity on this joyous occasion." "India has proved to be an "all weather" friend of the #Maldives. Our first and best responder for any crisis we have faced. An invaluable partner in our development journey. The people of Maldives continue to benefit from the generous development assistance and human resource development, and deeply cherish this relationship," he added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the national flag on Thursday at Red Fort in the national capital, for the 11th consecutive time, on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day. He was warmly welcomed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other dignitaries as he arrived earlier for the celebrations at the Red Fort. The Prime Minister was dressed in a white kurta, blue jacket, and a traditional multicoloured safa. As soon as the National Flag was hoisted by the Prime Minister, flower petals were showered at the venue by two Advanced Light Helicopters Dhruv of the Indian Air Force in the Line Astern Formation. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday in his Independence Day address said that 140 crore Indians are concerned about the safety of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh adding that India will continue to "wish well" for the neighbouring country in its 'Vikas Yatra' as it thinks about the welfare of humankind. Addressing the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort on the 78th Independence Day, PM Modi said that he hoped that the situation "gets back to normal at the earliest" after violent student-led protests against the Bangladesh government led to Shiekh Hasina tendering her resignation. "As a neighbouring country, I can understand the concern regarding whatever has happened in Bangladesh. I hope that the situation there gets normal at the earliest," PM Modi said. "The concerns of 140 crore countrymen to ensure the safety of Hindus and minorities there - India always wants our neighbouring countries to walk the path of prosperity and peace," the Prime Minister said. Further, PM Modi reiterated India's commitment to peace and prosperity in the neighbouring countries, wishing well for Bangladesh's progress and humanity's welfare. "We are committed to peace...In the days to come, we will continue to wish well for Bangladesh in its 'Vikas Yatra' because we think about the welfare of humankind," PM Modi said. Sheikh Hasina left Bangladesh for New Delhi on August 5 after stepping down as Prime Minister. An interim government in Bangladesh, led by Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus, 84, was sworn in as the head of the interim government on August 8. Meanwhile, today's speech marked the 11th consecutive Independence speech by Narendra Modi as Prime Minister of the country. The theme of this year's Independence Day is 'Viksit Bharat @ 2047'. The celebrations will serve as a platform to provide a renewed push to the government's efforts towards transforming the country into a developed nation by 2047. (ANI) French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday congratulated the people of India on their 78th Independence Day and expressed his eagerness to work with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to achieve the ambitious goals set for the strategic partnership between the two nations. https://x.com/emmanuelmacron/status/1823963777198366725?s=46 Macron shared a picture on X and wrote, "Congratulations to the Indian people on your 78th Independence Day!" "I remember your warm welcome during my visit to India in January and look forward to working with my friend @NarendraModi on achieving the ambitious goals we have set for our strategic partnership," he added. Many other nations also extended warm wishes to people of India on Independence Day. https://x.com/RobertMaxian/status/1823713786882351395 Slovak Ambassador to India, Robert Maxian, extended greetings and saluted the heroes who fought for India's freedom and wished for the country's continued prosperity and peace. The envoy shared a video on X and stated, "Happy #IndependenceDay ! On this special day, let's salute the heroes who fought for the freedom of India. May India continue to flourish and prosper in #peace and #harmony." https://x.com/tsheringtobgay/status/1823917322501021942?s=46&t=TbrKHKgG29uXA1CMFN38Pw Bhutan's Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay extended wishes to India on the occasion of Independence Day and expressed hope for the continued strengthening of the special friendship between both nations. "Wishing the government and people of India a very happy Independence Day! May the special friendship between grow ever stronger," Bhutan PM said on X. https://x.com/arzuranadeuba/status/1823917142657655286?s=48 Nepal Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba also took to social media handle X and extended warm greetings to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and to the people of India on Independence Day. She further expressed hope for continued strengthening of friendship and cooperation between both nations and wished peace, prosperity, and progress for the Indian people. "On the occasion of the 78th Independence Day of India, I wish to extend warm greetings and felicitations to His Excellency @DrSJaishankar and the friendly people of India," Deuba said on X. "May the ties of friendship and cooperation between Nepal and India continue to strengthen. Wishing peace, prosperity, and progress to the people of India," she added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the national flag on Thursday at the Red Fort in the national capital for the 11th consecutive time on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day. He was warmly welcomed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other dignitaries as he arrived earlier for the celebrations at the Red Fort. This year's celebration marks the 11th time PM Modi addressed the nation from the Red Fort on Independence Day, making him the third Prime Minister after Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi to achieve this milestone. The theme for this year's Independence Day is 'Viksit Bharat @ 2047,' aiming to drive the Government's efforts to transform India into a developed nation by 2047. (ANI) During the visit, EAM will meet Kuwait Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya and is also expected to call on the leadership of Kuwait. "EAM's visit will enable both sides to review various aspects of our bilateral relations including political, trade, investment, energy, security, cultural, consular and people-to-people contacts as well as exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest," the MEA said. Recently, Jaishankar visited Maldives from August 9 to 11, where he was received by Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer at the airport. The visit was aimed at strengthening the partnership between the two countries and exploring avenues to enhance the bilateral relationship further. Following his visit he inaugurated High Impact Community Development Projects and exchanged MoUs in Male with Maldives Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer. Jaishankar said that he held productive discussions with Zameer. Maldives Foreign Affairs Minister hailed the meeting as a milestone of India's commitment to community empowerment in Maldives. He also met with Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu on August 10 and emphasised New Delhi's commitment to deepening India-Maldives ties for the benefit of the people in both countries and the region. "Privileged to call on President Dr Mohamed Muizzu. Conveyed greetings of PM @NarendraModi. Committed to deepen India-Maldives ties for the benefit of our people and the region," Jaishankar said in a post on X. This meeting is part of Jaishankar's three-day official visit to the Maldives, which marks the first high-level trip from India after President Muizzu assumed office last year. (ANI) The Uyghurs commemorated the 100th anniversary of the martyrdom of Abdulqadir Abdulwaris, commonly known as Abdulqadir Damolla, a revered leader of the East Turkistan National Movement, who was executed by Chinese forces. Born in 1862, Abdulqadir Damolla was a visionary scholar and reformer who played a pivotal role in the enlightenment and liberation of the Uyghur people. The East Turkistan Government in Exile posted on X, "Abdul Qadir Damolla, born in 1862, was a visionary scholar and reformer who dedicated his life to the enlightenment and liberation of our people. His tireless efforts to modernize education and combat ignorance were foundational to our struggle for national independence. "On August 14, 1924, he was brutally assassinated by treacherous lackeys serving the invaders, in a cowardly attempt to crush our fight for national independence. Yet, his legacy endures, fuelling our unwavering determination to achieve the national independence that he so passionately envisioned," the post added. Abdul Qadir Damolla was a pioneer in modern Uyghur education and culture due to his multifaceted social activities. He also holds an important place in Uyghur literary history. His Arabic poems, including "Jaghir al-Iygan" and "Kulliyat Mukhammas," are among his most famous works. Other notable poems include "Munzat ul-Fawakih." He emerged as a leading figure and practical guide for initiatives aimed at achieving freedom from oppression, prosperity, scientific enlightenment, and freedom of expression. In honour of his memory, the East Turkistan Government in Exile reaffirmed its steadfast commitment to restoring a free and sovereign East Turkistan, a vision that Abdulqadir Damolla devoted his life to achieving. https://x.com/ETNational/status/1823799506833457519 Many prominent leaders, such as Haji Nurmemet (also known as Haji Niyaz), were executed in 1933 after leading a rebellion against the Chinese government. Pakit Yusup, another key leader in the East Turkistan movement, was reportedly executed by the Chinese government. Historically, East Turkistan was an independent country before being invaded and annexed by China in 1949. Since then, it has been subjected to relentless colonisation, systemic oppression, and what many describe as cultural genocide. The abduction of over a million Uyghur children, forcibly removed from their families and placed in state-run facilities, is a calculated effort to dismantle Uyghur identity at its core. These children are being stripped of their language, culture, and faith and are being molded into instruments of the state's assimilationist agenda. ( ANI) The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu on Thursday marked the 78th anniversary of Independence amid a ceremony hoisting flags and cultural performances. The Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava hoisted the flag of India amid a ceremony. "Nepal and India have a special and unique relationship. This relation cannot be compared and does not exist in between other countries in the globe. The core of this relation lies in the cultural and religious relation in between the people of the two countries. We always have been continuing to make this relation deeper and stronger on the basis of this core that exists in between the people," Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava said while addressing the event. 'Today on this occasion I would also like to remember those Nepali heroes who played a role during India's independence movement," he added. Later the address to the nation by Indian President Draupadi Murmu was played during the ceremony which highlighted the progress in various fields in recent years and paid tribute to freedom fighters who laid their lives for the independence of India. During the celebration, Ambassador Naveen Shrivastava felicitated widows and next of kin of deceased Gorkha soldiers of the Indian Armed Forces by disbursing their dues worth Crores and a blanket to each family. The celebrations witnessed the rendition of patriotic songs and dances by teachers and students of Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre of the Embassy and Kendriya Vidyalaya School, Kathmandu. Earlier in the Day, Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli wished PM, Narendra Modi, on the occasion of India's Independence Day, "Warm congratulations to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji and the people of India on the 78th Independence Day. May this day strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between our nations. Looking forward to advancing Nepal-India relations." (ANI) "This act of environmental stewardship was echoed by Hon'ble Ain Bahadur Shahi Thakuri, Minister for Forests and Environment, Government of Nepal, who planted a Nili Gulmohar sapling at the Embassy premises," the Indian Embassy said in a statement. On 11 August 2024, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri also demonstrated his commitment to the campaign by planting another Nili Gulmohar sapling at the Embassy complex, the embassy added. Members of the Indian diaspora and India-Nepal Friendship associations also joined the effort by planting saplings to promote environmental protection and sustainability. "In alignment with the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' initiative, the Embassy of India in Nepal celebrated India's 78th Independence Day by planting 78 saplings at its premises. This event, which involved embassy officials, their families, and children, reflects our ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability and global well-being," the embassy added. The 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on World Environment Day in June this year. While launching the campaign, PM Modi urged individuals to plant trees in tribute to their mothers. This initiative has gained widespread support and participation, galvanising action and underscoring the collective responsibility for protecting our environment. (ANI) Internet speeds in Pakistan have slowed down significantly, causing concerns for businesses and individuals who rely on fast and reliable connectivity. The slowdown is reportedly linked to increased government monitoring of internet traffic, aimed at enhancing security and surveillance, reported Dawn. Many businesses are contemplating relocating to countries with more stable internet services, threatening Pakistan's reputation as a digital entrepreneurship hub and economic stability. Industry leaders warn that the current conditions are damaging the country's ability to compete globally. The Wireless and Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan (WISPAP) issued a statement noting that the government's move to boost security and surveillance has unintentionally caused serious damage to the country's digital economy. "Over the past few weeks, internet speeds have plummeted by 30 to 40 per cent, creating a chaotic situation for businesses and individuals who rely heavily on fast, reliable connectivity." The association noted that the effects have been especially severe for call centers, e-commerce professionals, remote workers, and individuals running electronic-related businesses. "These sectors, which form the backbone of Pakistan's burgeoning digital economy, are now struggling to maintain operations, and the slowdown is threatening their very survival," the statement read. It also mentioned that the situation had become so critical that many businesses are contemplating moving their operations to other countries with more stable internet services, reported Dawn News. WISPAP Chairman Shahzad Arshad expressed frustration, stating, "It's a very discouraging situation for our customers. Many are leaving the smaller ISPs because they cannot sustain the poor service quality anymore. If this continues, we will see a mass exodus of businesses from Pakistan." The heightened surveillance and subsequent inability to use VPNs are exacerbating the problem, particularly for international businesses and freelancers who need secure and consistent internet access for their work. A prominent e-commerce entrepreneur in Karachi remarked, "We are seeing businesses planning to shift their operations abroad because the internet is simply no longer reliable. Without fast and secure internet, we cannot compete on a global scale, and this is pushing us towards the brink." Meanwhile, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has denied that a government-installed firewall is responsible for the disruptions, despite user speculation. However, the future of Pakistan's digital landscape remains uncertain, with both businesses and consumers suffering due to the slowdown. The Karachi e-commerce entrepreneur noted that anxiety is escalating within the business community as the government's measures show no signs of easing. "As the country faces these difficulties, the future of Pakistan's digital landscape is uncertain, with both businesses and consumers suffering due to the slowdown," he lamented. "While the government remained steadfast in its commitment to enhancing security, the question remained at what cost to the nation's digital economy? As businesses continue to suffer, there is an urgent need for a solution that balances security concerns with the need for robust and reliable internet access," he stated, regarding the kind of firewall required. Major online platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp have been severely impacted, with users experiencing slowdowns and difficulties accessing messaging and social media apps, Dawn reported. Some users have speculated that these disruptions may be due to a government-installed firewall intended to monitor and control user activity. (ANI) Kuwait Amir Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah sent a congratulatory cable to President Murmu expressing his good wishes for India and further progress and prosperity for the countrymen, Kuwait News Agency reported. Kuwait Crown Prince Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah also extended greetings to President Murmu and wished for her long-lasting health. Kuwait Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah also extended his wishes. Meanwhile, celebrations were held at the Indian Embassy in Kuwait on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day, with a large participation from the Indian community. Indian Ambassador to Kuwait, Adarsh Swaika, unfurled the tricolour and read out President Droupadi Murmu's address to the nations. "Glimpses of the 78th Independence Day celebrations at Embassy of India in Kuwait. Ambassador unfurled the tricolour and read out Hon'ble Rashtrapatiji's address to the nation. A cross section of vibrant Indian community participated in large numbers," the Indian envoy posted on X. https://x.com/indembkwt/status/1823989678598389889 Notably, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will be paying an official visit to Kuwait on August 18. During the visit, EAM will meet Kuwait Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya and is also expected to call on the leadership of Kuwait. "EAM's visit will enable both sides to review various aspects of our bilateral relations including political, trade, investment, energy, security, cultural, consular and people-to-people contacts as well as exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement on Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the national flag on Thursday at the Red Fort in the national capital for the 11th consecutive time on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day. The theme for this year's Independence Day is 'Viksit Bharat @ 2047,' aiming to drive the government's efforts to transform India into a developed nation by 2047. (ANI) The East Turkistan Government in Exile has issued a powerful call for global intervention against the ongoing human rights abuses against the Uyghur community in China's Xinjiang. The exiled government, representing the interests of the Uyghur, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, and other Turkic peoples in East Turkistan, has denounced what it describes as a "systematic campaign of genocide and colonization" by the Chinese government. In a statement posted on social media platform X, the East Turkistan Government in Exile highlighted a report from the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), dated August 31, 2022. The report detailed severe human rights violations perpetrated by China, including forced labour, mass internment, forced sterilizations, forced family separations, and other atrocities. The exiled government emphasized that these crimes are not isolated incidents but are part of a broader campaign aimed at eradicating the identity and existence of Turkic peoples in the region. They argued that China's policies are driven by deep-seated racial and religious discrimination, and they criticize the international community, particularly the United Nations, for failing to take decisive action. The statement calls on the UN Human Rights Chief, Volker Turk, and UN member states to prioritize the 'Uyghur Genocide' on the agendas of the UN Security Council and General Assembly. It also urges support for legal efforts to hold Chinese officials accountable through the International Criminal Court (ICC). "We, the East Turkistan Government in Exile, demand that @UNHumanRights Chief @Volker_Turk take immediate and uncompromising action to address this escalating humanitarian crisis. We call on UN Member States to elevate the #UyghurGenocide to the top of the UN Security Council and General Assembly agendas," the East Turkistan Government in Exile said in a post on X. "Furthermore, we urge the global community to support East Turkistan's legal efforts to obtain justice and accountability by demanding that the International Criminal Court (@IntlCrimCourt) initiate investigations and prosecutions against Chinese officials responsible for these heinous crimes," it added. The East Turkistan Government in Exile further argued that the restoration of East Turkistan's independence is not only a regional issue but a global imperative. It also drew parallels with the recognition of Palestinian statehood and asserted that the people of East Turkistan, who declared independence twice in the 20th century before being forcibly overthrown by the People's Republic of China, deserve similar recognition and support. The statement concluded with a call for immediate and collective action from governments, organizations, and individuals worldwide to stand in solidarity with the East Turkistan people in their struggle for justice and freedom. "The world must no longer stand by in silence. The time for decisive and collective action is now. We call on every government, organization, and individual to stand with us in our struggle for justice, freedom, and the preservation of our people", the statement read. (ANI) Two shipments of chilli powder, amounting to 1,000 kilogrammes, imported by a Taiwan-based restaurant group from China were intercepted at Taiwan's border due to pesticide residue, the Central News Agency (CNA) reported, quoting the Food and Drug Administration (TFDA). "The shipments imported by Tofu Restaurant Co. were found to contain chlormequat - a pesticide used as a plant growth regulator - at concentrations between 0.22 and 0.28 parts per million (ppm), exceeding the nondetectable limit," TFDA Deputy Director-General Lin Chin-fu said, as reported by CNA. According to TFDA, the seized chilli powder was of the same brand, 'Dkore Coarse Chilli Pepper Powder' and was imported from a Chinese firm, Gansu Yasheng International Trade Co., Ltd., CNA reported. Besides, 12 other items were also seized at the border for failing tests. This included a shipment of chicken spices imported from Singapore by New Taipei-based Kanaya Foods Co., as it contained a high level of pesticide residue, as reported by CNA. As it was the first time the company has violated the regulations in the past six months, shipments of products imported by Kanaya Foods will be subject to random inspections at the border at an increased rate of 20 to 50 percent from the original 2 to 10 percent, Lin added, as reported by CNA. According to the TFDA, all 14 shipments were either returned to their countries of origin or destroyed. "After the presence of Sudan dyes--red synthetic chemical dyes banned in Taiwan for use in foodstuffs--in imported chilli powder triggered health concerns in Taiwan in January, the dyes continued to be detected in chilli powder imported from China and India," Lin said, as reported by CNA. He added that this prompted the TFDA to conduct shipment-by-shipment surveillance inspections of spices and seasonings from those two countries, while the inspection rate of similar items from other countries will return to normal random inspections. If chilli powder products are found to contain carcinogenic Sudan dyes at the border, they will be destroyed. Those found to contain excessive pesticide residue will either be returned to their country of origin or destroyed, Lin said. (ANI) As India celebrated its 78th Independence Day on Thursday, the US Embassy in India extended its greetings in a unique manner with several envoys wishing India in all 22 scheduled Indian languages. The languages the US envoys wished India were Hindi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Punjabi, Kashmiri, Dogri, Gujarati, Marathi, Konkani, Maithili, Assamese, Meitei, Bodo, Nepali, Santhali, Kannada, Bengali, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Odia, and Urdu. "Did you know the Indian Constitution defines 22 scheduled languages? All of us at Embassy New Delhi and the consulates in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai couldn't decide which language to use to express our excitement about Indian Independence Day, so we just used them all! From every corner of the United States to every corner of India...Happy Independence Day!" the US Embassy stated in a post on X. https://x.com/USAndIndia/status/1823894723490087397 Iran also wished India on the occasion of 78th Independence Day and affirmed that it is the mutual agenda of the two nations to bolster all-round relations. "The Islamic Republic of Iran extends its sincere congratulations to the friendly nation and government of the Republic of #India on their Independence Day. Strengthening all-round relations is on the mutual agenda of the two nations," Iran's Foreign Ministry stated on X. https://x.com/IRIMFA_EN/status/1823990297547710716 Earlier in the day, a flag-hoisting ceremony was held at the Indian Embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma unfurled the national flag and read out President Droupadi Murmu's address to the nation. "Flag hoisting ceremony held at @ihcdhaka to celebrate the 78th Independence Day of India. High Commissioner Pranay Verma unfurled the national flag and read out President of India's address to nation," the Indian High Commission stated. https://x.com/ihcdhaka/status/1823977057778590083 The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu on Thursday marked the 78th anniversary of Independence amid a ceremony hoisting flags and cultural performances. The Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava hoisted the flag of India amid a ceremony. Earlier in the day, French President Emmanuel Macron also congratulated the people of India on their 78th Independence Day and expressed his eagerness to work with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to achieve the ambitious goals set for the strategic partnership between the two nations. Macron shared a picture on X and wrote, "Congratulations to the Indian people on your 78th Independence Day!" "I remember your warm welcome during my visit to India in January and look forward to working with my friend @NarendraModi on achieving the ambitious goals we have set for our strategic partnership," he added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the national flag on Thursday at the Red Fort in the national capital for the 11th consecutive time on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day. The theme for this year's Independence Day is 'Viksit Bharat @ 2047,' aiming to drive the government's efforts to transform India into a developed nation by 2047. (ANI) A Chinese man arrested by Taiwan's Coast Guard in June for operating a speedboat near the Tamsui River's mouth in New Taipei has been charged with illegal entry into Taiwan, according to the Shilin District Prosecutors Office on Wednesday, reported Focus Taiwan. The man is alleged to have breached both the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area and the Immigration Act by entering Taiwan without proper authorization, the prosecutors stated. The man is currently held at a detention centre operated by the National Immigration Agency's New Taipei specialised operation brigade and was transferred to Shilin District Court for a trial on Wednesday morning. The Chinese national, who claimed he was unable to leave China due to online speech issues, purchased a speedboat for 36,000 Chinese yuan (approximately USD 5,036) at Sandu'ao port in Ningde, Fujian Province, on June 8. He departed from the port around 10 p.m. on the same day and arrived at Tamsui ferry pier in northern Taiwan around 9 a.m. the next morning, Focus Taiwan reported. Taiwan's Coast Guard began tracking the vessel after receiving reports that it had collided with a local passenger boat near Fisherman's Wharf, as stated by the prosecutors. Upon reaching the shore, the man indicated that he had come to surrender himself after travelling from China. He expressed a desire to escape China and claimed he sought democracy, but was detained by the Coast Guard, who also confiscated his boat and GPS device. According to the prosecutors, the man took the risk of coming to Taiwan seeking asylum due to restrictions on his leaving the country due to certain problematic remarks made before the escape. After the Coast Guard transferred him to prosecutors, they requested detention from the district court, which was approved, leading to his confinement at a National Immigration Agency detention centre. Initially, there were concerns about potential national security threats due to the man's background as a Chinese Communist Party member and the extra fuel in his boat. However, the investigation revealed no evidence of military or national security activities, and no suspicious communication with Taiwanese individuals was found on his phone. He also had only a small amount of foreign currency, including Japanese yen and Singapore dollars. Prosecutors did not suggest a specific sentence, but under the Immigration Act, illegal entrants to Taiwan face up to five years in prison and/or a fine of up to NTS 500,000 (approximately USD 15,498). (ANI) The Baloch National Movement (BNM) held a meeting in Awaran, Pakistan, on August 11, 2024, to commemorate Balochistan's independence from British rule. Hasan Dost Baloch, Junior Joint Secretary of BNM, highlighted the sacrifices made by the Baloch people during the British era, which continue to inspire their current struggle against Pakistan. Addressing a meeting of the BNM's Awaran-Mashkai zone, he highlighted that the sacrifices of the Baloch people from that era continue to inspire the current struggle against Pakistan, as per a statement released by BNM on Thursday. "Balochistan's independence from Britain on August 11 was achieved through immense sacrifices. These sacrifices continue to inspire our struggle against Pakistan," Baloch stated during the meeting held on August 11, 2024. Other BNM members who attended the meeting included Central Committee Member Chief Aslam Baloch, Zone President Mehran, and Vice President Talar Naz. The meeting was coordinated by the Deputy Secretary of the Zone, Sagaar. They pointed out that following the end of British rule and Balochistan's declaration of independence on August 11, Britain aimed to safeguard its regional interests by partitioning India. This partition resulted in the formation of Pakistan, which then forcibly occupied Balochistan. Since Pakistan's occupation on March 27, 1948, resistance from the Baloch has continued. BNM members reaffirmed their commitment to defending their homeland and fulfilling their dreams. They noted that the Pakistani state is actively working to undermine their pursuit of freedom. "On this day, we reaffirm our commitment to making any sacrifice necessary to defend our homeland," said BNM leaders. They asserted that advancing this struggle is the responsibility of all, and they must diligently adhere to it. "We must remain vigilant, as the state is actively working to undermine our pursuit of freedom," said Baloch leaders. Additionally, they also noted the extensive list of Balochs who gave their lives for Balochistan's freedom and to advance the party's policies. "As ideological partners of these martyrs, we have to fulfil their dreams and aspirations," they added. Earlier, Faheem Baloch, leader of the UK chapter of BNM, previously highlighted the atrocities inflicted by Pakistani forces in Balochistan, including opening fire on peaceful protesters and killing and abducting many. Despite these challenges, the Baloch people continue their struggle for independence. Faheem stated, "Baloch Yakjehti Committee, a political movement, gave a call for the Baloch National Gathering in Gwadar on July 28 and thousands of people around Balochistan started moving towards Gawadar city and Pakistani state establishments tried their best to stop them and in different areas. They opened fire on them and killed many people but still, the people of Balochistan resisted without fear of their firing, without fear of killings." (ANI) PAANK, the human rights wing of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), in the July edition of its monthly report, highlighted the atrocities of Pakistani defence forces in Balochistan province. The report claimed that Balochistan during August witnessed 35 enforced disappearances, three extrajudicial killings and 13 incidents of extrajudicial torture. The investigative report examines critical human rights issues plaguing the region of Balochistan, focusing on enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and horrifying road accidents. According to the PAANK report, the trend of enforced disappearances has become a persistent and alarming issue, with families often left without information about the whereabouts or condition of their loved ones. "The situation in Balochistan has been marked by widespread atrocities carried out by the Pakistani military and associated armed institutions. These include not only enforced disappearances but also acts of torture, the destruction of property, and looting. A particularly disturbing aspect of this violence involves the abduction of young men, who are then subjected to brutal torture in detention centres and often killed, with their bodies discarded in public spaces to serve as warnings," the report stated. The report highlighted that despite growing protests against these human rights abuses, the military's response has been increasingly brutal. It highlighted how in Gwadar, violent crackdowns on unarmed protesters resulted in three deaths and over a hundred injuries. The Pakistani authorities also imposed communication blackouts, shutting down internet and mobile networks in key areas such as Gwadar, exacerbating the isolation and vulnerability of the local population, the report claimed. While referring to the July 28 protest organised by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), the PAANK report mentioned that, in the Mastung district, 14 protesters were injured, with one participant, Abdul Muteeb Baloch, sustaining a critical head injury. In Turbat, 25 protesters were injured by direct fire from security forces, resulting in the death of Asghar Baloch. The situation escalated further in Gwadar, where the Frontier Corps (FC), CTD police, and intelligence agencies used live ammunition, tear gas, and batons against the protesters, leading to the death of a young man and injuries to several others. The highest incidents of enforced disappearances were witnessed by Quetta, Kech, Awaran and Khuzdar, these districts witnessed 10, eight, seven and six incidents of enforced disappearances respectively. (ANI) Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday extended greetings to India on its 78th Independence Day stating that Moscow attaches great importance to the relations of a particularly privileged strategic partnership with New Delhi and intends to further develop ties. "We attach great importance to the relations of a particularly privileged strategic partnership with India. I am confident that the consistent implementation of the agreements reached following our recent talks in Moscow will contribute to the further development of multifaceted Russian-Indian cooperation. This undoubtedly meets the interests of our friendly peoples and is in line with strengthening international stability and security." Putin said in a statement addressed to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to the Russian president, this undoubtedly meets the interests of the friendly peoples of the two countries and is in line with the consolidation of security and international stability. "Over 77 years of independent development, your country has achieved generally recognized success in the socio-economic, scientific-technical and many other spheres, and has earned high authority on the world stage," Putin said. He wished President Murmu and Prime Minister Modi good health and success, and citizens of India happiness and prosperity. Prime Minister Modi was on an official visit to Moscow in July this year during which he co-chaired the 22nd India-Russia annual summit with Putin and interacted with Indian community in Moscow. Ahead of his departure, PM Modi in a statement said that the special and privileged strategic partnership between the two countries has advanced over the past ten years, including in the areas of energy, security, trade, investment, health, education, culture, tourism and people-to-people exchanges. During the visit, Putin conferred Russia's highest national award "The Order of St. Andrew the Apostle" on Prime Minister Modi for his contribution to fostering India-Russia ties. The award was announced in 2019. While accepting the award, Prime Minister dedicated it to the people of India and to the traditional bonds of friendship between India and Russia. He further stated that the recognition illuminates the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between the two countries. (ANI) Hamad Azhar, the President of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Punjab chapter, and a former member of the National Assembly announced his resignation on Thursday, ARY News reported. Azhar, citing his dissatisfaction with the lack of access he had to the party founder, Imran Khan announced his resignation on social media platform X, adding that the Punjab province lacks participation in organisational decisions. He disclosed that his developing dissatisfaction stemmed from the fact that many of these decisions were influenced more by lobbying than by merit. Azhar stressed that he hadn't held a press conference or struck any agreements for his departure in spite of these obstacles, according to ARY News. He also spoke about the limitations on his mobility, saying that he is not "allowed" to meet the PTI founder while incarcerated in Adiala. He further clarified that while he has resigned from the Presidency, he will continue to remain committed to PTI as an activist, continuing his support for the party's cause. The political landscape in Pakistan has seen various ups and downs in recent times as the country's two major parties, PTI, and PML-N, continue to remain involved in a perennial battle of power. Imran Khan's party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, alone has witnessed the exit of several party members, and the founder, former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan blames Shehbaz Sharif-led coalition government for it, for his ouster, till date, and thereby the political instability in the nation. The arrest of former Director General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Lt-Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed has come as another blow to Tehreek-e-Insaf, landing the party in yet another controversy. However, Imran Khan, has labelled the arrest of Lt-Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed, as an internal military issue, distancing his party from the controversy, as reported by The Express Tribune. While speaking to the media after a meeting with senior lawyers at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi on Tuesday this week, Imran Khan's legal representative, Intezar Panjutha, said that the PTI chief had called for peaceful protests that night for the sake of freedom, emphasizing the importance of demonstrations for the country. Regarding ISI DG Faiz's arrest, Panjutha quoted the PTI chief as saying that it was purely a military matter with no connection to the party. He further clarified that there had been no political connection between Khan and Gen Faiz, alleging that former army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa had replaced Gen Faiz following a deal with Nawaz Sharif, The Express Tribune reported. Khan also suggested that if there was a connection between Faiz's arrest and the events of May 9, it would be an appropriate time to set up a judicial commission and bring the CCTV footage from that day to light, Panjutha pointed out, as reported by The Express Tribune. Lt-Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed was detained by the military, and court-martial proceedings were initiated against him on charges of corruption, misuse of authority, and violating the Pakistan Army Act, as announced by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Monday. Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed was known to be a close associate of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. He was appointed as the head of ISI during Khan's tenure. The ISI chief is considered the second most powerful military officer in Pakistan after the head of the army. (ANI) As India celebrated its 78th Independence Day on Thursday, August 15, the Indian diaspora too dived into celebrations at the Indian embassy in the US. At the Independence Day celebrations, India's Ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, hoisted the tricolour at India House in Washington, DC. Members of the Indian diaspora and friends of India participated in the ceremony as well. https://x.com/IndianEmbassyUS/status/1824112071945949385 While speaking to ANI on the occasion, one of the diaspora members, Alexendra Das, said, "I was born and raised in India. I've been in the US for the last 11 years, so for me, Independence Day growing up was always a big thing. It was not just a day off, but in school and college we always have the flag hoisting. So this at the ambassador residence is something I can totally relate to--something I missed being in the US so truly grateful to have the opportunity to be here." "It's also very nice to see non-Indians be a part of this as well and celebrate with us still gives me a lot of pride when I sing the National anthem and performing here was a whole different experience altogether," she said. Another diaspora member, Lakshmi Swaminathan, the director of a dance school in US said, "I grew up in India and did my dance training in India, so on Indian Independence Day, just seeing the tricolour being hoisted still gives me goosebumps." "I have lived in this country for 31 years now and I'm proud to say I consider myself to be a cultural ambassador because the work I do here brings India's culture and heritage through teaching Bharatanatyam to my students, some of whom have been born in India, but most of them are indian Americans who have born in this country," she told ANI. "It gives me immense pride and pleasure to bring India to them here in America and make them proud of their cultural heritage and teach them how great India is and its history, its culture and everything about India," Swaminathan said. Meanwhile, the Indian Ambassador to the US, Vinay Kwatra, also made an address to the diaspora and other guests on the occasion of India's 78th Independence Day at the India House. He said, "I wish all the Indians a very happy Independence Day...India is growing very fast....The country has become the 5th largest economy in the world..." India is celebrated its 78th Independence Day today, marking 77 years of freedom from British colonial rule on August 15, 1947. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the national flag on Thursday at the Red Fort in the national capital for the 11th consecutive time on the occasion. The theme for this year's Independence Day is 'Viksit Bharat @ 2047,' aiming to drive the government's efforts to transform India into a developed nation by 2047. Leaders from across the globe wished India on the occasion and stressed building even stronger ties with New Delhi in the coming years. French President Emmanuel Macron was one of the first leaders to wish on the occasion and expressed his eagerness to work with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to achieve the ambitious goals set for the strategic partnership between the two nations. Macron shared a picture on X and wrote, "Congratulations to the Indian people on your 78th Independence Day!" Russian President Vladimir Putin extended greetings to India stating that Moscow attaches great importance to the relations of a particularly privileged strategic partnership with New Delhi and intends to further develop ties. "Over 77 years of independent development, your country has achieved generally recognised success in the socio-economic, scientific-technical and many other spheres, and has earned high authority on the world stage," Putin said in a statement addressed to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni extended her greetings to all Indians on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day and affirmed that India-Italy strategic partnership is an important pillar for the future. Meloni further said that New Delhi and Rome share an ever-stronger bond, and said she is confident that together the two nations will achieve "great things." Prime Minister Modi thanked PM Meloni for her wishes and expressed hope that the India-Italy friendship keeps growing and contributing towards a "better planet." (ANI) Attorneys for the family of Sonya Massey want a national database for police officers to prevent "ticking time bombs" like former Sangamon County Sheriff's deputy Sean Grayson, charged in the July 6 fatal shooting of Sonya Massey. Grayson's hiring by the sheriff's department, particularly because of some of his record with the Logan County Sheriff's Office prior to coming to Springfield, and his two DUIs before he became an officer have continued to raise questions. Massey family members applauded the retirement of Sheriff Jack Campbell, who is leaving office by Aug. 31. While calling Illinois' SAFE-T Act "one of the most comprehensive police reform bills" passed, Antonio Romanucci, an attorney who has worked with the Massey family's attorney, Ben Crump, said the act "needs a little bit of help." Civil rights attorney Ben Crump speaks at a news conference at the Springfield NAACP building on Aug. 14, 2024. Romanucci said a more comprehensive national database would include infractions such as DUIs, driving excessive speeds during a police chase and incidents of excessive force or unnecessary profane language on a citizen. It also would create a waiting period, "some quiet time," Romanucci said, in between officers going from job to job, in order for "a thorough and comprehensive background check (to be) completed." Romanucci said the act failed to stop Grayson "until he literally exploded and caused a needless life to be lost in Sonya Massey." "There has to be mandatory reporting," Romanucci added. "Illinois has been a great leader. We just need to caulk the SAFE-T Act." Grayson, 30, worked for six different agencies, including several on a part-time basis, in four years. Raymond Massey said his niece, Sonya Massey, was "failed by multiple systems and multiple people. By the sheriff stepping down, I think it's a great first step." "We have to catch the warning signs," Crump said, "before they become homicides. That's why we have to have accountability at the department level. "The blood is the hands of the system as well as Sean Grayson." Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788; sspearie@sj-r.com; X, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie. This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Massey family applaud sheriff's retirement; attorneys call for national database California Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday called for the state to commemorate the Mexican Repatriation of the 1930s, a 15-year period when nearly two million people of Mexican descent were deported to Mexico. Senate Majority Leader Lena Gonzalez, D-Long Beach, and Sen. Josh Becker, D-Menlo Park, introduced Senate Bill 537 to address injustices committed against Mexicans and Mexican Americans during the Great Depression. People dont know that the Repatriation ripped families apart. They do not know about the generational trauma that was caused by it, Becker said. We need to memorialize it in a much bigger way. The two legislators held a press conference Wednesday to promote the legislation, which would require a statue or memorial to be built in California that recognizes this historic period of forced deportations. If the bill passes, a nonprofit organization representing Mexican Americans or Mexican immigrants would be in charge of planning, building and maintaining a memorial in the city or county of Los Angeles for those forcibly removed from the U.S. during the Mexican Repatriation. Los Angeles was the epicenter of the movement where many raids and round ups took place. The history of the Mexican Repatriation In 1929, President Herbert Hoover issued an executive order calling for the forcible removal of Mexicans and Mexican Americans to save job opportunities for other Americans during the Great Depression. The racist policy, which was labeled the Mexican Repatriation Program, lasted from 1921 to 1944. During that time, about two million people were forcibly removed, with an estimated 400,000 people of Mexican descent deported from California alone. The program violated the constitutional rights and civil liberties of many Mexican Americans who were U.S. citizens or legal residents. Sen. Gonzalez, who serves as Vice Chair of the Latino California Legislative Caucus, said she felt personally connected to these victims. So many Mexicans and Mexican Americans deported, Gonzalez said. I thought to myself, you know, my mother was a Mexican immigrant, Im a U. S. citizen, I would have been deported too under this type of program. Throughout the 1930s, there were major raids, acts of violence and threats committed against Mexican American communities across the county, according to research by former Sen. Joseph Dunn, D-Santa Ana. In 1931, one of the largest raids occurred in Los Angeles when more than 400 people at La Placita Park were rounded up and deported to Mexico. People of Mexican descent were deported from the U.S. to Mexico by train, buses, ships and planes. While most were forcibly removed from the country, there were thousands of others who chose to leave out of fear of escalating violence. Correcting racial wrongs in California SB 537 is not the first time California lawmakers have pushed for greater acknowledgment of the harms inflicted by the Mexican Repatriation program. In 2005, the state Legislature passed the Apology Act of the 1930s Mexican Repatriation Program, which led to the creation of a commemorative plaque in La Placita Park in Los Angeles in 2012. California remains the only state that has formally apologized for the Repatriation program. The state also previously passed a law in 2015 that encouraged public schools to include these unconstitutional deportations to Mexico within history and social science curriculum. Gonzalez said more legislative action was needed to guarantee this dark period would not be forgotten. We can continue ensuring that every single child in California can learn about this history, commemorate, and that we can still create a better future generation that understands the history, acknowledges it, and tries to not repeat it, Gonzalez said of the bill. This legislative session, lawmakers have also called for a series of reparations-related bills for Black Californians harmed by racism and slavery. The budget agreement announced in June included $12 million to help implement legislation. The money would help support proposals endorsed by the Legislative Black caucus, including having the state apologize for inflicting harm on Black Californians and allowing slavery to occur in the state. The current bills do not include setting aside cash payments for descendants of enslaved people. Hunters search for pythons as the snakes keep slithering north in Florida As Florida embarks on a mass hunt to catch as many pythons as possible in South Florida, the invasive snakes continue to slither every now and then through Brevard, and have been for years. According to the University of Georgia's Center For Invasive Species, there have been 25 documented sightings of invasive pythons in Brevard County, including a few this summer. Pythons swallow any critters in their path that look like lunch. They spread deadly parasitic diseases to our native snakes. But biologists aren't sure about the snake's long-term ecological toll or the best ways to control them. In the meantime, they're trying to catch as many as the public can. Python Challenge continues through Sunday Python around 12 feet long killed in southwest Brevard County in October 2023. Provided by Jay Strickland More: How far north will pythons go? As Florida Python challenge begins, people want to know: How far north will snakes go? The 2024 Florida Python Challenge kicked off Aug. 9, with this years event running until 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 18, with competitors searching the Everglades to find and remove invasive Burmese pythons. Hundreds of people have registered for a chance to win up to $10,000 in prizes. But the intent of the event is to protect Floridas native wildlife and unique Everglades ecosystem. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the South Florida Water Management District and the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida host the annual competition to increase awareness about invasive species in the state and the threats they pose to Floridas ecology. The annual competition also offers the public an opportunity to get directly involved in Everglades conservation through invasive species removal. The University of Florida has been using radio telemetry to spy on the serpent when it's looking for love in all the wrong places, especially in the Everglades. Not all pythons go gently. Earlier this year, Python Huntress Amy Siewe encountered a couple of snakes that put up a fight. Floridas incredible natural resources are like nowhere else in the world," FWC Executive Director Roger Young said in a press release. "Governor Ron DeSantis support has been critical in our efforts to remove and manage harmful, invasive species such as Burmese pythons. The python challenge, Young added, "has become a catalyst for people to learn more about the threats of invasive species in the state and how they can help protect our native wildlife and unique ecosystems. Removing invasive pythons from across the Greater Everglades Ecosystem is critical, and we must do everything we can to combat this invasive species, South Florida Water Management District Governing Board Member Alligator Ron Bergeron said in the release. Want to compete but not yet registered? People can still take the required online training and register up until the last day of the competition at FLPythonChallenge.org. There is a $25 registration fee and participants must pass the required online training to complete their registration for this years event. How much is the prize money? This year, a total of $25,000 in cash prizes is available. Participants can win the $10,000 Ultimate Grand Prize for the removal of the most pythons during the competition. They also can win other cash prizes for most and longest pythons removed in three different categories, including novice, professional and military categories. Prizes will be awarded at a later date after the competition courtesy of our sponsors and the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida. Where can I learn more about the yearly python challenge? The Florida Python Challenge is a 10-day competition created by FWC to encourage people to remove pythons from several commission-managed lands in South Florida. Visit FLPythonChallenge.org to register for the competition, take the online training, learn more about Burmese pythons and the unique Everglades ecosystem, as well as find resources for planning your trip to south Florida to compete in the 2024 Florida Python Challenge. About Invasive Burmese pythons The Burmese python is a large, nonvenomous constrictor snake that is an invasive species in Florida. Burmese pythons were introduced to Florida in the 1980s from the pet trade and are now well established in the Everglades, where the snake represents a threat to the ecosystem. Burmese are found primarily in and around the Everglades ecosystem in south Florida where they prey on birds, mammals and other reptiles. A female Burmese python can lay 50 to 100 eggs at a time. More than 21,000 Burmese pythons have been removed from the state since 2000, FWC says. Where can I learn more about Burmese pythons? Visit MyFWC.com/Python. Where do I call if a see an invasive python? Burmese python observations can be reported to FWCs Exotic Species Hotline at 888-Ive-Got1 (483-4681). Pythons must be humanely killed onsite at the time of capture. Live transport of pythons is not allowed. Florida's least wanted:10 invasive animal species that are wrecking native ecosystems Python hunt:Caught! Record-breaking 18-foot Burmese python pulled from Collier County wilderness What are 'Jesus lizards?'Get to know the brown basilisk that walks on water Contact Waymer at (321) 261-5903 or jwaymer@floridatoday.com. Follow him on X at @JWayEnviro. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Can hunting pythons stop their invasion in Florida? The mood in Lebanons restive capital has darkened in the two weeks since Israels July 30 attack in southern Beirut that killed Iran-backed Hezbollahs top commander Fuad Shukr and four civilians. The city woke up the next morning to find that another Iran-supported official, Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, had been killed in an assassination in the heart of the Iranian capital, Tehran. The chances of war, for months stowed away into the deeper crevices of this citys psyche, had grown manifold. Do you think I am sitting in Hezbollahs war room? said one exasperated political leader with ties to the powerful Beirut-based armed group. I have no idea whats going to happen next. You probably know more than I do. Other officials in contact with Iran and Hezbollah said they were similarly in the dark as to how Tehran and its allied non-state fighting groups might deliver the severe revenge its top military officials, and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, have promised. Israel said the attack in Beirut served as a response to a rocket strike that killed 12 children in the town of Majdal Shams, in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, which it blamed on Hezbollah. Hezbollah has vehemently denied the charge. In his televised addresses since then, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said a response to the attack in southern Beirut was inevitable, dismissing Western attempts to prevent a retaliatory strike as futile. But he was scant on the details. God willing, our response is coming, Nasrallah declared solemnly in one address. We may act alone, or we may act with the axis, he said, referring to the Iran-backed network of armed groups that span Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Lebanon. The alliance of fighting groups has been referred to by some Israeli commentators as a ring of fire around Israel no match for Israels military might but with a strategic depth that sends jitters through the country as it awaits Hezbollah and Irans anticipated attacks. The messaging from Iran and its powerful non-state partner seems cryptic by design. Nasrallah and his backers have touted the benefits of the psychological war in which Israelis brace for an attack, with little sense of when that might come and what form it might take. But there are also indications that Tehran is dragging its feet, held back by the prospect of triggering a wider war. One diplomat said he believed that Hezbollah and Iran had trapped themselves in their own vows of reprisals. Some have suggested that a possible ceasefire deal in Gaza may serve as an off-ramp, as the international community gears up for talks in Doha on Thursday. Iran has rejected the idea. Iranians attend the funeral procession of assassinated Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, Iran, August 1, 2024. - Majid Asgaripour/WANA/Reuters A region kept on high alert The consequences of any reprisal are difficult to foresee. Both Iran and Hezbollah are looking to thread an extremely narrow needle, where they produce enough impact to deter future attacks on the Lebanese and Iranian capitals but stop short of igniting an all-out war. This may prove impossible. There is a widespread view that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must keep a war going in order to keep his growing domestic problems at bay. Iran, its non-state actors, and even the international community, appear powerless to stop it. It is highly questionable whether there is any deterrence to be re-established, said Mohammad Ali Shabani, Iran analyst and editor of Amwaj.media, an online outlet covering the region. This is going to go on, and over time this is going to be very dangerous. It is possible that Iran and Hezbollah may have come to terms with this, recognizing that the open-endedness of their messaging around the anticipated response may be the strongest weapon at their disposal. Rockets fired from southern Lebanon are intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome air defense system in northern Israel, August 4, 2024. - Jalaa Marey/AFP/Getty Images On most nights over the last two weeks, Israeli and US officials sounded alarms about an imminent response. This has not yet come to pass. It draws a striking contrast with the last time the region was on the brink of an all-out war, when Iran responded in April to an Israeli attack on its consulate in Damascus with a massive swarm of airborne weapons that were largely shot down by Israel and its allies. In the days that led up to that attack, diplomats and officials close to Hezbollah to whom CNN spoke in Lebanon had a rough idea about what Irans retaliation would look like: a show of force calibrated to cause very limited damage. Their estimates about the timeframe were largely accurate. Iran at the time was telegraphing its next move through US allies in the region. Today, there is no evidence of that happening. Theres definitely an element of psychological warfare to this delay, said Shabani. But while youre keeping the Israelis guessing, youre also keeping the Lebanese and the Iranians on alert. Uncharacteristically, Nasrallah conceded in his last speech that the killing of Shukr and Haniyeh must be considered successes scored by Israel. That sense of failure is palpable in Lebanon and in Tehran, where political tensions are on the rise and the economy has taken a hit. A man walks past a building destroyed by the Israeli strike that killed Shukr in Daniyeh suburb, Beirut, August 9, 2024. - Chris McGrath/Getty Images In Tehran, the Haniyeh assassination happened a day after the inauguration of Irans first reformist president in decades, Masoud Pezeshkian. Western analysts said Pezeshkians election could remedy rifts with the West. But the attack that killed Haniyeh has put a damper on those hopes. In Beirut, the summer season is normally a boon for the struggling economy. Fireworks that lit up the night sky in the days leading up to Israels attack in southern Beirut have given way to sonic booms produced by Israeli jets breaking the sound barrier overhead, shaking windows and keeping frightened Lebanese families at home. I cannot think about what happens next, said the political leader with ties to Hezbollah who CNN spoke to. All I can do is make the appropriate preparations to help my community in case the worst happens. CNNs Ben Wedeman, Sarah El Sirgany, Crendon Greenway and Charbel Mallo contributed reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com The Maricopa County Attorney's Office announced a new campaign called "Report, Don't Repost," aimed at reducing teen violence. The campaign is meant to encourage people to call police when they see teen violence instead of filming it and sharing recordings on social media, which has become commonplace. In May, The Arizona Republic published an analysis of more than a dozen videos tied to "Gilbert Goons" assaults across the East Valley that were nearly all taken from social media. At a news conference on Wednesday, flanked by Valley police chiefs, County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said that in 2022, there were six first-degree murder cases where minors were prosecuted as adults. In 2023, there were 27, she said. Law enforcement agencies submitted 12 cases of juveniles suspected of aggravated assault in 2022 and 25 in 2023, she said. "The number of teenagers and juveniles referred for prosecution is going up, with the increase occurring primarily in violent crimes," Mitchell said. In Arizona, a person 15 or older must be prosecuted as an adult when they are charged with a violent felony or have a prior felony conviction. Aggravated assault is categorized as a violent felony. Other charges that require adult criminal prosecution include first- and second-degree murder, forcible sexual assault and armed robbery. The minors charged as adults this year in connection with the death of Preston Lord, a 16-year-old fatally beaten in Queen Creek in late October, were not included in the 2023 count of first-degree murder cases, according to the County Attorney's Office. A December investigation by The Arizona Republic first tied Lord's beating to the Goons, a gang of teens whose violence went unchecked by authorities even as attacks were recorded and circulated via social media. Law enforcement can get a lot more information from a report of violence than from a video shared online, Mitchell said. When a video shows up online or on social, all we know is what we can see," Mitchell said in a statement. "We may not have the names of the people in the video or know where the fight occurred. We also may not know what happened just before or after the video begins and ends. It makes it infinitely harder for police to investigate and for my lawyers to prosecute. Mitchell said her office would be posting videos about the campaign on social media platforms and directed teens and parents to a website with resources for reporting violent crimes, maricopacountyattorney.org/rdr. Lawyer raises doubts: Will Preston Lord murder trial begin next summer? Republic reporters Miguel Torres, Elena Santa Cruz and Robert Anglen contributed to this article. Reach the reporter at jjenkins@arizonarepublic.com. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix-area campaign discourages sharing videos of teen violence Russia moving troops from Kaliningrad to Kursk to repel Ukraine attack, official says Russia moving troops from Kaliningrad to Kursk to repel Ukraine attack, official says Russia has moved troops from the isolated European enclave Kaliningrad to the border region of Kursk to help defend against a Ukrainian incursion, according to Lithuania. We are now seeing how they are redeploying their troops from Kaliningrad to Kursk, Lithuanian Defense Minister Laurynas Kasciunas told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a Tuesday meeting. I say to the Lithuanian people, look at how Ukrainians are fighting for you, he continued. They are achieving very important things, and this is a really good move, and it is a completely new page. The Russian enclave between Poland and Lithuania along the Baltic Coast is home to Russias Baltic Fleet. Kaliningrad was estimated to have some 30,000 troops stationed there before the war in Ukraine, but some of them have already been moved to the battlefield. Its not clear how many were redeployed to Kursk, where Ukrainian troops caught Russia by surprise in an Aug. 6 counterattack in the Russian region. One key goal of the Ukrainian attack in Kursk is to redirect Russian troops from the front lines of eastern Ukraine to ease up pressure there, but theres no sign Moscow has ordered a major redeployment from those regions. Still, a Ukrainian army spokesperson, Dmytro Lykhova, told a local media outlet Tuesday that Russia has redeployed troops from the southern Zaporizhzhia region in Ukraine, though the intensity of combat in the region had not changed. The New York Times reported Wednesday, citing a U.S. official, that Russia had redeployed some troops from Ukraine, though there were few details. Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder would not comment on specifics at a Tuesday briefing. Its something that were keeping an eye on, he said of potential Russian redeployments. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who met Wednesday with the acting governor of Kaliningrad, Alexei Besprozvannykh, said Monday that he would not let Kyiv scale back Russias gains in eastern Ukraine. The pace of offensive operations by the Russian Armed Forces, volunteers, and veterans has not only remained steady but has actually increased by fifty percent, Putin said at the meeting. Our troops are advancing along the entire front. Ukraine has captured almost 400 square miles in Kursk and taken some 74 settlements in the Russian border region, according to Ukrainian officials. Troops are continuing to advance as Russia struggles to push back. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. China supports all efforts that contribute to permanent, comprehensive ceasefire in Gaza: FM spokesperson Xinhua) 09:09, August 15, 2024 BEIJING, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- China supports all efforts that contribute to permanent and comprehensive ceasefire in Gaza, foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Wednesday. Lin made the remarks at a press conference when asked whether China has had any outreach to Hamas or others over the group's decision not to take part in new ceasefire talks. China has been calling for international efforts to bring an early end to the conflict in Gaza as soon as possible and prevent further spillover, Lin said, adding China plays an active role in easing regional tensions. "We support all efforts that contribute to permanent and comprehensive ceasefire in Gaza, will work with the international community to deescalate the situation and avoid further escalation of the conflict and confrontation," Lin added. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Russian American to serve 12 years in prison over $50 donation to Ukraine charity A Russian court sentenced a dual Russian American citizen to 12 years in prison Thursday for treason after finding her guilty of giving money to a group supporting Ukraine's armed forces, according to reports. The funds that Ksenia Karelina, 33, donated totaling little more than $50 were "used to purchase tactical medicine, equipment, weapons and ammunition for Ukraine, the court claimed. Though Karelina, who is from Yekaterinburg and lives in Los Angeles, pleaded guilty, the woman and her supporters have insisted the money was sent to a charity supporting humanitarian efforts in the war-torn country that Russia invaded in 2022. The sentencing came Thursday at a closed trial in Yekaterinburg in central Russia, where Karelina's case was heard by the same court that in July convicted Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich of espionage. Karelina sentenced 2 weeks after major prisoner swap Russian American dual citizen Ksenia Karelina, accused of treason for making a donation to a charity supporting Ukraine, attends a court hearing Thursday in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Karelina, a spa worker and trained ballet dancer, appeared in court in a white sweatshirt and blue jeans, sitting calmly in a glass courtroom cage, Reuters reported. Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB,) the country's main domestic intelligence agency, had accused Karelina of collecting funds for the Ukrainian army following her February arrest. Her family and other supports, however, said she donated $51.80 to a charity raising money for humanitarian relief for Ukrainians impacted by the war. The money went to Razom for Ukraine, a New York-based charity that provides aid to children and elderly people in the country. The charity has denied it provides any military support to Kyiv, Reuters reported. Karelina's sentencing comes about two weeks after 16 prisoners, including Gershkovich, were released by the Kremlin as part of one of the most significant East-West prisoner exchanges since the Cold War. As part of the exchange, eight individuals held in the U.S., Germany, Norway, Slovenia and Poland were returned to Russia. Ever since Russia launched its devastating war with Ukraine, Moscow has ramped up efforts to detain Americans in hopes of using them in prisoner exchanges amid increased tensions between the United States and Russia. While Karelina was not included in the prisoner swap, her lawyer, Mikhail Mushailov, has said she hoped to be included in a future exchange, Reuters reported. Karelina arrested in January while visiting family in Russia Karelina's arrest, announced on Feb. 20, came as a shock to her family and friends in the U.S., who said she was never interested in political activism, according to Reuters. Born in Russia, Karelina emigrated to the United States in 2012 for a work-study program to pursue dancing as a ballerina, according to the website www.freeksenia.com. She moved from Baltimore to Los Angeles in 2017 and worked at a spa in Beverly Hills before becoming an American citizen in 2021. Karelina was arrested in January initially on hooliganism charges after flying to Russia to visit her family in Yekaterinburg, including her 90-year-old grandmother, according to freeksenia.com. While she was jailed for 15 days, FSB authorities interrogated Karelina and searched her cellphone to find a 2022 Venmo donation to Razom for Ukraine. Just before Karelina was set to be released, she was charged with state treason. FSB announced the arrest the following month with a statement accusing Karelina, who the agency did not name, of "providing financial assistance to a foreign state in activities directed against the security of our country." Contributing: Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY; Reuters Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: US citizen Ksenia Karelina gets 12-year treason sentence in Russia Even before Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was selected as Vice President Kamala Harris running mate, he built a reputation as a pro-labor politician. Last fall, Walz joined a group of striking auto workers on the picket line in Plymouth, Minn., garnering respect from one of the countrys largest unions. "That's who we believe would be best for labor and for working class people but you know, that's her decision," said United Auto Workers Union (UAW) president Shawn Fain of Walz and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, before Harris selected her VP candidate. Since he was chosen as the Democratic vice presidential candidate last week, Walzs support from labor groups including teachers and farmworkers has only grown on the national stage. Farm workers have long known that Vice President Harris is someone who listens to labor and really internalizes our concerns her selection of such a pro-labor champion like Governor Walz as her running mate is just further proof, the United Farm Workers President President Teresa Romero said in a statement to Salon. As a former high school teacher, Walz was once a union member himself. Long before Walz joined the national ticket, he helped make Minnesota one of the most worker-friendly states in the country. He's done great work here with labor, and we appreciate his willingness to always be at the table with us, said Bernie Burnham, the president of Minnesota AFL-CIO, the president of Minnesota American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO). When you see Tim Walz, you can see he's as comfortable getting down the floor and talking to a toddler as he is listening to senior citizens and hearing about what their needs are, Burnham said. In 2023, Walz passed one of the countrys most comprehensive worker protection bills in Minnesota. The bill, SF3035, mandates paid sick days, bans non-compete agreements, expands collective bargaining terms, gives more funding to workplace inspectors and increases safety protections for workers in nursing homes, warehouses, meatpacking plants and construction sites. I think it's a great bill, and I think that people workers for sure, know that they can go to work and feel safe and that they are respected, you know, that we're looking out for them, said Bernie Burnham. Along with passing SF3035, Walz established a minimum wage for Uber and Lyft drivers despite fierce opposition from rideshare companies. No other state has established a similar pay minimum. He also passed protections for Amazon warehouse workers. Amazon must now provide warehouse workers with a written description of their expected quota to prevent injuries related to working too quickly. But a lot of what Walz has fought for goes beyond just putting money in workers pockets, said Jake Schwitzer, the executive director of North Star Policy Action, a Minnesota-based think tank. Walz has built an eco-system of policies that support working-class families, Schwitzer said. Walz signed into a law a nation-leading child tax credit of $1,750 per child with no limit on the number of children claimed. In 2024, over 437,000 children benefited from the claim. He also made school lunches free for all children and cut in-state college tuition for families earning less than $80,000 per year. Things like strong support for our public schools, that really matters to working families. The child tax credit, that's not a union or a non-union issue that's supporting families and working class folks, Schwitzer said. Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course. While Walz has a long pro-worker track record, Trumps running mate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, has made similar claims, attempting to rebrand the Republican party as pro-labor. "We need a leader who's not in the pocket of big business but answers to the working man, union and non-union alike, Vance said at the Republican National Convention. Yet Trumps first administration was staunchly anti-labor. He restricted the unions rights to organize and weakened worker protections. On Tuesday, the UAW announced the union is filing federal charges against Trump for arguing that striking workers should be fired. Vance too has faced criticism for his worker-friendly facade. Recent allegations have surfaced that workers at a startup funded by Vance faced nightmarish conditions. I think it's a pretty stark comparison. JD Vance likes to point out problems and blame people for those problems existing, Schwitzer said, comparing Vance to Walz. Tim Walz, when he identifies a problem, he uses collective effort and the power of the government to improve people's lives. LANSING Attorney General Dana Nessel formally announced a $1 million grant program Wednesday with the U.S. Marshals Service to locate, apprehend, and return to Michigan fugitive offenders with outstanding sexual assault warrants. Branch County already benefitted with the June apprehension and extradition of Anthony Cuyler, 46, who was located in Mexico and is facing 2019 charges of sexual assault of two Union City minors. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announces the launch of Operation Survivor Justice alongside members of the Department of Attorney General, state Representative Angela Witwer, Branch County Prosecutor Zachary Stempien, and Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeffrey Getting. Cuyler is in the Branch County Jail without bond and is awaiting trial. Branch County Prosecutor Zack Stempien attended the media event to thank Nessel and other participants. "This operation has thus far provided for the apprehension and prosecution of multiple alleged criminal sexual conduct cases. Without the assistance of the Attorney General's Office and U.S. Marshals, the defendants may still be fugitives at large," he said. Stempien said his $500 local extradition budget does not cover the cost of returning absconders from nearby Indiana by private services. Related story : Cuyler bound over for trial in 2019 sex with minors cases after return from Mexico The charges eligible for extradition under this program are primarily criminal sexual conduct physical contact-based sexual offenses and accosting a minor for immoral purposes. All 83 Michigan counties are eligible for Operation Survivor Justice. More than 800 defendants are currently out on cash bail and believed to be outside the state of Michigan. These cases must be ready for trial, with prosecutors prepared to proceed or willing to collaborate with the Department of Attorney General, willing and ready witnesses, and, most importantly, a victim wishing to pursue this matter in a court of law. Local prosecutors can negotiate directly with the U.S. Marshals Service to locate, apprehend, and extradite their eligible offenders. Nessel said local prosecutors can handle these cases once the defendant is returned to Michigan, or as with Cuyler, her staff handled, took over for the short-staffed Stempien. The state legislature appropriated the $1 million funding. State Rep. Angela Witwer said, "The unfortunate reality is extraditing defendants back to Michigan can be a costly endeavor that many local prosecutor's offices simply do not have resources." Witwer added, "by increasing financial support from the state, survivors of sexual assault can begin to heal when perpetrators are finally brought to justice." Operation Survivor Justice is a first-in-the-nation partnership and is currently only operational in Michigan. Subscribe Support local news. Subscribe to the Daily Reporter. The Attorney General and the U.S. Marshals Service hope to set a precedent that could expand these efforts across the nation through similar agreements in other states. Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Operation Survivor Justice Branch County Cuyler CSC US Marshall U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) at a rally in south Philadelphia on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, during his first visit to Pennsylvania since former President Donald Trump selected Vance as his running mate. (Capital-Star photo by Peter Hall) In his second visit to Pennsylvania since becoming the GOP nominee for vice president, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) on Thursday continued his criticism of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walzs military record at a VFW hall in Westmoreland County. Were not attacking his honorable service, Vance told the invitation-only gathering at VFW Post 92 in Lower Burrell. Were attacking the dishonesty about that service that is not honorable, that is the height of dishonor, and Tim Walz should not be the vice president of the United States because of it. Walz, who is the presumptive Democratic nominee for vice president, served 24 years in the National Guard. Vice President Kamala Harris campaign said Aug. 10 that Walz misspoke in a 2018 video when he said he had handled guns in war. Vance, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, has since accused Walz of stolen valor, during campaign events, a charge he repeated Thursday. Walz defended his military record during remarks at the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union convention in Los Angeles earlier this week, saying he was damn proud of his service. I firmly believe you should never denigrate another persons service record, Walz said Tuesday. Anyone brave enough to put on that uniform for our great country including my opponent I just have a few simple words: Thank you for your service and sacrifice. The Harris campaign released a statement ahead of Vances visit arguing that the policies of former President Donald Trump, the 2024 GOP nominee for president, would have a negative impact on veterans. Trump and Vances extreme Project 2025 agenda would slash veterans hard-earned benefits and health care, the Harris-Walz campaign said in a statement earlier this week. Vice President Harris and Gov. Walz believe we should thank those who served our country, not belittle them thats why theyll always fight to make sure our veterans and military families get the benefits and respect they have earned and deserve. Vance also criticized President Joe Bidens administration for the U.S. 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan. During the evacuation of American citizens and allies, a terrorist attack at the airport in Kabul killed 13 American service members and dozens of Afghans. We lost 13 brave service members we didnt need to lose, Vance said. Democrats held a press conference in Pittsburgh on Thursday to push back on Vances criticism of Walz. Former Democratic U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb said he served with Walz, who represented Minnesota in the U.S. House from 2017 to 2019, on the House Veterans Affairs Committee. The guy knows veterans issues and he fights for veterans, Lamb said. Walz joined the Veterans Affairs Committee to develop legislation to help veterans, Lamb added, which he said was a clear contrast to Vance. J.D. Vance has been a senator for a year and a half. I couldnt tell you a single piece of legislation that he has introduced to help our veterans, much less pass, Lamb added. I think he spends his time working on cryptocurrency and going on podcasts. So the question in this election coming up, its not who was GI Joe in the war, its whos going to fight for the GI Bill? What are you going to do for veterans tomorrow and next year and five years from now? Pennsylvania election landscape Despite losing Pennsylvania in 2020, Trump won Westmoreland County, where Lower Burrell is located, by 28 points over the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris ticket. A Quinnipiac University poll of likely voters released Wednesday found the Harris-Walz ticket with a slight edge over Trump-Vance in Pennsylvania, at 48% to 45%. The poll also found Gov. Josh Shapiro, who had been a contender to be Harris running mate, with a 59% approval rating. On the topic of running mates, the Quinnipiac poll found 59% of likely voters who support Harris said her pick of Walz made them more enthusiastic about her candidacy, with 43% of likely voters who support Trump saying his selection of Vance made them more enthusiastic. Quinnipiac University polling analyst Tim Malloy said in a press release of the poll results that The long-term impact is speculation, but the math is clear: Walz helps Harris a lot more than Vance helps Trump. Trump will be in Pennsylvania on Saturday for a rally in Wilkes-Barre, and Harris and Walz are kicking off a Pennsylvania bus tour in Pittsburgh on Sunday, a day before the opening of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. This article was updated at 5:40 p.m. Aug. 15, 2024 to add comment from former U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST WeRide preps for an IPO, meet the man who built a startup pipeline at CNH and Waymos nightly honk-a-thon Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. Sign up here for free just click TechCrunch Mobility! We brought you a Tesla Dojo explainer last week. Now were giving you a handy Dojo timeline that tracks the progress of Teslas AI supercomputer. The timeline is not exhaustive; we didnt think you wanted to see every promise or update from Elon Musk on the topic. But it does provide readers with the important points. We will be updating this timeline as news happens. What else is on tap in this weeks edition? Two IPOs, another Waymo milestone, a few deals, some air taxi news and TechCrunch reporter Rebecca Bellans experience with Revel. And a lot more! Lets go! A little bird blinky cat bird green Got a tip for us? Email Kirsten Korosec at kirsten.korosec@techcrunch.com, Sean O'Kane at sean.okane@techcrunch.com or Rebecca Bellan at rebecca.bellan@techcrunch.com. Or check out these instructions to learn how to contact us via encrypted messaging apps or SecureDrop. Deals! money the station Behind every deal is a dealmaker. This week, check out the feature from senior reporter Sean OKane that digs into how a swashbuckling Italian businessman named Michele Lombardi helped heavy equipment manufacturer CNH Industrial develop a pipeline to the startup scene. Five years ago, CNH was in a different position and at risk of missing out on the booming agtech startup scene. They got stuck, and they couldnt really build a pipeline of successful transactions, Lombardi told TechCrunch. When we started, we knew we had very limited reach. We had no network. The upshot? A dozen deals over the last five years, split between six acquisitions and six mostly minority investments. They run the gamut technologically, ranging from farm management software to AI-powered drone imaging to satellite navigation and even tractor companies. Check out the full story here. Other deals that got my attention Alaska Airlines disclosed that it invested in JetZero, a California-based startup developing a blended-wing body aircraft that produces fewer emissions and uses less fuel. The investment amount, which includes options for future aircraft orders, was not disclosed. This was part of a Series A round that closed in late 2023, and according to that filing JetZero raised $26.4 million. Autofleet, the venture-backed Israeli startup that developed fleet optimization software, was acquired by Canadas Element Fleet Management for $110 million. Clearly, a startup that developed a climate intelligence platform aimed at transport fleet operators, raised $4.3 million in a seed round led by Pace Ventures and Nine Realms. Existing mobility investors Mobilion, Next Gear and M1720 alongside angels, including Lord Nash and Margaux Primat, also participated. Kazam, the Indian EV charging startup, raised $8 million in a Series A3 round led by Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia and India. Kazams existing investors Avaana Capital and Alteria Capital also participated. The startup has raised $13 million to date. Ola Electric, Indias largest electric two-wheeler maker, had a notable IPO debut. The companys stock popped 20% on its first day, making it the biggest listing among Indian firms in two years. However, the company hasnt made it to "easy street" just yet. Days later, Ola Electric reported a bigger quarterly loss driven, in part, by subsidy cuts and depreciation costs. Scott Painter, the serial entrepreneur behind TrueCar, Fair and Autonomy, is spinning out a new company called Autonomy Data Services, or ADS. WeRide is headed for an IPO. The Chinese autonomous vehicle company is seeking a valuation as high as $5.02 billion in its initial public offering, more than a year after China started easing its effective ban of foreign IPOs. On top of its intended offering, certain investors have already agreed to purchase shares worth $320.5 million in a concurrent private placement. Those investors include Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliances venture arm, which has agreed to buy $97 million worth of shares, as well as JSC International Investment Fund, GetRide and Beijing Minghong. Notable reads and other tidbits Autonomous vehicles Back to WeRide, the Chinese AV company I mentioned a moment ago. While the company moves toward an IPO (see above), it is also ramping up driverless testing in the United States. The company received approval to test its driverless vehicles with passengers in California. WeRide is not yet allowed to charge passengers for rides, and the service isnt available to the general public. Waymo plans to start testing its fully autonomous vehicles with no human safety driver on freeways in the San Francisco Bay Area. There was another Waymo story, though, that got my attention. Yeah, Im talking about the great nightly honk-a-thon. Software engineer Sophia Tung set up a livestream of a parking lot in San Francisco where Waymo robotaxis go when theyre not giving driverless rides. One of the activities this livestream captures is the robotaxis 4 a.m. bedtime routine, in which they stream in to park and honk for up to an hour. Waymo tells me they have corrected the problem; the robotaxis are now programmed to not honk once they enter an official Waymo depot lot. Electric vehicles, charging & batteries Polestar started production of the Polestar 3 at Volvos U.S. plant in South Carolina. The move will help the company, which is owned by Chinas Geely, avoid tariffs imposed on Chinese-made cars. Tesla, it seems, is finally getting ready to open its 1950s-style diner in West Hollywood. Meanwhile, Tesla CEO Elon Musk is under fire from the United Auto Workers union, which filed federal labor charges against him and Donald Trump. The union alleges that Trump and Musk attempted to threaten and intimidate workers who engage in strikes after comments made during their now X Spaces interview Monday evening. Future of flight Archer Aviation announced locations for its network of vertiports, or takeoff and landing locations, including Los Angeles International Airport, the University of Southern California, Santa Monica, Hollywood Burbank, Van Nuys and Long Beach in Los Angeles County, and Orange County. The startup wants to launch an air taxi network in LA that will replace a two- to three-hour car journey with a 10- to 20-minute air taxi ride, starting in 2026. In-car tech Remember the New York Times article in March that found automakers were collecting large amounts of data and then selling it to third parties, including insurance companies? Texas has decided to sue General Motors for the practice, alleging that the automaker violated the states consumer protection laws. This weeks wheels revel-rideshare TechCrunch senior reporter Rebecca Bellan tested out Revel, the exclusively EV ride-hail platform based in New York City that got its start as an EV scooter rental company. Here are her thoughts on the Revel ride experience: I took a ride with Revel this weekend, the all-electric, all-employee ride-hail platform based in New York City. Well, I should say, all-employee for now. By next month, Revel will lay off almost 1,000 drivers as it transitions to an independent contractor model, something the company says drivers asked for. But I digress. I had just gotten off the ferry at the Brooklyn Navy Yard and needed to make my way to Bushwick. After reviewing the astronomical prices on Lyft and Uber, I decided to give Revel and its blue Teslas a try. With Revels 40% discount on offer, I ended up paying only $11.60 for a 15-minute ride easily half the cost of a Lyft or Uber. In exchange for that cheap fare, I received a long wait time and a lack of transparency about that wait time before I booked. Unlike Uber, which displays how far away the nearest driver is before you book, Revel makes you pay upfront with no information about how long youll be waiting for a driver. But with those prices I hit Apple Pay and hoped for the best. After paying, I was quoted a 13-minute wait. Revel only has 600 vehicles in NYC, so its hard to compete with the one- to two-minute wait times you get with the incumbents. But as my driver hit roadblock after roadblock, that wait time extended to about 20 minutes. To his credit, my driver called me to let me know why he was running late. He was also a great driver and a kind person who kept a clean car and made good conversation. The ride itself and the price point were a 10/10. The Revel app user experience and wait times, however, need some work if the company wants to compete with Uber and Lyft. What is This weeks wheels? Its a chance to learn about the different transportation products were testing, whether its an electric or hybrid car, an e-bike or even a ride in an autonomous vehicle. Remember when Elon Musk ordered Twitter staff two years ago to click yes in an email to promise to work in extremely hardcore mode or risk losing their jobs? One of those employees who didnt click yes just won a major ruling, according to the Irish news service RTE. Irelands Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) ruled that Gary Rooney, a former senior executive for the company known then as Twitter, was unfairly terminated when he refused to agree to Musks email ultimatum in 2022 after nine years with the social media company. The commission also ordered X to pay Rooney 550,000 (roughly $605,000). WRC adjudication officer Michael MacNamee singled out Musks requirement to click yes as unfair because refusing to do so was not capable of constituting an act of resignation. Therefore, the company had no grounds to justify Rooneys termination, according to the news report. Musk sent an email to all Twitter employees in November of 2022 just a month after taking over the social media company issuing an ultimatum of commitment. The email with the subject line A Fork in the Road told Twitters then staff that they should expect to work extremely hardcore including long hours at high intensity. Musk gave his staff the opportunity to click a link in the email If you are sure that you want to be part of the new Twitter and gave them 24 hours to either agree to the commitment by clicking the link or refusing to do so. Those who didnt click the link would be terminated and given three months of severance pay. MacNamee ruled that Musks 24-hour deadline was not a reasonable notice for his staffers to consider the fate of their jobs. He also said no employee could possibly be faulted for refusing to be compelled to give an open-ended unqualified assent to any of the proposals. Twitters HR department confirmed that Rooneys termination was due to his decision not to click the email link despite not knowing about a possible severance or the implications of staying with the company. Rooney is far from the last of Musks former employees to take their former employer to court either for his behavior or what they deemed to be an unjust termination. A lawsuit filed earlier this year by a former SpaceX employee accused the company of gender discrimination and basic safeguarding failures. Aug 15 (NHK) - Several key figures in Japan's main ruling Liberal Democratic Party are signaling they'll throw their hats in the ring for the party's upcoming leadership election. The winner is expected to become the country's new prime minister. Prime Minister Kishida Fumio said on Wednesday that he won't run in next month's presidential vote. The schedule is expected to be decided at a committee meeting of LDP electoral officials next Tuesday. Former LDP Secretary-General Ishiba Shigeru suggested on Wednesday that he will run if he can secure 20 recommenders. The party's current secretary-general, Motegi Toshimitsu, is showing a positive stance toward joining the race. He met with Aso Taro, the LDP's vice-president, on Wednesday night to discuss how to respond to Kishida's decision. Digital Transformation Minister Kono Taro last week conveyed his plan to run in the vote to Aso, who heads the faction Kono belongs to. Economic Security Minister Takaichi Sanae has held meetings with LDP lawmakers who are close to her. Some in the party are expressing hope that former Environment Minister Koizumi Shinjiro and former Economic Security Minister Kobayashi Takayuki will run for the presidency. The name of Noda Seiko, who ran in the last presidential race, has also been mentioned. The Rwandan government signed, on Wednesday August 14, a memorandum of understanding with the American company Nano Nuclear Energy for the construction of small nuclear reactors (SMR), announced the Rwandan Atomic Energy Authority (RAEB). Smaller and simpler in construction than conventional power plants, SMRs are reactors that are mass-produced in a factory and then transported to their place of operation. The aim of this MoU is to initiate cooperation between the two parties to facilitate the introduction of SMRs and micro-reactors, according to a RAEB press release. On a visit to Rwanda, Nano Nuclear Energy CEO James Walker said that construction of a test reactor would take place within the next few years. We have an excellent base to build on. We see a very easy path to a highly developed civil nuclear program in Rwanda, he assured, quoted in the press release. RAEB Director Fidele Ndahayo welcomed the MoU, saying that SMR technologies are currently being developed, and Rwanda wants to be part of the development process. Rwanda, a small, landlocked country in the Great Lakes region with a population of around 13 million, generates more than half its electricity (51%) from thermal sources, ahead of hydroelectricity (43.9%) and solar power (4.2%). In September 2023, the Kigali authorities signed an agreement with German-Canadian start-up Dual Fluid Energy to build an experimental civil nuclear reactor. Rwanda also signed an agreement in 2019 to build nuclear power plants in collaboration with Russias Federal Atomic Energy Agency Rosatom, sparking strong opposition due to safety concerns. South Africa is the only country on the continent with a civil nuclear program, with two reactors in operation for over 30 years. A delegation of paramilitaries from the Rapid Support Forces, led by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, arrived in Geneva on Wednesday August 14, for talks on a ceasefire in Sudan. The regular Sudanese army, for its part, continues to sulk at these new negotiations, even though the United States seems determined to move forward. The talks have started, a spokesman for the US mission in Geneva told the AFP news agency, adding that there was no change to the nonparticipation of the Sudanese army. Actually, on the eve of the launch of these Geneva talks, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the regular army, cut short any hopes of a Sudanese government delegation taking part. Speaking on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the armed forces, he reaffirmed that there will be no peace in Sudan in the presence of what he described as rebel militia in towns and villages. The road to peace in Sudan, he insisted, begins with the implementation of the resolutions of the Jeddah Agreement. In anticipation of the Geneva talks, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan sought support for his positions among African countries. His aim is to counter the American initiative, even if only symbolically. In the coming days and weeks, his diplomatic efforts will be directed at African countries to defend the armys position. General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan attended last Sunday the inauguration ceremony of President Paul Kagame in Kigali where he took advantage of the presence of dozens of African heads of state and dignitaries to defend his positions. Besides the United States, the Geneva talks are attended by representatives from Egypt, the United Nations, the African Union, the East African body IGAD (the Intergovernmental Authority on Development) and the United Arab Emirates, which has repeatedly denied allegations it is providing weapons and other military support to the RSF. Kais Saieds Tunisia is continuing to use the judiciary and bogus charges to prevent his political opponents from entering the presidential electoral race. The latest challenger to be eliminated is Tunisian rapper and businessman Karim Gharbi, aka K2Rhym. He was sentenced on Wednesday August 14 to a four-year imprisonment in absentia for buying sponsorships to stand as a candidate in the October 6 presidential election, a judicial spokesman said. The Jendouba court sentenced rapper Karim Gharbi to four years imprisonment and fined him 5,000 dinars (around 1,500 euros), said spokesman Alaedine Aouadi, adding that Gharbi has been stripped of his voting rights and will be ineligible for life. The court also sentenced the president of the commune of Jendouba to one years imprisonment and a fine of 1,000 dinars (around 300 euros), and one of the rappers collaborators to four years imprisonment and a fine of 5,000 dinars. On August 2, the same court had sentenced four women working for K2Rhym to between two and four years in prison, for providing money or gifts in kind in exchange for voter signatures. The rapper, who lives abroad, had announced his intention to run for president at the end of July. Former son-in-law of dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, overthrown by the Tunisian Revolution of 2011, he made his announcement in a video. Initially criticized for his tattoos and glitzy lifestyle, in recent years he had made a name for himself through his charity work on behalf of orphans, underprivileged families, hospitals, and schools. On August 5, on the eve of the application deadline, the rapper claimed that the authorities had refused to provide him with his criminal record extract (B3) without explanation, preventing him from applying. The Tunisian electoral commission has only accepted bids by three candidates, including incumbent president Kais Saied, Ayachi Zammel and Zouhair Magzhaoui, who are both believed to be allies of Kais Saied, playing the role of pacemakers in an election in which Saied is poised to be re-elected. While the contenders are not influential figures in Tunisias political scene, prominent politicians, such as Mondher Znaidi, Imed Daimi, Abdel Latif Mekki, Karim Gharbi, Safi Said, Kamel Akrout, and Nizar Chaari, said authorities declined to provide them with documents required to submit their application to the electoral committee. Earlier this month, four potential candidates were indicted on the charge of vote buying- which they denied. They are Abdel Latif Mekki, activist Nizar Chaari, Judge Mourad Massoudi, and another candidate, Adel Dou. Potential candidate, Abir Moussi, also a prominent opponent of Saied, has been sentenced the same day to two years in prison, on a charge of insulting the election commission. Last month, a court in Tunis handed an eight-month prison sentence to leader of the Republican Union Party Lotfi Mraihi, an outspoken critic of Kais Saied. Tunisias rights watchdog I Watch denounced complicated procedures and a methodical absence of transparency for elections in the North African country. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak of the Mpox new virus strain in the Congo and elsewhere in Africa a global emergency. The detection and rapid spread of a new Clade of mpox in eastern DRC, its detection in neighbouring countries that had not previously reported mpox, and the potential for further spread within Africa and beyond is very worrying, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. More funding is needed to counter the outbreak of the virus. The WHO said it needs $15 million (13.6 million) to support Africas mpox response, and that it has already released $1.45 million (1.32 million) from its emergency reserves. More than 14,000 mpox cases and 524 deaths have been reported in at least 13 African countries in 2024, including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, which reported their first cases of the new strain in recent weeks. The Mpox virus is transmitted to humans through close contact with an infected animal or person. Human to human transmission can happen through dfirect contact with skin lesions, body fluids, or respiratory droplets of an infected person, prolonged face-to-face contact with an infected person, or Touching contaminated objects, such as bedding or clothing that have been in contact with the infectious material, although this is a rare mode of transmission. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, and a distinctive rash that can appear on the face, hands, feet, and other parts of the body. The rash eventually forms pustules and scabs before healing. French President Emmanuel Macron received, on Thursday in Saint-Raphael, Moroccos Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch, who represented King Mohammed VI at the ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Provence Landings. Following his participation in the commemorating event, the Moroccan official told the media that this ceremony was an opportunity to pay tribute to the soldiers from the African continent, among whom were many Moroccans who fought alongside the Allies for the freedom of France. My presence at this ceremony, representing His Majesty the King, is all the more significant as many brave Moroccan soldiers fought alongside their French and African comrades in arms to liberate France during World War II, said the Head of Government. During the memorial segment of this commemoration, which took place at the national necropolis of Boulouris in Saint-Raphael, a tribute was paid to the 350,000 men who landed on August 15, 1944, in Provence. This commemorative event was marked by tribute speeches and the decoration by President Macron of three veterans who fought with the Allies during the Second World War, including Moroccan Larbi Jawa, who was made a Knight of La Legion dHonneur. Mr. Larbi Jawa, in the name of the French Republic, I make you a Knight of the Legion of Honor, declared President Macron during the ceremony. Jawa was joined at the event by his fellow veteran and comrade-in-arms, Abdellah Jaber, 103, who was also awarded La Legion dHonneur in 2014. I am very proud and deeply honored to receive this decoration. We have truly earned it, Jawa told MAP. We went through many ordeals to achieve this. Born in Moroccos Khenifra, Larbi Jawa enlisted in the military on February 4, 1943, at just 18 years old. By December of that same year, he was already on the front lines of the grueling Italian campaign, where he distinguished himself with remarkable bravery during the Battle of Monte Cassino, earning a citation for his valor. After the end of World War II, Jawa re-enlisted on June 14, 1950, with the 6th Moroccan Tirailleurs Regiment and participated in the Indochina War. He was severely wounded during the brutal battles on RC4 in the ong Khe region but continued to carry out his duties. Jawa later returned for a second tour in Indochina, serving from June 7, 1953, to June 22, 1955. Promoted to the rank of Sergeant on April 1, 1955, Jawa concluded his distinguished military service in 1956 and returned to his hometown Khenifra. This event in Saint-Raphael is part of a series of international commemorations held all year round to celebrate the landings 80th anniversary and pay tribute to the 350,000 men who landed on August 15, 1944 in Provence. Moroccos Ministry of Health and Social Protection announced on Thursday that it is closely monitoring the epidemiological situation of monkeypox (Mpox), which is spreading rapidly and on a large scale in several African countries, as part of the international epidemiological surveillance system. The national vigilance and response plan to this epidemic was updated in accordance with developments in the international epidemiological situation and changes in the level of knowledge about this disease, as well as recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO), the department said in a press release. The Ministry added that a national proactive plan, elaborated and activated since June 2022, had detected 5 cases up to March 2024. Most of these cases were imported and did not result in infection among those in contact. These cases, which were moderate, have fully recovered without any complications. The Ministry reassured citizens of the level of vigilance and preparedness in the country, noting that it will continue to communicate and inform on the development of the situation. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak of the Mpox new virus strain in the Congo and elsewhere in Africa a global emergency. The detection and rapid spread of a new Clade of mpox in eastern DRC, its detection in neighboring countries that had not previously reported mpox, and the potential for further spread within Africa and beyond is very worrying, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday. The high case-fatality rate recorded in Eastern DRC require a global effort and cooperation to limit its spread, WHO Chief said. More funding is needed to counter the outbreak of the virus. The WHO said it needs $15 million (13.6 million) to support Africas mpox response, and that it has already released $1.45 million (1.32 million) from its emergency reserves. WHO also warned that more imported mpox cases would likely be spogtted in Europe soon after Sweden on Thursday announced the first such case outside Africa. The confirmation of mpox Clade 1 in Sweden is a clear reflection of the interconnectedness of our world there are likely to be further imported cases of Clade 1 in the European region over the coming days and weeks, the WHOs European regional office said in a statement. More than 14,000 mpox cases and 524 deaths have been reported in at least 13 African countries in 2024, including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, which reported their first cases of the new strain in recent weeks. The Mpox virus is transmitted to humans through close contact with an infected animal or person. Human to human transmission can happen through direct contact with skin lesions, body fluids, or respiratory droplets of an infected person, prolonged face-to-face contact with an infected person, or Touching contaminated objects, such as bedding or clothing that have been in contact with the infectious material, although this is a rare mode of transmission. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, and a distinctive rash that can appear on the face, hands, feet, and other parts of the body. The rash eventually forms pustules and scabs before healing. The friendship and the depth of the strategic partnership between France and Morocco were hailed at a meeting held Thursday between President Emmanuel Macron and Head of the Government Aziz Akhannouch who represented King Mohammed VI at the 80th anniversary celebrations of the Provence landings in Saint-Raphael. The President of the French Republic held talks on Thursday with Aziz Akhannouch, the Prime Minister of Morocco, on the sidelines of the 80th anniversary celebrations of the Provence landings, The Elysee Palace said in a statement. The Elysee pointed out that the President of the French Republic first expressed his gratitude to Aziz Akhannouch for attending the ceremonies commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Provence landings and reaffirmed the importance of France honoring the many Moroccan soldiers who fought alongside French forces and their allies in Provence, significantly contributing to the liberation of the country. The President of the Republic and the Prime Minister of Morocco praised the friendship and the depth of the strategic partnership between France and Morocco, the statement said. Aziz Akhannouch particularly welcomed the decision made by France, following the letter from the President of the Republic to King Mohammed VI on the occasion of Throne Day, regarding the inclusion of the present and future of the Sahara within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty. In this context, President Macron reaffirmed Frances commitment to advancing Moroccan-related issues. Emmanuel Macron and Aziz Akhannouch agreed to work on an ambitious bilateral roadmap that will elevate the French-Moroccan relationship to a new level of ambition in the economic, agricultural, energy, as well as cultural and educational fields, according to the Elysee, which noted that the two sides emphasized that this new strategic partnership will focus on Moroccan youth and the youth of the African continent, and that French-Moroccan cooperation has been crucial in addressing major shared challenges, whether industrial, technological, or related to climate change. Photo-Illustration: Intelligencer; Photo: WildChat/The Allen Institute for AI A recent research paper sounded an alarm for AI developers: Training data is drying up. Concerns about theft, copyright, and commercial competition are leading public and semi-public resources to tighten protections against AI scraping. The result, the papers authors argue, will impact not only commercial AI, but also non-commercial AI and academic research by biasing the diversity, freshness, and scaling laws for general-purpose AI systems. Its an interesting problem thats already starting to bite. It was also probably inevitable. A bunch of companies are raising and spending money to steal data, and the people and companies theyre stealing from are not pleased. Deeper in the report, researchers for the Data Provenance Institute identified another problem: Not only is the data drying up, but what remains available is out of step with what AI companies need most, at least according to their users. They included this set of charts: Photo-Illustration: Intelligencer; Photo: The Data Provenance Institute AI companies are training on a ton of news and encyclopedia content, in large part because thats whats available to scrapers in great quantities. (In the top chart, tokens can be understood as units of training data in sampled sources.) Meanwhile, actual ChatGPT users are barely engaging with news at all. In reality, theyre asking ChatGPT to write stories, often of a sexual nature. Theyre asking it for ideas, for assistance with research and code, and for help with homework. But, again, theyre very horny. This is, as the paper notes, an issue for model training, accuracy, and bias: People arent using these things in ways that match the data on which theyre trained, and AI model performance is very much determined by the quality and quantity of training data. Its also out of step with a lot of the discourse around AI, in which concerns about the news, disinformation, and the media in general have played for reasons both novel and obvious an outsize role. ChatGPT users are asking a newsbot to write erotic fiction. Not ideal! But wait since when do we know how people are actually using ChatGPT? OpenAI doesnt share data like this, which would be extremely valuable to people trying to figure out whats going on with the company and with AI in general. On this, the Data Provenance Institute cites WildChat, a project from the Allen Institute for AI, a nonprofit funded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. Researchers offered free access to ChatGPT for online users in exchange for their affirmative, consensual opt-in to anonymously collect their chat transcripts, resulting in a data set of 1 million user-ChatGPT conversations. These conversations arent perfectly representative of ChatGPT use researchers warn that because of where it was provided, and the fact that it allowed for anonymous use, it probably overselected for tech-inclined users and people who prefer to engage in discourse they would avoid on platforms that require registration. In any case, these conversations are searchable, and theyre some of the most illuminating things Ive ever seen on the question of what people actually expect from their chatbots. To get this one out of the way, the horniness is relentless search any explicit term and youll get hundreds of conversations in which persistent users are trying (and usually failing) to get ChatGPT to write erotic stories about video-game characters, celebrities, or themselves. Theres a huge amount of explanation thats very clearly just help with schoolwork a fascinating Washington Post analysis of the data found that about one in six conversations was basically about homework: Photo-Illustration: Intelligencer; Photo: WildChat/Allen Institute forAI Theres also a great deal of assistance with interpersonal issues and communication: help writing messages for work and school, but also dating apps: Photo-Illustration: Intelligencer; Photo: WildChat/Allen Institute forAI Again, if youre not sure what people are getting from services like ChatGPT, and trying them yourself hasnt helped, poke around here for a while. Its probably not ideal for OpenAI (and others) that users spend so much time trying to coax chatbots into doing things theyre not supposed to, or into helping them do things that theyre not supposed to, but the broader sense you get from these interactions is that, generally, a lot of ChatGPT users expect the chatbot to be capable of a really wide range of things they treat it like a more comprehensive resource than it probably is and more like a person which indicates belief, trust, and plausible demand. Glimpses into real user habits for new technologies are pretty rare the last time I remember being able to eavesdrop such strange, rich, and occasionally bracing material like this was when AOL released a massive cache of search logs back in 2006, revealing that its users were talking to the search engine, revealing incredibly poignant and sometimes dark secrets in the course of something like but also clearly unlike conversation. (It doesnt take long to find similarly moving material in the anonymized WildChat records; similarly, while the data has been cleaned somewhat, its easy to find intensely distressing sexual and violent requests.) The main takeaway then was that people were ready to place a great deal of trust in open text boxes, and that search, for a lot of users, was something more like an all-purpose companion, a box into which they could put anything and frequently get at least something back in the broadest possible sense, a bullish outlook for then-rising companies like Google. The new text boxes actually pretend to have conversations with you, and users are responding with similarly extreme candor. Theyre behind on their work. And theyd like to read some porn. Photo: Gary Hershorn/Getty Images In October, Kanokporn Amy Tangsuan, a Long Island family-medicine doctor who worked at NYU Langone, went to Disney World in Florida with her husband Jeff Piccolo and his mother. During the trip, she and her husband stopped at an Irish pubthemed restaurant called Raglan Road for dinner. Tangsuan was allergic to dairy and nuts, and before she and her husband ordered, the doctor who carried an EpiPen asked a waiter whether any of the allergens were in her order: broccoli and corn fritters, scallops, onion rings, and a vegan shepherds pie. The waiter consulted with the chef, and then assured her that they could be made dairy- and nut-free. About 45 minutes after Tangsuan ate, she went into an anaphylactic shock so severe her EpiPen was useless. She died soon after at a nearby hospital. In February, her husband filed a wrongful-death suit against the restaurant and Disneys theme-parks division, seeking money damages. The story of Tangsuans death, drawn from court filings, was swift and tragic. But it does not end there. Piccolos lawsuit is currently in danger of getting thrown out of court and locked down into private arbitration, where further details would likely never come to light. Disney has argued that Piccolo gave up his right to sue as far back as 2019 when he signed up for a free trial of Disney+ and again in 2023, when he agreed to terms and conditions on the companys website to purchase tickets to the theme park. Disney is not the only company to use arbitration clauses in its contracts, but it may have the most far-reaching consequences. About 193 million people subscribe to its streaming services, spread across Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+, and the majority of those subscribers are in the U.S., where they are bound by the same kind of restrictions raised in Piccolos case. There are 58 million people a year who visit its theme parks, which surely shares a lot of overlap with subscribers. (To put that into context, there are about 110 million households in the U.S.) All these people may have given up their right to sue Disney, forever, even if the company is accused of being responsible for a family members death. This is unlikely to be an accident of overzealous lawyers, but, instead, a deliberate corporate strategy to cut down costs and snuff out bad PR, said David Horton, a law professor at University of California, Davis, who has written extensively about the expansion of arbitration clauses. Arbitration has become far more common during the last 30 years, as the Supreme Court has ruled in several cases for a broad reading of the Federal Arbitration Act, which allows for the private resolutions. This is something that is becoming more and more common, Horton said. Consumers have found themselves unable to remove themselves from contracts they may have no recollection agreeing to or, in some cases, only apply to them because one company bought another and assumed all their contracts as courts have expanded the scope of when disputes can be arbitrated. You are now not just agreeing to arbitrate any claim that you have against the company that stems from the contract that you just agreed to, but any claim whatsoever, and these clauses that cover every possible claim you could ever have against the company or its affiliates. They last in perpetuity. So they really are just the broadest possible arbitration clauses, Horton said. Disney claims that it does not own or operate the Raglan Road restaurant, while Tangsuans husband claims Disney controlled the menus and was responsible for the staffing. How much the House of Mouse was actually involved would undoubtedly be a key part of any fact-finding. Its really clear in this particular case why Disney would want to move the case from court to arbitration, because its going to be confidential, said David Hoffman, a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania. Its a very bad reputational hit for the firm to cause someone to die by virtue of not taking directions at a Disney restaurant. So its obvious why they want to move into arbitration. The settlement value of the lawsuit goes to a fraction of itself. In Tangsuans wrongful-death case, Disney makes two different arguments for why the lawsuit should be taken out of public view, and they hinge on the different times the husband agreed to Disneys terms of service. The weaker case may be the broadest one, when he signed up for the streaming service five years ago. The language of the Disney+ arbitration clause seems to me makes this a very weak case for applying that clause to the dispute here, said Christopher R. Drahozal, a contract law expert at the University of Kansas School of Law. As the plaintiff argues, the clause by its terms seems to apply only to disputes related to the streaming service, not to what happens in a Disney park. The second time, when the husband bought tickets to Epcot, is narrower, Hoffman said. Piccolo had agreed to the Disney websites terms of service, and then used those Disney websites to find a restaurant that could cater to his wifes allergies. Arguably, the nature of the claim is that you are liable because of what you wrote on your web page, Hoffman said of Disney. We are deeply saddened by the familys loss and understand their grief, a Disney spokeswoman said in a statement on August 14. Given that this restaurant is neither owned nor operated by Disney, we are merely defending ourselves against the plaintiffs attorneys attempt to include us in their lawsuit against the restaurant. Following the backlash to Disneys position, the company said on August 19 they intend to revise their previous position. At Disney, we strive to put humanity above all other considerations. With such unique circumstances as the ones in this case, we believe this situation warrants a sensitive approach to expedite a resolution for the family who have experienced such a painful loss. As such, weve decided to waive our right to arbitration and have the matter proceed in court, Josh DAmaro, the chairman of Disney Experiences said in a statement. Milwaukee, Wisconsin JULY 18: A podium displaying a website URL for Project 2025 is displayed at a Biden-Harris campaign and DNC press conference on July 18, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The press conference was held to address Project 2025 and Republican policies on abortion. (Photo by Jim Vondruska/Getty Images) Photo: Jim Vondruska/Getty Images Donald Trump doesnt want anyone to link him with Project 2025, the conservative Heritage Foundations blueprint for his potential second administration. I have no idea who is behind it, he once said on social media, a claim that never survived much scrutiny. A CNN review published Thursday found that 140 former Trump administration officials had a hand in the project. Dozens more who staffed Trumps government hold positions with conservative groups advising Project 2025, including his former chief of staff Mark Meadows and longtime adviser Stephen Miller, CNN continued. Chief among them is former Trump official and Project 2025 author Russell Vought. According to CNN, Vought recently dismissed Trumps public disavowals as graduate-level politics and said that Trump had blessed his organization, the Center for Renewing America. The former president is very supportive of what we do, he added. Vought may well have exaggerated for the benefit of his audience. (Hed been duped by a British journalism nonprofit, and two of its members were secretly recording him.) Placed in context, though, his remarks form part of a broader pattern. Trump can try to distance himself from Project 2025 in public all he likes, but the people behind it have every reason to believe they can sway him in the future. Trump needs people like Vought, who served as the director of the Office of Management and Budget a key role that allowed him significant control over the former presidents regulatory agenda. Vought, in other words, knows how the federal government works, and he knows just how to gut it until all that remains is a tool for a second Trump administrations most radical priorities. He told the undercover journalists that his organization was drafting hundreds of executive orders, regulations, and memos, CNN reported. Eighty percent of my time is working on the plans of whats necessary to take control of these bureaucracies, Vought said. And we are working doggedly on that, whether its destroying their agencies notion of independence whether that is thinking through how the deportation would work. Sources told CNN that Trump and Vought have spoken on various occasions since the ex-president left office and that Trump has adopted some of Voughts ideas. Thats cause for concern, given Voughts extremism. Conservatives, he told the undercover journalists, have been too focused on religious liberty, which we all support, but weve lacked the ability to argue we are a Christian nation, adding, Our laws are built on the Judeo-Christian worldview value system. Vought has expressed such ideas in public before, as CNN pointed out; earlier this year he told Charlie Kirk of Turning Point USA that America has grown too secular. In the interview with Kirk, he added, Christian nation-ism would probably be the most accurate aspect of what I believe, a sentiment he would later repeat to his undercover audience. Vought is not the only Project 2025 architect who is poised to play an important role in a second Trump administration, but his experience, and the breadth of his vision, make him a particular threat. If CNN is right, and Trump has taken up some of Voughts ideas, its not hard to see why. The former president is not a deep thinker; he is reactive and vengeful. The Christian nationalism of figures like Vought can be useful, a means to a greater end. What better way to own the libs than to rip the heart out of the federal government and render it unfit for purpose? Vought knows how to transform the bureaucracy into a far-right paradise, and hes already putting those plans in motion. Project 2025 was never going to work quite how the memes suggested; some of it will be difficult to implement. But that doesnt mean it isnt a problem. The real danger lies in the memos and executive orders that Vought and his cronies have set upon drafting. Trump will have to staff his administration somehow, and conservatives have carefully built an infrastructure in Washington, D.C., that will help a second Trump White House take shape. President Trump will want to spend literally zero amount of time thinking or contemplating what a transition will look like, Vought told the journalists. Its not how he thinks. Instead, Vought and his allies are doing Trumps thinking for him. We were always going off of, if Donald Trump was head of this agency, what would he do with it? Trump certainly doesnt want anyone to think hes a puppet, but hes not a policy mastermind, either. If he wins in November, hell need people who pay closer attention to detail. Vice-President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota, are right, then, to harp on Project 2025. Its more than a way to scare liberals into voting; its a way for the Democratic ticket to set up a sharp contrast between their vision and Trumps. People like Vought arent really at work in the shadows; theyre open about their beliefs and their plans. As long as theyre around, the future of our multiracial democracy is in question. Governor Walz with students at Webster Elementary in Minneapolis last year. Photo: Elizabeth Flores/Star Tribune/Getty Images Since Tim Walz surged into competition to be Vice-President Kamala Harriss running mate, a certain photo started appearing everywhere. In it, a smiling Walz is hugged by happy children. The photo marked an important occasion: In March 2023, the Minnesota governor had just signed into law a bill that guaranteed free breakfasts and lunches in public schools. Republican lawmakers mostly opposed the bill with some arguing that the universal program would benefit the wealthy and increase spending too much. Though spending did increase, it did so for a good cause: feeding hungry kids. Compared to the period before, the number of school breakfasts served increased by 30 percent and lunches by 11 percent. In practical terms, the state provided millions of meals to children who needed them. The free-meal program not only feeds children who need to eat; it also reduces the stigma of poverty, as the Minnesota Reformer pointed out in a January story. Reduced-price or free school meals could sometimes look different from full-price meals, essentially penalizing children whose families need extra help. Because this program is universal, it relieves families who made too much to qualify but who struggle, still, to keep everyone fed. While the right may call this socialist, it is also an example of providing for the common good and can help explain why so many progressives celebrated when Walz joined the Harris ticket. Being a Midwesterner too, I know a little something about commitment to people, Walz said during a recent speech in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. My mom and dad taught me to show generosity to my neighbors and work for a common good. His record shows glimpses of that conviction at work. In Congress, he backed the Affordable Care Act, and as governor, he supports a public option for insurance; he has also called health care a basic human right. The governors commitment to the common good extends to reproductive rights, LGBT rights, and gun control. He supported marriage equality years before Barack Obama did, speaks openly of his familys experiences with IVF, and donated campaign contributions from the NRA after the 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas. Some critics might argue that leaves him vulnerable to attacks from the right. Conservatives have attacked him for being a socialist a line that doesnt seem to phase him one bit, even though the label doesnt apply. How are you gonna build a water-treatment plant in a town of 400 if you dont have a collective effort at it? he told MSNBCs Jen Psaki in July. They scream socialism; we just build roads. Thats an effective way to defuse the rights customary red-baiting. The Trump campaign will call Walz and Harris communists no matter what policies they endorse. To date, though, Walz has defended his vision of the common good without punching left which is a refreshing change from the Democratic Party norm. As Vox reported earlier this month, Walz has been praised by Senator Joe Manchin as well as Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. No politician can be all things to all people; eventually, hell let someone down. Theres plenty of evidence to suggest that Walz isnt as far left as some progressives might wish. He doesnt appear to support a universal health-care system like Medicare for All, as Harris once did before she backtracked, and he hasnt supported activist calls for an arms embargo on Israel. But the left is used to pressuring Democratic politicians, and Walz may be a friendlier target than is typical. Theres his record, of course, but also his normal affect; hes a former public-school teacher and union member who attended public colleges and isnt wealthy. Although those qualities arent proof by themselves that Walz could be amenable to pressure, leftists arent wrong to hope, either. Much depends on the Harris-Walz tickets policy proposals; an economic-plan rollout is reportedly set for Friday. If the campaign strategists are smart, they will build on the current momentum by joining good vibes with sound policy. They should know by now that they dont need to pivot to the right to win the election. In Walz, Harris has a partner who knows how to defend liberalism without apology, and thats far superior to the defensive crouch Democrats usually adopt even if it falls short of what the left truly wants. As Trump and J.D. Vance descend further into unhinged bigotry and chaos, Harris and Walz should offer voters a clear alternative. She speaks often of freedom on the campaign trail, and none of us are truly free under leaders who fail to protect the common good. Without strong unions or reproductive rights or common-sense gun control, were vulnerable to capitalist greed, to forced pregnancy and birth, to violence. No one expects a revolutionary Democratic vice-president, and its unclear how much influence Walz would actually wield in a Harris White House. Even so, his emphasis on collective power and common good could move the country forward, not back. Thats progress. Not very subtle, is it? Photo-Illustration: TrumpWarRoom/X Anyone trying to understand the dynamics of American politics since Donald Trump entered the arena as a presidential candidate in 2015 has had to deal with the numbing effect of this man and his movements endless breaches of decorum and precedent. So its not easy to single out any one expression of the MAGA message as definitive. But its very likely Trumps political project reached its zenith in a post from the official Trump War Room campaign account earlier this week: Import the third world Become the third world pic.twitter.com/MVawiHQSpm Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) August 13, 2024 Here, the essential strands of Trumps American carnage tapestry depicting a great nation being destroyed under liberal elite governance come together in a shocking display of racist and xenophobic fear and loathing. Theres the claim that peaceful neighborhoods are being (or will soon be) ravaged by spiraling violent crime. This is factually untrue crime is at historically low levels and has been dropping in the last couple of years but easy to suggest via anecdote. Theres the association of this literal invasion of crime and disorder with immigrants and migrants. And there are the Black and brown faces of third-world thugs and vagrants despoiling the cities where they are unleashed. As Charlie Sykes observes in The Atlantic, this hellscape is largely a malign hallucination: This racist post is consistent with the tone that the Trump campaign has taken in recent weeks one even uglier than that of months and years past as the former president struggles to gain traction against Kamala Harris. Like Donald Trump himself, the War Room account has a singular obsession: It regularly highlights stories about migrant crime, posting pictures of Black or brown men who have immigrated to the U.S. and been arrested. A necessary note: There is no evidence of a migrant-led crime spike, or of higher crime rates in cities with the greatest numbers of migrants. Research suggests that immigrants are less likely than their native-born counterparts to be arrested. Trump and his campaigns obsession with crimes committed by migrants and their relative silence on other dangers Americans face, such as mass shootings speaks for itself. But its an old and telling preoccupation for Trump and his followers, dating back to his original lies about Mexican immigrants being disproportionately drug pushers and rapists, and his hostility to the needs and interests of people in shithole countries that he views as essentially subhuman. In every respect, the import the third world / become the third world message echoes the infamous teaching of the vastly influential racist novel The Camp of the Saints, reportedly a favorite of two of Trump Worlds OG strategists, Steve Bannon (currently in prison) and Stephen Miller (currently planning what Trump has pledged to be the largest deportation operation in the history of our country). In that dystopic French book, a staple of far-right brain food for decades and in many countries, immigrants from India and other third-world countries literally overwhelm the populations of Europe and the United States in a pestilent human wave that submerges civilization beneath a sea of filth and avarice. But theres actually a twist in the MAGA message that makes it even more malevolent. In The Camp of the Saints, the swarthy invaders succeed because the governing elites of the countries they conquer are too weak or too possessed by moral scruples or ideas of equality to resist. What Trump & Co. are explicitly embracing is the idea that Americas liberal elites are deliberately engineering an immigrant invasion in order to transform the electorate and stamp out good, clean, God-fearing patriotic values. That bizarre and totally unsubstantiated claim has become even more prominent in 2024, as not only Trump but congressional Republicans have launched a crusade against the phantom threat of non-citizen voting in this presidential election. So, Team Trump isnt just embracing the racist fantasy of American greatness slipping away as those rapidly breeding migrants from the third world come to outnumber the childless cat ladies of their host country. Theyre going over the brink into the Great Replacement Theory, wherein traitors are deliberately making this demographic and moral catastrophe happen. As I think we are already beginning to see, for all the problems Kamala Harris as an opponent has created for Trump, its also convenient to suggest that a multiracial woman from sinful California (famously a place that has had a non-white majority for years) is in charge of the perfidious conversion of America into a third-world country. So we are almost certainly going to see the images in that poisonous Trump War Room post again and again. Best in Class The Strategists carefully chosen and rigorously vetted flagship shopping guides. Learn about our methodology here, and find all our Best in Class guides here. Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailers A large part of the appeal of a French press is its simplicity. No accessories to buy, no deftness needed to pour, no stressing about precise timing (as you would with an espresso shot). For a coffee enthusiast, theres room for experimentation in the coarseness of the grind, the ratio of water to coffee, and the interpretation of water just off the boil thats to your liking. But at its heart, its a simple device, inspiring the same simple pleasure as brewing a pot of tea (which it also does rather well). With such purity in its design, what makes one French press stand out over another? I reached out to baristas, instructors, and other experts to get their takes and tested five of the presses myself. I brewed each pot using beans from the same batch, ground just before brewing. I hand-washed each carafe, plunger, and filter, noting how easy it was to clean each press of errant grounds. To test heat retention, I poured water at 205 degrees Fahrenheit the midpoint of the range recommended by our experts and measured its temperature from brew time through the course of a few hours. There was little noticeable difference in the coffee produced by any of the models in terms of flavor, the amount of grounds that made it through the filter, or the temperature at brew time. This was confirmed by my experts, who had a lot to say about making French-press coffee but were less adamant about the model you use to make it. Generally, for French presses, its more about preparation than the vessel, says Guy Benjamin, a former drummer who now runs an espresso bar at S&S Kitchenette in Marthas Vineyard. I wish there were more to talk about, but aesthetics and heat retention are kind of all that matters. The best presses didnt necessarily make a better cup of coffee than any other, but they all had a particular strength that set them apart. If youre looking for other coffee paraphernalia, we also have guides to the best coffee grinders, coffee makers, and gifts for coffee lovers. What were looking for Material French presses are typically made of glass, stainless steel, or ceramic, though plastic models exist as well. Glass retains heat relatively well but is more delicate and often not dishwasher safe. Stainless steel is more expensive but relatively indestructible. One material isnt inherently better; experts preferred different materials for different reasons. Volume Think of the size of your French press as the greatest amount of coffee you want to make. It neednt always be filled to capacity, so if youre worried that you might one day want to make a larger batch, youre safe to buy the biggest press that makes sense and still use it for your daily cup. Just note the temperature changes could be more drastic with a lower volume of water, so you may want to preheat your press with hot water before brewing. Care With their emphasis on aesthetics in addition to function, French presses can be delicate one glass model I tested arrived broken in the packaging. Some are entirely safe for the dishwasher, some are only safe for specific parts, and others are strictly hand-wash only. With the exception of one, all of our top presses are fully dishwasher safe. Insulated A few of the French presses tested were designed to hold their temperatures for a significantly longer period of time in our testing, these presses stayed hot for up to five hours after brew time. But in most cases, youll want to decant the coffee once its done brewing and dispose of the grounds in order to avoid overextraction, which leaves a bitter cup. This means needing another vessel, at least temporarily, though our favorite insulated press featured a novel filter that eliminated the need for decanting. Best overall French press Bodum Chambord French Press Coffee Maker $40 $50 now 20% off $40 Material: Glass carafe with plastic and chrome finish | Volume: 12, 17, 34, or 51 oz. | Care: Dishwasher safe | Insulated: No The Bodum Chambord is the one press that was mentioned by nearly all experts, who praised its affordability and classic look and the quality of the coffee produced. And in my own testing, it lived up to that reputation. It held heat as well as or better than its competitors (not including the presses with insulated carafes) and was easy to disassemble and clean. It edged out the competition due to its affordable price and the availability of models and parts. A completely standard Bodum French press is still the go-to for many consumers, says Klaus Thomsen, one of the founders of Denmarks the Coffee Collective. Youll find one in almost all Danish households, though sometimes all the way in the back of the cabinet. Its still a nice cup, full-bodied, and an easy way for someone to have a great experience of brewing up something special for themselves. $40 at Amazon Buy $40 at Amazon Buy The Bodum Chambord French press is a classic in this category. Photo: Chris Sarachilli Best less expensive French press Bodum Brazil 8-Cup French Press Coffee Maker $23 $28 now 18% off $23 Material: Glass carafe with a BPA-free plastic body | Volume: 12, 34, or 51 oz. | Care: Dishwasher safe | Insulated: No Bodums Brazil, a less expensive cousin to the Chambord, simplifies the design but still delivered a great cup of coffee in my testing. At her restaurant Kampar in Philadelphia, chef-owner Ange Branca serves Malaysian kopitiam tea and coffee drinks brewed traditionally, with a cloth coffee strainer. But at home, a Bodum press is her less effortful way to make chai or Malaysian teh tarik. Because the sieve is so fine, it works really well with tea dust, she says. If you dont have a cloth filter, its much better than putting tea dust into bags and steeping that way. $23 at Amazon Buy $16 at Target Buy Best durable French press Yeti Rambler French Press $110 $110 Material: Stainless steel, ceramic lining | Volume: 34 or 64 oz. | Care: Dishwasher-safe | Insulated: Yes Yetis new Rambler almost won out as the best overall, but the premium price point for extra features all of which are excellent, but none of which are crucial to making a good cup of coffee pushed it into the high-end category. The Yeti truly is impressive, from its sleek design and vibrant colorways to its excellent thermal retention (a full pot was still hot, not merely warm, after five hours) to thoughtful design touches such as the sipper lid and what the company calls a GroundsControl filter, a kind of rubber gasket over the filter screen that prevents overextraction. The packaging aptly calls the Rambler overengineered, but every bit of that engineering comes together to create a French press thats useful, large, easy to clean, and attractive. And with its tight seal, its also an excellent press for cold brew the insulation can prevent picking up off-flavors from your fridge. $110 at YETI Buy Yetis rugged French press comes in a wide range of colors. Photo: Chris Sarachilli Best durable French press for large quantities Stanley Classic The Stay-Hot French Press $70 $70 Material: Stainless Steel | Volume: 48 oz. | Care: Fully dishwasher-safe | Insulated: Yes Most French presses look at home on the dining table, but Stanleys French press, like the Yeti, is built for the great outdoors. Durable and well-insulated, the highlight of the Stanley is the volume at this price. Bodum makes versions of our picks above that are slightly larger than this model, but the glass carafes are more fragile than the Stanleys stainless-steel one, and the 64-ounce Yeti, while also rugged, costs significantly more. $70 at Amazon Buy $70 at Amazon Buy Best French press for a cleaner cup ESPRO - P5 French Press - Double Micro-Filtered Coffee and Tea Maker $50 $50 Material: Glass body, stainless-steel finish | Volume: 32 oz. | Care: Top rack, dishwasher safe | Insulated: No Since French press is a full-immersion brew method and doesnt use a paper filter, theres a higher chance that grounds will make their way into your cup. That wasnt an issue with any of the presses in my testing, but with the wrong grind size or a worn-out filter, it becomes more likely. Thats a much smaller risk with Espros presses, which come with a particularly fine, double-basket filter. They come in a range of models, all of which contain the same double filter and differ in price, body construction, and volume, so you can choose the one that most fits your needs. I chose the P5 for its more premium and durable finishes at a modest price difference over the P3, but all models should create a similar brew. $50 at Amazon Buy $50 at Amazon Buy Best heirloom-quality French press Frieling Double-Walled Stainless-Steel French Press Coffee Maker - Polished, 36 oz $140 $140 Material: Stainless steel | Volume: 17, 23, 36, or 44 oz. | Care: Dishwasher safe | Insulated: No Its the gold standard of French presses, says Kelsey Horwitz, who uses the Frieling in her French-press classes at Beacon Coffee in Ventura, California. With an entirely stainless-steel construction, its dishwasher safe and, especially compared to its glass competition, virtually indestructible. Though it comes in at a higher price point than some of the competition, Frieling sells replacement parts at an affordable price. Horwitz suggests that, for someone whose daily cup is French press, its a better idea to spend more up front on a Frieling and never have to worry about buying another press ever again just replace the filter as needed. $140 at Amazon Buy $140 at Amazon Buy Best centerpiece French press Yield Glass French Press $85 Material: Glass | Volume: 850 mL (approximately 29 oz.) | Care: Hand-wash only | Insulated: No The Yield is a strikingly beautiful piece of equipment. Its unibody glass design means that youd better hand-wash this one very carefully, though that same design also makes cleaning a breeze. It comes in a range of attractive colors (amber, green, clear glass, gray, and blue), and the company also offers glassware to match. $85 at Yield Design Buy The Yield has a striking all-glass design. Photo: Chris Sarachilli get the strategist newsletter Actually good deals, smart shopping advice, and exclusive discounts. Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Vox Media, LLC Terms and Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us. The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best dining room decor items, coffee makers, knife sets, Japanese coffee brewer, charcoal water filter, and drinking glasses for water and more. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change. Every editorial product is independently selected. If you buy something through our links, New York may earn an affiliate commission. 11 items in this article 1 item on sale! Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailers For this weeks Dont Dillydally, weve rounded up a range of newly released products were particularly excited about, including a Lego set thatll thrill theater kids, a long-awaited Pleasing restock, and some hyped-up fancy Jell-O. Stokke YOYO Stroller $449 $449 Despite its popularity, there are a few common complaints about the Yoyo stroller: The storage basket is too small, the seat back is always somewhat reclined, and the sunshade doesnt block enough sun. This new model aims to resolve these issues and then some. I havent tested it yet, but as a Yoyo owner who wants to love it more, I am hopeful. $449 at Nordstrom Buy $449 at Pottery Barn Kids Buy The Pleasing Bag $55 $55 After a two-year wait, the original mesh tote bag from Harry Styless brand Pleasing is back in stock. It looks a little bit like a string farmers-market bag, and its available, for now, with either black or blue brand logos across the straps. Of every item on this list, its the one I predict will sell out fastest. $55 at Pleasing Buy Guava Nectar Gelee $24 for 3 $24 for 3 Over the last five years or so, fancy and decorative Jell-O/jelly/gelee has been a big trend among food-industry folks and on social media. Now you can make it yourself at home: Strategist writer Ambar Pardilla tried several flavors from the newly launched brand Gelee and liked guava best because it reminds her of the refreshing guava juice she drank as a kid. $24 for 3 at Gelee Buy Osea Undaria Algae Body Wash $32 $32 Anyone I know who has tried Oseas Undaria body oil has quickly become a convert. Now the brand is making body wash with the same scent, and it has seaweed to gently wash away dirt and sweat. $32 at Osea Buy Cozy Earth Puffy Sheep Slipper $150 $150 Its still summer, but its totally okay to start thinking about your fall and winter slippers. Im not the only one on Team Strategist whos excited about these new outdoor-friendly sheep slippers from Cozy Earth because of the way they combine luxury loungewear with chunky nonslip soles. $150 at Cozy Earth Buy Aura Bora x P.F. Candle Co. Aura Bora Watermelon Chili $57 for 12 $57 for 12 Strategist senior editor Jen Trolio wasnt sure what to expect from this watermelon-chili sparkling water made in collaboration with P.F. Candle Co. but she says its legitimately good. Its actually got a spicy kick to it that is quite compelling and interesting, she says. Theres a candle as part of the collaboration, too. $57 for 12 at Aura Bora Buy get the strategist newsletter Actually good deals, smart shopping advice, and exclusive discounts. Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Vox Media, LLC Terms and Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us. The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change. Big Break in the Matthew Perry death investigation -- there have been multiple arrests made, including at least one doctor ... TMZ has learned.https://t.co/87m1dmowxn TMZ (@TMZ) August 15, 2024 Five arrests have been made amid a drug investigation into the death of Friends star Matthew Perry. The Department of Justice said in a press conference Thursday morning that an investigation revealed a broad underground criminal network, including Perrys assistant and pic.twitter.com/8wm7UZEYh5 Variety (@Variety) August 15, 2024 There have been multiple arrests made in the Matthew Perry death investigation.Law enforcement says multiple law enforcement agencies have executed search warrants and seized computers, phones and other electronic equipment to determine who supplied Perry with the ketamine that caused him to lose consciousness last October and drown in his hot tub. Perry had been getting ketamine infusion therapy for anxiety and depression, but the last therapy was a week and a half before his death, so the ketamine in his system was not doctor-prescribed.Law enforcement says the ketamine Perry ingested was not legally prescribed and multiple agencies, including the DEA, U.S. Postal Service and LAPD, have conducted a criminal investigation for months. At least 1 doctor has been arrested, along with several dealers who helped arrange and deliver ketamine to Perry.The search warrant revealed text messages discussing Perry and the ketamine he wanted and what they were doing to get it to him. The texts also discuss the price Perry would pay for the drug.Authorities got a search warrant for Brooke Mueller, Charlie Sheen's ex, who had been in a treatment center with Perry, but for now she seems not connected to the arrests. In their investigation, authorities found other celebs who were involved in the Hollywood drug scene.Notably, Ryan Reavis got an 11-year sentence as the middleman who delivered drugs laced with fentanyl to Mac Miller, resulting in the rapper's death.The Department of Justice said in a press conference Thursday morning that an investigation revealed, who took advantage of the actor by selling him ketamine.said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada, announcing the charges.Sources: 1 After shedding gains on Wednesday following a U.S. crude inventory build and the Biden administrations suggestion that a Gaza ceasefire deal could halt an Iranian attack on Israel, prices are now reversing again, with WTI gaining nearly 2% and Brent solidly back above the $80 mark. At 12:16 p.m. ET on Thursday, U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was trading up 1.81% at $78.37 per barrel, while Brent crude was trading up 1.86% at $81.24. Despite data showing a surprise U.S. inventory build, U.S. economic data appears to be easing fears of recession, with U.S. retail sales rising more than expected in July, and a smaller-than-expected increase in unemployment benefit applications. Markets have had difficulty digesting new economic and inventory data, and balancing this with intensifying geopolitical risk. On Tuesday, the American Petroleum Institute (API) reported a draw in U.S. crude oil inventories, only to be contradicted the following day by the Energy Information Administration (EIA), which reported a surprise build, putting downward pressure on prices. On the geopolitical front, new Gaza ceasefire talks got underway on Thursday in Doha, Qatarbut without Hamas in attendance. As the Gaza death toll reaches 40,000, with another 90,000 people injured, Israeli intelligence is meeting behind closed doors with U.S. and Egyptian intelligence and the prime minister of Qatar. This is happening against the backdrop of a deployment of U.S. warships to the region, while the Biden administration is hoping that the talks launched today could prevent a regional war. Hamas has refused to attend the talks but has indicated that it will be speaking with the negotiating team after the talks, Reuters reported. On the fundamentals side, the EIA on Wednesday reported a 1.4-billion-barrel increase in stockpiles for the week ended August 9, compared to a 3.7-million-barrel drawdown from the previous week. The EIA report came a day after the API reported a 5.2-million barrel draw in stockpiles. By Michael Kern for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Kazakhstan's decision aligns with China's growing space ambitions and its desire to diversify its space partnerships beyond Russia. A new agreement for Kazakhstan to join Chinese-led plans to build and operate a research base on the moon could set the stage for deepening cooperation between the two countries as Beijing makes strides toward becoming a leading power in space. The July 3 agreement was signed on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit and admitted Kazakhstan as the 12th member of the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), a Chinese-led initiative with Russia's Roskosmos for a lunar base that was announced in 2021 and includes Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, Nicaragua, Serbia, Pakistan, South Africa, Thailand, and Venezuela. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a joint statement that, as part of the deal, Beijing and Astana would "support exchanges and cooperation between the two countries' aerospace agenciesin the peaceful use of outer space" and to "promote mutually beneficial cooperation in the moon and deep space." The Kazakh Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry Ministry revealed new details of this cooperation on August 5, saying that Beijing and Astana would explore the commercial use of each other's spaceports and Kazakhstan would also be part of the development and launch of a lunar telescope project. The addition of Kazakhstan bolsters China's lunar exploration plans and puts the Central Asian country on a trajectory to further integrate into China's booming space industry, which is part of a drive by Beijing that experts say is motivated by an ambition to rival the United States. "China intends to equal and eventually surpass the United States as a space power," Bruce McClintock, a former defense attache at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and senior researcher on space policy at the RAND Corporation, told RFE/RL. "The recent return of a lunar sample mission from the moon demonstrates China's financial commitment to lunar exploration and their technical ability to achieve their long-term goals." The return to Earth of China's Chang'e-6 lunar module in June was the latest accomplishment as Beijing aims to finish building the ILRS in the 2030s. The China National Space Administration also said it plans to send astronauts to the moon before 2030 and Beijing established the International Lunar Research Station Cooperation Organization (ILRSCO) in April, a Chinese-led body to coordinate lunar missions with member states. The plans around the ILRS are seen as a response to NASA's Artemis Program, a U.S.-led initiative that aims to send a crewed mission to the moon by 2025, with a continuous presence by 2028. As part of its own diplomatic push for space, Washington has gotten more than 40 countries to sign the Artemis Accords, a set of principles for the exploration and use of outer space. "The Chinese are trying to build their own duplicative organizations as a race develops to see who can get the most support for their programs," Eva Seiwert, an analyst at the Berlin-based Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS) think tank, told RFE/RL. "For Kazakhstan, it's clear that they see China as a future source of knowledge, training, and financing for their space industry." Liftoff For China Kazakhstan has been an integral part of the Soviet and Russian space programs for nearly 70 years. Baikonur, an expansive complex located in southern Kazakhstan, has shot hundreds of rockets into space and holds a special position as a launching pad for some of space flight's most historic achievements, such as the 1957 Soviet launch of Sputnik, the world's first satellite, and cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin's first human journey to outer space in 1961. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Baikonur remained a launch site for Russia's Roskosmos, which maintained a dominant position within the space industry. But both Russia and Baikonur's places have begun to shift. The space complex has been at the center of a contract dispute between Russia and Kazakhstan for years, and Roskosmos is planning to move its space launches to Russian territory. At the same time, Russia's space program has faced funding cuts, technical setbacks, and scandals. Western sanctions first brought against Russia in 2014 and expanded following its February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine have further dimmed its space program as it has been cut off from some essential Western-made components. These changes have taken place as China's own space program leaped forward in recent years, with billions of dollars being invested. When the space partnership between Russia and China first gained traction in 2014 and gradually grew over the years, it culminated in joint projects like the ILRS. "I don't think Russia has many other choices," Juliana Suess, a fellow for space security at the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based think tank, told RFE/RL. "Russia has a lot of legacy and expertise, but that's all very much behind it. When it comes to space, Russia looks more like the junior partner in the China-Russia relationship." Beijing, meanwhile, has continued to broaden its outreach, even adding a space component to its multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as it has looked to build up and link its space industry with other countries. This has included deploying satellites, building ground stations, erecting data centers, and training foreign space personnel as part of the foundations of a Beijing-led space network. "China is actively building up its status as a space power, and this lunar base that Kazakhstan has signed up to is just one piece of a constant effort for space soft power," Suess said. A New Era In Space While Kazakhstan signing on to the ILRS marks another step forward for China's space ambitions, Bleddyn Bowen, an associate professor specializing in space policy at the University of Leicester, says the other aspects of the agreement reached between Astana and Beijing may be more significant in the long run. "The moon is for scientific or research projects," Bowen, also a fellow at RUSI, told RFE/RL. "Whereas a launch service agreement would mean putting more satellites into the Earth's orbit, which matters because it provides the daily infrastructure that we rely on and is central to the space economy." For Beijing, a crucial area for enhancing its capacity for competition in space with the United States is the Beidou Satellite Navigation System (BDS), which is China's answer to the American GPS, Russian GLONASS, or the European Galileo navigation systems. Widespread adoption of either system carries immense commercial value and China wants BDS to be used for aircraft, auto, and ship navigation, as well as humanitarian and disaster assistance, agricultural improvement, and weather forecasts. As a report by the U.S. Air Force's China Aerospace Studies Institute noted, all 30 BDS global networking satellites have been in place since 2020, and more than 120 countries have begun using BDS. For Kazakhstan, the drift toward Beijing began in 2013 when Chinese and Kazakh private space companies began cooperating. The collaboration has accelerated as Russia's space program has failed to keep pace with China's. "China is much more attractive now as an investor with money to spend," Bowen said. "China is also a massive market where anything that Kazakhstan's space industry produces is likely to find a use." Using Kazakh territory for space launches is also important as Russia looks to divest from the Baikonur complex. While Russia has a lease on the facility until 2050, China is currently working to boost launch-pad access around the world for commercial space providers and Kazakhstan, which shares a long border with China, also hosts the Sary Shagan anti-ballistic missile test site. "Kazakhstan needs to diversify and bring in new countries to pay for what Russia used to provide," said Bowen. "Partnering more with the Chinese is part of that plan for the future." By RFE/RL More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Norwegian maintenance and concerns about supply due to the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine will support near-term natural gas and LNG prices, RBC Capital Markets said in a note on Thursday. All these factors move the risk barometer a notch higher this summer, the bank said. Maintenance and unplanned outages in Norway, Europes single largest natural gas supplier, are the price drivers to watch this summer, according to RBC Capital Markets. A new wave of planned maintenance is coming in September and could put upward pressure on European prices, as well as global LNG prices, as competition for cargoes of the super-chilled fuel could rise, RBC analysts noted. Early this summer, unplanned outages sparked several rallies in Europes benchmark gas prices. The Sleipner hub outage in June sent the Dutch TTF Natural Gas Futures, the benchmark for Europes gas trading, surging by 10% on a single day on June 3, to the highest level in six months. The unplanned outages highlighted the vulnerability of Europe relying on natural gas imports as Norway became Europes top gas supplier after the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the slump in Russian gas exports to the EU. More recently, the price hit last week its highest level this year amid concerns about a possible halt to Russian pipeline supplies via Ukraine. At the end of last week, natural gas flows from Russia to Europe via Ukraine continued despite clashes at the Russia-Ukraine border near the only gas metering station that still sends Russian gas west to Europe. Even as the Ukraine-Russia tension escalated with the Ukrainian incursion into Russias Kursk region, both sides have signaled they have no intention of interrupting the pipeline gas supply to Europe via Ukraine. While near-term gas and LNG prices will likely be supported by concerns about supply, the medium to long term could see more stable prices as a wave of new LNG export projects will hit the market, RBC said. From 2025 onwards, a tidal wave of LNG will drive normalization, the bank noted. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com The attack comes amid heightened tensions with Israel, and some speculate it could be a retaliatory strike. Iran's Central Bank has reportedly been hit by a major cyberattack, causing widespread disruption to the country's banking system. The opposition and Saudi-affiliated Iran International is reporting that the Central Bank of Iran has been hit with a large-scale cyber attack which is caused major disruption to the banking system across the Islamic Republic. The outlet says the impact of the attack if far-reaching, suggesting it could be one of the largest cyberattacks on Iran's state infrastructure to date, coming amid soaring regional tensions with Israel. Earlier Wednesday, Iran's Supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned the country about threats of irregular warfare, stating, "The exaggeration of our enemies' capabilities is intended to spread fear among our people by the US, Britain, and the Zionists. The enemies' hand is not as strong as it is publicized. We must rely on ourselves." He continued, "The enemy's goal is to spread psychological warfare to push us into political and economic retreat and achieve its objectives." Could this reported major cyber attack be the work of Israeli intelligence? Likely many in Iran believe so. Ironically it comes on the heels of claims by US officials and in Western media that Iranian state hackers are actively working to influence and interfere in the upcoming US elections. However, there has been no proof of these allegations, but only references to poorly made spoof websites which seek to influence either conservative or liberal voters. As for these Wednesday reports of a major cyber attack targeting Iranian banking, a story picked up in Israeli media as well, Iranian officials have not given official confirmation and state media sources remain silent thus far. Last December, a major cyber attack took out a significant part of the country's gas stations, as it targeted widely used payment software, and Tehran attributed the disruption to Israel and the US. Israel has long been known to target Iran's nuclear program with cyber attacks, some of which have reportedly been successful in crippling the operations of key sites in the past. Two weeks have passed since Haniyeh's killing and Israeli leaders are still bracing for some kind of potential big retaliation from Iran. If it is accurate that Iran's central bank has been crippled in the attack, and if Israel is behind it, this could convince Tehran to finally pull the trigger on its long awaited retaliation. By Zerohedge.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Increased US military presence in the region and diplomatic efforts may also be influencing Iran's decision-making. Analysts believe Iran's hesitation stems from concerns about sparking a larger war and the complexities of coordinating with its allies. Iran has delayed its promised retaliation against Israel for the killing of a Hamas leader, creating a tense waiting game in the region. Iran has kept the world on edge since it promised to strike Israel more than two weeks ago -- a move experts say could plunge the region into an all-out war. The promised attack by Islamic republic is meant as retaliation for the July 31 killing in Tehran of Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of the U.S.- and EU-designated Palestinian terrorist group Hamas. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said after the assassination that Iran was "duty-bound" to avenge its "guest." An Iranian attack has been "imminent" for the past two weeks, and this anticipation has led to frequent bouts of hysteria on social media predicting an attack by Iran and its allies -- including Lebanese militant group Hizballah -- within hours. "I think they really enjoy that: watching Israel stuck in this waiting period, paying a heavy economic and psychological price," said Raz Zimmt, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv. But the fallout from the anticipation is a double-edged sword that also hurts Iran and its allies. "The negative impact on Israel, be it the stress to the home front, the military mobilization, and even the economic consequences, will not be limited to Israel, but also affect Iran and Lebanon," warned Michael Horowitz, head of intelligence at the Bahrain-based Le Beck International consultancy. Why The Wait? Analysts said the idea Iran is delaying its retaliation because it is relishing the psychological impact it is having is more of an excuse than a proper strategy. They agreed intense domestic debates, the complexity of coordinating with proxies, and assessing the risks associated with an attack have all contributed to Iran's hesitation. Zimmt said Iran is "facing a major dilemma" because while Khamenei and the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) want to restore Iran's deterrence vis-a-vis Israel, there are elements in Iran that worry a large-scale attack could drag Iran into a war with Israel and maybe even the United States. Even if a decision on how to respond to Haniyeh's killing has been made, coordinating with Hizballah and other members of the so-called axis of resistance -- Tehran's loosely knit network of regional state and nonstate allies and proxies -- is a time-consuming process. Another factor likely affecting Iran's decision-making is the United States beefing up its military presence in the region more than it did in April ahead of Iran's unprecedented drone and missile attack against Israel. "We're seeing a bigger response [from the United States] than in April, which is probably meant to match the scope of the threat, as Iran may carry out a larger response than the one in April," Horowitz said. "The message [from the United States] in sending both defensive assets -- but also potentially offensive ones -- is one of deterrence and perhaps the only kind of message that does truly matter at this stage." Can Diplomacy Prevail? Tehran has rebuffed calls by Western nations to show restraint, insisting it has a legitimate right to respond to Israel's killing of Haniyeh on Iranian territory. Still, the flurry of phone calls made to new President Masud Pezeshkian and acting Foreign Minister Ali Baqeri-Kani have raised speculation that attempts at diplomacy have helped delay an attack and could potentially stave it off. "I am skeptical that diplomacy, on its own, is enough to truly change the Iranian calculus," Horowitz said. "Iran will do what it feels is in its best interest, regardless of the calls and statements urging restraint." But Iran has suggested a different kind of diplomacy could convince it to at least "delay" its promised attack: a permanent cease-fire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. Farzan Sabet, senior research associate at the Geneva Graduate Institute, speculated Iran "may be looking for off-ramps" to justify a toned-down response, and some kind of Gaza cease-fire could be just the "diplomatic victory" it needs to do that. Zimmt said a Gaza cease-fire may not be important to Iran but it does provide Tehran with "an excuse or an explanation to legitimize this delay, both internally and mostly externally." He said a cease-fire could lead to Iran either reducing the scale of its attack or choosing a different method of retaliation altogether that does not involve a direct strike on Israel. No Good Options It remains a mystery when and how Iran is going to respond, but as things stand Tehran does not seem to have any good options. "Decision-makers in Tehran may have vacillated in finding a 'Goldilocks' option," Sabet said. That, he explained, is Iran's conundrum to deliver "a retaliatory strike that is not so weak as to have little symbolic or deterrent value, but not so strong as to cause an uncontrolled cycle of escalation that leads to a larger war." Tehran is effectively left with either a weak response or one that crosses the threshold of war. Both options "entail significant risks," Horowitz said, "either for Iran's regional projection power or the risks Iran could take if it crosses a line and is hit back in return." By RFE/RL More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Chinese traders in Xinjiang, caught off guard by the tariff hike, are refusing Kazakh wheat shipments, even those already en route. Wheat woes will hit Kazakhstan during the second half of 2024. A projected overabundance of the countrys chief agricultural export commodity is expected to keep prices down. Compounding the challenges, Kazakhstan has suspended wheat exports to China for an undetermined period following unilateral tariff changes by Beijing. The Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture reported that more wheat was sown than expected this spring, meaning that the coming weeks should yield a high harvest, and, consequently, low prices. In the same statement, the ministry announced the suspension of wheat exports to one of Kazakhstans major markets, China, due to unilaterally changed import rules. It will take time and effort for traders to resume trade to China, the ministry statement added. China apparently has not provided Kazakh officials with an explanation for the sudden tariff change. On August 2, the agricultural news portal Eldala.kz, citing on-the-ground sources, provided the first hint of trouble for wheat exports, reporting that Chinese customs had completely banned wheat imports for factories in a special economic zone (SEZ) in Chinas western Xinjiang Province, which borders Kazakhstan. Previously, Chinese companies registered in this SEZ imported wheat without paying a 65 percent duty that is applied in other regions of China. Now, this trade advantage appears to have been canceled. Grain can now only be imported duty-free according to quotas distributed among Chinese enterprises by a state-controlled regulatory agency. The changes in the tariff regime seem to have caught Chinese traders in Xinjiang flat-footed. Facing a huge, unexpected surge in costs, Chinese traders have reportedly told their Kazakh counterparts that they will not be able to accept wheat cargoes from Kazakhstan, even if they are already on the way, according to the Eldala.kz report. The outlet also reported that the tightening measures affect only wheat, while tariff rules for other grain products, such as barley, bran and flax, are unchanged. The export suspension to China, combined with the projected bumper crop, is already causing wheat prices to plunge in Kazakhstan. Kazakh farmers now expect to be left holding large wheat surpluses. Chinas tightening of tariff rules occurred a little over one month after a meeting between Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Astana. Upon his arrival in the Kazakh capital, Xi described Chinese-Kazakh relations as a unique, permanent, comprehensive strategic partnership. At a July 3 news conference with his Chinese counterpart, Tokayev optimistically described the future of agricultural cooperation with China, noting the strong expansion in China-bound exports in 2023 and predicting that joint endeavors would produce further growth. I would like to express my gratitude to Mr. Xi Jinping for supporting these measures, Tokayev told the assembled journalists. By Almaz Kumenov via Eurasianet.org More Top Reads From Oilprice.com DP World, a key Dubai-based port operator, reported earnings on Thursday, showing a ~60% profit plunge due to Red Sea attacks by Yemens pro-Iran Houthi rebels, who claim to be retaliating for Israels assault on Gaza, the Associated Press reports. During the same reporting period last year, DP World recorded $651 million in profit. A year later, thanks in part to ongoing Houthi attacks on the Red Sea shipping lane, DP Worlds profits are down to $265 million. The year 2024 has been marked by a deteriorating geopolitical environment and disruptions to global supply chains due to the Red Sea crisis, DP World chairman and CEO Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem said in a statement carried by Dubai media. Bin Sulayem did not provide specific details as to the Red Sea losses, but suggested the company was still in a position to deliver stable full-yearadjusted profits. DP World operates through Dubais Jebel Ali Port, and while the Houthi campaign is said to be targeting U.S.-, UK- and Israeli-linked ships, others are suffering from the onslaught as well, and shippers have been forced to take the long way around, avoiding Dubai, and traveling around the Cape of Good Hope in southern Africa. In mid-July, Goldman Sachs latest supply chain congestion briefing noted that for the first time in 1.5 years, the supply chain congestion index was on the verge of rising from two to three, with 10 being the most congested. This resurgence in snarled supply chains is driven mainly by increasing container ship backlogs and soaring ocean container shipping rates, partly due to the Houthi campaign. Earlier this month, shipping giant Maersk told media that the supply chain was at a breaking point, with its CEO stating: The fallout of the Red Sea situation is continuing to cascade across the world, creating challenges for supply chains and our customers. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com OPECs second-largest producer, Iraq, seeks to attract more investment in its oil and gas industry by moving to profit-sharing contracts for new bid rounds from the technical service contracts it has awarded so far. The biggest change in Iraqs petroleum regulatory landscape in decades is being made to attract higher bids and more investments in its huge oil and gas reserves, government officials have told Reuters. Under the profit-sharing contracts, the winners of the licensing rounds are being offered a share of the revenue from the license after deducting royalty and cost recovery expenses, an anonymous official at the Iraqi Ministry of Oil told Reuters. In contrast, traditional technical service contracts offer a flat rate for every barrel of oil produced after reimbursing costs. They generally pay foreign investors less than what they would have received under production-sharing contracts. Foreign firms operating in Iraq have complained that the technical service contracts, with the flat rate, do not allow them to benefit when international crude oil prices rise. These contracts become even less lucrative for foreign investors when costs increase. Earlier this week, Iraq signed 13 preliminary exploration deals that would focus on natural gas exploration and development. The agreements, awarded in a bidding round held in May, will be under profit-sharing contracts, an oil ministry official who attended the signing ceremony told Reuters. Last year, a deal between Iraq and TotalEnergies marked the start of a change in contracts. OPECs second-biggest producer and the French supermajor signed a massive $27 billion deal after the country offered revenue-sharing terms and an accommodation to capture more of the gas that is flared. Ultimately, Iraq had to go back to the drawing board several times to reach into its own pockets and dish out even more favorable terms. Iraq eventually settled on hanging onto just 30% of the project, with TotalEnergies grabbing 45% (and QatarEnergy getting a 25% stake). The deal will allow TotalEnergies to take part of the revenues from the Ratawi oilfield and use them to help finance three more projects. The revenue-sharing scheme will see 25% of the revenue from each barrel going to Iraq as a royalty, and 75% back to stakeholders. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Russian exports of petroleum products to Asia via the southern tip of Africa nearly doubled in July from a month earlier to hit an all-time high, according to LSEG shipping data reported by Reuters. Last month, Russias shipments of fuels via the Cape of Good Hope en route to Asia jumped to a record-high volume of 1.1 million metric tons, as more tankers took the longer route instead of the Suez Canal, per the data. Since the end of 2023, many ship owners and vessel charterers have opted to use the longer route via the Cape of Good Hope to avoid passing through the Red Sea, where the Iran-aligned Houthis have targeted Western and Israeli-flagged or owned vessels. Despite the fact that Russia isnt being targeted by the Iran-backed Houthis, vessels are not adding another risk by taking the Red Sea route to Asia. Most of Russias exports to Asia via Africa consisted of naphtha, while the remainder were fuel oil from the Russian ports on the Baltic Sea and low-sulfur diesel from the port of Primorsk, also on the Baltic, according to market sources and shipping data cited by Reuters. Russias markets in Asia were Singapore, Taiwan, India, and China, per the LSEG data. In recent months, Russia has had higher-than-expected maintenance and repairs at its refineries after Ukraine stepped up early this year its drone attacks on the Russian refining capacity. In addition to unplanned repairs to fix damages from the drones, some refineries underwent planned maintenance, which dragged down Russias fuel output and exports earlier this year. On Wednesday, the Russian government said that Moscow is extending its ban on gasoline exports from October to the end of December 2024, as it seeks to keep domestic supply stable amid seasonal demand and scheduled repairs at refineries. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Texas has added British bank NatWest to its list of financial institutions that boycott the energy industry, meaning any business NatWest may have with state agencies would be affected. The reason NatWest joined the list was a plan by the bank to stop financing oil and gas projects, a spokesperson for Texas Comptroller Glenn Hager told Reuters. Per that policy, beginning in 2026, NatWest would not renew, refinance or extend existing reserve-based lending specifically for the purpose of financing oil and gas exploration, extraction and production. Texas signaled it was having none of that back in 2022 when Hager compiled a list of financial institutions that were seen as boycotting the energy industry. In retaliation for that boycott, the Comptrollers office banned investments by Texas state agencies in these institutions and prompted them to divest whatever assets they already had in them. The environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) movement has produced an opaque and perverse system in which some financial companies no longer make decisions in the best interest of their shareholders or their clients, but instead use their financial clout to push a social and political agenda shrouded in secrecy, Hager said at the time. Some of the banks that ended up on the blacklist include JP Morgan, BlackRock, HSBC, and Wells Fargo. The banks were quick to reassure the Texas authorities they had nothing against the oil and gas industry and were in fact rather heavily invested in it. This move prompted a backlash from climate activists, putting the banks in the uncomfortable position of having to reassure two irreconcilable camps they have their best interests at heart. The list of so-called energy boycotters in Texas has been updated several times since 2022. Most of the banks currently on it, according to Bloomberg, are European institutions. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com The United States will continue to buy crude when prices are in the $70s a barrel or lower and plans to add several million barrels of crude to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve early next year. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is continuing its efforts to bolster the depleted SPR with new oil purchases. DOE's Office of Petroleum Reserves has recently announced a call for bids to supply up to 1.5 million barrels of oil to the Bayou Choctaw site in January 2025. An additional solicitation will follow on August 12, 2024, for another 2 million barrels destined for the Bryan Mound site, also for delivery in January 2025. This move is part of a strategic plan to replenish the SPR while taking advantage of favorable oil prices. The DOEs stated goal is to buy crude oil at or below $79 per barrel. The replenishment strategy comes in the wake of the SPR's critical role in stabilizing the market during global supply disruptions, notably the release of more than 180 million barrels of oil from the SPR starting in 2021, as gasoline prices remained high. The Department of Treasury claims that these releases, along with coordinated international efforts, helped reduce gasoline prices by up to 40 cents per gallon in 2022. The SPR currently houses 375 million barrels of crudea figure that is 263 million barrels less than oil in the SPR at the beginning of President Joe Bidens term in office. The SPR, capable of storing as many as 714 million barrels of crude oil, is kept in underground salt caverns at four sites in Texas and Louisiana and was designed to protect the economy and American livelihoods during oil shortages. In June, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm told Reuters in an interview that the Administration could accelerate the pace of buying crude to refill the SPR, as all four sites would be available by the end of the year after a maintenance period. All four sites will be back up by the end of the year, so one could imagine that pace would pick up, depending on the market, Secretary Granholm said, commenting on the current pace of buying about 3 million barrels of crude for the reserve per month this year. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com It has been one month since the Gambian Parliament upheld the ban on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) on July 15, 2024 a practice that experts warn can cause severe short-term and long-term physical and psychological harm, including infections, future reproductive complications, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The ban is a significant milestone, especially given the countrys high FGM prevalence rates. According to the WHO, over 73 percent of girls and women aged 15 to 49 in The Gambia have already undergone this harmful practice, with many subjected to it before their fifth birthday. More than 230 million girls and women worldwide have experienced FGM according to UNICEFs Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A Global Concern report. This marks a 15 percent increase (30 million additional cases), from eight years ago. African countries account for the majority with more than 144 million cases. Asia follows with over 80 million, and the Middle East accounts for over 6 million. FGM is also practiced in small, isolated communities and among diasporas around the world. The highest prevalence rate of FMG in Africa was in Somalia with around 98 percent of women and girls aged 15 to 49 having undergone the practice. Then Guinea, Djibouti, Egypt, Mali, Sudan, and Sierra Leone follow with rates all above 85 percent. Other African nations with significant rates include Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, and Eritrea with rates at 65 percent or higher. Trailing after the top 10, but still with a high rate is Chad with 44 percent. I think there are many resources which explain FGM and early marriage and offer solutions from socio-cultural perspectives, Dr. Seble Daniel, the executive director of the World Evangelical Alliance Womens Commission said in an interview with CDI. What we lack is a theological reflection. In one chapter of a booklet, originally published in Amharic, Daniel and a colleague from Ethiopia take steps toward a theological reflection on this issue with a focus on Ethiopia. Stay informed with The Christian Daily Newsletter Sign up They specifically explore the Churchs role in combating both FGM and Early Marriage (EM). They emphasize the Churchs responsibility to support organized efforts by collaborating with government agencies concerned with eradicating harmful traditional practices like FGM and EM. They also suggest that the Church provide counselling and support to survivors of gender-based violence (GBV), guiding them away from seeking vengeance and mistrusting all men. They argue, The prophetic calling of the Church demands that, as Gods agent on earth, it teaches its members to care for both body and soul and to be a voice for the voiceless. This involves serving as an agent of justice and peace and advocating for human well-being. Thus, working to end FGM and EM is a core responsibility of the Church. The chapter concludes by presenting a renewed perspective on worship and genuine faith as illustrated in the Bible. It states, Women are suffering and enduring lifelong torment due to FGM and EM. Jesus works through His Church to end these harmful practices and to offer love and compassion to victims. True fasting and prayer, as described in the Bible, are not detached from the suffering of those around us. Isaiah 58 clearly outlines the kind of prayer and fasting that God honors. Taking a stand against FGM and EM and supporting victims represents some of the highest forms of worship pleasing to God. UNICEF reports that around the world one in five women between the ages of 20 and 24 were married under the age of 18. While nearly half of those came from South Asia, sub-Saharan African countries account for 20 percent. West and Central Africa had the highest rate of EM with six of the regions countries included in UNICEFs top 10 list of global countries with the highest number of child marriages. EM disproportionately affects girls, with 640 million girls and women worldwide impacted by the practice. Child grooms account for more than 100 million who are married as children. Girls who marry before 18 experience more domestic violence and have less opportunity to complete schooling. These disconnect them with positive childhood experiences that can improve adulthood. Those who become pregnant during adolescence have increased difficulties in their pregnancies and during childbirth including a higher chance of maternal death. These factors create worse health and economic outcomes for them than for their peers who do not marry at an early age. On 2 July 2024, Sierra Leone passed a law which bans EM. This marks a lauded milestone in bringing this practice to an end. Men who marry girls under 18 can now face 15 years in prison or more as well as a fine of around $4,000 USD. First Lady Fatima Bio advocated for the law across the country expressing her desire to see girls get the chance to grow, mature and make the best in life. In an interview with the BBC, she said, the cycle of child marriages will lead to children who will not be educated, who will not be empowered, who cannot contribute to nation-building. EM occurs most frequently in poor, rural communities with traditional patriarchal systems. The practice can be entrenched in cultural and moral norms and be considered the next step into womanhood following FGM. Light of Life (LOL) is a Christian Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) working with children and families in the Maasai community in Kenya to rescue children from harmful practices like FGM and EM. Evelyne Nakola, LOLs founder, grew up in a rural village and has over 100 cousins. She saw her female cousins go through FGM and EM. She said in an interview with CDI, [It] traumatized me as I watched them endure the pain of the cut, a practice still celebrated publicly. She explained that her father refused to participate in these practices even though his siblings did them with their children. He stood his ground and firmly refused to change his mind, facing rejection and hatred, making it impossible for us to continue living in the village. Nakola said that LOLs approach is based on the foundations of Christ, where girls and boys receive an education and come to know God, who is the beginning of knowledge. Since the organization's establishment in November 2011, over 2,000 girls and boys have successfully completed the program. We now have girls who are teachers, lawyers, nurses, entrepreneurs, hoteliers, and many other professionals, said Nakola. The ministrys name is drawn from John 8:12, where Jesus said, Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. The Prime Minister may offer a clear understanding of her timetable for departure next week, the chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee has said. Theresa May has previously suggested she will leave Downing Street after her Brexit deal has been passed by Parliament. But Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the committee since May 2010, told BBC Radio 4s Week in Westminster that May had offered to meet with the executive following a request for clarity on her plans. He told the programme: It would be strange for that not to result in a clear understanding at the end of the meeting. The Altrincham and Sale West MP added he understood her reticence to set a date, but added: I dont think its about an intention for staying indefinitely as prime minister or leader of the Conservative Party. But Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the committee since May 2010, told BBC Radio 4s Week in Westminster that May had offered to meet with the executive following a request for clarity on her plans. He told the programme: It would be strange for that not to result in a clear understanding at the end of the meeting. The Altrincham and Sale West MP added he understood her reticence to set a date, but added: I dont think its about an intention for staying indefinitely as prime minister or leader of the Conservative Party. I think the reticence is the concern that by promising to go on a certain timetable, it might make it less likely she would secure Parliamentary approval for the withdrawal agreement, rather than more likely. Read Also: Theresa May battles to keep control of Brexit Earlier this week, May rebuffed demands to set out a timetable for her departure from No 10 amid growing pressure from Tory MPs to make way for a new leader. At Prime Ministers Questions, Brexit-backing Andrea Jenkyns told May she had failed in EU withdrawal negotiations and forfeited the trust of the public. The public no longer trust her to run Brexit negotiations, she said. Isnt it time to step aside and let someone else lead our country, our party and the Brexit negotiations? May retorted: This is not an issue about me and its not an issue about her. If it were an issue about me and the way I vote, we would already have left the European Union. Downing Street made clear the Prime Minister was not ready to go beyond her earlier promise to the 1922 to quit as Tory leader when the first phase of Brexit negotiations dealing with the divorce terms is complete. The PM made a very generous and bold offer to the 1922 Committee a few weeks ago that she would see through phase one of the Brexit process and she would leave and open up for new leadership for phase two, a No 10 source said. (https://www.thenational.scot) The Nigerian government has continued with the forfeiture of properties belonging to the late Air Marshal, Alex Badeh. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday handed over a 13-bedroom one-storey building and a basement to the management of North East Development Commission (NEDC). This was disclosed In a statement signed by the commissions spokesperson, Tony Orilade. The building located at No 6, Ogun River Street, Maitama, Abuja, was handed over by the EFCC Director of Operations, Muhammed Umar, who represented the Acting Chairman of the Commission, Ibrahim Magu. In his remarks, Mr Magu congratulated the NEDC, urging the agency to utilise the structure to the benefit of the staff of the Commission and the country at large. I wish to congratulate the management and staff of the NEDC on taking the ownership of this beautiful edifice. I equally want to implore the Commission to put the property into maximum use for the benefit of the staff of the Commission and the country at large. According to the statement, Mr Magu said that the commission was committed to continuing living up to its constitutional mandate of ridding the country of corruption, by applying diligence in its investigation and prosecution. He noted that the EFCC will not rest on its oars in tracing and recovering of looted funds and properties procured with proceeds of crime. Responding to the gesture, the Chairman of NEDC, Paul Tarfa, appreciated the gesture and promised to cooperate with the EFCC and the federal government in the fight against corruption. We are grateful to the federal government and EFCC for allowing us to use this place permanently as office or liaison office, here in Abuja. We appreciate this gesture because we understand that ministries and other departments and agencies have been trying to get this place but because of the importance government attaches to NEDC, we are glad that we have been considered for this. So we thank you because, without the cooperation of the EFCC, and the support of the government, other ministries would have gotten it. Please, convey our gratitude to the Chairman of the EFCC, Mr Tarfa said. Mr Badeh served as the 18th Chief of Air Staff and the 15th Chief of Defence Staff of Nigeria. He died from gunshot injuries he sustained after his vehicle was attacked by unknown gunmen along Abuja-Keffi road on December 18, 2018. At the time of his death, he was being prosecuted for a N3.9 billion fraud he allegedly committed as the defence chief under former President Goodluck Jonathan. The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court in March presided over by Okon Abang ordered the forfeiture of all properties belonging to the late Air Marshal to the federal government through the EFCC. The judge also ordered that the Corporate Affairs Commission should be notified of the ruling. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has announced that three new cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) have been confirmed in Lagos State. The NCDC confirmed the fresh cases in a post on its website on Sunday morning. On the 22nd of March 2020, three new confirmed cases of COVID-19 were recorded in Nigeria. Till date, 25 cases have been confirmed, two cases have been discharged and there has been no death from COVID-19 in Nigeria All three new cases are in Lagos State. They are being treated at the Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba, the NCDC said. Naija News reports that the Oyo State government led by Governor Seyi Makinde on Sunday morning confirmed the first of Coronavirus in the state. Governor Makinde said the first Coronavirus in Oyo is a returnee from the United Kingdom whose initial tests had shown negative for the virus. The state governor said in the statement that further tests have proven the UK returnee positive. He further revealed that the suspected case in Ekiti who died due to unknown reasons also slept in a hotel in Ona-Ara local government. Makinde added that a returnee from the United States has also been placed on self-isolation after showing signs of the disease. Governor Makinde said the result was released at 17:35 PM of March 21, 2020, adding that the Oyo State Public Health Officials are collaborating with the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadans team on the case. Share this post with your Friends on The Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, AYCF, on Sunday reacted to the petition forwarded to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, against Bola Tinubu, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC. Speaking with newsmen, President General of AYCF, Yerima Shettima said Nigerians should not expect the EFCC to prosecute Tinubu. The convener of Concerned Nigerians, Deji Adeyanju had on Friday submitted a petition to the EFCC to investigate Tinubu over the source of money allegedly conveyed in bullion vans to his residence during the 2019 Presidential election. He had said: To the best of our knowledge, Mr Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a private citizen who ordinarily should not be seen with a convoy of Bullion Vans. The commission would recall that it was reported all over the news that Bullion Vans allegedly containing an undisclosed amount of cash were seen entering the home of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State on the eve of Nigerias presidential elections. Tinubu himself admitted to this fact while responding to questions by journalists. What are Bullion Vans doing in the house of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu? Who owns the content, believing to be cash in the Bullion Vans that were seen entering the house of Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the eve of Nigerian presidential elections? Has the commission, based on its core mandates, investigated the source of the Bullion Vans? Adeyanju called on the commission to swing into action and begin an investigation into the appearance of those Bullion Vans. We cannot as a nation have two separate rules for fighting corruption, one for those opposed to the ruling party and another for supporters of the government, he said. However, Shettima explained that EFCC may not go ahead to probe Tinubu because of his affiliation with the ruling party. According to Shettima: Its an allegation and all Tinubu needs is to come forward and make clarifications and I just hope that the so called institution which is the EFCC would do the necessary thing by looking into the issue. There is nothing wrong if there is an allegation and somebody is petitioned and there is nothing wrong in Tinubu coming out to make clarifications, there is nothing extraordinary in this matter and I see nothing coming out from this petition especially coming from the quarter its coming from. Our position on this issue is that even if you are an APC member, nothing will come out of this issue but if you are an enemy, not part of them, then certainly something will come out of it. Muslims burned down a church building in the early hours of Saturday (Aug. 10) in central Nigerias Niger state, sources said. The razing of the building of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) congregation in Kontagora town at about 3 a.m. was the second time Muslims have destroyed the worship auditorium at the site, said Associate Pastor Samson Ogbebor. I got a distress call that our church was on fire, and on getting there I met a church being burned down and properties therein looted by hoodlums, Pastor Ogbebor told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. This church has faced lots of challenges about 10 years ago, some Muslim hoodlums came and burnt it down completely, and through self-efforts we were able to rebuild the worship sanctuary. Muslims in Kontagora had made several unsuccessful attempts to prevent the congregation from constructing the worship auditorium, he said. We eventually completed the building of the church building, but they have not relented in their opposition to allowing us as Christians to have a place of worship in the town, Pastor Ogbebor said. For a second time they have burnt down the sanctuary. Stay informed with The Christian Daily Newsletter Sign up Church member Markus Emmanuel said he rushed to the site after receiving a call about the fire at the Champion Parish, Kontagora town. The building was completely razed by fire, Emmanuel told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. Some residents close to the church building told us that they saw a group of Muslims who came into the church premises and set fire on the building. Emmanuel said the building was still under construction when it was burned 10 years ago. This is the second time our worship sanctuary has been destroyed, as 10 years back, a group of Muslim fanatics who were opposed to the church building being constructed at that site set fire on it, before the worship building was reconstructed, he said. Church deacon John Aboje called on Muslim leaders in the town to take measures toward preserving religious freedom of Christians in the predominantly Muslim Kontagora Local Government Area. We just want to plead with the state government and the Kontagora Muslim emirate to look into the issue by compelling the perpetrators to allow freedom of worship, Aboje said. The Rev. Bulus Dauda Yohanna, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Niger State Chapter, confirmed the destruction of the worship auditorium in a statement issued on Saturday (Aug. 10). The destruction of the RCCG worship building is not only barbaric and unwarranted, but also a very painful experience to the Christian community in Kontagora town, Yohanna said. Theres the need for government officials in Kontagora to take strict measures towards putting an end to such ungodly activities of fanatics. This incident has created religious tension. Christians were hoping that the law would take its course, he said. To be frank, issues like this must be tamed, and people who have done this should be fished out and made to face the law, Yohanna said. Aisha Wakaso, media aid to Gov. Mohammed Bago, said in a statement that the governor condemned the destruction of the church building. We totally condemn this act and tell our Christian brothers and sisters, as well as other Niger State inhabitants, that the government prioritizes their safety, security, and freedom of religion, Wakaso said. Our state utilizes its diversity and the peaceful coexistence of all religious and ethnic groups. We will not condone this stupid act of violence. The governor has requested that all relevant security agencies conduct an immediate and complete inquiry into the attack, he said. We are convinced that the perpetrators of this horrible arson will be quickly discovered and prosecuted, Wakaso said. The administration will see that those involved are punished to the fullest extent of the law. We urge the people of Kontagora and Niger State to be calm and refrain from revenge or violence. Let us continue to collaborate to preserve the peace and togetherness that define our magnificent nation. In the 2024 WWL of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, Nigeria was ranked No. 6, as it was in the previous year. Nigeria remained the deadliest place in the world to follow Christ, with 4,118 people killed for their faith from Oct. 1, 2022 to Sept. 30, 2023, according to Open Doors 2024 World Watch List (WWL) report. More kidnappings of Christians than in any other country also took place in Nigeria, with 3,300. Nigeria was also the third highest country in number of attacks on churches and other Christian buildings such as hospitals, schools, and cemeteries, with 750, according to the report. The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has dismissed allegations of state capture in the management of public lands under the Akufo-Addo-led administration as false and unfounded. Speaking at a press briefing in Accra on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, Mr. Jinapor robustly defended the governments handling of public lands, insisting that all transactions have been conducted with transparency and in the best interest of the nation. Let me be absolutely clear: these allegations of state capture are completely without merit. The Akufo-Addo government has adhered strictly to due process in the management of public lands, and there has been no underhandedness or favouritism in our dealings, he said. The Ministers remarks come in the wake of serious accusations levelled by North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who has accused the government of allowing a select group of individuals in government to acquire public lands through questionable means. Mr. Ablakwa argued that this constitutes a form of state capture, where public resources are effectively hijacked by private interests to the detriment of the broader population. Among the most contentious issues raised by Mr. Ablakwa is the alleged sale of prime public lands in Accra, including areas such as Cantonments, Ridge, and Airport Residential Area, at prices far below their market value. He has called for an independent inquiry into these transactions, claiming they are emblematic of a broader pattern of corruption within the land sector. Addressing these allegations, Mr. Jinapor categorically denied any wrongdoing on the part of the government. He emphasized that all land transactions carried out under the current administration have been done in full compliance with the law, with the necessary approvals from relevant authorities. Every piece of land that has been allocated or sold has gone through a rigorous process. These transactions are scrutinized at multiple levels to ensure that they are above board, and any suggestion to the contrary is simply not true, he said. The Lands Minister went on to provide a detailed account of the lands in question. He explained that the Cantonments Civil Aviation Land for example was reallocated for the development of critical national infrastructure, including a new headquarters for the Civil Aviation Authority noting that the reallocation was done following a competitive bidding process and that the valuation of the land was consistent with market rates. On the Ridge Prime Land, the Minister clarified that this parcel of land, located in one of Accras most sought-after neighborhoods, was leased to a private developer after an open and transparent process. He added that the lease agreement includes provisions that ensure the land will be used for purposes that benefit the public, such as commercial and residential development that will create jobs and boost the local economy. The Airport Residential Area Lands, he stressed were sold or leased at rates determined by independent valuers and that all proceeds from the transactions were fully accounted for by the Lands Commission. The Minister also highlighted the governments ongoing efforts to protect and manage public lands more effectively. He pointed to the digitization of land records and the establishment of a special task force as key initiatives that have significantly improved transparency and accountability in the land sector. This, the Minister reiterated governments commitment to preserving public lands as national assets, emphasizing that these lands are not for the exclusive benefit of any individual or group. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Telecel Ghanas life-changing More Money Promo continues to transform lives nationwide, as Prilla Kyerewaa, a 22-year-old supervisor and a recent high school graduate, grabs a whopping GHS30,000 in the weekly draw. Prilla, who works at a maternity shop in Accra, is the first female to claim the GHS30,000 weekly prize in the Telecel More Money Promo, breaking a streak of male winners from all over the country. Prillas path to winning GHS 30,000 in the Telecel More Money Promo is one filled with unexpected twists and pure joy. Initially, she didnt think much of the promo when she received the notification on her phone. " I saw the message, and activated it without much thought, she recalls. Like many Telecel users, Prilla regularly recharged her account, bought airtime, and even borrowed credit occasionally, but she never imagined these routine actions could lead to such a significant win. When she received the call informing her of the win, Prilla was in disbelief. "I thought it was a scam," Prilla admits, sharing how she and a colleague tried to call the number back, only to find it unreachable. It wasnt until later, when a friend confirmed that a Telecel number had been calling her, that she began to believe the incredible news. "When Mr. Richmond from Telecel called to officially inform me, I was so happy," she says, her excitement still palpable. "We were already making plans for the money!" For Prilla, the GHS 30,000 couldnt have come at a better time. As a recent graduate with dreams of returning to school, the financial boost was exactly what she needed. "This is a difficult time for me," Prilla explains. "Ive been praying for a way to make ends meet, and this win feels like a miracle. It came right when I needed it most." Prilla plans to invest part of her winnings to generate returns that will help fund her education next year. "I want to be independent. This money will help me start something small while Im in school, and the returns will go towards my school fees," she says confidently. She advises others not to overlook any opportunities. "Usually, I delete messages from Telecel without reading them, but this time I decided to activate the promo," she reflects. "For just a small amount spent on airtime, I won this huge sum. My advice is simple: when you see a message from Telecel, dont ignore it. It could change your life like it did mine." Richmond Sedor, Executive Head for Accra West at Telecel Ghana, expressed his excitement about Prilla's win: "We are thrilled to finally see a young woman win big in the Telecel More Money Promo. Prillas story is a testament to the incredible opportunities this promo offers to all our customers. At Telecel, we are committed to enriching the lives of our users, and this is just one example of how we are delivering on that promise. he stated. Telecel Ghanas More Money Promo is more than just a promotion, it is a celebration of the loyalty and dreams of its customers. With over 9,000 subscribers to be rewarded, including the luckiest winner of the GHS 1 million grand prize, every action from topping up airtime to buying data bundles, brings Telecel users closer to a life-changing win. Dont miss out on your chance to be the next big winner. Simply dial *500# or send WIN to 500 to join the promo today. You could be the next Prilla Kyerewaa, turning a simple recharge into a life-changing moment. The Telecel More Money Promo runs until the end of September, culminating in a grand finale where one lucky Telecel customer will walk away with a life-changing GHS 1 million! With thousands of Ghanaians set to win throughout the promo, there's no better time to join the Telecel family. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Minister for Public Enterprises Honourable Joseph Cudjoe has assured the media that government will continue to enhance corporate governance structures to make Specified Entities (SEs) functional and respond to national development. To achieve this, he hinted that government has developed and is implementing the State Ownership Policy (SOP) framework. to strengthen corporate governance within specified entities in Ghana. The Minister made these assertions at the Ministers Press Briefing in Accra today. The laws governing public enterprises, and their performance requires that they do report so that they can be overnighted well, reporting is done to parliament and to SIGA and reporting indirectly to myself for onward presentation to parliament. He stated. Hon. Cudjoe reiterated that the government has implemented various initiatives, including the establishment of the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA) and the development of a State Ownership Policy (SOP) framework. The State Ownership Policy (SOP) framework was introduced to guide Specified Entities (SEs). Since SIGAs establishment, we have seen the Public Enterprises signing performance contract and that has enabled SIGA to monitor their financial and operating performance, he noted. The Public Enterprises Minister also cited the development of a code of corporate governance and a comprehensive evaluation of 16 SEs under the Public Financial Management (PFM) for the Service Delivery Programme which is being funded by the World Bank & Government of Ghana. Emphasizing the importance of good corporate governance practices, transparency, accountability, and profitability in SEs, he said government was resolved to enhance performance and reporting for public enterprises. The Minister reiterated that Specified Entities would continue to play a significant role in the economy and opportunities exist for them to make real contributions to the development of the nation. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Sika Buor Fertilizer Hub has been adjudged Ghana's Most Outstanding Client- Satisfaction in Agro Trade and Technology Award at the just-ended 2024 Ghana Strategic Stakeholder Relationship Conference and Awards held at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel on Friday, 9th August, in Accra. The prestigious achievement was in recognition of the company's stunning leadership qualities and exceptional dedication in providing quality Agro inputs such as Fertilizers, Improved Seeds, crop stimulants and crop protection products to farmers and also ensuring timely access to quality services for both the public and private sectors with excellent management skills. For them, the honour authenticates their continuous growth and contribution to the Ghanaian economy. The Ghana Strategic Stakeholder Relationship Conference and Awards scheme was organized by the Business Executive Group which seeks to identify, honour and celebrate a cross-section of the nations most influential and accomplished companies who are verified and constantly committed to building the nation and have used the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately the country. After receiving the prestigious award, Mr. Foster Kwabena Osei, the CEO of Sika Buor Fertilizer Hub, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the media for this remarkable achievement. According to him, the remarkable honour will motivate the team to work hard to continue introducing quality standard products and services for all. "I am really excited for such a great recognition at this stage. We started from a humble beginning but now we are so overwhelmed with this great achievement over the years. I dedicate this to our cherished stakeholders in the Agro sector especially our dear farmers for their unflinching support always. I do recall saying this at the Russian-African club summit held somewhere in August 2022 and I will continue to say it whenever given the platform. Its high time we change the narrative about Agriculture. It should not always be the case that a farmer would have to increase the size of his land to increase their yield and as a company we will continue to come up with innovations to put smiles on the faces of our customers and this, is to God and future generations. Sika Buor Fertilizer Hub has positioned itself as a leader in the agro-industry with credibility and reputation in the market, and it has also set a benchmark for others to follow. ABOUT SIKA BOUR FERTILIZER HUB Sika Bour Fertilizer Hub Limited is a subsidiary of the SIKA BOUR GROUP, a wholly Ghanaian-owned company. The journey began as Sika Bour Farms Enterprise, when they were dedicated to fostering agriculture growth through various initiatives including an out-grower scheme, mixed farming, input distribution, and the sale and rental of agro machinery. As the company evolved, they were excited to announce its desire to process Agro produce, which includes wheat flour, corn flour, maize granules, edible oil and more. To support their expanding operations and clarify their services, Sika Buor Group established Sika Buor Fertilizer Hub Limited, a specialized entity focused on the import and export, and distribution of agricultural inputs, as well as the sale and rental of state-of-the-art agricultural machinery, and the provision of expert advisory services. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A former member of the New Patriotic Party and leading member of the Movement of Change, Hopeson Adoye is caught up in a defamation summons over his amplification of the controversial AGYAPA document in circulation. Hopeson Adoye has been dragged to court by Mr. Daniel Marfo Ofori-Atta, a State Secretary of the Ofori-Panin stool for referring to him as the author and Technical Director of the AGYAPADE document which is crafted to annex Ghanas property to members of the Ofori-Atta family and the Akyem people. Management of Media General operators of Onua TV and Onua Fm is also cited as 2nd Defendant in the suit on the grounds that, they are duty bound to ensure that the platform and resources it provides to its employees and panelists are not used to defame and/or infringe the rights and liberties of others. The defamation suit which is seeking a recovery of the sum of Ten Million Ghana Cedis in General Damages including Aggravated and/or Exemplary Damages for Defamation by Hopeson Adoye (1st defendant) also seeks for an apology and retraction of the words complained of. The suite further seeks for a declaration of a perpetual injunction refraining the Defendants whether by themselves, their servants, agents or assigns from ripening similar or other defamatory words against the Plainfff. According to the writ of summons, on or about 26/07/2024, 1st Defendant appeared as a panelist on the 2nd Defendant's programme "Onua Maakye" a programme carried on 2nd Defendant's Onua TV among others. It said that, the 1st Defendant was given the unfettered and unrestrained opportunity and indeed was encouraged to run an unjustified commentary on and/or amplification of a document titled "Agyapadee" in relation to the Plaintiff, the entire membership of Ofori Panin Fie and Okyeman. According to the plaintiff, the document is deliberately littered with the images of the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin and Dr. J. B. Danquah, the insignia of Okyeman and scurrilous references made to the Plaintiff, Ken Ofori-Attah, Nana Asante Bediatuo among others all subjects of Ofori Panin Fie clearly to misrepresent it as emanating from Ofori Panin Fie. D. M. Ofori -Atta aver that, in their natural and ordinary meaning, the document and especially the commentary and/or amplifications thereon mean and are understood to mean that the Plaintiff authored the document as a scheme to conspire with others to steal, embezzle and covet national assets for their own use and to corrupt state institutions including the judiciary to amass wealth to themselves. Plaintiff says further that in their natural and ordinary meaning the document and the commentary and/or amplifications thereon also mean and are understood to mean that the Plaintiff, the Ofori Panin Fie and Okyeman are conniving, anti - nationalists, saboteurs, corrupt and abusers of public office, among others. Plaintiff avers emphatically that he has never authored, co - authored, written, co - written, provided a forward or any form of contribution towards the publication of the document, any other document, writing or discussion containing similar content as the said document or anything relating thereto and further states that the document does not emanate from Ofori Panin Fie or its subjects. It says that the document, a propagandist piece which did not pass muster, had been in idle circulation for sometime and largely ignored, has only now been given life by the 1st Defendant on 2nd Defendant's platform and repeated by 1st Defendant and others on other platforms thereafter. Plaintiff says that the matters contained in the document and amplified by the 1st Defendant on 2nd Defendant's platform though grave, are complete fabrications of devious minds and has caused serious harm to the reputation of the Plaintiff, members of the Ofori Pan-in Fie and indeed all subjects of Okyeman. The plaintiff added that the document and 1st Defendant's comments and/or amplifications thereon are not only absolutely false and scandalous but also callous and engineered to bring public resentment to the Plaintiff, the Ofori Pan-in Fie and the entire Okyeman. In consequence of the publication, the Plaintiff particularly, the Ofori Panin Fie and the entire Okyeman have suffered considerable distress and embarrassment. D.M Ofori-Atta aver that, the conduct of Hopeson Adoye, the Defendants has also generated a hate campaign against his person, the Ofori Panin Fie and the entire Okyeman. Read attached the Writ of summons Your browser does not support iframes. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Kwamena Duncan has taken shots at the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, for absolving President John Dramani Mahama from the Airbus corruption scandal. A report by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), in a report days ago, found no incriminating evidence against the former President in relation to accusations against him in connection with this scandal. Airbus, an European aircraft manufacturer, was alleged to have paid bribes in Ghana in the sale of three military aircraft to the country. The allegations came to light after a series of investigations and prosecutions of Airbus by the US, the UK and France authorities, compelling President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to refer the case to the Office of the Special Prosecutor for investigations. Airbus, after almost 4 years of investigations by US, UK and France authorities, was fined $3.9 billion for its corrupt practices in Ghana, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Taiwan. During the investigations, Mahamas name popped up when Airbus was said to have bribed a high-profile figure in Ghana referred to as Governor Official 1 in the documents. Although Mr. Mahama initially denied being the one named "Governor Official 1", the OSP's report has identified him as such but says he did no wrong. The OSP found no evidentiary basis that suggests that former President John Dramani Mahama or any other public official was induced to improperly favour or did improperly favour Airbus in respect of the purchase by the Government of Ghana of military transport aircraft from Airbus. The Special Prosecutor has directed the closure of the OSP investigation into alleged bribery of high-ranking Ghanaian officials by Airbus SE, through intermediaries, in respect of the sale of military transport aircraft by Airbus SE to the Republic of Ghana between 2009 and 2015, it stated. Commenting on the report during Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" show Wednesday morning, the former Minister for Central Region, Kwamena Duncan expressed disappointment in the Special Prosecutor. He wondered how the Special Prosecutor came to his conclusions to acquit Mahama when findings by foreign authorities who investigated the corruption scandal found him and his relative of misconduct. In a reply to Kissi Agyebeng, Kwamena bemoaned the report stating "in fact, Kissi Agyebeng allowed himself to be eluded and to be invaded of logic and, forgive me, common sense". Watch video below Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video It was a day of emotions when Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh bid adieu to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) executives in Manhyia South on Wednesday. Popularly known as Napo, the astute politician faithfully served the people of Manhyia South for four terms before being nominated as the NPP running mate for 2024. Dr. Prempeh, who is a down-to-earth person, officially thanked Manhyia South party executives and members for their unflinching support over the years on Wednesday. In a low tone, he remarked Its extremely difficult to say goodbye to my beloved Manhyia South Constituency after 16 consecutive years of service to my people. According to him, everything that has begun has an end therefore he was leaving Manhyia South to take up a new challenge as the NPP vice presidential candidate. Napo therefore appealed passionately to the Manhyia South residents, especially the NPP executives and members, to continue to support him in his new position. Addressing the NPP executives and members in Manhyia South, Napo said even though his days as Manhyia South MP were over, he would continue to support the area. Lawyer Baffuor Awuah will be succeeding me as your MP so please make me the Abusuapanin to wit head of family in Manhyia South Constituency, henceforth. According to him, his new role as Abuasuapanin would enable him to continue to serve and play crucial roles towards the effective development of the constituency. Napo concluded by advising his constituents to faithfully support Lawyer Baffuor Awuah, his successor, to win the impending election and sustain the development of the area. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video NPP National Youth Organizer, Salam Mustapha has described the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as a "party of lies". Salam Mustapha, reacting to Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" show, found the NDC presidential candidate, John Mahama's promises to the youth ridiculous and strongly believes the former President is only deceiving them. Mr. Mahama promised during the launch of his Youth Manifesto at UPSA to provide free tuition for 1st year students in tertiary institutions, make student loans more accessible and introduce other projects to ameliorate the conditions of the youth. We shall decentralize the procurement of food and other supplies to the headmasters school basis. In order to improve the quality of food and also boost the local economies in the district where the schools are located. We shall expand access by building more infrastructure in existing secondary schools, and we shall dedicate funding to completing the E blocks in order that more children can have the opportunity to go to school, he assured. But Salam has asked the youth not to trust Mahama and the National Democratic Congress stating "the NDC is not an honest party. There is no iota of truth in them. It is a party full of lies". "They don't have credibility because their track record doesn't suggest that they have capacity to deliver on what they are saying," he emphasized. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Nana Efa Apenteng, the Omanhene of the Bompata Tradition Area in the Asante Akyem South Constituency, has lauded the NPP government for bringing unprecedented developments to his area, particularly in terms of road construction and the provision of social amenities such as schools and health facilities. According to him, the government is not trumpeting its achievements loud enough for the Ghanaian people to fully appreciate. And that, in his 43 years of rule, hes not witnessed the kind of developments undertaken by this government. The Omanhene therefore called on the governing party and its communicators to do more in trumpeting these achievements not only in his area but across the country. Nana Appenteng made these remarks at a durbar of chiefs and people of Juaso, the capital of Asante Akyem Constituency in the Ashanti Region. The durbar, which was also attended by members of the clergy, was held in honour of the Vice Presidential Candidate of the NPP, Hon. Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh on Thursday, 15th August 2024, who is on a campaign tour. Dr. Prempeh used the occasion to thank the chiefs and people of the constituency for their unalloyed support and loyalty to the fortunes of the NPP over the years. He pleaded with them to continue to put their trust in the NPP as it is the only party in Ghana that keeps its social contract. He thus asked them to vote massively for his boss, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and the partys Parliamentary Candidate, Lawyer Kwaku Asante-Boateng in the December polls. The encourage of the NPP Running Mate includes Hon. Kennedy Agyapong (MP, Assin Central and former Presidential Aspirant; Buttey Smith (National 1st Vice Chairman); Bernard Antwi Boasiako (Ashanti Regional Chairman) and a host of others. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Image of the test bed machine. Credit: Frontiers in Space Technologies (2024). DOI: 10.3389/frspt.2023.1328341 It's often better to flesh out technologies fully on Earth's surface before they're used in space. That is doubly true if that technology is part of the critical infrastructure keeping astronauts alive on the moon. Since that infrastructure will undoubtedly use in-situ resourcesknown as in-situ resource utilization (ISRU)developing test beds here on Earth for those ISRU processes is critical to derisking the technologies before they're used on a mission. That's the plan for a test bed designed by researchers at the German Aerospace Center in Brementhey designed it to improve how well we gather water and oxygen from lunar regolith. Unfortunately, as their work described in a recent paper published in Frontiers in Space Technologies demonstrates, it will be a challenge to do so. Water and oxygen are two critical components of any long-term lunar exploration plan. One of the best sources for that on the moon, other than water ice that might only be available at specific locations, is a mineral called ilmenite. Ilmenite is a combination of iron, titanium, and oxygenFeTiO 3 . It's also the most accessible material to split into its parts using a relatively low-energy chemical reaction with elemental hydrogen as a feedstock. After reducing ilmenite with hydrogen, the resulting elements are iron (useful for building materials), titanium dioxide (useful for optical coatings), and water (useful for plenty of things). A further step could reduce the water to oxygen (again, useful for many things, including breathing) and hydrogen, which can be recycled back into the feedstock system for the following processing round. So, in the end, if you have ilmenite, you have access to cheap building materials, rocket fuel, and gas for breathing. Unfortunately, ilmenite is not particularly common on the lunar surface. While it is somewhat plentiful in the mare regions, it is much less so in the highlands where the first permanent lunar outposts are planned. So explorers will need a technological solution to find more ilmeniteor at least concentrate it to levels where subjecting it to the reduction process would be energy efficient. Ilmenite is also mined here on Earthhere's a model beneficiation plant. Credit: Christian George That's where beneficiation comes in. It is the process of separating valuable materials, such as ilmenite, from the "chaff" that makes up most of the lunar regoliththe most easily accessible resource on the moon. Given a lack of readily available lunar regolith, the researchers used a regolith simulant when putting their test bed through its paces. That testbed consists of three machines for three main processes: gravitational, magnetic, and electrostatic beneficiation, and the paper goes into detail about each of them. Before any testing, the regolith simulants were dried for upwards of 48 hours at a temperature of 80C. Afterward, they were stored in a sealed container to prevent any additional moisture from entering the system. The gravitational process uses a feeder, which is fed 300 g of dried simulant for every test run, and a sieve, which separates particles that are more than 200 micrometers in size. Studies from samples collected by Apollo astronauts showed that most ilmenite grains ranged from about 4575 micrometers, so most of the ilmenite should make it past this stage. At the same time, larger particles that could hinder the performance of the rest of the system are weeded out. Next up is the magnetic separatorilmenite is weakly magnetic due to its iron content and, as such, can be separated from non-magnetic material of a similar density by subjecting it to a magnetic field. The magnetic field is directed such that it would push the particles of ilmenite out of a straight line when falling, directing them into a different hopper. Non-magnetic materials of a similar size would fall directly down and be filtered out by the system. Finally, the remaining magnetic particles are subjected to massive electric fields using an electrostatic parallel plate separator. Typically used in the oil and gas industry, these devices introduce a gigantic electric field that suspends some particles, slowing their descent and making it possible to sort out materials with specific electrical properties. Characterizing the most effective way to utilize this step was a major focal point of the study. After all that sifting and sorting, ideally, the users would end up with all the ilmenite in the sample and nothing else, but that doesn't happen in practice. Realistically, some of the ilmenite present in the sample would be lost as part of the filtering process, and some non-ilmenite particles make their way to the final collection point despite all the various methods to get rid of them. In this experiment, the final mixture was about 12% ilmenite by weight, compared to 2.55% before it was beneficiated. The system also recovered around 32% of the total ilmenite available in the sample, and it took about half an hour to run a full 300 g sample through the test bed. Further iterations could improve all those numbersthat is what test beds are for. This is only one of numerous steps that have to happen to finally make use of some of the more valuable resources on the moon. The quicker we're able to, the better. More information: Kunal Kulkarni et al, Optimizing lunar regolith beneficiation for ilmenite enrichment, Frontiers in Space Technologies (2024). DOI: 10.3389/frspt.2023.1328341 Christians for Israel International paid tribute to Rev. Jaap de Vreugd, the former chairman of the Dutch Board of Christians for Israel in the Netherlands. De Vreugd died surrounded by his wife Dicky, children and grandchildren at 5pm on August 6. Rev. Willem J. J. Glashouwer, President of Christians for Israel International, was also present during the last moments, reading Psalm 121 aloud and praying with the family, as the hard working advocate for Israel went to be with the Lord, the ministry said. Glashouwer called the death a great loss for all of us, especially for his family but also the worldwide family of Christians for Israel. He recalled his friends great wisdom and thoughtfulness. De Vreugd led an active life. After stepping down from chairing the Dutch board, he served as a member of the editorial board for Israel Aktueel, a free monthly newspaper, as well as a theological periodical, Israel and the Church. Stay informed with The Christian Daily Newsletter Sign up He gave direction to further development of biblical and theological reflection on Israel and the Jewish people inspired by a vast reading and knowledge of the literature on Israel and Judaism, recalled Glashouwer, paying tribute. His personal contacts with many Jewish friends in the Netherlands and in Israel undoubtedly contributed much to an increasing mutual respect between many believers in Christianity and the Jewish people. Great impression was made in Israel when he addressed the Jewish audience there in fluent modern Hebrew in his speeches. Born on March 28, 1945, de Vreugd grew up in the village of Katwijk, on the shores of the North Sea, and went on to study theology at the University in Utrecht from 1964 to 1969. His tutors included renowned Dutch theologian Van Ruler. De Vreugd became a Dutch Reformed pastor in Haaften 1970 to 1975; followed by a placement in Bodegraven from 1975 to 1982, and then Amersfoort from 1982 to 2006. His first trip to Israel occurred in 1978. Dozens more would follow, but that first trip hit him like a bomb, said Glashouwer. Especially during the visit at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, he suddenly understood in his spirit and his mind that the Lord God revealed to him that the chosen people of Israel that we read about in the Bible are still alive today and that God will remain faithful to Israel forever. Overwhelmed by the understanding that the Most High gave him this personal experience over there, in Jerusalem, he then committed himself for the rest of his life more than ever before to Israel and the Jewish people. De Vreugd held various other influential roles supporting gospel work for Israel. He became involved with a Christian kibbutz by the name of Nes Ammim. He was also president of HGJB, a Dutch Christian youth movement. He served in a number of official committees of the National Church to enhance a better theological and biblical understanding of Israel and the Jewish people (the Zicht op Israel Bezinningscomite), according to Glashouwer. He was also a member and acting president of the Reformed Council for Church-Israel Relations. De Vreugds work with Christians for Israel-Netherlands began as a board member in the 1990s before serving as chairman. He became involved in the foundation of Christen an der Seite Israels in Germany and with C4I International. There followed many speaking engagements for Israel, articles in the newspaper and in the theological publication of the periodical Israel and the Church (of which he was editorial chairman from the beginning), and he also published a book: The Miracle Of Israel, recalled Glashouwer. He maintained many personal contacts in the Jewish community in the Netherlands and in Israel. May his memory continue to be a great blessing and inspiration to us all. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Markus Leippold created the AI tool "Climinator", which aims to make the climate debate more fact-based by uncovering factually incorrect and vague quotes in sustainability reports. Credit: Ursula Meisser Companies like to act "green" by publishing thick environmental sustainability reports replete with photography of pristine landscapes, but precious few of them keep their promises. Finance professor Markus Leippold is using AI-based tools to fight greenwashing. Wherever the Terminator goes in the eponymous movie, the cyborg from the future wreaks havoc. "I'll be back," he says at a police station before barreling a car into the precinct and killing the police on duty there. The mission of the Terminator, embodied by actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, is nothing less than the destruction of humanity. The "Climinator" gets down to work with much more benevolent intentions. It is an AI tool whose mission is to put the climate debate on a more factual basis, which is a necessity in the battle against global warming. The Climinator was developed by a group of UZH researchers led by Markus Leippold, a professor of financial engineering. Its artificial intelligence enables counterfactual statements on climate-related issues to be exposed and debunked within minutes. The Climinator deals with false and fake climate facts just as destructively as the Terminator treats its adversaries. It stamps a verdict of "incorrect" on Swiss People's Party President Marcel Dettling's statement that no one can halt climate change, and it calls his assertion that a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions will hardly arrest warming "misleading." However, the Climinator doesn't stay as sparing with words as the original played by Arnold Schwarzenegger does. The AI-based tool appends to its verdict a multi-page argument complete with a list of sources, which it takes just under two minutes to compose. The sources it draws on are research papers that reflect the scientific consensus, particularly reports published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). "It works kind of like the way things did with the ancient Greek philosophers," Leippold explains during a meeting in his office in Zurich. The fact-checking tool, he says, verifies the accuracy of statements by enlisting an array of large language models to interact with each other in a kind of debate. To prevent blind spots, the researchers even deliberately incorporated the perspective of climate denialists. "It's like a Socratic debate where, in the end, scientific arguments determine the verdict," Leippold says. Vague intentions instead of firm commitments Leippold stood on the world stage for 15 minutes when he recently delivered a TED talk in Paris. The nonprofit organization TED provides a platform for experts whose ideas it deems are worthy of consideration and posts recordings of TED talks on the internet. The YouTube video of Leippold's TED appearance has racked up around a half-million views to date. Leippold leveraged the attention to hammer home his main message. "Global warming, at its root, is an economic problem," he said. Emissions ultimately are caused by human economic activity, and that activity is coordinated by financial markets, he explains. Leippold's point is that in order to halt global warming, businesses need to invest in sustainable technologies. And in order to steer investment in desired directions through laws or incentives, for example, policymakers need transparency. But that's in short supply at present. Although every self-respecting large company publishes a sustainability report these days, hardly anyone really reads them carefully. So, there is a huge risk of greenwashing. Take Shell, for example. The oil company's latest sustainability report is 98 densely worded pages long. Photos adorning the pages show workers conferring in front of a solar panel array and managers being guided though lush fields by local natives. Shell, though, is one of the world's largest emitters of CO 2 and has been reprimanded repeatedly for greenwashing. The problem is that companies use words that sound good, but they commit to as little as possible. That's why Leippold and his team have developed an additional AI-based tool capable of telling tangibly measurable climate pledges from vaguely worded intentions. Or as Leippold put it in his TED talk, "We separate the walkers from the talkers." That works very well by now. However, the finding revealed by the research conducted thus far with the software is dismaying: roughly every second company has a Cheap Talk Index score above 50%. In other words, every second promise in sustainability reports is worthless. One example of nice-sounding but essentially vague wording is the intention to become "climate-neutral by 2050." This frequently uttered vow can mean anything. It can mean, for instance, that the company pledging it will cease emitting greenhouse gases altogether. But it can also mean that said company will actually even produce more carbon dioxide, an action made possible through the trading of carbon credits that promise to make a contribution to combating climate change by, for example, funding the protection of ancient woodlands in Africa or Latin America. Although there is a great deal of dispute about the effectiveness of carbon credits trading, companies deduct the saved emissions from their CO 2 output and become "climate-neutral" that way. Leippold likens this to the "old days of the Catholic Church, when one could buy absolution from sins by purchasing an indulgence." But deception takes place more than just linguistically. Actual CO 2 and methane emissions are also susceptible to manipulation because the companies themselves are the only ones able to supply reliable data on them. Leippold thus has his mind set on finding out the true magnitude of those emissions and how big an impact companies have on biodiversity in their vicinity. Satellites that deliver data in real time could make that possible. Smart image analysis software could then analyze the data. The researchers led by Leippold are currently working on developing a solution of that kind. Chat about the climate with AI In order to bring the trickery to light, the researchers' findings need to make their way out of the ivory tower. To ensure that happens, Leippold promises that all of the tools developed will be released to the public as open-source software. Some policymakers and international institutions already use these tools today to detect corporate greenwashing. Another tool developed by the researchers can already be used by anyone today: on ChatClimate, users can input questions on global warming and receive answers to them powered by artificial intelligence. The large language model behind ChatClimate sources its information from the scientific findings in IPCC reports. Leippold sees a lot of potential in this kind of platform. It's getting harder and harder, he says, to sift trustworthy information from the vast wilderness of data on the internet. "When Google was brought into existence 25 years ago, 25 million webpages were indexed. Today the Google Search index contains hundreds of billions of webpages." Although googling is convenient, the results aren't always entirely reliable. A search engine, for example, trained on scientific evidence would be better suited to answer the question of whether a person should buy an electric car. Combating greenwashing is also a personal matter for Leippold. During his TED talk, he mentioned that the birth of his children was what prompted him to engage in the fight against global warming in his capacity as a finance mathematician. Asked about that during our conversation in his office, he clasps his hands together and reflects for a while before answering. Then he says, "I'm picturing the moment when I ask my grandchildren what they would like to do in the future when they grow up. What if they retort: 'What future?'" The chances are good that Leippold's descendants will have nothing to reproach him for someday. After all, he is leaving nothing untried. Recently he even sent an e-mail to "Terminator" Arnold Schwarzenegger. Leippold is hoping for a cooperation arrangement with the original, which of course would give a boost to public awareness of the Climinator fact-checking tool. A team-up isn't entirely unrealistic considering that the former governor of California hosts annual climate conferences in his native country of Austria. Leippold hasn't received a reply from Schwarzenegger yet, but will persevere with his efforts anyway, whatever the outcome. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: NOIRLab The Dark Energy Camera has captured an image of the dazzling Coma Cluster, named after the hair of Queen Berenice II of Egypt. Not only significant in Greek mythology, this collection of galaxies was also fundamental to the discovery of the existence of dark matter. The theory emerged in 1937 when Swiss astronomer Fritz Zwicky noticed that the Coma Cluster galaxies behaved as if they were under the influence of vast amounts of unobservable "dark" matter. This densely populated image showcases an enormous cluster not of individual stars, but of entire galaxies, known as the Coma Cluster. The Coma Cluster is named for the constellation in which it lies, Coma Berenices. It is the only one of the 88 IAU constellations to be named after a historical figure. Its namesake is Queen Berenice II of Egypt, or more precisely her hair, with "coma" meaning "hair of the head" in Latin. Berenice famously cut her hair off and presented it as a votive offering to the gods when her husband returned safely from war. The hair was placed in a temple, but went missing soon after. The court astronomer, Conon of Samos, claimed to identify Berenice's lost tresses in a rather unlikely spotthe night skysuggesting that the goddess Aphrodite had catasterized (literally turned into a constellation) the queen's locks. This all took place around 245 BCE, meaning that Berenice's hair has enjoyed celestial recognition for an extraordinarily long time. The data used to build this detailed picture were collected by the Department of Energy-fabricated Dark Energy Camera (DECam), which is mounted on the U.S. National Science Foundation Victor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, a Program of NSF NOIRLab. The 570-megapixel camera was built to carry out the Dark Energy Survey (DES)an amazing 758-night run of observations between 2013 and 2019. DES was conducted with the intention to better understand the nature of dark energythe unknown entity that is causing the expansion of our universe to accelerate. The Coma Cluster is closely associated with dark energy's equally mysterious counterpart: dark matter. Nearly a century ago, in 1937, Swiss astronomer Fritz Zwicky observed several galaxies within the Coma Cluster. He calculated an approximation of the cluster's mass based on its luminousin other words, observablestructures. But he encountered something strange: the cluster seemed to be missing mass. In fact, the galaxies within the cluster were behaving as though the cluster contained 400 times more mass than his estimates suggested. Zwicky reached this conclusion by observing how fast the galaxies within the cluster were moving. To explain this further, it is helpful to briefly revisit a key point about the nature of gravity. Gravity is one of the four known fundamental interactions that exist between all entities with energy or mass. The more mass that an object has, the stronger the gravitational pull it will exert. Therefore, less massive objects that are within a certain distance to a more massive object will be pulled uncontrollably towards it. However, there is an additional factor to consider: velocity. If an object is moving fast enough, it can escape the gravitational pull of other objects. It is this principle that enabled Zwicky to infer that the Coma Cluster appeared to be "missing" matter. He found that the galaxies were moving so fast that they should be escaping the cluster if it were being held together only by the observable mass. This led him to postulate that the cluster must be held together by vast amounts of unobservable "dark" matter, though this suggestion seemed far-fetched to much of the astronomical community. It took until the 1980s for the majority of astronomers to be convinced of the existence of dark matter. The consensus moved as several studies came out reporting the same curious mass inconsistency that Zwicky observed, but on the scale of single galaxies rather than entire galaxy clusters. One such study was done in 1970 by U.S. astronomers Kent Ford and Vera C. Rubin, who found evidence of invisible matter in the Andromeda Galaxy. And in 1979, astronomers Sandra Faber and John Gallagher performed a robust analysis of the mass-to-light ratio for over 50 spiral and elliptical galaxies, which led them to conclude that, "the case for invisible mass in the universe is very strong and getting stronger." The existence of dark matter and dark energy is now widely accepted, and understanding their elusive nature is a main focus of modern astrophysics. A deeper understanding may be on the horizon with the upcoming 10-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time, which will be conducted by NSFDOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory, named after the inspirational female astronomer who helped show the world that there is so much more to the universe than meets the eye. Provided by NOIRLab This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: CAD section view of the custom-built dielectric Couette geometry for the ARES-G2 rheometer. Credit: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2024). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2403000121 Thomas Edison went through thousands of materials before he finally found the right tungsten filament to create a working lightbulb. This type of trial-and-error research continues today and is responsible for countless inventions that improve our world. Battery systems that help power our lives in many seen (and unseen) ways are one example. However, improving these materials and devices requires more than experimentation. Modern engineers must also form a deeper understanding of the general principles that govern material performance, from which they can design better materials to achieve challenging product requirements. In a paper published Aug. 13 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, University of Delaware, Northwestern University and industry researchers report expanded understanding of how electrons move through the conductive parts of complex fluids called slurries that are found in electrochemical devices such as batteries and other energy storage devices. It's important work that can help overcome existing knowledge gaps about how electrons hop between conductive particles found in these materials, as engineers seek new ways to improve that activity. The paper is the result of collaborative research between UD's Norman Wagner, Unidel Robert L. Pigford Chair in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and researchers led by Jeffrey Richards, assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering at Northwestern University, and a former UD postdoctoral researcher. Lead authors on the paper include UD alumna Julie Hipp, who earned her doctoral degree in chemical and biomolecular engineering in 2020 and now is a senior scientist at Procter and Gamble, and Paolo Ramos, a former NU graduate student now at L'Oreal. NU doctoral candidate Qingsong Liu also contributed to this work. According to Wagner, by combining carefully designed and conducted experiments with state-of-the-art theory and simulation, the research team found that enhancing performance requires more than formulation chemistry. It also requires understanding how the electrical conductivity behaves as the slurry materials are processed and manufactured. "To control the device performance, it's not enough just to control the chemistry, we have to control the microstructure, too," said Wagner. This is because the material's final microstructuremeaning how all the components come togetherregulates how the electrons can move, impacting the device's power and efficiency. Performance depends on the details Though many electrochemical devices exist, let's stay with the battery example for a moment to break things down. Batteries supply electricity when electrons move through a solution or "slurry" made of conductive materials and solvents via a chemical reaction. How well the battery system works depends on the materials, which includes both the chemistry and the manufacturing processes used in its creation. Think of it like multiple racecars going around a racetrack. All the racecars have steering wheels, tires and engines, but the structure of each vehicle and how it's assembled may differ from car to car. So, just because a car with an engine and a steering wheel is on the track doesn't mean it gets the same performance as the other vehicles. The same is true for the critical components in batteries. The details matter in how you put them together. Conductive versions of carbon black (or soot) are commonly used in batteries as well as a vast number of electrochemical devices. They are nano-sized crystals of carbon made in such a way that they stick together and form aggregates, or clusters, that can be mixed with various liquids to form a slurry. This slurry is then used to cast, or make, parts of a battery or other devices. "In that mixture, electrons can move very fast within the carbon black, which is highly conductive like an electrical wire. But the electrons have to hop from one cluster of carbon-black particles to another because the carbon black is suspended in the slurrythe aggregate particles are not connected as a solid structure," explained Wagner. The researchers had previously shown that the way the carbon black material flowsits rheologyplays a key role in the material's performance, using neutron-scattering techniques at the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Center for Neutron Research in Gaithersburg, Maryland, through UD's Center for Neutron Science. In this new study, the research team extended that previous work to create a universal roadmap for understanding how the conductivity of the flowing slurry depends upon the chemistry of the components from which it is composed andimportantlyhow the slurry is processed. Together, these pieces form a blueprint for how to process energy storage devices during manufacturing. The promise in this kind of roadmap is an enhanced ability to systematically design materials and predict the behavior of electrochemical devices on the front end. "What we've studied allows us to begin to understand how the structure of this carbon-black slurry, this aggregated suspension, impacts the efficiency and performance of these devices," said Wagner. "We're not solving anyone's specific battery problem. The hope is that others in practice can apply our foundational work to their own electrochemical systems and problems." The researchers expect this work will have an impact on the formulation and processing windows for emerging electrochemical energy storage methods and water deionization technologies. Wagner gave the example of electrolyzer devices that use electricity to split water into its component parts of hydrogen and oxygen. One of the most challenging parts of this process is mixing and controlling the properties of the material solutions that enable the electrolyzer to do its work and free up hydrogen molecules so they can be used for other purposes, say, as an energy resource. According to Wagner, future improvements in such devices will depend on processing. "You can get the chemistry right, but if you don't process it right, you don't end up with the performance that you want," Wagner said. More information: Julie B. Hipp et al, Quantifying electron transport in aggregated colloidal suspensions in the strong flow regime, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2024). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2403000121 Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Potential key biodiversity area (KBA) sites representing high-use areas for seabird and pinniped species. Credit: Conservation Biology (2024). DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14345 A team of scientists led by the University of Colorado Boulder has identified 30 new areas critical for conserving biodiversity in the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica. In a study published Aug. 15 in the journal Conservation Biology, the researchers warn that without greater protection to limit human activities in these areas, native wildlife could face significant population declines. "Many animals are only found in the Southern Ocean, and they all play an important role in its ecosystem," said Cassandra Brooks, the paper's senior author and associate professor in the Department of Environmental Studies and a fellow of the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research at CU Boulder. "While Antarctica and the Southern Ocean feel really far away, theyand the life within themare critical to the functioning of Earth systems," The Southern Ocean is home to many beloved animals like Adelie penguins, Weddell seals and humpback whales. Its remote location and harsh conditionsincluding frigid temperatures and extensive sea icehave largely protected biodiversity in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean from human activities. "Despite the planet being in the midst of a mass extinction, the Southern Ocean in Antarctica is one of the few places in the world that hasn't had any known species go extinct," said Sarah Becker, the paper's first author and a doctoral student in the Department of Environmental Studies. But as climate change warms the planet and melts the sea ice, fishing and tourism in the region have increased. These human activities not only compete with wildlife for resources but could also cause stress, and introduce invasive species and diseases that native wildlife has little or no defense mechanisms against. Becker, Brooks and their team set off to identify Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) in the Southern Ocean that species depend on for their populations to persist. They used existing tracking data for 13 Antarctic and sub-Antarctic seabirds and sealsfor example Adelie penguins, sooty albatrosses and southern elephant seals and identified 30 KBAs across the Southern Ocean. These sites represent marine habitats that species travel to for foraging, breeding and migration. Prior work in identifying conservation zones in the Southern Ocean at a large scale tended to group different species into a single dataset to look for areas important for multiple species. While this approach is a vital component of conservation planning, it can overlook some areas crucial for certain species due to their unique life stages and migration patterns, Becker said. For example, the team found two large sites in the waters near Amanda Bay in East Antarctica that serve as key foraging grounds for many emperor penguins as they recover after breeding. The researchers also identified several sites in the waters near Campbell Island, south of New Zealand where a breeding population of endangered gray-headed albatross forage. Other similar large-scale conservation designation efforts, such as Important Bird Areas or Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas, have not flagged these sites as priorities. "Our study bridges the gap between the broad-scale perspective and the specific needs of individual populations, adding an important layer of detail," Becker said. The researchers hope international bodies and governments will consider these findings when developing conservation strategies and determining areas where fishing should be restricted. "By reducing fishing or tourism interactions in these key biodiversity areas, we can potentially give these animals the best chance of adapting and becoming resilient to climate change," said Brooks, who is also a fellow of CU Boulder's Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research. The Southern Ocean is one of the most pivotal buffers of climate change. Its cold water captures 40% of human-generated carbon dioxide emissions around the world and 6090% of the excess heat from climate change. "Antarctica is far away, but what happens there doesn't stop there," Brooks said. "Wildfires here in Colorado are tied to what's happening in the Southern Ocean. Through doing more to safeguard the Antarctic, we actually stand to create a more livable world for us all." More information: Sarah L. Becker et al, Scaling up ocean conservation through recognition of key biodiversity areas in the Southern Ocean from multispecies tracking data, Conservation Biology (2024). DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14345 Journal information: Conservation Biology This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: An image of the moon is projected at the Iziko Planetarium in Cape Town, South Africa, Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024 as part of the World Astronomy Conference. Credit: AP Photo/Nardus Engelbrecht Time moves a tad faster on the moon. Now an international group of astronomers has joined calls to give the moon its own clock so that future space missions can keep track of minutes on the celestial body. The International Astronomical Union voted Thursday encouraging space organizations across the globe to collaborate on a timekeeping standard for the moon, where one day lasts 29.5 Earth days. "That's the crux of our resolution: to work together to establish this standard time," U.S. Naval Observatory's Susan Stewart said this week at the group's conference in Cape Town, South Africa. Stewart helped propose the resolution. The moon has less gravity compared to Earth, so time ticks by about 58.7 microseconds quicker every day. As more countries and private companies set their sights on future lunar missions, astronomers want to ensure perfect synchrony with a unified clock. Currently, a moon mission runs on the time of the nation that's operating the spacecraft. The European Space Agency pushed last year for the creation of a lunar clock. And earlier this year, the White House directed NASA and other agencies to cobble together an initial idea by the end of the year with a final plan due by the end of 2026. Astronomers are still in the early days of determining exactly how lunar time will tick, said Bijunath Patla, a physicist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. "I think that the community has realized that this needs to be done," Patla said. "And this is the beginning." 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: A beach is deserted after swimming was prohibited as the megaquake advisory was issued in Nichinan, Miyazaki prefecture, southern Japan, on Aug. 9, 2024. Credit: Kyodo News via AP Japan, one of the most earthquake-prone nations on earth, issued its first-ever "megaquake advisory" last week after a powerful quake struck off the southeastern coast of the southern main island of Kyushu. The magnitude 7.1 quake caused no deaths or severe damage, but the advisory has led to widespread confusion and a lingering sense of worryin a country well accustomed to regular quakesabout when the next big one will hit. The Associated Press explains what the advisory means, what people are being told to do, and what could happen if a massive quake hits Japan. What is a megaquake advisory? The Japan Meteorological Agency issued the advisory after concluding that the magnitude 7.1 quake that struck on Aug. 8 on the western edge of the Nankai Trough increased the likelihood of a stronger one. There is a 70-80% chance of a magnitude 8 or 9 quake associated with the Nankai Trough within the next 30 years, and the probability is now "higher than normal" after the latest quake, the JMA says. But that is not a prediction that a megaquake will happen at any specific time or location, says University of Tokyo seismologist Naoshi Hirata, who heads the JMA's experts panel. He urged people to remain cautious and prepared. Stone lanterns fall at a shrine following a strong earthquake in Nichinan, Miyazaki prefecture, southern Japan, on Aug. 9, 2024. Credit: Kyodo News via AP What is the Nankai Trough? The Nankai Trough is an undersea trench that runs from Hyuganada, in the waters just off the southeastern coast of Kyushu, to Suruga Bay in central Japan. It spans about 800 kilometers (500 miles) along the Pacific coast. The Philippine Sea Plate there slowly pulls down on the Eurasian Plate and causes it to occasionally snap back, an action that could lead to a megaquake and tsunami, JMA says. The last Nankai Trough quake off Shikoku in 1946 recorded a preliminary magnitude of 8.0 and killed more than 1,300 people. How damaging can a megaquake be? In 2013, a government disaster prevention team said a magnitude 9.1 Nankai Trough quake could generate a tsunami exceeding 10 meters (33 feet) within minutes, killing as many as 323,000 people, destroying more than 2 million buildings and causing economic damage of more than 220 trillion yen ($1.5 trillion) to large swaths of Japan's Pacific coast. What is the government doing to prepare? As a result of the "megaquake advisory," Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida canceled his planned Aug. 9-12 trip to Central Asia and announced he would lead the government response and ensure preventive measures and communication with the public. A person checks emergency kit sold at a shop following a strong earthquake in Shibushi, Kagoshima prefecture, southern Japan, on Aug. 9, 2024. Credit: Kyodo News via AP The Fire and Disaster Management Agency instructed 707 municipalities seen as at risk from a Nankai Trough quake to review their response measures and evacuation plans. Experts and officials have urged people to stay calm and carry on their daily social and economic activities while also securing emergency food and water and discussing evacuation plans with family members. In a reassuring note on Monday, JMA experts said they have so far found no abnormal seismic or tectonic activity that would indicate a megaquake. How are people reacting? The "megaquake advisory," which is filled with scientific jargon, has worried and baffled people across the country. Some towns closed beaches and canceled annual events, which has led to challenges for travelers during Japan's Obon holiday week, a time for festivals and fireworks across the nation. Many people have put off planned trips and rushed to stock up on rice, dried noodles, canned food, bottled water, portable toilets and other emergency goods, leaving shelves empty at many supermarkets in western Japan and Tokyo, even though the capital is outside the at-risk area. The Summit supermarket chain said microwavable rice is in short supply and the store is limiting purchases to one pack per customer. Yoshiko Kudo and her husband Shinya said they had trouble understanding what exactly the advisory meant, how worried they should be and what they should do. University of Tokyo seismologist Naoshi Hirata, left, a member of an expert panel, speaks during a press conference on the possible Nankai Trough earthquake, at Japan Meteorological Agency in Tokyo, on Aug. 8, 2024. Credit: Kyodo News via AP "We are trying not to go overboard. Too much worry is not good," Yoshiko Kudo said. "We don't know how to be prepared and to still live normally like the experts tell us," said Shinya Kudo, a caregiver in his 60s. Yoneko Oshima, walking by a major train station in Tokyo, said, "It's scary ... They say there's a (70-80%) chance in the next 30 years, but it could be tomorrow." Her latest purchase is a portable toilet. She says water is indispensable for her diabetic husband, who needs to take medicine after every meal. "I plan to take this opportunity to make a list and make sure we have everything at hand," Oshima said. She hasn't changed her holiday plans this week, but her daughter canceled a planned trip to Mount Fuji. In Matsuyama city on the island of Shikoku, which has many hot springs, hotels and resorts reviewed their evacuation procedures and emergency equipment and launched a radio communication system for emergency use. They have received hundreds of cancellations since the advisory was issued, said Hideki Ochi, director of the Dogo Onsen Ryokan Association. Rail companies serving the region said their trains are operating at slightly reduced speeds as a precaution. A crisis management task force in the coastal town of Kuroshio in Kochi prefecture, where a tsunami as high as 34 meters (111 feet) was predicted in the government risk analysis, initially set up 30 shelters across town. But only two are still open following Monday's JMA statement that there has been no indication of an impending megaquake. Higashi Osaka urged residents on the town website not to engage in "unnecessary and non-urgent" travel in case of a major quake. The popular seaside town of Shirahama in Wakayama prefecture said its four outdoor hot springs, parks and other facilities would be closed for a week. Saturday's annual fireworks festival was also canceled. 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: A final decision on whether to persist with Starliner -- seen here docked with the ISS -- is expected by the end of the month, NASA officials said. NASA needs to decide by the end of August whether to return two astronauts to Earth aboard Boeing's Starliner, which flew them to the International Space Station (ISS), or bring them home on a SpaceX craft, officials said Wednesday. NASA astronauts Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams blasted off for the ISS on Starliner on June 5 for what was meant to be an eight-day stay. But their return has been delayed by thruster malfunctions that came to light during the first crewed mission to the ISS by the Boeing spacecraft. NASA officials, at a press conference on Wednesday, said they were still analyzing thruster data, but a decision on whether to use Starliner or Boeing's rival SpaceX was looming. "We're reaching a point where that last week in August we really should be making a call, if not sooner," said Ken Bowersox, associate administrator of NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate. Bowersox said the astronauts were "making the best" of their extra time aboard the ISS "but I'm sure they're eager for a decision, just like the rest of us." The main issue is with the propulsion system. "Our big concern is having a successful deorbit burn," the NASA official said. Bowersox said there have been "very honest discussions" with Boeing and the US aerospace giant is "100 percent behind their vehicle." In the event a decision is made not to use Starliner, Boeing's rival SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk, could potentially launch their scheduled Crew-9 mission to the ISS on September 24 with just two astronauts rather than the usual four. The Crew Dragon capsule would then be able to return to Earth with Wilmore and Williams in February 2025in what would amount to a major embarrassment for Boeing. Barry 'Butch' Wilmore and Sunita 'Suni' Williams were originally scheduled to spend a little more than a week aboard the ISS. 'Might not be perfect' NASA chief astronaut Joe Acaba said Wilmore and Williams prepared for the mission knowing it was a test flight and "might not be perfect." "Human space flight is inherently risky and as astronauts we accept that as part of the job," he said. "As professional astronauts they're prepared for this and they're doing great." Wilmore, the mission commander, had spent 178 days in space prior to the Boeing mission, while Williams, the pilot, had even more experience, with 322 days under her belt. In the event of an emergency aboard the ISS, Bowersox said Starliner could be used to bring the astronauts home. "We think the risk is reasonable to put Butch and Suni on that vehicle in a contingency," Bowersox said. Boeing vs. SpaceX If Starliner returns home uncrewed, an option in an emergency would be to use the four-person SpaceX Dragon capsule currently docked at the ISS. But there are currently four other astronauts aboard the ISS and Wilmore and Williams would have to make the return flight without suits. "Once Crew-9 gets there we'll have suits," said Joel Montalbano, deputy associate administrator of NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate. "They would come home suited on Crew-9." If Wilmore and Williams return with SpaceX, it would mark the biggest setback to date for Boeing's space program. Both Boeing and SpaceX were awarded multibillion-dollar contracts in 2014 to provide the US space agency with rides to the ISS following the end of the space shuttle program in 2011, which left the United States reliant on Russian Soyuz rockets to ferry its crew. SpaceX succeeded in its first crewed test in 2020 and has carried dozens of astronauts since. 2024 AFP This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The experimental setup shows the optical components, including the DMD and beam scanners, for the two-photon microscope with the adaptive line-excitation scheme. Credit: Molly M Bechtel, University of California, Davis Researchers have developed a new two-photon fluorescence microscope that captures high-speed images of neural activity at cellular resolution. By imaging much faster and with less harm to brain tissue than traditional two-photon microscopy, the new approach could provide a clearer view of how neurons communicate in real time, leading to new insights into brain function and neurological diseases. "Our new microscope is ideally suited for studying the dynamics of neural networks in real time, which is crucial for understanding fundamental brain functions such as learning, memory and decision-making," said research team leader Weijian Yang from the University of California, Davis. "For example, researchers could use it to observe neural activity during learning to better understand communication and interaction among different neurons during this process." In Optica, the researchers describe the new two-photon fluorescence microscope, which incorporates a new adaptive sampling scheme and replaces traditional point illumination with line illumination. They show that the new method enables in vivo imaging of neuronal activity in a mouse cortex and can image at speeds ten times faster than traditional two-photon microscopy while also reducing the laser power on the brain more than tenfold. "By providing a tool that can observe neuronal activity in real time, our technology could be used to study the pathology of diseases at the earliest stages," said Yunyang Li, the first author of the paper. "This could help researchers better understand and more effectively treat neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and epilepsy." In-vivo imaging of the neuronal activity in mouse primary visual cortex. Left, high-resolution neuronal map; middle, high-speed neuronal activity recording captured by the two-photon microscope with the adaptive line-excitation scheme; right, extracted neuronal activity traces of representative neurons. Credit: Shu Guo and Yunyang Li, University of California, Davis High-speed imaging with less damage Two-photon microscopy can image deep into scattering tissue such as a mouse brain by scanning a small point of light across the entire sample area to excite fluorescence and then collecting the resulting signal point by point. This process is then repeated to capture each imaging frame. Although two-photon microscopy provides detailed images, it is slow and can damage brain tissue. In the new work, the researchers aimed to overcome these limitations through a new sampling strategy. Rather than using a point of light, they use a short line of light to illuminate specific parts of the brain where neurons are active. This enables a larger area to be excited and imaged at once, thus speeding up the imaging process significantly. Also, because it only images neurons of interestnot the background or inactive areasthe total light energy deposited to the brain tissue is reduced, lowering the risk for potential damage. They called this scheme adaptive sampling. The researchers accomplished this by using a digital micromirror device (DMD)a chip containing thousands of tiny mirrors that can be individually controlledto dynamically shape and steer the light beam, enabling precise targeting of active neurons. They achieved adaptive sampling by turning individual DMD pixels on and off in a way that adjusts to the neuronal structure of the brain tissue being imaged. A new two-photon fluorescence microscope can capture high-speed images of neural activity at cellular resolution thanks to a new adaptive sampling scheme and line illumination. The illustration shows the adaptive sampling scheme, in which a laser beam patterned by a digital micromirror device selectively illuminates neurons in the brain tissue to image their activity. Credit: Wei Wei and Mei Xueting, LINGO.AI LLC The researchers also developed a technique to use the DMD to mimic high-resolution point scanning. This allows a high-resolution image to be reconstructed from fast scans, providing a quick way to identify neuronal regions of interest. This is critical for the subsequent high-speed imaging with the short-line excitation and adaptive sampling scheme. "These developmentseach crucial on its owncome together to create a powerful imaging tool that significantly advances the ability to study dynamic neural processes in real time, with reduced risk to living tissue," said Yang. "Importantly, our technique can be combined with other techniques like beam multiplexing and remote focusing to further increase the imaging speed or to achieve volumetric 3D imaging." Capturing neural activity The researchers demonstrated the new microscope by using it to image calcium signalsindicators of neural activityin living mouse brain tissue. The system captured these signals at a speed of 198 Hz, which is significantly faster than traditional two-photon microscopes and demonstrates the ability to monitor rapid neuronal events that would be missed by slower imaging methods. Weijian Yang (right) with graduate students Shu Guo (left) and Yunyang Li (middle) in front of the new two-photon microscope. Credit: Molly M Bechtel, University of California, Davis They also showed that the adaptive line-excitation technique coupled with advanced computational algorithms makes it possible to isolate the activity of individual neurons. This is important for accurately interpreting complex neural interactions and understanding the functional architecture of the brain. Next, the researchers are working to integrate voltage imaging capabilities into the microscope to capture a direct and extremely rapid readout of neural activity. They also plan to use the new method for real neuroscience applications, such as observing neural activity during learning and studying brain activity in disease states. Additionally, they aim to improve the microscope's user-friendliness and reduce its size to enhance its utility in neuroscience research. More information: Weijian Yang et al, High-speed two-photon microscopy with adaptive line-excitation, Optica (2024). DOI: 10.1364/OPTICA.529930 Journal information: Optica Provided by Optica This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Splitting of equilibrium FQHE states under current bias. Credit: Communications Physics (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s42005-024-01759-7 Imagine a two-dimensional flatland, instead of our three-dimensional world, where the rules of physics are turned on their head and particles like electrons defy expectations to reveal new secrets. That's exactly what a team of researchers, including Georgia State University Professor of Physics Ramesh G. Mani and recent Ph.D. graduate U. Kushan Wijewardena, has been studying at Georgia State's laboratories. Their studies have resulted in a discovery recently published in the journal Communications Physics. The team has investigated the enigmatic world of fractional quantum Hall effects (FQHE), uncovering novel, unexpected phenomena when these systems are probed in new ways and pushed beyond their usual boundaries. "Research on fractional quantum Hall effects has been a major focus of modern condensed matter physics for decades because particles in flatland can have multiple personalities and can exhibit a context-dependent personality on demand," Mani said. "Our latest findings push the boundaries of this field, offering new insights into these complex systems." The quantum Hall effect has been a vibrant and pivotal area in condensed matter physics since 1980, when Klaus von Klitzing reported his discovery that a simple electrical measurement could give very accurate values for some fundamental constants that determine the behavior of our universe. This discovery won him a Nobel Prize in 1985. In 1998, a Nobel Prize was awarded for the discovery and understanding of the fractional quantum Hall effect, which suggested that flatland particles could have fractional charges. The journey continued with the discovery of graphene, a material that showed the possibility of massless electrons in flatland, leading to yet another Nobel Prize in 2010. Finally, theories about new phases of matter, related to the quantum Hall effect, were recognized with a Nobel Prize in 2016. Condensed matter physics gave rise to discoveries that made modern electronics like cellphones, computers, GPS, LED lighting, solar cells and even self-driving cars possible. Flatland science and flatland materials are now being studied in condensed matter physics with the aim of realizing more energy-efficient, flexible, faster and lighter-weight future electronics, including novel sensors, higher efficiency solar cells, quantum computers and topological quantum computers. Transport characteristics of a GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure Hall bar device at T = 25 mK. a The diagonal (R xx ) and off-diagonal Hall (R xy ) resistances are exhibited between 4 B 8 Tesla, corresponding to the filling factor range 2 1, to highlight observable FQHE. b R xx and R xy are exhibited for the full range 0 B 8.5 Tesla. c R xy are exhibited for the IQHE regime between 0 B 4.5 Tesla, for different DC bias currents (I DC ) between 0 I DC 1 A in steps of I DC = 0.25 A. The traces, which indicate that I DC does not modify observable IQHE (marked by horizontal lines), have been offset along the abscissa by 1 Tesla for the sake of clarity. Credit: Communications Physics (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s42005-024-01759-7 In a series of experiments in extremely cold conditions, close to -459F (-273C), and under a magnetic field nearly 100,000 times stronger than that of Earth, Mani, Wijewardena and colleagues went to work. They applied a supplementary current to high-mobility semiconductor devices made from a sandwich structure of gallium arsenide (GaAs) and aluminum gallium arsenide (AlGaAs) materials, which helps to realize electrons in a flatland. They observed all the FQHE states splitting unexpectedly, followed by crossings of split branches, which allowed them to explore the new non-equilibrium states of these quantum systems and reveal entirely new states of matter. The study highlights the crucial role of high-quality crystals, produced at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich by Professor Werner Wegscheider and Dr. Christian Reichl, in the success of this research. "Think of the traditional study of fractional quantum Hall effects as exploring the ground floor of a building," Mani said. "Our study is about looking for and discovering the upper floorsthose exciting, unexplored levelsand finding out what they look like. Surprisingly, with a simple technique, we were able to access these upper floors and uncover complex signatures of the excited states." Wijewardena, who earned his Ph.D. in physics from Georgia State last year and is now a faculty member at Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville, expressed his excitement about their work. "We have been working on these phenomena for many years, but this is the first time we've reported these experimental findings on achieving excited states of fractional quantum Hall states induced by applying a direct current bias," Wijewardena said. "The results are fascinating, and it took quite a while for us to have a feasible explanation for our observations." The study not only challenges existing theories but also suggests a hybrid origin for the observed non-equilibrium excited-state FQHEs. This innovative approach and the unexpected results highlight the potential for new discoveries in the field of condensed matter physics, inspiring future research and technological advancements. The implications of the team's findings stretch far beyond the lab, hinting at potential insights for quantum computing and materials science. By exploring these uncharted territories, these researchers are laying the groundworkand training new generations of studentsfor future technologies that could revolutionize everything from data processing to energy efficiency, while powering up the high-tech economy. Mani, Wijewardena and their team are now extending their studies to even more extreme conditions, exploring new methods to measure challenging flatland parameters. As they push forward, they anticipate uncovering further nuances in these quantum systems, contributing valuable insights to the field. With each experiment, the team moves closer to understanding the complex behaviors at play, staying open to the possibility of new discoveries along the way. More information: U. Kushan Wijewardena et al, Non-equilibrium excited-state fractionally quantized Hall effects observed via current bias spectroscopy, Communications Physics (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s42005-024-01759-7 Journal information: Communications Physics This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain A quarter of people in Wales have experienced stigma associated with poverty "always," "often" or "sometimes" in the past year, a report from Cardiff University has found. The Wales Centre for Public Policy (WCPP) has investigated the extent to which people feel negatively stereotyped, socially excluded or treated unfairly by others because of being on a low income. This can have an impact on mental health and lead to a reluctance to access vital support. The results of the survey, conducted by YouGov and supported by WCPP's partner, the International Public Policy Observatory (IPPO), will help WCPP to support the public sector in Wales to understand, and avoid producing poverty stigma in its policies and services. Other key findings include: Younger people experience higher levels of poverty stigma than older people; People experiencing food insecurity experience three times as much stigma as those who don't; The most common form of poverty stigma participants said they encountered was when, 'people make negative assumptions about me because I don't have much money'; People with disabilities, those who live in rented properties and benefit recipients are more likely to experience poverty-related stigma. Nine out of 10 adults perceive that decision-makers, public services and the media contribute to poverty stigma. Commenting on the report, Swansea Poverty Truth Commissioner, Karen Berrell, said, "Poverty stigma has a negative effect on the potential available across our communities. As someone coming from a place of lived experience, I believe it's incredibly important for our policy makers and public bodies to understand the impact of poverty stigma so that they can address it. "We need to change the harmful attitudes that leave people feeling like they are failing. Poverty and poverty stigma are not the outcome of poor life choices, but choices made at the highest levels of our political systems resulting in people not having enough money to live on and being socially excluded." Report co-author, WCPP senior research fellow, Amanda Hill-Dixon said, "As well as struggling with insufficient income and high costs, too many people are also having to deal with the stigma of poverty and the mental health and social exclusion burden that this can pose. "Strikingly, almost everyone in Wales perceives structural poverty stigma, strongly suggesting that it is a systemic issue requiring our attention. And while many of the key drivers of poverty are outside of the control of Welsh local and national government, by tackling the stigma of poverty, the designers and providers of public and charitable services can limit its impacts. "We are heartened that there is so much enthusiasm among public services to work with us and others to address this issue to improve the lives of those experiencing material hardship." Swansea Council's Cabinet Member for Wellbeing Alyson Anthony said, "We are keen to better understand the role of stigma as a barrier to our residents accessing services and benefits and community involvement and our partnership with WCPP and Swansea Poverty Truth Commissioners will help inform Swansea Council's Tackling Poverty Strategy." Bevan Foundation Head of Policy (Poverty) Steffan Evans added, "WCPP's report lifts the lid on an often underdiscussed aspect of poverty and helps us to understand what actions should be prioritized to address it. "The root cause of poverty stigma is poverty itself, but stigma can exacerbate the impact of poverty. For example, if the deterioration in a person's mental health leads to them reducing their work hours, their risk of living in deeper poverty increases. Someone who chooses to not claim all the support they are entitled to will face even greater financial hardship. Children who are absent from school due to stigma around uniform, food or resources, will find it more difficult to get the best grades, increasing their risk of living in poverty in adulthood. "The actions taken to address stigma should focus on areas such as these, which, alongside other interventions such as investing in a new generation of social housing and improving access to childcare, can help to shift the dial on poverty and to reduce its stigma." More information: Lifting the lid on poverty stigma in Wales (2024). wcpp.org.uk/wp-content/uploads n-poverty-stigma.pdf This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain The eastern subspecies of the regal fritillary butterfly, marked by orange forewings and dark hindwings, is found in only one location in North America and is threatened with extinction. That location: The 17,000-acre Fort Indiantown Gap National Guard Training Center in Pennsylvania, the most heavily used National Guard training center in the U.S. with firing ranges and combat simulation areas that get extensive use. This month, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (NWS) proposed that the eastern (Argynnis idalia idalia) subspecies of the regal fritillary, a large butterfly, be placed on the federal endangered species list. The NWS also proposed listing the western (Argynnis idalia occidentalis) subspecies as threatened. What's special about the eastern regal fritillary butterfly? Once found fluttering from New Brunswick to North Carolina, the eastern regal fritillary is now limited to the base in Lebanon and Dauphin Countiesabout five miles north of Hershey. The caterpillars and emerging butterflies need the habitat to support larvae, sources of nectar, and tall sheltering grassland. Officials say additional protection is needed because the butterfly can't migrate to other areas if its current habitat is degraded or lost. Climate change and drought also threaten that habitat, as changes in temperature and moisture can impact bloom times of native violets, whose flowers the caterpillars need to survive. Adult regal fritillaries are large, about the size of a monarch, with wingspans of 2.67 to 4.13 inches. Despite the loss of grassland habitats across the rest of its native range, the eastern regal fritillary has survived thanks to proactive efforts at Fort Indiantown Gap, notes the NWS. The military installation has, effectively, maintained the last population of the eastern regal fritillary in the world through a range of conservation practices. What's the military base doing to protect the butterflies? Indeed, the base has long had a wildlife management plan, which includes the eastern regal fritillary. As the result of a lawsuit in the 1990s by the North American Butterfly Association, base officials set aside 219 acres "of prime training fields" that harbored the biggest population centers of the butterfly. It then added additional areas to include other pockets where they were also found. The land management includes increasing or maintaining the butterfly's current population of more than 1,000 through use of prescribed fires that delays or halts growth of shrubs and trees, while keeping the grassland intact. The fields where the butterflies contain native grasses that provide the violets for caterpillars and other nectar plants for adults. The grassland is native to the base. But the conservation location is definitely an odd pairing, given that the base provides facilities and services to various U.S. Armed Forces that require land and airspace to practice combat skills and operations on a year-round basis. On average there are about 2,100 soldiers, state workers and civilians who work there daily, and the base's mission is unlikely to change. There, soldiers bivouac, maneuver, and train with military vehicles, weapons firing, and airtoground weapons. There's a 50-foot rappel tower, an 11-station obstacle course, and four nuclear, biological and chemical chambers for training. Smoke and other practice grenades are used on site, as are booby traps. What additional protections are there? So conservation managers at the base research and monitor wildlife habitat amid "rugged grasslands, shrublands, and oak / hickory forests that stand up well to military training, provide cover and concealment." The plan calls for restrictions to military use, including vehicles, in some areas. Base officials even host a public bird tour each spring, with stops at several eastern regal fritillary grassland habitats. Sometimes only a few people show up. Other times, a few hundred attend. Further cementing efforts: The military base formalized an agreement in February that commits efforts to conserve the eastern regal fritillary. And in May, the Army gave $1 million to the base, NWS, and Temple University to help implement a plan that includes managing habitat, long-term monitoring, and establishing a new population in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Game Commission. 2024 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Species of aspergillus fungus are known to produce a potent, cancer-causing poison known as aflatoxin, which contaminates a quarter of the world's corn supply, endangering both humans and animals. Credit: The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University Corn, a staple food crop consumed by billions of people and animals worldwide, is frequently contaminated by the fungal toxin aflatoxin B1, a highly potent carcinogen produced by the fungus Aspergillus flavus. Exposure to aflatoxin poses serious health risks to humans and other animals, and presents economic challenges to agricultural industries. However, due to the highly transmissible nature of the fungus coupled with the toxicity of the toxin, studying and developing control techniques in a laboratory setting can be difficult. In a new study published in the journal Toxins, researchers at Arizona State University and their international colleagues have demonstrated a promising sterilization technique that uses X-ray irradiation to reduce Aspergillus flavus viability in contaminated corn. This method achieves sterilization without degrading the harmful aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) produced by the fungus. By disabling Aspergillus flavus, the method stops the fungus from transmitting spores and producing more aflatoxins. This is crucial to allowing more laboratories to join the fight against fungal toxin prevention and control. Stabilizing toxin levels allows scientists to develop and test additional remediation techniques that target aflatoxin degradation without the complication of ongoing fungal growth. Results showed that a small dose of radiation shut down the fungal growth of Aspergillus flavus. This work is part of a larger effort from Arizona State University researchers and international partners, to identify low-cost approaches to mitigate aflatoxin transmission and exposure among marginalized communities. "We have known about aflatoxin since the 1960s, yet it is still a pervasive problem," says Hannah Glesener, lead author of the new study. "X-ray irradiating naturally contaminated corn is an exciting step that supports our research team's work on developing solutions for aflatoxin-related challenges, such as chronic malnutrition." Glesener is a graduate research assistant in the Biodesign Center for Health Through Microbiomes and a biological design Ph.D. student in ASU's School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy. The team is now evaluating household-level cooking strategies for controlling this fungal toxin as well as the role of the human gut microbiome in potentially detoxifying foods prior to absorption into the bloodstream. Corn at a market in Guatemala. Aflatoxin, produced by the fungus Aspergillus flavus, contaminates corn in many parts of the world, posing a serious risk to public health. Credit: The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University The global challenge of mycotoxin contamination Aflatoxins are a type of mycotoxin, which are naturally occurring toxic compounds produced by molds or fungi that can grow on a variety of crops. Mycotoxins, including aflatoxins, have potent carcinogenic properties. Aflatoxins are produced by Aspergillus species and are commonly found in crops including corn, cottonseed and nuts, particularly in warm and humid environments where mold thrives. Aflatoxin-producing fungi can contaminate crops at various stages, including in the field, during harvest and while in storage. Aflatoxin contamination is a significant global concern, especially in humid, tropical and subtropical regions. It is most prevalent in Africa, Asia and parts of South America, where warm conditions can jump-start the growth of Aspergillus species. An estimated 25% of the world's food crops are affected by mycotoxins, including aflatoxins, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Nigeria, Kenya, India and China are particularly affected due to their climate and agricultural practices. Dangerous health effects of aflatoxin contamination Acute aflatoxin poisoning, called aflatoxicosis, can occur when large quantities of contaminated food are consumed. Symptoms include liver damage, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and, in severe cases, death. Aflatoxins are particularly associated with an increased risk of liver cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies aflatoxins as Group 1 carcinogens, scientifically proven to cause cancer in humans. Chronic exposure can also lead to stunted growth in children and immunosuppression, increasing susceptibility to infectious diseases. The World Health Organization estimates that aflatoxins contribute to approximately 5% to 28% of global cases of liver cancer, with the highest burden in sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia and China. Every year, aflatoxin exposure is estimated to cause 25,000 to 155,000 liver cancer deaths worldwide. Further, the effects of aflatoxin exposure, even at lower levels, are more severe in animals. Climate change is believed to exacerbate the threat posed by aflatoxins by expanding the geographic range of aflatoxin-producing fungi, potentially increasing contamination risks in new regions. Additionally, the economic burden caused by aflatoxin contamination is considerable, particularly in the developing world. Study overview The main objective of the study, led by corresponding author and Assistant Research Professor Lee Voth-Gaeddert, was to determine the optimal irradiation dose needed to eliminate fungal viability while preserving aflatoxin B1 concentrations for subsequent detoxification studies. These results open new avenues for safely handling and researching contaminated food products without compromising the structural and chemical properties essential for scientific analysis. It can hopefully lead to new approaches for scalable and effective solutions to mycotoxin contamination applicable across various regions, particularly in developing countries where food safety measures are often limited. More information: Hannah Glesener et al, X-ray Irradiation Reduces Live Aspergillus flavus Viability but Not Aflatoxin B1 in Naturally Contaminated Maize, Toxins (2024). DOI: 10.3390/toxins16080329 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The geography of (A) percentage of renewable energy generation, (B) stringency of renewable portfolio standards, and (C) count of climate policies in the United States. Credit: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2024). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2313193121 While the U.S. federal government has clean energy targets, they are not binding. Most economically developed countries have mandatory policies designed to bolster renewable electricity production. Because the U.S. lacks an enforceable federal mandate for renewable electricity, individual states are left to develop their own regulations. Marilyn Brown, Regents' and Brook Byers Professor of Sustainable Systems in Georgia Tech's School of Public Policy; Shan Zhou, an assistant professor at Purdue University and Georgia Tech Ph.D. alumna; and Barry Solomon, a professor emeritus of environmental policy at Michigan Technological University, investigated how clean electricity policies affect not only the states that adopt them, but neighboring states as well. Using data-driven comparisons, the researchers found that the impact of these subnational clean energy policies is far greaterand more nuancedthan previously known. Their research was recently published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "Analysts are asking if the U.S. should have a federal renewable mandate to put the whole country on the same page, or if individual state policies are sufficient," Brown said. "To answer that question, it is useful to know if states with renewable energy policies are influencing those without them." Brown, Solomon, and Zhou examined a common clean energy policy tool: the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). Adopted by more than half of U.S. states, RPSs are regulations requiring a state's utility providers to generate a certain percentage of their electricity from renewable resources, such as wind or solar. Many of these standards are mandatory, with utility companies facing fines if they fail to reach targets within a given time. To investigate the influence of these policies across state lines, the researchers first created a dataset that included 31 years (19912021) of annual renewable electricity generation data for 48 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. They then used the dataset to generate pairs of states linking each state to its geographic neighbors or electricity trading partners, allowing them to examine the influence of the RPS policy adopted by one of the pair on the renewable energy generation of the othera total of 1,519 paired comparisons. "By only looking at the pairs, we can see if an RPS in one state directly affects renewable electricity generation in another state, and, if that's the case, whether it is because they are geographic neighbors or if it's because they are participating in the same wholesale electricity market," Zhou said. Looking into the electricity market is important, because states often purchase electricity from other states through wholesale markets rather than exclusively producing their own power, and the purchased power can be generated from renewables. Utilities in some states may be allowed to meet their own RPS requirements by purchasing renewable energy credits based on the renewable electricity generated in other states. In their analyses, the team also considered the concept of "policy stringency." A stringency measure evaluates a state's renewable electricity targets relative to the amount currently produced in the state. For example, if a state requires electric utilities to generate 30% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and the state already has 25%, it isn't a very stringent policy. On the other hand, if a state has a 30% target and only uses 10% renewables currently, it has a more ambitious and stringent RPS. Though policy experts have used the metric in related work for over a decade, the research team improved the design. "Our stringency variable includes interim targets as well as the existing share of renewable energy generation," Solomon said. The team found that the amount of renewable electricity generation in a state is not only influenced by whether that state has its own RPS, but also by the RPS policies of neighboring states. "We also learned that the stronger a neighboring state's RPS policy is, the more likely a given state is to generate more renewable electricity," Brown said. "It's all a very interactive web with many co-benefits." The authors were surprised to find that a given state's electricity trading partners did not hold the most influence over renewable generation, but rather the geographical proximity to RPS states. They suggest that past RPS policy research focusing on within-state impacts likely underestimated an RPS's full impact. While the researchers have not yet identified all factors that can cause spillover effects, they plan to investigate this further. "The spillover effect is very significant and should not be overlooked by future research, especially for states without RPSs," Zhou said. "For states without policies, their renewable electricity generation is very heavily influenced by their neighbors." More information: Shan Zhou et al, The spillover effect of mandatory renewable portfolio standards, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2024). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2313193121 Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Scanning Electron Microscopy image of C. difficile in the gut of an infected animal. Credit: University of Sheffield Clostridioides difficile (C. diff), a type of bacteria which often affects people who have taken antibiotics, is responsible for approximately 2,000 deaths annually in the UK. Researchers from the University of Sheffield and the University of Manchester have found C. diff is able to evolve high levels of vancomycin resistance very quicklyin less than two months the bacteria could tolerate 32 times the normally effective antibiotic concentration. Their research is published in the journal PLOS Biology. Currently, the antibiotics used to treat C. diff damage beneficial gut bacteria, leading to a high reinfection rateup to 30% of patients treated with vancomycin experience a second infection within weeks, with the likelihood of further relapses increasing thereafter. Despite vancomycin's critical role within UK health care, routine monitoring for resistance in clinical settings is lacking, so resistance may be emerging under the radar in hospitals. If widespread resistance were to arise, it would remove this critical treatment option from UK health care. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has been identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the top global public health and development threats. It is estimated that bacterial AMR was directly responsible for 1.27 million global deaths in 2019 and contributed to 4.95 million deaths. Jessica Buddle, Ph.D. student at the University of Sheffield and lead author of the study, said, "Our findings highlight the need for vigilant monitoring of vancomycin resistance in UK hospitals. Unchecked resistance could contribute to the large number of patients who have a relapsing infection after successful treatment with vancomycin. More research is essential to inform health care policy and determine if vancomycin remains the best treatment option. "Our ongoing work aims to understand the extent and mechanisms of resistance development, simulate these conditions within the complex human gut ecosystem, and collaborate with UK epidemiologists to identify potential resistance signatures in hospitals. "These efforts are crucial to prevent a future where antibiotics are no longer a viable option for treating bacterial infections and infections that are readily treatable today become life-threatening once again." Although this rapid evolution is concerning, resistant strains exhibited reduced overall fitness, potentially limiting their clinical threat. The resistant strains also commonly had defects in sporulation. Sporulation is essential for C. diff to transmit from one person to the next and to survive on surfaces in hospitals. Future work will seek to understand this interplay between resistance and the ability of the bacteria to cause severe disease. Researchers will be able to leverage this knowledge to improve surveillance of emerging resistance in hospitals. More information: Jessica E. Buddle et al, Identification of pathways to high-level vancomycin resistance in Clostridioides difficile that incur high fitness costs in key pathogenicity traits, PLOS Biology (2024). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002741 Journal information: PLoS Biology This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: A view of Garbh Eileach, the largest island in the Garvellach island chain where the gradational transition into snowball Earth is recorded. Credit: Graham Shields A rock formation spanning Ireland and Scotland may be the world's most complete record of "snowball Earth," a crucial moment in planetary history when the globe was covered in ice, finds a new study led by UCL (University College London) researchers. The study, published in the Journal of the Geological Society of London, found that the Port Askaig Formation, composed of layers of rock up to 1.1km thick, was likely laid down between 662 to 720 million years ago during the Sturtian glaciationthe first of two global freezes thought to have triggered the development of complex, multicellular life. One exposed outcrop of the formation, found on Scottish islands called the Garvellachs, is unique as it shows the transition into "snowball Earth" from a previously warm, tropical environment. Other rocks that formed at a similar time, for instance in North America and Namibia, are missing this transition. Senior author Professor Graham Shields, of UCL Earth Sciences, said, "These rocks record a time when Earth was covered in ice. All complex, multicellular life, such as animals, arose out of this deep freeze, with the first evidence in the fossil record appearing shortly after the planet thawed." First author Elias Rugen, a Ph.D. candidate at UCL Earth Sciences, said, "Our study provides the first conclusive age constraints for these Scottish and Irish rocks, confirming their global significance. An outcrop called 'the Bubble' on Eileach an Naoimh (Holy Isle). It shows a huge white rock fragment, tens of metres across, which was originally part of the underlying rock sequence. The layering in the carbonate rock has been squeezed tightly under immense pressure and transported by thick ice sheets to its final resting as one of many different rock fragments within a moraine. Credit: Graham Shields "The layers of rock exposed on the Garvellachs are globally unique. Underneath the rocks laid down during the unimaginable cold of the Sturtian glaciation are 70 meters of older carbonate rocks formed in tropical waters. These layers record a tropical marine environment with flourishing cyanobacterial life that gradually became cooler, marking the end of a billion years or so of a temperate climate on Earth. "Most areas of the world are missing this remarkable transition because the ancient glaciers scraped and eroded away the rocks underneath, but in Scotland by some miracle the transition can be seen." The Sturtian glaciation lasted approximately 60 million years and was one of two big freezes that occurred during the Cryogenian Period (between 635 and 720 million years ago). For billions of years prior to this period, life consisted only of single-celled organisms and algae. After this period, complex life emerged rapidly, in geologic terms, with most animals today similar in fundamental ways to the types of life forms that evolved more than 500 million years ago. One theory is that the hostile nature of the extreme cold may have prompted the emergence of altruism, with single-celled organisms learning to co-operate with each other, forming multicellular life. The advance and retreat of the ice across the planet was thought to have happened relatively quickly, over thousands of years, because of the albedo effectthat is, the more ice there is, the more sunlight is reflected back into space, and vice versa. Professor Shields explained, "The retreat of the ice would have been catastrophic. Life had been used to tens of millions of years of deep freeze. As soon as the world warmed up, all of life would have had to compete in an arms race to adapt. Whatever survived were the ancestors of all animals." Co-author Anthony (Tony) Spencer standing on the Garbh Eileach Formation. The rocks record a gradual transition from the warm tropical world of the Tonian period into the snowball Earth of the Cryogenian period. Credit: Elias Rugen Standing on limestone beds of the pre-glacial Garvellach Formation, looking North from Garbh Eileach over to Dun Chonnuil. Due to tectonic tilting, the sedimentary layers get younger, and closer to the onset of glaciation, as you move to the right. Credit: Elias Rugen For the new study, the research team collected samples of sandstone from the 1.1km-thick Port Askaig Formation as well as from the older, 70-meter thick Garbh Eileach Formation underneath. They analyzed tiny, extremely durable minerals in the rock called zircons. These can be precisely dated as they contain the radioactive element uranium, which converts (decays) to lead at a steady rate. The zircons together with other geochemical evidence suggest the rocks were deposited between 662 and 720 million years ago. The researchers said the new age constraints for the rocks may provide the evidence needed for the site to be declared as a marker for the start of the Cryogenian Period. This marker, known as a Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP), is sometimes referred to as a golden spike, as a gold spike is driven into the rock to mark the boundary. GSSPs attract visitors from around the world and in some cases museums have been established at the sites. A group from the International Commission on Stratigraphy, a part of the International Union of Geological Sciences, visited the Garvellachs in July to assess the case for a golden spike on the archipelago. Currently, the islands are only accessible by chartering a boat or by sailing or kayaking to them. The study involved researchers from UCL, the University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy, and Birkbeck University of London. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Researchers mapped out the movements of five sunflower plants over the course of a week (black lines) before those plants eventually formed a zig-zag pattern (blue line). Credit: Physical Review X (2024). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevX.14.031027 In a new study, physicists from the United States and Israel may have gotten to the bottom of a quirky behavior of growing plantsand a mystery that intrigued Charles Darwin himself during the later decades of his life. For many humans, plants might seem stationary and even a little dull. But green things actually move a lot. If you watch a timelapse video of a sunflower seedling poking up from the soil, for example, it doesn't just shoot straight up. Instead, as the sunflower grows, its crown spins in circles, twists into corkscrews and, in general, wiggles aroundalbeit very slowly. Now, researchers co-led by Orit Peleg at CU Boulder and Yasmine Meroz at Tel Aviv University have discovered one role for these chaotic movements, also known as "circumnutations." In greenhouse experiments and computer simulations, the group showed that sunflowers take advantage of circumnutations to search the environment around them for patches of sunlight. "A lot of people don't really consider the motion of plants because, as humans, we're usually looking at plants at the wrong frame rate," said Peleg, a co-author of the study and an associate professor in the BioFrontiers Institute and Department of Computer Science. The team published its findings Aug. 15 in the journal Physical Review X. The findings could one day help farmers to come up with new strategies for growing an array of crops in more efficient arrangements. "Our team does a lot of work on social interactions in insect swarms and other groups of animals," said Chantal Nguyen, lead author and a postdoctoral researcher at BioFrontiers. "But this research is particularly exciting because we're seeing similar dynamics in plants. They're rooted to the ground." Time lapse video of sunflowers wiggling as they grow. Credit: University of Colorado at Boulder Darwin's cucumbers Nguyen added that plants don't usually shift around like animals but, instead, move by growing in different directions over time. This phenomenon enchanted Darwin long after he returned from his voyage on the HMS Beagle, according to historical accounts. In the 1860s, Darwin, who was then suffering from a range of ailments that limited his own mobility, spent days observing plants at his home. He planted seeds from cucumbers and other species, then traced how their crowns moved around from day to daythe resulting maps look wild and haphazard. "I am getting very much amused by my tendrilsit is just the sort of niggling work which suits me," he wrote a friend in 1863. Amused or not, Darwin couldn't explain why some of his tendrils twisted. It's a mystery that has also perplexed Meroz, a physicist by training. One 2017 study pointed her in the right direction. In it, scientists led by the University of Buenos Aires grew lines of sunflowers under cramped conditions. They discovered that the plants naturally and consistently arranged themselves into a zig-zag pattern, almost like the teeth of a zipper. The arrangement likely helps the plants maximize their access to sunlight as a group. Meroz wondered if plant wiggles could be the engine that drives such patterns in plant growth. "For climbing plants, it's obvious that it's about searching for supports to twine on," said Meroz, a professor of plant sciences and food security. "But for other plants, it's not clear why it's worth it." Darwin's illustration of the motion of a carnation over four days in June. Credit: "The power of movement in plants," 1896, by Charles Darwin and Francis Darwin Here comes the sun To find out, she and her colleagues grew five, one-week-old sunflowers in rows. Then, like Darwin before them, they mapped out how the plants moved over the course of a week. Next, Nguyen and Peleg developed a computer program to analyze the patterns behind the sunflower growth. The researchers could also use their computer simulations to see what would happen if the sunflowers moved more or lessin other words, if they wiggled haphazardly or in a slow and steady pattern. If the digital plants didn't wiggle at all, the group discovered, they would all wind up all leaning away from each other in a straight line. If they wiggled too much, in contrast, they would grow in a random pattern. If they moved with just the right amount of randomness, however, the sunflowers formed that tell-tale zig-zag, which, in real life plants, provides a lot of access to sunlight. Nguyen explained that plants seem to circumnutate to find where the best light is coming from, then grow in that direction. "When you add a little bit of noise into the system, it allows the plant to explore its surroundings and settle into those configurations that allow each plant to find maximum light exposure," she said. "That happens to lead to this nice zig-zag pattern that we see." In future experiments, the researchers will test out how sunflowers grow in more complicated arrangements. Meroz, for her part, is glad to see plants get some credit for the movers and shakers they really are. "If we all lived at the same time scales as plants, you could walk down the street and see them moving," she said. "Maybe we'd all have plants as pets." More information: Chantal Nguyen et al, Noisy Circumnutations Facilitate Self-Organized Shade Avoidance in Sunflowers, Physical Review X (2024). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevX.14.031027 Journal information: Physical Review X This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Romania is faced with one of its most severe droughts in recent years. Desiccated leaves crackled underfoot as Romanian farmer Iulia Blagu walked through her scorched cornfield, devastated by one of the country's worst droughts in recent years. She took over 300 hectares (750 acres) near Urziceni in southeastern Romania from her father half a decade agoa baptism she describes as "five years of fire". "For Romanian agriculture, it's not a question of if but when we will die," the 39-year-old told AFP late last month. Holding up an ear of corn no bigger than her hand, Blagu said the drought was eating away at her harvest "like an unstoppable steamroller," forcing her for the first time to borrow money to pay her workers. Romania is far from the only country hit by the blazing heat. In neighboring Hungary, almost the entire country is on alert because of the high temperatures. At the beginning of August, dozens of Hungarian farmers led two camels through downtown Budapest to draw attention to the impact of climate change on agriculture. Both southern and eastern Europe are faced with "persistent and recurrent drought conditions," according to the latest situation report by the European Union. The EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service has warned that it is "increasingly likely" 2024 will be the Earth's hottest year on record. Farmers like Iulia Blagu are worried about the impact of climate change on their harvests. 'At God's mercy' In Romania, farmers have been promised compensation for the two million hectares of farmland which the government estimates have been damaged. But one farmer told AFP that agriculture has become "a lottery," and he feels "at God's mercy". In hundreds of villages, wells have run dry and water restrictions imposed, while lakes are disappearing. Orthodox priests have even gone into fields of cracked soil to pray for rain, while in another community, work has begun to dig the ground to try to revive springs. But with a nearby lake at risk of drying out, villager Marian Florea felt glum about the future. "The climate has changed. And nothing good is coming," the construction worker, 53, told AFP. "By the autumn, if this drought continues, there'll be nothing left here." Meanwhile, farmers like Blagu are trying to adjust to the conditions. Lakes have been drying up in the heat. She won't sow cornonce the most profitable crop in the regionany more next year. Instead, she has begun testing sorghum, a more heat-resistant grain native to Africa, and is also looking into planting coriander and chickpeas besides her wheat, sunflowers and other crops. 'Romanian Sahara' Further south, close to the Danube, a 100,000-hectare area of sandy soil nicknamed the "Romanian Sahara" has become a testing ground for alternative crops. The country is losing 1,000 hectares of arable land every year to climate change, according to Romania's environment minister Mircea Fechet, who fears that in 50 years the south could end up "completely desertified". Since 1959, a research station set up to try to "make the sands bear fruit" has been providing expertise and seeds to farmers. With scientists warning that climate change caused by human greenhouse gas emissions is driving an increase in extreme weather, its mission has become more crucial than ever. Iulia Blagu says she will not plant corn next year. A research station in southern Romania has become a testing ground for alternative crops. Romania is losing 1,000 hectares of arable land every year to climate change, says environment minister Mircea Fechet. "Climate change is forcing us to come up with new things, to try other species," the station's head, Aurelia Diaconu, told AFP. Among those grown at the station are persimmons, dates, kiwi and pistachios, species that "some time ago we did not even think that we would taste from our fields," she said. But all of the crops tested there are irrigatedsomething few Romanian farmers currently have access to. Of the country's nine million hectares of arable land, less than two million hectares have irrigationBlagu's parched cornfields among them. "Without water we can't do anything," she sighed. 2024 AFP This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The top image shows fluorescently labeled cells in the spinal cord of a zebrafish recovering one week after an injury, and the bottom image shows recovery four weeks after an injury. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis describe the dramatic changes within nerve cells that make regeneration possible. Such findings could inspire the development of new therapies for spinal cord injuries in people. Credit: MOKALLED LAB Zebrafish are members of a rarefied group of vertebrates capable of fully healing a severed spinal cord. A clear understanding of how this regeneration takes place could provide clues toward strategies for healing spinal cord injuries in people. Such injuries can be devastating, causing permanent loss of sensation and movement. A new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis maps out a detailed atlas of all the cells involvedand how they work togetherin regenerating the zebrafish spinal cord. In an unexpected finding, the researchers showed that survival and adaptability of the severed neurons themselves is required for full spinal cord regeneration. Surprisingly, the study showed that stem cells capable of forming new neuronsand typically thought of as central to regenerationplay a complementary role but don't lead the process. The study is published Aug. 15 in the journal Nature Communications. Unlike humans' and other mammals' spinal cord injuries, in which damaged neurons always die, the damaged neurons of zebrafish dramatically alter their cellular functions in response to injury, first to survive and then to take on new and central roles in orchestrating the precise events that govern healing, the researchers found. Scientists knew that zebrafish neurons survive spinal cord injury, and this new study reveals how they do it. "We found that most, if not all, aspects of neural repair that we're trying to achieve in people occur naturally in zebrafish," said senior author Mayssa Mokalled, Ph.D., an associate professor of developmental biology. "The surprising observation we made is that there are strong neuronal protection and repair mechanisms happening right after injury. We think these protective mechanisms allow neurons to survive the injury and then adopt a kind of spontaneous plasticityor flexibility in their functionsthat gives the fish time to regenerate new neurons to achieve full recovery. "Our study has identified genetic targets that will help us promote this type of plasticity in the cells of people and other mammals." By mapping out the evolving roles of various cell types involved in regeneration, Mokalled and her colleagues found that the flexibility of the surviving injured neurons and their capacity to immediately reprogram after injury lead the chain of events that are required for spinal cord regeneration. If these injury-surviving neurons are disabled, zebrafish do not regain their normal swim capacity, even though regenerative stem cells remain present. When the long wiring of the spinal cord is crushed or severed in people and other mammals, it sets off a chain of toxicity events that kills the neurons and makes the spinal cord environment hostile against repair mechanisms. This neuronal toxicity could provide some explanation for the failure of attempts to harness stem cells to treat spinal cord injuries in people. Rather than focus on regeneration with stem cells, the new study suggests that any successful method to heal spinal cord injuries in people must start with saving the injured neurons from death. "Neurons by themselves, without connections to other cells, do not survive," Mokalled said. "In zebrafish, we think severed neurons can overcome the stress of injury because their flexibility helps them establish new local connections immediately after injury. Our research suggests this is a temporary mechanism that buys time, protecting neurons from death and allowing the system to preserve neuronal circuitry while building and regenerating the main spinal cord." There is some evidence that this capacity is present but dormant in mammalian neurons, so this may be a route to new therapies, according to the researchers. "We are hopeful that identifying the genes that orchestrate this protective process in zebrafishversions of which also are present in the human genomewill help us find ways to protect neurons in people from the waves of cell death that we see following spinal cord injuries," she said. While this study is focused on neurons, Mokalled said spinal cord regeneration is extremely complex, and future work for her team will delve into a new cell atlas to understand the contributions of other cell types to spinal cord regeneration, including non-neuronal cells, called glia, in the central nervous system as well as cells of the immune system and vasculature. They also have ongoing studies comparing the findings in zebrafish to what is happening in mammalian cells, including mouse and human nerve tissue. More information: Zebrafish use surprising strategy to regrow spinal cord, Nature Communications (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50628-y Journal information: Nature Communications WASHINGTON COUNTY After the announcements that the Great Meadow Correctional Facility will be closing in November, the Post-Star asked experts about the economic situation facing Washington County ahead of losing its largest employer. Yes there is very definitely an economic issue, said Washington County Director of Economic Development Laura Oswald. Even though the state has offered to transfer individuals, some individuals may have decided not to take that transfer and remain here, Oswald said. But nonetheless, we would expect that there would be people who are moving out of the area, and those individuals support local businesses. They might stop at Stewarts. They might shop at Hannaford. They might use local tax and accounting services. So there will be a trickledown effect, because as you lose population in the area that then further impacts local businesses, so yes, it is definitely a concern. Unlike a closure of a single small business, closing Great Meadow would potentially impact school enrollment numbers, numbers of volunteer firefighters and other services, Oswald said. Washington County, like the rest of Upstate New York is facing a shrinking population, Oswald said. Our population is declining, not at a rapid rate, but essentially at a slow rate, Oswald said. Its mostly an issue of aged-out demographics, and the birthrates behind the baby boomer generation declined nation-wide, so we are effected by that, but more, we are part of a region, we dont stand in isolation. The New York State Department of Labor reports that Washington County had about 26,700 people employed and 900 unemployed in 2023. The countys labor force has changed by a very small amount in the past five years. According to data from the Department of Labor the county had 27,500 employed and 1,100 people who were unemployed in 2019. In 2000 the numbers were 28,900 employed and 1,100 unemployed. In 1990 Washington County had 27,100 people who were unemployed and 1,500 who were unemployed. There are people who live in Washington County and work in Saratoga County or Warren County, as well as people who work in Washington County and live in other nearby counties, Oswald said. So theres an exchange of economy there, Oswald said. So if you look at the fact that Essity Tissue closed its doors, a very large Saratoga County employer closed its door and there are several large businesses in Warren County that have closed their doors. That has not only an impact in Washington County, but it has an impact in all of the regional counties. There was already an issue regionally with a number of larger employers closing in recent years, a closure of Great Meadow will exacerbate the issue, Oswald said. In January 2024, Quad Graphics in Saratoga County announced it would be closing, the business had more than 400 employees. Earlier this year AngioDynamics announced that it would be closing its manufacturing facility in Queensbury in 2025 which would impact as many as 350 employees. In late 2023 in South Glens Falls, Essity began the closure of its manufacturing operations which impacted upwards of 300 employees. In late 2022 Lehigh Hanson Cement Co., in Glens Falls, announced its closing that was completed last year. We as a county have very few large employers, as in employees in the multiple hundreds, Oswald said. Our economic backbone is small businesses. So to a certain extent were fortunate in that if a whole bunch of businesses were to decide to close their doors at the same time it might not have the same impact on us as say a Warren County or Saratoga County who have a lot of large employers. But on the other hand, having a single larger entity close their doors has significantly more impact than a county with more large employers because it hits us harder. There arent other employers to pick up the slack, Oswald said. The largest private employment sector in Washington County is manufacturing, said Katie Newcombe, Chief Economic Development Officer with the Center for Economic Growth Manufacturing is only down by about 2% over the last five-year-period, Newcombe said. So manufacturing has been fairly stable, and that is due in part to some of the strong manufacturing base that they have there in Morcon, Adirondack Studios, Cambridge Machining. Were also seeing manufacturers who have been there for decades like Irving Tissue. Newcombe said the economy is a regional economy. People travel outside of geographic county boundaries all the time for work or school or shopping elsewhere from where they reside. One of the fastest growing commuter flows in the Capital Region when we look at county-to-county, is between Washington County and Saratoga County, Newcombe said, adding that the growth of Saratoga County could benefit Washington County. New York divides the state into 10 regions for purposes of looking at economic development, Newcombe said. As a region, the Capital Region is currently seeing a 22-year high for its manufacturing sector employment, and it is also the only region which has a higher level of manufacturing employment now than it did prior to the pandemic, Newcombe said. As a region we are also growing in population modest, but growth when were seeing the state of New York is losing population overall, Newcombe said. Hebron Supervisor and Washington County Budget Officer Brian Campbell, said there is no real way to prepare the countys budget to prepare for the closure of Great Meadow, especially since the closure is expected in November. With the timing, the way this works, if it closes in November, were getting that sales tax at the end of December, January, Campbell said. So, our new budget year is going to actually give us that full picture in real time, well know the following year what the impact actually was. So theres no way to prepare for it. Shelley Smith, Executive Director of L.E.A.P., Washington Countys Workforce Development agency, said that L.E.A.P is available to help if anyone is displaced with a closure of Great Meadow. She said that the potential impact to the area is already far reaching because of the fear about insecurity that comes with an announcement like the one made by the state about Great Meadow. This is going to not only affect these individuals who are directly impacted and of course their families, but the surrounding businesses, the schools. This sort of anchor employer in a community is exactly that, its an anchor its glue that holds a community together. So if this happens lots of other elements of the community will likely disintegrate. Promotional image for Hearst Texas newsrooms' live virtual event on the 2024 elections Susan Barber President Biden is out, and Vice President Kamala Harris has secured the Democratic presidential nomination. What does a Donald Trump vs. Kamala Harris race look like this fall? With Harris' appeal to Gen Z and Black voters, does this change anything in Texas? And what does this mean for other key 2024 races, like Rep. Colin Allred challenging Sen. Ted Cruz for his seat in the Texas Senate? Readers are invited to a live Zoom event on Thursday, August 15 at 11 am CST, hosted by Hearst Texas newsrooms San Antonio Express-News, Beaumont Enterprise, Houston Chronicle, Laredo Morning Times, Midland Reporter-Telegramwhere our senior politics reporter and Texas Take podcast host/newsletter author Jeremy Wallace will analyze and take questions on the 2024 elections with expert guests Chronicle news columnist Joy Sewing and Texas Take co-host Scott Braddock. Our virtual events bring live journalism straight to your laptop, and are free to join. Readers are encouraged to bring questions. To join our private Zoom with Jeremy Wallace, please register here. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Jeremy Wallace has covered politics and campaigns for more than 20 years. Before joining Hearst Texas newspapers in 2017 he covered government and politics for the Tampa Bay Times and The Miami Herald. Previously he covered Congress for the Boston Globe and Detroit Free-Press. Jeremy hosts The Texas Take podcast and authors the Texas Take with Jeremy Wallace newsletter, where he shares insights from inside the Capitol along with the occasional Willie Nelson reference. Joy Sewing is a news columnist for the Houston Chronicle, reporting and opining on issues including social justice, politics, race, education, health care and inequity. A Houston native, she is also the founder of Year Of Joy, a nonprofit organization that spreads joy to children from underserved communities. Joy has been an adjunct journalism professor at the University of Houston. Wayne Miller speaks at an April 25 vigil for his grandson Malachi Williams, who was killed by a San Marcos police officer on April 11. A Hays County grand jury has declined to indict the officer who shot Williams. Salgu Wissmath/San Antonio Express-News A Hays County grand jury has declined to indict a San Marcos police officer who shot and killed Malachi Williams in an H-E-B parking lot in April. The grand jury considered the evidence and determined that the officers actions were justified under Texas law, the Hays County District Attorneys Office said in a written statement Wednesday. We are saddened by the loss of life, but the actions of Mr. Williams posed a threat to public safety, Hays County District Attorney Kelly Higgins said in a written statement. This officer was forced to make a difficult decision in order to protect the public. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Williams, 22, was shot outside the H-E-B store near East Hopkins Street and Thorpe Lane at about 10:30 p.m. April 11. READ MORE: Family of man killed by San Marcos police calls for release of video San Marcos police said two people at a convenience store on Cheatham Street called 911 and reported that a man followed them as they walked home at about 9:30 p.m., and allegedly pulled out two knives and threatened them. The man, later identified as Williams, was located at the same store about an hour later, San Marcos Police Chief Stan Standridge said in a video statement this spring. An officer arrived and spoke to Williams inside the store, asking him to place his hands behind his back, Standridge said, but he refused and moved toward the officer. Standridge said the office backed out of the store because he believed Williams was likely armed; once outside the store, Williams fled on foot and the officer followed. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The district attorneys office said multiple officers followed, and one attempted to use a Taser to stop Williams. Standridge previously said the officer tried twice to use a Taser, but was unsuccessful, which he said was likely because the Taser's probes go only 25 feet and both the officer and Williams were running. During the pursuit, the officer noticed that Williams was running with the knives in his hands, the district attorneys office said. Williams cut through a parking lot and headed directly toward the H-E-B, which was open at the time. After they entered the parking lot of the grocery store, the officer shot Williams, striking him twice. READ MORE: Police say video shows slain suspect running at bystanders with knife San Marcos police previously declined to release the name of the officer who shot Williams, and the district attorneys office did not name him in its statement Wednesday. Advertisement Article continues below this ad At a vigil held in April, Williams' family said he was a free spirit who chose to live outside, and said San Marcos police had interacted with him recently, when he was asked to move from his regular sleeping spot. They asked why police officers were not able to de-escalate the situation, why the attempts to use a Taser were unsuccessful and why the police departments mental health unit was not called to respond. He was loved and cared for by his family, said Kay Miller, his older sister. He struggled with mental health and was unhoused by choice but we checked in with him. Fed him. Clothed him. Housed him when he would accept it. They called for the police department to release body camera footage of the incident, and questioned why the officer was allowed to return to work while the investigation was ongoing. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A Davenport biologist has been nationally recognized for his work on a lock and dam project on the Mississippi River. Mark Cornish's office is in the Clock Tower Building on the Rock Island Arsenal, but he works for the Corps St. Paul District as a senior biologist and technical specialist. Last month he was awarded the 2023 Civil Works Planning Excellence Award for his work on the Lock and Dam 22 Fish Passage project in Missouri. The range may seem odd, but Cornish said it all falls within the Rock Island District, which stretches from Iowa's border with Wisconsin all the way down to Lock and Dam 22 in Saverton, Missouri, just south of Hannibal. Cornish's award was for his leadership in developing a large-scale fish passage on a portion of the Upper Mississippi River that allows fish to freely access more open water. Cornish said this became a need in the past 100 years or so because of the building of dams that has created blockages for fish that were used to migrating up and down the river for thousands of years. This is a known environmental problem, he said, but the Corps struggled to find the time to address it. Recently the Corps has introduced an overhaul of the system to improve fish migration. "They picked Lock and Dam 22 because it's a relatively easy project compared to some other ones we have," Cornish said. The idea of fish passageways is not new worldwide but is new to the Mississippi River. The Lock and Dam 22 Fish Passage Project is the first one on the river, and more than 160 different species of fish are expected to pass through it. Cornish said similar projects had been completed in parts of Minnesota and the upper Midwest for salmon. In the 1980s, biologists began to build "nature-like fishways," to imitate their natural environments and help them migrate. A common example is a salmon ladder a structure that looks similar to steps with flowing water to help the fish jump from place to place. While this works great for streams and smaller areas where salmon congregate, it's not as simple on a large river. "The Mississippi River is too wide to create rapids of out of an entire lock and dam," he said. "We have to pick a section of that where fish concentrate and then try to apply that technique." On a large scale, this is crucial not only for the migration of species but their survival. The Mississippi River is home to many unique species, including the American paddlefish. Millions of years ago, "during the Pangea days," Cornish said, five different species were known to swim the waters. Once the continents spread, three of those species were knocked out. In the year 2000, two of these species were known to exist: one in the Mississippi River and the other in the Yangtze River in China. "When they constructed the Three Gorges Dam in the Yangtze River, it separated an already struggling population of paddlefish, and now we consider (that species) to be extinct," he said. "For a lineage that existed for one million years, we now have a responsibility to keep them going." Rivers in the upper Midwest support a variety of life and are interconnected with natural resources, he said. "That's fundamentally what we're trying to do and learn about," Cornish said, adding there's more biologists don't know about the river than they do. "We have been really, really fortunate in the Corps of Engineers to be provided adequate funding to do the project." Cornish said he's most proud that his work would help fishery scientists to study how and why fish were moving, and that means more to him than the recognition. "I didn't get into this business to win awards. I did it to make a difference and advance science," he said. "The real reward is making positive change in the river and being provided a career that allows you to do that." Photos: Eagles make their way back to the Quad-Cities along the Mississippi River Scott County supervisors will no longer use a third-party board to recommend pay for elected officials after a change in state law. The decision will give the supervisors more leeway in setting county elected officials' salaries, but the change in law will also require more documentation to justify salary increases. Supervisor decisions about elected official pay have sometimes come under scrutiny from the public, especially during years of tight budgets. In 2023, the supervisors decided not to increase salaries for elected officials while they faced a $1 million cut from a property tax recalculation. Previously, Iowa code prescribed that a compensation board made up of members appointed by county elected officials would recommend pay increases for those elected officials county attorney, auditor, recorder, sheriff, treasurer and supervisors. Supervisors then would vote to accept the recommendations. If supervisors wanted to deviate from the recommended salary increases, they could only lower the increases by the same amount across the board. Supervisors could not raise the compensation board's recommendation. A change in state law tucked into a tax omnibus bill, Senate File 2442, passed and signed into law during the 2024 state legislative session abolished those compensation boards but allowed counties to reestablish them if they wanted. According to guidance from the Iowa Association of Counties, if the county supervisors opt not to reestablish a compensation board, the duties of setting elected official compensation transfer to the Board of Supervisors. It also ends the requirement to change salaries uniformly. Another change in the law requires whichever entity setting salary increases the supervisors or a compensation board to document comparable positions and justify recommendations in writing. The sheriff's salary, for example, must be comparable to salaries paid to professional law enforcement administrators of other similarly sized law enforcement agencies. Four of the five Scott County supervisors said they'd prefer to go without the compensation board to remove a layer of unnecessary bureaucracy. Scott County Supervisor Ross Paustian, elected to the board in 2022, has long advocated for the abolition of county compensation boards when he was a lawmaker in the statehouse. Likewise, he opposed the county's reestablishment of the compensation board when supervisors discussed it in a July 31 meeting. "It's strange because every elected official gets to pick someone who gets to decide their salary. It's kind of like hiring the fox to guard the chicken house," Paustian said. Chair Ken Beck was the only supervisor to express a preference for keeping the compensation board, saying he thought it added an additional layer of checks and balances. Vanessa Wierman, Scott County's human resources director, told supervisors the county typically met with the compensation board twice a year. Before meeting, staff provide compensation board members with comparisons for other positions in other parts of the state, what other compensation boards are recommending for a salary increase, what the county has negotiated with the unions, historical information on past increases given to elected officials and the health of the county budget. Wierman said the new law required staff to compile much of the same information. "I don't think it's going to be any more work for Vanessa and her team because she's got to do the same thing she's doing now," Paustian said. "And I think us five supervisors can decide on these salaries." Supervisor Rita Rawson agreed. She said she thought the board should cut the "illusion of a third-party" making salary decisions when the board was appointed by elected officials and data for it came from county staff. "I can't imagine what some volunteers are going to add to that that's going to give the public an illusion that we're getting an independent third-party input," Rawson said. "I mean we're basically not." The Scott County supervisors did not take a vote on their position. County Administrator Mahesh Sharma said no formal vote by the supervisors was required by the state law if the board took on the responsibilities themselves. Action would only be required if the board decided to reestablish the compensation board. Photos and video of the Freight House Farmers Market, which was held Saturday, July 6, 2024, at the Scott County Administrative Center in Davenport Royal Farms, a gas station known for its fried chicken, no longer plans to build on a 5-acre parcel near Richmond International Airport. Instead, 7-Eleven and McDonalds plan to open on South Airport Drive, slightly north of Interstate 64 and across from Highland Springs High School. On Tuesday, Henrico Countys Board of Supervisors approved a provisional-use permit allowing a McDonalds drive-thru to stay open 24 hours a day. Last summer, Royal Farms filed plans with the county to build a store at 301 S. Airport Drive. Its unclear why Royal Farms exited. A spokesperson for the company did not respond to a request for comment. The Maryland-based chain has three other locations in the Richmond area Mechanicsville Turnpike in Henrico, Midlothian Turnpike in Chesterfield County and Temple Avenue in Colonial Heights. Earlier this year, Henrico supervisors approved a 4,800-square-foot 7-Eleven with fuel pumps. The store was approved to operate 24 hours a day businesses in the area must close from midnight to 6 a.m. unless they have a provisional-use permit. There are about 100 7-Eleven locations in Greater Richmond, including two others nearby on South Airport Drive. On Tuesday, county leaders approved the permit for McDonalds, which plans to build a 3,700-square-foot store with a 24-hour drive-thru and 38 seats. There are more than 40 McDonalds restaurants in the Richmond area. In March, the propertys owners at the time, the Parham Development Company and the Marsopy Company, sold the parcel to the Maryland-based ARLS Properties LLC. The sale price, $1.5 million, far exceeded the assessed value for the plot, which is $300,000 this year. ARLS will sell a portion of the property to 7-Eleven and has negotiated a ground lease with McDonalds, said Jeff Geiger, a lawyer for the Hirschler law firm, which represents ARLS. On the south side of the interstate, closer to the airport, Wawa and Sheetz have 24-hour locations. One local resident, Sandra Christian, said that because the McDonalds is next to the Jackson Terrace neighborhood and Fair Oaks Elementary school, county leaders should consider closing the drive-thru between midnight and 6 a.m. But Tyrone Nelson, chairperson of the board, said that because flights take off early and arrive late, a drive-thru would be helpful to customers. The man accused of killing the Hollywood Cemetery buck last year pleaded guilty on Thursday to multiple charges related to the incident, as well as violations in the deaths of two other deer. Jason Walters, 36, of Richmond, pleaded guilty to killing a deer and/or exceeding bag limits, earning a buck and trespassing to hunt, fish or trap in the Dec. 14 killing of the buck, which frequented the cemetery in the 400 block of South Cherry Street and was a fixture among central Virginias wildlife community. On two of the charges, Walters was sentenced to six months in prison with three months suspended. The prison terms will run concurrently; Walters will spend three months behind bars. He was also fined over $2,000. He is scheduled to report on Aug. 21, with work release granted. In addition to his sentence, Walters was ordered to pay $11,000 in restitution and banned from hunting for 24 years, a Department of Wildlife Resources spokesperson said in a statement. Alan Profitt, identified by authorities as an accomplice in the death of the Hollywood Cemetery buck, also has been found guilty in the incident. Profitt was sentenced to 30 days of house arrest, ordered to pay $1,250 in fines and barred from hunting for 6 years, according to the statement. Hunting is a treasured tradition in Virginia, the spokesperson said. Unethical and criminal behavior tarnishes the reputation of the sport and gives a bad name to those that engage in it lawfully. Walters had previously submitted a photo of himself and the dead buck to a hunting page on Facebook, claiming to have shot it in Prince Edward County. But officials recognized the animal as the Hollywood Cemetery buck and determined Walters had killed it illegally. That sparked a probe during which investigators from the DWR, Richmond police and Chesterfield County police executed multiple search warrants and recovered two sets of antlers, including antlers from the Hollywood Cemetery buck. Walters was charged in January. He faced 19 separate wildlife violations. The killing sparked outrage among the bucks many admirers. Wildlife photographer Bill Draper told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that the Hollywood Cemetery buck was accustomed to encountering people and, as a result, lacked caution. Walters took advantage of that fact when he killed the buck, Draper said. Tamsen Kingry, CEO of the Richmond SPCA, described the killing as cowardly and immoral. PHOTOS: Hollywood Cemetery, from the RTD archives